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SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920 26 Tlaiwt, 97S0 Friday, Octobar 27, 1989
Vol. LXVII No. 5 Omaha, Nabr.
I The future of Jewish Omaha
m Are we mortgaging our future? By Howard Bloom Executive director Jewish Federation of Omaha Editor's Note: This is the tliird in a series of articles outlining the financial crunch facing the Jewish community of Omaha over the next few years and explaihing what must be done to secure the continuing enjoyment of our Jewish programs and services. Since we have cdotinu» ously maintained that we need additional dollars to offset inflation but our campaign has been flat, how have we managed to sustain the quality of services that we have? Are we really on the verge of a crisis or is this constant reference to more dollars and increased giving just another fund-raising gimmick? Let's look at the facts— just the facts. Last year, in 1989, we balance'1 our budget in tlM follewiag nty*. FoKOMh we altared the way we calculate the Israel portion of our allocation. We reduced the allocation to Israel by about $89,000. Furthermore, we reduced by $60,000 what we ought to have allocated to special funds we maintain to provide upkeep for campus assets and equipment. This means we gambled. We gambled that we will not face any major
I
Maimonides Society will hear Slepak
By Joanie Jacobson Federation public relations director capital equipment repairs cut much needed service, The first meeting of the and maintenance costs for we are only loading the rethe next year. This is bet- sponsibility for reatoring Maimonides Society of ting that we can get by in this service and repairing Omaha will be held on the short run with the and replacing our campus Sunday, Nov. 12, at the minimum and saddling fu- assets on to the backs of Jewish Community Centure generations with the our children. Is this really ter, 10 a.m. to noon. Feareal costs when they in- fair? Is it right to add to tured speakers will be Dr. the burden they will face? Alexander Slepak, origievitably crop up. What about 1988? How Don't good parents try to nally from Moscow, did we balance our budg- plan to reduce the burden USSR; and Dr. Leonard et? Well, one of the things for their children? Should Schultz, of Tucson, Ariz. we did was make use of the we be continuing to mort- A complimentary brunch prior years' surplus funds gage our children's future? will be served. Chairmen of the Sodety True, the endowment inin the amount of $176,000. These dollars were not in- come we have does provide are physidans Dr. Ronald vested for the future but ua with some relief in the CoofMr, Dr. GerakI Simons rather were spent to pay short nuL However, if we and Dr. Eugene Zwetback, entirely use up whatever and dentist. Dr. Norman for current expenses. It would not be an exag- interest income we receive, Sheldon. Named for the great geration to say that this we are not building for shortsighted approach has tomorrow. We are not rein- Jewish physician and not solved the problem of vesting to plan for tomor- scholar. Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon, the Maimonides row's enwrgcodea. balandng our budget. If we are to protect our Sodety, a national organiInatead, it has bdit into our communal budfet a coUactive conunonal fu- zation, wris establiahed in steady need for additkaal ture, we must realize that Omaha by the Jewiah Feddollars which have not, in the Federation Campaign eration to foster a sense of the main, been forthcom- must continue to be the common purpoee and coming in the form of in- paramount communal mitment among health OMaed campaign revenue. campaign if we are to care profeaaionals in the In onkr to baiaace our maintain organiied Jewish dty to work for the hettarbudfet when campaigaa lifeia Omaha. Ptaaaejon- ment of Jews everywhere. "We've organized to are flat, w^wt ktk with aidar tkto aa we move into the following three alter the 1990 Campaign year. heighten our Jewish When your volunteer awarenees," said Dr. Sinatives: Deithtt borrow from fund balances neces- worker calls with your mons. "So many of us simsary to maintain our as- card.ipleaae consider a ply do not understand the sets, 2) cut dollars to Is- 15% mctease in your gift needs of our Jewiah comrael, or 3) reduce local 80 we will no longer have munity, and we need to programming. These are to continue to mortgage take the time to find out." Dr. Kweiback explained the only options we have if our future and that of our that invitations were sent we resist increasing our children. We will then be gifts. If we continue to re- able to manage the excel- to Omaha Jewish health duce dollars for main- lence of services we have care professionals and tenance of our campus or as well as to plan for un- their spouses. "The response has been excelif we are forced finally to met future needs. lent," he reported. "We're offering a challenging program and chance to do something poaitive for our Jewish community. We k)ok forward to strong par-
Community honors newcomers with Nov. 5 welcome brunch
By Diane Axler Baum Newcomer Comathtee Manbar Newcomers who have larrived in Omaha within the past year are being invited to become acquainted and to iociaiize at a branch in thatr honor Nov. 5, 10 a-nu-BooB. at tha lUdgaflakl home of Peter and J«Dy^y Gordon. Hatting the "Wakoma to Onaha Branch" ia the Newcomtra Committee of the Jewiah Fodaratioa of Omaha chaired by Suaie Silvannaa "The committee has found that a hoBM aattiflg makaa for the moat comfortable and caaual evao^,' and I'm phaaad that our houae will ba the aite of this important function," said Mra. Gordoa "PMarandlarehMking forward to vi mmmttty larga group bM baewM o< tha It taftax
tUa tpring and auanMr Imn Si Louia aa part of the relocation of ConAgra'a troaan fooda division. In additioa to moktiag •achothar, nawcooMn will have an opportunity t6 sodaUM 1^ marnbars of tba conmiktaa. 'Many el our mambara settled b Omaha witUn to the past dacwia, and tkay aha added. Ajnosgotkara, twr"*'—' bow much it aMy Btw farnMai anived msmt to th«n to recaive
Dr. Alexander Slepak
the people's only link to Judaism," he said. "The mystery of our people is that they can't break ua." Dr. Slepak attended high school in Moscow, USSR; undergraduate school at the University of California, Santa Cruz; and graduate school at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. "Dr. Slepak is noted to be an intelligent and moving speaker," said Dr. Sheldon. "Hearing about his experisBces, the plight of his parents, life fw Jews in the Soviet Union, his coming to America to become a physidan—all of it sounds fascinating. It should be an exdting first program." Dr. Schultz is an acquaintance of Dr. Cooper. "Leonard was one of the founders of the Maimonidee Chaptw in Tucson," Dr. Cooper explained, "and is currently vice-preaident of the Midwest region of the Maimonides Sodety. He'U be able to provide some background and suggest possibihtiee for the future of the Society here in Omaha.
