Vol. LXXXIII No. 20 Omaha, NE
“Live from the 92nd Street Y” Continues with Kushner, Safire by RACHEL BLUM JCC Program Director As our broadcast season continues, two more big names are scheduled to appear Live from the 92nd Street Y. Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of the international best seller, Why Bad things Happen to Good People, will have his lecture broadcast live via satellite on Thursday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m., in the JCC Theater. The broadcast is titled, “Psalms: Ancient Songs of the Spirit.” As one of today’s most Rabbi Harold Kushner thoughtful and engaging teachers and scholars, Kushner will explore the biblical book of Psalms, and the Jewish mysticism and spirituality it inspires. Kushner is also the author of Living a Life that Matters: Resolving the Conflict Between Conscience and Success. Kushner most recently released Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, a new conservative Torah volume, on which he was a primary contributor. This broadcast is being co-sponsored by Jewish Educational and Library Services (JELS), and Guy Matalon, JELS Executive Director is particularly excited about the broadcast. “The Book of Psalms was given to the People of Israel as a way to connect to God,” explained Matalon. “It allows every person to find a particular chapter that fits to his or her own circumstances. Psalms are the heart of Jewish prayer and their effect in Jewish mystiContinued on page 2
Celebrating 83 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
ADL, Creighton, JELS & UNO to Host Conference on The Passion by JILL BELMONT for the Anti-Defamation League A day-long symposium motivated by the soon-to-bereleased movie, The Passion of the Christ, will be held on Thursday, Jan. 29, at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Creighton University, according to I. Robert Wolfson, Executive Director of the AntiDefamation League-Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. The film, produced and directed by Mel Gibson, depicts the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus, and has raised concerns about the portrayal of Jews and their role in the crucifixion. “A group of us looked at all the controversy surrounding the upcoming film and felt there was a lot of heat and not much light,” Wolfson said. “We decided to hold a conference about Passion plays in general, realizing that it might be very helpful to people confronting Director Mel Gibson Credit: Touchstone Pictures the issues raised
Albuquerque Rabbi to Sing on Shabbat Shira at Temple Israel
This Week: America Decides 2004 Starts on Page 4 B’nai Israel Synagogue to Celebrate Centennial Page 2
Iris Ricks Named New JELS Ass’t Director: Page 3
by this particular portrayal.” A group of nationally-known speakers will explore issues surrounding the Passion narrative, including antiSemitism, the historical Jesus, portraying Jesus in the movies, the Roman Catholic perspective, and media coverage of the controversy, Wolfson said. The event is being co-sponsored by Creighton University’s Center for the Study of Religion and Society, the ADL-CRC, the Journal of Religion & Film, the Klutznick Chair of Jewish Civilization, the Journal of Religion & Society, and Jewish Educational and Library Services. “We have a great collaboration of people in the Omaha community, addressing an important issue and trying to educate. It’s Omaha at its best!” Wolfson said.” The film’s controversy has not been limited to Omaha, and the impact of this conference could be beneficial to a much wider audience, he added, noting that, “this will be one of the first academic conferences to take place around the release of this movie. It will not be a forum to attack Mel Gibson’s piece; rather, we want to discuss how and why passion narratives can be problematic. We hope to elevate the conversation, bring everyone to the table, and give people an opportunity to learn the issues so that they can have informed conversations with others.” The morning session, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (including lunch), will take place at the UNO William H. Thompson Alumni Center; the afternoon session, from 2-5:30 p.m., will be held at Creighton’s Skutt Student Center Ballroom. Both sessions, as well as lunch, are free and open to the public. Continued on page 12
BBYO Teens Plan Auction for Israeli Families
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN “The Magic Door,” which Temple Israel was sponsored by a rabbiniCommunications Coordinator cal association. Black was If he hadn’t become a Tiny Tov, the happy elf on rabbi, Joe Black may well the show, for three years. have become an entertainer. “I played an elf who When he was five years taught moral values, kind of old, Black started taking a combination of Peter Pan piano lessons. “He hated to and Dear Abby,” Black practice,” said his mother recalled. Sophie Black. “But he was He took some time off always very good, and I from college and went to never understood that.” Israel where he played his Little did she know then music on the streets. But he where it would lead. began to realize that music When he was in fifth or alone was not enough. “I sixth grade, young Joe missed the spiritual and Black picked up a guitar intellectual parts of life,” he and realized he had a pretty remarked. Rabbi Joe Black good ear. “I basically could After returning from hear a song and figure out how to play it on the gui- Israel, he earned an undergraduate degree in education tar,” he said. from Northwestern and then, after getting his master’s Some people think Black sounds like James Taylor. degree, he went on to receive his rabbinic ordination That seems to be all right with Black. Taylor was just from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of one of the musicians who inspired Black when he was Religion in 1987 after studying in Cincinnati, Ohio, and growing up in Chicago. Mostly, he listened to Chicago Jerusalem. folk and blues artists including Howlin Wolf, Jimi After serving as assistant and associate Rabbi at Hendrix, Steve Goodman, and John Prine. The rabbi Temple Israel in Minneapolis, MN, he was named senalso remembers Muddy Waters and Pete Seeger with ior rabbi of Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, New fondness. Mexico, in 1996. He maintains a heavy load as a counWhile still in high school, Black taught music in the selor, teacher, caregiver, administrator, community Jewish community. As a student at Northwestern spokesman, and performer, not to mention husband University, he played in some Chicago clubs and got a and father. job on the popular Chicago children’s television show, Continued on page 11
Inside
22 Tevet, 5764 January 16, 2004
by ALANA KINARSKY and LESLIE GRAUL An afternoon of Israeli foods and dance is making its way to the JCC! On Sunday, Jan. 25, 1-3 p.m., teens in the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, the largest and oldest Jewish youth group in the world, have invited all Jewish teens and their families to join them on a “Virtual Trip to Israel.” Come eat falafel and hummus, dance the Israeli way, participate in an astounding auction, and mingle with members of the Jewish community. The afternoon is free to all teens and their families, but donations will be accepted. All proceeds from these donations as well as the auction will be given to an Israeli organization called “Shop2Give.” Shop2Give raises funds in North America to buy products from suffering stores in downtown Jerusalem. These products are then distributed to social service agencies throughout Israel, and from there, the agencies distribute the products to needy families. A desire among Omaha teens to assist in the financial and social recovery of Israel has provided the drive to once again raise money for a charity that will benefit the people of Israel. Since the ongoing terror has plagued the lives of Israelis, a 70 percent loss of sales has occurred. Many families are turning to local agencies to assist them with everyday needs. Families in Israel need stable homes, quality libraries, and excellent schools, and that is why Shop2Give was created. Continued on page 2
Coming Next Month: Home & Garden Issue on Feb. 20 Read It and Eat: The Way We Cook: Page 7
An Omaha Student “Takes a Journey” Page 12
Page 2
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
January 16, 2004
“Little Shul Off Broadway” to Celebrate Centennial
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by SANDRA KURLAND copies of pictures that are sent to us. for B’nai Israel Synagogue A separate room at the synagogue will be devoted to The “Little Shul Off Broadway”--B’nai Israel mementos, pictures, certificates, trophies, and other Synagogue in Council Bluffs, Iowa--will celebrate its memorabilia of B’nai Israel Synagogue and its congre100th Anniversary this year. gation through the past 100 years. Please send anything There will be a festive celebration to kick off the centennial during the weekend of June 4-6, beginning with Shabbat Services on Friday night, continuing with an Open House and dinner Saturday, and concluding with a Sunday afternoon concert by Rick Recht. This concert is made possible by the generous donation of the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, in memory of Shirley Goldstein’s parents, Ben and Selma Gershun, and her brother, Dr. Ted Gershun. Members of B’nai Israel celebrated Hanukkah last month: David DeLand, left, Howard Silber, Volunteers from B’nai Gene Freund, Ruth Weiner, Sissy Silber, Peggy DeLand, Barbara and Barry Kricsfeld, Allen and Israel are now in the Shayna Kurland, Barry Carnine and Harold Siporin. process of locating former members, family members, and interested parties. that you would like to share with others during the A book with stories of special memories is being writ- weekend. ten. The Centennial Committee would like to hear from To find out more information or to send your matereaders who wish to be included in the book and/or rials, contact B’nai Israel Synagogue, 618 Mynster St., become part of our archives. We will also include Council Bluffs, IA 51503 or call me at 712.323.8885.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 16 Visions Luncheon Meeting, 12:30 p.m. at Venice Inn SATURDAY, JANUARY 17 Shabbat Honoring Rabbi Kripke’s 90th Birthday, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El Outreach Event, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel
C L I P & S A V E
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18 Scrapbooking Club, 10 a.m. at Beth El Men’s Club, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Bible Study Group, 11 a.m. at Beth El OTYG Rehearsal, 1 p.m. at Temple Israel Barn Girl Art Group Show, 2 p.m. Rabbi Myer S. Kripke Birthday Celebration, 2:30 p.m. OTYG Board Meeting, 3 p.m. at Temple Israel MONDAY, JANUARY 19 YES Program, 10 a.m. “Soul of the Text” Adult Ed. Class, 11 a.m. JFS Board of Directors Meeting, 6 p.m. NCJW Bookclub, 7 pm JELS Teacher Training Program, 7 p.m.
