Vol. LXXXI
No. 51
Omaha, NE
22 Elul, 5762
August 30,2002
PRE-H1GH HOLIDAY FOOD ISSUE-NEW YEAR'S ISSUE IS NEXT WEEK!
Rabbi Raphael Butler Day School Benefactor Leonard Friedel to Install Rabbi Blum Dies in.Arizona at Age 83 by CAROL KATZMAN,Editoras Head of OCTL The man who made a
by JOAN K. MARCUS — —-— — The former head of the Orthodox Union, Rabbi Raphael Butler, will inaugurate a new season of learning when he installs Rabbi Aryeh Blum as Director of the Omaha Center of Torah Learning on Sunday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center. According to Allan Gonsher, a founder and current President of the OCTL, the entire community is invited to attend the installation and the reception which follows. Rabbi Butler now heads the Akifim Foundation, a non-profit foundation that services the Jewish community with creative, spiritual and cultural responses to the challenges of Jewish life today. Previous to serving as Executive Vice-president of the OU, the umbrella organization for Orthodox I synagogues, Rabbi Butler was the National Director Rabbi Raphael of NCSY, the Orthodox Butler youth group and the guiding force in creating YACHAD/NCSY, an organization for people with developmental disabilities, and the OU's National Leadership Conference for smaller Jewish communities. Butler is a founding member of the board of the Association of Jewish Outreach Professionals and is the former spiritual leader of the Holliswood Jewish Center, in Queens, NY. Rabbi Butler, the founder and director of the Center for Teachers; Training in Brooklyn, received his bachelor's degree from Queens College and smicha (rabbinic ordination) for the Rabbinical Seminary of America. According to Rabbi Blum, "Rabbi Butler works tirelessly on behalf of the Jewish people. His whole life has been dedicated to helping Jews. He created the whole modern Orthodox Jewish youth movement and is one of the most well-connected Jews in America. It will be a tremendous treat to hear him." Reservations for the event can be made by calling the OCTL at 320-8055. Rabbi Blum, originally from Florida, received his undergraduate degree in history at Yeshiva University in New York. He received smicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) Y.U. in Israel, studying at both the Gruss and Katz Kollelim. Rabbi Blum was also trained as a mohel by the Chief Mohel of Israel at Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. Rabbi Blum hopes to bring Omaha Jews together to support the OCTL and to learn about Judaism. "We are open to everyone-regardless of their synagogue affiliation or their knowledge base of Judaism. We aren't pushing any particular agenda, but we aren't satisfied with Jewish survival either-we're interested in Jewish success." He reiterated that OCTL is a center for learning, growth and discovery, adding, "When people hear about classes, they automatically decide they aren't interested. However, I hope to offer other ways in which to connect," OCTL offers a place where Jews can come to grow Jewishly, said Rabbi Blum, "I want to give people a chance to ask questions they've always had or search for new ones. There are no silly questions. If peopln can find questions, we can seek the answers together; we can train ourselves to prod our curiosity." OCTL has programs for everyone. One of the most popular is the Wednesday, noon, Lunch 'n Learn series. An informal group meets each week at the Kripke Library to explore such topics as Jewish holidays, interpersonal relationships and teachings (Continued on page 2)
ness administration. He fortune selling clothes to served in the Army in big and tall men and then World War II as a captain took a half-a-million of it in the Medical Battalion to create an endowment of the Engineers for Omaha's Jewish day Amphibious Brigade, a school-Leonard Friedel— unit which followed the died in Paradise Valley on troops across JEurope in Aug. 21. Services were order to set up hospitals held there Aug. 23. in tents for the wounded. Friedel originally hoped In 1986, Mort to become a writer and Trachtenbarg, President moved to Los Angeles of the Jewish Federation, after the war. He strugapproached Friedel and gled for seven years until his wife, Phyllis, with 10 his relatives in Omaha areas of the Jewish comconvinced him to return munity that needed financial assistance. One of _. and take over the family Ph llis a n d those was the Jewish Day y Friedel their visited the b u s i n e s S j « T h e F a i r > » a SLeonard c h o 11 nnamed Jewish a m e d iin n t h e i r honor honor men's clothing store. School, then housed at eJveewr i s ht i mDea tyh eS c h ° oited Beth Israel West, 126th y y ™ Omaha. Recognizing the store's and Pacific. After a visit there, the Friedels department for big and tall men as "the tail that