Vol. LXXXIV No. 23 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 84 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
2 Adar, 5765 February 11, 2005
Federation Approves Jewish Senior Services Campaign to Rebuild State-of-the-Art Facility by RITA SHELLEY for Jewish Senior Services A capital campaign, approved by the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) at its Feb. 1 meeting, launches a new era in senior care for the Jewish community. “We can now go immediately to our community to explain why Omaha needs a re-built facility for Jewish seniors,” said Joanie Bernstein, President of Jewish Senior Services (JSS). New Plan Adds Dementia Unit A pressing need is for a special care unit designed for residents at all levels of dementia. Bernstein and Mike Silverman, JSS Executive Director, cited research that proves the progression of these diseases can be slowed in a properly designed environment. The proposed new wing would include private rooms and secure, shaded outdoor areas with appropriate walkways. Current Home Built on ‘Hospital Model’ According to Silverman, the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home was designed on a hospital model, which was state-of-theart at the time. For example, the long hallways create great distances for residents to walk to meals or activities. The hallways also increase the time for the
e n t i r e JCC nursing Gallery to departExtend ment to into reach resiHome dents and The proto respond p o s e d to their facility also needs, will feature Silverman a more said. accessible, Need for direct pasPrivacy s a g e “In addibetween tion,” he the Jewish continued, Commun“we want ity Center to provide and the our resiH o m e , Joanie Bernstein, President of Jewish Senior Services, and Mike dents with making it Silverman, JSS Executive Director, have announced the launch of r o o m s easier to the fundraising campaign to rebuild the Home for Jewish seniors. with more visit both. privacy, individual windows and accessi- This will contribute to additional interable, up-to-date, less institutional and gency programming on the Federation more home-like bathrooms.” campus. Improved locations of Re-hab Unit to Expand entrances, parking and restrooms for volOther features of the re-building unteers and visitors are planned. include enhanced short-term care areas Steering Committee Excited for post-hospital recovery, expanded Bernstein assembled a steering comrehabilitation services for residents and mittee with co-chairmen Bob Lepp, JFO community members. Vice-president and a past JSS President,
American University Professor to Serve as Temple Scholar by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Known as “an excellent speaker, well prepared, informative, and a person who clearly enjoys what she is doing,” Pamela S. Nadell, a professor at American University in Washington, D.C., will present three windows into American Jewish life over the past 350 years when she visits Temple Pamela S. Nadell Israel the weekend of March 4-6 as a scholar-in-residence. A native of New Jersey, Professor Nadell was educated at Douglass College, Rutgers University and at Ohio State University where she received a doctorate in history. She spent her junior year studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 1982, she joined American University as an assistant professor and then became an associate professor. She has been the director of the Jewish Studies Program at the University since 1994. “I was educated in a Conservative afternoon congregational school,” Professor Nadell said, “had a Saturday morning Bat Mitzvah there, did a lot of reading of historical novels (such as Exodus and The Source) as a teenager, and was active in NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth) in high school. Those led me to a Jewish studies major as an undergraduate. I always loved history,” she added. She will begin her residency, which is sponsored by Temple’s Hermene Zweiback Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning, at the Shabbat worship service on Friday, March 4, 7:30 p.m. Continued on page 6
Inside Opinion Page see page 8
The Faces of Aliyah: Two Israelis Talk About Life as New Immigrants by CAROL KATZMAN Editor of the Jewish Press The term aliyah--a synonym for immigration to Israel--actually means going up. It’s used during the Torah service to call someone up to the bimah to recite a blessing before the reading of a section of the weekly Torah portion. And for two young men who visited Omaha last week, aliyah was literally a blessing. Meet Nataniel Kadoche and Alejandro Okret-both 26 and two of Israel’s newest citizens--who came to Omaha last week as part of a seven-city tour of the United States. Accompanied by Maya Neiger (a fifth-generation Jerusalemite) who works for the Jewish Agency for Israel, the two young men spoke about their reasons for making aliyah, their military service and university studies, and how JAFI helped them overcome Nataniel Kadoche, left, originally from Morocco; Maya Neiger, the their loneliness in the process of becoming JAFI representative who accompanied them; and Alejandro Okret from Buenos Aires, were in Omaha last week to talk about how the Israelis. Kadoche, who comes from a long line of Jewish Agency helped them in the process of becoming Israeli citiMoroccan Jews, was born in Casablanca and zens. attended private school there. Fluent in French After finishing high school, he visited his brothers in and English, he did pick up Hebrew by studying Paris and began making plans for aliyah. Eventually he Talmud and learning prayers in the siddur, but admit- enrolled in the Rothberg School at Hebrew University ted his conversational Hebrew “wasn’t so good.” At the to improve his Hebrew. age of 15, he participated in an organized trip to Israel, “I met Jews there from all over the world,” he said sponsored by JAFI. with a smile. “Learning Hebrew together united us.” “I was really curious about Israel,” he recalled. “My As a “lone student” in Israel, Kadoche had the help dream was to live in Israel, but I was concerned about of a JAFI program, which gave him stipends to help learning the language.” him financially, and also arranged for him to spend His two older brothers were living in Paris already, Shabbat and holidays with Israeli families. Kadoche having attended university there, and his parents stopped his studies after a second year, this time at Bar assumed he’d do the same. What they didn’t know is Ilan University, to join the Israel Defense Force, serving that he left a note in the Western Wall during his first in an Air Force anti-aircraft unit. JAFI stepped in again, trip stating that one day, he’d become an Israeli. Continued on page 3
This Week: Books for 350 Years of Jewish History in America: Page 5 Former Omahan Honored by South Dakota Governor: Page 4
and Bob Belgrade, a JSS Vice- president. Community leaders Howard Kooper and Harlan Noddle, along with Silverman and Bernstein, complete the committee. “The steering committee’s mandate is to continue the level of excellence our community has always demanded and supported,” Bernstein said. “The facility will be forward-looking and second-tonone in design.” Kooper concurs. “For almost a century we have been taking care of our Jewish seniors in our community,” Kooper said. “Now, 23 years after the Blumkin Home opened, it’s a privilege for me to be involved in carrying on the tradition of our predecessors--to once again provide a state-of-the-art facility for our Jewish seniors and continue the same high standards of care and security.” According to Noddle, “We have a wonderful facility now. However, we all recognize its physical limitations. We want-and need--a Home that will take us a long time into the future, so we’re obviously very excited to see this next phase of the project being launched.” Steering Committee co-chairmen Lepp and Belgrade share this enthusiasm for what the future holds. Continued on page 2
Crossword Puzzle: Champions of Sport: Page 7
Coming Next Week: Simchas Issue
Person-to-Person with Condoleeza Rice: Pages 8-9
Rabbi Marantz Looks at the Two Kushners: Page 12
Page 2
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
February 11, 2005
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Belgrade said. “The residents will be proud to visit with family and guests in beautiful common areas. “It’s wonderful to see our campus serving everyone from infants to seniors,” he continued. “The enhanced connectivity from the Home to the rest of the campus facilities will provide the ability for everyone of all ages to interact.” “It’s very exciting to see our community's support of a project of this magnitude,” said Zoe Riekes, JFO President. “I personally want to commend the board of Jewish Senior Services and the members of its Steering Committee for their hard work and extensive research.” “We ask every member of our community to join us in our endeavor to make this dream a reality,” Bernstein said. Future Jewish Press articles will describe additional innovations of the proposed new facility.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
by JILL BELMONT are available in the synaBeth El Publicity Coordinator gogue office or at the Beth Purim is just around the El web site, www.bethelcorner, so if you’re dreamomaha. org. In addition, ing of sinking your teeth orders may be placed by einto some sweet and mailing Roni Reiter-Palmon scrumptious hamanat rreiterpalmon@mail. taschen, make that dream a unomaha.edu, or Caryn reality by ordering your Rifkin at crgr6’75@aol. holiday treats today from com. Please make checks Beth El’s Sisterhood! payable to Beth El More than 40 Sisterhood Whole lotta bakin’ goin’ on: Patti Adler, left, Ellene Edelstein Sisterhood, and mail to Beth members, their husbands and Leigh Emas were among the volunteers baking haman- El Sisterhood, 14506 and children have been taschen for Beth El Sisterhood’s annual sale. California St., Omaha, NE baking up a storm recently, 68154. to meet the demand of creating the 4,500 hamanAll orders may be picked up at the synagogue on taschen pieces needed for the community celebration, March 20 from 10 a.m. to noon, or March 27 from according to Caryn Rifkin, who is co-chairing the 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Rifkin said. She also noted that volannual baking bonanza along with M’Lee Hasslinger unteers are still needed to bake on Tuesday, March and Roni Reiter-Palmon. 22, Monday, Feb. 28 and Tuesday, March 15, and to Hamantaschen flavors are cherry, raspberry, poppy- help package the hamantaschen on Sunday, March seed and apricot; cost is $4 per dozen prior to March 13; anyone interested in helping out is asked to con2; after that, the price will be $5 a dozen. Order forms tact any of the co-chairmen.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12 Lunch and Learn on Shabbat with Carol Gendler, 12:30 p.m. at Beth El
NCSY Sets February Activities at Beth Israel
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Religious School Steering Committee Meeting, 8:30 a.m. at Temple Israel C Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Jewish Potpouri, 10 a.m. at Beth El L Fifth Grade Family History Museum Program, 10 a.m. at Beth El I Bible Study with Leonard Greenspoon, 11 a.m. at Beth El P Hebrew Crash Course, 11 a.m. at Beth El Federation Newcomers Brunch, 11:30 a.m. & Basketball Awards Ceremony, 3:30 p.m. Family Spaghetti Dinner and Auction, 5 p.m. at Temple Israel S A TUESDAY, FEB 15 V Lunch & Learn “The Guy and Bob Show”, noon E Board of Trustees Meeting, 5 p.m. at Temple Israel BBYO Chapter Elections, 6 p.m. Adult Education, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel “Live from the 92nd Street Y” features “Judaism Today and Tomorrow”, 7 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel TLC “Growth Through Torah”, 7:30 p.m. at private residence
C L I P & S A V E
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 PATTER, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El Adult Education, noon at Temple Israel Religious School & Dinner, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel
&
Continued from page 1 “It was a pleasure to serve on the steering committee and be a part of this process,” Lepp said. “While it was hard work and it took some time to reach finality, we tried to come up with a modern and exciting design that would best meet the needs of our Jewish seniors and our community. “And, I believe we have succeeded,” he added. “In this new facility, our seniors will be able to receive the highest quality of care in the very finest surroundings. It certainly will be a Home of which we all can be proud.” Belgrade added that the hard work that already has gone into preparing for the upcoming capital campaign seems well worth it. “I am excited to see this significant upgrade planned for senior care in our community. The new Home will have the welcoming feel of a comfortable residence,”
Beth El Sisterhood Promises Tasty Treats with Its Annual Hamantaschen Sale
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JSS Launches Fundraising Campaign
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Men’s Spirituality Group, 7:30 a.m. at Temple Israel Walk-in Drop-in, 10 a.m. Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Jewish Parenting 101, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El Rabbi Levin’s Class, noon at Beth El Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. TLC “Meaning of Life” Class, 1 p.m. Kripke Library Book Discussion Group, 1 p.m. Rabbi Gross’ Lecture Series, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel JELS/Beth El Class, 7 p.m.
