Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA
Omaha physicians advocate This Week Jewish Genetic Testing April 22, 2011 18 Nisan 5771 Vol. 90 | No. 33
JFS looks back at Jewish history with the 1919 tornado Page 4
Nebraska Holocaust Memorial to receive award and new Memorial Bricks Page 6
by JOANIE JACOBSON On Sunday, May 22, and Wednesday, May 25, The Greater Omaha Committee for Genetic Testing in partnership with The University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Jewish Federation of Omaha, will again offer free genetic screening for nine Jewish genetic diseases -- TaySachs Disease, Canavan Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Dr. Howard E. Gendelman Dr. Fred Kader Dr. Jim Wax Niemann-Pick Disease, Gaucher Disease, Bloom Syndrome, ease to occur, a person must have baby will develop the disease by Fanconi Anemia, Familial two copies of the same defective inheriting the same defective gene from each parent, and a one in two Dysautonomia, Mucolipidosis -- gene.” Dr. Gendelman added, “A carrier chance of being a carrier.” and several mutations of each disWho should be tested and why? of a genetic disease is a man or ease. Dr. Gendelman joins two other woman who has one normal copy of What is a genetic disease? Dr. Howard E. Gendelman, a gene, and one copy of that gene area physicians in stressing the Professor of Internal Medicine and with a defect. While the carrier will importance of this genetic testing. According to Dr. Jim Wax, retired Infectious Diseases, at the not have any symptoms of the disUniversity of Nebraska Medical ease, he or she can pass on the defec- Omaha pediatrician, all Jews of Center explained, “Our genes are tive gene to the next generation. child-bearing age should definitely inherited from our parents. We all However, if two carriers of any one be tested. “Since these diseases are have two copies of every gene, one of these disorders become parents, so prevalent in the Ashkenazi popufrom each parent. For a genetic dis- there is a one in four chance that the lation, everyone should be aware of
Words and Images by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press Stan Lipsey, native Omahan and current East Coast resident, has an impressive resumé. He’s ‘Buffett’s
Command Museum. And of course, in 1973, there was that Pulitzer. The question begs to be asked: what comes next? The answer is currently on display at Kaneko Art Gallery, in downtown Omaha. It’s
JoshKornbluth finds Warhol and Judaism Page 12
the risk of carrying one or more disease genes,” he said. “In fact, as so many young people live away from Omaha, where testing might not be available, I urge local parents of those young adults also to be tested.” He added, “Children and grandchildren of previously recognized carriers should certainly be tested, as well.” Dr. Fred Kader, pediatric neurologist, is even more emphatic about the need to test for these disorders. “It is definitely worthwhile to screen for the most common of these genetic disorders,” he said. “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” He pointed out that if a couple finds out that they are both carriers of the same defective gene, they will understand the risks they face and can make informed decisions about their future.” In 2004, the Committee and the Federation, in partnership with Boys Continued on page 2
Help LOVE brighten Mother’s Day by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press Sunday May 8 is Mother’s Day, and that means it is time for LOVE’s annual flower sale. You can order your plants through Lois Wine, and brighten Mother’s Day
“because it brings such a smile to the residents’ faces. What a great way to let our residents know someone’s thinking of them on Mother’s Day!” The Mother’s Day fundraiser benefits LOVE (League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly).LOVE
Inside Point of view Synagogues In memoriam
Next Week Mother’s Day Issue See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press
8 10 11
Bamboo Stix by Stan Lipsey, 2008 Buddy’, according to the April 2010 headline in The Reader. He can be described as a newspaperman, or a community leader, or a rescuer of Frank Lloyd Wright houses, or all of the above. He was one of the founders of the Strategic Air
taken the form of a photo exhibit titled Affinity of Form: Photographs by Stanford Lipsey. Photography is in Lipsey’s blood; he’s been taking pictures since age ten. As a journalist, Lipsey knows there is value in having the right picture at the right time; sometimes, a photograph really does speak louder than words, as well as clearer, and more direct. According to Louis Grachos, who wrote the foreword to Lipsey’s 2009 book The Affinity of Form, “The works in this exhibit reveal Stanford Lipsey’s keen photographic awareness of the subtleties of nature and landscape, and the geometry of Continued on page 7
Judy Brookstein, left, LOVE President, with Lois Wine for the residents of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home as well as other community members. “In addition to flowers, we also offer candy dishes with chocolate or hard candy,” says Lois Wine, Director of volunteer services at the Home. Plants can either be picked up or delivered directly to residents; it is also possible to donate flowers to someone as an anonymous gift. “The annual flower sale is a wonderful thing,” Lois adds,
provides volunteer services and activities for the Rose Blumin Jewish Home. Please send your order with a check payable to LOVE, attention Lois Wine by Monday April 25. All orders will be available for pick up at the Home between 1 and 4 p.m., Friday May 6. For more information and to get the full list of available orders and pricing, contact Lois by calling 402.334.6519 or email her at lwine@rbjh.com.
2 | The Jewish Press | April 22, 2011
motorcycles roadsters scooters ATVs
B’nai B’rith announces Gullie and Albers as their top Metro Scholar/Athletes
utility vehicles snowmobiles watercraft trailers
9004 S. 145th St. Omaha, NE 68138 402-333-0655 • 402-333-0414 fax (402) 333-0655 333-0414 fax www.leisurelifesports.com
Youth Director Temple Israel seeks a mature, creative, enthusiastic person to lead our informal youth programs, including our youth groups, Jewish summer camps, and outreach to college students. We are looking for someone who can communicate effectively with children, teens and parents while organizing exciting and powerful programs for Grade 5 through college students. Must be part of a creative professional team and have flexible scheduling. Position is full or part time depending on the candidate. A full time package will include benefits. Please contact Rabbi Linder elinder@templeisraelomaha.com for more information.
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by HOWARD BORDEN AND GARY JAVITCH “It came as no surprise that Omaha metro area athletic directors and sports media representatives chose Galen Gullie and Chelsea Albers as their top metro student athletes for 2011, said B’nai B’rith Athlete Selection chairman Larry Goldstrom. On Wednesday night, May 4 at 7 p.m., B’nai B’rith will honor the duo at their 57th Annual Charity Sports Banquet at the Omaha Qwest Center. Gullie will receive the Bert Render Award and Albers will receive the Earl Siegel Honor. Omaha Bryan’s Galen Gullie achieved honors on Chelsea Albers and off the football field and basketball court for the Bears. A double-letter winner in both sports all four years, the 4.17 GPA student earned accolades as his team captain (both sports) and All-State Honors in basketball, among many other sports achievements. He was Honorary Captain of the Omaha World-Herald All State Basketball Team. Outside the classroom, he mentored atrisk elementary students, participated in DECA and “Student Scholars” Club. Papillion-LaVista’s Chelsea Albers garnered Super State honors in Volleyball and All-State Honors in Basketball for the Monarchs. As an Academic All-State senior, she ranks
sixth in a class of 370 with a GPA of 4.67. She also participated in the Honor Roll Society and on the Senior Class Committee. When not studying or playing ball, she served in many church activities. “To help honor these two star student athletes, B’nai B’rith will feature ESPN color analyst and former Florida Gator National Champion football Coach Urban Meyer,” according to banquet chair Howard Shandell. “Besides Coach Meyer who will deliver the keynote address, we are pleased to have the Big 10 Conference Commissioner Jim Delany, who will discuss big-time colGalen Gullie lege athletics. Each Athlete will receive the Adam Jacobs Memorial Tribute scholarship of $2,000. The B’nai B’rith banquet is sponsored by Taste Restaurant, KMTV3, 1620 the Zone and Greater Omaha Packing Company. Tickets are available at bbcharitybanquet.com or by calling 402.334.6443. Patron tickets are $110 each. VIP tickets are $160 and include a private reception with the head table. Tables of ten are also available; other sponsorship opportunities are too. A silent auction of great sports memorabilia will precede the steak dinner.
by JESSICA GALL The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), through generous local support from the Phillip and Terri Schrager Supporting Foundation, The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation and the Herbert Goldsten Trust, is proud to present a convenient online, anti-bias program and threeday conference for up to 60 private or public, middle, high or college educators, administrators, student resource officers, school psychologists and/or media specialists. Making Diversity Count® is a virtual course It is designed by leading educators and civil rights experts to equip teachers with the tools to create 21st century classrooms of inclusion, respect, and excellence.
The 9-week, 15-hour course runs from May 16–July 18 and includes nine interactive learning modules with expert commentaries, an online, peer-to-peer discussion board, and 10 interdisciplinary lesson plans The online course culminates with a conference from July 18-20 at the Jewish Community Center in Omaha. (333 S 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154). All participants will receive A World of Difference® Anti-Bias Study Guide, Secondary Level, Lessons that promote diversity and inspire action against prejudice. Applications must be received no later than May 4. For more information, please contact Jessica Gall at 402.334.6573 or at jgall@adl.org.
