Vol. LXXXVII No. 46 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 87 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
22 Tammuz, 5768
July 25, 2008
Bodies of kidnapped Israeli soldiers traded for terrorist with “blood on his hands” by URIEL HEILMAN (JTA) -- For many Israelis, the timing of last week’s scheduled prisoner swap with Hezbollah serves as a bitter reminder of the failings of the Second Lebanon War. Two years since the 34day conflagration -- sparked by Hezbollah taking two Israeli soldiers captive in a cross-border attack -- the war’s ostensible goals appear to be unrealized. Rather than suffering a long-term blow, Hezbollah has managed to rearm and refortify itself in Lebanon. The Iran-backed group has gained veto power over Lebanon’s government and more than tripled the num- Demonstrators hold a banner showing captured Israelis Gilad Shalit, left, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser ber of missiles in its arsenal outside Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office in Jerusalem on June 29. The remains of Regev and Goldwasser from before the war, accord- were returned to Israel last week; Shalit is still believed to be alive and held by Hamas. Credit:Brian Hendler ing to Israeli estimates. And Israel, rather than recovering its remains were confirmed through DNA Hezbollah chief Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, two captive soldiers in the war, was testing just hours later as those of Regev rather than being cowed or damaged by reduced to negotiating with Hezbollah to and Goldwasser. the war, has emerged as a popular hero in bring its boys, Eldad Regev and Ehud Funerals for the two POWs took place the Arab world, inspiring confrontation Goldwasser, home. Their coffins arrived last Thursday. Goldwasser was buried in with Israel from Gaza to Tehran. in the early morning of June 16; the the Nahariya Military Cemetery and later
NU president returns from first trip to Israel:
“the most intellectually stimulating week of my life” by CAROL KATZMAN before signing on, conEditor of the Jewish Press cerned that there be a “sense of balance.” Because he knew two of According to Sam the organizers of a Witkin, PI executive Project Interchange trip director, Coleman has an for university presidents, ongoing research with the James B. Milliken, presiWeizmann Institute and dent of the University of other Israeli institutions Nebraska, opted for this of higher learning in areas trip to Israel, even though of biotech and homeland he thought that a trip to security, as well as student China or India might be exchange programs. more relevant. (Yudof, who was recently But when the letter named president of the came six months ago, University of California’s Milliken knew he could 10 campuses is profiled trust that this trip wasn’t in a sidebar on page 5.) just “a p.r. exercise,” he The third chairman was told the Jewish Press last week. Chaired by two James B. Milliken, president of the University of Nebraska, and his Harold Schapiro, presicolleagues he knows well: wife, Nana Smith, participated in a recent Project Interchange dent emeritus of Mary Sue Coleman, mission to Israel with other university presidents. Princeton University. President of the University of Michigan, and Mark The result, Milliken, said of his first visit to the tiny Yudof, president of the Univerity of Texas system, the country, was “the most intellectually stimulating week of trip was organized by Project Interchange. my life.” “It’s hard not to be intrigued by the military and And “tiny” was one of the adjectives he used repeatpolitical situations in the Middle East,” he explained. edly to describe his amazement, for example, in taking a But he wanted to be sure about the approach of the cab ride from Jerusalem to Haifa to bring his 10-yearAmerican Jewish Committee, parent organization of PI. old daughter to vacation with the daughter of an Israeli “Was it an effort to acquaint American university presi- professor who taught at NU last year. dents with our counterparts in Israel?” he asked himself Continued on page 3
Inside
This Week: Monthly Calendar for August: Pages 8-9
See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’ Opinion Page see page 12
In the News: C. David Kotok named OWH managing editor: Page 6
that afternoon, Regev was laid to rest in the Kiryat Motzkin Military Cemetery. Live footage of the coffins being delivered to the Red Cross at the Rosh Hanikra border crossing -- under a Hezbollah banner that read “Israel sheds tears of pain, Lebanon sheds tears of joy”-- brought the painful news home. At the homes of the Goldwasser and Regev families, crowds of well-wishers wept and cried in outrage. An elderly woman fainted. Dazed-looking children lit memorial candles. “It was a terrible thing to see, really terrible,” Eldad’s father, Zvi, told Army Radio. “I was always optimistic, and I hoped all the time that I would meet Eldad and hug him.” Interviewed as the military rabbinate identified the bodies, Goldwasser’s father, Shlomo, voiced resignation. “This was not much of a surprise,” he told Israel Radio, alluding to an earlier announcement by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that the captives should be assumed dead. “But confronting reality is always difficult.” Under the swap deal, Hezbollah received four of its fighters who were captured in the 2006 war, as well as Samir Continued on page 2
NJHS previews Brandeis documentary at annual meeting
The annual meeting of the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society will be held on Sunday, Aug 3, 2 p.m., in the JCC auditorium. This year, along with the installation of new officers and board members, NJHS will present The Brandeis Store, a documentary, funded by the Alan and Marcia Baer Foundation and Marcia Baer, about the time when every downtown had a great department store. The meeting and the premier of the documentary are open to the community and will be followed by a dessert reception.
Coming Next Month Sports & Recreation on Aug. 8 Design aids staff at Federation Foundation: Page 10
Chabad dedicates Goldstein playground: Page 16