S A V 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)
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by MARY BORT Beth Israel Synagogue Beth Israel Synagogue has some first-rate National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) activities lined up for the month of February! Senior NCSY will meet for “Latte & Learning” at the 114th & Dodge Starbucks, Monday, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m., Beth Israel’s Junior NCSY will gather for a “Movie Night” that will include an exciting “Movie Scavenger Hunt.” According to Rabbi Jonathan Gross, the goal of Senior NCSY’s ‘Latte & Learning’ is “to establish a fun social forum where teens can openly discuss relevant Jewish issues in a relaxed environment.” This goal is accomplished by gathering in a comfortable setting, enjoying a free beverage, and listening to interesting speakers who share their life experiences, providing the basis for substantive discussion. For example, last fall Rachel Katzman described her trip to Israel, providing insight about what other teens might expect when they journey there. College students have also met with Senior NCSY’ers to share their Jewish campus experiences, both positive and negative. There will be a guest speaker at the Feb. 19 “Latte & Learning.”
The Junior NCSY “Movie Night” on Feb. 19 will serve as the occasion to “inaugurate” Beth Israel’s new video projection system. While plans include utilizing the system for PowerPoint presentations and videos at future classes and lectures, Rabbi Gross said it was exciting to premiere the new system during “Movie Night,” when so many young people get to enjoy watching a movie together in the synagogue’s social hall. Adding to the fun of “Movie Night” will be a “Movie Scavenger Hunt.” Rabbi Gross stated, “In addition to enjoying an entertaining movie, kids will be given a list of things to watch for and find during the movie. The one who finds the most items on the list will win. Since we’re holding the scavenger hunt, the movie we’ll watch will be a surprise.” Snacks and pop will be provided to everyone attending the free “Movie Night.” NCSY activities are open to all fifth-12th graders, regardless of synagogue affiliation. Senior NCSY is designed specifically for students in ninth-12th grades, while Junior NCSY is for youth in fifth-eighth grades. For more information, contact Beth Israel Synagogue’s NCSY Advisor, Joey Shyken, at 556.6288 or NCSY@OrthodoxOmaha.org.
& S A V E
Federation Accepting Nominations for Community Volunteers by PAM MONSKY Federation Communications Director The Jewish Federation of Omaha is now accepting applications for community volunteer awards to be presented at their 102nd Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 9, 7 p.m., in the Jewish Community Center Theater. Along with honoring our community's volunteers, Federation and agency offcers will be elected and installed. The entire Omaha Jewish community is invited to attend. Nominations are now being accepted for the foilowing awards: Humanitarian of the Year, the
Bruce Fellman and Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Awards, the Jewish Teen Leadership Award and the Community Service Project Award. Volunteers of the Year for the Federation and its Centers of Excellence will also be honored. Nomination forms, in on-line and downloadable formats, are available by visiting the Federation website, www.jewishomaha.org. Nominations are due no later than Friday, April 1, 2005. For more information, please contact me by calling me at: 334.6431 or e-mailing me at: pmonsky@jewishomaha.org.
February 11, 2005
The Faces of Aliyah Continued from page 1 this time helping him as a “lone soldier.” The organization even helped him rent an apartment so he’d have a place to go while on leave. “JAFI recently introduced a program called ‘At Home Together,’” explained Neiger. “So far, we’ve paired 6000 new olim (immigrants) with those who’ve been through the process. This helps ‘lone soldiers’ like Nataniel make connections, figure out how to make his way through the Israeli bureaucracy, and give him a sense of family.” Kadoche missed his parents very much, especially on the day of his swearing-in ceremony at the Wall when he graduated from basic training. “I looked past the dignitaries,” Kadoche recalled, “and there were my parents, smiling at me!” Okret, too, came as a “lone student.” As a teen, he had been involved in his youth group in Buenos Aires. In fact, Beth El’s Rabbi Mordechai Levin was the rabbi of the synagogue in Argentina where Okret became a Bar Mitzvah! “My parents were active in Hashomer Hatza’ir,” Okret recalled, “and I thought of myself as very Zionistic. So when the opportunity came to take a six-week trip to Israel with Jews from Latin America, I did.” He didn’t imagine making aliyah, however, until several years later when he and his friends went backpacking through Europe. Their last stop was Auschwitz. “We weren’t on a guided tour,” he explained. “It was snowing heavily and none of us spoke Polish. The bus driver pretended not to understand where we wanted to go. It wasn’t until later we realized we had asked for directions to Auschwitz--which is the German name for the Polish town where the camp was located.” He and his friends entered Auschwitz by walking down the same railroad tracks where 1.5 million Jews arrived more than 50 years ago. “We stood in a circle with our arms around one another,” he said quietly. “We knew we were there to honor their memory.” It wasn’t planned as part of the trip, but Okret decided to fly from Warsaw to Tel Aviv, where, he remembered, “it was like summer.” This was his friend’s first trip to Israel, but for Okret, it was like coming home.
“That trip to Auschwitz was like a gift to me,” he added. “It made my decision to make aliyah.” Okret insisted his absorption process was “fairly easy.” A gifted linguist--he speaks Spanish, English, French, Portuguese and French--he was able to improve the Hebrew he had learned in Buenos Aires. Unlike Kadoche, Okret had three years towards a political science degree at Buenos Aires University. Though it took some time, Hebrew U. eventually accepted most of his credits and Okret was able to complete his degree there. As a older oleh, Okret performed his military service in a shorter time. But he, too, was supported by the JAFI “lone soldier” program. In fact, Okret was so enthusiastic about his IDF service that he now volunteers with the Jerusalem police. He works with them to prevent suicide bombings by riding buses and staffing checkpoints at stations and bus stops. Okret hopes to eventually earn a masters in political science and use his natural gift for foreign languages to teach. “My parents knew this day would come,” Okret admitted. “They were not so supportive but they were realistic that this was my dream.” When they came to visit their son, the elder Okrets learned about a different Israel than they had seen on CNN. And Alejandro has been back to visit them--and his sister, thanks to JAFI. “It’s a big sacrifice for them,” Okret admitted, adding that for him, too, it’s hard to be so far away from family. Kadoche’s parents immigrated to Israel, but Nataniel’s mother died a year after making aliyah. Today, Nataniel is finishing a degree in optometry at Bar Ilan; his father lives a short distance away in Ashdod. The ‘lone soldier’ fund was created by JAFI in August of 2004, according to Neiger. It’s part of several new programs, including the At Home Together Project, that came after the establishment of the Israel Terror Relief Fund, developed after September of 2000, when incessant acts of terror dramatically affected both immigration and tourism. Though Kadoche and Okret experienced loneliness, Kadoche insisted their time as students and in the IDF was a “sweet challenge.” Added Okret, “It reminds you every day why you’re in Israel.”
