January 12, 2024

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Friends of Beth Israel supporting Israel A break from your break Page 2

JBL welcomes Joe Wees JAY KATELMAN JFO Director of Community Development On Jan. 26, 2024, from 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. we invite you to the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue at the Staenberg Omaha Jewish Community Center.

Our speaker that morning will be Joe Wees. Joe is the Executive Vice President of Creative Advertising at Universal Pictures.

Joe Wees has over 16 years of experience driving innovative film

Hanukkah shone bright for Omaha’s young professionals Page 6

Jack Cohen, left, Shilo Abramovich, Rabbi Ari, Abi Shyken, Alex Shyken

Citing risk to Elie Wiesel’s Night, Iowa judge blocks key parts of state book ban law Page 12

MARY SUE GROSSMAN ithin one week of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, the members and friends of Beth Israel Synagogue were encouraged to make donations to Beth Israel’s Rabbi Discretionary Fund to provide support to friends and organizations in Israel.

As is well known in Omaha’s Jewish community, people immediately stepped up to help and by Dec. 1, over $64,000 had been donated.

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Through Rabbi Ari Dembitzer’s knowledge of and contacts in Israel, he identified specific avenues to which to immediately direct funding. In short order, donations were sent to Chaiyanu, the Israeli branch of Chai Lifeline, which used the funding to provide support for families displaced due to rockets along the border towns of Gaza and in northern Israel. Funding was also provided to soldiers and their families. Donations also went to Masbia that provides food See Friends of Beth Israel page 3

Clean Speech Nebraska is back!

REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles

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PAM MONSKY JCRC Assistant Director Clean Speech Nebraska, a community-wide, month- long campaign to clean up our conversations, one word at a time, is back for a second year!

By encouraging mindfulness and personal awareness, we can create a more peaceful and respectful world, where our communities are united and connected.

Presented by the Jewish Community Relation Council ( JCRC) Clean Speech Nebraska will return in

February 2024 with thirty days of short videos and a workbook focused on being mindful of how we speak to

watch or read. There are also weekly challenges to try out, and inspiring memes, too. Workbooks for Clean

each other inspired by Jewish values.

Just as Jewish tradition offers guidelines for respectful, community-oriented speech, Clean Speech Nebraska encourages people of all faiths to cleanse their speech and be more mindful of the language they use. This year, the theme for Clean Speech Nebraska is Onat Devorim, which refers to hurtful words.

There is no cost to participate. Between Feb. 1, 2024 and March 1, 2024, you’ll receive a daily lesson to

Speech Nebraska year two will be inserted into the Jan. 26 issue of the Jewish Press and at the Staenberg JCC. Why participate? Just about anyone who develops a greater awareness of the way they communicate with others will enjoy smoother, more pleasant interactions and relationships. It’s just no fun to live in a nasty, back-biting world filled with careless speech that causes us all discomfort and pain. This will help!

See Clean Speech Nebraska page 3

Joe Wees

campaigns. A personal accomplishment is reviving the original scream queen, Jamie Lee Curtis, in the latest Halloween trilogy. To top it off, he’s been helping oversee Illumination campaigns for over a decade, having just completed The Super Mario Bros. and The Minions: The Rise of Gru campaigns. You can find Joe in his spare time with his two boys, Sam and James, creating lasting memories while trying to not get in too much trouble for doing what boys do best... destroying stuff.

“It’s a tremendous honor for Jewish Business Leaders to welcome back Omaha native Joseph Wees to our community,” Alex Epstein said.

“Joe has gone on to work on high profile films we are all familiarwith and it’ll be fascinating to hear about the ins and outs of the entertainment industry. Joe has made Omaha proud and we are very grateful for him to come share his story.”

An initiative of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, JBL strives to bring Omaha’s Jewish businesses together to highlight the entrepreneurs, founders and change makers in our community while creating opportunities to connect, teach and leverage relationships to build a stronger Jewish Omaha.

As always, we would like to thank our Platinum Sponsors: Bridges Trust, OMNE Partners, Valmont, and Jet Linx Omaha. We would also like to thank our Event Sponsors: Alex Epstein and CFO Systems, See Joe Wees page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024

News

Mika’s first Shabbat Afterparty

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A break from your break

MARK KELLN Beth El Education Director I am sure this can be a common sentiment this time of year. Several of us may find ourselves home from school, work, and other commitments for an extended period. Maybe we need a break from that break. Well, our students at Beth El were able to take advantage of just such a break.

A large group of kindergarten through 8th grade students, with help from some high school and college assistants, gathered during their winter breaks from school for a Winter Break Special at Beth El. They certainly made the most of their day. With help from Beth El staff, participants completed art projects, participated in a video podcast, played games, watched movies, baked challah, made their own custom grilled-cheese sandwiches, enjoyed fancy hot cocoa, and competed tirelessly in hours of gaga. It was a remarkably successful day that made many of us want to schedule another one soon!

There were a couple of key takeaways from the success of this event. One is how amazing our young people are. It was great to see them laugh, play, create and compete in such a positive and respectful manner. When given the

opportunity to, they showed that they can problem solve with one another. It was great to be able to allow them choices of activities and be able to trust them to move between activities and spaces safely and respectfully.

The second takeaway is that our kids want to be here... at synagogue! As an educator and someone who works with kids, there are many ways to measure success. I cannot think of many measures, however, as pro-

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found as the measure of how much your kids want to be at your programs. If this is how we measure success, we are doing something right. The culture created by our families, kids, teen leaders, and community is welcoming, safe, comfortable, and joyful. This is true for kids in a wide age-range with an even wider range of interests.

They all come to be together and to support one another.

Parent Ali Sherman commented, “My boys came home with such big smiles!”

This sentiment was repeated by parent Abby Kutler who said, “The boys had so much fun.

Thanks for having this school break special.”

The delicious challah that made its way home certainly didn’t hurt. “The challah they made today was amazing,” according to another parent, Susan Long. Special thank you to Andrea Erlich for helping us make sure we had that important piece of our day on point!

If you have any questions about kids programming at Beth El, please contact me at mkelln@bethel-omaha.org. And be sure to save the date for our next “Break from your Break”, which will take place on Thursday, April 25 during Passover/Spring Break.

JAY KATELMAN JFO Director of Community Development Join me, Mika Mizrahi, the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Shlicha, as I host my first Young Adults Event called the Shabbat Afterparty (Sitting of Happiness)! The Shabbat Afterparty will be held at the Clubhouse at Broadmoor at Aksarben Village (2225 S 64th Plz, Omaha, NE 68106), on Jan. 20. The event will begin at 7 p.m. and will conclude around 10 p.m. The event is free for all to attend. Light snacks, alcohol, and board games will be provided. I want to gather young adults who I haven’t met yet, and those that I have for a night of fun and games (literally). It’s a chance to meet one another and have a wonderful game night.

If there is a game you like, bring it. Also, bring a friend. This is an open invitation, and I can’t wait to see you.

