January 20, 2017

thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

this week

Shabbat Oneg at Beth El honors Judy Tully and Margie Gutnik Page 4

Author Marjorie Ingall speaks about raising a mensch Page 6

inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

The ugly face of hate

JANU ARY 2 0 , 2 0 1 7 | 2 2 T EV ET 5 7 7 7 | V O L . 9 7 | NO . 1 5 | C A nd LeLi G h Ti nG | FRID AY , JANU ARY 2 0 , 5 : 0 8 P. M.

AnOnyMOuS Editor’s note: What follows is a first-person account of one community member’s experience with online hate. We’ve edited as little as possible so as not to dilute the story. That includes some inappropriate language on the part of the person who went after our writer. The author has requested to remain anonymous in this publication.

According to the seventy-year-old John P. Jones, he likes the swastika symbol and has lots of swastika stuff. I take it that John Pierre also likes knives, as I have seen multiple pictures of knives on his Facebook page. Another thing John P. Jones seems to like is the video on the “ethnic origins of communism and the greatest holocaust in the history of mankind” by the former Grand Wizard of KKK, David Duke. John P. Jones posted this video in a public Facebook group, along with the comment that he will “leave it to those well versed in history (history, not Zionazi propaganda or fabricated and manipulated history) to critique what Dr. Duke says in this video.” I would guess that by “fabricated history” John P. Jones means the Holocaust, because I was told by a journalist who saw a post or posts in which John Pierre denied the Holocaust. As I would like to be as accurate as possible in my statements, I would need to mention that I do not have a screenshot of the post in which Jones denied the Holocaust, but based on John Jones’ other statements and actions, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do that.

Now that I have told you about some of the things John P. Jones appears to like, I have to mention some things he seems to dislike or actually hate, with a fanatical, blood curlding, See The ugly face of hate page 2

The Jewish poetry of Marge Piercy

‘Jewish Americana’ music gets its moment in the spotlight Page 12

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Ozzie nOGG On Sunday Jan. 29, Feb. 5 and Feb. 12, as part of Beth El Synagogue’s Sunday Speakers Series, Joan Latchaw, PhD, Professor in the English Department at the University of Nebraska Omaha, will discuss the work of Jewish writer and political activist Marge Piercy. Each session runs from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Beth El. Piercy, the author of 19 volumes of poetry and 17 novels, received serious attention from readers, scholars and critics during the late 1990s’ ‘New Wave’ of American Jewish writing -- also dubbed the Jewish Literary Revival. “It wasn’t until the mid-2000s, when Piercy published The Art of Blessing the Day: Poems with a Jewish Theme, that I recognized Piercy as a distinctly Jewish writer,” Latchaw said.

On Jan. 29, Joanie Latchaw discusses The Art of Blessing the Day, and other works by Jewish writer and political activist Marge Piercy.

“This rediscovery inspired me to explore Piercy’s science fiction novels, most notably He, She, and It, which won the 1993 Arthur C. Clarke award, a British award given for the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom during the previous year.”

Born in 1936 in Detroit, Marge Piercy grew up in a working class neighborhood marked by racial tension. She developed her love of Judaism from her Orthodox, See Jewish poetry page 3

JFO hosts Partnership artists

Batya Gil nATe ShAPirO Director of Development, Jewish Federation of Omaha The Jewish Federation of Omaha, through its Partnership2Gether platform, is proud to host Israeli artists Batya Gil and Koby Sibony for two days They arrive Wednesday, Feb. 22 and will present a gallery lecture that evening when each artist will give a presentation of their work and then have an open discussion about being an Israeli artist, living in the periphery and creating in the space between two worlds of art and design.

On Thursday, the artists will conduct two workshops for the community at the Jewish Federation of Omaha campus. Join us for one or both sessions. Each session costs only $5 per ticket.

Koby Siboni

Batya Gil Born in Canada, Batya immigrated to Israel as a child and has been an artist for over 20 years.

After graduating from Bezalel Art Academy in 1991, she and her husband moved to Clil, an ecological village in the Western Galilee.

There they built their home and studio called ‘Jara,’ and is where they create, teach and raised their children. Early on in her career she fell in love with glass, it is one of the main mediums she works with.

Clil is an ecological village, a community that’s disconnected from the electric grid. Because of this, solar energy is used and Batya uses a gas kiln. When developing her own studio work, she began to do experimental research by collecting earth, sand, minerals See Partnership artists page 4

2 | The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017

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the ugly face of hate

continued from page 1 vicious hatred. These things are the Jewish State and what he calls the “Zionazis.” According to the widely-accepted definition of anti-Semitism, drawing comparisons between Israel and Nazi Germany is one of the modern manifestations of Jew hatred. Calling Zionists, or people who believe that the Jewish State has the right to exist, “Nazis” is a vile and grotesque display of Jew hatred, obscene libel and insult to historical truth and basic human decency. That latter one should not be of any concern to John P. Jones though, as I doubt he ever had a drop of human decency in him to start with.

I came across John Pierre Jones on a public Facebook page, where he was spreading outrageous, malicious, grotesque anti-Jewish (the code word “anti-Zionist” wouldn’t even cut it here, not that the anti-Zionism in and of itself wasn’t anti-Jewish) hate propaganda.

There was the dark red Octopus, labeled with the Star of David, wrapping its tentacles around the US Capitol building, the symbol of the American government and power.

Each tentacle was labeled with the name of a Jewish organization except for one that had SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) written on it. Then there was the racist caricature of an obese, bespectacled, sleazy woman with a disproportionately humongous nose, identified as Jewish by the Star of David, in addition to the word Israel on her T-shirt. The accompanying comment by John Pierre bemoaned the “congressional whores for kissing zionazi ass”. In case you were wondering where else you might have seen the octopuses labeled with Jewish stars and big nosed Jews controlling the world, it could have been on the images from Der Stürmer, the infamous Nazi anti-Jewish rag. In yet another post, John P. Jones threatened that “the world will learn who was behind 9/11.” On the image he shared under this comment, the Jewish stars next to the former Twin Towers leave no doubt as to whom John P. Jones accuses of having orchestrated the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

I had never seen a display of such horrid, foul Jew hatred.

It seemed as if I was transported back in time to 1930’s Germany and was looking at Der Stürmer, to whose publisher, the rabid Jew hater Julius Streicher, in my opinion, John Pierre Jones bears some striking similarities. I checked out John Pierre Jones’ Facebook page and was shocked to discover that this grotesque individual described himself as something like a “Jew from Tunisia, an Arab Jew and an anti-Zionist Jew.” I commented under one of his repugnant posts “here is another Jew-baiter who claims to be a Jew.” I blocked John Pierre Jones on Facebook so I wouldn’t have to see any more of his repulsive, obscene Jew hatred that made me sick to my stomach. As I learned a little later, this was not the end of my encounter with the malignant John Pierre Jones. A few months later I discovered that John Pierre Jones had made an anti-Jewish website, using my name as the domain name. Next to my name John Pierre wrote the expletive “Zionist bitch” and also listed my Facebook ID in the website description. The website, registered with GoDaddy appears in Google.

The web page John P. Jones registered, using my unique name, spreads the modern anti-Jewish libel, as defined by various definitions of modern Jew hatred, equating Zionism and Nazism. Under the picture of what looks like soldiers with weapons, dressed in Israeli-looking uniforms, participating in a violent altercation with some people, John P Jones placed the caption “ZIONISM. DO UNTO OTHERS AS THE NAZIS DID TO YOU.”

John Pierre also uses my name to advertise a video on the “death of American democracy” accompanied by the allegation that “Bin Laden died of natural causes some time ago, and what we were told about him being responsible for the terrorist attacks on 9/11 is not true.”

Numerous attempts to get the registrant, Go Daddy, to remove the harassing anti-Jewish website did not yield any results. Evidently, harassment of a Jewish woman by a rabid hater is not in violation of this company’s terms of service.

The utter depravity of the abuse John Pierre Jones has subjected me to and the manner in which he is doing it are peculiarly perverse. There is a uniquely parasitic, vermin-like aspect to John P. Jones and his actions. He is using my identity to promote his horrendous beliefs, which are an anathema to everything I stand for. Equipped with modern technology, John P. Jones poisoned the life of this particular Jew by using my identity to promote ancient hatred, which I clearly oppose. With everything I did over the years, it seemed that the rancid stench of the malignant John Pierre Jones has been following me. I was always conscious of the fact that someone could just look me up and come across the obscene anti-Jewish hate that he is spreading, using my name.

