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NE HIST SOCIETY 1500 R ST LINCOLN HE 68508-1651
Vol. LXXV
No. 20
10 Shevat, 5758
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February 6,1998
Community responds to Yachad plea for funds by Carol Katzman
As a result of a front-page story about the needs investment opportunities for tourism in that area. for funds for Yachad, more than $100,000 has been by Carol Katzman From there, the group reunited with doctors from raised from several foundations and families. In a whirlwind six-day trip to Israel and Minsk, the Western Galilee Hospital who visited Omaha According to Joe Kirshenbaum, the Milton S. and Corinne N. Livingston, Herbert Goldsten, Phillip G. Omahans Joe Kirshenbaum, Bob Kully and Jan last summer and visited an Ethiopian absorption and Terri L. Schrager, and Murray H. and Sharee Perelman, Federation Executive Director, discov- center, where a planeload of new immigrants had C. Newman Foundations have designated funds ered the harsh reality of life for young Jews in the just arrived the previous night from Addis Abba. < that "will ensure Yachad's mission of providing ser- former Soviet Union. Some 18,000 teens and vices and programming to mentally and physically young adults identified challenged Jewish teens and young adults." In addition, several families who wish to remain themselves as Jews in anonymous have also contributed to the creation of Belarus by taking an this new endowment. The interest from Yachad's 'entrance' exam in 1997 endowment will be used to pay for the continued for the aliyah program. development, coordination and staffing of pro- Some of them only discovered that fact in 1990 grams and services. Started in Omaha some six years ago by Rabbi after the collapse of the Mark Urkowitz with help from Milt and Joan Soviet Union. Alex, a 16-year-old who Marcus, Yachad is a national program under the auspices of the National Jewish Council for the accompanied the group of Disabled of the Union of Orthodox Jewish 80 UJA Federation leadCongregations of America. Omaha is the smallest ers during their short city in the country to sponsor Yachad; other cities stay in Minsk, told how include Houston, New York, Chicago, Miami and his parents, both Jews themselves, informed him Los Angeles. According to Allan Gonsher, who took Yachad of his heritage. "He cried for three under his leadership as NCSY youth group adviser, "Two families have approached me since that days," recalled Joe Kirarticle appeared to put the future possibility of , shenbaum. "All he had group housing for their children as our next goal." " -over heard aboot"J and Judaism was nega- ^ * t n e synagogue in Minskjwiere the Jewish Agency runs classes for (Continued on page 2) yve potential immigrants, Joe Kirshenbaum speaks to a young Jewish "And suddenly, Alex woman, who is preparing for aliyah to Israel. had to change his perception about Jews overnight," he added. Now Alex is preparing to make aliyah to Israel Twenty members of Young Jewish Omaha begin their exploration of Israel today from Haifa to with his parents. Out of the 18,000 total, approximately 12,000 qualified for this major step (after , Beersheva and from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Participants include Lisa and Todd Ephraim, interviews, exams and preparation), but the State Tiffany Franklin, Patty and Kevin Gilinsky, Julian of Israel can only accept 3,000 this year. "Why?" was the question asked by Kirshenbaum and Lisa Leopold, Deb and Dan Marburg, John and Kathy McGauvran, Nadine Ostrow, Thor and Julie and Kully to Danny Allen, Executive Director of Rosenquist, Rabbi Debbie and Steve Stdel, Jill and United Israel Appeal (and former Lincolnite, the Bill Swanberg and Allysdn and Chris Wilczewski, son of Harry and Anne Allen and nephew of Mary along with Federation Executive,Director Jan Fellman). Allen told the group that there are funds availPerehnan. able for only one-quarter of these young Jews who want desperately to live in Israel. "These kids are coming to us," said Bob Kully. 1998 "They want to learn more about their heritage, culUJA/Federation ture, customs and religion. They been denied that Campaign Update Shimon Peres, third from left, former Israeli information for so long and they're hungry for it." $3 million According to the Jewish Agency, however, per- Prime Minister, traveled with Bob Kully, left, sonnel have decreased from 2145 in 1995 to just Jon Perelman and Joe Kirshenbaum. Pledged to date; $2,500,000 814 in 1997 due to a lack of funding. "It certainly required extra effort to assimilate It is the responsibility of this smaller number of the Ethiopians," Kully said, "but the process is con$2.5 million' staff to serve a growing number of newly-identified tinuing. Goal: $3,000,000 $2 million Jews in the former Soviet Union. They are the Israel has added 20% to its population in recent ones in charge of interviewing potential candidates years. "That would be like adding 50 million people and preparing them for aliyah (teaching history of to the United States," he added. "Considering the $1.7 million the Jewish people and Israel, language, and basic challenge, amazing results have been'accomWe 're almost there, information about Israeli life). $l';5million plished," Our goal is in sight! Due to a lack of funding, the Agency's budget The second day of the trip concentrated on the We needyour cards has been reduced by $100 million, from $450 mil- complex pluralism issue,, Rabbi Uri Regev, a freTo end up right! lion in 1995 to $350 million last year. The result is quent visitor to Omaha and boyhood friend of that fewer immigrants can be assured of making Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, addressed the group, along aliyah this year. with Rabbi Ehud Bendel from Masorti (the The trip began in Israel with observations of how Conservative arm in Israel) and Rabbi Nachim UJA/ Federation funds are used. Rabinovitz, representing,Orthodoxy/" No Gift Touches i'$1'million. First stop was the Western Galilee, Omaha's In response to uiresqluMon submitted last June Partnership 2000 region. Overlooking the to the Jewish Agency assembly from.the federaMore Lives. Mediterranean Sea at Rosh HaNikra on the north- tions in *£he UnitecTiStalej^-allocatibnB were dou,V$500,000 , ern border with Lebanon, the threesome: "• ble.d to programs.s'pariaor.ed by, the religious Kirshenbaum, Kully and Perelman, heard about - 'streams in Israel". In 1998/JAFI will grant $5 mil1998 UJA/Fedcration Campaign investment opportunities for tourism in that area. lion directly to the .three groups: $2,081,000 to the The Jewish Federation of Omaha
YJO Mission arrives in Israel today
(Continued on page 12)