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Four sisters
March 6, 2015 15 Adar 5775 Vol. 95 | No. 25
This Week
by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor You only have to spend a few moments in Sarah Spooner’s company to know she has a vision. It’s an inspired, carefully planned vision, and it comes with gift-wrap. Sarah is the daughter of Gayle Milder and O.J. (Jim) Spooner. This spring, Sarah is opening her Four Sisters Boutique in Rockbrook Village. It’s not an impulsive decision; Sarah has been thinking about and preparing for this a long time. “My whole life I’ve wanted to open my own business,” she says. “I began to plan in earnest in December of 2011, when surgery forced me to sit on my mother’s couch. With nothing else to occupy me, I wrote up a business plan.” It must have been good, because from there, the ball started rolling. Meticulously, and with great attention to detail, Sarah has fulfilled her promise to herself: she is now a proud business owner, with all the hard work that entails.
Child survivor tells her story Page 6
Beth Israel participates in Annual Shabbat Across America Page 7
The Four Sisters: Frances, Evelyn, Pearl, and Roselle But the story doesn’t begin here. Sarah’s great-grandfather, Russian immigrant Hyman Osoff, arrived in the United States with $17 in his pocket, worked hard and became the owner of Osoff ’s Hardware. The store
was initially located on 16th and Davenport, and later moved to 44th and Dodge, at which time it added sporting goods. Her maternal grandfather, Jerome Milder, built and operated a nursing home in Lincoln,
called Milder Manor. Grandmother Fran Osoff Milder was the head of the Kilpatrick bridal department, which later merged with Younkers. Retail is in Sarah’s blood. But, so is family history, and it shows in the design of her boutique: named for the Osoff girls (great-grandfather Hyman and his wife Sarah’s four daughters), it prominently displays a beautiful black and white photograph of them in the store. “I wanted a store with a story,” Sarah says, “and so each of the sisters will get her own dressing room. An enlarged photo of Pearl, Frances, Roselle and Evelyn will be placed on the door of “their” dressing room, with my grandmother Frances getting the biggest one.” She adds: “The four sisters were smart, well mannered and personable. They also had a delightful sense of humor, sparkling eyes and absolutely fantastic legs. They became locally known as the beautiful Osoff girls.” According to family history, Pearl Continued on page 3
Domestic violence: Beth Cohen Closer than you think to lead Friedel by OZZIE NOGG Though they never married, Rochelle Tatrai-Ray and Sean Ray were together for many years and had two daughters. While living in Pennsylvania in 2002, Sean Ray beat Rochelle so badly with a metal base-
her attacker in court and charges were eventually dropped. She and her daughters eventually moved to Florida. In December 2014, this same man ambushed Tatrai-Ray in her Largo home and shot her multiple times with a semiautomatic be-
Holocaust films in Germany show strong interest in Nazi past Page 12
Inside Beth Cohen Point of view Synagogues In memoriam
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ball bat that she suffered a fractured back, hip and major facial injuries requiring months of rehabilitation. According to newspaper reports, Ray was charged with attempted murder, but Tatrai refused to testify against
fore turning the gun on himself. Police called the incident a domestic violence murder-suicide. Ironically, Rochelle Tatrai-Ray was a Licensed Mental Health Therapist. At the time of her murder she served as CEO of Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, a Florida agency that offers violence prevention programs and counseling to victims and survivors of abuse. This is how Karen Gustafson, Executive Director of Omaha’s Jewish Family Service, summed up the situation. “Rochelle Tatrai-Ray was a trained professional who worked with domestic violence. If she could become Continued on page 2
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN for Friedel Jewish Academy Beth Cohen has received the unanimous support of the Friedel Jewish Academy Board of Trustees to be the next head of school of the day school, Jeff Zacharia, president of the Board, recently announced. “Beth brings organization and great leadership to Friedel. She’s a true professional who understands Friedel and what we need to do to continue growing in the community and promote Jewish education,” Zacharia added. Cohen will begin official duties at Friedel on Thursday, March 26. She’ll work closely with Ron Giller, a former Friedel head of school who has been the interim principal this year after Pam Cohn resigned to take on a new position with Omaha Public Schools as executive director of school support for sec-
ondary schools. She was head of Friedel for two years. Zacharia thanked Giller for filling in. “Ron has been wonderful to work with and a true gentleman. He’s great with the students and our staff, and we cannot thank him enough for his service.” “Friedel is really lucky to have Mr. Giller serving as head of school this year,” said Cohen. “He’ll stay on through the end of the school year which will help tremendously with my transition,” she explained. “I’ll have the opportunity to learn from him, and I’ll have the time to spend getting to know the ins and outs of the school.” “First and foremost,” Cohen believes in Friedel as “a school that provides an excellent education.” In her role as head of school, Cohen said she “will always be working Continued on page 4
2 | The Jewish Press | March 6, 2015
Domestic violence
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Continued from page 1 a victim of the very problem for which she tried to provide help to others, then I’m convinced all of us are only a few degrees of separation away from knowing someone who’s been impacted by abuse. We would all like to believe domestic violence, teen dating violence and sex trafficking are not present in the Jewish community, or that these issues cannot possibly effect someone we know. Sadly, this is not true.” Domestic violence and sexual assault can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, age, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion. According to statistics, a woman is beaten every nine seconds in the U.S. Every minute, twenty people are victims of intimate partner violence. One in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime at the hands of a spouse or boyfriend, and one in three female homicide victims are murdered by their current or
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time. She recommended me and I accepted. My three-year term is almost up, and during that time I’ve seen the work of Women’s Center for Advancement stretch beyond sexual abuse, domestic violence and sexual trafficking. The WCA Empowerment Therapy Group helps women learn how to live emotionally healthy lives by empowering them to make better choices and plan for their personal care and safety. The WCA provides domestic violence training seminars for church groups, law enforcement and medical professionals plus educational presentations for schools, businesses, and various community groups and organizations. I’m thrilled to have been part of such a terrific organization.” In 2010, National Council of Jewish Women launched a new campaign against domestic violence. Called Higher Ground, the initiative addresses the terrible choice faced by many women who are the targets of domestic violence: stay
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former partner every year. One in seven men will be victims of severe violence by an intimate partner. Every year, ten million children witness domestic violence in their homes. But here’s the #1 fact: Only 25% of physical assaults perpetrated against women are reported to the police. Most domestic violence incidents are never reported. “Jewish Family Service is here to support victims of abuse,” Karen Gustafson said. “Although counseling domestic violence victims is not a treatment specialty of JFS therapists, we provide referral services to agencies like the Women’s Center for Advancement here in Omaha. The mission of the WCA is to rescue women and their children from immediate crisis and keep them safe. They can locate confidential shelter if needed, advocate for restraining orders and provide education surrounding patterns of abuse. There’s no need to suffer in silence.” Marty Ricks serves on the Women’s Center for Advancement Board. “About five years ago, the Omaha chapter of the YWCA reframed its mission to concentrate more on sexual abuse and domestic violence education -- a different emphasis from that of the national YWCA. Other cities had already split from the YWCA, and three years ago Omaha did the same by creating a separate nonprofit organization called the Women’s Center for Advancement. National YWCA never permitted male board members, but the new leadership of WCA recruited men to join in their work. Margo Parsow was employed by the new entity at the
with an abuser or lose the roof over their heads. Jan Schneiderman, past national president of NCJW, said, “NCJW’s mission is to turn Jewish ideals into action through acts of social justice. Higher Ground is a national effort to end domestic violence by improving the economic status of women. Domestic violence doesn’t always come with visible proof. An abuser who uses finances to exert power and control over a victim may not hurt that person physically but, rather, not allow the survivor to hold a job, complete her education, open a bank account or have a credit card. Economic security is critical to women's safety, which in turn leads to improvement in their quality of life and the safety of their children and families.” Mental health professionals describe domestic violence as an insidious problem deeply rooted in our culture. “Studies prove that abuse can happen close to us, without our knowing,” Gustafson said. “The woman sitting next to you at the card table, the man walking next to you at the health club could be victims. Alarming statistics indicate that as you read this sentence, more than one person became the victim of assault. Jewish Family Service is here for anyone who wants to get help. The process is totally confidential. For assistance please call Jewish Family Service at 402.330.2024 or The Women’s Center for Advancement at 402.345.6555. The WCA 24/7 Crisis Hotline is available at 402.345.7273 or go to http://www.wcaomaha.org/ for more information.”
