Vol. LXXXVIII No. 45 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 88 Years ofService to Nebraska and Western Iowa
25 Tammuz 5769
July 17, 2009
Staying fit
Maccabiah athletes find Jewish pride, not just sport, at Games by DINA KRAFT 8,000 athletes who have TEL AVIV (JTA) -gathered in Israel for the Singing “Shalom Aleichem,” 18th Games from nearly 60 the group of Maccabiah athcountries also are touring letes usher in Shabbat the country and visiting histogether at a brightly lit torically meaningful sites hotel dining hall, their such as the Yad Vashem Hungarian, Spanish, Finnish Holocaust Memorial and and British accents momenMasada. They’re even taking tarily melting into a unified part in mass bar and bat chorus of Hebrew. mitvzah ceremonies -- some Leading them is an enerhave never had one, others getic young rabbi who has simply want to join along. come to provide spiritual “It’s much more than a context to their first Shabbat sports event,” said Ron together in Israel ahead of Carner, the general chairtheir participation in this man of Maccabi USA. “If it week’s Maccabiah Games, was only a sports event, it the so-called Jewish would have run once or Olympics. maybe twice. I see it as a way “It’s exciting to be here to help perpetuate our culgetting to know Jews from ture.” other countries,” said For Daran Bern, 22, an Maxim Poljakov, 23, a memindoor soccer player for the ber of the Finnish indoor English team, the time in soccer (futbal) team. “It’s a Israel -- his second trip after much stronger feeling of our Olympic swimmer Jason Lezak gets ready for a meet. joining a Birthright Israel Credit: A. Dawson/Creative Commons group -- has been a revelaJewish identity being here than we have in our everyday life in Finland.” tion. Bern grew up in a home with a Jewish father and The Maccabiah Games, which began in 1932, are non-Jewish mother just outside London that was largeintended not only to encourage athletic excellence, but ly disconnected from the local Jewish community. also to foster a sense of Jewish belonging and pride “I love learning,” he said, smiling as he discusses among the participants. So alongside running hurdles, Jewish culture and heritage with his teammates. swimming relays and cycling in the Negev, the some Continued on page 2
by JOAN K. MARCUS Martin Shukert has been an active bicyclist since about 1979, but his first attempt was earlier, while he was attending graduate school at the University of California at Berkeley. “I bought a bike because everyone there was riding them. I didn’t know what I was buying and it turned out to be a 12-speed.” That first day, Shukert fell off off three times; he didMarty Shukert n’t know how to shift gears. He decided that he wasn’t meant to be a bike rider and the bike spent the rest of the year in his living room. Later, the bike was banished to the garage until one day in the late 70s. “I was back here working as a planner on the staff of the City of Omaha and decided I was going to take the bike that had been in the garage for years and see if I could ride it,” he recalled. “It was on a Sunday. I didn’t fall off and I really liked riding it. That was the beginning.” Shukert classifies himself as a commuter and a longdistance road cyclist. He is not a mountain biker, noting, “I like riding on roads, touring and long distances.” He uses his bike in doing work as a principal of RDG Planning and Design, a business that “creatively influences life for the better through purpose-driven design.” Continued on page 6
For Sabbath-observant fantasy campers, play ball! by IRA JASKOLL NEW YORK (JTA) -- I have always been a crazy Yankee fan. When I heard about the Yankees fantasy camp and the opportunity to be a New York Yankee for a week, play in the Yankees spring training facility in Tampa, Fla., be coached by Yankee legends and play against them in a Dream Game, I was excited about the prospects. So what if I had to take off a week from work during the school year? This was a chance of a lifetime. Only there were problems. For one, the camp ran from Monday to Saturday, which meant that a Sabbath-observant Jew could not participate on Friday night and Saturday. Also, there was the issue of kosher food. When I inquired, I discovered that I was the first Orthodox or observant Jew who had wanted to attend. To my great relief, they were very accommodating. Camp officials said I could bring my own food and they would reimburse me. One major hurdle remained, however. The Dream Games, where each team plays against the Yankee legends -- the retired Yankees -- was on Saturday, Shabbat. How could I miss the highlight of the week? I thought of my Jewish predecessors, Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg, both of whom were faced with much harder
Inside Opinion Page see page 8
Ira Jaskoll is flanked by former Yankees Chris Chambliss, left, and Ron Blomberg at the team’s fantasy camp in January 2009. Photo courtesy of Ira L. Jaskoll decisions -- whether to play or sit on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. Will my teammates understand that I cannot play on Saturday? This would leave us shorthanded for the big game, just like the Dodgers and Tigers were shorthanded by Koufax and Greenberg’s decisions.
In my mind I thought, “This is a chance of a lifetime. Maybe God will understand if I play just one game.” I didn’t know what to do; I decided not to attend. My 60th birthday approached with this opportunity still on my mind, and I decided to attend the camp, bring strictly
This Week: Sports & Recreation Issue See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’
Former Omahan now rabbi in Syracuse, NY: Page 4
kosher food and not play in the Dream Game. In fact, I would not even attend the game. I registered for the January 2009 camp and discovered that a second Orthodox Jewish camper, Stu Shapiro from Israel, was planning to attend. We would be on the same team coached by Ron Blomberg, the “Designated Hebrew,” and Chris Chambliss. At least there would be two of us. The experience was great. Everyone was extremely respectful of my decisions and limitations. I played first base, second base and the outfield. I had the gamewinning “walk-off” hit in our first game in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded. I completed a double play in the field and had the incredible experience of being coached by the great Chambliss. I wore a yarmulke, so all the coaches called me “Rabbi.” They also asked many interesting questions. As I took my lead off first base, Tommy John wanted to know if Jews have women as rabbis. “Coach,” I answered, “Can I get back to you?” -- I knew this was not an easy answer. After the inning ended, I explained to Tommy that the more liberal Reform and Conservative Jews have female rabbis, while the traditional Orthodox Jews, which I am, do not. Continued on page 3
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Olympic swimmer still in shape at age 41: Page 12
Page 2
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
July 17, 2009
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Continued from page 1 “The Maccabiah is a fantastic way of getting people to do what they love to do -- sport -- together with the religious aspect that someone like me knows little about,” Bern said. “There is always something in you that wants to know more.” Ahead of the Games’ opening, the U.S. Maccabiah team of about 900 members spent several days exploring Israel. They gathered around campfires in the evening to share their experiences. One highlight: a group bar mitzvah ceremony under a full moon overlooking the Judean Desert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem amphitheater. The 18th Maccabiah Games opened in Ramat Gan Stadium with 7,000 participants in 30 difOlympic swimmer Jason ferent sports, coming from every corner of the Jewish world. Jason Lezak led the U.S. team, Lezak, 33, who chose to par- pictured at the lower left, into the stadium. Credit: ISRANET ticipate in the Maccabiah Games over the World Championships in Rome (where former Olympic teammate Dara Torres is competing -- see page 12 for full article), was among those who took to the stage and joined in even though he had a bar mitzvah 20 years ago. “To do it with so many other people at the same time was an experience,” Lezak told JTA. Visiting the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, was especially powerful even though he had to fend off a camera crew, Lezak said. Praying, he tucked a note in a crevice between its ancient Members of the U.S. Maccabiah team participate in a group b’nai mitzvah in Jerusalem on Credit: Maccabi USA July 6, 2009. stones. “It’s hard, too hard to put could imagine their ancestors ascending in words,” he said, trying to to the Second Temple more than 2,000 explain the experience. “It’s years ago. something I’ve never really Bradley Williams, a lanky 20-year-old felt before.” marathoner from Santa Fe, NM, is heartLezak says his Jewish idenened to meet other serious Jewish runtity has been enhanced in his ners. He says it’s hard to gather a minyan first trip to Israel and by at his Santa Fe synagogue, let alone find being around his fellow other Jews who run marathons. Jewish teammates. Williams is impressed, too, by his “I think things will be a litencounter with the range of Jews who tle different when I go live in Israel. He and the other long-dishome,” he said. tance runners on the team have been Sitting in a cafeteria at the training with an Ethiopian Israeli and Maccabiah Village, a group met others who are not Ashkenazi, like of athletes from the U.S. most of them, but are from families that team exchanges moments Jason Lezak tours Israel prior to the Games. come from all over the Middle East and Credit: Valli Hilaire/Creative Commons North Africa. that moved them -- from simply knowing that they are among hundreds of other “The Jewish people now seem so much more diverse young Jews who take athletics seriously to specific expe- to me and it makes me feel like I’m part of a people that riences, like floating in the Dead Sea or walking along has so much to offer,” Williams said. “Judaism now feels the southern steps near the Western Wall, where they much more interesting and much more alive.”
