Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 January 2003 — Page 8

NAT 4 January 8. 2003

Obituaries Karl-Johan lllman, a friend of the Jewish People

Thief memorializes Jewish astronaut

By JACOB NEUSNER Dr. Karl-Johan lllman, Professor of Old Testament Exegesis and Jewish Studies at Abo Akademi University in Abo (Turku), Finland, died in late December of prostate cancer. He leaves his wife, Dr. Siv lllman, a researcher in religious studies at the AAU, three daughters, a son, and several grandchildren. He was 65 years old. He was well-known in the Jewish communities of Finland and Sweden as a friend of the Jewish people and of the State of Israel, a leader in movements for interfaith reconciliation, and an advocate of the State of Israel and of Judaism. He lectured widely in Finland and Sweden on Jewish subjects and participated in international conferences in Europe and the United States on problems of Jewish learning. Karl-Johan lllman was chairman of the Scandinavian Society for Jewish Studies, 1985-1495, and in 1995-1999 he was chairman of the Finnish Societv for Yad Vnshem. His scholarly work moved from studies of biblical theology to work on Jewish history, Jewish-Christian relations, and Israeli matters. He wrote a work, /fH’/s// Hilton/, in Swedish, which went through seven editions, and a counterpart in Finnish, which went through two. Other books in-

LOS ANGELES—Sid Gillman, 91, a member of the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame for his football achievements, has died. He is credited with creating the modern passing game and with being one of the originators of the Super Bowl. Gillman was an All-American offensive and defensive end at Ohio State in 1932 and 1933, then played pro football for one seaTerrorists Continual from front pn^c process, a spokeswoman said. Before the attack, the death toll of those killed since the up-

cluded these: Judaism in the Light of its Holidays (Swedish, 2 editions, AAU,' 1992, 1994); In the Sign Of Job: Europe and the Jews (Swedish, AAU, 1996); The Challenge: A Commentary on the Book of Job (Swedish, Origo/ Swedish Bible Society: Stockholm, 1998); and Jewish Culture (Finnish, ed. with Tapani Harviainen, Otava: Helsinki, 1998) What lives on are not only his scholarly monuments but also his benevolent spirit. "Kalle" lllman was a strong, gentle, wise man, whose love for Judaism and Jewish learning illuminated his life and the world around him. Like Popes John XX1I1 and John Paul 11, in response to the Holocaust he worked to overcome the dismal Christian record of the past by deeds of rapprochement and conciliation. That defined his life in teaching and in scholarship. By the small but vital communities of Judaism in Finland and Sweden, he will long be remembered and much missed, and his many friends mourn his death. Jacob Neusner is Research Professor of Religion and Theology, Bard College, Visiting Research Professor, Abo Akademi University, 1993, and holder of the Abo Akademi University Queen Christina of Sweden Medal.

son with the Cleveland Rams. Between 1955 and 1974 he served as head coach for several teams. He was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the National Football Hall of Fame. He coached the Los Angeles Rams from 1955-59 and the Chargers in Los Angeles and San Diego from 1960-69 and again in 1971.

rising began in September 2000 includes around 2,000 Palestinians and around 700 Israelis. Different news media use different totals.

FRANKFURT, Germany — An armed man stole a small airplane from an airfield in western Germany Friday, and police said he was threatening to crash it in the city of Frankfurt. Several skyscrapers in the country's financial capital were evacuated as a precaution, and

In Israel, Tu B'Shvat (Jan. 17 this year) signals the beginning of spring, the season of the almond blossoms, and the time for planting trees. Join the Jewish National

By SHOSHANA HARPER General Mills and 100 other participating companies allow you to support education while doing what you do every day - eat, shop on line, and use your VISA card. At www.BoxTops4Fducation.com you can peruse a marketplace of popular merchants, including L.L.Bean, Lands End, Amazon.com, J Jill, New York Times, and around 95 others who will contribute up to 10 percent of your on-line purchases to the school of your choice. What started out as a simple cereal box top collection campaign has blossomed tremendously, offering three avenues for schools to earn up to $60,(KX) per year in cash. Both public and private schools are eligible to participate in this program nationwide. Volunteer coordinators promote the event within their school and community. The Web site (above) provides all the information needed to sign up and learn about box top collection and the VISA card and marketplace merchants. All participants contribute a percentage of your purchases, up to 10 percent, directly to the school of your choice. For small private schools in particular, this is an exciting and simple way for anyone to contribute funds without actually digging into their pocket for cash. The Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis (HHAI) participates in all three programs - box top collection,

streets were cleared. The pistol-wielding pilot told a TV station that he wanted to draw attention to Jewish astronaut Judith Resnik, who died in the U.S. space shuttle Challenger explosion of 1986. He said too little attention had been paid her.

Fund's nationwide Tu B'Shvat campaign. Plant a tree in Israel (www.jnf.org.). Trees may be planted to commemorate a special occasion or in memory of a loved one.

VISA card, and the marketplace - according to Susan Lerner, the school's parent coordinator. It's a long way to $60,000, but under the enthusiastic leadership of Lerner, who says, "It all adds up fast," it's highly likely that the school will raise thousands before the spring semester ends. To make this fundraiser a "friendraiser" as well, Lerner and the enthusiastic students at the Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis are campaigning to receive box tops

Synagogue arsonists convicted BRONX, N.Y. - Two juries in the Bronx have convicted two men of crime connected with an attempted arson attack on a Riverdale synagogue several years ago. Mazin Assi, 23, was found guilty after a three-month trial. Twenty-year-old Mohammed Alfaqih was acquitted of hate crimes, although he stated that his motive was hatred of Jews. He was convicted of criminal mischief for "acting in concert" with Alfaqih.

from supporters across the nation. Asked why General Mills and other companies decided to support education in this way, Lerner considers possibilities. "Maybe to increase brand loyalty, but whatever the reason, it's a tremendous resource for small Jewish schools like ours to tap into." For any readers wishing to support the Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis, Lerner says "The students thank you from the bottom of their cereal bowls!"

Sid Gillman, 91; football innovator

Plant a tree in Israel!

Support Jewish education while you eat cereal and shop on-line

Susan Lerner, BoxTops4Education coordinator for Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis, with the giant dreydl she and her husband, Charles Lerner, created to increase awareness of the program.