Board to Discuss New Construction ^COUNCIL BLUFFS. LINCOLN, OMAHA Omaha, Neb., Fri., February 20.1381
$12,000 Available For Youth Programs Jewish organizations and institutions which sponsor programs to enhance the Jewish Identity of youth and college students In the greater Omaha area can now apply for funds from the Esther K. Newman Grants Committee. The committee can allocate approximately 112,000 in 1981 for programs which meet the guidelines on which the Esther K. Newman Memorial Fund was established. According to Howard Kaslow, chairman of the Esther K. Newman Committee, emphasis Is placed on new and innovative programs. SponsorIng groups arc encouraged to participate financially or In kind. The Esther K. Newman Grants Committee may allocate up to 40 percent of the earnings of the Esther K. Newman Memorial Fund,' which was endowed with the proceeds from the sale of the Esther K. Newman Camp. The committee meets twice a year, in April and October, to evaluate proposals and allocate funds. Mr. Kaslow said that it Is important for sponsoring groups to plan ahead In order to best utUIze the Esther K. Newman Grants. He wants to encourage groups to take the time to thoughtfully assemble proposals even to the point of beginning to plan now for the October allocations. Application forms will be mailed to all synagogues and Jewish organizations shortly. Deadline for return of completed applications will be April 13, 1981. Organizations
unable to complete proposals by this date will have another opportunity to do so in October as only half the available funds will be allocated in April.
Questions about the grants and technical assistance In completing applications should be directed to Mitch Orllk, Jewish Federation Staff associate at 334-8200.
All members of the Jewish Community of Omaha are Invited to the Tuesday, Feb. 24 board meeting, of the Jewish Federation of Omaha at which time the recommendation to proceed with final plans and the construction of a long term care nursing facility will be discussed preceding a vote. The presentation at the 7:30 p.m. meeting at the Jewish Community Center will be made by Harlan Noddle, cochairman with Is Tretlak of the Phase HI Steering Committee for the Center for the Aging. Revised p r e l i m i n a r y sketches for the Home which will be built on the JCC grounds will be presented, by Roger L. Schutte and Assocl-
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Human Rights Hostages
ByDavldaManon WASHINGTON - Soviet Jewish refuscnlks were compared to the U.S. hostages in Iran "yearning to breathe the air of freedom" at a Congressional briefing sponsored by the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews here recently. Professor Alan Dershowltz of Harvard Law School told the audience of two hund^ej, both members of Congress and their aides, that the rcfusenlks arc human rights hostages, chips in an International bargaining game. He urged Congress to develop a strong, sophisticated human rights policy to dispcll the Soviet belief that last November's election was a referendum in which the human rights issue was defeated. Dr. Dmitri Slmes, of the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, spoke of the difficulties Involved In negotiating with the Soviets. He pointed out that the Soviets act based on their perception of their Interests, not on principles or legal arguments. Therefore, the U.S. must follow a policy which uses both force and encour-
Mro. Edward (Cece) Zorinsky, (left), Shiriey Goldstein, chair man of the Soviet Jewry Committee, and former Omahan Alice Milder were among the participants at the recent Congressional briefing sponsored by the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews In Washington. agement — the "carrot and stick" approach. The difficulty at this time, according to Dr. Slmes, Is that we have a limited number of "carrots" available. Economic cooperation Is one option, but it cannot be used if It is detrimental to our national security, as In selling the Soviets sensitive
high technology items. Both Dershowltz and Slmes are members of the UCSJ Advisory Board. A third member of the Advisory Board and an adviser to President Reagan, Professor Richard Pipes, was unable to speak because he was called away on a mission for the Administration.