March 6, 2015 | The Jewish Press | 3
Let Jack Stark help you find your inner champion by OZZIE NOGG Licensed clinical psychologist, Jack Stark, brings his motivational message -- What it Takes to Be a Winner -to the Jewish Community Center Theater on Monday, March 9, at 7 p.m. A pioneer in sport psychology, and one of its most respected practitioners, Stark served from 1989 to 2004 as a team psychologist for the University of Nebraska Cornhusker football program. During his tenure, the Huskers won 88% of their Jack Stark games, including three national championships, and had the highest winning percentage in the 1990s. For nearly a decade Stark has served as the team psychologist for NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports team, winner of five straight national championships. He also advises Fortune 500 corporations and individuals on ways to boost their performance levels. “Jack will address how performance psychology works and why it works -- on the field, in the board room, and at home,” said Karen Gustafson, Executive Director of Jewish Family Service. “He’ll offer strategies on how to help our kids maximize their potential, both educationally and athletically; how we can become better managers and get the most out of our employees; and how each of us can find the path that leads to peak performance and success. During his presentations, Jack focuses on ways to overcome mental barriers, relax, concentrate and visualize success -- in sports and other areas. Each of us can benefit from his message, so please join us on March 9.” The program is sponsored by the JCC and Jewish Family Service through the use of the Pennie Z. Davis Family Life Education Fund.
Four sisters
Continued from page 1 something is missing. There is no human contact, you can’t was the prim one, who refused to wear white shoes after feel the fabric between your fingers, and browsing online is a Labor Day and was one of the last women in Omaha to wear very different experience than being in a nice boutique. In slacks, because she didn’t consider them proper for women. the store, one is surrounded by fashion and able to try things She rarely had a hair out of place. Frances, Sarah’s grand- on immediately. You can see right away whether it looks good mother, was the fashionista. She was sophisticated, more on you, and if it does, you get to take it home immediately. current, and she had the It is that personal touch stature to wear it with confiSarah wants to offer, the reladence. She helped every bride tionship between seller and look like a movie star. customer she wants to bring “There are still women in back with a vengeance. Omaha who come up and tell “It’s about that total experimy aunt and mom how my ence,” she explains. “I want grandmother helped them with people to come in, be inspired their wedding gown,” Sarah by the pretty things that sursays. “She was classy, stylish, round them, and leave happy. and really cared about her And if they happen to buy clientele. People even come up something, it should be packto me and tell me how amazing aged in a beautiful way. By the my grandmother was.” time people leave The Four Roselle was the golden one: Sisters, they should have a litafter graduating from college, tle taste of the real four sisters: she moved to Los Angeles and fashionable dames who knew embodied the casual style of how to walk into a room with Jerry Milder and granddaughter Sarah Spooner the West Coast. Evvie, the confidence.” youngest, was known as the perky one. She had a talent for And then, after you shop, you can post a photo of yourself singing and dancing, and her clothes reflected her colorful on Instagram, wearing what you purchased, and hashtag the personality. store. Sarah plans to keep track and create relationships that “Of the four, Roselle is the only one still with us,” Sarah are reminiscent of those her grandmother built during her says, “ but if all of them were still here, I’m sure they would years at the bridal department. Because, she says, “You have loved the Four Sisters Boutique.” should shop for much more than a skirt or a shawl. You And there is much to love: from the store’s interior design should shop for the entire experience.” to the shopping bags, the window display to the website, Sarah’s aunt, Cheryl Cooper, thinks Sarah has inherited Sarah Spooner has an eye for detail that these four women her grandfather Jerome Milder’s entrepreneurial spirit: “In would have been proud of. And: she knows what sells. addition to the Milder Manor, he owned a gift shop, a chil“People shop very differently these days,” she says, “and dren’s clothing store, he sold real estate, owned a bowling part of that comes from being able to shop online. As con- alley and a swimming pool company. It takes courage to do sumers, we no longer only rely on what’s being offered in our what Sarah is doing, and he truly led the way.” own city or a few towns over; we can get on line any time and The Four Sisters Boutique is located at 2900 South 110th order what we want.” Court in Rockbrook Village and will officially open its doors That may be true, but anyone who’s ever shopped on line on March 21. Until then, you can visit the website at for a dress knows there are limitations. Yes, it’s easy, you don’t www.foursistersboutique.com and sign up for Sarah’s have to leave your house and the choices are endless, but newsletter and special mailings.
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4 | The Jewish Press | March 6, 2015
Beth Cohen to lead Friedel
Continued from page 1 with staff to capitalize on innovation in education. Because of our size, we can be nimble and flexible for the benefit of our children’s learning. In general studies, our students excel as we prepare them to move on to great success. Our Jewish studies program produces children fluent in conversational Hebrew... with a strong Jewish identity and knowledge base to carry them through life,” she emphasized. The experiences of attending Jewish day schools, Jewish summer camps, and visiting Israel “build Jews committed to the good of the global Jewish world, Jews committed to social justice, to tzedakah, and Jews committed to always learning,” she stated. “Omaha must provide these transformative experiences to as many kids as possible, and I hope to keep this at the forefront of conversations in our community.” Giller, the interim head of school, feels that Cohen “is the right leader at the right time to help our school grow. She has a student centered philosophy for elementary education and is looking forward to learning all about the curriculum at the school. I’m looking forward to working with her.” In March, Cohen will attend the North American Jewish Day School Conference and participate in the mentorship program designed for new heads of school. She’ll also take a few classes this summer as required by the State of Nebraska. Growing up in St. Louis, Cohen attended Temple Youth Group conventions in Omaha when she was in high school. “Little did I know I would end up living here!” she pointed out. But the day just prior to graduating from Drake University in 1991, where she majored in elementary education, Cohen was hired as the BBYO/teen director at the Omaha Jewish Community Center. While still in college, she volunteered with Special Olympics and taught in Drake’s adult literacy program. After two years at the JCC, Cohen led ARTZA, the Omaha teen trip to Israel. “I took 31 Omaha teens to Israel for three weeks in the summer of 1993. When I got back from Israel, I started as the JCC’s youth and camping director,” a position she held for six years. She was responsible for about 150 kids each week and a seasonal staff of about 25.
During the school year, Cohen ran Kidz Inn, the JCC’s before-and-after school program; school break specials; and she worked with Kinderkapers, “a popular enrichment program for kids in half-day kindergarten,” she related. From the JCC, Cohen moved to Beth Israel Synagogue where she served as executive director for 12 years. For the past three years, she has been the executive director at The Center for Jewish Life, an agency of the Jewish Federation. “In my work at both of those organizations, I worked closely with lay leaders to establish institutional vision, to actively serve our constituency, and to efficiently and effectively use resources.” Mike Silverman, executive director of Jewish Social Services, praised Cohen for her “professionalism and integrity. As executive director of The Center for Jewish Life, Beth has grown Jewish programming for our community and has strengthened relationships with the synagogues. Because Beth is a consummate professional who is passionate about our Jewish community and about Jewish education, she is the best and logical choice to lead Friedel into the future,” which he described as “one that is very bright.” Cohen is not new to Friedel. She and her husband Harry Berman, an independent software developer, have a 12-year-old daughter, Zoe, who graduated from Friedel last year with a Presidential Achievement Award, an honor earned by all of her fellow Friedel graduates in 2014. Zoe is now a seventh grader at Beveridge Magnet School. Brad, ten, is a current fifth grader at Friedel. “Both kids were pretty excited when we told them the news,” Cohen admitted. “Brad has been very busy giving me tips of all the things I need to know about Friedel,” although he’s not quite sure what to call his mother at school. “He calls me ‘Ima’ at home which is sort of appropriate in the context of a Jewish day school but not exactly. He thinks ‘Ms. Cohen’ would be too weird. Then, the other day, he said, ‘You won’t be my princiPal, you’ll be my princiMom.” “Harry and I are both the product of public school systems, and we had always thought that’s what we would do for our kids,” Cohen remarked. “But when Zoe was four, the Friedel Hanukkah play was based on one of her favorite books, It Could Always
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Be Worse. So we thought it would be fun for her to see it. Not only did she have a great time, we were blown away by the confidence, enthusiasm, and Hebrew skills of the children.” After attending Kindergarten Round-Up at Friedel and hearing about all the opportunities available to Friedel students including weekly swim lessons, participation in the Modern Woodmen of America speech contest, the opportunity to take part in one of the only elementary school science fairs in Omaha, and being involved in a student body that consistently scores higher than
large area districts in standardized tests, “it wasn’t much of a decision. To get all that in a small school setting that also taught Jewish values, Hebrew, and mitzvot,” Cohen explained, “we were sold.” After spending the last eight years being involved as parents and volunteers at Friedel, Cohen “thought of how exciting it would be to be part of such an amazing staff team that provides such an impact experience to Jewish children.” Zacharia acknowledged that “the Friedel community is excited to begin this next chapter with Beth as our leader!”
Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group welcomes Liz Feldstern by MARK KIRCHHOFF Center for Jewish Life Liz Feldstern, Executive Director of the Institute for Holocaust Education, will join the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group when it meets on March 19 at 1 p.m. in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. The group has chosen Until We Meet Again: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Holocaust by Michael Korenblit and Kathleen Janger for their March selection. The story begins in 1942 in a small Polish town. Two Jewish families are fleeing in hopes of evading deportation by the Nazis. At the last moment, 17-year old Manya makes the heart-wrenching decision to leave her family and join her sweetheart, Meyer, also 17, with his family. For three long years Manya and Meyer endure the loss of their parents and siblings, separation from each other, and the horror of the concentration camps, including Auschwitz. At various times they are helped by Polish Catholics. They are constantly sustained by their faith and their love for each other. Co-authored by the couple’s son Michael, this absorbing and suspenseful narrative reads like a novel, yet tells a true story of love and horror, sacri-
fice and courage, with a conclusion that is truly miraculous. The reading of Until We Meet Again has a special meaning as the book’s co-author, Michael Korenbilt, will be the speaker for Omaha’s Community Yom HaShoah Commemoration Service on April 15 at Beth El Synagogue. The April selection is Almost Dead by Assaf Gavron, Schusterman Scholar with the Schwalb Center at UNO. Kate Taylor’s A Man in Uniform will be the selection for May 21. The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group has been in continuous existence since its inception on Nov. 15, 1979 and continues to meet in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library from 1–2 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. New members are welcome. Organizational support for the book group is provided through the Center for Jewish Life whose mission is to maximize involvement of Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences. For questions and information about obtaining books, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sban ner@jewishomaha.org.
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Al Had’vash v’al Haoketz: The Honey and the Sting by SCOTT LITTKY Debbie Massarano. Program Director, Temple Israel When asked to describe the The next adult learning course, Ms. Massarano stated, opportunity offered from the “Israel is a land of many conHermene Zweiback Center trasts. There is so much for Lifelong Jewish Learning “honey” – in its people, its culwill begin on Wednesday, ture, its food and its contribuMarch 11 at 6:30 pm. The tions to the growth in the class is titled – Al Had’vash world’s knowledge, especially v’al Haoketz: The Honey and through technology. There is the Sting. The instructor will also the “sting” – in its struggle be nationally known Jewish Rabbi Jan D Katzew, PhD for Shared Citizenship with educator, Rabbi Jan Katzew. Israel Arabs, its fight for Rabbi Jan Katzew, PhD, is Independence and in its curthe Director of Servicerent struggles with its neighLearning, Hebrew Union bors. In preparation for our College-Jewish Institute of Scholar-in-Residence, Ari Religion. He is the founding Shavit, Rabbi Katzew will lead leader of an effort to integrate us in an in-depth look at sacred service-learning for Shavit’s book, My Promised rabbinical students. He teachLand. Rabbi Katzew will be on es courses in Jewish educasite to open the class and subtion and Jewish ethics on the sequent classes will be using Cincinnati campus of HUCour internet technology. This Ari Shavit JIR. Rabbi Katzew is the coclass will prepare us for the creator of organizational partnerships upcoming Ari Shavit Scholar-In-Residence throughout the Cincinnati Jewish program. It will be a detailed exploration that Community. Rabbi Katzew previously will add meaning and insight to his lectures.” served as the Director of the Department of Schedule of classes: March 11 – My Lifelong Learning for the Union for Reform Promised Land: Study with Rabbi Jan Katzew, Judaism. He spearheaded the effort to create March 25 – Rabbi Jan Katzew - Skype, April the two curricula that we use in our 22 – Ari Shavit – Speaking at Temple Israel Religious School - CHAI and Mitkadem. He and May 6 – Ari Shavit wrap up. has been a tremendous mentor, friend and For more information please contact, teacher to educators including Temple Director of Lifelong Learning, Debbie Israel’s Director of Lifelong Learning, Massarano at 402.556.6536.
Klutznick Learning Series by MARY SUE GROSSMAN Program Coordinator, The Center for Jewish Life The third week of the 2015 Klutznick Learning Series continues this Tuesday evening, March 10 beginning at 7 p.m. The theme of this year’s series is Beyond the Big Ten – And We’re Not Talking Football is looking at ten commandments beyond those famous from the tablets. Each evening will feature four, 15-minute presentations, Q&A time plus a short break with refreshments provided. The sessions are unique and while everyone is encouraged to attend each week, people are welcome to attend fewer sessions as well. Omaha’s very own Community Shaliach, Eliad Eliyahu Ben Shushan will start things off by looking at the religious side of Exodus 22:27 “You shall not revile God, nor put a curse upon a chieftain among your people.” Ari Kohen will next look at the commandment with a modern lens, focusing on the importance of free speech. Ari is the Schelssinger Associate Professor of Social Justice with the Harris Center at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. The second half of the evening will examine the commandment to kill a Sabbath breaker as found in Num 15:3236, “Once when the Israelites were in the wilderness, they came upon a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day…Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘The man shall be put to death.’” Scott Littky, Program Director at Temple Israel, will handle the religious side and he said his discussion may not be what you think. Following Scott’s discussion, Steve Riekes, an attorney with Marks,
Clare, Richards will take a look from the legal side, sharing the history of how “Shabbat” related laws have been handled in the courts. On March 17, Rabbi Mendel Katzman and Ari Riekes will discuss showing deference to the elderly followed by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer and Alan Potash exploring the commandment to blot out remembrance of Amalekites. The final session, on March 24, will begin with Hazzan Michael Krausman talking about the commandment not to consult “ghosts,” followed by Patty Nogg and Zoe Riekes sharing their experiences in having a reading with deceased loved ones. The final part of that session will be Rabbi Steven Abraham talking about charging no interest when lending to the poor plus Margo Riekes sharing the many financial dangers faced by the disadvantaged. The series is available free of charge due to the generous financial support of the fund of the Klutznick Chair of Jewish Civilization at Creighton University. The Klutznick Governance Council includes Bonnie Bloch, Steve Riekes, Marty Shukert and Dr. Leonard Greenspoon, the Klutznick Chair. While there is no cost, registrations are appreciated for planning purposes. Make reservations by calling 402.334.6463 or mkirchhoff@jewishomaha.org. The series is presented by the Center for Jewish Life whose mission it is to maximize involvement of Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences.
Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Special musical presentation sponsored by B'nai B'rith Breadbreakers and Mainstreeters featuring the new and original music of the young Jewish composer Judd Greenstein performed by the Omaha Chamber Music
Society on Wednesday, March 11, 11:45 a.m. RSVP required to Gary Javitch at gjavitch@cox.net before March 9 at 5 p.m. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@ jewishomaha.org.
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6 | The Jewish Press | March 6, 2015
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Child survivor tells her story Book published by long-time Nebraskan and Holocaust speaker, Bea Karp by LIZ FELDSTERN Executive Director, IHE Pebbles from the gutter, a broken doll, and an egg running down the wall of the barracks. If sometime during the past 40 years, you have had the privilege of hearing child Holocaust survivor Bea Karp share her testimony, you may already have these scenes etched in your memory. For those who have heard and for those who have never had this special opportunity, Bea’s story is now available for the first time in print. My Broken Doll: A Memoir of Survival of the Vichy Regime, by Beatrice Karp as told to Deborah Pappenheimer, recounts Bea’s story of survival during the darkest days of the 20th century -- the Holocaust. Born in Lauterbach, Germany in 1932, Bea never knew a time without Hitler. Once the Nazis came to power, neighbors who had been friends soon shunned the family. By 1940, the family found themselves in a work camp in Soutwestern France, Camp de Gurs. Bea and her sister, Susie, were rescued by a French-Jewish humanitarian organization, the O.S.E. (pronounced “o-zay”), and became hid-
den children for the remainder of the war. They never saw their parents again. During the 40 years Bea has been sharing her story, thousands of students and adults have listened in silent and rapt attention. She has lived in Nebraska since 1947 and shares her story here in memory of her parents and the six million who were murdered. She wants to be sure that nothing like this ever happens again. Her message to those who hear her speak is – be accepting of others and appreciate the freedom you have in the United States. When you are of age – vote. Bea and her co-author daughter are having a book launch reception on March 15 from 1-3 p.m. in the Bea Karp Kripke Jewish Federation Library (333 South 132nd Street, Omaha, NE). Whether you have heard Bea’s story in person or would like to learn about it, you will want to get her story in print. The cost is $23. Bea and Deborah will be happy to autograph copies of the book during the reception. The book is also available for purchase online at: http:// www.blurb.com/b/5911479-my-broken-doll For more information, contact Liz Feldstern at lfeld stern@ihene.org or 402.334.6575
Elections dominate life in Israel Basic computer skills made easy! Whether it’s a one-time lesson or ongoing instruction and support, learn how to use the computer with Dr. David M. Cohen, Ph.D., an educator and innovator who specializes in teaching computer skills to persons with little or no experience.