Class of 2011 ADL presents online anti-bias program High School Seniors and Parents We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on June 10, 2011. To be included, we need your graduation photo and the information to the right. You can also email the information and photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org. High School Senior Information Name ____________________________________________ Parent(s)’ Name(s) ___________________________________ Current High School ___________________________________ College you plan to attend _______________________________ Send by May 13 to: The Jewish Press | 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154
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by LYNN BATTEN JCC Publicity Associate As pancakes flew through the air, fond memories surfaced in the minds of those who gathered in the JCC Auditorium on Thursday, April 7. Numerous community members came out to show their appreciation to Mike Collier and Lisa Shkolnick for their 39 combined years of service at the JCC. Those in attendance enjoyed a breakfast catered by The Pancake Man and a special presentation recognizing both Mike and Lisa. Both Collier and Shkolnick recently resigned their positions at the Jewish Community Center. Mike Collier served as Campus Manager for the past 24 years. Under his guidance the JCC facility has seen several improvements and renovations done to meet the changing
needs of the JCC Membership. Mike’s hard work in maintaining and improving the facility has helped make the JCC the pride of the Jewish community. Over the past 15 years, Lisa Shkolnick has served the JCC and Jewish community in a variety of positions, including Teen and BBYO Director, Member Services Director, and the past 10 years as the JCC Associate Executive Director. No matter what her position was, Lisa worked to ensure that the facility, programming and services offered at the JCC were of top caliber. Under Lisa’s leadership as Games Director, Omaha thrived as the host city for the JCC Maccabi Games in 2002 and 2010. Both sets of JCC Maccabi Games were a tremendous success and brought our Jewish community a great sense of pride.
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Continued from page 1 Town National Research Hospital, tested 107 individuals for nine Jewish genetic diseases common among Ashkenazi Jews whose origin is eastern or central Europe. These diseases are also found in the general population, but are much more prevalent in the Jewish community. The Omaha testing revealed one out of four individuals were found to be carriers of at least one Jewish genetic disease, slightly higher than the national average of one out of five. Individual findings are kept strictly confidential. “Twenty people have already signed up for “Round #2: Jewish Genetic Testing,” noted Jean Duitch, Committee co-
chairman. “The mind-set is very different in 2011. Many more people are aware of the importance and value of genetic testing and want to take advantage of this rare opportunity. Individual testing can be very expensive -- up to $1,200 - but we’re offering it to the first 100 people to register, 18 years of age or older, in the Omaha, Council Bluffs, Lincoln, Sioux City and Des Moines areas -- free of charge! “We’re a proven commodity,” she added. “We know what we’re doing and how to do it.” To register or for more information, contact Jean Duitch (402.393.1141 or JDUITCH@aol.com) or Joanie Jacobson (402.554.0500 or ohjoan413@aol.com).
April 22, 2011 | The Jewish Press | 3
A swath of wreckage seven miles long by OZZIE NOGG “Oh, yes. The sky was yellow. It was an eerie yellow, no air, you could tell that something was going to happen. I was eight years old and I saw the cloud come across Omaha... Gee, things were flying in the air, it was terrible... everything got pitch dark. There was a theater and a lot of people were buried in it on 24th and Lake, the Diamond Theater” (From Our Story: Recollections of Omaha’s Jewish Community 1885-1925). On Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913, a tornado ripped through the heart of Omaha, then a city of 140,000 souls. Traveling faster than a mile a minute, the storm cut a swath of Celebrating a wreckage seven miles long and a quarter mile wide, century of service bringing horror and death as it swept through the palatial homes of the rich and the tiny frame cottages of the needy with equal, complete devastation. The twister leveled 550 houses and killed 185 people, including twenty-four members of the Jewish community. The area around 24th and Lake, home to a large percentage of the Jewish population, was among the neighborhoods hardest hit. “We were right in the midst of it at 24th and Lake. We were not home that day or we wouldn’t be alive to tell about it. It was demolished. A tree came up through the basement, up through the kitchen, and my bedroom, and stuck out the roof. And around the corner off of 24th and Lake, possibly three or four blocks down, was a Jewish baker [Nathan Krinsky], and they had seven or eight children. They were all killed” (From Our Story: Recollections of Omaha’s Jewish Community 1885-1925). Altogether, 153 Jewish families suffered as a direct result of the tornado. Who would help them? As early as 1869 there were Jewish charitable organizations in Omaha -- The Hebrew Benevolent Society; The Hebrew Knights of Charity Association; The Young Men’s Benevolent Society; The Friday Club; The Jewish Ladies Aid and Sewing Society of the Congregation of Israel; The B’nai B’rith Auxiliary. Each group cared for the poor, the transient, the immigrant and the sick in its own way. By 1911, two years before the tornado, these Omaha Jewish relief-giving agencies had merged into one Jewish Welfare Federation, the forerunner of Jewish Family Service. “And the fire, there was a fire station several blocks down on North 30th. And we could hear them clanging away and clanging away. Nobody slept all night. It looked like all of Omaha was on fire... Next morning it turned quite cold. There was lots of snow on the ground. We went out, we walked down to 24th and in the basement there were dead people. They had a place under the stores there. They had been partying and there were children. Oh, it was terrible.
1911 - 2011
JFS
“Tyler loves to visit his Grandpa Sam at Remington Heights!” – Laurie E. Granddaughter of Sam E., a happy resident of Remington Heights
12606 W. Dodge Rd. Omaha, NE 68154 402.493.5807 remingtonheightsretirement.com
I’ll never forget that night” (From Our Story: Recollections of Omaha’s Jewish Community 1885-1925). Within days of the tornado, leaders of the Jewish community formed the Jewish Relief Committee. Made up of representatives from every Jewish organization in Omaha at the time, this collaborative effort raised funds with which to ‘take in hand the task of allocating the wants of those... coreligionist who need relief.’ According to the Omaha
volunteers canvassed the storm-ravaged neighborhood in search of Jewish families in need, and tornado victims were then supplied with clothing, bedding, groceries, fuel, rent money and, if possible, repair to their homes. “Two homes of S. Levin, 3419-21 Cuming Street, were destroyed. Mr. and Mrs. Levin and daughter were completely covered in the wreck and were rescued several hours later. The home of Mrs. Herman Cohn was beyond repair. The family of J. Gotsdiner, 2610 Franklin, fared badly in the storm, though none was killed. Three sons, John, Abe and Joseph, were severely injured and the house was demolished” (Omaha Daily News, March 24, 1913). Jewish businessmen had created much of the commercial development in the Near North Side, especially the bustling North 24th Street corridor which served European immigrants and the African American community. The 1913 tornado flattened brick structures in this small commercial district, and more people died here Looking West to 24th and Lake, a neighborhood that was among the most severely damaged than in any other part of by the storm. Omaha. A streetcar encounMorning Bee newspaper, “the Jewish committee agreed to tered the tornado on North 24th Street, but thanks to the cooperate with the citywide Citizen’s Relief Committee, but, quick actions of the operator, every passenger survived. as one member of the Jewish committee stated, ‘We always Later, photographers would spot the wrecked machine and care for our own people.’” Today, one hundred years later, call it the Streetcar of Death, since they imagined that no Jewish Family Service of Omaha continues that philosophy. one on board could have survived the damage. “It was utter devastation. It was absolutely dreadful. We “It was extremely hot and still. By the time we got off the used to sit on the corner of 24th Street and watch funeral streetcar it had started to blow. We had no sooner walked processions go by. We’d sit there by the hour because they into the house than a large tree fell across the porch demolwent to Forest Lawn Cemetery and they had to pass that ishing it. I thought the world was coming to an end. It quiway. It was pretty ghastly... The Red Cross came and asked eted down, then it started to pour. We felt helpless, but my father if he wanted any help. He said, No, it took every- thankful” (From Our Story: Recollections of Omaha’s Jewish thing I have but left my family, so go help those that lost Community 1885-1925). some of their family. There were so many people killed. We The Jewish Relief Committee met almost daily for some had to start everything all over” (From Our Story: weeks after the tornado and a relief station for Jewish storm Recollections of Omaha’s Jewish Community 1885-1925). victims was set up at 1604 North 24th Street. When reportThe Jewish Relief Committee began a fund-raising drive ing on the Committee’s work, the Omaha Morning Bee separate and distinct from the city-sponsored Citizen’s wrote: ‘Because... many of the Jewish families have not a Relief Committee. The monies were appropriated and good speaking knowledge of the English language, the applied directly to help Jewish victims of the storm. A Jewish Jewish people have thought it best to take care of these Relief Committee report read: “Many of these families were unfortunates with the aid of those who can communicate left penniless without food, clothing or shelter and in desti- easily with them.’ tute circumstance and not infrequently illness from expoIn her book, The Jews of Omaha: The First Sixty Years, sure and injuries sustained in the storm, followed with the Carol Gendler writes that Jews who were personally unafresult that the already great misfortunes were increased fected by the tornado contributed generously to help their many fold.” For those who were reluctant to apply for help, Continued on page 4
Congratulations to the Winners of the Sixth Annual Sokolof Awards Phil and Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Fund
Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund
$10,000 Merit Scholarship – College
Merit Scholarship
Samantha Juster
University of Nebraska-Omaha
Westside High School
Brianna Sadofsky
Noam Margalit
University of Nebraska-Omaha
Central High School
$10,000 Merit Scholarship – Health Care Trevor Gerson Chicago Medical School
Rebekah Priluck
Jeffrey Malashock
The recipients will be recognized at 7 p.m.on Tuesday, May 24 at the JCC before the Marti Epstein Concert. Reception honoring the recipients will follow the concert.
