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SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920
Vol. LXV No. 25 Omaha, Nebr.
15 Adar, 5748 Friday, March 4, 1988
Omaha hosts debate on direction for Israel
Yom Ha'Atzmaut committee makes plans The Yom Ha'Atzmant Committee of the Jewish Cultural Arts Coandl has been planning Omaha's celebration of Israel's 40th anniversary. Committee members are, from left, first row: Edith Rogert, ohdiaiiman; Lynne Saltzman, Joan Maihall, Rachel Rosenberg, Caryn Rifldn, JCAC chairman; Toffy Epstein; second row. Chock Arnold, Jody Bianimow, Iz Lewis, Beverly Franklin, Debra Hostyk, co-chairman; third row: Sam Rosenstein, Patricia Newman, Joni Wolf, Linda Dunn, Marda Lipsman, chairman of the ^mcha 40 Gala; Paul Damewood and Art Groasman. Not pictured: Mary Fellman, advisor, Annette Fettman, Georgianne Steinberg, Jnlee KatCTnan, Rini Gonsher, Elaine Jabenis, Carole Lainof, Sandra Kohll, Beth Leeds, Berta Meyers, Roy Levine, Stanley Mitchell. Sheila and Ira PrUnck and Jean and Vincent Marshall. The Simcha 40 Gala will take place at the JCC, Saturday, May 14, 9 pjn., and the Israel E!xpo will begin at 12:30 pjn. on Sonday, May 15.
French leader shocked to hear German Chancellor was Jewish By Edwin Eytan PARIS (JTA) - Former Franch Preaident Valery Giacard d'Eataing writes that he was stunned when then-West German Chancelkr Helmut Schmidt ralated he had a Jewish grandfather, a fact he bkl {ram the Nazis and then the general public aftar World War II. In hia newiy published memoirs, the farmer French president, whose term of office overlapped Schmidt's, notes that the German leader revealed his background while they were riding in a limouaine during one of the French leader's visits to West Gwmany. According to the story, Schmidt's grandfather^ a Jewiah banker in northern Germany in the late l9th century, fathered an illegiti-
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400,000 Israelis in Tel Aviv which prompted the inquiry into the massacres at Sabra «nd Shatilla. Mr. Burg graduated from the Hebrew University and was the recipient of the New Israel Funds' first Leaderchip Fellows Award. During his fellowship, Mr. Burg wrote regularly for Davar and Yediot Achronot. In addition, he hosted a weekly educational television program for teenagers. Currently, Mr. Burg serves as the director of Shorashim Institute, and lives with his wife and three children in the village of Nataf, outside Jerusalem. Dan Meridor is a representative of the Likud in the Knesset. He formerly served as the Secretary of the Cabinet, in which capacity he briefed the local and
WASHINGTON (JTA)Sixty members of Congress have written Attorney General Edwin Meese III urging that the Justice Department act on the "disturbing increase in antiSemitic incidents in the United States" last year. "We urge you to ensure that the criminal justice system is responding appropriately to this dangerous increase in anti-religious crimes," the congressmen sakl in the letter initiated by Rep.Ted Weiss (D-N.Y.). The ctMigressmen expressed their "concern" in reaction to a report by the AntiDefamatku League of B 'nai B'rith which found that there were 694 incidents of vandalism against Jewish
institutums and ph^ierty in 1M7, a 17 pocent increase, and 324 incidents of harasaments, threats and assaults against Jews and Jewish property, a four percent increase over 1986. '"The American public must become more aware of the dangers inherent in an upswing in religiously moti~ vated crimes in this coun" try," Weiss said. The congreaamen stzesaed in their letter to Meese that the United States "was founded by men and women fleeing religious persecution. Any infringement on freedom of religion in this nation attacks not just that religion, but the very principles upon whKh our natkn was founded."
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foreign press on government policy. A graduate of Hebrew University Law School, Mr. Meridor practiced law in Jerusalem before entering public service. Mr. Burg and Mr. Meridor will speak on Israeli policy in light of the current situation and address their concerns regarding Israel's future. Following their remarks, the floor will be open for questions and discussion. "Israel—Today and Tomorrow," is being sponsored by the Jewish Cultural Arts Council, the Greater Omaha Lodge of B'nai B'rith and the ADL/ CRC. Arrangements for the program were made through the B'nai B'rith International Lecture Bureau. For more information, contact Sara Jaffe, 3^4-8200.
