April 12, 2019: Passover Edition

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Next Year in Jerusalem elcome to the 2019 Jewish Press Passover edition!

It’s a bit different, the topic we chose for this issue.

It’s really two topics in one: the relationship we, as the Jewish community of Omaha, have with Israel and the relationship they have with us.

Our community has long had a strong relationship with Israel and Israelis. The question is, what does that mean? One can only imagine what it was like, back in 1948, when Israel declared its independence.

Much has happened since then, many of us have gone there and many Israelis have come here. We know each other a little better, though not always well enough: the image we have of each other can still at times be muddled because the news cycle is so different these days.

At the conclusion of our Seder, we say the words L’Shana Haba’ah B’Yerushalayim. It is more than just a phrase.

“Every year,” Rabbi David Hartman writes, “Jews drink four cups of wine and then pour a fifth for Elijah. The cup is poured, but not yet drunk. Yet the cup of hope is poured every year.

Passover is the night for reckless dreams: for visions about what a human being can be, what society can be, what people can be, what history may become. That is the significance of L’Shana Haba’ah B’Yerushalayim.” (MyJewishLearning.com) In the world at large, there is a definite agenda towards Israel. What we read and hear at home doesn’t always match what it is really like for Israelis themselves. At the same time, loving Israel does not automatically exclude bias. For some, having an opinion about Israel is like a social media relationship status: it’s complicated. For others, it is not.

Loving Israel is like breathing. It comes naturally.

I was 12 years old when my mother returned from her first Israel trip. She came back hooked, in love, amazed: she had found something she didn’t know she’d lost. Even at that young age, I sensed this was a very different kind of travel. It took very little time before she began to lead trips herself and when I turned 18, my older sister and I tagged along for the first time. It was 1989, the first Intifada was in full swing and there were places we weren’t allowed, other places we can no longer go these days but could back then. Finally I understood my mother’s obsession with this country. My brother went, my father went, we’ve lost count of how many times my mother has been back. In 2017, my daughter went for the first time and last year, my husband. Visiting Israel is like a rite of passage. You have to experience it for yourself to really understand how phenomenal a home it is.

This issue is full of stories about Omahans and Israelis and the way we see and know each other. It’s about Huskers and Shakshuka, about teen trips and Shlichim, about the Partnership and about Missions, the way Omahans have supported the Western Galilee Hospital and what it’s like for Israelis to experience the Diaspora—and then some. We hope you enjoy it and fill in the blanks with your own story, because we are well aware we’re only scratching the surface.

As always, this issue would not have been possible without the tireless Jewish Press Board, volunteers and staff. We start thinking about topics and stories long before the holiday is on anyone’s mind, and I want to thank my Board of Directors for sticking with me when I put Passover on the agenda in

late September. You people are awesome and more supportive than I could ever wish for.

Our volunteer proofreaders, Andi Goldstein, Margaret Kirkeby, Deborah Platt, Silvia Roffman, Ann Rosenblatt and Dottie Rosenblum are tireless, not only when they do double duty during the busy times, but year-round. Thank you so much for catching all our typos and mix-ups; any remaining mistakes and oversights are purely my responsibility.

The amount of work that our staff puts in for especially these big issues never ceases to amaze me.

Creative Director Richard Busse, Sales Executive Susan Bernard, Assistant-editor Lori Kooper-Schwarz and Writer Gabby Cohen-Blair: you are all amazing and I’m so lucky to work with you.

I also want to thank the writers who’ve contributed to this issue: Ozzie Nogg, Patty D’Agosta Nogg, Ron Lugasy, Sam Kricsfeld, the Segall-McNamara family and Ophir Palmon.

Finally, I want to thank our Jewish Federation of Omaha CEO Alan Potash. You bring warmth and dedication to our campus. You work incredibly hard every single day and you deserve credit for sharing your passion with all of us. Thank you.

Chag Pesach kasher vesame’ach,

ANNETTE vAN dE KAMP-WRiGhT Editor, Jewish Press

The values of Judaism

remember sitting with my grandmother, asking her about the overflowing plants in her apartment.

She told me “That crazy looking one is called a wandering Jew. It is prolific and seems to grow anywhere. The other tall overpowering one is called mother-inlaw’s tongue.” (She didn’t explain why it was called that – just left it to my imagination.)

AlAn PotAsh As Jews, we are a people with a history of Chief Executive Officer, fleeing countries due to persecution or ecoJFO nomic opportunities. Passover for me is the story of our people - where we came from, where we are going, what we have learned and the path we forge to remain relevant. From the story of the Exodus out of Egypt to the current crisis at the southern border, we are sensitive to immigration and the plight of refugees. From our history, we relate to their current situation. As a “wandering” people, we can take solace in the fact that our roots are prolific and touch all parts of the globe.

At the beginning of the Book of Exodus, we learn the Israelites grew in numbers and, with Joseph, experienced close relationships with the Pharaoh and the community. In time Joseph died, the Pharaoh died, and the community found they no longer knew one another. The new Pharaoh saw how the Israelite population grew and he became fearful of the potential power they might wield. All this led to the flight out of Egypt.

Moses’ leadership at this time was phenomenal. Think about the challenge that he faced – lead 600,000 people out of a country, hang out in the desert for 40 years, build a community with laws, customs, a belief in a deity that can’t be seen, control multiple rebellions. And at the end of the day, he wasn’t able to experience the joy of arriving in the holy land because he hit a rock. He could have led the Israelites into the Promised Land in a few short weeks, but he knew a community could not be formed without a meaningful shared experience. The 40 years in the desert saw at least one generation die off. The next generation had little or no memory of their life in Egypt, further forging their relationships. They only had one another and their traditions.

The pattern of Jews being welcomed, turned against and expelled, then welcomed again is the story of the Jewish people. This winter I visited the small but impactful Jewish Museum in Munich. One exhibit in particular is still with me – a timeline of Jewish life in Munich. It dates back to 1210 when the Jewish community was given permission to build a synagogue and a cemetery. As the timeline progresses, the Jews were expelled, invited back, expelled again, invited back - you get the idea.

This scenario is one that we are all too familiar with.

From all this we learn that change is inevitable. We carry our faith, traditions and values with each change as our ancestors did. The Torah remains our guide and transmits wisdom for each new generation of our wandering people.

We all have roots from some place, don’t we?

We close the Seder with the words “Next Year in Jerusalem,” – an aspirational phrase of hope and dreams for the future. I look at this phrase as a charge to current and future generations to hold on to the values and traditions of our culture. Customs may change but the values of Judaism are eternal.

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A deeper connection

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Annette vAn De kAmP-wRight consortium, after which I followed in the footsteps of Bobbie Editor, Jewish Press Epstein. I did many other jobs until eventually becoming ust like the State of Israel, Zoë Riekes was born in Chair of the entire Consortium—right after my presidency 1948. Because of that, when she turned 13, there were of the Jewish Federation of Omaha ended, because there was big celebrations in her California community for the no way I could do both at the same time!” young nation’s Bar Mitzvah year.

Then came the hospital. Over the years, a friendship had “I was in a parade, I received a certificate, it was a grown between Zoë and Raya Strauss, one of Partnership’s big party and my first real exposure to learning about biggest supporters.

Israel, which was something I really liked,” she said.

“Raya sent Amir Yarchi to Omaha to ask me to be involved Then, when Zoë was 19, her parents took her and her with the Galilee Medical center. Amir is the Director of brother to Israel and she saw the real thing.

Friends of the Galilee Medical Center and Raya decided this “It was right after the 1967 War. We visited the Golan Heights and saw the burnt out vehicles. You could practically feel the heat and the smoke from the metal. It left an impression on me.”

Zoë grew up, married Carl and raised a family—first in her native California and eventually in Omaha, Nebraska. It was more than 30 years before she found herself back in Eretz Israel.

“It was a short trip, just seven days, and I discovered Israel was not just a memory.

It was in my heart,” she said. “It has been in my heart as long as I can remember, but it had to happen over time. Through the years, I came to realize Is- Raya strauss, Dr. Barhoum, Zoë Riekes, Dr. Attar and shmulik Ben Dror during a recent visit rael is a constant; it will always be there for me.” was a good match for me. She didn’t tell me ahead of time,” At daughter Stacey’s wedding to Brett Atlas, husband Carl Zoë said, “but here I am.” gave a speech in which he thanked Zoë for all the work she ‘Here’ means she is currently the President of the American had put in the planning. “I don’t know what she’s going to do Friends of the Western Galilee Medical Center, whose mission now that it’s all done,” he said, according to Zoë. is ‘to promote and support the Medical Center by broadening “I remember Jan Goldstein calling out: ‘Don’t worry, Carl, its capability to provide the highest quality of medical care I know exactly what she’s going to do!’ Before I knew it, I was and other services to over 600,000 people - Jews, Christians, involved with the Partnership. I started as the Chair of the Muslims and Druze living along Israel’s northern border.’

Omaha Partnership Committee. At that time, that meant Western Galilee Medical Center is the largest government meeting in Israel twice a year, during the Spring and Fall. It hospital in the region. It has 69 departments and specialty meant so much to be part of that, connecting the dots within units, with 700 registered beds and a staff of 2,200 and 300 the consortium between Israel, the different partners and volunteers, making it the largest employer in the region.

Omaha. I then became the Social-Economic Chair for the see Zoë Riekes page A5

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A4 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover Quality leaders nurture tomorrow’s future

GAbby bLAIR inar in New York during the Staff Writer, Jewish Press Fall of 2017 when it was ant is no secret that our nounced that this initiative had Pennie Z. Davis Child received funding. I was very Development Center is excited about the prospect and one of the best early was honored when Mark Marchildhood facilities in tin, JCC Executive Director, Omaha. Affiliated with and Jeanine Huntoon, CDC The JCC Association Director, put forth my name of North America, whose for consideration.” strategic priority is raising the Lisa was thrilled to find out bar of excellence at all JCC she had been selected for one early childhood care and eduof the 31 spots available and cation programs (ECE) has been making the most of throughout North America, the unique opportunity. The our CDC is renowned for its Sheva Cohort of educators warm environment, quality meets on a quarterly basis with care, unique learning opportubiannual mentor visits with renities and caring staff. treats scheduled throughout In 2018, thanks to the genthe three years. “We met for erous support of the Jim the first time in Buffalo, New Joseph Foundation, The Sheva York for icebreakers, networkCenter for Innovation in Early ing and community building Childhood Jewish Education which is so important as our and Engagement introduced group will be working together its latest initiative, a Leaderover the next three years. “ ship Institute for Early ChildCooper continues, “Our next hood Professionals. One of the Lisa Cooper adding her prayer inscribed tile onto the Path to trip took us to Boulder, Colprimary goals of the institute Peace Mosaic in Nativ HaAsara, Israel. orado where we visited and obis to increase the number and quality of early childhood ed- served at three different community schools. In between our ucators who are ready to assume increased responsibilities trips, we communicate among the group through WhatsApp and leadership in early care and education at JCCs. and Zoom Meetings in addition to participating in online Our very own Lisa Cooper, CDC Assistant Director, was se- learning. I also have a mentor who has come to town a few lected to take part in this three year program designed to train times to work with me on vision and strategic planning. She’s the next generation of field leaders. “I was at a leadership sem- See Lisa Cooper page A6

RICHARd FeLLMAN uring the spring of 1990 the Nebraska race for Governor was getting started. One of the main candidates was Ben Nelson, a former Nebraska State Commissioner of Insurance. Ben and I were good friends. In fact, he lived just a few blocks from our home on 122th and Leavenworth.

When I ran for Congress in 1982, Ben chaired my election committee and he had helped me a great deal in 1980, during my earlier congressional campaign and in my successful campaign for Douglas County Board in 1976.

So when he finally decided to run, which he had been talking about for at least eight years, he asked me to help him. With no hesitation, I did.

One evening, the two of us were driving back to Omaha from Wahoo, the Saunders County seat, just west of Omaha. Ben was driving. He had given a speech to a meeting of the Saunders County Democrats and asked me what I thought of his presentation. I tried to be diplomatic and told him it was fine, but he was able to do better.

To change the subject, I asked him, if he was elected, would he and his wife Diane like to take a trip to Israel.

Nelson got a bit upset.

“What do you mean, IF I get elected?” he asked. “WHEN I get elected, Diane and I would love to visit the Holy Land. Can you arrange it?”

I answered: “Yes, I can and I will call you once you’re in office.”

Ben Nelson won that election. During the middle of the first legislative session, I reminded him of the offer of the trip and he told me it was too early.

“Let’s wait until my second year is over and the Legislature has adjourned. May or June 1992; let’s aim for that trip then.”

As 1992 rolled around, I spoke with the Governor and he was excited about the trip, but said: “We can’t just call it a trip to Israel. Let’s make it an ‘agricultural trip.’”

So it was. When I talked to my Law partner, Jim Moylan, who was an experienced Nebraska lobbyist and understood politics thoroughly, suggested adding a few other countries to the itinerary: “Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, some of those.”

I told him those countries wouldn’t let me in, only Egypt would.

“Great,” Jim said, “call it the Nebraska Agricultural Mission to Egypt, Israel and the Middle East.” That became the name of our trip.

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Happy Passover

JWrp reflections: Amy Tipp

AMy Tipp and GAbby blAir, Staff Writer, Jewish Press Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences.

y journey to Israel was the trip of a lifetime. My dream to visit the Jewish homeland finally became a reality on November 26, 2017 thanks to the incredible organization known as the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project. This trip was a beautifully wrapped present to my soul; it was a culmination of my life’s Jewish learning, my value system and insight to who I am.

I was eager to begin my soul’s journey to our spiritual and religious home. We spent the first two days in the Western Galilee visiting our partnership region, and it was this first stop that has had such a lasting impact on me. While I knew that the Jewish Federation of Omaha helped to support this region, I did not fully comprehend this relationship until I was physically there and able to personally connect. Our time at The Western Galilee Medical Center left me feeling empowered and inspired me to be a change-maker.

As a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, practicing in OB-GYN, I care for a wide demographic of patients from a variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. My patients are my passion and they form the tapestry of healthcare. As a healthcare provider, my job is to provide compassionate, informed care to all my patients and bigotry, hatred, bias and discrimination have no place in that arena. I be-

Zoë riekes

Continued from page A3 In 2012, the medical center recorded 115,000 ER visits, 50,000 admissions, 14,000 surgical procedures, 5,500 births, 28,000 dialysis and 142,000 outpatient clinics visits. It is the frontline treatment center for Israel ‘s northern border with Lebanon and serves a demographicallymixed population of 600,000 that comprises the Galilee’s mosaic of Jews, Moslems, Christians, and Druze. Besides providing civilian care, the hospital is a treatment center for the Israel Defense Forces.

It is affiliated with the Bar Ilan University Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee. Sixty percent of the faculty’s students receive clinical training at Western Galilee Medical Center and many of the hospital’s doctors hold senior academic staff positions in the University’s Faculty of Medicine. Western Galilee Medical Center is now one of the major teaching hospitals in Israel.

During the 2006 Lebanon War, the hospital handled the largest number of casualties in Israel. During the monthlong war, some 1,800 civilians and 300 airlifted IDF soldiers were treated there.

During this time, the hospital took a direct hit that destroyed an outer wall and eight rooms. Since then, the hospital has built an underground emergency department, partly funded by overseas donors.

Lebanese border and had covertly treated emergency casualties from Syria. As Dr. Barhoum so eloquently stated, “Casualties are casualties regardless of age, gender or political affiliation.”

He recollected when he first received the call from a prominent IDF official in the middle of the night asking how would he handle the Syrian casualties who were seeking medical care at the Israeli border. Without hesitation, he stated, “Bring them. We are ready.”

At that moment, he explained that these people ceased to be Syrians, Muslims, Jews, Arabs, or Christians. They were people first and they needed help.

He believes in compassion Amy Tipp overlooking the Kotel and The Temple Mount and recognizes our shared in 2017. humanity; anyone who lieve that humanity in healthcare is the needs medical attention, no matter heart of the human connection. where they came from, no matter what After watching a video of Dr. Massad they believe, were able to seek health Barhoum, Director General of Israel’s care at the hospital. This, in my opinion, Western Galilee Medical Center, in his is the essence of humanitarian efforts. opening statement at the 2014 AIPAC The hospital’s motto is “People caring Conference, tears ran down my face. for people; A person is a person to a His words touched the center of my soul person.” Notice the motto doesn’t disand gave me a sense of urgency and criminate against specific religious purpose, echoing my fundamental val- groups, individuals, political affiliations ues for why I practice medicine. or ethnicities. Compassion, love, empaI learned that The Western Galilee thy and kindness should be the way we Medical Center, located in Nahariya, Is- all care for one another. As we know, rael, was only six miles from the See Amy Tipp page A6

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Dr. Tobias, Zoë riekes, Dr. Shemesh and Sharon Mann during a visit to Omaha ing is underway for a new Institute for Human Genetics.

“The hospital is at a very successful place,” Zoë said, “and we are working with a wonderful consulting group, bringing high-caliber doctors to America to visit with other doctors, raising awareness and funds. We’ve seen the Moskovitz Heart Center built, the Women’s Health Wing and a fantastic neurology department. We’ve seen some major upgrades, but still have a long way to go. We’re looking to build

ble to establish a deeper connection to Israel and its people.

“When I go, I no longer go as a tourist,” she said. “I go knowing my friends in the north are my family and I will be surrounded by family members while I’m there. When I walk in Jerusalem, I feel I am part of the country. It’s always interesting to feel like part of the majority; it’s a country where we as Jews can feel at home and we are not alone. My hope is that future generations continue to experience that.”

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Continued from page A4 also been a wonderful resource for the whole CDC, leading professional development sessions for our staff. The learning really never stops and it is a wonderful resource to be part of.”

One of the highlights of her travels with the Sheva Cohort thus far was when the group traveled to Israel last December. “I visited Israel as a youth, but I am obviously in a very different place in life today and can say this trip was an invaluable learning experience.” While in Israel the group did its fair share of site seeing and learning about Israel’s history but also spent a lot of time observing in schools and visiting with educators. Of the many experiences she had on this enlightening trip, a few stand out as particularly special to Cooper.

“One experience on our trip that I found really neat was visiting with a local artist in Nativ HaAsara, right on the Gaza border. She began working with area children, and has expanded to working with anyone who wishes to, on a beautiful piece of artwork the Path to Peace Mosaic - on the Israeli side of the border wall. We were each able to select a piece of tile that called to us, add a prayer to the back of it and affix it to the larger mural. I just thought it was really cool to have a small, tangible part of me - my prayer for peace - be part of this larger collaboration.”

Another particularly special moment for Cooper was her time at Moreshet Avraham, a preschool affiliated with the Conservative Jerusalem Synagogue. “Our larger group was divided into small groups for school visits.

One of my group’s schools consisted of two age groups - the older kids (5 and 6 year olds) and the younger kids (3 and 4 year olds). The teacher who we were shadowing, Ofra, had a combined class of 30 children. I was really amazed how calm and self sufficient the children were as they moved between rooms in the building on their own and how the older class modeled and mentored the younger class when they merged together. There was definitely a certain level of independence and free-

Amy Tipp

Continued from page A5 there are no winners in war and casualties are the price we pay for our freedoms. Conflict knows neither gender nor age and has little regard for human life. As health care providers, we treat those in need of help, regardless of citizenship. As a health care provider, I do my best to avoid taking sides or acting as a judge. I prefer to be judged for what I am doing for humanity, for I am doing my soul’s work and my life’s passion.

I had no idea that a hospital 6500 miles away would echo my innermost beliefs.

While I may not have all the answers, I do

Above: The Sheva Institute Cohort in Israel and left: Lisa Cooper enjoyed running into former student, Nadav Feldstern, at his Jerusalem preschool. dom at this school compared to the norm in the States.”

When Cooper asked why there was no fenced in play area, Ofra replied “they didn’t need a fence because the kids knew all their needs were met in the play area.” When she asked about the role of technology in the classroom, Ofra replied that the emphasis was on playing and creativity.

“Six years olds want to play in the sand, but computers distract them from what they would do naturally. They will have plenty of time with computers as they grow older.”

Cooper goes on saying “the children really help set the pace and direction of the early childhood experience in Israel, rather than set curriculum.”

One of her favorite parts of her time at Moreshet Avraham was during lunch. “I was chuckling over this group of young kids informing the lunch caterer that yesterday’s rice was a bit too salty for their tastes when I hear a teacher call out “Nadav!” I said, “Hey! We had a Nadav at our school, and as I turn I see is IS our Nadav!”, (son of Yonatan and Liz Feldstern, formerly of Omaha). It was a really special treat to run into him.

Lisa will be hitting the road once again in April as the Sheva Cohort meets up in Portland, Oregon. Cooper is really looking forward to next November’s big trip to Reggio Emilia, Italy, home of the popular early childhood teaching philosophy. “Being part of this cohort allows us, as future early childhood education leaders, the chance to find constants in what works best for educating and nurturing our students by giving us a big look at our field around the world. Quality early childhood education transcends languages and cultures. You can’t always tell what exactly is being said, but you know exactly what is happening based on the powerful teacherchild interactions. As an educator, I understand what an amazing opportunity this is. I feel very lucky to be part of this program!”

believe in the heart of the human spirit and that humanity and compassion will always be at the center of healthcare. Although, my practice is worlds apart in distance from The Western Galilee Medical Center, we are unified in our goals and visions.

I never imagined that my trip of a lifetime would not only allow me to experience Israel as a Jew, but that it would also bring me back to work feeling energized, reinvigorated and full of purpose, knowing that the medicine practiced in our partnership region echoes my own personal practice.

Do the cattle vote?

Continued from page a4 nicest and gentlest of men, the exact opposite of someone capable of About one dozen representatives of Nebraska farm interests signed setting the explosion that destroyed the hotel. up: the President of the Farm Bureau, the Nebraska Secretary of AgriShamir sat down in the center of the table. He was so short he had culture, the Chair of the Corn Board and the Wheat Board and the Pres- to sort of push himself up to speak and take control of the gathering. ident of the Cattleman’s Association as well as some of their staff. I In just a few seconds, however, it was clear he was in charge. went along and was designated as the Governor’s lawyer and friend.

He began by welcoming everyone to Israel. The Governor sat oppoWe went to Israel first, where we had the standard tour with an emphasis on all types of farming, including dairy, cattle and fruit, flowers and vegetable production.

Then we went to Egypt and had a similar tour, including a visit to the Suez canal and a tour of the beef production near the Nile.

The trip went beautifully. Everyone found it interesting and enjoyable. The highlight was a meeting with Yitzhak Shamir, the prime Minister of Israel, in his Jerusalem office. Shamir was in the midst of The Nebraska delegation with Governor Nelson standing next to PM Shamir. a tense campaign for re-election and I’m sure his security guards were wondering why, during such a site the Prime Minister and the ambassador was sitting to his left. By time, he took the trouble to meet with a delegation from Nebraska. lucky accident, I was on the Governor’s right.

We went to Shamir’s office, were thoroughly checked by his secuThe Prime Minister said: rity team and were then ushered into the cabinet meeting room. There “Mr. Governor, Nebraska is one of those square states in the middle was a long table running the length of the room and we were inof America, isn’t it? Where exactly is it?” structed to sit on one side only. In addition to our delegation, we had The Governor explained it was about 500 miles west of Chicago. the United States Ambassador to Israel present.

“Oh, I’ve been to Chicago many times,” Shamir said. “Tell me, how When we were seated, Yitzhak Shamir walked in, accompanied by many people live in Nebraska?” two guards who were each well over six feet tall and built like line“Our population is about 1.7 million,” Nelson said. Then he added: men on an American football team.

“But, Mr. Prime Minister, there are over 4.5 million head of cattle in Shamir was short, less than five feet and four inches or so. He was Nebraska.” wearing a light blue suit. And he was charming. He shook everyone’s “Tell me, Governor,” Shamir asked, leaning forward and speaking dihand and spoke English very well, although his Eastern European acrectly to the Governor, “tell me, do the cattle vote?” cent made him sound exactly like my grandparents.

Everyone in the room, including the security guards, burst out Shamir had an interesting background. During the years before Islaughing. raeli statehood, ‘Palestine’ was controlled by Great Britain under a Shamir told us he had a schedule to keep, directed us where to mandate originating in the Treaty of Versailles after WWI. During stand, had our picture taken and told us ‘Shalom.’ He lost the election those “pre-State” days, Shamir, then a young man, belonged to a a few weeks later, but each of us has a photo which, I’m certain, we group of militants often called terrorists. He is given credit for blowall value. ing up half of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. To watch him and lisWe were a long way from Wahoo, Nebraska. ten to his small talk, you felt you were speaking with one of the

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | a7

passover JWRP reflections: Holly Weill

HOlly Weill and Gabby blaiR, Staff Writer, Jewish Press Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP), sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences. am a pretty lucky woman. In my mid 40’s, I can say I have now been to Israel three times. The first time I was in college and I went on a trip sponsored by Hillel. One of the few things I remember about that trip is how cute I thought the IDF soldiers were. Seriously, my memory is terrible so they must have been impressive! I’ve gone to Israel twice over the past three years thanks to the amazing Jewish Federation of Omaha and the JWRP. I was part of the first group of women from Omaha who went on the JWRP trip. I knew two of the women in our group, but the others were pretty much strangers to me. What I found to be the most amazing thing is how we all bonded during our time together. We laughed together, we cried together, we learned together and we shared an experience that nobody else from Omaha had ever had.

When an opportunity to return to Israel came up, I immediately jumped on it. Louri Sullivan had sent an email to all past participants asking if anyone was interested in going with the third group as a madricha (assistant/counselor) and was excited to be selected. The group on this trip was different, in that I knew 12 of the other 14 women already in some capacity. Prior to the trip, I helped plan our meetings and icebreakers. I was available to the women to answer questions about the schedule and what to pack. During the trip I helped with See Holly Weill page a8

A family affair, part two

a8 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover Holly Weill

Holly Weill in the Old City of Jerusalem

Continued from page a7 anything that the trip leader needed and was there as a support to the women.

Now that we have returned, I am responsible for coordinating our post-trip learning opportunities. It is a great way for all of us to meet once a month, reminisce about our experience, learn together and continue to build our relationships.

Like my first JWRP trip, all of the women came together and bonded so well. The friendships I already had were made stronger. The people who were just acquaintances before are now close friends. We have returned home as sisters, truly connected as a family.

I am not sure if the Jewish Federation of Omaha knew exactly what the outcome of collaborating with JWRP would be.

What they ended up with: women who now feel part of a community and women who care deeply about the State of Israel and how the Omaha community can continue to support her.

They now have a pool of women (and their families) who WANT to volunteer to support Federation projects and events.

They also have women who want to continue their learning about Judaism and ways to infuse that knowledge into their homes. I do not think any community could ask for more.

