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NE HIST SOCIETY 1500 R ST LINCOLN NE 6 8 5 0 8 - 1 6 5 1
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No. 21
17 Shevat, 5758_-_
The Jewish community is not 'a closed club' by Carol Katzman
Chen Zimbalista to perform at the JCC
speaks on,: "Knowing the Heart of the Stranger" on The Nebraska Arts Council has announced it is Friday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m., and "Passing on Jewish Identity: Now and in the Future," on Sunday, bringing Chen Zimbalista, Israel's only solo perMarch 1, at 10 a.m. • " • • " : • ' — " According to Greenwood, outreach in the Reform n movement is approaching its 20th anniversary as a formalized program. Temple Israel's Rabbi Aryeh w3 Azriel Was appointed to serve on the Executive Committee of the Outreach Commission last year. "I'm thrilled to be coming to Omaha," Greenwood said, '"Rabbi: Azriel and Rabbi Debbie Stiel have done an incredible job with outreach. "Rabbi Azriel told me about the support in Omaha for this effort when the Jewish Federation offered interfaith couples an opportunity to visit Israel last year," she added, "And since then, several of the non-Jewish spouses on that mission have expressed renewed interest in Judaism." Greenwood started as a volunteer in outreach when she was a stay-at-home-mother with young children. At that time, she worked with her rabbi Chen Zimbalista at Temple Israel in Boston to begin a program called "B'nai Abraham," for those in the process of cussionist, and his band to Omaha from Feb. 22 through. Feb. 28. The event "is part of an ongoing conversion. "In those days> the convert or the non-Jewish International Community Cultural Exchange in spouse, was /often seen as 'the other,'" Greenwood celebration of Israel's 50th anniversary/, noted. "It was almost aB though there was an 11th They will perform in the theatre at the Jewish Dru Greenwood commandment'Jews do not proselytize.' Community Center on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. They will also conduct a variety if educational1 Dm Greenwood has a message for the Jewish ' "Today, we understand that there is a mitzvah, a commandment, involving welcoming the stranger," workshops, master classes and performances all community: ', . ; week long for Omaha-area.schools and other orga"We waijt interfaith couples to feel welcome in she added, "Ifscalled kiruv"/ ' ••••. ft; ffjn^ddj^^ .. ^nizatjqns includingithelSkinher Magnet Centerv ii Je*i&h i coaiiunity, i * shffBaid i refce tii& the language of incluBibh.uaWp means opening North HighSchool,&eJGB'md manymorey p~' Jind a placeifor them and their families." ; Zimbaljsta has performed in Holland, Italy, The Director of the Commission on Reform doors to men and women whtimay be apprehensive j Germany, Portugal, the United States and China. . '";. Jewish Outreach for the Union of American about entering. Introductory courses about Judaism need to be In February, he will perform in nirte states.. ' Hebrew Congregations (UAHC), Dru Greenwood Luigi Waites and his band will also join in the will address strengthening Jews and Jewish fami- offered by synagogues arid.temples, not only to lies and explore the issue of interfaith couples and non^Jews but, in interfaith relationships, to the jamming, performing and workshops. • ; For more information, call The Nebraska Arts non-Jews interested in joining the Jewish commu- Jewish spouse as well, Greenwood noted. Here in Omaha, the Jewish Cultural Arts Council has Council at 595-2122, or JCC Member Services, at nity when she speaks in Omaha in two weeks. 334-6426. (Continued on page 9) Temple Israel will host Greenwood when she
'The Dead Sea Scrolls';
'JucSaieathoif rescheduled for iiarch 1 by Gloriann Levy, Director, Jewish Cultural Arts Council
The Judaicathon, originally scheduled for Oct. Sea of Galilee, Bethsaida Excavations Project Texts 26, will take''place on Sunday, March 1, at the and Studies, Volume I and II, and Jesus and His World. Though weVe just begun a New Year, a group of Jewish Community Center from 7- 9:30 p.m. Naomi Arav is a teacher in Israel and is currently The event is an evening of Jewish mini-courses scholars, donors and invited guests will be taken back thousands of years with the world premiere of featuring local talent as well as music by studying International Folk Dance. Mrs. Arav will ai.r • '"i teach Modern Israeli Folk Dance "The Dead Sea "Inspirations," fallowed[by sociali at the Judaicathon. Scrolls and the izing and a despert buffet. i In addition, there will be courses Shrine of the Dr.. Rami Ajrav wil) present• a ! ' on "Jewish Meditation and Yoga" Book: Paet and mini course orj "Biblical Archae-. j with Miriam Ben Yaacov;."Magic Future" on ology." Dr. Arav is the Visiting i j and Superstition" with Mark Levy; T h u r s d a y , Distinguished Professor of! "Jewish Views on. Christianity* March . 19, Philosophy and Religions, Geog-' with Dr. Richard Freund; and 6:30 p.m., at raphy and peology at the n "The Dead Sea Scrolls Controthe William H. University of Nebraska at Omaversy" with Dr. Sidnie White T h o m p s o n ha. He is the Chief Archaeologist Crawford, Associate Professor of Alumni Center, of the B^thsaida Excavations Hebrew Bible and Chair of the 67th and Dodge. Project housed at UNO and is a Department of Classics at the This marks the noted Israeli lecturer and archaeUniversity of Nebraska at Lincoln. . 50th anniver- ologist.. '! There will also be courses on the sary of the Dr. Arav has been the Chief "greatest arch- Archaeologist and Director of Naomi and Dr. Rami Arav Jewish Mafia,, with. Scott Bresler, aeological dis- Excavations of the Bethsaida Project, one of the Jewish Educator and Psychologist; Hate: Groups, with covery of the "lost" cities of Ancient Israel, since identifying the Bob Wou%on,ADL(CRC; and Jewish Web Sites, with 20th century," site "in 1987. He holds a Ph.D. from New York ChetUberiovWierofByte&Bite. : I;. Or. Adolfo Roitman Cost for the eveningis $7 for adults.and $5 for and UNO will University in Near Eastern Languages and <\.: •;;.'. :\yS .,...;••';;;,/• play a key role. The event also includes a video and Literature, and an M.A. and Bachelor'sfromTel students and seniors. . The program is sponsored by the Lifelong Jewish Dr. Adolfo Roitman, Curator of the "Shrine of the Aviv University, Book" and narrator of the video, will be the He has taught and lectured at institutions in the Learning Committee in conjunction with tlie Jewish United States, Europe and Israel, including Education and Library Services and is underwritten evening's guest speaker. The premiere video is a joint effort of UNO- Hebrew Union College in' New York and the by the Philip M. and ijthel Klutziwck; Chair in Television, the Bethsaida Excavations Project and University of Munich in Germany. His latest books Jewish Civilization at Creighton University. are: Bethsaida: A City by the North Shore of the For more information, call 334^6403. ...... (Continued on page 9) by Rabbi Or. Richard Freund