Vol. LXXXII
No. 30
Omaha, NE
24 Adar 2, 5763
March 28, 2003
SPECIAL PRE-PASSOVER FOOD ISSUE--MORE NEXT WEEK!
A Perfect Birthday Gift by JOAN K. MARCUS Paula “Pinkie” Nieden Hansen will celebrate her 47th birthday this weekend and she only wants one gift--good health--something that she hasn’t had since 1970 when she was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulo Sclerosis, a gradual reduction in kidney function. She also needs a new kidney. She hopes for a kidney from a living donor that would be a match for her-and to raise awareness that donors need not wait until they die in order to save lives. Hansen is the administrator of Congregation Tifereth Israel in Lincoln and is able to do the job because of the love and patience of the congregation. “They just accept what I can and can’t do. The support of the people there really helps me to Paula “Pinkie” Nieden live my difficult life.” Paula (nicknamed “Pinkie” for her great grandfather, Pincus) was born in Lincoln and admits that she had lots of fun until she was in seventh grade, involved in USY and BBYO. But, she began to develop fevers and ran a temperature every three weeks or so. The family pediatrician put her on an antibiotic for a time and the fever would subside. However, a few weeks later, it would come back. Finally, her parents, Max and the late Eleanor Nieden, took her to the hospital with a105º temper-
ature. It was then that doctors discovered excess protein in her urine and suggested that she be taken to The Mayo Clinic. In June of 1970, she was diagnosed with FSGS-her kidneys weren’t pulling poisons and waste out of her body. The disease is genetic but not hereditary. She was treated with a variety of experimental techniques and was able to lead a fairly normal life as a teenager. However, high blood pressure is another side effect of FSGS and she has taken medication for that since she was a child. Doctors at that time thought that bed rest would help Pinkie to prolong her kidney functions, so she was limited in her activities. During her teenage years, her kidney function had already diminished to about 50%. She was also referred from Mayo to get follow-up treatment at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “I knew I had a kidney disease and that I had to take care of it,” Pinkie admitted. “I needed to have it checked often. I also knew Hansen all along that I could never have children and that eventually I be on dialysis and need a transplant. But I wasn’t sick a lot.” The only thing Pinkie had to keep an eye on was making sure she took her blood pressure medication and didn’t eat any “seriously salty” foods. UNMC always had medical students who tried to explain to teens about their disease. “We were always encouraged to ask questions and that was pretty unusual back in the 70s. (Continued on page 8)
Holocaust Commemorations Set for Lincoln and Omaha Cantor Fettman to Speak at Capitol Rotunda
Hidden Children Subject of Omaha Yom HaShoah
by MARCIA KUSHNER Yom HaShoah State Chairman Cantor Leo Fettman, cantor emeritus of Beth Israel Synagogue and a Nazi concentration camp survivor, will be the keynoter speaker for Yom HaShoah, the Nebraska Holocaust Commemoration Tuesday, April 29, 7:30 p.m. Cantor Fettman, who has spoken on the Holocaust in many communities of Nebraska as well as national, is a remarkable person and brings to any discussion of the Holocaust a depth of knowledge based on his own experience and years of reflection and study. “The Holocaust didn’t start suddenly, and it wasn’t the work of a lone madman,” he explained. “Rather it was the inescapable culmination of centuries of hatred and bigotry.” This year’s theme is “Never Again--For Anyone!” This annual message is not just a memorial for the past, it is a rallying cry for justice in the present and into the future. In a separate ceremony, Nebraska survivors of the Holocaust will light candles in memory of the victims. Each year an additional candle is lit to commemorate those who, at the risk of their own lives, sheltered and rescued victims of the Holocaust. For his humanitarian work, Reverend Donald Coleman Sr., formally of Mad Dads, will light this candle. (Continued on page 15)
by PAM MONSKY Federation Communications Director Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Memorial Day will be observed Wednesday, April 30, 7 p.m. at Beth El Synagogue with a service open to the entire Omaha Jewish community. The service includes special readings and prayers from each of the rabbis and cantors, a moving candle lighting ceremony led by community members who are survivors of the Holocaust and a keynote presentation by Walter Reed, a nationally known Holocaust speaker and one of the “Hidden Children of Chateau La Hille,” a group of 100 children from Germany and Austria who survived the war in France and were protected by the Swiss Children’s Aid Society. In addition, six high school students will be awarded prizes for their essays submitted to the Anti-Defamation League’s contest: Tribute to the Danes and Other Rescuers . The Herbert Goldsten Trust provided the monetary awards for the students, which include one first prize of $1,500; two second prizes of $750 each, and three third place prizes of $500 each. The students’ essays were selected from more than 270 submissions from several area high schools. (Continued on page 15)
Ben Wiesman to Be Inducted at Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame Event by CAROL KATZMAN, Editor One of Omaha’s most successful real estate developers, Benjamin Wiesman, is among the leaders to be inducted in to the Omaha Business Hall of Fame next month. The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce will honor him at a dinner at the Holiday Inn Convention Center Ballroom on Thursday, April 10, 6 p.m. Other honorees include: C.R. “Bob” Bell, Ben Wiesman former President of the Chamber; architect Stanley How, Kenneth E. Stinson, chairman and CEO of Peter Kiewit Sons, Inc.; and--posthumously, Father Edward Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, and J. Wendell Thomas, founder of Thomas Funeral Home. Jan Goldstein, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, described Wiesman’s commitment to the community this way: “Ben’s lifelong roots in Omaha and his visionary outlook bring strength to the leadership of our Jewish community. He has the ability to look at ‘the big picture’ whether it’s the impact of a commercial development on a neighborhood or imagining what the role of our synagogues will be in a not-too-distant future. “We share our pride with the Wiesman family in Ben’s accomplishments,” she added. Wiesman’s company, Wiesman Development, has been an innovator in the field for nearly 50 years. From his beginnings as the owner of apartment buildings and duplexes in midtown, Wiesman branched out into “turnkey” operations--handling all aspects of a project from design to construction to furnishing. During the recession of the 1970s, Wiesman maintained his commitment to downtown Omaha, purchasing and rehabbing old buildings. Later, Wiesman would devote his company’s attention to purchasing architecturally significant buildings-such as the Flatiron, the Ballantyne, and renovation of the Ford Plaza. In 1999, he was awarded the Visionary Pioneer Award from Downtown Omaha. With the development of Omaha’s new convention center, “Downtown is once again becoming a focal point for social and business activities,” he noted, “fueled by museums, the arts, and a renewed commitment to a strong financial and office community.” But it was marketing where Wiesman distinguished his company from others. He created the first world-wide 800 number for the Whirlpool Corporation which paved the way for Omaha to become the capitol for telemarketing and reservation centers. In the 1980s, a study by a national hotel consulting firm noted that Wiesman had developed more than 60% of the hotel reservation centers in the United States. His custom-designed facilities include clients such as giants First Data Resources, Hewlett (Continued on page 15)
INSIDE: Monthly calendar ........................... pages 10-11 Yair Dalal to perform, Alicia Ostriker to speak in Lincoln .................................... page 14 Passover Recipes from Australia ...... page 16 Purim Around the Heartland ...... pages 18-19
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March 28, 2003
SPARKS FROM THE WORD Witness and Participation by RABBI DEBBIE STIEL Parashat Shemini/HaHodesh This portion begins with a high drama that is foreign to the lives of modern Jews. It speaks of the initiation of Aaron and his sons into the new priesthood. The rite was to include sacrifices, blood poured on the altar, and specific actions taken with the animals’ innards. Yet below the surface of this event are lessons for our life. First, the initiation was done with great fanfare and in the sight of all the Israelites. Why? If Aaron is to be the conduit between God and the people, then all must experience the power of this moment and “buy in” to this new role. Similarly, the more that we can dramatize important Jewish moments,the more impact they will have on us. It is one thing to sit in shul and hear the 10 Commandments read, it is another to stand and be counted as they are decreed. Pesach, which will soon be upon us, can be a quick and dull seder, or it can be a drama brought to life. We can learn of the election of new officers at the Federation or Synagogue by reading of it in the Jewish Press, or we can witness and participate in the transfer of leadership by attending the event at which this occurs. Each time we opt out of one of these events we deny ourselves the opportunity to be fully impacted by the sights, sounds, emotions, words, and memories evoked by potentially powerful rites. If you have ever been out of the U.S. on the Fourth of July, you know that the excitement and the sense of being part of the celebration is missing when it is not going on all around you. Similarly, for us to feel the impact of Judaism’s holidays, history, and current happenings we need to immerse ourselves in all that they have to offer. We also need to create these celebrations, remembrances and events (whether at home, synagogue, or in the community) with as much careful planning and sense of the awe of the moment as possible. Then they can affect our thoughts and our lives. Secondly, Moses states at Aaron’s initiation: “this is what the Lord has commanded that you do, that the Presence of the Lord may appear to you.” In many ways, the synagogue today substitutes for the Tabernacle (it is our house of gathering and our place for worship). Hence I think the note in the new Etz Hayim Torah Commentary is right on the mark. The writer says “all of our activities in the synagogue, not only at prayer but in classes and at meetings, should have a goal of experiencing the presence of God.” May this be our will and God’s will--that the synagogue be a place where our actions bring out the holiest in us. Then hopefully we can spread that holiness to our world. Lastly, this portion, which concentrates on the priesthood and kashrut, mentions several times the need to live in a holy way because God is holy. We are not yet to the holiness code in Leviticus (chapter 19), but already this concept starts to shine through the text. Today how often is this concept lost in our secular world? This parasha urges us to lead a mindful life. In it, we hear God saying--both in your religious realm and in your secular one, remember that your words, your actions and your thoughts can be holy. May we be ever mindful of these messages. Ken yehi ratzon--may this be God’s will. Rabbi Debbie Stiel is the Jewish Education Director of the JCC’s Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center and rabbi at Ames Jewish Congregation in Ames, IA.
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The Jewish Press office will be closed the first two and last two days of Passover, Thursday and Friday, April 17-18, and Wednesday and Thursday, April 23-24. Deadlines for upcoming issues are as follows: Issue Deadline April 11 Passover issue--no regular news April 18 Wednesday, April 9 April 25 Monday, April 14 May 2 Monday, April 21 Questions? Call 334-6448.
DEATHS PHYLLIS CRANDELL Phyllis Crandell died at the age of 79. Services were held March 23 at Golden Hill Cemetery. She was preceded in death by her husband, Meyer Crandell, and a daughter, Barbara. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Merrylee and Skip Katzman; grandsons, Andy and Scott Katzman; sister, Rose Perelman; sister-inlaw, Minette Katz. Donations to the Visiting Nurses Association Hospice Program or the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. ELMER “AL” RIMERMAN Al Rimerman died at the age of 87. Services were held March 23 at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Rimerman worked for many years at Western Electric. He is survived by his wife, Mollye; children, Ronald Rimerman and Merilee Rimerman; two grandchildren; sister, Anita. Memorials to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. ROSE LOEWENSTEIN Rose Loewenstein died at the age of 81. Services were held March 24 at Beth El Cemetery. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herman, and a son, Alan. She is survived by children, Marilyn Jordan, Diane Wood, Richard Loewenstein, Judy Belisle and Michelle Loewenstein; grandchildren, Johnathan Wood, Brittany and Bradley Belisle, and Rebecca Jordan; and sister, Ilene Pachman. Memorials to the Visiting Nurses Association.
