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Due to the JCC closing there will be NO Jewish Press on March 27. The next paper will be the Passover issue on April 4.
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JFO update
April Highlights MAGGIE CONTI Director of Activities and Volunteer Service, RBJH ommunity Concert: Award Winning Branson Entertainer Bill Chrastil on Wednesday, April 1, at 1:45 p.m. in the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Silverman Auditorium. No admission fee. Back once again by popular demand, Bill is a multi-talented entertainer who has captivated audiences for over 30 years. His high-energy performance salutes music legends Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Neil Diamond, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Tom Jones and more. This awardwinning vocalist, instrumentalist, entertainer, songwriter and producer creates a musical experience you won’t want to miss. Bring a friend. Everyone is welcome—Ice Cream Social Following the Performance. Taking Care of YOU: Suggestions on Self Care during Times of Sadness, Loss or Grief, Thursday, April 2,
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From wheat to eat: Matzo making is for everyone! Page 5
Something Beautiful Happened luncheon Pages 8 & 9
Above: Bill Chrastil and left: Jayne Gundrum
1:30 p.m. in the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Boardroom. No charge. Refreshments will be served. Presented by Jayne Gundrum from the Visiting Nurse Association. For ten years, Jayne Gundrum has served as the See Mainstreeters page 2
Community Meet & Greet How to make pastrami gravlax and impress your friends Page 16
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Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
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GABBY BLAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press Rabbi Mendel and Shani Katzman of Nebraska Chabad are excited to announce the expansion of the Omaha Chabad family and invite the entire community for an all ages Meet & Greet with Rabbi Duni and Chaya Blotner and family on March 29, 4-6 p.m. at the JCC Noshery. This event is generously sponsored by greeters Andee and Anthony Scioli, Andi and Don Goldstein, Joanie and Richard Jacobson and Joel and Nancy Schlesinger. Light refreshments will be served.
The Blotners
The Katzmans, who were sent by the Rebbe as his emissaries 34 years ago, are thrilled to welcome the Blotners who arrived in Omaha earlier this month from New York. Shani shares that “the Blotner family will help strengthen and expand on the local Chabad’s mission of community Jewish outreach, humanitarian services and support.” Katzman continues, “Our job at Chabad is to breathe
more excitement and enthusiasm, vitality and mitzvot and Jewish identity and action into our community and help connect Jews to each other and to Hashem. Chabad is open to all. We seek to expand on our relationships to all area Jewry - affiliated or notand all local and regional synagogues and communities to empower and strengthen them. I am excited that Duni and Chaya have arrived to help further the mission and know their addition will allow Chabad to do even more in regard to mitzvot and programming, especially with our community’s youth.” Andee Scioli is thrilled about our community’s new additions and supports Omaha Chabad because “they are kind, good and caring people. They work hard to connect with as many people as possible in the community. Chabad helps us increase our Jewish education and also helps provide for the spiritual and material needs of everyone in our community. See Meet & Greet page 2
Dear Omaha Jewish Community and JCC Members, As this health crisis continues to evolve and impact communities across the globe, we are adjusting to u n p r e c e - ALAN POTASH dented re- Chief Executive strictions on Officer, JFO our daily lives. The safety of our community and staff is always at the forefront of every decision we make. Beginning at 6 p.m. today (March 16) through March 31, the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its family of agencies will amend operations to best protect our community – residents, members, and staff. All facilities and buildings will be closed to the public. The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home will continue to operate with current visitor restrictions. The JCC and the Child Development Center will be closed and their staffs will be working remotely and answering questions as needed. Jewish Family Service, ADL/CRC, IHE and other agencies will also be working remotely and available by cell phone. Whether or not the Jewish Press will be printed during this time is yet to be determined. In addition, only required staff will be permitted on campus. Other staff will work remotely as needed. The main phone line will direct callers to the specific departments. We believe this is the right action for right now. We will continue to provide updates as needed and will re-evaluate our plans daily. Additional information will be available on our websites: www.jewishomaha.org, www.jccomaha.org, www.jfsoma ha.com, and www.ihene.org. At this time, we anticipate the renovation project construction will continue. Please feel free to call any of us with questions or to email covid19update@jewishomaha.org. We are preparing an FAQ and will share that link this week. Stay well. We appreciate your patience and support during this challenging time. For additional information about closings in our community, please also visit the various Facebook pages for the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Press, the JCC, Beth El Synagogue, Beth Israel Synagogue, Chabad and Temple Israel Synagogue as well as the synagogues' websites. If you do not have internet access, please reach out to the Jewish Federation of Omaha at 402.334.6574. Alan Potash, CEO Jon Meyers, President, JFO Mark Martin, Executive Director, JCC John Glazer, JCC President
2 | The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020
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402-885-8731 Executive Director Do you want to make a difference? Do you want to be part of a growing, vibrant and exciting modern orthodox community? Beth Israel Synagogue in Omaha, Nebraska is seeking a dynamic, customer-service focused individual to fill the position of Executive Director, responsible for managing all operations of the synagogue. The optimal candidate will have excellent organizational, communication and project management skills and Fundraising experience. The Executive Director partners with the rabbinic staff to manage the logistics of their vision for the synagogue. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite required, and QuickBooks Online a plus. Full-time salaried position with great benefits. Submit letter of interest and resume to BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org.
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Continued from page 1 bereavement counselor for the VNA’s hospice team. She is responsible for providing 13 months of emotional support and grief education to family members following the death of a loved one. Jayne has a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from South Dakota State University and is a licensed Mental Health Practitioner. In a former life, Jayne worked in a variety of states, counseling highrisk youth and their families. Jewish Social Services and the Visiting Nurse Association realize the importance of being proactive about your health. This educational workshop will be specific interest to seniors who want to learn more about taking charge of their well-being. To RSVP, please call Maggie Conti at 402.334.6521 or email mconti@ rbjh.com by Monday, March 30. Join Us at the Movies: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Friday, April 17, at 1 p.m. in the JCC Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue. A free film with warm, delicious popcorn. No reservations are necessary. Invite a friend. Lloyd Vogel is an investigative journalist who
receives an assignment to profile Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers. He approaches the interview with skepticism, as he finds it hard to believe that anyone can have such a good nature. But Roger’s empathy, kindness and decency soon chip away at Vogel’s jaded outlook on life, forcing the reporter to reconcile with his own painful past. The running time is one hour and 49 minutes, and it is rated PG. If you’d like to have lunch at the Star Deli before the show, the Star Deli starts serving at 11:30 a.m. Can you Dig it - A 70s Music Show with Robert Glaser and Gina Brazell on Thursday, April 23, 1:30 p.m. in the Silverman Auditorium at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. No charge. Go back to yesteryear and enjoy a great decade of music from artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand, Carole King and more. Robert Glaser has been entertaining in the Midwest since 1981. He
leads his group The Sing, Sing, Swing Orchestra and has produced six original CDs. Gina Brazell has performed from Hollywood to Off-Broadway. This versatile singer-actress has entertained audiences across the U.S. and around the globe. Singing a wide variety of songs and styles, Brazell’s sparkling personality and crystalline voice deliver heart and soul with a splash of fun! A reception will follow the performance. April is wall-to-wall Mainstreeters fun! We welcome all Jewish residents of the Omaha area age 60+ and invite you to take part in these April activities and in the many other enriching programs planned throughout the year. For more details, phone Maggie Conti, Director of Activities & Volunteer Services at 402.334.6521 or email her at mconti@ rbjh.com.
Meet & Greet Continued from page 1 Chabad teaches us to find joy and happiness in our religion and helps us celebrate and find meaning in our Jewish life.” This Chabad expansion program was spearheaded by Gary Epstein on behalf of Chabad’s board of directors. Pursuant to our community’s study, the Chabad board recognized the need for additional professional staff at Chabad at this critical time. With a significant portion of our local Jewish community not engaged, and various threats facing Jewish communities the world over, Gary Epstein together with Phil Wolf established a fund at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation to support this venture and to help raise funds to make it happen. They will also be assessing the progress and success of this project after its initial trial period. Anthony Scioli, president of the Chabad Advisory Board shares “It is more important than ever that we continue to find ways to unite as a community and support each other. Chabad is dedicated to helping each of us, and the addition of Rabbi Blotner and his family will help our community to continue to connect, learn together and thrive.” This sentiment was echoed by Donald Goldstein, “The Blotners will be a great addition to the Chabad family. In order for Chabad to continue their mission, it is necessary to have more “boots on the ground.” The addition of the Blotner family should bring new energy to the Chabad effort and expanded involvement with its followers. Rabbi Duni is looking forward to working with the Katzmans and is honored and humbled by the welcome his family has received since arriving in Omaha. “I am originally from Worcester, Massachusetts and grew up in a family dedicated to Chabad outreach so I am super excited to be part of this effort with my own family. It is an incredible opportunity to work with a team that has invested over 30 years into a community, and we feel blessed to join such a team. Chaya and I are looking forward to meeting more people and making Omaha our home.” Chaya Blotner, originally of Toronto, Canada, has enjoyed meeting people and sharing her home-baked Challah. “I am overwhelmed by the warm and kind welcome our family has received. I am looking forward to doing what I can to help grow and strengthen this Jewish community’s identity. We
have so much to gain from each other!” Rabbi Katzman is looking forward to having Rabbi Duni’s help in reaching out to new people and youth. “Extra support is needed to continue and expand the existing programs Chabad offers. We’ll reach out to youth and those unaffiliated Jews and network with Omaha’s institutions. In such an age of uncertainty, it is more important than ever to up the game and strengthen our community locally and globally. We are better and stronger together!” “Since Rabbi and Shani Katzman became empty-nesters (yes, all 12 children no longer reside in Omaha), and because at one time or another, each child doubled as staff, it has become increasingly more challenging for Rabbi and Shani to conduct the day-to-day operation and realize all their dreams for the Omaha Jewish community,” shares Joanie Jacobson. “Rabbi Blotner and his wonderful young family will help grow Chabad, implement Chabad’s innovative programs and projects, and continue to infuse that magical Chabad spirit, energy, and joy of being Jewish in all of us! I hope the community will extend a heartfelt and warm welcome to the Blotners on March 29!”
