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Ho. 19 Omaha, ME
16 Sh'vat, 5761
February S, 2001
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 80 YEARS
Partnership 2000 Committee Makes Connections Never Thought Possible by Carol Kalzman, Special to the JEWISH PRESS from Israel
While sitting in an office at Kibbutz Kabri in the Western Galilee, Segal Golan shared the results of a program on domestic violence sponsored by the Women's Forum at Hamxkkah time. Entitled "The Ninth Candle", Golan explained how a group of women met over "sufganiyot (traditional fried jelly donuts) and coffee, to preview a film about a young woman trapped in a dangerous relationship." As she talked, it dawned on several members of the Omaha delegation that the film she was describing was The Yellow Dress. "We're showing it in Omaha in February," said Federation Executive Director Jan Perelman excitedly. This film, part of a two-film presentation and panel discussion about domestic violence for middle school and high school students, is a major project of National Council of Jewish Women, Omaha Section, in cooperation with the synagogues, Jewish Family Service, Omaha Public Schools, Westside Middle School, Girls' Inc and the Rose Bhimkin Theater for Performing Arts. According to Golan, one couple (whose daughter had been killed by her boyfriend just two weeks prior), was in the audience that night. e 'Why can't she see what's going to happen,'" Golan said the father cried out during the film. In response, one of the women scheduled as part of the Ninth Candle, relinquished her candle so the father could ease his own suffering. In just 24 hours spent in the Western Galilee as part of Solidarity Mission VIII, this was just one instance of the connections which are drawing
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Omaha's Partnership 2000 relationship closer to home, noted Zoe Riekes, P2K Chairman for Omaha and chairman of the Social/Cultural Su&ozamitiee for the Central Region (formerly Midwest Region), At the very same meeting, Judy Jochxtowitz, representative to the Women's Forum from the Western Galilee Hospital spoke of the need for a mobile breast imaging unit to improve the low detection of breast cancer in the region. Israeli women have a one in eight chance of getting breast cancer, she explained, with little difference between Jews and Arabs. Some attribute this to the BRCA2 gene common among Ashkenazi women; other maintain low rates of mammography and self-examination are the cause. Again, a connection. Serving as Americas chairman of the Economic subcommittee is lior Yaron, whose LSY companies in Louisville, KY, handle all of General Electric's overseas exports. GE also happens to be one of the world's largest supplier of mammography equipment. While Yaron's companies cannot provide the mobile unit, he is working with Jochnowitz to expedite any import regulations that might hinder its arrival. As sophisticated as the Western Galilee Hospital is, having grown from 250 beds to 700 in just a few years (and expected to house 1000 beds by 2005), the need for education in several areas is apparent. Jochnowitz's desire to take "mammography on the road," is one example where she hopes American groups can become involved. ''We're not necessarily user-friendly," Jochnowitz admitted. "We've, got 1600 in staff - 300 doctors
Parti
and SQ0 nurses — but we need to recreate ourselves in certaia key areas. For example, when a woman comes for aa-axumal eheck-iip, she seeds to visit three different locations in tfae hospital: one for her physical, another for lab tests and a third for mammogsram. We'd like to change thai, and we'd like to get out intofeeeommuniigr more, as well** (Continued oa page 18)
Sharon Wins in Landslide!
Ariel Sharon, right, is Israel's new Prime Minister, winning by 25% Standing to his right at a rally Tuesday morning in Gilo is Ehud Olmert, Jerusalem's mayor. Photo by
ISSANST, More on the Israeli election on page 14.
We Don't Live In A Perfect World
JCC Offers Cholesterol Testing
by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director.
by JEW5SH PRESS News Service
(Editor's note: like December's four-part series on Jewish Family Service's Project Dreidel, this twopart series will examine the financial needs of children in the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center. The names here have been changed.)
In a perfect world, no child goes hungry. In a perfect world, all parents can provide the very best for their kids. In a perfect world, there is plenty of ~'jS' money available so that all of Omaha's Jewish children can attend the Pennie Z. Davis Child Develop-ment Center Day Care program while thenparents work. Although we like to think that our Omaha Jewish community is a perfect world, community members and professionals encounter new and unmet needs every day. While if s true that there isfinancialaid, scholarships and endowments for Jewish camp, preschool, Jewish day school and college, there are no available funds for Jewish day care. Omaha's Jewish professionals work together and seek out funding for families who need assistance with day care costs. . .but only when they find out about them. The following is a true account of two such Jewish families in Omaha. Their daily struggle to provide for their families under the most difficult circumstances is inspirational. They have allowed us to tell their stories, not for pity, but to highlight a growing need in our community. The need for an endowment to subsidize Jewish day care for children under age two. Marcie Fischer is a 26-year-old single mother of
10-month-old Samantha. Samantha's father is not part of the household and provides no support to Marcie or the baby. It upsets Marcie that the father of her child has essentially abandoned them, but she is devoted to Samantha and feels that all of her hard work and personal sacrifices will pay off. Marcie's job pays $25,000 a year, a small enough income to qualify her for government-assisted childcare at a Head Start program. While not an ideal situation, Samantha seemed to be okay, and Marcie felt she had no other affordable options. Then, unexpectedly, the cbildcare center closed, leaving Marcie in a bind and jeopardizing her job. Alan and Rachel Goldman have worked hard to instill a proud Jewish upbringing in their five young children. Alan ran their family business and was doing well enough that Rachel could stay home with the youngest three — ages 18-months to four years. But a few months ago, all that changed when Alan had to close the business due to a series of unanticipated expenses. He took a job that paid much less, and it soon became apparent that Rachel would have to go to work, too. They desperately wanted their three younger children to attend daycare in the warm and loving Jewish environment of the CDC, but knew they could never afford the cost for all three of their children. In the second part of our series, the Jewish professionals enter the picture. Will they be able to help Marcie and the Goldmans?
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As important new service is being offered for members of the Jewish Community Center who are age 20 or older: a complete blood lipld profile. The test, which covers cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides, is now available at the JCC's Sokolof Fitness Center for only $12.50 (with an optional glucose, Wood sugar profile, for an additional $2.50). The test normally averages $50 to $75, but Phil Sokolof has donated a state-of-the-art Gholestech LDX testing device to the 'J.' Sokolof, president of the National Heart Savers Association, is credited with pioneering cholesterol testing. He initiated the first city-wide cholesterol test in the country, monitoring 8500 people in Grand Island, NE, in October, 1985. his organization went on to test more than 200,000 people hi 16 states. His full-page ads in national newspapers have alerted millions of Americans to the dangers of saturated fat in food and the resulting increase in cholesterol levels. Sokolof s present goal is making the public aware of the dramatic, life saving "statin" drugs. "Four major five-year studies, totaling 22,000 people, show reductions in heart attacks and heart attack'deaths from 32% to 42% among participants (Continued on page 8)
INSIDE: Nominations due for JCG Athletes Wall of 6
Teen .Age.
-page 18.
ADL brings in Israeli expert on terrorism to meet with local law enforcement. .page 16 Schedule of Noam Taaon events_..w~M.page 16