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w£RVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920 22 Av, S74C Friday, Auguat S, IMS
'Special Needs' expaiids educational program
At th» airport-«B route to Iar«el-the ARTZA grmqK Ftom left (acated) are Erik Plnkl«r. SMaa Ub«r, DabUe ZMhaiia, Kin Btadcr, Raehtl Slikofaiick. Jamie Zadiaria, Slierri Ztfcar. Daa FaUataa. Amy Zaber. Keri SaltaaMn. Sara Jalfe Joatar, diraetoc. and Saaan SIT** !^S2M^ ****'*•'•"•'•'•*^ *!<•»*»**«»• *^«« 1^ <•**»«»•»«) are Marao Rielh^ ARTBA chairaMw Hard Lnefaliata, Beaji Graaabarg. Uaa Harwiti, MiU Pe* Mr. Michael Roaedilatt, Robya ^tefa. Ari Riekea. Jaaaifer Rabia. David Blatt. Amy Loar. Aliaoi Kotler, Wewiy SbeMon, Mart Ermaa. Daaay Kaaia, Matt Goldberg. Alan Kricafdd. Rob MOHaMt. Eadly Reanard. Debbie Schaelder, Dan Millimet. Noah Pollak, Derek Attmaa, MitcMl Warren, chaperoae and Sorin Joatar, chaperone. A telephone call from larael aaanred paieato that all arrived aafety and happy.
High school students depart for Israel By Mitehea Warrea After mcntha of pnparatioq, a dream for Omaha teens has eoaw tnie. Last Sunday. 32 Omaha Jewish hifh school students departed on Artsa, a threew«ek adventure in Israel IV program is a joint vntture of the Jewish Community Centar and the Buraau of Jewish EducaUoa that win enable theea stodntk to aipkm and study in IsraaL During the thrae-WMkasploratioa. the partidpanta will bo exposed to all parta of laraaL From ancient Jsniaalen to modern Tel Aviv, from sunrise at Masada to snorkaling in the Red Saa at Bilat, fro^
swimnung in the Meditanranaa« Sea toUoating in the Dead Sea, the Artza program is an opportunity fw these student^ to discover their ralationehip to Jewish history aa well as their role in tbebr Jewish future. Hie poap will spend three dMarant Shabbats in Israel, one in Jarosalam, one in Sfat. thahiitarieal etntw of Jawiah nysticiaBgi. and another in Ttl Aviv. Theae thraa aiparianoaa win be the fcwndation for the study of tht dlwialty tad ascitament of Israat and her Daoola. The trip is being ooordinatsd by Sara Jaffa Juatar. director of tlw Uewiah Cul-
ORT style show 'It's •at altan Oat a pdbldty photo Mkaa ike b«art a( thiB aawap^wt bnt ORT dU H with thia ahat Ipaak. ah. Mi Aa^PlakH^nayoa^ af Ran and Daate lyack and DlKvU airf rhkia. fpaittuly, Biiai|)i ahaar the laaMaaa •I the Back to SckadI aljii ahMT Md tofttoOMrt-rtoiMsa^
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tural Arts CoundL She has hvad and studied in lanai and baa lad similar trips to laraaL Alao staffing the trip is Sorin Juster who is from Israel, and this writer, s native of Omaha. Prior to departing, the staff conducted a Shabhaton at Iowa Weetem Community CoUaga to prepare the gtaup for ita adventure. The experienca in Israai is the nilmination of montha of planning for the staff as well as many educational workshops (or the participaato of the trip. The group wiU be in Israai until Attg. 21. Tht mnnhers of the Artsa group are Derek Ahman, Davki Blatt, Kim Broder, Robyn Ep•toin, Mark BnoMi. Dan FeOmaa Erft Fiakkr, Matt Goldberg Baqji Grevberg. Lisa Hurwita, Danny Kasin, Alan KricsfaU. Ahaan Kutier, Amy Laaar, Mard Luelschuts, Dan Miliimet. Ron MilUmet, Miki Pannar. Noth Potiak. Emily Rannard. Ari Riakas, Michael Roaenbtott, Jennifer Rubiiw Ktoi Saltamaa, Debbie SehMidar. W«a4r Shddon. Raehal Shkdaick. Susan Ubar,, Daitbia Zacharia, JapisZaeharia. Aj«y Zubar ••dSksrri&Ktnr. Mi^ fundiBf (or Arts* ia bitoc providad by tka Jawiah PadaraUoa of Omaha. AddiliaMl ftindbig ia bak« providad br the drtlMin Mwaorifil rund. thalMtoBH.«dO»tona H. Uvingstw Foundatkn. BW Jaadb Adaa Yiihiw BadBsnaaMl Fkwd. B-ndUl*"V ftaihf IhalM fTailua saant Pttad the Estbar K. N«ann«Dt Mamoriri Fund. aMllhanflinJJclm«ar portal FottdatioB.
