NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL
Richard II. Hiller. chairman of the program committee, has ' i i l i R H i l i i C C d t l i a t till* l i ' l l . l i
U'litil
Aihericanism Citation n{ Henry Mon.sky Lodge No. II51. will be iiwnrdrd to Mr;,';r. Nicholas II, Wcgner, director «[ I'athor Flann;;an's Hoys' Home. 'I'lin presentation will be made by Harry Tni:;tiri, the I!>(i5 recipient, at a June 21 noon lunchcon at tlie Sheraton-Eonteiiclle Hotel ballroom.
Speaking to some 2,000 delegates at the White House Conference on Civil nights in Washington. D. C. last wee]:, President Lyndon R. Johnson noted tin; prtigie.i.s which has been made in the last 12 years, and more specifically in the past few mouths. "Not long ago, a businessman from the Middle West wrote a letter to the White House." said the President. '"He had attended the planning conference last November, and lit had returned home filled with a new awareness of the Negro's condition in Ainericn, He was fired with a . determination to improve those condition:; in his own community." "He listed 17 steps his city had taken since last November, to o p e n up new channels of communication b e t w e e n the races." the President continued. 'This man had inspired many of those steps, and he had taken a part in bringing all of them about. He did not claim that he had single-handedly changed the terms of 'Negro life in his city for the better. But lie had made a start. He had planted a seed—indeed, a whole row of seeds,.Years from now there will be a harvest in his city—
The.luncheon will bo open to the public, and tickets at $2.50 f.'if'h ni'ty be nhlajni'd fr'MU Mr.
Hiller or at the Jewish Community Center. Serving with Mr. Hiller on the program committee are Milton Livingston, Milton Abraham:;, J. H. Kulakofsky, Harry Tnistin. Morris Jacob;;, Joseph S, Goldw.'ire, Kdward A. Rosen. David K. Beber, Dr. Al>c Grecnberg. Dr. Hen Kutler and Avnim Grecnberf;.
a harvest of hope, where there might have been a howlin;; desert of despair and bitterness,'1 said the President. Norman Halm Informed sources advised the Jewish Press this week that the city referred to in the President's remarks was Omaha, and the writer of the letter was Norman Halm, Chairman of the City of Omaha Human Helations Hoard . While the text of Mr. Halm'.; letter has not yet been made available, it is reported that the letter noted changes and advancements within the framework of the Human Relations Board, as well as attempts to promote meaningful dialogues between members of the white and non-white community so that all are made aware of the problems involved.
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'flip. Ground was broken last I n day for two .standard size tenni > courts at the Esther K. Ntw man Camp. The tennis couiti were made possible by a be quest of the Joseph and Erna Lapidus Eslnle, which provided the funds to construct the new additions to the camp facilitit Participating in the ground breaking ceremonies were III nier Gross, chairman of the camp development commitUe Kdward D. Hrodkey, chairman of the camp committee; Louii E. Lipp, chairman of the tennis court project: Paul Veret. dilec tor of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and Alex Weinstein, architect. "TTiese two t e n n i .s courts represent a very important adth tion to the Camp Newman fac i 1 i t i e s." said Mr. Hrodl.ey "They will enable us to add another important activity for our campers. In a (i d i i i o n. ihe.se c o u r t s are multifunctional, which will enable us to use them for outdoor sports." . The tennis area will be known as the ''Joseph and Erna Lapidus Tennis Courts."
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Tel Aviv IZINS) — The Rabbinate here granted a divorce to a woman who several years ago married a convict with a 25-year sentence to serve. In explaining the original reason for this strange alliance, the wife said: "I consoled myself with the thought that while in prison my husband would have to be faithful to me. For a wife such security is true happiness." The faithful husband, however, based his suit for divorce on the same reasoning: "My wife is quite right concerning my lack of freedom to have any outside affairs. Unfortunately, she cotdd not offer me the same assurances: she is quite free to be unfaithful to me!" The Rabbinate found the couple's reasoning valid, and both partners are now free in their own fashion.
