September 17, 1999

Jewish Pre

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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

Page 2

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

September 17,1999

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Visions Membership Luncheon, 12:30 p.m., a t Venice I n n SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Bagels & Bible, 9:30 a.m., a t Temple Israel. H u m a s h Class, 6:45 pan., a t Beth El SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Annual Memorial Service, 11 a.m., a t ' Beth El Cemetary .,. ... .'„'" ';',/'"]'."'-. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER ? 1 -Hadassah Meeting, Rabbi Levin/Speaker, - '10:30 a.m., a t Shirley Goodman's Home BBYO Night, 6 p.m. Executive Committee Meeting, 6 p.m., a t Temple Israel ./'•';• S u k k a h Decorating Party, 6 p.m., a t Beth El BESTT Committee Meeting, 7:30 p i n . ,

at Beth El"' Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m., at Temple Israel WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Sukkah Decorating Party, 6 p.m., at Beth El ' Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m., at Beth El THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 United Way Conference, 8 a.m. Walk-in Drop-in, 9:30 a.m. CDC Committee Meeting, 7 p.m. LOVE Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m., at the RBJH Conference Room : FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Russian Club, 10 a.m. Shabbat Box Dinner, 6 p.m., at Temple Israel All events held at the JCC unless otherwise Indicated. The Jewish Press Is not responsible for the accuracy of the events. To keep calendar accurate or for questions, call Marlene Her! at 334-6437.

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by Rabbi Shlomo Levin Omaha Center for Torah Learning

Parashat Ha'azinu At the conclusion of our parasha, after the poem which outlines all of Jewish history, Moshe exhorts the people to obey the Tprah. This final exhortation contains within it a reassurance that many of our commentators find misplaced. Moshe says (in reference to the entire Torah), "It is not an empty teaching for you-it is your life." (Devarim 32:47). An empty teaching? At this late stage Moshe is telling the people that the Torah is not an empty teaching? It seems unbecoming for Moshe to speak in such a defensive way. Our rabbis of the Jerusalem Talmud, by use of a : clever word play in the Hebrew text, find a timeless message in Moshe's words. They reinterpret this verse to mean (Yerushalmi Peah 1:1), "If it (the Torah) seems like an empty thing—it is because of you. Why? Because you are not working hard to study it." Then, on the second part of the verse, "It is your life," they comment: ^When is the Torah your life? When you labor to study it." The Rabbis transform this verse into an exhortation to study the Torah. If the Torah seems empty, irrelevant, or devoid of meaning-the rabbis claim that the fault must lie with the reader. The reader should inquire more, explore more intensely, and search more thoroughly to find the meaning that is certainly there. A similar idea was expressed many years later in the Ethics of the Fathers. "Delve in the Torah and continue to delve into it, for everything is' inside. Look deeply into it, grow old and gray over it, and do not stir from it, for you can have nothing better than it." (Ethics of the Fathers 5:26.) In other words, the Torah may at times appear to be puzzling. We may sometimes not comprehend the significance of some of the laws, some of the verses, or some of theiideas contained within.-But the responsibility/for^eBOlving' these difficulties is ours. We have to delve again and again, until we find answers to our questions, because the answers are surely there to be found:" As we consider how we will change ourselves in the new year, we must begin by re-asking the Jewish questions which we have left unanswered. The Torah reassures us that through serious inquiry our questions will find a response.

!

Performers needed for annual Hanukkah Theatre by Beth Cohen, JCC Youth Services Director

' Children in kindergarten through eighth grade are invited to join the cast of the JCC's sixth annual Hanukkah show, which will combine a play with performances by the JCC Dance Department. . In addition, Beth El Synagogue and Temple Israel youth choirs will perform. Michelle Phillips will return for the second year as director. Casting call is Sept. 21 or 22 (attend one), from 4:15-5:15 p.m., in the JCC theater. Rehearsals will be Tuesdays and Wednesdays; performers are required to attend one rehearsal a week. .The Hanukkah Theatre will be presented Sunday, Dec; 5, 2 p.m., in the JCC theater. For more information, call me at 334-6409.

Sandra and Marvin Kohll invite the community to r 'a von for the engagement of Sarah Kohll and

EHYavonsky Tuesday, Sept. 21,7 p.m. at the Chabad House 1866 So. 120th St. Extra parking available at Beverldge Junior High No Invitations have been sent

HERMENE DAVIS ZWEIBACK Graveside services for Hennene Zweiback were held Sept. 13 at Golden Hill ;' Cemetery. She died Sept. 12 at ;• the age of 59. ; She was preceded in death by * her father, Jake Davis. Survivors include her husband, Dr. Eugene M. (Speedy) Zweiback; mother, Julia Davis of Prairie Village, KS; children and spouses, Rosie Zweiback I and Mace Hack' of Princeton, N.J., Adam Zweiback and Kimberly Marshall of Phoenix, and Rabbi Josh Zweiback and Jacqueline Hantgan Zweiback of Los Altos, CA; grandchildren, Grace, Joe and Abby Hack, and Jacob, Noah and Aaron Zweiback; sister, Devra Lerner of Prairie Village; and sister-in-law, Judy Zweiback of Omaha. Mrs. Zweiback grew up in Wichita, KS, and graduated Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She was active in many charitable organizations, particularly those at Temple Israel, where she was a past-President of Sisterhood and Outreach Committee Chairperson. She was also a member of the first Adult Bat Mitzvah class at Temple. In addition, she was a treasurer and board member of KAVOD, a non-profit foundation based in Omaha; a volunteer at the Rose Blumkin Home; a docent at the Henry Doorly Zoo; and a member of the Omaha Junior League. She is a national Silver life Master (in bridge). ... Memorials to Temple Israel or KAVOD, 8907 Farnam Ct., Omaha, NE 68114. DR. ABE C. FELLMAN Dr. Abe C. Fellman, 90, died Aug. 28 in Pokay, CA Survivors include his wife, Betty; children and spouses: Robert and Deborah Fellman of Beaverton, OR, Arnold and Wilma Fellman of West Bloomfield, MI, and Alice and Murray Ehrinpreis of Hunting Woods, MI; grandchildren, Scott and Jason Fellman, Lainie and Peter Geary and Andrew and Jeffrey Ehrinpreisj step-grandchildren, Richard and Jeffrey Danuloff; and one great-grandchild. , Dr,..Fellman. was..a.,graduate.of Crejgh,t,ffin University Medical School; earning his M.D. in 1933. Among his numerous appointments, he served as President of the Lutheran Hospital staff and Vice-president of the Clarkson Hospital staff. He concluded his career with an appointment as a full-time Associate Professor on the faculty of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. '••'•':'"'•'

MINNIEXSREEN

Graveside services for Minnie Green were held Sept. 7 at Beth El Cemetery. She was 99. She was preceded in death by her husband, Simon. Survivors include daughters and sons-in-law, Sandy and Fred Ostrow of Omaha and Berdine and Marvin Clumpus of Littleton, CO; son, Larry Green of Kansas City, MO; sister, Bess Weinberg of Chicago; grandchildren, Gary and Marcie Ostrow and Nasdine Ostrow, all of Sharon, MA, and' Ellie and Paul Militzer of Omaha; three great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Memorials to the Rose Blumkin Home or Beth El Synagogue. HIVING W. FORBES Services for Irving Forbes were held Sept. 13 at Beth El Cemetery Chapel. He was preceded in death by a daughter, LynnetteRae. Survivors include his wife, Sonia' R.; daughter and son-in-law, Deenie and Larry Meyerson of Omaha; son and daughter-in-law, Stewart and Susie Forbes of El Paso, TX; grandchildren, Dr. Lance and Shelli Meyerson of Lakeland, FL, Heidi and Scott Schneiderman, Scott and Jenny Meyerson, Troy Meyerson, Lisa Forbes of San Antonio, TX, Stephanie Forbes of San Francisco, and Curtis Forbes of Boston; four great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. ISRAEL L.BERKOWTTZ

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Graveside services for Israel Berkowitz, 87, were held Sept. 14 at Temple Israel Cemetery. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Millie and Frieda, and two brothers, Max and Arthur. Survivors include daughter and son-in-law, Susan and James Polack of Omaha; son, Howard of Calif.; three grandchildren, Max, Josh and Kayla; and brothers, Morris of Calif., and Eddie of Boston.

