Vol. LXII fto. 35
_Omgha, iteb^Fri., Apdl 27, 1984
Denise Greenberg, president, Jewish Family Service, will make a presentation, May 1 at a professional conference in New York City. Her presentation will deal with special problems and opportunities in a functional Federation and will be delivered at the annual conference >-^ of the Association j ' of Jewish Family ! and Children's agencies. Strengthening Denise Greenberg Jewish family life will be the underlying Marilyn Hurwitz and Shirley Pidgeon -— co-chairmen for Hadooonh Spring Con- theme of the Twelfth Annual Conference, ference. • ' ., according to Irving F. Cohn, Association President. Over two hundred and fifty officers, board members and executive directors of JF&CS agencies are expected to attend the four-day conference which will be held April 29 - May 2, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York. Over sixty different meetings and workshops have been scheduled. TheKifisbuci Valley Region of Hadassah served as past secretary, HIES chairwoman "We are going to concentrate on finding • has announced co-chairwomen of the up- and donor chairwoman in her local chapter. coming 38th Annual Spring Conference She has been a Board member of the Wom- solutions to problems — rather than just which will be held from April 30 through en's League of Conservative Judaism for 15 discuss the problems," said Joel Smalley, May 2, at the Omaha Red Lion Inn. They years and served on the Boards of Brandeis program committee chairman. "jfr&CS are Shirley Pidgeon and Marilyn Hurwitz. Women's Committee and Women's Amer- agencies are confronted by mounting requests for service and unmet needs. The ican ORT. Mrs. Hurwitz has also been in- program will give our leaders a chance to Marilyn Rice Hurwitz, formerly of volved in the. St. Louis UJA drive. exchange views and experience on problemOmaha, currently resideB in St. Louis with Shirley Pidgeon, also a life member of her husband, Louis, and their three chil- Hadassah, is pail president of the Des solving. Our goal is to have all JF&CS.agendren. She is a life memfcer of Hadassah and Moines Chapter and currently serves as Ha- cies make the best possible use of Jewish Communal resources." Mr. Smalley is the a past leader of Young Judea. She has also (continued on page 2) ~?
Governor Robert Kerrey will lead a group of civic and religious leaders in a Holocaust Commemoration program, Monday, April 30 at 11 a.m. in the Nebraska State Capitol, Lincoln. The program is being sponsored by the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, the State of Nebraska, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Society of Survivors of the Holocaust. In addition to Governor Kerry who will preside, those participating were listed asfollows: Dr. Mel Luetchens, executive secretary, Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska, Inc.; Sam Fried, representing the United States Holocaust Memorial Council; Norman Krivosha, Chief Justice, Nebraska Supreme Court; Marian Bergerson, Director, National Conference of Christians and Jews; Leo Fettman, President, Society of Survivors of the Holocaust; Henry Wald, Holo-1 caustsurvivor and camp liberator; Howard Kaslow, President, Jewish Federation of Omaha; Rabbi Ken White, South Street Temple, Lincoln. Also, Rev. Elizabeth Beams, executive director, United Methodist Ministries; Rabbi Isaac Nadoff, Beth Israel Synagogue; CanYOM HASHOAH Sunday, April 29 2:00-3:30 GENOCIDE* JCC 4:00-5:30 2nd showing JCC 7:30-8:30 Memorial service, Beth Israel 8:30-9:30 "How to Teach the Holocaust to our Children" — Beth Israel . • * This film is made possible by a gift from Mickey Sturm, Don Sturm and their children Melanio and Robert.
tor Harold Firestone, Temple Israel; and Rev. James Dawson, Pro Vicar General, Lincoln Catholic Diocese. ADL has announced that the event is open and that a special invitation is directed , to Holocaust survivors in the community.
At the International AZA and BBG Conventions in August, a resolution was passed making Tay-Sachs and allied diseases the international Thrust for the 1983-1984 program year. Local members of BBYO at-
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The Jewish Cultural Arts Council has invited the Jewish community to participate in the Holocaust memorial oervice at Beth Israel synagogue, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. A special service has been coordinated by Rabbi Isaac Nadoff, involving the rabbis and cantors as well oo several survivors. Howard Kaslow, president of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, will make a presentation on behalf of the community. The traditional lighting of the memorial candles will be done by survivors. Prior to the oervice there will be showings of the Oscar winning film GENOCIDE, narrated by Orson Wello and Elizabeth Taylor. Following the service a discussion will be held at Beth Israel on "Teaching the Holocaust to Our Children". For information, call the Jewish Cultural Arts Council 334-8200 ext 232.
past president of the Pittsburgh JF&CS. Dr. Jerome M. Goldsmith, Executive Vice-President of the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Service of New York will give the keynote address at the opening general session. His subject is "Perspectives on Jewish Family & Childrens' Services — 1984." Mr. Smalley said, JF&CS leaders are concerned about the variation among communities in the relationships with rabbis and congregations. In some, there is close and effective cooperation on behalf of Jewish families (including families that are not members of the congregation). In others, cooperation is minimal.
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Plan3 are under way for the community's celebration of Israel's 36 years of independence. • A story describing planned activities appears on page 9, and ah advertisement showing the full range of programs appears on page 12. CORRECTION Elizabeth and Harry Rubenstein, residents of the Rose Blumkin Jewish home, celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary recently. The photo caption in last week's paper was incorrect.
tending the conventions brought back the information to the local chapters. An initial education program on Tay-Sachs was held at Winter Regional Convention in Omaha in December. From this initial program the idea came to co-sponsor, with the J.C.C. Early Childhood and Adult Services Committees, a free testing program for members of the Omaha Jewish community. The primary motive is to screen and/or educate the people who are most at risk to be carriers for Tay-Sach? and allied diseases. According to the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association: "While testing is aimed at people of childbearing age, it is desirable to screen as many of the population as possible. Very often a couple who have completed their family will want to know if any of their children could be carriers. If such a couple is tested and learns that neither parent is a carrier, they can be assured that all their children are not carriers. However, if one or both are found to be carriers, it will be imperative for their children and other family members to be tested. "Tay-Sachs most often appears in families with no prior history of the disease. A person's chances of being a Tay-Sachs carrier are greater if he/she is of Eastern European Jewish descent. Approximately 1 in every 25 Jews in the United States is a carrier of the Tay-Sachs disease. Approximately 85% of the children affected are Jewish. Tay-Sachs can and does occur in ' Jews of Sephardic origin and in the nonJewish community. There is a noticeable incidence, of Tay-Sachs in Italian Catholics and in a group of non-Jewish Canadians." . For advance registration or information, contact Marlen Frost at the J.C.C, extension 229;