C L I P & S A V E
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20 Adult Education, noon at Temple Israel JELS/ADL Lunch & Learn, noon BBYO Night, 6 pm Board of Trustees Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21 Hadassah Board Meeting, 10 a.m. Crash Course in Hebrew Reading, noon OTYG Rehearsal, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel Adult Education, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel C Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class, 7 p.m. at Beth El L Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El I THURSDAY, JANUARY 22 P Walk-in Drop-in/Yiddish Group, 10 a.m. & Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel S Jewish Wisdom for the 21st Century with Rabbi Levin, noon at Beth El A JOLT II Panel of Leadership, 6 p.m. V LOVE Auxiliary Board Meeting, 7 p.m. E All events held at the JCC unless otherwise indicated.The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of events.To keep calendar accurate or for questions, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. FOR A COMPLETE LISTING,VISIT THE FEDERATION’S WEBSITE: www.JewishOmaha.org (click on calendar)
C L I P & S A V E
Condolence Efforts Among Projects Set by Beth El’s New Mitzvot Group by DIANE AXLER BAUM for Beth El Synagogue At its first meeting last month, the new Beth El Association for Mitzvot created a Caring Condolence Committee, which will have a planning session on Thursday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m., in the synagogue. In addition, the next full meeting of BEAM is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m., also at Beth El. The Caring Condolence Committee intends to develop a network of members to assist and support congregants who have suffered the loss of a loved one. In addition to attending Shiva services in mourners’ homes, members of this network Toby Schonfeld would offer to help with such steps as preparation of the Shiva meal or accompanying the mourner to minyan to recite Kaddish. Those interested in somech noflim (helping hands) activities of this type are invited to participate, said Dee Goodman and Toby Schonfeld, committee co-chairmen According to Schonfeld, the condolence committee is but one of several opportunities for tikkun olam (repairing the world) to be undertaken by BEAM. The social action group was spearheaded by Schonfeld with support from Beth El’s Director of Programming, Harriet Einziger. Other current projects include the collection of unused hotel toiletry items for donation to local shelters; and an effort to increase the feeling of warmth and congeniality at Beth El by recruiting new greeters for services and by creating an updated welcome packet. Those interested in BEAM should contact Schonfeld, at 861-1811 or tschonfeld@unmc.edu; or Einziger, at 492-8550 or at: Programming@bethel-omaha.org
Live from the 92 St. Y Continued from page 1 cism is astonishing. I am looking forward to listening to Rabbi Kushner open another window into God.” William Safire, Pulitzer Prize winner and member of The New York Times editorial staff will offer his observations on the crises and challenges confronting Israel, the Jewish community and global society on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m., in the JCC Theater. William Safire Winner of a 1978 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary, William Safire served as a White House advisor and speechwriter during the Nixon years. He joined the New York Times editorial staff in 1973 and is an astute and insightful political commentator. Tickets for each broadcast are $5 for JCC members and students and $8 for non-members. They can be purchased in advance by contacting JCC Member Services at 334-6426. For more information about the “Live from the 92nd Street Y” Series, contact Lisa Shkolnick at 334.6425.
Auction for Israeli Families Continued from page 1 After a successful fundraiser held in June of 2002, BBYO is taking it upon themselves to plan an event raising money for this remarkable cause. Since many cannot make the journey to Jerusalem, what better way to connect to our fellow Jews overseas? BBYO has set a goal to raise $3000 from proceeds of this event. If you have any questions, feel free to email Alana at: lanakin13@excite.com. To make reservations for your teen and your family, or to make a contribution to Shop 2 Give, contact Rachel Blum, BBYO Director, at 334.6404.
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January 16, 2004
From Slavery to Freedom: A Women’s Seder
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 3
Iris Ricks Named JELS Assistant Director
by ALLISON LATENSER beginning of Passover, those who take part will be able On March 17, the women of the Omaha Jewish com- to focus on the spiritual aspects of the holiday instead munity will be given the opportunity to experience the of being mentally, and physically exhausted from all story of Passover through a uniquely feminine lens. A the preparations! Women’s Seder will take place at the JCC, and Jewish Enjoy the company of Jewish women from Omaha, women from all generaCouncil Bluffs, Sioux City tions and denominations and Lincoln, while Rabbi are invited to participate. Amy Katz, of Kansas City, How is this seder difKS, leads us in experiferent from all other encing this powerful seders? Jewish holiday in new A Women’s Seder will ways. Katz, a graduate of provide its participants Jewish Theological Semiwith the opportunity to nary, is also a member of remember the important Yachad, the Traveling roles women played in T’fillah Band, based in the powerful story of the Kansas City, and has perExodus and to be formed here. inspired by the stories of Anyone interested in the contributions modserving on the planning ern-day women are makcommittee can contact ing to the state of Israel. Members of the Women’s Seder Planning Committee (from the Rosie Zweiback at And, because this seder left) are: Marcy Rowe, Duchy Milder, Bette Kazlen, Debbie Recht, Temple Israel, 556-6536, takes place almost three Jane Winston-Doman, Rosie Zweiback. Also, Kazlen’s Centerpiece or via e-mail at: weeks before the actual for the Women’s Seder in the middle of the table. rzweiback@qwest.net.
Tot Shabbat, Toddler Sessions Among Beth El’s New Age-Related Activities by DIANE AXLER BAUM Recreation sessions are under the guidance of Helen for Beth El Synagogue Epstein, a veteran educator experienced with both chilBeth El’s youngest members and their parents repre- dren and adults who calls herself “an early childhood sent the most recent conteacher at heart.” Epstein taught for stituency to benefit from 11 years at the JCC preschool and 13 the synagogue’s new in the Omaha Public Schools. emphasis on creative, The first PATTER session featured exciting programming for a general introduction followed by members in different age games and sing-alongs using ranges. Hebrew words. The finale, a brief A monthly Tot Shabbat, performance by Cantor Gastón aimed especially at chilBogomolni, delighted none more dren two to six years of than the Cantor’s son, Samuel, in age and their families, attendance with his mom, Lena. will meet for its first sesEight other mothers and their sion this evening, Jan. children participated in the first ses16, 6 p.m. sion, including Allison Gordman In just 20 to 30 minwith Spencer, Yaffa Schuller with utes, the lovely service Yael, Amy Raffel with Julia and will include music, Michael, Debbie Kricsfeld with prayer, stories and an Rachel, Deb Denenberg with Oneg Shabbat of cookies Rebecca and Lev, Leslie Eades with and juice. As leader, Patty Getting ready to do the “Hebrew Hokey-Pokey” at the Carter and Emma, Devra Bram with Nogg will offer her first PATTER session are, from left rear: Deb Jonathan, and Aviva Segall with expertise in Judaic music Denenberg with Lev and Debbie Kricsfeld holding Ilana and Leora McNamara. and her extraordinary Rachel; and foreground, Michael Raffel, Ilana and This week Epstein accompanied vocal skills. Known and Leora McNamara, attending with mom, Aviva Segall. the group to the JCC to hear a conloved by many as “Miss cert in the Omaha Symphony’s Patty,” she has 11 years of experience as a teacher at Mission Imagination series along with classes from the the JCC’s Child Development Center. Child Development Center. PATTER, for children 15 months to three and their Next Wednesday’s PATTER once again will take place parents, took off this month and continues every at Beth El, and Harriet Einziger, Beth El’s Director of Wednesday, 10:45 a.m.-noon, in the Beth El nursery Programming, invites new moms and toddlers “to join room. The Parent & Toddler Torah, Exercise and the fun.”
by PAM MONSKY Federation Communications Director Jewish Educational & Library Services (JELS) is announced that Iris Ricks has been hired as the new Assistant Executive Director. She replaces Kathy Hirshman who will be relocating to Virginia where her husband, Stanley, has accepted a new position as Director of Transportation for Smithfield Packing. Ricks comes to JELS from Alegent Health where she was the Employment Manager. Prior to working for Alegent, Ricks was the Program Director at Temple Israel. She brings many years of human resources experience to her new position, including excellent customer service skills that are provided in a confidential manner. Iris is married to Marty Iris Ricks Ricks, Executive Director of the Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha; the couple has four children: Paul (Chicago), Jennifer (Portland, OR), Marc (New York) and Andrea (Los Angeles, CA). Guy Matalon, JELS Director said, “When I came to Omaha, Iris was the Program Director at Temple Israel and I had a chance to see first hand the talents she has. Iris is bringing new skills and abilities to JELS and I am excited to see the new opportunities that we will be able to offer to the community with Iris’s assistance. “It is always difficult to replace an integral part of the agency, especially Kathy Hirshman, who has done a marvelous job directing the Scholarship process and helping develop JELS,” he added, “however, Iris will fit perfectly in her new role as Assistant Director. I would like to wish both Kathy and Iris success in their new adventure.” Jan Goldstein, Executive Director of the Federation, added, “I have known and worked with Iris personally and professionally for many years and am delighted that our Federation and the Jewish community will once again benefit from her exceptional skills and talent.” Ricks can be reached at the JELS office, 334.6445.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
January 16, 2004
Prospects for Peace in the Middle East and Separation of Religion and State:
AMERICA DECIDES 2004
Messages from Candidates for President of the United States
(Editor’s note: JTA asked the major candidates of both parties to write an essay for Jewish voters, broadly addressing two issues: the prospects for peace in the Middle East, and separation of church and state at home, with an emphasis on school vouchers and faith-based initiatives. The only candidate who declined to participate is President Bush. His spokesman said the president believes it is appropriate to wait until after the State of the Union speech and the presentation of the budget to make policy statements as a candidate. Statements from Gen. Wesley Clark and Rev. Al Sharpton were not received in time for publication.) by Gov. HOWARD DEAN (JTA) -- In 2002, as I began to travel the country the way one does when seeking the presidency, I had three priorities: expanding health-care coverage to all Americans, improving programs for early childhood development, and balancing the budget to bring financial stability and jobs back to America. As the campaign has developed, the central message I carry is to energize the Democratic Party to stand up for its traditional principles and policies and to take our country back Gov. Howard Dean from the special interests that have captured our political system. My candidacy has already demonstrated the power of this message: We the people do have the power to transform the political landscape. But in seeking change, we also remain committed to historic American values, because the American flag belongs to all of us, not only to John Ashcroft, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. For instance, as we wage a vigorous fight against terrorism, we can and we must do so without taking away fundamental civil rights. John Ashcroft should not be allowed to detain American citizens without charge and without legal representation. America’s strength rests
