Vol. LXXXII
No. 42
Omaha, NE
20 Sivan, 5763
June 20, 2003
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 82 YEARS
After Criticism of Israel, Bush Moves to Reassure American Jewish Leaders by MATTHEW E. BERGER WASHINGTON (JTA)--In a coincidence of timing, President Bush hosted a dinner for Jewish leaders just at the moment he most needed to speak with them. Bush used a June 11 dinner for close to 100 American Jewish leaders to repair the damage from comments he made a day earlier, in which he blasted Israel’s attempt to assassinate a Hamas leader and said the action did not advance Israel’s security. The comments outraged many Jewish groups, which said Bush was abandoning the principles of his war on terror and his landmark speech of last June 24. The dinner was timed to mark the opening of a new Anne Frank exhibit at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. While many established Jewish leaders were not invited--overlooked in favor of political contributors, rabbis and Jewish White House staffers--Bush nonetheless used the dinner to make his views clear. One participant said no White House officials had publicly justified Bush’s remarks on the Israeli strike on Hamas. Instead, Bush and others acknowledged the Jewish community’s criticism and pointed to Bush’s comments following the June 11 suicide bombing in Jerusalem, in which he called on Arab states to aid the
vate conversations with Jewish leaders on June 11, Bush emphasized repeatedly that he still believed in the framework of his June 24, 2002, speech and that he saw Israel’s security as his top priority in the Middle East. “Everything I heard him say was totally a reinforcement of the security of Israel and that it was not going to falter,” said Fred Zeidman, Chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Zeidman, a Bush President George W. Bush greets Mahmoud appointee, said he Abbas, the Palestinian Authority’s new Prime believes there was some Minister, and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel frustration in the White Sharon at the Aqaba Summit. Intense talks are House because the latcontinuing among the three in hopes of a cease- est violence came less fire by Hamas and other terrorist groups which than a week after Bush has occurred since the latest “handshake.” traveled to the Middle Photo by Brian Tendler/JTA East for summits with fight against terrorism. Israeli and Arab leaders. That frustraIn the days since the dinner, Bush tion may have led to Bush’s remarks has criticized Hamas, calling on the on the strike against Hamas, he said. international community to join the Other dinner guests said Bush told fight against the terrorist group. the Jewish audience that Palestinian Both in his formal remarks and in pri- Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud
Omaha Teens Resume Participation in Summer, Year-Long Trips to Israel by CAROL KATZMAN, Editor Last summer, not a sinsuffered less from the intifada than gle Jewish teen from have shorter trips, are now Omaha experienced the approaching or even surpassing their once-in-a-lifetime opporpre-intifada levels. tunity of a teen trip to Overall, trips for this summer and Israel. Despite the contincoming year are up by 80%, according uing violence, however, to Michael Landsberg, Executive several teens have decidDirector of the North American ed not to wait any longer. aliyah department of the Jewish In addition to Alana Agency for Israel.” Kinarsky, who was Kinarsky is one of only 26 teens accepted in April as a nationwide chosen for this highly 2003 Bronfman Fellow, Among the casualties of the recent selected program, which combines Adam Gendelman and bus bombing in Jerusalem was Sari intensive learning with leadership Ben Gerber will be partic- Singer, who was vacationing in development and touring. She is the ipating in Israel programs Israel following a birthright israel daughter of Leo and Yulia Kinarsky. tour. Singer works for NCSY’s She and Ben will be seniors at Burke this summer. Adam, son of Dr. Howard national office and is well known to High School this fall; Adam will be a Gendelman and Dr. Bonnie Omahan NCSYers. Despite her junior. Stories and photos from the Bloch, and Ben, son of injuries, she continues to promote three will appear in the Sept. 5 issue of Donald and Maggie Gerber, teen and young adult trips to Israel. TeenAge in the Jewish Press. will visit Israel through While recovering from a dislocated In addition, Rachel Katzman, a Midrasha--the Hesder/ shoulder, she was visited by emer- recent graduate of Westside High Midrasha division of Mach gency medical technicians from School, will be attending the Shalem Hach Ba’Aretz. The B’nei Magen David Adom. Program, the Orthodox track of Young Photo by Hadari Digital. Akiva program combines Judaea’s Year-Long Course, located at learning in Eretz Yisrael with an intense tour of Israel. Hebrew University on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, “As a parent I feel that at this time in Ben’s life, “Enrollment in most short-term Israel programs coming from a small Jewish community, it’s imporstill has not returned to anything near pre-intifada tant to solidify his Jewish identity,” said Maggie levels. But Israel programs are reporting significant Gerber. “This is who we are; this is our country, too, increases over 2002, when they had their lowest and our teens have to be prepared before they enter enrollment in the past decade. college to be politically aware and savvy. “Some year-long programs, which generally have (Continued on page 12)
Abbas is “weak” and that Arab support would be key for progress toward peace. “He was very reassuring,” one participant said. Despite last week’s surge in violence, the administration is continuing to push the “road map” peace plan. Veteran diplomat John Wolf arrived in Jerusalem over the weekend to lead an American team charged with monitoring day-to-day progress under the plan. It was Wolf ’s first trip to the Middle East since Bush announced his appointment at the summit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. An official said Wolf and David Satterfield, deputy assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, would stay in the Middle East for several days. Secretary of State Colin Powell also is preparing to meet in Jordan on June 22 with leaders of the United Nations, Russia and the European Union-- the Bush administration’s partners in drafting the road map--in an attempt to shore up peace efforts. The discussions Jewish leaders had with Bush and others at the White House Wednesday night seemed to be reflected in White House spokesman Ari Fleischer’s comments on June 12. (Continued on page 12)
Berlusconi Visits Italian Synagogue in Jerusalem by JEWISH PRESS News Service
Italian Prime Minister Sylvio Berlusconi made a visit to the Italian Synagogue in Jerusalem last week to meet representatives of Italian Jews living in Israel. The synagogue, which has its origins going back about 300 years, formally stood at Conegliano Veneto, west of Venice. The community went out of existence and in 1981, the interior was purchased and transported to Israel. The synagogue’s regarded as the spiritual home of the Italian Jews in Israel and also has a fine Photo by ISRANET. collection of Judaica.
INSIDE: Temple, L.O.V.E. Honor Volunteers .... page 6 Where Are They Now? ............................ page 9 Read It & Eat .......................................... page 10
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
June 20, 2003
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS C L I P & S A V E
FRIDAY, JUNE 20 OCTL Happy Minyan Prayer, 7 p.m. SUNDAY, JUNE 22 Visions Brownville Concert, 11:30 a.m. MONDAY, JUNE 23 YES Program, 10 a.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel
C L I P & S A V E
TUESDAY, JUNE 24 BBYO Night, 6 p.m.
C L I P & S A V E
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25 B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Walk-in Drop-in Activity, 10 a.m. Yiddish Group Meeting, 1 p.m. Visions Baseball & Bar-B-Que, 6 p.m. at Rosenblatt Stadium 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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by BETSY MARANTZ Parashat Becha’alotecha In this week’s parsha, Becha’alotecha (Numbers 8:1-12:16), there are many intriguing and wellknown lessons. It is here that we hear of the creation of the menorah, the complaining of the Israelite people, and Aaron and Miriam confronting Moses. In chapter 9, however, there are a few verses that teach a larger lesson we often miss as we read the other significant events of the week. After Moses instructs the people regarding the Passover sacrifice, he is asked a matter of law. There are some individuals who are unable to make the sacrifice at the proscribed time. What should they do? What does Moses do? Moses checks with God. God states that these people, as well as anyone on a journey, should offer the sacrifice at an alternate time, one day only, one month later. This is now known as Pesach Sheni, Second Passover. Why is such a small exchange of such importance? How is this relevant to us today? First, it is a lesson for each of us individually. Moses, the leader of the Jewish people, is not almighty, is not absolute. He is human. And as such, he does not have all the answers. He is able to say, “I do not know.” He admits his limitations and acknowledges that there are times when we need the assistance of others. This is an important lesson in humility: none of us is omniscient or omnipotent and do at times need help. Turning to those who can aid us in our pursuits is empowering rather than debilitating. Additionally, we can infer that there are no absolutes. Although the law had been “written”, there was the ability for it to be amended to allow for the realities of life. The men in our parsha were unable to make the Passover sacrifice as they were ritually unclean, they had been defiled through the handling of a corpse, and wanted to be able to participate in the ritual. By allowing for an alternate observance, there is an implicit acknowledgement of differing circumstances and alternate paths to religious observance. The sages speak much of second chances. Many rabbis infer that this passage tells us that it is “never too late.” Although the men in the Torah are unable to perform the ritual through no fault of their own, our teachers tell us even if we have been on a long journey of our own making--spiritually, religiously, literally--we always have the opportunity to return to a Jewish life. Here we learn that God acknowledges what is important is not the strict adherence to the ritual, but to the desire to participate in Jewish life. If we want to have a relationship with God and be a part of the Jewish community, God will accept our attempts, even if they do not adhere to the most traditional interpretation of the law. But first we have to “ask,” to express our own humility and individual failings. This also means that God will accept our limitations and our attempts at observance, as they are adapted to our own circumstances. It is the intent, the purity of motive and heart, that God requires. However you are able to ritualize, is between you and God.
