July 6, 2012

Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

Civil rights activist Lilly This Ledbetter to speak in Omaha Week July 6, 2012 16 Tammuz 5772 Vol. 92 | No. 41

by LIZZY GILBERT Corporate & Community Development, ADL Plains States Region For 10 years, Lilly Ledbetter fought to close the gap between women’s and men’s wages, sparring with the Supreme Court in a historic discrimination case against Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Ledbetter won a jury verdict of more than $3 million after having filed a gender pay discrimination suit in federal court, but the U.S. Supreme Court later overturned the lower court’s ruling. Despite her defeat, Ledbetter continued her fight in Congress. On Jan. 29, 2009, President Obama signed into law the first law of his administration: the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. On Tuesday July 10, Ledbetter will speak in Omaha at an event titled “How Federal Courts Impact Our Lives: One Woman’s Battle for Justice”. The Nebraska Coalition of Constitutional Values (NCCV) is hosting this event at 7 p.m. at the DC Center (11830 Stonegate Drive) where attendees can enjoy desserts, coffee, and learn about Ledbetter’s

Plus One showing in the JCC Gallery Pages 6

Beth El plans special Jews & Brews at JCC Pages 7

fight for equal pay. This event is open to the public with no charge to attend, however advance online registration is required at http://neappl.es/ledbetter. “The Nebraska Coalition for Constitutional Values is bringing Lilly Ledbetter to Omaha not only to speak about her personal story, but to show how decisions by the federal courts have a life-altering impact on our entire society,” said Carol Bloch, NCCV Co-Chair. NCCV is a coalition of diverse organizations that work together to educate the public and elected officials about the importance of the judges who sit on the bench of the federal courts. Currently, many states are experiencing judicial emergencies, meaning that there have not been enough federal judges confirmed by the Senate to fill open positions. Because U.S. District and Circuit Courts are not fully staffed,

Lilly Ledbetter justice is not being done and the American people are not being served. For this reason, thirteen organizations in Nebraska have come togeth-

er to form NCCV. Member organizations include: Anti-Defamation League – Plains States Region, American Association of University Women in Nebraska, American Civil Liberties Union – Nebraska, B’nai B’rith Henry Monsky Lodge-Omaha, Business and Professional Women in Nebraska, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Latino American Commission – Nebraska, League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha, National Council of Jewish Women, Omaha Section, Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest, Nebraskans for Peace, Temple Israel Social Justice Committee, Omaha, and Northeast Nebraska Family Health Services. “When we think about our civil rights, we tend to consider only the laws passed through the legislative and executive branches of government. However, the judicial branch plays an equally influential role in determining some of our most vital freedoms,” said Alan Continued on page 2

The beautiful side of healing Schwalb Center sponsors UNO professors in Israel Shawarma and shenanigans mark Star Deli anniversary Page 11

Inside Point of view Synagogues In memoriam

This Month Legal Special See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press

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by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press Omahan Mary Lou Walker has worked in the beauty industry for over 50 years. She started her career at Brandeis, retired and subsequently established Garbo’s Salons in 1988. The business is a family affair: daughter Roxanne Kahn and son David Walker are involved (daughter Denise lives in California and designed the salon at Regency); granddaughter Becky Kahn manages the salon at the Eagle Run location. Having so much family nearby has been a blessing, in more ways than one. In January of 2011, Mary Lou was diagnosed with early stage pancreatic cancer. “She felt something wasn’t right, and in having it detected so early, she was one of the lucky ones,” says daughter Roxanne. “She was able to have surgery, and she is now in remission. A difficult year and a half later, she is once again active, playing golf and traveling.”

The fact that Mary Lou is doing so well is quite miraculous. While she was battling through her chemo treatments, her husband of 57 years, Arthur Walker, passed away. “While she was fighting the can-

by DR. MOSHE GERSHOVICH One of the fruits of Partnership 2gether (Formally known as Partnership 2000) between regions in Israel, such as the Western Galilee, and American Jewish communities, such as Omaha, have been the strong academic ties

The purpose of the workshop was to link American and Israeli scholars with mutual scholarly and pedagogical interests in order to promote collaborative research projects that may yield publications. The 2012 workshop was the fourth one organized by WGC.

Mary Lou Walker cer, she had to simultaneously work on her emotional recovery,” Roxanne says. “Nothing about this was easy, and I don’t believe she could have done it without support from her family and support from the entire staff at Garbo’s. In addition, customers would ask how she was doing every day. It made a big difference.” A beauty salon is traditionally a place where one goes to be pampered, to feel beautiful, and to relax. In that sense, Garbo’s does its job well: satisfied customers abound, Continued on page 2

Group picture of all the participants in the WGC Workshop, taken at Rosh Hanikra on Israel’s border with Lebanon. The four UNO participants are standing on the right corner. between the Western Galilee College (WGC) in Akko and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), through its Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies. The latest chapter in this partnership has just been written with the participation of four UNO professors in the Fourth Bridges International Faculty Workshop, which took place between June 3-7 at WGC.

Three UNO faculty members had participated in the first workshop, in 2009, but UNO was not represented in the second and third, which had taken place in Akko and at Westminster College in Pennsylvania in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Sending a strong delegation to the fourth workshop was an important step in reaffirming the Schwalb Center’s Continued on page 2

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Schwalb Center Continued from page 1 commitment to promote and facilitate collaborative scholarship with academic institutions in Israel. Representing UNO at the workshop were the following: • Moshe Gershovich, Professor of History: As leader of the UNO group, I was asked to deliver a plenary presentation, entitled “Spring of Hope, Fall of Doubt: The Daunting Task of Deciphering the Contemporary Middle East.” Additionally, I shared some observations from my on-going research about the history of Moroccan-Israeli relations as part of a broader project concerning Israel and North Africa, which I am conducting with Professor Ephraim Kahana, Chair of the Political Science Department at WGC. • Halla Kim, Associate Professor of Philosophy: Bridging Western and Eastern philosophical traditions, and working together with Professor Berel Lerner, member of the Interdisciplinary Studies unit at WGC. Korean-born Dr. Kim led a roundtable on Confucianism and Jewish Values. • Joan Latchaw, Associate Professor of English: Teaming up with Professor Bethe Schoenfeld, Chair of the Department of English at WGC and Professor Dina David from the Department of Communication at IUPUI, Dr. Latchaw led a roundtable discussion on WIKI Based Intercultural Telecollaboration. • Carey Ryan, Professor of Psychology: Together with Dr. Sherri Pataki, from Westminster College, and Dr. Randa Abbas from WGC’s Department of Education. Dr. Ryan explored issues related to Gender Roles and Empowering Women. Reflecting on what was her first visit to Israel, Dr. Ryan mentioned how much she enjoyed it, “even more than I had expected to.” I was surprised at just how diverse Israelis are with respect to religious beliefs and ethnicity; and was impressed by their commitment to respecting differences among people--including differences in religious beliefs.” Diversity and coexistence are, indeed, a staple of Western Galilee College, where the region’s non-Jewish population (Muslim, Christian, Druze) is well represented: 37% of its students are members of minority communities, as are many among the faculty. The theme of inter-communal educational cooperation was well displayed in the tour organized for the workshop participants at the Galil Bilingual School in Kibbutz Eshbal. Located near the large Arab town of Sakhnin, Eshbal was founded in 1997 as an “Educators Kibbutz.” As its website explains, it is “based on the values of sharing, equality of human values, Zionism, collective responsibility, social community, democracy and tolerance.” The Bilingual school was founded a year later and is one of only four such schools in Israel. The school currently enrolls 169 Jewish and Arab students in grades one through nine. Another fascinating place we visited was the Tefen Industrial Park near Ma’alot. Tefen, and the adjacent com-

munity of Kfar Veradim, are the brainchild of Israeli industrialist and entrepreneur Stef Wertheimer, the first of numerous such projects built throughout Israel (plus one in Turkey). As most local readers may recall, Wertheimer’s company, Iskar, which specializes in heavy-duty cutting tools for metalworking, was bought a few years ago by Omaha native Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway Corporation. No wonder that when that fact was mentioned in the short film we watched at Tefen, the Omahans in the crowd felt quite at home. While the visit to the Bilingual School at Eshbal and the Tefen Industrial Park exposed us to the great potential of the Western Galilee to provide a bridge to the future in terms of Jewish-Arab relations and economic growth, the troubled legacy of Jewish history, which made the creation of the state of Israel such a necessity, has been fully manifested in our visit to the Ghetto Fighters Museum, a few miles north of Akko. Built by the founders of the Kibbutz by the same name, who had taken part in resistance to the Nazi annihilation of their communities, it was the first museum ever established, devoted to the Jewish Holocaust during the Second World War. Reflecting on that experience, Carey Ryan notes: “The Ghetto Fighters Museum was an extremely powerful reminder of what can happen when people fail to take the time to respect and understand others and their experiences.” Likewise, Halla Kim cherished the opportunities to visit the various sites in Akko and its vicinity, which “helped me taste the cultural roots of the Israeli society as a whole.” As for the academic side of the workshop, he says: “The wealth of learning I was exposed to was simply beyond description. In particular, I was impressed by the quality of the papers presented at the plenary sessions as well as individual symposia” Yet another highlight of the workshop involved being hosted for dinner by each of the participants’ homes of our WGC hosts. As Joan Latchaw notes, “Linda Futterman, the conference organizer, arranged for each of the conference participants to eat a lavish, and I mean lavish, dinner, with one of our Western Galilee faculty hosts. Some visited a Bedouin village, another a Druze village where they were warmly welcomed. Likewise. I was fortunate to spend an evening with my project partner, Bethe, on a kibbutz, talking to her husband and daughters, one of whom had just completed her army service. It is fascinating how Israeli youth, unlike American citizens, feel responsible in contributing to the protection of the land. It is no accident that the military is called the Israeli Defense Force.” After spending five days in Western Galilee we all returned to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem to enjoy the remaining time of our stay in Israel. Now, back in the USA we look forward to our next opportunity to renew our ties with our new friends and old colleagues from Akko.

Mary Lou Walker Continued from page 1 and keep coming back for more since the beginning 24 years ago. But at the same time, it takes a special person to go in to work day after day and make others feel good. Often when we talk about emotional and physical well being, we focus on physicians, and they certainly play an important part in our overall health. But at the same time, we can’t overestimate the feeling one gets from a really good massage. For someone who is going through a tough time, like Mary Lou, it’s probably not just the massage itself, but also the personal attention that accompanies it. At the end of the day, it’s all about having a strong support network, and knowing, feeling that people care. “It’s incredibly therapeutic to be surrounded by family and friends during tough times,” Roxanne says, “and the Salons gave her that. Not only was she given that emotional support she needed, work kept her active and kept her mind occupied, and she managed to stay engaged. We opened in a new location at regency, and she was involved with that. Once she came through her treatment, she was able to be at work, and it was a major contribution in the healing process.” Mary Lou’s sentiments are echoed elsewhere. In Highland Park Hospital, Illinois, cancer patients are regularly treated to a spa day. From that initiative grew the national Cancer Survivor Beauty and Support Day (CSBSD), the brainchild of Barbara Paget, Chair of the CSBSD™ Foundation. “I have observed that in many beauty places,” Paget says, “when a client is diagnosed with cancer, the staff always say, ‘What can we do?’ And after treatment. the first stop for many women is a beauty shop. Somehow, the smallest of a beauty service can just boost the spirit.” That has been the case for Mary Lou, who has been at the giving as well as the receiving end of pampering. When people ask Mary Lou for her secret, she tells them: “Working in the beauty industry makes you feel good on the inside and on the outside. The salon atmosphere is in and of itself ther-

apeutic.” For the past two years Garbo's Salon has been cutting hair and styling wigs for the American Cancer Society; they also raise money for Camp Kesem, which provides a summer camp experience for children whose parent fights cancer. “Early detection remains the key,” Roxanne says, “but to be surrounded by loving friends and family is equally important. Surround yourself with what you love and who you love.”

Lilly Ledbetter Continued from page 1 Potash, Regional Director of the Plains States AntiDefamation League. “This is why ADL joined the coalition and is supporting this important event.” Ledbetter is the author of Grace and Grit: My Fight for Equal Pay and Fairness at Goodyear and Beyond. Copies will be available for purchase and she will be signing books for attendees following the event. Additionally, as part of the coalition’s effort to encourage engaged citizenship, attendees will have the opportunity to register to vote or update their mailing address in preparation to vote in November. The event, “How Federal Courts Impact Our Lives: One Woman’s Battle for Justice” is made possible through contributions from the following cosponsors: Creighton University School of Law, League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha, National Council of Jewish WomenOmaha Section, Nebraska Appleseed, Nebraska State AFL-CIO. Additional donors include the American Association of University Women-Nebraska, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Nebraska, Anti-Defamation League, Business and Professional Women, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, and Temple Israel Social Action Committee.

