Vol. LXXXIII No. 50 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 83 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
26 Av, 5764 August 13, 2004
2005 Federation Campaign Builds Connections, Commitment and Community by PAM MONSKY Federation Communications Director Joe and Maxine Kirshenbaum didn’t even slow down between the close of the 2004 Federation Campaign last spring and the beginning of the 2005 Campaign this summer. The Kirshenbaums, who are in their second term as General Co-Chairs of the Campaign, are using what they learned last year to build on their accomplishments. They’ve assembled a motivated group of people to help the Jewish Federation of Omaha raise $3,250,000-the goal they’ve set for this year’s Annual Campaign. “The opportunity to lead the Annual Campaign for a second year gives both The 2005 Campaign Leadership Team consists of, seated: Anne Shackman, of us a much clearer picture of exactly left, Maxine and Joe Kirshenbaum; middle row: Bruce Shackman, Fred how our dollars are put to work making Tichauer, Jim Glazer, Bobbi Leibowitz and Howard Epstein. Not pictured: life better for the Jewish people. The Arnold Joffe, Jeanie Neff, Ruth Erman, Stacey and Brett Atlas, Jody Malashock ability to touch so many lives with this and Marcia Pitlor. one charitable gift isn’t just rhetoric…it’s The Federation 2005 Annual Campaign will kick off a fact,” explained Joe Kirshenbaum. Sept. 7-12 with an unusual series of Community Maxine Kirshenbaum added, “The dollars raised by Campaign events featuring four active duty soldiers the Annual Campaign work in both big and small ways. from the Israel Defense Force. The soldiers will speak Because of the Campaign, Jewish Family Service in about their experience in small group events to be held Omaha is able to provide assistance to those who need at the homes of people throughout the community. it locally. But our dollars also fund programs that help Invitations to the IDF Soldiers Campaign events, which an entire population. are open to the Jewish community, will be mailed “For instance, in our Partnership area in Israel’s shortly. Western Galilee, Campaign dollars help fund Hafauk al Leading the 2005 Annual Campaign, along with Hafauk, or ‘Turning the Tide’, a program for Jewish Maxine and Joe Kirshenbaum are Arnold Joffe, and Arab teens where they can come to for support, Pacesetter Chairman; Jeanie Neff, Lion of Judah counseling or just hang out and have a cup of coffee. Chairperson; Howard Epstein and Fred Tichauer, Men’s It makes me proud to be part of the Annual Campaign Campaign Co-chairs; Ruth Erman and Bobbi Leibowitz, and to know that we are responsible for making good Continued on page 3 things happen here in Omaha and in Israel.”
JELS Announces College Scholarship Awards by MARY SUE GROSSMAN Administrator, Jewish Educational & Library Services The Financial Aid Committee of Jewish Educational & Library Services (JELS) is pleased to announce the scholarships awarded for undergraduate and graduate studies for the 2004-05 academic year. After considering many factors including academic achievement, financial need and committed participation in Jewish activities while in high school and college, awards were made from 22 funds to 44 undergraduate students and five graduate students. The Financial Aid Committee expresses its sincere appreciation to the many individuals in the community who, through their generosity, make it possible to support so many young adults in the community in continuing their education. All scholarship funds are managed by the Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. In addition to college scholarships, assistance is also available for Jewish summer camp, the Child Development Center, Friedel Jewish Academy and Israel trips. A Financial Aid Guide which outlines scholarship opportunities will be distributed as an insert in the Jewish Press in December. For information, call me at 334.6445. Those interested in contributing to existing scholarship and loan funds or endowing new funds should contact Marty Ricks, Endowment Director, Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 or call 334.6440. Continued on pages 6-7
Inside
By PAM MONSKY Federation Communications Director The media images are hard to escape. Photos and video of Israeli soldiers heavily armed or in tanks, bulldozing buildings or raiding the homes of seemingly helpless and unarmed Palestinians. Israel Defense Force (IDF) Soldiers as the aggressors, the occupiers. Although many of us in the Jewish community realize that news coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Arab situation is not reflective of the day-to-day reality of
Soldiers congratulate one another after receiving military honors during an IDF commendation ceremony. life there, we can’t help but be influenced by these graphic depictions of the conflict. But can we ever really know what it’s like for the IDF soldiers, the young (their average age is 19) Jewish men and women fighting for the sovereignty of the State of Israel? Continued on page 3
Jewish Athletes Arrive in Athens for Start of 2004 Olympic Games Tonight
Left: (JTA)--Jason Lezak swims in the 50 meter freestyle semi finals during the U.S. Olympic swimming team trials July 12 at Charter All Digital Aquatics Center in Long Beach, CA. He’ll be competing in the 2004 Olympics in Athens
This Week: JELS Scholarship Winners, Pages 6-7 Transformations Exhibit Closes at End of August: Page 4
Community Will Get to Know the Real IDF
Time for the Maccabiah Crossword Puzzle: Page 7
which open tonight. Credit: Getty Images. Right: Maya Arusi, a member of the Israeli Olympic Team, will compete in Taekwondo. Credit: ISRANET and the Olympic Committee of Israel. For full story, see page 2
Coming Next Month: New Year’s Special Issue on Sept. 10 Op-ed from Jonathan Tobin-Lessons from the Warsaw Uprising: Page 8
Newman, Goldsten Grants Due Sept. 27: Pages 11 and 12
Page 2
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
August 13, 2004
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS FRIDAY, AUGUST 13 Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El
C L I P & S A V E
SUNDAY, AUGUST 15 Beth El Hazak - Men’s Club Brunch and Baseball Day, 11 a.m. MONDAY, AUGUST 16 JSS Senior Luncheon, 10 a.m. TUESDAY, AUGUST 17 YU Torah Tours Breakfast, 8 a.m. at Beth Israel Lunch & Learn “The Guy and Bob Show”, noon Visions River Cruise, 6 p.m. BBYO Night, 6 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel
C L I P & S A V E
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18 YU Torah Tours, 8 a.m. at Beth Israel Hadassah Board Meeting, 10 a.m. YU Torah Tours Lunch and Learns, noon (call for locations) “Down to Earth Jewish Philosophy” Class, noon Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El C L I P & S A V E
THURSDAY, AUGUST 19 YU Torah Tours Breakfast, 8 a.m. at Beth Israel Walk-in Drop-in, 10 a.m. YU Torah Tours Lunch and Learns, noon at Beth Israel Book Discussion Group, 1 p.m. Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. Italian Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth Israel “Legacy of Our Ancestors” Video Premiere, 7 p.m. at Beth El All events held at the JCC unless otherwise indicated. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of events. To keep calendar accurate or for questions, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. FOR A COMPLETE LISTING, VISIT THE FEDERATION’S WEBSITE: www.JewishOmaha.org (click on calendar)
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by E. B. SOLOMONT NEW YORK (JTA)--Joe Jacobi’s pain as he prepares for the Olympics is more emotional than physical. The canoeist/kayaker, 34, told JTA by e-mail that as he prepares for the Olympics in Athens, he misses his three-year-old daughter, Seu Jane--named for the Spanish village that hosted some rowing competitions in the 1992 Summer Games--who is at home with his wife in Tennessee. The pursuit of an Olympic medal usually conjures up a youthful single-mindedness, but like Jacobi, many of the 15 Jewish athletes competing for the U.S. team at the Athens Games are veteran athletes who competed in previous Olympics. Jacobi, who grew up in a Washington suburb and is nicknamed the “paddling papa,” won gold at the Olympics in 1992, the same year he was named USA Canoe/Kayak male athlete of the year. Another veteran, swimmer Lenny Krayzelburg, a triple gold medal winner at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, will also compete in Athens, where the Games will get underway tonight. Krayzelburg, a Jewish immigrant from Odessa--in what is now Ukraine--also has been a Jewish role model of sorts, once telling reporters that “Being Jewish is part of me, it’s part of my culture.” He got his first American swimming experience, and his first job, at a JCC in Los Angeles shortly after his family arrived here in 1988 from the Soviet Union. After setting world records in the 100-meter and 200meter backstroke at the 2000 Olympics, he participated in the Maccabiah in Israel. Nearly 29, an age considered ancient in a sport mostly dominated by teenagers and those in their early 20s, Krayzelburg made headlines in mid-July when he qualified for the American team by finishing the 100-meter backstroke in 54.06 seconds, behind world champion Aaron Perisol. His teammate, 28-year-old Jason Lezak of Irvine, CA, another Jewish swimmer, won the 100-meter freestyle after setting a new American record of 48.17 seconds in the semifinals. “Based on what you hear in the general public, you'd think there wasn’t much representation, but the list we have is very impressive,” said Jed Margolis, Executive Director of Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel. In certain sports, he added, Jews “are at the top of the world.” Take, for example, Sada and Emily Jacobson. This dynamic duo of Jewish sisters from Atlanta may be Olympic neophytes, but they will enter the Olympic arena with high expectations. Sada Jacobson, 21, is the top-ranked woman fencer in the world and in the U.S. and has said in press interviews that making the Olympic squad is honor enough. Her teammates likely are honored to be competing alongside her, though. Not only is she the first American woman and second American fencer to reach the top of the world rankings, she is also a four-time world championship team member and a two-time NCAA saber champion. Her younger sister, Emily, 17, is just a few lunges behind and the pair’s domination of women’s fencing has been compared to that of tennis’ well-known sisters, Venus and Serena Williams. Emily, one of two athletes to receive a 2002 Jules D. Major Award to Jewish High School Athletes of the
Year, was ranked second in U.S. saber fencing in 2003 and was a 2003 Pan American Games bronze medalist. The Games in Athens will also be the first for 28-yearold fencer Dan Kellner. This six-time world championship team member from central New Jersey finished second in the foil competition at the national championships in 1997, 1998 and 2000. But in 2000, Kellner did not make the Olympic squad. After a year hiatus, he came back and won a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American games, and his first national championship in 2004. For Kellner, making the Olympic team reflects the eagerness of a younger generation that is following closely in the footsteps of those before them.
