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Exercise your right to vote on May, 14 u
ewish PresL
Celebrating More Than 75 Years of Service
21 lyyir, 5756, May 10,1996
VoLLXXm No. 34
United Talmud Torah to hold final graduation UTTO and United Talmud Torah's High School of Jewish Studies will hold a final graduation program on May 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Beth El Synagogue. Seven students will graduate from the high school program and 16 students will receive diplomas for completing studies. Since this is the final year of the UTTO and the High School of Jewish Studies, the ceremonies will include a tribute to the men and women who, us teachers and board members, have enabled these educational institutions to have an impact on Jewish life in the Omaha area. The High School graduates are Allison Gutnik, Ruvane Kurland, Brian Nogg, Jeffrey Nogg, Sarah Raful, Hannah Rennard and Beth Shyken. The Eighth Grade class consists of Melissa DeBruin, Michael Fineman, Sara Gordon, Sarah Hassljnger, Michelle Hellman, Mendel Kurland, Jennifer Lee, Erin Malashock, Michelle Malashock, Annelise Ocanto, Michael Parsow, Courtney Rabb, Aaron Rich, David Saylan, Ryan Tichauer, and Joshua Wolfson. Present and former teachers are: Sheri Abramson, Francee Altman, Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, Elyce Azriel, Marcia Barnestein, Cantor Emil Berkovits, Susan Bernstein, Judy Brookstein, Pam Cohen, Rabbi Paul Drazen, Susie Drazen, Linda Dunn, Jay Durmaskin, Julie Durmaskin, Rabbi Ruth Ehrenstein, Lois Endelman, Walter Feidman, Cantor Leo Fettman, Tiffany Franklin, Sandi Fried, Susan Friedman, Michael Gerson, Jody Goldstein, Shirley Goodman, Andrea Grossman, Carole Greenberg, Margie Gutnick, Claudia Jacobs, Judy Handelman, Sara Juster, Eileen Kader, Gloria Kaslow, Judy Katskee, Sindie Katskee, Cheryl Kricsfeld and Mark Levy. Also, Scott Littky, Rochelle Miller, Evie Mitchell, Stanley Mitchell, Larry Moldo, Devra Mor, Rabbi Isaac Nadoff, Gary Nachman, Carol Nathan, Ophir Palmon, Doris Parker, Bonnie Pawloski, Ruth Potash, Larry Raful, Sara Raush, Margo Riekes, Kim Robinson, Marti Rosen-Atherton, Janet Rosenstein, Lori Sachs, Marsha Senft, Marty Shukert, Phyllis Silberstein, Devra Spiegal, Cantor David Taub, Sandra Topper, Eadie Tiabari, Nili Twersky, Deborah Siegel Yoned, Phyllis Wasserman, Rebecca Wax, Daniel Wigodsky, Blanche Wise, Lionel Wolberger, and Bob Wolfson. Present and past board members are: Francee Altman, Shirley Banner, Lisa Epstein, Sharon Epstein, Lynn Eshelman, Pam Friedlander, Andrew Friedman, Don Gerber, Sherman Golbitz, Ray Goldstein, Peter Gordon, Andy Greenberg, Bruce Gutnik, Aaron Hostyk, Marcia Itkin, Robert Kahn, Sindie Katskee, Rick Katzman, Les Kay, Gary Kinstlinger, Shane Kotok, Barry Kricksfeld, Allen Kurland, Harriet Kutler, Beth Leeds, Teddy Levine, Michael Linn, Diane Malashock, Allen Morris, Carol Nathan, Donna Olesh, Myra Oberman, Susan Paley, Gary Parilman, Gary Rifkin, Francine Rod, Liz Shackman, Dani Shrago, Leon Shrago, Paul Shyken, Susie Shyken, Susie Silver, Nancy Skid, Steven Skid, Hyman Sukiennik, Marilyn Tipp, Joye Wees, Martin Wolf, Bob Wolfson and Bob Yaffe.
Wallenberg - a U.S. spy? By Daniel Kurtxman WASHINGTON (JTA) - Newly declaMined CIA I documents support claims that Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thouiandi of Hungarian Jews, served as a spy for the United Statee and survived well beyond his disappearance in 1947. A new study conducted by the newtmagaxine U.8 Newi and WorU fUport 'ihowi conclusively that Wallenberg wai a valued U.S. intelligence asset" for the Office of Strategic Service, the precunor of the CIA. (C«ntiB««d O0 iM«* 10)
Teen 4ge page wins community service
Ben-Gurion University wins beauty prize The Council for a Beautiful Israel presented its 1996 award to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva for the beauty and maintenance of its campus.
