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JA N UA RY 8, 2 02 1 | 24 TE V E T 578 1 | VO L. 1 01 | NO. 1 2 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 4:55 P.M.
We can all wear the red coat
Memories of giving Page 3
Travels with Rich and Fran Irian Jaya: T-shirts for carvings Page 4
Beth El presents: Lazer Lloyd Page 5
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor he amount of work that has been completed at the Jewish Federation of Omaha in recent years, in no small measure thanks to Michael Staenberg, is astounding and, Michael hopes, an inspiration to us all. Everything he has done stems from the lessons his father, Marty Staenberg, taught him, culminating in the story Michael loves to tell about that red coat. It’s an inspiring story, and though we’ve covered it here before, it’s worth reading again. “I was young, I wanted a red coat because of the Nebraska Huskers,” Michael remembers. “My dad said that if I wanted that coat so bad, I’d have to work for it. And so I See The red coat page 2
T
A representation of the Red Coat by artist James Michael Smith hangs in Michael Staenberg’s office.
Dr. Michael Eppel honored as NE Volunteer of the Year
Beth El’s Kitchen
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Dr. Michael Eppel, at left
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts recently awarded Dr. Michael Eppel the 2020 StepForward award for volunteering in the senior category. He was honored for his work with Lincoln Literacy. Dr. Eppel has volunteered as an English and literacy teacher with Lincoln Literacy for over a decade. When he began his service with them in 2007, he did one-on-one See Dr. Michael Eppel page 3
Chicken and broccoli Credit: FitTasteTic, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
ROBBY ERLICH Engagement Coordinator, Beth El Beth El Synagogue continues to cook delicious, worldly inspired cuisine, and kosher meals to not only Beth El members, but to the entire Omaha community. Beth El’s Kitchen, led by Chef and Catering Manager Mike Newell, continues to serve more than 100 meals for holidays and just to provide folks a
night off from cooking in their own kitchen! With these to-go meal opportunities, the generosity of our community has shined through the darkness of the COVID-19 pandemic by donating countless meals to Livingston Plaza and to others in need. We have also been fortunate to have many people volunteer to be delivery drivers. See Beth El’s Kitchen page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | January 8, 2021
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The red coat
Continued from page 1 worked, and worked. When I finally had the money to buy the coat, my dad placed the money in front of me and started putting it into piles. I knew right away what was happening; what followed was a hard lesson in how to divide up your earnings. How much goes to Tzedakah? After taking that portion out, there was not enough money left for the coat. I screamed and hid under my bed, I was so upset! My father said: ‘You have two choices. You can quit, or you can work another couple of weeks until you do have enough left to buy the coat. I eventually came out of my fit and made the right choice, worked another month and was able to get that coat. It’s a lesson that’s stuck with me to this day; every time I fail or do something stupid, I remind myself: ‘You have a choice.’ Do I quit, or do I work harder? The answer is right in front of me. If I want that ‘red coat,’ I work harder.” We all have our own ‘red coat:’ the thing we feel we need, the thing we have to maybe wait for a little longer than we’d like. Especially if we have to wait longer because other things (like Tzedakah) come first, that can be difficult. At the same time, this year has shown all of us that when need arises, we as a community answer—no questions asked. A gift like Michael’s has no beginning and no end: this community was estab-
lished long before any of us came on the scene and will hopefully be here long after we are gone. But, if we want our children and grandchildren to have the same experience as we did, we all have to step up. While Michael’s gift comes in the form of bricks, paint and drywall and then some, what he really has given us is a bright future and the conviction to make things happen no matter what. “Part of my vision,” Michael said, “is being able to hand off the torch to others who can run with it. It’s a critical step in building a strong community for all of us. It’s wise to do it now so others can step up. I am eager to see who it will be, and where.” Michael’s gift set the bar high from the moment he decided to get involved; he has inspired others to join him and hopes that inspiration will last for years. Giving always becomes more meaningful when others join in. “Vince Lombardi, Bill Cowher, Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson were successful coaches,” Michael said, “and they retired when they felt they were no longer effective, needed a break, and/or moved on to something else that piqued their interest. For example, Bill Cowher coached the Pittsburgh Steelers to five Superbowls. He wanted to leave on a high note so decided to find an encore career in another opportunity. I’ve been
blessed to be able to help many nonprofits throughout the years, and because of my experience, helped develop numerous nonprofit agencies to become first in class, premier and fiscally sound. “I don’t mind continuing to make a difference by being a donor; but I will not be engaging in fundraising anymore; I have done enough in my estimation. As you know, personally and through my foundation, I have encouraged others to help the next generation to develop a culture of volunteering and giving back. Others in our communities need to take ownership of that important mindset and legacy, which I was mentored in by I.E. Millstone and Tom Green. I remain committed to our communities and will always be available for advice and counsel. But others need to step up now.” Don’t think for one second Michael is slowing down. “It’s time I return to my passion... which is the real estate business. I’ll always have the opportunity to go back to the nonprofit development world. But this is what I mean when I say, “Coaches do retire.” This community owes Michael a very big ‘Thank You.” The best way to thank him is to follow in his footsteps. Michael has set a high bar, but when we consider the future memories our children and grandchildren will create in our community, it’s a bar we’ll be proud to meet.
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Continued from page 1 Beth El is excited to offer a Kosher Chinese meal on Jan. 15. The menu will be chicken or vegetarian eggrolls with homemade dipping sauce, fried rice with egg and pineapple, Asian BBQ salmon, chicken and broccoli with a homemade brown sauce. Chef Mike is looking forward to cooking a homemade kosher Chinese meal. “In the big cities of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, you can find kosher Chinese restaurants. I want to offer that same opportunity to the Jewish community in Omaha- it’s something different and appealing!” Chef Mike also really enjoys the flavor profile of Chinese food: “This type of cuisine is savory, sweet, and uses a variety of fresh produce and spices. It’s a more healthy style of food. It’s also a really good option for people who have celiac and gluten allergies or sensitivities.” Chef Mike is excited to show the community his kosher Chinese cooking skills! Chef Mike enjoys providing these meals during the pandemic, as it gives people a chance to have a fresh-cooked kosher meal, and not have to worry about getting takeout or going out to grocery stores to shop. To sign up for this meal opportunity, please visit www.bethel-omaha.org. Any questions, please contact Robby Erlich, Engagement Coordinator, at rerlich@bethelomaha.org.
