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u Vol. LXXXII
No. 11
Omaha, NE
KAH GIFT GUIDc STARTS
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10 Kislev, 5763
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J November 15, 2002
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Adult Learning Fund to Memorialize Dr. Bruce Bloom
Library to 'Go All Out' for 2002 Book Events by DIANE AXLER BAUM-
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Foundation Public Relations Director
Bruce Bloom grew up in graduating, he attended Omaha. He went to Rose i r*„' -ill-/;.':" .; / fytftyyt-ri! • * r '« • -.1 the University of Hill School with his twin - \ Nebraska Medical Center brother, Bernard, and was ] and became an ears, nose, involved in the things -"1 and throat physician. most Jewish kids did .*, Dr. Bloom spent two growing up here in the years in the U.S. Navy 1950s. By the time he was and entered private praca student at Central High tice in Potomac, MD, a School, Bruce Bloom was suburb of Washington, active there and in the DC. He married Arlene B'nai B'rith Youth ' Kuperrnan from New Organization (BBYO) as a •Jt'isey on Sept. 4, 1968. member of AZA #100. His ,_ ' They have two children. family belonged to Beth Lisa is a health care-relatDr Israel Synagogue. y g g - Bruce Bloom and his sister, Beverly e d consultant in New York Steve Riekes, who grew Fellman, at a family simcha before his a n d A d a m i s a n attorney up with Bruce and untimely death 2l/2 years ago. in Washington, D.C. Bernard and became close friends with them, went Suddenly, on March 27, 2000, Bruce Bloom died. to BBYO conventions, meetings, and attended He was 59. In addition to his wife, children, and dances with the Blooms. On Sunday mornings, twin brother, Bruce is survived by his family in along with dozens of other Jewish youngsters, they Omaha including his parents, Dina and Harold bowled in the Junior B'nai B'rith League. Bloom; a sister, Beverly Bloom Fellman; and anoth"That's how we met," recalled Riekes. "We became er brother, Brent Bloom. just like brothers." "He was just a wonderful guy," Riekes said. He Both the Bloom boys went to Case Western had many interests, described Riekes. "He learned Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, intending to to play the piano as an adult. He painted and was become engineers. But after the first year, they very involved with intellectual things like a book changed their minds. Bruce headed to the club and attending the theater.". He enjoyed art, University of Nebraska at Lincoln to study medi- music, and literature. cine. He joined Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. After (Continued on Page 9)
In two departures from the past, Omaha's celebration of Jewish Book Month is focusing on more than books and is featuring used volumes, as well as new, in the annual Book Fair and Sale. The Book Fair and Sale got underway earlier this week and will continue through December. "One of our aims is to encourage the purchase of books as meaningful Hanukkah gifts for children and adults alike," said Nadine Rutner, Library Committee chair. Another goal, she added, is for the ongoing sale of "previously enjoyed" books to become a yearround fundraiser for the Kripke Library. She said the library would be grateful for donations of all used books, in reasonable condition. Neither Jewish content nor authorship is necessary. One aspect of this year's expanded Jewish Book Month is reflected in the Kripke Library's co-sponsorship of the 2002 Jewish Film Festival, which opened Nov. 2 and will continue this Saturday and next, Nov. 16 and 23, 8 p.m., in the Theater of the Jewish Community Center. (Continued on page 18)
TheProject Dreidel Chronicles
A Life Apart by PAM MONSKY, Federation Communications Director.
(Editor's note: The story you are about to read is true, and used with permission. The names have been changed to respect individuals' privacy.) Welcome to the first installment of "The 2002 Project Dreidel Chronicles." Each person depicted in these stories has graciously agreed to share his or her story with the community to increase public awareness of Jewish" Family Service's programs and services that have made such a tremendous difference in their lives. Through Project Dreidel, JFS provides Hanukkah gifts and Jewish holiday meals to families in our area who cannot afford them. But sometimes, families and individuals have unexpected emergencies that require immediate intervention. JFS is there to provide the financial and emotional support needed to get back to normal, and that support costs money year round. Your gift to the Jewish Federation's 2003 Centennial Campaign, along with donations to Jewish Family Service tzedakah fund, is what allows us to take care of each other. Despite our best efforts, our community's needs continue to outpace the increase in gifts to the Annual Campaign. Your increased campaign gift ensures that every Omaha Jewish community member will have access to professional and compassionate help in a Jewish environment. To find out how you can help make a difference in the lives of others, please contact JFS at 330-2024, or the Jewish Federation at 334-6431. Maybe you've heard about the current crisis in Argentina. The collapse of the economy has hit the country hard, and the Jewish population, most of them middle class, has been devastated. United Jewish Communities (UJC) is helping hundreds of thousands of Argentinean Jews relocate to Israel.
But Alej andro Rubin left Argentina 25 years ago because of a different crisis. Alejandro is from a wellestablished Argentinean family. His father was a doctor and Alejandro had an excellent career as an operating room technician., One day, in the middle of an operation, soldiers burst into the hospital operating room where Alejandro was working, lined people up and began arresting them. While the patient on the operating table lay dying, Alejandro spoke up and said how much he hated the soldiers and the government. He was promptly arrested and taken to jail where he was tortured continuously for two years. He thought he was going to die and would never see his family again. "The torture they put me through was horrendous," said Alejandro softly. He looked down as he described the torment he suffered at the hands of the Argentinean government. The horrific things that were done to him are too graphic to print. Two years later, the Human Rights Commission of
the United Nations and Amnesty International submitted his application for political asylum to the United States and France. Alejandro left with his young son and came to the United States in 1977. Initially, they moved around a lot, but settled for a time in Seattle where he lived in a shelter for political prisoners and began to build a life for himself and his son. Alejandro has always been proud to be a Jew and wore a star of David around his neck. One day as he was walking in Seattle, a pack of skinheads saw his star and attacked and beat him so severely that it caused permanent brain damage. He has been unable to hold a job since then. After the attack, his son returned to Argentina and eventually got married and had two children. But he was never able to get over having witnessed his father's beating, and 10 years ago he committed suicide in front of his wife and children. The news of his son's suicide sent Alejandro into an abyss of depression and alcohol abuse, all of which was com(Continued on Page 18)
3NS5DE: Women's I?ous«i Party photos
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Jewish websites: Brit Afilah & blviohut ! Bat pagelO S Hanukkah recipes
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Six Million Lights Dedicated
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Bead It and Eat...
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