Beth Israel to Subsidize Tuition at Friedel for Its Members by BETH COHEN, Executive Director In a landmark decision, the Beth Israel Board of Commissioners approved a motion at its March board meeting to subsidize one-half of the tuition at Friedel Jewish Academy for children whose family’s primary membership is at Beth Israel Synagogue. This will be in effect for the 2003-04 school year and will be evaluated on a yearly basis. The initiative, brought to the board by President David Kohll, reinforces a strong bond between Beth Israel and Friedel. “Beth Israel feels an obligation to support our Jewish day school and to help it grow. As an incentive to encourage our congregants to send their children to Friedel, we have initiated this tuition subsidy,” said Dr. Kohll. “In Jewish life, nothing can be more important than chinuch--the Jewish education of our children,” noted Rabbi Howard Kutner of Beth Israel. “The children of today will be the Jewish leaders of tomorrow. Giving them a solid background in Judaic studies is the only way to ensure the future of our people. The Mishna tells us that Torah study is paramount. We hope all eligible congregants will take advantage of this new program.” Guy Matalon, Director of the Federation’s Jewish Education and Library Services, hopes that the message the Beth Israel Board sends with this decision will bring more children to the day school. “It is amazing to see that Beth Israel has made such a bold move in support of both Jewish education and Friedel Jewish Academy--our community day school,” he added. Beth Israel will continue to provide religious school programming for any families who wish to participate, even if children are receiving the Friedel tuition subsidy. The religious school program includes one hour per week of individual or small group learning for each child enrolled, plus a weekly Junior Congregation program for children ages five to Bar/Bat Mitzvah age and a weekly high school class taught by Rabbi Kutner. In addition to formal educational programs, the synagogue also has a number of opportunities for informal learning for children, including the monthly Shabbos House for all school aged children and various programs through NCSY, the synagogue’s youth group for children in grades 5-12.
March 28, 2003
SYNAGOGUES
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 3
Candlelighting Friday, March 28 .............................................. 6:26 p.m.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE
Member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism
7023 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556-6536 templeisrael-ne.org
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
1502 No. 52 St., Omaha, NE. 68104 -5013 556-6288 BethIsrael@novia.net
14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492-8550 WEB--www.bethel-omaha.org
FRIDAY: Men’s Club, 11:45 a.m. All male members of Temple Israel are invited to a weekly informal get together at Spirit World, 7517 Pacific St. Join us for some relaxation and great conversation; Shabbat Evening Service, 7:30 p.m., Cantor Wendy Shermet will officiate and give the sermon. SATURDAY: Bagels and Sacred Books, 9:30 a.m., in the Milder Center. Please join us as we continue study of Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries: The Amidah; Morning service, 10:30 a.m. SITTER SERVICE Sitter Service is available each Friday evening at the 7:30 service, Saturday mornings when there is a bar or bat mitzvah, as well as Sunday mornings when there is religious school. Charge is $2 per family. Please make reservations with the office. SUNDAY: Men’s Club, 10 a.m. join us for lox and bagels in the Milder Center. Guest speaker Roger Dixon of MECA (Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority) will answer questions about Omaha’s new convention center. Non-Men’s Club Members, $3. ADULT EDUCATION TUESDAY, April 1: The History of Israel in the Biblical Period, noon-1 p.m. Dr. Rami Arav will begin this Lunch and Learn course with the Golden Age of David and Solomon and progress to the divided kingdom of Israel and Judah and to their collapse; “Taking Leave: The Jewish Roots of Christianity”, 7-8:30 p.m. John Dacey leads this Jewish Journey Group’s examination of how Christianity adapts Jewish concepts to its faith tradition and where Judaism differs. WEDNESDAY, April 2: “A Guide to the Perplexed: Reading the Writings of Maimonides” Lunch and Learn, 8:30 a.m. with Rabbi Aryeh Azriel; The Jews of Spain: History and Culture, 6:45-8:15 p.m. with Prof. Guy Matalon; Comparison of Jewish Biomedical Ethics with other Philosophies of Religious and Secular Biomedical Ethics, 7-8:30 p.m. with Dr. Howard Needelman. THURSDAY, April 3: Beyond Basic Hebrew, 9:15-10 a.m.; Adult Study with Rabbi Craig Marantz, 10-11:30 a.m. TOT SHABBAT Friday, April 4, 7 p.m. A short service of song and prayer, followed by cookies and juice. Toddlers through children in the primary grades are encourages to bring their families. Come enjoy songs and a story with Rabbi Marantz.
Office hours: Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Howard Kutner. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:30 p.m.; The West Minyan is at the home of Leon and Dani Shrago, at 6:30 p.m. A weekly e-mail update is now being sent out, listing synagogue events. Please e-mail the office to be on the list. SATURDAY: Morning Services, 8:45 a.m. Free babysitting begins at 10 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10:30 a.m., Kiddush is sponsored by Georgia Ann Steinberg in honor of the anniversary of Jeffrey’s Bar Mitzvah. Mincha, 6:20 p.m., followed by Shalosh Suedot and Ma’ariv; Havdalah, 7:28 p.m. SUNDAY: Services, 9 a.m. NCSY’s Pre-Pesach Pottery Painting, 12:30 p.m. at That Pottery Place; Evening Services, 6:30 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m TUESDAY: Sisterhood Open Board Meeting, 10:30 a.m. followed by brunch. All Sisterhood members are welcome to attend.
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday , 9 a.m.-4 p.m. FRIDAY: Come join a joyous, musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m. A THOUGHT FOR SHABBAT To receive Rabbi Levin’s weekly “Thought For Shabbat” e-mail message, please send your e-mail address to Exec@bethel-omaha.org. This message is free and open to the entire community. SATURDAY: Morning services, 9:30 a.m., Guest speaker Rabbi Michael Graetz, of Magen Avraham Congregation in Omer, Israel and Director of Mercaz Shiluv, will present the D’var Torah. Hazak sponsored luncheon following services with Ritual Director, Gastón Bogomolni in “Gastón Talks About Music.” Call Natalie Rubin, 334-5893, for reservations. Torah Class, 6 p.m. will be taught by Rabbi Graetz, followed by services at 6:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Evening services and study session, 5:30-6 p.m. This relaxed, informal minyan led by Gastón Bogomolni, explores the structure of daily services and the meaning of specific prayers. This Sunday’s topic: Different Songs of Pesach From Around the World. ADULT EDUCATION WEDNESDAY: Adult B’nai Mitzvah class, 7 p.m., with Cantor Berkovitz; Rosh Hodesh group examines Turning 50- or 40 - or 70. And That Affects My Life How?, 7:30 p.m. at the home of Patty Nogg. Reservations a must, call 492-8550. THURSDAY: Rabbi Levin’s Introduction to Judaism Class will not meet this week. SPECIAL EVENTS Saturday, April 5: Men’s Club Shabbat. The themes are Hearing Men’s Voices and Let’s Talk About It!; BELLS Luncheon follows: Not According to Rule: Women, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran with Professor Sidnie White Crawford of UNL. Make your lunch and childcare reservations by calling Kathy Schmitt at 492-8550.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway, Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294-6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m..
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster St., Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 Phone: 322-4705 e-mail: doc jeb @aol.com
TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 tiferethisraellincoln.org
423-8569
Services conducted by Rabbi Stanley M. Rosenbaum. Minyan, Monday & Thursday, 7:15 a.m. FRIDAY: Services, 8 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning service, 9:30 a.m., followed by Kiddush. MEN’S GROUP Meets at The Knolls every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. SAVE THE DATE Thursday, May 1, Friday, May 2 and Sunday, May 4: Congregants may bring their “stuff” to the synagogue after Passover for Tifereth Israel’s Garage Sale.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN SOUTH STREET TEMPLE
Member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
2061 S. 20th St., Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435-8004 jewishnebraska.org FRIDAY: Early Shabbat service, 6 p.m., followed by a potluck dinner. SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m., Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. SUNDAY: Hebrew School, 9 a.m.; Religious School, 10 a.m.; Gan Simcha at Tifereth Israel, 10 a.m.-noon. MONDAY: Hebrew, 7 p.m. at Temple TUESDAY: Hagaddah class with Rabbi Milder, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: AA Meeting, 7 p.m. in the Library. THURSDAY: B’nai Mitzvah class, 5 p.m. SIGN UP FOR SEDER This year's community Passover seder will be on Thursday, April 17, 6:30 p.m. For reservations, call Stephanie at the Temple, 435-8004.
CHABAD HOUSE
FRIDAY: Evening Service, 7:30 p.m. Oneg will follow.
An Affiliate of the Worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch Movement
BEYT SHALOM
Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Monday-Friday, services at 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m., followed by a Kiddush luncheon. SUNDAY: Morning Service, 8:30 a.m. ADULT EDUCATION TUESDAY: Parsha HaShavuah (weekly Torah portion), 7-8:30 p.m. To register for any class, please call Jennifer at 330-1800, or e-mail chabadoffice@aol.com.
An Affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
3012 S. 119th St., P.O. Box 241130 Omaha, NE 68124-5130 660-2395 http://welcome.to/beytshalom/ SUNDAY: Religious Hebrew School, 3:30 p.m. at the JCC. TUESDAY: Religious Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at the JCC.
1866 So. 120th St., Omaha, NE 68144-1646 Phone: 330-1800 E-MAIL--chabad@aol.com WEBSITE: www.nebraskajudaism.com
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m., conducted by Alan Shulewitz. All services are open to the community.
BAR MITZVAH David Clark, son of Jim and Laurie Clark, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah Saturday, April 5, at Temple Israel. A seventh grade honors student at Morton Middle School, David enjoys football, magic games and weight-lifting. He has been awarded trophies in both football and martial arts. For his mitzvah project he raised money for Makea-Wish foundation by making and selling apple butter. David has a sister, Becca. Grandparents are Jean VanDusen and Leah and Dave Rosenstein.
Temple Administrator Temple Kol Ami, 315-member Reform Temple in Scottsdale, AZ, seeks a dynamic full-time executive director with strong programming, organizational, business management, interpersonal and leadership skills. Non-profit, synagogue or business administration experience required. Competitive salary/benefits. Reply to Bob Engleman, Search Committee Chair, email: search.committee@templekolami.org.
