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Serving Nebraska and Eastern Iowa for more than 75 years Vol. LXXVI
No. 15
Omaha, NE
6 Tevet, 5759
Record number of Omahans studying in Israel
December 25,1998
Super time for Super Sunday i
Carolyn Ware and Taylor Sanford show off the 'super t-shirts' for volunteers on Sunday, Jan. 10,1999. Kids' Super Sunday is Jan. 3.
Midwest Young Leadership Conference will "rock your soul" by Pam Monsky Federation Communications Director
L. Aaron Salmi, son of Mike and Lynn Salmi, is spending his junior year abroad at the University of Haifa. He has already completed two years of study at Nebraska Wesleyan. by Carol Katzman
More than a dozen young Omahans have been studying in Israel this fall, the largestrgroup ever sent from this community. The students represent a variety of ages, backgrounds and segments of the community and are studying in programs ranging from university settings to rabbinical schools. Eight of them met for the first time while in Israel when Omaha delegates were arriving there for the General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations. Not only were they happy and excited about seeing one another, many of them had never met. As a result, new friendships were formed, once again linking Omahans to one another. Aaron Salmi, a junior at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, made the trek down to Jerusalem from Haifa, where he is spending his junior year abroad at the University of Haifa. He's already been 'adopted' by former Omahans Alon and Ricki Epstein Mor, who have recently opened an ice cream parlor in Haifa. Salmi is studying political science and history of contemporary Israel. He would love to become an intern at the Knesset, home of Israel's parliament, if he can improve his Hebrew, and then eventually work at the United States State Department. "I chose Haifa because it's the smallest of the Israeli universities, but the one with the best offerings of activities and tiyullim (trips off campus)," he noted. "We've already been camping and hiking in the Golan and this invitation gave me a chance to spend some time in Jerusalem." He did get that opportunity, and an invitation to stay overnight from a new friend, Dan Fellman. The son of Richard and Beverly Fellman is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem. Fellman, who graduated from the joint program of Columbia University and the Jewish Theological (Continued on page 9):
Ski trip planned for singles An informational meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 28, 5:30 p.rri,, at .the/Upstream Brewing Company, 514 So. 11 St., for singles interested in an April 15-18 ski. trip to Vail, CO. The:trip is sponsored by Young Jewish Omaha and Jewish Family Service. For information, call 334-6485 or334-6492.
Amanda Mack, left, and Sarah Raful are two of a dozen students'spending a year in Israel. Mack is the daughter of Candy and Jerry Mack; Raful is the daughter of Dinah and Larry Raful.
New Pacesetter initiative encourages younger Campaign donors .
by PamMonsky Federation Communications Director
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In an effort to encourage younger donors to make a substantial gift,to the annual UJA/Federation Campaign, a Pacesetter level for donors under age 42 has been established, starting at $3600. After the.2000 Campaign, the age limit for the new Pacesetter level will be 40. The regular Pacesetter gift remains at $6,000. "We've noticed a trend in which our Pacesetter donors who are 65 and over, currently represent 40% of our Pacesetter division where only 10 years ago they represented -24 percent," said Pacesetter Chairman Joel Alperson. "The nejv Pacesetter level is a great way for the next generation to prepare for our future. , ... Through this new effort, Joel Alperson ^ we expect ^ Qut and make Pacesetter giving more accessible to the future leaders of our community," he added. Tim Zweiback came up with the idea to add a new Pacesetter level. . ' T h i s is a real initiative by the Federation to get younger.people, excited and to step up to the Pacesetter level at an earlier time,in their lives. This new level was established to encourage a substantial commitment to'the Omaha Jewish community," he said. \ i - ', Howard. Kooper, Federation'President, said, "What these young guys are doing is really phenomenal. They have taken action to fulfill a need in this community, something that will ensure our future."-
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For more information about the new Pacesetter level, please contact Jan Perelman, Federation Executive Director, at 334-8200. '
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The UJA Midwest Young Leadership Conference, March 19-21,1999, will be held in Cleveland, Ohio. Billed as "Judaism for My Generation," the confer-, ence theme is "Rock and Soul," a tribute to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.located in Cleveland. . Sharon Kirshenbaum, Young Jewish Omaha Director said, "This is one of the best conferences in the country/The weekend is educational, social and spiritual." »"•" Scholar-in-Residence is Rabbi David Woznica, director of New York's 92nd Street Y's Bronfman Center for Jewish Life. Under his direction, the Bronfman Center has become recognized as one of the most dynamic, creative and prestigious Jewish education programs in the world. . Rabbi Woznica's ability to articulate a passionate and challenging Judaism has made him one of the world's most sought after speakers. (Rabbi Woznica will be in Omaha March 24 for a YJO event.) The focus of the conference will include the major issues facing Jews today, from the peace process to raising Jewish children to finding a Jewish mate to venture capital in Israel. The conference, is for single and married 22 to 45-year-olds from all over the Midwest.
Some of the world's most respected Jewish leaders and scholars will lead the discussions, including CLAL's Rabbi Bradley Hirschfield, the Chicago
Sun-Times Jeffrey Zaslow, Jerusalem Report Editor Stuart Schoffman, Avraham Infeld of Melitz and Dr. Ronald Brauner, author of Being Jewish in • a Gentile World. The conference will end with a party at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Registration fee of $219 will be paid by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For more information about the Midwest Young Leadership Conference, please contact Sharon Kirshenbaum, 334-6485.