April 15, 2016: Passover Edition

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A2 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

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Happy Passover Welcome to our 2016 Passover edition.

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Our theme this year: “Under 40.” Originally, it was going to be “40 under 40” but it proved to be impossible to end up with exactly 40 stories. It was much easier to change the title.

When, in 2013, the Pew Research Center released its Portrait of Jewish Americans, the youngest bracket (Jews born after 1980) showed some concerning trends. For instance, 32% of Jews in that age group considered themselves not religious.

Intermarriage has sharply risen: before 1970 a mere 17% of Jews had a non-Jewish spouse, while in the period between 2005-2013 that number was 58%. At the same time, that non-religious category where young people were represented so heavily cared less about Israel, celebrated fewer holidays and didn’t keep kosher as often. Without going into too much detail, the concept of younger Jews in general not being as religious or as involved as their parents or grandparents is one that has taken on a life of its own.

Of course, it’s not always true; a general study like this one does not tell us anything about what an individual 30-year-old believes or is passionate about. For that, we have to talk to people one by one and ask them.

So we did. In this issue, you’ll read about various younger members of our community. Men, women, teenagers, college kids, married, single, Orthodox, Conservative and Reform: we asked them all about their experiences. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the answers. There wasn’t one person who didn’t have something valuable to say.

As always, creating a special edition like this means a lot of extra work for a lot of people. I want to thank the Jewish Press Board of Directors for their unwavering support (you are an awesome group!) and for suggesting this theme. Thanks also, to our CEO, Alan Potash, for his ability to listen carefully and putting up with my neverending spreadsheets. Thanks to Julee Katzman, without whose advice I would not be half as effective, and thanks to our tireless volunteer proofreaders: Margaret Kirkeby, Deborah Platt, Silvia Roffman, Dottie Rosenblum and Suzanne Singer. Any typos or grammatical errors that slipped through are entirely the editor’s responsibility, and since there’s almost always something, I apologize in advance. That goes double, by the way, for anyone I forget to thank on this page.

I want to thank our writers: Gabby Blair, Ozzie Nogg, Sybil Kaplan, Emily Newman, Lois Friedman, and Oliver Pollak. Where would we be without you all?

I want to thank our advertisers for supporting us and, by doing that, supporting the entire community.

Thank you to Creative Director Richard Busse, whose genius always comes through on these pages, and to Assistant Editor Lori Kooper-Schwarz for making sure I don’t lose my head. Our Salesperson, Susan Bernard, has been with us only since January of this year, but she’s already family, and we are grateful she’s joined our team.

Most of all, I want to thank you, the reader, for doing what you do right now. For letting us know when your paper is late (we secretly take it as a compliment when you call in a panic) and for sticking with us year after year. We thank you for including us when you have your B’nai Mitzvah, graduate high school or college, or when you get married. We thank you for sending us your birth announcements, telling us when you get engaged, and when loved ones leave. These are the milestones of life, and it’s amazing to see that life happening on the pages of the Jewish Press.

Chag Sameach, Eric Dunning, President Annette van de Kamp Wright, Editor

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | A3

passover

From Omaha to Haifa

Annette vAn de KAmp-wrigHt Editor, Jewish Press Evan Saltzman is the son of Lynne and Errol Saltzman. Together with his wife Rebekah (daughter of Ruth and Richard Chaifetz) and their son Nathan(9) and twins Alice and Alexander (7), he made Aliyah on August 12, 2014.

This story is longer than most in this Passover issue, but we think Evan’s entertaining and enlightening answers are worth a few extra columns. tell me a little about growing up in Omaha: family, synagogue, school.

My family moved to Omaha in 1979 from Philadelphia when my dad got a job with Richman Gordman as a clothes buyer. I look back and think it ironic that the owner of the company was Jewish and also was a member of Beth Israel Synagogue as most people now ask me if there are Jews in Nebraska.

From as far as I can remember, we were always actively involved in the community. My parents were both from New York City, and raised in a traditional Jewish environment, my mom more than my dad. We immediately met a handful of families either associated with Beth Israel Synagogue or with the Jewish community as a whole.

The friends that I made when I was three years old are still my close friends now. Because of those relationships, we attended Beth Israel regularly, even though we lived in West Omaha. I started school at Friedel Jewish Academy, formerly known as the Jewish Day School. (I was part of the first graduating class at Friedel that offered Kindergarten through sixth grade.)

One of the things I remember from my mother was how she learned from her mother and grandmother the importance of a Jewish education. It still resonates with me.

I remember becoming actively involved with the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY), probably around seventh grade. This became a big influence in how I wanted to live my life.

I started high school in 1991 at Burke High, but due to the influence of NCSY, my peers and mentors, I was eager to go to a yeshiva high school where I would be able to get a

Saltzman family at JFK on Aug. 11, 2014 more formal Jewish education and slowly become more observant. I went to the Yeshiva of the South in Memphis, TN, to finish my last two years of high school.

I remember my parents being a little hesitant about my leaving home so early (mostly my dad), but in the end, they were supportive. They also were supportive of my decision to attend yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel and ultimately Yeshiva University in New York City. Again, this goes back to the ideas instilled in my mom that a Jewish education was paramount.

As I like to say, you can take me out of Omaha but you can’t take Omaha out of me.

Omaha was my childhood home, and I have very fond

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memories of spending my summers at the JCC pool, working in the kitchen of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home as well as the JCC library, attending community and synagogue events at all of the community synagogues. Omaha was a great place to grow up. i know you were in new York before making Aliyah; how did you end up there?

As I was planning to attend a gap year (or two) at a yeshiva in Israel, I also knew that it was important to get a college education. In the late 1990s there were really only two primary colleges or universities that allowed one to continue formal Jewish education simply for the sake of personal growth and development, as well as get a formal college education.

I was fortunate to be accepted to Yeshiva University in New York City prior to spending time in a yeshiva in Israel.

YU’s joint Israel program allowed you to get a year’s worth of college credits for learning in Israel. With the support of my parents, I was able to attend yeshiva in Israel for two years and then go on to get a BS in Management Information Systems at Yeshiva University.

After graduating in 2001, I had resources available to me to help find full time work in New York City. Plus, I had already met my bashert, my future wife Rebekah while in college at YU, so I wasn’t going to go too far from the East Coast.

The short version of how we met: because NCSY had such a big influence in the way I was living my life, I wanted to be able to pay it forward to the future generations. So I had returned to NCSY as an advisor and at a Shabbaton in Richmond, VA, I met Rebekah. We were both advisors and we exchanged email addresses and the rest is history. (And no, we don’t have the shirt that says, “I met my bashert in NCSY.�) why make Aliyah?

God has plans for all of us and some are only apparent later on in life. Fast forward 13 years, after marriage, two different homes, (only) two different jobs and three kids (twins, I might add). I had a really good job in midtown Manhattan, my wife had a blossoming professional organizing business, and my kids were very popular in one of the best Jewish schools in the country.

There is not one specific point in time where I can say this was what caused us to want to make Aliyah. Rebekah and I had been living in New York City for about 14 years, and we reached a point where we were ready for a lifestyle See evan Saltzman page A4

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passover Evan Saltzman

Continued from page A3 change. To paraphrase what Rebekah so eloquently said to me: “We have been sacrificing a lot

Saltzman family at the Kotel on Nov. 30, 2015

for our kids’ education. When they grow up, we want them to appreciate their Jewish education and Jewish identity. We don’t want them to look back and say, ‘My parents sacrificed a lot to send us to school and I don’t want to go through that with my kids.’”

There’s that recurring theme again about the importance of a Jewish education. We contemplated and researched moving elsewhere in the US or even working for the U.S. government in a Foreign Service capacity. In the end, we thought that making Aliyah to Israel was a more practical decision for a lot of the same reasons many people make Aliyah now. Israel is one of the very few countries in the world that welcomes new immigrants with open arms. There are organizations such as Nefesh B’Nefesh that streamline the process for Jews coming from the States. There is financial assistance, government grants, housing subsidies, employment assistance and, most importantly, Israel is our Jewish homeland. Living in Israel would allow us to change our lifestyle completely, which would enhance our overall family dynamics.

Was it a scary decision?

I cannot say that the decision to move 6000 miles halfway around the globe was a scary one.

Rebekah and I have many friends and family in Israel. We have both visited a handful of times in the past. When making such a move, there just are many unknowns. Where will we live? (Haifa!)

Will we find a good community? (Yes!) Will we find employment? (Yes!) Will the kids integrate ok? (You mean they are not native Hebrew speakers!?!? I couldn’t tell.) Will I ever be fluent in He-

brew? (Leeat, leeat! (Hebrew for slowly but surely.)

Many are familiar with the classic joke, “How do you make a small profit in Israel? Bring a large profit!” There are stereotypes that it can be difficult to live here, but people do it anyway, and I’m happy to say that we are doing it also.

Did either you or Rebekah want it more?

I can honestly say that from the beginning we were in this together. We were going to do what we could to make it work. Everyone will tell you that with these sorts of decisions there will be bumps in the road, there will be challenges, and there will be successes. We had all of those; but ultimately, if you have emunah, faith, in God that everything will work out, then it will. I’m not a very spiritual person but I can truly say that we have had a very successful Aliyah until now because we had emunah that everything will work out. You still have to put in the effort, but if you do, God will reward you.

What does the process look like?

The process of Aliyah has been streamlined with the help of Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN), a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to help American Jews, regardless of background or affiliation, make Aliyah to Israel. They coordinate the paperwork with The Jewish Agency, the Israeli government agency which approves those for Aliyah based on the Law of Return. Nefesh B’Nefesh has pre-aliyah advisors that will help you every step of the way.

When making such a move, it is highly recommended to take a pilot trip to visit prospective neighborhoods, schools where applicable, network See Evan Saltzman page A6

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GaBBy Blair Twenty-eight-year old Betsy Goodman is a woman full of passion, energy and drive. I reached her in Arizona, during a visit with her mother, Suzy, to highlight this most vibrant and earthy member of our community. your family roots run deep in Omaha. Tell me a little about the people you come from.

I am a fifth generation Omahan. My mom is Suzy and she lives in Prescott, Arizona. My dad is Tom; he prefers Milo, and he lives in Omaha. I have one sister, Sydney, who is two-and-a-half years younger than me. I am a fourth generation member of Beth El; and even though I go by “Betsy”, I was named Elizabeth after my grandfathers of Blessed Memory, longtime Beth El member Earl Siegel and U.S. Senator Ed Zorinsky.

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i know that you are an avid environmentalist. Will you share a bit about your background and the passions that drive you?

I am always glad to have the opportunity to speak about environmental issues dear to me! I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from The University of Northern Arizona and have worked in many capacities, including that of a winery chemist, a natural apothecary, an assistant to a Chinese medical practitioner and a staff member for Mountain Rose Herbs. I spent the better part of the last seven years as the assistant production manager for Bloomsorganic Farms in Crescent, Iowa, working the land and nurturing growth of high quality organic produce, honey, herbs, flowers and chickens alongside owner Rebecca Bloom. Produce from the farm was supplied to local restaurants that pride themselves in high-quality, locally-sourced menus. We were also ardent supporters of the annual Plant Sale put on

by Friedel Jewish Academy, providing the vegetable and herb starters they sell. I loved working at the farm, as my favorite place to be is outside playing in the dirt; however, I finished my tenure there this past summer. During the last three years, I concurrently served as the Beth El Youth Director. I loved working with the synagogue youth until I left the position this past winter when I decided it was time to shift focus onto my next adventure. I am currently enjoying time traveling, and visiting family; and am co-authoring a chapter in a book. This summer, I am looking forward to working with soil biology researcher and founder of Soil Foodweb Inc., Elaine Ingham. I recently took my LSAT and am planning to attend law school next fall.

Wait, law school? That seems to be at odds with working outdoors...

I know that I won’t be able to farm forever; it requires a lot of demanding physical labor, and I want to stay connected to the land as I age. There are many facets of environmental law that I am drawn to. I see value in being able to advocate issues regarding sustainability and environmental quality. I want to focus on water law. It is such a fundamental need for us and our environment but is often neglected as highlighted by the recent catastrophe in Flint, MI. Did you know that here, in the midwest, Atrazine levels in the water from agricultural practices are so high between May and July that brain defects in fetuses have been shown to be up to 70% higher? One day, I hope to start a family; and our children deserve better, and I am inspired to help make it better. lets talk seeds. i know this is something else you care deeply about.

Yes, it is! I am currently working with groups around the See Betsy Goodman page a6

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Betsy Goodman

Continued from page A6 worked long and hard with Nebraska world to establish an international seed State Senator Burke Harr in helping library organization. This is an imporpass this legislation which was adopted tant issue that is in desperate need of by the unicameral.

Tell me some of your most favorite advocacy and receives very little fundthings, aside from farming, seeds and ing. Seeds are essential to food security and equality. Closer to home, I helped environmental advocacy, of course. establish Omaha Public Library’s ComWell, to start, I would say my very mon Soil Seed Library. As the Commost favorite foods are eggs and sweet mon Soil Seed Library coordinator for potatoes. They are nourishing, and dethe past three years, I teach classes, licious and can sustain me a long time. publicize the program, and donate a My favorite animals are chickens. They wide variety of saved seeds that are are really cool; they produce one of my available to all citizens through several favorite foods, and I love caring for branches of the Omaha Public Library them. My favorite colors are green and by simply having a library card. Library purple, and I have loved playing outpatrons can obtain six high quality orside ever since I was a young child. My ganic seed packets per month for perfamily used to have a little cabin on the sonal use. Many people may think to Platte River. As a child I loved explorthemselves, I can go to any big name ing the banks. There was a rock in the store and buy seeds; what is the big river that I would spend hours on... I deal? I will tell you: these seeds are think that was where my love for the adapted to the community soil and environment began. I love being out in conditions, which is important to the nature, backpacking and just unplugBetsy Goodman nutrition and longevity of the produce. ging myself. I also love prayer and find These seeds are not genetically modified or being pushed by it is transcendent. Spirituality and connecting to prayer is corporations; they are freely given and best for the environvery important in my life.

If you could have one super power and one wish that could ment we live in. They also promote biodiversity and natural come true, what would they be? foods. I also want to draw attention to the recent passing of LB 544, The Community Gardens Act, helping to rid seed liI would love to fly like a blue heron or a butterfly. That braries of outlaw status and making seed and garden space would be absolutely amazing. My one wish would be for available to citizens without the influence of power and regworld peace and universal love. Isn’t that what everyone ulations imposed on and by commercial big business. I wishes for?

Evan Saltzman

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Continued from page A4 with people, visit places such as the grocery stores, shopping centers, drug stores, to get a feel of the culture and style of living to see how it may differ from where you are coming from.

We officially had our first meeting with NBN in August of 2013, about a year prior to our actual move. I had already started the application process, providing necessary documentation such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, U.S. passports information, proof of a non-Israeli residency, etc.

At that first meeting, we knew already that we wanted to live in the northern part of the country. The style of living was more relaxed, neighborhoods were more integrated with Israeli culture, and we wanted to be near the beach!

These are some of the factors that we wanted in our Aliyah. If we were going to move to Israel, we wanted a more Israeli lifestyle. We chose to move to Haifa because it had all these things and more.

Coming from New York City, we weren’t ready to live in a small community such as a Yishuv or Kibbutz. We liked the cultural aspects of the city, as well as the availability of public transportation. (We had to give up our Toyota Sienna when we moved here.)

There are many resources for English-speaking olim (immigrants) in Haifa, and we knew that these would make our Aliyah a bit easier for us and the kids.

We took our pilot trip in February 2014 and all of our research paid off. We spent Shabbat in Ahuza, Haifa and immediately felt like it was a good choice. We met many families on our pilot trip, and they were all eager for us to come. There was a welcoming committee (which we are now a part of) that would make sure we had meals when we arrived and places for Shabbat. It was the kind of neighborhood that we wanted to be a part of. After our pilot trip, we were convinced that we were making the right choice.

We knew God was pointing us in the right direction.

The process from that point on consisted of finishing the application process, meeting with the Jewish Agency for an interview about our goals of Aliyah, getting approved for Aliyah and then picking a date for when we wanted to move. (I haven’t really touched on the aspects of moving like shipping your stuff via a lift or a container, selling your home, etc. Let’s just say, it helps to have a professional organizer as your better half!)

Part of the Aliyah benefits include a free one-way ticket

to Israel for all family members making Aliyah. You can choose one of three different types of flights. You can choose to fly on your schedule whenever you choose, you can opt for a NBN group flight which allows you to make Aliyah with anywhere between 20 to 50 other people, or you can go all out and choose the Charter flight where everyone on the plane is making Aliyah. There is a goodbye reception at JFK Airport and a huge welcoming party at Ben Gurion when you arrive. Plus the arrival and welcoming reception is all streamed live online.

This is when I coined the phrase, “Go big AND go home!”

You can only make Aliyah once, and what better way to experience it, especially with kids, than to go on a charter flight with over 300 other people making the same move as you?

When you get off the plane after the charter flight, government dignitaries, Israeli soldiers, news crews and family and friends welcome you! There is a big ceremony with food and kids’ activities and inspiring speeches. Yes, we are all tired because no one really slept on the plane, but the excitement overtakes the exhaustion.

After the ceremony, which lasts about an hour, you get your first taste of Israeli culture by going to the Ministry of Absorption office in the airport. Here is where you get your Israeli ID and first payment of Sal Klita, absorption basket money, or, what I call, walking-around money. Another benefit is that your trip from the airport to your destination is free, and when you have five people with two large duffle bags each (basically, your life in suitcases) it’s a big help to have a taxi with your name on it waiting to take you home.

NBN really does make the process easy. They have lunch boxes for you to take with you, and they help with your luggage and all the arrangements. For us, everything went very smoothly, like a well-oiled machine.

What is the best thing about living in Israel?

There is no one best thing about living in Israel; there are a lot of great things! Here you feel a sense of belonging. You are living in a Jewish country with other Jews who all want to help you and make you feel welcome. You live among the history of your ancestors.

When the busses have the words “Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday)” displayed on them, you know you are in the right place. When your kids’ Hebrew is fluent after six months, it’s an amazing accomplishment, even though everyone says it will happen.

I love the 80 F degree weather in February (still can’t do See Evan Saltzman page A7

A ten-year-old entrepeneur named Sophia

Gabby blair

i was very excited to interview the very talented gymnast and entrepreneur, Ms. Sophia Mavropoulos, age 10.

Sophia is a 5th grade student at Friedel Jewish Academy and is the daughter of Ms. Karen Klingberg and Mr. Dimitrios Mavropoulos.

So, i am going to start by asking you the age-old question that everyone asks kids... What do you want to be when you grow up?

Well, I have two things I really want to be... a marine biologist and an author. I love the ocean and learning about ocean animals. I think I would like to study them and write about it. I wish we lived a little closer to a beach. I actually got stung by a jellyfish last summer; it really hurt!

Since then though, I have started my own little business.

Wait.. a business? What do you do?

I make bookmarks. I got the idea from an App I have that allows me to create designs and personalize, colors and then I added my own quotes.

I made a few, and I thought maybe I could try and sell these bookmarks to help raise money to help animals at the Humane Society or to help fund the drives they have at school for holidays and for soldiers. I asked my mom if she thought I could sell them. She was really supportive and helped me print them out and laminated them. I have sold about 60 so far and I charge $1.50 for each one, half of which is donated to either Friedel or The Humane Society, and half is put into savings.

Ok, next question is where did you get stung by a jellyfish?

Sophia Mavropoulus

Sophia’s bookmarks will be available for purchase at the Friedel Plant and Flower Sale on May 5 and 6, 2016. 50% of all proceeds will be donated.

I was in Greece with my dad last summer. He is from Greece, and my grandma and a lot of family still lives there. It was a really great trip, aside from being stung!

Have you traveled to any other cool places?

I love flying in planes and traveling. So, I have been to Greece, Sweden, London, Turkey... some when I was really little, or just flying through, but that counts, right? I have also been to South Carolina, Chicago and Florida. I love going to Florida because my grandpa meets us there a lot.

He lives in Venezuela, where my mom is from. I have also been to Minnesota and Wisconsin. I am hoping to go see New York City someday.

What are your hobbies? Do you have any special talents?

I love gymnastics and have been doing it about four years. My favorites are the uneven bars and doing floor routines. I feel so free when I do gymnastics! I love rollercoasters and would go on them every day if I could. I also like doing impressions.

Do you do any volunteer work?

Well, I would like to volunteer at the Humane Society when I get a little older; you have to be 17. I volunteer at Beth El and am sometimes a greeter on Friday nights with my brother Phoenix. Our family also volunteers to deliver hamentashen to folks at Remington Heights around Purim. if you could have a superpower, what would it be?

I wish I could improve people’s moods or heal people who are hurting.

What are some of your favorites: food, animal, color and place?

My favorite food is fish, specifically sushi! I love dolphins and wolves. My favorite color is green, and my favorite place is home, with my family. if you could make one wish that would come true, what would it be for?

For everyone on Earth to be happy and that the world was peaceful.

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | a7

passover Evan Saltzman

Continued from page a6 Celsius yet!), and I do not miss the cold winters of Nebraska and New York.

