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RBJH: Reunited and it feels so good
The story of the machinist, 33072, and a ring Page 3
GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer hen the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home closed its doors to the public on March 8, 2020, no one could have anticipated how long it would be before Residents could be physically reunited with their families. It was with great care and emotion that visitations for RBJH Resident family members were able to resume on March 24, 2021. Visitors will be screened prior to entry and are asked to please be respectful, patient and compliant with all RBJH regulations and protocols in order to ensure the safety of all staff and Residents. Everyone entering will have their temperatures taken and will be required to answer a series of screening questions. All ‘social visits’ will take place in common areas and will be supervised to ensure adherence to protocols. Visitors will be provided with fresh masks upon entering the RBJH. Residents and visitors will be required to sanitize hands before visiting. While all protocols are subject to change, Chris Ulven, RBJH Executive Director, explains what to expect:“We are allowing two family members for indoor/outdoor ‘social visits’ at one time. ‘Social visits’ are scheduled
W The Kaplan Book Group Page 5
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In memory of Alan Levine ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Alan J. Levine passed away Thursday, March 18 in Malibu, California, at the age of 83. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hyman and Ruth Levine. Alan leaves behind a sister, Judy Hurd, and a strong bond of extended family and friends.
Shari Eades visits her mother Faye Ruback with her two dogs
every 30 minutes with a 20 minute visit and time to sanitize between visits. Each Resident may have up to three ‘social visits’ per week in order to allow all Residents an equal opportunity to receive visitors.” Ulven continues. “This past year has been unimaginably hard on all of us, but none more so than on our Residents. While we have definitely adapted to and appreciate See RBJH: Reunited page 2
Schwalb Center’s Sokolof Lecture features Dr. Rabinovitch
Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND
DR. JEANNETTE GABRIEL Director, Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies The University of NebraskaOmaha’s Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies is pleased to announce its 2021 Sokolof Lecture featuring Dr. Simon Rabinovitch from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Rabinovitch will be presenting a lecture, What’s Jewish About the Jewish State?: Examining Israel’s Fierce Debate on the Nation-State Law during an online event Thursday, April 29 at 7 p.m. He will also be presenting a lecture on his forthDr. Simon Rabinovitch
coming book, Religious Freedom and the Jews: Collective Rights and Modern States during an online event Wednesday, April 28 at noon. Registration is required for both events and links can be found on the Schwalb Center website. These lectures will examine issues of Jewish
identity and religious freedom within Israel and throughout the world. Dr. Simon Rabinovitch is an Associate Professor of History at Northeastern University. He received his PhD from Brandeis University in Comparative History. Before coming to Northeastern, he was based out of Boston University as the Associate Director of the Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum with an appointment at the Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies. Dr. Rabinovitch has held visiting professor positions at Tel Aviv University, the University of Helsinki and Hebrew College, Boston. His publications include Jewish Rites, National Rights: Nationalism and Autonomy in Late Imperial and Revolutionary Russia (Stanford University Press, 2014) and he edited Jews and Diaspora Nationalism: Writings on Jewish Peoplehood in Europe and the United States (Brandeis University Press, 2012) and Defining Israel: The Jewish State, Democracy, and the Law (Hebrew Union College Press, 2018). See Sokolof Lecture page 2
Alan J. Levine
Burial was Wednesday, March 31 at the Pleasant Hill section of Temple Israel Cemetery. Rabbi Brian Stoller officiated. Alan was born in Omaha and although he lived in California for over 60 years, he had warm memories of his hometown. In 2020, he said: “Going to Central High was fantastic. There were so many Jewish students and we all knew each other. There were countless ways to come together and reasons to connect.” “Alan had a huge heart and loved life, family and friends deeply and devotedly,” his cousin, David Harris, said. “His connection to Omaha survived his many years in California. He will be sorely missed.” Several years ago Alan began thinking about his legacy. He felt that he wanted to be part of something that would benefit as many community members as possible in the most positive way. “I came back to Omaha and met with some of the people involved in the campus renovation,” He said. “I remember Marty Ricks was there and he asked: ‘What do you really want?’ That’s when it dawned on me: I want something that makes people happy. The theater fits the bill, it’s a living space, it’s vibrant and it allows many different community members, young and old, to stand shoulder to shoulder and connect. In a theater, whether you are a performer or an audience member or otherwise involved with a production, you build relationships with people you might not otherwise meet.” Marty Ricks knew Alan for over 20 years and visited him often in California. See Alan J. Levine page 11
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JFS wins JNJHSA 2021 virtual conference award Jewish Family Service was awarded the Network of Jewish Human Service Agency’s 2021 Virtual Conference Best Practices award. Award winners will be recognized during the NJHSA Virtual Conference on April 19. Illuminating the work of our most exemplary individuals within our member agencies is the goal of the Extraordinary Leadership awards. “This year we had many stellar submissions from among our members, and our selection process involved rigorous peer review,” NJHSA CEO Reuben Rotman said. “With a mission to serve
their community during this unprecedented pandemic, JFS has demonstrated their ability to foster high impact
solutions, innovative practices and dynamic opportunities for their community during a time of crisis and isolation.” The NJHSA is an international membership association of more than 140 nonprofit human service agencies in the
United States, Canada and Israel. Its members provide a full range of human services for the Jewish community and beyond, including healthcare, career, employment and mental health services, as well as programs for youth, families and seniors, Holocaust survivors, immigrants and refugees, persons with disabilities and caregivers. The Network strives to be the leading voice for the Jewish human service sector. As the go-to resource for advocacy, best practices, innovation and research, partnerships and collaborations, The Network strengthens agencies so they can better serve their communities.
