February 10, 2023

The Jewish Press

ISRAEL TEEN TRIP

REGULARS

Spotlight 7

Voices 8

Synagogues 10

Life cycles 11

JAY KATELMAN

JFO Director of Community Development

On Dec. 21, 2022, I was one of five chaperones to accompany 22 Jewish Omaha teens on a journey from Omaha to Israel. We traveled from Denver to San Francisco to Tel Aviv, and after about 15 hours of flying plus a tenhour time change, we finally arrived in Israel!

We enjoyed four days in Tel Aviv, participated in an archaeological dig, where we found many pieces of coal, pottery, and lots of dirt. We went to a community near Gaza, and learned from an individual living on the border what their daily life is like. It is both an interesting and scary way to live. We then visited with an Ethiopian woman who shared how she came to Israel, while we all enjoyed the feast

Bob’s three minutes

Editor’s note:

Hello friends,

she cooked for us. We also spent time at the beach and, of course, we visited the shuk.

From Tel Aviv we traveled to Akko, in Omaha’s partnership region. The teens spent two nights at a host family’s house to see how they lived. They stayed up late talking, played video games together, and made special meals. The teens made new friends for life through this experience. While in the partnership region, we also visited a school for K-6 graders. If you ask many of the teens, this was the highlight of the trip. The kids flocked to our teens, and they played dodgeball, volleyball, soccer and even cooked together. As the home hospitality portion of the trip came to an end, the teens said goodbye to their host families, and we all got back on the bus and headed to our final destination, Jerusalem. See Israel Teen Trip page 2

BOB GOLDBERG Chief Executive Officer, JFO

Monday, Jan. 16 was Bob Goldberg’s first official day as our Jewish Federation of Omaha CEO. Over the next few months, you’ll regularly hear from him in the Jewish Press, among other places. Have questions? Feel free to send them to the Jewish Press at avandekamp@jewish omaha.org and we’ll pass them on. There are many exciting things happening at the Federation, so there will be much to talk about!

It is good to be home.

For the last ten years, I have bragged to my friends in Texas and Iowa that I am a product of the Omaha Jewish community. We have so much to be proud of and so much to be grateful for.

A lot has happened here in the last ten years. The city has grown, the Staenberg Omaha JCC has had a major renovation, Friedel is adding a middle school, and pickleball is a thing. But the constants remain; the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and Jewish Family Service continue to provide premier care, the Jewish Press connects us, the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center is bringing up the next generation with love, the Jewish Community Relations Council and Institute for Holocaust Education are empowering us to be our best, our Philanthropy and Engagement team is building relationships to sustain the future, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation is the most trusted place for long term investments to support Jewish life in Omaha, and did I mention the Staenberg Omaha JCC... it’s buzzing. If you See Bob’s three minutes page 2

Phil Malcom appointed as COO

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

For Phil Malcolm, the year 2022 was one of personal and professional growth, as he found himself in the position of Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

Together with consultants Jan Goldstein and Marty Ricks, Phil kept our organization connected, organized and on track. Previously the Executive Director of Operations, he hit the ground running. From bringing the leadership team together every week to organizing team building exercises, from giving great advice, to teaching helpful strategies or simply providing a listening ear—

whatever was needed, Phil was there. He also brought a quiet, understated sense of humor with him, reminding us to take the work seriously, but not ourselves.

“Working as the Interim CEO provided an exciting opportunity for our entire team to work and grow together,” Phil said.

“I have had a really good time meeting many people in the community.

While I typically work behind the scenes, this past year I’ve had a much closer view

of what all the behind-the-scenes work means. Seeing operational impact has been fun and enlightening.”

“During this interim year, Phil has been a blessing for us,” JFO President Mike Siegel said. “He stepped See Phil Malcom page 3

Let’s create together Page 2

The Kaplan Book Group goes Broadway Page 5

Meet George Santos’ possible replacement: An actual Jew of color Page 12

Phil Malcom

ROOFING SIDING GUTTERS

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If you are currently attending college, are between the ages of 18 and 24, and want to become more involved in our community, this is your chance.

If you are interested, please send your resume and cover letter to avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.

WE CAN’T WAIT TO MEET YOU!

Continued from page 1

It was a great choice to end the trip in Jerusalem. We were able to see the newer city in Tel Aviv, go to the partnership, and then finish the trip in the “Old City” of Jerusalem. When we pulled into Jerusalem, it was late, so we went to the market before we called it a night. In the morning, our tour guide took us to a lookout point where you could see most of the city. To say it was breathtaking is an understatement. You can see as many pictures and videos as you want; however, it just hits you differently being there.

Something else that affected many of us was the Kotel (Western Wall). We all had different reactions; however, I saw many teens grow in their beliefs and Jewish pride after experiencing time at the Kotel. One group even helped make a minyan for a bar mitzvah! We also took the rail up to the top of Masada. We ended our trip at Yad Vashem learning about the Holocaust and then visiting Mt. Herzl. It was a sobering

Bob’s three minutes

Continued from page 1 haven’t visited the campus in a while, do yourself a favor and come feel the energy of this place. It’s outstanding.

These first couple weeks on the new job, I have been meeting with our leadership team and our staff, with our various boards, with our rabbis, community partners, and many of you. I have found an inspired community working hard to engage and support one another, balancing our various needs and wants with the ultimate objective of having a caring and active Jewish community where we all have a voice and a place to call our own. I look forward to visiting with many more of you in the days ahead.

I want to give a huge thank you to Jan Goldstein and Marty Ricks who stepped in and did what they do... lead with passion and purpose. Jan and Marty are longstanding pillars in our community, they have been mentors to me, and I will continue to lean on them. Phil Malcom, who served as our interim CEO and is now assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), is a tremendous leader who will continue to leverage his talents and expertise in pursuit of our mission and to improve the delivery of our services. Mike Siegel, our JFO Board President, has overseen significant growth over the last couple years and deserves our appreciation for the long hours of volunteer service he has dedicated to making the JFO the best it can be. Thank you, Jan, Marty, Phil and Mike. Friends, our work is made possible by the dedication and

Let’s create together

TERESA DRELICHARZ

Jewish family Service

Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion

Month (JDAIM) is a unified effort among Jewish organizations worldwide to raise awareness and foster acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities and mental health conditions and those who love them. Recognizing the significance of this month in our community, Jewish Family Service would like to invite you to join in a special event Sunday, Feb. 26, from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Noshery.

Please join JFS therapist Hillary Rubesin for a fun-filled art activity in honor of Jewish Disability,Awareness, and Inclusion Month. Community members of all ages are welcome to come join Yachad members in creating a communal art piece related to Jewish quotes about diversity and inclusion. Participants will also have the chance to create their own

but enlightening experience.

As the leader of the trip for the Jewish Federation of Omaha, my favorite parts of the trip were the kids and the chaperones. Our teens waited two long years for this trip to become a reality, and it was so much fun watching them become a cohesive family-like unit. No one left feeling like they were alone. Everyone was part of the group, and to me, that was the greatest highlight.