Top left: Lenny Krayzelburg swims in the men’s 100 meter backstroke preliminaries during the U.S. Olympic swimming trials July 8, at the Charter All Digital Aquatics Center in Long Beach, CA. Credit: Donald Miralle/ Getty Images, above: Rami Zur, who rowed in the canoe/kayak Olympic competition for Israel in 2000, will compete this year for the U.S. His dual citizenship allowed him to qualify for both countries’ teams. Credit: USA Canoe/Kayak and bottom left: Olympic gold medalist Joe Jacobi, left, and partner Matt Taylor in June, 2004, in Atlanta, at the Chattahoochee River, an official training site for the Athens Olympic Games. Credit: Tom Fraker “My friends who have done it before say it’s an experience that will change your life,” he said in an interview with the New Jersey Jewish News. At the opening ceremonies, “I plan to heed their advice and walk slowly--you only get once around the track,” he said. In other sports, though, veteran Jewish athletes will be representing the United States. In track and field, Deena Drossin Kastor, who competed in Sydney and still runs at home in central California, qualified in the marathon; equestrian--and West Palm Beach, FL, horse trainer--Margie Engle, who was a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team, and the winner of five major equestrian competitions in 2001, will also compete. Rami Zur, a newcomer to the American team who rowed in the canoe/kayak competition for Israel in 2000, will compete this year for the U.S. His dual citizenship--he was born in Berkeley, CA, and currently lives outside San Diego--allowed him to qualify for both countries’ teams. In the non-Jewish world, Olympic medals are a pinnacle for sports achievement. But Maccabi USA’s Margolis good-naturedly called the international competition a stepping stone for the Maccabiah, the games which take place in July 2005. “The Olympics are our stepping stone,” he said. “You can win gold medals, but being part of the Jewish people is very special also.” (JTA correspondent Tom Tugend in Los Angeles contributed to this report.)
August 13, 2004
Meet the Real IDF Continued from page 1 Just such an unprecedented opportunity is being offered to the Omaha Jewish community courtesy of the 2005 Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign. Jody Malashock and Marcia Pitlor are cochairs for an unconventional Community Campaign event featuring four active-duty IDF soldiers who will be in our community Sept. 7-12. “The four soldiers are hand-selected and will be excused from their posts in Israel to come to Omaha and speak to us,” Pitlor explained. “Afterwards, they go right back to their IDF duties in Israel, so their visit is a true Omaha exclusive.” “Because this is such an unusual Campaign event for the Federation, a lot of thought went into how to make the IDF Soldier visit most effective for the entire community,” Malashock added. “In the end, we decided to hold a series of ‘Parlor Meetings’, which are essentially mini-events, in people’s homes. This way, we have
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Federation Campaign small groups in an intimate setting, making it conducive for a real conversation to take place between members of our community and the soldiers.” Invitations will be mailed shortly to the entire Jewish community with details about meeting the IDF Soldiers at any of the seven Parlor Meetings scheduled between Sept. 7-12 (see complete list below). Those attending the Parlor Meetings will be asked to make a gift to the 2005 Federation Annual Campaign. In addition to the community Parlor Meetings, the IDF Soldiers will meet with Young Leadership, teen youth group members, Men’s and Women’s Major Gifts Divisions and workers for the Men’s Campaign. The soldiers will be busy in Omaha with special appearances at Shabbat services and at a Special Edition of the Guy and Bob Show in addition to the Parlor Meetings. For more information about the 2005 Federation Annual Campaign and the IDF Soldiers’ visit, please contact me at 334.6431.
IDF Soldiers’ Schedule for Visits Sponsored by the Jewish Federation Tuesday, September 7, 10 a.m. Lion of Judah, Pomegranate, Double Chai and Ben Gurion Society Campaign Divisions Tuesday, September 7, Noon “The Guy and Bob Show” Special Edition Sneak Peek Kripke Federation Library Jewish Community Center Tuesday, September 7, 6 p.m. BBYO and Synagogue Teen Youth Groups Location: Jewish Community Center Teen Lounge Tuesday, September 7, 7 p.m. Community Parlor Meeting Home of: David & Debi Kutler Co-hosts: Paul & Sandy Epstein Wednesday, September 8, 7:30 a.m. Community Parlor Meeting Location: Kripke Federation Library Hosted by: Arnold & Sheryn Joffe Steve & Margo Riekes, Howard & Gloria Kaslow Wednesday, September 8, 5 p.m. Pacesetter, Jr. Pacesetter and Ben Gurion Society Campaign Kickoff Wednesday, September 8, 7:30 p.m. Young Leadership (men and women ages 25-45) Home of: Lori & Michael Miller
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Thursday, September 9, 10 a.m. Community Parlor Meeting Home of: Mark & Jill Belmont Co-hosts: Tom & Keri Workman Thursday, September 9, 1 p.m. Community Parlor Meeting Home of: Nancy Rips Co-hosts: Keith & Judy Josephson Thursday, September 9, 5:30 p.m. Men’s Campaign Kickoff Location: Jewish Community Center Friday, September 10, 10 a.m. Home of: Donald & Maggie Gerber Co-hostess: Joanie Kaiman Sunday, September 12, 10:30 a.m. Community Parlor Meeting Home of: David & Andi Willensky Co-hosts: Bob & Robyn Freeman Sunday, September 12, 7 p.m. Community Parlor Meeting Home of: Steve & Patty Nogg Co-hosts: Steve & Dodi Redler
Continued from page 1 Women’s Campaign Co-chairs; Jim Glazer, Young Leadership Chairman; Stacey and Brett Atlas, Super Sunday Co-chairs; Jody Malashock and Marcia Pitlor, Event Co-chairs and Anne and Bruce Shackman, 2006 Incoming General Campaign Co-chairs. Other changes to the 2005 Campaign include a new giving level in the Women’s Major Gifts Division, Double Chai, which includes gifts to the Annual Campaign between $3,600 and $4,999, and a new $500 benchmark for the Young Men’s Division, called the Rabin Society. The money raised through the Federation’s Annual Campaign funds Jewish causes locally and overseas. In Omaha, Campaign dollars support the Community Relations Council (CRC), the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Educational and Library Services, Jewish Family Service and Jewish Senior Services as well as Federation programs such as Jewish experience scholarships, missions to Israel, birthright israel, our Partnership With Israel, Children’s Needs Scholarships and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Camp Grants and the Jewish Press. For more information about the Jewish Federation of Omaha, please contact me at the Federation office at 334.6431.
