JEWISH PRESS Voi.LXXX
No. 27
HE Omaha, HE
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4Iyyar,5?61 4 fyyar, 5761
April 27,2GQ1
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 80 YEARS
Tovu to Play at Annual Yom Ha'Atzmaut Celebration by JEWISH PRESS News Service
"When people ask me what kind of music we play, I often hear the same response: 'Jewish Rock and Eoll? Really?' said Josh Zweibaek, onethird of the musical group Mah Tovu, who will be performing at the Jewish Community Center at this year's Yom Ha'Atzmaut Celebration, Sunday, May 6, starting at 12:30 p.mu "It may sound funny at first, but Contemporary Christian music has become incredibly popular, and extremely successful commercially. Artists like Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, and Michael W. Smith are filling up stadiums around the country and winning Grammy Awards. Why can't contemporary Jewish music become just as popular?" he asked.
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"It's not your father's Jewish music" might be another catch phrase appropriate to describe
Mah Tovtf s style. "When people hear 'Jewish music*, they most often think of Klezmer, the polka-like, clarinet and mandolin powered Jewish folk music dating back to the 15th century," explained Steve Brodsky, who along with Zweiback and third p a r t n e r Ken Chasen, forms the core of Mah TOVTJ.
"Klezmer has made a big comeback in recent years, which is great—but this is definitely not ffiezmer," he added. Brodsky, Zweibaek, and Chasen all grew up listening to '60s, *70s and '80s Steve Brodsky and Josh Zweibaek, two- pop and rock radio, and tMrds of the duo, Mah Tovu, who will per- •were heavily influenced by form at Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Sunday, May 6, an eclectic TTHY of artists. 2 p.m., at the JCC. (Continued o n page 13)
For Jewish Groups, Bush Budgets is a Case of the Glass Being Half Foil
NCCJ to Honor Nancy and Marian 'Noddle by JEWISH PRESS News Service
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The National Conference of Community aad Justice will honor longtime community volunteers at its 2001 Humanitarian. Dinner, J a n e 1 at the Holiday Inn Central, according to Executive Director Jane Batfc. Among the faonorees are Nancy and Harlan Noddle, who will be recognized, along with Mogeas and Cindy Bay. Ben Gray will be given the Otto Swansea Spirit of Service Award. The event is co-chaired by Clarenee L. "Mickey Landen, Jr., Mary Landea and James E. Landen, respectively C h a i r m a n , 'Vice-chairman and President of Security National Bank, aad Diane N. "Diay" Landen, owner and president of Vantage Conimanicalions. "MCCJ*s 2001 bonorees are exceptional, capable and deserving leaders," noted B a t t . "The Humanitarian Awards are presented annually to publicly recognize and honor the recipients for their history of service to the community and to provide funds to support the mission of NCCJ in the Midlands; fighting bias, bigotry and racism in America.** • : . . . . Harian J. Noddle is Chairman of the Board of the Noddle Development Company. A native of Omaha, Noddle is active in various regional and national volunteer organizations, including AIPAC, t h e American Israel Public Affairs Committee. He serves on the Executive Committee of the University of Nebraska Foundation; the board of directors for NCCJ; president of the Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation; and chairman of the Nebraska Health Systems board of directors.
by SHARON SAMBER
WASHINGTON (JTA)-President Bush's proposed budget is not what many Jewish groups hoped for, but it's a lot better than they feared. That's what Jewish groups are saying following Bush's recently released proposal. Under the plan, social service programs of key importance to the Jewish community don't suffer the potentially severe cutbacks they had feared under budget plan. But Jewish groups say the proposed funding still falls well short of what they want. Groups that work for refugee assistance and affordable housing for the elderly say their causes would receive a slight increase in funds under the plan, but their needs still far outweigh the money proposed. Other programs, such as health care for the uninsured and environmental programs, are marked for cuts. Still, Diana Aviv, Vice-president of public policy for the United Jewish Communities, the Jewish community's central social services agency summed up the reaction of much of the Jewish community: "This could have been much worse, and it's not." With months to go before a final budget is approved—the House and Senate have passed their own plans in recent weeks, which will need to be reconciled with Bush's proposal—the final budget numbers are far from certain. The cornerstone of Bush's economic policy is an across-the-board tax cut that he claims will amount to $1.6 trillion over 10 years. The House budget largely tracked Bush's proposal, while the Senate proposed significantly more discretionary spending than did Bush, along with a smaller tax cut of $1.18 trillion over 10 years. Many Jewish, groups, however, say a tax cut should be placed on the back burner until social service programs are sufficiently funded. Bush also hopes to set a cap of four percent growth for the budget. Bush's priorities and restrictions leave no room for discretionary spending increases, and will make it difficult for the budget to keep up with inflation
and population growth, according to the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. "This budget has the feel of a document prepared after the tax cut," said RAC Associate Director Mark Pelavin. T h e decisions don't make sense." For example, Pelavin pointed out that despite the nation's continuing energy crisis, funding was cut for research into alternative energy sources. Bush released his budget plan April 9. Groups are still combing over the numbers and assessing the situation. Congress will examine the Bush budget in detail, and over the next few months committees and subcommittees will hold hearings on relevant proposals under their jurisdiction. The deadline is Oct. 1, the start of the next fiscal year, but the government can continue functioning under an interim framework if the deadline is missed. The migration and refugee assistance program, which funds overseas refugee assistance and U.S. admissions, would increase from $700 to $715 million under Bush's budget. But UJC and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society have been pushing for $800 million for the program to meet the needs of a refugee population estimated at 14 million worldwide. Aviv noted that funding for elderly housing would increase slightly-from $779 million to $783 million-but that still is far below the $1.3 billion allocated in 1995. "We're going backwards," she said. Sammie Moshenberg, Director of the Washington office of the National Council of Jewish Women, agreed that the surplus should be invested rather than returned to the public in the form of tax cuts. The budget proposal also includes language on helping faith-based organizations that provide social services. Jewish groups are concerned that the government will step back from its role of providing social services, and that the program may cross the lines of church-state separation. Orthodox groups, however, baek the faith-based initiative as a way to increase funding for religiousbased social service programs.
Nancy and Harlan Noddle Noddle also serves on the boards of the Omaha Symphony and the New Community Development Corporation. He has led every division of the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign and is a past president of the Federation. Nancy Noddle started a linen rental and event planning company in 1982, now known as Events, Inc., from which she is now retired. She is a twotime co-chairman of the Federation Women's Campaign, and has served on the boards of Temple Israel Sisterhood and Friends of Planned Parenthood. Her leadership positions Include service as president of t h e Joslyn Art Museum's Women's Association, co-chairman of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Chancellor's Investiture, and co-chairman of the University of Nebraska a t Omaha/Jewish Federation Archeological Project. For information about the event, call NCCJ at 391-4460.
INSIDE: Pulitzer Prize to Jewish author.......™page 7 Claims Process underway.......
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Catholics to teach the Shoah....n.,.....«page 15 Adventure racing—
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