January 20, 2023

REGULARS

PAM MONSKY

JCRC

Assistant Director

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is proud to present Maharat Rori Picker Neiss as a scholar-in-residence at Beth El Synagogue for Shabbat Vaera, Jan. 20-21.

Maharat Rori Picker Neiss serves as the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of St Louis. Prior to that she served as the Director of Programming, Education and Community Engagement at Bais Abraham Congregation, a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue in University City, MO. She is one of the first graduates of Yeshivat Maharat, a pioneering institution training Orthodox Jewish women to be spiritual leaders and halakhic (Jewish legal) authorities.

In addition to being a Rabbinic Fellow of the David Hartman Center at the Shalom Hartman Institute, Maharat Picker Neiss is the co-chair of the North American Interfaith Youth Network of Religions for Peace, a CLAL Rabbis Without Borders fellow, and co-editor of InterActive Faith: The

Essential Interreligious CommunityBuilding Handbook.

She previously served as Acting Executive Director for Religions for Peace-USA, Program Coordinator for the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, Assistant Director of Interreligious Affairs for the American Jewish Committee, and Secretariat for the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, the formal Jewish representative in international, interreligious dialogue.

At Kabbalat Shabbat services on Friday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m., Maharat Picker Neiss will offer insights drawing from the week’s Parshat Va’iera, and on Saturday morning, she will discuss the work of JCRCs across the country and the responsibilities, critical, and influential roles the Jewish community play in our communities at large. Saturday morning services on Jan. 21 begin at 10 a.m.

Maharat Picker Niess has been on the front lines of racial justice and a leader on interfaith and race relations in her community. She has written extensively on her experiences during the unrest in Ferguson, MO, which is just a few miles See Scholar-in-Residence page 3

JCRC sponsors Scholar-in-Residence Active shooter training at Beth El

MICHAEL SIGMOND

What would you do? That was the primary question posed to about 200 members of the Omaha community who attended one of two August “active shooter trainings” at Beth El Synagogue. The concept: prepare for the nightmare scenario confronting educators and community leaders.

Since 2000, there have been 434 active-shooting incidents in the United States. 1,165 have died. Another 1,929 have been wounded. And the frequency is increasing sharply. In 2021, there were 61 active-shooting events.

“I’m glad they are offering it,” said Beth El board member and attendee Margie Gutnik. “I’m thrilled they opened it to other communities. It’s a great idea to partner with the FBI.”

The program, led by two Omahabased special agents, is called ALERT which stands for Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Teams. The two-hour session featured live demonstrations, including first aid, and an informative video that described See Shooter training page 2

Israeli Scholars’ visit

MARK KIRCHHOFF

JFO Community Engagement and Education

Mark your calendars for Jan. 23 to attend presentations by two scholars from Israel. Rabbi Benjy Myers will present Life, Sandwiches and Crumbling Walls: Torah and Avodah from 1-2 p.m. From 7-8 p.m. on that same day, Artist and Scribe Jamie Shear will present Judaic Scribal and Kaballah Art Presentation. Presentations will be at

the Staenberg Omaha Jewish Community Center.

Rabbi Myers and Mr. Shear are coming through the coordinating efforts of Rabbi Yoni Dryer of Beth Israel Synagogue. They are part of the Ohr Torah Stone (OTS Stone) movement in Israel committed to illuminating authentic Torah Judaism that is relevant to contemporary life. OTS has 30 educational institutions, social projects, See Israeli Scholars page 2

Rori Picker Neiss

Rabbi Benji Myers

Jamie Shear

Shooter training

Continued from page 1

the three choices everyone has in this type of an emergency: Run, Hide, or Fight.

“I appreciated the specifics they provided. Do this first, do this second. It was so much information. So helpful,” according to Gutnik.

The FBI says its focus “is equipping (attendees) with skills if this does happen.” However, the session was not about prevention.

The training gets inside the “mind of an active shooter.” This means understanding they lack normal human compassion, won’t share mercy, and have a plan of action. In the event of an attack, a community member faces a “critical

three minutes” according to the FBI and may “have to fight to survive”.

FBI agents conducted an exercise where they tackled a would-be shooter (who used a broom instead of a real gun). They controlled the muzzle of the firearm, being careful not to touch the front part which can be too hot to handle. They stressed using anything as a

INFORMATION

weapon, like a fire extinguisher, and utilizing “the element of surprise.”

“It never occurred to me to grab a couple of people and do something. You could even pick up a Humash and throw it at the attacker,” Gutnik said. “The video they showed should be viewed by everyone.” That and more information is available at fbi.gov/survive

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.

Israeli Scholars

Continued from page 1 outreach programs, and leadership development initiatives for men and women. Rabbi Myers and Mr. Shear are part of OTS Amiel BaKehila, a program geared toward empowering Jewish communities around the world through Jewish education, Israel engagement, and Jewish Arts and Culture. In the program’s first year of operation, dynamic three-person delegations were sent seven times a year to 25 small and midsized communities across the world – six in North America; seven in Europe and 12 in Latin America. After 50 delegations with more than 130 delegates, more than 1025 activities and more than 32,000 participants, the program was declared a success and the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs more than doubled the communities, placing an additional 43 small to midsized communities on the OTS Amiel BaKehila roster.

Rabbi Myers is a native of the UK, spending his teenage years in London and other parts of his childhood in Israel and Australia. He and his wife, Ayelet, made Aliyah in 2000. He holds a degree in Jewish Studies from the London School of Jewish Studies (University of London), a teaching diploma from the Herzog Teacher’s Training College and Semicha from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate.

Torah scribe, artist and educator Jamie Shear has been creating hand-written Hebrew scrolls on parchment to the highest standards of Jewish law, tradition and aesthetics for thirty years. He also fuses the ancient craft of the quill with a unique perspective to create art that adorns, signifies, and commemorates. He adds beauty to classic texts like the Ketubah, illuminating them using an array of mediums and artistic techniques. Jamie’s main focus in art is that of micrography, the art of creating elaborate designs with the quill to form letters. Originally from Montreal, Canada, Jamie has been living in Jerusalem with his family since 2005.

This educational program, with new perspectives in thought and art, is open to the entire community free of charge. For more information about OTS Amiel BaKehila, visit our webpage at jewishomaha.org. At the very top, click on “About the Federation” and select “Israeli Scholars in Residence.”

omahajewishpress.com/eedition

Scholar-in-Residence

Continued from page 1 from her home. The community is invited to the Staenberg Omaha JCC for a conversation about racial justice and how our community may work to improve relations with our black neighbors.