Anti-Semitism prompts concern of Congress
mate son, Gustav, who in relatively easy as my father turn, later fathered Helmut, was registered as borb in who was bora in 1918. Noth-. Hamburg of 'father uning is known of Gustav's known.' " mother. Oiscard writes that Gustav was adopted by a Christian couple named Schmidt told him he was the Schmidt, but was aware of first person to know of hia his Jewish origin. He Jewish background "apart brought up his son Helmut frcm nqr wife, Loky, and one to,believe the Schmidts of my oldest colleagues. My were his natural graiM^wr- father was Jewish." Giscard ents. He disclosed the truth recalled that "My mind to Helmut at the beginning reeled from the shock," beof the war, when the young cause Schmidt, as chancelman was serving in the Ger k>r, was still actively atoning for the crimes of the man army. "My father, a teacher, Nazi era. warned me that we were both in dangw, as at any By Andrew Silow Carroll moment we might be asked NEW YORK (JTA) to prove our Aryan origin," Funeral services were held Schmidt told Giacard, achere last weak for Rabbi cording to the memoirs. Setymour SiegeL « theoloWhen 16-year«ld Max "We decided to forge our Kirahanbaum rtads togian who brought a liberal identity papers, which was day's Jawiah Preaa, he approach to Conaervative could vaky well Judaiam and a conaervative 8hout."Wow, mom. you approach to politica. Siagpl died at age 61 aftar a king dfai iti " According to his Aa Ralph Simon profaaaor mother, Kate, her sen affectionately tacks a of athka and tfaaokgy at the hmcheon an Patricia NewJawiah Theological Semiunique title ' to her man, chainum; Beth Friedcooking—"the woral" nary and as chafaman of the man, pubUdty (BBWI; DiTo eifiphaaise his ConuBittaa on Jawiah Law ana Malaahock, deoonttiona point, he uauaQy picka np and Standarda of the Rab(NCJW); Carol Nathan, the newspaper and raada biafeal Aaa^mbly. ifotb Conluncheon arrangements the BalabttfU ad (which servative inatitutkaa, Sia(ORT>; Robin Spiadlar. invinonnally cairisa a redpe gal waa guided |n hia intar tations (Hadasaah).' of an aceompUahed cook) pretatkma of IVirah law by The hmehaon, which ia an adhsranca to ethical also open to non-membara, "WeOoMm. you didn't standards. starts at 11:30 a.m. and Tha cteunittea ruled fat itagaita." costa S9. Raawvationa may l^bcUqr. isr. Wa be'a igaiBf to I9791ll8t WMMa cookl be ba oiada wtth Bar rmUin. have to eat Ua wwda. cnoatad 1^9 mtaymt, tb» 334-7365. TraaaiMrtatta ia inqoirad Kate'a ndpaapnaars avaOabb aaa d^K Bwviee it, the Balaboata ad •tthaJawiaki •fa ' 1966. to aUow wona ID ba Cwtar ia Itaa to I
Women sponsor annual American Affairs luncheon Four Jewish women's organisatkina win spoaaor the annual American Affairs Luncheon on March 23 at the Highland Cdkatry Club. This year's hinchaon will focus on the to^ic, "Domsatic abuse: its impact on Aflaaricitfteafllift" lima Qnaha •mats IB tha liaidB ol eooBaafac Bodal work and Uw wffl prMsnt tka topic Mea>'bMinm Wvai B'rith WoiBM. NatloMl Coauicil of Jewiah Woman. Omka ear tion. Hadasaah and CRT who are orfaniaing the
Omaha will be one of 10 cities in the United States to host a debate on current Israeli policies and the future of the State of Israel when Dan Meridor and Avraham Burg speak on March 8. The debate will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center the' ater and is free and open to the public. Mr. Meridor and Mr. Burg are two of Israel's young politicians who represent opposing points of view. Mr. Burg is a member of the Labor Alignment and served then Prime Minister Shimon Peres as his adviser on Israel-Diaspora relations. He was an outspoken critic, of the government's handling of Operation Peace for Galilee (the Lebanon war), and was the keynote speaker at the tally of
ordained as Coqservative rabbis. Siegel alao was an authority on Jewiah medical ethics and had been preparing a book on the topic. "Without ever being aggressive or militant, he reflected the dignity of Jawiah traditicBi." said Rabbi Gerson Cohen, chancellor emeritus of the seminary and a long-time associate of Siegel. As a leading rabbinical figure in the "neoconaervative" movament, which drew a number of Jewish intellactuala die-
Rabbi Ian Jackaia
Jacknis resigns ' V Rabbi Ian Jacknis. spiritual leado- of Congregation Ttfereth Israel in Lincoln the past five years, has announced his resignation in a letter to congregants. Eve Hoffman, president of the Congregation, told thaJewiah Press that Rabbi Jacknis and his wife, Suri have ezpreased a deaire to be doaer to family back East "We aliail miss them very much. Rabbi Jacknis hm bean a real asset to tha congrtgation in building membardiln and pursuing activitiaa oaneficial to tha congragatioo," aha aaid. Ms. Hoffman said a search oomnittiia would be appointad shortly to aiK> caad Rabbi Jacknia. whose reaignation is effectivi about Aug. 1.
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mmtiifRa^ with politkal liber-
Bulletin aliam, Siegel maintained Members of B'nai B'rith doaa tiea with both the Nixoa and Baagan admioia- win meat Monday at 7:30 tratlbaa. Ha asrved on tha p.m., in the Jewiah CommuPreakknt's Commisaian on nity Center to dJacua^ a ^.,, Ethica in Madtdn* and Bkh name for tha nawqr^ medical Raaaarth and on tha -^)inadlndgaynducadi Advlaory Co«adl of the taeant aMgw of < RapnbUcaa National Cornand Haniy Ma :..' i",«^H!ai jy^: