November 15, 1991

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SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920 •Vol. LXIX No. 11 Omaha. Nebr.

Campaign gains momentum as Pacesetter workers set benchmaric

Nearly 80 Pacesetter Division workers and their wives attended a Campaign meeting Sunday night at the home of Terri and Phil Schrager. In photo at left, the group listens to guest speakw Marvin Lender, national chairman of the United Jewish Ap-

peal. At right, Mr. Lender chats with Federation Campaign leaders Gory Javitch and Carl Riekes.

By Barbara Chandler Federation public relations director Momentum was the key word as the Pacesetter Divisipn campaign team met Sunaay evening to make their pledges to the 1992 UJA/Federation Campaign. According to Phil Schrager and Tom Fellman, co-chairmen of the PaWMtter Division, the

vin Lender of Lender's Bagels, national chairman of the United Jewish Appeal. Mr. Fellman introduced Mr. Lender to the group, "Moses took 40 years to bring the Jews from Egypt to Israel. Marvin Lender raised the money to bring 350,000 Jews out of the Soviet Union in 18 months!"

dinner meeting resulted in significant increases for the workers of the Pacesetter Division. Mr. Fellman said, "We are asking everyone in the division to consider increasing their gifts this year to meet the extraordinary needs at this moment in history, and we're very pleased with the momentum created by the per-

sonal commitment of the Pacesetter workers. "We realize that this two-line campaign is a major commitment for our community and want to emphasize the fact that the continuing Exodus gift is payable over a three-year period, beginning in 1993." Special guest speaker for-the evening was Mar-

Commenting on Operation Exodus, the worldwide effort to rescue oppressed Jews, Mr. Lender remarked, "To be national chairman of UJA is a great privilege at any time, but to be able to chair at this moment in history is incredible. I cannot imagine that I will ever do anything more important in my life."

Mr. Lender noted that Omaha's Jewish community has always been generous and after talking with members of the Pacesetter Division, sensed the momentum of support for this year's campaign. "I have never met a Jew who would say 'No' when asked if he would give (Continued on Page 11)

Question mark label'unfair'

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Kerrey affirms support for Israel's needs

Note: Several weeks ago, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency circulated a story out of Washington, D.C. in which the author, David Friedman, said there la a " questloD mark" about Sen. Bob Kerrey's support for Israel. The following story is based on on interview with the Senator and conversations with several of his Jewish friends. By Morris Moline Sen. Bob Kerrey told the Omaha Jewish Press there should be no doubt as to his continuing support of aid for Israel's economic and military needs. llw senator discusaad his feelings about Israel and Jew-, ish concams during a day at home after campaigning in several states for the Democratic nomination for Presisevet of tlie Um'ted States. Sen. Kerrey said it wasn't fair to pin a "question mark " oB him on the boats tliat he was not among the senators who had agreed to co-sponsor legiolation that would provide Israel with loan guarantees. "That bill was a strategy to leverage against the President and I thought it was a (loor strategy. The question forus wasn'twhat the President wasgoingtodo... We could have brought it up in th^Stwate, but there were a lot of pec^e who were not prepared to vote for the loan guarantees." HessidtheloenguaronteeearemuchmorethaDashortterm political issue. ~ "Wehavehidl2year8ofdomesticneglectinthi»counawl it's not a terribly easy thing to onvove loan anteee for anyone to be used (or housing and jobs than housing and joba In America. "It's on extremely difficult propoeiUoo nude more difIt by the presideot's unfortunate Unking of the loon to the poUtkol oogodotions in Madrid, specifUnking them to the ssttisment poUcy. "Moving mode thot liokogo will moke approval more forU tODNMOt tht clue that this Is only neceehteouse SovHtsmlgroUon policies made it impoesiMs'for one millioo Soviet Jews to return to Isrosi over the post40yMU-s." The senotor sold thot he has tried to vote on the belief that (Hends snd demoaocies should be supported and that laroei is in s region where neighbors ore hoetUe end ogoinsther. "1 have supported mill toiy ond economic assistonce'to srosl ond I hove been careful about limiting ooaistonce tohersawnies."

This photo of Sea. Bob Ksrrey woo token during a recent talk he gave to siipporters of Israel Bonds at a luncheon msetlag at the Red UOB Hotel. Sen, Kerrey, who visited Israel lost summer with four Jewish businseomsn, sokl he prepared for the trip by read. ingandrerevtingbookswritteobylahbalistogetahistor icid perspective of the country. He pointed out that from the literature and from his direct experience he come bock with major impressions: "I now have o real sense of what Aliyoh meons. Next Year in Jenuoleea hw 0 historicol meaning. It's 0 dreim that the United States has participated in by supporting the creation of the SUt* ud by leoogniiing hlHr in her times of need and by being 0 (Hsnd for Uie post 43 years." Heodded, "OnemustrMnsmbsrthottheheortofIsroel isthsrstura" The ssnotorsaki thot hsslsofsltagreot sense of oooomplishmsot on the psrt of the Jewish Stste and a sense of dongir overcome. He sokl his visit dsmonstrsted thot I sraal is surrounded by countries whohovf yet to recognise her right to exist and who hsve not yet renounced the use of fbrce. 'AoS«i tolks obout the Colon HsigbU. but hod like to sseArabo in poissookm of Tal Aviv," the ssnstorssid. ad-

ding that Israel must be particularly careful in negotiating peace treaties with totalitarian countries. "It's extremely difficult for Israelis to engage in negotiations with adversaries across the table who want to kill them." It^ recent weeks, prominent members of the Jewish community here have been sponsoring fund-raisers to benefit the senator's campaign for the Democratic nomination. His Jewish supportiers point to his record of being responsive to a broad range of Jewish concerns. For example,<luringhisfour years as governor, he gave the major address during the Yom Hashoah program at the State Capitol. "We have an oblig^ation to remember," Sen. Kerrey said, explaining that the State was going through an agricultural crisis during that period and organizations like the Posse Comitotus and tiM Aryan Nations were exhibiting anti-Semitic behavior. He pointed out that commemorating the Holocaust gave participants a feeling of powerful unity, a feeling that never ogoin would thwe be 0 repetition of hote-boaed destruction of livee and elimination of human dignity. One of Sen. Kerrey's lost sets as governor wos to host a State dinner to raise funds for the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C, making Nebraska one of the first States to conduct such an effort. He pointed out that on a percapits basis, Nebraska raised nearly as much as any other state. " 11 was 0 successful dinner, snd s moving evniing," he ssid, adding that because of that event, be was oble to eeIsblish continuing friendships with many Holocaust sur vivors in the Omoho area. His friends point out that Sen. Kerrey also has psrticipoted, onmony occasions, in encouraging the sole of Israel Bonds, and th#t he has been a frequent speoker to numerous Jewish orgsnisotioos, One of the Seaotor's Isessr known actions wu to join tbs Omoho Jewish ConmunityCsotsr, princ^Mlly to ploy rocquetboU with mony Jewiob friends, snd slso to provids bis son and daughter with a nice pUce tpswim. He maintained his membership until he and a group of portners built the Prairie Ufe Center, 0 health and fitnees facility, about o mile south of the JCC. "The'J' hod the bsst club in town unUl ours woo built, the senstor quipped.

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