November 4, 2005

Vol. LXXXV No. 8 Omaha, NE

Celebrating 84 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa

2 Cheshvan, 5766 November 4, 2005

Young Leadership Award Winners to be Honored

by OZZIE NOGG It has been said that if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. Those qualities, demonstrated in their volunteer work for the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Omaha, and the Friedel Jewish Academy respectively, have earned Michael W. Miller and Julie Phillips the Federation’s Young Leadership Awards for 2004.

The awards, named in memory of Bruce Fellman and Lois Jeanne Schrager, are given annually to men and women under the age of forty-five in recognition of personal commitment, dedicated involvement and exemplary leadership qualities in rendering service to the Jewish and general community. Miller and Phillips were among a group nominated by Federation agencies, and their final selection was made by a committee composed of past honorees. The awards will be presented at a Young Jewish Omaha event on Thursday, Nov. 17, 68 p.m., at Ironwood Country Club.

Miller, together with his wife, Lori Erman Miller, and daughters Hannah, 9, Leah, 8, and Emma, 3, has lived in Omaha for eight years.

“When we moved here from Chicago,” Miller said, “the community was very receptive, they welcomed us, so it was easy to get turned on and involved. My first association with the Omaha Jewish

Young Leadership Looking to Make Real and Substantial Contributions

Michael Miller

Julie Phillips

community was when I took a few cards for the Federation’s annual campaign, and joined the Health & Fitness Committee of the Jewish Community Center. My parents and in-laws taught me how important it is to volunteer and give something back to the Jewish community, and Lori and I welcome those around us who do the same.”

Miller went on to become the Federation’s Young Leadership Chairman in 2001-03, and is currently a member of both the JCC and Federation boards. In addition to his work with the Health & Fitness Committee, Miller has chaired the Budget Committee of the JCC, and

served on the Budget and Allocation Committee of the Federation. He is President-elect of the Jewish Community Center (2006-08) and Co-Chairman of Omaha’s upcoming 2006 Summer Artza Trip for Teens to Israel. In addition, Miller chaired the 2005 Temple Israel Golf Outing, and sat on a Temple Israel Budget Review Committee in 2005.

Currently, Miller is Co-Chairman of AIPAC Nebraska, serves on the Board of Directors of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and is VicePresident/Treasurer of Ironwood Golf and Country Club.

Continued on page 5

What Your Kids Are Learning about Israel, America and Islam JTA Staff Report NEW YORK (JTA) -- With the school year back in full swing, do you know what your children are learning?

In thousands of public school districts across the United States, without ever knowing it, taxpayers pay to disseminate proIslamic materials that are anti- American, antiIsrael and anti-Jewish.

Often bypassing school boards and nudging aside approved curricula, teaching programs funded by Saudi Arabia make their way into elementary and secondary school classrooms.

These teachings enter school systems with the help of a federal program, Title VI of the Higher Education Act, that is now up for renewal.

Expert analyses of these materials have found them to be full of inaccuracies, bias and proselytizing. They also have found that many of the major history and social studies textbooks used in schools across the country are highly critical of democratic institutions and forgiving of repressive ones.

These materials praise and sometimes promote Islam, but criticize Judaism and Christianity and are filled with false assertions.

Most taxpayers don’t know they’re paying -- at the federal, state and local levels -- for the public schools to advance these materials.

Much has been written about the anti-Israel, anti-

Inside Opinion Page see page 12

Jewish Omaha to Honor Vets Page 2

Sukkot and Simchat Torah Around the Heartland

American bias found at many university Middle East studies departments, some of which receive Saudi funding. Critics have also probed the export of Saudi teachings to American mosques and Islamic schools.

A special yearlong investigation by JTA reveals for the first time how Saudi influence is penetrating the American classrooms of young children. The investigation uncovers the complex path by which biased textbooks and supplementary teaching materials creep into U.S. public schools. It reveals who creates these materials and how some of America’s most prestigious universities -- with the use of federal funds -- become involved in disseminating them.

Saudi influence enters the classrooms in three different ways. The first is through teacher-training seminars that provide teachers with graduate or continuing-education credits.

The second is through the dissemination of supplementary teaching materials designed and distributed with Saudi support. Such materials flood the educational system and are available online.

The third is through school textbooks paid for by taxpayers, some of them vetted by activists with Saudi ties, who advise and influence major textbook companies about the books’ Islamic, Arab, Palestinian, Israeli and Middle Eastern content.

Continued on page 3

This Week: Teen Age Features OTYG: Page 11 Experts Explain Stem Cell Research Page 4

by OZZIE NOGG Jim Glazer recently returned from the Federation Mission with an even greater appreciation for family ties, a heightened respect for group cooperation and a deeper bond with the people and land of Israel. He’ll bring all these insights to his role as Young Leadership Division Chairman of Federation’s 2006 Living Generously campaign.

“This was my first trip to Israel,” Glazer explained, “and it was amazing. To stand by the Wall with my brother, John, was an incredible experience. Added to that, there were three generations of Omaha Jews on the mission, and the group got along so well. My only problem, even though I’m young and in shape, was trying to keep up with Bucky Greenberg, who’s 81. Finally, we had the chance to talk with young Israelis and learn, first hand, about the complexities of their lives. So, one could say the Mission was a mini-version of what Campaign is all about. A multi-generational effort and show of support--to one’s own family and local community, to Israel and to our Continued on page 5

Howard K. Marcus carries a Torah around the social hall at Temple Israel during the processional at Simchat Torah services last week. The holiday, which ends four weeks of Jewish holidays starting with Rosh Hashanah, celebrates reading the last parasha (Torah portion) and rewinding the scroll to begin again at Bereishit (Genesis). At Temple, kindergartners celebrated consecration and their new beginning along with students in Temple’s Religious School. More photos from other celebrations on page 9.

Coming Nov. 18: First Special Issue on Travel & Entertainment A Day in the Life of a Mission Page 8

Chabad Women of Worth Initiate New Auxiliary: Page 16

Page 2

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 4, 2005

NCJW Program at Planned Jewish Omaha to Honor Parenthood Expected Veterans--on Veteran’s Day MARY BORT to Leave Lasting Impression byThe Omaha community is joining together to honor

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS FRIDAY, NOV. 4 “Ima and Me” Class, 10:30 a.m. at Chabad House SATURDAY, NOV. 5 Jewish Film Festival: Walk on Water, 7 p.m.

SUNDAY, NOV. 6 Living Hebrew Class and Bible Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El C Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Prayer Class and Jewish Potpouri, 11 a.m. at Beth El L Camp Fair and Luncheon, noon at Temple Israel I BESTT Chaverim, 12:30 p.m. at Beth El P Basketball Mandatory Parent Meeting, 1 p.m.

Yachad Recapturing Events of the Year, 1 p.m.

Associated Artists of Omaha Reception, 2 p.m. & Stem Cell Research Program, 2 p.m. at Beth El Jewish Film Festival Walk on Water, 7 p.m.

S MONDAY, NOV. 7 A JSS Senior Luncheon, 10 a.m.

V Executive Board, 5:30 p.m. at Friedel E NCJW Book Club, 7 p.m.

C L I P & S A V E

Board of Directors, 7 p.m. at Friedel Derekh Torah Course, 7:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, NOV. 8 Rabbi David Forman, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel “The Guy & Bob Show”, noon AZA and BBG New Member Training, 5 p.m.

BBYO Night, 6 p.m. ”Live from the 92nd Street Y,” 7 p.m.

Lecture with Rabbi Gross, Part II, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9 ADL Prejudice Elimination Workshop, 7:30 a.m.

PATTER, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El C Rabbis and Presidents Meeting, 11:30 a.m.

Hadassah Speaker, noon L Jewish Book Fair with Sam Apple, 7 p.m.

I Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel

P THURSDAY, NOV. 10 Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel

& Walk-in Drop-in, 10 a.m.

Class with Rabbi Levin noon at Beth El Long Range Planning Meeting, noon at Temple Israel Yiddish Group, 1 p.m.

Friedel Scholastic Book Fair, 6 p.m. in the Commons

S A V E All events held at the JCC unless otherwise indicated. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of events. To keep calendar accurate or for questions, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437.

FOR A COMPLETE LISTING, VISIT THE FEDERATION’S WEBSITE: www.JewishOmaha.org (click on calendar)

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C L I P & S A V E

by SHARON BARGAS NCJW Omaha Section Public Relations Vice-President Current controversy surrounds the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) refusal to approve over-thecounter sales of emergency contraception called Plan B. The issue has sparked heated discussion between women’s rights organizations and religious conservatives who say it will promote promiscuity, particularly in young people.

NCJW is scheduled to address topics including emergency contraception, as well as Medicare reform at an upcoming event at Planned Parenthood of Nebraska & Council Bluffs, 4610 Dodge St., on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 11:30 a.m. Lunch will be served, and a tour of the facility will be provided.

Attendees will have an opportunity to hear Planned Parenthood executives insight regarding matters of emergency contraception and its role within Medicare reform. To register for the event, contact Andee Scioli at 341.6000 or ascioli@fslf.com or Dana Cohn at 558.1318 or cohndb@aol.com.

“Emergency contraception blends into Medicare reform in Nebraska,” says Nancy Nogg, Vice-president of development. “One aspect of emergency contraception is the economic view which ties these issues together.”

In 2003, two independent expert FDA advisory panels recommended making Plan B safe for over-the-counter sales, but it has yet to be approved by the Agency because of its concern that women under 16 may not understand the label instructions. Currently, emergency contraception is only available through prescription, making it more difficult to obtain in an emergency.

“Women increasingly turn to Planned Parenthood for emergency contraception,” says Nogg.

Planned Parenthood is a leading provider of emergency contraception in the U.S. The number of women receiving emergency contraception from Planned Parenthood has grown to over 600,000 in recent years.

Planned Parenthood offers all safe, available emergency contraceptive choices, but not every method is available at every Planned Parenthood health center. Some health centers offer “just-in-case” emergency contraception kits to keep at home, also called EC-to-Go. Emergency contraception has been available for more than 25 years and could prevent 1.7 million unintended pregnancies in the U.S. Research shows women 17 and up can safely use Plan B without a doctor’s advice.

“This NCJW event will be a wonderful opportunity for women to learn from community leaders about emergency contraception and Medicare reform. To make the right choices for our families, it is crucial for us to know about our options and to understand our rights,” insists Andee Scioli, NCJW Board member.

veterans. Temple Israel, Beth El and Beth Israel have scheduled special services in honor of Veteran’s Day. On Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, Temple Israel will honor congregants who are veterans of military service and those on active duty during Temple’s 7:30 p.m.

Shabbat worship service. Rabbis will ask veterans and active duty service personnel to come up to the bimah to be honored. Cantor Wendy Shermet plans to sing a tribute to the honorees.

Howard Silber, military affairs editor at the Omaha World-Herald from 1955-88, will give the D’var Torah.

Silber served in the U.S. Army’s 103rd Infantry Division from 1942 to 1945. He saw combat in Europe before being wounded on Dec. 14, 1944.

Any members of Temple Israel who are on active duty or retired from the armed services are asked to contact Temple Program Director Rosie Zweiback if you are planning to attend the service on Nov. 11. Zweiback can be reached at rzweiback@templeisraelomaha.com or 556.6536.

Beth El will honor Veteran’s Day during morning services on Saturday, Nov. 12, starting at 9:30 a.m.

Members of Beth El who are active-duty or retired from the military will participate during the service. For more information about Beth El’s special service on Nov. 12, call 492.8550.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, Beth Israel will hold a special Veterans Recognition ceremony during Shabbat services on Saturday, Nov. 12. Shacharit starts at 9 a.m., with a Parsha class taught by Rabbi Gross at 10 a.m., followed by the Torah Reading. Jake Besser, a long-time member of Beth Israel and Retired Senior Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, will deliver the D’var Torah.

In addition, Beth Israel members who are active duty or retired military personnel will be invited to join in leading a prayer for the American military. This will be the inaugural week of adding the prayer to Beth Israel’s weekly Shabbat service.

Services honoring veterans at Temple Israel, Beth El and Beth Israel have been planned in conjunction with the special exhibit “Jewish Omaha’s Service to the U.S. Armed Forces” honoring Jewish veterans and active duty personnel. A reception for the exhibit will be held at the JCC on Sunday, Nov. 13, 3-5 p.m.

The photo exhibit of 30 veterans along with interview excerpts will be on display at the JCC. Then the exhibit will travel to Beth El, Beth Israel and Temple Israel through Jan. 2006, and return to the JCC Gallery for the month of February 2006. This special exhibit is sponsored by the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, the Anti-Defamation League, Beth El, Beth Israel and Temple Israel. For more information on the exhibit, call the NJHS at 334.6442.

Special Beth El Veterans’ Shabbat to Honor Those Who Have Served Our Country

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator To pay tribute to those Jewish community members who have served in the U.S. military, Beth El Synagogue has planned a special Veterans’ Shabbat on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 9:30 a.m. The service will coincide with “Jewish Omaha’s Service to the U.S. Armed Forces”, a pictorial exhibit which will be on display at the JCC and area synagogues for the next several months. Co-sponsored by Beth El, Beth Israel and Temple Israel, along with the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Historical Society, this exhibit will be on display at Beth El from Monday, Nov. 14, through Monday, Dec. 12.

For Paul Cohen, retired Brigadier General, United States Air Force, participating in the service was a nobrainer. “When your synagogue calls, how can you say no?” he asked. Cohen, who spent 35 years in the Air Force--28 of them in the Nebraska Air National Guard-remarked that “It is important that we honor our veterans, especially right around Veterans’ Day. We must remember that Jews do serve in the military--for a long time, they were not recognized in the community.

“It is very meaningful that our synagogue is making the effort to recognize those who have served, from World War II veterans--still the greatest generation--to those currently serving in the Iraq War. We’re doing our part as citizens of the United States, and I appreciate the synagogue for its recognition during this special day.”

