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Gordman Center groundbreaking Aug. 14 By Barbara Chandler, Federation public relations director
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Dan and Esther Gordman Center for Jewish Learning will take place on Sunday, Aug. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at the southwest comer of the Jewish Community Center. Jerry Slusky, president of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, commented, "We are most grateful to the late Mr. and Mrs. Gordman for their commitment to Jewish learning in this community. "Their generosity and graciousness will remain as a legacy for future generations of Jewish children and adults as they learn about our heritage, culture and history in this wonderful building. "We are very pleased to be able to move forward with this project," continued Mr. Slusky. "We hope the entire Jewish community will join us at the groundbreaking to share in the joy of the creation of this center for Jewish Learning. "This Center for Jewish Learning is the result of seven years of planning, study and fund raising," continued Mr. Slusky. "Many people devoted countless hours to the process, and 1 would like to thank them for their efforts and their commitment to this project, particularly Mary Fellman, Steve Riekes, Marty Shukert, Saranne Gitnick, Jay Lerner and Don Yale," he concluded. Speaking on behalf of the Gordman family, Jerry Gordman thanked Mary Fellman and Steve Riekes for their work on the project. "Mary Fellman deserves special recognition for her tireless commitment to this project. "She spoke with my father often and was able to conceptualize a vision that was something he believed in. "He grew up in a rural community in upstate New York where a Jewish education was not available. As a result, my father knew how important Jewish education was to the future of our people. "My only regret is that my parents will not be able to see the results of their vision." The construction and operating costs of the build-
simply felt strongly about the support of a center for Jewish learning. Additional gifts will be us&l to establish an endowment fund for the building. Those interested in contributing should contact Sheldon Bernstein, executive director of the Foundation of the Jewish Federation.
An invitation
Dan and Esther Gordman ing will be entirely covered by donations from private individuals and foundations, and by the rent paid by the organizations that will be housed in the building. • The Gordman Center will include the classrooms and offices of the Friedel Jewish Academy, the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society Henry and Dorothy C. Riekes Historical Museum (see related story next week), and the offices of the Bureau of Jewish Education. In addition to the $1 million gift from the Gordman's for the building, gifts of $100,000 from Henry and Dorothy Riekes family and $50,000 from the Herbert Goldsten Trust were made to establish the Henry and Dorothy C. Riekes Historical Museum. Other major gifts have been received thus far from Eugene and Charlotte Rich, the Carl L. Frohm Memorial Foundation, the Maurice and Julius Katzman families, Bob Eisenberg and First National Bank. Several individual gifts have also been received, including an unsolicited $5,000 gift from a young family with small children, not yet school age, who
The Jewish community of Omaha has been invited to bring their entire families to participate in the groundbreal(ing for the Dan and Esther Gordman Educational Center, Sunday, Aug. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at the Southwest corner of the Jewish Community Center. This is an opportunity for the generations to join together in a family celebration highlighting Jewish education.
Swiss to vote on hate laws By Tamar Levy
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GENEVA (JTA) — Switzerland will hold a public referendum in September on whether to enact legislation that will make it a crime to discriminate against ethnic groups or incite racial hatred. A year ago, Swiss legislators passed the law, but a drive by right-wing groups has succeeded in putting the measure to a popular vote, scheduled for Sept. 25. In seeking the referendum, extremist groups have argued that social persuasion, rather than coercive legislation, is the more effective way to promote tolerance. The Swiss League to Combat Racism and AntiSemitism has already launched a campaign to pre-
"A fresh voice in Black community'
Margolins celebrate 65th anniversary Dr. Milton and Ann Margolio celebrated their esth wedding •aniveraary at a reception recently in the Jewish Community Center. Their family picture includes: from loft, Joey and Julie Greene, Ina Weiner, the Margolins, Peter Runge, Dik Weiner, Mindy and Barry Weinatein. Wendy Runge calms the great grandeblldren: Yehuda Weinstein, Yoni Runge, Benjamin Greene, Aharon Weinstein, and Talya Runge •?SSST:
By Pamela Druckerman NEW YORK(JTA) — The new president of the Urban League has taken a fresh stand on black-Jewish relations, praising Jews as "longstanding allies" of the African American community and mapping out an inclusive road to black empowerment. Hugh Price, who became president and CEO of the black civil rights group on July 5, said in a recent speech that a weakened economy and a lack of communal infrastructure — not white racism — arc the major obstacles confronting poor blacks in the United States. And at a time of heightened tensions between black and Jewish groups, Price stressed that Jews have been key players in the civil rights struggle. "Many whites of good will have accompanied us on our long journey for racial, tocisi and economic justice," Price said. "None has matched the Jewish community as long distance runners in the civil rights movement." Price, 62, a former member of the New York Timet editorial board, waa a aenior ofTicer at the Rockefaller Foundation before joining the Urban Laaguf, a group traditionally aupport-
^ ^|ha black middle claat^
In his keynote address to the Urban League's national convention in Indianapolis on July 24, Price said that looking at social and economic problems exclusively through the filter of race is simply bad business. "It's suicidal economically to become so bitter that we isolate ourselves from others," Price said. "For all our suffering, we cannot become so fixated on our problems that we ignore our commonality of^ interests with others." •"What constructive purpose ii served by driving deeper wedge^ between races?" he asked. "Of course we must root out vestiges of racism^ but let's not wallow forever in real orl perceived grievances, lest wt bccomel Bosnia some day." In his speech. Price called on middle-class blacks to fund "prevention strategies" in the inner cities, including a youth development fund, and to work within the African American community for economic •elf-su/Ticiency. In a clear reference to Nation of lalam leader Miniiter Louis Parrakhan, whose incendiary racist and anti-Semitic statements have been the subject of recent controversy, Price akrataed the need to denounce racitm wharaver it occura.