February 15, 2019 by Jewish Press

thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

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Wildlife Encounters Page 2

World premiere of jewish musical at the rose

Read it and eat Page 5

deBBie denenBerg he Doll Maker’s Gift, a new Jewish musical, premieres at the Rose Theater, Feb. 22-March 10. This is the story of how our play

Now is your chance! 2019 JWRP informational meeting announced Page 7

inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

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Cast of The Doll Maker’s Gift in rehearsal grew from an idea to a production. Roughly eight years ago, I was sitting in Shani Katzman’s inspirational Torah class. She handed me a children’s book, The Doll Maker’s Gift. “Read this aloud to the class”, she said, “it’s so full of

Jewish values.” She added, “I could always imagine this onstage with music.” I handed the book to then JCC Resident Director Fran Sillau who infused the project with vision and dogged See The Doll Maker’s Gift page 3

The music of Barbra Streisand comes to the JCC

Camille Metoyer Moten channels Barbra Streisand on Feb. 22 Camille: The Music of Barbra Streisand, on ozzie nogg Omaha cabaret performer Camille Friday, Feb. 22, at 1:30 p.m. in the JCC Metoyer Moten will perform Color Me Auditorium. Camille’s special guest is local radio personality Dave Wingert. The duo will be backed by music director David P. Murphy on piano, bassist Mark Haar, drummer Mike Deluca, and saxophonist Chad Stoner, performing such Streisand hits as Evergreen, The Way We Were, and You Don’t Bring Me Flowers. This concert is made available to the community at no charge through the generous, and anonymous, support of the family of a Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Resident. See Music of Barbara Streisand page 2

gaBBy Blair Staff Writer, Jewish Press Schmooze with your friends and enjoy an evening of fun. Raise your mugs for a hearty L’chaim and enjoy some top quality nosh at the Bärchen Beer Garden (6209 Maple Street) on Saturday March 2, 7-10 p.m. Drinks and lite bites provided, $25 per person. The Jewish Federation of Omaha FED event is an adult-only event designed to engage the next generation of Jewish community members, leaders and philanthropists to spark conversations and inspire community involvement. Danny Cohn and Kari Tauber teamed up once again to chair this event, joined this year by Jamie Skog-Burke. Special thanks also to this year’s hosts: Lindsay Belmont; Allison and Daniel Campos; Danni and

Mike Christensen; Jess and Shane Cohn; Amy Dworin; Lindsay and Alex Epstein; Jessie and Jamie Feinstein; Carrie and Steve Fingold; Sophie and Jimmy Friedlander; Torri and Michael Friedman; Amy and Andy Isaacson; Jacob Kahn; Sara and Justin Kohll; Abby and Adam Kutler; Charity and Daniel Murow; Jaime and Brian Nogg; Maggie and Jed Ortmeyer; Erica and Michael Parks; Jason Rich; and Diana and Jason Williams. Past FED events have been a huge hit and space is limited... do not delay in reserving your spot for this highly anticipated, not-to-bemissed evening! RSVP by Feb. 25 at www.tinyurl. com/schmoozeand brews . Questions? Contact Louri Sullivan at lsullivan@jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6485.

Wildlife Encounters

2 | The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019

community

Taste of Tri-Faith Potluck lunch

URooSa JawED Communications Director, Tri-Faith Tri-Faith Initiative’s annual Taste of Tri-Faith potluck lunch, on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m., will be held at the American Muslim Institute located at 13140 Faith Plaza. This familyfriendly gathering is one of the community’s most beloved events of the year. Families gather to get to know one another better and share a delicious meal. Members of our three faith communities are invited to share an afternoon together over a dish that strikes an important cord in your family’s traditions. In past years, families have brought their favorite dishes such as hummus, kugel, and biryani. We invite you to try something you’ve never tasted before. Warm friendships begin when we gather over warm food. Taste of Tri-Faith will also offer an op-

are welcome to observe the short service. Please bring a main dish, dessert, or appetizer to share with the community. Please refrain from bringing dishes with pork, shellfish, gelatin, and alcohol out of respect to our various dietary customs. All allergens should be noted with

your dish. Help support our community by bringing non-perishable food to donate to the Countryside Community Cupboard food pantry, particularly high-protein items such as peanut butter and tuna. Canned goods from the Taste of Tri-Faith canned food drive will benefit the Countryside Community Cupboard. Since October 2010, Countryside’s Community Cupboard has provided groceries to 250300 local families each month in an effort to end food insecurity. The Community Cupboard is the largest food pantry of its kind in Omaha and is open the first Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. For questions about the event, or to RSVP, please contact Amanda Ryan, Program Director at alryan@trifaith. org or 402.934.2955, ext. 106.

Continued from page 1 “I don’t sound like Barbra,” Metoyer Moten said, “but I do sort of ‘channel’ her when I sing her songs. Of course, Color Me Camille is a play on Streisand’s album, Color Me Barbra. I’m thrilled to be doing this show at the JCC, and I hope the audience enjoys my efforts to bring her songs to life.” According to Wingert, “Camille is a passionate theater actor down to

her bones, always looking for the story-line that’s in the song to make it a totally new, emotional experience for an audience. It’s great fun to be a part of her tribute show to Barbra Streisand.” Wingy (as Dave is affectionately known) can currently be found ‘on stage’ Monday thru Friday mornings on Boomer Radio — 1490 AM, 104.1 FM, 94.5 FM and 97.3 FM. Color Me Camille wraps up five days of

‘Babs’ activities at the Blumkin Home — famous Streisand movies, Barbra trivia and DVD performances. For additional details on Color Me Camille: The Music of Barbra Streisand, Friday, Feb. 22, at the JCC, or to arrange transportation to the concert, contact Maggie Conti, RBJH Director of Activities and Volunteer Services, at 402.334.6521 or email: mconti@rbjh.com.

portunity for community members who have not yet visited the American Muslim Institute to tour the inside of the building. Asr prayer takes place at 4 p.m. and all

Music of Barbra Streisand

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Emily ClEmEnT Activities Coordinator, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home On Jan. 24, the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home hosted a Wildlife Encounters presentation for residents and the students of the Friedel Jewish Academy. Students, residents and staff enjoyed learning about and interacting with several different animals, including a three-legged alligator, a tortoise, a skunk and a fox. Wildlife Encounters of Nebraska is a non-profit organization that, according to its website, “is dedicated to educating the public about our natural world while offering a home for animals in need.” For the second year in a row, Wildlife Encounters was a big hit with all those who attended.