For Captain Tamara Say, USAF, the upcoming service

recognizes not only veterans such as herself, but also honors active members of the military, including her husband, Rhon, who is currently serving in Iraq.

“People in the armed forces work really hard--they’re on duty 24/7, working 15-hour days and not being paid overtime--and that’s just the way it is,” she said. “And when the people at home appreciate what you do, it is such a wonderful thing.”

Say, a civil engineer officer during her six-year stint in the Air Force, plans to read Torah in the upcoming Shabbat service and is chairing the Kiddush reception afterward. “Being a veteran is special to me,” she said.

“I’m glad I joined the Air Force; I had a wonderful time and loved my time in.

“Jews in the armed services don’t have it easy,” she added. “It’s hard to find kosher food, and some people have never met Jews. When I was in Minot [Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota], some people came up to me and said ‘I’ve never met a Jew before.’ It’s really not easy, but it was a wonderful experience.”

Say will stand proudly with the other veterans who will join together on the 11th to participate in or attend this special service (at press time, other participants included congregants Larry DeBruin, Harvey Cooper, Eyov Lailari, David Adler, Ben Shapiro, Daniel Eccles, Ed Schneider, Paul Cohen, Larry Brookstein, Dick Fellman, Trevor Gerson and Tuffy Epstein), and the community is invited to celebrate Shabbat at Beth El and say thanks to those who have so selflessly served our country.

November 4, 2005

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 3

What Your Kids Are Learning Continued from page 1 Ironically, what gives credibility to the dissemination of these distorted materials is Title VI of the Higher Education Act, a federal program enacted in 1958 in part to train international experts to meet the nation’s security needs.

Under Title VI, select universities get federal funding and prestigious designation as national resource centers for the study of places and languages the government deems vital for meeting global challenges.

Eighteen of these centers are for the study of the Middle East; each receives an average of about $500,000 per year. The taxpayersupported grants are worth at least 10 times that amount in their ability to garner university support and attract outside funding, proponents of Title VI say.

As part of its federal mandate, each center assigns an outreach coordinator to extend its expertise to the community and to school-age children in kindergarten through 12th grade. Outreach usually includes workshops, guest speakers, books, pamphlets and whole syllabuses and curricula broken down into teaching modules, with instruction booklets for teachers, and sometimes visual aids such as films.

While some school district officials are completely unaware of the material reaching their teachers and classrooms, others welcome it: Believing they’re importing the wisdom of places like Harvard or Georgetown, they actually are inviting into their schools whole curricula and syllabuses developed with the support of Riyadh.

The Arab World Studies Notebook is one such example. Billed by its creators as an important tool to correct misperceptions about Islam and the Arab world, the manual for secondary schools has been blasted by critics for distorting history

whole question of defining American interests and concerns--is well worth exploring.”

• Suggests that the Koran “synthesizes and perfects earlier revelations,” meaning those ascribed to by Christians and Jews.

• Leaves out any facts and figures about the State of Israel in its country-by-country section, but refers instead only to Palestine.

One of the groups involved in the publication is the Berkeley, CA-based Arab World and Islamic Resources, or AWAIR, (www.awaironline.org) founded in 1990 with funding from organizations that include Saudi Aramco, a Saudi government-owned oil company.

The editor of the notebook is Audrey Shabbas, AWAIR’s founder. Saudi Aramco World, the publication of Saudi Aramco, features pieces praising Shabbas and her teacher-training materials.

The second organization involved in the manual is the Middle East Policy Council of Washington, which helps print and disseminate the 500-page manual of essays, lesson plans and primary sources.

The council lists the manual as the primary resource material for its teacher-training program. It employs Shabbas to conThe Web site for Arab World and Islamic duct its training and seminars. According Resources, one of the groups behind the Arab to the group’s Web site (www.mepc.org), World Studies Notebook, a secondary-school more than 16,000 educators have attended text that critics say distorts history. its workshops in 175 cities in 43 states. The ence on U.S. foreign policy. Referring to manual itself claims to have reached 25 milHarry Truman’s support of the 1947 lion students.

The council, which is headed by United Nations resolution to partition Palestine, separating it into Jewish and Charles Freeman Jr., a former U.S. Arab states, it says: “Truman’s decision to ambassador to Saudi Arabia, gets direct push the U.N. decision to partition funding from Saudi Arabia.

In an interview, the council’s acting Palestine ended in the creation of Israel.

The questions of Jewish lobbying and its director, Jon Roth, declined to specify impact on Truman’s decision with regard how much money his group gets from to American recognition--and indeed, the Riyadh, but made clear that he is seeking and propagating bias.

First published in 1990 as the Arab World Notebook, the manual was updated to its current form in 1998. The newer publication was created as the joint project of two organizations--both of which receive Saudi funding.

Some of the references are subtle, critics say, making them all the more harmful. For example, the manual: • Denigrates the Jews’ historical connection to Jerusalem. One passage, describing the Old City, says: “the Jerusalem that most people envisage when they think of the ancient city, is Arab. Surrounding it are ubiquitous high-rises built for Israeli settlers to strengthen Israeli control over the holy city.”

• Suggests that Jews have undue influ-

much more.

In September, Roth visited Saudi Arabia to meet with Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud, a member of the royal family who owns Kingdom Holding Company, one of the world’s wealthiest companies.

“We have been trying to cultivate the relationship with the prince for a long time, because he has lots of money,” Roth said after his trip.

“Our hope and expectation is millions” from the Saudi prince, who initiated the meeting after hearing about the teaching program, Roth said. He said his group operates on an annual budget of $750,000.

The council’s board of directors includes executives from companies with huge financial stakes in Saudi Arabia, including Boeing, ExxonMobil Saudi Arabia, the Carlyle Group and the Saudi Binladin Group.

Roth said that funding to the organization “has no strings attached.”

Sandra Stotsky, a former senior associate commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Education, is one of a growing number of critics of the Arab World Studies Notebook. It is one of the examples she cites in a study, “The Stealth Curriculum: Manipulating America’s History Teachers,” in which she examines supplemental teaching materials.

The problem with many of the supplemental materials, which are most often distributed through teacher training workshops, “is the ideological mission of the organizations that create them,” she said in her study, published last year by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, a Washington-based think tank on education.

Continued on page 7

LIVE GENEROUSLY. IT DOES A WORLD OF GOOD.

TM

The following people are living generously through their gift to the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s 2006 Annual Campaign.

Pacesetters and Lions of Judah are listed in bold print. Donors who have increased their gift are also listed in bold print.

Lion of Judah Double Chai Men’s Campaign Men’s Campaign Women’s Campaign Women’s Campaign Women’s Campaign

Pacesetters

Pacesetters

(Men making an annual gift of $6,000 or more) Baker Family Harold Bernstein Steven Bloch Irv Blumkin Ronald Blumkin Jack Cohen Gary D. Epstein Harold Epstein Paul Epstein Robert Epstein Joseph Erman Michael Erman David Friedland Sandy Friedman Friedman Family Lawrence Gilinsky Morton Glass Dick Glazer Donald Goldstein Herbert Goldsten Trust Jerry Gordman Don Greenberg Gary Javitch Arnold Joffe Howard Kaslow Joseph Kirshenbaum Kevee Kirshenbaum Howard Kooper Martin Lehr Leonard Lewis Edward Malashock Bernie Meyers David Meyers Allan Murow * N. Pitlor & Son Murray Newman Allan Noddle Omaha Bedding Company

Omaha Steaks Anne and Alan Simon Eve and Fred Simon Kathy and Steve Simon Stacy and Bruce Simon Todd Simon Alan Parsow Sol Parsow Michael Platt Henry & Dorothy Riekes Endowment Fund Andrew Robinson Larry Roffman Bruce Shackman Norm Sheldon Dan Sherman Stuart Simon Gerald Simons Jerry Slusky Special Donor-Advised Fund Swartzbaugh FarberAssociates, Inc. Isidore Tretiak Maurice Udes John Waldbaum Eugene Zweiback

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(Women making an annual giftof $3,600-$4,999) Susie Blumkin Eunie Denenberg * Pearl Richman Giventer Phyllis Glazer Gloria Kaslow Shirley Kulakofsky Kim Noddle Suzanne Singer Mimi Waldbaum

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(Women making an annual giftof$5,000 or more) Margie Alperson Phyllis Aronson Judy Baker Frances Batt Susie Cohn ✡ Sandy Epstein Darlynn Fellman Frances Fried Nancy Friedland Roz Friedman Tham Friedman Janet Glass Ann Goldstein * Jan Goldstein Shirley Goldstein Linda K. Gordman Deborah Greene Karen Javitch Sharon Kooper Bobbi Leibowitz Jeanie Neff Sharee Newman Patty Nogg Carol Parsow Dorothy Riekes Zoë Riekes Jan Schneiderman Bev Seldin Anne Shackman Phyllis Sherman Ellen Slosburg Gail Veitzer Joodi Veitzer Anonymous

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Pomegranate (Women making an annual gift of $1,800-$3,599) Chris Blumkin * Jane Brooks Esther Canar Anne Cohen Elaine Feldman Deanna Gilinsky Caryl Greenberg Joanie Jacobson Joan Kaiman Renee Kasner Sharon Kirshenbaum Barbara Lashinsky * Jody Malashock Janie Murow * Barb Platt Iris Ricks Stacey Rockman * Esther Simon Selma Tretiak Debbi Zweiback *

Jeffrey Aizenberg Bruce Belgrade Stuart Bernstein * Albert Bloch Howard Borden Morris Bresel Peter Brodkey Sheldon Cohen Jerold Dann Norman Denenberg * Jacque Dolgoff David Dvorkin Bob Endelman Sam Epstein Abraham Faier Richard Fellman Cantor Leo Fettman Paul Fine Jerry Freeman Robert Freeman Walter Friedlander Scott Friedman Robert Fromkin Julius Froom David Goldstein Howard Goldstein Mark Goldstrom Alan Goodman Bruce Gutnik Bucky Greenberg Bud Greenspan James Hamicksburg * Jerry Hoberman Art Jacobson David Jacobson Howard Kaiman Gary Kaplan Myron Kaplan Sandy Kasin Richard Katelman

Mark Kohn Leonard Krasne Manfred Kreitstein Rabbi Myer Kripke Ben Lebowich Michael Leibowitz Harvey Lipsman Neal Malashock Bruce Meyers Carl Milder Alvin Nogg Norman Pred Steven Redler Miles Remer Harry Richman Marty Ricks Howard Ruback Ben Schneider Howard Shrier Ramon Somberg Harry Wolfson Irvin Yaffe Harold Zabin

Helen Abrahamson Louise Abrahamson Charlotte Adler Susan Aizenberg Eleanor Alexander Millie Altman Mary Bernstein Rose Bernstein * Doris Cohn Janey Dann Rose Davis Edith Epstein Jill Erman Judy Farber Kay Ferer Annette Fettman Ellie Fields Carrie Fingold Sonia Forbes Tiffany Franklin Amy Friedman Debbie Friedman Beth Gaynes Ginsberg Anne Gerber Bernice Gerber Ben Gurion Society Julie Ginsberg (Men or women under the Wendy Goldberg age of 45 making an annual Judi Goldstein gift of $1,000 or more) Dora Goldstrom Anonymous * Bridget Gordman David Goldberg * Hilde Gottlieb Sara Gross * Mary Sue Grossman Rabin Society Nanciana Hamicksburg * (Men under the age of 45 Sara Harding making an annual gift of Janice Harris $500-$999) Pauline Hoberman Rabbi Jonathan Gross * (In memory) Guy Matalon Nancy Jacobson John Vann * Sylvia Jess

Sheryn Joffe Roxanne Kahn Charlotte Kaplan Bea Karp Lucille Katelman Myllee Katelman Eve Katskee Rose Katzman Betty Kelberg Jenn Kirshenbaum Gertrude Korney Dorothy Kotok Peggy Krasne Barbara Kushner Debi Kutler Harriet Kutler Carole Lainof Grace Lebowich Karin Levine Rocky Lewis Vera Lewis Louise Lippett Marcia Lipsman Ellen Long Paula Mandell Deb Marburg Kathy McGauvran Tina Meyers Jenny Meyerson Bernice Milder Rhoda Milder Harriet Miller Sue Millward Lynda Mirvish Babe Nogg Marian Nogg Rita Novak Reva Oruch Bede Ostrow Fefe Passer

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Prime Ministers Circle (Individual, families, corporations: $100,000 & above) ❍ King Solomon’s Circle (Individual: $25,000-$99,999 & Corporations: $50,000-$99,999) ■ Chai Circle (Individual: $18,000-$24,999 & Corporations: $25,000-49,999) ❏ Joshua’s Circle (Individuals: $10,000-$17,000 & Corporations $18,000-$24,999) ▲ Platinum Lion ($100,000 & above) ✡ Emerald Lion ($25,000 & 99,999) ♥ Sapphire Lion ($18,000-$24,999) ◆ Ruby Lion ($10,000-$17,999) * New in category

Your gift to the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Annual Campaign impacts the entire Jewish world. Locally, your ONE gift to the Campaign funds a wide variety of community services provided by the Federation and our Family of Agencies: ADL/CRC, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Service, Center for Jewish Education, Jewish Senior Services and The Jewish Press. In Israel and overseas, your gift helps feed the hungry, rescue the oppressed and fight anti-Semitism. Your annual gift to the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Annual Campaign empowers you to make a visible and measurable difference in Jewish life.