This journey was made possible by our very generous donors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha, and our local synagogues. A very special thank you goes out to the Herbert Goldsten Trust, the Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, Albert & Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation, Phillip & Terri Schrager Supporting Foundation, Milton S. & Connie N. Livingston Foundation, Lazier L. & Harriet B. Singer Memorial Fund for Youth, Staenberg Anything Grants, and the Special DonorAdvised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, Beth El Synagogue, Beth Israel Synagogue and Temple Israel.

support of our community and our incredible staff. I am inspired by the volunteer and professional leaders of our Jewish Federation of Omaha who believe in our cause, and work to strengthen it every day. And I am grateful for you. Those who support us, provide leadership, donate, share ideas, give support, reach out, and show up — that’s what a community is, and you’re making it happen every day.

I am here because our community invested in me and gave me the chance to participate, to grow, and to lead. I owe a huge thank you to all of you who donated to the Annual Campaign for so many years, established endowment funds at our Foundation, and helped to pave a path for me. Our Jewish Federation will continue to invest in meaningful Jewish experiences for you, so that you have a chance to be your best and to contribute your ideas and your talents to pursue your Jewish journey.

Our role is to care for and about one another, and to ensure our collective well-being. We will be ready and welcoming when called upon by you and your family. Our Jewish Federation has adapted to change many times over our 120 years, and we will continue to do so as the community’s needs change. We will embrace our proud history, celebrate our successes, and seek innovation and make space for new ideas. We have the capacity to dream big because we have done big things many times before. We all have the potential to make a better tomorrow. Let’s get to work.

Credit: Dean Hochman, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

smaller pieces of art to take home.

This program is sponsored by JFS and is free to all participants. Space is limited, so please RSVP to Hillary at hrubesin@jfsomaha.com

Trade scholarships available for the 2023-24 academic year

An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2023-24 academic year.

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

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

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

Phil Malcom

Continued from page 1 into his interim role without hesitation and worked with the entire team on getting our strategic plan implemented. It has been such a great experience for me to watch and learn from Phil on how he analyzes and deals with different situations.”

Now that Bob Goldberg has begun his tenure as the CEO, Phil has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, a decision Bob announced to the JFO Board of Directors at the January meeting:

“It was clear to me early on in our interactions that Phil has the respect of our team and our leadership,” Bob said. “He brings a unique command of our operations, and has a high level of business acumen that can best be leveraged via his role as COO. I am happy to have made the decision to promote Phil.”

Mike Siegel agreed: “Phil has done an outstanding job of making sure that Bob was able to hit the ground running on his first day. He has been a continued source of information for Bob so Bob has been able to get the most up to date information before he meets with a group.

Phil is excited for what lies ahead and will focus his efforts on making sure our services align with what our community needs:

“I really look forward to all the work we will do together, and am impressed with Bob’s communication skills and vision for the future,” he said.

“Phil is steady and composed,” Bob Goldberg added. “He navigates complex issues in a way that ensures that everyone is respected, and outcomes are articulated with clarity.”

Phil is married to Laura; the couple have twin daughters, Lily and Amelia. Please congratulate Phil when you see him in the building. During his ten plus years with the JFO, he has worked hard to make our campus the best it can be, and he will continue doing so in the months and years ahead. We are all excited to work alongside him, and grateful for his dedication, professionalism, and kindness.

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Anniversary of Auschwitz-Birkenau’s liberation

On Jan. 26, we celebrated the 78th Anniversary of Auschwitz-Birkenau’s liberation. To honor this important anniversary, we gathered with two Holocaust survivors from the Krakow community: Anna JanowskaCioncka and Zofia Radzikowska.

The Krakow community is so lucky to still have survivors to share their stories.

Both Anna and Zofia survived World War II as hidden children and assumed Catholic identities. Anna ended up remaining Catholic after the war ended. Before she became involved with the JCC, Anna did not celebrate any Jewish holidays. Now, however, Anna is very involved at the JCC – attending our Senior Club events, holiday celebrations and speaks to visiting groups regularly.

Zofia, more commonly referred to as Zosia across the world, survived with her mother in Krakow by having fake documents. Her father was murdered in Auschwitz. Following the war, Zofia became a lawyer and taught criminal law and logic at Jagiellonian University for over 30 years. She is also one of our most active members: she sings in the JCC choir, edits our newspaper, and joins our Friday night dinners on a regular basis!

Both survivors are members of our Children of the Holocaust Association and active participants in the Krakow JCC’s Senior Club programming.

REAL ESTATE

Reminder: It’s Clean Speech month!

February is here, and that means we continue with the Clean Speech Nebraska initiative. Clean Speech Nebraska is a month-long program of education and awareness dedicated to drawing community attention to the vital need for mindful speech. If you signed up, you’re already receiving daily reminders and videos; if not, there is still time!

The primary goal of this monthlong endeavor is to combat Lashon hara, a term that denotes hurtful and harmful words spoken about others.

Although this malady is as old as recorded time, the need to confront this social malaise has perhaps never been greater. At the same time, the tools for improvement have never been so accessible.

The hope and prayer of everyone behind Clean Speech Nebraska is that together we will bring about a lasting effect on the way we speak about one another, and bring us closer together.

Week one of Clean Speech Nebraska focuses on how important it is to care about Clean Speech.

“Be mindful when it comes to your words,” wrote author Rachel Wolchin. “A string of some that don’t mean much to you may stick with someone else for a lifetime.”

This is not just about what we say; it’s also about who we are.

The Jewish guidelines for communication are our timeless plan for how people should live with one another. They are the tools to remove anger, bitterness and jealousy from our hearts and to eliminate strife, hurt and divisiveness from our world.

When we think about words, we realize that they, more than any other human faculty, define us. What we say and how we say it is who we are. Angry, hurtful words define an angry, hurtful person. Kind and considerate words define a kind and

considerate person. If we remove negativity, gossip, slander and divisiveness from our vocabulary, we automatically and dramatically improve our own lives and the lives of those around us.

We can think a million things in our head. Some are nice, some are not so nice. Some are compassionate, or critical, or empathetic, or cruel. It’s rare to find a person who never thinks a single negative thought about anyone.

But: once we say our thoughts out loud, we change the fabric of reality and we have to live with that change. Once a negative thought is ‘out there,’ it can cost us dearly. We can change our thinking, but once we’ve spoken the words out loud, we can’t unspeak them.

This powerful idea can help us hold our tongues and give us time to process our negative thoughts. As long as our thoughts are unspoken, we can work on them. “Is it really such a big deal? Am I any better? Can they help being that way? Can I help them change?”

The world is a much better place when we are the masters and our words work for us, accomplishing what we really want to accomplish in life.

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

The Greater Omaha Chamber annual membership meeting is where the Chamber’s immediate past chair recaps the accomplishments of the prior year. This year, that meeting was held at the CHI, where the Chamber’s President and CEO also unveiled the annual report and the newly installed chair presented the Chamber’s priorities and direction for the current calendar year.

In addition, at this meeting the Chamber honors award winners who have contributed to Omaha’s community betterment. One of these awards is the Chairman’s Award of Excellence, which this year was presented to Jay Durmaskin.

The Chairman’s Award of Excellence celebrates an individual who has produced exceptional Chamber membership sales and retention results during the previous year.

Jay Durmaskin is the franchise co-owner of ShelfGenie and Closets by ShelfGenie which serves the greater Omaha and Lincoln areas. He has been involved with ShelfGenie since 2013, first as a Franchise Support Manager for the corporate office before moving to the franchise side.

Jay joined the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce’s President’s Club, which helps bring in new members for the Chamber and works on renewing current members, at the end of 2021. He was one of the top performers in the President’s Club, earning the Chairman’s Circle designation in his first year.