July 6, 2012 | The Jewish Press | 3

Jewish groups largely applaud health care ruling by ZACH SILBERMAN of advocacy on behalf of health insurance reform in their of coverage compromises the health and economic wellWASHINGTON (JTA) -- American Jewish groups -- with states and at the national level.” He cited Maimonides, not- being of millions of uninsured individuals, as well as our the notable exception of the Republican Jewish Coalition -- ing that the medieval scholar “placed health care first on his nation as a whole.” were largely satisfied with the U.S. Supreme Court’s vote to list of the 10 most important communal services that a city Likewise, Mark Olshan, associate executive vice president uphold President Obama’s landmark Affordable Care Act in should offer its residents.” of B’nai B’rith International, said, “We have long supported a 5-4 vote. Rabbis Julie Schonfeld and Gerry Skolnik, the executive a comprehensive health care reform and we were obviously Nancy Kaufman, CEO of the National Council of Jewish vice president and president of the Conservative move- quite pleased that it came out this way.” Women, was “thrilled” with the decision. ment’s Rabbinical Assembly, said in a statement that the Going forward, various Jewish organizations will focus their “As a Jewish woman advocacy efforts on who believes strongly implementation issues. that comprehensive, Kaufman added that quality affordable health NCJW will continue to care is essential to ensure that the governwomen’s well-being and ment implements the their health and their law. economic security, this “Obviously we’re going is a terrific outcome,” to be monitoring this Kaufman told JTA. very closely and ensurHowever, Matthew ing that the law of the Brooks, executive land is upheld,” director of the Kaufman said. Republican Jewish The Republican-conCoalition, emphasized trolled U.S. House of in a news statement Representatives intends that the law’s “negative to vote on a repeal of effects... on the econothe law on July 11 after The protests for and against President Obama’s Affordable Care Act outside the Supreme Court before the ruling. my, on jobs, on medical its members return research and development, and on the quality of health care decision puts the country “significantly forward on a moral from their Fourth of July recess. in America are very troubling.” path, and the members of the Rabbinical Assembly will conRegardless of that possibility, David Harris, president and He added, “The American people will have the opportu- tinue to promote a system of health care that is inclusive, CEO of the National Jewish Democratic Council, emphanity to express their opinion on the wisdom of Obamacare affordable, accessible and accountable.” sized that the decision will play well with American Jews for in this election year.” Rabbis for Human Rights-North America also applauded President Obama in the 2012 presidential election. The high court upheld the most controversial portion of the decision, saying in a statement that “it is our moral duty “The American Jewish community is clearly supportive of the law, ruling that the individual mandate that requires all to provide health care for all.” so much of Obamacare, just as a broad majority of Jews supAmericans to purchase health insurance or face a penalty was Alan van Capelle, CEO of Bend the Arc: A Jewish port President Obama’s domestic agenda,” Harris said in a constitutional. It also indicated that the individual mandate Partnership for Justice, offered a personal remembrance of statement to JTA. He said the court’s decision “will remind of requiring Americans to buy insurance was constitutional when he was a child and his father lost his job, “and my fam- Americans and American Jews why they’ve supported the as a tax. That mandate does not go into effect until 2014. ily was afraid we might not be able to afford health insurance.” president all along.” However, the court ruled that the provision forcing states “Today’s ruling means that millions of families will never to expand eligibility in their Medicaid programs was uncon- again have to endure this kind of fear,” van Capelle wrote in stitutional. It said the federal government cannot threaten to a statement. remove Medicaid funding from states that do not participate Some Jewish organizations focused on what they said was in expanding Medicaid eligibility. gender-based discrimination by health insurance compaMany observers were surprised that Chief Justice John nies. They claimed that some companies charged higher by JTA NEWS STAFF Roberts, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, rates for women. (JTA) -- Rabbi Brian Lurie, the former CEO of the San joined the court’s liberal wing, voting with Justices Stephen With that in mind, NCJW supported the Affordable Care Francisco-area Jewish federation, has become president Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Sonia Act provisions that assisted women with affordable prevenof the New Israel Fund. Sotomayor in upholding the law. tive services and ended gender-based discrimination by Lurie succeeds Naomi Chazan as head of NIF, a nonJustices Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Clarence health insurance plans. profit that funds liberal Israeli groups as well as a few Thomas and Samuel Alito voted in the minority. The law also allows for preventive services for women Israeli Arab organizations. Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action such as mammograms and prenatal screenings without coLurie served as the executive director of the Jewish Center of Reform Judaism, said in a news statement that he pays. Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, was “elated” with the ruling. Marcie Natan, the national president of Hadassah, said in Marin and Sonoma Counties for 17 years. Reform congregations, he said, have been “at the forefront a news statement that her organization “recognizes that lack

Former S.F. Federation head becomes NIF chief

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JSS Volunteer Recognition

Kids and costumes by MARK KIRCHHOFF Administrative Assistant, Center for Jewish Life Something there is about a little guy shuffling down the hall in dad’s big shoes and sport coat that elicits the giggles in him and in his dad and mom. And the quiet sophistication of lipstick and eye shadow smeared delicately on the face of a 4 year old daughter, punctuated with a spritz of perfume and the practiced stroll of a princess promenading down the corridor into the ballroom that is the living room produces loving smiles. Who knows what delightful dreams drift through the minds of these little tikes as they become mesmerized by the fantasies of playing “grown-up” and imagining who they might become? These first experiences of dress up give us a taste of something that continues the rest of our lives. The New Year is welcomed in with its party hats and noise-makers; Purim is replete with costumes and celebration. But these fun times of dress-up are not always available to all. Families living on tight budgets are often not able to provide whimsical costumes for their kids to enjoy on special occasions. This past year Community Shlichah Na’ama Keren of the Center for Jewish Living in conjunction with the efforts of Partnership2Gether combined efforts to lead a community costume drive. The local community responded with joy and enthusiasm and provided an abundance of very usable,

sometimes new, costumes. They were carefully packed and shipped to their destination to the surprise and delight of their young recipients, a group of children in Akko, Israel. Yisha Rubin, CEO of the welfare club Garin Omez in Akko reports that the costumes arrived in time for Purim. Rubin relates that they “were given to children from families in [the] welfare club of Garin Omez, who without your unique project could not get costumes and celebrate the Purim holiday like the rest of the city’s children.” On behalf of the families and children whose holiday was just a little more festive because of the efforts of the community in Omaha, Rubin expressed thanks and gratitude, and recently shared some of the fun they experienced by sending photos of the children. “We thank you for your generous support and hope for continued cooperation in the future,” said Rubin. Partnership2Gether is a program of the Center for Jewish Life promoting people-to-people relationships between Israel and communities throughout the world. Omaha is one of 14 cities in the U.S. partnering with the city of Akko and the Matte Asher region in northern Israel, sharing cultural, social, medical, educational and economic programs. For more information on Partnership, please contact Mary Sue Grossman 402.334.6445 mgrossman@jewishomaha.org or Beth Cohen, 402.334.6446, bcohen@jewishomaha.org at the Center for Jewish Life.

Appellate court rules against Demjanjuk by JTA NEWS STAFF (JTA) -- A federal appeals court said that Nazi war criminal John Demjanjuk’s U.S. citizenship cannot be posthumously restored. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled recently that his death made the case moot. Restoration of his citizenship would have enabled his widow to seek Social Security benefits. Demjanjuk’s defense attorneys had asked the appeals court to restore the former suburban Cleveland resident’s citizenship, saying the American government withheld potentially helpful material. A Munich court convicted the Ohio autoworker last year on 28,060 counts of being an accessory to murder at the Sobibor death camp in occupied Poland. Demjanjuk, who maintained that he had been mistaken for someone else,

died while his conviction was under appeal. His defense claimed that U.S. District Judge Dan Polster in Cleveland violated basic fairness by ruling against Demjanjuk's citizenship appeal without holding a hearing on a 1985 secret FBI report uncovered recently by The Associated Press. The document indicates that the FBI believed a Nazi ID card purportedly showing that Demjanjuk served as a death camp guard was a Soviet-made fake. The government argued that the defense filing contained no new information in the matter and the court rejected the arguments on Demjanjuk’s behalf. But the Supreme Court judges also said that they still believed Demjanjuk had served the Nazis, probably at the Trawniki SS training camp and Sobibor, and declined to order a new trial.

by OZZIE NOGG Jewish Social Services and the Rose Blumkin Jewish home will hold it’s annual Volunteer Recognition event on Sunday, July 15 at 1:45 p.m. in the RBJH Auditorium. Awards will be handed out by Lois Wine, Director of

Jim Wax. left, received his award for Volunteer of the Year from Lois Wine, right, at last year’s Volunteer Recognition event. Volunteer Services. “Our many volunteers are greatly appreciated as they do so much for the staff and Residents of the Blumkin Home,” Wine said. “This occasion gives us the opportunity to show our appreciation and thank them for the hours of service they give.” A special Tea Time will follow, and Joe Chereck -- a long-time volunteer -- will provide music on the Clavinova. “The entire community is invited to this program,” Wine said. “Please join us on July 15 to honor our volunteers.”

Beth El presents Shabbat Shira celebration for families by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator All Jewish families with young children are invited to a lively summertime Shabbat Shira (Shabbat of song) celebration, planned for Friday, July 13, at the synagogue. The 6 p.m. program will kick off with a kid-friendly dinner, and will be followed by a ruach (spirit)-filled songfest led by “Miss Patty” Nogg. All families in the Jewish community are welcome to join the fun; cost is $5 for Beth El members and $7.50 for non-members. There is no charge for children ages six and younger. Reservations may be made by visiting www.bethel-omaha.org (type “Shabbat Shira” in the search box), or by contacting the synagogue office, 402.492.8550, or programming@bethel-omaha.org.

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Winners of the 10th Annual Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest by HILLARY FLETCHER Marketing Assistant, Institute for Holocaust Education On April 30 the Institute for Holocaust Education hosted the 10th Annual Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest Awards Ceremony. Attended by approximately 60 students, community members, teachers and supporters, the ceremony highlighted the importance of continuing Holocaust education and of teaching and applying its lessons to society today. The essay contest is a partnership with the Anti-

High School, Blair, NE; Jen Stastny, Central High School; Stephanie Daniels, V.J. & Angela Skutt Catholic High School; Deron Larson, Central High School; Sherri Hoye, V.J. & Angela Skutt Catholic High School. According to Institute for Holocaust Education Executive Director, Beth Dotan, while all of the winning entries this year were excellent, the top winner of each category became evident during the early rounds of judging. Nyakim Chuol of Central High School wrote beautifully

Sarah Cohen was the winner 9th -10th grade category of the Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest. With her is family friend, Esther Silver, Sarah’s teacher, Mary Moeschler, accompanied by her husband, Mr. Moeschler and Marla Cohen, Sarah’s mother.

Nyakim Chuol accepts her award from Linda and Harold Mann

Defamation League. Support from the Carl Frohm Foundation makes this program possible and Linda and Harold Mann, Trustees of the Frohm Foundation, presented the awards to the students. Using the concept of moral courage - defined as the ability to take a strong stance on a specific issue and to defend it based on one’s personal beliefs or convictions regardless of danger or threats to personal safety -- the students researched and applied their new information of historical figures and events to demonstrate their understanding of moral courage. Their essays included a reflection on how these stories are meaningful in their own lives. Essayists related their own experiences and concerns about issues such as racism, homophobia, gender bias, bullying, oppressive regimes and terrorism -- issues that many adults are uncomfortable addressing. This year’s contest drew an overwhelming response of 650 entries from throughout the United States and Canada. The winners were as follows: 9th-10th Grade Category: First Place: Sara Cohen, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart; Second Place: Brittany Johnson, Burke High School; Third Place: Valerie Aguilar, Burke High School; 11th-12th Grade Category: First Place: Nyakim Chuol, Central High School; Second Place: Alan Donham, Central High School; Third Place: Paige Nussrallah, Central High School. Honorable mentions: 9th-10th Grade Category: Mallory Rogers, Burke High School; 11th-12th Grade Category: Margaret Eliason, V.J. & Angela Skutt Catholic High School; Tabitha Panas, Central High School. Teacher recognition awards included: Dawn Nielsen, Blair

and movingly about her own experience as a refugee in Sudan. Relating her story to the Holocaust to inform her readers about moral courage, Nyakim wrote, “The chaotic waves of life that come and go may sometimes blind us and over-complicate our roles and duties towards one another, but sometimes all that is needed in a situation is someone who will stop just for a moment and see what is going on in the world around them, someone who will listen to the voices both around and inside of them and not end there, but run after the sound their moral drum instructs them to. It truly is in those instances that some of the world’s most righteous men and women are revealed.� Sara Cohen, a student at Duschene Academy, related her experiences as a friend to differently-abled students and how that manifested itself in the eyes of her teachers in elementary school. Sara explained the complexities of understanding moral courage referencing Janusz Korczak, “when Korczak honorably led his famous four-to-a-row procession [of orphaned children] down the ghetto street to the Umschlagplatz, into the train, and ultimately to death, he wasn’t thinking about himself. He was thinking of the children-garbed with their finest dress clothes, miniscule heads held high–the children who displayed no ounce of fear, even when staring directly into the eyes of their oppressors. For this reason, for the duration of the last hours of his life Janusz Korczak stood proud. His own small act of resistance showed the Nazis that even though they were slowly killing off the Jews, their courage and confidence would last eternally.� The essay contest’s 10th year brought with it not only the most entries in its history, but also some of the most sophisticated writing and more variety in examples of moral courage.

Wellness means good physical and mental health by TERESA DRELICHARZ, LIMHP JFS Therapist We all know that maintaining good physical health is an important factor in our over-all wellness, but we tend to focus less on maintaining good mental health. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to mental health in our society, which prevents many people from seeking out the help they might need. The truth is, mental health problems that are not addressed can lead to physical ailments. The causes of mental health problems vary with each individual, but a common issue that affects most of us is STRESS! Licensed Psychologist Bob West created the following list of common life situations that can lead to stress: • Having too many responsibilities • Vague or confusing expectations • Having to do unpleasant tasks • Facing too many distractions • Having to do tasks for which one is unprepared • Working with difficult people • Being bored • Being sick • Experiencing too many changes • Being in physical danger

• Living or working in a crowded space • Not getting enough exercise • Poor nutrition • Not getting enough sleep • Not enough time to relax • Being dissatisfied with your physical appearance • Abusing drugs or alcohol, or being close to someone who abuses drugs or alcohol. Once we are aware of the sources of our stress, we can take steps to resolve many of these issues on our own. At times we may need to rely on the help of family, friends, co-workers, or other supportive people in our lives. Perhaps we can take advantage of services offered in our community, or through Wellness Programs offered in the workplace (in fact, the Jewish Federation is initiating a wellness program for campus employees called ClubWellness - coming soon!) In some situations, we may find that we need professional help to fully address the issues. If we have a physical injury, we are likely to seek medical attention. Please don’t hesitate to seek help for an “emotional injury, knowing that our sense of over-all WELLNESS depends on a healthy body AND a healthy mind!â€?

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by LYNN BATTEN Publicity and Gallery Manager During the month of July, the JCC Gallery welcomes the Midwest Fiber Art Alliance as they present their Plus One exhibit. The Plus One exhibit consists of fiber, mixed media, and textile artwork that was created using a limited color palette. Artists were able to use the colors of black and white, as well as one additional hue. The resulting outcome is a stunning visual display that is sure to please people of all ages. The fifteen Nebraska members of the Midwest Finer Art Alliance who will have work on display are: Aimee Mahan, Debi Blackmeer Kibbee,

Debra Ward, Dianne Duncan Thomas, Karen Stiehl Osborn, Marge Bresel, Rebecca Lilly Segura, Rhonda Baldwin, LaVonne M. Dunetts, Gail M. Dickel, Jo Ann Drueke, Marcia O’Donovan-artwork pictured, Peg Pennell, Kellie Kachek and Wendy Maliszewski. The exhibition will run Sunday, July 1 - Sunday, July 29. The public is invited to meet the artists at the o p e n i n g reception on Sunday, July 8, from 1-3 p.m. JCC Gallery hours are Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.5 p.m. For questions please contact Lynn Batten, Gallery Manager, at 402.334.6564.

