Jewish Presr
NE HIST SOCIETY 1500 R ST LINCOLN NE 6 8 5 0 3 - 1 6 5 1
Serving Nebraska and Western Iowa for more than 75 years
Vol. LXXVI
No. 14 Omaha, NE
29 Kislev, 5759
December 18.1998
Community celebrates JCC campus rejuvenation groundbreaking
Phil Sokolof, left, donated $2 million to the project;-the Fitness Center will be dedicated in his name. He spoke with Mark Sanford, right, JCC President and project architect, at the groundbreaking. Sokolofs gift brings the project to within $500,000 of its goal of $8.75 million. Contributions can still be made by calling the Federation, 334-8200.
The children of the JCC's Child Development Center (CDC) provided entertainment for the more than 200 people who attended the ceremony last Friday. Included in the JCC Campus Rejuvenation are a new CDC, a "Women's Health Spa, a new Jewish Federation Library, and the Sokolof Health and Fitness Center. More photos on pages 10-11.
Jewish Federatioft^nte^ Community website launched
education in Moscow by Carol Katzman
by Pam Monsky, Federation Communications Director
A Jewish Omaha website, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Omaha, is now available to thepublicatwwwjewishomaha.org. The website represents pver a year of information gathering by the Human Resource Development committee of the Federation, Nand includes information on synagogues, Centers of Excellence and Jewish organizations. There is also a 'links' page, email greeting cards with Jewish music, and virtual tours of the JCC and Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. 'i "This website is a work in progress," said Margo •Riekes, chairman of the HRD committee. "We will eventually add chat,rooms and other innovative pieces to the site. We welcome comments and-suggestions from the community."
One of the main purposes of the website is to reach people outside of the Omaha area who may be considering moving here, but don't know what Jewish life is like in our area. It is also a tool for Omahans who have left to keep in touch, and those in our community who;may be unaware of what the Jewish community has to offer.
"Thank God our parents and grandparents had the foresight to come to America," said Janet Glass on her return from the Major Gifts Mission to Moscow. "If I live to be a hundred, I'll never forget what I saw." What the group did observe were the living conditions of some of Moscow's more than 200,000 Jews, many of them elderly, still remaining in the formerSoviet Union's largest city. While the mission also visited the usual tourist sites - the Kremlin Museum, Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral - they also toured Moscow's newest synagogue, a day school, and a hot meal program for seniors. Led by co-chairmen Jan and Les Schneiderman, the mission group consisted of Janet and Mort Glass; Bob Belgrade, and Federation Executive Director Jan Perelman. They were joined in Israel by Judy and Mike Feldman. "We met a 92-year-old doctor and his wife, also a doctor," continued Mrs. Glass. "He had been the chief surgeon in the army and operated on Russia's field marshall during World War II. "Though the couple had a bigger apartment than others we saw, the space had not been updated in years," she added. "They have no children and live on a $70 a month pension. They're all alone." Bob Belgrade agreed with Glass' assessment of the living conditions. (Continued on page 12)
.""..•••••
The overall look of the website is in conjunction with the "Good Jewish Life" brochure that was mailed to the community in September. "The site is colorful, interactive and really fun," said Riekes. "We're hoping that everyone has a Elderly pensioners enjoy their only hot meal of the chance to look at what we've accomplished!" day at one of Moscow's few Jewish soup kitchens. .