Meet Rebecca Rubin, Jewish American Girl, at the Kripke Library by GARY KATZ Last month, I had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca Rubin, a precocious nine-year old from the Lower East Side of New York, who wants to become an actress and help her cousins immigrate to America. Rebecca is only 18 inches tall and is the newest doll from American Girl, a company that makes dolls for girls five-13 years old. Rebecca joins American Girls’ “family” of fictional characters/dolls living in different American time periods, from 1764-1974. Rebecca’s story begins during America’s flood of immigrants in 1914. The dolls cost $95 and additional accessories and the six-book series are extra. In the first book, Meet Rebecca by Jacqueline Dembar Greene, Rebecca learns of her Russian cousin’s plight and the families’ desire to immigrate to America quick-
ly because of escalating anti-Semitism in Russia. Rebecca decides to raise money for her cousins by secretly selling her handiwork at her father’s shoe store instead of saving the money for her own set of Shabbat candlesticks. Rebecca’s story is one of perseverance and offers interesting insight into Jewish life and culture on the Lower East Side of New York at the turn of the century. The book includes a section that gives extra historical information and a glossary of terms. Young Adult readers will certainly enjoy this new addition to the American Girl collection of historical dolls and books. Readers can meet Rebecca at a tea given in her honor on Sunday, July 19, 2 p.m., in the Kripke Library. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call 334.6461.
July 17, 2009
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 3
Beth Israel to observe day of mourning
Beth El Women’s Rosh Hodesh group to share remedies learned from their bubbes
by BETH COHEN Executive Director Tisha B’Av commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. “For me, this is one of the saddest days,” said Rabbi Jonathan Gross. “On this day, you fast and observe the customs of one in mourning. In effect, you’re ‘sitting Shiva.’” Beth Israel will sponsor series of events scheduled during Tisha B’Av, and the community is invited to attend. On Wednesday, July 29, Mincha/Ma’ariv is at 8:30 p.m., followed by the chanting of Eicha, the Book of Lamentations. The fast begins at 8:44 p.m. On Thursday, July 30, There will be a class, prayers, discussions and a series of films offered throughout the day, beginning with shacharit at 6:45 a.m., followed by Kinnot. Gross emphasized their importance, noting, “The prayers, called ‘Kinnot,’ are poems that were composed over the ages. They were written to commemorate many tragedies that have happened, including the destruction of the Temples. The Holocaust, the Chmielnicki Massacres of Eastern Europe in the 17th century, and the Jewish expulsions from England and Spain, in the 13th and 15th centuries, respectively, all are included in the Kinnot.” He added, “The idea of reading all these Kinnot is to commemorate and feel as if these tragedies have happened to us. We’re trying to identify with our ancestors so that their pain as well as their memories are not forgotten.” At 8:30 a.m., Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi will teach a onehour class, “The Relevance of Tisha B’Av.” From 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the classic movie Exodus will be shown -- an Oscar-winning epic war film based on the events that happened on the ship Exodus in 1947 and dealing with the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. “I think movies are good for Tisha B’Av,” said Gross. “What better way to relive historic events than to watch movies about historic periods.” At 2 p.m., the Oscar-nominated film Defiance will be shown. This movie is about Jewish brothers in Nazioccupied Eastern Europe who escape into the Belarussian forests and join Russian resistance fighters. Following this showing, Jack Diamond will reflect on the movie and his similar experiences. Mincha will follow at 5:45 p.m. The Bridge on the River Kwai will be shown at 6:15 p.m. This Oscar-winning film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the BurmaSiam railway. Ma’ariv will be held at 9:15 p.m., followed by a break-the-fast dinner. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for kids. The fast ends at 9:22 p.m. To make a reservation for the dinner or for more information, call the office at 556.6288.
by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Before we were inundated with a myriad of prescription medications, a laundry list of laundry aids and fancy cooking accessories, we had...grandmothers. Grandmothers with their own resourceful remedies to soothe what ailed us, plus clever, homemade household tips that still ring true today. In hopes of paying homage to the ingenuity of our bubbes -- as well as sharing some fun and helpful hints -- the Beth El Women’s Rosh Hodesh Group will present “Bubbemeises? Remedies Learned from My Grandmother,” on Wednesday, July 22. The 7 p.m. meeting, to be held at the synagogue, is being co-hosted by Anna Mosenkis and Lourdes Secola. Secola explained that the idea came after a conversation with Mosenkis about alternative healing. “Anna mentioned that when she was a child, her grandmother used to apply a concoction of some sort around her ear and on the side of her face and neck when she had an
earache. The remedy worked wonderfully. As we talked, the light bulb went on and I thought that this would be a great topic for the Rosh Hodesh group.” The wisdom behind using homemade therapies before resorting to antibiotics was that “you shoot small flies with a fly swatter, not with a bomb!” Mosenkis explained. She recalled a variety of folk remedies in her native Russia, citing, for example, the use of vodka in compresses. The healing properties of these compresses proved to be quite successful, she said, joking that, “vodka had a purpose in Russian tradition other than just to drink!” During the upcoming meeting, Mosenkis said she hopes others will come armed with their own bubbemeises, stories and childhood memories. “I’m sure these stories will be fun and in some cases, funny.” The meeting is open to all women in the Jewish community. To RSVP, contact Mosenkis at igormos@ yahoo.com or 330.1127, or Secola at lsecola@west mapledental.com or 991.0822.
Fantasy campers, play ball! Continued from page 1 Once while I was waiting to hit, Blomberg asked if I wear my yarmulke when I sleep. Again I asked to postpone the discussion, at least until I was done batting. Later I explained that while yarmulkes don’t have to be worn during the night, I sleep with mine because there are prayers to be said before falling asleep and upon rising. Fascinated, he asked, “Rabbi, how do you keep it on your head all night?” I explained that though it doesn’t stay on all night, the yarmulke does remain close by so that I have it in the morning. Stu and I had decided we would not play in the Dream Game. As we cannot ride on Shabbat, we decided to walk the three miles from the hotel to George M. Steinbrenner Field with our families to show support for our team. Our teammates were respectful that we could not play and were happy to see us at the game -- unfortunately, we lost 2-0. Since we could not carry the food to the stadium on Shabbat, we had left it there Friday and enjoyed it the next day. At the closing banquet that evening, I approached camp director Julie Kremer about possibly modifying the camp so that strictly kosher and Sabbath-observant campers could come and fully participate. To my delight,
she said yes. Thus the Kosher Fantasy Camp was born. The camp schedule was adjusted so that the minor league facilities would be available Monday when everyone arrives for workouts. The last game will be on Friday morning -- no one wants to play a doubleheader on Friday because we are so sore -- and some Dream Games will be held Friday afternoon for those teams that have the kosher campers. Religious services will be provided by the local Young Israel/Chabad at the hotel with strictly kosher Shabbat meals. Speakers during the Shabbat program will be Blomberg, Irwin Cohen (the first Orthodox Jewish executive to win a World Series ring), David Fishof (the original Orthodox sports agent), and Paul Cohen (an Orthodox sports agent). Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, Stu Shapiro and I had to make a choice. We chose to hold to our Jewish beliefs even though it meant missing an opportunity of a lifetime. At the Kosher Fantasy Camp, no one will have to make that decision. Thank you, New York Yankees.
Ira Jaskoll is the associate dean of the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University in New York City. He will attend the new Kosher Fantasy Camps <http://jta. org/?URL=http%3A%2F%2Ffantasycamp%40yankees.com>.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
July 17, 2009
Former Omahan is new rabbi of Syracuse synagogue ORGANIZATIONS by JONATHAN ADLER Nebraska.
Reprinted with permission of The Jewish Observer of Central NY By unanimous vote at a special congregational meeting, Temple Concord members affirmed the decision by the TC Board of Trustees to hire Daniel J. Fellman as the fifth rabbi in the past 125 years. The rabbi began his tenure at Temple Concord on July 1, succeeding Rabbi Sheldon Ezring, now rabbi emeritus. The selection came after a thorough search, under the supervision of the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ), by a 17-person committee representing the diversity of the TC family. Rabbi Daniel Fellman Fellman is a native of Omaha, and the son of Dick and Bev Fellman. He graduated from Colorado College in 1996 with a BA in political science. He also earned a masters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati and was ordained in June 2005. While at the seminary, he wrote his thesis on “An American Friendship: Harry Truman, Eddie Jacobson and the Establishment of the State of Israel.” Since July 2005, he has been the associate rabbi at Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, NJ. He served as lead rabbi-in-residence in the first half of 2008, while the senior rabbi was on sabbatical. Before arriving at Anshe Emeth, Fellman served as student rabbi in a number of congregations, including B’nai Israel in Natchez, MS; Temple B’nai Israel in Petoskey, MI, where he served for three years; United Hebrew Congregation in Joplin, MO, and Temple B’nai Moshe in LaSalle, IL. He also served at the University of Cincinnati Hillel, and summer rabbinic positions in
During the summer of 1993, before becoming a rabbi, he interned at the White House in Washington, D.C. and, earlier this year, served as guest chaplain at the opening of a U.S. Senate session. According to a Temple Concord representative, members found particularly appealing Fellman’s varied experiences and his reputation as a teacher. He served on the faculty at the Yavneh Day School in Cincinnati and numerous religious schools, as well as on the faculty of the URJ Kutz Camp for high school students and the Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute in Oconomowoc, WI. The rabbi is an Eagle Scout; he was a Japan-U.S Senate Scholar in 1990 and the founder of the Colorado College Hillel in 1994. He served on the Academic Affairs Committee at HUC-JIR and on the steering committee of the Catholic-Jewish Educators Dialogue of the American Jewish Committee in Cincinnati. He also served as editor of the HUC monthly and wrote a number of guest columns in the Jewish Press for Rabbi Myer Kripke’s “Sparks from the Word.” TC President Margie Markson Johnson said, “After a long and diligent search, the excitement among congregants is palpable, as we eagerly anticipate the arrival of Rabbi Daniel Fellman. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with Rabbi Fellman on numerous occasions and each time he offered wisdom, guidance and support, leading me to feel that he is already ‘my’ rabbi. Temple Concord is indeed fortunate to join forces with such a dynamic spiritual leader.” Fellman said, “I am humbled and honored to be joining the Temple Concord family this summer. We are looking forward to our new life in Syracuse, and Melissa and I are excited to get to know all of you in our new community. We are thrilled to begin this new journey, and we look forward to learning and growing with all of you.”