with our respect for others and with our diversity. Similarly, freedom of religion is a bedrock American value. We are all free to practice our own religions precisely because the government does not regulate religion. This cherished freedom is in jeopardy. Like so much of what this president has done, his faith-based initiative has been used to drive wedges between well-intentioned people. While religious charitable institutions have a critical role to play in meeting our nation’s problems, recipients of federal money should never be allowed to proselytize or engage in employment discrimination. We must not allow people to use government money to endanger tolerance and the rights of minorities. America’s challenges, of course, do not end at our borders. We must continue to wage a vigorous battle against terrorism--but without lying to the American people and to our brave soldiers. And in this global fight, the United States and Israel are partners. Let me be clear: preserving Israel’s security is a bedrock principle that will guide my administration’s foreign policy. On a tour of the Old City in Jerusalem during my 2002 trip to Israel, I experienced first-hand the miracle of the modern Jewish state. I saw remains of a house next to a stone wall that King Hezekiah had ordered built to defend against invaders. In a neighboring house, I looked out the window down at the stone wall and the remains of that house and understood that 3,000 years ago people prayed the same prayers in the same Hebrew language. That experience reinforced my commitment to the special relationship the United States has with Israel. Israel will always have the resources necessary to guarantee its long-term defense and security. And we do this not as a favor for Israel but because it is in America’s interests to do so. I also believe that peace in the Middle East is a key U.S. interest and that the United States is the only intermediary that can bring the Israelis and Palestinians to the peace table. Playing the role of a fair and honest broker is consistent with the special relationship the United States has with Israel. This land is holy to Jews, Muslims, and Christians and
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I am committed to working together to find solutions that are acceptable to the parties. Ultimately, only the Palestinians and the Israelis themselves can make and keep the peace and work out the specifics of a lasting agreement. It seems clear that this will not happen as long as Yasser Arafat is in control. People ask me about the Middle East conflict all the time and ask me what I would do. I remind them that I saw first-hand the horror of violence when I worked at hospitals as a medical student at Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein Medical College. And I always say that we’re never going to get peace in the Middle East as long as we have terror. Israel has both the right and the responsibility to protect and defend its citizens against terrorists. This president has implemented a foreign policy characterized by dominance, arrogance and intimidation. We are losing our role as a world leader. His brand of diplomacy has driven a deep wedge into the alliances and the security organizations we established to safeguard our freedoms and our safety. This has put America and our allies in danger. There is perhaps no larger threat to the United States and Israel today than the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction by rogue states and terrorist groups--in particular Iran and North Korea. I will lead a global alliance against terror, seeking to use improved relations with our friends to stop the flow of nuclear and missile technology to Iran. I will also commit $30 billion to a global fund to seek and destroy weapons of mass destruction and their components, including purchasing nuclear fuel from the states of the former Soviet Union and working with the Russian government to stop transfers of weapons and know-how by Russian companies to Iran. I seek to lead our nation with hope, not fear. Our nation, once looked to as a beacon of hope from around the globe, now is looked at with suspicion and distrust. We can do better. We should stand up strongly when injustice is done. We should protest when rights are jeopardized. We should help unite the world for the common good. Our path for the future is clear. It is the path that generations before us have taken. It is to change America the only way it can be changed--through the people. It is time to take our country back. Howard Dean is a medical doctor and former governor of Vermont. by U.S. Sen. JOHN EDWARDS (JTA) -- I will play an active role in promoting peace between Israel and the Palestinians and the Arab states --not just through words and promises, but through sustained, high-level engagement, including by appointing a senior envoy, answering directly to me, to move this process forward. I support a two-state solution, with the Jewish state of Israel and a legitimate, democratic and territorially viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace. All the specific differences between Israel and the Palestinians must be solved through dialogue and negotiation, not terrorism and violence. The Israeli people deserve Sen. John Edwards to live without the fear of terrorism, and the Palestinian people deserve to live under a representative government that fights terrorism, ends corruption and supports fundamental freedoms. As long as the Palestinian leadership fails to end terror, Israel has a right to take measures to defend itself. Such defensive measures are not the cause of terrorism --they are the response to terrorism. Yet, these measures should not be a substitute for negotiations that can lead to a long-term settlement. To achieve peace, both sides recognize that they will have to make difficult choices. But these decisions must be made by the parties themselves, not imposed from the outside. I believe that the United States and others in the international community must stand ready to support the Israelis and the Palestinians as they make these difficult decisions. Continued on next page
January 16, 2004
Continued from page 4. Faith is enormously important to me personally and to tens of millions of Americans. In addition, religious institutions do wonderful work and make important contributions to our society. In a manner consistent with the First Amendment, faith-based charities should be able to participate in delivering services. But they should also meet the same anti-discrimination standards as other charities receiving government support. We should be encouraging faith-based initiatives in a way that values the important work of these organizations and does not divide Americans. John Edwards represents North Carolina in the U.S. Senate. by U.S. Rep. DICK GEPHARDT (JTA) -- The 2004 presidential election will be pivotal for all members of the Jewish faith. The Bush administration has made no effort to sustain the progress made by the Clinton administration on issues important to the Jewish community: It has failed to undertake meaningful diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful outcome to the Middle East conflict, it has failed to encourage other countries to adopt more constructive policies toward the State of Israel and it has failed to address critical domestic issues such as enhanced protections against hate crimes and civil rights enforcement. My commitment to the State of Israel and the Jewish community both in the United States and abroad has been clear throughout my congressional career. I have worked tirelessly to secure freedom, peace and prosperity for the people of Israel, while striving to protect the Jewish community in our country from religious intolerance. I have led congressional delegations to Israel so members could expand their scope and knowledge, and develop a keen understanding about the country’s priorities. I have also cultivated this relationship by consulting directly and frequently with Israeli leaders to discuss our mutual security agenda and to promote democracy and economic development throughout the Middle East region. My consistent views on Israel have been recognized by political observers and the media. On Nov. 19, 1998, The New York Times wrote: “Gephardt has steadfastly supported foreign aid to Israel and fought for increases in this aid as urgent security and other needs arose over the last two decades--including funds for loan guarantees, security enhancements, and Rep. Dick Gephardt peace initiatives.” In addition, during its 1999 conference, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee praised me as “a trusted friend and ally of the pro-Israel community,” and someone who has “worked tirelessly to support the U.S.-Israel relationship from [his] early days in the House.” The United States has a special relationship with Israel and the Jewish people. As president, I will continue to work tirelessly to foster that relationship and maintain military and economic aid to Israel. I will expand federal jurisdiction over hate crimes at home, and I will work to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, to clearly affirm American support for a whole Jerusalem at the center of the Israeli state. I believe in a permanent two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, and I believe that the long-term security of Israel will be enhanced if meaningful and lasting peace agreements can be reached with the Palestinian people and its neighbors. As president, I would ensure a sustained U.S. presence and engagement Middle East to accomplish the goals of an end to the violence and peace in the region. Every idea I’m proposing in this campaign, every solution I’m offering, comes from life experience and is designed to create jobs, revitalize the economy, and create opportunity for all Americans. My bold and innovative policy solutions include health insurance for every American that can never be taken away, a sensible, longterm energy policy that eliminates our dependence on Middle Eastern oil and a Homeland Security Trust Fund that will provide the necessary resources to enable local law enforcement, fire fighters, and other first responders
by U.S. Sen. JOHN KERRY (JTA) -- For 55 years, support of the State of Israel has been a central keystone of American foreign policy. We cannot neglect our indispensable role in the search for peace in the most volatile region of the world. But the Bush Administration’s lurching from episodic involvement to recurrent disengagement has jeopardized the security of Israel, encouraged Palestinian extremists and undermined our own long term national interests. Leaders of good will on both sides, private citizens, and public officials are working to advance the peace Sen. John Kerry process. The recent effort by former officials of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to lay out a possible agreement on final-status issues demonstrates that they understand that it may be easier to break the stalemate and end the violence fostered by extremists if the endgame is the focus, not the steps leading up to it. In the first days of a Kerry administration, I will appoint a presidential ambassador to the peace process who will report directly to me and the Secretary of State --and who will work day to day to move the process forward and make an early assessment of how to build on areas of agreement and disagreement.