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Memories of giving Many much loved and memorable customs of the winter holidays have been forced aside this pandemic year, but one seems to have survived in its usual measure. That is gifts... both the giving and the receiving of gifts. But shopping and all that goes with it has been different. Buying online doesn’t hold a fraction of the charm that busy department stories filled with decora- RICHARD FELLMAN tions and music and people everywhere all carrying boxes wrapped in red and green, or blue and white, hurrying about felt in years past. Memories survive, memories of giving gifts to those we love and memories of receiving gifs from those we love. There are other memories. Memories of stores we shopped in, clerks who waited on us, and gifts we gave. I think those memories outweigh memories of what we received. Lately I’ve been remembering, and I’ve found there is real joy in those memories. Jewelry stores come to mind. They are busy this time of year. I’ve always been a bit envious of all who work selling jewelry and all the lovely merchandise they handle, for every customer is happy buying a gift of one type or another. I often compared it to my law practice of nearly a half century. I don’t think anyone who came to my office ever came in happy about why they were there. There have always been delightful folks behind the counter in jewelry stores, and I think of Evie Novak who just retired from Borsheims. But long before everyone moved west, right there on 16th Street were my old friend, Bob Malaschock, and the men who always seemed to be getting pieces in and out of the window at Zales, and then Ike Friedman in Borsheims, when it was still small. I was never a big customer. When I went in to Borsheims one of the regular sales persons helped me. Then, when it was time to make a decision over came Ike, looked at what I was planning to buy, picked up the small price tag attached to each piece, sort of looked up in the air, and always said, “For you, Dick, the price is reduced. You can buy this for...” and it was 20 percent lower. That is, until I was in politics and in elective office, and miraculously the price was then 30 or even 35 percent off the sticker. I remember the first real gift I bought Bev who a year later became my wife of 52 years. I was in Washington, D.C at a national ADL meeting where President Kennedy was the guest speaker, and I wanted to bring Bev a gift. I went to the finest downtown jewelry store, spoke with a beautifully dressed
woman and told her it was for my girlfriend. I added that I did not have a great deal of money to spend. She took me to a counter with small gold pieces, put a circle pin in front of me, and said, “This gold circle pin is exactly what the college girls are all wearing. She’ll like it, I’m sure.” Bev did, wore it all the time, and joked a bit about what the girls she knew were calling small gold circle pins. As the years went by, there were other gifts, at first all from Ike with his discount. A bracelet, a string of pearls, a necklace, a cocktail ring. Then I decided to exhibit a bit of courage, and I went to one of the small elegant women’s shops that were still operating, though they are all out of business now. I was the only man in the store. A woman approached me who I could see was the manager or maybe the owner, asked what I had in mind and
the size, and took me almost by the arm off to a side and then brought out three items each of which fit exactly what I had mentioned. “She’ll like any of these,” was all she said. I looked, and touched, but the woman helping me knew there would be no trying on, so the sale was easy. Through the years there was a dark blue winter suit, a camel double-breasted winter coat, and a large red leather purse. Bev took none of these back. Once, when I was in Munich, Germany, I wanted to bring something home. It was a drizzly, cool early winter Saturday afternoon, and once again I went in to one of the finest stores in the city, decided to buy an all-season trench coat, and went to a middle-aged well-dressed clerk who I later learned was the department manager. She spoke English perfectly, said she understood, and brought out three for me to look at. But I told her they were all too small. “I looked at you,” the lady told me, “and I figured your wife must be short.” I laughed and said, “No, she’s actually an inch taller than me.” Immediately out came the correct size, and an apology, and the sale was finished. The coat worked. Bev wore it for years. Today there are gifts, though sometimes I have forgotten, primarily to grandchildren but also to grown children, and I find I wait for the joy of the thank you, especially from the small ones. The handwritten notes, the calls, the joy in the souls of children. Giving remains an act of joy, and memory makes each gift seem like it was just yesterday.
Dr. Michael Eppel Continued from page 1 tutoring and taught English classes. After retiring from a career in gastroenterology in 2016, in 2018 he led the way in the creation and implementation of a Certified Nursing Assistant prep program to equip students with the skills to pass the Bryan College of Health Sciences CNA course and state certification exam and start a career in the medical field. The program has been extremely successful, with the result that all 24 students who have completed it so far are now certified as nursing assistants. Lincoln Literacy’s mission is to strengthen the community by teaching the English language and a variety of skills to immigrants, refugees and those who need to improve their qualifications. It was established in 1972 and has grown prodigiously since, yet it has maintained its reliance
on trained volunteers as instructors. Beginning with a few dozen tutoring matches at the time of incorporation, it now serves more than a thousand people annually through a combination of hundreds of one-to-one tutoring matches and a wide array of learning sessions held at locations all over the city. Their family literacy program has also helped hundreds of newly arrived immigrant and refugee children onto the road to success in school by teaching them the alphabet, introducing them to reading, and cultivating a love of books – which they get to take home by the armload. They also lead the “Bridgeway to a Better Life” project, a multipartner initiative providing opportunities for advancement, including GED, Paraeducator, Teacher Prep, Manufacturing Tech and Computer Literacy classes, amongst others.
ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS The Monsky Lodge of B’nai B’rith is pleased to announce the resumption of its award-winning speaker program via ZOOM. Although the Home auditorium remains temporarily closed, we’ll continue presenting an outstanding lineup of thought-provoking keynoters. For specific speaker information and/or to be placed on the email list, please contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com or leave a message at the B’nai B’rith JCC office 402.334.6443.
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HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND PARENTS We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 21, 2021. To be included, fill out the form below with a photo and send it to us or you can email the information and photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 3, 2021. HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR INFORMATION ________________________________________________ Name ________________________________________________ Parent(s)’ Name(s) ________________________________________________ Current High School ________________________________________________ College you plan to attend Send by May 3, 2021 to: The Jewish Press | 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154
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Virtual Scholar-In-Residence: Rabbi Rex Perlmeter CASSANDRA WEISENBURGER Temple Israel Director of Communications Rabbi Rex Perlmeter will be returning (virtually) to Omaha as our resident scholar in January. Rabbi Perlmeter grew up in Omaha and was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1985. He went on to serve as spiritual leader of Temple Israel of Greater Miami and the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. After serving on staff at the Union for Reform Judaism for five years, he has Rabbi Rex Perlmeter gone on to found the Jewish Wellness Center of North Jersey, a practice dedicated to sup-
porting all engaged in “seeking Oneness in body, heart, mind and soul.” In addition to having trained as a Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and a Spiritual Director, he received his Masters of Social Work from New York University in May 2016. Rex also serves at the Central Conference of American Rabbis as Special Advisor for Member Support and Counseling and as an Adjunct Faculty member at HUC-JIR, offering spiritual direction for rabbinic and cantorial students. Teen Discussion: Surviving and Thriving Together: Making our Way through Mindfulness and Mussar on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 6:30-8 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service: 2021/151 - A New Year, A New Decade; What Will We Take and What Will We Leave Behind? on Friday, Jan. 8, 6 p.m. Shabbat Morning Study: Navigating Troubling Times by Cultivating Qualities of the Soul: An Introduction to Mussar Practice on Saturday, Jan. 9, 9:15 a.m. Zoom Links can be found at TempleIsraelOmaha.com.
Irian Jaya: T-Shirts for carvings Homecare isn’t just for seniors. We care for pediatric patients, teens, adults and seniors and those with developmental disabilities of all ages.