Judy “The Perfectionist” I’m Judy, the Cleaning Lady! I have been in the cleaning business for 9 years. I do residential as well as commercial cleaning. I grew up in a small town in Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. After years of Graphics and Marketing, I spent three years teaching English in South Korea. During that time, I traveled much of Asia. Since then, I’ve been cleaning for a living. I work on my own because I truly do love cleaning and organizing. Only I can live up to my standards! I provide excellent service for my customers, maintaining a high level of cleanliness in your home. My service includes just about anything you want me to clean. I have a lot of experience with and understanding of the special needs of senior citizens. I enjoy working with older people. Of course, customers of all ages are welcome. Give me a call and let me know what you need! No worries—I’m fully insured. PAID ADVERTISEMENT
The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020 | 3
Tele-Mental Health Services at JFS
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Langer’s Lunch gathering in LA
TERESA C. DRELICHARZ, MS, NCC, LIMHP, RPT Therapist, JFS You’ve probably heard the term “Telehealth”... but what does it really mean? In simple terms, it is the use of technology to deliver health care at a distance. In the Mental Health field, “Tele-Mental Health” allows clients to have their therapy sessions through real time video-conferencing, instead of inperson visits. With today’s busy lifestyles, you may not want to waste time in the waiting room at the provider’s office when you can video-call your therapist from your home or workplace, just by using your mobile device or desktop computer. Sound tempting? Originally, telemedicine was used to treat patients in remote areas, far from any health facilities, or in areas with health care provider shortages. Today, this tool has become the synonym of convenient medical care. Studies have shown that the positive effects of telemental health sessions are comparable to those of in-person care. In addition, according to Health Care Law Today (www.health
carelawtoday.com), tele-mental health sessions are now required to be covered the same as an in-office session by health insurance plans in the state of Nebraska (see Nebraska Statutes Section 44-7, 107).* Jewish Family Service (JFS) has recognized the changing world of mental health service delivery, and has completed the process of implementing tele-mental health services into our practice. Policies and procedures, as well as a HIPAA compliant contract with “Zoom Video Communications” are in place to ensure that our tele-mental health services are as secure and confidential as our inoffice sessions. Services are available to clients across the state of Nebraska, even if they can’t leave their homes, live far away or prefer to talk from the comfort and privacy of their own homes. For more information, please call JFS at 402.330.2024. We hope you give it a try! *Please contact your insurance provider to find about your specific plan coverage. Be advised that some insurance providers do not cover tele-mental health family sessions.
Pictured are: Murray Newman, Omahan, vacationing in So CA, left; Joe Kirshenbaum, Omahan, vacationing in Rancho Mirage, CA; Mort Glass, former Omahan, lives in Newport Beach, CA; Shel Rips, former Omahan, lives in Los Angeles, CA; Paul Epstein, Omahan, vacationing in Rancho Mirage, CA; David Wintroub, former Omahan, lives in Los Angeles; Steve Bloch, Omahan, vacationing in So Cal; Keith Liberman, fomer Omahan, lives in Los Angeles, CA; Mike Erman, Omahan, lives part-time in Los Angeles, CA; Tom Bernstein, Omahan, vacationing in Rancho Mirage, CA; Alan Rosen, former Omahan, lives in Sherman Oaks, CA; Andrew Bernstein, former Omahan, lives in Los Angeles, CA; Tom Bernstein’s son; Al Bloch, Omahan, vacationing in Rancho Mirage, CA; Hugo Biggemann, Spouse of Andrew Bernstein, son-in-law of Tom Bernstein; Larry Meyerson, Omahan, vacationing in Rancho Mirage, CA; Yoshi Zweiback, former Omahan, lives in Los Angeles, CA; Rabbi of Stephen S Wise Temple; Jim Krantz, former Omahan, lives in Hollywood, CA; Mike Meyer, former Omahan, lives in Laguna Beach, CA; Front Row: Gary Gitnick, former Omahan, lives in Los Angeles, CA. Credit: Tracy Gitnick Herriott
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Pesach: More than History MARK KIRCHHOFF Community Engagement and Education, JFO The story of Pesach (Passover) is familiar. The feast commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Every year Pesach is observed by avoiding leaven and highlighted by the Seder meals that include four cups of wine, eating matzah and bitter herbs and retelling the story of the Exodus. What is more important than to remember the history? Assistant Rabbi Yoni Dreyer from Beth Israel is prepared to tell you what else is important during the next Friday Learning Series session in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library on March 27 from 11:15 am until noon. This will be the second Friday Learning Series that Rabbi Dreyer has presented. Rabbi brings an active learning style to his presentations. “I’m not someone who likes to stand up (or sit down) and just talk,” he says. “I think learning is better if everyone is actively involved in some way. And that is what I like to do.” His first session, What is Your Identity? on Jan. 31, was met with overwhelming enthusiasm. We are confident that his second will be the same. “If Pesach were only history, we could learn about it in school and never practice anything in our lives today,” says Rabbi Dreyer. “But there is more to it.” This session of the Friday Learning Series will explore how Pesach can have significant
meaning in our lives today and every day. Rabbi Yoni came to Omaha from Israel with his wife, Shiran, and their four wonderful children. They were living in Ariel in Samaria (West Bank), when they decided they wanted to do something special to serve the Jewish people. They
looked into shlichut to live in a community outside of Israel and exchange traditions and knowledge. While they had never heard of Nebraska or Omaha, through the process they spoke with the Abramovich and Nachman families who had high praise for their stay here. That sealed the deal and the Dreyers decided it would be a good place for them. The Friday Learning Series is open to the public free of charge. Attend and bring a friend on March 27.
Congratulate your graduate
The annual Graduation Issue will publish this year on May 15, 2020. 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 _____________________________________________________
Hope is also a four-letter word It is provocative how a four-letter word can convey such an important meaning with feelings and emotions that run deep. This past week we were honored to hear from two amazing cousins, Yvette GARY NACHMAN Manessis Corporon Regional Director, and Mindy Corporon. ADL-Plains States In her book, Some- Region thing Beautiful Happened, Yvette shared their experiences as descendants of a Greek island community that united to save the lives of Jews during the Shoah. The story of their connection and pride of the community’s past and reconnecting with the descendants of those saved, gave us a feeling of closure and a sense of peace. In a tragic twist of irony, mere days after the reunion became a reality and oceans away, Yvette’s cousin, Mindy Corporon, suffered a terrible loss at the hands of a white supremacist in our own region’s backyard. Mindy’s 14-year-old son and father were gunned down by a white supremacist outside a Kansas City-area Jewish Community Center. The second irony was that the three innocent victims murdered at the JCC
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in Kansas City, were not Jewish. This horrific tragedy with the insane loss of life, the epitome of hate, also left us with hope. The hope came from the mother of the son who was murdered. She reminded us that, as Elie Wiesel stated, “the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference...”, we must not stand by and let others define us. Giving meaning to such a tragedy can only be understood in light of the completing of their historical loop. They realized that they had fought the real and proverbial Nazis all their lives, not as Greeks or Jews, but as fellow human beings. Mindy Corporon, on the day of her father’s and son’s deaths, had the fortitude to go to her son’s school and provide solace to the many students who couldn’t understand losing one of their own. Her clear, selfless purpose was to give meaning to the many so they could process loss and find a way to grow. Would I, would you, would we, have the ability to hide an innocent person? What if it meant risking our own lives? Would we have the ability to give meaning to other’s lives in the face of our own loss? It may be easy to respond academically, but when the barrel of the gun is staring in our direction, would we have the moral courage to selflessly stand up for what is right? For hope...
Mazal Tov, Aaron! We are so proud of your achievements – membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from the Band.
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The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020 | 5
From wheat to eat: Matzo making is for everyone!