On Sunday, Jan. 22, Maharat Picker Neiss will lead the Jewish Community Relations Council’s board orientation and training. She sits on the Executive Committee of the national board of JCRC Executive Directors and oversees the national entity’s Mentorship program.

“We are very excited and extremely honored to host Maharat Picker Neiss here in Omaha,” said JCRC Executive Director, Sharon Brodkey. “I am most excited that she agreed to facilitate the JCRC board training and orientation following her presentations as scholar-in-residence. The experience and perspective she will be sharing with us as we build JFO’s JCRC will be invaluable as we move ahead in our advocacy and community relations endeavors.”

Maharat Picker Neiss lives in St. Louis with her husband, Russel Neiss, a Software Engineer for Sefaria, and their three children.

For more information, please contact Sharon Brodkey, JCRC

Fellman and Kooper scholarships available

JAN ROOS

The Bruce M. Fellman Charitable Foundation Trust has announced the availability of scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year. The scholarships will be based on financial needs of students pursuing their post-secondary education. This scholarship has a four-year cap and is limited to undergraduate studies only. Graduate programs are not included.

Bruce, son of Tom and Darlynn Fellman, was a 1982 graduate of Westside High School. He was active in BBYO and served as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer of Chaim Weizmann AZA. He attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and was participating in the University of Pittsburgh’s Semester at Sea at the time of his death in 1984.

The Robert H. & Dorothy G. Kooper Charitable Foundation Trust has announced the availability of scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year. It will be based on financial need for Jewish students with ties to the Omaha community who are pursuing their post-secondary education. This scholarship has a four-year cap and is limited to undergrad-

uate studies only. Graduate programs are not included.

Robert Kooper had a long history of service to the Jewish community. He was elected B’nai B’rith president in 1929; headed Beth El Synagogue in 1941; was president of Highland Country Club in 1951; and was President of the Jewish Federation of Omaha 1958-1960. He died in 1961.

Mrs. Kooper was a strong supporter and worked with the Jewish Federation and Beth El Sisterhood. She passed away in May, 1995.

“Awarding a scholarship to a young Jewish person is a very appropriate way of honoring my parents” Howard Kooper noted.

Applications may be obtained by contacting Jan Roos in Mr. Kooper’s office at 402.384.6471 or jroos@broadmoor. cc or downloaded from the Jewish Federation of Omaha website, click on Community & Education, then Scholarships and Grants, then Additional Scholarship Opportunities (www.jewishomaha.org/education/schol arships-andgrants/view/additional-scholarship-opportunities/). The application packet must be received back in Mr. Kooper’s office no later than March 1, 2023

The 2023 Aksarben women’s ball committee revealed

A new year and a new start for the Aksarben Women’s Ball Committee which welcomes six new community members to its ranks as they begin the mammoth task of planning the 2023 Ball.

The kick-off luncheon was held on Thursday, Jan. 5 at Omaha Country Club. The six women who will begin their three-year commitment are: Alexis Boulos, Amber Gard, Wendi Kroeger, Colette Siner, Carolyn Sutton, and Lindsey Tonniges.

The luncheon also celebrated the retiring committee members for their contributions: Laura Enenbach, who served as the 2021 WBC Chair, Chloe Firestone, Jill Goldstein, Dawn Gonzales, and Susie Shoemaker.

The 2023 Women’s Ball Committee will be led by Kathryn Anderson, Chair, and Advisor Sharlon Rodgers. They will be joined by Aksarben Governor Nate Dodge, serving as this year’s Aksarben Ball Committee Chair, and Aksarben Coun-

cillor Jamie Walker, who will serve as the 2023 Vice Chair of the Aksarben Ball Committee. Sandra Reding, President of the Aksarben Foundation, was also present for the reveal.

This year’s ball will be held on Oct. 28, 2023 at the CHI Health Center. The Aksarben Ball raises funds in support of Aksarben scholarships to help dedicated students attend the post-secondary school of their choice in Nebraska.

ORGANIZATIONS

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS

The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch our email for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com

Executive Director, 402-334-6582, sbrodkey@jewishomaha. org

Above: 2015 at the federal courthouse in downtown St. Louis protesting the treatment of Blacks and demanding reforms to the criminal justice systems in St Louis, and in America. Below: Rori Picker Neiss and Pope Francis.

SNOWBIRDS

A nightmare for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

There have been periods of tension in America between Jewish people and Black people. I went to college in the early 1980s. During one of these periods, Louis Farrakhan and Jesse Jackson made antisemitic statements. I would like to think that just as America moved past that moment 40 years ago, we will do the same with the current round of tension, epitomized by statements made by Kanye West. But in an age of fake news I am worried. Very worried.

Throughout their history, Jews have routinely been victimized by “fake news.” Secular and clerical leaders frequently blamed Jews for catastrophes of all kinds, whether economic, political, bacterial, or personal—and with disastrous and murderous results. In the mid-14th Century, for example, Jews were blamed for causing history’s most fatal pandemic: the bubonic plague that some say killed as many as 200 million people. In the wake of this calumny, over 500 European Jewish communities were destroyed and tens of thousands of Jews were killed, many burnt alive.

History tells us that no lie, if directed at Jews, will be rejected out of hand, prima facie. The charge of ritual murder is the best example here. To Jews, the charge is completely absurd: “Every Jew who has been brought up among Jews knows as an indisputable fact that throughout the length and breadth of Jewry, there is not a single individual who drinks human blood for religious purposes” (thus wrote the great Zionist thinker Ahad Ha’am, 1856-1927). And yet, beginning in the Middle Ages this charge is repeatedly and viciously made against Jews, and it has also been used in modern times in some parts of the Arab world.

Bearing more on my nightmare is the “fake news” story that helped unify Germany in the interwar period. Following WWI, as Germans were still in shock at their losses and still very much puzzled by them, since they had been assured that they would emerge victorious in the war, the “stabbed in the back” theory became wildly popular. It emerged that there was a logical reason for Germany’s loss in the war, and the reason was that Germany’s own Jews had worked to undermine the country, and had stabbed it in the back. Never mind that thousands of Jews fought for Germany in WWI, this fake news story was swiftly taken up as true by the vast majority of Germans.

Which brings me to my nightmare, a nightmare exacerbated by the fact that fake news can spread to hundreds of millions of people within a very short period of time. Today, when a

great ideological divide has split America down the middle, what if a 500-year-old document proves that the Atlantic slave trade was the brainchild of worldwide Jewry? Like Germany in the 1930s, America in the 2020s could unite against the Jews. Preposterous, you say? Well, actually, the charge itself has already been made, most notably in The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews, published by the Nation of Islam in 1991. And while it is true that in 1995 the American Historical Association issued a statement condemning “any statement alleging that Jews played a disproportionate role in the Atlantic slave trade,” all this was before the World Wide Web.

