b-
I! _ -'.v.— -vssjr;,""
flewish Press Serving Nebraska and Iowa Since 1920
VoL UOC No. S7 Omaha
I
Ttuch ado about 'Tierchant'
13 Tamtui, 8768, July 2,1993
Campaign reaches goals
The Rev. Michael Proterra, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Creighton University, called the At a forum held at the Jewish Community Center play one of Shakespeare's greatest. He said it was an Monday night to discuss the anti-Semitic aspects of unpleasant play but Jews were not the only people in Shakespeare's play, The.Merchant ofVenice, Steve history that have been portrayed as villains. " Although Shylock is portrayed as an evil money RiekeE said it was one of the greatest plays, but no lender, he pointed out that in Shakespeare's time one could deny the pain and difficulties it has caused. Mr. Riekes, chairman of the College of Jewish Christians were the money lenders, not Jews. Rev. Proterra said nothing is gained if we reject the Learning, introduced a panel representing segments of the Omaha community, both Jewish and non- play for the portrayal of one character. Hap Stein, assistant English professor at Jewish. The discussion was prompted by the presentation of the controversial play at the annual Creighton, said he thought he brought a unique Shakespeare on the Green festival. The Merchant of prospective to the panel.'I teach Introduction to Venice is a play about a money lender, Shylock, who Shakespeare. "He said it can be played very melodramatic, but demands his pound of flesh when a borrower defaults on a loan. Shylock is Jewish and there has been that was not what Shakespeare intended. He pointed debate for years as to whether the play is anti- out there is villainy on both sides. He said his students were most upset when Shylock was forced to Semitic. Rabbi Dan Fink, associate rabbi at Temple Israel, convert to Christianity. He said the play was also said he spoke from the point of view of a person who about gender relations. Bob Wolfson, regional director of the Anti once in his adult life has read the play. As a lay person he did not see it as an anti-Semitic play. "That Defamation League, said his perspective was different does not mean it has not been presented that way," he as a community relations expert. He said it is imporsaid. 'But at least it can be read that way." He said he tant to explain what Jewish pain is. He said one of the was eager to see it presented in Omaha. "It will be a problems is that Jews are not perceived as a minority. He said Merchant was being produced but no one learning and sharing experience." Dr. Doug Patterson, chairman of the Dramatic Arts was producing To Kill a Mockingbird or department at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Huckleberry Finn. When speaking of the said he wasn't in on the choice, but knew the play may Shakespeare play he asked "Will it harm the Jewish cause strong resentment in the Jewish community. "I community?" And he answered, "I am extremely didn't know how strong the feelings were going to be," doub^ul. Will we as Jews squirm in our seat watching JL • he said. "But we have a cultural responsibility for our it? I M^e no 4fubt.«^, Merchant of Venice wiin>e produced in Elmwood artifacts." "It will be a compelling night of theater. It will'H, Park at 60th and Dodge July 2, 3, 4, 9 and 11. A semidemand a lot from all of us. Come to see if we have nar, starting at 6:30 each evening will precede the lived up to our responsibility." performance. There is no admission charge.
By Barbara Chandler, Federation public relations At the beginning of the 1993 UJA/Federation Campaign, Phil Schrager and Tom Fellman, general cochairmen announced three campaign goals. The first goal was to raise the level of giving in the community. Second, they wanted to provide for continuity of leadership, and third, to involve more young people in leadership positions. Zoe Riekes, chairman of the Women's Division, added that the women hoped to surpass a landmark campaign goal of $500,000. At the Federation's annual meeting on June 13, Mr. Schrager, Mr. Fellman and Ms. Riekes addressed the successful achievement of those goals. They announced that the community exceeded the .campaign goal of $2,660,000, raising a total of $2,660,000, $530,000 of which was raised by Women's Division. In terms of the second goal, continuity of leadership, they announced that the chairmen for the 1994 Campaign will be Harley Schrager and Howard Kooper as general co-chairmen with Don Goldstein and Fred Simon leading the Pacesetter Division. Carol Katzman will be chairman of the Women's Division. To meet the third goal, involving more young people in leadership rotes, the Federation offered some special programming for young adults in our community this year including a Young Leadership dinner featuring Ellen Cannon, a Young Women's Focus Group, and a reception with Tom Dine, executive director of AIPAC. In addition, young adults were invited to join their parents at the Pacesetter Recognition Dinner featuring Mr. Dine. In her closing speech, Ms. Riekes praised the campaign volunteers "who spent endless hours telephoning and meeting with the ladies of our community." She also confirmed her commitment to continued involvement with the Jewish community, noting, "Although my year as chairman is over, I know I am not done. One can retire from a position, but one can never retire from being a Jew."