I love having views of the Mediterranean Sea from my living room. Fresh pitas and hummus! Fresh kosher baked goods everywhere! I love having the opportunity to do Birkat Kohamin every day in synagogue. To see how a country can go from a respectful and solemn Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) to a party-like atmosphere on Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) is like nothing I have ever experienced.

Was your family supportive through the whole process?

“You’re taking our grandchildren away from us?!?!” This was the initial response from both sides. Informing our respective families that we were moving across the world was not an easy task. We knew it. Rebekah’s family even more so because she comes from a large and close family. We had spent many holidays, family celebrations and summers together. My parents were more surprised at first, but both sides are dealing with it the best way possible. Technology such as Skype or Facetime play a big role in staying in touch. All in all, our family is supportive of our decision, and we see each other as much as possible.

What, if anything, do you miss about america in general, and Omaha in particular?

I mostly miss my family, friends and colleagues from America, but new life experiences bring about new friends. I miss attending New York Mets baseball games, but I say that they wouldn’t have gotten to the World Series last year if I didn’t make Aliyah (#UnfinishedBusiness). As much as I loved living in New York, I tell everyone that I miss the small town feel that is Omaha. Omaha is a unique and special community where almost everyone gets along with each other.

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that I miss the Bagel Bin. It’s hard to find a good bagel in Israel!

A8 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

The meaning of the Seder

passover Passover traditions and trivia The obligation of Jewish parents at Passover is clear. “And you shall tell thy son on the day, saying, It is because of that which the Lord did for me when I came forth from Egypt.” In other words, we are duty bound to tell the Exodus story to our children.

Ideally, children should not only hear about the departure from Egypt but also participate in the Seder with enthusiasm.

But that isn’t easy, since most youngsters figure the Seder has, maybe, three high points -- the Four Questions, the Afikomen hunt and the moment when we finally (finally being the operative word) sing Chad Gadya. Between these parts of the Seder, most kids fidget, yawn and/or cry, and it’s been that way for ages. It is said that even Rabbi Akiba had to “buy” the attention of the children at his Seders by giving them dried ears of corn to play with.

Yes. Keeping kids interested and awake during the Seder is tough, but let’s face it: Keeping adults from nodding off is no cinch, either. After all, the Exodus story is the same every year, the Seder menu rarely varies, and since Passover is usually a family affair, even the faces around the table don’t change much -- although birth, death, marriage, divorce or new friends can alter the

scenery and the place cards. So how do we keep our Seders from becoming totally predictable? What should we do if we start to “lose our audience”, so to speak?

We should, in a OZZIE NOGG word, speak!

During the year, according to the rabbis, it’s a virtue to say little and do much. But on Passover it’s a virtue to talk at length about the historic events we’re commemorating. To engage in commentary and Talmudic trivia. So here are some tidbits that may help open the eyes -- both literally and figuratively -- of your Seder guests. Speak about any or all, as needed...

• HaLachma Anya, the main reading of the Haggadah which declares, “Let all who are hungry come and eat...” is written in Aramaic. Why? According to tradition, demons understand Hebrew, so this open invitation to the Passover meal was written in Aramaic (which demons DON’T understand) to prevent the little imps from joining us at the table.

• The preferred way to dispose of chametz is by burning, but it may also be crushed and thrown into the sea or scattered to the winds. You may also flush it down the toilet, which could result in the Roto-Rooter man joining your Seder whether he knows See Traditions and trivia page A9

Ricki EiREnbERg hen you are sitting at the Seder meal have you ever asked yourself what the Haggadda story means to you personally? I feel it’s a story of the Jewish people maturing into both a physical and spiritual nation.

Abraham and his descendants were on a journey to enlighten the world about the monotheist G-d we call Hashem. We were like infants crying to connect to the one G-d.

This is the early stage in which we believed in Hashem but we as children could only cry out like babies in our prayers.

Not until our time in Egypt did we develop a type of adolescent prayer. When we became slaves, we were also in an adolescent physical state.

We still cried out and Hashem heard us.

Through His guidance and with the help of Moses, we set out to become a mature nation.

The origin of our maturation into adulthood starts at the Red Sea. When we were panic stricken and cried out to Moses saying, “Aren’t there enough graves in Egypt? Why did you bring us here?” Hashem

W

replied, “Pray, sing and cross the sea.” One Hebrew in the crowd, with a maturing belief in G-d, was the first to enter the water. His name was Nachshon ben Aminadav. Nachshon’s “free will” anchored his true faith in Hashem.

The rest followed him into the Red

tion were founded. We had signed an unbreachable decree with Hashem and became a complete spiritual state. The twelve tribes of Abraham wandered through Canaan until they settled in the land we now call Israel.

We should remember annually at

Sea with the Egyptians giving chase. Hashem closed the waters and our former slave drivers were drowned. We all began to develop into the adult stage in connecting to G-d at that point When we gathered at Mt. Sinai and accepted the Ten Commandments, the origins of a Jewish na-

the Seder what it means to be there. It symbolizes our faith in Hashem’s miracle in creating a Jewish nation. It’s for the physical and spiritual soul to maintain it, today and always. It is the ultimate meaning of the Passover Seder.

Good Pesach.

Next year in Jerusalem!

H A P PY PA S S O V E R From your friends at Friedel

Now enrolling for 2016-2017 www.friedeljewishacademy.com | 402.334.0517

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | a9

A place where you are always welcome

annette van De kamp-wright how important is Jewish involvement, and Editor, Jewish Press what are some causes that you are Dusty Friedman is the passionate about? son of Amy and It’s pretty, pretty, prettttyyy important Sandy Friedman. He (Imagine my Larry David voice). I think has a sister Andrea it’s really an obligation to stay involved. It who lives in New is important that American Jewish comYork. Dusty is marmunities remain strong, and that strength ried to Candace; they is highly dependent on Jews under the age live in Omaha and are of 40. I am very passionate about Israel, members of Beth El. education and innovation. I also am pashigh school, and Jewish involvement during sionate about my family and am lucky to high school: what was that like? have such great parents, grandparents, I went to Central High School and many wife, and, of course, my two dogs.

Dogs? of my Jewish friends from growing up in Omaha went to Burke, Westside or Millard We have Sarge, a Corgi-Dachshund Mix North. I remained close friends with them and his younger brother Prince (a Papilnonetheless. Part of what helped maintain lion).

Dusty Friedman Do you think there is truth in the narrative those friendships was that we were all inthat Jews under 40 aren’t as involved as their elders because volved in BBYO. I also was lucky enough to be able to go to Israel in high school with Artza, a four-week trip with other they care about the world in a more global fashion?

Omaha Jewish teens. Lastly, I remember having an amazing No. As in, maybe Sudan comes before the local Jewish time participating in the Maccabi Games during high Federation, or the food bank needs my money more than school (I think it was during high school?) The one that I the synagogue? No. There was quite a bit of talk about this remember was in Charlotte, NC, and I played on Omaha’s after the PEW study; I think it is harder to be involved beBasketball team. cause of the increasing demands of the current job/work what is it about the CJL that attracted you? environment for those under 40.

The Mission of the Center for Jewish Life is to maximize The sheer amount of data that is taken in on a daily basis involvement of Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, for someone under 40 is multiples greater than their elders compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences. How could encountered during their young adult years. Managing I not be attracted to a group with that objective?? That, and these demands and keeping up with the demands of everythat they meet over the lunch hour, which is one of the only day life leaves less room for involvement than desired. Pertimes I can slip away from work. sonally, I would love it if I didn’t have to work and could Can you tell us a little more about what it means to “maximize really live a Jewish life -- but I have to put food on the table involvement?” and pay the mortgage. It can be hard to get away, so we all I think having Eliad (our community Shaliach) here is a do what we can. great example. The Shaliach program brings Israel directly how does a synagogue retain membership? to our community, and having a part of Israel here with us It’s the golden question- after B’nai Mitzvah, many kids is very meaningful. Many people have minimal time, so we tend to drop off for a while. There are many demands on have to maximize that time and optimize our resources. It is high school students, and maturity level comes into play, so important that we make sure that when people show up, we I think bonding is important, with friends at synagogue, make it work their while. and with the clergy. I see Rabbi Abraham at Beth El has a what do you do for a living? lot of creative ideas, and I think that really helps. And I’m the Vice President of Bridgepoint Merchant Banking, maybe the answer is not to keep young people inside the a lower and middle market investment banking and private synagogue, but to first and foremost keeping the seed equity firm that serves clients over their corporate lifecycles planted and keeping the door always open. If you go off to by providing merger and acquisition and corporate finance college, it’s really nice to come home and experience that advisory services. there is a place where you are always welcome.

traditions and trivia Continued from page a8 Aramaic or not.

• Save a piece of Afikomen. It will ensure easy childbirth, protect against fires and (if kept for seven years) prevent floods. Or toss a piece of Afikomen in the sea and you’ll have a calm cruise since it is written, “For he hath delivered me out of trouble” and the first six letters of those words (in Hebrew) spell matzoh.

• Haggadah art often shows the Four Sons in professions that “match” their personalities. The wise son usually has a book. The wicked son is drawn as a soldier, a boxer or a cleanshaven businessman with a cigarette!

The son who knows not how to ask is seen admiring himself in a mirror.

And one Haggadah, to illustrate “this bitter herb”, shows a man pointing at his wife!

• Why do we drink four glasses of wine at the Seder? Because the Jews, while in Egypt, performed four virtuous acts. They kept their Hebrew names, kept the Hebrew language, stayed moral and told only the truth.

By the way, even a teetotaler must drink four glasses of wine. One R. Judah did so and then had to “tie his

temples until Sukkot.” (Surely this must be the longest hangover mentioned in the Talmud.)

• In 1859, an ingenious census of the New York Jewish population was taken, based on matzoh consumption.

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under apple trees and God will protect our children and redeem them.”

Which brings us back to the kids.

Logical, considering how pivotal children are to the Passover story. Remember, Pharaoh offered to free the

Ari D. Riekes | Lisa C. Lewis | Steven J. Riekes Ray Aranza Dirk V. Block Elizabeth Stuht Borchers Mark Bosworth David A. Christensen - of council Julia Cryne That year, approximately 274,000 pounds of matzoh were eaten in NYC. And so, figuring five lbs. per person (gulp), it was estimated that 54,800 Jews lived in the Big Apple.

• Speaking of apples: Why are they the main ingredient in charoset? Because the Israelite women, while in Egypt, gave birth to their babies in apple orchards. They chose the apple tree because only after the tree bears fruit do the leaves grow to protect the fruit. “We will do the same,” said the women. “We will bear our children

Jews if they would leave their children in Egypt. But Moses insisted, “With our young and our old we will go.”

And when the wandering ended, the older Israelites had to stay behind in the desert. Only their children were allowed to enter the Promised Land.

We must let our children enter our Seders. We must tell them of the Exodus so they, in turn, may tell it to their children. And if they fidget and yawn, so what? We can always use Rabbi Akiba’s corn trick.

Jamie Hurst Tracy Johnson Kristina Murphree John J. Velasquez David P. Wilson

a10 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

Passover Greetings

respect and admiration 7002 F Street

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Gabby blair This year, The Friedel Jewish Academy welcomed a new staff member into its close-knit family. Paul Maudlin, 38, has already become a much loved and respected teacher by his colleagues and students alike. I caught up with Mr. Maudlin who kindly agreed to being interviewed between teaching classes to third and fourth graders at Friedel. being the newest teacher at Friedel, can you share a little bit about yourself, your educational background and how you came to join the Friedel Jewish academy family?

Well, I am 38 years old, originally from Springfield, NE and am a 1996 graduate of Platteview High School. I have one older brother named Peter, a self described “computer geek,” who lives with his wife Hallie, and my two awesome nephews, Paul and Caleb, in Elkhorn. My parents, Bill and Sue, grew up in Valley, NE, and moved to Bellevue as newlyweds. Shortly after I was born, they moved to Springfield, where I grew up. My dad worked from home until I was in high school and my mother stayed home with my brother and me during our early years; but once I started school, she started working for several Jewish families, mostly cleaning and cooking, allowing her to always be there when my brother and I got home from school. We felt loved and safe growing up in a small town with supportive parents. She even worked part time at the Paul Maudlin JCC front desk for a short while. Periodically, my father would do light jobs and yard work for some of the people my mother worked for. Even though my parents are not Jewish, I grew up with a respect and admiration for the Jewish community in Omaha because of my parents’ influence and the positive interactions they had within the community.

I went to college in both Minnesota and New York, and, while I loved living in both states, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity that presented itself in 2008, to teach in South Carolina. It seemed like such a perfect fit that I bought a house and saw myself settling down there for the long term. When my mom told me that she had leukemia, I decided to move back to Omaha and take care of her. We enjoyed one-and-a-half wonderful years together when I came back, but she sadly passed in January of 2015. When I heard about the opening for an elementary teacher, I knew she would want me to move on and would be thrilled to know that I am teaching at Friedel. Out of all the places in the world I could be right now, I truly want to be here at Friedel teaching third and fourth graders. I see myself here in Omaha, close to my family, teaching at Friedel for a long time. Most of my days are consumed with thinking about teaching. I love the challenge of creating excitement in the classroom. I have a love for learning, and I want that love to rub off on my students. I love the students at Friedel because they take on all the challenges I give to them.

Even if it seems impossible, I have learned to trust them to succeed because they have proven that they can work together to overcome any challenge presented to them. aside from your love of teaching, do you have any other passions or hobbies?

One of my passions is creating games. I have been creating games at school and at home since I was a child. I’ve created well over 200 games, and on average think of a new one every week. That’s one reason I love to teach, because I can try out new games with my students. Most of the games I’ve created are just average games to review for a test or something fun to do with my family and friends. But my dream is to take one of them to the market. There are two games that I would love to see manufactured on a large scale. One of my lifetime goals is to create a board or card game that everyone can play at home.

My other passion is to interview people and record the interviews. I have spent hours and hours interviewing elderly people, mostly my grandparents and people from my hometown of Springfield. I love to just sit and listen to people tell me about their lives. I also document the interviews and feel that it’s very important that I’m preserving their history.

The people I interview feel like I’m valuing their lives and that their memories will live on because I’ve documented them. On the other side, I also love to retell the stories people have told me. Even in the classroom, I tell a lot of stories because students connect with people’s experiences.

Wow! That is really cool! are you working on any projects now?

The biggest project that I’m working on right now is writing my family’s history. With the help of my grandmother, Lillian, we are writing and recording family stories. The other project I’m working on is documenting See Paul Maudlin page a12

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | a11

Showtime

GaBBy Blair ven if you do not personally know 13-year-old Danny Denenberg, there is a good chance you have seen him on a stage somewhere around Omaha. A 7th grader at Brownell Talbot and an alumnus of Friedel Jewish Academy, this rising star and fifth-generation Nebraska boy is a gifted musician, orator and performer who has starred in numerous roles, big and small. let’s talk family...

My family has been from Omaha for a long time, even my great-grandfather went to Central High School! I have a terrific family, and I am glad so many of Danny Denenberg them live in Omaha. What I like best about my immediate family is that everyone is funny. This includes my parents Tippi and Steve, my brothers Michael and Solomon, and my sisters Sasha and Sima. you are quite a gifted performing artist. What do you consider your greatest talents and what do you see yourself doing in the future?

If I had to pick one thing, I would choose to be a professional piano player. It is my true passion. I am a fairly good mimic, a decent vocalist and can sing on key. People seem to like my acting and I enjoy performing. I have a good memory and have recently memorized an entire George Carlin monologue. I also enjoy studying programming and writing apps.

What are some of your favorites: foods, animals, colors, places, vacation spot?

Pizza bagels are my favorite food. My favorite animal is the giraffe and I like black and white. I really enjoyed visiting Mexico, but my favorite place would be Antarctica.

Wishes and superpowers: what would you pick?

I would wish to become a concert pianist and/or a developer for Apple.

If I could choose a super power, it would be to fly.

E

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passover Ben Gerber has strong ties to Judaism Emily NEWmaN Ben Gerber was born and raised in Omaha and is the son of Donald and Margaret Gerber. He graduated in 2004 from Omaha Burke High School where, along with being a good student, he was also active in both track and cross country. However, despite being busy with his studies and sports, he also managed to be highly involved in the Omaha Jewish community as well.

He was a member of the local Omaha BBYO chapter and, through BBYO, was also active in AZA. After graduating high school, Ben left Omaha and went on to study at Indiana University and majored in both international studies and business. Although he was busy with his college studies, throughout the time he spent in Indiana he did not lose his passion for running and fitness! When he was asked what his favorite part of his college career was, he stated: “My favorite part of college was participating all four years in the Little 500, which is a 50 mile team bike race held every spring for students at the University.” And, even since his graduation from Indiana University, he has continued to pursue this passion by competing in marathons throughout the year!

Despite leaving Omaha after high school, his relationship with Judaism and Israel had been established by being involved with the Omaha Jewish community throughout his childhood, something that helped direct him as a young adult. After he graduated with his undergraduate degree, he spent a year living in Tel Aviv, Israel as part of a program for young adults in his field. While he was there, he was able to both establish many friendships and obtain valuable career experience, all while developing a deep connection to Israel and strengthening his ties to Judaism.

When Ben came back from Israel, he spent a small amount of time back in Omaha working for First

National Bank, but soon moved to Chicago where he currently resides. He now works in stock market research, using his valuable experience as a young professional in Israel and his college education in

Stephanie Plenner and Ben Gerber business on a daily basis.

However, there is much more going on in Ben’s life than just work. He and Stephanie Plenner were married in Chicago on April 10. The couple are very excited to begin the next chapter of their lives together!

It is an exciting task to discover and learn about where people from the small Jewish community in Omaha have gone and been throughout the years, and Ben Gerber is no exception. Since his graduation from high school in 2004, he has accomplished many things, all while strengthening his ties to Judaism, and especially those with Israel. However, despite all of the excitement of his upcoming wedding and growing career, Ben still makes it back to Omaha a few times every year to visit his father Donald and the community that helped raise him to be who he is -- the Omaha Jewish community.

a12 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

passover Paul Maudlin

Continued from page a10 the stories from my hometown of Springfield. I’ve given history tours of my town and have collected lots of old photographs that are stored at Springfield’s library.

What do teachers do during winter and summer break?

Aside from preparing for school, this teacher likes to walk, run, bike, hike, ski and swim. I also enjoy camping in the mountains and taking long bike rides on local trails. I also really like traveling. I’ve been to Africa several times on mission trips, most recently to Kenya to help a school and an orphanage. My plan is to continue traveling during the summers and supporting international schools. Working at Friedel has helped open my eyes to the positive impact Jewish schools have in their communities. I think I would eventually like to investigate opportunities working with Jewish schools internationally; I believe in Friedel and what it provides for Jewish children, their families and the world and could really pour my heart into helping programs like that.

The gefilte fish debate: Stuffed, quenelles, dumplings, stewed fish balls, baked or poached

Gefilte fish graces the table of many Jewish homes on Shabbat and especially on Passover. Fish is a symbol of fertility and blessing. I look forward to it, but some people, especially the young, are made squeamish by the sight.

We can really say, ‘Ok, more for me.’ It is accompanied by horseradish, a condiment which has endured as many nasal-clearing jibes as the next course, sinkers, golf balls and floaters in the chicken soup.

Gefilte fish is arguably the third most popular food identified with Jewish cooking, after Challah and Bagels and Lox, and before Matzah Ball Soup. My wife remembers her grandmother making gefilte fish in Toronto. The history of gefilte, gefillte, gefulte, and gefüllte fish, is about as diverse and mixed up (tzemished or gemisched) as its ingredients and ultimate taste, depending on the region to which the memory hearkens back.

I own several gefilte books such as Gefilte Fish in the House of Bedlam; Knishes, Gefilte Fishes and other Jewish Dishes; The Gefilte Variations; Gefilte Fish in Lobster Sauces!; and Sex Drugs & Gefilte Fish. Matzah Ball Gumbo, Gasper Goo Gefilte Fish and Big Momma’s Kreplach by Marcie Cohen Ferris, sounds like fun. I found about half a dozen German cookbooks with “gefilte” in the title.

When my mother went to nursing school in 1959, we had a housekeeper, probably from Eastern Europe.

She made gefilte fish from scratch, a memory that lingers pleasantly over 50 years later, though my younger sister Judy does not remember this.

Filled fish, or Gefilte fish, are not fish balls but the terms become linguistically conflated, interchangeable,

and a misnomer. Leo Rosten in The Joys of Yiddish noted that gefilte or gefulte fish emanated from the German “stuffed fish.” Gil Marks in The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food states the first gefilte recipe dates from a nonJewish mid-14th century German manuscript.

Oliver B. POllak The Jewish Cookery Book, the first Jewish American cookbook, published by Mrs. Esther Levy in 1871, contains a recipe for Stewed Fish-Balls. True gefilte meant

slicing the fish open, cooking its contents with matzo and vegetables, and then stuffing it back into the skin.

Omaha’s 1901 Temple Israel cookbook presented Filled Fish by Mrs. D. Gross using pike or pickerel. Temple’s 1915 cookbook Filled Fish recipe added trout. Perhaps assimilation and translation from German or Yiddish accounts for the choice Filled Fish rather than Gefilte Fish. Omaha Hadassah’s 1928 cookbook has Mrs.