Like an infectious parasite, John Pierre Jones had crawled under my skin and tainted my life with his poisonous venom.

Among the many domain names that John P. Jones appears to have owned at some point in time, I discovered two other websites that were similar to the one he set up using my name. One of these websites, called brentblacksucks.com has a particularly unsettling story associated with it. From what I gather, Brent Black was a jazz critic who chose to retract a review he gave to one of Jones’ acquaintances, to whom Mr. Black appears to refer as “the little Adolf ”. According to the post by Mr. Black, he chose to retract the review following the complaints from his Jewish readers. Mr. Black also mentioned reporting the individual he called “little Adolf ” for abuse. In one of his other posts, Mr. Black wrote about being targeted, despite the fact that it was evident from his Facebook page that he was terminally ill. Mr. Black has since passed away from terminal cancer “which was spreading through his body like a wild fire.” I have a screenshot of the discussion in a public Facebook group where the BDS activists, John P. Jones among them, discuss Mr. Black. Mr. Black had a website of his own, which he used to publish his reviews. I can only imagine the suffering it must have caused the terminally ill Mr. Black to know that merely searching for his name online would expose his readers to vile conspiracies and hatred, which he clearly opposed.

If I told you that this harassment has been going on for a long time, you might wonder as to why I am going public with it now? I have to tell you that I feel scared and worried about my safety and the safety of my family. John Jones’ viciousness, his professed fondness for swastikas, his numerous pictures of knives, his Facebook friendship with an individual that had the flag of the terrorist organization Hezbollah as his profile picture, all these things make me feel very unsafe. I’ve gathered my strength and decided to speak up about the abuse I have been enduring because sometimes we have to surmount our fears to stand up for causes that are greater than ourselves. I am speaking up for the following reasons: 1. The harassment has gone on long enough. It is clear that there is no respite, no change of heart and no smothering See the ugly face of hate page 4

O

‘Words to Action’ in Action

The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017 | 3

SCOtt KuRz ADL-CRC Administrative Assistant n Thursday Dec. 29, the B’nai Brith Youth Organization held its annual Winter Regional Convention in Omaha and was joined by the Anti-Defamation League’s Plains States Region (ADLCRC) in addressing ways to combat anti-Semitism. Facilitators Emily Newman and Shiri Phillips (also ‘Words to Action’ Coordinator) led nearly 50 high school students in group activities designed to place them in real-life scenarios and reflect upon the pressures this form of discrimination poses. This type of educational outreach affords young people a safe space to make decisions on how they would respond to anti-Semitism when faced with it in their own lives.

Confrontation is difficult for the most confident student and recognizing the right moment to speak out can be even more complicated. But the ADL believes that speaking out is how change is initiated and that doing so with a reasonable voice is how to get others to listen. ‘Words to Action’ encourages students to solicit the perspectives of those close to them and to add those views to their own in shaping the way they approach their response to an inci-

Jewish poetry

Continued from page 1 Yiddish-speaking maternal grandmother Hannah, daughter of a Lithuanian rabbi. Piercy’s earliest memories of Jewish ritual are bound up with the scent of her grandmother’s clothes and kitchen. Shaken by Hannah’s grief over relatives murdered by the Nazis, Piercy’s knowledge of the Holocaust became central to her commitment to both Judaism and the necessity of political engagement.

She contributes regularly to Jewish journals such as Tikkun, where she served as poetry editor from 1988 to 1996 and Lilith, where she was named poetry editor in 2000. Piercy’s liturgical writings, an essential part of many Jewish prayer books, culminated in her 1999 publication of The Art of Blessing the Day, a collection of poems on Jewish life and ritual.

“The first session on Sunday, Jan. 29, will focus on the Tikkun Olam section of The Art of Blessing the Day,” Latchaw said. “We’ll discuss how the poems, For She is a Tree of Life and The Ark of Consequence can be read as arguments for environmental repair of the earth, and the ways in which Piercy draws on biblical stories, Jewish prayers, and Jewish environmental ethics to make her po-

dent. “Perhaps a grandparent, teacher, friend or Rabbi has advice on how to handle the hurtful or dangerous situation,” added Phillips. This type of reasoning helps young people confront the situation in a calm and productive way.

“It gave us a different idea on how to confront people,” and “I enjoyed the activity and hearing other perspectives,” were just some of the positive comments and reflections offered by the teens upon completing the workshop. Students walked away with an increased understanding of the “Meaning and manifestations of anti-Semitism,” says Phillips, “and, all-in-all, the ADL-CRC hopes that the students can use the variety of responses that were taught and use them to challenge and combat antiSemitism.”

The mission of the ADL-CRC is to “Secure justice and fair treatment to all.” No matter what the act, whether a statement or hate crime, the Anti-Defamation League is an international leader in tracking, exposing, responding to and reporting anti-Semitism and hate. If you or a family member need support in dealing with an incident, please contact the Plains States Regional Office at 402.334.6570 or visit our website (omaha.adl.org) and file an incident report online.

A surprising find makes its way to Omaha

Renee Corcoran of the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society examines the content of the package while JFO staff looks on. etic case.” The Sunday, Feb. 5 session explores Piercy’s feminist contributions to American culture in poems such as Barbie Doll -- a critique of the beauty myth -- and Moonburn -- an expression of feminine desire. The third and last session on Feb. 12 will highlight Piercy’s science fiction, particularly He, She, and It. “The book is informed

by William Gibson’s Neuromancer, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and the Maharal’s Golem of Prague,” Latchaw explained. “Depicting a society with Jewish cyborgs, robots and people, the story asks readers to consider what makes us human. The narrative also contains political intrigue and data piracy, perfect themes for 2017.”

Joan Latchaw received an MFA in poetry and PhD in rhetoric and composition at the University of Pittsburgh. She teaches rhetoric, composition, ethnic literature, Jewish American Writers and other writing courses. She also works with UNO’s sister institution in Nicaragua (UNAN León), most recently teaching in a Master’s program for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Beth El Synagogue’s Sunday Speakers Series is offered at no charge. The entire community is encouraged to attend the learning sessions.

The Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) was surprised and delighted to receive a parcel filled with photographs and documents of some of Jewish Omaha’s distinguished members, notably the Brandeis family, from the turn of the 20th century. The package was addressed only to the Omaha Jewish Community Center, and JFO staff did not recognize the return address. JFO standard operating procedure is to return suspicious packages to the sender without opening them. JFO staff was able to decipher the name and was able to locate and contact the sender to inquire about the package.

The sender, Denny Costello, had worked for a contractor who had worked on some Omaha buildings. The contractor was throwing these items away when the sender had seen them and thought that it would be a shame for them not to be returned to Omaha. He boxed them up and sent them to the JFO. Renee Corcoran of the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society (NJHS) has reached out to relatives of the Brandeis family to share the exciting news.

The photos and documents were given to the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. Questions about the NJHS, or this package, should be directed to Renee Corcoran, Executive Director, rcorcoran@jewishom aha.org.

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Beth El honors Judy Tully and Margie Gutnik

4 | The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017

community Partnership artists

Continued from page 1 source of inspiration. and metals, combining these all into her glass pieces. She’s The Jewish Agency’s Partnership2gether Peoplehood Platdiscovered the chemical reactions of these materials with the form (previously known as Partnership 2000) has become fire of the gas kiln create fascithe paradigm for successfully nating colors and textures. partnering global Jewish Batya worked as lead decommunities directly with Issigner at the Andrias Meyer raeli communities.

Sign up now because space is limited.

Glass Company, a factory P2G connects 450 Jewish P2g artists Workshop 1: specializing in silk art-prints and Israeli communities in 46 Bird’s Eye View- with Koby Sibony fused on objects. In 2010 she city-to-city and region-to-reFeb. 23, 8 - 9 a.m., JCC Social Hall received a scholarship to the gion Partnerships, engaging Using 1mm wire, participants will learn how to make 2D birds Corning Museum to study more than 350,000 participants using metal wire. Each bird, like its creator, will look different and glass casting, her first formal each year in meaningful ongowill have its own special character. education in glass. Since ing connections between Is2011, Batya has been a volunraelis and Jews around the P2g artist’s Workshop 2: teer with P2G and is an art world through unique proGlass Fusing: A Medium of Self-Expression with Batya Gil coordinator for our Partnergrams and one-on-one enFeb. 23, 1 - 3 p.m., JCC Social Hall ship AIR Program. In 2012 counters.

