Vol. LXXXVIII No. 34 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 88 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
Community to celebrate Israel’s 61st birthday and Tel Aviv’s centenntial by ANNE MUSKIN BBYO Director Yom Ha’atzmaut is the time to celebrate the creation of the state of Israel. It is a time for festivities, laughter, and thanksgiving for the homeland of the Jewish people and all that it stands for. This year, the communitywide celebration is Sunday, May 3 12:30 p.m., at the Jewish Community Center. From 12:30-4:30 p.m., there will be food, carnival games, unique Judaic art projects, a live drumming circle, an Israeli fashion show, and more. Lunch will be offered from 12:30-3:30 p.m. and will include tasty options from Frank’s Pizza, Bagel Bin, and El Hundreds of thousands of people crowded into Rabin Square in Tel Aviv April 4 to participate Basha. There will be a sta- in a free concert to celebrate the city’s 100th birthday. It was the most lavish event ever put on tion to sponsor Israeli in Tel Aviv and cost $16 million to stage. Apart from leading Israeli singers and bands, the show Defense Force care pack- was opened by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta. There were street ages, and wishes can be parties all over the city and also an impressive firework display. During the next months, many placed in Omaha’s ver- events are planned to commemorate the founding of Israel’s first city in modern times. Credit: ISRANET sion of the Western Wall. the art of caricature, attendees can move on to Star of This summer, participants of the Federation’s Young David magnets and a map of Israel mural. Jewish Omaha Mission are traveling to Israel, and will be This year’s Israeli Independence Day will also be host taking these prayers to the actual Western Wall. to the ninth annual B’nai B’rith Trivia Quiz at 1 p.m. in Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrants will have the opportunity the Community Room, and the announcement of the to take part in a variety of art projects, including making Elinor Whitman Book Award contest winners will take portraits based on the works of popular Israeli artist place at 2:30 p.m. in the Kripke Library. Hanoch Piven. An Israeli mixed media artist, Piven is Continued on page 2 best known for his celebrity caricatures. After mastering
Press to launch new independent website Newspaper wins awards from UNO, NPA a new website. by CAROL KATZMAN Editor of the Jewish Press One donor familiar to readers is former Omahan Though the Jewish Press Stan Lipsey. He not only has been posting front helped to fund the 2006 page articles and more to exhibit, but has continthe Federation’s website, ued his financial support at www.jewishomaha. of the Press throughout org for more than five the digitization process years now, this summer, and website development. the weekly newspaper will A former president of also launch a new, indethe Jewish Press, Lipsey pendent, interactive webwas the owner and pubsite, hosted by Waitt lisher of the Pulitzer Interactive. prize-winning Dundee The Press board of Sun. When he sold it to directors under the leadership of Howard K. Bobbi Leibowitz, right, President of the Press Board, congratulates Warren Buffett’s BerkMarcus, passed a motion Carol Katzman, Editor of the Jewish Press, on winning the Andy shire Hathaway Comnearly three years ago, Award, presented by Dr. Tom Goutierre at UNO last Friday. The pany, Lipsey was then when it set a goal of award is given to a member of the Nebraska media whose cover- asked to take the helm of developing a new website age enhances the international awareness of Nebraskans. It is the Buffalo News, another in time to celebrate the named in honor of Harold W. Andersen, former chairman and BH property. paper’s 90th anniversary. Chief Executive Officer of the Omaha World-Herald. Katzman is Last year, Lipsey made a five-figure gift to the After a series of grant donating the $1,000 prize to the Press’ website project. requests materialized for the 85th anniversary exhibit Jewish Press for digitizing its archives and launching a “Front Page: 85 Years of Jewish Press History”, new website. The gift, including Jeanne Lipsey fundraising continued to convert more than 80 years of Rosenblum of San Francisco, CA, Martin Blacker microfilm to digital images and for the development of Continued on page 2
Inside
This Week: Monthly Calendar for May: Pages 10-11
See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’ Opinion Page see page 12
‘Jerusalem Post’ Reporter speaks to Creighton audience: Page 6
16 Nisan, 5769
April 24, 2009
Riekes named Sokolof Fund’s outstanding teacher by MARY BORT Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Margo Riekes, a teacher at Beth El Synagogue Talmud Torah (BESTT) for the past 41 years, has been named the winner of the fourth annual Phil and Ruth Sokolof Outstanding Jewish Teacher Award. This $10,000 award goes to a Jewish teacher in the Omaha metropolitan area, preferably kindergarten through 12th grade, in recognition of outstanding contributions as a teacher and mentor to the education and overall achievements of his/her students. Beth El’s Education Director, Judy Rubin, described Riekes as a “beloved teacher” who motivates students to Margo Riekes want to learn. “Mrs. Riekes is responsible for the innovation of several programs at BESTT and in the Omaha Jewish community,” noted Rubin. “For example, in the Mock Jewish Wedding, students learn about Jewish wedding customs in her Jewish Life Cycle class. Then they simulate a wedding with a bride and groom, rabbi and all the other participants in the ceremony.” Riekes is known for utilizing an experiential approach in her teaching. “When she has taught about tzedakah, her students have taken up a collection and then personally delivered the collected goods to a shelter or halfway house such as the Stephen Center,” said Rubin. Ygal Schuller, a high school senior who was in her sixth grade Israel class, received help from her when he wrote his Bar Mitzvah speech. He was also her teacher’s aid during his sophomore and junior years. He feels that her award is well-deserved. “She was my first teacher when I moved to Omaha, and she welcomed me with open arms. She’s not only a very knowledgeable teacher, but she also works well with her kids to make sure that they are learning the material in a fun interactive way,” he said. Rubin indicated that many students choose Riekes as their mentor. “For many years, Margo has volunteered to help students understand their Torah and Haftarah portions and helps them apply the knowledge gained to their own lives.” Dayna Cohen, current teacher’s assistant, said that it is a wonderful experience to help. The high school junior noted, “I can tell she really wants to make sure the children are learning something. It is evident that she wants them to leave her class with something important to better their Jewish identities. I can really tell that she loves what she is doing, and I truly think it's an honor to be working with her.” Another of Riekes’ former students, high school senior Claire Schlessinger, said that Riekes is a devoted teacher. “When I was a Bat Mitzvah, she helped me interpret my parasha and write my speech, spending hours of her own time volunteering to help any student prepare his or her address to the congregation.” When learning about the mezuzah, Riekes had her students create their own mezuzot to hang in their homes. “I still have the mezuzah hanging on my doorpost,” Claire said. “All of her art projects made us so much more interested in what we were learning because she showed us how it all fit into our everyday lives.” According to Riekes, who is now teaching children of her former students, she is very proud of having students go on to be rabbis, Jewish educators and cantors. In fact, Annalisse Ocanto, who is receiving the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Scholarship, is in cantorial studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Continued on page 7
Coming Next Week: Mother’s Day Gift Guide Tel Aviv at 100: History, what to see, where to go: Pages 8-9
Shiputznick 2009 makes a difference: Page 16