J. B. Robinson’s Gefulte Fish which instructs to “Fill fish skin with this mixture or make into balls.” The “or” is critical. Clearly fish balls of quenelles were replacing stuffing the fish back into the skin; but the name remained the same.

Manischewitz opened for business in 1888, Streit’s in 1913 and Empire Kosher in 1938. The 1969 Manischewitz Passover Cookbook suggests purchasing a “2-pound jar” of gefilte fish. Commercially available in glass jars, canned and frozen, they have eclipsed homemade, artisan, gefilte fish and fish balls. The original more flavorful filled fish presentation is now a historical curiosity.

Russian born food writer Anya von Bremzen observed her aunts making gefillte fish in Odessa and temporarily swore off Judaism. At her first Seder in America she unflatteringly contrasted the taste of American style to her Russian memories. Deutsch and Saks in Jewish American Food Culture alleged that “countless American Jews have been traumatized by the sight of their mothers and grandmothers killing a carp in the bathtub and grinding it in the kitchen.” There is a popular children’s book, The Carp in the Bathtub.

Commercially available gefilte fish variations are expanding. In 2011 the Wall Street Journal reported that the new Moroccan owners of Manischewitz were introducing “Mediterranean Flavored Gefilte Fish.” The New York Times Passover Cookbook published in 1999 contains nine gefilte fish recipes, including one by Wolfgang Puck; none was filled or stuffed. Gefilte appears to have lost its meaning, and that’s ok. Manischewitz offers 30 different types.

From my family to yours, we wish you a happy and healthy Passover holiday.

Paid for by the Jean Stothert for Omaha Committee, 9919 Essex Drive Omaha, NE 68114

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | a13

The Omaha community feels like family Gabby blaiR

has such a unique vibe that you really have Rochi Katzman, 24, is the to visit and experience it to understand. daughter of Rabbi The landscape is beautiful and each place is Mendel and Shani Katzfull of character, history and energy; like so man. She is one of 12 many who visit, I find many experiences in children and has a twin Israel transcendent. Whereever I travel, I sister Chani. Born and like to observe the relationship of the peoraised in Omaha, this in- ple to their unique environment much telligent, vibrant and more than I like going places just to visit modest young lady has and see sights. I am very thankful to the been active all her life as a Chabad liaison Jewish Federation which helped make my in the Jewish and Greater Omaha Commu- trips to Israel a reality.

Where did you go to school? nity. She just recently relocated to Crown Heights for work but plans on returning to When we were younger, my siblings and Omaha in the future.

I were home schooled and had teachers First, tell me some of your favorite things who would come in and stay with us foods, hobbies, etc. throughout the year. My Well, my favorite food is twin sister Chani and I atsoup. I really like Englishtended middle and high styled vintage fashion, school at an all girls Chaswriting, working with sidic school in Crown kids, being outdoors, Heights. I received teacher meeting new people and, certifications from Bais of course, spending time Chana in Tzfat and in with my family!

Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.

Share a little about your I am so thankful to my family ... parents who educated and My great grandparents guided me, helping me to immigrated to America become the person I am and our family has Russtoday. Since graduating, I ian, Polish and Ukrainian continue to take opporturoots. One of my great nities to further my educaRochi Katzman grandmothers lived in the tion, expand my skill base Bronx after immigrating from Poland and and learn new techniques to engage my worked as a piece maker, sewing garments. students in applicable learning. After gradWhile life was considerably safer, and thus uating, I was fortunate to spend a few better, in America, she was faced with years in Omaha, giving back to the comchronic discrimination as she would not munity that has given me so much. I taught work on the Sabbath. Every week she’d start weekly classes, co-ordinated a Bat Mitzvah working at a new factory, and every week club and Chesed projects, helped plan lecthey would fire her for not reporting to tures and curriculum for Camp Gan Israel work on Saturday. Today, my family is scat- for children. I also helped create enrichtered throughout the world. Many of my ment programming at the CDC, Friedel, sisters, including me, along with extended Nebraska Hebrew Schools and UNL’s Hilfamily, are currently in New York; my lel, in addition to volunteering at the Rose youngest siblings, Feigy and Zalman, are Blumkin Jewish Home. I am proud to be still in Omaha with our parents; and my part of the positive impact Chabad has had older brothers are in Jerusalem, Baltimore on Omaha and will continue to have for and Connecticut. The Omaha community many years to come. feels like family to me, so thank you, mem- What are you doing in New york right now? bers of our community, for being there, alI am staying very busy! First, I am workways with a smile. ing for a Jewish outreach organization in Tell me a little about how your family came to Brooklyn called ‘My Extended Family’ that be in Omaha and about life as a representative is geared towards providing an array of soof Chabad. cial programs and an extended support The Lubavitcher Rebbe sent my parents to network for single parents and their chilOmaha as His emissaries after our eldest sis- dren within the Jewish community. I also ter Estie was born. The Rebbe sent countless recruit for Israel programs and help run a ‘Shluchim’ around the globe to help Jews mentoring program as a volunteer. This is and humankind learn about the world’s also my third year helping organize the beauty and to find opportunities for doing Snorkel and Study Chabad retreat in good. I grew up knowing that I am part of a Florida for college-aged kids.

Can you share some of your future plans? huge international family that is helping people physically and spiritually in every I want to continue working with kids. My corner of the world. We are working todream is to open a Jewish education theater. wards bringing Jews closer to their souls I find theater is a great tool and provides a through the acts of mitzvot, and the Rebbe’s wonderful format for teaching abstract vision of a peaceful world, devoid of fighting ideas, values, ethics and law. Song, prayer, or jealousy, and the coming of Moshiach. stories... lessons taught using these mediWith such a large extended family, you must ums stay with you and help students learn, travel a lot. Do you have any especially feel and relate to the lessons being taught. favorite experiences while traveling?

Last March, I ran a show for a Jewish school A few years ago, I traveled to Poltava, in Milwaukee, entitled Mothers of Royalty. It Ukraine, which was the hometown of my focused on nine or 10 strong Jewish great-grandparents. It was very interesting, women, from well-known Matriarchs to and I enjoyed visiting a beautiful Jewish lesser-known women of virtue and strength, center, school and mikveh while staying and imparted lessons from our foremothers with cousins who are Shluchim there. Of that are still so applicable today. My longcourse, my favorite place to travel around is term goal is to get married, raise a Jewish Israel. I would say my two favorite towns family and continue living with the Rebbe’s are Tzfat and Hebron, although my overall mission of bringing Jewish people closer to favorite parts of the country is the wide their souls and enrich their bond with open, undeveloped spaces. I find that Israel Hashem, wherever I end up living.

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a14 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

Read it and eat

Just in time for Passover the latest cookbooks bring a huge selection of recipes for everyday celebrations and Passover. How about a couple cookies?!

100 Best Jewish Recipes by Evelyn Rose with Judi Rose LOIS FRIEDMAN (interlink, $30) Judi Rose wrote two cookbooks with her mother, the former Evelyn Rose, cookbook author/Editor of the Jewish Chronicle for over three decades and selected 100 of her mother’s extrasomething recipes from her 1976 Complete International Jewish Cookbook. Culinary biblical references include Rebecca establishing “taste with economy”, Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup, Moses descending from Mount Sinai and giving the Jews the code of culinary practice that has been in Jewish kitchens ever since, and, for Passover, the dried fruit preparation representing when the Jews were slaves.

Small Plates, Soups, Poultry, Meat, Fish Vegetable & Side Dishes, Bread/Bakes & Desserts and Basics are the chapters.

The international array of recipes include many Haimische (roughly translated “comfort food”) recipes, storage details and serving suggestions. Many headnotes suggest fare for the holidays... Haimische Pickled Cucumbers made a month before Rosh Hashana, Potato Latkes for Chanukkah, a chicken liver pate Jewish style and Katsis Kishuim, a zucchini pate, and Challah for all the other holidays.

For Passover: Traditional Chicken Soup and three other soups, Gefilte Fish Provencale, Knaidlach (Matzo Balls), a half dozen eggplant suggestions and this Passover dessert for a treat with tea or coffee or as afterdinner petits fours.

Cinnamon Balls

Keep for one week in an airtight container at room temperature. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

2 egg whites 1/2 cup (4 oz.) superfine sugar 2 1/4 cups (8 oz.) ground almonds 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon sifted confectioner’s sugar, for coating Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

Beat the whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently stir in all the remaining ingredients, mixing until even in color. With wet hands, form into 20-22 balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until just firm to the touch. Roll in confectioner’s sugar while still warm and then again when cool.

Variation: Cinnamon and Walnut Balls: fold in 1/2 cup (2 oz.) finely chopped walnuts before forming the balls.

Makes 20 to 22.

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | A15

Positive impact

GAbby blAir dam Kutler, 36, is one of those “local boy makes good” kind of guys. Originally from Omaha, his extensive family roots, both on the Kirshenbaum and Kutler sides, stretch back to the turn of the 20th century. He and his wife Abigail who is also being featured in this issue, began dating in 2002, married in 2008 and are parents to Sam and Henry. I caught up with Adam and asked him to share a little more about himself.

Can you tell me about the business your family runs?

My father David opened Body Basics Fitness Equipment in 1986, and I joined him after college. We carry a full line of residential and commercial fitness equipment and accessories. If you would have asked me what I wanted to do 15 years ago, I might have had a different answer, but I really like working with and learning from my father and am proud to help continue on the family business. It is also really great to help people improve their lives through better heath.

Aside from work, what do you do?

Passions, hobbies, interesting volunteer work? I don’t have one single thing that I can say is my passion at this point in my life. When I get involved in something I take it seriously and try to do my best to have a positive impact. In general, anything I volunteer for I find interesting. I don’t like to get involved with causes/ organizations I don’t believe in.

Currently, I serve on the Board of Trustees at Beth El, and help chair the Young Adult Committee with my wife. I also helped with the Federation Campaign on a larger scale than I have in the past, serving as a Kehilla Cup team captain.

Have you ever been to israel?

Yes! In High School I was fortunate to go on a trip to Israel through the Federation called ARTZA for about a month. It was a great trip and was very influential in my life. I hope that the Federation will sponsor the ARTZA program again in the future. if you could have one superpower and one wish, what would they be?

Ok. For a super power, I would like to be able to time travel. As for wishes... it would be the ability to grant more than one! last but not least, share some of your favorites: Food, animal, color and place.

I have a lot of close seconds, but I would have to say that my favorite food type is Italian. My favorite animals are dogs, blue is my favorite color and I love Cape Cod.

A

A Wish...for you and your family: May the ancient traditions of Passover bring joy and peace throughout the year.

passover All about Abigail Kutler

The Kutler Family: Sam, left, Adam, Abigail and Henry.

GAbby blAir Always friendly and quick with a smile, Abigail Kutler is an emerging leader in our community. The 34-year-old mother of two adorable boys, Sam, three, and Henry, eight months, is the wife of Adam Kutler. She was glad to be interviewed and has a lot to share.

Tell me a little about yourself.

I’m originally from a small town in north central Iowa called Algona. I attended undergraduate school at Dana College in Blair.

I met my husband Adam through mutual friends during my college years. I have an undergraduate degree in Social Work and Psychology. I have a masters in Social Work.

I was able to get an internship at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home which later led to a full time position. I eventually took on additional responsibilities at Jewish Family Service. A few years later I moved on to a great opportunity at Methodist Hospital and currently work at Methodist Women’s Hospital.

What do you love most about your job and, if you could be doing any other type of work, would you?

I love what I do and can’t imagine doing anything else. As a social worker, I get the opportunity to work with a variety of people.

I help make sure they are connected to available resources in the community.

What is your passion?

Since becoming a mother, my boys have become my passion. I love watching them grow and learn new things. Sam is at the stage now where he constantly asks questions. I love watching his personality develop!

Henry is constantly changing and starting to hit those fun milestones of rolling over, and crawling and in no time will be walking. He has a big brother to keep up with!

Do you do any interesting volunteer work?

Adam and I are co-chairs for Beth El’s Young Adult committee. We have planned fun events at Vala’s pumpkin patch, an annual night out at Brix and then heading over to the the Funny Bone afterwards. I currently have the privilege of serving on the Jewish Press Board. I also helped with the annual Federation campaign Kehilla Cup (Our team was the first annual Kehilla Cup champions!)

Do you have any unique hobbies or talents?

I love to bake and make great cheesecakes. if you could have a superpower, what would it be?

I would love to be able to fly! I would save so much time schlepping the boys around!

Tell me some of your favorites: food, animal, color, place?

My favorite dishes would be Indian food or anything that Adam makes -- He’s a great chef! My favorite animals are fish- I love going to the aquarium at the zoo- and my favorite color is yellow. One of my favorite places is Cape Cod. Adam and I have gone to the Cape for our honeymoon, a babymoon before Sam’s birth and numerous times just for fun! I am looking forward to taking our boys there for the first time this summer (minus the flight). if you could have one wish come true, what would you wish for?

My one wish would be for Sam and Henry to be happy. The best feeling as a mother is seeing my boys laugh, smile and just enjoying life with whatever they are doing! I hope, as they continue to get older, they can take the time in life to enjoy the little things.

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a16 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

Chag Sameach!

Chag Sameach The Board and Staff of

Love,

OTYG Omaha Temple Youth Group Temple Israel For information, contact Aliyah Lasky, Youth Advisor: alasky@templeisraelomaha.com

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | B1

section2 Aliyah Lasky finds excitement in Judaism AnnEttE vAn DE KAmp-WRight Editor, Jewish Press Aliyah Lasky was born in Centennial, a suburb of Denver, CO. The Lasky family has belonged to the local Temple Immanuel for several generations. She has one older sister, Molly, who recently received her Master’s Degree in Health Administration. Her parents are Trudy and Steve, and she has a ten-year-old niece, Aviva. Aliyah is the Director of Youth and Young Adult Engagement at Temple Israel.

Where did you go to school?

I went to Cherry Creek High School, and after that the University of Colorado in Boulder. I was always interested in history, but while I was there I really fell in love with the Jewish Studies department. I liked topics such as “gender in Judaism,” but especially when it was taught in the context of more traditional Jewish law. I decided to major in both history and Jewish studies and became more involved at the same time. how Jewishly involved were you?

I was active with my Temple’s youth group, and was passionate about social issues, such as Darfur and human trafficking. In college I joined Hillel and became its religious coordinator. In that position, I was able to introduce Shabbat services for the students. I then became a religious school educator at Boulder’s congregation Har HaShem, teaching first and fourth grades, and I found my passion! I also was a

summer camp volunteer, and love working with kids. I would have continued to teach, until I heard about a job opening at Temple Israel in Omaha, so here I am!

They take their work very seriously. When they volunteer for something, they see it through.

As a leader, what do you see as your main responsibilities towards temple’s youth?

Aliyah recently visited Washington D.C with teens Adam Cooper, Ellie Reiss, Sophie Budwig, Kathleen Kirshenbaum and Ben Brodkey.

how do the kids at temple surprise you?

With their passion -- especially the ones who step up into board positions. It’s great to see teens like Ben Brodkey and Aleia Budwig grow up in front of you, watch them take on leadership and be passionate about various causes.

Pushing them to grow their leadership skills and special abilities and to keep finding excitement in Judaism. Excitement is so important because it helps them take ownership of their identity.

See Aliyah Lasky page B2

MAKE AN IMPACT TODAY AND IMAGINE A BIGGER TOMORROW! Contribute to the Federation's

HAPPY P

ASSOVER!

lifesaving work. Get involved.

Start an endowment fund or donor-advised fund with the Foundation. Leave a legacy.

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

JAY NODDLE, PRESIDENT | ALAN POTASH, CEO alanpotash@jewishomaha.org | 402-334-6574 | www.jewishomaha.org

CARL RIEKES, PRESIDENT | HOWARD EPSTEIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR hepstein@jewishomaha.org | 402-334-6498 | www.jfofoundation.org

YOUR GENEROSITY HAS TOUCHED MANY AND FOR THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL.

Aliyah lasky

B2 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

passover

Next year in Jerusalem

In researching demographic and community studies, I have spent significant time with the 2013 PEW Research Center Study of U.S. Jews: A Portrait of Jewish Americans. Researchers found that over 70% of respondents participated in a Passover Seder while of the same respondents; only 52% fasted on Yom Kippur. A study in Israel showed similar results – 95% participation in a Seder and 81% fasting on Yom Kippur. This isn’t to say one occasion is more important or carries more weight than the other. To me, it is clear that being part of a Passover Seder is more engaging than fasting on Yom Kippur. We are guests of family and friends, or we host others, and we share, engage and connect.

Passover/Pesach is a reminder of many things and is reflective of our history and exodus out of Egypt. The meaning and practice have grown in many different ways, but the symbols of the Seder plate remain constant and trigger thoughts, reflections and conversation. The Haggadah is the introduction with each participant making the story relevant to their own lives.

Since last Passover, I have spent a great deal of time observing, participating, and reflecting on some of our community “symbols”. One of our strongest symbols is the Omaha Jewish Press. Once tasked with reporting on Jewish life throughout Nebraska and Iowa, the Press is one of the oldest weekly Jewish newspapers still in print in America. Our community is fortunate to have it. Community members have shared with me the importance of the Press in their lives and its constant presence in their homes. The unbelievable story of our greater Jewish community unfolds while reading through past issues. I would suggest everyone take the opportunity to do so.

Another symbol of our community is the Federation campus itself - home to everything from the Child Development Center to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and so much more. The recent upgrades to the Fitness Center show our commitment to keeping the campus vibrant and engaging. I hope you have taken the opportunity to view the upgrades first hand.

AlAn PotAsh Chief Executive Officer, JFO

I have been given the task of stewarding and evolving the Jewish Federation of Omaha for future generations.

We are a 100+ year old Jewish organization with a vision to meet the daily and ongoing needs of the community. Working towards that end, I will focus on four fundamental goals – financial sustainability, community engagement, communication and governance. If we do not embrace the realities and opportunities before us, we will cease being a vibrant voice and presence.

The Passover Seder is an opportunity to learn about the Exodus from Egypt and the evolution of the Jewish people. Every Seder is an opportunity to reflect and tell a story about the past and a look into the future. The aspirational quote at the end of the Seder, “Next year in Jerusalem”, gives us all the hope and desire to make the next year an even better one.

Continued from page B1 What do you do during your time off?

I like to craft and work with wood and make wall signs. Also, I love reading and I am a very big Lord of the Rings fanatic. I also like reading the classics.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Passover, without a doubt. It is the most meaningful to me -- I love the story of Passover, its lessons and how they relate to today, and the amazing symbolism one can find in the holiday.

Pesach offers fantastic teaching opportunities; everything about it has distinctive meaning and there is time to reflect. Passover connects us to the soul of Judaism. Everyone has a role and this holiday really brings the family together.

Aliyah lasky last year, you and Rabbi Josh Brown took a group of ninth graders to new York. they learned a lot, but what did you yourself learn?

It made me appreciate the New York culture much more. It was wonderful to see the beauty of the synagogues, and to see for ourselves how much Jewish life has changed, and how Jewish life has been appreciated throughout the past century. Of course, Katz’s deli was great, and watching how the teens responded to everything they saw was really cool.

What is exciting about your job, and what is scary?

It’s exciting that my position at Temple Israel allows me to do what I’m passionate about. I get to plan programs, teach high school students, and be involved with young adults who have graduated college and are looking to find a Jewish home. That’s exciting, because I am able to open the door and welcome them in.

It’s scary to be away from home, having graduated from college not that long ago myself, and I certainly miss my family. However, when I go to Colorado to visit, I also miss Omaha in turn, because I know I am a part of a great and close-knit community.

Any final words?

High school can be tough, and many teens feel stress from classes, homework, tests -- and on top of that, they are finding themselves. But, if you can make connections with your peers and with the clergy and staff at synagogue, it will help you figure out how Judaism fits into all of that. Together, we are building Jewish lives.

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Passover GREETINGS

Sonia Tipp’s ties to Omaha GAbby blAir

I first met Sonia in 2008 when our children attended preschool together at the CDC. Always kind and inviting, Sonia quickly agreed to be interviewed for our “40 Under 40” feature of active community members.

How young are you?

I am 37 years old. you have a really unique tie to Omaha even though you are not technically “from” here and have, quite possibly, the coolest “How i met my husband story” i have heard... Care to share it?

Of course! So, I am from Columbia, Maryland, in between Baltimore and Washington D.C. My grandparents, Salomon and Malwina Moses and my mother Sara moved from Haifa, Israel to Omaha when she was a child, and she was actually childhood school friends with my now mother-in-law, Marilyn Tipp! They grew up together and attended The University of Missouri for a short time before my mom moved back home to Omaha

Gary and Karen Javitch

Have a sweet and joyous Pesach.

Congregation B’nai Jeshurun The South Street Temple Craig Lewis, Rabbi 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502 402-435-8004 www.southstreettemple.org

The Tipp Family: Sonia, left, Asher, Adria and Alan

MCGILL, GOTSDINER, WORKMAN & LEPP, P.C., L.L.O. A T T O R N E Y S

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A Passover wish for Peace and Prosperity. mgwl.com

where she finished school at The University of Nebraska-Omaha.

