June 6, 2008 by Jewish Press

Vol. LXXXVII No. 39 Omaha, NE

Celebrating 87 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa

3 Sivan, 5768

June 6, 2008

Israel sends aid to China and is touched by rescue by ALISON KLAYMAN BEIJING (JTA) – In a gesture of support, one of the world’s smallest countries is sending aid to the world’s most populous nation in the form of $1.5 million worth of equipment for earthquake relief. The first three tons of Israeli supplies to earthquake-ravaged China included sleeping bags, blankets and personal water purification units. The supplies arrived in China May 22 on an El Al flight to Beijing. Israel will send the remaining 70-90 tons of equipment on a cargo plane directly to the city of Chengdu in the coming days. The Israeli government is working from a list of needs drawn up by the Chinese government. Israelis and Jews in China are also helping with the relief effort in Sichuan province. Dini’s kosher restaurant in Beijing is donating 10 percent of last month’s sales toward the earthquake relief effort. The children of the Chabad-run day school in Beijing, Ganeinu, assembled 180 relief kits with supplies such as toothbrushes as well as handmade drawings and notes. The president of Chabad’s Shanghai Jewish community, Maurice Ohana, is working on plans to have a Jewish-sponsored rebuilding of a devastated school in Sichuan. Dani Yaacobi, an Israeli living in Chengdu, says the city's Israelis are col-

lecting and buying supplies, and delivering them to areas where newly homeless people are arriving from outside the city. They also are helping build shelters. The death toll from the May 12 earthquake, which registered 7.8 on the Richter scale, is more than 65,000. It is expected to rise above 80,000. Besides the larger gift of supplies, the Israeli government also will give an additional $10,000 directly to the Hongkou area. Some of those involved in the relief effort said they were touched by the story of the two Israeli students injured near the quake’s epicenter and rescued through grass-roots efforts by Israelis and Chinese after a two-day search. Anat Bilu and Maayan Segev, both in their mid-20s, were on a backpacking vacation. Both were studying Chinese medicine in Chengdu through an exchange program with Israel’s Reidman College of Complementary Medicine. Just before the earthquake hit, they were relaxing over lunch in a small cafe inside the Hongkou nature reserve in Dujiangyan. When the ground began shaking, the two women ran outside. Just as they reached a low wall barrier around the cafe, the cafe collapsed. They were struck by the falling rubble and their bodies smashed into the barrier. Segev took the impact on her jaw, while Bilu suffered severe damage to fingers on her left hand.

A student at Ganeinu, the Chabad-run day school in Beijing, makes relief packets to send to Credit: Chabad Beijing earthquake victims in Sichuan. Helped by several Chinese people along the way, the women found temporary shelter in the mountain village of Hongkou. Like many Chinese in this remote location, the two Israelis did not realize the full scale of the disaster. Some of the Chinese translating for and helping the women had just lost their own homes and families.

First Ride to Remember in Heartland raises $50K for Holocaust education

Spearheaded by a friend of the students, Yael Arnon, Israelis in Chengdu formed a search party headquartered in an apartment. Arnon told Israel Army Radio that because the missing students were on the phone moments before the earthquake struck, she knew approximately where to find them. Continued on page 2

Mother-daughter wave Israeli flag on trek to the top of Everest

by GARY JAVITCH Special to the Jewish Press Yes, Jewish motorcyclists. It seems as rare as Jewish hunters, but their journey to mid-America had a noble and somber purpose. Nearly 100 strong, the bikers, mounted on their Harleys, Hondas and Kawasakis traveled to Omaha from 11 states and Canada to call attention to the Holocaust.

Their inaugural ride was to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. But for their “Fourth Ride to Remember,” the Jewish Motorcyclists Alliance (JMA) chose Omaha, according to Jerry Hoberman, one of the Omaha organizers of the event. “They wanted to recognize the work of The Heartland Holocaust Education Fund (HHEF) and Sam Fried, in particular,” he said. The Ride to Omaha produced a number of events that began with a dinner reception at the Marriott Hotel and concluded with a BBQat a Papillion berry and pumpkin farm on Saturday evening. Well known Omaha PR person Bill Ramsey presided over the dinner. The focus of the events was Holocaust survivor Sam Fried and his efforts to pass on stories of the dark history of the concentration camps in the Nazi era. The goal: to prevent forever a recurrence of the genocide that took place. To further their goal, Sam and his wife Frances founded the HHEF to Among the riders lining up for last month’s Ride to Remember from Omaha’s JCC to the provide education courses Holocaust Memorial at Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln was Lisa Jo Brunkhorst, second bike from about genpcide and the left. A double amputee, she called organizers to request a ride; several motorocycle enthusiasts Holocaust to institutions Continued on page 6 responded, including Les Green from the mountains of Georgia.

Inside

This Week: Father’s Day/Graduation issue starts on Page 15

See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’ Opinion Page see page 20

Say cheese! Dairy recipes for Shavuot: Page 8

Cheryl, left, and Nikki Bart on the morning of May 24, became the first mother-daughter team to reach the sumCredit: BigPond.com mit of Mount Everest. Continued on page 2

Coming This Month: Senior Living: June 27 Salute to Graduating High School Seniors: Pages 12 and 13

Local artist exhibits her Venetian dreams: Page 24

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

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Continued from page 1 She assumed that communication difficulties were the only reason they had not called. The Israeli Embassy in Beijing shared the same assumption. Consul General Alon Shoham, a press officer and a Chinese staffer boarded one of the first flights to Chengdu two days after the earthquake.

arriving that night at an inundated Chengdu hospital. “In Israel we know about crisis events with lots of casualties,” said Guy Kivetz, Israeli Embassy spokesman who traveled with Shoham. “The medical teams were really angels. They acted bravely, quietly and professionally.” Segev was operated on immediately in Chengdu to repair multiple fractures to her jaw. Bilu underwent sur-

Anat Bilu, right, recovering from injuries suffered in the Chinese earthquake, gets a visit in Chengdu hospital from Yael Arnon, an Israeli who helped organize the search to find Bilu and another Israeli exchange student. From the left: Embassy staffer Zhao Fanghang, Israeli Embassy spokesman Guy Kivetz, Arnon, Bilu and Israeli Consul Alon Credit: Guy Kevtiz Shoham.

An Israeli cargo plane leaves Ben Gurion Airport for the city of Chengdu with humanitarian aid for victims of the earthquake that struck the Sichuan province in southwestern China. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated the aid effort, collecting more than one and a half million dollars, a million of which were donated by Israel Corporation, headed by Idan Ofer, and its subsidiaries, and half a million by Jewish philanthropists Diane and Gilford Glazer, through the United Israel Appeal. The plane carried about 90 tons of medicines and medical equipment, water purification kits, generators, tents, sleeping bags, and clothing intended for Credit: ISRANET the earthquake survivors.

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A Chinese construction magnate named Zhang was leading the rescue efforts in Sichuan. When the Israelis arrived in Chengdu, Zhang offered them three of his cars and two drivers -- Zhang himself drove the third car -- for the search effort. By then, Segev and Bilu had decided to leave Hongkou and spent more than six hours descending to the main road. Eventually they crossed paths with two Israelis from the rescue party. That evening, the students reached the embassy staff and boarded an ambulance,

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS FRIDAY, JUNE 6 Institute for Holocaust Education Echoes and Reflections Training, 8:30 a.m. at ESU #3 Speciality Camp Trip, 9 a.m. to Worlds and Oceans of Fun SATURDAY, JUNE 7 C BBYO BBG Beau Dance, 7 p.m. at Holiday Inn Convention Center L I SUNDAY, JUNE 8 P

C L I P

Reading the Rambam Class, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel & Bible Study Group, 10 a.m. at Beth El S A V E

Praise the Land and Pass the Falafel, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El Shavuot Service, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel S Shavuot Service, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El A Dairy Dinner & Tikun Leil Shavuout, 8:15 p.m. V E at Beth Israel MONDAY, JUNE 9 Annual Shavuot Ice Cream Party and Luncheon, 11a.m. at Chabad Shavuot Service, 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel Shavout Classes for Youth & Adults, 1 p.m. at Beth Israel

TUESDAY, JUNE 10 Shavout Classes for Youth & Adults, 1 p.m. at Beth Israel ADL/CRC Youth Leadership Mission Meeting, 7 p.m. at JCC C From Generation to Generation, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel C L L I I WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 P Community Lecture with Michael Broyde, 7 p.m. at JCC P & S A V E

THURSDAY, JUNE 12 Women of the Torah, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Cardozo Society Luncheon with Michael Broyde, noon Parsha for kids, 4 p.m. at Chabad Class with Rabbi Gross, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel 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)

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gery in Israel to repair nerve damage to her fingers. “It was very Israeli to independently organize their own search party,” Kivetz told JTA. “But from the story of the girls’ rescue we learn that we are the same, that as much as Israelis do for each other, so do the Chinese.”

& S A V E

by DAN GOLDBERG Celsius. They also had to SYDNEY, Australia overcome several setbacks (JTA) -- The first motherduring their ascent: the daughter team to reach weather, nearby avalanchthe summit of Mount es and high security when Everest waved an Israeli the Olympic torch was flag on their way to the carried up the mountain. top. On May 28, Cheryl Cheryl Bart and her Bart said she was looking daughter Nikki of Sydney forward to going home arrived atop the world’s to Australia and new chalhighest mountain in the lenges beyond. wee hours of May 24, “We have to go home Nepal time. and we can’t wait to see “I am at the top of the family and friends, have world,” Cheryl Bart more showers and eat ice radioed back to her colcream,” she said. “But leagues at Everest Base having reached the highNikki, left, and Cheryl Bart hold the Israeli flag on the morning of est point on earth, we Camp. On May 29, a day after Saturday May 24, 2008 on their way to becoming the first mother- should probably go to the descending to the base daughter team to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Dead Sea.” Credit: BigPond.com camp, Cheryl Bart told JTA by satellite phone, “It hasn’t really sunk in.” She said the view from the summit (www.bigpondeverest.com) was awe-inspiring. “Stepping up onto the roof of the world, my feeling was one of awe, silence and awe, that I was there,” Bart said. “It was a full moon, so when you lifted your head up you could see the reflection of the mountain. It was quite spectacular. The sun just started to rise over in Tibet, so the pink clouds and pink tops of these mighty mountains were awesome.” Mother and daughter both are graduates of Moriah College, Australia’s largest Jewish school. Cheryl is a non-executive director of several companies in Australia as well as an ambassador of the Australian chapter of the Peres Center for Peace. Nikki Bart, in her final year of medical school, is cochair of the Medical Students’ Aid Project, which Judy Tully, left, and Lisa Lieb rehearse the roles of famous donates medical equipment and pharmaceuticals to Israeli historical figures to be portrayed during Beth El’s Third World hospitals. upcoming birthday party for Israel, “Praise the Land ... They are also the first mother-daughter duo to scale and Pass the Falafel!” This musical celebration, offering the peaks of the so-called seven summits -- the highest entertainment, festivities and food for the entire family, is mountains on each continent. this Sunday, 5:30 p.m., at the synagogue. Cost is $5. For With a small flag of Israel in their backpack, the pair reservations or more information, contact Program arrived in Nepal at the end of March, taking weeks to Director Margie Gutnik at 492.8550, or programacclimate to the high altitude and bitter cold in preparaming@bethel-omaha.org tion for temperatures that plunged to minus 30 degrees

Beth El gets ready to raise the roof for Israel’s 60th

June 6, 2008

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

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With rock music, Islamic teachings, Indonesian ex-premier fights for moderate Islam by RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA) -- In its telling, the story of a notorious lynching of Jews is not unusual. The storyteller, however, is: Abdurrahman Wahid, the former Indonesian president, and a leading Muslim scholar. In an interview with JTA, Wahid, who traveled to the United States and then Israel in recent weeks to preach his message of Muslim tolerance, revealed the root of his understanding of the risks and perils of Jewish existence. Wahid was a 29-year-old student at Baghdad University in 1966, earning his keep as a secretary at a textile importer, when he befriended the firm’s elderly accountant, an Iraqi Jew he remembers only by his family name, Ramin. “I learned from him about the Kabbalah, the Talmud, everything about Judaism,” Wahid recalled of the fouryear friendship that included long lunches, quiet walks and talks at the city’s legendary Hanging Gardens. Wahid has spoken about this friendship before -- it is featured in his biography by Greg Barton, Abdurrahman Wahid: Muslim Democrat, Indonesian President -- but on this recent tour Wahid added to the account his memories of Jan. 27, 1969. In 1968, the Iraqi government effectively had come under the control of Saddam Hussein, whose title at that time was deputy to the president, Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr. At Saddam’s behest, Iraqi courts had convicted 14 Iraqis -- nine of them Jews -- on trumped-up charges of spying for Israel, and they were hanged that day in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square, just steps away from where the textile firm had offices. Ramin came to his friend Wahid and wept, wondering what would become of Iraq’s ancient Jewish community. “I said, ‘This is not only your fate, it is my fate,’” said Wahid, now frail and in a wheelchair. Wahid said he decided then that “the Islamic people should learn” about the Jews and their faith. Ramin’s worst fears were realized: The community that dated to the Babylonian exile heard Saddam’s message loud and clear, and by the early 1970s it had dwindled to barely a hundred Jews. By 2007 there were less than 10, according to media accounts. Wahid, however, made good on his pledge. Best known as the president who shifted Indonesia to democracy from 1999 to 2001, Wahid then was forced out due to a combination of financial scandals and hardliners who opposed his attempts to liberalize restrictions on political groups and the country’s Chinese minority. Wahid also has gained prominence for his insistence on introducing the world’s most populous Muslim nations

to certain truths about the in Indonesia to endorse Jews. and write tracts repudiatAs an opposition leader, he ing the radical brand of broke new ground by visitIslam promoted by Saudiing Israel in 1994. The apex funded advocates of of this effort, conducted Wahhabi Islam. jointly with the LibForAll The organization also Foundation -- www.libforis disseminating a 30-lesall.org/, a group that proson video curriculum called “What is Islam” motes moderate Islam, and that advances a pluralistic the Simon Wiesenthal vision of the faith Center --www.wiesenthal. throughout thousands of com/site/pp.asp?c=fwL Islamic boarding schools YKnN8LzH&b=242023, in Indonesia. was the Holocaust conferOne of the project’s ence last year in Bali, highest-profile coups was Indonesia. getting rock star Ahmad At the conference, which was attended by survivors Dani, whose group, Dewa, and Jewish and Muslim clerhas been likened to U2, on gy, Wahid called Iranian board with the program. President Mahmoud Dani has recorded a single Ahmadinejad a “liar” for taking on Laskar Jihad, denying the Holocaust. Indonesia’s radical Islamist Wahid, 67, continues to terrorist group. The song promote his message with is called Laskar Cinta -LibForAll, founded in 2003 w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / by C. Holland Taylor, a Abdurrahman Wahid, seated, receives the Medal of Valor from watch?v=x5maM7yYlAE scholar of Southeast Asia and Rabbi Marvin Hier, the founder and dean of the Simon -- “Warriors for Love.” a telecommunications mag- Wiesenthal Center, as Rabbi Abraham Cooper, far left, and C. Taylor says plans are nate. Wahid, who says he Holland Taylor look on at the Simon Wiesenthal Center last under way to translate the Courtesy Simon Wiesenthal Center videos and tracts into plans to run for president month. again in 2009, brings to the venture his prestige as the Arabic and other languages. “We feel that Indonesia has the cultural capital to be a scion of a family of Javanese Islamic scholars. Earlier last month he attended a Wiesenthal Center leader in the struggle,” he said. This strategy might make headway in countries where tribute dinner in his honor and then traveled to Israel to participate in Israeli President Shimon Peres’ conference moderate Islam has roots -- Malaysia, Turkey and some celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary, “Facing East African nations -- but Taylor does not have a clear plan of action for how this strategy is supposed to work Tomorrow.” This Jewish component is just part of Wahid’s larger in places such as Saudi Arabia, which has few Islamic effort to promote an ideology of moderate Islam. He moderates. Wahid says moderate Islam stands a greater chance of wants to demonstrate that the radical factions are not pre-eminent and to promote a faith that preaches equal- triumphing over Islamic radicalism once Western leaders stop trying to accommodate Islamic extremists. Saudi ity for women and tolerance of non-believers. Taylor says the strategy is to reach political, religious Arabia, in particular, remains the primary funding source and cultural leaders -- even pop stars -- and through for the global spread of fundamentalist Islam. “Don’t give any kind of recognition to the fundamenthem to “trickle down” the message of Wahid’s moderate Islam. “We work with top leaders,” Taylor said. talist view of Islam,” Wahid said. “The Saudis have a “These individuals are able to drip their message down double-pronged thing: the first is to give assistance to fundamentalists, on the other side to show the ‘humanto a grass-roots levels.” LibForAll recruits respected moderate Muslim leaders ist’ side of Islam. These things cannot be reconciled.”