Recipients will be profiled in future editions of the Jewish Press
UNMC College of Medicine
$10,000 Outstanding Jewish Teacher Award Eadie Tsabari Friedel Jewish Academy/ Beth El Synagogue Talmud Torah
Jay Noddle, President Martin C. Ricks, Executive Director
4 | The Jewish Press | April 22, 2011
A swath of wreckage seven miles long Continued from page 3 needy co-religionists. Contributions to the Jewish Relief Committee totaled almost $8500.00, and gifts came from Omaha, Lincoln, Fremont, Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Des Moines and Leavenworth, Kansas. A total of 116 cases were investigated, and temporary relief in the form of clothing, furniture, food and medical expense was afforded to seventy-two Jewish families. Wise Memorial Hospital -- named in honor of Rabbi Joseph M. Wise and located at 406 South 24th Street -- dispensed free care to all tornado victims referred for medical aid by the Jewish Relief Committee, and a total of fifty patients were admitted to the Hospital on this basis. For Gendler, “The tornado relief afforded by the members of the Jewish community to their co-religionists clearly exemplified the Jewish tradition of tzedakah, the fulfillment of the requirement of charity and social justice. For centuries Jews have heeded the Biblical proverb, ‘He that is gracious unto the poor lendeth unto the Lord.’ Omaha Jews were no exception.” During a recent conversation about the 1913 tornado and its impact on the Jewish community, Karen Gustafson, Director of Jewish Family Service, said, “Based on all accounts, this devastating and totally unexpected act of nature left families and individuals physically, emotionally and financially damaged. But community leaders and volunteers pitched in to help storm victims get back on their feet. The stories of survival, compassion, unity and generosity are truly remarkable. Happily, that same level of
tzedakah, of charity and social justice, remains today. And even though we’re not faced with a tornado relief effort -and although our clients are anonymous and not, so to speak, in the eye of the storm -- many members of the Omaha Jewish community do need assistance with rent money, groceries, medical bills and the like. From its begin-
Cover of the Omaha Bee that chronicled the 1913 tornado. ning, the main purpose of Jewish Family Service has been to strengthen and preserve sound family life. Today, as we look forward to our 100th Anniversary, our mission continues to be the same. To preserve and strengthen sound family life in the Omaha Jewish community by providing the highest
The next step in Hebrew
In the news The Marilyn White Gendler Memorial Scholarship Foundation is pleased to announce the 2011 winners. They are as follows: $150 winners: Danisha Kennedy, Northwest H.S.; Jasmine Gunter, North H.S.; Cierra Tooley, Central H.S.; Mina Holmes, North H.S.; Destry Starling, Central H.S. $2500 winner: Shanice Cushinberry, Bryan H.S. The scholarship foundation was established in 1988 by Larry Gendler in memory of his late wife, Marilyn White Gendler, who taught at Lothrop school for 9 years. Ms. Gendler was the daughter of Wyman White and the late Joyce White. Dan Gordman was among the six past or present outstanding Omaha area business leaders who were inducted into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame, Thursday, April 12. Gordman was named this year’s Legacy Honoree. Dan Gordman was the founder of Richman Gordman, and 1/2 Price Stores, Inc. He was a visionary who introduced to Omaha retail the concept of central checkouts, shopping carts, and self service shoe sales. Gordman was a major contributor to the building of the
Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and the Omaha Jewish Community Center. In 1994, he spearheaded the building of the Dan and Esther Gordman Center for Jewish Learning. The annual Omaha Business Hall of Fame honors individuals whose accomplishments in business are historically significant to the development of Omaha. Ann S. Moshman, Attorney-at-Law, received the Robert M. Spire Pro Bono Award at the annual Barristers’ Ball held on April 9. The award was given for her commitment to the belief in equal access to justice, and service as a pro bono volunteer through the Nebraska State Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyer Project. Stinson Park at Aksarben Village on 67th and Center is gearing up for another great summer! There are concerts, fundraisers, ice-cream socials, and ethnic festivals, all for the public to enjoy. You may find updates and detailed information on each event via Facebook -- search Aksarben Village, or visit www.aksarbenvillage.com. In addition, the Omaha Farmer’s Market starts on May 8th and will be open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
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by ANDREW MALASHOCK Administrative Assistant, Center for Jewish Education Due to popular demand, Hebrew instructor Mor Sheinbein will be offering Hebrew 102, a continuation from Hebrew 101 that was held earlier this year in Feb. and March. Hebrew 102 will delve deeper into Hebrew conversation and reading. Since this is a continuation class, there is a simple prerequisite of the ability to read and pronounce Hebrew letters and vowels and to be able to roll your “R’s” like a true Israeli! However, no prior knowledge or understanding of Hebrew is required. This is Mor’s fourth year teaching Hebrew for the Center for Jewish Education and is a native speaker. “The class is about experiencing a different language and culture,” said Sheinbein. “Be ready to play and learn in an open, fun, and experimental environment.” The course will consist of six sessions, meeting from 7-8:15 p.m. on Tuesdays starting on May 17-June 21 in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. Tuition is $53, discounted to $41 for donors to the Annual Campaign of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Pre-registration is needed and a minimum of eight people are needed to run the class. To register or if you have any questions, please contact Andrew Malashock at 402.334.6463 or amalashock@jewishomaha.org.
Cohen’s Computer Club
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quality staff and services available in the area.” Jewish Family Service is probably best known for the assistance programs that involve volunteers. These programs include Project Tzedakah -- which offers kosher food and festival items to Jewish families in need at Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah and Passover -- and Project Dreidel, where volunteer families sponsor those families who might not otherwise receive gifts at Hanukkah time. JFS educational programs, including the agency’s work with Yachad - Omaha’s special needs population -- also are well publicized. “But much of the critical support we offer in the way of emergency financial aid, crisis intervention and family counseling takes place under the radar, with full confidentiality,” Gustafson said. “Because JFS respects our clients’ privacy, we usually can’t put a human face on our work, or reveal names of those who have benefitted from JFS. But we can say, emphatically, that Jewish Family Service has restored dignity, hope and meaning to people whose struggles have seemed insurmountable. Our 100th Anniversary JFStival! on Sunday evening, June 6, will celebrate that accomplishment, honor Gloria Kaslow for her continued commitment to JFS, and say ‘thank you’ to our many supporters.” Jewish Family Service is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and a beneficiary of the Federation’s Annual Campaign. Future editions of the Jewish Press will carry JFStival! details and stories that shine a light on Jewish Family Service and its acts of loving kindness.
David M. Cohen, Ph.D., President
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April 22, 2011 | The Jewish Press | 5
With new discussion group, Beth El shows that Shabbat is for Study by JILL BELMONT the middle Shabbat of Passover,” Greenberg Beth El Publicity Coordinator said. “One of the questions of the Passover Torah study has always been an integral Seder that is always asked, yet never written aspect of Shabbat, and now Beth El is or recorded, is ‘Did all this really happen?’ Can we prove it? Do we need pleased to offer Shabbat is for to? Did the Red Sea part? Study, a new lunch ‘n’ learn What about the ten plagues? group which meets once a Do we take the Torah too litermonth following Saturday ally or are the stories morning services. Each halfmetaphors?” hour session is led by a differDuring the half hour, both ent facilitator, who explores a variety of Torah-related topsides of the questions will be ics. The discussions are geared presented, he noted, adding, to everyone from Torah “Will we arrive at an answer? novices to veteran students; Of course not! Will we sway knowledge of Hebrew is not opinions? Of course not. We Andy Greenberg necessary. will examine, through a lively The next session, scheduled for Saturday, discussion, the various options.” April 23, from 12:20–12:50 p.m., will be led Everyone in the Jewish community is by Andy Greenberg, who will address, invited to join the conversation; there is no “Torah -- Fact or Fiction?” charge for lunch and reservations are not “The timing of this session is perfect for needed.
From Generation to Generation
Theater review JOE STEAD, Chicago Stage Style For those who may have lost faith in the crass, commercialized, heartless and unoriginal schlock that frequently passes for musical theatre these days, there is a tiny miracle happening on Chicago’s West Belmont Avenue right now. From Generation to Generation is everything an unforgettable musical play should be but rarely is, and the Chicago Premiere by Genesis Theatrical Production at Stage 773 should be seen by everyone who values the musical art form. This heart-tugging, hilarious, uplifting and entirely original musical journey is the work of two talented women, Karen Sokolof Javitch and Elaine Jabenis. Their tale revolves around Rose Leiberman (Susan Veronika Adler), an elderly Jewish woman
who has reached the end of her life but isn’t quite ready to check out before leaving her own mark on the world. This is a matriarch who is a survivor in more ways than one. Although the play speaks personally to the Jewish experience, it also says a great deal about legacies, the life continuum passing from one generation to another. From Generation to Generation certainly wears its heart on its sleeve, but that’s a big heart, and compared to many of our more vacuous entertainment options out there, is a most welcome one. The score is haunting (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel & Leah, Soldier Song and Once Upon a Time) and pleasantly jubilant (a stretch and kvetch exercise and a hilarious tribute to Israeli Prime minister Golda Meir performed by Rose and her Golda Girl pals). The performances are warm and endearing, and the two hour play sends its audience out with a song in their heart and a sense of hope.
