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Margie Gutnik
President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Howard Kutler Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Sam Kricsfeld
support Mary Bachteler Accounting Jewish Press Board Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Helen Epstein; Andrea Erlich; Seth Feldman; David Finkelstein; Ally Freeman; Mary Sue Grossman; Chuck Lucoff; Suzy Sheldon; Joseph Pinson and Larry Ring. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Press Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors,
What does Israel mean to us? It’s the underlying theme of this edition of the Jewish Press, and it’s ended up a bit of a smorgasbord of stories about this tiny country we all love so much.
Someone recently told me: “Not a day goes by when I don’t think about my trip. I carry it with me.” The trip in question was a Partnership2Gether mission to Israel. It’s an experience many of us have, whether it’s our first and only journey to Israel, or we’ve gone dozens of times; whether it’s a Partnership or teen trip, whether we go for a week or live there for years. It stays with us, always. Maybe more so nowadays, when we are collectively dealing with the October 7 trauma.
It can be a tricky thing to explain this relationship to those in the non-Jewish community who feel no particular love for Israel. Sometimes it’s explained as dual loyalty, or a certain type of fanaticism. We can add ‘colonialism’ to that list. Those who despise Israel because they don’t understand will always come up with ugly ways to describe her. To us, though, it’s clear: Israel is home. We understand that the concept of ‘home’ is much more than physical.
With the Pesach holiday looming, it’s hard to not draw a parallel. While we once again remember our release from slavery, a good number of Israeli hostages are still trapped by Hamas. We cannot possibly understand the story of the Exodus as history. It is now, today, and in addition to a place for Elijah, we anticipate other empty seats at the Seder table.
What does Israel mean to us? It means family, friends, personal memories for those of us who’ve been there. Favorite trips, things we learned about the land, the people, the history. The amazing food and the inspiring art. The Kotel, and the feeling of being there on a late Friday afternoon, the anticipation of Shabbat in Jerusalem. The reminders that not everyone in Israel is religious—and yet it’s so, so quiet on Saturday.
What does Israel mean to us? It means explaining to nonJews why we are not afraid to go there, even when the rockets fly. It means having a ridiculous number of Hamsas on our kitchen wall—and we can remember where we got every single one. It means scrounging supermarket shelves for ‘made in Israel’ and telling everyone on social media where to shop when we find it. It means Shakshuka on days we don’t feel like cooking a complicated meal. It means music, sounds, desert heat and bragging rights for taking the snake path up to Masada. And sometimes, it means losing friends because the arguments about Israel just run too deep.
The stories in this issue aren’t extremely organized-we cast a wide net and tried to find a balance between having local voices and stories about the situation in Israel right now. Of course, working ahead, that means we can’t predict what happens in real time—and who knows what the world will look like by the time you read this. It’s always a challenge, but probably more so now because this war—and the world’s response to it—remain extremely fluid. Still, I think we have collected interesting voices and materials; hopefully it reminds you of your own experience, and if you have yet to visit Israel, I hope this will inspire you to make that a reality.
Each year, at the end of the seder, we tell each other: ‘Next Year in Jerusalem.’
Let’s all pray for that to come true.
Chag Pesach Kasher v’Sameach, ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
retz-Israel [(Hebrew) - the Land of Israel] was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.
After being forcibly exiled from their land, the people kept faith with it throughout their Dispersion and never ceased to pray and hope for their return to it and for the restoration in it of their political freedom.
Impelled by this historic and traditional attachment, Jews strove in every successive generation to re-establish themselves in their ancient homeland. In recent decades they returned in their masses. Pioneers, ma’pilim [(Hebrew) - immigrants coming to Eretz-Israel in defiance of restrictive legislation] and defenders, they made deserts bloom, revived the Hebrew language, built villages and towns, and created a thriving community controlling its own economy and culture, loving peace but knowing how to defend itself, bringing the blessings of progress to all the country’s inhabitants, and aspiring towards independent nationhood.
In the year 5657 (1897), at the summons of the spiritual father of the Jewish State, Theodore Herzl, the First Zionist Congress convened and proclaimed the right of the Jewish people to national rebirth in its own country.
This right was recognized in the Balfour Declaration of the 2nd November, 1917, and re-affirmed in the Mandate of the League of Nations which, in particular, gave international sanction to the historic connection between the Jewish people and Eretz-Israel and to the right of the Jewish people to rebuild its National Home.
The catastrophe which recently befell the Jewish people - the massacre of millions of Jews in Europe - was another clear demonstration of the urgency of solving the problem of its homelessness by re-establishing in Eretz-Israel the Jewish State, which would open the gates of the homeland wide to every Jew and confer upon the Jewish people the status of a fully privileged member of the comity of nations.
Survivors of the Nazi holocaust in Europe, as well as Jews from other parts of the world, continued to migrate to Eretz-Israel, undaunted by difficulties, restrictions and dangers, and never ceased to assert their right to a life of dignity, freedom and honest toil in their national homeland.
In the Second World War, the Jewish community of this country contributed its full share to the struggle of the freedom- and peace-loving nations against the forces of Nazi wickedness and, by the blood of its soldiers and its war effort, gained the right to be reckoned among the peoples who founded the United Nations.
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On the 29th November, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a Jewish State in Eretz-Israel; the General Assembly required the inhabitants of Eretz-Israel to take such steps as were necessary on their part for the implementation of that resolution. This recognition by the United Nations of the right of the Jewish people to establish their State is irrevocable.
This right is the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State.
Accordingly we, members of the People’s Council, representatives of the Jewish community of Eretz-Israel and of the Zionist movement, are here assembled on the day of the termination of the British mandate mandate over Eretz-Israel and, by virtue of our natural and historic right and on the strength of the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, hereby declare the establishment
See Israel’s Declaration of Independence page A4
Continued from page A3 of a Jewish State in Eretz-Israel, to be known as The State of Israel.
We declare that, with effect from the moment of the termination of the Mandate being tonight, the eve of Sabbath, the 6th Iyar, 5708 (15th May, 1948), until the establishment of the elected, regular authorities of the State in accordance with the Constitution which shall be adopted by the Elected Constituent Assembly not later than the 1st October 1948, the People’s Council shall act as a Provisional Council of State, and its executive organ, the People’s Administration, shall be the Provisional Government of the Jewish State, to be called “Israel”.
November, 1947, and will take steps to bring about the economic union of the whole of Eretz-Israel.
We appeal to the United Nations to assist the Jewish people in the building-up of its State and to receive the State of Israel into the comity of nations.
We appeal - in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months - to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions.
CLAIRE AND PIERRE FLATOWICZ
Israel is the Home of our forefathers—it is the heart and soul of the Jewish people. Israel provides us ties to Jews worldwide.
The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
The State of Israel is prepared to cooperate with the agencies and representatives of the United Nations in implementing the resolution of the General Assembly of the 29th
We extend our hand to all neighboring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighborliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land. The State of Israel is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the advancement of the entire Middle East.
We appeal to the Jewish people throughout the Diaspora to rally round the Jews of Eretz-Israel in the tasks of immigration and upbuilding and to stand by them in the great struggle for the realization of the age-old dream - the redemption of Israel. Placing our trust in the “Rock of Israel,” we affix our signatures to this proclaimation at this session of the Provincial Council of State, on the soil of the homeland, in the city of TelAviv, on this Sabbath eve, the 5th day of Iyar, 5708 (14th May,1948).
The events of Oct. 7 have filled us with anger and bitterness. We are upset that there has not been more understanding and sympathy towards Israel. There has been more support for those in Gaza. Although we feel badly for the citizens of Gaza who have to go without food and healthcare, we cannot understand the lack of support worldwide for Israelis, whose country’s existence is at stake.
We both have relatives in Israel. Claire’s uncle Menachem emigrated from Germany in 1940 to escape the Nazis. He changed his name from Ernst Rosenthal to Menachem Raviv. Menachem was Claire’s mother’s older brother. He married Nava, and they had three children: Jocheved (Jochi), Ehud and Osnat. Menachem and Nava spent their entire married life in Kibbutz Hazorea, which was established in 1936 by German Jews.
Pierre has a second cousin, Esther, who lives in Jerusalem. Esther made Aliyah when she was 21 and met her husband in Israel. They live in a rather small apartment, where they See What Israel means to us page A6
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
As a community, we stand with Israel. Our children go on teen trips and birthright, they learn about Israel in our synagogues and summer camps, we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut. We take family vacations and welcome exchange programs, we pay extra attention when Israel makes the news. More than ever, we have to ask the question of what Israel, the land and its people, mean to us. Below are some answers from members of our community.
TIPPI DENENBERGWhat does Israel mean to you?
Sanity, security, safety.
How has 10/7 affected you? It removed the veil of delusion from my eyes regarding my belief in my “progressive” friends/world and the immutability of Jewish belonging in America. To be more succinct, it crushed my soul and continues to do so daily. Do you have family in Israel?
No. Close friends though.
What is your favorite memory of the country and/or the people?
So many! Just the general vibe. The dignity of the people. My most lasting memory is of the zest for life of the populace in general. There is no dullness in people there.
What are your hopes/aspirations for the future of Israel?
Success in every way.
LISA COOPER
How has 10/7 affected you?
We were out of town, visiting family that weekend. My aunt mentioned something about an attack in Israel, and it didn’t really register until the next day when we started seeing and hearing more about the sheer horror of what had happened. As time progressed, I was caught in this juxtaposition as a Jew in America of enjoying a beautiful fall weekend with my family, free to do whatever we please, and our fellow Jews in Israel living through the absolute worst experience of their lives. That Friday night, Rabbi Abraham held a session
after services to talk about what was going on, how to process what was happening, and what to do now. What stuck with me was him saying that you will find yourself agreeing with people you have NEVER agreed with on any issue in your life and you will find yourself at odds with people you thought were your allies. I go back to that line almost daily when I see and hear things that I never imagined happening in my lifetime. Do you have family in Israel?
Distant family
What is your favorite memory of the country and/or the people?
I have been to Israel twice, once as a 17-year-old who was ready for a formative life experience and then again five years ago as a wife, mother, and Jewish communal professional. The trips were very different in their purpose, yet I came away both times feeling proud to be Jewish. As a Friedel family, we are fortunate to have such a strong connection to Israel through our teachers. The images of Rabbi Dreyer, Rabbi Nachman, and Rabbi Abramovitch, three men we know as gentle teachers, with machine guns strapped to their backs, ready to battle, made me very emotional. I think of them and their families often.
What are your hopes/aspirations for the future of Israel?
I hope that Israel can continue to exist. I know that there are a lot of opinions about how that can happen, and a lot of big feelings (to use a phrase we use a lot at the ELC) about how it should happen.
Do you have photos of yourself in Israel you can share, or a photo you took there that is meaningful to you?
On my second trip to Israel I visited the Path to Peace Wall. The wall is a mural that is placed upon the border wall that divides the Gaza Strip and Israel, adjacent to the homes of Moshav Netiv HaAsara. Visitors choose a mosaic piece, write a message on the back, and then apply their piece to the wall, creating a beautiful symbol of peace in a very divided area. Following Oct. 7, that area is no longer safe and all residents have
been evacuated.