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The envoy that I will appoint will have the confidence and ability to speak with all parties. After my trip to the Middle East in early 2002, I publicly suggested that President Clinton would be a superb choice for this position, and I continue to believe that. I will also work to hold the Saudis accountable for their continued reluctance to aggressively root out terrorism in the Middle East. America cannot afford to be indifferent to a country whose actions often speak louder than its words when it comes to fighting terrorism. Saudi Arabia’s support for Islamic extremism is well known. And while Saudi officials and spokesmen have said repeatedly that the Saudi government is opposed to every form of terrorism, the Saudi regime openly and enthusiastically supports Hamas. The Saudis cannot pick and choose among terrorist groups, approving some while claiming to oppose others. One would think that a president who threatens the world by announcing “you’re either with us or you’re with the terrorists” would be particularly troubled by the actions of the Saudi regime. But then one would be underestimating the hypocrisy that has become the hallmark of the Bush Administration. It’s time to put the U.S.-Saudi relationship on a frank and balanced basis. Forging a stable and lasting peace in the Middle East is vital to American national security, to the security of Israel and other countries in the region, and to the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a viable Palestinian state. It is also an essential part of winning the war on terror. The United States must actively engage in the peace process--keeping both sides focused on the endgame of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security--and helping them take the necessary steps to build enough confidence and trust in each other to get there. Israel’s very survival in a hostile and dangerous region has always been predicated on the steadfast, unwavering and full support of the United States. In my administration, America’s commitment to Israel will never waiver. I will vigorously protect the separation of church and state. Diversity, freedom of choice and freedom of religion are among the defining characteristics of our nation. I believe we can be people of faith while respecting the principles that are enshrined in our Constitution. Faith-based organizations make great contributions to social-service programs. However, I am wary of any direct funding of religious organizations by the federal government without constitutional safeguards and protections, such as ensuring that government funding is not used for proselytizing. And I oppose any initiatives that allow federally funded programs to discriminate based on religion when making hiring decisions. I believe the government can find ways to support the efforts of faith-based organizations without running afoul of the Constitution. Continued on page 6
Come Laugh with Bob Alper From coast to coast, Bob Alper has them rolling in the aisles! See and hear his hilarious performance at Beth El Synagogue. Saturday, January 31 at 8 p.m. Silent Auction starts at 7 p.m. Come Laugh with Bob Alper Please reserve my seats: ❍ Platinum @ $180 ❍ Silver @ $36
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AMERICA DECIDES 2004
to strengthen our domestic security. I benefited from great public schools and public school teachers growing up in St. Louis. Every child, no matter where he or she attends public school in this country, should have the same opportunities to learn and succeed. As president, I’ll fight to give every child the opportunity to go to quality preschools and expand after-school programs in every community in this nation. I will continue to fight against Republican attempts to pass ill-conceived voucher programs to siphon much-needed money away from our nation's public schools. And I will make college more affordable by providing a tax deduction for the first $10,000 in college costs and creating a Teacher Corps program that will pay the college loans for any student who agrees to teach for five years. It is imperative that the Democratic nominee for president is a candidate with the bold ideas, experience and political abilities to challenge George W. Bush. I am that candidate. And I will lead an America that stands with Israel, stands for security and democracy, and stands for a future that brings peace and prosperity to all the people of the Middle East. Dick Gephardt represents Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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January 16, 2004
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AMERICA DECIDES 2004
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Continued from page 5 I do not support private school vouchers. I understand the frustration that some parents must feel. But I do not believe that providing government funding to private educational programs is the answer. As president, I will do everything I can to support public schools and promote greater public-school choice. I will never resort to gimmicks that undermine public schools and threaten the separation between church and state. It is critical to have an administration that honors the line of separation between church and state. Unfortunately, the Bush administration has worked aggressively to trample this line, putting one of our fundamental freedoms at risk. I will restore the separation that we cherish as Americans. John Kerry represents Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate. by U.S. Rep. DENNIS JOHN KUCINICH (JTA) -- It is no exaggeration to say that peace in the Middle East must be one of the highest priorities of leaders around the world. As president of the United States, it will surely be one of mine. I stand firmly behind my commitment to the State of Israel and the security of the Israeli people. Israel and the United States have been allies since the birth of that nation in 1948. I stand in solidarity with Israel as it battles the terrorist infrastructure in the Palestinian areas. At the same time--and for the same humanitarian principles--I declare my support for a Palestinian state and for the security of the Palestinian people. The security of Israel requires the security of Palestine, and vice versa. The same humanity that requires us to acknowledge with profound concerns the pain and suffering of the people of Israel requires a similar expression for the pain and suffering of the Palestinians. When our brothers and sisters are fighting to the death, instead of declaring solidarity with one against the other, should we not declare solidarity with both for peace, so that both may live in security and freedom? For these reasons, I support the U.S.-sponsored “road map” peace plan adopted by the European Union, Russia and the United Nations. It is imperative that all parties involved, but particularly Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, work together in a spirit of cooperation and fellowship to implement the road map and set the stage for an enduring peace in the Middle East--a peace that will eventually straddle the Fertile Crescent all the way from Egypt, through Israel and Palestine, to Iran and Iraq. While I understand Israel’s ardent desire to protect her people from violence, I cannot believe that the security fence Israel is constructing through the West Bank will help achieve that goal. While this barrier may decrease short-term random violence, in the long term it will surely breed deepening resentment and hatred. I believe that what is needed, rather than a fence, is creation of a democratic Palestinian state with territorial contiguity and economic viability. This is as necessary for the Israeli people as it is for the Palestinian. It is, I believe, the only path to a true and lasting peace. As president, I will work with both parties, Israelis and Palestinians, to meet the commitments each has made under the road map. It is time for the world to let go the ways of war and embrace the ways of peace. As president, I will create a Department of Peace. Conflict is inevitable; violence is not. Nonviolence is abstinence from violence in settling conflict. It makes the world safer for people to be in conflict, as they will inevitably be. It is the only way for a nuclear-savvy humanity to survive. Domestically, it important for us to remember that our Constitution protects all of us to worship as we choose in the faith of our choice. Our founding fathers recognized that for us to enjoy religious freedom, there must be a complete separation of church and state. This does not keep spirituality out of our public lives, nor should it. It does, however, ensure that our government does not favor any one religion or another. This is why I believe that the “faith-based initiative,” which provides specific and controversial ways in which religious organizations and governments may partner to provide social services, violates that basic constitutional mandate.
In lending the imprimatur of the state to organizations that are overtly religious, it blurs the distinction between church and state and renders meaningless the promise that our government will not promote one religion over another. I would do away with the faith-based initiative and instead work through the Department of Peace and Rep. Dennis Kucinich other social compacts to promote programs designed to reduce poverty, homelessness, joblessness and illness, and to raise the health, prosperity and cultural literacy of all Americans. School vouchers also harm rather than help. They bleed vital funds from our public-school system and threaten values vital to the health of American democracy. Vouchers attempt to disestablish not only public education, but the entire public realm. They divert public money away from the vast majority of public-school students--in most cases, the students who need it the most. As president, I will lead the fight to improve public schools and oppose alternatives that divert attention, energy, and resources from efforts to reduce class size, enhance teacher quality and provide every student with books, computers, and safe and orderly schools. Dennis Kucinich represents Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives. by U.S. Sen. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (JTA) -- I’m running for president because I love America and hate the direction George Bush is taking us. We’ve lost nearly three million private sector jobs. Millions have lost their health insurance and millions more can’t keep up with rising premiums. The middle class is getting squeezed. At least a million new people have fallen into poverty. The environment has been sold out to special interests. And because of this administration’s arrogant and unilateral foreign policy, America is more hated around the world right when it needs more friends than ever. We need a fresh start-leadership that will bring our country together and move it forward. As president, I’m going to grow the economy and Sen. Joseph Lieberman grow the middle class--starting with a tax cut for 98 percent of taxpayers and a national paid family-leave program. Protect the environment. Improve our schools. Extend access to good, affordable health care to every American. Defend a woman’s right to choose. Wean our country from its dangerous dependence on foreign oil. Reduce the poverty rate to the lowest level in history. And keep America strong in the world-- with a muscular foreign policy working with allies and friends. What does that mean for the Middle East? It means that we need to recognize we have a special relationship with Israel. America and Israel share a unique bond built on our shared values, shared commitment to freedom and democracy, and shared interests in defeating terrorism and promoting security and stability in the region. I also believe that peace and stability in the Middle East is vitally important to America’s national security, and we need to work hard to realize the day when we have a secure, democratic Jewish Israel alongside a democratic and peaceful Palestine. The essential first step to achieve that goal is for the Palestinian leadership to make a 100 percent effort to stop terrorism and dismantle terrorist organizations. Once that happens, so much else is possible. And until that happens, almost any step we take will be illusory. The United States cannot force the parties to settle their differences or dictate the terms of a final settlement. But there is hope and progress only when America is engaged. When America is not engaged, peace, stability and security suffer. The Bush administration has concentrated in fits and starts. That has not helped quell the violence or returned us to the path of peace. As well, we need to redouble our efforts in grappling with the broader security threats from Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran. I have never believed that Jewish Americans should Continued on page 11
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January 16, 2004
ORGANIZATIONS Y.E.S. Members will meet Monday at the JCC. Play bingo at 10 a.m. with Eileen Remer or exercise with Stacey Paskert at 10:30 a.m. Bring articles to share for “YES Talk” at 11 a.m. Following lunch at noon, get ready for a Fashion Show, sponsored by Loria Ennis and her family. Loria is the Activities Director of the Blumkin Home. Come see the latest fashions and enjoy our very own Cathy Carroll and Lois Wine as they model! For transportation call Dee Dee at 330.4272. Call Maggie Conti for all reservations at 334,6521 for: Bluffs Run Casino on Jan. 29. The Omaha Theater for Young People present Broadway Town, Monday, Jan. 26, 12:45 p.m. There is no charge for the performance. Lunch is $6 per person. Call Maggie at 334.6521 for reservations by Jan. 19. WALK-IN, DROP-IN Members will meet on Thursday at the JCC. Exercise and Bingo will begin at 10 a.m. in the Social Hall. Bring a dairy sack lunch to eat at 11:15 a.m. At noon, enjoy the movie Seabiscuit in the auditorium of the Blumkin Home. Popcorn will be served. For transportation call Maggie Conti at 334.6521. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Want to have a “Freyticlken Tog”? Come to the Yiddishmeeting at the JCC on Thursdays, 1-3 p.m. Even if your Yiddish isn’t so “Aye-Aye-Aye”, you’ll enjoy it. Call Anne Skolkin, 343.1638, for inforrnation. VISIONS Membership dues to Visions for 2004 are now due. Please mail your check, payable to Visions, for $5 per person to Visions, to: Gilda Pieck, 6955 Cuming, Omaha, NE 68132.
IN THE NEWS Rosie Zweiback has announced her intention to run for the Westside School District school board. A graduate of Westside High School and Princeton University, Zweiback taught junior high and highschool for seven years, supervised student teacher programs in California and New Jersey, served as an admissions officer at Princeton University, and currently develops and administers the adult education program at Temple Israel. She has a master’s degree in education from the University of California at San Diego. The caucus is Tuesday, Feb. 24, at a community meeting at Westside High School. The final election is during the Nebraska Primary Election, Tuesday, May 11. Shayna (Rimmerman) Ray, a 10-year veteran of the Omaha Police Department, was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, effective Dec. 28, 2003. As an officer, Ray has worked in Uniform Patrol and was later promoted to detective and has worked in the Burglary Unit, Child Victim/Sexual Assault Squad, and the Vice Unit. Shayna and her husband, Matt, have three children: Bennett, 4, Chloe, 3 and Leo, 11 months. She is the daughter of Jennine Goldberg, and Harlan Rimmerman of Leavenworth, KS, and the granddaughter of Charlotte Kraft and Reva Oruch.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Israeli pianist Shai Wosner will open the 2004 Ecoutez! series at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) with a performance on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m., at the Strauss Performing Arts Center Recital Hall. Wosner, who was born in Israel in 1976, studied for 12 years with Emanuel Krasovsky of the Rub Academy of Music in Tel Aviv and later with Emanela Ax at the Juliard School in New York. He has been described as “a supherb pianist” by the New York Times. Series tickets for four concerts and reserved parking, are $55; single tickets to the Wosner performance are $15. For ticket information, call Adrienne Merit at: 554.3427. Auditions for the Rock ’n Roll musical Smokey Joe’s Cafe at the Lincoln Community Playhouse, are set for Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 19-20, 7-10 p.m. The Lieber and Stoller musical which ran on Broadway, runs March 12-Apil 4 at the LCP. For audition information, call Liz Banset at the LCP, 402.489.4527.