Arts+Entertainment A two-day craft and import beer event will take place April 29 & 30 at The Ridge in Elkhorn. We will kick things off with a Leinenkugel Beer dinner on the 29th from 69 p.m., hosted by Dick Leinenkugel himself. On Saturday, The Ridge will host a beer sampling featuring over 20 breweries from across the country and around the world. For more information or to purchase tick-
ets, visit any metro-area Hy-Vee supermarket or call 402.575.5813. The Omaha Community Playhouse presents Steel Magnolias through May 8. Single tickets are $35 for adults and $21 for students. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.omahaplayhouse. com or call 402.553.0800.
Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Speaker yet to be announced for Wednesday, April 27, noon at the Blumkin Home. An optional buffet lunch costs $10; beverage service is $3. For more information or to be placed on the e-mail list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha. org. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Yiddish words have made their way into every phase of modern life, show biz, law, classrooms, etc. Come join us at our new meeting room (across from the beauty salon) at the Blumkin Home, every Thursday, 1-3 pm. For information, call Anne Skolkin at 402.343.1638. MAINSTREETERS Mystery Trip on Tuesday, May 3. Join us for a fun-filled day full of surprises and FUN! Depart from the JCC at 9 a.m. to return by 4:30 p.m. The cost of $30 per person includes coach transportation (sponsored by Jewish Social Services), admission
fees, a delectable lunch, tax and gratuities. Please RSVP and send reservation form with full payment to Mainstreeters, c/o Maggie Conti, 323 South 132 Street, Omaha, NE 68154. Make check payable to Jewish Social Services. For information call Harry Alloy at 402.697.8709 Mainstreeters Luncheon is on Monday, May 16 at 12:30 p.m. at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home auditorium. The musical duo The Links will entertain. For years The Links were based out of Reno, Nevada and performed in prestigious showrooms in Reno, Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas, like the MGM Grand and Harrah’s Casino along with multiple cities throughout the Midwest. Their guitar and keyboard styles offer a unique and special blend to their vocals and harmonizing talents. Deadline for reservations is May 9. Send reservations with full payment to Mainstreeters, c/o Maggie Conti, 323 South 132 Street, Omaha, NE 68154. For information call Maggie Conti at 402.334.6521. Make check payable to Jewish Social Services.
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6 | The Jewish Press | April 22, 2011
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by MARY BORT established this memorial at Wyuka Cemetery so that it is an Heartland Holocaust Educational Fund integral part of Nebraska’s community. The education of our The Nebraska Holocaust Memorial will receive the Rising youth is paramount to our continued success. On behalf of Star Award from the NEBRASKAland Foundation during a all of us who survived the atrocities of the Holocaust, I 1 p.m. ceremony at the site on Sunday, May 1, Yom would like to express our gratitude that we were able to setHaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). Representatives tle in Nebraska to rebuild our lives and bridge the span from of the Heartland horror to the ‘Good Life.’” Holocaust Educational Lincoln high school stuFund (HHEF), the organidents will place memorial zation that supports and bricks at the memorial at maintains the memorial, 12:30 p.m. In cooperation will accept the award. The with the HHEF, they memorial is located in sought donations for the Lincoln at Wyuka bricks as part of a fundraisCemetery. Prior to the ing effort to help cover the award ceremony, high costs of a trip to visit the school students who have United States Holocaust been learning about the Memorial Museum and Holocaust will place other sites. For each $100 memorial bricks at the site. donation obtained, an The Nebraska Holocaust engraved brick will be Nebraska Holocaust Memorial Memorial serves as a place placed at the memorial. of education, remembrance and reflection. The memorial Eighty percent of the donations went to the trip, with the preserves the memory of those who were murdered during remainder going to the cost of the bricks. the Holocaust and honors the liberators and survivors of the This is the second year that Mark Gudgel, a teacher at Nazi concentration camps. Lincoln Southwest High School, is taking students on a In a special arrangement with the HHEF, the Institute for Holocaust-focused trip to New York and Washington, D.C. Holocaust Education (IHE) oversees the educational initia- “Last year, the trip was so meaningful and had such an tives at the memorial, providing educational and communi- impact that the demand by students to do it again was overty programming. The memorial provides the IHE with a site whelming,” noted Gudgel. that ties in well with their educational objectives. “The generosity of the HHEF has been crucial to so many Promoting Nebraska’s “Good Life” for Nebraska citizens students, to raise the money needed to be able to attend this and this quality of life to visitors, the NEBRASKAland once-in-a-lifetime experience,” continued Gudgel. “We also Foundation’s website notes that their organization’s purpose thank Barnes & Noble at SouthPointe Pavilions and Granite is to contribute to the social, historic, cultural and econom- City, both in Lincoln, for their generosity in helping us raise ic well-being of the state. funds for the trip, as well as the Elie Wiesel Foundation, the According to Larry Ruth, Vice-President of the 92nd Street ‘Y’ [in New York], Temple Micah [in NEBRASKAland Foundation, “The Rising Star Award rec- Washington, D.C.], and the United States Holocaust ognizes efforts to provide new and developing tourism and Memorial Museum for their support of our trip.” other economic and social awareness sites in Nebraska The community is invited to attend the brick-laying activwhich express and enrich the quality of life of all ities and award ceremony. Additionally, the Nebraska Nebraskans.” Previous recipients of the Rising Star Award Holocaust Commemoration will be held at the State Capitol include Lauritzen Gardens, the Desert Dome at Henry at 3 p.m. Rich Hirschhaut, Executive Director of the Illinois Doorly Zoo, the Great Platte River Road Archway Holocaust Museum and Education Center, is scheduled to Monument and many other sites. be the guest speaker. “One criterion for the award which we found to be espeThe Nebraska Holocaust Memorial is free and open to the cially fitting for the memorial is that of being a social aware- public. Wyuka Cemetery is located at 3600 “O” Street in ness site, expressing the ‘Good Life’ for our citizens,” said Lincoln. The memorial’s Managing Director, Gary Hill, can Ruth. “In a terribly ironic way, we cannot know what the be contacted at 402.0420.0602 or Garyhill@cega.com. ‘Good Life’ is without knowing what a good life is not. The For more information about the IHE and its various proNebraska Holocaust Memorial compels consideration of grams, including programming at the memorial, please visit what is morally right in life, and the very value of life itself.” www.ihene.org, email info@ihene.org or call 402.334.6576. Sam Fried, co-founder of the HHEF and survivor of To learn more about the HHEF, visit www.holocausteduc Auschwitz, said of the memorial and award, “We are hon- ationfund.org, email mbort@holocausteducationfund ored to be recognized as part of Nebraska’s ‘Good Life.’ We .org or call 402.334.6459.
Jewish Philanthropy Fair
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Clockwise from above: Shiri Tene, B’Nai Tzedek coordinator, with Naomi Teetzel; Tomer Palmon and Isaac Ferber with Sharon Kirshenbaum at the Jewish Federation booth; Rabbi Mizrahi, left, Jacob Katzman, and Rabbi Gross also attended the B’Nai Tzedek Philanthropy Fair.
April 22, 2011 | The Jewish Press | 7
Words and Images Continued from page 1 architecture.” Grachos is the Director of the Albright-Knox Gallery in Buffalo, New York, Lipsey’s adopted hometown. “It takes time,” Lipsey says, “but if one pauses and observes with a new set of eyes both the changes of light as the day progresses, on either a landscape or a close up, one can see subtle changes.” Lipsey’s eye betrays that sometimes there is little difference between that landscape and that close up: Lipsey’s buildings come to life, while many of his nature scenes offer a kind of symmetry we usually associate with manmade objects. Stan Lipsey Grachos continues: “The strength of Stanford Lipsey’s photography is in the underlying sensibility, and, in my mind, this is the most innovative aspect of his photographic work. Lipsey’s photographic aesthetic is revealed in the details he focuses on, the way he frames and crops images, and in the subjects he selects.” It’s clear that Lipsey is still, first and foremost, a storyteller. However, with camera in hand, he is able to tell a different kind of story, one that doesn’t present the audience with words and explanations. “It’s the old story of a picture being worth 10,000 words,” Lipsey says. “I shot a photo of a line of benches in Santa
Monica overlooking the ocean. There was one very elderly person on each bench, all dressed warmly. They sat there for hours; they had nothing else to do in their life at this point. In the foreground was a man searching through a garbage bin for what he could find to help him. This picture told a story of the hopelessness of the elderly, and the poor.” According to Anthony Bannon, whose Essay on the Affinity of Form is included in Lipsey’s book, Lipsey’s photographs are “ultimately not about art at all; they use art to create a tool kit, a grammar of ideas that happen well off the page. And that is fitting, because these are picSalvation Army Building, 2003 tures, not words, heuristic devices that lead the way towards investigation.” Stan Lipsey’s photographs can be seen at KANEKO, 1111 Jones Street; the exhibit officially opens on Thursday, April 28, and will last through Thursday, May 26. “If visitors take time and leave their daily pressures and look with new eyes, I hope they will find beauty, art, color,” Lipsey says. “And perhaps an insight into their own creativity, and appreciation of nature, architecture, flora, and all that I have chosen as subject matter.” For more information and for opening hours, call 1.402.341.3800 or visit www.thekaneko.org
Langer’s, home of the world’s best pastrami A meeting took place recently in LA at the famous Langer’s deli in its original location in what is now a very rundown area. Although, the Jews no longer live in the vicinity, they still travel there for the pastrami. Murray Newman, left, Steven Bloch, Mike Erman, Don Greenberg, former Omahan Sheldon Rips, and Norm Veitzer.
eCAMPUS Summer & Fall 2011 Schedule
Online Courses View our schedule at ecampus.unk.edu The University of Nebraska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution. Individuals needing accommodation under ADA should contact the ADA Coordinator at UNK, 308.865.8655 or the Events Coordinator. UNK Creative Services
Young and young at heart enjoy Beth El’s Passover celebrations
by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Beth El’s recent Passover celebrations included a variety of holiday programming, including a Pesach preparation class presented by Rabbi Mordechai Levin, model Seders for the religious-school children, and a congregational Seder which drew around 185 attendees. Top, BESTT Education Director Judy Rubin and students lead the four questions at the model Seder, along with fellow classmates and their parents; above, after presenting a musical Passover program at Remington Heights along with Cantor Beth Schlossberg, Rabbi Levin wishes residents chag sameach.