September 17,1099

SYNAGOGUES

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

CANDLELIGHTJNG: 7:12 p.m.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

Member of the Union of American Hebrew

Member uf the Union uf Orthodox itattlfth Oinprgntlont, of America

70a.'l Caaa Struct, Omaha,. NXS 68132-2651 650-6536 tcmplei8rapl-ne.org

1509 N o . 52nd St. Omaha, HE 08104-5013 550-6288

FRIDAY: Shabbat Shuva, 8 p.m.--Rubbi Aryeh Azriel, Rabbi Debbie Stiel and Cantor Jennifer Blum will officiate. Temple's teens who participated in July's ARTZA trip to Israel will share their experiences. The Oneg Shabbat will be sponsored by Sisterhood. SATURDAY: Bagels and Bible: An opportunity to learn Torah with the rabbis, 9:30-10:15 ajn.; Shabbat service, 10:30 a.m.; a Tashlich Service will follow at a nearby body of water. YOMKIPPUR Sunday, Sept. 19 First Service , 6:15 p.m. Second Service 8:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20 Morning Service (panel discussion following)...10 a.m. Family Youth Service 1:30-2:30 p.m. Young Children's Service .2:30-3 p.m. Afternoon Service ....3:30 p.m. Renewal Service , 4:15 p.m. Yizkor and Neilah service ........5 p.m. SUKKOT FAMILY SERVICE AND "BOX" DINNER Friday, Sept. 24: Bring the family and a can for the Food Bank at 6 p.m. to make Sukkah decorations, followed by "Bring your own dinner" and services, 7 p.m. RSVP by Sept. 20 with the office: 556-6536.

Office hours: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Howard Kutner. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat service, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 8:45 a.m.; Little People service, 10:15 a.m..; Jr. Congregation, 10:30 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by Sisterhood. Rabbi's class, 6:35 p.m.; Mincha, 7:05 p.m., Ma'ariv and Havdalah, 8:10 p.m. YOMKIPPUR Sunday, S e p t 19 Morning Service .....8:45 a.m. Mincha .................7:7.2 p.m. Candle Lighting. ..............7:09 p.m. Kol Nidre ...; .......7:10 p.m. Monday, S e p t 20 Morning Service.... .................8:30 a.m. Torah Beading ......................:...............;.,.ll a.m. Sermon ................11:45 a.m. Yizkor ...................12:15 p.m. Mincha .................................5:40 p.m. Neilah............. ......6:55 p.m. Fast Ends. ............................; .8:08 p.m. Break the fast-Cost is $5 per person, make your reservations today. WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m.; Mindia, 7:05 p.m.

Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judninia - 14H06 California Omaha, NE 6815-1-1980 492-8550 WEK-www.beUiol-omaha.org

CONGREGATION B'NAI JESHURAN SOUTH 8TKFJET TEMPLE Member of thr Union of American Hebrew Congregation* 2061 & 20th 8U, Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 . 4354KKM Services officiated by. Cantor Michael Weisser. FRIDAY: Services, 8:45 p.m. SATURDAY: Sabbath service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah study, 1030 a.m. YOMKIPPUR Sunday, Sept. 19 •Services ;...i....\..............'.............8p.m. Monday, Sept. 20 Morning Service 10 a.m. Children's Service 2 p.m. Memorial/concluding services 3:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m., led by Marti Nerenstone. All services are followed by Kiddush. YOMKIPPUIt Sunday, Sept. 19 Kol Nidre, lead by Andrew Greenberg. 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20 Services (followed by Yizkor), led by Andrew Greenberg.. .-. .....9 a.m. Mincha and Neilah, by Phyllis Hoffman .6:45 p.m.

CHABAD HOUSE So, 120th St., Omaha,JNTE68144-1W6 Phone:880-1800 B-MAlL-chabad®ttol<cqnt

BEYT SHALOM An Affiliate of thfi Jp« bill RcconstrucUoniat Pvdnratioa P.O. Box 241130, Omaha, NE 68124-5130 788-9233 http://coruc.to/beytBhalom/ FRIDAY: Special Shabbat in the home. SATURDAY: Shabbat Shuvah services at the Blumkin Home Chapel at 9 a.m. SUNDAY: Religious School at the JCC. YOMKIPPUR: Sunday, S e p t 19 Kol Nidre......;.......... ...7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20 Schachrit... ..........................................9:30 a.m. Musaf (approx.) 11 a.m. Mincha 5 p.m. Break the Fast (approx.) 6:30 p.m. TUESDAY: Religious School at 4 pjn. at the JCC.

Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Services are conducted by Rabbi Paul Drazen and Cantors Emil Berkovits and G. Michael Horwitz. FRIDAY: Services, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 9:30 a.m.; Minha-Ma'ariv, 7:20 p.m. SUNDAY: Memorial Service, 11 a.m., Beth El Cemetary. YOM KIPPUR Sunday, S e p t 19 Kol Nidre.. ......7 p.m. ' Monday, S e p t 20 Morning Service 8:30 a.m. (includes Yizkor and Musal) Alternative Service.. .9:45 a.m. Study Session (Rabbi Jules Harlow) .,..4:30 p.m. Minha-Ne'ila 5:30 p.m. Sounding of the Shofar (approx.) 8 p.m.

iWember of the United Synagogue &21S Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68508-6236 '.' -' 423-8569 >, ' , - >"A: ' • Services conducted by Rabbi Stanley M. Rosenbaum. Minyan on Monday and Thursday at 7:15 a.m. FRIDAY: Services, 8 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 9:30 a.m. YOMKIPPUR Sunday, S e p t 19 Kol Nidrei...... 7:10 p.m. Monday, S e p t 20 Morning... 9 a.m. Junior Congregation. ill.ajn. Mincha/Neilah/Ma'ariv/Shofar-blowing. 5:40 p.m.

Jessica Sarah Belmont, daughter of Jill and Mark Belmont, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Beth El Synagogue. An eighth-grade stuQFFUTAIR FORCE BASE dent at Millard North 26th and Capcfaart, Omaha, NE 68113-5000 Middle School, she en304-6051 joys dancing, ice skating, music and babysitting. Services conducted by Rabbi Ira Flax. Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Jessica has a sister, Friday, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Lindsay, 10, and a broth- { er, Colin, 7. . Grandparents are Barbara and Marshall Kushner and the late Florence and Joseph Belmont

Temple Israel to sponsor panel discussion

Following services on Yom Kippur morning on Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Sept. 20, Temple Israel -will sponsor a panel discusSATURDAY: Services, 9:30 a.m., followed by . sion, Jewish Reflections on a Century Gone By. This Kiddush; Mincha/Ma'ariv, 7:15 p.m., followed by year's topic will focus on lessons of history and Havdalah. what can be learned from the Holocaust, the estabYOMKDPPUR lishment of Israel and the increasing assimilation Sunday, Sept. 19 Kol Nidre ;....6:30 p.m. in the U.S., as well as other significant events. Congregation participation is strongly encouraged. Monday, Sept. 20 David Jacobson will be the moderator. Panel Services 9 a.m. Special Children's program. ..11 a.m. members include Harold Bernstein, Dr. Ken (coordinated by Chaya Grossbaum and Estie Katzman) Cowan, Lee Needelman, Marty Ricks, Rosalie Mincha-N'ilah ......;.6 p.m. Saltzman, Whitney Taxman and Rabbi Azriel.

Sukkot at Beth El

FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. Oneg Shabbat, prepared by Peggy Deland and Sandra Kurland, follows. YOMKIPPUR Monday, Sept. 20 Morning Service..^ •••• 10 a.m. Evening Service 5:30 p.m. followed by a potluck "Break the Fast" in the social hall. Call Sandra at 323-8885. SUNDAY, S e p t 2 6 , 1 1 a.m.: A memorial service will be held at the Jewish Cemetary in Council Bluffs.

