'N :i ^ Vol. LXV No. 16 Omaha, Nebr.
m^K. pg'^
SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920
11 Tevet, 5748 Friday, Jan. 1, 1988
Republican candidate Ally Milder influenced by Sliirley Goldstein By Lyndq Prank Alice "Ally" Milder, daughter of Julian and Frances Milder, is a Republican candidate for Congress in Nebraska's Second District. Although politics are nothing new in the Milder family (her grandfather, an uncle and a cousin have all been involved in Republican politics), Ms. Milder said, "Shirley Goldstein is really responsible tor my becoming politically active." Ms. Milder said she met Mrs. Goldstein in a Russian history class at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and, in 1976, accompanied her on a trip to the Soviet Union. Although Ms. Milder had taken, the trip to leam about her ancestry, she was also introduced to several well-known refuseniks. "The differences between the Soviet system and our system were really brought home to me and that led to my serious involvement in politics," the 33-year-old candidate said. After going to the Soviet Union, she returned home to work on political campaigns, earn a B.A. from UNO, work with Mrs. Goldstein on the Omaha Committee for Soviet Jewry and, in 1980, was graduated from Creighton University School of Law. "I was determined to get involved (in politics) to a greater extent after I graduated. I had a desire to make a positive impact on the process of the issues I thought were important and to shape public policy," Ms. Milder said. To accomplish this, she went to Washington, D.C. to work for Senator Tom Grassley (R-Iowa) as a legal counsel. Ms. Milder's concern for Soviet Jews influenced Sen. Grassley. Once she joined his staff, he cast his first vote for foreign aid to Israel, voted against arms sales to Arab nations not at peace with Israel and became the prime sponsor of a bill to close PLO offices in the United States. Although the Washington, D. C. PLO office was closed without legislation, the New York office remained open. (During the Jewish Press interview, Ms. Milder received a telephone call telling her President Reagan had just signed a bill to close PLO offices in the United States.) While employed by the senator, Ms. Milder took two more trips to the Soviet Union. On her 1983 trip, which was partly funded by the Omaha Committee for Soviet Jewry, she was accompanied by the senator, his wife and several of his constituents. According to Ms. Milder, the trip had a profound influence on Grassley. She quoted him as saying, "Up to now I've just been writing letters. We need to do something more to help them." A few months later, the senator sent Ms, Milder to Israel to a conference on Soviet Jewry where she visited with several parliamentarians from other countries. At the conference, they came up with an idea for the International Parliamentary Group for Human Rights in the Soviet Union. The purpose of the group "was consistent advocacy by Western governments on behalf of Soviet Jews and others who wish to leave the Soviet Union." By the time she left the
Annual Meeting to offer 'tradition and innovation' By Joanie Jacobson
Ally Milder senator's staff four years later, the group had grown from one senator to 700 parliamentarians from 16 countries. After serving as legal counsel to Grassley on a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1981-86, she was pn> mqted to chief GOP counsel and staff director of the subcommittee. After six-andone-half years in Washington, she left her position last October because "it was time to put my experience in Congress to work for the people who are important to me, Nebraskans—my family and friends," Ms. Milder said. "I have had legislation passed, killed and vetoed and my hands-on experience would translate well for the people of the Second District." Ms. Milder said people in Nebraska are interested in the basics—having job security to provide money for adequate housing, clothing and food; not going to war and having a strong Social Seciuity system so that older people can be self-supporting. "I understand the needs of the people and I have the qualifications to implement them," said Ms. Milder. She sees economics as the main campaign issue and is a proponent of economic growth. However, once she is in office she would "work on security interests, such as enhancing relationships with Israel through NATO." Ms. Milder said she has received substantial support from the Omaha Jewish community and is also receiving national support from PACs with an interest in Israel. "Although the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is not allowed to raise funds, their president, Bob Asher, has personally offered to raise a substantial amount for my campaign," she said. Ms. Milder is working on her campaign full time in headquarters in the Erickson, Sederstrom law offices. To represent her district in Congress, she must defeat four . other Republican candidates in the May primary. And, if she gets the Republican nomination, she faces the possibility of competing in November against another Jewish woman, Cece Zorinsky, a Democrat who has yet to officially announce her candidacy.
The Annual Meeting of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, to be held on Sunday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, will offer the Omaha Jewish community an opportunity to share in the giving of "kavod" and to gain new insights into Jewish communal life in 1988. "It's been a pleasure for me to help plan this year's program," said Bev Fellman, chairman, "for when a community communicates with itself, it gathers together, it shows that it cares and it shows that those who share in its work share in its honor." This year, the Federation will honor the Rev. Elizabeth B. Beams, executive director of United Methodist Ministries in Omaha, for her continued efforts to publicly recall the Holocaust and her commitment to mutual respect between the Christian and. Jewish communities. "Elizabeth Beams is our friend," noted Mrs. Fellman. "She has publicly stated that 'Christians need to take responsibility for Holocaust remembrance, not the Jews.' She says, 'It's a Christian obligation, not a Jewish one.' Her actions have strongly supported her w<»ds and I hope that every man and woman in the Omaha Jewish community will, in turn, demonstrate their support and extend a vote of confidence by attending the Annual Meeting." The Jan. 10 event wiU also feature mu-, sic by the Kolot Choir, the newly-formed children's choir of the Jewish Commimity Center directed by artists-in-residence Debbie Greenblatt and David Shey.
