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No. 13 Omaha, NE
Federation elects Forrest Krutter as new president, installs board
Jewish renaissance creates canvas for future; Omahans return from G.A. by Lisa Hostein
by Pam Monsky, Federation Communications Director
The Jewish Federation of Omaha installed its newly elected board members at its regular board meeting on Nov. 23. The hew President of the Federation is Forrest Krutter. He formerly served as Vice-president and is a past New Federation board members include: Jane. chairman of the Rips, left, Forrest Krutter, Howard Kooper, Zoe Budget and Allo- Riekes and Robert Lepp. (Not pictured: Robert cations Committee. Eisenberg, Steve Pitlor, Paul Shyken, Suzanne and the Jewish Singer and ArnieWeitz.) Cultural Arts Council. He also served dents; and Robert Eisenberg, as President of the Friedel Jewish Treasurer. New Board Members are Steve Day School and on the board of Beth Pitlor, Planning and Evaluations El Synagogue. Also installed were Immediate past- Chairman; Zoe Riekes, Israel/Overpresident Howard Kooper and new seas Chairman; Arnie Weitz, Budget executive board members: Robert and Allocations Chairman; Paul Lepp, Vice-president/Secretary; Jane Shyken, Director. Rips and Suzanne Singer, Vice-presi(Continued on page 10)
ATLANTA (JTA)-If Michelangelo's Renaissance meant sculpting Moses from a piece of marble, just what does an American Jewish renaissance hope to create? Like the great Italian artists who reached back to classical influences to transform art and culture, American Jewry is reaching back to Jewish sources to create a new kind of contemporary Jew— one steeped in Jewish learning and tradition, a Jew excited about being Jewish out of choice, not necessity. It's a tall order in these times of growing assimilation; but it is one leadership of the Jewish scene believe will be necessary for American Jewry not only to survive, but to thrive. Although some have been preaching the need for a Jewishly literate American Jewry for years, the organized community, propelled by the grass roots, is now taking up the cause. The United Jewish Communities, the
Bobbie Epstein honored for Partnership 2000 Leadership . •-'.
by Pam Monsky^ Federation Communications Director
In order to establish a re-j> -— - - ' Nebraska Medical Center 1 lationship between the' to discuss innovations in Omaha Jewish community ' the practice of medicine and the people and institu on-going Holocaust pro tions in Israel's Western gramming in conjunction Galilee, a strong and devotwith Omaha public schools ed leader is vital. f and the Ghetto Fighters Bobbie Epstein lias Museum; and the many proven herself to be such a Israelis who have been leader. For the past four exploring business and years, Epstein has been educational opportunities chairman of the Midwest that benefit the Western consortium for Partnership Galilee as well as Omaha. 2000. Recently, she was \ Federation Executive honored in the Western Director Jan Perehnan says Galilee for her part in she is grateful to Epstein for establishing the Central the many hours she has put Region's Consortium as one into the Partnership. "We of the most successful P2K "TTliln J!^.' were really breaking new programs int.-theonntw«country. Doctor, presented Bobbie Epstein with ground and none of us knew Partnership 2000> (affec- r P f f l a w a r d a t ^ mdwest Consortium » h »* t h e Potential was. tionately known as P2K) is , t m e e t i n g i n t h e Western Galilee Bobbie used her leadership skills -to — define not only aprogram of United Jewish j ^ ^ o f ^ --••»'Omaha's role in PartnerCommunities (UJC-formerly United Jewish Appeal) that matches regions in ship 2000, but how the entire Midwest Consortium the U.S. to regions in Israel. Omaha is grouped would relate to this critical region in Israel." with 12 other cities, which include Akron, Canton, Epstein said that, "Partnership 2000 gives the Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Des Moines, Indian- Omaha Jewish community the opportunity for apoliB, Louisville, Northwest Indiana, San An- hands-on involvement in Israel. It gives members tonio, Toledo and Youngstown. P2K focuses on eco- 'of our community the opportunity to work on excitnomic, educational and social growth in Israel and i n g exchange projects here in Omaha as well as in Omaha. • abroad. ADL/CRC Director Bob Wolfson was in the "P2K is a way for OUT donors to 'follow their dolWestern Galilee when Epstein was honored. lars' by seeing first hand the kinds of projects we "Bobbie has done a tremendous job of making important things happen. It was great to be there fund through the Jewish Agency and to be part of the decision making. It reaches people who want a and see her receive such a well-deserved honor." Some highlights of Epstein's tenure, as P2K new relationship with Israel. It encourages Jewish Chairman are Omaha teens who have worked as identity and continuity in Omaha by reinforcing counselors in English language summer camps for the Israel-Diaspora partnership.' kids in Israel; Israeli educators who have visited • Omaha's Partnership 2000 has a number of ways our public and private schools (including Friedel for community members to experience this handsAcademy) and exchanged programming ideas with. on connection with Israel's Western Galilee. For more information and a free P2K button, Omaha area administrators; Israeli doctors who have met with •doctd^at.the. University of please contact me at 334-6431.
new federation-driven national fundraising and social service organization officially launched last week in Atlanta, has designated Jewish Renaissance and Renewal as one of its four main pillars, or areas of focus. Indeed, a task force charged with recommending a course of action suggests ed as its guiding vision: 'to provide a bold and vigorous leadership for building a Jewish community permeated by Torah, chesed (loving kindness) and tzedek (justice or righteousness). "We've come a long way, at least rhetorically," Jonathan Woodier, executive vice president of the Jewish Education Service of North America, said last month at the opening Renaissance forum at the UJC's General Assembly. "Whereas in the past we were worrying about Jewish continuity, now the focus is on Jewish renaissance," he said to hundreds of G.A, delegates (Continued on page 10)
JCC presents Hanukkah Concert • ;•'-'
by Denise Baccus, . JCC Communications Director
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The Jewish Community Center of Omaha, in conjunction with the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra, will present a special' Hanukkah Concert on Sunday, Dec. 12, 7 p.m., in the JCC theater. More than 70 teens from throughout the Omaha area will perform pieces by Beethoven, Handle, Corelli, Richman and Verdi. The concert will be conducted by Aviva Segall, music director and principal conductor for I the Youth Orchestra. In August, she began her first season as director] and conductor. Originally from | California, she served as Conducting Appren- I tice with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra | and was concurrently Aviva Segall on the conducting staff of the Portland Youth Philharmonic. During the summer, she was conductor of the Connoisseurs Orchestra at the Young Musicians and Artists summer camp. She recently performed as Guest Conductor with the Central Illinois Youth Symphony. She has also been Music Director of the Pasedena Orchestra da Camera and the Wellesley College Chamber Orchestra. , Segall received her Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern University, where she studied with Victor Yampolsky. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College and subsequently attended the University of Southern California School of Music. She was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to study rehearsal techniques with European orchestras and conductors and was a scholarship, conductor at the Aspen Music Festival. Segall's principal conducting mentors include Yampolsky, Murry Sidlin, James DePriest and Daniel Lewis. She has also worked with Robert Spano, Raymond Harvey and David Loebel. Segall combines her considerable talent and experience with that of the 70 youthful musicians (Continued on page 2)