90301C-00 60 NEBR HISTORICAL SOC 1500 R ST LINCOLN NE
Vol. Ulll No. 44
68508
SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SIKCE 1920 Omaha, Hob.; Fri., July 19,1985
iion? By David Friedman name. • • WASHINGTON (JTA) - Richard Herzberg, the one "I would do the came thing if someone held a gun to my Jew among the four Americana held separately from the head," Herzberg said. The hijackers then olso took Richard other hostages after a TWA plane was hijacked last month, Troutmann, Jr., of Norfolk, Virginia, bscausa they thought said that the ordeal strengthened his religious convictions. he was Jewish although he is n Catholic; Jeffrey Ingalls, a The 33-year-old Norfolk, Virginia insurance caieBmun, Navy eeabea; and Robert Brown of Salem, Mass., a former said that he had always attended cervices on the High Holy Navy man. Also taken wes a man witji a Greek name who Days but during his 17 days of captivity in Beirut by the was released after the Greek government released a third radical Shiite group Hezbollah, he prayed constantly. "It hijacker captured in Athens. deepened my conviction that there is a God," ho enid, adding Another Jew aboard the plane, Michael Brown, 27, of that prayer gave him the "strength to juat endure." North Miami Beach, who was also returning from his honHis wife, Susan, 28, Gaid that she always had planned to eymoon, was not taken because he did not have a Jewishraioe their children in a traditional Jewish homo and now sounding name and doss not look Jewish, according to with her husband's deepened convictions, thio would be Herzbsrg. . easier. Both the Herzbergs said that Derickson behaved heroiTho Herzbergs were returning from a honeymoon in cally during the incident, taking blows meant for passenGreece when the plane was hijacked enroute from Athens gers. Mrs. Herzberg said that Derickeon told her that she toi Rome. They appeared at a press conference at B'nai had hidden Mrs. Herzbarg'a passport which contained her B'rith International, headquarters hore, in part, Horzberg marriage certificate signed by a rabbi. explained, to thank the American people and the Jewish Mr3. Herzberg said she took off a ring with a Hebrew community here and in Paris for their support during the inscription which she hid. The hijackers found tho ring and hijacking. searched for its owner. They did find a women wearing a; Warren Eisenberg,-director of international affairs for Magen David and she and her huoband were beaten until B'nai B'rith, said that after the hijacking, Mrs Herzberg'o they were able to convince the terrorists that they were father, Ted Deutsch, a member of B'nai B'rith to ask help Catholics. ' in getting information which the organization sought to do Tho Herzbergs said they will always have the trauma of on a daily basis. , , thejordeal with them, "We are just normal people," HerzHerzberg said that neither he nor tho other three Amer- berg said. "We got on the wrong flight,'' He Gaid "I^yvas icans who had been segregated were mistreated by the Hez- never a3 happy as I was on the day that I got on that. (Flight..*' bollah. He said he tried to convince them that he was not But now, he added, "I don't sleep at night and she cries." Jewish and that his father /was German and his mother Mrs. Herzberg said that "no matter what their cause was, Greek, something which he said he was not now "proud" it does not justify taking 36 hours of my life away from me of doing. . and 17 days away from" my husband." Mrs. Herzberg and The two terrorists,1 after hijacking the plane, asked if the women aboard the plane were released in Algiers. Herzbsrg said that during his captivity With Hezbollah there were any Israelis aboard. They then asked for dip. lomats, military personnel and Jews in tb.pt ordar. Hcrzberg, . they were first questioned tet Hezbollah-headquarters simsaid that reading from "Jewish sounding" namoa on' pscs* • ilar to the way the FBI questioned Iiim when ho returned. ports, they called his name but couldn't pronounce it arid He said they were then taken to a cell in what appeared to so forced Uli Derickson,. the plane's purser, to Call out his be a Hezbollah prison which contained many Arab pris-
NBW YORK — The essential unity of the Jewish people, Klal Yisrael, as well as the diversity that exists within it, will be demonstrated at a Shabbat celebration immediately preceding the opening of the Tenth Annual Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education, to be held at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, 111., Aug. 11-15. More than 300 of the almost 2,000 people expected at the Conference will arrive on, Friday, Aug. 9, two days early, in order to take part in the Shabbat program, a spiritual experience that combines worship, study, family programs, storytelling, and communal discussions'. Attending,from Omaha are Cantor Leo Fettman, Shirley Goodman, Stanley Mitchell, Gloria Kaslovv, Jane West and Marlen Frost. . , . Because the participants will come from all branches of the Jewish ideological spectrum, four separate worship services — Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Reform — will be offered on Friday evening and again on Saturday, in addition, there will be a special service on Saturday morning for families accompanied by preschool or early elementary school age children. Except for the worship services, all activities will be shared by the full complement of participants. • "This is a rare-opportunity for Jews-of diver.se,backgrpunda to come together to enjoy one' of God's most precious gifts to the Jewish people — tho Sabbath," declared Tzipora Harte, Conference Coordinator of the Coalition for Alternatives in Jewish Education (CAJE), which sponsors the Con: ference. The- CAJE Shabbat program will begin late Friday afternoon withpre-Shabbat Z'mirot (Sabbath songs) and a Kumsitz. It will continue with candlelighting at sundown, followed by the first Shabbat/ meal, including Kiddush (blessing over wine),