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The Omaha Chamber Music Society presents
CONNECTIONS Chamber Music
inspired, transformed, redefined Sunday, March 15, 7 p.m. Jewish Community Center Theater Free and open to the public
by ELIAD ELIYAHU Community Shaliach Our Eye on Israel sessions frequently deal with controversial social and political issues. We focus on issues that are relevant and influence the lives of Israeli people. I often laugh with the group as I observe that the controversial topics of today can be totally irrelevant in less than a year - especially if elections are going to be held. This time, Israeli elections are happening sooner than expected. Two years and eight months from the original date to be exact. Since the time when Bibi Netanyahu called for elections in December, it seems that everything happening in Israel has been connected to those elections. Political parties have been torn apart and new ones built. While politicians have always used the media, and most recently the social media, to share their opinions, this time it feels like something different is happening. Looking at these political activities will be the focus of discussion for the March 10 session of Eye on Israel that meets in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library from noon-1 p.m. We will hear the voices from Israel about the upcoming election. The Israeli journalist Sivan Rahav Meir shared a thought that many other journalists seem to hold. From his perspective, it appears that Bibi is drawing all the attention to himself during this election cycle. Newspapers and TV news channels are criticizing his current and past terms of office. The headlines are not always favorable. He is receiving criticism for the high expenses for his home which include flowers and special ice cream. He is also being carefully scrutinized for the way he and his wife Sara treated their housekeeper. There is the near scandalous story of Sara Netanyahu pocketing thousands in bottle refunds. All of this is on the front pages in the Israeli newspapers. But Bibi doesn’t need to rely entirely on the mainstream
media. He receives more than a half a million views on everything that he promotes on Facebook. Whether it is being presented favorably or unfavorably, Bibi’s name is always “out there” for the Israeli people to see. There is never a dull moment in Israel. As the world prepared to hear Bibi’s speech to the Congress of the United States, opinions about the appropriateness of his doing so abound. “The timing of the speech is the biggest problem; it is just being used as a promotion before the Israeli elections.” “Bibi might be using his speech before Congress to promote his own reelection, but as the current prime minister, he needs to do everything he can to defend Israel from an Iranian nuclear threat.” These were just two examples of the opinions I heard in Omaha about Bibi’s speech. Additionally, much of the “buzz” around the world was focused on the relationship between Israel and the United States, which Jews hope to see strengthened. Just as Bibi’s speech during the time of the elections can be controversial in the United States, it is even more so in Israel. Israelis and Jews all around the world care about Israel’s future. The country will celebrate only 67 years of independence this upcoming May. Join me as we talk about how the election system in Israel works and why Israel has so many political parties. Learn about the main actors in this election and share your thoughts on the influence of Bibi’s speech before Congress on the upcoming Israeli election. Mark your calendars for March 10 from noon-1 p.m. to be in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library for Eye on Israel. This program is through the Center for Jewish Life whose mission is to maximize involvement of Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences. For questions, contact Mark at 402.334.6463 or mkirchhoff@jewishomaha.org.
Mission to Jewish Eastern Europe Featured Performers: Leslie Fagan, flute; Darci Gamerl, oboe; Carmelo Galante, clarinet; Scott Quackenbush, trumpet; Anne Nagosky, violin; Mary Perkinson, violin; Brian Sherwood, viola; Tim Strang, cello; Will Clifton, bass This concert is underwritten by the
Sokolof Javitch Music Fund
For more information: 402-960-6943 or omahachambermusic.org
by SHERRIE SAAG Communications, Jewish Federation of Omaha The Jewish Federation of Northwest Indiana is leading a mission to “Jewish Eastern Europe” this Spring. As one of the stateside communities part of our Partnership2Gether region in northern Israel, Northwest Indiana is inviting members of the Omaha Jewish community to join them on this unique travel experience. The mission will take place May 27 - June 7, 2015, leaving from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and includes stops in Warsaw and Krakow, Poland, Prague, Bratislava, Slovakia and Budapest, Hungary. The mission
includes two Shabbat experiences, one in Krakow and one in Budapest with two nights in Warsaw, three nights in Krakow, two nights in Prague and four nights in Budapest. Eastern Europe offers a wide range of cultural, political, and scenic regions where Jewish life and culture once played an important role and where its resurgence is growing daily. Space is limited to the first 30 applicants and a $500 registration is fully refundable by March 15, 2015. For more information contact, Michael Steinberg, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Northwest Indiana, 219.922.4024 or Michael@federationonline.org.
March 6, 2015 | The Jewish Press | 7
Beth Israel participates in 19th Annual Shabbat Across America by RABBI YAAKOV WEISS Beth Israel Synagogue On Friday night, March 13, all members of Omaha’s Jewish community are invited to gather at Beth Israel Synagogue for a unique Shabbat experience. Conceived and organized by the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP) in 1997, Shabbat Across America and Canada represents a united effort by the entire Jewish community to renew interest in the fourth of the Ten Commandments – observing a weekly day of rest (Shabbat). Beth Israel Synagogue will be one of approximately 700 synagogues across the continent that will simultaneously open its doors to practicing and non-practicing Jews alike, so they may join together to experience and rejoice in a traditional Shabbat service and festive meal. Over 974,830 people have participated in Shabbat Across America and Canada in the past. Led by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer and Rabbi Yaakov Weiss, attendees will experience a beautiful Friday night service and a traditional Shabbat dinner with the rituals explained. The event will begin with candle lighting at 7 p.m. The cost of the dinner is $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 4-12. The dinner will include Kiddush, challah, soup, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, and dessert. Contact the office for reservations. “We just cannot accept the common perception that North American Jewry is an endangered species,” commented Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, founder and director of NJOP. “While it is true that the vast majority of Jews in this country have never participated in a traditional Sabbath experience and do not feel a connection to the Judaism that their
grandparents practiced only half a century ago -- this should not be! Shabbat Across America and Canada is an exciting way of reintroducing friends and family members to a practice that has been with, and unified, our people for over 3,300 years, and which we trust will be with us for at least 3,300 more.” Prompted by the growing rate of Jewish assimilation in North America, Beth Israel hopes that a memorable and rewarding experience at Shabbat Across America and Canada will infuse Jews with a sense of a greater commitment to Judaism. Of the 5.2 million North American Jews, 2.4 million no longer identify themselves as Jews, 1 million are unaffiliated with any Jewish organizations, and 1.2 million are marginally affiliated, meaning they rarely attend synagogue and have little to do with Jewish life. In addition, 47% of American Jews intermarry and 54% of Jews below age 18 are being raised as non-Jews or with no religion. Perhaps the most poignant fact is that more than 2/3 of all North America Jews do not observe the Sabbath in any way (2001 National Jewish
Population Survey, Council of Jewish Federations). Designed to teach a generation of Jews about the beauty and significance of the Jewish Sabbath, Shabbat Across America and Canada is the first nationally orchestrated program to appeal to members of all major Jewish denominations. It is also the first and only program aimed at uniting Jews across the United States and Canada through one single event. Shabbat Across America and Canada will take place in cities where there is a Jewish presence – from major Jewish geographical centers to cities with smaller Jewish populations. Located at 12604 Pacific Street, Beth Israel Synagogue is proud to host Shabbat Across America and Canada. Reservations can be made by emailing bethisrael@orthodoxomaha.org or by calling the synagogue office at 402.556.6288. All events are open to the community. Beth Israel Synagogue has been an innovator in Jewish programming and education. The mission of Beth Israel Synagogue is to perpetuate the legacy of Torah Judaism in the modern world and provide a home for those who wish to learn about and observe halacha, Jewish law. Beth Israel Synagogue welcomes all persons of the Jewish faith to join, and accepts the diversity of practice and thought among its members. Beth Israel offers a variety of religious, cultural and social programs throughout the year. For more information, please contact Beth Israel Synagogue's office at 402.556.6288, or e-mail BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org.
