A N AG E N C Y O F T H E J E W I S H F E D E R AT I O N O F O M A H A
The Jewish Press WWW.O M A H A J E W I S H P R E SS .CO M
INSIDE
WWW. J E W I S H O M A H A .O R G
MA R C H 5 , 2 02 1 | 2 1 A DA R 578 1 | VO L. 1 01 | NO. 2 0 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, MARCH 5 , 6: 02 P.M.
In memoriam: Bruce Simon
The train to Budapest Page 2
Kosher Pickle Ball at the JCC Page 3
Transgender Jews are finding a safe haven in an unexpected place Page 8
BECKY NIIYA Director, Public Relations and Corporate Communications Omaha Steaks Bruce Simon passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 17 of natural causes at the age of 63. He was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Omaha Steaks. A service was held Sunday, Feb. 21. Born on March 23, 1957, Bruce was one of the fifth-generation family owners destined for the Omaha Steaks life. He attended Westside High School in Omaha, Neb., and graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. For more than three decades, Bruce worked side-by-side with his cousin, Todd Simon, their fathers Alan and Fred, and their uncle Stephen, to grow Omaha Steaks from its beginnings in 1917 as a custom butcher shop into a world-famous purveyor of grain-fed beef and gourmet food. Today, the company employs more than 1,500 associates, has 3 million active customers and operates 48 retail stores in 20 states. “It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my dear cousin and See Bruce Simon page 7
Bruce Simon
SAVE THE DATE! Refugee Shabbat
REGULARS
Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
|
SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND
4 5 6 7
SUSAN FELLMAN WITKOWSKI In coordination with HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Beth El Synagogue will be a proud participant in HIAS’ Refugee Shabbat, during which Jews in the United States and around the world will take action for refugees and asylum seekers. We will dedicate sacred time and space to refugees and asylum seekers during services, and after the conclusion of shabbat with havdalah, we will examine the refugee crisis more in depth by screening the film A Home Called Nebraska and a discussion panel afterwards, via Zoom and Facebook Live. The panel will include members of the Omaha refugee com-
munity as well as representatives from organizations working to sponsor refugee families in Nebraska, and the filmmakers. In 2016, Beth El Synagogue began to sponsor and welcome refugee families to Omaha in coordination with the Refugee Resettlement program at Omaha’s Lutheran Family Services. That year, Nebraska resettled more refugees per capita than any other See Refugee Shabbat page 2
CASSANDRA WEISENBURGER Temple Israel Director of Communications Join Temple Israel for a fun, interactive Community Seder on Sunday, March 28 at 5:30 p.m.! Together, we will tell the Passover story, tracing the Israelites’ journey from slavery to freedom through LEGO! Congregants can take part in telling the story by illustrating a section of it with the ultimate construction material – LEGO blocks! During our Seder, we will ask our community members to share their LEGO creations, piecing together the story that we all know and love!
Alongside our creative storytelling techniques will be all of your Seder favorites – we’ll hear the Four Questions and sing Dayenu together, we’ll eat the Hillel sandwich and search for the Afikomen and more! All of the materials your family will need to participate will be provided in our Seder Kits. If you would like to help tell the story of Passover with LEGO, sign up on our Passover form! Visit our website, https://www. templeisraelomaha.com/passo ver.html, to order your Seder Kits, sign up to help tell the Passover See Let my people LEGO! page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | March 5, 2021
News
Refugee Shabbat
LOC AL | N ATI O N A L | WO R L D
The train from Budapest The Hungarian Parliament in Budapest Credit: Godot13, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license
Budapest is one of the world’s great cities. A must visit on any trip through Central Europe. And that’s what we did for a number of days on our way to Ukraine where we would live for six months. A Fulbright RICHARD FELLMAN Fellowship gave me, an adjunct professor in the political science department of the University of Nebraska Omaha, the opportunity to travel to Eastern Europe and teach American Government. Our destination was the city of Uzzhhorod on the far western border of Ukraine. During the Soviet years it was the city on the country’s most western border on the slope of the Carpathian Mountains next to Hungary and Slovakia. The State Department, which plays a major role in the Fulbright program, advised each participant to make their own travel arrangements, and we were advised to fly to Budapest and take the train to Ukraine. We followed their suggestion. We were traveling in early August. Our train
was to leave about nine in the evening, and we had a great amount of luggage, three or four bags each, since we would be in Ukraine for three distinct seasons, summer, fall, and winter. The train station we were to leave from was old, dirty, muggy and unattractive. We had a compartment to ourselves. We arrived with all our baggage with time to spare. A porter spotted us, asked if he could help, took everything to our compartment and helped us get settled. I offered him a tip since he had carried some heavy bags, but he refused even after I repeated my offer. Another traveler, an Englishman, whispered to me that the train we were boarding was old and from the Soviet era. It traveled from Budapest to Kyiv, Moscow, St. Petersburgh, and back to Budapest, a long trip. During the Soviet days porters were given salaries but tips were “capitalistic” and forbidden. Our compartment was from the ‘60s, and this was ‘09. Nothing had been changed in those 50 years. Everything looked worn out. I took a walk down the main aisle and could see that half the units were empty. One was filled with boxes, snacks of one kind or an-
2021 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