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Canoe with prey and 3 men (on separate crocodile carving)
RICH JURO In the 1980s Fran and I sailed on a small expedition ship from Port Moresby, New Guinea, to Indonesia. We had been to Port Moresby, the capital of the nation of Papua New Guinea, a few years earlier. It hadn’t changed much, except it seemed even more run down, and we were told: “For safety, stay by the hotel in the evening, and probably during the day.” The Airways Hotel was next to the airport, and at the time was like a rundown Motel 6. (Now its been demolished and rebuilt as the “World’s Leading Boutique Airport Hotel”.) Luckily, it had a tropical garden to walk around and see the local flora and fauna. We saw several tree kangaroos, which are native to New Guinea and northeastern Australia. They live up to their name, often living in trees with their big tails as stabilizers. The young joeys live in the marsupial pouch for up to nine months. Unfortunately, the tree kangaroos are threatened by loss of habitat, cars, feral dogs and hunting. But the most startling thing in the Airways Hotel garden was a full-size but very rusted DC-3. It had crashed during World War II when the Allies fought jungle warfare with the Japanese. Fran’s Uncle Art had been stationed in New Guinea and had recurring malaria. He advised us: “Don’t go to New Guinea, its a hellhole!” After two days we boarded the expedition ship. It had less than 100 passengers and a staff of naturalists, marine biologists and anthropologists, so we were expecting anything from tribal warfare between Stone Age tribes to Spice Islands exotic cooking. We sailed west from Port Moresby in the Torres Strait, between northern Australia and New Guinea, heading for Thursday Island. Even though the population is Melanesian, like the people of New Guinea, Thursday Island is part of Australia and the residents there want to stay Australian ( for the better standard of living, I assume). That month, Papua New Guinea was trying to annex Thursday Island, and the ship’s captain decided not to become involved in an international incident, so we skipped Thursday Island. The captain said he’d make it up to us. Those of you not geography gurus may be wondering, “Where and what is Irian Jaya?” It’s the western half of the large island of New Guinea, which itself is just north of Australia. Irian Jaya was colonized by the Netherlands as part of the Dutch East Indies, while the eastern half of New Guinea was a territory of both Germany and Britain. When Indonesia achieved independence from the Netherlands after WW II, Irian Jaya was given as a trusteeship to Indonesia. Meanwhile, the eastern half of the island of New Guinea became the separate nation of Papua New Guinea in 1975. Ever since, Papua New Guinea has been trying to get the western half of the island to join it. But Indonesia won’t give Irian Jaya up, valuing it for the minerals. Indonesia even strictly controls the foreign journalists who want to visit the province. Irian Jaya is, to a degree, self-governing, but the indigenous people who live
there would probably join Papua New Guinea if they were allowed to vote on that issue. The island of New Guinea is tropical and mountainous, with the highest peaks reaching 16,500 feet tall. The people of the interior were among the last to be exposed to the “modern” world. The unifying language is Bahasa Indonesian, but there are hundreds of other languages spoken by different tribes. In 1961, the famous scion of the American Rockefeller family, Michael Rockefeller, died in Irian Jaya, reputedly murdered by one of the local tribes. Not wanting to have the same fate as Michael Rockefeller, and also as we were on a ship, our visits to Irian Jaya were limited to the coast. The first stop was a good-sized village. Coming ashore in motorized rubber rafts (Zodiacs), we were greeted cordially by the natives, even though they were attired frighteningly in white paint, elaborate hair ornaments, shells and bones. From the beach, we walked what seemed like a mile on wooden planks to prevent us sinking into the mucky swamp. The locals walked holding our arms to steady us on the wobbly boards. Some of the planks were under water, and some of the boards were missing, so by the time we got to the village our shoes, socks and shins were soaked. We were concerned with leeches, snakes and other nasty critters, but we all survived. At the village, we listened to the local chief welcome us in Bahasa Indonesian. He was very black, as Melanesians are, with black curly hair, bearded, painted extensively, and had a bone hanging from his nose. We didn’t ask if it was a human or an animal bone. We walked around the village, some of us bought trinkets, and spoke of our good luck in being in this fascinating out-of-the-way corner of the world. They served us some cooked foods. We tried to clear our minds of the thought that the cooks were children of headhunters and cannibals. Back on the ship, we sailed up the coast till the captain said: “We had to miss Thursday Island, and now I’m making it up to you. We’re anchoring and taking you into a tiny village that has never before seen Westerners.” A couple of the crew who spoke Bahasa Indonesian took the Zodiac into the little bay. A while later they returned with the local chief. He was painted similarly to the headman of the other village, with white paint and hair ornaments but without the bone. I’ll never forget when he entered the ship portal and was greeted by a gust of the first cold blast of air conditioning he had ever experienced. He got this very shocked expression, and stepped backwards as if meeting an invisible demon. Finally, the crew members coaxed him into the ship despite the strange cold wind. The staff must have reassured him, plus gave him a couple of gifts, as we were cleared to disembark for the shore in the Zodiacs. We landed on a beach. The people were sleeping there at night instead of in the settlement, because the sand was less See Irian jaya page 6
The Jewish Press | January 8, 2021 | 5
Beth El presents: Lazer Lloyd spirit for life stands out in his stories which ROBBY ERLICH were nothing less than inspirational.” Engagement Coordinator, Beth El The upcoming concert, sponsored by the AlOn Sunday Jan. 31 at 1 p.m,. Beth El invites you to join us for an exclusive 90- bert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Founminute winter concert featuring dation, hosted by Beth El, is part of a music singer-songwriter and guitarist Lazer Lloyd series devoted to the continued cultural endirect from his home in Israel via Zoom. Lloyd will bring his unique blend of roots rock, Americana, folk, blues and country to guests at the intimate show featuring songs from Lazer’s acclaimed 2020 release Tomorrow Never Comes, plus his renowned guitar jams, brand new songs, inspirational stories and more. Praise for Lloyd’s singing, songwriting and playing has poured in via social media from fans who have found his music and Lazer Lloyd Credit: Marko Dashev livestream hangouts to be a lifeline during the pandemic. A selection of richment of the Omaha Jewish community. Lazer Lloyd was raised in Connecticut, but the moving comments have been collected on a community fan page at https://tomor makes his home in Israel and performs all over the world. His unique blend of folk, rownevercomes.carrd.co. Lloyd’s face-to-face concerts came to a halt roots rock, country blues and soaring guitar in 2020, but online it is still possible to cap- was influenced by BB King, Bob Dylan, Jimi ture the magic as described by past concert Hendrix, Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, hosts such as Jerry Egherman, former Presi- Neil Young and many others. Everyone is welcome to attend this afterdent of Long Beach Temple Beth Shalom in California, “Our community is still on cloud noon of music, healing and friendship, which nine days after seeing Lazer Lloyd knock is presented at no charge thanks to the Albert their socks off with his blending of the many and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundadifferent styles of American blues. His guitar tion. For more information, visit www.bethelplaying is phenomenal, his singing from the omaha.org or contact Beth El Engagement heart, his homegrown song lyrics still ring in Coordinator Robby Erlich at rerlich@bethelmy mind. Toes were tapping, hands were omaha.org. To access Lazer Lloyd’s music, clapping and smiles were on every face. His visit www.lazerlloyd.com.
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Scholarship opportunity DIANE WALKER Fund & Scholarship Administrator, Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation The Financial Aid Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is pleased to announce a new scholarship opportunity for undergraduate study. This needbased scholarship was created specifically for children of single parent families who worked during high school to contribute economically and emotionally to their families. The donor, who chooses to remain anonymous, feels a kinship to these individuals and has chosen to impact their college experience in a meaningful way. The donor has said, “I would like to create a new up-to $10,000 scholarship award based on need rather than merit.” The up-to $10,000
award may be split in the event two candidates tie. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • Applicant must be from a single parent family. Parent must have been single for at least 12 months. • Applicant must be a Jewish resident of the Omaha metropolitan area. • This scholarship is for undergraduate study only. • Applicant has had a job and has contributed to the family income. This Anonymous College Scholarship Fund will require a separate application and has an earlier application deadline of Feb. 1, 2021. The application is available on the JFO website. Direct any questions to Diane Walker at either 402.334.6551 or dwalker@jewishomaha.org.