ROOMMATE WANTED Michael Parsow is looking for a female young adult to be his suitemate and help with fun duties at Camp Sabra this summer. One four week session. Paid position. Please call 402.289.3217.
8 | The Jewish Press | April 22, 2011
Point of view
American Jewish Press Association Award Winner
Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008
Questions? Ask Mike
by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press By now we think the news has pretty much spread throughout the entire community: we have a shiny new CEO. With that comes a new approach to many aspects of the Jewish community. Fresh eyes and a solid investment in our mission will make for a bright future. Throughout the years, the Jewish community of Omaha has blossomed; when we look around us today we see many programs and services that weren’t here in the past. Without this community thinking big, we would not have had a Jewish Community Center, a day school, a Blumkin Home, or a newspaper. We would not have had a Childhood Development Center, or Jewish Social Services, or a Chai school, and we certainly would have never hosted the Maccabi Games. And so, here it is: our chance to grow even more, and dream big. Of course, we all continue to have questions. With everything he has on his plate, Mike Silverman might not be able to answer them all today. However, he’s going to make an attempt to get started on that as soon as possible. When big changes happen, and we are faced with uncertainty, it can seem as if we have less control over the outcome. That is not the case here; no CEO can function without input, feedback, and involvement on everybody’s part. In order for that to happen, we need an enormous amount of transparency. The future of the Jewish community, its programs, services, and buildings, rests on everybody’s shoulders. And for all of us to stay invested and committed, we have to step up, and own that transparency. We’ll stop pretending there are no elephants in this room. Instead, we’ll walk up to them, and start a conversation.
As a community, it is our responsibility to ask questions, and we must educate ourselves. If we don’t, questions will grow into rumors, and rumors will become gossip, and that gossip will fuel the fires of our uncertainty and fear. It’s a small step from ‘what if ’ to ‘what is he thinking?’ And so, Mike would like to invite you all to ask relevant questions, directly of him, with the full guarantee they will be answered. Starting today, we will provide a new email address: askmike@jewishomaha.org. Here you can send your questions and input. Have a great idea? Send it. Worried about something? Write us a letter. Spill, vent, and share to your heart’s content. All we ask is that you keep it clean and polite. The best ones will be published in the editorial section of the Jewish Press. The usual rules we have in place for letters to the editor apply: keep it under 300 words, count on being edited for length and content, you have to sign your name, and remember the Thursday morning 9 am deadline. I know; this week’s deadline has already passed, and that’s why we’ll extend it slightly just this once. Have your letter to us by 3 pm Friday, April 22, and you may just make the first section of ‘Ask Mike’. If not, you’ll make it in for the following week. Of course, there are questions
that don’t have an answer yet, opportunities that have yet to be explored. That’s okay; we’re taking this one day at a time. Rash decisions are not what built this community in the first place, and they won’t do so now. Doing this, we hope, will motivate community members to use their voice. Having a voice is one of the strongest ways anyone can be involved. Not feeling like you’re a part of something can ruin a good relationship, and that isn’t healthy for anybody. We don’t want this community to be just great, we want it to be superb. We all hope you’ll come along for the ride.
After bombshell Op-Ed, questions for Richard Goldstone and Israel
Behind the headlines URIEL HEILMAN by URIEL HEILMAN NEW YORK (JTA) -- Richard Goldstone’s original U.N. report on the Gaza war of 2008-09 landed like a bombshell in the PR war over Israel, damaging Israel’s reputation around the world with its finding that Israel potentially committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during its three-week war against Hamas. Now that Goldstone has issued a retraction of sorts -- in the form of an Op-Ed in The Washington Post exculpating Israel from the report’s harshest allegations, including the claim that Israel intentionally targeted Palestinian civilians in Gaza -- the question is whether the destruction wreaked by that bombshell can be undone. “We know a lot more today about what happened in the Gaza war of 2008-09 than we did when I chaired the factfinding mission appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council that produced what has come to be known as the Goldstone Report,” Goldstone wrote in the Op-Ed published April 1. “If I had known then what I know now, the Goldstone Report would have been a different document.” What can be done a year and a half after the fact about a report that Israeli President Shimon Peres described at the time of its publication as a blood libel against the Jewish people? It’s just one of a host of questions raised by Goldstone’s piece, titled Reconsidering the Goldstone Report on Israel and War Crimes. For one thing, if Goldstone really wanted to retract or amend his original report, why didn’t he do so in the same forum in which he submitted the report, the United Nations? “U.N. reports are not canceled on the basis of an Op-Ed in a newspaper,” a spokesman for the U.N. Human Rights
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Council in Geneva, Cedric Sapey, told The Associated Press on Monday. Sapey said Goldstone would have to submit a formal request to the council to void the report; he has not. The reason probably lies in a Talmudic reading of Goldstone’s Op-Ed. Goldstone doesn’t admit culpability. Rather, he regrets that his “fact-finding mission did not have evidence explaining the circumstances in which we said civilians in Gaza were targeted, because it probably would have influenced our findings about intentionality and war crimes.” For that, Goldstone blames “Israel’s lack of cooperation.” Leaving aside for the moment whether Goldstone did a subpar job in his original investigation by failing to get Israel’s side of the story, or that the report’s conclusion that Israel may have committed war crimes impugned Israel by disguising conjecture as culpability, Goldstone’s reconsideration raises the question of whether Israel would have been better off cooperating with the investigation rather than boycotting it. In his Op-Ed, Goldstone ascribes his change of position to subsequent Israeli investigations that have presented new, credible evidence that was not available to him when he conducted his original probe. “The allegations of intentionality by Israel were based on the deaths of and injuries to civilians in situations where our fact-finding mission had no evidence on which to draw any other reasonable conclusion,” Goldstone wrote. “While the investigations published by the Israeli military and recognized in the U.N. committee’s report have established the validity of some incidents that we investigated in cases involving individual soldiers, they also indicate that civilians were not intentionally targeted as a matter of policy.” Had Israel shared that information while he was conducting his investigation, Goldstone suggests, the report would have been much different.
At the time, Israeli officials decided to boycott and discredit Goldstone’s investigation. Israel argued that the probe’s mandate from the U.N. Human Rights Council, a body hopelessly biased against Israel, made it impossible to get a fair shake. Indeed, the council’s original mandate for the investigation prejudged Israel as guilty, calling for a probe into Israel’s “massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people” but not including a similar call to investigate Hamas. But that was before the council turned the investigation over to Goldstone, who had bona fide credentials as a friend of Israel and the Jewish people. Goldstone, who is Jewish, was a member of the board of governors of Jerusalem’s Hebrew University (he was subsequently ejected), a former president of the Jewish educational organization World ORT and a board member of a Brandeis University ethics institute. Goldstone agreed to undertake the investigation only if the mandate was changed to include a probe of Palestinian actions in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The council obliged. But Israel’s stance remained unchanged, and it opted to ignore Goldstone, at a heavy price. This week, Israeli officials welcomed what they described as Goldstone’s retraction, saying it vindicated not only Israel’s actions in the Gaza war but the humanitarian nature of the Israel Defense Forces’ approach to combat. They did not address the question of whether or not it had been a mistake to boycott Goldstone’s probe in the first place, and whether cooperating would have changed the crux of a report that caused irreparable harm to Israel’s reputation. “There are very few instances in which those who disseminate libels retract their libel; this happened in the case of the Goldstone Report,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday at the start of his weekly Cabinet meeting. “Goldstone himself said that all of the things that we have Continued on page 9
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April 22, 2011 | The Jewish Press | 9
End, don’t extend, the scandal of hunger of America
Behind the headlines LEONARD FEIN AND JACKIE LEVINE WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Before we tell the Passover story, before the Four Questions and all the rest of the elaborate rituals that mark the Passover celebration in Jewish homes across the globe, we raise a piece of matzah, the unleavened bread that is meant to remind us of the haste with which we fled Egypt some 3,500 years ago, and we say (or chant): “Let all who are hungry enter and eat.” When those words were first spoken, odds are that the speaker actually knew the names of the hungry; they were his neighbors down on their luck. Now we speak the very same words, but few of us know the name of even one person who experiences real hunger -- or as the experts call it these days, “food insecurity.” Yet scarcely a day goes by when we do not read of the growing number of hungry Americans. People who never imagined that they would have to rely on soup kitchens and
food pantries now stand in line and await their turn, joining millions of others long since intimately familiar with hunger. The numbers are daunting. Hunger in America is not a consequence of drought, natural disaster or a lack of food. There is more than enough food in this country for everyone to “enter and eat.” That’s why, when we think of hunger here at home, we do not think of it as a tragedy; we think of it as a scandal. That scandal is now on the verge of fearsome growth. Congress will soon begin debate on a new budget for 2012. The opening proposal would restrict access to critical feeding programs through job testing and block granting, shrinking our social safety net at a time of almost historically low job availability. The fate of programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps) and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) -- federal assistance programs that help low income families afford groceries -- suddenly is uncertain. This is simply unacceptable. It is a coincidence that this year Passover falls as the 2012 budget battle begins. But it is not a coincidence at all that the
Jewish Council for Public Affairs has coordinated more than 40 Hunger Seders in 23 states across the country -- including, on April 14, a National Hunger Seder on Capitol Hill for members of Congress, members of the Obama administration, and leaders from the faith and anti-hunger communities. These events are designed to raise awareness of the scandal of hunger and of the vital programs that preserve both health and dignity. We are proud to co-chair the JCPA’s Hunger Seder mobilization. We do not know the names of each person suffering from the oppression of hunger, but we are conscience-bound to keep open our doors and ensure that they know they are welcome at America’s table. They have not caused the deficit crisis; neither should it be resolved by asking them to endure the anxiety and pain of hunger in order to repair it. Our chosen task is to end the scandal, not to ignore it, let alone to extend it. Leonard Fein and Jackie Levine are the honorary cochairs of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs’ 2011 Hunger Seders mobilization [http://engage.jewishpublicaffairs. org/hungerseder].
