by Rich Kaipust

Ever since Tom Osborne launched TeamMates back in 1991 along with his wife, Nancy, he never has been able to devote quite the time he would like to the mentoring program.

Osborne was tied up with things like being the Nebraska football coach, serving in Congress, running for governor and then returning to NU as athletic director.

After June 30, it will be getting a larger chunk of his attention.

Osborne is the featured speaker for the annual B'nai B'rith sports banquet Thursday night at the CenturyLink Center. Several special guests also will be on hand to honor Osborne, who is speaking at the event for the second time...more.

Jewish groups are joining the effort to help those displaced by the tornado in suburban Oklahoma City.

B’nai B’rith International has opened its Flood, Tornado and Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund...more.

by Steve McConnell

She defines the word "volunteer." On Sunday, her peers validated Jane Oppenheim's devotion to the community.

Amos Lodge 136 of B'nai B'rith, a Jewish community service and human rights organization, presented Mrs. Oppenheim with its Americanism Award.

"Jane has been an outstanding community leader," said Edward A. Monsky, co-chairman of the 61st annual Americanism Award dinner. "Jane really exemplifies that."

The dinner, held at the Jewish Community Center in Scranton, brought together dozens of prominent local figures who would round out the who's who list of Northeast Pennsylvania - all there to honor and support Mrs. Oppenheim, of Scranton...more.

The Iranian government officially agreed to establish a “truth commission” with Argentina to jointly investigate the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center.

Ali Pakdaman, the business attache of Iran in Buenos Aires, said Monday that Iran formally accepted the pact, marking the final step in making it operational. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad signed the agreement without a vote of his nation’s parliament.

In February, the Argentinian Congress approved the bill.

B’nai B’rith International President Allan Jacobs said in a statement, “Given Iran’s deplorable judicial track record and its refusal to turn over those previously implicated in the bombings, there’s little reason to believe anything substantial will come out of this commission...more.

by Andy Boogaard

Bullard High's Alexandra "Ali" Teliha, who likes to surf, rode a wave of emotion unlike any in her 18 years Monday night upon receiving the B'nai B'rith Student-Athlete Award at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe I'm standing up here," she gushed to a crowd of 500 after being announced as the winner by Rod Kraft, who received the award in 1973 out of McLane...more.

by Danielle Favorite

The B’nai B’rith Scholar-Athlete Award program, in its 50th year, will honor 22 of the Kalamazoo area’s top student-athletes at a reception at 7:30 p.m. May 21 at Congregation of Moses.

Kalamazoo College President Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran will be the keynote speaker at the event, which is free and open to the public.

One senior female and one senior male from each of eleven schools – Comstock, Galesburg-Augusta, Gull Lake, Hackett, Kalamazoo Central, Kalamazoo Christian, Loy Norrix, Mattawan, Parchment, Portage Central and Portage Northern – has been chosen by their athletic directors based on leadership in academics and athletics...more.

by Sam Sokol

Hungarian senior prime ministerial adviser Zsigmond Perényi is set to arrive in Israel in late May for a series of meetings with Foreign Ministry officials on the issue of anti-Semitism in his country, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

At 100,000 members, Hungary has the largest Jewish community in Central Europe, and local Jews are worried over the rise of the far-right Jobbik party, now the third largest in parliament. The World Jewish Congress called on Hungary to outlaw Jobbik during its 14th plenary assembly in Budapest last week.

...the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith and the Jewish Federations of North America among others, complained of both the “increase in violence against Jewish individuals and institutions... [the] proliferation of anti-Semitic materials in the media [and] attempted rehabilitation and glorification of World War II-era figures, who were openly anti-Semitic and pro-fascist...more.

The Newseum in Washington says it’s re-evaluating plans to include two people on its Journalists Memorial honoring journalists who died last year while covering the news.

Several groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith International and the American Jewish Committee, have objected to the inclusion of two people who worked for Al-Aqsa Television because it is linked to the Islamist group Hamas.

On Monday, the Washington museum plans to rededicate its Journalists Memorial. But the Newseum says it is re-evaluating its decision to include Hussam Salama and Mahmoud Al-Kumi. Their names won’t be added to the memorial wall Monday...more.

by Sarah Trefethen

The Witkoff Group is bullish on New York’s luxury residential market but sees question marks hovering over the city’s office segment, Scott Alper, a principal in the firm, told B’nai B’rith members at the group’s monthly luncheon last week.

“Goldman Sachs used to take a million square feet at a time, or they’d come and rent a building from us for a half a million square feet. You’re not seeing that,” he said. “All you’re seeing is contraction...more.