The Omaha Community Playhouse to present The Last Five Years The Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) production of The Last Five Years opens Friday, Feb. 26. A captivating, intimate musical that retraces the rise and fall of a five-year romantic relationship. The story is presented in chronological order by Jamie, the man, and in reverse by Cathy, the woman, with the two versions of the story meeting only once—at their wed-
ding in the middle. Profoundly emotional with comedic moments sprinkled throughout, The Last Five Years is beautifully heartbreaking. Tickets are on sale to the public starting on Jan. 12. Tickets may be purchased at the OCP Box Office, located at 6915 Cass Street, by phone at 402.553.0800 or online at Omaha Playhouse.com.
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Irian Jaya
Continued from page 4 infested with the malaria-carrying mosquitoes than the clearing in the tropical forest where their huts were. The locals led us on a sandy path through the rain forest to the tiny village of Pronggo (a better walk than the muddy planks at the last town). There were only two permanent structures in Pronggo: a schoolchurch and a medical clinic. At the one-room school we met the proud schoolmaster. He showed us how the children sat on the ground and learned reading and writing (even though he probably had not more than an 8th grade education himself ). On Sunday the local priest (the schoolmaster?) led the villagers in Christian prayers. Hopefully, they had not prayed for the strangers to be their dinner. The medical building was disappointing. The government had constructed the small wooden shack three years before. Unfortunately, neither a nurse nor medical supplies had ever shown up to staff or stock it. So the villagers had no way of preventing or treating diseases. All over New Guinea wooden carving is practiced. So the people brought out their crafts to show the travelers. They were not fine art, but they were definitely worth carrying home. One of the guides asked in Bahasa Indonesian: “How much is that small carving?” The answer, in Bahasa: “One hundred dollars.” But the seller had no idea what $100 was. Besides, there were no shops within hundreds of miles, so the people couldn’t spend the money, even if they had known what $100 really meant. Fran, always the smart shopper, had brought several T-shirts from the ship. She held out two Tees to the local carver. He grabbed them, and instead of giving Fran the carving, he made sure he gave her two of them, indicating that
two shirts were equal to two carvings. Minutes later, Fran traded her last two shirts for a couple more of the carvings. She gave one to the guide who had translated as a gift. We still have the small carvings today, proudly mounted on the wall. The bigger wood arts and crafts we have from Irian Jaya, including family trees and canoes were bought in a store in Jakarta, Indonesia, and shipped home. From Pronggo, we sailed northwest to the “bird’s head” of Irian Jaya. It is a peninsula shaped, yes, like a bird’s head. There are sand dunes instead of rain forest. We didn’t land at the communities of Fak Fak or Biak, but instead landed on a little grassy dune. There were no people, so after stretching our legs we reboarded our Zodiacs and then the ship. Thence, we sailed to several of the Spice Islands like Banda, Ambon, and Sula, before crossing the Flores Sea and ending our voyage at the famous resort island of Bali. For our farewell dinner, we ate sumptuously, but not each other like the ancestors of the people of Irian Jaya. For 25 other adventures from North Korea to Central African Republic, see our blog: FranAndRichsTravels.com.
Do you know an outstanding Jewish teacher currently teaching K-12 in the Omaha metro area?
$10,000 Sokolof Teacher’s Award
Just write a letter describing this teacher (who has been teaching at least 3 years) and tell us why she/he deserves this special recognition. Encourage others (current or former students, parents, teachers) to do so also. A teacher who was nominated in the past, but not selected, can be nominated again. Only an update is needed.
Send your letter by March 1, 2021 to Diane Walker at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, 333 So. 132nd St., Omaha, NE 68154 or dwalker@jewishomaha.org. Contact her with any questions at 402-334-6551.
The Nebraska Jewish Historical Society (NJHS) requests help from the community in identifying photographs from the archives. Please contact Kathy Weiner at 402.334.6441 or kweiner@jewishomaha.org if you are able to assist in the effort to preserve Jewish Omaha history.
TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS B’nai Mitzvah announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, or by e-mailing: jpress@jewishomaha.org. Readers can also submit other announcements -- births engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at: www.om ahajewishpress.com. Go to Submission Forms. Deadlines are normally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Check the Jewish Press, however, for notices of early deadlines prior to secular and Jewish holidays.
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The Jewish Press | January 8, 2021 | 7
Above: West Omaha, Phoenix and Ponca Hills were all represented during the Grossman Family Zoom Candle Lighting. Clockwise, from top left: Dave and Sarah Grossman-Lopez with daughter Nora; Daniel and Rachel Martin-Grossman; Josh Grossman and Alex and Mary Sue Grossman.
Left: There’s a big smile behind the mask of Beth Israel’s President, Jeff Kirshenbaum, after picking up a “Latkes and Doughnuts” package. Above: Ari Kohen took this picture during the Chanukah lighting with the Omaha Circus Arts in the Beth El parking lot. Pictured is Fire Dancer Falconn.
Above and below: This past December, Friedel reinvented the normal inschool Hanukkah celebration: Each family took home supplies and instructions for an at-home Hanukkah scavenger hunt and shared photos and videos to Seesaw to share with their friends and teachers.
Below: Alex and Abiel Shyken with Beth Israel “Latkes and Doughnuts” packages.
SP O TLIGHT
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.
Above: Margie Gutnik, Nancy Jacobson and Amy Tokos hosted an outdoor, socially-distanced event where they collected signatures to put Sara Kohen on the ballot in this spring’s election for Omaha City Council.
On Friday, Dec. 18, three Rose Blumkin Jewish Home employees got the Jack and Sonia Schrager 2020 Employee of the Year award. In addition to announcing the three winners Chris Ulven, Executive Director, acknowledged how challenging it was to choose three out of the 79 nominees. Clockwise from above: Larry Rawlings, RBJH Transportation Driver (three years of service), Dave Beecham, RBJH Maintenance (10 years of service), and Toni Baxter, LPN in red (12 years of service).
8 | The Jewish Press | January 8, 2021
Voices
The Jewish Press (Founded in 1920)
Abby Kutler President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Michael Ivey Accounting Jewish Press Board Abby Kutler, President; Eric Dunning, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen, David Finkelstein, Candice Friedman, Bracha Goldsweig, Margie Gutnik, Natasha Kraft, Chuck Lucoff, Eric Shapiro, Andy Shefsky, Shoshy Susman and Amy Tipp. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Life, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha. org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha. org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.
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Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.