It is a given that 20 years from now, I will have many rich and meaningful memories of Israel and of the special experiences I shared with the women of my community.

annette Van de kaMP-WRigHt going to the old city that was clearly not built for old people Editor, Jewish Press or anyone in a wheelchair.” magine: you’re 87 years old, you live at the Rose Mike added that going through security was a funny experiBlumkin Jewish Home, and your granddaughter ence: “Bernie was extending his arms, and having a wand traKatie tells you she’s been selected to join a dance com- verse across his 87-year-old body. As if he was planning to do pany. Not just any dance company; the Vertigo something radical on the way to see his granddaughter dance.”

Dance Company in Israel. What do you do? If your Everyone was on board, Mike remembers. Which was a name is Bernie Meyers, you get yourself on a plane good thing, because this trip was anything but easy. “It to Tel Aviv. And you make sure to pack both your started in the hotel, where Dad had no place to sleep. We sense of humor, and a large box of tissues. had called ahead for arrangements since he couldn’t sleep in I wrote these words in September of 2013, after interview- a regular bed; he needed a recliner. We show up, and they ing Bernie who, at the time, lived just next door. His room have this weird medical device that looked like a medieval was about a two-minute walk torture chair. It looked very from my desk and I visited him scary. We ran all over town there regularly. This time, and bought our own chair, all though, he arranged a meeting the while pushing Bernie up room. This was official Press and down steep cobblestone business, after all. We were streets and alleys. We found going to take this seriously. Or, the Israelis have very differat least, as seriously as Bernie ent ideas about what it means could manage. You have to unto be handicapped, but derstand that Bernie couldn’t go Bernie laughed his way more than five minutes without through everything. Part of cracking a joke. the fact that there are fewer Yet, hearing him talk about conveniences is the historical his granddaughter, I saw a aspect: you want to keep the whole new side of him. Funny, integrity of the place intact. yes, but also outrageously deterSometimes it’s just not possimined, a little emotional, inspirble to install devices that ing. How many people would make it more handicap-achave given up on this endeavor cessible, and Dad understood before they even looked at ticket that and was fine with it.” prices? How many roadblocks Bernie looked forward to did Bernie have the chutzpah to the trip, mostly because he anknock down? ticipated what it would be like “I had never been to Israel,” to see Katie dance. What he Bernie said, “My wife Roie and I From left: Bruce and Mike Meyers and Vicky Perlmeter, didn’t anticipate was what it just never got around to it. We standing behind a picture of Bernie and Roie Meyers. would feel like to arrive in Istook trips, just not to Israel. I went for one reason, and one rael: “As soon as I came off the plane, I had this feeling of joy,” reason only: to see my granddaughter dance. She would be he said. “I instantly knew this was a special place. All around spending six months in Israel, traveling and dancing, and I me were people speaking this funny language; it’s like being in didn’t want to miss it.”

New York but with more Israelis.”

Bernie could have very easily missed out were it not for They landed in Tel Aviv and traveled directly to Jerusalem his equally determined family members. The entire family for some rest. The next day, after a sumptuous brunch (“I was instrumental in making Bernie’s plans come to life. couldn’t get any bacon and eggs,” Bernie said, “but it was good Son Mike went to Israel with Bernie, as did his wife Anne nonetheless”), they drove back to Tel Aviv to visit Independand their other daughter, Haley. Bernie’s caretaker Adelaide ence Hall. Then, on July 17, it was time for Katie’s first percame along as well, as did two wheelchairs: one to sit in, and formance at the Eco Arts Village Kibbutz. Bernie was excited, another “loaded with a mountain of gear,” according to Mike. even more so once he found himself inside the taxi with a “Needless to say, Bernie was prepared for anything.” driver who was both slightly lost and in a hurry.

“Looking back, it seemed impossible at the time,” Mike “The views were breathtaking,” Mike said, “mostly because said. “Seriously, navigating around the Rose Blumkin Jewish the driver was going as fast as he could, along narrow, winding Home was a challenge and suddenly we found ourselves See a family affair page a11

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Mom, son and israel: Best friends forever

Ozzie NOgg ow, gentle reader, pretend you’re at a tennis match between Sharon Brodkey and her son Ari. Back and forth, they both score winning points. With plenty of love...

Ari: In the winter of 2005, several months before my Bar Mitzvah, my mom gave me a choice. We could either do what everyone else was doing and throw an elaborate party, or we could go to Israel as a family. I chose the latter. That decision shaped my life in profound ways, and I look back on this moment as the impetus for everything that has happened since. Giving me that Bar Mitzvah ‘choice’ was a gift I still thank my mom for to this day.

Sharon: I went to Israel for the first time in 1977 on a sixweek Ramah program sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. I was 16. I had grown up on movies like Exodus and Cast A Giant Shadow and heard amazing tales about Israel’s establishment and miraculous military achievements, so my expectations were romanticized and exotic. We arrived in Jerusalem on my Papa Dave Brodkey’s first yartzeit, went straight to the Kotel from the airport, and my first Ari and Sharon Brodkey impression was an intense, emotional connection. I was tired, wound up, intoxicated with adventure and the freedom of being abroad — a potent formula for a teenage girl.

The trip was life-changing, and I resolved to go back to Israel for college.

Ari: Once I arrived in Israel for my Bar Mitzvah, I was hooked. I couldn’t believe there were signs in Hebrew, or that Jews could come in so many varieties and be so three-dimensional compared to the caricature or stereotype of what it means to be a Jew that we typically see in pop culture. I began to understand that Israel was far more than an abstract concept or dream. It was a real and ongoing project, a thriving 21st-century democracy. I think I knew for certain, even at 13, that some part of my life would be lived there.

Sharon: A passion for Israel is in my DNA. My Bubbe Helen Brodkey was a hardcore Hadassah lady. So was my Aunt Sarah Brodkey Dansky, and I heard stories about my Great Bubbe Etel Brodkey’s love for Israel. My Uncle Bob Brodkey is married to Florence — a French-Israeli he met in Jerusalem.

On mom’s side of the family, my cousins were active in Young Judaea.

Two cousins — my same age — were enrolled in the movement’s Year Course program, so that helped get my parents’ buy-in to start my college career in Israel. Still, they weren’t thrilled. They feared I was one step closer to making Aliyah, but knowing I had family on the program, which was time-bound, offered some comfort.

Ari: My mom’s personal connection with Israel was instilled in me from a young age. Her Zionism led me to Camp Ramah, and my interactions with Israeli campers and staff deepened my interest. I came to understand that Israel was more real, raw, and complicated than the stuff of myth I had learned in Sunday School. Israel was a place where real Jews lived, in all their diversity and flaws, where people drove to work, went out to bars, lived normal, messy lives. The more I was exposed to that through meeting Israelis, the more I craved.

Sharon: During Year Course, we were based at Beit Riklis on Mt. Scopus, with access to Hebrew University’s student life. One semester was dedicated to academic study and field trips to learn Hebrew, history, and get familiar with the country. For the second semester, I lived for a time on Amka, a Yemenite moshav near Nahariya, and later on Sde Boker, the kibbutz established by David Ben Gurion in the Negev. We explored Sinai before it was fully returned to Egypt. It was a peaceful and safe period, postCamp David Accords, and we took advantage of everything. I felt at home and part of something important.

Ari: Following in my mom’s footsteps, I decided that after high school graduation I would do an academic gap year Nativ program in Israel. When I was saying goodbye to my mom at JFK, she pulled me close with tears in her eyes and said, ‘You have to promise me that after this year you will come back. You will come back to the U.S., finish a degree, and then maybe we can talk about Aliyah.’ At that point, I hadn’t been in Israel for even five seconds, but my mom insisted, again and again, that I promise to come back. So I agreed.

See Ari and Sharon Brodkey page A10

A10 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

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Ari and Sharon Brodkey

Continued from page A9 Sharon: After my Young Judaea Year Course, I returned to the States to complete my undergraduate studies in Political Science and a Jewish Studies certificate at Indiana University. I worked at AIPAC in 1982 as part of an honors program in foreign policy and international relations studies at American University in Washington, DC, but I never stopped wanting to go back to Israel. Uncle Bob and Aunt Florence recommended that if I returned, I should ‘do it right — like a real Israeli.’

They suggested I go all-in — apply for citizenship, make Aliyah with all the commitments and benefits that come with that decision. I took their advice.

After ulpan, I secured a job at Project Renewal at the Jewish Agency, assigned to the External Relations team that managed donor-community relationships and contracts. We facilitated communications, staffed missions, and produced the first International Conference on Urban Renewal hosted in Israel. It was so fulfilling, and it barely paid the rent. Life in Israel was really tough, and being so far away from friends and family and their simchas and sorrows proved more challenging than I anticipated. This was prefirst Intifada. Things were heating up and I considered moving to Tel Aviv where my ulpan friends were making a better living.

Instead, I decided to return to the States.

Ari: Within my first two weeks in Jerusalem, I understood why my mom was so insistent, and immediately realized I’d have to break the promise I made so casually during our goodbyes. I relished the sense of belonging I immediately found in Israel and knew I wanted to live in this place.

I had always felt a strong sense of duty and responsibility, no doubt a result of my time in the Boy Scouts and the incredible mentorship of my grandfather, Ron Brodkey, z”l. I remembered watching the Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead from afar, thinking to myself, ‘These are my friends from Ramah, people just like me, who are living the reality of these conflicts. Why should they be expected to stand up for Israel and put their lives on the line while I watch from a safe distance? I’m able-bodied. There’s no reason the same burden that applies to young Israelis doesn’t apply to me. If I’m going to be a beneficiary of the continued existence of Israel, I have a responsibility to do my part.

For me, serving wasn’t just about fulfilling an obligation. It was a prerequisite for becoming a real Israeli. So much of the culture is shaped around this shared experience, and I knew if I didn’t serve I would feel like a resident stranger for the rest of my life here. Mom wasn’t thrilled. In fact, she was livid. I had lied to her face in the airport, and when I had the chutzpah to tell her I wanted to serve in a combat unit, that pushed her over the edge. We didn’t talk for about a month, and it took her a while to come around to the idea. I never really got her permission, and I think this was the moment when we both understood that I had reached a point in life where I needed to make my own way in the world. I have no doubt this was extremely tough on her and the rest of my family.

Sharon: I wasn’t surprised when Ari announced that he wanted to make Aliyah, but I felt he’d have a smoother assimilation into Israeli life with a degree and marketable skills under his belt. Then, after some serious conversations with my friends in Israel, I had an epiphany. Many of my Olim friends who had stayed and thrived shared one thing in common: they served in the IDF. For me, that hadn’t been an option. I was 22 when I made Aliyah and back then, women over 18 weren’t permitted to serve. Men, on the other hand, had to complete some mandatory service if they were under 30 when they immigrated, and the army is the single best integration experience an immigrant can have. From language to managing the diversity of the population, to getting vocational training or determining what one wants to be when one grows up, the IDF is the great equalizer and springboard.

That was a game-changing moment in accepting Ari’s decision. The most important step I could take to set him up for success was to let him move into and through Israeli society with IDF bona fides. The only condition working in my favor was that as an only child and only son, Ari couldn’t volunteer for a combat unit without my consent according to IDF policies. Then, after conversations with other moms of enlistees, a second epiphany. Ari’s post-service opportunities would be better if he had leadership roles and substantive service on his resume.

I didn’t like it, but I didn’t want to put a stumbling block in the way of meaningful opportunities for him. In the end, I don’t believe I ever signed a formal document granting my consent for Ari to serve in a combat unit. I hoped that perhaps he wouldn’t pursue it, but he did.

There are no words to adequately describe the pride and admiration my mom and dad and I felt when we attended Ari’s swearing-in ceremony at Latrun on February 20, 2013.

Ari:: I’m currently finishing my BA in government, diplomacy, and strategy at the IDC Herzliya, and am a Fellow in the Argov Program which has been likened to the Israeli equivalent of the White House Fellows program. Eventually, I’ll apply to Master’s programs in Political Strategy and Policy Development, either in the U.S. or the UK. If I can find a way to combine my passion for politics with my dedication to Israel, I’ll be happy wherever my career path takes me.

Sharon: I’m excited to see how the connection between the Omaha Jewish community and Israel has deepened since I returned to Omaha

in 1994. Still, when I speak to people who experience Israel on community organized trips and missions, I sometimes wonder if we’re talking about the same country.

Missions, by definition, have a specific agenda. I don’t believe in missions for first-time visitors. They take time away from other activities and opportunities. I worry that missions don’t provide a realistic or sustainable foundation for a meaningful relationship with Israel. I also think it’s imperative for first-time visitors to have a structured agenda and a qualified guide — someone who can provide context and nuance and answer questions. Under the right circumstances, seeing Israel is a chavaya, a transcendent experience.

I also believe we in America need to improve Israel education regarding BDS and other hot button issues coming at us from organizations like If Not Now, NIF and Breaking The Silence, to name a few. I understand how conflicted young American Jews feel, especially those who identify as Liberal. I have professional experience in training college students to respond to and combat anti-Semitism on campus. But some political policies, alliances, and actions implemented by the U. S. and Israel have made us uncomfortable and are hard to understand or defend. We have to do better — in our synagogues, youth groups, Federations. Israel today is not the Israel my grandparents and greatgrandparents’ generations loved unconditionally before Independence and until Oslo in1993. It’s very complicated.

Ari: The emergence of Jewish activists and organizations that support BDS and the feeling of alienation of American Jews from their Israeli counterparts clearly endanger both communities. Without American Jewry, Israel faces a strategic threat it has never encountered before, that will likely challenge its existential and democratic survivability. At the same time, without a connection to Israel, American Jewry risks losing its connection not only to its past but to global Jewry, as well as the message of Jews to the world.

The good news is that this challenge is on our collective radar. I just came back to Israel from DC, Boston, New York and London, where my colleagues and I met senior leadership in Jewish organizations, academia, the private sector and governments of the U.S. and UK. This growing rift was a major discussion, and both sides, diaspora and Israeli, are looking for solutions. The bad news? This challenge is so complex that the diagnosis and prescriptions vary greatly between interested stakeholders.

Whenever I come home to Omaha I’m always surprised to find that people are genuinely curious about Israel. They really do care about what’s going on there, even if it’s far away from their everyday lives.

That’s why I think BFF is a fitting way to describe this relationship.

When you say that someone is your friend forever, it means you’re loyal to them regardless of whether it’s convenient or not. Israelis don’t have the right to celebrate American Jewish philanthropy while ignoring its concerns over religious pluralism or the conflict. At the same time, American Jewry doesn’t get to share in the glory of Israeli innovation and humanitarianism while distancing itself when something conflicts with their world view. In this relationship, none of us can afford to be fair-weather fans. We need to talk to each other more, not to judge or critique but to understand what’s going on in the other one’s life. I think what makes someone a BFF is the last part — that the relationship is intended to be forever.

A family affair

continued from page a8 roads. At times, it felt as if we were going on two wheels, causing Bernie’s knuckles to go white.” But they made it, and as soon as Bernie saw his granddaughter dance, the rest of the world no longer existed.

“She is such a beautiful dancer,” he said, “I can barely think about it without crying. All I could do was stare at her. It was truly a unique experience.”

Bernie’s main goal was to see his granddaughter dance, and that he did.

Everything else was a bonus, Mike said.

After the show, they climbed back into the “Van from Hell,” according to Mike. “This time, the driver knew where he was going.

He took advantage of his newfound knowledge and drove even faster along the now pitch-black roads.”

“All of us, including the travel agent, told ourselves we were crazy to undertake this, and then we did it anyway,” Mike said. “Looking back, he accomplished what he wanted, the experience reinforced his sense of humor. His sheer stubbornness impressed me. We had a guide who lacked any sense of humor and would say: ‘Now we march!’ which might not have been impossible for him, but it was certainly a challenge for the rest of us” They saw her again the next night, this time without fearing for their lives during the drive. They also visited the Kotel, where Bernie was asked to lay Tefillin for the first time in about 70 years. They visited Masada and the Dead Sea (where Bernie did not go in the water) and, of course, Yad Vashem.

“Yad Vashem was both the best and

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | a11

the worst,” Bernie said. “I was just a young boy during the years of the Nazi regime, and have never been able to take a close look at the atrocities that happened. This time, in Jerusalem, I was able to look at the horror, as well as the beauty that came afterwards.

Part of that beauty was, no doubt, the support Bernie received from his family.

Daughter-in-law Anne, a seasoned traveler, worked with Jan Goldstein in organizing the trip; Mike collected messages from family members wishing Bernie safe travels, which they read together before getting on the plane.

“What surprised me the most about the whole experience,” Mike said, “was his stamina. It was summer, it was hot

and it was a lot of work, but he was clearly fascinated by everything and wanted to experience as much as possible. He talked a lot about how proud he was that we did it. The combination of seeing his heritage, a dream he’d had for so long, combined with seeing his granddaughter, left him feeling he’d reached a spiritual and personal goal.”

Bernie passed away in 2015 at the age of 88. Since then, his children Vicki (‘Social Butterfly’), Bruce (‘Mike-Wrangler’) and Mike (‘Family Black Sheep’) together with the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home created Legacy of Laughter, to make sure that his sense of humor remains foremost in everyone’s memory.

“Throughout his 88+ years, Bobo was a humorist, satirist and keen observer of the world around him. Those observations would often appear in short stories and letters that he wrote with uncanny insight, razor-sharp sarcasm and a devious smile, offset by his sparkling blue eyes.

He was never afraid to make fun of himself or anyone who dared to take themselves too seriously,” they wrote on their website.

Their Legacy of Laughter initiative has brought six shows to the Jewish community (another one is scheduled for March 31, before this paper lands in your mailbox).

“Besides the free comedy shows, we have done improv workshops in Chicago and Milwaukee,” Mike said, “and we are super excited about bringing it to other cities. We found a teacher see a family affair page a12

passover JWRP reflections: Becca Ruetsch Finkelstein

becca finkelstein and Gabby blaiR, Staff Writer, Jewish Press Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences. ran into Becca Finkelstein at services shortly after I had applied for the JWRP trip last year. Eager and excited about going to Israel, I asked her if she might consider applying. Not long afterwards, she confirmed that she would be joining the group and I am so glad she did- we had a lot of fun exploring Israel together!

Finkelstein admits she was hesitant at first-after all, it is not easy to leave home, kids, work and associated responsibilities behind, but upon returning she has advice for other women who might be cautiously considering joining future JWRP trips: “Just do it. Do not over think it and do not worry so much. As women, we tend to be really good at finding excuses, especially when it comes to indulging ourselves. This trip is for you. You deserve this week of growth and will return recharged!”

Becca explains that for her, this trip was “a fresh start on so many levels. I have always wanted to visit Israel, but this journey was more than just some trip... This was about connecting to something bigger than myself, something transcendent, unlike anything I have ever experienced.”

Having never been out of the country before, Becca found the travel to and from Israel and acclimating back into her normal routines upon arriving home to be the most challenging parts of her trip. “We hit the ground running in Israel and I was immersed and amazed. I now understand the concept people talk about - of feeling like I was home, even see becca Ruetsch finkelstein page a14

The things nobody tells you about shlichut

a12 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover

Ron Lugasy Community Shlicha

A family affair

Bernie in Israel, accompanied by his granddaughters.

Continued from page a11 teacher from Chicago’s famous Second City Theater, Dionna Griffin-Irons, who has experience working with elderly and she does 90-minute sessions. The result is hysterical and I’m forever reminded that there are no limitations but the physical.

It’s amazing what the participants come up with; they always take what they learn with them. It’s focused on saying “Yes, and...” instead of “No, but...” These workshops teach lessons that go beyond comedy, lessons that are very useful in life.”

Something Bernie would have appreciated, no doubt. Also, in case anyone’s in need, Mike says “There’s a very slightly used recliner in Jerusalem for sale at a very reasonable price.”

For more information about the Meyers family and L.O.L., please visit https://www.meyersfamilylol.org/.

see full digital issues https://issuu.com/jewishpress7

SA and Israel- BFF, we all know that.

That’s what I knew and grew up with all of my life: for Israel, the only westernized country in the Middle East and the only democracy, the US is our ‘caring mama and guarding papa.’ And if it’s true- the assumption will be that we are very alike.

Through all of my life I wanted to travel, to see the world, to meet exotic and interesting cultures, and the place that always was at the bottom of my list was the US. WHY? Because we are the same, or maybe you are the better version of us. But ultimately- we are very similar.

So... nope.

Already in my training process to be shlicha I was learning about the differences but I didn’t realize how big moving here was going to be. They’ve talked about manners, times, dress code, on Israelis being too forward and they even explained to us how to write an Email!

There was one sentence that they consistently repeated: “You are doing re-location, this is not a trip.” Only today I understand the depth of this sentence.

When you think about shlichut, you don’t imagine the day-to-day life. You imagine big projects and fun activities, the small differences that you cannot predict are the ones that make the huge difference.

For example- the language! There is a saying in Hebrew – “Ivrit Kasha Safa”, which means Hebrew is a hard language, and it is a reference to the Russian immigrants who had a big struggle with Hebrew. Even more so with English.

I came from Israel pretty confident with my English. It wasn’t perfect, but I thought it was good enough; and then when I was distracted even for a second, I was finding myself losing a whole conversation.

So I guess learning English ever since fourth grade, watching TV only in English and being surrounded by it all the time — it’s not enough.

But no worries! I came to work in a Jewish community! At the end of the day all of us are reading the same prayers and singing the same blessing. That was my compromise; we

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have one language that we all speak the same.

So... nope.

The extent and the tunes are so different that even to follow through the siddur is an impossible mission!

Doing relocation is even more than the language and the mannerisms. It is not knowing your go-to beer at the bar, which brand of toilet paper will be soft and strong in the perfect balance, and which clothing never goes wrong.

Relocation means that your legendary cake goes all wrong,

even when you followed the exact same instructions.

All of my first month in Omaha I felt that everything that I did and saw had a “new” tag on it. There is something exciting about it, to think that you have seen it all already, I served in the army, traveled around the world, worked in several different jobs, and here was a whole new world I wasn’t aware of. This is refreshing and made me curious like I was a child again.

Although moving was overwhelming, the magic of Omaha and especially the Jewish community of Omaha caught me.

Something in the accepting and calm environment of the Midwest, the welcoming and hugging feeling from the community, with that I set all the troubles aside and keep a wide smile on my face.

And if you ever heard me complain- it probably was the weather; well, nobody is perfect.

With a free hand to do what I desire, and supporting hand to make it happen on the best side, with families that opened their doors and their hearts for me, I can say that if not Israel — only Omaha!

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The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | a13

Wake up call: The Yom Kippur War

Gabby blair, Staff Writer, Jewish Press and Gary NachmaN n 1973, Gary Nachman was a young man set to begin study in Israel. That same year, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, when they perhaps believed Israel to be at its weakest from fasting and preoccupied with prayer and atonement, a coalition of Arab states, led by Egypt and Syria, attacked Israel on two fronts. The story below is his account of this tumultuous time and how it shaped who he is today.

“It was 45 years ago on Yom Kippur that I was with a friend in an apartment on Givat Tsofatit (French Hill), next to Mount Scopus and the Hebrew University, when the air raid sirens went off declaring war had begun...,” but first, a little backstory.

“Erev Yom Kippur 1973 was a wonderfully pleasant evening.

Countless religious Jews made their way to the Kotel (the Western Wall) and many people were strolling about, enjoying the clear, warm evening. I remember feeling an awe-inspiring sense of history knowing that people had made pilgrimages to Jerusalem for many centuries, walking on the same stones, breathing the Gary Nachman same air. My friend and I also noted it was a bit eerie walking around Jerusalem- including East Jerusalem, the Old City, the Kenesset and back towards Mt. Scopus- and seeing not a single vehicle on the road except for an occasional military jeep going to private homes.” In retrospect, Nachman reveals similar feelings of eeriness after events unfolded on Sept. 11, 2001, which “reminded me a little of this time, in that I remember how odd it was to look up in the sky knowing this was probably the only time in my life I would experience the Midwest skies without a plane or contrail in view.”

“Going to bed that night, with exhaustion and peaked emotions, I remember contemplating my past, present and future. While I had been in Israel for just two months, I missed my family who would be leaving to vacation for two weeks, the day after Yom Kippur.”

Nachman was eagerly awaiting the start of classes at Hebrew University and had arrived in Israel early in order to brush up on his language skills.

“My Hebrew was minimal at best. I entered the “m’china” program that allowed students to ‘prepare’ their language skills as well as take mainstream classes. We were expected to take 40-plus hours of Hebrew class per week plus the additional 17 to 20 hours of regular classes. I wondered what path would lead me to find a home, a career and a family.”

He continues. “It was the morning of Yom Kippur. My friends and I decided we would sleep in and then hang out. Like many college students, if we did not have class, there was no reason for us to get up before 10 a.m.

By noon, we decided to walk down through East Jerusalem to the Old City to witness the sea of mostly ultra-religious, dressed in their finest 18th century Eastern European garb, praying at the Wall. It was an amazing sea to see! Like tides coming into an inlet, there was a confluence of waters.

So many different groups, all praying at the same time, with many different rhythms, yet performing the same prayers...”

“We returned to the apartment around 1:30 p.m. At 2 p.m. the sirens went off. We had no idea what they were for, let alone what to do! Our Hebrew was not good enough to understand the panicky chatter on the radio and the English version would not be available for another 45 minutes. We ran into the hallway to see if anyone else was about. To our surprise, nearly everyone was in the hall shouting to go down to the miklat (the bomb shelter located in the basement). The neighbor nearest us said, in broken English, that Egypt and Syria had attacked Israel and the initial accounts were not good. He told us to hurry downstairs to be safe. I am embarrassed today to say that I did not follow instructions. Instead, I went up on the roof with my camera and 400-millimeter lens in order to take pictures of whatever may come...”

Nachman goes on. “From the vantage point of our roof, I could see Jordan and I wondered if they would be coming this way as well. I remember wondering what would happen to me as an American Jew, if captured. I believed I knew what the horrible answer would have been if the Syrians found us. I was not so sure about the Jordanians or Egyptians. I remember how lonely and small Israel felt at that moment. I remember Nassar’s rants translated on the radio about pushing Israel’s “occupants” into the sea. It takes longer to go from Lincoln to Omaha than from one side of Israel to See The yom Kippur War page a15

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a14 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

Passover

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Have a Happy and Healthy Passover from

Bagel Bin

after independence day annette van de kamp-wright Editor, Jewish Press hen thinking of Israeli Independence, it’s difficult to imagine what it was like during the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors’ meeting.

How did the members discuss this news, how did they find a balance between jubilation and continued grief over what happened to the Jews mere years before? It must have been something. A new State, countless displaced people who suddenly had a homeland to go to, meant Jewish communities in the Diaspora had work to do in helping them get there.

