Vol. LXVIi No. 27 OiMtM, Nobr. MAdw.5751 Fridoy, March IS, 1M1
Mazel tov rings out for five Soviet Jews undergoing tl^e Covenant of Circumcision By Morris Mdine TUa Btld* bdwlH
During my trip to the Soviet Union a year w ao ago I had an opportunity to talk at length with many Jewish children, their parents and grandparents. One of the conclusions that I brought back with me was the understanding that while most of the youngsters had little or no knowledge of Jewish customs and rituals, they wanted the of^iortunity to be Jewish. Well, a week ago, five Soviet Jewish boya in Omaha took a major step toward fiorging a link with thonaands of years of Jewnma left. Rabbi MeMlelish history. •MM, and Dr. Stewart E. Anton Ziaser, 15, his brotttr, Artyom, eight; momentum for the partieVl«d Metrik, nine and Us ipntioo of the boya came brother, George, eight, from thair grandmothers. "A bria waa tepoaaibla wd William Gayatar, 11, ^BTitUOab, a nUgtous cbcuradakm at iBBaMual HoopitaL Obvlotialy, thla waa not ttie bris tradhioiMUy held on the eighth day of a l^y'a life. ^In this case, the boya «(n able to participate in ue dedaion and tl^ did ao knowing that they would be andoiing pain and discomfort and possibly even the laughter of OUMT chiUran. ' "I want to be Jewiah," •aid Anton, and his deterndnatiaa helped the yomignr boya alao make the dedaion to undergo the aurg«ry. According to Rabbi Meddel Katanan of Chabad Lubavltch, the real
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vlSuSoBiiBa^ wanted their grandsons to ba Jewiah so thay encouraged them topartidpete in the ceremooy." Rabbi Katanan secured the servfeea of Rabbi Jacob Shschet, a mohel or ritual droimdaar, of Loe Angelea, brothar of Omahan Maximo Shech^ According to Rabbi Katiman, aeveral area hoqiitala wwe not wilUng to aUow th« religioua d^ cumdaion, but that he re-
o'fUMd Lnbavitefa, Rabbi Jacob ShedMt, tlie nrologiat ceived paraiaaion from Immamwl Hoapital after Dr. Stewart E, Skian, a or ologiat, ottared bia aa-
That night, at a party in the home of Maximo and Jeanne Shedket, theritoal c«wtinaed to provide tha
Ian aerving aa aneatheakOogist and aavaral nnraaa aasiatiaft tha bciya miderwant aargRy throughout the aftemooo of Match 7. Rabbi Katsman, and members of a minyan— while wearing mouth masks-sakl the bleaaings over wine and rodtad the prayers aaaodated with the ritual This activity took place at the rear of the room wfaata the auiv gcry was being performed.
named, their parenta, Michael «d Anna Metrik, Boris and Marina Zlaaer, Gene and Emilia Gayster, joined with their family andfrianda in resounding mazel tovs. Editor's note: Although the Jewiah Preaa wookl have liked to pobliah a photograph el tha boya »ithhia«r4iole.thoyoii^ atara ««aa too tired tha aight of the party.
UJA plans to raise $450 million more 8M
itofy on FiQt 4
Baker, Levy optimistic on chance for peace By David Landaa JERUSALEM (JTA)Foreign Minister David Levy and Secretary of State James Baker seem to share the view that a freah breeze is blowing in the Middle East that ooukl be harnessed for Arab-Israeli peace, though it necessarily would be a slow, arduous process. Both men appeared hopeful at a joint news conference here, encouraged, according to the Israeli, by signs of change in Ar^ positions. They met reporters after a working dinner at the King David Hotel, acconqianied by their aides.
