HTS7CV.ICAL SOCIETY1
oa
Publication Office 101 No. 20th St. omaha, Neb. 68102, Phone 342-13C8
1
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 28, »
SAVE THESE DATES WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16
Somb
Women'j Philanthropies Division Dessert Luncheon—"12:30 P.M. Beth Israel Synagogue _
SUNDAY, APRIL 20 Omaha Jewish Federation Annual Dinner-Meeting Highland Country Club
' This column appears front •page this week in place of a 'story that should appear front page, bur one that I simply 'Son't know how to writel After /our years of editing this paper, I've found that certain items always follow an established pattern. B i r t h s , deaths, weddings etc. arc usually written in much the same way. Some front page stories • as well fall into a format that's repeated year in and year out. tike campaign stories. 1 : Every year, chairmen are announced, goals r e v e a l e d , needs explained and campaign ^progress reported. This year has been no different, and till now, the campaign stories have •followed the lamiliar format. Every year a variety of pleas for funds are made by chairmen and guest speakers and .these too could be reported in .en established story form. : • Bat this year, something is , very different. Not only are the i needs different, but the appeal ' • for funds by chairmen and guest speakers have taken a much different tone. Tho old story formats don't fit. I can't explain it in a news story—thus •this column to share with you ' .some of my reactions to recent events. . Nick Newman seems to be a new breed of campaign chairman. Ife hasn't been doing the things campaign chairmen usually do. For instance. The . general chairman usually appears at the various meetings of the women's division; says nice .things about how well the women run their campaign; makes a little pitch for increases, and closes his presentation with something that makes the la! dies feel like paragons of viri tue for their ..efforts-and generosity. , But not this year. I heard Nick Newman tell the 150 women at the Pacesetter Brunch ! he didn't think they were doing ' enough. Every woman present I had indicated a m i n i m u m \ pledge of $100, but were re-
minded by Mr. Newman that their contributions had not deprived them of the cars, clothes, maids, jewelry and beauy shop appointments that identified them as American Jewish women. He didn't ask, but demanded increases to answer the crucial needs of this campaign. He minced no words, and if his direct approach r u f f l e d some feathers, it also brought the desired results. The ladies increased their pledges. Partnership At the same meeting the guest speaker, Mrs. Irene Margolis also hit with a different approach. While parts of her presentation fell into the old format of describing the hardshins faced by Israelis daily, it lacked the usual a p p e a l o£ "please help us." Mrs. Margolis expressed what she believed was "a partnership between Israel and Diaspora Jewry." Discussing the refugees coming into Israel from Iron Curtain countries, Mrs. Margolis said, "We take them into Israel because you in America can't; and you in America must pay for them, because we can't." Not a plea, but a demand for shared responsibility. In terms of the crisis facing Israel, Mrs. Margolis again insisted on shared responsibility. "Israel will give tho lives and dollars needed for military defense," she said. "You must give the dollars to take care of the other needs while we fightnot only for Israel—but for the dignity and survival of the Jewish people—for your dignity and your survival." Mrs. Margolis concluded by saying, "Regardless of what you'choose to do in this partnership, Israel's commitment is total. We will continue to fight for our right to live if wo can; and we will die if we must. We won't fail in our commitment. Will you?" And That's why this year is different. While the military dangers (Continued on Page 5)
Dr. Shapiro Heads Camp Committee The appointment of Dr. Irving Shapiro to serve as chalr. man of the Esther K. Newman Camp Committee, was announced this week by Harry Sldman, president of tho Omaha Jewish Federation. Dr. Shapiro has been involved with the medical facill- , ties at the camp for many ; years, and has been instrumental in obtaining the volunteer medical staff for the summer resident program. Among his many community activities, Dr. Shapiro has played an important role in the growth of the Omaha Hebrew Academy, and currently serves ns president of the local* Day School organization.