other. But three-fourths of the shelves were filled with cartons of vodka. The countryside of northeast Hungary had a pleasant glow to it as the sun was setting late on a summer night. About midnight, when it was totally dark, the train came to a screeching halt. The porter came to each compartment and in at least three languages, Hungarian, Russian and English, told everyone that we had to exit the train. We followed orders. There were no lights as we left the train and walked to a small building. Police dogs followed us on all sides as we walked into the terminal. There were lights only by the doors. Long rows of wooden benches were the only furnishings. Nothing was said. Everyone took a seat. The dogs kept roaming. Again, I went to the Englishman and asked what was taking place. “The trainmen are changing the gauge, which is the distance between each pair of wheels on each axle, on each car,” he explained. “After WWII the Soviets decided that they would never again be invaded, as first the French then the Germans did, by a foreign army using their own nation’s trains, so every See The train from Budapest page 3
Continued from page 1 state. As of 2019, Beth El has sponsored three refugee families, with participation from over three dozen congregants and clergy. A Home Called Nebraska, an independent film released in late 2019, profiles the story of local refugees and their “welcome home” to Nebraska with stunning cinematography and heart-tugging narrative, filmed here in Omaha by directors/producers George and Beth Gage. With more than 80 million people worldwide who have fled their homes due to persecution and violence, we are now witnesses to one of the largest humanitarian crises in human history. Over the last four years in the United States, the administration had essentially ground the U.S. refugee admissions program to a halt and decimated the asylum system. As the current administration began we heard a public announcement of the intention to restart the refugee admission program, and we celebrate the opportunity to look towards a return to the value of welcoming those in need of a safe place to call home and continuing the Jewish community’s support for pro-refugee and asylum seeker policies across the globe. Please join us on Zoom for services Saturday, March 13, at 10 a.m. on Zoom, and at 7:05 p.m. for Havdalah. The film screening of A Home Called Nebraska will begin at 7:45 p.m., followed by the panel discussion afterwards. The film screening and discussion will also be streamed on Facebook Live.
ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS The Monsky Lodge of B’nai B’rith is pleased to announce the resumption of its award-winning speaker program via ZOOM. Although the Home auditorium remains temporarily closed, we’ll continue presenting an outstanding lineup of thought-provoking keynoters. For specific speaker information and/or to be placed on the email list, please contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com or leave a message at the B’nai B’rith JCC office 402.334.6443.
See full digital issues https://issuu.com/jewishpress7
Hearth For Healing Counseling Ctr, LLC hearth4healing.com
PEOPLE WHO READ NEWSPAPERS ARE
Joanna Hochfelder, LIMHP
STUDENTS WITH BETTER GRADES
Psychotherapist
Empowering Couples, Adults, Children 13304 West Center Rd. | Suite 218 | Omaha
712-571-0680
HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND PARENTS
We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 21, 2021. To be included, send us an email with the student’s name, parents names, high school they are attending, the college they will be attending and photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 3, 2021.
The Jewish Press
It all starts with Newspapers.
The Jewish Press | March 5, 2021 | 3
Kosher Pickle Ball at the JCC The JCC offers Drop-In Pickleball for JCC members, ages 16+ in the basketball gymnasium. Pickleball is a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Four players use paddles to hit a perforated ball over a net. The sport uses the dimensions and layout of a badminton court. Come give it a try during the drop-in times listed at right. Don’t forget to join us for the first annual Kosher Pickle Open! This is not a sanctioned USAPA tournament, but will be a day full of friendly pickleball competition. All games will be played at the J. Games will be round robin with the top teams advancing to single elimination competition. There will be two divisions, according to age. Teams can be Mens, Womens or Mixed. Doubles only. Brackets may be combined based on number of participants. First Place will receives medals. All participants will receive a certified, bona fide, official, short sleeve Tshirt. (It’s A Big Dill!) Registrations due March 8! Register online at www.jccomaha.org or call (402) 334-6419. This event is open for members and non-members, aged 16 and older. Is Pickleball not your thing?
Men’s Basketball is open to men ages 30 and over. Games will be in the South half of the gym, 5 on 5 when possible. We will have rules so everyone knows what to expect. Get here early! The first 10 are in! Also new at the J is our co-Ed Volleyball League, for members and non-members, Ages 18+. This is an intermediate competitive/recreational co-ed league. Games will be played on Wednesday nights after 6:30 p.m. Teams are to not exceed more than 8 players. All players must be 18 + years old. Minimum of 8 games played. Want to play adult volleyball, but don’t have a team? Contact the Sports & Rec Department and join a free agent team. The deadline to register for the volleyball league is also March 8. From volleyball to basketball, we have several adult sport options for J Members. If you have any questions please contact Lynette Brannen at 402.590.2144 or email lbrannen@jccomaha.org.
Associated Counseling Professionals
Let my people LEGO! Continued from page 1 story with LEGO and order your meals for Passover. LEGO boxes will be available for pick up the week before Passover. Seder kits and meals will be available for pick up at Temple Israel on Sunday, March 28, noon-1:30 p.m. The Temple Israel staff and clergy will be there to wave and say a quick, socially-distanced ‘hello!’ You’ll also be able to donate to our Chametz Drive that day. Temple Israel is excited to partner with Food Bank for the Heartland for a Chametz Drive. Chametz are foods that are leavened or contain leavening
agents and are traditionally prohibited to consume or own during Passover. Since so many are in need in our Omaha community at this time, we are hosting a drive-up Chametz Drive at Temple Israel on Sunday, March 28. Some of the mostneeded items at the Food Bank right now containing chametz include macaroni and cheese, pasta and sauce, cereal, boxed meals and pancake mix - and usual items like peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables and canned meat are in demand, too. You can also donate right from your home to our Virtual Food Drive. More information can be found on our website.