Page 4
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 28, 2003
EDITORIAL That tagline appeared on the CNN crawl last week as news of the coalition bombardment of Iraq played out on the big screen. This war to oust Saddam Hussein and free the Iraqi people of a 24year brutal, oppressive dictatorship is apparently being masterminded by a very odd group: Jews (that’s us), the oil industry (not one known to hire many Jewish employees) and the Mafia (okay, so maybe we have a few ties through the late Bugsy Segal and Meyer Lansky). So--if the accusation is correct, a bunch of Jewish leaders (from Hadassah maybe?) sat down with Texas oil execs and a few hitmen and decided to take out Saddam. Sounds about as real as the old canard that the Jews own all the banks and control the media (though watching Sunday night’s Academy Awards, it was easy to believe the latter-at least about the film and entertainment industry). Here’s the real truth: we’re in Iraq because the leaders of our American government think it’s the right thing to do. As this paper goes to press, U.S. and British troops have already uncovered one camouflaged 100,000 acre plant they suspect is a chemical factory. Think they were manufacturing fertilizer for a country that’s more than 60% desert? Saddam also claimed he had no scud missiles--so what were those rockets they fired into Kuwait? God help our brave coalition force soldiers if
LETTER FROM ISRAEL And the News Keeps Rolling by HARRY ALLEN Jerusalem this morning I shrouded with a dense fog and the wind, which is blowing sand in the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait, drives a hard rain against the windows of our sealed room at #9, Diskin St. It is hard to escape the banality of the symbolism of the natural fog to the greater fog of war which will no doubt have erupted in full fury by the time these word are in print. As the (impending) war with Saddam looms, my own thoughts drift--like the fog itself--not to the confrontation, but rather to the wars which have etched themselves into my memory. Before CNN there were the newsreels. And on Sunday afternoons, when we went to the neighborhood theater, I always watched them. The vision of Japanese troops invading Manchuria (in 193, I think, though the date may not be accurate) lingers with me yet. And then there was the Italian invasion of Ethiopia ad the heroic figure of Emperor Haile Salassie pleading with the League of Nations to save his tortured country--to no avail, of course. It was RKO Pathe News that recorded the Spanish Civil War--the testing ground for Hitler’s army and airforce. And the newsreels recorded hitler’s march into the Sutentenland, in utter disregard of Germany’s treaty obligations. Later, in a darkened theater, we watched the dismantling of the Czech Republic and the onset of World War II. As a direct participant, I witnessed that war and later all of Israel’s wars, not as a physical participant, but as a deeply involved emotional participant. So war occupies a fair amount of space on the hard disk of my memory. But as I write this today, it is Purim (a day late in Jerusalem because we live in a historically walled city). I must put recent memory aside to deliver shaloch manot as a symbol of the happiness we Jews fell about the end of that historic tyrant, Haman. So may it be with the current tyrants, who wish all civilized people and us ill--may we know no more newsreels or CNN broadcasts about wars.
The “Zionist Oil Mafia” Saddam does to them what he’s already done to his own people--gas 20,000 Kurds, rape and kill minority Shia Muslims who disagree with his policies, kill his own daughters and their families because his sons-in-law (fearful for their lives) try to flee Iraq. We tried the diplomatic route; we tried economic sanctions (ones that France and Russia conveniently managed to ignore to bolster their greedy relationship with Iraq in hopes of obtaining valuable oil rights to what could be reserves larger than Saudi Arabia’s). We’re in Iraq because 24 years is too long; because Saddam has had 12 years to obey United Nations resolution 1441 and hasn’t--and because there is strong suspicion that Al Qeada’s terrorist acts of Sept. 11 were state-financed. (Read Laurie Mylroie’s book: Study of Revenge: Saddam Hussein’s Unfinished War Against America. This is probably the best book today on the history of Saddam’s misadventures against the West.) The same arguments against this war were said before the U.S. sent troops to the former Yugoslavia (something the European Union should have done, but again France “was reluctant” to get involved). We already are involved and we have been since Sept. 11--to think otherwise is to fall victim to the same ludicrous thinking as those who dreamt up the conspiracy that the Zionist Oil Mafia is planning to take over the world.
BEHIND THE HEADLINES by DANIEL PIPES “How did the enemy get into our camp?” That’s what Bart Womack, a command sergeant major of the elite 101st Airborne Division, asked himself as a grenade rolled past him after one a.m. on Sunday at an American camp in Kuwait. The attacker worked methodically, destroying an electricity generator, throwing grenades into Womack’s tent and the two other command tents, then shooting soldiers as they fled. One soldier died and 15 sustained injuries. The enemy in this case appears to be not what one might expect--an Iraqi soldier or a Kuwaiti Islamist. The only suspect in custody is Hasan Karim Akbar, 31, a sergeant in the 101st Airborne. If Akbar were responsible for the rampage, what might be his motivation? First reports suggest that, as a devout African-American convert to Islam, he identifies with the Iraqi enemy against his fellow soldiers. The Los Angeles Times quotes him stating, after he was apprehended, “You guys are coming into our countries and you’re going to rape our women and kill our children.” NBC found that he “was opposed to the killing of Muslims and opposed to the war in Iraq.” Reuters quotes one source saying that “He’s a Muslim, and it seems he was just against the war,” while another told the news agency that the violence was “politically motivated.” There is evidence to suggest that Akbar expected to get in trouble even before he arrived in Kuwait. His former stepfather quotes him saying that Akbar “did not want to fight in this war, he didn’t want to go over there.” A neighbor explains why: “America shouldn’t be going,” Akbar told him; he judged it not “right” to attack Iraq. And his mother quotes him: “Mama, when I get over there I have the feeling they are going to arrest me just because of the name I carry.” This incident raises two issues. First, the U.S. government’s initial response indicates that, once again, it is ascribing violence by an American Muslim to purely personal causes. Here’s its take on prior homicides: • “A prescription drug for or consistent with depression” to explain why El Sayyid A. Nosair in 1990 shot Rabbi Meir Kahane. (Founded in 1920)
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Murder in the 101st Airborne • “Road rage” to explain why Rashid Baz in 1994 shot a Hassidic boy on the Brooklyn Bridge. • “Many, many enemies in his mind” to explain why Ali Hasan Abu Kamal in 1997 shot a tourist on the Empire State Building’s observation deck. • “A work dispute” to explain why Hesham Mohamed Ali Hadayet in 2002 shot two people at the El Al counter of LAX. And Akbar in 2003? U.S. Army spokespersons talk variously about an “attitude problem,” a desire for “retribution,” and “resentment.” The chief chaplain at Akbar’s home base, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, announces (completely without evidence) that the incident is “not an expression of faith.” No one yet knows Akbar’s motives, but ignoring that it fits into a pattern of political violence by American Muslims amounts to willful self-deception. When will officialdom acknowledge what is staring them in the face? Its avoidance of reality has real consequences, increasing the dangers Americans face. “This country’s officials are in a state of denial and confusion that is almost as frightening as the terrorism they are supposed to be fighting,” observes Dennis Prager, only slightly exaggerating. Second, the Akbar incident points to the suspect allegiance of some Muslims in U.S. government service. The case of Gamal Abdel-Hafiz has recently surfaced--an FBI agent whose colleagues say he twice refused to record conversations with suspected financiers of militant Islamic terrorism (“A Muslim does not record another Muslim”). All of which reinforces what I wrote in January: “There is no escaping the unfortunate fact that Muslim government employees in law enforcement, the military and the diplomatic corps need to be watched for connections to terrorism, as do Muslim chaplains in prisons and the armed forces. Muslim visitors and immigrants must undergo additional background checks. Mosques require a scrutiny beyond that applied to churches and temples.” As Sergeant Womack noted, the enemy has already managed to “get into our camp.” Do we have the will to stop him before he strikes again?
JEWISH PRESS COMMITTEE Joanie Jacobson, Vice-Chairman; Penny Endelman, Secretary; Steve Simon, Treasurer; Elyce Azriel; Jill Belmont; Jean Duitch; Kip Gordman; Bobbi Leibowitz; Howard K. Marcus; Scott Meyerson; Linda Saltzman; Joey Shyken; Melanie Weinstein; Amee Zetzman; George Schapiro (Honorary Committee Member). 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.
March 28, 2003
JOURNAL ENTRY FROM ISRAEL by TEDDY WEINBERGER In the days leading up to the first salvo of the Iraqi war, Israelis were left to puzzle over the following: while the Israeli military assessed the chances of an Iraqi bio-chemical missile strike as negligible, the Home Front Command acted as if such a strike might occur with the very outbreak of the war. Toward this end the public was first asked to buy materials to stock and construct a sealed room, then asked to construct this room, then, on March 19, the Israeli public was asked to open the sealed boxes containing their gas masks (in order to put the special anti-chemical filter in place and to fit the mask). The latter instruction was the most pivotal, since once the boxes are opened they must be refreshed after a few months--at a total cost of tens of millions of dollars to the State. I fought the good reasonable fight against excessive precaution at every step of the way, and I was outvoted by either Sarah or my children. I didn’t want to refresh our masks, but Sarah exchanged them all at the end of October. I didn’t want to construct a sealed room, but the kids insisted with their not-too-subtle accusation that to do otherwise would mean that I was prepared to hand them over to Saddam Hussein. So Sarah bought a roll of heavy plastic sheeting and some duct tape and sealed the windows of our room. We drew the line at stocking the room, however-even though our 12-year-old Ruthie asked (logically,): “What will we eat in there?” Israelis who did stock their sealed rooms complained that by the start of the war all the food had been poached by family members. Beginning on Thursday March 20, the Home Front Command recommended that everyone go around with their “defense kits.” Inside (approximately 6x11x7”) are: (a) the rubber gas mask, and (b) the filter, (c) a plastic drinking tube that attaches to the mask so that one can drink while the mask is worn, (d) a syringe of atropine to be self-injected if one has two or more of the following symptoms of injury: “blurred vision, teary eyes, runny nose, increased salivation, chest pains, nausea, or tremors
Week One of the Iraqi War
throughout the body,” plus (e) an instruction booklet in Hebrew, Arabic, English, and Russian. By and large, Israelis ignored this Home Front command and left their kits at home. The Ministry of Education, however, made it a requirement that all students come to school with their kits. Since they needed to lug it around in any case (though by Monday, March 24, most junior high and high school students could not be persuaded to take theirs), many children decided to make the best of things and decorate their kit. The traditional thing is to tape construction paper onto the box and then to draw or paint on the paper. My 10-year-old Ezra cut out a number of pictures from magazines and created a collage on his box. Ruthie was the most creative. She took white wrapping paper and wrapped the kit with it, then she took a red ribbon and bow, and voila: the gas mask as birthday present. Sarah has been rather impressed with President Bush and felt compelled to e-mail the White House the following letter. I reprint it here--just please don’t tell her because then she’ll want to take her cut. Dear President Bush: I want to thank you for having the courage to do the right thing and for having taken the difficult but necessary step to begin military action against Iraq. Living in Israel, I know the fear and destruction that terrorism brings. I firmly believe that you are taking the right step to show the world that democracy and freedom are mainstays of civilization. I am proud that you are willing to make that statement even when others do not support you. My five children ran off to school today clutching their school bags in one hand; their gas masks in the other. We should not be afraid to teach our children to stand up for what is right, and to fight if there is absolutely no other alternative. As an American, I fully support your leadership in Iraq. I am proud to be an American. May God bless you, America, and your noble cause. Thank you, Sarah Jane Ross
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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Jews in Muslim Lands Feared Vulnerable as War Intensifies by RACHEL POMERANCE NEW YORK (JTA)--As the U.S. military pounds Iraq, Jewish communities in Muslim countries may become increasingly vulnerable. Jews not only are tiny minorities in the Muslim world, but to some of their surrounding public, they represent the perceived twin threats of Israel and America. As coverage from Al-Jazeera and other Arab stations rouses the Muslim world with tireless coverage of the war--which many Muslims think came at Israel’s behest--Jewish communities could become a whipping-boy for feverish ideologues. “There are indications that angry and instigated crowds could turn violent and direct their anger and aggression toward individual Jews and Jewish communal installations,” said Steven Schwager, Executive Vice-president of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. In anticipation of the war, the JDC has been working with Jewish communities in Muslim countries, along with their governments and non-governmental organizations. The JDC, the North American federation system’s overseas partner for relief and welfare, instructs Jews in Muslim countries to keep a low profile and helps them assess risks, such as attending Jewish day school or synagogue. Only a handful of Muslim countries have enough Jews to constitute a substantial community. According to the JDC, Iran has 23,000 Jews; Turkey, 23,000; Morocco 5,000; Tunisia, 1,500; Yemen, 280; and Iraq, 60. Hundreds of thousands of Jews who lived in Muslim countries fled their homes, and often prominent positions, during the last century, amid the creation of Israel and its early wars for existence. The Jews of Iraq are considered the most vulnerable community. According to JDC, the possibility of an anti-Semitic backlash places them in even greater danger than other Iraqis who are suffering through the war. About 40 Jews live in Baghdad, 15 of whom are elderly and live in its synagogue. JDC recently learned of 20 Jews in other cities throughout the country.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 28, 2003
Beth El Students Experience Jewish Life on the Prairie by OZZIE NOGG Seventh grade students from Beth El recently got a taste of Jewish immigrant life in the Midwest when they toured the Jewish Life on the Prairie exhibit sponsored by the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society at the JCC. The field trip included a walk through the Photo Hall, the Rabbis’ Exhibit, the Archives and the Kapulier Shul. The tour--America, the Jewish Experience--was led by Dottie Rosenblum, NJHS Secretary, who gave the BESTT students some background on Jewish migration to this part of the country, along with an overview of Jewish Recent visitors to the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society were: first Omaha and a detailed his- row, Liatte Dotan, left, Rachel Gordon, Emily Giller, Sarah Chapman; tory of the synagogues second row, Henry Ginsburg, Nikolai Salkin, Steven Meyer, Daniel that have been part of our Canfield; third row, Benjamin Nachman, Michael Friedman, Aaron Murow, Erica Chapman, Eugene Turetsky, Laura Adler, back row, community. When describing the teacher Daniel Christensen, Gabriella Waesch. Not pictured: Amy field trip, teacher Daniel Durmaskin, Rachel Kirshenbaum, Arielle Levine, Daniel Rahmani and Christensen said, “In the Rachel Reno. Anna Besser, Beth El’s Education Director, added, Kapulier Shul, I was struck, personally, by the memories it evoked. Just imagine all the genera- “This field trip tied in with what our students learn tions that had preceded us-- all the people who had about American Jewish history in the classroom. I come and gone. The kids felt it, too. Here they were, think it’s important for them to experience what sitting in the same pews where some of their great- they are learning. Textbooks and projects can only grandparents sat--looking at the same prayer books go so far. It helps that in Omaha we have a place and furniture. We really experienced a sense of l’dor like the Jewish Historical Society that brings the v’dor--from generation to generation. It was very Jewish pioneer experience in the Midwest to life in a concrete way.” moving.”
