Vol. LXXXV No. 23 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 85 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
Acclaimed Ushpizin Comes to the Omaha Jewish Film Festival by GARY JAVITCH “Ground breaking ... a joyful affirmation of unshakable faith” -Stephen Holden, New York Times Following its wellreceived U.S. release at the end of 2005, the Omaha Jewish Film Festival is very pleased to announce it will show the critically-acclaimed and award -- winning Israeli film Ushpizin. “The movie has won ‘Best Movie’ and ‘Best Actor’ awards and has become ‘the talk of the Jewish film world,’” according to Gary Katz, the Kripke Federation Library Administrator. The 60-minute film will be shown Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 25–26, 7 p.m., in the Jewish Community Center Theater. On Saturday evening after the movie, the Sundance award winning short film (seven minutes) The Art of Farwell will be shown. However, at the Sunday showing, a panel discussion sponsored by B’nai B’rith will be held in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. Panelists include Marty Shukert, Guy Matalon, and Rabbi Jonathan Gross. As usual, audience participation in the discussion is encouraged and welcome. That discussion will take place in the Kripke Library. Ushpizin, shown with English subtitles, is beautifully set in Jerusalem during the Succot festival. Moshe and
NJHS Exhibit on Jewish War Vets Closes Next Week
his wife Malli (real-life spouses Shuli Rand and Michal Bat-Sheva Rand), are penniless and facing the prospect that they will be unable to build a succa (the temporary holiday dwelling) or buy enough food to observe the seven-day festival. Accordingly, they do what any religious Jews would do in their situation: They pray for a miracle! To complicate their poverty-stricken lives further, old friends of Moshe come to visit, just as the holiday is to begin. Still, while the arrival of unexpected guests brings chaos to the couple’s life, it also provides an opportunity for unforeseen blessings. Mixing comedy and drama, the movie represents a “rare collaboration between secular and ultra-Orthodox Israelis,” noted Stephen Holden in the Times. The actor Rand wrote the film and Giddi Dar directed it. Tickets for Ushpizin, the second in the series selected by the film committee, are $5 each. For tickets or information, call the Kripke Library at 334.6462. The Avy L. and Roberta L. Miller Foundation by Lindsey-Miller Lerman and the Center for Jewish Education sponsor the Film Festival. Upcoming films include Watermarks (March 25–26) and Turn Left at the End of the Universe (April 8-9).
19 Shevat, 5766 February 17, 2006
Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez Headlines B’nai B’rith Sports Banquet By HOWARD BORDEN Legendary Badger head football coach Barry Alvarez will be the featured sports celebrity at The 52nd Annual B’nai B’rith Charity Sports Banquet on Wednesday, May 10. “He was selected for four reasons,” according to banquet chair Gil Cohen. “He is the winningest coach in Badger history, the holder of many major Big 10 coaching records, a former Nebraska gridiron standout, and a dynamic speaker.” Coach Alvarez will also help the Lodge honor the Metro area’s most outstanding high school senior male and female student-athlete. The honorees will receive the Lodge’s prestigious Bert Render and Earl Siegel Memorial Awards. In addition, each athlete will garner a $1500 scholarship provided by NRG Media. Continued on page 2
Wisconsin head football coach Barry Alvarez
Omaha Federation Exec Elected to National UJC Position Goldstein and Other Local Leaders Emerge on National Scene
An expanded exhibit, “Hometown Heroes”, contains the photo/biographies from the original exhibit, plus dozens of additional photos submitted by veterans and their families. Several military uniforms are on display as well as medals and other memorabilia. The exhibit, co-sponsored by the Omaha synagogues and the ADL, closes Feb. 28.
Inside Opinion Page see page 12
by OZZIE NOGG described Valley Girl--walked into the Jewish Federation Executive Director Omaha JCC in 1970, almost by acciJan Goldstein’s responsibilities go well dent. “I was actually looking for galbeyond the local arena. Last year, leries and restaurants,” she says, “and Goldstein was chosen by her profesfound Mark Zalkin instead.” Zalkin, sional peers to head the Intermediate then the Director of the Cultural Arts Cities Executive Directors Committee Department, needed an assistant, and of the United Jewish Communities. Goldstein’s background in art history This office puts her on the board and made her the perfect hire. When Zalkin moved away in 1974, Goldstein took Executive Committee of UJC where over as Cultural Arts Director, a post she represents the 56 Intermediate she held for four years. Cities in the UJC system. “After that, I took time off to raise my Goldstein is quick to explain that kids and worked at various part-time she’s just one of several Omahans who serve on the national level. “Omaha is jobs. But I was always involved as a volJan Goldstein a model intermediate-sized city. We’re unteer with Women’s Campaign. I took strong, with experienced leadership, and we can feel cards and wrote Campaign articles for Joanie Jacobson, tremendous pride as more of us are emerging on the Federation’s PR person at the time. When the position national scene.” of Women’s Campaign Director opened up in 1991, I As examples, Goldstein points to Joel Alperson, said, ‘I can do this job.’ I may not have all the answers, National Chair of UJC’s Network Communities and but I know the people to ask.” board member of the American Jewish Joint Six months later, Goldstein--who had never been to Distribution Committee; Joe Kirshenbaum, a Trustee Israel before--organized her first mission. To date, she’s on the United Jewish Communities Board; Jan made more than 40 trips. Goldstein was named Schneiderman, member of the UJC Domestic Affairs Omaha’s Federation Assistant Director in 1997, and in Committee; and Zoe Riekes, chairman-elect of the 1998 inherited the Executive Director position. “It was Partnership with Israel Midwest Consortium. “We have a leap of faith on the part of the Board to put someone so much to offer and share,” Goldstein says. “I’m proud with little experience in this job,” she says. “When I first and grateful to be a part of, and a product of, the sat in this chair I was scared to death. My first goal was Omaha Jewish community.” to simply get all of us to play in the sandbox together.” Raised in Southern California, Goldstein--a self- Continued on page 4
This Week: Sisters and Best Friends on page 8 Israel’s Channel 2 Anchor Speaks After Documentary: Page 3
Gubernatorial Candidate Dave Hahn Speaks to Breadbreakers: Page 7
Next Month: Home & Garden Special Issue on March 10 More Olympic Coverage of Jewish Athletes: Pages 10-11
Visiting Beth Israel Scholar Talks on “Jews at the Zoo”: Page 16