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by MARY SUE GROSSMAN Associate Executive Director, The Center for Jewish Life Adam Beren, a businessman and philanthropist from Wichita, Kansas, has initiated the See Galilee program, a five- month volunteer program in the Galilee region of Israel offered to young Jewish adults in the United States. The program will be run by Galila - The Northern Galilee Development Foundation who have contracted Israel Way/ Oranim to organize and be responsible for the program. Israel Way/Oranim is the largest provider of services for MASA programs in Israel. Masa Israel Journey connects Jewish young adults (ages 18-30) to gap year, study abroad, post-college, and volunteer programs. No other organization makes it easier for young adults to have exciting, lifechanging experiences in Israel. Beren reports the goals of See Galilee are multi-faceted and include the following: 1) strengthen the connection of the participants with Israel and the Galilee; 2) improve participants’ Hebrew skills; 3) fulfill the participant’s desire for volunteerism in Israel; 4) build Jewish community; 5) build a greater understanding of current political, social and cultural issues facing Israel and the Jewish diaspora for the participant; 6) help the participant develop a business plan for social entrepreneurship in the Jewish community upon completion of the program, and 7) strengthen the participants’ leadership skills framed in a Jewish context and perhaps inspire the participants to take leadership roles in the Jewish community. There are two sessions in the coming year: Sept. 3, 2012 - Jan. 31, 2013 and Feb. 18 July 18, 2013. Tuition is just $1,500 and includes accomodations, 120 hours of ulpan study, full education and enrichment programs, host families, personalized madrichim, a $200 month stipend, round trip airfare of up to $2,000, ten days of structured travel around Israel, hiking trips and more. The application deadline for the first session is July 27, 2012.

“I would especially encourage young adults from the Omaha area to apply for the See Galilee program,” stated Beren. “Giving young adults from the Midwest the opportunity to be a part of this venture is a top priority for me. Having the chance to be ‘on the ground’ learning about Israel and learning the importance of volunteerism will hopefully provide a starting point for a lifelong involvement with the Jewish world.” Beren’s primary involvement in the Jewish community has been as a member and leader of JNF young leadership in Chicago where he lived for three years after graduating from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He served as a member of the UJA Young Leadership Cabinet where he held several national positions including national campaign chair and was a member and graduate of the Wexner program for lay leadership. He has also served as president of the Mid Kansas Jewish Federation for three years which is based in his home in Wichita, Kansas. While still participating in communal organizations, Beren has recently tried to make a more personal connection with his giving through projects he is funding run by Galila and by initiating See Galilee. He and his family – wife, Ellen and children Sophie, age 17, Samuel, age 15 and Esther, age 12 plan to build lifelong friendships with See Galilee participants and their families. Selected participants will have graduated from college within the last four years, have a demonstrated track record of leadership and volunteerism and have an interest in helping the future of the Jewish people. Basic Hebrew skills and a previous Israel experience are preferred but not a requirement for selection. For more information on the See Galilee program, visit www.destinationisrael.com. The lead organizations for See Israel are the Galila Foundation and Israel Way and funding partners include MASA, the Beren SEA Foundation, the Mid Kansas Jewish Federation. Supporting organizations are the University of Kansas Hillel and the Jewish Federation of Kansas City.

To order a gift subscription to the Press... Send a check for $25, made out to the Jewish Press and prorated for the year, to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. For more information on how to connect your out-of-town relatives and friends, call 402.334.6448.

July 6, 2012 | The Jewish Press | 7

Engagement HINDMAN/BAILEY Binny Hindman of Chicago and Jeff Hindman of St. Louis, announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter, Lacey Anne Hindman, to Michael Lewis Bailey, son of Marlee Kopecky and Scott Bailey. Grandparents are Pat and Don Hindman of Chicago, the late Shirley and Joe Abell of Chicago, Bobbi and Marvin Richards, Susan Bailey and the late William Bailey. The couple resides in Chicago and is planning a September wedding.

Baby boomers shaping new trends in care by SARAH LAKE Visiting Nurse Association is celebrating its 115th year of providing healthcare services to Omaha and Council Bluffs. Over the years, VNA has seen the healthcare needs of the community evolve. The driving influence of care today is the baby boom generation – a population that will grow by 50 percent over the next five years. This generation expects to age in an entirely new way. Many are still employed, but considering retirement or a part-time job. They are active and driving. Not only are they caring for themselves, they may also be supporting children or grandchildren, an aging parent or in-law. Boomers will be faced with three main concerns: financial security, health and quality of life — more specifically, maintaining long-term independence. VNA, which has been trusted by families and doctors for generations to deliver the highest quality in-home healthcare, is here to help today’s seniors with today’s new challenges. VNA has expanded their services to deliver a complete continuum of in-home care support by offering VNA Companion Care. VNA Companion Care is designed to create a comfortable environment and offer the assistance needed so that seniors can remain at home with the highest level of safety and independence possible, enhancing their quality of life. Homemaker and companion services, as well as personal care services, are available. If needs should change, clients find comfort knowing VNA caregivers are backed by a team of skilled nurses and the full range of Medicare-certified home care services for support — regardless of their economic status. For more information on VNA’s in-home and community care services, visit www.thevnacares.org. PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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Emily Katz, Cara Carson in Partnership2Gether Kefidah program by MARY SUE GROSSMAN Eliad Eliyahu, Education Coordinator for Partnership Associate Executive Director, The Center for Jewish Life reported “There was great cooperation and the girls added a Omaha’s very own Emily Katz and Cara Carson, along lot to this activity.” Following that activity, Emily, Cara and with Lyndsey Vogler from Youngstown, Ohio, recently Lindsey met Tal’s and Eylam’s mothers, who will be hosting arrived in Israel to participate in the Partnership2Gether the group for dinners during their free evenings. The picture here was described as a “Kefidah” program. Emily, “family picture of the Cara and Lindsey will be ‘international counselors’ adding an “American” fla– with their mothers!” vor to day camps while The group will also volworking as camp coununteer at Hafuch al selors in Akko and Matte Asher. Hafuch, another PartnerKefiada is a four week ship program. Hafuch is a volunteer program for café, counseling and inforyoung adults giving particmation center for at-risk ipants an amazing opporyouth in Akko. Other tunity to not just be visitors activities include touring in northern Israel, activiin Israel, but to work, gain ties with the Partnership an understanding of dayTriTeam participants, to-day life, and make many spending time with local personal connections. Emily Katz, second from left, Lyndsey Vogler, and Cara Carson, families and much more. Emily, Cara and Lindsey U.S. counselors for Kefidah along with their Israeli “families” The goals of were immediately involved with a special project, acting as an “American audience” for Partnership2Gether are to promote people-to-people two Israeli teens who will be working at Camp Chai in understanding between people of America and people of Dallas. As a part of their final preparation, the young men – Israel. Partnership2Gether is presented through the Center Tal and Eylam - went over their planned activities, asked lots for Jewish Life and the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For of questions and received some great input from the gals. more information on Partnership, please call 402.334.6445.

Beth El Men’s Club plans special Jews & Brews at JCC by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator For the past year, Beth El’s Men’s Club has hosted Jews ‘n’ Brews, casual social get-togethers for men (over 18 years of age) in the congregation. Now, Men’s Club wants Beth Israel and Temple Israel to join in the fun, and is inviting the men from those congregations to a special Jews ‘n’ Brews event on Thursday, July 12, 7 p.m., at the Jewish Community Center outdoor pavilion, located on the east side of the building. (In the event of inclement weather, the event will move to the Beth El social hall.) It’ll be all about fun, food and friends, according to Beth

El Men’s Club President Michael Schop, who said he looks forward to sharing the next JNB with other Jewish men from throughout the community. “There are so many fun people in the Omaha Jewish community spread out among the various synagogues,” he said. “I encourage everyone to join us to get to know people outside of their everyday friends. It’s rewarding and fun.” The evening’s fare will include barbecue, beer (and non-alcoholic drinks), and other treats; there is a $5 charge to attend. For planning purposes, reservations are required, and may be made by visiting Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ events/406865656032258/; or by contacting Mike Schop at mschop17@hotmail.com, or 402.445.4004.

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Collaboration brings innovation in education by MARK KIRCHHOFF Administrative Assistant, Center for Jewish Life The Omaha Jewish Community has a deep and sincere interest in providing relevant, interesting and lasting Jewish educational and experiential activities for the Jewish youth of the community. Teens have a myriad of activities and interests in their lives. Adults must take their responsibilities to the youth seriously and develop educational experiences that are an important element in those activities. Toward this end, representatives from Beth El Synagogue, Beth Israel Synagogue, Temple Israel, and the Federation have been participating on a Task Force whose purpose is to use the combined strengths of all entities to create and implement educational programs for high school students for the 2012–13 school year. From its inception, the Task Force set aside traditional approaches and engaged in a series of creative planning sessions to develop what it hopes will be a ground-breaking approach to meeting the needs of Jewish high school students. Task Force members agreed that the overarching goal is to prepare high school students to be knowledgeable, thinking, involved, responsible Jewish adults. Being a Jew means something – and it is something special. The princi-

ples, values, and ways of acting in the world need to be taught, learned, embraced, and carried on from one generation to the next. It is with this spirit that a focused Jewish educational process becomes a part of the foundation for teenagers to graduate from high school feeling positive about being a part of the Jewish people, motivated to be an active member of our Omaha Jewish community and inspired to continue learning. The African proverb is correct – it does take a village to raise a child. For our children it takes the values and instruction learned and modeled in the home, the wisdom of the ages brought forward from the synagogues, the assistance of educators, and the development of a relationship with G-d to guide one’s life. With a oneness of purpose and the resolve to coordinate all community resources, the Task Force has been striving to identify the strengths of each entity and to use those strengths for a common good. As the new school year approaches, the synagogues will continue to be a vital part in the education of its young congregants. The Task Force will call upon its strengths to develop focused topical programs of varying lengths that will be in harmony with the efforts of the synagogues. The learning experiences that will be made

It’s the Beat added to KOIL Radio Saturday lineup by NORMA JOHNSON treat! Karen is known for her music and entertainment and Manager JMR Productions Jody is a hilarious personality. It’s the Beat promises to be a It’s the Beat with Karen Sokolof Javitch and co-host Jody wonderful radio opportunity while you’re driving, having Vinci, will premier Saturday, July 7 at noon on Omaha’s lunch or just relaxing at home or with friends” Karen has raised over $280,000 “The Mighty 1290.” Both from for national and local charities Omaha, Karen is a well-known though her original music and songwriter and playwright, and musicals. Her shows, including Jody is a major Omaha one about the late Princess Diana voiceover talent. Among their which she co-wrote with Elaine first guests will be Oscar-winJabenis, have been performed in ner, director Alexander Payne and movie and tv actor, John Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Beasley. St. Louis as well as Omaha. She It’s the Beat is an hour-long and her husband, Gary, have 3 variety show that will feature adult children, Jenny, Mark and interviews with national and Rachel. local media stars,” explains Jody has had over 25 years of executive management experiJavitch. “I am thrilled that Jodi ence in the Travel and Hospitality Vinci, television, radio and corKaren Javitch, left, and Jodi Vinci industry. She has done national porate voiceover talent and lifelong friend will add her unique blend of comedy and voiceovers for Chase Bank, McDonalds, First Data and insight to each show. It’s the Beat will also feature some of Mutual of Omaha. She is the proud Mom of teenagers my original songs as well those of other songwriters. It is Steven and Mia. It’s The Beat will highlight local and national musicians, difficult to get your songs on the radio, and I want to give authors, artists and cultural events. We are so excited to others that chance,” Javitch added. Andy Ruback, General Manager of Omaha’s NRG radio present Omaha’s hidden talent to our audience!” Vinci group added, “Saturday noon listeners are in for a real continued. “Be prepared to have lots of fun!”

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available to the youth will not be restricted to traditional classroom instruction. All educational experiences will follow the principles of Pirkei Avot: Torah, Avoday, G’milut Chasidim – Study, Worship, Acts of Kindness. At the present time, ten program themes are being developed and the content and activities related to those themes are being put together. By the end of July, the program package will be completed and announced. Task Force Members are excited about how the community has come together for a common cause. Those who have participated include (in alphabetical order): Rabbi Steven Abraham, Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, Bonnie Bloch, Rabbi Joshua Brown, Beth Cohen, Rabbi Jonathan Gross, Rabbi Mordechai Levin, Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi, Joel Rich, Kimberly Robinson, Aviva Segall, Cantor Wendy Shermet, Louri Sullivan, Eadie Tsabari, and Rabbi Yaakov Weiss. More than a challenge, it has been a blessing to participate in the development of young adults. The future is with us today. Stay involved in helping it evolve. For additional information, contact Beth Cohen, Executive Director, Center for Jewish Life, 402.334.6446, or bcohen@jewishomaha.org.

Brownville Concert Series to present classical harmonica soloist Robert Bonfiglio by JAN CHISM WRIGHT Called “the Paganini of the Harmonica” by The Los Angeles Times, Robert Bonfiglio has dazzled audiences from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center. He will be appearing in concert Sunday, July 15 at 2 p.m. in the Brownville Concert Hall, followed by a free Harmonica Workshop for aspiring harmonica fans. He will be accompanied by guitarist Stephen Benson. Robert Bonfiglio earned his Masters degree in composition from Manhattan School of Music. He studied harmonica with Chamber Huang and was coached for 12 years by Andrew Lolya. Robert is comfortable in a variety of musical settings, from jazz and classical music to Broadway, rhythm and blues, bluegrass and klezmer music. He currently performs on Broadway in the orchestra pits of The Lion King, Chicago, Mary Poppins and Hair. He is on the jazz faculty at Montclair State University. Concert tickets are $17 and $12 for students. To purchase tickets online go to www.brownvilleconcertseries.com or call 402.825.3331. The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, supports this program through a matching grant funded by the Nebraska Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Mid-America Arts Alliance was created to support and stimulate cultural activity in communities throughout AR, KS, MO, NE, OK, and TX. PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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A good day for religious tolerance in Israel and Jewish education), if anyone is deserving of being a sole winner of the Liebhaber Prize it is Rabbi Hartman. After the awarding of the Prize, Rabbi Liebhaber addressed the assembly. His remarks were particularly well received (after the ceremony many of the young people present went up to congratulate him), and he reiterated his message of tolerance to me in a long meeting that I was privileged to have the next day with him. “Judaism’s strength is that it changes,” Rabbi Liebhaber said. “But you can’t fashion society according to your will by force. You can do it only by debate, convincing, and then let nature take care of it.” He said: “We have always had different schools of thought, such as the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai, and we have always had different streams of Judaism.” When I told him, “yes, but they always hated each other,” he replied: “If they didn’t hate each other I wouldn’t have to give a prize.” I learned from Rabbi Liebhaber that tolerance is an excellent life attitude (no small recommendation coming from a 95-yearold). When I asked him how I personally can become more tolerant, especially when I am regularly faced with my five college-aged children who steadfastly refuse to live their lives according to my exclusive dictates, he had two words for me: “Let them.” And then he said this: “If you’re not tolerant it’s no tragedy either; you just made your life a little bit more difficult.” Postscript: It turned out that May 29 was not just a day of celebration of religious pluralism and tolerance for the Schechter Institute but for the whole State of Israel. On that day Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein announced that the State will begin funding the salaries of some nonOrthodox rabbis to non-Orthodox communities. Though these non-Orthodox rabbis will still not have state authority over religious matters, for the first time in Israel’s history the State has agreed to pay and to refer to Reform and Conservative rabbis as “rabbis.” According to Rabbi David Golinkin, President of the Schechter Institute, “this is a giant step forward towards religious pluralism in Israel.” Teddy Weinberger made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Ross, and their five children. Their oldest three, Nathan, Rebecca and Ruthie, are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@net vision.net.il.