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The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019 | 3

Nanny/House Manager

The Doll Maker’s Gift

Continued from page 1 determination. Fran traced the author, Sashi Fridman, to her home in St. Petersburg, Russia, and established a relationship. I contacted my theatrical attorney in New York, and she helped us obtain the book’s underlying rights from Kehot, Chabad’s publishing arm. The story is a pogrom survival story. To flee the encroaching pogroms, Papa goes to America and sends boat fare back to Mama and his two daughters, Rosa and Nora. But fares have increased, and there’s money for only two passages. Zalushka the doll maker, who has always wanted children, comes forward to take care of Nora, so Mama and Rosa can go to America and send for Nora later. (Surprise ending, but no spoilers here). The Doll Maker’s Gift will play to over 5000 area fifth and sixth graders, all of whom will study a curriculum on its historical context. What was a shtetl? What is the result of hatred? Why do the Jewish people perform mitzvahs, demonstrating kindness even under duress? What about America made it a beacon of hope for millions of immigrants? The Doll Maker’s Gift came to life. My partner in New York had access to Maury Yeston, one of the great living Broadway composers (Titanic, Nine). He led us to a protégé, Brian Feinstein who brought in the rest of our Jewish teammates EllaRose Chary (co-bookwriter with Fran Sillau) and Sammy Buck (lyrics). Not so fast! Agents. These established artists are represented by three separate agents in New York City. I have experience producing Broadway shows... that already exist. There are industry norms for producing new works, but I didn’t know them. My theatrical attorney, Nan Bases, is one of the finest Broadway attorneys in existence... but I use her time sparingly as she often cheerfully lends a hand pro bono. Step back. We raised angel funds from our Executive Producers Howard Kooper and Larry Kelberg. I spent almost

one-year interviewing other producers to learn about what legal agreements are necessary and how to negotiate deal points. I worked with the agents to negotiate a deal among the five of us. The writers automatically “own” a new work. For me to “vest” ownership in the musical, I needed to put on a production of at least 12 performances within two years of the script delivery date. The artists took a year to write, coordinating schedules, calls and meetings. It’s a creative process to put meat onto the bones of a storybook. We can read the book in ten minutes... what is the stuff that makes a 75-minute musical? How can the story retain its teachable values? What dramatic conflict will keep the story compelling from beginning to end? Enter the Rose Theater under Artistic Director Matt Gutschick. In the summer of 2017, The Rose contributed space and staff to conduct a staged reading. The play is rehearsed professionally, but the actors read from scripts, with no physical elements like sets or costumes. Our New York-based artists came to Omaha to see this early “performance.” Since Matt liked what he saw (and since he is the rare leader willing to take a risk on new work), he offered us a mainstage production, on-subscription in the 2018-2019 season. Because of the generosity of the Jewish and arts community, our seats will be full of school children. We are also working on a cast recording... the best tool to help other theaters produce The Doll Maker’s Gift nationwide. We are now cast, in rehearsal, and eagerly awaiting opening night, the fruition of many years’ work. Next week, we will hear from our Jewish, New York-based artists. Not surprisingly, they have fallen in love with our city and our community. I’ll close with my best producorial line: tickets are available by calling the Rose Theater box office at 402.345.4849 or going to https://www.rosetheater.org/shows/dollmaker/.

Fellman and Kooper Scholarships Jan Roos The Bruce M. Fellman Charitable Foundation Trust has announced the availability of scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year. The scholarships will be based on financial needs of students pursuing their post-secondary education. This is limited to undergraduate studies only and does not include any graduate programs. 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. Applications may be obtained by contacting Jan Roos in Howard Kooper’s office (402.384.6471 or jroos@broadmoor. cc). The application packet must be received back in Mr. Kooper’s office no later than March 1, 2019. The Robert H. & Dorothy G. Kooper Charitable Foundation Trust has announced the availability of scholarships for

the 2019-2020 academic year. They will be based on financial need for Jewish students with ties to the Omaha community who are pursuing their post-secondary education. This is limited to undergraduate studies only and does not include any graduate programs. 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 (402.384.6471 or jroos@broadmoor.cc). The application packet must be received back in Mr. Kooper’s office no later than March 1, 2019.

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summer

intern The Jewish Press is looking for a summer intern.

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!

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4 | The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019

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My friend Alicia such an important part of you. Now either Castilla turned to me that part of you is not as crucial as I thought for help recently. Her it was, or there are a number of other crucial son is in a serious relaparts, around which you have found comtionship with a Jewish mon ground with Lisa. woman. What could In any case, your relationship with Lisa be wrong? Alicia is brings up issues for me that I have to deal Catholic. with. These are not your issues, they are Alicia and I go back mine. Because the fact is that you and Lisa are to the early 1980s, teddY in an exclusive dating relationship and it when I was a junior at weinBerger would be silly for me to expect that you Columbia. I met Alicia would break this off for some artificial and through her then-boyfriend Mark Zelek, who abstract notions of a faith that you don’t feel. was in my intensive Spanish class (dos horas, I still have my issues, though. Was I pious cada dia, Lunes a Viernes). Even though Mar- enough? Could I have done more in raising cos (I was Teodoro), like Alicia, was in law you in the Catholic faith so that indeed one school, and even though his Boston-Irish of the first things you would have looked for twang made Spanish pronunciation challeng- in a serious girlfriend would be if she was ing, he had seen the writing on the wall and Catholic or not? In a certain way, your relarealized that his future might contain a lot of tionship with Lisa also reflects on the kind of Spanish. He was right. After a brief stint lawyering in Manhattan, Marcos and Alicia moved to be close to Alicia’s parents in South Florida. They raised their family of two girls and two boys in an area populated by many Spanish speakers, including many native Cubans (Alicia herself came from Cuba, along with her parents and older brother, when she was four). During the six years that Sarah and I lived in North Miami Beach, our two families spent a lot of time together, including Jewish and Catholic celebrations. Alicia and I sent this was taken on our last visit to alicia’s home in Coral gables. our children to parochial alicia and i and all of our kids are pictured. my daughter ruthie schools, went with them to is holding up a framed farewell that alicia and her kids made. the weekly worship services, and date, may 26, 1997, is two months before we made aliyah. were each part of an ethnic, religious com- daughter I was/am to my parents. I continued munity. Plus, they had a pool. the Catholic faith by marrying your father, Being a loyal reader of this column since its but perhaps my faith was not strong enough inception 20 years ago (!), and as such know- to carry over into the next generation. Pering that I often deal with the interplay of reli- haps I have disappointed my parents here. gion, ethnicity and identity, Alicia wrote to me Perhaps I have disappointed God. asking how I would respond to my son were I In the end, here is what I feel: 1) I did the in her shoes. The truth is that people of many best I could; and 2) Love has to win out. If different faiths who have parented within their your love for Lisa is truly strong, then may own specific set of religious values and tradi- that love continue to grow even stronger. tions usually want to see their children conPostscript: Alicia felt that I “hit just the tinue those values and traditions. So it was not right tone” with my remarks. I tried to cheer difficult for me to write the following letter Alicia up by saying that with over 1.2 billion and comply with Alicia’s wishes (the names Catholics worldwide and about 15 million have been changed—it’s one thing to volun- Jews, we need Michael to father Jews much teer my own children in my column; it’s an- more than Lisa is needed to mother Catholics. Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah in other to do it with other people’s children): 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Dear Michael, I’m happy that you are in love and that Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, someone is in love with you. I have to tell you, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom though, that I am surprised that the person are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; whom you love is not Catholic, or at least Weinberger can be reached at weinross@ Christian. I would have thought that that was netvision.net.il.

