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Barry $iff pidns to enter Qatorade Ironman contest
Omahjui Blurry Siff at Pike's Peak ia 19»4. Imagine doing a 2.4-mile ocean «wim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride, KKJTfi 26.2-(nUe run _ (marathon) in the scorching heat and high winds of (the Hawaii lava fields. That's exactly what Barry Siff will try to do Oct. 7 in Kona, Hawaii, when he joins 1,500 other triathlet«8 in the most challenging one-day sporting event in the world, the Gatorade Ironman Triathlon World Championships. Mr. Siff, a 40-year-old vice-president of human resources for a telemarketing company, was recently awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Omaha Chamber of Commerce for his involvement in the community, his spiritual leadership and his civic pride. He is a member of the board of directors of the CW Youth Resource Center where ? he works with inner-city kids at the Center's boxing club. Mr. Siff has already competed intone Ironman triathlon in 1988, where he finished the race in 12 hours and 67 minutes.
Beth Israel to host free summer Shabbaton By Carol Katzman Beth Israel Synagogue will host a Shabbaton July 1415 (at Beth rsroel) for all Jewish youth, grades 5-12, with scholars from SEED (Summer Educational Environmental Development. The shabbaton is free and has been funded by the Esther K. Newman Fund and private donations. "Teens and pre-teens will be able to spend a beautiful (and long) Shabbat together, singing, learning, eating and talking," said Rabbi Allan Gonsher, 'and it's the only youth Shabbaton being offered in Omaha this summer." SEED has been providing Jewish summer education programs for communities worldwide since ld74. Rabbi Ariel Klein and his wife, Shalva, along with a group of rabbinical students, from the Yeshivat Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, will spend two weeks in Omaha, from July 9-23, engaged in oneon-one study and discussion groups. "We're excited to meet a new people," said Mrs. Klein, "and to visit with the Jewish community of Omaha. "Our goal is just to get people interested in learning more," she concluded, "and to take on the challenge of teaching people from all Jewish educational backgrounds and even no background!" Rabbi Klein, bom in London, has been associated with Yeshivat Chaim Berlin, first as a student and now as a teacher, for 12 years. Mrs. Berlin attended women's sei^inaries in both Cleveland
Alvin Abramson honored
Monday, July 10 — "Caring—the Heart of Chessed; Tuesday — "For Women Only—Priorities in the "908. On Sunday, July 16, "Lessons for Living," is scheduled at Beth Israel from 10 to II a.m. The evening sessions at the JCC at 7:30 p.m. will continue: Monday, July 17 — "Tzedaka—When, How, Who?"; Wednesday — "Harmony in the Home;" and lliursday, "For Women Only—Questions and Answers." To schedule a session or for information, call the synagogue ofTice at 556-6288, or Al Roes, (H) 5562706 or (W) 391-0600.
FBI issues warning to Washington area synagogues
By Rachel B. I^evine Washington Jewish Week. The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a warning to all Washington Metropolitan area synagogues on Thursday, June 22. In the words of the FBI's Washington Metropolitan Field Office Terrorism Task Force, "according to a source of unknown reUability, Iran and Libya are planning to cooperate in attacking a synagogue in Washington, D.C., which is firequented by senior American government ofSdals." The FBI distributed the warning because it "wanted to err on the side of caution," said Susan Lloyd, special agent and media representative for the FBI's Washington Field Office. The FBI felt it was "important to pass the information to all synagogues in the D.C. area," said Lloyd. However, the FBI stressed that the source is of "unknown reliabihty" and that the information the agency has is vague. The FBI has "absolutely no information on the reliability of the source," said Uoyd. A briefing took place on Friday, June 23 at 11 a.m. with two FBI agents and one Montgomery County police officer at the UJA Federation of Greater Washington (UJAF) in Rockville, Md, Montgomery County and District of Columbia police have agreed to increase patrols around synagogues. Murray Tenenbaum, executive director of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington, attended the briefing and said this is not a "great level of a threat"; it is being treated ai. a 'low-level type of threat." Some area congregations were contacted by the FBI by telephone; others were only sent the fax warning. The FBI felt a responsibility to oommunicate to synagogues," said Tenenbaum. However, the Tommj Baer (center) intenuitional president Jewish Community Council decided to call a meetof B'oai B'ritli, makes a presentation to AlTin ing to avoid the possibility of panic in the commuAhramsoB Qeft) wiio was honored at a triltute nity. Rabbi Jack Luxemberg, president of the Board of ^dinner daring the ISOth suinuai meetinf of B'nai B'rith Diatriet 6 at the Marriott Hotel. Rabbis and congregational rabbi at Temple Beth jAt right is Mike Abnunson, a tmatee of Henry Ami in Rockville, received a call from Ted Faiber, lloiishy Lodge and a rice preaident of District executive director of UJAF, informing him of the 4, who aerred as ehairaian. See page 4 for warning. The "reaction in general has been that calling it a warning gave it perhaps mora credibilmore on B'nai BVitii.
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and Jerusalem and cU|rrenlly teaches fourth grade in Far Rockaway. TJiey .ire thp parents of two sons, ages 2 and 5 months. Timed for learning are available fitom 8:,30 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, or can be scheduled at a place of business or home. One-on-one learning limes can be as little as 15 minutes or as long as an hour. "Having the scholars from SEED gives us an opportunity for not only a beautiful shabbat experience for our youth," said chairman Al Ross, "But we'll enjoy Torah the old-fashioned way; well learn it!" Evening sessions are scheduled at the JCC at 7:30 p.m. 'Topics are:
ity" than the FBI, intended, said Luxemberg. Weekend activities at Temple Beth Ami went on as planned, and the building kept normal hours. 'Senior staff were mindful of who was coming in and out of the building," said Luxemberg. However, there "wasn't any high level of anxiety over the weekend." After the meeting, the Jewish Community Council sent a fax to all rabbis, synagogue executive directors and congregational presidents summing up the meeting with the FBI "urging people not to overreact," said Tenenbaum. The memo states that 'the FBI has characterized the potential threat as Mow-level.'" The memo also states that in response to a question at the meeting, 'one FBI official said, not withstanding the threat, he would send his child to synagogue." The FBI did not recommend any additional security precautions for synagogues. The officials indicated that the current situation does not warrant extreme precaution," according to the Jewish Community Council memo. Synagogues should take "normjil levels of precaution," said Tenenbaum. "We are taking it seriously," said Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlberg of Adas Israel Congregation in Washington. In response to the threat, Adas Israel is "increasing normal precautions" to be certain 'that members are well protected," added Wohlberg. "This is just a reminder that the Jewish community can never stop being vigil.,iit when it comes to security, and security should be a year-round priority for the Jewish community," not only when there is a visible threat, said David Friedman, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. "The FBI will be in ongoing contact with the Jewish Community Council and, if need be, with the synagogue directly," the memo states. In the future, the FBI will be in contact with the Jewish Community Council rather than individual synagogues if a threat is non-specifle, Tenenbaum explained.
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