Joe Wees Continued from page 1 LLC. If you have any questions, please contact Jay Katelman at jkatelman@jewish omaha.org, or call 402.334.6461. Please register for the event using this link: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/ form/0V68Ng?vid=12zoxz.

See full digital issues: omahajewishpress.com/eedition

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS ADVERTISE IN THE JEWISH PRESS Reach the Jewish communities in Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs and surrounding areas.

Contact Howard Kutler 402.334.6559 | hkutler@jewishomaha.org

The Jewish Press

The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024 | 3

Friends of Beth Israel from the sites, he stated “I needed to be a witness to what hapContinued from page 1 to those in need, in a discreet and dignified matter, and to pened there. It is chilling to realize I was undertaking the same Lehosheet Yad which focuses on supporting and assisting act as the liberators did during World War II.” children with cancer and complex disabilities. Donations enPerhaps the most amazing experience of the trip was a barabled the purchase of first aid tactical packs for Magen David Adom and lifesaving bulletproof vests for soldiers fighting Hezbolla terrorists on the northern border of Israel, plus protective equipment for Moshav Ma’on were provided.

Additionally, within the first two weeks, festivities were held for evacuated children and IDF soldiers.

On a more personal level, Shabbat gift baskets were proAbove left: Rabbi Yoni Dreyer and Rabbi Ari; center: Shiran Dreyer with two boys; right: Rabbi vided to Beth Israel’s past Shlomo Abramovich and Rabbi Ari; and below: Rabbi Ari, Amichai Schindler and his mother. shaliach families, including Rabbi Shlomo & Hodaya Abramovich, Rabbi Yoni & Shiran Dreyer, and Moshe & Hadar Nachman. Helmets were purchased for four different IDF units including Rabbi Yoni and Rabbi Shlomo’s units plus the unit of Rabbi Eitan Ziv, who is a teacher at Friedel Jewish Academy plus Dor Cohen’s unit. Bullet proof vests were purchased for IDF reserve units. Support was also provided to the Labban family who survived the October 7 attack, saving their nine-day-old son from deadly smoke inhalation by holding him up by the single window in their shelter.

Wanting to do even more, Rabbi Ari made the decision to travel to Israel, leaving on Dec. 24 and returning to Omaha on Dec. 27. The trip began by becue for 100-150 IDF soldiers, sponsored by the donations meeting with Amichai Schindler and his family. Amichai was made to Beth Israel. In addition to the incredible food, singing, a true hero on Oct. 7, putting himself at great risk to save his laughter, and ruach, Rabbi Ari had a surprise visit from Rabbi family. Living in Kibbutz Kerem Shalom, less than 100 meters Yoni who came from Khan Unis in Gaza where he is stationed from the southern tip of Gaza, terrorists tried to blast their with his infantry unit. In a quick video, Rabbi Yoni expressed way into the family’s safe room. Amichai blocked the door his deep thanks for the support from the Omaha community, with his body and was critically injured by the blast. He lost saying, “You are amazing.” his right forearm and several fingers and was in intensive care “The two-and-half-a-days I spent in Israel was so impactful for several days. His survival has been described as a miracle. and gave me such strength,” stated Rabbi Ari. “My takeaway “Meeting Amichi was my first stop, and I gained such strength was the tremendous pride coupled with tremendous sorrow from him” shared Rabbi Ari. “He has had a continual stream that I encountered from soldiers and citizens alike. Their beof visitors and speaks eloquently of how the Jewish people lief in Israel is immeasurable, and I am deeply thankful I was support one another from all over the world.” Rabbi Ari also able to make the trip. As I shared repeatedly with the soldiers, visited several IDF soldiers who had been injured in the fight- the Jewish community in Omaha, Nebraska is tremendously ing. supportive and has such a deep love of Israel. I am so thankful Rabbi Ari’s whirlwind trip continued, connecting with Rabbi to the many who have provided the financial means by which Shlomo, who is stationed with his tank unit in northern Israel, we are able to help our brothers and sisters. Am Yisrael Chai!” which encounters daily contacts with Hezbollah. He also took Rabbi Ari reminds everyone that as the war continues, Israel gifts to Shiran Dreyer and family, having the opportunity to will continue to need support not only financially but through pass on a multitude of good wishes from the Beth Israel family. the daily reciting of Tehillim, personal prayers, educating oneAdditionally, he saw Omaha students, Abi and Alex Shyken self, and speaking out against misinformation. Everyone is enand Jack Cohen plus Shilo Abramovich. couraged to contact Rabbi Ari or Rabbi Geiger at Beth Israel Rabbi Ari’s most difficult day was visiting the site of the mas- – 402.556.6288 - for additional information and for information sacres at Kibbutz Beeri and the Nova Festival. Sharing pictures on how to make donations to the Rabbi Discretionary Fund.

Trade scholarships available for the 2023-24 academic year An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school and/or cosmetology school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2023-24 academic year.

Not every student who advances into higher education signs up for a four-year curriculum. Some high school graduates seek job training that lasts a year or two and then places them in the workforce. Such opportunities include,

but are not restricted to: Information Technology, Construction, Industrial, Transportation and Horticulture. It is not too late to apply for this upcoming school year!

Qualified students who have unmet needs regarding tuition for either a two-year trade school program or a trade certificate program can contact the Jewish Press at avande kamp@jewishomaha.org or jpress@jewishomaha.org for more information.

Clean Speech Nebraska Continued from page 1 Scan the QR code to sign up for Clean Speech Nebraska!

Clean Speech Nebraska 2024 is sponsored in part by the Jule M. Newman Memorial Anti-Bigotry Fund.

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is dedicated to working in common cause to enhance cooperation with other religious, racial, ethnic, and civic groups to foster a just, democratic

and pluralistic society as well as promote the security of Israel and Jews everywhere.

Guided by Jewish values, the JCRC is a nonpartisan agency that advocates, educates, collaborates, and mobilizes action on issues important to the Jewish Community and the greater community.

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4 | The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024

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The Jewish Press

A Tel Aviv exhibit recreates the Nova massacre site in exacting detail, with healing as an aim

to survivors and others is up for debate. For some, being imELIYAHU FREEDMAN mersed in the sights and sounds of that day could trigger postTEL AVIV | JTA Daniel Ozeri found himself returning to the worst moments traumatic anxiety. But there is also evidence from research of his life on a recent Sunday — not inside his own mind, but that exposure to the scene of trauma can be useful in postinside a Tel Aviv convention center. traumatic counseling and recovery.

Ozeri was in Expo Tel Aviv, a sprawling complex in the city’s A psychiatrist who treated Nova survivors in the first few north where the Nova music festival — which ended when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7 — has been recreated in exacting detail.

At least 364 party-goers were murdered and 40 taken hostage at the festival on Kibbutz Re’im, which quickly became a powerful symbol of Israel’s loss. Ozeri, like so many others, spent hours running away with “bullets flying over your head,” losing his jewelry as he scrambled in a forested area near the festival site.