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

Summer Shabbats at Temple Israel feature congregant stories and OTYG by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator It’s become a summer Shabbat tradition at Temple Israel for congregants to give the d’var Torah at Friday evening worship services. Speakers have shared their Jewish journeys from Long Island to Omaha, from Israel to America, and even some entirely without maps. “They’ve been great,” said Lois Epstein. “They’ve been very interesting and fun to listen to and have added to the feeling of community. “We really enjoy listening to the speakers and are excited Temple’s doing this again.” All summer worship services begin at 6 p.m. through the end of August. Following in the path of last year’s successful adult education theme, “Know Thyself, Know Thy Neighbor,” Gary Marshall, chairman of Temple’s Adult Education Committee for the past year, will start off the Shabbat series on Friday, June 13, with “Representing the Diaspora or How My Mother Learned to Cook Middle Eastern Food.” Speaking of food, there will be a nohost dinner at the Greek Islands Restaurant, 3821 Center Street, following services. Join Rabbi Aryeh and Elyce Azriel and the guest speaker by calling the Temple office at 556.6536. On June 20, Omaha Temple Youth Group (OTYG) will conduct a “LowWatt Shabbat” dedicated to becoming environmentally responsible Jews. Grace Hack, religious/cultural vice president of OTYG, will lead the teens at an outdoor, casual, guitar-accompanied worship service. Adding to the relaxed mood of this Shabbat, hot dogs and s’mores will be served after services. Naturally, car pool-

Good night, my friends

ing to services is encouraged. Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Jan Goldstein will share her story, “California Dreamin’ to the Promised Land,” on June 27th. Goldstein has been to Israel dozens of times in the past 15 years. Services start way before the fireworks start bursting across the Omaha skyline on Friday, July 4, when Cantor Wendy Shermet will give her Independence Day d’var Torah. Jan Schneiderman, a current member of the Temple Israel Board of Trustees and the next president of the Board, will talk about “My Father’s Gift” on July 11 followed by former Board President Jim Farber’s d’var Torah, “My Journey,” on July 18. A renowned storyteller who combines her skills as a storyteller, actress, writer, comedienne, and improvisationalist, Rita Paskowitz will be sure to enliven your imagination and lift your spirits on July 25 when she gives her d’var Torah, “OY!” “Everyone is a story waiting to be told,” believes Paskowitz. Brandon Thomas returns this month from a year of studying and traveling in Israel with Young Judaea. An aspiring chef, Brandon’s d’var Torah, on Aug. 1, is: “It’s Not a Cliché. There’s No Place Like Home.” Two of the many things he learned while in Israel were what an amazing Jewish community Omaha is and how great Temple Israel is. Aug. 8 will feature the last speaker in the series. Hugh Levin, who faced the challenges of being a minority in Vermont where he was raised, will ask: “Is Vermont the Capital of New Hampshire?” Temple Israel welcomes the community to attend these Shabbat experiences.

by SHEVI KATZMAN for Chabad of Nebraska A group of quiet, young listeners attentively took note of Nancy Rips as she described what the world was like when G-d gave the Torah to the Jews in the desert at the last Bedtime Storytime at Chabad House. It was just that: quiet. Nothing made a sound. The whole world waited with baited breath as the Torah became the Jews’ responsibility. First time attendee Sarah Schroeder brought her daughter Sadie, noting, “I had a wonderful time, and so did she. All she could talk about were the other kids and how she loved playing with her friends at her jammy party. I enjoyed the laid back atmosphere, and how comfortable it was listening Storyteller Nancy Rips explains how we use the five to the stories with other children and senses at each Jewish holiday. parents. There were even snacks that ily to several this year. my picky eater would eat, and the He makes a point to come “because it slideshow helped show the pictures in the is a wonderful event where kids and their book.” parents can feel welcome.” Father of Deb Denenberg, mom of twins Lev Isabella and Mendel, he adds, “It’s so and Becca, shares similar feelings, saying, relaxing for everyone and is one of the “I’m always amazed at how capable nicest children’s programs around young children are and how well Chabad because it is low key. Also, Nancy does a understands them. The kids made beauti- fantastic job with the kids. We can’t wait ful Shavuot flowers. Then the story was for the Bedtime series to start up again.” followed by play on the lawn.” The innovative program filled the need She added, “I love how people from for a relaxing evening event for young every synagogue seek out Chabad. While families to do together. Aviva Segall and the kids are having fun, I’m making Annette van de Kamp chaired Bedtime friends from all parts of the community. Storytime, while Nancy Rips reads the It was worth it just to see Nancy in her story. Bedtime Storytime is sponsored by bunny slippers!” Mishpacha Univeristy, dedicated to proThe goals for Bedtime Storytime are to viding young parents with learning and help children gain an appreciation for teaching opportunities for their children. books, bedtime rituals, and the values The next series will kick off in transmitted in Jewish storybooks. September. For more information, call Jeremy Wright has been bringing his fam- Carol at 330.1800.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

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A president’s farewell FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT by NORMAN M. SHELDON, President of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Last week we held the final board meeting under my term as Federation President, and it was a great opportunity to look back on the progress we’ve made over the past two years. We managed a number of critical fundraising campaigns during my term, and I personally witnessed your incredible generosity. Through two Annual Campaigns, Operation Promise, the Israel emergency Campaign and Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Capital Campaign you donated a total of $24.5 million. To position ourselves for continued success, we’ve conducted an in-depth review of our Campaign structure, and we’re moving forward with a new strategic plan for the future of our Annual Campaign and fundraising efforts. Exciting progress has been made within our agencies, including the merger of Jewish Family Service and Jewish Senior Services – a partnership that has created outstanding synergies and efficiencies. We made several key operational changes, including the addition of the Chief Operating Officer position. Further development of the Financial Review Committee resulted in the implementation of quarterly financial statements, and we overhauled our bylaws and

organizational structure. Our missions program continues to grow, and we are committed to sending people to Israel each year. Recent missions include the 2006 Community Mission, the 2007 Family Mission and the 2008 Kripke Campaign Leadership Mission. The 60th Anniversary Mission is scheduled for November, and I hope you’ll join me on this incredible journey. Our Partnership with Israel program, which recently celebrated its ten year anniversary, continues to expand. We’re seeing more volunteers and programming than ever before – both here and in Israel – as our connection with the Western Galilee grows, strengthening our Jewish identity and commitment. We’ve placed a renewed focus on the Community Development Department, which now provides more gateways of connection for the entire community. Focus groups have offered us new insight into how to engage the younger members of our community, and we have developed expanded programming and networking opportunities. These are just some of the highlights of the past few years. I invite you to visit www.jewishomaha.org and click on 2006-08 Summary of Accomplishments to learn more. On a personal note, I want to thank our dedicated team of volunteers and professionals who have been an integral part of every milestone we’ve reached. It has been my privilege to serve you, the members of this special community; your spirit and generosity have brought great pride and honor to the Jewish people.

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Professor’s legal experience provides a unique perspective by MARY SUE GROSSMAN Administrator for Center for Jewish Education When Professor Michael Broyde steps to the podium, his legal background includes both American law and the Jewish legal system. He is Professor of Law at Emory University School of Law and the Academic Director of the Law and Religion Program at Emory University. Additionally, Broyde is a member and past director of the Beth Din of America. Broyde will cover “Religion in the American Political Public Forum” at a community lecture on Wednesday, June 11, 7:30 p.m., in the Jewish Community Center auditorium. The event, which is free of charge, is presented by the Center for Jewish Education and sponsored by an endowment from the Philip M. and Ethel Klutznick Chair of Jewish Civilization at Creighton University. Beth Israel's Rabbi Jonathan Gross has personal experience with Rabbi Broyde. “I have read all of the articles that Professor Broyde has written which span virtually every area of Jewish law,” said Gross. “I first met Professor Broyde at a rabbinic convention in Chicago when I approached him with a halachic question regarding a congregant. I was amazed at how forthcoming and accessible he was, particularly to a rabbi in a small congregation in Omaha! He told me to call him at any time with any question and then gave me his cell phone number.” Gross commented that Professor Broyde is well known in the rabbinic world. He is down to earth, modest, personable and is known for his kindness. “It is a

great honor to have someone of Rabbi Broyde’s stature speak in Omaha,” he said. “Everyone in the community should attend this event. The lecture will be enriching and fascinating.” The Beth Din of America is the largest Jewish law court in America. This rabbinical court serves affiliated and unaffiliated Jews, as well as the entire spectrum of the Orthodox community in their Beth Din needs. Originally founded in 1960, and reconstituted in 1994, the Beth Din services include adjudication of monetary, interpersonal and communal disputes, issuance of divorce decrees or “gittin”, and confirmation of personal status issues for rabbinic courts in Israel and elsewhere in the world. Firmly anchored in the principles of halakha (Jewish law), the Beth Din has earned a reputation for conducting its affairs with competence, integrity and fairness. It provides a modern forum that interfaces effectively with contemporary society in a professional, efficient and user-friendly manner. The Beth Din has thereby earned the confidence of Jews across the ideological spectrum. On Thursday, June 12, 11:45 a.m., Professor Broyde will address members of the Cardozo Society during a deli luncheon on “Jewish Law as Practiced in Modern America – A Possible Avenue for Alternative Dispute Resolution”. Cost is $10 per person. The luncheon is also open to the community, however reservations are required. Reservations can be made by calling the CJE at 334.6445.

How is this publication thinking about the future?

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Living a Kabbalist’s legacy: Lag B’Omer at Chabad relationship. He said, “To deceive anyone by SHEVI KATZMAN by words, is worse than cheating him out for Chabad of Nebraska of money.” So each Lag Ba’Omer we celThe rainy weather last ebrate Rabbi Shimon’s life and the revelamonth didn’t interfere tion of the esoteric soul of Torah. with the traditional Lag Bob Goldberg put into words his feelB’Omer barbeque ings about the event he helped prepare, planned at Chabad "The Chabad House provided its usually House, allowing Jewish sumptuous combination of fun, food, and families the opportunity education.” to celebrate the life of The joyous day was celebrated with Kabbalist Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the author of outdoor games, a wide array of BBQ by the Zohar. Goldberg and baked goods by Devra Living in the second Leora McNamara plays outdoors on the Lag Bram, and an interactive Lag B’Omer century, Bar Yochai was B’Omer celebration at Chabad. story led by Estie Katzman. the first to teach the mystical dimension of the Torah, At the conclusion of the story, Isabella Wright said to known as Kabbalah. On the day of his passing, Lag Estie, “You’re the best storyteller in the whole world!” B’Omer, Bar Yochai instructed his disciples to mark the The story held the group spellbound as Estie amazed date as a “the day of my joy.” The Chassidic masters the audience with the number of students belonging to explain that the final day of a righteous person’s earthly Rabbi Shimon (22,000) and the astounding attitude he life marks the point at which “all his deeds, teachings showed in negative situations. This program is one of and work” achieve their culminating perfection and the Chabad’s many fun, educational holiday events highzenith of their impact upon our lives. lighted by its signature great food and comprehensive Rabbi Shimon knew the importance of good human explanations and insights on Jewish life.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

Wendy Vann succeeds Katherine Finnegan as head of Temple Religious School committee

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by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Wendy Vann is the new chairperson of the Temple Israel Religious School Steering Committee (RSSC) succeeding Katherine Finnegan who became the head of RSSC three years ago. Wendy has been a member of the RSSC as the Family School liaison for the past two years. According to Vann, RSSC is a group of people willing to sit around a table five or six times a year and hammer out issues that arise so that our youth, teachers, clergy, and staff needs are being met. “I like to spend my time on things that have a direct effect on my children in some way,” Vann said. She’s usually around to lend a helping hand at Religious School. “I admire people who can teach our youth. So if there’s something I can do to make the job easier, then I am game. I was cochair of parent volunteers Wendy Vann with Jennifer Tompkins Kirshenbaum for the last two years.” Vann thinks of RSSC as “a think tank. I hope that parents see it as a place to come with any concerns, ideas, or input that affect the Jewish education of their children. We have an amazing staff, teachers, and clergy, and I hope they see (RSSC) as a place where we can all come together and build a web of education, experience, and safety that enables all of our kids to become strong Jewish adults. It’s about instilling Jewish values into their core so they don’t have to think about being Jewish most of the time; they’ll ‘just do it.’ I want everyone as happy as they can be while still being able to empower our youth to be Jewish.” As a nurse, Vann likes things to be streamlined and as effective as possible. “Applying that to most of what I do makes me easy to work with, always willing to listen to every side of a situation, and very eager to find a solution that will be practical and effective. “I have two kids and work one night a week. I know what it’s like to juggle home, work, school, and religious school. Besides,” she added, “people are busy and want to know that what they are putting their time into is worthwhile.” Finnegan will remain on the RSSC and intends to be involved until her own children are confirmed and grad-

uate. “I have always looked at the RSSC as one way that I could be involved in my children’s Jewish education, and maybe I could learn something along the way.” When she first took the reins of the RSSC, Finnegan conducted what she called a “SWOT analysis” which evaluated strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. “We developed a mission and started to look at our curriculum in terms of how it was meeting that mission. We’ve made great strides in our Hebrew curriculum. Our kids are doing more at their B’nai Mitzvahs.” She added, “We started a more organized approach to recruiting volunteers for school events such as holidays, grade level Shabbats, and needs in the classroom. We’ve revamped our report cards and course evaluations, evaluated service attendance suggestions and requirements and devised a new fee structure. We changed our high school format and Katherine Finnegan are always trying to improve course offerings,” Finnegan explained. “We took the RSSC from a PTA to a visioning arm of the Religious School,” Finnegan added, “where the professional staff can hear parents’ thoughts and ideas and bounce off new ideas.” Noting that “Wendy Vann will be an excellent leader,” Finnegan said, “She knows everyone in our school, which is an asset because we need to have the participation of younger families. Wendy has that connection.” Most importantly, Finnegan learned “how committed our clergy and professional educational and administrative staff are to our youth in seeing that their spiritual, emotional, and social needs are met. They are really here for the kids.” With her oldest child in high school, Finnegan sees “this time as pretty fleeting. I think a lot of kids realize after coming here for five, six, or seven years, they really have a place they can call home. She wants to continue “to make it as memorable and joyful an experience as possible.” Director of Religious Education Elyce Azriel considers the Religious School to be “lucky to have two high caliber women who take the Religious School so seriously. It has been inspiring for me to work with Katherine, and I know it will be nothing but spectacular working with Wendy.”

