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THE RABBI SIDNEY H. BROOKS LECTURE Rabbi Norman H. Cohen 7:00 p.m. Thompson Center at UNO Rabbi Sidney H. Brooks (1920-1999) For more than 40
years Rabbi Sidney H. Brooks played an integral role in the
religious life of the Omaha community. He served as Rabbi of
Temple Israel for thirty-three years before his retirement in
1985. Rabbi Brooks is recognized widely for his pursuit of social justice and action in all walks of life. Never one to shirk responsibility, Rabbi Brooks often brought social issues into the conversation about religious life. While this was not always popular, Rabbi Brooks is respected throughout the community for his courage in pursuing issues of real importance to the lives of the citizens of Omaha. In recognition of these efforts, Rabbi Brooks was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1985. Born in 1920, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rabbi Brooks graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1942 with a degree in English Literature. In 1946, Rabbi Brooks graduated with a Master's Degree in Hebrew Literature from the Hebrew Union College Rabbinical School. A prolific writer and speaker, Rabbi Brooks has published many interviews, editorials, and articles in local and national newspapers and journals. He also collaborated in the editing of Rabbi Samuel S. Cohon's Jewish Theology and Dr. Richard Freund's Understanding Jewish Ethics. In 1971, Rabbi Brooks received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Hebrew Union College. Throughout the
years, Rabbi Brooks was encouraged and supported by his wife,
Mrs. Jane Brooks. Mrs. Brooks also has participated significantly
in the religious life of the Omaha community. |
During those years and since, Rabbi Brooks encouraged a
continuing dialogue between people of different faiths. In order
to accomplish this goal, Rabbi Brooks devoted much of his time
and effort to ecumenical organizations such as Operation Bridge,
Omaha Interfaith Housing, the National Conference of Christians
and Jews and the Institute on Judaism for Christian Clergy at
Temple Israel. For his efforts to promote interfaith dialogue,
Rabbi Brooks received the Humanitarian Award from the National
Conference of Christians and Jews, a special award from the Omaha
Metropolitan Association of Churches, and he twice received the
George Washington Award of Honor from the Freedom Foundation.