Housing Plan Moves Forward Vol. LX No. 11
..COUNCIL BLUFFS, LINCOLN, OMAHA Omaha, Neb.. Frl., November 28,1980
Millions of Jews To Seek New Home By Margo Rlckes "Almost one-third of the Jewish people in the world arc preparing to become refugees in the next 10 years. "They are preparing to leave and as they are preparing to move they arc not thinking of Israel as their first choice." This statement was made by the guest speaker at the annual Israel Bond Dinner last Sunday at Peony Park. Yitzhah I. Rager, president elect of the Israel Bond Organization, was Introduced and welcomed by Morton Richards, toastmastcr for the event honoring Milton R. Abrahams. Israel, said Mr. Rager, has not managed to become (he magnet — the place to which they choose to go. There are, he said, only two communities In the world that can deal with (his crisis - the United States and Israel. Israel, stated Mr. Rager, is "ready to perform what they have set out to perform. Israel Is an outpost for Jewish people. Let us together help those that will be homeless In the next 10 years." Unfortunately Israel doesn't have the money to do it, confided Mr. Rager . . . "It Is my
MUton R. Abrahams (left) receives an award (or his service to Israel and the Jewish community from Morton Richards, toastmaster, during the Israel Dinner of State last Sunday at Peony Park. job to negotiate loans in the family." He said that if we didn't have bonds, "we would have Invented them now." Israel needs the money that Is ino~vested In bonds to develop new roads, oil supplies, and new settlements. Mr. Rager opened his address by sending his thanks to everyone from Israel and by asking the dinner guests to sit back and have "nachus" In Israel's unprecedented achievement. He said "we should be happy and very proud" to
Seminar Hosts David Gitlitz The subject of "Jews, Crypto-Jews and the Spanish Inquisition" will be discussed by Dr. David Gitlitz In a 7:30 to 9 p.m. seminar on Monday, Dec. 1 at the Jewish Community Center. The seminar Is being presented by the College for Jewish Family Learning of the Jewish Cultural Arts Council and Is open to all members of the community at no charge. High school students particularly were urged to attend. Dr. Gitlitz, associate professor and chairman of Modern Languages and Literatures at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, has been a student of Spanish history and life In Spain for a number of years. He studied at the University of Madrid for a year after receiving his B. A. degree at Oberlin College. He received his master's and Ph.D. from Harvard University, taught at Indiana University, PontlfIda Unlversldad Catollca del Peru, and served as the director of the Indiana University programs in Peru, Madrid and Santiago. He is presently associate editor of Twentieth Century Studies, on the editorial board for Studies in Twentieth Century Literature and president of the Nebraska Foreign Language Associate. In 1979, Dr. Gitlitz led the UNL summer pilgrimage through 12th century Spain along a medieval pilgrimage route, and in late December he will leave Lincoln (or a six month sabbatical in Spain. Upon his return In the fall he will lead a seminar for the College (or Jewish Family Learning about the modem Spanish Jew. In addition to living In Spain for several years and in Peru, Dr.^JIUiti has also lived In Israel for a year.
have helped Israel achieve what it has in the past 13 years . . . "Israel," he noted, "had to be built with 'remnants' of the Holocaust and with the ever-present threat of Arabs trying to drive us out." Mr. Rager pointed out some interesting facts about what Israel has to face. First he said that the country has to continuously spend one-third of its national budget for defense compared with the U.S. which only spends about seven (Continued on Page 3)
By Phase III PR Committee Jewish Federation of Omaha The dream of an apartment building (or the elderly came closer to realization on Monday, Nov. 17 when the board of the Jewish Federation voted unanimously to relocate the site from the pre-school area of the Jewish Community Center to the site of the rear parking lot. This relocation was at the request of the H.U.D. 202 Housing Project office and was needed to meet the Nov. 21 filing date required by H.U.D. A report from H.U.D. should be received following 30 days heeded by that office for review of the preliminary design and site. Upon approval of the site it Is expected that a conditional loan for $1,713,000 will be received from H.U.D. for a three story, 52 unit complex for housing for the elderly. Six of the units will have two bedrooms, 46 will have one bedroom. The anticipated grant also includes Annual Section 8 contributions of $234,120 (or rent
Haiian Noddle explains the changes In the apartment complex (or senior citizens during a recent meeting of the Federation's Board of Directors. supplements for those residents who need subsidy. It Is planned that ground breaking will take place in the spring of 1981 and the building will be completed in the fall of 1981 and ready for occupancy. The action of the board was in response to a presentation by Harlan Noddle, co-chairman of the Phase III study for
an apartment for senior citizens over age 62, and the handicapped and a new Home for the Jewish elderly. The board, in previous action December, 1979, following a report of the Phase II Study Committee, had accepted the concept of both building projects and instructed the Phase ' (Continued on Page 2)
Mini Singers Chorus to Join Musical at Beth Ei Synagogue The Beth El Concert I; get for Saturday evening, Dec. C, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El Synagogue. Jewish music of Hanukkah and the popular Cantata, "Captain Noah and His Floating Zoo," will be highlights of the concert presentations. The Hanukkah music will include a medley of folk songs associ-
ated- with the Festival of Lights and popular with Jewish children the world over. Captain Noah is a musical satire spoof on the Biblical narrative of Noah and the flood. Fifty boys and girls of the Mini Singers Chorus will participate in the concert. The young people are from 18 elementary and junior high
schools in the Omaha Public School District. y - v v y . ,-..r The Mini Singers'represent many faiths, races, and nationalities. They rehearse weekly throughout the year under the direction of Mrs. Judith Gaeddert, with Mrs. Yvonne Andrews as their accompanist. Ms. Jean Stutt is program coordinator of the group. Singing with the Mini Singers regularly is Debbie Greenberg, and Arthur Kosowsky who is tho accompanist for the Beth El Junior Choir. The Mini Singers Chorus will be joined by Beth El's Junior Choir of children from the third through the seventh grades in performing the Captain Noah musical. A group of United Synagogue Youth of Beth El will join in a number of concert selections with the choruses. At the conclusion of the concert, the audience will be called upon to lift their voices in a song of freedom taken from the Book of Proverbs, "Let Justice Roll Down as Waters, and freedom and truth, as a never failing stream." The concert is a benefit per-, formance (or the Youth Scholarship Fund. Persons wishing to be listed as a sponsor or patron are asked to call Harold or Etta Epstein, 397-9155, or the Synagogue office, 553-3221. The sponsor gift will include four concert tickets and the patron gift will include two concert tickets. . The concert program will acknowledge gifts to the Scholarship Fund. General admission tickets are $3.50 each, student tickets, $1. Tickets may be purchased at Beth El Synagogue or at the •doqr,v •• •
Debbie Friedman Returns For Day School Concert Singer-composer Debbie Friedman returns for a special appearance to benefit the Jewish Day School of Omaha on Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center. Ms. Friedman, a contemporary Jewish singer and composer, has performed in theaters, centers, and synagogues across the country. She strives to provide the young and the old with a means of coming closer to their Judaism through music. Known for her spirit and energy, a concert with Debbie Friedman, who accompanies" herself on guitar, Is "exciting, inspiring, and just plain fun." Ms. Friedman's recordings include "Sing Unto God", "Not by Might", and "An! ma-amln". Her original compositions include the popular "Im Tirzu", a special Hanukkah cantata commissioned by the Chicago Sinai Congregation and many liturgical and (oik adaptations of traditional prayers. "The Jewish Day School has brought Debbie Friedman • ' \<£fcntlnuedohPage3)',,,,