Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA
The Jewish view
July 12, 2013 20 Tammuz 5773 Vol. 93 | No. 43
This Week
Meet Mark Martin by SHERRIE SAAG Communications Specialist, Jewish Federation of Omaha Mark Martin worked, until very recently, at Micklin Lumber and Ace Hardware at 1020 N. 19th Street. He has helped run the business, in a number of management positions, since 1972. If you are fortunate enough, as I recently was, to see his Micklin Lumber
A piece of Israel at Sterling Ridge Page 2
Reps. Steny Hoyer, left, Eric Cantor and John Lewis, a hero of the civil rights movement, singing We Shall Overcome at a memorial to martyrs of the civil rights movement in Montgomery, Ala., March 2, 2013. Credit: Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
The Hermit Kingdom Page 7
Inside This Month The Legal Issue See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press
pieces of legislation from that era -Virginia’s Cantor, the Republican majority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Georgia’s Lewis, a Democrat and civil rights hero, now have what to overcome. The June 25 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder invalidated Section 4 of the law, which designated nine Southern states and a number of
other smaller precincts as requiring Justice Department clearance before changing any voting laws. The court found that the section was outdated. By leaving the act’s basic architecture in place, however, the court left the door open for Congress to update the clearance standards. “This is an issue that has enjoyed Continued on page 3
Beth El welcomes new youth director
What World War Z says about Israel Page 12
Point of view Synagogues In memoriam
by RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Reps. Eric Cantor and John Lewis stood together recently at a Montgomery, Ala memorial to martyrs of the civil rights struggle, joining hands to sing We Shall Overcome. With the recent Supreme Court decision gutting the 1965 Voting Rights Act -- one of the landmark
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by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity As Beth El’s new youth director, Elizabeth Goodman brings both a rich appreciation for the synagogue’s past, and a keen eye toward the future. A native Omahan and fourthgeneration Beth El member, Goodman takes the helm on Aug. 1, and will oversee both the USY (high school) and Kadima (middle school) youth groups. “History and tradition are extremely important to me,” she said of her longtime connection to Beth El. “There is something to be said about longevity and having deep roots in a place. My great-grandfather, Earl Siegel (father’s side), and grandfather, Edward Zorinsky (mother’s side), both instilled the importance of Judaism in their children, and it has percolated through the years into me.” Goodman’s own experiences in Jewish high school youth groups in-
Elizabeth Goodman spire her as she now has the opportunity to make an impact on other teens’ lives. “It is imperative for me to believe in the work I do, heart and soul, she said. “As a high schooler, USY was a source of community for me. Youth group gave me tools to navigate through the life transitions of college and post-school integration into society. I gained skills such as good work ethics, dedication, communication, and the idea that collaboration is key to success. “I feel really lucky to be surrounded
by the support of this strong Jewish community and such a diverse quilt of lively youngsters. To have the opportunity to witness and be a part of these teens’ lives is a blessing to me.” In addition to offering “a compassionate ear and watchful eye,” Goodman’s priority as youth director will be the development of leadership skills, she said. “These teens have so much individual strength and power. I believe this is because of the healthy family backgrounds that each of them comes from, as well as the acceptance of the ethics and morals encoded within the Jewish tradition.” In addition to her work at Beth El, Goodman is a production assistant at Blooms Organic Farm in Crescent, Iowa, as well as a market manager of the Main Street Market in Council Bluffs. Her most exciting endeavor, she said, is as a founder and curator of the Common Soil Seed Library, located in the Benson Branch of the Omaha Public Library (seeds may be ‘checked out’ from all of the library’s branches, she noted). “It was a long-term goal of mine to install a seed library into the Omaha Continued on page 3
Mark Martin business card, it would perhaps tell you all you need to know about Martin. As part owner and business manager, Martin eschewed all the normal trappings of executive titles; and, printed on the card, underneath his name it says simply, “Customer Service”. It is this all-important principle that has guided Martin in his 41year business career and, which, he affirms, will guide him in his new role leading the Jewish Community Center (JCC). Martin was appointed by the Jewish Community Center Board of Directors as its next Executive Director effective July 1. JCC Board President Mike Siegel has been a regular presence on campus during the agency’s transition and has worked closely with Mark during the past several months. “I wanted to make sure that I understood the type of executive needed to run the JCC. After observing its daily operations, there is no doubt in my mind that Mark Martin is the perfect person for this position. He knows how to operate a business professionally and successfully. His ability to solve problems will be invaluable to the Board of Directors and the JCC staff,” Siegel said. He added, “Mark understands the JCC’s importance to this community and will work tirelessly to make sure our programming and facilities are top quality.” It’s likely he will hit the ground running because this is one agency director who won’t need an education. Mark’s knowledge of the campus is vast. Rumor has it he knows every inch: inside, outside, above ground and below. He was both a member and Chair of the Building and Grounds Continued on page 3