Vol. LXXXIII No. 41 Omaha, NE
Memorial Endowment to Help JFS Pay for Basic Life Necessities
Celebrating 83 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
22 Sivan, 5764 June 11, 2004
Jewish Federation Honors Its Own
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Foundation Public Relations Coordinator Otmar Liebenstein was born in 1913 in Huttenheim, a village nestled near the beautiful mountains and crystal clear lakes of Bavaria in southeastern Germany. But his life was anything but beautiful. His father died as a soldier in World War I when Otmar was only two leaving the family extremely poor. As a child, Otmar was sent to an orphanage in order to get an education. But the adults there were especially cruel to the children. Those early years “influenced his whole life,” said Iris Ricks, Liebenstein’s daughter. Deprived of a mother’s nurturing, Otmar was repeatedly told that he “would never amount to anything.” As a young man, Liebenstein studied farming in Italy to prepare for a life as a farmer in Israel. However, he had a cousin in New York who agreed to be a sponsor. So in 1938, Liebenstein came to America for the opportunities it offered.
Relatives, friends and co-workers turned out Monday night at the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s 101st annual meeting. Photos from top left: Jay Gordman, newly installed Chairman of Budget & Allocation and recipient of the Federation’s Volunteer of the Year (along with his JOLT Co-chairman Harry Berman) represents the next generation of Jewish leaders--as does his toddler son, Spencer; Shane Kotok, Jewish Senior Services Outreach Director hugs Robert Mosenkis, one of three Jewish teen leaders; and Shirley Goldstein, a past recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year, congratulates this year’s winner, Howard Kooper. More photos on page 7.
JCC Recognizes Athletes at Final Meeting of the Year Ruth and Otmar Liebenstein Four years previously, 17-year-old Ruth Machtinger from Kielce, Poland, had come with her mother and two brothers “for a better life in America,” said Ricks. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society was instrumental in helping them get to America. Years later, Ricks was told by Machtinger about the anti-Semitism she saw as a child “even from other children.” Both Liebenstein and Machtinger found opportunity in Chicago. She worked at a factory, owned by her brother, where she made purses. Liebenstein worked unloading trucks until he took a job as a bookkeeper/accountant for a steel company. Both Otmar and Ruth attended night school to earn the equivalent of a high school diploma. Otmar later went to night school at Northwestern University where he studied finance and economics and was awarded a certificate in commerce. He was drafted by the U.S. Army and returned to Europe as a translator serving in Germany. Liebenstein returned stateside and met Machtinger on a blind date at the end of 1945. On May 19, 1946, they were married in a “very small” ceremony in Chicago, said Ricks, their only child. “Family and friends” were of most importance to Ruth, recalled Ricks. “For my Dad, he was always very, very interested in proving the people in the orphanage wrong. He invested in the stock market and was always driven to accomplish something.” Ricks said her parents “felt lucky to come to the United States.” Otmar had just saved enough money to bring his mother to this country when he learned that she had perished in a concentration camp. “My father was more Orthodox than my mother,” Ricks recounted. But Ruth kept kosher and lit Shabbat candles every Friday night. “My mother belonged and was a volunteer for the Sisterhood.” The Liebensteins observed Judaism mostly in their home, although Continued on page 2
Inside
by LISA SHKOLNICK JCC Assistant Director At the annual meeting last week of the Jewish Community Center of Omaha, the following men were inducted into the Athletes’ Wall of Fame: William Alloy, Mark Belmont, Bob Endelman, Sheff Katskee, Paul Rifkin and Arnie Weitz. Each was presented with a plaque and will have their names inscribed on the Wall of Fame located near the JCC’s Fitness Center. Bill Alloy was an all around athlete who excelled in numerous sports at the JCC from 1962-66. He played softball at the JCC Newly inducted into the JCC’s Athletes Wall of Fame last week were: Sheff Katskee, left, and was on the champi- Mark Belmont, Bob Endelman, Arnold Weitz, William Alloy, and Paul Rifkin (not pictured), onship team in 1964. He whose award was accepted by Gary Rifkin. also played baseball for Central High from 1962-65, and current member of Rotary International. Mark Belmont participated in a variety of BBYO participated in American Legion baseball. Alloy was active in the Youth Council and participat- sports in high school. He was active in basketball, softed in swimming, track, ping pong and bowling. He ball, and football at the JCC, and lettered in baseball at Central High, where he was a second baseman. He has won his weight division in wrestling in 1965. He was also named to the all-star basketball team in been active in coaching and motivating our young bas1965, and was captain of the regional all star basketball ketball players at the “J” since 1997. Belmont was President of the ADL-CRC Board, Board team that same year. Alloy has served on the Meals-on-Wheels Board of Member of the JCC, the Jewish Press, ADL-CRC, and Directors in St. Louis, MO, the United Way of Greater was Co-chairman for Super Sunday. He served on the Topeka, KS, the Board of Directors of the Dialysis JCC Athletic Committee, and was a Men’s Campaign Center of Topeka, and as President of the Board of the worker for the Federation many years. Special honors Topeka Air Ambulance Service. He was active at Mark has received include: ADL-CRC Volunteer of the Temple Beth Shalom where he served on numerous Year in 1990, and the Justin Greenberg Memorial Young committees including the Endowment Committee for Leadership Award in 1993. 15 years. Bill is now living in Perryville, MO, and is a Continued on page 2
This Week: B’nai Israel Celebrates 100th: Page 12 Teens Receive “Boggy” All-JCC Maccabi Awards: Page 2
JCC Honors Outstanding High School Athletes: Page 3
Coming Next Month: Healthy Living Issue on July 9 Omahan Computer-Literate Shepherd Now in Israel: Page 4
Stiels Leaving Omaha for Kansas City: Page 5