RBJH: Reunited Continued from page 1 the use of technology for remote visits, nothing can compare to being face-toface with loved ones. While we were able to have limited indoor visitation for a short time this past fall, we were unable to continue once the positivity rate in Douglas County rose above 10%.” “Once Douglas County fell below 10% for two consecutive weeks, we began allowing limited visits following Douglas County Health Department guidance in late February,” explains Ulven. “CMS issued revised guidance on March 10 that was effective immediately to allow limited physical contact for any Resident that was two weeks past receiving their final dose of vaccine.” According to Ulven, the majority of RBJH Residents and staff received the Pfizer vaccine in two doses. “We had three sessions spread out every three weeks beginning Jan. 1, 2021. The second week in March, we had six newer Residents receive their first dose of the Moderna vaccine. Our vendor will be back every four weeks to provide vaccine to Residents who need it.” He also said: “These vaccinations have made it possible for Residents to get hugs from their family members for the first time in over a year. To be able to see those first hugs take place was very special. Pure joy and pure love. Human contact is priceless and very much needed by everyone. Going a year without a hug; it is inhumane, at best. To say that my staff and I are overjoyed for our Residents and their families is an understatement,” Ulven said. Within the parameters of the newly issued guidance and underscoring the importance of physical touch, visitors and residents are now allowed to hug at the beginning and end of each visit, with appropriate physical distancing in between. Sanitizing will be required before and after each physical contact. Ulven gives enormous credit and much respect to the staff of the RBJH. “Our staff really stepped up this past year. In addition to their normal duties, they covered a wide array of roles usually filled by family, friends and dedicated volunteers. They have had to be very nimble in adjusting to the frequent changes in guidelines in regards to what can and cannot occur at the Blumkin Home. Nobody likes to be the ‘bad guy’ and say ‘no’ to something that might have been allowed a week earlier, but we have to be at times to make sure we are following the rules to the best of our ability. At the end of the day, we are doing our best to keep our Residents safe, healthy and happy.” For Maggie Conti, RBJH Activities Director, the inability to have friends and family in the building was especially challenging and she expresses gratitude
to the RBJH staff members for going above and beyond in helping to find fun ways to engage Residents and keep spirits high. “From themed patio parties, special luncheons, innovative activities,
connecting to Synagogues and community leaders, and car parades to just making time to sit and talk or play games with Residents... the list just goes on. I could not have asked for a more caring and dedicated staff.” It has also been important to RBJH leadership to boost the morale of the staff as much as possible. “We asked a lot of our staff and understand that they also faced their own personal family challenges because of the pandemic,” explains Conti. “From changes to routines in their own personal lives to minimize risk to our Residents to daily COVID testing at one point before shifts... no one wanted to take any chance of bringing the virus to work and we worked together with that common goal.” The leadership at the RBJH has made conscious efforts to show appreciation and lend extra support to staff though catered meals, theme days like wacky Wednesdays and other morale boosters. Conti also expressed appreciation to the community, individuals and the many organizations and who have reached out in kindness to help in any way they could - from organizing every-
thing from donation drop offs of materials and pen pals letters, to Zoom programs and the recording of Shabbat songs. She adds, “as always, L.O.V.E. has been a wonderful resource in helping to bring cheer to holidays with videos, decorations and gifts, and new Resident welcome bags to ease transitions spent in quarantine. “I know L.O.V.E. is also planning a fabulous community event, celebrating 50 years in 2022. While it’s challenging to plan without knowing when it will happen, when we are finally able to fully open our doors,we will rejoice!” Besides social visits, the Home is also offering two additional family visitation options. ‘Compassion visits’ will take place in private Resident rooms for those Residents who might be in quarantine or physically unable to comfortably have an indoor/outdoor ‘social visit’. Visitors will be required to don full PPE prior to visiting with their loved ones. These visits have a one-hour time limit. ‘End of life visits’ take place in the Resident room and are restricted to two visitors at a time with no time limit. Full PPE must be worn. “Staff, Residents and families can see a light at the end of the tunnel after a year of pure hell,” explains Ulven. “I just can’t say enough about the resiliency of our staff and Residents and the support of families this past year. Our Residents and staff just battled through constant changes that were sometimes so frequent we’d joke about ‘...this morning’s guidance vs. this afternoon’s guidance...’ “Through it all, I did not receive a single complaint from families about what we were doing. It was complete and total support with an unbelievable amount of gratitude for the steps we were taking to protect their loved ones. Families obviously had many questions and concerns, but were very understanding of our answers and I cannot express enough how appreciative we are of their unconditional love and support.”
NJHS presents Jewish Roots RENEE CORCORAN NJHS Executive Director Are you curious about where your family came from? On Sunday, April 25 at 2 p.m., plan to attend a Zoom meeting sponsored by the Klutznick Chair in Jewish Civilization at Creighton University. Rabbi Andy Bachman will help us better understand our roots. This event is brought to you by the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. Join Zoom meeting at https:// zoom.us/j/95717748671?pwd=OF Y1cEJ3R0FCRHJ1bjlDQkR1aTY2U T09, Meeting ID: 95717748671, Passcode: 542874.
One tap mobile at +13462487799,, 9571774867 1# US (Houston), +1669 9006833,,9571774867 1# US (San Jose). Dial by your location:+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston), +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose), +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma), +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago), +1 929 436 2866 US (New York), +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC). Meeting ID: 957 1774 8671. Find your local number at https:// zoom. us/u/av19hIxz1. Join by Skype for Business at https: //zoom.us/skype/95717748671.
The Jewish Press | April 9, 2021 | 3
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Sokolof Lecture Continued from page 1 The 2021 Sokolof Lecture, What’s Jewish About the Jewish State? Examining Israel’s Fierce Debate on the Nation-State Law, will examine and analyze the impact of Israel’s 2018 Nation-State Law. The passage of the law sparked protests from Israel’s Druze minority population. The Druze community raised concerns that this Law impinged on their status as equal citizens. While the Druze minority represents only about 120,000 people in Israel, tens of thousands of Israelis joined the protests expressing concern about how the law affected the different ethnic and religious groups that reside within Israel. The Israeli Supreme Court heard a challenge to the Nation-State Law in December 2020 but have not yet released a ruling. Dr. Rabinovitch will also present a lecture on his forthcoming book, Religious Freedom and the Jews: Collective Rights and Modern States, on Wednesday, April 28 at noon. This event is cosponsored with the B’nai B’rith Monsky Lodge Omaha. Dr. Rabinovitch will examine case studies of Jewish struggles for religious freedom that forced governments to recognize collective rights in Europe, North America, and Israel. The Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies was founded at UNO ten years ago by Natan and Hannah Schwalb based on their vision to provide young people in Omaha an opportunity to learn and explore Jewish and Israel Studies through scholarship and travel. Today the center provides Israel and Jewish studies related academic offerings and research, local and international community outreach, and faculty and student scholarships for research and travel. For more information on Schwalb Center 2020 programming please see our website at http://www.unomaha. schwalbcenter.edu.
ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS The Monsky Lodge of B’nai B’rith is pleased to announce the resumption of its award-winning speaker program via ZOOM. Although the Home auditorium remains temporarily closed, we’ll continue presenting an outstanding lineup of thoughtprovoking keynoters. For specific speaker information and/or to be placed on the email list, please contact Breadbreakers chair Gary Javitch at breadbreakersomaha@gmail.com or leave a message at the B’nai B’rith JCC office 402.334.6443.
