Family Begins to Settie in ByiUdMrtPMrt OMAHA-Anybody need a hard-working, able-bodied houe painter? That probably wai not the (Int quMtkm In the mlndi of most of Omaha's Jewish citizens last Friday, when the city welcomed Its first Soviet Jewish Immigrants in the current United States battle with Russia over human righia, (ucb as the freedom to emigrate. Not last Friday, when cameras clicked and motion
picture floodlights shcne on the Leonid Portugeis family shortly after the handsome thraoome had deplaned at Eppley Airfield . "EzcoH me, bat would jmi fimm tcU UM win OWM ptople an?" uyi more than «a> oolookar at'tlM airport. When Informed, UM ooloolHn look again, loQftr thli time. Here Is a strongly built young man, L«onid, age 31, hli beautiful bonde-halred wife, Valentina, In her 20s, and their brlght^aced son, Vladislav,
age 7. Valentina Is carrying a bouquet of roses and cameras click and whir and the bright lights follow them through the airport. Russian Jewish Immigrants fleeing persecution? They look more like an American baseball player-hero, bis movie-star wife and shinyfaced young son. Nice-looking. Nicely dressed. To some, they appear perhaps too much so. Where are the poor, raggedy-clothed people which the mind and the
jenrisli SERVING DES MOINES,, Vol.LIVNa26
aCOUNCIL BLUFFS. LINCOLN, OMAHA
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Omaha, W«b.. Fri., April 18, Wt
230 Omahans Sign Petition for Nazi Pix>be ;
OMAHA - Approximately 230 signatures have been g<ibtalaed thus far oo petitions l^lwiflg circulated In Omaba i!<niiytng Congrassnen to In', vcitlgate the charge that "at 35 Nazi war criminals ,
I m,^
Committee far Soviet Jewry who undertook the project at the suggestion of Gary Klnitllager. an OmahaQ studying at Yohiva University lo New York who was one of the first Omaha teens several years •fo to stage protests on behalf #of Soviet Jewry, according to
(are) living free In tha United States." The petitkms carrying that statement are being circulated by Miriam Simoa and Shirley Goldstein, cochairmen of tha Omaha ,
.»
acefu Demonstration Mrrsjnm The petitions were signed by
Planned for Jbslyn Show '.
OMAHA-A quiet demonatntioa protesting treatment ^ ofJaaMi and other minorities ,.ln the Soviet Union is : acheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday In front of JoaJyn Museum. The protest Is being planned by the Omaha Committee for Soviet Jewry In conjunction with other ethnic groups In Omaha such as the Polish, 'Czechoslovaklans, LltlHianlans and Ukranlans '•• groupa. according to Shirley Goldstein, co^halrman of the - committee. The protest is scheduled to ' coincide with the appearance u of Moscow's famed Borodin Quartet, which will perform ' Sunday In the Joslyn Chamber . Music Series, "It's not to protest they're ^ being here, but to let them and ' the ptople attending know that \ «w know that not all people in ^Russia have the choice lo ' travel to America or anyplace \ else, that others In the Soviet \ Union are being denied such r basic human rights as ;< freedom to travel and to do [ what they want," said Mrs. ; Goldstein. The committee planned the [ protest last fall, she said "We fchose not to join the April 13 ^national protest for Soviet Jewry because we are [ devoting the month of May to ^Soviet Jewry," Mrs. Goldstein r
added. Miriam Simon Is the other OKhalrman. Mrs. Goldstein emphasized It will be "a quiet demonstration, in good taste." She said the protesters will assemble at 3 p.m. on the north side of Joalyn to march In front of the museum with signs and to pass out leaflets lo convey to the audience, the performers and the Soviet government "the strong support of Nebraskans and all Americans for human rights, dignity and Justice." Potential picketers are asked to provide their own signs, she said. For further Information, call Mrs. Goldstein, at SS8-7D87.
about 300 of the 300-plus persons who attended the Holocaust Memorial Service April 6 at Temple Israel. Another 18 signatures were obtained April 8 al the Jewish Federation board meeting at the Community Center, and still other persons signed this week. Mrs Simon sakl she and Mrs. Goldstein have circulated more petitions at the city's synagogues and at organization meetings. Later, the petitions will be sent to the sponsoring Committee to Expel Nazi Criminals from America (CENCA), headquartered In New York, and also to Nebraska's U.S. Representatives and Senators.