The 2006 Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign 2006 General Campaign Co-Chairs: Anne & Bruce Shackman 333 South 132nd Street Omaha,NE 68154 402/334-8200 info@jewishomaha.org www.jewishomaha.org Please notethat this list of Federation donors is complete as of October 28,2005.Every effort is made to ensure that the list is accurate and we sincerely apologize if any name was incorrectly printed or inadvertently omitted.To update information in this donor listing,please contact Brenda Frank at 334-6429.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 4, 2005

During Panel Discussion at Beth El Experts to Explain Importance, Benefits Of Stem-Cell Research

by JILL BELMONT ical ethics, said that opposition to stem-cell research Beth El Publicity Coordinator revolves around several common arguments: The benefits and life-changing potential of stem-cell 1) it is unethical to destroy a human embryo; 2) research will be presented by four experts in the field because embryos have the potential to become human during an informative panel discussion at Beth El on beings, they should be respected as human beings; and Sunday, Nov. 6, 2 p.m. The event, presented by the 3) those experimenting with stem cells are “playing synagogue’s Hazak organization and the local chapter of God,” since only God has the power to intervene and Hadassah, is open to the community, free of charge. make decisions regarding the beginning and end of life.

During the afternoon, each panelist Schonfeld counters the will present different issues surrounding third argument by noting stem-cell research, and will participate in that “The same thing, howa question/answer session. Panelists ever, can be said about the include Toby Schonfeld, PhD, Assistant use of antibiotics or other Professor, Section on Humanities and routine therapies of today, as Law, Department of Preventive and these products fundamentalSocietal Medicine at the University of ly alter the course of an illNebraska Medical Center; Howard ness and can save a person’s Sanford Goodman life. Similarly, if someone Gendelman, M.D., Larson Professor of Dr. Howard Gendelman Internal Medicine and Infectious argues the ‘playing God’ Diseases Chair, Department of line, then he or she cannot and Experimental Pharmacology consistently avail him/herNeuroscience Director, Center for self of any assisted reproducNeurovirology and Neurodegenerative tive technologies, genetic Disorders at UNMC; J. Graham Sharp, counseling, or end-of-life PhD, Department of Genetics, Cell technologies like artificial Biology and Anatomy, Radiology and respiration or nutrition since Radiation Oncology at UNMC; and these technologies ‘usurp’ J. Graham Sharp God’s traditional domain.

Toby Schonfeld Sanford Goodman, chairman of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee for Nebraskans It’s a question of scientific and medical progress, among for Research. Hazak President Jim Wax will moderate other things.” the discussion.

Addressing the argument about embryos being According to Goodman, the importance of stem-cell destroyed, she responded that “excess embryos from inresearch is quite simple: “It’s all about finding cures. It vitro fertilization procedures are routinely discarded doesn’t happen as directly as we want it to; it may lead once a couple decides they do not want more children. to an insight which leads to another insight which leads So in fact, some argue that utilizing these embryos for to a cure, but what we’re doing is greatly advancing our the purpose of extracting stem cells may be more knowledge of diseases and it’s expanding the targets we respectful, since they are being put to good use.” have to attack them.”

Gendelman echoed that, saying that the tissue or cells One of the founding members of Nebraskans for “hold enormous potential to alleviate or ultimately elimiResearch, Goodman’s involvement in stem-cell research nate many human sufferings.” Furthering the research was fueled by his interest in issues related to the separation supports the ethical practice for physicians and scientists to of religion and state, as well as religion and science. His save lives while posing no inherent harm to others, he views have fostered a commitment to defend UNMC’s added. “Such cells can be acquired and ultimately achieved work with fetal cells and progressive stem-cell research. for treatments and/or preventative strategies while fulfillThe use of fetal cells from elective abortions and labo- ing basic tenets of medical practice.” ratory research at UNMC has been controversial, due to Calling the embryonic stem-cell issue “a topic about questions raised by various individuals and groups about which reasonable people can disagree,” Sharp carries the the morality of the research, he said. “These issues have hope that “we could all strive, for the benefit of the edureligious aspects to them, and certainly philosophical cation of our children, to get the facts and the rhetoric coraspects. However, if this research was stopped for polit- rect.” Stem cells are utilized to treat a variety of conditions, ical or religious reasons, it would have a detrimental Gendelman said, explaining that “the research past, presimpact on the Med Center and our overall community.” ent and future involves many different approaches to treat Schonfeld, whose background is in philosophy and med- or prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

These include Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia. “We have used adult and fetal embryonic cells from mice, rats and humans to address questions relating to what causes neurodegeneration, how newborn nerve cells can themselves react and repair damage to the brain and how such cells react to the newest vaccine strategies designed to protect the brain against the ravages of neurodegenerative processes,” Gendelman added.

The applications of stem cells are wide and, as yet, incompletely defined, according to Sharp, who will explain to Sunday’s panel-discussion audience about cells, various types of stem cells and their current uses.

“Stem cells, unlike other cells, self-renew,” he said.

“This property permits tissues to be grown, repaired or regenerated. This is difficult, if not impossible with most other cells. This is why whole organs have to be transplanted and there are too few for all potential recipients.

In the future, stem cells might solve this problem.”

Sharp took issue with the promotion of adult stem-cell research as an alternative to embryonic stem-cell research. “A typical quote is ‘Adult stem cells have cured many and embryonic stem cells have cured none.’ This is an apples and oranges comparison,” he said.

Continued stem-cell research is vital, said Gendelman, who will address how stem cells can fight human diseases at Sunday’s panel. “We know much about stem cells but even more we do not yet grasp,” he said. “The potential to repair or even replace damaged organs--for example, in diabetes, adrenal, heart and liver failure and spinal cord injuries--has enormous potential. It will likely take a decade or more to fully understand how stem cells differentiate into the types of cells most vital to treat human diseases and how they may be used to re-populate exactly the milieu present in a normal human organ or tissue, enabling it to maintain itself, function normally and stay viable for prolonged time periods.”

When asked if, given the political climate in Nebraska, the future of stem-cell research at UNMC is in jeopardy, Goodman replied that “we’re in the mix of states where there’s an extremely strong pro-life movement that opposes the research and has been making very strong efforts in the Legislature to ban it. To date, we’ve been able to stop that, but it remains to be seen, with turnover in the Legislature, how long we can sustain that. “There’s certainly the threat of it being shut down, either here in Nebraska or here in the United States, but it will continue--whether it’s in the U.K., Singapore, South Korea, China, Israel. There will be cures found, and then what position will we be in here? Are we not going to cure juvenile diabetes because the knowledge that led to that came from embryonic stem cell research?”

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Young Leadership Division Continued from page 1 show of support -- to one’s own family and local community, to Israel and to our people everywhere.”

This is Glazer’s second year in the Young Leadership role, and he volunteers for Federation because he believes in the cause.

“The Federation does meaningful work, and they do it efficiently,” he says. “Meaningful, in that the agencies it supports are important to our community. Efficiently, in that our Federation is considered a four star charity according to Charity Navigator. There are Jim Glazer very few Federations in the country that receive this ranking.”

Charity Navigator, based in Mahwah, NJ, issues objective evaluations on the financial health of over four thousand charities in the U.S. and rates each charity as compared to its peers. “The group measures what a charity spends to raise each dollar, how much it allocates to administrative overhead, and the percent of its total budget the charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver,” Glazer said. “In all these areas, the Jewish Federation of Omaha ranks much higher than its peers in Chicago, St. Louis and Minneapolis, a fact we should be very proud of. These statistics prove we run a tight ship and do an outstanding job of selling a great product -- a product we believe in.”

Glazer’s volunteer work is influenced by family example. “My great-grandparents, Jacob and Ida Bernstein, and my grandparents, Dave and Muriel Bernstein, were all active in the community. My mom, Phyllis, was President of Temple Israel, and she and my dad, Richard, have consistently given of their time and money to the community. They taught me to do the same. My wife, Jordana, is very involved in community work at a number of organizations, and is a firm believer in the value of tzedakah.

Everyone around me agrees that we need to give back in order to have our community continue to be special. I continue to learn from them.”

In addition to his Federation work, Glazer serves on the Board of Directors at the ARCH Halfway House, an organization that helps men who have been through alco-

holism treatment find jobs and become productive in the community. He previously served on the Board of the Community Alliance, a private, nonprofit organization that provides rehabilitation and support services to individuals recovering from a mental illness.

“Our age group is already making a real difference in both the Jewish and non-Jewish community,” Glazer said.

“As an example, David Gilinsky and Katherine Finnegan are very involved with the ADL, Federation’s Center for Jewish Education, Temple Israel and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Rosie Zwieback is doing a great job at Temple and on the District 66 School Board. Also, I’ve made new friends in the Campaign and gotten to meet people that I ordinarily wouldn’t have come in contact with. Brian Nogg and Brett Atlas are two examples.

They’re great, smart guys, helping out with the Young Men’s Division. I believe my age group is committed to both Jewish and overall community causes. We’re looking to make real and substantial contributions.”

While on the Israel Mission, Jim and Jordana had the chance to visit with Israelis, including some of Jordana’s cousins in Tel Aviv.

“It was great to connect with them,” Glazer said, “since we and they are the same ages. Young Israelis are proud of their country, but realize that Israel’s political situation is complex, particularly in maintaining a Jewish democracy when Jewish birthrates are significantly lower than those of Muslims. The people we spoke with firmly believed in withdrawing from Gaza to maintain peace.

“Overall their lifestyles seemed quite good, although many things we take for granted, especially cars and electronics, are out of reach for most Israelis.” The Glazer’s visit to the Golan gave them a concrete view of Israeli’s vulnerability. “To actually look over the border into Syria was very disconcerting,” Jim said.

Considering the lack of security under which Israelis live, Jim Glazer is especially appreciative of the peace of mind he and his family receive from the Federation. “One of our principal benefits from Federation comes from the sense of security we get from knowing we live in a safe, active, thriving Jewish community. The Federation agencies support and take care of us, and provide services that are among the best of their kind in the country. We Jews in Omaha are very lucky. Through our Campaign, we can provide a sense of security and pride to Jews who are less fortunate than we.”

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 5

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Does stem cell research offer hope for patients with cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes or Parkinson’s? Opponents say that even if the answer is yes, the research is ethically wrong.

In 2004, Dr. Irving Weissman told Congress:

Young Leadership Award Winners Continued from page 1 “Men and women my age are responsible for the continuation of the work of past generations,” Miller said.

“It’s important for us to support the community -- to support the annual campaign, our Temple and Synagogues -- financially and with our volunteer time. I enjoy helping out, and most of my contemporaries are also active. The senior generation makes a concerted effort to involve my peer group at all levels of participation. They’re willing to share their experience and give us the reins. That reflects well on the future of the Omaha Jewish community. Past leaders have inspired me to follow their example, to get involved and remain involved.

The next generation will have its chance to serve, too. I hope to instill in our children the importance and value of giving their time and energy to the community. I hope as they get older they’ll join me in the work and get the same level of satisfaction from it that I get.”

Gary D. Epstein, President of the Jewish Community Center, said, “Mike Miller has done a great job keeping the JCC budget on track for the past two years--keeping the numbers right where they need to be -and that’s not an easy task. Michael is energetic, and has a good demeanor working with other people. He’s a bright young leader.”

When commenting on the upcoming award presentation, Miller said, “While I did not have the opportunity to know Bruce Fellman, he was a friend of my wife, Lori.

She has told me many things about him, that he was kind, funny and caring. He and his family have shown how lives can be enriched through serving your community. I am honored to receive this award in Bruce’s memory.”

Julie Phillips is as colorful as the hands-on art classes she’s taught for the past seven years at the Friedel Academy.

“I love being at Friedel,” Phillips said. “It’s the coolest.

I feel so supported by the parents and faculty. I’m so lucky to be there, to have the opportunity and freedom to create and implement a curriculum outside the kids’ normal art experience.”

The curriculum Phillips designed for the school focuses on Jewish artists and reflects Friedel’s Judaic studies

program, the Jewish calendar and the local art scene. She meets once or twice a week with K through 6th grade students in small groups and considers art education vital to a student’s growth.

“Art education enriches everyone. In art class, there are no ‘comparisons.’ What each student brings to the art room is unique, and, if taught well, students learn to feel good and realize the value of their individuality. I try to develop projects where each child can succeed."

Phillips also believes art is an effective way to teach compassion and open-mindedness. “Often a child will look at a painting and say, ‘I don’t like that’. This class asks them to ask themselves, ‘Why? Why don’t I like that painting? How does the painting make me feel?’ and perhaps most importantly,’ What was the artist trying to say to me through his or her art?’ After we’ve asked and answered those questions, we share our views and opinions. This exercise makes for improved communication that can help youngsters in their relationships with others. This also gives them the ‘language’ of art appreciation. Art can also foster Jewish self-esteem, like when a kid says, ‘I didn’t know that famous artist is Jewish.

Wow!’” When Phillips learned she was the recipient of the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Award she said, “It’s so good to know that people appreciate and value what I do, because creating and appreciating art is so important for the kids -- for all of us. I’m just a person doing her thing. We’re all a piece of the puzzle.”

Phillips and her husband, Eric, are the parents of David, 19, Jacob, 17, Lily, 11 and Eva, 9.

According to Sharon Kirshenbaum, Federation Young Leadership Director, both Miller and Phillips will receive a stipend towards participation in a United Jewish Communities General Assembly or Young Leadership Conference. Their names will also be engraved on a plaque, permanently displayed in the JCC lobby.

The Nov. 17 Young Leadership Awards presentation and reception is free and open to Young Jewish Omaha.

Kosher food will be available. For more information, plus details about the Federation’s Living Generously Campaign and the local, national and overseas programs it supports, please call Sharon Kirshenbaum at 334.6485.

”Banning research for an ideology is just not the American way.”

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“Stem Cells Meet Politics and Religion: The Promise of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine” THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10 • 7:30 PM SCOTT CONFERENCE CENTER • 6450 PINE STREET (South UNO campus, former Ak-Sar-Ben field area)

FREE ADMISSION Dr. Weissman, director of the Stanford Cancer and Stem Cell Institute, is widely known as one of the founders of stem cell biology and was the first scientist to identify and isolate stem cells in any species. He has received numerous awards including California Scientist of the Year in 2002.

FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF OMAHA more on Dr. Weissman at: firstuuomaha.org

Page 6

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November 4, 2005

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ORGANIZATIONS YOUNG ENERGETIC SENIORS Join us on Monday at the JCC. The Nebraska Historical Society will do a special program called Memories. Lunch begins at noon at $6 per person. Try your luck with bingo with Eileen Remer at 10 a.m. Exercise will begin at 10:30 a.m. and the discussion group at 11 a.m. in the Social Hall. Call Dee Dee for transportation at 330.4272. Call Maggie for reservations to the Ameristar Casino on Nov. 17 at 334-6521.

LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Come to the Yiddish meeting at the JCC in the Social Hall on Thursdays, 13 p.m. Call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638.

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ARTZA looking for Female Chaperone Omaha’s most popular Teen Trip to Israel is back…and a wonderful opportunity exists for that right person to join our leadership team of Guy Matalon and Uri Levin, in chaperoning this trip of Jewish teens for one month in Israel. This individual must be an American Jewish female, 21 or older, who has been to Israel once before. She must be outgoing, enthusiastic, energetic, and mature.

Experience working with teens is preferred.

Actual trip runs from June 25th through July 23rd, 2006. Pa rticipation in pre and post Artza programming is also required.

If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Lisa Shkolnick, JCC Assistant Executive Director, at 334-6425.

A Presenter of Note in Our Community for 114 Years.

VISIONS Luncheon Meeting is Nov. 18, 12:30 p.m., at the Venice Inn. The cost is $9.50 per person. Our guest is Mike Kelly the columnist for the Omaha World Herald.

Send reservations to Tootie Simon, 8725

BREADBREAKERS Dr. Michael Levine will speak at Breadbreakers on Wednesday, Nov. 9, noon, at Regency Lodge, according to Gary Javitch, chairman. Levine, the owner of SarahCare, a chain of facilities that provide opportunities for activities of daily living for seniors, will discuss what’s new in day care for seniors. Cost is $11 for a complete lunch and $3 for beverage service only. All men and women in the community are invited to attend.

IN THE NEWS Five people were inducted into the Omaha Hospitality Hall of Fame during a ceremony held Sunday, Oct. 23, at Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus.

The hall of fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the hospitality industry.

This year’s inductees were: the late Salvatore “Sam” Bonofede, who owned and operated Salvatore’s Ristorante from 1976-96; Frederick J. Simon, Executive Vice-president of Omaha Steaks; the late Samuel Barnard Marvin, Arby’s first franchisee in Nebraska and who owned the original Lansky’s; Fayrene Hamouz, an associate dean at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Education and Human Sciences; and Don H. Pegler Jr., chairman and CEO of Pegler-Sysco.

Simon began working with Omaha Steaks in 1959. He has held several positions in the company, and currently is a member of the board of directors of Omaha Steaks companies. Simon is the author or coauthor of four books, including The Steak Lover’s Companion.

For more information, please con- Frederick J. Simon tact James Grotrian, Vice President of External and Government Relations at 402.457.2333.

The University of Michigan Regents have accepted a $3 million gift from alumnus Stanford Lipsey and will name the Student Publications building after

For Dinner Reservations Call (402) 556-7368

Izard St., Omaha, NE 68114, by Nov. 11. For questions, call Harry Alloy at 697.8709. Make check payable to Visions.

Visions next Mitzvah Project is to collect donations to purchase special adaptive computer equipment for the residents of the Blumkin Home. Bring donation to the luncheon or send to Maggie Conti, 323 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Make check payable to Visions.

him. Lipsey, a former Omahan, is publisher of the Buffalo News. The gift will be used to completely modernize the 1931 building which has assisted in the education of such luminaries as Arthur Miller and Margaret Bourke-White.

Mary Sue Coleman, president of the university, said, “Stan Lipsey has had an award-winning career in journalism and is an exemplary model for U-M students interested in the many aspects of media and communications. We are proud to name the Student Publications Building in honor of such an accomplished alumnus.” Lipsey graduated in 1948 and was a photographer for its daily newspaper and photography editor of their yearbook.

Dr. Irving Weissman, Director of the Stanford Cancer and Stem Cell Institute, will present “Stem Cells Meet Politics and Religion: the Promise of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine” on Thursday, Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m., at the Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St. The talk is part of the First Unitarian Church of Omaha’s Holland Lecture Series. Widely known as one of the founders of the field of adult stem-cell biology, Weissman is the first scientist to identify and isolate stem cells in any species. He was named California Scientist of the Year in 2002 and received The Linus Pauling Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Science from Stanford University; he is an Alan Cranston Awardee from the Alliance for Aging Research. He has published numerous articles and books on stem-cell research and immunology.

For more information, go to www.firstuuomaha.org.

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Maritza Rivera and Dan Kully of Seattle, WA announce the Oct. 6 birth of their daughter, Elena Carolyn.

Elena is named in memory of Maritza’s aunt, and Carolyn is in memory of Dan’s grandmother, Carolyn Kully Newman.

Grandparents are Connie and Bob Kully, and Aida and Luis Rivera of Hollywood, FL.

Grandparents are Linda Meretsky and Robert Moyer, John and Jody Klatt, all of Port Linn, OR, and Sandra and Marvin Kohll.

Great-grandparents are Shirley and Charles Meretsky of Westpond, MA, and the late Ann and Bernard Fisher, the late Leona Kohll Cohn, Jerry Cohn, and the late Louis Joseph Kohll.

Sarah Ita (Kohll) and Nosson Meir Meretsky announce the Sept. 18 birth of their son, Shalom Dov Ber. He has two siblings Menachem Mendel, 31/2 and Chana Leah, 15 months.

In the Oct. 21 birth announcement for Robert Daniel Havens, the Press incorrectly printed that he was named for his great-grandfather; he was, in fact, named for his great-great-grandfather, Robert Barnett. The Press regrets the error.

November 4, 2005

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 7

What Your Kids Are Learning Continued from page 3 “They embed their political agendas in the instructional materials they create so subtly that apolitical teachers are unlikely to spot them.”

In an interview with JTA, Stotsky called the notebook “a piece of propaganda” rather than scholarly work.

The American Jewish Committee issued a scathing report on the manual earlier this year, called “Propaganda, Proselytizing, and Public Education: A Critique of the Arab World Studies Notebook. “ The report said that the publication, while “attempting to redress a perceived deficit in sympathetic views of the Arabs and Muslim religion in the American classroom, veers in the opposite direction -- toward historical distortion as well as uncritical praise, whitewashing and practically proselytizing.”

The result, the AJCommittee report said, “is a text that appears largely designed to advance the anti-Israel and propagandistic views of the Notebook’s sponsors, the Middle East Policy Council (MEPC) and Arab World and Islamic Resources (AWAIR), to an audience of teachers who may not have the resources and knowledge to assess this text critically.”

David Harris, the AJCommittee’s executive director, said upon issuing the report in February: “Educating American children about the Middle East and about different religions is vitally important, but the notebook is precisely the wrong way to go about it.”

Shabbas, in the introduction to the manual, says that AWAIR’s mission is to counter the “rampant negative stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims held by most Americans.”

“Recognizing that no work is of greater importance than the preparation of our young people for their roles as thoughtful and informed citizens of the twenty-first century, and recognizing too that U.S. involvement with the Arab World and with the wider world of Islam is certain to remain close for many years, AWAIR’s goal is to increase awareness and understanding of this world region and this world faith through educational outreach at the pre-collegiate level,” she writes.

In an interview with JTA, Shabbas said the goal of the notebook is “to establish a basis for understanding the Middle East” by examining the largest of the groups that live there--the Arabs.

Responding to criticism specifically about the effect of Jewish lobbying, she said everything in the manual comes from the Arab and Muslim point of view: “The notebook is what it is. If you go out anywhere in the Arab world, you’re likely to hear that view” of the U.N. partition and Jewish influence.

“Most textbooks merely tell people the U.N. voted for partition and the Arabs rejected it,” she said, adding that American students need to “delve into why people do what they do; what are their values.”

She also noted that the publication directs students to solicit other perspectives from various groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the American Jewish Committee.

Roth of the Middle East Policy Council dismissed the critics of the notebook as “cranks.” His council touts the manual as an important resource for educators.

The manual is “of such high standards that the Middle East Policy Council believes it should be in the hands of every educator,” the group’s Web site says.

In an interview, Roth said Israel is “a big topic” for the council, but added, “The council does not take a position on Israel’s existence. The council does not take positions at all.”

Criticism also has come lately from parents offended by what their children are learning.

Parental pressure led to the manual being banned in school districts in OK, and Tulsa, Anchorage, Alaska. The AJCommittee took the unusual step of issuing a Audrey Shabbas, editor of the public warning “urging Arab World Studies Notebook school districts across the and founder of Arab World and nation” not to use the Islamic Resources. manual.

Still, Shabbas and her publication are welcomed by outreach coordinators to some of the nation’s key national resource centers, including those at Georgetown, Harvard and Yale, from where she said in the interview that she had just returned from conducting a teacher-training session.

Many of the principal players involved in disseminating pro-Islamic, anti-American and anti-Israel materials to the public school system have links, direct or indirect, to a little-known place called Dar al Islam.

Located in Abiquiu,NM, Dar al Islam (www.daralislam.org), which means “abode of Islam” in Arabic, is an Islamic enclave registered with the state as a non-profit in 1979. Situated in the remote mountainous desert of northern New Mexico, near the Ghost Ranch where Georgia O’Keefe lived, the massive complex is accessible only by an unpaved, dirt road.

It was created with direct financing from the late Saudi monarch, King Khaled ibn Aziz, and from five princesses in the Royal House of Saud, according to Saudi Aramco World.

A 1988 article in Saudi Aramco World detailed the saga of the royal family’s purchase of 8,500 acres of land and construction of a mosque and other buildings to form Dar al Islam.

According to the enclave’s Web site, the original intent

was to establish a “Muslim village as a showcase for Islam in America.” When that became too difficult, the vision changed to an educational conference and retreat center. Those buildings sit on 1,600 of the original acres; the rest was sold and invested to help finance its operation, Dar al Islam officials say.

In addition to the mosque, the enclave has a madrassa, or religious school, summer camp and teacher-training institute. It runs speakers bureaus and programs and maintains a Web site.

Dar al Islam spokesman Abdur Ra’uf Walter Declerck acknowledges some minor participation in the creation of Dar al Islam by a Saudi princess, but he disputes most of the funding history of Dar al Islam as recounted in the Saudi Aramco World article.

“It was not purchased by the royal family,” he said.

Funding then and now “comes from Muslims all over,” he said, but would not elaborate.

Many of the individuals and groups involved in promoting education about Islam and the Arab world in American schools have ties to Dar al Islam.

Some are educators such as Shabbas, whose work is promoted by outreach coordinators at the national resource centers, and some are outreach coordinators themselves. Shabbas, the lecturer and editor of The Arab World Studies Notebook, was director of Dar al Islam’s summer teacher-training program in 1994 and 1995, according to Declerck and Shabbas.

Others with connections to Dar al Islam include: • Zeina Azzam Seikaly, outreach coordinator at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, a Title VI National Resource Center on the Middle East. For several years she was assistant director of Dar al Islam’s teacher-training institute, according to Dar al Islam’s Declerck.

Seikaly promotes many associates of Dar al Islam, printing their writings and inviting them to lecture.

Shabbas has been involved in teacher training at Georgetown. Asked about Dar al Islam, Seikaly at first refused to discuss it, then admitted working there, but only for two weeks.

• The Council on Islamic Education. The group until recently was listed as an associate of Dar al Islam, under the heading of secondary schools. Independent textbook review organizations describe the council as one of the most powerful groups in the country influencing the content of textbooks. Critics say that in its effort to promote a positive view of Islam, it distorts history.

The group’s director, Shabbir Mansuri, says his organization is a “non-advocacy research organization.”

Criticism that his group exerts undue influence on textbook publishers “comes from people who have no idea what we do,” he said.

“The Constitution allows us all a place at the table, Continued on page 9

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 4, 2005

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A Day in the Life of a Mission

by EUNIE DENENBERG It’s 7:30 a.m. in an unused wing of Ben Gurion Airport. We are about to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event: about 40 Ethiopian Jews are walking out of one century onto a big silver bird and flying into 2005 Israel.

And we mission participants are among the fortunate few on hand to welcome the olim (those who make aliyah, a more thoughtful term than immigrant).

Their journey, from dusty, mud hut villages to the sunlit skyscrapers of Tel Aviv, leads also to a massive cultural upheaval. For example, tribal life is structured around reverence for elders and families are rarely separated. In contemporary Western life, children are catered to and the elderly often live alone or in segregated retirement facilities.

Excited and a little nervous, we stand under sprays of balloons and wave Israeli flags as the shuttle bus from the plane pulls up. A representative from the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), a major sponsoring organization, has prepped us with a list of greetings in Amharic, the language of Ethiopia.

“Tena yestelegne”--“Hello”.

“Wede Israel enkouan dehina metu”--“Welcome home to Israel”. But as soon as the doors open, all coaching collapses.

The first arrivals have dropped to their knees to Pictures from top left: kiss the ground of the Overcome by emotion, some of Holy Land and we can’t the Falas Mura kiss Israeli see the Amharic words ground; helicopter pilot Assaf through our tears.

Ben Tsion, who visited Omaha “Shalom, shalom,” the last year, shows off his olim have been prepped Blackhawk; Jody Malashock, too, and slowly they file seated, and Eunie Denenberg by, smiling, bowing kvell over children enjoying lolslightly and shaking lipops and juice; mama in trahands. Families with tod- ditional dress, daughters in dlers and grandparents, denim, await help with unfamilteen-agers and a few iar sandwiches; mission group, infants swathed in shawls awaiting the olim, tries to learn on their mothers’ backs. a greeting in Amharic.

