November 24, 2006

Vol. LXXXVI No. 11 Omaha, NE

Celebrating 85 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa

3 Kislev, 5767 November 24, 2006

Overflow Crowd Enjoys “Great” Plains Hanukkah Concert

Solidarity Mission Participants Make Connections, Witness Thriving Partnership

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator and JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Variously described as “fun, darling, great, wonderful, and really cute!” the Great Plains Hanukkah Concert drew a crowd of more than 850 to Beth El Synagogue last Sunday. Approximately 250 children from preschool age through sixth grade sang Hanukkah songs such as “Al Hanissim,” “Yodlelay Do Potato,” “Hanukkah Tarantella,” and “Ocho Kandelikas,” to the delight of the packed sanctuary.

Sponsored by the entire More than 200 children from Omaha, Lincoln, Des Moines and Sioux City sang in Sunday’s Omaha Jewish communiGreat Plains Hanukkah Concert to a standing-room ponly crowd. ty, children participating Emily Meyer served as the concert’s musical arranger in the concert represented all the Omaha synagogues, the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center, Friedel and conductor; musicians accompanying the children Jewish Academy as well as the two synagogues in included Julie Sandene and Brent Spivack, piano; Jeff Lincoln and Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Des Moines and Taxman and Steve Eisenberg, guitar; Tuffy Epstein, clarinet; Jon Bleicher, bass; Gail Carpenter Johnson, flute; Congregation Beth Shalom in Sioux City, Iowa.

Cantor Wendy Shermet of Temple Israel and Cantor Patti Ritchie, cello; Rick Weiner, drums; Darcy Gamerl, Gastón Bogomolni of Beth El spent a year planning and oboe; and William Wolcott, violin.

In addition to the excitement and enjoyment generatrehearsing with the children and, in the end, made the area’s first-ever children’s Hanukkah concert a great suc- ed by the concert, $5,595 was raised to be donated to Child Saving Institute in Omaha and Wings: Preparation cess.

“This is what a community like us can do!” Cantor for Life in Israel.

More photos on page 2 Bogomolni exclaimed.

by LISA LIEB Federation Communications Director Early on a Sunday morning last month, a diverse group of Omahans embarked on a solidarity mission to Israel. The participants spanned ages and backgrounds, and included some people who had been to the homeland on many previous occasions, as well as several who were visiting for the very first time. Some traveled with family, while others came alone. For all who participated, this unforgettable journey provided a chance to connect with Israel and discover a thriving partnership.

The journey began with a stop at the Bet Elazraki Children’s Home in Netanya to see an example of how our overseas dollars are spent. This Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) sponsored project provides a caring home for more than 150 children born to families with severe health, social and economic problems, in which their physical and/or emotional well-being is threatened. Sent to Bet Elazraki by the authorities, the goal is to provide a safe place and to break the cycle of distress, violence and poverty.

Continued on page 2

Jan Schneiderman and the mission group meet children at Bet Elazraki, a children’s home in Netanya sponsored by the Joint Distribution Committee. They created picture frames, after which the children invited the group to see their rooms.

Feedback on Blumkin Home Model Rooms Brings Design Improvement

by OZZIE NOGG Usability testing of two prototype resident rooms at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home began several weeks ago, and feedback from residents, their families, visitors and staff, has led to a major design change.

“We’ve redrawn the blueprints to enlarge each room--single and double-by at least four feet,” said Mike Silverman, Executive Director of Jewish Senior Services and the RBJH. “This added space means the rooms will now more easily accommodate oversized lounge chairs, and this improvement ensures we’ve actually built the kind of rooms that our residents want and need.

The time we’re taking at the beginning of our New Beginning project lets us focus on details and anticipate possible contingencies.”

Silverman continued, “We know that poorly thought-out decisions can be costly, so we’re following the old carpenter’s adage--measure twice and cut once--to show the community that we’re acting responsibly.”

Feedback from the usability testing gives high approval to the added ameni-

Inside Opinion Page see page 12

Two views of the model rooms: a bathroom--and the double room, which have helped planners make changes to final architectural and design drawings for the Blumkin Home. ties and new decor in the resident rooms.

“The sheet application flooring in the entryways looks exactly like wood and is a huge success. Everyone loves it,” Silverman said. “Visitors find the rooms bright and cheery, and the beautiful new bathrooms get especially high marks.

Through this trial run, we now know that the bathrooms will easily accommodate a two-person assist and mechanical lift, and also allow wheelchairs to move freely without banging into the walls. We’re very pleased with that finding.

Based on other comments, the project planners will reconfigure cabinetry in resident bathrooms to make space for taller bottles, and adjust the doors and rods in closets for easier accessibility. “Of course, we’ll continue to listen closely to our ultimate consumers--the Blumkin residents--until we’ve tweaked everything as best we can to answer their needs,” Silverman added.

While ongoing feedback continues to bring suggestions from residents and their families, it also gives the Blumkin

This Week: Monthly Calendar for December, Pages 8-9 See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’

Klass Act Appears at JBM Event: Page 4

Home’s nursing staff a chance to weigh in on matters of health care delivery and safety issues.

“Staff recommendations are vital to this process,” Silverman said. “Pre-testing these model rooms allows us to provide safety and security to the residents, while also creating an environment in which the Blumkin nursing staff can do its job in the best way possible. The time we spend now to work out details will pay off later. We’re definitely on the right track.”

The next big step in the New Beginning construction involves relocating the current Blumkin Home entrance to the south side of the building.

“This should happen in the next few weeks,” Silverman said. “The temporary entrance will be highly visible and easy to access from the main Jewish Community Center parking lot, and our receptionist will be situated at the temporary entrance to better accommodate visitors to the Blumkin Home.”

To talk about the many options available to the community in support of the new Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, please call Howard Kooper at 392.1800.

Coming Next Month: Hanukkah Issue on Dec. 8 Where Are They Now? Features Mark Zalkin: Page 5

Jewish Film Festival Opens Sunday: Page 16

Page 2

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 24, 2006

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serves as the communication hub for police, army, fire Continued from page 1 Director Yehuda Cohen explained that he tells each and emergency vehicles in the North. Security and volchild at Bet Elazraki that he will be there for them for as unteer efforts were all coordinated from this location long as they need him. And then he turned to us and during the conflict with Lebanon.

We spent time at Yad LaYeled, a museum dedicated to said, “I want to tell you a secret. You are here with these children, too. The Federation is touching each child the 1.5 million children who died in the Holocaust. The who lives here. They go to school and say, ‘We are not goal of this museum is to open a dialogue between chilalone because Mrs. Goldstein and the Omaha Jewish dren of the Holocaust and children today. Yad LaYeled’s community are with us.’ You will become the ambassa- director has been working closely with Omaha’s Institute of Holocaust Education on developing a dors of these souls.”

While in northern Israel, mission participants toured remote Holocaust education kit.

Before heading for the airport at the end of the trip, the underground emergency crisis facilities at the Western Galilee Nahariya Hospital. The hospital was in the group was able to visit an army base. Here we saw the news frequently during the conflict with Lebanon, yet another example of Omaha’s connection with Israel, having sustained katushya rocket damage in the oph- a wall covered with pictures sent by children from thalmology wing. The group saw the huge amount of Temple Israel.

Omaha’s Partnership with the Western Galilee Region damage caused by the rockets.

Miraculously, patients had been transferred to the of northern Israel began almost 10 years ago. Solidarity underground facilities prior to the attack, so the rockets Mission participant Jan Schneiderman was there from caused no injuries. This facility has hosted several the start, having served in 1997 as Omaha’s first partOmaha doctors for the Emergency Response Group, a nership chair. “The beginning was like having a first partnership program in which medical professionals child,” recalls Schneiderman. “We weren’t sure exactly learn about emergency preparedness and make connec- what to do or where to go with it. Some things, like the education piece, worked well for us, and others didn’t tions with their Israeli counterparts.

At Sheich Danun, an Arab-Israeli village in Nahariya, click right away. It’s taken almost ten full years for partthere is a brand new playground. The sign at the top of nership to come to fruition.”

“What partnership is doing today is fabulous,” the playground reads, “With love from your friends in the Omaha, Nebraska, Jewish community.”

Some participants stopped

by Aliya Shniya, the school that twins with Beth El, to deliver a check donated by Beth El Talmud Torah families. And before leaving northern Israel, the entire group worked together on an art project started by the students of Friedel Jewish Left: Ariot, the stuffed lion that travels ents Howard and Nancy Kutler. Right: When Academy.

Several people returned to between Friedel and Maayanot, reconnects mission participants visited an Israeli army northern Israel following the with the children at the twinned schools. Ariot base, they discovered a wall covered with picmission for a more in-depth made the journey to Israel with Friedel par- tures created by children from Temple Israel.

Schneiderman proclaimed, Partnership experience. after seeing some of today’s Among the highlights was a partnership programs in visit to Maayanot, the school action. “I know leaders from that partners with Friedel. several other partnerships, The group delivered Ariot, and ours is among the most the stuffed lion that travels successful of any partnership extensively between Friedel programs.” and Maayanot, took lots of Stacey Rockman is pictures, and answered countOmaha’s current chair for less questions the children Partnership with Israel. asked. Foremost on their “Stacey is such a find,” minds were their friends at Schneiderman said. “She has Friedel--and when they might truly partnered with others come to Israel for a visit. in different communities, Arriving at the Matte Asher Security Command Stacey Rockman, left, Jan Schneiderman and Jan Goldstein and it’s clear that this partCenter, the group was greet- with the Director of the Yad LaKashish (Lifeline for the nership will continue to ed with a plaque listing Elderly), a place where needy elderly and disabled immi- grow.”

Those who witnessed the Omaha and the eight other grants work, eat and receive social services. Mission particFederations whose dollars ipants were able to do much of their shopping at Lifeline’s many connections between helped build this amazing gift shop, which features beautiful hand-crafted items pro- Israel and Omaha would wholeheartedly agree. center. The command center duced by the senior artisans.

“Great” Plains Hanukkah Concert

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Continued from page 1 Photos from left: Omaha’s Partnership with Israel Chairman Stacey Rockman meets residents of Wings, a program that helps disabled college students learn to live on their own. A portion of the money raised from Sunday’s concert will be used to build a bomb shelter in the

Nahariyah apartment which houses Wings residents; Cantor Wendy Shermet of Temple Israel and Cantor Gastón Bogomolni of Beth El lead the 200+ kids; Todd Landry, CEO and President of Child Saving Institute, thanks the Jewish community for its support of CSI; and Ryan McGauvren, son of Kathy and John McGauvran, shows his enthusiasm.

November 24, 2006

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 3

Picking Up the Pieces

by JAN GOLDSTEIN Executive Director of the Jewish Federation While on our Federation Community Solidarity Mission to Israel last month, we had the opportunity to speak with Israelis about events this summer and the impact of the war on their lives today, as well as concerns for the future. The economic and emotional scars are very apparent, but despite this, the underlying resilience of our people that comes from years of challenge, suffering and rebuilding is always present. So it was no surprise to see how well the Israelis are picking up the pieces, rebuilding and refortifying their cities and their souls.