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 3
The Siddur: Bestselling Book of Kaballah Ever Read! by RABBI TUVIA HOFFMAN Director of Torah Learning Center Starting Monday, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m., I will present a series of classes explaining the bestselling book of Kaballah ever read, the Siddur. Using explanations from the Talmud, we will be transported back 2,000 years to a Roman coliseum built in Israel, where Rabbi Akiva will recite the “Shema” under the greatest of torments. Using this as springboard, we will define why the “Shema” is the prayer to be uttered before Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman we die. Included will be a discussion of the soul and how it operates in both this world and the next, and what it means that G-d is One. The “Shemoneh Esrei” (also known as the “Amidah” or “Standing/Silent Prayer”) will also be learned in depth, taking great care to explain the different names and descriptions of G-d. We will also discuss questions such as: Why does Gd need our prayers? Does it make a difference if I pray in Hebrew or English? Is it okay to pray for the small things? What are the mystical meanings behind the sentences, and several other topics. As part of the class, we’ll be giving away a free Artscroll Siddur for every participant who commits to coming to our prayer class. Please don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get a deeper understanding of one of our most basic texts. For more information, call me at 981.0569.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
February 11, 2005
Tales from the Milestone by Ben Wajikra (iUniverse.com, 2003, $16.95)
B OOK REVIEW Reviewed by CAROL KATZMAN Editor of the Jewish Press When articles about the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp were sent to editors from our news service, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, it seemed appropriate to look in our file of future stories for a local connection. In 1999, freelance writer Leo Adam Biga had published a story in The Reader about Lincolnite Lou Leviticus. Because members of his family were killed in that notorious death camp, the Press published Biga’s interview in the Jan. 28 issue. That story--a tale of boyhood years in the Netherlands, resourcefulness during the Nazi invasion of that small country, rescue and assistance from the Dutch resistance, and a new life--first in Israel and then in Lincoln--is a tale of courage in itself. But, like the stories of so many survivors, there is so much more. Lou Leviticus’ story, which he kept to himself for so many years, only emerged after Omaha dentist Ben Nachman contacted him for a video-interview for the Steven Spielberg Foundation. But Leviticus himself felt that the taped interview was “like a report. There was no emotion,” he recalled in a recent phone interview with the Press, “just an engineer’s dry recounting of the details.” Leviticus resolved to “get it to a place “where he “felt comfortable,” and began writing down the narrative of his life. In 2003, he published Tales from the Milestone: My Life before and during 1940-45. “It’s still not perfect,” he admitted. “There are grammatical and punctuation mistakes, but I just had to stop. So here it is--warts and all!” Though a corrected version of the book is a possibility, readers should not be dissuaded from picking up the current copy at the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. While many of the details have been related in the Jan. 28 interview in this newspaper, a book of 186 pages obviously provides more information--and a more thoughtful look back. For example, Leviticus (who wrote the book under the pseudonym Ben Wayikra--Son of Leviticus), goes to great length in the early chapters to describe his family and life before the Nazis. “One of my best memories...was
when my parents and I flew to Paris in a Fokker Tri-motor place, which was one of the early KLM (Royal Dutch Airline Company) planes,” he relates. He also describes members of his family: “The person I remember best from my youth was my paternal grandmother. She was, like the rest of my father’s family, small in stature, but a giant lady to me...It was lucky she lived in The Hague...because this way she couldn’t spoil me every day...” Many will assume that books about the Holocaust contain only depressing stories of death and destruction. But survivors had rich lives before the war, and even after the Nazi invasion, help came from unexpected places. After the young Leviticus ran away during a raid on his home; he knocked on the door to the home of Joop Van Der Pol; Annie Van Der Pol replied, “Yes, we know about the raid.”...She had red eyes from crying and started to cry again when she hugged me...I don’t know what I cried for. Was it relief? Was it for my parents?” Leviticus never saw his parents again; he learned later they had died in Auschwitz in the fall of 1942. A video-taped interview, a story, a book--today Leviticus lectures nearly every week about his wartime experiences. He worries about the world today and reads the foreign press religiously. “For the last 10 years, books published in Dutch show a bleak situation there and in the rest of Europe,” Leviticus insisted. “New stories are coming to light about the actions of the Dutch government and its population during the war. It’s not so flattering; they weren’t the heroes Hollywood has made them out to be.” Fluent in seven languages--Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Spanish, and even Afrikaans, Leviticus has no trouble reading articles in the original language--where, he insists, you’ll find what Europeans are really saying. Though now semi-retired from his position as a professor of engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Leviticus still works part-time as the curator of a small museum on the east campus. He no longer plays accordion or keyboard, but loves listening to jazz. And he’s available to speak to groups-small or large. By the way, his birthday is July 4--a fitting tribute he says to his adopted country and his gratitude for the freedoms available here.
Former Omahan Honored by South Dakota Governor by JOAN K. MARCUS vals. Bea Wintroub Premack has Premack spearheaded received a Special Governor’s the development of Award for Outstanding Aberdeen’s L. Frank Lifetime Service to the Arts Baum “Oz Festival”, one from the state of South of South Dakota’s preDakota. Governor Mike mier cultural tourism Rounds, who presented the projects. Governor award--created especially for Rounds said, while makher and never presented to ing the presentation, anyone before this. “Every arts organization Premack was lauded for and art form in Aberdeen her lifetime commitment and has benefited from her contribution to the arts--both time, talent and support. Bea Premack in her hometown of The arts are well and Aberdeen, and across the state. growing in South Dakota--partially due Premack grew up in Omaha and went to the efforts of Bea’s commitment and to live in Aberdeen in 1953, when she contributions.” married Herschel Premack. Her parents In order to help the state of South were Syd and Phineas Wintroub. Dakota, Bea became a consistent leader Both Bea and Herschel have been of the governor appointed Arts Council active in the arts and leaders in their for 18 years before her retirement in community. They raised three children, 2004. She advocated for the arts through all with university degrees in the arts. the five governors and dozens of legislaThey have five grandchildren. tors. In 1993-94, she was chairman of the Bea’s efforts to enhance the local qual- council. Bea chaired the highly successity of life have been tireless. She served ful 1989 Dakota Centennial Arts 18 years on the Aberdeen Community Congress in Aberdeen, as well. This Concert Association and was president involved arts constituents from both from 1963-68. In 1967, she was instru- North and South Dakota. mental in establishing the Aberdeen Area During the 1980s, she served as the Arts Council. She was also president of state “Dance On Tour” coordinator, that organization for four years. when she helped to organize “South She incorporated the arts into the busi- Dakotans for the Arts.” She served as ness community as one of her priorities president of that statewide advocacy arts and organized and chaired the Cultural organization and became part of the Affairs Committee for the local Chamber state’s Community Arts Network. of Commerce. On a national level, Premack particiFor many years, she served on com- pated in the National Assembly of State mittees for the Ballet Association and the Arts Agencies and the National Community Concert Association. She Endowment for the Arts. In 1985, she chaired other arts-related events, such as represented the U.S. in the People to Guthrie Theatre On Tour and local festi- People arts delegation to China.
YJO Members to Receive Free Admission to 92nd St. Y Broadcast: “DaVinci Code” by PAM MONSKY Federation Communications Director Members of Young Jewish Omaha will be admitted free to the live satellite broadcast on Sunday, Feb. 27, 6:30 p.m., at the Jewish Community Center. Using the best-selling book, The DaVinci Code, the broadcast will feature “Facts and Fallacies.” A special YJO dessert reception will follow the broadcast. The DaVinci Code broadcast kicks off a series of monthly programs for YJO, according to Jill Simon, YJO Programming Coordinator. Upcoming programs include: Visions in Concert with a YJO Havdalah on Saturday, March
26, 7:30 p.m.; Passover Cooking with Style in April; May Casino Night at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, and a Family Pool Party in June at the JCC. YJO, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Omaha, is a social group for members of the Jewish community, ages 25-45. Membership is free and open to singles and couples. For information, please contact Simon at 934.2076 or email: jsimon1123@cox.net; or Sharon Kirshenbaum Young Leadership Director, 334.6485 or e-mail her at: skirshenbaum@jewishomaha.org or visit: www.jewishomaha.org and click on “YJO.”
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Res: 334-7257 Bus: 498-8300 Kadimaniks, unite! Led by Cantor Gastón Bogomolni, 36 sixth-through-eighth graders joined together to enjoy Beth El Synagogue’s second annual Kadima Shabbaton, held last weekend at the Gretna 4-H camp. In addition to Shabbat observance, attendees participated in music, discussion groups, activities filled with ruach, arts and crafts, and a snowman-building contest. Photo credit: Michael Hoberman
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Beth Israel February Lecture Series Continues by MARY BORT Beth Israel Synagogue Rabbi Jonathan Gross will present his second February lecture, “How a Bill Becomes a Law: An Examination of the Halachic Process,” on Thursday, Feb. 17, 7-8 p.m. The free lecture will be held at Beth Israel Synagogue and the community is invited to attend. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss Jewish law issues. Free babysitting will be provided. For more information, please call 556-6288.
LINES FROM THE LIBRARY by GARY KATZ Library Administrator
Happy 350th Anniversary! of the first Jewish community in the United States. We celebrate this special milestone with a year-long reading fest, exploring 17th century New
• 8111 Dodge Medical Center • Suite 140 • 354-8195 Beth El Synagogue’s Talmud Torah students took a break recently from their regular classes to enjoy special Tu B’Shevat activities. Top photo: Teacher Eadie Tsabari supervises as John Gallagher, left, (back to camera), Ariel Juster, Jacob Hoberman and Chad Shulewitz write about the many ways trees enhance our lives; below: student assistant Effie Tsabari leads Chelsea Kavich, left, Alyssa Kirshenbaum, Julia Edelstein and Alyssa Cohen (back to camera) in the blessing over the grape juice. Amsterdam through novels, 18th century colonial New York in a museum catalog, and the War of 1812. We’ve moved on to preserving Monticello in energetic nonfiction, manifest destiny in a delightful memoir, the Civil War in a dashing biography, Eastern European immigration in a classic autobiography, and the roaring 20s through provocative theory. We continue today in Hollywood and on Broadway.
There’s No Business Like Show Business by ELLEN G. COLE Librarian, Levine Library, Temple Isaiah, Los Angeles, CA Jewish impact on American culture is our palpable history. Determined personalities, obsessed with acceptance, invent a world and place themselves in it. The process creates a defining national myth. Whether on the boards or movie or TV screens, Jewish dreams spawn trend setting, internationally famous industries. Two classics capture the movies business: one from the vantage point of the movies themselves, Lester Friedman’s The Jewish Image in American Film and the other from the view of the moguls who made them, Neal Gabler’s An Empire of Their Own. Both are engrossing reads with wonderful photos and stunning content. The driving thesis behind these books is the metamorphosis of the immigrant Jew. Excluded from America’s professional, business and social world, Jews found their chance for gentility and power in a new technology which had no social barriers or racial impediments. At the turn of the 20th century movies were considered disreputable and shunned by mainstream entrepreneurs. Into this void stepped Jewish acumen and talent. The general pattern moved entrepreneurs from exhibition to distribution to production, from East to West and from opportunity to finance to artistry. There is an eerie parallel to the ghettoized Jew becoming a money lender because he could. America became conscious of its films and its Jews almost simultaneously. Because so many Jews controlled Hollywood, movies about Jews were different from those about other minorities: Hollywood Jews had the power to decide how the entire group would be presented to Christian society. Their movies reveal by reflection or distortion the role of Jews in the US at any given time, their anxieties and their securities. The
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moving picture image of Jews becomes frozen in time and bolsters the picture of America as a nation of immigrants. Friedman offers celluloid examples, arranged by decade, which chronicle Jewish adjustment to an alien society, first assimilating, then returning to ethnicity. For example, fear of war mongering in the thirties produced movie characters who were nationless, raceless and religionless, while the sixties discovered Israel and probed the definition of Jewish American to face television competition. Gabler’s lively history embraces biographies of founding moguls, Harry Cohn (Columbia), Carl Laemmle (Universal), Louis B. Mayer (MGM), the Warner brothers and Adolph Zucker (Paramount). He examines the psychology that drove these men and the political, religious and financial milieu of their studios and the town they put on the world map. He connects each personality to the personality of his productions and operating style. Movie Jews recast their lives and the lives of everyone in their films to a pattern of American respectability as they interpreted it. Jews colonized the American imagination in less than 300 years after the original Jewish colonists, battling Thomas Edison, prejudice and ostracism to create universal popular culture. Making American: Jews and the Broadway Musical, the brand new book by Andrea Most, delivers serious, detailed history with fabulous photos and tiny print. She misses the joyous tone of her subject in her scholarly mining of the Jewish reshaping of the musical stage into an American art form. As in movies, Americans learn to see Jews by seeing musical theater. I note there’s another fine new book about Jews in television, more didactic than the theater book, which puts it outside the “popular” style category of this series. For aficionados I recommend David Zurawik’s The Jews of Prime Time. Come to the Kripke Jewish Federation Library to try one or all. Go out to the show. Read about Jews and Hollywood.