Journal entry from Israel TEDDY WEINBERGER Rabbi Marc and Dr. Henia Liebhaber happened to be in Israel on the night of November 4, 1995. When news of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin reached them, Henia turned to her husband and said, “we’ve got to do something.” Thus was born the Marc and Henia Liebhaber Prize for the Promotion of Religious Tolerance in Israel. On Tuesday May 29 I attended the 15th annual award ceremony of the Liebhaber Prize, held at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. Rabbi Liebhaber, a sprightly nonagenarian, was in attendance (Dr. Henia passed away two years ago). Rabbi Liebhaber has a colorful history: After ordination and a Master’s degree in journalism in Warsaw, he survived the Holocaust in Siberia (where he had been expelled by the Russians because of his Zionist activities). Rabbi Liebhaber ultimately settled in Minneapolis in the late 1950’s, where he was rabbi of B’nai Emet Synagogue for 23 years. When he retired from his pulpit, he became a full-time investor. “Whatever I touched came out good,” he told me (he was especially good in real estate; as he says: “when you came from Europe you had a better idea of what’s going to happen to a building”). The 2012 Liebhaber Prize recipients are Rabbi Professor David Hartman and Professor Na’ama Sabar Ben-Yehoshua. Rabbi Hartman founded the Shalom Hartman Institute, a research center and think tank for Jewish and Zionist education. Over the past 26 years the Hartman Institute has educated tens of thousands of people both from Israel and the Diaspora: high school students, teachers and community leaders from all streams of Judaism. Rabbi Hartman has authored many crucial books in Jewish thought, including the most important book in contemporary Jewish theology: A Living Covenant: The Innovative Spirit in Traditional Judaism (1986). His 1999 publication, A Heart of Many Rooms: Celebrating the Many Voices Within Judaism, bears witness to his dedicated committment to religious pluralism and tolerance. The decision to have Rabbi Hartman share the Prize is a puzzling one (it has often been awarded singly). Without taking anything away from Professor Ben-Yehoshua (a respected scholar in educational research

The Florence Mill the USA and Canada preserving this architecby LINDA MEIGS The Florence Mill is a preservation success ture unique to North America through photogstory in Omaha. It went from dilapidated ruin raphy and written documentation of these obsoin 1998 to a historical and cultural site open to lete and threatened structures. They are based out of Bozeman, Montana. the public. Sept. - Travels Home artwork by Christine 2012 Events & Activities at the Florence Fredendall. Christine is the 6th recipient of the Mill • Farmers Market: Sundays 10 a.m.-3 Connor Meigs Art Award. Christine lives in Ann p.m. - The market season runs through Sept. Arbor Michigan and received her BFA from the 30. New to the market this summer is First University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Oct. 6 & 7 - North Hills Pottery Tour: Potters Sundays... the first Sundays of June, July, August and September, the mill hosts family- and ceramic artists take over the Mill for a fun friendly-fun with pony rides, bubbles in the field art event, culminating the Florence Mill’s 2012 and Miss Joan’s craft-table in the drive-shed. season before it goes into hibernation for the winBesides fresh, local produce and artisans dis- ter. The ArtLoft hours are Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 playing their crafts, the Florence Mill Farmers Market also hosts weekly educational presen- p.m. and Wednesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. The Florence Mill, which houses the Winter tations called “Country School.” •ArtLoft Exhibits: June-August - Quarters Mill Museum, ArtLoft Gallery, Gift Shop Landmarks in a Sea of Grass, an exhibit of pho- and Farmers Market is located at 9102 N. 30th tographs by Bruce Selyem. Bruce founded the St. Omaha, NE 68112 and is conveniently locatCountry Grain Elevator Historical Society in ed next to I-680, Exit 13. For more information 1995. He and his wife, Barbara Selyem, travel call 402.551.1233. PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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by RICHARD FELLMAN strong leadership of Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich, who was sent It sounds a bit odd, doesn’t it, to claim attending Shabbat to Kiev in 1990 by the Stoliner Rebbe and is now the Chief services in four synagogues in two countries in just eight days, Rabbi of Kiev and Ukraine. but the calendar tells the story. After Shabbat morning servI recently spent Friday ices, assistant Rabbi Motty night in Kiev at the Ukraine’s Neuwirth invited me to his largest Progressive synahome where his wife, Malky, gogue, Reform in American four other guests, and the terms, and Saturday morning Neuwirth children sat down in Kiev at Ukraine’s oldest to a two-and-a-half hour Traditional Shul, Orthodox to Shabbat meal, with a typical Americans. The next Friday Ukrainian menu of more than evening I found myself in a half dozen different salad Warsaw at the city’s oldest and vegetable dishes to start, Traditional Shul still standthen soup, and cholent, with ing, and Saturday morning at wine, vodka, and American Warsaw’s newest Progressive liquors interspersed, and synagogue. finally dessert. His apartIt was a quick plane ride ment, a few blocks from the from Kiev where I spent a Padol synagogue, is in the week at the National Academy heart of what was once the of Public Administration givold Jewish neighborhood but ing lectures on American now is no longer Jewish. Government and Politics and The Jewish influence and then four days traveling in the history of the Jews in Kiev Western Ukraine to the shtetl appear time and again in home of my paternal grandfanearly every part of the city. ther. Then came a three-day Sweetest of all is the life size visit to Warsaw to experience statue of Sholom Aleichem what remained of that once standing in downtown Kiev vibrant center of East just around the corner from European Jewry. the Brodskiy Synagogue, a Each synagogue was differmandatory stop for every tour ent, with its own unique histoof the city. Friday evening I ry. Each today has a rabbi with found the Progressive synaa background different from gogue, which my wife Bev the others. But they share one and I failed to locate two major characteristic. years ago. This synagogue is The majority of those hidden in an old building attending are either recent behind the Polish Embassy, converts or men and women and is entirely unmarked. I currently in the process of walked around an inside converting. Some, more in the courtyard looking for the traditional shuls than in the entrance when the nonprogressive synagogues, are Jewish assistant to the reading the service in Hebrew, Progressive rabbi saw me and but the overwhelming majoritook me inside and upstairs, ty in the Progressive synawhere the service was taking gogues and a significant numplace. ber even in the traditional The service, entirely in shuls are reading the service Hebrew except for a psalm or in transliteration. two in Russian, was nearly However, it turns out that identical to the Kabbalat the life stories of these indiShabbat service at Beth El in viduals are similar in one Omaha. The melodies were major aspect. identical. A young man served Time and again I was told as the cantor, with his guitar. that the person sitting next to The shul in Padol, on the other me had a Jewish ancestor, a hand, was entirely traditional, grandparent or great-grandno different than Orthodox parent who “left” Judaism synagogues in this country. The Podol Synagogue, top two photos, was built in 1895 in voluntarily many years ago. In The Progressive rabbi Kiev, Ukraine. Bottom: This monument to Sholom Aleichen, some cases it was intermarintroduced himself to me, the greatest Yiddish writer, stands today in the central busiriage. For some it was to gave me a siddur in Hebrew ness district of Kiev, his home, near the Brodskiy Synagogue. evade the Nazis. For others it and Russian, and following was to accept the doctrines of the Communist Party and the services asked me if I wanted to say a few words, which I did. strong pressures against all religions. To do otherwise in The rabbi was ordained at the Rabbi Leo Baeck Progressive many cases placed great difficulties upon any person who Seminary in London. I was told by non-Jewish friends from retained their Jewish identity. Today, these men and women, Omaha who I was having dinner with in Kiev that Rabbi often quite young, are searching for their roots in Judaism Alexander Dokhovney, the chief rabbi of the Progressive and the rabbis I met are all helping them along the way. synagogues of Kiev and Ukraine, is known for his unusualKiev, before the 1917 Revolution, was a city with a major ly fine tours of Jewish Kiev. He is particularly known for his Jewish population. Historical events destroyed that thriving tours of of Babi Yar, the site where the Germans executed center -- Pogroms, the Revolution itself, the wars which over 30,000 Jews of Kiev in one day soon after the Germans took place in Russia and Ukraine in the years immediately conquered Kiev in l941. following the Revolution, the famine called the I only found out after returning to Omaha that Rabbi “holodomor” of the 30’s in the USSR, World War II, and Dokhovney is a first cousin of Anna Mosenkis, who herself Nazi extermination of Jews in all of Ukraine. The Soviet era grew up in Kiev but is now, with her husband Igor, from the 50’s until Perestroika of the 90’s, a time when Jews American and an active member of Beth El here in Omaha were afraid to practice their faith, left the Soviet Jewish and one of its regular Erev Shabbat musicians. world in hiding and underground. Editor’s note: this is part one of Dick Fellman’s story One synagogue remained open in Kiev after WWII, the about his most recent visit to Kiev and Warsaw. Part two, Padol Synagogue founded in 1895. However, during the which talks about Warsaw, will follow soon. Soviet period the rabbi, cantor, and president of the congregation were thought to be agents of the KGB who regularly JEWISH PRESS DEADLINE reported the names of those who attended services to the Please send all articles, photos and ads to the Press by authorities. Padol was kept functioning, while the Nazis desThursdays, 9 a.m., for all regular issues (early deadlines for ecrated Brodskiy Synagogue in downtown Kiev. Later, the special issues and to accommodate office closings for holiSoviets turned it into a theater. days will be announced in advance). Today Padol is beautifully restored inside and resplendent outside in deep pink with white trim, functions under the Questions? Call 402.334.6448.

July 6, 2012 | The Jewish Press | 11

Walking down memory lane

Shawarma and shenanigans mark Star Deli anniversary by OZZIE NOGG The second anniversary of the Star Deli will be celebrated on Friday, July 13, with traditional Lower East Side entrees and a Middle East speciality. “In addition to our signature sandwiches, soups and salads, we’ll serve Shawarma,” said Mike Aparo, Director of Food & Environmental Services at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Shawarma -- a popular Israeli street food -- is a sandwich of exotically seasoned grilled meat, sliced thin, served on pita bread, topped with tomato, cucumber and onion salad, with a side of tabbouleh or french fries. “Add a dollop of mango chutney or garlicky tahini and Shawarma becomes positively addictive,” Aparo said. “Be prepared to order more than one.” Be prepared for some anniversary hi-jinks, too. “If you wear a goofy hat -- ball caps not included -- you’ll get dessert for half-price,” Aparo said. “Wear a pair of overalls to the Anniversary Deli and your lunch will be half-price.” Patrons gutsy enough to sport a wedding dress or tuxedo to the July 13 Deli will receive a free meal, specials not included. And for Deli diners looking to cut their lunch tab to the bone, Aparo offered this challenge. “If you shave your head or eyebrows at the Deli you’ll receive a free meal, specials includ-

ed. If you shave your head and your eyebrows we’ll award you a $50 Deli gift certificate or a gargantuan, eight-pound Goldberg Sandwich, your choice. A beautician will be on hand to assist those who accept the challenge.” Not wanting to claim all the glory for planning the Deli Anniversary antics, Aparo fingered his cohorts: Mike Silverman, Omaha Jewish Federation CEO; Josh Gurock, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Facilities Coordinator; and Mike Schop, RBJH Assistant Administrator. “When the four of us put our heads together things can get a bit goofy,” Aparo admitted, “but the Friday Star Deli is famous for it’s good food and good fun, and our second anniversary will include both. Please join us on July 13.” The Star Deli on Main Street is open every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In addition, the Deli is happy to host special occasions and will reserve private dining spaces in the RBJH for large groups. For more information on how Star Deli Catering can add spice to your meetings, parties and life cycle events, please contact Mike Aparo at 402.334.6522. A Star Deli Dairy Lunch is scheduled for Friday, July 27. Look for details of this popular summer-time event in upcoming editions of the Jewish Press.

Senior health and wellness, a focus for Immanuel by KAREN MENAGH RBJH Activities Director The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home will hold its second Annual Car Show and Shine on Sept. 9, 2012 at 1:30-3 p.m. Do you own a vintage car, or know someone who does? Then this is a great opportunity to show off those shiny fins or brilliant tail lights. The show is open to any car, truck, or motorcycle enthusiast, and the entire community is invited to attend. For more information on how to enter your vehicle in the car show, please contact Karen Menagh or Adrienne Kitagawa at 402.334.6520 or email at kmenagh@rbjh.com or ashiverdecker@rbjh.com. That same day, we will also be celebrating Grandparents Day with an ice cream social after the car show. A photo booth will be available as well. Hope to see you there!