Herzl Camp in Webster, WI, is welcoming over 60 years of campers and staff back to Herzl to “Relive the Dream” during Aug. 7-9. Former Herzl campers and staff (and guests) will re-experience Shabbat at Herzl during the first ever Alumni Camp. Alumni, ages 21 to 101, will head to Webster to relive their favorite Herzl memories including: sleeping in tzrifim (cabins), showering in the Haks, wearing white on Shabbat, the caravan, flag songs, services at the Mercaz, matzoh ball soup, songs and more. Shabbat rotations will provide the opportunity for “campers” to swim, boat, play ultimate Frisbee and gaga, create works of art in amanut or just enjoy being back at Herzl with your former bunkmates and staff members. Register to “Relive the Dream” at Alumni Camp online at www.herzlcamp.org or request a hard-copy application by calling 952.927.4002. Bunking options include orange cabins and “new” cabins for those that truly want the camper experience. Attendees can choose to be assigned a cabin, or groups of 10-14 can choose to rent a cabin. Air conditioned bunking options include the Marp, the beautiful new Bet Chai and more. Registration fees start at $120/person for the orange cabins and increase depending on bunking choice. For more information about Herzl Alumni Camp contact alumni@herzlcamp.org.
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Former Omahan Jamie Skog was awarded a MA from the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education of the Jewish Theological Seminary at commencement exercises held in May at JTS in New York City. She is the daughter of Ricki and Jeffrey Skog. A total of 158 degrees were conferred on 146 graduates at JTS’s 115th Commencement Exercises. The distinguished graduates are the newest group of lay and professional leaders trained to serve nationwide as rabbis, academics, cantors, scholars, Jewish educators, and community leaders. Ruth W. Messinger, president and CEO of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), delivered the commencement address, “Global Citizenship and 21st Century Judaism,” and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Looking for a way to give back to your community this summer? The American Red Cross encourages eligible individuals to try donating blood for the first time, or continue donating if you’re already a blood donor. The Red Cross needs 45 donors to sign up for donation to ensure making its blood collection commitment; contact Anne Muskin, 334.6404 to schedule your appointment for the upcoming blood drive Sunday, July 19, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., at the Jewish Community Center. How is this publication thinking about the future?
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LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Yiddish brings us closer to our roots! Come join us every Thursday, 1-3 p.m., at the JCC. For information, call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638.
VISIONS Reminder: Visions luncheon is Friday, July 17, 12:30 p.m. at the Venice Inn. The cost is $11 per person. Join Jeff Koterba, Omaha World-Herald editorial cartoonist. For questions, call Harry Alloy at 697.8709. For Transportation, call Florence Hauss at 571.4583.
VISIONS AND 39 FOREVER Join us for the annual dinner and baseball night at Rosenblatt Stadium on Thursday, July 30, 5:45 p.m., in the Stadium View Club, when the Omaha Royals play the Iowa Cubs. Send reservations to Harry Alloy, 11317 Harney Plaza Circle, Omaha, NE 68154. For questions, call Judy Katskee at 493.8875.
ARTS at the ARCC presents Gilbert & Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore on July 17-19, 23-26, 28-31, 7:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays. Among the cast is Gary Bosanek, who starred in a number of productions at the JCC; he also is the director. The classic opera comedy will be performed at the Archdiocesan Retreat and Conference Center, 3330 No. 60 St. (one block north of Northwest Radial Highway); tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students, which also includes dessert. For reservations, call 558.1442. Julie Phillips will present “Painted Tapestries,” a showing of her art on Tuesday, July 28, 6-8 p.m., at Washington Square East Galleries in New York City. A recent graduate of the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, Phillips is an Omaha artist who also teaches at Friedel Jewish Acaemdy. The show runs through Aug. 7. For more information, visit www.nyu.edu/pages/galleries.new_wash_gal lery_invite.pdf
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YOUNG ENERGETIC SENIORS Join us on Monday for a program with Lois Wine as she takes us back to yesteryear with “Remembering When.” Lunch will be served at noon and the program begins at 12:30 p.m. Come play bingo at 10 a.m. Call Theresa for transportation at 330.4272. For information, call Maggie Conti at 334.6521.
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B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Dr. Bill Wakefield, UNO prof and expert on England, will talk about his observations of the Muslim influence in Great Britain and the continent on Wednesday, July 22, noon, at Regency Lodge. All men and women in the community are invited. The program is free. An optional buffet lunch is $13; beverage service only is $3. For more information or to get on the email list, contact Jenny at 334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.
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July 17, 2009
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Aussie bowler continuing legacy of his late father
by DAN GOLDBERG SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) -- When Australian tenpin bowler Josh Small marches into the Ramat Gan stadium for the July 13 opening ceremony of the 18th World Maccabiah Games in Israel, he will be completing a journey his father started at the illfated Games in 1997. Small, now 19, was just 7 when his father, Greg, died after the makeshift bridge collapsed as the Australian team Josh Small, wearing the was walking to- Australia green and gold, ward the opening says winning a Maccabiceremony of the ah medal "would be a 15th Maccabiah bonus" beyond just comon July 14, 1997. peting. (Henry Benjamin) Scores of Aussies were sent plunging into the polluted waters of the Yarkon River. Greg Small, 37, and Yetty Bennett, 50, died at the site; Warren Zines, 54, and Elizabeth Sawicki, 47, died weeks later. Josh and his younger sister, Rebecca, were staying at their aunt’s house in Queensland while their parents were attending their first Maccabiah. “I was watching TV at the time, and all of a sudden it popped onto the news [of the disaster] and it was too late for my auntie to prevent us from seeing it,” Josh recalls. “The next thing I know I was on a plane to Sydney. The rest is a blur.” His mother, Suzanne, who suffered a dislocated shoulder, five breaks in her ankle, swelling around her heart and emotional trauma that continues to this day, told JTA, “I rang my sister-in-law in Queensland from the hospital and I asked them not to tell the kids. “She said, ‘It’s too late, they’ve seen it on TV.’ My daughter was only five. She asked, ‘Does that mean my daddy is not coming home?’ “Josh said Kaddish for 12 months when he was 7. He said, ‘It’s my daddy and I will say it.’” Now, a dozen years later, Josh is continuing the legacy of his father, the Australian team’s No. 1 bowler in ‘97. “It inspired me to bowl,” he said of the Maccabiah tragedy. “I want to continue what my father did. I’d like to go there, compete and finish what he started.” Josh will join Australia’s team of more than 400 athletes, ranging from a 12-yearold gymnast to an 82-year-old squash player. The team also includes golfer Roy Vandersluis, 62, who is competing at his ninth consecutive Maccabiah Games -- a record the Maccabi World Union believes has never been surpassed since the socalled Jewish Olympics began in 1932. It wasn’t until Josh received a phone call from the team manager that his position was confirmed.
“Through my performances I thought to myself I had a good chance, but until I got the phone call I was unsure,” he said. “I’m feeling pretty excited. It’ll be sad but a good thing to do.” It will be Josh’s first time competing at a Maccabiah, although he joined his mother, sister and survivors of the other victims at the emotional memorial service in Israel at the 2005 Games. He has been asked to speak at the official memorial service at the site of the disaster on July 10. While he says he was virtually “born in a bowling alley,” it was only after the ‘97 Games that he started taking tenpin more seriously. In tournaments he wears his dad’s red pants and his shirt from those Games, with the name “Greg” on the front and the surname “Small” on the back. Although many of the survivors have moved on, some still harbor ill will toward the World Maccabi Union because of its ongoing employment of Yoram Eyal, who was chairman of the organizing committee of the Games and the man who commissioned the bridge. Eyal served six months community service for his part in the disaster, and he remains the general manager of the Kfar Maccabiah village and on the World Maccabi Union executive. “He will be never be forgiven as long as I have breath in me,” Suzanne said. “The man can rot in hell.” Four other officials convicted of criminal negligence received jail sentences in 2000. But Suzanne says Eyal “literally got away with murder.” Eyal, for his part, told Ma’ariv recently that “I received an easy punishment because I was the one who ordered the work and not the engineer. I’ve come to accept it, but it’s still very hard for me to get used to the anger of the families.” Suzanne says the “flashbacks and nightmares still come and go.” “I’m in constant pain in my back and shoulder. I still have the occasional panic attack; I have medication with me all the time,” she said. “You just don’t know when something is going to happen.” But Suzanne says her heart will be “pounding with excitement” when she sees her son march into the stadium on July 13. “I wouldn’t miss that opening ceremony for anything,” she said. “It would have been absolutely beautiful to have father and son together. It’s always emotional to go back to the site. It’s like I’m visiting my husband’s grave because that’s where it happened. I think of my husband every day every single day. “But this is Josh’s time to shine. I’m very proud and very anxious. Josh always had a goal to follow in his dad’s footsteps. He’s a natural in bowling; he had no privileges. His dreams have finally come true.” Josh says he just wants to go to Israel and compete. “Winning a medal,” he said, “would be a bonus.”