Our time will be spent using glass as a medium to encourage the she visited Indianapolis and Our Partnership is between fun and playfulness of creativity. You’ll use window glass, colors and Toledo for that year’s Artist the U.S. Central Area Conpowders, copper wire and pieces of glass to create your own glass Workshop program. sortium consisting of 14 U.S. piece to be fused in a glass kiln. koby siboni Jewish Federation communiSign up at: http://tinyurl.com/hwg2zc6 or, use the QR code above.

Koby was born in Haifa, Isties, Budapest, Hungary and rael and, as a young boy in Israel’s Western Galilee. It is Kiryat Motzkin (a suburb of Haifa), he began to play with made up of an inclusive and active network of people fothin copper wire, bending and shaping it with his hands. As cused on the mutual exchange of ideas and programs with he grew he discovered a 1 mm thick metal wire which he the goal of developing relationships to strengthen our continues to use to this day. global Jewish Identity.

Koby graduated in 2011 with a degree in Industrial DeFor more information regarding Partnership2Gether or sign from the Bezalel Art Academy in Jerusalem. After these visiting artists, contact JFO Director of Development, graduation he opened an art and design studio on Kibbutz Nate Shapiro: nshapiro@Jewishomaha.org or call Lohamei HaGeta’ot (The Ghetto Fighters Kibbutz) a com402.334.6440. Stay tuned for more detailed information munity in the Western Galilee established by surviving about how you can sign up. fighters from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Koby lives with his wife Yael Ben Aarons on the kibbutz.

In addition to thick metal wire, he uses electronic parts and discarded objects in his work. His tools consist of pliers, a cutter and his hands (no welding or soldering tools B’Nai B’riTh BreadBreakers are used).

Community Sheliach shay shmoul from Munster, Indiana, will He identifies himself a “Designer/Maker,” and he considspeak on the IDF as the world’s most moral army on Wednesday, ers his creations to be located on the border between art Jan. 25, noon. For more information or to be placed on the email and design (he elaborates on this topic in his lecture The list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

Connection between Art and Design). While some of Koby’s creations have a specific function, such as a transistor radio or a light fixture, others have a more artistic, aesthetic character. For much of his work, nature is a main

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Ozzie NOgg Beth El Synagogue will honor former Executive Assistant Judy Tully and recently-retired Program Director Margie Gutnik at a pre-Shabbat Oneg on Friday evening, Jan. 27, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Community Court. Light appetizers will be served. Kabbalat Shabbat services follow at 6:15 p.m. in the Synagogue Chapel.

“Both Judy and Margie served our congregation with professionalism and sensitivity, and always put the interests of the members first and foremost,” said Rabbi Steven Abraham. “We invite the entire community to join in celebrating the contributions made by these two exceptional women.”

A Tot Shabbat and Family Service, led by BESTT 5th and 6th grade students, will run concurrently in the West Court at 6:15 p.m.

The ugly face of hate

Continued from page 2 of the raging fire of John Jones’ fanatical hatred.

2. The utter depravity of targeting a terminally ill man and harassing a Jewish woman by using my identity to spread grotesque anti-Jewish libel, equating the Jewish movement for self-determination or Zionism with the genocidal Nazism and the 9/11 conspiracy.

3. The hypocrisy and maliciousness of the anti-Israel movement that positions itself as a human rights movement, while so many of its members engage in slander, bullying and attacks on Israel’s right to exist. And who could be a better symbol of such hypocrisy, maliciousness and fanatical hatred that John Pierre Jones, who collects Swastika memorabilia and spreads Nazi style anti-Jewish smears?

I am all for free speech. However, there is a fundamental, intrinsic difference between free speech on one hand and harassment, bullying and parasitism on the other. It would be one thing if John Pierre Jones had set up a website in his own name, used it to criticize my views and spread his heinous version of the world events and history.

That would amount to him exercising his right to free speech. What John Pierre Jones of Venice, California is doing is spreading anti-Jewish libel using my identity, just like a parasite that uses a person’s cellular machinery to procreate, infecting the host in the process.

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Promote your business in this special issue with an ad and a short article.

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Susan Bernard | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org

The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017 | 5

t

A full weekend of fun

Scott Littky Program Director, Temple Israel he first weekend in February at Temple Israel will be packed with programming for all ages. The weekend will begin with our First Friday Shabbat Service and Dinner program. We will gather at 5:40 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 3, in the Simon Community Court to welcome in Shabbat by lighting candles and saying Kiddush together. This is followed by Shabbat services in the sanctuary with participation from our 3rd and 4th grade Religious School students, along with our First Friday Band under the direction of Cantor Wendy Shermet. Shabbat Dinner will take place immediately after services in the social hall. The menu for dinner will be grilled chicken, mixed vegetables and apple pie for dessert. Chicken nuggets will be available for children. Cost for the dinner is $5 person with a maximum of $20 per family.

RSVPs are required and the deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 1. Please RSVP by contacting the Temple Israel Office at rsvp@templeisraelomaha.com or 402.556.6536.

Sunday, Feb. 5, Religious School classes start at 10 a.m. At 10:30 a.m. Rabbi Crystal will teach an adult education class titled Sounds in Silence: An Introduction to Jewish Meditation.

Rabbi Crystal said: “Jewish meditation has experienced a revival in the past ten years.

Jewish meditation is rooted in the Torah, grew in the time of the Rabbis, and flourished in the Middle Ages through the teachings of Jewish mysticism. Today, meditation helps us develop a “mindful� awareness of our souls and the world. Meditation also

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provides a means for enriching our experiences during services. By developing our inner life, we more openly relate to others and live with greater wisdom. The workshop will introduce you to several forms of modern Jewish meditation.� This class is open to all who would like to attend. For more information, please contact Program Director Scott Littky at 402.556.6536.

Our Sunday morning Temple Tots will meet in the social hall at 10:30 a.m. All children four and under as well as their families are invited to participate in a morning of stories, songs, crafts, and activities!

Danielle Howell is the facilitator of this program. She can be reached at dhowell912@gmail.com.

Finally on the afternoon of Feb. 5 is our Annual Super Bowl Party! The location for the big game is set. The teams are in place after this Sunday and as the commercial says: “Are you ready for some football?�

The last three years have been great fun, even two years ago after the snow storm.

We cannot wait for kick off, our doors will open at 4:30 p.m. and the game begins at 5:30 p.m. Come watch Super Bowl LI with us on our big projection screens in the Social Hall! We will provide all you can eat appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks. BYOB. Suggested donation: $5 per person or $10 per family. Money will be collected at the door. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536 or RSVP@templeisraelomaha.com.

For information on any of these programs or on membership to Temple Israel, please contact Program Director Scott Littky, 402.556.6536.

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6 | The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017

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Author Marjorie Ingall at Beth El, speaks about raising a mensch

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PARKWOOD T E R R A C E A PA RT M E N T H O M ES

s the saying goes, “God couldn’t be everywhere, so He created mothers.” A staunch supporter of that old adage, Marjorie Ingall, author of Mamaleh Knows Best: What Jewish Mothers Do to Raise Successful, Creative, Empathetic, Independent Children, will share parenting insights during her appearance at Beth El Synagogue on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 6 p.m.

“As both a parent and a professional, I completely flipped out when I found Marjorie Ingall was going to speak at Beth El,” said Jennie Gates Beckman, Jewish Federation of Omaha Director of ComMarjorie Ingall munity Engagement and Education. “I had heard her on the podcast, Unorthodox, and fell in love with her style. After I read Mamaleh Knows Best, I was confident this would be a great program for families, so I suggested Beth El partner with PJ Library to design a program that was parent and child friendly. To that end, we’re providing free babysitting, dinner for the kids and heavy munchies for the parents to make attendance on Feb. 2 easy for everyone. I’m so excited to work with Beth El in connecting families with Marjorie Ingall. She’s top notch.”

Marjorie Ingall is a columnist for Tablet magazine, the National-Magazine-Award-winning journal of Jewish culture and ideas, and a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review. For seven years she wrote the East Village Mamele column for The Jewish Daily Forward. She has been a contributing editor at Glamour, a contributing writer at Self, and has written for Ms., Wired, Real Simple, Redbook, Parents, Parenting and the late lamented Sassy, where she was the senior writer and books editor. Mamaleh Knows Best was named one of The 17 Best Books of 2016 by the website, Kveller; Motherwell included Mamaleh in its list of the year’s best parenting books; and Elana Sztokman of JewFem listed it as one of her six favorite books by Jewish women in 2016.