Israelis in our partnership area of the Western Galilee and others felt comfortable speaking openly about their thoughts, concerns and challenges today.

I believe this is because of the trust and gratitude felt towards Diaspora Jewry’s immediate and strong support that came the moment the missiles began to fall.

And that support continues as UJC Federations have now exceeded $350 million raised for the Israel Emergency Campaign. Repeatedly we heard, “We came through this because of the support of the American government and American Jewry.”

And we also heard from the experts like Eran Lerman, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) Israel/Middle East office in Jerusalem.

Lerman provided one of the most comprehensive insights into Israel’s current political and economic situation. He is a retired colonel in military intelligence and a strategic analyst on Israel, the Palestinians, Islamic Fundamentalism, and the wider Middle East region.

Col. Lerman (ret.), who joined AJC

staff in 2001, began by discussing the challenges currently facing Israel. He explained that Israel is being threatened by the nuclear intentions of Iran, while being encouraged by Israel’s economic potential, underlined by Warren Buffett’s tremendous investment in Israel.

We are all painfully aware of the Islamic threat, and Lerman was quick to point out that what we face is even more dangerous than “Islamic Fundamentalism.”

It is actually a “political revolutionary movement,” with its army, embedded within Islam. Israel, the U.S., and the world are dealing with a deadly combination of totalitarian ideas mixed with bits of religion, a terrorist infrastructure, and the powerful backing of the state of Iran.

Countering this, however, are the many international investments in Israel led by Buffett’s four billion dollar ISCAR purchase, heralding a bright economic future. This past year, nearly $20 billion has been invested in the Jewish state.

This is not the Israel of 50 years ago-of orange groves and farmers, but rather a nation on the cutting edge of science and medicine. Israel is currently ranked third in technological readiness, and fourth in research and development, with a GNP growth of 4.7%. This number was even higher prior to the war.

Last summer’s war with Lebanon has clearly left its mark. Most agree this conflict was the “first war with Iran,” since Hezbollah is a fully backed and controlled proxy. Despite claims otherwise by supporters, both Hezbollah and Iran suffered significant losses. Hezbollah lost five fighters to every one Israeli.

With the new international force in place, Hezbollah has lost its free reign within the southern part of Lebanon, and

Syria?” The answer made us all look at each other and smile with Jewish pride: “We are the Israel Defense Force” he said, “not the Israeli Attack Force. We exist to defend the state of Israel, and we are guided by our morality and our Jewish values.”

But we also learned about the unseen lessons of this war. We were told to consider who didn’t join the war.

The comparative silence of the Arab world spoke volumes, in sharp contrast to 1948 when Israel faced five countries prepared to attack its borders.

Lt. Col. Rafi Krispoll and mission participant Debbie Col.Lerman suggested that Trenton, daughter of Les and Jan Schneiderman, visit the this may be because Ghetto Fighter’s House. This museum was founded in 1949 although angry and disby the survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto. Krispoll brought his mayed, most Arab countries men here while on leave during the conflict with Lebanon. like Saudi Arabia and others its missiles have been pushed further back are beginning to see what the world from range of Tel Aviv. Nasrallah has lost could be like without the terror caused by his reputation as a genius for outsmarting Iran. As Israel moves into a new era of Israelis, in his miscalculation of Israeli trade and business interactions particularreprisals. ly with the Arab world, the possibility And as for Israel, all seem to agree that exists that a new hope can be nurtured. it, too, made its share of mistakes. The In the end, we know that everything will good news is that the Israeli people are depend on the international community, determined to learn from these in what led by the United States, to get tough on they call a “small war.” We heard from Lt. nations who pose a nuclear threat to the Col. Rafi Krispoll, an IDF spokesperson world like North Korea and Iran. who had led his unit in Lebanon during As I reflect back on all that we saw, heard the recent conflict, that changes are being and experienced, I’m struck by a feeling of made as a result of what transpired. uncertainty outweighed by the optimism Most interesting was Col. Krispoll’s and hope (Hatikvah) of the Jewish people. reply to the question I’ve heard several We left knowing that what Israel faces is people ask, “Was it the wrong war? not about “them” as a Jewish state, but Should this in fact have taken place in about “us” as a Jewish people.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 24, 2006

Mother and Daughter are Klass Act: Appear at Jewish Book Month Luncheon

by SANDEE BRAWARSKY Sheila Solomon Klass and Dr. Perri Klass--mother and daughter co-authors--don’t finish each other’s sentences, but they do elaborate on them in Talmudic style, layering on comments, memories, opinions and their own interpretations of the same story.

In a kitchen table interview in Sheila’s Washington Heights, N.Y., apartment, the two women talk candidly about their lives and careers--sometimes describing the other and waiting for a correction to be lobbed back-and their new book, Every Mother Is a Daughter: The Never ending Quest for Success, Inner Peace and a Really Clean Kitchen (Ballantine).

The two women will be the featured speakers for the Jewish Book Month Luncheon on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 11:30 a.m. in the JCC Auditorium. Cost of the luncheon is $15. For reservations, call 334.6462 or e-mail gkatz@jewishomaha.org.

Perri, 48, is a pediatrician and writer, and Sheila, 78, is an author and teacher of writing. Between them, they’ve written more than 25 books, although this is their first collaboration. The book is told in alternating voices and reads like their live conversation. They share ideas about home, children, writing, relationships and the way their lives overlap and echo. There’s nothing thorny or strained between them, even as they disagree. The book is funny, thoughtful and smart--full of love but avoiding the pitfalls of sentimentality.

“In some ways we spend our lives telling stories about our mothers,” Perri writes, determined to give her mother her say in print.

Among their similarities, Perri points out that both have three children, long marriages to academic men and work that allows time for writing “around the edges.”

“She started out in a completely different place. She invented the whole thing. I was just copying,” the daughter says.

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myself.”

Perri is one of the best-known pediatrician-writers in the United States. She gained national attention as a medical student in 1984 when she began contributing to the “Hers” column of The New York Times and published a much-discussed essay in The New York Times Magazine on being pregnant while attending Harvard Medical School. Since then, she has published widely in magazines, ranging from Parenting to Esquire to Knitter’s Magazine (she’s also a serious knitter) and has written nine books of fiction and nonfiction.

In addition to her work at a neighborhood health center in Boston, she d i r e c t s Perri and Sheila Klass will headline the Dec. 6 Reach Out Jewish Book Month luncheon. It was and Read, a announced last week that Perri Klass is the n a t i o n a l recipient of the 2006 Women’s National Book p r o g r a m Association Award. The award, presented that trains annually to an American woman whose work doctors and in the book world goes beyond the duties or to responsibilities of her profession or occupanurses stress the tion, will be presented Dec. 3 in New York. importance Former winners include Eleanor Roosevelt, of reading. Rachel Carson and Barbara Tuchman.

Sheila is the kind of ardent New Yorker who prefers subways to taxis and wanders the streets with confidence --she’s still dazzled by the city where she’s spent most of her life. For more than 40 years she has taught writing at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, and she has written 16 novels, including several for young readers and a memoir of her time living in Trinidad, where Perri was born. Her other children are also writers: her son a screenwriter, and her younger daughter a poet, songwriter and English professor.

While Perri grew up in suburban New Jersey with familial support for all of her pursuits, Sheila grew up very poor in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the 1920s, in an unhappy Orthodox home. In order to attend Brooklyn College, she ran away from home and took a live-in baby-sitting job. Sheila never wanted a life like her mother’s; although she later realized that “she who gives you life is never wholly separated from you.”

Perri doesn’t seem so much like a younger version of Sheila, but there’s a direct lifeline between them. It’s

perhaps in their habits of home, kitchen and thrift that mother and daughter differ most, and playfully spar.

Sheila never leaves a teacup in her sink, perfectly refolds the newspaper whenever she or anyone else puts it down, lives frugally and gets her assignments in early.

Perri misses deadlines regularly and spends much of what she makes. Her home is chaotic and, unlike her mother, who served breakfast every morning at a set table, she tries to remind her kids to grab a handful of nuts on their way out of the house.

While Perri isn’t allowed to wash a dish in Sheila’s home, Sheila makes sure to wash Perri’s sink full of dishes whenever she visits, in spite of her daughter’s protests.

It’s motherly prerogative.

“When I think about strength, I think about my mother,” Perri says. “My mother has always been very reliable in a way that I don’t think I am. I sometimes come home and I say I’m too tired to even think about dinner. Never in my whole life did my mother, who worked all day and had dinner on the table every night, say she was too tired.”

“Only because I didn’t know I was allowed,” Sheila remarks.

The book ends in India, another return trip for the intrepid pair. Perri makes the plans, adding a few luxuries her mother would ordinarily eschew. The final scene is one of mother-daughter mischief, as they view the Taj Mahal at night.

Perri is about to become a New Yorker. She and her husband, a professor of history, are joining the New York University faculty. Along with an appointment at the medical school, she’ll also teach in the journalism school.

As for Sheila, who has some trouble with her vision and hearing, she’s grateful every day for the gifts of her life. Moving back to Manhattan after her kids left home was like returning from exile. She offers her own mantra: “Let it be known that she never took a cab of her own free will.”

In addition to the luncheon, Dorothy Kaplan will be honored as the Kripke Jewish Federation Library’s very own “Library Diva.” For her many years of dedication to the library, a special fund has also been established in Kaplan’s honor. The “Dorothy Diva Fund”, and donations will be used for the purchase of children’s books.

For more information on Jewish Book Month, contact Gary Katz at 334.6462 or gkatz@jewishomaha.org.

Jewish Book Month is sponsored by the Special Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation Foundation.

Sandee Brawarsky is the book critic for The Jewish Week.

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One Big, Extended Family A. In 1973, I married the former Susan Flaxer. She is a Denver native and went to Emerson College in Boston WHERE ARE THEY and Boston University. She stayed at home for 25 years NOW? to raise a family, spending considerable time volunteering at our children’s schools. She also was a founding member of Denver’s suburban Hadassah Chapter, presiA search for Mark Zalkin, the youngest of Monie and dent of our community Talmud Torah and a volunteer at Allen Zalkin’s large family, found him in the Denver, our synagogue.

CO, area. Many Omahans remember his cantorial and Susan has always been interested in art and education singing talents and will be glad to know he is still active (especially Jewish). She frequently attends Jewish study in music. groups, text study, art exhibits, book reviews and other Q. Tell us about your childhood.

Jewish educational activities.

A. I was born in Omaha on April 22, 1949, to Beverly When she saw the “empty nest’ coming, she went to Zalkin Silverman and Sol Silverman. Sol was from San the UD’s Graduate School of Social Work and earned an Diego and we lived there briefly when I was an infant. MSW in gerontology. She has worked at Denver’s When we returned to Omaha, Beverly and Sol divorced, Shalom Park, Heritage Club Nursing Center and was and I was put up for adoption with Jewish Family Director of Social Services at a Denver nursing home.

