WI1§I1 PIT
15 D] -: ST L I •« C C' L \
. -
SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920 Jii
17 Kialcv, 5750 FrMay, D«o«nb«r IS, 19W
Pledges outstanding key to 1990 Campaign
Reaching out iUbU Martin Weiner, right, helps a newly-arrived Soviet Jewish family read from the Torah in the sanctuary of San Frandaco's Reform synagogue Sherith Israel. Looking on as young Eduard Chemyak naed ayad to point to the day's portion are his parents, Alex and Paulina. SheriUi Israd's outreach program for Soviet emigres was singled out for effectiveness at the biennial convention of the Union of American H^rew Congregations, central body of Reform Judaism in the U.S. and Canada. Rabbi Alexander M. Scfaindkr, preodoit of UAHC, told the conventioB dalegataa that moat GongiegatioaB dMiii doing. Mougiita bring arrivals from, the U.S.S.R. "into our synagogues and home." Fhota kr Urn tnmmit*
Greeting-card industry responding to growing rate of intermarriage By Elena Neuman NEW YORK (JTA) For Christians, December is the season to be jolly; for Jews, it is the time to celebrate the festival of lights. And for card manufacturers, regardless of faith, it is the season to sell greeting-p^i^. This year, a n^ variety of holiday cards have appeared on the market, and , they are causing a stir among both Jewish and interdenominational groups. One such card depicts an Ostensibly Christian angel lighting a Chanukah menorah. Another shows Santa gleefully spinning a draidaL A third ia a graphic design of a Christmas tree transforming itself into a Star of David. Aimed apecificnUy at the growing number of interfaith households in America todi^, these cards appear to validata the increasing trend of marriage between Christians and . Jews. "We are depicting some universal symbols that ro«k« peo|ila in intarfaith marriages feel good about the hofldays," said Philip Okreod of Mixed Blessing card manufacturers, a line oflnterfaitb holiday cards da«lgiwdbyhi8wife,Blise.
"Interfaith couples are a reality. We are simply finding an adaptable solution to what can be an awkward situation," he said. But officials at the American Jewish Committee and the National Conference of Christians and Jews fail to see any blessing in the firm's line of cards. "Greeting cards that mingle Santas and menorahs, angels, trees, stockings and Stars of David are objectionable," the two groups said in a joint statement issued last Friday. "To combine the religious and cultural symbols of Chanukah and Christmas in greeting-card art is to diminish the sacred symbols of each faith and is an affront to Judaism, to Christianity and to serious interfaith relations,"
the statement said. "We're not saying that such cards are anti-Semitic or anti-Christian," explained Judith Banki, deputy director of AJCommittee's interreligious affairs department. "What we're saying is that they are offensive to serious religion in general." Elliot Wright, senior vice president for program at NCCJ, agreed. "Cards like these weaken the distinctiveness of Chanukah a^ a Jewish festival; they m#ke it seem Uke a Jewish Christmas. But the mixing of religious symbols is as inappropriate for Christians as it is for Jews," he said. AJCommittee and NCCJ have appealed to card manufacturers to refrain from producing future editions of interdenominational cards.
Yeshiva in {Moscow ... Latvia/Israel Friendship Society ... (See Pages 8 and 9)
By Joanie Jacobson Federation public relations director The success of the 1990 UJA/Federation Campaign depends on whether outstanding cards will come in with suggested increases, the campaign leadership announced. Robert Gordman and Murray H. Newman, cochairmen of the Men's Division, reported that only 362 of the 888 pledge cards (or 41%) have been completed. "On one hand, we're encouraged by a 15% increase from these cards," said Mr. Newman. "On the other hand, it's the cards that are still out that will determine whether or not we will be successful in reaching the necessary goal of $2.5 milUon. "More often than not, the early returns reflect a higher increase than those that follow," he continued, ''''B«.~4v»'CaA't say we've done our job until every card is counted."
Mr. Gordman emphasized that those who have responded have done so generously. "People are reacting differently to the campaign this year. They recognize the needs and understand what it will yiean to this community if we do not, in fact, reach our goal. Our hope is that those who have not yet responded will do so in the same spirit of giving that has been demonstrated to date." Cheryl Cooper and Ann Goldstein, Women's Division co<hairmen, reported that 71% of the women's cards have been completed, reflecting a 12% increase card-for-card. "Women have responded generously to the message of the 1990 campaign," commented Mrs. Goldstein. "It's a critical year for our community, and we need to finish with a 12-15% increase over last year's campaign just to keep what we've got. The support has to be
there. We all have to respond appropriately, so it's up to the women whose cards are still out to bring us to our goal. " "We all have a responsibility and a lot at stake here," added Mrs. Cooper. "We tend to forget how much our dollars are needed in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world. The way to help is through the United Jewish Appeal and the Federation Campaign." Mrs. Goldstein noted the new time frame for the Federation Campaign. "We don't want to fundraise year-round," she said. "The campaign began in October and will conclude with Super Sunday on Jan. 21. This is a first for Omaha—a fourmonth campaign. This shortened period of time will allow for better planning and allocating of dollars by the Federation and its agencies."
B'nai B'rith move to cut ties to women's group draws protest By Elena Neuman NEW YORK (JTA)-A decision by B'nai B'rith International to end its 92year-old relationship with B'nai B'rith Women has raised a storm of protest from the 120,000-member women's organization. In a 64-14 vote, B'nai B'rith International's board of governors voted to approve a resolution that would sever its constitutional ties with the national women's organization and establish itself as a united men's and women's organization. "We have a responsibility to ourselves and to our future." Seymour Reich, international president of B'nai B'rith, said in a statement issued before tlw vote. "If B'nai B'rith Women has declared itself to be separate, independent and autonomous, and if that is truly the desire of their leadership and membership, so b« it. We wish them well," h* uicl. Raich was referring to a resolution adopted in October 1988 by BBW, in Which the organization declared its separately incorporated legal status and its autonomy withip the B'nai B'rith orvanizution.
But according to BBW President Hyla Lipsky, B'nai B'rith International has intentionally chosen to misinterpret the women's 1988 resolution for its own purposes. " What is really going on here is transparent."B'nai B'rith International's decision-makers now seek total control over their empire." Last year's resolution was, in her wotds, a reaction to a unilateral action to admit wom^ taken at the September 1988 BBl biennial convention in Baltimore.
Having seen the problems that such women's institutions as Barnard College experienced after Columbia and other allmale universities admitted women, BBW felt the need to reassert its autonomy. The BBW resolution, said Lipsky, was completely in keeping with the ordinance of the organization. "B'nai B'rith Women has been legally incorporated as a separate organization since 1962," she said. "It has all the rights to self-governance that such incorporation impliea."
Czech Jews succeed By Susan Bimbaum NEW YORK (JTA) Like the Civic Forum movement that succeeded in wresting control of the Czechoslovak government from the Communists, the Jewish community of Prague apparently has ridded itself of hard-line leaders appointed by the government and begun installing rqilacemants of its own chooeinx, The move, which took place at an extraanUnaiy community meeting, appears to have rehabiUtatad a veteran of Jewish life in
Czechoslovakia who had found disfavor with the authorities in recent years. According to unconTirmed reports, some 200 members of the community gathered in Prague's Jewish town hall to demand the removel of the country's official Jewish leadership. They voted unanimously to elect Daaidar Galsky preaidwt of the Council.of Jewiah Religious Communities in Bohonia nad Moravia, following which ue council'a entire board resigned.
i