Athletes Return from Maccabi Games
The JCC Maccabi Games opened in Columbus, OH, on Sunday. Joey Kahn and Effie Tsabari are pictured above on their way to compete in the golf and dance competitions. A complete list of all the medals will be in next week’s Press.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
August 13, 2004
Exhibit Transforms into a Spectacular Finale by KAREN STIEHL OSBORN Transformations, a three-month exhibit at the Jewish Community Center Art Gallery in Omaha, enters its final month with an extravaganza of color and texture. Artists Michele M. Eakins and Virginia A. Spiegel and I have transformed the JCC gallery with another collection of new and exciting artwork. The three-month exhibit has shown visitors of the JCC gallery a wide variety of textile art by three uniquely different artists. As an award-winning textile artist, living and working in Omaha, my artwork is held in corporate and private collections. I exhibit my work in art galleries and national and international exhibitions. This year, I have work touring the United States in five exhibitions. Six of my pieces were juried into the Third Annual Women Artists Invitational at Louisville Art Gallery, and nine pieces were included in an exhibition in The Hague, Netherlands. A collection of my recent work can be viewed at www.Karen StiehlOsborn.com. The final collection of pieces by Michele M. Eakins includes images and impressions of summertime. All of the works are crafted entirely by hand using fabric painted by the artist, commercial fabrics and various fibers as embellishments. Virginia A. Spiegel was recently named one of 26 artists considered to be the textile field’s “next wave.” Spiegel will be showing in the Women in Textile Art Organization’s Third
International Biennial which will open in Va l e n c i a , Venezuela. Her artwork is shown in museums, art centers and galleries throughout the U.S. Spiegel teaches at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City. Her online Journeys #1 gallery is by Karen Stiehl Osborn www.Virginia Spiegel.com. The Transformations exhibit will only remain open until Tuesday, Aug. 31. The JCC Art Gallery is open M o n d a y Thursday, 8 Indian Summer a.m. to 7:30 by Michele M. Eakins p.m., Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on Saturday. Admission is free. For more information, contact me at 895.9513. True Stories #3 by Virginia A. Spiegel
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Visionairres warmed up the season with its annual summer picnic at Chalco Hills. A potluck lunch and musical entertainment with Robyn Lensch was ejoyed by all, including: Ruth Oruch, left, Bev Gilinsky and Maxine Noodell. For information about upcoming Visions events, call me at 334.6521.
JELS Again Offers Teacher Training Program by MARY SUE GROSSMAN JELS Administrator Jewish Educational and Library Services announces the continuation of its Teacher Training Program for religious school teachers. The program, which was first offered in the first part of 2004, will begin Monday, Aug. 23, 78:30 p.m., and runs through Nov. 29. It is offered at no cost and participants who go through the program will be compensated for attending classes and participating in the training activities. Each meeting will consist of two 45minute classes that will enhance the Jewish knowledge of the participants and will widen their horizons with regard to Jewish sources and Jewish identity. The courses are intended to provide quality Jewish education in an informal setting that allows for personal growth in a communal surrounding. The program is open to all current religious school teachers or those who wish to receive training to become teachers. Topics will include Rabbinic Literature, Ethics of Teaching, Basic Hebrew Terms, Introduction to Prayer, Student Assessment, Hebrew to English
Speakers, Curriculum Assessment. The Aug. 30 session will feature Brenda Martin and Classroom Management. Martin is a long-time teacher and counselor in the public schools. She is also the facilitator of ‘Love and Logic Program’, which helps parents and teachers educate children about responsibility and proper classroom behavior. “JELS put together an excellent program of Torah and History and Israel. In addition, it brings people to share strategies for classroom management, parentteacher conferences, and how to make a difficult situation into a win-win experience for the student and teacher,” said Deborah Kronick, a teacher at BESTT. “We had a diverse group of teachers who were able to share ideas with each other and generally just had a great time learning. I look forward to classes starting, and would highly recommend these courses for both new teachers and those who have been teaching a long time.” For more information, contact Guy Matalon, JELS Executive Director, 334.6560, or gmatalon@jewishomaha.org.
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At the settlement outpost of Palgei Mayim, temporary trailers
are being overtaken by permanent houses. Or dangerous fantasies?
New settlement outposts keep cropping up all over the West Bank. By building them, Israeli hardliners are using the time-honored tactic of creating “facts on the ground,” communities that they hope will become part of accepted, everyday reality and will be hard to dislodge. But their effort is part of a fantasy, a dangerous dream, an irrational idea that somehow Israel can cling to every inch of the territories without destroying the Jewish democratic state and the prospects for peace. Peace Now and Americans for Peace Now speak for Jews who live in the real world, who know that cramming these provocative buildings down the throats of Palestinians is a recipe for disaster. We speak for the vast majority of Israelis who, polls show, want to tear them down now, even before there are negotiations with the Palestinians. The Sharon government has promised the U.S. that it will remove outposts created after March 2001. But most of them are still standing. Not only that, but Israel’s government is playing fast and loose with the numbers: it has told the Bush Administration that there are 28 outposts Israel is obligated to remove, but Peace Now’s Settlements Watch project has documented that there are actually 51. The U.S. has responded with tepid objections that have not altered any facts on the ground. We are urging both Israel and the U.S. to stop fueling the fantasy of Greater Israel and to start removing obstacles to compromise. To find out how you can help, please visit www.peacenow.org and support Americans for Peace Now today.
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August 13, 2004
ORGANIZATIONS BREADBREAKERS Dr. Steven Hinrich will speak at Breadbreakers on Wednesday. Aug. 18, noon, at the Park Inn Regency, according to Gary Javitch. Hinrich, one of the country’s leading experts in the field of bioterrorism, will address the question, “What Are Our Risks?” Cost is $10 for lunch and $2 for beverage service only. Breadbreakers is open to the community. TORAH LEARNING CENTER Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman will teach the following classes: on Tuesdays, 7 p.m.--Jewish Philosophy--ongoing discussions on self-growth, and on Wednesdays, noon--”Down to Earth Jewish Philosophy” in the Omaha Room of the Jewish Community Center. New home-study groups and classes and individual study sessions are available. Please call me at 981.0569 for more information. YOUNG ENERGETIC SENIORS Join us this Monday for a Las Vegas-style show with Karen and Terry Edwards, starting at noon in the JCC auditorium. The cost is $6 per person. Bingo with Eileen Remer will begin at 10 a.m., exercise at 10:30 a.m. and the discussion group at 11 a m. For reservations for all events, call Maggie Conti at 334.6521: Monday, Aug. 30--Mike Conner will entertain us with humor and banjo music while he talks on senior safety; deadline is Aug. 23; deadline for Bluffs Run Casino on Thursday, Aug. 26 is Aug.19. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH We are playing Yiddish Bingo--Oivai. It’s fun! It’s educational! Come to the Yiddish meeting at the JCC on Thursdays, 1-3 p.m. Call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638 for information. VISIONS Reminder: For those members going on the River City Star Cruise on Tuesday, Aug. 17, please meet at the landing at 6 p.m. The Nebraska City Trip is Wednesday, Sept. 1. See the new Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center; have lunch at the scenic Lied Conference Center, tour Nebraska City and visit the apple farm. Cost is $30 per person. Depart from the JCC at 9 a.m. and return by approximately 4 p.m. Send reservation with payment to: Anne Skolkin, 1010 Regency Parkway, #302, Omaha, NE 68114 by Aug. 20. Make check payable to Visions.
Temple Israel Welcomes Shabbat in the Park by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Temple Israel’s second of two Shabbats in the park this summer begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 20, at the Frohm Pavilion behind the Jewish Community Center. Cantor Wendy Shermet will lead the worship service which will be followed by a picnic dinner and games. “So bring your family, your dinner, appetite, and worship spirit, and dress for fun,” the Cantor recommended. “If you like Shabbat to be informal, out in the open, with nothing but the sky above, this is your kind of Shabbat,” Cantor Shermet added. “You don’t even have to dress up the kids.” Rabbi Craig Marantz will also lead worship services in the Livingston Chapel at Temple Israel that evening starting at 6 p.m. His D’var Torah will continue on the summer theme commemorating the arrival of Jews in America 350 years ago.
Cultural Arts Scholarship Applications Now Being Accepted by MARY SUE GROSSMAN JELS Administration To perpetuate the memory of Dorothy Lustgarten Riekes and remember her love of music, her family established a scholarship fund for music and other cultural arts lessons for children. Applications are now available for financial assistance scholarships in the Jewish Educational & Library Services office. Please call me at 334.6445 or e-mail: mgrossman@jewishomaha.org for applications and information. The deadline for filing applications is Oct. 1.
IN THE NEWS
The Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra is currently auditioning potential members for the 2004-05 season. Audition are Aug. 19-23 at the Strauss Performing arts Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. UNO’s Heartland Philharmonic is open to both students and community members. Rehearsals are every Monday night, 7-9:30 p.m. For more information, contact Dr. Christopher Stanichar, Director of Orchestral Activities, 554.2251 or 445.2768. Garfield the Cat will appear at a benefit tomorrow, Aug. 14, 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Nebraska Humane Society, 8929 Fort St. Sponsored by Centris Federal Credit Union and Cox Communications, the event features a photo opportunity for kids with Garfield for a $5 donation and plush toys for sale. Proceeds benefit the Humane Society. Jerry Hoberman, founder of the Winners Circle Educational Program, spoke to the local chapter of the Human Resource Association of the Midlands on Tuesday. He addressed the need to improve the education of our youth, particularly those who live in the inner city. In his speech, he challenged business leaders to become more involved with our schools in order to improve the work force of the future.
MARRIAGE WALDBAUM/SILBERSTEIN Deborah Ann Waldbaum and Neil Jacob Silberstein were married on Sunday, July 18, at the Bel Air Bay Club in Pacific Palisades, CA. Rabbi Steven Jacob officiated at the 6:30 p.m. wedding. A reception at the club followed. The bride, daughter of Claude and Keiko Waldbaum of West Hills, CA, earned a master’s degree in physical therapy from Cal State at Northridge. The matron of honor was Robin Kaufman; bridesmaids were Amy Gallagher, Shari Harpaz, Christina Oga and Erica Yu, all from California. The groom is the son of Phyllis and Mark Silberstein. He is an architect working for Marmol and Radziner and Associates. Best man was the groom’s brother, Seth Silberstein. Groomsmen included Dan Fried of Omaha, Curtis Marti of Oklahoma, Cory Tichauer of Oregon and David Waldbaum, brother of the bride, from California. After a 10-day honeymoon in the Fiji Islands, the couple will make their home in Los Angeles, CA.
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August 13, 2004
JELS Announces 2004-05 College Scholarship Awards
Sarah Abrahamson Machon Chana Women’s College Albert M. & Jeanette Nepomnick Carl Frohm Educational Fund Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Fund
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Janet Baack University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Gaston Bogomolni University of NebraskaOmaha Nate and Beatrice Sherman Scholarship
Daniel Bukenholts University of Pennsylvania The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Daniel Davidson Derech Institute of Torah Study The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Slava Etus University of NebraskaOmaha The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Lauren Feigin Colorado State University The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Daniel Gutman American University Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Fund The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Jessica Hasslinger Colorado State University The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Rebecca Hellwig Metropolitan Community College Lillian Keiser Stoms Educational Fund
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Esther Katzman Chaya Aydel Seminary Rebecca Friedman Scholarship The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Roman Kilishek University of Nebraska Omaha David W. and Minnie Frank Memorial Scholarship Fund
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Bradley Lerner Bradley University The Livingston Scholarships (“Livingston”)
Robert Mosenkis University of NebraskaOmaha Nancy and Don Greenberg Scholarship
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JELS Scholarship Awards
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Time for the Maccabiah by BERNARD MANN Legacy Crosswords, © 2004
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NOT PICTURED: Nicole Flatowicz, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law, Sandra L. Feldman Scholarship Fund; Claire Fredricks, Creighton University, Gertrude T. and Albert B. Newman Endownment Fund; Jeff Fredricks, University of NebraskaOmaha, The Livingston Scholarships; Jennifer Gates, Brandeis University, Sandra L. Feldman Scholarship Fund; Melanie Hellwig, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Fund, The Livingston Scholarships; Rita Kulik, Vatterott College, Maxine and Joe Kirshenbaum, The Livingston Scholarships; Adam Nichols, George Washington University, Sandra L. Feldman Scholarship Fund; Ella Patkovsky, Concordia University, Ruth Sokolof Special Education Scholarship, Aaron Pilley, University of Nebraska-Omaha, The Livingston
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Scholarships; Jacob Pilley, University of Nebraska-Omaha, The Livingston Scholarships; Yuliya Popkov, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Jerold I. and Sheila E. Rosen Endownment Fund, Maxine and Joe Kirshenbaum Scholarship, and The Livingston Scholarships; Joseph Spiegel, Metropolitan Community College, The Livingston Scholarships; Justin Spiegel, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Alan and Annie Fleishman Scholarship; Stephen Sternberg, University of MissouriColumbia, Albert M. & Jeanette Nepomnick, David Keiser and Lilian Keiser Stoms Educational Fund, J.W.V. Epstein-Morgan Post #260--Nathan Marcus Memorial Scholarship Fund, Lillian Keiser Stoms Educational Fund, and The Livingston Scholarships; Lidiya Tsedrik, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Joe and Ruth Rice Scholarship Fund.
ACROSS 1. Vegas starter 4. Positive change, say, in the economy 10. Useful minerals are found in them 14. Rah! for a toreador 15. Speaks to, in St. Tropez 16. Wax, or beeswax, in Barcelona 17. What one of Dorothy’s companions was made of 18. ATHLETE’S TRAINING, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL 20. Main course 22. TEAM’S KEY TO WINNING (as in basketball) 23. NEXT UP IS THE 100___ ____! 26. Company suffix 27. Goad 28. SHIVERING SWIMMER’S SOUND 30. TIMES ARE CLOCKED AT THE RACE’S ____ 33. Walter ____ Theater, Lincoln Center 36. Merited 39. SWIMMERS, RUNNERS FROM HAIFA, TEL AVIV (2 words) 43. Motifs 44. Melba or French 45. Dry, in Dijon 46. Hebrew counting measure 48. Hebrew for father, familiarly
52. ___ Lingus, Irish airline 55. Key, mandatory 58. Instruction to phone in a positive vote (2 words) 61. Cafe or small restaurant in France 62. SECOND HIGHEST AWARD 65. ___-ATHLON, (3 EVENTS) 66. Largest continent, spelled in Nimes 67. Oxygenate 68. Poetic contraction 69. Soaks 70. Swaps 71. Dir. from Tel Aviv to Haifa
24. 25. 29. 31. 32. 34. 35. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
August 13, 2004
Opinion Get the Facts It’s very easy to get swallowed up in the arguments presented by persuasive orators. Just imagine encountering an anti-Israel demonstrator on the street and trying to deflect his diatribe against the State of Israel with facts. It can be intimidating, especially if you’re not one for remembering figures. But try again... To help, the Jewish Press is suggesting a number of avenues. In addition to the usual sources we’ve often quoted in these pages, like: www.HonestReporting.com (which sends out e-mails containing the week’s errors and bias in the media and where you can respond), and translations of the Arabic press at MEMRI (which you can visit at www.memri.org), we’d like to suggest a different strategy this week. One place to start would be to schedule a date, time and location to hear from soldiers in the field--members of the Israel Defense Force who will be in Omaha next month. Not only will they relate real life experiences, they are our eyes and ears “on the ground”, giving us the stories and lessons we need in arguments with those who would like to see Israel disappear.