ticipation from the health care community." Dr. Slepak, whose famed, Russian parents became a symbol for freedom of Soviet Jews around the world, left Russia in 1977. He is currently serving hia residency in general medidne at Episcopal Hospital in New York City, and next year, will work in radiok)gy at Einstein Hospital in Philadelphia. In additkni to a career in medidne. Dr. Slepak has been invited by a number of reg^Bal and natiooid or ganizations to 8|>eak on sudi issues as Soviet Jewry, human rights and Soviet-American relations. "Soviet Jewry is a direct "Any Jewish, Omahathreat to our safety as area health care profesJews in America," he told sional and his or her an audience at the UJA/ spouse is welcome to atMidwest Women's Divitend the Nov. 12 meetsion Leadership Confering," added Dr. Cooper. ence in Chicago. "If you "We hope that anyone turn your eyes away from who did not receive an inus for even a moment, we vitation will contact the will cease to exiat. The Federation office and sadneas, the crime ia not nuke a reaarvation." the cnuity of the (^>preaFor infonnation, call sor, but the indifference of Charhe Bpatain. Federathe bystander. "VisiU to the Soviet Un- tion aaaociate director, ion by American Jews are 334-8200. Ext. 293.
Omahans join in pro-choice rally on steps of Capitol in Lincoln
wakoma," said Mra. Silvannan. "AH of us are sincare in our dsaire to cootinua a poaitive, on-going relatkmr ahip with Jewiah indivtduala and familiOi new to OnMb*. In soma dtiaa. a panw baa (o grow up than to fsal at baa» hut tkat'anottruaofOMbn." "Newcomera enrich their ndopted dty," aba (Cintlw>iii on Page »» •KJSHff:FEM6!B?fi!l,D. •.-
"On Nov. 12, in Uncob, Washingtfo^ D.C., and in state capjUla throughout the country, an unprecedented number of Ameri- Cans will demonstrate their suppnrt for a woman's ri^bt to reproductive choice," said Anne Broder, National Council of Jewiah Womao's rwresentative to the ProChoice Coalition. "MobiUae for Women's Lives," the procboioe raly at 2 p.m. on the stapa of the Lincoln State Capitol waa organiaad on • national Wval foUowing the Supcame Court's ruling in Wabotar v. Raprodnctive Haakh Sirvicea. wbkh gave alate Malnkwaa tb* powar to remkk tbortioB righta. , AciuirdiuK to Mrs. Bro-
der, "In addition to protesting the Supreme Court's dedaion, we will ako be servin(^|)otKe to our elected npreasatattvea in Waahington and in the sUtabouaaa that the prochoico majority is nnitod in ite reaoive to kaap abor tion aafe and lagal lor tU wonso, ngvdisaa of their ~ financial drcumatancea." As Rabbi Aryak Aarial of Talqjila laraal said, "If wa aa 4«w« are not going our Capitol under tbaoannar of abortion ridbta, who is going toVMurch on our behalf nr OMT rights." Sixtaan-jmar-oM J««b Cooper wil be attMKiiNi tbi viltft bKauaa. aa kit aokl. "kisagwdwoyiM mo to aupsort the procboieaaw«Mnt.WhSbar vou baUeva that abor-
tion ia right or that abortion ia wrong, you can still be pnKhoice. No one has the right to make that private, religious choice for another person." "You can make your ^oice heard by joining ua at tha rally." sUted Mra. Broder. NatkNul Council of Jewish Woman ia promoting support by «rganUng bia tranaportntion toljncoln. AM<l«aibMH)oNMnn^ tioB eounon can be found on tha flyer sncbaod In thia i|aue of tbo J«w^b Toonls Israel StalarboodaWiB'^ Woman wdtbaAPUC|K;at«aU ancoiwgiag mamimn of tta mm—lly to be a "VoiM lur Cbiico" and aaot w tbo alapo gl tbe SuuiCnpitoL