Learn about financial literacy annette van de kamp-wright Editor, Jewish Press On monday, Feb. 25, from 7-9 p.m., the Jewish Federation of Omaha and the JFO Foundation will co-host a Financial Literacy workshop, led by financial advisor Susan Wier. Location is the Sans Souci Room at Swanson Towers; light refreshments will be served and there will be no solicitations. Susan is an experienced financial advisor who has built two financial service firms from the ground up. She is the co-owner and Executive Vice President of First American Trust LLC and assists high-net-worth individuals with insurance, financial, estate and investment planning. “Our target audience,” Margo Parsow said, “con-

sists of community members over 50 who need advice in how to plan for the future. It can be overwhelming and attending this workshop cannot only help in asking the right questions, but also in answering them.” Susan Wier’s main lesson: “Don’t be an ostrich.” In her presentation, she will discuss a multitude of topics from asset allocation, diversification and mutual funds to types of tax-deferred accounts. You do not need to show up with prior knowledge, so this is a great opportunity to get financial advice. This is the first in a series of workshops JFO and the Foundation will be co-hosting, and there is no charge to attend. To RSVP, contact Life and Legacy Coordinator Margo Parsow at mparsow@jewish omaha.org or 402.334.6432.

Friedel beats the cold

The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019 | 5

community ADL-CRC sponsors Stand Up. Speak Out. Never is Now event in Lincoln

sara kOhen Director of Advancement, Friedel Jewish Academy it may be cold outside, but Friedel students are staying active with badminton at recess and curling in gym class.

Karen & Friends to perform new songs from new CD

Karen Sokolof Javitch’s group, ‘Karen & Friends’ will be performing some of her songs from her new CD: NE Celebrities Sing for Sight - Vol. II on Saturday, Feb. 23 at Ware House Recording Studio from 2-3 p.m. It is a benefit show for NE Foundation for Visually Impaired children. All of the money from the sale of her new album will go to this organization. Come and sing along and bring your children! Refreshments will be served! If you can’t go but want to buy a CD or donate to the visually impaired organization, please call JMR Productions at 402.393.3893.

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Pam mOnsky Community Development Liaison, ADL-CRC n Jan. 29 the Anti-Defamation League-Community Relations Council (ADL-CRC), the South Street Temple and the Unitarian Church of Lincoln hosted a second community call to action program. More than 50 people attended the event at the Unitarian Church. The event was focused on in-depth discussions and sharing ideas toward practical solutions to combatting the rise of anti-Semitism and hate that we currently face as a nation and a community. Community leaders, law enforcement officials and social justice activists led small-group discussions and came together on a panel with the entire group to discuss solutions to the growing problem of hate and bigotry in the community. The event was opened by Rabbi Teri Appleby and Nicholette Seigfreid of the South Street Temple offering welcoming remarks. The panel was moderated by Camellia “Cammy” Watkins, Deputy Director of Inclusive Communities. The panel included Jeff Bliemeister, Chief of Police, Lincoln

Police Department; Danielle Conrad, Executive Director, ACLU Nebraska; Senator Adam Morfeld, Nebraska State Senator, D-District 46; Dr. Mary-Beth Muskin, Regional Director, ADL-CRC; Councilman Bennie Shobe, Lincoln City Council; and Russ Uhing, Director of Student Services, Lincoln Public Schools. At the conclusion of the event, attendees were asked to sign the ADL-CRC action card, pledging to be an ally in the fight against hate. “We had a wonderful turnout and incredibly talented panelists,” said ADL-CRC Regional Director Mary-Beth Muskin. “We are looking forward to working with the Lincoln community as we focus on inclusion and bringing people together to solve our differences.” Other community partners supporting the event were Nebraska Appleseed, ACLU Nebraska, the State of Nebraska, Inclusive Communities, the City of Lincoln, the Lincoln Police Department, Tifereth Israel and Lincoln Public Schools. For more information about joining future events, please contact Pam Monsky, ADL-CRC Community Development Liaison, 402.334.6572, pmonsky@adl.org, or sign up for our e-news at Omaha.adl.org./get-involved/.

Organizations

B’nai B’rith BreadBreakers

B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers meets weekly on Wednesdays at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home auditorium from noon to 1 p.m. For specific speaker information, please email Gary.Javitch@Gmail.com, Breadbreakers chairman. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

Do you know an outstanding Jewish teacher currently teaching K-12 in the Omaha metro area?

$10,000 Sokolof Teacher’s Award

Just write a letter describing this teacher (who has been teaching at least 3 years) and tell us why she/he deserves this special recognition. Encourage others (current or former students, parents, teachers) to do so also. A teacher who was nominated in the past, but not selected, can be nominated again. Only an update is needed.

Send your letter by March 1, 2019 to Janet Henthorn at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, 333 So. 132nd St., Omaha, NE 68154 or jhenthorn@jewishomaha.org. Contact her with any questions at 402-334-6551.

read it and eat

6 | The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019

community

a Century of serving | Junior league of omaha | $35

Ahava Dan Scholarships

Diane Walker Scholarship Administrator The recently created Ahava Dan Omaha Jewish Community Engagement Fund was designed to immediately impact the engagement of the Omaha Jewish community by expanding access to Jewish summer overnight camps, the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center at the JCC and the Friedel Jewish Academy. The goal is to inspire unengaged families to become active participants in and advocates of the Omaha Jewish community. The fund will award scholarships to nine Jewish families in each of two years (June 1, 2019 – May 31, 2020 and June 1, 2020 – May 31, 2021) for a total of 18 scholarship awards. Each scholarship will be for $5,400. Scholarships will be awarded for overnight Jewish summer camp, CDC tuition and Friedel Jewish Academy tuition. Families of scholarship recipients must participate in the Gateway Program at an annual cost of $600, which includes JCC membership and membership in the family’s Omaha synagogue of choice. Families will pay for the Gateway Program themselves. To be eligible, these Omaha Jewish families: • will have children who have never attended the program to be subsidized (overnight Jewish summer camp, the CDC or Friedel) • are not currently actively involved in Jewish Omaha • will be willing to have financial ‘skin in the game’ via selffunding the Gateway Program • have at least one Jewish parent • must be living in the Omaha metropolitan area • must have demonstrated financial need. The application and additional details are available on the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s website www.jewishomaha. org. The application deadline is March 1. Please feel free to reach out to me, Diane Walker, with any questions at either 402.334.6407 or dwalker@jewishomaha.org. Please share this information with your Omaha friends and family! They may know a Jewish family with children who will be inspired to become active and engaged in Omaha’s Jewish community.