(Founded in 1920)
Stories are always easier to remember that facts, figures, charts and graphs. One story-about how 18-year-old boys went house-tohouse in Jenin to find Palestinian terrorists, risking their own lives (and 25 of them did die in that battle) rather than the Israeli Air Force pummeling the city with bombs will allow you to refute the propaganda that the IDF killed more than 500+ innocent civilians. (The bodies of those found after the battle were mostly terrorists; few civilians were killed because of the IDF’s risky strategy on the ground.) These young men have seen the worst humanity has to offer--and have survived. It’s important to hear their stories for several reasons--and not only to gain more information. As Jews in the Diaspora, with rare exception, we are not sending our sons and daughters into battle; Israelis do. (Exceptions--Omahan Russell Bennett is now in Iraq; thankfully Ernie Birt and Jay Benton have returned.) We may write a check, even a large one; Israelis send their sons and daughters, knowing full well they may never see them again. You may not agree with Israel’s decision to construct a security barrier; you may not
agree with settlements; you may not agree with evacuating Gaza. You can even express your point of view in the pages of the Jewish Press. Regardless of your political point of view, come listen to an Israeli soldier tell his.
Lessons from the Other Warsaw Uprising
BEHIND THE H EADLINES by JONATHAN S. TOBIN This month marks the 60th anniversary of the other Warsaw uprising. Though it is little remembered outside of Poland, the lessons of this terrible battle are worth remembering for a number of reasons in a world where collective action against evil still seems to be a difficult I am not referring to the Warsaw ghetto uprising. That battle, which began on Passover in 1943, was long over when 16 months later their Polish neighbors rose against the German occupiers on Aug. 1, 1944. In 1943, after a month of hopeless and honorable heroism, the last stand of the doomed and pitifully outnumbered and outgunned Jewish fighters had ended in the complete destruction of the ghetto. Other than a precious few who escaped to safety, all of the fighters and the Jews they sought in vain to protect were either killed or transported to the death camps. Over a year later, it was the Poles turn to fight a valiant, but ultimately doomed battle. In August 1944, with the tide of the Second World War already turned decisively against Adolf Hitler, the Soviet Union’s Red Army had expelled the Germans from their own borders and were advancing from the East on the Polish capital. With the Germans seemingly on their heels, the Polish government in exile in London ordered the Polish resistance, called the Home Army, to rise and expel their German occupiers, much as the French did that same month when U.S. troops neared Paris. But unlike the French--whose August uprising was facilitated by an American offensive designed to save them from a German counterattack and the planned destruction of the City of Lights--the Poles waited for help in vain. Soviet dictator Josef Stalin had already won the tacit agreement of the British and the Americans to communist hegemony over Eastern Europe, and had no interest in letting the Poles have a hand in their own liberation as the Americans generously allowed the French. Not for the first time, Poland was being sacrificed by great power politics. So instead of continuing the Red Army’s offensive in Poland, he ordered his troops to
halt, and literally watch from the eastern bank of the Vistula River as the Germans regrouped and exacted their revenge on the Poles. Stalin also refused the British and Americans, who belatedly thought to aid the doomed Poles, the use of his airbases for supply drops. Despite a heroic resistance that lasted 63 days, the Poles, joined by Jews who came out of hiding, were overwhelmed by the German forces that, like the Nazi attack on the Jews a year earlier, included many non-German collaborators. More than 100,000 Poles died, many of whom were, like so many of their Jewish neighbors, murdered by the Nazis in cold blood.
Today, the Jews are again under attack, both by a Palestinian war of terrorism and a propaganda war of anti-Semitism... After the last Polish patriots were killed or forced to surrender, the Germans forced all the remaining inhabitants to leave--and then leveled the city.The following January, the Soviets finally moved forward and “liberated” Warsaw. Stalin installed a compliant government of Polish Communists. True Polish independence would have to wait until the collapse of the Soviet Union nearly half a century later. In the years since, as the Jewish world honored the memory of the ghetto fighters and their struggle, Poles nursed their grudges in bitter silence. Under Communist rule, the memory of the August uprising was ignored. It is only as a truly independent Poland honors the heroes of 1944, that the story is being told elsewhere. For Jews, this other Warsaw uprising has always been remembered with bitter irony. Though many non-Jewish Poles and some in the Home Army sought to assist the doomed Jewish revolt in 1943, the Jewish fighters and the tens of thousands of helpless civilians they sought to protect ultimately were left to fight and die alone, without aid from the Allies or local partisans. Polish Jews had suffered official antiSemitism before 1939 during the country’s brief period of independence. They would encounter it again after the war, when some Poles viewed the pitiful few Jews who were
able to return to their homes with hate. But as much as it is necessary for the Poles to come to terms with their own record of anti-Semitism, the story of the events of August 1944 should not be told with anything but respect for the Poles who fought and died with honor for their country. Yet there is more to be gleaned from this sad tale than adding another chapter to the volumes of Nazi atrocity and Soviet perfidy. The history of the martyrdom of Poland bears special significance for the world today. Today, the Jews are again under attack, both by a Palestinian war of terrorism and a propaganda war of anti-Semitism, whereby the State of Israel--the place where the survivors of the Shoah found refuge in their ancient homeland--is deligitimized. At the same time, the rest of the civilized world is also involved in a war, one against fundamentalist Islamic terrorists who seek to destroy Western freedoms.But like some in the Europe of the 1930s and 1940s, there are many in the West who would like to pretend that the struggle of the Jews for survival is not one related to their own. Though the terrorists have killed thousands in New York and Madrid--and plot whoknows-what sort of mayhem for the future-many, especially in Europe, think the Jews of Israel are expendable. So rather than join with the Israelis in a common fight against an Islamic movement that has taken up the cudgels that the Nazis laid down in 1945, they stand aside and seek to hamstring the Jews’ efforts to defend themselves. They even condemn a defensive fence that seeks to deter suicide bombers, and have the gall to compare it to the ghetto walls that once encircled Jews. They forget that the same killers who today seek the death of the Jews will someday, if they get the chance, come for them, too. The memory of both the Jewish and the non-Jewish victims of 1943 and 1944 should serve as a reminder that there is no substitute for collective action against a collective threat. The war on Islamic terror, like the war against Nazism, cannot be divided between a Jewish war and a non-Jewish conflict. As Europe learned 60 years ago, the monster will not be satisfied with only Jewish blood. Jonathan S. Tobin is Executive Editor of the Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia. He can be reached via e-mail at: jtobin@jewishexponent.com.
Joanie Jacobson Chairman Carol Katzman Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Allan Handleman Advertising Manager Ray Pred Account Executive Timothy J. Ketelsen Bookkeeper Lori Kooper-Schwarz Production Assistant Jewish Press Committee Howard K. Marcus, Vice-Chairman; Bobbi Leibowitz, Secretary; Scott Meyerson, Finance Chairman; Steve Simon, Treasurer; Fred Tichauer, Immediate Past-chairman; Jean Duitch; Penny Endelman; Kip Gordman; Stanley Mitchell; George Quittner; Linda Saltzman; Joey Shyken; Michael Siegal; Nancy Skid; and Melanie Weinstein. The role of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to involve Jews in meeting Jewish communal needs locally, nationally and in Israel. Centers of Excellence of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Educational and Library Services, Jewish Family Service, and Jewish Senior Services. The Jewish Press and the Foundation are constutional committees of the Jewish Federation. Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Committee, the Jewish Federation of Omaha or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is a Constitutional Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, noon, eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in .TIF or .PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1-402-334-5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org.. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be singlespaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions, but should be printed as soon as possible to ensure timeliness. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For more information, contact Carol Katzman, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly on Friday for $31 per calendar year U.S.; $35 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132nd St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or e-mail to: jpress@jewishomaha. org.