DEATHS SOL EPSTEIN Sol Epstein died June 11 at the age of 80. Services were held at BHH/Fisher Farms Cemetery June 13. He was preceded in death by his sister, Betty Epstein Rosenblatt. Epstein was a veteran, having served in World War II. He is survived by his brother, Sid Epstein of Las Vegas; sister and brother-in-law, Bernice and Morrie Adler of Omaha, a nephew and a niece. Memorials to charity of choice. DOROTHY GLAZER Former Omahan Dorothy Glazer of Encino, CA, died on June 4. Services were held in Encino on June 8. She was preceded in death by her niece Lisa Shulman. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, David Glazer; daughter and son-in-law, Marlene and Ted Penney, Northridge, CA; son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Cheryl Glazer, Simi Valley, CA; son, Robert Glazer, Simi Valley, CA; brother, Marvin Parilman, Omaha; sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and Stan Widman, Omaha, and grandchildren, Matthew Penney, Danielle Penney, Zachary Glazer and Colby Glazer, all of California. Memorials to the charity of your choice or the Lisa Shulman Memorial Scholarship, Bradley University, 201 Swords Hall, Peoria, IL 61625. WILLIAM SUSMAN Former Omahan William Susman died June 16 at the age of 82 in Wellington, FL. He is survived by his wife, Bertie, of Wellington, daughter Alexis Susman, Omaha; daughter and sonin-law, Marsha and Gary Hennings of Wellington; grandchildren, Jason Brick, Sheri and Rod Wetzel, all of Omaha, Brian Hennings, Atlanta, GA, Michael and Matthew Hennings of FL, Sharon Mauer, Overland Park, KS; and three great-grandchildren. Memorials to the American Cancer Society.
Beth El’s Rosh Hodesh Group to Explore ‘Memories, Values’ by DIANE AXLER BAUM The Women’s Rosh Hodesh Group of Beth El Synagogue will explore the challenges of “Preserving, Sharing and Transmitting Memories and Values of Loved Ones,” on Sunday, June 29, 7:30 p.m. sharp. Socializing and refreshments will get underway at 7 p.m. Cheryl Cooper and Ann Goldstein are hosting the session at the Goldstein home, 9856 Devonshire Dr. in Regency. “We would be glad to have women bring ideas and items that prompt memories of loved ones,” Cooper said. To make a reservation, please call Beth El program director Kathy Schmitt, at 492-8550.
Second Rabbinic Couple Arrives in Omaha by JEWISH PRESS News Service
Betsy Marantz is a Jewish educator and the wife of Rabbi Craig Marantz of Temple Israel.
EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE C L I P & S A V E
The Jewish Press office will be closed Friday, July 4, for Independence Day. The deadline for ads, photos and articles is noon as follows: Issue: July 4 Deadline: Wednesday, June 25 Issue: July 11 Deadline: Monday, June 30 Questions? Call 334-6448.
WANTED: JEWISH PRESS STUDENT INTERN Each year for the past five years, the Jewish Press has hired a high school student to write articles of interest to teens and their parents. Qualifications include: writing ability (students on staff of their high school papers are preferred) access to a car, enthusiasm for the Jewish community and willingness to write at least one article a month. Student interns will be paid for each story! To apply, call Carol Katzman, Editor: 334-6450.
Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman, his wife, Ariella, and their two daughters, Bayla, age 21/2, and Gila, 11-months-old, arrived in Omaha Memorial Weekend, to work for the Omaha Center of Torah Learning. Rabbi Hoffman, originally from Detroit, and Ariella, from Houston, have been living and learning in Israel for the past five years. The couple will help expand the educational programs and classes offered by OCTL, a kiruv--Jewish outreach organization.
June 20, 2003
SYNAGOGUES
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 3
Candlelighting Friday, June 20 .............................................. 8:42 p.m.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE
Member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism
7023 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556-6536 templeisrael-ne.org
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
1502 No. 52 St., Omaha, NE. 68104 -5013 556-6288 BethIsrael@novia.net
14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492-8550 WEB--www.bethel-omaha.org
FRIDAY: Men’s Club, 11:45 a.m. All male members of Temple Israel are invited to a weekly informal get together at Spirit World, 7517 Pacific St. Join us for some relaxation and great conversation; Early Worship Service, 5:30 p.m. Rabbi Aryeh Azriel and Jeffrey Taxman will officiate using the Union Prayer Book; Family Worship Service, 7:30 p.m. Rabbi Craig Marantz and Cantor Wendy Shermet will officiate. The Oneg is sponsored by Suzan and Ian Crabb in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Rebecca. SATURDAY: Bagels and Sacred Books, 9:30 a.m., in the Milder Center; Morning service, 10:30 a.m.; Rebecca Joy Crabb, daughter of Suzan and Ian Crabb, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah. SITTER SERVICE Available at Friday evening service and Saturday mornings when there is a bar or bat mitzvah. Please make a reservation through the Temple office. Cost is $2.00 per family. Sorry, there are no facilities for infants. ADULT EDUCATION THURSDAY, June 26: Adult Study with Rabbi Azriel, 10-11:30 a.m.
Office hours: Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Howard Kutner. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m. West Minyan, 7:30 p.m. at the home of Dani and Leon Shrago. SATURDAY: Morning Services, 8:45 a.m. Free babysitting begins at 10 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10:30 a.m. Sarah Grossman, a graduate of Omaha North High School and of Beth Israel’s Hebrew High School will be the featured speaker at this special Shabbat morning honoring graduates; A Kiddush luncheon is sponsored by Shelly and Rae Coren in honor of their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Mincha, 8:35 p.m., followed by Shalosh Suedot and Ma’ariv; Havdalah, 9:53 p.m. SUNDAY: Services, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m. and 7 p.m MONDAY: Talmud class with Rabbi Kutner, immediately following minyan. No experience necessary; everyone is welcome.
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. FRIDAY: Join us for a musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: We invite you to Morning Services at 9:30 a.m. Kiddush following services is hosted by Beth El. Evening services at 8:55 p.m. SUNDAY: Services at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Services at 6:55 a.m. (followed by an optional continental breakfast); and 5:30 p.m. A THOUGHT FOR SHABBAT To receive Rabbi Mordechai Levin’s weekly “Thought for Shabbat,” please send your e-mail address to exec@bethel.org. This is free and open to all members of the community regardless of synagogue affiliation. ADULT EDUCATION Sunday, June 22: The new Bible Study Group for adults will begin at 11 a.m. in the Library, with an in-depth look at Joshua, ch. 1-4. Prof. Leonard Greenspoon will lead. Wednesday, June 27: The Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class, 7:30 p.m. taught by Cantor Emil Berkovits, continues in Stage Two with studies focusing on the Shaharit Service for Shabbat. This week, Rabbi Levin will continue with “The Way Into Jewish Prayer: Why and How We Pray.”
TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 tiferethisraellincoln.org
423-8569
Services conducted by Rabbi Stanley M. Rosenbaum. Minyan, Monday & Thursday, 7:15 a.m. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Men’s Group at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. If you would like to attend, call Yale Gotsdiner at 423-7066, or the office.
B’nai Jeshuran Students Enjoy End-of-Year Picnic in Lincoln by JEWISH PRESS News Service
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services with Yizkor, 9 a.m., led by Steve Reikes. All services are held in the Herbet Goldsten Chapel and are open to the community.
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster St., Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 Phone: 322-4705 e-mail: doc jeb @aol.com FRIDAY: Evening Service, 7:30 p.m. Oneg will follow.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN
1866 So. 120th St., Omaha, NE 68144-1646 Phone: 330-1800 E-MAIL--chabad@aol.com WEBSITE: www.nebraskajudaism.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Monday-Friday: Services at 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Services at 9:30 a.m. SUNDAY: Services at 8:30 a.m.
SOUTH STREET TEMPLE
Member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
2061 S. 20th St., Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435-8004 jewishnebraska.org FRIDAY: Shabbat Service, 7:45 p.m., followed by Oneg. Mark Miller is the musician. SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m., Torah Study, 10:30 a.m.; Game Night with Potluck meal, 6 p.m. If you have questions or need a ride, call Deborah Swearingen, 476-7528 WEDNESDAY: AA Meeting, 7 p.m. in the Library or Social Hall.
BEYT SHALOM
An Affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
3012 S. 119th St., Omaha, NE 68124-5130
P.O. Box 241130 402-592-4082
FRIDAY and SATURDAY: Shabbat in the Home.
Scholarship Applications Due Applications for Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center preschool and for Friedel Jewish Academy scholarships for 2003-04 are due on or before July 1--no exceptions--late applications will not be considered. For more information call, Kathy Hirshman, Director, Scholarships & Education Administration, 334-6445. Applications can be mailed to: JELS, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154.
Students enjoyed South Street Temple's end of year Religious School picnic at the farm of Maria and Dean Cadwallader. The kids had an opportunity to meet the Cadwalladers’ baby horses and Jill Ingham’s baby goats. Top: Dave Williss helped Rachel Lundholm with her horseback riding. Bottom: Ben and Libby Kohn demonstrate the fencing skills which have earned them national rankings.