LISA LUCOFFWhat does Israel mean to you?
Israel means home. Lately it has become the only place where Jewish people are welcome.
How has 10/7 affected you?
Our lives became numb on 10/7. It took our family a good couple of months to wrap our heads around what happened as it’s still surreal. It makes us talk about anti-semitism more in our home and the importance of our faith.
Do you have family in Israel?
We don’t have immediate family in Israel, but we’re all related somehow. What is your favorite memory of the country and/or the people?
I have been lucky to travel to Israel on three different occasions at very different stages of my life. Each visit I brought home sacred memories. One of my favorite memories is when I went on a JFO Mission in 2005 where I went with my Dad, Norm Sheldon. The main trip was over and we extended by a couple of days. Jan Goldstein coordinated the group to go to the old airport and witness planes full of Ethopian Jews land in Israel for the first time. I will never forget this experience. These fellow Jews embarked off the plane and immediatlely kissed the ground. They were so happy to be in Israel where they could practice Judaism freely.
What are your hopes/aspirations for the future of Israel?
I pray israel exists where I can visit again and my two girls can visit several times. I pray the People of Israel can feel safe once again. I hope they can get their Government figured out.
SAM KRICSFELD
What does Israel mean to you?
To me, Israel (the land) is a physical, unbroken connection to our ancestors thousands of years before us, and Israel (the country) is the realization of the dream of the Jewish people for thousands of years and the greatest achievement in modern Jewish history.
See What does Israel mean to you? page A6
Continued from page A5
How has 10/7 affected you?
www.omahacompound.com
Professionally, as someone working for a Jewish organization, Oct. 7 has shifted nearly every aspect of my life — goals, initiatives, emotions and behaviors are all significantly altered, and the constant onslaught of news only adds to that. Personally, with family and one of my best friends living there, it serves as a reminder that not everything is always as stable as it should be, and that we as Jews unfortunately need to be on edge. Do you have family in Israel?
Yes
What is your favorite memory of the country and/or the people?
My favorite memory is from walking through the Western Wall Tunnels, when the amount of history and struggle our people went through for thousands of years really struck me. The fact that this is the closest Jews can get to where the Temple was is quite powerful.
What are your hopes/aspirations for the future of Israel?
My hope for Israel is the safety and security of its people and itself as a country. When this war ends and the Israeli government gets through its ongoing issues, I imagine a very bright future with innovation, discoveries, reduction of religious divides and ease of travel. See What does Israel mean to you? page A7
Continued from page A4
have raised 11 children. When we met with her in Israel, she told us she expects to have around 125 grandchildren. She was the head of the La Leche League in Israel at the time. With her busy life and all her children, she needs two separate phone lines in order to talk to all of them.
In 2008, we went to Israel. Our favorite memory, of course, was meeting family there.
Claire loved how history is built in layers. Everything is on top of something else; layers and layers of history. For Pierre, Masada was the favorite. He found the entire structure amazing, and can picture the Romans in their encampment. Imagining the whole struggle was unforgettable.
We wish for peace. We would love for the people of Israel to live without fear.
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What is your favorite memory of the country and/or the people?
My favorite photos from Israel all are either generic postcard-looking pictures or ones with family who definitely don’t want me to share their pictures! I recently scanned and restored pictures and 8mm film from my Bubbie’s trips to Israel in 1967 and 1968, right after the Six-Day War, as they were still excavating the area around the Kotel!
What does Israel mean to you?
Israel is our historic homeland and G-D forbid, our refuge as a last destination
How has 10/7 affected you?
In the immediate aftermath, it affected me greatly with the Hamas’ horrific slaughter and devastation. As time passed, I began to focus on Israel’s total lack of intelligence to not know of the years of Hamas’ preparation for their attack. I blame Netanyahu and his ultra-right coalition for not being prepared and being overwhelmed with their insane focus on making changes in the judiciary. It is obvious to me these changes were meant to keep Netanyahu out of prison. Furthermore, I am appalled at the loss of life of the Palestinians, the destruction in Gaza, the devastation of the healthcare system, the famine and so forth. I am sickened by what I see in the news. I long for a cease-fire and a negotiated settlement to include the return of all of hostages.
Do you have family in Israel?
No.
What is your favorite memory of the country and/or the people?
Visiting a family of friends that I have had for over sixty years, including attending two of their children’s weddings. What are your hopes/aspirations for the future of Israel?
A two-state solution where the Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace.
Do you have photos of yourself in Israel you can share, or a photo you took there that is meaningful to you?
Attached photo is of me and my beloved friend Murrel Kohn. We met in 1957 as fraternity brothers at the University of Penn-
Above: Murrel, his wife Irit and their four grandchildren; below: Murray Newman and Murrel Kohn.
sylvania. Kohn made Aliyah in the mid 1960s, married a Sabra and had three children and four grandchildren. We shared visits with the Kohns in Israel, in the States and in Europe. Sharee and I made a surprise visit to Murrel attending his 80th birthday celebration. Murrel passed away Feb. 14, 2021.
CHARLES SHAPIRO
What does Israel mean to you?
Israel is a spiritual location, central to my religious practice. It is an ideal that encompasses our striving to fulfill our ethics and a metaphor for communication with the unknowable powers that hold the universe together. At the same time, Israel is a nation striving to be both a democracy and a Jewish homeland. It is burdened with greater than normal expectations by the rest of the world, a world that does not live up to these same expectations.
How has 10/7 affected you?
The world response to 10/7 has brought to light the underlying Jew-hatred that apparently has been hidden. It is troubling See What does Israel mean to you? page A10
GABBY BLAIR
Jewish Press Staff Writer
I have always found this word interesting. Defined as ‘the dispersion or spread of a people from their original homeland,’ it seems to speak to something small but flickering inside me each time I hear it said out loud. Starting with a hard ‘Di’ and then whisssspering away, ending in ahhh… a sigh. As such my mind conjures a sound of lamentation when I hear it. Perhaps because I associate ‘Di’ with the Hebrew word for ‘enough or stop’, and ‘Pur’ with ‘lots’ like ones ones cast by Hamen... though this phonetic similarity is purely coincidental. As though the word itself is a weary plea, a play on Dayenu; Enough... Haven’t we been through enough?
Coined by the Greeks when translating the Old Testament because no word existed that could adequately illustrate the Jewish experience succinctly, Diaspora is derived from the Greek ‘dia’ (between, through, across) and ‘speiro (I sow, I scatter, I spread about). The etymological development of ‘diaspeiro’ is a one word explanation of the plight of the Jews. Exiled time and again from their ancestral homeland, scattered amongst the world as stars are scattered in the sky, yet always yearning for Jerusalem and stubbornly clinging to their faith in spite of persecution for it.
The first recorded use of the word “diaspora” is found in the Greek translation of the Septuagint, Deuteronomy 28:25, in the phrase ‘ese en diaspora en pasais tais basileiais tes ges’; translated as ‘thou shalt be a dispersion in all kingdoms of the earth’.
It is used a second time in the Greek translation of Psalms 146(147).2, in the phrase ‘ho Kyrios kai tas diasporas tou Israel
See Diaspora page A11
JOANIE JACOBSON
RENANA GOMEH: At 6:30 a.m on October 7, 2023, Renana Gomeh’s life changed forever when Iran-backed Hamas terrorists stormed her home and took her two sons, YAGIL AND OR YAAKOV ages 12 and 16, hostage. RETURNED
“The door opens. And my youngest said, ‘Please don’t take me, I’m too young.’ He was always good at manipulation. This time it didn’t work. And they took them. That was the last I’ve heard from them. I’ve heard nothing. I know nothing of their whereabouts. I know nothing about the conditions they’re held in, whether they eat, whether they sleep, and whether they’re still alive.
“As a mother to other mothers, just trying to imagine it was your child being kept there. Just for one hour. My heart goes out to every mother even in the Gaza Strip. You sometimes get news in Israel, like a 14-year-old terrorist was killed tonight at a terror attack, and my heart always goes out to them. I say you know he’s 14, he’s someone’s child. But what kind of a mother raises such monsters?
CHEN GOLDSTEIN-ALMOG: Hamas held Chen Goldstein-Almog and her children hostage for 51 days. RE-
TURNED
“I thought that there had never been a situation like this before, with children, civilians and women being held captive in the tunnels of Gaza. I said to myself: Israel will not start fighting. But at the same time, I understood that our release would not be so quick. If the terrorists kidnapped us and immediately got everything they wanted, they would do it again and again. So, I understood that we would have to pay a certain price. But the more days passed, I realized that it had gotten complicated.
“I have been counting every day since our return, I think about the other hostages every day. They asked us to fight for them, to go to demonstrations and not to forget them.
ODED LIFSHITZ: Oded Lifshitz has spent his life fighting for Arab rights, but that didn’t prevent him from being abducted on Oct. 7. Oded and his wife, Yocheved, helped found Kibbutz Nir Oz where Hamas killed dozens of residents.
Throughout a long career in journalism, he campaigned for the recognition of Palestinian rights and peace between Arabs and Jews. In retirement, the 83-year-old drove to the Erez border crossing on the northern edge of the Gaza Strip once a week to ferry Palestinians to medical appointments in Israel as part of a group called On the Way to Recovery.
“My father spent his life fighting for peace,” his daughter Sharone Lifschitz, told reporters. “We are all his children. When we ask for peace, we ask to see the human within each of us.”
GONG SAE LAO: Gong Sae Lao of Thailand wasn’t worried when he traveled a year ago to Israel to work as a farmhand.
RETURNED
Gong, 26, knew vaguely about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He knew of occasional rocket attacks, of skirmishes. But earning a living was hard at home in northern Thailand, where Gong delivered fruits and vegetables to market. Moreover, his family was in debt, and Gong — with his father long dead and a brother in prison — was the main provider. So he headed for Israel to earn wages that would give him and his loved ones a brighter future. But when Hamas militants slipped into southern Israel, Kibbutz Be’eri, where Gong worked, was one of the targets.
ITAY CHEN: Itay Chen, 19, from Netanya, was killed and his body abducted following a battle with terrorists during the Hamas onslaught, the Israel Defense Forces announced March 12, 2024, basing its conclusion on new intelligence information. Chen was a sergeant with the 7th Armored Brigade’s 75th Battalion, stationed on the Gaza bord. At 5-foot-9, Itay was short by basketball standards, but he earned his minutes on the court by being fearless and taking the big outside shot. “He needed to be spunky. He used it against the larger kids on the court,” Ruby Chen said of his son. Itay wasn’t even supposed to be on duty when the onslaught began. He had switched weekends with another soldier so he could attend his brother’s Bar Mitzvah. “He’s still just a kid,” Ruby said. “He wasn’t a commando attacking enemy positions the day of the Hamas attack. Just a teenager doing his mandatory military service. Not that long ago, he was a Boy Scout.”
NOA ARGAMANI: Noa Argamani, a 26-year-old Israeli university student was abducted from the Supernova Dance and Music Festival on Oct. 7. Her family is still hoping to bring her home.