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WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going on the day trip to the Bluffs Run Casino on Thursday, please meet at the JCC main entrance at 8:45 a.m. For information call Maggie Conti at 334.6521. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Come to the Yiddish meeting at the JCC on Thursdays 1-3 p.m. Call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638. VISIONS Reminder: Deadline is Feb. 17 for the trip to Joslyn to see “The Old Masters: Renaissance to Rococo” on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 11:15 a.m. Meet for lunch (on your own) in the Atrium of the Joslyn (Durham Café). An escorted tour will follow. The cost is $5.50 each for admission; no charge for members of Joslyn. Tour Antiquities at UNO: “Silent Spectators of the Sacred” on Wednesday, March 9, 11:30 a.m. Meet at China Road (132 and Dodge) for lunch (on your own). Then carpool to UNO and view the exhibit with the curator as our guide. Suggested donation is $2 single or $3 for couple. Make checks payable to Visions and send with reservation to: Sandy and Fred Bromley, 13419 Marinda St., Omaha, NE 68144. Membership dues to Visions for 2005 are due. Please mail your check for $5 to: Visions, Beverly Gilinsky, 1406 No. 126 St., Omaha, NE 68154. JEWISH SENIOR SERVICES Join us for live music at its finest with The Omaha Municipal Orchestra on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m., at the JCC auditorium. For reservations call Maggie Conti at 334.6521. BREADBREAKERS RESPECT--Relationship Empowerment for Students, Parents, Educators and Community through Theater-will present one of its brief dramas about bullying, “Spelling It Out” at B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers on Wednesday, Feb. 16, noon, at the Park Inn Regency. A short discussion will follow the play. Lunch is $11, beverage service only is $2. The program is open to the entire community. TORAH LEARNING CENTER All classes are taught by Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman. Please call him at 981.0569 for more information. Mondays, 7:30 p.m.: “The Siddur: The bestselling book of Kaballah” in the Omaha Room of the JCC. Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m.: “Growth Through Torah” at a private residence. Thursdays, 1 p.m.: “Meaning of Life & Other Business” based on The Way of G-d by Rabbi Chaim Luzatto, also in the Omaha Room of the JCC. JEWISH FEDERATION NEWCOMERS JFO will host newcomers to the Jewish community Sunday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at a brunch at the JCC. Meet other newcomers, Omahans, and representatives from synagogues, agencies and organizations.
IN THE NEWS Lexie Newman, daughter of Murray and Sharee Newman, was selected to participate in the Nebraska Young Artists Awards Day on April 13. An award-winning visual artist, Lexie is a junior at Westside High School. She is also a member of Westside’s Show Choir and has appeared in several of the school’s musicals. The Young Artists Awards are chosen by the faculty of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Bais Chana International will host a week long Jewish Spa, Feb. 14-20 at the Hilton in Palm Springs, CA, featuring educator and author, Rabbi Manis Friedman. “Blessings in Disguise” is the theme of the retreat; for more information, contact Hinda Leah Sharfstein at 718.604.0088. Future retreats for women are May 15-18 in the Berkshire Mountains of Connecticut and July 31-Aug. 11 in Minneapolis. The Omaha Symphony presents the Omaha premiere of “The Lord of the Rings Symphony” on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25-26, 8 p.m., at the Orpheum Theater. For ticket information, call 342.3836 or online at: www.omahasymphony.org. Tickets are also still available for tonight’s and tomorrow’s performances of the SuperPops, featuring Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
LINCOLN CENTER The Jewish Federation of Lincoln will present King of the Corner, a new film based on a book of short stories by Prof. Gerald Shapiro, former head of the Harris Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The film, starring Peter Reigert of Crossing Delancy and “The Sopranos”, also features Eli Wallach, Isabella Rosselini and Rita Moreno. It will premier in Lincoln at the Ross Film Theater on the campus of UNL, on Saturday, March 5, 7:30 p.m. Current donors to the Federation’s 2004 or 2005 annual campaigns are eligible for free tickets and may do so by calling Helen Sweet at 488.4759. The Jewish Federation of Lincoln announced that it received $6000 in grants for 2004, bringing its campaign total to $108,899. Its first action of 2005 was to send a $1000 check to the Joint Distribution Committee for its Tsunami Relief Fund. President Marcia Kushner also announced the availability of scholarships for Jewish summer camping experiences and that leadership development funds are available to assist members of the Jewish Federation in participating in missions to Israel. For more information on missions, call her at 423.5959. For information on camp scholarships, call Janie Graham at 486.4150.
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Continued from page 1 She will give the D’var Torah that evening followed Saturday morning by another discussion at 9 a.m. at Bagels and Sacred Books, a weekly study session which precedes Shabbat services at 10:30 a.m. To conclude her visit, Professor Nadell will lead a conversation on Sunday, March 5, 10 a.m., at a bagel brunch at Temple. Chair of the Academic Council of the American Jewish Historical Society from 2002 to 2003, she was deeply involved with the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History, a partnership of the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the American Jewish Historical Society, and the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives. She was one of several historians advising the Library of Congress exhibition team last summer prior to the opening last fall of the exhibit, “From Haven to Home: A Library of Congress Exhibition Marking 350 Years of Jewish Life in America.” Commenting on the educational value of the exhibit, Professor Nadell said, “To see this exhibit displayed in a space which so many visitors walk through is remarkable.” She also contributed a chapter on America’s Jewish women to the exhibition’s companion catalogue, From Haven to Home: 350 Years of Jewish Life in America edited by Michael W. Grunberger, curator and head of the library's Hebraic section. Professor Nadell is the book review editor for the journal American Jewish History. She is a member of a number of academic advisory boards including the Association for Jewish Studies, Center for Jewish History, Hadassah International Research Institute on
Jewish Women, Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, and the Jewish Women’s Archive. Also an award-winning author, Professor Nadell wrote Women Who Would be Rabbis: A History of Women’s Ordination, 1889-1985, published in 1998, which was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award and a main selection of the Jewish Book Club. The author of Conservative Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook, published in 1988, she edited American Jewish Women’s History: A Reader in 2003, and Women and American Judaism: Historical Perspectives with Jonathan D. Sarna of Brandeis University in 2001. Professor Nadell won fellowships from the American Jewish Archives and the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and received the Anti-Defamation League Community Leadership Award in 1995. Both her alma maters have paid tribute to Professor Nadell as an educator. For her work in pioneering the teaching of AfricanAmerican/Jewish Relations at American University and Howard University, American University honored Professor Nadell with its Award for Outstanding Contributions to Academic Development in 1997. Among the courses Professor Nadell teaches at American University in Jewish history are Ancient and Medieval Jewish Civilization, Modern Jewish Civilization, American Jewish History, American Jewish Women’s History, Holocaust, and History of Israel. She also works with graduate students in modern Jewish history.
February 11, 2005
Lt. Irving Cohen Profiles Essays Due March 1 by GARY KATZ Just a reminder: all entries for the Lt. Irving Cohen Essay Contest must be submitted by March 1, to the Kripke Federation Library. The essay contest is open to Jewish students in the Omaha metropolitan area in seventh through 12th grades. The essay should identify a Jewish person who has shown courage in his or her life. The person can be well known, community leader, a family member, or a friend. An award ceremony will be held May 15, during the community Yom
Ha’Atzmaut celebration at the JCC. All winning entries will be on display at the Kripke Library. Cash prizes for 10-12th grade winners are $200, $100 and $50; for seventh-ninth graders: $100, $50 and $25. The Lt. Irving Cohen Profiles in Jewish Courage essay contest is sponsored by The Lt. Irving Cohen Memorial Endowment Fund, The Kripke Library, and Jewish Educational and Library Services. For more information about the contest, please call 334.6462 or e-mail gkatz@jewishomaha.org.
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 7
Champions of Sports by BERNARD MANN Legacy Crosswords, © 2004 Sponsored by CATEGORY ONE
ENGAGEMENT DEMB/SCHNEIDER Dr. Larry and Marilyn Schneider of Louis Demb. Cincinnati, OH, announce the engageHer fiance is a graduate of the ment of their son, Brandon Joel University of Texas in Austin and earned Schneider, to Rebecca Vanessa Demb of his Juris Doctor at SMU College of Law. Baltimore, MD. He has an MBA in International The bride-to be is the daughter of Management from Thunderbird: The Sharon and Marvin Demb of Baltimore. Gavin School of International She is a graduate of the University of Management. He is currently working at Maryland, College Huron in Chicago as Park with a B.S. a consultant. degree in Dietetics. He is the She also has a masgrandson of the late ters degree in Mary and Ed Community Health Schneider and Education. She is Minnie Breslow of the granddaughter Lincoln, and the late of Esther Kruger David Breslow. and the late Zalmon A Sept. 4 wedJerry Kruger, and ding is planned in Priscilla and the late Baltimore, MD.