Most have left their rags in Addis Ababa and wear the new clothes provided them by the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). But a few are not yet ready to shed all their traditions. Some women are draped in a gauzy white fabric from head to foot. One elderly man in a dark suit has plunked his new black hat on top of his white head covering. He carries a stick, baton-like, to which is attached a long, wheatcolored horse’s tail, a symbol of respect for his status in the family and also handy for swishing flies.

The Ethiopian Jews now being resettled in Israel are the Falas Mura, the offspring of Jews who converted to Christianity years ago, either by force or to survive harsh anti-Semitic laws. Some scholars believe they are members of the tribe of Dan, descended from Solomon and Sheba. They have existed for centuries in grinding poverty, without electricity or running water, suffering constant malnutrition. Yet somehow they have maintained their Jewish heritage and are now eager to make Aliyah, rejoining families already living in Israel.

We gather in a brightly lit room. The Falas Mura are seated in family groups at round tables and we are serving juice and sandwiches. The agents from the absorption center and JAFI need to attack a mound of bureaucratic forms, but insist, “first eat a little something, then deal with the paperwork”. This is, after all, a Jewish country.

A new hurdle: how to eat the unfamiliar hero sandwich? We go from table to table, removing cellophane wrappings, but even then, most people are only tearing off little chunks of bread and leaving the rest. The lollipops and juice, however, are a big hit.

Everyone sits quietly, absorbing the newness.

Beautiful faces with large eyes and fine features. Some intricately braided hairdos. Two teenaged boys have already learned to wear their baseball caps backward and many young girls are dressed in denim. But one older woman seems fearful and bewildered; she sighs and puts her hand to her heart, sensing the coming difficulties.

Unfortunately, she’s right. The young integrate rather smoothly, the older people are often stranded, helplessly, between two worlds.

Jody Malashock communicates to three little girls to follow her to the bathroom. Another hurdle. Later, she tells us how she demonstrated flushing, handwashing and, wonder of wonders, using the magical automatic drier. It’s time for our mission group to say goodbye and good luck.

The olim, anxious and hesitant an hour before, now appear exhilarated and full of hope. So are we.

Next stop--the space age. Assaf Ben Tsion, one of the Israeli Defense Force men who visited Omaha last year,

has arranged for us to visit his air force base near Be’er Sheva. Assaf pilots a Blackhawk helicopter, mainly involved in search and rescue missions. He and his crew also ferry passengers, and he showed us how they are able to install seats for 14 people. “Unless,” he adds, “we are carrying Sharon, then we take only 13.” It seems Israel’s prime minister weighs in at 350 pounds!

After a tour and lunch with the base personnel, we meet Dr. Menachem Perlmutter, a fascinating gentleman who has worked for JAFI for almost 50 years developing innovative agriculture techniques, including a drip irrigation procedure that is used California, Florida and Nevada. He recalls that a few years ago he was describing his activities in “greening the Negev desert” to some young adults who were curious about the numbers on his forearm. He had never before spoken publicly about his World War II experiences, but realized immediately the importance of telling his story. We sit mesmerized as he matter-of-factly recounts the harrowing narrative of his survival.

What else could we possibly experience during this remarkable day? As it turned out, a perfect finale. It is sunset and we are spending a serene hour in the little park in Kibbutz Sde Boker where Paula and David Ben Gurion (Israel’s first Prime Minister) are buried. Small herds of friendly mountain goats are grazing nearby and below us is spread a spectacular landscape of desert, wadi and canyons. We stroll the lovely grounds and consider the emotional ride we’ve taken today, from the Falas Mura people and their primitive lives to the hi-tech here and now of Blackhawk helicopters.

In fact, our day could be a metaphor for the extremes one encounters in this tiny, miraculous land, where the biblical is nestled against the contemporary, symbiotically, one drawing nourishment from the other. Could that pair of rams be related to the famous ayil in the Genesis story of the Akedah? Today we saw courage, self-determination and a caring, activist society at work.

To be sure, Am Yisroel Chai!

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November 4, 2005

Sukkot and Simchat Torah Around the Heartland

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 9

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Dine-In, Carry-Out, 1/2 Baked Pies Available Continued from page 7 without leaving our heritage at the door,” he told JTA. “I can lobby, I can demand and I can contribute.”

In initial interviews, Dar al Islam officials said the council has multiple roles there, including helping to create and evaluate content for its teachers.

After those interviews, the Dar al Islam site was changed to eliminate any mention of the council.

Asked to explain, Declerck said it was taken down to “avoid confusion. We know each other but we are independent organizations, we are not connected.”

• Susan Douglass. An associate of Dar al Islam’s Teachers Institute, she also is the curriculum specialist for the Council on Islamic Education.

She is a former teacher at the Islamic Saudi Academy of Virginia, a Saudi government-supported school, and she consults on textbooks and curriculum by major publishers. She has written a series of books on Islam for K6 students at Islamic and public schools.

One of Dar al Islam’s Web sites, islamamerica.org, posts articles defending Palestinians and their supporters, while excoriating democracies, including America and Israel.

Some Saudi watchers say Saudi Arabia’s goal is to export the most rigid brand of Islam: Wahhabi Islam,

which in contrast to other forms of Islam, is intolerant of other religions, according to experts.

It’s an agenda “more dangerous than communism” ever was, according to Ali Al-Ahmed, director of the Institute for Gulf Affairs, a Washington-based prodemocracy think tank, because it targets all non-believers, including Christians, Jews and most Muslims.

Such apostates have only three choices, he said: “Convert, be subjugated or die.”

The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not respond to several requests for comment.

Declerck of Dar al Islam said the kind of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia, is “not what we transmit. Dar al Islam communicates much more of a mainstream Islam,” he said.

But Al-Ahmed was adamant. In American public schools, he said, the Saudis are carrying out “a deliberate program to spread their version of Islam everywhere.

Their job is to give money to certain groups of Islamic organizations, to fund certain people, and those people they fund are people who they believe will further their goal of spreading Wahhabi Islam,’’ he said.

(JTA Editor Lisa Hostein and correspondent Sue Fishkoff in California were among the contributors to this report. Part II of this series will be published next week.)

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 4, 2005

Temple Israel Offers: Guess Who’s Coming to the Bar Mitzvah!

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator As your oldest child studies Torah, practices trope, and plans the meaningful D’var Torah he or she will prepare for his or her Bar or Bat Mitzvah service, you are kneedeep into planning one of the most important gatherings of family and friends you’ll ever host. But it’s the first time you’ve ever planned a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, and you want all your family--even those who have never attended a Bar or Bat Mitzvah--to feel welcome at this significant step in your child’s life.

Four experts will share their suggestions on how to make everyone feel comfortable in sharing this milestone at a workshop on how to include non-Jewish members of the family in your simcha on Sunday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m., at Temple Israel.

Jill Idelman, Matthew Placzek, Melany Weinstine, and Robyn Freeman, who have all planned at least one Bar or Bat Mitzvah, will help parents navigate the experience in the most positive way possible. The facilitators will explain what bimah honors are available to non-Jewish family members and what is essential to communicate to extended family long before the big day arrives. Even the thorniest of questions will be welcome at this howto guide.

“Truthfully,” having non-Jewish members of the family attend, “adds some anxiety and a little bit of pressure to do it right,” said Robyn Freeman who has three daughters who all became B’nai Mitzvah. “My best advice is just to stay focused on creating a meaningful experience for your child,” she advised.

Jill Idelman’s son, Justin, just became a Bar Mitzvah last year. “It was great fun,” she recalled. “I didn’t want this to get stressful. I made it simple so I could enjoy the moment.” In addressing interfaith family issues, she knew some members of her family “were outside their element. They would be hearing a different language and seeing a different setting.

Beth El’s Chaverim to Enjoy Afternoon of Laser Tag

“I was apprehensive about their being comfortable within Temple’s guidelines.” She hopes “to pass on some of my ideas and experiences” to others who have similar issues coming up soon.

Samuel Weinstine just became a Bar Mitzvah this past May. “It was very successful,” said his mother Melany Weinstine. “We worked very hard to make sure everyone understood the service and those who wanted to be could be involved in the preparation or planning.”

Being raised Catholic, she wanted to be sure that her family felt comfortable. There were lots of questions, she mentioned. “And Cantor Shermet was very helpful.”

When it was over, family members who had never attended a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, “were just so proud because they realized how much work it entailed.”

Matthew Placzek’s oldest son, Aaron, became a Bar Mitzvah a year ago. Members of the Placzek family who are not Jewish were “impressed that Aaron led the service and that there were so many components of the service like his personal message and reading Torah. I think you always have some concerns” when planning a Bar Mitzvah, Matthew said.

In retrospect, he would like to stress to non-Jewish family members “what a big day this is and how to correlate it to an event they’re familiar with in their own faith. I don’t think they understand how much preparation (on the part of the Bar Mitzvah) there is.”

Preceding religious school and the session on B’nai Mitzvah planning, the Pancake Man will be serving breakfast for everyone on Nov. 13, 9 a.m., in the Friedman Social Hall at Temple.

There’s no fee for “Guess Who’s Coming to the Bar Mitzvah,” but please register with Program Director Rosie Zweiback at: rzweiback@templeisraelomaha.com or call her at 556.6536. The workshop is an adult education opportunity presented by the Hermene Zweiback Center for Lifelong Jewish Education.

Hailed by the Boston Globe as “one of the finest Flutists of our time”, Eugenia Zukerman will be the featured performer on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m., as part of the Tuesday Musical Concert Series. This will be the performance for the series at the Holland Center.

Zukerman possesses an elegant sound, extraordinary agility and compelling stage presence, all of which have contributed to her popularity as an international performer for over 25 years. She has soloed with hundreds of symphonies from New York to Honolulu; Hong Kong to Zurich. And her festival appearances include Ravinia, Wolftrap, Mostly Mozart, Vail Valley, Edinburgh, Spoleto and Strasbourg, to name a few.

For ticket information call 402.345.0606 or log on to www.ticketomaha.org. Ticket prices are $30 for an adult ticket and $5 for a fulltime student with I.D.

EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE The Jewish Press will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 24; the deadline for the Dec. 2 issue is Wednesday, Nov. 23, noon.

Sports, Judaism and family ties: that’s the theme for the third annual essay contest, sponsored by the Center for Sport and Jewish Life, a non-profit organization fostering Jewish values and identity through sport.

While previous contests were aimed at Jewish student-

Bar Mitzvahs Bat Mitzvahs Anniversaries Weddings Birthdays Special Occasions or Just Because!

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Attention Beth El third-to-fifth graders: pack your overnight things and sleeping bag, and head to the synagogue for a fun-filled Fall Shabbaton from Saturday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m. to Sunday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. -- and be prepared to be transported into The Chaim Potter Hogswartz School of Menschlicheit!

A hilarious spoof based on the Harry Potter series, the “Chaim Potter” adventure will begin following Junior Congregation, when students are divided into four ‘schools’, and different characters from the story help them learn about what it truly means to be a mensch.

Saturday afternoon will be filled with activities and games; the evening will be highlighted by a bowling party and more synagogue fun.

“I’m excited about this Shabbaton because using the theme of ‘Chaim Potter’ will allow the children to connect something from their everyday lives to their Jewish identity,” said Youth Director Jamie Skog. “They’ll be learning about ‘middot,’ or Jewish values, in an interactive and creative way, and hopefully, they’ll remember this weekend as something new and different.”

Cost of the Shabbaton is $35; for more information, contact Judy Rubin in the BESTT office, 498.0904.

Don’t miss this great weekend--reserve your spot now!

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Members of the Beth El Synagogue Talmud Torah (BESTT) Chaverim youth group will join together for a fun afternoon of laser tag at Zzzap Laser Adventures, 11108 ‘Q’ Street, on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2:15-3:45 p.m.

During the afternoon, attendees will also participate in a discussion about the Jewish laws of war and about the Israeli military, according to synagogue Youth Director Jamie Skog.

Chaverim, a recently-established social group for children in fourth-through-sixth grades, is open to all Jewish children in the metro area. Cost for the laser tag get-together is $15 for members, $17 for non-members. For more information, please contact Judy Rubin at 498.0904, or Skog, at 492.8550.

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Beth El Students to Experience ‘Chaim Potter’s Hogswartz School of Menschlicheit’ During Fall Shabbaton

athletes and middle school students, this year’s contest is open to everyone from ages nine to 99. Separate judging categories will be set up for those ages nine-13, 1417 and 18 and older, with each category awarding prizes of United States savings bonds and Israel bonds, ranging from $75 to $180.

Serving as judges are Daniel Hamburg, a high school senior from Kansas City, and Cory Nagelberg, an eighth-grader from East Brunswick, NJ, winners of the previous essay contest. Also judging are: former professional soccer player on tv’s “Survivor” Ethan Zohn, Penn’s Hillel Director Jeremy Brochin and William Van Zyll, Director of Finance at Whirlpool Corporation. The contest deadline is Nov. 30; for more information, email info@csjl.org.

Former Omaha Bryan Greenberg is now appearing in Prime, a comedy starring Meryl Streep as Greenberg’s character’s mother and a therapist and Uma Thurman as her patient--and Greenberg’s love interest. Greenberg’s latest film, Thanks to Gravity is in post production. He is the son of Denny and Carl Greenberg of St. Louis, MO.

November 4, 2005

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 11

underwritten by A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION FROM AN ANONYMOUS DONOR Editor’s note: This month’s Teen Age features the teens of the Omaha Temple Youth Group at Temple ISrael.

Special thanks goes to adviser Lynne Jensen for collecting the material.