Unfortunately, we cannot at the moment locate the minutes from that particular time.

Maybe they were lost during the move to our current location, maybe there was water damage. Maybe someone borrowed them and forgot to return them—we don’t know. Luckily, there are other ways to find out at least part of the response in the correspondence from the years immediately following.

Here is a letter Board President Harry B. Cohen wrote to

Becca Ruetsch Finkelstein

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Continued from page a11 though I had never been there before. It is hard to describe and I cannot put it in words. It was so emotional... I was not quite prepared for my emotions.”

Reflecting on the many aspects of this experience, Finkelstein is thoughtful. “I enjoyed the JWRP classes, many of which made me self-reflect on my life and how I want to live.”

Also striking to her was the difference in narrative versus the reality when on the ground. “I feel we are shown so much footage on TV in the US of Israel, of constant danger and fighting. Yes, there is some of this but not as it is portrayed through the media and, ironically, I felt safer in Israel than I do in the US, overall.”

As the mom of teenaged boys, not much younger than many of the soldiers she met, she was blown away and inspired. “As we spoke with the soldiers, I could not believe these young men and women, just a few years older than my twins, were the mighty IDF who fight for our homeland.

Getting to hear from them about their jobs, their families and their lives, you could feel the connection they felt to Israel and the sense of responsibility they each felt. Many of them came to Israel from other countries, ready to stand up for their beliefs and all of Israel. I hope my boys will feel so connected to Israel one day.”

Our group did quite a bit of traditional site seeing tours including riding camels and floating in the Dead Sea. “Riding a camel was an interesting experience,” she explains laughingly; however, what struck Finkelstein was how many camels were hanging around in general and that they were treated as pets. “It was funny to see a man at one of the stops, just sitting next to his camel. The man was scratching his neck and the camel was licking him.”

Finkelstein found the Dead Sea to be very calming and therapeutic.

“I am a person who likes to be in control all the time and I had to learn to “let go” while in the sea and allow my body to surrender to the water. This was hard, but once I was able to relax and ‘go with the flow’ it was so amazing!”

Of course, the Kotel is something that all women on our trip felt im-

some of the donors in May of 1949.

Dear..., Your Philanthropies card for 1949 was turned over to me for attention. Last year you pledged $150.

You know as well as I the tremendous needs for funds this year, which are much greater than they were last year. My experience to date is that most people are raising their pledges this year somewhere around 25%. The J.D.C. is attempting this year to completely clean out all the D.P. Camps and transfer all Jew-

ish refugees to the State of Israel, where they are welcome. You know the magnificent story of the creation of the State of Israel.

In its first year of existence, over 250,000 refugees have entered.

See after independence day page a15

bued by and Finkelstein was no exception. “I was not prepared for my emotions when I first saw the wall. It was spectacular... I was speechless. I had this overwhelming feeling of peace that over took my soul.

On the many trips we took walking to and from the Kotel, there was this board where people could leave messages along the path, just at the top of the stairs leading down toward the Wall. Someone had written a Reb Shlomo Carlebach quote: ‘Love cannot be taught. All we can hope is that maybe we can unlearn all the hatred because hatred is taught. Love is from Heaven. Let there be love between us. Let us return to whatever we learned in heaven before we were born.’

For personal reasons, this was very emotional for me to see and it was comforting as I Left: Becca Finkelstein at masada passed it each time.” and above: the beauty of a tsfat Some of Becca’s favorite or Sunset. most meaningful stops during our journey included the Holy City of Tsfat, visiting Omaha’s partnership region, and the guided tour though Yad Vashem.

“I loved the artist’s colony and the quaintness of Tsfat. The sunset as we were leaving was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. I cannot say there was anything I ‘enjoyed’ about the visit to Yad Vashem. The tour left everyone raw and exhausted, but reflective and firm in identity. It was interesting to see Israel’s view of the Holocaust and it was very moving. The only thing I wish we could have done any differently was to spend more time in the Partnership. Seeing firsthand the hospital and visiting the soldiers on the kibbutz and speaking with the Friedel and Temple Israel twinning school was inspirational. Western Galilee was very beautiful and it was a really amazing way to spend our final day.”

Becca was even lucky enough to fall in love in Israel... with the chocolate rugalach from Mahane Yehuda’s Marzipan Bakery! “RUGALAH in Israel ROCKS! There is nothing like it. These authentic, delicate, pillows of euphoria are the epitome of perfection.” Anyone who has had the opportunity to sample these delights know she is not exaggerating. This high praise is something coming from Finkelstein who is quite a gifted baker in her own right. As such, she is currently working on recreating these scrumptious morsels and we all hope she is successful soon!

“This trip has given me a better sense of who I am as I continue to sort through my purpose and understanding myself. I cannot wait to visit Israel again and am excited to share the experience with my husband and children; there is so much I want to show them!”

After Independence Day Continued from page A14 In view of these facts I am sure you agree with me that at least a 25% increase in the amount of your pledge is something that you can readily do for your unfortunate brethren.

Will you please sign your card and return it to me as soon as possible in the self-addressed, stamped envelope, which is enclosed.

I want to thank you very much for helping me out.

Sincerely, Harry B. Cohen The following year, the Annual Campaign continued to have a clear focus.

“The most important campaign function,” wrote Arthur H. Goldstein, Initial Gifts Chairman, to Harry Cohen, “will take place Wednesday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Highland West Club, 128th and Pacific.”

That function was the Men’s Initial Gifts Dinner, which included a guest speaker: “Aubrey Eban, top Jewish diplomat and representative of the State of Israel to the United Nations, a man responsible for the diplomatic achievement of Israel, will be our Guest of Honor at the dinner. No one will want to miss meeting him and hearing him,” Goldstein continued.

And so Harry sent out more letters to the donors.

“This year’s Jewish Philanthropies’ drive is a very crucial one. The State of Israel and our Jewish brethren in Europe, the African countries and the Soviet Countries are in dire straits,” he wrote. “They need our help more than ever before.”

Harry Cohen wasn’t exaggerating.

“The Nazi Holocaust, which engulfed millions of Jews in Europe, proved anew the urgency of the reestablishment of the Jewish State, which would solve the problem of Jew-

ish homelessness by opening the gates to all Jews and lifting the Jewish people to equality in the family of nations,” David Ben-Gurion declared.

Between 1948 and 1953 alone, a total of 313,037 refugees from Eastern Europe made Aliyah to Israel. For the remainder of Europe, that number was 25,250. There were an additional 246,460 from the Asian continent, including Iraq, Yemen, Turkey and Iran.

From Africa, 108,163 refugees came (including practically the entire Jewish population of Libya), bringing the total number to 723,090 during those years.

What came next were austerity measures, including rationing and various measures that ensured all Israeli citizens had access to food, water, housing and clothing. The nation was starting from scratch: there was barely an economy to speak of and very little

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | A15

foreign currency reserves. By the end of 1950, more than 90,000 refugees were still housed in transit camps in the new homeland. It wouldn’t be until the reparations agreement with West Germany was signed in 1953 that there was any breathing room.

Of course, this was just the beginning. More immigration waves would follow, from the more than 900,000 who fled or were expelled from Arab countries between 1948 until the 1970s, to operation Moses in the mid1980s and the mass exodus of Soviet Jews that continues to this day: after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014, Aliyah from the Ukraine grew by 142%. The total number of Jews making Aliyah since 1882 is 3,620,586.

The United Jewish Appeal for Refugees and Overseas Needs, which we know today as Jewish Federations of North America, was created in 1939 and has done much work in making life in Israel better. But: there’s always more work to be done. The language we use may change and we no longer hand-type our pledge letters, but there isn’t that much difference between those missives Harry Cohen sent out in 1949 and the current Annual Campaign. At the end of the day, it is about knowing our “Jewish brethren,” it is about creating awareness and opening our hearts, knowing that as long as there are Jews who need assistance, it is our obligation to step up.

passover The Yom Kippur War

Continued from page A13 the other.... For the first time in my life, I felt no one else could help the land of Israel or me.”

Nachman recalls that when the English version of the news came on, it described how Israel had been taken by surprise and how the government had been over confident in their ability to read the movements of the Egyptians and Syrians. “They were saying that if a third front were to open, Israel might not be able to hold up. As it was, they were having trouble with the two fronts, having to retreat for the first time.”

Over the duration of the Yom Kippur War, Nachman kept busy, inspired to do something, anything. “I volunteered at a hospital, a bakery, and an orphanage during the war. I had the privilege of getting close to many people from all over the world. I attended the memorial service for David Ben Gurion and Golda Meir’s funeral. Needless to say, this period in my life had a great impact on my future and the friends I would have for life. This story is much longer than this article permits. However, as fearful as my plight was, it does not compare to those Israelis who were on the front lines fighting the Syrians and Egyptians. Those first few days of the war, when thoughts of vulnerability and fallibility crept into the national vocabulary and psyche for the first time were very difficult.”

Because of this experience 45 years ago, Yom Kippur is a particularly poignant time for Nachman. “I am not a religious Jew. I guess I am probably more the cynical, participating, singing, traditional Jew...

However, Yom Kippur will always be an especially spiritual time for me.

Israel was and continues to be, a very important part of my life as it should be to all Jews. We talk about it enough in Shul. We should do more than just talk... Go there. Buy from there. Contribute to a charity there. Israel is a large part what makes us Jews...”

Next year in Jerusalem!

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section2 PASSOVER

UNO’s Schwalb Center: Our bridge to Israel Ozzie NOgg atan and Hannah Schwalb are justifiably proud of UNO’s Center for Israel and Jewish Studies that carries their name. “In little Omaha Nebraska, in a university that is not a Harvard, we are bringing people together,” Hannah said.

“Jews and non-Jews, anybody who wants to learn more about the Jewish people in Israel and in the United States. When young people see negative things in the media about Israel, they should know the truth.”

Established in 2009, the Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies aims to expand knowledge about Israel, Judaism, and the history, politics, cultures and societies of the Middle East. “Hannah and I have lived in Nebraska for many years,” Nate said, “and we saw the need, locally, for education in all these areas. I’m a UNO alum, so the obvious choice was to establish a center here in the heartland of America, where our roots and ties are solidly entrenched.”

At the time Nate and Hannah decided to establish the Schwalb Center, Mary Bernier was working for the University of Nebraska Foundation as a Development Director. “I was immediately impressed with the Schwalbs’ generosity, humility and passion to educate the community about Israel and Jewish Studies,” Mary said. “Founding a Center at UNO seemed like the perfect way to accomplish their mission.” Bernier now chairs The Schwalb Center Advisory Board. “My major task this year is to raise money to fund the Moshe Gershovich Endowment of Jewish Studies. This

Fund will help the University attract its next great leader by making the salary competitive nationally.”

The late Moshe Gershovich directed the Schwalb Center from 2012 until his death in 2017. His spirit still inspires its faculty and lay leaders. Charles Mikhail, an Honorary

Member of the Schwalb Center Advisory Board, said, “In 1986 I enrolled in Harvard University’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies. The most impactful consequence of this experience was meeting Moshe Gershovich. I am a Christian whose father was a Palestinian Arab. Moshe and I lived in the same graduate dormitory and regularly discussed our faiths and political beliefs during meals at the cafeteria.”

According to Mikhail, those discussions covered history, current events, culture, and politics, and often were quite heated, though always civil. “Moshe and I quickly discovered that even though we grew up in different worlds – Tel Aviv and the West Bank – we shared the same hopes and

dreams for peace and a better life. He served in the Israeli army; I grew up under Israeli occupation. But through dialogue and a mutual desire to get to know and understand one another, Moshe and I forged a strong bond of friendship that prompted him to name his son after me – Jonathan Charles, as in the Old Testament account of the platonic love between the future King David and the son of his rival Saul.”

During one of Mikhail’s trips to Omaha, Moshe introduced him to the Schwalbs who shared their vision for the Center. “Just as with the dialogue between me and Moshe, getting to know one another and becoming friends, it was easy to see that Nate and Hannah’s idea was not unlike what Moshe and I developed on a smaller scale.

Their’s was a bigger one: a Center to expand knowledge about Israel and Judaism; provide expertise to interpret world events as they impact Jews, Israel, and the Middle East; and give support to educate students, the community, and the region about Israel and Judaism. I have always believed that it is very difficult to hate others and want to harm them if you get to know them. And that has been a major problem between Arabs and Israelis. The Schwalb Center’s work in promoting dialogue, knowledge, education, and understanding about Israel and Judaism, in my opinion, is a key to peace and a better life for both Arabs and Jews.”

Patrick McNamara, Ph.D., current Director of the Schwalb Center, is determined to “build on the great legacy left by my friend and colleague Moshe Gershovich, of blessed memory, to take the Schwalb Center to the next level.” McNamara considers Gershovich the consummate academic. “The day before he died – barely able to walk but still in the classroom – he taught his students.” While the number of Jewish students at UNO is relatively low, See The Schwalb Center page B2

B2 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover

The Schwalb Center

Continued from page B1 McNamara finds the number of students interested in Judaism and Israel is high. “At a time of rising anti-Semitism, dispelling myths about Judaism and teaching the importance of Judaism in history, and the positive models – along with all the complexities – that Israel provides to the world is incredibly important.”

The bulk of UNO’s Judaic Studies teaching load is handled by Professor Curtis Hutt, who received his Ph.D. in Religion and Critical Thought from Brown University. He and his wife, Anna Dunaevsky — an Israeli from Jerusalem — arrived in Omaha in 2008. “I was originally drawn to the Schwalb Center as there are only 12 other Israel Studies Centers in the world,” Hutt explained. “Moshe Gershovich hired me as his Special Projects Coordinator when he took over the Patrick McNamara Center, and I have continued to work there on the condition that it remains an academic center. Everyone has an opinion about Israel. I’ve lived in Jerusalem off and on since 1985, and I know that real knowledge about Israel is quite rare.

The Schwalbs’ goal is admirable, and I feel uniquely positioned at UNO to help it be realized.”

Hutt teaches the bulk of the classes in Israel Studies at UNO. “Most of my students are from Christian backgrounds — 75% evangelical; 25% Catholic. Teaching Judaic Studies classes is very challenging.

Most students think they know everything they need to know about Jews and, frankly, Israel from the ‘Old Testament’ and their churches.

When I obtained my Judaic Studies position in the Religious Studies department, I got rid of the ‘Old Testament’ class and began a Hebrew Scriptures class that introduces students to Jewish readings of the Hebrew Bible and includes an introduction to Mishnah and Talmud.

“Israel Studies is amongst the most politicized topics in academia right now,” Hutt continued. “Not only are there new laws on the books restricting criticism and boycott of Israel, but everything you say in public and post on Facebook is scrutinized from the Left and the Right. But I’m okay with that. Religious Studies professionals are trained to be as objective as possible in their presentations about different religions. For me, real academic scholarship comes first and last. When politics gets in the way, I dig in my heels and resist pressure to contort the truth to satisfy partisan interests. The Schwalb Center under Moshe Gershovich upheld those values. Under Moshe, the Center was one of the most respected academic units at UNO. Students, whether they were Christian evangelicals from Nebraska or Muslims from Saudi Arabia, flocked to our classes

on Israel. Students trusted that the classes, programs and presentations would be fair and of the highest academic quality — which, I must add, is also the case with professors from other academic units at UNO. They send their students to us because they trust us. The endowment from the Schwalbs enables us to finance first-class scholarly work in Israel and Jewish Studies. Until we can hire a professor to replace Moshe, we are lucky we have visiting scholars like Jeannette Gabriel.”

A Ph.D. Candidate in Social Studies Education at the University of Iowa, Jeannette Gabriel works with the Schwalb Center as Resident Scholar. “I was embraced by the Schwalb Center who suggested ways I could get involved. Last summer, Nate took my first class, Jewish Women in the Midwest, and shared many fascinating family stories.

The UNO students loved the opportunity to get to know him.”

This academic year, Gabriel is teaching two courses sponsored by the Schwalb Center. The fall course, Collecting Unfinished Stories: African-American and Jewish Collaboration and Conflict, was offered through the UNO History Department and cross-listed with Black Studies. “This issue is very pertinent in the current moment,” Gabriel said, “as both Jewish and African-American communities feel under attack from increasing hate crimes.” Gabriel’s current class, Religious Women Activists, focuses on religious women’s participation in movements for social change throughout American history — from abolition, temperance, suffrage, peace and anti-war movements, to birth control, abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment, the sanctuary movement of the 1980s and LGBTQ activism. With the cooperation of the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, students will examine how local Jewish women were active in national movements.

“My students come from History, Religious Studies and Women’s Studies as well as Sociology and Black Studies,” Gabriel said. “Many of them have never studied Judaism before or had any interaction with a Jewish community. Others are Jewish students who want to explore the complexities of Jewish identity. The Schwalb Center offers me opportunities to teach diverse topics that address our rich Jewish history and culture. I didn’t know Moshe Gershovich, but I try to live up to his standards of rigorous scholarship. I look forward to next fall when I’ll be teaching Judaism in the Modern Age and a second class on Religious Women Activists that will focus on women’s work for equality within faith communities as part of UNO’s Religious Studies curriculum.”

In its mission to engage and expose the community to a deeper and broader understanding of Israel and Judaism, the Schwalb Center invites Israeli scholars from a variety of disciplines to become visiting professors at UNO. The Center also sponsors the Phil and Ruth Sokolof Endowed Lecture Series in Israel and Jewish Studies; co-sponsors the Middle East Forum; funds grants for faculty members to help establish academic ties with Israeli universities and research institutions; and offers Student Travel Scholarships to Israel.

See The Schwalb Center page B4

JWRP reflections: Tippi Denenberg

TiPPi DeNeNBerG Over the past 3 years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences. ver 24 hours on planes and in airports? Tourbussing around Israel (or anywhere for that matter)? High potential for group ‘rah-rah’?

Cringe! I got stuff to do!

Luckily, I did not let these aspects of group travel deter me from attending last year’s JWRP trip to Israel thanks to five-star ratings from prior JWRP participants.

I trusted the likes of Aviva Segall, Annette van de KampWright, and Louri Sullivan. So even though I was a little skeptical at first, I Above: Tippi went... and yes, I Denenberg and admit. I loved it. friend, Gabby Actually, I loved Blair, rode off it before we even in style atop left. The impressive their camel amount of planin the ning for the trip Judean had us at several Desert and preparatory activiright: Tippi Denenberg on Masada. ties with fellow participants. I began to make new friends I would never have had the pleasure of knowing before.

You can imagine the general sight-seeing portion of the tour, so I’ll skip that. What might wow you is the highly-educated and entertaining staff. There’s nary a minute not designed to make you think, deepen your knowledge of Judaism and Israel, improve your personal and family life, or simply pamper you with excellent, fresh food and camaraderie. By some incredible alchemy and brilliance, the core JWRP staff knows exactly (and quickly!) how to educate and unite a diverse pack of Jewish women- no small feat!

Remember when you went to camp and lived with everybody and emerged the closest of friends? That same magic happened on our JWRP trip. Unity not uniformity. That’s the motto of JWRP, that’s what happened. A bunch of disparate Jewish and Jewish-adjacent women went to Israel and came back as a pack. A pack of Jewish women dedicated to Israel, each other, and Jewish Omaha. That last part is key, and why every woman eligible for this trip ought to go.

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Cherishing the memories: Jan Schneiderman ANNEttE vAN dE KAmp-wrigHt Editor, Jewish Press rom 1999 to 2002, Jan Schneiderman was the National President of the National Council of Jewish Women. When she left that position, she had time to fill and Partnership seemed an excellent choice. Ask Jan about Israel and she’ll talk your ear off- it’s a consequence of having traveled there 35 times.

“I am a lover of Israel,” she says. “I’ve seen it with the NCJW and with the Jewish Federation of Omaha, which allowed me to see it in two different contexts, over many years.”

She began her Israel travel in the 1960s.

“It looked then as it does now,” she says. “Yes, things are bigger, there is more to do, more going on. Back then, it was a country in its childhood and it has grown up since, but its essence remains the same.”

Partnership, she says, “allowed us to meet more people face to face and build very positive relationships. In the beginning, it was small- it’s grown exponentially over the years. We focused on getting as many people from the Diaspora to come to Israel by telling the story of why Israel is so important. If you have never been, or if you think you don’t have any desire: you have to go and wrap your arms around it, feel it, share with Israelis. The sharing component is incredibly important when it comes to building relationships between Jews in the Diaspora and in Israel.”

There is not one single spot Jan can point to as her favorite, but she does love Jerusalem: “I truly miss it,” she says. “It’s in my head, it stays with me all the time. Of all the places I’ve been in the world, Israel will always be my first choice. There is simply no place like it.”

Through her work with the NJCW and Partnership, she’s made many connections, not just to the land, but even more to its people.

“I honestly don’t know how different my life would have been without it and

research, NCJW is a leader of women’s and gender rights in Israel. For more than 70 years, NCJW has been supporting women, children, and families throughout Israeli society regardless of ethnicity, religion and economic status.

NCJW advocates for the equal status of women in the face of religious fundamentalism; women’s political leadership; women’s economic empowerment; LGBTQ rights; and educational opportunities for women.” (NCJW.org) This type of work, Jan says, can only happen when people are engaged and have a deeper understanding of the country.

“We have to encourage people who haven’t gone before to take a closer look and experience the love. And when you join a specific mission, whether that is through the Jewish Federation, Partnership or the NCJW, you experience aspects of Israeli society you don’t see Jan Schneiderman with an Ethiopian child at when you simply go by yourself. It’s Kibbutz Ayelet Hashacher. very different when you go alone.

I cherish all those memories,” she says.

“Take the Northern region, for exam“I want to go back and if someone were ple, when you bypass the touristy stuff, to ask me to lead another trip, I’d be you often have more opportunity to there in a heartbeat!” meet more people, talk to people and NCJW organized fabulous programs, find a deeper connection. The Western Jan says. “We focused on mutual appre- Galilee is a great match for the Midwest; ciation between Israelis and Americans. our lifestyles are not that different, but Understanding needs to go both ways.” you don’t always fully see that unless To this day, the National Council of you connect in person.”

Jewish Women focuses on ‘Advancing Over the years, many Israelis have women’s empowerment, gender equal- visited Omaha in return. Jan was eager ity, and a strengthened civil society.’ to have some of those visitors stay at That means “empowering Israeli and her house: American women to advocate for a ro“It was such a great opportunity to bust civil society. As in the U.S., NCJW renew old friendships! Those friendbrings a unique Jewish women’s pro- ships I had disappear over time and it gressive approach to advancing social makes me sad. It was such an important justice and gender equality. With grants and extraordinary part of my life. Talkto Israeli organizations, participation in ing about it makes me miss it even advocacy coalitions, policy statements, more; I think it’s time for me to go and pioneering work in education and back!”

the Schwalb Center Why Recline Continued from page B2 ity and respect that my main contribution to only One Night “It’s on those trips that you see people the Center is demonstrating that if a Palestincome together in their love for Israel,” Hanshares in and provides financial support to When You Can Recline nah Schwalb said. Mary Bernier joined a ianits activities, how much more should the JewSchwalb Center trip several years ago. “It ish community and others support it as well.

Every Night? was an amazing experience. There were THIS PASSOVER

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both students and community members in the group — Jewish, Christian, young, old. What we all shared was a thirst to see first hand this small country, so brave and so innovative struggling to survive. No one who participated in that trip remained the same. It impacted each of us in unique ways. I am more tolerant, more understanding and compassionate as a result. This trip was made possible through Nate and Hannah’s vision and generosity.”

Their generosity continues. “We were involved from the beginning and we stay involved,” Nate said. “We want to make sure our investment pays off. After we’re gone, we want the program to continue.

Mary, Charles, Patrick, Curtis, Jeannette — we couldn’t get more dedicated people than this group. They all want to carry on the work Moshe started. He was passionate about the Center and did everything in the book and beyond for us.” Charles Mikhail is confident that Nate and Hannah’s vision and Moshe’s work, will live on. “I say with humil-

Nate and Hannah Schwalb

The Jewish community, UNO, Omaha, the State of Nebraska and the region, should be very proud of the work the Center is doing.”

Remembering Moshe Gershovich, Curtis Hutt said, “Moshe was a professional academic with a Ph.D. from Harvard. He ran the Schwalb Center like it was an Ivy League institution – and, quite frankly, during that time we probably outproduced Harvard in Israel Studies. Moshe didn’t tolerate mediocrity in

programming. He didn’t budge an inch when it came to academic integrity. He was my closest colleague and friend at UNO. Fortunately, the Schwalbs are committed to the Center being a top flight academic Israel Studies Center. If they weren’t, I would walk away in a moment. Frankly, fulltime tenure track and tenured faculty are spread very thin now at UNO due to budgetary constraints. Professor Gershovich’s position hasn’t been renewed, but we’re working diligently to find the best permanent replacement. I believe in the future of the Schwalb Center, but we need to replace Moshe desperately.”

The void is also felt keenly by Mary Bernier. “Moshe was intelligent, hard working, and a great human being. He promoted Jewish education tirelessly, and was a loved professor. He was also my friend, as tender as he was strong.

Moshe never shrank from a challenge. He worked day and night to build the Center into a program with lasting impact on our community. We still miss him.”

For information on upcoming Schwalb Center programs, including the June, 2019 trip Morocco, or to support the Moshe Gershovich Endowed Chair at UNO, contact The Schwalb Center: 402.554.2788 or email: unoschwalb center@unomaha.edu.

JWRP reflections: Andreea Shnayder

AndReeA ShnAydeR and GAbby blAiR, Staff Writer, Jewish Press Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP), sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences. ttending the JWRP has given me hope and “light” to be free. My journey to Israel with 14 additional fabulous women has positively affected my spirit, perspective, mind, body, and soul on a multifaceted level, satisfying deep spiritual needs within me.

During our trip, our educators encouraged us to recognize that when meeting someone new, you are ‘meeting them in the third chapter of their lives,’ and to ‘judge them favorably’ as you have no clue to their struggles or backstory at first glance. This really resonated with me because I had a very different upbringing as a young child than most of my friends and acquaintances and I have struggled letting people get close to me beAndreea Shnayder at the Kotel cause of it.

To comprehend what this trip meant to me personally, one has to understand my story.

Growing up I was highly impacted by the chaos and turmoil of war and religious persecution. My grandparents, Olga and Mikhail Hoffman, changed their last name to “Ticos” in an effort to escape religious persecution to no avail. They lost everything- their land, properties, and gas stations- after Romania allied itself with the See Andreea Shnayder page b6

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | b5

passover From Haifa to Omaha: Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich

Annette vAn de KAmP-WRiGht presented itself and we went for it.”

Editor, Jewish Press He mentioned how important it is for Jewish people everyhe day of his interview, Shlomo walks in with a where to connect with each other. “The connection between serious cast on his right arm.