BIRTH Ann and Adam Walter of Cincinnati, OH, announce the Oct. 28, 2004, birth of their daughter Ava Leigh. Grandparents are Dr. Larry and Marilyn (Breslow) Schneider, and Rabbi Gerry and Caren Jean Walter of
Cincinnati, OH. Great-grandparents are Minnie Breslow of Lincoln, NE, and the late David Breslow, and the late Irma and Louis Simon.
Vanilla by Patricia Rain (Tarcher/Penguin, $21.95)
READ IT AND EAT Reviewed by LOIS FRIEDMAN It is Valen-time and time for sweethearts, thoughts of love and such..and to think about these quotations from VANILLA... “The Spanish considered vanilla the ultimate aphrodisiac.” and from a headnote from one of the recipes, “It’s true: chocolate is nothing without the beautiful flavor of vanilla!” Did you know over half of the desserts sold worldwide contain vanilla, the only fruit of the orchid family “that probably evolved more than 90 million years ago”, and that in Madagascar vanilla rustling is a problem? Read on... A chronological history of vanilla from its origins in prehistory, the history of the people who have grown it and information from growers, processors and traders is shared by the author, the “Vanilla Queen” (there’s also a Vanilla King and an Empress), an anthropologist, culinary historian, vanilla broker and consultant. Follow vanilla’s journey around the world in this part culinary history, part cultural commentary book. The story of vanilla begins in Mesoamerica and continues through nine chapters telling of the flavor and
fragrance, folklore, vanilla beans as money (also known as “green gold”) and more. All of this and even recipes...from making your own vanilla extract or vanilla sugar to sweet and savory dishes...are scattered throughout the book with brief instructions. Dab a little vanilla perfume behind your ear, light a vanilla candle or whether you prefer to eat, drink or smell vanilla. You and your honey will enjoy Valentine’s Day using a chocolate cake for this dessert that “appeared complicated and exotic but could easily be made at home for dinner parties” and “fit the bill and was popular in the 1950s and 1960s”. BAKED ALASKA 1 eight-inch cake layer (whatever flavor you prefer) 4 egg whites 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 quart firm vanilla ice cream Prepare cake as per directions on package. (Freeze the second layer for another use.) Preheat oven to 500°. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, add sugar and vanilla, and beat until stiff but not dry. Place cake on a heavy, ovenproof platter. Spoon ice cream onto the cake, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Cover the ice cream and cake completely with the egg-white meringue. Brown the meringue lightly in the oven for 2 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves six.
ACROSS 1. Top-notch (abbrev.) 4. Rely 10. What you might do a sharp turn on 14. Judaica artist Lynn ___ Lowe 15. Lament, in Lyons 16. Acronym for certain com puter design programs 17. Lawyers’ national orgn. 18. CELTICS ___ AUERBACH /MARSHALL “BIGGIE” ______ (All-American at Pitt, won Rose Bowl, starred with Chicago Cardinals) 20. CHAMPION, BLINDED BY PHILISTINES, BROUGHT DOWN THE HOUSE 22. Have mazal, or mazel (2 words) 23. White birds of the Anser genus 26. Ave. 27. Shorthand for “affirmative with regard to” 28. Deburring hand tool 30. Slippery metaphor creature 33. Fables author 36. Store window or ad sign 39. ____ GLICKMAN (runner spurned for 1936 Olympics)/SPORTS PERSN./ASTROS HITTER 43. Flavoring herbs 44. La Douce and Rombauer 45. Between Nov. and Jan. 46. Bugs Bunny type 48. Commd. 52. Poetic contraction 55. OLYMPICS TOP SCORE/ CHARIOTS __ ____ (film
Coffee of the Month Angel’s Kiss
on Harold Abrahams’ Olympics victory) 58. Author Bierce 61. Disappeared union leader and kin 62. PISTONS COACH BROWN /HALL-OF-FAMER SANDY 65. Sweet girl’s name, derived from Matriarchal wife of Jacob 66. Dies ____ 67. __ ____ ways than one 68. Join U.S.A. or Tsahal 69. Manage, as flock or business 70. Approached 71. Dir. from Haifa to Jerusalem DOWN 1. Verdant 2. Gamliel of Hillel’s time and author Jonathan of our time 3. I better make the _____ __ I’ll be left out of the sport, thinks the young player 4. Put-down adj. 5. Skin-care products brand, name of Cynewulf heroine 6. Colloquial word for footwear 7. Might have preceded the chicken. Then again ....... 8. Tragic queen of Thebes, symbol of eternal sorrow, and namesakes 9. Gate starter 10. Coming out event 11. ONE THING TO EAT IN THE STANDS, WHILE WATCHING THE CHAMPS PLAY 12. OLYMPICS CHAMPION SPITZ
13. Nervous 19. TRANSACTIONS BETW. TEAMS 21. SOME ATHLETIC WEAR, FOR SHORT 24. Sensual (abbrev.) 25. Precious stone 29. Ode 31. High note 32. SPORTSCASTER BERMAN 34. ALL NEED TO HAVE A GOOD ___ FOR THE BALL 35. Obi 37. American gun orgn. 38. Ad shorthand for business man or politician looking for position or business space 39. Satirical comics magazine 40. Noun ending 41. Grain seed coatings used in cereal 42. British machine gun 47. “I only ___ ___!,” the child protested, showing the remaining candy bars 49. Burglarizes or weapons 50. Brain and sink 51. Marketing of previously owned items 53. OUTFIELDER MADE A BOO-BOO 54. HEAVYWEIGHT LAZER, LOST TO JOE LOUIS, BEAT JERSEY JOE WAL COTT 56. Midwest airport 57. Out____, outwitted 58. Landed 59. Stallion’s mate 60. Dermis 63. Actress Thurman
64. Not against
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
February 11, 2005
Opinion The Headline in Israel is “Tikva” We’ve been here before--on the brink of hope--of Tikva--as the headlines in Israel read this week. With the first meeting in four years between the Israeli government, lead by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and the Palestinian Authority--now headed by Mahmoud Abbas, maybe there is hope. Why should we be hopeful anyway? More than 1100 Israelis killed by terrorists in the four years since the September 2000 start of the second intifada, and thousands more injured. Businesses ruined, tourism down, the economy a mess--and that’s just in Israel! On the Palestinian side, children have been brainwashed into believing that becoming a suicide bomber is preferable to a career in health or education. Textbooks still call for the destruction of the “Zionist entity” and maps show “Palestine” from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean. Add to that the growing unemployment and poverty, caused in part by the closures of the territories by Israelis for security purposes and, also from the rampant corruption by the late Yasser Arafat (“may his name be blotted out forever”) and his cronies. Despite all this gloomy news over the past four years, we can--and should--have hope. For those who can remember the heady days after the Oslo Peace Accords, when Arafat shook the hand of then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the Jewish world was abuzz with the possibilities of peace. Trips were taken to Jordan to see the famed antiquities of
(Founded in 1920)
Petra; Arab and Israelis professors in all fields began to plan face-to-face conferences and meetings; and investors started to look at the Middle East through the hungry eyes of venture capitalists. We’ve been down this road many times. The handshakes are beginning to seem like tired re-runs on late night television. But, if nothing else, the Jewish people are optimistic. We wouldn’t have survived this long if we weren’t. We have to believe that-if not this time--peace will eventually come to the region. In his speech at Sharm el Sheik on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sharon called for a “tranquil, dignified and peaceful life for all the peoples of the Middle East,” but to no one’s surprise, the terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have not agreed to a ceasefire. These groups will probably use this time of diplomatic negotiations to re-arm and rebuild their terrorist armies. The majority of Palestinians however, including Abbas, know in their hearts that the violence
has brought them nothing but closed borders and a concrete fence. Arafat knew how to terrorize, but not how to govern and the Palestinians have paid the price. This summit is over; now the hard work begins. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice (see related interview below) has appointed a new chief of security for coordination between Israel and the PA--Lt. Gen. William Ward--whose non-political background may actually be a plus in this highly-politicized part of the world. As a spokesman for the Israel Project noted, “The test will be activities, not photo ops.”
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.
Person to Person with Condoleeza Rice
BEHIND THE HEADLINES by TRUDE B. FELDMAN Special to the Jewish Press Washington, D.C.--Jan. 22 marked four years since Dr. Condoleezza Rice became the first female National Security Advisor to the President. She is the first African American woman, and only the second woman to serve as Secretary of State. In a farewell interview as President George W. Bush’s Assistant for National Security Affairs, Dr. Rice says the Israel-Palestinian conflict, coupled with the War on Terror, will now be--along with Iraq--the President’s “highest priorities.” Sitting in her White House office, Dr. Rice also tells me that the new leadership in the Palestinian territories is an important step to a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian impasse and that that solution is now of interest all over the world. “Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen) or any Palestinian leader needs to understand that the only peaceful outcome is through a negotiated solution, not through the use of terrorism,” she says. “The Palestinian people need leadership committed to the legitimate aspirations for a democratic, transparent accountable government. We will work with the new leader when he renounces violence and is committed to stopping terrorism.” Disclosing that she had never met Mr. Abbas’s predecessor, Yasser Arafat, who, at age 75, died Nov. 11 in France, she adds: “President Bush’s refusal to meet him reflected a determination that the American view be known--that there is no excuse for violence and terrorism, and that President Bush will not legitimize those who employ it.” Dr. Rice believes that a solution is closer with Mahmoud Abbas because he has asserted that, in retrospect, the intifada ( Palestinian uprising) and violence against Israel was a mistake and that he will attempt to end it. “There is now a good chance for the devel-
opment of a democratic Palestinian state where the people can self-govern and live side by side with Israel,” she says. “The Palestinians ought to have a state where they are allowed dissent. The best way to reach a peaceful solution is for there to be democracies living side by side.” Asked how she would now begin to help solve the dispute, she responds: “Some of the fundamentals may soon be in place to make that possible. Israeli Prime Minister (Ariel) Sharon’s disengagement plan, where Israel will give back land and dismantle settlements in the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the West Bank, is a good start. He pushed his proposal hard and got a favorable vote in Israel’s Parliament to approve the plan and he seems to be managing the politics of it very well. “His plan for disengagement can significantly advance our vision for peace and security in the region. That’s why the President is supporting it. We certainly support Mr. Sharon’s withdrawal and see it as an historic time--when Israel begins to give back land to the Palestinians. “The plan stands to do more than just begin the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the dismantling of settlements in the Gaza and West Bank. It could provide a new opportunity for reform of Palestinian institutions, particularly now with the new leadership.” When questioned whether the U.S. also supports Israel’s security barrier, she replies: “In terms of the security fence, we envision a Middle East in which such a fence would not be needed. We spent the last several months working with the Israelis to make sure that any fence would not prejudge a land agreement, and most important, that it would not intrude too much on the lives of ordinary Palestinians.” What changes in U.S. policy in the Middle East will be considered in the President’s second term? “Well, a lot of it is happening on the ground,” Dr. Rice responds. “A lot will be the U.S. taking the opportunity about to present
Joanie Jacobson Chairman Carol Katzman Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Allan Handleman Advertising Manager Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Managing Editor Barbara Kirkpatrick Bookkeeper 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; Michael Siegal; Nancy Skid; and Melany Weinstine. 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 constitutional committees of the Jewish Federation.
