Vol. LXXXIII No. 51 Omaha, NE
Greek Jews Are Small in Number, but Heirs to a Rich and Long Tradition by JEAN COHEN ATHENS (JTA)--Although the largest Jewish community in Greece resides in Athens, Jews from Salonika -remnants of a once-thriving community--are more active and cohesive. In Salonika, known in Greek as Thessaloniki, where 1,000 of the country’s 5,000 Jews live today, the synagogue has a regular minyan and younger Jews gather at the local Jewish community center. But even these activities are a far cry from what Jews have meant to the city--and what the city has meant to Jews--during the approximately 2,400 years of Jewish life in Greece. All told, 43,850 Jews, 95 percent of the Salonikan Jewish population, were deported from Salonika. Out of 77,377 Jews in Greece, only 10,000 survived the Holocaust. Today, there are nine active Jewish communities in Greece: Athens; Thessaloniki, or Salonika; Larissa; Chalkis; Volos; Corfu; Trikala; Ioannina; and Rhodes. In the former three communities, synagogues hold services regularly--and in Athens and Salonika there are also Jewish schools.
Jewish fencer Sada Jacobson of Atlanta won America’s first medal ever in women’s fencing Tuesday by winning the bronze. Some of the other Jewish athletes at the Olympics include, pictured from top left: Israeli rhythmic gymnast Katya Pisetsky, American kayaker Joe Jacobi and swimmers Jason Lezak and Lenny Krayzelburg, Argentine weightlifter Dario Lecman, and Australian table tennis comCREDIT: JTA petitor David Zalcberg. The umbrella organization of Greek Jewry is the Central Board of Jewish Communities, known by its Greek abbreviation KIS. Other organizations include the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO), the Bat-El Union of Zionists for young women and the Union of Second Generation of Holocaust Survivors. The Jewish Museum of Greece, founded in Athens in 1977, preserves the heritage of the community. As it is elsewhere in the world, intermarriage is common among Greek Jews, who are generally assimilated and well-off and work in business or in white-collar professions. Many observers say that anti-Semitism in Greece today is on the rise. Most instances of antiSemitism have appeared in fringe papers and electronic media of the extreme right. One or two mainstream papers, such as Elefterotypia and Ta Nea, do occasionally carry anti-Semitic cartoons, mainly when they are trying to criticize Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon or Israeli policies. International Jewish groups have been quick to criticize the Greek government for not reacting to increased anti-Semitism, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center issued a travel advisory urging Jewish travelers to avoid visiting Greece for the Olympic Games, which continue through the end of this week. Continued on page 4
Inside
Celebrating 83 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
Pizza a Morale Booster for IDF Soldiers by PAM MONSKY show their appreciation to these dedicated and brave Federation Communications Director young men and women. Imagine, just for a moment, what life is like for the Sharon Kooper, who is funding the pizza program, young soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Force. The said “This is a wonderful way to give back to others night is dark and the location is hostile. The soldiers’ twice! Your increased Campaign gift will help Jews in mission is dangerous and full of personal discomfort, need locally and globally and we are showing support but it’s one of utmost importance---they are guarding and boosting the morale of Israeli soldiers. I think this our homeland and the citizens of Israel. is a unique way to thank these remarkable people for Finally, the time comes for a well-deserved break and the very difficult work they are doing,” she explained. that’s when the pizza delivery arrives. That’s right, a Each pizza comes with a message of support from the pizza. sender, so the soldiers will “It’s impossible to put into know that the Omaha words what the arrival of Jewish community apprecipizza can do for a tank crew ates their defense of Israel. sitting on the outskirts of Community members will Nablus,” said Lt. Col. Efraim have the opportunity to get Hivsh, commander of the to know four active duty 7050 Battalion. “Light in IDF officers when they their eyes, warmth in their arrive in Omaha on Sept. 7 stomachs and the heart that for a week of informal gathglows with love,” he adds, erings at different homes describing the appreciation and other locations throughof the soldiers in his comout the community. mand to those who ordered Jody Malashock and Marcia the pizza. Pitlor are co-chairs of the Israeli soldiers enjoy pizza while on duty, thanks to a unique By now you may be won- project: PizzaIDF. 