City Council Approves Zoning Changes at JCC IT
O 3 COUNCIL
BLUFFS. LINCOLN, OMAHA Omaha, Neb., Fri., August 1,1980
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The City Council has approved a zoning change for the Jewish Community Center property at 132nd street in connection with the proposed construction there of a Center
Israel Bonds Plans Workshops BySuzleSomberg Workshops for the 1980 Women's Division of the State of Israel Bonds will be held Tuesday evening, Aug. 5 and Wednesday morning, Aug. 6. The Tuesday meeting will be at 8 p.m. at the home of Bond Chairman Jeri Kaplan, 2505 S. 87th St. (I block north of Center), and the 10 a.m. meeting will be at the home of Roz Friedman, 9767 Hamilton (The Summit). "Invitations have been sent to all workers," said Mrs. Kaplan, "and we urge them to make every effort to attend one of these very Important meetings. Our campaign is a short one, and we need everyone's help in reaching the women in our community. I would like to emphasize", she added, "that if anyone did not
receive an invitation, but would like to join our team of workers, they will be warmly welcomed." The Omaha Drive has been most fortunate In being able to secure Dr. Miriam Freund Rosenthal as guest speaker for the workshops. Dr. Freund Rosenthal, one of this nation's most prominent Zionists, has been a leader In Hadassah and Bonds for many years. She is a former associate chairman of the National Women's Division of Israel Bonds and a member of its executive board. She is also a past national president of Hadassah as well as a former editor of its magazine. Following her presidency of Hadassah, she became its National Bond chairman. She also assumed the chairman-
Dr. Freund Rosenthal ships of Hadassah's 60th anniversary celebration and the Chagall Exhibit. In fact It was she who persuaded Marc Chagall to create the 12 stained glass windows for the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. Dr. Freund Rosenthal has
for the Aging. would be the selection of an There was no objection to architect. He added that it the zoning change, and the may be possible to have this Council unanimously ap- item on the agenda for the proved the Planning Board's Aug. 26 board meeting. recommendation for rezoning. Mr. Solomon said that appliThe zoning change was nec- cation has been made to HUD essary to permit the construc- and that approval is antiction of two additions to the ipated next month. Jewish Community Center Once costs for the project building. Additions would be an 80 are estimated, the capital unit long term care facility for fund drive will be initiated, the elderly located to the perhaps later this year, Mr. Northwest, and a- 52-unit Solomon said.
made more than 50 trips to Israel since the State was established to study health, vocational education and youth problems, as well as to confer apartment for the elderly lowith Israeli leaders. cated to the Northeast. As a lecturer, Dr. Freund The new facilities for the Rosenthal has spoken many times for Israel Bonds, ,as a aging would replace the existwriter, she is a contributor to ing Dr. Philip Sher Home on many Zionist publications and 52nd street. According to Louis B. Soloto books and magazines on Jewish education and life. Dr. mon, executive director of the Freund Rosenthal, who re- Jewish Federation of Omaha, ceived her doctorate in Ameri- the next step for the Federcan History from New York ation's Board of Directors University, is the author of Jewish Merchants in Colonial American and Jewels for a Crown. By Conrad Roller, Those needing transportaFederation Staff .Associate tion to the workshop meetings should call the Israel Bond ofThe Torah teaches us to fice, 341-1177. "Love thy Neighbor as thy self." The Federation Newcomers Committee which is chaired by Carol Parsow Is in the process of putting this dictum into practice. Goodman, Mr. and."Mrs. Carl Plans include, but are not Grecnberg, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Kohn and Mr. and Mrs. limited to, a newcomer gathering,'the Shalom Omaha Jerry Krupinsky. tour, a descriptive brochure Also, Mr. arid Mrs. Sol Kutl- about Omaha, and a tea for er, Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Mey- newcomer women. ers, Dr. and Mrs. Dan Miller, So what's the problem? Jim Schneider, Mr. and Mrs. In the hub-bub of moving, Ben Seldln and Charlene Snydmany newcomers forget to sign up for the Jewish Press. Also, Mr. and Mrs. Amle Also, many members of the Sumner, Mr. and Mrs. A.V. community do not realize that Venger, Mr. and Mrs. Alar the Federation has an ongoing Lavlne, Mr. and Mrs. Harris newcomer program. SomeGoldstein and Mr. and Mrs.. times the newcomer, or the person who has been in the Bruce Gutnlk. community for a long time, Also, Mr. and Mrs. George just doesn't know who to conKagan, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Ja- tact. vltch, Mr. and Mrs. Arnie Well here Is the answer! Weltz, Florence Davis, Ron Anyone who knows about a Glller, and Mr. and Mrs. Alan Jewish newcomer family to Herch.