Memoir in Fabric community event
Births Julie Coren and Dan Reyhle of Eugene, OR announce the Feb. 21 birth of their daughter, Sylvia Joy Reyhle. She is named for both of her maternal grandmothers, Sylvia Coren and Joy Monsky Grossman. Grandparents are Fran and Mickey Coren of Omaha and Judy and Steve Reyhle of Overland Park, KS. Danny Cohn and Andrew Miller of Chicago, IL announce the Feb. 25 arrival of Nora Alice Miller-Cohn. She is named for her great-grandfather Norman Anon and great-gradmother Alice Davidson. Grandparents are Pam and Jeff Cohn of Omaha, Patti and Joel Pathman of Mill Valley, CA and Stephen Miller of Denver, CO. Great-grandparents are Rose Perelman and the late Lyman Cohn of Omaha, Julie Anon and the late Norman Anon of Cheyenne, WY and the late Robert and Alice Davidson of Highland Park, IL.
Clockwise from middle top: Lou Leviticus, a Holocaust survivor, enjoys the refreshments; Bonnie and Steve Levinger; Docent, Bonnie Horwich, with Michael, Steve and Debbie Denenberg; and Suzanne Singer, left, Ana and Igor Yuz-Mosenkis. Fabric of Survival is sponsored by the Institute for Holocaust Education, and will be on exhibit until March 14 at Kaneko.
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8 | The Jewish Press | March 6, 2015
Reminder: Free Chamber Music concert by DIANE AXLER BAUM The Omaha Chamber Music Society has selected exceptional compositions spanning over 225 years for its fourth annual concert at the JCC, on Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. “CONNECTIONS: chamber music -- inspired, transformed, redefined” is free and open to the entire Omaha community, thanks to support from the Sokolof Javitch Music Fund. The concert features the opening movement of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s String Quartet No. 14, K. 387, The Spring; Sergei Prokofiev’s Quintet in G minor, Opus 39 for oboe, clarinet, violin, viola and bass; and Judd Greenstein’s Clearing, Dawn, Dance for flute, clarinet, trumpet, violin, viola and cello. Each work on the program reflects its composer’s connection to the world around him, but each also demonstrates inspiration, transformation, or redefinition that makes the music exceptional, according to Stacie Haneline, executive director of the Omaha Chamber Music Society. “These wonderful compositions promise an equal measure of historical significance and sheer enjoyment,” Haneline said, “and their beauty and intimacy are fully realized by nine of our area’s finest professional musicians.” Performers are Leslie Fagan, flute; Darci Gamerl, oboe; Carmelo Galante, clarinet; Scott Quackenbush, trumpet; Anne Nagosky and Mary Perkinson, violin; Brian Sherwood, viola; Tim Strang, cello; and Will Clifton, bass. It was in 1782 Vienna that Mozart’s inspiration was sparked by Josef Haydn’s use of harmony, melody and musical structure. Mozart produced six groundbreaking quartets that he dedicated to the older composer. They are known as the Haydn Quartets and are considered by music critics and historians to be the pinnacle of the form. The opening movement of the String Quartet in G Major exemplifies the dynamic contrasts, colorful passages and overall musical brilliance that Mozart created in tribute to Haydn. Some 150 years later in Paris, Europe’s artistic mecca, Sergei Prokofiev received a commission to compose music
Russian Cultural Club
Igor Mosenkis, left, Anna Mosenkis, Gloria Kaslow, Mark Rubezhin (hiding), Alla Rubezhin, Max Tomchin, Lina Levit, Olga Sytniakovskaya, Ella Tomchin, Liza Magalnik, Svetlana Goldina, Svetlana Tsymkovsky, and Alexander Tsymkovsky. On Feb. 18, the Russian Cultural Club toured the exhibit Fabric of Survival at Kaneko. The group was guided with docent Gloria Kaslow, from the Institute of Holocaust Education, while Anna Mosenkis translated. Members were so moved by the extraordinary quilted panels created by Esther Niesenthal Krinitz. Following the tour, the group enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Bohemian Café. This program is generously supported by the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.
CONNECTIONS - chamber music: inspired, transformed, redefined, on March 15, will feature musicians including Will Clifton, bass, left; Leslie Fagan, flute; Scott Quackenbush, trumpet; Darci Gamerl, oboe; Anne Nagosky, violin; and Carmelo Galante, clarinet. for a ballet based on circus life. Although the ballet Trapeze is long forgotten, Prokofiev reworked the original music in 1924. The transformation became his acclaimed Quintet, Opus 39, a concert suite for unique instrumentation--oboe,
clarinet, violin, viola and double bass. Judd Greenstein, 34, is an award-winning composer living in Brooklyn, N.Y. He values, and builds upon, many different musical genres--such as jazz, hip hop, rock and classical-to bring his own redefinition to classical music. Greenstein is versed in Talmud and has composed several works based on Jewish themes, including Shlomo, which earned him a Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists in 2010. In Clearing, Dawn, Dance, he merges a traditional classical approach with hints of jazz and rock. By turns delightful, beautiful and exciting, this expressive piece demonstrates the rhythm, energy and flow that are central to his music. Six musicians performing excerpts from Clearing, Dawn, Dance will join Stacie Haneline in a program exploring Greenstein’s work, on Wednesday, March 11, at 12:15 p.m., in the JCC Auditorium. The presentation, like the concert, is free to the community, thanks to support by the Sokolof Javitch Music Fund. To make a reservation for the March 11 lunch/program: 402.334.6443 or gjavitch@cox.net, by 5 p.m. on March 8. More information on the Omaha Chamber Music Society, and its free concert at the JCC on March 15, is available by calling 402.960.6943 or visiting omahachambermusic.org.
Shushan Purim
Journal entry from Israel TEDDY WEINBERGER On Friday March 6, while Jews in the rest of the country (and the world) will be getting ready for Shabbat, the Jews of Jerusalem will be celebrating Purim -- complete with Megilah reading in the morning, sending baskets of food items to neighbors (“mishloah manot”), and sitting down to a festive Purim meal. Big meals on Fridays (especially during the winter when sundown is relatively early) are typically discouraged in Judaism. One is supposed to sit down to one’s Sabbath meal on Friday night with a hearty appetite. But while Jerusalemites will try to hold their meal early enough so as not to run afoul of Jewish tradition, the tradition itself mandates that Purim in Jerusalem be held a day after the rest of the world. The reason for Jerusalem’s Purim stems from the end of Megilat Esther, where we learn that the Jews of Shushan, the capital city of the Persian Empire, were given an extra day to slay their foes, and so they celebrated Purim on the 15th day of the month of Adar. In Jewish tradition, the 15th day of Adar became known as Shushan Purim, a day for Jews living in walled cities (like Shushan) to celebrate the holiday, while “village Jews,” who live in unwalled towns, observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar” (Esther 9.19). As an acknowledgment to the centrality of the Land of Israel, which lay in ruins at the purported time of the Purim story (fifth century BCE), the rabbis determined that all walled cities from the time of Joshua would celebrate on that special extra day. Today, because of this decision, Jerusalem, both the Land of Israel’s and the Jewish people’s capital, is the only city to exclusively observe Purim on the 15th day of Adar. I asked a few of my Jerusalem friends if there is anything special about celebrating Shushan Purim. Jonathan Duitch
says that he is always struck by the fact that the rabbis made an exception for Jerusalem: “It reminds me how special the city is that our Sages had to change the parameters [by backdating “walled cities” to Joshua’s time] to give honor to Jerusalem.” Jonathan also notes a major advantage in celebrating Purim on the night of the 15th: celebrants are not concluding a day-long fast. For the rest of the Jewish world, which begins celebrating Purim on the night of the 14th, the reading of the Megilah is incorporated into the evening service that concludes the Fast of Esther. During the Megilah reading, you sort of can tell who is fasting -- they are the ones looking at the noisemakers with murder in their eyes. Most of my respondents wrote that they do not find anything unique per se to the celebration of Shushan Purim. Madeleine Lavine and Frances Oppenheimer, in fact, point to the down side in celebrating a day late. Madeleine says: “I think the Purim experience in Jerusalem is just a longer one!” And Frances explains: “I think the biggest problem with Purim in Jerusalem is that when it finally happens, I am already sick of it -- school parties, maybe a grown-up party, and then, finally, it’s Purim in Jerusalem.” Even though we are just a few miles away, in Givat Ze’ev, we do not technically observe Purim with Jerusalem-though this does not stop us from celebrating an extra day. Indeed, many people who live in communities close to Jerusalem have friends who invite them for the Shushan Purim festive meal. For me, that friend is Shira TwerskyCassel, a Jerusalem resident for approximately half a century and my mother’s dearest friend. I am happy to close here with Shira’s comment: “If our Sages’ intention in having Shushan Purim be observed separately in walled cities, specifically Jerusalem, was to insure the rebirth of life in Jerusalem for future times, they succeeded tenfold.” Teddy Weinberger made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Ross, and their five children. Their oldest four, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie and Ezra are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@net vision.net.il. This is an advertisement.