The Y.E.S. BINGO Lunch
Try your luck at bingo with caller Eileen Remer, left, starting at 10 a.m. every Monday at the JCC. “Join us--the price is right!” says Anne Rosenblatt. OMAHA CENTER FOR TORAH LEARNING “Hidden Dimensions of Psalms,” organized by Shirley Goodman meets at the home of Annette Fettman on Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m. Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman will explore the meaning of Psalms. A crash course in Hebrew Reading with Rabbi Hoffman also meets Wednesdays at noon in the Federation Conference Room; Advanced Hebrew Comprehension meets at 7 p.m. at the OCTL Beis Midrash; call 981.0569 for more information.
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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When you patronize these fine establishments, tell them you saw their ad in the Jewish Press.
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R EAD IT AND EAT Reviewed by LOIS FRIEDMAN For more than 20 years the authors have written for the Boston Globe and now write their first cookbook for “contemporary without being fussy” home cooks who after a frazzled day don’t want anything complicated. Here they revive 250 recipes--some from their columns and others unpublished--for foods of a bygone era divided into the chapters: Appetizers, Salads, When You’re in a Rush, Dishes We Make All the Time, New Classics, Good Enough for Company, Simmering Pots, Sides, Rise and Dine, If You Love to Bake and Simple Fruit Desserts. Updates of classics and contemporary favorites like eggless Caesar salad, smashed potatoes cooked in milk, Salmon and Mushroom Pot Pie, brine for chicken, Oven Fried Fish and Chips, Harvard beets, Boston Baked Beans and Cream Pie. Old fashioned goodness. In one recipe you can use Grandma’s favorite cooking spoon to stir or taste and in another the ingredients in a puree in a food processor. Headnotes with a bit of background, easy to find ingredients, detailed, clear instructions, a few sidebars sprinkled throughout the pages are all part of the recipes. Here is a back-to-basics recipe to try. CREAMY CABBAGE IN A SKILLET 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 large Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 medium head green cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly sliced 2 medium carrots, grated 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet. When it is hot, add the butter and cook the onion over medium heat, stirring often for 10 minutes, or until softened. Add the cabbage, carrots, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often for 60 minutes, or until the vegetables turn into a jamlike mixture. Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper, if you like and serve. Lois Friedman can be reached at: readitandeat@yahoo.com.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
January 16, 2004
Opinion Where Do You Stand on the Issues? This week, the Jewish Press has published statements by seven of the nine candidates running in the Democratic Party for the office of PResident of the United States (statements from Gen. Wesley Clark and Rev. Al Sharpton were not received in time to print). We hope our readers in Iowa will be able to use these position papers for this Tuesday’s caucuses in the Hawkeye State. Nebraska readers (and our out-of-town subscribers) should note that more pre-election coverage-America Decides 2004”--will be published in forthcoming issues, especially prior to the May 11 Nebraska Primary and the November general election. While the statements in this issue revolve only around two issues: Israel and the Middle East peace process, and separation of religion and state, especially as it regards public education, we know our readers have many, many more questions for this year’s “bumper crop” of candidates. And we want to hear from you! Where do you stand, for example, on the issue of the recent Medicare drug plan passed by Congress? Some experts think low-income elderly will be hard hit and will actually wind up paying more for drugs, while others insist that residents of nursing homes will benefit. Where do you stand on the issue of gun control? While the National Rifle Association is noted for its opposition, imagine what life in Israel would be like if ordinary Israeli citizens weren’t permitted to own guns. Should American Jews pay more attention to security issues of the Middle East on this issue--or do threats from Palestinians have no bearing on our lives in Nebraska? Where do you stand on the issue of reproductive rights? The recent passage of the so-called “Partial Birth Abortion” bill criminalizes this act for both doctors and patients. Are there some cases--where a mother’s life is endangered--or where there are life-threatening fetal deformities present--where third-trimester abortions should be permitted? And how do you feel about parental notification in cases where a minor seeks an abortion--an issue of the Nebraska Unicameral this session? Where do you stand on taxes and refunds? Gov. Howard Dean’s
FOCUS ON ISSUES by DR. RAFAEL MEDOFF Director, The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies For many in the American Jewish community, Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is an occasion to recall the important role that Jews played in the civil rights movement of the 1950s-1960s. But few remember the earlier alliance between Jews and prominent African-Americans, in the 1940s, on the issues of rescuing Jews from the Holocaust and creating a Jewish state. This forgotten black-Jewish alliance was connected to a series of political action campaigns undertaken in the 1940s by an activist group led by Peter Bergson, a Zionist emissary from Jerusalem. The Bergson group was one of the first Jewish organizations to utilize such now-familiar protest tactics as full-page newspaper advertisements, public rallies, and lobbying on Capitol Hill. The Bergson group was initially known as the Committee for a Jewish Army. From 1940 to 1943, it sought the creation of a Jewish armed force that would fight alongside the Allies against the Nazis. Eventually, the British agreed to establish the 5,000-man force, known as the Jewish Brigade. (It fought with distinction on the European battlefield in 1945, and many of its veterans later took part in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence.) When news of the Holocaust reached the West in 1942-1943, Bergson created the “Emergency Committee to Save the Jewish People of Europe”, to press the Roosevelt administration to rescue Jews from Hitler. The Emergency Committee’s dramatic tactics included full-page newspaper ads, a march by over 400 rabbis to the White House just before Yom Kippur, and a Congressional resolution urging creation of a U.S. government agency to rescue refugees. These efforts embarrassed the administration and compelled FDR to establish the War Refugee Board, which saved an estimated 220,000 lives during the final 18 months of the Holocaust. Later, Bergson established the Hebrew
(Founded in 1920)
plan proposes raising taxes at every level, including the lowest, removing the cap on payroll taxes, reinstating estate taxes and the marriage penalty. On the other side, President Bush has sent checks averaging $600 to American households while driving up the national deficit. Is there a middle ground? As always, the Jewish Press does not endorse either political parties or candidates. However, we will interview those candidates who speak before Jewish groups and we will publish their views on issues in our special Election Issues. But since you--the voter--hold the balance of power in your hands, it’s your viewpoint we want to hear! E-mail us your concerns at: jpress@jewishomaha.org; fax your letters to: 402.334.5422; or snail mail your comments to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154.
...few remember the earlier alliance between Jews and prominent African-Americans, in the 1940s, on the issues of rescuing Jews from the Holocaust and creating a Jewish state. Black labor union leader A. Philip Randolph, president of the International Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, was an early backer of Bergson’s Jewish army effort. So was W.E.B. DuBois, the leading AfricanAmerican intellectual of his era. The author and poet Langston Hughes supported the Jewish army campaign, and was also among the sponsors of Bergson’s July 1943 Emergency Conference to Save the Jewish People of Europe. The conference, which was held at in New York City, sought to counter the Roosevelt administration’s claim that rescuing Jews from Hitler was physically impossible. More than 1,500 delegates listened to panels of experts on transportation, relief methods, military affairs, and other fields, discussing specific, practical ways to save Jews from the Holocaust. One of the speakers was Walter White, Executive Director of the NAACP. The famous black singer, actor, and political activist Paul Robeson was one of the stars of a Madison Square Garden “Show of Shows” organized by Bergson in 1944 to raise money for his campaign to rescue Jewish refugees. Several years later, Walter White and the
Jewish Press Committee Howard K. Marcus, Vice-Chairman; Bobbi Leibowitz, Secretary; Scott Meyerson, Finance Chairman; Steve Simon, Treasurer; Fred Tichauer, Immediate Past-chairman; Jean Duitch; Penny Endelman; Kip Gordman; Stanley Mitchell; George Quittner; Linda Saltzman; Joey Shyken; Nancy Skid; and Melanie Weinstein. The role of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to involve Jews in meeting Jewish communal needs locally, nationally and in Israel. Centers of Excellence of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Educational and Library Services, Jewish Family Service, and Jewish Senior Services. The Jewish Press and the Foundation are constitional committees of the Jewish Federation. Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Committee, the Jewish Federation of Omaha or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.
A Forgotten Black-Jewish Alliance Committee of National Liberation and the American League for a Free Palestine, which played an important role in mobilizing American public support for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. Bergson’s campaigns won the support of a wide array of prominent intellectuals, entertainers, Hollywood celebrities, and Members of Congress. Sympathy for the Bergson group crossed racial lines; numerous prominent African-Americans were among its supporters.
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NAACP worked closely with the Bergson group to help bring about the desegregation of theaters in Baltimore which restricted African-Americans to less desirable seats. In 1946, Bergson ally Ben Hecht, one of the most prominent screenwriters in Hollywood, authored a Broadway play called A Flag is Born, to rally American public sympathy for the Jewish rebels battling the British for control of Palestine. On the eve of the staging of “Flag” at the Maryland Theater in Baltimore, the Bergson group and the NAACP joined hands to pressure the theater management to abandon its discriminatory seating policy--“a traditionshattering victory,” as White called it. Canada Lee, one of the most prominent black actors of the 1940s, and Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., of Harlem --the first African-American to represent New York in the U.S. House of Representatives--were supporters of Bergson’s Jewish statehood campaign. At one Bergson group rally in 1948, Rev. Powell and the Irish-American lawyer Paul O’Dwyer stood backstage and watched while an ineffective speaker sought vainly to raise funds for Jewish statehood. “Powell became impatient,” O’Dwyer later recalled, “and whispered to me, ‘This guy is blowing it. Paul, I think this calls for a Baptist minister and an Irish revolutionary. You handle that microphone over there and I’ll handle this one.’ In unison we rose and and in unison we took the microphones gently away from [the speaker]. We collected $75,000 from the crowd that night.” A decade before the famous black-Jewish alliance in the civil rights movement, prominent blacks and Jews joined hands to support the Bergson group’s campaigns to create a Jewish army, rescue Holocaust refugees, and establish a Jewish state--and, in the process, helped desegregate Baltimore’s theaters. On the occasion of Martin Luther King’s birthday, that early collaboration between Jewish Americans and African-Americans is worth remembering. Dr. Medoff can be reached at: www.WymanInstitute.org.
