RESS VoL LXXXI
No. 15
Omaha, ME
§Tevet,5762
December 21,2001
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 80 YEARS
is is Israel's Reality oy JAN PhRELMAN, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Omaha,
Each time I have returned to Israel during the past 24 months, it . '. seemed as if things couldn't get more diffi- . """' cult for the Israelis. Yet, . -' • each time, I am wrong. . T . "• The constant threat of terrorism, of which we ,4 Americans have only had ..'--/ a taste since Sept. 11, is ' .•_ intensified by their feel- " " ' " I ings of isolation from the ,' rest of the world. Terror- . .• ism has also resulted in tremendous economic hardships caused by the lack of tourists to the country. It's not like what j ou see on CNN. in fact, it's much the opposite. The empty just six days after the terrorist suicide bombings killed 28 streets of- -Jerusalem . TH, u are * T young Israelis. Photo by Tom Friedman. eerny quiet. The hotels, The day before we departed for Israel, a suicide restaurants and holy sites are empty of visitors, bomber killed 26 young Israelis on one of the most except for the UJC (United Jewish Communities) popular streets in the heart of Jerusalem. When we missions and a few other American Jewish organi- met up with the rest of the mission participants at zations who continue to try and bring American JFK airport on Sunday evening, I felt an amazing Jews to Israel. sense of pride when I saw that only 14 of the 488 parEarlier this month. I was one of 13 Omahans who ticipants had decided nottogo on the mission. joined with 475 other individuals from Jewish comThese senseless., suicide bombers, along with the munities across the-country on a five-day Solidarity rapid economic decline over the past 16 months, Mission to show support for Israel during these dif- have taken a tremendous toll on Israeli spirits. ficult times. Omaha's own Joel Alperson, Central Twenty hotels have closed and 20,000 Jobs have Region FED (Financial Resource Development) for been lost. Overall, Israel's economy has lost over the UJC, did an incredible job as the overall mis(Continued on page 8) sion chairman.
Maccabi Torch Passed to Omaha DDCPC
Above: Israeli schli'cha. Zlil Chen Saks, left, passed the Maecabi Torch to B'nai B'rith Henry Monsky Lodge President Gary Javitch, co-sponsor of the annual Haimkkah Hun "with the <Jewish Community Center. Below: Lighting the Harmkkafa candles oa Sunday were Saks, left, Jody Malashoek, Cochair of the Maccabi Games; Lisa Shkolnick, tJCC Maccabi Games Director; Javitch; Harley Schrager, Honorary Maccabi Games Chair; Steve Rf ekes, Chairman of the Run.
The Project Dreidel Chronicles
Out of Work, But Not Out of Optimism by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director %
The story you are about to read is true, and used with permission. The names have been changed to respect privacy. Welcome to the fourth installment of "The Project Dreidel Chronicles." 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 of Jewish Family Service that have made such a tremendous difference in their lives. Through Project Dreidel, JFS provides Hanukkah gifts and Jewish holiday meals to families in our area who cannot afford them. But sometimes, families and individuals have unexpected emergencies that require immediate intervention. JFS is there to provide the financial and emotional support needed Photo by Jen Crates to get back to normal, and that support costs money Lieberman is modest compared to most of us. year 'round. Your gift to the Jewish Federation of Omaha's "Getting by" for this 50-sometbing Jewish bachelor 2002 Annual Campaign, along with donations to means being able to keep up the $400 monthly payJFS tzedakah' fund, is what allows us to take care ments on his small house. It means being able to of each other. Despite our best efforts, our communi-buy food for himself and bis dog, Baxter, his only ty's, needs continue to outpace the increase in gifts tocompanion. It means having enough money for bus the Annual Campaign. Your increased campaign fare to and from bis two part-lime jobs. gift ensures that every Omaha Jewish community It means being able to go to Friday night services member will have access to professional and com- and giving whatever tzedakah he can because he passionate help in a Jewish environment. knows that there.are people who "are much worse To find out how you can help make a difference in off than me. Some are homeless and don't have the lives of others, please contact JFS at 330-2024, anyone. I have Baxter and my friends at work and or the Jewish Federation at 334-6431. In this week'sat synagogue. I consider myself lucky!" story, a man just tries to "get by." >. ' Lieberman has always been a simple man. He is grateful for bis good health and never wants to be a If you were to ask Mike Liebennan* what makes burden to anyone. You'd never know by talking to him happy, he'd answer, "just being able to earn him just how much he's had to overcome. enough money to get by." "Getting by" for He was born to German immigrant parents in the
Bronx, New York. His parents were very poor and very bitter about their circumstances. They had fled Germany in the mid 1930s, just in the nick of time, and made their way to the United States hoping for the American Dream. His father often complained that Ms bosses were anti-Semitic and that they were treating him unfairly. He blamed them for keeping the family in poverty. Lieberman doesn't know if this was true or not, but he. does have vivid recollections of his father's excessive drinking, which always led to a litany of how he was being wronged and taken advantage of. Lieberman recalls that when drunk, his father could not be reasoned with. He yelled at his wife, at Mike, and his older sister, Arlene. He remembers being hit a couple of times. Mike doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for him, and one gets the feeling that there's a lot more to the story thatfs being left unsaid. By the time he turned 13, Lieberman had watched his father drink himself to death. (Continued on page 12)
3NSSDE: Bible Quiz Winners..
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Friedel Notebook.—,..,
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UJC Aids Terrorist Victims..,
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