A Truly Haunted Havdalah

Finding My Niche

by SARAH BLEICHER On a Saturday night in October, 30 members of OTYG and JYG came to the Haunted Havdalah. We started out at the Rips’ house with havdalah by Sam Long. After that, we loaded the bus to go to Mystery Manor downtown. We had first time haunted-housers who were nervous and scared. Mystery Manor was fun with all the slides, weird, crazy, dark, and fun rooms and hallways. The Haunt, located on 73rd and Blondo, was a lot of fun and scary, too, not to mention creepy.

by CHELSEA TAXMAN Following in the footsteps of three outstanding siblings and living in a town where my family has never had trouble making an impression in the community is hard for a young girl striving to flourish. What was I to do?

First, I looked at myself in the mirror and said, “Oy, Chelsea. You’ve got a tough act to follow.” The hardest part about my situation was not that I couldn’t do something well, but what I wanted to do was no different than what everyone had already done! For instance, I have a passion for leadership. So did my sisters and brother. I love to sing and I love performing…so did those who called seniority before each car ride. (This assured front seat.) There was no escape! I realized it would involve a lot of effort from me in order to ever upstage the achievements of Lindsey, Whitney and Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben. So, I decided to start small. Freshman year, I joined Omaha Temple Youth Group (OTYG), B’nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO), and United Synagogue Youth (USY.) Well, so I thought I should at least try them all out. On top of all this, I was elected Freshman Class Representative for Student Advisory Board (SAB) at Westside High School. I went through a couple of years of high school trying out the different board positions in these different groups, but nothing new for my parents. In the middle of my junior year, I focused on my love of leadership. Westside became worried about me; sending notes home to my parents asking if I was

Front row: Sam Burrell and scary clown, second row: LaShanna Bernstein, Emily Katz, Haley Burns, Jordan Jensen, third row: Annie Rips, Ashley Bernstein, Alex Terry, Robert Friedman, unidentified, and Grace Hack.

It began with a weird, scary video, followed by a series of hallways and rooms. Both places were very busy. After almost everybody made it through the Haunt, we went back to Annie’s house to eat pizza and hang out.

Everybody had a great time and hopefully no one is still having nightmares… Check out the awesome pictures of the Haunted Havdalah at www.templeisrael-ne.org.

Sarah Bleicher is a Sophomore at Brownell Talbot.

Food, Glorious Food

by CAROLINE TERRY Members joke that Omaha Temple Youth Group is merely a pretext to sit, eat, and talk. It is. But between bagels and banter, we raise money for camp Rainbow, a summer camp for children with cancer and blood disorders, with a Spaghetti Dinner. We provide a Purim carnival for the elementary Hebrew school, including a cotton candy machine. We organize fun programs for Temple highschoolers, usually involving pizza. We sell popcorn and candy during Sunday school.

Announcements about upcoming events during the Youth Group Moment accompany Religious school snack time. We give bags of candy to our new members and urge them to share the good pieces. Nowhere else do good food, conversation and deeds coalesce so naturally as at OTYG. Join today! Cream cheese anyone?

Caroline Terry is a senior at Brownell-Talbot.

still alive and planning to graduate.

Around December of my third year, I remembered something my brother requested when I was a freshman in high school. He never had the opportunity to be on the NFTY-Missouri Valley, formally known as MOFTY, Regional Board. I ran home after a convention in Denver and asked my mother if Whitney or Lindsey were on the board. My mom claims Lindsey ran and only remembers her eccentric attire of the 80’s, not her speech and she did not win.

This was my time to shine. Now, I can do what I love and be the first to achieve it. I spent second semester planning for what I would do for NFTY-Missouri Valley during my senior year. Now, I am the Communications and Visual Vice President (CVVP) of NFTY-MV. (Had enough acronyms?) I still am a member of the other youth groups around Omaha, as well as the secretary of Westside’s SAB, but my main focus is NFTY. The year has started off tremendously with a leadership training retreat in Denver, CO. For updates on the region, feel free to contact me. For any person remotely interested in leadership and working with teens, specifically, there is so much out there. Just get involved! I cannot stress how great it feels to make an impact on the lives of young people and doing something constructive outside of school.

So, I have finally made my own mark.

Chealsea Taxman is a senior at Westside.

OTYG’s Board Shines

New Board, Summer Lives

by Jackie Neesman OTYG is off to a great start this school year. We have had great board meetings and have had a good kick off program. For our first large program of the year, we had a Haunted Havdalah. We went to two haunted houses and had a great time. We have an amazing number of members for the start of the year, and the membership continues to increase.

Jackie Nesman is a junior at Westside.

by SEAN BERNSTEIN Replacing last year’s board, we have been working diligently to increase membership, increase involvement, and increase amount of programs. Each board member has been thoroughly trained by the great NFTY Regional Board.

What do we each do and how did we spend the summer, you ask?

Lynne Jensen: Advisor; she took care of her ‘babies’ (they are really 11 and 9). Caroline Terry: President; she learned German at Washington University. Sarah Bleicher: Programming VP, and Jackie Neesman: Membership VP. They toured Venezuela. Sam Long: Religion and Culture VP; she toured California. David Anderson: Social Action VP. He went to Circus Camp.

I’m the Communications and Visual VP; I learned Spanish at Millard North. Chelsea Taxman: Regional Comm. and Visual VP. She studied Fine Arts with Israelis in the Berkshires. Annie Rips: JYG Liaison. She went with NFTY to Eastern Europe and Israel.

Bernstein Twins are the Special Programs Coordinator; they spent a week in Orlando.

Sean Bernstein is a senior at Elkorn.

Jackie Neesman, Sarah Bleicher, Caroline Terry, Josh Katelman, advisor; Lynne Jensen, youth director, Ashley Bernstein, Sam Long, Sean Bernstein, Lashana Bernstein, Annie Rips, and David Anderson.

A Journey from Prague to Israel

by ANNIE RIPS Not many of us slept on our June flight to Praha (Prague), but what was the point; we were getting to know each other. When we landed the next morning, we waited in the airport for our leaders. We were surrounded by amazingly beautiful buildings in the old section of Prague-our first stop.

The next two days were amazing. We walked alot. Annie Rips, right, We saw old synagogues, on her NFTY trip. including the oldest one in Prague--800 years old. Then we saw a cemetery and also a church with 800,000 holocaust victims’ names. It was such an eye-opening experience to see this.

We then re-enacted the Exodus experi-

ence on a cruise ship for three days.

Having Debbie Freidman sing her songs was amazing.

I could honestly say that was the best Shabbat I have ever had.

On the first day in Jerusalem, we went to the biblical reserve and made our own food out of leaves and spices with a friend she made we picked earlier that day. We went to an archeological dig and found some pottery and tons of rocks. The next morning, we woke up very early and drove on our bus to an overlook. Our counselor, Adam, made us close our eyes and took us off of the bus one by one and

stood in a line. When we opened our eyes it was amazing; looking at Jerusalem was so beautiful. We then walked the old city walls and to the old water system. We also went to the Western Wall which was moving and beautiful.

We went all over Israel. In Jerusalem, we saw the Dead Sea Scrolls and went to the Dead Sea and got to swim and float.

We went to a bedouin tent and early next morning, we climbed Masada for the sunrise. We went to a Mosque to see how Muslims pray and shopped in Tsfat.

The next week, we chose from three programs: Yam le Yam (sea to sea), Archeological dig and Tikkun Olam (social action). Then we came back and had Shabbat at our kibbutz. We went to the Kinneret and met our Israeli counterparts, built rafts, and went into the water and tried to keep above the water. That didn’t work so well. The next day we went back to the Kinneret and hung with

all of NFTY in Israel. We went to Luna Gal (a water park) which was fun.

We also went to the Noat factory and got to buy some. Noats are sandals; they look like Birkenstocks. The next day we went to Rosh Hanikra. We saw caves and the beautiful water.

On July 23, we had to say goodbye to our Israeli friends. We went to the Negev that night. It was a very long drive and we all slept. The Negev experience was amazing. We hiked and went down sand dunes--my personal favorite. We went snorkeling in Eliat and to the Ayalon Instutite, a kibbutz with an underground bullet factory. It was really fun and I loved it!

In the heart of Tel Aviv, we saw where Yitzhak Rabin was shot in 1995. We went to a Mega Event and saw all of NFTY in Israel and the other teenagers who were traveling Israel also. It was a lot of fun.

Annie Rips is a junior at Central

Page 12

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 4, 2005

Check Your Calendars For years, schools, universities and cities across the globe have been fooled into thinking that “Al Quds Day” was a religious Islamic holiday. It is not. As you can read in the JTA piece below, it was originated by the Ayatollah Khomeni, following the Iranian revolution, and calls for the destruction of Israel.

You’ll be gratified to know that area school calendars--including Creighton University, the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha Public Schools and Westside-District 66--do not list Al Quds Day on their respective calendars. In addition, it is not listed on Lincoln’s Interfaith Council’s calendar.

This is good news for not only the Jews in Eastern Nebraska, but for the entire community. Political statements--especially those that call for the genocide of a people and the mass evacuation of their land--should never be listed as “religious” holidays on any calendar.

Most of Greater Omaha’s schools are receptive to concerns expressed by parents about calendar listings--though school officials do not always know what holidays mean in the Jewish community.

For those students who stay out of school for all Jewish holidays, it meant missing seven days (six in District 66 due to intercession falling on the second day of Sukkot). Most teachers and administrators are understanding--but they don’t comprehend that missing school means attending services and refraining from completing homework assignments.

It takes years of education to train school officials to understand that celebrating Rosh Hashanah (a holiday most of them recognize) means services in the evening before the holiday as well as during the next day. Imagine explaining Sukkot and Simchat Torah? (You eat your meals in a what? You unroll a hand-

written scroll and read the ending before rolling it up to the beginning? You dance with what?)

Don’t even bother explaining the fast days and why your child has to miss gym that day.

Luckily, the fall Yom Tovim--Rosh Sukkot and Shemini Hashanah, Azeret/Simchat Torah--fall on weekends next year, while only Yom Kippur falls on a Monday. That school officials can understand...but not why your child can’t do homework on those weekends!

Educating our non-Jewish neighbors, school officials and co-workers is an ongoing process. Hmmm; so is educating ourselves. That means we have to pay close attention to the calendars released by our children’s schools--and to textbooks as well.

We must scrutinize not only the Jewish holidays (does the homecoming dance fall on Rosh Hashanah as it did in 2004 at Westside High School?), but to political acts masquerading as religious holidays, as Al Quds Day did at Harvard University until this year.

If you’re not sure how to get started, the Anti-Defamation League can help. The ADL works with local officials to educate them on the dates and nature of Jewish holidays, but they can’t cover every contingency. It’s up to us--as parents and community members--to monitor school calendars and those of other organizations to which we belong. Call the staff at the ADL at 333.1303 if you find something

questionable; they’ll answer your questions and help you correct the errors.

It’ fine to be politically correct and include all faiths and creeds; what’s not okay is to provide offical groups with erroneous information, especially when it calls for the elimination of the Jewish people.

By the way...when you’re finished checking your calendars, take a look at your children’s textbooks. JTA’s special investigative series on what your children are learning about the Middle East, Jusiasm and Islam continues next week and Nov. 18.

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As Iran Calls to Destroy Israel, New Look at ‘Holiday’ with Same Goal

FOCUS ON ISSUES

by TOBY AXELROD BERLIN (JTA)--A campaign by Berlinbased activists has resulted in the erasure of “Al Quds Day” from some interfaith calendars in the United States and United Kingdom.

As Iran’s president was calling for Israel to be wiped off the map, members of Together Against Political Islam and Anti-Semitism were busy calling for “Al Quds Day” to be wiped off calendars--and the campaign is paying off.

Institutions on both sides of the Atlantic, from Harvard University to Northumbria University in England, have announced that they are deleting Al Quds Day, or Jerusalem Day--a holiday that focuses on the destruction of Israel--from calendars where it had been listed as a religious holiday. Al Quds Day fell this year last Friday (Oct. 28).

The point is not just to clean up calendars, political scientist Arne Behrensen, a cofounder of the activist group, told JTA, but “to engage the political left in confronting Islamism and Islamist anti-Semitism.”

Members of the pro-democracy group include people of Iranian, Kurdish and Turkish background. Many of the Iranian and Kurdish members are refugees from their homelands.

The annihilation of Israel is the raison d’etre of the “holiday” that the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It is marked with antiIsrael demonstrations in some Islamic countries, as well as in cities with large Muslim populations outside the Islamic world.

Berlin’s Al Quds Day march was scheduled

for Saturday, and Behrenson’s group has organized a protest that received the endorsement of the Israeli Embassy in Berlin, among others.

Berlin police have taken increasing interest in defusing the event in recent years, since an incident in which an Al Quds Day demonstrator proudly displayed his small children wrapped in mock suicide bomb belts. All posters and banners at the event now must be submitted for approval, including those in Arabic, and statements calling for Israel’s destruction are banned.

That may be why Berlin’s Al Quds Day demonstrations have declined in numbers, Behrensen said. His group has held counter-

The annihilation of Israel is the raison d’etre of the “holiday” that the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. demonstrations for three years running.

The group also succeeded in getting a German organization to remove Al Quds Day from its calendar in 2003. This year, Behrensen focused on British and American institutions that he found on the Internet.

One recipient of the campaign’s recent email, Debra Dawson of Harvard United Ministries in Cambridge, MA, told JTA she had checked with her group’s Islamic chaplain “and he assured me that this day is not an Islamic holiday, so I am removing it from the

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site.”

Spike Ried, president of the Northumbria University Students’ Union in Newcastle, England, told JTA his group had removed the event from its online calendar and issued a written apology. It reads in part, “We now understand that this day is considered offensive to Israeli and Jewish people worldwide.”

Students submit dates to the calendar, and Al Quds Day “was included on the understanding that it was religious day,” Ried said.

After discussions with both Islamic and Jewish student groups, he added, “we understand now that it is a political day, and have therefore removed it.”