Newman Grants Requests Due April 14 by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Foundation Public Relations Coordinator Barbara Epstein, chairman of the Esther K. Newman/Carolyn Kully Newman Funds Grants Committee, announced that committee members will meet on Thursday, May 15, to consider applications for grants. The deadline for submitting requests for grants is Monday, April 14, 1 p.m. Grants are made to new and innovative programs designed to enhance the Jewish identity of youth in the community. The Esther K. Newman Fund supports programs designed for Jewish youth between preschool and college age and for young adults under the age of 23 who are not attending a college or university. Income from the Carolyn Kully Newman Fund is allocated to fund programs and activities for Jewish children of kindergarten age or younger. Committee members are looking for programs that strengthen Jewish identity and values through educational, religious, cultural, social, or recreational activities that are sponsored by synagogues and Jewish organizations in Omaha and Lincoln as well as Jewish Federation centers of excellence. Programs that promote general health, development, and welfare of Jewish children and their fam-
ilies are also eligible for grants. Distributions may be made to purchase equipment, supplies, and materials for these programs. Among the criteria for selecting grant recipients, committee members consider the community value of a program including its special or unique features, an agency’s ability to carry out the purposes and goals of the program or service, and the costbenefit considerations of the program. Particular emphasis is placed on new and innovative programming. Organizations are encouraged to submit requests to maximize in-kind contributions to help stretch available funds. Members of the Newman Grants Committee represent the Jewish Federation Budget and Allocations Committee, Jewish Educational and Library Services, the Jewish Community Center, Beth Israel Synagogue, Beth El Synagogue, Temple Israel, Friedel Jewish Academy, and B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. Both Newman Funds are administered by the Foundation of the Jewish Federation. Applicants may call the Foundation office at 334-6439 for assistance.
Popular Series on Current Events Resumes by DIANE AXLER BAUM Don’t depend on the media for world news of significance to the Jewish community. Instead, come to the stimulating sessions on news and views, most Tuesdays at noon, in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library at the JCC. The informal, brown-bag programs will resume April 1 following over a month’s hiatus. In recent interviews, many regulars said they look forward to attending again. They urged others to join the group whenever their schedules permit. Among the regulars are Silvia and Larry Roffman, who described the series as “very elucidating.” The sessions, said Dr. Roffman, present “a wonderful historical perspective and a Jewish perspective on the Middle East.” Most programs are presented in tandem by Bob Wolfson and Guy Matalon. Wolfson is director of the Plains States Region of the Anti-Defamation League-Community Relations Council. Matalon is Director of Jewish Educational and Library Services and a faculty member in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Periodically, Moshe Gershovitz, a member of UNO’s Department of History, also serves as a facilitator. While headlines provide fuel for the interactive sessions, the expertise and personality of the facilitators provide direction. “The leaders are knowledgeable, but also personable, and their topics are varied. So you get two for one,” according to Gary Katz. Sylvia Wagner described Matalon and Gershovitz as young men who are “in touch, day by day, with Israeli current affairs. They visit there; they telephone there; they come with an Israeli slant and also an American slant,” she said. “Bob Wolfson keeps us informed on how world affairs and international politics are affecting us.” Wagner also paid tribute to the participants, who represent a wide spectrum of the community, including business, law, education, medicine, the arts and community service. “The people who come are not only interested, but they are also interesting,” she pointed out. “Guy and Bob and Moshe give us the meat and potatoes, and the people who come put in the spice.” Recent sessions have analyzed such stimulating topics as “Anti-Semitism in Europe and Around the World”, “Anti-Semitism in the U.S. and What It Means to Omaha” and “France and Germany and the Dissent in NATO.” Each time, said Helen Epstein, she comes away with “a clearer picture of what’s going on” and a deeper understanding of material she “glossed over before.” The series has been called “Cold Lunch-Hot Topics,” and “Noontime Nosh ’n News,” but is identified most frequently as “The Guy and Bob Show” in recognition of Wolfson’s and Matalon’s input. Cosponsors are the College of Jewish Learning of JELS, the ADL-CLC, and the Henry Monsky Lodge of B’nai B’rith. Steve Riekes, longtime chairman of the College of Jewish Learning of Jewish Educational and Library Services, invited the community to obtain additional information, or request future topics, by contacting Kathy Hirshman in the JELS office, 3346445 or khirshman@jewish-omaha.org.
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ORGANIZATIONS
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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IN THE NEWS
B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Amnon Dotan will speak at Breadbreakers on Wednesday, April 2, noon, at the Park Inn Regency, according to Marty Ricks, April Chairman. Dotan’s topic: “The War and Its Impact From an Israeli’s Perspective.” Cost is $9 for lunch and $2 for beverage service only. Breadbreakers is open to the community. Y.E.S. Members will meet Monday at the JCC. Play bingo at 10 a.m. with Eileen Remer or exercise with Stacey Paskert at 10:30 a.m. Bring articles to share for “YES Talk” at 11 a.m.. Following lunch at noon, the Golden Beater Kitchen Band from Council Bluffs will perform. For transportation call Dee Dee at 330-4272. Make all reservations with Maggie Conti at 3346521: day trip for Bunch to Lunch on April 3, deadline for reservations is March 31; Bluffs Run Casino on April 10, deadline is April 3; Musical Extravaganza with Stan Widman and Esther Wax on April 28, deadline is April 21. The Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center presents Miss Nelson is Missing on Thursday, May 8. See the show, tour the majestic theater and have lunch. Cost is $12, which is all inclusive, or $8 if you provide your own lunch. Depart from the JCC at 10:30 a.m. and return by approximately 2:30 p.m. Deadline is April 28. VISIONS Reminder: The Visions Board Meeting is Friday, April 4, 9:30 a.m. in the Blumkin Home conference room. Join Visions’ Minneapolis Getaway on July 8-10. Cost is $172 per person based on double occupancy ($252 single occupancy). Send reservations with $50 deposit by May 1 to: Betty Sanford, 9205 Western Ave, #127, Omaha, NE 68114. Depart from the JCC at 8 a.m. on July 8 and arrive back in Omaha on July 10 by 6 p.m. Make check payable to Visions.
OMAHA CENTER FOR TORAH LEARNING Rabbi Aryeh Blum leads a parasha shiur at the OCTL House, 1313 No. 58 St., March 29, 5:20 p.m. Torah Tots is Monday, March 31, 10 a.m. with Shari Blum (parents can learn with Rabbi Blum; Time for Talmud with Rabbi Blum is 7:30 p.m.; Rabbi Yeohushua Kahan speaks on Tuesday, April 1, 7:30 p.m. The Wednesday Women’s Class is April 2, 7:30 p.m., all at the OCTL house. Join OCTL for the weekly discussion of the Torah portion at Lunch ’n Learn, Wednesday, April 2, noon, at the Kripke Jewish Federation Library; the Wednesday Teen Class meets at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Brooke Shrago, 805 So. 120 Ave. Save the dates: Monday, April 7, 7:30 p.m., noted educator Rabbi Noach Orlowek will speak on “The Dynamics of Self-Renewal,” a discussion of freedom, Passover, renewal of life during spring, and gratitude for a fulfilling life.” Rabbi Orlowek is Mashgiach (Dean of Students) at Jerusalem’s Yeshiva Torah Ore and author of several books on educating and raising Jewish children. For more information about OCTL, call Rabbi Blum at 320-8055. AMIT WOMEN American Mothers for Israel and Torah will host an open board meeting on Sunday, March 30, noon, at the home of Charlotte Kaplan, 5431 Lafayette Ave. Sara Landsman, Moitim Chairman, announced that a video, The AMIT Way, will be shown. For reservations, call Marian Strauss, 558-2646. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Join us for Yiddish Theater Day at the Yiddish Conversation Group on Thursday, 1-3 p.m. The movie The Purimshpiler will be shown on a large screen in the JCC theater. Call Anne Skolkin for information at 343-1638. WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going on the Bunch to Lunch day trip, please meet at the JCC main entrance at 11 a.m. Exercise will begin at 10 a.m. in the Social Hall. For transportation call Maggie Conti at 334-6521.
Rabbi Barry Weinstein, former associate rabbi of Temple Israel from 1971-83, received the Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Community and Justice March 25 in Baton Rouge, LA. Rabbi Weinstein, who has been the spiritual leader of Congregation B’nai Israel Synagogue for 20 years, is one of the founding members of the Greater Baton Rouge Federation of Churches and Synagogues. He’s served on the boards of Volunteer Baton Rouge, Capital Area United Way, and was President of the Baton Rouge Ministerial Association. Ali Lerner, daughter of Richard and Martha Lerner, will represent the State of Nebraska this weekend, as a Cherry Blossom Princess in the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. The women are chosen for their leadership, academic achievements, interest in social, civic and community affairs. Lerner is an honors graduate of American University.
