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SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920 23 NIsan, 5749 Friday, April 28, 1989
Donald A. Yale to chair Israel Bonds dinner Donald A. Yale has accepted the post of dinner chairman of the Omaha 1989 Campaign of State of Israel Bonds, an important source of funds for upbuilding Israel's economy. Assisting him are co-chairmen Richard Katzman, Tom Fellman, Alan Parsow, and state chairman Murray H. Newman. The City of Omaha will join in celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the Signing of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty in 1979 when Ike Friedman, president of Borsheim's, accepts Israel Bonds Peace Treaty Commemorative Award at a din-
Donald A. Yale ner to be held May 7 at Peony Park, Royal Theater. In announcing the celebration and tribute, Mr.
Sen. Kerrey will speak at May 14 groundbreaking
Yale pointed out that the observance is one of a series being conducted nationally and internationally under the auspices of the Israel Bonds Organization "to dramatize the sacrifices which Israel made for peace ten years ago and the continuing importance of strengthening Israel's economy, which is the vital foundation for a future of peace and progress for its people." He added, "We, in Omaha, are proud to be taking part in this international observance which marks the anniversary of Israel's first peace treaty with a neighboring Arab state."
U.S.Senator Bob Kerrey plans to speak at the groundbreaking ceremony for the addition to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, May 14 at 11 a.m., it was announced today. Mickey Sturm, chairman of the event, told the Jewish Press that the senator, who is slated to speak in Raleigh, N.C., the evening of May 13, adjusted his schedule so that he could be in Omaha the next morning. "This is indicative of Senator Kerrey's interast in and support of Jewish causes in Omaha and elsewhere, "said Ms. Sturm. She pointed out that while
Senator Kerrey governor, Senator Kerrey spoke at Yom Hashoah observances in the State Capitol and chaired the State dinner for the Holocaust
Museum in Washington. "That dinner," she said, "raised $550,000 for the museum and was one of the first such dinners to be held in the United States." The ceremony for the groundbreaking program will begin at 11 a.m. in the Jewish Community Center theater with Senator Kerrey's talk. The actual groundbreaking will follow at the southwest comer of the Rose Blumkin Home and a reception will take place in the Home. Mrs. Blumkin, who with her family contributed $500,000 for the expansion, is expected to attend.
Yom HaShoah program recalls horrors of Holocaust By Carol Katzman "Ani ma'amin. I believe" In 1939, Jews of Germany sang the words to the famous prayer written by the 12th Century Talmudic scholar Moses Maimonides with an extra verse: "I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when I do not feel it. I believe in God even when he is silent." Those words helped to keep the spirit of the Jewish people alive during the long years of the Holocaust and will be recalled again on May 2 when Yom HaShoah, the Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust, is observed at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel ; In a special service written by Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, children of the Temple Israel Junior Choir and Jewish Community Center Kolot Choir will sing three songs recalling the lost
dreams and deepest hopes of the Jews of Europe. When asked if they understood what the Holocaust meant, the children replied, "The Jews were enslaved. They were sent to death camps. It makes me sad to think about what happened." Cantor Harold Firestone of Temple Israel has been rehearsing with the children and discussing the meanings of each of the three songs they will sing the night of Yom HaShoah. In addition, Ann Kibel Schwartz, educational director of Temple Israel, will lead a discussion group for third through sixth graders after the service is over while former Justice Department attorney and author John Loftus speaks about the Nazi connection in America. In memory of the six million Jews w^o perished, six
Temple Israel hosts schqiar-in-residence 'Jews tfndJudaism in a Christian WorldSome Fundamental Dilemmas' Rabbi Michael J. Cooli, profesaor of InterteaUmenUI and Eviy Chriatian Litaraturea, Hebrew Union Coliege, Jewiah Inatituta of Religion, i Cincinnati.
Schedule Friday, April 28-Sliabbat Service, 8:16 p.m.; "From Calvary to Oberammergau: The Impact of Jesus' Trial on^Jewish-Chrlatian Relations". Saturday, April 29. 3:30 p!m.-"Chri«Uan Misaionariea and Our Bibia: What Should Be the Jewiah Reapooae?" Sunday, April SO, 10 a.m.-Jewia|i Undcratandinga of Important Chriatian Cltima (Belief in the Empty Tomb and Jesus' RelnirrecUoo). Brunch will be aerved. Tonple Israel's Scbolar-in-Realdence program ia made poMible through a grant from the PhU and Terri Schragar Foundation and is open to the public without charge.