Israeli Politics 101
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor If you think our recent elections have been (and continue to be) a bit of a hot mess, at least we can find comfort in the fact that eventually it will be over. Win or lose, a President will be inaugurated later this month and we can focus on other things. Try this on for size: Tuesday, Dec. 21, the Knesset dissolved Israel’s Parliament. This means the country will have new elections, again: its fourth in just two years, and the sixth earlier-than-expected in a row. Time to take a closer look at how all this works. Unlike the United States, where we really only have two players on the national stage, Israel has many parties. Until recently, 13 different parties were represented in the Knesset. In addition, there are 36 parties that did not have government seats. In a crowded field, it is very unlikely any single party will hold a 50% majority. That means, when elections are held, some of the bigger players will form a coalition government. You end up with a Cabinet, formed and led by the Prime Minister (usually the top candidate from the party with the most votes is appointed by the President). The advantage of a coalition is more varied seats at the table. There is not one single party ideology that informs policy. The downside is, sometime compromises become too big of a stumbling block. If that happens, the Cabinet can fall. And it does, often. The average lifespan of the Israeli Cabinet is two years. The current President, Reuven Rivlin, has served since 2014. His term will be up this year; the Israeli presidency is term limited, the president signs laws and appoints the Prime Minister, in addition, he or
she endorses the credentials of ambassadors and receives those of foreign diplomats. There is no vice-President; the president is elected by the Knesset, rather than in open elections. You can compare this position to the European royalty, which at this point in time is ceremonial. That means, if such a head of state doesn’t cooperate, the government can displace him- or her.
of Gantz becoming Prime Minister and holding up the budget was a surefire way to avoid it. Now that new elections are coming (supposedly late March) there are a lot of moving parts. Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi left the Blue and White Party, while Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai started a brand-new party, called ‘The Israelis Party.’ The mayor of Eilat joined ‘New Hope,’ the party Gideon Sa’ar formed after leaving Likud. Sa’ar has his eyes on the Prime Minister position; Likud members worry Rivlin might help him get there. And those are just a few of the headlines currently keeping Israel distracted. Of course, all this is happening in the context of a third COVID-19 lockdown. Plus, in addition to not passing the 2020 or 2021 budget, this whole mess comes with a price tag: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the media at the Knesset “The cost of holding Isbuilding in Jerusalem, Dec. 22, 2020. Credit: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90 rael's upcoming election, So, why did the cabinet fall this time? The sim- scheduled for March 23, 2021, is estimated at close plest answer: failure to pass the budget. “A coalition to 500 million NIS ($155.4 million),” Joshua Shuman formed earlier this year by Prime Minister Ben- wrote for the Jerusalem Post. jamin Netanyahu and the centrist Blue and White There are 120 seats in the Knesset. As of this writleader Benny Gantz had been shaky from the start,” ing, the polls tell us Netanyahu’s Likud Party is set Gabe Friedman wrote, “As Netanyahu balked at the to earn 28 or 29 seats (they previously won 36) stipulation that Gantz become prime minister after while New Hope polls at 20 seats. Benny Gantz’s 18 months.” Blue and White is predicted to get five. Stay tuned; Netanyahu wasn’t so enthusiastic about the idea things are getting interesting.
How Pixar’s Soul borrows from an ancient Jewish idea RABBI BENJAMIN RESNICK JTA Pixar’s Soul, released on Friday on Disney+, is a tender balm of a movie about an aspiring jazz musician who dies on the day he gets his big break. Watching Soul, which is set in a richly imagined New York City, as well as in a blissed-out, blue-ish, and minimalist realm of unborn souls, in the final days of 2020 is once elegiac (the riotously crowded New York it depicts sure isn’t there at the moment) and soothing, like applying a poultice to a wound. The New York of our dreams may be in limbo, but there’s still Pixar offering its pastel take on, well, limbo. Soul may not feature the nuanced emotional intelligence of the previous Pixar hit Inside Out, which takes place mostly inside the head of an 11year-old girl, nor the devastating power of the opening minutes of Up, but it is the first to make its central subject a question of metaphysics. The question of metaphysics. Namely, what is the body and what is the soul? For those of us who take Pixar’s metaphysical questions seriously — and as a Jew, a rabbi, the father of young children, and an adult who remembers being wowed by the first Toy Story in the theater, I take these questions very seriously indeed — Soul offers a great deal to think about. Watching it over the weekend with our two boys gave us a most welcome opportunity to talk about some bigticket Jewish questions as well as an occasion to sit back and inhabit a lush world beyond the little realm of our apartment. For a movie about the nature and destiny of the soul, Soul is wisely spare when it comes to explicit religious content. Quite simply, there isn’t any. The abstract beings (all named Jerry or, in one case, Terry) that guide souls in the hereafter and in the Great Before are somewhat godlike, but they certainly don’t seem to be gods. And the subject at hand isn’t why things work as they do, or, really, what the capital-M Meaning of it all is. Instead, the story of Jamie Foxx’s poor Joe Gardner is focused squarely on questions surrounding the nature of his soul’s “spark” (and the spark of one other lost soul,
voiced by Tina Fey) and what that has to do with his body and his path through life. Soul offers a variety of sweetly packaged, life-affirming answers to these big questions, answers that have resonances in a variety of world religious traditions. Certainly, in the Jewish mystical tradition, there is much ado about soul sparks. There are also cognate visions of the Great Before, my
Jamie Foxx voices the main character in Pixar's Soul. Credit: Screen shot from YouTube
personal favorite being the Kabbalistic image of the tree of souls, hung richly with the fruit of future lives, which, when ripe, are blown down to earth by a light wind. This particular image doesn’t appear in Pixar’s version of things, but it is certainly of a piece with the gentle realm where new souls are nurtured before birth. It doesn’t give too much away to tell you that one of the movie’s central messages is that true personhood is rooted in the union of body and soul, that they are both indispensable ingredients of life’s confection. If Joe Gardner’s adventure with an unborn soul named 22 yields any concrete moral, it is that corporeality and spirituality are intimately bound up with one another. Each is incomplete, perhaps woefully so, without the other. And of the many ideas that Pixar gracefully bandies about in Soul, it is this
one that strikes me as the most profoundly Jewish. On this very subject, there is a famous midrash, or ancient rabbinic homily, about a body and soul separated by death and standing before God in judgment. The soul, pleading her case, argues that all of her sinful behaviour was caused by the body’s base desires. The body, not to be outdone, makes the point that without the soul he would have been entirely lifeless and therefore unable to transgress. Accepting their arguments, God puts them back together and punishes them in unison. I have always found this story irresistibly charming (very much like a Pixar movie) not because I am in love with the idea of divine retribution, but rather because, as an embodied soul myself — or, if you like, as a body who happens to be ensouled for the moment — it simply rings true. One of the enduring contributions of the ancient rabbis is their forceful insistence that we are Jews not only because we have Jewish souls (though they did believe that) but also because we have Jewish bodies, the product of Jewish families and pumping with Jewish blood. The human being, in this view, is not a metaphysical construct — as Tina Fey’s character somewhat derisively describes the realm of souls. Nor is the human being only a soft, perishable body. Rather, a human being is a luminous, fragile and ultimately temporary marriage of the two. In Soul, it is only when our heroes discover and inhabit this truth that they both get to where they need to go. In a year in which so many bodies have been ravaged — and in which so many souls have been frayed — you can do a lot worse than sitting back and, for just under two hours, allowing Pixar to offer up some humane and very Jewish answers to some very deep questions. The movie itself is perhaps somewhat slight, given its rather weighty subject matter, and the answers it gives may not knock your socks off. But they just might soothe your soul, and, as we close the book on 2020, I say that’s plenty. I give it three out of four sparks. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
The Jewish Press | January 8, 2021 | 9
As an infant, she was airlifted to safety. Today she’s bringing Ethiopian culture alive in Tel Aviv. LEONI JESNER This article originally appeared on Alma. Born on a roadside during Operation Solomon, which airlifted over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 1991, Ashager Araro’s start to life was far from conventional. Her name, meaning “going forward” in Amharic, is fitting, given the nature of her birth en route from her family’s small village of Gondar in Ethiopia to the capital of Addis Ababa in hopes of rescue. One of approximately 160,000 Ethiopian Jews now residing in Israel, Ashager is part of an integral thread in the Jewish state’s historically rich fabric. Now 29 years old, the ambitious feminist Zionist was named one of Jewish News Syndicate’s top 40 global advocates for Israel online in 2020 and is loud and proud in her mission to unite people from all Jewish backgrounds. Graduating at the top of her class as a lieutenant paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces, much of Ashager’s tenacity springs from time spent in a male-dominated unit. “It was there I learned how to speak up and conduct myself in a confident manner, and I’ve built on this strength in future areas of my life,” she said. During her studies of government, diplomacy and strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, she served as an ambassador at StandWithUs, an American pro-Israel advocacy organization, enlightening global Jewish communities through impactful storytelling. “This opportunity was really a turning point, providing a springboard where I could use my voice to represent my community and fill a gap in the knowledge of Jewish people globally — many of whom remain unaware of Israel’s Ethiopian Jewry,” she said. As a Black Jewish woman, Ashager is no stranger to the bigotry and racism facing millions around the world. “I can hide my Jewish background as an Ethiopian Jew, yet out of respect to my parents and religion, this is something I would never do,” she said. “But the color of my skin is there on the surface, so I can also relate to the discrimination felt by many Black people from all backgrounds.”