Editorial The Jewish Press is a Constitutional Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, noon, eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in .TIF or .PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1-402-334-5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org.. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be singlespaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions, but should be printed as soon as possible to ensure timeliness. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For more information, contact Carol Katzman, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly on Friday for $31 per calendar year U.S.; $35 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132nd St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or e-mail to: jpress@jewishomaha. org.
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AMERICA DECIDES 2004 by RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA)--Worried by signs of President Bush's soaring popularity among Jews, Democrats launched a coordinated campaign 18 months ago to win back Jewish votes. In recent interviews with the JTA, top Democrats who attended the meetings disclosed the secret strategy sessions for the first time. The campaign has three prongs, according to senior Democratic operatives who were involved in its formulation: • Stress the Democratic Party’s commitment to Israel and raise questions about Bush’s own commitment; • remind Jewish voters they are much likelier to favor Democratic positions on domestic issues, and; • marginalize Democrats who alienate Jews. Ann Lewis, the Jewish former director of communications for the Clinton administration, attended a series of meetings of top Democrats in spring 2002 to discuss what they saw as a deteriorating situation with Jewish voters. The trigger was a May 5, 2002, “Solidarity with Israel” vote in Congress that drew 21 nay votes--including 18 from Democrats. “Our discussions following the vote showed we were not as proactive as we should have been” with Jewish voters, Lewis recalled. The congressional vote wasn’t the only issue, however. It was becoming clear that Bush was gearing up for war with Iraq and that most Democratic legislators were less than enthusiastic about the prospect. In town-hall type meetings, Jewish community officials said, it became evident that Jewish Americans saw Saddam Hussein’s potential downfall as a blessing for Israel and wondered why the Democrats weren’t on board. “We were becoming aware of a string of political argument on the other side, which was that people who disagreed with the war on Iraq were somehow soft on terrorism or less reliable on America being a friend of Israel,” Lewis said. The outreach initiative to the Jewish community was seen as a way to counter aggressive new Republican tactics to undermine traditional Jewish financial support for the Democrats. “The politics were ratcheted up,” said a senior Democratic leadership aide. Some at the Democratic strategy meetings worried that Jews believed the party was taking the community for granted because of its overwhelming support in previous elections. That notion was reinforced by exit polls after the 2002 midterm elections, which showed a return to Reagan-era numbers when Jews voted Democratic by a 2-1 margin, not the 5-1 or 6-1 ratios of the Clinton era. The exit polls had unreliably small samples, but Democrats were rattled. “What we’ve done since then is to be much more conscious of outreach to the Jewish community,” Lewis said, as well as “much more explicit” in support for Israel. Since then, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland has taken the lead in reaching out to the Jewish community. His campaign keeps a list of 15 proIsrael actions Hoyer has taken since March 2003, such as leading a delegation of 29 Democratic legislators to the Jewish state in August. “We needed to articulate our case. I
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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Worried that Jews Will Go for Bush, Democrats Plotting a Counterstrategy wanted to articulate our values,” Hoyer told JTA in a phone interview. The senior leadership aide said it was a matter not of reformulating strategy, but of reminding Jewish voters where Democrats stand. That meant, first of all, allowing little light between the Democrats and Israel. One of Hoyer’s first tasks as whip was to retake the Israel solidarity vote. He did so on June 25, and this time it passed the House by a vote of 399-5. In a speech last month to the America Israel Public Affairs Committee, Hoyer said the group of legislators went to Israel in August “to express solidarity with Israel’s cause-- freedom and democracy--as well as her determination to survive and succeed as a sanctuary for the Jewish people.” The primary lesson of the trip, Hoyer told AIPAC, was that the West Bank security barrier, “which has engendered great controversy, is viewed by Democrats as a reasonable and acceptable attempt to reduce terrorist attacks.” Hoyer is at the lead of a group of Democrats who have blasted Bush for criticizing the route of the security fence approved by Israel’s government. Bush has made clear he wants the West Bank fence to adhere more or less to the pre-1967 boundary between Israel and Jordan. Hoyer said he plans to be even more vociferous about Bush’s linking of the fence to loan guarantees for Israel. Taking such shots at a president who calls Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a “man of peace” might seem like folly, but Democrats believe Bush is becoming vulnerable. “Right now, this administration is perceived as very pro-Israel, but that could change,” said Mark Mellman, a top Democratic pollster. He cited pressure over the security fence as well as the administration’s insistence on adherence to the U.S.-led “road map” peace plan, which many in the pro-Israel community consider moribund. Ira Forman, Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, was present at the spring 2002 strategy meetings. He says there are signs Bush may well get tough with Israel in a second term, when he doesn’t have to worry about re-election. Another pressure point is Bush’s perceived warmth toward Saudi Arabia. Virtually every Democratic candidate for president has called for greater scrutiny of the Saudi royal family and its role in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Lewis raised the issue in her own speech to the AIPAC annual meeting last month. Republicans say they’re eager for a fight on Israel and the Middle East. “The president and this party are significantly head-and-shoulders above anyone running on the Democratic side right now” when it comes to Israel, said Matt Brooks, Executive Director of the Republican Jewish Coalition. Stories about Bush family ties to the Saudis or threats that Bush will emulate his father’s coolness toward Israel won’t work, Brooks said. “That’s the same thing they tried to scare the Jewish community with in 2000,” he said. “There is not one leader in the Jewish community who believes that.” Some Democrats indeed are wary of
tackling Bush on the Middle East, and say it’s enough to tell Jewish voters that Democrats share Bush’s commitment to the Jewish state. “Democrats don’t have to be better than Republicans on Israel, they just have to be as good,” said Steve Rabinowitz, a Democratic political adviser who attended the spring 2002 meetings. “So long as Democrats are competitive, it invariably shifts to domestic issues, where we beat them hands down.” There is little reluctance, however, in challenging the Bush administration on domestic issues, a key element of the strategy to emerge from the spring 2002 meetings. Hoyer said that case was an easy sell. “The commitment to the diversity of our nation, ensuring that we invest in the education and health of our people,” Hoyer said, are values that American Jews still hold and issues on which the Democrats will continue to pursue Jewish support. Forman also said Jews naturally would vote Democratic. “Look at the demographics of people who vote Democrat: People who don’t go to church often, with a graduate level of education, who don’t have guns, who live in the inner suburbs or cities,” Forman said. “This should be a Democratic constituency.” John Zogby, a leading Washington pollster, makes the same case. Recent polling shows 75 percent Jewish support for the Democrats, Zogby said. “The thing that comes out loud and clear is that while Israel is of tremendous importance to Jewish voters, they’re not one-dimensional, they still are a liberalDemocrat core constituency, they’re very much anti-Bush on domestic programs and they did not enthusiastically support the Iraq war,” Zogby said. He cited one question from his latest national poll. Overall, he said, 55 percent of Americans believe Bush won the 2000 election legitimately, while 38 percent believe Bush stole it in Florida. Among Jews, those numbers are reversed: some 71 percent believe it was stolen, and only 22 percent think Bush was elected legitimately. But Brooks said foreign policy would be key in the first presidential election since the Sept. 11 attacks.
Some Democrats believe it will be a challenge to move Jews away from their preoccupation with Israel.
“Those that believe and want to believe that they're going to run a campaign on domestic issues are mistaken,” Brooks said. “This will be a foreign-policy election.” That’s especially true since Bush is faring better than expected on domestic issues, Brooks said, given the rebounding economy and the president’s involvement in issues Jews care about, such as education. Some Democrats believe it will be a challenge to move Jews away from their preoccupation with Israel. A Howard Dean candidacy will be especially challenging, Democrats acknowledge, because of Dean’s call several months ago for U.S. “even-handedness” in the Middle East. Those remarks continue to dog the former Vermont governor, widely considered the front-runner in the Democratic primaries. Dean has said his remarks were misinterpreted and that he merely meant greater U.S. involvement in resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Hoyer mobilized the signatories of a letter to Dean from congressional Democrats asking the candidate for clarification. “I’m not at all interested in being neutral between democracy and totalitarianism, terrorism and self- defense,” Hoyer said. Hoyer says that now he is satisfied with Dean’s clarification, and the senior Democratic leadership aide says that if Dean wins the nomination, Hoyer would focus on educating him on Israel. That has been Hoyer’s strategy with Democratic newcomers. In fact, more than a third of the delegation that visited Israel in August were first-termers. When Democrats won’t come aboard on Jewish issues, the party has a different strategy: Drive them out. “Only on the extreme left edge of the Democratic party, like the extreme right edge” of the Republican Party, “do you see anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism, and we have to stamp it out,” Forman said. Two virulently anti-Israel congressmen--Cynthia McKinney of Georgia and Earl Hilliard of Alabama--organized support against the 2002 solidarity vote that triggered the new Democratic outreach to the Jews. Jewish money helped opponents defeat them in 2002 party primaries, and Hoyer is not shy about reminding Jews of that success. As the campaign against Bush heats up, Democrats are going to be busy making sure U.S. Jews--and voters generally--remember their achievements.