or the 100th anniversary commemoration of the Junior League in Omaha, the members have created this centennial celebration cookbook: A Century of Serving. The ‘League’ is an organization of women promoting volunteerism and developing the potential of women in education and charitable endeavors, lois FrieDman whose mission is women building better communities. The proceeds of this cookbook will be used for education and charitable initiatives and was created for serving and hosting in the Omaha community. The introduction covers examples of hospitality welcoming thousands of visitors in our homes and our city from the well-known events of the 1898 World’s Fair to the College World Series and Berkshire Hathaway meetings to family and friends gatherings. The women opened their recipe files to test and hand-pick their favorite tried-and-true recipes used for entertaining. 250 recipes, one or two to a page format with clear directions. The chapters are Sips & Spritzes, Tastes & Tidbits, Healthy & Hearty, Meats & Mains, Mix & Match, Bakes & Bites and Treats & Treasures. Seasonal favorites are for Nebraska game day recipes: lasagna, ribs, tenderloin and creamed Cornhusker corn. Ethnic flavors are scattered throughout the

Buster Bar Dessert

15 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies 4 tbsp. butter, melted 1 cup margarine 3 cups confectioners’ sugar 3 ounces semisweet chocolate 4 eggs 2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened 1 cup spanish peanuts Crush the cookies until fine crumbs form. Reserve 1/3 cup crumbs. Combine the remaining cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl and mix well. Press over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan. Combine the margarine, confectioners’ sugar, chocolate and eggs in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Let stand to cool. Spread the vanilla ice cream over the crust. Sprinkle with the

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pages just like through the city: posole, Thai, gumbo, bisque, chowder, stew, Mediterranean, Asian, Italian, Mexican, Greek, and include Fancy Pants Macaroni and Cheese, Delicata Squash, Truffled Fries to Stuffed Bread and Monkey Bread Muffins to Breakfast Casserole and from Steak au Poivre to Smoky Barbecue Turkey Burgers to dessert. Lois Friedman can be reached at ReadItAndEat@yahoo. com. the BlaCkstone hotel Caesar salaD, maitre D’Govenor Ingredients: 1 teaspoon salt 1 garlic clove Juice and zest of 1 small lemon 2 tbsp. tarragon vinegar 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 6 tbsp. olive oil 2 heads romaine, chopped 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 medium egg, coddled 1 cup croutons 1 avocado, cut into 6 slices 2 drained anchovy fillets Freshly ground black pepper to taste Directions: Sprinkle the salt in a wooden salad bowl. Rub the inside of the bowl with the garlic, discarding the clove. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the olive oil gradually, stirring rapidly with a fork. Add the romaine and Parmesan cheese. Beat the coddled egg lightly in a bowl and pour over the salad. Toss the salad. Add the croutons, avocado and anchovies. Season with pepper to taste. Serves 2 to 4.

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peanuts. Pour the chocolate mixture evenly over the peanuts. Sprinkle with the reserved crumbs. Freeze until serving time. Serves 12.

The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019 | 7

Now is your chance! 2019 JWRP informational meeting announced

GABBy BlAIr Staff Writer, Jewish Press The Jewish Federation of Omaha is pleased to invite all interested applicants to an informational meeting for the 2019 JWRP MOMentum and MoMENtum experiences on Thursday, March 7 at 7 p.m. in the Kripke Library at the JCC. These highly-subsidized trips provide an affordable opportunity for Jewish parents with children under 18 and living at home to embark on a unique Israel experience and kick off a revitalizing year of self-exploration, empowerment, learning and connection. Men and women in our community have the opportunity to learn about these exciting,

life-changing trips to Israel and to hear from past participants. Space is limited and available spots tend to fill very quickly. This year, 14 Omaha women, led by Louri Sullivan, will enjoy eight days in Israel with JWRP. An additional day will be spent in our Western Galilee Partnership region, Nov. 412, 2019. Seven JWRP men will be led by Ari Kohen for a seven-day trip with JWRP and will also enjoy an additional day in the Partnership, Nov. 11-18, 2019. Plan to attend the meeting on March 7 to learn more! For more information or questions, please contact Louri Sullivan at 402.334.6485 or lsullivan@jewishomaha.org.

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Class of 2018 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

High School Seniors and Parents

We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 18, 2018. To be included, email us the graduate’s name, parents names current high school and the college you plan to attend plus a photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 1, 2018.

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This points program rewards Birthright alumni for ‘doing Jewish’ once back home

E.J. KESSlEr Everyone knows about how accumulating credit card points can reap significant awards. Now, select young Jews returning home from Birthright trips to Israel can accumulate a diﬀerent kind of points toward a unique kind of reward. Sam Diament, 28, a New Jersey technology consultant, earned points for taking on Jewish ritual observances, like putting on tefillin every day and making Havdalah at the end of the Sabbath. Alexa Summers, 20, a junior and computer science major at the University of MissouriKansas City, earned points for signing up for a Top Israel Internship next summer, hosting Shabbat dinners and volunteering as a computer support technician for Jewish Family Service of Greater Kansas City. Both Summers and Diament were on Birthright buses selected to participate in Bring Israel Home’s 100-Day Challenge. e program seeks to keep alumni of the free 10day trips to Israel connected to Judaism, Israel and each other by rewarding them for staying involved in Jewish activities. Bring Israel Home awards points for a range of Jewish activities: lighting Shabbat candles, advocating for Israel, studying Hebrew texts, volunteering for Jewish organizations, attending a Jewish event or even reading an Israel-themed article. Participants who reach 100 points are invited to join their tour guides and Israeli counterparts at an allexpenses-paid reunion weekend. “Gamification has seeped into every aspect of our lives,” said Rabbi David Pardo, 32, executive director of Bring Israel Home. Since 1999, when Birthright began taking Jewish college students to Israel for free with the aim of connecting them to their Jewish identities, Israel and each other, organizers

have faced a daunting challenge: how to keep the momentum going once participants return to North America. Some 650,000 young people have gone on Birthright trips to date, but follow-up has been a challenge. A 2009 study by researchers