However, as an Ethiopian Jew, it runs deeper. “Before escaping to Israel, my parents lived in danger due to their religious beliefs,” Ashager said. “They were referred to as ‘falash’ [‘strangers’ in Amharic] and subjected to tremendous hatred for being Jewish.”
Ashager Araro says, “Owning and narrating our own stories has the power to educate, inspire and fend off discrimination — often born from ignorance.” Credit: Ashager Araro
Although Ethiopian Jews have come a long way integrating into Israeli society, unrest and racism remain pressing issues. Just last year, thousands of Ethiopian Jews gathered in Tel Aviv to vent their frustrations over racism and police brutality in a mass display of unity. Similar to scenes from the recent Black Lives Matter protests that spanned the globe, crowds assembled in anger and anguish to honor 19-year-old Solomon Tekah, an Ethiopian Israeli who was tragically shot dead by Israeli police in the Haifa neighborhood Kiryat Haim. Ashager, coming from a long line of strong women, was spurred into action to protest in the way she knows best — education. Last year she founded Battae, a first-of-its-kind EthiopianIsraeli heritage center located in Tel Aviv’s eccentric south neighborhood. Its humble roots blossomed first as a restaurant, run with Ashager’s aunt and serving traditional Ethiopian cuisine, before fully blooming into an interactive
cultural hub welcoming hundreds of people to soak up the beauty of Ethiopian culture through dance, art and history. “We offer an important leadership-building program for youth, sharing ideas of Zionism through influential characters in Ethiopian-Jewish history,” Ashager said. “It’s incredible to see a shift in perspectives from the simple act of exploring new ideas, and how owning and narrating our own stories has the power to educate, inspire and fend off discrimination — often born from ignorance.” With Jews around the world living in growing fear of antiSemitism — Tel Aviv University’s annual report found an 18% jump in anti-Semitic attacks in 2019 — Ashager also speaks to a sentiment common to many Jews living around the world. “This apprehension is felt among many young Zionist Jews, who feel uneasy to speak openly of their support of Israel,” she said. “I’m a madly optimistic person and I truly believe that if Jews from all walks of life unite as one, we can protect our history and dismantle anti-Semitism one step at a time.” Her message to the next generation of Jewish leaders is clear — follow by example. “If we are bold and proud in owning our truth, then no one else can define it for us,” she said. Moving forward, Ashager will continue her life calling as an educator in Black-Jewish history. “In taking ownership of and defining our own narratives in history, and celebrating our differences, we can give each community space for their stories to grow in an accepting and open Jewish community of Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, Ethiopian Jews and those of all religious connotations,” she said. In doing so, Ashager hopes to shift the perspective of a complex history. “If we can take away one message, it’s this: Never underestimate the power of a story,” she said. Leoni Jesner is an international culture and lifestyle writer for a variety of digital publications. In her spare time, she can be found on the mat teaching Pilates. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
REAL ESTATE
Publishing date | 02.26.21 Space reservation | 02.16.21 Contact our advertising executive to promote your business in this very special edition. SUSAN BERNARD | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org
Synagogues
10 | The Jewish Press | January 8, 2021
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
CHABAD HOUSE
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN
South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us via Zoom on Friday, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m. for evening services with a guest speaker, Dr. Leonard Greenspoon. He will be giving the D’var Torah on his new book, Jewish Bible Translations: Personalities, Passions, Politics, Progress. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. VIRTUAL MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m. and Mondays and Thursdays, 8 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 5:50 p.m. SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m.; BESTT (Grades K7), 10:30 a.m. MONDAY: Jewish Law with Rabbi Abraham, 8 p.m. TUESDAY: Biblical Literacy with Rabbi Abraham, 11:30 a.m.; Virtual Office Hours with Eadie and Amy, 2 p.m.; Building for the Future Town Hall, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Coffee & Conversation with Rabbi Abraham, 2 p.m.; Virtual Tai Chi with Beth Staenberg, 3:30 p.m.; BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:30 p.m.; Dead Sea Scrolls, 6 p.m. with Dr. Rami Arav; Beit Midrash — Judaism & The Glass Ceiling, 6:30 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Virtual Office Hours with Eadie and Amy, 2 p.m.; Pearls of Jewish Prayer with Hazzan Krausman, 7 p.m. FRIDAY-Jan. 15: Shabbat To-Go Pick Up, 10 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY-Jan. 16: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 6 p.m. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
BETH ISRAEL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. Classes, Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah on Zoom, Whatsapp or Facebook Live. On site services held outside in Sukkah, weather permitting. Physical distancing and masks required. FRIDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Candlelighting, 4:55 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha, 5 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:59 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Jewish Law in Depth, 9:45 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. MONDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Min-
cha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. TUESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. THURSDAY: Rosh Chodesh Shevat — Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 6:45 am.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Character Development, 9:30 am. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. FRIDAY-Jan. 15: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Candlelighting, 5:02 p.m. SATURDAY-Jan. 16: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha, 5:10 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:07 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
CHABAD HOUSE Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Due to Coronavirus, all services and classes have moved online. For schedules and more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.org or call the office at 402.330.1800. FRIDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Lechayim, 4:30 p.m. with Rabbi Blotner; Candlelighting, 4:54 p.m. SATURDAY: Minyan, 10 a.m.; Shabbat Ends, 5:59 p.m. SUNDAY: Minyan, 8:30 a.m. MONDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Professor David Cohen. TUESDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Professor David Cohen; Introduction to Hebrew Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Professor David Cohen. THURSDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Advanced Hebrew Class, 11 a.m. with Professor David Cohen; Talmud Study, noon with Rabbi Katzman; Fun with Yiddish, 1 p.m. with Shani Katzman; Kids in the Kitchen, 4 p.m. with Mushka B. and Bubby. FRIDAY-Jan. 15: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Lechayim, 4:30 p.m. with Rabbi Blotner; Candlelighting, 5:02 p.m. SATURDAY-Jan. 16: Minyan, 10 a.m.; Shabbat Ends, 6:06 p.m.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL
Delserone & Peter Mullin, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex via Zoom; Torah Study on Parashat Shermot, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:01 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan-Gesher, 10 a.m. via Zoom; Adult Ed: Intro to Judaism Class, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom; Tifereth Israel Board Meeting, 1 p.m. MONDAY: Makers of Jewish Things, 7 p.m. via Zoom. TUESDAY: Synagogue Staff Meeting, 10 a.m.; Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Grades 3-7, 4:30 p.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY-Jan. 15: Candlelighting, 5:04 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Nathaniel & Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. SATURDAY-Jan. 16: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex via Zoom; Torah Study on Parashat Vaera, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:08 p.m.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE All services canceled until further notice.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is currently closed to visitors.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander. DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. FRIDAY: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. with Rex Perlmeter: 2021/151 - A New Year, A New Decade; What Will We Take and What Will We Leave Behind? SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. Navigating Troubling Times by Cultivating Qualities of the Soul: An Introduction to Mussar Practice. SUNDAY: 2nd Sunday Breakfast Service, 8:30 a.m. at Stephen Center; Youth Learning Programs for Grades K-6, 10 a.m.; Temple Tots Sunday, 10 a.m.; Temple Israel Book Club, 10:30 a.m. MONDAY: Jewish Law & the Quest for Meaning, 11 a.m. TUESDAY: Rosh Chodesh Event: Let’s Get Creative, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Youth Learning Programs: Grades 36, 4-6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6-8 p.m.; Community Beit Midrash: Judaism & the Glass Ceiling, 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Discussion, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel. FRIDAY-Jan. 15: Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Shabbat Service: Celebrating Temple Israel’s 150th Anniversary: The Evolution of Reform Judaism, 6 p.m. SATURDAYJan. 16: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. Bat Mitzvah of Fiona Eide. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
Virtual services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. FRIDAY: Candlelighting, 4:56 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Leslie
Jonathan Pollard arrives in Israel 35 years after arrest CNAAN LIPSHIZ JTA Some 35 years after his arrest for spying for Israel, Jonathan Pollard arrived in the country with the intention of staying there. Pollard and his wife Esther arrived on a private plane provided by American billionaire Sheldon Adelson and were greeted at the airport by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Jerusalem Post reported. The Pollards kissed the ground upon arrival. A former civilian analyst for the Navy, Pollard was arrested in 1985 outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C, where he tried to obtain asylum as counterintelligence agents were closing in on him for spying. The embassy turned Pollard and his then wife Anne away. Pollard pleaded guilty to passing classified information and was sentenced to life in prison — the only American ever given that sentence for spying for an ally. Pollard was paroled in 2015. In November, parole
restrictions that had restricted his movements of this country or this leader than we are. This is a wonderful country. It has a tremendous future. It is were lifted. Netanyahu said two prayers with the Pollards: Shehecheyanu, the blessing traditionally recited to mark special occasions, and matir asurim, a blessing praising God as the liberator of captives. “Now you can begin your lives anew in freedom and happiness,” Netanyahu said. “Now you are home.” “We are ecstatic to be home at last after 35 years and we thank Jonathan Pollard, right, bumps elbows with Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion the people and the Airport, Israel on Dec. 30, 2020. Credit: GPO Prime Minister of Israel for bringing us home,” Pol- the future of the Jewish people and we’re not going lard said at the airport. “No one could be prouder anywhere.”
Life cycles IN MEMORIAM HELEN F. (KAPLAN) ABRAHAMSON Helen F. (Kaplan) Abrahamson passed away on Dec. 28, 2020 at age 89. Private services were held. She was preceded in death by parents, David Kaplan and Jean Soshnik; brother, John Kaplan; husband, Harold M. Abrahamson; son, Bruce H. Abrahamson, and Carolyn Kaplan. She is survived by sister-in-law, Betty Kaplan, William Kaplan; sisters and brothers-in-law, Kathy and Mark Mann and Mary Jane and Greg Marusich; son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Linda Abrahamson, daughter-in-law, Gaylene Abrahamson, and daughter and son-in-law, Ellene and Stan Edelstein; grandchildren: Amy and Chris Roseland, Julie and John Kestner, Kris and Andrea Abrahamson, Danielle and Scott Bahl, Sarah and David Palay, Sam and Brittany Edelstein, and Julia Edelstein; 12 greatgrandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, Nebraska Humane Society, or the organization of your choice. DR. BENNETT C. FISHBAIN Dr. Bennett C. Fishbain passed away on Dec. 17 in Highland Park, Illinois. A private family funeral was held on Dec. 18. He is survived by his wife, Zena G. (Gorelick) Fishbain; daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Allen Chandler, son and daughter-in-law, Kenneth Fishbain and Nancy Grossman, and daughter, Susan Levin; grandchildren: Jennifer McKeag, Daniel Chandler and Sara Borodin, Kevin Fishbain and Annie Friedler, Maggie Grossman, Ashley Levin, Chelsea Levin and Michael Levin; greatgrandchildren: Rachel, Katherine, Jacob, Sam, Ben and Nathan. Memorials may be made to Moriah Congregation, 200 Taub Dr., Deerfield, IL 60015, www.moriahcong.org/wordpress/donate-2 or Cradles to Crayons, 4141 W. George Street, Chicago, IL 60641, www.cradlestocrayons.org/donate-now/. MALWINA (TIEFENBRUNNER) MOSES Malwina (Tiefenbrunner) Moses of Columbia, MD, passed away on Dec. 25, 2020 at the age of 92. Services in Nebraska were private. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Salomon Moses; sister and brother-in-law, Lila and Leon Brand; and parents, Herman and Rozalia Tiefenbrunner. She is survived by her loving children: daughter and son-in-law, Sara and Dr. Michael Baum and daughter and son-in-law, Betty and Andrew Golub; grandchildren: Aaron and Tracy Baum, Sonia Baum Tipp and Alan Tipp, and Corey Baum; great-grandchildren: Adria Tipp, Asher Tipp, Magnolia Baum, and Hendrix Baum. She was born in Wadowice, Poland. Malwina (Maly) Moses came to the US in 1956 after surviving a Siberian labor camp as a child with her sister and parents from 1939 to 1943. After being released from the camp, her family lived out the remaining war years in Uzbekistan. Once the war ended, she returned with her family to Poland to finish her education. In Poland, she met the man that she would later marry, Salomon Moses, a survivor of the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. Together they led an extraordinary life; they immigrated to Israel in 1950, then finally settled with her parents and sister in Omaha, Nebraska where she raised her family and worked as a dental laboratory technician for over 30 years. Maly moved to Columbia, MD, in 1990, three years after her devoted husband, Salomon, passed away, to join her older daughter’s family, and never sat idly. She worked part-time at Howard Community College for 22 years, teaching Polish language classes in the community and speaking to students about her wartime experiences. She was expert in needlepoint, crochet, and knitting but most of all, she loved being with her family. Her strength, love and compassion will be missed by her family and friends. She was truly a woman of valor and a survivor! May her memory be a blessing. Memorials may be made in her memory to the US Holocaust Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Pl SW, Washington, DC 20024, or Jewish National Fund, 2 Reservoir Cir STE 203, Baltimore, MD 21208. LEV SHEKTMAN Lev Shekhtman passed away on Dec. 25, 2020. A private graveside service was held on Dec. 27, 2020 at Beth El Cemetery and officiated by Rabbi Steven Abraham. Due to current circumstances, Lev’s celebration of life with family and friends will take place in 2021 with announcement to follow. He was preceded in death by parents, Samuel and Gita Shekhtman and brother Oleg. He is survived by wife, Elizabeth May; son and daughter-inlaw, Michael and Regina; son, Alex; grandsons: Oliver and Jasper; brother, Dimenty with his family in Israel; first cousin, Yefim Aronin in Belarus; sister-in-law and her husband, Lyudmila and Yefim; cousins, nieces and nephews around the world. Lev was a professional musician, always full of love and happiness, which he projected by playing bayan (button accordion). He was the life of every gathering and always the first to help someone in need. His never-ending love for family and music will always be remembered by those around him. Memorials may be made by reaching out to his immediate family.