CHABAD HOUSE An Affiliate of the Worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch Movement
Donations for Mitzvah Project For my Mitzvah Project in preparation for my Sept. 6 Bar Mitzvah, I am collecting canned food for the Omaha Food Bank. If you would like to donate any non-perishable foods, you may put them in the box in front of the Youth Lounge at the JCC. If you need assistance, call me at 330-4861, and we can arrange a date and time to collect the food from your home. Thank you. Zach Spooner
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway, Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294-6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
BAR MITZVAH Steven Meyer, son of Michael and Marcie Meyer, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, June 28 at Beth El Synagogue. Steven, an honor roll student, will be in eighth grade at Kiewit Middle School this fall. He is a member of Kiewit Krew, and enjoys golf, theater, computers and rollerblading. For his mitzvah project, Steven donated money to Ronald McDonald House and volunteered his time. Steven has a sister, Rachel. Grandparents are the late Edward Levine, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Kratchman of Shawnee Mission, KS and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Meyer of Scottsdale, AZ.
DEDICATION A memorial for Elsa Kahn will be dedicated on Sunday, June 22 at 11:30 a.m. at Golden Hill Cemetery, 42nd and Grant.
PERSONAL Miriam Simon will be in town and would like to say hello to all of her Omaha friends, Sunday, July 6, 2-4:30 p.m. at the Parkwood Terrace Clubhouse, 92nd St. and Western Ave., 393-2367.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
June 20, 2003
EDITORIAL After months of cold, rainy weather, when we never thought we’d see spring, we are finally enjoying warm sunny days. The kids are out of school; vacations are in the works and even Jewish organizations seem to take a break for a few months. Or do they? Believe it or not, most non-profit groups do not have the luxury of “downtime” because the needs never seem to change. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if charitable groups put themselves out of business by fulfilling their missions! We all know that’s not going to happen: there are still needy families, abused and neglected children, lonely elders. There’s still lots of work to be done and here’s how you can help. Teens in the Westside and Millard School Districts are required to complete a minimum number of community service hours in order to graduate. Imagine if all the Jewish teens in those districts gave this community just 10 hours this summer. Agencies on this campus, synagogues and Jewish organizations could, for example, have them stuff envelopes, read to preschoolers at the CDC, have conversations with seniors at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, update computerized mailing lists, weed cemeteries and synagogue grounds, or record Jewish music or books on tapes for the homebound to check out of the Kripke Library. If you have a teen sitting home this summer with
OUR MAN IN ISRAEL
Got Time? nothing to do, encourage them to make a call and give some time. If you sit on the board of a Jewish agency or synagogue and you know a Jewish teen home for the summer, take the initiative and call them first! But teens aren’t the only ones with time on their hands. As readers noted from our Passover issue featuring behind-the-scenes volunteers, retirees are another group of under utilized volunteers. Yes, some of them travel (especially to warmer climates during the winter), but when they’re here, think of the talent and experience they could share! Whether retired from a retail business, manufacturing, the legal profession or catering, our “more senior” members of the community could--and should--be offering a helping hand. Omaha’s a small Jewish community, but has always had a commitment to ensuring the success of its charitable organizations. Regardless of our Jewish community’s future demographics, we have a stake now in its continued viability. It’s not just dollars that will maintain our Jewish life, but the addition of newcomers, the welcoming attitude of those who are already here and the donation of time and passion from all who want there to be a Jewish community for our children and grandchildren. “If you will it, it will happen,” was the oft repeated phrase of the Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion. That should be our slogan for Omaha, too.
Reflections on the Pollard Case
by CARL ALPERT Haifa--It is difficult not to feel sympathy for Jonathan Pollard, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the U.S. for revealing to Israel secret information allegedly harmful to American interests, but helpful to Israel. An unrelenting publicity campaign is being conducted, seeking to pressure authorities in both Washington and Jerusalem to have him released after serving 14 years of his sentence. The Israel government has conferred Israel citizenship on him and has issued him with an Israel passport. Life imprisonment seems a very harsh punishment, considering that others who spied on America, with more serious charges against them, have received lesser terms. Further, the information which Pollard conveyed to Israel was of a nature which the U.S. should in any event have provided to its friend and ally. The anti-Pollard elements in the State Department have insisted that he caused grave harm to American interests, but this has yet to be proven. Successive Israeli premiers have raised the subject with Washington, but hitherto with little success. And the campaign to release him, especially as he is said to be in ill health, continues. Yet something about this whole matter disturbs us. Pollard received payment from Israel sources for the information which he had provided. He insists, however, that his actions were motivated solely by his concern for Israel’s welfare. He presents himself as a super-patriot of Israel who knowingly faced great risks in his desire to provide Jerusalem with information which was essential for its security. Hence, in the eyes of the Israelis, and many Jews elsewhere, he is truly a victim. This story does not stand up under close scrutiny. Anyone who goes into the spy business does so knowing that his contacts with the government for which he is spying must never be exposed. This was particularly true in this case because Israel and the U.S. had a direct and implicit agreement that they would not engage in espionage against each other.
Yet when FBI agents began to close in on him, the first thing Pollard did was to rush to the Israel embassy in Washington and seek refuge there. What did he expect the embassy to do, grant him asylum and thereby acknowledge publicly, “Yes, this is our spy.” He was arrested at the gates of the embassy in the very act of compromising and embarrassing the country he says he wanted to serve. He was not sent by Israel. The initiative came from Pollard, no doubt with the best of intentions. The Israeli handler who was in contact with Pollard acted contrary to Israel policy, but this did not spare the Israeli authorities from the humiliation of being “caught in the act”, as it were. A truly dedicated, patriotic spy knows that he is taking risks. He cannot expect to be rewarded if he is caught. He is on his own. That is the occupational hazard of being a spy. But Pollard has gone far beyond implicating Israel. From his prison cell he continues to agitate for his release, and stimulates all these public relations efforts on his behalf. The result is the creation of an undercurrent of constant discord in Washington-Jerusalem relations. Whereas Israel would prefer to forget the whole affair, the Pollard case continues to stir up unpleasantness. Four American presidents have had to turn down requests for clemency from a succession of Israel prime ministers. What should long since have passed into historic oblivion is being kept alive, constantly muddying relations between the two countries and supplying ammunition to those in the State Department who are unfriendly to Israel in any event. True, a man remains in prison, but the ceaseless campaign to get him out, and the constant tumult and publicity serve only to exacerbate the otherwise excellent relations between the two nations. A truly patriotic Jonathan Pollard would place the best interests of Israel above his own private cause. Hundreds of spies have given up their freedom and their lives, electing anonymity, rather than injuring (Founded in 1920)
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the cause they claim to hold dear. Despite all this, we earnestly hope that President Bush will show some understanding and will release Pollard, putting an end at last to a disturbing and regrettable situation. He may well take into additional consideration that, according to the record, when Pollard was brought to court in 1986 the prosecution sought to avoid a long, drawn out trial. A plea bargaining deal was made whereby Pollard would plead guilty, a trial was avoided, and he was due to receive a minimal sentence. The presiding judge ignored the agreement and sentenced him to life imprisonment. It is certainly late now, but the agreement made in good faith should be kept. Let Pollard come home to Israel and retire without further publicity.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: In your front page article of June 6, “New Point Man on ‘Road Map’ Charged with Monitoring Compliance”, some doubts were raised about the abilities of John Wolf, the newly named head of a monitoring group that will oversee implementation of the ‘road map’ for peace in the Middle East, to carry out his responsibilities. I had the privilege of working with Ambassador Wolf from 1989-92, when he was the State Department’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs and of being present as he conducted negotiations at the United Nations. He approached his work with dedication and professionalism in the very best tradition of U.S. diplomacy. I am confident he will devote himself fully and competently to his new job. Lawrence Grossman United States Foreign Service Officer (ret.)
JEWISH PRESS COMMITTEE Howard K. Marcus, Vice-Chairman; Bobbi Leibowitz, Secretary; Scott Meyerson, Finance Chairman; Fred Tichauer, Immediate Past-chairman; Jean Duitch; Penny Endelman; Kip Gordman; Stanley Mitchell; Linda Saltzman; Joey Shyken; Nancy Skid; Steve Simon; Melanie Weinstein; George Schapiro (Honorary Committee Member). Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Committee, the Jewish Federation of Omaha or the Omaha Jewish Community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.
June 20, 2003
Page 5
Hamas Un-Spun
BEHIND THE HEADLINES by HONESTREPORTING.COM On Sunday, four days after Hamas confessed to the Jerusalem bus massacre that left 17 dead and more than 100 injured, President Bush defended IDF anti-terror actions: “The free world and those who love freedom and peace must deal harshly with Hamas and the killers.” Hours after the President deliberately situated Hamas at the source of the ongoing violence, The New York Times published a kindly profile of Hamas entitled “Defining Hamas: Roots in Charity and Branches of Violence.” The tree metaphor in the headline suggests that a little pruning will leave Hamas merrily doling out schoolbooks and clothing in Gaza City. This is, in fact, the article’s central claim: Hamas, established according to The Times on three “pillars”--“religion, charity and the fight against Israel”--has at its historical and moral “roots” concern for Palestinians’ health and education. Given this benevolence, therefore, it’s reasonable to expect that Hamas “could be persuaded to renounce violence” and accept a two-state solution. Does communal charity really lie at Hamas’ historical “roots”? The Times article offers absolutely no evidence to this effect, stating only that founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin established a social welfare group before launching Hamas. The very name Hamas is an acronym for “Islamic Resistance Movement”--no hint there of communal charity.