Ride to Remember in the Heartland

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Continued from page 1 of higher learning across the Heartland. The couple believes that only by learning from the past can you protect the future. Proceeds from the 2008 Ride to Remember will be used for college-level courses at Nebraska universities. (For more information, visit www.holocausteducationfund.org.)

keeping these important memories alive. He shared several emotional experiences he endured to reach America and emphasized how proud he was to be an American. “I will never take my freedom for granted,” he said. The next day, children from Friedel sang to the bikers, who creid during a free breakfast, hosted by the Jewish Community Center and sponsored by the Rose Blumkin

Biker Les Green joins Frances and Sam Fried at the Wall of Remembrance at Wyuka Cemetery. Ramsey introduced a number of JMA speakers and the HHEF founding board members who each received an award for their work. A highlight of the evening occured when New Jersey JMA fundraiser Gil Paul told an emotional story about the recent passing of his mother, also a Holocaust survivor. She admonished her son to keep alive the memories of the tragedy of the Holocaust for the children, so “Never Again” would these horrors occur. In a surprise announcement at his conclusion, he stated that the JMA had raised $48,000 for the Frieds’ fund. Then Paul made a plea to the audience to round up the total and Omahan Bob Batt volunteered an additional $2,000 to bring the JMA donations to $50,000. Sam Fried delivered the keynote address in which he praised his wife and family, the fund board and others for

Students from Friedel Jewish Academy entertained bikers and supporters before they left on their ride to Lincoln. Jewish Home, said executive directors Mike Sileverman of the JSS/RBJH, and Jeff Aizenberg of the JCC. Then riders motored through rain and cold to the Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, accompanied by an escort provided by both the Omaha and Lincoln police. The cemetery is the official home of Nebraska’s Holocaust Memorial, which became a reality due to the work of many Nebraskans, spearheaded by the Frieds. There at the Wall of Remembrance, more tributes followed. The events were organized by the Jewish Federation, including Alan Potash, ADL-CRC director; Beth Seldin Dotan, director of the Institute for Holocaust Education; Marty Ricks, Federation Foundation Director and Laurie Peatrowsky, Foundation associate, as well as Mike Collier, Campus Manager, and his maintenance staff.

June 6, 2008

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 7

IN THE NEWS Since joining the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1993, Harold M. Maurer, M.D. has been a key figure in transforming the medical center into the thriving enterprise that it is today. Serving as dean of the UNMC College of Medicine for five years and as chancellor for the past 10 years, Dr. Maurer has no doubt left an indelible mark on the UNMC landscape. What most people don’t realize about Dr. Maurer is that he was a prolific researcher prior to coming to UNMC and is considered a legendary figure in pediatric oncology. His legend status was reaffirmed last month when the National Cancer Institute devoted the entire issue of its NCI Cancer Bulletin electronic newsletter to pediatric oncology. One of the milestones during the 1970s was the work of the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (IRSG) headed by Dr. Maurer. The IRSG was credited with developing a repetitive-course, multi-agent chemo-therapy treatment for advanced rhabdomyosarcoma, a fast-growing, highly malignant tumor which accounts for more than half of the soft tissue cancers in children. The work of the IRSG is credited with raising the cure rate of children from 20 percent to 75 percent. Dr. Maurer’s interest in rhabdomyosarcoma was somewhat serendipitous. “I was a new faculty member in 1968 at the Medical College of Virginia in

Richmond,” he said. “I was working with Dr. Clare Shumway (a pediatric oncologist/hematologist). He would get depressed every time a child would come in with cancer. Finally, he told me, ‘You do the oncology cases. I’ll take care of the hematology cases.’” Soon thereafter, a young girl was presented to Dr. Maurer with rhabdomyosarcoma. “She had a primary tumor in her leg, and it had metastasized to the lung,” he said. “I checked the medical literature, but there was nothing of any importance that had been written on rhabdomyosarcoma.” Fortunately, the girl survived. And people started to take notice. “I was getting three to five calls a day from physicians around the world seeking my counsel on rhabdomyosarcoma,” he said. Dr. Maurer continued to lead the IRSG for 25 years. “We learned a lot about the disease,” he said. “We learned the pattern for how it spreads. For example, when we first started, there was a 100 percent mortality rate if it originated in the head and neck area and then spread to the brain. So, as soon as a tumor was identified in the head and neck region, we prophylactically treated the brain with radiation therapy. The survival rate soared. The research grants continued to flow. Each year, the IRSG brought in about $1 million or more in research funding. “Dr. (Tom) Rosenquist (vice chancellor of research) once told me that I had more research grants than any other researcher at UNMC,” Dr. Maurer said. Although it’s been more than 10 years since Dr. Maurer conducted his research, he’s thrilled to see that the work of the IRSG is still remembered. Fittingly, in

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2003, his illustrious research career was capped when the Children’s Oncology Group honored him with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Puppy Enterprises has opened a fullservice grooming salon, bakery and French boutique for dogs in Pepperwood Village Shopping Center, 156th and W. Dodge Road. Find everything from leopard-print doggie bikinis to sushi, as well as an array of “Go Big Red” gear for the dogs who love football. Even plush toys such as dreidels, menorahs and bagels are available! The doggie bakery offers treats like Mom’s apple pie, canine-olis, puppy fortune cookies, and birthday cakes. Puppy Enterprises offers a wide range of grooming services, as well as canine spa packages such as the “Doggie Diva” and “a la carte” items. Puppy Enterprises is a two-time finalist for the “Most Innovative Company of the Year” by the Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs in New York. In addition, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the State of Nevada awarded coowner and Omaha native, Tammy Mathews, the 2007 Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Nevada. Hollywood has also taken notice and is considering the salon as a location for an upcoming dog reality show. To make an appointment, call 502.5939. PGA TOUR’s Woody Austin donated $25,000 to Brook Valley School and will play at Champions Run on July 7 for School benefit. Austin, a three-time PGA TOUR event winner, has recently desig-

nated a check to Brook Valley School, a portion of the charitable proceeds generated from the 2007 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, which Austin participated in as a member of the victorious U.S. Team. For several years, Austin has participated in the Brook Valley School annual golf tournament benefit. Brook Valley School is sponsored by Educational Service Unit #3, and serves students with severe special needs in eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. The Omaha Press Club inducted a number of Journalists of Excellence into its Hall of Fame last week, including The Sun Newspapers of Omaha, owned by Warren Buffett; publisher was Stanford Lipsey, and editor, Paul N. Williams. Lipsey is currently the publisher of The Buffalo News. Beth El’s Cantor Gastón Bogomolni will attend the 60th annual convention of The Cantors Assembly -- the largest international organization of hazzanim -from June 15-19, in Kerhonkson, NY. Leading experts in the field of Jewish music, world-renowned scholars, firstclass concerts, workshops and sessions of new music will be presented to cantors and lovers of Jewish music. Cantor Bogomolni will serve as one of the presenters during the ‘Technology Track’ session, demonstrating his invention, ‘WebParasha,’ an online web application that allows congregants and cantors to self-assign Torah and Haftarah readings. In addition, he was invited to sing as part of the ‘New Music’ presentation.

Page 8

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

Cool as a cuke: Recalling the salad days of cold soups by LINDA MOREL NEW YORK (JTA) -- Shavuot celebrations often center around brunch, where bagels and lox grab the attention. Those who branch out typically gravitate to blintzes and kugels. But in the Old Country, Shavuot meals often started with cold, creamy soups, an appetizer that has all but disappeared in today’s grab-and-go world. I suspect that cold soups have been replaced by Smoothies, a staple at juice bars where fruit is whipped in blenders with ice cream, yogurt or sorbet to create magical drinks. While refrigerated soup sounds like an oxymoron, in the days before air conditioning, Jews adored dairy soups, beginning at Shavuot and continuing throughout the summer. Falling seven weeks after Passover, Shavuot commemorates the children of Israel receiving the Torah from God at Mount Sinai. According to scholars, when they returned from this event, the ancient Israelites probably were too exhausted to prepare meat and instead ate dairy products. New to the laws of kashrut, they needed to kosher their cookware, so dairy foods probably sufficed in the interim. Over the centuries, milk’s whiteness has been compared to the purity of the Torah. Tethered in time to Passover, Shavuot falls during the season when cows produce an abundance of milk. For these reasons, Shavuot has become a dairy holiday, and Jews from many countries have celebrated with a variety of cold, creamy soups. Recipes fall into two categories: fruity and sweet or herbal and green. In her Jewish Holiday Cookbook, Joan Nathan explains that fruit soups, often sweetened with honey, originated with German Jews who made them while summering near the Baltic Sea. This practice spread to neighboring countries. During the summer months, plum soup with its sour cream base was wildly popular among Eastern European Jews. Hungarian Sour Cherry Soup causes Jews who remember it to swoon. Tangy morello cherries, which flood local markets in June, produced the defining taste. On a trip to Budapest a decade ago, my daughter and I saw cherry vendors on many street corners. We snacked all day on those cherries, purchased in small paper bags, and at dinner we were treated to cherry soup. Back home I tried to replicate our experience but never found morello cherries. Don’t ask how long it took to remove enough cherry pits to feed four. For days my fingers were stained red, and the results were a far cry from my Budapest memories. Instead I turned to the strawberry yogurt soups springing up on restaurant menus. In a fraction of the time it took to pit cherries, I devised a refreshing soup that’s been a big hit ever since. Along the

way I discovered Greek yogurt, which is far superior in taste and texture to other yogurts. During the summer, Hungarians serve most soups cold. On the savory side, green bean soup was a favorite among Jews. While it can be difficult t locate the slender, young beans required for the recipes, I have substituted with haricots verts -- thin, French-style string beans. Jews of a certain age rave about Schav, a cool, tart soup made from sorrel, an herb that grew wild on hills throughout Eastern and Central Europe. But sorrel is a rare commodity in America, found only in farmer’s markets for a brief season. Finicky eaters are repelled by Schav

Spun with sour cream, Summer Borscht is cool and refreshing on hot days. Credit: Linda Morel because sorrel turns khaki green when exposed to heat. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Jews love chilled spinach soup. Seasoning varies, but yogurt is the common denominator. Originating in Persia, Cucumber Yogurt Soup is widespread throughout the Mediterranean. It arrived on America restaurant menus during the 1990s. Crisp and refreshing, this soup requires no cooking. I was introduced to yogurt soup by my husband, who learned to make it in Tel Aviv from a red-headed cousin. Since their family has Italian Jewish roots, David sprinkles in balsamic vinegar, claiming it adds punch with mellow tones. Preferring the lemon juice from his cousin’s recipe, I object to this practice because it muddies the soup’s milky hue. We often compromise using white balsamic vinegar. In his cookbook Olive Trees and Honey, chef and Rabbi Gil Marks notes that Jews from some countries heighten yogurt soup with zesty ingredients: garlic, scallions, cilantro, mint, tarragon, raisins, ground nuts or hard-boiled eggs. I have fond childhood memories of my father each summer pouring bottled borscht into a blender along with dollops of sour cream. As the blender blades twirled, I was thrilled by the gorgeous magenta color he created. To this day, I’d love to own a sun dress in the same shade. I have ratcheted up the soup’s intensity by adding sugar and vinegar to this lastminute appetizer. It’s a pity that few people today prepare any of these recipes. Chilled soup is part of our collective consciousness, and the perfect antidote to summer.

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The following recipes are by Morel. CUCUMBER YOGURT SOUP Ingredients 1 English or hothouse cucumber 3 scallions 2 cups of 2 percent reduced-fat Greek yogurt (such as the Fage brand) 2 cups water 8 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons fresh dill, minced 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt Garnish: dill fronds Preparation: Slice the cucumber lengthwise. Remove seeds; leave skin on. Finely dice cucumber. Remove fibrous ends from scallions and discard. Chop the tender light green parts. In a large non-metallic bowl, place the yogurt. Add water slowly and mix until a thin soup consistency is reached. (If using a low-fat product other than Greek yogurt, you may need less water than called for.) Whisk until well blended. Add cucumber, scallion, lemon juice, minced dill, garlic powder and salt. Gently mix ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Serve from a tureen or in individual bowls. Garnish with dill fronds. Yield: 8 servings. SUMMER BORSCHT Ingredients: 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 1 bay leaf 2 bottles (33 ounces) borscht, refrigerated 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sour cream Garnish: dill fronds Preparation: In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, sugar, and bay leaf on a medium flame, stirring until sugar completely dissolves. Cool to room temperature and remove bay leaf. Reserve. Place 1 bottle of borscht, 3/4 cup sour cream, and half of the vinegar mixture in a blender. Run on high speed until contents puree. Empty blender into a large bowl. Repeat with the second bottle of borscht and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve in soup bowls garnished with dill. Yield: 8 servings CHILLED HUNGARIAN GREEN BEAN SOUP Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds haricot vert (French string beans) 1 Vidalia onion or large yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 3 teaspoons fresh dill, minced 2 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons dry Vermouth or dry white wine 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves 10 cups water 2 small (14-ounce) cans of vegetable broth, on hand if needed 1 1/2 cups reduced fat sour cream 3 teaspoons white vinegar,

or more if needed Garnish: fresh chives, cut into 1/4-inch snips Preparation Rinse beans under water and dry on paper towels. Trim off ends and cut beans horizontally into 1/4-inch lengths. Place beans, onion, garlic, potato, dill, salt, Vermouth, tarragon, and water into a large pot. Cover pot and gently simmer on a medium flame, stirring occasionally so potatoes don’t stick to pot. You’ll need the broth, so don’t let it boil away. Simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes soften when pierced with a sharp knife. Cool bean mixture to room temperature. With a slotted spoon, move potato chunks to a plate and reserve. Place a colander over a large bowl. Pour contents of pot through the colander and wait until broth drains completely. In 3 batches, place potato, broth, sour cream, and vinegar into a blender. Puree ingredients. Pour contents into a large bowl. Mix in bean mixture from colander. If soup seems too thick, slowly add vegetable broth to thin to desired consistency. Taste and add more vinegar (a teaspoon at a time), if necessary. Soup is supposed to have a pleasantly sour tang. Cover bowl and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Soup tastes best when made the day before. Serve in soup bowls garnished with chive snippets. Yield: 8 servings. STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE SOUP Note: Serve as an appetizer, or garnish with ice cream, and this soup is a dessert. Ingredients 2 pounds strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and dried on paper towels 1 1/4 cups pineapple juice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (or orange juice if serving children) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups of 2 percent reduced-fat Greek yogurt (such as the Fage brand) Appetizer garnish: 1 cup slivered almonds and 8 sprigs of mint Dessert garnish: Strawberry or vanilla ice cream and mint sprigs Preparation Place all ingredients (except the garnish) into a blender. (You may have to divide ingredients into 2 batches.) Blend on a high setting until the ingredients are pureed. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for several hours in a non-metallic container. Consume the day soup is made, as fruit soups quickly lose their vitality. Ladle into soup bowls. For appetizer garnish, bake almond slivers at 350º for 2 minutes or until golden. Cool briefly. Gently arrange a circle of almond slivers in the center of bowls; some almonds may sink. Place a sprig of mint on top of almonds.

June 6, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT In what is surely the boldest undertaking in its 27-year history of delivering innovative programming, exhibitions, public art projects, community outreach efforts and residency programs, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts announces “Bemis 08: Creativity Festival”, a three-day event taking place in and around its building at 12th and Leavenworth from June 26-28. Living a life of creativity isn’t just for artists; it’s for each and every one of us and the internationally acclaimed Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts continues its advocacy of this philosophy by inviting all of Omaha to its premiere of “Bemis08: Creativity Festival.” With more than 24 hours of programming over three days, “Bemis08: Creativity Festival” is free and open to the public. Tickets for the Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker 2008 performance at

Omaha Music Hall on Sunday, Dec. 7, 3 p.m., are on sale now at the box office, 402.422.1212 or 800.320.1733. and at www.nutcracker.com. For special pre-season ticket discount pricing, please visit www.nutcracker. com/clara. Moscow Ballet is best known for its annual Great Russian Nutcracker holiday productions. The company evolved out of the all-star Russian cast “Glasnost Festival Tour” (1986-92), created by award-winning Juilliard alumnus, composer/conductor and theatrical producer, Akiva Talmi. Moscow Ballet made its debut in 1993, with an all-star Russian cast presenting the Great Russian Nutcracker, directed and choreographed by Stanislav Vlasov (soloist, Bolshoi Theatre). Over the years, Moscow Ballet has increased the size and scope of its tour adding Cinderella, Swan Lake and Carmen to its schedule.

Page 9

COMING 06.27.08

South Pacific comes to Visions; members tour bank Top left: Visions members were entertained recently by a musical preview of South Pacific by entertainers of the Omaha Community Playhouse: Musical Director, Jim Boggess, left, and Judy Radcliff, who plays Bloody Mary. Members Jim Wax, left, Doris Alloy, Harry Alloy, Louise Abrahamson, Maurie Meiches, Rosalie Meiches, Peggy Chasen, Jay Chasen, Gilda Pieck, Judy Cooper, Sam Cooper, Esther Wax and Rose Pitlor enjoyed a spring day touring the Omaha branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. The tour included a visit to the main operating area, cash services as well as a short film explaining the Federal Reserve System, a view of the high-speed sorter that counts, sorts, and destroys 100,000 notes per hour, a look inside the coins and currency vaults.