Our Purim Shpiel Growing Community, Not Just Plants #015 in this Sponsored Series
GABBY BLAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press Omaha Chabad will once again be running its popular matzo bakery just in time for Passover! Shani Katzman is excited for the return of this program which will be run by Rabbi Duni Blotner who has recently joined the Omaha Chabad team, along with his wife Chaya and their young daughters Hannah and Rivka. Rabbi Duni shares, “I am excited to help run our unique model matzo bakery — it will be a fully cultural Jewish experience. Participants will learn about what I like to call, “from wheat to eat,” the amazing journey it takes to get matzo from the field to your Seder table. Those participating, children and adults alike, will have a fun interactive experience as they prepare, make and bake their very own matzo!” Model Matzo Bakery events will take place at many of the Jewish institutions around Omaha, Lincoln and Sioux City. Exact times and locations are still being finalized, but Rabbi Blotner expects to have a schedule available soon with dates over the last week and a half of March and the first few days of April. All details will be updated as events are finalized on the website: Ochabad.com/ModelBakery. For more information or questions, please contact Chaya Blotner at 402.330.1800 or chayablotner@gmail.com.
Recycle your electronics at Cross Training Center BRENDA BANKS Executive Director, Cross Training Center The CROSS TRAINING CENTER exemplifies the message, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” The mission they fulfill each day is to empower and equip unemployed and under-educated youth and adults. This is done through an innovative work training program that serves a secondary purpose – to recycle and refurbish used electronics so they stay out of landfills. Discarded electronics allow glass, plastic and metal to pile up in landfills. Even more dangerous is the lead and other chemicals that seep into our soil. A whopping 40 million tons of electronics end up in landfills each year, where they release toxic gases into our environment. Sadly, less than 12.5 percent make their way to recycling centers. The latest statistics show that E-waste is 70 percent of our over-
all toxic waste. The good news is that electronics are easily recycled and the majority of the material can be used to manufacture new products. According to the EPA, recycling 1 million cell phones would reduce the amount of copper waste by 35,000 pounds. It could also result in the recovery of 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of aluminum. Cross Training Center is a non-profit organization that operates Cross Electronic Recycling. Accepting anything with a cord, battery or motor from businesses and residences allows them to recycle over 400,000 pounds of electronics each year. The entire operation provides hands-on work experience for program participants. Computers, laptops, appliances and other small electronics are repaired or refurbished and sold at low prices at Cross Training Center’s retail store. To learn more about Cross Training Center or to request a tour of the facility, reach out at www.crosstc.com or 402.590.2100.
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Dear Mike, Sorry about Super Tuesday, but look at the Sunny Side. Bowing out early gave you the opportunity this Purim really to let your hair down and party. I hope you did. Bowing out also freed up many millions you otherwise would have spent campaigning, so please consider adding us to your Purim tzedakah. I know you’ve got many other worthy causes to support, Mike, but let me tell you how our mission meshes so nicely with your goal of fighting climate change. Since 1999 we have worked at the local level to keep all types of organic matter out of our landfills, reducing methane pollution while delivering rescued produce into hungry mouths, brightening blighted parts of Omaha with low-cost flowers and plants, and buying children’s books and computers for our public library with plant sale proceeds. We’ve grown this project for 22 years now in North Omaha (think South Chicago), and we’re ready to export it elsewhere because what works in Omaha will work anywhere. Last Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish Press of Omaha featured us in their environmental issue, and since then we’ve been explaining our mission to the Omaha Jewish community in a series of features. I’m enclosing copies. Our immediate objective in the next 50 days is to finish raising money to buy our building, because if we don’t do so we’re about to go homeless on May 1, which would set us back several years. We’re not looking for a hand out but a hand up. That is, we don’t want a straight donation but rather a match by you to whatever funds we’re able to raise by then from others. Can you help us? Here’s a picture of the building your match will secure for future generations. It’s become not just a nursery but a community center and meeting ground for people of every race, creed, gender, orientation, education, economic status or whatever. We welcome everyone without question or prejudice.
t Öã Äù㫮Ħ ó®ã« ÊÙ ͕ ãã Ùù ÊÙ DÊãÊÙ͘ ¦ ó®ã« ÊÙ ͕ ãã Ùù ÊÙ Ù DÊãÊÙ Ù͘ Ɛ ^ŵĂůů ĂƐ Ă ĐĞůů ƉŚŽŶĞ Ͳ ƚŽ ĂƐ >ĂƌŐĞ ĂƐ Ă ĐĂƌ ĐĞůů Ɖ ƉŚŽŶĞ Ͳ ƚŽ Ž ĂĂƐ >>ĂƌŐĞ ĂƐ Ă ĐĂĂƌ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞƌLJƚŚŝŶŐ ŝŶ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ͘ ǀĞƌƌLJƚŚŝŶŐ ŝŶ ď ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ͘ tŽƌŬŝŶŐ Žƌ ŶŽƚ Ͳ tĞ ƚĂŬĞ ŝƚ Ăůů͊ Žƌƌ ŶŽƚ Ͳ t tĞ ƚĂĂŬĞ ŝƚ Ăůů͊
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Solutions to Poverty through Work
ůů ŝƚĞŵƐ ĂƌĞ ƵƐĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ǀŽĐĂƟŽŶĂů ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ǁŽƌŬ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ at Cross Training Center.
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During your campaign you said that “Mike will get it done.” Out here in Nebraska we might phrase that more like Larry the Cable Guy: “Let’s git ‘er done.” I hope we can do that together with some of that cash you’re now not going to spend campaigning. So how about it, Mike? Will you pledge a 5 to 1 match to whatever we’ve raised in our capital campaign by April 30? Please say you will. We need your help. Don’t let us down. READ MORE at BensonPlantRescue.Org
by Dr. D, Co-Founder & President Benson Plant Rescue/ Community Produce Rescue (BPR-CPR) 7224 Maple, Omaha, NE 68134 (402) 933-3867
6 | The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020
Wendy Goldberg is Executive Director of Tri-Faith Initiative
Snowbirds Please let the Jewish Press know in advance when you are leaving and when you are returning. Sometimes several papers are sent to your “old” address before we are notified by the Post Office. Every time they return a paper to us, you miss the Jewish Press and we are charged! Please call us at 402.334.6448 or email us at jpress@jewishomaha.org.
It’s not just what they know. It’s who they become.
shops. The Tri-Faith Garden provided 500 lbs SIERRA SALGADO PIRIGYI of produce to community organizations. Tri-Faith Communications Director “Our incredibly diverse faith communities Wendy Goldberg has are our strength - it brings us been selected to serve as together. Religious pluralism Executive Director for the is celebrated when people of Omaha-based Tri-Faith Inidiverse religious communitiative. Goldberg served as a ties and worldviews defend founding board member of each others’ right to thrive the Tri-Faith Initiative and and maintain distinct idenhas served as Interim Exectities while engaging in benutive Director since Februeficial ways. This is not just ary 2019. Goldberg is a a nice idea; it is critical to fourth-generation Omahan the health of our democand a founding member of racy,” shared Goldberg. Tri-Faith Initiative. She Tri-Faith’s unique programserved on the Board of ming includes education on Trustees of Temple Israel religious freedom, pluralism for 10 years, including a Wendy Goldberg and literacy, as well as buildtwo-year term as President of the congregation. She also served as Tem- ing relationships through exposure to the narple Israel Program Director for seven years. rative of the religious “other.” This Goldberg played a key role in Temple Israel’s programming serves the purpose of reducing transition to the Tri-Faith Commons in 2013. fear and countering the multi-million dollar In 2016, Goldberg earned a Master of Arts engine of hate and bigotry. Tri-Faith’s uniquein Communications and graduate certificate ness comes from doing work in all these areas in Creative Writing at the University of Ne- while affirming religion as a protected class in braska at Omaha. She joined the staff at Proj- diversity, equity and inclusion programming; ect Harmony as Project Manager, where she fighting hate against marginalized religious partnered with agency stakeholders to cus- communities; modeling a co-location method tom build and implement client manage- of organizational collaboration; and fostering ment software, identify program goals and relationships with incredible depth. For more information, see the Tri-Faith measurable outcomes and build the correlatwebsite at http://www.trifaith.org. ing reports. Tri-Faith Initiative is a unique and ambiTri-Faith Board Chair Dr. Ali Khan said, “We are excited to welcome Wendy Goldberg as tious project in the field of interfaith relations the Executive Director of the Tri-Faith Initia- in its design, scale and scope. Tri-Faith fosters tive. She brings proven leadership at non- empathy, invites understanding, and advances profit organizations, deep ties to our common action between people of diverse community and a passion for the role of faith faiths through the shared efforts of Jewish, in enriching our society. Wendy is a strong Christian and Muslim places of worship, along communicator with the talent to ensure Tri- with an interfaith center, intentionally co-loFaith can successfully implement our ambi- cated on one 38-acre campus in Omaha. By its tious new strategy to bridge from our unique very model, Tri-Faith challenges people of purpose-built campus to a national and global faith and goodwill to be conscientious and audience with a message that celebrates the proactive about the assets of faith in the civil life of a religiously pluralistic society. It aims diversity and commonalities of our faiths.” Goldberg was appointed as Interim Execu- to create a more inclusive culture in which retive Director in February 2019. Tri-Faith cele- ligious pluralism is the social norm. The Tri-Faith Commons is located at 132nd brated two major milestones when they broke ground on the Tri-Faith Center, the and Pacific in Omaha and currently houses fourth and final building on the Commons; Temple Israel, Countryside Community and Countryside Community Church, the Church, American Muslim Institute and the Christian partner congregation, opened its Tri-Faith Center. The Tri-Faith Center opens in June 2020 and doors. As Interim Executive Director, Goldberg expanded its staff to include a Program will serve as a welcome center, conference faDirector, Education Director, Communica- cility, educational and research center, and hub tions Director, Deputy Director, and Data and for collaboration and interaction. Tri-Faith Administrative Coordinator. Tri-Faith facili- board and staff are establishing policy, best tated community dialogue and added to the practices and underlying principles for this undiversity conversation by hosting over 800 at- precedented and bold interfaith endeavor in tendees for our Picnic on the Commons and America’s heartland. We are committed to a Taste of Tri-Faith celebrations, and 2,810 at- model, resource and trainer of best practices tendees to adult education panels and work- for successful interfaith collaboration.