Sharansky greets new olim Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, center, greeted the 232 new immigrants from North America who arrived July 7 in Israel on a special flight, part of the joint venture between Nefesh B’Nefesh and the Jewish Agency. Among them were Yehuda and Aviva Zuller of Staten Island, NY; their son Gilad, age three, is named after abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured one week before Gilad Zuller was born. “I want relive the moment when I made aliyah and went to Jerusalem -- it felt as if all the Jews of Israel and the world were there with me. When I see you, I have that same feeling again,” Sharansky, a former Soviet-era refusenik, told the group at a ceremoCredit: JAFI ny at Ben Gurion Airport. “After 2,000 years, you are coming home.”
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
July 17, 2009
Last of four new and improved nursing wings opens at Blumkin by OZZIE NOGG With the recent opening of the South East nursing unit, the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home added 34 new resident beds to the facility.
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Moving into the last wing to be remodeled and expanded, resident Myrna Diamond, right, and others enjoy the new tv lounge of the southeast wing. Eastside, westside -- all around
the Blumkin Home, residents and nursing staff Shelley Spencer, left, Shana Hester, and Linda Chvala are now in their rightful places at the Blumkin Home.
“This brings our total bed count to 105,” said Mike Silverman, RBJH Executive Director. “The new unit has 34 beds, including two private rooms and four ‘toe-totoe’ rooms, each of which offers premium space and amenities.” A sunroom, TV lounge and spa are part of the new unit which also boasts the largest private dining room in the Home. The next, and final, construction phase tackles the completion of Main Street, the synagogue, auditorium, playground and offices for Blumkin Home staff. “It will be complicated to get around the building during this part of the process,” Silverman added, “but we anticipate being finished by the end of the year. I know
the residents, their families and the entire community will remain patient and understanding during these last few months, just as they’ve been since we began construction nearly two years ago. The end result will be more than worth any inconvenience we’ve been through.” According to Silverman, each of the Home’s four nursing units, including the Special Care Unit, will be given its proper acuity assignment when Main Street is compete. “In the meantime,” Silverman said, “we will continue to provide the safest environment possible for all our residents.”
Staying fit
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Continued from page 1 He is a city planner and urban designer with over 30 years of experience. He always bicycles to work and uses routes that range from four and a half to nine miles. His company encourages all of the employees to bike to work and the halls are lined with bikes. Shukert contends that a bike is the best mechanism for traveling around a town and looking at it. Marty Shukert “You can cover more ground than by walking and it is a lot more intimate and personal than driving.” For his work for RDG, he has completed plans for more than 70 communities in Nebraska, Iowa and North and South Dakota. In about 1983, the Chicago Northwestern Railroad petitioned for abandonment of its belt line along the Little Papio Creek. Shukert, then Planning Director for Omaha, thought this would be an opportunity to develop the first real trail in Omaha. “There were other cities that had trails and we were a little behind in that process. This provided an opportunity for us. We negotiated a deal with the railroad to buy the right of way. That deal may or may not have been valid because the question was whether or not they had anything to sell,” he recalled. “Basically, we bought out the railroad’s interest and, by a four to three vote, the city voted to approve, tentatively, the purchase as a ‘potential transportation corridor. Nothing really happened for years and then, later in the ‘80s, the city and the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District began to develop a trail but developed it on the levy rather than on the railroad right of way.” Shukert added, “Also during that time, the City Planning Department created two-part plans. One in 1985 and a modification of it in 1987 showed a citywide trail system and showed a trail along the Papio Creek called ‘The Keystone Trail.’ It also showed other creek corridors and 144th Street as the principle elements of a city trail system.” Ultimately, the NRD and the City developed ‘The Keystone Trail’ on the levy and the first segment of it was opened in about 1990 between Cass and Fort
Streets. Later, other segments opened so that it developed, as it had been proposed in the master plan. The Keystone is about 30 miles long from one end to the other and is the longest piece of the trail system. Shukert added, “It began with that kind of negotiations and the Council Plan.” The whole idea of acquiring the route was hotly opposed by industries and lawyers. They were concerned that their trucks would hit bicyclists. Now, the multi-use trails are very busy with all kinds of non-motorized use. This includes in-line skating, walking, running and bicycles. Gradually, other segments have been built -- the longest is the big Papio which runs from “Q” St. to 120th and Maple. The West Papio extends from 36th, near Cornhusker Drive to Papillion. That will ultimately extend further. “The nicest thing about trails is that you can ride them routinely and you don’t have to organize an expedition or a team. If you feel like going out and walking -- you do. If you’re a bike rider, you can do that conveniently. These are acceptable forms of recreation,” he noted. “The other thing is that we are trying increasingly, to get people to use other means of transportation and not just drive to work. One of the problems with health clubs or gyms is that it’s easy not to go when your favorite television program is on.” Shukert insists that you can ride a bicycle 12 months of the year in Nebraska. He rides to his downtown office from midtown Omaha nearly every day. He only makes exceptions when there is ice and snow. One of his current projects is being chair of city advisory committee that is looking at city policy in order to make Omaha more friendly to active transportation such as walking and biking. The committee is looking at a 20mile pilot of an on-street bike system. Shukert, 59, is a native Omahan and the son of Nate Shukert and the late Doris Shukert. He graduated from Central in 1967 and was recently initiated into that school’s Hall of Fame. After high school, he attended Yale University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1971. He earned a Master of Arts degree in architecture in 1974 from UC-Berkeley. He is a certified member of the American Institute of City Planners and is a fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He is married to Dr. Aveva Hahn Shukert and they have two adult daughters. Although Aveva hasn’t bicycled until now, she has recently purchased a bike, and who knows? Maybe she’ll be joining her husband soon on Omaha’s trails!