Outside of his work for the Chamber, Jay is involved with several other non-profits, serving on the boards of the Nebraska Academic Decathlon, Omaha Senior Resource Group (OSRG) and the League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly (LOVE).

Jay Durmaskin

The Kaplan Book Group goes Broadway

SHIRLY BANNER

JFO Library Specialist

On Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group will gather for their monthly meeting. Group members have the choice of meeting either in person in the Benjamin & Anna Wiesman Reception Room in the Staenberg Jewish Community Center or via Zoom. This month they will be discussing Broadway Baby by Alan Shapiro. New participants are always welcome.

So many times, parents live vicariously through their children, visualizing the hopes and dreams of childhood through their children.

Such is the case of Miriam Gold nee Bluestein. Raised and nurtured by her Bubie and Zaydie and essentially ignored by her divorced mother Tula Gore, Miriam has dreams of being an actress and Broadway star.

After high school, Miriam goes to work full-time at Tula’s, the fashionable women’s store in Boston owned by her mother. Her dreams of acting become a distant memory as she meets and eventually marries Hank “Curly” Gold. The handsome couple begin their lives and before long become parents of Julie, followed by Ethan and eventually Sam. While each child is unique, the family dynamics eventually change when a frustrated Curly becomes disillusioned with his meat packing job and Tula suffers a stroke, putting further pressure on Miriam and the responsibilities of various family members.

One day Miriam overhears Ethan and decides that through her son, her dream of being a Broadway star can be realized. Miriam finds a reluctant Ethan Stuart, a private coach, to provide him tap, acting and singing lessons twice a week. Miriam is enthralled to be among “actors” again and eventually becomes Stuart’s temporary assistant. As Ethan’s theatrical performance appearances increase, he becomes more serious about a life in the theater and his future as a professional actor

Miriam and Curly’s other children never seem to be secure and happy growing up. Eventually both Julie and Sam become disenchanted and alienated from the family. Only Ethan and his eventual theatrical success can seem to fulfill the expectations of his mother and bring her happiness and pride. Miriam learns too late to be careful with what you wish for because sometimes other people’s successes and failures can become a bitter pill to swallow. Life isn’t always fair. Please feel free to join us on Feb. 16 in person or via Zoom. The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group meets on the third Thursday of every month at 1 p.m. New members are always welcome.

The Group receives administrative support from the Community Engagement & Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For information about the group and to join in the discussion, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sbanner@jewishomaha.org

Prominent Jewish leaders add to drumbeat of criticism of Israel’s new government

RON KAMPEAS

WASHINGTON | JTA

A slate of 169 prominent American Jews, including former leaders of major mainstream Jewish organizations, called on U.S. politicians not to conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism, a signal of worsening relations between the new farright Israeli government and the U.S. Jewish community.

The statement Wednesday signals increased anxiety among Jewish leaders about how to maintain support for Israel when it is led by a government promoting policies alien to the values of an overwhelmingly liberal American Jewish community. It also departs substantially from a pro-Israel community that has sought to label various forms of criticizing Israel as antisemitic.

It comes just days after 134 historians of Jewish and Israeli history, based both in Israel and the United States, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of threatening the country’s existence through his agreement to far-reaching reforms advocated by his coalition partners on the far right.

It also comes just weeks after hundreds of rabbis from Reform, Orthodox and Conservative congregations said they would not allow extremist ministers in the new Cabinet to address their congregations and would encourage their Jewish communities to boycott them as well.

The statement by the prominent American Jews addresses the newly installed Congress, and anticipates increased U.S. Jewish criticism of Israel because of the new government in Jerusalem. Among its signatories are past leaders of mainstream Jewish organizations that have traditionally shied from Israel criticism, among them the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Jewish Federations system, as well as past leaders of the Reform and Conservative movements.

Notably absent are current leaders, who have been reluctant to speak out about new members of the Israeli government who want to greatly expand Jewish settlement in the West Bank, curb advocacy for minority rights and weaken Israel’s Supreme Court.

“As the 118th Congress begins its work, we believe it is important to state our concerns — which are widely shared by supporters of Israel here and around the world and by a significant number of Israelis — regarding some of the policies proposed by members of Israel’s new government,” the statement says.

It lists among those policies proposals by Netanyahu’s new government to weaken the independence of the judiciary, add restrictions to the Law of Return determining Jewish immigration, restrict non-Orthodox religious practice in Israel and

expand Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.

“Our criticisms emanate from a love for Israel and a steadfast support for its security and well-being,” said the statement. “Some will try to dismiss their validity by labeling them antisemitic.” Instead, the statement said, the criticisms “reflect a real concern that the new government’s direction mirrors anti-democratic trends that we see arising elsewhere — in other nations and here in the U.S., rather than reinforcing the shared democratic values that are foundational to the U.S.-Israel relationship.”

The statement notably appends a guide to detecting what is and isn’t antisemitic in discourse about Israel that differs markedly in its emphasis from a definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

The IHRA definition, which pro-Israel organizations have sought in recent years to introduce into legislation in the United States and elsewhere, focuses on Israel criticism that its authors deem antisemitic; the guide attached to Wednesday’s statement focuses instead on criticism of Israel that does not merit being called antisemitic.

“Israel can be likened to a ship sailing the high seas,” the statement says. “The current government is taking out the keel, consciously dismantling the state’s institutions.”

B’nai Israel February speaker

On Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m., B’nai Israel Synagogue in Council Bluffs will host Jennifer Tompkins as its guest speaker.

Jennifer is the Executive Director of Philanthropy & Engagement at the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO). She will be addressing how the JFO supports Jewish agencies and organizations, provides Jewish learning and engagement and connects people to Israel. She will also speak to why the JFO does this work, some of the highlights from our various agencies, and why the Annual Campaign is important.

Want to know what’s next at the Jewish Federation? Join us for services and stay for the Oneg afterwards! Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel.

Jennifer Tompkins

402.397.1442

2023

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

TOBY AXELROD BERLIN | JTA

For second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, the final hours of a five-day working trip to Poland and Germany brought everything into focus.

It was here in the underground information center in Germany’s central Holocaust memorial that Emhoff sat down with several survivors, including two who had recently fled war-torn Ukraine.

Sitting in a small circle, they shared their stories. One of them “was saved in the Holocaust as a young baby, settled in Ukraine and then just had to flee again. And she was taken in by Germany,” Emhoff said in remarks immediately following the meeting. “It was a real emotional and intense way to finish the trip.”

The journey, which he undertook with Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, included visits to Krakow, Poland; to the nearby memorial and museum at Auschwitz-Birkenau; and to the Polish village of Emhoff’s ancestors, Gorlice.

It was all intended to feed into the design of a “national action plan against antisemitism” that Emhoff is working on with Lipstadt and others. The second gentleman has made combating Jew hatred his main focus since entering the White House, touring college campuses to talk on the subject and leading events with Jewish organizations.

But this trip, which began on Friday, aligning with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, took Emhoff’s efforts onto the international stage — and brought him back to his ancestral Jewish roots.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND GUARDIANS

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, guardians, high school they are attending, the college they will be attending and photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 9, 2023.