Purim in Lincoln
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We had a fabulous Megillah reading on Sunday, March 8 at the South Street Temple, with Madam Nymphadora of Drag Queen Story Hour NE (an outreach program of OutNebraska) reading Esther’s Story, by Diane Wolkstein to a captivated audience.
The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020 | 7
ADL guide to anti-Semitic tropes PAM MONSKY Community Development Liaison, ADL-CRC The Anti-Defamation League Plains States Region (ADLCRC) is proud to present a new comprehensive guide to contemporary anti-semitism. Anti-semitism Uncovered: A Guide to Old Myths in a New Era identifies some of the most stubborn tropes about Jews, explains why they are dangerous, provides the backstory behind the myths and shows how they have evolved into the present day. Gary Nachman, ADL-CRC Regional Director, explained, “In 2019, our office received 104 incident reports, a 25 percent increase over last year. Anti-Semitism is on the rise across the nation and in Europe. Our region is not immune. Staying informed is the first step in the fight against antiSemitism and hate and this guide is a tremendous educational resource offered free of charge to anyone.” “Disturbingly enough, in just past the few weeks, our team at the Center on Extremism has documented an increase in chatter among some extremists on the far-fringes of the internet that Jews somehow are responsible for creating and spreading the novel coronavirus,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt (ADL, CEO). “It is a baseless accusation but one with historical resonance: it echoes the medieval trope that Jews were responsible for spreading the Bubonic Plague in Europe.” The guide explains the history of anti-semitism and the myths that have helped it to endure for centuries. The first chapter provides a brief summary of anti-Semitism on a global level. The next chapter details anti-Semitism in America. Each of the following seven chapters tackles one of the anti-Semitic tropes: Jews have too much power; Jews are disloyal; Jews are greedy; Jews killed Jesus; Jews use Christian blood for religious rituals; the Holocaust didn’t happen; AntiZionism or delegitimization of Israel. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) was founded in 1913 “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Now the nation’s premier civil rights/human relations agency, the ADL fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all. Locally, the ADL-CRC office was established in 1950. In a unique relationship, the ADL also serves as the Community Relations Committee (CRC) and is the central resource for information on social issues and problems affecting the local Jewish community in Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas. The ADL-CRC attempts to foster conditions conducive to creative Jewish living in a free society.
News LOCA L | N ATION AL | WO RLD
Election update: No coalition in sight
support from the Arab parties, even from outside the coalition. MARCY OSTER In response, members of Meretz, a more liberal party that JERUSALEM | JTA Just moments after receiving the official final results of Is- is also on Gantz’s side, called her “irresponsible” and “racist,” rael’s third elections in 11 months, Israeli President Reuven and called her actions a “betrayal of the voters.” Many have Rivlin called on the heads of the called for her resignation. largest parties — Prime Minister On top of that, two right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu and his lawmakers in Blue and White, Zvi main rival Benny Gantz — to Hauser and Yoaz Hendel, also opcome together and form a unity pose using Arab support. While government. Gantz has not taken any action “Any agreement you are able to against them, he could ask them come to that produces a stable to resign, which would leave their government that gains the trust of seats open for the next two lawthe people will be welcomed,” makers on the party list. Rivlin said Wednesday afternoon Representatives of each of the at the president’s official resieight parties who won Knesset dence in Jerusalem. seats in the March 2 election are But a stable coalition that Avigdor Lieberman, left, and Benny Gantz shake hands scheduled to meet with Rivlin on would break a yearlong deadlock after a private meeting in the central Israeli city of Sunday to tell him which candidate in Israeli politics is no closer to re- Ramat Gan, March 9, 2020. Credit: Jack Guez/AFP via they are backing for prime minisality than it was in September, Getty Images ter. (In a nod to the coronavirus, when Rivlin proposed the same idea after another national the meetings will take place with small delegations and media election held that month. Neither Netanyahu’s Likud or Gantz’s will not be permitted, though the proceedings will be broadcast Blue and White won enough seats in the most recent election live.) Rivlin will then tap one of them to form a new government, to form a governing coalition of at least 61 parliament seats. usually the person with the most recommendations. Recently, an unorthodox solution was in the works. Gantz was Who will that be? Netanyahu, whose party won slightly in talks with key figures to form a minority government with the more seats? Or Gantz, the man with a plan? help of the mostly Arab parties, who would lend their support Good question. No one knows for sure. in the form of votes but not sit in the coalition. That would be historic: no Arab party has ever been part of an Israeli parliament majority or supported one from a minority position. Among the leaders involved in the talks was Avigdor Liberman, a right-wing hawk whose party won seven crucial seats.That idea appeared to fall apart after Orly Levy-Abekasis — the leader of Gesher, a center-left party that is a necessary piece of Gantz’s coalition math — said this week she could not support the idea of taking MARCY OSTER JTA ORGANIZATIONS A Jewish cemetery in southern Hungary was vandalized. Gravestones in the Jewish cemetery of Kiskunfélegyháza B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS were pushed over and severely damaged, the Mazsihisz Due to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home temporarily being Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary. closed to the public, B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers will not meet The damage was discovered on March 5, according to until further notice. For specific speaker information, please Mazsihisz, which filed a criminal complaint with the police. email Gary.Javitch@ Gmail.com, Breadbreakers chairman. The repairs could cost more than $8 million, Hungary For more information or to be placed on the email list call Today reported. 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@ jewishomaha.org.
Hungarian Jewish cemetery vandalized
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8 | The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020
News S S OME T H I N G B E AUT I F UL HA P P E N E D
omething Beautiful Happened on Tuesday, March 3 when over 340 community members came together to hear the story of 2 amazing women sharing their story of saving Jews in Greece during the Holocaust and a family’s survival after the JCC shooting in 2014. The event was attended by members from all over the Omaha community, Omaha’s Holocaust Survivors, teachers and students from area high schools. The event also included a facilitated discussion at the end with real questions and facts about anti-Semitism. Support of this event is generously provided by the following Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation Funds: Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, Milton S. & Corrine N. Livingston Foundation Fund and Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation A special thank you to Debra Kaplan for the beautiful photos.
The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020 | 9
10 | The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020
Taika Waititi adapting Roald Dahl’s work is exactly what we need
Multi-Age Classroom Teacher Joyful. Exciting. Fascinating. Epic. Cool. Amazing. These are the words students at Friedel Jewish Academy use to describe school. An innovative K-6th grade private school, Friedel has a full-time opening for 20202021 for a 3rd & 4th grade Multi-Age Classroom Teacher. Receive competitive salary and benefits while working in a kind, collaborative environment. Email cover letter, copy of NE teacher’s certificate (or anticipated certification date) and resume to Beth Cohen, Head of School, bcohen@fjaomaha.com.