“It’s a constant mental rollercoaster,” explained Noa’s cousin and family spokesperson Moshe Cohen. “There’s hope, disappointment, hope, disappointment. The entire country is on standby. The overall feeling is negative because you can’t trust
Hamas. This isn’t a negotiation with a country or a business. This is a negotiation with a rotten, cruel terrorist organization whose global aim is to destroy Israel.”
YARDEN ROMAN-GAT was one of the hostages released by Hamas. Yarden Roman-Gat, a 36-year-old woman who is a dual national of Germany and Israel, along with her husband Alon and their 3-year-old daughter Gefen, were abducted by Hamas militants from their home in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7. During the attack, Alon’s mother, Kinneret, was murdered, and his sister Carmel was also taken. The four armed kidnappers used a pickup truck stolen from the kibbutz to transport their captives.
Near the Gaza border, Yarden and Alon seized an opportunity to escape from the vehicle and ran towards the fields. Militants began chasing and shooting at them. In a desperate attempt to ensure her daughter’s safety, Yarden handed Gefen to Alon, knowing he could run faster, and then she ran in a different direction to distract the militants. Alon and Gefen managed to evade capture and hid in the bushes for 12 hours. Yarden surrendered and for the next two months, remained a hostage in Gaza. She was released on Nov. 29, 2023, as part of a temporary ceasefire brokered by Qatar and the United States. “I wasn’t even sure she was alive until I saw her,” Gil said. “We were very, very happy to see her!”
Mother of NAAMA LEVY: Naama Levy, 19 was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7. Hours later, a cell phone video was released by Hamas showing Naama being dragged by her hair at gunpoint by a terrorist in Gaza. Her mother, Dr. Ayelet Levy Shachar, describes the video as “beyond upsetting” but thinks it’s important for the world to see. “This is what happened to my daughter. It’s a short film that totally does not represent anything about her except the cruelty of those moments and the moment where our lives just stopped and froze. And it’s been October 7th ever since.”
Levy Shachar, a doctor for the Israeli women’s national soccer team, is desperately worried about her daughter going without the medical attention she needs.”For her, time is running out,” she said. “There’s a reason why women and children were prioritized first for release: younger women are at greater risk for further trauma. Just as women and girls are more vulnerable to more forms of violence, they are also more vulnerable to suffering from infections and pregnancy from sexual violence. The longer Naama is held in captivity, the more violence she is subjected to, the more likely she will suffer the consequences of lifelong post-traumatic stress.”
ADA SAGI was getting ready to travel to London to celebrate her 75th birthday with family when Hamas militants attacked her kibbutz and took her hostage. RETURNED
Born in Tel Aviv in 1948, the daughter of Holocaust survivors from Poland, Ada moved to a kibbutz at the age of 18 because she was attracted by the ideals of equality and humanity on which the communal settlements were built. Ada learned Arabic so she could make friends with her neighbors and build a better future for her three children. She later taught the language to other Israelis as a way to improve communication with Palestinians who live nearby, While he hopes his mother’s language skills help her negotiate with the hostage-takers, her son Noam is calling on the international community for assistance. “The only hope I have now is for humanity to do something and for me to see my mother again and for my son to see his grandmother again,” he said. “I think we need humanity to actually flex its muscle here, and by telling her story, that is all I’m trying to do.”
RAZ AND OHAD BEN AMI, both 57, were taken hostage from their home in Kibbutz Be’eri by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7. Raz Ben Ami was RETURNED on Nov. 29 as part of an extended temporary ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel. Husband Ohad remains captive in Gaza. One of his daughters writes of him... “My father is the kibbutz accountant. He is an organized, balanced and serious man, and one of the funniest people I know. Whenever I have a problem, he is the first person I turn to, and after he has solved the issue, he will laugh about it or make jokes, getting me to laugh too.
“He loves riding his bike. Every Saturday, he and his friends from the kibbutz go for a ride in the area, and then stop for coffee and just talk about life. Recently, his mother moved closer to the kibbutz, so that he could help her and care for her. He always says that we, my mother, my sisters and I, are the center of his world.”
“BRING THEM HOME NOW!” For many, the trend - “21 Challenge” may seem like a game, but for MATAN ANGREST who has been held hostage in Gaza since Saturday, October 7th, the challenge is all too real, as he has marked his twentyfirst birthday in captivity.
Matan, an ardent supporter of the Maccabi Haifa sports team, maintains a disciplined fitness routine and prefers proper nutrition. He graduated from Ort Kiriyat Bialik High School and excelled in Mathematics, Physics, and English. His playlist reflects his love for Israeli music.
Matan is the eldest of four children, older brother to Adi, Ophir, and Roy.
Bring Matan and all the other hostages back home, now.
#BringThemHomeNow GAD HAGGAI, 73, and hsi wife JUDITH WEINSTEIN 70, were shot and killed during the Oct. 7 attack on their kibbutz. Their bodies remain in Gaza.
The two were out on a morning walk in the kibbutz fields when the Oct. 7 attacks began. According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, before they were taken, Judith had time to notify friends by phone that the two were shot and that Gad was seriously wounded.
Haggai was a retired chef and jazz musician. Weinstein, a New York native, was a retired teacher. Both pacifists, they raised their four children on the kibbutz.
Weinstein was an English teacher who specialized in helping children with special needs. She also taught Mindfulness to children and teenagers who suffered from anxiety caused by the ongoing rocket fire from Gaza. “Judith was a poet, entrepreneur, and pursued many initiatives to advance peace in the region,” Kibbutz Nir Oz said in a statement.
AYALA METZGER is the daughter-in-law of 80-year-old Yoram and 78-year-old Tami Metzger who were abducted from their kibbutz on Oct. 7. Ayala recalls that morning.
“I sent them a message at 8:30 a.m. and they already weren’t answering me. Then my daughter found out they were in the safe room. Later that day, the army showed up and tracked their phones. They were in Gaza. There was no video, no message beyond that... they just went missing! Both are very old, sick people. He is sick with diabetes. He broke his hip half a year ago. He’s still rehabilitating now. It’s still hard for him to walk. Yes, and Tami too. She has many, many, many medicines. More than that, we don’t know.
“I know that evil took over here... and we need to have a war against this evil. It’s not about Arabs, not about Jews. It’s just, there is some sort of evil here and we need to take control and stop it, and not flounder. Because I figure that their population, too, in one form or another, is harmed. I see their refugees, I understand they too are harmed by this. There are people who want to live and who sanctify life and there are people who sanctify death. Those who sanctify death should be eliminated. Eliminated. That’s all.”
DORON STEINBRECHER 30-year-old veterinary nurse, was alone in her Kibbutz Kfar Aza apartment for younger, single residents...
But she was in touch with her married sister, Amit Ashkenazi and their parents, all of whom also lived on the kibbutz. “At 6:30 a.m., everyone on the kibbutz reported that they were in their safe rooms,” said Ashkenazi. “We were sure that there were 10 terrorists and our heroes would get them out and the security forces would arrive. We never imagined anything like this.”
At 10:30 a.m., Doron told her parents that she was scared and that the terrorists had arrived at her building. She then sent a voice message to her friends, “They’ve arrived, they have me.”
“She’s young and without any kind of dual citizenship,” said Ashkenazi. “The chance that she’ll be released is very low.”
posed to be tasting so many different foods for the first time.” The infant with red hair and a toothless smile has become a symbol for the helplessness and anger over the hostages still in captivity in Gaza.
HAGAR BRODETZ AND HER THREE CHILDREN were kidnapped and held in Gaza for nearly two months. Her husband, Avichai, who was wounded when Hamas stormed their kibbutz, believed his wife and children had been killed. She struggled to describe the fear that gripped her when she heard the militants break in, but said it felt like death itself was coming for them. RETURNED
Every day they were in captivity, Hagar told the children that everything would be okay, but it wasn’t. Hamas told her that her husband was dead. “I didn’t cry, because I couldn’t cry. I had to take care of my kids,” she said. “At the beginning, I was sure that Israel would rescue me. But, after you’re staying there for such a long time with your kids, you lose your hope.”
The Brodetz family is healing, slowly. They all sleep in the same bed at night, and their dog Rodney never lets them out of his sight. He even gets a spot in the bed. “He’s like a pillow for their tears and for their hugs,” Hagar told CBS News.
RUBY CHEN is the father of 19-year-old American Itay Chen, whose body has been held hostage by Hamas since Oct. 7. “Every day has been a living nightmare. woke up not knowing where my son slept last night, whether he was given any food or water, whether he’s been injured. We didn’t even know if he was alive.”
The family was notified of Itay Chen’s death March 12, 2024. His father said the folowing before this was known:
“Since Itay’s kidnapping, I have embarked on a journey with the other hostage families to meet anyone at any place to advance the release of my son. I have traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other Biden administration officials. I’ve gone to Doha, Qatar, to meet the Qatari Prime Minister and his team, and to Europe to meet with officials there. My family and those of the other American hostages have barely taken a moment to rest. “Every day, I wake up wondering what I can do to help him. Should I spend the next hour talking to the media, meeting with members of Congress or chaining myself to the White House in protest? And every night I ask myself: Have I been able to move an inch toward the release of my son?
“Every day my son doesn’t come home is a day where I have failed. But even more so, every day the hostages are stuck underground without enough oxygen, food or water is a day all our political leaders − from President Biden to Prime Minister Netanyahu − have failed.”
Chen’s family will not hold a funeral or sit shiva, the traditional seven-day Jewish mourning period, until his body is returned from the Gaza Strip, the Times of Israel reported.
STAFF SERGEANT SHAY LEVINSON a professional athlete on a Muslim-Jewish volleyball team, was killed on Oct. 7, while serving in the 77th “Oz” Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade. Based on intelligence, the IDF ruled that after Levinson was killed, his body was taken to Gaza. Levinson is now officially regarded as a “fallen soldier held by a terrorist group.”
According to reports, 19-year old Levinson was in a tank that was caught by surprise when Hamas terrorists crossed the border in the early morning of Oct. 7. His tank managed to kill around 15 terrorists with shells before being overwhelmed.
HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN had been spending the last months working with school groups, earning money to travel.
His last travel stint was a nine-week trek during the summer through six European countries to attend a series of raves along the way.
The night before Hersh Goldberg-Polin was taken hostage at the Supernova Desert Rave, he danced at his family’s Jerusalem synagogue for the Simchat Torah holiday, ate dinner with them at the home of close family friends and then left at 11 p.m. to go camping with another friend. His parents didn’t know exactly where he was heading. “They’re 23, they’re not babies,” his mother, Rachel Goldberg, told People magazine. “And that was the last time I saw him.”
Goldberg last heard from Hersh early in the morning on Oct. 7, when her son sent two WhatsApp messages, one telling his parents he loved them, the other saying, “I’m sorry.”
KFIR BIBAS the youngest Israeli captured and held in captivity in Gaza, celebrated his first birthday without his family who wondered which, if any, of the typical milestones they had missed.
One Thursday in Tel Aviv, hundreds of people gathered for what Shnaider called “the saddest birthday in the world.”