LOCA L | N ATION AL | WORLD
The story of the machinist, 33072, and a ring
switz and received his tattoo of MARY SUE GROSSMAN Ignaz “I.G.” Grossman, of 33072, a number he would use blessed memory, was my faas an identification number for ther-in-law, a fact of which I belongings for the remainder will be forever thankful. While of his life. When his machinist small in stature, he had incredskills were discovered, he was ible physical strength with a sent to Gusen Zwei, one of the ready smile for his family and sub-camps of Mauthaussen. At friends. His work ethic was unGusen Zwei underground tunending and his devotion and nels were built, some of which love for his family was boundwere in a hollowed out mounless. While not from a strong tain. The tunnels were used to religious family, he was fiercely build Messerschmitt ME 109 proud of being a Jew. One of his and ME 262 aircraft. These greatest joys in his later years dreaded planes were the terror was doing the hagbah - the in the skies throughout the raising of the Torah - during war. The slave laborers worked Shabbat services and showing endless hours in dreadful cona full seven Torah panels to the ditions with scarce food, water congregation. and rest. I.G. was from Ružomberok a Soon there was the day that small town in the Tatra Mouna Nazi officer brought several tains in northern Czechoslovapieces of gold jewelry he had kia, now called Slovakia. He “found” and ordered I.G. to always referred to himself as a melt the pieces and create a Slovak. His parents, seven sibring for the officer to wear. The I.G. Grossman in Czechoslavakia pre WWII lings, aunts, uncles and “found” jewelry was, of course, cousins were close. He and his brothers loved to ski. I.G. and pieces stolen from the homes of Jews that were stolen when his brother trained as machinists and had their own busy and the Jewish families were deported to the concentration successful machine shop. World War II broke out and their camps. While not trained as a jeweler, I.G.’s foundry and blacklives were changed forever. When Czechoslovakia was in- smith skills coupled with his machinist skills enabled him to vaded in May 1949, I.G. joined the Czech army as a tank com- make that first ring. Apparently his efforts were acceptable mander. The army was quickly and decisively defeated and the and that first order was quickly followed by other orders. I.G. soldiers were taken as prisoners. He was first shipped to Auch- See The machinist page 5
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The Pennie Z. Davis E.L.C. ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor You may want to read that headline again. ‘E.L.C.’ stands for Early Learning Center, and it is the new name for what we have known for 20 years as the Childhood Development Center, C.D.C. for short. The first part of the name, Pennie Z. Davis, will stay the same. “We wouldn’t dream of changing that,” Mark Martin said. “Without the Davis family, we wouldn’t be here!” So how did the name change come about? “We were enthusiastically planning our 20th anniversary for 2020,” E.L.C. Director Jeanine Huntoon said, “but we all know what happened next.” When the pandemic hit in February of 2020, the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home was the first to close its doors to visitors. Soon after, that example was followed by the Jewish Federation administrative offices, Friedel Jewish Academy, the J.C.C. and the Childhood Development Center. It would be June before children came back to the building. In the meantime, the world went virtual: from synagogue services to funerals, from gym lessons to elementary schools; it all moved online and the C.D.C. was no different. The name change, Jeanine said, “reflects more accurately who we are as an organization. Besides, during the pandemic, while the ‘other’ C.D.C. was on the news every day, it became even more obvious it was time for re-branding.” The image the Pennie Z. Davis E.L.C. wants to have in the community is one of trust, Jeanine said. “It’s also the most important message to send to the parents. We build trust, we educate and we nourish the children with everything we do. Of course, we focus on social, emotional and academic skills, but the trust part is as important.” With that comes the fact that the E.L.C. is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (N.A.E.Y.C.), a professional membership organization that
works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. Only 10% of pre-schools in the country receive that accreditation. No wonder all current clergy either have children enrolled, or did so in the past before they aged out. “The collaboration with all our synagogues and Chabad is especially important,” J.C.C. Executive Director Mark Martin said. “When we’ve hosted Family Shabbat or Havdalah in the past, it is inspiring to have all synagogues and Chabad represented and celebrating with our families.” The E.L.C. re-opened in June of 2020 with 40 children. Today, that number is 181. “We safely brought the children back,” Mark Martin said. “I cannot praise the teachers enough for how they dealt with all the challenges the pandemic threw at us. It’s absolutely admirable.” While some of the policies have been revised, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 constantly changes, parents are still not allowed in the building. “Douglas County uses the E.L.C. as the standard for best practices,” Mark added. “That is a direct result of all the hard work the teachers have done.” E.L.C. Assistant Director Lisa Cooper agreed: “We didn’t really have a blueprint for going virtual when the pandemic hit, but the teachers did a great job staying connected from the very beginning. Initially, when we reopened, there was a little hesitation about how this was going to look for all of us, but there wasn’t a single teacher who refused to come back. That is not the case at many other pre-schools and I greatly admire and am very proud of our teachers for jumping right in.” New name, same great quality: as a community, we can be proud of the E.L.C. and its phenomenal staff—and there is much more to come! Also see Mark Martin’s article on page 7.
The Jews of India
JENNIE GATES BECKMAN JFO Director of Community Engagement & Education Join us for The Jews of India - One Family’s Story, Thursday, April 22, 2021, 7–8 p.m. via Zoom. Please register for this event at jewishomaha.org. This lecture will feature power-couple Abraham D. Sofaer and Marian Scheuer Sofaer in conversation on the Jews of India, diplomacy and current events in Israel, Iran and the entire Middle East. Vin and Laurel Gupta, local philanthropists and business leaders, will introduce their long-time friends the Sofaers during this program, which is presented in partnership between the Jewish Federation of Omaha and the JFO Foundation. Abraham D. Sofaer was appointed the first George P. Shultz Distinguished Scholar and Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution in 1994. Named in honor of former US secretary of state George P. Shultz, the appointment is awarded to a senior scholar whose broad vision, knowledge and skill will be brought to bear on the problems presented by a radically transformed global environment. Sofaer’s work focuses on the power over war within the US government and on issues related to international law, terrorism, diplomacy and national security. He served as Legal Adviser to the U.S. Department of State from 1985-1990 and is highly regarded as an expert on foreign affairs. His personal story is equally intriguing: born into the Baghdadi Jewish community in Bombay (now Mumbai), he attended boarding school in England and joined the U.S. Air Force after immigrating to the US as a young man. Personal interests include numismatics (coin collecting), music (he has a voice likened to Sinatra), and sharing with others his experience as a Jew indigenous to the Middle East. Marian Scheuer Sofaer edited the book Synagogues of India, describing more than 30 synagogues still existing in India, written by Jay A. Waronker. She had the honor of presenting the book to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Israel in 2017. After the synagogue in Chendamangalam was restored by the Kerala Department of Archaeology and Department of Tourism, Marian served as the project director for an exhibition, co-curated by Shalva Weil and Jay A. Waronker, to document the history of the local Jewish community for visiting tourists and local groups and to help preserve the synagogue as a cultural landmark for the Muziris Heritage Project and eco-tourism initiative. Marian and her husband, Abe, are frequent visitors to India. She is general counsel and co-founder of an arbitration and mediation firm, Federal Arbitration, Inc., and a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and Columbia Law School.
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The Kaplan Book Group SHIRLY BANNER Library Specialist On April 15 the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group will continue their Zoom meetings as they discuss Jennifer Weiner’s book, The Next Best Thing. Weiner drew upon her experience in television programming to create this novel. In it, protagonist Ruth Saunders’ parents are killed in a car accident that left Ruth disfigured as a toddler. Ruth’s grandma Rae moves back from Florida to raise and nurture her granddaughter. When at age 23 Ruth wants to pursue her dream of becoming a television writer, 70-year-old grandma Rae joins her as they head to Hollywood, the land of stars. Ruth’s first job in Los Angeles ends badly, but soon she is hired as an assistant to the writer-producer team know affectionally as “Big Dave” and “Little Dave.” With the help and mentoring of the two Daves, Ruth is able to successfully develop and pitch to the network her semi-autobiographical TV series based on her and grandma Rae’s experiences. The real
work begins as Ruth must lead her pilot series to fruition. In the true Hollywood world of glamour and glitz, as the show is being cast and produced, Ruth’s best intentions become a series of compromises and rewrites. Ruth’s vision of what the series The Next Best Thing should be is a far cry from what is actually shot and produced for the pilot. Along the way, Ruth and Rae both find love and ultimately happiness in their lives. Sometimes the compromises one makes in life don’t turn out and sometimes the last laugh is on those who insist on those compromises. Please join us for what is sure to be a lively
discussion of the real and not-so-real world of television programming. The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion group meets virtually via Zoom on the third Thursday of every month at 1 p.m. New members are always welcome. To view books discussed by the group over the past several years, go to www.jewish omaha.org, click on the “Community & Education” pulldown tab and navigate to “Kripke Jewish Federation Library,” then to “Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group.” The group receives administrative support from the Community Engagement & Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For information about the group and to join in the discussion, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sbanner@jewishomaha.org.