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
And though Hamas does provide certain social programs, its essential, overarching goal to destroy the State of Israel has never wavered since day one. As Hamas declared after last week’s bombing: “We call on all military cells to act immediately, like an earthquake, to blow up the Zionist entity and tear it to pieces.” “I swear by God,” said Abdel Aziz Rantisi last week, “we will not leave a single Jew in Palestine.” The Times characterizes Hamas as having “three pillars: religion, charity, and the fight against Israel.” This segmentation mirrors the mistake the media make in calling Sheik Yassin “Hamas’ spiritual leader”-- implying he is a holy man and not a terrorist. In the same vein, the media commonly label Rantisi Hamas’ “political leader”--implying he’s a statesman and not a terrorist. The U.S. State Department classifies Hamas as a terrorist organization, and has frozen all Hamas assets, across the board, without distinction. The Times’ distorted portrayal of Hamas undermines Israel’s and America’s determination to eliminate this murderous organization--the largest roadblock to regional peace, rooted not in charity, but rather in terrorism and the furious rejection of Israel’s very right to exist. Comments may be sent to: letters@nytimes.com. Some media outlets see Hamas clearly for what it
is: In the Toronto Globe and Mail: “Hamas is the exact analogue of al-Qaeda, an extremist group whose aim is not to change the policies and practices of its enemy, but to annihilate and exterminate. There can be no parley with such a foe. No nation would do differently than Israel has done when faced with the sustained terrorist assault that it has endured over the past three years.” Comments may be sent to: comments@globeandmail.ca. And, in the St. Louis Post Dispatch: There is no “moral equivalency between Israeli and Palestinian attacks. Hamas’ bombing of innocent civilians on the Jerusalem bus is a savage act of terrorism. Israel is justified in attacking Hamas leaders as armed combatants, just as the United States is justified in attacking al-Qaida.” HonestReporting was founded by a group of individuals interested in ensuring that Israel receives fair, truthful coverage in the media. Subscribers scrutinize the media for examples of blatant bias, distortion by omission and then Honest Reporting will inform subscribers of any offending articles. To subscribe, visit the group’s website: www.honestreporting.com/a/subscribe.asp. (Privacy Guarantee: HonestReporting will never share your e-mail address or personal details with anyone. Our web servers feature the latest hack-proof technology.)
Penny Candy at the Elran Mini-Market
JOURNAL ENTRY FROM ISRAEL
by TEDDY WEINBERGER When Sarah and I moved our family to Givat Ze’ev in the summer of 1997, we both felt as if we’d stepped back in time. Givat Ze’ev has that smalltown community feeling that has all but disappeared from America’s cities. Even in relatively small cities (as far as Jewish population goes) such as Omaha, NE, with which Sarah and I are intimately acquainted (Sarah being a native of Omaha), the sprawl of daily living has gotten quite large indeed. You must get into your car to go to the Post Office, to work out at the gym, to get groceries, to drop you kid off at school or at a friend’s. In Givat Ze’ev, it’s possible and convenient to do all of these things without entering a car. Indeed, because we are Sabbath observers and do not travel on Shabbat, and because there is school on the other six days of the week, my children can go weeks without seeing the inside of our car. For kids, perhaps the happiest small-town feature of Givat Ze’ev is penny candy. My father still waxes poetic about the penny candy of his youth: Mary Janes, Charlotte Russes, Hootens, and Indian nuts. When I was growing up, penny candy was largely absent from my life. In Givat Ze’ev, however, penny candy is alive and well, and for the children of the town’s public religious school, its home is at the Elran mini-market. Sunday through Friday mornings from about 7:30 to 8 o’clock, Renat Aboudy and Alex Dudelzon, the owners of Elran,
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preside over something like a grandparent’s paradise, with all of the cute little kids queuing up for their roll (lahmaniya) and chocolate milk--and their penny candy. A kid with a shekel or two in his or her pocket (the shekel is worth about 22 cents) can live it up at Elran’s. A full range of lollipops costs a shekel each, big gumballs cost as little as 30 agurot (seven cents), and the ever popular hamtsoots costs just a half-shekel each (these colorful strips of gummy candy have a sourishly sweet flavor from which their name derives). Renat takes great care to be respectful of the rights of her young patrons. Though most adults dropping in to Elran are less interested in admiring the lineup of cuties than in picking up their groceries, Renat’s basic position is: first come first served, child or adult. Once I saw a man reach over the line of children with his bread and milk, but before Renat would serve him she had the man ask permission from the children. In practice, most adults are not content to obey Renat’s rule, and so Alex will often set up a side, adult-only check-out line, with Renat all the while muttering to herself “this is not educational.” In a wonderful way Renat views her few minutes with the children as an opportunity to educate them. Any child who gives Renat or Alex an order (e.g., “gimme a plastic bag”) will automatically have their request rejected as Renat says something to
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them like “You’re familiar with the word ‘please,’ right?” Renat’s concern with educating the children extends beyond manners and goes into financial responsibility and environmental awareness. Once, my 10-year-old Ezra was 20 agurot (about four cents) short on his usual choco, lahmaniya and hamtsoots. Renat pointed this out to him, and Ezra smiled and said “forget it.” She said, “No, I’m not going to forget it, you’ll owe it to me.” Ezra said, “My father will pay you.” Renat responded, “No, you owe me the money and you’re the one who is going to pay me back.” And the next day Ezra did. On the environmental front, Renat wages an ongoing battle against the automatic request for a plastic bag to hold the children’s candy. She teaches the children to think about the environmental costs of the bag (in producing it and in disposing it), and she only grudgingly gives out bags for just a few small candies. The “morning show” at Elran goes on vacation when the kids do, and the already hot temperatures are a signal that summer break is just around the corner. I’m going to miss those kids when I drop by for my daily bread. On the other hand, Renat, who is blessed with more than her fair share of sex appeal, has started coming to work wearing low-cut T-shirts and tanktops--so there is some comfort in that.
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June 20, 2003
Temple Israel Installs New Board, Honors Volunteers
L.O.V.E. Recognizes Volunteers Installs New Board
by JEWISH PRESS News Service
by LOIS WINE, Director of Volunteer Services
Left photo: at Temple Israel’s 132nd annual meeting on June 8, Gary Kaplan, right, was elected president of the congregation. He succeeds Dr. Michael Walts, left, who has served in the office for the past two years. Other officers are M. Ronald Brodkey, Larry Gendler, and Wendy Goldberg, Vice-presidents; Rick Fox, Secretary; Jon Meyers, Treasurer; and John Lehr, Assistant Treasurer. Right photo: At the dinner meeting, Silvia Roffman with her husband, Dr. Larry Roffman, a past president of the Board of Trustees, was recog-
nized for her years of service to the congregation with the Pillar of Temple Israel Award which has been presented only once previously in Temple’s history. Others honored at the meeting included Harry Gates and Colleen Kennealy who received Presidential Awards; Dr. Magda Peck, recipient of the Social Justice Award; and Allie Willensky, who just completed her term as president of Omaha Temple Youth Group. Along with Walts, who was given a presidential plaque, outgoing board members were also recognized.
Jewish Senior Services and the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home honored volunteers and installed the new L.O.V.E. board of directors recently at a brunch chaired by Kathy Weiner. Above: Winners of the Lee Jane Parsow Volunteer of the Year Award were the Shabbat and Holiday service leaders: Alan Shulewitz, left, Nancy Rips, Andy and Carole Greenberg (not pictured: Marti Nerenstone, Donald Novicoff, Steve Riekes, Dr. David
and Phyllis Hoffman and Marty Shukert). In addition, RBJH staff Cathy Caroll, AnneMarie Donovan and Ann Joseph were presented with awards from the Helen and David Shukert Scholarship Fund. L.O.V.E. Copresidents Miles and Eileen Remer presented a $10,000 check to Michael Silverman, JSS Executive Director, to underwrite the cost of remodeling the two lounges in the Blumkin Home.
Israel Emergency Campaign to Send 100,000 Children to Camp by ERICA BARTON, UJC Media Relations New York--United Jewish Communities (UJC) and the Jewish Federations of North America today announced $10 million in new emergency funding to support Israelis as they face continuing threats to their lives and well being. The funds, collected through the immense generosity of donors to the Israel Emergency Campaign (IEC) of UJC and the Jewish Federations of North America, will be directed at sending 100,000 Israeli children to safe and secure summer camp environments. The Jewish Agency and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), in coordination with UJC Israel, will manage the program. This summer will mark the second consecutive season that camping experiences will be provided to Israeli youth in an effort to keep them safe during a period of regional uncertainty.