Jews in the Diaspora and Israel is important to both sides. I “Sledding,” he says when I inquire about the think it’s a great thing that Israel sends teachers to commureason. It’s a reminder of the many dangers of a nities in other countries, but it has also been a great learning cold Nebraska winter, but he doesn’t let it ruin experience for us as a family. Our kids are now 11, 8 and 5— his mood. and their knowledge of the Born in Haifa, English language is amazing!” he has five siblings; together Shlomo and Hodaya had no with his wife Hodaya (read all real idea what to expect of about her elsewhere in this Omaha, he says. Before compaper), he has called Omaha mitting to come here, they home since August 2016. He hadn’t exactly left Israel: “We attended Yeshiva in Jerusalem spent a few days in Eastern Euand eventually helped estabrope before coming here, but lish a yeshiva in Akko. He was this was our first real experia tank commander in the IDF, ence abroad. You can look at after which he married and the map, but that doesn’t prefinished a PhD. in history. His pare you for the diversity we dissertation focused on the found once we came here. So Hesder Yeshiva, an Israeli many different people, such a yeshiva program which comrich history, I was not expectbines advanced Talmudic ing that. The history of Amerstudies with military service in ican Jews in general is the Israel Defense Forces, usufascinating to me.”

Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich ally within a Religious Zionist There were also challenges. framework. These Yeshivot allow Orthodox Jewish men to “The biggest challenge was learning how to do my job, and fulfill the ideal of full participation in the IDF, while contin- a big part of that was language-based. I really had to work on uing to engage in Torah study. In addition, he completed a my self-confidence. There’s nothing like getting stuck in the special program in Alon Sh’vut. middle of a sentence, searching for a word, while you are “During our last year in Akko,” Shlomo says, “We had teaching a group of people! Besides, my accent really bothfriends who were participating in the Shlichot program and ered me. I kept imagining having to listen to someone speakwe were interested, but for us it wasn’t the right time. Then, ing Hebrew with a thick accent and getting annoyed, but then when I was within months of finishing my PhD., the chance See Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich page b7

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Continued from page B5 Nazis. Jews were deported to labor camps and ghettos during the war; many never returned. The Jewish population of Romania went from 800,000 before the Holocaust to under 11,000 and those who did return found that the communist government that had risen to power in the aftermath of World War II had taken everything.

My mother, born prematurely in a third world country under increasingly violent and turbulent circumstances at the beginning of the war, was orphaned at age four and cared for by her grandmother Ritsa for the next 10 years. Upon Ritsa’s death, my mother was in an orphanage for a short time before an uncle arranged a marriage for her to a Russian man over twice her age. She left him and fought for their two sons, which was unheard of at the time, especially in this part of the world, before escaping.

She and my father met and married a few years later while she trained as a pharmacist. Five years after that, I was born in Bucharest. I was premature, scarcely weighing two pounds; yet much to everyone’s shock; I beat the odds, destined to be a survivor from birth.

When I was very young, we became refugees, fleeing persecution because of our religion. From Romania, we ended up in Libya and Syria, of all places, before being settled into a refugee camp in Vienna, Austria where we were able to file for asylum in the United States. I was only nine years old by this time but by then I knew the world was a very dangerous and violent place full of fear, confusion, anxiety and horror. Perhaps because of the unforgiving world in which she had always lived, my mother was very strict with me, maybe because it was the only way she knew how to be; after all, survival was all-consuming in the world from which she came, with little energy left for anything else.

Our prayers were answered and we arrived in California in 1983 with all of our belongings in one small suitcase and the clothes on our backs. I recall being petrified as I began my first formal schooling

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As my Romanian Jewish mother walked fiercely

confidence to survive here if I ever hoped to understand and fulfill my purpose in life.

As we became acclimated into our new surroundings, retaining our heritage and the desire to be ‘normal’ full-fledged Americans was a balancing act. Los Angeles was a world away from the refugee camps and communist regimes we had known, yet old habits die hard. I recall maintaining discipline with myself and pleasing my mother while the neighbor kids played freely in the streets. My parents, a mechanical engineer and a pharmacist in Romania, took any jobs they could find to make ends meet- even pumping gas for pennies and dimes- to give me the best life possible.

In high school, I met andreea shnayder at masada Mischa, a Russian Roalongside me, she instructed me in Romanian and manian Jew, with his own story of immigration to Yiddish. She was telling me all the things I should the States. We fell in love, married and have built a not do, such as smile: rather, I had to be serious at good and meaningful life for our four beautiful chilall times- and to take extra caution with whom I indren and ourselves. I am so blessed to have not only teracted, who I spoke to and what I said. I felt stiff, survived the circumstances I wasborn into, but to confused and scared walking up the flight of stairs. have flourished here, in America, where I am free to My throat was parched; the wind blew my hair in be Jewish and free to live my life. my face and obstructed my vision of the front door, I am so grateful that my JWRP experience was creating more anxiety- fear of the unknown. As I en- my first trip to Israel. While I have never felt so tered my third grade classroom, the teacher greeted raw and vulnerable in my entire adult life, I was me with an unpleasant smile. Trying to read her lips also oddly comfortable, surrounded by friendship and hand gestures, I slowly began to cry beneath and love the whole time; encouraged and strengthmy eyelids. I spoke no English and she spoke no Roened to reflect and learn with meaning upon my trimanian, Spanish or Yiddish for that matter. In that als. This mission was like a homecoming for my moment, even as I stood shaking, I realized two imsoul. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for portant things: I had deep intuition about people- a this opportunity - an opportunity for much needed sixth sense if you will- and I needed to work on my spiritual growth and healing!

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Happy Passover

I LoVe mY FAMiLy

PAtty D’AgOstA NOgg recently committed to. We were both painfully aware that life, hese four words connect me to Israel for eter- and or death, might get in our way. On the last day of nity. Let me explain.

Passover, I placed my Mom in hospice care. Eight short weeks By the spring of 2018, my Mom had been later, my mother took her last, peaceful breath surrounded by suffering the the family she loved. effects of canI had been consumed with cer and the my Mom’s care and devastated treatments for by the unexpected depth of more than a year. She was not grief I felt after her death. The going to get better. Mom had one bright light that kept me spent the past year at the Rose looking forward was boarding Blumkin Home, and I asked that flight with Ozzie to Tel her doctor to be the one to Aviv and joining our Omaha break the painful news that community to celebrate Israel she would not be able to return at 70. I felt a pressing need to to her own home. go on the trip. This longing was The doctor administered a surely rooted in my Mother’s memory test knowing full well death, but whether the trip was she would fail, but it gave him an escape from the unspeakthe opening he needed to disable sadness I was struggling to cuss the various medical reaovercome or a kind of spiritual sons why she needed to connection to the Holy Land remain in skilled care indefithat I didn’t yet quite undernitely. At one point, the doctor stand, I just knew I had to go. handed Mom his notebook About a week before leaving and pencil and asked her to on our community adventure, write a short sentence. Tears Ozzie Nogg left, and her daughter-in-law Patty Nogg, at the I pulled out my suitcase and were streaming down her face Western Wall, August, 2018. started to pack. While cleaning when she handed the notebook and pencil back to the doctor. out my handbag, I found the folded piece of notebook paper Scribbled, in mixed case print, she had written the words, I with my Mom’s words — I LoVe mY FAMiLy. It wasn’t a LoVe mY FAMiLy. In that moment of complete clarity, my prayer or even a wish. It was a declaration, a powerful and Mom knew what was happening to her. During her sickness, fierce sentiment that I couldn’t ignore. It became very clear she had been stripped of her health, her mobility, her worldly to me then, why traveling to Israel was so important and what possessions, and now her dream of going home was shattered. I needed to do. It seemed such a private undertaking, so I kept The only thing that mattered to her was the infinite love she the plan to myself. But while Ozzie and I sat at the gate at Epheld for her family. I was moved by my Mother’s words, so I pley, the moment felt right to bring her in on my intention. I quietly tore the page out of the doctor’s notebook, folded it would place my Mom’s last written words in the Western Wall. and put it in my purse.

Exactly two months to the day my Mom passed, Ozzie and Passover was upon us and I couldn’t help but wonder how I stood arm in arm in front of the historic Kotel. She guided the season of liberation and rebirth might lift my spirits. Wit- me through the swarms of worshippers and helped me find a nessing my Mom’s declining health, it was becoming evident small opening where I could place both my hands on the to me that she would likely not make it through the summer. limestone and stuff the note in a crevice. I took a deep breath, At the the Nogg family Seder we declared, “Next year in and with a mixture of sorrow and relief, I bade another Jerusalem,” and I wondered if I would be able to go on the farewell to my Mom and thanked God for His many blessings JFO Mission to Israel that my mother-in-law, Ozzie, and I had see Patty Nogg page B10

Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich

Continued from page B5 I realized: there are many people in the Omaha community with a variety of accents. I fit right in!”

He teaches at Beth Israel, UNO, the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, does sessions in the Jewish Federation of Omaha Kripke Library and works with the Harris Center of Judaic Studies at UNL, where he teaches and does research.

“My classes focus on both the land of Israel and on Judaism,” he says. “I choose different topics each month. When you speak about Israel, you are speaking to an audience where different people have different levels of knowledge.

Sometimes people think they know more than they really do, and for others it is really difficult to imagine a place they haven’t experienced first-hand. Visiting Israel is not the same as living in Israel, so I have to keep that in mind.”

One of his favorite experiences is teaching Residents at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, something he heard about in detail from our past Shaliach, Eliad Eliyahu before coming to Omaha.

“Interacting with the Residents is amazing; it’s not just the Hebrew, through the language we learn many other things, about holidays, the weekly Parsha, and so forth. They tell me their stories as well, which is fascinating. Some of them have relatives in Israel or they have been there themselves, so they can share their memories. This is one of the best things in this community!”

Since coming to Omaha, the Abramovich family has traveled back to Israel once, in 2018. They mostly went to see family: “All our siblings are married with children, so it’s a big family. We’re very blessed. Going home this past summer did feel different, though: Israel is pure Jewishness as a country, as an environment. Even the most secular place is intrinsically Jewish. You can probably find more kosher stores in Brooklyn than in Haifa, but it’s not the same. In Is-

rael, it’s in the soil, in the air.”

Shlomo’s parents have visited Omaha a few times as well.

“One time, my mom stayed for almost a month—they really like it here! Each time they return home after a visit they immediately start planning for the next one. My mother keeps saying how remarkable the acceptance is in Omaha. Take Beth Israel, for example—expectations are very clear, yet as a synagogue it is completely welcoming to anyone who walks through its doors, even if they don’t follow the same rules.”

When they go home later this year, they’ll take back both “too much stuff ” and a more open mind, according to Shlomo.

“We have much more knowledge than we ever did. When you experience a different community first-hand, you experience the other. For instance, my kids have friends at whose houses they can’t eat, and that is a good experience. It’s easier in Israel to be more insular—here, we have had so many opportunities for interaction. It changes your outlook. On the other hand, I will not take Israel’s Jewishness for granted.

For sure, not everything is perfect, but it is our home.”

Learning about Israel is great, he says, but “you have to come and visit! Having first-hand knowledge, seeing it for yourself, it’s something you can’t experience in the classroom. I love the idea of people seeing for themselves what it is like to be in a Jewish country. ‘Country’ is a very different concept than ‘community.’

“Our biggest challenge is in what the country will look like in the future. What should a Jewish army look like?

How do secular and religious Jews fight together? These questions are difficult to answer from a distance.”

Come August, the family will return home, and “it’s a little confusing. Because while Israel is our home, Omaha has become that as well, because of how people have welcomed us.

We will miss it terribly.”

Dr. James Wax

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Our dual existence

OPhiR PalmOn have been growing here in Omaha for the past 25 years.

But first, I had to let this place grow some on me.

Our young Israeli family landed in Omaha in the summer of 1993, starting a chapter that was entirely unseen to us only a few months earlier, when we were readying ourselves to return home to Israel as we had originally planned.

So here we were, making the most of this fresh turn in life. Roni started her

The Lincoln Jewish Community wishes you a Sweet and Joyous Pesach!

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The Palmon-Reiter family Ophir, left, Tomer, Shir and Roni

academic career as an assistant professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at UNO. Shir began her academic career at daycare, and I continued to pave my artistic roadway into the unknown. Our Israeli household stood out as an implant in this otherwise goyish area, and we slowly began to form new friendships and connections in the Jewish community and beyond. After a few years, Tomer joined our family, and the two of us were busy with our kids, their school, and our life. Our friends were fascinated by our Hebrewspeaking home. The kids’ classmates were intrigued by the Israeli food and sweets we served, as well as by the Jewish holiday customs we kept. The highlight of each year was the candle lighting with the kids’ classes at Meadows Elementary. Tomer’s friends would occasionally stay for dinner and ask that I make Levivot – that is what they knew we called potato latkes, which I made year-round. We gradually became accustomed to and comfortable in this place we knew nothing about only a few years earlier, this place we now called home.

Still, there was the home we left behind. In those years when the kids were young, we made as many and as frequent trips to Israel as we could. Almost our entire family lives in Israel, and we wanted to see them as much as we could. Friends, too. It is a different kind of toll for kids to have to fly for a full day to see their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We quickly got used to those long flights and traded our freezing-winter breaks in Omaha for cozyweather vacations in the relatively warmer climate of the Tel Aviv area.

There is nothing better than being away from the environment one is accustomed to in order to recognize and appreciate that environment ever more so. Before we made this decision, Roni and I never imagined living away from Israel for an extended period of time, let alone raising our kids in a distant place, away from our family and friends. Absorbed in this new reality, we did our best to make the most out of our reshuffled future. We enjoyed typical Omaha lives: Shir and Tomer attended the Ralston school system and Beth El Hebrew school, and Roni and I had expanding careers. But at home we enjoyed equally regular immigrant family lives: we spoke Hebrew, watched Israeli kids’ TV programs, and kept an Israeli kitchen. Shir and Tomer ran around the streets of Ralston with their friends, but were equally comfortable navigating the streets of Tel Aviv. Family members and friends who visited our home noted the permeating Israeli atmosphere contained within its walls.

The adult side of this dual existence was not neglected either. Both Roni and I were involved in adult activities related to our Israeli origins. Roni established a number of academic collaborations with Israeli professors in the University of Haifa, the Technion, and her alma mater, Tel Aviv University. I created an art education program as part of the Partnership 2000, presented photographic works I created in Israel on a number of occasions, including the most recent “Faces of Israel” exhibit at the Osborn gallery at UNO. In addition to keeping in touch with lifelong friends, Roni and I continue to enjoy professional collaborations in our respective fields in Israel. As a junior in college, Shir spent her entire summer in Israel as an undergraduate psychology intern, volunteering with NATAL, a support program for Israelis and Palestinians who suffer from PTSD as a result of terror attacks or IDF military actions. In the summer of 2018, Shir led a Birthright trip to Israel; and in the winter of 2019, she was accepted into the Birthright Fellowship program where she is planning to lead Birthright trips to Israel in the coming years.

More than 30 years after Roni and I left Israel for what we believed to be a few-years stint in graduate school, we and our kids continue to enjoy life at our second home in Omaha. We embrace our home country where we grew up and served and our adoptive country where we continue to grow and flourish. There is no place like home, more so if you have two of them.

read it and eat

Continued from page b6 jazzed-up and such. Detailed recipes mention specific brands, equipment, ingredients and chefs mentioned in the sections Cook With Confidence Introduction, Cocktails, Soups & Salads, Dinner, Vegetables & Sides, Dessert, Breakfast and Pro Basics. All this and really beautiful color photographs.

How about this recipe that is a staple of her “dessert repertoire and easy to make”. Goes with the following recipes for Panna Cotta, Raspberry Baked Alaska or to drizzle or pour on Fresh Berries & Sweet Ricotta or ice cream for your Seder dessert!? And you can make it a week ahead. Sauce up your very own Passover dessert repertoire: Lois Friedman can be reached at ReadItAndEat@ yahoo.com.

FreSh raSpberry SauCe

Ingredients: 1 6-ounce package fresh raspberries 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup (12 ounces) seedless raspberry jam, such as Tiptree. Note: If you can’t find seedless raspberry jam, you can heat Credit: Scott Phillips 12 ounces of raspberry jam with seeds over medium heat and strain it through a sieve. Be sure to use real jam, not a “fruit spread”.

1 Tbsp. framboise liqueur Directions: Place the raspberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4-minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam and the framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Pour into a container and chill. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to one week.

Makes 2 cups.

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | b9

passover Counting her blessings: Carmela Kramer Karni Gabby blair Staff Writer, Jewish Press

and meaning is tied into your work, life is so much easier.”

While she never quit teaching, Carmela eventually exhen speaking to Carmela Kramer panded professionally in different fields; she studied dental Karni, one thing that stands out hygiene and worked for a pediatric orthodontist for a while. is that she often gives thanks to Then she broke into the international gold jewelry trade. She G-d for her many opportunities, knew she had found her ‘real day job’ when she became a real cognizant of the many blessings estate broker in San Diego, California. In addition to teaching that have helped make her en- and exploring different trades, being involved in community deavors successful. Born and service was always a natural part of her life. “I cannot say raised in Kfar Shammai, near Meron enough good things about Rotary and not far from the holy city of organizations and temple/synaTsfat, Carmela, like many young Isgogue Tikkun Olam projects. Givraelis, decided to travel at the coning back to the community is part of clusion of her army service. In 1984, who I am, part of my Jewish upshe arrived in Manchester, Conbringing.” necticut, ready for adventure. “I am Throughout the years, Carmela from the northern part of Israel, made many trips back “home” to which is typically cooler than the visit. After having a daughter, the rest of the country. Still, I was not visits took on a deeper meaning. “It quite prepared for the New England was important to me that my daughwinter; it was a physical and cultural ter, Gabriela, know her family and shock” she recalls laughingly. “I was feel connected to the place I was offered a job a few weeks after I born and the Jewish homeland.” landed and knew that the universe Much to Carmela’s surprise, once was directing my journey in making Gabriela turned 18, she did the opthe States my home , even though I posite of her mother, choosing to was far from my family and friends.” leave the States for Israel. “It is hard The following year, she relocated being away from her, but it is her to a warmer, sunnier climate in Calpath and I am proud of her for folifornia where she spent the next 34 lowing it. She did her army service, years. “I moved to the San Diego earned a B.A. and is now studying Carmela Kramer Karni area and before I even began a job Chinese medicine in Tel Aviv. As a search, a job found me!” Carmela began teaching Hebrew in mother, what more could I ask for in life? My child is grown, 1985, saying that teaching was her purpose. “Whether at an healthy, happy and functioning. It also helped me to know afternoon Hebrew school or in an Orthodox Day school, that when she made aliyah, she had a family network already teaching positions always seemed to find me... I felt that was in place and, really, the world seems so much smaller these an affirmation that I was meant to come to the States.” days and everything is within reach with technology.”

Carmela grew up Orthodox in a large Yemenite family. She About five years ago, Carmela came to visit Omaha for the is one of 10 siblings who were all born in Israel. Her parents, Jewish Reunion weekend with a friend, a native of the city. “I who arrived in Israel as part of ‘Operation Magic Carpet’ in just fell in love with this town. The people were nice, the com1949, were amongt an estimated 50,000 Jews who were munity was thriving and I just loved the Dundee area and the covertly relocated out of an increasingly oppressive life of per- little red brick houses. This area and style, it just takes you secution in Yemen. She credits her love for Hashem, along back in time and I thought to myself... hmmm. Nebraska. I with teaching, learning and being aware of life’s blessings, on could maybe do Dundee.” Ready to explore options and lookher upbringing. “Even in those early years, far from home and ing for a change of pace, Carmela decided to travel a bitsurrounded by so much that was unfamiliar, the opportuni- around the US, Israel and to India- considering options and ties that found me kept me tied close to Hashem. When love See Carmela Kramer Karni page b10

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passover Carmela Kramer Karni

Continued from page B9 a path forward. She returned to Omaha the following winter, renting a small apartment in Dundee. “I decided I would throw it out to the universe and test the waters here. After less than a year, she earned her Nebraska brokers license and bought herself a small brick dream house before returning to California to tie up loose ends. “I had literally just bought the house but had not yet physically moved when I randomly saw an ad looking for a licensed broker to help run a management agency. Within a week, I had a good job with an awesome opportunity to grow, waiting for me. It was really B’shert for everything to line up so perfectly. Any stress or doubts about what I was doing vanished and I knew I was on the right path!”

It has been a year and a half since Carmela made Omaha her home. In addition to her work in real estate, she has become an active member of Suburban Rotary of Omaha.

Carmela also loves art and is busy painting and working with clay in her spare time that she hopes to display one day. “I would love to hold art workshops for interested adults in the future using a variety of mediums. Art and music is something that should be integrated in everyone’s lives- it is a positive and beneficial outlet and it is fun.”

Of course, this story would not be complete if the universe has not created a path for her first true passion, teaching. “I was honored when I got a call from Temple Israel asking me to teach and am pleased to say that I am teaching adult Hebrew classes at Temple Israel. It was such a natural, comfortable fit and, just like all those years ago when I first came to America, it keeps me tied to the community and most importantly, to Hashem, from where all blessings flow.”

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Patty Nogg

Continued from pane B7 — for bringing me to Jerusalem and to this day that was just a dream last Passover. The enormity of being able to share this meaningful experience with my mother-in-law was not lost on me.

I think we both felt a sense of mission accomplished.

Later that day, our group walked to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by way of the Via Dolorosa — Latin for Way of Grief — the winding, cobbled street in the Old City believed to be where Jesus walked on his way to his crucifixion. I was raised in the Catholic faith, and understand the meaning and significance of these Christian holy sites. Childhood memories of walking the Stations of the Cross at St. Joan of Arc in Omaha with my Mom during the Lenten season flooded my mind.

And now, all these years later, I found myself in Jerusalem, at the center of my mother’s Catholic faith, on a pilgrimage my Mom was never able to take during her life. I felt an overwhelming sense of duty and honor to walk the Via Dolorosa path for her and with her in spirit. When I entered the Church and found Jesus’s empty tomb, I prayed for my Mom a Hail Mary and an Our Father. As Ozzie and I left the church, we noticed that visitors had placed notes in the crevices there, too. For a brief moment I felt a tinge of disappointment and guilt wash over me, and I questioned whether my Mom would have preferred I deposited her note at the Church instead of at the Wall. I quickly forgave myself because, as they say, That’s what Jesus would do!

The next morning, we woke at 4 a.m., left the busy, noisy center of Jerusalem,

A selfie on the Golan Heights. Patty Nogg, right, with Na’ama, a 19-year old IDF soldier. and drove about an hour to the Judaean desert. Rabbi Stoller led us up a rocky path to the top of the hill for a moving sunrise service. I was humbled by the serenity and vast beauty of the desert.

There was no more fitting time or place for me to say Kaddish for my mother for the first time. ‘Orphan’s Kaddish’ was probably the more accurate description of what I was feeling. I lost my Dad nine years earlier, and with the death of my Mom it suddenly occurred to me that I was now an orphan. I don’t know all the words of the Kaddish prayer by heart, and I didn’t have the foresight to bring a copy of the transliteration with me. I was oddly comforted knowing that my Mom wouldn’t notice that I mangled more than a few Hebrew words. I’m pretty sure my mother-inlaw did notice, but she was gracious enough not to say anything. On our trip, I had an opportunity each morning to say Kaddish, and although I

never did get all the words quite right, the daily morning ritual brought me a measure of peace.

We left Jerusalem and headed north to the Golan Heights where we visited an elite IDF brigade and gained a deeper understanding of the geopolitical challenges at the Syrian border. We also connected with a 19 year-old, female IDF soldier named Na’ama who gave us a tour of the base. It was filled with tents, wire cots with no mattresses and bathrooms that were little more than outhouses. Artillery was everywhere, and shell casings littered the ground. It was an eye-opening experience to see first-hand what these young soldiers endure and the mandatory responsibility they bear to keep Israel safe. As I listened to Na’ama explaining to us her role as an IDF Trainer, all I could think about was Tony’s and my daughter, Olivia, who was turning 19 the following week. I couldn’t imagine sending her off to survive living conditions like this, let alone such proximity to the Syrian war zone. I took a selfie with Na’ama and then walked away from that IDF base with a deep appreciation for the soldiers and for all their parents. At that moment, I understood the painful necessity of parents having no choice but to give their children to the government to secure Israel for all of us.

When Ozzie asked me to consider putting my words on paper and share my personal Israeli connection with the community, it forced me to examine feelings I hadn’t yet wanted to face.

When I looked back on these experiences in Israel, what started to weave in See Patty Nogg page B11

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Much more than a place on the map

AnnEttE vAn dE KAmP-WriGht Editor, Jewish Press ake sure you talk to Jan Schneiderman,” Jan Goldstein told me as soon as I asked her to give me yet another interview. “Oh, and Anne Shackman, and Zoë Riekes.”

Done, done and done. Jan and I have spoken many times over the past nine years. One thing always stands out about Jan’s particular brand of love for Israel: it’s worth sharing with as many people as possible.

Full disclosure: when I first started at the Jewish Press, I demanded much of Jan’s time. She was the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha at the time, it seemed she knew

to create that bridge with 12 communities; we were offered two areas: the Negev or the Western Galilee.

“Most of the bigger cities like L.A. and New York connected with places like Haifa or Jerusalem, but Howard said: ‘The future is not in those big areas, it’s in the periphery.’ So we happened to select the Western Galilee, an area we had much in common with.”

The Western Galilee has similar challenges, Jan said; no large urban areas, many younger people

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@jew ishomaha.org.

What is your home worth?

Above: Bobbie Epstein, left, Jan Goldstein, Barbara Platt, Sharon Kooper and Anne Broder Shackman; pictured left: Lighting candles at Kabbalat Shabbat at the Wall.

everything and everybody and she was a great mentor for someone without Omaha roots. I was maybe three weeks into my brand new job, still reeling from all the changes while my staff was adapting from working with an editor who knew everything to one who knew practically nothing.

Jan took me aside to tell me about the upcoming JFO Women’s Mission and said: “By the way, you should go.”

That was all it took. Three months later I found myself in Israel and I, like many of you, saw firsthand what it means to have Jan Goldstein as your personal guide. The love she has for the land is intense and infectious. I had not seen the country since the age of 18; everything was familiar yet completely different. I added a few days before the trip so I could spend some time in Jerusalem by myself, connect with a college friend, reacquaint myself with the way Israel feels. Then, we were up and running. To this day, I am grateful for that experience.

Much of what we learned about was connected to the Partnership, something Jan has been involved with since the very beginning.

“It started when I was working with Howard Bloom, back in 1990, because Howard wanted the smaller communities to participate in this new concept of a partnership with Israel. Before, we had sister cities, but that just meant American cities would send funds—there was no actual relationship building. Partnership started with larger cities, but Howard felt strongly the smaller communities in the Diaspora needed to band together and participate.”