ing in the grand scheme of things, is painful. A.R.VISHNY Worse though, for me, is that deep down I know I still love This story originally appeared on Alma. Netflix just announced that the Academy Award-winning those books. I was that kid who read at recess. “Matilda” resMaori-Jewish filmmaker Taika Waititi will write, direct and ex- onated with me on a deep, spiritual level. I can still remember ecutive produce two series based on the work of author Roald vividly the first time I read “The BFG,” how engrossed I had Dahl for the streaming platform. The first is based on Charlie been. I can’t just pretend that the books never mattered to me. and the Chocolate Factory, focusing specifically on the Oompa- Nor can I claim that I don’t care about the kind of person Dahl Loompas. was. This was easily the best news of the week. It’s not just that Pretending his books just sprung into being of their own acTaika Waititi is an incredibly talented filmmaker. It’s not just cord doesn’t work. His name is still on the cover and the title that his trademark dark, quirky humor makes him a perfect credits every time his work is adapted. Try as we might to fit for this project. It’s not just that Waititi’s work always man- claim that a work can exist independently of its creator, that ages to be moving and delightful. is simply not the case. No, what really makes this project exciting is that it would Enter Taika Waititi. His most recent film, Jojo Rabbit, skewered have totally pissed off Roald the kind of bigotry and antiDahl. Semitism that appealed to Dahl, In case you weren’t aware, and in Dahl’s preferred manner: Roald Dahl was an antia little twee, darkly funny, told Semite. And not a subtle one. using adorable children. In a 1983 interview with the Waititi’s previous work was New Statesman, Dahl stated, driven in no small part by a de“There is a trait in the Jewish sire to put indigenous people at character that does provoke the forefront of their own stoanimosity, maybe it’s a kind of ries, as evident in “Boy and lack of generosity towards Hunt for the Wilderpeople.” non-Jews. I mean, there’s alThese themes and narrative ways a reason why anti-anyperspective even found their thing crops up anywhere; even way into “Thor: Ragnarok,” both a stinker like Hitler didn’t just in the film itself and in the propick on them for no reason.” duction. At the last Academy Oh, and in case you thought Awards ceremony, he gave a this was a one-time oops, he land acknowledgment, a first did clarify again with the Indefor the ceremony, and in his acpendent, just before his death Taika Waititi will write, direct and executive produce two se- ceptance speech for best in 1990, that he really, really ries based on the work of Roald Dahl for Netflix, starting with adapted screenplay encouraged hated Jews. In the interview, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Credit: Albert L. Ortega/ the storytelling efforts of young Dahl describes himself as anti- Getty Images indigenous creatives. Semitic and says, “There aren’t any non-Jewish publishers anyWaititi has proven, time and again, that he is both a master where, they control the media – jolly clever thing to do – that’s of the kind of storytelling Dahl had always been lauded for why the president of the United States has to sell all this stuff while being just the sort of person Dahl would have demeaned to Israel.” or despised. Just so we’re clear: He was proud of it. He never apologized. He can beat Dahl at his own game. He went to his grave believing that Jews control the media and Seeing the Netflix announcement, I immediately recalled that Hitler “didn’t just pick on them for no reason.” Waititi’s tweet on June 16, 2018, while filming Jojo Rabbit: Dahl’s particularly yikes brand of bigotry goes beyond anti- “What better way to insult Hitler than having him played by a Semitism. In the first edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Fac- Polynesian Jew?” What was clear in Waititi’s approach to Jojo tory, the Oompa-Loompas were described as a tribe of “African Rabbit was that there is tremendous storytelling power in Pygmies.” They are described as black, from “the very deepest being the sort of person your subject would have loathed. Jojo and darkest part of the African jungle,” and were happy to be Rabbit worked so well in no small part because of who Waititi enslaved by Mr. Wonka because of their unlimited access to is and how that informed his clear vision on how best to tell chocolate. Dahl received enough backlash upon publication the story. that he changed the country of origin to “Loompaland” and So what better way to insult Roald Dahl? Dahl was always made the Oompa-Loompas fair skinned, but that alone doesn’t tetchy about film adaptations. He notoriously disliked the change the fundamentally demeaning, dehumanizing and 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (starring Gene colonial tone that Dahl takes with regard to these characters. Wilder, who yes, was Jewish!). What would he have had to say All this, unfortunately, has not disqualified him from being about Waititi? What would he have had to say about a reimaga beloved cultural icon. Dahl has remained a fixture in the chil- ining of the Oompa-Loompas? Perhaps this is the solution for dren’s literary canon. His birthday is treated as a quasi-na- the kinds of bigot too entrenched in the cultural narrative to tional holiday. His books still sell, the world keeps spinning. condemn to obscurity. Perhaps this is the way to honor a Dahl’s grip on the hearts of generations of readers is frankly beloved story while dishonoring dishonorable creators and so wide and so deeply entrenched that the chances of his fad- righting a text’s worst failures. ing into obscurity remain remote. I cannot wait to see what Waititi does with Dahl’s most Realizing that you can go on record calling yourself an anti- beloved classic and characters. May all bigots find their legacy Semite like it’s some badge of honor, and have that mean noth- at the mercy of the people they despised.
Fruit and Vegetable Safety
Visit us at jewishomaha.org
Adapted from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention With spring on its way, more fruits and vegetables may be available from your market. Eating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables gives important health benefits. But it’s important to select and prepare them safely. Raw fruits and vegetables may contain harmful germs that can make NATALIE you and your family sick, such as Sal- OSBORNE, RN monella , E. coli, and Listeria. The CDC Nurse Manager, estimates that germs on fresh pro- RBJH duce cause a large percentage of U.S. foodborne illnesses. The safest produce is cooked; the next safest is washed. Enjoy uncooked fruits and vegetables and avoid foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning while taking steps to include: choose produce that isn’t bruised or damaged and
cutting off those parts for produce you already have at home, keep pre-cut produce cold, keep produce separate from raw meat, wash your hands when preparing food and make sure kitchen utensils, countertops and cutting boards are clean; wash the produce under running water before you peel and cut it, dry produce with a clean paper towel and be sure to refrigerate produce within 2 hours after cutting, peeling or cooking it. Anyone can get food poisoning, but people in certain groups are more likely to get sick and to have a more serious illness. These groups include adults aged 65 and older, children younger than age 5, people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness (weakened immune system)—for example, people with diabetes, liver or kidney disease, HIV, or cancer and pregnant women. If you or someone you care for has a greater chance of food poisoning, it’s especially important to take steps to prevent it.
The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020 | 11
Above: Students and staff at Friedel Jewish Academy celebrated Purim.
Left and below: Howard Kutler cooked two types of brisket for Chabad’s pop-up deli.
Above: Students and the staff from the CDC visited the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home in full costume for the annual Purim Parade with a visit from Queen Esther. Pictured are Terry Loeffler and Deb Kronick.
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.
Above and below: Purim Carnival at Beth El.
Above: The Purim Spiel cast at Temple Israel, led by Danielle Howell, visited the “Land of Oy.” Right: Eli Lopez helping out with the Purim carnival at Temple Israel. Below: Beth Israel is proud to support J-connect, a UNO based Jewish organization. The students made Hamantaschen at BI and spent a few hours giving them out on campus and doing Purim trivia with anyone who wanted a free snack.
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
12 | The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020
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Staying calm in times of Corona ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press Since we are all incapable of talking about anything else, I did not want to address anything Covid-19-related here. Yes, we all take it seriously, but we also are driving ourselves a little crazy. So, what else is there to talk about? Apparently, nothing, which is new. We’re used to having a ‘flavor of the day-‘ story that dominates the headlines. Dominates, not holds it hostage. We’re used to scrolling down and finding something different—but this time, that’s not an option. The last time I can remember feeling like this was during the weeks after 9/11—when we were all in shock. This time, I think the shock built over a longer period of time, but that sense of wrongness, the bizarre feeling that the world we live in just fundamentally shifted, is similar. And if you had told me that a month ago, I would have rolled my eyes and told you to cut the melodrama. What we need right now is normalcy. A collective calm, a reminder that we’re going to be okay—even when we have absolutely no way of knowing. How do we accomplish that? And while we are setting sky-high goals, how do we maintain our sense of community when we can’t be around each other? When we can’t physically connect. Meet, touch, hug each other, our options are different than we are used to, but not as limited as we think. Can you drop off a meal (whether home cooked or store-bought) or run errands? Maybe you can check your address book and call a few friends who you know live alone. Ask them how they are doingthe social contact will benefit you both. Don’t stop by unannounced; we don’t know who is sick, in
quarantine or simply choosing to isolate out of caution. If you know someone is sick or quarantined, drop food on the front porch, get back in your car and text them— no need to get exposed. If you want to help but you don’t know whom to reach out to, call or email the clergy at your synagogue—they’ll be happy to hear from you because they are human and just as rattled by this whole thing as the rest of us. Helping others during this time can actually make us feel calmer. At least we would be doing something, instead of endlessly reading corona updates. Because doing something is what we are good at. We will come out on the other side of this; I have to believe that. It won’t be soon (at least not as soon as I had hoped), but cliché as it sounds, this too shall pass. And when we do, I trust that we can look back at this time as a period when we all learned something valuable about each other, about ourselves, about our community as a whole. We don’t just show up when things are good and easy, we don’t simply stick around when there’s a party. We are also there when times are tough. We
can make the hard decisions, we can reach out and lift each other up and we can remember what makes this community great, every day. We can re-
mind ourselves that together, we are greater than the sum of our parts; that we can be ‘together’ even when we don’t physically occupy the same space. Finally, this time will drive the point home that we are social animals and that what drives this community, what makes it tick, is the people. We are all still here. So pick up the phone, send out an email, a text, open your social media and reach out. And if someone offers you help, accept it, because soon enough, you’ll get the chance to pay it forward. Together, we’ll get through this. And when we do, I promise we’ll have one hell of a party at the JCC.