An unusual Birthright follow-up program offers alumni points for doing Jewish ritual observances like lighting Shabbat candles or pro-Israel activities like Israel advocacy. Credit: Bring Israel Home at Brandeis University found that only four percent of Birthright alumni participated in five or more Jewish activities of any kind in the two to three years aer their return. Some of the original philanthropists involved in Birthright tried to mount an effective follow-up program with Birthright Next, a program that sought to steer program alumni into a suite of American-based programs. e effort floundered, however, ultimately winding down in 2015 amid criticism that it was ineffective and duplicated existing efforts. Bring Israel Home was launched in 2012 by an odd-couple pairing of Birthright service providers: the Orthodox outreach group Aish Hatorah and the Union for Reform Judaism. It since has been brought under the auspices See Birthright alumni page 8

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8 | The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019

Birthright alumni

Continued from page 7 of the Orthodox Union, the mainstream Orthodox group. “What we do is, we get on the buses on the last day of the trip and say, ‘What would you do for a reunion with the Israelis you met on this trip six months from now?” said Pardo, who has worked for some years in informal education, including at Brandeis as part of the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus. Bring Israel Home, he noted, is user-driven. “No one tells you what to do,” he said. “If you’re into advocacy, if you’re into Shabbat, that’s great, we oﬀer that, too. We’re not going to tell you how to channel the inspiration from your Birthright trip. ere’s something for everyone.” In 2018, about 2,000 individuals joined the Bring Israel Home challenge, according to Pardo. Since the program’s inception, 6,204 individuals have participated and completed 107,855 Jewish activities, including 25,134 last summer alone, according to the Bring Israel Home website. e website aims to harness young people’s winning instincts with an interface that’s a mashup between social media platforms and reality TV-style competitions. “All they want is to be connected to each other and to re-create the Birthright experience,” Pardo said. “ey’re actually forming their own roadmap of Jewish involvement and community.” For Summers, a native of Overland Park, Kansas, who says she “didn’t grow up that Jew-

Participants in the Bring Israel Home program who reach 100 points are invited to join their Israeli tour guides and Israeli counterparts from Birthright at an all-expenses-paid reunion weekend in the United States. Credit: Bring Israel Home ish” and didn’t attend synagogue as a child, that has meant a whirl of Sabbath dinners, a Hanukkah feast and time volunteering for the local Jewish Family Services housed at her JCC. e activities have “brought myself and my friends closer together,” said Summers, who is studying to become a soware engineer. “I had wanted to become more involved, but I wasn’t sure how. “It really encourages you to become more involved. It’s pretty neat, has fun ideas and is user friendly. It’s easy to keep track of your activities and to see what others were posting. I enjoyed it a lot.” Diament and Summers were among the Birthright alumni who qualified for the allexpenses-paid reunion weekend in November at a resort hotel in Connecticut. At the reunion, Summers woke up early each morning to practice her Hebrew during breakfast

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with the Israelis who came. Now she’s looking forward to finding a tech-related internship next summer in Israel. For Diament, who attends a Conservative synagogue every Sabbath with his family and has visited relatives in Israel, the 100-day challenge provided the impetus to deepen his religious observance. Before participating, he’d never really put on tefillin, but ever since he has worn them every day, he says. Diament now also regularly says blessings over food and ritually washes his hands before eating bread. e Connecticut reunion wasn’t just about Birthright, but also included workshops and lectures. Avi Arieli, a former top oﬃcial with Israel’s domestic intelligence service for three decades and an envoy to the CIA and FBI, led one session. He said he was blown away by

the reunion. “I saw the Americans being united with the Israelis, and the look on their faces,” he said. “I said to myself, yes – there is hope. ere is a future. ey are together, and we are one nation.” Diament says he was most impressed by how far participants traveled for the Birthright reunion. “ere were people who flew in from Florida and Texas,” he said. “People really cared.” is article was sponsored by and produced in partnership with the Orthodox Union, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, dedicated to engaging and strengthening the Jewish community, and to serving as the voice of Orthodox Judaism in North America. is article was produced by JTA's native content team.

Omaha Community Playhouse to stage The Bridges of Madison County

The Bridges of Madison County—featuring a changes them forever. The Bridges of Madison Tony Award-winning score by Jason Robert Brown County heartbreakingly explores the “what if...?” (Parade, The Last Five Years)—opens at the Omaha in life and will leave audiences breathless. Community Playhouse on March 1. The Omaha Community Playhouse production The Bridges of Madison County is a sweeping will run from March 1 through March 24 in the love story about an emotional yet brief love affair. Hawks Mainstage Theatre. Tickets are on sale now Robert, a National Geographic photographer, seeks and start at $32. Tickets may be purchased at the directions to an iconic covered bridge from local Omaha Community Playhouse Box Office, located Iowa housewife, Francesca. Their immediate conat 6915 Cass Street, by phone at 402.553.0800 nection takes them both by surprise, and ultimately or online at OmahaPlayhouse.com. PAID ADVERTISEMENT

The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019 | 9

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(Founded in 1920) Abby Kutler President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Thierry Ndjike Accounting Jewish Press Board Abby Kutler, President; Eric Dunning, Ex Officio; Laura Dembitzer; Candice Friedman; Jill Idelman; Andy Isaacson; Michael Kaufman; David Kotok; Natasha Kraft; Debbie Kricsfeld; Eric Shapiro and Amy Tipp. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish LIfe, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jew ishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishom aha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jew ishomaha.org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

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Why the attemped attack on Islamberg should alarm Jews, too ARI GoRDoN JTA olice in Rochester, NY, arrested four young men last month before they could commit a terror attack against the small Muslim town of Islamberg. The men were armed with dozens of guns and several explosives. Preventing the assault, however, hardly alleviated the fears of residents, who have been besieged repeatedly by threats of violence simply because of their enclave’s religious character. While none of the many Jewish bungalow colonies in the nearby Catskill Mountains have been falsely maligned as a “terrorist training camp” as Islamberg has, and American Jews should be alarmed by both the false accusations and the plot to violently attack the community. After all, an America that is perilous for one minority is unsafe for all. The same right-wing extremist ideology that seeks to rid America of Muslims would gladly do the same to its Jews. The would-be perpetrators of the plot against Islamberg did their planning on Discord, a platform for online gamers that has become a hub for white supremacists. Discord was used to help organize the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where protesters chanted “Jews will not replace us” and counterprotester Heather Heyer was murdered. The Pittsburgh shooter’s hatred also was fostered within an online community – not Discord but Gab. Before committing the massacre at Tree of Life Synagogue, the perpetrator reposted on that platform, “It’s the filthy EVIL jews [sic] Bringing [sic] the filthy EVIL Muslims into the Country!!” In addition to threats of violence, both Jews and Muslims often have their loyalty as Americans outrageously questioned. American Muslims are too often painted with the broad brushstroke of violent extremism, as if all were part of a terrorist network intent on the overthrow of the United States. This canard fueled the recent charge that Shahid Shafi, a Muslim Republican Party leader in Tarrant