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March 6, 2015 | The Jewish Press | 9
Point of view
American Jewish Press Association Award Winner
Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008
Our very own miracle by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Every Thursday, right here at the Jewish Press, we experience a miracle. A big truck stops in front of the building, unloads stacks of newspapers on a trolley, and delivers them to our offices. At the same time, postal employees drive their little carts through your neighborhood and bring the paper to you. I call it a miracle, because there are many reasons this paper should not exist. We don’t bring in enough advertising. Like many community papers across the country, we never bounced back from the recession. Our readership is small. Our content is extremely localized, printing is becoming more and more expensive and maintaining a full-time staff (even if that staff is small) to publish a paper like ours is not exactly cost-effective. Besides, in this day and age, when we have every bit of news we could possibly want at our fingertips, who wants to wait an entire week to find out what happened? However, there is one reason we stubbornly continue to do what we do: you. Maybe you don’t read the entire paper every week, and maybe there are even weeks where you don’t read it at all, but you’ll catch up later; going into Shabbat without having The Jewish Press in your home is inconceivable. This paper belongs on your kitchen table, and it has belonged there for 95 years. Our readers wouldn’t have it any other way, and we thank you. There is one family of readers in particular the Board and staff of The Jewish Press want to thank, and that is the Wiesman family. Right after I was hired as the editor, I met Ben Wiesman at his office. One of the first things he said to me was: “Aren’t you a little young to be doing this job?” I wasn’t, but flattery always works with me. However, Ben and his wife Anna gave more than words: they established an endowment to ensure this paper will continue to exist. Long after we are all gone, the Wiesman gift will have an impact on this community. It’s a big deal, and it’s something we are grateful for every day. Let me explain exactly how big of a deal this is.
Approximately one month ago, the news broke that the Seattle Jewish Times will be discontinued. First, they announced a new name: “The JT will now be known as the Jewish Sound,” the headline blared. Nice name, I thought.
Appropriate, too. I made a mental note to congratulate the editor on that name change. The Seattle area Jewish community has grown immensely in the past decade: 70 % since 2003; a new name for the Jewish paper seemed like a good idea. But that wasn’t the real story, as I found out as soon as I checked my American Jewish Press Association’s discussion board that day. The real story was not nice, and it was not appropriate. The Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle had voted to discontinue the weekly paper,
and replace it with a glossy magazine that will be distributed six times a year. With a growing Jewish community of over 60,000 members, discarding 90+ years of history is a travesty. Don’t tell me in all of Seattle’s Jewish community, there isn’t a donor who could have stepped up and avoided this outcome. The Seattle Jewish Times was one of the most impressive Jewish papers in the country; as recently as 2013, Seattle hosted the annual American Jewish Press Association’s conference. It was not merely the latest Jewish paper to go under; it was one of the best examples of what a Jewish newspaper should look like. In Omaha, we are incredibly lucky to have a Jewish Federation Board that understands the value of a weekly Jewish paper, and we are even luckier to have the support of the Wiesman family, as well as many other donors who have come forward throughout the years. I know there are those of you who wonder about that box on our front page. Sometimes you ask me “How long is it going to be there?” I hope that box stays there for a really long time. Because it is not only there to pay homage to a family that has preserved our future, it is also there to remind us all how lucky we are. The number of times members in this community have stepped up to make Jewish Omaha better is staggering. Without donors who think of others first, we wouldn’t be able to do any of the things we do. Publishing a newspaper in this day and age, especially a small community paper like ours, is a precarious endeavor. Our operating budgets are tough to manage, we work with skeleton staff and our advertising departments are perpetually on life support. It’s been that way for the past seven years, and it’s not going to change. We can respond to that by giving up and moving on, or we can put our foot down and say: we are here to stay. We won’t quit just because it is difficult and frustrating. Ben and Anna Wiesman have ensured our future and we thank them; it is up to the rest of us to preserve our present. A community needs cohesion; without it, we are just a loose group of people. A weekly Jewish paper goes far in maintaining that cohesion.
Speak out to make U.S. more inclusive for disabled by WILLIAM DAROFF and LYNNE LANDSBERG WASHINGTON (JTA) -- A quarter-century ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act became the law of the land. That’s 25 years of progress, of advances that have improved the lives of people with disabilities beyond what was previously possible. The Jewish community has joined in those efforts and sought to bring accessibility and awareness to the forefront. This February marks the seventh annual Jewish Disability Awareness Month, or JDAM. Jewish institutions nationwide continue to redouble their efforts to foster inclusive communities for people with disabilities. Since the establishment of JDAM in 2009, advocates have been successful in many ways, starting with an increased effort by synagogues and other Jewish organizations to ensure that all Jews are able to fully participate in the Jewish life of their choosing, from accessing the bimah to holding leadership positions. Yet, too often, organizational initiatives to welcome people with disabilities fall under the purview of a single social action committee. We must help our institutions understand that accommodating people with disabilities is not a project. It is a basic prerequisite in ensuring our Jewish institutions serve our diverse Jewish population and foster a sacred community for all. But even this is not enough. For all the progress we have made within our communities, these strides are not reflected in our nation’s laws. Together as a community, we must
(Founded in 1920) Andrew Ruback President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Jessie Wees Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Thierry Ndjike Bookkeeper
Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, President-Elect; Scott Farkas, Sandy Friedman, Paul Gerber, Debbie Kricsfeld, David Kotok, Paul Rabinovitz, and Nancy Wolf. 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: www jewishoma ha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’
expand our focus outward, from inclusion efforts within Jewish institutions toward advocacy efforts on the national level for policies that advance disability rights. As leaders of the Jewish Disability Network, a coalition of over two dozen Jewish organizations advocating for disability rights, advocates from across the country joined us this year on Capitol Hill on Feb. 25 for Jewish Disability Advocacy Day, where we advocated for policies to make our country more inclusive for all people. We spoke about the importance of Social Security Disability Insurance, which provides a safety net for people who become disabled and can no longer work and have contributed, through payroll taxes, to the Social Security Trust Fund. In 2013, more than 10.9 million people were SSDI beneficiaries, with average benefits amounting to around $1,140 per month. SSDI is expected to become insolvent at the end of 2016, leading to across-the-board benefit cuts of 20 percent if no action is taken. Without these benefits, it is estimated that more than half of SSDI recipients would live in poverty. Another important issue is the availability of accessible public transportation. Without transportation options, many are cut off from employment, health care and community involvement opportunities. Programs like Easter Seals’ Project Action and the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program helps meet some of the transit needs of people with disabilities, but programs like these are woefully underfunded.
As Congress debates reauthorization of the surface transportation bill, our senators and representatives should work to expand funding for these vital transportation programs serving people with disabilities. As a Jewish community, it is our religious and social obligation to help realize a world where people with disabilities have equal opportunities. We hope you’ll join us this Jewish Disability Awareness Month in raising your voice in support of disability rights, both in your community and nationwide. William Daroff is the senior vice president for public policy and director of the Washington office of The Jewish Federations of North America. Rabbi Lynne Landsberg is the senior advisor on disability issues at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
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.
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To submit announcements: Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, 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 -- online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements. Deadlines are normally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines. sonal 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.
10 | The Jewish Press | March 6, 2015
Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 |712.322.4705 email: BnaiIsraelCouncilBluffs@gmail.com Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on March 13, at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker, Cheryl Lerner on Volunteering with the Chabad Food Pantry. Please bring any of the following items to be donated to the food pantry: Peanut Butter, Tuna Fish, canned vegetables, toilet paper and toothpaste. Oneg to follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! Larry Blass will officiate at all of the Speaker Series Services. For information on our historic synagogue, please contact any of our board members: Mark Eveloff, Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf.