The machinist Continued from page 3 quickly found himself handling beautiful pieces of jewelry which had no doubt been family treasures with untold memories and meanings. “Doing this work was incredibly difficult for Dad,” explains Alex Grossman. “He knew each and every item delivered to him had been a treasure of a fellow, unknown Jew. Dad quickly became determined to find a way to cheat the Nazis and hide a small amount of gold to use a potential bribe or other means to aid in his future survival. “The exact details were never clear to me but in some way my father managed to retain a tiny amount of any gold, from each ‘order’ and keep it hidden. How he did so will forever remain a mystery.” Alex adds “The entire time he knew that if discovered, he would be killed.” In the spring of 1945, the Allies were moving closer and the Nazis realized the end was near. In a final attempt to murder as many as possible, the prisoners at the camp were driven into the tunnels. Explosive charges were set at the tunnel entrances with the intention of burying everyone alive. The charges were set but amazingly, did not explode. Perhaps those charged with igniting the charges left before completing that final task or by way of a miracle, no explosions took place. Allied soldiers arrived in early May of 1945, and the prisoners were liberated. When I.G. left the camp, the hidden gold was liberated with him. Taken to a displaced persons camp near Linz, Austria, I.G. later met and married Miriam Devorah Golomb, of blessed memory. Their only child, Alex was born in the camp on March 3, 1948. I.G.’s skills once again proved to be invaluable because he was hired to work for the U.S. Army. While doing that work, he also used the hidden gold and created the gold ring shown in this picture. The Army contacts later helped the family move to the United States in 1949. After a disasterous brief stay in New York during which time I.G. repeatedly became lost going home from his bicycle factory job, he asked HIAS to find a place with mountains for his family. Needless to say, there were no mountains, but Omaha quickly became their new, permanent home. Whenever talking about the war, which was not often, I.G’s voice would crack and tears would come to his eyes when talking about the loss of his family, particularly his parents. When telling the story of the ring however, I.G. would share it with a confident, self-satisfied look on his face. He reserved one specific profanity whenever speaking of the Nazis. While far from the English pronunciation, the meaning of the phrase “those sal ama vishes” (aka SOBs) was made clear with the disdain and utter disgust in his voice. When thinking about the history of the ring, there are many things that can be said about what it represents, including perseverance, strength, cunning, determination and pride. I.G. would not have thought of any of these words but no doubt often had a smile on his face when remembering one small way he was able to get back at the Nazis. “My father never wore the ring,” concludes Alex. “He said he was always saving it for me. I have never worn it either, choosing to keep it for the generations to come. Dad was a kind but tough old Jew who didn’t take any ‘drek’ from anyone. He was fair and respected others. His legacy has been and will continue to be a constant in my life. I hope I have been able to pass that legacy to our children and they will pass it to our grandchildren. The memory of my parents will forever be a blessing to me and our family.”
2021 Sokolof Lecture
WHAT’S JEWISH ABOUT THE JEWISH STATE?: Examining Israel’s Fierce Debate on the NationState Law Thursday, April 29 | 7 pm CDT | Online Dr. Rabinovitch will examine and analyze the impact of Israel’s 2018 Nation-State Law. The passage of the law sparked protests from Israel’s Druze population and raised questions about balancing minority rights and national self-determination.
Religious Freedom and the Jews: Collective rights and Modern States Wednesday, April 28 | noon CDT | Online Dr. Rabinovitch will discuss his forthcoming book (Yale) that compares legal cases in Europe, North America, Africa, and Israel where civil courts have decided on matters of Jewish law and communal identity. Schwalb Center for Israel & Jewish Studies 402.554.2788 | unomaha.edu The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities or employment. UNO is an AA/EEO/ADA institution. For questions, accommodations, or assistance please call/contact the Title IX/ADA/504 Coordinator (phone: 402.554.3490 or TTY 402.554.2978) or the Accessability Services Center (phone: 402.554.2872). UCTEMP0718
Simon Rabinovitch Associate Professor of History, Northeastern University, Boston PhD, Brandeis University Scholar of Modern Jewish and Legal History
6 | The Jewish Press | April 9, 2021
A Singing and Swinging Celebration of Summer
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.
Yom Ha’atzmaut Across North America is a live virtual concert experience hosted by “Hadar and Sheldon” and featuring some of the most recognizable names in Jewish music and leadership around the world.
SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 1:00 PM A Live Streaming Concert Event with communities across America
CHAVA MIREL & BAND
JOSH NELSON & BAND
HADAR & SHELDON
This program is free to the Omaha community. Thank you to the following organizations:
Register online at www.jewishomaha.org or scan QR code. Thank you to the Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation & Special Donor-Advised Fund for the Jewish Federation & its agencies for helping our community celebrate Israel’s 73rd Birthday together.
joy of Judaism that they gain at camp or in IsHAZZAN MICHAEL KRAUSMAN A Singing and Swinging Celebration of Sum- rael with their younger peers and siblings. mer is the title of Beth El Synagogue’s annual For the past several years our indefatigable Cantor’s Concert to support the Seth Rich Me- concert chairs have been Bruce and Pam morial Camp Scholarship Fund. The show is Friedlander and Joel and Mary Rich. When scheduled to be live-streamed asked why these selfless peoat 4 p.m., Sunday, May 16. ple dedicate so much time and This year, our concert will doveeffort to this cause Joel Rich tail into the festival of Shavuot replied: – a culmination of the process “Mary and I have been able to that begins with rejoicing in see how Jewish summer camps physical freedom characterized can be a difference in how by Pesach and concludes with young adults become involved a celebration of spiritual freein the Jewish community. It is dom associated with our recepessential for the future of Jution of the Torah on Shavuot. daism that our young people For us in 2021, this has extraorhave the opportunity to attend dinary significance as we begin Jewish summer camps and exto celebrate the prospect of perience living in an environHazzan Joanna Dulkin freedom from the restrictions ment where they can see the and devastation of the pandemic, and look to- values that will be important for their lives. ward the pending return to normal life. Helping to make sure Beth El’s kids can take Our featured guest star is Hazzan Joanna part in Jewish summer camps and Israel trips Dulkin, one of the leading voices on the Amer- allows us to ensure that the future of Judaism ican Jewish music scene. In addition to being a will be maintained.” highly accomplished and beloved cantor, Bruce Friedlander said: Dulkin is also an accomplished guitarist, a pub“Knowing how camp affects people’s lives lished writer and an award-winning composer. has taught me how important it is for our kids Hazzan Dulkin’s magnificent, sweet, to be in a special place that enables them to melodic voice has delighted audiences celebrate life and to live in a nurturing comaround the globe. Her versatile repertoire in- munity in a Jewish setting. This is foundacludes community singing, Broadway, pop tional to Jewish life. Those of us who can and folk as well as Israeli music and tradi- support kids going to camp, to be in that entional Hazzanut. Dulkin has a warm, engag- vironment, will have a great privilege of seeing ing personality towards which people of all these youngsters develop into people we can ages gravitate. She has served as a Rosh all be proud of.” (head) Music for Camp Ramah and is exThe need for Jewish summer experience tremely involved in the Ramah Movement. scholarships is ever-increasing as more and Hazzan Dulkin has also been on the faculty of more of our families seek to take advantage of the song leader boot camp. She is currently this invaluable opportunity to provide an exthe international vice president of the Can- tremely positive, nurturing Jewish environment tors Assembly and serves as the Hazzan of for their children. This year more than ever, Adath Jeshurun in Minnesota. many have been financially impacted by the Our annual Cantor’s Concerts have a two- pandemic and need help making this dream of part goal: to provide an unforgettable, mean- a summer of freedom a reality. Your support ingful and delightful Jewish musical would be a wonderful investment in the future experience to the Omaha community and to growth and leadership of our community! raise funds for the Seth Rich Memorial Camp Rabbi Steven Abraham, Spiritual Leader of Scholarship Fund. Seth Rich was part of our Beth El Synagogue, observed: Beth El family. He attended Camp Ramah in I’m incredibly thankful to Hazzan KrausWisconsin for six years, participated in the man and the concert committee for all the Ramah Seminar in Israel and served as a staff work they do to put on our annual Cantor’s member in Wisconsin for two years. Seth also Concert. Jewish summer camp benefits our attended Camp Sabra for one year. He was an students, their families, Beth El and the entire outstanding example of how attending Jewish Omaha Jewish community. We are extremely summer can benefit the individual and our lucky to be able to provide these funds to furcommunities – both Jewish and secular. ther our students’ Jewish identity. It is therefore our mission to provide a subAlthough there will be no charge to view stantial summer program subsidy to each and the concert online, a variety of giving levels every young member of the Beth El commu- have been established on our website: nity regardless of need or background. Not www.bethel-omaha.org. Those who suponly are summer experiences vital for the de- port this most worthy cause will be listed in velopment of a strong Jewish identity, but they the virtual program accompanying the show are fertile ground for the growth and nurtur- as well as in print in a future edition of the ing of tomorrow’s leaders. It is not an exagger- KOL – our synagogue newsletter. ation to say that a contribution to this fund is Make sure to attend A Singing and Swinging an investment in the future of the Jewish com- Celebration of Summer. You will be treated to munity. Another outstanding feature of our an enchanting afternoon of uplifting, festive summer experience scholarships is that we Jewish music that will give pleasure to your ask recipients to pay their grants forward by ears, joy to your heart and delight to your soul. volunteering at Beth El. The majority of these For more information, to donate or to be a outstanding young people accomplish this by sponsor of Cantor’s Concert visit our website: teaching the youngest of our students in our www.bethel-omaha. org or contact Hazzan BESTT religious school or by leading youth Michael Krausman, hazzankrausman@ synagogue services; in essence, they share the bethel-omaha.org.
