June 27, 2003

Vol. LXXXII

No. 43

Omaha, NE

27 Sivan, 5763

June 27, 2003

SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 82 YEARS

Pavelka Goes to Israel by JOAN K. MARCUS Kent Pavelka, a member of the Nebraska Radio Personalities Hall of Fame, longtime voice of the Cornhuskers and talk show host at radio station KKAR, spoke of his recent trip to Israel at a meeting of the B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers. The Jewish Federation of Omaha and an anonymous donor sent Pavelka to Israel. Bob Wolfson, Executive Director of the Anti-Defamation League of Omaha, accompanied him on the trip. The concept of the trip was to try to build an understanding of the problems between Israelis and Palestinians. The program, called “America’s Voices in Israel,” invites local radio news broadcasters to come to Israel and broadcast their shows from there for a week at a time. “I didn’t go there just to broadcast. The idea was to educate me,” Pavelka said. “They took me around so I would know about what I was speaking. The philosophy is that the value doesn’t stop at the end of the five days. I have a prospective to draw on whenever news comes from the Middle East.” Wolfson added, “Israel is a very disturbing place to be. What’s disturbing is that people aren’t coming. We went to restaurants, all of the regular sights and we were everywhere. And, I must tell you that, in spite of the fact that there’s still occasional violence, I felt just as safe as I ever have!” He went on to say that when they got off of the plane in Jerusalem, he took Pavelka for his very first experience in Jewish life to the Kabbalat Shabbat service at the Western Wall. “The yeshiva bochers (students) were coming down the steps, 60 at a time, singing and that ‘sea of faces’ was really quite extraordinary.” “I asked Bob before we started the trip to explain the issues between the Palestinians and the Israelis,” Pavelka explained. “I wanted to ‘cut to the quick’ and have him explain about the problems.

Now, I know that this is incredibly c o m p l e x , multi-faced and terribly misunderstood. My perspective on things has cert a i n l y changed!” Pavelka said that being in Jerusalem was a spiritual experience for him. “To be in Jerusalem, Kent Pavelka where three great religions had their roots, grabbed hold of me right away. I felt kind of like a novice but I stepped right up to the Wall and said a prayer. I felt the same thing as everybody there who was bringing in the Sabbath. Because of that, I have an appreciation for Judaism I didn’t have before,” he admitted. He commented that he was taken by the values that he sensed being Jewish is all about. These values have to do with celebrating Shabbat and the sense of purpose in life. “I’m talking about the things that Jewish people do on an everyday basis,” he continued. “I was also taken by the fact that, interfaced against that spiritual feeling, there’s a contrast with all of the political tension!” (Continued on page 10)

A ‘Tree of Life’ is Planted in Omaha by ARIELLA HOFFMAN If you have always assumed you had to live in a major metropolitan city to provide your preschooler with a top notch traditional Jewish education, think again. Beginning Sept. 2, Torah Umesorah, the leader in creating Jewish day schools in America, will be represented in Omaha with the Etz Chayim Preschool. The name Etz Chayim is Hebrew for “Tree of Life” which alludes to the tree planted in the Garden of Eden that if eaten would give everlasting life. Similarly, the purpose of Etz Chayim Preschool will Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman, Administrative Director, and Shari Blum pause be to give each child the while working on the set up of the new Etz Chayim Preschool. opportunity to connect to their Jewish heritage, an everlasting heritage more ery rhymes. Etz Chayim’s classes will run from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on than 3,000-years-old. Tuesdays and Thursdays, so that children enrolled in Etz Chayim will open its doors this fall to Jewish the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center at the children ages of three to five. The school’s focus will Jewish Community Center will also be able to benefit be on integrated Jewish education. It will provide a from Etz Chayim. (Torah Tots, a program for twobalanced secular education including learning the year-olds, will continue on Mondays.) alphabet, exercises in age appropriate developmenAn Open House will be announced soon for those tal learning, and social and emotional growth and parents who would like to preview the facility, development. located at 2646 No. 90 St. (corner of Maple and The children will also be introduced to traditional 90th), and meet the staff. The entire staff at Etz Jewish learning. The Jewish curriculum will Chayim is dedicated to Jewish ideals and instilling include: the Jewish year, Shabbat, holidays, a love for Judaism and the Jewish people. Hebrew alphabet, learning about kosher food, (Continued on page 2) Jewish arts and crafts, and Hebrew songs and nurs-

Despite Terror and Economic Trouble, More North Americans Making Aliyah by RACHEL POMERANCE NEW YORK (JTA)--It’s the time of year when hemlines recede, sports head outdoors and North American Jews move to Israel. Each year, most North Americans who make aliyah do so in the summer. Paradoxically, that number has been growing since the Palestinian intifada began in September 2000. “Israel’s going through a very difficult time right now,” said Marcos Monheit of North Miami Beach, voicing a key reason many new immigrants give for their move. “We can’t take it for granted, and the best way to help is to be there.” About 1,000 North Americans are expected to take the plunge this summer, joining 500 who departed for the Jewish state earlier this year. Another 300400 North Americans visiting Israel are expected to adopt Israeli citizenship by summer’s end.

Some of the Americans who will be making aliyah this summer attend a Jewish Agency farewell party Tuesday, June 17, in New York. Photo by David Karp

North American aliyah has averaged between 1,300 and 1,500 for the past decade, according to Michael Landsberg, Executive Director of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s North American aliyah department. Last year, however, 2,020 North American Jews made aliyah, up from 1,560 in 2001, he said. The last major wave of aliyah was in the 1970s, when the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War and 1973 Yom Kippur War--when Israel seemed particularly embattled--helped raise North American aliyah to levels of 6,000 to 7,000 Jews annually, he said. Now, while general immigration to Israel is down--due to Israel’s shaky security and troubled economy--aliyah from the West is up, according to the Jewish Agency. Several immigrants say the intifada has rekindled their Zionism, many received economic help to make the move and some say it’s just serendipity. Like Monheit, most of the North American immigrants are Orthodox Jews--some 56 percent this year, down from 69 percent the previous year, according to the Jewish Agency. “We’ve been away from the land for 2,000 years,” said Monheit, chief financial officer for a chain of nursing homes. “It doesn’t makes sense to pray for it and not to be there,” said Monheit, who will move with his wife and four pre-teen children next month. “Today it’s a matter of getting on a plane and going.” (Continued on page 12)

INSIDE: Monthly Calendar ............................. pages 6-7 Rabbis Regale Hadassah Members ..... page 9 Schlicha Arrives to Instill Love for Israel in JCC Campers ......................................... page 10

