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.1500 R ST LINCOLN NE 68508
Celebrating More Than 75 Years No. 51
Omaha, NE
26 Av, 5757
August 29,1997
Rabbis contribute to• Mission Mania Goldsteins establish by Pam Monsky, Federation Communications Director
Among the Omahans going to Israel on Federation Missions to help celebrate Israel's 50th Anniversary are Rabbi Aryeh Azriel and Rabbi Debbie Stiel from Temple Israel, and Rabbi Howard Kutner from Beth Israel. Rabbi Stiel will go on the Young Jewish Omaha (YJO) Hatikva Mission Feb. 5-15,1998. "The Journey to Celebration: 50 Years of Freedom," is a mission to Poland and Israel. | Rabbis Azriel and Kutner will go on that mission, which is March 18-31,1998. • *As we get ready to celebrate Israel's 50th birthRabbi Stiel Rabbi Kulmr day, it is essential that we American Jews reassess Rabbi Azriel our relationship to the State of Israel, and I don't know of any other way except to go there on a pil- Rabbi Stiel of Temple Israel said, "I believe a trip grimage journey to celebrate its existence and to like this is especially important for our generation thank the citizens of Israel for helping us to' because in the long chain of Jewish generations, strengthen our Jewish identity in America," said ours is the one which now has the opportunity and the awesome responsibility of passing on a love of Rabbi Azriel. Judaism to our children, she stated. •:.-.-' "Going from degradation (Poland) to exaltation She continuedv;^With this''trip,: we-can further (Israel) will be an amazing spiritual journey for all of us to take. My role is to facilitate a journey that develop, our relationship with, the land of Israel and is spiritual, educational and lots of fun. Israel is a with a broad segment of the Jewish people.-Then place where peoplehood, religion and holy sights all we will more fully know what it means to be the come together in a spiritual tapestry. If not now, "People of Israel.' As we enrich our Jewish identities, we will naturally be influencing hot only ourwhen? Don't wait 50 more years to go," he added. selves, but future Jewish generations. Rabbi Howard Kutner of Beth Israel, said, "This . "I love going to Israel. Any trip there thrills me. I mission takes on added significance in that we are celebrating the. 50th anniversary of bur beloved remember the first time I went I was surprised State of Israel.. VTe need to sbrengthen our support how beautiful the land is. No one had: ever told me of:Israel^aiid,rniake a'speciai^effort-td-'inake'thisr , that Israel has purple mountain's, incredible waterfails and lush valleys. But most important, Israel, ''iiiissiptt^e.most,auccessful''ey:er;''-.;:..-'-*':'. V-,•.- ^ "Rabbi Azriel and I hope to enhance the trip for and Jerusalem in particular, has a holiness about our participants by adding our perspective of the it that makes it different from visiting any other historic, biblical and religious sites we will visit. place in the world. The more I go, the more it We hope to use our training in Torah and rabbinic draws me back. I am really looking forward to literature to give comprehensive and fascinating sharing the experience of discovering Israel, and it : r , !• .. outlooks of the Holy Land. Come, let us share pur is always a discovery," ';,, ,\ , For more .information, please call the Federation knowledge and enthusiasm with you. Let us tour office at334-8200,77;,:;..;^;../ .:•;• ,,.xi\:/., •r.;,:77- ,-.„". Eretz Yisrael together as a community," he added.