“We know from last year what a positive--and safe--experience the camps provided,” said Karen Shapira, chair of UJC’s IEC Work Group. “We chose to fund the camps again because this program directly supports the Israeli people,” she added. “Last summer, we heard from Israeli parents how much they appreciated it, and how much peace of mind it afforded them, and we are glad that we’ re able to contribute something of great significance.” The Israel Emergency Campaign Work Group, representing UJC and the 156 Jewish Federations of North America, makes funding decisions based on recommendations from UJC’s overseas partners in Israel, the JDC and The Jewish Agency, which consult closely with the Israeli government to assess and identify critical and pressing unmet needs.
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delivered response we could have made.” UJC and the Jewish Federations of North America have now allocated a total of $234 million to national and community-designated IEC programs in Israel, including an after-school activities program for 40,000 children; a school guard safety program; support for Argentinian Jews escaping their country’s economic collapse by immigrating to the Jewish homeland; The Jewish Agency’s Victims of Terror Fund, and other projects. For more information about the Israel Emergency Campaign, or to donate online, visit www.ujc.org. Information is also available by calling: 1-800-966-4UJC. Donations may be sent to: United Jewish Communities, Israel Appeal, P.O. Box 30, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113.
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“Economic conditions in Israel are still presenting drastic problems for its citizens, and many families are faced with the problem of finding an affordable way to keep their children safe this summer,” said Robert M. Schrayer, IEC Chair. Since September of 2001, North American Jews and their friends have pledged $358 million to the Israel Emergency Campaign. The campaign continues to meet humanitarian, social and economic needs of the Israeli people as they deal with terrorism and other threats to their lives and security. “Through the Israel Emergency Campaign, North American Jews and our friends are trying to support our brothers and sisters in Israel during an extremely challenging time for them,” said Shapira. “This has been the most credible, well-built and well-
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Page 7
Head of Federation System Unveils Long-Awaited Vision by RACHEL POMERANCE NEW YORK (JTA)--The North American federation system last week got a glimpse of the vision it has long been seeking. In an address to the United Jewish Communities board of trustees, CEO Stephen Hoffman presented a vigorous plan to overhaul the federation umbrella group, which has been under intense scrutiny over the four years of its existence about its purpose, vision and structure. Among his goals, he said, is for the UJC to become “the smartest place on earth about solutions to local and global Jewish issues.” His message came just before the UJC Delegate Assembly approved the 2003-2004 budget of $38.3 million, a 9.5 percent reduction from the previous year. (Among the delegates was Joel Alperson, a member of UJC’s National Board.) Cost-cutting measures include eliminating the federation umbrella’s uni-
versity programs division and Trust for Jewish Philanthropy, along with deep cuts in its Campaign/Financial Resource Development and Israel Overseas departments. The budget decrease translates into an across-the-board 9.5% cut in the dues local federations pay to the federation umbrella organization. The reduction is part of Hoffman’s plan to streamline the system and a response to the complaints by many federations about the UJC’s high operating cost in pressing economic and political times. Critics from local federations have also cited the system’s failure to engage them and provide them with critical services along with its inability to garner sufficient funds for the UJC’s overseas agencies, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Hoffman’s vision, which was greeted with enthusiasm, even from some of
BOOK REVIEW Things My Mother Never Told Me by Blake Morrison Review by Oliver B. Pollak Caricatures of the smothering “Jewish Mother” are the stuff of comedy routines, sitcoms and Woody Allen films. This memoir is about an Irish Roman Catholic physician marrying in 1946 an English Protestant physician. Their son, the author, writes with the expectation of being born. Agnes O’Shea, named after a third century virgin martyr, was born to a mother that had twenty children. Agnes went to medical school and then moved to England to practice in obstetrics. In England she met Arthur Morrison. While the world was at war, this couple courted. Arthur died in 1991 and Kim at the age of 80 in 1996. What is remarkable about their story is the survival of thousands of love letters written from 1943 to 1946. Arthur was stationed in Iceland and the Azores. Agnes, who went by the name Kim, worked several six month stints at various English hospitals. The lovers knew how to avoid the war mail censor’s excisions. Religion was a major problem. Kim
loved being an RC but she also loved Arthur. Arthur did not care much about religion, but certainly did not want his prospective children to be raised RC. Kim’s adamant attachment to RC declined following the death of her parents. Kim and Arthur worked out an awkward compromise virtually banning religion from the household. Morrison admits to embroidering the record, filling in with feelings, thoughts and conversations that were not in the letters. He claims to be archivist, editor, biographer and novelist of his mother’s literary and emotional legacy. This book is testimony to courtship during war, mixed marriage, and the bravery or tomfoolery of a son potentially treading where most sons do not care to tread, the most intimate relations of his parents. But it works and I plan on reading Morrison’s 1993 bestselling memoir, And When Did You Last See Your Father? OBPOMNI@aol.com
the system’s greatest critics, comes after working with prominent outside consultants from McKinsey & Company and Atid Consulting to survey 200 federation professionals and volunteers for their views. The plan is a broad overhaul of the system to fix its problems and keep up with changing Jewish communities at a time of intense global needs. “As some of you know, there’s been a continuing debate about what we’re going to be when we grow up, with lots of family members giving us advice,” Hoffman said as he headlined his presentation to the trustees. He then described seemingly irreconcilable views within the UJC that have stunted its growth: Should it serve as a mere trade association or exert a leadership role in the national federation system? Should its support for federations’ fund-raising campaigns be bolstered or shut down? Hoffman seemed to leave those questions aside with a vision he pared down to three general “areas of focus.” UJC should be, he said: a “vehicle for global Jewish responsibility,” an engine of innovation and an organization that must strengthen the federations. “We’re saying we’re going to lead. We’re not going to just follow,” he said. Among the key points Hoffman outlined: • The UJC will “revamp” overseas and domestic allocations with “oversight to ensure that allocations are based on priorities, not history.” The UJC will rely more on “collaboration than compliance” in determining federations’ overseas allocations. It will “rethink and reconfigure the nature of the relationship with overseas partners.” • UJC’s “old models are fraying around the edges,” and don’t necessarily serve “communities of the future,” such as those in the South and West. • The UJC’s research and development department will challenge “basic assumptions about how we raise money,” such as engaging “megadonors” and enhancing the UJC’s inhouse consulting staff. • The UJC will strengthen federa-
tions by working to “achieve economies of scale in a cost-pressured environment.” It will strive to engage local leadership more intensely and provide them with “intensive, highimpact consulting.” • The UJC will recruit and retain a top team of professionals. It will change the organization’s culture toward a “customer-focused and impact-focused organization.” The room of trustees appeared to eagerly support Hoffman’s plan. Richard Wexler of Chicago, a member of the UJC budget committee, added, “Yesterday was an important first step in a process that will lead to a real vision and focused plan for UJC.” Getting further input from a broader base of federation leadership is “going to be the critical next step I think to make any plan viable.” In the meantime, the board of trustees moved to address one of the loudest concerns among federation leaders: the underfunding of overseas needs. The board of trustees passed a resolution recommending that federations disburse all of the money saved from their dues reduction to the federation system’s overseas pot. The UJC was formed, in part, to reverse declining allocations from federations to overseas needs. While the UJC has somewhat stanched the drop in allocations, federations are still falling short of UJC recommendations. The issue has resulted in increasing frustration by the overseas partners, with the JDC circumventing the UJC to solicit individual federations directly. “The savings on the UJC budget represent a meaningful resource for meeting” overseas needs, which “have not been adequately addressed for many years,” James Tisch, UJC’s outgoing chairman of the board, wrote to the board of trustees in a June 9 memo. The memo urged federations to allocate half of their savings to overseas needs, but the board went further, approving an amended resolution increasing the recommendation to 100 percent of federation savings.
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ENGAGEMENTS
Jewish Federation of Lincoln held its Super Sunday on June 8. Lori Merliss, above, and Alan Frank, bottom photo, helped make phone calls requesting donations to the Annual Campaign. Dr. Michael Eppel and Joyce Davidson were co-chairmen.
Beth El’s Adult Bible Study Group to Start with Joshua by DIANE AXLER BAUM Beth El’s new Bible Study Group for adults will get underway in the synagogue’s library on Sunday, June 22, 11 a.m. The course, aimed at providing a new look at the historical books of the Bible, will start with Joshua. Participants will explore Chapters 1-4 in the first session and Chapters 5-8 in the second session the following week. Prof. Leonard J. Greenspoon, holder of the Klutznick Chair in Jewish Civilization at Creighton University, is serving as leader for the first class. After a break for the July Fourth Weekend, the group will resume the study of Joshua, according to the following tentative schedule: Chapters 9-12, on July 13; Chapters 13-21, on July 20; Chapters 2224, on July 27. Steven Riekes, chairman of Beth El’s Adult Education Committee, emphasized that the schedule is tentative. The actual pace of the sessions, he pointed out, will be determined by the needs and wishes of the participants as classes unfold. After exploring Joshua, the class will turn to Judges, Samuel and Kings. Interested adults are invited to attend sessions whenever they are able. For more information, call Kathy Schmitt, at 4928550.
