Record! Crowd Attends 30th Birthday Party By Stu Chapman After six straight weeks of rain, the sun came out and a starry, moonlit sky greeted over 1000 people — a record
crowd — who attended the start of the Yom Ha'Atzmaut festivities last Saturday night attheJCC. Throngs of people, young
S E R V I N G J L , COUNCIL BLUFFS, LINCOLN, OMAHA A/*/ 35
Omaha, Neb.,Frl., May 19,1978
Havdalah Sol Mann, of Epstein-Morgan Post 280, participates in the Havdalah service. (JP Photo by Maline)
Well Done Omaha We as a community, often quick to criticize, should be equally prompt with praise. Yom Ha'Atzmaut 5738—as celebrated in Omaha — was an outstanding birthday party. Many hundreds of participants will recall
Boys Town Dedication I
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Former President Gerald R. Ford dedicated the Boys' Town Center for'the Study pf Youth Development In Omaha last week. Charles A. Monasee (left) a member of the Boys Town Board of Directors, and Dr. Ronald A: Feldman (rjght) Director, Boys Town Center, participated In the program. (JP Photo by Maline)
ADLTrys^ Fund-Raising Activities
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NEW YORK (JTA) - The Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith has urged the State Department to close Palestlne Liberation Organize-
tlon oHices in Washlnaton and New York City because PLO representatives have illegally • engaged In fund-raising aetl vItles. '
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tributeto Israel and her 30 years df life. The celebration attracted the largest group of attendees ever to assemble for a single program at the new Jewish Community Center. We commend the many members of the committee for their diligence and creativity, the staff of the JCC for its wide-ranging professional expertise, and the Federation Board of Directors for its financial support. Well done Israel.^ Well done Omaha.
Such activities, according to. Arnold Forster, ADL's general counsel, violate the terms of the visas held by PLO representatives and of the new Washington office's own sworn submission of purpose. Under the terms of the Foreign Agent Registration Act, foreign agents must file with the Attorney General a "true and complete registration statement..." Lag Ba-Omer, the special The registration statement day of celebration between of the Washington PLO office Passover and Shavuot, will be does not declare any intention the occasion of the graduation to engage in fund-raising, For- of the 1978 Senior Class from ster said, ' • • . . . the Omaha High School of Jewish Studies. In a letter to Secretary of Seniors have chosen the State Cyrus Vance, Forster theme "You Should Teach it cited three examples of PLO Diligently Unto Your Chilfund-raising activities, one as dren" for the program and recent-as April 26. On that ceremony which will be held date, Hatlm I. Husselni, act- at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May ing director of the PLO office 25, at Beth fci Synagogue. in Washington, made a fundA reception hosted by the raising speech at Oklahoma parents of. the graduates will State University in behalf of follow in the Synagogue social the Palestinian cause. hall. The entire community may attend. A box was passed around for Graduates and their parents contributions from the stu- are: Amy Alperson, Mr. and dents hi attendance. Mrs. Paul Alperson; Efrem Bromberg, Rabbi and Mrs. Previously, Zehdl Labib Kenneth Bromberg; Steve BeTerzi, head of ihe PLO O»- reuwm, mf. and Mrs. .Hairy Lee Jane Parsow, (left) and Miriam Simon, co-chairman of server Delegation to the UN, Berenson; Mary Bursztyn, LOVE, unveU a Tree of Life Plaque at the LOVE Ball last week and Hasan Rahman, his depu- Mr. and Sirs. Davidv Bursztyn; before more than 500 people. Other photos of the program are on ty, engaged in fund-raising ac- Jeff Cooper;'Mr. arid Mrs; . tivities in New York. . * David Cooper, y Page 12.
High School Plans May 25 Graduation
I ree of Life
Also, Ronna Cooper,. Judge and Mrs. Sam Cooper; Marti Epstein, Mr, and Mrs, Arnold Epstein; Sally Epstein, Mr. and Mrs. Willis Epstein; Theodore Feldman, Mr. and Mrs; Walter Feidman; Joe Greenberg, Mr. and Mrs. Barton Greenberg; Robert Kahn, Mr. and Mrs. Marcel Kahn. : Also, Lisa Kaplan, Mr. and Mrs. Yale Kaplan; Jodi Kreitman, Mr. and Mrs. Max Kreltmah; Steve Parsow, Mr. and Mrs. Sol Parsow; Alan Potash, Mr. and Mrs. Merle Potash; Michael Rochman, Mrs. Jack Cohen and Stuart Rochman; Kim Schupack, Mr. and Mrs.EHSchupack. Lynne Tully, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Tully; Cindy Weiss, Mrs. Norman Roffman and Harl Weiss; David Wlesman, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wiesman; Diane Wintroub, Mr. and Mrs. Leon Wintroub; James Zipursky, Mr. and Mrs. MorleyZipursky.
and old, sat under the stars to celebrate Israel's 30th anniversary in grand style. The program began with a Havdalah service led by Cantors from the three Omaha synagogues. Junior choirs from Beth El, Beth Israel and Temple Israel treated those in attendance to a rendition of several traditional Hebrew melodies along with the reading of the prayer service. Representatives from many local Jewish organizations took part in the service. In all, over 150 participated In the Havdalah ceremony, to which one observer claimed "This Is the most beautiful service I've ever seen hi my life." After the Havdalah ceremony, onlookers and celebrants were greeted by a fireworks display, which Illuminated the night sky with bursts of color as the crowd responded with "ooohsandaaahs". The highlight of the display came when a Star of David ringed with blue and white fireworks Was ignited. The crowd cheered as the neonlike star glowed for several minutes. With the end of the fireworks, the crowd moved inside the Center building where an Inter-generational disco dance was held. Approximately 600 people listened to WOW disc Jockey Dave * Wlrigertr "play" tunes which ranged from Glenn Mil-' ler to the Bee Gees. Those who came to dance were not disappointed as many came to "boogie down" on the dance floor. Members of a JCC disco class demonstrated their talents in line dancing, and older members showed their younger counterparts how to dance the "twist" and the "jitterbug." For those who didn't want to dance, an art exhibit by Regency Galleries was available for leisurely viewing. An ex- hlbit of children's art from students In the Hebrew Schools of the local synagogues was shown along with displays of Israeli-made goods ahderaftwork. The festivities continued on Sunday morning with a multimedia slide show and a carnival. The slide show, called "Israel-Alive and Singing," depleted the history of Israel from Its pioneer days to the present. Following the slide show, an outdoor carnival was in full swing. Hundreds of children who c^me to the ."Sunday events, mobbed the 20 rides and booths. Andrea Joffe, 10, and her sister, Suzanne, seven, were typical of the children enjoying . themselves: "We're really having fun and have been on some rides," Andrea . exclaimed. Suzanne broke in saying she thought " . . . the prizes were best." , Adults seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. Morris Brown, a Boston, Mass., resident visiting Dr. Irv Margblls stated, "They must have had 2000 people! (It) was very, (Continued on Page 10)