PageS

Beth El Synagogue's annual sukkah decorating parties for kids and adults will be Tuesday, S e p t 21, and Wednesday, Sept. 22, from 6-8 p.m. Cost is $4 and includes dinner and art supplies. For reservations, call Beth El at 492-8550. Beth El will also host Kids' Lunch & Learn on Friday, Oct. 1, noon to 1:15 p.m. for toddlers through kindergarteners and their parents, grandparents or caretakers. The program featured hot dogs in the sukkah, songs, stories and a special hands-on Simchat Torah art project. Cost is $3 for adults; $2 for children. To reserve, call Sally Zipursky by Tuesday, Sept. 28,445-0802.

IisaNeinchel of San Jose, CA, daughter of Nancy and Norman Neinchel, became a Bat Mitzvah on Aug. 21 at the congregation of Shir Hadasah. For her tzadaka project, she, and the congregation, donated more than 1000 books to the children's homeless shelter and other organizations. Lisa has a brother, David. Grandparents are Minette Katz of Omaha and the late Maurice Katz..

Torah Tots classes returning to Temple Israel Torah Tots, classes for parents and their toddlers (18 months-4 years), will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 5. These classes, which meet at Temple Israel from 9:30-11:15 a.m., provide a variety of.age-appropriate activities to enchance social and motor skills, and incorporate Jewish values and practices for the home. Parents are invited to stay and participate. Lynn Jensen and Joan Cooper will facilitate each session. Classes are open to families with at least one Jewish parent; participants need not be members of Temple Israel. • For more information, call 556-6536.

Page 4

September 17,1999

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

The fragility of our existence Last month, a powerful earthquake struck Turkey, killing more than 14,000 and leaving some 100,000 more homeless. Only a few weeks later, another earthquake occurred in neighboring Greece, even as strong aftershocks rumbled throughout a devastated Turkey. •••••. In California, firemen have been battling fires in the mountains, perilously close to residential areas and ranches. These dangerous fires are often followed by drenching rains, causing mudslides in the burnt and barren forests. This week, South Carolinans are preparing for what could be another Hurricane Andrew. At press time, Hurricane Floyd was bearing down somewhere between North and South Carolina with sustained winds of more than 150 miles per hour. Though these "natural" disasters are commonplace around the world, they are neither common nor welcome for the people who suffer the consequences. Loss of life, millions, even billions of dollars in property damage, and psychological s t r e s s are some of the major difficulties faced by our fellow human beings all

over the world. The images may.be of faraway places, but they haunt our television screens night after night. What can we do, safe and snug in our homes in the Heartland? There are three obvious reactions: 1) we say a prayer of thanks to our Creator for the blessings bestowed 'Upon us, especially in this time, the Days of Awe, the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur; 2) we make a donation to the Red Cross, B'nai B'rith Disaster Relief Fund, or the United Jewish Communities •Disaster Relief Fund (through the Omaha Jewish Federation), for the victims of these disasters; and 3) we prepare ourselves, our families and our homes as though tomorrow is our last day on earth. Shocking as that last statement sounds, it means we do have to face our mortality. Along with writing a legal will, securing guardians for minor children, and bequeathing funds for charitable organizations on our list—making amends to those we've wronged (either real or perceived), as well as accepting apologies from those who've committed errors against us, should make our entry

Millennia Tovah? by Dr. Kenneth W. Stein

This summer, I finally completed my book, Heroic Diplomacy. It is a history of the Arab-Israeli peace process, weaving anecdotes and recollections of the main players into what one former student called "a readable schmooze." . Allen, my Jewish dentist/tennis partner, after he had inquired year after year when the book would be finished, said recently, "OK, Ken, you collected documents and interviewed many people, but you did not interview 'so and so,' so how could you have written a complete history?' The answer is, of course, no one can. His inquiry made me realize again that it is always easier to predict the future than retell the past. Everyone disagrees about what happened yesterday, few even remember, few predict the future, and no one gets it right. I tend to remember and rarely forget what experts on the news hour, who told us to invest in Latin America in the late 197O's, said or what the media talking heads say in 30 seconds. At the top of my list of remembrances, not exactly the same concept Yizkor. brings', I recall, with gritted teeth rather* than with fondness, what the responsible editorial writers of the Atlanta Constitution said last spring-something to the effect that the United States should give up trying to mediate' the. Arab-Israeli conflict. It was the dumbest .editorial I ever read; no forgiveness to them .this. lEtosh Hashanah, maybe in the new millennia.;:;:',-'••'";;•.

••• : ' ; > : - ,

. . : . • ' " . • •

.'

••;•

-•

Indeed, it is shanah tovah time; soon, it will be millennia tovah time. The millennia means little or nothing to mainstream Jewish tradition or custom. Well before Jesus, the Jewish and non-Jewish world parted ways. Our calendar reads like the Sosa-McGuire homerun race, 5760, not a Y2K problem. Nonetheless, this once-in-a-century occasion provides a reasonable literary hook, if nothing else, to look into a crystal ball and speculate about what might lie ahead for Israel, the Middle East, and

American Jews. If you remember in 25 years what I which gave Israel rights similar to NATO counsaid today and hold me accountable for the follow- tries, is almost two decades old. It was signed during blurbs, I promise to buy you a Florida Marlins ing the first Bradley administration,, when Israel returned the.Golan Heights to Syria for a peace World Series ticket treaty, but without full diplomatic relations. Assad's son is still running Syria. ' At Rosh Hashanah 2025: Israelis are still debating whether the direct elecIsrael has peace treaties with all of the countries surrounding it and with an Iraqi regime that came tion of the prime minister is a good idea. to power in 2018. : • Yasir Arafat's daughter just married the son of Assimilation in the United States is reaching the incoming president of the IAPAC. They were such proportions that Jewish religious profession- married by a reconstructionist Jewish leader in the als (they are no longer called rabbis), at their high Catskills; for their honeymoon they sojourned at holiday services are not talking about "Who is a the Babylon Hilton and Towers, just outside of Jew," but in some cases, nostalgically, "Who was a Baghdad. Everyone is waiting to see if the religious bent of their kids will be negotiated. Jew?" IAPAC (Israel-American Public Affairs Sara Netanyahu and Hillary Clinton, after their Committee), the American lobby working at the successful political careers, have launched a new Knesset, has commemorated its 20th year in opera- website - http//:www.maritalcommitment.com. tion by sponsoring a mega-mission of 750 Israeli Israeli Jews from the former Soviet Union and Jews who visited Richmond, Mobile, St. Louis and very religious Jews are still at odds with one anothPittsburgh. Since its founding in 20D5, IAPAC has er after their communities physically clashed over worked hard to make Israelis more aware of what the role of religion in the state. . constitutes Jewishness among American Jews. The economic confederation of Jordan, Palestine Israelis are still asking why American Jews still and Israel is celebrating its 20th year of spawning say kiddush arid light candles on shabbat! .. commercial exchanges, business opportunities, and r Israel, Iran and Turkey, have added muscle to trade between the three states, . their strategic defense.pact. This alliance finally Raging debate exists .between, religious Jews in fulfills Ben-Gurion's notion of the 1950's that Israel the U.S. on the issue of virtual religion anoVspecifiwould do well to establish strategic relations with cally virtual. Jewishness. The: debate this year the non-Arab states of the Middle East.., . focuses on the use of them jftyafc. ... . . : • • . . : The political mechitzah is .working. ThePalestinian state's moat listened to national Establishment of the Orthodox Jewish canton of public, radio program continues to be All Things Jerusalem continues to flourish. Secular-Orthodox Reconsidered. It is about to lose its public funding. tension in Jerusalem was so great in the early Shanah Tovah/Millennia Tovah. decades of the millennia that Jewish separation was the best solution. Taxes are paid to the secular Kenneth W. Stein teaches Middle Eastern canton for municipal services and to the national history and political science at Emory government of Israel for security protection. There University. He is the author of Heroic is a free flow of workers and goods between the two Diplomacy: Sadat, Kissinger, Carter, Begin cantons. and the Quest for'Arab-Israeli Peace, The Israel-U.S. defense treaty signed in 2006, (Routledge, 1999).

THE JEWISH PRESS (Founded in 1920) The role of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to involve Jews in meeting Jewish communal needs locally, nationally and in Israel. Centers of Excellence of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Educational and Library Services, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Senior Services. The Jewish Press is a Constitutional Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly on Friday for $26 per calendar year U.S.; $30 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is Thursday, noon, eight days prior to publication. Telephone 402-334-6448; FAX 402-3345422; E-mail <y'ehprcss@aol.com> Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132nd St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198.