Fortunately for Jan (and the rest of us) Howard Bloom sent her to attend a meeting at the Jewish Agency. She met Avram Borg, who was the JA’s chairman at the time.

“He painted this picture of a ‘living bridge,’ and I was mesmerized! Imagine Americans and Israelis, traveling back and forth, beginning to understand each other and learning about each other. We began

tend to want to leave for the ‘big city,’ and it is important to create opportunities that make them want to return.

“Through Partnership, we have been able to develop infrastructure such as the Western Galilee Hospital including its underground facility and the work that is being done with abuse victims. We can take pride in being part of that, both the bricks and mortar elements and the programming. The school-twinning program is another great example: both sides benefit. Partnership is a gift Omaha and Israel give each other; what we have invested we have received for our children here in Omaha many times over.”

For a long time, she said, there has been a sense that Diaspora Jews in America need to take care of Israel. Nowadays, though, it is much more an equal, mutually beneficial relationship: “Israel has so much to offer us in return.”

It’s something she realized at that first meeting in 1990. She came back to Howard Bloom and told him everything was going to change.

“We knew we were on the cusp of something very different. It’s tough to put it into words and the best way to explain it is: come with me and see for yourself. You have to see it, feel it, experience it on the ground. The reality today is, Partnership is our Israel relationship. It defines it. We have a financial relationship and not a political one, but even the dollars center on what we accomplish through the Partnership. It’s the very best thing we do today.”

It’s made our Diaspora communities stronger, Jan believes.

“I hope our kids are better prepared to go into the world and enter the discourse. They have a better idea of who and what Israel is through the twinning programs, teen trips, the Israeli teens coming to Omaha, the performers that work together. All of those exchanges create opportunities to meet real people and connect with them. You can’t learn about a country unless you meet the people face to face, and that goes both ways.”

The constant exposure is incredibly important, she said. “Arts, culture, music, through all those avenues you meet the real people and encounter the human side of Israel. It’s a country that is real, alive, and much more than just a place on the map.”

Continued from page B10 my mind was a fabric of love, loss and family, and what emerged changed my perspective forever. I didn’t just carry a simple note to deposit into a historic wall. I carried my Mother with me on a journey to discover a meaningful connection to a land that I had little con-

nection to before.

I miss my Mom every day, but she and her words are with me everywhere I go. I love my family. Those words are a constant reminder to me that the things in life that matter are hard, but loving and being loved are the only things that really count.

Patty Nogg

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B12 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

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Patrick in Israel: Professional, personal and spiritual connections

PatrIck McNaMara Director of UNO Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies n June 2018, I spent 11 days in Israel. This was my third trip to Israel and each time I come away more inspired. As the Director of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies, I had an agenda to further connections between UNO and institutions in Israel.

There were also personal connections that were important to me. And finally, the spiritual connectedness I always feel in Israel was even more powerful this time.

Professional connections. Israel has a world-class education system. While there, I visited IDC Herzilya, University of Haifa, The Technion, Western Galilee College, and the Arava Institute. It was great to reunite with Dr. Haim Sperber at Western Galilee College, who has been to Omaha a number of times. I participated in the Partnership2Gether Academic Task Force meetings while in Akko, which resulted in UNO hosting the upcoming P2G Academic Conference in September 2019. We will have a guest lecturer from The

Technion come to UNO in 2019. And we are Jesus. Being married to a Jew and raising finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding Jewish children, it was amazing to see the between UNO and University of Haifa, the Jewish people thriving in the Promised Land. first formal MOU of any Nebraska institution with an Israeli university.

Personal connections.

One of the most moving experiences was visiting the mother and sister of my colleague and friend Dr. Moshe Gershovich, of blessed memory, while in Tel Aviv. They were pleased to hear that UNO launched a campaign to raise money for the Moshe Gershovich Endowed Chair as a way to preserve his legacy. And they were moved to tears when I shared pictures of the newborn son of Kasey DeGoey, who was Schwalb Patrick with Moshe Gershovich’s sister and mother.

Center Staff Assistant, who named her baby “Moshe.”

The Arava Institute in the Negev was an enSpiritual connections. For all the comcouraging model of Muslims and Jews living, plexities of conflict and collaboration that are learning and building a sustainable future toin Israel today, the history of this small coungether. In the Irish tradition, we say that a try is undeniably special to the three Abra“Thin Place” is where heaven and earth hamic religions. Being a Christian, it was touch. For me, Israel is a Thin Place that I awe-inspiring to walk in the footsteps of want to experience anew again and again.

Transformative moments avIva SeGall

he Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project’s (JWRP) mission is “to empower women to change the world through Jewish values that transform ourselves, our families, and our communities.” My JWRP trip has indeed transformed me, my family, my relationship to the Omaha Jewish Community and my understanding of what it means to be part of the Jewish people.

Two of the most transformative personal moments on my JWRP trip to Israel came while davening (praying) at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem: At one point, we were at the Kotel at the time to daven Mincha (afternoon prayers). The women’s section was crowded and there was not much room to actually get close to the wall, so I thought “I’ll just pray and when the time comes, I will get closer to the wall.”

Amazingly, right during the section of Shema Kolenu (where we ask hashem to listen to our voices), where there is a moment to express our personal prayers in the midst of the more structured format of the Amidah (silent prayer), the perfect spot opened up. At that moment, I felt what it was not just to say a prayer but to be fully immersed in prayer.

The other was when I left the hotel before dawn so that I could experience the exact moment of sunrise at the Kotel while davening Shacharit (the morning prayers). The words of the prayers came to life as I heard the cry of a rooster just as the Kotel came into my line of sight.

The second the sun actually rose there was silence and then suddenly, the songs of hundreds of birds- not exactly what I was expecting in a major city, but a beautiful expression of “...in the morning a

cry of joy” from these morning prayers.

My experience in Israel deepened my understanding of how important a connection with Israel is for my family.

Since my trip to Israel, each member of my family has been to Israel as well. I am, however, a bit jealous. My JWRP trip to Israel only had a two day “taste” of being in the Western Galilee partnership region. Each member of my family was able to spend a significant amount of time there. As a result of my trip, I am joining the Partnership Arts committee and hope to help with music collaborations.

The JWRP trip was most importantly a chance to get to know an amazing group of women from Omaha. I appreciate the unique talents and gifts of each of these women, many of whom I would not otherwise know. One of the group highlights of the trip was floating together in the Dead Sea and trying to link our feet and take a picture. I truly appre-

ciate the opportunity to get to know my roommate, Erica Parks. Although we had children who were at the CDC together somehow in the busy rush of our Omaha lives, I had entirely missed getting to know her. Erica is smart, informed, kind, community-minded and someone I respect and admire.

One of the ongoing gifts of JWRP is the requirement to continue studying the following year. Because of my work as Music Director of the Omaha Area Youth Orchestras, I work pretty much opposite hours to most of the rest of the women on the trip. I wasn’t available for many of the official learning sessions.

However, Jennie Gates Beckman’s list of classes in the Omaha area increased my overall level of Jewish learning. I’ll put a plug in here for the amazing classes at Chabad with Rabbi Mendel and Shani Katzman and the opportunity at Beth Israel not only to go to fabulous classes but also to study one-on-one with the rabbis. My study of Chumash with Rashi with Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich has deepened my understanding of this fundamental Jewish text, and studying with Rabbi Ari Dembitzer is always inspiring and thought-provoking.

The prayer stories I shared at the beginning of this article were about personal moments, praying at the wall surrounded by women from all over the US and Russia highlighted the fact that, in Judaism, most of our prayers are in the plural. They are communal prayers that highlight our connectedness and responsibility for each other. This was the greatest lesson of my JWRP trip and a lesson the Omaha Jewish community embodies. I want to thank the Jewish Federation of Omaha for making this trip possible and look forward to seeing the community transform with each successive JWRP trip.

Dancing in the Galilee

Leora McNaMara ast summer, I had the best adventure ever! I got to go to Israel for six weeks! The first two weeks consisted of sight seeing, hanging out with old Omaha friends like the Ben Shushans and Margalits, and exploring the beautiful Partnership2Gether region of the Western Galilee. This region is breathtakingly beautiful and it truly shows the wonders of Israel.

I think everyone that is part of the Omaha Jewish community should go visit at some point.

The next four weeks of my stay in Israel were at the International Dance Village on Kibbutz Ga’aton near Nahariya in the Partnership region. Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company or KCDC is a worldrenowned company (visit its website at www.kcdc.co.il).

KCDC has a dance intensive every summer. This intensive includes classes in contemporary, ballet, modern, and hip-hop; repertoire from the Company; and body work which is a class where the teacher does exercises to show us how to correctly use our bodies. It was an AMAZING experience!

First and foremost, I learned and grew so much as a dancer while in Israel. At KCDC, you really feel the teachers’ support and love while also feeling the challenging and pro-

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | B13

fessional nature of the program. Not only did I get to grow as a dancer, but I also got to gain back my fluency in Hebrew which I first learned at Friedel Jewish Academy. Since I was surrounded by girls who spoke Hebrew, I picked it back up with no problem. It was so fun to get to communicate with girls who do not have the same first language as me.

One of my favorite parts of Israel was the friendships I made with the girls at KCDC. They were from all over the world: China, South Korea, South Africa, Venezuela, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy, USA, Canada, France, and many more. We all came together and were friends. It was amazing to see such a diverse international group together.

KCDC is on a kibbutz. This meant the dancers could roam around, explore, and really get to know the area. There was a pool, a grocery store, a playground, houses, dorms and apartments for the dancers, the big green lawn, a dining hall, and much more on Kibbutz Ga’aton. It was so beautiful on the kibbutz at night because you could see stars and it was a nice temperature. At KCDC, there are eight studios on campus, all absolutely gorgeous.

See Leora McNamara page B15

passover My Partnership2Gether experience

practicing my instrument every day, which made me ILaNa McNaMara his December I had the amazing opreach for the next level of viola playing. portunity to go to Israel with the Above all, I loved meeting all the Israelis that Partnership2Gether. I had been to Isshowed us around and helped us (this essay would rael twice before, but this time I was be way too long if I had to name everyone, so thank able to use my talents on the viola to you all!), and I loved getting to know the other muconnect with Israelis in the Western Galilee. sicians on the trip.

I honestly didn’t know what As a high school senior, I to expect when I agreed to have never had the opportunity come on the trip. All I knew to perform in another country, was that I would be playing and Gary and Sarah really music in Israel, one of my fahelped to show me the ropes. I vorite places in the world, and want to be a professional that I would be getting out of chamber musician when I grow school for two weeks (thanks, up, which means that I want to Mom and Dad!), so I was sold. play my viola in smaller ensemIn only ten days, Kim Goldbles like trios or quartets. My berg, Gary Levinson, Sarah experience playing in the DvoPrice and I toured around the rak Terzetto string trio with the country in our little minivan, older violinists really opened my meeting new people and playing eyes to what the life of a tourmusic. Some of my favorite ing chamber group is like: reIlana with her viola in the partnerparts were helping the young hearsing in hotel rooms, Jewish and Arab musicians at ship region. learning parts on-the-go, and the Akko Conservatory, playing concerts in homes perfecting the music in a short period of time. and at the Akko Center for Arts and Technology, One challenge that I had to overcome was that and seeing the amazing cultural riches that Israel of being the only 17-year-old on a trip full of has to offer, like the gorgeous old city of Jerusalem, adults, but I rose to the occasion and tried to “be the stunning views from Masada, and the lovely an adult” while still bringing my enthusiasm to seaside towns of Akko and Nahariya. everything we did.

I also had the opportunity to leave the adults for I am beyond grateful to have had this chance to a few days and meet Jewish and Arab-Israeli musiplay my viola with the Partnership2Gether and I cians my own age at the Keshet Eilon Winter Music hope there are many more opportunities for me and Seminar. There, I had an intense schedule of orches- for other young musicians to truly make a differtra, private lessons with world-class teachers, and ence in the Western Galilee and in our own lives.

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Catching up with the Feldsterns

B14 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover A proposal in Tel Aviv

annette van de kamp-wright Editor, Jewish Press itzpe Ramon, a town in the Negev, boasts the largest crater in the world.

It is also the place Iris Ricks says she is in love with. But, she also loves the northern part of Israel. She should know; in 2018, she made her 11th trip to the country.

“My earliest memory of Israel,” she says, “is hearing about the land that my mother’s sister and brother (Leah and Meyer) fled to from Poland in the 1920s. They were pioneers and settled in Kfar Saba. I had a chance to meet my aunt Leah when she visited Chicago in the 1960s and met my uncle on my first trip to Israel, in 1986.”

Israel is important, because it is the land of the Jewish people, Iris said. It is also the country to which, in December 1986, she and her two children accompanied their rabbi from Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, California.

Marty Ricks and his children were also on that particular trip.

“It was there, in the bar of the Dan Tel Aviv, that Marty proposed to me. We were married the following November,” Iris said.

Iris’ love affair with Israel would continue.

When Jan Goldstein resigned as Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, she started working for tour company Amiel.

“About a year later, she asked if I would like to work with

her as a tour consultant. Jan and I were in Israel on a mission in 2013, we went to the Amiel office and I was hired!”

Amiel Tours was founded in 1976 by Mr. Chuzi Amiel z”l (1927-2016) as a family-owned, full-service B2B company, for incoming tourism to Israel. Since then, the company has been a nine-time recipient of the “Distinguished Promoter of Tourism” award and has become the largest and one of the most respected providers of travel services in Israel. Today, the company is led by Chuzi’s son, Oni Amiel.

“My primary job,” Iris said, “is to bring Jews from North America to Israel. I meet with clients either in person or over the phone to learn about what they are looking for in a trip. I ask questions like: Is this your first trip?

Do you want to hire a private guide or would you like to join an organized group tour?

Are you Jewish?

What are the ages of the participants?

Are there any special cities or sites you would like to visit?

Do you have any special interests you would like to incorporate?

What level of hotels do you like?

I then pass on the information to our office in Or Yehuda and we begin putting the trip together.”

Being a tour consultant requires enthusiasm and love for the destination, something Iris has in spades.

“I think every Omahan should have a relationship with Israel,” she said. “It is a country that is so unique. My life has been so enriched by my See iris ricks page B15

gaBBy Blair Staff Writer, Jewish Press ast summer, our community wished the Feldstern family all the best as they returned to Israel. Liz, who had been the director of IHE for the past five and a half years, had huge impact in the greater Omaha and regional communities during her time in this role. Under her leadership, IHE programming grew successfully, furthering the agency’s mission to educate the population about the Holocaust and support survivors and their families.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to lead at IHE and my family loved our Omaha Jewish community,” explains Feldstern. “Our decision to move back to Israel was not an easy one. But ultimately we were drawn by wanting to be closer to family (three grandparents within a 5 minute walk!) and to provide our children with an environment where Jewish expression and observance does not have to be compromised to participate in all the social and recreational opportunities they might want.”

Yonatan has continued in his position with Omaha-based West Corporation, working remotely from his new home office in Jerusalem. Liz is enjoying being a homemaker and is considering what will come next in her career. The adjustment has had its upsand-downs for the kids. Their Hebrew is good and getting better by the minute. They love spending time with their grandparents and cousins and have made some new friends. They are staying busy with basketball, gymnastics, and Little League (yes, even in Israel!). Even so, they certainly miss their friends in Omaha and the warm familiarity of Friedel, the CDC, and Beth El Synagogue.

We were lucky enough to catch up with the Feldsterns on the recent JWRP trip to Israel and it is safe to say the family was happily adjusting and in their element. Liz expertly negotiated with cab drivers for our group on an outing to Mahane Yehuda market and was eager to catch up with friends. “It was really great to see everyone, even if only briefly. If you are ever in the neighborhood, make sure to let us know!”

Happy Passover!

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The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | B15

JWrP reflections: Sara Kohll

Sara KOhll The moment I saw it in person, it definitely Over the past 3 years, The Jewish Federa- took my breath away. There is an energy tion of Omaha has collaborated with The there unlike anything that I have ever expeJewish Women’s Renaissance Project rienced and I will never forget the way I felt (JWRP) sending mothers from our commu- when I first put my hand on the wall. Leaving nity to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a notes in the crevices was such a special molifetime. This series shares their stories and ment and the energy that I walked away with highlights their experiences. that night left me feeling positive and fulo say that this was a once in a filled. lifetime trip is an understateThe other really special moment for me, ment. Will I go to Israel would definitely have to be the Hebrew Namagain? Most likely yes, but ing Ceremony. I was one of the women in the will I ever have an experience group that did not have a Hebrew name allike I did this time (my very first time in Is- ready, so we had a chance to pick a name that rael)? Probably not! had meaning to us. I I went into this trip chose Chana Ilana after not really knowing anymy two amazing grandone and decided to take mothers, Clara and Ilene, a leap of faith to grow, both of whom have learn, and connect with passed away. My Hebrew amazing people. It name means ‘graceful ended up being the best tree’ and I love that every decision I could make time I think of it, I will because not only did I think about two very make friendships that I special people in my life feel will last a lifetime, and receiving my name but I came back with esin Israel. After we sesentially 14 new sisters. lected our name, we were I grew up with three invited up in front of our brothers, so to bond entire group to announce with so many women our new Hebrew name was such a great experiand receive a blessing ence for me. from the amazing AdriNow for the trip, liter- Sara Kohll in the Old City of Jerusalem enne Gold. Following the ally from the moment our feet hit the ground blessing, all 200 of us danced and celebrated in in Tel Aviv to our final moments together the desert outside of Jerusalem and my smile every single second spent in Israel was in- could not have been bigger. It truly was such a credible. People ask me all of the time what memorable moment for me that will always my favorite thing about the trip was; I cannot hold a special place in my heart. pick because everything was so special in difThis was not even the tip of the iceberg beferent ways. If I HAD to narrow it down, I cause I could go on and on about my experiwould choose our time spent at the Western ences there. I just want to thank each and Wall and the Hebrew Naming Ceremony. every woman in our group that made me feel I have heard many stories about people vis- so comfortable and welcome from the first iting the Western Wall and had an idea in my time that we met and to our trip leader, Louri. head of what it would be like, but it was so She really took us under her wing and led us much more than I could have even imagined. on the trip of a lifetime!

Iris Ricks

Continued from page B14 trips to Israel and by the Israelis I have met.

As someone gets to know Israelis, you can’t help being awed by the country’s intelligence, entrepreneurial spirit and what they have accomplished in 70 years given the obstacles they have faced. It makes me so proud to be Jewish whenever I am there. I think that having the opportunity to go to Israel or meet Israelis would be very inspiring to anyone lucky enough to have these experiences.”

She will probably accompany Jan Goldstein to Israel again this year, for business, but she’s also planning another trip that is sheer pleasure: “In March, 2020 Marty and I will participate in Portland’s mission celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Portland Jewish

leora McNamara

Continued from page B13 One of the most memorable parts of KCDC was when, over the weekend (Friday and Saturday in Israel), the dancers got to go to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. We visited the Old City and prayed at the Kotel. I absolutely love Jerusalem. It is stunning, both visually and spiritually. After leaving the Old City, we drove to the Dead Sea. All the dancers loved swimming in the Dead Sea because it was a very relaxed time. My friends and I covered

community.”

That’s no coincidence, as of this writing, Iris and Marty are finalizing their move from Omaha, their long-time home, to Portland, Oregon.

ourselves in mud and almost burned our feet trying to run on the hot sand to the showers to rinse it off. That part was not so relaxing.

In conclusion, my summer in Israel was stupendous! This is mainly thanks to the generosity of the Jewish Federation of Omaha to which I extend my gratitude. Israel is a place I know that I will visit again and again and I am so glad that I can share my love for my homeland with my whole family!

B16 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

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The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | C1

section3 PASSOVER

Friedel Jewish Academy and Ma’ayanot: Twinning AnneTTe vAn de kAMp-wrIghT Editor, Jewish Press winning programs promote the sense of Jewish Peoplehood and shared responsibility – for students in schools around the world and Israeli schools alike. Students have the chance to meet each other for dynamic conversations around issues such as Jewish Identity and Social Responsibility. Twinning programs, likewise, link educators for professional and personal enrichment.”

So begins the section on the Partnership’s website that explains the Twinning Program. For our own Friedel Jewish Academy, that means direct and frequent contact with kids at Ma’ayanot; kids who are just like them—except they are a world away and in a very different time zone.

“The program gives us a peek on how life in Israel is,” Judaic Studies teacher Hodaya Abramovich says. “When we see pictures of the school and the classrooms, pictures of students learning, short videos of ceremonies or events that they are having in Ma’ayanot, and of course the letters that we send and receive – all of those allow you to see a little bit about life and culture in Israel.

I hope it increases our students’ curiosity and makes them want to know more about Israel, and even make them want to come visit Israel one day.”

Since its inception, Global School Twinning has evolved as Partnership2Gether’s flagship program.

The program’s success stems from its ability to engage the school community as a whole (students, educators, parents) in promoting Jewish Peoplehood, catalyzing development of new educational

programs and pedagogic methods along the way. by terrorists in the summer of 2014) together with “For example,” Hamora Hodaya added, “last the Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat and “Gesher.” year we watched videos from Yom Hazikaron ceremony in Ma’ayanot, and it was very interesting and inspiring for our students to watch it.

Because of the time difference, it is challenging to schedule a skype meeting, so we are working on videoing the students interviewing each other, and we will get to “meet” them not live, but throughout those videos. We are also planning on learn- At Tu B’Shevat (the birthday of the trees), 5th and 6th grade students at Friedel Jewing together — by ish Academy in Omaha and at the Maayanot School in Israel all read The Giving Tree learning a text and by Shel Silverstein. sharing our thoughts on videos or pictures that The award acknowledges the efforts of organiwe’ll share.” zations and individuals in Israel and the Jewish In 2016, the Global School Twinning Network world who actively work to advance unity was awarded with the Jerusalem Unity Prize by the throughout Jewish communities and Israeli sociPresident Reuven Rivlin and Mayor Nir Barkat, as ety. The School Twinning Network unites the Jewpart of the Global Jewish Unity Day. This memo- ish people worldwide while overcoming distance rial prize is a joint initiative between the families and language gaps and contributes to a stronger of Eyal Ifrah, Gil-ad Shaer and Naftali Fraenkel and more unified global Jewish community. (the three Israeli teens kidnapped and murdered See Twinning page C2

Every Passover Elijah has a standing invitation.

No matter what. We open our door. Set a place at our table. And fill his cup. This year, let's do the same for those in need. No matter what.

We thank you for your generosity and support of the Jewish Federation of Omaha's Annual Campaign, and Foundation’s endowments and charitable funds.

Together we can make a difference in the lives of those in need, here at home and around the world.

2019

It’s more than a donation.

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t’s your legacy.

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C2 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover

From Omaha to the Western Galilee: JWRP reflections: A true partnership

Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences.

handprint on that wall during a high school trip sponsored by the Jew,437 miles. ish Federation of Omaha.

That’s the distance between the Jewish During the tour of the medical center, we also saw a giant play Federation of Omaha and the Galilee Medroom under construction in the pediatric building. The room was ical Center in Nahariya, Israel. roughly the size of half the gymnasium floor at the JCC. The Jewish On a wall near the emergency room enFederation of Omaha is providing significant funds to the project so trance to the hospital is a plaque. The that sick children can play and just be kids. plaque thanks the consortium communities While in the pediatric building, our group delivered a box full of who helped build the hospital’s emergency stuffed animals for the patients. One member of our group personally room. And on that list reads, “The Jewish delivered an animal to a young girl we spotted in the hall. Her smile Federation of Omaha.” was enough to melt the hearts of us 15 moms.

I was one of 15 women from Omaha Following the tour of the Galilee Medical Center, our next stop was who traveled to this remarkable facility dur- Shalom Aleichem School, an elementary school with a connection to ing a tour of Omaha’s Partnership Region in the Western Galilee. The Omaha and, in particular, Omaha’s Temple Israel. We were greeted by tour piggybacked an eight-day trip about 30 4th graders singing John sponsored by the Jewish FederaLennon’s Imagine. They seemed tion of Omaha and the Jewish both excited and intrigued by this Women’s Renaissance Project. wayward group of Americans.

This hospital is like no other.

We were shown slides of the While it has 723 beds above kids celebrating Tu B’Shvat via ground, the hospital is prepared to Skype with a classroom at Temple care for 550 patients underground, Israel. The teachers showed us letin a protected area, in an emerters they had received from the gency situation.

Temple Israel students, and bookGalilee Medical Center is located marks they had sent back to Temless than 10 miles from Israel’s borple Israel. One member of our der with Lebanon. While incidents group noted that her daughter had are uncommon, the hospital sits participated in this exchange and vulnerable to a devastating attack. JWRP Omaha women visited Western Galilee Medical Center written a letter to the kids at So they need to be ready. With that in mind, there is a facility-wide Shalom Aleichem. protocol in place to move all patients and staff to safety underground, The school principal shared with us that, unlike at an American through a giant metal door, should the building be under attack. school, the students at Shalom Aleichem also learn about agriculture, The hospital can be fully functional for weeks underground. On the farm to table cooking and their environment. day of our visit, the underground facility looked like a ghost town.

During our tour of the school, we saw kids campaigning in the Medical professionals from the around the world, including the United courtyard for upcoming schoolwide elections, observed a practice of States post-9/11, have visited the Galilee Medical Center to learn their brass instruments and saw a darn cool science project that efficiently strategies and protocols. watered dozens of planters made from repurposed plastic liter bottles.

At the entrance to the underground hospital is a long, large wall But like most things in this part of the country, there was a solemn with colorful painted handprints of those who have visited in years note. A number of the classrooms had giant, metal doors at the past. One mom in our group recalled that her daughter had put her See Linda Saltzman page C4 Linda SaLtzMan

Twinning

Continued from page C1 Hagar Shoham-Marko, the Director of the Global Schools Twinning Network, says: “I believe that unity is brought by creating relations between people. Our goal is that students in Israel will get acquainted with their Jewish brethren outside of Israel, and Jewish communities worldwide will get to know us Israelis better. The wider and deeper this network of connections – the closer are the different parts of the Jewish people.”

The direct contact with students of the same age is meaningful, Hamora Hodaya adds: “Normally, I don’t know how a child in Omaha, NE, can get to ‘meet’ children in Israel and learn a bit about their lives unless they have connections with family or friends in Israel. So this is a great opportunity for children to learn Each school completed a project that they about daily life shared with the other school through picand culture of tures and video.

Israel and do so on a personal level.”

Engaging with students in Israel while they are young allows Friedel alumni to maintain a closer relationship with the country as they grow up.