B’nai Israel speaker series CAROLE LAINOF Joanna Sasson will present her family’s story about the Jewish Community that existed in Sudan for the Speaker Program at B’nai Israel on Friday April 9. Joanna lives in Toronto and is a personal friend of Hazzan Krausman from Beth El. Her talk is titled Sudan’s Jewish Community: A Personal Story which encompasses the early 1880 through the late 1960s. Her father was
raised in Sudan and her great grandfather served the Jewish community from 1906 until his death in 1946. Everyone is invited to hear this fascinating story about a Jewish presence that few of us have ever even heard about. Larry Blass will again lead the service at B’nai Israel, which begins at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Contact Howard Kutler HKutler@ gmail.com to join the service. Remember Everyone is Welcome at B’nai Israel.
The Jewish Press | April 9, 2021 | 7
News
RBJH volunteers
SABINE STRONG RBJH Volunteer Coordinator Jen Eisenman has been volunteering with RBJH since 2019. She creates the wonderful art on the chalkboard, as well as other art projects as they come up. She is a very talented artist, and does some exceptional art work. Prior to COVID, she helped with manicures, visited Residents and played cards, did hand massages in the lounges and accompanied Residents to medical appointments. Jen has such an upbeat and positive personality, it makes it Jen Eisenman easy for her to build great relationships with Residents. She is always willing to help us out where and when volunteer help is needed. Currently, Jen is giving her time to assist us with the Resident visitations. Jen is someone I can count on, and when I call her for help she always replies: “ I am here to help, anything you need.” Jen has a 5-year old son named Riley who attends Friedel Jewish Academy. You might have seen him around. Thank you, Jen, for everything you do! Say “HI” to Jen when you see her around.
Community Blood Drive at Temple Israel
CASSANDRA WEISENBURGER Temple Israel Director of Communications Donating blood products is essential to community health and the need for blood products is constant. Temple Israel is hosting a blood drive on Sunday, April 18, 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m., and all are welcome to come donate. Due to COVID-19, we will have extra safety protocols in place: • Anyone in the blood drive area will have to wear a mask and have their temperature taken before entering. • We will be social distancing all of our beds and history booths. Surfaces are disinfected between donors. Please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit https://rcblood.org/34YINQe to schedule an appointment. The American Red Cross is testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies. Additionally, plasma from whole blood donations that test positive for COVID-19 antibodies may now help current coronavirus patients in need of convalescent plasma transfusions. There is no known end date in this fight against COVID-19, and the Red Cross needs the help of blood and platelet donors.
LOCA L | N ATION AL | WORLD
JCC - ELC Connection Project MARK MARTIN JCC Executive Director When the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center ( formerly Child Development Center) reopened in June, 2020, we knew that we would be missing out on the community feeling that is so much a part of our school. We knew that someday we’d be able to bring the community back to our school, first virtually, and eventually, in person. Thanks to generous funding from the Staenberg Family Foundation’s Anything Grant program, the Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, the Blumkin family, and ELC parent donations, we are now able to welcome guests virtually to our school! With the support of our generous donors we have been able to purchase touch screen laptops for all 11 classrooms, 65” LED Smart TVs with dedicated screen beam units to connect to the laptops, and enhanced wifi to make everything run smoothly. Just this week we used the equipment for the first time to participate in the interactive JKids Radio All-Star Musical Passover Seder featuring Rick Recht and Friends in all of our classrooms. We will once again be able to celebrate Shabbat as a school (though currently classrooms each conduct their own Shabbat gathering). We look forward to resuming family programming in the very near future! While we likely would not have considered a project like this pre-Covid, we have since identified numerous ways this equipment can enhance our programming even when we are able to welcome visitors back to our building. We are so fortunate to be located on a campus that incorporates many community programs and agencies. Guests who visit the campus for a presentation or performance can easily be broadcast to our classrooms. We can connect with our grand-friends at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, even during the winter months when we typically do not visit due to illnesses. We can have Shabbat virtually with our local clergy, out-of-town grandparents, and even friends who have moved out of Omaha. We’re planning to set up virtual field trips with parents and community members. We look forward to partnering with classrooms at JCCs
across the United States and connecting with our partnership region in Israel. We have already taken advantage of various virtual training opportunities that we never would have been able to join had they not been offered through this format, including weekly teacher meetings with our Judaic Resource Educator. This technology is enriching the experience for both our children and teachers. We are a stronger community because of your support. It is not often the ultimate results of a concept not only meet expectations, but exceed them. Many thanks for the project’s completion go to Jeanine Huntoon, ELC Director and Lisa Cooper, ELC Assistant Director.
Getting settled? This week - a little insight behind the “why” of remodeling this space at the heart of our campus, including a nod to the design principle, “form follows function.” During the lengthy planning process designers held meetings with all sorts of stakeholders to evaluate how the library was currently being used and what vision there might be for that space in the JENNIE GATESfuture. The main question: what is BECKMAN our primary intention for this core JFO Director of space? Ultimately, the Learning Community Commons aims to provide the same Engagement & exact function as the space before - Education only improved for greater flexibility. The library was used in quite a number of ways, including but not limited to: meetings of all kinds, lectures, adult learning opportunities including both formal classes and more casual gatherings, B’nai Mitzvah tutoring and other one-on-one learning, library time for each class at Friedel Jewish Academy, field trips from the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center, as well as individual community members exploring the collection, using the computer to check their email, or reading a book. Many parents would set up and work as their children took advantage of all the classes available at the J. While the Weisman room will accommodate meetings, classes and receptions of all sizes, the glass walls separate it from the rest of the open floor plan, so that even when a formal lecture is in progress, folks will still feel welcome to browse new arrivals and check out a book or grab coffee with a friend.