“Babies are supposed to see a lot of colors, but instead Kfir is seeing just darkness,” said Yosi Shnaider, a cousin. “He’s supposed to be learning to walk, but he has nowhere to do it. He’s supposed to be able to hold a spoon for the first time, he’s sup-
Although tank driver Ido Somech managed to escape with his life, the remaining members of the tank crew were killed in the battle: Levinson, shell-loader OFIR TESTAH and tank gunner ARIEL ELIYAHU
While Levinson’s body remained in Gaza, his family was allowed to sit shiva according to Jewish law.
The IDF announced the death of NOA MARCIANO a 19year-old Israeli soldier who had been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Marciano served in the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps of the 414th Regiment.
Her mother, Adi, last spoke to Noa on Oct. 7 at 7:30 a.m.
“She told me she was in a protected space and that there had been an infiltration,” Adi said in an interview. “She said she had to end the call. I didn’t hear shots or screams. Half an hour later, I sent her a message, but she didn’t reply.
“My instincts tell me that she is still alive. She’s probably watching over the little kids.” Adi worried, “Does she have her glasses? Are they hurting her?”
More than five weeks after she was kidnapped, Hamas published a video of Marciano from captivity in which she provided identifying information that she was being held in Gaza and pleaded with the Israeli military to stop bombarding the area. Then the video cut to reveal her lifeless body.
The IDF now recognizes Marciano as a “fallen soldier held captive by a terror group.”
Nate Shapiro in Israel 2008, contemplating those who have given their lives for Israel and the Jewish people.
Continued from page A7 that so many progressives fail to recognize the context of Israel’s reaction to 10/7. Many people, who in other contexts very well understand the larger picture, seem unwilling to hold Hamas accountable and demand that those responsible for the atrocities of 10/7 be brought to justice. I am disappointed that many sincere advocates for justice, especially those who identify as Jews, have not advocated a path to peace but instead have been taken in by the Palestinian narrative. My involvement with human rights causes will change. I will step back from groups who put Palestine ahead of their own human rights. Women and LBGQT+ people are not equal citizens in the Arab world, neither are non-Islamic religions equal. I can not understand how members of these groups, that have been supported and defended by Jews, are now aligning themselves with foes of democracy and human rights. My efforts within the social justice world will reflect these developments. Do you have family in Israel?
No.
What is your favorite memory of the country and/or the people?
The whole incongruity of the land and people. How the modern and the ancient can exist together. How the people defy stereotyping and one feels the history of the place, not only for Jews, but for Christians and Muslims. One wonders why the city of peace can’t find peace.
What are your hopes/aspirations for the future of Israel?
These are tough times for the whole world. May Israel find a way to transcend its internal conflicts, work with their neighbors and enemies to choose reconciliation instead of re-
Rail car at Yad Vashem. My maternal great-grandmother died in a transport on the way to a concentration camp from Munich, Germany.
venge and to be a light unto the gentiles.
JOANIE JACOBSEN
What does Israel mean to you?
Israel is the Jewish Homeland. Whatever happens to Israel, happens to all of us.
How has 10/7 affected you?
10/7 weighs on me every day. I’m not the same Jew I was on 10/6. I’m wrestling with all the repercussions -- defining, redefining -- listening and hoping that somehow we’ll know the good that has come from the bad.
Do you have family in Israel?
No family in Israel but know people whose families and friends are there. Don’t we all?
What is your favorite memory of the country, and/or the people?
Only when you go to Israel, can you truly appreciate, understand and swell with pride at its achievements. What I noticed during the entire two weeks and what I’ve taken home to this day is the level of excellence Israel exudes in whatever she does -- agriculture, the arts, business, industry, technology, medicine -- the list goes on and on. Israel embodies the continuation of Jews making significant contributions to civilizations for centuries!
What are your hopes/aspirations for the future of Israel?
My hopes are most people’s hopes -- Jew and non-Jew -- that Israel and her neighbors will find a way to live on G-d’s land in peace and with regard for human life.
ELEANOR DUNNING
What does Israel mean to you?
Israel is the land we protect as Jews and as Americans – Zionism is our past, present, and future. During the holocaust, See What does Israel mean to you? page A12
GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer
As Partnership2Gether (P2G) enters its 30th year, the mission of this remarkable program has never been more important.
An inclusive and active network of people in Israel and worldwide, P2G focuses on the mutual exchange of ideas and innovative programming that provides opportunities for individuals and communities to connect through hands-on projects and personal interactions that engage thousands of Israelis and Jews each year.
What began in 1994 as a novel approach by the Jewish Agency and The Jewish Federations of North America, fueled by a desire to develop people-to-people relationships between Israelis and Diaspora, has led to some truly amazing cultural, social, medical, educational, youth and economic programs over the years. Today, P2G connects over 300 Jewish communities around the world in 43 partnerships!
By providing a framework for individuals and communities across the world to learn with and from one another, P2G has fostered the development of interpersonal relationships and friendships that have profoundly broadened our collective experience and strengthened our global Jewish identity.
Omaha was amongst one of the first U.S. cities to join The See Partnership2Gether page A12
Continued from page A7
episynaxe,’ translated to mean ‘The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel’.
According to Wikipedia, “when the Bible was translated into Greek, the word diaspora was applied in reference to the Kingdom of Samaria which was exiled from Israel by the Assyrians between 740 and 722 BC, as well as Jews, Benjaminites, and Levites who were exiled from the Kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians in 587 BC, and Jews who were exiled from Roman Judea by the Roman Empire in 70 AD. It subsequently came to be used in reference to the historical movements and settlement patterns of the Jews.
“In English, capitalized, and without modifiers, the term can refer specifically to the Jewish diaspora. The wider application of diaspora evolved from the Assyrian two-way mass deportation policy of conquered populations to deny future territorial claims on their part.” The exile of Jews from Israel is the original and literal definition of this word.
“Until fairly recently, the historical Jewish experience provided the archetype: forced expulsion and dispersal, persecution, a sense of loss, and a vision of return,” explains migrationpolicy.org. “Over the past decade or so, however, ‘diaspora’ has become a term of self-
Jewish Ethnic Divisions.png: Credit: Dakhomi, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license
identification among many other varied groups who migrated or whose forbearers migrated from one place to another or to several other places.”
No matter current events or attempts of revisionist narratives, no matter where in diaspora a Jew was born or where his grandparents came from, no matter how a Jew prays or identifies if they do those things at all, their roots are buried deep in the same land that holds the bones of our forefathers and mothers. Whether aware or not, whether religiously observant or not, whether they have ever been to Israel or not, and whether they accept it or not, all Jews outside of Israel are, by default, part of an ancient ethnocultural indigenous people who share their name with their
land, Israel. This is the literal meaning of ‘Am Israel Chai’... The People Israel Live.
As Hillel is famously quoted as saying, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?” The teaching presents a hierarchy of responsibility, in which our commitment to ourselves needs to be primary, although not singular. If Israel - the people and the country- isn’t for itself right now, again at the crossroad between survival and destruction, who will be for it? It’s only been 76 years since the world was shamed into deeming the Jews worthy to return to Israel from exile even though Israel was never the world’s to give. So, as the Passover saying goes, next year, in Jerusalem.
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Continued from page A10 much of the world pretended that nothing was wrong. After the war, it was clear that without Israel, we would have nowhere else to return if G-d forbid we were ever attacked as a people again. We pray for the protection of Israel each time we stand in Shul, say the Shema, and celebrate Shabbos. Judaism and Zionism must remain hand-in-hand to protect our future as the Jewish people. How has 10/7 affected you?
Oct. 7th was a horrific wake-up call for all of us. Although there was support from friends, for the most part, we saw a lack thereof from our leaders, humanitarian organizations, and institutions. After the 7th, we went from living in an environment where we could wear our Stars of David, tell classmates at meals we kept kosher, and have the freedom to be openly Jewish to one where we are consistently watching over our shoulders. We are lucky to have other Jews in Omaha, NE –Many community members, Rabbis, and political leaders are working to improve the current climate. Hopefully, one day, other Americans will too join us in support.
Although it’s a disappointing reality for many Jews, it’s not something other communities have stopped to recognize. It’s frustrating to stand alongside others for their causes and losses but see no support when we’re grieving over our own. Self-reliance is not new for us, but after seeing the outside world’s support for other communities, we are reminded that protections are not guaranteed
for all.
Please use International Women’s Day as an example. Why did so many go out of their way to exclude Jewish and Israeli women from consideration? One cannot help but wonder how long society has thought in this manner. After October 7th, we did not simply see “new” forms of antisemitism. Rather, we saw a culmination of behavior that had been ignored since others last considered us “under attack.”
Do you have family in Israel?
My cousin, Jack Cohen, is in his first year of college in Israel – We love him dearly. Additionally, we have several loved ones who we’ve met through our Omaha Jewish Community or have stayed friends with from generations past.
What is your favorite memory of the country and/or the people?
While in Israel a few years ago, I had the chance to visit our family friends during Hanukkah. We went to Jerusalem to explore the markets, taste homemade sufganiyot, and reflect fondly on our shared family’s pride for the State of Israel. I think of Jean Duitch, who passed away about 10 years ago, and wonder what her reaction would have been today. My experiences in Israel stem from my memories made alongside other Jews from Omaha. But, until we can safely return, I will be grateful for the opportunity to enjoy our friends and family from afar. Thank you to the soldiers and officers working to protect our loved ones and the land that means so much to us all.
Yoni Ron
Continued from page A11
Western Galilee & Central Area P2G Consortium and as such has built deep and lasting connections to Akko and and the Mateh Asher Regional Council. Other consortium partners linked to The Western Galilee & Central Area Region include: Canton, Dayton, Toledo, Youngstown, Ohio; Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne, Northwest Indiana, South Bend, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Des Moines, Iowa; Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Texas; and Budapest, Hungary.
Over the years, Jewish Omaha has had the privilege of collaborating with doctors and teachers, artists and professionals and most importantly, families. Our community enables Jewish Omahans of all ages to connect with our brothers and sisters in Israel through learning opportunities, and visits to and from the region. Omaha is a proud supporter of the Western Galilee Medical Center and Friedel Jewish Academy enjoys twinning with the Mateh Asher School. Amongst many other professional exchange relationships, our wonderful Shilchim we have had over the years come from this region.
From academic courses, lecture series, and language classes for students and educators, to book and films clubs and collaborations of artists and musicians; to school twinning and youth programming to medical forums and externships, Partnership2Gether provides opportunities for everyone.
The Partnership is open to new ideas and people who wish to connect between consortium communities and the Western Galilee. For more information contact us at 402.334.6485.
For a full listing of various ongoing P2G programming for our consortium partnership please visit https://www.west erngalilee.org.il/opportunities
Community is the beating heart of the Jewish people. It provides relational structure and is a source of support and strength that fulfills the communal needs of Am Israel, the People of Israel, wherever they are in the world. The importance of building real connections between Israel and Diaspora has never been more significant. Thanks to Partnership2Gether, each of us has not just the opportunity but the ability to become personally involved and an agent of change while strengthening the bond of our people for generations to come. After all, it has become abundantly clear throughout history, if we are not for us, who is?