Blending personal anecdotes, humor, historical texts, and scientific research, Ingall shares Jewish secrets for raising self-sufficient, ethical, and accomplished children. In Mamaleh Knows Best she offers abundant examples showing how Jewish mothers have nurtured their children’s independence, fostered discipline, urged a healthy distrust of authority, consciously cultivated geekiness and kindness, stressed education and maintained a sense of humor. Going against the stereotype of the Jewish mother -- needy, hectoring, guilt-inducing -- Ingall argues that Jewish mothers and their child-rearing values are actually responsible for Jews’ outsized success in a wide variety of fields over multiple eras and in all kinds of environments. “Curiosity and eagerness to learn for learning’s sake are qualities that have served

Jews well over time,” Ingall is quoted as saying. “I started to think what other attributes contribute to success and wellbeing, and how Jewish texts, tradition, history and culture have nurtured those attributes. I felt most strongly that distrusting authority, storytelling, encouraging geekiness, emphasizing but not fetishizing education, fostering tikkun olam and cultivating humor were characteristics that led to flexible thinking, success and - for lack of a better word - menschiness. I think mothers are the conveyorsin-chief of values.”

“Mamaleh Knows Best is meant to be a fun and readable spin through history and a source of encouragement,” Ingall continued.

“Too many forces are constantly telling women they’re doing everything wrong. I wanted to encourage mothers – Jewish and not -- to applaud other admirable women throughout time, to push back against the worst values of our contemporary culture, and to encourage their kids to be mensches... but I wanted to do so without berating or hectoring them (or as our people say, hocking them) or making them panic. I wanna be sisterly.” Of Marjorie Ingall, one reviewer said, “She will make you think, she will make you laugh, and she will make you a better parent. You might not produce a Nobel Prize winner (or hey, you might) but you'll definitely get a great human being.”

PJ Library, according to Jennie Gates Beckman, is a national program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, designed to strengthen the identities of Jewish families and their relationship to the Jewish community. “By delivering free children's books to families every month, PJ Library shares Jewish stories that can help families talk about their values and traditions. Locally, PJ Library is a program of the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) and is generously sponsored by the Dorothy and Myer S. Kripke Institute for Jewish Family Literacy. Families with kids ages 6 months through eight years old with Judaism as part of their lives, are welcome to sign up, regardless of their Jewish background, knowledge or observance. But PJ Library isn’t just free books. The JFO, with support from many other local foundation funds, provides opportunities for families to meet one another and create bonds across the entire Omaha Jewish community. Ingall’s appearance to discuss her book is a perfect tie-in to this aspect of PJ Library.” Copies of Mamaleh will be available for purchase at a book signing by the author following the program.

The Mamaleh Knows Best presentation at Beth El is offered to the entire community at no charge, but an RSVP is appreciated. Please email exec_assistant@bethel-omaha. org or call the synagogue office at 402.492.8550. Marjorie Ingall's visit is co-sponsored by Beth El Synagogue, PJ Library and the Jewish Federation of Omaha and made possible through the Jewish Book Council.

Whitefish official says neo-Nazi marchers ‘likely can assemble’ later

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NEW YORK |JTA The city manager of Whitefish, Montana, says that although a neo-Nazi march scheduled for next week has been canceled, the marchers can likely receive a permit to march at a later date.

In an email to residents of the 6,000-person town Jan. 11, City Manager Chuck Stearns confirmed that the march, scheduled for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 16, had been postponed because the marchers had not filed the necessary paperwork.

The armed march had been organized by Andrew Anglin, who runs the white supremacist website The Daily Stormer, and intended to harass the Whitefish Jewish community. In a post on the site, Anglin vowed to hold the march in February, with or without a permit.

But Stearns told JTA that if Anglin submits the necessary materials, Whitefish will be obligated to grant him a permit, regardless of his ideology.

Stearns told JTA that one obstacle to holding the march next week was that Anglin had not purchased insurance.

“We can’t really restrict the content of their speech, so they likely can assemble and receive a permit for free speech and freedom of assembly,”

he said. “But we can also put conditions on it.”

Stearns told JTA that the city is still examining how much it can restrict the marchers’ plans to march while brandishing guns. He said police are drawing up plans for how to react if a march eventually takes place.

“We were only requiring of him things we require of every applicant, even if it’s a sidewalk sale,” he said.

The Daily Stormer published a blog post last month claiming that Jewish residents were “threatening” a local business run by the mother of Richard Spencer, a prominent white supremacist. The blog post provided personal details of Jewish families in the town, and called on followers to “take action” against Jews in Whitefish by writing and calling them with anti-Semitic messages.

Stearns told JTA that talk of the march and the attendant media coverage has made residents anxious. He said some residents are working to ensure that if a march happens, locals do not draw attention to it.

“There’s some organized effort to have people not turn out and ignore that,” he said. “I’ve been told it’s worked in other cities. I don’t know if anyone knows the exact right approach.”

YJO takes Hanukkah to Remington Heights

naTe ShaPiRo Director of Development, Jewish Federation of Omaha On Dec. 28, a handful of members from Young Jewish Omaha (YJO), celebrated Hanukkah with some of our community members living at the Remington Heights Retirement Community. Participants blessed and lit the Hanukkah candles and sang traditional Hanukkah songs. A special thank you goes out to Temple Israel’s Program Director Scott Littky,, who organized volunteers, including YJO, from across the community to ensure that the folks at Remington Heights were able to celebrate Hanukkah.

Young Jewish Omaha (YJO) is a social group for members of the Omaha Jewish community in their 20s and 30s. Membership is free and open to singles and couples.

Keep up with YJO happenings by “liking” YJO’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/YoungJewishOmaha For more information about opportunities at Temple Israel, contact Scott Littky slittky@templeisraelomaha.com.

For more information about YJO, contact Nate Shapiro at Nshapiro@jewishomaha.org.

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ps://www.facebook.com/ShalomahaPress

The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017 | 7

community Trump’s defense pick: Tel Aviv is Israel’s capital

WASHINGTON | JTA agreement and stronger compliance from Iran, but did not Donald Trump’s choice for Secretary of Defense said at call for killing it. At times it appeared as if he was not fully confirmation hearings that Tel Aviv is Israel’s capital -- apversed with the terms of the deal. parently at odds with the PresidentCompliance, he said, according to elect, who has said he intends to move the Los Angeles Times, “means no nuthe U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. clear enrichment in Iran, no storing of “e capital of Israel that I go to, sir, nuclear materials in Iran.” In fact, is Tel Aviv, sir, because that’s where all under the deal, Iran is permitted lowtheir government people are,” James grade enrichment of uranium.

Mattis, a retired four-star general, told It’s not clear yet where Trump the U.S. Senate hearing on Jan. 12 in stands on the deal. He had suggested response to questions about policy on at times during his campaigning that Israel. he would pull the United States out of Trump’s transition team has not the pact; at other times said he cited any timetable for moving the wanted to review it. embassy to Jerusalem, Israel’s stated President Barack Obama said he capital. considers the deal one of his signature Meanwhile, Mattis and Rex Tillerforeign policy successes. He said it son, the Exxon CEO under consideracuts off a path to a nuclear weapon tion for Secretary of State, both said and makes Israel and other regional they were unhappy with the Iran nuU.S. allies safer. Israeli Prime Minister clear deal but suggested they would Benjamin Netanyahu and the centrist not scrap it. Tillerson also appeared and right wing pro-Israel communithis week at confirmation hearings. ties, as well as many congressional ReRetired General James Mattis Mattis was most pronounced in his publicans, say the deal paves the way rejection of a retreat from the deal reached last year befor a nuclear weapon when some of its restrictions lapse in tween Iran and six major powers led by the United States 10-15 years. exchanging sanctions relief for a nuclear rollback deal.

Tillerson in his testimony criticized the Obama adminis“I think it is an imperfect arms control agreement -- it’s tration’s Israel policy, including recent tensions over the U.S. not a friendship treaty,” Mattis said, responding to Sen. Jack decision to allow through the U.N. Security Council an Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate’s Armed Services anti-settlements resolution.

