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18 lyar, S7M, AprU S9,1994
VoLLXn No. 33 Omaha
Jack E. Cohen dies
Joint Federation/Synagogue Statement
EDITOR'S NOTE: Federation and synagogue leadership took steps Tuesday night at the Federation's Board of Directors meeting to work together to ensure a promising future for the Omaha Jewish community. Following is a formal declaration issued by the group and some excerpts from comments made at the meeting: FEDERATION/SYNAGOGUE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES PROMOTING JEWISH IDENTITY A month ago, we joined together and we heard the report from Marty Shukert about the Omaha Jack E. Cohen, 89, a Jewish community leader Jewish community: what we do, what we think we and longtime Omaha businessman, died April 23 at do well and where we feel we can improve. It was St. Joseph hospital. A family spokesman said he an educational meeting giving us much to think had battled cancer for a long time. about as we plan for the year and years to come. It's important for us to give thought to the goals Services took place Monday at Beth Israel Synagogue with Rabbi Joseph Friedman and we wish to accomplish. We are blessed with a Cantor Leo Fettman officiating. Burial was at strong community, a giving community. If there is Pleasant Hill Cemetery. a question we should ask ourselves, it is, "How do Preceded in death by his first wife, Sarah Cohen, we maintain and build on the strengths we have?" and a daughter, Leah Brookstein, Mr. Cohen is sur- We need to consider how we use our wherewithal to vived by wife, Jane; son, Michael of Omaha; assure there is a positive, strong Jewish future in daughter, Toba Cohen of Washington, D.C.; sisters, Omaha. Esther Label of Irving, Texas, and Jackie As the workings of the Federation continue, let's ZalmanofF of Sherman, Texas, three grandchildren reflect on where we direct the capital which will build our community's future. and four great-grandchildren. Let us be sure that investment is made in proMr. Cohen, a life member of the board of directors of the Bureau of the Aging, had served as pres- grams and services which will promote Jewish ident of the Bureau as well as vice president and a identityand activity. Ours is the opportunity to director of the Jewish Press. He also was a past avert a drought in Jewish life by dire<iing funds president of Beth Israel Synagogue and founder of into life-giving services and programs through the federated community and the synagogues working Mayfair Textiles in Omaha. together. (Editorial on page 4)
Physician to share research
As the process for allocations continues, we urge that this be our overall goal. Signed by: Jerry Slusky, president, Jewish Federation of Omaha, Howard Bloom, executive director; Sandy Friedman, president, Beth El Synagogue, Rabbi Paul Drazen; Leon Shrago, president, Beth israel Synagogue, Rabbi Joseph Friedman; Robert Freeman, president, Temple Israel, Rabbi Aryeh Azriel.
Excerpts "...For that dream to come to fruition, we must unite today, as our ancestors did ...as one person with one heart, as one community with one ultimate goal."... Rabbi Joseph Friedman, Beth Israel. "...Instead of going back into history for fading memories, we need to get busy and create memories in this community." ...Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, Temple Israel. "As our model, we can look to Moses who said.'We will all go together, working and planning together."'... Rabbi Paul Drazen, Beth El. "...Federation agencies can be likened tobranches of' a tree needing a constant source of nourishment from the Jewish community."... Leon Shrago, president, Beth Israel. "Temple Israel is committed to preserving Jewish identity and promoting positive activities in Omaha." ... Jim Farber, past president. Temple Israel. "I have witnessed a lot of wonderful things this «emm«tRity has done... 1 am elated with the results advanced so far." ... Sandy Friedman, president, Beth El. Federation president Jerry Slusky and director Howard Bloom also spoke.
