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Vol. LXXIV
No. 19
Omaha, NE
9Shevat,6757
YJO Education Committee generates ideas by Pam Monsky Federation Commimications Director The first meeting of the Young Jewish Omaha (YJO) Education and Religious Committee met recently to brainstorm programming ideas for 1997. This is the third component of YJO which also includes the Social committee and Tikkun Oiam social action committee. Lisa Platt and Sandy and John Lehr are co-chairmen of the Education and Religious Committee, whose membership includes Andrea Grossman, Linda Lachin, Scott Meyerson, Julie Phillips, Mike and Shelly Pilchik and Jeff Zacharia. David Goldberg and Trenton Magid are co-chairmen. The committee hopes to schedule four programs for 1997, begrinning in February. Some of the ideas include informal panel discussions with local Jewish leaders and rabbis on a variety of current topics, such as parenting, women's issues, and political themes; Yom Ha'atzmaut programming with Jewish Cultural Arts Council; and a YJO mission to Israel in February or March, 1998. Sharon Kirshenbaum, Federation Young Leadership Coordinator, said, "this is a terrific way to provide educational and religious experiences for YJO members. Since the program is new and innovative, the content and ideas we are generating are really wide open."
Front row, from left: David Goldberg, John Lehr and Sandy Lehr. Back row: Linda Lachin, Sharon Kirshenbaum, Shelly Pilchik, Jeff Zacharia, Lisa Platt and Trenton Magid. Not pictured: Andrea Grossman, Scott Meyerson, Mike Pilchik and Julie Phillips. Young Jewish Omaha, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Omaha, provides individuals, single and married, ages 20-40, with new and exciting ways to expand personal and professional contacts while learning about contemporary Jewish issues and Jewish community involvement. For more information, please contact Ms. Kirshenbaum at 334-6485.
Super Sunday reaches goal!
iary Javitob, a pait UJA/Federation Campaign, was among the 60 volunteers Sunday who phoned members of the Jewish Community for their "97 pledges.
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The mitzvah of leading services at the RBJH by Caren Friedman, Jewish Pnesa Intern, Washington University
m From left: Steve Riekes, Harold Gottlieb and Alan Shulewitz prepare for services.
From left: Albert Friedman, Phyllis Hoffinan, Harry Noodell, Rabbi Maximo Shechet and Yale Halperin lead services at the RBJH on a regular basis. Not pictured: Merle Potash and Miles Remer, who have recently retired; Don Schwartz, who leads holiday services; David Perilo, a teen escort of residents to and from services; and Mark Levy.
Rose Blumkin Jewish Home residents enjoy weekly Shabbat services, thanks to the commitment of a group of volunteer service leaders. Approximately 10 members of the community lead service on a rotating basis, according to Lois Wine, Volunteer Coordinator for the Home. The program has become a very important one; the residents look forward to the services, as religion plays an important role in their lives, said Mrs.- Wine. Yale Halperin has been conducting services ever since the old Philip Sher Home relocated and became the Rose Blumkin Home in 1982. He and the late Charlie Guss led traditional services for 10 years, until Guss passed away. At that time, Halperin felt that the job was too large to handle nione. That is when Wine stepped in to recruit volunteers to lead Shabbat services. Harry Noodell, a volunteer since 1991, the year his wife became a resident, says that he "spent more time there [RBJH] than at home." Each leader conducts the service in his or her own way, however, the traditional service has been found to be too lengthy for the residents. In order to allow residents to follow along and participate, the Shema Kolenu prayer book has replaced the longer service. Halperin continues to include parts of the traditional service he and Guss used to do. He sees his volunteer work as "a form of a mitzvah, bringing a flavor of Jewish services to them." The rotation of leaders is for Saturday morning services, which last about one hour. Services include weekly yarzeit services and monthly memorial services for those residents who passed away during that month. Nancy and Sheldon Rips act as a cantor and rabbi pair for monthly Friday night services. "It is a great pleasure to see these people remember younger, happier times as they sing old familiar melodies witli Nancy; read English Psalms and (Continued on page 9)
UJA/ Federation Campaign helps ADL-CRC remain current on issues Get more from your Anti-Defamation League by Shana Novak, Jewish Press Intern Syracuse University When the world-wide web is exposed to antiSemitic material, the Anti-Defamation League is there. When a skinhead tells his friends the Holocaust really didn't happen, the AntiDefamation League is there. But it does more for the world than combat anti-Semitic skin-heqds. Combating anti-Semitisim is, in fact, a big task for the Anti-Defamation League-Community Relations Committee (ADL-CRC). Tracking Neo Nazis, reporting synagogue vandalism, and monitoring militia activity are all important tasks. Thanks to funding from the UJA/Jewish campaign and other sources, this community has its own ADL-CRC, an important place for us, as well as those in Kansas, Iowa and parts of Missouri. *We're a place people turn to in dealing with this complex world,' said Larry Raful, President. "We're a resource," Bob Wotfson said. Wolfson is head of the Omaha Regional Office and Executive Director of the Omaha Fedenilion's CKC. He looks at the ADL as an organization focused on civil rights and education, but most importantly, a place used by everyone tu learn understanding and acceptance. Wolfson explained the two different types of action in which the ADL ii involved: "reactive," taking care of pressing isiuei-a swastika painted on a local synagogue or hate mail sent to the (Continued on page 9)
FOCUS ON ISSUES
Christian ad on 'shared' Jerusalem sparks Jewish anger, not surprise by Debra Nussbaum Cohen NEW YORK (JTA) - A recent ChrisUan-sponsored advertisement in The New York Times calling for Jews to share control over Jerusalem and for readers to lobby the U.S. Congress has left Jewish officials wincing in anger-but not surprised. Representatives of Jewish groups, many of which condemned the ad, say the intent of the campaign by Churches for Middle East Peace, which includes leaders of America's largest mainline Protestant denominations, is to erode U.S. government support for the Jewish state. Tliey say the effort is most troubling because of its potential influence over U.S. foreign policy toward Israel, and the possibility that it could contribute to disrupting the delicate political balance in Israel over Jerusalem. It is not surprising, Jews say, because sponsors of the campaign have a long history of criticizing Israel even as they work closely with Jewish groups on domestic issues of common concern. In addition to ttie ad, the group is also circulating to its member churches materials decidedly slanted against Israel, including a prayer and sample letters addressed to the chaimmn of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and to newspaper editors. Among other tilings, the material encourages (Continued on page 5)