The train from Budapest Continued from page 2 train from the west must stop and adjust the gauge to fit the Russian measurement. They’ll be done soon,” he said, “and we’ll be on our way. Don’t worry.” But the dark room without lights, the wooden benches, and the dogs failed to make that hour a rest stop. About four in the morning the train again stopped. This time bright overhead lights lit the entire area. We were in Ukraine, a half hour from Uzzhhorod, our destination, and it was time for us to exit. Again the porter took the baggage, and we walked down a long fence row with barking dogs on each side and into another small terminal, but this time there were uniformed
ENTERTAIN
FIRST CLASS WITH
HONEYMAN RENT-ALL The Party Place FOR THE FINEST IN ENTERTAINING ACCESSORIES, HOW CAN YOU THROW A PARTY AND NOT INVITE US? • Tables • Chairs • Linens • Skirting • China • Glassware • Champagne Fountains • Chafing Dishes • Party Canopies • Wedding & Church Displays • Dance Floors • BBQ Grills • Coat Racks • Candelabras • Margarita Machines • Chocolate Fountains
Our Visit room w o Sh
11226 Wright Circle (1 Block South of 114th & Center)
402-333-2882
We Disp dding Sup lays & plies
clerks watching each of us. There were no benches but a long line of men and women each holding their own documents waiting for clearance. An agent spoke with each of us, asking where we had been and where we were going, asking for our “papers” and passports and visas, and looking at the photo in each passport and comparing it to the person holding it. We passed the inspection. Cabs were waiting. Drivers were hustling passengers. We took a cab, told the driver we were going to Uzzhhorod, asked how long it would take, found that the driver spoke little English, and decided there was nothing to do but wait until we arrived at our hotel. Enough had already happened for a memorable evening.
Glen Fineman, LICSW, LIMHP Clinical Social Worker
Family & Children Issues Marriage Counseling Depression | Anxiety | Grief & Loss
2255 So. 132nd Street | Suite 200 | Omaha 402-334-1122 | fax: 402-334-8171 www.acpcounseling.com
4 | The Jewish Press | March 5, 2021
Above: The JCC Dance Department is proud of its seniors: Leora McNamara, left, Laura Kirshenbaum and Rachel Kricsfeld.
Above, left and below: The RBJH northwest neighborhood enjoyed a fancy Spring Fever Luncheon. Residents were treated to a live performance for the first time since early March of 2020. with piano music by Phil Malcom, JFO’s Executive Director of Operations (Phil receives the COVID testing several times per week). Phil is pictured with his grandmother Wilma Malcom who is a big fan of Phil’s musical talents. A special thank you to chef Alec Mendez for creating the delicious menu of smoked Gouda and rosemary shortbread with pear preserve, cream of sun choke and leek soup, salmon pithier with sautéed asparagus and white wine sauce, wild mushroom rice pilaf and creamed kale and for dessert filling lemon basil sponge cake with limoncello curd, toasted meringue and lemon sorbet. The menu showcased the transition from winter to spring and the warming of our frigid earth. This event was generously sponsored by Julius Froom and Phil & Minnie Freeman of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.
Above and below: Building your own tabletop bookstand can be a lot more satisfying than buying one. Mark Kirchhoff guides these Friedel sixth graders as they assemble their woodworking project.
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.
Below and right: Sam and Henry Kutler helped out making hamantaschen.
Above: Zoe Berman, daughter of Beth Cohen and Harry Berman, took pictures of the snow that recently fell in Jerusalem. Due to the snow, all evening classes were canceled. Zoe attends Michlalah in Jerusalem.
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
Voices
The Jewish Press (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 Mary Bachteler Accounting Jewish Press Board Abby Kutler, President; Eric Dunning, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen, David Finkelstein, Candice Friedman, Bracha Goldsweig, Margie Gutnik, Natasha Kraft, Chuck Lucoff, Eric Shapiro, Andy Shefsky, Shoshy Susman 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@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.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@jewishomaha. 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 KampWright, 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.
American Jewish Press Association Award Winner
Nebraska Press Association Award winner 2008
National Newspaper Association
The Jewish Press | March 5, 2021 | 5
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.
One year later
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor This week marks one year since I received a call from the Douglas County Health Department that I had been exposed to a person with COVID-19 and had to quarantine. I remember calling Alan Potash to give him the news, calling the Press staff and face-timing with one of them while she filled a box with all the stuff I needed from my desk. She took that box to the parking lot, where my husband picked it up so I could work from home. I was lucky and never got sick, just a little stir-crazy. It was early days, but by the time I came back to work, the world had completely changed. It seems a little fuzzy, everything that happened next. The most bizarre part of it is that an entire year has passed us by. If we could go back in time, what would we tell ourselves? Probably nothing— it might have been a bit of a blessing that we didn’t know what was coming. And here we are: over half a million dead in America alone, our flags at half-mast and no way of knowing whether life will ever be the same. But as I find myself staring at those flags, I realize something: exactly in the middle of the two poles stands a sculpture. I have, of course, seen it many times; every day I walk past it and notice it. Sort of. You know that feeling when something is familiar, but suddenly it feels brand new? Maybe that’s what we need right now. Seeing something we already had as if for the first time. Reminding ourselves that we have endless things that are beautiful, that we are grateful for.
