EWISH PRESS VoLLXXX
No. 20 Omaha, ME
23 Sh'vat, 5761
February 16,2001
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 8Q YEARS
Part n
We Don't Live In A Perfect World, You Can Help Make It Better
iegistration Begins for birthright Israel Spring 2001 Journeys
by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director
by JEWISH PRESS News Service •
(Editor's note: This is the conclusion of a two-part article highlighting the increasing need for a scholarship fund to subsidize quality early-childhood daycare for Jewish families in need. The families' situations are true , . . however, their names have been changed to protect their privacy.) Marcie Fischer was in a desperate position. Her I0-month-old daughter, Samantha, had government assisted daycare which closed unexpectedly, leaving Marcie without childcare and worried about losing her job. When Marcie's friends and family learned of her dilemma, they called Corey Kirshenbaum, Assistant Director of the Jewish Community Center, to see what could be done to get Samantha enrolled in the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center. Kirsnenbaum's first instinct was to tell Marcie's story to two women he knew would take immediate action: Wendy Goldberg and Stacey Rockman. Goldberg and Rockman are involved in many aspects of the Omaha Jewish community and have worked hard to enrich Jewish life here. But their true talent is finding innovative ways to enhance Jewish life for our children. As members of the CDC Executive Committee, the two women encouraged Kirshenbaum to bring Omaha's Jewish professionals together for an emergency meeting. By working together, they reasoned, the professionals could draw on each other's diverse expertise, brainstorm creative ideas and find the funds to pay for Samantha's daycare at the CDC. One of the first professionals they called was Carolyn Novicoff, Executive Director of Jewish Education and Library Services (JELS). Part of JELS' mission involves matching local Jewish families with scholarships and financial aid for Jewish education, specifically Jewish preschool, camp, Israel Experience trips and college. Fortunately, many local Jewish families and individuals have established endowment funds and scholarships so
children from families with limited resources need not be limited when it comes to accessing Jewish education. But Marcie and Samantha's case presented a big problem. There are no scholarship funds for Jewish daycare. All the available funds are specifically earmarked for children age 2-5 to attend preschool. At 10months, Samantha was too young far the preschool program and couldn't qualify for these fimds. The Jewish professionals knew they had to pool all their resources and find a solution. Federation Executive Director Jan Perelman, Foundation Director Marty Ricks, JCO Executive Director Jeffrey Aizenberg, Jewish Family Service Director Steve Stiel and CDC Director Allen Kurfand joined the others at the emergency meeting. During the discussion, Perelman acknowledged, "While the Federation's Annual Campaign funds many Jewish education programs and scholarships, it's obvious that we desperately need more funding for Jewish daycare, and the needs are outpacing the money." Novicoff predicts an increasing number of families and young people will request financial aid— from a static pool of funds. JELS is one of five beneficiary agencies of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and it provides administrative support for the Financial Aid Committee, whose members make the tough decisions regarding each~appTiclhlfs*e*EgibLBfy for scnbliiffips'anaTEffiancial aid. The identity of those who sit on that committee is a closely-guarded secret. If s so secret that Novicoff admits, "I don't even know who's on it! Their anonymity guarantees that scholarship applications are held in strict confidence." Without a viable scholarship option for Samantha, the Jewish professionals had one last option: to look for private donors in the Omaha Jewish community who would be able to help Marcie over(Continiied on page 8)
Dr. David-Ellenson Returns to Temple Israel by IRIS RICKS, Temple Israel Program Director "liberal Judaism and Its Prayer Books" will be the theme when Dr. David Ellenson returns to Temple Israel March 2-4 for a scholar-in-residence weekend in celebration of the 125th anniversary of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. (HUC-JIR is the educational and intellectual center of Reform Judaism.) Rabbi Dr. Ellenson, the I.H. and Anna Grancell Professor of Jewish Religious Thought at HUC-JIR in Los Angeles, will address the community three times during the weekend and will focus on the ways in which our liturgy reflects who we are as Jews. The lectures begin Friday, March 2, 8 p.m., when he will speak on "Manifest and Latent Content in Liturgy and the Role of Modernity in the Reshaping of Jewish Worship." Following the worship service, there will be an opportunity to meet with Dr. Ellenson in an informal setting. He continues the lectures at Bagels and Bible on Saturday, March 3, at 9 a.m., when he will discuss "Nineteenth Century Reform Siddurim: What They Have to Teach Us." The weekend concludes Sunday, March. 4, 10 aan., with a Bagel Brunch; Dr. Ellenson will discuss, "Non-Orthodox Liturgy in America~What It Says About Us." Dr. Ellenson received his Ph.D. from Columbia
Columbia, HUCJIR and the University of Virginia and a bachelor's degree from the College of William and Mary. During the summer of 1999, Ellenson was a Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem where he Dr. David Ellenson taught and pursued his own research. Dr. Ellenson. has published and lectured ex-tensively on di-verse topics in modern Jewish history, ethics and thought. He is well known for the sociological approach he takes to illuminate the history and development of modern Reform, Conservative, Reeonstructionlst and Orthodox Judaism. His application of this method has allowed him to emphasize the interplay between Jewish religious tradition and modern society. All events are open to the community and are sponsored by The Hermene Zweiback Center for
University and was ordained a rabbi at HUC-JIR Lifelong Jewish Learning and HUC-JIR. For more in New York. He also holds masters' degrees from information, call the Temple, office, 556-6536.
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M a r e Ricks (right) a n d friends on t o p of Masada, See Ms story oa pages 10-11. New York, Wi-hirthright Israel announced that registration for the Spring 2001 journeys to Israel has begun and will continue through March 7 for trips commencing in May and June. This spring, birthright i§raet plans to take 5,000 participants from North America as part of a contingent of 7,000 participants worldwide. Any Jewish young adult, 18-26, who lias never been to Israel on an educational peer group program, is eligible for the birthright isrtiel gift and can register Applicants can choose from a variety of educational programs they would Kke to experience. The announcement of the Spring 2001 trips occurs just weeks after nearly 9,000 participants worldwide retained from Israel this winter. "birthright Israel is bringing young people to Israel at an important time in our history," said David Ivry, Israel's Ambassador to the United States. "As a proud partner in the birthright Israel initiative, we invite young Jewish adults from all over North America to take advantage of this generous gift of a lifetime." The birthright Israel gift covers roundtrip airfare plus 10-days of educational programming designed for youth to explore Israel and their Jewish heritage. "In just 14 months, nearly 17,000 participants have received this gift," said Marlene Post, Chairperson of birthright israel. "While that number Is certainly impressive and unprecedented, we are not resting on our laurels. Over the next month, we will be encouraging Jews from all over North America to sign up for this incredible journey to Israel. "Birthright Is a program that sells itself by allowing Jewish youth the opportunity to discover their Jewish identity, their local Jewish communities and Israel. Birthright now has 17,000 'ambassadors' who have returned overwhelmed from their trip," Post continued. T h e y are our best sales people and our greatest marketing asset to recruit thousands of applicants for the upcoming spring trips. We are moved by the eagerness our alumni are sharing with their peers about their exhilarating experiences in Israel." (Continued on page 11)
INSIDE: Singer grants due Jewish humor and the Internet
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Marc Ricks writes about his birthright israel experience .pages 10-11 Kids' Super. Sunday photos......
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