Service. I was scheduled to be adopted by a Jewish famQ. What about your career? ily in Chicago, but Beverly’s parents, Monie and Allen A. I started out as a vocal music teacher in a private Zalkin, adopted me, and I became Mark Zalkin. I will school in Colorado. On a trip home to Omaha, I was always be grateful to my late parents for taking me into reunited with Cantor Chaim Najman. He told me there their lives. They educated me at wonderful schools and was a job at the Omaha JCC for a cultural and performwere my first role models for living a Jewish life. ing arts director. I found it intriguing and was hired by Due to my family situation, I was, of course, the Hy Tabachnick, the new Executive Director. To Cantor “baby” of the family. I grew up somewhat like an only Najman’s delight, I also became the director of the Beth child. My oldest sister, Delma Zalkin Goodman, was El Choir. already married and out of the house when I came along.

I left the ‘J’ to become the general manager of a My twin sisters, Letha Zalkin Pitlor and Retha Zalkin Boston leather-tanning factory. Of course, I knew immeLansky, were close to leaving home. My brother, diately it was not a good fit. I quit within 10 days and Marshall, left home when he married in the late 1950s. returned to Omaha to join our family business, Peerless My mother always had large traditional kosher Shabbat Wiping Cloth Company, but within four months we dinners, and we celebrated moved to Denver. I was major holidays with large hired as Director of Adult Yom Tov dinners.

Education, Senior Adults Q. What schools did you and Cultural Arts at the attend and who were some Denver JCC. of your friends?

Then, I became Executive A. I went to Dundee, Director of the North Valley Lewis and Clark Junior High JCC in Los Angeles until the and Central. Some of my end of 1984 when we moved friends were (and still are) back to Denver; I became a David Bloch, Richard Green, partner in a small wholesale Sanford Friedman, Ron business. After uncovering Wolfson, Milt Erman, Jon serious legal problems, I Whitman, Calvin Cahan, decided I wanted to work for Richard Slosburg, John myself and started Zalkin Cooke, Howard Borden, The Zalkin family: Sara, Mara, David, Susan and Mark.

Training and Development Mike Kaplan, Joel Epstein, Shari Hess, Don Kohout, in 1985, a management training/coaching organization Julie Shrier, Maynard Belzer, Maynard Forbes, Ben that offers workshops and executive coaching to busiShafton, Susan Heisler, Marty Shukert and Brud nesses, governmental organizations and entrepreneurs.

Grossman. (I’m sure I’ve left someone out!)

We also offer services to Jewish organizations, synaI remember that a couple of us used to call one of gogues and JCCs all over the United States. Since 1992, Omaha’s early talk radio shows. We would engage in we’ve done workshops in Singapore and Southeast Asia spirited interactions with some of the hosts. I know we and are exploring opportunities in China. irritated them greatly.

Q. What about your cantorial work?

One night, we gave them the wrestling results from A. My foundation in cantorial music comes from my that evening’s matches at the Civic Auditorium, using experience with the Beth El Choir. During college, in names of real wrestlers, one of our Hebrew teachers and 1967, I served as cantor for both the conservative and some fictitious Yiddish names! Needless to say, we rolled reform congregations in Pueblo, CO. Ironically, I have on the floor with laughter as the radio host butchered gone back there as cantor for the High Holidays in 2005 most of the names. We were excited that our ploy had and 2006. worked.

I continue to serve as a High Holiday cantor/choir Q. Tell us about high school. director when needed. While I was building up my trainA. I was a reasonably good student and spent consid- ing business, I served as a cantor for a congregation in erable time in musical activities: A Capella Choir, musi- Colorado Springs and then in Fort Collins. I continue to cals and Central’s Road Show. I worked on the Register daven at our Denver synagogue when our cantor is away. and was a member of the International Relations Club. I Q. Tell us about your children? remember the principal, J. Arthur Nelson, and some of A. Our oldest, Sara Ann, is 30 and a criminal defense the teachers: Ray Williams, Robert “Chops” Harrison, attorney in San Francisco. Our son, David Marshall, is John Bitzes, Catherine Blanchard, Rod Walker, Don 26 and a second-year medical student at Baylor College Shuler, Ed Clark and Nurse Dwyer. of Medicine in Houston. Last Sukkot, he met a lovely I sang in the Beth El Choir under the direction of new member of his shul, Jessica Miller. They were marCantor Aaron I. Edgar. I participated in USY and ried in July. Mara Allyn, our youngest daughter, will be became an assistant fifth grade teacher for Lawrence attending the graduate school of social work at Epstein, who sadly died during my junior year. I took Washington University in 2007. This past summer, she over as teacher; it was my first introduction to teaching left for Israel to participate in the 10-month long Otzma and I really enjoyed it.

Volunteer Program.

Q. Where did you go to college and what was your Q. What do you miss about Omaha? major?

A. Growing up in Omaha was a safe environment.

A. In 1967, I went to the University of Denver. I What I miss most are the warm, friendly people. Omaha, became friends with a wonderful music teacher, Robert to me, is about relationships. The Jewish community is Davine. One day, over a cup of coffee, he asked me how like one big extended family. People are there for you to I liked being at UD. I told him I liked living in Denver, celebrate your simchas and to share in your sorrows. This but I was disappointed in the academic quality of the feeling is a bit more difficult to develop in the larger, school. He quietly suggested that I consider transferring more transient communities. I am amazed with the to his alma mater, Northwestern. I took his advice and growth in general. The downtown area, seemingly long earned my degree in vocal music in 1971. neglected, is beginning to make a comeback.

I stayed in Chicago and earned a masters in education Finally, I am grateful to HaShem for allowing me to in 1972. Later, I earned an MSW in group work and have a career that is interesting and challenging. It has Jewish Communal Service from Yeshiva University’s given me the opportunity to greatly widen my perspecWurzweiler School of Social Work in New York in 1980. tives, to have many wonderful experiences and to meet Q. What’s your family life like? people of various backgrounds and ethnic groups.

by JOAN K. MARCUS

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 5

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November 24, 2006

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by ANDREA BARTMAN an indoor playground and viewing area will certainly for JSS/RBJH affect the quality of his family time.

There’s been plenty of cause for celebration lately at Most recently, many residents attended the official the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. “A New Beginning” is groundbreaking presentation and reception for the new on the horizon for the Home and its residents, and they Home, but they also celebrated in their own fashion, couldn’t be happier about earlier in the day, by decoratthe upcoming improveing hallways, walkers and ments in their surroundings. wheelchairs for a parade and Some changes have already rally in honor of their future taken place in the building and the future of the place construction and in the lives that has become so dear to of the people who call RBJH them--the Blumkin Home. home.

According to Abigail In late August, Mike Erpelding, a Social Worker Silverman, Executive Direcfor RBJH and the main tor of the Home, gave a organizer of the day’s celepresentation to residents bration, “The Rose Parade informing them of how the allowed staff from all differbuilding construction would ent departments of the proceed and what they could Home to team up with a resexpect in the months to Rehabilitation Department staff members pose with their ident and decorate their come. This presentation parade float and Emmy the dog, their mascot for the day. walker or wheelchair…one highlighted the main resident needs for the new loved her building, including decorated space and storage walker so needs and connectivity much she to the Jewish has decided Community Center. to keep it The presentation prodecorated.” vided an overview of The physthe stages of construcical therapy tion and a virtual realidepartty tour for residents to ment, nursget a feel for what their es, cooks, surroundings new administramight look like. tors, houseChanges to the usekeepers and Resident Sarah Lohrman, enjoys fulness of the space other staff the day’s festivities at the Blumkin most interested resimembers RBJH beautician, Pat Inserra, and resident Home. dent, Dave Dvorkin. all particiSue Serlin participate in the parade with their Small spaces in the new building will be set aside for perp a t e d salon-themed decorating. sonal activities like reading or playing games. enthusiasti“I like to sit and listen to music and read my Time cally in the festivities as excitement spread to everyone magazine… and rather than sitting in my room to do involved. Says Erpelding, “I was proud to be involved in it…this way I can spend a couple of hours listening to an activity that promoted a fun and unique way for staff good music and enjoying the space,” he says. Private and residents to interact.” dining rooms will provide spaces for residents to meet The future is bright for these seniors whose lives are with their family members for birthday parties or other filled with activities, entertainment, family and friends. family get-togethers. “A couple of months ago, I had 12 The new Home will only improve the environment for great-grandchildren here,” he added. New features like these residents already living full lives, every day.

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The bride is the daughter of Sara Pollack, of Toronto and Jerusalem, and the late Israel Pollak. Her attendants included the groom’s sisters, Amie Wolf Mehlman and Carol Porter, and his nieces, Esther Wolf and Elianna Wolf.

Sophia Porter was flower girl, and Joseph Porter was ringbearer. They are the niece and nephew of the groom.

The groom is the son of Margie Alperson and the late Peicy Alperson. His best men were Mike Abramson and Dr. Jeff Glass. Groomsmen were his brothers-in-law, Dr. Todd Mehlman and David Porter. Additional groomsmen were his nephew, Gavriel Wolf, and Bryan Kocen and Peter Sirotkin.

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Dark Journey Brings Temple Storyteller a Gift He Treasures

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator “I would say that sometimes losing something so dear really made me appreciate what and who I had,” explained Joel ben Izzy, a professional storyteller, who will be the scholar-in-residence at Temple Israel throughout the weekend of Dec. 1-3.

In the prologue of his latest book, he writes, “Sit back and let me tell you my tale, of a journey that took me through dark times, yet gave me a gift that I treasure.

That gift is this story, which I now pass on to you -- a tale of lost horses and found wisdom, of buried treasures and wild strawberries, of the beggar king and the secret of happiness.”

In his book of the same name, he tells a tale that is both bizarre and true. It began several years ago when ben Izzy was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Though usually a treatable form of the disease, in his case there was an unexpected complication. When he awoke from surgery, he discovered he could no longer speak.

So ben Izzy found himself living inside a story as strange as any he had ever told, filled with twists and turns he could not have imagined. His life unraveled, not just as a professional, but as a husband and father of two young children. Yet, over time, he came to see his loss as a gift for the lessons it taught about listening, loving, and letting go. The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness recounts ben Izzy’s journey, a true tale woven together by the stories he has collected in his travels. It leads up to the strangest twist of all when, a year and a half after he lost his voice, long after he had given up hope of its return, it was restored to him.

On Friday night, Dec. 1, 6 p.m., ben Izzy will begin a weekend of sharing his stories at the Shabbat service at Temple Israel. The service is as relevant for adults as for children. On Shabbat morning, ben Izzy will join the study session, Sparks Beneath the Surface, at 9 a.m. followed by 10:30 a.m. services. On Sunday, Dec. 3, 10:30 a.m., ben Izzy will lead a workshop on finding and telling one’s own stories as he passes on some of the lessons and gifts he gained from losing his voice.

Open to the community, ben Izzy’s residency at Temple Israel is sponsored by the Hermene Zweiback Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning.

Fifty copies of The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness will be available for sale at Temple Israel along with an assortment of story tapes and CDs. The Kripke Jewish Federation Library will host ben Izzy on Sunday, Dec. 3, 3:30 p.m., at the annual “Chanu-kids” celebration.