He said visiting the exhibit Israelis visit an exhibition of objects collected from the Nova Party Massacre in Tel Aviv, Dec. — with its incinerated cars, 28, 2023. Credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90 bullet-ridden portable toilets and piles of personal items — weeks after the tragedy told JTA that each individual response was not easy but felt essential. to trauma is different and for some the exhibit can be healing.

“It really brings me back there and the horrific pain of that On the national level, the psychiatrist, who asked to remain moment, but we have to return there to memorialize what hap- anonymous, believes that there is immense power in the Nova pened and remember our friends who were killed there,” Ozeri community being empowered to take control of their narrasaid. Leaving the exhibit for some fresh air, Ozeri recalls in de- tive in such a public forum. tail how he and his best friend escaped the festival grounds and Nova festival producer Nimrod Arnin, who lost his sister in survived, while some of his close friends and countless others the 10/7 attack, said that they are “taking effort to explain to with familiar faces from years of trance parties did not. survivors who are coming off the intensity of the experience It’s a somber experience that the organizers of the “6:29” ex- and that there are some who are choosing not to attend the hibition — named for the moment the trance music stopped exhibit.” that morning as the sirens of incoming rockets blared — hope And while he explains that the event is “intended for the Isis being repeated often during its limited run. raeli public to elevate consciousness and raise funds… except “The whole idea of the memorial here is to actualize what was for the exact reenactment of the site, there are no aggressive at the event and where it stopped,” said Sarel Botavia, 26, one noises of explosions or gunfire or displays of blood.” Organizof the Nova festival producers who helped design the exhibit. ers discourage children from attending.

“The exhibit expresses the distance between the love we are tryVisitors enter the darkly lit indoor hall and proceed into the ing to express and the hatred and massacre that occurred there.” “camping area,” with tents and other gear strewn across the The exhibit, which charges a minimum donation of NIS 50, floor and a game of backgammon in progress, as many fled or roughly $13.75, to enter, is a fundraiser for the Nova com- the scene without time to assemble their belongings. Past the munity’s continued healing expenses and long-term vision. It rows of tents lies the bathroom and parking area where the aims to ensure that their legacy is not merely one of tragedy, most gruesome evidence of the Hamas slaughter on site is but of rebirth and survival. found: a yellow portable toilet with 11 bullet holes and deIt comes amid both a wave of initiatives to support Nova stroyed cars that were towed from the festival site are stacked survivors, including a therapeutic retreat in central Israel, as on top of each other, burnt beyond recognition. well as mounting concerns about whether they are getting all In the center of the reconstructed dance floor, shrouded by the help they desperately need. the colorful festival shade, a somber visual projection shows Families from the festival community, who lack the geo- angels rising on loop, representing the young lives tragically graphic bonds of the kibbutzes attacked on Oct. 7, recently taken. On the periphery are sections dedicated to artistic tribformed an association to argue that their needs were being utes where visitors wrote hundreds of handwritten notes such neglected. Initially, the government provided some cash and as “Liron: you are in our hearts forever.” psychological assistance for survivors and victims of the Nova An area with personal belongings is both an exhibit and an and Psyduck festivals, but much of the healing expenses since actual lost-and-found. have relied on civilian support. Anger has also poured out “We brought the gear here for people to see and search for,” within the Nova community over reports indicating that army explained volunteer Yael Finkelstein, who said there are two intelligence in the early morning of Oct. 7 regarding an immi- kinds of people collecting. ”There are those who were at the nent invasion could have been used to evacuate the festival party and survived and also families whose children were hours before the onslaught began. murdered looking through — there are people who want to Against that backdrop, the exhibit and other efforts focused throw out the gear and others who really hold onto each item.” on the Nova massacre aim to make true a slogan that has been Ozeri combed through the items but said he had little hope adopted by what is now being called the “Tribe of Nova”: “We of finding his own lost things. Still, he said, he was taking away will dance again.” from the exhibit a small reminder of the “true freedom and The message has sounded from the earliest days after Oct. happiness” that trance parties bring — one that he vowed 7, as members of the trance music community vowed not to would be valuable one day in the future. let the attack by Hamas dampen their spirits forever. It has re“We are not ready to dance again. It is not the appropriate cently gotten powerful boosts from survivors, including one time as we are still mourning all our friends and those who who made a dance video from her wheelchair with social we don’t know where they are,” he said. “There are things media influencer Montana Tucker. Mia Shem, a 26-year-old much more important than dancing now, but the time will who had been abducted from the site and injured, unveiled a come when all the captives are returned and we will win by tattoo of the slogan after being freed. dancing. And many people who have no relationship with Whether walking through a detailed reenactment is helpful trance festivals will join to commemorate our friends. If we

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The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024 | 5

Rabbi Geiger’s Weekly Torah Expedition PARASHA BO My wife and I started our marriage living in a cozy apartment in Jerusalem. When we decided to move to Phoenix for my first position the most important detail to work out was finding ourselves an apartment.

We checked the listings every day, and about three months before the move, the perfect place went up! It was a nice RABBI three bedroom condo right next door MORDECHAI to the synagogue. We reached out to GEIGER the agent the very day it went up, but Beth Israel we were too late. It was already under contract. Needless to say, we were very disappointed. But then a month later the agent called us. The original contract fell through, were we still interested? So not only did we end up with the apartment, we saved ourselves two months rent!

In Parshas Bo we are given our first mitzvah as a nation.

To base our calendar off the cycles of the moon (Exodus 122). This is a beautiful mitzvah, but what is so unique about it that it is the first? The medrish explains that the moon is a symbolism for the Jewish nation itself. There will be times when we wane, but we have faith that we will wax again!

We all have stories like the Phoenix apartment. We must draw on them in the dark times, and remember that the good times are ahead. No one can say for certain how things will play out for us all in these troubled times. But we know one thing for certain, we will shine bright again.

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Hit musical Beetlejuice is coming to the Orpheum Theater

The national tour of Beetlejuice comes to Omaha’s Orpheum Theater for a one-week run, Jan. 30-Feb. 4, 2024.

Tickets start at $40 and are available now by visiting ticketomaha.com, calling 402-3450606 or visiting the Ticket Omaha Box Office inside the Holland Center at 1200 Douglas Street.

Based on Tim Burton’s dearly beloved film, this hilarious musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. With an irreverent book, an astonishing set and a score that’s out of this NetherJustin Collette (Beetlejuice) Credit: Matthew Murphy, 2022 world, Beetlejuice is “SCREAMINGLY GOOD FUN!” (Variety). And under its uproarious streams in the United States and 760 million streams globally. surface (six feet under, to be exact), it’s a remarkably touching It reached the list of top 10 most streamed original Broadway show about family, love and making the most of every Day-O! cast recordings of the previous decade. The show’s songs have Beetlejuice opened at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre on placed in Spotify’s “Viral 50” charts in 13 different countries.