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 27, 2003

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SPARKS FROM THE WORD I Give You Fort Knox! by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashat Shelah L’kha There is a lot of sarcasm in the voice of the Israelites who complained to Moses and Aaron: “Wasn’t there enough room in Egypt? Were there not enough graves in Egypt for us? Why did you drag us out into this land for us and our children to die?” And it is ironical for us to know that we can’t have public prayer unless we have a minyan (10 adults). And this comes from the 10 of the 12 scouts who scouted the Land at the request of Moses. They are called “this wicked band.” And the wicked band turns out to be 10. But what gets me in this Sidra is the absence of the voice of the protester: “You gave us (gave us) this Land. Now you tell us that at Hebron there are giants. And in the Negev there are Amalakites. In the hill country, the very spine of the Land, there are Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites; and that isn’t enough: there is the seacoast of the Mediterranean, but there, there are Canaanites. Further, there is the Jordan rift, and there are Canaanites there, too. Now this is the Land which You gave us. You may just as well have given us London and Paris and Berlin.” Doesn’t it seem odd that no audacious Israelite opened his mouth and complained? “You, Lord, gave this Land to Abraham, no? Then, You gave this Land to Isaac, no? And, then You gave this Land to Jacob, no? And generation after generation after generation until our time.” Can you imagine talking to the Palestinians today and saying, seriously, that they should get out of our way since the Lord gave this Land to us. Some, indeed, have said it. But the Palestinians merely snicker and send more bombers into Israel. So, shall we send scouts into “Palestine” as the Lord suggested to Moses that that was to be done by the Israelites as a proper precaution, as they prepared to enter the “Land that I have given you.”

New Recruits Try First Run at Sea by JEWISH PRESS News Service

The following establishments are under the Supervision of the Va’ad Hakashrut of Omaha Albertsons Bakery (120th & W. Center Road) Bagel Bin (1215 S. 119 Street) Herman Nuts and Pears Coffee (6171 Grover Street) Krispy Kreme Donuts (120th & W. Center Road) Roberts Dairy (selected products only) Rose Blumkin Jewish Home

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Only a few of the top applicants from the army are given the opportunity to train as sailors in the Israeli Navy. The course is intensive and strenuous with a high drop out rate. Nevertheless the demand for courses in the navy is far in excess of the places availPhoto by ISRANET. able.

New Preschool (Continued from page 1) Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman, Administrative Director of Etz Chayim, said, “This school is about being excited about Judaism, bringing our rich heritage to the level of reality and loving every minute of it! We want every child to say, ‘I like to go to school!’, and we want every parent to know that each child is receiving the highest quality Jewish education.” The Etz Chayim Preschool also offers a unique Family Learning Incentive. Rabbi Hoffman explained that Jewish tradition emphasizes the importance of parents being involved with their children’s education. Etz Chayim will offer a significant tuition reduction to any parent who regularly participates in adult classes with the rabbinic staff. In addition to covering subjects related to the preschool program, classes will also include topics such as philosophy of Jewish parenting, Hebrew, and the Jewish calendar. To make sure that all parents have the opportunity to attend classes, the rabbis will be available for both day and evening sessions. To learn more about Etz Chayim Preschool, call Rabbi Hoffman at 1-402-384-2032.

DEATHS BESS WEINSTEIN Bess Weinstein, age 96, died June 19 at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Services were held June 22 at Mt. Sinai Cemetery. Weinstein, whose father was trained as a Talmudic scholar in Europe, was the oldest student in the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School program last year. Weinstein worked as a stenographer, was promoted repeatedly and then became an auditor. She once said that she was the “highest paid civil service stenographer at the end of the war.” She was always interested in furthering her education and, with the help of the federally funded Bootstrapper program, finally earned a bachelor’s degree in general education from Omaha University (which later became part of the University of Nebraska system). Prior to her administrative jobs, Weinstein tried to become an actor on Broadway. With a scholarship from the National Council of Jewish WomenOmaha Section, Weinstein studied in New York City for a year. In addition to her love her learning, Weinstein was active in the Keep Omaha Beautiful Campaign. During Omaha’s centennial in 1954, she went doorto-door on her block and through the entire neighborhood north of Carter Lake for the organization. She is survived by nieces, Bert Lewis, Vicki Mueller of Germany, Kara Schmidt of California, nephews: Harvey Wine of Arizona, Mark Weinberg of Ohio. Also surviving are cousins Alex Weinstein of Hawaii and Dr. Sam Weinstein of Arizona. Memorials to Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Susan Paley and Chris Olson contributed to this article.

HELEN BRODKEY Helen Brodkey died June 22 at the age of 92. Services were held June 23 at Golden Hill Cemetery. Brodkey, who was probably best known as a sister of the ‘Dear Ann’ and ‘Dear Abby’ sisters, the late Eppie Friedman Lederer and Pauline Friedman Philips of Minneapolis, MN, was part of the Brodkey brothers jewelry business with her late husband, Dave. But her real love was for Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. She served as President and was known as “the Bargain Box Lady.” A family story notes that Rose Blumkin decided to purchase the contents of Hadassah’s Bargain Box for victims of the Sioux City flood. ‘Mrs. B’ met Brodkey at the store and offered to buy everything in the store for $6000. Helen countered, “Eight thousand would be better.” The two women shook hands and ‘Mrs. B’ wrote the check. Brodkey is survived by her sons and daughtersin-law, Ron and Beth Brodkey and Robert and Florence Brodkey; grandchildren, Sharon Brodkey, Alfred Brodkey, David Brodkey, and Naomi Brodkey; and a great-grandson. Memorials to Beth El Synagogue, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, or Hadassah’s national office, 50 W. 58 St., New York City, NY, 10019-2500. Joan Marcus contributed to this article.

ELVIN BRESLOW Elvin (Abbie) Breslow died in Lincoln at the age of 74. Services were held June 24. Breslow was one of Nebraska’s few dairy farmers. He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Bruce and Jan Breslow, also of Lincoln; sister, Lois Breslow of Morton Grove, IL, two nieces and three great-nephews. Memorials to charity of choice.

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.

June 27, 2003

SYNAGOGUES

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 3

Candlelighting Friday, June 27 .............................................. 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; Shabbat Evening Service, 7:30 p.m. Rabbi Craig Marantz will officiate and give the sermon. Dr. Tamara Field is the guest soloist. The Oneg is sponsored by WRJ. SATURDAY: Bagels and Sacred Books, 9:30 a.m., in the Milder Center; Morning service, 10:30 a.m. SITTER SERVICE During the months of July and August, available for the 5:30 p.m. Shabbat Services. There will be no sitter service Saturday mornings. Please make a reservation through the Temple office. Cost is $2 per family. Sorry, there are no facilities for infants.