BIRTH Charlotte Ross and Matthew Katz of San Francisco, CA, announce the March 18 birth of their daughter, Sylvia Rae, named for her greatgrandmother Sylvia Ross and her great-greatgrandmother, Rae Rosenberg. Sylvia has a brother, Noah Hershel, 16 months. Grandparents are Willis Ann and Alvin Ross of Omaha and Art Katz and Judy Mitchell of Los Angeles. Great-grandparents are Leah and Marvin Rosenberg and Evelyn Katz, all of California.
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(Continued from page 1) “My mother did everything a mother could possibly do. My father was busy running a business,” but in retrospect, Pinkie admitted “it must have been rough on my brother, Daniel, and sister, Debbie. Our mother wasn’t there for them. She was too busy taking care of me.” Though she was involved in lots of activities, she knows she acted out. “I was a troublemaker--it was my way of rebelling. I even got kicked out of national USY convention because I left the hotel. They put me on a plane (on Shabbat!) and sent me home.” After graduation from high school, she moved out of her parents’ home into an apartment and quit going to the doctors. But, the disease kept progressing. Doctors put her on a low protein diet. “I was allowed two ounces of meat, fish, poultry or cheese and had to drink between five and seven quarts of liquid a day. I called it, ‘The Stupid Diet.’” That same year, she met and married business associate, Dave Hansen. “When we married, neither one of us knew exactly what was going to happen. He has been amazing through all of this!” Her disease was progressing; her kidneys continued to function but at a very low level, down to 15% by March of 1999. It soon became necessary for peritoneal dialysis. Her blood was cleansed at night by pumping fluids through her peritoneal cavity, a membrane that holds in all the internal organs. Excess fluid and waste products were pulled out during this 91/2 hour process while she slept. Late in 2001, Pinkie developed peritonitis, an
inflammation of the peritoneal cavity. Since this condition was potentially fatal, she began hemodialysis last April. Memory loss, hearing loss and tinnitus and other problems plague Pinkie. In addition to her regular dialysis treatments, she takes many medications and has to be very careful with her diet. “Having non-functioning kidneys and being on dialysis definitely shortens your life,” she explained. “Because my kidneys don’t function, I also have iron injections.” Pinkie needs a kidney desperately. It must be from someone with type B or O blood. The surgery is done laproscopically from a living donor and does not involve any unique risks (just ask Marcia Pitlor who donated a kidney to her brother--or Cheryl Cooper, who donated one of her kidneys to her best friend, Ann Goldstein). Pinkie would rather have a kidney from a living donor than a cadaver. Though she’s on the national transplant waiting list for a cadaver kidney, it could take three to six years, time Pinkie isn’t sure she has. Though she has a “great support system” among her husband, friends, the synagogue, she yearns to return to some sort of normalcy. “There are times when I just melt down,” she admitted. Pinkie would be more than happy to answer any questions about donating a kidney and can direct potential donors to UNMC’s transplant program. If you think this is something you can do, call her in Lincoln at 421-9232. She’s waiting for “that perfect birthday gift”
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The Declaration of Independence Road Trip makes its appearance in Omaha today. One of only 25 original copies, this one owned by producer Norman Lear, is being showcased at the Durham Western Heritage Museum March 28-April 6, arriving with a police motorcade, accompanied by the Westside High School marching band and the Millard North Middle School choir. Admission is $4 for adults and free for children, 12 and under. For hours of operation, call 444-5027. The Omaha Symphony has announced its 200304 season, featuring David Clayton Thoms and the group Blood, Sweat & Tears on Oct. 3-4, Olivia Newton-John on Oct. 24 pianist Orli Shaham on Jan. 16-17, 2004, and mezzo-soprano Janice
Meyerson on May 21-22, 2004. For season ticket information, call the box office, 342-3836 or log on to: www.omahasymphony.org. Friends of Opera at the University of Nebraska School of Music announce a May Day celebration on May 1, 6:30 p.m. at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln. The “Camille x 3” fundraiser features dinner and a performance in three parts: screening of the 1937 film, Camille, starring Great Garbo; a stage production of the last act of the Alexander Dumas play, Camille; and an opera production of the last act of Verdi’s La Traviata. Tickets are $100 each and may be obtained by sending checks, made out to Friends of Opera, to: Dr. Greg Kallos, 202 No. 11 St., Lincoln, NE 68508.
READ IT AND EAT Michael Chiarello’s Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello (Chronicle, $35) Review by LOIS FRIEDMAN Credit this author/award- winning chef with two PBS series, California’s Tra Vigne restaurant and his line of Napa Style products. Give a busy person something to do and you’ll get this beautiful new cookbook with gorgeous color photography by award-winning photographer, Deborah Jones. Beginning last September, Chiarello’s new TV series features “stress-free weekday meals and spontaneous gatherings of friends and family,” techniques, timesaving tips, hints for effortless entertaining. His notes are throughout the book which emphasizes casual cooking in sync with the seasons and “learning to cook smart.” The beauty of the colors and shapes, the aromas, textures all come into play as we experience food. Begin with a well stocked pantry-both homemade and store-bought items reflecting Chiarello’s Italian background and his home in Napa Valley, “America’s Tuscany.” The flavors jump off the pages. Crispy browned Yukon gold potatoes with Italian parsley, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, and garlic, fennel-roasted vegetables, chicken with rosemary and lemon salt, roasted garlic thyme butter. Mostly one recipe to a page. Ingredients are listed and often include references to other recipes. Careful, detailed instructions for Italian homestyle cooking. Enjoy cooking home-cooking in your home with the help of a pro or just curl up and enjoy an outstanding book to read, too. Friends and family will want more of this salad--perfect for your Passover meals.
SHAVED CARROT, FENNEL AND TANGERINE SALAD This salad is drop-dead gorgeous. You’ll want to serve it in a clear glass bowl so guests can admire its beautiful spring colors. Note that you’ll need a manual vegetable slicer, such as a mandoline or V-slicer, to shave the vegetables into paper-thin ribbons. 1/2 pound bunch carrots with tops attached 2 medium fennel bulbs 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon (Champagne) vinegar, or as needed 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced onionsoup style (from stem end to root end) 1 cup tangerine sections 2 cups watercress springs, thick stems removed Sea salt, preferably gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper Remove the carrot tops and peel the carrots. Cut them into 3-inch lengths, then use a manual vegetable slicer to shave them lengthwise into ribbons. Cut off the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulbs if still attached, then halve the bulbs. Remove the outer layer, which is usually tough. Shave the fennel lengthwise like the carrots. Put the carrots and fennel in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Let stand for 20 minutes to soften. Add the red onion, tangerine sections, and watercress. Season with salt and pepper, toss well, taste, and add more vinegar if needed. Serve immediately. Serves 6
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FRIDAY, MARCH 28 Shabbat Dinner, 7 p.m. at Beth El SATURDAY, MARCH 29 HAZAK Lunch & Learn on Shabbat, noon at Beth El SUNDAY, MARCH 30 Jews in Popular Culture-Jews in Cartoons, College of Jewish Learning, 7 p.m. MONDAY, MARCH 31 AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington D.C. YES Program, 10 a.m. Florence Melton Adult Mini School, 11 a.m. & 7 p.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel TUESDAY, APRIL 1 Sisterhood Board Meeting, 10 a.m. BBYO Night, 6 p.m. JCC Executive Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. JFS Couples - Interfaith Group, 7 p.m. Friedel Jewish Academy Board of Directors Meeting, 7:30 p.m. JCC Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Scholar in Residence Rabbi Yehoshua Kahan, 7:30 p.m. at the OCTL House, 1313 No. 58 St. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2 B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge Beth El Women’s Rosh Chodesh, 7 p.m. B’nai B’rith Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m.
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THURSDAY, APRIL 3 Walk-in Drop-in Activity, 10 a.m. Yiddish Group Meeting, 1 p.m. “Live from the 92nd Street Y”, 6 p.m. JFS Becoming a Love and Logic Parent, 6 p.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 4 Visions Board Meeting, 9:30 a.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 5 Lunch and Learn on Shabbat (BELLS), 12:30 p.m., at Beth El 7th & 8th Grade Melavah Malka, 6 p.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, APRIL 6 Beth El Kids’ Snack and Learn, 11:30 a.m. MONDAY, APRIL 7 YES Program, 10 a.m. Florence Melton Adult Mini School, 11 a.m. & 7 p.m. Jewish Press Committee Meeting, 5 p.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Noach Orlowek, 7:30 p.m. at the OCTL House, 1313 No. 58 St. TUESDAY, APRIL 8 BBYO Night, 6 p.m. JFS Couples - Interfaith Group, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 Federation/Synagogue’s Presidents & Rabbis Meeting, noon B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge NCJW Board Meeting, 7 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel
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Margarite and Mary Goodenow THURSDAY, APRIL 10 BBYO Spring Regional Convention Weekend at Camp Sabra, through April 13 Walk-in Drop-in Activity, 10 a.m. JFS Project Tzedakah, 1 p.m. Yiddish Group Meeting, 1 p.m. JFS Becoming a Love and Logic Parent, 6 p.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 11 CDC Seders, 7 a.m. JFS Project Tzedakah, 8 a.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 12 “Out of Sight Saturday Night”, 6:30 p.m. Yair Dalal Concert, 8 p.m., in Lincoln MONDAY, APRIL 14 “Live from the 92nd Street Y”, 6 p.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel
TUESDAY, APRIL 15 BBYO Night, 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23 B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge THURSDAY, APRIL 24 B’nai B’rith Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 25 Visions Israel Travel Log and Lunch, noon at Joslyn Art Museum MONDAY, APRIL 28 YES Program, 10 a.m. Florence Melton Adult Mini School, 11 a.m. & 7 p.m. BBYO Rush/Parent Information Night, 6 p.m. Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel TUESDAY, APRIL 29 Federation Executive Committee Meeting, 5:30 p.m. BBYO Night, 6 p.m. Federation Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 AIPAC Council Meeting, 11:30 a.m. at Ironwood Country Club B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge Community Yom Hashoah Commemoration, 7 p.m. at Beth El Federation Planning & Evaluation Committee Meeting, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers, noon, at the Park Inn Regency Lodge THURSDAY, APRIL 17 Kripke Library Monthly Book Discussion Group, 1 p.m. Community Second Seder, 7 p.m. at Beth El MONDAY, APRIL 21 Talmud Class with Rabbi Kutner, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel
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All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the above events.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 28, 2003
Temple Israel Set to Welcome Sofer
Beth El To Observe Men’s Club Shabbat
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Since last autumn, the congregation of Temple Israel has been anticipating and preparing for the second week of April when Rabbi Moshe Druin will arrive from Florida to lead the Torah Restoration Project sponsored by the Women of Reform Judaism-Omaha (WRJ-O). “There is great significance when a shul takes an existing Sefer Torah and has it looked over and fixed for the purpose of using it once again,” explained Rabbi Druin. “This process unifies and joins all the letters of the Torah into one force--a kosher scroll originated by G-d. This holy work not only uplifts a ‘lost’ scroll to its former glory but also through this process will help uplift and unify this holy Jewish congregation.” A specially trained scribe who is an artist, a calligrapher, and a scholar of Torah, Rabbi Druin has more than 20 years of experience as a teacher and a calligrapher. He travels regularly, teaching, evaluating, and restoring Torah scrolls on site. He will arrive in Omaha on Sunday, April 6, to join in the congregational celebration at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary at Temple Israel. The Torah scrolls will be taken from the ark by past presidents of the congregation. One scroll will be unrolled as families around the sanctuary support it with their hands. Children from each grade level, kindergarten through sixth grade, will participate in special honors during the ceremony. Finally, the scrolls will be entrusted to Rabbi Druin for restoration. Following the ceremony, Tuffy Epstein’s Klezmer Band will play at a reception which will also feature Israeli dancing. Throughout the afternoon, families and individuals will be able to sign up to meet with the sofer during the week or help him fill in letters in the Torah that day. On Monday, April 7, Rabbi Druin will devote the entire day to working on the Torah scrolls. On Tuesday, April 8, 1 p.m., Rabbi Druin will be the speaker at WRJ-O’s Donor Tea. He’ll present “Ruth, Mother of Royalty--Capturing the Royalty in
by OZZIE NOGG
All of Us.” Call Cindy Goldberg at 398-5448 to make a reservation for the Donor Tea. In addition to restoring the Torahs, Rabbi Druin has been commissioned to oversee the writing of a Scroll of Ruth to be completed in time for Shavuot. At 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, all families who have children enrolled in Temple’s Religious School are invited to attend Family School for an evening of study about mezuzot. Rabbi Druin will teach “It Takes 22 Lines, 713 Letters, 4,649 Laws to Make One Mezuzah.” The children will have an opportunity to make their own mezuzot. Call Religious School Coordinator Joan Cooper at Temple Israel, 556-6536, to RSVP. Wednesday, April 9, begins at 7:30 p.m. with Torah and Toast! To start the work day with a discussion of the Torah at a breakfast study session with Rabbi Druin, call the Temple office to reserve a seat. At noon that day, there will be an open forum with Rabbi Druin at a Lunch and Learn catered box lunch. There is no charge to attend, but please call Temple to reserve a spot. Teens and Torah will be Wednesday, 5 p.m. “The teenage years...are all too often filled with confusion and directionless behavior,” Rabbi Druin commented. “Going through some of the foundations of our heritage while giving teens the opportunity to question and explore their own reality can have a healthy and positive impact on them.” He will present “The Art of Hebrew Letters” followed by dinner. Everyone is invited to join Rabbi Druin on Thursday, April 10, 10 a.m. at the regular session of Adult Study with the Clergy for Torah study on the theme of “Reaching the Highest Point of the Hebrew Letters.” All members of the community are welcome to attend any of the scheduled events . “Come and join me during this project,” Rabbi Druin suggested, “not only to watch a sofer at work, but also to delve inside the wonders and secrets of this most wonderful present Hashem, G-d, ever gave to mankind--the Torah.”