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The Presbyterians Got it Wrong: Let’s Get it Right
FOCUS ON ISSUES by MARK J. PELAVIN Earlier this month, the 493 delegates to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) adopted a series of deeply troubling “overtures” (their term for policy statements). The General Assembly defeated an attempt to cut off funding for “messianic” congregations, which target Jews for proselytization and conversion. It condemned the Israeli security fence and, in an overture supporting the Geneva peace accords, called for divestment from companies doing business in Israel. One of the rabbis I spoke to last week observed that, when taken together, their refusal to suspend funding for proselytization of Jews and their statement opposing the security barrier suggest that PC-USA believes that “Jewish souls are worth saving, but not Jewish lives.” These statements reveal a significant chasm separating the Jewish community and the Presbyterian Church (USA). But however tempting it may be to entrench ourselves behind defensive and divisive rhetoric, for the sake of Israel, our long-standing friendship with the Presbyterians, and our common values and concerns, we must strive to mend bridges rather than burn them. Sadly, with one very important exception, none of these gestures is really new. PC-USA, like many of the mainline Protestant denominations, claims to be “evenhanded” in their approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet, by equating terrorist acts committed against innocent civilians with legitimate Israeli military actions,
they ignore the very security on which Israel depends. One can be a critic of particular policies of the Israeli government, or of specific terror-fighting tactics, without falling into the trap of moral equivalency. What is new, and therefore most troubling, is the call for divestment. PC-USA has set a double standard by singling out Israel for economic and political sanctions. Where is the PC-USA overture on holding accountable the Palestinian Authority officials who facilitate terrorism through the misuse of Palestinian and international funds? Where is the overture demanding true political reform in the Palestinian Authority? And where are the overtures divesting from countries with far, far greater human rights abuses than the democratic country of Israel: Myanmar, North Korea, China, Iran? It has long been a linchpin of doves in Israel and their supporters around the world that the more economically and militarily robust Israel felt itself to be, the more willing it was to take risks for peace when the time came about. An Israeli economy weakened by divestment undercuts that willingness, and if shaped to include military contractors, divestment could well weaken Israel’s security. Although I know that many within PC-USA earnestly seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict, its endorsement of divestment threatens to gravely destabilize the dynamics that are indispensable to a real peace process. In response to these unprecedented overtures, some in our community have called for ending all dialogue with Presbyterians. I believe that is exactly the wrong response. What we need is a renewed dialogue that would occur on two levels. On the national level, we need to reach out to the leadership of PC-USA and explain to them--without rancor or disdain--that the repercussions of their actions belie their stated support
for Israel and deter progress towards a lasting peace. On the local level, synagogues across the country need to reach out to Presbyterian churches in their communities and embrace a dialogue around Israel that will be difficult and may not lead to complete agreement, but is absolutely essential. Part of that difficulty will be responding to these gestures in a firm and critical manner without resorting to exaggeration or distortion. For example, PC-USA’s overture did not, as one national Jewish organization claimed, “call Israel a racist, apartheid state….” Such distortions distract from the sincerity and effectiveness of our response. To address the immense criticism facing their endorsement of divestment, PC-USA clarified that “the assembly’s action calls for a selective divestment, and not a blanket economic boycott, keeping before us our interest in Israel’s economic and social well-being.” While welcoming that clarification, it is now our job to explain to them that divestment in any degree threatens the very existence of Israel and the prospects for peace in the region. And it is our job to ensure that PC-USA lives up to its promise to keep Israel’s well-being not only in their words but in their deeds. Only through honest and sustained dialogue can this be achieved. We must have the resolve to reach out across the chasm to our Presbyterian neighbors. We must do whatever we can to assure that, where the Presbyterians have gotten it wrong, they will work with us to get it right.
with the world’s largest economy and the world’s best military. Here are some other unpleasant numbers and facts: about 80% of American mosques are taken over by extremists (Read “Militant Islam Reaches America” by Daniel Pipes at his website). Hear the anti-Semitic and anti-American rhetoric being preached from their pulpits (www.meforum.org/article/pipes/1018). This hate speech is protected by the First Amendment. How about the 5000+ al-Qaeda operatives and sympathizers believed to live in the U.S.? How about the Muslim students at UC-Irvine wearing Hamas headbands during the graduation ceremony? (www.adl.org/PresRele/Mise_00/4520_00.htm) How about the FBI’s statement that the 2002 terrorist attack at the El Al ticket counter at LAX was an “isolated incident”, not connected with terrorism? (Read Steve Emerson’s book, American Jihad). How about the Saudi student in Idaho, who ran a pro-terrorist website and was allowed to go free? (www.adl.org/learn/news/ Hussayen.asp). How about the “Committee to free Shaikh Omar Abdel Rahman”, a spiritual leader of the group responsible for the 1993 WTC bombing? (www.hvk.org/articles/0902/105.html). Almost three years after Sept. 11, our government still treats terrorism as a law enforcement issue as opposed to a military one. It’s like bringing a knife to a gun-fight. We still don’t have a domestic intelligence agency. The Patriot Act is being assaulted more and more. The Supreme
Court gives enemy combatants the right to challenge their detention in civilian courts. ACLU tries to scare us that our rights and freedoms are being curtailed. The worst I can think of are those annoying lines at the airports. I am willing to spend an extra hour to decrease the chance of my plane being converted into a missile. Have you ever flown El Al? Does it take longer to get on El Al plane than on any other plane? Yes. How many El Al planes have been hijacked since 1968? Zero! (http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38934). Those are the odds I’m looking for when I fly! I have no doubt that we will win the war on terror. If history is an indicator, good always triumphs over evil. As an American, I don’t want to wait for my country to be raped again. As a Jew, I don’t want to wait for another Holocaust. I want to do something. A lot of people are already doing that through The Investigative Project (http://iona.ghandchi.com/emerson.htm), SITE Institute (www.siteinstitute.org), Middle East Forum (www.meforum.org/). If you feel frustrated, because you want to take an active part in the war on terror, but don’t know how, we can use your help. If you want to take part in this project, please contact us at Stopterror@s-mail.com. *Max Red is a pseudonym for a member of the Jewish community who wishes to protect his identity. He can be reached, however, at: Stopterror@s-mail.com.
Mark J. Pelavin is the Director of the Commission on Interreligious Affairs of Reform Judaism and the Associate Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Stop Terror by MAX RED* On the morning of Sept. 11, my mother woke me up with a phone call and told me to turn on the news. Most of that day, I spent in front of the TV. Disbelief gave way to a whole range of emotions: shock, fear, rage, sadness. It was almost three years ago. I never thought of myself as a violent person, but every time I see the images of burning towers, people plunging to their death, or hear the screams on the radio recorded that day, I feel rage … blinding rage. I just want to find anyone responsible for those atrocities. You can safely bet that on Sept. 12, the terrorism issue was the primary concern of any American. Since then, our government has been doing a good job of preventing major terrorist attacks within our borders. This has made most people feel secure enough for the terrorism issue to slip into the background. Today many Americans consider the economy and education to be more important issues than terrorism. According to many experts on militant Islam (or Islamism), approximately 10-15% of Muslims subscribe to Islamist ideology. That translates as 100,000,000 of them. Over a hundred million fanatics, who consider us descendants of “apes and pigs”, want us dead--us and the “Crusaders”. Fortunately, most of them live outside of The United States. However, with our porous borders, that may change. As we know from experience, it may take only 19 of them to deliver a devastating blow to the country
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Synagogue Listings B’nai Israel Synagogue 618 Mynster St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
Beth El Synagogue Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org
Beth Israel Synagogue Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific St. Omaha, NE. 68154 556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
Beyt Shalom An Affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation 3012 S. 119 St. P.O. Box 390352 Omaha, NE 68139 660.2395 www.beytshalomomaha.org
Chabad House An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330.1800 nebraskajudaism.com email: chabad@aol.com
Congregation B’nai Jeshurun South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 S. 20th St. Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435.8004 jewishnebraska.org
Offutt Air Force Base SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294.6244
Rose Blumkin Jewish Home 333 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154
Temple Israel Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556.6536 templeisrael-ne.org
The Neighborhood Minyan Torah Learning Center 1313 No. 58 St. Omaha, NE 68132 553.5397
Tifereth Israel Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
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Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY, Aug. 13: No Services
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6 p.m.; Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m. Families are invited attend this delightful service, led by Patty Nogg and filled with age-appropriate songs and prayers. After the service, stay for an Oneg Shabbat with juice and cookies. SATURDAY: Morning Services, 9:30 a.m., Kiddush sponsored by Ozzie and Don Nogg in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary. K’tantan Plus (K-7), activities will include exploring the Siddur in an age-appropriate fashion, 10:45 a.m.; Evening Services, 8:15 p.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sunday, 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Weekdays, 6:55 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. SITTER SERVICE During Friday night and Saturday mornings services, on a drop-in basis, at no charge. SPECIAL PROGRAMS COME & DANCE! Israeli Dance Lessons Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. with Cheryl Lerner and Ophir Palmon. For information, contact Cheryl, 334.8430 or cldancer@ aol.com. A “ROYAL” AFTERNOON SUNDAY, Aug. 15, 11 a.m.: Join Men’s Club and Hazak for lunch at Beth El, then off to Rosenblatt Stadium to watch the Omaha Royals battle the Colorado Springs Rockies. For more information, contact Natalie Rubin at 334.5893. MONDAY, Aug. 16, 7 p.m.: B.E.A.M. (Beth El Association for Mitzvot) meeting. WOMEN'S ROSH HODESH GROUP, WEDNESDAY, Aug. 18, 7 p.m.: Welcome the month of Elul with a light-hearted evening discussing Jewish women humorists and comediennes. The meeting, hosted by Helen Epstein and Sherry Shapiro, will be held at Epstein’s home, 2223 No. 100 St. Reservations are needed and may be made by calling Shapiro at 330.9825, or via e-mail at sheshap@aol.com. “LEGACY OF OUR ANCESTORS,” THURSDAY, Aug. 19, 7 p.m.: In recognition of 350 years of American Jewry, Beth El invites the entire community to attend the premiere of the film, Legacy of Our Ancestors: 350th Anniversary Celebration of Early Jewish America. Sponsored by the Staenberg family, in memory of Marlene Hechtman. Reserve your space for this first-run viewing by calling Harriet Einziger, 492.8550.