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 Dennis and Susan Paley. SATURDAY: Morning Services, 8:45 a.m. Free babysitting begins at 10 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10:30 a.m. A Kiddush luncheon is sponsored by Al and Willie Ross and Jean Epstein in honor of their children and grandchildren. 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

Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. FRIDAY: A musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning Services at 9:30 a.m. Steven Meyer, son of Marcia and Michael Meyer, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah. Following services grandparents Arnold and Joe Kratchman, Louis and Betty Meyer will host the Kiddush. 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. 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 29: Sunday Morning Adult Learners, 11 a.m. in the Library, led by Prof. Leonard Greenspoon.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE CHABAD HOUSE An Affiliate of the Worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch Movement

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.

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.

SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway, Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294-6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.

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.

Bibi Promotes Bonds by JEWISH PRESS News Service Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, with Israel Bonds President Joshua Matza, right, and Chairman of the Board Burt Resnick, left, talks to members of Israel Bonds at their offices, discussing economic changes in Israel and encouraging them to invest despite the situation in the Middle East. Photo by David Karp/JTA.

EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE The Jewish Press office will be closed Friday, July 4, for Independence Day. The deadline for ads, photos and articles is noon on Monday, June 30 for the July 11 issue. Questions? Call 334-6448.

PERSONALS Thank you to all our family, friends, and the staff at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home for all their help, support, food, flowers, and love after the death of our dear husband, father, grandfather, and greatgrandfather. A special thank you to Dr. Gordon Moshman, Rabbis Gonsher, Levin, Kutner, Katzman, Blum, Hoffman, and Rosenbaum, and Cantors Berkovits and Bogomolni for their assistance at this difficult time. The family of Bernard L. Weiss

Happy 80th Birthday to our Dad, Milt Cackin. Love, Betty and Larry, Sheri and Larry, Deb and Lou Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN SOUTH STREET TEMPLE

Member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations

2061 S. 20th St., Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435-8004 jewishnebraska.org FRIDAY: Early Shabbat Service, 6 p.m., there will be NO Potluck. SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Deb Swearingen; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. with Judy McKeighan. WEDNESDAY: AA Meeting, 7 p.m. in the Library or Social Hall. JULY 4 Before you head out to see the fireworks, come to temple and celebrate our first Shabbat with Rabbi Debbie Stiel! American Jewish Trivia Contest AND new music brought to us by Elaine Monnier (straight from the UAHC Music Educators Conference). We are planning a 6 p.m. potluck dinner followed by a short and very family oriented service at 6:45 p.m. Casual attire! Bring a salad, side or dessert to share...and we will bring in fried chicken. Call Stephanie in the office to RSVP.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. All services are held in the Herbet Goldsten Chapel and are open to the community.

BAT MITZVAH Liatte Dotan, daughter of Beth and Amnon Dotan, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah Saturday, July 5, at Beth El Synagogue. Liatte, a distinguished honors student, will be in eighth grade at Westside Middle School this fall. She has been accepted to play flute in the Omaha Youth Conservatory Orchestra, and also plays the piano. She loves art and music. For her mitzvah project she is donating to a project called “Sefer L’Refuah” or “Books for Healing” for children at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. Liatte has a brother, Yonatan. Grandparents are Sarah and Ted Seldin of Omaha and Ruth and Aryeh Dotan of Kibbutz Ayelet in Hashahar, Israel.

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.

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

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 27, 2003

EDITORIAL Who We Are A few weeks ago, this newspaper ran an editorial decrying the lack of demographic information available to the Federation and the Centers of Excellence. We’re happy to report that a move is underway to update this community’s main database! Donors to the Federation Annual Campaign will shortly receive a request to verify their current statistics: name, address, zip code, phone number, how many people are living at your address and their ages, as well as other important “customer service” info. Donors will soon be able to visit the Federation’s website as well: www.jewishomaha.org, and click on donor update to change their information online. All information, regardless of whether it’s changed by mail or e-mail, will be held in the strictest of confidence. Only a few staff members on this campus have access to that information. Really! We know that over the years some donors have made the accusation that donor information is too public, but in reality, the names and dollar amounts are closely guarded. And we’d like to keep it that way--which is why the Federation is asking every donor to update his or her own profile. This is a very good start. Having a “clean” list with accurate information will, in the long run, actually save this

community money. For every returned mailing, the Federation, a Center of Excellence or the Jewish Press pays 70¢ to the U.S. Post Office. A few dollars here and there and pretty soon, you’re talking real money! The Press used to put $250 a year into its forwarding account at the USPO. We now spend close to $400 a year. That may not sound like much, but multiply it by the mailings from the Federation and the JCC alone and all of a sudden it’s over a thousand dollars! Imagine what programs we could fund if we could keep our mailing lists current--more scholarships for kids going to a JCC camp, a program for teens and their parents, or an evening out for caregivers of spouses with Alzheimer’s to name a few. So, if it’s not too much trouble, please, please, take a moment when the request comes from the Federation this week (and send it back regardless of whether or not you have corrections!) This is the first step in a process to really get a handle on who we are, how old we are, where we live and how many of us are part of this Jewish community. It will help us keep costs down now, plan for the future and allow our Jewish institutions to serve individuals and families better. Thanks, in advance, for your cooperation!

Throwing Out the Rulebook

BEHIND THE HEADLINES by DANIEL PIPES “Our goal is two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side, in peace and security.” So spoke President George W. Bush at a Middle East summit on June 4. Then, despite the jump in violence over the next 10 days, leaving 63 dead, he reiterated 12 days ago his belief in “a peaceful Palestinian state, living side-by-side with the Israelis,” though now adding “we’ve got a lot of work to do.” Bush’s goal may appear to be just another diplomatic twist in the halfcentury search for an Arab-Israeli resolution. But it is much more. Indeed, it could well be the most surprising and daring step of his presidency. Here’s why: It is surprising, first, because he largely stayed away from this issue during his first two years as president. To be sure, he met with Middle East leaders, made speeches, and rapped some knuckles, but his general approach was to stand aloof and let Palestinians and Israelis sort out their mess on their own. Then, in recent weeks, Arab-Israeli diplomacy moved very quickly from the periphery to the center, becoming as high a priority as it had ever been under prior administrations, perhaps even higher. Second, the president in late 2001

surprised observers by adopting the idea that the creation of a Palestinian state would solve the Arab-Israeli conflict, a policy no U.S. government has proposed since 1947, before the State of Israel had come into existence. Third, this policy did not emerge from the usual process on consensusbuilding of White House aides brainstorming, State Department proposals, think tank studies, and congressional initiatives. Rather, it reflects the president’s personal vision. Fourth, aiming to create a Palestinian state is surprising because it turns the domestic calculus upside-down. The “right and the left have both switched their opinion of Bush,” observes Jonathan Tobin in the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent. Exactly so: conservatives who were applauding the president’s demand for Palestinian democracy now fret about the impact of a Palestinian state on Israel’s security. Conversely, liberals not usually counted among his supporters now enthusiastically endorse the goal of a Palestinian state. Finally, Bush threw out the rulebook for American mediators in ArabIsraeli diplomacy. Rules of thumb he is ignoring include: • Don’t pre-judge the final status.