any context. When I was a young editor working at The Jerusalem Post, the legendary Alex Berlyne would walk around the newsroom repeating his golden rule of reporting: “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.” Confirmation by a second source was the rule, not the exception. Journalists saw themselves as servants of the third estate committed to unraveling the truth and defending the greater public good. No such standards apply to bloggers or, for that matter, columnists now appearing in your daily paper. Once segregated onto pages clearly labeled as opinion, these essays have become an inexpensive source of page filler and page views. News sites link to a range of writers under the banner that all opinions are equal without vetting credentials. And we, as consumers, rarely check the background of the writer, trusting that someone has done the legwork. But that simply isn’t so. Recent events around the world remind us once again that in the open marketplace of ideas, the loudest voices are usually those of the most extreme points of view. Talk radio has become talk-back Internet, where one link simply leads to another. Without the moderating influence of editorial accountability, the blogosphere has become a place of black and white, with no room for the gray tones of a more complex reality. This is particularly true in Israel, where bloggers are taking a cue from the country’s politicians and turning up the volume of the debate. Labels such as anti-Zionist and fascist are the new grenades being tossed around in a battle of the words that has turned cyberspace into a very dangerous place. More often than not, it turns out that those at the fore-
front of the battle are motivated by their own agenda, positioning extreme ideologies as an objective reality. Scratch a blogger behind the ears and you may discover his political affiliations are not what you expected. This is where we as consumers have to learn to be wary. We have to sniff out the reliable commentators, research our sources carefully and become our own investigative journalists. So the next time you read a blog or column citing seemingly shocking “facts,” check out the source. You may just find that the writer’s name is Rover. Faye Bittker is a former journalist who now works in media relations at an Israeli university.
The blogger is a dog ...
Focus on issues FAYE BITTKER BEERSHEBA, Israel (JTA) -- Or a lunatic, extremist or just someone whose opinion you would dismiss were you really to know him. Like the famous 1993 New Yorker cartoon, where one dog explains to the other that “On the Internet, nobody knows you are a dog,” we are inundated today with information from sources we know nothing about. So though it is unlikely that the blog or column that you are reading actually was written by a dog, it is more than possible that it was written by someone with a personal or political agenda. Over the past two decades, the media have undergone a massive evolution with the introduction of new technologies. From the onset of cable TV with its nonstop 24-hour news networks, to the rise of the Internet, we have become inundated with an ever increasing number of “news” sources, some more credible than others. For whatever reason, when the written word appears on the computer screen, readers check their critical thinking skills at the keyboard. We teach our children to be wary of “friends” who approach them online, while we willingly believe “facts” written by people about whom we know nothing. Online bloggers have become arbiters of truth. Suddenly these random commentators, who often write nothing more than unsubstantiated remarks and nearly libelous personal observations, have access to a wide public forum without
Questions for Richard Goldstone and Israel Continued from page 8 been saying all along are correct: that Israel never intentionally fired at civilians and that our inquiries operated according to the highest international standards,” the Israeli leader said. “This leads us to call for the immediate cancellation of the Goldstone Report.” For his part, Goldstone declined to talk to reporters this week about his reconsideration, why he published it as an Op-Ed rather than straightening the record in the United Nations, and why he decided to write it now. Goldstone declined to respond to JTA requests for comment.
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10 | The Jewish Press | April 22, 2011
Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 | 402.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com There will be no Services this Friday, April 22.
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California | Omaha, NE 68154-1980 | 402.492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org Services conducted by Rabbi Mordechai Levin and Cantor Beth Schlossberg. FRIDAY, Hol Hamoed: Shaharit, 6:45 a.m.; Shabbat comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m., led by Rabbi Levin and Cantor Schlossberg; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY, Shabbat Hol Hamoed: Morning service, 9:30 a.m.; Shabbat is for Study, 12:15 p.m. led by Andy Greenberg; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY, Hol Hamoed: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; The Mystique of Judaism, with Andy Greenberg, and Torah Study Discussion Group, 10 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. MONDAY, Seventh Day: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. TUESDAY, Eighth Day: Shacharit (Yizker is said), 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:15 p.m. THURSDAY: Rabbi Levin’s Life Lessons from the Hebrew Bible, noon. Cost is $36 for members and $45 for non-members. Open to all adults in the Jewish community. To register, contact the office. MEN’S CLUB MATZO BREI BREAKFAST: Sunday, April 24, 10 a.m. Cost is $4.50 for adults, $2.50 for children 6-12, and free for children five and younger. BESTT: No classes on Sunday, April 24 and Monday, April 25; they will resume on Wednesday, April 27, for grades 3-7. SISTERHOOD: Volunteer Recognition luncheon on Sunday, May 1, 12:30 pm. All Beth El classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.
WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m. MONDAY, Pesach Day 7: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m.; Priestly Blessings, 11:30 a.m.; Kiddush to follow davening. TUESDAY, Pesach Day 8: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m.; Yizkor, 11 a.m.; Priestly Blessings, 11:30 a.m.; Kiddush to follow davening; Annual Moshiach Feast, 7:30 p.m., RSVP to Carol at office@ochabad.com or call 402.330.1800; Yom Tov ends, 8:59 p.m. FRIDAY: Service, 7 a.m.; Chabad hosts Friday Night Dinner downtown for Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders, 7 p.m. All programs are open to the entire community.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN South Street Temple | Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street | Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 | 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org Services conducted by Rabbi Ilan Emanuel. FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. led by Rabbi Emanuel, with oneg following hosted by Jennifer Wright and Paul Nelson. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Emanuel. SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes. WEDNESDAY: Hebrew classes (grades 3-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project, Saturday, April 30, 8 p.m. at Johnny Carson Theater, 14th & R Streets. Reservations can be by calling Lori Schwartz at 402.261.8850. There will be a special showing for the LJCS Students (fifth grade and older) on Sunday, May 1, 10 a.m. at Tifereth Israel. Lincoln Mayor’s Interfaith Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, May 5, 7:30 a.m. at Embassy Suites, 1040 P Street with guest speaker Amir Azimi, of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. For more information, please contac Interchurch Ministries at 402.476.3391 or im50427@wind stream.net. Temple clean-up day, Sunday, May 1 at 9 a.m.-noon. Third Annual LJCS Rummage Sale, Sunday, May 15, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at South Street Temple.
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha, NE. 68154 | 402.556.6288 www.BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:30 a.m-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross and Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Children’s Classes begin with Torah Parade, 9:45 a.m.; Kiddush is sponsored by Sisterhood; Annual Jr. NCSY Bible Quiz for fifth-eighth graders, 7 p.m.; Mincha, 7:45 p.m. followed by Seuda Shlishit; Havdalah, 8:58 p.m. SUNDAY: Gemara class, 8 a.m., learning tractate Kiddushin; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha, 7:57 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha, 8 p.m. TUESDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Yizkor, 10:45 a.m.; Havdalah, 9:02 p.m.; Chometz should not be used before 10 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Advanced Halchic Kollel, 9 p.m. THURSDAY: Women of the Torah class with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m.
SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway | Offutt AFB, NE 68113 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD PRAYER GROUP 1317 North 57 Street | Omaha, NE 68132 | 402.551.6609 There will be no serices held during Passover, resuming April 29.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m. led by Beth El Members. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Andy Greenberg.