Committee and a backer of the deal. “But when America “e president-elect has already made it clear that we’re gives her word, we have to live up to it and work with our going to meet our obligations to Israel as the most imporallies.” tant ally in the region,” he said.

Tillerson in his testimony sought a “full review” of the

8 | The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017

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Freedom

anneTTe van De kaMP-WRIGhT Editor of the Jewish Press emember Freedom Fries? Ever notice how many bumper stickers sport that word, ‘Freedom?’ How often it is used on the evening news, in Congress, on our streets? Land of the Free, Home of the Brave: we love that word, Freedom; it stands for something.

But what the word itself actually means in our day-today lives and what we do when it is threatened, we are not so sure about.

There are big freedoms and there are small ones. For instance, I could not care less about how my maple tree pushes its roots where it wants and, from time to time, cracks the sidewalk. The city of Omaha has a different opinion: they fix that sidewalk and send me the bill. I don’t like it, but do I do something about it? Nah, it’s just a sidewalk.

Or when my insurance provider doesn’t have my favorite dentist in network: do I complain? Well, yeah, but only to my friends. I don’t actually fight it. These are what we consider ‘small freedoms,’ we don’t always get what we want.

We deal with it because we’re grownups and we don’t stomp our feet when we don’t get our way.

Among the freedoms that truly matter, my personal favorite is Freedom of the Press. Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich identified four ways in which politicians can hurt freedom of the press: 1. Berate the media; 2. Limit media access; 3. Outright threaten the media; 4. Bypass the media by communicating with the public directly.

Those of us who work in the media (whether we’re big or small) self-censor quite a bit. Sometimes we do so based on what we think our audience is interested in, sometimes because there’s only so much space and/or time, and we

can’t cover it all. Some news is not news, and some news is not relevant. When I receive a press release about a new farm bill, it doesn’t go in our paper because it’s not part of our mission to keep you informed about the state of soybeans. If I have a quarter page left and I have to choose between placing some photographs from a community event or some terribly important news about the Knesset, I will most likely choose the community photographs because that is more relevant to our readers. Those are examples of selfcensorship that are healthy and normal.

Then, there is the other self-censorship, and it occurs most frequently on this, the opinion page. What I write here is my opinion. It does not represent the entire community (that would require all of us to agree, and why should we?) and it does not represent our Board of Directors. It’s me, behind my computer screen, trying to make you think.

And that, I’ll be honest, is going to be a challenge over the next four years. It is a challenge for many media outlets, because our incoming President has mastered all four of Secretary Reich’s categories.

Some of our readers voted for Donald Trump, some of you didn’t. Going down into history as potentially the most divisive election ever, not to mention the most divisive candidate ever, means speaking out is awkward. It is awkward for me personally. I also think the chance that I will, at some point or another, write something on this page that might make some of you angry is fairly big.

So be it.

According to Newsweek, mere weeks before the presidential election, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued an unprecedented statement denouncing Donald Trump: “[He] has insulted and vilified the press and has made his opposition to the media a centerpiece of his campaign. A Trump presidency would represent a threat to press freedom in the United States.”

Back in February of 2016, Trump promised, if elected, he would “Open up our libel laws so when [journalists] write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.”

The thing is, our free press is very thoroughly protected by our First Amendment. Still, tell any journalist you’ll sue, and they’ll turn pale. It’s the kind of threat that has an immediate effect and follow-up isn’t always necessary.

Our incoming President has made a lot of people angry and afraid. He has also indicated he will continue to use Twitter to speak directly to the public, and we have no real reason to believe that the relationship between him and the media will suddenly improve.

He is, above all, a showman: he knows how to get attention and he will undoubtedly say and tweet things that are controversial. If and when that happens, especially when what he says is relevant to the Jewish community, this paper will address it. We will address it through regular news stories from the wire, but also on our opinion pages.

Because staying silent just to avoid discomfort is never the right choice.

been the target of a call to “take action” published by the white supremacists at The Daily Stormer. In the so-called City of Brotherly Love, graffiti on a Philadelphia shop window spelled out “Sieg Heil” and “Trump,” with the “T” replaced by a swastika.

There have been attacks on other groups, too.

At a Veterans Day parade in Petaluma, California, some knuckleheads who really missed the

stand in solidarity with all outsiders.

“Now is exactly the time to wear our kippahs and tsitsit out. To be ‘Jews on the street,’ as new Eastern European Jewish immigrants so strongly tried to hide and assimilate into white WASPyness,” a friend of mine wrote on Facebook the day before I first donned my kippah. “We need to be visible right now and shed this shame. People’s hijabs are literally being torn off.”

I don’t know that it’s shame that has kept kippot off liberal Jewish heads. But it is time to put them on. For me, wearing a kippah is not just an act of solidarity and visibility; it is a reminder that none of this is normal.

This is not normal. This is not normal. This is not normal. That will be my mantra in the coming months and years.

I’m not the only person I know doing this.

Since I first came out as a kippah wearer, I have heard from about a dozen other Jewish friends and acquaintances doing the same all over the country. Even my mom is doing it.

It’s been about a month and a half since I started wearing a kippah. I’ve had a few interactions with strangers about it, none negative. The greatest effect has been on myself; I feel my Jewish otherness more sharply than ever.

Join our movement. Be a Jew. Show the world you’re a Jew. Show our fellow minorities that we are with them, that we are in this together.

The hate and the bigotry are real. It is vocal and it is visible. Things may get worse. And if they do, I will continue to stand with the Muslim woman in San Jose and others like her. Unlike the old kippah I wore when I visited synagogues that require it - small, black, as inconspicuous as it could be - my new ones have some color. You can’t miss them.

I won’t be an invisible minority any longer. I hope you’ll join me.

A version of this article originally appeared in J., the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, where David A.M. Wilensky is the assistant editor.

I’m wearing a kippah now -- for solidarity and visibility DavID a.M. WIlensky SAN FRANCISCO | JTA I do not like wearing a kippah.

I grew up in a Reform synagogue where few people wore them, including the rabbi. The gendered nature of it bothers me. (Why, in some “egalitarian” synagogues, are men forced to wear them but not women?) And, quite frankly, I don’t like being told what to wear.

But two days after the election of Donald Trump, I put on a kippah. Since then, I’ve been wearing this visible symbol of my Jewishness all day, every day. I’m not wearing it to remind myself that God is above me. This isn’t about God. Since the surprise of Election Day, members of the “alt-right,” white nationalist groups and racists, misogynists, Islamophobes, homophobes, ableists and, of course, anti-Semites of every stripe have been emboldened. As a Jew, I want the bigots and their victims to know that I stand with the outsiders.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there was a massive uptick in hate crimes following Nov. 8. By Nov. 11, the SPLC had counted 201 “incidents of hateful harassment and intimidation since Election Day.” About a month after Election Day, the New York Police Department reported a 115 percent increase in bias crimes in the city, with Jews being targeted in 24 of the 43 incidents.

In a parking garage at San Jose State University, not far from where I live in San Francisco, a sophomore Muslim psychology student was attacked on Nov. 9 by a man who “grabbed her hijab from behind and yanked it backward.” In Los Angeles, a substitute teacher was recorded telling an 11-year-old Latina, “If you were born here, your parents got to go. They will leave you behind, and you will be in foster care.”

Since Election Day, swastika graffiti has been popping up all over, including dorm rooms and sidewalks in New York City. My friend and teacher Rabbi Francine Green Roston and other Jews in her town of Whitefish, Montana, have

There has been an uptick in hate crimes since the election, which has inspired a journalist to wear a kippah daily.

Credit: Ullstein Bild via Getty Images point of the parade showed up with Confederate flags. And over the weekend, a group of LGBTQ activists coming out of an art space in Manhattan were accosted by men who identified as Trump supporters. The activists were physically attacked and verbally abused.

The swastikas and other targeting of Jews, of course, should trouble us. But the incident in San Jose, the day after Election Day, is the one that sent me over the edge. Attacks on hijab-wearing women are happening elsewhere; there was one on a bus in Queens, New York, and in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where a man forced a woman to remove her hijab by threatening to set her on fire.

Violently forcing a person to remove an article of religious clothing should horrify you as a Jew. As a white man, my minority status isn’t always visible. That’s why, a couple days after the election, I went to a local Judaica shop and bought two kippot. As a Jew, I am an outsider. And so I

The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017 | 9

Paris ‘peace’ conference shapes up as another misfire LawrenCe grossman JTA Foreign ministers of some 70 nations met Jan. 15, five days before the American presidential inauguration, for an international conference that was advertised as dealing with the Middle East.