Presidents usually content themselves with vague intentions, leaving it to the combatants to decide on the specifics; “the time has come to put an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict,” for example, was how vaguely George H. W. Bush expressed his plans in 1991. • Don’t try to impose a settlement. Not since the failed Vance-Gromyko discussions in 1977 has the U.S. government proposed an internationalized format for resolving the ArabIsraeli dispute. More typical was James A. Baker III’s famously irritated statement in 1990; he gave out the White House telephone number and told the Israelis, “When you’re serious about peace, call us.” • Don’t tie yourself to a timetable. Negotiators have shied away from calendar-specific goals, noting how often dates slip by with goals unfulfilled. • Don’t choose leaders. Until now, American presidents have accepted Arab dictators as a given; the Bush administration (having already deposed the tyrants in Afghanistan and Iraq) undertook to side-line Yasir Arafat and replace him with his deputy Mahmoud Abbas. • Don’t involve the president until the endgame. Lower-ranking officials typically test the waters and clear the path before the president himself joins the fray. For the president per-

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sonally to involve himself from the get-go, as is now the case, amounts to high-wire diplomacy without a net. In all, President Bush has made “a radical break” from past U.S. policies, says the Washington Institute’s Robert Satloff, an authority on American diplomacy. Just as the Arab-Israeli theater has provided some of the peak and trough moments of recent presidencies, it could well leave its marks on this one. Jimmy Carter’s single finest moment was the Camp David agreement between Egypt and Israel in 1978. Ronald Reagan’s worst moment was withdrawing American troops from Lebanon in 1984. Bill Clinton enjoyed the triumph of the Oslo accord signing in 1993 and suffered signal failure with the collapse of the Camp David talks in 2000. The fate of “Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side, in peace and security,” in short, can be expected profoundly to influence the course of George W. Bush’s presidency.

Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum and author of Militant Islam Reaches America (W.W. Norton); his columns can read online at: www.DanielPipes.org.

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; George Quittner; Linda Saltzman; Joey Shyken; Nancy Skid; Steve Simon; Melanie Weinstein; and 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 27, 2003

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 5

Torah Scholars--Imagined and Real

BEHIND THE HEADLINES by RABBI AVI SHAFRAN A phrase on the front page of The New York Times Sunday edition’s “Week in Review” section on June 8 rightfully raised some eyebrows and left some mouths agape. The essay in which it appeared, by John Kifner, began by contrasting a Hamas terrorist with Yigal Amir, the man convicted of assassinating Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin in 1995. That, though, wasn’t outlandish. While many of us might place political assassinations in a different category from killing random men, women and children, both the Palestinian terrorist and Amir did in fact embrace violence, and both were wrong to do so. The essay, though, went on to portray the pair as emblematic of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, as the young men had been “driven not just by nationalism but by religion.” The Palestinian, it explains, was a devout Muslim; and Amir, “a Torah scholar.” How offensive. Yigal Amir, whatever Jewish observance he may or may not have embraced, committed the cardinal sin of murder. Among his motivations may have been some twisted religious zeal (though even that is far from clear; while he invoked G-d and Jewish law during his defense, he also

stated bluntly that his motivations were nationalistic, not religious). One thing he most surely was not, however, was a “Torah scholar.” That term implies deep knowledge, good judgment and religious authority, and is rightfully reserved for one who has spent many years honing his character and immersed in the study of the texts and traditions of the Jewish religious heritage. Amir may have studied for a time in a yeshiva, but by the time he was 25, when he committed the act that earned him infamy, he had most recently completed three years’ army service and was enrolled in a (secular) law program at Bar Ilan University. Though he may well have fancied himself a holy warrior, he was in fact a vigilante with neither Torah credentials nor (as became clear during an investigative dragnet aimed at finding rabbis who may have egged him on) rabbinical guidance. He was, in other words, a college kid caught up in a frenzy of Jewish nationalism. The essay’s larger sin, though, was its implication of the baseless notion that intense dedication to the Jewish faith somehow leads to violence. The religious-nationalist movement in Israel, including what the media like to call “settlers” (more accurately, resi-

dents of areas captured by Israel in the Six Day War) is comprised of Jews committed to the laws of the Torah. But the overwhelmingly majority of those Jews are non-violent. Yigal Amir does not represent them. And that is an even more understated understatement with regard to Israel’s haredim--those whom some of the media subtly slur as the “UltraOrthodox.” Not only do they eschew violence but most don’t even share the basic philosophy of the religiousnationalist camp. While deeply pained at the prospect of relinquishing any of the Land of Israel to non-Jewish control, Israeli haredi leaders have maintained that the first priority in the current conflict must be the protection of life, and most would be willing to accept Israel’s territorial compromise if it were to truly help ensure peace. Unfortunately, that “if,” at least at present, is a grossly oversized one. Haredi leaders, like most lucid witnesses of current events, are unconvinced that either Palestinian leaders or their followers really want peace. They consider Yasser Arafat an unreformed murderer and will have to be convinced by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas that he himself is anything else.

There are modest grounds for optimism--Abbas’s public acknowledgment of Jewish suffering, his renouncing of terrorism, and his declared determination to bring radical Palestinian terror groups to do the same (though it would seem a task on the order of convincing a leopard to shed his spots). But there is also ample reason to be pessimistic--like Palestinian terrorist groups’ condemnation of Abbas’ peaceful words and their renewed murderous attacks--not to mention the new Palestinian Prime Minister’s appearance at a press conference alongside the convicted killer of 13 Israelis, or the recent Pew Global Attitudes Project poll that found 80% of Palestinians contending that their needs “cannot be taken care of as long as the State of Israel exists.” Those are tragic, depressing realities. But while they may impel the Yigal Amirs of the world to violence, that is not their effect on Torah scholars. The latter, both the Talmud and experience inform us, “increase peace in the world.”

where they occur--and sometimes they are in unexpected places. Thousands of Germans have made extraordinary contributions to preserving the Jewish history, culture, cemeteries and synagogues in their local communities. They carry out such activities as volunteers because they feel it is the right thing to do – the preservation of Jewish material is one of the few ways in which they can respond constructively to their country’s horrible past. This will be the fourth year for such awards, which will be given in the Plenary Chamber of the Berlin Parliament on Jan. 27, 2004, the German Holocaust Memorial Day (the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz).