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September 17,1999

Behind the Headlines

Conversion: it's time to ask by Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE Page 5

Journal entry Golan gloom by Teddy Weinberger from Israel

The other day, as I was going about my business learn to ride a bicycle. in the kitchen, I found myself gripped by a deep Perhaps the factual differences between the U.S. More than 20 years have passed since Rabbi existential sadness; yet initially, I couldn't figure and Israel have something to do with the situation. Alexander M. Schindler gave an extraordinary out why. Things were fine in my personal life and Relative to Israel, the United States is a much speech that shook North American Jewry to its in the lives of my family, so I was forced to look older and established country, and of course, in terms of geographic size and population, the core. He said the Reform Movement would not elsewhere for the cause of my emotion. And then it came to me: I was saddened by hav- United States completely dwarfs Israel. merely accept or tolerate converts to Judaism but There are really crucial things to worry about in would fully and enthusiastically embrace them. We ing read in my morning paper that evacuation would not sit shiva for our children who intermar- plans are already under way in a few of the settle- Israel, whereas in the United States it takes much more of an effort to get seriously worked up by ried, but would welcome them into our synagogues, ments in the Golan. Some Golan settlers are saying, up front, that what's happening in the political sphere. Vital families and homes in the hope that the nonJewish partners would ultimately convert to they won't be an obstacle for peace with Syria. issues Buch as the country's Constitution (Israel Judaism and if not, that they would commit them- Now don't get me wrong: I'm not one of those does not have one) and its borders still remain to selves to raising their children as Jews. We would Greater Land of Israel people, who feels that Jews be decided, while in America such things can be continue to resist intermarriage, but we would not have a God-given right to all of the land (and then relegated to a history class (except perhaps if you some) that Israel currently controls. It's just that I live in Puerto Rico). reject the intermarried. Even during US military confrontations, /I felt Have we been successful? The easiest way to mea- could only respond with sadness at the prospect of sure the extent of our impact is to ask: What would fellow countrymen having to abandon perfectly like I was only an interested onlooker: nothing that good homes and lush fields that they had lovingly happened in the American military seemed to have have happened had that speech not been given? maintained and cultivated. a direct impact on my life. The situation is comIn the absence of Outreach, tens of thousands of It struck me that this was perhaps the first time pletely different in Israel. intermarried couples who are now members of our Military battles are fought on home territory or congregations would have been forever lost to the in my life that I could remember being deeply, existentially saddened by something beyond my immevery close to it. Politics affects me personally in a Jewish people. Innumerable Jews who have marway that it did not in the United States. Today's ried non-Jews would have been denied any but the diate family's interests. . I never had this feeling in America.. Sure, I was news may very well provide me with a key to the slimmest hope of a Jewish future. Resentment and upset when I learned about discrimination and extent and nature of my sons' service in the Israeli the sting of rejection would have been the lot of , many who, instead, have found a secure place in poverty in America, or about despicable practices Armed Forces. of the U.S. government or American companies in Before I made aliyah, my cousin, who had thenour community. The Outreach initiative has stirred considerable the third-world. But my emotions lasted just about been in Israel for close to a decade, said to me that criticism, which can be reduced to a single argu- as long as the television or radio segment, or about with all the tension and upheaval in the country ment: that Outreach has, in effect, encouraged and as long as it took me to read the newspaper or outside, it was imperative for her to have certain creature comforts at home. '.••'• justified intermarriage and is therefore hastening magazine article. My normal life went on as usual, beset by plenty I didn't really understand her then, but I do now. the destruction of the Jewish people. This is pure nonsense. Intermarriage is a product of modernity, of emotions, but emotions having to do with my Life in Israel encourages invested experience, but and no Jewish group, including the Orthodox, has personal world: anger at a work colleague, sadness it can also take you on an, emotional roller coaster. found a way to keep Jews from marrying non-Jews. at the death of an aunt, joy in watching my child I hope this New Year's ride is not too scary. . ,.. But our success has raised some thorny issues. LANDSCAPING When1 a JeW marries a non-Jew, and with our. encouragement joins a synagogue, how is the non•'Jewish partner to be seen? In the real world, •20 Years Experience : Outreach is not a cause of intermarriage but a •Personal Touch Raynor Manufacturing gives a Lifetime Warranty on their doors for as long as you own 1 ' response1 to ifc-^ne that is necessarily-partial but •Creative Designs your home. Raynor'S beautifulsteel doors with raised panels have the look of a decexceedingly effective. orative wood door, but not the problems of wood. Raynor applies a heavy, baked-on •Professional enamel finish in five colors to eliminate painting. To conserve energy each door can In the best of circumstances, the non-Jewish Installation be insulated with 1V* polystyrene with steel covering. Come in and see the working partner will be seen by temple members as having Mention mis ad models. We offer financing, installation, and remodeling. Other products: Door the status of a ger toshav: the stranger who lives end receive Openers • Lifetime Siding • Storm Doors • Patio Doors • Entry Doors • Windows • 10% Discount among Jews, who has not adopted the Jewish faith Sash Replacement but has acquired Jewish customs, values and MONTEMARANO friends. Not every non-Jewish spouse fits this category, but the Reform Movement assumes that LANDSCAPES, INC. Centrally located (Take 1-80 to 60th or 42nd St. Exit, 2 blocks south to F St. then to 46th St.) those who married Jews and joined a synagogue 399-9191 4 6 6 5 G Street • 402-733-6440 - O P E N SAT. 9:00 A.M. - 1 : 0 0 P.M. are positively inclined toward identification with our people and tradition. By conveying our acceptance and offering an enthusiastic welcome, the non-Jewish'spouse often comes to see herself or himself as sharing the values of Judaism and participating in the rituals and the customs of our • community. The question then arises: should we urge the non-Jewish spouse to convert? And if so, how and • when? • - • ' -' Most non-Jews who are part of synagogue life expect that we will ask them to convert; they come from a background where asking for this kind of Strategies for Creative Estate Tax commitment is natural and normal, and they are and Charitable Gift Planning more than a little perplexed when we fail to do so. We can aBk, but should not pressure. We can encourage, but should not insist. But none of this is TUESDAY, OCT. 5 Cost: $25 a reason for inaction. And the fact is that we usual(for materials, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ly do not ask. continental breakfast and lunch) We must ask ourselves: What must rabbis (and) Happy Hollow Club lay leaders do? Are our synagogues sending the Send check to: 1701 So. 105th St. right message? Are we offering significant public The Foundation recognition to non-Jewish spouses who become . 333 S. 132nd St. Featured Speaker: Jews, as a means of encouraging them and others? Omaha, NE 68154 Despite our accomplishments, we cannot take for Jane Peebles, Esq. - ~ granted the acceptance and integration of Jews-bya partner with Freeman, Freeman Continuing Education choice and intermarried couples into our synaCredits Available & Smiley, LLP, of Los Angeles gogues. To those who still say that there is too much For moreinforrrjation,, Outreach, I would respond that we are not doing Presented by: call: '•' V enough. What is required, I believe, is institutional MartinC. Ricks The Foundation of the and personal commitment. Even if we draw in only Foundation Jewish Federation of Omaha 20%, we will have added upwards of half a million Executive Director Jews to the ranks of the Jewishly-committed. for attorneys, accountants, insurance professionals, (402) 334-6440 | financial planners, business owners and executives In any case, our ultimate motivation is not about numbers; it is about faith. There is no greater joy than sharing with others the power and the beauty of our sacred tradition.