The Beth El Synagogue Men’s Club will observe Men's Club Shabbat on Saturday morning, April 5. Services begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be conducted by Men’s Club members. A kiddush will follow the service. The annual event is sponsored by the National Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs. This year’s theme is: “Let’s Talk About It!” “The FJMC’s mission is to involve Jewish men in Jewish life,” said Glen Fineman, President, “and educating our members has always been one of our primary means of supporting this mission. Men’s Club is a perfect forum in which to talk about subjects that are important to us--social relationships, our families, our faith. FJMC’s overall study program--Hearing Menπs Voices--encourages us to listen to one anotherπs concerns. Many of the issues we discuss are sensitive, but the conversations are held with people we like and trust, and that makes sharing our feelings much easier.” Hearing Men’s Voices topics include Our Fathers, Ourselves--developed to help men better understand the parent-child relationship by examining the different aspects of being sons of fathers and fathers to their own sons and daughters. “Our latest initiative--Building the Faith--is also part of our ongoing dialog this year,” Fineman said. “‘Building the Faith’ deals with the issue of dual faith marriage and asks how we can reach out and encourage these families to increase their involvement in Jewish life. We realize that intermarriage and its impact on our families can be a controversial subject, but--as this year’s Men’s Club Shabbat theme suggests--let’s talk about it.” Other Men’s Club officers are Harry Weiner, Membership Vice-president; Lloyd Roitstein, Program Vice-president; Fred Kader, Secretary and Les Kay, Treasurer. Board members are Michael Linn, Gerald Shkolnik, Hyman Sukiennik and Ben Shapiro. The community is invited to this special Shabbat service.
JEWISH SENIOR SERVICES/ COMMUNITY OUTREACH will have the following items available for take out for Pesach Seders on April 16 and April 17. All food for both Seders must be picked up on Wednesday, April 16, at 5 p.m., at the front desk of the Rose Blumkin Home.
Seder 1
Seder 2
April 16 Matzo Ball Soup Beef Brisket Sweet Potato Tzimmes Broccoli Fruit Compote w/Macaroons
April 17 Matzo Ball Soup Tajine Chicken Matzo Dressing Asparagus Cake/Strawberries
18.00 per person
18.00 per person
Seder Order Form Name ___________________________________ Phone ________________
Meet Israeli Artist - Luba Bar Menachem Whose works will be on display & available for purchase Dessert Reception Saturday, April 5, 2003 8-10 p.m. Sunday, April 6, 2003 12-5 p.m. Custom orders welcomed 9856 Devonshire Drive Omaha, Nebraska Ann & Donald Goldstein Shirley & Buddy Goldstein
Cheryl & Ron Cooper Fran & Jerry Milder
For further information, call 391-1050 or 391-7514
No.
Total
Seder 1 @ $18.00 ea.
_____
_______
Seder 2 @ $18.00 ea.
_____
_______
Matzo Ball Soup @ $2.50 ea.
_____
_______
Brisket w/Tzimmes and Broccoli @ $16.00 ea.
_____
_______
Baked Chicken w/Dressing and Asparagus @ 15.00 ea. _____
_______
Fruit Compote w/Macaroons @ $3.00 ea.
_____
_______
Cake w/Strawberries @ $3.00 ea.
_____
_______
Total Order Amount
$_______
Please make the check payable to Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and mail with order prior to April 11. Send to: Pat Morgan, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, 323 South 132 Street, Omaha, NE 68154 Questions? Call Pat at 334-6522
March 28, 2003
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 13
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Page 14
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 28, 2003
Musician Yair Dalal to Perform in Lincoln
Author Ostriker Speaks on Vision and Revision by CHERYL KRUID, UNL Judaic Studies
by MARCIA KUSHNER Composer, violinist and oud player Yair Dalal is best known for covering a wide variety of musical material and cultural territory. His family immigrated to Israel from Iraq and it is this mixed heritage that gives Dalal a rich set of histories and traditions to draw from. He and the Trio Ankari will perform in Lincoln--Saturday night, April 12, 8 p.m. at the Wick Center on the Campus of the University of Nebraska and again on Sunday morning, April 13, 10 and 11:15 a.m. at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. By interweaving the traditions of Iraqi and Jewish Arabic music with a range of influences from the Balkans to India, Dalal and the Trio Ankari create a sound that is unique and evocative as it diffuses cultural boundaries and creates a new Middle Eastern music, independent of time or trends. Dalal has recently been nominated by the BBC as Musician of the Year from the Middle East, just recognition for one of the most influential and prolific performers of an ancient Judao-Arabic style of music. For his program at UNL on Saturday night, Dalal will return to familiar Iraqi territory, filled with sinuous melodies and heartfelt vignettes. He’ll play oud and violin and be joined by percussionists Avi Agabaand Erez Mounk and a vocalist. Together they will make music that truly expresses the timelessness of the traditions and rhythms that are about shared traditions, shared instrumentation, and the vastness of the desert time and space and importantly, about peace. Dalal’s cooperation with international musicians from various musical genres includes work with: Maestro Zubin Mehta and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra for the Nobel Peace Prize Gala Concert in Oslo, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, L. Shankar in India, Josi Arnheim with
the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, Ken Zuckerman, USA/Switzerland, Maestro Shlomo Mintz and Amnon Weinstein, Israel and others. Dalal performs around the globe as a solo artist and with his ensemble at music festivals, including world music, folk,
Yair Dalal jazz, and classical. The Harris Center for Judaic Studies and the Jewish Federation of Lincoln will sponsor a reception after the performance at the Wick Center. Tickets are $15 per person and may be obtained by calling Brent Martin in Lincoln, 435-4769. Tickets are also available at The Mill, a coffee bar in Lincoln. On Sunday, Dalal will do an interactive concert for the children of the Temple B’nai Jeshuran and Tifereth Israel Synagogue religious schools and their parents at 10:30 a.m. Following the religious school concert, the entire community is invited to a lecture and performance by Dalal as a solo performer. A light lunch will follow. Sponsors of the events in Lincoln are the Harris Center for Judaic Studies, Pepsi, Jewish Federation of Lincoln, Lincoln Poultry, and Southeast Community College. For more information, log onto: www.unl.edu/raag.
Please send resume with references to Lisa Shkolnick, JCC Assistant Executive Director at 333 South 132 Street, Omaha, NE 68154, lshkolnick@jewishomaha.org or fax to: 402-334-6466.
by DR. MARIA WAINER, Director, Hillel Foundation “Esther” and “Hillel” were wed in a mock Jewish wedding on the campus of Purdue University last month. In spite of the snow, some 200 students and community members attended the event, presented by Hillel, in collaboration with the Purdue Student Union Board. Ilan Weiss, left, of Lincoln, participated in a tra“Esther” was Steph ditional dance with “his bride” Steph Mussman Mussman of Orono, of Orono, MN. MN. Her “groom” was Ilan Weiss of Lincoln, NE. And the played traditional Jewish music at a wedding represented a number of reception which followed the mock firsts--including the fact that most of wedding. Hillel student board memthe students had never attended a bers spent a significant amount of time researching customs, practices, Jewish wedding before. The Lafayette Klezmorim Band wedding roles and dances.