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The Jewish Press

Emhoff’s two days in Berlin were a whirlwind. On Monday, he met with U.S. Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann, Germany’s commissioner of Jewish life Felix Klein and other leaders. On Tuesday, he and Lipstadt took part in an interfaith roundtable hosted by the Central Council of Jews in Germany, before visiting a historic synagogue in former East Berlin and meeting with members of the community. He also visited three Holocaust memorials in the city center: one dedicated to Sinti and Roma victims of the Nazis, another to homosexual victims, and finally Germany’s massive Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

Speaking this morning to the small gathering of Muslims, Christians and Jews hosted at the Central Council headquarters, Emhoff said he could not help thinking of his grandparents, who had escaped persecution in Poland and settled in the United States.

“They found opportunity and freedom,” he said, “and now, 120 years later, their greatgrandchild is the first Jewish spouse of a United States president or vice president, who is working to combat hate and antisemitism. That’s something isn’t it?” he said, as if pinching himself. “It’s a remarkable full circle.”

Abraham Lehrer, Central Council vice presi-

ANTISEMITIC/HATE INCIDENTS

dent, told the guests that interfaith relations between Jews and Christians are generally good, and that the groups have developed channels of communication “in case of heavy disputes.” Relations with Muslims function well on the grassroots level, he said, “but it is quite difficult with heads of some organizations, because a lot of them still have connections to antisemitic or antidemocratic organizations.”

Participants in the round table commented afterward on the “positive atmosphere.”

“I was very impressed by the young Muslim man [Burak Yilmaz], who is organizing trips for young Muslims to visit Auschwitz,” said Rabbi Szolt Balla, who serves a congregation in Leipzig and is rabbi for the German Armed Forces. “It was a very good and productive thing to meet in this circle,” he added Emhoff told reporters the purpose of the trip was to share best practices and feed ideas into the “national action plan” that he is working on with Lipstadt, U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain and White House Liaison to the American Jewish community Shelley Greenspan.

“We are going to put our heads together and talk about what we learned and then put it into the pipeline so we can come out with the most effective national plan,” Emhoff told reporters after the day’s meetings. He added that he would be addressing the United Nations in early February.

Emhoff’s last official act here was his meeting with survivors. He changed his schedule “just in order to meet with them and listen to their stories,” said Rudiger Mahlo, Germany representative of the Conference for Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Sonja Tartakovska, who had survived a Nazi mass shooting operation in her village during World War II, told Emhoff how she had to flee Ukraine last year without a change of clothing. She is one of the Ukrainian Jews whom the Claims Conference brought to Germany last spring, said Mahlo, who took part in the meeting.

The fact that former Holocaust victims were now seeking refuge in Germany was not missed.

“We have been talking about the Holocaust, talking about antisemitism, about violence and oppression and here in Europe all these years later these things are still happening through this unjust, unprovoked war,” Emhoff told reporters after the final meeting of the day.

From people like Tartakovska “you hear these stories of survival. A lot of it was a twist of fate, just some luck. A non-Jewish stranger deciding on a whim to do something, that then led to a life long-lived.”

“I was also struck: One woman” — German Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer — “was 101 years old. Imagine living with those memories for 80 years. Those are the kinds of things I take back with me,” Emhoff said.

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Emhoff speaks with 101-year-old Margot Friedländer during a meeting with Holocaust survivors in Berlin, Jan. 31, 2023. Credit: U.S. Embassy Berlin

SP O TLIGHT

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

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

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Right and below: Rabbi Benjy Myers, a Beth Israel guest scholar from Israel, recently talked to RBJH Residents. We enjoyed listening to this accomplished educator.

Above: Happiness is yelling BINGO at RBJH!

Above, below and bottom: Residents of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home filled 100 sweet and salty snack goody bags to give to staff for New Year gifts to thank them for their compassion, optimism, and kindness.

Above and below: Rabbi Benjy Myers and Jamie Shear came to Omaha to teach and share about Judaism and Israel.

Above: Friedel Jewish Academy kindergarteners practiced their Dash robot driving skills—and their sight words—in their weekly innovation learning class.

Above and below: There is a whole lotta spirit at RBJH on PJ Day! Also, a scrumptious luncheon from La Mesa was served.

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Too much freedom

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

‘Freedom’ is a word we use often. We us it when we talk about politics, religion, life choices and personal identity. Freedom is usually a good thing, until we get too much of it.

Take the parent group that has been operating in Ohio, called the “Dissident Homeschool Network.” It’s run by Nazi parents, who want to make sure their kids grow up learning that “public schools are run by ‘Zionist scum,’ kids learn to say ‘Sieg Heil’ in class and aren’t exposed to ‘Jewish media content.’” (JTA)

In Ohio, as in most other states, home school parents have to submit their lesson plan, but they choose their own curriculum.

“There’s a limit to how much oversight the state wields,” EdWeek.org states. “The story of this group underscores just how many regulatory gray areas surround home schooling. Curriculum is one. Home-schoolers in Ohio are required to cover certain subjects, but how they teach them—what materials and instructional methods they use—is up to them.”

That’s a responsibility that should clearly not always fall on the parents. Even more fun: the founder, Katja Lawrence is a Dutch-but-recentlynaturalized US citizen who is “so enamored of Nazidom that Katja uploaded audio of her own kids performing Nazi salutes to her Telegram channel, and baked a cake to celebrate Hitler’s birthday.”

“Launched in fall 2021,” the article continues, “the

Lawrences’ homeschooling project is explicitly labeled as a means for neo-Nazi parents to indoctrinate their kids by keeping them away from public school. Lesson plans include teaching cursive by

“We have fought hard for our right to homeschool the children,” the Lawrences posted in December. “Without homeschooling the children, our children are left defenseless to the schools and the Gay Afro Zionist scum that run them.” (CNN)

The fact that people like this exist is not surprising. What is surprising is that this network has been allowed to grow and fester beyond just a few individuals: the group has over 3,000 members. And I have to be honest: I’m a little extra vexed that the woman at the head of all this (she goes by the name “Mrs. Saxon,” which is even more irritating) is from the same country as I am and I don’t want you to think we’re all crazy. I mean, what on earth? Who sets up an entire homeschool network to glorify Nazis?

Anyway. Give me a second, I’ll calm down.

having students write out famous quotes from Hitler and American neo-Nazi George Lincoln Rockwell; building ‘math’ classes around racist manipulations of urban crime statistics; and praising Confederate general Robert E. Lee as ‘a grand role model for young, white men.’ In idle chats, members of the group disparaged the Indiana Jones movies as ‘Jewish revenge porn.”‘

Once this whole story hit the media, Logan Lawrence (Katja’s husband) was fired from the Lawrence Insurance agency- which his family runs. The relatives claim to be surprised and disgusted— I don’t know if I believe that, but okay.

Sometimes, stories like these make me shake my head, after which I move on with my day. At other times, it makes my blood boil and leaves me with a stress-induced headache. I want to mock it, write mean things and get (and stay) angry.

Until it hits me: isn’t that what they want? Isn’t the ultimate goal to make us, ‘the other,’ uncomfortable, to affect us emotionally and make us feel unsafe and unwelcome?

Of course it is. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get angry, after all, we have every right to be. It does mean we have to rethink what we want ‘freedom’ to really mean, and whether there are times when wanting to have it means curbing it.

If freedom is really important to us, it deserves to be protected—even from itself.