One hundred and twenty years ago, a Russian-language book known variously as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion or The Jewish Program to Conquer the World purported to be the minutes of a late-19th-century meeting attended by world Jewish leaders. Despite the fact that the book was proved to be a forgery shortly after the publication of its English translation in 1919 (The Protocols plagiarizes an 1864 French political satire), it remains widely available in numerous languages, in print and online. How hard would it be, using contemporary hi-tech methods, to construct a document that seems to be very old that maps out (with the wisdom of hindsight) exactly how the slave trade will develop and how worldwide Jewry will profit from it. And how hard would it be, using sophisticated Search Engine Optimization, to cause the document to go “viral”? Yes, finally, an issue for all (non-Jewish) America to rally around: hatred of the Jews.

If there is anyone reading these words who thinks that my nightmare is too fake, that the American Historical Association put this issue to bed 28 years ago, that person is seriously underestimating the motivation and determination of antisemites. As I write this, somewhere in the world there are antisemites at work using the most cutting edge hi-tech tools. Whether or not they come up with a document relating to slavery or pursue a different tactic to disseminate their hatred, it would be lunacy to think that the fakeness of what these antisemites produce will always be readily apparent. There is absolutely no substitute, therefore, for American Jews to continue to develop and build relationships with all other Americans. Dr. King had a dream about these kinds of relationships and about the kind of America in which they would thrive. May that dream vanquish my nightmare.

Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israeli Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@gmail.com

Ella and Herman go to Russia

OLIVER B. POLLAK

In my first Adventures of Ella I wrote, “She and Herman visited the Soviet Union in 1937.”

America recognized the Soviet Union in 1933 and American tourism to Russia increased.

Joseph Stalin, the Soviet General Secretary, wanted to solidify his power and eliminate the influence of Leon Trotsky. The Great Purge or the Great Terror started in August 1936 and ended in March 1938. 700,000 to 1.2 million people were killed. Trotsky was assassinated in Mexico in 1940. Tourist motivation included curiosity, and adventure, a desire to visit family roots, and perhaps political ideology.

A thoughtful reader sent me a treasure that increased my understanding and upended my plan of making the “1937” the 23rd episode.

Joe Greenberg, the son of Bucky and Caryl Greenberg, and the grandson of Joe and Viola Greenberg remembered that as a child he collected postage stamps. He emailed Liz Boutin at the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society on Dec. 25, 2022:

“I recently read the article in the Jewish Press by Oliver Pollak about Ella Auerbach. It reminded me of something that I am sharing with you now.

mother was Viola (Vy)).

I am attaching a copy of the letter, including the front and back of the envelope.

While I have not lived in Omaha for over 40 years, I still consider it home. I enjoy learning about the history of the Omaha Jewish community and am glad I can contribute something to help preserve it.”

Joe Greenberg and Herman Auerbach worked for the prominent Omaha real estate developer and philanthropist Harry A. Wolf. Joe’s letter dated July 10, 1937 went to the luxury Hotel National directly across from the Kremlin. Ella and Herman travelled well. Joe brought Herman and Ella up to date on Omaha reporting that “everything in our department is running along very smoothly with the exception that we have been going through some hot days with no rain, but in spite of it all we are getting along nicely.”

Ella’s undated reply is written on the typed letter from Joe Dear Joe & Vy:

Please let the Jewish Press know in advance when you are leaving and when you are returning. Sometimes several papers are sent to your “old” address before we are notified by the Post Office. Every time they return a paper to us, you miss the Jewish Press and we are charged! Please call us at 402.334.6448 or email us at jpress@jewishomaha.org.

As a kid my father, Bucky Greenberg, introduced me to stamp collecting. He had been a stamp collector in his youth and he gave me his collection. Included were various letters and envelopes that he and his family had received through the years. One of the letters was from Ella Auerbach which was written during the trip she and her husband took to Russia in 1937, which Dr. Pollak referenced in his article. That letter was to my grandfather, also named Joe Greenberg, who worked at the H.A. Wolf Co. It appears Mr. Auerbach also worked there. The letter was written in response to a letter my grandfather wrote to her and is on the same paper as his. Evidently, paper was difficult to get in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. On that paper is a second letter to both of my grandparents (my grand-

I combed the town for a different kind of stamp for Buckie –feel I am “letting him down” on the stamp matter. Russians don’t write many letters apparently – one generally goes to the P.O. to get them for even hotels do not always have them – and, as Herman explained: paper is scarce and good postal cards not available even in beauty spots [tourist attractions] where you would think they would be plentiful. Tourists grab them up but Russians are not keyed up to see the possibility of providing a few extra, since there is a big demand!

Disappointed at receiving so little mail here – just Mr. Wolf, yours and Anna Cherniss’ letter of July, but hope for some at Kharkov or a Kiev. None after that.

Love to all, Ella

Herman wrote on Aug. 8, 1937 from Yalta using an Intourist Hotel Leningrad envelope. Intourist was the main tourist agency for foreigners.

See Ella and Herman page 6.

TEDDY WEINBERGER

Harper Lee’s To Kill A

Mockingbird: Anticipating “one of the greatest plays in history”

All rise for Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork, To Kill A Mockingbird. Based on the iconic work of a classic American literature, it is a story of a small-town lawyer, Atticus Finch, who defends a black man accused of rape by a white woman in the 1930s. Through the eyes of Finch’s children, Scout and Jem, the novel explores issues of race, class, and morality. It is a timeless story of courage and compassion that speaks to people of all ages. The New York Times Critic’s Pick is “the most successful American play in Broadway history.” (60 Minutes). Rolling Stone gives it 5 stars, calling it “an emotionally shattering landmark

production of an American classic,” and New York Magazine calls it “a real phenomenon. Majestic and incandescent, it’s filled with breath and nuance and soul.” With direction by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher, To Kill A Mockingbird — “the greatest novel of all time” (Chicago Tribune) — has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR). Emmy Award®-winning actor Richard Thomas plays the role of Atticus Finch in the National Tour. You can see To Kill A Mockingbird at the Orpheum Theater Feb 7-12, 2023, with only eight performances, including weekend matinees. As of this writing, tickets are still available at ticketomaha.com

Student Scholarships for Omaha History Day

DR. JEANNETTE GABRIEL UNO Director, Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies

Each year the Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies at University of NebraskaOmaha offers scholarship awards for participants in the Omaha District Contest of Nebraska National History Day. Omaha’s District contest includes Douglas and Sarpy County elementary, junior high, and high school students. Interested students can talk with their social studies teachers and register at the event website. Omaha History Day is hosted at Metropolitan Community College on March 3; Entries are due by Feb. 24

The Schwalb Center provides two scholarship awards of $250 each. The first award is for any History Day entry that features Israel, Jewish or Middle East History in any of the categories – paper, documentary, performance, website, or exhibit, in either the junior or senior division. The second award – the Sokolof Essay Award - will be given to the student who writes the best paper about Israel.