July 17, 2009
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 7
Summer vacation: J-Tours and detours into Jewish geography
a tour of Boyle Heights <http://www.jewishhistori- Chicago,” he said, “and the service is not bad either.” by EDMON J. RODMAN We attended, connected with the new nusach and the LOS ANGELES (JTA) -- With the school year over, calsociety.org/Tours.htm>. In New York, the Lower Jewish geography awaits. Not the Jewish geography in East SideConservancy <http://www.nycjewish- congregation’s wonderful hospitality. How do you find a synagogue to visit? which you thunderingly discover that your third cousin tours.org/Future_ Public_Tours.html> offers several Your car GPS isn’t going to tell you “turn here for a who lives in Milwaukee actually lives on the same block of the area. The National Museum of American Jewish History in Jewish experience” -- at least not yet. Until then, a trip as your neighbor’s nephew. No, this is real geography where you travel to places Philadelphia offers for fifth-graders and up the “Philly J- to your hotel computer can turn your stay into a Jwith Jewish history and people. In a land of cultural tour <http://www.nmajh.org/education/adult_ cation. Or you can get creatively resourceful. diversity, it’s good to know where and what our contri- senior_tours.html>,” an exploration of the “Colonial An extended family cruise of the Mexican Riviera gave Jewish experience.” Boston has a series of self-guided butions have been. With three pilgrimage holidays, travel is built into Jewish Friendship Trails <http://www.gis.net/ our family an opportunity to express our Jewish identity at sea. I asked the maître d’ if the ship’s Judaism. We love travel, and as a group we are kitchen could bake special twisted bread for drawn to Jewish cultural tourism, looking for a Friday night dinner, a challah. little bit of ourselves wherever we go. “What’s that?” he asked. Perhaps the most famous Jewish tourist was Using one of the ship’s PCs, I downloaded a Benjamin of Tudela, who in 1159 began a trip recipe and photo. That Shabbat, the tables from Spain to Jerusalem and beyond, visiting where my family sat were presented with basJewish communities, taking note of their size kets of freshly baked twisted challot. and number of scholars in his “Book of Jewish geography includes the outdoors, of Travels.” course. You know: mountains, rivers, trees and This summer, here in the United States, you their inhabitants. can take your own Jewish trip, chew up a little Brush up on your summer camp repertoire; of your own Jewish geography. Besides, Jewish try a Shabbat under the stars. The outdoors will life can seem so much more interesting in give you a chance to celebrate a day of rest someone else’s town. together, away from the city’s bright lights, Your school-age children, who are studying where you can peacefully see the heavens. the Colonial period or the Civil War, will always Since before Rabbi Benjamin’s time, Jews have benefit from a trip to Colonial Williamsburg or been hitting the road, dealing with its uncerGettysburg. tainties and unpredictability. So it’s not surprisIdentity-wise, kids also will benefit from trips ing that there is a traveler’s prayer for a safe to historic Congregation Kahal Kadosh Beth journey: The Tefilat haDerech asks that “you Elohim, in Charleston, S.C., or the Gold Rushlead us toward peace, emplace our footsteps era Pioneer Jewish Cemetery in Marysville, towards peace …” Calif., to learn about the roles Jews played in Thinking back on a family trip we took to Ellis American life. Island, I wonder now how many great-grandIn our own cities and towns, signs of Jewish Wheel around the country to find your own Jewish pleasures this summer. Credit: Edmon Rodman parents and grandparents said the prayer and to life may become pedestrian, even invisible, disappeared by our routines. On vacation, our eyes come bostonwalks/bostonbest.html#Jewish%20histo- what effect. On that trip, walking through the exhibit in the grand alive with new signs of Jewish life in the streets, shops, ry%20walks> for walkers and some for bicyclists too hall, our kids learned that coming to America, the even in the faces and speech patterns of fellow travelers. that are offered online. On the West Coast, a Jewish walking tour of Balboa “goldene medina,” was a trip of uncertainty and some Who while eating an egg in ek velt hasn’t shot a glance at someone at the next table and said to themselves, Park in San Diego <http://www.jewishsightseeing. danger. If your papers weren’t in order, they sent you com/usa/california/san_diego_county/history/bal back. If you were sick, they sent you back. “There’s another MOT”? Outside, on a gray day, we found a memorial display Organizations in America have become more aware of boa_park_tour.htm> is available. When we visit other cities on our family trips, some- listing the names of some who entered the United Jewish cultural tourism, offering Jewish film festivals, museum shows and kosher food guides. Local Jewish times we tour the synagogues. Hearing new melodies States there. Inscribed on a stone wall, we found the papers are a great source of Jewish happenings and and approaches to old texts gives a fresh perspective on names of my grandparents. They traveled here without GPS and sunscreen; defiplaces to eat, as well as Jewish guides published for spe- Jewish life. On a trip to Berkeley, Calif., we visited a temple where nitely without a meal plan. They came here as teens and cific cities such as Chicago or entire states like the reader’s table, via adjustable plastic legs, could be 20-somethings with bags full of hope. Washington. For many of us, this is where Jewish geography In several cities, including Los Angeles and New York, lowered quickly to accommodate a reader in a wheelyou can take a tour of Jewish sites. The self-guided ones chair. In Chicago, while riding a packed train to Wrigley begins. Edmon J. Rodman is a Los Angeles writer and are free; the others have a fee. Be sure to make arrange- Field, we were chatted up by a rabbi who directed us to a downtown shul. designer. ments ahead of time. “They have the best kosher Shabbat lunch in In Los Angeles, the Jewish Historical Society sponsors
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Finding Solutions
Page 8 Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
July 17, 2009
A day at the beach Oh wait...we don’t have beaches in Omaha! But, we do have a Jewish Community Center. In fact, we have one of the largest, most beautiful JCCs in the country with an array of programs and services unmatched by most Jewish communities in North America. With the exception of the $85 million JCC on Manhattan’s Upper West Side (complete with Jerusalem stone, television monitors for every piece of cardio-equipment, and kosher cooking classes with New York City’s top chefs), Omaha’s JCC regularly awes out-oftown visitors. Think of it -- a community of only 6000 or so Jews offers up a 16-thousand square foot fitness center, separate men’s and women’s health clubs (which include steam rooms, saunas and whirlpool tubs), a 22-thousand square foot children’s development center with all-day childcare for infants and toddlers, pre-school and summer camp, as well as the home to the Federation and all of its agencies. Who could ask for anything more? Well, since not everyone in the Jewish community is a member, we’re asking. Why aren’t you a member? Is it the location? The dues? The hours? The class offerings? Obviously the JCC can’t change its location. But since midtown Omaha has steadily moved west, we think it’s convenient for everyone. Located just off West Dodge (which has pretty much become an in town expressway), the JCC is a mere 20 minutes from downtown, from Papillion, from Ponca Hills and from Elkhorn. So maybe it’s the dues. The most expensive category is the family membership with health club for husband and wife. It comes to $1715 -- but that’s only $33 a week -- not a bad price for access to the indoor and outdoor pools and tracks, the 50 cardio machines and 40 freemotion machines, as well as an array of topnotch fitness trainers. And that fee includes all children in the family under the age of 24! Even a young single can purchase an annual
membership for just $720 or less than $14 a week. Seniors get an even better deal: a mere $335 a year, less than $6.50 a week! (And seniors -- not only will you get your daily dose of exercise, you’ll be able to interact and socialize with others, instead of remaining isolated at home -- it’s a win-win for you and the JCC!) Even for those families squeezed by today’s lousy economy, the JCC can still be affordable. A call to either Executive Director Jeff Aizenberg or Assistant Director Lisa Shkolnick will result in a private confidential meeting that provides scholarship assistance to any Jewish individual, couple or family in need. So it’s not location and it’s not dues. Could it be hours? Since June, the JCC expanded its hours so it’s now open seven days a week. Closing for only six Jewish holidays a year (plus the national holiday of Christmas), the JCC is open MondayThursday until 10 p.m., Friday until 6 p.m., and SaturdaySunday until 7 p.m. Maybe the class offerings are stopping you from joining? Nah ... how could that be?! With a variety of classes, ranging from yoga to pilates to spinning to weight training, aerobics, kick-boxing, dance (from kids and teens to adults in ballet, tap and jazz) as well as swimming instruction and open lanes, the JCC has everything anyone could need to get fit and stay healthy. And if there’s something missing, the staff would be happy to listen to your suggestions. And now, with Omaha hosting the JCC Maccabi Games only a year away, staff and volunteers are gearing up for a
return of a week-long event that united the community in 2002 and will again the first week of August, 2010. With a new national sponsor for the Games, JCC members also can purchase selected New Balance shoes at a 25% discount! So whadya waiting for? The location, the dues, the hours and the classes are all there for you. The JCC Maccabi Games are coming back for an exciting week next summer. So, if you want to be a part of it all -- now’s the time to make that call and come home to the JCC. A day at the beach? No. But a day at the ‘J’ -- you bet! We’ll see you, right here!
JOURNAL ENTRY FROM ISRAEL by TEDDY WEINBERGER
Anyone operating a summer camp in the greater Jerusalem area was required to attend the Ministry of Education’s (Department of Youth and Society) annual camp director’s conference in late spring. Even small camps (anything above 10 children) were required to send a representative, and so, since I will be co-directing a three-week tennis camp for a few dozen children in the neighboring town of Maaleh Adumim, I was in attendance. The morning opened with a serviceproviders’ fair. Petting zoos, children’s museums, water parks, etc. vied with each other to entice camps into committing to day-trips. Jugglers, musicians, magicians, arts and crafts specialists, etc. urged camp directors to hire their services for special-activity days. Afterwards, the several hundred camp directors present were gathered into a conference room where we were greeted by various Ministry of Education supervisors of camps. An impressive cd containing a wealth of activities and programming suggestions was handed out and reviewed in an effort to get camps to stress values and a love of the Land of Israel. A good portion of the time was taken up by the presentation of Ofir Cohen (Operations Officer, Department of Emergency and Security, Municipality of Jerusalem), who was
... while it’s important to provide campers with a security talk, it’s also important to tell then that the State of Israel is strong and that we are going to defend ourselves. Cohen tried to shake the audience out of any complacency it might have had by saying “our enemies will try to injure us in any way possible.” He emphasized that the State of Israel has categorized an attack on children as a strategic attack. He said that all campers must be taught how to recognize and report suspicious objects. Since kids are always forgetting their stuff, he recommended putting identifying stickers on children’s bags and having uniform camp clothing.
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Safety and security at Jerusalem’s summer camps introduced to the audience as “Mr. Security.” I imagine that all camp providers in the U.S. must undergo safety training. Dehydration, fires, snake bites, etc. are hazards for which any camp must be prepared. And indeed, Cohen reviewed these and other basic safety issues. However, there is safety (in Hebrew: betihoot) and then there is security (bitahon). Sadly, Israeli camp providers must also be instructed on security matters (in the general operating guidelines handed out to all conference attendees, security issues constitute one of the three major topics, the others being general and health and safety issues).
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Cohen went on to give specific examples of the devious cunning of our enemies. He said that bombs have been found in guitar cases, in bird cages, in video recordings, in a coca cola can at a Jerusalem supermarket, within a hollowed-out watermelon on an inner-city bus, and he said that a bomb was even found inside a child’s birthday cake. Cohen also stressed the need to explain to campers what to do in the event an emergency siren goes off due to an incoming missile. Since typically such sirens provide only a threeminute warning, he proceeded to consider various scenarios, moving from more optimal situations (such as when there is a nearby bomb shelter) to more challenging ones (such as when campers are on a bus). Here’s a helpful hint for you: If you are caught in the open by a missile-warning, lie down. Unless you are really having a bad day and take a direct hit, it’s up to 92% more dangerous to be caught standing during missile fire. Cohen said that while it’s important to provide campers with a security talk, it’s also important to tell then that the State of Israel is strong and that we are going to defend ourselves. I found myself wondering if five-year-old Yossi Ashkenazi (Joey Smith), after hearing about all the various dangers, will be comforted by such a statement. The answer I think is: Yes. Teddy Weinberger made aliyah with his wife, former Omahan Sara Ross, and their five children in 1997. He can be reached at weinross@netvision.net.il.
