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Vol. LXV No. 11 Omaha, Nabr.
SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920 10 Ktolav, 5747 Friday, Dacmnbar 12, 19M
1987 Campaign well advanced over all previous campaigns By Steven J. Rod land Country Club. Last minute reservaExecutive Vice President tions may be made by calling Steven Rod Jewish Federation of Omaha at the Jewish Federation, 334-8200. Less than one month into the 1987 Men's More than 120 reservations had been Campaign of the Jewish Federation, Leon- received by the Press' deadline, guaranteeard Lewis, General Men's chairman, an- ing the largest attendance for this annual nounced that we have received a greater event. number of increased commitments than Senator Frank Lautenberg, the Demoever before at this stage of the Campaign. cratic Senator from the state of New JerIn anticipation of this Monday evening's sey is a unique American leader in that he Pacesetter Division Dinner, featuring Sen- has also served as the National Chairman ator Frank Lautenberg, more than fifty of the United Jewish Appeal. This qualifies 1987 commitments have been received him to bring us up-to-date not only on the . totaling an excess of $600,000. Our commu- American political scene, but on the needs nity should know that these commitments of Jews worldwide. On Tuesdt^', Dec. 9, he are running an average of 15 per cent ahead learned of his appointment to the Senate's of the same gifts last year. Foreign Operations Sub-Committee on ApThe Pacesetter Dinner, which has become propriations, the committee which does the an annual event, is open to aU donors who ground work on Senate Foreign Aid. will make a coomiitment of at least $5,000 The annual Pacesetter event has become to the 1987 Men's Campaign. Howard Kas- a traditional Federation Campaign affair at low, chairman of the Pacesetter Division, which time the community has an opportunates that it has not beoi possible for us nity to express its appreciation to major to call on all of these potential donors. We donors to the Campaign, while reaching out will be accepting reaervatians through Mon- to others and encouraging expanded particday morning for the Pacesetter Dinner to ipation in this division. take place on Monday evening at the High-
Martin Gilbert here on Sunday at JCC Ekiitor's note: Martin Gilbert will apeak Sunday at 7:30 pjn. in the Jewish Community Center on "Soviet Jewry: Crisis Now." His appearance in Omaha is in connection with the 13th annual Jewish Book Fair qransored by the Jewish Federation Library. This program is co^ponsored by the Omaha Committee for Soviet Jewry and was arranged through B'nai B'rith Lecture Bureau with major funding provided by the Nebraska Committee for the Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. By Rabbi Myer S. Kripke Martin Gilbert Historian and Jewish activist Many years ago I stewed over the question whether it is great men who direct the course of history, or whether crises in history evoke the careers of great men. Obviously the answer cannot be given in one direction only. But one might suspect that biographers, like Martin Gilbert, might think that great men produce history, not the other way round. But Martin Gilbert, the biographer, does not think so. Gilbert is a biographer—but even more a historian: History, and the con-
Martin Gilbert catenation of its events, call forth the men who will solve its problems. Martin Gilbert is at work on the eighth and final massive volume of his biogr<^hy of Winston Churchill. It has already come to nearly 8,000,000 words and holds a place in the Guineas Book of Records as the longest biography in world literature. Its virtue, however, is not its length. Its virtue lies in its authenticity and its astonishing readability. Its 7th volume. (Continued on Page 2)
Federation Annual Meeting offers prizes, surprises
Bible contest winners The Bible Quiz Contest for Jewish youth, sponsiNred by Comhuaker Lodge of B'hai B'rith awarded three prizes following the Dec. 7 cont«»t at the Jewish Community Center. From left are David Siegel, Lodge president; Steven Riekes, contest chairman; Mordy Schwartz, S300 winner; Alan Kricsfeld, $600 winner, and Joshua FinUer, $200 winner. Officials were Cantor Emil Berkovita, qnaatloner; Bob Hurwits, timdieeper; Rabbis Paul Drazen and Isaac Nadoff, judges; Lois Elpatein, scorekeeper.