This provides Jews throughout the world with the opportunity to recognize and honor German individuals who, in many cases, have devoted their lifetimes to such important endeavors. Further information can be obtained at the website: www.obermayer.us/ award. A hard copy of the Call for Nominations can be obtained by sending an email to germanaward@hotmail.com, or a letter to the GermanJewish Community History Council, 239 Chestnut Street, West Newton, MA, 02465. The deadline for submission of nominations is Sept. 22, 2003. Arthur S. Obermayer, Chairman German Jewish Community History Council West Newton, MA

Rabbi Shafran is the Director of Public Relations for Agudath Israel. This article comes to us courtesy of Am Echad Resources.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: Two months have passed since the sudden and unexpected death of our coworker, Kirsten Budwig. To many of us, she was a friend. During her 10 years at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, she may have cared for your spouse, parents, grandparents or other member of your extended family. Never a day goes by that the staff can’t recall a moment or a laugh that wasn’t related to Kirsten. In the usual setting, we comfort families’ loved ones day-to-day and during illness and losses. In a reversal of roles, it was the families who comforted the staff. We so appreciate the hugs, acts of kindness and words of comfort. The large attendance at her funeral was a

wonderful testament to Kirsten. If ever there was any doubt, this experience showed what so many of us already knew...the Blumkin Home residents, families and staff are “family.” We hope you continue to keep Kirsten’s family in your thoughts and prayers. Her memory continues to grace us daily at the Home. Colleen Young, Staff Nurse Rose Blumkin Jewish Home (Editor’s note: this was written on behalf of all the nursing staff from the Home.) To the Editor: At this time, when we are concerned with anti-Semitism in Europe, it remains important to recognize very positive contributions to Jewish life

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SUNDAY, JUNE 29 Beth El Women’s Rosh Chodesh Program, 7 p.m. (location to be announced)

TUESDAY, JULY 8 Visions Minneapolis Getaway Trip, July 8-10 BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

MONDAY, JUNE 30 YES Program, 10 a.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9 B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge

TUESDAY, JULY 1 Jewish Women International Open Board Meeting, 10 a.m., Village Inn, 78th and Dodge BBYO Night, 6 p.m. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2 B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge B’nai B’rith Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. THURSDAY, JULY 3 Walk-in Drop-in Activity, 10 a.m. Yiddish Group Meeting, 1 p.m. MONDAY, JULY 7 YES Program, 10 a.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel

THURSDAY, JULY 10 Walk-in Drop-in Activity, 10 a.m. Yiddish Group Meeting, 1 p.m. FRIDAY, JULY 11 Visions Board Meeting, 9:30 a.m. Shabbat Services for Temple Israel, 6 p.m. SUNDAY, JULY 13 39 Forever Picnic at Chalco Hills, 12:30 p.m. Art Quilts Reception, 2 p.m. MONDAY, JULY 14 YES Program, 10 a.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel TUESDAY, JULY 15 BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16 B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge

THURSDAY, JULY 24 Walk-in Drop-in Activity, 10 a.m. Yiddish Group Meeting, 1 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 17 Walk-in Drop-in Activity, 10 a.m. Yiddish Group Meeting, 1 p.m. Monthly Book Discussion Group, 1 p.m. in the Kripke Library

SUNDAY, JULY 27 JCC Eddie Belgrade Memorial 3 on 3 Basketball, 7 a.m. Beth El HAZAK & Men’s Club Baseball Outing, 11 a.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 18 Visions Luncheon, 12:30 p.m. at Venice Inn

MONDAY, JULY 28 YES Program, 10 a.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel

SUNDAY, JULY 20 Visions, 2 p.m. at Ralston Theatre Israeli Scouts Performance, 7 p.m. MONDAY, JULY 21 Israeli Scouts, 8 a.m. YES Program, 10 a.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel TUESDAY, JULY 22 BBYO Night, 6 p.m. WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge

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All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the above events.

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June 27, 2003

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Eagle Scout Beautifies JFS by JEWISH PRESS News Service To obtain Eagle Scout, the highest ranking given by the Boy Scouts, Marty Nachman had to organize 15 members of his own troop, #552, to help him dig up hostas from his mother’s yard and replant them in front of the Jewish Family Service office. The young men also planted burning bushes, as well as the two varieties of hostas, where only woodchips were before this project. He dedicated the garden to his grandfather, the late Martin M. Staenberg. Marty, the son of Beth Staenberg and Gary Nachman, is also a member

of Venturing Crew #228, Beth El Synagogue and USY. He will be a sophomore at Westside High School.

Omaha Teen Returns from Israel Only to Go Back This Summer by JEWISH PRESS News Service Max Rogers-Marcovitz had just come back from Netivot, a high school trip to Israel with the Ida Crown Jewish Academy in Chicago, when he decided to return this summer. He’ll leave July 2 for NCSY’s Volunteers for Israel, a four-week program that combines touring the Land of Israel with assisting on an Israeli army base. Max, son of Mimi Rogers and Michael Marcovitz, will return to Chicago this

fall, where he will be a junior at Ida Crown. He was also e l e c t e d NCSY Midwest Region Vi c e - p r e s i dent for Outreach.

BERT’S EYE VIEW by BERT LEWIS I know that Mother’s Day has come and gone, but here’s a “mother story” anyway. I had occasion to be in the office of my doctor, who just happens to be a woman. She also happens to be a married woman, with children. And along with the other coincidences, her little girl is going to celebrate her bat mitzvah next weekend. Ok, you might say, “so what?” As I waited for her it dawned on me that a mom who wasn’t a doctor and who had a kid a week away from bat mitzvah, just might be in her kitchen, up to her neck in cookies. I’m quick to admit it’s been many years since any of my kids were of an age for such things, but I well remember the preparations. I certainly recall lots of home baked goodies, and I also recall there were many things to be done one short week before D-Day! All of this made me think about today’s modern moms, and how they manage all of those countless pieces of the puzzle - the puzzle called Family/Home/Career. I don’t know how they do it, but somehow they become proficient at juggling and learn how to be in two places at once. Maybe my generation wasn’t as organized as these modern women. I

can’t remember if there were so many professional helpers around, as there seem to be today. And a good thing there is such help, how else could those moms who are doctors and lawyers and CEO’s get the children ready for their big event? I should be embarrassed to remember how long I shopped for just the right suit before the bar mitzvah of my eldest son. This was my idea of pressure! Things were very different for me and for my contemporaries basically because we were at home and not in offices. We were in our jeans and sweatshirts, not in tailored suits and high heels or a crisp, white coat. Were we happy in that role? Probably, because it wasn’t until our daughters began growing up that we looked around and realized things were changing. Well, it’s too late now, at least for this mom. And I don’t know if I’d change anything if I could, so let’s just leave it here. Except I want today’s career ladies to know I think they’re sensational. They really have figured out how to do it all. Just one more thought: I hope the doctor’s daughter is as proud of her mom as her mom is of her.