My mother met my father Michael Baum who was originally from Westbury, New York, in the UNO library. The two of them married, making their home near Baltimore, where I was born. I spent many summers in Omaha with my grandparents, extended family and friends; so while I am not “from” here, I definitely have Omaha roots. I have known my husband, who is 2.5 years older than me since I was very young and developed a huge crush on him as a middle schooler. After persistent suggestions from Alan’s mother Marilyn we began dating in 1996 and continued our long distance relationship off and on through college. Alan moved to Maryland for a job in 1999, and we ended up marrying in 2002. We decided to move back to Omaha in 2007 to be closer to family and ensure our kids, Adria 10, and Asher 8, would grow up in a strong, close-knit Jewish Community among cousins and family.

Tell me a little bit about your professional background and what you currently do.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland, and I received my Masters in Occupational Therapy from Towson University. I currently work as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist for a contract agency called “Kids on the Move,” helping kids with fine motor skills, handwriting, and sensory processing skills.

So, if you could be doing any kind of work at all, what would it be?

Well, I love being an Occupational Therapist, but if I could do anything else, I would just love to play with and feed babies all day long. Seriously, I just absolutely love babies!

Care to share some of your passions or hobbies?

Yes! I love being a mom and doing anything that allows me to work with kids; interacting and helping kids is the very best aspect of my job! I am also very impassioned about promoting healthy lifestyle choices and vegan cooking. I have been a vegan now for about two years, inspired by my husband who took up veganism a year or two before me, although I was a vegetarian before. I am See Sonia Tipp page b5

Talented and handy, AND he plays the drums

GAbby blAir o, i interviewed Alan’s wife, Sonia, who described her husband as artistic, hard working and surprisingly handy around the house, and realized that Alan, too, was part of the “Under 40 Club,” during the time of this interview. I decided I would be remiss in not highlighting this interesting and accomplished native Omahan.

Hi Alan. Thanks for agreeing to the interview. Feel like sharing your age?

Sure. I am 39 years old, but will be 40 by the time this prints. i know you are originally from here, so tell me a little about yourself.

Ok. I grew up in Omaha, attended Beth El and was a Millard North Mustang. My dad Steve Tipp is a dentist and my mom Marilyn Tipp is the community “Bubbie.” It’s official because she is adored by throngs of community kids wherever she goes, and it says so on her license plate. I have a brother David who lives in Arizona and a sister Amy who lives here in Omaha, with my niece and nephews. I have known my wife my whole life. We have two beautiful kids, Adria and Asher, and we are members of Temple Israel. I like playing the drums and was super excited to once play a gig with one of my favorite bands of all time, The Samples.

Tell me a little bit about your educational background and profession.

I earned a degree in Industrial Design from The University of Kansas and began working for a start-up in the Baltimore area in 2000. I helped design and develop products for many retailers and before moving onto my current position in 2005 as the Director of Design for Eyeking, LLC. I design sunglasses for Under Armour and Hobie.

So, what are some of your interests aside from designing innovative sunglasses?

I travel a lot for work and really enjoy it. I am also passionate about fitness, design, architecture, and mid-century modern furniture.

I also volunteer as a lecturer at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln for students who are studying design and innovation. in your line of work, you mentioned you travel a lot. What are some of the most interesting places you have been?

I would say that would have to be China, Japan, Italy, Taiwan, Thailand, Sweden, and Germany.

Aside from designing super cool eyewear, what would be the superpower you would most wish to have? Do you have any “super” talents or abilities?

Hands down, I would like to be able to fly.

As for my current “super power” I have an uncanny ability to discern directions.

What are some of your favorites: foods, animals, color and place?

I have two favorite food types; Thai and Indian. Horses are my favorite animal, and my favorite place would definitely be the beach.

My favorite color is slate blue.

Any big dreams or wishes for the future?

I would love to build a modern dream house on the beach in California!

S

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | B5

passover Getting to know Zoë Berman

by annette van de kamp-wright Editor, Jewish Press Zoë Berman is the daughter of Beth Cohen and Harry Berman. She is no stranger at the Jewish Community Center, having spent countless hours in its dance department and volunteering at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. After graduating from Friedel Jewish Academy in 2014, she went to Beveridge Middle School, where she is currently an eighth grader and a member of the Junior Honor Society. Her younger brother Bradley is a sixth grader at Friedel, where mom Beth is Head of School. Dad Harry is a software developer. Later this year, she will be going to Central High School. what is it about dance that you like so much?

I take a lot of dance classes at the JCC - ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, and modern and am a member of the JCC Training Company. I like dance because it is a great creative outlet for me and it makes me feel free and like I can do anything. what does your synagogue mean to you?

I have grown up at Beth Israel Synagogue, just like my dad did. As a fam-

Zoë Berman ily we go to shul every week on Shabbat. Over the years, going to synagogue has changed from being just the fun place I go to play and see my friends to being a place where I learn. I am so lucky that I have grown up with Rabbi Jonathan Gross and Rabbi Ari Dembitzer who have made synagogue so much fun to go to. how has your experience of Judaism changed since your Bat mitzvah?

Since my Bat Mitzvah, I have become more of the leader at synagogue.

I teach a weekly Parsha class to kids who are younger than me. As I’ve become a teacher, I have also become more of a learner because I study the weekly Torah portion as I prepare my class for the week. what advice do you have for your brother, now that he is about to graduate

from Friedel?

Any pizza is a personal pizza if you believe in yourself - well, the “believe in yourself ” part, at least. what do you think the main responsibilities are for a Jewish teenager in america?

Jewish teenagers in America need to be knowledgeable about their Judaism and Israel, just as they should be for anything important in their lives. what is your favorite movie, and why?

My favorite movie is Cyberbully, except for the ending. I like it because I think it is very important to know that what you say can hurt people, even if you don’t think it will. do you have any hobbies besides dance?

I like to read and volunteer at RBJH. I spent a lot of time last summer at the Blumkin Home and I look forward to being back over the summer. I really liked talking to the residents and learning more about their various backgrounds. Even though I can no longer spend the whole day there, because I am back in school, I still like to go over and visit some residents and talk with some staff members when I can. do you have any plans for the future that you want to share?

I want to go to college in a big city like NYC. I am interested in a career that would have me working with people who have disabilities. I would like to be a counselor at Camp Simcha.

Sonia Tipp

Continued from page B4 really passionate about good food, thus I love cooking!

Tofu stuffed shells are one of my most favorite vegan dishes to prepare. do you do do any interesting volunteer work?

I am currently the Vice-President of Membership for the Omaha Section of The National Council of Jewish Women. I also served as a board director, community service director and recording secretary for the NCJW. In addition to volunteering with the NCJW, I love helping out at my children’s school. tell me a few interesting or favorite places you have been to.

Oh wow... I have to say that my top three favorite destinations have been Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. do you have any strange, amazing, or unique talents?

I suppose my gift is being able to recall names. I know it sounds like an odd thing, but it sure comes in handy when meeting new people.

So, tell me. if you could have a superpower, aside from the amazing work you do with kids, what would it be?

Oh, it would definitely be the ability to travel to far and distant places instantaneously. I would settle for being able to get to places without flying -- I have terrible motion sickness! tell me some of your favorites: food, animal, color, and place.

Well, being a vegan I can’t say enough about this wonderful vegan restaurant off 50th and Saddlecreek Rd. called Modern Love. My favorite food is pretty much anything on their menu and I highly recommend everyone, vegan or not, to try it! I really like llamas, the color purple, and hanging out on the beach with my husband Alan!

Lastly, if you could have one wish come true, what would you wish for?

I know it sounds so cliche, but my wish is for my family and friends to be happy and healthy!

This Passover, don’t pass over the Star Deli

Tuesday Night, April 26 | 5:30-7:30 p.m.

All your favorite traditional dishes Kosher for Pesach Latke Reuben / Brisket Plate Salami & Eggs / Matzoh Brei Sandwiches served on Matzoh rolls Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments will run during dinner

Let my people go to the Star Deli Night Dinner this Passover!

Contact Mike at 402-334-6522 or maparo@rbjh.com or Jennifer Addison at 402-334-6523

B6 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

passover Forty, redux

Forty years ago I turned forty, and Sinai and Goliath bedeviling David it rocked. before the lad beaned the giant with a We celebrated at a Donaldstone. designed surprise party. My • Forty years of wandering in the dearest friends were there, the wilderness, of Eli judging, of Saul and youngest woman in her late Solomon ruling and of Rabbi Zadok thirties, the oldest guy just sitting in Jerusalem’s gates, fasting, turned fifty, and each of us in eating only a few dried figs in his great shape with narrow waists, OZZIE NOGG vain attempt to avert the destruction straight backs and (depending of the Temple. on gender) perky boobs and wash• Jacob sent Easu a gift of forty cows. board abs. Our vision sharp as birds of • Forty spies searched out the land of Canaan. prey, hearing keen as bats, we were sure-footed as the Wal• Forty measures of water fill a mikveh. lendas and limber as circus rubber men. We hopped in and • At age forty, Isaac married Rebekah, Johanan ben Zaout of low-slung sports cars with ease. Life was good. kkai and Akiba began their rabbinic studies, and a man may Today, with empathy born of time, I tip my red hat to the plumb the Kabalah, perhaps to validate the Talmudic claim young people featured in this issue of the Press and their cohorts. However old you are, I’ve been there. Which prompts me to say, “Chazak v’ematz. Be strong and of good courage, kids, because with mazel (and in a mere 40 winks) you’ll be an octogenarian like me, quite possibly with the attendant cane, walker, ear trumpet, dentures, replaced knees, misplaced keys, chronic nostalgia, liver spots and the inability to get up from a chair without saying Oi.” For those badges of decrepitude, you can thank father Abraham. A midrash teaches that until Abraham, old folks had no distinguishing physical characteristics. Apparently, our patriarch grew testy when people who saw him and his son, Isaac, together could’t tell which Forty years of wandering in the wilderness. one was older, and thus failed to offer Credit: Tiia Monto via Wikimedia Commons him (Abe) the honor and deference due the elderly. Unwilling to leave well enough alone, Abraham that the fortieth year is the age of understanding when we begged God to ‘crown’ him with signs of old age and ZAP, ascend from one level of discernment to the next higher wrinkles and gray hair entered, laughing. Abraham’s wife, one. By that reckoning my peers and I stand on the topSarah, ignored their arrival and remained (according to anmost rung, the sharpest pencils in the box, albeit with shaky other midrash) youthful in appearance until the day she handwriting. died at the age of 127, her skin still soft as a young girl’s and Sure, I’d gladly reclaim the vigor of my youth. Being old, looking like a forty-year old woman. at times, is a colossal bummer. But according to Jewish text There’s that number 40 again. The Torah and Talmud there is an upside. The sages wrote that insight, intellect and seem obsessed with it. emotional strength comes with years. That at the age of See Forty page B8 • Forty days and forty nights of Flood and waiting on Mt

Silvia Herszkopf

GaBBy Blair riginally from Costa rica, Silvia Herszkopf, 38, has enjoyed making Omaha her home. She moved here from New York in 2009, after her husband, Dr. Uriel Sandkovsky, accepted a position at UNMC. She feels that Omaha offers a great quality of life, has a very nice Jewish community and a good Day School for their children Ruthie, 8, and Joel, 6.

Can you share a little bit about your professional background?

I am a Registered Dietitian and I have a Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. I am also Board Certified as a Specialist in Oncology Nutrition. I am currently employed at CHI Health as the Outpatient Oncology Dietitian. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I love working with cancer patients and helping them improve their health and lives as they Silvia Herszkopf fight this disease. My current job allows me to balance my time as a wife and mother while allowing me to maintain a fulfilling professional life.

Do you do any interesting volunteer work?

I am grateful I can share my expertise as a dietitian as a member of the Friedel Jewish Academy’s hot lunch committee. Additionally, I usually give a nutrition lecture once a year for the Livestrong Program for cancer survivors at the Downtown YMCA. aside from your work, do you have any passions or hobbies?

I really love spending time with my family. I also love to travel and experience new places, foods, and cultures. Some of the most interesting places I have visited include: Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, Perito Moreno and Upsala Glaciers in Argentina; San Pablo, Brazil; Machu Pichu, Peru; Quebec and Montreal, Canada; various locations through Europe and, of course, Israel.

Do you have any “super powers”? if you could have one, what would it be?

I guess my superpowers would be persistence and patience. I usually get what I want! It is just a matter of working hard and waiting. If I could choose a “superpower” though, it would be the ability to read people’s minds and the power of healing.

What are some of your favorites: Food, animal, color and place?

My favorite food is sushi. I really like giraffes. Green is my favorite color, and the beach is my favorite place. if you could have one wish come true, what would it be for?

The one wish I have is for my family to have a healthy life.

O

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | B7

Former Press intern Emily Giller

annEttE van dE kamp-wriGht Jewish Press Editor Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. My parents are Barb and Stu Giller and I have a younger sister, Abbey Giller. I went to high school at Millard North and was very involved in the B’nai Brith Youth Organization, serving in both council and chapter level leadership positions. After high school, I went to college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I double majored in journalism and advertising/PR and minored in Judaic studies. It has always been my goal to work in the advertising/ marketing field. I was lucky enough to be hired by the marketing department at the University of Nebraska Press right out of college in 2012. what are you up to these days?

I work full-time as the advertising and exhibits coordinator for the University of Nebraska Press (UNP). UNP is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s book publishing house. We are a scholarly press that publishes a widerange of subject areas such as anthropology, history, Native studies, military history, current affairs, American studies, Jewish studies, creative works and sports history. My job responsibilities include planning, reserving and executing all print and digital adEmily Giller vertising. I also coordinate about 40 scholarly conferences and tradeshows each year. Additionally, I help market our imprints, Bison Books, The Jewish Publication Society, and Potomac Books.

In 2014 I started working on my masters degree in integrated media communications through the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications. I am more than half way through my program and plan to graduate by Fall 2016. what does your synagogue mean to you?

My family belongs to Beth El Synagogue and, to me, Beth El is a part of who I am. I grew up attending services at Beth El. I went to Hebrew school there, and I had my Bat Mitzvah there.

Beth El allowed me to meet some of my best friends. It created an atmosphere of Jewish teaching and learning, as well as a feeling of community. Most of all, it helped shape who I am today. what is your favorite part of passover?

My favorite part of Passover is sitting around the Seder table with my family retelling stories, catching up and just enjoying each other’s company. i heard from your mom you are going abroad soon- tell me about it.

I will be traveling to Ireland in May 2016 to conduct research for my masters program.

For my project, I have chosen to look at how the United States uses native advertising, or sponsored content, versus how Ireland uses native advertising. This study will address the key issues of how native advertising is regulated in these two countries; how native advertising is currently used in both countries; and if stricter, more defined governance of native advertising will damage the effectiveness native advertising has with engaging consumers. The methodology for this project is to conduct in-person interviews at ad agencies and communications agencies in Ireland. what are you passionate about?

I am passionate about learning. I believe there is always an opportunity to learn more, which is why I went back to school. The world is always changing and evolving and I love being able to learn about it. how has it affected you to grow up in the Omaha Jewish Community?

Growing up in the Omaha Jewish Community has given me a lot of opportunities I might not have had elsewhere. As I mentioned, in high school I was very involved in BBYO, See Emily Giller page B9

High School Seniors

High School Seniors and Parents

We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 20, 2016. To be included, we need your graduation photo and the information to the right. You can also email the items to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

High School Senior Information

Name _________________________________________________ Parent(s)’ Name(s) _________________________________________________ Current High School _________________________________________________ College you plan to attend _________________________________________________ Send by April 27 to: The Jewish Press | 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154

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b8 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

Passover

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The Monsky family Henry, Pam, Rachael and Sam

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Paula Shoyer and Passover Menu Sybil KaPlan

Meeting food writer, cookbook author, French-trained pastry chef, Paula Shoyer, in Israel, you are immediately caught up in the high-energy enthusiasm of someone who is passionate about what they do.

Paula Shoyer is that person. She came to Israel a year ago and spent every spare moment researching Israeli pastry.

“The food scene here is so developed,” she exclaimed. She had asked everyone she met, “Where do you like to go to eat pastry? What is different; What is unique to Israel?”

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Israel is no stranger to the 51-year old. She came to Israel when she was 16; then she returned for her junior year from Brandeis University on the Hebrew University program.

(Her brother has lived here since 1985.)

After graduation, she was an attorney and speech writer who lived in Europe. While in Paris, she enrolled in a pastry course for fun. This led to operating a dessert catering business in Geneva, Switzerland for two years and teaching classes in French for Jewish organizations.

When she returned to the U.S., she began teaching classes in French pastry in the Washington, D.C. area where she lived. Married with four kids 21, 19 and 16-year-old twins, she now operates a pastries cooking school in Chevy Chase, Maryland; appears on radio and TV shows; freelance writes for newspapers and magazines; and develops dessert recipes for companies.

A few years ago, she wrote an article for Hadassah Magazine on the best pastry shops in Paris. Prior to coming to Israel a year ago, she pitched a story to the magazine on the best desserts and bakeries in Israel.

During her visit a year ago, she presented a demonstration in the home of American Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, hosted by his wife, Julie Fisher, with samplings

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Continued from page b6 eighty we are endowed with special strength. Granted, the sages weren’t spring chickens when they wrote those words and therefore biased and self-serving, but who cares. If special strength comes with eighty, I’ll take it. Advanced years certainly didn’t slow down the characters in the Passover story.

• Moses was eighty when God sent him to stand before Pharaoh and demand freedom for the Hebrew slaves.

• Aaron was eighty-three when he stood by his brother’s side and stood up to Pharaoh.

• Miriam was eighty-seven when she took timbrel in hand and danced with the women at the Red Sea. • To lend weight to his argument with Pharoah, Moses was accompanied by the elders - the z’keinim - of Israel, possibly the same seventy elders who journeyed with him up Mt. Sinai and continued to act as wise counselors, advisors, judges and consultants to Moses and the Israelites during their forty year trek through the desert.

So. We’re back where we started, with the number 40

from her cookbooks, The Kosher Baker and The Holiday Kosher Baker.

She also visited bakeries and pastry shops in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; and had two book signings for her newest book then, The New Passover Menu.

The New Passover Menu by Paula Shoyer, Sterling Epicure Publishers, $24.95 hardcover, $27.95 in Canada, 160 pp.

A “fifth” question for Passover might well be: how is this cookbook for Passover different from all other Passover cookbooks?

Paula Shoyer answers that: “The New Passover Menu features updated traditional dishes that provide the nostalgic pleasure of family favorites, along with a raft of contemporary recipes developed to please creative cooks who do not want to compromise their taste for sophisticated recipes during the holiday.”

Readers have the fun of choosing from eight menus, breakfast and desserts with 65 recipes and enjoying 73 magnificent, mouth-watering color photographs.

The menus and some recipes include: updated Ashkenazic Seder (fresh salmon gefilte fish loaf); International Seder (whole chicken with dried fruit stuffing); Shabbat (seder plate salad); Yom Tov (spaghetti squash fritters); French Dairy (seared tuna with olives and capers); Italian Vegetarian (potato gnocchi with pink sauce); BBQ Dinner (garlic marinated steak with onion jam); Easy Chicken (crunchy quinoa with sweet potatoes and cranberries).

Among recipes in the Breakfast section are: gluten-free waffles or pancakes and crumb cake muffins; the Desserts section includes triple-chocolate biscotti, orange tea cake cupcakes, cheesecake with roasted cashew and chocolate crust, and Toronne candy.

Every recipe gives the number of servings, preparation time, cooking time, advanced preparation information, and equipment to use. If that is not enough, this is followed by an anecdote related to the recipe, which makes this a wonderful read!

Ingredients are given in American and metric systems; directions are paragraphed with the first word of each paragraph in capital letters.

Shaded paragraphs for many recipes include hints and tips such as cleaning leeks, toasting nuts, cubing a whole butternut squash, slivering basil, making vanilla sugar and more.

Check out your local bookstore or synagogue gift shop to make sure they have The New Passover Menu -- whether you are making a seder and many Passover meals at home or going to someone for seder or during Passover week.

This is definitely the book to buy for yourself and as gifts.

No creative kosher cook should be without one.

See Orange Tea Cake Cupcakes recipe on page b9

and its mystical place in Judaic text.

During forty years in the wilderness, Moses taught our ancestors the laws of Torah. At the end of those forty years, with their teacher Moses near death, the people were no longer students - recipients of knowledge - but teachers themselves, ready to pass down Jewish tradition to the next generation. After forty years the people had evolved from receivers to givers. Their roles and responsibilities had changed. And that’s the message, sweet forty-and-unders. It’s your turn at bat. Perhaps the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer said it best. “The first forty years of life give us the text. The next thirty supply the commentary.” So here’s the mike. We elders wonder what you’re going to say. Whatever it is, please say it loudly.

As for me, I’m still ready to mix it up and offer my two cents when it seems appropriate (or appreciated). But for the most part I’ll take my cue from the wisdom of British author Fay Weldon (82) who writes, “When you’re in your eighties there are small triumphs, like getting the heels of your elastic stockings in the right place when you put them on.”

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | b9

Orange Tea Cake CupCakes gebrOkTs, nuT free

1/3 cup boiling water

1 black tea bag 1 cup sugar plus 1 tsp. for tea 4 large eggs separated 1 1/4 tsp. orange zest 2 tbsp. fresh orange juice 1/3 cup matzoh cake meal 1/3 cup potato starch dash salt Icing: 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar 4 tsp. tea Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place paper liners in muffin tins.