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by CONNIE CHISHOLM At Immanuel, we are committed to a holistic approach to wellness of the body, mind and spirit. In order for a person to be healthy they must have a good balance not only of physical health, but also of mental and spiritual health as well. The belief is that everything you do, think, and believe has an impact on your state of wellness. “By providing a well-rounded calendar of life-long learning events and activities on a monthly basis we enable our residents to actively age and enjoy an enhanced quality of life. Our residents make their experience with Immanuel uniquely their own by participating in activities and events that support their ideal lifestyle,” stated Rachel Hoeck, Immanuel Lead Wellness Manager. One such event was part of the Immanuel Speaker Series and featured fellow Nebraskan Mr. Dick Cavett. Known for his wry humor and easy banter in the 60s and 70s on The Dick Cavett

Show, Mr. Cavett proved that he still has the gift to delight and entertain. On June 19 the Immanuel Community Foundation hosted nearly 500 Immanuel residents, staff and special guests at Embassy Suites La Vista for ‘An afternoon with Dick Cavett: Conversations that Shaped America’s Landscape’ where Cavett and longtime friend, Mr. Ron Hull discussed some of Cavett’s more memorable guests on The Dick Cavett Show. “This type of event reinforces Immanuel’s goal to change the perception of senior living and aging. We believe there is nothing more rewarding than helping others live their life to the fullest” said Roxann Rogers Meyer, Immanuel Vice President of Marketing & Communication. Whether it is touring the UNL Memorial Stadium, visiting the Joslyn Museum, attending a fitness class, meeting with one of the Immanuel’s professional wellness staff or partaking in one of the various worship services, Immanuel residents know they can expect a commitment to a worry-free lifestyle.

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In the news Nebraska’s Got Talent today announced that auditions are open for the Aug. 25 preliminaries and the Finals on Sept 15. All proceeds from the sale of tickets will be donated to www.TogetherOmaha.org. Andy Greenberg and Becki Jelinek, show producers, encourage all singers, dancers, musicians, and entertainers from age 5- 90 to enter before Aug. 1. We will select 120 to compete on Aug. 25 at Burke High School. 15 will be selected for the finals to be held on Sept. 15.” All entry forms are on www.nebraskasgotalent.com. To qualify for an audition review, please refer us to a posted U Tube video that exists (or post a new one) or send in a CD or DVD to Nebraska’s Got Talent 663 N 132nd Street PMB 164 Omaha, NE 68154 with an entry form. There will be prizes for the final three and they will perform at this year’s “Fall and Home and Garden Expo” held at the Century Link Center, Oct 19-21. For more information, call Andy Greenberg at 402.250.3895, e-mail speakingofandygreenberg@cox.net or visit www.NebraskasGotTalent.com. Lauren Topek, daughter of Dennis and Susan Paley, was awarded a Doctorate of Education degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Houston. She is currently the Academics Program Manager for the Houston Independent School District’s Apollo 20 Program, whose mission is “a bold initiative to transform public education in Houston.” The Apollo Project is partnered with Harvard University’s Education Innovation Laboratory. She also holds a Master of Education degree in Teaching and Leadership from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Former Omahan, Megan Adams-Bennett recently completed the Cahn Fellows Program for Distinguished Principals at Teachers College, Columbia University. The year-long program recognizes outstanding principals and provides them with opportunities for professional, intellectual and personal growth. Megan is principal of the New York City Lab Middle School for Collaborative Studies in Chelsea, Manhattan. She is a graduate of Millard North, University of Iowa, and Columbia University, and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of NebraskaLincoln. Megan is married to Jeffrey Bennett, and is the daughter of Bettie and John Adams. Meg and her husband reside in South Orange, NJ. The American Taekwondo Association (ATA) held its annual World Championships Tournament June 18-24 in Little Rock, Ark. Sandy Gordon, a first degree black belt from Omaha, placed second in the world in her division. Gordon competed against finalists from around the world in the Women’s age 50-59 division. After a year of hard work and strenuous competition, Gordon walked away with the

ClubWellness needs you silver medal in traditional weapons. The Top Ten martial artist currently trains at Omaha Black Belt Academy. Gordon was one of the 5,000 competitors who traveled to Little Rock for the annual ATA World Championships, which is a week- long celebration of Taekwondo. This year’s event drew more than 20,000 martial art students, instructors and fans from nearly 20 countries for specialty training seminars, high rank belt testing and World Champion competition. The ATA World Championships is the largest annual convention in the city of Little Rock. For more information on the 2012 ATA World Championships or to find an ATA school near you, visit www.ataonline.com. Travis B. Lewis was conferred with a Ph.D. in cell biology at the Doctoral Hooding and Commencement Ceremony held May 12, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He is completing his clinical rotations in UAB’s medical school where he is enrolled in the M.D./Ph.D. program, and will receive his M.D. degree next spring. Travis is the son of Lisa and Denny Lewis.

Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Hal Daub, finalist in the “Race for Regent” will discuss his views on the electoral battle on Wednesday, July 11, noon at the Blumkin Home. An optional buffet lunch costs $11; beverage service only is $3. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@ jewishomaha.org. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH How much Yiddish do you know? Probably more than you think. Some English words have made their way into Yiddish. Many Yiddish words are commonly used in English. Every first Thursday of the month, we will be playing Yiddish Bingo. This will give you a chance to show off the Yiddish you didn’t even know you knew. Everyone is invited! We meet every Thursday from 1-3 p.m., in the Rose Blumkin Home Board Room. For information call Anne Skolkin at 402.343.1638.

To order a gift subscription to the Press... Send a check for $25, made out to the Jewish Press and prorated for the year, to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. For more information on how to connect your outof-town relatives and friends, call 402.334.6448.

by MARK KIRCHHOFF for the ClubWellness Team If you were to take a moment to look around the Federation Campus, you might be overwhelmed to discover (or rediscover) that “The J” offers swimming, biking, yoga, dance, a running track, basketball hoops, racquetball courts, nutritional education, and fitness training. Walk around the grounds to appreciate the baseball field, walking track, a sand volleyball area, and great open space. Jewish Family Service offers parenting programs and counseling. But there might be one thing sadly lacking from this impressive list: participation. To show its further commitment to wellness in the workplace, The Jewish Federation of Omaha is establishing ClubWellness, a program to benefit campus staff members. To facilitate this process a wellness team has been formed and has been meeting to get the program moving. The members of the ClubWellness team are Ed Heller, Chairperson; Lynn Batten; Beth Cohen; Teresa Drelicharz; Sylvia Herszkopf; Steve Levinger; Shelly Spencer; Jenn Tompkins Kirshenbaum, and Margie Utesch are all excited to announce that the program is scheduled for full implementation in the fall of 2012. Consider just a few health-related facts cited by David Anderson, Ph.D. in private practice in Stamford, CT and researcher in the field of employee wellness. “People with healthier lifestyles live an average of 6 to 9 years longer, postpone disability by 9 years and compress disability into fewer years at the end of life. Unhealthy lifestyle is the primary factor to the six leading causes of death in the United States – heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases, accidents, and diabetes – which collectively account for over 70 percent of all deaths.” Employers benefit from a dynamic wellness program as well. “Recent research indicates a direct relationship between modifiable lifestyle risks and lower worker productivity, and relevant data suggest that the costs to corporations in lost productivity due to poor employee health may be substantially more than the direct health and disability costs.” To cut to the chase, wellness benefits everyone. “We want to establish a program that meets the needs of the staff and encourages everyone’s participation,” said Chairperson Heller. “All of the information we have gathered in how to establish a high quality, active program indicates that the first step is to survey the staff to find out what they need and want. And that is exactly what we are going to do.” After receiving survey input, the ClubWellness team will create programming and develop an incentive plan to encourage people to become involved in their own well-being. “But that doesn’t mean people can’t begin on their own right away,” Batten remarked. ClubWellness can provide the catalyst; each person must provide the movement.

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Chicago White Sox pick up Jewish all-timer in Youkilis by AMI EDEN “My friends in Boston are sitting shiva,” NEW YORK (JTA) -- Some Jewish base- Nasatir said, “and we in Chicago are thrilled ball fans went extra bonkers during the 2005 to have an MOT playing third base for us.” World Series when Geoff Blum smacked a That’s Member of the Tribe -- as in a Jew game-winning 14th-inning home run for (not a Cleveland Indian). the Chicago White Sox. Already a favorite among fans longing for Oops, false alarm -- the journeyman modern-day Hank Greenbergs and Sandy infielder wasn’t a Yid. Koufaxes to root for, Youkilis’ status as Jewish But assuming the White Sox return to the sports icon reached new heights in 2006 Fall Classic soon instead of waiting another thanks to three perfectly timed fielding plays. half century -- it took them from 1959 to It was a run-of-the-mill, dead-of-August 2005 the last time -- it may just be an actual Jewish slugger coming through in the clutch. That’s because Chicago’s second most popular baseball team pulled off a trade this week for Boston Red Sox first basemanthird baseman Kevin Youkilis. Youkilis’ Jewish bona fides are well established. In fact, one fan poll selected the hulking Hebrew hammer as the Jewish player of the decade for the 2000s -- a decade in which he helped the Red Sox shake their decades-long curse with World Series championships in 2004 and 2007. Along the way Youkilis became an All-Star and emerged as the poster child for a growing movement of baseball writers, executives and stat geeks who place a greater emphasis on drawing walks -- i.e. discipline at the plate -- over more traditional measures of hits, home runs and runs Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis makes batted in. a throw in a game against the Baltimore Orioles, Youkilis has been hampered by August 2009. Credit: Keith Allison via CC injuries in the past three seasons, and the emergence of third baseman Will regular season game -- except that comics Middlebrooks made him expendable in Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke were in the Boston. Manager Bobby Valentine and broadcast booth to promote a fundraiser for Youkilis have had some public disagreements firemen. Leary inquired about Youkilis’ in Valentine’s first season with the team. background and seemed pleased to find out Despite the bumps, Youkilis remained a that the Red Sox slugger was actually one of favorite among Red Sox fans. He received a at least two Jewish players on the team, Gabe long standing ovation at Fenway Park after Kapler being the other. leaving Sunday’s game against Atlanta for a And with each successive play by Youkilis pinch runner after tripling in the seventh -- he had a hand in all three outs -- Leary inning. and Clarke became increasingly excited, In Chicago, the highest-ranking White punctuating their escalating enthusiasm Sox fan in the Windy City’s Jewish commu- with a string of putdowns aimed at Mel nity -- Steve Nasatir -- is giving a thumbs-up Gibson, who had recently made headlines to the trade. The president of the Jewish with a drunken, anti-Semitic rant against a United Fund/Jewish Federation of police officer. YouTube videos of the broadMetropolitan Chicago, Nasatir attended his cast quickly went viral, as did a Youkilisfirst Chisox game in 1948 and still remem- inspired sense of take-that-Mel Jewish pride. bers their pennant winning-season of 1959. Looking ahead, the question is whether And he was in the stands for the World Youkilis still has enough left in the tank to Series in 2005. follow in Blum’s footsteps -- and put Mel in Now he has something else to be cheer. his place.

Swiss lawmaker resigns after ‘Kristallnacht’ comment by JTA NEWS STAFF THE HAGUE (JTA) -- A Zurich politician resigned after calling for a “Kristallnacht against mosques.” Alexander Muller of the Swiss People’s Party said he would leave the party’s local branch, which he joined in 2005, after writing on Twitter that “Maybe we need another Kristallnacht... this time for mosques.” Muller had been in charge of activity in two districts of Zurich. The Zurich prosecutor’s office said it was investigating whether his statement constituted incitement to violence. Police searched Muller’s home and computer this week. The Swiss People’s Party attracted international attention in 2009 when it initiated a constitutional amendment banning the construction of new mosque minarets. The rightist movement is the largest party in Switzerland’s Federal Assembly. Dr. Herbert Winter, president of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities,

called Muller’s Twitter statement “totally unacceptable.” He said it was “very offensive” to both the Jewish and Muslim communities because it “implies that Muslims deserve Kristallnacht treatment as the Jews deserved it in 1938.” Winter also praised the Zurich prosecutor’s office for its “quick action” and noted that the Swiss People’s Party had distanced itself from Muller’s statement. “Unfortunately, this party sometimes attracts people who don’t necessarily represent the democratic values of our country,” he said. Kristallnacht, or “the night of broken glass,” took place on Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, when mobs throughout Germany and parts of Austria killed nearly 100 Jews, ransacked and burned more than 1,000 synagogues, destroyed more than 7,000 Jewish-owned businesses, and vandalized Jewish cemeteries and schools. Some 30,000 Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps.

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in the military by TOBY AXELROD BERLIN (JTA) -- In an office amid a labyrinth of hallways in Germany’s Ministry of Defense, a short jaunt from where Claus von Stauffenberg was executed in 1944 for trying to kill Adolf Hitler, sits Bernhard Fischer, lieutenant colonel and Jew. What’s a nice Jewish guy doing in a place like this? “The history of this place is clear to me. But life is normal today,” said the 59-year-old protocol officer, surrounded by souvenirs from Israel and elsewhere. “Germany is a democratic country and one can live here -- and live here well.” Of course, Fischer would be the first to admit it’s much more complicated than that for Jews in the Bundeswehr, modern Germany’s military. No one knows the exact number, but insiders guess there are some 200 Jews in a military of about 200,000. Many of them, such as Lt. Col. Bernhard Fischer, a Fischer, have complex Jewish officer in the protocol family histories. His mothbranch, in his office at the er’s family moved from German Federal Ministry of Germany to South Africa Defense. Credit: Toby Axelrod prior to World War II. She returned to Germany in 1945 and married a Catholic German. “But our Jewish identity was always there,” he said. In 1971, while visiting relatives in Israel, Fischer met his future wife, whose family had made aliyah from Tunisia. They moved to West Germany in 1975 and have three children. Until the postwar obligatory conscription was dropped last year, Germans whose parents or grandparents were victims of Nazi persecution were exempted from military service. Nevertheless, some chose to serve. Michael Fuerst signed up in 1966 and is likely the first Jew to do so in West Germany. The Jewish community called him “the shmuck from Hanover who joined the army,” he recalls with a laugh. To Jews from the outside, such patriotism may seem odd. But like all social and legal institutions in West Germany (which carries over to today’s unified Germany), the military was remade in a democratic image. One major difference is that soldiers are empowered to disobey a command if they believe it would lead to a criminal act. And unlike in Hitler’s day, soldiers do not swear allegiance to the Fuehrer “but to uphold the constitution and defend the freedom of the German people,” Fischer said. The earliest records of Jews in Germany go back to the fourth century. Lt. Col. Gideon Romer-Hillebrecht, the coeditor with 1st Lt. Michael Berger, of a new tome on “Jewish Soldiers-Jewish Resistance in Germany and France,” says Jews may have fought in Germanic troops as early as the 13th century. But it wasn’t until Napoleon’s conquest of the western regions that Jews were granted equal rights -- including the right to be drafted, Romer-Hillebrecht told JTA. In World War I, more than 100,000 Jews served -- that was about a fifth of the total Jewish population at the time -- and about 12,000 died on the front. Hitler later blamed Germany’s defeat on Jewish soldiers. Fuerst, an attorney who has chaired the Jewish Association of the State of Lower Saxony since 1980, said his grandfathers and uncles served in World War I, “but nobody was protected by that.” Some of his relatives fled Nazi Germany to the United States, but his paternal grandfather died in the Riga ghetto. His mother survived Theresienstadt. “I am a German patriot, but you know, I know exactly what happened here,” Fuerst said. “That is the difference between the normal patriot and the Jewish patriot.” Fuerst was born in 1947 in Hanover, his father’s hometown. In 1966 he signed up to become a paratrooper -- the only one of his Jewish friends to join the Bundeswehr. “I always heard from my other friends that I am German, so there were no discussions in my family about whether I would go to the army or not,” he said. During the 1967 Six-Day War, he considered fighting for Israel. “For me it was not so easy. I thought, ‘How can I get to Israel?’ But after five days I did not have to think about it anymore,” Fuerst said.