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An abstract painting titled "Metamorphoses'' by Saragail Katznian was named the best entry of the more than 50 art efforts entered in the l%0 J.C.C, Youth' Art Contest. Judged by professional artist, Gloria Mathews, trophies wcte awarded to the two winners in each of three divisions. WINNERS Belli Grei1 iiI)erg and Susan Weincr Were named the winners in the grade school division, with honorable mention going to Cindy .Weiss. Junior high division winner:; were Peter Newman and Sarafjall Kat/niaii. Honorable mention went to Mike Sell/ Kngel and .Sharon Cohen. Top artists in the High School division were I.en Karpman iind Rita PasUoivil/.. F.llene Halprin was awarded lionomblo mention. Peter NVvvmnu and Janci Lij>*
sey took top honors in the so-
cial Sculpture Division. Paul Novak was given honorable mention, . • In addition to the trophies
PitTUlCEIJ AHOVE at the ground-breaking for (he new Tennii Courts on the site of the Esther K. Newman Camp are (on tli« Caterpillar from left to righl) Elmer Gross, Development chairman; Paul Veret, Federation Executive Director and Edward I'.niclliov, Camp Committee Chairman. Standing (left to riglii) Louis Li|>p, Tennis Court Project chairman and Alex Weinstt-iu, architect.
WhohUnfaithful?
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awarded the winners, engraved gold certificates were presented to all. those entering the cornpetition.
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A SPECIAL SCULPTURE DIVISION was included in the lOCC. JCC Youth Art Contest. Pictured above from lett to right are (he Winning entries fa the division submitted by Janet LIpscy, I'eier Newman and Paul Novak.
'Yes' Says Ohio Orthodox Mbhl A recent issue of the Ohio Jewish Chronicle reports that Rabbi David Stavsky of Both Jacob Synagogue in Columbus, Ohio, reacted to the recent Gallup report of increasing Jewish atheism with a sharp attack on the ceremony of Bar Milzvah. The Chronicle reports Rabbi Stavsky as questioning the validity of the Gallup Poll, and saying that if the report has any validity, it calls for a serious evaluation among Jewish leaders and education. "IT IS MY belief," said the Rabbi, ."that nothing has.stifled and strangled Jewish education and learning in America nothing has contributed more to the adulteration of faith and the confusion of intellect, than the BarMitzvah training program in America." "What people do not realize is that Bar Milzvah is a 'Myth,' there is nothing sacred or ritualistic or important about having a boy memorize a chapter in the Prophets, and repeat a canned speech or prayer." "MILLIONS Or DOLLARS are spent annually for this myth, and with it, comes the death blow to Jewish education and learning. By. abolishing Bar Mitzvahs" said Rabbi Stavsky, "there is a slight, possibility that the child may go on in Hebrew School to age 17 or 18." "The Bar Milzvah training program either by private lessons or a f t e r n o o n Hebrew School, 'guarantees' that his Jewish education will end a week after the gifts are counted." . . ' • "ATHEISM IS JUST another word in our vocabulary pertainto the question of the survival of the Jew in America. First enme inter-faith marriage and its statistics, now we have atheism. The real root for both is the myth of the American Bar Mitzvah," tho Rabbi concluded.
'No' Says Omaha Rcsbbi 8. Nadoff Rabbi Isaac Nadoff of Beth Israel Synagogue in Omaha, wa.i asked for his reaction to tha statement, of his Ohio collegia; advocating the abolishment of Bar Mitzvah. "I cannot agree that Bar Mitzvah is a 'myth' or. that, it should be abolished," said Rabbi Nadoff. "Further, I do not believe that Bar Mitzvah marking the end of Jewish education 13 as much a problem today as it was 10 or 15 years ago. In tha short time I have been at Beth Israel" Rabbi Nadoff said, ."[ note that of the young peopla who have celebrated their Bar Mitzvahs this year, the majority have remained in the school and. have indicated their intention to return in the fall to the high school department." Postponing Rabbi Nadoff noted that .tha idea of postponing the Bar Mitzvah celebration until ago 15, Ifi or 17 is not a new idea and has much merit. "I wouid certainly be in favor of a later age for the Bar Mitzvah celebration, but I would be equally opposed to the abolishment of the ceremony" he said. "I regret that Rabbi Stavsky •considers the Bar Mitzvah aa evil," said the Omaha Rabbi, "I believe the Bar Mitzvah celebration is among our most beautiful rituals and not to ba looked down upon." Rabbi Nadoff explained that the Bar Mitzvah celebration i.s, in fact, recognition of the 'religious maturity' of the young adult. The fact that the youngster has a Bar Mitzvah is in itself an indication of religion? background and study he said. Standards "Most schools have specific requirements of background bafore preparation for Bar Mitzvah can be started," he said, "In our school a minimum of four years of study is required prior to Bar Mitzvah. I find nothing objectionable about ths • recognition of this level of nfc-; ; tainment as expressed in tflts Bar, Mitzvah celebration."^ -K(•<