Measure water into mixing bowl. Add tea bag and 1 tsp. sugar and let steep 5 minutes.

In large bowl, beat egg yolks, 3 tbsp. tea (reserving rest), egg yolks, orange zest and juice and sugar with electric mixer on low speed.

Add cake meal and potato starch and continue until combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and salt on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a silicone spatula, gentle fold the whites into the bowl with egg yolk mixture and then fill the muffin cups threequarters full with the batter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcakes comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool while you make the icing.

Place confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Add 4 tsp. tea and whisk until you have a thick icing. Scoop up icing with a teaspoon measuring spoon and place in the center of each cupcake. Garnish with additional orange zest if desired.

Makes 14 cupcakes.

passover Talia Rose Halperin is the face of Hillel emily giller anneTTe van De kamp-WrigHT Editor, Jewish Press Talia grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and graduated from Lincoln East High School. She lives with her mom and her 16-year-old brother.

Her dad lives in Omaha.

Talia spent the 2014-2015 school year in Osaka, Japan as a Rotary International exchange student. You’ll see her name in the Press from time to time due to her involvement in Hillel through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

What are you doing right now?

I am currently studying International Business and Japanese at UNL. I’m a part of the College of Business Honors Academy, as well as an officer for Hillel. I volunteer at the Lincoln Community Playhouse and work on the costume crew at the Kimball Opera on campus.

Do you belong to a synagogue?

My mom, my brother, and I belong to Tifereth Israel in Lincoln.

Why are you involved with Hillel?

I am involved with Hillel because even though I’m not particularly religious, being a part of the Jewish community is important to me. I’ve also

met some of my best friends through the organization. I became an officer because I want to help create an open and welcoming environment for any Jewish student on campus and get as many people involved as possible.

Talia Halperin

What are you passionate about?

Theater, education, and women’s rights/feminism. I also have strong interests in world cultures, languages, and religions.

Continued from page b7 which led to leadership experience, which helped me in college, and then later helped me in my career. In college I worked as an intern for the Jewish Press, which gave me invaluable work experience in the field I was studying. More than that, though, the Omaha Jewish Community is a support system that has always been there for me.

What is your favorite book and why?

My favorite book is Harry Potter, specifically the fourth one. Since I work in book publishing, there are probably a million literary classics I should have considered, but the Harry Potter books will always hold a special place in my heart. They are what made me interested in literature and reading.

Do you have any other future plans you can share?

Right now I’m just focused on finishing my research in Ireland and then graduating with my masters degree. I would like to obtain more experience working in international marketing and maybe one day work for an international ad agency.

How will you celebrate passover this year?

I will be in Omaha celebrating with my family at my parent’s house. Our Seder is pretty low key, but it’s always fun gathering all the cousins, aunts, uncles, and siblings under one roof.

y p p Ha sover s a P Mendy and Mike Halsted

Zev Krausman would like to teleport

B10 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

passover From student to teacher: Catching up with Audrey Gerber Annette vAn De kAmp-WriGht Editor, Jewish Press Audrey Gerber Walz is the daughter of Donald and Maggie Gerber, and although she has been gone from Omaha for a while, she regularly comes back to visit. She is a Friedel Jewish Academy Alum, with fond memories of her Omaha Day School days, who is now an educator herself in New York City. tell me a little bit about growing up in Omaha.

I grew up in a very active Jewish family which has been in Omaha for over 100 years. My parents, Donald (who has a family car business that is over 50 years old) and Maggie were both very involved in Beth Israel Synagogue during my youth, which really built a strong foundation in me as an active synagogue participant.

I attended Friedel Jewish Academy from K-6th grade and learned about my Jewish culture and religion while receiving an incredible general education. I attended Beveridge Middle School for seventh and eighth grades.

Following middle school I left Omaha to expand my Jewish education in Cleveland, Ohio where I attended the Fuchs Mizrachi School. Following High School, I studied in Israel for a gap year and then moved to New York City to attend Yeshiva University Stern College for Women.

Z

Audery Gerber Walz and Daniel Walz

What are your most vivid Friedel memories?

My most vivid Friedel memories include art class with Julie Phillips, and individual book clubs during lunch with fifth- and sixth grade teacher Denise Bennett. These memories include creative thinking and experiences.

I remember the warm personalities that really just wanted their students to have positive experiences. I learned about artists such as Degas through these experiences, as well as delved into the world of Harry Potter. how has going to Friedel impacted your life?

My experience at Friedel has greatly impacted my life, since it gave me such a personal and meaningful education that ended up leading me to become a teacher myself. The care, creativity, and small environment was incredible.

GABBy BlAir ev Krausman, 18, has developed into a strong and active leader who is quick to volunteer and be present in many aspects of life at Beth El. The son of Hazzan Michael and Laurel Krausman, Zev has embraced the responsibility of building a strong network of camaraderie between Beth El youth and is sure to be missed when he leaves for college in the fall.

What are you planning to do after you graduate from Millard North ?

I am originally from Hollywood, Florida, and while I have grown to love Omaha and consider it my home, I am excited to return to Florida for college!

I am attending The University of Central Florida in the fall and I am planning to study Psychology.

What would be your dream job?

If I could do anything, I would choose to open my own coffee shop.

Do you have any passions, talents or Zev krausman hobbies?

Of course! USY is a big part of my life and I continue to be a very active member. I also like shooting archery and metal working. I can TIG, MIG, SMAW, and O/A weld. I enjoy volunteering and spend a lot of time serving as a madrich at Beth El. What is the most interesting place you have traveled to?

The most interesting place I’ve been to has been, and continues to be, Israel because it’s a different experience every time you go. I just returned from a truly amazing experience with 35 other Omaha kids and clergy from all three synagogues and I can’t wait for my next trip.

What are some of your personal favorites: food, animal, color and place?

My favorite food is Jerusalem Mixed grill, a mix of chicken, chicken livers, and chicken hearts, which is surprisingly delicious. My favorite animal is the wolf, because Zev means wolf in Hebrew. My favorite color is black because it’s harder to get dirty, and my favorite place, aside from Israel, is Camp Ramah Darom. let’s talk superpowers and wishes - if you could have one of each, what would they be?

I hate international flights, so I would choose the power of teleportation as my super power. As for one wish... that would be for Omaha to open a kosher shawarma place!

This experience also set me on the path to continue on to a Modern Orthodox Jewish Day school for my High school Education in Cleveland, Ohio.

What does an average day look like for you?

Currently, I live in Queens, New York, in a heavily Jewish neighborhood. I commute by subway to the Upper West Side of Manhattan where I teach at Manhattan Day School which is a Modern Orthodox Jewish Day School. I am the Enrichment Teacher for grades one through four. I also attend Hunter College in the evenings where I am earning my graduate degree in Literacy. I am graduating from the program in May 2016.

Why do you think Jewish education is important?

I believe that Jewish Education is See Audrey Gerber page B12

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | B11

Serving Generations…

The first Jewish Press Passover Edition - 1970

Oliver B. POllak Imagine Passover in Omaha in 1970. The city has changed dramatically and it takes a Jewish studies librarian to keep track of the multiple Haggadahs that have appeared to accommodate our changing understanding of the role of women, the status of children, and LGBTQ. Some of the chosen people have become more inclusive.

The JP of 1970 served Omaha and Council Bluffs, Lincoln, Sioux City and Des Moines.

The newspaper is not only the first draft of history but provides vital information about the community and its economy, where businesses were located, and a longitudinal perspective of how things emerged, moved and disappeared.

Passover april 17, 1981

I do not know where the idea came from to have a special Passover Edition. I can only say for a newspaper revenue enhancing project it was overdue. Charles Monasee was the Press Committee Chairman; Mrs. Robert “Mickey” Gerelick the Editor; and Mrs. Gerald Bernstien, Associate Editor.

Mrs. Robert E. Wagner, the Advertising Manager, directed two new streams of additional revenue, selling Passover ads to food vendors and selling vendor greetings for the Passover edition.

The three Press issues preceding the Passover Edition were all 12 pages in length and contained four, nine and 13 Passoverrelated products, a total of 26 ads alerting housekeepers preparing for Passover.

Omaha was a Manischewitz town, placing two, five and eight 3 1/2x3 inch ads. Here is what Manischewitz offered: Gefilte Fish and white fish; chocolate cake and sponge cake; coconut macaroon and chocolate macaroon; matzo and egg matzos; chocolate chip cookies and egg kichels; potato pancakes and matzo ball soup mix; chicken soup and borscht. The Manischewitz momentum was palpable.

Omaha’s three kosher butchers were ready to serve. The prices at Diamond’s, Shukert’s Kosher Meats, and Nebraska Kosher Meat Market seem unreal. Louis Market, Bakers and Hinky Dinky supermarkets also offered Passover specials. Sherman’s Bakery announced it would close from April 18

through April 28.

The April 17, 1970 Passover Edition ran 24 pages.

Passover Greetings There were about 86 greetings from Chevrolet and Buick car dealers, laundries, Oliver B. POllak dry cleaners, banks, insurance companies, stock brokers, realtors, television and household repairs, clothing, shoes, nurseries and flower shops, entertainment venues like the Ranch Bowl, Pharmacies, Eisenberg Art Gallery, Nebraska Furniture Mart and Borsheim’s Jewelry.

The following list of local vendors reveals how rich a source the newspaper is and how durable and transitory it is. They also reveal the westward migration of Jewish settlement. The current Jewish Community Center at 132nd street opened in 1973.

Meat Diamond’s Kosher Meat Market and Delicatessen, 4415 Cuming Omaha Steaks International, 4400 South 96th Street Shukert’s Meats, 1018 Farnam Dairy Graystone, excellent dairy products Antone’s Ice Cream Parlor. 8456 West Center Road alcohol United Distillers, Carmel. Since 1882.

110 North 12th Keystone Pharmacy carried all flavors of Mogen David and Manischewitz for 97 cents, and Sabra, the Liqueur of Israel.

Lippett’s Bottle Shop. 7120 Dodge The restaurants ads carried a disclaimer: ‘The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashruth of any product or establishment advertised in this paper.’

French Café, 1017 Howard Dixie Kitchen, 7812 Dodge Street Flaming Pit Steak House, Westroads Le Café de Paris, 1228 South 6th Roffman’s House of Delicacies, 7830 Dodge Black Angus restaurant in New Conant Hotel, Farnam at 19th, serving Passover food – Gefilte Fish, Matzos, Matzo Ball Soup, Passover Blintzes, Matzo Meal Pancakes, Chopped Liver Sandwiches on Matzo, Cold Beef Borscht with Sour Cream.

Only Joe Tess, 5460 South 24th Street, survives.

Markets and Bakeries Country Club Food Mart, 50th and Hamilton Central Market, 108th and Center Hinky Dinky Sol Martin Food Stores, 24th and U Streets, and 1528 North Saddle Creek Road Friedman’s Bakery, 8709 Shamrock Road One politician greeted “All my Jewish Friends in Douglas County” – Re-Elect Sam J. Howell, your County Treasurer.

There can be little doubt that the Passover Edition was a financial success. The initiative has continued and the Press went on to develop annual themes. The 2016 Passover edition has 48 pages. Historians are always wary of using the term or concept of “first.”

I do not mind going out on a limb, and if any readers can identify a further back Omaha Jewish Press with lavish Passover coverage, let me know. Contact me at obpomni@aol.com.

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Are you in transition in your life?

On living in israel and not keeping kosher for Passover NeryS COPelOvitz Kveller via JTA So I’m just going to come right out and say it: We don’t keep kosher for Passover. I feel a bit like a party-pooping high school senior who chooses not to go to the prom revealing that. After all, we moved to Israel to bring our kids up Jewish and live close to our Israeli family. But we are secular Jews, and the simple truth is that we pick and choose how we observe in line with our beliefs about what’s important for us and what’s not.

I’ve read on Kveller about how Mayim Bialik

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makes her Passover meaningful, how Amanda Bradley secretly loves Passover and Tamara Reese’s wonderful ideas to make observance less intimidating. I applaud and respect all those suggestions, opinions and choices. I know that people who observe the holidays from a strong sense of spirituality and tradition get a tremendous amount of nourishment from them. That’s something to envy.

Seventy percent of Israelis will be joining those ladies in banishing the hametz from their homes and digestive systems for the week. But while they will be cleaning, shopping and dusting off their Passover recipe books, puzzling out how to get through this week without bread, pasta and rice, I’ll be chilling out and stocking up on the banned goodies before they perform their annual weeklong disappearing act.

Audrey Gerber

Although we choose not to rid our house of hametz or refrain from eating it, it doesn’t mean we don’t honor or celebrate the holiday; we do. For the past six years I’ve been taking turns hosting the seder -- and yes, that part we do without the presence of hametz at the table. We read the Passover Haggadah, we dip our fingers in wine as we recite the plagues, we recline. But mostly we wait for the bit where we can eat the food, sing the songs and let the kids hunt for the afikomen.

In hol hamoed, the week after the seder, Israeli supermarkets hide their wheaty wares on burka-dressed shelves, forbidden to purchasers one and all. Most restaurants keep kosher and the whole country is shrouded in a barbecue fog as Israelis cook up their choice of the tastiest alternative to wheat -- meat! We tend to eat at home during this period, delving into our pile of forbidden hametz like thieves. If we feel a little like “outsiders” in the swimming sea of observance, it’s OK. It’s true in a way that we are choosing all the fun, warm and fuzzy bits of the holiday while ignoring the restrictive, roll-up-your-sleeves challenging parts. As secular Jews, the rules and dogmas of religion don’t play a big role in our lives. I don’t think it makes us any less Jewish -- it just makes us less observant. We are still book-loving, family-hugging, charitygiving, kugel-eating Zionists struggling to make it work in our homeland and to find a way that’s meaningful to us.

Even without observing the weeklong prohibition of hametz, my kids still learn about the history of their people at school and from the seder, and they are still laying down traditions to be carried over to their children. They inhale the spirit of the holiday, even if practically we don’t do everything that Exodus commands us to do.

So happy and kosher Passover to those of you who do -- and just happy Passover to those of you who don’t. May we always be free to determine our own way.

Nerys Copelovitz lives in Israel, where she is the mother to two teens and a first-grader.

You can catch her ruminating on Jewish, Israeli, and parenting issues on thought fondue.com.

Continued from page B10 I return to Omaha about really important, because it three to four times a year to informs you where our peovisit my Dad, Bubbie and exple have come from. It helps tended family who all live in Jewish community members Omaha. I enjoy coming back impact the future. It is crucial to the Midwest, which is a to the future of our people for nice, quiet change from New us to be exposed and eduYork City.

What do you miss about cated in Jewish values, history Omaha? and culture. Receiving a Jewish education gave me Jewish The main thing I miss from pride and inspired in me a Omaha besides my family is deep connection to Judaism how close everything is to that impacted my personal each other, and how easily and educational decisions you can get around. The peothroughout my life. ple in Omaha are also so nice Audrey with her father Donald So, you got married. Omaha and friendly, which is defiwants to know: what is he like, and what does he do? nitely something I miss!

What would you say to a current Friedel kindergartener?

I got married in July 2014 to Daniel Walz, who is from Queens, New York. I never imagined that a girl like me I would tell them to have fun, and to never be afraid to from Nebraska would meet a native New Yorker and end up ask a question or confide in your teacher about anything living in a big city. But that is how it worked out! He loves and everything. I would also tell them to enjoy the uniquecoming to Omaha and loves how everyone just says “Hi, ness of how small the school is and how the classes are set How are you?” and waves to you wherever you go! Daniel is up, and I would definitely express how exciting the opporan educator as well, and works in a yeshiva day school in tunity is for them to be learning Judaic studies. The teachers Queens teaching Middle school Math. at Friedel will become like your second family who offer How often do you return to Omaha? support and love throughout your time there.

read it and eat

The New Mediterranean Jewish Table by Joyce Goldstein (university of california Press, $39.95) Prodigious research results in this fascinating, incredible Jewish foodways read. Goldstein, award winning chef (Chez Panisse Cafe), restaurant owner (Square One), cooking teacher, consultant and prolific cookbook author (over two dozen) traces the footprints of the waves of Ashkenazic Jews from the early 1900s as most settled in neighborhoods on the East Coast. These neighborhoods flourished with local shops selling the food specials that became the cornerstones of Jewish food in America.

Just as Cuisinart replaced many hand jobs to make cooking more convenient and added shortcuts, read of the Mediterranean Jews and how today’s concept of Jewish cooking reflects “greater cultural diversity and broader pallet” combined with Goldstein’s culinary path and our kitchen history: “Old World

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | B13

foods in a New World kitchen.”

The multitude of international recipes are based on the three Mediterranean Jewish cultures: Sephardic, Maghrebi and Mizrahi and are LOIS FRIEDMAN organized, adapted and seeking deliciousness. Instructions and ingredients are tweaked and represent the comforts of home and hearth and what our ancestors ate viewed through a contemporary mindset. Careful shopping is as important as cooking... be ingredient focused and choose with great care. Our well equipped kitchens miss the joys of the earlier team effort of generations of women cooking and sharing communal time, knowledge and experience in the kitchen.

Chapters are from Appetizers/Spreads & Salads to Desserts and include opening notes. Headnotes add additional details.

Instructions are detailed and clear. Variations are suggested. For the celebration of Exodus beginning on the 15th day of the month of Nisan, no leavened foods (hametz) are eaten... included are several dessert recipes: Sephardic Orange & Almond Cake or Walnut Cake (Tishpishti), Spanish Cake (Pandespaya), Passover Hazelnut Sponge Cake (Pan Di Spagna Alle Nocciole) and this Passover cookie from the Sephardim of Turkey.

Almond mAcAroons (mArucHinos)

3 egg whites Pinch of salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 cups finely ground blanched almonds (from about 12 ounces whole nuts) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the egg whites and salt and beat on medium speed until foamy. On medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in Credit: redbook.com the almonds just until incorporated. Add whole al- Almond macaroons mond (optional). Drop the mixture by heaping racks for 10 minutes, then transfer to the racks and spoonfuls onto the prepared sheet pans, spacing them let cool completely. The cookies will keep in an airtight about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies until lightly container at room temperature for up to 1 week. browned, 10-15 minutes. Let cool on the pans on wire Makes about 36 cookies.

passover Passover seder: How to be a good guest Julie Wiener MyJewishLearning via JTA f you’ve never been to a Passover seder, you might be feeling a bit intimidated at the prospect. Relax. The seder is an opportunity for celebration, discussion and lots of tasty food. Here are some things to know before you go: What should i wear?

People usually dress up a little for the seder, but it’s best to ask your host ahead of time, as seder attire can run the gamut from jeans and T-shirts to suit-and-tie.

You’ll probably eat a lot, however, so don’t wear anything with a tightfitting waist!

What should i bring?

Again, it’s best to ask the host ahead of time.

The Passover table If he or she requests food or wine, make sure to find out whether the family keeps kosher and how strictly they observe Passover dietary laws.

Even if your host does not keep kosher, you should avoid bringing baked goods, like breads or cakes, as these flout the tradition of avoiding leavened foods, unless the products are labeled kosher for Passover. Flowers are always a good option as well. is there a prayer service before the meal?

The seder, which commemorates the Israelites’ Exodus from slavery in Egypt (the first 15 chapters of Exodus), is a service of sorts, replete with blessings, rituals, songs and readings.

To get a better feel for what happens and in what order, we recommend you check out this article about the seder and this one about the Haggadah.

Will the seder be in Hebrew?

I

thejewishpress S T A F F + B O A R D

Some families do conduct the seder all in Hebrew, but many primarily stick to English, with the exception of reciting some prayers and blessings in Hebrew. To familiarize yourself with some of the Hebrew terms used throughout the seder, check out our Must-Know Passover Terms.

Credit: Getty Images

How long does the seder last?

Seder length varies even more than seder attire. Some families read every page of the Haggadah, the book that details all the Passover rituals, blessings and readings, along with all sorts of supplemental readings, while others do a very abbreviated version. That means the seder can range from under 30 minutes (followed by a leisurely meal) to literally all night.

Traditionally the seder has two parts: readings and rituals for before the meal is served, and readings and songs that follow the meal. However, many families -- particularly those with small children -- dispense with the second part and focus on the premeal rituals. You can ask your host to provide a ballpark estimate in advance.

Julie Wiener is managing editor of My JewishLearning.

H A P P Y P A S S O V E R

Eric Dunning, President | Andy Ruback, Past-President | Sandy Friedman, Treasurer | Andrew Boehm | Scott Farkas | Paul Gerber Alex Grossman | David Kotok | Debbie Kricsfeld | Abby Kutler | Pam Monsky | Paul Rabinovitz | Nancy Wolf | Barry Zoob

Do we go overboard with Passover observance?

B14 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

passover 3 items that say Passover: Which do you choose? edMon J. rodMan LOS ANGELES | JTA Can the essence of Passover fit into a box? Fans of Manischewitz and Streit’s will undoubtedly answer, “Yes, in a matzah box.”

But a successful Kickstarter campaign called Hello Mazel aims to reinvent that box, promising a package filled with Passover-related “Jewish awesomeness” that will be delivered to your door (or someone else’s).