“They learn about life in Israel, the culture, the hobbies kids in Israel have – all that knowledge will hopefully expand their horizons,” Hamora Hodaya says. “When a Friedel student knows someone from Israel, we hope that level of knowledge will be useful in the future. Maybe some day they will visit in person. The fact that they know someone from Israel makes this country less foreign to them.”

Her favorite part is “when students are amazed to hear that Israeli kids also like Star Wars, play with Legos, wear Nike, and sometimes love the same kind of music. They have more in common than they think.”

Of course, the benefits go both ways. For Israeli students it is just as important to have a real connection to other Jewish kids in the diaspora.

“I think that kids in Israel are very curious about how life is in the USA,” Hamora Hodaya says. “I remember as a kid, I learned about daily life in the USA mainly through movies.

So, when you get to meet a group of kids from the states, around your age, it is very exciting. To Israeli kids it is an opportunity to see different types of Jewish life, other than what they see in Israel. It opens their minds to the differences among Jewish communities all around the world. Without the Twinning program, that relationship would never grow.”

May your home be blessed with Health and Joy this Passover.

The Cohens Alan & Anne Marty & Kathy Jack, Sam & Will

1710_DIJWP

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | C3

PASSOVER BRINGS THE FAMILY

RFRI01

together.

c4 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

Snowbirds

read it and eat

the Brisket chronicles | steven raichlen | Workman, $19.95

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@jew ishomaha.org.

nown as the “Julia meat, equipment, gear, techniques Child of BBQ” and experiences. Follow along from Raichlen has fire to brisket sous vide and from the piled up numermost luscious, luxurious Wagyu to ous awards... five select cuts to order in some Texas James Beard Awards and has over BBQ joints.

30 cookbooks credited to his exThe recipes are in ten chapters: A pertise. On his way to the BarbeCrash Course On Brisket, Brisket cue Hall of Fame and far from his Barbecued & Grilled, Brisket Cured, early years in Brooklyn ...he was Lois Friedman Brisket Braised, Brisket Boiled, in his 20s before experiencing Stewed & Dried, BBQ brisket but his Brisket for Breakfast, early years were filled Brisket to Begin, with the centerpiece Brisket Sandwiches, braised brisket with Brisket Sides and A dried fruits and root vegBrisket Miscellany etables made by his and are from champs, grandmother and aunts “whisperers” and his every Rosh Hashanah and relatives Ethel, Sam many a Sabbath: “the dish and Annette. Dethat anchors the Jewish tailed instructions culinary pantheon”. Plus, have sidebar notes his teenage years in Baltiand surprises! more found him eating This recipe from his share of cornbeef and the world’s brisket pastrami at local delis. belt is of Ashkenazi Post college found him in Jews and can be used Paris studying the French for the broth and as a approach to brisket. “handsome slab of Follow Raichlen’s obbrisket to slice, shred or dip”. session chapter by chapter, technique by Think international brisket nirvana! Many technique and his journey from the fires of recipes in the book feature using the broth, good ole Texas live-fires to a Shabbat or hol- too. This brisket is infinitely customizable deiday dinner. The first three dozen pages pending on its final destination... cover everything you need to know and is a Lois Friedman can be reached at ReadIt crash course in brisket history, the worldwide AndEat@ yahoo.com.

Basic Brisket Broth

Method: Simmering.

Prep time: 15 minutes.

Cooking time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Heat source: Stove.

You’ll also need: Stock pot, fine-mesh strainer.

Ingredients: a 2-pound section of brisket flat 1 dried bay leaf 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered 1 whole clove 1 carrot, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 celery rib, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed with the side of a knife 2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro Directions: Place the brisket in a large pot. Pin the bay leaf to one of the onion quarters with the clove and add it to the pot with the remaining onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and parsley. Add 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a

ladle, skim off any scum that rises to the surface.

Reduce the heat and gently simmer, skimming the liquid often, until the brisket is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Conscientious skimming and gentle simmering is the secret to a clean, clear broth.

Add water as needed to keep the brisket and vegetables covered.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board or baking dish and let it cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool.

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing the vegetables with the back of a wooden spoon to extract the juices.

You should wind up with around 2 quarts. Brisket broth will keep covered, for at least 3 days in the refrigerator, or for several months in the freezer.

Optional: Cut the chilled brisket across the grain into paper-thin slices (this works best on a delistyle meat slicer--otherwise use a very sharp knife) and fan them out on a plate. Serve with one of the dipping sauce recipes included.

Makes 8 to 10 cups.

continued from page c2 entrance. These rooms also served as bomb shelters. Each student knows in which room he/she needs to seek shelter in the event of an emergency.

Yet another difference from U.S. schools.

Our final stop in the Partnership Region was Kibbutz Hanita, which is home to Lone Soldiers in training who have no place to go on weekends. Some are working on physical fitness; others are improving their Hebrew skills. Kibbutz Hanita is their home.

It is also home to a spunky yellow Labrador Retriever who roams freely around the kibbutz.

It is also about five miles from the border with Lebanon.

I asked one of the young men if he ever felt nervous being so close to Lebanon. He said no. Why no?

He said any bombs fired by Lebanon would travel a considerable distance and therefore fly way over

the kibbutz.

Colorado, New Jersey and Minnesota were just some of the states represented by the nearly two dozen young men and women we met. One young man wore a Batman shirt. A young woman sported a Princeton football tee. Each of them explained why they chose to be a Lone Soldier, and a handful of them showed us their rooms, which resembled a college dorm room, except the alcohol in one of the mens’ rooms.

Once again. Omaha’s impact was seen. We saw the laundry facilities the Lone Soldiers use. They were small, old and seemed to be on their last legs.

We learned that the Jewish Federation of Omaha had purchased new washers and dryers for the kibbutz, and they were to be delivered soon. Everyone was looking forward to having improved laundry equipment.

Linda Saltzman

Anne Shackman

Annette vAn de kAMp-wright parted to us, from the experience I shared and the things I Editor, Jewish Press saw. I can recall my first view of Israel, of Tel Aviv as we flew hen Anne Shackman’s daughter Kim over the coast, the numerous white buildings stretching up was 15 years old, she signed her up to the skies, and I thought about what a thrill it was to finally for an Artza trip, organized by Margo arrive. I felt like I was coming home.”

Riekes.

She was eager for more and when she “I just told her, came back to Omaha, she connected ‘you’re going.’ I with Jan Goldstein. didn’t give her the “It’s so important to see Israel firsthand! option of saying no. She wasn’t entirely In the years since that first trip, I was happy at first, but four days in, she called asked to be on the regional and national me and thanked me. I thought, if this afboards and led countless trips. My portfects her that much, I have to get myself folio was ‘missions,’ and I took people to Israel.” from all over. Trips with community It was the early 1990s when Anne members from Omaha were always the Shackman took her first trip to Israel. most personal, though. Many of the parShe joined a Mission trip led by Howard ticipants had never felt such Jewish imKooper and Tom Fellman. pact, regardless of how Jewishly they “It wasn’t their first time,” she rememlived back home.” bers, “and they knew what they were People weren’t always enthusiastic at doing. I had wanted to go for many years, the onset of a trip, Anne said. Sometimes I just never had the opportunity.” a spouse or other family member talked She actually had a different trip them into it. When that happened, Anne planned at the time. But then she found would ask them to reserve judgment herself driving behind her “dear friend until the end.

Anne Shackman Zoë” in the JCC parking lot. (That would “More often than not, at some point, be Zoë Riekes, whose story you can read elsewhere in this they would get it. You never know what it is, which moment paper.) brings it all together, but something will spark a change in “Zoë stopped her car, got out and ran over to me to tell your sense of community, or your sense of self.” me she was going on that mission. Cheryl Cooper was She stopped counting after visiting Israel 40 times. going. Other women were going without husbands; would “The one in 1998 really stood out,” she said. “It was the I please come? That night, I burst into tears and told my 50-year-anniversary of Israeli Independence and we visited husband how desperately I wanted to cancel our planned Poland before going to Israel. I remember speaking to all travel and go to Israel instead. He told me right away I the synagogue presidents; we had a very good cross-section should, and so I went! It was, in many ways, a groundbreak- of Omaha people on that trip. We had five or six buses with ing decision. I had never before traveled such a long dis- other participants from all over. I had the privilege of helptance by myself, without my husband and I wasn’t sure how ing plan the itinerary, and I remember the impact of travelI would respond.” ing from Poland and then landing in Tel Aviv. Imagine what Turns out, the impact was big. it must have been like, for those refugees to survive the “I knew this journey was going to be an important one for Holocaust and then to arrive in Israel. I feel quite passionate me,” Anne wrote after she came back, “but I had no idea of about it, I always will.” the impact I would feel from all the knowledge that was im- See Anne Shackman page C7

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | C5

passover Jwrp reflections: Ann Osborne

Ann OSbOrne And gAbbY blAir, Staff Writer, Jewish Press Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences. t the time of this writing, it has been over two months since I have returned from my JWRP Israel trip. The feelings I had while in Israel were some of the deepest, most real emotions I can remember feeling in a very long time. Being on this adventure with 15 amazing women from Omaha and 600 women from around the world leaves me speechless. The sessions/classes we attended had me thinking, and laughing, and crying, like nothing else. The very best part was that I was able to do so with my 14 new sisters. I have never experienced a bond like that with other women. The hugs we shared, the deep, painful stories we told, the honesty and reAnn Osbourne enjoying the Mahane spect we had with each Yehuda shuk in Jerusalem. other... no words. The second day of the trip (a Thursday) is one of the rawest, most emotional days I have experienced. We started the day in the desert riding camels, making pita, and celebrating happy tears as some of the women received their Hebrew names. We then traveled on to Yad Vashem, of which I don’t even have the words to describe. We then See Ann Osborne page C7

A place where we will always belong

C6 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover Something is missing

Gabby blaIr Staff Writer, Jewish Press few years ago, my mother was cleaning house and came across some of my old passports which she passed on to me. My kids loved seeing the picture of their mom as a small child, laughing at the curling edges of my slightly yellowed, pasted-in photograph with the pinhole-sized passport number punched out on the front. So antiquated and different from the glossy, laminated, chip embedded, and laser printed smart passports we have today.

Most sentimental to me were the many stamps in the back most of which were from our frequent trips to Israel and Morocco. These small souvenirs were something I loved as a child; what kid doesn’t love a good collection of sorts?

It was more than a little disappointing when I realized that the blue slip of paper now issued at customs took the place of my coveted stamps and I was surprised at my emotional response to seeing my own children’s blank passport pages.

I admit I was probably a little bitter when explaining this absence to my kids after we excitedly flipped to the back of the booklets once to see their stamps. After all, it was not as if our trips did not happen... we have had many lovely visits. A small stamp of ink in a passport is not really a big deal, is it? So why does it irk me so much? Upon reflection, I find it has to do with a feeling somewhere in the neighborhood of shame. Essentially, my visits to Israel must be hidden, because “others” will not like me – the real meif it is obvious I went to Israel. I guess I am in a dif-

EaDIE TsabarI

ferent camp, because why would I ever want to visit a country that hates me because of a stamp?

Unsure of when exactly this change took place, internet

Visiting the Kotel with my safta searches came up oddly empty.

Apparently, this ‘no stamp’ policy began around 2009-2010, although land border crossings from Jordan and Egypt still sometimes result in a stamp. I know my eldest had a stamp from his first trip as a baby, but subsequent trips yielded only a reentry stamp upon our return to the States. One time I asked the passport control man if he could just stamp our passports; he just smiled, shook his head and told me to enjoy my trip.

Of course, the official reason Israel moved away from stamping seems practical enough, I suppose.

Enough people over the years requested no stamp because it would hinder their ability to travel into certain Arab countries, a real quandary especially see something is missing page C9

ne of my favorite Eric Einstein songs (and there are so many) is called Sitting on the Fence. It talks about sitting on a fence with one leg here and one leg there. That seems to be how our family feels about Israel, or at least those of us who don’t live there yet. For me, Israel was a dream from a very early age. Being the daughter of Holocaust survivors and hearing stories from the war, the only true positive light that came out of any of it was Israel. Many of our relatives landed there and struggled in the early years of the country but they seemed so exotic to me and carrying the wonderful things about Europe that my parents spoke about with them. Here in America, specifically growing up in Omaha, I never felt like I was part of that history, not a part of a community. I didn’t have many relatives who made it and never could ask what it was like in the older days.

The Tsabari Family in Israel December 2017

At 16, I went on my first trip with BBYO to Israel. Friends from Esther K Newman camp from both Omaha and Sioux City joined a larger group from all over the country. I was smitten. I met cousins and relatives (I couldn’t speak to most of them so I just ate a LOT of cake) and, of course, fell in love with the country, the feel and atmosphere of the people and especially how different life was lived.

In college, I went again on a work study program and had my first glimpse at the Hi-Tech world of agriculture working at the Volcani Institute. After college I was fortunate enough to go on a program called WUJS – World Union of Jewish Students and study Hebrew and subsequently get a job in agriculture and genetic engineering. Israel was truly a wonder to me. All of the things in my life that I loved were at my fingertips and I celebrated my life by making Aliyah and becoming a citizen.

Marriage and children came next and the reality of economics was the reason we ventured back to the United States in 1988.

We have had a wonderful life here in Omaha and raising our children here has been a blessing. Little by little, as they came of age, see Eadie Tsabari page C9

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The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | C7

partnership2gether: The basics

AnneTTe vAn de kAMp-WriGhT South Bend, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Editor, Jewish Press Des Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Nebraska; Bufartnership2Gether (P2G) is a falo, NY; Austin, Fort Worth, and San Antoprogram of The Jewish nio, Texas and Budapest are linked with Akko Agency and The Jewish Fed- and Matte Asher in the Western Galilee. erations of North America, For nearly 25 years the Jewish Federation promoting of Omaha has people-to-peobeen engaged ple relationwith the Galilee ships through cultural, social, Medical Center medical, educational and ecothrough our Partnomic programs. nership Program This Partnership is between with Israel. The the 14 U.S. communities of the Medical Center is Central Area Consortium, Isthe largest hospirael’s Western Galilee and Butal in the Galilee dapest Hungary. Partnership2region of Israel Gether is made up of an incluserving as a front sive and active network of line treatment people focused on the mutual center for Israel’s exchange of ideas and pronorthern border grams with the goal of develwith Lebanon. oping relationships to The Center strengthen our global Jewish serves a demoIdentity. We’re dedicated to graphically diconnecting people and creatverse population ing a meaningful difference for of Jews, Muslims, Jews in Israel, America and Above: The Western Galilee region is high- Christians and lighted in white - it includes the city of Budapest.

Druze with speThrough committees (Com- Akko and the region of Matte Asher and cialized areas of munity Engagement, Educa- below: map of the U.S. Central Area Consor- expertise includtion, Academia, Budapest tium Communities. ing trauma, IDF Connections, Resource Develsoldiers, Israeli opment, Medical and Young citizens, United Adults & Emerging LeaderNations personship) community members nel and civilians become change agents and from neighboring create stronger bonds between Arab countries. our communities. The WestOver the past ern Galilee and Central Area 20+ years, PartConsortium Partnership2Getnership2Gether her Communities: (P2G) has become the Jewish Agency for IsDayton, Toledo, Youngstown, Ohio; Fort rael’s and the Jewish Federations of North Wayne, Indianapolis, Northwest Indiana, See partnership2Gether page C8

Anne Shackman

Continued from page C5 One question everyone who travels to Israel hears often: Is it safe?

“I’ve never, ever been afraid in Israel,” Anne insists. “I can walk Jerusalem by myself and not feel afraid. In all the years, honestly, the only time I panicked a little was during the first Artza trip I went on. Two of my kids were with me, and some of the Israeli teens from the Kibbutz asked them to go out. I woke around 2 a.m. and they hadn’t come home yet! About an hour later they walked in, full of stories about the great time they’d had and I never worried about it again.”

Other roadblocks people sometimes throw up is the fact that there are so many other places they could visit. Why go to Israel, what makes it so important?

“To me, it means they haven’t experienced the emotional impact--yet. Find yourself in a cave, or in the old city, and you’ll connect to Judaism in entirely new ways. Trust me, I’ll get on my soapbox as often as possible!”

Ann Osborne

Contined from page C5 took our first tour of the old city. That evening we started our night at the Aish building next to the Kotel, where we sang and locked arms with women from around the world. At dusk we walked down to the wall which left me breathless. That day was filled with so many tears of joy and sorrow, of hopefulness and pain. We ended the night hugging as an Omaha family at the wall, only to then see soldiers celebrating by singing and dancing outside the wall.

That soapbox extends to non-Jews as well.

She traveled through the Midwest with the Israeli Minister of Tourism to visit church groups in small towns. They, too, Anne says, can find so much meaning in Israel.

“I met this woman who found out she was Jewish when she was 18 years old. She brought this whole notebook, we talked and I told her she needed to go to Israel. Her husband was firmly against it and it looked like it wasn’t going to happen. At the very last moment, she changed her mind, Jan Goldstein worked a miracle and she ended up sharing my room.”

“The State of Israel and I are the same age,” Anne wrote in 1990. “We have certainly grown up a lot in these 42 years. But Israel has an enormous task before her (certainly much greater than mine) for her next stage of life. My hope is that next year and for years to come, others will have the opportunity to share and experience moments in time—in Israel.”

This day filled my soul till I was overflowing with emotions. I have come back to Omaha feeling renewed, more connected to my Judaism, and with a sense of where I want to be in my community. We were told over and over during our time in Israel that we matter, we are important, we are a Jewish family, we have a duty to our Judaism, to tzedakah, and to our future generations. I cannot think of a better message to hold in my heart.

C8 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

JWRP reflections: Danni Christensen

Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences.

DAnnI ChRISTenSen

y Dearest Israel, I was not prepared for the relationship that I would develop with you. I executed the plan with an open mind and few expectations because we had never met. You welcomed me with open arms and, within a day of my ar-

rival, it became apparent that I had been homesick for a place I had never even set foot in before.

My heart swelled within the streets of Tsfat, synagogue tours and vendors and smells and new textures that permeated my senses and ingrained themselves into my DNA. The stories you shared of your history became my own. It was newfound, the pride and the emotional connection to your land my faith.

Above: The ladies of the Omaha JWRP showed some love on the shores of the Dead Sea and right: Amy Tipp, left, and Danni Christensen, right, holding the Israeli flag on their first morning in Israel!

(left to right)

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Like every relationship, it’s not all joy. The journey through Yad Vashem left me raw and actively grieving for you. I felt a compulsion to help you continue to heal. The journey, although painful, left me feeling yet a deeper connection to you. Your people are my people too, because I am yours.

Jerusalem left me contemplating ways to never leave you.

My forehead resting on the smoothed over, heavily-touched surfaces of your Kotel inspired me to pray for my family to feel your warm reception. There is a nearly palatable presence of HaShem in your midst. Your residents showed me complete welcome and kindness, a motivation to fix the brokenness of my own character.

I wasn’t prepared to be moved by something as simple as your open markets, raw spices and colorful graffiti. I wasn’t prepared to find amusement in watching your people haggle in the markets. Yet, I did. I wasn’t prepared for the awe of Masada or the wonder of your Dead Sea. Israel, I apologize. A relationship like ours does not come with even exchange. I left having taken more from you than I have given. You have lit within me what I assume is a divine spark. I eagerly hope to share it with others.

Very truly yours, Danni

Partnership2gether

Continued from page C7 America’s most successful and effective model for creating meaningful relationships between global Jewish communities and communities in Israel. It is the central platform for the promotion and development of deep connections among Jewish communities across the globe.

The Western Galilee P2G connects the U.S. Central Area Consortium consisting of 14 U.S. Jewish Federation communities, Budapest, Hungary and Israel’s Western Galilee.

We’re made up of an inclusive and active network of people focused on the mutual exchange of ideas and programs with the goal of developing relationships to strengthen our global Jewish Identity. (Source: Jewishagency.org)

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Something is missing

Continued from page C6 for business travelers who might need to head overseas for professional reasons. The discriminatory policies of select Arab countries — specifically Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen — deny entry to anyone bearing an Israeli stamp in their passport. Others, such as Malaysia, became increasingly difficult to enter with the stamp. Apparently that small ink blot in my passport — the one I should not be so uptight about missing — was a big deal to all these countries who saw proof of visiting Israel as a sign of support for the state.

Thus, Israel moved away from physically stamping passports in order to appease travelers and/or the countries who would bar them entry.

In today’s digital age, I doubt the stamp really matters much at all anymore — all of our data is collected electronically and it would be ludicrous to think proof of visits do not exist. I do wish, however, there was an option for the many travelers who wish to have the stamp as a tangible memento of a visit, without shame.

Eadie Tsabari

Contined from page C6 three of our four children made their way back to Israel to do the Army, marry and most importantly, bless us with four beautiful grandchildren. We have a huge extended family in Israel and lifelong friends. Every vacation has been spent there for the past 30 years; and with all of its issues, we still love Israel and see it as our home.

When we moved to Omaha in 1988, we argued over how long we would be here before we returned to Israel. Three years? Five years? And then time got the best of us. So much has changed in Israel over the last three decades. We struggle with the politics, the religious versus nonreligious, the traffic, the prices and the distance. But every time we go to visit, we slide right back in and feel like we belong there. We hope one day to retire and just maybe start again in the land of Israel – for better or for worse. I still believe it is a place of miracles and wonders.

visit us at jewishomaha.org

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | C9

passover Men’s JWRP

Annette vAn De KAMP-Wright Editor, Jewish Press ince 2016, you’ve probably read quite a bit about Omaha’s participation in the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project. To date, three groups of women have traveled to Israel under the JWRP umbrella, with a fourth one scheduled for 2019. The mission: “To empower women to change the world through Jewish values that transform ourselves, our families, and our communities.”

Yet, in August 2018, it was a small group of men who found themselves Israel-bound. Ari Kohen led the trip. Alan Potash, Michael Schnayder, Doug Smith, Ben Shapiro and Jeremy Wright joined him.

Ari Kohen My wife Sara went on the first JWRP trip back in 2016 and she had a transformative experience. She couldn’t stop talking about the people she met, the places she visited, the food she ate, and the discussions she had. I hadn’t been to Israel since the summer before my Bar Mitzvah and so, when the Federation decided to try a Men’s Trip, I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

The most important thing I learned on the trip was to slow down and appreciate everything. I was able, on this trip,

to really disconnect; I purposely didn’t get an Israeli SIM card for my phone and so I only accessed the internet back at the hotel, in the evening, after the day was through. This meant I was more present for everything we did on the trip, whether it was talking with other guys on the bus rides from place to

people with whom you’re supposed to be spending time, rather than trying to divide your attention, was really helpful and something I brought back with me.

I cannot recommend the JWRP Men’s trip more highly. The experience of spending time in Israel, especially with everything already planned and figured

Alan Potash, left, Ben Shapiro, Doug Smith, Michael Shnayder, Ari Kohen and Jeremy Wright place, looking out the bus windows while we drove all over Israel, trying to find our way around the Old City, hiking up Masada, or listening to the speakers who talked with us throughout the trip.

Unplugging can be difficult, especially for someone whose job doesn’t have specific, set hours. So learning to disconnect and spend time with the

out for you, is priceless. We could sit back, get to know one another, learn from one another and from the trip leaders and speakers, see all kinds of amazing sights, eat amazingly good food, and connect to our heritage without having to figure out tour guides, bus rides, admission fees, or what to do in See Men’s JWrP page C11

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C10 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover JWRP reflections: Mindi Armstrong

Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences.

MInDI ARMSTROnG en days in Israel with 14 other women. I am pretty sure none of us knew what to expect. Some had been to Israel before this trip. I had never even been out of the country. All of us came home knowing more about ourselves, our families, our community and, most importantly, what we can do to enhance it all.

Standing proudl y atop Masada My transformative journey overlookin g the flag of Isra el and began during those 10 days. I the Dead Se a. have always known about my heritage and had a strong Jewish identity, whether I was here, in Omaha, where I grew up, my involvement in other communities where I have lived, or coming “home” to continue raising my kids, right where I started. However, it was not until this trip, with these women, on this program that I began to understand why I feel the need to stay connected, why I continue to teach and be active in my Jewish community.

See Mindi Armstrong page C12

Sister Schools: Temple Israel and Shalom Aleichem GAbby blAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press ur group had scheduled an additional day in Israel at the conclusion of last Fall’s JWRP trip, affording us the opportunity to tour Omaha’s Partnership region in the Western Galilee. One of our stops was the Shalom Aleichem School in Betzet, Israel. Located in a small agricultural community known as a ‘moshav’, the school campus is unique, even by Israeli standards. A series of small buildings, greenhouses and gardens encircle a central courtyard that featured recycled bottle gardens, outdoor musical equipment and benches where students can enjoy lunch outdoors and run off energy at recess.

Teachers and administrators greeted us warmly before ushering us in to the school library where the 4th grade class sang John Lennon’s Imagine for us in Hebrew. Afterwards, Carmit Gilad, Education and Academia liaison for Partnership2Gether Western Galilee and teachers Anna Zvagelsky and Ronit Shor gave a presentation to our group about their relationship with Temple Israel. They shared a slide show, explained their curriculum and spoke about the positive impact of this program on their students. There is comfort knowing there are kids in Omaha, just like them. Mrs. Gilad proudly showed us a box full of letters and drawings that Temple Israel’s students had sent them and gave us many letters to bring home to their Omaha

friends.

Over the past three years, each respective 4th grade class at the school has participated in a twinning program with Natasha Kraft’s 4th grade religious school class at Temple Israel.

Kraft enjoys the project and appreci-

learning about what a moshav is and how it might differ from life in a city like ours. Then we begin writing diary pages about things like life in our respective hometowns, differences between our school schedules (We have Sundays off; they have agriculture

Above: The 4th grade class at The Shalom Aleichem School, below left: Omaha’s JWRP group touring Shalom Aleichem’s beautiful school grounds and below right: Carmit Gilad and a box of letters from Temple Israel students.

ates the opportunity her students have to connect with children in Israel. “We use Google Slides to share pictures and take turns contributing to an online diary for the classes,” explains Kraft.

“We dedicate the first Sunday of each school month specifically to our twinning program with our sister school, Shalom Aleichem. We begin by finding Moshav Betzet on a map of Israel and

classes in school), things we like to do for fun (Fortnite and sports) and holiday traditions. The students in Israel like learning about us and we really enjoy learning about them!

Kraft, an Omaha native, has been a teacher for the past 17 years, specializing in Deaf Education. “I began working at Temple Israel 13 years ago as a See Sister Schools page C12

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Men’s JWRP

Continued from page C9 Jerusalem on Shabbat. Beyond the experience of seeing some amazing new places and meeting fantastic new people, the trip also energized me to return home to Omaha and to get even more invested in my Jewish community. This trip is really a hothouse for Jewish leadership, inspiring a group of guys to become or to double down on their leadership roles within their synagogues, at the day school, and with the Jewish Federation. I think anyone who is even remotely considering the JWRP Men’s trip should immediately get more information about it. It’s not too soon to reserve your spot for the 2019 trip!