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July 17, 2009
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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America’s human rights challenges extend beyond Iran
FOCUS ON ISSUES by LAWRENCE J. HAAS Tehran’s brutal crackdown on democracy-hungry protestors may have defeated the most serious threat to the Iranian regime since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, but the Obama Administration will continue to face the questions about how to respond to such uprisings and when to promote democracy around the world. These questions offer no easy answers. Cultures vary, dictators rule with different kinds of iron fists and no one knows when a rebellion will gather the necessary steam to oust an oppressor. Who could have predicted that Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s efforts to reform his nation through perestroika and glasnost in the 1980s would fuel its disintegration, that Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu would be booed off stage during an open-air address in late 1989 and then flee from office, or that Philippine strongman Ferdinand Marcos would be driven from office after calling for presidential elections in 1986 and then fraudulently claiming victory afterwards? History does, however, suggest some realities that the administration would be well-advised to keep in mind in the months ahead, for it surely will face the challenge again -- perhaps many times -- as to what to say and what to do when people in a foreign land seek to cast off the yoke of oppression. First, even if a president remains silent during a democratic insurrection, America will almost surely become part of the story. A regime under siege will find it all-too convenient to rally support by painting its opponents as U.S. lackeys. The recent turmoil in Iran makes the point: As President Obama declared his intention not to meddle, Iran’s top leaders were already blaming the protests on the United
States and Israel. Second, leading democratic activists often yearn for a U.S. president to publicly support their efforts, because it both helps boost morale among the dissidents and also raises the stakes for the regime. Former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky has described how his cell block in a Soviet gulag erupted in celebration upon hearing the news that President Reagan had labeled the Soviet Union the “evil empire.” Reagan’s voice also helped bring the pressure that led to Sharansky’s release in a U.S.-Soviet prisoner exchange. Whether Obama follows suit could determine the fate of Sharansky’s successors across the globe.
... history suggests the United States would be wise to align itself with the forces of democracy, rather than with creaky autocracies in the Middle East and elsewhere whose days could well be numbered. ... authoritarian regimes of late have been digging in, and they have secured some recent successes. But their victories cannot obscure the larger reality -that democracy has spread far and wide in recent decades. “When Obama does not take a stance, the very next day these oppressive regimes will regard this as a signal,” Ayman Nour, the opposition leader to Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak whose activities have landed him in jail, told the Washington Post recently. “This is a test for his government. If they can turn a blind eye to their enemy, they can turn a blind eye to any action here in Egypt.” Third, despite what post-America theorists suggest, America retains an enormous capacity to shape world events. By convincing the social networking site Twitter not to close for maintenance, the administration ensured
that Iranian protestors retained this vehicle for sharing information. That’s little different from how, a quartercentury ago, the Reagan Administration and labor groups in the United States and Europe smuggled copiers, fax machines and other communication devices into Soviet-dominated Poland to help Solidarity, the trade union, rally support for human rights. Fourth, presidents need not choose between promoting democracy in an authoritarian society and engaging with its masters. They can do both. President Roosevelt worked with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to defeat Nazi Germany during World War II after earlier promoting a world “founded upon four essential human freedoms” (of speech, of religion, from want, and from fear), all of them in very short supply across the Soviet empire. President Kennedy successfully negotiated the nuclear test ban treaty with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in mid-1963 -- just a month after making clear, in his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech near Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, that the United States stood with everyone behind the Iron Curtain who sought freedom. Fifth and finally, history suggests the United States would be wise to align itself with the forces of democracy, rather than with creaky autocracies in the Middle East and elsewhere whose days could well be numbered. To be sure, authoritarian regimes of late have been digging in, and they have secured some recent successes. But their victories cannot obscure the larger reality -that democracy has spread far and wide in recent decades. It will spread further. And when it does, the United States must not find itself on the wrong side of history. Lawrence J. Haas, a former White House communications strategist, award-winning journalist, and author, writes about foreign and domestic affairs, served as Communications Director and Press Secretary for Vice President Al Gore. He also was Communications Director for the White House Office of Management and Budget, for the Clinton Administration. © 2009 North Star Writers Group.
Madoff faces another trial
by RON WOLFSON
LOS ANGELES (JTA) -- Now that the earthly trial of Bernard Madoff has come to an end with a sentence of 150 years in prison, he will await his next trial -- the heavenly one. Although eschatology is not emphasized in Judaism, there is a recurring metaphor in rabbinic literature of a “heavenly tribunal,” an accounting of one’s actions on earth. For 2,000 years, rabbis have imagined what questions might be asked at such a trial. Astonishingly, one sage, Rava, imagines the very first question you are asked in heaven is: “Were you honest in your business dealings?” In the months since the Madoff story broke, clergy have weighed in on the lessons of the scandal in hundreds of sermons. Some have focused on the pain of the victims, others on the greed of the perpetrator. Most conclude with exhortations regarding the importance of business ethics. Priests and rabbis, imams and pastors, have used the Madoff case as an opportunity to remind their congregants that trust and accountability are the bedrock values of business. Why on earth -- or rather, why in heaven’s name -would the first question one is asked in heaven be about business? Because it’s not just about business. The question is about honesty, integrity, faithfulness. If you are not honest in your business dealings, can you be trusted to be honest in other relationships? If you are not honest with others, can you be honest with yourself? If you
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responsible for each other. These are some of the questions Bernard Madoff will be contemplating in prison as he serves out his sentence. Although we may not witness his next trial, the one before the heavenly court, it is not difficult to imagine what his sentence will be. Former Omahan Ron Wolfson is the Fingerhut Professor of Education at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, and president of Synagogue 3000. He is the son of Alan Wolfson and the late Bernice Wolfson.
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are not faithful with others, can your faith in God be trusted? The idea that those entrusted with other people’s money have a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard and account for it dates back to the Bible itself. When the Israelites receive the Ten Commandments, God instructs Moses to solicit gifts from “every person whose heart so moves him.” These gifts are then to be used for building a Tabernacle, an elaborate sanctuary fashioned from precious metals, stones and wood. It is quite the construction project, requiring significant contributions of treasure from the people. When it is completed, Moses gives a detailed public accounting of the expenditures. Why? Wouldn’t the people have trusted their great leader? Some commentators imagine that the people did not trust Moses. Others suggest that Moses anticipated the accusations, taking upon himself a process of accountability in order to pre-empt the suspicions of others. In either case, the clear lesson is that leaders of a community must avoid any hint of personal aggrandizement when entrusted with public funds. Madoff committed another offense, in addition to stealing: He brought shame upon the Jewish people. Many of the charities and nonprofit organizations losing hundreds of millions of dollars served the Jewish community, including the foundation of Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel. Since the Madoff confession, the Jewish community has gone through much anguish and soul searching. How could a Jew perpetrate this devastating fraud on fellow Jews, including major foundations and institutions that have been obliterated in one fell swoop? Madoff made a mockery of the notion that all Jews are
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
To the editor: The parsaha for July10-11 was Pinchas, who was a zealot, so I’m going to be a zealot for the JCC being open on Shabbos morning when Jews should be in the synagogue praying. Why did they do this? I had faith that (they) would never allow this to happen, since they were taking two days off for various holidays, which had never happened before. I know they try to be like other health clubs, but that is not a good enough reason. Because we are suppose to set ourselves apart from other people. This JCC belongs to the Jewish community. How will people have respect for us when they see us open when most Jews should be in the synagogue on Saturday morning. It is a shanda for the Jewish community. People will respect us more if we keep it closed when we have services. We can set an example for all of us, showing how we follow our religion. Sandra Kohll
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Page 10
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
July 17, 2009
Candlelighting Friday, July 17, 8:36 p.m.
Synagogue Listings B’nai Israel Synagogue 618 Mynster St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
Beth El Synagogue Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org
Beth Israel Synagogue Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific St. Omaha, NE. 68154 556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
Chabad House An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330.1800 www.OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
Congregation B’nai Jeshurun South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 S. 20th St. Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435.8004 southstreettemple.org
Offutt Air Force Base SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294.6244
Rose Blumkin Jewish Home 323 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154
Temple Israel Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556.6536 templeisrael-ne.org
The Neighborhood Minyan 1317 No. 57 St. Omaha, NE 68132 551.6609
Tifereth Israel Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org
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B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m.
