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SERVING NEBRASKA, IOWA Vol. LXI No. 32
Omaha, Neb., Frt., April 22,1983
Reagan pledges safety for Jewish survivors By David Friedman WASHINGTON, (JTA) - Thousands of fturvivors of the Holocaust and their children received B pledge from Prenident Reagan that their security would never again be in jeopardy cither in the United States or in Israel. The President, speaking to some 17,500 persons at the opening ceremony of the American fathering of, Jewish Holocaust Survivors, noted that Jews had recently celebrated Passover which marked the ancient ciwlufl from Egypt. "You lieor witness to a modern day ex(KIIIH from the darkness of unspeakable horror to the light of refuge of safe havens, the two most important being America and what noon became the Stole of Israel," Reagan n/iirL "An a man whose heart is with you ond as President of a people you arc now go much n part of, I promise you the security of your safe haven* hero and in Inroel. will never l>e compromised." His Mntcinfnt was received with thunderoiw applause throughout the large oval »hap«l Capitol Centre by the turvivor* and their children who came to Washington for the four-day Gathering from throughout the United State* and Canada. Reagan also expressed the "gratitude" of the U.S. to the turvivon "for choosing
America . . . for reminding us how important it in to remain true to our ideals as individual and as a nation." The President, accompanied by his wife, Nancy, received from Benjamin Meed, president of the Gathering, a Scroll of Remembrance to the American people signed by some 50,000 Holocaust survivors and their children. Meed, saying "we are here," in Yiddi&h, declared in English that the journey from Auschwitz to America and from the Warsaw Ghetto, of which the 40th anniversary of its uprising is also being marked at the Gathering, to Washington seems an "incredible distance." He noted that .18 years ago the U.S. Army under Gen. Owi^ht I). Eisenhower liberated Iluclienwnld. He said the survivors want to give "thanks to the Hundreds of thousands of young Americans who fought to liberate us and the thousands who gave their lives to crush Mitlerism." He [minted out that a major theme of the Gathering is to give tlifinkx to the U.S. for the new lives the survivors were able to build here. But Meed also said that there was a "bitter" time when the U.S. failed to take in persons fleeing Nazism and then during World War H it failed to bomb the death camps and the railroads leading to them. He (continued on page 3)
Yom Hashoah program By Both Fine A memorial service and program commemorating Yom Hn.ihonh will lie held on Sunday, April 24, ot 7:30 p.m., at Temple Israel. Alt members of the community are encouraged to attend.
Six candle* will represent the six million •lews who |(cmhcd. The following community members will be called on to light a candle: Rosa Newman, Esther Silver, Bella Eiscnberg, Paul Cohen, Joe Fischel, Leonard Polanski. Following the Kaddish, a slide-tape presentation prepared by Marty Shukert, chairperson of the Yom Hnnhonh Committee, will be shown in the social hall of Temple Israel. The show in entitled "My Own Force and Power The Holocaust as seen by it's Artists", and shows a chronological sequence of drawings, prints and paintings created by Holocaust victims as Jewish music plays in the background.
Rabbis Nadoff. Drazen, Brooks and Weinatein, along with Cantors Fcttman and Firestone will officiate at the service from the Gates of Prayer prayer book. Readings will reflect on our people's faith and strength as they faced the horrors of the Holocaust Aron Zciderman, president of the Society of the Holocaust Survivors, will givo a Yiddish presentation. The program is unique and promises to Sam Fried will apeak on A Personal be a moving experience at a time when all Jews ore remembering a dark period in our Message o f Faith. A candle lighting ceremony will be held: history.
Governor Kerrey Bad Sam Fried
Members of the Yom Iia'atzmaut Planning Committee hold one of 35 flags to be displayed at tho Festival on Sunday, May 1 in honor of Israel's 35th Anniversary. From left: Esther Was, Linda Dunn, Ceil Blank, Wendi Weiner, Abe Gcndler, Pom Cohn, Marsha Frank, Debbie Friedman, Patty Nogg, and Caryn Rifkin. Not shown: Benson Lect, Suzie Drazen, Beth Ginsburg, Judy Robinson, Stan Mitchell, Ellen Albin, Meyer Green, Margie Gutnik, Julie Katzman, Speedy Zweiback, Roy Levine, Jody Malashock, Sharon Epstein, AndicGordman, Jayne Ituback, Steve Goldberg, Annette Fcttman, Shirley Lcct, Matt Cohen, Cheryl Kricafcld.
Full day's program Hails Israel's 35th By Linda Dunn The sights and sounds of Inrocl will come alive on Sunday, May 1 as members from every Jewish organization in Omaha participate in tho Yom Hn'atzmaut celebration. This event, commemorating Israel's 35th year of independence, is sponsored by the Omaha Jewish Cultural Arts Council. Day long festivities will begin at 9 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center with a flag raising ceremony by the Epstein/Morgan Post of Jewish War Veterans. The morning will be filled with children's activities, including a JCC Youth Run at the JCC and Lag B'Omer Games at Beth Israel West. A shuttle bus will bo available throughout the day to transport participants to various activities and to bring them from tho addit i o n a l p a r k i n g area at C o l u m b i a n Elementary School. Therefore, children participating in the 9:15 a.m. Fun Run can
Castor Emil Berkovits
also participate in the Lag B'Omer Games nt 10 a.m. While students arc earning certificates and pins for taking port in Lag B'Omer games, parade entrants will begin to assemble for their journey from Beth Israel West to the JCC where tho main attractions will continue. Many participants in the Lag B'Omer games will march in the parade. Although the deadline to enter vehicles in the parade has passed, it is not too late to organize a walking group of friends or family members. Those wishing to march in the parade are asked to be at Beth Israel West at 11 a.m. to enter the lino of march. Many of Omaha's synagogue and BBYO youth groups will be sponsoring decorated vehicles in the pnrado. The Jewish Day School is planning a float which features, the Western Wall. B'nai, B'rith Monak^wiU (continued on page 7) (*r',"
Aron Zeidermnn and the yahrzeit candles
Liberator recalls stench and stink of Holocaust B y Morris Mallao "They etared and etared in dkbelisfoa we waited aroons the survivor* inhaling the stench end stink of the hastily improvised crematoria." ' Thla is how Norman Smith, of Albion, described April 28,1946, as he and bis fellow American ooldkre liberated Uw Landsberg concentration camp near Dachau. Mr. Smith madshia remarks during the Holocaust Commemoration program of the State of Nebraika at the Gov-
ernor's office in Lincoln April 13. Mon* than 60 persons attended the program, sponsored by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, tho Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'ritb, the Notional Conference of Christiana and Jews, tho* Nebraska Catholic Conference and the Society of the Survivors of the Holocaust. Mr, Smith said he noticed a little old man carrying a stick over his shoulder. There was a little kerchief at the end of the stick.
"Tho man was determined to leave the camp and I lost tight of him for a short time." Mr. Smith told the group that he walked among the corpses up to a perfect row of trees and there dotted around the trees were prone figures. T h e y had found a place to die," "We walked into the administration building and the inmates froze upon looking at us. They looked as though (continued oh page 2)