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by BETH KATZ Director of the ADL Malashock public school environment Project for Interfaith Affairs and what religious accommodations are allowed in the More than 40 school public school setting. administrators and educators Following Elbaum’s presfrom five school districts, entation, the educators and including Omaha Public interacted administrators Schools, Millard Public with a panel of representaSchools and Westside tives from five religious comDistrict 66, participated in munities here--Judaism, an Educator Training on Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam Issues of Managing and the Church of Jesus Religious Diversity in a Christ and Latter-Day Public School Setting. The Saints--to learn about the workshop was sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League Reverend Nonin Chowaney from the Nebraska Zen Center basic beliefs, demographics (ADL) Malashock Project answers participants’ questions about Buddhism and the and organization of theses major religious communities for Interfaith Affairs earlier Buddhist community here in Omaha. in the metropolitan area as well as what accommodations this month at the Jewish Community Center.

The training is designed to help school administrators may be needed for students of those faith traditions. The and educators create an environment in their schools training concluded with a session where participants inclusive of religious diversity and that does not restrict identified strategies for implementing in their schools the information and suggestions that they had received. appropriate and acceptable teaching about religion.

Due to the high level of demand for this training, the This day-long training began by providing public school educators and staff with an opportunity to Malashock Project for Interfaith Affairs will offer this explore their own views about religion and identity and training in February and again in late spring, 2007. The understand how these views may impact the teacher-stu- February training is already full but spaces are available dent relationship. Participants then heard from Daniel in the late spring sessions.

For information, contact me at the ADL office Elbaum, ADL Midwest Civil Rights Counsel, on the legal parameters for when and how religion and religious 333.1303 or email me at bkatz@adl.org.

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The upcoming Beth El service will be highlighted by singing the ritual Havdalah blessings, an arts and crafts project related to the three stars which mark the end of Shabbat, and a ‘bedtime’ snack, Nogg said, joking that, “All that in 45 minutes should be a challenge!”

All Jewish families in the community are invited to take part in this special service, free of charge, and Nogg encouraged everyone to wear their pajamas, “parents included!”

For reservations, contact Program Director Margie Gutnik at 492.8550, or programming@bethelomaha.org.

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Parents, grab your little ones and head to Beth El for the synagogue’s first Pajama Havdalah, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 5-5:45 p.m. Lead by “Miss Patty” Nogg, this fun-filled service, designed for children ages six and younger, will feature songs, stories, snacks and an art project--and everyone attending is invited to come in their PJs! “When I first found out about this great service five years ago, I was very excited,” Nogg said, noting that when she introduced this fun-filled Havdalah experience to preschoolers at the JCC Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center, “it was an immediate success!”

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 24, 2006

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All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the below events.

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26 Class with Rabbi Seth Nadel, 9:45 a.m.at Beth Israel Bon Voyage, Solomon Lief, 3 p.m. at Beth Israel Jewish Film Festival, 7 p.m.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27 Jewish Ethical Wills Class, 11 a.m. at Kripke Library Women’s Book Group, 1 p.m. at Beth El Beth El Rosh Hodesh Group, 7 p.m. at Sylvia Wagner’s Derech Torah: Judaism 101, 7:30 p.m. at JCC TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad House Eye on Israel, noon at Kripke Library BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

Federation Executive Committee Meeting, 6 p.m.

Israeli Dance Class, 6:30 p.m.

Federation Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 Jewish Film Festival, 7 p.m.

Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m. at Chabad House

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2 Scholar-in-Residence Joel ben Izzy, 9 a.m. at Temple Israel Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9 a.m. at Temple Israel Pajama Havdalah, 5 p.m. at Beth El Jewish Film Festival Dinner, 5 p.m.

Jewish Film Festival, 7 p.m.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3 Class with Rabbi Seth Nadel, 9:45 a.m.at Beth Israel Sisterhood Boutique, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El Mishpacha University, 10 a.m. at the Chabad House Scholar-in-Residence Joel ben Izzy, 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel 4B’s, 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel Nashir Community Jewish Choir, 11 a.m. at Beth El Chanu-Kids, 3:30 p.m. at Kripke Library NJHS Honors Ann Ronell, 3:30 p.m.

OTYG Spaghetti Dinner, 5 p.m. at Temple Israel MONDAY, DECEMBER 4 JSS Senior Luncheon, noon Women’s Book Group, 1 p.m. at Beth El Maccabi Informational Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Jewish Press Committee Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Derech Torah: Judaism 101, 7:30 p.m. at JCC TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5 Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad House BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

Israeli Dance Class, 6:30 p.m. at JCC The Mothers’ Circle, 7 p.m. at Beth El Dr. Ronald Wolfson speaks about God’s To Do List, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Walk-in Drop-in, 10 a.m.

Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Getting More Out of Prayer, noon at Beth El Yiddush Group, 1 p.m.

Jewish Film Festival, 7 p.m.

The Art of Jewish Paper Cutting, 7 p.m. at Beth El Advanced Parshah Study, 9 p.m. with Rabbi Gross FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1 Visions Board Meeting, 9:30 a.m.

Scholar-in-Residence Joel ben Izzy, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel Tot Shabbat Service and Dinner, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6 Abba, Eema and ME, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El Jewish Book Month Luncheon ,11:30 a.m.

Executive Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m. and Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m. at Friedel Academy Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m. at Chabad House THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7 Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Getting More Out of Prayer, noon at Beth El Torah on Wheels, noon at Fraser Stryker Law Offices Yiddush Group, 1 p.m.

USY/Kadima Scavenger Hunt, 6 p.m. at Beth El JSS Community Concert, 7 p.m.

Advanced Parshah Study, 9 p.m. with Rabbi Gross

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10 Class with Rabbi Seth Nadel, 9:45 a.m.at Beth Israel Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El Mishpacha University, 10 a.m. at the Chabad House Annual BESTT Hanukkah Latke Party, 10 a.m. at Beth El Men’s Club, 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel Cradle Roll, 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel Nashir Community Jewish Choir, 11 a.m. at Beth El Camp Sabra Reunion, noon Shiputznick Teen/Parent Painting Project, 12:30 p.m.

Jewish-Christian-Muslim Study Circle, 2 p.m.

Hadassah Hanukkah Musical Party, 2 p.m.

BESTT Chaverim Sports Day, 3 p.m. at the JCC MONDAY, DECEMBER 11 JFS Tzedakah Project, noon at JCC Women’s Book Group, 1 p.m. at Beth El Hanukkah Cookie Bake-Off, 5 p.m. at Chabad House.

JFO “Super Sunday” and Cleanup, 6:30 p.m.

NCJW Book Club, 7 p.m.

Derech Torah: Judaism 101, 7:30 p.m. at JCC TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12 JFS Tzedakah Project, 8 a.m.

Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad House ADL/CRC Board of Directors Meeting, noon at JCC Travelin’ Toddlers, 5 p.m. at Beth Israel BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

JFO “Super Sunday” and Cleanup, 6:30 p.m.

JCC Maccabi Reunion and 2007 Kickoff, 6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13 Visions Speaker & Luncheon, 11 a.m.

Bible Quiz Dinner, 6 p.m.

Edward Zorinsky B’nai B’rith Bible Quiz, 7 p.m.

Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m. at Chabad House Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14 Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Walk-in Drop-in, 10 a.m.

Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Getting More Out of Prayer, noon at Beth El Yiddush Group, 1 p.m.

JCC Hanukkah Extravaganza, 5 p.m.

Hannukah Program, 7 p.m. at Friedel Jewish Academy Advanced Parshah Study, 9 p.m. with Rabbi Gross

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23 Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 Hanukkah Dinner, 6:45 p.m. at Temple Israel Hanukkah Dinner, 7 p.m. at Beth El SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16 Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Tot Shabbat & Lunch, 11:15 a.m. at Beth El Shabbos Hanukkah Lunch, 11:30 a.m. at Beth Israel 20s and 30s Vodka and Latkes, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17 Class with Rabbi Seth Nadel, 9:45 a.m.at Beth Israel Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El Mishpacha University, 10 a.m. at the Chabad House Nashir Community Jewish Choir, 11 a.m. at Beth El Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing, 12:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24 Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Switch Day Class with Rabbi Seth Nadel, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El Nashir Community Jewish Choir, 11 a.m. at Beth El Chinese Dinner & Family Movie, 5:30 p.m. at Beth Israel College Student Reception, 6 p.m.

92 St Y broadcast: David Broza Concert, 7 p.m.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 JCC Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Switch Day Women’s Book Group, 1 p.m. at Beth El

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26 BBYO Winter Regional Convention, St. Louis, Dec. 26-30 Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad House BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18 JSS Senior Luncheon, noon Women’s Book Group, 1 p.m. at Beth El Hadassah Board Meeting, 1 p.m.

Chabad Hanukkah Party, 4 p.m. at Moylan Ice Plex Jewish Film Series, 7 p.m. at Beth El Derech Torah: Judaism 101, 7:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27 Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m. at Chabad House

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19 Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad House Share the Moment, noon at Temple Israel Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing, 5 p.m.

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Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20 USY International Convention, Boston, Dec. 20-27 Abba, Eema and ME, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El Latke Sales & Lunch, 11 a.m. at Friedel Jewish Academy Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m. at Chabad House

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28 Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Getting More Out of Prayer, noon at Beth El Yiddush Group, 1 p.m.

LOVE Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m.

Advanced Parshah Study, 9 p.m. with Rabbi Gross SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30 Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31 Class with Rabbi Seth Nadel, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El Nashir Community Jewish Choir, 11 a.m. at Beth El New Years Eve Overnight, 6:30 p.m. at JCC

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21 Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Getting More Out of Prayer, noon at Beth El Yiddush Group, 1 p.m.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 24, 2006

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IN THE NEWS Lawrence A. Beber, a financial consultant with the Omaha office of A.G. Edwards, has been designated a Business Services Consultant after completing a Certified Financial Planner Program and has earned the title Executive Planning Consultant.

Thanks in large part to the work of a University of Nebraska Medical Center scientist, an international group of researchers has demonstrated that embryonic stem cells can be converted into liver cells and can be used to restore liver function in mice with liver failure.

Ira Fox, M.D., McLaughlin Professor of Surgery and senior associate dean for research in the UNMC College of Medicine, served as the senior author on the article and headed the study along with Naoya Kobayashi, Ph.D., of Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry in Japan.

The study was one of two articles in Nature Biotechnology earlier this month that describe making liver cells from mouse embryonic stem cells. A research team at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City headed the second study. “Both (liver) articles lay out a road map for how to regenerate a failed liver using embryonic stem cells,� Dr. Fox said. “The next step is to apply this approach to producing human liver cells. “Our study is an important first step, but there’s still plenty of work to be done. Our work, and the other studies published this week, show we’re getting closer and closer (to making this applicable to humans).�

Embryonic stem cells are the body’s master cells and have the ability to transform into any kind of cell or tissue in the body.