DOUGLAS EMHOFF AND DEBORAH LIPSTADT JTA

Today, we will visit Auschwitz-Birkenau to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We will represent the United States and honor the lives of 6 million Jews and millions of others murdered. While at Auschwitz, we will also express gratitude to the survivors and speak of the lessons learned in that era of terror.

As we reflect on history, we know that the bigotry that fueled the Holocaust did not end when the camps were liberated. Antisemitism may be considered one of the oldest forms of hatred, but its insidious impact and its deep dangers are not relegated to the past.

Antisemitism is increasing at home and abroad. Hatred of Jewish people simply for being Jews is real and rising. We can only stop this scourge if governments and community leaders declare it unacceptable and inconsistent with our values.

With that in mind, we will convene community leaders in Poland to discuss efforts underway to combat antisemitism. Then, we will travel to Berlin, where we will meet with foreign government officials, who are also dedicated to turning the tide of hate. Our goal is to deepen our relationships with European partners — in and out of government — to combat the rise in antisemitism.

We can learn from each other and share our best practices. We can lead through our shared values of equality, diversity, and human rights. This moment calls on us to take action, together, based on these values.

It’s too often that we hear stories about attacks on Jewish communities. We see vandalism, threats, and violent, hateful rhetoric. People used to be afraid to say the ugly epithets and lies out loud. Now they are literally screaming them.

In 2018, a horrific antisemitic assault stole the lives of 11 innocent people at the Tree of Life synagogue. In 2019, a gunman opened fire at California’s Chabad of Poway, killing one and wounding three more people in an attack motivated by antisemitism. And just last year, in Los Angeles, we saw

antisemitic banners hung over a freeway.

Heinous and senseless acts of violence bring pain to the Jewish community. We’ve heard from parents who are worried about sending their children to preschool at their Jewish community center because they fear for their safety. They must explain to their children why the synagogue they attend has an armed guard at the entrance while the church across the street has none.

In December, we both attended a roundtable at the White House convening Jewish leaders in the United States. We spoke about the impact antisemitism is having on their communities including issues of safety, education, and accountability. Under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, we have increased funding for physical security of nonprofits and synagogues, and appointed leaders to focus on hate crimes and track and fight antisemitism.

Through a whole-of-government approach, the Biden-Harris Administration is crafting a broadbased national plan to address antisemitism. The first mandate of the interagency is to create a U.S. National Action Plan on Antisemitism.

But we know there is more work to be done. We each need to do our part to educate those around us and instill knowledge in the next generation of leaders to help fight antisemitism. We cannot and will not allow this to be normalized and politicized. We all have a responsibility to speak out and make clear that antisemitism is wrong, just like every other prejudice. We must all condemn antisemites as dangerous and also call out those who don’t. In the face of evil, there is no neutrality. Standing silent is not an option. Indeed, silence is what al-

lows vile oppressors to thrive and this malicious virus of hate to grow.

It is time — yet again — for us to replace the silence, of the past and present, with a chorus of voices making antisemitism a relic and this horrific

hatred a thing of the past.

Douglas Emhoff is the second gentleman of the United States.

Deborah Lipstadt is the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

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We’re visiting Auschwitz because the fight against antisemitism didn’t end with liberation

Second gentleman Douglas Emhoff lays wreaths honoring victims of the Holocaust during the International Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration camp in Poland, Jan. 27, 2023. The day was created by the United Nations and takes place on the anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation. Credit: Omar Marques/Getty Images

Credit: laptop-thaiha, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

How the Holocaust is remembered in the land of Anne Frank

ANDRW SILOW-CARROLL JTA

You’d think that in a country so closely identified with Anne Frank — perhaps the Holocaust’s best-known victim — cultivating memory of the genocide wouldn’t be a steep challenge.

That’s why a recent survey, suggesting what the authors called a “disturbing” lack of knowledge in the Netherlands about the Holocaust, set off alarm bells. “Survey shows lack of Holocaust awareness in the Netherlands,” wrote the Associated Press In the Netherlands, a majority do not know the Holocaust affected their country, was the JTA headline. “The Holocaust is a myth, a quarter of Dutch younger generation agree,” per the Jerusalem Post

“Survey after survey, we continue to witness a decline in Holocaust knowledge and awareness. Equally disturbing is the trend towards Holocaust denial and distortion,” Gideon Taylor, the president of the Conference of Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, which conducted the study, said in a statement.

Like other recent studies by Claims Conference, the latest survey has been challenged by some scholars, who say the sample size is small, or the survey is too blunt a tool for examining what a country’s residents do or don’t know about their history. Even one of the experts who conducted the survey chose to focus on the positive findings: “I am encouraged by the number of respondents to this survey that believe Holocaust education is important,” Emile Schrijver, the general director of Amsterdam’s Jewish Cultural Quarter, told JTA.

One of the scholars who says the survey doesn’t capture the subtleties of Holocaust education and commemoration in the Netherlands is Jazmine Contreras, an assistant professor of history at Goucher College in Maryland. Contreras studies the historical memory of the Holocaust and Second World War in Holland. In a Twitter thread earlier this week, she agreed with those who say that “the headline that’s being plastered everywhere exaggerates the idea that young people in NL know nothing about the Holocaust.”

At the same time, she notes that while the Netherlands takes Holocaust education and commemoration seriously, it has a long way to go in reckoning with a past that includes collaboration with the Nazis, postwar antisemitism, a small but vocal far right and a sense of national victimhood that often downplays the experience of Jews during the Shoah.

“It’s such a complex issue,” Contreras told me. “There’s no one answer to how the Holocaust is remembered in the Netherlands.”

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and I took the opportunity to speak with Contreras not only about Dutch memory, but how the Netherlands may serve as an example of how countries deal with Holocaust memory and the national stories they tell.

Our interview was edited for length and clarity.

Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Tell me a little bit about when you saw the survey, and perhaps how it didn’t mesh with what you know about the Netherlands?

Jazmine Contreras: My major problem is that every single outlet is picking up this story and running a headline like, “Youth in the Netherlands don’t even know the Holocaust happened there. They cannot tell you how many people were killed, how many were deported.” And I think that’s really problematic because it paints a really simplistic picture of Holocaust memory and Holocaust education in that country.

There are multiple programs, in Amsterdam, in other cities, in Westerbork, the former transit camp. They have an ongoing program that brings survivors and the second generation to colleges, to middle schools and primary schools all across the country. And they also have in Amsterdam a program called Oorlog in Mijn Buurt, “War in My Neighborhood,” and basically young people become the “memory bearers” — that’s the kind of language they use — and interview people who grew up and experienced the war in their neighborhood, and then speak as if they were the person who experienced it, in the first person.

You also have events around the May 4 commemoration remembering the Dutch who died in war and in peacekeeping operations, and a program called Open Jewish Houses [when owners of formerly Jewish property open their homes to strangers to talk about the Jews who used to live there]. It’s really amazing: I’ve actually been able to visit these formerly Jewish homes and hear the stories. And, of course, the Anne Frank House has its own slew of programming, and teachers talk a lot about the Holocaust and take students to synagogues in places like Groningen, where they have a brand new exhibit at the synagogue. They are taking thousands at this point. The new National Holocaust Names Memorial is in the center of Amsterdam.

I think, again, this idea that children are growing up without having exposure to Holocaust memory, or knowledge of what happened in the Netherlands, is a bit skewed. I think we get into a dangerous area if we’re painting the country with a broad brush and saying nobody knows anything about the Holocaust.