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: MondayThursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fridays, 8:30 a.m-2 p.m.. Services are conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Services, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY: Morning Services, 9 a.m.; Free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by Beth Israel Synagogue and Sisterhood in honor of Rabbi Gross. Junior Congregation, 10:30 a.m.; Mincha, 8 p.m. and Havdalah, 9:09 p.m. SUNDAY: Morning Service, 9 a.m.; Evening Service, 7 p.m. Weekday Morning Service, 7 a.m.; Weekday Evening Service, 7 p.m.. Y.U. TORAH TOURS TUESDAY: YU Summer Torah Tours kicks off with a shiur (lecture) following Mincha/Ma’ariv. WEDNESDAY: Torah Tours breakfast, 8 a.m. (following morning services); Men’s Lunch and Learn, noon at Noddle Development, 13710 First National Bank Parkway; Women’s Lunch and Learn, noon at the home of Maggie Gerber, 426 So. 126 St. Lunch is available for $5; Italian Night Dinner, 6 p.m. followed by Mincha/Ma’ariv at 7:30 p.m.; Two learning sessions, one for adults and one for NCSYers (512th graders) will follow services. THURSDAY: Torah Tours breakfast, 8 a.m. (following morning services); Lunch and Learn for Men and Women, noon at the JCC; Lunch is available for $5. A shiur will follow Mincha/Ma’ariv. Friday, Aug. 20: Torah Tours breakfast, 8 a.m. (following morning services); A family Friday night dinner will follow 7:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat services. Dinner is $12 for adults, $6 for kids (children four and under are free). Saturday, Aug. 21: Shabbat Lunch will follow services; $8 for adults and $4 for kids (children four and under are free). Concurrent Adult and NCSY sessions will be at 7 p.m., followed by Mincha, Shalosh Suedot and Havdalah.
BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Shabbat in the Home.
CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. MONDAY-FRIDAY, Morning services, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Mamarim class, 9 a.m.; Services, 9:30 a.m. SUNDAY: Services, 8:30 a.m. Mishneh class, 9:30 a.m. MONDAY Halacha Intermediate level, 7 p.m.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Rabbi Debbie Stiel will be in the office Tuesdays and Thursdays, all day. You may reach her 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays at 416.2321 (local for Lincoln), or at rabstiel@aol.com. FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. led by Rabbi Debbie Stiel, Study Topic: “Reform Judaism and Zionism”. Oneg to follow services. SATURDAY: Morning Services, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. All led by Rabbi Stiel; at 1:30 p.m: an organizational meet-
ing for the Temple Social Action Committee will be held at the Temple for those interested in developing our congregation’s program for social justice. To attend or for more information, contact Barb Straus at 476.1070 or e-mail her at: jebs@navix.net THURSDAY: Choir Practice, 7 p.m. ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAYS: Beginning Hebrew Prayers, using the book Hineini, on Aug. 15 and Aug. 29, 9 a.m. SUNDAY, Aug. 15, 10 a.m.: Does our tradition countenance preemptive military action when there is suspicion, but no prima facie evidence exists, that a perceived enemy will attack? Come and study how the movement and Jewish tradition answers this timely question. Bagels will be served. UPCOMING EVENTS SUNDAY, Aug. 22, 7 p.m.: As part of the rabbinical search process, the board invites the congregation to participate in a conversation on the future of South Street Temple. Nancy Myers will facilitate. MOVIE NIGHT, SATURDAY, Aug. 28, 7-9:15 pm: The Quarrel-another excellent and thoughtful movie for teens and adults will be shown. Join us for havdalah, snacks, and a movie you will not forget.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.; led by Rabbi Maximo Shechet.
TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m. Cantor Wendy Shermet will officiate. SATURDAY: Bagels and Sacred Books, 9:30-10:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. SITTER SERVICE During August, sitter service will be available at each Friday evening service. Please make a reservation through the Temple office. Cost is $2 per family. Sorry, there are no facilities for infants.
Candlelighting Friday, August 13, 8:07 p.m. OUTDOOR SUMMER SERVICE, August 20, 6 p.m. J.C.C. Pavilion. See article on page 5. BROADWAY ON THE BIMAH SUNDAY, Aug. 22, 7 p.m.: The Rothschilds starring Bernie Dean in the Temple Sanctuary. Join us for a evening of Tony Award-winning musical theater that retells the story of one of the most famous Jewish families in Europe. Bernie Dean brings this colorful family to life through music written by the same artists who created Fiddler on the Roof. A dessert reception will follow the performance. Tickets: $5 in advance, $7 at the door. The evening is sponsored by The Janis Yale Enrichment Fund.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN AT TLC FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat services, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat services, followed by a festive kiddush, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m., followed by Havdalah.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Stanley M. Rosenbaum. Minyan, MONDAY AND THURSDAY, 7:15 a.m. FRIDAY: Services, 8 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. WEDNESDAY: The Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. If you do not receive a call, contact Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066. SUNDAY, Aug. 15, 1 p.m.: Jewish Federation of Lincoln meeting at the synagogue. INVITATION TO STUDY ANTARCTICA TUESDAY, Aug. 17, 7:30 p.m.: Dr. David Harwood will present a program on Antarctic exploration at South Street Temple. He is a geoscientist in the university’s Antarctic Drilling Science Management Office, and will speak on how Antarctic research is done and what it tells us about our planet’s past and future. Refreshments will be served. For more information call Tifereth Israel at 423.8569.
B’NAI MITZVAH Joel and Scott Mash, twin sons of Frankie and Dennis Mash, will celebrate their Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 21, at Forest Lane Chabad in Dallas, TX. Joel and Scott are both seventh grade students at Park Hill J u n i o r High in Dallas. Joel is involved in Joel Mash hockey and basketball and plays the saxophone; Scott is interested in gymnastics and basketball and
plays the oboe. Joel and Scott have a brother, Lee. Their grandparents are Betty Ferran of Dallas, TX, and Shawn
Scott Mash and Zelda Mash of Dallas, TX and Cheri Weiner of Omaha and the late Louis Weiner.