My spiritual prescription for the coronavirus RABBI SHMULY YANKLOWITZ PHOENIX | JTA Even though I do not possess medical knowledge, as a rabbi and social activist, I believe I can try to humbly prescribe ethical vaccines that can remedy jilted nerves and worried minds. My words are not meant to heal physically but to inspire spiritually. At this challenging time, it seems appropriate that those in the positions to (re)build confidence should do so. In that spirit, I am sharing thoughts on how we might be able to spiritually cope with the uncertain reality that has rapidly spread throughout the world. The coronavirus is not only a disease of the body, but also presents an existential crisis that has put governments, businesses and, most important, communities and individuals on edge. 1. THERE IS NO VALUE IN PLACING BLAME. We are already seeing our worst impulses play out in this crisis. Because the present strain of coronavirus originated in China, some are blaming “the Chinese” or even all Asians for the outbreak, which is absurd and hateful. And then there are community leaders such as an ultra-Orthodox rabbi who bizarrely blamed the LGBTQ community for spreading the disease. These are the wrong reactions: Whatever we do, we cannot fall into the trap of blame. Blame harms more than it helps; it is myopic and never leads to practical solutions. Of course, we must hold reckless public officials accountable if they neglect public welfare, but this is different from directing baseless blame at large populations. Rather than join the blaming team, we should join the helping team. 2. BE AFRAID. Yes, this must sound like unusual advice in a time of pandemic. But we must be skeptical of those in office who say “Everything is fine. Stop panicking and live your life!” It is a natural human emotion to be afraid of the unknown and the uncertain. We live in times where every day’s events constitute a reminder that we cannot control the world as much as we might want. Hold the fear. Hold your love ones close. But don’t be held motionless
— physically, emotionally or spiritually — by this disease. Feel it but own it, refine it, control it. Use it. We need to react boldly to situations such as the one that challenges us right now and with the clarity of mind that tells us that fear should inspire us to be courageous; troubling times calls for passionate and resolute leadership. Our fear can inspire us to hold one another even closer and with deeper resolve.
A sanitary gel is used as a precaution against the coronavirus. Credit: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
3. WIPE OUT EVIL. In the Jewish tradition, the nation of Amalek is synonymous with the worst evil imaginable. The Amalekites saw the most vulnerable among the Israelites and instead of helping them, pursued and killed them, targeting in particular the weakest among the weak. The Torah records the deeds of the Amalekites and their actions, juxtaposing the meekness of the Jewish people with the pure cruelty of the nation of Amalek. We are commanded to vanquish Amalek and eliminate its memory from this world. The coronavirus — the disease itself ! — is Amalek-like since it appears to have the most serious consequences for some of the most vulnerable among us, the elderly and the immunocompromised. The only sane path forward is more compassion, more justice, and more humility about the degree to which we need each other.
4. EMBRACE A SABBATICAL. One of Judaism’s great gifts to the world is the idea of the Sabbath, the sacred break from the labors of the week. But the Sabbath is more than lounging around with nothing to do. It’s about renewal and the need to nourish the soul through extra time to study. One of the side effects of the coronavirus might be the ability for those who need to stay home to use that time away from the workplace or the outside world productively. Some folks need to show up at work, travel and go about business as usual. But to the extent that one can, it will be vital to care for yourself and those that you love. Through the gift of physical and spiritual rest, we may experience breakthroughs that will allow our society to manage this disease more effectively. 5. BE GENTLE. Always be gentle with others. Everyone is doing the best they can. Human beings are fundamentally frail. To compensate for uncertainty and imperfection in this moment, some people will act out with pure hubris. But this hubris hides vulnerability and pain. We do not know what others go through on a daily basis. The coronavirus may give us the ability to realize that humility in the face of great challenge can be a factor leading us toward communal healing. To be under quarantine, as whole countries are essentially imposing at this point, cannot be a pleasant feeling. It’s isolating and humiliating. To be gentle also means to be empathetic to those who find themselves cut off from society. This disease has upended routines all over the world. We can be understanding of how it has ruined the daily lives of people who only want to support themselves and their families. This universal reality brings us together rather than tearing us apart. Let us have the strength to be understanding and kind in this time of great tumult. This article was editied for length. See the full text at JTA.com 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.
The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020 | 13
Handling the coronavirus crisis JTA STAFF JTA We reached out to several rabbis around the world and asked them to offer their advice. A 7-PART GUIDE TO STAYING SANE “What’s a simple daily routine you care about? Every night at about midnight, we learn in the Talmud, King David woke up to study. Every morning, I wake up and make coffee. (Same same, right?) Water in the kettle. Good quality beans into the grinder. Aeropress. Half and half. For you, that simple moment might be washing your hair, texting your sister after work or listening to The Daily. Keep that up, even if everything else feels off. Good times and bad, some things should stay the same.” — RABBI EMILY COHEN
middle- and low-income people rather than just bailing out airlines and other major corporations. The emphasis in Jewish law and lived tradition on collective responsibility for our neighbors and our society is countercultural in a country built on rugged individualism. But the novel coronavirus has taught us the impossibility of fending for ourselves. A recommitment to communal responsibility is the only way to protect ourselves and each other. — RABBI JILL JACOBS
SAFETY IS SACROSANCT. HEALTH IS FOREMOST. The news today can be especially spiritually unsettling and alarming in nature. When our community in New York has been struck with a plague that prevents so many of us from gathering in physical contact, how ought we react? Upholding the cautionary measures decreed by health officials and authorities must be seen then as fulfilling the highest INDIVIDUALISM IS NOT THE JEWISH WAY In response to a 1983 doctors’ strike in Israel, Rabbi Shlomo religious commandment: pikuach nefesh, saving human life. If you have symptoms of illness, inGoren, former Ashkenazi chief rabbi cluding fever, coughing, stomach of Israel, emphasized that the rebug or any other sickness it is a sponsibility for providing health care mitzvah to stay in quarantine. It was ultimately lies with the state. Basing Yom Kippur 1846 — the cholera epihimself on a Talmudic ruling that demic was at its height — when holds communal leadership liable Rabbi Yisrael Salanter allegedly rose for any deaths that result from their to the pulpit, washed his hands pubfailure to take care of needed repairs licly and made a blessing as he ate (Moed Katan 5a), he wrote, “the rebread on our calendar’s most sacred sponsibility of the court or the comday. The Jewish community feared munal leadership is not limited to trespassing communal and religious bodily harm that they cause directly norms then, but Rabbi Salanter re… the government may not excuse minded the Jewish community: In itself from its responsibility toward the sick since the government is re- Lysol wipes, tissues and hand sanitizer pictured at light of life-threatening illness, eatsponsible for the health of the peo- the Fuze office in Boston, March 10, 2020. Its 150 ing food on Yom Kippur wasn’t onsite employees are being asked to work from breaking the Torah law, it was upple.” (Assia vol. 5) This assertion — that the commu- home amid coronavirus concerns. Credit: David L. holding it. When confronted with life or nal leadership takes responsibility Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images death, Jews must always emphatifor the overall health of the citizens — is consistent with millennia of Jewish law that insist that the community take re- cally choose life. This has been the Jewish way since the besponsibility for the health and welfare of its members — ginning of time. Furthermore, now, as in times past, will be a period where whether through building necessary infrastructure to care for physical and spiritual needs, through tzedakah and through we will see the most important innovating responses. We witnessed this just last week when SAR Academy oflaws intended to eliminate exploitation. It’s also consistent with the lived practice of Jewish communities, which have fered online classes for hundreds of students, studying Helong established communal welfare and health systems; and brew, welcoming Shabbat and maintaining semblances of normalcy. of the state of Israel, founded as a social democracy. We witnessed this in wartime when Saddam Hussein’s Scud Goren’s ruling, however, runs counter to one prominent strain in American culture, namely the ethos of every person missile rockets rained on Israel, Jews celebrated Purim in for themselves, without concern for our responsibility to the bunkers. When the AIDS epidemic ravished the gay community, broader society or for the overall impact of our choices. The novel coronavirus has taught us that it’s impossible to Congregation Beit Simchat Torah still gathered with Rabbi separate ourselves from the greater world, and that our own Sharon Kleinbaum leading into uncharted territory. When Rebbe Nachman of Bratzlav wrote, “There is no depersonal health and safety depends on the health and safety of the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society. If spair in the world,” we ought to reflect: What is he talking anything positive comes of this terrifying pandemic, it should about? Rebbe Nachman, a depressive, mourned the death of be a remaking of the social fabric of our society such that we his own son and lived in a time of great political turmoil for collectively take responsibility for the health and well-being the Jewish people. Was Rebbe Nachman unfamiliar with deof every member of our society. This means ensuring health spair or delusional? Certainly not. He was offering us a life approach and phicare, paid sick leave and increased food assistance; and we can invest in a stimulus and job creation package that helps losophy. “The whole world is a narrow bridge; the main prin-
ciple — do not fear.” Safety is sacrosanct. Health is foremost. And remember the mantra, the trope that has accompanied our people since Passover days: Nevertheless, Jews persisted. — RABBI AVRAM MLOTEK co-founder of Base Hillel, director of spiritual life for its international program and rabbi of its Manhattan site
STAY INSIDE FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS “I write this at my kitchen table, covered in yet-to-be-sorted toiletries and food. I’m planning to stay in, and you should, too. Because it’s not necessarily you who will suffer from going out – it is probably someone else. May we observe the next weeks in a period of isolation — it will be mournful and hard. But may that period be one that allows the plague to lift. That allows a return to revelry and celebration, a time when we can be deeply and blessedly irresponsible. Today, hold back, for all of us, so that tomorrow, we can release.” — RABBI ERIC WOODWARD (You can read his full post on Facebook)