provide a basis for beliefs and practices. The first five books of the Hebrew Bible (The Old Testament) make up the Torah, or the five books of Moses. It contains the basic laws and teachings of Judaism and describes ^^m By Anita Haeems the history of the Jews until the death of Moses. ^^B Reprinted with permission from The Beside the Torah, the Bible also contains books on ^H, Economic Times, Bombay, India ^^ If statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one history and moral teachings, known as The Prophets, percent of the human races. It suggests a nebulous and 11 other books known as The Writings. The puff of Stardust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Talmud is a collection of legal and ethical writings as Properly, the Jew ought hardly be heard of He is as well as history and folklore. It serves as a guide to the prominent on the planet as any other people, and his civil and religious laws of the Jews. Judaism does not try to convince others to adopt its commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to beliefs and. practises. However, it does accept people the world's list of great names in literature, science, who choose to convert to Judaism. Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is art, music, finance, medicine and abstruce learning are also way out of proportion, to the weakness of his a fioly day of rest. It begins at sunset on Friday and numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in the world, ends at sundown on Saturday. On the Sabbath day, in all the ages, and has done it with his hands, tied practicing Jews do not work, travel or carry money. All Jewish festivals occur on different dates each behind him. He could be vain of'himself and be excused for it. year since they are based on the Jewish calendar. The The Egyptian, the Babylonian and the Persian rose, most s^jrred days of the Jewish year are Rosh filled the planet with sound and splendour, then faded Hashanah and Yom Kippur, also known as the High to dream-stufr and passed away. The Greek and the Holidays. Rosh Hashanah, the Ne)w Year, is the celeRoman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are bration of the creation of the world and God's rule gone; other people have sprung up and held their over it. It begins the Ten Days of Penitence, which end torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On this day Jews fast and atone for their bad deeds in the past twilight i)ow or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all and is now year. They also express their hope to perform good what he always was: exhibiting no decadence, no infir- acts in the forthcoming year. Jews were supposed to make pilgrimage* mities of old age, no weakening of i^ts parts, no slowing In ancient times, Jews were supposed to make pilof his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are morUl but the Jaw; all other grimages during the three festivals of Passover, forces pass but he remains. What is the secret of his Shavtiot and Sukkot Therefore, theae are now known also as the pilgrim festivals. Each one Is related to the immortality? So said Mark Twain of this remarkable raca, What Jews'ascape tnm Egypt and ih*lr journey to Israel. Paasovercelobrales I' i from the is it about the Jews, really? Maybe a few ideas of Mi-nmrates Judaism, lU fetUvali and tradlititna, would pmvlda a Pharaoh's tyranny In I-. the receiving of the Torah by Moses on Mount SInal. clue. Judaism It the religion Ibllowad by over 18 million Sukkot Is the harv—• ...n,.,! ii,,.i l,...,ii.. five days ve|, little Jewish people all over the world. It is among the nld- afUr the Day of t mi^nr religions; Its principle teaching Is that thorn huts are created ni< » ri'iiiinni r <>i UrHfiix^ hie In thvtr Just one God, who wnnU panpl* to do what ts just wandering In the wildamrss. • in thfir hisdiry are d miTclfiil II has two <• • llonn of Mnrrpd I'pnsl of LighUi, slfT•lllngi; The Bible and I > nl Thf>i»«> wi>rk» al .
nifies God's deliverance of the Jews from the hands of the Syrians, who wanted them to give up Judaism. Purim signifies the rescue of the Jews of Persia from a plot to kill them all. With regard to their meals, many Jews follow the dietary rules based on Biblical laws. Food prepared in accordance with these laws in called kosher, that is, ritually correct. For example they do not eat pork or shellfish. They also store meat and milk firoducts separately and do not serve them at the same meal. As far as India is concerned, the story of Judaism and the Jews of India is hardly known at all outside India. The very existence of Jews in India is often completely or nearly unknown. Besides, there also remains the impressive fact that Indian Jews were never the victims of any form of anti-Semitism. Though they are a microscopic part of the population of India altogether, the Indian Jews are a very ancient community which form three subgroups, each distinct from the others by way of their origins in India. The groups are the Bene Israels, the Baghdad)a, and the Jews of Cochin. The most numerous (more than three quarten of the country's Jews), the Bene Israels are a Marathispeaklng lot settled for yeara on the Konkan coast of Western Indis. While then exists no direct evidence aa such of the exact date of their settlement in India, the Bene Israels maintain that they are descendants of one of the Loat Tribea of Israel. Legend has it that the ancestora of the Bene Israel* left North Palestine, perhaps due to the persecutions of Anliochu* Bplphanes (around 176 B.C. or even later), and were shipwrecked near Navgaon, a village on the Konkan coast, 36 miles aouth of Bombay. Only a handful survived. This has been disputed and scholnri have propounded various theorio of the Km*' and place of origin of thla community In India. Hut as there are simply no records of these facta, provlnK "'' ilmomving any of them I* not possible. That ths irmup did landtn-NavgHon •- .••ubilshed, and gradunlly Ihry dispersed in lh)> nrighboring villago* alntig the coast, living In small groups. (ConlinueJ on Pag* 8)
By Jo Carroll
The Jews in India
I