The project was a smash on Kickstarter, to the tune of more than $152,021 with 1,395 backers.

Investors who pledged a minimum of $45 will receive a box in April containing “three twists on the tastes of Passover, a Haggadah like none you’ve ever used, and a seder plate that is not a seder plate,” says the enigmatic pitch.

Thinking inside the box, I wondered what would go into a box of my own creation.

Perhaps a jar filled with the essence of fullstrength maror to revive them to the awe of liberation. Also a seder clock; one that doesn’t mark the time but rather the steps of the seder, so that people who had wandered off could find their place. Also, something to

Investors who pledged a minimum of $45 will receive a Hello Mazel box containing “three twists on the tastes of Passover.”

Credit: Screenshot by Edmon J. Rodman clean wine stains from my shirt -- that alone would be worth 45 bucks.

I already have plenty of packaged Passover foods that twist my insides, a box of Haggadahs I only use once a year and so

many seder plates we have a “discussion” each Passover on which one to use. So I was curious about what Hello Mazel was really offering. Was it basically just a Jewish take see 3 items page B15

Jason MIller Rabbis Without Borders via JTA There are two funny images I like to circulate this time every year as we approach the Passover holiday. The first is a cartoon of a truck with large text on the side reading Morty’s Passover Cleaning. On the driver’s side door is the word “chametz” inside a circle with line struck through it. Underneath the large Morty’s Passover Cleaning text on the side of the truck it reads: Orthodox $89.95, Conservative $49.95; Reform $19.95.

The second image is of a person’s office cubicle completely covered in aluminum foil -- even the desk chair, computer, keyboard and mouse. Most likely this photo was taken of the scene of an office prank, but I like to circulate it with the question, “Do we go overboard when it comes to Pesach cleaning?”

Let’s look at the first photo. Is there some truth to this? I always maintain there has to be some truth to a joke for it to be funny, so let’s say that on the whole, yes, Orthodox Jews would spend more money for Passover cleaning than Conservative Jews and Conservative Jews would spend more money for Passover cleaning than Reform Jews. Perhaps this image strikes us as offensive, but we’ll unpack that in a moment.

I remember as a kid, before we got granite countertops, watching my mother cover all the countertops in tin foil and then redoing this process each see overboard page B15

Happy Passover

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | B15

Happy Passover 3 items

Continued from page B14 on the trendy subscription boxes of artisanal what-have-you? Or was this a box that could also feed the soul?

Most of all, I wondered: What could a box filled with Passover stuff do to actually bring Jews together?

To get a better understanding of the Hello Mazel’s Passover box -- one of four promised packages that Hello Mazel plans to deliver this year -- I spoke with Yoav Schlesinger, executive director of The Kitchen, the San Francisco-based, rabbinically-led spiritual community that is putting the project together.

The Kitchen, which describes itself as “a religious startup,” says on its web site that Judaism is about “provoking awe and purpose.”

To that end, they had to “rethink what might go in a box of Jewish stuff,” Schlesinger explained. As a goal, they wanted something that was “unexpected and inspirational,” he said.

For now, the item-by-item contents of this “highly designed” box remain known only to the Kitchen. However, speaking about the box’s mix of food, ritual object and text, Schlesinger says he hopes the food will provide an entry point to the Jewish content, and the Jewish content will provide a “framework in which to understand why the foods are relevant.”

Moving beyond “symbolic ethnicity” -- a term coined by sociologist Hebert Gans describing a nostalgic relationship with Judaism that relies on a “love for and pride in a tradition that can be felt without having to be incorporated in everyday behavior” -Schlesinger said one question driving the project was: “How do we get Torah to more people and into more people’s hands?”

As an answer, The Kitchen’s crew created a Haggadah, a prototype of which Schlesinger and others successfully tested at their own seders last year.

“We reinvented and re-engineered a way of telling the Passover story, which is what the seder and Haggadah are meant to do,” he said.

The Haggadah could serve as either a supplement or a replacement, Schlesinger

Overboard

Continued from page B14 morning of the holiday because some of the tin foil had ripped the night before, causing little sections of the white Formica counter to be revealed. This was done

despite the fact that our house was completely spotless after having been thoroughly cleaned for the holiday.

The thinking was that the counter is of a porous material and would have retained some of the hametz from the year, which would contaminate our Passover food.

added.

“For a seder newbie it certainly would be an appropriate first-level, Haggadah-like experience,” he said.

As for the seder plate, its design has them reaching creatively, looking for a way to present something that is “heavy, expensive and beautiful” in a box that’s 10 by 12 by 4 inches (and also needs to contain the rest of the offerings).

Long accustomed to my table’s round seder plate, I began to picture how a new form might add difference to this night of distinctions. Would it be in the form of a hand? Would it come like a jigsaw puzzle for those seated at the table to solve?

The food items are “kosher style,” so Schlesinger acknowledges the box “is not going to be for everyone.” He also realizes its limitations. He isn’t sure, for instance, that the hope of opening the box at the seder table and “it releases magic” is a reasonable expectation, Schlesinger told me.

What is reasonable, he said, is that it will create “some inspiration.”

“What about putting an inflatable rabbi in the box?” I asked, jokingly wondering what kind of magic I needed to keep everyone’s attention at my own seder table.

Unfazed, Schlesinger, whose father is a rabbi, liked the idea -- he said it reminded him of the popular novelty known as “snakes in a can.”

Yet, I still wondered how even a brilliant new Haggadah could hold everyone’s interest -- especially that of a generation used to doing practically everything online.

Schlesinger responded that Judaism -contrary to recent attempts to project it into virtual communities -- has always been about the senses, the “tactile” experience of “touch, feel and taste.”

“What is a moment we can share?” he asked. “Not just a digital space”; how do we “recapture the experiential moment?”

Opening a box -- whether filled with objects from Hello Mazel or from our own imaginations -- might just be the way.

Edmon J. Rodman is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish life from Los Angeles.

Contact him at edmojace@ gmail.com.

We all spend exorbitant amounts of money on this eight-day holiday (only seven in Israel) to get special food that has been labeled kosher for Passover. We take spring cleaning to the next level, and then up a few more levels to make sure there is no hametz in our homes. We stockpile enough kosher for Passover food to feed an army, as if we’re planning to never return to a grocery store again or that the supply of matzah may run out.

Are our intentions misguided?

Most rabbis encourage congregants to fully embrace the strictures of Passover, and I certainly want everyone to observe the holiday with fervor and joy. But I question what can only be characterized as the intense OCDlike tenacity with which we tackle the minutiae of Passover observance.

After all, our ancestors in Europe weren’t buying kosher-for-Passover bottled water!

Rabbi Jason Miller is an educator, entrepreneur, social media expert and blogger. He is president of Access Computer Technology, a computer consulting firm based in Detroit, and is the founder-director of Kosher Michigan, a kosher certification agency.

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B16 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

Have a Happy and Healthy Passover As we prepare for Passover let us take a moment to think about our journey to freedom and those who still struggle.

May the retelling of our history bring us closer together as a people and a community as we celebrate this holiday season with loved ones and friends.

Chag Kasher v’Sameach!

The Beth El Staff, Board of Trustees and Congregation

JEWISH WAR VETERANS of AMERICA Epstein Morgan Post 260

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful Passover.

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wishes its friends in the Jewish community a Passover filled with good health, happiness and peace.

Have a Happy and Healthy Passover 333 South 132nd Street Omaha, NE 68154 402-334-6441 or 402-334-6442 www.nebraskajhs.com

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

The Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies at the University of Nebraska-Omaha wishes all our Friends and supporters a

Happy Passover

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

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

It is an obligation to tell the story.

Henry Monsky Lodge Best Wishes for a Happy Passover

B’nai B’rith

Wishing the community a Happy Pesach!

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | C1

section3 Protecting the dignity of every person AnneTTe vAn de KAMp-wrighT Editor, Jewish Press Ari Kohen is married to Sara; they are the parents of five-year-old Judah, three-year-old Talia and Micah, who is one. They are active members of Beth El, and can often be found out and about in the community attending a variety of programs. Ari was born in Detroit, but moved to Windsor, Ontario, Canada when he was very young.

His parents Belle and Jerry live in the Chicago suburbs. what was it like, growing up in Ontario?

We lived there for ten years, so for most of my elementary education, my parents drove across the border every day so I could attend the Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills, Michigan. I received a terrific education, so the drive was worth it. When I was in eighth grade, we moved back to the United States. where did you attend college?

I went to Michigan State in East Lansing, where I studied International Relations and Political Theory. what exactly do you do for a living?

I am a professor of Political Science and teach political theory at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

I am the Director of the Forsyth

teach a class on Israel every year. what does your synagogue mean to you?

Beth El gives our family a sense of community, and that is the main reason we live in Omaha, even though Lincoln would make more sense for my work. After Sara finished law school, we lived here for about two years because of her clerkship. During the summer of 2011, Rabbi Abraham arrived (Judah was about 15 months) and we met so many people, we decided almost immediately to sell our house in Lincoln. I grew up Conservative, and moving here just made more sense. There is so The Kohen family: much to do and get Back: Ari, left, Sara, Micah, front: Judah and Talia involved in for a Family Program on Human Rights young family like ours! Of course, and Humanitarian Affairs. I teach Friedel Jewish Academy came into history of political thought, but as it as well -- Day School for our chilthe Schlesinger Professor at the Har- dren is very important to Sara and ris Center for Judaic Studies, I also me, and it would have been prob-

lematic driving back and forth every day. how does Judaism figure into your daily life outside the synagogue?

It’s very central to our identity.

We keep a kosher home and spend a lot of time at the Jewish Community Center. It’s who we are. Friday night is always a special time at our house, it’s intrinsic to who we are, and that has always been the case.

Judaism is such a large part of my identity; when I was growing up, we often went to my grandparents for Shabbat. My grandparents would pick my sister Ilana and me up from school on Friday afternoon, and we’d get ready for family Shabbat. what are three things you feel passionate about?

Number one has to be family, closely followed by community and education. To be more specific about family, we have an appreciation for close family, even if not all family members live physically close. We visit as often as we can, and between my sister and her family in Detroit, my parents in Chicago, one grandmother in Detroit and another in Florida, and finally most of Sara’s family in Virginia, it’s not always easy! So, we make it a priority.

See Ari Kohen page C2

From Generation to Generation The Rose Blumkin Board, Staff and Residents wish the community a Happy and Healthy Passover

323 South 132nd Street | Omaha, NE 68154

Ari Kohen

C2 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

passover Thank you

Passover is the time when we celebrate the Exodus. Together with family and friends, we retell the story of our freedom from Egypt and express gratitude for all that it entails. It is important to take a moment and remember how unique that freedom is, especially during a time when many others aren’t so fortunate.

As a community, we are certainly blessed with all we have. Not only is Omaha home to three thriving synagogues, we have a successful Chabad House and a warm and welcoming Campus. Because of that, we can enjoy a wide variety of programs and services, from fantastic elder care at the Rose Blumkin Home to daycare and pre-school for our youngest that is among the best in the state. We’ve seen some wonderful improvements to our JCC gym; Friedel Jewish Academy continues to provide students with excellent education, and Jewish Family Service never ceases to help where it is most needed.

For almost a full century, we’ve been able to read our weekly Jewish Press, and we have a library with one of the best Jewish book collections in the country. We are fortunate to have the services of the Anti-Defamation League as well as the Institute for Holocaust Education.

At the same time, the Jewish Federation of Omaha strives to help those in need, here at home and around the world. This past year, along with all Omaha synagogues, the Jewish Federation of Omaha sent 35 Jewish teens to Israel, making a tremendous impact on their lives and ensuring that our next generation of leaders feels a real connection to Israel. In addition, we took steps to increase funding for Jewish kids attending summer camp, and we continue with our outstanding scholarship programs, ranging from pre-school to graduate school.

With your help, we reach Jews in other places who need extra assistance.

For instance, through the Joint Distribution Committee, we support Jews on every continent. Shattered lives and fractured Jewish communities in Eastern Europe receive critical assistance, and paths are created

JaY NoDDle President, JFO

for the next generation. Impoverished elderly (primarily Holocaust survivors) and children in need throughout the region benefit directly from your campaign dollars. We impact real lives of Jews in the Ukraine and Russia by providing food, medication, home care and direct financial support.

As President of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, I want to thank you for being part of our community, and I wish you and your families a very happy Pesach.

Living Well with Hearing Loss

Continued from page C1 Do you think Judaism has influenced your political opinions and ideas?

Yes, absolutely. My father’s parents were Holocaust survivors and I think my life’s direction was definitely influenced by them. My PhD was in Human Rights, and that is not a coincidence. I have always felt drawn to the idea of protecting the dignity of every person; it’s how I was raised. Tikkun Olam, caring for others, these are also political ideals -- for me, they go together quite easily.

What is your responsibility as a Jewish father?

I raise my kids to love being Jewish. They shouldn’t just “be” Jewish, they should love it. I want them to have a real sense of what that means, and fully embrace that part of their identity. It is not only important to know who you are, but you have to be actively engaged with that part of yourself. Care for others, both within and outside your immediate community. It is my responsibility to teach them that.

How about being a Jewish husband?

I don’t know if there is something distinctively Jewish about being a good husband -- I do know that Sara helps me to embrace our Jewish life. Sara was the one who prioritized making a kosher home, and she inspired me to put up a Sukkah! My grandparents always had one but my parents never did, so I’m very happy to provide that again for our kids. There is a mindfulness about keeping kosher that appeals to me as an academic, but it’s thanks to Sara that we actually implemented it in our home.

What is your favorite book?

Do I have to choose just one?

You can pick three.

Ok, my first: Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess. The second one would have to be Richard Rousseau’s Straight Man, which is a hilarious look at an academic whose life spins out of control, and finally, Alexis de Toqueville’s Democracy in America.

Is there anything that surprised you about how your son Judah is doing in Kindergarten this year?

What amazed me is how fast he picked up reading and math. We have been so impressed with his teacher, Diana Zeman. He had barely started and he was reading by himself. I’m also a little surprised by how much he loves being there -- I don’t necessarily remember that from my own school days! He absolutely loves, loves, loves going to school! His ability to transition between Hebrew and English is also impressive. Back in August of 2015, he couldn’t read or write at all, and now he is doing so in two languages.

What are you doing for Passover?

We always try to have Seder with the extended family, so this year we will be in Detroit.

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | C3

Coming in April

Torri Carnow feels at home

anneTTe van de kaMp-wrighT Editor, Jewish Press Torri Paige Carnow was born in Phoenix, AZ and grew up in nearby Paradise Valley. She’s only been in Omaha for a short time, but feels right at home. She loves to eat, volunteer, and is a member of Beth El. Can you share some info about your family?

My mom, Karen, is an artist and a retired art teacher. My father, Steve, is a businessman. I also have a sister, Marissa, who is a hair stylist and has made me the proud aunt of seven children. do you have a pet?

No pets, but I want to buy a lab or a golden doodle in the next couple of years.

Publishing Date | 04.29.16 Space Reservation | 04.20.16 Camera Ready Deadline | 04.22.16

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Jewish Federation of Lincoln Part of the United Jewish Communities Federations of North Communities America The Jewish Federations of North America and | TheThe Network of Independent

MOY KYQ EK Wishing you a joyful Passover Vi s i t u s o n l i n e at w w w. J e w i s h L i n co l n . o rg

It’s not manna from heaven, but this Passover, provide something just as crucial to the survival of the Israeli people.

Torri Carnow, right, and sister Marissa

when did you move to Omaha?

I came in October of 2015. why did you join Beth el?

I heard the community was strong and welcoming. I am happy to be a part of such a wonderful group of people! what sort of community did you find when you arrived here?

I found everyone to be very warm and welcoming. Not just the Jewish community. Even complete strangers were willing to lend me a helping hand and help me feel like I am at home. what exactly do you do for a living?

I work for Broadmoor, doing Interior Design as well as Project Management. how does Judaism impact your life?

Judaism helps me relate to people at any given time and place. I have moved around a lot and I always find myself feeling at home, once I get connected to a community. how do you, in turn, impact Jewish life?

I like to volunteer my time as much as possible. Also, I think being proud of who I am and of my roots as a Jewish woman is important. My grandmother always taught me: “Being a Jewish woman is not only a gift. It is a responsibility.” So I try as best I can to keep that in mind. what is your favorite food and why?

I love all food; it’s bad! However, my favorite food is sushi, because I like adventure, and if I can get that on a random Tuesday in the form of a roll, why not? what do you like to do during your time off?

I love spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants and bars. I like to do yoga and ballet. I also love to volunteer. what are your passover plans this year?

I am going to a family friend’s house. what is the craziest thing you have ever done?

I went swimming with sharks. Stupid, I know...! what is it that most people don’t know about you?

I am really out-going and will make friends with anyone, but deep down I am shy at times.

With Israelis enduring terrorist attacks on a daily basis, your donation to Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical services agency, saves lives by purchasing the medical supplies, ambulances, and Medicycles our 15,000 volunteer and professional EMTs and paramedics need. And, because MDA operates Israel’s only national blood bank, your donation also ensures civilians and IDF soldiers have the blood they need to survive.

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C4 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

A sense of community

AnneTTe vAn de kAMP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press Walk into Temple Israel, go straight towards the staircase to the classrooms and look down: you will find a colorful mural that was installed in 2015, thanks to artist Mike Giron, his assistant and project manager Weston Thomson, and some dedicated Temple members.

Those members include many religious school students who helped paint and who can enjoy the fruits of their labor each time they attend Hebrew school.

Hannah Goodman, daughter of Jen and Scott Goodman and older sister to Shelby, helped design the mural.

Passover Greetings

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Originally from Kansas City, Hannah moved to Omaha when she was in fourth grade. She is passionate about singing, partic-

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ipates in Temple’s choir Kol Rina with her father Scott, and has been in the cast of several musicals at the Jewish Community Center.

She likes to blog, and she has four cats.

“The mural really captures the liveliness of Temple Israel,” she said. “The Torah and Mount Sinai, along with all the prayers written on the wall give it a sense of community and Jewish identity.”

To Hannah, going to Temple means finding

Above: Mike Giron, left, Weston Thomas, Rabbi Josh Brown and Hannah Goodman. Left: Part of the mural at Temple Israel. other like-minded people and strengthens her Jewish identity.

“It also means talking about important issues,” she added.

“Since my Bat Mitzvah, I have started to look at issues more critically, and through a Jewish lens.”

The mural isn’t only there to beautify the building. It’s there to remind congregants and visitors that Judaism is alive at Temple Israel, and being passed on to the next generation.

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | C5

passover Here’s a light Passover lunch that’s good for you -- tasty, too Megan Wolf JTA

SPICE-RUBBED EGGPLANT WITH QUINOA AND CHERRIES

Even during Jewish holidays, when food is so abundant, it is possible to eat well.

My cookbook, Great Meals with Greens and Grains, highlights many of my favorite plant-based, vegetarian recipes that not only are healthy but delicious. And many of its recipes are kosher for Passover or can be easily modified by removing or substituting a single ingredient.

The following three recipes would be great when served as a light dairy lunch following a traditionally heavy seder. They are colorful, flavorful and packed with good-for-you ingredients.

Recipes excerpted from Great Meals with Greens and Grains, by Megan Wolf. Copyright 2016 Megan Wolf. Reprinted with permission from Page Street Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

2 large eggplants, halved, tops left intact For spice rub: 4 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. salt 2 tbsp. lemon juice 1/4 cup olive oil For the quinoa: 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa (certified kosher for Passover) 1 1/3 cups water 1/3 cup unsweetened dried cherries or raisins 1/3 cup chopped parsley, divided 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion (white and green parts), divided Salt to taste 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. lemon juice Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. To make the eggplant: Place the eggplant halves cut-side up on a nonstick baking sheet.

With a sharp knife, score the eggplant diagonally every 1/2 inch, then run the knife down the center of the eggplant. Be sure to only score the flesh of the eggplant; do not pierce through the skin.

To make the rub: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the spice rub. Massage the spice mixture evenly across each of the eggplant halves, being sure to rub it into the flesh. Turn the eggplants cut-side

down and roast for 45 to 50 minutes, or until very soft and cooked through.

To make the quinoa: Combine the quinoa and water in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and continue to cook until the water has evaporated and the quinoa is fluffy, 10 to 12 minutes. Mix the cooked quinoa with the cherries or raisins and set aside.

When the eggplant is cooked, add half of the parsley and half of the scallions to the quinoa, stir to combine and season to taste with salt. Top each eggplant half with equal amounts of the quinoa mixture, then top with remaining parsley and scallion, drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

KALE SALAD WITH CANDIED ALMONDS, APPLES AND MAPLE DRESSING

For the dressing: 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tbsp. maple syrup 1/4 cup lemon juice Salt to taste For the candied almonds: 1/2 cup whole raw almonds 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. maple syrup 1/2 tsp. salt For the salad: 1 bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves roughly chopped 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 4 scallions, thinly sliced 1 medium tart apple (Granny Smith, Northern Spy or Braeburn), halved, cored and thinly sliced See Kale Salad page C6

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C6 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

passover

Here’s a light Passover lunch that’s good for you BROCCOLI AND PARMESAN SOUP

2 heads broccoli 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided Salt to taste 1 cup whole milk 1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 tbsp. butter 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more for garnish 1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (or more, depending on how thick you like your soup)

utes. Heat the milk in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat -- you want to gently heat the milk so it doesn’t scald. Add the potato pieces to the milk and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Once cooked, set the potato and milk mixture aside.