2005 Community Campaign dering who ordered the Event with the IDF soldiers. pizza for these soldiers? The answer could be...you! “This is an unconventional Campaign event and a remarkIn honor and appreciation to the Israeli Soldiers who able opportunity for the Omaha Jewish community to will be visiting our community to kick off the Jewish connect with the soldiers,” said Pitlor. Federation of Omaha’s 2005 Annual Campaign (Sept. Malashock agreed and added, “We hear and see so 7-12), a sponsor from the community will pay for pizza many images in the media and many of them are distortto be delivered to Israeli troops for every increased gift ed. This is a rare chance to learn about what the IDF to the Campaign. The idea for delivering pizzas to the stands for from the people who are on the front lines.” soldiers comes from an on-line morale booster called To make a reservation for any of the IDF Soldier PizzaIDF (www.pizzaidf.org), which allows support- events, please contact me at 334.6431 or ers to send pizza and pop to active duty soldiers. All pmonsky@jewishomaha.org. Everyone attending pizzas are kosher, which allows all soldiers to be able will be asked to make their pledge to the 2005 Jewish to eat them. Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign.. Now the Omaha Jewish community will be able to Continued on page 12
JCC Hires First Full-time Shaliach, Will Work in Omaha More Than Just a Summer by JEFFREY AIZENBERG JCC Executive Dirctor In partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Jewish Community Center of Omaha will be hosting-for the first time ever--a year-round Israeli Shaliach (emmisary) beginning next month. Uri Levin will be joining the JCC staff for a year, in order to bring Israel experiences to the entire community in a very personal way. Like other shlichim who are placed in Jewish communities all over the world, Uri went through an extensive screening process in order to be selected. He also participated in an intensive training program conducted by the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem in order to prepare for his year-long experience in Omaha. Uri was born in March of 1981 and grew up in a small settlement in northern Israel--Zurit. He was a youth leader at his local community center when he was in high school and led a wide variety of activities from hiking to photography. He also enjoys acting, Israeli dancing and playing the guitar. He’s traveled to Greece, Italy, France, Holland, England, Cyprus, Germany and Egypt as well as the United States. In 1997 he was selected as a young ambassador of his Partnership 2000 project. This experience included hosting American teenagers in Israel and then spending time in Pittsburg and Baltimore in order to learn about
This Week: Olympic Coverage, Pages 4-5 New Video Collection Highlights Jewish Heritage: Page 3
3 Elul, 5764 August 20, 2004
Read It & Eat for Armchair Olympians: Page 7
Jewish life in the U.S. In November of 1999, after graduating high school, Uri joined the Israeli Navy as a crew member in a missle boat. He then went to the IDF’s officer academy and was then stationed at the Haifa naval base and naval headquarters in Tel Aviv as a staff officer. His father, Naftaly, is a Uri Levin human resurces consultant and his mother, Rivka, is an architect. He has a younger sister, Roni, currently in the IDF, and a younger brother Amir, 14 and in junior high school. Uri’s assignments at the ‘J’ will include working with BBYO. as well as all of the synagogue youth groups in the community. He will also work with the JCC’s Junior Maccabi Club as well as the regular JCC Maccabi Team. Uri will help organize many Israel related events throughout the year and will be a resource for all Jewish groups. He will also be teaching Hebrew at the Child Development Center and to teens, as well as leading song sessions for the JCC camps. Organizations with an interest in having Uri work with their groups should contact Rachel Blum, JCC Jewish Program Director, at 334.6404.
Coming Next Month: New Year’s Special Issue on Sept. 10 The Rothchilds This Sunday at Temple: Page 11
Former Omahan Looks for Votes for her Children’s Book: Page 12