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8 | The Jewish Press | April 9, 2021
Above and below: RBJH Residents enjoyed companionship while participating in their neighborhood Passover Seder.
Above: Clinton and Tyler Johanek, winners in the JCC Pickleball tournament.
SP O TLIGHT
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
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: Individual Seder plates for all students with placemats they made and their own Haggadah that they’ve put together while learning about the seder (order) of the Seder.
Above and below: Previously, we saw Friedel’s 3rd and 4th grade working on their earth lodges and teepees. Here are some of their creations!
The Jewish Press | April 9, 2021 | 9
Voices The Jewish Press (Founded in 1920) Abby Kutler President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Mary Bachteler Accounting Jewish Press Board Abby Kutler, President; Eric Dunning, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen, David Finkelstein, Candice Friedman, Bracha Goldsweig, Margie Gutnik, Natasha Kraft, Chuck Lucoff, Eric Shapiro, Andy Shefsky, Shoshy Susman and Amy Tipp. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Life, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha. org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.
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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.
Poor taste
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor When former Cal State Monterey Bay graduate student Thomas Shefflette was arrested at his campus apartment in February, according to the Jewish News of Northern California, he faced weapons-related felony and misdemeanor charges. But police also reportedly found other concerning things: a swastika taped to his wall and a photo of Hitler. Cal State Monterey Bay Public Safety Chief Earl Lawson said during a subsequent Town Hall meeting that the ongoing investigation had so far found no evidence that Shefflette was associated with any hate groups. Which I would love to believe- not everyone who owns a photo of Adolf is a registered member of a hate group, right? It’s possible. Then, Chief Lawson made it a lot worse, when he said: “Though we agree that there is no place for racism on campus, incredibly poor taste does not constitute a crime.” Come again? If I may state the obvious: having a swastika on your wall and a picture of Hitler are a little bit more than ‘poor taste.’ If we refer to evidence of antiSemitism as simply a matter of taste, we are headed in the wrong direction. And honestly, it sounds an awful lot like he is telling us not to be too sensitive. Don’t overreact, it’s just a swastika. Nothing to see here. As always, language has meaning. The words Lawson chose betray what he is really thinking: please don’t make this into something it isn’t. The fact that he calls it ‘poor taste’ so decisively shows
his reluctance to step outside himself and ask what tory, where we see an increased public awareness, other people feel and experience when confronted where random bystanders stop being bystanders with a neo-Nazi sympathizer. To most of us, the by pulling out their phones and recording inmere thought of having a swastika on your wall is stances of hate. More and more, hate is exposed in more than abhorrent: it’s terrifying. Its very nature gritty, handheld videos, when we can’t turn on the is to intimidate. ‘Poor taste,’ on the other hand, is news without seeing evidence of hate crimes and something we use when confronted with ugly wall violent intentions. Just this morning I saw a video paper or a too-revealing cocktail dress. of a 65-year old American Asian woman being We often find ourselves categorizing anti-Semitism or racism: where does it fall on the scale, how serious is it, should we speak up or should we let it slide? We rarely say hate is not really hate. The relevant questions, when someone has a swastika on his wall, are not taste-related. It matters who sets the narrative. If we continue to see people in positions of power dismissing warning signs, we are not making progress. If we continue to see those same people deciding when something is dangerous, without listening to those in The march against anti-Semitism in New York City, Jan. 5, 2020. Credit: John Lamparski/Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images their communities who might have a more nuanced opinion, we will continue to see dis- kicked to the ground. Whether it would be better enfranchised people idolizing Hitler. We’re not the to jump in than pulling out your phone is a differboy who cried wolf when we determine Nazi para- ent discussion, but the point is: hate happens, it is phernalia are a sign of hate. And truthfully, I don’t real, and we should never, ever ignore the warning know if we should be more concerned about the signs. neo-Nazi sympathizer or about the Public Safety Warning signs, from having a weapons arsenal in Chief who dismisses him. Isn’t that type of behavior your possession to having Nazi paraphernalia, are what defines a bystander? a promise of what’s to come. What they are not is We’re at a critical moment in our country’s his- a matter of taste.
Israel should help all Palestinians get vaccinated — whether legally obligated to or not MATAN ARAD-NEEMAN JTA While the world tries to quickly and safely vaccinate as many people as possible against COVID-19, I’ve watched a particularly inane legal debate with horror and frustration. Some defenders of Israel seem to be looking for any technicality in international law that would relieve Israel of its obligation to vaccinate Palestinians. The international legal consensus is that Israel, as an occupying power, is obligated to vaccinate the Palestinians per the Geneva Convention; Israel maintains that the Oslo accords place the responsibility with the Palestinian Authority. When Jewish Israelis and supporters of the state lose ourselves in such petty debates, we reduce ourselves to a nation of callous people. No provision in any treaty can obviate the moral reality that if we can help vaccinate others — especially those who live at least partially under our control — then we should. Vaccinating the entire Palestinian population “is an important objective, from a public health point of view, and of course also from a humanitarian point of view,” Itamar Grotto, the former deputy director general of Israel’s Health Ministry, told NPR earlier this month. As an Israeli American raised with pride in Israel’s resilience and its medical and scientific prowess, I believe we also have the means of doing so. Israel grabbed headlines around the world for a highly effective campaign to rapidly vaccinate Israelis, half of whom have been fully vaccinated. In contrast, the vast majority of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip remain unvaccinated. Israel has begun to vaccinate the 133,000 Palestinians who work as day laborers in Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, and has donated 5,000 additional doses to Palestinian areas following public pressure, but it has no plan to vaccinate the millions of other Palestinians. Some have claimed that the Palestinian Authority did not request assistance from Israel early in the vaccination campaign. However, since Decem-
ber, the Palestinian Authority has been requesting vaccine doses from Israel. In January, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that Israel has an obligation to provide the vaccine to all Palestinians. Even if the Palestinian leadership were not vocal in asking Israel for assistance, Israel could work with the Palestinian Authority to provide these vaccines as a goodwill gesture, building trust in the crucial months just ahead of rare Palestinian elections.
A Palestinian man who works in Israel receives the first dose of a Moderna Covid-19 vaccine by an Israeli medical worker in Meitar crossing checkpoint between the West bank and Israel on March 9, 2021. Credit: Amir Levy/Getty Images
World Health Organization data show that Palestinians in the West Bank have received 20% of its vaccine needs from the international COVAX consortium, backed by the WHO, including 10,000 doses of a Russian-made vaccine. The World Bank has urged Israel to consider donating doses it has ordered but does not need to the Palestinians, beyond the 5,000 doses Israel says it has already delivered to the West Bank. Even with a patchwork of vaccines donated by the United Arab Emirates and other nations, most Palestinians will remain unvaccinated for the foreseeable future without significant additional donations.
