Jewish Pre
HIST SOCIETY 1500 H ST. N17 6S508-1651
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR MORE THAN 75 YEARS VoLLXXVUl
No. 2
Omaha, NE
Federation Foundation kicks off first Yale Richards Seminar by Claudia Sherman
7 Tishrei, 5760
September 17,1099
Joel Alperson to lead Campaign 2000 by Pam Monsky, Federation Communications Director
Foundation Public Relations Coordinator. Invitations to the Inaugural"Yale Richards Professional Edu-! cation Seminar; have been mailed to some 700 attorneys, accountants, insurance professionals, trust officers and foundation executives in Omaha, Lincoln and Western Iowa by The Foundation of the Jewish Federation. "From the telephone response to our 'Hold the — Date'card mailYale Richards ing, we anticipate an excellent turnout," said Marty Bicks, Director of the Foundation. Featuring Jane Peebles, a partner in the law firm of Freeman, Free-. man and Smiley,
Leading the Jewish Federation of Omaha's 20O0 ADL/CRC. In addition, Annual Campaign is a job that requires energy, Campaign funds support the compassion and a great deal of knowledge about needs of Jews in Israel and the Omaha community and its needs. The leader of 160 countries world wide. the 2000 Campaign has all that and then some. Alperson has conducted Joel Alperson is heading the 2000 General I dozens of Campaign training Campaign. He directed the 1999 Pacesetter [sessions, motivational talks Division Campaign with great results. A long time and allocations presentaFederation volunteer and leader, Alperson also has tions across the country. He tremendous experience on a national level. He was is President of Omaha co-chair of United Jewish Appeal's 1998 National Fixture Manufacturing, a Young Leadership Cabinet, and the 1996 recipient I manufacturer and importer of the Jewish Agency's International Young Joel Alperson Leadership award. He serves as the youngest memGeneral Campaign of retail display fixtures for retailers nation wide. ber of the UJA's Board of Trustees and has also Chairman The Men's Campaign will served as UJA's Midwest Major Gifts Chair. kick off with Worker's Briefings featuring Sharon "Each year, our campaign provides us with the opportunity to better the lives of Jews, not only in Faulkner, a social worker and photo journalist who Omaha, but all over the world," Alperson documented the plight of refugees from Kosovo. explained, "In the coming year, we will seek to The briefings will be held Oct. 19 and 20. The Annual Campaign involves hundreds of comserve the.critical needs of an increasing number of Jews overseas. We also plan to embark on making munity members who volunteer to contact the community to raise funds for local, national and interJewish life in Omaha more affordable. "Finally, we want to be sure every campaign par- national needs. Last year's Campaign raised ticipant knows how much good they are doing and $3,005,000, the largest amount ever for Omaha. Jan Perehnan, Executive Director, said, "People how much their help is appreciated," he added. The Campaign supports the programs and ser- of the Omaha Jewish community are generous, vices of the Federation and its Centers of compassionate, and committed to Jewish continuity Excellence: The Jewish Community Center, Jewish , and helping others. We have great needs in our Family.Service, .Jewish Education and Library community and everywhere in the Jewish world, les, the general' "Services,-"Jewish.:SenjpVi Se^icje^V-and^ thei • an'd'iW^Vvill 3ff our best to meet^^iJibSe'needBy'vf, ,.v.topic, of the seminar is "Strategies for Creative Estate Tax: and Charitable Gift by Diane Axler Baum Planning." (Continued on Thirteen experts in issues relating to Y2K will Jane Peebles page 8) gather in Omaha from across the country and as far away as Japan to speak at the 12th Annual Klutznick Symposium on Oct. 10 at the Jewish Survey to assess Jewish youth Community Center, and Oct. 11 at Creighton University. attitudes and behaviors Their lectures; will expjore "The End of Days?: by Claudia Sherman Miliennialism from the! Hebrew Bible to the Foundation Public Relations Coordinator Present," in two days of sessions whose importance Some kids grow up with ease. Others struggle. cannot be over estimated, according to Prof. Some kids get involved in dangerous activities, Leonard Greenapoon, symposium coordinator. while others spend their time contributing to soci"No one will be able to understand tomorrow's ety. Some youth "beat the odds" in difficult situa- headlines without some immersion in the cultural,; tions, while others get trapped in them. theological, political and social context of millenniSeth Ward Catherine Wesanger Many, factors influence why some young people al thought," said Greenspoon, who holds the Philip have successes in life and others have a difficult M. and Ethel Klutznick Endowed Chair in Jewish Day one, scheduled to open at the JCC with weltime. Economic circumstances, genetics, trauma, Civilization at Creighton University coming remarks at 12:15 p.m., will include three and many other factors play a role. However, "We're thrilled to present these top-notch schol- sessions-at 12:30, 2:10 and 3:30--each featuring according to the Search Institute of Minneapolis, ars as a free service to the community. All of our two lecturers. an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian organiza- speakers have accomplished vast research in their Catherine Wessinger of Loyola University in tion, these factors aren't all that matter. respective fields. All of them have demonstrated a New Orleans, will discuss "Understanding Identified by research, there are 40 concrete, pos- willingness and ability to share their views with Contemporary Millennial Expressions, Peaceful itive experiences and qualities-what the Search the general, interested public." and Violent." Richard F r e u n d , University of - 'Institute calls "developmental assets" —that have a Following their remarks, the speakers will pro- Hartford in Connecticut, will speak on "The .tremendous influence on young people's lives. mote discussion and answer questions from the Apocalypse According to the Rabbis: Divergent These assets can be nurtured by people from all audience. Their presentations will."tie into millen- Rabbinic Views on the End of Days." walks of life, reports the Search Institute. ».;-.,-_ f nial fever" and simultaneously "help to reclaim the Brenda E. Brasher, Mount Union College in . Grouped into eight categories} the 'assets1 help apocalyptic image far Jews," Greenspoon promised. Ohio, will lecture on "When Symbols Dance: • young people make wise decisions, choose positive Co-hosting the symposium are Creighton's Jerusalem in the Eschatological Thought of USA paths, and grow up to be competent, caring and Klutznick Chair, the Center for the Study of Religion Christian Fundamentalists"; Harris Lenowitz, responsible adults. The categories are: (1) support, and Society, and the Jewish Federation of Omaha. ' University of Utah, "No Biggie: Jews, the Messiah, care and love from families and others; (2) empowOn Saturday at 8 p.m., prior to the first day of and the Millennium"; D e r e c k M. Daschke, erment from being valued by a community and con- sessions, the symposium will kick off at Creighton University of Chicago, "Mourning the End of Time: tributing to others; (3) boundaries and expecta- University's Eppley Building with a presentation Jewish Apocalypses as Texts of Cultural Loss"; and tions; (4) constructive use of time; (5) commitment by J e r o m e F . Shapiro of Japan's Hiroshima Seth Ward, University of Denver, "The Evasive to learning; (6) positive values; (|) social competen- University, He will discuss "Atomic Bomb Cinema: Epoch: Jewish Perspectives on the Millennium and cies to make positive choices, build relationships, Judaism, the Apocalyptic Narrative Tradition, and other Calendrical Conundrums." and succeed in life; and (8) a positive identity or a Western Culture at the Dawn of the New (Continued on page 8) (Continued on page'8) • Millennium."
Klutznick Symposium to reveal Jewish roots of miliennialism