KROMBACH/GONSHER Rabbi Allan and Rini Gonsher announce the engagement of their son, Benjamin Eli to Aviva Tamar Krombach, daughter of David Krombach of Atlanta, GA, and the late Roberta Krombach. The bride-to-be graduated with honors from Stern College in New York with a degree in psychology. She will be pursuing a graduate degree in occupational therapy at Florida International University in Miami, FL. Her fiance studied at Derech Etz Chaim in Israel and earned a B.A. in Talmudic Law. He is currently pursuing an MBA at Florida International University and smicha (rabbinic ordination) at the Talmudic University of Miami Beach, where he is director of the library. An Aug. 18 wedding is planned in Atlanta.
MARRIAGE WARSHAWSKI/GONSHER Eva Camille Warshawski and Joshua Uri Gonsher were married May 27 at the Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley, MD. Rabbis Tzvi Hersch Weinreb, a longtime friend of the bride’s family and now Executive Director of the Orthodox Union, and Rabbi Dovid Rhodes, Rosh Kollel of Torah Mitzion, officiated. The bride is the daughter of Dr. Peter and Rosemary Warshawski of Baltimore, MD. She is a 2003 graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City and will be pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The groom is the son of Rabbi Allan and Rini Gonsher and the grandson of Harvey and Juanita Egherman of Cincinnati, OH, and Dorothy and Sol Furman of Phoenix, AZ. He studied at Yeshivat Reishit in Jerusalem and Torah Mitzion in Merrick, Long Island, where he received smicha. He earned a Bachelor’s and is pursuing a Masters in Education from Queens College in New York and currently teaches ESL at Queens College. Following a cross-country trip across the United States, the couple will make their home in Queens, NY.
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Anna and Michael Besser announce the March 29 birth of their twins, Robert David and Miriam Abigail. Grandparents are Susan and Jakob Besser of Omaha and Bella and Izidor Gologorsky of Livingston, NJ. Great-grandparents are Mauritz Ceder of Sweden and Clara and David Gologorsky of Brooklyn, NY. Andrew and Carla Tretiak of Kansas City, MO, announce the May 2 birth of a son, Kenneth Charles. Grandparents are Susie and Paul Blackman and Charles and Helen Irwin, also of Kansas City, MO. Great-grandparents are Selma and Iz Tretiak and Lois and Bob Endelman, all of Omaha. Bob Endleman was the sandek at the bris in KC. Gail (Handleman) and Peter Lobin of Evanston, IL announce the May 15 birth of a daughter, Luci Rose. Luci is named for her great grandmothers, Lucille Lobin and Rose Plotkin. Luci has a brother, Isadore, 21/2.
Grandparents are Renee and Morris Handleman of Omaha, Marshall Lobin of Evanston and the late Gloria Lobin. Amy and Evan Kleeberg of Lincolnwood, IL, announce the May 20 birth of a son, Maximilian Eric. Grandparents are Barbara and Dean Frankel of Omaha and James and Ilene Kleeberg of Chicago, IL. Great-grandmothers are Ruthie Nogg and Rose Frankel. Jamie and Jennifer Newman of Cambridge, MA, announce the June 7 birth of their daughter, Gracie Ann. She has an older brother, Jesse Puckett, 2 3/4. Grandparents are Brenda Newman, Roger Lamont, both of Los Altos, CA, Deborah O’Hara, Scottsdale, AZ, Kathleen Puckett-Leslie, and Don Leslie, Cambridge, MA and Sharee and Murray Newman. Great-grandparents O.C. and Ann Puckett, Winter Park, FL, and Peggy and David DeLand of Omaha and great-great grandmother, Sarah Meyer, Omaha.
June 20, 2003
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 9
Rabbi John Spitzer
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? by JOAN K. MARCUS Rabbi Sidney H. Brooks, alav ha-sholom, always spoke with pride when he mentioned John Spitzer, an Omaha boy from Temple Israel who had become a rabbi. However, since Rabbi Brooks’ death in 1999, we haven’t heard much about Rabbi Spitzer. An e-mail discovered that he is in Canton, Ohio, where he has served as rabbi at Temple Israel since 1981. Spitzer was born in Omaha on May 19, 1945. Many of us remember his parents, George A. Spitzer and Malvina Spitzer. They had come to Omaha from Duluth, Minnesota, so George could work at Brandeis. He later opened the millinery and handbag departments at Nebraska Clothing. His mother was a homemaker and Jewish communal volunteer. She was an active member of Hadassah and participated in many activities and projects at Temple. John lived here until he graduated from Central High School. He began religious school at the old Temple building located at 602 Park Avenue. He still remembers Rabbi Lou H. Silberman who came to Temple in 1944 and remained until 1951, when he become Hillel Professor of Jewish Thought at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Rabbi Spitzer has a strong recollection of being at the ceremony in 1951, when ground was broken for the new Temple Israel at 7023 Cass St. Under the presidency of Louis Lipp, Temple began a $400,000 building drive campaign. The firm of Braverman and Halperin of Cleveland was hired as architects. Spitzer can recall when Rabbi Brooks came in 1952 and also when the last services were held in the Park Avenue building in 1953. His strongest memories of growing up in Omaha include the closeness of the Jewish community. “Even though I went to schools with large nonJewish enrollments,” he said, “I don’t remember being aware of my presence in the non-Jewish community until high school. “We were very close growing up. I remember attending Camp JCC for several years with my friends, being part of a Cub Scout pack at Harrison School and the Jewish Boy Scout troop that met at Beth El,” he recalled. Other memories include the Hebrew school classes at Temple that prepared him for his Bar Mitzvah-a year filled with studies and a whirlwind of parties for his friends. “Temple was the synagogue that prepared us to enter the high school social scene,” he explained. “We had a particularly close group of friends that shared Temple Youth Group, BBYO and high school activities. The Jewish Community Center across the street from Central was another important part of our lives.” Spitzer has fond memories of the basket room, the steam room, basketball, bowling leagues and Youth Council Clubs like AZA and BBG. “It was a place to ‘hang’ and we surely did!” he laughed. At Central, he was active in drama and speech. He acted in plays and then worked for several years on the stage crew. “I ultimately became the crew chief--a Jewish carpenter!” he joked. Also at Central, he attained the
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highest award for the National Forensic League for debate and speech. He was a founding member of AZA #1000 and was elected Beau of one of the girls’ BBG chapters. “My most significant involvement during high school was with National Federation of Temple Youth,” he insisted. “Temple Youth Group offered me a wonderful place to meet people, become involved in informal Jewish education, learn, develop and use leadership skills. It was a place to experience, test and expand my Jewish identity through living, learning and loving.” He served as a TYG officer, sub-regional Vice-president and newspaper editor, subregional President of Missouri Valley Federation of Temple Youth and was a national board member. He coordinated MoVFTY-tute at Schwayder Camp in Idaho Springs, CO, and was active in as much youth group life as he could experience. From his earliest years, he wanted to be a rabbi. “One of my role models was Maury L. Schwartz, Director of Education, who came to Temple in 1956,” Spitzer added. “He recognized my interest in Temple and brought me on to the board of the religious school library. He later had me administer the office and volunteer in the school.” Cantor Manfred Kuttner came in 1961 to become Temple’s first full-time cantor. “I remember with great affection his gentleness, warmth and gentle humor,” Spitzer recalled. “Rabbi Brooks was undoubtedly the greatest influence on my life!” he added. “He was an intellectual, learned and virtuous man I wanted to emulate--and so he challenged and instructed me. “It was because of these wonderful people, as well as religious school teachers through the years, that I began to experience what it means to be Jewish, to love Temple and to want to change the world. “While not the world’s greatest scholar, I became aware what the rabbinate was about upon entering high school. I made my first trip to Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati when I was only a sophomore in high school!” he noted. Spitzer attended Washington University in St. Louis where he received a BA in Philosophy. While participating in student government and university planning, he also taught religious school at Sha’are Emeth Congregation and United Hebrew Congregation, two of the largest Reform temples in St. Louis, located within walking distance of the Wash U. campus. After graduation, he attended Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati where he received a BA in Hebrew Letters and an MA in Hebrew Letters, along with his rabbinic ordination.
His first pulpit was back in St. Louis at Sha’are Emeth, where he served as an Assistant Rabbi and then later as Associate Rabbi. “When we were first married, Mike and I were members of the Young Couples Club there,” said Jewish Press Editor Carol Katzman. “And Rabbi Spitzer lead our group. Who knew that years later, we’d still have this connection?” He stayed at Sha’are Emeth for eight years and then moved to Canton in 1981. Temple Israel in Canton is identical to the one in Omaha and was built by the same architectural firm! “I have been in this pulpit for nearly 22 years and I hope I will retire from here when the time comes,” Rabbi Spitzer said. While in Canton, he continued his studies at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary where he received a doctorate in 1995. He has been active on a national level with the Association of Reform Zionists of America and has served as its Vice-president. On the Central Conference of American Rabbis, he is on the National Commission of Rabbinic Congregation Relations as chair of a mentoring team for the CCAR Ethics Committee. Rabbi Spitzer has been a NFTY regional youth advisor for MoVTY and has faculty status at Walsh University, where he teaches each semester. Social justice activities remain high on his list as a congregational rabbi. Temple Israel is active in the community on issues of race relations, mental health, fair employment practices and interfaith activities. Rabbi Spitzer is also a trained mediator and is certified in the Technologies of Facilitation. In 1968, he married Cheri Drebin of St. Louis. She is a niece to the Omaha Treller family. They met at a MoVFTY Winter Conclave in St. Louis when she was a freshman in high school, but they didn’t begin dating until she was a senior and he was a freshman at Wash U. They have two sons; Joshua Daniel, 29, a graduate of Cornell University, who is now finishing his first year of an MBA program in social entrepreneurship at Stanford; and Gabriel Ethan, 26, who graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with an MA in journalism. He is also a Cornell graduate. Rabbi Spitzer jokes, “Both boys are eligible!” “All in all, I must say that I have taken deep pleasure in my family life and in my professional life,” Rabbi Spitzer added. “ I feel that God has been good to me and my family by showing us the meaning of family love and of personal and communal purpose.”