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Friedel Jewish Academy students immersed themselves in the significance and symbolism of the Jewish New Year as they presented a Rosh Hashanah seder. Parents and guests, including residents of the Rose Blumkin Home, gathered in the JCC auditorium last week to watch and participate in the beautiful, unusual service from Sephardic tradition. I t was the first community-wide Rosh Hashanah seder ever to take place in Omaha. Judah C. Goldscheider, recently appointed by the Jewish Federation as a Community Teacher, orchestrated the seder, which he developed into a learning unit for Friedel's third through sixth graders. • Following candlelighting and the recitation of the Kiddush and Sheheckeyanu, the actual seder began with the dipping of apple slices into honey to symbolize hopes and prayers for a sweet New Year. The service proceeded with individual bless- Accompanied by Tuffy Epstein on clarinet, ings over the honey cake, the nine fruits and veg- Friedel kindergarteners Keshet Spiegelstein, etables associated with Rosh Hashanah, and the left, Grant Glazer, Ari Liberman, Sam Kohll, challah, in the round shape symbolic of continuity, Alex Ephraim, Lilly Phillips and Brendan Leahy sing about apples and honey for the parfrom year to year and generation to generation. After prayers and eating, students wished ents, guests and friends who gathered for last guests Shana Tova and gave New Year cards they week's Rosh Hashanah seder. had made themselves to the elderly Blumkin 'Seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting are powerHome residents. Fifth graders blew the Shofar, ful learning tools," said Goldscheider, whose explaproducing the variety of sounds associated with nations and insights throughout the ordered meal Rosh Hashanah. enhanced the event for students and guests alike.

Take a walk through historical upstate New York's cemeteries at the JCC Gallery's September exhibit, entitled, "In the End." Former Omahan Shana Novak, now of New York City, photographed 23 scenes from cemeteries in Syracuse, NY, in celebration of interfaith practices of laying

loved ones to rest in peaceful places. The black and white photos intend to evoke peace and unity and transcend religious boundaries, according to Novak, who recently graduated from Syracuse University. She is the daughter of Linda Novak and Jerry Novak of Omaha.

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Despite an era of unprecedented abundance, millions of Americans remain poor and hungry. We can help lift their burden. For the last two years, thousands of Jews have supported "The Corners Of Our Field." a High Holy Days appeal that seeks funds for MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and food for local charities. The last two appeals raised more than $1.46 million and €iXmost three million pounds of food. Again this year, MAZON has united with the Reform, Conservative and Reconstructlonist movements in "The Corners Of Our Field." And again this year, we ask you to Join In this extraordinary act of Jewish pluralism. As we look inward during these High Holy Days, MAZON asks that you reach outward. Please give to MAZON what you would have spent to feed yourself and your family on Yom Klppur. Funds raised will support programs providing food, help and hope to hungry people in our own country, in Israel and worldwide. And please contribute to your congregation's food drive. Together, we can share our bread with the hungry. .'

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September 17,1999

Jewish Press, Omaha NE

Page 7

Learning over Labor Day weekend Shannon Nicole Seglin, daughter of Barbara and Steve Seglin of Lincoln, was named a Countess for the annual Ak-Sar-Ben Ball in October. The following young women were named Princesses: Kelly Leigh Broder, daughter of Anne Shackman and Barry Broder; and Rachel Lindsey Jacobson, daughter of Nancy and David Jacpbson. Escorts are: Jonathan Lee Broder, son of Anne Shackman and Barry Broder; David Lawrence Kulakofsky, son of Janie and Alan Kulakofsky; and Arnold David Robinson and Jeffrey Scott Robinson, sons of Betti and Dick Robinson of Norfolk, NE. Pages include: Lauren Bethany Davis, daughter of Mary Kay and Henry Davis; Hannah Corbit Ferer, daughter of Whitney and Mary Ferer; and Ayery Hannah Lehr, daughter of Sandy and John Lehr. Also named as pages were: Jay Peter Katelman, son of Lynn and John Katelman; Jack Jay Schrager, son of Terri and Phil Shrager; Joseph Jacob Slosburg, son of Martha and David Slosburg; Alexander Ian Wiesman, son of Dr. Mark J. Wiesman and Brenda EversonWieaman; and Harrison Sandor Wiesman, son of Cynthia Epstein and David Wiesman.

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•.THE««K ISLANDS 3821 CENTER •346-1528 Close to 100 members of the Jewish community turned out for the first event sponsored by the Omaha Center of Torah Learning. Local rabbis, including Rabbi Aryeh Azriel of Temple Israel (pictured), taught 40-minute sessions on the upcoming Jewish holidays. Also participating were: Rabbi Paul Drazen and Cantor Emil Berkovits of Beth El; Rabbi Howard Kutner of Beth Israel; Rabbi Debbie Stiel of Temple Israel; Rabbi Mendel Katzman of Chabad; and Noa Levin, wife of OCTL Director Rabbi Shlomo Levin. For more information about upcoming OCTL programs, call Rabbi Levin at 551-1564.

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Eadie Tsabari has opened OmahaEGIfts.com, an on-line gourmet gift store. The company specializes in holiday gifts, referrals and specialty items for individuals, small businesses and corporations. MITCHELL/LESSER Joining her in this new venture are associates Stanley and Evelyn Mitchell announce the Sheri Abramson, Denise Lehman, Marian engagement of! Abramson and Somer Holiday. their daughter, Ruth, to Paul Lesser of Chicago, Barton (Bucky) Greenberg competed at the University of Minnesota swimming complex in the son of Michael and I Lesser of | United States Masters National long course swim- Hedy Northbrook, IL ming meet. He placed first in the 50-meter, 100meter, and 200-meter breaststroke events in his The bride-to^be i age group and established new national records in is a first grade teacher at Frances the 50-meter and 100-meter events. Xavier Warde I The previous 100-meter record was set in 1993; School in Chicago. the record for the 50-meter events was set in 1989. She received a Greenberg trains regularly at the JCC pools in Bachelor of Sci- j Omaha. ence degree in education from Washington Post political correspondent David Indiana University S. Broder will speak on "The Press, Politics and •and will complete a Masters degree in Curriculum Citizenship" at the fourth annual Governor's Development and Supervision from DePaul Lecture in the Humanities, sponsored by Creighton University in December. University on Thursday, Sept. 23, 8 p.m., at the Her fiance' is an associate at GE Capital Real Joslyn Witherspoon concert hall. A 6 p.m. reception Estate in Chicago. He received a BS in finance from and dinner precede the lecture. For ticket informa- University of Illinois and an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern tion, contact Cindy Workman, 280-2969. University. A Memorial Day weekend, 2O0O, wedding will The latest novel by Omahan Jack Moskovitz, take place in Chicago. Tuxedo Square Job, is available on the internet at www.pc-books-inc.com Radio Talking Book Services (RTBS) recently eelebrated its 25th anniversary. The organization, originally started by the National Council of Jewish Women (Omaha Section), paid special tribute to Esther Simon, an NCJW volunteer, for her 25 HOUSECLEANING years of service. During the ceremony, Mayor Hal • Reliable 'Trustworthy • Competitive Rates Daub-broadcast to RTBS's 10,000 listeners across • 16 Years Experience the state, according to RTBS Chairman Larry Call Mary Axelrod. Volunteer reader Esther Meicb.es and 293--7671 past chairman Dr. Ben Kutler also attended.

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was was uprooted and displaced by WWII. As

Don't park in places reserved for

post war refugees, she and her family made an

"RETURN is about

the handicapped

arduous journey across Western Europe and

memory, Identity,

eventually immigrated to the United States.

exile and roots. The

RETURN Is a project she began in 1990 t o

irony of my title Is

•Louis Famous Foot Longs * Great Daily Specials

explore the almost forgotten world of her chlld-

that my destination

hood. The 31 photographs In this exhibition are

is not a dot on the

not specifically about the Holocaust, but rather;

map but a amorphous

are a n attempt by de Swaan t o form a bridge,

territory of shifting

visually and metaphorically, t o a time and place

boundaries."

that has become an abstraction t o her.