Since February, according to the BBC, there has been a sharp increase in both COVID-19 infections and deaths in the West Bank and Gaza. On one side of the Green Line, restaurants and businesses are filling up with vaccinated Israelis; on the other side, Palestinian hospitals are filling up with COVID-19 patients. In many global humanitarian crises, Israel rightfully takes pride in being the first boots on the ground to help clean up the resulting mess. Why is mobilizing on the COVID-19 crisis any different from deploying medical volunteers to far-flung disaster zones? It is fundamentally true that Israel is a country with the resources and ingenuity to vaccinate not only its own citizens, but Palestinians living under its occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. The Israeli government and nonprofits should begin prioritizing vaccination of Palestinians close to home. Foregoing vaccinations for Palestinians does not help Israelis. If anything, ensuring Palestinians can be vaccinated would make us safer and help speed up the country’s economic recovery. As we’ve learned, COVID-19 pays no regard to nationality. The virus will continue to mutate until we vaccinate a critical mass of all people. I grew up believing that Israel is a nation that seeks to do right, that has a generosity of means and a generosity of spirit that is rooted in Jewish values like tikkun olam. I grew up believing that to save a life is to save the entire world. If Israel is that nation, I can’t think of a better way of showing it than by vaccinating all Palestinians — and doing so in a spirit not of obligation, but of shared humanity. Matan Arad-Neeman is an Israeli-American student at Haverford College. He previously served as President of J Street U’s National Board and as a Field Organizer for the Arizona Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Georgia. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
Synagogues
10 | The Jewish Press | April 9, 2021
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
CHABAD HOUSE
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN
South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us via Zoom on Friday, April 9, 7:30 p.m. for evening services with guest speaker, Joanna Sasson. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. VIRTUAL MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m. and Mondays and Thursdays, 8 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. IN-PERSON MINYAN SCHEDULE AT BETH EL: Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Tot Shabbat, 4 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:35 p.m. SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m.; BESTT Classes (Grades K-7), 10:30 a.m.; Falafel To-Go Pick Up, 10:30 a.m.; Eric Mendelshon’s Synagogues in America, 7 p.m. MONDAY: Jewish Law with Rabbi Abraham, 8 p.m. TUESDAY: Biblical Literacy with Rabbi Abraham, 11:30 a.m.; A Rabbi and A Reverend, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Coffee & Conversation with Rabbi Abraham, 2 p.m.; Intergenerational Tai Chi with Beth Staenberg, 3:30 p.m.; BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:30 p.m.; Jerusalem Through the Ages with Dr. Rami Arav, 6 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Movie Day: Angels in the Outfield, 2 p.m.; Pearls of Jewish Prayer with Hazzan Krausman, 7 p.m. FRIDAY-April 16: Shabbat To Go Pick Up, 10 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY-April 17: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; USY Program, 8:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:45 p.m. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
BETH ISRAEL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. Classes, Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah on Zoom, WhatsApp or Facebook Live. On site services held outside in Sukkah, weather permitting. Physical distancing and masks required. FRIDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:40 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:42 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Monthly Kids Craft & Class, 12:15 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m. MONDAY: Shacharit, 6:45 am. TUESDAY: Shacharit, 6:45 am. WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari
(Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m. THURSDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Character Development, 9:30 am. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m. FRIDAY-April 16: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi with Rabbi Yoni — 30 mins prior to Mincha; Mincha, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:47 p.m. SATURDAY-April 17: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:50 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links. Due to Coronavirus, classes are being offered on-
CHABAD HOUSE line at ochabad.com/classroom. In-person services are Covid compliant and safe outdoors at Chabad. For schedules and more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 6 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Lechay im; LIght Candles at 7:40 p.m.; Count the Omer #12. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10:30 a.m.; Candlelighting after, 8:41 p.m.; Count the Omer #13. SUNDAY: Minyan & Coffee, 9 am.; Shacharit, 10:30 am.; Count the Omer #14. MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Count the Omer #15. TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Virtual Pirkei Avot Women’s Class, 7 p.m.; Count the Omer #16. WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introduction to Hebrew Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Count the Omer #17. THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Advanced Hebrew Class, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study, noon with Rabbi Katzman; Count the Omer #18. FRIDAY-April 16: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 6 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad. com/Lechayim; LIght Candles at 7:47p.m.; Count the Omer #19. SATURDAY-April 17: Shacharit, 10:30 a.m.; Shabbat Ends, 8:50 p.m.; Count the Omer #20. Virtual services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Leslie Delserone & Peter Mullin, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom; Candlelighting, 7:42 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Felch via Zoom; Torah Study on Parashat Shmini, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom; Havdalah, 8:43 p.m. SUNDAY: Garden time, 8:30-10 a.m. (rain date: April 18). We are cutting down perennials & trimming.
Bring lawn leaf bags, trimmers, string trimmers, clippers, etc. We have extras to share. If you have questions, please contact Ellin at ellin.siegel@ gmail.com; LJCS Grades Gan-Gesher, 10 a.m. via Zoom with guest speaker Lukasz Niparo; Adult Ed: Intro to Judaism with Rabbi Alex, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom; Men's Jewish Bike Group of Lincoln meets Sundays at 10 a.m. rain or shine to ride to one of The Mill locations from Hanson Ct. (except we drive if its too wet, cold, cloudy, windy, hot or humid) followed by coffee and spirited discussions. No fee to join, no dues, no president, no board or minutes taken. If Interested please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail. com to find out where to meet each week. MONDAY: Makers of Jewish Things, 7 p.m. via Zoom. TUESDAY: Synagogue Staff Meeting, 10 a.m.; Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Grades 3-7, 4:30 p.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY-April 16: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex and Star City Kochavim, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom; Candlelighting, 7:49 p.m. SATURDAY-April 17: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex via Zoom; Torah Study on Parashat Tazria-Metzora, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom; Havdalah, 8:52 p.m.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE All services canceled until further notice.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is currently closed to visitors.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander. DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. Join us via Zoom. FRIDAY: Shabbat Service with Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Rick Jacobs: Reimagining Jewish Life Before, During and After the Pandemic, 6 p.m. Join us via Zoom. SATURDAY: Torah Study with Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Rick Jacobs, 9:15 a.m. Join us via Zoom; Shabbat Service — Bat Mitzvah of Renatta Rogers, 10:30 a.m. SUNDAY: 2nd Sunday Breakfast at Stephen Center, 8:30 a.m.; Youth Learning Programs, 10 a.m.; Temple Tots, 10 a.m.; Yom Ha’atzmaut Across America: A Live Stream Concert, 1 p.m. MONDAY: Jewish Law Class & the Quest for Meaning, 11 a.m. Join us via Zoom. WEDNESDAY: Mindful Meditation with Margot Anderson, 9 a.m. Join us via Zoom; Youth Learning Programs: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Challah at Home, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Berezin. FRIDAY-April 16: Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Shabbat Service: Seven Texts all Reform Jews Should Know, 6 p.m. Join us via Zoom. SATURDAY-April 17: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. Join us via Zoom; Shabbat Service — Bat Mitzvah of Henry Yale, 10:30 a.m. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
Yemen’s Jewish population, once over 50,000, drops to below 10 GABE FRIEDMAN JTA Amid the ongoing civil war in Yemen, 13 Jews have immigrated to Egypt, leaving the country’s once vibrant community of at least 50,000 with a population of fewer than 10. Some reports claimed that the Iranbacked Houthi rebels, who control part of Yemen, forced the Jews to leave. The Times of Israel reported that the refugees instead struck a deal with the Houthis to leave peacefully to Cairo. They also reportedly refused an offer to go to Israel. Other Yemeni Jewish families have left for the United Arab Emirates in recent Yemeni Rabbi Youssef Moussa, left, and his brother Salem sit in an apartmonths, according to The Times of Is- ment in Sanaa, Yemen, Nov. 10, 2009, after fleeing conflict in the northern rael. The UAE is newly on formal diplo- part of the country. Credit: Marwan Naamani/AFP via Getty Images
matic terms with Israel after signing onto the Abraham Accords peace deal last year. Tens of thousands of Yemeni Jews left for Israel shortly after its establishment as a state in 1948, spurred by the wave of anti-Semitism across the Arab world that the founding had triggered. A group of 19 Yemeni Jews were brought to Israel on a secret mission in 2016 coordinated by the Jewish Agency for Israel. Attacks against Jews in Yemen had risen sharply since 2008, when a Jewish teacher was murdered in Raydah. In 2012, another Yemeni Jewish citizen was murdered in Sanaa, and a young Jewish woman was abducted, forced to convert to Islam and forcibly wed to a Muslim man.
