March 17, 1972

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Annual Meeting Sunday For Omaha Federation Omaha — "Exciting things are happening" and will be discussed at the annual meeting of the Omaha Jewish Federation Sunday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. at "Teniple Israel. In order to attract broad participation of the entire community, the usual dinner-meeting format has been changed. "The meeting is being held without the time and expense involved in a dinner. Hopefully this plan will attract many people," said Mortimer Greenberg, Execu•" tive Director of the Federation.

Terrorists Receive Arms From USSR

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Jerusalem (JTA) — Direct military supplies from the Soy; ; Jet Union have begun reaching . terrorist units in the Middle : East, according to the latest issue of the Beirut weekly Kol '•- Shai.! ;/ Until now, the USSR has been "'"selling arms- o n l y to Arab i states^-mainly Syria and Iraq • —which would pass them on to ; Palestinian units.

"I would urge every concerned member of the Jewish community to attend, particularly the younger members who -will be vitally affected by some of the issues to be discussed." Tho meeting will be combined with a meeting of the Board of Governors who will elect five new members to the Federation Executive Committee. "'. • . According to C. M. Newman, president of the Federation, those .attending the combined meeting will bo asked to consider a number of important issues of concern to the Jewish' Community during the coming year. "The meeting has been designed to permit the free exr change of views among all those who participate," Mr. •Newman said. Honors ; Among the highlights of the meeting will be the recognition awards presented to the leaders of the 1971 Jewish Philanthropies Campaign and election of officers of the Federation Executive Committee. !-

Nixon Petition ' . A massive petition., campaign is under way throughout the United States urging President Nixon to include the matter of rights for Soviet Jews on the agenda for his forthcoming trip to Moscow.

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......v.. s The Des Moihes Jewish Welfare Federation has mailed.a mimeographed petition to every Jewish household in Des Moin^s, asking that signatures-bo sought from family, neighbors and friends. The national goal is one million names to be presented to the president. . JTCie-Community Bclations Committee of the Omaha Jewish Federation urges a similar effort be made in Omaha. To help with this effort, the. Jewish Press is printing the text of the petition which may be clipped and circulated for signatures. Petitions: should then be mailed to the Des Moines and Omaha Federations, no later than April 23,1972. _

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PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON, DC. 20500 MR. PRESIDENT: In the interest of peaco and the easing of ; world tensions we, the" undersigned, welcome your forthcoming trip to Moscow. We also urge you to take advantage of this unique opportunity and to' help redeem Soviet Jews, thus fulfilling the hopes of millions of Americans who have labored on their behalf. ' MR. PRESIDENT: We respectfully petition you on behalf of three million Soviet Jews. Wo urge you to be their advocate and ,' to convey to Soviet leaders the concern of millions of Americans, ' and people of good will everywhere, over an oppressed minority which faces discrimination, and is prevented from perpetuating • . its history, its culture;and its ancient religious heritage: Nearly forty of its finest young people are in Soviet prison camps because they sought to live as Jews, while others seeking to emigrate are harassed. If some succeed in departing it is only' after months of _ struggle and of deprivation. • MR. PRESIDENT: We urge you io exert your influence to help free Jewish prisoners of conscience and to help Soviet Jews achieve the fundamental right to live as Jews and to leave for Israel and elsewhere. Name (print)

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9. 10. MAJLBY, APRIL 23, 1972 TO: • Community Relations Committee) ';" Des Monies Federation, Omaha Jewish Federation i!,, ;11! - 315 Securities PWg, s ! -101 No. 20lh Street!." " ' M i : ' • Des Moines, Iowa 50303 Omaha, Nek 68102 ., (

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Serving Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Lincoln, Omaha Vol. LI—No. 27

OMAHA, NEB., FBI., MARCH 17, 19TS

Omaha Jewry Saves 8.7 Soviet Jews During First Stage of 1972 Campaign

Omaha—Concrete links between Omaha and Soviet Jews were demonstrated this week in the form of a campaign report and a visit with a Soviet Jjpw.Leonard Goldstein, chairman of the 1972 Omaha Jewish Philanthropies C a m p a i g n , announced that "to-date Omaha has provided the means for 8.7 Soviet Jews to begin a new life in Israel. There are. 91.3 more Soviet Jews waiting for us to make good bur promise." Goldstein was referring to a recent decision of the Omaha -Jewish Federation to accept a share of the financial respon' sibility created by the increased flow of Soviet' Jews into Israel. Omaha Jewry has a goal of raising an additional $660,000 more than was raised in the Israel Emergency Fund last year to pay for the absorp- tion in Israel of one plane load LftLlOiLSiiyiet-Jews. , — ' According to Mt. Goldstein, the-first 236 cards in the current* campaign have produced an additional $57,630 for the Israel Emergency Fund. "This first sampling of the community, indicates our concern for Soviet Jews," he said. "I feel confident that as we continue our campaign efforts we will find Omaha Jews willing to accept the' financial responsibility for the other 91.3"Soviet Jews we have adopted for this campaign.""