oners who they could hear being beaten almost nightly. Eventually they were given a larger room with somewhat better conditions, although he noted the conditions were primitive. He believes that Amal, which held the other hostages, did not know where the four were being kept. He noted that after they were taken to bs interviewed by the Red Cross they were followed by a car which his captors eluded in a high speed chase. He believed the other car might have been members of Amal trying to learn their whereabouts. He said that he and his three fellow inmates believed they could escape but they did not.know where they were and had no idea how to get around Beirut if they got out. They decided to put their faith in negotiations although they agreed they would try to escape if their captivity lasted two to three months. Herzberg said tho worst day was the last when first they thought they were going to be freed and they heard incorrectly on the radio that the other hostages were in Da^ mascus. Ho said they were constantly being indoctrinated and he began to feel sympathy for the plight of the Shiites which he likened to that of South African Blacks who are,the majority in their countrywhile being kept downtrodden. But he said he did not sympathize with their methods of fighting everybody, including each other, to get their_way. Herzberg refused to criticize some of the hostages who voiced support for their captors, noting that each hostage had his own experience, Herzbgrg also would not criticize media coverage of the event as some have. "You all helped us" get released, he said. He said that he was afraid that in any future hijacking the terrorists would not allow the press in but would use their own equipment to film the event. . ... ' Eisenborg noted that several years ago 130 persons were held.hostage by Hanafi Mosleni3 in.tha-.very rooujwiiere today's press conference was being hsid. He said-this gives many s^aff members of B'nai B'rith a "sense of kinship" with the TWA hostages. -
Z'mirot,'D'Var Torah (Torah study), and A special added benefit for patrons and Birkat Hamazon (grace after meals). After sppnsors of Omaha Arts West 1985-86 seadinner, the participants will have a choice son has been announced by Silvia Roffman, of hourrlong study.sessions, and the evening JCC vice president for Cultural and Perwill conclude with an Oneg Shabbat, com- forming Arts. "We are very pleased to offer munal singing and Israeli dancing. these special subscribers guaranteed prefA similar program will be followed on erential seating in the section they choose Saturday including four separate worship for the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra," she' services in the morning; study sessions in said/ the afternoon; a puppet show on the Torah The JCC is working in cooperation with portion of the week for children of all ages; Performing Artists/Omaha to bring the a communal walk; Mincha and Ma'ariv ser- world-renowned IPO, Zubin Mehta, convices in late afternoon and early evening, ductor, to Omaha on Aug. 25, 1986, accordand, on Saturday night, an elaborate ing to JCC Director Steven Rod. "The IPO Havdnlah ceremony-marking-the formal , is the premier orchestrain the world," said separation between the Sabbath and the Mr. Rod, "and the JCC and PA/O anticipate rest of the week. a sell-out at the Orpheum Theater." Further
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NEW YORK — Author Elie Wiesel has been named winner of the 1985 Henrietta Szold Award of Hadassah', the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Ruth W. Popkin, Hadassah National President, has announced. , Wiesel, known for his novels, essays, stories and other writings on Jewish life, will receive ..the Award at the banquet session during Hadassah's 71st national convention Aug. :18-2Mn.the New York Hilton Hotel. "Henrietta Szold, Hadassah's .founder, personified the highest ideals of Judaism and Zipnism," Mrs. Popkin said ih making the announcement. "In his work Elie Wiesel speaksto us of the enduring values of Jew-" ish thought and action that Henrietta Szold represefjtedand 4hht have sustained and inspired our people across centuries of oppression and dispersion. "Elie' Wiesel has become the conscience of a: generation," she continued, "and speaks to us today for the millions of Jewish men, women and children Whose voices have
been stilled by prejudice and injustice .. for all time." Wiesel's work ini• eludes nine novels, > • V • -' ten collections of / essays, stories and ' . / profiles of histori- '":. cal Jewish figures, two plays, a mem.' , . oir, and a cantata. < / A survivor of the ' . /.' Nazi death camps • in Europe during . Elie Wiesol World War II, he is Chairman of both the President's Commission on the Holocaust and the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.
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The Henrietta Szold Award is presented annually to. an individual or individuals whose lives and work reflect the humanitarian values of Hadassah's founder. Previous, winners include former United Nations Ambassador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick,
information on the IPO's appearance will be disclosed in the months ahead. ' "Meanwhile," explained Mrs. Roffman, "our early guarantee of seating choice is our way to thank the OAW 1985-86 charter subscribers who will give extra support to our new concept of performing arts programs at the JCC." The nine-event season includes three plays, two dance performances, one musical concert, three films, and special gallery, exhibits and displays. A sponsor's subscription is $100; Patron, $50, JCC member subscription, $25; Students/seniors, $20. Full details of prices and programming are contained in the brochure which is being mailed to the community.
Soviet Jewish "refusenik" and exile Ida Nudel,-former Israel President Yitzhak Navon, Senator Humbert Humphrey, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, President Harry S. Truman, and Israel Prime Ministers David Ben Gurion and Golda Meir. Founded in 1912 by Henrietta Szold, Hadassah is the largest Jewish organization and the largest Zionist organization in the UnitcdStatcs. In Israel, Hadassah built and maintains the - Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center-—the largest medical complex.in the Middle East. Hadassah also operates the Hadassah Community Collejge, the.Seligsberg/Brandois Comprehensive HighjSchool, and the Vocational Guidance Institute in Jerusalem. It provides support for Youth Aliyah/Jsrael's famed child rescue and rehabilitation movement, and is the largest single contributor to the Jewish National Fund;for its land reclamation programs.