Some of the raembers of the Center fo t Aging Ptu*e i n Steering Committee are from left, Joe Klnbenbaum, Federation president; la Tretlak, honorary chairman; Louie Blumttn, Mary Fellman, Steven Rod, JCC executive director; Art Growman, and Louis B. Solomon, Federation executive director. ates, architects for the new JCC grounds. The Federation construction. These sketches previously had conditional apare based on reports from all proval from HUD to build this Phase III subcommittees for unit for the elderly. the new Home. Also on the agenda will be a The adoption of a Federrequest for approval for ac- ation Campaign Goal for 1981 cepting a firm commitment and a capital repairs request for direct loan financing lor from the Jewish Community the 52 unit apart building Center will also be on the which will also be built on the DOiini s agenua. agenda. WHICH win uisu m uum on me board's
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po|itics In Transition
(Conclusion of two part story) One trend that could have been expected to develop but did not, Is ethnic politics. Sensitivity to representation for large ethnic voting blocks (e. g. Moroccans, Iraqis) Is highly developed In Labor and In Herat. But attempts to set up separate ethnic parties have all failed. The most recent attempt to set up a Moroccan-based Black Panthers movement proved to be a total flop, electorally. There Is no indication that such attempts will meet with any degree of success in the immediate future. One exception to this statement is the growing tendency of Arab voters to vote for the Communist Party. This is not so much communist as it Is the only legal vehicle of expressslon for antl-lsrael, pro-PLO sentiments among Israel's Arab minority. The upshot of all this Is that It Is extremely difficult to make valid statements about who stands for what and who will join with whom in Israeli politics In 1981. The situation Is simply too fluid and too transitional. Having said this, some predictions can nevertheless be attempted. It is as close to a certainty as anything can be In politics that Labor will again emerge as the largest party after the next elections and that Shimon Peres will be will be the next Prime Minister. It Is nearly as certain that Abba'Eban will be Peres' Foreign Minister and that former army Chief-of-Staff and current Labor Party secretary Halm Barlev will be Minister of Defense. Beyond that, who will be what In a Peres government still remains somewhat murky. The main question concerns the Identity of the Labor Finance Minister. Given the urgency and intractability of the country's economic problems (such as an Inflation rate currently running at 180 percent annually), the decision as to who will be Finance Minister and what powers he will be given to manage the econ(Continued on Page 5)
Educate-Need-Survival- Commitment-Respond Unity-Giving-Family-Feelings-Caring By Cookie Hoberman Words. Words - motivating actions - surfacing commitments — describing feelings! Can "words" be the stimuli to produce these actions? "We hope so!" Is the unanimous response of the chairwomen of the 1981 Women's Federation Campaign. Pauline Cuss, chairwoman, Bobble Epstein, Maxlne Klrihenbaum and Barbara Rips, associate chairwomen use the "words" exciting and innovative to describe the events planned (or the up-comlng Campaign events. March 24 - workers may choose to attend either the morning or afternoon sessions of an "Educational Happening" that every woman will find relevant to themselves and to their understanding of the needs of our Jewish Community. April 1 - A gala candlelight dinner for all Chai and Grand Gift donors. They will dine with an "internationally known secret guest." April 2 - the "secret guest" will speak at a community-wide luncheon. Last year's Federation film will also be shown. All the women of our community will be invited. All Jewish women are encouraged to be a part of this "speclalday" ....'.
The chairwomen "admit" there Is "great difficulty" In finding the "right words" to describe their personal commitments to the Jewish Federation. However, they believe that the "words" individually expressed will collectively represent the essence of all of our motivations, commitments and feelings. Pauline Guss - "Responsibility . . . Unity . . . Giving . Being a part of a Jewish community, we each have a responsibility to support that community — with our energy as well as our dollars. There Is a unity among all Jewish people. Whether you live in Israel, Omaha, or anywhere, there Is a bond that unifies us all. Giving Is the result of caring. I feel fortunate I can be one of the giving!" Bobble Epstein - "Commitment... Need . . . Survival. I have a commitment to strengthen the viability of our Jewish community. As a Jewish'.woman, wife and mother I must respond to the needs of our community. It is a matter of survival. As Jews, we can never take survival for granted!" . Maxlne Klrshenbaum- " N e e d . . . Educate... Family. We need to reaact to the needs of our community. Every program Is essential! Every .department is Important! We must not cut ser-
vices! We must educate ourselves and others about the services supplied by the Jewish Federation. They are crucial to our community. Every family Is strengthened by a strong Jewish Community. A family commitment must also be a community commitment." Barbara RJpa - "Continuity . . . Caring... Sharing. There is a continuity in our Jewish community. There is a continuity that exists and binds dine Jewish community to another Jewish community. I am touched by that continuity and I take great pride in the caring that Jewish people have for one another. And when you c a r e . . . if you can, you will share. Sharing is my response to caring. For me, the time is now!" Word-symbols that are assigned meanings by the individuals using them. What "words" would you use? What meanings would you assign to those "words"? And t h e n . . . what actions would you apply to "back-up" your words? The leaders of this year's campaign are asking every Jewish woman to react to their "words" — to participate... to attend the events... to visibly support the Jewish Federation and the services the Federation supplies.