But there’s my second realization: I’ve given myself this exact speech before, which means I’ve probably written it on this page at least twice over the past year. Yikes. Reminding ourselves of the good when facing the bad is a crutch, and it’s a welcome one, but for how long? Do we eventually just start to feel fatigue? How Pollyanna can we remain when this many lives are lost? The truth is, I don’t know. You probably don’t know either. Although I generally try to stay away from self-help books and mindfullness websites (I can’t solve my problems in 2 minutes), something that often pops up whenever positive thinking is discussed, is slowing down. Stress builds up, so we must slow down. Stop, pause. Breathe. But, you say, we already have! We’ve slowed down more than we ever thought we would! We’re not getting together, shul is closed, everything is online, we can’t eat in any restaurants or go to the movies! How is it even possible to slow down any more? Sure, we’ve been staying home, a lot. But that does not necessarily equal slowing down. With so much stuff online, there’s always another Zoom, an email to send, a phone call to return. And don’t forget the various streaming services we are subscribed to (this is, by the way, not an anti-TV column—I love TV). The fact is, while our social life may have
changed, we as people haven’t exactly slowed down. Our heads are still busy as ever, always thinking. Coming up with ways we can make it through another week. Shopping on Amazon, figuring out what great meal to post on social media so our friends think we’re still doing really well. Moving to the last clean spot of the house for Zoom meetings so people will think our houses are clean.
Because we’ve lost a certain amount of control over our environment (can’t cure this virus, can’t make the neighbors wear masks) we constantly try to shape our thoughts around how to make things better. The problem is, we can’t, So maybe the real key to slowing down is admitting we have little control. Letting go of the idea we always have to fix everything will help us make it through to the other side of the pandemic. So we’re a mess and we don’t know what we’re doing half the time? Big deal. This, too, shall pass.
The data don’t lie: Yeshiva high school students have a binge-drinking problem. Here’s what we can do about it. RIVKA PRESS SCHWARTZ AND RABBI TULLY HARCSTZARK JTA Purim, which begins on Thursday night, is perhaps the happiest Jewish holiday of the year. It can also be distressing, as adults and young people use the spirit of relative abandon to indulge in binge drinking and other irresponsible behaviors. Make no mistake: Substance use and binge drinking are of great concern to yeshiva high school administrators. We have acknowledged that substance use exists in our community and must be addressed. But without solid data, we’ve been left to guess about our students’ behavior and the challenges they face. Some of that data is now available and there is good news — and there is not so good news. Beginning in February 2019, we used a trusted survey, administered and processed by a third party, to gauge the behaviors of 3,500 10th- and 12th-graders. Students representing 19 yeshiva high schools in the New York tristate area took the 40-minute survey. One year later, on Feb. 27, 2020, we surveyed a different cohort of 10th- and 12thgraders (including students from one additional school), with 2,800 students taking the survey. While the pandemic slowed our ability to gather the data, the results are now in, and the two surveys reveal astonishingly similar data. First the good news: 70% of our students described their experience of Judaism as “meaningful.” Between 85% and 90% of students said they kept Shabbat all or most of the time. By a huge margin, they also rated their schools as the most significant religious institutions in their lives. On the substance-use front, too, there is good news. Compared to federal government surveys of the general population, our students use less marijuana and vape less. While “less than the national average” might not be a high bar to strive for, 22% of high school students surveyed nationally reported using marijuana in the past 30 days, compared to 12% of yeshiva high school students. But here’s the bad news: The teenagers in our community have a binge-drinking problem.
The numbers are consistent across two years, 20 schools and thousands of students. The national data show that 22% of students have taken “more than just a taste or a sip” in the past 30 days, compared with 38% of students in our community; 11% of students nationally say they have binged ( five or more drinks in a sitting), compared with 17% to 19% of students in our community. That is hard to hear and to process. In fact, the experts repeatedly conveyed that doubting the accuracy of the data is a common reaction. But if we
A man holds a glass of scotch. Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus
are going to trust the data when they tell us how we are doing well, we should trust them, too, when they indicate where we aren’t. We also learned a striking and not-surprising finding: Teens with exposure to adults who have used substances are more likely to use substances themselves. We may not think of our Shabbat morning kiddush or our Saturday nights out as “using substances.” They’re just ways to relax from the pressures of our busy lives. But the data tell us that teens’ substance use is correlated with the modeling they see from adults around them. Our community must face these challenges. Sustained communal effort can effect change. A public health model enables communities to learn about themselves, understand their strengths and weaknesses through data gathering, and develop an infrastructure for change across the community. We can then establish shared commitments, practices and targeted interventions based on communal needs. Subsequent data gathering can then measure whether