Drs. Fox and Kobayashi have worked together for years on liver cell regeneration. Dr. Kobayashi worked at UNMC for two years completing his post-doctoral training under Dr. Fox during the late 1990s. In 2005, two UNMC research teams--one headed by Dr. Fox, the other by Stephen Rennard, M.D., Larson Professor of

Pulmonary Medicine--received training on how to use human embryonic stem cells in research. Both groups brought human embryonic stem cell lines back to Nebraska for their research. The embryonic stem cell lines are among the stem cell lines approved by President Bush.

A liver transplant surgeon, Dr. Fox is trying to determine if embryonic stem cells can be safely turned into liver cells that would ultimately be infused into failing livers. This form of therapy, cell transplantation, could be used as an alternative to organ transplantation for some patients with liver failure.

Due to the shortage of organ donors to meet the increased demand for organ transplants, Dr. Fox has, over the past decade, examined a variety of alternative ways - other than organ transplantation--to regenerate damaged livers. During this period, Dr. Fox has also studied the properties of adult stem cells and pig liver cells for this purpose.

Infusing human liver cells into a diseased liver in 1997, Dr. Fox was the first to get transplanted individual liver cells to partially correct a rare metabolic liver disease in a 10-year old child. In doing so, the patient was able to avoid undergoing a liver transplant for many years. The research was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 1998.

Currently, more than 17,000 Americans are on the waiting list for a new liver. Liver failure can be caused by viruses such as hepatitis, by drug or alcohol damage and by a range of other diseases. Often the only cure is a transplant, and more than 5,000 liver transplants are done in the United States each year.

Freshman Aaron Placzek, son of Kimberly and Matthew Placzek, and senior Spencer Gallner, son of Kim and Shelly Gallner, finished third in the Boys State Tennis Championships, representing Westside High School in the #2 Doubles event. The Westside Warrior team finished third overall in the tournament that included 28 teams.

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BIRTHS Deborah and Alexander Herzog of Passaic, NJ, announce the May 7 birth of their son, Gabriel Tzei.

Grandparents are Ian I. (Buddy) Herzog and Amy Ardell Herzog, and Carol Greene Herzog of Los Angeles, CA, and Susan and Donald Levy of Randolph, MA. Great-grandparents are Pearl Herzog and Rebecca Levy and the late Irving Herzog, Sylvia and Milton Greene, Esther and William Cowen, and Herbert Levy.

Mindy and Joel Forbes of Milwaukee, announce the Nov. 3 birth of their son, Yitzchak “Izzy� Moshe.

He is named after his maternal great-grandfather, Irvin S. Abrams and his paternal great grandfather, Isadore M. Forbes.

He joins his 23 month old sister, Sora Raizel.

Grandparents are Marshall and Toby Forbes, of Brown Deer, WI, formerly of Omaha and Melvin and Barbara Bensman of Milwaukee.

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Temple Israel’s Interfaith Couples Club Dining at Roja

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Temple’s interfaith couples group will meet at Roja Mexican Grill, 17010 Wright Plaza (near 170th and West Center) on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m., for dinner next to one of several fire pits and waterfalls under a catwalk of mariachi performers!

Traci and Lance Kugler attended the group’s progressive dinner in July in the Old Market. “I thought it was great,� Traci Kugler said. “We met new people. The rabbis were there, and we got to know Rabbi Linder and get his views on interfaith families.�

Nikki Kirshenbaum, who makes the arrangements for the interfaith couples group, said, “We have had a really good response to this dinner. We picked Roja because last time, we did the Old Market so we wanted to go to an area that we had not been to yet.�

All interfaith couples (and others who might be interested) are welcome to attend. RSVP to Kirshenbaum at nrkirshe@cox.net or at 965.8935 or call the Temple office at 556.6536.

1-888-808-8949

Beth Israel Plans for Annual Chinese Dinner and a Movie

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by MARY BORT for Beth Israel Synagogue Looking for something fun to do on Dec. 24? Do you like Chinese food? How about watching a fun movie, too? Then bring your family to Beth Israel Synagogue on Sunday, Dec. 24 to enjoy a kosher Chinese dinner followed by a family-friendly film and movie scavenger hunt. As in previous years, dinner will be ordered from Chop Stix, a Glatt Kosher Chinese restaurant in New Jersey.

If you are a big fan of Chinese food, you also have the opportunity to order additional food “To Go,� that will be kept frozen until the order is picked up. Anyone planning to attend, or who wants to place an order, must call the office no later than Monday, Dec. 4. “Last year, the food was fabulous!� noted Executive Director Beth Cohen. “Who would think that Chinese food that’s been frozen, shipped and reheated would taste like it was being served fresh at the restaurant? We had a huge crowd and everyone really enjoyed their meals.� Menu options include a wide range of choices, such as pan-fried dumplings and lo-mein dishes.

Cohen noted, “An added convenience is that our

orders arrive individually packaged. So if you want to take home your leftovers, you can use the containers they come in.�

Cohen emphasized the importance of placing food orders before the deadline. People planning to attend must make their reservations and place their food orders early; otherwise, they won’t have a meal when they come to the event. She explained, “While we always try to accommodate late reservations, in this case a last minute reservation can’t be accepted since we already will have placed our order by Dec. 4.� “We want to thank the volunteers who help out with this event each year,� said Cohen. “To give our catering staff the night off, volunteers take care of heating up the food and help distribute the meals to everyone.�

The movie shown during the event has been deemed “family friendly� by Rabbi Jonathan Gross. “The movie is a surprise,� said Gross. “We’ve done this before and the kids enjoy it. The movie scavenger hunt will be comprised of questions about the movie. The first person to find the answers, while we watch the movie, will win a prize.�

To RSVP or place an order, call at 556.6288.

November 24, 2006

“I Had a Little Meatball” is Theme of OTYG Spaghetti Dinner

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Omaha Temple Youth Group (OTYG) will tempt you with more than a spaghetti dinner at their annual fund raiser on Sunday, Dec. 3. Starting at 10 a.m. in the morning, at a silent auction culminating in a live auction after the 5 p.m. dinner, you’ll be able to bid on reserved parking spaces at Temple, homemade challah deliveries (one per month for a year), symphony and sporting events tickets, food baskets, board games galore, gourmet dinners, a day of fun at Lake Waconda, and furniture designed and painted by OTYG and Junior Youth Group among other surprises.

Keeping in mind that Hanukkah starts less than two weeks after the Spaghetti Dinner, this year’s theme is “I had a little meatball.” You can do some of your shopping (and perform a mitzvah at the same time) by bidding at the auction.

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 11

Shop ‘Til You Drop During Beth El Sisterhood’s Fourth Annual Boutique

Funds raised by the dinner and auction are donated to Camp CoHoLo near Gretna, Camp Rainbow near St. Louis, MO; Temple’s Jewish summer camp scholarship fund, and all three of Temple’s youth groups: OTYG, Junior Youth Group, and Club 56.

Camp CoHoLo and Camp Rainbow are oneweek summer camps for children suffering from cancer and blood disorders. The youth groups use their share of the earnings to provide programming and scholarships for travel to chavurot (conclaves).

Chairmen of this year’s Spaghetti Dinner are Ashley Bernstein and Sarah Bleicher.

For reservations, call the office at 556.6536 or send an e-mail to Lori Bennett at lbennett@templeisraelomaha.com. Adult tickets are $7; tickets for children three to 12 are $4; and children less than two are free. A table of 10 is $80.

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator The halls of Beth El will be buzzing with excitement and activity on Sunday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., as the synagogue’s Sisterhood presents its fourth annual Boutique. The day will be filled with non-stop shopping, noshing and fun, according to event chairman M’Lee Hasslinger, who noted that the day’s proceeds will be used to repair the synagogue’s Torahs.

During the afternoon, visitors will be treated to merchandise by over 30 talented artists and vendors--a myriad of great gift ideas for birthdays and Hanukkah. In addition, everyone can get in on the fun of an ongoing, all-day raffle, as well as lots of good eats, including breakfast provided by the synagogue’s USY teens, a pizza and salad luncheon provided by Men’s Club, and a delicious all-cookie bake sale.

A wide variety of vendors will be on hand, Hasslinger said, offering items such as hand-made glass-fused art, mosaic artwork, jewelry (antique, sterling silver and hand-made), personalized stationery, bas-

kets, Judaic art, kitchen items, beauty items (lotion and make-up), whimsical women’s accessories, home décor, cookbooks, children’s items, purses and handknitted clothing.

She added that raffle tickets, at 50 cents apiece, are on sale every Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the synagogue’s Judaica Shop--and the day of Boutique, a raffle prize will be given away every 10 minutes. In addition, the Judaica shop will be open all afternoon during the event, offering a wonderful selection of Hanukkah gifts, as well as a beautiful array of Judaica items and holiday pieces for every Jewish home.

“There’s something for everyone during this fabulous event,” Hasslinger commented. “Sisterhood has planned a great afternoon for everyone in the community, so be sure to stop by!”

payable to Visions. Send reservations and check by Dec. 7 to Jim Wax, 118 So. 88 St., Omaha, NE 68114.

LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Come to the Yiddish meeting at the JCC on Thursdays, 1-3 p.m. Call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638.

Wednesday, Nov. 29, noon, at Regency Lodge. His topic will be “Anti-semitism Sweeping Across Europe. Can it happen here?”

All men and women in the community are invited to attend Breadbreakers. Cost is $11 for a complete lunch and $3 for beverage service only.

DEADLINE NOTICE Please send all articles, photos and ads to the Press by Thursdays, 9 a.m., for all regular issues. Early deadlines will be announced in advance.

Questions? Call 334.6448.

ORGANIZATIONS VISIONS Reminder: Visions Board Meeting is Friday, Dec. 1, 9:30 a.m. in the Blumkin Home conference room.

Visions “Senior Conditioning” will be held at the JCC on Wednesday, Dec. 13, noon Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m.

At 1:15 p.m. the Dancing Grannies will perform. The cost is $10. Make check

WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going on the day trip to the Ameristar Casino, please meet at the JCC by 8:45 a.m. For information call Maggie Conti at 334.6521.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 24, 2006

What’s New in Israel?

Besides the ongoing rocket attacks on Sdereot and Ashkelon, the worrying wait on whether or not three Israeli soldiers captured

by Hamas and Hezbollah will be returned alive and well, and continuing refusal of Hamas to recognize Israel as its legitimate and sovereign neighbor, surely there must be other news. Hard to tell, since media outlets like CNN and the New York Times only seem to be reporting on the affect Israel has on its neighbors, rather than the other way around. Here’s an example: Daily rocket attacks on the little Israeli community of Sderot--in Israel proper and not located in disputed territory--have caused more than psychological terror and physical damage. The rockets have injured a number of Israeli civilians and killed a 55-year-old women...a Muslim woman, in fact, married to an Israeli Jew. The constant barrage has gotten so bad that Israeli-Russian gazillionaire Arkady Gaydamak paid for a week-long vacation in Eilat for Sderot families. That, at least, made Fox News last week.

Recall the Israeli response to the rockets...a raid on the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. Let’s see...Hamas terrorists and sympathizers in Gaza fire rockets on Israel; the IDF goes in to Beit Hanoun--the source of the rocket attacks and 18 Palestinians are killed, including some women who act as human shields for the cowardly terrorists hiding inside the building.

