VoLLXXXI** No, 12
Omaha, NE
" 15 Kislev, 5762
November 30,2001
HANUKKAH GIFT GtJIDB,,,STARTS ON PAGE 25
Acco Youth Ensemble to Perform in Omaha
B'nai B'rith Welcomes Maccabi Torch During Annual Run
by PAMMOHSKY, Federation Communications Director The Acco Youth Ensemble, from Operation Exodus got under way,
Every year year and bring since I944 t the sports and JuMaccabi Werfd daic programUnion and toe •, ming together. Maccabi Tzair Help the Youth MoveHenry Monsky ment* in Israel '* Lodge and the conduct a tradi2002 JCC Mational torch reccabi Omaha lay that takes Delegation place during welcome the Hanukkah. Maccabi Torch to our commuThe torch Is lit nity by signing at the graves of Sfaukert", left, a n d Mike y up for the 12th the Maccabees ^ Abrajasoa ran in a previous B'nalB'ritfa in Israel, and Hanukkah Run. B'rith/Maccabi travels through Israel and the Diaspora sjvisi Hanukkah Torch Run. This event is the spiritual reunion of the Jewish open to the entire comniuiiity. Participants will meet at the JCC people. The Torch Relay expresses the Maccabi Movement* values: the conti- on Sunday, Dec, 16, 9 a.m-j and wili nuity of the Jewish people, the love be transported in a van to the startfor Israel, freedom and independence. ing line at Beth Israel Synagogue, This month, the Maccabi Olympic 52nd and Charles. Together, runners torch will make Its way through the will follow an eight-mile route with streets of Omaha to the JCC with the police escort, with the JCC vans folassistance of Israeli teen schliach, Zlil lowing behind. Any participant who Chen Saks. As a delegate from Israel, feels tired or is unable to run the Saks will spend several days in entire route may elect to ride in the Omaha developing projects for our van at any time. teens; helping kiekoff our Maccabi (Continued on page 2)
Israel's Western Galilee, will perform in Omaha Dec. 14-16. Their visit to the United States is part of "The Musical Connection," a project of Partnership 2000, a program of the Jewish. Federation of Omaha and the Jewish Agency for Israel that promotes business and social relationships between Israelis and Americans. The Acco Youth Ensemble will perform on Saturday, Dee. 15,1 p,xnÂť in the Theater at the Jewish Community Center, The concert is free and open to the community. An ice cream social will immediately follow the performance. In addition, the Youth Ensemble will perform Dec. 14 at Temple Israel's Hanukkah dinner, and Dee. 18 at Beth El's Sunday School Assembly, The Acco Youth Ensemble is comprised of two groups, the Acco Municipal Choir consisting of 32 teens ages 14-18, and the Acco Soloists, consisting of 12 violinists ages 12-16. The Youth Ensemble was established nine years ago as
bringing thousands of immigrants from the former Soviet Union to Acco, Israel. Some 700 pupils, or 20% of the city's school children, take part in the Youth Ensemble. Acco is a multi-cultural community where Israeli and Arab families live side-by-side. The Israeli and Arab children come from diverse sections of Israeli society and attend school together. The Acco Youth Ensemble is a wonderful example of how music helps transcend cultural complexities and brings people together. For more information on the performances, please contact me at 334-6431.
DATE CHANGE Walking the Bible, with author Bruce Feiler, is Wednesday, Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m., not Dec. 6 as reported in the Jewish Press. We apologize for any inconvenience. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 334-6402 or e-mailing: skirshenbaum@jewfshomatta.org.
by GARY KATZ, dCC Program Associate
The Project Dreidel Chronicles
Getting Up When You're Down by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director *2%e stary you are about to read is true, and used with permission. The names have been changed to respect the privacy of individuals and families. Welcome to the first installment of "The Project Dreidel Chronicles." Over the next several weeks, you will get to know some of the Omaha-area Jews who have been helped by Jewish Family Service. Each person depicted in these stories has graciously agreed to share their story with the community to increase public awareness of the programs and services ofJFS that have made such a tremendous difference in their lives. JFS provides Hanukkah gifts and Jewish holiday meals to families in our area, who cannot afford photo by Jen Gates them, through "Project Dreidel." But, sometimes, families and individuals have unexpected emergen- having to move to a less desirable neighborhood. cies that require immediate intervention. JFS is Instead of feeling depressed about his circumthere to provide the financial and emotional support stances, he looked upon this as a temporary setthey need to get back to normal, and that support back. After all, he'd experienced many such setcosts money year-round. backs during his 50-plus years and had always Your gift to the Jewish Federation of Omaha's landed on his feet. 2002 Annual Campaign is what allows us to take The day before he was set to move, Eckhaus care of each other. Despite our best efforts, our comlooked around his apartment at his meager belongmunity's needs continue to outpace the increase in ings, now in boxes. He double-checked to make sure gifts to the Annual Campaign. Your increased that the $280 for the deposit on the new apartment Campaign gift ensures that every Omaha Jewish was in the envelope in the box marked "kitchen". community member will have access to professional It had been a long, hard couple of days packing, and compassionate help in a Jewish environment. and he was not feeling welL A diabetic since childhood, Eckhaus had always Had it not been for JFS, the man in this first installment of "The Project Dreidel Chronicles" followed his doctor's instructions and tried to take might have fallen into such deep despair, that he care of himself as best as he could. As he's gotten older, though, Eckhaus' diabetes has progressed wouldn't have been able to get backup again. Morris Eckhaus* was all packed and ready to and it's become more of a daily struggle to regulate move to his new apartment. The rent on his $350- his insulin injections. He'd even had a couple of . a-month apartment was becoming just too much for serious diabetic reactions recently. Even though he didn't feel well, Eckhaus had to him to handle on his factory worker's salary. At $280, the money Eckhaus would save on rent at the finish getting organized for the move in the mornnew apartment would help stretch his grocery bud- ing. But the insulin reaction hit him so fast, he didget to cover the whole month. To Eckhaus, the n't have a chance to do anything about it. Eckhaus extra savings outweighed his disappointment in passed out and hit the floor with a thud.
Thankfully, someone, possibly one of his neighbors, called 911 and the ambulance came and took him to the hospital. With no family to visit or check on him, Eckhaus lay alone in the hospital for two days. While he was worried about his apartment, he reasoned that his neighbors must have shut and locked his front door when he was taken to the hospital. After all, they'd been nice enough to call for the ambulance when he was lying unconscious on the floor. When Eckhaus was released from the hospital, he went to the apartment right away. His heart sank when he got there. Not only was his door open, but someone had gone in and pillaged his belongings. Praying for a miracle, Eckhaus looked inside the box marked "kitchen* hoping against hope that the rent money for his new place would still be there. But, of course, it was gone, and Eckhaus sank to the floor with his head in his hands. He checked every box, becoming more and more despondent as he mentally listed everything of value that was taken. Eckhaus had to do something. He had terminated the lease on the old apartment and needed to leave immediately. The money for the first month's rent on his new apartment was gone. There was only one place Eckhaus felt he could turn: Jewish Family Service. (Continued on page 15)
INSIDE: Poet Coming for Book Month
page 6
Jewish Genealogy & the Internet
page 14
Gross Endowment Funds NJHS Rabbis' Exhibit....-.................^............ .page 16 Endowment Qpportunities.............page 20