Candlelighting Friday, April 22, 7:54 p.m. | Sunday, April 24, 7:57 p.m. Monday, April 25, no earlier than 9:00 p.m.
MONDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Carole and Andy Greenberg. TUESDAY: Services with Yizkor, 9 a.m. led by Carole and Andy Greenberg. THURSDAY: LOVE Board of Directors’ meeting, 7 p.m. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend Services.
TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street | Omaha, NE 68132-2651 | 402.556.6536 www.templeisrael-ne.org FRIDAY: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Azriel and Cantor Shermet. SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. SUNDAY: No Religious School. MONDAY-CONCLUSION OF PASSOVER: Moring Service and Yizkor, 10:30 a.m. TUESDAY: Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 6:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Family School, 6 p.m.; Grade 7-8, 6 p.m.; Navigating the Paryer service, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard | Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 | 402.423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. FRIDAY-Chol HaMoed: Shabbat service, 7 p.m. SATURDAY-Chol HaMoed Pesach: Morning Service, 10 a.m. SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes. MONDAY-Seventh Day: Services, 7:30 p.m. TUESDAY-Eighth Day: Services with Yizkor, 8:30 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Hebrew classes (grades 3-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. The temple office will be closed on April 25 and 26 for the holiday. Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project, Saturday, April 30, 8 p.m. at Johnny Carson Theater, 14th & R Streets. Reservations can be by calling Lori Schwartz at 402.261.8850. There will be a special showing for the LJCS Students (fifth grade and older) on Sunday, May 1, 10 a.m. at Tifereth Israel. Lincoln Mayor’s Interfaith Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, May 5, 7:30 a.m. at Embassy Suites, 1040 P Street with guest speaker Amir Azimi, of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. For more information, please contac Interchurch Ministries at 402.476.3391 or im50427@wind stream.net. Third Annual LJCS Rummage Sale, Sunday, May 15, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at South Street Temple.
Save the date
CHABAD HOUSE An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street | Omaha, NE 68144-1646 | 402.330.1800 www.OChabad.com | email: chabad@aol.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY, Chol HaMoed: Service, 7 a.m. SATURDAY, Chol HaMoed: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush to follow davening. SUNDAY, Chol HaMoed: Shacharit, 8:30 a.m.; All night Study for Shevi’i Shel Pesach begins at 10 p.m.
Personal Rob Cohn from Simi Valley, Ca., is looking for possible Cohn family members in Nebraska. Rob’s grandfather was Abraham Cohn; some of Abraham’s children were Max, Ida, George, Sophia, Beatrice, Rosie, Annie, and Nathan. If you have any knowledge about these or other family members, please contact Rob at omahacohn@gmail.com. Rob Cohn
On Sunday, May 1, a goodbye dessert reception will be held for Childhood Development Center Director Corey Kirshenbaum. Community members will have the opportunity to wish Corey well from 6:30-8 p.m. in the JCC auditorium. A special presentation celebrating Corey’s 23 years of service will be made at 7 p.m. The entire community is invited. For more information, please contact Kathy McGauvran at kmcgauvran@jewish omaha.org.
Pulverente MONUMENT CO.
April 22, 2011 | The Jewish Press | 11
In memoriam
The Way and The Ways
HARRIET KUTLER Harriet Kutler passed away peacefully on April 8 at age 85. Services were held on April 11 at Beth El Cemetery. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Dr. Benton Kutler. She is survived by daughter, Laura Kutler; son, Robert Kutler; sons and daughters-in-law, David and Debi Kutler, Howard and Nancy Kutler, Bruce and Pam Kutler; son-inlaw, Dr. David Chait; grandchildren, Lindsey and Jessica Chait, Eli Kutler, Adam, Matt, and Bradley Kutler, Sarah Kutler and Danny Krantz, Emily and Benjamin Kutler; four great-grandchildren; brother, Leonard Lorkis; brother-inlaw, Dr. Sol Kutler; and many loving nieces and nephews. She was an active member in the Jewish community for many years. She volunteered for many Jewish and nonJewish service organizations, including Beth El Sisterhood, Hadassah, ORT and Radio Talking Books. Memorials may be made to Beth El Synagogue, 14506 California St, Omaha, NE 68154, Nebraska Foundation for Visually Impaired Children, 425 N 30 St, Omaha NE 68131 or the charity of your choice.
NAOMI GREENBERG Naomi Greenberg passed away peacefully on April 13 at 86. The family will have a private celebration of her life. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Sara and Craig Greenberg of Arlington, VA, and Nancy and Mike McDonald of Fort Collins; son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Alan and Cindy Greenberg of Scottsdale, AZ; three grandchildren: Zach, Mari and Jordyn Greenberg of Scottsdale; brother, Herman Nydick of Carteret, New Jersey. She was a member of the Hadassah, and Beth El Synagogue for many years and she volunteered in the Kripke Library.
ASTD regional conference by DEBBIE FRIEDMAN Event Co-Chair, ASTD Regional Event The American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) is the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals. ASTD-Lincoln and ASTD Nebraska will organize a fullday event that will place you in a room with seven world renowned speakers. The ASTD Regional Event will bring together over 600 professionals, business and community leaders on May 18 at the LaVista Conference Center for Human Performance Improvement: Doing More With Less. The highly anticipated conference features a networking reception the night prior to the event, seven world renowned speakers, an expo area, and an opportunity for a professional business portrait. Opening speaker is Andrea Nierenberg; other speakers presented at the conference are Craig Hickman for the keynote session, Ralph Kilman, Ph.D., Jack Zenger, Todd Mitchem, Michael E. Echols, and Jim Smith Jr. ASTD’s local professionals represent and work in more than 200 small and large businesses and organizations, government agencies, colleges, and universities in Eastern Nebraska. A multitude of business training and networking opportunities are available for each membership base. For more information, visit www.astdregionalevent .com or call 402.434.7557.
To Submit obituaries to the Jewish Press: Email to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; fax to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154, or online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on
Jewish Press and go to Submit Announcements. PORK PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN The Maschhoffs, a leader in the pork industry, is looking for a full-time Production Technician for our Wean-to-Market farm near Albion, NE. Responsibilities: • Daily animal care and feeding; Monitoring the barn environment. • Sorting animals and assist movement between pens and loading. • Administer medications and vaccines • Perform maintenance and repairs plus regular housekeeping. Qualifications: • High school diploma / GED; 1 year livestock production experience. • Ability to work on concrete, handle dust/odor exposure and lift 50lbs.
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RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Pesach The assigned reading for the Sabbath within Pesah includes the dramatic presentation of the thirteen attributes of God's nature, which figure so prominently in the S'lihot of the High Holy Day services. There is also brief mention of the three “pilgrimage� festivals of the year, Pesah, Shavuot, and Sukkot — albeit not necessarily by those names. But at the very beginning there is a special plea of Moses, which goes all but unanswered. Moses has been shaken by the sin of the Golden Calf. Instinctively he has pleaded that the sin of the people be forgiven and that they be permitted to trek on toward the Promised Land. He has refused an offer to be the progenitor of a new people to replace this one. And he prevails: the people are allowed to go on. But Moses is unnerved by what has happened. And now he pleads to know the nature of his God: “Pray let me know Your ways.� But the Lord does not explain Himself to Moses in any clear and simple manner. He announces to Moses only that He may be described by these thirteen attributes. The list is revealing and descriptive; but not sufficiently so and not definitively. And we are left—as Moses is left—groping to know more. A sharp-eyed 19th century religious leader and Bible commentator put the problem clearly, by pointing out a grammatical oddity. When Moses asks to know God's ways, the Hebrew word “ways� (drakhekha) is pointed by the Masoretes to read “ways;� but it is actually spelled in such a fashion that without the vowel points we would normally read it “darkekha,� “pray let me know Your way,� “way� in the singular. And our commentator suggested that in the two different readings, the word implies a special pleading: Moses is pleading to know the way within the ways. Is there, Lord, some single principle that unites and identifies all the ways we think are Yours? Is there some single criterion we may hold before us to know what is godly and what is not? Alas, Moses is not given to know that one criterion, and neither are we. The wisemen Ecclesiastes sought for it diligently, but reluctantly he had to give up the search. Job agonized over it. Why is life as it is? And the only answer he is given is that he must hold fast to his integrity and cease his questioning of God and his demanding of answers. The wisemen find that the answers elude them. Scholars, poets, wisemen, philosophers, theologians, scientists, artists all seek answers, each group in their own pursuits. But the answer is hidden—for we are only humans, not gods. Pesah reminds us that all men must be free, and to be free is to be godlike. But to be godlike is not to be God. We are humankind. That is very much. And it is enough. Editors note: This column was orginally printed in Rabbi Kripke’s 1988 Book Sight and Interpretation: Reflections on the Weekly Sidrah.
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CORRECTION
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In our April 15 edition, Paul Militzer's name was spelled incorrectly. The Jewish Press regrets the error.
