HESHVAN/KISLEV 5763 OCTOBER 02 THE GREATER DES MOINES Published as a CommunityJewishJewish Service by the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines online at Pressdmjfed.orgPress volume 19 number 2 Herb Eckhouse And Marilyn Hurwitz To Co-Chair Campaign The Federation is proud to announce the selection of Herb Eckhouse and Marilyn Hurwitz as Co-Chairs of the 2003 All-in-One Campaign. Marilyn and Herb will lead the drive to gain community support. This support enables the Federation to help the community live, learn and play togeth- er; embrace diversity and promote understanding; to perform acts of tze- dakah to those most needful amongst us, and to extend a welcoming hand. Jewish Press: Herb, some people may not know how important their support for the All-In-One actually is. Please explain the All-in-One Campaign for their benefit. Herb Eckhouse: We have been blessed through the years by the generosity of community members whose support has enabled us to build up a rich offering of A. H. Blank (r.) strikes a pose with Mae West. Photo courtesy of the Iowa Jewish Historical Society. Jewish services. Each year, we return to The IJHS says: the Jewish community and ask for sup- port to maintain and enhance our offer- “Why don’t you come up and see us sometime?” ings. Annual pledges keep the lights on and enable us to retain highly qualified A.H. Blank and Mae West. Just one of the many photographs, Iowa. He served as director of American Broadcasting staff. If you care about the quality of our scrapbooks and articles donated to the Iowa Jewish Historical Corporation – United Paramount Theaters, and president of community, you'll want to help! But it Society and Caspe Heritage Gallery by Myron Blank. Attend Central States Theater Corporation from 1931 until 1951 when goes further than that. No matter what our Opening and view many other interesting photographs he turned the position over to his son Myron Blank. our capacities, our tradition emphasizes and A.H. Blank was an active philanthropist, most known for our need, as mementos of the Blank Family and many other Iowa Families, Raymond Blank Memorial Hospital. What was to become Blank individuals, to contribute what we can to Sunday, October 27th at 7 pm. Children’s Hospital was established in memory of Blank’s son, help ensure that our children and our A.H. (Abraham Harry) Blank, 1897 – 1971, was a motion Raymond, who died at the age of 33. Raymond Blank Memorial elders, our families and all individuals picture theater executive, a national figure among exhibitors, a Hospital was recognized at the time as one of the most modern within our community have an opportunity philanthropist and recognized as a leading citizen of Des and well-equipped children’s hospitals in the country. In 1963, Jointo develop Solidaritythe Jewish potential within us Moines. He was chairman of the board of Tri-States Theater Blank gave $150,000 toward construction of the Des Moines all. Corporation, owning one of the largest groups of theaters in Children’s Zoo which became Blank Park Zoo. Mission continuedTo Israel on page 2 – SEE PAGE 24 The Greater Des Moines Jewish Press Presort Standard [inside] 910 Polk Boulevard U.S. Postage Des Moines, IA 50312 PAID 4 VOTE NOVEMBER 5 Des Moines, IA Address Service Requested Permit No. 2506 15 PHOTOGRAPHER LEISEROWITZ TO VISIT 17 WHY REASON & JUSTICE ARE ON ISRAEL’S SIDE 20 JEWISH BOOK FAIR, NOV. 10 & 17 Jewish Community Services News Senior Adult News NEXT SENIOR LUNCHEON: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. We would like to encourage volunteers to help prepare and serve our Senior lunches. Please let us know if you are interested in helping out. CASINO DAY -- MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 Bus trip to the Lakeside Casino at Osceola. Monday is Senior Day: discount on lunch, double points with players club card, 15% off gift shop, and there will be a $50 drawing for twenty lucky seniors! We will meet at the Beth El Jacob parking lot at 9:45 am. Please let us know if you need to be picked up at home. RSVP by November 8th at 277-6321. Bus Cost: $3.00 STORYTELLER MICHAEL COTTER – Host of “The Michael Cotter Show” on WHO AM radio, Des Moines, November Senior Luncheon was a success! will be at The Senior Life Center, Friday, November 1, at 2:30 pm. He’s a Southern Minnesota farmer, dad and storyteller. Sounds like a real good time. If you need a ride or We had a wonderful turnout for our can provided a ride for others, please let us know at 277-6321.at Tifereth Israel September Luncheon at Temple B’nai Synagogue. Jeshurun, with 47 in attendance. Everyone enjoyed the music program If you would like to be on the mailing list for the Senior Adult Newsletter, please call by Laura Berkson. Kady