Life cycles BAR MITZVAH HENRY JACOB YALE Henry Jacob Yale, son of Sarah and Adam Yale, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, April 17, at Temple Israel. Henry is a seventh-grade student at Westside Middle School. Henry enjoys spending time with his dog, Gertie, traveling, skiing and biking. He also loves video games and all things digital! For his mitzvah project, Henry organized a supply drive for the Nebraska Humane Society that included food, toys, blankets and other needed items. Henry loves animals of all kinds. He has two brothers, Charlie and Alexander. Grandparents are Cindy and Mogens Bay of Omaha, Donald and Jody Yale of Denver, and the late Janis Yale. Great-grandmother is Marie Belsky of Dodge, Nebraska.
IN MEMORIAM ALAN J. LEVINE Continued from page 1 “I initially met him when I was Executive Director of the JFO Foundation,” Marty said. “Over the years, we developed a friendship, especially after I retired. Every time my wife Iris and I visited LA, we’d stop by and see Alan. Alan Potash, Steve Levinger and others spent many hours in conversation with Alan to make his theater gift a reality. The one thing Alan cared about deeply was the legacy he would leave in Omaha. Omaha remained his real home, always.” Because of Alan’s gift, we now have a beautiful space in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater. To Alan, this theater was much more than a space, more than bricks: it’s what happens in that space, what it will be used for, that is the real gift. “Things are not the same as when I went to Central High, the community is more spread out,” he said. “A place like the Jewish Community Center is essential for people to connect in addition to the synagogues. There are so many reasons to show up; it’s much more than a room!” Memorials may be made to an organization of your choice.
The last known Jew in Afghanistan is leaving
GABE FRIEDMAN JTA The man who has been known as the last Jew in Afghanistan for well over a decade is leaving for Israel, fearing that the U.S. military’s promise to leave the country will leave a vacuum to be filled with radical groups such as the Taliban. “I will watch on TV in Israel to find out what will happen in Afghanistan,” Zabulon Simantov told Arab News on Sunday. Simantov, 61, said he will leave after this year’s High Holidays season in the fall. His wife, a Jew from Tajikistan, and their two daughters have lived in Israel since 1998. But Simantov has stayed in his native Afghanistan to tend to its lone synagogue, located in the capital
Kabul, through decades of violence and political turmoil, including a period of Taliban rule and the country’s war with the U.S. Simantov, a carpet and jewelry seller, was born in the Afghan city of Herat, which decades ago was home to hundreds of Jews. He eventually moved to Kabul but fled to Tajikistan in 1992 before returning to the capital city. Without him around, the synagogue will close, ending an era of Jewish life in the country that scholars believe began at least 2,000 years ago. “If the Taliban return, they are going to push us out with a slap in the face,” Simantov told Radio Free Europe last week for an article on the exodus of many of the country’s minority populations.
The Jewish Press | April 9, 2021 | 11
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12 | The Jewish Press | April 9, 2021
News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D
ADL’s Food For Thought Series hopes to start a larger conversation MURPHY SCOTT WULFGAR On March 8, 2021, two prolific local press editors—Annette van De Kamp-Wright, editor for the Jewish Press, and Terri Sanders, editor and publisher of The Omaha Star— began writing to each other in their respective publications in an ongoing, shared weekly conversation, aptly entitled: Letter from a Friend. Using their platforms in an age where division and misinformation run rampant, their conversation can be viewed as a model of civility, respect and the building blocks of fundamental progressivism and change. It is a simple format: ask questions and listen to the answers. Perhaps learn something. Perhaps share something that hadn’t been considered before. On Tuesday, April 13, at 2 p.m. CST, ADL’s Plains States Region (ADL-CRC) will present the next offering in it’s Food for Thought Series, How to Ask & When to Listen: Using Media to Foster Black/Jewish Allyship. Featuring an insightful and introspective discussion between these two women, the conversation will focus on how Jewish & Black communities can help each other during a time when both racism and antiSemitism are dramatically increasing. Terri Sanders is the Editor and Publisher of The Omaha Star Newspaper, a biweekly community newspaper. The paper was started by Mildred D. Brown, an African American woman, 83 years ago and is the only paper if its kind in the state. The Omaha Star has never missed publishing the paper since 1938. Terri also serves as Executive Director of the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center, promoting the profession of Journalism to high school students and is the former Executive Director of the Great Plains Black History Museum, noted in the Midwest for documenting the contributions of African Americans in the great plains of our country. An award-winning serial entrepreneur (Omaha Chamber Minority Business of the Year) Terri has had businesses that have spanned over 35 years as well as having been the initial
Terri Sanders
Annette van de Kamp-Wright
site manager of the Fair Deal Village MarketPlace, a retail opportunity that includes a grocery store, restaurant and ten shipping containers that house eight businesses. The MarketPlace is a $2.4 million economic development project by the Omaha Economic Development Corporation in the North Omaha community. Annette van de Kamp-Wright has been the editor of the Jewish Press ( founded in 1920) since 2010. She is a member of
Temple Israel and holds a seat on the Tri-Faith Initiative Board of Directors. She was born in the Netherlands, immigrated to America in 1996 and has spent the majority of her time since in Omaha. She studied US History at the Rijks Universiteit Utrecht and earned a Master’s in English Arts and Literature from the University of Nebraska. She worked at Boys Town for seven years, both in direct care on the Home Campus in Omaha and at the emergency shelter in New Orleans. An accomplished and eclectic artist, Annette, in addition to putting her energies into being a wife and the mother of a 19-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son, has followed her passion beyond civil justice and journalism—her artistry extending to fusion cooking and painting, as well. When asked about the collaboration with Ms. Sanders, Annette said: “This is such a welcome opportunity! Only when we talk to each other can we better understand where each of us lives, and where we come from. While racism and antiSemitism regularly make the news, the way we address this has not always been effective. We tend to pay more attention when things go wrong, while we could benefit tremendously if we listen to each other all the time, not just some of the time. Anti-racism doesn’t happen with bumper stickers and social media posts. It is only when we create relationships in our daily lives that we will grow as human beings, organically.” The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is doing its part to begin conversations and construction on bridges between marginalized communities to see if the sum of today’s efforts can bring forth the future others have fought for. Only together can we move forward through the collective obstacles we face. Opening lines of communication and sharing experiences and ideas seems an excellent place to start. You can learn more about this event (and others) or register for the webinar at ADL’s local website: omaha.adl.org/ events.
MOTHER’S DAY
Publishing date | 04.30.21 Space reservation | 04.20.21 Contact our advertising executive to promote your business in this very special edition. SUSAN BERNARD | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org