The Schwalb Center and the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society will work with teachers and students who are interested in shaping History Day entries about Israel, Jewish or Middle East History. Both organizations are

prepared to assist teachers and students identify and access archival records and collections at the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the University of Nebraska Archives that would be relevant to research topics.

The 2023 theme for National History Day is Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas. This is a perfect topic for young people to explore and analyze Jewish history in the heartland and beyond. The stories of individuals and families who migrated to Omaha are part of a much larger narrative about the Jewish people of the diaspora.

The Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the University of Nebraska archives both contain fascinating stories about Jewish people who pushed frontiers geographically, intellectually, and artistically. There are materials from Holocaust survivors, entertainment trailblazers, business leaders, and difference makers who made an impact nationally.

This is an opportunity for students to take advantage of the rich resources that are available locally to tell previously untold Jewish history. For more details about Schwalb Center scholarships please contact Dr. Jeannette Gabriel at the Schwalb Center at jgabriel @unomaha.edu and 402.554.2788.

WOMEN

Alpha School: Hanukkah

SIVAN COHEN

JFO Community Shlicha.

In honor of the Hanukkah holiday, which took place last month, I was invited to teach and talk with the students of the Alpha school about the meaning of the holiday and the Jewish religion as part of the school’s annual study program that discusses “Holidays around the world”.

The primary mission of the Alpha School is to help students with behavioral/emotional conditions who have

been unable to maintain traditional school placement. This is achieved through an integration of behavioral and academic instruction.

During the lesson I told the story of Hanukkah and its miracles including the victory of the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil tin. We discussed the various holiday symbols and their meaning, we played traditional holiday games like Dreidel. And, of course, we talked about foods associated with the Hanukkah holiday, including sofganiut, latkes and

chocolate coins.

After learning, the students were excited to prepare a “Happy Holidays” greeting card for the Residents of RBJH.

I had the pleasure and honor to take part in this special program and enrich the students’ knowledge about the Jewish religion and its holidays. This is on behalf of the Jewish community in Omaha and as part of the Shlichut plan that includes outreach to various organizations around Omaha.

Suicide prevention

NEED HELP?

Call 988

The Nebraska Family Helpline 1.888.866.8660

Boys Town National Hotline 1.800.448.3000 Yourlifeyourvoice.org Crisis Text Line 741.741

LOCAL & NATIONAL RESOURCES

The Kim Foundation: thekimfoundation.org and Emergency Response - The Kim Foundation: thekimfounda tion.org/emergency-response/ This series is sponsored by the Jewish Press and the Jennifer Beth Kay memorial fund.

Ella and Herman

Continued from page 4

Dear Joe:

Thanks for the letters and enclosed clipping from the W.H. with the story about Russian fliers. [Three Russian pilots flying from Moscow over the North Pole to the United States visited Omaha in late June] Our trip is very interesting; We are constantly on the go and observing new things. For lack of time and lack of paper – (paper is very scarce in Russia) we of course write very few letters... Next week Aug. 16th our stay in Soviet Union is coming to a close – then into Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and home. Of course I am looking forward to my meeting with my mother.

Sincerely, Ella & Herman

These letters are wonderfully informative. Herman’s mother and brother were still in the Soviet Union. Russia had a shortage of writing paper and postcards. Stamp collecting and postcards were very popular. What a thrill for a child or adolescent to receive an exotic card from afar. The letters were silent on Stalin’s murderous tirade. The 1930s Moscow postcards on eBay would amaze Ella.

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SP O TLIGHT

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org

Above, right and below: The RBJH Residents and staff wish the community a happy New Year! May 2023 be full of grand adventures and opportunities. (And before you ask, that’s not a real shrimp).

Below: Birthday Twins! RBJH celebrated the birthdays of two fantastic people – Jill Ohlmann and Barb Fiedler.

Above: Friedel alumni with Eadie Tsabari on the Omaha Teen Trip to Israel. From left: Hannah Stein, Abby Stein, Noah Shrago, Jack Cohen, Sophia Mavropoulos, Brittney Clignett, Donivan Polivka, Phoenix Mavropoulos, standing behind Oliver Lucoff, Jake Lucoff, Darby Smith and Julian Witkowski.

Left: Friedel’s Kindergarteners (and their teachers) show off their new shirts.

Top, above, below and bottom: A wonderful Hanukkah celebration at Beth Israel synagogue.

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Our biggest privilege

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

During a professional training the other day, the question was asked: ‘What’s your Why?’

It’s a really great question, and it’s been living in my head rentfree ever since.

Why do we do what we do? Why are we here, why do we show up, and why do we give so much to sustain this Jewish community of ours?

I’ll share my Why, and then you can take it from there and think about yours.

Starting in a new country in one’s 20s, as I was, is risky for a number of reasons. Most differences you adapt to over time (the food, the language, the traffic) and even typical Nebraska things like the need for small talk can be learned.

What is not so easy is building friendships. You leave behind friends you’ve had for many years, the kind that have known you since the first day of

Kindergarten. The ones who stuck by you through the awkward teenage years, who picked you up and dusted you off after some serious college parties and who know you almost as well as you know yourself. They cannot be replaced, and I’m sure anyone who changes locations at the age I did has that same experience. Making new friends as an adult—it’s not easy. During my first years, and my first jobs, I continued to feel like the proverbial square peg. And then I found this community—or maybe this community found me. And before I knew it, I gained a large number of friends.

I cannot always say where my job ends and my private life begins. There is definite overlap between work and home, not because I can’t shut my professional brain off, but because of the people

who populate both. Because I get to work for a community I believe in, I am surrounded by others who feel the same. This is more than a job, and the Jewish Federation of Omaha is more than a work place. It’s Home. Just like our synagogues are more than buildings, our JCC houses community, familiarity, a sense of belonging. My kids went to the ELC and to Friedel and summer camp, did theater, worked and played here- just like yours. Calling the Jewish Community of Omaha home and helping sustain it is our biggest privilege. That means we support the synagogues, the schools, Chabad, and yes, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign. Because it is not enough to feel grateful, we have to actively help build it.