Russell at the Federation at 277-6321. Congratulations to Freda Jacobson for winning the door prize. Senior volunteers lent a helping hand in preparing a Federation mailing of the September Jewish Press. – THANK YOU! Campaign continued from page 1 Each building has been endowed with a port or help, and that is also gratifying What we do, the services we offer, are those fund to support its maintenance. Much of JP: How is the 2003 campaign shaping up? Make Your which our community members and syna- the programming has been paid for by HE: We’re just at the beginning of the pro- Jewish gogues want a central agency to offer for us endowments. Contributors who want to cess! We are now putting our teams togeth- all. support The Terrace have an option to er, teams to work on personal solicitations Community JP: What types of services are offered by donate specifically to a separate fund to and on the annual telethon; there are lots of the Federation? provide additional furnishings. This is a ways for people to get involved! I talk to Your HE: The All-in-One Campaign provides campaign we’ve called "Outfitting the some people who say that they don’t want funding for all the activities that the Terrace" and we’ve received almost to ask others to make a contribution. For By#1 Marilyn Charitable Hurwitz, Federation supports in the community: edu- $900,000 in cash and in-kind gifts so far. some, it can seem presumptuous or even PriorityCo-Chair of the All-in-One Campaign: cational activities, tzedakah for those in dire The Community has been very generous. A embarrassing. I look at it differently. First, I Conditions on the world scene are not need, community relations and communica- small portion of the All-In-One funds are enjoy this opportunity to contact others in good. Anti-Semitism is on the rise tions activities, cultural activities, and basic allocated annually to employ a staff person the community whom I may not get to see world-wide. There are many pressures financial support for the Iowa Jewish Senior who, among other responsibilities, manag- very often. It’s enjoyable to get together and on Jewish communities even in Life Center. Decisions about allocations are es The Terrace facilities on a part-time talk about what the Federation is doing, the America. In light of this reality, it is entrusted to a planning and budget commit- basis. By having the Terrace, we actually life of the community, and get another point imperative that Jewish communities tee and the Federation's Board of Directors, spend less on renting other facilities for of view. And none of this money goes to insist on providing the services that will composed of community members. Community activities. me, so I really don’t have any reason to be strengthen Jewish identity and enrich JP: What would you say to folks who have JP: What is special about the activities of embarrassed. There are things that each of the quality of Jewish life for all who seek taken losses this year due to the econo- the campaign for those involved in the us can do to support the fundraising effort to live proudly as Jews. my? Federation? That's an important aspect of and the tasks are not necessarily difficult. We must live up to the challenge! HE: Well, you know, that situation effects a conducting the campaign, isn't it? Whether people would like to help with the What can we do as Jews in lot of people. It is real and we have to HE: Because in doing the work of the creative work, help with solicitations, or sim- Des Moines? As Federation President acknowledge it and understand it. Still, each Campaign, we have many people who meet ply help us identify other volunteers - every Don Schoen said last year at Campaign of us contributes tzedakah where we think it with others to update them on Federation person's time and effort will be greatly time, "Let's bring it on home." We are is needed and we most feel that need. activities, we also have a tremendous appreciated. To volunteer, just call one of one percent of the population of When people in the Jewish community opportunity to gather feedback. The cam- the Board members, myself, Marilyn, or the the greater Des Moines community. make their philanthropic choices, we hope paign allows us to hear directly from those Federation office at 277-6321. Outside of a few very kind and gener- that they consider the importance of vibrant who use and support our services. While JP: You've always said that an informed ous non-Jewish friends, we are the Jewish community services for young and we certainly appreciate the financial com- Federation member is almost always a only ones who can help ourselves and old, for all types of Jews, for those most in mitments people make when we contact good fundraiser for our community.