Vol. LXXXVIII No. 22 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 88 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
Omahans show support for Israel
Rabbi Jonathan Gross of Beth Israel, with help from a group of children at last week’s Rally for Israel, leads “Am Yisrael Chai” -- “The People of Israel Live.” A follow up to the Jan. 8 special evening edition of “Eye on Israel” which offered updates on Israel’s War in Gaza against Hamas, the rally drew about 400 supporters of the State of Israel to the Jewish Community Center on Jan. 21. Speakers, which included all of Omaha’s community rabbis, as well
as representatives from the Jewish Federation and the Anti-Defamation League, spoke of the Israeli government’s need to protect its citizens from the nearly 10,000 rockets that Hamas has launched against the State since the Israel Defense Force evacuated Gaza in August of 2005. A brochure, listing addresses and messages of elected officials, also offered informative websites. Continued on page 8
5 Shevat, 5769
January 30, 2009
Survivors inspire photographer UNO to host exhibit and lecture by SHERRIE SAAG The Center for Jewish Education When internationally acclaimed photographer Mark Seliger was a young boy growing up in Houston, he often visited Three Brothers Bakery, owned by Holocaust survivors Max, Sol, and Sigmund Jucker. The numbers tattooed on the brothers’ arms, combined with a pilgrimage to Auschwitz at age 16, inspired Seliger to photograph survivors, including the Juckers, and publish the book, When They Came to Take My Father. From that haunting book came the traveling photography exhibit of the same name, now on display at the Criss Library at the University of Nebraska-Omaha through March 9. The exhibit originated at the Houston Holocaust Museum and, according to a museum spokesperson, “This exhibit conveys a brutal honesty through the camera lens, bringing to light the horrific and dark memories that these survivors carry with them. The black-and-white images, together with the survivors’ personal accounts, form a moving testimony to human dignity and record a part of history never to be forgotten.” Seliger was born in Amarillo and raised in Houston. He currently works for Conde Nast publications, shooting covers for Vanity Fair and GQ magazines. Seliger was also chief photographer for Rolling Stone, where he shot more than 100 covers. His celebrity portraitures includes those for musicians Kanye West, Usher and Dolly Parton. Continued on page 3
Waiting for Obama to fill out ‘Kvelling’ for Obama Mideast policy machine U.S. presidency last week and faced the fallout from the recent fighting in Gaza, plenty of names were in the mix: • George Mitchell, the former U.S. senator from Maine and a former majority leader, was mentioned in both The New York Times and the Washington Post as a likely envoy to the IsraeliPalestinian peace talks and, in fact, was named to that position late last week. Insiders have said that such an envoy will report to Secretary of State Clinton, leapfrogging Dennis Ross, but it won’t be a “peace processor” -- one of the many casualties, like Ross, of failed past attempts to broker a permanent peace. Israeli troops withdrawing from the Gaza Strip on Jan. 18, One would think that Credit: BPH Images would have eliminated 2009. foreign policy team, but the picture Mitchell; his commission’s recommendaremains fuzzy when it comes to the mid- tions in April 2001, on the way out of the level appointees and nominees -- the ones second intifada, fell on deaf ears and the who on a day-to-day level often play the violence continued unabated for at least another year. main role in making policy. Still, as Barack Obama assumed the Continued on page 2 by RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Pro-Israel activists already have a feel for the major players on the Obama administration’s
Inside Opinion Page see page 12
by RON KAMPEAS and ERIC FINGERHUT trate the “promise” of Obama’s election. WASHINGTON (JTA) -- It was a week Recalling how his father and grandpardedicated primarily to marking the elec- ents fled Bessarabia after their home was tion of the first African-American presi- blown up in the pogroms, Axelrod said dent in U.S. history, but the ongoing cer- they “weren’t just looking for a place of emonies were punctuated by several safety, they were looking for a place of Jewish moments, wrinkles and parties. promise and opportunity.” Barack Obama’s supporters said it was an historic week for all Americans, and especially Jewish ones, to take pride in. The sentiment was captured by David Axelrod, a newly appointed White House senior adviser and President Obama’s longtime strategic guru, during an appearance at the Jewish Community Inaugural Reception held the night before Tuesday's midday inauguration. Axelrod, who until recently has been shy about talking about his Jewishness, told White House senior adviser David Axelrod hobnobs at the the crowd of 800 that he main Jewish inaugural bash Jan. 19, 2009. Credit: Ron Kampeas was there “to do a little kvelling,” and then spoke movingly about “They were drawn to America -feeling a rush of gratification when he America was that beacon,” he said, and saw Jews voting for Obama in over- the inauguration “would have been a whelming numbers. Axelrod also reached great affirmation of that” idea. back into his own family story to illus- Continued on page 5
This Week: Monthly Calendar for February: Page 10 See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’
Photos from Federation’s Rally for Israel: Page 8
Coming Next Month: Simchas & Celebrations on Feb. 6 King’s pro-Israel legacy should guide Obama: Page 13
Beth Israel celebrates five years in new building: Page 16