Slepak Takes Case To American People o • 00 'S\ . or ~~ 2" C 1 cr _ ir
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COUNCIL BLUFFS, LINCOLN, OMAHA
AJtt. I 7^ma^a> Neb., Frl., January 13,1978
Vol. a" o ?•
£L% j i Says 1935 Laws Led to Nazi Holocaust
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The Holocaust stems from laws enacted In 1935 and should not be looked upon as a last minute attempt by Hitler to kill the Jews before the Impending capitulation of Germany in World Wartl. Dr. Albert H. Friedlander, said {be Holocaust should be studied within the framework of "The Age of Brutality" starting with the destruction of the Armenians in the early 1900s. .Rabbi Friedlander, director of the Leo Baeck Rabbinical College in London, England, and Rabbi of. the Westminister Synagogue there, -gave his views on the Holocaust to the Midwest Association of Reform Rabbis last week in Omaha. Rabbi Barry L. Welnstein, associate rabbi of Temple Israel, was elected president ofMWARR. Rabbi, Sidney H. Brooks, senlofj-abbl of Temple Israel, i s * past president ofMWARR and currently serves as
ByAbblSoshnik Spy movies with men in dark coats, kidnapping, beatings and harassment are fantasies made in Hollywood minds for most of us but for 25 year old Aleksandr Slepak, all of these and more were the cold reality under which he lived in the Soviet Union for eight years. Son of Vladimir Slepak, the longest refusenlk ever held in the Soviet Union and a strong leader of the Jewish activist movement there, Aleksandr was issued a visa to leave the Soviet Union Oct. 17. Since Nov. IS, he and his American wife, Elaine, have been travelling all over the U.S., sponsored by the National Conference of Soviet Jewry to present his family's case to tlie American people and to President Carter. In the eight years since Vladimir Slepak and his family applied for emigration to
Aleksandr Slepak — in Omaha secretary of the-National Cen- tlon were Rabbi Ely Ptlchick, (JP Photo by Leonard Goldstein) tral Conference of American president of; CCAR; Rabbi Rabbis (CCAR). Israel, Aleksandr explained him away. She was beaten UnJoseph Olaser, CCAR exthat Soviet harassment has conscious and left there for The association represents ecutive vice president; and Reform Synagogues in Min- Rabbi Malcolm Stern, natouched each member of his dead. nesota, North and South tional "rabbinical placement family. "Being imprisoned meant Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska, director. Rabbi Paul Menltoff "My father and I have been we were thrown into a stone Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and and Rabbi Alan Bregman, arrested many times. One cell which often had bars on Wisconsin. The organization Is regional directors of the Union time when the KGB forcibly the windows but no glass. I a region of CCAR, comprising of American Hebrew Conentered our apartment to ar- remember once waking up 1,200 rabbis in the Reform gregations, also addressed the rest my father, my mother there with Icicles covering movement with a constituency convention. •'. tried to stop them from taking (Continued on Page 4) of more than l.l million in the United States and Canada, Israel, and several countries' throughout the world. During the four-day gathering the rabbis were also addressed by Michael Richmond, ADL director from By Barbara Simon painting by artist Leonard Omaha. Mr. Richmond has Beginning Monday, Jan. 16, Baskin titled "Rachel's edited new materials designed more than 200 Omaha Jewish Daughters," captures the feelto teach the Holocaust in both women will launch the annual ings they are eager to empublic and synagogue schools. process of raising money for phasize. Sherman Poska, audio- the Jewish people, Jewish serThe women in the painting visual and media consultant of vices and culture in Omaha, are the matriarchs of Israel: Temple Israel, presented a and the welfare of Jews in Sarah, Rachel, Miriam and s e m i n a r d e s i g n e d to Israel, Europe and worldwide. Deborah. They symbolize "the demonstrate the latest ln«*—The>di» women who are the untiring devotion of women, oovati ve teaching techniques. 'captains and' workers of the whose solidarity "and deterIn attendance at theConven- 1978 Federation Campaign mination parallel the inner will meet at the Jewish Com- strength of the people of Israel munity Center for a morning decade after decade, crisis of workshops and fund- after crisis . . . a history of ' raising, techniques. Noted AP hope and vision... unceasing A training session In preparation for the workshop. (JP Photo by meeting for prospective par- foreign correspondent and commitment to "Tzedakah — Simon) ticipants and their parents on author, Robert St. John, will the highest of Jewish values'," in the words of Gerda Klein. Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the 'speak. The planning for the 1978 She wrote about today's Jewish Community Center. Freshman through Juniors Federation Campaign has modern women, the workers are eligible to participate in been taking place for several In our Federation campaign, Raman Community Tours months. But the actual work of the fundraisers who are Robert St. John, foreign corwhich will Include some six instructing solicitors and "Rachel's daughters," "who weeks in Israel from the end of soliciting prospects begins are forever entwined in the respondent and author, will now and continues through the past and the in the future. It is speak to 200 Women's Division June through mid-August. The trip will Include tours of end of February, culminating a special burden which they Campaign captains and major archaeological sights, In "OneSpecial Day," Feb. 23. carry with dignity and with workers at 9:30 a.m., Monday, The Women's Division, love. The sunny, golden pool Jan. 16, at the Jewish Comvisit to a kibbutz and moshav, careful study of the major headed by Cookie Hoberman dwellers of Beverly Hills, the munity Center. His talk is part cities such as Jerusalem, Tel and Ducky Milder, has a uni- prim, intellectual, reserved of the Workers' Workshop of Aviv, Haifa and Beersheba. que flavor this year. The New Englanders, the brisk the Federation Campaign. Robert St. John has had a The program also provides chairwomen and their com- sophisticates of New York." lectures on points of Jewish in- mittees are emphasizing the And the busy younger and love affair with Israel for the terest and history as well as creative and emotional feel- older women of Omaha who past 26 years, which he says the opportunity to become ings about Judaism through Join with other Jewish women grows more Intense each time Jewish culture. The theme or each year for a few weeks to he goes back to cover another familiar with Israeli life. Last summer, more than 30 "logo" of the Campaign, a insure the survival of Omaha war, research another book or and world Jewry. gather material for more lecyoungsters from the Omaha Mrs. Milder and Mrs. tures. area participated in the proSince September, 1939, when Hoberman instructed 30 gram. In order to defray the Robert St. John women on -Monday, Jan. 9, he arrived hi Europe to cover cost of the program, scholartelevision. He covered the World War II as a foreign corhow to lead the workshops on ships are available. The Jewish Family Service Jan. 16. These trainers — respondent for the Associated Yom Kipper War on both the Jewish Federation of Omaha many of them seasoned cam- Press, St. John has spent the Syrian and Egyptian fronts. provides $300 for each student, gave away free money last paigners, such as Mickey major part of his tune wander- His dispatches appeared In w h i l e e a c h s t u d e n t ' s week. Each person attending Sturm, Marlene Hechtman, Ing around Europe, Africa, t w e l v e J e w i s h weekly synagogue matches that Caryl Greenberg, Jeanette Asia and the Middle East, but newspapers. amount. In addition, those the first session of its Along with General Omar Nadoff, all past chairwomen the favorite of the 88 countries students requiring further aid' E d u c a t i o n P r o g r a m of the Campaign — and many from which he has reported Is Bradley and Van' Cliburn, the are eligible for grants through received a brightly wrappianist, St. John years ago younger women newtocam- Israel. the David E. Beber Scholar- ped silver dollar. After being wounded by received the highest award According to Carolyn paign leadership — heard ship Fund. • -.. . ' Novlcoff, the dollars were a from this year's chairwomen Nazi bullets in fleeing from Isrqel bestows on a non-Jew, partial tuition refund how to instruct the workers to Miter's Europe, St. John went the Medallion of Valor. Bulletin dramatizing the financial present their own feelings of to Palestine, still as.a war cor- Many remember St. John commitment to the Jewish respondent, to cover the war for his memorable N.B.C. Jewish Press ads are now benefits of the course. people, how to encourage the he knew would break out when broadcasts from London durThe first session was being distributed along with worker to tap her own feelings the U.N. Partition Plan went i ing the Nazis' attempt to oversubscribed, prompting the Center Scene section, to nearly 708 families who are a second session which also -In an effort to persuade the Into effect He has been back destroy that city. He made one of the first broadcasts to prospect to make an Increased 27 times since then. was oversubscribed. A members of the Jewish Comgift to the Campaign. St. John has reported all America from Paris after the third session may be munity Center boosting started, Mrs. Novlcoff said. The chairwomen'are stress- four of the Arab-Israel wars liberation of the French Omaha readership to more for either press, radio or capital. (Continued on Page 2) than 12,000.
1978 Women's Campaign
Women Launch Annual Fundraising
Meeting On Israel Trip The Department of Jewish Educatioorhas announced that the Israel Youth Pilgrimage will again beoffered to Omaha Jewish High School students this summer. There will be a preliminary
Robert St. John to Speak At Fundraising Workshop
Free Money
Leo Hill
Leo Hill Runs For University Board of Regents Leo Hill, chairman of the board of Northwestern Metal Company of.Lincoln, has announced his candidacy for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. A past president of Tifereth Israel" Synagogue in Lincoln, Mr. HUI Is a recipient of the Distinguished Seryice Award from the University of Nebraska, and has served In numerous" civic and profeaslonalorganizatibns.