County, Texas, was unfit to serve because his religious identity meant that his allegiance lay with the Muslim Brotherhood. More recently, an elected official in Hallandale Beach, Florida, made the absurd suggestion that Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s Palestinian Muslim background might compel her to martyr herself and blow up Capitol Hill. American Jews have been victims of conspiratorial libel, too. In the last election cycle, several ads played on the old anti-Semitic trope of Jewish control of money by featuring Jewish candidates grasping wads of cash. Too

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many criticize American Jewish support for Israel as a sign that we cannot also be good U.S. citizens. Likewise, the smear that Jews are globalists, and therefore disloyal to the country in which we live, continues to be used against us. Unfortunately, some of these stereotypes often creep into our own communities as well. Rep. Ilhan Omar recently renounced her 2012 tweet which said that “Israel has hypnotized the world” and “disavow[ed] the anti-Semitic trope [she] unknowingly used, which is unfortunate and offensive.” And anti-Muslim rhetoric too easily creeps into Jewish conversations about Israel, as it does for the campus leader who said at a recent Turning Point conference, “I don’t even want to call it ‘radical Islam’ – it’s just ‘Islam.’” Jews and Muslims must come together to educate one another about these dangerous and inaccurate views.

Why Henry Ford’s anti-Semitism still matters

JoNATHoN STANToN DEARBORN, MICH | JTA On Jan. 31, we at the Dearborn Historical Commission adopted a resolution objecting to Mayor John O’Reilly’s refusal to allow the distribution of the new edition of The Dearborn Historian, which featured an article by Bill McGraw titled “Henry Ford and The International Jew.” The issue was set to be released upon the 100th anniversary of Henry Ford’s acquisition of The Dearborn Independent, a sad but important milestone in our city’s history. We believe that remembering and discussing the history of our city serves a vital civic purpose, and it is to Dearborn’s credit that we dedicate a few of our tax dollars to having a museum that strives to do that. Remembering history is not always an easy or enjoyable task, however. History is complex because it’s about people, and people are complex. We often have an urge to impose simplicity, where notable people are either heroes or villains, one thing or the other. But that’s not real life or real people, and it’s not real history. When we engage history, we must consider the whole story, not just the positive parts. Dearborn is rightly proud of our favorite son, Henry Ford. Ford is a figure of world-historical significance for his role as an industrialist and innovator. He not only put Dearborn on the map, he also put the world on wheels. He left behind Ford Motor Company, a business and a brand that’s beloved around the world. Ford Motor continues to be an essential partner to its hometown. Henry Ford’s historical association with antiSemitism does not in any way implicate Ford Motor or the Ford family. In fact, McGraw’s article describes how the Fords have distinguished themselves in the fight against anti-Semitism. These good stories are all true, but they can’t change the shameful legacy of The Dearborn Inde-

pendent. The Independent had been a sleepy weekly newspaper until Ford and his lieutenants transformed it into a font of anti-Semitic bigotry. Backed by the vast resources of Henry Ford’s fame and fortune, the newspaper and its content that was republished in The International Jew gained a worldwide audience.

To be sure, there are other challenges to the MuslimJewish partnership in the United States. We may disagree about the best way to achieve a secure and just peace for Israelis and Palestinians or dispute the most effective methods for confronting violence propagated in the name of Islam. But reasonable debate must not keep us from working together to ensure our freedom of religious expression and our place in the American story. America’s gift is its embrace of diversity, and we cannot allow those who would jeopardize this core value to succeed. In 2016, the American Jewish Committee partnered with the Islamic Society of North America to form the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council. Co-chaired by Farooq Kathwari, CEO of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., and Stanley Bergman, CEO of Henry Schein Inc., the council is a national coalition of Muslim and Jewish leaders from across civil society committed to promoting the welfare of both communities. The council’s Muslim and Jewish partners have already mobilized to uphold America’s promise for all. They played a key role in passage of the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act, which expands federal hate crimes statutes, and are currently working to improve hate crimes reporting. Through these and other initiatives, the council is working to ensure that diversity can thrive in this country. Hate crimes against Jews and Muslims have increased steadily over the past few years. When Muslims are attacked in the U.S., Jews must cry foul against the perpetrators, reach out to the victims, and build effective partnerships to secure protection and safety for all. Ignoring the danger imperils all Americans and forfeits the blessings of our diversity. Ari Gordon is the American Jewish Committee’s director of Muslim-Jewish Relations. 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.

to kill this article. We believe this decision is profoundly wrong. In statements to the media, the city’s director of public information, Mary Laundroche, has explained the mayor’s decision as motivated by a desire to protect the city’s reputation for diversity and inclusion. Our city has indeed made great strides in this regard under Mayor O’Reilly’s leadership, and we don’t doubt that his desire is coming from a place of good faith. However, the mayor’s communications team has gotten the perception question precisely backward. An inclusive and diverse community is honest and proactive in confronting the darker sides of its history. To the extent that we act like we’re afraid to confront our history, that shows that we still The mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, has refused to allow the distribution of have some work to do. the new edition of The Dearborn Historian, which features an article about We urge the mayor to reconHenry Ford’s notorious anti-Semitism. Credit: Dearborn Historian sider his decision and to allow The hateful ideas spread by these publications the museum staff to distribute The Historian. We had consequences. And as The Dearborn Histo- urge him to allow the museum the freedom to purrian’s reporting explained, this isn’t just dusty trivia sue its duty to historical truth, including the parts from 100 years ago that doesn’t matter today. These that are uncomfortable. ideas still benefit from their association with In the meantime, I’d encourage everyone to read Henry Ford’s name, and these ideas are still hurting Henry Ford and The International Jew on Deadpeople. That’s why it’s so important to remember lineDetroit.com. Bill McGraw wrote an excepand to discuss history. History has weight. tional article, and we at the Dearborn Historical If we only talk about the parts of the past that Commission are proud to stand behind it. make us feel good or proud, and neglect to talk Jonathon Stanton is chairman of the Dearborn about the parts that might cause us introspection Historical Commission. This article originally apor humility, then what we are doing is not history peared in the Detroit Jewish News. — it’s something else. We also know that silence The views and opinions expressed in this article are concerning anti-Semitism carries a particular those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the weight. That’s why the Dearborn Historical Com- views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media. mission feels so strongly about the decision to try

10 | The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019

synagogues B’nAI ISRAeL SynAgogue

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

Beth eL SynAgogue

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

Beth ISRAeL SynAgogue

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

ChABAd houSe

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

CongRegAtIon B’nAI JeShuRun

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

oFFutt AIR FoRCe BASe

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

RoSe BLumkIn JeWISh home

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

temPLe ISRAeL

Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com

tIFeReth ISRAeL

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

B’nAI ISRAeL SynAgogue

Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on march 1, at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Rabbi Elliott Tepperman. Our service leader is Larry Blass, and as always, an Oneg to follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on our historic synagogue, contact any of our board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Howard Kutler, Carole Lainof, Wayne Lainof, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf, or email nancywolf16620@gmail.com.