But the “human sheilds” in Sdereot? They don’t count--and so there’s no media sympathy for them. But fire on your neighbor and the response? Throw yourself on the mercy of the world court, like the murderer who kills his parents and then wants a reduced sentence because he’s now an orphan. Surely there must

be more going on in Israel than this.

As a matter of fact there is. Take for example the news reported by Gil Hoffman, a reporter for the Jerusalem Post. He was in Omaha last week, thanks to the B’nai B’rith Henry Monsky Lodge, which sponsored his speech at a community event at the JCC. A native of Chicago, he made aliyah to Israel and spends his time, as he says, “sitting in the Knesset cafeteria.” That is apparently where all the MKs come to lunch and chat with the press, and where former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon actually broke the news that Israel was going to “disengage from Gaza.”

According to Hoffman, there’s a lot going on in Israel that is never reported in the mainstream media. Travel to Israel’s north now and there are barely any signs of the summer war with Lebanon. The damage has been repaired, new shelters are being built (even for Israeli Arabs who had originally rejected using the government money for that purpose and now know they, too, need protection from their Arab brothers).

Go north of the border, however, and the Lebanese government and its Hamas proxy keep victimhood alive by showing bombed-out buildings to the continuous stream of European and Arab press.

But Hoffman says there are reasons for optimism: Israel has a high-tech economy, churning out new inventions and medical developments on a regular basis.

That has been noticed not only by financial gurus like Warren Buffett, but by other American investors.

In addition, Israeli cultural life and sports have brought it world attention.

And Israel still has the support not only of American Jews, but Americans in general.

Hoffman noted that Dr. Muhammad Shaer, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Education in the Palestinian government formed by Hamas, has been given a “dare”-disarm, accept and recognize Israel. Shaer’s children are U.S. citizens and though he’s been appointed by Hamas, he’s not one of them. He could assist Mahmoud Abbas, the PA President, who does want peace talks.

But until they change their attitude, says Hoffman, of caring more about destroying Israel than they do about their children and their future, optimism on this issue is misplaced.

BEHIND THE H EADLINES

by DANIEL PIPES Mark Steyn, political columnist and cultural critic, has written a remarkable book, America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It (Regnery). He combines several virtues uncommonly found together--humor, accurate reportage, and deep thinking--then applies these to what is arguably the most consequential issue of our time: the Islamist threat to the West.

Steyn offers a devastating thesis but presents it in bits and pieces, so I shall pull it together here.

He begins with the legacy of two totalitarianisms. Traumatized by the electoral appeal of fascism, post-World War II European states were constructed in a top-down manner “so as to insulate almost entirely the political class from populist pressures.” As a result, the establishment has “come to regard the electorate as children.”

Second, the Soviet menace during the cold war prompted American leaders, impatient with Europe’s (and Canada’s) weak responses, effectively to take over their defense. This benign and far-sighted policy led to victory by 1991, but it also had the unintended and less salutary side-effect of freeing up Europe’s funds to build a welfare state. This welfare state had several malign implications.

• The nanny state infantilized Europeans, making them worry about such pseudo-issues as climate change, while feminizing the males.

• It also neutered them, annexing “most of the core functions of adulthood,” starting with the instinct to breed. From about 1980, birth rates plummeted, leaving an inadequate base for today’s workers to receive their pensions.

...“the larger forces at play in the developed world ... have left Europe too enfeebled to resist its remorseless transformation into Eurabia.”

To keep the economic machine running meant accepting foreign workers. Rather than execute a long-term plan to prepare for the many millions of immigrants needed, Europe’s elites punted, welcoming almost anyone who turned up. By virtue of geographic proximity, demographic overdrive, and a crisis-prone environment, “Islam is now the principal supplier of new Europeans,” Steyn writes.

Arriving at a time of demographic, political, and cultural weakness, Muslims are profoundly changing Europe. “Islam has youth and will, Europe has age and welfare.” Put differently, “Pre-modern Islam beats post-modern Christianity.”

Much of the Western world, Steyn flat-out predicts, “will not survive the twenty-first century, and much of it will effectively disappear within our lifetimes, including many if not most European countries.” With even more drama, he adds that “it’s the end of the world as we know it.”

Jewish Press Committee Bobbi Leibowitz, Vice-Chairman; Stan Mitchell, Secretary; Scott Meyerson, Treasurer; Michael Siegel, Finance Chairman; Joanie Jacobson, Immediate Past-chairman; David Herzog; Susan Lehr; Jamie Meyerson; George Quittner; Melissa Schop; Michael Sigmond; Jim Simon; Nancy Skid; and Dorothy Spizman.

The role of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to involve Jews in meeting Jewish communal needs locally, nationally and in Israel. Centers of Excellence of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Education, Jewish Family Service, and Jewish Senior Services.

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Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Jewish the Committee, Federation of Omaha or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.

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Europe is Finished, Predicts Mark Steyn • Structured on a pay-as-you-go basis, it amounted to an inter-generational Ponzi scheme, where today’s workers depend on their children for their pensions.

• The demographic collapse meant that the indigenous peoples of countries like Russia, Italy, and Spain are at the start of a population death spiral.

• It led to a collapse of confidence that in turn bred “civilizational exhaustion,” leaving Europeans unprepared to fight for their ways.

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(In contrast, I believe that Europe still has time to avoid this fate.)

America Alone deals at length with what Mr. Steyn calls “the larger forces at play in the developed world that have left Europe too enfeebled to resist its remorseless transformation into Eurabia.” Europe’s successor population is already in place and “the only question is how bloody the transfer of real estate will be.” He interprets the Madrid and London bombings, as well as the murder of Theo van Gogh in Amsterdam, as opening shots in Europe’s civil war and states, “Europe is the colony now.”

The title America Alone refers to Steyn’s expectation that the United States--with its “relatively healthy demographic profile”--will emerge as the lonely survivor of this crucible.

“Europe is dying and America isn’t.”

Therefore, “the Continent is up for grabs in a way that America isn’t.” Steyn’s target audience is primarily American: watch out, he is saying, or the same will happen to you.

Pared to its essentials, he counsels two things: First, avoid the “bloated European welfare systems,” declare them no less than a national security threat, shrink the state, and emphasize the virtues of self-reliance and individual innovation.

Second, avoid “imperial understretch,” don’t “hunker down in Fortress America” but destroy the ideology of radical Islam, help reform Islam, and expand Western civilization to new places. Only if Americans “can summon the will to shape at least part of the emerging world” will they have enough company to soldier on.

Failing that, expect a “new Dark Ages, a planet on which much of the map is re-primitivized.”

Read more by columnist Daniel Pipes at www.DanielPipes.org. He is director of the Middle East Forum and author of Miniatures (Transaction Publishers).

Editorial The Jewish Press is a Constitutional Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

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Page 13

Everything We Need to Know: Prerequisites for Jewish Literacy

FOCUS ON ISSUES by by JO KAY NEW YORK (JTA) -- What is Jewish literacy? What does it mean to be Jewishly literate? Who is an educated Jew? Paula Hyman, professor of modern Jewish history at Yale University, writes in an issue of “Sh’ma” (2/02), “There has been no consensus on the issue of ‘Who is an educated Jew?’ for more than 200 years.”

Clearly, our definitions have changed over the centuries. But where are we today? What must we know to function as literate Jews?

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, in his introduction to Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History, observes, “At a time when Jewish life in the United States is flourishing, Jewish ignorance is, too.”

He goes on to say that while large numbers of Jews of all ages are seeking Jewish involvement, in many cases, they are secretly “Jewishly illiterate.”

Modern Jews, Telushkin writes, are either vaguely familiar with or completely unaware of the most basic terms and significant facts about Jewish life and Jewish history.

The traditional definition of literacy is the ability to use language--to read, write, listen and speak. In modern contexts, the word means reading and writing on a level adequate for written communication and generally a level that enables one to

• Torah: This category can be expandsuccessfully function at cered to focus on the “words” -- the ideas tain levels of a society.

For our purpose, the and concepts -- of Jewish life. It includes phrase “successfully func- not only the Hebrew alphabet and tion at certain levels of a Hebrew language, common expressions society” is where we must begin. What do and greetings, Jewish names and names we need to know to function in or create for God. It also includes: What is the a Jewish home, to function in the syna- Torah? What are Torah readings? What is gogue, to function in Jewish communal in the Bible? What are prayers and blesslife and to function in the world as a ings? What is Jewish liturgy? What are the knowledgeable Jew? What should we basic Jewish texts? What is biblical histoknow, feel and be able to do, to be con- ry and modern Jewish history?

• Jewish nation: Who is a Jew? How sidered a literate Jew? Jewish educators wrestle with these ques- many Jews are there in the world? What tions on a regular basis. Whether working are the movements in Judaism? Who are Ashkenazi, in a congregaWhat do we need to know to function in S e p h a r d i , tion, in a day Oriental and school or in a or create a Jewish home, to function in the Ethiopian graduate program in synagogue, to function in Jewish communal Jews? What is “Jewish’’ Jewish educa- life and to function in the world as a food? Who tion, the ques- knowledgeable Jew? are the patritions are the same, although the answers may vary great- archs and matriarchs? Who are the prophets, the sages and the scholars of ly from setting to setting.

Let’s begin with some basic categories: the Jewish people?

Israel: Why is Israel, the spiritual homeGod, Torah, Jewish nation, Israel, holidays, life cycle and deeds. These cate- land of the Jewish people, important to gories, once briefly explored, will form all Jews? What is the difference between the basis on which most Jewish learning, the Land of Israel and the State of Israel?

Who lives in Israel? leading to Jewish literacy, is built.

• Holidays: This area begins with a dis• God: It is in this category where ideas and concepts about Jewish belief are cussion of the Jewish calendar. How is explored. Understanding God and spiri- the Jewish calendar the same and differtuality is a process with which Jews must ent from the secular calendar? What is wrestle. Discussion encompasses ques- Rosh Chodesh? What do we need to tions such as: What is the nature of God? know about Shabbat and religious holidays? What is Yom HaShoah? What is What is Judaism? What do Jews believe?

“Global Warning”

BEHIND THE HEADLINES

by HOWARD KOHR If anyone still doubted Iran’s sponsorship of overseas terrorist attacks, an Argentine prosecutor has provided proof positive of Iranian terrorism’s worldwide reach.

In an 800-page report, Judge Alberto Nisman implicated top Iranian officials in ordering Hizballah to carry out a 1994 terrorist attack on the Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and wounded 300.

Nisman said the decision to bomb the building “was undertaken in 1993 by the highest authorities of the thengovernment of Iran.” He asked a federal judge to issue arrest warrants for eight senior Iranian officials including Hashemi Rafsanjani, president of Iran at the time and currently chair of the powerful Expediency Council.

Rafsanjani has spoken matter-of-factly about destroying Israel, declaring that the “application of an atomic bomb would not leave anything in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world.”