So that’s my why. It’s why I’ve been doing this job for a while and why I hope to keep doing it. It’s why I give to the campaign, not begrudgingly, but happily. I make my pledge with a very real understanding of what that pledge helps us do. I hope you feel the same.

The 2023 Annual Campaign is coming to an end soon. If you’re like me, and you’ve pledged already, I thank you. We thank you. The Jewish Press is among the many places your dollars support, and we can’t do any of this without your support.

If you have not yet made your pledge, please join me and do so today. Don’t waiver, and don’t wait. You too are part of this community, and this community is worth it.

You are worth it.

Israeli democracy may not survive a ‘reform’ of its Supreme Court

ALEX LEDERMAN JTA

On Dec. 29, Israel swore in Benjamin Netanyahu’s sixth government. The Likud leader became Israel’s prime minister once more, and one week later, Israel’s long-anticipated judicial counterrevolution began.

Newly minted Justice Minister and Netanyahu confidant, Yariv Levin, unveiled a package of proposed legislation that would alter the balance of power between Israel’s legislature and its Supreme Court.

At the core of this plan is a bill to allow the Knesset to override the Supreme Court. Levin’s proposals — which almost certainly have the immediate support of a Knesset majority, regardless of Levin’s assurances that they would be subject to “thorough debate” — would pave the way for Israel’s new government to pass legislation that curtails rights and undermines the rule of law, dealing a blow to Israeli democracy.

The dire implications of this proposed judicial reform are rooted in key characteristics of the Israeli political system that set it apart from other liberal democracies. Israel has no constitution to determine the balance of power between its various branches of government. In fact, there is no separation between Israel’s executive and legislative branches, given that the government automatically controls a majority in the parliament.

Instead, it has a series of basic laws enacted piecemeal over the course of the state’s history that have a quasi-constitutional status, with the initial intention that they would eventually constitute a de jure constitution.

Through the 1980s, the Knesset passed basic laws that primarily served to define state institutions, such as the country’s legislature and electoral system, capital and military. In the 1990s, there was a paradigm shift with the passage of two basic laws that for the first time concerned individuals’ rights rather than institutions, one on Human Dignity and Liberty (1992) and the other on Freedom of Occupation (1994). These laws enshrined rights to freedom of movement, personal freedom, human dignity and others to all who reside in Israel.

Aharon Barak, the president of Israel’s Supreme Court from 1995 to 2006, argued that these laws constituted a de facto bill of rights, empowering the court to review Knesset legislation and to strike down laws that violate civil liberties, a responsibility not explicitly bestowed upon the court in the basic

law pertaining to the judiciary. In 1995, the Supreme Court officially ruled that it could indeed repeal legislation that violates the country’s basic laws, heralding an era of increased judicial activism in Israel in what became known as the “judicial revolution.” The court has struck down 20 laws since, a fairly modest number compared to other democracies.

The judicial revolution of the 1990s shifted the balance of power in Israel’s political system from one of parliamentary sovereignty, in which the Knesset enjoyed ultimate power, to one in which the legislature is restricted from violating the country’s (incomplete) constitution. Israel’s Supreme Court became a check on the legislative branch in a country that lacks other checks and balances and separations of power.

As a result of these characteristics, the Supreme Court currently serves as one of the only checks on the extraordinary power of Israel’s 120-member Knesset — which is why shifting that balance of power would have such a dramatic impact on Israel’s democracy.

Levin’s proposed judicial overhaul includes forbidding the Supreme Court from deliberating on and striking down basic laws themselves. It would require an unspecified “special majority” of the court to strike down legislation, raising the threshold from where it currently stands.

Levin has also called for altering the composition of the selection committee that appoints top judges to give the government, rather than legal professionals, a majority on the panel. It would allow cabinet ministers to appoint legal advisors to act on their behalf, rather than that of the justice ministry, canceling these advisors’ role as safeguards against government overreach. Should a minister enact a decision that contravenes a basic law, the ministry’s legal advisor would no longer report the violation to the attorney general, and would instead merely offer non-binding legal advice to the minister.

The pièce de résistance is, of course, the override clause that would allow the Knesset to reinstate laws struck down by the Supreme Court by 61 members of Knesset, a simple majority assuming all members are present. The sole restriction on this override would be a provision preventing the Knesset from re-legislating laws struck down unanimously, by all

15 judges, within the same Knesset term.

This plan’s obvious and most immediate result would be the effective annulment of the quasi-constitutional status of Israel’s basic laws. If the Knesset’s power to legislate is no longer bound by basic laws, these de facto constitutional amendments no longer have any teeth. There are no guardrails preventing any

Knesset majority from doing as it wishes, including violating basic human rights.

Most crucially, the Knesset that would once again enjoy full parliamentary sovereignty in 2022 is not the Knesset of Israel’s first four decades. Shackling the Supreme Court is essential to the agendas of the new government’s various ultraright and ultra-religious parties. For example, the haredi Orthodox parties are eager to re-legislate a blanket exemption to the military draft for their community, which the court struck down in 2017 on the grounds that it was discriminatory. They also have their sights on revoking recognition of non-Orthodox conversions for immigrants to Israel, undoing a court decision from 2021.

The far-right, Jewish supremacist parties of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, meanwhile, see an opportunity to deal a decisive blow to an institution that has long served as a check on the settlement movement. They hope to tie the court’s hands in the face of oncoming legislation to retroactively legalize settlements built on private Palestinian land, which are illegal under Israeli law. But this is only the beginning: Neutering the authority of the court could pave the way for legal discrimination against Israel’s Arab minority, such as Ben-Gvir’s proposal to deport minorities who show insufficient loyalty.

The timing of Levin’s announcement could not be more germane. The Knesset recently amended the basic law to legalize the appointment of Aryeh Deri, See Israeli democracy page 9

Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.

A group of visitors get a tour of the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, on June 14, 2017. Credit: Hadas Parush/Flash90

Never Again: American Jews and the IDF

DAVID BERGER

My grandfather was a prisoner in Auschwitz for three and a half years. Six million Jews, including more than half of his family and countless friends were murdered by the Nazis in Germany just over 75 years ago. I grew up hearing about my grandfather’s survival stories, bravery, and persistence. Jews have always been globally persecuted, and too frequently, Jews are in imminent danger, solely due to their religion. Despite all our nation has been through, anti semitism and hate crimes against us are still at large, and it is our generation’s turn to take action.

A substantial factor contributing to the establishment of Israel was the Holocaust. Additionally, if not for our ancestor’s tenacity and willpower to push through and survive Hitler’s regime, keeping faith towards a brighter, religiously independent Jewish future, Israel would not have survived and flourished. They reclaimed our homeland finally giving the Jewish people an army and a safe haven to resort to. The Israeli Defense Force has risen to be one of the most powerful militaries in the world, thus keeping Jews around the world safe.