In a separate skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. (15 ml) olive oil and the butter over medium heat, and cook the onion and garlic until translucent and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.

Place three-fourths of the onion mixture in a blender, and continue to cook the remaining portion until golden brown and more caramelized, another 10 to 12 minutes, then set aside for garnish.

Add the potatoes and milk, broccoli, Parmesan cheese and nutmeg to the blender or food processor with the onion; blend until combined.

Begin adding the stock until you have achieved your desired consistency, adding more if you need. Season to taste with more salt if necessary.

Divide the soup among 4 bowls, top with a spoonful of the caramelized onions, a pinch of nutmeg and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

KALE SALAD

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the bottom portion of the broccoli stalks and peel the thick outer layer with a vegetable peeler. Separate the florets from the bunch and chop the stalks so that you are using the entire broccoli. Although the stalk is a bit fibrous for a salad, it is perfectly usable for this application.

Toss the broccoli with 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and salt to taste, spread on a baking sheet and roast until soft and golden brown, about 15 to 20 min-

Happy Passover To All Our Friends & Customers

Continued from page C5 Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. To make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well incorporated, then set aside.

To make the candied almonds: In a bowl, toss the almonds with the olive oil, maple syrup and salt, spread in one flat layer on a parchmentor foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

To make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the kale, feta, scallions, apple and warm almonds, toss with the dressing and serve immediately.

Tip: If you don’t have almonds, you can use any other nuts on hand -pecans or walnuts would be delicious.

Serves 4.

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Chametz: When to peddle and when to purge?

Rabbi Gavriel Price OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinator A common method for relinquishing ownership of chametz before Pesach is to sell it, typically through an agent, to a gentile. The chametz remains in the house, in a closed-off area that has been rented to its new owner. After Pesach the agent repurchases the chametz on your behalf, at which time the rental period ends.

This option is time-honored and halachically sanctioned, but it is essentially a legal device that some people are uncomfortable employing for food that is obviously chametz and prohibited on a Biblical level, such as bread, pasta and grain-based cereals. Instead, this chametz is eaten before Pesach, burned, or otherwise destroyed.

If, however, the food is not blatantly chametz, that is, if the product is 1) safek chametz (it may or may not be chametz at all), or 2) ta’aruvot chametz (if the chametz is only a fraction of the product) and prohibited only on a rabbinic level but Biblically permitted, the food is included in the sale.

In keeping with this stringent position, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt”l advised against selling foods that are obviously chametz, but permitted the sale of ta’aruvot chametz, i.e. products that contain a minority portion of chametz blended into the rest of the product. Licorice, for example, which contains flour, can be included in a sale. Cookies ‘N’ Cream ice cream, on the other hand, where the cookies are distinguishable from the ice cream (and therefore not a real mixture), should not be included in the sale.

Another, stricter position, rules out selling any product that contains chametz unless there is less than a kezayit of chametz in the entire container (a kezayit is equivalent to the volume of a large olive). A full package of licorice would not be included in the sale, according to this approach.

Many people who avoid selling chametz products such as cookies or bread nonetheless have a family custom to include their whiskey in the sale (this is based on a lenient opinion that through the conversion of starch to alcohol the chametz status falls away).

This article originally appeared in the Orthodox Union Passover Guide 2016. All Rights Reserved. For more information check out ou.org or oupassover.org

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | C7

Matza and modesty

I am happy to bring you (in free translation) a Passover message from my friend and teacher Rabbi Lior Engelman.

According to Jewish tradition, matza symbolizes modesty. Matza does not expand beyond TEDDY its true dimensions; it WEINBERGER does not try to be big and full like the bread we eat during the rest of the year, whose bulk is great and whose appearance is impressive.

On Passover, in order for us to be unreservedly appreciative of God for choosing us from all the nations and for taking us out of Egypt, and in order for us to deepen our capacity to believe, we need to first acquire the trait of modesty. Without it, we will not be truly able to accept the yoke of heaven, and without it we will not be able to say “Dayenu” concerning all the good that God has done for us.

The difference between the proud appearance of bread and the simple form of matza is due to two factors: the presence of yeast and the absence of kneading. Adding yeast to dough causes fermentation, but the process starts on its own if you allow flour and water to stand for 18 minutes without kneading it.

Yeast and Pride: Yeast symbolizes an external influence that causes a person to swell with the illusion of greatness.

Such external influences may be found in a person’s natural gifts (e.g., in their speech or appearance), or in their high socio-economic standing, or in an academic degree, or in connections to people in power, or in the honor that comes with a certain job. Deference and applause from one’s surroundings represent yeast and cause fermentation.

These outside factors “pump” a person up, cause a person to forget himself and blind him, and his pride cries out to the heavens. On the other hand, a person who turns inward, who truly looks at himself, at what he is and what his life is, will not quickly “swell up”--he will be filled with modesty. A person’s self-awareness and knowledge of his own true worth help him avoid raising himself above others.

Modesty and Kneading: As dough rises even without yeast in the absence of kneading, so it is with the soul of a person: it can happen that the cessation of kneading leads to pride.

Kneading is a symbol of development and industry, a symbol of our working to make something better. As long as dough is kneaded there is no worry of fermentation. Such dough is “aware” that it still needs [pun intended but in English only] to work and learn, to develop and change, and it knows that it still has a mission to fulfill. But when the dough rests and it feels that it has reached its goal, then it swells and becomes proud and bloated. To feel that you have reached your destination is to be trapped by pride.

The question of questions on Passover is Mah Nishtana: What has changed? We want to clarify in what ways we have changed over the course of the previous year. We want to see if we are still kneading our dough, working on ourselves, our qualities, our relationship with God; or perhaps we will discover that a feeling of completion has set in, a feeling that causes us to stop kneading?

Passover occurs during Nissan, the first month of the Hebrew months of the year, a month that is first in renewal, first in a person demanding of himself that his whole life should be one of kneading, of diligent movement toward change and renewal. Kneading is the secret to modesty. On Passover we eat matza both to symbolize that we will not allow external factors to swell us with pride, and that we will happily knead the dough of our lives as servants of God whose toil is their happiness.

Teddy Weinberger made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Ross, and their five children. Their oldest four, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie and Ezra are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at wein ross@net vision.net.il.

High School Seniors

High School Seniors and Parents

We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 20, 2016. To be included, we need your graduation photo and the information to the right. You can also email the items to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

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Name _________________________________________________ Parent(s)’ Name(s) _________________________________________________ Current High School _________________________________________________ College you plan to attend _________________________________________________ Send by April 27 to: The Jewish Press | 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154

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C8 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

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How to make your own Passover Haggadah

by Julie Wiener MyJewishLearning via JTA Making your own Haggadah is not just a money saver, but also a great way to educate yourself about the Passover seder, add a unique twist to the festive meal and have a more meaningful and satisfying holiday.

For generations, enterprising seder leaders have been sticking Post-It notes in their favorite parts of existing Haggadahs, adding in photocopied readings, or even cutting and pasting from multiple Haggadahs and combining it all in a loose-leaf binder.

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Homemade Haggadah Credit: Susan Sermoneta/Flickr

The Internet makes the project of creating a personalized Haggadah infinitely easier -- and tidier, even if your tech and graphic design skills are minimal. Plus, you can do it with a clean conscience: Whereas the old-fashioned technique of photocopying pages from copyrighted, published Haggadahs is technically illegal, the websites we list below provide only material that is in the public domain.

While a seemingly infinite trove of Passover-related blessings, readings, songs and images are available online, don’t forget (if you are so inclined) that you can also incorporate your own (or your guests’) writing, art and family photographs into the finished product.

Many DIY Haggadahs are copied and stapled, but you can make yours more durable (and spilled wine resistant) by laminating each page or putting them in a photo album, loose-leaf binder with plastic sleeves or art portfolio.

Or, if you are reasonably tech-savvy and want to go paperless -- and your guests are OK with using electronics on Passover (when traditional prohibitions similar to the Shabbat rules apply), keep the whole text digital.

You can email a PDF, PowerPoint or other document to your guests to download on their mobile devices, or even create a password-protected website. We can’t promise no one will spill wine on your iPad, however.

Below are some resources for DIYers.

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Haggadot.com Haggadot.com is the most comprehensive and user-friendly resource for Haggadah makers -- and it’s free. After registering, you can choose from a constantly growing library of readings and images. The site guides you through the process with templates and an outline of all the steps/sections of the seder.

You can search by section, theme (i.e. social justice, history, family and education, different denominations/streams of Judaism) and media type (text, video, image). In addition to letting you search by themes (including family/kids) the site also provides templates with recommendations for family-friendly and other specific needs/themes.

You can invite friends, or even all the seder guests, to log in and participate in the Haggadah-making. When you’re done, you print it out as a PDF file and photocopy, or download to your guests’ mobile devices.

DipTwice DipTwice is not free, but it will print out a bound, official-looking book in hardcover or paperback, as opposed to something you need to staple and bind yourself. The site provides a template featuring standard Hebrew and English text (including translations and transliterations). You choose design and layout, and add your own images and other materials, or select from DipTwice’s library.

PunkTorah.org Go to “Make Your Own Haggadah for Kids” and print out this free (suggested donation of $10) downloadable PDF and have your children fill in the spaces and blanks with words and pictures. While this somewhat irreverent Haggadah was originally designed for use in Hebrew schools, it is self-explanatory and can be used anywhere.

Highlights include “The story of Passover: in comic book form” with panels where kids can put their own illustrations/comic; activities like puzzles and lyrics to original songs like Take Me Out of Mitzrayim (sung to the tune of Take Me Out to the Ballgame) and Passover Things (to the tune of My Favorite Things). (“Mitzrayim” is Hebrew for Egypt.)

Sefaria.org Sefaria, a growing online library with many major Jewish texts in Hebrew and English, offers everything from full Haggadahs to supplemental readings to sources/additional commentary. Not only can you print out these texts or cut and paste them into your Haggadah, but you can also embed them onto another website or digital document.

Each selection is hyperlinked to the full text from which it was excerpted.

Looking for something a little simpler? You can download the Haggadah text in English as a Microsoft Word document at LivelySed ers.com and add to it (or cut) as you see fit.

You also can download an array of Haggadah sections and readings free on Jewish Freeware.org.

Julie Wiener is managing editor of MyJew ishLearning.

Happy Passover!

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | C9

passover The world’s largest seder -- in Nepal -- will go on, despite slow earthquake recovery Cnaan Liphshiz JTA

When the ground started to shake beneath Rabbi Chezki Lifshitz’s feet, he was praying near a doorway at the Chabad House of Kathmandu, where he lives with his wife, Chani, and their six children.

Lifshitz, 42, an energetic redhead who was born in Israel, has served as the Chabad-Lubavitch movement’s first permanent envoy to Nepal since 2000, when he and Chani opened the Chabad House in the earthquake-prone nation’s capital. Since then he has lived in expectation of tremors.

But nothing could have prepared him for the 30 seconds of violent shaking on April 25 of last year, which was so powerful it shifted the whole of Kathmandu 10 feet southward. The city was devastated and some 9,000 people throughout the small, mountainous country were killed.

In the days following the quake, Lifshitz conducted dozens of airborne rescue operations while his wife, staff and volunteers followed a contingency plan they had spent years preparing. The plan included building a cache of supplies (food and purified water, medical supplies, gasoline for the power generators) and setting up a network of emergency service providers, such as helicopter pilots and chauffeurs, who could be counted on in times of crisis.

Last year, the Chabad House was transformed into an island of safety for hundreds of Israelis who were in the country, along with dozens of locals and tourists from around the world -- Jews and non-Jews.

Now, in a country that even before the quake was ranked as Asia’s second poorest, the Lifshitzes are preparing to kick off a massive annual production that is among the high-

lights of their mission in Nepal: a feast believed to be the world’s largest seder, which attracts some 1,500 Israeli and Jewish backpackers each year.

Rabbi Chezki Lifshitz, right, welcomes hikers to Kathmandu’s Chabad House, March 2012.

Credit: Chabad Nepal The event in Kathmandu comprises three, sometimes four, simultaneous seders -- two in Hebrew, the rest in English. Some years, as is the plans for this Passover near the end of April, the venue is the 8,000-square-foot Chabad House compound -- a heavily guarded fortress in the city’s touristic Thamel district. In other years the feast is hosted at a hotel, often the Radisson, whose kitchen is especially kosherized for the event.

Two weeks ahead of the seder, Thamel’s guesthouses fill up with many hundreds of Israelis, mostly 20-something backpackers who have recently finished their army service.

They’re drawn to Nepal in the spring, as it’s one of the best seasons for trekking in the Himalayas.

At the seder, they are joined by a diverse melange of Israelis and Jews, including middle-aged hikers on unusual honeymoons and “homesick” drifters from India and Thailand -- some on spiritual journeys, others on a different kind of trip. Sporting dreadlocks, bindis and Teva sandals, they descend on Thamel’s shops to buy the traditional Kathmandu seder uniform: white cotton shirts and loose-fitting salwar pants, though nothing stays white for long in the city’s thick smog, said Keren Singer, an Israeli participant in the 2012 seder.

An interior designer in her 30s, Singer and her architect husband, Daniel, were in Nepal on a trip around the world that year. Both nonobservant Jews, they had planned an intimate seder with four other friends -- Singer said she was looking forward to cooking and to “get away from the Israeli crowd” they had met in tourist destinations across Nepal and India.

But they went for the Chabad option “out of a desire to have a proper seder and because we didn’t have time to organize our own,” she said. Before the event, Singer joined dozens of other Israelis who each year volunteer to help prepare the event.

“Being away from home for so long brought us closer to anything reminiscent of it,” she recalled.

For the Lifshitzes, the Passover preparations are somewhat more demanding. Immediately after one seder they start fundraising for the next, as each meal costs north of $60,000. And while Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters provides much of the funding, the Lifshitzes still strive to collect as much as possible from private donors. It’s a struggle in a country lacking the kind of local philanthropists that bankroll Chabad activities elsewhere in the world.

Four months before the big night, the Lifshitzes and their helpers kick off logistical efforts that include transporting See World’s largest seder page C10

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World’s largest seder

C10 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016

passover How to choose a Passover Haggadah Julie Wiener MyJewishLearning via JTA With thousands of published Haggadahs available for purchase, choosing the one that is best for your seder can be overwhelming.

For an overview of the many possibilities, we recommend “HowIs This Haggadah Different?”

Here are some things you might want to consider when selecting a Haggadah: Cost Remember, you’ll need a copy of the Haggadah for each guest (or every two guests, if people are comfortable sharing). Unless you plan to buy one copy and then do some extensive photocopying -- we should note, that’s illegal for copyrighted publications -- you’ll have to multiply the book’s price by the number of guests.

There are also many free downloadable PDF versions online, like at mezuzahstore.com and chabad.org, or you could choose to make your own. length If your guests are expecting the traditional seder, complete with Hebrew, they might be uncomfortable with an abridged Haggadah, an LGBTQ Haggadah or one that emphasizes contemporary examples of oppression and slavery. On the other hand, if many are first-time seder-goers or lack the patience for a really long seder, something like The 30-Minute Seder or a book that relates the Exodus to modern social issues might be just the thing.

Children Since children generally don’t like sitting still at the table for long, we recommend an abbreviated or child-oriented Haggadah. There are many great children’s and “family” Haggadahs that engage adults as well as kids. Be sure to check out this list on Kveller

for the best Haggadahs for kids. For the older kids, think about acting out skits from the seder.

Technology The first two days of Passover are yom tov, days like Shabbat, when traditional Jewish observance forbids activities like writing and using electronics.

If this is not an issue for you, however, a number of Haggadahs are now available as e-books and apps, usually at lower prices than printed versions (with the added advantage that you will not need to find a place to store them after the seder). While many are just digital versions of printed Haggadahs, others incorporate multimedia features.

A free one from JewishBoston.com has music

and other materials in addition to the standard text. One on iTunes has text and music, plus interactive commentary and games.

Beauty Haggadahs come in an array of designs and styles, with art ranging from contemporary to ancient. The downside of a gorgeous tome, however, is that there’s a good chance one of your guests will spill wine all over it. (That can happen with any Haggadah, but you probably won’t mind so much if it’s inexpensive or more about function than aesthetic.)

For a beautiful (and modern) Haggadah, check out the New American Haggadah and The Bronfman Haggadah. The Syzk Haggadah, created in the 1930s, features illustrations in the style of illuminated manuscripts.

Julie Wiener is managing editor of MyJewishLearning.

Your life story lives on in your own words.

Continued from page C9 into Nepal, some 800 pounds of matzah, 2,000 kosher wine bottles and thousands of tins of fish. They also organize a schechitah, a kosher slaughter, of hundreds of fowl and some beef.

The process is always challenging in a corrupt nation with a bad transThe main hall of the Passover seder of portation Kathmandu at the nepalese capital’s radisson system, but Hotel, April 6, 2012.

Credit: Eyal Keren this year has been extra difficult because of the post-earthquake chaos, Lifshitz said.

Describing Nepal as “beautiful and uniquely spiritual,” Lifshitz also said that “misery here is enormous,” with “whole villages wiped off the map.”

While some roads are blocked because of the earthquake, others are targeted by road thieves. The combination has complicated and delayed the process of shipping this year’s Passover necessities to Nepal from neighboring India.

“We just had to begin earlier than usual,” Lifshitz said of the preparations.

In addition to readying for the event, the rabbi and his staff are helping rebuild a village that was destroyed during the earthquake.

Another hurdle is Nepal’s gas shortage -- the worst in recent history. The Lifshitzes had planned to offer a cold seder dinner -- a major downgrade from previous years -because of the lack of fuel.

However, the couple acquired enough butane to ensure warm meals. Lifshitz declined to specify how he managed it beyond saying that Chabad “still has some friends.”

With Nepal’s already poor infrastructure in shambles, the tourist traffic to Nepal last fall -- the other popular trekking season -- was significantly lower than the previous year. So the Lifshitzes expect fewer guests this seder.

But the event is on, as are the two other (and far smaller) seders being organized by the Lifshitzes in Nepal: in Pokhara, a city near the capital that is a point of departure for the famous Anapurna trail, and Manang, a trekkers’ hub at an altitude of 11,545 feet. According to the ChabadLubavitch World Headquarters, it is the world’s tallest.

“Every seder in the world has four children,” Lifshitz said in reference to a passage in the Haggadah, the text that sets forth the Passover seder, that explores four attitudes to Judaism. “In Nepal, we have seders for the fifth child: the one who’s never home for seder.”

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The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | C11

Passover isn’t Passover without it

Sybil kaplan It’s an integral part of Pesach for many people.

There is no special plate. There isn’t even a bracha over it! Can you guess this well-known part of Pesach?

It’s sponge cake.

Sponge cake comes in two types -- angel food and true sponge. Angel food cake has cream of tartar, an acid ingredient, which used to be combined with baking soda and salt to make a form of baking powder before baking powder was produced commercially.

Cream of tartar is what gives the angel food cake the pure white color, and it also creates an acid reaction in the batter.

Sponge cake has a more delicate cousin referred to as sunshine cake. Most people, however, refer to the Passover version as sponge cake.

Sponge cake is usually baked without shortening or butter or baking powder but with lots of eggs. Its lightness and texture come from careful handling and the air beaten into the eggs. Recipes with nine to 12 eggs are not uncommon.

The aim of making a sponge cake is to beat the maximum amount of air into the yolks and whites while handling them as little as possible to retain the air. Eggs should be room temperature when beaten. An electric or rotary beater gives better results than whipping by hand. Since there is no baking powder, the main rising factor is the air plus steam.

In making a sponge cake, it is important that the yolks are beaten until light and thick, and the whites must be beaten until they are stiff and glossy. Essences such as vanilla, lemon or orange rind add special flavor to a sponge cake.

The best pan for a sponge cake is a tube pan with removable rim. Thus, the central tube gives support to the batter.

In Israel, many oldtimers use a wonder pot (sir pella), about which I wrote a cookbook in the 1970s for people without an oven (and reprinted recently for those whose cookbook was lost or had fallen apart). It is basically a sponge cake pan which sits upon a coned base and then has a lid with strategic holes around its top to let out the steam. It is placed on a burner atop the stove for baking. One of the large supermarkets in Jerusalem, last pre-Pesach, carried three different sizes of wonder pots for Passover (dairy, meat and parve?) so you didn’t have to kasher your oven before the holiday.

A regular sponge cake pan should be ungreased. A preheated oven of 350 degrees is best for baking a sponge cake.

When the cake is done, the pan should be inverted to cool for about an hour and a half. Before removing the cake from the pan, the sides should be loosened with a knife. It is best not to try to cut a fresh sponge cake with a knife, Use a divider with prongs instead, and slide it back and forth gently.

Zell Schulman in Let My People Eat offers these additional tips to keep your sponge cake from falling: have the eggs at room temperature and use only large eggs; don’t add sugar until the egg whites begin to hold small, soft peaks; beat the egg whites until good and stiff but not dry; and never make a sponge cake on a wet day!