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Synagogue Listings B’nai Israel Synagogue 618 Mynster St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 322-4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
Beth El Synagogue Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492-8550 www.bethel-omaha.org
Beth Israel Synagogue Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 1502 N. 52 St. Omaha, NE. 68104 -5013 556-6288 BethIsrael@novia.net
Beyt Shalom An Affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation 3012 S. 119 St. P.O. Box 390352 Omaha, NE 68139 660-2395 http://welcome.to/beytshalom/
Chabad House An Affiliate of the Worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch Movement 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330-1800 nebraskajudaism.com email: chabad@aol.com
Congregation B’nai Jeshrun South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 S. 20th St. Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435-8004 jewishnebraska.org
Offutt Air Force Base SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294-6244
Rose Blumkin Jewish Home
January 16, 2004
Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. FRIDAY: Join us for a musical Kabbalat Service in the chapel, 6 p.m.; Tot Shabbat Services, 6 p.m. (For more information see article on page 3.) SATURDAY: Morning Services, 9:30 a.m. Guest Speaker Rabbi Jules Harlow pays tribute to Rabbi Kripke; Junior Congregation will meet at 10:30 a.m.. K’tantan, 10:45 a.m.; Kiddush luncheon sponsored by Rabbi Kripke’s children and grandchildren in honor of his 90th birthday; Evening Services, 5:05 p.m. SITTER SERVICE Friday Night and Saturday Morning Sitter Service provided at no charge on a drop-in basis. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sunday, 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, 6:55 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Men’s Club, 10 a.m. For information, Larry Hasslinger, 493-5541. Scrapbooking Club, first meeting, 10 a.m. For information, Holly Weill, 493-5126. Rabbi Levin will continue “Why and How to Enrich Shabbat in Your Home,” 10 a.m.; Adult Bible Study Group meets at 11 a.m. in the Library, Dr. Leonard Greenspoon, continues with the Book of Samuel. TUESDAY, 7:30 p.m.: Prime of Lifers get together over coffee and sweets. WEDNESDAY: PATTER (Parent & Toddler Torah, Exercise, Recreation) session with Helen Epstein, 10:45 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah class meets again with Cantor Bogomolni, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, noon: “Jewish Wisdom for the 21st Century”-with Rabbi Levin. Optional lunch
333 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154
Temple Israel Member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations 7023 Cass Street Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556-6536 templeisrael-ne.org
Tifereth Israel Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 423-8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
Part Time Child Care Needed In Home 156 & Dodge Vicinity 1:30-4:30 3-4 Days a Week
333-4163 Be a role model; the person you want your kid to be.
What stronger anti-drug message is there? For more information call: 1-800-648-4444 http://www.prevlink.org
available at 1 p.m. For more information, call 492.8550. COME & DANCE! Israeli Dance group every Thursday, 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Cheryl Lerner, 334-8430.
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: MondayThursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Howard Kutner. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Services, 5:05 p.m. Babysitting available. West Minyan is at the home of Jean and Fishel Paley. SATURDAY: Morning Services, 8:45 a.m.; Free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10:30 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by Carol and Mike Katzman in honor of Jeffrey Katzman’s aufruf. SUNDAY: Morning Services, 9 a.m.; Mincha, 5:05 p.m. Weekday Morning Services, 7 a.m.; Weekday Mincha and Ma’ariv, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Tunes of Davening, 7 p.m.
Candlelighting Friday, January 16, 5:02 p.m.
oneg to follow. SATURDAY: Morning Services, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. SUNDAY, Jan. 18: No Religious school; Parent/Teachers Conferences. TUESDAY, Jan. 20: Board Meeting, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, Jan. 22: Midrash Class, 7:30 p.m. JEWISH SUMMER CAMP Don’t forget to register your children. There are still funds available from Lincoln Jewish Federation to help send many more children. Please contact Rabbi Stiel or Jaine Graham at 481.8499 for more information. INTRODUCTION TO HEBREW Are you interested in a beginning Hebrew class if offered? If you are please call Temple secretary, Kristi at 435-8004.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.; led by Martin Shukert
bat mitzvah, as well as Sunday mornings when there is religious school. Please make a reservation through the Temple office so we may plan accordingly. Cost is $2 per family. Sorry, there are no facilities for infants. ADULT EDUCATION WEDNESDAY: Bring your own lunch to this informal discussion with Rabbi Marantz of current events and issues that effect our community and other jews throughout the world, noon-1 p.m.; “Israel in the Middle East: Modern and Contemporary History” Prof. Moshe Gershovich will lead this class on Zionism, the Holocaust and the modern state of Israel, 6:45-8:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Adult Study with the Clergy with Cantor Wendy Shermet, 10-11:30 a.m.. Prayer Hebrew and Music. Cantor Shermet will teach a six-week mini-course to improve the ability to read, sing and understand Shabbat worship service prayers, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. FAMILY DIVERSITY SERVICE Friday, Jan. 23, 6 p.m.: Services led by OTYG members.
TIFERETH ISRAEL
BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Shabbat in the Home SATURDAY: Havdalah, 6 p.m., Volunteer Needed.
CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. MondayFriday, Morning services, 7 a.m.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Rabbi Debbie Stiel will be in the office Tuesdays and Thursdays, all day. You may reach her 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays at 416.2321 (local for Lincoln), or at rabstiel@aol.com. FRIDAY: Shabbat Services led by Marc Shkolnick, 7:45 p.m.
TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: All male members of Temple Israel are invited to a weekly informal get together at Spirit World, 7517 Pacific St. Join us for relaxation and great conversation, 11:45 a.m.; Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m. Rabbi Craig Marantz and guest soloist Tamara Field. Rabbi Marantz will give the sermon. SATURDAY: Bagels and Sacred Books, 9:30 -10:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. John Dacey and Cantorial Soloist Tamara Field will officiate. SITTER SERVICE Sitter Service is available each Friday evening service, Saturday mornings when there is a bar or
Services conducted by Rabbi Stanley M. Rosenbaum. Minyan, Monday & Thursday, 7:15 a.m. FRIDAY: Services, 8 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. TUESDAY: Ladies Lunch Bunch at Lone Star, 70th and “O” St, noon. Call the office at 423-8569 to RSVP and/or need a ride. WEDNESDAY: The Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Mindstretcher Series, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY, Jan. 24: Lunch and Learn after services. SUNDAY, Jan. 25, 10 a.m.: Meet Holocaust survivor Judy Meisel and view her film, Tak for Alt.
Jewish Thinkers on Jewish Problems Maimonides on Science and Torah by IRIS Ricks Assistant Director Jewish Educational & Library Services A six-part course focusing on the teachings of Maimonides will begin Wednesday, Feb. 11, 10 a.m., in the Kripke Library and will continue through March 17. The course is the first in a series entitled “Jewish Thinkers on Jewish Problems,” and is sponsored by Jewish Educational and Library Services. It will by taught by Guy
Matalon, Executive Director of JELS. The first course will look at the relationship between Science and Torah or Reason and Revelation. This issue became an acute problem during the Middle Ages when Jews gained access to Arabic science and medicine along with philosophy and logic. Maimonides, a product of Spanish Jewish culture, responded to the challenge and offered a very interesting and radical
Albuquerque Rabbi Continued from page 1 Rabbi Black insists, “My rabbinate is not defined by my music, but my music is defined by my rabbinate. Music enhances my rabbinate, and I wouldn’t do it if it didn’t.” He’ll “do it” in Omaha at the Shabbat Shira worship service on Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m., at Temple Israel. Shabbat Shira is the Sabbath of Song and celebrates the Israelites escaping from the Egyptians. Awed and inspired after crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites saw the parting of the sea as an act of God, a miracle. On this Shabbat, the portion, Beshalach, from the Book of Exodus is read. Rabbi Black’s visit to Temple Israel is sponsored by the Janis Yale Enrichment Fund.
approach to this problem. The class will read portions of Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed, Mishne Torah and his letters. In each class, a close reading of the assigned text will take place and a discussion will be based upon the text. “Every generation is guided by its spiritual and religious leaders who attempt to offer solutions to the issues and challenges that each generation faces,” explained Matalon. “Some of these chal-
lenges are restricted to a particular historical circumstance while others transcend time and space. This course is meant to open a window into the universal questions that are faced by Jews and to shed light on the sorts of answers and responses great luminaries offered.” The cost of the course is $25. For reservations or information, please contact me at 334-6445 or via e-mail at iricks@jewishomaha.org.
Birthday Party for Rabbi Kripke Sunday at the Blumkin Home by LOIS WINE RBJH Volunteer Coordinator L.O.V.E. (League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly) and Beyt Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation are sponsoring Rabbi Myer S. Kripke’s 90th Birthday celebration on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2:30 p.m., in the main dining room of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, with a dessert reception in his honor. Two new beautiful needlepointed
Torah mantles that Charlotte Zipursky and Sylvia Jess recently finished for L.O.V.E. will be dedicated to the Blumkin Home in Rabbi Kripke’s honor. This is part of the organization’s renovation project to redecorate the Chapel and both resident lounges. Members of the community are welcome to join in this birthday celebration. For more information, call me at the Blumkin Home, at 334.6519.
January 16, 2004
From Slavery to Liberation
SPARKS FROM THE WORD by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashat Shemot As we open the Book of Exodus, there are three thoughts that come to me that I would emphasize, among the many that come flooding into my consciousness as this important Book opens and continues. The first of these is that the Book names the children of Jacob who come to Egypt and insists that they numbered 70 as the first substantial body of the House of Israel to come to Egypt. Omahans who are intrigued now with the problem facing our country, our state and our city with undocumented immigrants from Mexico who come to work here, recognize the similarity, at least to some extent of the problems facing our ancestors who came to Egypt by invitation, and then found themselves enslaved by the Egyptians. Second, we are impressed with the person and personality of Moses who is introduced in our Sidra and then becomes the dominating personality of the rest of the Pentateuch. Indeed we do not hesitate to use the term, “The Five Books of Moses”, even though he is not part of Genesis at all. And third, I should like to mention the burning bush, which astonished Moses, because it burned and burned and burned and yet was not diminished. “The bush was not consumed,” has become a watchword for the House of Israel, and is indeed, the logo of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
AMERICA DECIDES 2004 Continued from page 6 support me because I’m Jewish. But neither should Jews oppose me because I’m Jewish or worry about supporting me out of some fear of what might happen if a Jewish American becomes president. The truth is that America is more accepting of difference now than at any time in its history, and it is the most ethnically and religiously tolerant country on earth. I am running for president as an American--to give America the strong, serious leadership we need in these changing and challenging times. I have confidence in the American people, who are so magnificently fair and accepting and are ready to support whoever they think would be the best president to provide them with safer, better lives, regardless of religion or any other description. That’s the America of which I have always been proud--and which my grandparents believed in and dreamed of when coming to this great country. To quote the famous Jewish dictum, “If not now, when?” Joseph Lieberman represents Connecticut in the U.S. Senate. by U.S. Ambassador CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN (JTA) -- The Jewish American community is to be congratulated for its active involvement in the political process. Concerned, aware citizens are essential to the functioning of our democracy and ensure that the voice of people is heard in the corridors of power. My friendship with the Jewish community extends back to my earliest days in public service as a legislator in Illinois. As a U.S. senator, my support for the state of Israel was unwavering. The Jewish community shares the concerns of most Americans: the costs of the current administration’s lack of true leadership. Americans know that lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians is an integral step in our struggle against terrorism around the world, and it is essential to our security here at home. Israel must be secure against terrorists and the states and organizations that support them. In order to end the ever-escalating violence, we must return to diplomacy and negotiation. Although President Bush presented his “road map” for peace, his failure to get all parties back to the negotiating table has allowed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to descend further into violence. This administration allowed diplomacy to collapse and abandoned the
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It’s up to you to provide the information they need to say no to drugs.