Baker arrived here Monday afternoon from Caiio, making hia firat viait to the Jewiah atataaince taking office in 1989. Prior to Cairo he waa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. wfaaralM met with the foreign miniatara of aij^ Ai^ abaatiflna. Levy saM the hiformatioq ralajrad to him by BaMr ragarding the Arab attitudea dafiaitaiy ahowed "enconragfaig signs that did not eaiat hafore." The United Statea wouU have to "work at developing" thooe aigna, but "today we are dooer than yeetarday," he aakL Baker aaid he was "cautioualy optimiatfc" that the United Statea oouU "catalyie" progreaa toward peace by c^taliiing on the postwar aitaatkn in the region and the "historic opportunitiea" it proaenta. He qtoke more drcumapactly of "a bit of new attitudea," "aigna of new thiiddng" and "a raadi-
neaa to conaider new approaehea." The secretary aaid the "concretization" of theae signs would depend in part on the attitudes of "the other aide," miuintng jg. raeL He cautioned both sidea not to "retreat into non-negotiable demands." Behind the eupbemiatic language of both diplotnats waa an awareness that the situation ia delir cate and that the immensa power, presijge and influence Washington now enjoys in the n^aa for its succeaaful proaacutkm of the war againat Iraq will not laat fdrevar. Some laraali sources claimed that Baker brought "little of substance" in the way of new Arab commitmanta to makn peace with laraaL They aaki tha moat he prooored waa a willingnaaa to reoDgniza laraal in ratum for foil withdrawal frtn the admfaiiatered terlitoriaa. Itiadaar.noMthalaaa, that the Baah adaainiatratim la mptrad to iwlea a m^jor faiveafatent of preati^ and oKort to nudge the partiea toward a peace aattkniant. Preaident Buah, said Baker, "won't let what coold be an historic opportunity paaa for want of wilUngnaaa to commit cmaelvea." But it waa dear from Bakar'a remarfca that he enviaagee a k»g effort 'dth no dramatic breakthrong and tliat he and Levy do not see eya to eye on every iaaue. Levy deacribed their initial meeting aa "frank, aincere and oonatroctive," which in diplomatk parlance indkataa a lack of
'Dynamite' Keyes to speak at March 27 Pacesetter Dinner
By Joanle Jaoobeon Federation pohUc "Alan Kayea is dyna> mitol" wrote Elliot B. ^'K>rp> Cincinnati Federation campaign director. L "In my 16 years of service fi to the Jewiah community, , t have never witneesed a ' inore powerful, artfetilate f.uid emotional speaker aa ('• Ambassador Keyea." ,> Dr. Alan Lee Kayea, ft*liner U.S. Ambaaaador to he United Nations EcoI and Sodal Council Dtly a reaMant the American Inatltnte for : Policy Reoaarch in VaaUagton, D.C., will be
the featured gueat apeaker at the 1991 Pacesetter Recognition Dinner, announced Robert Epstein and Marahall Kuahner, diviaioB co-chairmen. "How Israel Can Survive the Challenge of Palestinian RighU" wiU be the topic for discussion at the annual event for tha major gifts diviaion to be bald at the Highland Country Club on Wednesday, March 27, beginning at 0:90 p.m. The approdatkm dhiner ia apoasored by the Jawiah PaderaUon of Omaha. "Rarely in thia community, or in any community acroaa tha eontinmtal United Stataa, do we have an
opportunity to hear a speaker as overwhalmin^y impressive aa Dr. Keyea," aaid Mr. Epatein. "This man ia a apeaker'a apeaker-a gold medal winner," added Mr. Kuahner. "He's gotten glowing reviews^ from acroaa the country, and we've tried to convey the tremendoua appeal of thia eloquent and outspoken friend of Israel to the members of the Paceeetter Diviaion. This ia not 'just another apeaker.'" According to a preea release from the Harry Walker Agency in New York, Dr. Keyes is one of the most brilliant of the
new generation of tUnken about American politica and foreign policy. Poaaaaaing superb academfc credentials, be brings to bear tha accrued practical inaighta of a gktbal diplomatic career and intense domasUc political experience, notes the release. As Aaaiatant Secretary of State for International Organisation Affairs, he waa the chief architect of the Reagan Administrar tion's effort to achieve reform at the United Nationa. In 1988, Dr. Keyes waa • candidate for the U.S. Senate from Maryland. Hia reflectiona ra hia campaign ware publiahad hi
Policy Review, providing provocative ind^t on the madia'a role in exacerbating tha problems of race and pditlcs in America. He received his doctorate from Harvard University. After joining the U.S. Foreign Service in 1978, he aerved as a vice«onsul in India, a deak officer in the Office of Southern African Affairs and a member of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff. He also served briefly aa a Conaultant to the National Security Council. At 16, while attending high achool in San Anto nio, Taxaa, ha became the (then) youngeat winnar of
the American LagieB Oratorical Conteet-a diatina* tion anoe held by Senatot' F^ankamrch.Inl967.he was elected preaUent of the Anmriraji logton Boya Nation. "In addition to the appearance of Dr. Keyea, thrae new mambera of tha Paceeetter Diviakn will be mducted into the Khig Sdoroon's Circle, thia community'a moat praatigkwa donor award,'' aaid Mr. Kuahner. "Thty are Paul and Joal Alparaon. tha Baker Family and MUton R. Abrahama. We're delighted tbaae families have coma forward and f%il privileged to be aUa to honor tham on March 27.