Joshua Sweet grew up at Beth El, and is a Former high school board member for USY, BBYO, and NFTY in Omaha. He taught Hebrew School for seven years in Arizona, California, North Carolina and Minnesota, and worked at Jewish summer camps including Camp Sabra in Missouri and Camp Young Judaea West in Washington.
Joshua was a Hillel Teaching Scholar at Arizona State University. His grandfather served as a Lt. Col. in the USAF during three wars, including WWII, when he flew survivors of the Holocaust to safety following the liberation of concentration camps.
He currently lives in Minnesota with his wife, Jillian, and spends his time working for the Regional Park System in the Twin Cities. He is a former National Park Ranger and Wilderness First Responder, and recently visited Israel to help.
What dates were you in Israel?
Jan. 31 through Feb. 11, 2024. I was among some of the first Sar El volunteers allowed back on the IDF bases since the war began in October. In addition to my time spent volunteering, I also had enough time on the ground to visit Hostage Square and the site of the Re’im Music Festival so that I could share the images with those back home. Did you go alone or with friends/family?
I traveled alone, but after arriving in Israel I joined up with my delegation which included people from all over the world. My roommate was from Germany. He had no affiliation with
Israel. He is not Jewish. He came to Israel because he knew “the difference between right and wrong and wanted to do something to help.” Other volunteers I met were from Brazil, France, and South Africa. Our small team was made up of a dozen men and we were assigned to the Base of the North near Haifa. During our time spent there, rockets from Hezbollah would land within 40 kilometers. We worked performing mostly manual labor each day. Most of our duties were related to setting up new temporary quarters for hundreds of soldiers that would be moving from the fight in Gaza to the war with Hezbollah in coming weeks. Sure enough, a few weeks later a friend that I had made on the trip sent me a photo and all of the quarters were full. We were informed that these tasks would’ve had to be performed by reservists had we not been there as volunteers. This allowed the reservists to stay home with their families and continue to work.
See Right and wrong page A14
Continued from page A13
Why did you go?
After the terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, I was compelled to see the truth with my own eyes and to do anything I could to physically help on the ground in Israel. Many of those who were murdered, and many of those who are being sent to fight on the front lines are my age and not that different from me. Rather than sitting on the sidelines, I was ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with my fellow Jews.
I met so many soldiers on the base that were doing their part to ensure that the Jewish people can continue to exist, and of course I know that my contribution was very minor compared to theirs. Regardless, they all were thankful for our presence. I had lunch with a female soldier one day who has been in medical school for the past five years, paid for mostly by the IDF. Now that she has finished medical school she will have to work as a medical doctor in the army for the next five years. She explained to me that she “never thought that her service in the army would begin just as Israel is forced to begin fighting two wars at once.”
Was this something you wanted to do ever since Oct. 7, or did the idea come later?
I had traveled to Israel as a teenager thanks in part to a scholarship from the Jewish Federation of Omaha. As an adult, I have always wanted to return as a tourist, but it was not until after October 7 when I realized that my next time spent in Israel would be as an IDF volunteer. How was this trip different?
I went in 2003 when I was a sophomore in high school. The trip was called L’dor V’dor and was organized by NFTY. We spent time in eastern Europe bearing witness to concentration camps and ghettos from World War II before carrying on to Israel where we spent a month traveling and learning. Visiting the site of the Re’im Festival felt no different than when I visited the concentration camps in Europe. We also had an opportunity to meet with other Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs who were our same age. We reflected on how we all hoped for peace. Sadly, twenty years later, we haven’t achieved that goal. Converting shekels to dollars was much easier this time around thanks to Siri. The country is still as beautiful as ever and the people are proud, resilient, and brave. What did you feel when you arrived at Ben Gurion?
I was thankful that the hardest part of the trip was over. I am not a good flyer.
Unrelated to Ben Gurion, I can tell you how I felt when I walked inside one of the bunkers where innocent concertgoers sought shelter from Hamas during the attack at the Re’im Music Festival. It’s a feeling of despair and helplessness. It’s a dark feeling as you realize there are groups of people around the world that want nothing more than to see an unfathomably brutal end to our people. Seeing the messages written on the walls, and the flowers and candles left by friends and family is heart wrenching.
Another key piece to my visit to the Re’im Music Festival
site on Feb. 10 was that it was still an active military zone. Many on-duty soldiers from a large brigade were present, and intervals of IDF artillery fire were loud enough to shake the car windows. I have been told that with the shift in fighting to the north, residents of Re’im have been allowed back to their homes and roadways in the area are more accessible.
This means more people should have opportunities to pay their respects to loved ones lost at the site.
Hostage Square at the Tel Aviv Art Museum is just as much of an emotional rollercoaster. Art installations include a tunnel constructed to give visitors an idea of what it would be like to be held captive underground, a shabbat table set with dirt and muddy water, portraits of those held hostage and more.
How has this visit changed your perspective, or hasn’t it?
One of the key takeaways from my perspective was a reminder that there are many different people that live peacefully in Israel including Jews, Christians, and Muslims. We had dinner one evening in a Druze village. The Druze, who are considered Islam-adjacent, love Israel and fly the Israeli flag proudly on their buildings. They enjoyed our company and yelled “am yisrael chai” with us.
Islamic Bedouins are another example. Gracious Bedouin tribes have provided accommodations for Jews coming to Israel to volunteer and many will serve in the IDF alongside Jewish Israelis. So many different groups are able to live in harmony in Israel, except for Hamas and their supporters who seem to be eternally imbedded with hate.
What do you feel is the number one thing we as Diaspora Jews must understand?
Certain news sources and especially social media sites, are being manipulated to confuse the American public. I spoke directly with Israeli soldiers returning from Gaza who recounted how they had tried to move large numbers of Palestinians to safety but that the civilians were blocked by a Hamas battalion and forced to turn back, putting them directly in harm’s way. So, the IDF soldiers built a roadway for the Palestinian civilians to safely pass along the beach where they had also set up temporary shelters. Where was this headline in the U.S.?
In addition, I think that a portion of Diaspora Jews are currently failing to understand the level of danger we face. Soldiers that I spoke with told us that when they were searching home to home for remaining terrorist cells, they were astonished to see that 18 out of 20 houses flew the Hamas flag, had ammunition hidden under their mattresses, and kept assault rifles in various hiding places throughout their homes. These people were living less than three miles from the nearest Israeli town and this equipment was meant for the massacre of Jews.
Even the soldiers could not believe the scale of weapons that was ready to be used against peaceful Jewish families. They asked if we would be content living in such a circumstance.
See Right and wrong page A15
Continued from page A14
Anything else?
A few days after returning home, I reflected that as a Jew I felt safer in Israel than I do in the United States. In fact, while I was in Israel, a soldier asked me one evening if I felt safe while on my trip. I replied: “Yes.” He then said in perfect English: “This is the safest place on earth. You’re here with us.” And he was right. In Israel there’s an entire army devoted to protecting our existence.
Since returning home, I have experienced firsthand antisemitism from cyber terrorists who were trying to either scare me into not telling the truth about Israel, defame my credibility, have me fired from work, or a combination of each. Fortunately, they did not succeed. A week later I watched as a hundred people stood outside First Avenue in Minneapolis to protest Jewish artist Matisyahu by calling those of us in attendance explicit names and mocking the victims of Oct. 7 during their “peaceful protest.”
The members of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, including children, teenagers, parents, and grandparents, joined forces to create Purim packages for nearly 200 educators from both formal and informal education sectors who have supported and welcomed them into schools in Megido since October. The contents of the packages were generously donated with a lot of love by families from the Jewish Federations of Greater Atlanta and St. Louis.
Shmarit Melki, the education director of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, summed up the project with the well-known quote: “Giving for others is the best medicine for the soul.”
Thank you to all of our partners from both sides of the ocean who have brought so much light with this program!
May the happiness you share this Passover remain all through the year.
From Jan. 16 through 21, Louri Sullivan visited Israel. rom the moment I heard groups were taking solidarity missions to Israel I knew I wanted to go,” she said, “and then Momentum put together a trip and I knew this was the group for me. I was so happy to have Cindy Goldberg join as well.”
Momentum was created in 2008, when eight Jewish women from different walks of life, affiliations, observances, and ages came together to make a difference. They agreed that it was time to empower and inspire women with the rich beauty of their Jewish heritage, and Momentum was born. By guiding groups of women from around the world to an intensive Israel experience, Momentum seeks to inspire women to transform themselves, transform their families, their communities, and the world. A few years later, Momentum added trips for men, and many members of the Omaha Jewish community have participated since. Louri herself has led several of those groups.
Cindy and Louri were joined by people from all over the US, Canada, South Africa and Australia. Due to the terrible weather in Omaha (17 below!), Louri’s first flight was delayed, and she missed the connecting flight to Ben Gurion Airport. She got there eventually: “I felt such relief knowing I was finally going,” Louri said. “It felt so good to be in Israel, but it was very sad to see the airport so quiet. The normal lines were non-existent. The long walk with the escalator had pictures of each hostage – a stark reminder this was not a trip for sightseeing.”
“On the first day we went to the Museum of Tol-
erance,” she added, “where the Thank Israeli Soldiers distribution center is housed. The Jewish Federation of Omaha funded a bag full of thermal underwear, multi tool pocket knives, moisture wicking boxer briefs, GU sports nutrition waffle, hydration electrolyte powder packets and headlamps.”
The group met many amazing men and women.
“We were so lucky to have Israelis traveling with us. Each one of them willing to bare their souls and
tell us about their experiences since 10/7. One was a family member of Tal Shoham who turned 39 in captivity. We also met the mother of Omer Shem Tov, 21, and the grandson of Oded Lifschitz, Dekel. He spoke for his grandmother Yocheved, who was released. A bonus was that Ron Lugasy met us in Tel Aviv at the Hostage headquarters so we could give her a hug which I believe she really needed. We also were able to deliver a drone to Omahan, Henry Ginsburg who is a reservist in the IDF in the north. Rabbi Katzman had been fundraising for the drone.”
A large part of visiting Israel is listening:
“I heard so many stories about the Palestinians that participated on 10/7,” she said. “Looting, killing and raping. We were educated a bit about the social media war and the importance to not respond to the haters and comment on the positive posts - share positive posts and most importantly to FIGHT TO BRING THE HOSTAGES HOME.”
“
We took highway 232, now called ‘road of death,’ to visit Kibbutz Kfar Aza and walked through the “block” where the 20-somethings lived. Small onebedroom apartments connected in rows that faced onto a sidewalk with couches out front and a ledge with beer bottles still in place. Most inhabitants were killed; then their homes were burned, but all of their private stuff was dragged out to the front yard, obviously looted.
“We went to the site of the Nova Festival and heard from a survivor what he had to do to survive and the loss of friends he was running with. We were able to visit the town of Sderot and see the site of the police station that was taken over by terrorists
See Bearing witness page B3
OK,
with him for happy hour. But he sure knows his history and the value of getting a Jewish education.