This high-level gathering did not address the major crises bedeviling the region such as the bloody civil war in Syria, the ongoing tragedy of Iraq, Iran’s destabilizing activities or the continuing barbarism of ISIS and other terrorist groups.

Rather France, the host country, sought to exercise its long-sought leading role in adjudicating the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters that he expected the conference to “reaffirm the necessity of a two-state solution.” A “French diplomatic source” told Reuters that time was of the essence since the new American administration is likely to take a different course.

The conference went forward despite the strong objection of one of the two central parties to the conflict, Israel. In light of that objection, neither Israel nor the Palestinian Authority was invited to participate, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will be asked, after the conference concludes, to discuss its results with President Francois Hollande, a lame-duck leader.

The Paris conference follows two other major diplomatic events ostensibly aimed at furthering the goal of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but which, like the gathering, will have the opposite effect.

On Dec. 23, a decision by the U.S. to abstain rather than exercise its veto enabled the U.N. Security Council to pass, by a 14-0 vote, a resolution condemning and declaring illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank and in eastern Jerusalem. The same resolution sets the 1949 armistice lines as the basis for negotiating the boundaries between Israel and a future Palestinian state — thereby declaring the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and the Jewish quarter of eastern Jerusalem to be Palestinian territory, pending negotiations. It also urges the international community to treat Israeli-controlled territory beyond the Green Line differently from Israel proper, in essence justifying an economic boycott of the territories.

Five days later, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a speech at the State Department justifying the U.S. decision to abstain and allow, for the first time in eight years

of the Obama administration, a Security Council resolution critical of Israel to be adopted. While expressing his decades-long support and admiration for Israel, Kerry nonetheless cited Netanyahu’s Dec. 16 statement describing his government as more committed to settlement building “than any other government in the country’s history” and warned that its actions were making a two-state solution impossible.

Both the U.N. resolution and Kerry’s remarks also contained criticism of Palestinian incitement to violence, but the attempts at evenhandedness were so muted as to seem pro forma. The lack of any real balance in assigning responsibility could well encourage the most intransigent elements on both sides — the Palestinians to come away thinking they can achieve their demands through the United Nations and avoid direct negotiations with Israel, and the Israelis to conclude that since the U.N. is hopelessly biased against them, there is nothing to gain from showing flexibility.

One possible scenario for the Paris gathering was a resolution endorsing the six-point framework that Kerry laid out in his speech, with the reference to the 1949 lines and hinting at an economic boycott, to be submitted in resolution form for the Security Council to approve before President Obama’s term ends. Another was for the conference to recognize the existence of a Palestinian state, despite the lack of viable, functioning Palestinian political and civil institutions, in total disregard of Israeli security concerns, and with no consideration of how a Palestinian state might be cobbled together given, among other realities, the current bitter divisions in Palestinian ranks between Hamas-ruled Gaza and the P.A. government on the West Bank.

Those involved in organizing the upcoming conference all subscribed to the view that true peace between Israel and the Palestinian people can come only through direct, faceto-face negotiations between the parties. Why, then, encourage Palestinian leaders to avoid that very necessity?

Why double down on the previous misfires in New York and Washington to gang up on Israel in Paris? And why go ahead just days before the new U.S. administration takes office?

Netanyahu has offered innumerable times to meet with Abbas anywhere, any time, with no preconditions. If only the international community would shift gears and put its weight behind that idea.

Lawrence Grossman is the American Jewish Committee’s director of publications.

Israel deserves America’s full support

Congressman Don BaCon In his final weeks in office, President Obama sent a terrible message to our friends in Israel and America’s true support of Israel, through an unprecedented abstention on a United Nations resolution blocking any change to Israel’s 1949 armistice lines. The Obama administration’s abstention on this vote was a disgrace to our nation and was short-sighted.

The administration not only abstained from the vote, thus allowing the resolution to pass, but helped craft the language in a way that would ensure the resolution would be adopted. This is not how we treat our ally. This is not how we treat one of the very few nations that respects the rights of all to practice their religion in the Middle East. This is not how we treat a friend who faces implacable enemies that deny our friend’s right to exist.

As I take the oath of office to support the citizens of the Second Congressional District in the U.S. Congress this month, I am committed to being a strong advocate for Israel’s security and for repairing the damage caused by President Obama. The last eight years have undermined Israel’s security and our two nations’ friendship, but we will turn the page on Jan. 20 and I plan to be a part of the positive and needed change.

As your Congressman, you can count on me to advocate for continued military aid to Israel, the mutual sharing of technology and intelligence, and further co-development of ballistic missile defense and tunnel detection capabilities. I know Iran is our common adversary and the largest exporter of terror and it must not attain nuclear weapons capability. I have and will oppose the Iranian nuclear agreement. I will support efforts to intercept weapons and funding to Hezbollah and Hamas. I oppose Palestinian Authority efforts to be unilaterally recognized by the United Nations. Jerusalem is the undivided and eternal capital of Israel. Finally, I support expanded trade with Israel and oppose the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement instigated by anti-Israel groups.

Here’s the reality we face--the first war Israel loses will be the last war Israel loses. Israel was reestablished following the horrendous genocide in World War II, and we must always ensure Israel remains a bastion for the Jewish people.

One of my most important Congressional duties will be strengthening the American-Israel relationship to help our ally defend itself in the most volatile region in the world. You can count on me for this support.

10 | The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017

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South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org

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Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244

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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

TifereTh iSrael

Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

b’nai iSrael Synagogue

Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker to be announced. Oneg to follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! Our services are led by lay leader Larry Blass.

For information on our historic synagogue, please contact any of our board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf.

beTh el Synagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. friday: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m., followed by dinner; Left vs Right: The Battle for Israel’s Soul, 7 p.m., featuring speakers Jonathan S. Tobin and J.J. Goldberg.

SaTurday: Morning Service/Sisterhood Shabbat, 9:30 a.m.; Shabbat’s Cool (Grades K-7), 10 a.m.; Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:15 p.m. weekday ServiceS: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Sunday: BESTT Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:15 a.m.; Kadima, 11 a.m.; Kibbutz Chaverim goes skating, 12:15 p.m.

TueSday: Rabbi Abraham’s Ethics & Values: A Jewish Guide to Life’s Most Difficult Questions, noon at Whole Foods. wedneSday: BESTT Classes, 4:15 p.m.; USY Jews and Tattos, 5:15 p.m.; Rabbi Abraham’s Ethics & Values -- A Jewish Guide to Life’s Most Difficult Questions, 6:15 p.m.; Hebrew High Classes, 6:45 p.m.

Lunch at the Nebraska AIDS Coalition, friday, Jan. 27, 11:30 p.m.

Oneg in honor of Margie Gutnik and Judy Tully retirement from Beth El, friday, Jan. 27, 5 p.m.

Family/Tot Shabbat), friday, Jan. 27, 6 p.m. followed by dinner.

All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.

beTh iSrael Synagogue

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. friday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv & Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:08 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 5:08 p.m.

SaTurday: Bat Mitzvah of aviva chana Shyken and Bar Mitzvah of Shmuel aaron Shyken; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Parade, 9:45 a.m.; Insights in the Weekly Torah Reading, 4:05 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 4:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:12 p.m.

Sunday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels and Beit Medrash, 9:45 a.m. monday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Shlomo, noon; Read Hebrew America Class, 7:30 p.m.

TueSday: Shacharit, 7 a.m. wedneSday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Board of Commissioners Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

ThurSday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Ethics Class with Rabbi Ari, 7:45 a.m.; Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m.; Rosh Hodesh Group, 7:30 p.m.

chabad houSe

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. friday: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing.

SaTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. followed by a festive kiddush luncheon.

Sunday: Shacharit, 8:30 a.m. followed by Sunday Secrets: Jewish Fun Facts class at 9:15 a.m. weekdayS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. monday: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani. wedneSday: New Tanya Series -- The Anatomy of Your Soul: Who Are You?, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Mendel Katzman.

ThurSday: Advanced Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Mendel Katzman.

All programs are open to the entire community.

congregaTion b’nai JeShurun

Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. friday: Candlelighting, 5:12 p.m.; Shabbat Evening Service, 6:30 p.m. followed by a Baked Potato Supper coordianted

by Dottie Shapiro.

SaTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Shemot; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:43 p.m.

Sunday: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m. at Tifereth Israel; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m. at South Street Temple; ADL representative, Mary Beth Muskin will speak at 1:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel about the findings of the NOW IS NEVER national conference as it relates to the upswing in antisemitic acts in this country. Tifereth Israel invites South Street Temple to join us as well. We will have a babysitter available during this presentation. wedneSday: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. adulT educaTion TueSday: Intro to Judaism, Session #8, 6:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Lewis.

ThurSday: Beginning Conversational Hebrew, Session #11, 6:30 p.m.

President’s Office Hours, Sunday mornings, 10 a.m.– noon at SST. If you have any Temple business you would like to bring before the Board of Trustees, potential programs, or new ideas, please let us know! Call for an appointment at the Temple at 402.513.7697. Or if you prefer, email David Weisser at president@southstreettemple.org.

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friday: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.

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SaTurday: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Marty Shukert.

Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.

Temple iSrael

friday: Shabbat Service with L’taken Speakers, 6 p.m.

SaTurday: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. Bat Mitzvah of Jordyn kirshenbaum, daughter of Nikki and Adam Kirshenbaum; Family Bingo Night, Havdalah & Dinner!, 5-8 p.m. We will begin with Havdalah together to end Shabbat, followed by a soup, salad and potato bar. Please bring a dessert to share. Afterwards we’ll enjoy an evening of Bingo! Prizes will be awarded to the winner of each game. Also, a great night to meet Rabbi Brian Stoller and his family. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536 or rSvp @templeisraelomaha.com.

Sunday: Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; Grief Support Group with Marla Cohen, MS, NCC, LMHP, 10 a.m. For those who have suffered the loss of a loved one; Congregational Meeting, 11:30 a.m. In December the Board of Trustees voted unanimously in favor of hiring Rabbi Brian Stoller. Temple Israel bylaws require that the congregation ratify the Board’s decision.

We have invited Rabbi Stoller and his family to join us so that you can meet him in person and hear his vision for our congregation; JYG at the Mark, 12:30 p.m. at 20902 Cumberland Rd, Elkhorn, NE 68022. Join our 7th and 8th graders for some great bowling, food and games. Cost is $20 and includes lunch and activities. RSVP’s required. More Than A Joke: A Jew, A

Christian, and a Muslim Walk Into a Pub, 5 p.m. at Sean O’Casey’s Pub 2523 S 140th Ave. When members of the three Abrahamic faiths come together to discuss faith and everyday life, a lot of laughter may ensue, but it’s more than a joke.

TueSday: OTYG Spaghetti Dinner Prep Night, 5 p.m. wedneSday: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Family School, 6 p.m.; Let’s Meet our Tri-Faith Neighbors, 6:30-8 p.m. with Rev. Eric Elnes, Ph.D., Senior Minister of Countryside, will help us gain an understanding of the beliefs and principles in their movement, the United Church of Christ.

ThurSday: Amsterdam, Prague and Malta: A Jewish Journey, 10 a.m. with Cantor Shermet; Kol Rina Rehearsal, 7 p.m. at St. Paul.

Scholar-in-Residence Bob Wolfson, friday, Jan. 27-Sunday, Jan. 29. He will speak about The Jewish Community: Strengths and Challenges on Friday, Jan. 27, 6 p.m. He will speak about Stories and Conversations from the front lines: 29 Years with the ADL on Saturday, Jan. 28, noon. He will discuss The Politics of Hate on Sunday, Jan. 29, 10:30 a.m.

TifereTh iSrael

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. friday: Services, 6:30 p.m.

SaTurday: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. followed by a Lunch & Learn session with Joe Weber, UNL Professor of News Editorial and Associate Professor of Journalism will talk about how fake news impacts our understanding of current events. Joe has worked in the magazine and newspaper business for 35 years.

Sunday: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m. at Tifereth Israel; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m. at South Street Temple; ADL representative, Mary Beth Muskin will speak at 1:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel about the findings of the NOW IS NEVER national conference as it relates to the upswing in antisemitic acts in this country. We will have a babysitter available during this presentation.” wedneSday: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. BBQ & Basketball Event for Tifereth Israel & Beth El Families, Sunday, Jan. 29. Lunch will be served from 12:15-2:30 p.m. at Tifereth before the UNL/Purdue men's basketball game beginning at 3:30 p.m. Cost of lunch is $8 per adult and $5 per child ages 2-12 (max. lunch charge of $40 per family). Game tickets are $11 each (25 available). Reserve game tickets by contacting: Ariella Rohr arohr@bethel-omaha.org and sending payments to: Beth El, 14506 California St., Omaha, NE 68154 by Jan. 22. Lunch reservation and payment to: Tifereth Israel office@tiferethisraellincoln.org by Jan. 22.

To SubmiT b’nai miTzvah announcemenTS

Announcements should be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewish omaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 two weeks in advance of the B’nai Mitzvah.

Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, by e-mailing the editor at: avande kamp@jewishomaha.org or online at: www.jewish omaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press.’

vandals scrawl ‘kill Jews’ at massachusetts cemetery

JTA Unidentified perpetrators spray painted the words “kill Jews” and a white supremacist slogan on headstones at a cemetery in Cape Cod. Several headstones were knocked over at Oak Neck, a 5.5-acre graveyard that is the only active cemetery in the village of Hyannis, 70 miles southeast of Boston, Fox25 reported last week.

Oak Neck is not a Jewish cemetery.

Police in Barnstable are treating the investigation as a hate crime, Fox25 reported.

Some headstones were knocked off their bases, while spray paint was used to scrawl slogans on others. About a dozen or more tombstones were either kicked over or otherwise vandalized. Some of the graffiti was directed at police officers.

One headstone was defaced with the number 666, a number association with Satanic groups.

Another featured the numbers “4.20,” ostensibly a reference to Adolf Hitler’s birthday.

The incident comes amid an increase in hate crimes in some parts of the United States following the November election.

The New York Police Department said it has seen a dramatic rise in hate crimes following the election of Donald Trump, with the majority of incidents directed at Jews.

There has been a 115 percent increase in bias crimes in New York City in the month or so following the election, with Jews being targeted in 24 of the 43 incidents. The incidents represented a threefold increase from November 2015, The New York Observer reported.

New York police investigated at least 360 hate crimes in 2016, an increase of 35 percent over 2015, according to The Economist.

Trump last month said he was “so saddened” to hear about vitriol by some of his supporters against minorities. “If it helps, I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: Stop it,” Trump told CBS’ 60 Minutes.

The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017 | 11

lifecycles Births

gABriEl mENAshE BArNOY

Shana Miles and Assaf Barnoy of Bellevue announce the Nov. 2 birth of their son, Gabriel Menashe.

He is named for his great-grandfather Mordecai.

He has a brother, Raffi.

Grandparents are Shoshana and Yoram Barnoy of Rockville MD and Babette and Kris Miles of Miami.

sOPhY rEEd silVErstEiN

Allyson Freeman and Geoffrey Silverstein announce the Oct. 16 birth of their daughter, Sophy Reed Silverstein.

She is named for her mother's great-great grandmother, Sophia Gidinsky, and her paternal great-grandfather, Reuben Silverstein.

Grandparents are Robyn and Bob Freeman of Omaha, and Renee and Sam Silverstein of St. Louis.

Great-grandparents are Joanne and Jerry Freeman of Omaha, Barbara Burke of Omaha, Sandy and Mendel Rosenberg of St. Louis, and Edith Silverstein of Atlanta.

B’NAi mitzVAh

ElENA ANd JOsh rOsENBlAtt

Elena and Josh Rosenblatt, daughter and son of Brenda and Rich Rosenblatt, will become a B’nai Mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 28, at Temple Israel.

Elena and Josh are seventh-grade honors students at Westside Middle School and are participants in the Duke University Talent Identification Program.

Elena is a member of the Westside Middle School show choir and is playing Belle in the Rose Theater Brigade’s production of Beauty and the Beast.

Josh plays baseball for the Heroes organization and is among the top-ranked tennis players in the junior division of the Nebraska USTA region.

For their mitzvah project, Elena and Josh volunteered at the Heritage at Sterling Ridge, spending time with and assisting senior residents.

Grandparents are Ann and Steve Rosenblatt of Omaha, Sharon and Bob Forrester of Arnold, NE, and Charles Robinson of North Platte, NE.

