Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA
A Blumkin Home wedding
March 11, 2011 5 Adar II 5771 Vol. 90 | No. 27
This Week
by OZZIE NOGG While a piano softly played, I Only Have Eyes for You, Norm and Marge Lincoln greeted family and friends who gathered to toast the Lincoln’s upcoming 68th wedding anniversary and watch the pair re-enact their vows. Andy Robinson, the couple’s grandson, escorted them down the aisle in the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Auditorium. Rabbi Myer S. Kripke conducted a brief service, Norm stomped on the glass, and after blessing the couple the Rabbi quipped, “I hope this one lasts.” The reception that followed featured a cake topped with the same bride and groom dolls that graced the Lincoln’s wedding cake on April 18, 1943. (The groom doll, by the With the help of Rabbi Kripke, Marge and Norm Lincoln celebrate 68 years together. way, wore a WWll army uniform, side and two hundred from his. Of the Home’s family community. They just as Norm did during his time in course, that’s because Norm comes smile all the time and take each day the military.) Joanie Bernstein, who from a family of eleven kids, so the as it comes. All of us here believe has known the Lincoln family for Lincoln extended mishpacha was their marriage was bashert. It was years, served as unofficial historian huge.” According to Bernstein, meant to be.” Sandy Epstein and Rocky Lewis, for the celebration. “Norm and “Marge and Norm moved to the Marge told me there were 206 peo- Blumkin Home in 2004, and that daughters of Marge Lincoln’s late ple at their wedding -- six from her was our lucky day. They're leaders in brother, Morrie Lipp (who was best
Gardening is this week’s special focus
Chabad to celebrate Purim on the chessboard Page 7
man at the 1943 wedding), were both touched by the ceremony. “When I’m with Aunt Marge,” Sandy said, “I see some of my Dad, so I was quite moved watching my Aunt and Uncle under the chuppah like my Dad did 68 years ago. I’m so impressed with their relationship, sharing so many ups and downs. What a beautiful tribute to marriage.” Rocky Lewis added, “I was thrilled to watch my only living aunt and uncle share this special time in their lives. They have always been there for us and I would do anything for them. Our community is so lucky to have the Rose Blumkin Home and the staff that staged such a beautiful celebration.” Both Sandy and Rocky praised Maggie Conti, RBJH Activities Director, for “thinking of this awesome idea. Just looking at people’s faces, you could see the impact on the entire room.” Blumkin Home Social Workers Shelly Fox, Bert Benson, Jennifer Richey and Shane Kotok carried the Continued on page 2
Alan Potash to explore South Gardening “Gene” runs American anti-Semitism in the Bleicher family tree Policeman rescues Torah scrolls from Christchurch rubble Page 12
by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator “With so much anti-Semitic rhetoric coming from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, we often don’t take the time to look at other voices that spew similar rhetoric,” says Alan Potash, executive director of the
Inside Point of view Synagogues In memoriam
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Alan Potash Plains States Region of the AntiDefamation League. Potash plans to explore some of those other voices when he addresses “Jewish Life and
Anti-Semitism in South America,” during Beth El’s next Sunday Scholar Series program on March 13. During the 11 a.m. program, Potash’s focus will primarily be on two topics: the rise of antiSemitism/anti-Zionism, and the reasons why South American countries are so willing to recognize a Palestinian state. In particular, he will take an in-depth look at the comments and positions of Venezuelan leaders, “most notably Hugo Chavez,” he said, explaining that, “In the aftermath of the Gaza flotilla incident on May 31, 2010, President Hugo Chavez and his government apparatus once again resorted to antiZionist allegations, including false conspiracy theories about Israel.” He added that, “The two raids perpetrated by the [Venezuelan] government against the Jewish community complex in 2004 and 2007 have yet to be explained. The investigation of the attack on the Tiferet Israel synagogue by a violent anti-Semitic gang in 2009 has lacked conclusiveness. Anti-Jewish graffiti written on walls of Jewish institutions and Jewish-owned businesses have been ignored by the government. AntiSemitic rhetoric in the government controlled media is unchallenged.” The entire community is invited to attend the program, at no charge; refreshments will be served. For planning purposes, RSVPs are requested and may be made by contacting the synagogue office at 402.492.8550, or programming@ bethel-omaha.org.
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Soon after Bob and Stacie Bleicher married in May of 1974, they bought a house in Iowa City, Iowa, and dug up the yard for a vegetable garden. “I do not believe we have had a single summer since
that had a small vegetable and strawberry garden, and my mother was also very active with house plants,” added Stacie, a pediatrician. When their first son, Benjamin, was about eight months old, the Bleichers moved to Lincoln. That was in 1983, and they lived there
Eagle Nursery is owned by Bob and Stacie Bleicher. then without some sort of vegetable garden,” reflected Stacie. Bob grew up in Omaha, and Stacie in Denver. They met through Temple youth group. Bob’s late father, Jerome, was a physician whose hobby was farming. Jerome was constantly planting trees for the future. Most of his and his late wife Freda’s seven children, “have the ‘gardening’ gene,” Stacie quipped. “Bob has accumulated a significant number of house plants -- up to 100 in our first Lincoln home -- which have always been an interest as a hobby outside of his practice of pulmonary medicine. I also grew up with a family
for 22 years. Their second son, Jeremiah, was born in 1987. “Our outside space for veggies was restricted due to large trees, but we established raised beds in a sunny area and grew enough veggies to share with friends and family. We also added a sun room to our home that housed a huge number of plants on shelving and hangers,” she said. “At some stage, Bob decided he would pursue a botany degree.” At the age of 50, he started taking one or two classes each semester, while in full-time medical practice, in the horticulture program at the Continued on page 6