THE SPIRITUAL POTENTIAL OF QUARANTINE Being alone in quarantine, devoid of friends, family, coworkers and community, a person is truly lonely. Talking on the phone, messaging and even video chatting is no substitute for being in the physical presence of others. There is no replacement for the hug, kiss or even the handshake. Just having others around gives a person a sense of security and comfort. Quarantine forces a painful loneliness. For the Jew who loves the mitzvot and rituals of their religion, especially the communal ones, the loneliness is compounded. Yet the loneliness of companionship can also create an opportunity. The loneliness of others creates the solitude of the person with God. All alone, a person is able to commune with God as never before. God is eternally listening to our voices, and God awaits our prayers. The silence of bidud provides a person the opportunity to connect to God on the deepest of levels. Without the pressures of work, a schedule or family chores, a person can turn to God, pour their heart out and deepen their relationship with the Creator. The gaping hole of spirituality left by the absence of ritual can be filled with a more unique connection to God. Our rabbis tell us that if we are homebound we can still pray with the community by praying at the same time as the community. The internet allows us to listen to shiurim (Torah classes) with others, and many of us even listened to live streams of Megillah. Quarantine is a challenge previously unthought of by our Sages. It is lonely and depressing. Those feelings are natural and valid. All of us in quarantine are feeling them. But taken in the right way, it can provide time and opportunity to connect with God, rethink values and recommit to the priorities that are important to us. — RABBI URI PILICHOWSKI The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
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Synagogues
14 | The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
CHABAD HOUSE
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN
South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on Friday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. Our service leader is Larry Blass, and as always, an Oneg wil follow the service. 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, MaryBeth Muskin and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 9:30 a.m. Bar Mitzvah of Joseph Scioli; Junior Congregation (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m.; Kiddush following services sponsored by Pam and Bruce Friedlander. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Kevah Family Program (Grades 1-2), 11 a.m.; Yiddish Class, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman. TUESDAY: Jewish Values Class, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Mahjong, 1 p.m. WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Dr. Greenspoon’s Class, 6 p.m.; Hebrew High with Dinner (Grades 8-12), 6:30 p.m.; Community Beit Midrash, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El. THURSDAY: Brachot and Breakfast, 7 a.m.; Planned Parenthood Tour, 6 p.m. Nebraska AIDS Coaltion Lunch, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Joan Marcus serves lunch once a month at the Nebraska AIDS Project, and she needs baked goods for dessert. Contact Joan if you can help by donating baked goods.
BETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer FRIDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Mincha/Candle Lighting, 7:20 p.m. SATURDAY: Open Beit Midrash, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Tot Shabbat, 10:50 a.m.; Simcha Kiddush, 11:15 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 6:20 p.m.; Teen-led Youth Group, 7 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:05 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:20 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 am.; Works of Maimonides, 9:45 am.; JYE BI., 10 am.; Mincha/Daf Yomi/Ma’ariv, 7:25 p.m. at Beth Israel. MONDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Tasty Torah, noon with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Daf Yomi/Ma’ariv, 7:25 p.m. at Beth Israel. TUESDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Mincha/Daf Yomi/Ma’ariv, 7:25 p.m. at Beth Israel. WEDNESDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Mincha/Daf Yomi/Ma’ariv, 7:25 p.m. at Beth Israel; Meat Your Whiskey; Beth Israel Men’s Club, 8 p.m. THURSDAY: Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Daf Yomi/ Ma’ariv, 7:25 p.m. at Beth Israel; Women’s Rosh Chodesh Group, 7:30 p.m.
CHABAD HOUSE Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. SUNDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m.; Sunday Secrets, 9:15 p.m. following Minyan. MONDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani; Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introduction to Reading Hebrew, 10:30 a.m.; Power Lunch, noon with Shani. THURSDAY: Intermediate Hebrew Reading and Prayer, 11 a.m.; Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman. All programs are open to the community. For more information call 402.330.1800 or visit www.Ochabad.com.
B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby. FRIDAY: HIAS Refugee Shabbat Service with Tifereth, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Oneg, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:21 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:45 a.m. on Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei; Potluck Dinner and Game Night, 6 p.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 5:52 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; Adult Hebrew Class, 11:30 a.m.; Jewish Book Club Meeting, 1:30 p.m. at the home of Sadie Wilson, 6112 S. 25th Street and will discuss Tattooist Of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. This month’s Movie Night Double Feature is two Steven Spielberg films: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and with The Adventures of Tintin (2011) on Saturday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on Friday, April 17, 7:30 a.m. with featured speaker, Niput Mehta, founder of ServiceSpace.org at Lincoln Station Great Hall, 201 N. 7th St. in Lincoln. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased via Eventbrite through Friday, April 10. For more information, call Stephen Griffith at 402.730.8927. As you start to make summer plans, consider sending your child to LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 20-31, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at TI. Kosher dairy snack and lunch included. Tuition for each week is $75 per camper. This program is open to children ages 5-14. We require ALL campers to be registered through the LJCS, therefore we cannot accept dropin guests. Please contact Andrea at 402.217.2631 if you are interested in enrolling your student no later than July 1.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Stan Edelstein. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.
TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.m. An evening created just for our youngest congregants! We’ll begin at 5:45 p.m. with challah braiding and baking, at 6 p.m. there will be crafts, music, and prayers, and at 6:30 p.m. we’ll enjoy dinner together. PJ Library will bring a story for the children and provide wine for the adults during dinner. RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536; Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. “L’Dor V’Dor: Ensuring Our Jewish Future” with Rabbi Stoller; Bar Mitzvah of Joseph Scioli. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; The Color of Shabbat: Spirituality through Artistic Expression, 10:30 a.m. Interactive opportunity to experience the beauty of Shabbat and express yourself creatively through painting and other visual arts, led by creative artist Annette van de Kamp-Wright and one of our clergy. We’ll begin with a short text study and discussion with the clergy about the weekly Torah portion, followed by an artistic prompt to begin creating. Please wear clothes meant for painting in! RSVPs needed. SUNDAY: No Youth Learning Programs. WEDNESDAY: More Than a Joke: Let it Grow: Jewish, Christian & Muslim Perspectives on the Environment,
noon at Temple Israel; Grades 3-6, 4-6 p.m.; Community Dinner, 6 p.m. Menu: pizza bagels, roasted veggies, enhanced salad bar, dessert. RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536; Grades 7-12, 6-8 p.m.; Omaha Jewish Community Beit Midrash: A Sacred Trust: Jewish Insights on Leadership & Choosing Leaders, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El. Havdalah Soirée with Tish, Saturday, March 28, 7:3010 p.m. at Corkscrew Blackstone - Garage Party Room + Patio, 3908 Farnam St. Join other young adults at Temple Israel to mark the end of Shabbat with drinks, heavy hors d’oeuvres, dessert, and fun! The cost is $15 per person or $25 per pair (couple or friends and includes two drinks (wine or beer) and food. RSVP by Friday, March 20: tinyurl.com/Tish2. Tish is a group for Temple-ish people who are 30-ish and 40-ish, single-ish or marriedish, Jewish and Jew-ish. Do you need a babysitter? Let Temple Israel help! Please contact Membership Engagement Coordinator Mindi Marburg, 402.556.6536, for babysitting assistance. Questions? Please contact Ally Freeman, allysonfreeman@gmail.com, or Leora Werner, leoraann93@gmail.com. Passover Breakfast and Service, Thursday, April 9: Breakfast, 9:15 a.m., Service, 10:30 a.m. and Passover Family Seder, 6 p.m. Concluding Passover Service and Yizkor, Wednesday, April 15, 10:30 a.m.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIDAY: HIAS Refugee Shabbat Service with Tifereth, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 7:21 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Service, 10 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 11 a.m. followed by a light Kiddush luncheon; Havdalah (72 minutes), 8:22 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; Tifereth Israel Board Meeting, 10 a.m.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. Unveiling of the monument for Elaine and Everett Evnen, Sunday, Mar. 29, 11 a.m. at Mt. Carmel Cemetery immediately followed by unveiling for Carole Davidson on Sunday, Mar. 29, at 11:30 a.m. Please join the extended Evnen family and the Davidson family as they kaddish is said and memories are shared. You're part of the puzzle...Don't be a missing piece! Join us for Tifereth Israel's Communal First Seder, Wednesday, April 8, 6 p.m. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to Seder. A Passover Seder For All Ages on the first night of Passover. Cost: Free to all but donations to help defray expenses may be contributed to the Lay-leader Discretionary Fund. RSVP to the office 402.423.8569 by March 27 to say you're coming or e-mail ncoren@tifere thisraellincoln.org. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on Friday, April 17, 7:30 a.m. with featured speaker, Niput Mehta, founder of ServiceSpace.org at Lincoln Station Great Hall, 201 N. 7th St. in Lincoln. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased via Eventbrite through Friday, April 10.. For more information, call Stephen Griffith at 402.730.8927. As you start to make summer plans, consider sending your child to LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 20-31, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Kosher dairy snack and lunch included. Tuition for each week is $75 per camper. This program is open to children ages 5-14. We require ALL campers to be registered through the LJCS, therefore we cannot accept drop-in guests. Please contact Andrea at 402.217.2631 if you are interested in enrolling your student no later than July 1.