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Dining
June 20, 2003
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People ask me all the time if there ever is a dull moment being President of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. I consistently answer quite candidly “no” to their question. However I am usually quick to point out that just because calm does not always prevail in the day to day operation of our Federation this is not necessarily a negative thing. In fact so much of the activity that takes place overseeing our Federation Agencies are positive and productive in nature. I’ve always subscribed to the theory that challenges and problems are a key ingredient to something being successful and our Federation is a true model of how success is bred from the way our volunteers and professionals address these challenges. A few notable items worth mentioning of late which exemplify this are as follows: • In the past month we “formally” closed out our 2003 annual campaign with resounding success. Despite challenging economic times and uncertainties in our world this past year our community has once again demonstrated its commitment and passion for perpetuating our Jewish heritage both locally and for our brethren throughout the world by raising in excess of three million dollars this past year. This comes on the heels of raising almost one million dollars last year for the Israel Emergency Campaign above and beyond our regular campaign. My deep gratitude goes out to our General Campaign co-chairmen Joanie Kaiman and Jerry Kohll as well as the hundreds of dedicated volunteers and Federation professionals who worked tirelessly to make this year’s campaign successful. Most of all though, I applaud Omaha’s Jewish community who time and time again step up to the plate and demonstrate their generosity and commitment. • The large community turnout on April 30 for the Yom HaShoah commemoration event at Beth El Synagogue demonstrated the compassionate side of our community and the commitment to remember haunting events of the past to hopefully inspire us to prevent them from ever reoccurring in the future. • Our Federation Budget & Allocation Committee worked at full throttle and completed the process just recently. Literally hundreds of hours go into our B&A evaluations and deliberations as this year’s process probably has been one of the most intensive in the history of our Federation. Headed up by Dr. Norman Sheldon, we are attempting to realistically assess and address not
READ IT AND EAT Reviewed by LOIS FRIEDMAN Born in the former Soviet Union, these authors share their enjoyment of cooking their native dishes. The book, part of the easy menu ethnic cookbook series, begins with an introduction to Russia and the enormous proportions and diversity there and a brief description of the land and a summary of 1000 years of history. “Many traditional dishes in Russian cuisine are based on the simple but hearty cooking of the peasants of prerevolutionary Russia”...bread and borsch. The “upper-class dinner featured course after course of rich, d e l i c i o u s food”...like c a v i a r. During the Soviet era food diversification came from the other republics of the USSR...chickpeas, pinenuts, domas, baklava and various fruits. The holidays, festivals, the Russian table and menu precede the twenty recipes which are divided into Breakfast, Dinner, Supper and Holiday & Festival Food. The recipes for typical Russian dish-
only our financial needs for the future but also evaluate the programs and services that our Federation provides our community. Every program offered as well as every dollar spent by our Federation was closely scrutinized in an effort to continue to build upon our accomplishments of the past to secure the future for generations to come. • For those of you that visited and hopefully patronized Shop Shalom this past month you probably noticed the wonderful turnout by our community. Hats off to the volunteers who organized this important event, which not only helped our brothers and sisters in Israel but also served to raise the awareness of our community of the terrible plight that these people face. During the 1990s, Omaha embarked upon numerous exciting missions to Israel only to succumb to the total cessation of these missions in recent years due to conditions brought by the intifada. We are hopeful for stability in the Middle East to continue making its way back to the forefront, which hopefully will result in major steps towards peace for Israel. With that, we are excited to announce that the Jewish Federation of Omaha, in conjunction with United Jewish Communities, will be sponsoring a worldwide mission to Israel from Nov. 9-20. Whether you’ve been to Israel numerous times or you are yearning to visit for the first time we encourage you to sign up for this upcoming mission. In addition to a unique and spectacular itinerary this mission will culminate with the convening of the UJC General Assembly in Jerusalem. Please feel free to contact our Executive Director, Jan Goldstein, for specific details and forms to sign up. The initial interest from our community to date has been impressive and we encourage singles, families, young and not so young to join us. And last, but not least, I want to thank everyone who attended our 100th Annual Meeting on June 9. Even though this annual meeting is not intended to compete with the Academy Awards, its highlight is honoring individuals for their outstanding dedication to our community. These people are truly deserving of recognition and I thank them once again for their contributions to Jewish life in Omaha.
Cooking the Russian Way by Gregory & Rita Plotkin (Lerner, $25.26)
es are one to a page with numerical instructions, preparation and cooking times and notes. “...every visitor is offered bread and salt, two items that even the most modest household is rarely without. In fact, the Russian word for hospitality, khlebosol’stvo, comes from the words for bread (khleb) and salt (sol).” Here is a recipe to welcome friends and family. SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD OVOSHNOY SALAT VESNA Vegetable salad goes well with a variety of dressings. This recipe is made with sour cream, but it is also delicious when made with mayonnaise or with vinegar and oil. 2 bunches radishes 1 bunch scallions 3 cucumbers, peeled 8 oz. feta cheese 1 tbsp. olive oil 11/2 c. sour cream 1/2 tsp. Salt Wash vegetables well in cold water. Cut roots and leaves off of radishes. Cut roots and any dried-out tips off of scallions. Slice cucumbers and radishes into thin rounds. Cut cheese into 1/4-inch cubes. Chop scallions finely. In a large bowl, combine oil, sour cream, and salt. Add vegetables and cheese and toss well. Serve at room temperature, or chill if desired. Preparation time: 15 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.
June 20, 2003
ORGANIZATIONS OMAHA CENTER FOR TORAH LEARNING Rabbi Aryeh Blum will give his weekly parasha shiur tomorrow afternoon, June 21, 7:15 p.m. Time for Talmud is Monday, June 23, 7:30 p.m. The Beit Midrash meets on Tuesday, June 24, 7:30 p.m. The Wednesday Women’s Class is June 25, 7:30 p.m., all at the OCTL House, 1313 No. 58 St. Join OCTL for the weekly discussion of Torah Topics at Lunch ’n Learn, Wednesday, June 25 noon, at the Kripke Library; the Wednesday Teen Class continues to meet throughout the summer at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Brooke Shrago, 805 So. 120 Ave. For information about OCTL, call Rabbi Aryeh Blum at 320-8055. B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Join us Wednesday, June 25, noon, at Park Inn Regency, for Henry Monsky Lodge’s Annual Awards lunch. We will recognize our members and friends in the community for the work that contributed to our success this past year. Cost is $9 for lunch and $2 for beverage service only. Breadbreakers is open to the community. 39 FOREVER Meet new people, join your friends and participate in interesting and fun outings by joining 39 Forever. Our next event is a pot luck picnic on July 13, followed by a trip to an art studio in the Old Market in August and dinner at the Upstream Brewing Company. Future plans include a concert in Brownsville and a Hanukkah party in December. Dues are only $5. For more information, call Larry Blass, 291-3390, or Judy Katskee, 493-8875. Y.E.S. Members will meet Monday at the JCC. Come play bingo at 10 a.m. with Eileen Remer or exercise with Stacey Paskert at 10:30 a.m. Bring articles to share for “YES Talk” at 11 a.m. Following lunch at noon, meet Guy Matalon, Director of Jewish Educational and Library Services. For transportation call Dee Dee at 330-4272. WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going Thursday on the day trip to Bluffs Run, please meet at the JCC by 8:45 a.m. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH The Yiddish Conversation Group will meet on Thursday, 1-3 p.m. at the JCC. Call Anne Skolkin for information at 343-1638. VISIONS Reminder: For those members going on the day trip to Brownsville on Sunday, June 22, please meet at the JCC by 11:45 a.m. Join us for Visions’ Annual Baseball and Barbeque on Thursday, June 26, 6 p.m. for dinner in the Stadium View Club; the game begins at 7:05 p.m. Plan ahead! Visions presents a day trip to Kansas City to see The Producers on May 2, 2004. The cost will be approximately $102 per person which includes coach transportation, a box lunch and the performance. Dinner in Kansas City is on your own. If interested call Jim Wax at 393-4442. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN NCJW-Omaha Section will hold a Calendar Meeting, Tuesday, June 24, 7 p.m. Call Kim Noddle for more information at 391-7022.
