January 7, 1983 by Jewish Press

Vol. LXI No. 17

Omaha, Neb., Frl., January 7,1983

Rabin dinner opens Federation Campaign

Reform rabbis JERUSALEM (|TA) ~ Supreme Court Justice Mrir Shamgar has proposed a compromise in connection with efforts by Reform rabbis to {fain equal status with the Orthodox religious establishment. Shamgar suggested thin Reform rabbis be permitted to perform marriages in Israel while the Orthodox would retain their prerogative as registrars of all marriages. The Orthodox have enjoyed a government-backed monopoly of religious functions in Israel since the Slate was formed. Marriages and other rites performed by non-Orthodox rabbis are invalid. Tile Reform movement is protestino ibis situation in a hearing before a panel of five Justices. Counsel for the Suite, which bocks tin' Orthodox rabbinate, claimed it net* on behalf of all (ewf, lit ttii" country, reiprdlti*^ of whether ilm>' recognize it "There in no room for various Jewish religions," he said. This coutl will he.tr ih" appellants' caw.- at id next hearing.

'"Ore Winds of War' A clastic Jewish village wedding, which can no longer be seen anywhere in the world today, if recreated for a scene in Herman Wouk'e "The Winds of War," a seven-part dramatization of his best* seller about Pro World War II Europe which airs on the ABC Television Network beginning Sunday, Feb. 6 (8-11 p.m., 1ST). Members or the Warsaw Jewish Theatre (top and lower left) joined the Paramount Television film unit in Zagreb, Yugoslavia to play the principals in the scene. All McGraw and Jan-Michael Vincent (lower right), who are starred in the 10-hour "ABC Novel for Television" presentation, play visitor* who are caught up in the joy of the wedding.

Yitzhak Rabin, former Crime Minister of Israel, will bo the guest speaker at the I9B3 Federation Campaign Men's Division Inaugural Dinner on Jan. 30. Mr. Kabin, the first Sabra to become Prime Minister, has had distinguished careers in both the military and the political arena. "As o member of ihe opposition tabor Party, Mr. Rabin will be able to offer a different viewpoint from what we hear in the media," said Jay U:rner, chairman of the dinner. "Mr. Rabin will be leaving the day after the dinner to return to Israel. We are fortunate to have him take the time from his busy schedule to travel to Omaha." Yitzhak Rubin was born in Jerusalem on March I, 197?. His father, Nchcmia, had immigrated to Israel from the United States during World War I as a |ewisli Legion volunteer. His mother, Kits,!, was an early memtxr of Haganah.* the underground volunteer of the army of''the pro-Stain period. Yitzhak Rubin attended schooling in Tel Aviv IHV fore attending Kadooriu An*

Yitzhak Rabin ricullural School in Lower Galilee.. In common with many of his contemporaries, after graduation he enlisted in the struggle for Jewish independence. He volun-

teered for the Palmach, the crack unit of the Haganah. During a distinguished military career, Mr. Rabin was commander of the Israel Defense Forces in the 1967 Six Day War and was Chief of the General Staff of the Army. Yitzhak Rabin retired from the army in January of 1968. Shortly afterwards bo was appointed Israel's Ambassador to Washington. The dinner to be held at the Jewish Community Center is open to all men who make a minimum pledge of $7000 to the 1983 federation Campaign.

Annual meeting Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The joint annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its departments will take place Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the Jewish Community Center. The presentation of awards and the election of officers and board members will take place. Short biographies of the nominees are on Pages 6-7.

Student claims Russia prepares to sell Jews By Morris Moline A rabbinical student has said that Americans may be called upon to pay S7U.000 for cadi Russian Jew allowed to emigrate, Chaim Herrmo, a third year Aludent at the |ewwli Theological Seminary in i\'civ York, told the Jewish Press that the Soviet Union is trying to close down emigration completely. He said that his trip to the Soviet Union last

month convinced him that I he Government has mode the life of potential emigrants ''nightmarish". Mr. Herring, son-in-law of Norman anil llelene Krivosha of Lincoln, was at tin; Krivrrtli'i residence last Sunday IO attend an engagement party honoring Rhonda Krivor.hu and Adam I ImisiT (See photos on Page 6) lie wild that he tolieves Ihe practice of buying lows, HI prevalent in the Middle

Ages, may become a fact of life for future emigration. Mr. Herring said that he and another JTS student vtailtxi Moscow, Ixninfjrad and Odessa as tourists, "Wt» visited with Refusnlk'i who told us that Andropov is causing policies of harraxsment similar to llio'.e imposed by Stalin." tie said that on one occasion, a nineteen-year-old was taken into a police station mul whipped And Refuseniks who

have been applying for visas every six months have tx't'ii told to cease trying. Mr, Herring said the Hefuseniks are now people "Without "They are bitter about those Russians who have emigrated to the United States, clniming that this is the principal reason why the S o v i e t s are c l o s i n g down on emigration. "AH long as Jews were going to be reunited with their families in Israel,

there was no complaint on (lie part of the Russian government," Mr. Herring said. IIM explained that Israel is described in llie Russian press as a "degenerate" country and that emigration to Israel did not present any internal problems with other minority groups in Russia. I lowi-vor, people being allowed to go to America was another story, he ridded. Mr. Herring said that he was searched closely upon

entering und leaving Russia, "They examined every piece of clothing, they had me empty my pockets and they searched me . . . they also went to the extreme of x-raying my Cranoln bars." Ho pointed out that even though the Hefuscniks art: without hope they do have n fueling that a strong American president like Ronald Reagan can make a difference. ''They are all pro-Reagan", hi.' said.

