dewish Press C^obntlng Morv Tlum 75 Yean ofSarvIco
4 Tanunus, 5766, June 21,1996
VoI.LXXni No. 40
Epstein Fund awards two By Carol Katzman Josh Gonsher and Beth Shyken were chosen as ; this year's recipients for the Sidney Epstein scholI arships, a fund of Beth Israel Synagogue.
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Josh Gonsher B«th Shjrfcen The Epstein Fund was created by Gert Epstein and her two sons in memory of her husband, Sidney Epstein, a longtime community volunteer. The $2500 awards are designated for students who continue their Jewish studies in college. Josh Gonsher completed his first year of post high-school studies at Yeshivat Reishit in the Old City of Jerusalem. While in Israel, Mr. Gonsher was a correspondent for Yeshiva University's newspaper. He will return for a second year of talmudic studies before entering either Queens College or Y.U. *I have met Jews from, literally, all over the world and learned that, while we all have our struggles of remaining Jewish in secular environments, we have come to Israel to be together, live together and learn together," he said in his essay. Mr. Gonsher said he owes his positive attitude toward Judaism to his parents. Rabbi Allan and Rini Gonsher, who showed him "the way to become a good Jew and to care for others, giving 150% of their time and effort to the community." Beth Shyken, a recent graduate of Westside High School, will attend Boston University in the fall. She is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Paul Shyken. 'I recall sitting with my bubby and zayde and ' watching my role.«iodels. Rabbi Nadoff and Cantor Fettman, conduct the service," she wrote in her essay, "To me, they exemplified Jewish leaders ' that I wanted to be like when I grew up. "Now that I am on my way to growing up, I've realized what an important role Judaism has played in my life," she concluded, "I look forward to the Jewish experiences that I will encounter during ' my college years and I'm grateful to Beth Israel Synagogue for providing me with the foundation.' In addition to winning the Epstein Scholarship, Mis* Shyken was awarded a Merit Scholarship firom the United Talmud Torah of Omaha.
Joel Alperson selected Carol Katzman named for Jewish Agency honor Jewish Press editor By Morris Maline The Jewish Agency for Israel hag selected Joel Alperson of Omaha as the American recipient of its Harry Rosen Young Leadership award. This award is presented annually to recognize three young leaders from around the world who have made outstanding contributions to their respective communities, both locally and nationally. The award will be presented during the Jewish Agency Assembly which will convene next week in Jerusalem. An estimated 600 leaders from around the world will participate in sessions focusing on central organizational and fundraising issues ~ within the context of the changing nature of Israel-Diaspora relations as well as the new Israeli political scene. Mr. Alperson, president of Omaha Fixture Manufacturing, recently was selected as chair-designate by the United Jewish Appeal's Young Leadership Cabinet. This is a one-year position which leads to chairman. An active member of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its agencies, Mr. Alperson has served on the Federation's Board of Directors, the Jewish Family Service Board of Directors, and the Strategic Planning Committee.
Carol Katzman, al long-time volunteer inl synagogue life, organiza-[ tions, and the Jewish| Federation of Omaha, has been appointed edi-l tor of the Jewish Preiu\ Robert Eisenberg, presi-{ dent, has announced. She will succeed! Morris Maline, editor forl the past 19 years, whol will work a reducedl schedule as editor emeri-l tus. Her appointment is Carol Katzmaii effective July 1. Mrs. Katzman served most recently as vice-president of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and as a member of the Budget and Allocations and Strategic Planning Conunittees and the Women's Campaign Cabinet. She also has been a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council of Jewish Women as its vice-chairwoman of the Financial Development Committee and was re-elected at the organization's triennial convention. Honored recently by the Omaha Section of NCJW with its Hannah G. Solomon award, Mrs. Katzman presided over the Section from 1986-88. She also Russian Jews optimistic acted as bulletin editor and chairwoman of its that Yeltsin will triumph cookbook marketing, personal giving and nominatBy Lev Krichemky ing (ommitteies. MOSCOW (JTA) — Russian Jews reacted with cauIn addition to her service to the Jewish communitious optimism to the results of the first round of ty, Mrs. Katzman was a member of the District 66 an election that will determine the country's Caucus Committee and the Westside High School future. Planning Committee. "I believe that Yeltsin will remain in office, givA graduate of the Medill School of Journalism of ing all of us a chance to build a normal human life," Northwestern University, Mrs.Katzman worked as Russia's chief rabbi, Adolph Shayevich, said after an advertising copywriter for department stores in Sunday's elections. St. Louis and Miami and as a production assistant Most of Russia's Jews had supported democrat- for a trade pubUcation. For the past 22 years, she. ic-leaning candidates. Some community leaders has been a free-lance writer. voiced optimism about an ultimate Boris Yeltsin Mrs. Katzman has been a resident of Omaha for victory in the runoff, which could be held as early nearly 17 years. She is married to Michael as July 3. Katzman, a native Omahan, and they have four With 98 percent of the ballots counted, Yeltsin children: Melissa, 18; Jeffrey, 16; Rachel, 11, and had secured 34.8 percent of the vote. His closest Avigail, 8. rival. Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, won 32.1 percent of the vote. The outcome of the runoff will depend in large Howard Bloom, executive director of the Jewish part on who manages to woo the supporters of nationalist Alexander Lebed, a retired general who Federation, presented his annual report at the annual meeting. The report appears on page 4. had a surprisingly strong third-place showing.
Annual report
Annual meeting held-officers, board members, agency presidents Installed; community service award presented By Pam Monsky, Federation conunimlcatioiia director
rrom Ufh Stoire Pitler, JCC preddent; Mike putt, 1996 Oeaeral Campaign co-chairman; Gloria Kaalow, Jewlah Family Service president; Bobbie Leibowita, 1996 Women's Campaign oo-ehairman and Federation board •iembart Tom Bernstein, 1996 General Campaign co-chairman; Tom Fellman, Federation president; Nancy Rips, Library president and annual meeting co-chairman; Sheldon Rips, annual meeting ca-ebairman; and Uowa^ li;9f>p«fCi f'^^r^tlo^ pmsMent
elect/treasurer. Middle photo, from Ufl: Trenton Magid, Federation board member, Jerry Slushy, Federation past president; Margo Riekes, Federation board member; Fred Simon, Federation presidential appointment; Bobbie Epstein, Federation secretary; Jan Schneiderman, Federation board member. Bob Eisenberg, JtieUh Prmu president; and Forrest Knitter, Federation vice president. Sot pieturtd: Federation board m«mber»-J«oi AlPWlWOt JiU Belmont,
Carol Bloch, Dean Frankel, Sherman NefT, Steve Nogg, Yale Richards, Mark Sanford and Marty Shukert; Agency presidentsSpencer Brooksteln, Bob L«pp and Larry Raful. Right photo, (eommunily teroiee aioard (br Tetn-Agt' page) boeh rote, ftvm left: Fiorina Mosenkis, Karl Epstein, Mike Colui, Maggie Jacobson, Lanoe Poiikov, Jay Lewis, Alan Josephaoa and Cory Itkln. fn" ' row: Sliana Novak and Joanle Jacobson.
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