Before the establishment of Israel, Jews were scattered all throughout Europe. They had no homeland to run to, or an army to defend them. All Hitler needed was to begin scapegoating them and to send his already hate ridden army on its way to “make Germany great again.” Today, the majority of American Jews feel safe living in America. However, a key element resulting in the freedom we have to exercise our religion and live without fear is a result of the young men and women putting their lives on the line in Israel. Israelis are closest to danger; all the surrounding countries want to wipe out the Jewish people. Nonetheless, they continue to live and fight for the worldwide freedom of Jews. It is not right that us American Jews enjoy the benefits of America whilst our own people put their lives on the line in Israel. The only difference between American and Israeli Jews is that we, Americans by chance, were born 6000 miles away from Israel. Otherwise, we would be required to draft into the IDF. We are the same united people just born in different places.

Anything you can contribute to the IDF is helpful, and frankly, needed. Israeli Jews have served since the existence of Israel and it is now our turn, as American Jews, to step up. All a lone soldier - a soldier whose parents reside in the diaspora

- is required to serve is for one and a half years. It is a chance to be someone's hero. A chance to take a stand to protect your people, your family. It is an opportunity to help keep our brothers and sisters in Israel safe. Just take a look at what Israelis deal with again and again and have to read on the news time and time again. “Senior Islamic Jihad official: We will bomb the center of Israel.” “Three people killed in ax attack in Israel, extending wave of violence.” These headlines are nothing new for the citizens of Israel.

We are watching history repeat itself. As a result of the Holocaust, one of the largest genocides in the history of the Jewish people, there has been a silent period of anti-semitic and antiZionist violence and hate crimes. However, the past 77 years have also been a silent buildup of hate and tension. They say history does not, exactly, repeat itself, but it does rhyme. The hate is now making loud appearances in forms of dangerous, violent acts, and statements towards the Jewish people all over the world. Jews, please join me, and do your part in memory of those we have tragically lost and for our future. Regarding America, with the rise of antisemitism, joining the IDF will, in the long run, help improve conditions for American Jews. The link between safety, Israel, and the Jewish people is inextricable. Out of the steps we can take, the greatest action of contribution is to join the Israeli military service. No matter how big the job is, it is a necessary factor in an effort to secure a dependable, safe, and thriving future for Israel and Jewish people worldwide. It doesn't matter where you live; since we are Jewish, it is crucial we each do our part.

The Israeli army has endured wars since the establishment of Israel that logically, should not have been won, and now, we must never lose Israel again. When the Yom Kippur war broke out, my cousin was on the first El-Al flight to Israel to go serve and help take part in whatever he could. I too will be enlisting in the Israeli Defense Force when I turn eighteen years old. I encourage everyone to take part in the IDF regardless of where you live or how religious you are. Everyone can contribute and everyone makes a significant difference. My grandfather maintained a brave attitude amongst death to the left and right of him in the camps and took part in keeping the Jewish nation alive. It is now our turn to be brave and take action to ensure a safe and persisting future for the Jewish nation. Never again will we not have a homeland. Never again

will we be helpless. Never again will we be pushed around. Never again will we be herded like sheep to gas chambers.

Never again will we face extermination. Never again.

The author of this opinion piece, David Berger, is sixteen years old, and lives in Riverdale, New York. He is a junior at The Frisch School and has written for his school’s Israel Journal Newspaper. Aside from hobbies including music and psychology, his greatest passion is sharing his perspective and enthusiasm on why he believes all Jews, American Jews specifically, should enlist in the Israel Defense Force. Coming from a family of Holocaust survivors, the idea of “never again,” was ingrained in David’s psyche and became his conviction.

Israeli democracy

Continued from page 8

the Shas party leader who is serving a suspended sentence for tax fraud, as a minister in the new government. The Supreme Court convened in the morning to hear petitions against his appointment from those arguing that it is “unreasonable” to rehabilitate Deri given his multiple criminal convictions, a view shared by Israel’s attorney general.

The Israeli right has long chafed at the power of the Supreme Court, which it accuses of having a left-wing bias. But a judicial overhaul like this has never enjoyed the full support of the government, nor was Netanyahu previously in favor of it. Now, with a uniformly right-wing government and Netanyahu on trial for corruption, the prime minister’s foremost interest is appeasing his political partners and securing their support for future legislation to shield him from prosecution.

In a system where the majority rules, there need to be mechanisms in place to protect the rights of minorities — political, ethnic and religious. Liberal democracy requires respect for the rule of law and human rights. Yariv Levin’s proposals to fully subordinate the Supreme Court to the Knesset will concentrate virtually unchecked power in the hands of a few individuals.

Alex Lederman is a policy and communications associate at Israel Policy Forum.

SCHOOL SENIORS

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND PARENTS

We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 26, 2023. To be included, fill out the form below or send us an email with the student’s name, parents names, high school they are attending, the college they will be attending and photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 9, 2023.

Parent(s)’ Name(s)

Current High School College you plan to attend

Send by May 9, 2023 to: The Jewish Press 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154

Synagogues

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 www.cblhs.orb email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

CHABAD HOUSE

An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:

B’NAI JESHURUN

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

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com

ROSE BLUMKIN

JEWISH HOME

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154 rbjh.com

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, Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information on COVID-related closures and about our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

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

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 6:05 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Gabbai-in-Training Class, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman.

TUESDAY: Pirkei Avot, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham at Beth El & Live Stream.

WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m.

FRIDAY-Jan 27: Nebraska AIDS Project Lunch, 11:30 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY-Jan. 28: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 6:10 p.m. Zoom Only; Youth Adult Youth Group Memories, 6:30 p.m. 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, 5:07 p.m.; Candlelighting, 5:08 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha, 5 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 5:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:12 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 4:40 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 5:20 p.m.; Mishna Class (2nd-6th), 6 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi 4:40 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:20 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 4:40 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:20 p.m.; Workshop — Holy Scrolls, Tefillin and Mezuzah, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7

a.m.; Daf Yomi 4:20 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:20 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 4:40 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:20 p.m.; Parsha Class 5:40 p.m.

FRIDAY-Jan 27: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:16 p.m.; Candlelighting, 5:17 p.m.

SATURDAY-Jan. 28: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:45 a.m.; Mincha 5:10 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 5:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:20 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/Zoom hybrid (Ochabad.com/classroom). 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/Le chayim; Candlelighting, 5:07 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 6:11 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Video Presentation 9-9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m.