Thursday, April 25, 2019. It won the Drama Desk Award and In addition, Say My Name, one of the show’s breakout showOuter Critics Circle Award for scenic design and was nomi- stoppers, was chosen as Amazon’s “Alexa Song of the Day” in 2019. The incredible growth is partly a result of user-generated nated for eight Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Beetlejuice’s Tony Awards performance went on to be the content on TikTok, where songs from the album have been most watched musical number from the broadcast with over used in over one million videos.

Beetlejuice is part of O-pa’s 23/24 Broadway Series sponsored 3,921,530 views. Beetlejuice became a sensation with fans everywhere including on TikTok, which led to an additional by CHI Health. burst of ticket sales from a new audience for Broadway, making the musical one of the top grossing shows on Broadway, ORGANIZATIONS going on to break the Winter Garden box office record. BeetleB’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS juice played 366 performances at the Winter Garden before The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS being shuttered with the rest of Broadway on March 12, 2020. speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom Beetlejuice returned triumphantly to Broadway on April 8, from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch our email for specific in2022, at the Marquis Theatre where it continued to haunt formation concerning its thought-provoking, informative list Broadway through Jan. 8, 2023. of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact BreadThe show’s cast recording has surpassed 250 million breakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com.

2024

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS PARENTS & SENIORS

We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 24, 2024.

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 10, 2024.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR INFORMATION _________________________________________________ Name _________________________________________________ Parent(s)’ Name(s) _________________________________________________ Current High School _________________________________________________ College you plan to attend Send by May 10, 2024 to: The Jewish Press | 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154

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6 | The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024

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Hanukkah shone bright for Omaha’s young professionals

MUSHKA TENENBAUM An unforgettable Hanukkah celebration took place at Luli Creative House. Picture this: a group of vibrant young professionals, each crafting their unique menorah, the room buzzing with creativity and warmth. Our community’s dream turned into reality.

The evening was not just about crafting; it was a journey of connection and inspiration. While shaping their menorahs, attendees shared stories and laughs, truly embodying the spirit of Hanukkah. The highlight? We were able to serve freshly shaken martinis, adding a touch of elegance and joy.

But let’s not forget the food! Imagine the aroma of hot, fresh latkes filling the air, each bite a delightful mix of tradition and

taste. The array of toppings offered a personal touch, allowing each guest to customize their experience. This detail, though small, made a big impact.

Leaving Luli Creative House, each participant carried not just a menorah but a heart full of inspiration. The evening didn’t just light up a menorah; it ignited a passion for Hanukkah in every heart there. They left feeling a deeper connection to their heritage and a renewed sense of community.

We are grateful to Ariel Panowicz and the entire team at Luli Creative House for creating this beautiful evening. It was a fun and enjoyable event which created lasting memories for a strengthened Jewish community in Omaha.

CONGRATULATE YOUR GRADUATE

Congrats, Rachel!

We are so proud of your achievements – membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from the Band.

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Love, Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters

Size A | $36 The annual Graduation Issue will publish this year on May 24, 2024. Senior photos will run in that issue and we know you’ll want to highlight the achievements of your high school graduate!

Congratulatory ads are available in two sizes. Limit of 25 words.

Mazel Tov, Aaron!

CONGRATULATE YOUR GRADUATE ORDER FORM _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

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Name ___________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ City, State and Zip _________________________________________________ Phone __________________________________________________________ Size A O Size B O Photo enclosed O Check enclosed for $ _________ Send check and photo to The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 by May 7.

We are so proud of your achievements – membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from B.E.S.T.T.

Love, Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters and grandparents

Size B | $99

The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024 | 7

Above and left: Miri Katzman celebrating Hanukkah while volunteering in Eilat, Israel.

Below left: Jeff Kirshenbaum lights the first candle at Beth Israel and below right: The public menorah lighting at Aksarben Village.

Above and below: Friedel students making latkes.

Above and below: Hanukkah party in the JFO’s noshery.

Above: Mushka, Devirah and Rabbi Eli Tenenbaum with Tom Fellman; below: Stacy Feldman, Bob Goldberg, Tippi Denenberg and Susan Long.

Above, below and bottom: Some Hanukkah highlights from the RBJH.

SP O TLIGHT

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Below: Lighting the menorah with Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. We’re impressed with Mushka Tenenbaum and Gary Javitch’s sweaters.

8 | The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024

Voices

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New Beginnings ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor It can be confusing, but also a little cool: as Jews, we get a New Year celebration twice—sort of. When the secular new year arrives, we’re often asked about our hopes and dreams, our resolutions and our expectations. Today, for many of us, there is only one thing we hope for: peace in Israel. The knowledge that peace is not a goal easily attained makes that somewhat of an empty dream.

That sounds harsh, doesn’t it? We are supposed to not give up hope for a better tomorrow, but it becomes more difficult every day. It’s been a little over three months, the world at large almost immediately ‘forgot’ Jews were murdered, slaughtered, and quickly transitioned to the trope that everything is Israel’s fault.

Meanwhile, antisemitism is rampant and can no longer be avoided- even by those who claim to have never experienced it in their diaspora communities.

There’s realy only one thing left to do: be Jewish, be loud, and be proud. Hope may be hard to find, but we are still here, and we are here with a purpose.

Being Jewish is not a passive endeavor. It’s not something that simply is part of us, like having freckles or a certain shoe size. It cannot be an afterthought, or an accident, or a random fun fact about ourselves.

Being Jewish has to be at the forefront, at the core of our identity; we have to actively embrace it in everything we do and stand for. So this new year, this second chance at starting over if you will, we can make this our resolution.

I’ll be honest: during my recent visit to Europe, I On number 32, it offered: “Jewish communities hid my Mogen David under my clothes. The over- have a strong sense of belonging and identity.” whelming presence of palestinian flags and signs It is that sense of belonging and identity that is upon my arrival, the negative press, the over- both being tested and confirmed right now. There whelming conviction that of course, Israel is the are forces in this world that tell us we don’t belong bad guy, the Jews are at fault, seeped into my pores. in Israel, but we don’t belong anywhere else either.

I realized it is one thing to be brave in Omaha, behind my desk, another thing entirely when I’m face-to-face with the hatred out there.

I am not proud of that. And so, I’m writing this maybe more to myself than to you, the readers: we can’t back down. Do we need to keep ourselves safe? Yes, for sure, but finding the line between being proud and not putting ourselves in danger is a tricky thing. Especially when our Israeli brothers and sisters count on us to be with them, to live through this with them, to stay the course. The notion that in this world, there are more and more places where we have to hide our identity is terrifying. It is Credit: Rudi Weissenstein, licensed under the Creative Comalso unacceptable. mons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

In May of last year, the World Jewish Congress did an interesting experiment (May is Jewish Truthfully, neither of those statements are true. We Heritage Month): they asked ChatGPT for reasons belong in Israel, and we belong wherever we find to be proud to be Jewish. ourselves in the diaspora. That duality is an integral “The Jewish people have survived and thrived for part of our identity. Others may not like it, but that’s thousands of years despite numerous attempts to on them. eradicate them,” was number one. Other reasons If we can maintain that conviction, that belief included “Jewish holidays and traditions are cele- that no matter where we are, we truly belong, and brated and observed around the world” (number we are not going away, we might have a chance. A six) and “Jewish tradition teaches the importance chance for hope, for peace, and a better future. I of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and social jus- wish for all those things, for all of us. tice” (number 12).