r
Robert Kully and Ramon Somberg have been named cochairmen of the Young Executive Division of the 1969 Jewish Philanthropies-United Jew-ish—Appeal-Israel—Emergency Campaigns. The appointment was announced this week by C. M. Newman, general campaign chairman. In making the' announcement, Mr. Newman noted the importance of Involving the young business leaders in the campaign activities. "Bob and Ray will have the task, not only of raising dollars, but also of motivating the younger men of the community to accept their share of the responsibility to answer the needs of their people," he said. In accepting the appointment, the co-chairmen noted that the results in the Young Executive campaign has riot kept pace with the needs. "We must get the message of the critical needs to the many young men in this division, and make them aware of the increasing importance of their personal commitment and generous contributions to the campaign this year. The early response has
J^^TV^S,
i
MUST
II
^ :.d Kully bung Execs
Ramon Somberg been enthusiastic," the chairman said," "and we are hopeful that it has set the pace for our division this-year.". In addition to^erving in executive capacities in the business world, Mr. Kully with MidContinent Cold Storage and Mr. Somberg with Natelsons Inc., the co-chairmen have both
Robert Kully been actively involved in many past philanthropies .campaigns. Among their many community activities, Mr. Somberjf has been active in Downtown Rotary,Club and the Chamber of, Commerce; and Mr. Kully has been involved with the activities of the Downtown KI« wanis Club.
Proposed Jewish Calendar Change Motivates Excommunication Threat The proposal by the Conservative and Reform rabbinic bodies to adopt the Israeli calendar for Diaspora Jewry was sharply condemned by the President of the Rabbinical Alliance of America as an unprecedented a t t a c k which threatens-to split and-wreak havoc within the American Jewish community. Rabbi Bernard Weinberger, President of the Orthodox Rab-
binical Alliance of America said that the new attack upon traditional J e w i s h religious practice- would force the Orthodox community to totally.divorce itself from any contact with Conservative and Reform Jews, and might lead to formal action of excommunication of the diviationists. Tho proposed chango would eliminate the present compulsory two-day observance of all Jewish festivals, except Rosh Hashanah, so that Jews outside of Israel would follow the pattern in Israel of 1 day observance. /• •••••• Rabbi Weinberger said that the proposed action might be welcomed from the point of view that it. oncfi-andjorever^ would delineate in clear, undisguised form the deviation of these groups from historic
Israelis Angered by Jordanian Blackmail
Judaism. This, however, could only bo condoned if these groups would have the intellectual honesty to give up the coveted designation, of . Juda« ism. Rabbi Weinberger reported that there was widespread anger and dismay within the Jewish community to this shockingly insidious encroachment upon " hallowed—Jewish tradition. The proposal also came under heavy fire from Rabbi Zev Segal, president of the Rabbinical Council of America and, Rabbi Joseph Karasick, president of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations. .
Concludes Series j
The concluding program 'in a series of adult study lectures and discussions on thai Hebrew Bible will be held Sunday, March 30, at 8 p.m. at Tel Aviv (JTA)-Israeli offi- Beth Israel Sy-, cials were infuriated by a Jor- nagogue. danian demand^ for the release Rabbi Sidney of three El Fatah prisoners in H. Brooks will return for the body of Lt. Shaul discuss "T h e Gilboa, an Israeli fighter pilot Book of Ruth" whose jet was shot down over for the final proterritory last Friday, gram in the seThis vivid pester-red/wMte and black- Jordanian the evening newspaper Maariv ries which has Is for display In borne, and stord windows reported, The Jordanian de- been sponsored and in public institutions daring Passover. mand was reportedly trans- by CornhuskerIts purpose: to dramatize, during the festi- mitted through the Internation- Lodge of B'nai I __ val of freedom, a continuing protest against al Red Cross which Israel had B'rith. The lee- R a b b i B r o o k s asked to arrange for the return . ture is open to discriminatory practices Imposed on Soviet of the pilot's remains. all interested members of thf Jewry. IntroducedfayB'nal B'rith in the The newspaper recalled that community at no charge, and Sao Francises area last year, the poster tho Jordanians returned a cof- reservations need not be made. Is cm* being djstri&uted Uircaghont Cali- fin filled with mud when they The lecture and discussion fornia and to B'nal B'rith Hillel Foundations said they were returning the will conclude at 9:30 p.m. at •across the country. A full-page, remov- body, of an Israeli soldier killed which time refreshments will the attack on the El Fatah .be served. into reproduction, that can be used tor in Participants are asked td base at Karamah just a year display Is published In B'na) B'rith't 225,- ago. Maariv said it was not < bring Bibles with them, and to ' DSB-circilatin • National? Jewish = Monthly/ 'likely that?Israel:would agree;; :.>pfc-wa<l"tl» * to the Jordanian "blackmail." possible.
B'nai B'rith Protest
Dr. Irving Shapiro
;
Second Class Postage Single Copy 35 Cents Paid at Omaha, Neb. Annual Rate 5 Dollar*