Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA September 28, 2012 12 Tishrei 5773 Vol. 93 | No. 2
Lion of Judah honors Nancy Noddle
This Week
by SHERRIE SAAG Communications Specialist, Jewish Federation of Omaha Nancy Noddle, philanthropist, dedicated volunteer and an active board and committee member in our community, received the Jewish Federation of North America’s KipnisWilson Friedland award Sept. 12 in New York City. The recognition took place during the International Lion of Judah Conference, where National Women’s Philanthropy celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the Lion of Judah. (note: Lions of Judah are a special group of dedicated women giving $5000 or more in their own names to their local Federations.) Nancy is one of a distinguished group of women worldwide recognized for making a significant impact in their communities and motivating other women to take an active role in philanthropy and Jewish community involvement. Accompanying Nancy to New York
Beth El playgroup offers friendship and fun Page 6
Annual Campaign kicks off with Beatlemania Pages 8 & 9
Nancy Noddle City were close friends and fellow Lions: Maxine Kirshenbaum, Sharee Newman and Jan Schneiderman. Maxine said of her friend of more than 45 years, “Nancy is a superb choice. With all that she does and as deeply as she cares for our commu-
nity, she is very deserving of this special designation. I celebrated at her wedding and I was thrilled to celebrate with her now.” In Omaha, previous Kipnis-Wilson Friedland award winners include Zoe Riekes, Anne Shackman, Maxine Kirshenbaum and the late Dorothy Riekes. The biennial event gathers hundreds (in this year’s case, a record breaking 1,700) top Jewish women philanthropists from North America, Israel, and around the world to motivate, inspire and show their support for the Jewish Federation of North America’s Annual Campaign. Sharon Kirshenbaum, Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) Campaign Director said of Nancy’s work, “she exemplifies the spirit of the Lion of Judah in every leadership role she takes on.” Nancy has chaired major gifts dinners with well-known speaker -- Tom Friedman and Abba Eban. She has chaired the JFO’s Lion of Judah division as well as the Women’s Campaign.
Currently, she serves on the Federation’s Campaign Advisory Committee and the board of Jewish Social Services. Nancy is also a trustee for the University of Nebraska Foundation. Nancy chaired the interiors committee for the renovation of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and chaired committees for the 100th anniversary celebration of Jewish Family Service. “Nancy is a quiet person, but very thoughtful and insightful. She is loyal and hardworking and, in turn, garners the respect of fellow committee and board members with whom she works,” said Kirshenbaum. There are close to 70 Lions of Judah in Omaha and their gifts to the 2012 Annual Campaign represented 21 percent of Campaign dollars. There are more than 17,000 Lions of Judah worldwide. The three day 2012 International Lion of Judah Conference (ILOJC) featured speakers including Cory A. Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey; Nancy Lublin, founder of Dress for Success; Larry A. Silverstein, President and CEO of Silverstein Properties, developer of the World Trade Center site and Dr. Continued on page 2
My Big Red family NJHS celebrates by RABBI JAMES GREENE My enjoyment of all things Nebraska has deep roots. My family came to Nebraska from Poland and Russia in the late 1800s and lived there for over 100 years. My grandmother, mother, and aunt are all graduates of the University of
down to me the values associated with being part of the Big Red Nation: teamwork, passion, and pride. On Sept. 8, 2012, Nebraska’s football team came to Pasadena to play UCLA. In support of our team, a span of four generations of our family piled into my car and drove the 7
by OZZIE NOGG The entire community is invited to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society on Sunday, Oct. 14, in the JCC Theater. The event runs from
that show the impact Jews have had in Nebraska and Eastern Iowa since the 1850s. The original founders of the organization were Mary Fellman and Dr. Oliver Pollak who -- along with Lois
Bitten by the Iron bug Page 16
Inside Point of view Synagogues In memoriam
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Next Month Jewish Camping See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press
Rabbi James Greene with his daughter Talyah and his mother at the Nebraska and UCLA football game. Nebraska. They raised me with a passion for Nebraska sports and passed
hours to the Rose Bowl. For my four-year-old daughter, Talyah, this was her first in-person experience with Nebraska sports and fans. As we drove down I-5, we shared stories of seasons past and taught Talyah some of the team cheers. I am the Rabbi at the AddisonPenzak Jewish Community Center in Los Gatos, CA. Before I left for my trip, a staff member asked me why I could possibly want to drive Continued on page 2
Mary Fellman and Oliver Pollak 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and includes volunteer award presentations, a retrospective of the NJHS though the words of its founders, plus a timeline exhibit of photographs, documents and other memorabilia from the Carl Frohm Archive Collection. A reception in the JCC Gallery follows the program. Since its incorporation in 1982, the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society has helped preserve local Jewish history through the collection of artifacts and documents
(Buck) Friedman, Silvia Roffman and Joie Simon -- met in Mary Fellman’s house, intent on preserving our past for the future. “Whenever Mary Fellman said, ‘Sivi, you’re going to help me with...’ I knew I was in for a great project and adventure,” Roffman said. “Our plans and dreams for the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society took place in Mary’s kitchen and dining room, a local version of Golda Meir’s cabinet Continued on page 3