The phrase means many things to many people; but its apparent and immediate meaning is that in the course of many centuries, the House of Israel has been subjected to many persecutions and many diminutions, but it is not consumed. It continues. It grows, and its spirit is not destroyed. It is not too much to say that the House of Israel has contributed the basic morality of the Western world. It ought to be clear to us, furthermore, that we are now dealing not with the family of the Patriarchs, not with the family, but with the people. In Genesis, the Children of Israel (Jacob) are a family; it Exodus, the Children of Israel refers to a People. Indeed, we have flattered ourselves to call ourselves The Eternal People.
DEATH HAROLD B. NOVAK Harold Novak, a lifelong resident of Omaha, died Jan. 11 at the age of 73. Services were held Jan. 13 at Beth El Cemetery’s Chapel. A graduate of Omaha University, Novak was active in real estate management. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Rita Novak; daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Josh Frankel; son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Kim Novak; grandchildren, Aaron and Ilana Frankel and Rebecca and Samuel Novak; sisters and brothers-in-law, Elaine and Bob Krasne and Sheldon and Laurie Krantz. Memorials to Beth El Synagogue or to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 3 Forest St., New Canaan, CT. 06840. goals of the Oslo Accords; the resultant violence underscores a failure of leadership. The Bush administrations’ lack of commitment has debilitated the now-moribund peace process, of which Israel’s “security fence” is an unfortunate symbol. In order to achieve a sustainable peace, as president I will work to bring Israelis and Palestinians to the bargaining table, to build the two-state solution laid out in the Oslo Accords. I will work to ensure that neighboring countries understand that peace in the region will spread prosperity to all. The issues that went unresolved in the aftermath of Oslo--control of Jerusalem, geographic boundaries of a Palestinian state and security against terrorism--will be addressed meaningfully only when we return to the negotiating table. With leadership truly committed to diplomacy and negotiation, we can resolve this decades-long conflict. Another challenge Americans face is the quality and availability of public education. Universal public education is not only a private benefit; it is also a public good. The rungs on the ladder of success are crafted U.S. Ambassador in our classrooms. Carol Moseley Braun The federal government pays only 6 percent of the cost of public education, passing the rest of the costs on to states and propertytax payers. Given the state of public education--crumbling schools and crowded classrooms--we should pay more of the costs of education at the national level. Voucher programs drain needed dollars from underfunded public schools while not ensuring that every public-school student has a seat in a private school. As an Illinois legislator and a U.S. senator, I fought to protect and fund public education. As president I will work to ensure that every American child has access to a quality public education. Just as vouchers will weaken education, the Bush administration’s “faith-based initiatives” blur the line between church and state and threaten minority religions. Tax dollars should not be used to sponsor discrimination. As president, I will champion religious freedom by keeping the government out of temples, mosques and churches. To return to peace and prosperity, we must elect a president committed to addressing the concerns of the American people. If elected, as president I will work to ensure that our country’s future is brighter and more secure. Carol Moseley Braun represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate from 1993-1999 and served as U.S. ambassador to New Zealand from 1999-2001.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
January 16, 2004
An Omaha Student in Israel “Takes a Journey” by RACHEL KATZMAN for Young Judaea Shalem Program (Editor’s note: Rachel Katzman is spending the academic year on the Young Judaea Year Course, Shalem Program. She was one of three Shalem participants selected to give speeches at the groups’ final Shabbat in Arad, where the 56 young adults have been volunteering since the beginning of Sept. Shalem participants have since moved to the Hebrew University campus at Mount Scopus, where they have begun their college courses.) Welcome Shalem and guests from the Arad community. Most people will tell you that spending a year in Israel is the best time of your life. That statement is true, depending upon how you define it. For the past three months we have been volunteering in Arad. From Masada, to the Chalamish, to the ganim (kindergarten), Magen David Adom, Mishmar Ezrachi, Milev BaLev, the democratic school, and the list goes on. Not only have we volunteered, but we all have become members of the Arad community. I remember when I first started working at the Ulpana; the Bnei Akiva boarding school for girls. I had no idea what to expect when I walked through the door and saw the smiling faces of girls my own age, eager to improve their English. I instantly bonded with the girls and the teachers. I ended up coming to eat Shalom to the Omaha Jewish community! We would like to thank you for the books donation we got. It is wonderful to have overseas friends and it will be wonderful to have you as an visitor, next time you will be in Israel. The founders of the Arad Ulpana set before them the task of creating an educational facility not only that achieves the highest of academic standards, but also incurs the values of Judaism, Zionism and democracy. Besides their studies, the girls are active volunteers in the local community. They help children in their school-
Rachel Katzman, standing right, shows off the more than 100 books delivered to the Arad Ulpana, courtesy of Omaha’s mission participants to the United Jewish Communities General Assembly in Israel in November.
work, aid the elderly and offer assistance to new immigrants. This effort has won them the respect and admiration of the town council as well as the community at large. The Arad B’nai Akiva Ulpana is an institution that receives and unites religious Jewish girls of all backgrounds. The two hundred and forty classmates include: 15 girls from the former Soviet Union in the “Na’ale” program and 20 girls from Ethiopia in the “Klitat Aliya” program. In addition, 72 girls receive support from the Aliyat HaNoar project and another three from the Ministry of Welfare.
dinner with the girls in order to help them with their English homework at night. Volunteering at the Ulpana sparked something inside of me. I felt like there was a lot more I could give to them than what I had already been doing. I decided to start a children’s book drive in my home town of Omaha. Between numerous phone calls and e-mails, I had my mom and the other participants of the Omaha Mission to the G.A. bring more than 100 English children’s books when she came to Israel, in order to give to the Ulpana. Not only did the book drive help the Ulpana, in many ways it helped me. It was not easy giving my mom permission to take books from my bookshelf at home and pack them up to be given away, but it was something that I needed to do. And now other kids are enjoying them. We have all had good days and bad days at our work placements, but the most important thing to remember is the way we impact people in ways we might not even realize on a surface level. Even though our time in Arad has come to a close, let us remember that this is still the beginning and there is much more to come. As my favorite quote says, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem.
The Ulpana has a faculty of 40 teachers, a large dormitory and an outstanding staff of directors and support personnel. The head of the Arad Ulpana is Rabbi Tzi Shmueli, an educator known for his experience, professionalism and modesty. The school is under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, the town council and all other necessary government agencies. The Arad Ulpana excels in educational and scholastic achievement. At least 95% of the girls receive a complete and recognized high school diploma. These studies include English, Math, Physics,
Biology, Literature, Social Studies and Computer Science. Almost all of the girls who attend our school are from development towns. This fact has also helped to make known our achievements throughout the country as well as the southern area. We at the Arad Ulpana believe that it is the guiding principles of love and caring along with high academic standards and involvement in the community that has made our facility such a success. Chaim Prins Executive Director Ulpenat Bnei Akiva Arad, Israel
Conference at Creighton Continued from page 1 The morning’s speakers and their topics follow: Dennis Hamm, S.J., of Creighton University, “Is the New Testament Anti-Semitic?” (9-9:45 a.m.); Gordon Mork, of Purdue University, “Passion Plays” (9:45-10:30 a.m.); John Pawlikowski, O.S.M., of the Catholic Theological Union, “Christian Anti-Semitism: Past History, Present Challenges” (10:45-11:30 a.m.); Adele Reinhartz of Wilfred Laurien University, “Passion-ate Moments in the Jesus Film Genre” (lunch session, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.). The afternoon session will be lead by Sidnie White Crawford, of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, “World of Jesus” (2-2:45 p.m.); Philip Cunningham, of Boston College, “The Execution of Jesus: A Historical Reconstruction” (2:45-3:15 p.m.); Mark Silk of Trinity College, “Media and the Passion” (3:30-4:15 p.m.); Michael Lawler of Creighton University, “Pretridentine Catholicism” (4:15-5 p.m.); and Charles Jurgensmeier,
S.J., Creighton University, with a review of The Passion of the Christ (5-5:30 p.m.). In addition to the conference, a viewer’s guide for the movie will be available on the internet at many of the sponsoring participants’ web sites. The guide, which has been prepared locally, is designed to raise some of the central issues and to give resources for people to explore them further. “In the end, everyone who sees the film or thinks about the Passion narrative should consult trusted religious educators or clergy for guidance on how their particular tradition approaches these issues, Wolfson said. “This is a great example of taking a potential negative and turning it to something positive for everyone.” For more information, contact Bob Wolfson at the ADL-CRC office, 333-1303, Guy Matalon at 334-6560, Leonard Greenspoon at 280-2304, Ron Simkins at Creighton, 280-2504, or Bill Blizek at UNO, 554-2628.
Live from the 92St. Y: The Passion The Truth About the Jews and Jesus Rabbi Eugene Korn and Fr. John Pawlikowski Tuesday, Mar 16, 7 p.m. Even before it entered production, The Passion, directed and produced by Mel Gibson, released many fears and anxieties in the Jewish community, and in many Christian communities as well. Many consider its graphic depiction of Jesus’ last hours to be historically incorrect and biased against the Jews of that day. Join two of today’s finest theologians and historians of the period as they examine the truths and myths behind the story of Jesus’ death, and the context from which the film emerges. This a live broadcast and is part of the “Live from the 92 ST Y” series. Tickets are $5 for JCC Members and Students and $8 for non-members; for more information, contact Rachel Blum at 334.6404.
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