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

ISSUE Information

Publishing Date » 06.27.08 Space Reservation » 06.16.08 Camera Ready Deadline » 06.20.08

Senior LIVING COMING 07.18.08

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ORGANIZATIONS LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Come to the Yiddish meeting at the JCC on Thursdays, 1-3 p.m. If you have any Yiddish books to donate, please call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638. JEWISH SENIOR SERVICES Iowa Western Community Band presents “Sensational Summer Sounds” on Wednesday, June 25, 7 p.m., at the JCC. There is no Admission fee. For information, call Linda Fitzgerald at 334.6520.

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS If you follow “Bones” and “CSI” on TV, you’ll know what Joanna Kay does for a living. But come find out for yourself what this talented forensic anthropologist does for the Douglas County Sherriff’s Department on Wednesday, June 11, noon at Regency Lodge, according to Gary Javitch, chairman. The crime scene investigator will present pictures and discuss her work. The program is free, but an optional buffet lunch is available for $13 or beverage service for just $3.

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Page 10

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

Congratulations Craig Loeffelholz 2008 Nebraska Father of the Year!

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Groups seek out Jewish students even before they land on campus by SUE FISHKOFF SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) -- When Julie Lustbader was applying to colleges last fall, she wasnâ€™t thinking about Jewish life on campus. Her parents were, though. They pored over a Web site set up by Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, particularly its online guide to Jewish life on campus that provides Jewish data on more than 500 North American colleges and universities. â€œThey had a 10 percent rule -- any school I applied to had to be at least 10 percent Jewish,â€? says Lustbader, 18, who will graduate this month from Atholton High School in Columbia, Md. â€œAnd if it didnâ€™t have a Hillel, I couldnâ€™t even apply.â€? Lustbader decided on the University of Pennsylvania, and after visiting the Hillel there, sheâ€™s glad to be attending a school with such an active Jewish student life. â€œI heard the food is good, and they had a sign-up board for all these cool Jewish events -- it looked really interesting,â€? she says. Lustbader regrets she wasnâ€™t involved in Jewish youth groups in high school. â€œIn college I want to get more involved,â€? she says. â€œI identify Jewish, and itâ€™s nice to know I wonâ€™t be the only one keeping kosher at Hillel sent these postcards to Passover.â€? Lustbader is one of an thousands of U.S. high school estimated 75,000 Jewish students and participants in the graduating seniors who JCCAâ€™s Maccabiah Games as in recent weeks have part of an outreach campaign. Credit: Maria Radacsi made their final decisions about where to attend college. This fall, they will be part of the largest incoming freshman class in U.S. history. Many of them may not be thinking much about their Jewish needs on campus until their first Jewish holiday rolls around, or a friend drags them to a Shabbat dinner at Chabad or a Purim party at Hillel. Thatâ€™s too late, says Jeff Rubin, Hillelâ€™s associate vice president for communications. â€œJewish students often make decisions about what theyâ€™ll be involved in during the first week or two on campus,â€? he says. Jewish student organizations have spent much time and money in the past decade beefing up their programs on campus, Rubin says. Now theyâ€™re reaching out to make connections with incoming Jewish students even before they hit campus. â€œBy reaching out to them ahead of time, we increase the likelihood of their being involved,â€? Rubin says. Do high school students care? It depends, says Diane Bernbaum, the director of Midrasha, a Jewish community high school in Berkeley, Calif. â€œThe ones that have a good experience in high school want to re-create it,â€? she says. That was true for Ben Bovarnic, 17, a graduating Midrasha student who will be attending a small college in the Northeast. On his visit to the school, he told his mother it reminded him of Midrasha and he wanted to go there. â€œI had a number of things I was looking for, a strong Jewish community and a strong Hillel,â€? says Bovarnic, who asked that the school not be named for personal reasons. â€œI know Iâ€™m going to continue practicing Conservative Judaism, and I wanted a campus that would offer me that opportunity.â€? Not all Jewish high school students are as motivated to stay connected, educators say. And not all of them go to colleges that have a strong Jewish student life. â€œThere are 12 to 15 universities where the most active Jewish students go, and after that itâ€™s hit or miss,â€? says Richard Moline, the director of Koach, the Conservative movementâ€™s campus organization. Two years ago, Hillel launched a major effort to bridge the gap between high school and college in partnership with the Bâ€™nai Bâ€™rith Youth Organization, the Jewish Educational Service of North America, and the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Jewish youth movements. In 2006 Hillel began publishing an Internet e-zine

called Chai Wire filled with information about Jewish life on campus that it sends quarterly to 50,000 high school juniors and seniors. Last year it held focus groups and sent out a survey to 20,000 Chai Wire readers to find out what those teens wanted. Six hundred readers responded, Rubin says. Threequarters said Jewish life on campus was an important factor in their college choice. Nearly 40 percent said they had consulted Hillelâ€™s online guide to Jewish student life during the application process. Last summer, Hillel began to collect names of Jewish high school seniors and pass them to Hillel directors at the schools they would be attending, so those directors could communicate with them over the summer. By the fall of 2007, Hillel had 5,000 names. This year it hopes to collect even more. Rubin says the process is arduous. Some names are provided by high school youth groups or, less often, by synagogues. Some can be accessed through lists of incoming freshmen at private universities, although public universities donâ€™t collect such data. Hillel also solicits names through Chai Wire, asking students to e-mail their contact information and where they are attending college. Theoretically itâ€™s a streamlined process: Hillel provides the names to on-campus directors, who send out welcome letters to incoming Jewish students. In practice, however, other factors are involved. Keith Dvorchik is the executive director of Hillel at the University of Florida in Gainesville, with 6,500 Jewish undergraduates. Dvorchik says he receives 100 to 150 names each summer from Hillel, the Bâ€™nai Bâ€™rith Youth Organization and a handful of synagogues. He sends a welcome e-mail to each student, and says the system works pretty well for him. Arlene Miller, the executive director of Hillel at the University of California at Los Angeles, says local Jewish communities should be more involved. Miller did receive names from Hillel last year, but most of her incoming Jewish students come from the Los Angeles area, and she says she receives little cooperation from local synagogues, youth groups and Jewish high schools. â€œThereâ€™s no orchestrated system, so we have to be proactive,â€? Miller says. â€œThereâ€™s a lot more that could be done by the community to bridge the gap.â€? Outreach efforts have intensified in the past two years with the introduction of Chai Wire and JESNA asking the heads of its 55 community Hebrew high schools to send the names of graduating seniors to the Hillel directors of the schools to which they were headed. Devorah Silverman, who heads that project at JESNA, says the Hebrew high schools sent about 350 names last year. Last year, the Orthodox Union also launched an internal effort to funnel Orthodox high school students to appropriate Jewish groups on campus. â€œFor 15 years Iâ€™ve been telling the O.U. they need to do this,â€? says David Felsenthal, who heads the O.U.â€™s new alumni department of the National Conference of Synagogue Youth. Some 6,000 high school seniors are involved either in NCSY or in Jewish Student Unions, the O.U.-sponsored Jewish clubs in public schools. Felsenthal says he had 300 names by May 1; his goal is 1,000 by the end of the month. Next year Felsenthal will move from collecting and funneling names to actually steering students to campuses with strong Orthodox life. He hopes to hire a field representative who will meet with Orthodox high school seniors and direct them to one of the 15 or 16 schools that host emissary couples affiliated with the O.U.â€™s Jewish Learning Institute on Campus project. Chabad does its own outreach to incoming freshmen, says Rabbi Hershey Novack, the co-director of Chabad at Washington University in St. Louis. Community Chabad emissaries tell campus emissaries about incoming freshmen via an internal Chabad online system, and the 125 Chabad college representatives do personal outreach to the new students when they reach campus. Novack says the tight-knit nature of the Chabad family helps. He usually knows the Chabad rabbi that refers his incoming students, â€œso we already have a personal connection.â€? Collecting and passing on names is only part of the overall effort to involve Jewish students in Jewish life on campus, however. â€œHonestly, even if a Hillel director follows up, that doesnâ€™t mean the kids will be meaningfully engaged,â€? Silverman of JESNA admits. â€œBut itâ€™s a start.â€?

June 6, 2008

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 11

Dancing barefoot in the rain TIME OUT by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Spring is here; the jar that my daughter brings to me says so. Inside, I find a bug and some leafy greens; she proudly tells me she “screwed the lid on extra tight so Mr. Bug won’t escape.” I explain that Mr. Bug probably won’t survive the lack of oxygen, and with a disappointed look she takes her brand-new pet back outside and releases him. In truth, I don’t have the faintest idea how long a bug can live in a jar, but I’m not willing to find out. There’s a reason I have the exterminator stop by my house every two months. Fortunately, there are other ways to freak your parents out when the weather gets nice, and my children know them all. We’ve already had the first accident (our daughter Isabella falling out of a tree) and the first really dumb idea (our son Mendel using a rake to play horse while standing in a wheelbarrow). Our kids find that nice weather is best enjoyed in an atmosphere of danger.

I am not entirely convinced I am the right parent for the season. I hate bugs, and I don’t like swimming. I despise that the maple tree in front of my house seems to drop a hundred branches every time the wind blows, and that the hot sun makes the trash can smell like something furry died in there; most of all, I hate how by the time my house settles down it is too dark to truly enjoy my garden. Of course, I would love to be a fun mom, and sometimes I think I am, but these days I mostly hear myself say things like “Stop stepping on the flowers, That roof is not for climbing,” and, most popular of all: “Get out of the compost heap!” No wonder my children look at me as if they wish I’d turn into a garden gnome. What fun is a back yard if you can’t get dirty and destroy things? Where’s my summer spirit? When I was little, I practically lived outside during the summer. I grew up near the woods, and there wasn’t a tree I didn’t climb, an adventure I didn’t have, or a dare I didn’t fall for. The only rule my parents had was: “be home in time for dinner” and even that I often didn’t stick. (Sorry, mom.) Yet now that I am a mother myself, and my children’s outside is the size of a postage stamp compared to the world I used to play in, I am suddenly the biggest chick-

en on the block. Obviously, it’s time for an attitude adjustment. Someone very smart once told me that G-d does not perform unnecessary miracles; if you can fix things yourself, He will not split the Red Sea for you. So now what? I decide I have to set some new ground rules, starting with less interference on my part. This means, if Isabella and Mendel are outside, let them be outside in the fullest sense of the word. So what if they get dirty, so what if their shins bruise until they look like the map of Europe; it’s not the end of the world if they wear the signs of summer. And having just commemorated Memorial Day, we have many warm months ahead of us, so I might as well relax. They don’t need to know that I peek out the window every two minutes, and then give myself a stern talking to. Maybe I’ll get really brave and introduce some shock treatment: next time there’s a summer storm, we can all go outside and dance barefoot in the rain. Let’s hope it stays dry until deep into August. Annette Van de Kamp-Wright is a freelance writer who also volunteers for Friedel Jewish Academy and Chabad of Nebraska. She can be reached at: avandekamp@tconl.com.

Sam and make “food that is big in taste and small in effort.” From Adobo Chicken to Zucchini Vegetable Fajitas with lots of comments from Sam about the stuff he likes to do and eat ... like his favorite Tomato and Potato Chip Sandwich! And finally: Make It Super Simple by G. Garvin (Meredith, $19.95). Chapters include: No All Nighters-Meals In Minutes, Get In and Get Out, Make Some, and Buy Some-Family Day Specials. G’s gotta be quick tips and numerical instructions go with the 200 recipes. Wash it all down with this:

sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add peaches, plums, lemon slices, and orange slices. Slowly add club soda, stirring to combine. Add ice and serve. Make-Ahead Directions: If you like, you can mix the grape juice, orange juice, sugar, peaches, plums, lemon slices and orange slices several days in advance. Cover and store in the refrigerator. To serve, add the club soda and ice cubes. G’s Note: For great ice cubes, fill ice cube trays with some of the sangria. If you like, add a piece of fruit to each cube and freeze. These ice cubes won't thin out the drink.

Cooking for Dad (or grad)

READ IT AND E AT Reviewed by LOIS FRIEDMAN Here are a few cookbooks for those men in your life for Father’s Day, or graduation (college students have to eat, too, you know!) or any other day from authors who just happen to be “some television guys.” The Deen brothers, (Jamie and Bobby) son’s of the Food Network’s star, Paul Deen, have published Y’all Come Eat (Meredith, $24.96). Gather friends, family, neighbors or whoever ’round the table for good eats and good times. Paula’s Jamie and Bobby show up in lots of great color photographs of food and the Deen family. Rscipies within include “Early Bird Specials” to “Sweet Endings.” Sam the Cooking Guy by Sam Zien (Wiley, $18.95), has no cutesy, foo-foos, weird ingredients or complicated steps. With 126 recipes following Basic Stuff to Know (to make your cooking life easier), go out on a limb with

SANGRIA-STYLE REFRESHER Start to finish: 20 minutes/Serves 12 8 cups grape juice 2 cups orange juice 1/2 cup sugar 2 peaches, pitted and cut into wedges 2 plums, pitted and cut into wedges 1 lemon, sliced 1 orange, sliced 8 cups club soda ice cubes In a large pitcher combine grape juice, orange juice, and

Lois Friedman can be reached at ReadItAndEat@ yahoo.com.

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Page 12

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

Salutes... the Class of 2008!!! Jaclyn Harriet Adelson

Laura Adler

David J. Anderson

Ashley Bernstein

LaShanna Bernstein

Sarah Bleicher

Rachel Brodsky

Daniel Canfield

Rebecca Crabb

Liatte Dotan

Amy Durmaskin

Michael Evnen

Callie Elizabeth Feingold

Michael Friedman

Steve Ganz

Emily Giller

Henry E. Ginsburg

Joe Goldberg

Sydney Goodman

Rachel Michelle Gordon

Matthew Baker Heyman

Rachel Kirshenbaum

Jeri Kohn

Arielle Rachel Levine

Adam Meiches

Steven Levi Meyer

Rachael Monsky

Anna Munzesheimer

JACLYN HARRIET ADELSON Arlene and Tony Adelson

LAURA ADLER Patti and David Adler

Brownell-Talbot College of Charleston Millard North Rutgers University

LIATTE DOTAN Beth and Amnon Dotan

AMY DURMASKIN Julie and Jay Durmaskin

DAVID J. ANDERSON Magda Peck and Jim Anderson

Omaha North Magnet American University

Rose and Stu Bernstein

LASHANNA BERNSTEIN Rose and Stu Bernstein

Elkhorn University of Nebraska-Lincoln Elkhorn University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Sandy and Dr. Joel Bleicher

Brownell-Talbot Boston College

Jodi and the late Joel Brodsky

Westside Undecided

Sandy and Rick Canfield

Millard North University of Arizona-Tucson

Suzan and Ian Crabb

Westside University of North CarolinaChapel Hill

Westside

Besty Baker and Richard Heyman George Washington University

RACHEL KIRSHENBAUM Barb Kirshenbaum and Scott Kirshenbaum

Cindy and Rick Kohn

ARIELLE RACHEL LEVINE Pam and Doug Ganz

Lincoln Southeast San Diego State University

Millard West Undecided

Lincoln Southwest Bradley University

Barb and Stu Giller

Millard North University of Nebraska-Lincoln

MaryBeth and Dan Meiches

STEVEN LEVI MEYER Larisa Treskunova and Mike Ginsburg

Westside University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Marcie and Michael Meyer

RACHAEL MONSKY Pam and Henry Monsky

JOE GOLDBERG Wendy and David Goldberg

Westside Brown University

Millard North

Michael and the late Karen Levine Brandeis University

ADAM MEICHES

HENRY E. GINSBURG REBECCA CRABB

RACHEL MICHELLE GORDON Millard North Sandy and Bruce Gordon University of Iowa

Beth Friedman and Morris Friedman University of Nebraska-Lincoln

EMILY GILLER DANIEL CANFIELD

Millard North

Suzy Zorinsky and Tom Goodman Yavapai College

JERI KOHN

STEVE GANZ RACHEL BRODSKY

Lincoln Southeast and Arts & Humanities Focus School Corcoran School of Art & Design

CALLIE ELIZABETH FEINGOLD Lincoln East Ellen and David Feingold Swarthmore College MICHAEL FRIEDMAN

SARAH BLEICHER

Burke University of Minnesota

SYDNEY GOODMAN

MATTHEW BAKER HEYMAN MICHAEL EVNEN Debra and Bob Evnen

ASHLEY BERNSTEIN

Westside Kivunim: New Directions Year-Long Program in Israel

ANNA MUNZESHEIMER

Millard North Undecided Millard North University of Kansas-Lawrence Millard North Metro Community College Millard North

Alice Weiss and Ken Munzesheimer Knox College

June 8, 2007

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 13

Salutes... the Class of 2008!!! Aaron Yale Murow

Ben Nachman

Judy Radloff

Samantha Payne

The Jewish Press is not responsible for those graduating seniors not included. If parents would like to submit an announcement for ‘In the News’, we will run it when space is available. Please send via e-mail (with photo of at least 100K, attached as a .jpg) to jpress@jewishomaha.org, or to the office at: Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Include: name of graduating senior, name(s) of parent(s), high school from which student graduated and college which the student will attend.