itself, like with changes in Israel’s withdrawals and with new Palestinian leadership. Our strategy is beginning to change the terms of debate in the Middle East. As you know, we have close relations with Israel mainly because President Bush speaks candidly about the conditions everyone must meet so that Israelis and Palestinians are able to live in peace.” She points out that George W. Bush is the first American president to publicly call for the creation of a Palestinian state, and as an ally of Israel, he views a peaceful and democratic state as being in the best interests of both Palestinians and Israelis. “He is also the first American president to say that the nature of any Palestinian state is as important as its borders,” she adds. “A Palestinian state must have a just and democratic government that serves the best interests of the Palestinian people, and one that is a true partner with Israel for peace. “Creating such a government really is the only way to realize the President’s vision of two states--Israel and Palestine--living peacefully side by side. A Palestinian state will never be achieved through terrorism. Neither Israel nor the United States would permit it.” She continues: “Our strategy is to help establish freedom in the area. Freedom is at the core of our approach to the IsraeliPalestinian problem. Those Arab states that are committed to peace need to end incitement to violence in their official media and cut off funding for terrorism. They also need to establish better relations with Israel. “And Israeli leaders must support the emergence of a viable Palestinian state. I believe if violence subsides, freedom of movement will be restored, and that would help innocent Palestinians resume a normal life. And in accordance with the ‘road map’ peace plan (proposed by the President on June 24, 2002), settlement activity in the occupied territories needs to end.” Continued on page 8
“Terrorism remains the single largest impediment to peace in the Middle East.”
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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Condi Rice won’t give up until there aren’t any.” Pertaining to U.S. policy on the spread of weapons of mass destruction, Dr. Rice says that regimes can pursue them at much peril and cost, or they can give them up and embark on a road to better international relations--as did Libyan leader Col. Moummar Gadhafi. “Because of President Bush’s strong leadership in combating weapons of mass destruction, sensitive nuclear plans, and dangerous equipment from Libya are now locked up in the U.S. And, last year, working with our British, German and Italian allies, we seized a huge shipment of centrifuge parts bound for Libya--just in time to help convince Col. Gadhafi of the wisdom of his decision.” A part of the War on Terror includes American Governmental reform as well as international actions. There has been constant outcry for U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, speaks to the stronger intelligence press before the start of her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister reform, lest, as 9/11 Ariel Sharon, Feb. 6, 2005, in Jerusalem. Commission Chairman Photo Credit: Pool/BP Images/JTA Governor Thomas Kean “When I look back, I realize we were put it, the world is at risk of another harvesting good decisions that were attack. After much controversy and made in l946, l947 and l948. Then, Harry debate in the U.S. Congress, The Truman, his Secretary of State Dean Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Acheson, George F. Kennan, (former Prevention Act of 2004 was passed by Ambassador to Russia and Yugoslavia, both Houses of Congress and signed into who is now 100 years old) and others law by President Bush on Dec. l7, 2004. recognized that we were not in just a The President described the Act as “the limited engagement with Communism, most dramatic reform of our nation’s we were in the struggle of those times. intelligence capabilities since President “The global war on terror is the strug- Truman signed the National Security Act gle of our times. We are not the first gen- of 1947.” eration to face a defining struggle or be Under the new law, the President called to defend freedom. We’re cog- noted, America’s intelligence enterprise nizant that no cause justifies terrorism, will become more unified, coordinated and that terror--not an absence of will-- and effective and enable us to better terror remains the single, largest impedi- protect American citizens. The Act also ment to peace in the Middle East.” creates the position of Director of During our 45-minute, one-on-one National Intelligence. interview, Dr. Rice also replied to quesDr. Rice tells me that her role in the tions on Iraq, Iran, U.S. reliance on for- debate was to help expedite the proper eign oil and the role that faith plays in legislation, particularly on some of the her life and in her decisions. She also budget authority issues in Congress. discussed the Administration’s accom- Asked why this reform is so important to plishments in the War on Terror; President Bush, she responds: “It is a weapons of mass destruction; the high priority for him because these Intelligence Reform Act, based on rec- changes will be the first in our intelliommendations of the Sept. 11, 2001 gence community since 1947 when the Commission Report, and her sentiments original framing legislation was passed. on the attacks of 9/11 and how they So we need to get started on modernizachanged the world. tion of our communities. She maintains that the killers who per“These are difficult times for intellipetrated the 9/11 attacks wanted to ter- gence because we are dealing with a rorize and demoralize us and that they secretive society. We are not dealing chose the center of our economic might, with the Soviet Union, which was one the headquarters of our military power big target. We are in a war on terror and and the seats of our democratic govern- that is a shadowy network--so reform is ment to do so. crucial.” “They were acts of war designed to Because terrorism and oil are vital faccripple us as a nation,” she says. “We tors in the Middle East equation, I asked were drawn into a global war against an Dr. Rice what role oil plays in U.S. poliassertive enemy. What happened on cy in the region. “Oil does play a role 9/11 changed our direction of foreign since it is an important commodity in policy. We continue to do everything international trade; and in the growth of possible to defeat all terrorists and their economies throughout the world,” she recruits, as well as the ideology of hatred responds. “But it is not the reason we that sustains them.” are in the Middle East, politically, or that She adds that since Sept. 11, America we are in Iraq.” has built a coalition of some 90 countries Is oil independence a goal of the Bush that are sharing intelligence and working administration? If so, how does she plan to combat terrorism. “Until recently, ter- to move towards that goal? rorists were well established in Saudi “For national security and energy reaArabia and faced little opposition,” she sons, the U.S. ought to reduce its says. “But today, especially after the reliance on foreign producers to the recent bombings in Riyadh and Jeddah, extent practical,” she says. “One way is the Saudi Government is shutting down to increase domestic production; another the facilitators of terrorism. is to further diversity those foreign “As a result of our efforts, the terrorists’ sources of supply. We should also world is smaller. There are fewer spots in increase energy efficiency and improve which terrorists can operate, but we energy conservation.” Continued from page 1 Dr. Rice went on to recall her two years (1989-91) in the first Bush White House when she was Senior Director of Soviet and European Affairs, the period of reunification of Germany and last days of the Soviet Union. Reaffirming what she told a recent audience, she recounts: “I had the chance to participate in the reunification of Germany and witness the beginnings of the peaceful break-up of the Soviet Union.