The union also has “drawn up measures to ensure that this does not happen in future,” he said.

Del Krueger, creator of an online interfaith calendar (www.interfaithcalendar.org) that is a source for many others, told JTA he also had removed Al Quds Day from future calendars.

However, the event remains on the calendar for 2006, where it is defined as a “somewhat controversial Islamic observance.”

George Fraser, a City Council spokesman in Dundee, Scotland, said the “entire calendar is being removed” because of the issue. The University of North Carolina in Asheville said it had removed the Al Quds Day listing from its calendar of holy days.

Terry Allen, administrator at the Charnwood Arts Center in Leicestershire, England, said he added Al Quds Day after finding it on Krueger’s site, believing it “was a Muslim religious festival” The activists’ letter pressed him to look deeper. “I would like to apologize for any offense which has unintentionally been caused by this mistake,” he wrote to the group.

Continued on page 13

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November 4, 2005

Iran’s Final Solution Plan

BEHIND THE H EADLINES

by DANIEL PIPES “Iran’s stance has always been clear on this ugly phenomenon [i.e., Israel].

We have repeatedly said that this cancerous tumor of a state should be removed from the region.”

No, those are not the words of Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking last week. Rather, that was Ali Khamene’i, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s supreme leader, in December 2000.

In other words, Ahmadinejad’s call for the destruction of Israel was nothing new but conforms to a well-established pattern of regime rhetoric and ambition.

“Death to Israel!” has been a rallying cry for the past quarter-century. quoted Ayatollah Ahmadinejad Khomeini, its founder, in his call on Oct. 26 for genocidal war against Jews: “The regime occupying Jerusalem must be eliminated from the pages of history,” said Khomeini decades ago. Ahmadinejad lauded this hideous goal as “very wise.”

In December 2001, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former Iranian president and still powerful political figure, laid the groundwork for an exchange of nuclear weapons with Israel: “If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave anything in Israel but the same thing would just produce minor damages in the Muslim world.”

In like spirit, a Shahab-3 ballistic missile (capable of reaching Israel) paraded in Tehran last month bore the slogan “Israel Should Be Wiped Off the Map.” The threats by Khamene’i and Rafsanjani prompted yawns but Ahmadinejad’s statement roused an uproar .

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan unanimously condemned it, and the European Union condemned it “in the strongest terms.” Canadian prime minister Paul Martin deemed it “beyond the pale,” British prime minister Tony Blair expressed “revulsion,” and French foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy announced that “For France, the right for Israel to exist should not be contested.” Le Monde called the speech a “cause for serious alarm,” Die Welt dubbed it “verbal terrorism,” and a London Sun headline proclaimed Ahmadinejad the “most evil man in the world.”

The governments of Turkey, Russia, and China , among others, expressly condemned the statement. Maryam Rajavi of

the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a leading opposition group, demanded that the European Union rid the region of the “hydra of terrorism and fundamentalism” in Tehran.

Even the Palestinian Authority’s Saeb Erekat spoke against Ahmadinejad: “Palestinians recognize the right of the state of Israel to exist and I reject his comments.” The Cairene daily Al-Ahram dismissed his statement as “fanatical” and spelling disaster for Arabs.

Iranians were surprised and suspicious; why, some asked, did the mere reiteration of long-standing policy prompt an avalanche of outraged foreign reactions?

In a constructive spirit, I offer them four reasons. Ahmadinejad’s virulent character gives the threats against Israel added credibility. Second, he in subsequent days defiantly repeated and elaborated on his threats. Third, he added an aggressive coda to the usual formulation, warning Muslims who recognize Israel that they “will burn in the fire of the Islamic umma [nation].”

This directly targets the Palestinians and several Arab states, but especially neighboring Pakistan. Just a month before Ahmadinejad spoke, the Pakistani president, Pervez Musharraf, stated that “Israel rightly desires security.” He envisioned Muslim countries like Pakistan opening of embassies in Israel as a “signal for peace.” Ahmadinejad perhaps indicated an intent to confront Pakistan over relations with Israel.

Finally, Israelis estimate that the Iranians could, within six months , have the means to build an atomic bomb.

Ahmadinejad implicitly confirmed this rapid timetable when he warned that after just “a short period … the process of the elimination of the Zionist regime will be smooth and simple.” The imminence of a nuclear-armed Iran transforms “Death to Israel” from an empty slogan into the potential premise for a nuclear assault on the Jewish state, perhaps relying on Rafsanjani’s genocidal thinking.

Ironically, Ahmadinejad’s candor has had positive effects, reminding the world of his regime’s unremitting bellicosity, its rank anti-Semitism and its dangerous arsenal. As Tony Blair noted, Ahmadinejad’s threats raise the question, “When are you going to do something about this?” And Blair later warned Tehran with some menace against its becoming a “threat to our world security.” His alarm needs to translate into action, and urgently so. We are on notice; will we act in time?

Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum. He can be reached at: www.DanielPipes.org.

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 13

Comments by Iranian President Help Israel Gain Some Sympathy

BEHIND THE HEADLINES

by DAN BARON JERUSALEM (JTA)--Israel often comes under international criticism for its counterterrorist and settlement-building policies.

But comments by Iran's president calling for Israel's destruction have elicited international sympathy for the Jewish state.

In itself, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s call, at a televised anti-Zionist rally in Tehran last week, for the Jewish state to be “wiped off the map” wasn’t so new, a reiteration of the traditional rhetoric of hard-line Iranian religious officials.

But since the comments came not from one of the country’s ayatollahs but from its president, and came soon after Israel garnered international plaudits for its Gaza Strip withdrawal, and as international scrutiny on Iran’s nuclear program intensifies--they drew a lot of attention.

Israel found its objections to the radical rhetoric echoed worldwide--from the United States to Europe to the United Nations.

Even Russia, which is helping Iran build its Bushehr nuclear reactor and has long been hesitant to criticize its trading partner in the Persian Gulf, joined in.

“What I saw on television is unacceptable. We will bring this to the attention of the Iranians,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who only last month in his landmark United Nations address bemoaned the fact that “no one opens their mouth” when such threats are made against his country, launched a campaign to have Iran expelled from the forum.

“A country that calls for the destruction of another people cannot be a member of the United Nations,” Sharon said.

Jerusalem officials admitted that a U.N ouster of Iran was unlikely, given that it would require a Security Council recommendation and two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly--traditionally a bastion of anti-Israel sentiment.

“I don’t know if it has any chance of success,” Vice Premier Shimon Peres said of the campaign. “But it is something we must say. I don’t think it is a matter of what one thinks is worthwhile or not.

This is intolerable.”

Last Friday, the U.N. Security Council did rebuke Iran for Ahmadinejad’s comments.

For its part, Iran over the weekend

accused the West of using its president’s comments about the destruction of Israel in order to intensify pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.

At the same time, Iran’s Foreign Ministry released a statement over the weekend, saying that the government’s official stance “is that the occupation of Palestine should end, refugees should return and a democratic state should be formed with Jerusalem as its capital.”

According to some Jerusalem officials, the international community responded so strongly to Israel’s diplomatic offensive in a bid to avert an Israeli military offensive.

Sharon, like President Bush, has long hinted that force could be a last resort for preventing Iran from getting the bomb.

Ahmadinejad’s speech at the “World Without Zionism” rally--where the title was posted in English, not Farsi, for international consumption--coupled with his lack of cooperation with Europeanled efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear program, have made this specter of confrontation loom ever larger.

“Such a country, with nuclear arms, is a danger, not just to Israel and the Middle East, but also to Europe,” Sharon said.

Similar comments came from the White House.

Still, no one expects military escalation before the exhaustion of U.S.-led efforts to bring Iran before the Security Council and impose sanctions unless it abandons its quest for weapons of mass destruction.

Ahmadinejad has made this possibility more likely.

“I cannot fail to recognize that those who favor transferring the Iranian nuclear issue to the U.N. Security Council now have an additional argument,” Lavrov was quoted as saying.

New Look at ‘Holiday’ Continued from page 12 A spokesperson for the Boy Scouts of America told JTA the issue was under discussion there as well.

Behrensen chose to focus on the calendars after reading a lecture by Mansoor Limba, an Iranian, in Malaysia in December 2004. Limba spoke with pride of how Al Quds Day was becoming accepted as an Islamic holiday around the world, recognized by a long list of organizations, including some Jewish ones.

“This is their strategy, to spread their propaganda worldwide,” Behrensen said.

“We thought, if we want to counter them, let’s see what they’re doing, and we’ll try to prevent their success.”

Page 14

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 4, 2005

Candlelighting Friday, Nov. 4, 4:57 p.m.

Synagogue Listings B’nai Israel Synagogue 618 Mynster St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

Beth El Synagogue Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org

Beth Israel Synagogue Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific St. Omaha, NE. 68154 556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

Beyt Shalom An Affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation 3012 S. 119 St. P.O. Box 390352 Omaha, NE 68139 660.2395 www.beytshalomomaha.org

Chabad House An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330.1800 nebraskajudaism.com email: chabad@aol.com

Congregation B’nai Jeshurun South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 S. 20th St. Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435.8004 southstreettemple.org

Offutt Air Force Base SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294.6244

Rose Blumkin Jewish Home 333 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154

Temple Israel Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556.6536 templeisrael-ne.org

The Neighborhood Minyan 1317 No. 57 St. Omaha, NE 68132 551.6609

Tifereth Israel Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 423.8569 www.tiferethlincoln.org

Thank you for all your help in bringing Fran back home to us.

Your prayers, donations, flowers, cards, calls and food really did help dear friends.

We appreciate your kindness, the Spooners, Coopers and Milders

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m. Our second Friday of the month speaker series begins Nov. 11 with Dr. Benjamin Nachman, who will speak about “Shoah Stories.” The community is invited.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6 p.m.; Tot Shabbat and dinner, 6 p.m. Cost is $5 for adults, children under 6 free. (See full article this page.)

SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation (3-7), 10 a.m.; K’tantan (K-2), 10:45 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored

by Richard and Judith Stern, and Lillian and Jack Schrager, in honor of their grandson and great-grandson Mitchell Raznick becoming a Bar Mitzvah; Evening Service, 5 p.m.

Sitter Service is available during Friday night and Saturday morning services, on a drop-in basis, at no charge.

SUNDAY: Bible Study Class with Leonard Greenspoon, 10 a.m.; “Living Hebrew,” with Susi Frydman-Levin, 10 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah class with Cantor Bogomolni, 10 a.m.; Jewish Pot Pourri Class, 11 a.m.; “From Your Heart to God’s Ears”, led by Andy Greenberg, 11 a.m.

WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sunday, 9 a.m./5:30 p.m.; Weekdays, 6:55 a.m./5:30 p.m.

PATTER: Wednesdays, 10:30 -11:45 a.m. led by Helen Epstein THURSDAY, noon: “Discovering the Talmud: Lessons for Everyday Living,” with Rabbi Levin. For more information, contact the synagogue office.

BESTT CHAVERIM: Beth El’s youth group for children in grades 4-6, will join for a fun afternoon of laser tag at Zzzap Laser Adventures, 11108 ‘Q’ St., on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2:15-3:45 p.m. (See full article on page 10.)

STEM-CELL PANEL DISCUSSION: On Sunday, Nov. 6, 2 p.m. (See full article on page 4.)

WOMEN’S ROSH HODESH GROUP Will meet on Thursday, Nov. 10 at the synagogue for “Breaking the Ice: Getting to Know Each Other.” (See full article on page 15.)

ALTERNATIVE SHABBAT SERVICE Our alternative Shabbat service will resume on Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m. in the chapel. (The traditional service, beginning at 9:30 a.m., will be held in the sanctuary.) Everyone is invited to this interactive service, which is highlighted by an informal Torah discussion led by Rabbi Levin, and offers more English readings, singing and instrumental music.

HAZAK LUNCH ’N’ LEARN On Saturday, Nov. 19, 12:30 p.m., ADL Plains States Director Bob Wolfson will address issues of interest to the Jewish community, during a luncheon. Cost is $10.50 per adult; $5.50 for children under 12 (3% will be donated to Mazon). Advance reservations are

required by Nov. 15; send a check to Natalie Rubin, 2004 So. 138 Ave. Cir., Omaha NE 68144.

Include your name, phone number and the number of adults and/or children attending. For more information, please contact Gloria Goodman at 333.3351.

SISTERHOOD: Will meet on Sunday, Nov. 20, 12:30 p.m.; a light lunch will be served.

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: MondayThursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fridays, 8:30 a.m-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 4:45 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Free Babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10:30 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by by the Board of Friedel Jewish Academy in appreciation of Rabbi Gross and Beth Israel for supporting the school; Mincha, 4:45 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:59 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Contact the office for Mincha/ Ma’ariv time.

WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Contact the office for Mincha/Ma’ariv time.

TUESDAY: Sisterhood Board Meeting and Brunch, 11 a.m.

Make reservations for bagels and lox brunch. Cost is $5 per person; Rabbi Gross’s Lecture Series, Part II, “Bringing the Talmud to Life: Biographical Sketches of Talmudic Sages,” 7:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Board of Commissioners Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Advanced Parshah Study class, 9 p.m.

BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.

CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Ima & Me, 10:30–11:45 a.m.

SATURDAY: Maamar class, 9 a.m.; Shacharit, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush to follow service.

SUNDAY: Services, 8:30 a.m.; Mishne class, 9:30 a.m.; Chabad Cheder and Aleph Champions, 10 a.m.-noon.

WEEKDAYS: Minyan, 7 a.m.

MONDAY: Halacha, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, Spice and Spirit Cooking Club, 9:30 a.m.; Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY: Jewish Thought, 12:45 p.m.; Torah Tots, 4:15 p.m.

For information about programs or to register for classes, call the office or visit: www.nebraska-judaism.com.

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Ilan Emanuel.

FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening

Service, 7:45 p.m., led by Rabbi Emanuel, with oneg following provided by Rich Lombardi.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Emanuel SUNDAY: Gan Simcha, grades K, and 4-7, 9:30 a.m.-noon, at Tifereth Israel; grades 1-3 and Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at B’nai Jeshurun.

ADULT EDUCATION Sundays, 7 p.m. Intro to Judaism, led by Rabbi Emanuel.

Tuesday, 7-9 p.m. series on Jewish Social Justice WEDNESDAY: Hebrew class (grades 2-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Shabbat Services, 9 a.m. led by Andrew Greenberg.

TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m. followed Shabbat dinner. Cost is $5 per adult, no charge for children; Shabbat Evening Service, Jonathon Kozol, “The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” 6 p.m.; Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, Rabbi Craig Marantz and Cantor Wendy Shermet will officiate.

SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:30-10:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.

SITTER SERVICE: Available at each Friday evening service, Saturday mornings when there is a bar or bat mitzvah, and Sunday mornings when there is Religious School. Advance reservations and a $5 donation are appreciated.

Sorry, no facilities for infants.

SUNDAY: Summer in Winter (Grades 2-6), 10:30 a.m. Learn Israeli dances, make s’mores, wear your Jewish camp sweatshirts.

TUESDAY, Nov. 8, 7 p.m.: Rabbi David Forman, founder of Rabbis for Human Rights, will

discuss “Jewish Schizophrenia in the Land of Israel”. Sponsored by the Hermene Zweiback Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning.

ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAY, Nov. 6, 10:15 a.m.: Beginning Hebrew with Colleen Kennealy. Fee: $18 for members/$25 for non-members.

4 B’s: Behaving, Belonging, Believing and Bagels. “Ensuring that Your Childs Identity Lasts a Lifetime,” parent workshop with Rabbi Azriel 10:30 a.m.-noon.

THURSDAY, Nov. 10: “Adult Study with the Clergy” with Cantor Shermet, 10-11:30 a.m.; 7-8:30 p.m.: Jews and Christians: In the Pursuit of Understanding Each Other, a discussion facilitated

by Rabbi Marantz with invited Christian scholars.

NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN Call 551.6609 for service times.

TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Royi Shaffin. Minyan, MONDAY & THURSDAY, 7 a.m., followed by breakfast.

FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m. with an Shabbat dinner following.

SATURDAY: Parashat Hashavu’a class, 8:30 a.m.; Morning service, 9:30 a.m. followed by Shabbat lunch and Talmud class.

WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. Contact Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066.

HAZAK TOUR TO ISRAEL March 15-26, 2006: Join the New York Metropolitan Region for Hazak’s Freedom Tour to Israel. The price is $2519 per person (based on double occupancy).

Trip includes roundtrip airfare from NYC to Tel Aviv, nine nights at the Kings Hotel, touring Israel, including Yad Vashem’s new museum, Hadassah Hospital’s new emergency center, and an Ethiopian absorption center. For information, call Bruce Greenfield at 212.533.7800, ext. 2150r email: greenfield@uscj.org.

Beth El Plans Tot Shabbat Service and Dinner

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Jewish families from throughout the community are invited to attend Beth El’s fun-filled and interactive Tot Shabbat service at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, and don’t forget--there’s still time to make your reservations for the delicious Tot Shabbat dinner following the service! Planned especially for the littlest Shabbat celebrants, the dinner will feature a kid-friendly menu and plenty of festive singing.

Known for offering tons of Shabbat fun toddler-style, Beth El’s monthly Tot Shabbat service is led by early-childhood specialist Patty Nogg, who teaches the joy of Shabbat through prayers, story time, Torah time and family time.

During the service, each child is given a “job” to do, whether it’s assisting with candle-lighting,

carrying plush Torahs around the sanctuary, wearing the Shabbat Queen veil, or helping out with the challah and Kiddush cup. In addition, the children are constantly delighted by the Jewish family of puppets (comprised of grandparents, parents and children) which has been incorporated into the service.

Tot This heart-warming Shabbat service has become a “don’t miss” event for many families in the community, so mark Nov. 4 on your calendar, and kids, grab your parents and grandparents, and come to Beth El to get “that Shabbat feeling” together! Cost of the dinner is $5 for adults; free for children ages six and under.

For reservations, please contact the synagogue office at 492.8550.

November 4, 2005

DEATH PAULINE HOBERMAN Pauline Hoberman died Oct. 31 at the age of 93.

Graveside service were held Nov. 1 at Beth El Cemetery.

She was preceded in death by husband, David Hoberman; and a brother, Syd Glazer.

She is survived by sons and daughters-in-law, Gerald and Leslie Hoberman, Dr. Lawrence and Judy Hoberman of San Antonio, TX; daughter, Audrey Epstein; grandchildren, Lisa and David Cohen of Chicago, IL, Dr Brandon and Robin Becker, also of Chicago, Jennifer Hoberman, David and Paula Frager, Austin, TX, Dr Neil and Shelly Cooper of Atlanta, GA, Dr Brian Hoberman, Houston, TX, Peter Hoberman, Washington, D.C., and Jeffrey and Lu Hoberman of Buenos Aries, Argentina; 10 great grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Al and Dorothy Sokol of Los Angeles, CA; and sister-in-law, Ruth Skolnik.

Memorials can be made to the Rose Blumkin Home, Beth El Synagogue, American Kidney Association or charity of choice.

To Submit an Obituary Notice: Send to the Jewish Press via e-mail: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org; fax: 402.334.5422; or mail, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; or log on to www.jewishomaha.org and click on ‘Jewish Press’, and then Submit announcements. Call 402.334.6448 for more information.

Beth El Women’s Rosh Hodesh Group Plans to ‘Break the Ice’ at Next Meeting

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator The Beth El Women’s Rosh Hodesh group will be “Breaking the Ice -- Getting to Know Each Other,” during its next get-together, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10 at the synagogue. Attendees will welcome the month of Chesvan by participating in a series of clever, fun and non-threatening exercises designed to encourage more familiarity and communication among the women of Beth El, according to co-hosts Donna Olesh and Margie Gutnik.

“We often find ourselves in a situation where we’ve said to ourselves, ‘I wonder who that is…?’ but we haven’t felt comfortable making introductions,” Olesh said.

“What is it that keeps us from doing so? Why do we feel uncomfortable breaking the ice with someone we don’t know? Is it just human nature or just a difference in personalities? During our meeting, we’ll be doing some fun exercises designed to help show that taking that first step toward saying hello doesn’t have to be scary.”

The evening’s social hour will begin at 7 p.m., followed by the 7:30 p.m. meeting. To RSVP, please contact Gutnik at mgutnik@cox.net or 493.8168; or Olesh, at deolesh@cox.net or 334.1462.

Creighton Hosts Conference on Religion and Terrorism

“Lifting the Veil” Journey Group Begins at Temple Israel

by DR. LEONARD GREENSPOON Creighton University’s Kripke Center for the Study of Religion & Society will host a one-day Symposium on “Religion and Terrorism” on Monday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. This important event, which will feature 10 presentations from local and national authorities, will take place in the Skutt Student Center Ballroom.

As described by Center Director and Creighton Theology Professor Ronald A. Simkins, the speakers “will address how religion has been used to support violence against others in the past and in the present.

There is no more urgent topic for the Center to investigate.” Simkins also expressed gratitude that the Center is attracting such an impressive array of interesting speakers.

The program includes: Eileen Dugan, Creighton, “Jerusalem in the Crusades: The Sacks of 1099 and 1187”; Tracy Leavelle, Creighton, “Religion and Violence in the Conquest of America”; Richard Hecht, University of California, Santa Barbara, “Writing Terror: The Representations and Interpretations of Terrorism in Eduardo Galeano, Cormac McCarthy, and William Vollmann”; Raymond Bucko, S.J., Creighton, “Peter the Aleut: Sacred Icons and the Iconography of Violence”; James Tabor, University of North Carolina, “When and Why Violence? The Dynamics of Violence Potential Among Christian Apocalyptic Groups: Waco and other Case Studies”; Yaakov Ariel, University of North Carolina, “Terror at the Holy of Holies?: Turn of the 21st Century Christians and Jewish Builders of the Temple”; Faisal Devji, New School, “Landscapes of the Jihad”; John Calvert, “‘The Strivin Shaykh’: Abdullah Azzam and the Revival of Jihad”; James Waller, Whitworth College, “Deliver Us From Evil: Genocide and the Christian World”; and Vern Neufeld Redekop, St. Paul University, Ottawa, “Religious Involvement in Mimetic Structures of Violence: The Case of Rwanda.”

All events are free and open to the public; parking is available on campus. For information, contact Dr. Simkins at rsmkns@creighton.edu or Fran Minear at 280.2303.

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator When Steven Evans published his book, Lifting the Veil -- Hidden Judaism Revealed, this past April, he anticipated that the book’s “discussions or potential insights may trigger in the reader some added bit of awe or wonder to their religious feelings.” The essays that comprise the book “address different issues that have arisen in my study of Torah and upon the reflection of the practice of Judaism,” he wrote in the preface.

Evans will lead a Jewish Journey Group, “Lifting the Veil: Using New Models of Thinking to Reveal Insights Hidden in Judaism,” on Tuesday nights at Temple Israel, based on his book. The group will meet Nov. 15, 22, 29, Dec. 6 and 13, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Some of the essays in the book have applied paradigmshattering advances of modern science to Judaism that have altered the fundamental understanding of the universe, he explained. The Jewish Journey Group will use his book as a basis for discussing how these advances and other models of thinking can completely change understanding our religious heritage and Jewish practice, he added.

For example, classes will focus on topics such as the connectiveness of the universe, the illusion of time, and the idea of a holographic world comprised of energy.

Evans plans to explore possible lessons and alternative perspectives of the first prophet(s) and to review some of the philosophy underlying Torah to renew meaning and appreciation for its teachings. He also will open new discussions and introduce additional reflections on Jewish practices and thinking in order to gain insights to add to the richness of Jewish life and expand upon relationships.

By day, Evans has been a rocket scientist at NASA, taught at engineering colleges and at graduate business school, and has been senior research scientist and/or head of several national health care, genetics, and pharmaceutical research companies. He has published more than 100 articles, chapters, books, and/or technical papers on medical education and informatics and a variety of medical subjects including genetics and cancer prevention. At night, he is a student of Judaism, Kabbalah, Torah, and Talmudic teachings.

To register for this Jewish Journey Group, contact Temple’s Program Director Rosie Zweiback by email (rzweiback@templeisraelomaha.com) or call her at 556.6536. Open to the community, there is no fee for this adult learning opportunity of the Hermene Zweiback Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning.

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November 4, 2005

Chabad “Women of Worth” Form Auxiliary A n n i v e r s a r y ers which focus on what Judaism can have been at the core of Jewish life, teachby CHERYL LERNER Celebration.

The teach us about relationships, how to ings, and traditions. When G-d gave the For many years Shani idea was that no one bring G-dliness and holiness into our lives Torah to the Jewish people, He told Katzman has offered a Moses to speak to the women first, and person would have and homes.” variety of educational and And a third objective, said Julie Phillips, then to the men. Women are the foundato do too much. A social programs for little help goes a “fun and camaraderie, you know, girl tion and spiritual anchor for the Jewish women. Some of those long way when you stuff. So, we decided that the kick-off for community. To that effect, it is very women have decided that important to strengthen women’s conhave more people our group should be just that. the time has come to take “We are a diverse group of women: dif- nections to Jewish life, to feed the fire. involved.” it to the next level at “It says in Proverbs we learn, ‘In all A second focus, ferent ages, different Jewish backgrounds Chabad, from which they said Marsha and affiliations,” Phillips added. “What your ways, you shall know Him,’ meanfeel they have gained so Kleinberg, is around we have in common is a desire to keep ing everyone has their own gifts that they much. education. “What that spark that keeps us inspired as Jewish bring to their experiences with G-d,” The Women of Worth attracts many women. What Chabad programs offer us Katzman continued. “Some women Chabad Auxiliary will hold women to Chabad are ways to augment our knowledge and enjoy study; others are more comfortable it’s inaugural event with a are the wonderful experiences. If someone were to ask what visiting the sick or elderly. Everyone has kosher wine, cheese, and Shani Katzman classes that Shani she can expect from her involvement, the different ways in which they feel fulfilled “nosherie” party on Monday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m., at the home of teaches. The monthly Spice and Spirit answer is easy: enrichment, community and our objective is to provide a variety of Jewish experiences that provide enrichJulie Phillips, 7909 Poppleton Ave. Cooking Club regularly draws more than and friendship.”

Shani Katzman said she was touched by ment and growth.”

Women will have the opportunity to hear 20 women. Her Judaic studies classes There is no charge, but RSVPs are about Chabad programs and classes as well range from the cerebral, expanding our the efforts of these women, but not suras learn about ways they can get involved. understanding of text and prayer, to oth- prised. “From the beginning, women appreciated by calling Wolf at 330.6736.

Women will also be able to place orders for select kosher wines and cheeses available that evening.

“Discussions began around the development of a women’s group whose purpose would be to serve as an adjunct to Chabad programming”, said Nancy Wolf.

“Informally, we have used, ‘Women of Worth’ for many of the women’s programs, taken from Eishet Hayil, a prayer recited on Friday evening, praising the virtues of the Jewish woman. Thus, the name, ‘Women of Worth Chabad Auxiliary.’

“We identified several objectives. First, to facilitate general program needs. These programs include holiday celebration events, such as the recent Family Sukkot Toba Cohen-Dunning, left, and Janet Kohll, Beth Israel Sisterhood dedication during Sukkot. Right: Children, assisted by parents, perFestival, guest speakers, and special events Co-Presidents, standing in front of the new playground during the form a ribbon-cutting ceremony. such as the recent Chabad 18th

Playground Dedication Held at Beth Israel

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