Mazal Tov, Rachel! Daniel Rahmani

Rachel Reno

Sarah Sadofsky

Jacklyn Saferstein-Hansen

From your 1st steps into the CDC to your last steps out of Millard North, you have always made us proud! Love, Mom, Dad Ben, Becca, Russell, Shannon and Jameson Nikolai Salkin

Joshua A. Simon

Adam Simons

Emily Stanfield

Mazal Tov, Arielle!

Eugene Turetsky

AARON YALE MUROW Janie and Allan Murow

BEN NACHMAN Beth Staenberg and Gary Nachman

Elyssa Yoneda

NIKOLAI SALKIN

Westside Cornell University

JOSHUA A. SIMON

Trudy and Mike Salkin

Marsha and Steve Simon

ADAM SIMONS SAMANTHA PAYNE Jodie Stein and Jeffrey Payne

Lincoln Southeast University of Kansas-Lawrence

Lorily and Sam Simons

EMILY STANFIELD JUDY RADLOFF

Millard North Ellen Radloff and Arnold Radloff University of Nebraska-Lincoln

DANIEL RAHMANI Jan and Hertzel Rahmani

RACHEL RENO Juliana and Rusty Reno

SARAH SADOFSKY Linda and Rodney Sadofsky

TeenAge Editor: Lori Kooper-Schwarz

Elina Yurikov

Burke University of Kansas-Lawrence

Barbara Straus and Scott Stanfield

Red Oak Community HS University of Iowa

EUGENE TURETSKY

Central Loyala University-Chicago

ELYSSA YONEDA

Westside Nebraska Methodist College

ELINA YURIKOV

Lucy and Boris Turetsky

Deb and Steve Yoneda

Galina and Artur Yurikov

We are so proud of you!

Millard North University of Nebraska-Omaha Millard North Iowa Western Papillion-LaVista South University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Love, Dad, the Mispocka and Friends

Mazal Tov, Jeri!

Lincoln High Grinnell College

Millard North Arizona State University Burke University of Nebraska-Lincoln Burke Rockhurst College of Nursing

JACKLYN SAFERSTEIN-HANSEN Burke Rhonda Saferstein and Boston University

You’ve lettered in StuCo, trap, speech and debate and spent a semester in Israel. Now off to Bradley! From, Your Proud Family

Jeff Hansen

Omaha joins worldwide Israeli flag project by ZOHAR WINER JCC Community Shlicha The Flag for the Future project was an effort to create a large Israeli flag with quilt pieces designed by communities around the world. The pieces would then be sewn together to create an Israeli flag and then displayed atop the highest building in Israel, the Moshe Aviv Tower in Ramat-Gan, just outside of BESTT students at Beth El make the flag pieces with teacher Tel Aviv. The flag will later Daniel Christiansen.

travel around the country and the world. The project was started by former sh’lichim from the Jewish Agency for Israel, who saw a need to create projects and products that will bring Jewish communities from all over the world closer to Israel through education and hands-on activities. David Kestenberg, Amir Golan and Amit Morag started “Israel Around You,” Continued on page 23

Mazal Tov, Mike! We are so proud of your achievements: B’nai B’rith Youth OrganizationMid American Council “Senior of the Year” and for your hard work as BBYO Spring Regional Convention Coordinator and Chaim Weizmann AZA 1510 Sweetheart Dance Chairman

Love, Mom and Dad

Page 14

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

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BERT’S EYE VIEW by BERT LEWIS I suspect if I were to put all the words I’ve written about my Dad into one continuous story, it would reach at least from here to there. But of course it was easy to write about him because there was always something I thought worth sharing. Whether it was his love of baseball or beet borscht, or his delight in a funny story or his appreciation of a fine cantorial voice, I could always find something to tell about him. My dad was the eldest of five kids, and from earliest times, the other four always looked up to him. Jake was the authority to consult when there was a problem or an argument, even though he was barely an adult himself when he started filling that role. Of course, kids grew up quickly in those days, probably because finishing school and going to work was important to the economic health of the family. And my Dad did grow up quickly I know, because he was 18 and 1/2 years old the day he and my mom were married. Now that’s what I call an early start. Dad kept his role as Peacekeeper, Judge, Advisor and devoted son and brother all his life, even after adding husband and father to his titles. As I think back to my childhood, I realize I was jealous of the father-son connection between Dad and my brother -- a perfectly normal thing that often happened with the males of the clan. As my brother grew up and became a man, they shared even more because he fell in love with Dad’s car business. Again I felt a little left out, but by then I was busy with my own household, and in the process of bringing up children. All natural happenings in the course of human events. But things change, if a person is patient enough to wait, and with the passing of years some of the changes come to personal relationships. So come with me, while I skip a few decades, and find myself a mature woman with a grown family that includes grandchildren! And very mature parents, who occasionally need a little help from me. Now I realize I’ve reached what may be a very important place in the family line-up. I’m the adult daughter who is taking care-

ful note of changes in the lives of beloved parents. Aha! Guess who’s up to bat now? Well, any woman of a “certain age” who has a daughter already knows she has somebody close who makes life easier for her That’s a given. It’s just the way it is, and everybody knows it. But wait a minute -- there’s Dad and maybe the grown son has long since found his own venue, and it’s not very close by. Of course, the adult daughter who takes Mom shopping and to the beauty salon and the grocery and to lunch and the doctor and every place else is there. And guess what? She often as not, slips right into place as Dad’s special assistant. The one he calls when he comes out of the bank and finds his car has been towed (because it was illegally parked). Or when he needs to show up for a test at the doctor’s office and is told he can’t drive home afterward. Or when he has reluctantly given up driving and really wants to go get a haircut, or fish on 24th street, or to an appointment with his attorney. That’s when the daughter answers the phone and hears “hi honey, are you busy?” Riding in the car with my dad often meant a wonderful conversation -- sometimes discussing family problems, sometimes kvelling about the achievement of a grandchild, sometimes politics (we didn’t agree!), sometimes listening to Dad remember something from way back when. It didn’t really matter how important the topic was, because just having him to myself, just the two of us, was very special. As it turned out, in his last months we spent quite a bit of time together, just the two of us. Odd circumstances were responsible, and I’ll always be grateful for those times I think of as bashert. I remember sitting on the patio of my parents house with Dad, enjoying summer days, and talking about this or that. He really loved talking about early days of his business life, the people he knew, the experiences he had. And I loved hearing his stories. Turns out, we made a pretty good team, Dad and me. As I said at the beginning of this, I can always find something to tell about my dad. But then, it’s easy because he really was special. Happy Father’s Day. Bert Lewis can be reached at BertLewis39@aol.com.

BIRTH Andrea and Scott Saylan of Naperville, IL, announce the May 1 birth of their daughter, Molly Elizabeth. They have two sons, Andrew, 5 and Benjamin, 2. Grandparents are Jacki and Steve

Saylan and Jean and Gerry Skelcy of Tryon, NC. Great grandparents are Edythe Friedman of St. Louis, MO, the late Arthur Friedman, and Rosalie and Milton Saylan.

Happy Father’s Day Any man can be a Father, but it takes a special person to be called Dad. Father’s Day is a special day for everyone! Let’s celebrate with a delicious treat. An 8 oz. Hershey chocolate Gram. $6.00 each. To place an order call Beth Israel at 556-6288 or e-mail cait@orthodoxomaha.org

June 6, 2008

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 15

Fathers are a Crown to Their Sons and Sons a Crown to Their Sires Genesis R.

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Page 16

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

Goldfarb goes to Zimbabwe THE HISTORIAN’S F OOTPRINT by OLIVER B. POLLAK Eunie Denenberg, who visited Zimbabwe with Bella Eisenberg, called me and said “You have to read this book and let me know what you think when you are done.” Peter Godwin’s When a Crocodile Eats the Sun is his memoir of growing up in Zimbabwe and watching the country eclipse and die in the last few years, the victim of President Robert Mugabe’s corruption. “Wovits,” veterans of the 1965-1980 liberation army, have terrorized white farmers since the mid-1990s, forcing involuntary land redistribution. The book rekindled many memories. My first teaching position was at the University of Zimbabwe, 1971-74. I recalled travels in the beautiful country, Harare street names and neighborhoods, political players, events. My mentor at UCLA, John S. Galbraith, suggested I apply for a teaching position in Rhodesia. I interviewed for the job in the Rhodes Room in London’s Royal Commonwealth Society, a combination club, hotel, and major library located on Northumberland Ave. Rhodesia was under United Nations sanctions. Ian Smith and Rhodesian Front party had illegally declared Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965. It was a down market for historians. I was concerned about breaking sanctions. As a student of colonialism, with a young family, Rhodesia offered livelihood and adventure. Holiday traffic conspired to make the ride to London’s Heathrow airport harrowing. Initially I went to the wrong terminal, and ran, with heavy luggage (no wheels then), for what seemed to be a mile. Sweaty, fibrillating and exhausted, I was the last to get on the plane. They held the plane for me. Although there had been highjackings, airport security was lax and undemanding. I carried my dissertation notes and a nine-inch Marine bayonet (which I contin-

Kosher kvelling

ue to use for occasional garden work). A Cuban cigar at 35,000 feet made me palpably green. We refueled in the Azores. On the last leg, Johannesburg to Salisbury, I sat next to a Londoner who was moving to Rhodesia because he was fed up with the Labor Party and the welfare state, and wanted to go somewhere where ambition would be rewarded. I listened, did not disagree, but felt uncomfortable with the premises. Red-neck, blue-collar, anti-communist, and, ironically, anti-immigrant. Salisbury airport was modern. The moment we exited the airport, got beyond the galvanized metal fence, it was huts and chickens, my introduction to the wide third world technological gap existing within one country. Godwin’s account of hyperinflation, the problems of his aging parents, and the destruction of Zimbabwe’s economy, is joined by a fascinating secret Jewish connection. Parents withhold information from their children. High on the list is prior marriages. Joseph Lelyveld, author of Omaha Blues, did not know until he was 30 that his brother was his half-brother. Some parents obscure their Jewish origins. Madelyn Albright’s Jewish heritage did not surface until she became a public figure. Peter Godwin’s father was born a Polish Jew with the family name of Goldfarb. He fought the Nazis but cut himself off from the remnants of his family. Peter’s physician mother did not tell him of his father’s Jewish roots until his father was over 70 years old. Godwin, a journalist, contacted the Red Cross for details about the fate of his grandparents and other family members at Treblinka, but no information was forthcoming. This book appeared in paperback in April. (Thanks, Eunie, for a great recommendation.) Oliver B. Pollak is a local attorney, historian and author. In addition to being a co-founder of the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, he has written several books, including Jewish Omaha, available at the Kripke Library. He can be reached at obpomni@aol.com.

by ANDY GREENBERG You don’t have to be Jewish to buy kosher foods. As a matter of fact, 25% of Americans who are not Jewish prefer kosher (with the exception of meat) than nonkosher foods! What’s the reason behind the growth of the nation’s fastest growing ethnic food? According to Mintel International, an international research group in Chicago, consumers perceive that kosher foods are safer. Industry sources also reveal that in 2007, approximately 5,000 products and ingredients were certified kosher under various certifying agencies. Sales of kosher foods rose 15% per year over the past 10 years. Today over 50,000 packaged goods are kosher and there are over 80,000 total food products that are kosher. It is a $10 billion+ a year industry. It is estimated that about 50% of all products in retail supermarkets are now certified kosher. “The kosher seal in the 80s is equivalent to what the Good Housekeeping seal meant in the 50s,” said John McMillan, a food analyst at Prudential Bache Securities in a recent New York Times article. A kosher website recently reported that a candy company decided to drop its certification and immediate saw a 30+% drop in sales. The trend is also catching on internationally. After China suffered severe blows to food and other products, they attempted to get food manufacturing facilities certified kosher as part of their public relations process. About 80 countries also produce and market kosher foods. Why am I so interested in this topic? As Director of Marketing for the James Skinner Baking Company, I explored how we can leverage our kosher certification as part the of Dulce De Leche product launch. I was amazed as to what I found out. Many national and regional chains have established “kosher” departments headed by executives just to cater to this growing trend. In the frozen food section, it was recently reported that kosher products have a 21% growth, yet sales of frozen foods in general are flat overall. As I began to research for my adult education course at Beth El last year, “The WOW of Judaism”, I discovered several books on how to live longer by eating kosher foods. Eating kosher is now evolving into a lifestyle that we introduced to the world. Enjoy!

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While having family at a celebration, get some genealogy work done FAMILY H ISTORY by SCHELLY TALALAY DARDASHTI What do you take when you set off for a simcha? Many guests will bring a camera along with the gift or envelope, but family history researchers are increasingly known to tuck under their arms a manila envelope filled with blank genealogy charts and photocopied sections of family trees. My most recent manila envelope experience was at a Haifa wedding, where the bride was the grandchild of double Dardashti cousins. My quest that evening was the grandmother’s eight sibling cousins -- the only thing I had were their first names. That’s it. While some people might feel targeting unknown relatives at a wedding or bar mitzvah might be not quite appropriate, we genealogists know that these events may be the only chance we have to learn about an elusive family member. The grandmother pointed me in the direction of the cousins’ four tables and introduced me to one of them. In a few minutes, the envelope was open, family tree sections passed around for them to add their full names, name changes, address, phone number, email, spouse name, children and grandchildren. Not wanting to put a damper on this family’s dancing abilities, I pointed out the stamped envelopes: “Just mail them back.” Two of the younger generation, hi-tech guys, took me aside and whispered: “They’ll never remember to mail them back. We’ll sit with each of them to fill out the forms and bring them to you in about 15 minutes.” The young men quickly retrieved the required data and brought me the forms, which provided essential information on eight cousins, eight spouses, 35 children, many married and with their own young children -- more than 60 individuals in all. The rest of the evening was spent on the dance floor with the bride and groom. After updating the family tree at home, I emailed copies to each. An Israeli friend recently went to London for a bar mitzvah and got more than she’d bargained for. As keeper of her family records, she brought some forms and stamped envelopes for relatives to complete and mail back. As she told her tablemates about the project, however, they ripped open the envelopes, scrounged for pens and immediately began completing the forms. Guests at adjacent tables wanted in and the caterer ran off more forms! How can you work family history into a life cycle event? Besides the manila envelope routine for guests, here are some very useful suggestions that can be adapted for major social events or holiday dinners at home. • When it comes to welcoming a new baby, send along a family tree with the traditional gift. These might last longer than the cute clothes. Baby won’t get to it for awhile, but the parents and grandparents will! • Honor a bar/bat mitzvah, just entering Jewish adulthood, with a tangible gift illustrating his or her

place on the family tree to reinforce Jewish identity, continuity and history. A check is nice, but what happens after it is spent? • Gifting a newly married couple with a family history establishes their link in the generation chain. An attractive chart may be framed and displayed and is always a conversation piece. Increasing numbers of families are incorporating family history into lifecycle events: • Displays include enlarged mounted copies of detailed family trees. These can even be signed by guests. • Ancestral photos -- the older the better -- inspire conversation. Remember to use copies and keep originals safe at home. Label them with names, dates and places. Add relationships, e.g. the groom’s great-grandfather. • Family collections of colorful inscribed kippot can be displayed creatively. An often overlooked source of family data -- with names and dates inscribed - these may span several generations. Useful to family historians, they are also functional. • A new trend on the West Coast are kippot printed for family holiday dinners -- and many also photograph and videotape annual events. In Los Angeles, I’ve even seen elegant black suede kippot designed for funerals of family patriarchs, including English and Hebrew names and dates. • One California bat mitzvah displayed a large laminated circular chart, signed by guests, along with a display of old photographs, while a recent New York wedding featured an extensive display of the couple’s family photographs and family trees. • Another family with many international branches prepared maps to show the immigration routes of branches from Eastern Europe, and also marked where guests had come from to attend the event. I try to include an updated family tree with the traditional gift for all lifecycle events. While CDs are an option, the “Wow!” factor is much larger with large printed charts. Even if the recipient never frames or displays the chart -- you could give it already framed -someone may eventually discover and learn from it. These gifts inspire young family members to utilize the information when their classes study history and immigration. Cousins say these charts have encouraged children to ask questions and interact more with grandparents. Family history software is readily available, making the process relatively painless except for the actual research. Digital cameras and scanners are useful. Extensive information to jumpstart a project is available on JewishGen www.jewishgen.org. There are online Jewish genealogy classes at GenClass, www.genclass.com. Many Jewish genealogical societies exist and they are great resources, and are useful for networking, learning, informative programs and expert assistance. The most important step is to begin gathering information. Once you start down discovery road, you’ll be amazed at what you can find, what is available and how important your project will become to future generations. Journalist/genealogist Schelly Talalay Dardashti writes the only Jewish genealogy blog: “Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy” blog, under the JTA umbrella http://tracingthetribe.blogspot.com. She also writes for the Jerusalem Post, JTA, World Jewish Digest and other publications.