Dead Sea Scrolls fragments at DC museum are fake does not question their authenticity. Bedouins MARC BRODSKY found clay jars in the West Bank’s Qumran caves in JTA 1947 holding thousands of the parchment scrolls The 16 Dead Seas Scroll fragments housed at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., are forgeries, museum officials March 13.. “We’re victims — we’re victims of misrepresentation, we’re victims of fraud,” CEO Harry Hargrove said at an academic conference hosted by the museum, National Geographic reported. A team of researchers led by an art fraud investigator issued a 200-page report saying that while the fragments may be made of ancient leather, the ink Fragments of the real Dead Sea Scrolls shown in 2003. was from modern times and altered to Credit: Normand Blouin/AFP via Getty Images look like the real Dead Sea Scrolls. Most of the 100,000 real Dead Sea Scroll fragments dating back more than 1,800 years, including some lie in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, and the report of the oldest surviving copies of the Hebrew Bible.
Life cycles IN MEMORIAM SARA LEE (DAVIS) SIGOLOFF Sara Lee (Davis) Sigoloff passed away peacefully on Feb. 12 at age 91 at the Health First Hospice, Cape Canaveral Hospital, Cocoa Beach, Florida. Services were held with her family and friends. She was preceded in death by parents Samuel Davis and Eva (Freeman) Davis and two brothers, Harvey Leonard Davis and Marvin David Davis. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Nancy Lou (Sigoloff) and Monroe “Monte” Taback of Merritt Island, FL and Barbara Ann (Sigoloff) (Aldridge) Dooley and William “Bill” James Dooley of Kansas City, MO; four grandchildren: James Brian Aldridge and Tracey Duffy of New York City, NY, Michelle Stacy Aldridge and Michael Mitchell of Asheville, NC, Rachel Danielle Sigoloff Taback of Tampa, FL, and Michael Davis Sigoloff Taback of Altamonte Springs, FL; three step-grandchildren: Leah Kathryn (Dooley) and Eric Eickhoff of Chagrin Falls, OH, Elizabeth Anne (Dooley) and Abraham Forney of St Joseph, MO, and Erin Kristine (Dooley) and Grant Goris of Wentzville, MO; three great-grandchildren: Natalie Sky Aldridge, Jared Dylan Aldridge and Lloyd Brinley Griffin IV; six step-great-grandchildren: Lauren Eickhoff, Annelise Forney, Wyatt Forney, Naomi Forney, Ryan Goris and Nathan Goris. Sara Lee was born on Oct. 1, 1928 in Omaha and graduated from Central High School in 1946. She attended the University of Missouri, Columbia where she met her husband Edwin “Eddie” Earl Sigoloff; they married on Aug. 3, 1947. She worked in his clothing store “Eddie’s Toggery” in Columbia, and she was one of the original employees at Nieman Marcus in St. Louis. In 1998, Sara Lee and Eddie retired to SunTree, Melbourne, FL where she volunteered at SunTree Elementary School and was awarded “Senior Volunteer of the Year.” She loved visitors, was an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, and read the New York Times every day. There was always a book to read and a cookie for her visitors. She was a member of Temple Israel, Vierra, FL. Sara Lee loved being a Granny and keeping up with her grand and great-grandchildren. Her body was donated to the University of Central Florida Medical School at her request. Memorials may be made to Temple Israel, 7350 Lake Andrew Drive, Vierra, FL 32940.
With most flights canceled due to coronavirus, a chartered airlift is bringing US teens home from Israel
MARCY OSTER JERUSALEM | JTA The entire student body of URJ Heller High in Israel, a high school affiliated with the Reform movement, will return to the United States on a chartered flight, along with dozens of students from other Israeli programs for American teens. Rabbi Loren Sykes, URJ Heller High principal, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency Sunday that the flight, which is scheduled to leave on Monday night, came together in less than 24 hours. There are 232 seats on the charter flight and 87 of them will be filled by Heller students who were spending the semester in Israel. They will be accompanied by a chaperone. Sykes declined to name the other institutions that will be putting students on the flight, which cost $1,800 per passenger. But he acknowledged that there would be students from different Jewish denominations on the flight. Sykes said that Heller students will complete the rest of the school year via online learning, allowing the students to receive their full credits for the semester of high school. “We are very, very sad that the students have to go home, but it’s the prudent thing to do,” said Sykes, who also serves as the director of Israel Programs for URJ Youth. He said that the Israeli government’s announcement Saturday night prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people and the Ministry of Tourism’s previous announcement that all tourists must return home (the students are in Israel on tourist visas) were enough to set the plan to return the students in motion.
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Benny Gantz gets the chance to form a new Israeli government
The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020 | 15
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Israel's President Reuven Rivlin, center, meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, head of the Likud Party, and Benny Gantz, head of Blue and White, to discuss forming an emergency unity government, on March 15, 2020. Credit: Koby Gideon/GPO
MARCY OSTER JERUSALEM | JTA Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will give Benny Gantz the task of forming a new government, his office said March 15. Rivlin met March 15 with the heads of all the parties that won seats in Israel’s parliament in its last election earlier this month. At the end of the consultations, which were broadcast nationally, 61 lawmakers recommended Gantz form the new government, while 58 lawmakers recommended the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Later, Gantz and Netanyahu met with Rivlin about the possibility of forming a joint emergency government to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Gantz received the nod from all four parties that make up the mostly Arab Joint List, a total of 15 seats, as well as from Avigdor Liberman and his Israel Beiteinu party’s seven seats. In the prior two post-election consultations, Liberman did not recommend a candidate, calling for a unity government made up of both Gantz and Netanyahu instead. But just because Gantz has the opportunity to form a government does not mean he will succeed in bringing together a majority coalition. Orly Levy-Abekasis, head of the Gesher Party, which ran in coalition with the left-wing Labor and Meretz parties, declined to recommend a candidate. And two Blue and White lawmakers, Zvi Hauser and Yoaz Hendel, have said they will not sit in a government with the Arab parties. Even though Liberman recommended giving Gantz the opportunity to form a government, he called during his consultation with Rivlin for the formation of an emergency unity government in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic. Meanwhile, Joint List head Ayman Odeh warned that his party would not support a unity government between Likud and Blue and White, saying his coalition would be its “main opponents.”
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16 | The Jewish Press | March 20, 2020
Lifestyle FOOD | E N TE RTA I N ME N T | C ULT URE
How to make pastrami gravlax and impress your friends SHANNON SARNA This story originally appeared on The Nosher. Tell someone you made the gravlax at your next brunch, and I promise they will be impressed. The truth is that gravlax is a surprisingly simple dish to make. There is no actual cooking involved, but you will have to plan ahead because it takes at least 4 to 5 days to allow it to cure in your fridge. But why stop at simple gravlax!? Curing fish, particularly salmon, can take on different flavors depending on what ingredients you include while curing. Beets, herbs, vodka, citrus can all be included to flavor gravlax. And so can pastrami spices. Adding pastrami spice to gravlax does require one additional step, so make sure to read the recipe in its entirety before starting. (That’s great advice for any time you tackle a new dish!) You can serve pastrami gravlax at your next brunch with some good pumpernickel bagels, rye bread, cream cheese and wedges of fresh lemon.
PASTRAMI GRAVLAX Ingredients: 1 pound salmon fillet (skin on is fine) 1/2 cup coarse kosher salt 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 Tbsp. black pepper 1 tsp. paprika 1 bunch fresh cilantro 1 bunch fresh parsley 2 Tbsp. lemon juice plus a few slices of lemon For the glaze: 2 Tbsp. molasses 2 tsp. water 1/2 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. dried coriander 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds Directions: Combine salt, sugar, pepper, paprika and lemon juice in a small bowl. Place salmon on a large piece of plastic wrap and cover on all sides with the saltsugar mixture. Add fresh cilantro, parsley and a few slices of fresh lemon. Wrap salmon tightly, put on a plate and place in the fridge for 3-5 days. After 3-5 days, remove salmon from the fridge and rinse off the seasoning under cool water. Pat dry and place on a clean plate. Combine molasses, water and spices in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat
and cool. Glaze salmon with the molasses-spice mixture and place back in the fridge, uncovered,
for 1 additional day. Slice the salmon thinly using a sharp knife and serve. Serves 8-10.
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