Vol. LXXXII
No. 4
Omaha, NE
21 Tishrei, 5763
September 27,2002
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 81 YEARS
Joan Nathan Adds Zest to October Symposium
Federation to Publish Photos ofCentenniai Year by JEWISH PRESS News Service
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by ADRIAN GIBBONS KOESTERS, Creighton University
If you surveyed the titles Southern Jewish cooking) of Joan Nathan's successon her dissertation, and I ful PBS series, Jewish wrote about Cara De Cooking in America, you Silva's In Memory's might come away thinkKitchen (recently reing there's not much she viewed in the Jewish doesn't know-or is interPress by Lois Friedman), ested in-about Jewishness before it was a book. and food. "I'm looking forward to a And you'd be right. fantastic experience in A show on "Jewish Baby Omaha," she added. Boomers in the Kitchen" As noted in her keynote is followed by "Immigrant title, Nathan is not only a Traditions."' And if "A great cook with an Kreplach by Any Other unmatched sense of Name" tantalizes, how American Jewish food; she much more so does also brings an apprecia- Henry Monsky rode his Harley-Davidson to "Stuffed, Phylled, and tion of the symbolism and Monsky Drive in Boys Town, named in honor Rolled". history of food for of his grandfather, Henry Monsky, a prominent Omaha attorney and Jewish activist who Even though Nathan's American Jews. show doesn't air on Her interest in the sub- gave Father Flanagan the money to build Photo by Rick Katzman. Nebraska ETV, we will ject is long-standing. "I Boys Town. have the opportunity to (Continued on page 2) really began studying hear Joan Nathan in perJews and food in my twenson. She is presenting the ties, when I lived in evening Kluztnick-Harris Jerusalem and worked Cookbook author Joan Nathan Symposium keynote with Mayor Teddy address on Sunday, Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m., at the Kollek," she explained. "In those days, I noticed by CLAUDIA SHERMAN _. Jewish Community Center Theater. immediately how food was a way of bringing people Temple Israel Communications Coordinator — — — . The keynote lecture, titled "From Beans to Bagels: together, whether or not they were Jews; people Every member of Temple Israel as well as the A Social History of Jewish Food in America," will who didn't like the Israeli government could still Jewish community of Omaha will have an opportuend the day's activities. According to Klutznick relate to each other in a personal way, and a lot of it nity this year to fulfill the last commandment of the chair Leonard Greenspoon, these will begin with a centered on food. I wrote Flavors of Jerusalem at Torah which i panel of lectures at 8:45 a.m. at the JCC. A book that time. is to write a I signing and social gathering from 5-6 p.m. in the "Afterward, I studied at the John F. Kennedy Sefer Torah. JCC lobby will precede the keynote lecture, followed School of Government at Harvard, where I met folkIn April I by a dessert reception at 8:45 where members of the lorist Dov Noy, (who participated in the 1996 2003, Rabbi! community can meet with Nathan. All events are Klutznick symposium on the Yiddish language). He M o s h free and open to the public. really got me interested in the symbolism behind Druin, a| "I'm very excited to come to Nebraska," Nathan Jewish food. He said to me, 'I'm never going to write sofer, will [ said in a recent interview. "First, I've never been a cookbook, but I'll teach you everything I know.' I spend a week there. I'm going to be presenting with wonderful col- knew about food then, but I didn't know much about at Temple leagues. For example, I've worked from day one Judaism," she added. Israel restorwith Marcie Cohen Ferns (who will be speaking on (Continued on page 10) ing the Torah scrolls in the main sanctuary A spe-' -1 dally trained Rabbi Moshe Drain scribe who is by RITA SHELLEY — — —— Charlotte Kaplan remembers when the Beth their belief in the future, to Beth Israel's ground- an artist, a calligrapher, and a scholar of Torah, Israel sanctuary wasn't large enough to accommo- breaking for its new building Sunday, Oct. 6, 4 p.m., Rabbi Druin has also been commissioned to oversee date all its holiday service attendees in one room. at 126th and Pacific. More recent members, along the writing of a Scroll of Ruth to be completed in During her 30 years as synagogue secretary, Mrs. with members of other Jewish congregations who also time for Shavuot. Under Rabbi Druin's steady hand, members of Kaplan recalls, even extra chairs and pews set up value the presence of an Orthodox congregation, will on the stage weren't enough to seat everyone. join them; so will members of the non-Jewish com- Temple Israel will be able to participate in the actual inscription and repair of the Torahs. Congregants Several dozen congregants also observed the holi- munity. The entire community is invited. will also be given the opportunity to honor loved days in adjoining synagogue school classrooms, "The current building has outgrown us," fundraisones by dedicating a letter, a meaningful word, a thanks to the building's public address system that ing committee chair Joe Kirshenbaum said. "We are section, a Bar or Bat Mitzvah passage, or an entire brought services to them. a smaller congregation today than the one for which book of Torah in their names. Maury Katzman helped organize Beth Israel the current synagogue was built. We no longer can Rabbi Druin is a highly regarded teacher and calfundraising dinners in the 1950s that drew crowds support a building of that size and age." ligrapher with more than 20 years of experience. of several hundred to hear such speakers as former Initial cost estimates were for $2.5 million, and He and his father, Rabbi Gedalya Drain, who is also President Harry Truman and well-known enter- funds have been raised to cover 80 percent of that a sofer, live in Florida, but they're on the road regtainers of the time, including George Jessel and amount, Kirshenbaum said. Further refinements of ularly, teaching, evaluating, and restoring Torah Eddie Cantor. building plans indicate that the final cost may be scrolls on site. Jeannette Nadoff, whose late husband Isaac was more than the original estimate. The existing (Continued on page 8) rabbi at Beth Israel for 20 years, describes her time building will be sold to cover part of the new buildhelping serve the congregation at its current loca- ing costs, plus additional funds will need to be raised to meet the $2.5 million goal, or a higher one. tion as the best years of her life. INSIDE: "We're far enough along that we're confident we "But we can't look back," Katzman, a member of Monthly Calendar.. ....pages 6-7 the fundraising committee, said. "Congregations can reach our'goal, so we're going ahead," he added. evolve. We have to look at who we are today and "Our contractor, the Weitz Company, is confident we can have the building complete in time for the 2003 Scholar-in-Residence at Temple page 9 what our future is." Kaplan, Katzman, Nadoff and other long-time High Holidays." B'n&i B'rith President in Omaha ,page 12 synagogue members will bring their memories, and (Continued on page 2)
Florida Sofer to Restore Temple's Torahs
Beth Israel Looks to the Future