Men’s Clubs of Beth El and Temple Israel send out the call to ‘play ball!’ by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Get your game face on, put on those batting gloves and loosen up that throwing arm -- it’s time once again to step up to the plate and play ball during the annual Sunday morning softball series sponsored by the Men’s Last year’s softball series drew enthusiastic players from both Beth El, left, and Temple Israel. Beth El Men’s Club President Scott Simon, who is Clubs of Beth El Synagogue and Temple Israel. Boys and men ages 13 and older in the Jewish com- organizing the series with Temple Israel’s Adam munity (affiliated or unaffiliated with a synagogue) are Kirshenbaum. “This series appeals to a diverse group of invited to join together, in the spirit of good sportsman- men and is another way to get us together on a monthship and camaraderie, at the JCC ball fields on the fol- ly basis. It’s also great for families, since the games tend lowing Sundays: June 29, July 13, Aug. 10 and Sept. draw the wives and children as spectators.” To sign up or for more information, contact Simon via 7, 10 a.m. “This is an annual event that is fun and creates some e-mail at simonsz@cox.net or Kirshenbaum at: friendly competition between the synagogues,” said Adam.Kirshenbaum@huschblackwell.com.

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June 6, 2008

For his reading pleasure BOOK REVIEW by SYBIL KAPLAN Army Fatigues: Joining Israel’s Army of International Volunteers by Mark Werner, Devora Publishing, $21.95 hardcover, 276 pp. In 1982 the Israeli military establishment created Sarel, Sherut l’Yisrael, Volunteers for Israel, a program to bring volunteers to army and navy bases for two to three weeks, performing basic work to free up Israeli soldiers. Since then, over 100,000 volunteers from 32 countries have been part of this special program, living on Israeli military bases in “austere or primitive” living conditions, eating in the mess halls, wearing fatigues during the work week with a special blue and white striped patch, slipped over the shoulder epaulette on the army shirt, to identify the people as volunteers to the Israeli soldiers. Mark Werner, a corporate lawyer, in his 40s, from Raleigh, North Carolina, son of a Holocaust survivor, married with two children, was and is one of those volunteers and he has written about his four trips in this book, diary fashion. In October-November 2002, he was assigned to

Batzop Base near Ramleh where he cleaned rifles, laid bricks and repaired helmets. Bus bombings were an almost everyday occurrence, and terrorists were attacking people in Jewish communities on a regular basis. A year later, he returned to Zikkim, near Baza. I have to confess, personally, this was the most interesting segment because my own daughter, who served two years in the Israeli army, was stationed part of the time at Zikkim and this book really gave me a better inside feel for the base which is extremely close to Gaza. Here, Mark mostly worked in a warehouse. Terrorists were still in full force during this period. His third trip was July to August 2004 and he was at Betzet Tira, south of Haifa, a base which supplied Navy equipment. Here he also worked in a warehouse, the kitchen, garden and did heavy work with pipes. Kassams were being lodged into Sderot, tunnels were discovered from Egypt to Gaza, terrorists were shooting at buses and cars, but around this base, things were very peaceful. His fourth trip was July to August 2005, and he returned to Betzet Tira Navy Base to do painting and work in the pipes warehouse. This was the period of the Gaza disengagement and many soldiers from his base were sent to the Gaza Strip to help. During all four trips, volunteers had free weekends, received frequent lectures on a variety of topics related to Israel and the military and were taken on field trips. One of the most interesting aspects of these diary entries are Werner’s weekend visits to Israeli relatives and friends. Why would people volunteer? A desire to show Israelis

how they felt and connect and support Israel and to impress a feeling on one’s children and grandchildren. What did the volunteers gain? New friendships and camaraderie with the fellow volunteers and the Israelis on the bases, an opportunity to get to know Israeli soldiers and a view of how Israelis view the Israel-Arab conflict. As someone who lived and worked in Israel for 10 years, who is in daily contact with my American-Israeli and Israeli friends and whose daughter made aliyah, I found this book really special. I probably know more than the average person about the army and army bases from what my daughter told me or from what I could glean from her. Werner does concentrate more on his own experiences than those of his comrades, but you do get a glimpse of what this means to people in their 40s, 50s, 60s and older as Werner describes it. On his first base, his room mates were a 60 year old and two 72 year olds. On Zikkim, his room mates were a 57 year old teacher and a 62 year old retiree from New Zealand. This is the kind of a book anyone who has visited Israel and thought about going back, other than as a tourist, ought to read. The book is a marvelous piece of public relations for Sar-El. We also learn a lot about the lives of the soldiers with whom he speaks, and the significant role played by the military in Israel’s democracy. Beaufort by Ron Leshem, Delacorte Press, $24 hardcover, 362 pp. When the film adaptation of Beaufort was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Language Film, my daughter, who lives in Israel but is spending part of this year in the States excitedly called me. She told me I had to read this novel. She had served two years in the Israel Defense Forces and had read the novel in its original Hebrew in 2005. It was on the Israel bestseller lists for a year and a half and won Israel’s top literary award. The author is Ron Leshem who also co-wrote the screenplay and is deputy director in charge of programming of Channel Two, Israel’s main commercial television network. That said, one must add that, for the uninformed, all males serve three years in the Israel Defense Forces and women serve two years. It is their transition from high school before they to to college or into the work world. In the work world and in the social world, army experience is critical. When people meet, before the conversations gets too far along, the obvious question is, what did you do in the IDF? Although I lived in Israel 10 years, I came at too late an age to serve, but all of my Israeli friends, male and female, have served and through my daughter, I have learned a lot about the Israel Defense Forces. After reading a few pages, my first note read: It makes me wonder how the translator of the book or the person doing the subtitles on the film found enough five letter or better words to write, given the number of uses of four-letter words! This book is not for the feint hearted and I would dare say, women probably won’t enjoy it either. The novel is written somewhat like a diary by the 21-year-old bunker commander Liraz Liberti (known as Erez), about his experiences and those of his men, read here 18 year olds. The group was stationed at Beaufort, an Israeli-held military outpost in southern Lebanon which had been a 12th century Crusader castle, captured by the Israelis in the 1980s. Beaufort was one of the most important strategic points in Israel control and within sight of the Hezbollah. The group has a tour of duty there winter 1999. Erez, who comes from Afula, portrays the thoughts, feelings, behavior and, most of all, dialogue of his 13 men -Oshri (first sergeant), River (the medic and quietest, most disciplined of the group ) and the fighters -- Emilio (who came to Israel from Argentina without his parents), Bayliss (wears a kipah and is religious), Boaz (enthusiastic), Eldad (spoiled Tel Aviv kid), Pinchuk (a juvenile), Zitlawi (warm and funny and happy), Tom (has no idea where he is, just goes with the flow), Spitzer (too relaxed, a good boy), Barnoy (a bleeding heart), Zion (dense) Koka (boring). When the book begins, Yonatan has died and does not know the squad is going to Lebanon. Guarding Beaufort is the epitome of a boring routine: “from seven in the evening until four-thirty in the mornContinued on page 19

June 6, 2008

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Friedel grads walk the stage

For his reading pleasure Continued from page 18 ing you pray for a terrorist to leave the comfort of his warm bed on a winter night in order to make a heroic attempt at infiltration and drive away your boredom. Past events in the sector had taught us that Hezbollah operatives had managed to come within ten yards or so of the outpost in order to plant bombs ... For two years already the enemy had been using every means possible to try to raid Beaufort and get inside the fortress, mow down a few soldiers, and plant a yellow flag while a TV crew from Al-Manaar captures the victory on film, to be used for boosting morale, of course.” The unit of Erez relieves another group and is due to be stationed there for 88 days. Furman, the company commander, hates Erez and is out to get him. The conditions are incredible--the men sleep in tight quarters with the lights on, in their clothes. Showering took place every two and a half to three weeks, but the best rations in the IDF were sent to Beaufort for the cook. In between descriptions of the routines, we learn about Lila, his girlfriend. There is also an interlude with Ziv Farran, the bomb disposal unit fighter, the “big guy on campus among the bomb-removal guys,” nicknamed Number One. In 2000, the group is reunited for a second tour of duty. By now, they are all sergeants -- River, Eldad, Spitzer (now planning to audition with a Shakespeare play when he returns), Zitlawi, Emilio, Pinchuk, Bayliss, Boaz, Zion, Tom, Koka, Itamar. The feelings, the fears, the dilemmas, the typical army irrationalities are all here, with a lot of coarse army language. And the final assignment will surprise you. To size up this novel -- it is riveting, powerful, very well written, and a very good picture of what being in the Israel Defense Forces in a critical time means for young men and not so young men. Their loves, their losses, their gut-wrenching experiences and feelings are all laid open for the reader. No offense intended for dads! The Torah for Dummies by Arthur Kurzweil,$21.99 softcover, Wiley Publishing; Kabbalah for Dummies by Arthur Kurzweil, $19.99 softcover, Wiley Publishing; Judaism for Dummies by Rabbi Dr. Ted Falcon and David Blatner, $21.99 softcover, Wiley Publishing. All three of these books arrived in my mailbox together, so I’m going to review them as a group. The oldest, “Judaism” is written Rabbi Falcon. founder of a synagogue for Jewish meditation in Los Angeles but lives in

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Seattle where he is rabbi of a meditational synagogue; Blatner, author of eight books and freelance writer, also lives in Seattle. Together they present “a glimpse into Judaism that you’ve never seen before, one that helps you appreciate what all the excitement is about.” Part I explores what Jews generally believe. Part II discusses the life cycle. Part III is an overview of Jewish history. Part IV are celebrations and holy days. Part V are “Tens” -- great Jewish thinkers, common questions about Judaism and folks to know. Appendices contain Yiddish, prayers and blessings, Jewish holiday calendar and references. “Judaism” is a perfect reference, a must for every home library, a great gift for graduates and singles, as well as families. Rabbi Kurzweil comes from a long line of rabbis and s teacher of Talmud and Kabbalah. He has written many books including innovative works on Jewish genealogy. Reading “Kabbalah,” you will find the basics of kabbalah; the assumptions at the heart; putting the theory into practice; defining study and prayer; people, places and myths; and appendices including a bibliography, Torah people and a glossary. This work will show why so many movie stars and wellknown public figures have turned to Judaism’s mystical ideas and practices. In “The Torah,” we have Torah 101 with the basics; there is a walk through each of the five books; a chapter is a manual for actions; the basis of the Torah for holy days, customs and practices and use in synagogue; the Ten Commandments are elaborated upon as well as Torah quotations. In the appendices is a glossary and a list of the 613 commandments. As the publishers say, this book explains all the hidden information and puts it into plain English. Whether one is new to Judaism or very familiar, these books become wonderful reference works to have in one’s home library. They are a terrific gift to give to a high school graduate, a college graduate in his or her first apartment, a newly engaged couple, or anyone with an occasion or not occasion. Sybil Kaplan is a freelance writer and reviewer in Overland Park, KS.

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Last week, the five sixth graders at Friedel Jewish Academy received their diplomas at a packed Jewish Community Center auditorium. Teachers, parents, and community members were treated to a performance by the entire student body, put together by Friedel’s Hebrew teachers Na’ama Artzi and Eadie Tsabari. After the musical part of the evening, kindergartners through fifth graders joined their families in the audience to watch the sixth graders walk the stage in their caps and gowns. It was an emotionally charged evening, as Principal Cookie Katskee’s retirement signaled the end of an era, as well as a new beginning. She introduced the community to Ron Giller, who will take over the reins come the 2008-09 school year.

The 2008 graduates are Sarah Potash, left, daughter of Bruce and Linda Potash; Eva Phillips, daughter of Eric and Julie Phillips; Michael Popkov, son of Yulia Popkov; Nathaniel Teetzel, son of Eric and Sarah Teetzel; and Ortal Cohen, daughter of Smadar Swissa. In his speech to the grads before distributing diplomas, Rabbi Jonathan Gross emphasized how Friedel helped the students lay the groundwork for a Jewish life, and expressed his hopes for the students’ future Jewish endeavors. “You will be great Jewish leaders,” he told them, “and you are truly the future of a strong Jewish community. Every Jewish community needs a strong, successful day school; hopefully, someday you will look back on this and tell people that back when you graduated, there were only five of you. By then, the school will have grown so much that we will need the Qwest Center for Commencement.” Each of the students spoke words of thanks to the teachers and staff, after which the community was invited to stay for refreshments. The gallery outside the auditorium showcased the artwork the Friedel students created under the guidance of art teacher Julie Phillips, so visiting parents and community members were given a chance to walk around and view the students’ projects.

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June 6, 2008

Jews and politics There are a lot of themes the Jewish Press Board of Directors could have chosen for its New Year’s issue. However, since 2008 is a political year -- a big one at that, with the first contested presidential seat without a sitting president or vice president running since 1952, it seemed logical to select a theme that revolved around politics. It’s been 56 years since the presidential race has been so wide open. Democratic contender Adlai Stevenson didn’t stand a chance against war hero, Gen. Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower. And four years later, in 1956, the race was a rerun. (Interestingly, a very young John F. Kennedy threw his hat in the ring for the ’56 race, but didn’t get the nomination until 1960.) So here we are again -- with a number of “firsts” in this campaign: first woman, first black, first Mormon, first prisoner of war. The presidential race has created lots of excitement we hope will trickle down to other races, locally and around the country. For a small state with a small Jewish population, it’s hard to convince outsiders that Jews here have such a passion for politics. Not only have there been Jewish mayors (Johnny Rosenblatt and Edward Zorinksy, who also served as a U.S. Senator), but dozens of oth-

ers have either served in other positions, run for office, worked for candidates and elected figures, volunteered, advocated for issues, or raised money for politicians and causes. Frankly, it was pretty easy to put a list together of men and women who fit this description -- and not just here, but former Nebraskans (some who are even recent college graduates) who are working on campaigns or in our nation’s capitol. Of course, we might have missed a few, so if you know of someone passionate about politics who lives in Nebraska (or even those who have moved away) -- let us know soon. Please call the Press at 402.334.6448 or e-mail ckatzman@jewishomaha.org with your suggestions (and how to contact them). If their names haven’t been assigned to our freelance writers yet, we’d be happy to add them. In addition to politicos, we hope to include the men running for the Senate and House (in the Second Congressional District): Mike Johanns and Scott Kleeb, and Jim Esch and Lee Terry. We think it’s vital our readers know where they stand on issues of importance to the Jewish community -- not just security issues germane to Israel and the United States, but health care, the economy, energy and tax policy, the threat of nuclear weapons in Iran,

and scientific research to name a few. With the general election coming on Tuesday, Nov. 4, just five weeks after Rosh Hashanah, it makes perfect sense to focus on the Jewish community and politics on Sept. 26, the date our New Year’s issue publishes. Let the games (political that is) begin!

