Vol. LXXXV No. 7 Omaha, NE
Agency Selects New Name: The Center for Jewish Education By MARY SUE GROSSMAN Administrator “JELS” was an acronym that has been used to reference one agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha for a number of years. If pressed to give the complete agency name, many in the community would respond “Well, I’m not really sure.” When prompted that the full name was “Jewish Educational & Library Services”, the person
might nod, but if asked to describe what the agency did, the answers were often halting and incomplete. With the above responses in mind and an eye on the future, the members of the agency board embarked on selecting a new name. Keeping the agency’s mission statement in mind: “to educate our Jewish community by ensuring that a comprehensive array of high quality educational opportunities are available to all levels and ages of Jewish learners”, a number of options were considered until a consensus was reached with “The Center for Jewish Education.” Approval for the new name was received at the October Jewish Federation board meeting. Ann Goldstein serves as chairman for the board of The Center for Jewish Education. “The new name reflects what we are as an agency,” she explained, “and will help the community to more easily understand what the agency is all about.” Continued on page 2
Celebrating 84 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
25 Tishrei, 5766 October 28, 2005
Jonathan Kozol to Address Inequality of Education in America at Temple Israel by CLAUDIA SHERMAN tim, and shortchange the Temple Israel Communications Coordinator victim, and then tell him he can ‘learn to his potenIn the passion of the civil rights camtial’ if he and his teachers paigns of 1964 and 1965, Jonathan just try hard enough is Kozol moved from Harvard Square one of those bizarre politinto a poor black neighborhood of ical performances that’s Boston and became a fourth-grade very much in fashion in teacher in the public schools. Since our nation’s capital then, he has devoted his life to issues of Kozol says. today,” education and social justice in America. “Bombastic rhetoric and His newest book, The Shame of the presidential exhortation Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid cannot substitute for givSchooling in America, is the title of the ing children of the poor D’var Torah he will give at Shabbat the opportunities we give worship services on Friday, Nov. 4, 6 to children of the privip.m., at Temple Israel. leged,” he added. He knows “full well that ‘apartheid’ Kozol has been invitis a loaded word,” wrote Joshua ed to Omaha by Omaha Benton in a review of the book in The Public Schools (OPS), Dallas Morning News. As Kozol points Creighton University, out, “Laws that once sent black kids to and Bellevue Public one school and white kids to another Schools to speak to their have been gone for decades. But Jonathan Kozol administrators and teachschools are nearly as segregated today as they were 30 years ago, as white parents have moved to ers. The purpose of his visit is “to speak to ‘One City, the suburbs and minorities have remained in central One School District’ issues and how his current book and previous books apply,” said Luanne Nelson, cities.” In researching The Shame of a Nation, Kozol visited Director of public information at OPS. “The application dozens of public schools throughout the country, nur- is his premise that urban school districts across the counturing close relationships with students and educators try are being left behind,” she added. Realizing that Kozol is “a once in a lifetime speaker,” alike. Along the way, he witnessed situations and unearthed statistics that are as shocking as they are dis- Rabbi Aryeh Azriel invited the award-winning author heartening. But the book does more than expose prob- and educator to Temple Israel. lems. It also offers strong solutions. “To isolate the vic- Continued on page 4
Leadership Is Prominent Theme of Recent Mission to Kiev and Israel
Jewish Community to Honor its War Vets
by EUNIE DENENBERG Wendy Goldberg, Last month, 36 memPresident of Temple bers of the community Israel. “Surely my experitraveled to Ukraine and ences on the trip conIsrael on a Federation tribute to that purpose.” Leadership Mission. “A learning trip!” Jody Occasionally, one of us Malashock is enthusiastic. would reflect, “just what “First-timers to Israel IS our mission?” must come on a To see first-hand the Mission!” projects supported by “I’m reeling from our Omaha’s campaign dolexperiences,” smiles lars? That we did, from a Jennifer Glazer. “I came birthday party at a Joint to an ancient land and am Distribution Committee going home with stories Senior Center in of a ‘new’ Israel.” Berditchev, to a day Jim Glazer, campaign school in Kiev subsidized Young Leadership by the Jewish Agency for Stacey Rockman, Partnership with Israel chairman, embraces Chairman, concurs. “It’s Israel (JAFI), to Acco member of House of Wheels, a project supporting disabled chil- hard for me to describe,” where our Partnership dren; in the background are Myron Kaplan, left, and Howard he says, “but after bondwith Israel is helping revi- Goldstein. ing with the mission talize the Arab Souk. members and connecting to the people we met, I’ll be Maybe to learn more about Israel’s problems and suc- able to do a much better job in my Omaha work.” cesses-from Israelis, not CNN? Yes, that too. We heard We all felt the significance of connecting with Jews in stimulating speakers from the right and left, sociologists the Former Soviet Union and Israel. Katherine Finnegan and project directors who stirred us emotionally and saw an immediate link with her family when we visited intellectually. the Gordon School, a facility that is “twinned” with So what is our mission on a Mission? To see the sites? Temple Israel’s school, developing and sharing curricuWe did jeep rides in the Golan Heights and the Negev lum ideas. Desert. To have fun? Masada and the Dead Sea. “Every family, everywhere, has common issues,” she Finally, the question was answered on a deeper more notes. “Children, education, social problems. Israel, you personal level. are not alone.” “My mission is to lead a meaningful Jewish life,” says Continued on page 16
by RENEE CORCORAN Director, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society Omaha’s three major synagogues and the Jewish Community Center will celebrate the 350th anniversary of the presence of Jews in America, as well as the 60th anniversary of the victorious end of World War II and the destruction of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich. Armed services personnel will be honored with a striking exhibit conveying the experiences of many of the area’s Jewish war veterans and active duty personnel, beginning with the opening of the Veterans and Active Service People exhibit at the JCC, Sunday, Nov. 13, 35 p.m. The Jewish Boy Scout troop will conduct the flag-raising ceremony and a Lloyd Krasne, a WWII veteran reception will follow the free program, open to the public. Jewish veterans who served in all conflicts--from World War II to the present--along with several of today’s active duty military men and women will be recognized, said Beth Seldin Dotan, who is coordinating the observance. Sponsors are the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, the Great Plains Chapter of the AntiDefamation League and area synagogues. Continued on page 15
Inside Opinion Page see page 12
This Week: Monthly Calendar, Pages 8-9 Where Do Your Campaign Dollars Go? Page 3
Coming Next Month: First Special Issue on Travel & Entertainment
Rabbi Forman to Discuss “Schizophrenia in Land of Israel”: Page 5
Film Review: Walk on Water: Page 6
92nd St. Y Features Author Deborah Lipstadt: Page 11