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(Continued from page 1) "As long as federal estate taxes exist with the potential tax as high as 55 percent, this subject will be important for individuals and their tax advisers," Ricks noted Freeman, Freeman & Smiley has a national reputation for expertise in estate planning and charitable giving. Peebles has been certified by the State Bar of California as a specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law. She is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. A frequent lecturer across the country, she speaks to professional and lay audiences on sophisticated aspects of domestic and international estate and charitable planning. Peebles is a member of the American Bar Association; Real Property, Probate and Trust Section, Lifetime and Testamentary Charitable Gift Planning Committee; California State Bar Association; Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section, Estate Planning Committee; the Board of Directors of the Planned Giving Roundtable of Orange County and is the Chair of the International Committee of the National Committee on Planned Giving. An instructor in estate planning and international charitable gift planning, Peebles teaches at the American Institute for Philanthropic Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Registration for the seminar will begin at 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5, at Happy Hollow Club, 1701 So. 105th Street in Omaha. Beginning at 9 a.m., the seminar will last until 3:30 p.m. Subjects to be covered include a primer on charitable gift planning, the latest developments in planned giving, and strategies and issues related to distribution alternatives for retirement plans. "The topic on planning for retirement plan assets (i.e. IRAs and 401(kls). is especially hot today, because up to 75 percent of the accumulation could be lost to the government for income and estate taxes," Ricks said. To honor Yale Richards, a, senior partner in the Omaha law firm of Marks, .Clare Sz. Richards, the Milton and Corinne Livingston Foundation established a professional education endowment fund in 1998 to enable The Federation Foundation to present seminars dealing with estate and tax planning strategies for charitable giving. Richards has served as Executive Director of the Livingston Foundation for more than 25 years. A native Omahan, Yale Richards has been active in the Jewish community for more than 50 years. In 1998, he was the first recipient of the "Spirit of Federation" award presented by the Jewish Federation for outstanding service to the Jewish community. More recently, he was named Trustee of the Year of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, a national award. Ricks said the Foundation has received approval for five hours continuing education credit from the State Bars of Iowa and Missouri and the Nebraska State Board of Public Accountancy. Since the state, of Missouri Bar Association has^ approved the course, .the seminar is also eligible for credit by other state bar associations such as California and New York.-Iowa has recommended five hours of continuing education units (CEUs) for Iowa certified public accountants. The Foundation has also applied for continuing education credit from the Nebraska Department of Insurance. Ricks added that he can be reached at 402-334 6440 for inquiries about the status of CEU applications. Course outlines, a continental breakfast, and lunch are included in the $25 seminar registration fee, which can be returned with the reservation card that came with the invitation and paid by check to The Federation' Foundation- at 333 South 132nd St. Reservations are requested by Tuesday, Sept. 28. Interested individuals who did not receive an invitation are welcome to call The Foundation office at 334-6439. Seminar Planning Committee members are Michael Abramson, C. Randy Endelman, James A. Farber, Frank N. Goldberg, Robert I. Kully, Scott A. Meyerson, Robert M. Nelson and David P. Wilson.

Klutznick symposium

Eugene .Gallagher (Continued from page 1) Sunday will climax at the JCC when symposium keynoter James D. Tabor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte shares his work on "Apocalyptic Dreams and Schemes: How an Ancient Jewish Vision of the Future Came to Dominate the Modern World." The event starts at 7:30 p.m. and will close with a dessert reception. Day two will unfold on Monday, 8:30 a.m.2:30 p.m., at Creighton's Student Center, 2500 California Plaza, where Brenda Brasher will make a second presentation, "From Revelation to the X-Files: An Autopsy of Millennial Themes in American Popular Culture." Yaakov Ariel, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, will enlighten the symposium with his lecture on "Where the Millennium Begins: Jerusalem in the Millennial Visions of Evangelical Christians." .-.•••' Also on the Monday agenda are David Timmer, Central College; Matthew Goff, University of Chicago; Eugene V. Gallagher, Connecticut College; and. William Ashcraft, Truman State University. :. . . , Additional, information or a complete program may be obtained by calling the Klutznick office, 280-2303; by sending an e-mail to ljgrn@Creighton.edu; or on the Klutznick website: http://puffin.Creighton.edu/Hutzmck/raut2arickJ1tm

Jewish youth survey-

L

.. .(Continued from page 1) : .,,:. strong sense of power, purpose, worth and promise. Founded in 1958, the Search Institute's mission is to advance the well-being of adolescents and children by generating knowledge and promoting its application. In collaboration with others, the Search Institute promotes long-term organizational and cultural change to support the healthy development of children and adolescents. In an effort to assess and build on the strengths of Jewish youth in Omaha, the Anti-Defamation League (ADD and Jewish Family Service (JFS) convened a committee which met earlier this year. Organizations, in addition to the ADL and JFS, represented on the committee included all of the, area synagogues as well as the Jewish Federation of Omaha and several other agencies. The Search Institute has been, studying developmental assets in youth in communities since 1989, using a survey called Profiles(of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors. Some '300,000 youth all over the world have already taken the survey. / Omana-nopes to have approximately 300 children between the ages of 12 and 18 complete the survey. It will be administered to area Jewish youth in seventh through 12th grades at 5 pjn. on Tuesday, Oct. 12, at the Jewish Community Center. Rabbi Howard Kutner, Beth Israel Synagogue; Elyce Azriel, Temple Israel; and Scott Littky, Beth El Synagogue, are all encouraging their respective middle and high religious school students to participate. Seed money for administering the survey is being provided by the Lazier'Singer Memorial Endowment Fund, which is managed by the Foundation of the Jewish Federation. "The Singer Fund provided the 'genesis' for this project," said Dr. Todd Ephraim, Executive Director of JFS. It takes about one hour to complete the survey, which will be scored on a group basis. The results cannot be evaluated individually. "That's not the intended purpose," explained Dr. Ephraim. Depending on the results, a course may be developed and offered to area youth to help nurture current strengths and address weaknesses. Both Dr. Ephraim and Debbi Brown, Assistant Director of the ADL, said parents and students can call if they have any questions. Dr. Ephraim can be reached at 330 2024, and Brown at 333-1303.

September 17,1999

Jewish Press, Omaha NE

Page 9

'Funday Sundae' with Bubbe and Zayde New Judaica librarian at UNL

Left photo: Debby Greene and daughter, Silvia Hoffman, with Samuel Rosenquist, son of Thor and Julie Roffman Rosenquist. Right photo: Mark Sanford provided the entertainment. More than 200 people joined in the celebration of Grandparents Day, which started with a strudel "bakeoff." Lucille White was the first-place winner; Lisa Epstein, second place; and Pam Friedlander came in third. Those receiving Honorable Mention were: Doris Shukert, P a t Morgan, Barbara Gottlieb-Ware, Florence Brody and Annie Belmont. Judges were Phyllis Aronson, Marlene Dandy and . Charney Rosinsky. The strudel was then sold for the benefit of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Sponsors of the day were Lorrie and Sheldon Bernstein, who donated crafts for the children; ice cream and toppings were donated by Richard Evnen of Lincoln Poultry; and Bakers Supermarkets supplied the paper goods and additional toppings. Entertainment was provided by students of Leslie Schnabel-Wallace from this summer's musical theater camp, and by the multi-talented Mark Sanford. - Patty Nogg, Laura Wine and Lenora Lancaster were co-chairpersons for the event.

Andrew Wertheimer was recently appointed as Research Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He will be the liaison librarian for Modern Languages and Literatures, Judaic and Asian Studies. He comes to Nebraska with a rich experience in Journey home to Jewish Omaha. Jewish Studies and librarianship. He was formerly www.iewishomaha.ors the librarian of the Woodman Astronomical Library, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where Wertheimer is pursuing a Ph.D. in library science and the history of print culture. After receiving a MLS from Indiana University in 1995, Wertheimer was Public Services Librarian • "1 at the Asher Library and Head of Acquisitions at r the Chicago Jewish Archives, both at the Spertus Wanted: Institute of Jewish Studies. He came to Nebraska SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHER to join his wife, Noriko Asato, Assistant Professor J I to work with students at one or more I of Japanese at UNL. Omaha Hebrew Religious Schools Wertheimer's background in Judaica comes from courses in Judaica Librarianship at the YIVO Part-time positions available Institute (NY), and also Hebrew Codicology and Yiddish at Spertus College of Judaica. He is also co-editing a book on the history of Jewish libraries Call: I and print culture. Michael Linn, 334-0517 • Tentative chapters will appear in the next issue Kathy Hirshman, 334-6445 " of the journal Judaica Librarianship and a forth- • coming book on the Holocaust, edited by Jonathan Rose. Wertheimer is looking forward to developing the Judaica collection at UNL, a task he will share with fellow librarian Gretchen Holten Poppler. He said, "Although the Jewish student body at UNL is certainly not the largest, the library provides research material for the very active faculty in Judaic Studies." He hopes to continue to make the Jazz, Reggae collection available to the people of Nebraska. He and may be contacted at 1-402-472-3591, or by e-mail at andrew_noriko@hotmail.com Blues Bar

