:|:*:|:4:**:|:*:1:*****|_INCOLN NE 68508
NE HIST SOCIETY 1500 R ST LINCOLN NE 68508 Celebrating More Than 75 Years
VoLLXXIV
No. 46
Omaha, Ne
Swiss court rules in struggle over use of Anne Frank's name by FredyRom
20 Tammuz, 5757
American Correctional Association receives Holocaust Memorial
July 25,1997
Chicago Midwest Women's Conference is 'inspiring1 by Pam Monsky ., Federation Communications Director
Four community leaders and two Federation staff LINCOLN, NE-The American Correctional Association, which represents thousands of prison members attended the 1997 UJA Midwest Region workers, non-governmental organizations, educa- Women's Campaign Leadership Conference in tional institutions and nearly 100 professional Chicago recently. The conference, titled "Lighting associations, has placed a Holocaust Memorial in the Way: Our Legacy, Our Challenge," was three its headquarters in Lanham, MD, donated by the days of seminars, speakers and the chance to exchange ideas. Nebraska Survivors of the Holocaust. •• Jim Gondles, Executive Director of the multination Association, told Joe Boin of the Nebraska Survivors of the Holocaust organization that they would place "the Memorial in a public place where, years from now, the public will see it and as a result be stimulated to seek more information or education on what happened." Gondles further stated that "as the representaZURICH (JTA) - One of the most noted names of tives of those responsible for the care of prisoners, the Holocaust stands at the center of a protracted it is important for the Association to take the lead legal dispute here. Switzerland's highest court in making its members aware of how the Holocaust i ruled last week that an Amsterdam-based Anne could have been a 'legal' function of any governBobbie Epstein Frank Foundation holds the commercial rights in ment." . Switzerland to use the name of Anne Frank. The memorial, designed in bronze by PhiladelIn its ruling, the court rejected the request of the phia artist Frank Bender, is a result of more than Anne F r a n k Fund of Basel, saying t h a t the five years work by the artist. The Nebraska Society Amsterdam group's trademark registration appli- of Survivors of the Holocaust has been working for cation had been made first. The Basel fund owns several years to have Holocaust memorials and the copyright to The Diary of Anne Frank, which educational material placed in public facilities. has sold more than 25 million copies in 60 lanAs a result of the placement of the Memorial guages, and to film and theatrical productions with the American Correctional Association, the based on the diary. The Amsterdam-based foundation operates a, headquarters of Prison/Correctional Services of museum i n t h e home where the Frank family hid. other nations have requested information on how for two years before they were betrayed — and sub- to obtain similar memorials. Memorials have been placed in the Lincolnsequently rounded up from their attic hiding place Barbara Platt by the Nazis. The foundation has held the rights to Lancaster County Building and Tifereth Israel Attending from the Omaha Jewish Community her name in other parts of Europe since the 1980s. Synagogue in Lincoln and the Frank Lloyd Wright were Bobbie Epstein, National and Midwest Both groups were created with the support of designed synagogue just outside of Philadelphia; a Women's Campaign Board member; Barbara Platt, Anne's father, Otto, who survived the war and number of universities and junior colleges are cur- 1998 Women's Campaign Co-Chair; and Karin rently looking at the placement of Holocaust Levine and Vicki Sanford, Young Women's moved to Basel. He died in 1980. Anne and her sister, Margo, died at Bergen- Memorials. Division. Federation staff attending were Sharon Belsen in 1945 shortly before the death camp was According to Joe Boin, President of the Society of Kirshenbaum, Young Jewish Omaha Coordinator liberated by British Forces. Their mother, Edith, Survivors of the Holocaust, other memorials will be and Young Women's Division Director; and Pam died at Auschwitz. offered for placement in public buildings and edu- .Monsky, Federation Communications Director. Reacting to last week's court decision, the only cational facilities around the states and, in the "The workshops were wonderful," said Ms. surviving member of the family charged that the case of organizations such as the American Epstein, who was asked to present Partnership Amsterdam-based foundation plans to exploit the Correctional Association, around the world. 2000 at a seminar about new and innovative ideas Anne Frank name commercially. "We will never' He emphasized that the group has always hoped in Midwest communities. "Every time I go to the allow that Anne Frank's name is used as a market- the placement of this or other types of memorials UJA Conference I learn something. It's a continual ing brand," Bernhard "Buddy" Elias, a first cousin will help move future generations to seek informa- learning experience," she added. of Anne Frank who serves as a director of the Basel tion on what happened and how it can be preventBarbara Platt said, "The sessions were informa- • fund, said in an interview. Officials from the ed from happening in the future. tive and meaningful, and we came away with a lot Amsterdam foundation denied the charge. of new ideas. It's amazing how alike the Midwest Jewish communities are." Karin Levine, attending the conference for the by Tom Tugend first time, said, "It was powerful to be with that 7 "LOS ANGELES (JTA) -- A Club Med resort in 199l;; when over 14,000 were airlifted during a . many women throughout the region who are committed to Tikkun 01am, making the world a better served as a base for airlifting Ethiopian Jews to 24-hour period in Operation Solomon. '. Israel? That's the incredible story line of a proThe pitch, which will be expanded into a book by place. It was also fascinating to hear the personal stories of need and to see how much our dollars' posed Hollywood film, titled "Falasha." the stockbroker, hit pay dirt immediately; • ; In the "fact-based" movie, the hero is a New York • Both Universal Studios and 20th Century Fox accomplish." Vicki Sanford was asked to present information stockbroker who says he was approached by the bid for the rights, but were beaten out by Jerry •Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service, while vaca- Bruckheimer, an independent production company on the successful Young Woir>en's Retreat last year (This year's Young Women's etreat will be held tioning in Israel and asked to set up a Club Med associated with the Walt Disney Studio. resort in the Sudan. The purpose: transporting The price tag for the transaction was in the k>w- Oct. 19). "I've gained a lot )f valuable information that will help me with Federation work in the Ethiopian Jews to the Holy Land. to-mid six figures. The stockbroker, whose name is being kept : "Falasha" has been dubbed a contemporary future. It provided an opportunity to network with secret "for fear of reprisals," said he complied. "Schindler's List," but in a phone interview Chad other young women and discuss speriic programs While his resort catered to tourists during the day, Oman, the Bruckheimer executive vice president like our Young Women's Retreat." The Midwest Region Women's Campaign at night his employees infiltrated an internment in charge of the project, denied that he was influConference is held annually to discuss specific concamp for Ethiopian Jews and whisked them away. enced by the success of the Steven Spielberg film; The stockbroker outlined his adventures in a 15-. "There are many stories of people who suffer and cerns of Jewish Women and Campaign giving. This page pitch, which concluded with the claim that are helped by others willing to risk their lives," year's speakers included Rabbi Shira Milgrom from his Club Med served as the conduit for 10,000 said Oman. "What attracted us to 'Falasha' WBB a White Plains, N.Y.; Rebecca Newman, National. UJA Women's Campaign chairman; and Becca Ethiopian Jews on their way to Israel strong story lino with a strong hero." In fact, more than 20,000 Ethiopian Jews were Oman said that he was at least a year away from Lazarova from Bulgaria and Franca Oprescu from airlifted to Israel during that time. The vast major- filming. Ho added that he hopes to shoot the film lossy', Moldavia, who spoke of how they were helped by JDC dollars. , ity came in 1984*1986 during Operation Moses and as closetothe picture's actual locale as possible, •uia.tii
Hollywood movie to highlight Club Meti's 'role' in Ethiopian lift
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