This day of communal Kaddish, is just right for this moment RABBI AVITAL HOCHSTEIN AND RABBI ELIE KAUNFER JTA Today is an unusual day on the Jewish calendar, which falls on the 10th of Tevet. Not only is it one of the fast days mourning the destruction of the Temple, but it is also a communal day of saying Mourner’s Kaddish.

This practice was instituted by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel in 1951, following the Holocaust, to offer those whose family members died — but it was not clear when — an opportunity for a specific day of mourning. These practices include lighting a yahrzeit candle, learning Torah in their memory and saying Mourner’s Kaddish.

Currently, the Jewish people are living through a horrible moment. We are praying for the return of the hostages in health. But every day brings new announcements of those who were killed — and the day of their death is not known.

It is worthwhile then, on this day, to really understand the nature of the Kaddish. Is this really a prayer that comes to praise God’s name, as might be implied by the opening words: “Magnified and Sanctified Be [God’s] Great Name”? And if so, why was it a prayer assigned for mourners to say?

There are two main phrases that are key to understanding the Kaddish. By looking at them closely, we can transform our understanding of the prayer — from a testimony to faith in a God whose actions cause us to suffer for reasons we don’t understand to a prompt that reminds God of the brokenness of the world.

The first key phrase is that opening line: “Yitgadal Ve-Yitkadash Shemei Rabbah.” It is understandable how this could be seen as a prayer praising God. But the prayer is not a praise; it is a request. The worshiper is asking for God to be magnified and to be sanctified, implying — correctly — that God is not magnified and sanctified right now.

How could it be that God is not magnified and sanctified now? It is clear from the biblical context of this line in Ezekiel 38:23 that God will only be made great and holy at the end of days, when all nations recognize God as the supreme moral force in the world.

In a world of death and mourning, it is clear that

God is not fully holy, or great. This prayer — put in the mouth of the mourner — begs God to speed the day when God is, in fact, great and holy. But it acknowledges that we aren’t there yet.

The other line in Kaddish that is critical is the congregational response: Y’hei Sh’mei Raba M’varach L’alam Ul’almei Almaya. The translation: “May His great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity.” A very strange feature of the Kaddish is the lack of God’s name. Almost all other prayers men-

A man reciting the mourner’s kaddish from a prayer pamphlet. Credit: Getty Images

tion God’s name — so why is it missing from this particular prayer?

The answer has everything to do with the radical theology of the Kaddish. This is a prayer that is acting out the reality we live in: a world in which God’s name is diminished. And while we want God’s name to be magnified and sanctified, and we ask for that in this prayer, we still live in a world where that hasn’t happened fully. This is made clear through the death we are mourning, the death that occasions the recitation of this prayer.

This is illustrated in one of the oldest stories about the Kaddish, in the Babylonian Talmud , which is the source of this line of the prayer: Rabbi Yose said: One time I was walking on the path, and I entered a ruin from one of the ruins of Jerusalem in order to pray. Elijah of blessed memory came and watched the doorway until I finished my prayer …. he said to me … : “Whenever the Israelites go into the synagogues and schoolhouses and respond: ‘May His great name be blessed,’ God shakes His head and says: “Happy is

the king who is thus praised in His house! Woe to the father who had to banish his children, and woe to the children who had to be banished from the table of their father!” (Brachot 3a) This source offers another perspective on the context of the congregational response. On the one hand, when the phrase is recited by Israel in the synagogues and study houses, God is filled with happiness. But immediately following this statement of joy, God goes on to say: Woe is Me and woe is Israel.

The source reflects the complex emotions that are embedded in the recitation of the line. This is a line that was associated with the presence of God; reciting it meant that God’s name — the embodiment of God’s immanence — was at hand. Yet it is recited not in the world of the Temple and the High Priest, but rather in a world in which Jerusalem is in ruins.

In other words, the line has morphed from a reaction to God’s presence to a painful reminder of God’s hiddenness. God is no longer available in this world in the way God once was.

The Kaddish is not a stoic praise of an unfeeling God who for reasons we can’t know let our loved ones die without remorse. Rather, it is a plea for a better world in which God is more fully holy, and the presence of God more completely experienced.

We are not living in that world, and the Kaddish knows it; but it offers us a path to imagine a world beyond our current one. And critically, God is in league with us in begging for that world to come soon.

On the Day of Communal Kaddish 5784, at a time when it is clear we are not living in an ideal world, when the difficulty, pain and mourning that is found in every household, village and city, let us recite and respond to the Mourner’s Kaddish as a prayer, a call, and even a demand, that a better world come our way — speedily.

Rabbi Avital Hochstein is president of Hadar in Israel.

Rabbi Elie Kaunfer is president and CEO of the Hadar Institute.

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 12, 2024 | 9

The pro-Israel case for a negotiated end to the war in Gaza RABBI JILL JACOBS JTA First thing every morning, I open Israeli news sites, dreading what I will see: more soldiers killed in action, more hostages confirmed dead, more Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza.

More drones and missiles flying at Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen. More bereaved and terrified children and families.

A darker and dimmer future for Israel and the entire region.

After Hamas’s atrocities of Oct. 7, it was clear that some kind of military response was both necessary and justified. No country could be expected to do otherwise in the face of a terror attack that including murdering, raping, and kidnapping hundreds of civilians — all of which are war crimes. Like so many others, I was horrified by those who argued that such depraved brutality must be excused and rationalized in the context of occupation and the siege of Gaza.

But as Israel’s massive bombardment and shelling of Gaza continues through a third month, with its devastating toll on Palestinian civilians, it’s time for those of us who consider ourselves supporters of Israel, who have loved ones in Israel, and who are committed to Israel’s long-term security to call for a negotiated end to the war.

Within the pro-Israel community, the very word “ceasefire” has become toxic because it has been seized upon by some who do not have Israel’s best interests at heart. Already on Oct. 7 and soon after, and even before Israel’s retaliatory attacks, there were some who launched protests of Israel, and who even celebrated Hamas’s cruel attacks. In that context, calls for ceasefire have amounted to a one-sided call for Israeli pacifism or surrender.

And while many calls for ceasefire are driven by a genuine desire to end the deaths of civilians, and some have included a call to return hostages, too many have been accompanied by false charges of genocide, a claim under international law that carries a high burden of proof of intent, or by justifying or even denying Hamas’s murders, rapes and kidnapping.

Some of these protests have included antisemitic language, including demands that Israeli Jews leave Israel, denials of Jewish connection to the land, and calls to “globalize the intifada,” which many Jews understandably take to mean terrorist attacks on buses and other civilian targets, including Jewish institutions outside of Israel. Protesters have taken out anger at Israel on Jewish institutions, including through vandalism and even shootings directed at synagogues.

