Celebrating 83 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
by JILL BELMONT Needs God; To Life, and the Beth El Publicity Coordinator 1996 best seller How Good As part of its 75th anniversary celebration, Do We Have to Be? In addiBeth El Synagogue welcomes back tion, he served as one of the renowned author and speaker Rabbi Harold editors responsible for the Kushner on Sunday, Dec. 12, 7 p.m. Best new Conservative commenknown for his international bestseller, When tary on the Torah, Etz Bad Things Happen to Good People, Rabbi Hayim, which has been Kushner will speak about “Three Ideas the enthusiastically received by Jewish People Can Teach the World;” his hundreds of congregations presentation is free and open to the entire since its publication in the community. fall of 2001; he is also is a Returning to honor the synagogue during past editor of the magazine this milestone anniversary, Rabbi Kushner Conservative Judaism. said his topic will focus on “how synaHis book, Living a Life gogues shed light on the community around that Matters, was a bestthem rather than just being illuminated by seller in 2001, as was his Rabbi Harold Kushner the outside world. My topics--the impormost recent book, The Lord tance of community, the holiness of everyday deeds, is My Shepherd. When Bad Things Happen to Good and the real meaning of prayer--are not intended to People has been translated into 14 languages and was ‘prove’ Judaism’s superiority to other faiths, but to sug- recently selected by members of the Book of the Month gest that we have lessons to teach the world.” Club as one of the 10 most influential books of recent Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, MA, Rabbi years. Kushner was born in Brooklyn, NY, and graduated Rabbi Kushner’s honors include being named from Columbia University. He was ordained at the “Clergyman of the Year” in 1999 by the national organJewish Theological Seminary in 1960 and received a ization Religion in American Life, and recognition by doctoral degree in Bible by the Seminary in 1972. He the Christophers, a Roman Catholic organization, as has six honorary doctorates, has studied at the Hebrew one of 50 people who have made the world a better University in Jerusalem and taught at Clark University, place during the past 50 years. In addition, he has twice Worcester, MA, and the Rabbinical School of the Jewish been nominated for the Templeton Prize, the equivaTheological Seminary. lent of the Nobel Prize for Religion. His books include When All You’ve Ever Wanted “In his books and lectures, Rabbi Kushner shows Wasn’t Enough, which was awarded the Christopher how Jewish beliefs and values illuminate the path of Medal for its contribution to the exaltation of the our lives,” said Beth El Rabbi Mordechai Levin. human spirit; When Children Ask About God; Who Continued on page 2
Celebrating Jewish Book Month, Sarna to Speak on ‘Old Faith in New World’ purchase, and he will participate in book signing. The breadth and depth of the topic promise a memorable evening that perfectly fits the occasion of the 350th anniversary of Jews in the U.S., said Steve Riekes, of the Education and Identity Coalition, which serves as the JELS Advisory Board. Describing Prof. Sarna as “a recognized scholar of prominence and by DIANE AXLER BAUM ability and a very good communicator,” for JELS Riekes urged everyone in the commuOne of the foremost Jewish historinity “to take advantage of this fantastic ans, whose new book is cheered as opportunity.” “the definitive book on American Dr. Sarna is the Joseph H. and Belle Judaism” and “a brilliant and provocaBraun Professor of American Jewish tive narrative,” will explore “The 350History and former chair of Near Year History of an Old Faith in the Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis New World,” on Thursday, Dec. 9, University. He has been chosen by the 7:30 p.m., at the JCC. Association for the Social Scientific Prof. Jonathan D. Sarna, author of the Study of Jewry to receive the Marshall acclaimed American Judaism: A Sklare Award for “a distinguished career History, will speak here in observance of research in the social sciences.” of Jewish Book Month. His visit also He is author, co-author, or editor of highlights Omaha’s year-long celebra18 books, including Religion and State tion marking three-and-a-half centuries in the American Jewish Experience, The of Jewish life in America. Dr. Jonathan Sarna Jews of Boston (with Ellen Smith), and Presenting Sarna to the Omaha community are Jewish Educational and Library Services The Americanization of Jewish Culture. Having studied (JELS) and the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. In his and written about every century of American Jewish honor, the Kripke Library will be open a half hour history, he has covered topics ranging from immigrabefore the lecture and during a dessert reception fol- tion and Zionism to ethnicity and public policy. lowing. Copies of Sarna’s books will be available for Continued on page 2
Inside Opinion Page see page 12
6 Kislev, 5765 November 19, 2004
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Rabbi Harold Kushner to Join Beth El’s 75th Anniversary During Community-Wide Event
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Vol. LXXXIV No. 11 Omaha, NE
$2.5 million pledged to The 2005 Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign! 427 increased gifts!
RAISE YOUR PLEDGE, SEND A PIZZA! Show your support and boost the morale of Israel Defense Forces troops! In honor of YOUR increased gift to the 2005 Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign, a private donor will sponsor the delivery of hot, kosher pizza to active-duty IDF soldiers with an acknowledgement from the Omaha Jewish community. Pizzas provided by a generous donor. Pledge increases will NOT be used to pay for the pizzas. The Federation is working through Pizza IDF (www.pizzaidf), a non-profit website that lets supporters send pizza to active duty soldiers on the front lines.
Frohm Trustee Dean Frankel Dead at 72 by CAROL KATZMAN Editor of the Jewish Press Omaha native and prominent accountant Dean Frankel died Nov. 10 at the age of 72. Services were held Nov. 14 at Beth El Synagogue. Among his community positions, Frankel was a long-time trustee of the Carl Frohm Foundation, a fund which has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to projects in the Jewish community. Among the Frohm Foundation’s largest gifts was a donation to Beth Israel Synagogue (Frohm’s synagogue) for a new buildDean Frankel ing, but Frankel was also instrumental in seeing that smaller gifts--vital to the operations of other agencies were given as well-including a $3625 gift to this newspaper, the Kripke Library and the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society for a microfilm reader and printer. According to Harold Mann, a fellow trustee of the Frohm Foundation, “Dean was one of the first people to befriend me when I moved from here from North Carolina after college. He was Carl Frohm’s accountant and continued Carl’s philosophy of philanthrophy when the Frohm Foundation was formed. “Dean and I worked closely as trustees together for 25 years, sharing the same philanthropic vision,” Mann added. “He was a proponent of seeing that funds from the Frohm Foundation would help make things happen--across the religious and institutional spectrum.” Frankel was a founder and partner of Frankel, Zacharia, Arnold, Nissen, Stamp & Rensch, LLC, a firm of certified public accountants and was highly regarded by his colleagues. A past-President of Beth El, he served as chairman of the finance committee for the congregation’s building campaign. He also was the treasurer of the Jewish Federation, 1978-80. He was preceded in death by his brother, Stuart, and father, Harry. He is survived by his mother, Rose Frankel; wife, Continued on page 15
This Week: Women Raise the Bar for JFO Campaign: Page 6 Coming: Next Week: Hanukkah Gift Guide, Nov. 26 Beth El Celebrates 75 Years at Gala: Page 3
JELS Plans Trip to the Jewish South: Page 4
Retreat Energizes Temple Israel Leaders: Page 8
New Recipies for Thanksgiving: Pages 10-11