expressed their enthusiasm for "the students and wagged the dog," Friedel realized its potential and faculty" and made the decision to permanently set about remaking the image of the store. In 1962, endow the school with $500,000. the first Jerry Leonard Big and Tall Men's Clothing In appreciation for a gift that would change the store opened at 15th and Farnam. Less than 22 future of the day school movement in Omaha, the years later, the store had grown to a 26-store chain Omalia Jewish Day School board of directors decid- throughout the Midwest which Friedel sold to Allied ed to rename the school after the Friedels. Department Stores in 1985 for an undisclosed sum. "This endowment will serve as a That year, the Friedels moved to Scottsdale, AZ, foundation...which will permit us to achieve our where their youngest daughter taught fifth grade at goals and will assure that the day school alternative the time. Unlike other "snowbirds," the Friedels not will always be available in Omaha," noted Omaha only made their move a permanent one, they Jewish Day School Co-chairmen Forrest Knitter became active in the Jewish community in Phoenix. and Mike Katzman (in an article in the Jewish Leonard served on the board of the Jewish Press in October, 1986). Federation of Greater Phoenix, supported the buildThe school later moved onto the campus of the ing fund of Temple Solel, contributed to the Ina Jewish Community Center, thanks to a one million Levine Jewish Community Campus, and endowed a dollar gift from Esther and A. Dan Gordman, for a PACE fund, a Perpetual Annual Campaign Center for Jewish Education building. The original Endowment, for the Phoenix Federation. half-a-million dollar endowment was to be used as a Friedel is survived by his wife, Phyllis, of Paradise guarantee for the "occupancy costs" for running the Valley; his daughters and sons-in-law, Lynne and Steve building-today, it helps offset its operations. Gellman, of Austin, TX, and Randi and Dave Sherman "Leonard was a very kind man," said Jerry of Scottsdale; grandchildren, Jay and Becca Gellman, Gordman, son of Esther and Dan Gordman, and a Lyndsi and Matthew Sherman; sister and brother-informer chairman of the FJA. "He wanted to do law, Dorothy and Mort Luster of San Diego, CA. something for the community and he and his wife Memorials to the Friedel Jewish Academy, 333 So. 132 felt very strongly about the school. In fact, for years, St., Omaha, NE 68154, or the Israel Emergency they used to send birthday cards to the students!" Campaign, c/o the Jewish Federation of Greater Leonard Friedel was a native of Omaha who grad- Phoenix, 32 W. Coolidge, Suite #200, Phoenix, AZ 85013. (Morris Maline, editor emeritus of the Jewish uated from Central High School and the University Press, contributed to this article.) of Nebraska at Lincoln, where he majored in busi-
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Temple Israel t o Participate in.Tri-Faith Service Sept 11 by CLAUDIA SHERMAN, Temple IsraelJJornmunications Coordinator.
A special tri-faith Service of Healing and time, concurred Ahmed Ghosheh, Islamic Center Commemoration on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m. President. "It's very important to keep in touch with at First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass, will each other especially in times of tragedy," he said. mark the passing of the first year since the Islam offers "many prayers of hope." tragedies and suffering of the Sept. 11 terrorist Rabbi Azriel said the service on Sept. 11 at the attacks on America. The clergy and members of church comes between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Temple Israel, First United, and the Islamic Center Kippur to commemorate the event that took place of Omaha have met several times since then in an before Rosh Hashanah last year. "As we enter a seaeffort to build a relationship of peace and unity. son of reflection, change, and repentance,"it is only "Sept. 11 is a date that will never be erased from appropriate for us to remember that we are part of a the memory of American Jews," said Temple Israel's larger community that needs to express with words, Rabbi Aryeh Azriel. "We, who see continuous music, and prayers the yearning of our hearts." threats of destruction towards the state of Israel, are suddenly experiencing attempts to destroy our lives here in America." INSIDE: Reverend Chad Anglemyer, from First United, describes the observance as "both a memorial service Recipes tor the holidays .page 7 and a unity service." He said there will be readings and prayers from the Torah, Koran, and Bible as well Monthly calendar.. ......pages 8-9 as music from all three faith traditions. "We have many reasons" to gather together at this PlayBall....,,.., ,.'....,. ........pagelS