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Orphan train rider seeks Jewish identity This woman knew tha By Morris Maline she and Anne were ambni In the early igobs, idvance men came out to five children who had liese parts from the East been sent by trail) .to fiv^ iJoast in an effort to publichildless couples who were iize the availability of members of St. Maryi's Irphan children for adopCatholic parish. ion., '^ 'My fathel' had-threat'. When suitable parentiB ened the end of all &iendirere found, the children ships should anyone ever vere placed on so-called, tell of her adoption," Mrs. Orphan Trains,' for Harrison said. ransportation throughout She never told her parhe midwest. ents about knowing of her On one of these trains adoption .and didn't seek ^ode a young girl who Anne Harrison'of Lincoln seeks informa' any additional informanded up in Colorado tion on Jewish parents tion until reading the Iprings, Colorado, as the August, 1986, issue of the aughter of John J. and Anna M. Gruele, a Smithsonian Magazine, which contained an artilatholic couple who raised their adopted child as cle on the Orphan Train Movement. . iilabeli a name later changed to'Anne. "I then realized that I was part of it." : Today, Anne Harrison, 86, resides in Lincoln, 'After correspondence spanning three years, she ind is searching for her Jewish roots. received a copy of her birth certificate which stated : Mrs. Harrison believes that her birth parents that her name wets Mabel Rubin, her mother's yere Jewish and the story of how she came to this name was Jennie Rubin, 19, born in Russia; her )elief is recorded in a book, titled. The Orphan father's name was Moe Cohen, 21, born in New rrains.'' York Ci^, and her father's address was 604 . [ Her search for identity really started at the age Eastern Parkway. . "* if 25 when she pursued a career as a singer in With this new information, Mrs. Harngon jogged^ Sew York City. her memory recently lipon talking with a fellow .' Her father had told her earlier about being bap- docent at the Sheldon Art Gallery. She noted ized at St. Vincent Ferrar Catholic Church, yet Barbara Cohen's last name and suggested a possiirhen she stopped at the church to ask for a copy of ble relationship, adding that she was mostlikely lie record, she was referred to the New York unable to proce^Rirther with her search. . ToundUng Hospital and there she was presented Mrs. Cohen suggested that perhaps a story in the th a baptismal certificate dated Feb. 27, 1909, Omaha Jewish Press might interest some readers ,8ting the Grueles as her parents. who could offer, advice on finding out more .about In most cases, this probably would have been the her birth parents. ind of her search. However, upon returning to That's how this story came about, and as I left inver a few years later, she renewed a friendship Mrs. Harrison's apartment, she said, "It's a funny |he had with a woman who had attended first and feeUng, all of my life I have felt close to the Jewish :ond grade with her in Colorado Springs. people, now I know why... I'm really Jewish."'
Memorial event honors veterans From Generation to Gei^eration: Keeping the emoiy Alive", is the theme for an event honoring le American vetevnB who liberated Nazi concention camps and those they liberated. The memorial event, a 50th anniversary celebra' ^on of this historic and emotional time, is also {lart of Victory "96, a atate-wide commemoration, The special observance is sponsored by the Plains States Office of the Anti Defamation ague. The celebration will be May 10 in the itherspoon Concert Hall at the Joslyn Art useum at 7:30 p.m. Following the one-hour for at program, will be a dessert reception in the toslyn Atrium. • According to Sam Fried, Holocaust survivor and vent chairman, "the purpose of the program is to ducate the public through ongoing awareness and iducational activities so that this catastrophic ime in world history will never be forgotten." Honorary chairmen are Louie Blumkin, Robert )augheny, John Gottschalk, Norman Krivosha, till Ramsey, Howard Silber, Roy Smith and knald Yale. S One of the guest speakers at the (Xremony will le Robert Powers, Landsberg Concentration Camp Iberator and author of "Holocaust, The Story of he 103rd Infantry Division* Powers and Raymond Menuey, national preti•nt of the 103rd Infantry Division Association, rill be presented a plaque ezpretting the {ratiude of Holocaust survivors to American veterans rWorid War II. A plaque will also be pe««)t«l to •m Pried, who will accept on* behalf of all Uocaust •urvivora. Tor information, call Cindy Kaubnan at tha
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Yom Ha Auniii^^ The community-wide celebration of luhtel's 47th anniversary w'ill talie place at the Jewish Community Center, May 7, from noon to 2:30 p.m., find will feature Gary Rosen, children's and family entfertairier, who incorporates "Tot Rock" with Jewish and Israeli music. _
Gary Rosen-Good Times Tbt Rock Mr. Rosen won the 1993 National Parenting Publications Award and has comoosed songs for "Sesame Street' characters Big Bird and'Sscar the Grouch. "There will be a special emphasis this year on children and I^ilies," said Nancy Schlessinger, co-chairman of this year's Yom Ha'Atzmaut celebration. . , -" . ' In addition, ther;^ will be Israeli Klezmer m'usjf, ' Israeli food and drinks, holiday arts and crafts, a roving clown, and lots of fun and surpmes. "The goal is to educate the^community about Yom Ha'Atzmaut through hands-on 'informal fun pro-. gramming and celebration in solidarity with the State of Israel," said Cheryl Lerner, co-chairman with Nancy Schlessinger.- "^e hope that everyone who attends this progkam will feel a stronger link to their heritage and the State of Israel and be filled with pride as a Jew," added Ms. Schlessinger. The program ig sponsored by the Jewish Cultural Arts Council and is free and open to the public.
The Cantor & The Klansman When Cantor Michael ' ^^ > Jewish cantor and liis fami' Weisser of Lincolnly befriended a. white^j received threats from supremist made national Larry. Trapp, Grand headlines in 1991. Dragon of the White Less than a year later, Knights of the Ku Klux there was a new and Klan of Nebraska, the astounding chapter in the Cantor and his family story. turned the other cheek. The Klansman was iiivit^^' •The Cantor & The ed ii)to the cantor's hqni^ Klansman," airing where he was nurse()> •• Wednesday, April 26, through his terminal ill9:30 p.m., on the ness. Nebraska ETV Network, He converted to Judaism features interviews with and joined the NAACP. Weisser, his wife, Julie, In her book, Ms. and author Kathryn •; Watterson tells the 'Story of Watterson, who wrote an vjrapp's life as a radst, his accqunt of Trapp's trans - transformation in response formation in Not by the _ ... i ^ , ' „^_ j to the love and kindness of o . m. . . Former white •upremacist Larry Trapp, second ., „, , Sword. The special ,r^„ Hght, converU to Judaibm in.the syna-.^he Weisser family with repeats Saturday, April gogue he once planne«Llo Jjomb, with Canton,'^'hom he'lived untilUis 29, at 7:30 a.m. Michael Weiiaer, left, ofrteiating. See page 8 also, death in 1992, ahd Trapp's The story-• of how a " . crusade for redemption.
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Library to provide books on cassettes The Jewish Federation Library has announced a new 'Talking Books" service to benefit those who are blind or partially-iigfated. The new service will provide Jewish-content books on audio cassettes, said Joyce Cohen, library president. "The ability to ofTer cassettes is something the library has waolsd to do for a long time, and now it is possible because of a specific donation from PMinle Davis,* lIs.C«han addwi.
She explainm that Mr. Davis is a member of Friends of the Library and that he earmarked a donat/^fVl^athe cassette program with the understanding'that only with extra help can the library meet the'spiraling needs of its patrons. With this donation, Mr. Pavis continues a history of past support which has provided new furoJshingi for the children's secfion of the library, a fV||u) (pr the promotidi of library use and awareness, ind a new computer.
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