Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 May 2002 — Page 5
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Mav 22. 2002 IN S Academy event to laud Governor, Mrs. O’Bannon
Continued from page 4 sights are the Western Wall and the Kinneret until I heard the pitch: Come visit Israel with other Christians sponsored by the Middle East TV (METV) in Cyprus. Frankly, I was in a quandary. I really longed to see more Israel footage, but I couldn't bear to hear the testimonials of the previous year's tours messing up historical dates and facts, such as Jesus taking part in the Masada uprising. But then I got to thinking, how odd that we Jews are hesitating to get on a plane, with discounted fares by many Jewish organizations, to visit our homeland, while this group of fearless Christians has no problem publicizing their upcoming June week pilgrimage for $1,400. Just some food for
thought!
Keeping tabs on Israel For those of you plugged into the Internet, The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis (JFGI) has supplied an easy way to find out what is currently going on in Israel. The resources are divided into four categories: Israeli Government, with hyperlinks to Israel's Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IDF; Israeli news sources, with direct links to Israeli newspapers and radio stations in both English and Hebrew; media monitoring sites to organizations such as CAMERA, Honest Reporting, MEMRI and IMRA; and
American Jeivish organizations such as AIPAC, ADL, American Israel Friendship League and Jewish Council
for Public Affairs.
Finally, if you want an insight into the some of the best think tanks and research institutes in the world, you can access the BESA Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, the Harry S. Truman Institute for Peace at Hebrew University, the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University,
plus many more.
While you're at the JFGI website, (www.jfgi.org) take the time to honor a loved one with a donation or send a Jewish e-mail to someone special. Help defeat boycotts on Is-
raeli products
According to Avram B. Lyon, executive director of the Jewish Labor Committee, the labor unions in Norway, Denmark, and South Africa have launched boycotts against Israeli products, in response to perceived mistreatment of Palestinians by Israel. If you'd like to help Israel, please send a letter protesting these boycotts to the three ambassadors in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Ulrik Federspiel, Royal Danish Embassy, 3200 Whitehaven St. N.W. Washington, DC 20008, tel (202) 234-4300, fax (202) 328-
1470, e-mail: [email protected]
Ambassador Knut
Vollebaek, Royal Norwegian Embassy, 2720 34th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20008, tel (202) 333-6000, fax (202) 3370870, e-mail:
[email protected] Ambassador Sheila Sisulu,
Embassy of South Africa, 3051 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, tel (202) 232-4400, fax (202) 2651607, e-mail:
Gov. Frank O'Bannon and First Lady Judy O'Bannon have been named joint recipients of the 2002 Distinguished Service Award by the Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis for their commitment to furthering educational values in Indiana. The school will recognize the O'Bannons as "Keepers of the Torch" of knowledge at the Academy's annual black-tie dinner on Monday, June 3, at the Indiana Historical Society. A statement by the academy said Governor O'Bannon signaled his administration's commitment at both his inaugurations, in 1997 and 20001, by inviting all Indiana 4th graders to attend the event. He established the Education Roundtable, bringing together business leaders, educators, parents and students to help develop state education policy. The bipartisan forum led to a law that established high education standards and a method of measuring student performance at public and private schools. Mrs. O'Bannon's work for education includes O'Bannon Book Buddies, a program that
encourages children to read and encourages adults to help them do so. She hosts "Reading Day at the Residence" every spring for area 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. She is a leader in the national "Read to Achieve" campaign sponsored by the National Basketball Association and the Women's NBA. Last year, Mrs. O'Bannon helped launch the "United We Read" program sponsored by the Scholastic Book Clubs. The dinner will include a special salute to tomorrow's "Keepers of the Torch," the Academy's graduating class of
2002. There will also be a tribute to departing pre-school instructor, Mrs. Joanne Eframian. The evening typically attracts hundreds of community leaders, dignitaries, parents and special guests. Revenue from the dinner directly benefits the academy's operating fund. Tickets to the dinner are priced at $125 per person with special pricing available for students and others. MasterCard and VISA are accepted. To reserve a place, contact the HAI Development Office at (317) 251-1261 before May 24.
Sassos given Lilly grant
Lilly Endowment has awarded a $30,000 sabbatical grant to Rabbis Dennis and Sandy Sasso of Congregation Beth-El Zedeck. The grant to the Sassos was one of 37 grants the charitable fund issued in the fourth year of its Clergy Renewal Program for Indiana Congregations. No other Jewish clergy this year received a grant.
The terms allow up to $10,000 of the $30,000 to be used to cover congregational duties in the absence of the pastor receiving it. Over the four-year life of the sabbatical grant program, the endowment has issued grants to 120 congregations.
This year's grants totaled slightly more than $1 million. The concept of the sabbatical grants is to strengthen both the clergy who receive them and the congregations who find ways to operate in the absence of those clergy.
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