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Hastings Utilities is seeking a qualified individual to fill the position of W astew aterTreatm entSuperintendent.This individual is responsible for overall Leadership and m anagem ent of the Pollution Control Facility. Perform s technical and supervisory activities, plans, coordinates and directs facility operations and personnel.This individualassures com pliance w ith all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.Hastings Utilities is a m unicipally ow ned utility com pany.Experience equivalentto the com pletion ofhigh schoolplus eightyears experience w ith increased responsibilities in w astew ater operations. A n associate or advanced degree in a related field or equivalentexperience w ould be preferred. Individual m ust possess a ND EQ Class 3 Operators Certification and obtain a Class 4 Certification w ithin one year.S end resum e to Ron Sanders, D irector of Operations, Hastings Utilities, P.O. Box 289, Hastings,NE 68902 ore-m ailto rsanders@ hastingsutilities.com ,phone 402-462-3699.Send resum e orcontactRon Sandersby M ay 15,2011.
FAIRBURY PUBLIC Schools 2011-2012 Elementary Counselor and Technology Coordinator openings. Send resume/references to: Fairbury Public Schools Superintendent, 703 K Street, Fairbury, NE 68352. fhelmink@fairburyjeffs.org, 402-729-6104. EOE/ADA HELP WANTED: Live-in manager for 40-unit motel in Central Nebraska. For more information or application, contact Jayne Mann, PO Box 10, Aurora, NE 68818, or call 402-694-3111. AVAILABLE TO Travel? Earn above average $$$ selling with successful young business group! No experience necessary. Paid training. Lodging. Transportation provided. 1-877-6465050. SALES CAREER! Motivated individuals needed to work in rural area. Providing intense company training, ongoing support, proven marketing system, 3-day weekends, top incentives, $65K+ first year earnings potential. $3,000 monthly training incentive available. Overnight (Monday-Thursday) travel required. Apply now! Brandon Headrick: 1-866-225-0727. HVAC - EXPERIENCED in installation, fabrication and duct cleaning. 90-year contractor. Green Furnace and Plumbing, 4200 N. 48th, Lincoln, NE 68504. EOE. 402-467-4444 or mdsmith@callgreens.com. WE ARE looking to hire qualified conductors. Background checks will be conducted as appropriate based on requirements of position. Apply www.cpr.ca, Canadian Pacific, EOE/Affirmative Action. DRIVER: PLENTY of miles. Recession proof freight. $1,000 sign-on for experienced CO’s and incentives for O/O’s. Driver Academy Refresher Course available. Recruit@ffex.net, 855-3789328. YOU GOT the drive, we have the direction. OTR Drivers, APU equipped pre-pass EZ-pass, pets/passenger policy. Newer equipment. 100% No Touch. 1-800-528-7825. ATTENTION OWNER Operators! New pay increase. No upfront costs, industries best fuel discounts, bonus programs and home weekly. 25+, 2 years OTR, CDL-A. Call 866-946-4322, www.fcc-inc.com.
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Sparks from the word
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12 | The Jewish Press | April 22, 2011
Josh Kornbluth finds Warhol, and Judaism by SUE FISHKOFF artist made of famous Jews in history. Eventually the talk Buber to what Kornbluth calls “the big issues: God, the BERKELEY, Calif. (JTA) -- Josh Kornbluth didn’t find his became a full-blown monologue that Kornbluth opened at meaning of life, Israel.” Kornbluth found himself opening up Jewish identity the typical way. Theater J in Washington, then brought back to the Bay Area to new ideas about his own heritage. It was pop artist Andy Warhol who sparked the process for a sold-out run and now hopes to take elsewhere. “I told him that I’d never experienced the supernatural that brought the successful San Francisco Bay Area perIn many ways the show was typical Kornbluth. The lights God and didn’t believe in it,” Kornbluth says. “If that’s a former, now 52, to discover Torah, synagogue -- and, in a go up to find him standing on the stage -- a portly, colorful- requirement for being a Jew, I can’t do it. Then Menachem few months, a bar mitzvah in Israel. told me his definition of God, as the collec“I was raised orthodox – orthodox commutive potential of the human imagination. That nist!” Kornbluth said as he sat down with JTA stunned me. The idea that this is his notion of over a plate of bacon and eggs to discuss his God, and he’s as devout as he is, made me newfound appreciation of his Jewish roots. want to go to a service, to see.” “Zionism was the enemy in our house.” Kornbluth went. And went some more. His Kornbluth is a writer, activist and former discussions with Creditor turned into a class host of the The Josh Kornbluth Show on TV. at the synagogue that was open to the public. But he is best known for his one-man shows, The class is serving as Kornbluth’s preparawhere he offers pithy, highly personal wittition for his own bar mitzvah, which he will cisms on history and the human condition. celebrate in Israel in July as part of a synaSometimes he assumes other personae, as in gogue trip, also open to the public his performance piece about Ben Franklin. [http://www.netivotshalom.org/] (the deadBut his real genius comes through in his autoline for sign-up is April 15). biographical monologues, especially Red It will be his first trip to the Jewish state, and Diaper Baby, a bit about growing up as the son he’s a bundle of nerves. of New York communists that he later turned “It’s very deep, very complex for me,” he into a book, and The Mathematics of Change, says. which chronicles his failed attempt to become Since the Warhol project, Kornbluth has a math genius at Princeton University. been reading voraciously about Israel, beginIt was his most recent one-man show -ning with the early Zionists and working his Andy Warhol: Good for the Jews? -- that actiway through the country’s 20th-century hisvated his pintele Yid, the Jewish spark that the Berkeley’s Josh Kornbluth performing in Andy Warhol: Good for the Jews?, his one-man tory up to the current political situation. He’s Credit: Fletcher Oaks studying Torah, midrash -- whatever he can kabbalists say lurks inside every Member of response to the pop artist’s portraits of 10 famous Jews. the Tribe. ly dressed fellow whose continually startled eyes peer out get his hands on. He keeps a notebook close at hand to “My humor has always had a Jewish sensibility, but only from behind wire-rimmed glasses -- gazing at a wall dis- record new facts, creative thoughts -- anything that can help recently have I come to terms openly with my Jewish identi- playing huge reproductions of Warhol’s Jewish portraits. He him construct his newly emerging Jewish identity and bring ty,” he told an audience at the Jewish Community Center of begins working his way through the pictures, interweaving it into line with the rest of his beliefs. San Francisco during a recent discussion onstage of his his own personal history of coming to terms with his In doing so, he seems willing to turn everything he Jewish journey. “I’ve always been culturally Jewish, but I in Judaism as he explores what each character stands for in thought he believed on its head. no way connected it to the religious aspect of Judaism, to world Jewish iconography. “I’d always felt an affinity to Israel as a country set up by being ‘a Jew.’” Golda Meir and Jewish pride. Sigmund Freud and self- ‘my’ people, a place I could always go if something hapKornbluth grew up in New York shuttling between the examination. Louis Brandeis and commitment to social jus- pened, but I’d never thought of actually going,” he tells JTA. homes of his divorced parents, both card-carrying members tice. With each portrait he delves deeper into the Jewish psyKornbluth also has always supported Palestinian rights, as of the Communist Party. In the 1970s, when his Jewish che -- and his own. well as the rights of non-Jews in Israel. That hasn’t changed, friends were demonstrating on behalf of Soviet Jewry, he In preparation for the piece, Kornbluth wanted to learn he says; his horizons simply have expanded. mocked them -- something he’s not proud of today. more about philosopher Martin Buber, and was referred to He’s finding his brave new world somewhat unsettling. “But at the time, I was so in love with the ideals of com- Rabbi Menachem Creditor, a Buber aficionado and spiritual “When I started the Warhol piece, I really started looking munism as transmitted to me by my parents,” he says. leader of Berkeley’s Congregation Netivot Shalom. at myself as a Jew,” Kornbluth says. “And as a Jew I feel a He recalls a trip he made as a teenager to visit elderly rel- Kornbluth had met Creditor some years earlier when he per- responsibility and a desire to participate in what is happenatives in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg. A great-aunt served formed a one-man show at the synagogue as a benefit for ing in Israel, which I didn’t feel before. I want to engage, to him cold borscht, saying it was what the poor Jews ate in the Darfur, and the rabbi in gratitude offered him a family find out as much as I can, and to be on the side of justice as Soviet Union. membership. much as I can. “I said, but there are no poor Jews in the Soviet Union!” Kornbluth declined. “It was always easier for me to see the Palestinians as ‘my’ Kornbluth recalls. “I can only imagine their bemusement.” “Going to temple wasn’t anything I contemplated doing,” people. That was my upbringing. Now they’re both my peoKornbluth says he knew “nothing at all” about Judaism he says. “My fear was that I’d go in the coat room and have ple.” when he got a call in 2008 from the Contemporary Jewish to check myself, that I wouldn’t be able to be me.” Kornbluth smiles ruefully, and writes something in his Museum in San Francisco asking if he’d put together a talk As he worked on the Warhol piece, Kornbluth spent more notebook. for an upcoming exhibit of Warhol’s Jews, 10 portraits the and more time in Creditor’s office. The talk turned from He has, he says, “a lot to learn.”
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Visiting Nurse Association Speaker Series for Seniors Talking to your physician as you age
Celebrating 100 years of Jewish Family Service
Monday | June 6 | Beth El Synagogue | 6 p.m.
As we age it is important that we help our doctor understand our changing needs. Cheryl Havekost RN, BSN is our featured presenter. She has helped thousands of seniors and their families understand the changing dynamics of patient/doctor relationships.
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