The friedel Notebook
Headmaster reports oh summer studies; new faculty members at Academy by Diane Axler Baum
Front row, from left: Kristi Todd-Stillings, Rivka Wax and Judi Thai. Back row: Denise Bennet, Lorri Garlington, Barb Sather and Rabbi Herzig. Rabbi Gavriel Hensig, energized by summer studies at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, started his second year as Headmaster of Friedel Jewish Academy with 14 new students, four new staff members, and a mood of confident excitement. Friedel's 1997-98 academic year began; last week. Prior to the first day of classes, the Parent-Teacher Organization sponsored a pizza and ice cream social for kindergartners and their parents and a school-wide Bar-B-Q. . , {i. .As the fall term gets underway, the Academy will offer numerous other opportunities for parents to have in-depth communication with the administration and each other. "Our Friedel family enjoys social activities and informative events that pro-
mote a special closeness," said Rabbi Herzig. As examples, he cited his informal monthly meetings, or,"fireside chats," with parents; the quick availability of teachers for conferences when parents have a need; and an adult education program called "Partners in Torah," which allows parents and other interested members of the. community to expand their understanding of theTorah and explore the subjects learned at the Academy. Three new teachers New to Friedel this year.are Kristi,Todd-: Stillings, kindergarten-first grade; Judi Thai arid Rivka Wax, Judaic Studies and Hebrew language; and Lorri Garlington, Administrative Assistant. "I'm extremely pleased with our new faculty members,-who are highly qualified, nurturing educators with experience in community schools," said the Headmaster, "Our three new teachers have expressed a desire to meet the individual.needs of our students and work closely with our parents," he added. Mrs. Todd-Stillings has had extensive experience in multi-grade classrooms. While earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Wyoming, she did residency teaching in a kindergarten-grade one classroom and later taught in multi-age classrooms in Crawford, NE. "I have a strong preference for multi-age classrooms, because they provide an environment in which children learn from each other," Bhe said. "Older students reinforce their own learning when (Continued on page 12)
lectureship
As the result of a generous/donation from Omahans Shirley arid Leonard (Buddy) Goldstein, the University of Nebraska at Omaha's (UNO) ' Department of Philosophy and Religion has ! announced the establishment of an annual lecture on human rights on the University of Nebraska at ! Omaha campus. ^ ; The $100,000 gift to the University Foundation will establish the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Lecture Fund. The. program is designed to bring outstanding speakers or scholars in the field of human rights to campus each year. "Universities need to focus more attention on human rights because it is a connection between the intellectual activities of a university,and the practical way people around the world lead their lives," said Dr. William Blizek, Professor of philosophy in UNO's department of philosophy and religion. ^ think th& gift from the'Goldsteids.is. a sigr nificant contribution to the humanities, especially in this age of technology and information science.1' For more than 20 years,, Shirley Goldstein has devoted her life to promoting human rights around the world and especially to securing freedom for Soviet Jews. -. • Operating on her conviction that one person can make >• difference, Goldstein has made a significant difference in the lives of hundreds of individu':alspersecutw:by:the..Soyiet .Union and other governments and she has inspired others to take up the cause of freedom and human rights. She regularly traveled to the Soviet Union to bring support to the Refuseniks and brought the attention of the world to their plight upon her return. .7 . 7. .,! , 7 .; .[ :. ... She. also was the first person to bring audio tapes out of. Moscow ,th,at: described the plight of one of the Soviet. Unjon'^mqst famousdissidents, Anatoty As a result of her workV Goldstein has been honored by the Jewish Federation of Omaha and the. National Conference of Christians and Jew's. She also received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Researchers report gene for for colorectal cancer Asheknazi Jews may be at a higher risk for colorectal cancer. . The September issue of Nature Genetics reported that researchers from Johns Hopkins University, New York-University Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have found,a. novel mutation in the APC, gene that is found in5% to 6% of Ashkenazi Jews. ' Ordinarily, mutations in this gene are associated with a rare condition called familial adenomatous polposis which creates a risk of developing colorectal cancer of 90%. In the process of studying one Jewish man, the investigators identified a novel mutation. / , Until further study is completed, researchers, advise that individuals with a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer may have a four-fold increase of risk; however, population-based carrier . testing is not warranted at this time. To prevent cancer, these people should start a program of colonoscopy by age 40.
JAZZ CONCERT in memory of Mike Milder II Sunday, Aug. 3 1 , 3 p.m., at the JCC tickets, at $10 each, available at the door