Michael Shnayder, left, Ari Kohen

Doug Smith Being part of the men's JWRP trip allows you to focus on what Israel means to you. Face it, if you went with your family, your focus is on everything else. As a dad, your mind is wrapped up in all of the workings of the trip, and getting your family from place to place safely. JWRP brings you to Israel and you're open to soak in the experience, and connect with who you are as a Jew. I returned home with ideas of how we can grow ourselves, our families and our communities. How fortunate we are to be part of the Jewish people in the 21st century, supported by an amazing history.

Eight months later and I'm still amped up!

Jeremy Wright I joined the JWRP moMENtum trip because my wife went in 2016 and I really wanted to see first-hand what she was so enthusiastic about. I liked that it was coordinated with the Jewish Federation of Omaha mission trip, so we had both the JWRP itinerary and some time in the Partnership region.

I was extremely interested in seeing the Partnership, especially the Western Galilee Medical Center. Plus, I had never visited Israel; my wife has gone several times and our daughter went on the teen trip in 2017, so it was time for me to go.

I expected some learning, but also opportunities to visit meaningful places. Since it was my first time, I needed the tourism aspect but I really wanted to go deeper, beyond the ‘pleasant vacation.’ One thing that left an impression: we helped clean up an olive grove in Jerusalem with the nastiest weeds and thistles. Coming from western Nebraska, I thought I was familiar with nasty weeds—turns out, I was not. It was special to experience the land in such a way, get a very small taste of how hard it actually is to cultivate. I think we even helped a little; by the time we were done, quite a bit of the undergrowth had been cleared. It’s amazing what 100 middle-aged men can accomplish when they work together.

It surprised me how much I liked Tel Aviv. Before I went, I anticipated being interested in the more historic places, but Tel Aviv has so much to offer! Seeing this large, modern city that incorporates an old-fashioned souq-feeling, I expected that in Jerusalem. I thought Tel Aviv would be all modern, but it was much more of a mix.

When you go on a trip like this with other dads, the activities are tailored to what’s most important in our lives right now, so I would urge anyone who has the opportunity, to go. The learning about where you are in life is completely relevant. I normally like to have independence when I travel, but in this case the opposite was true and it was a very good context to have for experiencing Israel.

How often do you as a dad experience your Judaism from the viewpoint of other fathers? I felt immersed in the idea of being a Jewish father, a Jewish husband, and I was able to explore what that actually means to me. None of it felt pushy—JWRP does such an amazing job of meeting people where they’re at.

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The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | C11

Am Yisrael Chai SAM KriCSfelD

t the end of 2015, I took part in the Partnership2Gether Teen Trip to Israel. I had gone earlier in the year during the summer with my family and was thrilled to be able to go back so soon – this time with friends. Camera-phone in hand, I arrived at Eppley Airfield absurdly early in the morning only to fly to Denver (the wrong direction) in order to get to New York. Then we all boarded a jumbo-jet and began the transatlantic flight to Ben Gurion Airport packed in a plane full of Chasidic men and evangelical Christians going to celebrate Christmas in the Holy Land.

Confused at the time change, we landed in Israel to face the standard interrogations necessary for Israel’s safety. Once the military evaluated us as safe, we began our journey through our homeland. For the week and a half we were there, we stayed everywhere from our host family’s house to a Bedouin tent to a Kibbutz to a hostel. We saw all the sights and sites that could be jammed into one trip, including all over Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and the high-tech metropolis that is Tel Aviv.

Some of my best memories come from staying with my host family, the Astrucs. Nate Gendler and I were picked up in their family’s Renault and taken to their house. On the ride there, the girl our age, Aviv, started talking to her mother about us – not realizing that I spoke Hebrew. Though she said nothing bad about us, she still turned beet-red

Happy

when I responded to her in Hebrew.

The Shabbat dinner on Friday night was equally memorable. While I don’t remember what food was served, I remember that they had to break out their special Ashkenazi benchers. “We know you aren’t

Sephardic,” the mother said sweetly with only a hint of exasperation.

The next morning, she asked us if we wanted to go to services. When Nate and I politely declined, she stood up and yelled, “You MUST go to services!” We started bolting up the stairs to change into nice clothes before hearing her and the rest of the family laughing hysterically at us. She had a wicked sense of humor.

See Am Yisrael Chai page C14

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C12 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

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Continued from page C10 Golda Meir once said, “Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life.”

The JWRP Momentum trip gave me the opportunity and the tools to do just that. The power of this program, its organization, its strength, and its dedication to Jewish women around the world creates a foundation for all of us to continue our journeys. It sets us on a path and helps us to stay on course as we raise our children, nurture our Mindi Armstrong in the mystirelationships with our significant others, and support our community cal blue city of Tsfat. with the passion and commitment they all deserve.

On our trip in October, we had the honor of listening to a panel of Israeli mothers, all of whom had children currently serving or looking towards a future of having a child serve in the Israeli Defense Force. Of everyone we encountered while touring Israel, including speakers, tour guides, and local hosts, these women and their stories made some of the strongest impacts on me. Many of us could never imagine the amount of strength it takes these mothers to watch their 18-year-old

Sister Schools

sons and daughters enter the army. We are all strong, but these women possess an unmatched strength. I learned from these mothers that no matter the path your children choose, the foundation we set is what makes them the strong individuals we wish them to be.

The JWRP Momentum Trip helped me to grow in many ways. I have 14 new good friends that I call my sisters, all of whom I can count on at the drop of a hat to help me with anything in my life. I have a stronger relationship with my children as I help them map out their futures. My relationship with my significant other is deeper and stronger and will, B”H, continue to grow as we move forward from here. Without any less importance, I have learned that continued involvement in my Jewish Community has been and will to continue to be an important part of my life.

The pictures we took, the memories we made, and the gifts we brought home will help us to remember the tangible parts of our trip.

Beyond these things, there is so much more that words cannot describe and pictures cannot capture. I would like to believe that I speak for many, if not all of us, when I say those 10 days changed us. We learned, we grew, we became stronger and, in the end, we came home ready to make a difference in our own lives, the lives of our families and in our community.

Lastly, I would like to thank the Jewish Federation of Omaha, our trip leader, Louri Sullivan, and the JWRP movement for creating this opportunity and allowing me to experience this journey.

Continued from page C10 live-stream with our Israeli friends for about 30 minutes and the kids really sign language interpreter for Hebrew loved it; I hope we have the opportuand Judaic studies, prayer services and nity to do this again!” musical concerts. I transitioned to Kraft hopes to one day visit Israel teaching Hebrew and Judaic studies in and meet her Israeli colleagues in perthe religious school about nine years son. “I would love to visit Israel and ago. I love teaching and seeing the spend time at the Moshav. It would be ‘aha!’ moments, when my students an amazing opportunity to meet make a connection.” Kraft goes on to everyone and to sit in on some lessons say, “While my students may not and maybe even teach a lesson or two know their Israeli counterparts specifmyself.” Until then, Kraft will continue ically, they are able to relate to their to connect and build bridges between similarities and differences. The prochildren and communities half a gram helps bring us closer to Israel, world away. engaging the students in a way text, Natasha Kraft and the 2018-19 Fourth grade To learn more about Partnershipand lectures alone cannot. The hands- class at Temple Israel. on nature is appealing and interactive, bringing students out 2Gether, contact Louri Sullivan, JFO Senior Director of Comof their shell and making religious school fun. While the eight munity Impact & Special Projects 402.334.6485; lsullivan@ hour time difference makes it challenging, we were able to jewishomaha.org.

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JWRP reflections: Michelle Kazor

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | c13

passover JWRP reflections: Melissa Shrago talks gratitude

Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series shares their stories and highlights their experiences.

Gabby blaiR MicHelle KazoR Staff Writer, Jewish Press simple request: write a brief synopsis of your trip Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of to Israel. Brief? Impossible! Where would one even Omaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Renaisbegin? sance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our community The landscape was amazing! I had envisioned to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This series the land as all flat. Instead we saw shepherds in shares their stories and highlights their experiences. the desert, their sheep cascading the hills. Lush green space close to s Melissa Shrago reflects on her recent trip to the city scape. Dry, by Israel, she is overcome with gratitude. “Gratirocky terrain and vast tude for the Jewish Federation of Omaha. bodies of water.

Gratitude to the Jewish Women’s Renaissance We put our feet into project. Gratitude for my family, my boss and the Mediterranean Sea, co-workers and of course, gratitude to G-d. saw the Sea of Galilee, Without support from all these places, I would and floated in the Dead have never been able to swing taking a trip of a lifetime.

Sea. We ate “lunch” for “When this opportunity came along, I initially thought it breakfast each morning, would be impossible for me to take advantage of it. I am a noshing on hummus, teacher and going on a trip during the falafel, shaksuka, potatoes, tuna and herring. We can’t forget all the fresh fruit and vegetables... no pop tarts or frozen waffles for breakfast!

This journey was all the more unique because I was spending it with like- Michelle Kazor overlooking the Mediterranean minded women in the same stage of life as my- at Rosh HaNikra. self. What made the trip even more special was that I was able to share in the experience with my cousinin-law, Melissa Shrago. It was our hope that by experiencing this trip together, we could strengthen the bond we have in regards to our children and Jewish family obligations and traditions.

While I began the trip knowing a handful of the women, I ended the trip with 14 new “sisters.”

We laughed together, and we cried together. We Melissa Shrago and Michelle Ka shared moments that dug deep into our innermost zor riding a cam el in the Judean Desert. core. Of course, visiting the Western Wall with my sisters was the school year just did not most poignant for me. Who else can be so fortunate to say they were seem possible. I decided I would ask my Principal if it was in the most holy place on earth with 14 of their closest friends? even feasible, anticipating a resounding ‘no’. Imagine my surTo also have these sisters there with me at Eretz Bereshit when I prise when she instead said that it sounded like an opportureceived my Hebrew name was very touching. Overlooking the nity of a lifetime and that she would work with me to help desert, high on a mountaintop, I took the name Bat Sheva which is turn this dream into a reality. While I have always wanted to after a dear family cousin, Bernice Cohen. When I became a part of visit Israel, the timing never seemed right. Now I see that the See Michelle Kazor page c15 timing was perfect; this was the trip I was supposed to be on!”

Wishing the Omaha Jewish Community ‫חג כשר ושמח‬ Happy and Kosher holiday

After getting the OK from work, Melissa applied for the JWRP trip. She, along with 14 other Omaha women, including her dearest friend and cousin, Michelle Kazor, were selected.

“Throughout all our pre-trip gatherings, I was often overcome with emotions. I just could not believe that I was really going to go to Israel! One of the best parts of the trip was coming home with many new sisters that shared in the experience.”

The trip was an experience Shrago will never forget. “One of the most meaningful parts of the trip for me was going to Yad Vashem. To say it was painful and emotional is an understatement. As we made our way through the museum’s winding oneway path, which served as a timeline of events, I could not help but think of how we study the Holocaust in school. That visit will forever be etched into my memory; it has given me more depth and perspective in how I will teach the Holocaust moving forward.”

Melissa Shrago overlooking On a less somber the Mediterranean at Rosh note, Melissa found HaNikra. the Dead Sea to be an incredible adventure. “I had no idea that it would be so beautiful and peaceful. We began the day riding the cable car to the top of Masada where we toured the ruins of Herod’s Palace, overlooking the Dead Sea. Then we visited a woman’s beach and had a lot of fun slathering ourselves with mud and taking funny pictures. The salt scrub was amazing and you really do float! It was an unforgettable experience and was unlike anything else I have ever done.”

This trip has affected Shrago’s Jewish and professional life in many ways. “I am trying to fuse the JWRP core values into my daily life to help remember the incredible experience.

These include unity and mutual responsibility, generosity, peace in the home, courage, human dignity, faith and trust, learning and growth and of course, gratitude.”

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JWRP reflections: Gabby Blair

C14 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover Am Yisrael Chai

Continued from page C11 Aviv then took us on a tour of her neighborhood. We met her neighbor who had an entire room dedicated to classic rock music. He asked if we wanted to jam, so we played a few Beatles songs together. She then asked what else we wanted to do. Without hesitation, we said we wanted to go to the beach. “To do what?!” she replied. We explained we Nebraskans aren’t famous for our beaches. Despite it being winter (meaning about 60°F), they obligingly drove us there and laughed at us running away from the incoming tides.

Aviv and I exchanged numbers and Snapchats and are still in contact. She was drafted into the military the same time I was accepted to college.

Other memories include my calves burning as we rode bikes around the entirety of Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv’s modernity never ceases to amaze.

It’s a fully modern metropolis with skyscrapers and a Tesla dealership – a stark contrast to the ancient city of Akko, where we helped restore the city walls while wearing hard hats and carrying buckets of cement.

For me, a “motoring enthusiast,” perhaps the most adrenaline-pumping experience was riding in all-terrain vehicles. Israeli terrain varies greatly from north to south and from east to west. It’s amazing how See Sam Kricsfeld page C15

GaBBy Blair to land at Ben Gurion and see Louri Sullivan excitedly waitStaff Writer, Jewish Press ing to greet us with a large Israeli flag. I have never arrived Over the past three years, The Jewish Federation of without seeing my family waiting on the other side of cusOmaha has collaborated with The Jewish Women’s Ren- toms. It was almost dreamlike — a strange but pleasant aissance Project (JWRP) sending mothers from our com- blending of two very different and separate parts of my life. munity to Israel for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. This I can honestly say we did more and made the most of series shares their stories and highlights their experiences. every minute of our days than I ever have on a family trip any of my fondest and most early mem- — we did not even have time for jet lag! We toured Tel Aviv, ories are of spending time surrounded taking in architecture, street art, innovations and culture. We by family in Israel. Growing up in the visited Independence Hall and learned about the history of States with the the modern state. We met soldiers at majority of my Ammunition Hill and paid respects to family overseas, I the fallen at Har Herzl. We explored took for granted the spectacular grottoes of Rosh spending my summers and, often, HaNikra and met schoolchildren on holidays, in Jerusalem. a moshav. We drove into Jerusalem at As I grew older and busier, the trips night, listening to Yerushalyim Shel were less frequent, but I still made it Zahav as the stones of the city glowed over every few years. Since having golden in the darkness. Our tears children myself, we try to make it over streamed freely as we unashamedly as often as possible to visit grandparwept together not from sadness, but ents and cousins. It is important to us from our souls overflowing. to help foster their connection to their As we toured, we learned, observed family and this special place. and absorbed everything around us, For me, visiting Israel has always unburdened by the responsibilities of been more of a vacation rather than a normal life; and I found myself wishGabby Blair overlooking the Kotel. tourist experience or holy pilgrimage. ing for a way to bottle the energy, the Israel is a time to visit family, attend simchas, and have BBQs. inspiration and the essence of the moments we experienced.

A time to go to the beach, enjoy good food and wander.

We laughed, cried, danced and prayed; these moments Then, in the fall of 2018, everything changed when I went bonded us in a unique way to each other, the land, Hashem on a trip with JWRP. Experiencing Israel with this amazing and, interestingly, to our own selves. Here we had space and group made everything new and changed my perspective time to reflect on that tiny spark inside of us that is “me”. on so much. In retrospect, this trip to Israel was as if it were The self that is hidden under layers of life, the part that is my first; and that is such a good thing! sometimes forgotten as we grow from youth into women, From the moment we arrived at the airport in Omaha, mothers, wives, workers. the whole trip had such a different vibe. I think it is safe to The connection that comes of shared experience is powsay our group was very excited and maybe a little nervous erful. Visits to Israel have always been energizing to my soul, — all of us mamas leaving everything a mama does be- but this trip was on a different level and the opportunities hind... embarking on a trip around the world, alone, but to- afforded to us being part of the larger JWRP group were gether... looking for something I think we all found, but truly amazing. We were honored to be invited to an Old City cannot quite verbalize. home after Havdalah, where we gazed down at the Temple I remember thinking what a strange juxtaposition it was See Gabby Blair page C15

Happy Passover

W I S H I N G T H E E N T I R E J E W I S H C O M M U N I T Y A

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | C15

Sam Kricsfeld

Continued from page C14 different the landscapes can be in such a small country. We drove around in the north. Sol Marburg was driving an ATV with me in the passenger seat and Rabbi Abraham of Beth El in the back. He drove straight into a mud-pit, flooding the footwells of the vehicle with water and mud. It was messy, but a true off-road adventure.

Of course, I cannot mention Israel without mentioning the holy city of Jerusalem. Visiting the Western Wall is always a spiritual moment. Thousands of years of the history of the Jews, through thick and thin, stand before you as a stone monolith. Approaching it, you’re bound to get haggled and pushed, but once you touch it, the world falls away and it becomes a moment between you and G-d. You see thousands of paper prayers stuffed between the stones and realize that you are as close as possible to the site of the Holy Temple.

My memories may be out of order, but does it really matter? Memory is a fickle thing, and it’s possible that my recollections are flawed. But they are

Gabby Blair

my experiences – what I remember most from a country that has belonged to me and my ancestors for thousands and thousands of years, is a treasure.

Fun, emotional, stressful, thrilling, and epic, all of Israel is where I want to be all the time.

Flying home was both a welcome relief from the action-packed schedule we faced for days on end and a saddening realization that our actual homes in America were lacking compared to our spiritual home in Israel. We flew back on New Years Eve, above the fireworks – a fitting end to a truly biblical trip.

This trip, my second to Israel, was unforgettable.

I had gone previously the same year with my immediate family and grandparents and, of course, had a wonderful time. But visiting again, just six months later, really solidified the Israeli experience in my mind. Going with peers and friends was a separate experience I hope to rekindle when I go on Birthright. I cannot wait to return. I am and always will be proud to call Israel my homeland and to identify as a staunch Zionist. Am Yisrael Chai!

Continued from page C14 in November 2019, to let go of your appreMount from a fragrant rooftop garden brim- hensions and do it! Your spouse and kids will ming with kumquat- and pomegranate trees. be fine and you will return with energy and strength that will be a We wandered through gift to your family. I tunnels of ancient can honestly say that Mikveh in Tsfat and the ruins of Masada. We this outstanding expewalked through the rience is truly a once in a lifetime event. To see Holocaust in Europe Israel through new emerging very much eyes has been a real gift alive and strong in Israel, to me, personally. at Yad Vashem. We left While I anticipate my Omaha as 15 women next trip back being and (Baruch Hashem!) somewhat bittersweet, returned more like sisas the moments I expeters, with stories and enrienced with my JWRP ergy and inside jokes. group will never be Noted. able to be reproduced, I would implore any I cannot wait to go women reading this who Gabby Blair on Masada. back with my family... I might be on the fence about applying for the upcoming JWRP trip have so much to show them!

Michelle Kazor

Continued from page C13 my husband Stu’s family over 30 years ago, I remember Bernice as being so welcoming and accepting of me, regardless if I were Jewish or not.

It is important to me that my children are raised in that same loving and accepting type of family where Judaism is the foundation. This was the basis for my wanting to be a part of this Jewish

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C16 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

Absolutely Fresh Seafood Market

What’s new and fresh at Absolutely Fresh Seafood Market? The better question might be “What isn’t? 2018 was a banner year for our business which is entering it’s 40th year of operation, and we are looking to continue our growth into 2019.

For starters, we completed the installation of a brand new, state of the art smokehouse for the production of our smoked fish along and other items used for our expanding catering services including smoked prime rib, turkeys and more. In addition, we are producing items such as briskets, pastrami, and and roast beef for the other restaurants in the Absolutely Fresh Family. As prepared food items have been our largest growing sector, we have decided to continue our focus on this area.

Not to worry though, there is still plenty of new fresh and frozen seafood coming to our door daily. We are now featuring some second to none wild caught gulf shrimp from Louisiana that has been very popular amongst our customers. Also, Omaha’s “addiction” to our Faroe Islands Salmon continues to set new benchmarks for sales, and we couldn’t be happier that so many people are enjoying it on a regular basis.

We hope that anyone who has not yet visited our store takes a moment to stop in and see what we have to offer. And, anyone who has not been in for a while might be surprised at all of the new tasty offerings we have. Thanks again for all of your support over the years.

Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar All 3 of our Shucks locations had a very prosperous 2018, and continue to develop their own distinct identities. From a business standpoint, it fascinates us what a difference 6 miles can make in what customers are looking for in their dining choices. Nevertheless, its a fun challenge for us to “Keep it Fresh” for Downtown, Midtown and West Omaha. New menu items like the Angry Crab Pasta and the return of Shrimp & Grits have been very popular amongst our new and long-time customers.

In the upcoming year, we plan on continuing to provide a consistent and top notch variety of the best seafood in Omaha. We are also placing renewed emphasis on our daily and weekend specials thanks to the exceptionally talented culinary team working in the kitchens of all of our locations.

We encourange everyone wanting to know “What’s Fresh Today?” to sign up for our weekly email newsletter at shucksfishhouse. com where we also post our specials daily. Not to mention, we have very active

social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Finally, we also look forward to being able to utilize the smokehouse purchased by our fish market to expand our smoked offerings, both surf and turf. We also have been getting a little more creative behind the bar with our drink specials, and continue to find new varieties of oysters to appease the masses. Thanks to everyone who helped get us to this point, and we enjoy being your neighborhood fish shack.

rant, we have brought on a new head chef, Josh MacDonald, to provide some new ideas and some superb culinary skills to our kitchen.

His house smoked pastrami that goes on our Big Easy sandwich is like nothing you’ve ever had, and he also has been instrumental in incorporating more Absolutely Fresh Seafood into the specials and core menu. How do you find our what Chef Josh has planned for lunch today? Visit our

newly updated website at dundeedell.com.

Plus, he does a fantastic job catering in one of our two party rooms.

Our Skye Room is great for groups of up to 12, the ultimate back room experience, and our Pine Room can accommodate up to 60 guest for sit down dinners, or casual gathering with appetizers and drinks. Stop in and see new with your old neigborhood friend, The Dundee Dell, at 50th and Underwood.

Mary’s have been gaining popularity with an increasingly younger crowd that enjoys the ability to have breakfast into the afternoon.

We also have had great success in our Dinner After Dark and Dinner With The Market events in partnership with Absolutely Fresh Seafood Market and Shucks Fish House. These reservation only, five course meals are unlike anything else in Omaha, and have gained quite the regular

following. Plus, we encourage everyone to check out our catering menu for delicious breakfast and lunch options.

Not to mention our restaurant is available to rent every evening after 4 p.m. for dinner events and parties. Take a moment and visit our website at baileysbreakfast.com to see what we offer, and what we might be able to do for you for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

It’s always a great day with Bailey’s!

The Dundee Dell Finding a balance between the old and the new has been our quest since The Dundee Dell joined the Absolutely Fresh Family a few years ago. We have found that subtle changes are the best - a little brighter lighting, a few new colors and a handful of new friendly faces on our staff. But some things at The Dell will never change like our famous fish & chips and our Wall of Scotch.

In our effort to add a little “freshness” to Omaha’s second oldest operating restau-

Bailey’s Breakfast & Lunch

It’s getting competitive in the Breakfast scene in Omaha, so we are constantly working to stay on the top of the list of best places to enjoy a nice homestyle breakfast with a little flair. In the past year, we added a few “South of the Border” items to our menu including Breakfast Enchiladas and Barbacoa Tostadas which have been extremely popular amongst our guests. And, our featured flavored coffees and signature drinks including Mimosas and Bloody

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The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | D1

section4 PASSOVER

The Shlichim Program: An introduction ach year, the Jewish Agency for Israel sends between 1,500 and 1,750 Israeli emissaries – Shlichim – around the world to strengthen Jewish identity and connection to Israel. These Shlichim are selected from more than 10,000 applicants and represent the best of Israel. They are placed at schools, synagogues, JCCs, camps, universities, youth movements and federations all over the globe.

In training before and throughout their service, The Jewish Agency gives them tools for building Israel education programs for their audiences.

The variety and credentials of Shlichim help ensure that any Jewish institution, anywhere, can provide a personal connection to the Jewish State, a staff member who can speak authentically about issues of Zionism and an Israeli role model to children and youth.

Service Year Shlichim (also known as Shin-shinim) is the “year of service program” that offers Israeli high school graduates an opportunity to delay mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces and serve Diaspora communities for up to 10 months. The program allows communities to meet young Israeli ambassadors who perform meaningful service prior to entering the army. In 2017, 113 Service Year Shlichim served in the United States, Canada, Great Britain and other countries.

Each summer, The Jewish Agency sends Israelis to Jewish summer camps to bring their Israeli experience and provide a human connection to the Jewish State. Camp Shlichim participate in, and are integrated into all aspects of programming in their assigned camp settings. In summer 2017, a total of 1,347 specialists, counselors and educators were dispatched to North America for the camping season, where they reached more than 12,000 American Jewish camp counselors and tens of thousands of campers.

The Shlichut Institute In 2018, The Jewish Agency launched The Shlichut In-

Yoni Doron and Nate Shapito in 2017 stitute, which will act as the premier center for providing Jewish Agency Israeli emissaries with ongoing training before, during and after their service. The institute will also provide tools and technology to enable valuable community experiences. Natan Sharansky serves as the institute’s Founding Chair.

Bringing It Home Each year, hundreds of Shlichim return home to Israel after serving in Jewish communities in the Diaspora, undergoing transformative professional and personal experi-

ences. Shlichim return infused with motivation and a strong desire to influence society. The Shlichut alumni network aims to create a platform of diverse programs designed to “bring Shlichut back home” and to promote a generation of leaders in all sectors – social, governmental and business – who are committed to the Jewish world.

In 2017, 1,100 returning shlichim are participating in the alumni network’s programs. All programs are focused on The Jewish Agency’s core values and vision, and relate to Israel activism, Jewish pluralism in Israeli society and connecting Israel and the Diaspora.

The Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Program for Excellence, an initiative that began in 2017, engages outstanding Shlichim upon their return to Israel from their community assignments in Jewish communities around the world and guides them through a two-year process of personal and professional development in order to assume senior leadership roles and inspire Israeli society. Mandel Fellows devote 25 percent of their time to a comprehensive process of personal and professional growth, consisting of group learning and individual mentorship.

The program’s goals are: • To integrate returning Shlichim into key organizational positions • To develop exceptional young leadership as well as an interconnected network of learners and change agents • To establish a forward-thinking organizational culture that is responsive to the contemporary needs of Israeli society and global Jewry, while cultivating vision, creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation Campus Israel Fellows are young Israeli adults who have completed army service and university study. The Fellows travel for one to three years to university campuses around the world, with the goal of empowering See The Sclichim Program page D2

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d2 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

passover

Experiencing the land on a deeper level annette van de kamp-wright Editor, Jewish Press obbie Epstein’s biography reads like an encyclopedic list of women’s philanthropy and volunteerism. There are few causes to which she hasn’t given her time and energy, from the Women’s Campaign to Lion of Judah, from Temple Sisterhood to Beth El religious school, from Campaign Cabaret to something called the ‘Gallery Gala:’ “The Gallery Gala, an afternoon of art, entertainment and elegance, will take place at the Jewish Community Center at noon on April 16. Bobbie Epstein was named chairman of the event by Campaign chairman Suzanne Singer and vicechairman Nancy Greenberg,” according to the Jewish Press of March 22, 1985.

