dewlsh Press Serving Nebraska and Iowa Since 1920
rM, May 6,1»M
VoLLZn No. 33 Omaha
ghlight Federation annual meeting
Revving up with Shirley en Tom and Darlynn Fellman rolled up to the Omaha building Sunday morning to attend the Pacesetter recognition brunch, Shirley Goldstein displayed such enthusiasm and curiosity over the cycle that Mr. Fellman took her for a ride -• her first, ever, on a motorcycle. At right is fellow cycle enthusiast Phil Schrager. The Pacesetter Division of the Federation Campaign raised $1,781,000, some 65 per cent of the community's $2,741,000 record total. More Pacesetter jphotos on pages 10-11.
The Exodus continues
Czech parliainent votes ^ to return property ^F By Josef Klansky i>RAGUE(JTA) — After lengthy debate, the Czech Parliainent last week enacted legislation calling for the return of property seized from individuals during World War II. As a result of the new legislation, citizens of the Czech Republic having their permanent residence in the country are entitled to submit their restitution claims for property currently held by the Czech state or municipalities. Owners of property that was privatized after 1991 will receive financial compensation. Agricultural land and forests were not subject to the new law. The legislation was passed two months after Czech President Vaclav Havel joined the local lewish leadership in criticizing the failure of Parliament to pass a similar restitution bill. In April, Jewish groups reached agreements with the governments of Hungary and Slovakia for the restitution of Jewish property seized during ;he Holocaust. Czech Jews, whose property was confiscated by the Nazi occupiers during World War II, were enti;)ed under postwar legislation to reclaim their estotes, which had been taken over by the Czech Itate afler the Nazis' defeat. But in many cases, the postwar Czech authorises — who were at the time already under strong Communist or nationalist influence — refused to wmply with Jewish claims and protracted the proseedings until the Communist takeover in 1948. Following the takeover, claims for the restora,jon of so- called •capitalist" property were rendered impossible. Under the new law, some 100-200 individuals — mainly the heirs of the original Jewish owners — will b« entitled to submit their restitution claims. Restitution claims for Jewish communal propcry held by the Cuch Republic — including lyna[Oguei, cemeteriea and other estates, such as the ollections of the Prague Jewish Museum — will tot be affected by the new law. Restitution claims br those properties will fall under separate legal )ro visions.
After a hiatus of nearly five months, families from the former Soviet Union are once again arriving to resettle in Omaha. The Dubov family, from Nizhniy Novgorod, a family of four, will arrive on May 10. According to Jewish Family Service, the Jewish Federation of Omaha's resettlement agency, the Dubovs do not have relatives in Omaha. Because there are no immediate relatives here, JFS is asking the community to greet the new arrivals. Flight information can be obtained by calling 3302024,
Two major events are planned to highlight the Jewish Federation of Omaha's annual meeting on Sunday, June 12 at the Jewish Community campus. According to the announcement, the groundbreaking for the Dan and Esther Gordman Educational Center will take place at 7 p.m. The annual meeting will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Jewish Community Center and a focus of the evening will be on the scores of former Soviet residents who are now part of the Omaha Jewish community. Jewish Family Service, the Federation's resettlement agency, and its volunteers will be honored at that time. , The feature of the evening will be the presentation of awards in connection with the Humanitarian of the Year, Volunteers of the Year, Young Leadership, Teen Leadership, and community service. In addition, officers and" directors for the Federation and its agencies will be elected while those leaving office will be recognized. Entertainment will feature Karen Javitch and Jeff Taxman, who will sing,"Tell Our children Now," the song they sang at the Elie Wiesel community event. A dessert reception will follow the meeting. Chairmen for the annual meeting are Mark and Vicki Sanford.
Neo-Nazis arrested BUDAPEST (JTA) — Police arrested two Hungarian neo- Nazi leaders here over the weekend after raiding their apartments and confiscating swastikas and neo-fascist literature. In raids on Friday evening, police arrested Albert Szabo and Istvan Gyorkos, both described as neoNazi leaders. Gyorkos was head of a recently founded neo-Nazi organization, the Hungarian Movement of Radical Nationalists. Szabo recently returned to Hungary from Australia. He reportedly fled Hungary when the country was under Communist rule.
Home residents share their stories The book, 'listen Up, Ibire Kindcrlach," contains oral histories and black and white photographs of the residents of the Itosc Blumkln Home. Drawings by socond-grade students from l^mple Israel illustrate the relationships between the youth and the elderly. The book is available through Lois Wine, volunteer coordinator ut the Homo, and in the gift shop at the Homo. Cost is $10 per copy. Funds will be used by L.O.V.K. (I4)ague Offering Vtiluntccm for the Elderly) to develop now programs for the residents. Front row, from left: Fannie Wintner, Lillian Becker, Pearl Gold, Dora Kirshenbaum and Molllc Parsowsky. Back row, ftx>m left: Inr Lincoln, David Weiss, Mary Wine, Mae Ostrow and Ida Potash.