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A major American Devil’s Party: Essays on poet and critic, Alicia Poetry, Politics and the Ostriker, has been Erotic. twice nominated for a Ostriker’s poems National Book Award, have appeared in The is author of nine volNew Yorker, The Paris umes of poetry, and two Review, books on the bible. Antaeus, The Nation, She’ll be in Lincoln Poetry, American Thursday, April 3, Poetry Review, Kenyon 7:30 p.m., to speak on Review, The Atlantic, “Vision and Revision: MS, Tikkun, and the Bible and many other journals, Contemporary and have been widely Midrash” as the 2003 anthologized. Alicia Ostriker Henry and Gretl Wald Her poetry and Lecturer. The event takes place at the essays have been translated into Great Plains Art Gallery, 1155 ‘Q’ St. French, German, Italian, Chinese, in Lincoln. Japanese, Hebrew and Arabic. She Most recently. Ostriker published has lectured and given performances The Little Space: Poems Selected and of her work throughout the United New, 1968-1998. As a critic, Ostriker States, as well as in Europe, is the author of two pathbreaking vol- Australia, Israel, Japan and China. umes on women’s poetry, Writing Like Ostriker has received awards from a Woman and Stealing the Language: the National Endowment for the Arts, The Emergence of Women's Poetry in the Poetry Society of America, the America. She has also published two Rockefeller Foundation, and the books on the Bible, Feminist Revision Guggenheim Foundation. She lives and the Bible and the controversial in Princeton, NJ with her husband, The Nakedness of the Fathers; Biblical and teaches English and creative Visions and Revisions, a combination writing at Rutgers University. of prose and poetry that re-imagines A reception will follow Ostriker’s the Bible from the perspective of a talk, which is sponsored by the Harris contemporary Jewish woman. Her Center for Judaic Studies at the most recent book is Dancing at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
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March 28, 2003
Holocaust Commemorations (Continued from page 1)
Cantor Fettman to Speak in Lincoln The program concludes with Reverend Sue Bad Moccassin of the Lincoln Indian Community Church lighting the Candle of Hope to remember other victims of genocide. The Hebrew prayer, God of Compassion (El MaleiRahamin) will be chanted by Cantor Emil Berkovits of Beth El Synagogue in Omaha. The Lincoln Public Schools All-City Girls Choir will participate and winners of the Lincoln Public School Holocaust studies poetry contest will read the award winning poems. Both Governor Mike Johanns and Lincoln Mayor Don Wesely will be in attendance and offer remarks. The Commemoration is sponsored by Lincoln Interfaith Council, Office of the Governor of Nebraska, Office of the Mayor of Lincoln, Jewish Federation of Lincoln, the Community Relations Committee of the Anti-Defamation League, and the Harris Center for Judaic Studies. Nebraska survivors of the Holocaust who wish to attend may arrange transportation by calling me in Lincoln at 489-5957.
JELS Music, Arts Scholarships Now Available by JEWISH PRESS News Service Jewish Educational and Library Services is now accepting applications for financial aid scholarships for summer music lessons or other summer cultural arts programs. An application can be obtained from the JELS office or by visiting the Jewish Omaha web site (www.jewishomaha.org). Applications are due in the JELS office by June 2, 2003. If you have any questions, or want to request an application, please call Kathy Hirshman, Scholarship Director, at 334-6445.
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Hidden Children Presentation in Omaha The theme of moral courage as demonstrated by the Holocaust survivors will serve as the theme of the Yom Hashoah service. The readings and prayers selected by the rabbis as well as the theme of the student’s award-winning essays will reflect the message of moral courage. Yom Hashoah is a national day of commemoration in Israel, on which the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust are memorialized. It is a solemn day, beginning at sunset on the 27th of the month of Nisan and ending the following evening. Entertainment venues are closed and memorial ceremonies are held throughout the country. The central ceremonies are held in the evening and the following morning at Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust museum. Survivors, children of survivors and their families, gather together with the general public to take part in the memorial at Yad Vashem in which six torches, representing the six million murdered Jews, are lit. The following morning, the ceremony at Yad Vashem begins with the sounding of a siren for two minutes throughout the entire country. For the duration of the sounding, work is halted, cars pull off to the side of the road and everybody stands at silent attention in reverence to the victims of the Holocaust. Other sites of remembrance in Israel, such as the Ghetto Fighters’ Kibbutz and Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, also host memorial ceremonies, as do schools, military bases, municipalities and places of work. Members serving on the Omaha Yom Ha’Shoah Committee are Justin Cooper, Chairman; Ben Nachman, Yom Ha’Shoah Event Chairman; Rabbi Aryeh Azriel of Temple Israel; Rabbi Howard Kutner of Beth Israel; Rabbi Mordechai Levin of Beth El and Harry Weiner of Beth El Men’s Club. For information, please contact Kathy McGauvran at 334-6431 or e-mail her at kmacgauvran@jewishomaha.org.
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 15
Volunteers Plan Project Tzedakah by TANYA SEINA Jewish Family Service is dedicated to helping families facing financial hardship through Project Tzedakah. Passover is approaching, and we are again preparing to purchase, pack and deliver holiday foods to Jewish families in need. The food project will take place on April 10-11. This holiday we will help approximately 50 families enjoy a Passover meal and kosher food. Shabbat candles, kosher Passover food items-such as canned goods and candies--can be brought to the JFS office until April 7. Cash donations are also greatly appreciated and can be sent directly to JFS at 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. If you would like more information on receiving food from Project Tzedakah, or if you want to volunteer, please call Connie Kriegler at 330-2024.
Wiesman Among Honorees (Continued from page 1) Packard, Dial America, ITT, Alltel, Mutual of Omaha, Hyatt, Ramada and others. That expertise has made the Wiesman firm one of the nation’s leading developers and consultants for many reservation and processing centers. In his “spare” time, Wiesman has been a benefactor of or served on a number of community boards, including: The Joslyn Art Museum, Children’s Hospital, Mid America Council of Boy Scouts of America (where he was named a Heritage Donor and Silver Beaver recipient), and Methodist Hospital. He has also been President of the Dundee Kiwanis, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Cerebral Palsy Association. In the Jewish community, Wiesman is a pastPresident of Beth El Synagogue and its Men’s Club, the Jewish Press, as well as the Central States Region United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism. He, and his wife, Anna, have four sons and six grandchildren. For tickets to the Hall of Fame dinner, call Jane McCain at 978-7907 or at the Chamber, 346-5000.
Page 16
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 28, 2003
Different Season, Same Holiday: It’s Passover Down Under, Mate! by LINDA MOREL NEW YORK (JTA)--Because Australia is situated below the equator, its seasons rebel against the Jewish calendar. Our winter is their summer; our spring their fall. Although Passover’s rituals and symbols resonate spring, Down Under the holiday is celebrated in autumn. “Passover begins just as the temperature drops, days grow shorter, and grapevines lose their leaves,” says Jenni Neumann, a New Yorker who grew up in Sydney. “It’s rather odd, if you’re not used to it, I guess.” Yet most of Neumann’s childhood memories of Passover would be familiar to many American Jews: the apple and walnut charoset, matzah balls floating in golden broth, and jars of Manishewitz gefilte fish. Like many of her American counterparts, Neumann, 38, grew up in an Ashkenazi world. While Australian Jews call themselves Aussies, throw chicken on the barbie, or barbecue, and speak English with the accent of Crocodile Dundee, their Passover cuisine is straight from Molly Goldberg. How did that happen since Australia not only began as an English colony, but still owes its allegiance and cultural heritage to Great Britain? While British Jews were present at the colony’s inception, the demographics of Australia’s Jewish population has somersaulted several times, as immigrants from various continents landed on its shores. After the American Revolution, England needed another penal colony and selected Australia as a dumping ground for
Live
from the
undesirables. In 1788, eight of the 751 convicts expelled on the first fleet from London were Jews. If that’s not surprising enough, some of these Jews were women. In subsequent decades, Jews continued to be sprinkled in convict shipments, and others, down on their luck, left London voluntarily, hoping for a better life in this hardscrabble country. Defying the odds, many Jewish prisoners attained freedom within several years. By 1817, Jews in Sydney had established a minyan and burial society. “When thinking of Jewish life back home, I picture Sydney’s Great Synagogue,” says Neumann, describing this architectural jewel with its four-story pointed towers and spectacular stained glass. Built in 1879, the Great Synagogue is a quintessential example of Victorian architecture, one of the most magnificent synagogues in the world. During Australia’s first 150 years, English descendants dominated the Jewish community and were fiercely loyal to the “mother country.” But the 19th century saw the arrival of German, Russian, and Polish Jews. A small Sephardi community bloomed and withered. As diverse as these influences were, they were not strong enough to compete with the established Jews who quickly Anglicized and absorbed newcomers. But this situation changed radically during the 1930s when Jews from Central and Eastern Europe headed in large numbers to Australia to
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Jewish-Christian Relations in the New Millennium: from Contention to Cooperation Monday, April 14 7:00 p.m. Since the Holocaust, Jewish-Christian relations have undergone a profound transformation. While there remain points of contention, there is a recognized consensus that Jews and Christians have become allies. A panel discussion moderated by Dr. Eugene Korn, Director of Interfaith Affairs at the Anti-Defamation League, will examine the events that have brought about this consensus, as well as spirituality, the State of Israel, antiSemitism, and religious missions. Panel members include: • Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Professor of Religion & Society, Fordham University • The Most Reverend Frank Griswold, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church • Dr. Norman Lamm, President of Yeshiva University. Co-sponsored by: the Anti-Defamation League Jewish Community Center of Omaha Theater • 333 S. 132 Street JCC Members: $5 • Non-Members: $8 • Students: $5 To purchase tickets in advance or for information, please contact Rachel Blum at 334-6404.