“Those attending the Gala will be pleasantly surprised from the moment they walk in as they will find appetizers and wine coolers being served in the Gallery prior to the luncheon. Entertainment will be provided by Patty Nogg, Beth Ginsburg, Pam Cohn, Connie Slutsky, Sibby Wolfson, Debbie Friedman and Anne Broder. Darlynn Fellman will be featured in a tribute to women, written by Joanie Jacobson.”

Reading this so many years later, I kind of wish I could go back in time.

“Bobbie was an absolute leader in the Women’s Campaign,” Julee Katzman said, “as well as the development of the Lion of Judah Program in Omaha.

There was a national UJA (it was called United Jewish Appeal back then) office in Chicago, and we frequently sent delegations of women to their outstanding programs. It was such a significant way to teach women about philanthropy and tie them to communities. Bobbie was very involved and showed tremendous leadership.”

Then one day, Bobbie Epstein went to Ducky Milder’s house for coffee, heard about a trip to Israel and the rest is history.

“When I was younger, things were different,” she remembered. “There

were no college trips or teen trips. It just wasn’t available the way it is today.”

It was the late 1980s when Bobbie first made her way to Israel; she’s been 15 times since then. Like many before or after her, once was enough to cement a life-long fascination.

While attending a Lion of Judah conference in Israel, Bobbie found herself at her first Partnership meeting.

“Someone, probably Jan Goldstein, asked me to come to that meeting. It was early days, and I remember we all had headphones for the translations that were needed with Americans and Israelis in the same room. There was this one big Israeli guy who stood up, hollered for a while, then sat down and said: ‘So it will be done.’ Nobody back then could have imagined what the Partnership would eventually grow into.

It seemed overwhelming in the beginning, but look at it now!”

There is a part of her, she said, that could have made Aliyah.

“I always felt so at home from the moment I landed. It’s always been a total love affair with the land. Being in Israel, it’s sheer happiness.”

Something else she’s always felt in Israel is safe.

“Whenever we went for Partnership

meetings, we’d land on a Sunday, drive north, have three days of meetings and drive back to Jerusalem by Thursday to be home in time for Shabbat. While there, we’d walk around after dark. People often use safety as an excuse to not go to Israel and that is such a shame. It’s easy to criticize Israel, talk about the conflict and use it as a reason to stay away, but until you have lived there and have sent your own children to war, you really don’t know what’s safe and unsafe.”

Once, she came face-to-face with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

“He was in the United States to speak at a Jewish Federation event and came out of the elevator just as we were getting on,” she said. “Can you imagine? It was a very different time!”

Today, more than ever, she continued, “Israel is a security blanket against all the anti-Semitism in the world. The very fact that Israel exists should be a comfort to all of us, even if you don’t plan to move there. Just knowing it’s there comforts me.

“If you have not gone— all I can say is, every Jewish woman owes it to herself to experience Israel, because it makes you feel fortunate, especially when spending time in the Western Galilee. More even than the tourist attractions and the landscape, it’s meeting the people and forging a connection, building that relationship that makes it really come to life. It allows you to experience the land on a different, deeper level.”

In December of 2017, Bobbie dropped her granddaughter off at Eppley Airport, so she could participate in the Mega Teen Trip to Israel. Bobbie attended all the parent meetings leading up to the trip. Another generation, another opportunity for relationships to grow: it is nice when things come full circle.

“I love that my grandchild was able to go on that trip, even though she doesn’t live in Omaha anymore. This is where See Bobbie epstein page d4

Above left: ron Lugasy and right: rabbi ari dembitzer with eliad eliyahu Ben Shushan Continued from page d1 student leadership and creating Israel-engaged campuses. Campus Israel Fellows in North America are based in Hillels and other Jewish student organizations. They work with students and faculty to strengthen their campus affiliation with and support of Israel. In 2017, 85 Israeli Fellows served at 165 campuses around the world.

Together, Campus Israel fellows directly interacted with 22,750 Jewish students in 2017 and attracted more than 37,000 students to Israel education events.

Youth movement Shlichim coordinate Israel engagement activities with Jewish youth movements in 30 Diaspora countries. In 2017, 80 Youth Movement Shlichim worked with thousands of young Jewish participants, developing leadership programs and Israel experience activities.

Community Shlichim work in and with more than 250 community organizations in over two dozen countries. They serve as a central resource for Israel education in the local community and help increase Jewish identity and feelings of connection to Israel. In 2017, 94 Israelis worked with federations and other Jewish communal institutions. There are four kinds of Community Shlichim, representing different experience levels and job descriptions: Yovel Shlichim, a track of senior Shlichim, have vast experience in Jewish communal work and help large communities set strategic directions at high levels.

Bina Shlichim are often joined by their families. These Shlichim have experience in informal education, community work and or management. These Shlichim work with organizational partners, community donors and help manage committees.

Ofek Shlichim are between the ages of 22 and 30 and do unique work in community management and educational processes. These Shlichim develop and lead educational and social programs with institutions and members of the community in which they serve.

Shachar Shlichim are young professionals who have college degrees and proven professional experience. These Shlichim perform unique work in their assigned communities, especially in synagogues.

Zionist Seminars are part of a dynamic, multi-dimensional educational program that imparts Jewish-Zionist values through unmediated encounters between young Israelis and members of the Diaspora. In 2017, 32 young Israeli leaders worked with thousands of students abroad to generate dialogue about Israel, participants and their connection to the Jewish people, the State of Israel and Jewish tradition. Zionist Seminars also offer expanded services to schools and organizations who wish a custom-tailored program of Israel-related events over the course of two weeks to two months.

(Source: Jewishagency.org)

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | D3

Full moon on Seder night

here’s something about a full moon that deeply moves people. It’s natural to be filled with a sense of awe and wonder when you gaze at a full moon. No coincidence, then, that Judaism’s two-week-long festivals begin on the night of a full moon: Succot on the 15th night of the lunar month of Tishrei and Passover on the 15th night of the lunar month of Nisan. As is often the case, the religious imagination harnesses natural human emotion for its own specific purposes. In what follows, I freely translate a Passover message from my friend and teacher Rabbi Lior Engelman that plays with traditional traits associated with the moon and the sun.

We find expression for the sun and the moon in the world of the spirit. The sun, the great light, is the intellect—which is constantly “lit” and is not subject to changing feelings and situations. The moon, the little light, is the world of emotion, receiving impressions from the outside, experiencing profound changes and constant movement.

The relationship between the sun and the moon, between emotion and intellect, is expressed in the Jewish holidays. On the first day of the lunar month of Nisan, the moon is “covered.” It is on this day that the people of Israel hear the command to prepare for Pesach, but nothing is felt at this point--only the mind understands. On the 10th day of Nissan, the people are instructed to take the paschal lamb; they start to feel, to prepare.

On the 14th of the month, we feel what is about to happen, and so we eat hastily. Stick in hand, we are ready for the Exodus; everything is felt, alive and well. The Exodus will take place on the night TEDDY of the 15th, in the midWEINBERGER dle of the night, and the moon will look fully upon the face of the sun. Feeling is in full agreement with intellect; we both feel and know that the time of redemption is at hand.

We read in the Haggadah: “Even if all of us are wise, even if we are all intelligent, if we all know the entire Torah, it is incumbent upon us to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, and the more expansive one is, the more admirable.” The night of the Seder takes place on the 15th of Nisan, the night of a full moon in the sky, when the moon aligns itself fully with the sun. On this night, even if we are all wise, even if we are all at the level of the constant and luminous sun, this is not enough. We need more than intellect, wisdom and understanding. We also want to discover the moon in its fullness. We want our emotions to share in the depth of the experience. We are not content with knowing about the Exodus from Egypt; we want to feel as if we ourselves have left. We are required to tell the story.

See Teddy Weinberger page D5

H A P P Y

Passover From

Diane Battiato

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D4 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

Seen... on the Israel Scene: Touring the Knesset SybIl Kaplan

any of us travel by the Knesset building, acknowledging its purpose but rarely have the opportunity to take a tour.

When Hadassah-Israel organized its General Assembly meeting December 17, they chose to hold it there, preceded by a tour.

Israeli-born, Adina, doing her national service instead of going into the army, was our tour guide. She explained that the word, Knesset took its

name (meaning assembly) and fixed its membership at 120 from the Knesset Hagedolah (Great Assembly), the representative Jewish council convened in Jerusalem by Ezra and Nehemiah in the 5th century B.C.E. Beginning in 1949, the Knesset was housed in Tel Aviv then on King George Street in Jerusalem. The current building was opened in August, 1966.

The Plenum wing houses the Chagall State Hall, a library, a cabinet room and committee rooms.

The Plenum Hall has three stories: on the lower floor are the Knes-

Inside the Knesset

Credit: Alice Fierstein

set members in seats in the shape of a menorah with the opposition on one side and the coalition in the center. At the front of the hall is the dais where the speaker of the house, currently Yuli Elstein, sits.

Behind the dais is a wall created by sculptor, Dany Karavan, said to remind one of the Western Wall. The one picture hanging on the wall is Theodor Herzl.

One gallery is for the press; the other, with bullet-proof glass, is for the public.

The Chagall State Hall is where official ceremonies are held and is decorated with three hand-woven tapestries designed by Marc Chagall in the 1960s. The tapestries took eight years to complete. The one on the left is Return to Zion, representing the present with vibrant colors, holidays depicted on the borders and the Bible at the top.

The one in the center represents the past, Exodus, showing the exodus from Egypt, Moses on Mount Sinai and King David.

The one on the right represents the future, the prophetic Vision of the Final Redemption, a peaceful, utopian piece with many Biblical references.

From here, we saw the replica of the Declaration of Independence signed by members of the people’s council. Originally they signed a rolled-up piece of paper because the declaration was made on a Friday See Touring the Knesset page D7

Bobbie Epstein

Continued from page D2 her life began and where she started her Jewish education, so I am very glad she was part of it. Bob and I were both born and raised here and although the kids have all moved away, we belong here, so we’re staying. We just visit them as often as we can, but Omaha remains home.”

Israelis are blunt and rude. You got a problem with that?

Sam Sokol JERUSALEM | JTA couple of months ago I was waiting to use an ATM near my house, flicking through Twitter as the line inched its way forward. Finally, after about 10 minutes and several tweets, I reached the machine and was getting ready to insert my card when an Israeli man ran over from the corner, some 15 yards away, and tried to cut in front of me.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“It’s my turn,” he replied in a tone that seemed to be both condescending and shocked by my apparent impertinence.

When I pointed out that he had not been on line, but had been hanging out and chatting with his friends, he grew heated, insisting that he had stopped by before I arrived and told the person in front of me that he was claiming a spot.

At no point had he actually bothered to stand in the line himself. That is, if you could call it a line. It was more of a clot, actually. Those present mostly gathered higgledy-piggledy, repeatedly asking each other who was ahead of whom. In Israel, the concept of an orderly queue, so unremarkable to immigrants from Europe and North America, can still seem to be an entirely foreign idea.

This tendency to engage in behavior that would be considered rude elsewhere extends to other aspects of Israeli life. It is not unheard of to be boarding a bus and watch ticketed passengers duck under the arms of a rider who had the temerity to slow them down by paying the driver in cash.

Or to be approached by random strangers who begin asking why you immigrated, how many children you have and how much you earn.

On Israeli roads, a turn signal is not a sign of intent but of weakness.

The Israelis’ reputation as a rude, abrasive or merely

boundary-less people has made its way around the world - surviving even its new incarnation as “start-up nation.” Famously, in 2015, the tech firm Intel presented its employees with a guide to working with Israelis that warned them to “expect to be cut off regularly” and that “visitors are often taken back by the tone or loudness of the discussion.”

Many English-speaking immigrants to Israel -- or Anglos, as they are known locally -- have long complained about the stark differences in cultural norms and expectations that complicate relations between the two groups.

“Israelis are notoriously late; super casual in dress code and speaking,” said Daniel Rosenthal, an immigrant from Tampa, Florida.

“They tend to be too personal in their opening remarks, sharing things like how many kids they have.”

Dave Levy, another immiCredit: Lior Zaltzman grant, said that “arguments can easily get loud and verbally violent, yet never physically violent. There is very much a culture of arguing.”

This directness and sense of familiarity has its upsides.

Ilana Gamliel, originally from Long Island, said that here, “people are much more helpful and strangers will happily hold my baby.” Leah Rachelle Berman notices “how easy it is to strike up a conversation with a native Israeli.”

Israelis often do not even realize they are perceived as rude by foreigners, said Reuven Ben-Shalom, a former Israeli Air Force officer who runs Cross-Cultural Strategies Ltd., a consulting firm that teaches foreigners how to deal with the culture here.

“Israel is like an island in the Middle East. We can feel very Americanized, but we have developed here a unique culture of our own. Once a culture takes off after several decades, you find that there are behaviors that would seem completely strange” to outsiders.

This story was edited for length. Read the full story on our website at www.jewishomaha.org/jewish-press/

The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | D5

passover Parsha Metzora

We are taught in this week’s Torah portion that the person who speaks ill of others receives a physical ailment as a result of his spiritual deficiency. He is forced to leave the community and heal from his deficiencies in solitude. The person who speaks il, looks at community in a negative light. If one sees the negative one must reevaluate the point of community in general. The point of community is to find where one can contribute, Rabbi aRi not just complain. May we all deepen this DembitzeR Beth Israel Synagogue lesson to do more for the community and complain less. Amen.

Shabbat Shalom.

Teddy Weinberger

Continued from page D3 A story is not a collection of data; a good story stirs both the listener and the narrator. Even if we know the entire Torah, the time has come to tell, to experience and feel the magnitude of the hour. It was not for nothing that we were commanded on this night: “You shall tell your child.” (Exodus 13.8) The small child is like the moon, full of childlike emotion, standing in a position of acceptance in front of his parents, like the moon in the face of the sun. In order to reach his heart, the parents, moved and excited, tell the story; they feel the depth of the experience with the help of their curious child. A Seder night of intellect and emotion, sun and moon.

Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@netvision.net.il.

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d6 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

synagogues b’nai israel synagogue

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 402.322.4705 email: BnaiIsraelCouncilBluffs@ gmail.com

beTh el synagogue

Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California 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

rose blumkin Jewish home

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

Temple israel

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

TifereTh israel

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

b’nai israel synagogue

Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on april 12, at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Rich Juro on Visiting synagogues all over the world while traveling with his wife Fran. Our service leader is Larry Blass, and as always, an Oneg to follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information on our historic synagogue, contact any of our board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Howard Kutler, Carole Lainof, Wayne Lainof, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf, or email nancywolf16620@gmail.com.

beTh el synagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. friday: L’dor Va’ Dough Delivery Day, 10 a.m.; Shabbat B’Yachad, 6 p.m.; Shabbat Tables, 7 p.m. at Beth El. saTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, Conversation with God, 9:30 a.m.; Shabbat’s Cool, Grades 3-7, 10 a.m.; Mincha, following Shabbat morning services. weekday serVices: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. sunday: BESTT Classes, Grades K-7, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; God 101, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; USY Board Meeting, 10 a.m.; Yiddish class, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; USY/Kadma Program, noon; USY Chocolate Seder, 6 p.m. off site. monday: Women’s Book Group, 7 p.m.

Tuesday: A Journey through the Talmud, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Mahjong, 1 p.m.; Board Mtg, 7:30 p.m. wednesday: Chesed Committee visits Sterling Ridge, 2 p.m.; BESTT Classes, Grades 3-7, 4:15 p.m.; USY Program, 5:15 p.m.; Sing unto the Lord a new song, 6 p.m. with Hazzan Krausman; Hebrew High, 6:30 p.m.; A Journey through the Talmud and Rabbinic Literature, 7:15 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham.

Thursday: Breakfast and Brachot, 7 a.m.

Shacharit/Siyyum B’khorim followed by Biur Chametz, friday, april 19, 7 a.m.

Beth El Community Second Seder, saturday, april 20, 6:30 p.m.

There will be no BESTT, Hebrew High or Jr. Congregation during Pesach Break, april 20-27.

beTh israel synagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer friday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Passover: What Does Real Freedom Mean?, 11:15 a.m. with Rabbi Shlomo; Mincha, 7:43 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 7:43 p.m. saTurday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 6:40 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:25 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:45 p.m. sunday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. monday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Jewish History — Your History, noon with Rabbi Shlomo; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

Tuesday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Torah Tuesday, 3 p.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. wednesday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

Thursday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Connecting with Our Faith, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

chabad house

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. friday: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. saTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. weekdays: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. monday: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani; A Special Birthday Celebration, 7 p.m. wednesday: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman.

Thursday: Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman.

Moshiach Feast: Farewell to Pesach, saturday, april 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Musical Havdalah Service at 9:15 p.m.

For more information call 402.330.1800 or visit www. ochabad.com.

congregaTion b’nai Jeshurun

Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby. friday: 35th Annual Mayor’s Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. with guest speaker: Pardeep Singh Kaleka, Forgiveness Project, Partner andFounder, Serve2Unite at Lincoln Station Great Hall, 201 N. 7th Street, Lincoln; Erev Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. music by the Star City Kochavim; Oneg, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:45 p.m. saTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study on Parashat Metzora, 10:45 a.m.; UNL Hillel: Helping with Challah, 1 p.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 9:16 p.m. sunday: Spring Garden Clean-up, 9-10:30 am. If you have any of these items, please bring them: gloves, hand trimmers, paper garden trash bags/trash containers, rakes, brooms, string trimmer, etc. Let Ellin Siegel know if you have any questions at ellin.siegel@gmail.com.; LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; LJCS families please join us at 10:30 a.m. for our special Passover program and sing-a-long; Adult Hebrew Prayer Class, 11:30 a.m.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. All equipment furnished. Wear comfortable clothing. For questions, call or text Miriam Wallick at miria m57@aol.com.

Tuesday: Ladies Lunch, noon at Le Quartier Bakery and Cafe, 6900 O St., Unit 132. Let Deborah Swearingen (402.475.7528) know if you plan to attend and if you need a ride. wednesday: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. Community Passover Seder, saturday, april 20, 6 p.m.

Cost is Adults $18, Children ages 5-12, $9, Children under 5, college students and active military are free. If you need assistance paying for dinner, please contact Rabbi Appleby at rabbi@southstreettemple.org or at 423.763.8007. Donations to subsidize Seder attendees are welcomed. RSVP by April 15. Call the Temple office: 402.435.8004 or e-mail off ice@southstreettemple.org. Volunteers to help with set up, plating, or clean up are welcome. Contact the Temple office if you’d like to help!

SST is partnering with "We Can Do This" to provide weekend meals to the children of the F Str Community Center. Join us as we provide lunch on the third Sunday of every month.

Food/monetary donations, meal preparation and assistance with setting up, serving, and clean-up are needed! We will serve our next meal on april 21 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact Aimee Hyten at aimee.hyten@gmail.com.

As you start to make summer plans, consider sending your child to LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 22–aug. 2, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Light 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.

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.

Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.

Temple israel

friday: L’dor V’dor Chocolate Shabbat: Dinner and Link Workshop, 5:15 p.m., and Service, 6 p.m. saTurday: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Service, 10:30 a.m. Bar Mitzvah of noah atlas, son of Stacey and Brett Atlas. sunday: Temple Israel Blood Drive, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; 2nd Sunday Breakfast Service at Stephen Center, 8:30 a.m.; Beginning Prayer-Book Hebrew, 9 a.m.; OTYG Pancake Feed featuring the Pancake Man, 9 a.m.; Religious School for Grades K-6, 10 a.m.; Temple Israel Book Club, 10:15 a.m.; Temple Tots, 10:30 a.m.; Social Justice Committee Meeting, 10:30 a.m.; Caring Committee Meeting, 10:30 a.m.; Religious School Steering Committee Meeting, noon.

Tuesday: Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m. wednesday: Religious School Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6:30 p.m.; Family School, 6:30 p.m.; God After Auschwitz, 6:30 p.m. with Rabbi Berezin.

Thursday: The History of the Jewish People: Ahad HaAm & Cultural Zionism, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel; OTYG:

Matzah Making Competition, 6 p.m.

No Shabbat Service at Temple Israel on friday, april 19.

Passover Family Seder, saturday, april 20, 6 p.m. This is a family-friendly event and children will be rewarded for participating in the Seder with an exciting search for the afikoman after the meal. Reservations are required and your payment is your reservation. To reserve your seat at the table, your RSVP must be made by Friday, April 12. Cost of the dinner is $27 for adults, $14 for children ages 6-12, and no charge for children ages five and under. After April 12, the cost of the dinner increases to: $37 for adults, $24 for children 6-12.

Conclusion of Passover Service, friday, april 26, 10:30 a.m.

Shabbat Service Honoring Cantor Wendy Shermet, friday, april 26, 7 p.m.

TifereTh israel

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. friday: 35th Annual Mayor's Interfaith Prayer Breakfast,7:30 a.m. at Lincoln Station Great Hall, 201 N 7th Street, Lincoln with featured speaker is Pardeep Singh Kaleka, a former police officer and inner-city educator, and co-founder of Serve2Unite; No Services; Candlelighting, 7:45 p.m. saTurday: Shabbat Morning service, 10 a.m. Please note, due to the kitchen being closed for Passover, we will not have a kiddush lunch; Got Shabbat, 11 a.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 8:46 p.m. sunday: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m. Parents are invited to join us for Passover program and sing-a-long at 10:30 a.m.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. All equipment furnished. Wear comfortable clothing. For questions, call or text Miriam Wallick at miriam57@aol.com.

Tuesday: Ladies Lunch, noon at Le Quartier Bakery and Cafe, 6900 O St., Unit 132. Let Deborah Swearingen know if you plan to attend and if you need a ride at 402.475.7528. wednesday: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. Thursday: Hebrew Reading class, 7 p.m. at the synagogue taught by Nancy Coren. Please let her know if you plan to attend and bring a pack of index cards with you.

Join us for a Communal Seder at Tifereth Israel. You can choose from 2 options: A traditional Passover seder, friday, april 19, 6 p.m. or Escape from Egypt-A lock box experiential seder (interactive/kid friendly ages 0-13), saturday, april 20, 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Reserve a place now for yourself and your family! Cost: Free to all but donations to help defray expenses may be contributed to the Layleader Discretionary Fund. RSVP to office at 402.423.8569 by APRIL 1 or e-mail ncoren@tiferethis raellincoln.org.

As you start to make summer plans, consider sending your child to LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 22–aug. 2, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Light 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.

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The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019 | D7

Touring the Knesset Continued from page D4 afternoon, May 14 and there was not time to write it; the British were leaving Saturday, May 15. Later after the Sabbath, the wording was transferred to the signed paper.

The new wing was planned in 1981; construction was completed in 1992. It contains 48 chambers for Knesset members, an auditorium and storage areas.

In the new wing are glass cases with gifts given to the Knesset and a photo wall of intimate moments.

The committee rooms sit in this wing. There are 12 permanent committees whose members sit around the table. Partial members and professionals and experts sit against one wall; journalists, guests and citizens sit on the opposite wall.

The Kedma wing was completed in stages between 2005 and 2008 and contains meet-

PEOPLE WHO READ NEWSPAPERS ARE

STUDENTS WITH BETTER GRADES

ing rooms, chambers for committee chairpersons and offices.

We were then shown the attendance board with the names and photographs of Knesset members. Those lit up are there; those shadowed have not yet come to the sessions held Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, beginning at 4 p.m.

Of the 120, 34 are women; 18 are non-Jewish, 13 are Muslims and one is Christian.

General guided tours of the Knesset are held each weekday from Sunday to Thursday.

Representing the primary languages of Israel’s citizens, tours are available in English, Hebrew, Arabic, French, Spanish, German, Russian and Amharic. The guided tours last for approximately one hour. Specialized tours focusing on the art and photography in the Knesset building, the architecture of the Knesset and the parliamentary work of the

ions t i d a t tr n e i c an ssover ce e h t May of Pay and peyaear. jo he bringughout t thro

It all starts with Newspapers.

Knesset are also available. Visitors must bring their passports to join an organized tour. Select Knesset sessions are open to the public.

Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, lecturer, book reviewer, food writer and author (Witness to History: Ten Years as a Woman Journalist in Israel), nine cookbooks (including What’s Cooking at Hadassah College). She lived in Israel from 1970-1980; she and her husband, Barry, came to live in Jerusalem in 2008, where she works as a foreign correspondent for North American Jewish publications, lectures to senior citizen residences, leads walks in English in Machaneh Yehudah, the Jewish produce market and writes stories about kosher restaurants in Janglo.net for which Barry photographs. She has been book reviewing for 40 years.

and Coffee 402-392-2600

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D8 | The Jewish Press | April 12, 2019

HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY

PA S S O V E R B’nai Israel Synagogue Wishes the Community a Happy Passover!

National Register of Historic Places A Century of Tradition 618 Mynster Street, Council Bluffs, IA

712-322-4705 You’re always welcome at B’nai Israel!

With Your Help We’ll Have A Great Past Ahead Of Us

Happy Passover

JEWISH WAR VETERANS of AMERICA Epstein Morgan Post 260

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful Passover.

FREE membership to all active-duty personnel Contact: Jay Benton, Commander 402-250-6133 We welcome any and all new members

Freedom is the incessant human drive to draw on one’s divine, infinite potential and reach beyond the self.

Chag Sameach Rabbi Mendel Katzman, Chabad Board, Staff and Volunteers

It is an obligation to tell the story.

Happy Passover

Wishing the community a Happy Pesach!

From the staff of

Join us and give a gift for future generations.

Gold $250 | Patron-1 Year $100 | Sponsor $72 | Regular $36

Happy Passover

Wishing the entire community a

Happy Passover Each year the IHE shares the history and lessons of the Holocaust through the arts, community programming, school programming and continuing education for teachers.

Please visit: www.ihene.org | 402.334.6576 | info@ihene.org

National Council of Jewish Women Nebraska

from the LOVE Board

League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly

Send Best Wishes for a Happy Passover with a Love tribute card

The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Auxiliary

Available from Sabine Strong 402-334-6519

Beth Israel Synagogue and Sisterhood wishes you and your family a happy and healthy Passover.

NCJW extends its warmest wishes to the Jewish community for a Joyous Passover.

Henry Monsky Lodge Best Wishes for a Happy Passover

B’nai B’rith

402-334-6443

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