ENGAGEMENT HALVORSON/FREDRICKS Jill Halvorson and Jeffrey Fredricks have announced their engagement.

The bride-to-be is a student at Metro Community College, studying graphic design, and also works as the assistant manager of Lerner’s New York. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Halvorson of Rapid City, SD. Her fiancé, the son of Sally Fredricks and the late Terry Fredricks, is a student at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, majoring in management information. He also works as a computer intern at Farm Credit Services. His grandparents are David and Arlene Fredricks and the late Dr. and Mrs. Harry Henderson, Jr. A July 5 wedding is planned in Spearfish, SD.

June 27, 2003

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 9

Rabbis Regale Hadassah Members with ‘Inside’ Information by LESLI SHRAGO, Hadassah Publicity Fascinating information about Omaha’s pulpit rabbis, each of whom shared their backgrounds and how and why they decided to enter the rabbinate, tied into last month’s Hadassah program’s focus on career counseling and education. Camp experiences proved pivotal for several of the rabbis. Rabbi Aryeh Azriel of Temple Israel, a native Israeli, spent time at OlinSang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) in Wisconsin as a young adult, working as a camp counselor--his first exposure to spiritual, meaningful Judaism. He met his wife, Elyce, there, too. Her name was also Azriel, but pronounced “Ayz-reel”. Rabbi Craig Marantz, also of Temple Israel, who performed his ‘Kermit the Frog’ impression, also first connected with Judaism as a camper. He taught high school social studies in a predominately African-American school in his hometown of Los Angeles prior to starting rabbinical school, an experience that got him thinking about ethics and what he could do to make a difference in people’s lives. Rabbi Mendel Katzman of Chabad House told a hilarious story about going to California at age 17 to help run a summer camp for Russian immigrant children. He had little more than a day to prepare for the commercial driver’s license test. He and his wife, Shani, spent time living in and working for several Jewish communities in South America as newlyweds. When they were offered the position in Omaha, Shani’s first question was “Where is Omaha

Chairman located in South Hadassah’s Upper Midwest Region, America?” spoke briefly about Hadassah’s misWhen he told her that sion and conducted the installation. it was in the United Hadassah will host a membership States, she said, “Let’s event, including a mother-and-child take it!” style show Tuesday, Aug. 19, 7 p.m. Beth El’s Rabbi at the Sunset Valley Country Club. Mordechai Levin While new and prospective members talked about life in of all ages are welcome, recruitment Argentina, where he will focus on women under 45. In attended Jewish day addition to HCT and HCCI, Hadassah school and initially supports Hadassah Medical worked as a Judaic Rabbis Azriel, Marantz, Levin, Kutner and Organization (HMO), which includes studies teacher in Katzman answered questions from Hadassah two hospitals in Jerusalem. Buenos Aires. His members at last month’s luncheon. For more information about thirst for more Jewish for peace and about Jewish education Hadassah or to be sent an invitation education led him to the Conservative in Omaha and their views as to how to to the recruitment event, please conmovement’s Latin American rabbini- improve it. tact Sandy Kohll, 391-5603, or Edye cal seminary, where he decided to More than 85 people attended the Wolf at 333-7448. become a pulpit rabbi. Hadassah Israel He praised the Omaha Jewish com- Education Services munity for its warmth and for making (HIES) luncheon, him and his family feel so welcome in organized by: Jill their new city and country. Belmont, Gloria Rabbi Kutner of Beth Israel was the Goodman, Bette only one of the five who knew he Kozlen, Allison wanted to become a rabbi. In fact, by Latenser, Cheryl the time he became a Bar Mitzvah, he Lerner, Doris was sure it was the career for him. Shukert, Susie He looked up to his childhood rabbi Shyken, Esther Wax and had a strong interest in music. and Nancy Wolf. Using the name “Glatt Rock”, he even Proceeds will suprecorded some songs aired on a Jewish port Hadassah radio station in the New York area. He College of surprised friends and family when Technology (HCT) The following women were installed as Cabinet memthey heard his voice on the radio. and the Hadassah bers: Lesli Shrago, seated left, Doris Shukert, Sandy The audience also had the opportu- Career Counseling Kohll; back row: Bette Kozlen, Beth Gaynes Ginsberg, nity to ask questions of the panel of Institute (HCCI), Past-president, Faye Ruback, Phyllis Fried, Georgia rabbis about such topics as Jewish both in Jerusalem. Ann Steinberg, President; Maxine Noodell, Anne burial customs, feminism and Following the pro- Skolkin, Esther Wax, Julie Stein, (Not pictured: Rini Orthodoxy, Yom Kippur, Israel and the gram, Deborah Gonsher, Carol Parsow, Madeline Katzman, Charlotte the prospects for the “Road Map” and Jewett, President of Kaplan, Edythe Wolf and Nancy Wolf.)

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 27, 2003

Pavelka Goes to Israel (Continued from page 1) Pavelka says that prior to his trip, he didn’t know much about the tensions between Israelis and the Palestinians, adding, “I really didn’t care because it didn’t seem to have anything to do with me. Bob told me this trip would change my life and it really has! I’m now interested in that part of the world and I can’t get enough of it.” He quipped that his mission on the trip was to observe, come back and report, and then propose a solution. “That’s not going to happen,” he smiled. “The one thing I did grab is that the violence seems to be lost on almost everybody. The comparison of suicide bombers and Israeli retaliation are so different in their dynamics. There would be no retaliation if there were no suicide bombing and terrorists. That gets lost on people and therefore the ‘blame game’ continues. “It’s the Jews’ fault! It’s the Arabs’ fault! If Hamas weren’t coming into Jerusalem and blowing up buses and killing people at random, then Ariel Sharon wouldn’t be targeting specific perpetrators in retaliation. It’s random violence and kind of ‘I don’t care who I kill-just so they’re Jewish!’ “It seems to me that so called collateral damage is used as propaganda by the Palestinians and the world body buys it,” Pavelka insisted. He went on to say that just as he began to think that he has an “elementary feel” for some of the situation, he returned to Omaha and received a letter from a Palestinian who is a leader in the Omaha community. The letter addresses the suggested “one-sidedness of Pavelka’s coverage while he was in Israel.” The writer stated, “The issue of Palestine and Israel is not worthy of news because of a bus bombing and Israeli retaliation. The Palestinian people are experiencing their own Holocaust under the Israeli brutal occupation and other racist policies of the State of Israel during the past 55 years. “The word ‘never again’ applies to all people and nations. Unfortunately, the Palestinian Holocaust has gone unchecked and unchallenged. In fact,