He knows the world isn't flat. It's just that he's always reaching across it. Supporting, sustaining, invigorating Jewish lives everywhere on the planet.
Sure, individually each of them offers an essential flavor. But as a team they're unstoppable. Overcoming every obstacle. Fulfilling any need on the table.
Part 1-3 of this series was included in previous issues of the Jewish Press
THE EVENING OF MARCH 4
We were privileged to share a Shabbat dinner and home hospitality with our dear friend, Aya, and her family. Aya is a longtime partnership volunteer leader, she is the Director of International Affairs for the Galilee Medical Center, and she has visited us multiple times over the last 16 years.
Aya has five children. The youngest, Sandi, will be graduating high school this year and is eager to begin her army service. Four of Aya’s five children were with us for dinner. Her oldest daughter, Chen, is 29, just finished law school and found out that she passed the bar exam a couple of days ago. Very exciting. Chen is also recently married, and is four months pregnant. Chen is in charge of a military prison overseeing 2,000 Hamas terrorists.
Yes, a 29-year-old young woman, a badass, pregnant, and recently married, is in charge of a prison holding 2,000 Hamas terrorists. Aya’s kids are amazing. They are all prepared to defend their country. Our conversations were serious, deep, and fun, and it was special to be with them and share Shabbat in their home.
During our dinner, we heard loud booms and the lights briefly flickered. Immediately, they all went to their phones and shared that Hezbollah had just fired off a barrage of fifty rockets, including one that landed in Kibbutz Matzuva, that same place we had visited earlier in the day. One of the rockets hit an electrical tower causing power outages in several nearby communities. The booms we heard, we were told, were not the sounds of the Hezbollah rockets, but the sound of the Iron Dome shooting down many of those rockets.
This is life in Israel today. We then had tea and desserts, and it was lovely.
Today was our day to do volunteer work. Part of our group picked tomatoes. I joined a team that went to a preschool in Shavei Tzion that has been converted to a kitchen, and we worked alongside local volunteers to provide a home-made lunch for a battalion of Golani soldiers. We chopped vegetables and fruits for salads. We made hummus, breaded chicken for schnitzel, and then See Bob’s Israel Journal page B5
I never cease to be enthralled by the different ways that Jewish culture infuses Israeli culture. This is manifested most obviously in the rhythms of the week and year, with the workweek beginning on Sunday and the weekend beginning on Thursday night, and with Judaism’s holidays being the State’s holidays. Also wonderful to me is the extent that Jewish culture is utilized in the arts. This can range from a ceramicist’s innovative rendition of a Hanukah menorah, to referencing the Jewish tradition in a play, novel, or song. Marvelously (and fortunately—heck, it’s hard to come up with a new Passover column year after year), the chorus of The 58th Floor, a recent song by Israeli mega-star Omer Adam, features the following words: “Mah nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot?”
At the beginning of 2023, Omer relocated to Dubai with his girlfriend, Israeli model Yael Shelbia for what would turn out to be five months. The 58th Floor refers to where the song was recorded—the top floor of a Dubai skyscraper. The song seems to be addressing anyone who might say of Omer and his band: “So, those guys think they’re really big shots now, moving to Dubai to record a song.” In response, the chorus concludes with: “Az mah nishtanah?/Kloom lo hishtanah”: So what’s changed?/Nothing’s changed. There is additional use of Jewish tradition in the video that accompanies the song: Omer is pictured in tefilin (wearing a cap), in a kippah (for half a second but still), and, during the chorus, clinking glasses of wine with his fellow musicians, and shuckling back and forth with his hands spread palms up in front of him, as if he is davenning Mah Nishtanah. The video, in other words, shows us an Omer Adam who is very attached to Jewish tradition, who is not too cool to wear phylacteries or a yarmulke; in this way the video underscores Omer’s saying that he’s still himself, that “nothing’s changed.” The 58th Floor is not the first appearance of Mah Nishtana See Mah Nishtanah page B5
Continued from page B1
in the first hours of the attack. We heard the stories of the command center, a Rabbi’s survival of gunshot wounds, and the miracle of driving his car the night before Simchat Torah because he had to take the candy and in turn would have a way to the hospital to save his life.
When asked how it felt to be on the ground, actually in the country, after watching all the news since Oct 7, Louri said: “I always feel happy when I am in Israel. This time there were many more intense conversations and tears, but I felt like I had a mission to bear witness and share with anyone willing to listen. I was so happy to see the soldiers, hug them and give them all the notes collected from Omaha. I have never been thanked for coming in the past and it was a constant on this trip.”
“What was not different was the visit to the Kotel,” she said, “and the dancing and praying. Usually there are so many soldiers dancing and celebrating promotions and installations. that did not happen this time. We found one beautiful soldier, her friends lifted her up and we all danced around her. It was eerie how quiet it was at the airport, too.”
a ceasefire seems ridiculous to me. Israel is fighting for their life and their existence - we must support Israel in every way possible because the west could be next.
“I find that those that are chanting from the river to the sea and ‘ceasefire now’ are so uneducated about the history in the region. I listened to a podcast by Sam Harris - 5 Myths about Israel and the War in Gaza. He explains this isn’t about Israel but more about the mindset if Jihadism and martyrdom and the continued terror it will have on western societies that value life.”
Louri hopes to go back to Israel and be a part of the rebuilding of a community around Gaza, and hopefully in the north as well: “I want to celebrate soldiers at the Kotel. I want to see my nephew be Bar Mitzvah’d in Israel and do all the touristy stuff with my family. I hope to see real smiles on Israelis’ faces- to be able to talk about after 10/7 and all the amazing things Jews in the diaspora have done. I want to help rebuild Israel even safer and better than before.”
“We all need to understand: Israel did not want this war,” Louri continued:
“They do not want their family members in the reserves to be in Gaza. They want the hostages home - NOW. They are fighting a jihadist group that does not value life and they know that they must destroy Hamas. The soldiers are determined and focused, BUT I sat next to a reservist that is also a second-grade teacher with two kids. He didn’t ask to go to war, but he is determined to protect his country. The thought that anyone that is not in Israel feels equipped to ask for/vote on
How soon should people start traveling to Israel? “NOW!” she said. “Israel needs each and every one of us to come and help in any way that we can. You can work in the fields to help plant and harvest, cook for soldiers, deliver notes and hugs, help displaced families with activities for the kids or visit the elderly. Help a mother whose husband has been gone for months. There are so many organizations that will help you do whatever you want to do.”
“They need to hear that we care - loud and clear. We are very lucky in Nebraska that Congressman Don Bacon is so supportive of Israel and understands the picture clearly. I cannot explain how much it means to the soldiers and the Israelis that we were there. I was thanked so much.”
Passover’s true significance has never been more meaningful.
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Rabbi Alex Felch
Congregation B’nai Jeshurun
The South Street Temple
Union for Reform Judaism
Sarah Kelen, president
2061 South 20th Street
Lincoln, NE 68502
402/435-8004
The Jewish Federation of Lincoln
Part of the Network of Independent Communities of the Jewish Federations of North America
Nanci Hamicksburg, president P.O. Box 67218, Lincoln, NE 68506
Congregation Tifereth Israel
Member of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Dan Friedman, president
3219 Sheridan Boulevard
Lincoln, NE 68502
402/423-8569
We were honored to welcome representatives from Jewish Federations in the United States who came to stand in solidarity with Galilee Medical Center in light of the war. The visitors came from the Jewish Federations of San Antonia, Omaha, Greater Toledo, Greater Des Moines, Louisville, Greater Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Peoria.
The visit began with opening remarks and a presentation of the medical center by Dr. Khetam Hussein, deputy director of the medical center. Later, the delegation convened in the underground command headquarters with deputy director Dr. Tsvi Sheleg, who briefed the group on additional challenges the hospital faces as the frontline of care for Israel in the north, located only six miles from Israel’s border with Lebanon.
Moreover, the delegation toured the underground hospital complex and the emergency department, guided by Dr. Hussein and Dr. Khaled Atalla, the director of the Emergency Department.
During the visit, the medical center held a
dedication ceremony for the second trauma room, recently established with the generous support of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio and the Bar Yadin Family Foundation, in response to the new acute critical needs of the medical center arising from the war.
We want to express our deep appreciation to the Jewish Federation of San Antonio and the Bar Yadin Family Foundation, as well as the generous donations of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and the Jewish Federation of Toledo, and other partnership communities and individuals for their support in increasing our acute care capacity at this challenging time.
The visit was coordinated and accompanied by the International Affairs Department, led by Aya Kagade, and exemplifies the longstanding relationship between 17 Jewish communities from the USA, as well as from Budapest, Hungary, with the Western Galilee within the framework of the Jewish Agency’s Partnership2gether program which aims to promote educational and social projects while deepening ties between Diaspora Jews and Israel.
Continued from page B2 put it all together into pitas. It allowed us to learn about the lives of the residents of Shavei Tzion and how they were responding to the immense needs. We came to find out that a dear friend helped to build this kindergarten building five years earlier, never imagining it would serve this purpose today. Another community member, struggling in the immediate aftermath of October 7 and learning that soldiers were having to source food, decided to call together friends to start preparing meals. This operation now is a daily experience for this group to come together and prepare food for local soldiers. She told how vendors are even donating produce, including a Muslim Arab man, with whom she has a longstanding working relationship, who provides cooking oil. She told how she called asking for oil and they negotiated a price and when he delivered the oil, he refused to take any money. A small example of Israelis working together. Being able to hand deliver fifty pitas with chicken schnitzel, hummus, and salads to the soldiers and to shake their hands was incredibly meaningful and was a special highlight for me.
We then went to the Ghetto Fighters Kibbutz to visit Kivunim. Kivunim is a non-profit organization that our Partnership has had a 20-year relationship. It is a two-year program for young adults with special needs that teaches them the skills and self-confidence to live independently and strengthen self-management skills, to hold down a job, contribute to society, and foster social inclusion. We heard from their founder,
staff, volunteer leaders, as well as two of their young adults. Their stories are empowering, and I am proud of our Partnership’s longstanding support of Kivunim. After, the entire group gathered in a dining hall on the kibbutz and many of our Israeli friends joined for a special presentation honoring Raya Strauss Ben-Dror for her philanthropy and leadership. Raya was born in Nahariya, and her parents were Zionist pioneers and among the founders of Nahariya. The family began in the farming industry and has built Strauss Food, today a global food business and one of Israel’s largest manufacturers. They are best known for their dairy products, coffee, water, snacks, salads, and dips. Raya remains a proud resident of Nahariya and supports many of the cultural institutions across the Western Galilee. In 2014, she founded “The Spirit of the Galilee,” an organization providing volunteering op-
portunities for locals while providing financial support to many of the key cultural institutions that bring excitement to the Western Galilee. Raya served for 10 years on the board of the Jewish Agency and as Chair of Partnerships throughout the entire Jewish world.
After this, a roundtable discussion took place with Israelis and our P2G delegation and we enjoyed dinner together.