A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Buenos Aires congratulated the prosecutor for his findings in the “most lethal anti-Semitic attack since World War II,” saying the investigative report provides “convincing evidence” that

the attack “was planned and financed by the government of Iran and carried out with the operational assistance of Hizballah and Iranian diplomats based in Argentina.”

In 1992, another bombing was carried out against the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people and wounding 240. While no one has been convicted for that attack, it too has been blamed on Hizballah.

The Argentine report comes at a time of heightened concerns about Hizballah’s presence here at home in the United States. Spokesman Paul Bresson has announced that “the FBI has increased its focus on Hizballah,” saying “those investigations relate particularly to the potential presence of Hizballah members on U.S. soil.”

These startling developments should focus attention on the need to block Iran on the many fronts on which it poses mortal threats to the United States and its allies.

Iran is continuing to move ahead with its nuclear weapons program. Iran’s support for Hizballah remains intact. Iran is doing all in its power to undermine any prospects of Israeli-Palestinian peace by supporting Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorism.

America and its allies must build a united front to stop further misdeeds by Iran and prevent the radical regime from continuing its nefarious efforts to support terrorism, thwart peace and develop a nuclear arsenal.

Howard Kohr is the Executive Director of AIPAC, the Amiercan Israel Public Affairs Committee.

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Jo Kay is the director of education of the School of Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York and vice president of educational resources for the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest is now accepting applications for Winter and Spring 2007 internships. Come work in a fast-paced diplomatic office, earn college credit and learn about Israel.

Interns are selected based on knowledge of the Middle East, writing and computer skills, involvement in related activities, and enthusiasm for international affairs.

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Yom Ha’atzmaut? Which holidays are celebrated at home? Which are celebrated in the synagogue? What is the history of the synagogue?

• Life cycle: What are the rituals and traditions that accompany each of the stages of the life cycle? Birth, naming and the first month of life are times of beginnings and celebrations. Bar and bat mitzvah and confirmation are milestones in a child’s religious education. Marriage begins a new Jewish home and family.

Death and mourning have special customs to help the family and bring the community together. What does Judaism say about the afterlife?

• Deeds: Ethics and ethical behavior are important Jewish values. How are we to behave toward Jews and non-Jews?

What is tzedakah? What is meant by gemilut chasadim? What are the Ten Commandments? What does Judaism expect of us? How should we speak about others? What is lashon hara? How should we treat animals?

• Judaism places great emphasis on caring for one another and the world around us. Jewish literacy requires that we be able to function successfully, as knowledgeable Jews. If we accept that Jewish study is a lifelong pursuit, we will learn what we should know, feel and be able to do at each stage of our lives.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 24, 2006

Candlelighting Friday, November 24, 4:41 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

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

FRIDAY: There will be no Services.

Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:30 a.m-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 4:41 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.

Free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Children’s Classes, 10 a.m. (call the office for schedule); Kiddush sponsored by Sisterhood; Mincha, 12:36 p.m.; Suedat Shlishit, 4:45 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:43 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; “Reading the Rambam” with Rabbi Nadel follows breakfast, 9:45 a.m.; “Bon Voyage Solomon Lief,” a play

by Shelly Coren, directed by Don Fiedler, will be performed at 3 p.m. followed by dessert reception.

There is no charge to attend; Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m.; Advanced Parsha Study, 9 p.m.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Morning services, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush is sponsored

by Phyllis Zabin, in honor of her husband, Harold’s birthday; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:45 p.m.

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

SUNDAY: There will be no classes during Thanksgiving weekend.

Rabbi Levin’s Thursday class will not be held this week.

WOMEN’S BOOK GROUP: Monday, Nov. 27 at 1 p.m., at the synagogue; women in the Jewish community are welcome.

WOMEN’S ROSH HODESH MEETING: Monday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m., at the home of Donna Olesh, 1810 S. 109th St. Cohosted by Emily Meyer. To RSVP, contact Donna Olesh at 334.1462 or dolesh@cox.net.

MOTHERS CIRCLE: Monthly class for non-Jewish mothers raising Jewish children, continues Tuesday, Dec. 5, 78:30 p.m. and is open to the community, free of charge. For information, contact Judy Rubin, 498.0904 or eddir@bethelomaha.org.

THE ART OF JEWISH PAPER CUTTING: Thursday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m.

PAJAMA HAVDALAH: Saturday, Dec. 2, 5-5:45 p.m., Led by “Miss Patty” Nogg. Open to all Jewish families with children ages six and younger.

SISTERHOOD BOUTIQUE: Sunday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ABBA, EEMA & ME: Wednesday, Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Therapist Glen Fineman will lead a discussion with parents about “The Perks of Positive Discipline.” For more information, contact Holly Weill at 493.5126, or Margie Gutnik at 492.8550.

1317 No. 57 St. Omaha, NE 68132 551.6609

Williss, with oneg provided by Brian Hirt.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Sara Friedman; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. led by Rich Lombardi and Robert Rickover.

SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew class (grades 2-8), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

SUNDAY, Dec. 3: Annual Federation Meeting and Dinner, 6 p.m. Ben Nachman will present his film of Lincoln Jewish History.

RSVP by Thursday, Nov. 30, to Helen Sweet at 488.4759 (call after 10 a.m). and if you need a ride. No charge for the dinner, but donations will be accepted.

Childcare will be provided.

14th annual “Freedom Breakfast” honoring Dr. Martin Luther King is Friday, Jan. 12, at Embassy Suites. Doors open at 7 a.m. The keynote speaker will be Linda Crump, President of the Nebraska Bar Association. Tickets are $15; reserve now.

NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN

BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Shabbat in the Home.

Behaving, Belonging, Believing and Bagels, 10:30 a.m. Joel Ben Izzy speaks on “Turning Curses Into Blessings: A Workshop About Finding and Telling Our Own Stories” FRIDAY, Dec. 1: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. Rabbi Azriel and Cantor Shermet will lead the service; D’var Torah: Joel Ben Izzy, “Buried Treasures: Lost and Found”; Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m.

Rabbi Linder will lead the service.

SATURDAY, Dec. 2: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9-10:15 a.m., Joel Ben Izzy, “Of Ladders and Angels by Jacob’s Journery”; Grade 5 Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. Joel Ben Izzy, “Stories from Chelm, the Mythical Town of Fools” SPAGHETTI DINNER, Sunday, Dec. 3, 5 p.m. Join Omaha Temple Youth Group members. Contact Lori Bennett at lbennett@templeisraelomaha.com or 556.6536 to reserve.

(Full story is on page 11.)

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

FRIDAY: Minyan, 5 p.m.

SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.

CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Service, 7 a.m.

SATURDAY: Maamar class, 9 a.m.; Service, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush luncheon follows the service.

SUNDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m.

WEEKDAYS: Minyan, 7 a.m.

TUESDAY: Women of Worth Prayer Circle-Tehillim & More, 9 a.m.

WEDNESDAY: Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY: Jewish Thought, 12:45 p.m.

All events and programs are open to the community. For information or to register, call 330.1800 or visit www.

Ochabad.com.

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

FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. led by David

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m., led by Alan Shulewitz.

TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. Rabbi Linder, and Cantor Shermet will lead the service.

SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9-10:15 a.m. Four week study on The Life of David

by Robert Pinsky; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.

SUNDAY: No Religious School WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 46 p.m.; All School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Family School, 6-8 p.m.; Grades 712, 6-8 p.m.

THURSDAY: Religious School Steering Committee Meeting, noon in the library.

LIFELONG LEARNING TUESDAY, NOV. 28: Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 6:30–8 p.m.

THURSDAY, Nov. 30: “Adult Study with the Clergy” with Rabbi Azriel, 10-11:30 a.m.

SUNDAY, Dec. 3: 4 B’s:

TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Royi Shaffin.

Minyan, MONDAY and THURSDAY, 9 a.m.

FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. followed by a light oneg.

SATURDAY: Weekly Parashah class, 8:30 a.m.; Morning service, 9:30 a.m. followed by Shabbat lunch and Talmud class.

SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes.

WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. Call Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066; LJCS Hebrew class (grades 2-8), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

Nov. 30: THURSDAY, Interfaith Council Dinner. For information, call Yale Gotsdiner.

SUNDAY, Dec. 3: Annual Federation Meeting and Dinner, 6 p.m. Ben Nachman will present his film of Lincoln Jewish History.

RSVP by Nov 30 to Helen Sweet.

Breakfast honoring Dr. Martin Luther King is Friday, Jan. 12 (See listing under B’nai Jeshurun).

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

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to reserve space, call

Allan Handleman, 334.6451, or Terri Greenwood, 334.6559.

Civil Rights Sculpture on Display at Tifereth Israel

by JENNIFER ROSENBLATT for Tifereth Israel Tifereth Israel is hosting a unique piece of traveling artwork through Dec. 1. Artist Ann Gradwohl and Lela Knox Shanks were guest speakers at last week’s Shabbat dinner at the Lincoln synagogue. The artwork is a part of the Stories of Home series sponsored by the Lincoln Arts Council. Stories of Home is shaped around a visual arts project led by renowned artist Pepón Osorio, in which a dozen professional artists will create sculptures that tell families’ stories.

The 12 works will travel through the community through Feb. 2007. They will be shown-both together and separately--in homes, schools, businesses and

community centers where people Shanks were arrested. Their can get a close look and talk phone was bugged by the FBI. about the stories the artworks They received death threats.

Shanks’s husband was threattell.

The artwork hosted at Tifereth ened with dismissal from his job if is based on the he continued Shanks family’s with his activistruggle for ties. While he racial equality. participated in During the the March on Civil Rights Washington in Movement in 1963, she testithe 1960s, fied before a Lela Knox federal grand Shanks and her j u r y .

Lela Shanks and Ann Gradwohl family decided “Throughout to fight against the injustices that our 50-year marriage,” Mrs. had been endured by the coun- Shanks says, “we continued to try’s African Americans. For one work for equal rights in America. year, they held a protest school in Some of our grown children are their home for their three chil- also activists in their own way.” dren and six other students. The “To express visually a context in

which discrimination, segregation, and racial stereotyping and profiling have been allowed to exist, I have elected to use two school desks,” said Gradwohl about her artwork.

“Each is painted the color of a common school writing implement. One is the graphite of pencils. The other is chalk,” she added. “The chalk-colored desk, like our white majority culture, does not face directly the source of its support. This element of the work is intended to encourage members of the majority culture to expand their understanding of the stories of others and to act to make an inclusive and just community through which we may, together, push the human race forward.”

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November 24, 2006

Historic Memories

SPARKS FROM THE WORD

by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashat To’l’dot Our story actually is hurrying to reach to its favorite character. But that is for later. Right now, our Sidra reaches from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and Esau. It nods to Esau but abandons him relatively quickly and continues with Jacob. Thus our Sidra moves from Abraham to his grandson Jacob so that it may continue, shortly, with Jacob’s 12 sons and specifically with its favorite who will be the subject of the later chapters of Genesis.

The title of the Sidra, To’l’dot, is translated “story” in our Etz Hayim Humash. Basicallly, To’l’dot means “generations” and this enables us to understand that we have moved from Abraham to Jacob and shortly to his 12 sons and the favorite among them.