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California | Omaha, NE 68154-1980 | 402.492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning Service/Men’s Club Shabbat, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10 a.m.; Mini Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6 p.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: BESTT Classes, 9:45 a.m. with Early Dismissal at 11:30 a.m.; Torah Study Group, 10 a.m.; Torah Tots, 10:15 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class, 11 a.m.; Sunday Scholar Series, 11 a.m., featuring Alan Potash, Chief Executive Officer, Jewish Federation of Omaha on The Paris Situation; Purim Carnival, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: BESTT Classes, 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High School, 6:45 p.m. THURSDAY: Shanghai Class, 1 p.m. Shabbat Services/Have a Cup of Coffee with God, Saturday, March 14, 9:30 a.m. Sunday Scholar Series, Sunday, March 8, 11 a.m., featuring Dr. Rami Arav, Associate Professor UNO and Director of the Beth-Saida Project on The Origin of the People of Israel through Ancient Historical Texts, Archaeology and a Model from Social Antropology. All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha, NE. 68154 | 402.556.6288 www.orthodoxomaha.org Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:02 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 5:45 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:03 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels and Beit Midrash: Understanding our Prayers, 10 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Scholar’s Club for Boys, 3:30 p.m. TUESDAY: Wrestling with Rashi Class, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Weiss. THURSDAY: Women’s Class: Deepening Our Connection with God, 9:30 a.m.; Med Center Chaburah, 1 p.m.; Scholar’s Club for girls, 3:30 p.m.; Avot U-Banim-Parent Child Learning, 7 p.m. Join us at Beth Israel on Friday, March 13 at 7 p.m. as we celebrate Shabbat Across America with hundreds of synagogues across the continent that will take part in a historic national Jewish event to celebrate that unifies all Jews Shabbat! Everyone is invited! Dinner following services Menu includes Kiddush, challah, soup, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and dessert. $12 adults/ $6 children ages 4-12/ free for children 3 and under. (see full story on page 7.)
CHABAD HOUSE An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street | Omaha, NE 68144-1646 | 402.330.1800 www.OChabad.com | email: chabad@aol.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 8:30 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. TUESDAY: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman,
10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office. WEDNESDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. In memory of Forrest Krutter -- Efrayim Menachem Ben Avraham Yitzchak. THURSDAY: Women’s Study at UNMC with Shani Katzman, noon. RSVP by emailing Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@unmc.edu. All programs are open to the entire community.
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 Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. FRIDAY: Family Dinner, 6 p.m. hosted by the KelenBloom Family, followed by a family-friendly service; Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. with oneg following hosted by Stacy Balter. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Ki Tisa. SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes. WEDNESDAY: No LJCS classes; Sixth Niagara Abrahamic Traditions Dinner, 6-9 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church. RSVP required. Respond to the Temple office at office@southstreettemple.org or 402.435.8004. Free Will Donation. President’s Office Hours, Sunday Mornings, 10 a.m.–noon at SST. If you have any Temple business, programs, or new ideas you would like to discuss with Temple president David Weisser, please email him at president@southstreettemple. org or call him at 402.513.7697, or stop by the Temple between 10 a.m. and noon on Sundays when religious school is in session.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road | Offutt AFB, NE 68123 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 SATURDAY: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Andy Greenberg. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.
Candlelighting Friday, March 6, 6:02 p.m.
TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive | Omaha, NE 68144-1206 | 402.556.6536 http://templeisraelomaha.com FRIDAY: First Friday Shabbat Service: Candlelighting and Kiddush, 5:30 p.m., Service, 6 p.m., followed by dinner. Menu: Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Mixed Vegetables and Apple Pie. Cost is $5/person, max of $20 per family. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, templeisrael@temple israelomaha.com or 402.556.6536. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.; Torah and Haftarah Reader: Miles Remer. SUNDAY: Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; Beginning Prayer Study, 10 a.m. with Elyce Azriel; Torah Chanting, 10 a.m. with Cantor Shermet; Non-Jews Raising Jewish Children, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel; Temple Israel Book Club, 11 a.m.; Religious School Steering Committee Meeting, noon. WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Family Night, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6 p.m.; Al Had’vash v’al Haoketz: The Honey and the Sting, 6:30 p.m. with Rabbi Jan Katzew. (see full story on page 5.) THURSDAY: The Promised Land, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Jan Katzew. The Gifts of German Jewry, 10 a.m. on Thursdays, March 19 - April 16 with Rabbi Brown. Amidst the tragic history of Jews in Germany during the modern era, there are many gifts we often overlook. Many of our rituals, theology and culture were formed by German Jews over the past two centuries. In this class, we will explore the history of German Jewry and the great influence it continues to have in our lives today.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard | Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 | 402.423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a Kiddush luncheon; Havdalah Group, 7 p.m. at the home of Jaine and Andy Merliss (2825 William St). The gathering will include a musical performance by Ben Merliss and Nathaniel Kaup. SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes; Haftorah Reading class, 1111:50 a.m. WEDNESDAY: No LJCS classes.
Kosher Soul plays on stereotypes by ANTHONY WEISS LOS ANGELES (JTA) -- In the first episode of Kosher Soul, O’Neal McKnight, a Southern-raised AfricanAmerican man about to marry a white Jewish woman from Seattle, has an epiphany about his upcoming marriage -it’s like a black-and-white cookie. “It’s all about the whole cookie,” he explains to his fiancee, Miriam Sternoff. As a metaphor for Kosher Soul, a reality show that premiered Feb. 25 on Lifetime, the blackand-white cookie actually fits pretty well. It’s junk food -sweet, pleasant, easy to understand. It isn’t nutritious, but as an occasional guilty pleasure, it’s kinda fun. Which is not to say it hasn’t ruffled some feathers. The Alliance of Black Jews, a group that describes itself as “people of African descent who embrace Halachic Judaism,” sent a letter to Lifetime expressing disappointment in its “offensive stereotypes,” and on Be’chol Lashon’s Jewish & blog (hosted by JTA’s partner site MyJewishLearning), the Alliance’s founding president, Robin Washington, wrote: “To a person, those in my circle of African American Jews who’ve heard of the show have questioned its portrayal of the match as a freak show oddity.” Kosher Soul examines what it describes as a culture clash between Miriam and O’Neal in, ahem, black and white, without too many intervening shades of gray. It doesn’t just embrace stereotypes; it gleefully chases after them at top speed. Thus, all the big issues come up -- food, circumcision, the disapproving Jewish mother-in-law, dental grills, black people being afraid of the water, and more. It helps that the couple at the center of the show are fairly outrageous people. O’Neal, who is converting to Judaism in order to please Miriam, is a stand-up comic who seems to live somewhere on the boundary between nonstop performer and man-child -- he makes faces at the camera, is
afraid to go in the ocean, and frequently sports a black baseball cap saying “Kosher”. Miriam, a celebrity stylist, is the more grounded of the two, playing the straight man to O’Neal’s absurd behavior. The show is, in some ways, as stagey as a sitcom. In the first episode, Miriam attempts to satisfy O’Neal’s craving for soul food by buying and frying him a catfish, despite the fact that it is, as her mother puts it, “Treif. Total treif.” It’s not a success -- O’Neal ends up spitting the results back onto his plate. Still, he decides to sample Jewish cuisine by going to Los Angeles’ Canter’s Deli and ordering chopped liver, which he doesn’t like either. Meanwhile, Miriam is trying to make up their wedding reception seating chart, and they’re fighting over the proper mix of black and white guests at each table, until O’Neal finally has his black-andwhite cookie insight and... well, you get the point. Still, at its best, the show works. While the setups feel scripted, the relationship is obviously genuine and affectionate. Miriam enjoys O’Neal’s antics, and he appreciates her stability, not to mention that she’s a good audience. And the show is also at its strongest when it’s exploring black-Jewish relations in its own absurd fashion. O’Neal is one of the show’s producers, and he knows how to work his material, such as when he asks a rabbi, “Why are Jews so good with money?” -- or when he tells Miriam, “You know what’s hard work? My grandmother’s water breaking when she’s picking cotton.” Plus, the show features an appearance by Russell Simmons, a longtime friend of O’Neal’s. That’s obviously a must for any show on black-Jewish relations since Simmons, who is black, is a longtime leader of the Foundation for Inter-Ethnic Understanding and, in 2007, co-starred with rapper Jay-Z in a public service announcement denouncing anti-Semitism.
Pulverente MONUMENT CO.
March 6, 2015 | The Jewish Press | 11
In memoriam BORIS MAY Boris May passed away on Feb. 7 at age 94. Services were held on Feb. 9 at Beth Cemetery. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years Khaya, and his brother, Simon May. He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Elizabeth May and Lev Shekhtman, Mila Pozovskaya and Yeyefim Pozovskiy; grandchildren: Gennadiy Pozovskiy and Inna Sobol of Brooklyn, NY, Michael Shekhtman and his fiancé, Gina DeMars, Alex Shekhtman and Sarah Stone; greatgrandchildren: Rita and Mitchell Pozovskiy; and nieces and nephews. He was a World War II veteran and a member of Beth El Synagogue. He and his family all came to America in 1992 from Minsk, Belarus. Memorials may be made to the organization of your choice.