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

TUESDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Hebrew Grammar, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Tanya Class, 9:30 a.m.; Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Hebrew Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

THURSDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Hebrew Reading, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 34), noon; Hebrew Reading, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Jewish Law Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Jan 27: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad. com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 5:16 p.m.

SATURDAY-Jan. 28: Shacharit 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 6:19 p.m.

Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch.

Note: Some of our services, but not all, are now being offered in person.

FRIDAY: Shabbat Candlelighting, 5:11 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex and music by Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Oneg host: TBD.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat

Va’era; LJCS Havdalah 6 p.m.; Havdalah 6:15 p.m.

SUNDAY: LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m.; Men's Bike/Coffee Group continues to meet during the winter months, 10:30 a.m. at Rock-N-Joe, just off of 84th and Glynoaks. For more informatoin or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Pickleball, 3 p.m. at TI. For more information please contact Miriam Wallick by text message 402.470.2393 or email at Miriam57@aol.com. Wear comfortable clothes and appropriate footwear.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Classes, 4:30 p.m.; Adult Ed class: The Modern History of Israel, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at SST.

FRIDAY-Jan 27: Shabbat Candlelighting, 5:20 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex and music by Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Oneg host: TBD.

SATURDAY-Jan. 28: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Bo; Havdalah 6:22 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 Batsheva Appel, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander

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

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SUNDAY: Grades PreK-6, 9:30 a.m.; Adult Ed: Familial Responsibilities, 10:15-11:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person; Grades 36, 4-6 p.m.; T’filah, 4:45 p.m.; Grades 9-12, 6-8 p.m. at Temple; Grades 7-8 6:30-8 p.m.; Community Beit Midrash, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel — In-Person & Zoom.

FRIDAY-Jan 27: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom; Confirmation Class & Dinner, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY-Jan. 28: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service and Bar Mitzvah of Brody Sudbeck 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

Trove of prewar Jewish artifacts found in Poland

DAVID I. KLEIN

JTA

Construction workers renovating an old tenement house in Lodz, Poland, unearthed a surprising find: an untouched cache of hundreds of Jewish artifacts believed to have been hidden in advance of the Nazi occupation of the city.

The trove — which included menorahs, kiddush and ritual washing cups and items from everyday life, all wrapped carefully in newspaper — was buried next to a building just beyond the ghetto in which Lodz’s Jews were imprisoned during the Holocaust. Only about 10,000 Lodz Jews survived until the end of the war, out of a prewar population of about 230,000.

“The discovery is remarkable, especially the quantity. These are extremely valuable, historic items that testify to the history of the inhabitants of this building,” said Agnieszka Kowalewska-Wójcik, director of the Board of Municipal Investments in Lodz, according to Polish media. She said the artifacts are being transferred to the city’s archae-

ological museum, adding, “I hope a special, generally accessible exhibition will be prepared.”

Before World War II, Lodz, one of Poland’s major industrial centers, was one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe, numbering over 230,000 or 31% of the city. Almost all of them were killed by the Nazis during their occupation of the city from 1939 to 1945.

“For us archaeologists, such unusual finds are a challenge, but also a great joy. I don’t remember the last time such treasures were unearthed in Lodz.” said Bartlomiej Gwózdz, a local archaeologist. “At the moment, each item is carefully cleaned so that nothing is damaged, broken or destroyed.”

Two of the discovered menorahs were lit during Hanukkah celebrations this year by Lodz’s Jewish community, whose offices happen to be on the other side of the block from the building on Pólnocna street, where the trove was discovered.

The trove is not the first notable Jewish relic to be unearthed in Lodz. In 2018, workers excavating a building that was inside the Jewish ghetto uncovered what researchers concluded was a bloody prayer shawl that had been left behind during a

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL

1940 pogrom, when the Nazis attacked Jews who had gathered to pray on Yom Kippur.

Piotrkowska Street In Lodz, Poland, not far from the street where the Jewish artifacts were found. Credit: Adam Jones/Wikimedia Commons

Life cycles

ADAM JOSHUA SKOG

Adam Joshua Skog passed away on Dec. 29, 2022, at age 36. A Celebration of Life will be held in mid-April.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Mary Lou and Danny Goodman and Lois and William Skog.

He is survived by daughter, Harper Louise Skog; parents, Ricki and Jeffery Skog; sister and brother-in-law, Jamie Skog-Burke and Bartley Burke.

Memorials may be made to the organization of your choice.

SALLY PRIESMAN TELPNER

Sally Priesman Telpner passed away on Jan. 13, 2023, in Bozeman, Montana. Graveside services were held on Jan. 17, 2023, in Ashland, OR.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Maynard in June, 2022.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Heidi and Irwin Barr of Bozeman, MT and Marci and David Rosenthal of Boulder, CO, and daughter, Sari Telpner of Ashland, OR; grandchildren: Dan Barr, Sadie Barr, Jennie and Nathan Anderson; Ailee Slater, Noah Slater; and Alex Rosenthal; great-grandchildren: Dylan and Ethan Anderson; and many nieces and nephews across the USA and Canada, including her niece and Temple member, Lisa Lewis.

Sally and her late husband, Maynard Telpner, had resided in Ashland, Oregon since 2002, but prior to that, resided in Council Bluffs, Iowa, since their marriage 71 years ago. Sally was active in Jewish and civic organizations in Council Bluffs, and Omaha, and had maintained many close friends in the Council Buffs and Omaha area.

Memorials may be made in Sally's memory to Stillwater Hospice in Bozeman, MT., or to the organization of your choice.

ARNOLD WEINTRAUB

Arnold (Arnie) Weintraub passed away on Dec. 19, 2022 at age 80 in Long Beach, California. The funeral service was performed by Rabbi Nancy Myers in Costa Mesa, California.

He was predeceased by his parents, Isadore and Eva Weintraub, and his sister, Anny.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Sharon Weintraub; his

daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Weintraub and David Kahn; sons and daughters-in-law, Jason and Dana Weintraub and Scott and Hillary Weintraub; grandchildren: Benjamin, Balin, Tae, and Hope. Arnie loved spending time with all of them.

Born and raised in Omaha, Arnie graduated from Omaha Central High School. He went on to attend Omaha University and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree, his teaching credential, and his Master’s Degree from Omaha University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

He started teaching English, speech, and debate at Central High School where he also was the Speech and Debate Coach. He also taught at the University of Omaha.

In 1980, the Weintraub family moved to California. Due to a lack of teaching positions at that time, Arnie worked at Riekes Container for several years and then at Merical Vita-Pak where he was the payroll administrator.