Beth eL SynAgogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FRIdAy: Six String Shabbat, 6 p.m. SAtuRdAy: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; No Junior Congregation; Mincha following Shabbat morning services. WeekdAy SeRVICeS: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SundAy: No BESTT Classes; God 101: An Intro for Believers and Skeptics, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Torah Study, 10 a.m. tueSdAy: A Journey through the Talmud, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Mahjong, 1 p.m. WedneSdAy: Chesed Committee visits Sterling Ridge, 2 p.m.; BESTT Classes, 4:15 p.m.; USY Purim Prep, 5:15 p.m.; Wisdom Literature, 6 p.m. with Professor Leonard Greenspoon; BESTT Hebrew High, 6:30 p.m.; A Journey through the Talmud, 7:15 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham. thuRSdAy: Breakfast and Brachot: Service, 7 a.m. and Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. Nebraska AIDS Coaltion Lunch, Friday, Feb. 22, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Joan Marcus serves lunch once a month at the NE AIDS Project, and she needs baked goods for dessert. Contact Joan if you can help by donating baked goods. Oren Edrich, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS Speaker, Feb. 23, noon-1 p.m. Become a Soulful Parent, Sundays, Feb. 24 and march 31 at 10 a.m. Join us for an exploration of parenting challenges against the backdrop of Jewish ideas and texts. Inside the Teenage Brain - Teens & Parents, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 6-8 p.m.

Beth ISRAeL SynAgogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer FRIdAy: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha, 5:40 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 5:40 p.m. SAtuRdAy: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Sponsored Kiddush by Bridgett and Alan Kohll, 11:30 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 4:40 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 5:25 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:42 p.m. SundAy: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:45 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. mondAy: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Jewish History — Your History, noon with Rabbi Shlomo; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:45 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. tueSdAy: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Torah Tuesday, 3 p.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:45 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. WedneSdAy: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:45 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. thuRSdAy: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Connecting with Our Faith, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:45 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

ChABAd houSe

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. FRIdAy: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. SAtuRdAy: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. WeekdAyS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. mondAy: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani. WedneSdAy: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman. thuRSdAy: Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman. All programs are open to the entire community. For more information call 402.330.1800 or visit www.ochabad.com.

Visit us at jewishomaha.org

CongRegAtIon B’nAI JeShuRun

Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby. FRIdAy: Candlelighting, 5:43 p.m.; Friday Night Live! Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m.; Oneg, 7:30 p.m. hosted by Allen Schreiber. SAtuRdAy: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study on Parashat Tetzaveh, 10:45 a.m.; Potluck Dinner and Game Night, 6 p.m. hosted by Maria & Dean Cadwallader at 2535 South 20th St; Havdalah (72 minutes), 7:15 p.m. SundAy: No LJCS Classes; LJCS Teacher Development Day, 9 a.m.-noon; Adult Hebrew Prayer Class, 11:30 a.m.; Jewish Book Club, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Walt Library, 6701 S. 14 St and will discuss The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kaddish; Feeding the Kids at F Street Rec Center, 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact Aimee Hyten at aimee.hyten@gmail. com or Lupe Malcom at lupemalcom65@gmail.com.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. All equipment furnished. Wear comfortable clothing. For questions, call or text Miriam Wallick at miriam57@aol.com. tueSdAy: Ladies Lunch, noon at Kinja Sushi and Japanese Cuisine, 4141 Pioneer Woods Drive #120. Let Deborah Swearingen (402.475.7528) know if you plan to attend and if you need a ride; Mussar Va’ad, 7 p.m. WedneSdAy: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. It's not too soon to be thinking about summer camp! All Federation families are eligible for Camp Incentive Grants of $300 per camper to pay the initial camp registration deposit. Application packets are available in the Temple office and on the Temple website.

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

RoSe BLumkIn JeWISh home

SAtuRdAy: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Larry DeBruin. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.

temPLe ISRAeL

FRIdAy: Chocolate Shabbat: Dinner, 5:15 p.m., Services, 6 p.m. followed by chocolate oneg; OTYG: Chocolate Shabbat and Ice Skating, 6-9 p.m. SAtuRdAy: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Service, 10:30 a.m. SundAy: No Religious School. tueSdAy: Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m. WedneSdAy: Religious School Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6:30 p.m.; Family School, 6:30 p.m.; What Happens When We Die? Tri-Faith

Perspectives on the Afterlife: Jewish Views of the Afterlife, 6:30 p.m. with Rabbi Stoller. thuRSdAy: The History of the Jewish People: Shabbetai Zvi; The False Messiah, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Aryeh Azriel. Taste of Tri-Faith Potluck Gathering, Sunday, Feb. 24, 3 p.m. at American Muslim Institute, 13140 Faith Plaza. Join us for the annual Taste of Tri-Faith potluck. Members of our three faith communities are invited to share an afternoon together over a dish. Please bring a main dish, desert, or appetizer to share with the community. Please refrain from bringing dishes with pork, shellfish, gelatin, and alcohol out of respect to our various dietary customs. All allergens should be noted with your dish. Help support our community by bringing non-perishable food to donate to the Countryside Community Cupboard food pantry, particularly high-protein items such as peanut butter and tuna. Questions? Contact Program Director Amanda Ryan, alryan@trifaith.org or 402.934.2955. First Friday Shabbat Services, Friday, march 1, 6 p.m. Enjoy lively services with our First Friday band! Everyone celebrating a birthday or anniversary during the month of February is invited to come and receive a special blessing. During the oneg we will celebrate with a simcha cake! Tri-Faith Listening Session, Sunday, march 3, 10:30 a.m. OTYG/JYG Spaghetti Dinner: A Celebration of Past Pastas, Sunday, march 3, 5 p.m.

tIFeReth ISRAeL

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIdAy: Services, 6:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 5:43 p.m. SAtuRdAy: Shabbat Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a light kiddush lunch. Please note: The lunch and learn has been cancelled; Got Shabbat, 11 a.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:45 p.m. SundAy: No LJCS Classes; LJCS Teacher Development Day, 9 a.m.-noon at South Street Temple; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. All equipment furnished. Wear comfortable clothing. For questions, call or text Miriam Wallick at miriam57@aol.com. tueSdAy: Ladies Lunch, noon at Kinja Sushi and Japanese Cuisine, 4141 Pioneer Woods Drive #120. Let Deborah Swearingen (402.475.7528) know if you plan to attend and if you need a ride. WedneSdAy: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. There will be a Hebrew Reading class beginning on thursday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. at the synagogue. Future classes are scheduled for thursdays at 7 p.m. The class will be taught by Nancy Coren. Please let her know if you plan to attend and bring a pack of index cards with you. It's not too soon to be thinking about summer camp! All Federation families are eligible for Camp Incentive Grants of $300 per camper to pay the initial camp registration deposit. Application packets are availible in the Tifereth Israel foyer.