Circumcision and halacha A founder of ihe Hiith Milah (ritual circumcision) ISoard of America estimates that as many as (IO percent of the circumcisions which virtually all American Jews •irriiiifje for their neuImin sons an* not done in accordance with Jewish religious law It.iljbi Itugene Cohen, who is als/i coordinator of Die Hrilll Milab Hoiird ol New York, sid the figure was ;i "fluesMimate" Miicir he kiu'w of no study on the subject. Hut, hi; iidded, hit> "guesstimate" was baswl on observations dl laymen, tahbis and motielitii {ritual circumcis<>n>) -tin.1 Un ihaf-Sttrtrjr ~ ' said ihe moM coin moil deviation from halaclia is the tendency, which he said was growing since World War II, by parents io have their wins circumcised in the hohpilal before ihe mandated eighth day. He tuiid that while the hit; .mum be postponed when it must not be

done for mixiicvil reasons, a halachically valid circumcision may not be done before the eighth clay. He pointed out that, before the war, the mulcrnity inhrwpilal convulesuince period lusted an long as 10 days "m> patent'* would automatically deckle to have the clrciiiiiclsion done on the proper day." He added that euch a decision also was convenient becusc many hospitals providiKl or mode arrangements for the services of a j

By Ben Gnllob Jewish Telegraphic Aoency, Inc. • c II.IOM rite until u number of days alter tin; mother and pliciiiuins consist,of excessivi! blficding," which (am bo son Ir.ivi' led the hospital. Their choice, the rabbi said, corrected without/permanent aftereffects. (tohi.ru Mresse(i that people uro seldom awari! of the "Is lint always" an anloiiiiitic decision to iiosipom!.. Cohen coimneilled lh.it "having |ust eniriisted their "ini.ri'dihle" safely record that certified tnohclim have lives uuii the lives <>l Iheir newtwm babies io their phy- Jiniintained. lle/siiiit niotielim are trained by'the "prcsjcians, iiiiiny mothers feel that ,i circumcision performed • cepior" method, by which the inohel observes performin Hie hnspil.il hy that same physician uould hi* a Miler ance of a great/many circumcisions before he is allowed one in ilur event that complications arise." He said their lo perform ony. I'.ven when/he new mohel is ready, (tohen explained, atlltuil)- is: ivhtil dilfeteni erlo.i few days make, anyway?? He dit:l«iretl that tin? dilfercmroJiLlliiU-UmHMJi' no dif-- he learns ihe ieclllli(|ue "411 stages' and lie is under expert ierein;e txriween a circiimcisioii pttrforuied for religious •supervision.jvtohen said that "a mohel may have perifii'rfjiib "lH!for« Hid eight day" and ii "purely niedical formed 1,000 circumcisions and still be considered a beginner by 1I10 Hoard when he seeks certification." (in iiinrision" — halachically, both are "not kosher." The New/York Brith Milan Board, which ho said has Cohen said hi- has received anguished calls from young lews seeking to live a more religiously observant life who served as a/iiuxlel for similar organizations in other parts* want to know whether the circumcisions performed on of lite United States, Canada and even Israel, certifies them as infants wore "halachically valid." Cohen pointed mohelim, and thus fosters high standards for tho profesnut that KOIIK; |ewlsh parents may not be aware that the sion. The Hoard Is affiliated with the New York Board of roots of ISrilh Mllnh arc religious, and not just health, Rabbis, a subvention agency of the Federation of Jewish fioclol and ethnic. He said those parents rteod conscious- Philanthropies. Cohen said that; in deviating from hajacha, Jewish ness mining, ., / His stressed that few parents realize how rare compli- mothers may also allow non-medical, pragmatic considcations uri: from circumcision. Ho quoted a finding by Dr. erations surrounding circumcision to affect their dccl-

Elliott loiter, a practicing pediatric uroloflisuiml chief of. ^irology-at-New-Yofk-€ity's-lJcih7lsfaeITvTedical Center Now, however, Cohen declared, mothers usually go thai ritual circumcision, "when expertly performed by a homo on the third or fourth day after delivery, Parents trained inohol, has*a minor complication rate of less than have to make a conscious choice to postpone ihe circurn- 0.13 percent." Lcitcr has added that "most of these com^

p 16 preferable because they are in "too weakened a condition" 10 be hostess io p party in their homes, so soon after delivery, and because their homes are too small for such festivities.