Have you anecdotal evidence or seen studies of Dutch kids about whether they’re getting the education they need?

as a major deportation site. And it’s children who put on a commemoration themselves. Again, not every child is participating in this, but if they’re not participating in the children’s commemoration, then they’re doing the “War in My Neighborhood” program, or they’re doing Open Jewish Houses, or they’re taking field trips. That’s pretty impressive to me, and it’s pretty meaningful. They want to help participate in it in the future. They want to come back because it leaves a lasting impression for them.

Anecdotally, yes. I was invited to attend a children’s commemoration that they do at the Hollandsche Schouwburg theater in Amsterdam, which is the former Dutch theater that was used

Let’s back up a bit. Anne Frank dominates everyone’s thinking about Holland and the Holocaust. And I guess the story that’s told is that she was protected by her neighbors until, of course, the Nazis proved too powerful, found her and sent her away. What’s right and what’s wrong about that narrative?

Don’t forget that Anne Frank was a German Jewish refugee who came to the Netherlands. And I think that part of the story is also really interesting and left out. She’s this Dutch icon, but she was a German Jewish refugee who came to the Netherlands, and the Dutch Jewish community was single-handedly responsible for funding, at Westerbork, what was first a refugee center. I think that’s really complicated because now we also have a discourse about present-day refugees and the Holocaust.

I’ve also never quite understood the insistence on making her an icon when the end of the story is that she’s informed on and dies in a concentration camp. The idea that the Franks were hidden here fits well into this idea of Dutch resistance and tolerance, and her diary often gets misquoted to kind of represent her as someone who had hope despite the fact that she was being persecuted. In the 1950s, her narrative gets adopted into the U.S., and we treat it as this globalizing human rights discourse.

We don’t talk about the fact that she’s found because she’s informed upon, and we don’t talk about the fact that you had nonJewish civilians who were informers for a multitude of reasons, including ideological collaboration and their own financial gain.

And when it was talked about most recently, it was about a discredited book that named her betrayer as a Jew.

That was a huge controversy.

I get the sense from your writing that the story the Dutch tell about World War II is very incomplete, and that they haven’t fully reckoned with their collaboration under Nazi occupation even as they emphasize their own victimhood.

On the national state level, they have officially acknowledged not only the extensive collaboration, but the failure of both the government and the Crown to speak out on behalf of Dutch Jews. [In 2020, Prime Minister Mark Rutte formally apologized for how his kingdom’s wartime government failed its Jews, a first by a sitting prime minister.] Now, the question is, what’s happening in broader Dutch society?

Unfortunately, there was an increase in voting for the Dutch far right, although they’ve never managed to get a majority or even come close to it.

Something else that’s happening is that many ask, “Why should Dutch Jews get separate consideration after the Second World War, a separate victimhood, when we were all victimized?” The Netherlands is unique because it’s occupied for the entirety of the Second World War, 1940 to 1945. There is the civil service collaborating, right, but there’s no occupation government. So it’s not like Belgium. It’s not like France, not like Denmark. And there was the Hunger Winter of 1944-45 when 20,000 civilians perished due to famine. You have real victimhood, so people ask, “Why are the Jews so special? We all suffered.”

And at the same time, scholarship keeps emerging about the particular ways non-Jewish Dutch companies and individuals cooperated with the Nazis.

The NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Amsterdam, which has done so much of this research, found that Jews who were deported had to pay utility bills for when they weren’t living there. You have a huge controversy around the the Dutch railway [which said it would compensate hundreds of Holocaust victims for its role in shipping Jews to death camps]. The Dutch Red Cross apologized [in 2017 for failing to act to protect Jews during World War II], following the publication of a research paper on its inaction. A couple of decades ago, the government basically auctioned off paintings, jewelry and other Jewish possessions, and in 2020 they

started the effort to give back pieces of art that were in Dutch museums. Dienke Hondius wrote a book on the cold reception given to survivors upon their return. Remco Ensel and Evelien Gans also wrote a book on postwar Jewish antisemitism. So a lot has been happening, a lot of controversies, and, thanks to all of this research, a lot happening in order to rectify the situation.

It sounds like a mixed story of resistance, collaboration, and of rewriting the past but also coming to terms with it. There’s a really complex history here of both wanting to present it as “everybody’s a victim” and that the resistance was huge. In fact, the data shows 5% of the people were involved in resistance and 5% were collaborators. So it’s not like this wholesale collaboration or resistance was happening. It was only in 1943, when non-Jewish men were called up for labor service in Germany, that they got really good at hiding people and by then it was too late.

Right. My colleagues at JTA often note that the Nazis killed or deported more Dutch Jews per capita than anywhere in occupied Western Europe — of about 110,000 Jews deported, only a few thousand survived.

Yes, the highest percentage of deportation in Western Europe. Since this week is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, let me ask what Holland gets right and wrong compared to maybe some other European countries with either similar experiences or comparable experiences.

The framing of that question is difficult because there’s so many unique points about the Holocaust and the occupation in the Netherlands. Again, it was occupied for the entirety of 1940-45. You have a civil service that was willing to sign Aryan declarations. The queen, as head of a government in exile in London, is basically saying, “Do what you need to just to survive.”

One of the big problems is there are people like Geert Wilders [a contemporary right-wing Dutch lawmaker] who practice this kind of philo-Semitism and support of Israel, but it’s really about blaming the Muslim population for antisemitism and saying none of it is homegrown. They don’t have to talk about the fact that there was widespread antisemitism in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

In the Netherlands they’re not instituting laws around what you can and can’t say about the Holocaust like in Poland [where criticizing Polish collaboration has been criminalized]. There are so many amazing educational initiatives and nonprofit organizations that are doing the work. And even these public controversies ended up being outlets for the production of Holocaust memory when survivors, but mostly now the second and third generations, use that space to talk about their own family Holocaust history.

Tell me about your personal stake in this: How did the Holocaust become a subject of study for you?

I specialize in Dutch Holocaust memory. I’m not Jewish, but my grandparents on my mother’s side are Dutch. For my first project I looked at relationships between German soldiers and Dutch women during the war during the occupation, and I eventually kind of made my way into the post war, when these children of former collaborators were still very marginalized in Dutch society. It ties into this. I do interviews with members of the Jewish community, children of resistance members and children of collaborators and how these memory politics play out.

What is the utility of events like International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the major Holocaust memorials in educating the public about the Holocaust and World War II? International Holocaust Remembrance Day and May 4 result in the production of new memories about the Holocaust and the Second World War. I was at the 2020 International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration when the prime minister formally apologized. It was a really big moment, and it allowed the Jewish community, and the Roma and Sinti community, a space to remember and to share in that and to speak to it as survivors and the second and third generation.

Unlike the United States, the Netherlands is a small, insular country, so the relationship between the public and the media and academics is so close. So in the weeks before and the weeks after these memorials, academics, politicians and experts are publishing pieces about memory. That’s useful to the production of new memories and information about the Holocaust.

But what about the other days of the year? Will putting a monument in the center of Amsterdam actually change how people understand the Holocaust? That is a question that I think is harder to answer. The new monument features individual names of 102,000 Jews and Roma and Sinti and visually gives you the scope of what the Holocaust looked like in the Netherlands. But does that matter if somebody lives outside of Amsterdam and they’re never going to see this monument?

Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor in chief of the New York Jewish Week and senior editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. He previously served as JTA’s editor in chief and as editor in chief and CEO of the New Jersey Jewish News. @SilowCarroll

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

A stone with the date of birth and name of Anne Frank, center, with her full name Annelies Frank, is part of the National Holocaust Names Memorial in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Credit: Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

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, Jennifer Tompkins, Jewish Federation of Omaha Executive Director of Philanthropy & Engagement. 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: Gesher Kinnus in Kansas City (Grades 68) thru Feb. 12; 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, 6:30 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: Donate Outerwear to help those in need, wrap up and stay warm; World Wide Wrap, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El & Zoom; BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Hebrew Reading, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Michael Krausman; Breakfast Wraps for Siena Frances House, 11 a.m.

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.

THURSDAY: Hamantashen Orders Due.

FRIDAY-Feb. 17: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY-Feb. 18: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Havdalah, 6:35 p.m. Zoom Only.

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

BETH ISRAEL

FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:33 p.m.; Candlelighting, 5:34 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:45 a.m.; Mincha 5:20 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity 5:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:36 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit 9 a.m.; Daf Yomi 4:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Daf Yomi 4:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Parsha Class for 4th-8th graders, 3:45 p.m. at FJA; Daf Yomi 4:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m.; Beth Israel Workshop, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 4:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Daf Yomi 4:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 5:30 p.m.; Parsha Class, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY-Feb. 17: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:42 p.m.; Candlelighting, 5:43 p.m.

SATURDAY-Feb. 18: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha, 5:30 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 6 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:44 p.m.

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

CHABAD HOUSE

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

FRIDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Lech ayim; Candlelighting, 5:33 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 6:35 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-Feb. 17: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad. com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 5:42 p.m.

SATURDAY-Feb. 18: Shacharit 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; One-Hour Service, 11 a.m. at Chabad; Kiddush Lunch, noon; Shabbat Ends, 6:43 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH

ISRAEL

Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. Note: Some of our services, but not all, are now being offered in person.

FRIDAY: Shabbat Candlelighting, 5:37 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex and music by Leslie Delserone and Peter Mullin with Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. with guests: UNL Hillel and Sigma Alpha Mu at SST; Oneg host: SST.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.

with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Yitro; Havdalah, 6:38 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 information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Joint Synagogue Boards Meeting, 1:30 p.m.; 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-Feb. 17: Shabbat Candlelighting, 5:45 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-Feb. 18: Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Mishpatim; Havdalah 6:46 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.; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom; Confirmation Class & Dinner, 6-8:30 p.m.

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

SUNDAY: Grades PreK-6, 9:30 a.m.-noon; Congregational Meeting, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Sharff.

TUESDAY: The Book of Legends: Retelling Our Stories, 7-8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m.-noon In-Person; Grades 3-6, 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-Feb. 17: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 5:45-7 p.m.; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY-Feb. 18: Torah Study 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

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

Meyers Leonard opens up about his antisemitism scandal

JACOB GURVIS

JTA

Nearly two years after NBA player Meyers Leonard was caught using an antisemitic slur on a video game platform, the former first-round pick opened up about the incident and his subsequent journey toward forgiveness in an interview with Jewish ESPN reporter Jeremy Schaap.

Leonard, then a member of the Miami Heat, used the word “kike” while livestreaming a Call of Duty video game on the Twitch streaming platform in March 2021. The backlash was swift: Leonard was suspended by the Heat and fined by the league. He was then traded and released.

Leonard apologized the following day, writing, “I am deeply sorry for using an anti-Semitic slur during a livestream yesterday. While I didn’t know what the word meant at the time, my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong.”

The 7-footer was also injured at the time of the incident, and hasn’t played in the NBA since. But now he is healthy and attempting a comeback, having recently worked out with the Los Angeles

Lakers.

Schaap spoke to Leonard for the ESPN Daily podcast, relaying the experience to host Pablo Torre.

Leonard, who said he has not yet forgiven himself, told Schaap about the toll the mistake took on him, which included needing 24-hour security because of threats made against him and his family. He even thought about ending his life.

“I felt like I had just destroyed my life and everything that I had worked for, to be honest,” Leonard said.

Schaap said he began his interview by asking if Leonard knew what he was saying when he used the slur.

“Absolutely not,” Leonard said. “Again, there are absolutely no excuses for what happened that day, and ignorance, sadly, is a very real thing.”

Leonard added that he likely learned the word from being active in online gaming, which is often a hotbed for antisemitism and other forms of hate.

Schaap and Torre provided a brief history and explanation of the slur, and Schaap said he was inclined to believe Leonard when he said he did not know its meaning.

“I talked to younger Jewish people from metro-

politan areas who said they had never heard the word, and that was shocking to me,” said Schaap. “Now Meyers Leonard, of course, had heard the word. But it does seem highly plausible to me, knowing all these younger Jewish people who don’t know what the word means, that he didn’t know what it means.”

Schaap and Leonard also retraced the timeline of the controversy, from the moment he uttered the word online to his engagement with the local Jewish community in South Florida. Just days after the incident, Leonard met with Pinny Andrusier, a rabbi affiliated with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in nearby Broward County.

“You’re a good man with a good soul,” Leonard recalled Andrusier telling him. “This happened for you, not to you. You’ll understand eventually.”

From there, Leonard met others in the local community, including Holocaust survivors, and also met with representatives from the AntiDefamation League and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.

Schaap asked Leonard if he had absorbed anything from Jewish culture or tradition into his own life. His answer: love.

Life cycles

BIRTH

CALVIN DEAN MALASHOCK

Kim and Andrew Malashock of Irvine, CA, announce the Jan. 11, 2023 birth of their son, Calvin Dean.

Grandparents are Larry Malashock of Omaha and the late Diane Malashock, and MaryKay Nieman of Crescent, IA and the late Dean Nieman.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

It was great seeing so many of you at the J on Jan. 26. The enthusiasm for Suzanne’s work was contagious. As she said, it’s been over a year since these brave women and their children, without warning, had to leave their homes, their husbands, and their country.

I think you’ll agree, we’re all impressed with the humanitarian work Suzanne Horwich is doing at the JCC in Krakow, Poland. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could give Suzanne a boost? Let’s help Suzanne in any way you can. Everything you give will be doubled, thanks to a generous match we just received! What a gift to further Suzanne’s, “Healing thru Art.” It’s a great opportunity. Give any amount that feels good to you.

Suzanne is giving her heart to this project. Let’s help her. We have the easy part. To help and/or learn more, please visit www.artistsgivingback.org.

THANK YOU!

Israel sends aid to Turkey and Syria

DAVID I. KLEIN

ISTANBUL | JTA

Israel is sending aid to Turkey and Syria in the wake of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that had left over 2,000 dead as of Feb. 6. Israel will send medication, tents and other supplies to Syria, its neighbor that it considers a hostile state, according to Hebrew language media. The Israeli military will also send rescue teams to both countries, the Israeli embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. That embassy was only recently formally re-established after years of diplomatic tensions.

“At the request of the Turkish government, I have instructed all authorities to make immediate preparations to provide medical, and search and rescue assistance. The Foreign and Defence ministers have already been in contact with their counterparts and we will – in the coming hours – agree on the dispatching of a delegation as soon as possible,” Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a statement on Twitter on Feb. 6 morning Jerusalem time.