Rabbi Abraham receives IFF Fellowship

• Referrals to local organizations that welcome interLIz PoLAy-WettengeL Vice President, Digital Strategy and Content, InterfaithFamily faith couples and families We are proud to announce that Rabbi Steven Abraham InterfaithFamily (IFF) is proud to announce the firsthas been chosen to be a Fellow in Omaha. Rabbi Abraof-its-kind IFF Rukin Rabbinic Fellowship Program. The ham states “I am excited to work with like-minded colfirst cohort of Fellows, which includes Rabbi Steven leagues in the InterfaithFamily Abraham of Beth El Synagogue in Fellowship to learn best practices and Omaha, will begin in March 2019. for today’s families” The Rukin Fellows will become part The Fellowship begins in March 2019 of a unique community of practice with a kickoff retreat in Philadelphia. Felwhich will help them to hone their skills lows will be available to connect with working with interfaith couples. Our Felcouples in Boston; Houston; Los Angeles; lows will offer workshops and programs Montreal, Canada; Omaha; Philadelphia; in their communities for seriously datPlantation, FL; San Francisco; Seattle; ing, engaged and newly married interSt. Louis; and West Palm Beach, FL. faith couples who do not yet have Rabbi Robyn Frisch, Director of the IFF children. They will provide guidance to help couples find a welcome path into Rukin Rabbinic Fellowship says of the the Jewish community and access to inannouncement “I’m so excited about our Rabbi Steven Abraham clusive resources. inaugural cohort of Rukin Fellows. I In the 11 cities where we have Rukin Fellows, they will provide: • Meetups for interfaith couples to socialize and discuss relevant issues • Workshops for seriously dating, engaged and newly married couples to talk about how they want to bring religious traditions into their lives together • One-on-one consultations with a rabbi who can help answer questions

know that they’ll do a fantastic job serving the interfaith couples in their communities.” InterfaithFamily is the premiere resource supporting interfaith couples and families exploring Jewish life and inclusive Jewish communities. We offer educational content; connections to welcoming organizations, professionals and programs; resources and trainings for organizations, clergy and other program providers; and in-person gatherings and support in select cities nationwide.

The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019 | 11

Before someone offers you alcohol or other drugs, decide what you are going to say.

lifecycles Letter tO the editOr

Dear Editor: In the Feb. 1, 2019, issue of the Jewish Press there was an article by Todd Gutnick of ADL warning us against anti-Semitism on the extreme right. This is as it should be. However, how is it possible to condemn antiSemitism and not even mention what perhaps is its greatest source today, the extreme left? Recently two female anti-Semites, both leftists, were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. One was rewarded with an appointment to a very important foreign affairs committee. College campuses today are swarming with left wing anti-Semitism. The U.S. House and Senate are no longer bi-partisan. The Republicans in the House and Senate support Israel. The support by Democrats is weak. Consider what’s happening with the left-wing labor party in the U.K. The leader is an avowed anti-Semite. It’s the party that the majority of Jews have in the past supported. Fortunately, many Jews have now awakened to the danger from the left and no longer support the labor party. sincerely, Maynard telpner Bozeman, Montana

Anti-Semitic fliers left on cars on University of Montana campus

Marcy Oster JTA Anti-Semitic fliers were placed under the windshield wipers of cars parked outside of student housing buildings on the campus of the University of Montana. e fliers, which were discovered on Feb. 8, accuse Jews of attacking the First Amendment. ey are not signed by any particular group. Missoula Police told MTN news that it is looking at security camera footage in an attempt to identify the people that le the flyers. In January, white nationalist fliers were le on doorsteps in Missoula and surrounding areas. In November white nationalist recruitment fliers were posted around the University of Montana campus. “It’s important to condemn these eﬀorts that target our friends and neighbors in the Jewish community,” the Montana Human Rights Network said in a Facebook post.

in MeMOriaM

vera Bernstein

Vera Bernstein passed away on Feb. 2 at the age of 97. She was preceded in death by her husband, Julius Bernstein, son, William Bernstein, sister Ida Halprin and brother, Danny Epstein. She is survived by her son, Rich Bernstein, three grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Vera was a long time member of Beth Israel Synagogue and participated in her early years in the Beth Israel Blue Box project. Memorials may be made to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, 323 S. 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154.

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Brad t. FinkLe

Brad T. Finkle passed away Feb. 4 in Omaha. Services were held on Feb. 8 at West Center Chapel, Heafey Hoffman Dworak Cutler and were officiated by Brother William Woeger FSC. He was preceded in death by his father Maynard Finkle. He is survived by his husband Tom Neumann; mother, Barbara Finkle; brothers and sisters-in-law, Scott and Karen, David and Judi, Terry and Sue, and Todd and Patti; mother-in-law, Alice Neumann; nieces and nephews, many other loving members of the Neumann family. Memorials may be made to the Boys Town Teen Suicide Hotline.

aaLt van de kaMp

Aalt van de Kamp passed away Feb. 4 in Voorthuizen, the Netherlands. He was preceded in death by parents Hendrik van de Kamp and Everdina van de Kamp-Jansen; brothers Gerrit, Evert and sister Wijm. He is survived by his wife Petra van de Kamp-Poldervaart, daughter and son-in-law, Eve-Line Gilissen-van de Kamp and Mathijs Gilissen, son and daughter-in-law, Martin and Majorie van de Kamp and daughter and sonin-law, Annette Wright-van de Kamp and Jeremy Wright; grandchildren: Isabella, Jamie z"l, Mendel and Sem. Memorials may be made to Jewish Family Services Food Pantry or the organization of your choice.

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In our Feb 8 edition, the date for the Parkland High School shooting survivior Oren Edrich’s presentation at Beth El was erroneously given as Feb. 22. The correct date is Feb. 23. The Jewish Press regrets the error.

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12 | The Jewish Press | February 15, 2019