Addiiional information on the Annual Meeting will be fonnd in a special Federation section, pages 5-8. morial Fund Young Leadership Award; the Community Service Award and the "Teen Leadership Award. New Federation officers, headed by president-elect Saranne Gitnick, board members and agency presidents will be officially installed and outgoing presidents and' campaign chairmen will be recognized. "The Annual Meeting," concluded Mrs. Fellman, "allows everyone, whether a worker or a leader, a large contribute or a modest contributor, an older person or a younger person—whodver they are or wherever they might be—to share in the success of the past year and, together, point to the future."
Women's Campaign schedules worker training sessions By Joanie Jacobson Federation public relations director Suzanne Singer, member of the 1988 Women's Federation Campaign Cabinet and chairman of Worker Training, announced that UJA representative, Judy Robins, of Denver, Colorado, will address approximately 150 Omaha Jewish women on Thursday, Snzanne Singer Jan. 7 at the Jewish Community Center. "Judy Robins has an excellent reputation," said Mrs. Singer, "and I'm looking forward to her visit to Omaha. I 've worked on Women's Campaign for many years and have had the honor of serving as chairman, but there are always new things to leam. The more I know, the better I feel about the job of raising Jewish dollars. It never hurts to be reminded about why we do what we
Temple Israel expands parenting class Beginning in mid-January, Temple Israel was praise for the Jewish content of our will expand its offering of classes for par- classes." Facilitators for the courses will be Shirley ents and their infants or toddlers. Six-week classes have been scheduled for Sundays, Goodman and Leslie Greenwald. Mrs. Mondays and Wednesdays. According to Goodman holds several education degrees Debbie Friedman, co-chairman of the pro- and has taught for many years at various gram with Sherry Newman, "Our Fall class Jewish institutions in Omaha. Currently, was so well received that we decided to ex- Mrs. Goodman serves as learning disabilipand our offering to include a broader age ties teacher for the Bureau of Jewish Edurange as well as a Sunday class for work- cation. Leslie Greenwald holds a master's degree ing parents. One of the most frequent comments we received from parent evaluations in counseling and presently serves as a con-
Carmi Schwartz, national executive vicepresident of the Council of Jewish Federa: tions, will be the keynote speaker and present the William J. Shroder Honorable Mention Award to the Federation and Jewish Family Service. Omaha's Jule Newman will be the honored recipient of the 1987 Endowment Achievement Award, presented by the Foundation of the Jewish Federation, for his generous support and continued commitment to excellence in behalf of the Omaha Jewish community. Other notable awards will include the Justin Greenberg Memorial Young Leadership Award, to be presented by Henry Greenberg; the Lois Jeanne Schrager Me-
sultant to k)cal schools and to Kids, Inc. The classes are open to families with at least one Jewish parent; participants need not be members of Temple Israel. Registration is (30 for Temple members and $35 for non-members. Scholarship funds are available, Mrs. Friedman said. Additional information and class schedules may be obtained by calling Mrs. Sherry Newman, 451-3611; Mrs. Friedman, 3305155 or the Temple office, 556-6536.
do and it's always useful to know how to do it better." . "We're very fortunate to have a representative from UJA like Judy Robins to lead our workshops," added Bert Lewis, Women's Campaign chairman. "In her travels to communities like ours, she strives to share her expertise and to demonstrate 'the best techniques of campaigning." Mrs. Singer explained that attendance at the Jan. 7 event is a prerequisite for working on this year's Women's Federation Campaign. Members of the Women's Cabinet and divisional captains and workers must attend either a morning session from 9-11:30 a.m. or an evening session from 68:30 p.m. Breakfast or dinner will be served and informational kits will be distributed. "The purpose of worker training is to give Omaha Jewish women the necessary tools to feel comfortable with solicitation and the confidence to become more effective Jewish fundraisers," Mrs. Singer concluded. Judy Robins has been involved with UJA for 12 years and is one of the founding members of theUJ A Young Leadership Cabinet. In 1977, she was the Young Leadership Award winner from the Allied Jewish Federation of Denver, has served as general campaign chairman and is currently on the executive committee of the Federation's Board of Directors. Mrs. Robins is also a board member of the Denver Art Museum and the Denver ADL. By profession, she is a freelance interior designer. "We ask our workers to give us their time and attention for'one short session only," said Mrs. Lewis, "even though we realize most of them are veterans of this game. I feel it will be helpful for everyone to hear the facts from a professional like Mrs. Robins."