and to what degree the strategies have been effective. Community organizations have done inspiring work to address substance abuse in the Jewish world, but we have not yet tackled the allegedly growing use of substances in the party and kiddush cultures — in the general social culture — of our teen community. We have also never had data to understand its dimensions. Until now. Over the course of the 2017-18 school year, a small group of yeshiva high school administrators met to explore potential interventions to the use of substances in our community. We discovered a remarkable public health intervention, Planet Youth, that had achieved very substantial results in Iceland over the course of the past 18 years, and a similar program developed by the University of Washington. These public health initiatives focus less on punishment or one-off programs and more on creating sustained and focused cultural change. The Iceland model shows us that there are no shortcuts to effecting communal change. We must play the long game. Change begins in years three to five and takes root in years five to 10. Through this work, we can become a community that better understands itself, knows its successes and challenges, and has an infrastructure through which to grow. While substance use among teens will never be eradicated, we can work together to develop healthier attitudes and safer social settings for our children. But this work is not just about kids, and it’s not just about schools. It’s not just about substances. It is about our collective well-being — youth and adult, school, synagogue and home. We have done significant work to identify the problem. Now we must take collective steps to address it. The survey was carried out under the auspices of Machon Siach at SAR High School, honoring the memory of Belda K. Lindenbaum. Rivka Press Schwartz, PhD, is Associate Principal of SAR High School and Rabbi Tully Harcstzark is the Principal of SAR High School. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
Synagogues
6 | The Jewish Press | March 5, 2021
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
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN
South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us via Zoom on Friday, March 12, 7:30 p.m. for evening services. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. VIRTUAL MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m. and Mondays and Thursdays, 8 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 6:55 p.m. SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m.; BESTT (Grades K7), 10:30 a.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 12:15 p.m.; The Beatles Jewish Connection, 6:50 p.m. Bonus Tracks, 7 p.m. Program MONDAY: Book of Ruth with Rabbi Abraham and Pastor Johnson, 6:30 p.m.; Jewish Law with Rabbi Abraham, 8 p.m. TUESDAY: Biblical Literacy with Rabbi Abraham, 11:30 a.m.; Virtual Office Hours with Eadie and Amy, 4 p.m.; BESTT Committee Meeting, 7:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Coffee & Conversation with Rabbi Abraham, 2 p.m.; BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:30 p.m.; Beit Midrash — The Promised Land?, 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Virtual Office Hours with Eadie and Amy, 4 p.m.; Pearls of Jewish Prayer with Hazzan Krausman, 7 p.m. FRIDAY-March 12: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY-March 13: Shabbat Morning Services — Refugee Shabbat, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 7:05 p.m.; A Home Called Nebraska Film and Panel Discussion, 7:45 p.m. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
BETH ISRAEL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. Classes, Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah on Zoom, WhatsApp or Facebook Live. On site services held outside in Sukkah, weather permitting. Physical distancing and masks required. FRIDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Candlelighting, 6:02 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Kids Class, 5:40 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha, 6:10 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:02 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Jewish Law in Depth, 9:45 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:10 p.m. MONDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:10 p.m.
TUESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:10 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:10 p.m. THURSDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Character Development, 9:30 am. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:10 p.m. FRIDAY-March 12: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Candlelighting, 6:10 p.m. SATURDAY-March 13: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Kids Class, 5:40 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha, 6:10 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:10 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
CHABAD HOUSE Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Due to Coronavirus, all services and classes have moved online. For schedules and more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.org or call the office at 402.330.1800. FRIDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Lechayim, 4 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Candlelighting, 6:02 p.m. SATURDAY: Minyan, 10 a.m.; Shabbat Ends, 7:02 p.m. SUNDAY: Minyan, 8:30 a.m. MONDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Professor David Cohen. TUESDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Virtual Pirkei Avot Women’s Class, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Professor David Cohen; Introduction to Hebrew Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Professor David Cohen. THURSDAY: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Advanced Hebrew Class, 11 a.m. with Professor David Cohen; Talmud Study, noon with Rabbi Katzman; Fun with Yiddish, 1 p.m. with Shani Katzman. FRIDAY-March 12: Minyan, 7 a.m.; Lechayim, 4 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Candlelighting, 6:09 p.m. SATURDAY-March 13: Minyan, 10 a.m.; Shabbat Ends, 7:09 p.m.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL Virtual services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. FRIDAY: Candlelighting, 6:04 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Steve and Nathaniel Kaup, 6:30 p.m. with featured speaker,
Dr. Mike Eppel via Zoom. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Felch via Zoom; Torah Study on Parashat Ki Tisa, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom; Havdalah (72 minutes), 7:05 p.m. SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes—LPS Spring Break; Adult Ed: Intro to Judaism Class, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex via Zoom. MONDAY: Ritual Committee Meeting, 7 p.m.; Makers of Jewish Things, 7 p.m. via Zoom. TUESDAY: Synagogue Staff Meeting, 10 a.m.; Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom; Adult Ed: Jewish Prayer with Rabbi Alex, 7 p.m. via Zoom. WEDNESDAY: No LJCS Classes—LPS Spring Break. FRIDAY-March 12: Candlelighting, 6:12 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Leslie Delserone and Peter Mullin, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. SATURDAY-March 13: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Felch via Zoom; Torah Study on Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom; Havdalah (72 minutes), 7:12 p.m. Passover: Community Second Seder, Sunday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. Rabbi Alex will lead a virtual Seder for our community on the second night of Passover, complete with wine, questions, and plenty o'plagues.