Cheryl Lerner to speak at B’nai Israel by CAROLE A LAINOF Cheryl Lerner will be the featured presenter at B’nai Israel’s Friday Night Speaker Series on March 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Council Bluffs, IA. Cheryl is one of the volunteers at the Chabad Food Pantry at 1866 South 120 St., an Agency of the Food Bank of the Heartland. She will talk
CORRECTION Unfortunately, in the Feb. 27th issue, the location for the March 11th BreadBreakers/MainStreeters/OCMS luncheon presentation is noted incorrectly as the Blumkin Home. The event will take place in the JCC Auditorium. The Jewish Press regrets the error.
To submit announcements: Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, 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 -- online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements. Deadlines are normally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.
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about her work at the Pantry and discuss how it operates and whom it serves. This Pantry is very client-oriented; clients make appointments and make their own food choices from the available provisions. Although the Chabad Pantry receives almost all its food from the Food Bank, B’nai Israel is asking all who attend this March 13 service to donate the following items that are frequently requested by the clients: tuna fish, toilet paper, toothpaste, peanut butter and canned vegetables. Cheryl Lerner has been a volunteer with the Chabad Pantry for the last three years. She is a member of Beth El Synagogue and is married to Dr. Gary Lerner.
Kerry, Netanyahu speak by phone amid tensions by JTA NEWS STAFF (JTA) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hours before the latter left for Washington. The discussion on Saturday Feb. 28 focused on the Iran nuclear talks with the world powers, including the United States, Netanyahu’s visit to Washington and concerns over Israel’s punitive withholding of tax money collected for the Palestinian Authority, The New York Times reported March 1, citing unnamed American officials. Netanyahu and Kerry reportedly speak frequently. The Israeli leader was scheduled to speak March 3 before a joint session of Congress about concerns over the potential nuclear deal. He also came to Washington to address the AIPAC conference. A framework agreement between Iran and the world powers is set to be signed at the end of the month.
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RACHEL LEAH (SHELLY) NOGG PICHIK Rachel Leah (Shelly) Nogg Pichik passed away on Feb. 28 at age 52. Services were held March 3 at Beth El, 14506 California Street, preceded by an interment at the Beth El Cemetery, 84th and L Street. She is survived by her husband Michael Pichik; daughters, Alexandra Pichik and Natalie Pichik; parents, Ozzie and Donald Nogg; sister and brother-in-law, Kathy and Larry Halleran of Woodinville, WA.; sister, Marsha Nogg; sisterin-law, Shari Little; brother and sister-in-law, Tony and Patty Nogg; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Tom and Sue Weidner; father-in-law, Peter Pichik; nephews, nieces, cousins, aunts, and many friends. Shelly worked for many years at Nogg Brothers Paper Company as Director of Retail Packaging, a position she later created at National Paper Company. Shelly served as Co-President of National Council of Jewish Women Omaha Section from 2007-2009, receiving the NCJW Award for Emerging Section Leader in 2004 and the NCJW Omaha Section Distinguished Service Award in 2009. When Alex and Natalie were young, Shelly was the “awesome classroom volunteer parent” at Fullerton Elementary Magnet School. She was famous for her cutout cookies, Texas sheet cake and homemade Bailey’s Irish Cream. Memorials may be made to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, the National Council of Jewish Women-Omaha Section, the Child Saving Institute or Beth El Synagogue.
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12 | The Jewish Press | March 6, 2015
Premieres of Holocaust films in Germany show strong interest in Nazi past by TOBY AXELROD BERLIN (JTA) -- Two starkly different images: a woman wrapped in shimmering gold, a man whipped and bleeding on a cold cement floor. The first, a 1907 painting by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, is the centerpiece of Woman in Gold, a film starring Helen Mirren that had its world premiere last week at the Berlinale International Film Festival. The second, of activist Georg Elser, who sought to assassinate Hitler in 1939 and paid for the attempt with his life, has been retold in a new German production, Elser: 13 Minutes, that also had its world premiere at the festival. The fact of their premieres in Germany shows how the Nazi past remains a subject of intense interest here nearly 70 years after the end of World War II. Woman in Gold tells of the struggle for a small measure of justice decades after the genocide of European Jewry and the plundering of their property. The title refers to the art nouveau painting Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, which hung for decades in the Belvedere Palace museum in Vienna before it was restituted to Maria Altmann, Bloch-Bauer’s niece. Mirren adopts a nearly flawless Austrianaccented English in her portrayal of Altmann, who fled the Nazis with her husband only to return decades later seeking the restitution of Klimt’s portrait of her aunt. Maria faces stony refusals from Austrian museum authorities and nearly gives up, but her lawyer, Randol Schoenberg (played by Ryan Reynolds), and a young Austrian journalist, Hubertus Czernin (Daniel Bruhl), urge her to fight on. Eventually the painting is returned to Maria, who admits that her “mistake was thinking it would make everything all right, make it better.”
The return of great works of art to their rightful heirs has not been a frictionless process for Austria or Germany. Given that the film begins with Klimt applying gold leaf to his portrait of Bloch-Bauer, one might think that it would feed stereotypes about greedy heirs seeking to rob Austria of its cultural heritage.
open in German cinemas in April. Elser involved no one else in his plot. He built and tested a bomb, and on Nov. 8, 1939 -- two months after Germany invaded Poland -- placed it behind Hitler’s lectern at a Munich beer hall. Hitler left the building 13 minutes earlier than planned, a gap that gives the film its title. Seven others in the
Helen Mirren as Maria Altmann, left, and Ryan Reynolds as her attorney Randol Schoenberg in the film Woman in Gold. Credit: Robert Viglasky/ The Weinstein Company
In a scene from Elser: 13 Minutes, Nazi police chief Arthur Nebe (played by Burghart Klaussner), left, and Gestapo head Heinrich Muller (Johann von Bulow) interrogate a beaten Georg Elser (Christian Friedel). Credit: Lucky Bird Pictures/Bernd Schuller
But the screenplay by Alexi Kaye Campbell confronts these notions directly. In a wrenching flashback scene of the family’s final parting, Fredrick “Fritz” Altmann (Max Irons) reminds the young Maria of how his Jewish family started in Austria with nothing. “We did everything we could to contribute and belong,” he says, asking one thing of his daughter: “Remember us.” Remembrance is also a theme of Elser: 13 Minutes, which reconstructs the life and death of Georg Elser (Christian Friedel), a young Bavarian carpenter who became convinced that the top Nazi leadership had to be eliminated to end the war. The film is to
hall were killed after Hitler was already out of range. Elser was captured and tortured before confessing. But the torture did not end there. His interrogators -- among them Arthur Nebe, chief detective in the Reich Security Head Office -- were ordered to find out who else was involved in the plot and continued the beatings until they become convinced that Elser had acted alone. Ultimately, Nebe himself, who is considered to have been sympathetic to Elser, though he was also commander of a Nazi death squad, is hung as an alleged member
of the 1944 Claus von Stauffenberg plot against Hitler. In a grueling scene, we witness his hanging from behind. For more than a minute Nebe twitches, suspended from a piano wire in the Plotzensee prison in Berlin, while an official Nazi cameraman films the scene for later propaganda use. Some 5,000 filmed executions actually took place there. Director Oliver Hirschbiegel defended the graphic scene as a statement against the death penalty. He also said that the extensive depictions of Elser’s beatings were intended to demonstrate how torture “turns a human into an animal.” But his main aim was to elevate Elser, whose act of defiance had been put on the back shelf after the war. Elser was “less interesting than the noble von Stauffenberg, but he was the first true resister who said this has to be stopped,” said Hirschbiegel, whose 2004 film about Hitler, Downfall, was nominated for an Academy Award. Screenwriter and producer Fred Breinersdorfer, who came of age in the 1960s when German students were angrily challenging their parents’ generation over Nazi crimes, said the film grew out of that conflict. Woman in Gold, on the other hand, needed no scenes of savagery; the violence is implied through its contrast with the beauty of the painting. In the huge movie theater in the former East Berlin, many wiped away tears during the scene of final parting. Alexander Ferwer, 40, a Cologne businessman, said he “can’t understand” why some Germans say they have heard enough about this history. “That’s really bad,” he said. “I think there can’t be enough films about this time. ...It has to never be forgotten.”
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