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CORRECTIONS In the Sept. 3 issue of the Jewish Press, the names of Mary Kay and Henry Davis were incorrectly spelled in the story about Derech Torah classes. In the Rosh Hashanah edition; Page 2: Dr. Gary Thompson was identified as Dr. George Thompson. ' The Jewish Press regrets the error. . Page 5: Pete and Ed Milder were incorrectly spelled. •'.-.'-• Page 13: Pi Tau Phi-Buddy Barish was omitted from the photo. The following birth was omitted from information submitted to the Press: Beth E1--Lindsay Rebecca Osborne, daughter of Ann and Don Osborne. In addition, the names of Beth El board members Bruce Shackman and Jane Murow were misspelled. •

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REMINDER Tuesday, Sept. 21,7 p.m.: Sukkah building gettogether in the Milder Center with the new group . Temple Israel Young Professionals Organization (TIYPO), for marrieds and singles in their 20's and 30's. Kids welcome; dessert will be served. Contact Rabbi Stiel or Cantor Blum at 556-6535.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

September 17,1999

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Yom Kippur in the chapel of the nursing home man brain is. . .it can be greatly diminished by illness, aging or accident, but just touch the right button and from the deepest recesses of this amazing machine come Yiskodol... At the appropriate places, the leader requests "those who can rise, please do so. Those who cannot, please do not." It's interesting to watch a few who don't need the cue, who remember certain signals and who pull themselves up to a proud posture. . I look around at those few who understand what's going on and who appreciate being there. And I look at the rest, who are simply there, physically, with no comprehension of why. I look at my own mother, who sits motionless, trying desperately to hear. She's restless and not able to follow, even though the voices from the bimah are clear and easily heard, provided the listener has the ability to hear. She doesn't. She sits patiently until the service is concluded and is more than ready to return to her room. I push her wheelchair down the corridor and as we walk, she makes a little conversation asking "what time is it?" I tell her and she's pleased because she knows there's still a little time for us to visit. She's a clock watcher, my Mom. She seems to need sotto voce. From another row, a voice droned to know the time a thousand times a on and on, speaking right over the day. I wonder why... davening. After a moment I recogWe pass the room of a lovely man nized the voice as that of a resident who lays dying. God knowB he who talks so incessantly I know it's deserves an easier death, but unforan involuntary action. This day how- tunate soul that he is, he's not getting ever, it wasn't just jabbering. Rather it. Just as we are within earshot, I it was the lady reading from the spe- hear his lovely daughter, speaking to f cially edited book of holiday services. him, telling him lovingly "you are 1 Not until she was finished did she such a wonderful father and wonderallow herself to be shushed. ful husband. You've always been so More sounds.. .this time a conver- fine..'." and I nearly collapse. sation between two people, in a fairly . I realize she's telling him everyanimated style. Then, "shhhhl" and it thing she wants to be sure he knows she's telling him how much she loves stopped. Enter two more people-a young him. My thoughts turn right back to man and his mother. I recognized , myself and my own darling dad. I him as a fiftyish member of the com- remember that I sat in that chapel munity who had overcome lifelong and thought "Dad would have hated difficulties and was a self-sufficient, this. I miss him terribly but Fm glad he was able to choose hiB place of independent citizen. He lovingly escorted his still attrac- worship and to be able to make those tive mother, who sadly, had'slipped decisions that were so important to into the hideous limbo of dementia. him." He sat next to her, patted her hand And I also think "my Dad was ok constantly, touched her face, and one minute and gone the next. He looked at her with an expression of didn't have to suffer unspeakable completely unconditional love. I pain before he was allowed to leave couldn't help but think that now, at this world." I'm so grateful, but I this time in their lives, they were have wished for the seven years since nearly on the same wave length. he died, that I could have said goodIn this carefully constructed obser- bye. vance of Yom Kippur, the Yizkor Mother and I exchange a few prayers are earlier than in the tradi- thoughts. . .she agrees it really tional schedule. It is announced, the doesn't feel the way Yomtov used to page number is clearly spoken, and feel. I don't tell her I've felt that my soon the assembled group speak the Dad took the yomtavim with him gentle words which recall late loved when he left. If s never been the same ones. When the mourners kaddish since. begins, I realize there are many more I leave the nursing home with a voices speaking the words—wait, the lump in my throat, remembering ifs soft snore has ceased and from the a most appropriate day to feel desnorer I hear the words of kaddish. pressed. I'm alone with my thoughts He speaks them clearly, recalling and memories of the day. every syllable of each word. Ill be glad to hear the shofar signal What a wondrous apparatus the hu- it's done. B.L,

The setting is lovely-a small chapel with three magnificent stained-glass windows, a modest bimah whose outstanding feature is the very old arun kodesh outfitted with three torahs, each with its own special history. The leaders of the service are two: a layman with more than exceptional knowledge of torah and davening and, this year for the first time, a respected rabbi emeritus. The lay person has volunteered his services for a number of years, for these high holidays as well as Passover and other times which call for "services*. The Rabbi has performed as a volunteer in the past also but this year his dear wife is a resident of the nursing home and much of his time is already spent on the premises. This bimah becomes the most natural place for him to be. The congregation? A modest group, comprised of residents and family ' members who have come to be with their elders on this Yomtov. Many are in wheel chairs, a few seated in regular pews. But it isn't the sight of these people which demands attention—it's the sounds. What kinds of sounds? Behind me there was a soft, rhythmic snore ema" nating from a wheelchair bound elderly man. . .not loud, really just

Child care- One of the most Important decisions parents make. Check it outl NEBRASKA HEALTH AND H U M A N SERVICES SYSTEM