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Mordechai Levin and Cantor Beth Schlossberg. FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat services, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning services, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:45 p.m. Sitter Service is available during Friday night and Saturday morning services, on a drop-in basis, at no charge. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. WOMEN’S ROSH HODESH GROUP: Wednesday, July 22, 7 p.m., in the synagogue’s West Court. Lourdes Secola and Anna Mosenkis are co-hosts; meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. RSVP to Anna at igormos@yahoo.com or 330.1127 or Lourdes at lsecola@westmapledental.com or 991.0822. (See the full article on page 3.) YOUNG FAMILIES’ SHABBATON: Aug. 7-9 at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center in Nebraska City, open to all families in the Jewish community with children ages eight and younger. To register or for information, contact Margie in the office. SISTERHOOD HONEY SALE: Send festively-wrapped bottles of honey for $7.50 each; $7.25 for 15 or more by Friday, Aug. 17. To order, contact the office, programming@bethelomaha.org, or contact Wendy Berenson at Munch765@aol. com or 253.2028.
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:30 a.m-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross and Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Understanding the Prayer book, a monthly class with Rabbi Mizrahi, 9 a.m.; free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Children’s Classes, 9:45 a.m. with Torah Parade; Kiddush, in honor of Norman Zevitz’s birthday, is sponsored by by his friends; “Guard Your Tongue”, “The Great Midrash” and “Advanced Parshah Study for Kids” (ages 10 and up) one hour prior to Mincha, 8:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:48 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.;
Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m.; Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha, 5:45 p.m. TUESDAY: Rabbi Mizrahi’s Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m. THURSDAY: Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m.
http://osrui.urjcamps.org/alu mni/celebrate_the_ruach. For more information or to volunteer to help at the event, e-mail osruialumni@gmail.com.
FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN Services conducted by Rabbi JEWISH HOME
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Ilan Emanuel. FRIDAY: Snacks, 6 p.m.; Early Shabbat Service, 6:15 p.m. led by Rabbi Emanuel, with child care provided. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Emanuel; Game Night/Potluck, 6 p.m. All ages welcome! TUESDAY: Women’s lunch group, noon at Michel’s Ville Grill, 2701 No. 48 St. THURSDAY: Choir Rehearsal, 7:30 p.m. ADULT EDUCATION TUESDAYS, 7 p.m. Intro to Hebrew, led by Rabbi Emanuel. The Lincoln Jewish Community School is currently seeking additional Judaic and Hebrew teachers for the 2009-10 school year for fifth through seventh grades on Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m., and Sunday mornings, 9:30 a.m.noon. If you are interested, conHalpern at tact Andrea halperns@inebraska.com or call 402.217.2631. Celebrate the Ruach at OSRUI on July 25 with Debbie Friedman and Rabbi Joe Black! Spend a Shabbat afternoon at camp, followed by dinner and a concert under the stars! For ticket prices, registration and more, visit
To Submit B’nai Mitzvah Announcements Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, by e-mailing the editor at: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org or online at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Submit other announcements -- births engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at the Federation website: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press,’ scroll down to ‘Submit Announcements, and complete form.
NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN FRIDAY: Minyan, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.
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Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Service, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Maamar class, 9 a.m.; Service, 9:30 a.m.; Youth Minyan, 10:30 a.m. MiniMensch title will be awarded; Kiddush lunch follows; join Rabbi Katzman from 12-1 p.m. SUNDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m. TUESDAY: W.O.W. Parsha, Prophets, and Prayer, 9:15 a.m. FRIDAY, July 24: Service, 7 a.m.; The Parsha Club for Level I beginners, ages 5-6; and Level II intermediates and experts, ages 79, noon. Please contact Shevi@ochabad. com to receive a guest pass. All events and programs are open to the entire community.
Comes to You at the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m.
SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Andy Greenberg. THURSDAY: LOVE Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m.
TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to You at Remington Heights, 4 p.m. led Rabbi Eric Linder; Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Eric Linder, Rabbinic Intern Nicole Luna and guest soloist Tami Field; Summer Speaker Series: “My heart is in the east -- my body is in the west: Thoughts of Judaism, Jews and God” with Rabbi Linder. SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Service, 10:30 a.m. SITTER SERVICE: Available Wednesday evenings during Family School hours, Friday evenings service except when there is a Tot Shabbat, Saturday mornings when there is a B’nai mitzvah, and Sunday mornings during Religious School. Advance reservations and a $5 donation appreciated. Young children, including infants, are welcome. TUESDAY: WRJ Book Sorting, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY: CSA delivery for shareholders, 4:30-5:30 p.m. at South entrance. FRIDAY, July 24: Shabbat
TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Nancy Coren, Lay Leader. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. MONDAY and THURSDAY: Minyan, 9 a.m. FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning service, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush lunch and Talmud study. TUESDAY: The Ladies’ Lunch Bunch will meet at Michel’s Ville Grill, 2701 No 48 St. at noon. If you need a ride, call Elaine Evnen. WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. Contact Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066. The Lincoln Jewish Community School is currently seeking additional Judaic and Hebrew teachers for the 2009-10 school year for fifth through seventh grades on Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m. and Sunday mornings, 9:30 a.m.noon. If you are interested, please contact Andrea Halpern at: halperns@ine braska.com or call 402.217.2631.
JEWISH PRESS NOTICE The Jewish Press will publish the New Year’s issue on Sept. 18, 2009, entitled “What we did THAT summer!” All synagogue schedules and board lists are due on Aug. 14. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.
Dead Sea moves on in international competition
The Dead Sea has moved up in the International Seven Wonders (I7W) of Nature competition. The Dead Sea is now the only Israeli location in the final selection of 77 world-wide contenders list, which includes such iconic locations as the Great Barrier Reef, Niagara Falls and Mount Fuji. Voting in this final phase will begin on July 22 and is expected to continue into 2011. The inclusion of the Dead was only possible because Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority agreed that the location could be put forward to the I7W organizers. The likelihood of the Dead Sea being chosen as one of the seven natural wonders of the modern world is not very good, as much of the voting is political. Apart from that, the Dead Sea is shrinking at an alarming rate, losing over a meter a year. Certainly the competition will draw attention to the plight of the Dead Sea. Several plans are being considered to replenish the Dead Sea so that its unique composition is maintained. In the meantime the lowest point on earth is Credit: ISRANET getting lower and lower, almost by the minute.
July 17, 2009
DEATHS MARILYN JOYCE (BERNSTEIN) FRIED Former Omahan Marilyn Joyce Fried died at age 80 in Lubbock, TX. A memorial service was held on June 23 at Congregation Shaareth Israel in Lubbock. She married William Gerald Fried in 1951 and moved to Lubbock after his death in 2000. She was a first grade teacher in the Westside Community Schools for many years before her retirement. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in law, Eric and Melody Fried of Lubbock, TX, and Greg and Sonji Fried of Agoura Hills, CA; grandchildren Halil, Holden, Ari, Hannah, Zachary, and Phoebe; and her brother, Marvin Bernstein, of San Ramon, CA. Memorials to Congregation Shaareth Israel, P.O. Box 933594, Lubbock, TX 79493 or the Friends of Music, School of Music, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-2033. MARC E. NOVAK Former Omahan Marc E. Novak died on July 7 at the age of 57. A memorial service is pending. He attended the University of Nebraska and the University of Oregon. He was an accomplished photographer and pilot. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Novak of Dunsmuir, CA; parents, Alyce and Elmer Novak of Lutz, FL; sister and brother-in-law, Cynthia Novak Lerner Rubin and George Rubin of Naples, FL; sister, Jaynee Novak of Venice, CA; nephews, Elliott and Austin Lerner, Tampa; aunt, Anne Hemingway; aunts and uncles Sandra and Marvin Kohll and Arthur and Freddie Novak of Lincoln; and uncle, Bill Novak. Memorials to charity of choice or Chabad of Penn State, 443 Waring Avenue, State College, PA 16801. BERNICE PAPERNY WOLFSON Bernice Wolfson died July 13 at the age of 82. Graveside services were held July 14 at Beth El Cemetery. In a Sept. 7, 2007, profile in the New Year’s issue of the Jewish Press, writer Ozzie Nogg related a story about the longtime volunteer who worked with the blind. Wolfson had recalled a phone call from her friend Pauline Guss in 1956, who had just returned from a Women’s League Convention. There, she had learned about a blind boy who was able to have a Bar Mitzvah because members of the Sisterhood had transcribed a prayer book in braille. That led to three major community service projects that Wolfson was instrumental in helping to create: Beth El’s project transcribing books and other materials to braille; a summer camp for the blind was sponsored by National Council of Jewish Women-Omaha Section, and the “Children’s Sight Center” at J.P. Lord School, created with longtime advocates, Ruth Sokolof and Ruth Katskee, In 1960, Wolfson helped found the Nebraska Foundation for Visually Impaired Children (NFVIC), a nonprofit that surprised her in October of 2006 as “A True Humanitarian” for her more than 50 years of service. Mayor Mike Fahey declared “Bernice Wolfson Day” and a representative presented her with a plaque at the event. In addition to her volunteer work, she was also a businesswoman and created Wolfson Advertising Agency, the Dippy Donut Shoppes, the Deli and Revolving Door Lounge at Westroads, and Babes Clothing. She was preceded in death by nephews, Paul and Bill Rosen, and sisters, Sylvia Friedlander and Rose Rosen. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Alan; sons and daughters-in-law, Ron and Susie Wolfson of Encino, CA, Bob and Sibby Wolfson of Brooklyn, NY, and Doug and Sara Wolfson; grandchildren, Havi Wolfson Hall and Dave Hall, Michael, Rebecca, Alex, Aaron, Naomi and Avi; and sister, Ruth Luttbeg. Memorials to NFVIC, 425 No. 30 St., Omaha, NE 68131. BESS “BETH” PERLMETER Former Omahan Bess Perlmeter died July 8 in Aurora, CO, just shy of her 88th birthday. Services were held July 12 at Temple Sinai in Denver. She served as the executive secretary at the American Red Cross and executive assistant to the rabbi at B’nai Havurah. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Floyd J. Perlmeter of Aurora; daughter and son-in-law, Peggy and Mick Randall of Denver; son, Stuart Perlmeter, Denver; four grandchildren, Taylor Randall, Dustin and Sharon Randall of Denver, Mike Perlmeter of Boulder, and Scott Perlmeter, Denver; and her brother, Leonard Lefitz of Laguna Hills, CA. Memorials to the American Cancer Society.