Jews who fled Nazis may qualify for benefits The United States and Germany have concluded 8 new Social Security agreement that will pay German Social Security benefits to German Jews from Eastern Europe who settled in the United States after fleeing their Nazi occupied homelands. In making the announcement, Shirley S. Chater, Commissioner of Social Security, said the new agreement took effect jui May 1, 1996, and will result in German benefit payments to several thousand U.S. residents. The agreement amends a bilateral Social Security Agreement between the U.S. and Germany that dates back to 1979. Of particular importance is a new provision that grants benefits to people who previously lived in parts of Eastern Europe that were taken over by the Nazis during World War II and the pre-war era. Those who qualify will receive monthly Social Security benefits from Germany based on the time they spent working in their former homelands, even though they may never have worked in Germany. Benefits also can be paid to the surviving spouses and children of these workers. To be eligible for the new benefits, which can be paid as far back as Jply 1, 1990, claimants must pay contributions to the German Social Security system. There will be no actual cost for most people, however, since the contributions may be deducted from back benefits. In almost all cases, the back benefits will exceed the required contributions. People who wish to make voluntary contributions in order to receive the new benefits must file an application with the German Social Security authorities and meet a number of other requirements specified in the new agreement. First, they must be U.S. or German dtixens (or refugees or stateless perions) and must have estabiished residence in the U.S. before July 1, 1990. Second, they must be Jewish, and their mother tongue must have been German. In addition, applicants must have reached age 16 before the date the Nazis took control of their former homeland. This date varies depending on the region, but anyone who reached age 16 afUr Sept 1, 1941, will gener ally not be allgible to make the contributions. Anyone who wishes to apply to make voluntary contribution* or who wants more information should contact the nearest German consulate. Applications must be filed no later than April 30, 1998.
By Morris Maline Teen Age, a monthly page featuring original material submitted by Jewish teenagers, has been selected for the Jewish Federation of Omaha's 1996 Community Service award. The award will be presented June 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center during the annual meeting of the Federation. The meeting also will provide the community with the opportunity to elect Federation and Agency officers and to honor the Humanitarian of the Year, Volunteers of the Year, Young Leadership award winners, and Teen Leadership award winners. .. The Teen Age page was conceived in the fall of 1994 when Mike Platt, then Pacesetter Division chairman of the Federation campaign, talked about the need for the adult Jewish community to focus specifically on the teenagers in an ongoing and positive way. Initial funding for the page was provided by Henry Monsky Lodge of B'nai B'rith and by advertising secured by Mr. Platt. An estimated 60 teenagers who have contributed their work to the page will be invited by Joanie Jacobson. editor of the page, to accept the award at the Jewish Community Center. Ms. Jacobson said 'Teen Age renders a Mnique and valuable public service to the Omaha Jewish community — it fosters good will and mutual respect between teenagers and adults, bringing the all-too-distant worlds just a little closer." Other programs nominated for the Community Service award were: "A Love Affair, submitted by the Bureau for the Aging; Class-O-Ramn, submitted by the Jewish Cultural Arts Council and "Restoration of the Kepulia Shul," submitted by the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society.
Yad Vashem letter angers survivors By Naomi Segal JERUSALEM (JTA) — Holocaust survivors have reacted angrily to a fund-raising campaign by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. In a letter sent to Holocaust survivors, Yad Vashem said families could purchase plaques with the names of loved ones who perished in the Holocaust. The cost of the plaques would range from about $500 to $1,500, depending on the size of the plaque. 'After I received the letter, I couldn't sleep all night," Paula Tik, a 66-year-old survivor who lost her family in the Holocaust, told the Israeli daily Yediot Achronol. *I fell angry, insulted, and hurt. I would like to remember dozens of my relatives who perished, and such a plaque could be the only grave that memorializes them, but I can't economically handle it" Amcha, an organization which provides support for survivorsand their families, said the project was insensitive. *We think memorializing the victims of the Holocaust is very important for survivors to fulfillII a need to feel they have done everything to honor their loved ones' memoriae in a dignified way. Amcha would expect that there would be graal senaitivity to such a matter, to ensure that there ii no inequality between victims." Yad Vashem said in response that the 'Cave of Remembrance," where the plaques are to be placed, was only an additional option for rernmbering the Holocaust victims, and that the idea was first proposed by numerous families who sought such an axpraesion.
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