Vol. LXXXII
No. 42
Omaha, NE
20 Sivan, 5763
June 20, 2003
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 82 YEARS
After Criticism of Israel, Bush Moves to Reassure American Jewish Leaders by MATTHEW E. BERGER WASHINGTON (JTA)--In a coincidence of timing, President Bush hosted a dinner for Jewish leaders just at the moment he most needed to speak with them. Bush used a June 11 dinner for close to 100 American Jewish leaders to repair the damage from comments he made a day earlier, in which he blasted Israel’s attempt to assassinate a Hamas leader and said the action did not advance Israel’s security. The comments outraged many Jewish groups, which said Bush was abandoning the principles of his war on terror and his landmark speech of last June 24. The dinner was timed to mark the opening of a new Anne Frank exhibit at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. While many established Jewish leaders were not invited--overlooked in favor of political contributors, rabbis and Jewish White House staffers--Bush nonetheless used the dinner to make his views clear. One participant said no White House officials had publicly justified Bush’s remarks on the Israeli strike on Hamas. Instead, Bush and others acknowledged the Jewish community’s criticism and pointed to Bush’s comments following the June 11 suicide bombing in Jerusalem, in which he called on Arab states to aid the
vate conversations with Jewish leaders on June 11, Bush emphasized repeatedly that he still believed in the framework of his June 24, 2002, speech and that he saw Israel’s security as his top priority in the Middle East. “Everything I heard him say was totally a reinforcement of the security of Israel and that it was not going to falter,” said Fred Zeidman, Chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Zeidman, a Bush President George W. Bush greets Mahmoud appointee, said he Abbas, the Palestinian Authority’s new Prime believes there was some Minister, and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel frustration in the White Sharon at the Aqaba Summit. Intense talks are House because the latcontinuing among the three in hopes of a cease- est violence came less fire by Hamas and other terrorist groups which than a week after Bush has occurred since the latest “handshake.” traveled to the Middle Photo by Brian Tendler/JTA East for summits with fight against terrorism. Israeli and Arab leaders. That frustraIn the days since the dinner, Bush tion may have led to Bush’s remarks has criticized Hamas, calling on the on the strike against Hamas, he said. international community to join the Other dinner guests said Bush told fight against the terrorist group. the Jewish audience that Palestinian Both in his formal remarks and in pri- Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud
Omaha Teens Resume Participation in Summer, Year-Long Trips to Israel by CAROL KATZMAN, Editor Last summer, not a sinsuffered less from the intifada than gle Jewish teen from have shorter trips, are now Omaha experienced the approaching or even surpassing their once-in-a-lifetime opporpre-intifada levels. tunity of a teen trip to Overall, trips for this summer and Israel. Despite the contincoming year are up by 80%, according uing violence, however, to Michael Landsberg, Executive several teens have decidDirector of the North American ed not to wait any longer. aliyah department of the Jewish In addition to Alana Agency for Israel.” Kinarsky, who was Kinarsky is one of only 26 teens accepted in April as a nationwide chosen for this highly 2003 Bronfman Fellow, Among the casualties of the recent selected program, which combines Adam Gendelman and bus bombing in Jerusalem was Sari intensive learning with leadership Ben Gerber will be partic- Singer, who was vacationing in development and touring. She is the ipating in Israel programs Israel following a birthright israel daughter of Leo and Yulia Kinarsky. tour. Singer works for NCSY’s She and Ben will be seniors at Burke this summer. Adam, son of Dr. Howard national office and is well known to High School this fall; Adam will be a Gendelman and Dr. Bonnie Omahan NCSYers. Despite her junior. Stories and photos from the Bloch, and Ben, son of injuries, she continues to promote three will appear in the Sept. 5 issue of Donald and Maggie Gerber, teen and young adult trips to Israel. TeenAge in the Jewish Press. will visit Israel through While recovering from a dislocated In addition, Rachel Katzman, a Midrasha--the Hesder/ shoulder, she was visited by emer- recent graduate of Westside High Midrasha division of Mach gency medical technicians from School, will be attending the Shalem Hach Ba’Aretz. The B’nei Magen David Adom. Program, the Orthodox track of Young Photo by Hadari Digital. Akiva program combines Judaea’s Year-Long Course, located at learning in Eretz Yisrael with an intense tour of Israel. Hebrew University on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, “As a parent I feel that at this time in Ben’s life, “Enrollment in most short-term Israel programs coming from a small Jewish community, it’s imporstill has not returned to anything near pre-intifada tant to solidify his Jewish identity,” said Maggie levels. But Israel programs are reporting significant Gerber. “This is who we are; this is our country, too, increases over 2002, when they had their lowest and our teens have to be prepared before they enter enrollment in the past decade. college to be politically aware and savvy. “Some year-long programs, which generally have (Continued on page 12)
Abbas is “weak” and that Arab support would be key for progress toward peace. “He was very reassuring,” one participant said. Despite last week’s surge in violence, the administration is continuing to push the “road map” peace plan. Veteran diplomat John Wolf arrived in Jerusalem over the weekend to lead an American team charged with monitoring day-to-day progress under the plan. It was Wolf ’s first trip to the Middle East since Bush announced his appointment at the summit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. An official said Wolf and David Satterfield, deputy assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, would stay in the Middle East for several days. Secretary of State Colin Powell also is preparing to meet in Jordan on June 22 with leaders of the United Nations, Russia and the European Union-- the Bush administration’s partners in drafting the road map--in an attempt to shore up peace efforts. The discussions Jewish leaders had with Bush and others at the White House Wednesday night seemed to be reflected in White House spokesman Ari Fleischer’s comments on June 12. (Continued on page 12)
Berlusconi Visits Italian Synagogue in Jerusalem by JEWISH PRESS News Service
Italian Prime Minister Sylvio Berlusconi made a visit to the Italian Synagogue in Jerusalem last week to meet representatives of Italian Jews living in Israel. The synagogue, which has its origins going back about 300 years, formally stood at Conegliano Veneto, west of Venice. The community went out of existence and in 1981, the interior was purchased and transported to Israel. The synagogue’s regarded as the spiritual home of the Italian Jews in Israel and also has a fine Photo by ISRANET. collection of Judaica.
INSIDE: Temple, L.O.V.E. Honor Volunteers .... page 6 Where Are They Now? ............................ page 9 Read It & Eat .......................................... page 10