MARCH 6
Today was a chance to see a slice of life in many distinct aspects of the region. We started in Regba at the community school. We met with Adi Harel, Regba School Principal. We listened to music performed by elementary aged children. We toured their beautiful and bountiful community garden and visited with many of the young children. We did an art project with the students, coloring paper butterflies and constructing See Bob’s Israel Journal page B6
Continued from page B2 in an Israeli pop hit. Indeed, singer and songwriter Yigal Bashan (1950-2018) used it as the title of a 1972 song that can still be heard occasionally on the radio today in Israel. In his song, Bashan makes use not just of the literal “what’s changed on this night?” but also of other elements from the Hagaddah’s Mah Nishtanah. Here, “this night” is different because the singer’s heart has found for whom it yearned, the song playing with the fact that the Hebrew word “found” is a homonym with “matzah.” The song also speaks about how on “this night” the singer’s heart is not shrinking (playing with hametz, leavening). Other traditional Mah Nishtanah elements in Bashan’s song describe the singer’s woeful past, when he ate of maror (bitterness), when he was not able to “dip” into laughter, and when he was like a mourner among partygoers (the song uses mesubin with its reference to eating while reclining).
Like The 58th Floor, Bashan’s Mah Nishtanah is not a Passover song. It could be argued, though, that in terms of displaying Judaism as a thriving living culture. The fact that both these songs reference a beloved text from the Passover Haggadah is more powerful than had either singer just recorded a version of the original Mah Nishtanah. Separated by more than half a century, here is a case where two very popular Israeli creative artists, in thinking about how they are going to tackle the themes of their respective songs, find as their inspiration a classic line from the Passover Haggadah. If that’s not an example of a living people, of “Am Yisrael Chai,” I don’t know what is. Happy Passover.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfPZ0l4tw_Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBEOrOH96yY Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israeli Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@gmail.com
JUST AS WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TELL AND RETELL THE STORY OF THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT, THE NJHS HAS AN OBLIGATION TO TELL AND RETELL THE STORIES OF JEWISH NEBRASKA. IT IS OUR JOY!
This story appeared in the April 17, 1924 issue of the Jewish Press.
More than thirty children of the city Talmud Torah will take part in the Talmud Torah Passover (Pesach) Playlet to be presented Monday evening, April 21, at eight o’clock, in the new annex of the Talmud Torah Building.
The playlet represents all the traditional customs and ceremonies connected with the celebration of the holiday of Passover. The language in which the performers will speak and sing will be in Jewish, interspersed here and there with Hebrew recitations, melodies and dialogue.
The first part of the play represents the departure of the Jews of Egypt. It displays the struggle of Moses, his pleas with Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and the final liberation. The second part of the play, however, represents the modern Jew and his celebration of Passover.
The entire Jewish public is invited to attend this performance.
Continued from page B5
a lovely butterfly garden. For anyone who mistakenly see Israelis as “white” or Israel as upholders of “White Supremacy” only needs to visit the Regba school to see that Israelis come in every shade of skin color and most Israelis are not what we in America refer to as “white.”
After the school visit, we went to learn about a program in Akko called Equalizer. Equalizer was designed to bring Jewish and Muslim children together through sports to get to know one another and build a better future together. Its aim is to reduce gaps in Israeli society by using sports as a tool for education and social change. The program is now in dozens of communities across Israel and works in collaboration with schools and community centers. After we learned from the staff about the program, we had the chance to meet with both Jewish and Arab kids, learn about them, their favorite athletes, and then we competed as a team against the others. My team was three Arab boys and two others from our P2G group. We ran some soccer drills and had a fun competitive time with them. It is good to see the efforts to bring Jewish and Muslim youth together around sports. If they can build relationships around their passion for soccer, perhaps they can tackle larger and more complex conversations down the road.
We then went to the Western Galilee College and shared lunch with its leadership team, including its CEO Professor Nissim Ben David, and heard about their efforts to strengthen the community by investing in all its students. The student population at the college is a mirror of the community in the north. It is truly diverse with students that are of multiple faiths, multiple cultures, and diverse backgrounds. The college works hard to create an environment where all residents feel a sense of belonging and take pride in their
communities. As we were leaving a group of older Arab male students approached us and asked where we were from. They had just taken an English language exam and wanted to practice their English language skills on us. None of them knew where Nebraska was, but they all seemed eager to visit America.
After visiting the college, we went to Kibbutz Kabri and met with the team from an organization called Community Stress Prevention Center (CSPC) and the Western Galilee Resilience Center. They have been operating in Israel for more than four decades and their work focusses on strengthening communities and individuals in resilience training, specifically optimal emergency preparedness, community resilience, and therapeutic continuity. Today, they are working overtime to address the immense challenges faced by those evacuated from their homes and suffering from trauma and anxiety due to the war.
We then had an amazing dinner at Kabri with some of the Golani soldiers we had prepared lunches for the previous day. Most of the soldiers from the group were not able to join
for the dinner as they were in the midst of exercises. Our dinner was prepared by a gentleman who converted his home into a makeshift kitchen to provide food for soldiers after the war began. He operates the kitchen at his own expense, and he prepares food for as many as 500-1000 soldiers every day. He told us that his food is spicy and to be prepared. What we were not prepared to learn was that he was a former Mossad agent who played a leading role in the rescue of Ethiopian Jews in the 1970’s, stories depicted in the movie and shows about the Red Sea Diving Resort. The dinner was great, the company even better. There is something indescribable about sharing an experience with people from various places, with different points of view, who can come together in common cause. Am Yisrael Chai.
After final hugs with Partnership friends around breakfast in the morning, I asked the hotel manager, who was fantastic, if I could get a late checkout. He said to me, “How about next week?” to which I smiled and jokingly said, “Sounds great.” Later in the day, after saying goodbye to other friends and spending one last visit at the Breakfast Club in Shavei Tzion and getting Kim settled at Noa Epstein’s where she would spend the next several nights, I got ready to take the train from Nahariya to Ben Gurion airport for my late flight. Everything connects to Omaha, keep that in mind. While Face Timing with my daughter Lily at my gate in Ben Gurion, I heard my name being called and looked up to see my friend Susie Noddle, a former Omahan who has lived in New York for many years. She was there with the team from Beit Ruth, a school in Afula for at risk young women and girls. It was so good to connect with Susie and we made plans to see each other when she comes back to Omaha.
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Ed. note: This story should probably come with a trigger warning. Then again, many of us are beyond such warnings—life hasn’t exactly been easy since October 7. And when we tell our story, we have to be honest and straightforward, we have to tell the truth—especially since the majority of the media are not. Where do we find the line between truth and sensationalism?
The following is a story told by Rabbi Benjy Mayers, and it is unpleasant. But it must be told.
Rabbi Benjy Mayers lives in Kibbutz Migdal Oz, and works with Amiel Bakehila, an organization that sends out teams of Israelis to bring a flavor of Israel to Jews in the diaspora. Each team has an educator and a cultural representative. They visit as many places as possible, 2-3 communities within one week. This past winter, he found himself in Omaha, but the circumstances were very different.
team is the resilience team, of which Rabbi Mayers is the deputy director:
“We are all volunteers, and we are responsible for health and welfare in the Kibbutz, which means anything that doesn’t fall under search and rescue. The first thing that happened was that about 2/3 of our response team was called to duty by the afternoon of October 7th. Suddenly you have a number of single-parent families that need assistance. Even more acute: the evening of October 8, we heard the terror-infiltration alarm. We heard gunfire that sounded like it was inside the kibbutz. It turned out to be just outside, so we went into lockdown.”
“It was a last-minute affair,” he said. “Normally we get advance notice, but not this time. We were initially scheduled to come on this trip October 10-11, and that would have been a different experience.”
Rabbi Mayers is an educator; during these visits he normally talks about festivals, the weekly parsha, everything Israeli and nothing really too specific.
“This time, I spoke about what happened at my Kibbutz on October 7,” he said, “and the halachic questions that came up because of it.”
On Simchat Torah, Rabbi Mayers, like many others, went to the synagogue. While there, the congregants began to hear sirens.
“We had no idea what was happening, but as soon as we heard those sirens, we decided to move our service to the soccer field instead of inside our synagogue. The field has public bomb shelters, and it’s easier to get to them. Since it was Simchat Torah, we took the scrolls with us. What do you do with them when the alarm sounds? What if you have to run with them to the shelter? You risk falling and dropping the Torah. Also, once you get inside the shelter, you can’t put them down, unless it’s to save a life, because the shelter doesn’t have a table--so we brought a table outside to the soccer field just in case. All these thoughts and questions go through your head.” Migdal Oz is a religious kibbutz with approximately 700 people, and has two emergency teams. One of those is the rapid response unit made up of members who have served in the IDF. It is their job to run towards the problem. The second
• Passover is the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday
• among American Jews.
• Passover is also called Chag Ha-Aviv or Holiday of Spring.
• This is a holiday with five important women: Shifrah and
• Puah, Yocheved, Miriam and Pharaoh’s daughter.
• Moses refuses God’s command to lead the Israelites out of
• Egypt five different times!
When a lockdown is called you run into the nearest house, lock the doors, shut off the lights inside, and turn on the lights outside. Rabbi Mayers’ task is to make sure everyone is accounted for. It’s something for which the kibbutz members have a special app.
“My wife and I were outside when the alarm went off. She ran to her students, and I ran home. Five of our six kids were there (his eldest daughter lives in Ashkelon). So here I have all kids in the same room, while I’m trying to coordinate. I found a spot where I could be on my laptop, on my phone, where I couldn’t be seen from outside, physically removed from my children while maintaining visual contact with them. In addition, we now have all these single-parent families and they needed to be calmed down over the phone during the lockdown. It made national news very quickly. Before we were done with the lockdown, we started getting messages from spouses who had left for active duty only the day before, needing to know if their families were safe. Living in Israel makes you grow up.”
On Oct. 7, the death toll included approximately 300 military and close to 900 civilians. In Israel, the military are buried by the IDF, while civilians are taken care of by the civilian burial societies. But this was a large number, and Chevra Kadisha members from various Kibbutzim had to help. Rabbi Mayers was among them.
“In the following weeks we began to receive the abused, burned and dismembered bodies,” Rabbi Mayers said, “and the phrase we uttered most often during those weeks was ‘please, forgive me.’ The ideal is to give a body back to the family clean and neat—allow them to say goodbye, and in many cases we were not able to because of how they were murdered.”
He has photographs, and he carries them with him, because, he said:
“I am now a witness.”
• Moses is mentiuoned only once in the Haggadah.
• In Gibraltar, there’s dust in the haroset.
• Abraham Lincoln died during Passover.
• In 2009, Chef Anthony Sylvestry made the world’s largest
• matzah ball.
• At the Seder, Persian Jews whip each other with scallions.
(Sources: Kveller, MyJewishLearning)
Tens of thousands of Jews around the world joined in a collective recitation of the Shema prayer that was broadcast from Jerusalem’s Western Wall to support the more than 130 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.
The event was organized by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum along with Aish HaTorah, a haredi Orthodox yeshiva and outreach movement. They timed it to the Fast of Esther, which commemorates the threat the Jews of Persia faced from their persecutor, Haman, in the Purim story.