LETTER FROM Y.E.S. by ILENE PACHMAN This is a new project for me. I used to like sending letters, so I guess I’ll write as though we’re all family! Earlier this month, Y.E.S. hosted Sue Booton and her students from her dance studio. They had just returned from a competition in Las Vegas. Some of her group stayed on for a few more days. Lucky people! The following week, the Heartland Hoedowners from Elkhorn entertained us with 20-25 young girls--and one young man. And, oh, how they danced. Their spokeswoman said that a half-hour of clogging was equivalent to a hike of seven miles-this should be our next project! (anyone interested, contact Maggie Conti--not me!) Goodbye for now.
IN THE NEWS The Dr. Daniel M. Miller Surgical Oncology Lectureship was held last month at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and featured Richard J. Anrassy, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.A.P, F.A.C.N., who holds the Denton A. Colloey, M.D. Chair in Surgery at the University of Texas Houston Health Science. Established in 1999 in memory of Dr. Dan Miller by his sons --Neil, Craig and Alex Miller-the Lectureship Fund supports an annual visiting scholar with expertise in surgical oncology. Dr. Miller was the first and only surgical oncologist in Nebraska when he established his practice in 1949. In addition to the lecture, a dinner was held at the Champion’s Club with Harriet Miller and Louise Abrahamson, wife and sister of the late Dr. Miller, in attendance. Nikki Paley recently graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a Masters in Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. Lauren Paley has been accepted to the Master of Education program at Harvard University’s School of Education in the Department of Cognition and Learning. Her field of study is multiple intelligences and she will be working with the creator of the theory of multiple intelligences, Dr. Howard Gardiner. Nikki and Lauren are the daughters of Dennis and Susan Paley. Beth Rips has earned a PhD in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her dissertation is entitled “Contemporary Family Drama Since World War II: Diverse Visions, Forms and Attitudes.” She also holds a master’s degree from Creighton University and currently teaches at Northwest Missouri State University. She is the daughter of Norman and Joan Rips. Joel Passer has earned the rank of Eagle Scout, Scouting’s highest award. For his Eagle project, he donated American flags for each resident room at the Thomas Fitzgerald Veteran’s Home. Brackets were mounted both in the rooms and in the hallways for display on special holidays. Joel, son of Jeff and Sandy Passer, is a member of Boy Scout Troop 552, Temple Israel and OTYG. He will be a junior at Brownell-Talbot in the fall. Joe Eisenberg of Lincoln won first place in the first annual “Read the Lincoln Journal Star and Say Something Snappy About Lincoln Contest.” His entry was: “Lincoln--We’re your Capital.” The son of George Eisenberg of Omaha and the late Florence Eisenberg, Joe commutes from Lincoln to his job in Omaha as a field engineer for Dataserv, fixing computers and printers. Marc Andrew Ricks, son of Marty and Iris Ricks and Marc and Sandi Scholnick, Long Beach, CA, recently graduated from Harvard Business School with a Masters in Business Administration, With High Distinction. After a summer internship with the Mayor’s Office in New York City, Marc will return to his previous position at McKinsey & Company’s New York office.
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Dining
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Ben Sherman, son of Deb Sherman and Marc Sherman, graduated from Westside High School and will attend the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. His photo was inadvertently omitted from TeenAge on June 6. The Jewish Press regrets the error. Daniel Ocanto, son of Dr. Lourdes Secola of Omaha, and Dr. Romer Ocanto of Boca Raton, FL, was elected Mayor of Boys Town. He is the first Jewish teen to hold this position. Daniel will be a senior at Girls and Boys Town High School. Omaha attorney Jerry Slusky was elected to the American college of Real Estate Lawyers. A shareholder and director of Gross & Welch, P.C., and chairman of the real estate group of the firm, Slusky is the first Nebraskan to be honored since 1985.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
June 20, 2003
Bush Moves to Reassure (Continued from page 1) Amid a new Israeli airstrike in Gaza, which killed civilians in addition to two Hamas members, Fleischer said the real issue was not Israel or the Palestinian Authority, but the continued violence of Hamas. “The issue are these relatively small but deadly groups of terrorists who are trying to stop Israel and the Palestinian Authority from coming together at a time when they are, indeed, coming together,” Fleischer said. “That’s why they strike now. They strike now because they see peace on the horizon, and Hamas is an enemy to peace.” On June 11, White House guests were taken by bus to the formal unveiling of the Holocaust Museum’s new exhibit on the writings of Anne Frank, which was officially opened by First Lady Laura Bush. They then were transported back to the White House for a reception and dinner. It was the first time a completely kosher dinner was served at the White House, guests said. “There was such a sense that everyone should feel comfortable,” one guest said. In his pre-dinner remarks, Bush spoke of antiSemitism around the world and of his commitment to Holocaust education, participants said. “People who hate life and God, target the people of God,” Bush reportedly said. At the museum, Laura Bush recalled the couple’s recent visit to Auschwitz. “I thought I knew my history,” the first lady said. “But I when I visited Auschwitz a few weeks ago, I realized there’s some things textbooks can’t teach.” She spoke of being moved by the sight of thousands of eyeglasses of Holocaust victims, their lenses still stained from tears and dirt. The exhibit, Anne Frank the Writer: An Unfinished Story, includes Frank’s photo album, the last of her three diary notebooks and some of her other writings. Most of the artifacts are on loan from the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation and have never been displayed in the U.S. The museum also has an online exhibition on its Web site at www.ushmm.org, including readings from Frank’s writings and historical photos and films. Also on hand for the museum event was Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who swore in new members of the Holocaust council.
Summer Trips to Israel (Continued from page 1) “They’re going to experience Israel as Jewish teens, without their parents--and with 350 of their peers from around the country. “Do I worry?” she asked, “He’ll be in Israel. If you’ve been, you know there’s a sense of peace while you’re there. So, no, I don’t worry--it’s going to be a positive, life-changing experience!”
Left’s Ideology May Have Won the Day, but Its Parties Are in Ruins by MATTHEW GUTMAN TEL AVIV (JTA)--Yair block, Ezrahi notes. Sultan leaned back in a Not that the left had rat-eaten chair at the illemuch choice in the matter. gal settlement outpost of The left-wing Meretz Beit El East. party and the center-left Gently stroking the setLabor suffered humiliattlement’s puppy, he phiing defeats in last losophized on the imporJanuary’s elections, wintance of the soon-to-bening only about 20 percent dismantled West Bank of the Knesset’s seats. encampment. With his overwhelming “It’s the left,” Sultan success at the polls, Sharon said with disdain after knew he had the right wing concluding a monologue in his pocket. Now, by veerabout how “the left is ing leftward, he has manbehind” the outpost evacuaged to reach what few ations. Israeli leaders since David With a decidedly rightBen-Gurion have achieved: wing government in place, a consensus of the centrist the conspiracy theories of Israeli public. the settlers, who blame a According to a poll connebulous “left” for many of ducted for the daily Yediot their woes, may have Achronot by the Dahaf proven true in a round- Peace Now demonstrators hold up a map Center, two-thirds of about way: Many say the denoting an independent Palestinian West Israelis believe Israel is policies of the left have Bank and Gaza Strip, in front of propped up harmed by the “occupawon the day when even Palestinian and Israeli flags, outside Israeli tion,” a term Sharon Prime Minister Ariel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s official resi- whipped out of his rhetorSharon backs the estab- dence in Jerusalem. Photo by Brian Hendler/JTA ical deck only two weeks lishment of a Palestinian ago. At the same time, a state, blasts the “occupation” and orders the evacu- majority of respondents said they believe Sharon ation of settlements. will honor the “road map” peace plan, if only But where is the left? That’s the question many because of overwhelming American pressure. Israelis are asking. Yet Sharon’s about-face has come at a price to his “In suspended animation,” answers Yaron Ezrahi, credibility: Only 54% of Israelis believe Sharon is a senior researcher at the Israel Democracy trustworthy or relatively so, down from 74 percent Institute. Ezrahi says the left has ceased squab- a year ago, the poll found. bling over whether former Prime Minster Ehud About 40% of respondents said they believe Barak gave Palestinian Authority President Yasser Sharon ordered last week’s botched hit on Hamas Arafat the “ultimate offer” in peace talks in 2000. leader Abdel Aziz Rantissi in order to torpedo the road Instead, it’s focusing on how quietly to push Israel map--this, despite Israel’s claim that intelligence into embracing a two-state solution to the Israeli- assessments recommended the attack and the army’s Palestinian conflict. work dismantling illegal settlement outposts in the To do that, Ezrahi says, leftists concluded they West Bank in accordance with the road map. would have to “give the right-wing coalition the Regardless of his reasoning, Sharon may have opportunity to test its policies and spectacularly fail. saved Peace Now. When the former patron of the And I think the left believes that is what happened.” settlement movement called Israel’s rule over the Despite Sharon’s tough rhetoric, Israel’s military Palestinians “occupation,” it removed the stigma crackdowns have not ended terrorism, the country that had engulfed Peace Now since the intifada is resuming negotiations with the Palestinians and began, said the group’s acting director, Yariv many settlements have been put on the chopping Oppenheimer.
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