903010-00 60 NE3P HISTORICAL SOC 1500 R ST LINCOLN
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SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SlS<4Ci 1920
Vol. LXili No. 41
Omaha, Neb., Fri., Jans 28,1385
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Habbi Aloss Katz (left) ritual director of Both El Synagogue, extends Ids best •wiolieo to retiring Robfoi Sidney and Jans, Brcolso of Temple-Israel-during a dinner in Rabbi Broohs' honor last Saturday at Peony Park. At right io Rabbi Alexander M.-'Sckindlor, .president, Union o'f American Hebrew- Congregatiotto, keynote cpsaker. Story and additional photos on page 3. Dinner photos by Morris Mnline.
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Mr. Bittner said he brought his wife and four children over to the United States in 1929. His fifth child was born here. He explained that "there was not a piece of furniture to be bought during World War II." So, in 1944, he and his family moved to Omaha.' "I bought i\ iun'tyard in Council Bluffa
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Dr. Paul Shy l:en, general chairman, State of Israel Bonds in Omaha, announced fhat Joseph Kirshenbaum has ncctpUJ Hie position offi'-at? Clhiirmrm for Stato of LC..JI Bonds. " Li accepting this-position, Mr. Kirshenbaum 3aid, "Israel'o ribed3 are greater now than ever before, and a3 State Chairman I hopo to assist Israel's economy~through tiiis position". Dr. Shylton added, "Nebraska has always had n State Chairman, and Jos is following a tradition that included the late Bill Davidson of Lincoln and the late Eli Zalkin of Omaha". Dr. Shyken t'.ddod "This coveted position has been a long standing tradition and I knov/ Joe will not only enhance the Israel Bond campaign but will continue to assist find help Israel in the same ways as the past State Chairmen",
By Clv7on OLon^an To reach the age of 90 and to still be working full time while in good health isquite an accomplishment. I5ii Bittnor, ritual director of Beth Israel Synagogue, will celebrate his 90th birthday on July .7. , Rabbi Isaac Na--'| doff said that Bet!'. 'Israel'will honor Mr. Bittnsr.with a special ![iddunh the morning of June 29. Mr. Bittner 'was born in Poland, and attended the Bris- j ! ker Yeshiva in —J E Brisk, Poland. *» 3ittE0r "My father took me, and I lived away from home," he said; :.- In 1923, Mr. Bittner come to the United States to live in Fremont with his uncle. "I got a job in a furniture store in Fremont. In 1927, I owned "my own furniture
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1963," Mr.'Bittner said. At that point* Mr. Bittner took the job of ritual director at .Beth-Israel while Rabbi Benjamin Groher was still there. • Before that, Mr. Bittner said he had b^en very active at the Cuming Street shul. • Rabbi Nadoff said that: when he himself came to Beth Israel in J965, "Mr. Bittner was a great help. He is very helpful — with me and with everybody." Mr. Bittner assists with the minyan daily; he comes to the synagogue three times a day, every day. He provides leadership for holi-
tiny services a3 v.ell. £o, too, does he lead in the Torali reading and assumes responsibility for the yahrzcit3 of the congregation. Rabbi Nadoff remarked that Mr. Bittner is very adept at mechanical things. At times, he said, .Mr. Bittner would take ccro of plumbing .and air conditioning problems at the synagogue. In fact, ho was able to take care of "moat anything that needed fixing." Devoting much time for many years', Mr. Bittner taught conversion classes also. -.: At Su!:!:ot time, Mr. Bittrjer is the one to put up the synagogue's-sukkahu Interestingly, he was the one who initially laid out the plann for its.original construction. Reflecting upon his conscientiousness as an-Orthodox-Jew,. Mr. Bittnor said, "I've been religious all along." Mr. Bittner is concerned and alert to synagogue attendance and obsErved that it differs from year to year. "In Europe, synagogue attendance was an entirely different otory. All kids went to cheder." Commenting on his long life, Mr. Bittner said, "I cannot explain the reason I'm rich by living to be 90. My advice is that people should not abuse themselves." Rabbi Nadoff, who.has worked.with him for-20 years, characterized Mr. Bittner as "a very special person who has both a Wonderful personality and unique qualities.