Turning to Condoleezza Rice, the woman behind the title of National Security Advisor, how does she define the role of women as leaders in peacebuilding and national security? “Gender,” she replies succinctly, “makes no difference as to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.” Citing Afghanistan as one country which today is a much better society because women are now permitted to vote and are beginning to play a role in public life, she observes: “If that spreads
throughout the world we will see that even in societies where there has been much poverty and other difficulties, when women get control of their lives and can open businesses, their societies benefit.” Trude B. Feldman, a veteran White House and State Department correspondent, has known Dr. Rice for 16 years. Feldman has interviewed every National Security Advisor to the President since Henry A. Kissinger in the Richard Nixon White House.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: Titles such as “Abortion and the Holocaust” does nothing but create an atmosphere of evil and terror, which, as a woman who believes strongly in a woman’s right to a legal abortion, is totally out of context for the discussion of abortion rights. I view myself first and foremost as a professional woman, loving mother and wife, committed Jew, but by virtue of my involvement with the reproductive choice movement, I was forced sometime ago to combine my professional and private life with politics. I have gladly taken on the struggle, remembering the stories of women who were denied this fundamental right to control their reproductive destiny. This issue has nothing to do with the Holocaust, but with the fundamental right of women to decide without government intrusion their future and their families’ future. Does Roe V. Wade somehow diminish the population; are we somehow continuing the destruction of our race? The article implies that the result of legal abortion equates to the inability of the Jewish population to replace all the “souls we lost during those dark days of World War II.” We must continue the discussion and frame it within the proper context of a public health concern. Integrating a comprehensive approach involving health workers, policymakers, and advocates we need to: • Provide universal access to family planning. • Reform restrictive laws and policies that hinder the availability of safe services and trained providers. • Ensure safe abortion services. It is every one’s hope that we will no longer need abortion in our society, but reality recognizes that as we continue to prevent comprehensive sexuality education for our youth, refuse emergency contraception to be prescribed and dispensed, view birth control as an abortificent, and subjugate women throughout the world, we will need to allow this service to be performed and we need to ensure that it is done in a safe and professional manner. Becki Brenner
To the Editor: The Jan. 28 Jewish Press editorial attempts to compare abortion with the Holocaust. This is an extraordinary insult to those who died and survived the Holocaust, as well as to those who fought for the right of an individual to control her own fertility. Is there a middle ground between “abortion on demand throughout the entire pregnancy - or conversely, no abortion, ever, for any reason.” Well, yes. It was established 32 years ago in Roe v. Wade. What Roe actually says is: The right to privacy includes a woman’s decision, in consultation with her physician, to terminate her pregnancy. During the first trimester of pregnancy, abortion must be free of state interference. After the first trimester, the state may regulate abortion to protect the woman’s health. At the point of fetal viability, the state may ban abortion in order to protect the fetus, except when necessary to preserve the woman’s life or health. Furthermore, the writer equates women’s reproductive rights solely with abortion. Reproductive rights include access to health information and medical care, contraceptive equity, access to emergency contraception to help prevent unintended pregnancy, comprehensive, medically-accurate sexuality education - as well as abortion. Spurious arguments, false dichotomies and misleading innuendo only serve to inflame passions and distract us from the attack on our rights to choose whether and when to have children. We can see these threats in pharmacists’ refusals to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception (EC), limited access to EC in emergency rooms for victims of rape and sexual assault, cuts in federal family planning funding, and the federally funded abstinence-only education programs that have been shown to be ineffective and often misleading. If the writer truly wants to encourage rational discussion as claimed, this editorial was the wrong way to go. Nancy Nogg V.P. Development Planned Parenthood Nebraska Council Bluffs
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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 12604 Pacific St. Omaha, NE. 68154 556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
Beyt Shalom An Affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation 3012 S. 119 St. P.O. Box 390352 Omaha, NE 68139 660.2395 www.beytshalomomaha.org
Chabad House An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330.1800 nebraskajudaism.com email: chabad@aol.com
Congregation B’nai Jeshurun 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 333 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154
Temple Israel Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556.6536 templeisrael-ne.org
The Neighborhood Minyan Torah Learning Center 1313 No. 58 St. Omaha, NE 68132 553.5397
Tifereth Israel Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 423.8569 www.tiferethlincoln.org
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to reserve space, call Allan Handleman, 334-6451.
February 11, 2005
Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 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: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning service, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation (3-7), 10 a.m.; K’tantan (K-2), 10:45 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by Beth El; Evening Service, 5:40 p.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sunday, 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; Weekdays, 6:55 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Jewish Pot Pourri Class, 10 a.m. Bible Study Class, 11 a.m.; Hebrew Crash Course, 11:10 a.m. WEDNESDAYS: PATTER (Parents & Toddlers, Torah, Exercise, Recreation) with Helen Epstein, 10:45 a.m. THURSDAY, noon: “The Most Important People and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible,” with Rabbi Levin. MAIMONIDES CLASS, Thursday, Feb. 17 and 24, 7:30 p.m.: Beth El/JELS class, “To Be or Not to be: Maimonides on the Resurrection of the Dead,” taught by JELS Executive Director Guy Matalon. Cost (including all materials) is $18. To register, contact Harriet Einziger at the synagogue, or the JELS office at 334.6445. BELLS LUNCHEON Following Shabbat services on Feb. 12, historian Carol Gendler will provide a fascinating look at the history of Jewish Omaha. Cost is $9 for adults; $5 for children; free for children under age four. For reservations, please contact the synagogue office. FIFTH-GRADE HISTORY PROGRAM: Sunday, Feb. 13, 10 a.m. JEWISH PARENTING 101: Series of eight classes for parents, will be offered at the synagogue on Thursday, Jan 17, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., led by Program Director Harriet Einziger, along with guest speakers Babysitting will be available upon request. To register, please contact Einziger. PASSOVER CANDY SALE: BESTT’s PTA will be taking orders for Barton’s Passover candy through Feb. 27. Order forms are available at the BESTT office 498.0904, at the Beth El web site, www.bethelomaha.org, or through BESTT students.
Cohen, and Toba Cohen, Eric Dunning and Eleanor in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Elsie Simpson; Mincha, 5:45 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:38 p.m.; Ma’ariv, 7 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Call the synagogue office for Mincha/Ma’ariv service time. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Call the synagogue office for Mincha/Ma’ariv service time. MONDAY, 7:30 p.m.: Senior NCSY Latte and Learning at Starbucks, 114th & Dodge. TUESDAY: Beth Israel co-sponsors “Live from the 92nd Street Y” at the JCC Theatre, 7 p.m. “Judaism Today and Tomorrow” is the topic featuring dialogue with leaders of American Jewry. THURSDAY: Lecture Series with Rabbi Gross, 7 p.m., “How a Bill Becomes a Law: An Examination of the Halachic Process,” the Feb. 24 lecture, “The Simpsons and Halacha, part I: Serious Issues Learned from a Not-So-Serious Media.”
set up appointments. FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. led by Rabbi Stiel, with oneg following provided by Eleanor Kirland. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Stiel; Game Night, 6 p.m. SUNDAY: Hebrew School, 9 a.m.-noon; Purim Spiel Practice, 1-3 p.m.; Board of Trustees Meeting, 5:30 p.m. at the home of Barbara Benton, 1145 No. Mockingbird Lane; Winter Lecture Series, 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Church, 6300 ‘A’ St. The topic is “Ancient History of People, Cultures and Religions” with Steve Burnett, UNL Depts. of History and Classics. For information, call 483.2213. ADULT EDUCATION Sundays, Feb. 27 and March 13, 10:00 a.m.-11:15 a.m.: Book discussion led by Rabbi Debbie Stiel on Broken Tablets: Restoring the Ten Commandments and Ourselves, Edited by Rachel Mikva.
BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Learner’s Minyan, 7 p.m. SUNDAY: Religious School, 3-5 p.m. at the JCC.
CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. FRIDAY: Services, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Mamarim class, 9 a.m.; Services, 9:30 a.m. followed by a Kiddush luncheon. SUNDAY: Services, 8:30 a.m. Mishneh class, 9:30 a.m.; Aleph Champion and Little Scholars Programs. Innovative, interactive learning for kids, 10 a.m.-noon. WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Halacha, 7 p.m. TUESDAY: “W.O.W: Women of Redemption--Revisiting the Book of Exodus, with Shani Katzman, 9 a.m. Women only; babysitting available on request; Torah for Teens, 4:15 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Kabbalah: Journey of the Soul, 7 p.m. Programs are open to the community. For information or to register, call 330.1800.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Rabbi Debbie Stiel will be in Lincoln two weekends a month. Please call her at 402.416.2321 or e-mail: dstiel@everestkc.net to
Candlelighting Friday, February 11, 5:35 p.m.
John Dacey. Cost is $18 per couple. WEDNESDAY, Feb 16: Conversation with Rabbi Marantz, noon1 p.m. THURSDAY, Feb 17: “Adult Study with the Clergy” with Rabbi Marantz, 10-11:30 a.m. OTYG FAMILY SPAGHETTI DINNER AND AUCTION “Pasta, Present and Future”, Sunday, Feb. 13, 5 p.m.: Omaha Temple Youth Group members will honor past, present and future OTYG Board members at this annual event. Dinner is $7 for adults, $4 for ages three to 12, and free for children two and younger. Proceeds will be donated to Camp CoHoLo and Camp Rainbow. PANCAKE BREAKFAST WITH THE PANCAKE MAN Sunday, Feb. 20, 9-10 a.m.: Women of Reform Judaism, Omaha, sponsors a pancake breakfast featuring Jim the Pancake Man. Bring the whole family for breakfast before the children go to Religious School. Cost is $4.25 for adults and $3.50 for children 12 and under.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Marty Shukert.
TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:30 p.m., Rabbi Craig Marantz and Cantor Wendy Shermet will officiate. The Oneg Shabbat will be sponsored by the Women of Reform JudaismOmaha. SATURDAY: Bagels and Sacred Books, 9:30-10:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. In recognition of the National Scout Sabbath, Girl and Boy Scouts, and their leaders, are encouraged to attend and wear their troop uniforms. ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAY, Feb. 13, 10:15 a.m.: Beyond the Aleph Bet. Colleen Kennealy will teach Ivrit. Class is $18, members; $25, non-members. TUESDAY, Feb. 15, noon: It All Begins in Genesis. Congregant Katherine Finnegan will lead this Jewish Journey Group through an understanding of the stories in the first book of the Bible; 6:30-8 p.m.: Reaching Out to Interfaith Families. This is a seven-week course facilitated by congregant
THE NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN AT TLC FRIDAY: Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:35 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; followed by Kiddush Luncheon and Mincha, 1:05 p.m.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Stanley M. Rosenbaum. Minyan, MONDAY & THURSDAY, 9 a.m. FRIDAY: Services, 8 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning service, 9:30 a.m. TUESDAY: The Womens’ Lunch Bunch will meet at Olive Garden, noon. If you need a ride, call Marcia Kushner at 423.5959. WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. Contact Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066. ADULT EDUCATION MONDAYS: Introduction to Judaism with Rabbi Stanley Rosenbaum, 7:30-9 p.m. SUNDAYS: (during Hebrew School days): Jewish Law through the Ages with Rabbi Rosenbaum, 10-11:45 a.m.
B’NAI MITZVAH
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 Jonathan Gross. FRIDAY: Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:45 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Free Babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10:30 a.m. for children ages five through pre-Bar/Bat Mitzvah; Kiddush sponsored by Jane Cohen, Michael, Karen, Lily and Jack
Molly Goldberg, daughter of Wendy and David Goldberg, and Scott Goldberg, son of Cindy and Bruce Goldberg will celebrate their B’nai Mitzvah on Saturday, Feb. 19, at Temple Israel. Molly is a seventh-grade distinguished scholar honor roll student at Westside Middle School. She enjoys dance, show choir, and summer camp. For her mitzvah project, Molly volunteered at the JCC’s Child
Development Center. Molly has a sister, Sophie, and a brother, Joe. Her grandparents are Nancy and Don Greenberg and Carol
and Manny Goldberg. Scott is a seventh-grade distinguished scholar honor roll student at Westside Middle School. He enjoys basketball, tennis and summer camp. For his mitzvah project, Scott also volunteered at the Child Development Center. Scott has two brothers, Adam and Max. His grandparents are Joanie and Marty Lehr, and Carol and Manny Goldberg.