SPARKS FROM THE WORD by RABBI BARUCH HALEVI Parashat Re’eh One of the reasons I chose to commit to Judaism is because I’m a control freak. Yes, I’ll admit I love control. I’ve always hated people telling me what to do, what to believe and what to value. And ultimately this is why, one day, when I finally began to fully think for myself as a conscious adult, I made a choice--I would cast my lot with the Jewish people, bind myself to Torah and ultimately serve God. Now, perhaps this seems counterintuitive. How could someone who so deeply values freedom and autonomy ultimately give up that freedom and relinquish control? And the answer is as the Jewish mystics teach us: the one thing we can be certain of in this lifetime is that human beings, you and I, will ultimately serve someone or something! Look around! Academics are served, or are often enslaved, to research and facts blinded by reality outside the ivory tower. Politicians often leave behind the causes for which they once fought as they become enslaved to popularity. And you and I will easily drift into the slavery of work, routines, and cravings and desires of the mind and body and perhaps we’ll never even realize it. And so the Torah lays out the truth of our human predicament in this week’s parsha, Re’eh, saying:
“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day; And a curse, if you will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known.” What this parsha reminds us is that there is always a choice. Will we serve Torah and God or will we serve “other gods” and “idols” in their myriad of seductive and elusive forms? Because, again, the issue isn’t whether or not we will serve, but what or whom will we serve? And will we make that choice for ourselves or will outside factors make it for us? In the end avodat HaShem, service of God through Torah is not only prudent (binding oneself to a moral tradition that has withstood the test of time); it is ironically liberating. In many ways it is no different than a marriage. Marriage by definition is limiting. In effect what we are saying to the rest of the world and to God is that through this act we are limiting ourselves to this one person. And ironically, at least in good marriages, with this limitation, this “service” comes a possibility for growth and liberation incomparable to the “freedom” of when we were single. And so it is with a life of Judaism, mitzvot and service of God. Though we like to define “mitzvah” as “good deed”, in fact, mitzvah means commandment, obligation and service! However, it is service and servitude that is truly enriching, liberating and ultimately as our parsha describes it--it is a blessing. Former Omahan Rabbi Baruch HaLevi is the spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel in Des Moines, IA.
Newman Committee to Consider Grant Requests by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Foundation Public Relations Coordinator Organizations and individuals interested in applying for grants from the Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation should submit their proposals to Laurie Peatrowsky, administrative assistant at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, 333 South 132nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154, no later than Monday, Sept. 27, 1 p.m. Members of the Newman Foundation Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday, Oct. 27, to consider requests for funds.
DEATH JUDY ROBINSON Judy Robinson died Aug. 4 at the age of 54. Services were held at Golden Hill cemetery on Aug. 6. She is survived by her husband, John Robinson; sons, Andy and Todd; parents, Norman and Marge Lincoln; and sister, Susan Bickford. Memorials to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.
To Submit an Obituary Notice: Send full name, age, date of death, location of service and burial site to the Jewish Press via e-mail: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org; fax, 402.334.5422; or mail, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68114. Survivors shall be listed, including names of surviving spouse, sisters, brothers, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren and their places of residence; the numbers (but not names) of greatgrandchildren, as well as the name of the spouse or children who preceded the deceased in death. In cases where confusion might arise due to people of the same name either being the deceased or a survivor, maiden names or middle initials shall be added, if known. Nieces and nephews shall be listed when there are no surviving children or grandchildren. Friends of the deceased (companions or life partners) shall be listed. Other pertinent biographical information (including honors or the serving as an officer in a Jewish organization) may be included at the Editor’s discretion. Memorial suggestions are acceptable to any bona fide, charitable organization; addresses will be included to out-of-state non-profit organizations, if provided.
EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE The New Year’s issue published Sept. 10. Due to the closing of the Jewish Press office during the Jewish holidays, the deadlines for issues in September and October will be as follows: Issue Deadline Sept. 24 Tuesday, Sept. 14 Oct. 1 Wednesday, Sept. 22 Oct. 8 Tuesday, Sept. 29 Oct. 15 Tuesday, Oct. 5 Questions? Call 334.6448.
Distribution of funds to charitable organizations will be determined by the Board of Trustees of the Newman Foundation for charitable, educational, and religious purposes consistent with the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Trustees will consider co-sponsoring programs that exceed $3000. Otherwise, requests should not exceed that amount. Grant applications and further information are available by contacting Marty Ricks, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation Foundation, at 334.6440 or Peatrowsky at 334.6439.
Jewish Community Responds to Crisis in Sudan by JEWISH PRESS NEWS SERVICE The Jewish Coalition for Sudan Relief has so far collected more than $41,000 for humanitarian aid to victims of the militias in the Sudan. According to the Joint Distribution Committee’s own website, more than 1.2 million people have fled the Darfur area of Sudan since the Janjaweed militias (with the cooperation of the Sudanese government) laucnhed a campaign against the villagers. An estimated 15,000 to 35,000 people have been killed; many others suffer from injuries, cholera and malaria outbreaks. Tax-deductible ontributions can be made through the JDC at its website: www.jdc.org/jcdr_donate_form.html. While the JDC is a recipient of funds from the Federation’s Annual Campaign, this is a separate emergency campaign.
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The Stroller Set to Convene Rothschild Dynasty to Come Alive as P.A.T.T.E.R. Returns in Musical at Temple Israel by CLAUDIA SHERMAN poured millions into supporting the early agricultural setto Beth El tlements there. Temple Israel Communications Coordinator by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator
P.A.T.T.E.R., (Parent and Toddler Torah, Exercise and Recreation), Beth El’s fun-filled program for the Jewish community’s diaper set (ages one to three-years-old), is back for its second year, once again led by longtime preschool and elementary school teacher Helen Epstein. The weekly group returns on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 10:45 a.m. to noon. Using music, playtime and story-telling, Epstein (pictured above, standing at far left, during class last spring) imparts the joy of Judaism to her small participants and their parents; families throughout the Jewish community are invited to join in the fun each week. For more information, please call Harriet Einziger, 492.8550. JEWISH PRESS NOTICE Photos from the Passover issue and other special issues must be picked up by the end of this month or they will be “donated” to the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society.
Two hundred years ago, behind the walled ghettos of Frankfort, Germany, there was little hope and for most Jews, only a half-hearted vision of a future. But within the same walls, the seeds of a dynasty began to take root. Meyer Amschel Rothschild (1743-1812), the son of a German Jewish merchant, believed in something better than ghetto life and was determined to escape its limitations. From out of the despair, he became successful investing the fortune of an Austrian nobleman and eventually managed the finances of several royal families. When he died, Rothschild handed down a banking establishment with enormous assets and branches in several financial centers to his five sons. With banks in Frankfort, Vienna, London, Naples, and Paris, the family came to be known as the financial kings of Europe. They used their influence to refuse loans to warlike governments, to extend credit to educational systems in France and Germany, and to fund the construction of Europe’s first railroad. Later generations of the Rothschild family gained prominence as patrons of the arts and philanthropies. Baron Edmond de Rothschild (1845-1934) was one of the chief builders of Palestine. Anonymously at first, he
In the Broadway musical, The Rothschilds, based loosely on the achievements of the family as depicted in the book by Frederic Morton, the birth of the Rothschild dynasty is recreated. Centered around the lives of Mayer Rothschild and his sons, the musical ran for 505 performances on Broadway. On Sunday, Aug. 22, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel, actorsinger Bernie Dean, in a one-man performance, brings together the essential elements of the Broadway show. The entire musical score by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, key scenes as well as all the main characters are performed. “It’s very fast moving,” Dean said, who has been on tour for two or three years with the show. “It’s unusual,” he added, “and something the audience will remember for a long time.” Supported by the Janis Yale Enrichment Fund of Temple Israel, the show is open to the entire community. Tickets cost $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Reservations can be made by calling the Temple office at 556.6536 or sending a check to Temple at 7023 Cass St., Omaha, NE 68132. Tickets may also be purchased at the Temple office. A dessert reception will follow the performance.
Goldsten Trust Grant Applications Due Next Month by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Foundation Public Relations Coordinator Joe Kirshenbaum, president of the Board of Directors of the Herbert Goldsten Trust, has announced that the Board will meet this fall to consider requests from qualified organizations in need of funds consistent with the Trust’s purpose. When he died in 1990, Herbert Goldsten left a bequest establishing the Trust to benefit Jewish religious, charitable, and educational organizations in the Omaha metropolitan area. Grant applications for 2005 should be submitted no later than Monday, Sept. 27, to the Herbert Goldsten Trust, c/o Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation
(Attention: Laurie Peatrowsky), 333 So. 132nd St., Omaha, NE 68154. Late applications will not be considered. Applications have been mailed. Additional forms can be requested by calling Peatrowsky, Foundation administrative assistant, at 334.6439. Trustees intend to focus their attention on projects that would be likely to have a favorable long-term impact on the community and that would not otherwise be funded through general community resources. Questions or assistance in preparing a grant request can be directed to Marty Ricks, Foundation Executive Director, at 334.6440 or to Peatrowsky.
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