Jewish Pres SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR NEARLY 80 YEARS
Vol. LXXK
by Claudia Sherman
L. Dennis Smith, right, President of the University of Nebraska, presents a medallion to Rabbi Myer S. Kripke. : Rabbi Myer S. and Dorothy Kripke were honored at a dinner on April 13 at the Happy Hollow Club for endowing the Myer and Dorothy Kripke Chair in Judaic Studies with the Norman and Bernice Harris Center for Judaic Studies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Approximately 100 members of the Jewish communities of Omaha and Lincoln were invited by the University of Nebraska Foundation to pay tribute to the Kripkes. Established in 1992, the Harris Center for Judaic Studies' curriculum now offers 22 courses in subjects such astheXHolocaust, SeconcLTemple Judaism, American~Jewish Literature, Modern Israel, and Spinoza and Jewish Philosophy. Terry Fairfield, President of the University of Nebraska Foundation, introduced Jeanne Cahan, Director of the Center and one of the its 10 faculty members, who said hundreds of students enroll in the Harris Judaic Studies Center's'classes per semester. The majority of them are not Jewish, but she has been receiving an increasing number of inquiries from Jewish students from other states regarding the class offerings available at the Judaic Studies Center. According to Cahan, the Kripke Chair "will undoubtedly broaden the teaching and research capacities for the Harris Center," and she hopes "it will draw the Lincoln and Omaha communities closer together." L. Dennis Smith, President of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, presented the Kripkes with a • (Continued on page 13)
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No. 33 Omaha, NE
Kripkes endow chair in Judaic Studies at UNL
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16 Nissan, 5760
April 21,2000
Gloria Kaslow to speak at community remembrance by Denise Baccus, Jewish Community Center Communications Director
This year's Yom HaShoah Commemoration, to be held at Beth El Synagogue, will feature keynote speaker Gloria Kaslow, who has been active in Holocaust education for the past 25 years. On Wednesday, May 3, 7 p.m., she will speak on the future.of Holocaust education as the number of survivors declines. In the past, the world has relied on these eye witnesses to keep the memory of this horrific event alive. As their numbers dwindle, it is imperative that their accounts are preserved and related from generation to generation. In addition to her address, services will include a solo by violinist Aviva Segall, Director of the Gloria Kaslow Omaha Youth Orchestra; readings and songs by the congregational rabbis and cantors and a candle Cultural Arts Council.
lighting ceremony that will include young people and some of the area survivors. For information, call Corey Kirshenbaum, Assistant Executive Director of the Jewish Community Center, at 334-6418, or Cantor Berkovits at Beth El Synagogue, 492-8550. This program is sponsored by the Jewish
Whitney Taxman named United Way Youth Volunteer by Carol Katzman "One million, five-hunIn order to reach her dred thousand pennies... goal by her senior year almost enough pennies at Westside High School to fill a swimming pool, (who nominated her for weighing more than one this prestigious award), • -full-grown, elephant,and, Taxman organized "The if stacked one on top of Centsatiohal Variety another, .they would Hour" at Westside in reach the sky. I plan to January. She even found collect all 4.4 tons of corporate sponsors and them." raised the additional funds needed to reach Whitney Taxman has her $15,000 goal. been on a mission to collect 1.5 million pennies The funds, which went in memory of the chilto Whitney's Pennies dren who died in the Foundation, a non-profit Holocaust. It began as charity, benefitted chilher Mitzvah Project for dren through the Elizaher Bat Mitzvah at beth Glaser Pediatric Temple Israel in 1993. Aids Foundation, Aiden On April 10, she was Whitney Taxman collected 1.5 million pennies O'Neil Foundation, recognized for her efforts tor each child who died in the Holocaust. Camp Rainbow, arid the when she was named Photo by Jen Gates. yfeizmann institute of Youth Volunteer of the Year in the Religion Science in Israel. Category at the annual United Way Volunteer Whitney is the daughter of Jeff and Sherry Taxman. Recognition Luncheon. She will graduate from Westside next month.
Community dedicates PennieZ Davis CDC
Left photo: Pennie Z. Davis cuts the ribbon marking the official opening to the new Child Development Center at the Jewish Community Center. He was assisted by his grandchildren, Lauren and Cameron Davis (on his
left), children of Henry and MaryKay Davis; middle photo: children of the CDC sang Hebrew and English songs for the more than 200 who gathered for the dedication. Right: Building Campaign Co-chairman Tom
Fellman presented the first Educator of the Year award to Nancy Carlson. The award was established by the family of the late Eileen Erman to.annually recognize a CDC teacher for excellence.