Vol. LXXXII
No. 8
Omaha, NE
19 Cheshvan, 5763
October 25,2002
SPECIAL ISSUE ON EDUCATION AND CAMPING STARTS ON SECTION TWO, PAGE 21
introducing-. Mordechai Levin by CAROL KATZMAN, Editor •
Position: Senior rabbi Beth El Synagogue Experience: Rabbi of Congregation Lamroth Hakol, Buenos Aires, Argentina, since 1984; Director, Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano's Institute for Conversion since 1992; Director of Placement, Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano since 1984. Education: B.A. in administration from University of Buenos Aires; Studies in Comparative Religion with Prof. David Flusser at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rabbinic Ordination from Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano. Personal: Married to Susi Frydman, educational psychologist; children: Ariel, 14, Tali, 11, and Gabriel, 8. Jewish Press: Given the current situation in Argentina and the economic crisis there, it's understandable that you'd want to leave. But why Omaha? Rabbi Levin: When we decided to leave Argentina, I began conversations with some congregations in the U.S, through the Rabbinical Assembly. I visited Beth El and I liked it very much. I was invited to visit a second time with my wife, and that reinforced my positive appreciation of the congregation. The people here were so warm and friendly. And the Beth El congregation is so filled with vitality. We liked, not only the welcoming attitude of Beth El, but of the Jewish community, and we liked the city, too. JP: What were your expectations of life in Omaha-and at Beth El before you made the move here three months ago? ML: Beth El has a 75-year history. I discovered a warm, vibrant and participative congregation. I was attracted by this and its values and felt immediately that I could make a contribution here and enrich what we all do in the Jewish community in Omaha. I hope to contribute to exploration of the beauty of Jewish tradition, the warmth of its holidays, and help people realize how the depth of the teachings adds wisdom to our lives. All I'm doing is to try to build another layer on the experience and history of this congregation. And as a family, we found here a good place to raise our children! JP: Obviously you were right; Beth El is now getting more than 200 people for Kabbalat Shabbat services on Friday night! ML.- Yes, I like a service where people participate and feel the joy of Shabbat--a service that brings out the kavannah, the proper spirit. There's a Hebrew saying that prayer without proper spirit is like a body without a soul. There's lots of singing here and we've had to put chairs in the hallway outside the chapel to accommodate everyone! It's important to have a joyful, meaningful experience. (Continued on page 15
Federation Series Opens with Controversial Film: Trembling Before G-d Panel Discussion to Follow by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director1
Trembling Before G-d is an unprecedented feature documentary that shatters assumptions about faith, sexuality, and religious fundamentalism. Built around intimately-told personal stories of Hasidic and Orthodox Jews who are gay or lesbian, the film portrays a group of people who face a profound dilemma-how to reconcile their passionate love of Judaism and the Divine with the drastic Biblical prohibitions that forbid homosexuality. As the film unfolds, a range of complex individuals are revealed-some hidden, some out. The controversial and critically acclaimed documentary Trembling Before exclusive Omaha premiere. Immediately following G-d kicks off the first Annual Omaha Jewish Film the film, the audience is invited to participate in a Festival, Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 p.m. in the Theater panel discussion with Rabbi Steve Greenberg, who is the first openly gay Orthodox rabbi and is feaat the Jewish Community Center. Trembling Before G-d is the first of four recently tured in the movie. (Continued on page 20) released noteworthy Jewish films to be shown in an
Omahans Get More Than Their Names in Print by CAROL KATZMAN, Editor
Families of Terror Celebrate B'nai Mitzvah at the Kotei by JEWISH PRESS News Service —
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Jill Belmont, Joan K. Marcus, Tami Field and Oliver Pollak are all experienced writers. Belmont serves on the Jewish Press Committee and often writes free-lance articles for Jewish organizations and this newspaper (she has written two about the Women's Campaign House Parties). Marcus also free-lances; in fact, one of her stories-about the appearance of Joel S. Kaplan, B'nai B'rith International's President, appeared in last week's issue). Tami Field, while she hasn't written for this paper (yet!), wound up authoring a guide for individuals with milk soy protein allergies. It was based on her own experiences with her son Max when he was an infant. And Oliver B. Pollak is familiar to readers as a book reviewer, a past Chairman of the Jewish Press, and the author or editor of nearly a dozen books and hundreds of articles. His new column, "The History Footprint" was launched in last week's issue. All four have recently published essays, or in Field's and Pollak's cases, entire books. Though , none are directly about Jewish, issues, the subject matter-in every case-is of great importance to members of the Jewish community: surviving cancer, dealing with mental and physical disabilities or the challenges of allergies and "the invasiveness of Jewish culture on the 20th century," according to Pollak. (Continued on page 26)
Monday morning 28 boys and girls from families who have been victims of terror celebrated their B'nai Mitzvah at the Kotel (Western Wall). The ceremony was an initiative of the Jewish Agency and the cost of the ceremony was paid for by the Jewish Agency's Fund for the Victims of Terror. Photo by ISRANET.
INSJOET""" " Monthly calendar.
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"' j pages 10-11
Special Crossword Puzzle for Jewish Book Month .page 18 Woody Allen feature of next Live front the 92nd St Y. page 20 Special Issue on Education and Camping starts ........ page 21