"Every Jewish child deserves to have a Jewish education," commented Marcia Greene, teacher and consultant for the Special Needs program sponsored by the Bureau of Jewish Education. "It's wrong to deny any of our children the opportunity to participate in the Jewish experience. "When I was hired in 1986, there were three children in the program. In 1987, the enroUment grew to 16. This year, we tutored 24 students from all three congregations, and I realize how many are still not beii^ serviced." The Spedsl Needs program was developed by BJE to sid Jewish children with learning disahOitiea obtain a Jewish education. The program has been funded by grsnts from the Lois Jeanne Schragw Mnnorial Fund and the B'nai Jacob Adas Yeahuron Fund, both administered by the Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. "We want theae children to have some aucoesa;" ahe explained, "—to fed good mot'UMr JawiabMss and their Jewish education. If then's a nrohton raading English, there is certainly going to be a problem reading Hebrew." Tutora for the Special Needs program are Mrs. Grasoa, alao an early childhood qMdaUst at the Ma-. donna School, and Mrs. Shirley Goodman, who has a Mfatar's, Dagrae in In Siptanber. BJE wiU offer tha Arat SiMdal Ntoda Raiigioua School Oaaa in the lagkm. created far thaaa chiUran arho caaaot attend the currant program. "It will operate at their level," said Mrs. Greaoa. "They'U
Marda Greene learn about G-d and their heritage—history, religion, songs and Hebrew letters. Now, they can go to religious school on Sunday, just like the other kids." Funding for the Religious School Class was made possibie by a grant from the Esthn- K. Newman Memorial Fund. "It's hard fcS' any paroit to accept the fact they have a child with limitations," she continued, "but we all have limitations. Some parents don't always know there's a problon and some rafuse to adaiowMg* it. Studies indicato the rate of acceptance ia lower amang Jewiah peopk." Phylhs Brown, chairman of the Special Needs Committee, and Dr. James Wax, chairman bom 1981-87, tried to establish a spedal needs program in the 1970'8. "Parante were ao reluctant in thoaa d«ys," aatd Ma. Brown, who has a Master's Dapraa in Staadal Education. "Thay didn't want their chiMren revaaiad to tha Jewiah cnmnaiBity. It was only whan a mother »oka out on behalf of her ttiU who couldn't go to Sunday School Uka the rest
of the kids, that the ^Mcial' Needa program, became a priority." "We've been real sooeaasful." Mrs. Greene reported. "Yearend teeting at Temple Israd showed that every ^>ecial Needs child in that congragatioD ranked in the top 1/3 of their dass. Look how wonderful this is! All of our students got s good background in reading Hebrew. They learned Jewish history and the Hebrew alphabet." She anmfaasiaad that the diikbreBOd'iiot fad uncomfortable about beings tutored. "A number of them do much batter with on»ottona," aha noted. "It allows them to be suoceasfuL "Parante who deny their childran the opportuoity ta learn at their own tevd are fulfilling their own needa, not the child's," she conduded. "You do the aooat for your chiU by offering a variety of learning experisMea. rather than forcing him or her to go to a daaaroom that is not set up for them to auccaad." For further information, contact Susie Draata. Bureau of Jewiah Education, 334-8200. Ext 246.
Jaffa Kateam. and Sarfa8hjU«.w fkaiimanaHhalW Woma.alaraat Band Camfaign, have aMMatoadtoaWaman-WCahlMt far «laM«.A«aMdi«totl»( •aM. Iha OMMI wM nlan aa event wy* vML ta p«t. toktoa Mty al CMb Mafcr'a hirtMay. IW avaat «• kaat CharMto i<ii niiltiiitalHaiiiaat andaJsMtowUktha! *-'-*'" —-f "iril rwMn.>tilMiii HiriLLliU
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