Jewish Prr
HISl SOCIETY 1500 R ST LINCOLN NE 68506-16^1
SERVING RVING NEBRASKA NEBRASKAAND ANDWESTERN WESTERNIOWA IOWAFOR FORNEARLY NEARLY80 80YEARS YEARS Vol. LXXEX
No. 42 Omaha, NE
27 Sivan, 5760
June 30,2000
honors volunteers, highlights 99 accomplishments in "an evening of celebration
More than 250 people attended the 96th Goldstein, standing, proudly acknowledge Art Annual Meeting of the Jewish Federation of Goldstein's Endowment Award, presented to Omaha Monday evening. Among the many him and his late wife, Ruthie, by outgoing awards presented was the Endowment Award Foundation chairman Mike Erman. Center; from the Foundation of the Jewish Last year's Lois Jeanne Schrager award winFederation. Left photo: David and Judy ner Cindy Goldberg, left, presented her sister-
in-law, Wendy Goldberg, with this year's award. Right: Federation President Forrest Knitter, left, acknowledged the accomplishments of immediate past-president Howard Kooper. . •' ' (More photos and story on pages 12-13)
Bob and Elly Gordman increase amount ofifeen Leadership Awards by Claudia Sherman, Foundation Public Relations Coordinator
agement consultant busi"Bob and I like teenness. agers," said Elly Gordman. "We. like working with Elly was the first public teenagers. They keep you in relations coordinator with contact with a world beyond the Jewish Federation of the adult realm." Omaha. After that, she was Marketing Director Elly's husband, Bob for Kids, Inc., a counselGordman, agreed, adding ing agency. She has that "teenagers are the worked as a freelance future leaders of our commuwriter and in public relanity." tions, also on a freelance Former advisors to B'nai basis. Currently she B'rith youth groups, Elly works in freelance marand Bob decided in 1983 to keting. set up an endowment fund Elly has lived in Omaha to honor outstanding teen since she was six. leaders in the Omaha Jewish community and "Nowadays," she added, focus on teen accomplish"We spend quite a bit of ments; time in Colorado hiking and skiing." ;: Elly was working in publie relations for the Jewish Joanie Jacobson, left, presented awards to this Chairman of the Jewish Bob and Elly Gordman Federation at the time and year's winners Andy Finkle and Courtney Rabb. Federation Budget and was aware that young adult Allocation Committee of Kevin Saltzmon and Wendi Rosenblatt were the leaders, in the community were being recognized as the Jewish Federation, Bob was also active in first recipients of the award. Each received a $500 recipients of the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial scholarship to attend a Jewish camp, to take a trip Federation campaigns serving7.as chairman of the and Justin Greenberg Memorial awards. Pacesetter Division and also as general chairman. Elly said it bothered her that so much attention to Israel, to attend a Jewish leadership conference, He was advisor to AZA #100 from 1970 to 1974. or to use for some other Jewish experience. always seemed, focused on negative teenage behavBob was also a member of the Board of Directors If the scholarship is not used for a Jewish experiior.' She and Bob wanted to let the community of the National Conference of Christians and Jews ence by the end of the sophomore year of college, know what the majority of teens were doing and (now known as the National Conference for then it can be uBed for college expenses. what "neat" kids they are. Recently, the Gordmans increased the amount of Community and Justice). "We talked to Jerry Rosen" (Endowment Director of The Foundation of the Jewish Federation at that the scholarship to $1,000 per recipient (Continued on page 15) "We feit adding to the individual scholarships time), Elly explained. She asked him to keep the Gordman name anonymous. Not even the would create more options for the people receiving INSIDE: Gordmans' own children knew their parents had the money," said Bob. "There will be a wider variMonthly calendar............M....;...........,.pages 7*8f ety of things for them to do with the money." established the Jewish Teen Leadership Award. • Nominations for the award may be made by any- Bob has lived in Omaha since he was 17. Originally Jewish websites one or any organization in the community. The from Far Rockaway, New York, he was in the retail ederation winners are selected by a confidential committee of business with Richman Gordman for 26. years. He community members. The Gordmans are not eventually became President of Richman Gordman Department Stores. Ten years ago, he started a maninvolvedih choosing the winners.