Mrs. Parsow said details of the event will be announced as they are finalized. She added that a committee has been formed to assist the newcomers in meeting members of the Jewish Community. Members of the Newcomers Committee and Host couples are: Mr. and Mrs. Larry Albert, Mr. and Mrs. Ken Bassik, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Bressel, Rick Canfield and Mr. and Preparing for the Newcomers picnic with paper plates on their heads are the Parsow boys: Daniel, left, and Joshua. Carol ParMrs. MeadeChamberlin. Also, Mr. and Mrs. J. Dann, sow is chairman of the committee. Leslie Epstein, Mr. and Mrs. Max Givot and Mr. and Mrs. Also, Mr. and Mrs. Don Ike Friedman, Mr. and Mrs. Ron Click. Goldstein, Mr. and Mrs. Alan
In addition to Mr. Solomon, others attending the City Council hearing were Is Tretiak, honorary chairman of the Center for the Aging Planning Committee, and Yale Richards, legal counsel.
Who Is A Newcomer?
Federation Plans Newcomer Pi The Newcomers Committee is planning an Aug. 24 picnic as Its first major event of the "new seasonrMrsrAIan (Carol )— Parsow, chairman, has announced.
He pointed out that if all goes according to plan, construction may be under way in 1981.
Omaha, is urged to have them contact the Jewish Federation, 334-8200. This will start the process going for us as a Jewish community to "do unto others, as we would have others do unto us." But who is a newcomer? There are three kinds of newcomers: Those who move to Omaha for the first time; those who move back to Omaha after leaving; and those who grew up In Omaha and now that they are out of school have decided to live here. "Sometimes these returnees don't consider themselves newcomers, and in a way they are not. However, as a community we would like to extend a sincere welcome to all those who have decided to live in Omaha. We would like to make sure that they get the Jewish Press, a brochure de- scribing the Jewish community, an invitation to take the Shalom Omaha Tour, then they are invited to any gathering for new people in town."
Rabbi Sees Threat in Bar-Bat Mitzvah Events By Ben Gallob (Copyright 1980, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.) A retired Massachusetts Reform rabbi is convinced that the typical lavish Bar-Bat Mitzvah ceremony may be a threat to the congregation's stability as it is demonstrated by regular attendance at services, and that his findings apply not only to Reform but also to Conservative and Orthodox synagogues "here and abroad." Rabbi Herman Snyder, rabbi emeritus of Sinai Temple in Springfield, described his concerns in the Winter, 1980 issue of the "Journal of Reform Judaism," the scholarly quarterly of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
Describing the Bar-Biit Mitzvah as an American "discovery," he asserted it was developed and expanded in the United States "and from here exported to other countries," including Israel. For the rabbi, the ceremony initially emerged as "a means to an end"—the solution to the "vexing" problem of "how to get our reluctant young people (and their parents) exposed to at least a minimal Jewish education." Rabbi Snyder cited "three major consequences" developing from the American version of the rite. One was that it was a boon to Hebrew teachers and religious schools; children were enrolled in the syna g o g u e s c h o o l s to be "prepared" for the event. Sec-
ond, he reported, the American version "resulted in the creation" of "an entire industry catering to the Oneg Shabbat, Klddush and festive celebrations." Lastly, he commented, the synagogue, too, profited because family membership was made a condition for religious school enrollment of the child for preparation for the ceremony. But when parents became synagogue members primarily because of the ceremony, the inevitable problem arises of how to keep the parents members of the congregation and their children in the synagogue after the ceremony. In previous periods, no similar fuss was made about the rite, Rabbi Snyder declared.
In pre-war Eastern Europe, where Jews were accustomed to attend services daily, there was no special preparation of children who, long before they were 13, "could generally read or chant any Torah or Haftorah portion." On or as close as possible to the boy's 13th birthday, he was called to the Torah, whatever the day was, but the Haftorah reading was reserved "for the distinguished elders." / Rabbi Snyder also caustically noted that "people rise from sickbed or travel great distances to be present. Business and professional men who insist they cannot possibly be away from business or office, particularly on a Saturday, will be found in the synagogue, if they have been Invited.
Even the golf and tennis buff who plays every Sabbath 'religiously,' will feel compelled" to attend. The usual result of such "outstanding events" Is that "the child is gift-laden, rabbiblessed and—in most cases— promptly lost to the synagogue, together with his family," though the "euphoria" was great "while it lasted." Rabbi Snyder declared that the ceremony has become "perhaps the most popular and joyous religious institution in the American Jewish community," a "happy reunion" of family and friends, many of whom "seem to be so overcome by emotion that they are unable even to hold a prayerbook or to participate in the service. ""'-^_
The rabbi stressed he was not dealing with the problem of the "drop-out" parent and child. He wrote he simply wanted to raise the issue of "whether the ceremony may not be exercising a destructive impact on synagogue attendance," a result he said was largely unnoticed. He said that where the BarBat Mitzvah was once incidental to the regular Sabbath morning service, in many congregations the family and the child now have "taken over" the entire service, with attendance restricted to invited guests. Specifically, 'he asserted, "a person who attends every Sabbath morning, even when there is no Bar or Bat Mitzvah is often considered (Continued on Page 3)