Building a Jewish Community— Special Supplement Inside
*******************************c"011 TIE HIST SOCIETY
1500 R ST LINCOLN WE
VoLLXXV
No. 28
7Nisan,5758
Aprils, 1998
68508-1651
i,^,
It's an exciting time to be Jewish' by Carol Katzman
The Glory of Jewish Women
Though he is a full-time pulpit rabbi, Rabbi into publishing their own prayerbook, V'tahaer Lawrence Kushner has Libenu (Purify our Hearts), the first gender-neumanaged to turn out tral liturgy ever written. nine books (and is workAfter graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the ing on a tenth) during University of Cincinnati and being ordained as a his 25-year tenure at rabbi at Hebrew Union College in 1969, he entered by Pam Monsky Congregation Beth El in the writing field and like his foray into storytelling, Federation Communications Director a suburb of Boston, MA. it, too, was a fluke. Motivational speaker Arna Poupko will address His books crossed the . He was auditing a class at Brandeis University the Lion of Judah line from Jewish book- with fellow classmate Michael Strassfeld, the creDivision of the Jewish stores to Starbucks, the ator and one of three authors of The Jewish Federation of Omaha at a nationwide chain of cof- ; Catalog, thefirst in a series of three self-help luncheon on April 22, at feeshops, when a buyer books oh living Jewishly published in the 1970s. the home of Sharee and for1 the coffee nurveyors ' "Michael was gathering together resources for Murray Newman. decided Kushner's latest the back of the catalog and asked if I was an expert Rabbi Kushner / offering, Invisible Lines in anything," Kushner recalled; "I- couldn't say 'theMargie Alperson is chairperson for this first-time of Connection, was "short enough to read with a ology* as Dr. Maurice Friedman was already listed, event, exclusively for and I couldn't say 'social action' because my cup of coffee." ' • women who contribute Several producers are now interested in turning teacher, Rabbi Arnold Wolf, claimed that expertise. $5,000 or more to the the short book into a video and another wants to "So, as a joke, I told Michael - 'I can teach the UJA/Federation Campaign. record it on tape. So far, 20,000 copies of the book alphabet',;" he addedj "and The-Jewish Catalog listArna Poupkopoupko is a dynamic have been sold nationwide. ed me asan 'expert on the alphabet'." ' . , / : 1 lecturer, teacher and philosopher for federations, As the book's title suggest, the "invisible lines" That tioke' did lead to the publication of his first are the stories which Kushner says help people book, The Book of Letters, a beautifully designed Jewish organizations and campuses throughout learn, in this case, about Judaism. and illustrated story of the creation of ifcrje alphabet. • .North America. She combines warmth, wit and "People don't realize they've learned something Kushner.started his career in that book; noting, scholarship to challenge her audiences, while new when they've listened to a story," he told the that "aleph-is the sound of Q-d" a concept that he . instilling in them excitement and pride as Jews. Jewish Press recently in an interview. "And then has carried throughout.all his works, even those-' , Poupko's numerous national radio and television ' they ask the most sophisticated questions! not related to publishing. •' • . . : • •'•.' • • engagements include discussions and "appearances 1 "The storytelling came about because of a fluke," '... To motivate Jews to learn,he was the originator on the subjectof women'and Judaism and the role he noted, "I have been a commentator on NPR's All of the first Kallah,' a series .of week-long classes of religion in modernity, as well as articles and Things Considered and'ray -writing then shifted toheld in a retreat-ljke setting at Brandeis . publications on the subject of Jewish identity, • a storytelling format,".;.','.;..,r,^..s'ii'.i'.J......,:.,...;;.:-.: UruyerBitySppnMrpdi%:the^nioh of •American. Judaism and feminism and Jewish observance. this cal~-->ThJs! book, in. particular, is-itie basie?.fbr;Rabbr: Hebrew.Cbri^egationsyjthe Itollahrnp^.iBpfferedd ~.;"$flMare deligllted; to hav6^avpt^entex;'of ? iber speak to the Lion of Judah divisioh," Alperson Kushner's series of discussions, "What is the new in St.Louis,.