September 17,1999

Jewish Press, Omaha NE

Page 11

Marriage YJE.S. EPSTEIMBOHART There will be no meeting Monday due to Yom Elizabeth Ann Epstein and Stuart Henry Bohart, Kippur. Make reservations by Sept 21 for the Sukkot both of New York City, were married Sunday, Sept. Party on Sept. 27, with musical guest Joe Taylor. 5, at the Aspen Chapel in Apsen, CO, Rabbi Rachel Deadline for WinnaVegas Casino on Sept 30 is Sept. Arnoff officiated. A dinner at the Hotel Jerome fol23. Make reservations with Maggie, 334-6521. lowed the ceremony. \?ALK-IN, DROP-IN The bride is the daughter of Barbara and Bob Members will meet Thursday a t the JCC. Epstein. The groom is the son of Marcella Wills Exercise starts at 10:15 a.m. For those going on the Bohart of Omaha and the late Charles Bohart. Mystery Tour, please meet a t the JCC by1 The bride's attendants included her sister and 10:45 a.m. at the south entrance. For transportabrother-in-law, Melissa and Michael Schop of tion, call Maggie at 334-6521. Chicago; and brother and sister-in-law, Jeffrey and RUSSIANCLUB Ellie Epstein of Omaha. Members will meet Sept. 24 at the JCC. At The groom's attendants were Drs. Andrew and 10 a.m., we will go on a day trip to Fort Atkinson Patricia Bohart, his twin brother and sister-in-law; State Historical Park in Fort Calhoun, the first his brother, Dr. Gregory Bohart; and his sister, U.S. Fort west of the Missouri River. Call Lydia Marti Peregory. linde by Sept. 22 at 697-9169. Cost is $3. Alec Epstein, Sammy and Isaac Bohart and VISIONS Ethan and Devin Peregory, nephews of the couple, Join us to experience historic Nebraska City on served as ring bearers and junior groomsmen. Sunday, Oct. 10. Cost is $35 per person. Visit the After a trip to Bali, the couple will live in New Lied Conference Center for Sunday brunch; tour YorkCity. the city; browse the arboretum and mansion of Arbor Lodge during Living History Days; and tour the Arbor Day Farm. We will leave from the JCC at 10:45 a.m. and return approximately at 5:30 p.m. Newman Foundation Grant Send reservation by Sept. 24 to Sam and Rosaline requests due Epstein, 9205 Western, #325, Omaha, NE 68114. by Claudia Sherman HADASSAH Foundation Public Relations Coordinator * Marvin Perelman will entertain residents of the Rose Blumkin Home on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2 p.m., Applications to apply for grants from the Murray at the monthly Oneg Shabbat, sponsored by the H, and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation Omaha Chapter of Hadassah. His program, "Music have been sent to organizations and individuals of the ages," will be followed by a tea in the Home's operating or residing within a 75-mile radius of main dining room. Members who wish to assist are Omaha. asked to come at 1:30 p.m. Applicants for funds must submit their proposals " • The Omaha Chapter will sponsor a series of no later than Monday, Oct. 4, said Harlan Noddle, monthly talks presented by local rabbis. Rabbi President of the Foundation. Shlpmo Levin will speak at the inaugural event on Noddle said the Newman Foundation Board of Tuesday, Sept. 21, 10:30 a.m., at the home of Trustees will meet on. Oct. '20 to consider requests Shirley Goodman, 732 Sunset Trail (phone: 554- from qualified individuals and organizations in 1821). His topic will be "Raising Jewish Children in need'of funds. Requests must be for purposes that the 21st Cehtury." ' ' . , are consistent with the;:bylaws of the Newman ;.-'i'ThVtiext Hadassah Algagalim (Training Wheels) Supporting Foundation. 1 for 2-5 year olds will be Wednesday, Sept. 29, In addition to the .geographic restrictions, the 1K30 ttnfc-l p.jh.V at the home of Sandra Kohll, 1617 bylaws provide for'distrlbution of grants to the "So. 107th St. Bring a sack lunch for child arid parent Jewish Federation; as well as to individuals for tifeat in the succah, where treats will be served and charitable, educational, or religious purposes conNoa Levin will work on decorations. For information, sistent with those of the Jewish; Federation; and to call Sandy Kohll, 391-5603; or Noa Levin, 551-1564. charitable organizations which are beneficiaries of1 B/NAIBTUTH BREADBREAKERS the Federation's current budgeting and allocation Larry Gendler, a Sarpy County Juvenile Court process. ,"; j ' Judge,'will speak at Breadbreakers on Wednesday, Trustees of the Newman Foundation .welcome the accbrding-to Ron Gordon. The group meets every opportunity to consider co-sponsoring programs Wednesday at noon at Pastimes Restaurant, 129th that exceed $3,000, Noddle stated. Otherwise, & W, Maple. Cost is $8.50. grant applications should not exceed $3,000. V,. • .\ OMAHA CENTER FOR TORAH LEARNING Noddle added that there will 'not be any exc'ep-" Saturday, Sept. 18; 5:30 p.m.-Rabbi Levin will tions to the Oct. 4 deadline.teach a class on the weekly Torah portion at his Grant applications as well as further information home, 5023 Lafayette. Wednesday, Sept. 22, noon- are. available by contacting Marty Ricks, Executive 1 p.m.—Lunch 'n Learn hosted by Shelly and Rae Director of the Jewish Federation Foundation, at Coren, ,5629 Parker; eat lunch together (bring your 334-6440. own lunch), followed by Torah study with Rabbi Levin; 5 p.m.-class in spoken Hebrew taught by • Rabbi Levin, hosted by Al Ross, 676 N. 56th St. For information, call Rabbi Shlomo Levin, 551-1564. For Safety's Sake JEWISH WOMEN INTERNATIONAL JWI will meet at the Rainbow House on Thursday, Sept 23,* 11:45 a.m. Bring paper goods and personal products. RSVP to Iila Jacoby, 397-4617. * Note date change.

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Page12

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

September 17,1999

Robin Williams stars in new film, Jakob the Liar In Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II, poor Jewish cafe owner Jakob jHeym (played by Oscar winner Robin Williams) accidentally overhears a forbidden radio news bulletin signaling Soviet military successes | ^1 against German forces. To L combat the overwhelming depression and suicide that pervades the ghetto, Jakob invents fictitious news bulletins about Allied advances against the Nazis. These lies keep hope and humor alive among the ghetto inhabitants—spirits are lifted/hearts are refreshed and optimism is reborn. The Germans learn of the mythical radio, however, and begin a search for the resistance hero who dares operate it. Such is life for Jakob Heym, living in a Nazi-occupied Polish Jewish ghetto in 1944. Based on the Jurek Becker book, Jacob The Liar is a story about the astonishing things that happen when despair turns to hope. The film is scheduled for release on Sept. 24. Becker spent most of his youth living in the Lodz ghetto and in concentration camps. Enticed by the prospect of telling his story to a worldwide audience, he enthusiastically granted-rights to bring his story to the screen. Robin Williams, approached to play the title character, found the script very moving, particularly the way the ghetto inhabitants managed to carry on despite the atrocities committed around them. "How you go on in the face of that, is with anything you have, everything at your power, and humor is part of it. It's weird to think of people still having a sense of humor, but they did. Amid people committing suicide and getting shot if they went near the gate," Williams continued, "they would still have concerts and productions. They were still trying to maintain that. "The script had a certain power to it," continued Williams. "It went from being very funny and very

tragic and very brutal within moments. Most of the scenes were about every day life—interaction in the face of something so horrific." Just as Jakob is prompted to look at himself hi a new light, Williams hopes the audience will think a second time about those who endured the Holocaust. "The purpose of this," says the actor, "is to look at these people as human beings, not as a statistic, a number. • In 1944, the year in which Jacob The Liar takes place, the town of Lodz had a Jewish community of 200,000. Today, there are fewer than 100. Though the ghetto locale of this story is not specifically identified, the shoot began in the Polish town of Piotrkow, the very first Jewish ghetto in Poland. When the scene during which the Jewish population is removed from the ghetto was filmed, it employed 400 local extras, all dressed in their tattered wardrobe, each.emblazoned with the sixpointed yellow star. Fifty-five years ago the same week, 2000 Piotrkow Jews were liquidated by Nazi troops from that exact square. Williams recalls that fact as particularly meaningful. "There's a very powerful feeling in those streets, buildings, apartments and hallways—that combined with the look

of the people playing all the extras. They're no longer extras. It looks almost like documentary footage when you walk on the street and see all those faces." "The moment you put on the coat with the star of David," said Williams, "there's a certain gravity. It's riot your co»\ tume anymore; it becomes your clothes, and it has a power." . "I wanted to recreate as realistically as possible the world I. grew up in," said Peter Kassovitz, Director, who remembers vividly his life as a Jewish child in Nazi-occupied Budapest. "The story and its point of view are so close to me, to what I lived through and my feeling about that time. We took great care to put it on film authentically." The unit also shot in Budapest at the site of the Budapest ghetto, just down the street from the office of Adolf Eichmann, Chief of the Jewish Office of the Gestapo during World War II who implemented the total extermination of European Jewry. Williams spoke to actual survivors of the Holocaust for more information. One survivor, Janos Gosztony, who has a role in the film, told Williams of people being forced to stand in line all day and night. To keep alive and awake, they would tell jokes to each other. "That's how they survived," said Williams. "That's what makes us human beings." What does Robin Williams hope audiences take away from the movie? "The humanity of it. A memory of people. A memory of lives," he said. "It is a very intimate portrayal of life in the face of death. • :• "This means a lot," he continued. "It isn't just because we're producing it. Ifs because when we read it we thought, this is powerful stuff. Because it talks about a painful, awful time in human history, but it talks about the people who went through it. That's what the book does, and that's what we hope this does."

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You plant trees for the future." Luanne Coziahr, OPPD Forester

"We spend a lot of time going out and trying to help people make correct choices for their landscape and for the power lines, too; it's a fun part of my job. And we have a tree planting sponsorship program that allows us to get trees planted for the right reasons, in the right places. That's real important to us. "People plant trees for shade and beauty, lots of very important reasons. If.., everybody would plant their trees far enough away from power lines or plant things that stay small near power lines, we would be happy." For more information on tree planting, or help in selectingthe right ttee to plant, call OPPD's Customer Care Services at 5364131 or, outside the metropolitan area, call toll-free 1-800-648-2658, then select 6 on the menu.

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