February 11, 2005
Torah: the Key to Meaning
SPARKS FROM THE WORD by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashat Teruma (Editor’s note: with Rabbi Kripke indisposed due to the flu, the Press is reprinting his Feb. 14, 1997 column.) Our Sidrah is complemented by a charming story in the Midrash. The purpose of all the contributions requested of the Israelites after the Exodus was to build a Sanctuary, “that I might dwell among them.” The Midrash spins a tale of a father who doted on an only daughter to the point where he could scarcely let her go. She married. The father tells his new son-inlaw, “She is your wife and must go to live with you. But, please, let me have a small apartment nearby, so that I can be near her whenever I wish.” Just so, the Midrash says, the Holy One, Blessed be He, gave the Torah to Israel. But, He insisted on having a Sanctuary--where He could be close to Israel, forever. Be careful of carrying the analogy too far! We all know of the beneficial effects of the three and four generations families of the past. If not a village, at least an extended family reared the children. Thus, Torah was passed down from generation to generation, supported and strengthened by the examples of elders. But that multi-generation family is not part of the picture of Jewish life in the United States any longer. We all know of families where an elderly grandparent lives in an apartment adjacent to or within the house or apartment of a couple with children. But that, obviously, is not the same thing. The interaction of the generations is sharply restricted and limited. And we must pause to notice that the arrangement apparently lauded by the Midrash as a wonderful example of parental love would not be lauded by family therapists and counselors of our time On the the contrary, parents are urged to love and love and love-and then let go! “No,” the son-in-law should say, “You can visit occasionally, but you will not have an apartment next to my wife. I don’t need you to destroy my marriage!” With that understanding, we can applaud and apply the midrashic analogy. The Synagogue is a portable Sanctuary or Temple. It accompanies Jews wherever they may live. And the Torah is a portable understanding and practice of the art of living. The two, the Synagogue and the Torah, that it urges upon Jews study and practice, together help Jews to experience the presence of God among them. Our evening service reminds us, climactically, as prelude to the Sh’ma, that “the word of Torah are our very life and key to its meaning.”
To Submit an Obituary Notice: Send full name, age, date of death, location of service and burial site to the Jewish Press via e-mail: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org; fax, 402.334.5422; or mail, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. For a form, visit the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s website: www.jewishomaha.org, and click on Jewish Press or call 402.334.6448 for guidelines and the form.
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DEATH BERNICE DIAMOND KATSKEE Bernice Diamond Katskee died Feb. 5 in Lincoln at the age of 100. Services were held Feb. 8 at ButherusMaser-Love Funeral Home. Born in McCook, NE, in 1904, she was one of six siblings, all of whom graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She went on to earn a master’s degree in social work and worked for many years licensing and supervising day care centers throughout the state. She retired in 1971, but continued her love of families and children through her volunteer work. She is survived by her daughter, Gail Wishnow of Lincoln; son, Alan Katskee of Jonesboro, AK; sisters, Ruth Levinson of Lincoln and Shirley Katskee of Omaha; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Eve and Sheff Katskee; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorials to Tifereth Israel Synagogue, St. Elizabeth’s Hospice and Eastmont Towers Care Center, all of Lincoln, or charity of choice.
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Rabbi Myer S. Kripke, left, was honored by Creighton University last month at the dedication of the Kripke Interfaith Project. Congratulating him is Rabbi Leon Klenicki, a frequent speaker at Creighton and the former interfaith affairs director of the ADL. Credit: Nicolae Roddy, Creighton University
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Take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates! • Consolidate Debts • We’ll make getting your mortgage “pointless.” Students of the Friedel Jewish Academy and members of the Young Energetic Seniors (Y.E.S.) were introduced to Bharata Natyam Hindu dance, culture and folklore during a recent ARTSPAN (Art to Span the Generations) performance at the JCC. Anuja Ghorpade, back row center, and Larisa Treskunova, standing second from right, performed two dances based on Indian folk tales. Students also tried out some of the dance movements: Noam Margalit, back row, from left, Michael Popkov, Ghorpade, Treskunova and Lilly Phillips; front row: Stephen Levitan, Aaron KurtzmanNissen, Davida Halev, Lilly Phillips and Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Resident Mollye Rimerman.
Get Your Game Face On And Enjoy Beth El’s “Sunday Funday” by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Looking for something fun and different to do with your whole family during these cold winter days? Come chill out at Beth El on Feb. 20, 4-6 p.m., during “Sunday Funday,” presented by the synagogue’s newest programming committee, PACMAN (Parent and Child Meaningful Activity Network). Families throughout the Jewish community are invited to spend the afternoon playing games (and becoming familiarized with the Hebrew names of colors and numbers at the same time), enjoying munchies and meeting up with old and new friends! Dinner will be served; cost is $6 per person or $10 per family. Reservations may be made by sending a check to Beth El, 14506 California St., Omaha NE 68154. For more information about the afternoon, contact Program Director Harriet Einziger at 492.8550. We’ve got game; how about you?
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Page 12
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February 11, 2005
Eldercare Support Group Meeting Scheduled
Rabbi Craig Marantz to Take a Look at Two Kushners
by RITA SHELLEY For Jewish Senior Services Caring for an elderly relative can be stressful. There are phone calls to be made, transportation to schedule or provide, errands to run. Not to mention the need for “quality” time and some difficult decisions. But caregiving also can be rewarding and caregivers needn’t shoulder their burdens alone, according to Shane Kotok, director of community outreach for Jewish Senior Services (JSS.) JSS will host a caregiver support group meeting this Sunday, Feb. 13, 10:30 a.m., in the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home conference room. Anyone caring for or concerned about an elderly relative, whether or not that relative lives at home, in assisted living, a longterm care facility, or out of town, is welcome to attend, Kotok said. “Many people find it helpful to talk regularly with others in the same situation, to share their experiences and learn from others as well,” she added. Reservations can be made by calling Kotok at 334.6529.
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Rabbi Lawrence Kushner and Rabbi Harold Kushner are not related, but “their teachings have some things very much in common such as deep, rich insight into the sacredness possible in everyday life,” according to Rabbi Craig Marantz of Temple Israel. Rabbi Marantz will take a look at the two Kushners at a special session of “Conversations with the Rabbis” on Wednesdays, Feb. 16 and March 16, noon, at Temple. The hour-long discussion of current events and issues that affect the Jewish communities of Omaha and those around the world, is a participatory exchange of ideas. “In our contemporary Jewish experience, many of us have been touched by the teachings of the two Kushners,” pointed out Rabbi Marantz. In February, he will focus on a chapter from Lawrence Kushner’s Rabbi Lawrence Kushner Honey from the Rock entitled “Shaarey Shamayim: Entrances to Holiness,” which Rabbi Marantz described as “a wonderful set of mystical reflections on 'openings' and opportunities to connect with God.” A month later, Rabbi Marantz will introduce for discussion a chapter in Harold Kushner’s latest text, The Lord is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of the 23rd Psalm. Entitled “I Will Fear No Evil for Thou Art With Me,” the chapter will facilitate “our discussion of the role of God accompanying us through loss,” Rabbi Marantz said. Rabbi Lawrence Kushner is the scholar-in-residence at Congregation Emanuel-El in San Francisco where he devotes himself to teaching and writing. He is also the visiting professor of Jewish spirituality at the Graduate Theological University in Berkeley and prior to that, he
NCJW Packs ‘Totes for Tots’
Assembling tote bags for foster children at the Child Saving Institute are Tina Meyers, left, Kate Kirshenbaum, BBYOers Emily Friedman and Leslie Graul, Roxanne Kahn, Shelly Pichik and her daughter, Natalie. Totes for Tots is the newest community service project of National Council of Jewish Women-Omaha Section.
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JudaismToday&Tomorrow: An Open Dialogue with the Leaders of American Jewry With Richard Joel, Rabbi David Ellenson, Rabbi Ismar Schorsch, and moderator, Gary Rosenblatt
was rabbi-in-residence at Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion in New York City and continues as an adjunct faculty member there. Widely regarded as one of the most creative religious writers in America, Rabbi Kushner served Congregation Beth El in Sudbury, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, for 27 years. He was the first rabbinic chairman of Reform Judaism’s Commission on Religious Living. His books include Eyes Remade for Wonder: A Lawrence Kushner Reader, Invisible Lines of Connection: Sacred Stories of the Ordinary, and God Was in This Place and I Did Not Know: Finding Self, Spirituality and Ultimate Meaning. Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, Massachusetts, Rabbi Harold Kushner is the author of several best-selling books including When Bad Things Happen to Good People, published in 1981 and translated into 12 languages. He is recognized Rabbi Harold Kushner internationally for his writings and the comfort and guidance which they provide. Among Rabbi Kushner’s awards are the Christopher Medal, the Yitzhak Rabin Award, and the honor of being named one of the 50 people who have made the world a better place in the past 50 years. He serves on the Board of Directors of The Giving Back Fund, devoted to encouraging and facilitating philanthropic efforts on the part of professional athletes and entertainers. “Come join us for spiritual uplift and comfort as we better acquaint ourselves with these two remarkable American rabbis with the same name,” encouraged Rabbi Marantz. All adults in the community are invited to attend and bring their own lunch. There is no fee to attend Conversations which is supported by the Hermene Zweiback Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning.
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Join The Jewish Week’s editor and publisher, Gary Rosenblatt, as he leads a roundtable discussion on the challenges and issues facing the American Jewish community today and in the coming decades. Religious leaders for the Conservative, Modern Orthodox and Reform movements come together to offer their visions for their denominations and the Jewish communities of America, the Diaspora and Israel.
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