Vol. LXXX1I
No. 2
Omaha, NE
7 Tishrei, 5763
September 13,2002
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 81 YEARS
Women's.Division Brings Back House Parties by PAM MONSKY Federation Communications Director — — — — ~ —
The Women's Division of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Campaign has announced the return of "The 90-Minute House Party...a friendly get-together -? designed to bring out the best in everyone!" The concept was developed last year by Joanie Jacobson and Patty Nogg, 2002 and 2003 Co-Chairmen, to "engage Omaha Jewish women in Florence Brody proudly disa mutual activity p i a y s t h e tzedakah box she or discussion." a t t h e "Art of made House Party Tzedakah" last year. presenters and facilitators (women from the community with a particular knowledge or expertise) are responsible for the majority of the program; hostesses are responsible for providing a location, furnishing light refreshments and personally encouraging others to attend. Each house party will be offered at 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to accommodate women's busy schedules. "We were thrilled at the response to last year's parties," said Nogg. "It was really very enthusiastic and positive. In our busy, crazy lives, we seldom have time to come together to socialize or talk or to 'make something1 or just listen to each other. That's why I'm looking forward to doing it again. "It's nice to take the time to connect with other Jewish women in Omaha," she added. (Continued on page 10)
Catalog Outlines a Myriad of Programs at Hermene Zwelback Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator
Temple Israel's new year of Andree Brooks was a conadult education is filled with tributing columnist and news opportunities to learn, to be writer for the New York Times entertained, and to deepen for 18 years and is an author connections with fellow parand lecturer. She will highlight ticipants and with God fascinating people who have Scholars-in-residence, artistscome out of Sephardic Spain as in-residence, and classes will well as some Jews who were also emphasize the congregaexpelled from Spain and came tion's year-long journey to disto the United States. An assocover and experience the ciate fellow at Yale University, world of Sephardic Jewry. Brooks will be at Temple Israel Dec. 13-15. A highlight of the year will be Rabbi Moshe Druin's Final scholar-in-residence of week-long residency at the year will be Rabbi Elliot "'V Temple in April. Rabbi Drain Dorff, a rector and is a sofer, a specially trained Distinguished Professor of TIT? scribe who is an artist, a calPhilosophy at the University " vT'' ' ' ' ^ ' ligrapher, and a scholar of of Judaism. Rabbi Dorff will till •J/i'l/ii;/: .^rm-in't, Torah. He will restore discuss "The New Torah 2CG2-2G03 5763 Temple's Torah scrolls and Commentary," "A Sex Ethic offer a number of unique edufor Our Time: A Rabbi's Letter cational experiences for chilon Human Intimacy," and dren, youth, and adults. He "New Issues in Bioethics" at will also complete a new Scroll of Ruth in time for his presentations May 2-4, 2003, at Temple Israel. Shavuot. The Women of Reform Judaism is spon- This weekend is sponsored by the Ida and Samuel Kaiman Memorial Fund. soring this restoration project. Artists-in-Residence Mark Novak and Renee Two scholars-in-residence, sponsored by the Hermene Zweiback Center for Lifelong Jewish Brachfeld, a husband-wife storytelling duo who Learning, Dr. Raymond P. Scheindlin and Andree draw their material from Jewish folk tales, Aelion Brooks, will focus on Sephardic Jewry. Dr. Midrash, and literature, Hasidie sources, and conScheindlin, professor of Medieval Hebrew temporary composers, will begin their weekend resLiterature at the Jewish Theological Seminary, will idency at Temple at Shabbat worship services on present lectures on Jewish life, philosophy, litera- May 9, 2003. On the morning of May 10, they will explore the power of the niggun at Bagels and ture, and culture in Islamic Spain. A native of Philadelphia, Dr. Scheindlin is Sacred Books. On Sunday morning, May 11, the couple will presinvolved in research on the encounter of Hebrew and Arabic cultures in Spain especially as embodied ent "Too Much Fun: Stories and Songs from the (Continued on page 10) in poetry. He will be here Oct.18-20. for
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Israel isa Factor in Iraq Debate, but Jewish State Keeping Mum by MATTHEW E. BERGER
told The Associated Press. 1 ence to Israel. WASHINGTON (JTA)~ While neither side in the American debate is pubIt's unclear what weapons Israel is trying to keep a licly discussing the Israeli angle at length, "people of mass destruction low profile in the on both sides" are using "the implications for Israel Saddam may hold and American debate over to support their arguments," said David Makovsky, whether he has the techniwhether to attack Iraq, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near cal capacity to unleash but the Jewish state figtheft at Israel. But East Policy. ures prominently in both Israel is taking no chances. Those who favor an attack highlight the threat sides' arguments. Fearing that Iraq will Saddam poses'to the Middle East. Those in favor of action again lash out at Israel if "Armed with an arsenal of these weapons of tersay Iraqi President attacked-as it did in the ror and" sitting atop "10 percent of the world's oil Saddam Hussein may 1991 Gulf War-Israel reserves, Saddam Hussein could then be expected to have weapons of mass already is purchasing gas seek domination of the entire Middle East, take condestruction and might be masks and has considered trol of a great portion of the world's energy supplies, willing to use them to inoculating its entire popu- directly threaten America's friends throughout the exert power in the Middle lation against smallpox. region and subject the United States or any other East. Those arguing Israel also asked its nation to nuclear blackmail," Vice President Dick against an attack say it security and emergency Cheney said in an Aug. 26 speech. would be too costly and is (Continued on page 10) services to complete tangential to the U.S. war preparations by Nov. 1 for on terrorism—and that, in a possible Iraqi retaliatory any case, there is little INSIDE: strike to a U.S. attack. evidence that Saddam is an imminent threat. The United States has JELS scholarship winners page 7 On each side, there is An Israeli soldier fits a gas mask for size at a not told Israel if or when it debate about the effect an distribution center in Jerusalem. Israelis will attack Iraq, but Nov. 1 Crossword puzzle..... ...page 8 attack on Iraq would have upgraded their biological weapon protection seemed a "reasonable" on U.S. "allies in the gear in fear of being a target if America goes deadline for preparations, a page 12 region," an implicit refer- to war against Iraq. Photo by Brian Hendler/JTA. senior government official Klutztiick exhibit opens.