AViVA ChANA ANd shmuEl AArON shYkEN Aviva Chana and Shmuel Aaron Shyken, daughter and son of Liat and Gary Shyken, will become B’nai Mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 21, at Beth Israel.

Aviva is a sixth grade student and Shmuel is a seventh-grade student at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland.

Aviva’s interests include babysitting, playing music and art.

Shmuel’s interests include the violin, playing games and baseball.

They have three sisters, Batsheva, Aliza and Hadassah, and two brothers, Eliezer and Yehuda.

Grandparents are Susie and Paysie Shyken, Debbie and Jeff Kalwerisky of Atlanta and the late Avie Kalwerisky.

Great-grandparents are Maki Waks of Tampa, FL, Joyce Rogoff of Durban, South Africa, and Ilene Pachman of Omaha.

Beth El’s Young Adult event moves to Pitch at Village Pointe

OzziE NOgg Beth El Synagogue’s Young Adult Committee (YAC) has changed the location of its grown-ups’ night out scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 28. The event will now be held at Pitch at Village Point, starting at 7 p.m. The evening was originally planned for Brix at Village Point, which is now closed for business. After the cocktail hour at Pitch, the group will still head over to the Funny Bone at 8:45 p.m. for a 9:30 p.m. show headlining Chris D’Elia.

For more information, contact Abby Kutler at aerpel ding@gmail.com.

YAC events are open to everyone in the Jewish community.

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Sheryl and Art Friedman of Omaha announce the engagement of their daughter Caren friedman to Corey greendale, son of Heather and Eddy Patay of Highland Park, Illinois and Lois Silverstein of Evanston, Illinois and the late Robert Greendale.

Caren graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Washington University in St. Louis, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Social Work. She holds a Licensed Clinical Social Worker certification and has spent most of her career in non-profits, currently serving as Director of Development Communications at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Corey earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Stanford University, graduating with distinction and Phi Beta Kappa. He earned an MA in Humanities from the University of Chicago and an MBA with high honors from the Booth School of Business at University of Chicago. He is a Managing Director at First Analysis, a venture capital and investment research firm in Chicago.

A wedding is planned for June 2017 in Chicago.

iN mEmOriAm

hArVEY m. COhEN

Harvey M. Cohen passed away Jan. 10. Services were held Jan. 12 at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis. Interment was held at New Mt. Sinai Cemetery.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Bertha (Kopperman) Cohen; mother-in-law, May Fagan Miller.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Sheila Miller Cohen; daughters and sons-in-law, Paula Cohen and Samuel Hess and Beth Cohen and Harry Berman and son and daughter-in-law, Daniel and Wendy Cohen; grandchildren: Zoe Berman, Bradley Berman and Sally Cohen; brothers and sistersin-law, Wallace and Maxine Cohen and Norman and Vicki Cohen; and aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Harvey was a graduate of Granite City High School and Washington University, Class of 1963. He spent his career at Cohen Foods, Inc. He served on the board of the Jewish Federation of Southern Illinois and Jewish Center for the Aged.

Special thanks to the wonderful caregivers in the special care unit at Surrey Place.

Memorials may be made to the Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Washington University, Campus Box 8111, 4488 Forest Park Blvd., Suite 130, St. Louis, MO 63108.

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12 | The Jewish Press | January 20, 2017

usnews

‘Jewish americana’ music gets its moment in the spotlight

GabE FriEDMaN NEW YORK | JTA aul Kaye never wanted to be a “Jewish blues” player.

In his opinion, the Jewish music he had heard growing up in Northern California’s Bay Area ranged from “really bad to horrible.”

In 2009, he was touring as a rock musician, playing hundreds of shows a year with various bands at bars and clubs. And though he had never been very religious, he experienced a bad breakup and felt the need to do something spiritually “radical.”

So Kaye decided to take a Talmud course at the Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies in Israel. One morning, a fellow student approached him and left him with an intriguing prophecy.

“He says, ‘Saul, there’s a reason you’re at a yeshiva and you know who Muddy Waters is -- you have to figure it out,’” Kaye said. “I let that marinate for a while and I thought: Why is there no Jewish blues music? It doesn’t make sense. Our people have suffered forever, and blues is about suffering, blues comes out of the slavery experience. How come no one has put this together yet?”

Eight years later, Kaye is now seen by many as the “king” of Jewish blues, having released four albums in the genre that range from twangy fingerpicking to more uptempo electric rock in the vein of B.B. King.

Kaye is part of a growing trend of Jewish musicians who combine Jewish spiritual or religious lyrics with Americana music -- an umbrella term that encompasses genres such as blues, bluegrass, folk and country, as well as a distinctly homegrown, old-fashioned American sensibility.

In addition to Kaye, artists such as Nefesh Mountain, a husband-and-wife bluegrass duo from New Jersey, and Joe Buchanan from Houston who plays James Taylor-esque country, are gaining in popularity on the national Jewish music circuit. Joey Weisenberg, a Brooklyn-based prayer leader and music teacher, has garnered praise for his modern bluesy, indie rock-inspired takes on “niggunim,” or traditional Jewish melodies.

These musicians are building upon the foundation laid by other artists such as Andy Statman (an Orthodox, Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist who plays bluegrass with his eponymous trio), Jeremiah Lockwood (leader of the band The Sway Machinery who is also known for his virtuosic blues guitar

Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg combine Jewish lyrical themes with a pure bluegrass sound as the group Nefesh Mountain.

Courtesy of BAM Photography

playing) and Klezmatics co-founder Margot Leverett (whose group, Margot Leverett and the Klezmer Mountain Boys, combines klezmer and bluegrass.)

Of course, American Jews have long incorporated spiritual music with the popular: In the 1960s and ‘70s, for example, Jewish music icons Shlomo Carlebach and Debbie Friedman turned prayers and Jewish melodies into folk songs that are still sung today.

But the signs are indicating that Americana could be having its biggest moment in the Jewish community right now. The trend follows a trail of greater experimentation throughout the Jewish music world.

“For a long time, it felt like the only artists that we were representing or were out there in congregations were a guy or girl with an acoustic guitar, singing acoustic music, singing Debbie Friedman kind of music,” said Mark Pelavin, the chief programming officer for the Union for Reform Judaism.

“I think now there’s an interest in a greater diversity of musical styles across the board,” he said. “Some of it’s funkier -- more drums, bass and loops -- and some of it’s twangier. There’s a lot of experimentation going on right now.”

“Jews have always taken popular music and brought it into shul because that brings people into shul,” said Kaye, who has also begun leading Shabbat services on his tours. “There’s been a resurgence in coming back to more organic music because it just resonates.”

In the end, American Jewish music and Americana music might actually be two sides of the same coin. While Jewish musicians brought their European influences with them when they immigrated to the U.S., they’ve been forging their own American musical style for nearly half a century, according to Mark Kligman, an ethnomusicologist at UCLA. “In the ‘50s and ‘60s, most of American Judaism was leaning towards trying to find its Americanness,” he said. “[Jews] took European elements -cantorial klezmer and other things -- and started adapting those. By the time you have an American-born generation in the 1970s, around [the time of] Debbie Friedman... they wanted to have an American-born tradition.”

Still, for many, the juxtaposition is a bit unusual. According to Nefesh Mountain’s Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff, even after two years of using the term “Jewish bluegrass,” some people still laugh at it at first.

However, the group has found serious success, touring the country constantly. Nefesh Mountain is in the midst of recording its second album with some of the world’s most respected bluegrass artists, such as mandolin player Sam Bush, guitarist David Grier and banjo player Tony Trishka.

Joe Buchanan, a 40-year-old former human resources manager who grew up Christian in Houston, often recounts to his concert audiences how converting to Judaism resolved his self-esteem issues. Like Kaye, who produced Buchanan’s debut album a couple of years ago, he thinks that the country music he was raised on, along with other Americana genres, goes well with Jewish culture.

“Americana is strong in storytelling, which is something that we’ve always been really good at as a people,” he said. “It’s a huge part of it; we’re always telling stories from the Torah.”

“If someone asked me how to describe Americana music, I would tell them: Imagine country music and rock ‘n roll had a child, and it was raised by their uncle bluegrass, and their other uncle blues music and cousin folk came over and spent a lot of time -- that child is Americana music,” he said. “That and Jewish storytelling is a natural fit.”

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