But I want to make a pro-Israel case for a negotiated end to the war. In Israel, some of those most affected by Hamas’s atrocities have been the loudest voices calling for a return to negotiations. This past Saturday night, families of the remaining hostages, along with Israelis who have been freed from captivity and thousands of their supporters, protested at the Kiryah, IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. Their demand was clear: as Noam Peri, whose father Haim Peri, remains in captivity, told the crowd, “We only receive dead bodies. We want you to stop the fight and start negotiations.”

I was in Israel during the initial ceasefire, which resulted in

the return of more than 100 hostages. One night, I found myself in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv at the very moment when that evening’s group of redeemed hostages landed in Israel. I felt both relief and joy at seeing the faces of women and children flash on the giant screen, with the words “I have returned home,” as well as the pain of the families whose loved ones remained in Gaza.

That night in Tel Aviv, I watched multiple members of one family holding signs with the face of a young man. Days later, he was confirmed murdered in captivity. And last week, three escaped hostages were mistakenly gunned down by Israeli soldiers in Gaza. As the families and those who have returned from captivity continue to emphasize, the remaining hostages do not have much time left.

Signs held by members of the “peace bloc” who attended at the March for Israel in Washington, D.C., Nov. 14, 2023. Credit: JTA

Pidyon Shvuyim, the redemption of captives, is one of the most important mitzvahs in Judaism, and one that, unfortunately, has had to be practiced over and over throughout Jewish history. While there is some concern over redeeming captives at too great a price, key figures such as Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the longtime Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel, have argued that immediate danger to the lives of hostages overrules the possibility of future danger from the release of prisoners.

Those of us who care about the long-term flourishing of Israel must ask whether those conducting this war have a strategy and whether the price of victory — whatever “victory” may mean — will be too high. As military analyst Amos Harel wrote this week, “Like in Lebanon in 1982, this consensus [in support of the war] rests on two conditions that gradually waned over time: a clear purpose for the war and the understanding that victory is attainable. The risk in Gaza will grow, too, when doubts begin to emerge about whether those conditions can be fulfilled.” Just as the United States learned in Afghanistan, a war might be justified, but it is very difficult to conduct justly, or wisely, especially when driven by strong emotions of shame, humiliation, rage, and revenge. It can end with extremists still in power — and even strengthened.

As the Biden administration has made clear, a negotiated ceasefire, would include the return of hostages, an end to Israeli attacks in Gaza and missile attacks, and ultimately would lead to an international plan for a new government in Gaza.

This does not necessarily preclude future targeted raids aimed at specific military capabilities if necessary. But it would bring to an end the current war, which has already killed, injured and displaced far too many Israelis and Palestinians.

Perhaps this war can be “won,” in the sense that Hamas’s top leaders may eventually be killed, but can the IDF really root out every last fighter and every last rifle and rocket in every last tunnel? And if so, at what cost?

Would it be a victory to bring about the deaths of tens of thousands more Palestinian civilians, whether from bombs, disease, starvation or exposure? To sacrifice even more Israeli soldiers on what Israeli poet Natan Alterman called “the silver platter” for a war that is increasingly unlikely to bring greater security to Israel?

Would it be a victory to create a new generation of young Palestinians who believe they have nothing to lose, and who become the next generation of Hamas? Would it be a victory to spark a regional war that could inflame the entire world?

Would it be a victory to sacrifice Israel’s relations with the United States, which has increasingly made clear its position that Israel must end the intense phase of the war soon? Would it be a victory to turn Israel into a pariah state?

Those who call themselves pro-Israel need to get serious about which Israel they support. Is it this extremist government, driven by the settler agenda, with a bleak future, forever living by the sword? Or is it a democratic Israel, living within internationallyrecognized borders, as a full member of the international community? The long-term security of Israel – ”victory” in its truest and deepest sense – will come about only through an Israel with stable borders alongside a Palestinian state and with normalized relations with neighboring Arab and Muslim countries.

In a legal opinion supporting the 1982 peace treaty with Egypt, Rabbi Chaim David HaLevy, then the Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Tel Aviv, riffed on the verse, “May God grant strength to God’s people; may God bless God’s people with peace,” by saying, “Just as for a generation, we carried out wars with strength and might, God will bless us now that we will also know how to make peace. Because it’s very possible that it’s easier to fight than to achieve true peace.”

Given the polarization of the moment, and our deep wounds, it may be hard for those of us who care about Israel and Israelis, and who are committed to the long-term flourishing of the state, to call for a negotiated end to the war. But doing so might well be the most pro-Israel, and the most Jewish, position that one can take.

Rabbi Jill Jacobs is the the CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, an organization that trains and mobilizes more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors and their communities to bring a moral voice to protecting and advancing human rights in North America, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

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.

In these last months of 2023, I have noticed the Jewish ancestors in me more than ever

RABBI IRWIN KELLER This story originally appeared on My Jewish Learning | JTA “Be careful,” my mother would laugh if I teased her. “I might come back and haunt you.”

This week marks 10 years since my mother’s death and the haunting is sweet. I often feel her close, especially at this time of year, in the passage of short days and long nights, in the outbreath of Christmas and the crisp anticipation of a new year.

My mother’s death also reverberates in this week’s Torah portion, in which we find Joseph and his brothers gathered at the bed of their father Jacob, our complicated patriarch, to witness him breathe his last.

The scene is an especially tender one. After offering his sons rather mixed blessings, prophesying the troubles and troubling traits of their descendants, the text says this: “Jacob gathered his feet into the bed; he expired and was gathered to his people.” (Genesis 49:33) This language catches me every time — the repetition of “gathering,” the sons, the feet and the life. In this verse is a suggestion that for the lucky among us, dying might be as easeful as drawing our feet into bed. And that beyond the doorway there is a hint of reunion with our people. This grace is offered to some but not all of our forebears. Abraham is similarly gathered to his people, as are Isaac and Ishmael. Sarah and Joseph, in contrast, simply “die.” Rachel’s death in childbirth is a painful tear-jerker.

And the deaths of Rebecca and Leah are simply not recorded.

As I reread Jacob’s deathbed scene, I feel a special empathy for Joseph, both of us having spent decades far from a beloved parent only to have them unexpectedly near at the close of the story. In Joseph’s case, Jacob is at last close by in Goshen, the Egyptian outskirts. In my case, my mother was visiting me in California for her 85th birthday when she had a stroke. She endured for five weeks, enough time to have, like Jacob, countless bedside gatherings before she too was gathered.

What is this gathering? And to whom exactly are we gathered?

The Torah uses the word am, meaning “people” or “nation,” rather than avot, meaning “ancestors.” Just a few verses earlier (Genesis 49:29), Jacob uses both, saying, “I am being gathered to my people (ami); bury me with my ancestors (avotai),” suggesting that those words do not mean the same thing. Maybe ancestors are individuals, bound by their biographies; they are the past. The people, the am, might be something larger and more collective — the unfolding of our shared story over time; they are the future.

Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph by Rembrandt Credit: Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel/Wikimedia Commons

In this sense, Jacob might be buried with Abraham and Sarah, but it is to us that he is gathered. We are the am, still in forward motion. We continue his story. We even go by his symbolic God-wrestling name, Yisrael. Jacob has been gathered into us — his ambitions, his destiny, his fears, his grief, his limitations.

I can say with certainty that my mother has been gathered into me. Sometimes I hear my own laugh and think she is doing the laughing. Or I scrunch my face just so and, without looking in a mirror, I know the expression to be hers. In a moment of insecurity or aggravation I can feel her insecurity and aggravation rise in my gut. Yet even as I notice these things, I know my mother

did not invent them. Her laugh, her expressions, her insecurities — those were in turn gathered into her by generations previous.

We carry the ancestors in us. We carry them in a vast mosaic of talents and traits and traumas. From our mothers’ delights and fears all the way back to Jacob dreaming of a ladder, wrestling angels, snookering his brother and getting snookered in return, losing a favorite child and regaining him against all odds. And in between Jacob and us? Countless generations of seeking and suffering.

In these last months, I have noticed the ancestors in me more than ever. I have felt a rising fear and quick reactivity honed over centuries of brutal European persecution. I have felt it in me and I have seen it in others. These ancestors, survivors of massacres and pogroms and the Holocaust and who knows what else, are gathered into me. Their fears and their survival tactics are in my cells and they are all reignited.

I breathe in their experience. I honor the reflexes their legacy gives me. But I am not bound to act from the place of their trauma. I get to choose. One day I will be gathered to my people, and I am answerable for the legacy I leave. What hope or despair, skill or brutishness, openness of heart or resilience of spirit, will be gathered from me into those who come after?

Let us give them the best we have. We have it in us to replace ancestral trauma with ancestral hope and wholeness.

Let us do this as a healing, a tikkun, on their behalf. So that after we have drawn our own feet into the bed, we might make all the generations, past and future, proud.

Rabbi Irwin Keller has served Sonoma County’s Congregation Ner Shalom since 2008 and the Taproot Community since 2017. His book Shechinah at the Art Institute is due out in 2024. He blogs at irwinkeller.com.

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.

Synagogues

10 | The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 www.cblhs.org

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 Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker, Jay Katelman. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information about our historic synagogue, please visit our website at www.cblhs.org or contact any of our other board members: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Ann Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber.

Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

IN-PERSON AND ZOOM MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9:30 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays, 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Six String Shabbat, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m. Kiddush sponsored by Sandy and Jeff Passer, Rabbi Steven and Pam Berkowitz; Havdalah, 5:55 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: Morning Minyan, 9 a.m. Zoom Only.

MONDAY: Project Linus Blanket Making, 10 a.m. with Yachad.

TUESDAY: Pirkei Avot, 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Tai Chi, noon with Beth Staenberg; BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m.

FRIDAY-Jan. 19: Our Shabbat Tables Food Pick-Up, 3-5 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY-Jan. 20: Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 6:05 p.m. Zoom Only.

Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 4:59 p.m.

SATURDAY:Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Kids Kiddush Club, 11:15 a.m.; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s Teachings, 4 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 5:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:03 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Men’s Spin & Torah Class, 11 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m.; Board of Directors Meeting, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development Class, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m.; Parsha Class, 5:20 p.m.

FRIDAY-Jan. 19: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 5:07 p.m.

SATURDAY-Jan. 20: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Kids Kiddush Club, 11:15 a.m.; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s Teachings, 4:10 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/ Kids Activity, 5:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:11 p.m.

Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

CHABAD HOUSE All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person and via Zoom (ochabad.com/academy). For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 4:30 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/ Lechayim; Candlelighting, 4:58 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 6:02 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Shacharit, 99:30 a.m., Video Presentation, 9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m.; Torah and Tea, 10:30-11:15 a.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 7 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 34), noon; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with Prof.

David Cohen; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Jan. 19: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 4:30 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ocha bad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 5:06 p.m.

SATURDAY-Jan. 20: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed

by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 6:09 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch.

All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.

FRIDAY: Shabbat Candlelighting, 5:02 p.m.; Erev

Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30 p.m. at SST. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Va’eira; Havdalah, 6:06 p.m.

SUNDAY: No In-Person LJCS Classes — home activities; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group, 10:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at Rock 'n Joe (5025 Lindbergh St.). For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Pickleball, 3-5 p.m. Anyone interested in playing or learning how to play can text Miriam at 402.470.2393. If there are enough interested people; we will play in the Social Hall at TI. MONDAY: MLK Jr. Day — Offices Closed.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4:30-6 p.m.

THURSDAY: Offices Closed.

FRIDAY-Jan. 19: Offices Closed; Shabbat Candlelighting, 5:10 p.m.; Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30 p.m. at SST. SATURDAY-Jan. 20: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Bo; Havdalah, 6:13 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

FRIDAYS: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home’s service is currently closed to visitors.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Benjamin Sharff, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander FRIDAY: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. In-Person; Shabbat Shira Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SUNDAY: Sunday Breakfast Service, 9 a.m. at Stephen Center; Grades PreK-7, 9:30 a.m.

TUESDAY: A Time for Burning: A Viewing and Guided Discussion, 6:30 p.m. at Countryside Community Church.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m.; Grades 3-6, 4:30 p.m. In-Person; Grades 8-12, 6-8 p.m. at Beth El. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom.

FRIDAY-Jan. 19: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. InPerson; Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.m. In-Person; Classic Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY-Jan. 20: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. InPerson & Zoom.

Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

Youth Challah Bake: A blend of fun, learning, and tradition The upcoming Youth Challah Bake, set to take place on Sunday, Jan. 21 at Chabad’s lower level, promises to be an engaging and delightful event for children of all ages. From 3 to 4:30 p.m., the young attendees will have a unique opportunity to get their hands dirty, quite literally, as they learn the art of making challah. This event isn’t just about baking; it's a chance for kids to immerse themselves in a meaningful cultural experience, connecting with their heritage in a fun and interactive way.

Whether kneading, braiding, or baking, each step of the challah-making process is a learning opportunity and a chance to bond with peers over shared traditions. The cost is $7 per child to cover the cost of the ingredients.

Organized jointly by Chabad Children’s Library and Cafe and PJ Library, the event is tailored to be both educational and entertaining. To further this goal, two specially selected books will be featured: Way Too Much Challah Dough for the older children and Braid the Challah for the younger ones. These books are not just stories; they are tools to foster greater literacy, Jewish fluency, and educational engagement. As organizer Mushka Tenenbaum puts it, the aim is to “give the kids an amazingly wild time” while subtly weaving in lessons about Jewish traditions and values.