The Honeymoon'Express Fannie V"-,--uz ;'".? Richard Cummers announce their marriage, June 23, at Temple Israel with-Rabbi Stephan F. Barack officiating^ ;V They were attended by children, grandchildren, and olher members of their immediate family. The couple has announced plans to' visit Wisconsin Dells July 3-11 and they will be accompanied by 28 friends on the Honeymoon Express bus chartered by members of the Young Energetic Seniors organization.
Branstad to ttsike Sioux By Betsy Burfrliard Journal staff writer Editor's note: The following otory appeared in'tlic June 19 isaao of tlio Sioun.City. Jonr? nal,~ Sioux City, Iowa, and faxppriricciJ here with pormic3ion. '. .
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When Gov. Terry Branstad embarks on a trade mission to Israel this morning he will take with him a gift from Sioux City to a Jerusalem synagogue. Members of Sioux City's Shaare Zion synagogue aro giving a Torah to the MevL asheret Avroliam synagogue, a young Con1 servative congregation which includes among its members a former Sioux City couple. Branstad has agreed to present the gift oh Behalf of the local congregation. "BonShuman is a former member of our synagogue and he wrote a couplo of months ago asking if we could loan them a Torah," Shanre Zion Rabbi Daniol Allen said. "Our board decided to Eend them a Torah because it was a request from a former member and because we want tO'Gupport the development in Israel of Conservative Judaism. . We're calling this a loan, but it'o theira an long as they need it." Shuman is a former otate editor of Tho Sioux City Journal. Toraha — ccrolb on which tho fivo boo!» of MossftcseiiQndvyrittcn — arc central to" the Jewish norahip ci.vico. •:.Jay/iafi.!",' diya tlio.Tor^Ii is to bo road .•'•'ot'EOtyicoo.-four ts—:a a rxsh. Tha lew otip•.ulatc'S that'tha pac:r.y3 wuot Is rccd from tho treditionol ccrolb — not'from a book — during tho ritual.
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Itcbbi Daniel Allen ucca a pointer ao ho and Shaoro Zion president L&rry SbcrpiEro E-ocsl tho Torah co that oil'on bis hand ticca net ctcin the parchment. (Staff photo by Gcorco Joliccon) ' , . ' • ' • "Tho oyncgogue in Jerusalem i3 four or fivo yearo old. and they've bcon borrowing. Tornlin — for a year fromons Dyncgosua anil then for a yes?-from another," Allon caid. "V/e hnvo nino Tcrohs, come we've, purchased ond othoro hova boon donated. Tho moat you can uco at any given carvico • is threo, co wo decided thio wco c cood idea." It may bo many yoaro bsforo tho Mcvoaherot Avrnham oynogosuB can afford to pur-
ohaco a Torab, which can cost from $10,000 to $45,000. "Itfcakeaa coodecribo a year to hand write a Torch, which ia dano on parchment from a kosher animal. It'o all in Hebrew," Allan crpJcJccd.',"Ho ucca a feathor quill, not a EWtal," tip,' JEcnucD metal can bs used to xnulio v.-;r;:on3 to kill psople and thio ia a document of paeco. "Each Torah repreoento a year of a per-
son's life, which, is why they're so expensive," Allen said. "There's a hot market for Torahs in the United States, with lots of youngcongregations starting up; Torahs are so yaluable'that many have been stolen from synagogues." . Branstad was asked to be Shaare Zibn's shaliach, or proxy, for two reasons, Allen said. "The governor's mother, was a member of this synagogue when she was in high school," he said. "Having him participate like this is significant because he's the governor, of course, but also because of his con-. nection with this synagogue." The governor and 34 Iowa businessmen will travel to Israel, Egypt, Italy and Germany to promote Iowa products and to encourage businesses to locate in the state. Allen, congregation president Larry Shapiro, and Jim Sherman, regional director of the Jewish Conservative movement, will present the Torah to Branstad at the Des Moines airport this morning, before the governor departs on the first leg of the multi-nation trip. . "We'll present it to him at a brief ceremony but then we'll put it back in a wrapped, padded carton for the flight, so he won't actually carry it with him," Allen said of tho threo foot-high scroll. "We don't want to risk heying' him drop it, If you drop.a Torah, Jsv/usb law cays you have to fast for dr
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ilraol will bo the first stop on the governor's |rip, so; it is expected members of ths IWovcshorct Avraham synagogue will be cbla to redd from their own Torah. during Saturday's services.