Vol. LXXXI
No. 29
Omaha, NE
16Nisan,5762
March 29,2002
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 81 YEARS
Omaha and Lincoln Commemorate Holocaus\ David Elcott to Keynote Yorti Hashoah, Guide Leadership Training Program
Nebraska State Holocaust Commemoration Features Noted Theologian
by DIANE AXLER BAUM
by MARCIA KUSHNER, State Chairman
As we move into the third post-Holocaust generation, we must pose some f undam e n t a l questions about the role of the Holocaust in Jewish history and Jewish life, and we must recognize that our fate will depend on how we analyze these questions and draw our conclusions. This is a belief of Dr. David M. David Elcott Elcott, internationally noted scholar, author, lecturer, and organizational consultant. Elcott, who is scheduled to visit Omaha April 8-10 to launch a community-wide program in leadership training, will keynote Omaha's commemoration of Yom Hashoah on April 10, 7:30 pan., at Beth Israel Synagogue. "We are privileged to have a speaker of Dr. Elcott's accomplishments .and dynamism for this important annual event. We decided to observe Yom Hashoah on a Wednesday evening, to offer the
best opportunity for our high-school students to participate," said Julee Katzman, Assistant Director of Federation. Katzman expressed gratitude to the Herbert Goldsten Trust for providing the grant that has enabled the Federation to retain Dr. Elcott. His main responsibility will be to assist with implementation of a comprehensive, 10-month leadership training program initiated by Katzman and Sharon Kirshenbaum, Federation Young Leadership Coordinator. The program will aim, ultimately, to involve men and women across the generations, and representative of all areas of the community, "including the synagogues, the organizations, and, of course, our Federation's centers of excellence," she explained. Elcott's dual roles as program consultant and event speaker send "a great message of collaboration" by the Federation, and especially by Jewish Educational and Library Services (JELS), to meet a wide range of community needs, she added. She also pointed out that Federation executive director Jan Perelraan, after being tremendously impressed with a presentation by Elcott at a major conference for intermediate-size cities, began the efforts to bring him to Omaha. (Continued on page 10)
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Internationally renowned theologian and former Senior Editor of the Christian Century Magazine, Reverend Dr. Martin Marty will be the speaker at the annual Nebraska Holocaust Commemoration in the Nebraska State Capitol Rotunda, Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 p.m. Dr. Marty's speech will focus on "Interfaith After the Holocaust and In the Face of Terrorism." Pastor L e o n Rosenthal of All Saints E L C A Lutheran Church in Lincoln will introduce Dr. Marty. Born in West Point, NE, Dr. Marty was ordained into the ministry in 1952 and ^ „ . __ served for a Reverend Dr. Martin Marty d e c a d e a s fl Lutheran parish pastor before joining the University of Chicago faculty in 1963. Dr. Marty has received 67 honorary doctorates. He is the George B. Caldwell Senior Scholar-inResidence at the Park Ridge Center for the Study of Health, Faith, and Ethics, where he also serves as Editor of Second Opinion. Dr. Marty is a leadby CLAUDIA SHERMAN ing scholar and authority on Protestant issues. Temple Israel Communications CoordinatorThe Holocaust Commemoration is free and the California's Judaic studies program. public is encouraged to attend. Governor Mike Rabbi David Ellenson, Rabbi Ellenson was ordained at HUC- Johanns and Lincoln Mayor Don Wesely will prethe new president of JIR's New York Campus in 1977 and sent remarks, as will Nebraska State Senator Hebrew Union Collegereceived his Ph.D. from Columbia David Landis. Members of the Lincoln Public Jewish Institute of Religion University in 1981. He earned master's Schools Girls choir, under the direction of Sara (HUC-JIR), the Reform degrees from Columbia, HUC-JIR, and Oltman and Jane Herriott, will perform. movement's seminary, will the University of Virginia. His bachelor's The program will feature poetry reading by stupresent topics on the subdegree was awarded by the College of dents in Holocaust studies classes of Lincoln Public ject, "Judaism Resurgent," William and Mary. Schools. In a solemn ceremony, Nebraska suras Temple Israel's next scholar-in-residence. He Having published and lectured exten- vivors of the Holocaust will light candles for the will be in Omaha April 12sively, Rabbi Ellenson's work describes victims. Paul Smith, Southeast High School 14. the writings of Reform, Conservative, teacher who developed Holocaust studies curricula Orthodox, and Reconstructionist leaders will light the candle representing the "Righteous A scholar known for his in Europe, the United States, and Israel Rescuer." Samuel Chuol, recently-arrived work in Jewish religious during the past two centuries. His work Sudanese refugee now living in Lincoln, will light thought, ethics, and modemphasizes .the interplay between the Candle of Hope. ern Jewish history, Rabbi Rabbi David Ellenson The program is sponsored by the Lincoln Jewish religious tradition anff modern Ellenson is a leading scholInterfaith Council, Office of the Governor of society. ar on the evolution of the Jewish community. Nebraska, Office of the Mayor of Lincoln, Jewish Author of three books, co-author of another, and As the eighth president of the 125-year-old Federation of Lincoln, and the Community co-editor of a fifth, Rabbi Ellenson's latest volume Reform institution with its 906 member congregaRelations Committee of the Anti-Defamation is entitled Between Tradition and Culture: The tions, Rabbi Ellenson said that he is aware of the pitfalls and problems of leading the college. But he Dialectics of Jewish Religion and Identity in the League of B'nai B'rith. considers the presidency "an opportunity to do good Modern World. He has also written more than ISO Omaha area survivors who would like to particiarticles and reviews for diverse academic and reli- pate in the Nebraska Holocaust Commemoration for the Jewish people and humankind." Previously, he served as a Fellow at the Institute gious journals and books, and has lectured at at the State Capitol please call me at 402-489-5957. for Advanced Studies as well as a Lady Davis Charles University in Prague, Ben Gurion and Bar Transportation will be arranged. Visiting Professor of the Humanities in the Ilan Universities in Israel, Haverford College, Department of Jewish Thought at Hebrew Harvard, Yale, Brown, and the Jewish Theological INSJDE: University in Jerusalem. He was also a Visiting Seminary. On this, his fourth visit to Omaha, Rabbi Professor at both the Jewish Theological Seminary Monthly Calendar. pages* 6-7 of America, the Conservative seminary, and the Ellenson will deliver the sermon on Friday, April 12, 8 p.m. at Temple on "One Rabbi's Perspective University of California at Los Angeles. Adult Learners at Temple page 9 Additionally, he was the Blaustein Scholar at the on Judaism - A Personal Response to Jewish Faith Jerusalem Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies and in the Modern World." Earlier in the day, he will be Chabad Marks Late Rebbe's Birthday..page 11 a Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in the guest lecturer at Temple's 62nd Annual Rabbi Jerusalem. For 16 years under the auspices of Sidney H. Brooks Institute on Judaism for Clergy. Creighton Launches Genetic Study ...page 12 (Continued on page 10) HUC, he directed the University of Southern
Seminary President Rabbi David-Ellenson to Present ''Judaism Resurgent"