The value of values
SPARKS FROM THE WORD by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashiyot Matot-Masei Our first Sidra of this week’s double portion endeavors to explain how the Israelites occupied the Promised Land, after taking it in a successful war against the Midianites. Indeed, the war is explained as the vengance, not only of the Israelites themselves, but of the Lord against a formidable enemy. But there is a monumental difference between the offense of the Midianites against the Israelites and between the offenses of the spiritually bereft nation against the spiritual values of ancient Israel. It is one thing to attack the body. It is quite another to attack the moral values of a people. It was this attack against the Israelites’ spiritual values that led the Lord to consider the defeat of the Midianites essential to Himself, rather than merely to the physical body of the Israelite community. There is a major difference to be seen here: It is the values cherished by a people, rather than its physical size, that describes the nature of the people. Israel was never meant to be among the largest, nor the strongest of the world, but its values, that begin to appear in the struggle against the Midianites, led Israel to become a beacon of ideals for itself and for the world. These ideals appear in ancient Israel in its struggle against the Midianites. They have become the values of an enlightened humanity, more so than in the past, and continuing until this day. These values have been adopted with the happy consent of Israel by all enlightened people of the world. Our double portion continues with Masei and the attempt to offer a “tryptich” about the so-called wandering of the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness. I don’t think anyone, not even expert geographers of the ancient world, has been able to identify the stopping and starting points along the route of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the land that was to become Israel. Actually, it is unimportant. What is important is the fact of success. The wilderness was without promise and was uninviting. The 40 years served to rid Israel of its legacy of slavery, and to allow it to come to the Promised Land as a free people, ready to encounter nature and history. How important it has been for humankind, of all religions and viewpoints, that ancient Israel arrived, finally, to the Promised Land, with the weight of slavery lifted from its back, and the visions of a humankind worthy to be the Children of God!
JEWISH PRESS NOTICE The Jewish Press will publish the New Year’s issue on Sept. 18, 2009, entitled “What we did THAT summer!” All synagogue schedules and board lists are due on Aug. 14. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.
Prayerbooks Available for Visually Impaired The Jewish Heritage for the Blind announced the availability of the High Holiday Machzor in large print and in Braille free of charge for those who need them. A doctor’s note stating necessity is required. To receive a complimentary Machzor, contact our office at 718.338.4999; or fax to: 718.338.0653; or e-mail to Jewishheritage@gmail.com.
To Submit Announcements to the Jewish Press: Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 (with photos we will scan and return). Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, or by e-mailing: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org. Readers can also submit other announcements -- births engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements. Deadlines are normally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Check the Jewish Press, however, for notices of early deadlines prior to secular and Jewish holidays.
Pulverent e
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Before someone offers you alcohol or other drugs, decide what you are going to say. Having the facts can give you confidence
Page 11
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Page 12
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
July 17, 2009
Olympic swimmer still in shape at age 41
by MASADA SIEGEL Dara Torres stands alone as the first American woman to compete in five Olympic Games, so people tend to put her on a pedestal, but Torres is as down to earth as they come. You might be surprised, but she views herself as a working mother who collects dust or tarnish, but in her case it is on gold medals. She’s simply not interested in her past accomplishments because she is too busy looking towards the future. Torres started swimming when she was seven years old. Competitive by nature, having four older brothers certainly did not hurt in the way of keeping her on her toes. She felt a connection early in her life to the water, and throughout her Olympic experiences, it kept calling her back. In her Olympic career, she has won 12 medals, four gold, four silver, and four bronze. “I’m still improving; I just go and never stop. Twice I took a break from swimming; I felt I was done, really done. I didn’t think I would be back, but I missed the pool. Both times I came back to swimming. I made the decision and had a goal; I wanted to make the Olympics.” Torres swam in Jewish swim meets growing up and in 2005, she was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. She has also spent time in Israel. “I’ve been to Israel once, I love it. My second husband asked me to marry him in Israel -- and then we climbed Masada.” Torres, who is unstoppable, was back in the pool three weeks after daughter Tessa was born, competing at a masters level swim meet. At the time, she had no thoughts of swimming competitively; she just wanted to get back into the water. A fierce competitor, her sense of fair-
ness and good sportsmanship shines as brightly as any of her Olympic Medals. During the Beijing Olympics, Torres had her big moment on hand where she was competing in the 50 meter individual freestyle race. Selflessly, she stopped the race, so she could alert the judges that one of her competitors had a swimsuit malfunction and needed time to change into a new suit. When asked why she halted the race
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She laughed, “It was a motherly instinct that came out of me.” Motherly instinct or not, it was a shining example of a competitor who goes above and beyond and makes her country proud, not only by winning medals, but by the unlikely act of going the extra mile to help a competitor. Her non-stop energy was evident in our interview, and Torres explained how sometimes her competitiveness spills over
Olympic medalist Dara Torres practices for the World Championships, being held this month in Rome. Torres competed in the 2008 Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha last summer. when no one else made a move, Torres explained, “I didn’t think. I just did. She was in trouble and I was just trying to do the right thing. I also want to compete against the best- it wouldn’t be right if she was not in the race, as she was ranked third in the world and I was ranked fifth. It did not affect my swimming at all -- if anything it kept my mind off being so nervous.”
What we did THAT summer
into her regular life. “I have always been competitive, so it’s nothing new. It just happens. It’s my nature -- it’s in the genes.” There is no doubt that winning Olympic medals at any age is spectacular, but 41-year-old Torres competed against people half her age and beat them. Many see her accomplishments as truly inspirational. While she does not view herself as
a role model, she views the concept as positive. “Inspiring people, while it’s not my intention, but if comes with what I do and if it helps people to go for their dreams and not think they are too oldit’s an added bonus.” When asked who she found inspirational to her, “My parents inspire me, but I also think inspiration comes from within.” I’m a recreational swimmer myself who sometimes daydreams and writes stories in my head instead of focusing on my stroke, I wondered what went through Torres mind at practice and competitions, and was surprised by her answer. “It could be what I need to buy at the grocery store. In college it was my homework assignments or it could be a song I heard on the radio that goes over and over in my head. At meets I have no idea; I never remember what I am thinking. It’s only when my coach says I need to do things a certain way -- then I focus on what I need to change.” Torres who is training to go to the World Championships in Rome this month has no plans for yet another Olympic games, adding, “I take it day by day. I’m training for Worlds and don’t have a set challenge other than trying to be a good mother. I look at my training as I am a working mother and am always trying to balance having a career and my home life.” That said, Torres has quit the sport twice before and come back to unprecedented success, so with her upbeat, positive and aggressive attitude, nothing is out of the question, except maybe to dust off those gold, silver and bronze medals. Masada Siegel is a freelance writer living on the West Coast; she can be reached at fungirlcorrespondent@gmail.com.
Where were you when the Israel Air Force rescued the hostages from the Palestinian hijackers in Entebbe in July of 1976? Maybe you recall when Israeli and Jordanian officials signed the Washington Declaration in the desert between the two countries in the summer of 1994?
Did you get married one summer? Become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah? Maybe your son or daughter was born during the summer and you celebrated a bris or baby naming -Or maybe you recall summers at Camp JCC, Herzl, Sabra, or Beber? Were you on a Federation or synagogue mission to Israel one summer? Or did you go first as a teen — with ARTZA, NFTY, NCSY or USY? If your most memorable Jewish events occurred during the summer — any summer —THAT summer — we’ll publish your stories and photos in our Sept. 18, 2009, Jewish New Year’s issue:“What we did THAT summer!”
Israel a trip to g in r u d ll n Wa ’s Wester m le a s u r at Je ren prays r a W y t r a mahan M Former Oof 2005. t in Augus
Even if it’s just a photo and caption from camp, Israel, a wedding or a car trip across the United States for a family reunion -- we need it no later than Aug. 1. Send all articles and photos to the Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 or e-mail them to ckatzman@jewishomaha.org. If you need more information — or want help putting together your story, call editor Carol Katzman at 402.334.6450 Or e-mail her at ckatzman@jewishomaha.org.