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE All services canceled until further notice.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is currently closed to visitors.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander. DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. Join us via Zoom. FRIDAY: Shabbat Service: The Land of Israel: Spirituality, Culture and Politics: It’s complicated: How Language Makes it Harder, 6 p.m. Join us via Zoom. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. Join us via Zoom; Shabbat Service: Bat Mitzvah of Madison Kully, 10:30 a.m. SUNDAY: Temple Tots, 10 a.m.; Youth Learning Programs, 10 a.m.; Passover in the Time of COVID: How to Make your Virtual Seder Meaningful this Year, 11 a.m.; Rosh Chodesh Event, 2 p.m. MONDAY: Jewish Law & the Quest for Meaning, 11 a.m. Join us via Zoom. WEDNESDAY: Mindful Meditation with Margot, 9 a.m. Join us via Zoom; Youth Learning Programs: Grades 3-6, 4-6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6-8 p.m.; Community Beit Midrash: The Promised Land? Jewish Pluralism & Power in the State of Israel, 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Discussion, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Aryeh Azriel. Join us via Zoom. FRIDAY-March 12: Shabbat Service: “Racial Justice and the End of the Exodus” with Kelly Whitehead, 6 p.m. Join us via Zoom. SATURDAY-March 13: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. Join us via Zoom. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
Israel delivers thousands of vaccines to Palestinians RON KAMPEAS JTA Israel has delivered thousands of coronavirus vaccines to the Palestinian Authority, the Czech Republic, Guatemala and Honduras, joining a number of other countries that are successfully vaccinating their populations and are now assisting others with their surpluses. Israel had come under criticism for not extending its successful vaccine program to Palestinians in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Israeli officials have said that under prior agreements and international law, it is under no obligation to do so. Axios reported U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had asked Israel on Monday to deliver vaccines to the Palestinians. “In light of the successful vaccination campaign in Israel and its being the global leader in vaccinating populations, Israel has received many requests from countries for assistance in supplying vac-
cines,” said a statement Tuesday from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images
“Israel is not producing vaccines itself and has informed respondents that the quantities that were ordered by Israel are for the vaccination of its population; no ability to render significant assistance is
anticipated at least until the vaccines campaign in Israel will have ended,” the statement said. “Nevertheless, over the past month, a limited quantity of unused vaccines was accumulated; therefore, it has been decided to assist Palestinian Authority medical teams and several of the countries that contacted Israel with a symbolic quantity of vaccines.” Netanyahu did not name the other countries in his reporting, but Reuters said they included Honduras, Guatemala and the Czech Republic. Honduras and Guatemala said they had received 5,000 doses each, and the Czech Republic said it had received thousands of doses from Israel and other countries. All three countries have moved their embassies to Jerusalem, or have said they will expand their diplomatic presence in Jerusalem. A number of countries, China most notably, that have had successful vaccine rollouts are delivering surpluses to other countries.
Life cycles IN MEMORIAM JEAN EPSTEIN Jean Epstein passed away on Feb. 25 at age 98. Private Family Services were held. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Epstein. She is survived by three children: son and daughter-in-law, Joel and Janice Epstein, daughters and sons-in-law, Marilyn and Robert Weintraub, and Sandra and Kenneth Berg; eight grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. Jean was born and raised in Omaha but lived in the Chicago area for the past 16 years. Memorials may be made to Beth El Synagogue. BRUCE SIMON Continued from page 1 colleague Bruce Simon,” said Todd Simon, fifth-generation family owner of Omaha Steaks. “This company was founded by our great-great grandfather and has been part of Bruce’s life since his childhood, where he’d accompany his father Alan to the plant and help assemble boxes to earn extra spending money. Under his tireless leadership since becoming company president in 1994, Omaha Steaks has become synonymous with the finest quality beef and gourmet foods.” In a previous interview, Bruce shared of his early days at the family business, “I used to like to go to the office in the summers when I was maybe 10 years old. I didn’t live that far away, so when it was too cool to go swimming or it was a Monday when the pool was closed, I would ride my bike to my dad’s office. I used to fold boxes and I would get paid 2 cents a box. As soon as I’d earned a buck, I’d pop it in the candy machine for a Butterfinger or a Payday bar and I’d leave. “When I was 11, my dad told me that I could come to the office, but I would ‘really have to work’ he said. And he said he’d pay me $1.65 an hour. Well, I realized I was making well over 100 boxes an hour and I told him I should be paid at least $2 an hour. I told my dad and he told me to get back to work. Well, I was pretty po’d about it, so I told the union steward, Frieda Paderis. She was a German immigrant with a heavy accent, and she told me to sign this card and take it to my poppy. I signed the card and took it to my grandfather and told him that Frieda said I could get $2 an hour now. He tore the card up and paid me $2 and that was that.” Bruce’s first full-time position after he finished college was as assistant plant manager. From there, he went on to hold numerous other positions throughout the company, until being named president in 1994. During the pandemic, he knew before anyone that Omaha Steaks was going to play a role as a safe alternative to stores and restaurants and he led by example, showing everyone in the company how to be there for customers. Todd Simon assumed the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Nate Rempe continues in his roles as President and Chief Operating Officer. “We worked closely together for more than three decades,” Simon continued. “Bruce was tremendously proud of our continued growth. The steps he and I took to put in place a strong leadership team and set a clear vision will ensure our continued success for generations to come. Along with our entire Omaha
TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- www.omahajewishpress. com/site/forms/. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements.