Finally, he was able to return to teaching as a substitute teacher at Los Alamitos Middle Schools and High School where he again was the Speech and Debate Coach while maintaining his full-time job. His sons were attending the same high school. Arnie also taught at El Camino College and Golden West College.

Andrew Pulver, superintendent, said Arnie “began substitute teaching with Los Alamitos USD in 2008 and made himself readily available since then for on-call and long term assignments throughout the district. He was a popular and regular substitute teacher used at many campuses district-wide.”

Arnie was also quite active at Temple Beth David in Westminster. His passion was singing in the Temple Choir. He performed once a month with the Temple Choir Shabbat Service and also sang during the High Holidays.

Arnie was honored by MRJ, Men of Reform Judaism, the Brotherhood of Temple Beth David, Westminster, California, as its Man of the Year in 2009. He also was awarded a Second Diamond by the National Forensic League in recognition of extraordinary service to the interscholastic speech program for which Arnie was most proud.

Memorials may be made in Arnie’s memory to Temple Beth David, 6100 Hefley Street, Westminster, CA 92683. Checks should be made out to Beth David Choir.

80,000 Israelis protest Netanyahu government’s plan to weaken Supreme Court

GABE FRIEDMAN JTA

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Habima Square on Saturday to protest their new government’s plans to significantly decrease the power of the country’s Supreme Court.

Authorities reported that as many as 80,000 protesters braved a rain storm in Tel Aviv, while smaller protests took place in other cities across the country, including outside of the president’s residence in Jerusalem.

Chief Justice Esther Hayut called the proposed laws “an unbridled attack on the judicial system” this week.

The swelling protest movement that culminated in the rallies has been driven by left-wing activists, according to reports, but centrist figures — including former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who previously sat in a coalition with Netanyahu — also called for mass protests this week and made appearances on Saturday to show their support.

“If you continue the way you are going, the responsibility for the civil war brewing in Israeli society will be on you,” Gantz said in a televised interview earlier this week.

The rhetoric on both sides intensified as Ben-Gvir ordered police to use water cannons to disperse protesters and banned the display of Palestinian flags at protests, equating them to terrorist symbols. Zvika Fogel, a member of Ben-Gvir’s party, said that Gantz, previous Prime Minister Yair Lapid and two other centrist opposition leaders “should be arrested and put in handcuffs” for encouraging the protests.

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In their first weeks in the Knesset, or parliament, members of Israel’s far-right governing coalition have already advanced pieces of legislation that would allow a majority of lawmakers to override Supreme Court decisions. Supporters say the proposals amount to an overdue check on a Court has drifted leftward over time and struck down too many proposals from the Knesset’s conservative and right-wing flanks. Critics are calling the proposed changes a blow to Israel’s record as a fullfledged democracy.

“I feel like we are living in the beginnings of a dystopian state,” one Tel Aviv resident at the protest told The Times of Israel. “I am seeing the end of democracy and I feel personally threatened.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who partnered with controversial far-right figures such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to form his ruling coalition, supports the proposed legislation. He has for years been dogged by multiple corruption cases and in 2019 became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be indicted.

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Thousands of Israelis protest against the current Israeli government in Tel Aviv's Habima Square, Jan. 14, 2023. Credit: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

My mom is ‘up there kvelling’

PHILISSA CRAMER

JTA

Steven Spielberg said he was the sixth-happiest person in the world after he won best director at this year’s Golden Globes awards for The Fabelmans, his autobiographical film about his Jewish family.

“I think... there’s five people happier than I am,” he said in his acceptance speech, which he said he had not prepared in advance out of superstition. “There’s my sister Anne, my sister Sue, my sister Nancy, my dad Arnold and my mom. She is up there kvelling about this right now.”

“Kvell” is the Yiddish word meaning to feel quiet pride in the accomplishment of others — and it’s closely associated with Jewish mothers who are proud of their children. Spielberg’s mother, Leah Adler, was the owner of a popular kosher restaurant in Los Angeles who died in 2017. His father Arnold, who helped him make his first movie, died in 2020 at 103.

The Fabelmans, which also won best picture among dramas, tells the story of a child who falls in love with filmmaking and laces his family’s Jewish identity into the storytelling. The character based on Adler is played by Michele Williams, a non-Jewish actor who is raising her children Jewish, while Paul Dano plays the character based on Arnold Spielberg.

During the awards ceremony, host Jerrod Carmichael joked

that he watched The Fabelmans with Kanye West “and it changed everything for him” — alluding to the rapper’s months-long antisemitic tirade that has cost him millions in sponsorships and led to him becoming a show-business

“I like very much the sort of easy way that Jewishness lives in this movie. It’s a very profound part of Steven’s identity, and of the Fablemans’ identity,” Spielberg’s collaborator, the Jewish writer Tony Kushner, said at a September film festival before the movie’s wide release. “But it’s a movie that’s about Jewish people, rather than entirely or exclusively about Jewishness or antisemitism or something. So it’s not a problem, it’s who they are.”

The film has been a critical darling but Spielberg’s worstever performance at the box office, where it is unlikely to bring in anywhere close to the $40 million spent to make it. (Many theater releases are struggling in a climate where audiences are accustomed to watching movies at home.)

Spielberg’s attendance at the ceremony was notable because many actors and directors boycotted last year’s pareddown event over years of scandal at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hands out the awards. The group was criticized over conflicts of interest by its members and for including few Black members; it says it has addressed both issues.

pariah. Addressing Spielberg, Carmichael said, “That’s how good you are. You changed Kanye West’s mind.” (In response, Spielberg clasped his hands in mock prayer.) Elsewhere, Spielberg was thanked from the stage even by actors who did not appear in his film: Everything Everywhere All At Once star Ke Huy Quan, who won best supporting actor in a comedy, thanked the director for giving him his first big break in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom at the age of 12.

Also winning at this year’s Golden Globes was Jewish actress Julia Garner for her Netflix show Ozark and Justin Hurwitz, who was named best original score for Babylon. The Jewish songwriter has won all four of the Golden Globes for which he has been nominated, all for work with the filmmaker Damien Chazelle, his college roommate. Chazelle attended Hebrew school at a New Jersey synagogue and traveled to Israel with his classmates despite being raised by Catholic parents.

Ukraine’s Jewish president Volodymyr Zelensky also made a special pre-taped appearance at the Globes, thanking Hollywood for supporting Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia and making a reference to the awards ceremony’s origins in 1943 in the waning years of World War II.

Steven Spielberg poses with the awards for best director and best picture for The Fabelmans at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, Jan. 10, 2023. Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images