Vol. XC No. 2 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 89 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
2 Tishrei 5770
September 10, 2010
Continuing Ben Remembering Sam Cooper Nachman’s legacy by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press Dr. Benjamin M. Nachman, retired dentist and dedicated volunteer for the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, passed away on Aug. 28, 2010. Born in 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska, Ben Nachman served as a Staff Sergeant in Korea between 1951-53, was a graduate of the Creighton School of Dentistry, and, since his retirement, had been deeply involved collecting other people’s stories. For more than 20 years he spent his days doing research into Omaha’s collective Jewish past. “This all started in the early ‘90’s,” according to Renee Ben Nachman Ratner-Corcoran, Executive Director of the NJHS. “Mary Fellman approached Ben about getting involved with the Oral History Project. Shortly thereafter, the Shirley and Buddy Goldstein Foundation gave us the tools to expand the program; today, we have between 350-400 interviews on file. The amount of work Ben did for our organization is incredible.” “The NJHS lost a piece of the organization’s heart with Ben’s passing,” said Joanie Bernstein, an NJHS past-President. Renee agreed: “Ben’s passion was enormous; after his family, which always came first, the work he did for the Historical Society was everything to him. His goal for the NJHS was to have the largest collection of oral histories in the country. He strongly believed that these stories needed to be told before they were buried. He left us with many previously untold stories that needed to be shared”. In the early ‘90’s he was asked by the Steven Spielberg Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation to conduct filmed interviews in a five-state area, in addition to his work at the NJHS. Ben’s dedication to remembering the Holocaust made him travel the world to interview survivors. “The stories he preserved came straight from the minds and hearts of those he contacted”, said Bernstein, “and their lives became a part of him. He read every book he could find on the subject. A few years ago, he donated his entire collection to a library in Tennessee.” Nachman has also worked diligently on the NJHS’s ‘Grocery project’. “It was Ben’s idea,” Renee said, “to create a way to preserve the history of mom & pop grocery stores, as part of the history of the Omaha Jewish community. The book should be finished by Spring 2011.” He will be missed. “I can’t believe he is gone,” Renee said. “I started working here at the Historical Society in 2001, and I spoke with him every day. He was one of a kind, easy to be around, smart, kind, and he was my friend.” Of course, Ben Nachman’s legacy does not end here; the work is simply too important. “Ben never intended for these projects to begin and end with him,” Renee said. “The work he did was much too valuable, and will continue. I feel it is very important the community knows that.” The reason Ben Nachman’s work will continue, according to Bob Belgrade, another NJHS pastPresident, is that it carries such long term meaning. “He visited hundreds of families over the years. As time goes by, we hope to digitize the files. I don’t think Continued on page 15
Inside Op-Ed Page: see page 12
by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Creighton University; he earned his law degree in two Editor of the Jewish Press years by using the accelerated program. Samuel V. Cooper was born in Chelm, Poland, in Initially, Cooper practiced law with Joe Friedenberg, 1922, and passed away on September 5 in Omaha, followed by Loyal Kaplan, and Jack Marer. Eventually, Nebraska. In 1929, his father he formed a law firm with Norm Martin, who had left for America Denenberg and Ed Mullery. a few years before, was able to Cooper served on two Omaha bring his wife and children over, City Charter Committees from and Sam started his new life in the mid 1950’s through the Omaha. Growing up, Sam 1960’s. Next, he was appointed worked in his father’s grocery by Nebraska Governor Ralph business. In a 2008 interview Gilmour Brooks as Douglas with Leo Biga for this paper, Sam County Election Commissioner. Cooper said his parents would He also worked on Adlai not have been disappointed if Stevenson’s campaign, and was he’d followed in his father’s footinterested in the election process, steps. Life, as it turned out, had because it showed the bigger things in store for him. “Democratic process in action”. Although Cooper needed help Cooper also was the Douglas with English language skills at his County Democratic Party grade school, by the time he Delegate at the 1968 Party attended Central High, he was Convention. active in speech and debate. In In 1972, Cooper was elected a Samuel V. Cooper 1940, his coach encouraged him Douglas County Judge. He to take part in a national essay contest. His essay “The stayed in that role until his retirement in 2005. After Benefits of Democracy” won local, regional, and retiring from the bench, he volunteered his time with national honors, as well as a check for $1000. Looking the Douglas County Prosecutor’s office. beyond the grocery business, he used the money to Cooper was a member of B’nai B’rith for almost 50 attend Omaha University. years. Sam is survived by wife, Judith; children, Hollie In 1943, Cooper saw his studies interrupted by WW and Abe Zeiderman, Denver, CO; Ronna and Mark II; he was drafted into the Quartermaster Corps and Emanuel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Marsha and served in England and Belgium. When he returned Steve Simon, and Justin and Joan Cooper, all of after the war, he used the GI Bill of Rights to attend Continued on page 15
Saying Lehitraot to a fabulous Shlicha by OZZIE NOGG talents. She was the glue that kept it all together and Har-Halutz-born Elya Wilson, who served this past moving forward.” year as Omaha’s Community Shlicha (our educational During her year in Omaha, Wilson enjoyed ‘hangtime’ Israeli emissary), has returned to Israel to begin Law herself. “Elya and I shared many meals and many meanSchool classes at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. A ingful conversations,” said Anne Muskin, BBYO/Teen recent luncheon in Wilson’s honor gave the community Director at the JCC. “I really enjoyed having her here, an opportunity to thank learning and growing Elya and say lehitraot -with her both in work we hope to see you and outside of work, again, soon. exploring programming, As Community joining forces with her Shlicha, Elya worked and laughing with her.” directly with children, One of Muskin’s favorite teens, students and ‘Elya memories’ involved adults in Omaha’s differa wintertime trip to ent synagogues, religious Walmart. “Elya had schools and youth come with me and as I groups. The programs was driving into the she facilitated helped parking lot she yelled, bring Israel to Omaha ‘Stop the car! Stop the and, in the process, won car!’ Elya had spotted a her many fans -- most huge snow drift and recently for her contribuwanted to photograph it tions to the 2010 for her friends in Israel. Elya Wilson Maccabi Games. UNL All the way back to the journalism student, Emily Giller, who spent this past JCC she marveled at the snow bank, what her friends summer as a Jewish Press intern, said, “I wrote several would think, and how lucky she was to have seen it. Elya articles for the Games and Elya was always there to give is the kind of person who elevates the seemingly unimme interviews and quotes when I needed them. She is portant and marvels at the little things.” such a sweet person and was a great addition to the Before coming to Omaha, Wilson served four years as Omaha JCC. She will be missed greatly. Elya told me an intelligence officer with the Israel Defense Forces, that if I visit Israel I have to tell her so we can meet up and then traveled to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and hang out. That sounds like a plan to me.” Vietnam and China. Elya plans to spend a month with Kim Goldberg, local artist and co-chair of the JCC family and friends in Har-Halutz in the Galilee -- the Maccabi Games Israel/Judaic Hangtime Committee, community where she grew up -- before starting her described Wilson as “our key team member for Maccabi studies. When asked to name a few of the memorable Hangtime. She kept us organized, informed and excited programs she spearheaded during her year in Omaha, about the Games. We couldn’t have executed the Wilson mentioned the BBYO Kallah weekend program, Hangtime plan without her thoughtful and committed Continued on page 2
Tri-teen summer experience, Page 8 See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press’
Debbi Josephson honored by Women of Reform Judaism Page 2
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Remembering September 11 Page 16