The Jewish Press | March 5, 2021 | 7
Pulverente MONUMENT CO. Over 60 Years Experience With Jewish Lettering and Memorials
1439 So. 13th 402-341-2452 Family Owned and Operated
Tritz Plumbing Inc. 402-894-0300
Steaks family, I am wholeheartedly committed to carrying Bruce’s legacy forward.” Bruce not only played a pivotal role in the tremendous growth of Omaha Steaks during his 40-plus years of leadership, he and his wife Stacy were firm believers in community service and philanthropic support. “Bruce’s dad Alan used to say that his hobby was community service, and that value of service was passed on to our generation,” Todd said. “Bruce felt with Omaha being the home of the business and the home of our family that it was important to give back to the community.” He was recognized as a strong leader in supporting the cultural arts, education, civic and military organizations – both locally and nationally. Bruce was especially proud of the leadership roles he played with Friends of Florence, Joslyn Art Museum and Temple Israel Omaha building committee and was an active supporter of the SEAL Family Foundation, Lauritzen Gardens, The Nature Conservancy, and Jewish Federation of Omaha, in addition to many others too numerous to name. Bruce enjoyed traveling and appreciated art, good food, star gazing, Italian wine and spending time with his family and many friends. He loved good jokes, giving advice and opinions - whether asked for or not – and filling the room with his booming presence. Information technology was an area of particular interest and one of his first roles at Omaha Steaks was to bring the business into the computer age. Bruce loved his Tesla, the newest electronic gadgets and technologies, and investing in the stock market. He would drop everything to spontaneously take a group to a concert. He consumed guitar rock, jazz, and classical music by the gigabyte. As Bruce was fond of saying to the team at Omaha Steaks: “let’s rock and roll” – that’s how Bruce approached every day. His amplifier was always turned to 11. Bruce is preceded in death by his father Alan Simon, uncles Frederick Simon and Stephen Simon, and father-in-law Gene Smallwood. He is survived by his loving wife Stacy and daughters Talia and Ellie. He is also survived by his mother Anne Simon, sister Janice Tecimer (Timur), cousins Todd Simon (Betiana), Leslie Myers (Curt), Venus French, Jim Simon (Kim), Dan Simon (Katherine), numerous nieces and nephews, many close friends and colleagues.
BIRTH AVI HUE EPSTEIN Lindsay and Alex Epstein announce the Feb. 18 birth of their son, Avi Hue. He has has an older brother, Ari. Grandparents are Lisa and Gary Epstein of Omaha and Susan and Kevin Keuck of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Great-grandparents are the late Etta and Harold Epstein of Omaha, the late George and Miriam Malacoff of Sunrise FL., Travis and Nancy Cochran of Council Bluffs, IA., and Kathleen Keuck and the late Vernon Keuck of Council Bluffs, IA.
www.tritz.com repair • remodel
commercial • residential
family owned and operated since 1945
NEBRASKA STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in over 150 newspapers. Reach thousands of readers for $225/25 word ad. Contact The Jewish Press or call 1-800-369-2850.
BIG GUN Show - March 5-7,2021, Mid American Center, Council Bluffs, IA. Friday 4pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am3pm. Nebraska FFL Dealers available for transfers. Admission $8. Info: 563-608-4401, www.marvkrauspromotions.net.
SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! Strong, recent work history needed. Call to start your application or appeal today! 866-563-0161 [Steppacher Law Offices LLC Principal Office: 224 Adams Ave Scranton PA 18503].
PROTECT YOUR yield from soybean white mold and SDS! Ask your seed dealer for Heads Up® Seed Treatment. Cost effective, Proven results. headsupST.com/plant 21 or 866-368-9306.
COMBAT VETERANS, Free “Lessons Learned (The Hard Way) About Combat.” Hated enough to kill? Hopeless? Wanted to die? Close calls - should be dead? Call/text 402-677-7082.
HUGHESNET SATELLITE Internet - 25mbps starting at $49.99/month! Get More Data. Free Off-Peak Data. Fast download speeds. WiFi built in! Free Standard Installation for lease customers! Limited time, call 1-844-290-3051.
TWO GREAT new offers from AT&T Wireless! Ask how to get the new iPhone 11 or Next Generation Samsung Galaxy 510e on us with AT&T’s Buy One, Give One offer. While supplies last! Call 1855-574-9119.
DIRECTV - EVERY live football game, every Sunday - anywhere - on your favorite device. Restrictions apply. Call IVS, 1-855-9773794.
DIRECTV NOW. No Satellite needed. $40/month. 65 Channels. Stream Breaking News, Live Events, Sports & On Demand Titles. No Annual Contract. No Commitment. Call 1-855-417-4299.
DISH NETWORK $64.99 for 190 Channels. Blazing Fast Internet, $19.99/month (where available). Switch & Get a Free $100 Visa Gift Card. Free Voice Remote. Free HD DVR. Free Streaming on All Devices. Call today! 1-877-688-4784.
PORTABLE OXYGEN Concentrator? May be covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-385-3580.
THINKING ABOUT installing a new shower? American Standard makes it easy. Free design consultation. Enjoy your shower again! Call 1-866-604-0853 today to see how you can save $1,000 on installation, or visit www.newshowerdeal.com/nepress.
ELIMINATE GUTTER cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a Free LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-671-2859.
THE GENERAC PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system. Save money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a Free, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-833-513-0190.
SEEKING FRIENDLY, energetic person to manage our meat department in Winner, SD. Three years meat management experience required. Great salary, bonus,health insurance, and 401K. Resume to msteck58@gmail.com.
THE COVID crisis has cost us all something. Many have lost jobs and financial security. Have $10K in debt? Credit Cards, Medical Bills, Car Loans. Call National Debt Relief! We can help! Get a Free debt relief quote. Call 1-866-834-5927.
WESLEY FINANCIAL Group, LLC, Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-899-7756.
BECOME A Published Author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing - trusted by authors since 1920. Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution. Call for your free Author’s Guide, 1-877-858-2822 or visit http://dorranceinfo.com/Nebraska.
DONATE YOUR car for Breast Cancer! Help United Breast Cancer Foundation education, prevention & support programs. Fast free pickup - 24 hour response - tax deduction. 1-888-309-7108.
DONATE YOUR car or truck to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, tax deductible, free towing. All paperwork taken care of. Call 1-877-730-8167.