Bob Wolfson and Kent Pavelka in Jerusalem. when the media takes the ‘Israeli twist’ in all the events in that part of the world, they are perpetuating the suffering of both the Palestinian and Jewish people.” Wolfson commented on the letter, “Many people-even in the Jewish community--have learned a lot. One of things they’ve learned is that the Palestinians don’t want to return to the borders of 1967. What they really want is to renegotiate the partition plan and the defeat in 1948.” Pavelka says that he asked, incessantly, to be taken into the West Bank and did get into Bethlehem for part of a day. “I didn’t see any evidence of a ‘Holocaust’ while I was there,” he insisted. “I saw a huge disparity in people’s standards of living. There were some beautiful homes and some pretty bad looking slums. But, I didn’t see any evidence of Israeli soldiers beating up on Palestinians.” Pavelka concluded, “I just wanted to share with you some of the things that touched me during the trip. And, some of the things that I think I’ve learned. The next time I go, I want to see more.”

JCC Camp Shlicha Likes Omaha on First Visit by CAROL KATZMAN, Editor Before Nitzan Kfir even arrived here, she already had Omaha connections. Of course she knew Beth and Amnon Dotan and their children since they all had lived on Kibbutz Ayelet HaShachar, Kfir’s home, too. And she knows Anne Shackman and her children, Jon and Kelly Broder, who once spent part of a summer living and volunteering on the kibbutz. “Everyone told me it would be small, with not much to do,” Kfir said in a recent interview, “but from the skies, it looked bigger than Tel Aviv!” Kfir likes the fact that Omaha has a lot of green space and is “quiet”; it reminds her of Ayelet HaShachar. As a shlicha (a messenger from Israel), Kfir works in the Jewish Community Center’s day camp but still has an opportunity to Nitzan Kfir explore Omaha. She’s been to several College World Series games and admits to “liking baseball more than soccer.” She’s also visited the Henry Doorly Zoo and “could have stayed all day.” Perhaps that’s because one of the careers she’s contemplating is veterinary medicine. She likes working in the JCC camp and says the American kids “are so enthusiastic.” They are different from Israeli kids, she added, and to the surprise of some Omahans, Kfir says our kids here are “more disciplined and not as free.” Having completed two full years in the Israel Defense Force, plus a year of volunteer work in Akko, Kfir is thinking about entering university as soon as she decides what she wants to do with her life. After working with children-at-risk in Akko, social work is a possibility, too. But the requisite travel around the United States with a fellow shlicha in Minneapolis “or maybe Central America,” Kfir added, will come first.

June 27, 2003

ORGANIZATIONS JEWISH WOMEN INTERNATIONAL JWI will host a board meeting on Tuesday, July 1, 10 a.m. at the Village Inn, 78th and Dodge. The board will set the calendar for the coming year. For more information, call Frieda Krizelman, President, at 391-0661. 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, the delightful Esther Pilster will talk. For transportation call Dee Dee at 330-4272. WALK-IN, DROP-IN Members will meet on Thursday at the JCC. Exercise and bingo will begin at 10 a.m. At 11:15 a.m. lunch will be served from the Bagel Bin or bring a dairy sack lunch to eat. Join us at noon for the movie About Schmitt in the Blumkin Home auditorium. Popcorn will be served. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Want a place to brush up on your Yiddish? Join us every Thursday, 1-3 p.m. at the Yiddish Conversation Group at the JCC. Call Anne Skolkin for information at 343-1638. VISIONS Reminder: Visions board meeting is Friday, July 11, 9:30 a.m. in the Blumkin Home conference room (please notice date change). Join us for the Summer Luncheon on Friday, July 18, 12:30 p.m. at Caniglia’s Venice Inn. Cost is $9. You thought you knew everything about chicken soup, but wait ’til you hear Stephen Rennard, M.D. This distinguished physician will tell us all about what is near and dear to our Jewish hearts. Send reservations by July 11 to: Mickey and Tootie Simon, 8725 Izard, Omaha, NE 68114. For information, call Harry Alloy, 697-8709. Make check payable to Jewish Senior Services. Ralston Community Theatre presents Footloose at Bellevue Little Theater Sunday, July 20, 2 p.m. Dinner (on your own) follows at the Greek Island. The cost of $15 per person includes bus transportation and show admission. Depart from the JCC at 12:45 p.m. and return approximately by 7 p.m. Deadline is July 14. Send reservations to: Ethel Goldston, 10530 Pacific, #104, Omaha, NE 68114. For information, call Jean Elkon, 551-6656. Seats are limited. Make check payable to JSS. OMAHA CENTER FOR TORAH LEARNING Rabbi Aryeh Blum will give his weekly parasha shiur tomorrow afternoon, June 28, 6:30 p.m. Time for Talmud is Monday, June 30, 7:30 p.m. The Beit Midrash meets on Tuesday, July 1, 7:30 p.m. The Wednesday Women’s Class is July 2, 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, July 2, 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 program or to schedule one-on-one learning, call Rabbi Aryeh Blum at 320-8055. B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Paul Landow will speak at Breadbreakers on Wednesday, July 2, noon, at the Park Inn Regency, according to Marty Ricks, July CoChairman. Landow is Chief of Staff to Mayor Fahey. Cost for lunch is $9; beverage service only, $2. Programs are open to the community.