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BIRTH MORRIS MARTIN HANDLEMAN Grace and Tom Handleman of Omaha, announce the Oct. 6, 2020 birth of their son, Morris Martin. He is named for his great-grandfather, Morris Handleman. He has a sister, Frankie Eileen. Grandparents are Maureen and Allan Handleman of Omaha, and Terrie and Tony Martin of Omaha.
ENGAGEMENT GABRIEL/JUSTMAN Jeannette Gabriel and Ben Justman announce their engagement. The bride-to-be graduated with a BA from University of Wisconsin-Madison; an MA from Rutgers University, and a PhD from University of Iowa. She is the director at the Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies at the University of NebraskaOmaha. Her fiancé earned his BA in History from Central College in Pella, Iowa, and an MA in History from Western Illinois University. He is the executive director of the Sarpy County Museum. A wedding is planned for Sept. 5, 2021 at the Scottish Rite Masonic Hall in Omaha.
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The Jewish Press | January 8, 2021 | 11
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INVITATION FOR Bids. The Clay County Board of Supervisors will accept sealed bids until February 23, 2021, in the office of the Clay County Clerk, Clay County Courthouse, 111 West Fairfield Street, Clay Center, NE 68933. The bids will be opened on March 16, 2021, during the regularly scheduled board meeting. Bids will be for complete inspection and restoration of exterior of courthouse and may include some interior work. Bidders are encouraged to arrange an on site inspection. The county reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Please mark envelopes according to enclosed bid. Please contact Mike Carroll at 402-762-5329 for more information.
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12 | The Jewish Press | January 8, 2021
2021 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN
BECAUSE OF YOU, WE ARE ABLE TO... EDUCATE&ENGAGE CARE INVEST Your support helps the organizations whose values and traditions are vital to Omaha’s Jewish life
Our community THANKS YOU for your generous gift to the 2021 Annual Campaign. RAISED TO DATE:
$2,908,684
GOAL:
$3.4M # OF DONORS: 817
It's not too late, please join us.
Donor list as of Dec. 29, 2020. A final acknowledgment ad will follow at the close of the 2021 Annual Campaign. Every effort was made to ensure accuracy. We apologize if your name was incorrectly printed or inadvertently omitted. Anonymous (53) Linda Abrahamson Mark Abrahamson Mike Abramson Sheri Abramson Roberta Ackerson Robert Adler Michele Aizenberg Paula and Larry Albert Vicki Allely Doris and Harry Alloy Sophie Ambrose Shervin Ansari Avner and Tali Applbaum Patricia Aresty Phyllis Aronson Brett Atlas Stacey Atlas Aryeh Azriel Betsy Baker Judy Baker Baker Family Shelly and Arnie Ban Bruce Baron Jill Baron Ellie Batt Matthew and Deborah Baum Jennie and David Beckman Bruce Belgrade Robert Belgrade Stephanie Beneda Jodi Benenson Roberta Benson Ida Berman-Cohoon and Mary Berman Beth Bernstein Joan Bernstein Mary and Thomas Bernstein Terrance Bernstein Susan and Jake Besser Mary Wampler and Philip Bierman Marvin Bittner Denise Blake Joann Blatt Michael Blatt Jacob Bleicher Joel Bleicher Jon and Helen Bleicher Sandy Bleicher Albert Bloch Carol Bloch Steven Bloch Chris L. Blumkin Chris M. Blumkin Frances Blumkin Irvin Blumkin Matthew Blumkin Ronald Blumkin Susan Blumkin Esther Bogdanoff Paula Boggust Richard Bonness Howard Borden Lene Larson and Quint Bowsman Barb and Steve Brehmer Marge and Jim Bresel Susan Brezack Kelly Broder Bruce Brodkey Peter Brodkey Sharon Brodkey Sherman and Sandy Brodkey Miriam Brooks Spencer Brookstein Michelle Bucher Elaine and Sam Bukenholts Scott Burger Helen and John Burns Molline Cassman Dina Cisler
Eileen and Edwin Clignett Alan Cohen Anne Cohen Arlene and Paul Cohen David Cohen Karen Cohen Marc Cohen Marlene Cohen Michael Cohen Rebecca and Howard Cohen Stephanie Cohen Toba Cohen-Dunning Babe Cohn Edward Cohn Linda Cohn Shane and Jessica Cohn Susan Cohn Danny Cohn and Andrew Miller Sandra Cole Maggie Conti Lisa Cooper Susan and Jeff Cooper Abigail Coren Fran and Mickey Coren Donald and Marlene Dandy Janey Dann Hanna and Larry DeBruin Karen and Manuel Delgadillo Tiffany Denenberg Pam and Dennis DePorte Vera Dobin Jared and Tamara Draeger Esta and Grigoriy Dubov Stan Edelstein Janice Egermayer Lewis and Teresa Eirinberg Penny Endelman Janie Ensor Alex and Lindsay Epstein Helen and Arnold Epstein Howard Epstein Jason Epstein Laurie Epstein Lisa Epstein Melvin Epstein Sandy Epstein Sharon Epstein Epstein Family Robby Erlich Joseph Erman Michael Erman James Farber Judith Feigin Pam and Ron Feldman Darlynn Fellman Richard Fellman Thomas Fellman Annette and Cantor Leo Fettman Paul Fine Glen and Hollie Fineman Carrie Fingold Joel Finkel Lois Finkel David Finkle Doug and Debbie Finnicum Jan Fischer Linda Fischer Jane Fishkin Claire Flatowicz Paulette Flatowicz Pierre Flatowicz John Freeman Robert Freeman Robyn Freeman Frances Fried Jamie Friedland Nancy Friedland Ted Friedland Bruce Friedlander Jimmy Friedlander
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