Vol. LXXXV No. 26 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 85 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
10 Adar, 5766 March 10, 2006
Stacey Rockman Shares her Vision of Partnership with Israel
ADL’s Wolfson Takes New Position in NY; 18-Year Veteran to Leave This Summer
by LISA LIEB Federation Communications Specialist Partnership with Israel has a mission…to forge people-to-people relationships between our Jewish community and Israel. In Omaha, Stacey Rockman, Partnership Chairman, is the driving force behind this mission. Jan Goldstein, Federation Executive Director, has found Stacey to be a wonderful choice to chair this program. She is thrilled with Stacey’s passion and leadership. “Stacey Rockman has been a lifeblood to Partnership with Israel, essential in bringing it down to the local level. She understands that Partnership is as good for us as it is for our partners in Israel, and she has been able to articulate her vision and create an action plan. What Stacey is doing is so important because Partnership is redefining how Omaha Jews relate to Israel.” What is Rockman’s vision? For Partnership with Israel to be the vehicle which brings us all together. “We now have the vehicle to give everyone the opportunity to get involved. With commitment from each of our agencies and synagogues, the entire Omaha Jewish community is now able to do so,” she explains. “Partnership isn’t just for those who are able to visit Israel. It’s about making connections any way we can.” Continued on page 2
terrorism and terrorist by CAROL KATZMAN groups. Though many of his Editor of the Jewish Press conversations are behind He’s a fixture in the community: consultclosed doors, the results ing on hate groups, leading weekly discushave led to a better undersions on Israel, and creating projects and standing of these threats. programs that have left a lasting impact. Among his many accomNow Bob Wolfson is leaving Omaha to plishments, Wolfson shepbecome become the Associate National herded the growth of the Director/Director of the Regional Elimination “Prejudice Operations for the Anti-Defamation League Workshop,” bringing hunin New York City. He will continue to dreds of high school stureturn to Omaha, however, and what was dents throughout Omaha originally planned as an 18th anniversary together annually. celebration on Aug. 17, will now become an Hundreds more young official farewell as well. people have visited the “Bob Wolfson has been an exceptional United States Holocaust leader in his region and among his colMemorial Museum on leagues in the trenches,” said Abe Foxman, ADL’s annual Youth National Director of the ADL. “He brings Leadership to Washington unparalleled field experience and a deep and, under his leadership, understanding of the challenges and opporI. Robert Wolfson the nationally-renowned “A tunities our communities face every day to World of Difference” program was introduced. our national office.” The Institute for Holocaust Education, which Wolfson Wolfson has served as regional director in ADL’s Plains States office in Omaha since May of 1988. founded with grant funding, has become a premier Motivated by childhood experiences as a target of big- resource in the Midwest. Under Wolfson’s tutelage, otry and by his dedication to tikkun olam--the Jewish Institute Director Beth Seldin Dotan has trained and commandment to repair the world--Wolfson served as touched countless numbers of students, teachers and an administrative law judge and commissioner for the civic groups by using the lens and lessons of the Nebraska Equal Opportunities Commission. He is a Holocaust to teach about the consequences to society graduate of Columbia University in New York, attended when hate goes unchecked. Last May, the Institute organized a group of 14-the Jewish Theological Seminary and earned a JD from including a Lincoln history teacher--to participate in the Creighton University School of Law. Since joining the ADL as Plains States Regional 18th anniversary of the March of the Living in Poland. A few months later, ADL partnered with the Director 18 years ago, Wolfson’s work has impacted Archdiocese of Omaha to host the nationally acclaimed every segment of the community. Working closely with the law enforcement communi- Holocaust education program, “Bearing Witness.” ty, he has trained officials on all levels and been instru- Through the Catholic Schools Office, 21 educators mental in monitoring and exposing racial and religious from Omaha and one from Denver came here to learn extremists throughout the region. He has been a leading techniques that bring Catholics and Jews into a safe voice in the passage and enforcement of hate crimes leg- environment for open and honest dialog, noted Dotan. And the ADL’s annual essay contest on heroism, islation earning him the respect of elected officials in which began in 2001 with the “Tribute to the Danes” three states and in Washington. Following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, local law project, attracted nearly 700 submissions this year-enforcement looked to Wolfson for information about Continued on page 2
Partnership with Israel Chairman in Omaha, Stacey Rockman welcomes Ethiopians to their new home in Israel.
THE NEXT GENERATION IN BUSINESS
A Straight Shooter by JOAN K. MARCUS Special to the Jewish Press (Editor’s note: This profile of native Omahan Jon Meyers opens a new series in the Jewish Press: “The Next Generation in Business.” Covering a range of businesses and industries, future stories will look at why Omahans have returned to run their family’s business or start new enterprises. Some of those profiled are still in their 20s, having returned after college; others spent some time out of town, perfecting their skills to use in Omaha. As Meyers’ buiness-Nebraska Warehouses--which he runs with his cousin, Bruce Meyers, offers storage to local homeowners and businesses, it seemed appropriate to open this new series in our Home & Garden issue! Future profiles will appear as space permits.) Jon Meyers never thought of living anywhere but the Midwest. Even as a college student, he wanted to live in Omaha--or
Inside Opinion Page see page 16
maybe Kansas City. One thing he never dreamed about was being President of Temple Israel. Some might even say, he was a most unlikely candidate. Born in Omaha in 1958 to Sue and Dave Meyers, he is a product of the District 66 school system; his best buddy was Bob Cassman. “We played football, played in the ditches, played baseball, rode our bikes and got into mischief,” he said, noting that the pair egged and TPed houses and “just did kid stuff.” The Waldbaums lived four houses from the Meyers’ and the families spent a lot of time together. “Jon Waldbaum and I hung out, too,” he said. “We went to Sunday school at Temple together, but my recollections from my teenage years were more of ‘how to NOT show up there.’” The two are still close today. Meyers’ recollections of his bar mitzvah convinced him that he wasn’t “Jewishly oriented.” However, he says his parents
Omaha native Jon Meyers relaxes in his office at Nebraska Warehouses.
This Week: Home & Garden Special Issue Starts on Page 11 Film Watermarks Coming to Omaha Jewish Film Festival: Page 3
Part III of Falsh Mura’s Fate and Story of Life in Ethiopian Hills: Pages 6-7
taught him Jewish values. “Our family has always been very philanthropic and giving. We were taught to give of our time to Jewish organizations and our money when we can. We were told there were Jewish values in everything we did-even if we didn’t go to the synagogue every week.” He grew up watching his parents set examples. They encouraged him to be a good student at Westside High School. Even as a youngster, his work ethic showed. When he was 12-years-old, he saved enough money to buy a lawnmower so he could go into business for himself. Although his parents never denied him spending money, Meyers said, “If I went out and earned my own money, I could spend it the way I wanted. My mother couldn’t tell me how or where or when.” Although he describes himself as “happy-go-lucky,” Meyers has memories Continued on page 12
Next Month: Passover Issue on April 7 Crossword Puzzle Israel ‘s Winter Turns to Spring: Page 14
Building Israel and Being Built By It: Page 20