IN THE NEWS Former Omahan Donna Kaiman Gilbert and her husband, Spencer Gilbert, were honored recently by Jewish Family Service of Yorba Linda, CA. Sponsors of the Jewish Community Forum, a group that provides adult Jewish education in the Southern California area, the Gilberts are also active in synagogue life and the community. Donna is active as a docent with the Nixon Library (which sponsors an annual Hanukkah program) and the Fullerton Court Tour (which she helped found). She also dances with a group of women over the age of 50--The Raquettes. Dr. Gilbert, who retired as Placentia Linda Hospital’s first pathologist in 1988, is professor and chair of the pathology department at Western University of Health Sciences’ School of Medicine in Pomona, CA. The Gilberts also sponsor an annual scholar-inresidence weekend here at Temple Israel, in memory of Donna’s parents Ida and Samuel Kaiman. The National Conference of Community and Justice will sponsor its fourth annual Anytown program Aug. 4-9. This nationally acclaimed weeklong program focuses on developing effective leadership among 60 high school students. Underwritten by grants from the Terry K. Watanabe Charitable Trust, the Iowa West Foundation and an anonymous donor, the program’s application can be found at the NCCJ website: www.nccjmidlands.org or by calling the Omaha office at 391-4460. Fred Simon, a fourth generation member of Omaha Steaks, will be inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame at its annual meeting in Orlando in October. Established in 1978, The DMA Hall of Fame honors direct and interactive marketing professionals’ outstanding career contributions to the practice, growth and stature of the direct and interactive marketing discipline. Simon began his career at Omaha Steaks 44 years ago. Under his direction the company became the nation’s largest direct response marketer of gourmet steaks and frozen foods and a leader in all facets of direct marketing, including direct mail, catalogs, telephone marketing, and e-commerce. He currently serves as Executive Vice-president and is a member of the Board of Directors of the combined group of Omaha Steaks companies. Simon was the innovator of the company’s customer service system and developed Omaha Steaks’ “You Must Be Thrilled” policy, which states that if for any reason a customer is not thrilled with products received that the company will refund their money or replace the product without exceptions. In 1976, he opened the first Omaha Steaks retail store. Today, the company has more than 70 stores in 14 states. Simon has shared a wealth of direct marketing knowledge and expertise by frequently speaking at industry conferences and writing for numerous trade journals. He has authored four books--The Steak Lover’s Companion (co-authored with John Harrison), Beef for All Seasons, Let’s Grill, and Meat. He served as a member of the DMA Board of Directors from 1972-78. Dr. Howard Gendelman received the Career Excellence Award from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The award recognizes an established faculty member at the professor level for excellence in his or her research career.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

June 27, 2003

Despite Terror, North American Aliyah Is Up (Continued from page 1) Conservative Jews also are a major component of the increased aliyah. The Jewish Agency, which handles immigration and absorption in Israel, began targeting Conservative Jews in the last five months. With so many Jewish organizational leaders having grown up in the Conservative movement, Landsberg said the Jewish Agency has tried to foster aliyah by sending its emissaries to work with Conservative synagogues. This year, Conservative Jews make up 21 percent of the group making aliyah, nearly double their proportion in recent years. Economic assistance also has contributed to the increase. Nefesh b’Nefesh, a Florida-based group that formed last year, raises funds to help North American Jews make aliyah. According to Landsberg, the group is responsible for 20 percent to 30 percent of the rise in North American aliyah. Last summer the group brought 525 North American Jews to Israel; this summer, it will send 930, said George Birnbaum, the group’s spokesman. Nefesh b’Nefesh gives an average grant of $18,000 to a family of four and $7,000 to an individual making aliyah, Birnbaum said. The group raises money from private donors in North America with assistance from the Jewish Agency. For Israel, he added, it’s a great return on investment: The average family of four injects $40,000 to $45,000 into Israel’s economy within six months of making aliyah. By summer’s end, roughly half of the North American Jews making aliyah will have received some assistance from Nefesh b’Nefesh. Israel, too, has tried to sweeten the deal for North Americans. Since November, the Israeli government has been offering the same aid package to North American immigrants as it does to immigrants from communities in distress, such as Argentina or the former Soviet Union. “Aliyah is aliyah is aliyah,” said Landsberg, say-

ing Israel will provide all immigrants to Israel with about $3,300 in cash--the other money comes in housing and job training. While economic assistance may make it easier for North American Jews to make aliyah, it’s not the reason they move, Birnbaum said. “They’re not coming to Israel looking for economic opportunity,” Birnbaum said. “The economy in Israel is far more depressed than the economy in America,” he said. “They’re coming because they have a Zionist feeling.” However, financial assistance makes “all the difference in the world” for someone to start a life in Israel, he said. All kinds of Jews give all kinds of reasons for making aliyah. Some even discover their roots through other cultures: For Matthew Mausner, the impetus came from his work with Native Americans. An anti-globalization activist and champion for the rights of Native Americans, Mausner was asked about Israel by a Native American who pointed out that he was lucky to have the opportunity to live in his homeland. “I had never thought of it that way before,” said Mausner, 29, a Yale graduate who consults for Goldman Sachs on Wall Street. After attending a birthright israel trip, Mausner said he “finally understood what” the Native Americans “were talking about.” They talk of “sacred places and their connection to the land and their feeling of belonging, and I felt that in Israel,” he said. Chana Levi Julian, 48, was visiting Israel when a Bedouin tour guide named Younis changed her life. “He asked me what are you doing in New York,” said Julian, who identifies with the ChabadLubavitch movement. “A Jew should be living here in Eretz Yisrael,” Younis continued. Julian told Younis about the family’s fear of terrorism and, in particular, the anxiety felt by her daughter, Coby, 12. The two then called Coby, who was back in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn.

“There is no safer place in the entire world for a Jew” than Israel, where “God is in charge,” Younis told the child. To prove his point, Younis hosted the family for a week. The famiChana Levi Julian and ly was easily convinced, her husband, Sinai, of and Coby was eager to Brooklyn are among return to Israel. Until 1,000 North Americans that time, Julian and who will make aliyah her husband had conthis summer. sidered aliyah a distant Photo by David Karp dream. Younis “is why we’re moving,” she said. “He was God’s messenger.” Jennifer Klor, 32, of Rochester, decided to move after her husband, Esteban, was offered an economics professorship at Hebrew University. They wanted to transition while their children, aged two and four months, were still young. Conservative Judaism also factors prominently in the decision for the couple, who met in Israel. Their wedding in Jerusalem barely took place, due to difficulty obtaining approval from Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, which only certifies Orthodox weddings in Israel. Conservative Judaism “is a very important part of us, and that was a big frustration of ours when we lived there,” said Klor, whose father, Joel Meyers, is Executive Vice-president of the Rabbinical Assembly, the world association of Conservative rabbis. “We’re hopeful that we can make a more pluralistic society.” Klor will be working with the local branch of the Conservative movement. “I know that in Israel there’s a vibrant, dynamic Masorti community,” she said, using the Hebrew term for the Conservative movement. “I feel it’s important to be part of that community, because the epicenter of Jewish life is in Israel.”

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