In the spotlight is Way Too Much Challah Dough, a captivating tale that follows the adventures of a young girl named Mindy. Attempting to bake challah for the first time, Mindy’s experience takes an amusing turn when her dough keeps growing, thanks to a little too much yeast. This story is more than just entertaining; it’s a reflection of the excitement and sometimes humorous mishaps that can happen in the kitchen, especially when embarking on a baking journey for the first time. It’s a reminder that learning is a Credit: Debra Kaplan process filled with surprises and fun discoveries.

To add to the excitement, the event will also feature a raffle, giving children the chance to win and take home their very own copy of Way Too Much Challah Dough or Braid the Challah. This gesture is more than just a giveaway; it’s an encouragement for the young participants to continue their reading and learning journey at home. To ensure everyone feels like a winner, you can preorder books for

your kids at a discounted rate, available for pickup at the event. If you preorder and happen to win the raffle, the cost of your order will be fully refunded.

Way Too Much Challah Dough is available for $12,

and Braid the Challah for $7.

Parents and children alike are encouraged to attend, and for those who aren't kids but still want to be part of this wonderful experience, opportunities are available to be a table captain to help facilitate the challah dough assembly. For those interested, reaching out to Mushka at Mushka@ Ochabad. com is the first step towards being a part of this joyful and enriching event.

Life cycles

The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024 | 11

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Rock star Alanis Morissette uncovers her family’s Holocaust history

JACOB GURVIS JTA Seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette explores her family’s Jewish past, which she said was kept a secret from her for most of her life, on the Jan. 2 season premiere of the PBS celebrity genealogy series Finding Your Roots.

“I think I found out that I was Jewish in my late 20s. I didn’t know,” Morissette tells host and Harvard University Alanis Morissette shown on PBS’ history professor Henry celebrity genealogy series FindLouis Gates Jr. in the episode, ing Your Roots. Screenshot from a snippet of which was YouTube shared exclusively with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Morissette, 49, was raised Catholic and is now a practicing

Buddhist. But her mother, Georgia Mary Ann Feuerstein, was born in Hungary to two Holocaust survivor parents, Imre Feuerstein and Nadinia Anna Lauscher/Gulyas.

As Gates explains, the family’s experience in the Holocaust was so traumatic that they kept their Jewishness a secret for many years.

“I think there was a terror that is in their bones and they were being protective of us and just not wanting antisemitism,” Morissette says. “So they were doing it to protect us, sort of keeping us in the dark around it.”

Morissette, who has sold more than 85 million albums worldwide and has performed in Israel multiple times, is the latest in a long list of celebrities to explore their Jewish ancestry on the show, which is returning for its 10th season. Past guests have included Pamela Adlon, Dustin Hoffman, Scarlett Johansson and Paul Rudd.

Later this season, the show will spotlight Jewish comedians Lena Dunham and Iliza Shlesinger; Jewish actor Michael Douglas; and Hamilton star Anthony Ramos and The View co-host Sunny Hostin, both of whom have Jewish heritage.

TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

INFORMATION

Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at www.omahajewish press.com/site/forms/. Deadlines are normally nine days prior to publication, on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.

ANTISEMITIC/HATE INCIDENTS If you encounter an antisemitic or other hate incident, you are not alone. Your first call should be to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) in Omaha at 402.334.6572, or email JCRCreporting@jewishomaha.org. If you perceive an imminent threat, call 911, and text Safety & Security Manager James Donahue at 402.213.1658.

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12 | The Jewish Press | January 12, 2024

News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D

Citing risk to Elie Wiesel’s Night, Iowa judge blocks key parts of state book ban law ANDREW LAPIN JTA A federal judge in Iowa has blocked much of a state law forbidding school libraries from stocking books depicting “sex acts,” in part because he said it was keeping a classic Holocaust memoir off shelves.

U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher granted a preliminary injunction against the law, Iowa Senate File 496, on Friday, just before a Jan. 1 deadline for schools to begin enforcing it. The “staggeringly broad” law, he wrote in his opinion, would prevent public schools from stocking “non-fiction history books about the Holocaust.” He pointed specifically to Elie Wiesel’s Night as an example of a book that could be caught in the dragnet.

Lochner had previously brought up Night during oral arguments about the Iowa law. At a Dec. 22 hearing, he grilled a state attorney about which kinds of books the state had the authority to pull from schools. Asked if Wiesel’s memoir could be pulled along with World War II history title The Rape of Nanking, the attorney responded that it could, the Des Moines Register reported at the time.

At that hearing, Locher called the law “one of the most bizarre laws I’ve ever read in my life.”

The injunction is temporary while Lochner considers the law and challenges against it more fully. Still, it represents a major blow to

Political activist and writer Elie Wiesel on November 3, 1980 in New York, New York. Credit: Santi Visalli/Getty Images

efforts by conservative legislators in Iowa to import a national effort to purge school libraries of books they consider inappropriate.

The effort has focused on books about race and sexuality but has also led to books dealing with Judaism and the Holocaust being challenged or removed.

Night previously entered the book-ban debate when a Pennsylvania district forced a librarian to take down a poster featuring a Wiesel quote.

In Iowa, months-old local reports and Locher’s opinion indicated that Night was at one time removed from at least one Iowa pub-

lic school district, although a regularly updated database of pulled books maintained by the Des Moines Register no longer lists the title.

Other Jewish books have also been affected by the law. Maus, Art Spiegelman’s graphic Holocaust memoir, was on the chopping block in at least one district along with Judy Blume’s Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, before the school reversed course and put them back on shelves. According to the Des Moines Register, Maus remains banned at another Iowa district: Alta-Aurelia, in a rural northwest region of the state.

Iowa’s Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, signed SF 496 into law last year along with other culture-war legislation targeting transgender athletes and student pronouns in schools.

Locher’s ruling said that most parts of the law, including the provisions requiring schools to ban all books depicting a “sex act” and prohibiting instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation through the sixth grade, could not go into effect.

Two separate lawsuits challenging the law’s constitutionality will remain active in the meantime: One of them was brought by Penguin Random House and four bestselling authors, including Jodi Picoult, while the other was brought by LGBTQ students.

Challenges to similar laws are also winding through courts in Texas and Florida.

B’nai Israel January speaker

HOWARD KUTLER On Jan. 12th at 7:30 p.m. B’nai Israel Synagogue during Friday night Shabbos services will host as its guest speaker Jay Katelman.

Jay will be speaking about his responsibilities as the Director for Community D e v elo pment for the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

In addition to this role Jay Katelman Jay is the Omaha Jewish Alumni Association Coordinator. And he also is the coordinator for the Jewish Business Leaders Bagels and Breakfast Speakers Series held throughout the year.

Jay was born and raised in Omaha graduating from Westside High School and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is married to his high school sweetheart Katrina and they have two children.

His hobbies include golfing, and he is a lifelong sports fan supporting Nebraska football, Creighton Men’s Basketball, and UNO Maverick Hockey.

PRIMARY ELECTION Publishing date | 04.12.24 Space reservation | 04.02.24 Contact our advertising executive to promote yourself in this very special edition.

Howard Kutler | 402.334.6559 | hkutler@jewishomaha.org