escape the anti-Semitism fueled by Hitler. Anglo Jews could not contain this flood of Yiddish-speaking immigrants who descended en masse and eventually overran them. Once World War II ended, another band of European Jews took root, people freed from displaced persons camps. Today approximately half the Jews in Australia arrived in the Holocaust’s wake, or are their descendants. For example, Neumann’s family originated in Moravia (the southern part of the Czech Republic) and moved at some stage to Vienna, where they became jewelers. Her grandparents and great-grandparents fled the Nazis in 1938. Finding asylum in Australia, they brought their Passover recipes and traditions with them. “The thing I remember most about childhood seders are the red eggs my mother used to make,” says Neumann, explaining that this was one of the recipes her grandparents carried from Vienna. She describes how white eggshells absorb brilliant pigment from steeping for hours with skins from brown, or better yet, red Spanish onions. Their red-brown color symbolizes the roasted egg on seder plates. The pigment penetrates so deeply that egg whites turn a pale peachy shade. Neumann’s mother Barbara starts stockpiling onion skins two months before Passover. “`I save skins every time I use an onion in cooking and also collect them from the green grocer’s onion display,” she says, explaining that she prepares about five dozen eggs, enough to send home with seder guests and to last through the holiday’s eight days. Neumann adds that when she and her brother were children, her mother enlisted their help to scour neighborhood markets for onion skins. “The task is more stressful than it sounds,” says Barbara Neumann, explaining that she competes with Greek women who use onion skins to dye Easter eggs. Both mother and daughter agree that the effort is worth it because tinted eggs soak up marvelous onion flavor. While charoset is a delightful treat, Neumann feels her family recipe is the best. A generous amount of cinnamon and a splash of sherry hint at palatschinken, the famed Viennese dessert crepe often filled with walnuts. Neumann has fond memories of spending Passover with her Uncle John and Aunt Shirley, whose father grew horseradish in his garden. Contrary to bottled horseradish in America, where the infusion of red beet juice indicates milder flavor than its white counterpart, in Australia mixing beet juice with this bitter herb connotes that only the hottest horseradish was used. “As far as I’m concerned, the hotter the better,” says Neumann, chuckling as she remembers challenging her Uncle John to see who could take the strongest horseradish. “We rated horseradish by how much it made you feel the top of your head
was about to lift off!” says her mother. “For years I was the youngest person in the family and had to recite the Four Questions,” says Neumann, who was thrilled when John and Shirley’s son was born, because she knew someday soon he’d assume the role of asking: “Why is this night different from all other nights?” Shirley introduced a trendy honey mustard chicken and a layered matzah cake, with decadent amounts of cocoa, whipped cream and dark chocolate. She learned to make this outrageous dessert from an Israeli friend in the catering business, and it immediately became everyo n e ’ s favorite. “Shirley had to make two of these cakes to keep us happy,” Neumann says. With an eclectic array of recipes, Shirley credits Sephardi friends with expanding her culinary horizons. Australia’s long-dormant Sephardi community was revitalized in 1956, following the Suez Crisis. After some political maneuvering, Egyptian Jews were allowed to enter its borders. By 1969 when Iraqi Jews were targeted for persecution, Australia opened its doors to them. Twenty years later, a stream of South African Jews arrived, reinforced by refugees seeking opportunities after the former Soviet Union disbanded. There’s a contingent of Israelis, too. Today more than 100,000 Jews call Australia home; 80 percent of them live in Melbourne and Sydney. With more than half of Jewish students attending Jewish schools, Australia boasts the highest enrollment rate of any country except Israel. The Orthodox movement is strong Down Under, but Reform or what Aussies call Progressive, Jews make up about 25 percent of the population. Neumann waxes poetic about a leather bound Haggadah she received as a Bat Mitzvah gift. A copper plaque depicting ruins of the Second Temple graces its front. “It’s beautiful and for years I proudly brought it to seders,” she says, explaining that the copper comes from mines in Israel dating back to King Solomon. She inherited her appreciation of the past from her parents who are antique dealers. “Mom and Dad have several Passover plates,” says Neumann, describing one that is ceramic with blue and white glaze and another made from copper. They own an antique kiddush cup for Elijah, a silver short-stemmed goblet about eight inches high. With an hourglass shape, it is decorated with intricate engraving. While shopping for their business, the Neumanns collect Passover artifacts for their seder table, remnants of Australia’s rich Judaic history, a legacy they have passed to their children. (See next page for recipes)
March 28, 2003
Passover Down Under (Continued from page 16) SHERRY CHAROSET 1 lb. red apples (2-3) with skin on and seeds and core removed 5 ounces walnuts, chopped 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup sweet sherry 1/3 cup matzah meal liquid artificial sweetener to taste Cut apples into chunks run through a food processor using the coarse grating disk. Place in a mixing bowl. Add walnuts and cinnamon. Combine ingredients by hand. Mix in sherry. Add meal to stiffen mixture. Add sweetener, if needed. Charoset should be soft yet easy to serve with a spoon. If necessary, adjust sherry and meal for consistency and flavor. If making in larger quantities, retain the apple-walnut-cinnamon ratio. Makes eight servings. RED EGGS Large pot you don’t mind staining Supermarket sized bag full of onion skins 2 dozen medium sized raw eggs 1/2 lb. fatty brisket Place a thick layer of onion skins at bottom of pot, followed by a layer of eggs. Continue layering, finishing with a layer of onion skins. Top with brisket.Add enough cold water to cover the contents of pot (about 2 inches from the top). Cover pot and place over medium heat to bring to a boil slowly, which helps eggs from cracking. Keep eggs boiling steadily for 5-6 hours, adjusting heat between medium and low. Check on eggs every 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Gently move eggs around, using a wooden or plastic spoon. Make sure eggs are covered all the time. Turn off flame and cool down to warm. Wearing plastic gloves to protect hands from staining, carefully remove eggs to a strainer to dry. Store in original egg containers in refrigerator. They will keep right through the holiday. To serve, break shells and sprinkle with a little salt or salt water. CHICKEN IN HONEY-MUSTARD MARINADE 2 Tbsp. margarine
cup honey cup artificial kosher-forPassover Dijon mustard 1 tsp. curry powder 1 tsp. salt 8 chicken drumsticks No-stick spray In a saucepan, stir first five ingredients over a low flame until thoroughly blended, about 5 minutes. Cool. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a shallow, oven-proof baking pan with spray. Arrange drumsticks in a single layer. Pour marinade over drumsticks. Place pan in center of oven, turning drumsticks every ten minutes. Lower temperature if sauce thickens quickly as it may burn. Roast 40 minutes, or until drumsticks brown and juices run clear when pierced with a fork. COCOA CREAM LAYER CAKE 1/2 pt. heavy cream 1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. baking cocoa 3 matzahs 6 tsp. sweet sherry (or a bit more, if needed) In a large bowl, whip cream, sugar and cocoa until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat or you'll get chocolate butter. Spread matzahs on 3 plates. Sprinkle 2 tsp. sherry over each matzah. Make sure entire surface is moistened, but don’t wet completely or they’ll become mushy. On a serving plate, place one matzah and completely cover with half of whipped cream mixture. Don’t leave any area bare or it will dry out. Place a second matzah on top and repeat. Place third matzah on top and cover with chocolate topping (recipe below). Chocolate Topping: 3 one-ounce squares of semisweet chocolate 1 tsp. sweet butter 1 Tbsp. milk In a double boiler, melt and blend topping ingredients. Spread on top of third matzah. Place toothpicks into softened spots near the top matzah’s four corners. Cover completely with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for two days before serving. Makes 9 servings.
Page 17
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Reservations by April 11. Call 334-6520 or mail coupon below. Name ________________________________________________________ Phone ________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________ Residents you would like to sit with ______________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ No. Total Number of guests at Seder 1 @ $18.00 ea.
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The Passover Kitchen Countdown by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director G-d took the Jewish people out of guide for kashering your kitchen for Egypt in the springtime, which the Passover, so you only lose the Talmud notes as very thoughtful on “chometz”, not your mind. (For comHis part. Not only was G-d interested plete kashering methods, please consult in redeeming the nation, He wanted your rabbi.) to do so at just the right time, when • Store Passover food, preferably the weather was good! out of the kitchen to avoid confusion. Everything about the Passover sea• Clean the kitchen cupboards and son is beautiful. The whole idea of re- sink. doing your house for the holiday sea• Thoroughly clean the refrigerator son should be a beautiful experience, and freezer. but the burden of all that cleaning is • Clean the stove, oven and often anticipated with dread. microwave, including drip pans and It’s not necessary for Passover clean- racks. ing to make you feel like you never left • Designate a section of your counthe bondage of Egypt! You can take this tertops as kosher for Passover for opportunity to give your home a thor- your Passover dishes. ough spring-cleaning. It can be an • Sweep and wash the floor. opportune time to discard unwanted • Haul out the Passover dishes, “baggage” and each family member can wash them and put them away. reflect on the changes in themselves • If you don’t have separate pots, since last Passover. Look at it as a pans and flatware for Passover, they chance to see yourself in a new light by need to be kashered. removing the “chometz” of the past. • Remove all remaining “chometz” The kitchen is a serious challenge, but from the kitchen and finish kashering if you break things down step-by-step, the countertops. you can keep yourself from becoming • Start planning your seder menu overwhelmed. This “Kitchen and decide what you can cook ahead Countdown” can be used as a suggested of time!
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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Page 18
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 28, 2003
Purim Around the Heartland by JEWISH PRESS News Service
Class High School of 2003 Seniors...! We need your graduation photo and the following information for our annual Graduation Teen Age to be published on June 6, 2003: Name: ______________________________ Parent(s)’ Name(s) _________________ ____________________________________ Current High School ________________ ____________________________________ Plans after graduation ______________ ____________________________________ Send by May 1 to: The Jewish Press 333 So. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154
Top left: Rabbi Aryeh Blum, Director of the Omaha Center of Torah Learning donned his (real) army uniform for the crowd at OCTL’s Purim Seudah. Top right: Bill Haber and Mollye Rimerman were named King and Queen of the Purim celebration at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Middle row, from left: one (of a thousand) clowns make Alan and Sam Kricsfled laugh at the OCTL Purim Seudah--along with a ‘saucy’ Al Ross; the body painting booth was popular at Lincoln’s Purim Carnival; Louis Schreiber (the Rabbi), Michelle Schreiber (Older Vashti), Shoshana and Ben Schreiber (kids), Callie Feingold (Young Esther), Randy Reinhart (King A), Becky Ledder (Queen Esther), June Segal (the Old King), Dave Willis (Mordecai), and Clara Fynbu (Queen Vashti) paraded for Lincoln’s Purim Spiel. Bottom photo: at Temple Israel Rabbi Craig Marantz (or is that Richard Simmons?) and Rabbi Aryeh Azriel wear Dorothy Spizman attire for the Executive Director’s last Purim Spiel before she retires in June.
March 28, 2003
More Purim Around the Heartland (Continued from page 18)
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 19
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Photos from top left down: Proudly displaying their Purim masks are Rachel Meyer, left, Jamie Abramson, Nathan Kahn, Dayna Cohen and Sarah Hoberman from Beth El’s BESTT. Will Lou Kohll share any of his hamantashen at the Purim party sponsored by Beth Israel, Chabad of Nebraska and Hadassah? Max Kohll prefers his thumb to hamantashen. Top right: Lynne Saltzman, right, clowns around with Chani Katzman. Above: Amythest Wertheim, left, and Cleo Rogers-Marcovitz decorate cookies in style.
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by BERT LEWIS No matter how I try to avoid it, whenever I write (or talk, for that matter) about a Jewish holiday, food enters into the discussion. I really make an effort to remember the reason for the holiday, but try as I might, before I know it, the topic is a particular food(s) which are associated with that yomtov. So it’s without surprise that I want to talk about hamantashen, yes? Everyone has favorites, of course, and everyone’s Mom made the best, also of course. The all time traditional poppyseed, known in my house as mohn or moon, are always mentioned first. To my dad they were ambrosia with a yiddish accent. Second on the list were prune filled little beauties, which got mixed revues with some but high marks with others. My mom, being both creative and a great baker, also did apricot/pineapple and one other which, to this day, I can taste if I concentrate hard enough. She mixed a concoction of honey and nuts which I loved, and have tried to duplicate many times. I don’t know if it’s nostalgic imagination or what, but I have yet to make them taste like hers did. My daughter Lisa, a terrific baker and cook, found a recipe after Purim last year, which might just be the right one. I haven’t tried it yet, but I love the e-mail she sent with it, saying “Mom, I don’t know if this is like Bobie’s recipe, but it sounds close.” The thing about hamantashen is everybody likes them, no matter what ethnic background. And for that matter, every other culture I can think of has some version of this wonderful filled pastry. They differ in fillings as well as dough, some are cookie-
like and some are yeast dough. But the basic idea is the same. A filled goody with everything from cherries to figs as fillings. My machateynista is known all over Jewish Des Moines for her cherry hamantashen, and has been my inspiration for searching out something different each year. I don’t find a lot of unusual ideas, and I don't worry about it, because I know exactly who loves my poppyseed, prune, apricot/pineapple and (with luck this year) my honeynut hamantashen. I know too, that on Friday, just before Purim, when my room-mate meets with his weekly lunch group, he’ll ask for an assortment to take with him. I get the report when he comes home, and learn whether or not they were a hit. Immodestly, I have to say they always are. For the simple reason that they bring back memories of the kind “my mom made.” And the kind your mom made, and some of us might be lucky enough to remember the “kind that Bobie made.” I still recall how my dad would talk about the kind his mother made, describing them as huge, yeast-risen triangles, filled beyond capacity with sticky mohn. So that’s my annual hamantashen/Purim story. It doesn’t vary much from year to year, just as the goodies themselves don’t. That’s fine with me, although I did see something about a raspberry/mango filled cookie not long ago and thought “that would be a really different filling!” I hope your hamantashen were delicious and more importantly, they bring back delightful memories of how your mom's tasted. Hope you had a Happy Purim!
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March 28, 2003
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