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Goldstein said that in addition to the urgent needs of Soviet Jewish immigrants, continuing emergency needs in Israel and increased costs of local services will necessitate exceptional giving by all members of the community.

Answer the Phone Omaha — Phones will be ringing in many Omaha homes, this Sunday as part of the 1972 Jewish Philanthropies Campaign. The Women's D i v i s i o n telethon, under;the co-chairmanship of Mrs. Phil Katzman and. Mrs. Henry Appel will be held this Sunday and next, from. 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. M.ore than 20 women each week will be making phone calls asking for campaign pledges, as one of the many methods to reach every woman in the community on a person-to-personal basis. Radio Station KOIL and Greenberg Insurance ance Compnay have made their phone facilities available for the women to make their calls. Marcel Katin, chairman of the Men|s Division Telethon,, has announced tha^siriifiar efforts in'the'Menrs'Division will also begin this;'Sunday.

Recent Soviet Emigre Tells I "Freedom Story" io OmdKdhs Omaha—A number of Omaha men. had the opportunity this week to hear first hand the problems .faced by a Soviet Jew in getting-out of Russia, and getting settled in Israel. Ilia Valk visited in Omaha this week and described his experiences from the time his family sought permission to emigrate to Israel in 1957, until June, 1971 when he and his wife and two year old daughter finally reached the Jewish

it must be paid for. We..may not like the idea of paying ransom for Jewish lives, but. that's the situation we face. We"have to pay for Jewish f r e e d o m whether we like it or not" Mr. Valk said that every So* viet Jew. who is helped' to settle in Israel represents a link in the survival of the Jewish people. Left in Russia, future 'generations of these p e o p l e would be lost to Judaism. In Israel, these same people will produce future generations of Jews," he said. .'.,:. In an interview with the Jewish Press, Mr. Valk said that protests by American J e w ? have played an important part in the Soviet decision to open tJjLgj_jL_L__^g__fei J b j L g L ^ f e 1L ^ " fortunately though, most of protests have come from tha very young people in the United, States," he said. ''Saving Jewish lives must not: be a children's game. Every Jew'.in America must know and fulfill his responsibility of fighting to get freedom for Soviet Jews and then paying for the freedom once it I3 won." Valk is in the United States • speaking for the United Jewish Appeal in communities across the country. Asked about; the' response he is getting to his appeal Valk said, "I am getting, the only possible kind of re-j sponse one expects, from Jews; A Jew understands that when; another Jew is in trouble, hqj must be helped." ; (.

Ilia Valk ' state. Mr. Valk's mother and two brothers preceded Kim in ; April of 1971, but he was not granted his exit permit until the last day of the Riga trials. His family had been seeking permission to go to Israel since 1957. During the waiting period they suffered many forms of ^harassment and degradation. Both his brothers were exFor the second consecupelled from the university betive year "Operation Elijah" cause they had applied for an will bring together Omaha I exit visa, he was not allowed Jewish families with newto study in his own city, their comers, the elderly and shir homes were searched by the gles for Passover Seder. ; KGB, he was interrogated 15 Passover is the time for ; times and was very colse to be- -"opening the door to straning, a r r e s t e d, as were his gers" and the> Older Adult friends. He feels he was just Committee of the Jewish lucky in not being nfa.de a deFederation last. year" introfendant in the Riga trials. duced "Operation Elijah;!' Describing life in Israel, Valk Members of the community spoke of the difficulties of Sowho w o u l d otherwise be viet Jews arriving w i t h o u t alone for Passover or know knowledge of the language, and someone who will be alohe tho problems involved for Soare asked to call Pearl Yaviets '-living in freedom for the ger ,or Mollie Delman at the first time. Great adjustments Jewish Community Center, must be made. Itjs a new and 342-1366 anytime until Sunstrange way of life for Soviet day, March 26. Jews exposed for the first time Families willing to invite to tho problems and responsia singlo person, newcomer bilities of freedom,'? he said. couple or young family to Valk- noted that "it is imeither Seder, Wednesday, possible to buy freedom beMarch 29 or T h u r s d a y , cause freedom is not a thing to March 30 aro asked to call, ibeit|raded, bought and sold.! Mrs. Yager or Mrs. Delman "pvlet Jew> are| demanding and, flt their earliest conveni'•^akU for^th^rjfreedoiW.Mihd-. ence. ' 1


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