Isaac sends Jacob back to Mesopotamia, from which Abraham and Isaac had come, to find a wife among the women there. There is an applied suggestion and a more direct remark that the Canaanite women were not acceptable. Since the populace in Canaan and in

DEATH BARBARA KUTLER PECK Former Omahan Barbara Peck died at the age of 61 on Nov. 15 in St. Louis, MO. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marian and Phil Kutler.

She is survived by her husband, Bill of St. Louis; sons and daughters-in-law, Craig and Thea Peck of Eugene, OR, and Brian and Heather Peck of St. Louis; grandchildren, Talia, Elora, Max, and Jordan Peck; parentsin-law, Dorothy and Ben Peck; brother and sister-in-law, Stuart and Sandy Kutler.

Memorials to the Phil and Marian Kutler Memorial Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

Mesopotamia was accustomed to what we might consider heathen worship, the question arises for us why Isaac thought that Jacob would find a more perceptive and religiously mature wife in his native land than in Canaan.

Nonetheless, Jacob sets out and his journey turns out to be of immense importance. The Jewish people have cherished these stories of their ancestors, whether they have historical accuracy or not, through all the generations.

Could not the Bible writers (or Writer) have managed to put the ancestors of the Israelites in Canaan, which was to be the land of Israel? It seems likely that we are confronted here with ancient memories which were taken seriously: No, Israelites had their origin not in the Land of Israel, but in Mesopotamian ancestors.

There is a ring of truth in these tales which forces us to consider that these were not fiction, at least not totally so, but which had their origin in historic memories which bound Israelite origins to events outside the Land of Israel itself. It is not likely that these memories were inventions, for if the writers (or Writer) were inventing, would the invention rather not have set the origins in the Land of Israel? It is likely therefore that we are confronted here not with inventions, but with historic memories, memories of actual historic origins.

We might say that a good translation of the word which is the name of our Sidra, To’l’dot is “historic memories.”

Friedel Jewish Academy Hosts Environmental Workshop

by COOKIE KATSKEE Recently, the environment became a classroom for teachers and staff members from Friedel, Beth El, Marrs Magnet, Masters and Gomez Heritage elementary schools, South High and Omaha Master Gardeners.

Brooke Levy, of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, conducted and endorsed the participants in Project WET and Project Learning Tree. These international programs were developed to provide the tools educators need to develop multi-disciplinary activities and techniques in order to teach about forests and water in relationship to the development of a healthy environment.

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. Callthe Press office at 402.334.6448 for more information.

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Political Activist Gives Update on Israel

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Friedel staff, Joyce Stranglen, left, Michael Peterson from South High, background, Eadie Tsabari, Denise Bennett and Barb Sather. Teacher Kristin Sliva from Masters Elementary has her back to the camera.

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To Send Announcements to the Press: Einat Wilf, a renowned columnist, author, political activist, and former Foreign Policy Advisor to the Vice Prime Minister of Israel, Shimon Peres, spoke to the community earlier this month, during “Eye on Israel” and at a special evening lecture. Wilf meets with Buddy and Shirley Goldstein, who sponsored the events, presented by the Center for Jewish Education.

“NatureWorks LLC” is offering an approximately 30% moisture gypsum available for pickup at its Blair, Nebr., facility.

This gypsum is offered free of charge.

If interested, contact Paul Foley at (402) 533-1407 or paul_foley@natureworksllc.com.

We will need to coordinate a pickup schedule to ensure we have adequate gypsum and minimize the waiting lines.

Articles, photos and public relations announcements should be sent to the Jewish Press via e-mail, preferably in the body of the letter--not as an attchment, by Thursday mornings, 9 a.m., for the following week’s issue. Photos may be sent as attached .jpg or .tif files (of at least 100K), along with accompanying logos or graphics. For more information about content or transmission, upcoming deadlines or special issues, call the offic e at 402.334.6448.

HOLIDAY PUPPIES. www.petdoctorlincoln.com. Favorite breeds arriving daily. Vet checked & guaranteed. Call 402-464-9448. Pet Doctor, 66th & O, Lincoln, NE. HOT TUBS, end of season sale, only 12 tubs left. $1,995 - $4,995, 1-800-869-0406.

For sale prices. Good Life Spas, 27th & O Street, Lincoln, NE. MILLWRIGHT AND welder crews needed. Great pay and benefits. Visit www.plainsconstruction.com for complete details. Call Chet at 515-238-5864 for more information.

QUALITY ASSURANCE Coordinator: Responsible for assuring policies, procedures and practices to safety and quality of services at Chase County Community Hospital, Imperial, NE, 308-882-7111, http://www.chasecountyhospital.com/.

SERVICE MANAGER position open. For more information, contact Friesen Chevrolet, 402-773-5538.

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COMPANY DRIVERS & O/Ops: Pay, choices, benefits, Grand Island offers the best: Competitive pay, outstanding benefits. Late model equipment. CDL-A/Clean MVR required. 6 months experience. 866-472-6347, www.giexpress.com.

F.C.C. NEEDS company drivers and owner operators for van and flatbed. Medical benefits after 1st month. Call about our premium flatbed pay! 1-800-228-9842 ext. 137. www.fcc-inc.com. CDL Class A required.

Page 16

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

November 24, 2006

Hungarian Boy’s Holocaust Nightmare Casts Low Key Spell

FILM REVIEW

by MICHAEL FOX Thanks to a trio of hyper-dramatic and almost unbelievable true-life epics: Europa, Europa, Schindler’s List and The Pianist--the Holocaust action movie has become its own genre.

Filmgoers now expect as a matter of course a parade of indelible incidents, incredible bits of luck and stunning plot turns, capped with a moving yet optimistic ending. You have to leave those expectations at the door, however, to fully appreciate the assiduously restrained Hungarian film, Fateless. An impeccably crafted series of vignettes imbued with an overriding sense of dislocation and shock, the movie aspires to record the imperceptible rather than the histrionic.

Fateless shows us the camps concentration through a boy’s disbelieving eyes, and as such it's a coming-of age-story like no other. This extraordinary film adheres to such an understated, deliberate approach that by the end of its two hours and 20 minutes it achieves a kind of purity.

Fateless screens Thursday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m., at the JCC as part of the Omaha Jewish Film Festival, which opens Nov. 26 , 7 p.m., with the showing of Gloomy Sunday.

Nobel Prize-winner Imre Kertesz adapted the unusual screenplay from his 1975 semi-autobiographical novel about a reserved but friendly 14-year-old Budapest boy.

Gyuri Koves (portrayed with great sensitivity and intelligence by Marcell Nagy) is caught up in his first crush, with a Jewish neighbor, but he is not fated to have a normal adolescence. His father is being shipped to a labor camp, and the film opens with several scenes of awkward, excruciating goodbyes. While some family and friends are naĂŻve about what lies in store, others plainly acknowledge the worst.

Gyuri himself is rounded up soon after and, to his bewilderment, put on a train whose destination turns out to be Auschwitz-Birkenau. He is designated for work, and Fateless follows his pained existence from Birkenau to another

harsh camp.

The lad can’t fathom his new reality of upheaval and absurdity, but he has no choice but to adapt and survive. “I was trying to grasp the simple secret of my universe: I could be killed anywhere at any time,� he recounts in voice-over.

Curiously, we see numerous kapos but very few Nazis. It’s as if the forces that have landed Gyuri in this wretched place-and the power that keeps him here--are so beyond his understanding that they’re invisible.

Fateless is not an existential essay on the indifference of God or the cruelty of man. Nor, for that matter, is it an emotional roller-coaster ride with peaks and valleys. It is a film of small gestures in which a slap in the face becomes an act of shocking brutality and a simple “thank you� is a sign that civilized humanity isn’t dead.

Lajos Koltai, a veteran cinematographer (Sunshine, Max) making his directorial debut, has created a film of brush strokes and details, every one of which is utterly convincing. He masterfully blends drab realism with a strong aesthetic sense, draining the color out of the film during the lengthy section in the camps until its a dusty, deathly gray.

Ultimately, Koltai’s triumph is pouring beauty into every frame without romanticizing the story or distracting our attention from Gyuri’s plight. Needless to say, that’s a dauntingly narrow line to walk, but his decision to use almost no music contributes enormously.

Although the film spans less than two years and never drags, it feels to us as if five years or more have passed in the lad’s life. Certainly it seems that way to Gyuri when he returns to Budapest to look for his family. Everyone who weathered the war in his or her insular, airless apartment seems to be stuck in amber, and alien to him.

Or perhaps he’s the alien, with no one capable of helping him accept the profound realization that life went on while he was in the camps, and that the world will continue on its way despite what happened there. For Gyuri, it is a mystery without an explanation or solution. It is cause for both comfort and sorrow. It is, finally, what makes Fateless so calmly and quietly devastating.

Michael Fox, a frequent contributor to the Jewish Press, is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles.

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KIDS! Color A Cover!

Your color drawing could be on the front of our Hanukkah Gift Guide! Use color markers or crayons to create your drawing on an 8.5X11 piece of white paper. Fill out the form below, attach it to the back and send or bring it to the Jewish Press, 333 South 132 Street, Omaha, NE 68154. The deadline is November 28, 2006.

This drawing by Julia Edelstein won her a gift certificate last year.

333 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE | 68154-2198 | Fax 402/334-5422

2006 Hanukkah Gift Guide Cover Coloring Contest Name __________________________________________________________________ Age ______ Parent’s Names _____________________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________ Phone Number ___________________

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Come for Dinner and Stay for a Movie

by GARY KATZ Library Administrator Tired of cooking? Then come to the Fifth Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival on Saturday, Dec. 2, 6 p.m.

For the first time, the film festival is having a kosher dinner before showing the movie. Then at 7 p.m., the Jewish Omaha Film Festival will show the award winning film Live and Become.

Movie critic, Bruce Kirkland writes in The Toronto Sun, “This film cannot fail to move anyone who dares to experience it.�

Starring YaĂŤl Abecussis (HaĂŻm ze HaĂŻm, Alila) and Roschdy Zem (Dreams of Trespass), Live and Become is a gripping and engaging tale of deception and survival that entwines the issues of politics, religious right, love and identity around the fate of one young boy. In 1984, displaced by civil war and famine, hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians walked the long road to

refugee camps in Sudan. Hidden among them were the Falashas, Ethiopian Jews.

Israel airlifted the Falashas to a new life in Israel.

In the mayhem, a starving Christian mother entrusts her nine-year old son with a bereaved Falasha mother. When the ‘mother’ of the newly named Schlomo (Agazai) dies, he is adopted by kind people. Wracked by his loss and the gravity of his secret, Schlomo struggles against his good fortune, unable to come to terms with a new country, a new culture and its own prejudices.

Dinner includes kosher chicken kabobs, salad, beverages, and dessert.

RSVP by calling 334.6462. Cost is $10 for the dinner only and $16 for both dinner and a movie. For more information, call 334.6462. The Jewish Film Festival is sponsored by the Center for Jewish Education, and funded in part by the Avy L. and Roberta L. Miller Foundation by Lindsey Miller-Lerman.

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