Vol. LXXXVII No. 7 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 86 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
The only Jewish chaplain in Iraq reports on connecting Jews in the military by CHAPLAIN (CPT) SHLOMO SHULMAN wearing leather on Yom Kippur. It was just hours before the start of the Sukkot holiHow many Jewish soldiers are stationed in Iraq? day, as the Blackhawk helicopter cut across the Iraqi It’s difficult to get an accurate count, because they desert, on a mission to transport important cargo. No, often avoid designating their “faith group” in military these were not top-secret military supplies, nor ammu- databases, especially once they find out they’ll be nition for the battle against Iraqi insurgents. Actually, it deployed to an Arab country. They may not want the was an emergency supply of lulavs and etrogs. word “Jewish” printed on their ID necklaces (dog tags). As the only Jewish chaplain stationed in Iraq , life is, If they’re captured in Iraq or Afghanistan, what kind of well, interesting. Iraq was treatment could they expect? once the pinnacle of the Once a week or so, I ride Jewish world, dating back in a Humvee up to Camp 2,500 years ago when Jews Victory, the massive military were exiled from Israel after complex from which the the destruction of the first generals run the war, using Holy Temple. The Talmud Saddam’s lakefront Al-Faw was written here, and Palace as their headquarters. prophets are buried here. Saddam’s initials are everyAnd now, I am leading where, his egomaniacal way services at the only synaof making sure a conqueror gogue in town. My “shul” is would have to dismantle the a prefabricated plywood whole building to erase his building that serves as the legacy. The place is quite chapel here at Camp Striker, ostentatious, with the secadjacent to Baghdad ond-largest chandelier in the International Airport, where world (after one that hangs I’ve been stationed since in Buckingham Palace). May. Camp Victory also has an My main responsibility is array of ornate stone and to ensure every soldier’s free Cpt. Shlomo Shulman, the only Jewish chaplain in Iraq, marble vacation cottages exercise of his religion, as works from one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces. that had been reserved for guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. That means con- Saddam's family and cronies. It’s all arranged around an tacting Jewish soldiers and helping them with their enormous man-made lake -- the perfect location for my needs -- whether it be counseling, kosher food, or the “congregants” and I to do the Tashlich service after question of whether it’s permitted to wear regulation Rosh Hashanah. leather Army boots in light of the restriction against Continued on page 4
HUC professor of Jewish and Islamic Studies to serve as scholar at Temple by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Professor Reuven Firestone's impressive list of speaking venues sounds like U.S. News and World Report's roll call of elite universities. He has been invited to lecture at Brandeis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Oxford, University of California at Berkeley, Stanford, Princeton, and George Washington University. Professor of medieval Jewish and Islamic studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Los Angeles since 1997, Prof. Firestone will be Temple Israel’s scholar-in-residence FridaySunday, Nov. 16-18, discussing the topic, “Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in Dialogue and Dissent.” He has been at HUC-JIR since 1985 serving as director of the Edgar J. Magnin School of Graduate Studies, a lecturer of Biblical Hebrew and Babylonian Aramaic, and as an associate professor. From 1997 to 2005, Dr. Firestone was director of the Jerome Louchheim School of Undergraduate Jewish Studies at the University of Southern California. From 1987 to 1992, Dr. Firestone was assistant professor of Hebrew language and literature and director of Hebrew and Arabic programs at Boston University. In addition, he was the academic director of Boston University Study Abroad at the University of Haifa, Israel. Dr. Firestone has also served as a visiting scholar intermittently at Kibbutz Lotan in Israel, and a lecturer of Islamic and Jewish studies at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. Perhaps one of the most controversial lectures Dr. Firestone gave was at Ain Shams University in Cairo,
Inside
Egypt, where he had been awarded a 2006 CASA III Fellowship at American University. The fellowship was funded by the Fulbright Binational Committee in Egypt and the U.S. Department of Education. “Things became interesting in Egypt,” after he gave the lecture, Dr. Firestone said. The topic was “The Chosen People: Professor Reuven Firestone The Idea of Chosenness in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.” It was “provocative, stimulated a lot of questions and answers, and some significant disagreement,” according to Dr. Firestone. He was accused by at least three Egyptian newspapers of attacking Islam. “I was interviewed the day the articles appeared by a sympathetic Egyptian journalist who attended the lecture and was outraged by the coverage. He interviewed me in beautiful Hebrew. That article appeared a couple days later in the political opposition newspaper and is very good, informative, and actually cites me rather than those who attacked me,” Dr. Firestone explained. Born in Santa Rosa, CA, Dr. Firestone was educated at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Antioch College in Ohio, HUC-JIR where he received his M.A. in Hebrew literature and history in 1980 and rabbinic ordination in 1982. He also attended New York University where he Continued on page 3
This Week: Monthly Calendar for November: Pages 8-9
See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’ Opinion Page see page 12
Women do homework in preparation for community event: Page 3
14 Cheshvan, 5768 October 26, 2007
Riekes and Belgrade to receive Spirit of Federation awards by LISA LIEB Federation Communications Director Norman Sheldon, president of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, has announced that Margo Riekes and Bob Belgrade will receive the Phil and Terri Schrager Spirit of Federation Award, funded by the Phil and Terri Schrager Supporting Foundation. The Schragers have provided funding for this annual award to honor men and women age 45 Bob Belgrade or older who have shown personal commitment, dedication and leadership in the Federation and its Centers of Excellence, and shown a passion for Jewish life. The awards will be presented at the Federtion’s Community Event on Thursday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m., at the downtown Hilton Hotel (1001 Cass St). Recipients Riekes and Belgrade are viewed as outstanding role models, inspiring others to join them in serving the Omaha Jewish community. Margo Riekes Margo Riekes’ volunteer resume reads like a chapter in a tikkun olam “How to” book. Just as she teaches her students at Beth El Synagogue that it’s fun to participate and to do things, she does the same for the Omaha Jewish community. Being a board member isn’t enough for Riekes. She has served as president or as chairman of committees of the Jewish Community Center, Friedel Jewish Academy and the Bureau of Jewish Education (which became Jewish Educational and Library Services and now is called the Center for Jewish Education). In addition to leading those organizations over several decades, Riekes has also served on the strategic planning and marketing committees of the Federation and has been a division leader for annual campaigns. While Riekes has worked on fundraising for her projects, what she really likes is creating programs that benefit the community and its youth -- even when the money has been raised by others. “Once a project is started, there is nothing more rewarding than to see the fruits of your labor grow and flourish,” she remarked. Some of the projects she refers to are still in existence or are being developed throughout the Jewish community. For example, more than 20 years ago, Riekes presented the idea of a sprung wood floor for the dance studio. She knew that it was essential to have that type of flooring if the dance department was to be successful. Many laughed at her and said it would never happen, but she helped secure the funding for the floor. Today, the JCC Dance Department is known as one of the finest in the city, and will soon install an enhanced version of the sprung wood floor. So much of what Riekes works on has to do with young people. Many years ago, she helped to create the ARTZA teen trip to Israel. She wanted Omaha teens to have their own trip to Israel, and in 1988 that became a reality. While Chairman for the United Talmud Torah (UTTO) High School, she created the Merit Scholarship and ROOTS programs for high school students. Merit Scholarships award teens with money to use for youth group conventions, trips to Israel or college. Continued on page 2
Coming Next Month: Hanukkah issue on Nov. 23 Art exhibit to accompany Klutznick-Harris Symposium: Page 5
GOP candidates make case at Republican Jewish conference: Page 7