JCC Meeting at Monasee to Report OMAHA - The annual meeting of Jewish Community Center Members will be held Sunday, April 20, at 7.30 p.m. in the JCC theater. The agenda will include a report from the out|{olng president, Charles A. Monasee; introduction of the newly appointed president of tlie Center, Norman Batt by Harlan Noddle, president of the Board o( Directors of the Jewish Federation of Omaha;
and election of the new board of directors for the Center. The slate will be presented by Richard Robinson, chairman of the nominating committee The program includes ample opportunity for questions to be answered regarding the operation of the Center by board ntembers and staff of the Center, a spokesman said. Jane Brooks is Chairman of the annual meeting program.
emotions have told us to expect? It Isn't obvious Just then, but all the Portugelses havebesides freedom-are the clothes on their backs and what little they can carry with them on the plane In one standard size suitcase and an overnight-type bag. Ironically, the Interviewing and picture-taking take place beside the luggage carousels. "Poliiei ... Cofflminist. Everything ... Communist," PortugBii lays later on in what few worldi of Engllafa be knows. In RuMta, an the good Jobs go to the Communists. He had earned a law degree from Odeaia University, putting himself through night school as a houaepainter-but he never got to practice law. And when he applied for emigration papen last July, even the housepainting joba Leonid's mouth twists In a bitter grimace as he recalls the oppression. He would learn Friday afternoon that things would not be so tough for him and his family now—not lor the time being, anyway. He would learn that he and his family would have their own furnished apartment; that they would have food and dolhtng and that they would begin almost immediately lo learn English. All this would be provided by the Jewish people of Omaha, whose Jewish Federation had allocated Philanthropies funds to bring the family here-speclfically, via the efforts of the Committee for Soviet Jewry-and to settle them-speclflcally, via the Jewish Family Service Itat "settUnf In" proceai largily (aUa to Peari Yager, tha JFS director who, togsther with Shirley Golditatai and Miriam Simon, Soviet Jewry co-chairman, organised the committee of wortwn wBo laid tha actual plana for the "aattUngbi". By studying detailed reports from other cities who have settled Russian Immigrants, Mrs. Yager, Mrs. Goldstein and Mrs. Simon organized sub-committees to handle education, employment, financial management, furnishings, furniture, groceries, hospitality, housing, medical needs and transportation. "Through the Federation we have enough funds to get the family situated, get them set up in an apartment and subsidize them for a (ew months," said Mrs Yager. "From the experience of other communities, the maximum Is four months before such families are able to take over their own support-to make the transition into American live." ... Four months to learn enough English to work, go shopping, to learn how to hanidle money, to learn Uie bus system and to get acquainted
Ooldberfsr axplains the fiM box. with both the Jewish and general Omaha community. To "learn the realities of everyday life," as Mrs. Yager put It. To become assimilated "It's very hard to plan for them until after they've arrived," she noted. "It's Just fantastic the things they've done," said Mrs. Yager of the local committee, noting workers had even thought to provide toys for young Vladlk, a potted plant for the apartment and a prepared dinner "so that the family can sit down Friday night to eat their own meal In their own home." But, she noted, "there is a need to sustain volunteer interest. People should invite them over for meals, (or an evening—particularly people with children about 7 years of age. We need people lo take them for rides to Joslyn, to the zoo, to various events. "We need to think of It Just as we would In extending invitations to other new families," said Mrs. Yager. "Put yourself in their place ... they have no family here. They would look upon us as an extended family." ... But these things are not on Leonid Portugeis' mind on Friday afternoon He is first of all amazed that his family has its own apartment—he expected to share one with the Julius Litvinsky family, due in Omaha this week. He becomes anxious at the sight of the furnishings because he wonders how he Is going to pay for It all, and when he learns It Is a gift, he and his wife are overwhelmed, extremely grateful and he Is "chomping at the bit to go to work," says Shirley Goldstein. "He doesn't want charity," says Pearl Yager.
It is later that afternoon when Silim Goldberger, a University of Nebraska medical student and himself a Russian native, arrives at the apartment lo serve a translator. With him Is his wife, the former Esther Novak of Nebraska City, and their baby, Rachel. Goldberger explains the heating and air conditioning, the electric blanket, the stove .. More assimilation that weekend . . . Vladlk is frightened by one family's dog. In Russia, It seems, a little dog Is a status symbol of ttK elite. Larger dogs belong to the KGB-the secret police ... On Monday, Vladlk Is enrolled at Adams School and his excited young schoolmates eagerly and happily make him welcome—so much so that he la In tears at the end of the first day because be thinks the party is over and he'll never get to go back... On Saturday, Mrs. Goldstein takes them shopping to gel Vladlk some school clothesblue Jeans, tennis shoes and a cowboy hat (Vlad's eyes light up when he sees the hat). On Sunday, Leonid ard Valentina are taken by Jack and Jane Cohen and Uil. Army Col. (Ret.) WlUiair Schneider, assistant to Vtn chancellor at the University cl Nebraaaska al Omaha, to the annual dinner at the Greek Orthodix Church. Col. Schneider, who teaches Russian at UNO, explains that, yes, churches In America can serve food; that the American government allows fund-raising: and that Jev/s are welcome to join in anytime, anyplace. "It's free, you can relax,' he keeps telling them... Anybody need a housepalnter?
Leonid, Vladik, Valentina andMn. Yagtr