EWISH PRESS VoLLXXX
No. 31
Omaha, NE
2Sivan 5 5761
May 25, 2*
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 80 YEARS
Bob Kuily Named Humanitarian ofthe Year by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director This prestigious award, the Humanitarian of the Year, is given to an outstanding Omahan who has performed exceptional service for humanity based on contributions they have made throughout their lives to promote human welfare and advance social reform. The Jewish Federation of Omaha will present the award to Bob Kully at the 2002 Campaign Event featuring New York Times syndicated columnist Tom Friedman on Oct. 25. "The breadth and depth of Bob Kully's community involvement and commitment is astounding," said Patricia Newman, who, along with Paul Epstein, nominated Kully for Humanitarian of the Year. "These elements are only matched by the admiration and respect he receives by all those who know him. "Bob is an incredible listener, he listens without judgment and with great patience; he is ever tolerant in the process of gathering information and in problem solving; he has a keen and creative mind, a kind and compassionate heart and the ability to make things happen," she added. "He helps other people grow, collect data, formulate opinions, feel confident in themselves and to develop these attributes in a way which facilitate community and social action."
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"Bob cares deeply . for t h e . J e w i s h commiznity, especially for X those who have little or no voice/ said •'•I- _ •Epstein. "He shows C; no discrimination ! I among those he helps * ^* or with whom he *_ works and interacts. "He appreciates what he has been given in his life and his appreciation perBob Kully meates how he lives. He is a model leader and citizen. He personifies all that is truly good about Judaism," continued Epstein. Kully has been influential in working on several Jewish Family Service and Temple Israel grants and projects, as well as with the domestic violence productions that were in Omaha this year. He is continuing to share his time, energy and knowledge on the JFS Board and Yellow Dress Community Collaborating Team in the upcoming year. 'j-^ *£, 5«
Kally's work with Temple Israel includes service on the Investment Committee, Social Action Committee and Executive Committee. He is Immediate past Campaign Co-Chair-as well as the Pacesetter Co-Chair fa position he has held twice) for the Federation Annual Campaign. He also serves on .the Federation's Budget and Allocations Committee and the Israel/Overseas Committee. Kuily also took part on a JAFI fact-finding mission to Minsk and Israel in 1998. In addition to his Federation work, he serves on the board of the Federation Foundation. He is currently involved on the Executive Committee of the Small Business Council of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Nebraskans for Research and the UNMC Board of Counselors. • ". Kuily's past activities include President of The Refrigeration Besearch Foundation, a delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business, Honorary State life'Member-of the PTA, Chairman^ of the Mayor's Committee on Small Business. Kully is an Investment Advisor to GWR Investments, Inc. He and Ms wife, Connie, have four children and five grandchildren.
World War II Pilot Symbolizes Spirit of Jewish Heroes by CLAUDIA SHERMAN, Foundation Public Relations Coordinator December 1,1941. President Franklin D. '•>" 7th Street in Council Bluffs to visit Ms parRoosevelt called it "a date which will live ents. in infamy." Most Americans living at the On Oct. 31, 1944, Cohen was stationed in time will never forget that day. Europe with the Eighth Air Force, accordA few days after the 1941 Japanese ing to an article in the Council Bluffs attack on the United States Pacific Fleet, ^ ' . ^ Nonpareil. which obliterated some 3,700 lives, It was just a few weeks later that the America declared war on the Axis powers . newspaper reported Lt.-Cohen, 23, as missplunging the country into World War II. "*' ing in action over Germany since Nov. 25, Few American lives would be untouched by - 1944, a date that surely lived in infamy in the momentous events and courageous acts J the hearts of Anne and Harry Cohen. The destined to free the world of Nazism and y young pilot had flown 14 bombing missions raw imperialism. t. over Germany when his plane was shot Harold Bernstein, now 80, remembers *, down over Mersberg. going to the Broadway Theater in Council Bernstein's parents notified him when he Bluffs that day with his best friend, Irving was stationed in Ft. Meyers, FL. He held Cohen. The young men had grown up out hope for his friend's survival for together in Council Bluffs, graduated from months. Abraham Lincoln High School and were So did Cohen's parents. students at the University of Nebraska at On Jan. 1, 1945, Anne Cohen started a Lincoln in 1941. journal. Her first entry read: "Dear God. "I talked Irv into going to Nebraska," « Please let this year bring happiness and Bernstein recalled. "We were ZBT fraternipeace to all of us. Our dear ones back home r ty brothers." -.; to us. I pray our dear son is well, taking Bernstein thinks he most likely met Harry Cohen, Betty Cohen (Studna), Ann Cohen and Lt. Irving c a r e a*10" s o o n w e s n a 1 1 hear from him." Cohen when they attended Hebrew School Cohen in Council Bluffs, 1942, before Cohen left for service. Betty Cohen left the nest day for Iowa together at B'nai Israel Synagogue in City, where she was attending the In the summer, Bernstein worked at his father's University of Iowa. Her mother wrote, "Betty left Council Bluffs. Their parents, Louis and Grace store in Council Bluffs, People's Department Store, tonight for school. She broke down when she said Bernstein and Anne and Harry Cohen, were friends while Cohen worked for his parents at Iowa good-bye. Poor thing. She tried so hard to be brave as well. The Cohens also had a daughter, Betty. a Clothes Shop. Years later, Betty and her husband, Seymour Si" all week. She really hated to leave us, but I know But by 1942, life changed for these "fan loving soon we shall let her know of Irv's safety." Lee, had three children: Richard "Pete" Lee, who died in 1996; Patty Lee Nogg who, today, is an guys"~forever. Both Bernstein and Cohen joined (Continued on page 14) active member of the Omaha Jewish community; the U.S. Army Air Corps. Enlisting that year, Cohen was trained at several flight schools in and Judy Lee Brantz of Boulder, CO. While still in college, before getting involved in California, including Morton Air Academy in the war, Bernstein and Cohen played intra-frater- BIythe, CA, where he graduated as a B-17 pilot in Read It and Eat. JPageS nity sports and went to out-of-town football games November, 1943. Bernstein trained as an aircraft armer. He remained in the United States throughtogether. Belzer Gallery Dedication^«™«M.MM...MPage 9 "We just had a lot of fun," Bernstein remembers. out the remaining war years. After his training in California, Cohen attended Other college friends included Norman Smeerin, Jewish Websites........ — ^ . Page 17 advanced flight school at Marpha, Texas, and gradStuart Simon, Bud Studna, Norman Rips (a cousin of Cohen's), all of Omaha, and Irving Malashock, uated as a second lieutenant in March, 1944. Psychic Medium .—....JPage 18-19 Between flight schools, he came home to 37 North now living in California.
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