Vol. LXXXII
No. 40
Omaha, NE
6 Sivan, 5763
June 6, 2003
SPECIAL FATHER’S DAY/GRADUATION GIFT GUIDE STARTS ON PAGE 14
Looking Beyond the Summit: Optimists and Skeptics Abound by LESLIE SUSSER JERUSALEM (JTA)--A double dose of optimism and skepticism led up to this week’s summit at the Red Sea resort of Aqaba, but what really matters is what comes next. Hardened by past failures, Israelis and Palestinians alike recognize that there is still a long way to go, and a lot that could still go wrong after President Bush meets with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas. There are, for example, still dozens of warnings of planned terrorist attacks, and a new round of suicide bombings could quickly derail a reactivated peace process. And even if the parties are able to make the first moves Bush is asking of them, they will encounter major problems down the road: Will they be able to agree on the final size of the Palestinian state, on the extent of its sovereignty, on Jerusalem and the refugee question? And what about the rejectionists on both sides? Will the Palestinians have the power to collect illegal weapons held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad? Will Israel be able to dismantle settlements? In other words, can Abbas face down the fundamentalists and can Sharon deal with the settlers? One far-right Israeli Cabinet minister, Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu, warns that “any attempt to dismantle settlements will lead to civil war.”
As a goodwill gesture for the Aqaba summit on Wednesday, Israel opened up the borders between the Palestinian territory and Israel to allow Palestinian workers to work inside Photo by ISRANET. Israel. Despite all the questions, there was a fresh breath of optimism in the air this week. Israeli generals are talking about the end of the nearly three-yearlong Palestinian uprising. Palestinians are delighted by Sharon’s unprecedented use of the term “occupation”--and are looking forward to the occupation’s end. And most importantly, both sides have been sobered by what they see as the American administration’s newfound determination to put an end to the long conflict between them. Indicative of the new mood, the Israeli stock market, sluggish during the intifada years, has been skyrocketing. The Aqaba summit, designed to kick-start a new peace process, is first and foremost a statement about the degree of American commitment. Bush, who had carefully kept his distance from the treacherous Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is now making clear that he intends to play an active role and to exert heavy pressure wherever necessary. On Monday, Bush vowed to “put in as much time as necessary” to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace. Bush made his comments in France before leaving for the Middle East, where he attended a summit in Egypt with Arab leaders on Tuesday and (Continued on page 6)
Federation to Honor Friedman Family with ‘Humanitarian of the Year’ Award by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director Roz Friedman sums up The Friedman’s believe her family’s philanthropic in helping others, and philosophy simply. “We’re they are involved in a motivated by things that broad spectrum of civic, are meaningful to us. communal, humanitarian, We’re drawn to projects religious and educational that hit us in the heart.” endeavors. Among the Fortunately, the Omaha many community activiJewish community has ties supported by the moved the Friedman famFriedman family through ily through meaningful their foundation are the projects and we’ve benefitSiena-Francis House, ed tremendously from National Conference of their generosity. Roz Community Justice Friedman and the (NCCJ), State of Israel Friedman family are one Bonds, AK-SAR-BEN of the Omaha Jewish comBoard of Governors, UNO munity’s most generous and the Ike Friedman and enthusiastic supportCommunity Health Plaza. ers. The Friedman family Their support of the not only supports Jewish Federation includes an causes, they fund museunrestricted endowment ums, art and cultural profund and they continue to grams, higher education lead the Annual and health and human Campaign. Roz Friedman services organizations. Susie Cohn described Because of their outstanding dedication to the how they decide which organizations and programs Omaha community, Roz Friedman and the they will support. “We receive hundreds of requests Friedman family have been named Humanitarians for support a year and we eliminate the ones from out of the Year. They will be honored at the 100th of town. We tend to support organizations that are Annual Meeting of the Jewish Federation of Omaha unique. It often boils down to the people who run the on Monday, June 9, 7 p.m., at the Jewish organization…that they’re passionate about their Community Center. The Humanitarian of the Year cause. When we give, we want to be sure that our Award honors those who have performed an out- donation will really make a difference,” she said. standing service to humanity. The Friedman family After reading the “Project Dreidel” stories in the was nominated by the Jewish Federation. Jewish Press, Roz Friedman was so moved that she Ike and Roz Friedman have a long history of phi- started an endowment for Jewish Family Services lanthropy, dating back to when they couldn’t really to help the needy Jewish families in our communiafford it. Remembering those days, Roz’s daughter, ty. This and other generous acts are proof of Roz’s Susie Cohn, said, “I remember Grandma Friedman commitment to innovative and community wide walking to the hospital every Saturday with sweets projects in the Jewish community. Over the years, and goodies for the sick. We didn’t have much back the Friedman family foundation has always been then, but we didn’t know it.” (Continued on page 6)
New U.S. Point Man on ‘Road Map’ Charged with Monitoring Compliance by MATTHEW E. BERGER WASHINGTON (JTA -As Washington prepares to send an envoy to the Middle East, expectations about what he may achieve are low. John Wolf, Assistant Secretary of State for nonproliferation, was expected to be named this week by the White House as the new envoy for the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. John Wolf Sources say Wolf, who is Jewish, will not have the same negotiating responsibilities that other envoys, including Dennis Ross and Anthony Zinni, have had. Instead, Wolf will serve predominantly as the head of a monitoring group that will oversee implementation of the “road map,” the three-staged approach toward IsraeliPalestinian peace drawn up by the United States and its “Quartet” partners--the United Nations, European Union and Russia. Already, close to 10 CIA officials are on the ground in the Middle East, and Wolf is expected to oversee
their efforts to make sure both parties comply with the steps outlined in the road map. Among the initial steps are specific measures taken by the Palestinians to crack down on terrorism and by the Israelis to freeze settlement building and dismantle illegal settlement outposts erected since 2001. “They will be investigating charges on both sides, investigating hot spots and reporting on violent activities,” one State Department official said. While other recent U.S. envoys have shuttled back and forth to the region, Wolf and his team are expected to stay in the Middle East, most likely (Continued on page 11)
INSIDE: A Volunteer Experience in Israel ............. page 7 TeenAge Graduation Spread ............ pages 12-13 Father’s Day/Graduation Gift Guide ..... page 14 Crossword Puzzle ....................................... page 22 Lauren Freeman Wins Scholarship ...... page 24