Sliukert premiere set for Beth El concert
Into Nazi medical practices By Diane Axler Baum By Barbara Chandler Beth El publicity Federation public relations director The Maimonides Society of the Jewish The first publicly presented composition by Federation of Omaha will sponsor a dinner featuring guest speaker, Michael Thaler, M.D., on Marty Shukert, Beth El's Choir Director, will have Thursday, May 5. The dinner and program are its world premiere at the Annual Cantor's Concert open to the community. Cost is $25 per person for at the synagogue on Sunday, May 1 at 7 p.m. The Maimonides members and $30 per person for non composition, a musical expression of a verse from members. The event will be held at the Omaha the Book of Daniel, will be performed by the Beth Marriott in the Nebraska Room with cocktails at El Choir in English and Hebrew. Shukert, who has directed the Beth El Choir for 6:00 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. followed by Dr. Thaler's address, "Doctors and Dragons: How eight years, currently heads his own city planning firm. From 1983 to 1988, he was Director of German Medicine became Nazi Medicine." Dr. Thaler is professor of pediatrics. Division of Omaha's Department of City Planning. Also featured at the concert will be selections by Gastroenterology and Nutrition at the University of Marty Shukert (left) and Cantor Emll Berkovits California, San Francisco. He is also associate Debbie Friedman, the celebrated Jewish songwriter director of the NIH Liver Center and director of the from Texas, and recently-completed liturgical comNIH Research Training Program in Pediatric positions by Beth El's Cantor Emil Berkovita. The advance for $10 each and at the door for $12.50. Calls for more information should be directed to Cantor wrote one of his compositions in honor of Gastroenterology and Nutrition at UCSF. A Holocaust survivor, Dr. Thaler lived in a ghet- the November, 1993, Bat Mitzvah of Gila Drazen, the Beth El ofTice at 492-8550. to in Eastern Poland, hid in the forest and then daughter of Beth El's Rabbi Paul Drazen and curFriedman optimistic about peace spent three years in a DP camp. He has done his- rently the only teenage member of the Beth El By Gary Javitch torical research into the medical practices in Nazi Choir. Thomas Friedman, the two-time Pulitzer Prize According to Cantor Berkovits, a segment of the Gtrmany, and he serves as president of the concert will be dedicated to traditional Jewish wed- winning reporter for the New York Times, said Holocaust Center of Northern California. Dr. Thaler's biomedical research interests focus ding music "as it used to be." This part of the con- Monday that he was optimistic about the chances of on genetic disorders, developmental hepatology and cert "will capture sounds that open the wedding success for the Israel-PLO peace agreement. vertical transmission of viruses. His publications procession and songs that welcome the bride and Without referring to notes during his UNLCooper Foundation sponsored lecture, Mr. Friedman set include more than 160 scientific articles and chap- groom to the wedding canopy," he said. This is the 58th Annual Cantor's Concert at the stage for the historic "handshake." ters. He described the forces that were virtually The Maimonides Society is an affiliation of Beth El, and we hope that our variety of English, Jewish physicians and dentists seeking to strength- Yiddish and Hebrew music will delight our audi- "pulling Arafat under' and why Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin threw him a "lifeline." en the bond between themselves, the Jewish com- ence," said Cantor Berkovits. Capturing the interest of a crowd of almost 500 He expressed gratitude for the ongoing commumunity and Israel through educational, social and nity support of this event, which benefits the Beth at the Lied Center in Lincoln, the former Middle philanthropic activities. East reporter cited three reasons the agreement Members of the stesrlng committee are Dr. El Scholarship Fund. "As in the past, the money we raise will help would hold. Ronald Cooper, Dr. Harris Prankel, Dr. Michael First, the agreement last Sept. 13 transformed lievine. Dr. JosI Sehlessingtr, Dr. Gerald Simons, Beth El sponsor local United Synagogue Youth programs and provide our young people with oppor- the issue of Palestinian versus Israeli rights to a Dr. Larry Siref and Dr. Bugsna Zweiback. For more information about the Maimonides tunities to attend Jewish summer camp and visit question about mutual interests. The latter issue wnii i)iiiri> i>ii<ily open to compromise. So.-i ' • ••- ' -'•'• '--"--' 1 for the dinnrr, cnll Israel," he said. (Continued on page 2) Tickets to the Cantor's Concert are avsilable in _j>.. i,«xt^210,
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