Jewish Press Board Michael Sigmond, Vice President; Stan Mitchell, Secretary; Michael Siegel, Treasurer; Howard K. Marcus, Immediate Past-chairman; Andie Gordman; Michael Kaufman; Betty Kozlen; Susan Lehr; Jamie Meyerson; George Quittner; Andy Ruback; Jim Simon; Nancy Skid; and Dorothy Spizman. The role of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to involve Jews in meeting Jewish communal needs locally, nationally and in Israel. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Education, Jewish Family Service/Jewish Senior Services, and the Jewish Press . Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’

Bush trip fails to advance policy goals or bolster Arab moderates

BEHIND THE H EADLINES by LESLIE SUSSER JERUSALEM (JTA) -- After major speeches in the Knesset and at Sharm el-Sheik, President Bush left the Middle East with little to show for advancing America’s strategic goals in the region. Israeli and Arab pundits alike pointed to a large gap between America’s words and deeds, which they say is exacerbating a growing U.S. credibility problem. During Bush’s visit, which was timed for Israel’s 60th anniversary celebrations, the president failed to strengthen or reassure the moderate Arab alliance against Iran, made little headway on Israeli-Palestinian peace and failed to offer an American plan for countering Iran’s growing influence in Lebanon. By expressing unprecedented support for Israel and lecturing the Arabs on democracy, Bush antagonized Arab moderates. And by hedging on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, he left Israelis wondering about American resolve. Indeed, if Bush’s main policy goal is to curb Iranian power, it seems to be eluding him. The regional consensus, from Doha to Jerusalem to Cairo, is that Iran’s influence is spreading. “If we look at the situation Bush leaves behind him, the dangers and the threats and the problems are far greater than they were when he entered office,” said Eitan Gilboa, an expert on U.S. policy at the Bar-Ilan University’s BESA Center for Strategic Studies. The latest area to highlight the shortcomings of U.S. policy in the Middle East is Lebanon, where the Iranian-backed Shiite Hezbollah has virtually seized control of the country. After it was instrumental in helping to force the Syrians out of Lebanon in 2005, the Bush administration had hoped a free Lebanon would become a model for the White House’s regional democratization policy. Bush often has expressed support for the moderate, proWestern Beirut government of the Sunni prime minister, Fuad Siniora. But Hezbollah, prompted by Iran, was able to impose a set of conditions on the moderates that left the pro-Iranian Shiite militia in virtual control of the country earlier this month. And America did nothing to stop this dramatic

spread of Iranian influence. Israeli analysts highlighted the discrepancy between Bush’s contention in the Knesset that Israel in the fight against terror will have “300 million Americans” behind it and Washington’s inaction in the face of the Shiite takeover of Lebanon. “In other times, the U.S. would have sent in gunboats and bombed Hezbollah positions from the sea,” veteran political analyst Nahum Barnea wrote in the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot. “Not today. America is tired, neutered and torn.” In Barnea’s view, the message this sends to Iran is that it can go ahead with its hegemonic ambitions and nuclear weapons program without fear. “Deterrence is gone,” he wrote. “This is bad for the moderates -- Egypt, Jordan and especially Israel.” Gilboa sees a parallel between Lebanon and Iraq. He maintains the United States in Iraq had hoped that toppling Saddam Hussein would deter Iran. But for all his cruelty, Saddam helped contain Iran. Taking him out enabled Iran to emerge much stronger and bolder. “The same kind of thing happened in Lebanon,” Gilboa told JTA. “They thought that after forcing the Syrians out they would get a more democratic Lebanon. But the opposite occurred. Forcing Syria out left Iran and Hezbollah much stronger.” Israeli officials are still hopeful that the United States will play a leading role in preventing Iran from producing nuclear weapons. They say they showed Bush new intelligence on Iran’s nuclear program and came away with the impression that the U.S. leader means business on Iran. But given the short time left in the Bush presidency, the unpopularity in the United States of waging war with Iran and Bush’s own tentative reaction to questions about containing Iran’s assumed nuclear ambitions, the pundits are skeptical. “I think what definitely will be done is a structure on how to deal with this, to try to resolve it diplomatically,” Bush offered. He followed those remarks with a speech in the Knesset declaring that for the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Israeli analysts interpreted this to mean that Bush would leave the Iranian problem to his

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successor and the international community. The perceived weakness of U.S. policy on Iran has led to a degree of ambivalence among moderate Arabs, especially in the Persian Gulf, where Iran is a threatening presence to nearby Arab states. “They lack confidence in America’s ability to deal with Iran, and they fear that under a new administration the U.S. will withdraw from Iraq and leave them facing Iran on their own,” Gilboa said. “So they are keeping ties with Tehran open, which makes it much more difficult for the U.S. to isolate Iran. Bush on his visit also made no tangible progress on the Israeli-Palestinian track, which is supposed to help unify Arab moderates. After a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik, Bush said Abbas was “absolutely committed” to reaching a peace deal by the end of the year. “It breaks my heart to see the vast potential of the Palestinian people really wasted,” Bush declared. “They’re good, smart, capable people that when given a chance will build a thriving homeland.” But Palestinians pointed to discrepancies between word and deed, complaining that Bush is not doing anything substantial to bring a homeland for them. As examples, Palestinians point out that Bush has not appointed a special Middle East envoy or presented U.S. bridging proposals to resolve differences between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Moreover, Bush’s remarks in Sharm el-Sheik on the need for stronger democracy in the Middle East did not help unify the moderate camp. They also were seen as a pointed barb against his Egyptian hosts. “Too often in the Middle East, politics has consisted of one leader in power and the opposition in jail,” Bush said. The president’s strong words of support for Israel in his Knesset speech angered the Palestinians, with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat labeling the address “a missed opportunity,” adding, “Bush should have told the Israelis that no people can be free at the expense of another,” he said. For its part, the Israeli administration was pleased by Bush’s warm words on the occasion of its 60th anniversary and his unqualified commitment to its survival.

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June 6, 2008

Israel-Syria peace deal will secure new regional stability mer Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once proposed? On the timetable issue, by SHAI BEN-ZVI and ALON LIEL will Israel withdraw over a period of five years or 15, JERUSALEM (JTA) -- On May 21, and what will happen in the the ground shook in the Middle East as interim period? two separate and significant conflicts sudIsrael and Syria will discuss military and denly and simultaneously headed in the security issues, including demilitarization, right direction: toward peace. early-warning stations, cross-border Warring Lebanese factions meeting in activity, the passage of armaments to Doha, Qatar, reached an agreement after Hezbollah via Syria and more. 18 months of great tension, and Israel Creative solutions will be found on and Syria announced the relaunching of energy and access to water resources. formal peace Turkey and other third partalks following ties already have offered to Peace with Syria could be eight years of Israel’s most effective tool against cooperate. near silence. No peace agreement Iran’s belligerency, with a ... Many in the between Israel and Syria can Middle East peaceful atmosphere ... triggering be forged without giving celebrated the renewed efforts to solve the crisis special attention to the news even as over Iran’s suspected nuclear Palestinian issue. others looked weapons program. Israel and Syria will dison with cynicuss the Palestinian right of cism and distrust. The following morn- return, particularly as it relates to the ing, new Israeli polls showed a clear 400,000 or so Palestinian refugees living majority of Israelis opposed to an Israeli in Syria. Israel’s agreement with Syria will withdrawal from the Golan Heights, even resolve the political and citizenship status in return for peace. of these refugees, as well as their ability to But there is room for optimism. return to a future Palestine or instead Rather than addictively clinging to the choose financial compensation. hopeless Palestinian track, Israeli leaders The agreement also will deal with Iran, at last are choosing a more sensible Hezbollah and Hamas. Israel will demand opportunity -- one that has been knock- the dissolution of Syria’s contacts with ing at their doorstep for nearly four years. these parties. Syria will have to comproNever has another Arab leader voiced mise and swallow this bitter pill, but likehis hope for peace and the end of his ly will agree only to change the nature of nation’s decades-long conflict with Israel its military ties with these parties and not as has President Bashar Assad. Over the eliminate its political alliances. past four years or so, not a month went by Neither side will achieve everything it without the Syrian dictator giving public wants. and private hints, through every possible Israel and Syria share a long history of channel, calling on Israel for peace. failures to reach peace, and both sides The gradual return of the Golan desperately want this renewed peace Heights to Syria, under various proposi- process to succeed. tions and arrangements that have been Every day, the price of failure to reach articulated in recent years, undoubtedly an agreement grows ever more expensive. will bring the region to a new level of sta- Israeli leaders know and understand this bility. This stability not only will prompt quite well, often when others do not. the rest of the Arab world to adopt peace- They know that failure may usher in a ful ties with Israel almost immediately, new regional conflict, possibly a catabut also will press the Palestinian people strophic one, that surely will endanger to reach a consensus about their own Israel and Syria. claims and demands on Israel. Neither nation wishes to endanger its Peace with Syria could be Israel’s most people further and thus will find a way to effective tool against Iran’s belligerency, reach an agreement. with a newly created peaceful atmosphere Windows of opportunity in the Middle in the region triggering renewed efforts East tend to appear quite infrequently to solve the crisis over Iran’s suspected and last but just a short while. If we connuclear weapons program. tinue to miss them, we may well bring What will an Israeli-Syrian peace agree- upon ourselves and our children another ment entail? First and foremost, the 60 years of misery. return to Syria of the entire Golan, capIsrael has proven its abilities and its tured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 courage in the battlefield. Now is the Six-Day War. But there are many details time to be courageous in making peace. to work out. Shai Ben-Zvi, an Internet entrepreThe two sides will negotiate what con- neur, is a board member of the Israelstitutes “entire”: Will the border pass Syrian Peace Society. Alon Liel is its along the shores of Lake Kinneret 33 feet founder and a former director-general away or be placed 1,300 feet away, as for- of Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

FOCUS ON ISSUES

LETTER TO THE EDITOR To The Editor: Thank you, Omaha Jewish community! Once again our community of volunteers and supporters showed motorcycle riders from 14 states and Canada what makes Omaha so special. The Jewish Motorcycle Alliance was amazed at the outpouring of warmth and hospitality showed them on their three day “Ride to Remember” of 2008. In return the JMA showed their generosity with a contribution of nearly $50,000 for Sam and Frances Fried’s

Heartland Holocaust Education Fund. Don’t ever believe that “nice Jewish boys” don’t ride motorcycles! Jerry Hoberman, Nebraska Coordinator 2008 Ride to Remember; Ron Brodkey, Omaha Coordinator; Gary Hill, Luncheon Coordinator and Director of Nebraska Holocaust Memorial; Richard Evnen, Luncheon Coordinator

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

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Ceding the Golan to Syria would be strategic blunder nents of a Golan withdrawal cite the example of the Israel-Egypt peace accord as a model for Syria. In the agreement with Egypt, by DORE GOLD Israel was compensated for its loss of the Sinai JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel and Peninsula with “security Syria reopened their diplomatic dialogue arrangements” that fundamentally this month after a hiatus of eight years. restricted Egyptian forces in the Sinai However encouraging this seems in the through demilitarized areas and limitedviolence-plagued Middle East, the notion forces zones. that Israel would have to give Syria the But while the Sinai is roughly 120 miles Golan Heights in exchange for a pledge wide, the Golan ranges from 15 to just 7 of peace is extremely troubling. miles wide. In order to create sufficient Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 security for Israel, it is necessary to instiSix-Day War following nearly 20 years in tute force limitations on the Syrian army which Syrian forces positioned on the beyond the Golan Heights, well into strategic plateau pounded Israel’s farms southern Syria. and towns below with artillery attacks. Given the proximity of Damascus to Despite advances in military technolo- the Golan Heights, it is likely that Israel’s gy, the Golan Heights remains a vital security needs for demilitarized zones will strategic asset for Israel’s defense that require Syria to pull back its armored Israel cannot afford to cede. forces behind its own capital. This indeed As negotiators will soon find, there are was Israel’s position during talks in the three clusters of issues they will not easily 1990s. resolve: delineation of an agreed boundThis problem is exacerbated by Syria’s ary, security arrangements and the Syrian- massive acquisition of ballistic missiles Iranian alliance. To a large extent, these and rockets, especially after the 2006 issues have become even more difficult Second Lebanon War. Israel must seek to since negotiations were held in the place limitations on these missile forces 1990s. and on their location close • Borders: ... new talks must not be exploited to the Israeli border. If Syria to legitimize a regime that even Syria will have to make argues that it hard choices regarding the the Arab world seeks to isolate is entitled to extent of the concessions it the pre-1967 because of its backing of Iran and must make. Will Syria be lines, there is its terrorist offshoots. willing to accept intrusive a fundamensecurity restrictions near its tal problem because Syria itself illegally capital, or will it prefer to leave the terrioccupied territories during the 1950s torial status quo in place? that were within Israel’s international • Iran: The Syria-Iran alliance is not borders. They are the southern demilita- just a problem for Israel but for many rized zone at al-Hamma, the Banias area countries in the Middle East. In Israeli and the strip of coastal territory along the diplomatic circles, the main demand northeast shoreline of the Kinneret. voiced to Syria is breaking its alliance When Syrian forces seized the Kinneret with Iran. But is it reasonable to assume shoreline in the 1950s, Damascus that Syria would be willing to distance declared part of the Kinneret as Syrian itself from Tehran? territorial waters. Were Syria to cut off from Iran, it If Israel were to agree to the June 4, would lose its special relationship with 1967 line, essentially it would be reward- Iran’s Shiite proxy in Lebanon, ing Syrian aggression from the 1950s as Hezbollah, and with Syria’s own hegewell as compromising Israeli control of its mony in Lebanon -- a top priority for largest freshwater reservoir. But Syria is Syrian foreign policy. uninterested in anything less. It is extremely unlikely that Syria would In any case, Israel should not be argu- be willing to forego this alliance and ing with the Syrians over whether a future instead adopt a pro-Western orientation. Israel-Syria boundary should correspond Iran today is on the move across the to the June 4, 1967 line or to the older Middle East with new achievements in international border because neither of Lebanon, Iraq and the Gulf states. It has these lines is defensible. a much deeper internal grip on Syria Israel’s positions on the Golan now give today than it did in the period of Hafez its numerically inferior standing army a Assad, the father of Syria’s current presiclear topographical advantage against the dent, Bashar Assad. masses of Syrian armor deployed in the Moreover, even if Syria were willing to plain below that stretch all the way to signal the beginnings of a move away Damascus. As during the 1973 Yom from Iran, any such changes could be Kippur War, when Israeli armor was out- fleeting. While Israel’s concession of the numbered by a ratio of 8 to 1, this advan- Golan Heights would be irreversible, tage can enable a small Israeli force to Syria could shift its regional alignments hold off a large Syrian advance until Israeli anytime. reserve forces can arrive. Israeli negotiations with Syria have It is incorrectly assumed that with the been part of the Middle East landscape proliferation of ballistic missiles, the since 1991. But new talks must not be holding of actual territory is less impor- exploited to legitimize a regime that even tant today than in previous generations. the Arab world seeks to isolate because of In fact, should Syria use its considerable its backing of Iran and its terrorist offrocket and missile forces against Israel to shoots. delay deployment of Israeli reserve forces Moreover, given the continuing miliin the area, the importance of the Golan tary importance of the Golan Heights, it will increase, as Israel’s small standing would be a cardinal error for Israel to put army will have to fight for more extend- into jeopardy its own security by agreeing ed periods of time without reserve rein- to come down from this vital strategic forcement. barrier. As the Second Lebanon War demonDore Gold is the president of the strated, air power cannot serve as a sub- Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. As stitute for effective land warfare if Israel Israel’s ambassador to the United comes under attack. Nations from 1997 to 1999, he dealt with • Security arrangements: Some propo- the Syria-Israel negotiating track.