•Md^iind1 Santa Cruii'C^in additipii said; "Arna Poupko is a woman who has served in Jewish spirituality?" at Temple Israel, Friday, to the suburban Boston location; \ ; .' • .a volunteer as well as a professional capacity in April 24, 8 p.m.; Saturday, April 25, 10:30 a.m. Kushner also ^serves as the .first rabbinic chair- Jewish communal service. Her topic! will be inspirand 4 p.m., and Sunday, April 26,10 a.m. man of Reform Judaism's Commission on Religious ing for the women who attend this luncheon." According to the rabbi, a quick definition is the Living and, for a (lecade, has been a member of the one by the late theologian Abraham Joshua faculty of'theyHebrew-Unio^;CoUege-Jewish . . Poupko is married to Rabbi Reuben J. Poupko of the Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation in Heschel, "Life lived in the continuous presence of Institute of Reh'gijm iirNew Yorjt. ' Montreal. They have five children, Ayi and Tamar G-d." Kushner added that the question really "It's an excitittg time to be"; Jewish," Kushner (twins), Hindy, and Adina and Eliezer (twins). should be "how to do that personally, congregation- noted, "especially! Reform and serious about being While in Omaha, Poupko will also meet with ally and communally." Jewish. ' He certainly is known for innovative steps taken ' "There.are thode who think/Gf-disaid everything Young Jewish Omaha (YJO) members to answer by Jews across all the movements. As the origina- He had to say at Mount Sinai and those who think the question, "Is there a future for Jewish life after tor of synagogue havurot (family friendship He never stopped .talking," Kushner concluded, Seinfeld?" on Tuesday, April 21, 5:30-7:30p.m., at the Jewish Community Center. groups), Kushner also helped lead his congregation "I'm in the latter camp!" YJO members should call Sharon Kirshenbaum, YJO Director, at 334-6485, by April 14 for reservations. Following the YJO program, Poupko will speak to the Federation board of directors at 7:30 p.m. during the regular board meeting.
topic for Lion of
by Sara Juster, Israel at 50 Jubilee Co-chairman .
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A gala concert by Donny Maseng will Maseng has made guest appearances conclude Omaha's.Yom Ha'Atzmaut on Law and Order, One Life to Live events on Sunday, May 3, 7:30 pjn., and, most recently, the premiere of iii the JCC Theater. Israel: 50 Years of Prince Street. A composer, teacher and Song will be followed by a 50th Jubilee lay rabbi, Maseng was featured on dessert reception. 'Israel's Greatest Male Vocalists and A limited number of patron tickets, Famous Israeli Male Singers. priced at $50 each, are available; the He is' also the year-round director of deadline is April 24 for names to be Theater Arts Programming for Olin listed in the program. General admisSang Ruby Institute in Wisconsin and sion tickets are $12 for adults and $8 chairs Soferja national Jewish writer's for those 18 and under. workshop. Donny Maseng was born in Israel to In Israel: 50 Years of Song, Maseng an American family connected with the Donny Maseng weave? together songs which span fifty beginnings of the State and both Maseng and years of Israel's .history, reflecting the cultural Israel came of age together. mosaic of its people, songs of war, the beauty of the : He came to the United States in 1971 to start in land and the hope, dreams and aspirations of its Only fools are Sad on Broadway. A playwright and people. actor, Maseng has served as Artistic Director of The songs, which run the gamut of Israeli music, Genesis Theater in Minneapolis and as an evalua- include pop, rock, Hassidlc, Middle Eastern and tor.'of new American plays and opera-musicals for folk and are sung in Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. the National Endowment of the Arte.'-1 (Continued on page 2)
Qaiginaf play featuring Omaha teens to commemorate Yom HaShoah by Qlorlann Levy, Director, Jewish Cultural Arts Council
This year's community-wide Yom HaShoah commemoration will include a production of Night Words written by David Roskies and directed by Temple Israel's Youth Advisor, Max Sparber. The commemoration will take place on Wednesday, April 22,7 p.m., at Temple Israel. The play is a series of dramatic Biblical and Rabbinic readings juxtaposed with eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust. It has been described as one of the few Holocaust pieces today that reflects the Holocaust's uniqueness in Jewish history. The performance will include teenagers from the Omaha Jewish community religious schools and youth groups as we.ll as Cantors Emil Berkovits, Eric Contzius and Leo Fettman. (Continued on page 12)