candles will be lit by Hilde Gottlieb, Miriam Grossman, Rachel and Carl Rosenberg, Herman Lowenstein and Cantor Leo Fettman. All are survivors of the Holocaust. Members of the Temple Israel Junior Choir include: Megan, daughter of Bettie and John Adams; Adrieime, daughter of Maureen and Steven Bergenfeld; Morgan, daughter of Patrick and Betty Denny; Heather, daughter of Manny and Marcia Greene; Jennifer, daughter of Gary and Karen Javitch; Karen, daughter of Renee and Louis Kazor; Charley, son of Susie and Paul Landow; and AH,
daughter of Martha and are: Matthew, son of Ellen Dick Lemer. Fennick and Marty RosenOther members of the berg; Shoshanna, daughter choir include Naomi, daugh- of Joye and Steve Wees; ter of Bonnie and Martin Jenny, daughter of Scott Leiserowitz; Alex, son of and Shelly Eisenman; and Blake and Jan Lund; Max Wilson, son of Debbie and Louie, sons of PhyUis Greenblatt and David Seay. and Bob Newman; Noah, Accompanying the choir son of Mitch and Lisa Mon- will be Hannah, daughter of tag Siegel; Brian, son of Steven and Barbara RenJudy and Barry Siff; Larry nard, on the violin; David and ShaAvn, sons of Mary Seay on mandolin and Deband John Siref; Whitney, bie Greenblatt on viola. daughter of Jeff and Sherry Cantor Firestone will be Taxman; Tom, son of Rosa- conducting and playing the lin Ulmer; and Glenn, son of electric keyboard. Steven and Patsy WigodYom HaShaoh is sponsky. sored by the Jewish CulJCC Kolot Choir members tural Arts Council under the participating in the service direction of Sara Juster. For
more information, call 3348200. "Once again our lives are thriving It's our answer for surviving Our response to everything gone by. Put a boulder on a boulder, . Placed above as winglike shoulders Has our future, Anj Yisrael Chai." And so sing the children the words of "Am Yisrael Chai," so that, as one child stated about the Holocaust, "It can never happen again."
Jewish law on abortion matter of interpretation
By Andrew Silow Carroll NEW YORK (JTA) Under Jewish law, abortion is not only allowed but required when a mother's life is in endangered by the pregnancy. But behind this simple rule wafts a haze of gray areas. Some interpreters of the law would extend it to cover a mother's mental as well as physical health, while others would limit it to include only those conditions directly associated with childbirth. There is also dispute about whether aborticoa are allowed in cases of rape or incest. Rabbi Emanuel Jakobcyvita, Britain's chief rabbi, haa said that since there ii no apedfic reference to such casea in the Tahnud, abortion in those casea ia forbidden. Others disagree. "I have claimed in my writings since there ia no reference, it ia equally inferable that it is permitted," said Rabbi David Feldman, author of "Birth Control and Abortion in Jewiah Law." "The great Rabbi Yitzhak Perknan of Minsk atated dearly that no woman ia re-
quired to nurture seed implanted against her will," he added. Feldman said that Jewish law holds that life begins at birth and that abortions therefore are not considered murder. In a clash between the actual, the mother's life, and the potential, that of the fetus, the actual comes first, he explained. But how is that.dash to be deflned? Rabbi J. David Bleich, author of "Contemporary Halachic Problems," said there is "significant authority" to support an abortion, not only when the pregnancy itaelf threatens the mother, but when childbirth threatens to aggravate an existing condition, like a heart defect. With regard to mental health, however, the law ia less clear, "What if a women is suiddal, and would be pushed over the brink because of the pregnancy?" said Bleich, a profeaaor at the Cardoio School of Law at Yeahi^a Univeraity. "That Is certainly not the reapondbility of the fetus. The crudal problem then is how to make that kind of diagnoaia." * Bleich said he ia familiar
with the position of the late Rabbi Benzion Uziel, the former chief Sephardic rabbi of Israel, who said that permission for an abortion could be granted a mother "even if it is a slim reason, such as to prevent her disgrace." Bleich said Uziel's position is "definitely not authoritative"—the rabbinical equivalent of a minority opinion. But in a recent full-page advertisement in The New York llmea, the American Jewish Congresa affirmed its belief in protecting the mental health of mothers. "Nascent life has great value" in Jewish life, said
the ad. "But it is not the only value. "In the face of the kind of desperation that drives women to risk their lives and mutilate their bodies, rather than carry the fetus to term, no one has the right to say that other conflicting values do not exist." David Zwiebel, general counsel of Agudath Israel of America, has criticized the AJCongress view. Writing in the Agudath publication Coalition, Zwiebel says that the AJCongress criteria theoretically extend the right of abortion to a woman who seeks an abortion merdy because the (Continued on Page 3)
Lincoln to celebrate Israel's independence The Lincoln Jewiah community will caiabrate the 4l8t annlveraaiy of Israd's independence with a celebration on May 7 at 6 p.m. in the Tifereth larad Synagogue social halL I Sponsored by the Lincoh Jewish Welfare Federation, the celebration will feature Tuffy Epatdn and his band, an laraali buffet and prizea. Tlcketa are $4 and reaervationa may be made by calling LM Wdss, 4890801; Nancy Coren. 423-6696; or Delia Mcrgeoatam, 423-6609, before April 30.
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