“I have no dual loyalty,” he adds. “I have loyalty only for Germany and for my Jewishness.” Still, his fellow soldiers sometimes admired him simply because they looked up to Israeli paratroopers, Fuerst says with a laugh. Fuerst says he rarely experienced anti-Semitism, either before or during his service. But he balked during an early military apprenticeship when a captain told the trainees, “Don’t be so loud: You’re not in the Jew school.” Fuerst asked to be transferred to another course. The captain responded, “It is good that you request this because I have to tell you, I am an anti-Semite... All the problems we have in Germany were brought to us by the Jews.” The captain was dismissed from his post the next day. Romer-Hillebrecht, 46, whose mother was Jewish, joined in part “to heal my own family history.” His Michael Fuerst enlisted in the Jewish ancestors “lost their Bundeswehr - West Germany’s whole identity, their belief armed forces Paratroopers in the German state.” unit in 1966. While serving recently Credit: Michael Fuerst in Afghanistan, he either received kosher rations from the American forces or ordered frozen meals from a glatt kosher caterer back in Frankfurt. “Sometimes the others were jealous,” joked RomerHillebrecht, deputy chair of the Association of Jewish Soldiers, a 6-year-old group with about 25 members and functions like a “virtual memorial” to the history of Jewish soldiers. One member, Rainer (Reuven) Hoffmann, 64, has contributed articles in two books the group has published. Probably the main reason his Jewish mother survived the war, Hoffmann says, is because she married a non-Jew -Hoffmann’s father -- in 1933. The rest of her family was scattered throughout Europe. A brother died in Auschwitz; two other siblings survived. “But my mother did not speak about this time,” he said. During the height of the Cold War, Hoffmann’s sense of patriotism surged. “We had the Soviet army at the border,” he said. “I felt we needed to defend our country and our political system.” Like Fuerst, he considered fighting for Israel in June 1967. “I thought perhaps I am serving in the wrong army. But it was over too fast.” After 15 years in the military, Hoffmann returned to school and became a consultant to various industries. He also took part in political and Jewish life in his hometown of Duisburg, particularly after far-right arsonists attacked a synagogue in Luebeck in 1994. At the time, his father advised him “to leave Germany because the Nazis will come back. I told him, ‘No, they won’t come back. We will stay here.’” Spiffy in his uniform at the recent book presentation, Hoffmann took the chance to chat with Jewish soldiers whom he rarely sees. “Even Jews don’t know that there are other Jews in the army,” Hoffmann joked with Batya Goetz, a 35-year-old medical officer specializing in anesthesiology. Goetz, who converted to Judaism in 2003 after completing a medical internship in Israel, joined the military medical corps at the end of 2010. She is stationed at the military hospital in Berlin. “Yes, I love my country,” the young doctor said. “I would not want to live anywhere else. But at the same time, I am a European [citizen]. And the Bundeswehr recognizes that. It’s a very international army.” It’s also a multicultural army, says Goetz, who tries to take off for Jewish holidays. “But I have worked every Christmas since I started,” she says with a smile. In today’s Bundeswehr, soldiers of all stripes face the same risks. But for many “Jewish patriots,” the past is always present. “I have had the chance to do all those things that my Jewish ancestors could not,” Hoffmann said. “I feel satisfied. But probably this work of remembering will never be done.”

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Community struggling to meet the needs of Jewish identity surveys’ ‘others’ by DEBRA RUBIN WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Call it the age of “playlist Judaism.” That’s how Rabbi Kerry Olitzky describes engagement in Jewish life for the seemingly ever-increasing group showing up as “other” or “just Jewish” on recent American Jewish identity surveys. “I no longer have to buy the entire package in order to have the service I want,” says Olitzy, the New York-based Jewish Outreach Institute’s executive director, referring to how iTunes and Napster broke the stranglehold on a music industry that once forced consumers to buy entire albums to hear one preferred song on demand. Playlist Judaism, he says, accounts for the large growth of those Jews who identify as “other” and the drop in those who call themselves Conservative and Reform in a recently released demographic study of Jews in New York City and two of its suburbs, Long Island and Westchester County. Likewise, the last National Jewish Population Study, released in 2001, had 30 percent of respondents say they were “just Jewish.” The rate in the recent New York survey was even higher, with 37 percent of respondents identifying themselves as “other.” That’s up from 25 percent in 2002 and 15 percent in 1991. Who qualifies as an “other” is open to debate, but some leading outreach professionals agree that the group’s needs remain unmet by the organized Jewish community. As a catchall category, “other” includes those who call themselves “traditional” and “Sephardic” as well as “just Jewish” or “Jewish and something else,” among other responses. The “other” may be children of intermarriage raised with two religions, highly educated and engaged, culturally Jewish or simply people who have neither reneged their Judaism nor done anything to otherwise identify as Jewish. Then there are “others” who grew up Jewishly involved but in nondenominational places such as BBYO chapters and campus Hillels, says sociologist Sylvia Barack Fishman. “They just don’t understand why you would want to break the Jews up in the different groups,” says Fishman, a Brandeis University professor and co-director of the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute. For the most part, the “others” have not flocked to the organized Jewish scene, in part feeling unwelcome, says Diane Tobin, the San Francisco-based director of Be’chol Lashon (Hebrew for “In Every Tongue”), which supports racially and ethnically diverse Jews. “Interpreting lack of denominational affiliation as lack of caring has negative repercussions and can become a self-fulfilling prophesy,” she says. As Olitzky says, “If I am intermarried and grew up as a participating Jew, and then go to a local [Jewish] institution and am not welcome there, or my kids are not welcome there, why should I belong?” The recent New York study, Tobin says, “suggests that people who are not affiliated with a particular religious tradition do not necessarily lack religious beliefs or practices.” She cites a 2007 Pew Forum study that found that nearly 44 percent of Americans change their religious affiliation at one point. Some efforts have succeeded, Fishman says, pointing to formal Jewish education in the post-b’nai mitzvah years,

including afterschool programs such as Prozdor in Boston, becoming involved in a Jewish youth group or attending a Jewish camp. Teens and young adults who do that are nearly as Jewishly connected as adults as those with a Jewish day school education, she says. Some of the “others” are highly

educated and very engaged Jews who don’t want to connect to one of the established movements. They are primarily in their 20s to 40s and involved in the independent and partnership minyans, such as Machon Hadar in New York and the D.C. Minyan in Washington. These minyans, with their high liturgical standards, have siphoned off what might naturally be the future leadership of the Conservative movement, Fishman points out. But observers agree that such initiatives are unlikely to become a trend outside of New York and other cities with high concentrations of Jewishly educated Jews. Olitzky notes, “You don’t need to restrict yourself to Jewish institutions to engage Jewishly. There have been 300 startups in the Jewish community in the last 10 years. That

doesn’t reflect less engagement. What it says is the institutions that exist are not meeting our needs.” Fishman wants the community to better use cultural activities to target those in their 20s and early 30s. “Put energy into cultural programs, film festivals, Jewish music programs, where they can come on neutral turf and do Jewish things without making a big commitment,” she says. Rabbi Avis Miller, who founded the Maryland-based Open Door Foundation, for years has been doing outreach to unaffiliated and marginally active Jews with classes about Judaism. Miller also twice chaired the Conservative movement’s Rabbinical Assembly committee on outreach and conversion. There has been some success with cultural activities and other forms of communal outreach, she notes, “in reaching large numbers of young Jews who are not part of the denominational/institutional Jewish community, encouraging them to view being Jewish as one of their multiple identities.” Miller cites such things as the Birthright Israel-Taglit free trips to Israel for young adults and free programs at Jewish community centers and synagogues. However, she says, such outreach sometimes lacks depth, compounding the problem. “Much of non-Orthodox outreach seems to be a la carte: a taste of Jewish life without follow-up or depth,” she says. “To use a food metaphor, we seem to think that if we offer folks dessert first, they’ll come back clamoring for veggies.” Underlying the problem is a communal system for delivering Jewish knowledge that often stops for families just after children become b’nai mitzvah, says Len Saxe, who directs the Steinhardt Social Research Institute and Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis. “We currently have a Jewish education system that is a pediatric system; it is not sufficiently sophisticated,” Saxe says. “If we could change that, along with having programs like Taglit, we would be on our way.”

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Point of view

American Jewish Press Association Award Winner

Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008

Never trust a puppet

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press Getting yourself forcibly removed from New York’s Central Park for shouting anti-Semitic drivel would not normally make the news. Do it while dressed in a fluffy red Elmo suit, however, and you’re all over Youtube within minutes. Here’s what happened: “Over the last few weeks a fake Elmo has been blaming "Jewish cops" for his inability to make money -- those in giant costumes typically seek tourists' donations in exchange for a photo -- urging people to read anti-Semitic books and cursing Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League. New York Police have removed the hateful Elmo from public areas, but he has yet to be arrested.” (JTA.com) The problem here is not so much the one lunatic in the park, or in Times Square (he paraded back and forth in front of the Toys ‘r Us- traumatizing small children and their parents, who hastily scurried away). Even if there is something so very wrong about mixing a children’s show character with ugly prejudice, it’s not the main issue. It’s all the other lunatics who leave comments online, repeat the anti-Semitic slurs, jump on the bandwagon, and don’t know the difference between a Zionist and a lamppost. You know them; they blame the Jews for everything from the economy to the weather. It was a predictable reaction: the rapidly shot videos from various smart phones landed on the web, and the nasty responses followed. Bypassing the fact that this version of Elmo was obviously in need of some kind of help, going straight for the Jewish jugular. Complaining about Israeli politics, asking for boycotts, making the case for everything Jewish being bad and ruining everybody else’s life. Who are these faceless, nameless cowards, who keep posting evidence of their own ignorance on any website that won’t block them? I imagine them as an army of perpetual adolescents, whose days consist of sleeping late, eating cold leftover pizza, and only showering every five days or so. Incapable and unmotivated to improve their own lives; sat-

isfied with always blaming an imaginary enemy-when they take a long enough break from playing Grand Theft Auto III, that is.

A man dressed as Elmo from “Sesame Street” is shown yelling anti-Semitic slurs in New York's Times Square, June Credit: YouTube 2012. But I’m afraid the truth is much more complicated. Those pizza-eating loners who post snippets of hate from their parents’ basement aren’t all that intimidating. It is, instead, the thought that these anti-Semites could be regular, functioning members of society that should really worry us. Doctors,

teachers, the lady who checks us out at the grocery store, or that man your cousin married – you know, the one who is always so quiet at family gatherings? The mailman, your neighbor, your daughter’s soccer coach or your hairdresser. The idea is enough to make anyone paranoid. At the same time, the fact that being an outspoken antiSemite makes one unpopular in American culture, that people have to hide behind a fake screen name in order to spew their hate, is a positive thing. It means that society at large does not tolerate such behavior. If it did, we’d live in a much different world. And yet, we cannot ignore that there is a volcano of hate brewing. We can’t always see it, we can’t always hear it, but it’s there. It quietly festers and bubbles, and never mind the annual reports that are published regarding hate crimes, and whether they are slightly up or down: the bottom line is that it never really disappears. Sometimes it feels like all we need is a single match to make it erupt. It’s easy to point at dress-up-Elmo and say he’s not in his right mind, and that’s that. At least he wore his deluded opinions on his furry red sleeve. We can laugh at him and move on. But what about all the other monsters out there, the ones that don’t dress like a puppet? How do we respond to them? Do we give them too much attention, or not enough? Sometimes I suspect that the problem with our response is that we compartmentalize too much. We assume antiSemites fit into a neat category, look a certain way, are easy to pick out of a crowd. It is only when they cross over into places where they don’t belong that we really take notice. It’s why it makes the news when those ugly stereotypes and hateful words come from a successful movie star, from a favorite athlete, and yes, even from a Muppet. If this Elmo episode can teach us anything, it’s that, if we want to remain vigilant about those who stereotype us, we cannot stereotype them in the process. The true monsters aren’t always so easily recognizable.

At the Israeli Presidential Conference: from Dr. Ruth to Peter Beinart

Focus on issues URIEL HEILMAN JERUSALEM (JTA) – What do hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, Zionist critic Peter Beinart and Dr. Ruth have in common? If you’re still puzzling over that one, you’re not alone. So are the participants at this year’s 2012 Israeli Presidential Conference, which featured those four among dozens of other panelists at the confab held this week in Jerusalem. Titled “Facing Tomorrow,” the conference assembled leading entrepreneurs, politicians, academics and Jewish community figures from around the world, and with them a bevy of publicists, journalists and myriad other hangers-on. There was Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the octogenarian sexologist, opening the conference in a one-on-one, center-stage discussion with Israeli technology investor and entrepreneur Yossi Vardi. There was Terje Roed-Larsen, the Norwegian U.N. diplomat who played a key role in the Oslo Accords and now heads the International Peace Institute, looking lost in the exhibit hall. In a corner near the bar, Noam Shalit, father of freed captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, chatted with Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Stuck in the crowd, Alexander Mashkevich, the Kazakh-Israeli minerals oligarch and one of the conference’s benefactors, smiled politely amid a scowling coterie of thuggish men wearing shiny white suits.

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It was a conference of bold-faced names without a coherent theme. Some sessions focused on Israel’s strategic threats and Jewish identity. Others were about the future of smartphones and cloud computing. A group of neuroscientists led a discussion on how machines can help the brain. Israeli President Shimon Peres, the conference’s host, held a public work meeting with the president of Croatia. Some of the first-timers among the 4,000 or so attendees - an overwhelmingly but not exclusively Jewish group -weren’t quite sure what to make of it. “I’m trying to figure out what the conference is even about,” said Dov Waxman, a professor from the City University of New York who blogs on the Daily Beast and is writing a book about Jewish politics. “What is the purpose of this? Is it to pontificate about the Jewish future? It’s like a schmooze-fest, I think.” Indeed, perhaps more than anything else, the conference, now in its fourth year, aspires to be a sort of Jewish Davos – a gathering where the A-listers of the Jewish world can meet, network, exchange ideas and maybe have a good time. Except unlike the exclusive Davos World Economic Forum, it’s a lot easier to get in and there’s no registration fee. The conference is a testament to the star power and vision of Peres. Its $2.7 million price tag is paid for largely by the 88-year-old president’s friends and associates, including corporate and philanthropic sponsors, and its theme is something that Israeli politicians, at least, are not known for thinking too much about: the long-term future. If it is to become a fixture on the annual Jewish conference calendar, the Israeli Presidential Conference will be the only

real multidisciplinary one. What other Jewish forum brings together the likes of Cisco’s CEO, Israeli singer-songwriter Achinoam Nini (aka Noa), Henry Kissinger, Paralympics swimmer Keren Leibovitch, Obama administration adviser Dennis Ross, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer, Quartet Middle East envoy Tony Blair and Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar? Where else can you go from a session in which Cisco Chairman John Chambers talks about the future of data on the Internet to a talk by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, a Princeton University psychologist, about the inherent advantage hawks have over doves in political arguments? Or from a discourse by Leon Wieseltier, the literary editor of The New Republic, about the need for Israel to earn the conditional love of American Jews, to one in which Dr. Ruth offers tips about female orgasms? The Israeli Presidential Conference is deliberately eclectic, while the Jewish world’s other major annual gatherings are focused. The biggest Jewish conference of the year -- the springtime gathering in Washington of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which for two years running has drawn more than 10,000 people -- is about U.S.-Israel politics. The annual General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, which a decade ago drew crowds similar to AIPAC at the time – about 3,000 to 4,000 – is mostly about Jewish communal business and hasn’t grown in 10 years. The Reform movement’s biennial (6,000 attendees this year) and the annual Chabad-Lubavitch shluchim conference (4,000 attendees) are limited to specific religious denominations. Continued on page 17

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July 6, 2012 | The Jewish Press | 17

Romney would make U.S.-Israel ties stronger, warmer

Behind the headlines MATTHEW BROOKS WASHINGTON (JTA) -- When Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told the passionately pro-Israel members of the Faith and Freedom Coalition that he would “do the opposite” of the things that President Obama has done regarding Israel, the room erupted in applause. They understood exactly what he meant because they know that the Obama administration has not strengthened the U.S.Israel relationship. President Obama has brought that strategic alliance to its lowest point in decades. Let’s review a little history. President Obama began his presidency with a Middle East outreach tour that excluded Israel and had as its high point his major speech in Cairo. He told the Muslim world that Israel’s creation was the result of the tragedy in Europe (meaning the Holocaust), echoing the Muslim language that delegitimizes the Jewish state as a European implant in the region, and said that Israeli settlements were illegitimate. The president followed up with a sustained public attack on Israeli settlement policy that was much harsher than we’d seen since the days of Jimmy Carter. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that even “natural growth” should not be permitted within Israeli towns beyond the Green Line, even in areas within or just outside of Jerusalem. The 2004 Bush-Sharon letter said that certain areas outside the 1949 armistice lines should become part of Israel in a future negotiated settlement because of “new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centers.” The Obama administration rejected the plain meaning of

that letter. When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to an unprecedented 10-month freeze on settlement construction, the Obama administration put no pressure on the Palestinians to respond and they never came to the negotiating table during that time. At the end of the 10 months, the Palestinians insisted that the freeze continue before they would join in negotiations, and the Obama administration fully backed their demand without making any demands on the Palestinians or holding them accountable for commitments they had already made. In March 2010, the Israeli government made a routine announcement of one step in the planning process for new homes in a Jerusalem neighborhood while Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Jerusalem. It was an indelicate slip-up, given the Obama administration’s stance on settlements. In response, the Obama administration went full bore in condemning Israel in the strongest diplomatic terms possible. Clinton read the riot act to Netanyahu in a scathing 45minute phone call made public by her office. Obama political adviser David Axelrod went on the weekend talk shows to call the announcement an “insult.” The heated condemnation of Israel came as Palestinians were working toward a reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. The Obama administration said nothing about that, saving all its venom and vitriol for Israel. In the spring of 2011, President Obama made a speech that blindsided Netanyahu just hours before the prime minister arrived in the United States for another summit meeting. The president fundamentally changed U.S. policy by saying, “The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps.” By setting the

On the ‘opposite,’ what does Romney mean?

Behind the headlines DAVID A. HARRIS WASHINGTON (JTA) - Gov. Mitt Romney has made some outrageous comments and taken some extreme positions in this presidential campaign. But few, if any, are more baffling than his latest statement on his plans for the U.S.Israel relationship. Asked last weekend what he would do to strengthen America’s alliance with Israel, he said, “by and large, you can just look at the things the president has done and do the opposite.” With this statement, given via video conference to the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, D.C., Governor Romney clearly found a cheap applause line for a conservative audience. Yet it also begs a few questions: What does he mean when he says he’ll “do the opposite”? Where, exactly, will he change course? What in President Obama’s strong pro-Israel record does the presumptive Republican nominee oppose? Governor Romney’s foray into foreign affairs may make for a good sound bite, but it is no substitute for sound policy. It reflects one of two options: Either he is willfully ignorant of the president’s record, or he’s planning to drive the U.S.-Israel partnership in reverse and undermine the security of the Jewish state. Let’s consider the facts. President Obama has restored and increased Israel’s qualitative military edge, which eroded under his Republican predecessor. He has provided record levels of aid for Israel’s security and supplemented U.S. assistance with more than $1 billion in new funds for the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow missile defense systems. He has committed American troops to the largest-ever joint military exercises with their IDF counterparts. The president has said repeatedly that Israel must be able to defend itself, by itself, from any threat. Under his leadership, the United States is ensuring Israel has the means to do so. It’s no wonder that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has said he “can hardly remember a better period of American support and cooperation and similar strategic understanding of events around us than what we have right now.” And Mitt Romney wants to do the opposite? In the diplomatic realm, the Obama administration has voted with Israel’s interests 100 percent of the time at the United Nations. It has consistently defended Israel at the U.N. and in other international forums. It has boycotted the Durban conferences -- because America knows that Zionism is not racism. After President Obama’s impassioned speech in defense of Israel at the U.N. last fall, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the president could wear his actions as a “badge of honor.” And, again, Mitt Romney wants to do the opposite? President Obama’s commitment to Israel’s security has

shined brightest on one of the greatest challenges to regional and global security today: the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. The president knows that preventing a nuclear Iran is not only in Israel’s interests, it’s in our own national security interests. That’s why he has imposed and implemented the most comprehensive sanctions regime against Iran in history -with more on the way. That’s why he built an international coalition dedicated to keeping the bomb out of Iranian hands. That’s why the president has promised to take no options off the table to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons -- whether diplomatic, economic, political or even military. The president has made clear that containment is not an option, that a nuclear Iran is unacceptable, and that the United States will continue to act on its promises. As we’ve seen time and again, this president means what he says. He backs words with deeds. He does not bluff. Indeed, President Shimon Peres when recently honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor -- said, “Mr. President, you have pledged a lasting friendship for Israel. You stated that Israel’s security is sacrosanct. So you pledged. So you acted. So you’re acting -- as a great leader, as a genuine friend.” All this, and Mitt Romney still wants to do the opposite? There are plenty of areas of disagreement between the president and Governor Romney, and the distinctions will certainly stand front and center from now until Election Day in November. The American people will have a clear choice. Part of that choice will be between a president who has strengthened and solidified Israel’s security and a candidate pledging to do the opposite. For the sake of a strong and secure Israel, Mitt Romney should stop playing politics and start facing the facts. The security of our two nations is too important, our alliance too critical, our friendship too deep to be used as a partisan football. Mitt Romney should know better. Luckily for us, our president already does. David A. Harris is the president and CEO of the National Jewish Democratic Council.

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armistice lines as the baseline for negotiations and implying that both Israel and the Palestinians would have to “swap” land tit for tat, President Obama made the Palestinians’ intransigent, revisionist position into U.S. policy. Even leading Democrats in Congress protested the president’s words. At the United Nations, where the United States has long defended Israel, the Obama administration has sharply criticized Israel to the international community. When the Security Council has considered anti-Israel resolutions, President Obama often has refused to defend Israel during the debate. When he has ordered a U.S. veto, his U.N. ambassador has used it as an opportunity to publicly criticize Israeli settlement policy in the sharpest of terms. In the first three years of his term, President Obama inserted plenty of “daylight” between the United States and Israel. Only recently, when the president’s Jewish support began eroding dramatically in the polls, has the administration backed away from its cold, often belligerent treatment of Israel. The military assistance and cooperation, the diplomatic words and the other things that President Obama’s publicists are now touting are the very least that one would expect from an American president, given that the American people and Congress are such unwavering, staunch supporters of a strong Israel and a strong U.S.-Israel alliance. It’s when the words really count and when the time for action comes that the Obama administration has been woefully lacking a pro-Israel record. Mitt Romney’s record would be just the opposite: proIsrael and based on a real commitment to a strong U.S.Israel alliance. Matthew Brooks is executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition.

Guma Aguiar disappearance recalls other ‘lost’ individuals by ADAM SOCLOF Philanthropist Guma Aguiar has disappeared at sea. Following an extensive search, the U.S. Coast guard on Thursday called off the search for the missing 35-year-old millionaire and Jewish philanthropist, whose abandoned boat washed ashore in Fort Lauderdale on June 27. Aguiar's disappearance, unsolved as of this paper going to print, hearkens back to earlier incidents noted in the JTA Archive: In 1929, a group of “distinguished Palestine residents” including Harry Sacher were rescued after 24 hours stranded on their motor boat, which ran out of fuel in the middle of the Dead Sea. Just shy of his 33rd birthday, Jewish philanthropist Ivan Tillem died in a plane crash while accompanying U.S. Rep. Mickey Leland on a mission to Ethiopia in 1989. One year ago, 39-year-old Israeli lawyer Aviram Yariv’s body was found approximately one week after his boat was overturned by a hippopotamus while on a family vacation in Zambia’s Zambezi River. His two children were rescued.

Israeli Presidential Conference Continued from page 16 The Presidential Conference was about a lot of different things, with a heavy dose of politics and technology. “I think it’s great to be at a conference that’s a crossroads of significant policymaking Jews from around the world with different political, religious and cultural backgrounds,” said Steven M. Cohen, director of the Berman Jewish Policy Archive at New York University’s Wagner School. The conference is also unusual for Israel. Most presenters spoke in English, even the Israelis, and there were more suits and ties than some Israelis see in a lifetime. Every time Peres entered a room, he was given a rousing ovation. On opening night, Peres bestowed Israel’s firstever presidential medal on Kissinger, calling him a “brother” and hailing “the tremendous effort you made to help us on every occasion as a great statesman and as a great Jew.” No mention was made of the revelation two years ago on then-released Nixon tapes on which Kissinger could be heard telling the U.S. president in 1973 that it was not a U.S. concern if the Soviet Union decided to put the Jews in gas chambers. Kissinger later apologized for the remark. One notable absence from the conference was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who canceled his appearance due to a leg injury suffered during a soccer game a few days earlier.

18 | The Jewish Press | July 6, 2012

Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 | 402.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com For information on our historic synagogue – dates and times for Friday night services, please call 712.323.8885.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California | Omaha, NE 68154-1980 | 402.492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org Services conducted by Rabbi Mordechai Levin, Rabbi Steven Abraham and Cantor Beth Schlossberg. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Services, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush given by Beth El; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:50 p.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Torah Study Discussion Group, 10 a.m. MONDAY: Wrestling with Rabbis of the Talmud, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham. THURSDAY: Jews ‘n’ Brews, 7 p.m. Beth El’s Men’s Club invites all men (over 18) from Temple Israel and Beth Israel for a special barbecue at the JCC’s outdoor pavilion. Cost to attend, $5. To RSVP, visit Facebook, (type in Beth El Synagogue – Men’s Club), or contact Mike Schop at mschop17@hotmail.com, or 402.445.4004. Young Family Shabbat Shira, Friday, July 13 6 p.m. For all Jewish families with young children, at the synagogue. Kidfriendly Shabbat will be followed by a sing-along led by “Miss Patty” Nogg. Cost is $5 for Beth El members, $7.50 for non-members. No charge for children ages six and younger. For reservations, visit www.bethel-omaha.org (type “Shabbat Shira” in search box), or contact the synagogue office, or programming@bethel-omaha.org. An evening with Cantor Beth, on Sunday, July 15, 5–7 p.m., Cantor Beth and friends will present an evening of acoustic music at the synagogue. Snacks will be served. No charge to attend; everyone in the community is invited. All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha, NE. 68154 | 402.556.6288 www.BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:30 a.m-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross and Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Free babysitting service begins at 9:30 a.m.; Children’s Classes begin with Torah Parade, 9:45 a.m.; Kiddush is sponsored by Sisterhood;

Rabbi Gross’s Twitter Topic Class, 7:30 p.m.; Mincha, 8:30 p.m. followed by Seuda Shlishit; Havdalah, 9:51 p.m. SUNDAY: Gemara class, 8 a.m., learning tractate Kiddushin; Shacharit, 9 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Weekly Teleconference Mishnah Class, 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Gross. Contact the office for information on how to call-in to the conference call. TUESDAY: Rabbi Mizrahi’s Weekly Class, 6:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Rabbi Weiss’s Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m. THURSDAY: Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Gross.

CHABAD CENTER An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street | Omaha, NE 68144-1646 | 402.330.1800 www.OChabad.com | email: chabad@aol.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Minyan, 10 a.m.; Kiddush luncheon follows the service in honor of the Third of Tammuz-Hiloula of the Rebbe. SUNDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m. followed by Breakfast Bonanza. WEEKDAYS: Minyan, 7 a.m. WEDNESDAY: A Taste of Yeshiva-Chevruta style Beit Midrash study, 6:30 p.m. All programs are open to the entire community.

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN South Street Temple | Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street | Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 | 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. FRIDAY: Kiddush, 6 p.m.; Early Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Balak. THURSDAY: Choir Rehearsals begin, 7:30-9 p.m. Please contact Elaine Monnier, 402.327.9212 or emonnier@windstream.net or Holly Heffelbower, hheffel@inebraska.com with any questions.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway | Offutt AFB, NE 68113 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m.

Candlelighting Friday, July 6, 8:42 p.m.

led by Chabad Members. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Andy Greenberg. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.

TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street | Omaha, NE 68132-2651 | 402.556.6536 www.templeisrael-ne.org FRIDAY: Shabbat Worship Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Brown and Cantor Shermet; Summer Speaker Series: “Cass Street Memories.” SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. TUESDAY: Board of Trustees Meeting, 6 p.m.

TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard | Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 | 402.423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush lunch.

Netanyahu disbands haredi draft committee by JTA NEWS STAFF TEL AVIV (JTA) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disbanded the committee charged with formulating a new law on haredi Orthodox military service. The dissolution of the Plesner Committee comes after the resignation of several of its members, including from the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party. “Unfortunately, the Plesner Committee did not succeed in reaching an agreed-upon outline and it cannot formulate recommendations that would achieve a majority in the Knesset,” he said, according to Israeli reports. In February, the Israeli Supreme Court declared that the Tal Law, which allowed haredim to defer service indefinitely, to be unconstitutional, and set Aug. 1 as the deadline for a new law to be passed. Netanyahu said that if the Knesset does not pass a new law by the deadline, the military would formulate its own solution. The largest party in the Knesset, Kadima, joined Netanyahu’s governing coalition in May with the stated objective of formulating a new military service law.

Yitzhak Shamir, former Israeli prime minister, dies at 96 by JTA NEWS STAFF JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Yitzhak Shamir, who served as Israel’s prime minister from 1986 to 1992, has died at the age of 96. Shamir had been living in a nursing home in Tel Aviv and had Alzheimer’s disease for several years. He died Saturday. “Yitzhak Shamir belonged to the generation of giants that established the State of Israel and fought for the freedom of the Jewish people in its land,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “Shamir personified loyalty to the Land of Israel and the eternal values of the Jewish people.” Shamir was born Yizhak Yzernitzky in Ruzinoy, Poland, in 1915. In 1935 he left Warsaw, where he was studying law, moved to Palestine and enrolled at the Hebrew University. He joined Etzel, the Revisionist underground organization, in 1937, and in 1940 became a member of Avraham Stern’s Lehi, a more militant organization, where he became part of the leadership troika. Shamir was arrested twice by the British during and immediately after World War II. Granted political asylum in France in 1947 after escaping from a British prison camp, he returned to Palestine in 1948 and resumed command of the Lehi until it was disbanded following the establishment of the State of Israel. Shamir joined Israel’s security services in the mid-1950s and held senior positions in the Mossad, Israeli’s intelligence agency. He joined Menachem Begin’s opposition Herut party in 1970 and became a member of its executive.

In 1973 he was elected a member of Knesset from the Likud party -- a position he held for 23 years. In 1977 he became speaker of the Knesset. In this capacity he presided over the historic appearance of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in the Knesset and the debate over ratifying the Camp David Accords with Egypt two years later.

Former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, left, shown with former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, gestures during a Likud party conference in 1987. Shamir died on June 30, 2012. Credit: Moshe Shai/FLASH90 Shamir served as foreign minister between 1980 and 1983. Among his achievements were closer ties with Washington. Following Begin’s resignation in October 1983, Shamir became prime minister until the general elections in the fall of 1984. The elections led to the formation of a national unity government based on a rotation agreement

between Shamir and Labor leader Shimon Peres. Shamir served for six years as prime minister -- from 1986 to 1992 -- first heading a national unity government, and then as head of a narrow coalition government. Shamir’s second term as prime minister was marked by the 1991 Gulf War, in which Shamir -- despite Iraqi missile attacks on Israel’s civilian population -- chose a policy of restraint. The October 1991 Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid inaugurated direct talks between Israel and the neighboring Arab states as well as multilateral regional talks. After his party lost the 1992 elections, Shamir stepped down from the party leadership and in 1996 retired from the Knesset. “Yitzhak Shamir was a brave warrior before and after the founding of the State of Israel,” Israeli President Shimon Peres said in a statement. “He fought with courage against the British Mandate in the days of the underground, and his incredible contribution to the State of Israel during his time in the Mossad will remain forever enshrined in the tales of bravery of our nation. He was loyal to his views, a great patriot and a true lover of Israel who served his country with integrity and unending commitment.” The White House in a statement said that “Yitzhak Shamir dedicated his life to the State of Israel. From his days working for Israel’s independence to his service as Prime Minister, he strengthened Israel’s security and advanced the partnership between the United States and Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the people of Israel.”

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July 6, 2012 | The Jewish Press | 19

The Power of the Word

In memoriam STAN C. KAIMAN

Sparks from the word RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parsha Balak When it became obvious that the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land would have to pass by Moab, the King of Moab, fearful at so large a group passing through his land, sent for Balak, the famous Man of the Word, to curse Israel. He was afraid they would eat everything from field and trees, and trample everything planted. When Balak came, however, he warned the Moabites that he could speak, curse, or bless, depending on what the Lord put in his mouth. And a blessing it was. The Moabite King, in furious anger, shrieked at Balak: “Did I not tell you that I was prepared to give you immense rewards for a proper cursing of Israel!” But Balak replied: “I told you in advance that I could say only what the Lord put in my mouth. Keep your rewards! Keep your payments! I speak only what the Lord tells me, allows me, permits me to speak. Therefore, if it is a blessing, then a blessing I shall speak. Israel proceeded calmly, peacefully, and happily on its way to the Promised Land.

Senate affirms commitment to Israeli military’s qualitative edge by JTA NEWS STAFF WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation that reaffirms U.S. security commitments to Israel. More specifically, the measure says that the U.S. will provide Israel with the capabilities to preserve its military's qualitative edge, expand military and civilian cooperation, and encourage Israel’s neighbors to recognize Israel’s right to exist as the state of the Jewish people. The Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent last Friday. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) authored the legislation, which had 69 co-sponsors. In a joint news release, the bill’s authors praised the bipartisanship of the Senate to expeditiously pass the legislation. Boxer said in the statement that the bill "reaffirms the important bond between the United States and Israel, and helps ensure that Israel has the necessary tools to defend itself in this time of dynamic change in the Middle East.” Isakson added that the quick and unanimous passage of the bill demonstrates the "strong, unwavering commitment to Israel and its security and self-defense” by the United States. In May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed companion legislation that was sponsored by Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) by a bipartisan vote of 411-2. The bill will now be reconciled by both houses of Congress in a conference committee before moving to President Obama for his signature. “I am hopeful that this bill will pass the House with strong support and will be on the president’s desk for his signature very soon,” Isakson said in the news statement. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobbied for both pieces of legislation during its annual policy conference in March and praised the passage of the Senate bill. “As the United States faces an increasingly dangerous environment in the Middle East -- the mounting threat posed by Iran, instability in Syria and the strengthening of the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah, whose reach stretches into the Western Hemisphere -- now is the time to enhance our strategic cooperation with our stable, democratic ally Israel,” AIPAC said in a news statement on Friday.

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Former Omahan Stan C. Kaiman passed away on June 17 at age 74. Services and Interment were held on June 20 at Golden Hill Cemetery. He was preceded in death by his parents Elizabeth and Jack Kaiman; brothers, Ben and Ron Kaiman. He is survived by his wife Diane Kaiman; his daughters and sons-in-laws, Wendy and Lew Berman and Beth and Jim Silberstein; grandchildren, Rachael, Eliana, Mac and Zachary; and his brother, Saul Kaiman. He was involved in AZA and attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where he was President of Sigma Alpha Mu. He earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Stan graduated from George Washington University in DC with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree and worked at the U.S. Patent Office while a law student. After passing the DC bar exam, he moved to New Haven, CT. After passing the Connecticut bar exam, Stan worked at Olin-Matheson Chemical Corp. and later as General Counsel of Tokheim Corp. in Ft. Wayne, IN. He also taught business law. In 1986, he and his family moved to Findlay, OH and Stan became Secretary of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. He volunteered at Parks & Rec. at Lakes Park and also at Hope Hospice. Memorials may be made to Hope Hospice 2430 Diplomat Pkwy Cape Coral, FL 33909 or to the Alzheimers Resource Center 10051 McGregor Blvd Suite 101 Fort Myers, FL 33919.

JERALD L. VENGER Jerald L. Venger passed away on July 1 at age 81. Services were held on July 3 at Beth El Cemetery, 84th and L Street. He was preceded in death by his parents, Moe and Ruth Venger; aunts and uncles, Abe and Sally Venger, Elizabeth Fried, Ernest and Janet Wintroub; cousin, Stuart Fried. Survived by cousins, Nancy Hornstein, Enid and Steve Wenner of CO., Bruce and Marya Wintroub of CA, Frank and Marji Wintroub of IA, Beth and Tim Wintroub of CO., John Wintroub of CO., Phyllis Fried of FL.; companion, Mary Thomsen; other relatives and friends. Jerry was born and raised in Omaha, attended Central High School and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton College of Business. During the Korean Police Action, Jerry served as a 1st LT. with the 82nd Airborne U. S. Army Infantry. He was a salesman for many years with his family's candy and tobacco distribution company, M. Venger and Sons Wholesaler. He performed in many local theatre productions at the Omaha Community Playhouse, Chanticleer Theater, Bellevue Little Theater, Rudyard Norton Theater, The Center Stage at the JCC and the Grand Olde Players.

Thousands rally for social justice in Israel by JTA NEWS STAFF JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Thousands gathered in major Israeli cities to rally for social justice. The demonstrations Saturday night in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and elsewhere echoed the mass protests that occurred across Israel last summer. While smaller than last year’s rallies, Haaretz reported that the gatherings drew 10,000 demonstrators. Maariv put the number at more than 15,000. In Jerusalem, 500 demonstraters marched to the central Zion Square, which the city recently made off limits to protests. Some Jerusalem demonstrators also temporarily blocked the city’s light rail from moving, while Tel Aviv protesters blocked major streets, according to Israeli reports. The rallies came one week after protests in Tel Aviv resulted in violent clashes with police. The Times of Israel reported that protest leaders coordinated Saturday night's rallies in advance with police, and that large numbers of police were present at the protests.

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20 | The Jewish Press | July 6, 2012

Mubarak’s legacy of peace and stability has been upended by RON KAMPEAS whisper to Arafat, “Sign, you dog.” WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Hosni Mubarak’s legacy was “Try to think of an Egyptian president today doing that,” supposed to be an Egypt preeminent in the region and at Ashkenazi said. peace with its neighbors, but the instrument he used to achieve it -- the absolute power of the state -- undid him and could sweep away the remnant of that legacy. Mubarak once wielded the type of power that ultimately did him in. “It is not just Mubarak that is on life support at this moment -- Egypt’s creaky institutions and its nascent democracy are as well,” Steven Cook, an Egypt expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote recently on the Foreign Policy website. “Its politics are broken, its infrastructure in disrepair, its economy near collapse, its state education system in disarray, and its public health system nonexistent,” Cook added. “If anything, this is the legacy of Hosni Mubarak: the evisceration of his beloved country. Mubarak was sentenced earlier this month to life in prison for ordering hundreds of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with Egyptian President killings during the early 2011 protests that Hosni Mubarak in Egypt less than three weeks before the protests there led to Mubarak’s downfall, January 2011. ended his 30-year reign. Credit: Moshe Milner/GPO/Flash90/JTA Prospects of the ailing Mubarak’s comeback were in any case worse than nil, but news of his deteriIt was a concern echoed across the ocean, where Shaul orating condition prompted renewed consideration of what Mofaz, the Kadima party leader, inaugurated his first the deposed president bequeathed Egypt. Washington visit in his new role as deputy prime minister in Gabi Ashkenazi, the former chief of staff of the Israeli mil- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recently formed itary, spoke Wednesday at the Israeli Presidential national unity government. Conference of Mubarak’s importance not just in upholding “Whatever happens, we will be facing a more radical the peace treaty with Israel, but in encouraging other Arabs regime,” Mofaz told the Washington Institute for Near East to do the same. Policy think tank ahead of a series of meetings with top U.S. “When Arafat was slow to sign the Oslo Accords, officials. He called the need to preserve his country’s peace Mubarak was the one who forced him to the table to sign -- with Egypt the “highest Israeli goal.” even using undiplomatic language,” Ashkenazi recalled, Reports in Cairo said the rumors about Mubarak’s health referring to Oslo II, signed in September 1995 in Egypt. helped swell the numbers in Tahrir Square protesting steps Mubarak, in a televised ceremony, literally nudged then- taken in recent weeks by the courts to support the interim Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to the table as military government’s decision to gut the parliament and a bemused Yitzhak Rabin, then the Israeli prime minister, limit the powers of Mubarak’s successor. looked on. Israelis present insisted that they heard Mubarak Both candidates in Egypt’s presidential election over the

weekend -- the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafik, Mubarak’s last prime minister and a candidate with the tacit backing of the military -- are claiming victory. Joel Rubin, the director of government policy at the Ploughshares Fund, a body that promotes peace initiatives, said the very autocracy that spooked Arafat and others into heeding Mubarak ultimately turned on his enterprise. “Mubarak’s legacy is that he created a state system that collapsed underneath him,” said Rubin, a former top Senate Foreign Relations Committee staffer who has visited Egypt multiple times. “He certainly maintained peace with Israel - a cold peace, but he kept the border relatively calm and fought against extremist groups in the country. But he left a crushing legacy on the economy and political system. Stability under strongmen is never really stable.” Mubarak spurred privatization reforms in the 1990s that helped grow Egypt’s economy, but they did not trickle down because he also tolerated -- if not encouraged -- the kleptocracy of the Egyptian elites, said David Schenker, an Egypt expert at the Washington Institute and a former Pentagon Middle East official. “As a result, people have come to associate a free market economy with crony capitalism,” Schenker said. “There is no longer respect or fear of Egypt,” he said. “Mubarak presided over this.” Ultimately, the thieving weakened Egypt’s economy and undercut its regional influence. Whereas in the 1990s Mubarak could strong-arm Arafat into peace, in the 2000s he was barely able to get the Palestinian polity, split between Hamas Islamists and Palestinian Authority moderates, to heed his pleas for a unified front. Additionally Mubarak, while working closely with the United States to advance strategy, promoted a “safety valve” of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism through the statecontrolled media. The resulting resentments have exacerbated resentments among Egyptians of the West and suspicions of Israel. These resentments also were the result of successive U.S. administrations that failed to make democratic reforms conditional on the billions of dollars that Egypt was receiving in defense assistance, much to the chagrin of lawmakers from both parties in Congress.

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