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

Candlelighting Friday, June 6, 8:36 p.m Shavuot: Sunday, June 8, 8:37 p.m. Monday, June 9. no earlier than 9:47 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 323 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154

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

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

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

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B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY, JUNE 13: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker, Toni Goodman on Living Each Day to the Fullest. The community is invited. The oneg is sponsored by Toni and Steve Goodman in honor of Steve’s 60th Birthday.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Mordechai Levin and Cantor Gastón Bogomolni. Friday: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning services, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by Shirley and Max Kirshenbaum and Maxine and Jack Noodell, in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their granddaughter Kylie Kirshenbaum; Minha/Ma’ariv, 8:45 p.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Bible Study Discussion Group, 10 a.m. “PRAISE THE LAND ...”: Sunday, June 8, 5:30 p.m. The Jewish community is invited to a musical evening of family, food and festivities to celebrate Israel’s 60th birthday. Cost: $5 for those ages 6 and over; 5 and under are free. To RSVP, contact Margie Gutnik in the office, or at programming@bethel-omaha. org. Shavuot service follows at 7:30 p.m. SHAVUOT SERVICES: Sunday, 7:30 p.m.; Monday: 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday 9:30 a.m., with Yizkor and dedication of memorial plaques; evening service, 8:55 p.m. SISTERHOOD MEETING: Tuesday, June 11, 7 p.m. MINYANNAIRES’ SHABBAT: On Saturday, June 21, 9:30 a.m., congregants who regularly attend daily minyanim will be recognized. ANNUAL MEETING: Sunday, June 22, 11 a.m., attend a champagne brunch, featuring the installation of 2008-09 officers and board members; congregational awards will also be given. No charge to attend.

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 by the Kohll family in honor of the anniversary of Anna’s Bat Mitzvah, Sam’s Bar Mitzvah and Janet’s birthday; “Guard Your Tongue” and “Advanced Analysis of Midrash Rabbah” begins one hour before Mincha; Mincha, 8:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:47 p.m. Shavout: SUNDAY-Erev Shacharit, 9 a.m.; “Reading the Rambam” with Rabbi Oxman, 9:45 a.m.; Kids’ Crafts for Father’s Day and Shavuot with Andreea Shnayder, 11 a.m.; Ma’ariv, 7:45 p.m.; Tikun Leil Shavuot, 9 p.m. Dessert will be served. Day of MONDAY–First Shavuot: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; A special dairy Kiddush sponsored by Sisterhood will follow morning services; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:45 p.m. TUESDAY–Second Day of Shavuot: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Yizkor, 10:30 a.m.; Kiddush is sponsored by Sisterhood. A dairy lunch for Shavuot will follow; Mincha, 8:45 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:49 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Board Meeting, 6 p.m. at the JCC. THURSDAY: Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m.; Rabbi’s weekly class, 7:30 p.m.

BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Shabbat in the Home.

THURSDAY: Jewish Thought, 12:45 p.m.; Parsha for Kids, 3:45 p.m. All events and programs are open to the community.

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Ilan Emanuel. FRIDAY: Federation Shabbat, 7 p.m. with guest speaker Beth Dotan, director of the Institute for Holocaust Education housed at the Plains States Regional Office of the Anti-Defamation League in Omaha, and oneg following hosted by the Federation Board. (There will be no services at South Street Temple on June 6). SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Emanuel. SUNDAY: LJCS Board, 1:30 p.m. at South Street Temple; Erev Shavout Services, 6:15 p.m. led by Rabbi Emanuel and Nancy Coren; Diary Potluck Dinner, 6:45 p.m.; Study Sessions, 7:3011:30 p.m. MONDAY: Temple office closed for Shavout.

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

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Rabbi Elihu Milder. MONDAY: Shavout Services, 9 a.m. led by Rabbi Maximo Shechet. TUESDAY: Shavout Services with Yizkor, 9 a.m. led by Rabbi Maximo Shechet.

CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Services, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Maamar class, 9 a.m.; Service, 9:30 a.m.; Youth Minyan, 10:30 a.m.; Kiddush luncheon follows. SUNDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m.; Midnight Madness Shavuout Torah Studies, Midnight-5 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Service, 9:30 a.m.; Annual Ice Cream Party and Luncheon, 11 a.m. TUESDAY: Service, 9:30 a.m.; Yizkor, 11 a.m.; Kiddush luncheon follows. WEDNESDAY: Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m.

TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m., led by Rabbi Eric Linder and Cantor Wendy Shermet. SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Service, 10:30 a.m. Hannah Radler, daughter of Gretchen and David Radler, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah. SUNDAY: Erev Shavuot Service, 7 p.m. A celebration of Israel’s 60th Birthday with guest speaker, Dr. Jonathan Adelman. MONDAY: Service and Yizkor, 10:30 a.m. To have names of your loved ones read at the Morning Yizkor Service, please call the Temple office. TUESDAY: From Generation

to Generation, 7 p.m. Fee is $18 for Temple members and $25 for others. To register, call Program Director Rosie Zweiback, 556.6536. THURSDAY: “Adult Study with the Clergy,” 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel. SHABBAT COMES TO YOU AT SWANSON TOWERS: Friday, June 13, 10:30 a.m. SHABBAT COMES TO YOU AT REMINGTON HEIGHTS: Friday, June 13, 4 p.m.

NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN FRIDAY: Minyan, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.

TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Nancy Coren, Lay Leader. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. MONDAY and THURSDAY: Minyan, 9 a.m. Contact the office to arrange for a minyan. FRIDAY: Federation Shabbat, 7 p.m. Federation Board members will lead services in conjunction with Nancy Coren and Rabbi Emanuel with an oneg following. SATURDAY: Morning service, 9:30 a.m. followed by special Kiddush lunch in honor of Eli Modenstein’s 90th birthday and Talmud study. SUNDAY: Erev Shavout Services, 6:15 p.m. led by Rabbi Emanuel and Nancy Coren at South Street Temple followed by a diary potluck dinner at 6:45 p.m. and study sessions from 7:3011:30 p.m. MONDAY: Shavout Services, 9 a.m. TUESDAY: Shavout Services with Yizkor, 9 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group meets at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. Call Yale Gotsdiner, 423.7066.

EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE The Jewish Press will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, June 9-10, for Shavuot, and again Friday, July 4, for Independence Day. The deadline for all ads, articles and photos is 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 2, for the July 11 issue. Photos from the Passover issue may be picked up during regular business hours. Questions? Call 402.334.6448

B’NAI MITZVAH Hannah Sarah Radler, daughter of David and Gretchen Radler, will become a Bat Mitzvah on S a t u r d a y, June 7, at Temple Israel. Hannah is a seventh-grader at Westside M i d d l e School. She loves animals especially horses.

For her mitzvah project, Hannah volunteered at Siena Francis House and helped with gardening at Temple. Hannah has two sisters, Isabella and Teri. Grandparents are Benie and Lousie Radler, Jan Tuttle, and Bruce and Janice Tuttle. Mathew F. Wiesman, son of Cynthia E. Epstein and David A. Wiesman, will become a Bar

Mitzvah on Saturday, June 14, at Beth El. Mathew is a seventh-grade Distinguished Scholar student at Westside Middle School and was recognized by the Duke Talent Identification Program. His interests include playing

guitar, piano, trombone, and the baritone, and playing video games with this friends. For his mitzvah project, Mathew volunteered at the Omaha Public Library, and has visited the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home with his Hebrew school class. Mathew has a brother, Harison. Grandparents are Geri and Irv Epstein, and Anna and Ben Wiesman.

June 6, 2008

The great blessing

SPARKS FROM THE WORD by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashat Nasso Whatever else one wants to say about this Sidra, it is less important that the three-fold blessing which it includes. To continue the discussion of last week, the blessing purports to come from the Lord Himself, Who tells Moses to tell Aaron the priest, this blessing is to be used when they bless the Israelite people. Note, aside from its content, its literary gracefulness, it begins with three words, then adds a second phrase of five words, then a third of seven words: “Yiverekheha Adoshem v’yishmerekha; ya-er Adoshem panav elehka v’khuneka; Yi-sa Adoshem elekha, v’yasaym l’kha shalom.” Among its many beauties is the simplicity of the blessing. We sometimes translate the first three words into English, thus: The Lord keep thee and watch over thee.” The Midrash goes so far as to say that “watch thee” means prevent you from misusing or abusing the good fortune wished upon you at the very beginning. Be that as it may, this beautiful blessing has been used in the Israelite (and then the Jewish) community who knows how many billions of times in the course of our checkered history. We sometimes translate the beginning of the second phrase -- “Ya-er” --as may the Lord “let shine” His Face upon you. This anthropomorphism is used without hesitation and without apology. And the phrase, “and be gracious unto Thee” is based upon the word “haen” which we use often to indicate an attractive personality and disposition. The third phrase assumes that the Lord may turn His Face from side to side or up and down, and begs the Lord to turn His Face up towards thee. Now forgive me for this unnecessary analysis of this lovely Biblical passage, this cherished blessing. It deserves to stand on its own without anyone like me poking into it. Since we have all heard it so many times, surely we know it by heart. If you don’t, go and learn it. And, of course, Shavuot is a wonderful time to do just that. So go now! Quickly! And, bless you!

DEATHS SHELDON COREN Former Omahan Sheldon “Shelly” Coren died May 22 in Spring Valley, NY, at the age of 78. Burial took place there on May 23. A longtime volunteer in the Jewish community, he was most comfortable behind the scenes, from organizing Red Cross blood drives to making calls to ensure minyanim. He also wrote a play that was performed in 2006 at Beth Israel Synagogue. He is survived by his wife, Rae of Spring Valley; son, David Coren of Brooklyn; daughter and son-in-law, Ruth and Moshe of Spring Valley; four grandchildren, Rifke, Yehoshua Aron, Eliyahu, and Akiva. Memorials to Beth Israel.

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

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KATHRYN A. (KATHI) GOLDSTROM Kathryn A. (Kathi) Goldstrom died May 30. Graveside service was held June 5 at Oak Hills Cemetery in Council Bluffs. She was a graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University. She retired from St Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland after many years as a Medical Technologist. She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Jerry, of Pepper Pike, OH; son Jeff, daughter-in-law Donna, granddaughter Jenna, and grandson Michael of Ft. Collins, CO. Memorials to the Montefiore Home in Beachwood, OH.

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The Jewish Press

Omaha renames street in memory of Sam Greenberg

333 South 132nd Street Omaha,NE 68154 or see page 20 for email address and Fax number

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Omaha joins Israeli flag project

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Continued from page 13 and in addition to the Israeli flag project, are offeringmany educational kits regarding Israel and Hebrew on their website at www.israelaroundyou.com. More than 70 communities from all around the world took part, and 3500 flag pieces were collected. The size of the flag will reach 13,500 square feet and each square was hand-sewn onto the flag. Thanks to a donation from Norman M. Sheldon, then president of the Jewish Federation, teachers and students at all religious schools, Friedel Jewish Academy, teens in the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization from Omaha, Kansas City, and St. Louis participated. Omaha Jewish community members created more than 500 pieces that are a part of the flag. Pieces can be viewed on the project website at http://picasaweb.google.com/Israelaroundu/Omah aNebraskaUSA.

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MZ Yoshanah girls create their flag pieces at the BBYO Spring Regional Convention.

In late April, friends and family of the late Sam Greenberg gathered in South Omaha for the renaming of a street in his memory. He died in 1988 following a car accident and was eulogized by Rabbi Myer Kripke at his funeral as “The Mayor of South Omaha.” Greenberg was active in numerous community organizations and crowned king of Ak-Sar-Ben. Above, his daughter Barb Seglin unveils the street sign, middle, as other family members, below, including Midge Bowers, left, Seglin’s cousin, listen to Mayor Mike Fahey pay tribute to Sam Greenberg and the Philips Department Store (started by Philip Greenberg, and co-owned by his sons Sam and Henry) and their affect on South 24th St.

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To submit obituaries: E-mail to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; fax to 402.334.5422, or mail to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154, or online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 6, 2008

Local artist has Venetian dreams by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT In the summer of 2006, Julie Phillips was reading one of her art magazines, and her eye fell on an advertisement for New York University’s art program. It wasn’t just any art program; it involved spending two summers in Venice, Italy, to study painting at the Masters level. But then, Julie isn’t just any artist. She is the wife of Eric Phillips, mother of four, and volunteer art teacher at Friedel Jewish Academy. How a native Nebraska girl, after building a life and a family in Omaha, suddenly finds herself alone in Venice is a story one doesn’t hear every day. “In 1982, I was traveling by myself,” Philips explains. “I had graduated from UNL with a Bachelors degree in art history and psychology and had taken the summer off to backpack through Europe. One day, while walking in Rome, I saw an attractive man across the street. Moments later, this handsome stranger walked up behind me and started a conversation. She smiled, “Today, 26 years and four children later, that conversation continues. My husband Eric encouraged me to take this opportunity, travel once again to Italy, and follow my dream.” With husband Eric’s help (he took the summer off to be at home with their two youngest children, Lilly and Eva), Julie made that dream a reality: she spent the summer of 2007 in Venice, learning all she could, and soaking up inspiration. For the first time, she started feeling like she was coming into her own as an artist: “My last art class was in junior high, and because someone else ‘colored within the lines’ better than I, I thought I couldn’t be an artist, and that meant the end of my academic pursuit of art.”

She added, “My need to create was still there, of course, but it set me on a less conventional path. I taught myself how to work with many different mediums, and visited every museum within my reach. I have been volunteering as an art teacher in Omaha for the last 15 Julie Philips will exhibit the paintings she created while studying in Venice. years, and my approach to teaching is defi- and stencil; I use Baroque, Rococo and nitely non-traditional. My curriculum does Art Nouveau imagery, interwoven with not focus on techniques alone, but on contemporary graphics as well as patterns ideas. I want to encourage every student’s found in vintage lace.” Philips admits she has a soft spot for unique creativity in a broader sense.” Come next week, Philips’ students such interiors as are shown in paintings might just find themselves a little bit star- by Edouard Vuillard and Henri Matisse. struck. With her second Venetian summer “Their imagery makes me long for somejust around the corner, she has been thing special and treasured; do we want offered her first one-woman show at brand new, or do we want well-worn Anderson O’Brien’s gallery in Omaha’s things with a ‘soul’? I believe there is a yearning for the sentimental in our own Countryside Village. Philips will be showing 15 paintings, lives, and I strive to offer this feeling in inspired by her time in Venice. “My art is my work,” she explained. Gallery owner and operator Jo not representational, so people shouldn’t expect to see gondolas floating down the Anderson is wildly enthusiastic about Grande Canal. Instead, I painted tapes- Philips’ work. “Julie’s art and Julie’s pertries of pattern, color, and rhythm. I use sonality cannot be separated,” Anderson different mediums, such as enamels, oil says, “They are one and the same. Her stick, acrylic, vintage fabrics, lace, and creativity simply oozes out of her, and wallpaper collage. I airbrush, spray paint, she is what she paints. Walking into her

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space is being absorbed by her art; you can feel it in her house, or simply by being in her presence.” Anderson O’Brien has operated in Omaha for more than 30 years, and prides itself on the quality of the artists that show their work. “We concern ourselves with artists who maintain their value, and Julie certainly fits in that category.” The gallery is so enthusiastic about Julie’s upcoming show that one wall will be painted hot pink, to serve as an appropriate backdrop for her vibrant paintings. The title of Julie’s exhibit is Sogni D’oro, Italian for “golden dreams”. She said, “For me, this is a dream come true. The first time I ever went to Italy, with my backpack and Birkenstocks, I met someone who explained to me that ‘Sogni D’oro’ is something Italian parents tell their children before they go to sleep. I guess it is their version of our own ‘sweet dreams’ and I have always loved that expression. Once I had children of my own, I used the same words for them; it also illustrates the fact that this exhibit has personal meaning for my family. She added, “I could never have done this without them.” Visitors to the Sogni D’oro exhibit will learn one thing: dreams may be golden, and they may be sweet, but Julie Phillips definitely dreams in color. Julie’s paintings will be displayed at Anderson O’Brien Art Gallery from June 14-27; The gallery can be found at 8724 Pacific St. The opening reception will take place on Saturday June 14, 7-9 p.m., and is open to the public. For more information, please contact the gallery at 390.0717, or visit the website: www.aobfineart.com.

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