The quake, whose epicenter was in the eastern Turkish province of Kahramanmaras, was felt throughout the region, as far as Israel. It was the highest magnitude the country has experienced in nearly a century and has the highest number of casualties in decades.

Antakya, a city in southeastern Turkey at the Syrian border, was hit particularly hard. When the JTA visited the city last year, 14 Jews remained in a community that has stood for centuries, stretching back to the days of the Seleucid Empire. The city’s namesake, Antiochus, was the villain of the Hanukkah story.

Three members of the largely elderly community, its president, his wife and his brother were trapped by rubble after their apartment building collapsed on Feb. 6, but they have since been rescued, a spokesperson for the Turkish Jewish community told JTA.

The nearby city of Adana, which has a Jewish community of fewer than a dozen people, was also badly hit by the quake, but none of the local Jews are reported missing or injured.

The region is also home to many sites of Jewish heritage, from historic synagogues to Harran, a city mentioned in the Bible. Whether any have been damaged is not yet known. Since the seismic event around 4:17 a.m. local time, there have been more than 100 aftershocks, many with magnitudes topping 4 or 5 themselves.

Save the Date

Please mark your calendar for the next JCRC Community Conversation! On Monday, Feb. 27, 7-9 p.m. at the Alan J. Levine Theater at the Staenberg Omaha JCC. “Rekindling Black-Jewish Relationships,” featuring Terri Sanders, Publisher of the Omaha Star in conversation with Annette van de KampWright, Editor of the Omaha Jewish Press, along with Marty Shukert. More info to come!

Man arrested in shooting at SF Jewish center

PHILISSA CRAMER

JTA

Police in San Francisco have arrested a man they believe is responsible for shooting blanks during a study session inside a Jewish center. The San Francisco Police Department announced an arrest Feb. 4 in the incident, which took place on Feb. 1 but was not reported to authorities until the following day. They said they had detained a man in the city’s Richmond District and uncovered evidence in a search tying him to the incident at the Schneerson Jewish Center and to a different incident in a local theater.

The police did not release the name of the man they arrested, but the San Francisco’s Sheriff’s Office shows that Dmitri Mishin, 51, was booked early Feb.4 morning on charges of disturbing a religious meeting and drawing or exhibiting an imitation firearm. He remained in the county jail as of Feb. 6 morning. Mishin appears to have posted a video on social media days before the shooting showing something burning outside the Schneerson Center, according to a report in The San Francisco Standard, a local news organization; a Twitter account that appears to have been his also posted antisemitic imagery in the days before the shooting incident.

People at the Jewish center, which largely serves Russianspeaking immigrants, did not call police when the man brandished a gun during a study session. They said they thought the man was mentally ill.

Mattie Pil runs the Schneerson Center with her husband Rabbi Bentziyon Pil. The couple are followers of the last Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, but they are not official emissaries of the Chabad movement. In fact, shortly after the Wall Street Journal expose ran, the couple received Chabad’s first-ever formal request to stop using Schneerson’s name, which they then used for an elementary school they operated. Bentziyon Pil said at the time that he did not intend to comply.

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Meet George Santos’ possible replacement: An actual Jew of color

RON KAMPEAS

JTA

As George Santos completed his second week in Congress, Mazi Melesa Pilip was contemplating the relief Shabbat would bring — and also the sting of the betrayal she felt by her fellow Long Island lawmaker.

Among the welter of falsehoods that Santos scattered throughout the byways of the Great Neck area in northern Long Island he and Pilip both represent — Santos in Congress, Pilip as a Nassau County legislator — Santos has pitched himself as a Jewish and Black Republican who overcame hardship to earn multiple degrees. All lies, but as it happens those descriptors apply to Pilip, an Ethiopian Jew who won’t count out a run for Congress if Santos ever accedes to demands, including from fellow Republicans, to resign. (Santos says he intends to serve out his two-year term.)

I’m not going to lie to you, people are definitely asking me to run,” she told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in an interview as she drove while shopping for Shabbat. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

Pilip said her journey into American politics was propelled by her experience advocating for fellow Ethiopian immigrants in Israel — where she moved as a child through the Operation Solomon airlift and lived until marrying her American husband — and by her children’s experience with antisemitism in their Long Island schools.

“I am a strong believer, if you see something’s not working well for your community, or for yourself, you have to be involved,” she said. “You can’t just complain from outside.”

A Politico reporter, Olivia Beavers, reported on Twitter that Pilip was one of two Republicans the Nassau County Party is considering running should Santos step down. (The other is Jack Martins, a state senator; both he and Pilip ousted Democrats in a recent Republican sweep of Nassau County.)

Right now, Pilip said, she is focusing on serving her constituents through the Nassau County legislature. Any decision about replacing Santos, she said, is up to Joseph Cairo, the GOP chairman in Nassau County.

Cairo has not said yet who he would like to run to replace Santos, but two things are clear: He wants Santos to go, and he likes Pilip, a lot.

plained why: He was an Italian American whose parents favored Republican ideals but felt unwelcome in the GOP until they helped integrate it themselves, in New Jersey and then on Long Island. It had become his mission to bring more minority candidates into the fold, and he recruited several of them to run in the 2021 local elections.

Pedram Bal, a Persian Jew and the mayor of Great Neck, told Cairo he should look at Pilip, an Ethiopian-Jewish immigrant who was active in efforts to revitalize Great Neck, and who had been vice president of her synagogue, Kol Yisrael Achim. It was an easy sell, Cairo said, and it paid off.

“An Orthodox Jewish woman, a religious refugee from Ethiopia is elected as a Republican to the Nassau County legislature!” he marveled at the inauguration.

Of the many lies Santos has told about himself, the Nassau County Republicans at the press conference seemed especially offended by his claims of descent from Holocaust survivors.

Cairo convened a press conference last week of leading Nassau County Republicans calling on Santos to step down because of the multiple lies he told while running and because he faces multiple criminal investigations. In unrelenting reporting since last month, reporters have detailed how Santos lied about his education, his job experience, his charitable giving and his family background.

“Today, on behalf of the Nassau County Republican Committee, I’m calling for his immediate resignation,” Cairo said at the press conference.

Cairo had led an effort to diversify GOP candidates on the island, and a year ago, at Pilip’s swearing-in ceremony, he ex-

“For him to make up this story, that his parents were Holocaust survivors is beyond the pale. It is simply tragic and outrageous, and disgusting,” said Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive who is the first Jew elected to the position. Pilip, 43, said in her interview with JTA that her involvement in politics was almost inevitable, after she had migrated to Israel on Operation Solomon, the 1991 airlift, when she was 12.

“I have always been very active, even as a child in Israel,” advocating for the opportunities she saw that Israelis just a few years older than her were enjoying. Over her father’s objections, she enlisted in the paratroop division of the Israel Defense Forces (she says he is now proud of her service). While at university, she led the Ethiopian Student Union for two years. She has a degree in occupational therapy from the University of Haifa and a degree in diplomacy and security from Tel Aviv University. This story was edited for length. Read more at www.om ahajewishpress.com.

Mazi Melesa Pilip, a Nassau County legislator, meets with members of a business advocacy group in Melville, N.Y., Jan. 6, 2023. Credit: Office of Mazi Melesa Pilip