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By Ljmda Frank • Freelance Writer Honor, humor, fun, food, and prizes will be on the agenda of the Jewish Federation's Annual Meeting on Sunday, Jan. 11,1987 at 7:15 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center. Along with the installation of new officers to the Federation Board and its agencies, the presentation of the vdunteer of the year awards and young leadership awards, tjiere will be a quiz show called "Wheel of Federation" or "Federation's Fortune." According to Margo Riekes, chairman of the Annual Meeting, "the show will be a takeKjff of the popular TV quiz show 'Wheel of Fortune'." She stated that contestants may enter by filling out the. entry form which will be in the Jewiah Press during the next few weeks. From the entries that are submitted, nine contestants will be selected at a random
drawing to be held on Jan. 2. These nine people will be competing to win three wonderful prizes. In three separate rounds, three different people will compete to solve word pOzzles. llie winner of each round will then have the chance to solve the final puzzle and to win the gremd prize. Of course no quiz show would be complete without a Master of Ceremonies. The Annual Meeting committee which, in addition to Margo Riekes, consists of Paul Cohen, Darlene and Sherm Golbitz, Arlene Goodman, Doreen Lemer, Patty and Steve Nogg and Helen and Tuffy Epstein looked long and hard for the Federations own P. Sajak. "We've found him," said Mrs. Riekes, "but he wishes his identity to remain a secret until showtime." Helping Mr. P. Sajak will be Vanna Schwartz, Omaha's "hostess with the moste^s." "Vanna is most anxious to make her debut and will surely delight the audience," added Mrs. Riekes.
Secret Jewisii data from Russia brougiit to Oniaha
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A story such aa this one doesn't surface too often—at least not in Omaha. I mentally keep pinching myself, trying to sort out the elements separating fact from fiction—inevitably I keep coming up with the inescapable conclusion: On my desk is a 72-page copy of Russian test, smuggled out of the Soviet Union in a pillbox containing a roll of mi•crofilm. The text, according to a Soviet immigrant now residing •^here, can best be described as the 10th and latest aection ; of a 700 page Jewish Almanac produced undercover in the ' Soviet Unioh. The original film and photographic prints are now on the way to a journalist in Israel fulfilling the request of the Jewish refuMnik who gave the material to my sources. Incidentally, I shall refer to my new friepds as Mr. and Mrs. X to protect their identity. Here's how the story unfolds: A few years ago, Mr. and Mrs. X were preparing to visit Moscow and Kiev on a tour. Before leaving they met with Sheldon and Marcia Kushner of Lincobi. ' The Kushners asked them to try and meet with Mr. Kuahner's cousin, Felix Levitas, a refusenik residing in . Kiev. The X's agreed and had their photo taken with the Kushners for use la Russia.
Upon arriving in Kiev, the X's went directly to the Levitas' address, knocked on the door and showed their picture with the Kushners to gain admittance and trust. "We visited with Felix and Milla and their 10-year-old son for two-three hours and then met with them again two days later." Upon their return to the United States, the X's talked with church groups in their area and vowed that if another opportunity presented itself for them to visit the Soviet Union, they would do more to benefit the cause of the Jewish refuseniks. Their opp<Htunity came about a month ago when another trip was organized with a stop in the Soviet Union. To prepare for this visit, our friends contacted Shirley Goldstein, chairman, Soviet Jewry conunittee, Jewish Federation of Omaha. (Continued on Page 5)
Elected Mr. and Mrs. X-with eyes covered to prevent easy ideatiHcatioD—show the underground J^,wi8h publication tliey brought out of the Soiviet Union to Onuilia and the painting wiildi a Roaaian refoaenik saat for the Jewish commnnlty.
Judge Jerry M. Gitnick has been elected president of the Nebraska District Court Judges Association. He previously served as vice president and secretary/treasurer. The Association is comprised of all the District Judges of the State of Nebraska and is a statutorily created body having certain supervisoty and educational responaibilities.