Vol. LXXXVI No. 48 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 86 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
Sudanese refugees flooding Israel pose moral and practical dilemmas by URIEL HEILMAN SDEROT, ISRAEL (JTA) -It’s early morning in the Negev desert, but there’s a flurry of activity along Israel’s dusty border with Egypt, where small groups of Sudanese plot their escape across the international boundary. On one side lies peril and poverty -- crowded refugee camps, scarce jobs and overzealous Egyptian soldiers ready to open fire on anyone trying to flee to Israel. In the last few days alone, nearly half a dozen Sudanese refugees were reported killed along the border fence. On the other side lies relative prosperity and protection -- a westernized country, a more sympathetic government and a broad array of refugee services includ- This Sudanese refugee and some 57 others who crossed into Israel illegally from Egypt were given a temporary home in Ibim, an aliyah youth village run by the Jewish Agency for Israel ing, in some cases, jobs. Credit: Uriel Heilman “It’s good. I love Israel. on the outskirts of Sderot. There’s good people here,” “Conditions were bad in Egypt. There was no work,” said Emanuel, a 16-year-old Sudanese boy who made it he said. “My uncle works here.” safely across. Now he lives in Ibim, an aliyah youth vilThe Jewish Agency’s decision to help Emanuel and lage on Sderot’s outskirts run by the Jewish Agency for some 750 other refugees is one of the latest twists in Israel. There, Emanuel sleeps on a clean bed, gets three what has become a political and moral dilemma for meals a day and occasionally gets taken to swimming Israel: How to handle an estimated 2,500 Sudanese who pools, summer camps and nature excursions. Continued on page 2
3 Elul, 5767 August 17, 2007
For Israelis in Sderot, rockets continue to fall by JAN GOLDSTEIN Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Omaha I recently spent 12 days in Israel representing our Omaha Jewish community. I went for a number of reasons: to participate in the UJC’s Israel Emergency Campaign (IEC) evaluation tour, to attend the Jewish Agency Assembly of the Board of Governors, to participate in the Partnership with Israel Joint Steering Committee meetings, and because it was time for me to revisit our Jewish Homeland. My first five days in Israel were spent traveling with colleagues, lay leaders and UJC and Israeli officials, to determine how our IEC dollars are making a strategic impact on the lives of Israelis who suffered the impact of 34 days of war with Lebanon last summer. We saw so much resolve, rebuilding and resiliency due to our efforts during our days spent in the North. Continued on page 3
The “Resiliency Art” project uses art, music and drama to help children cope with daily fear of rocket attacks from Gaza.
Family Service, Senior Services agencies to merge by LISA LIEB Federation Communications Director Shared resources ... combined operations ... expanded services. In a move designed to strengthen and enhance two key areas of service to the Omaha Jewish community, Jewish Family Service (JFS) and Jewish Senior Services (JSS) will merge. The newly combined agency will be responsible for meeting the community’s social service needs. Federation President Norman Sheldon has long been a proponent of maximizing resources and taking advantage of opportunities to create new partnerships among the agencies. “This has been a primary goal of my presidency,” Dr. Sheldon said. “I am thrilled by the exciting new direction we are taking. As stewards of our community’s resources, we must continually evaluate our operations, to ensure that we are providing the best possible delivery of service.” The initial opportunity for a Jewish Family Service/Jewish Senior Services partnership began in July of 2006. Mike Silverman, Executive Director of JSS, was appointed as a consultant to Jewish Family Service and its director, Karen Gustafson, in the areas of operations and finance. During the subsequent six months, informal discussions explored the possible benefits a merger could bring the two agencies.
Inside Opinion Page see page 12
In March, Sheldon formalized the process when he named Adam Yale to Chair the JFS/JSS task force. Task force members included Elyce Azriel, Carol Bloch, Jim Farber, Gloria Kaslow, Jeff Kirshenbaum, Allan Murow and Anthony Scioli. The task f o r c e examined the current relationship of the two agencies and reasons to consider a str uctural change. The evaluMike Silverman ation process began with a focus on the issues and concerns from the perspective of each agency. The group conducted in-depth discussions with Silverman and Gustafson, who reported that cooperative programs and expanded services could be pursued in a number of areas, in addition to gaining administrative and operational efficiencies. Both the Jewish Family Service and Jewish Senior Services boards of directors were actively involved in these discussions. Over the course of the next several
months, the synergies between JFS and JSS became apparent to the members of the task force. In addition to the operational efficiencies gained by combining the two agencies, social services, counseling, transportation and the meals-onwheels program would all benefit by combining resources. “We think a merger will be good,” Yale added, “most of all for the beneficiarKaren Gustafson ies of the agencies, the agencies’ collective and ongoing missions, and the community at large. In the end, we will emerge with a strong organization that will improve on the already valuable services being provided to the community.” Noting the time, care and thought the JSS and JFS boards, his fellow task force members, as well as the Federation have put into this solution, Yale expressed his appreciation of the entire process. Based on the recommendation of the task force, the Jewish Federation of Omaha board of directors voted to
approve the merger at its Aug. 7 board meeting. Silverman will serve as Executive Director of the new agency, with Gustafson reporting directly to him. Bob Belgrade, President of the Jewish Senior Service board of directors, indicated that the merger will be a very positive move, and that there will be no disruption of any of the programs and services currently being offered. “We’re adding some management expertise to a staff that’s already wellqualified in the services that they provide. This merger will allow us to better serve our Jewish community by having management that can be forward-focused and more responsive to the varying needs of the people we serve,” he said. David Goldberg, immediate past-president of the Jewish Family Service board of directors, expressed his confidence in the future of the newly combined agency. “I am pleased that Jewish Family Service and Jewish Senior Services will be joining forces,” Goldberg added. “Under the expert stewardship of directors Karen Gustafson and Mike Silverman, the Omaha Jewish community can expect the finest care and programming from the combined agencies. Since last fall, Karen and Mike have demonstrated their expertise as they joined forces on projects at JFS ranging from computer system management to budgeting and personnel.” Continued on page 2
This Week: Sunday’s Limmud Omaha offers 12 sessions: Page 5 Coming Next Month: New Year’s Issue, Sept. 7 See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’
Seventies rebel takes job at cantorial school: Page 4
Yachad gets grant for Buddy Mentoring program: Page 7
Call out for artists to work in Partnership in Israel: Page 16