Vol. LXXXIV No. 16 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 84 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
12 Tevet, 5765 December 24, 2004
Cutbacks Hit Israeli Poor Hard
Joe Kirshenbaum Elected to UJC National Leadership Post by PAM MONSKY efit from his experience and Federation Communications balanced input.” Director As for Alperson’s appointJoe Kirshenbaum, lifement to the JDC Board, he long Jewish community had this to say, “JDC perleader and philanthropist, forms some of the most was elected to the Board of heroic and badly needed Trustees of United Jewish work in the world for Jews Communities, the national who cannot fully help themumbrella organization for selves. I’m excited about 183 North American Jewish having the opportunity to Federations, including the work such a great organizaJewish Federation of tion.” Joe Kirshenbaum Omaha. Kirshenbaum was Federation Executive elected to a two-year term and holds one Director Jan Goldstein is also slated to of only thirteen seats allotted to interme- fill an influential national position when diate-sized Federations. she becomes the Chair for the “I’m very pleased to have been elected Intermediate sized Federation Executive to the UJC Board of Trustees and I look Director’s group in November 2005. forward to working with the other Made up of the top executives of 58 Intermediate Federations,” said Federations in the United States, Kirshenbaum of his new post. Goldstein will be responsible for bringKirshenbaum is the second Omaha ing the concerns of the Intermediate Jewish community member to hold a Federations to UJC’s executive leaderposition on the UJC Board of Trustees. ship. Joel Alperson was named to the nation“The Jewish Federation of Omaha now al Board in 1998, one of many influential has the opportunity for our voices to be national positions he’s held. In fact, due heard through our consolidated efforts to his broad leadership experience, of speaking together on both the profesAlperson was recently invited to join the sional and lay level. We are all greatly national board of the Jewish Joint invested in our UJC national system, and Distribution Committee (JDC), one of I am proud of the history and accomUJC’s overseas partners. plishments of our Omaha Jewish comAlperson said that in appointing munity. Kirshenbaum to the Board of Trustees, “The exceptional leadership of Joel UJC and the entire Federation system Alperson and now Joe Kirshenbaum will benefit from his vision and guid- proves that Omaha has much to conance. “I’m happy that Joe will be repre- tribute in terms of vision and commitsenting the Omaha Federation on UJC’s ment to our Jewish world,” said Board of Trustees. I know they will ben- Goldstein.
by DINA KRAFT ment on her apartment, located in a ASHDOD, Israel (JTA)--Gabriella block of run-down concrete buildings in Friedlander recently stopped paying her an impoverished Ashdod neighborhood, mortgage. is out of the question. “It was either paying the mortgage or Meanwhile, Friedlander, who immihaving electricity, water and gas,” said grated to Israel from Argentina in 1997, the 38-year-old single mother, her hands is sinking into debt. clasped tightly together on a small croAccording to Israeli government stanchet-covered table in her dimly lit apart- dards, Friedlander is floating just above ment. the poverty line of $640 a month for a Friedlander, who works part time as a household of two individuals. care-giving assistant for the elderly, is The number of poor in Israel rose by among the swelling ranks of Israel’s working poor. She works five hours a day, six days a week, for a monthly salary of $451. Government assistance brings her income each month up to about $700, but she still struggles to make ends meet. Massive government cutbacks in social spending over the past year have hit the working poor especially hard. Homeless single mother of six, Rina Bachar, stands near her Friedlander now receives shack outside the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem, Dec. 13. about $225 less in aid Bachar who is employed by The School for Tourism in Tel Aviv, than she did before the does not earn enough to rent an apartment and lives with her cutbacks. three youngest children in a one-room shack which is slated to “It’s killing us,” she be destroyed in the near future. Bachar and other homeless said. people have set up camp near the Ministry to draw attention to Her reduced income Credit: Brian Hendler/JTA their plight. means she can no longer afford physical therapy for her 11-year- 7.4 percent in 2003 to 1.42 million peoold son who suffers from a rare connec- ple, according to the National Insurance tive tissue disorder. It also means that Institute 2003 poverty report. making the $383 monthly mortgage pay- Continued on page 12
Making Confrontation Cool ‘101’
Manhigim participants: Marty Nachman, left, Sean Bernstein, Lindsay Belmont and
Inside Opinion Page see page 8
Shayna Kurland make their class presentation to the 15 other Omaha participants.
by SHARON BRODKEY Communications & Community Development for the Anti-Defamation League The 19 Omaha area high school students who were accepted into the ADL’s first Manhigim youth leadership training program were challenged by a series of exercises that required them to develop constructive ways to confront antiSemitism. Their November session was facilitated by visiting educator Nina Sundell, Director of the Holocaust Awareness Institute at the University of Denver and former Assistant Director of Education in the ADL Mountain States regional office. “We know from research that there is a strong correlation between positive Jewish identity and our willingness to confront and respond to anti-Semitic incidents,” explained Manhigim Program Director, Jordana Glazer. The Manhigim Institute is designed to strengthen Jewish high school students’ knowledge and provide them with tools to feel more secure and less isolated when faced with difficult situations. “The Manhigim program comes from the Hebrew word for leaders,” Glazer continued. “The ADL is a leading organization in anti-bias training and human
This Week: Results of Genetic Testing: Page 3 Temple Families Learn Together at Family School: Page 2
Review of the Movies for 2004: Page 5
relations skills. For the Manhigim Institute we have taken a successful, proven program curriculum and made it relevant to our high school-age children to cultivate the next generation of Jewish leaders. “Our goal,” she added, “is to guide these students in developing the confidence and skills they need in school and social situations now, when they go to college and beyond.” The eight-month Manhigim program provides a safe environment for Jewish students to explore, challenge and discuss topics that impact the Jewish community. In addition to the November training on confronting anti-Semitism, the Manhigim Institute also presents topics such as Israel advocacy, separation of religion and state and enhancing public speaking skills. Upon completion of the program, these young people, many of whom are already considered to be influential among their peers, will become excellent role models and resources in their schools and extracurricular activities. Additionally, Manhigim students are required to make peer-topeer presentations at the end of the year. Continued on page 4
Next Month: Guide to Tax and Financial Planning on Jan. 14 Federation’s Community Connection Column: Page 7
Tension Between Israel and UNRWA: Page 9