Here are three different kinds of sponge cake.

See passover isn’t passover page C13

Orange glazed Sabra SpOnge Cake

1/2 cup unsalted pareve margarine or 1/4 cup +2 tbsp. oil 2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. orange rind 2 tbsp. Sabra liqueur 3 separated eggs 2 tbsp. sugar 1/2 cup potato starch 3 tbsp. Sabra liqueur 1 tbsp. orange juice 4 tsp. orange rind Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl, cream margarine or oil and sugar. Add 1 tsp. orange rind, 2 tbsp. Sabra and egg yolks and blend.

In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, gradually adding 2 tbsp. sugar.

Add to creamed mixture gently, then stir in potato starch.

Pour into greased tube pan. Bake in 325 degree F. oven 45 minutes to one hour. Let cool for at least an hour then gently remove to a plate.

Meantime, in a bowl, combine orange juice, 3 tbsp. Sabra liqueur and 4 tsp. orange rind. While cake is still hot, punch holes around cake with a toothpick and pour glaze over it.

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I celebrate Passover because my parents couldn’t Olga ChernOv-gitin Kveller via JTA My son is 4 1/2, a delightful age when he is still full of sometimes grammatically incorrect sentences that provide a glimpse into the magical and unique way that children see the world. In everything, my husband and I look for teaching moments. Our policy is to tell the truth, even if we need to simplify it a little bit.

Like most first-generation Americans, he hears the words “When I was little...” from us a lot. It’s followed by a comparison of how different his American childhood is from our Soviet childhoods: everything from toys and food, to freedom of religion and celebrating diversity.

Once, we went to our local Chabad for a model matzah baking. At the end, the kids received real shmurah matzah, and the rabbi even mentioned to us that it comes from Dnepropetrovsk, in Ukraine. (When I was little, there were no matzah bakeries in Dnepropetrovsk.)

That morning, as I was getting my tortilla out of the fridge, I mentioned to Will that once Passover starts, I won’t be eating any tortillas; and we giggled about the difficulty of spreading peanut butter and jelly on matzah without breaking it.

Somewhat thoughtfully, Will remarked: “You’ll probably be really sick of matzah by the end of Pesach! Aaaaaand, you can’t have pancakes!”

Even though I was already risking being late for work, I decided that the moment was right to share my thoughts on Passover with my son since he had brought it up.

“You know what? You’re right, by the end, I do miss real bread,” I said. “But you know what else? I’m really happy when I eat matzah. It reminds me that I’m free to eat it and free to celebrate Pesach. Did you know that when I was little, we weren’t allowed to?”

Aha! I saw the spark of interest in his eyes; my cue to continue.

“When I was little, and even when Grandma Yana was little, we weren’t allowed to celebrate Pesach and eat matzah,” I said. “In the Soviet Union, the government didn’t want Jews to celebrate their holidays. We couldn’t go to the library and learn to make matzah.

And Jews couldn’t even speak Yiddish in public. Can you imagine what it would be like if

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Confused surprise flashed across my son’s face.

“Is that why everyone only remembers some words in Yiddish but not all?” he asked. “And is that why you want me to speak Russian? So I don’t forget it like they forgot Yiddish?”

Bingo! A connection had been made. It was imperfect, but I’ll take it.

I came back to eating matzah. Yes, I miss hametz by about Day 5. But the truth is, Passover is one of my favorite holidays precisely because it celebrates freedom. Freedom of my Jewish people from slavery, freedom of refugees/Americans by choice like us to be Jewish, and most recently, freedom of self-de-

Credit: iStock termination for Jews in Ukraine, who joined Ukrainians of all backgrounds to proclaim that they, too, want to live free of corruption and outside political influence.

My son is the new generation that will not know political oppression and religious suppression. He is the pure generation that hears about things so unthinkable to him that he probably assumes we exaggerate. Watching him grow up free and teaching him what it means to be Jewish is an honor and a joy. It is something I do openly, buying Jewish books in Barnes & Noble and celebrating holidays in public spaces.

These are such simple things, yet so unthinkable for my parents and grandparents.

They managed to pass on what little they knew out of sight and with some apprehension. I eat matzah for them, to be reminded that Jewish freedom comes with a heavy price. But in today’s America, passing on the significance of that freedom is both my luxury and my responsibility.

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Passover isn’t Passover

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | C13

passover

Pan dI SPagna

This recipe comes from The Classic Cuisine of the Italian Jews by Edda Servi Machlin.

Pan di Spagna (bread of Spain) is also called Pasta Reale and was made in the matzah bakery with the same flour that was used for matzot.

6 eggs, separated 1/8 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 cup Passover cake meal 1/4 cup potato starch freshly grated rind of 1 large lemon Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with salt until soft peaks form.

In a larger bowl, place egg yolks, sugar and orange juice and beat until frothy and lemon colored.

Combine the cake meal with potato starch and gradually add to the egg yolk mixture, beating until the batter is smooth. Add the lemon rind and fold in the egg whites.

Pour into an ungreased sponge cake pan with removable bottom and bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for one hour. Remove from, oven and invert over a wire rack to cool before unmolding.

Shmura matzah for Passover: The real reason it’s so expensive

mIrIam’S Banana Cake

This is from one of my close friends in Overland Park, Kansas, who is a really creative cook and is now 88 years old.

7 eggs, separated 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup mashed bananas 3/4 cup potato starch 1 cup sugar 1 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, then refrigerate.

In another bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add sugar and salt, beating continually.

Fold in bananas and potato starch. Fold in egg whites then nuts. Turn into an ungreased tube pan and bake in 350 degree F. oven 45-50 minutes.

Invert pan to cool.

A World of Fashion

Passover Greetings

UrIel HeIlman counts for its high price: anywhere from $20 NEW YORK | JTA to $60 for a single pound.

It costs more per pound than filet “The amount of hours of labor going into mignon. It might be burnt or taste this between me and my staff is incomparalike cardboard. It’s so delicate it ble,” said Yisroel Bass, who runs a farm in often breaks in the box, render- Goshen, New York, that produces organiing it unfit for Passover ritual cally grown shmura matzah ($34 per pound use.

Yet every year, Jews from Brooklyn to Bnei Brak line up to fork over their hardearned money to buy boxes and boxes of the stuff.

This isn’t your regular box of Streit’s matzah. We’re talking, of course, about handmade shmura matzah: the artisanal, disc-shaped matzahs considered extra special because the ingrediIt takes about 20 seconds in a 1,300-degree, coal-and-wood-fired ents are “guarded” against oven to bake shmurah matzah to perfection. leavening, or chametz, not Credit: Uriel Heilman just from the time the wheat is ground into flour, but from before the for regular shmura, $37 for spelt). wheat is even harvested. “Shmura” is He“Renting out a bakery costs a lot of brew for guarded. money -- the space and the staff. Equipment The extra level of scrutiny -- and the breaks every year. Every farm has its exlabor-intensive process required to make penses, and organic farms end up having See Shmura matzah page C15 handcrafted matzah -- is largely what ac-

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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 may 13, at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker to be announced. Oneg to follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nail Israel!

Larry Blass will officiate at the Speaker Series Services.

For information on our historic synagogue, or to arrange a visit, please contact any of our board members: Mark Eveloff, Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf. Tribute cards for any occasion are available.

Contact Sissy at 311 Oakridge Ct., Bellevue, NE 68005 or 402.292.8062.

beTh el synagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. friday: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. saTurday: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10 a.m.; Shabbat’s Cool (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m. followed by lunch; Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:45 p.m. weekday serviCes: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. sunday: BESTT Classes, 9:45 a.m.; BESTT Kevah (Grades 1-2), 9:45 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Learn to Read Hebrew with the Hazzan, 10 a.m.; Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class, 11 a.m.

Tuesday: Lunch & Learn with Eliad Eliyahu, “The Real Reality -- Israel’s Diversity, noon. wednesday: BESTT Seder, 4:15 p.m.; USY & Kadima Elections, 5:30 p.m.; Minyan & More, 6:15 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham.

Thursday: USY Chocolate Seder, 6 p.m.

Community Second Seder, saturday, april 23, 6:30 p.m.

All Beth El classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.

beTh israel synagogue

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. friday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha-Ma’ariv & Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 7:47 p.m.; Friday Night Shabbat Ha-Gadol Dinner, 8 p.m. Adult - $12; children, ages 4-12 - $6; Ages 3 and under are free. Menu: Challah, Soup, Baked Chicken, potatoes, vegetable and dessert. saTurday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Parade and Kids Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Shabbat Simcha Kiddush and Biur Chametz Lunch; Insights in the Weekly Torah Portion, 6:45 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:50 p.m. sunday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels and Beit Medrash, 9:45 a.m.; Caffe Ivrit, 2:30 p.m.; Shavua Tov Israel-Pre-Pesach Edition, 5 p.m.; Pathway through the Haggadah, 5 p.m.;

baT miTzvah

sydney kully

Sydney Kully, daughter of Denese and Tim Kully, will become a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, April 16, at Temple Israel.

Sydney is a seventh-grade student at Westside Middle School.

Her interests include volleyball, basketball, swimming, soccer, music, drawing and being outside.

For her mitzvah project, Sydney is volunteering at Omaha shelters and heading a clothing/ food drive.

She has a sister, Madison, and a brother, Cameron.

Grandparents are Leslie Kully, and Sophie and Larry Nicholson.

To submiT b’nai miTzvah announCemenTs

Announcements should be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewish omaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 two weeks in advance of the B’nai Mitzvah.

Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, by e-mailing the editor at: avande kamp@jewishomaha.org or online at: www.jewish omaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press.’

Paysies’s Perfectly Prepared Pre-Pesach Pasta Dinner, 6 p.m.

Please RSVP to the office. weekdays: Shacharit, 7 a.m.

Thursday: Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m.; Scholar’s Club for 6th Grade, 3:30 p.m.; Avot U-Banim, 7 p.m.; Talmud Learning, 8 p.m.; Search for Chametz, 8:55 p.m.

Seder Introduction, saturday, april 23, 7:45 p.m. and Seder/Havdalah, saturday, april 23, 8:58 p.m.

Chabad house

Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. friday: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m saTurday: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m. sunday: Minyan, 8:30 a.m. weekdays: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m.

Tuesday: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office. wednesday: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. In memory of Forrest Krutter -- Efrayim Menachem Ben Avraham Yitzchak.

Thursday: Women’s Study at UNMC with Shani Katzman, noon. RSVP by emailing Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@ unmc.edu.

First Seder, friday, april 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Second Seder, saturday, april 23 at 7:30 p.m.

All events and programs are open to the entire community.

For more information or to register call 330.1800 or visit our website http://www.ochabad.com.

CongregaTion b’nai Jeshurun

Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. friday: Pre-neg, 6 p.m. hosted by Marc Shkolnick; Friday Night Live Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. Guests: confirmation and groups from Arapahoe 1st United Methodist Churches of Geneva and nearby communities. saTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Metzora; Game Night and Potluck, 6 p.m. All ages welcome! sunday: LJCS Class Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.noon at Tifereth Israel; Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Temple Friends and Gardeners: Bob Bleicher, Temple Member and owner of Eagle Nurseries has generously offered to donate mulch for our SST gardens, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (or as soon as we are done) We will spread the mulch and finish cleanup, and do a little planting and tree pruning for Spring. We need your help (and the help of any teens, grandkids, friends, neighbors you know) to spread the mulch…so spread the word! Please, email Ellin Siegel at ellin7@aol.com to let us know if you can join us and if you can bring others to help make this an easy process. If you have them, bring wheel barrows, rakes, brooms, and/or blowers for cleanup, and tree pruners, lopping shears or secateurs.

Tuesday: Ladies Lunch Group, noon at Wilderness Ridge Lodge, 1800 Wilderness Woods Place. wednesday: LJCS classes grades 3-7, 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. adulT eduCaTion Tuesday: Intro to Judaism, 6:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Lewis.

Annual Community Second Night Seder, saturday, april 23, 6 p.m. Please RSVP by Monday, April 18! Late RSVP’s are not guaranteed food. RSVP to 402.435.8004 or to office@ southstreettemple.org. The cost is: Adults (13 and up) = $18, Children (ages 5 – 12) = $9, Children 4 and under = Free and Full Time College Students = Free.

Lincoln Jewish Community School CAMP ISRAEL, July 11– July 22, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Kosher lunch and snack provided. LJCS enrolled students entering Kindergarten through 7th grade are eligible to attend Camp Israel. Those in 8th grade and up can participate as Counselors in Training. Contact Andrea Halpern or Tracy Gordon if you are interested!

offuTT air forCe base

friday: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.

rose blumkin Jewish home

friday: Chef’s Demo, 1:30 p.m., with Beth Israel. saTurday: Services, 9 a.m. led by Marty Shukert.

Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the commu-

nity are invited to attend.

Temple israel

friday: Shabbat Evening Services with Scholar-in-Residence Danny Maseng and Kol Rina, 6 p.m. Born in Israel to American parents, Danny first came to the United States to star on Broadway in Only Fools Are Sad. A playwright, actor, singer and composer, Danny has served as Evaluator of New American Plays/Opera-Musical Theater for the National Endowment for the Arts, as the Director of the Spielberg Fellowships for the FJC, as Spiritual Leader of URJ congregation Agudas Achim in New York and as Cantor of Temple Israel of Hollywood in California. Danny is most excited to now be the Chazzan and Spiritual Leader of Makom Los Angeles, a new, dynamic, post-denominational Jewish Community. saTurday: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. sydney kully, daughter of Denese and Timothy Kully; Community Concert with Scholar-in-Residence Danny Maseng, 7:30 p.m. Open to the public. Free of charge.

Dessert reception to follow. sunday: Temple Israel Blood Drive, 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, please contact Temple Israel, 402.556.6536, or visit the American Red Cross website, sponsor code: TempleIsrael; Grades K-6, 10 a.m.; Through Poetry & Music with Scholar-in-Residence Danny Maseng, 10 a.m. Adult education class open to the public; More Than A Joke: A Jew, A Christian, and a Muslim Walk Into A Pub, 5 p.m. with Tri-Faith Initiative leaders Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, Rev. Dr. Eric Elnes, Dr. Syed Mohiuddin and others at Sean O”Casey’s Irish Pub, 2523 S 140 Avenue.

Tuesday: Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m. wednesday: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; Chapel for School, 4:30 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6 p.m.; Confirmation Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m.; Israel through the Eyes of the Shalom Hartman Institute, 6:30 p.m. with Scott Littky.

Thursday: The Writings of Maimonides, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel.

Passover Family Seder: Let Us Make the Seder for You!, 5:30 p.m. Reservations are a must! Please contact the Temple Israel office, 402.556.6536 or rsvp@templeisraelomaha. com, to reserve your seats. Cost of the dinner is: $25 for adults, $12 for children ages 6-12, and no charge for children ages five and under.

Conversation on Senior Rabbinic Search, wednesday, april 27, 6:30 p.m. Please join us at Temple Israel for a community conversation to share your voice. Desserts and drinks will be served, we hope you are able to join us.

TifereTh israel

Services conducted by Nancy Coren, Lay Leader. Office hours: monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. friday: Services, 6:30 p.m. saTurday: Morning service, 10 a.m. Please note there will be no Kiddush Lunch following services as the kitchen is closed for Passover. sunday: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel.

Tuesday: Ladies Lunch Group, noon at Wilderness Ridge Lodge, 1800 Wilderness Woods Place. Plesae contact Deborah Swearingen with any questions. wednesday: LJCS classes grades 3-7, 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

Thursday: The synagogue office will be closed in preparation of Pesach.

The synagogue office will be closed in preparation of Pesach on friday, april 22-sunday april 24.

LJCS Summer Camp Israel, July 11-July 22, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Kosher lunch and snack provided. Cost is $75 per week, per child. LJCS enrolled students entering Kindergarten through 7th grade are eligible to attend Camp Israel. Contact Andrea Halpern or Tracy Gordon if you are interested!

Join us for a Communal Seder at Tifereth Israel with two options to chose from on friday evening, april 22, 6:30 p.m. for A Passover Seder for all ages or on saturday evening, april 23, 6:15 p.m. for An Experiential Seder geared for extended families with children ages 0-13. Reserve a Place Now for yourself and your family! This event is free to all but donations to help defray expenses may be contributed to the Layleader Discretionary Fund. RSVP to the office at 402.423.8569 or or e-mail ncoren@ tiferethisraellincoln.org to say you are coming.

The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016 | C15

passover Shmura matzah

Continued from page C13 more overhead. We can’t buy the synthetic fertilizer; we have manure,” Bass told JTA. “And God forbid I have a bad year and the rabbi comes and says the wheat is no good, I just spent a whole lot of time and money on a product nobody wants. The cost has to reflect that.”

Despite its price -- and, some say, its taste -- there’s a thriving market for handmade shmura matzah (there’s also machine-made shmura, which is cheaper and usually square but more strictly scrutinized than regular matzah).

Many observant Jews won’t use anything other than handmade shmura matzah on their seder table. Some won’t eat non-shmura anytime during Passover. The same Jews who light expensive olive oil menorahs on Hanukkah rather than wax candles, or buy premium etrogs for Sukkot will lay out extra cash before Passover to buy handmade shmura matzah. (The practice of going above and beyond is known as “hiddur mitzvah,” beautifying the commandment.)

“For the consumer, it is an opportunity to purchase the only sacred food that we have today in our faith,” said Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld of Ohev Sholom synagogue in Washington, D.C. “It is a bargain. Buy less brisket and more shmura matzah.”

Mitchell Weitzman, a lawyer from Baltimore, says shmura matzah has sentimental value.

“There is just a sense of authenticity about having shmura matzah on the table,” Weitzman said. “It’s a feeling more than anything else -- certainly more than serving up Passover-style Fruit Loops the next morning.”

Others say they like the taste and eat it year round, stocking up right after Passover when the price drops dramati-

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cally owing to reduced demand.

“I keep a box of shmura matzah in the trunk of my car,” said Tali Aronsky, a public relations doyenne who lives in Israel. “Keeps crispy in all weather and great in a pinch.”

Religious Jews consider shmura matzah baked after midday on the day before Passover -- known as “matzot mizvah” -- as especially meritorious to eat, and the matzah is priced accordingly. At the Satmar Bakery in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, a pound of the Passover evebaked stuff retails for $60. The line of customers at the Rutledge Street store usually snakes around the block.

The Satmar Bakery employs a number of stringencies rare even in the world of shmura matzah. It harvests its wheat in Arizona, where the dry climate helps guard against accidental leavening (moisture precipitates leavening).

Matzah farmers in the Northeast typically harvest their wheat crop in May or June -- around the Shavuot holiday (also called Hag Habikurim, which means Festival of the First Fruits). The wheat is plucked after the kernels start to harden but before they sprout new shoots. Kosher supervisors monitor the grain even as it’s growing to make sure the wheat isn’t sprouting.

From the time it is picked until being milled months later, the wheat must be guarded and stored in a climate-controlled environment. Too moist, it could become chametz.

Too dry, it will fail to bake properly. At the Yiddish Farm in upstate New York, Bass says he uses fans and computer monitoring to bring the moisture level down to the desired 11-12 percent level.

After the wheat is milled into flour -- also under close supervision -- the baking process may begin.

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Advertiser Page Nebraska Press Statewide Classifieds .................... C15 Nelson Murphy ................................................... B15 Newman Family .................................................. C4 Noddle Companies .............................................. A10 Nogg Coaching - Annie Nogg ................................ B12 NOVA Fitness Equipment ..................................... B10 Olsen Home Care - Rena Olsen .............................. A6 Omaha Steaks ..................................................... B7 Omaha Surgical Center ......................................... C4 Omaha Temple Youth Group ................................ A16 Omaha TransVideo ............................................... C8 One Pacific Place-Broadmoor ............................... B14 On-Q Marketing LLC ............................................. C4 Parsow’s ............................................................ C13 Paul Gerber Auto Sales ........................................ A13 Personal Threads Boutique .................................... A3 Pulverente Monument Co. ................................... C12 Rehab Visions ...................................................... B7 Remington Heights .............................................. C5 Ricks Family ........................................................ C2 Rose Blumkin Jewish Home .................................. C1 Rotella’s Italian Bakery ......................................... B2 St. Joseph Villa ................................................... A11 Salt Skin and Lung Therapy & Spa ......................... B8 Schwalb Realty ................................................... C6 Security Equipment, Inc. ...................................... C12 Sol’s Jewelry & Loan ........................................... B4 Sonny Gerber Auto Sales ...................................... C5 Star Deli ............................................................. B5 State Farm Insurance - Tom Kaspar ...................... B12 Sick & Stone Brick Oven Bakery ........................... C11 Stothert, Mayor Jean .......................................... A12 Suburban Newspapers Inc. ................................... A6 Swartzbaugh Farber ............................................. A6 Temple Israel ...................................................... B16 Thomas Pet Sitting .............................................. A9 Tifereth Israel Synagogue .................................... B10 TipToes Nail Salon ............................................... C4 Total Wellness .................................................... C13 Tritz Plumbing ..................................................... B2 United Insurance Group ........................................ B8 van de Kamp-Wright Family .................................. C8 Vann Realty ........................................................ A6 Wiesman Development ......................................... C8 Zio’s Pizzeria ....................................................... C13

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C16 | The Jewish Press | April 15, 2016