DONATE YOUR car, truck or van. Help veterans find jobs or start a business. Call Patriotic Hearts Foundation. Fast, Free pick up. Max tax-deduction. Operators are standing by! Call 1-877-3122360.
8 | The Jewish Press | March 5, 2021
News LOC AL | N ATI O N A L | WO R L D
Transgender Jews are finding a safe haven in an unexpected place BEN HARRIS JTA Alex Kohanski began using the gender-neutral they-them pronouns on their first day of the Jewish farming fellowship Adamah in the fall of 2019. Though they were assigned a male identity at birth, Kohanski had never felt fully at home in their body. As a child, they once looked at their naked body in a mirror and thought God had made a mistake. But over the course of the three-month program that has graduated scores of Jewish farmers, Kohanski grew more comfortable — both with their choice to pursue farming as a profession and with their transgender identity, even wearing a dress in public for the first time. In one particularly poignant moment, Kohanski was invited by the women in their cohort to join them for a pre-Shabbat mikveh dip in the lake. By the time the program ended, Kohanski was identifying as trans. “I went to Adamah because everyone was telling me this is like a great queer place to learn, like you will meet many trans and queer Jews there,” said Kohanski. “It’s like a mecca for that kind of thing.” It’s a little-noticed feature of the booming Jewish farming space that among the many who find an emergent Jewish identity through the cultivation of soil are a minority who find something more: a new relationship to gender. No fewer than 10% of participants in Adamah over the program’s 17-year history have changed their gender pronouns in the course of the fellowship, according to Shamu Sadeh, the program director. The overwhelming majority have changed from feminine pronouns to gender-neutral pronouns. The trans presence was hard to miss at the first Jewish Farmers Network conference last year, where the affinity table in the dining room for queer farmers frequently overflowed as participants bled into adjoining tables, often hanging around to talk long after meals ended. At least one in six participants at the
2020 conference were trans or non-binary, and at the 2021 virtual conference one in three registrants used non-binary pronouns. “There’s something about exploring identities,” Sadeh said. “People who are in the process of balancing, figuring out, or just open to reconsidering their identity, between how they were socialized, how they were identified as kids. I also think there is something about body and strength, different versions of strength, and using your body in a productive way.”
Alex Kohanski began using gender-neutral pronouns on their first day of the Adamah Jewish farming fellowship. Credit: Kohanski
Part of that is the deliberate effort to make Jewish farming spaces welcoming to trans and non-binary participants. Adamah has a well-earned reputation for radical inclusivity and the JFN conference organizers went out of their way to welcome trans farmers, even creating a panel at this year’s conference for them to share their experiences. But part of it is also directly related to the experience of being close to nature and the healing power many trans farmers find in the physicality of farming and in the natural world’s indifference to how their bodies align with their gender identity. “There’s a home, a sense of belonging to the dirt,” said Simcha Halpert-Hanson, 35, a trans rabbinical student at Hebrew College
CONGRATULATE
YOUR GRADUATE The annual Graduation Issue will publish this year on May 21, 2021. Senior photos will run in that issue and we know you’ll want to highlight the achievements of your high school graduate! Congratulatory ads are available in two sizes.
Limit of 25 words. CONGRATULATE YOUR GRADUATE ORDER FORM _____________________________________________________
A
2x3 2 column
by 3 inches
$36
B
3x4 3 column
who did Adamah in 2016 in part to heal from a painful breakup that resulted from their partner’s discomfort with their body. “The trees literally don’t care what I am,” Halpert-Hanson said. “The water doesn’t care. Be any shape, any way. There is no concept of fat or thin. That’s immensely important to feel safe and feel belonging. And since the regular world, the civilized world, is so obsessed with standards and yardsticks, then it makes sense as a calling for trans folks to be able to spend their time in nature.” Micah Chetrit, who founded the Midbar Project, a Jewish educational farm, on the grounds of a synagogue in Tucson in 2018, said the physicality of farming helped catalyze his embrace of his trans identity. “It’s a connection to your body that you may never have felt before,” Chetrit said. “And that led me to think where else in my body is the feeling not authentic? And I think for anyone — and there are a lot of people who get into farming and realize they’re trans — I believe it’s because you are figuring out what doesn’t feel good. And if the gender stuff doesn’t feel good, if the identity doesn’t feel good, then you’re prompted to make that change.” Trans Jewish farmers broadly agree that there’s a natural overlap between farming, Judaism and their gender identity, but the nature of that relationship is complex and often hard to disentangle. For some, there’s a natural refuge from the inner turmoil of gender dysphoria in the non-judgment of the natural world. For others, it’s rooted in the physicality of the work and a renewed connection to their body. Still others find it in work that’s typically solitary and more often than not performed at a remove from societal expectations, which lifts the veil off an inchoate sense of transness and offers a safe place to try on an emerging identity. For most, there are overlapping elements of all three and more. Editor’s note: This article was edited for length. See the full story at our website: www.omahajewishpress.com.
Mazal Tov, Aaron! We are so proud of your achievements – membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from the Band.
ere Photo h
Love, Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters
by 4 inches
$99
Congrats, Rachel!
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ Name ___________________________________________________________
ere Photo h
Address _________________________________________________________ City, State and Zip _________________________________________________ Phone __________________________________________________________ Ad A O Ad B O Photo enclosed O Check enclosed for $ _________ Send check and photo to The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 by May 3.
We are so proud of your achievements – membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from B.E.S.T.T.
Love, Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters and grandparents