The call for participation took off in Jewish communities around the world, with synagogues of all denominations encouraging their members to join in and Jewish day schools pausing their lessons to have their students say the Shema. Jewish influencers on social media also exhorted their followers to participate.
The YouTube livestream from the Western Wall registered over 150,000 viewers, but there were signs that far more people were participating: The Google search engine registered a massive spike in queries for the Shema at 11 a.m., just before the planned prayer time. At the Western Wall, speakers wearing tags marked “167” for the number of days the hostages have been captive likened the plight of the hostages to the Jews of Persia in the Purim tale.
“Many Jewish girls were kidnapped in that ancient Persian kingdom,” said Rabbi Eitiel Goldwicht, perched on a plateau overlooking the Western Wall plaza, where hundreds were gathered in the lead-up to the prayer. “And Queen Esther was taken to the royal palace and she was kept hostage for five years, and then antisemitism rose across the entire world.”
Shmuel Rabinovitch, the rabbi of the Western Wall, led prayers for the hostages and for the soldiers fighting the war launched by Hamas on Oct. 7, when its terrorists invaded Israel, murdering approximately 1,200 people and abducting more than 250. Of those hostages, more than 130 remain captive. He culminated with the Shema, a passage from Deuteronomy that serves as the signature prayer affirming the Jewish belief in one God.
NATAN SLIFKIN
via Facebook
It was a historic event: ten concurrent synchronized weddings of IDF combat soldiers. Admission was strictly limited to 100 guests per couple. It all began after October 7th, when Israeli celebrity singer Lior Narkis heard about a Golani soldier and his fiancée who had to cancel their wedding due to being called up to fight. Lior arranged and hosted a surprise wedding for the couple at his home in Savyon! Following that, Lior decided to start a venture of regularly paying for, hosting and performing at weddings for IDF combat soldiers who were unable to arrange their own weddings.
Working with Chabad of Savyon, Lior then decided to take it to the next level. Identifying even more soldiers who were unable to arrange a wedding, or to afford it, or who had suddenly decided to concretize their relationship in light of the war, or with various other stories, they decided to host ten IDF weddings. In the same hall. At the same time. Held at Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv, it was a wedding like no other. At a line of checkin desks, guests’ names were carefully matched with the checklist, security bracelets were given out, the number for the relevant Chuppah was assigned, and color-coded kippot were handed out to all male guests. A thousand guests from
the full spectrum of Israeli society were present - dati, secular, haredi, Ashkenazi, Sefardi, everyone. I don’t think that there has ever been a simcha with such diversity and unity.
Entering the huge hall, there were ten Chuppah canopies lined up, each with 100 seats in front and an usher waving a giant board with a number on it. There were endless photographers and
videographers and TV crews. The couples were announced and entered sequentially to rapturous cheers. The event itself was a complex combination of inspirational speeches and songs from a central podium alternating with sequential marriage ceremonies performed by ten rabbis. It was an extraordinary celebration and the atmosphere was indescribable!
RICHARD FELLMAN
My mother was getting ready to leave our house. “You’re coming with me, so go put your jacket on,” she said. She wasn’t angry, but she was firm. I went and got my coat. In Omaha in early April it can still be chilly and windy, and sometimes snow might fall though it usually melted in a day. I did what she told me, since I was only half-past-four, “going on five” my grandmother always said. Nobody thought about attending nursery school, since it was still the 1930s. The Depression hadn’t ended, and World War II wasn’t thought about, since two great oceans seemed to protect all of us in America.
“We’re going to pick up Bubee and take her to the fish market on North 24th Street,” I was told. North 24th was still the commercial center of small Jewish merchant’s stores, half of which seemed to be “Mom and Pop” grocers. Some had large tanks inside, which were filled with water and fresh fish. We always went to Crounse’s Market since they were patients of my father’s dental practice.
Haggadah, the ancient story of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt which contained the Four Questions and all about the Passover holiday. Tradition called for the youngest child to recite this passage, and my mother and I had been practicing for a few weeks, so I could say them well in Hebrew. During Passover, we had all kinds of special foods, and I liked them all. One was made of three kinds of fresh fish and was called “gifilte fish.” People either liked it a great deal, or shook their head and said “I can’t stand gifilte fish. It smells funny and doesn’t taste good.” It was usually eaten on a piece of matzo with a bit of horseradish as garnish. It was strong, but I liked it even at four and a half years old.
G-d’s vision for Passover cuisine is simple: we are to eat the roasted lamb with matzah and bitter herbs, and then for the next seven days we are to avoid chametz. And so, over the years diverse Jewish communities have developed their own Passover cuisines. Here are some of our favorites.
Since flour-based noodles are out, many people make thin crepe-like pancakes out of eggs and potato starch, which they then roll up and cut into strips, forming kosher-for-Passover noodles (lokshen, in Yiddish) which taste marvelous in chicken soup. (Note: they last only a few days in the refrigerator before becoming mealy. Also note that the thinner you make them the better they taste.)
One delicious but very unhealthy Passover treat is gribenes, crispy onions and chicken skins that have been fried in schmaltz. Here’s how to make them:
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken skin and fat
1 large spanish onion
Salt
Directions:
“Pesach is only a couple of weeks away,” my mother said once more. “That’s why you and I have been studying the Four Questions in Hebrew so you can recite them when we go to the Seder at Bubee’s.”
She knew that I understood all of this, since Pesach was when my mother’s family gathered for a large dinner at my grandmother’s home. Together we’d read a book called the
My mother came from a large Jewish family of immigrants from Eastern Europe. There were eight children, four boys and four girls. She was right in the middle, the fifth child and the second girl. Her father had been a peddler with a horse and wagon, selling fruits and vegetables to women who remained at home taking care of their own family. He was killed when he was crossing a street and was hit by a drunk driver. Her mother kept the family together. Everyone worked and contributed what they could to the family budget, and my mother was the first to go to college. She paid her own way and became a second grade teacher.
See Bubee’s Pesach page B11
Cut the chicken skins and fat into small pieces. Slice the onion into half-rounds. Place chicken fat/skins and onions into a pot or cast iron pan. Sprinkle with salt. Cook over medium heat until the fat has rendered out into a beautiful clear yellow liquid and the onions and chicken bits are crispy and golden.
Pour the rendered fat through a fine-mesh strainer to separate the gribbenes from the schmaltz.
Pour the schmaltz into a glass jar (if it is not completely clear, pass it through a cloth first). It will solidify in the fridge and you can scoop out a tablespoon or two as needed. It will return to liquid when heated.
The rendering process produces a very strong smell, which is not for the faint of heart. I recommend opening your windows before starting, washing your pot and utensils as soon as you’re done!
Source: Chabad.org
“THE
Pizza is usually the last chametz we eat before the chag and is one of the the first things we get afterwards. While looking for ideas beyond matzah pizza, I came across this Pesach friendly cauliflower pizza crust from Delish.com
A culinary master of disguise, it might sound crazy to those who have not heard of this before, but it can be a delicious and healthy alternative to the classic. In this easy (and gluten-free!) pizza recipe, you’re basically
Ingredients:
making cauliflower rice as the base for your crust. Add a little tomato sauce and cheese or get creative. We like to keep it simple with fresh tomatoes and basil and a balsamic drizzle.
*Please note that you MUST drain the cooked cauliflower, as it keeps the crust dry and encourages crisping while it bakes.
Full recipe and more can be found at https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe -ideas/recipes/a47565/cauliflower-crust -pizza-recipe/
1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped 1 large egg
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided kosher salt
1/4 cup marinara or pizza sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved Torn fresh basil, for serving Balsamic glaze, for drizzling
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°. In a large skillet, bring about 1/4” water to a boil. Season with salt. Add cauliflower in one even layer and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a clean dish towel (or paper towels) and squeeze to drain water.
Add drained cauliflower to food processor and pulse until grated. Drain excess water in paper towels.
Transfer drained cauliflower to a large bowl and add egg, 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan, then season with salt. Transfer dough to a baking sheet lined with cooking spray and pat into a crust. Bake until golden and dried out, 20 minutes.
Continued from page B10
The family was Orthodox and observed Kosher dietary laws, which meant that Bubee’s kitchen was carefully prepared for the eight days of Passover. She had two sets of special dishes, one meat, one dairy, for the festival. To block the use of regular dishes during Passover, she tied a simple grocery string to the handles of each of the ordinary cupboards linking one to the other so the regular dishes could not be removed. Instead, Passover dishes were neatly stacked on a tiny kitchen table for exclusive holiday use.
The kitchen had an “icebox,” but not a refrigerator. The icebox had a wooden door and a rack on the top shelf for a large block of ice. Inside the icebox there were four shelves, and below them was a metal pan which caught the melted ice as it dripped down.
In a corner of the kitchen stood a gas stove with four spindle-like legs, each about three feet high. The oven rested on half of these legs. It was waist-high. The door opened to the oven’s front, so trays could be placed in the oven without bending over. On the other half of the simple stove and right side next to the oven, also at waist level, were two gas burners, front and back.
On this simple but easy-to-use stove, Bubee was able to prepare her entire dinner... matzo ball soup, gifilte fish on a plate with a hardboiled egg and some fresh veggies, dill pickles, olives (both green and black), and horseradish. Next came the main dishes of brisket and chicken, roasted potatoes, cooked vegetables, and a special dish called charoset, a mixture of cooked nuts and fruits. During the dinner, four cups of wine were individually blessed, but none of them were ever entirely consumed.
Obviously, the preparations for a Seder dinner were extensive, and making gifilte fish was the most extensive. That process began at the fish tank on North 24th Street. When we entered Crounse’s, the smell of the fish in the water tank hit me first. I could smell it the moment I stepped through the front door. Behind the water tank were the normal grocery
Top crust with marinara, remaining mozzarella and Parm, garlic and tomatoes and bake until cheese is melted and crust is crisp, 10 minutes more.
Garnish with basil and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serves 4.
store counters, only this time they were filled not only with all the routine items, but also with all the special foods for the Seder. There were boxes marked “Special for Passover”--matzo, the unleavened bread; farfel which is matzah chopped into small pieces, half the size of a dime; matzo meal, similar to farfel but even smaller; jars of horseradish, some red and some white, but all strong; grape juice for children and bottles of red kosher Manischewitz wine, which few really liked but was always used for ceremonial purposes; small pastries called macaroons, and jelly candy formed in circles and covered in chocolate, doubtlessly a favorite of everyone.
It took a special trip to the grocery store to buy an eight-day supply of all these unique foods used only during Passover. To get ready for the Seders and the first and second days of the holiday, that grocery trip had to take place one day before the holiday began. The fresh items could only last in the icebox for a short period of time. Still, even with all the special foods and all the special preparations the “big show” began in Crounce’s Market with Bubee’s selection of the fish she came to buy.
Bubee stood by the side of the water tank to study the fish. She took the handle of a tool about the size of a kitchen broom, which had a large cup on one end to help lift the fish out of the water so she could flip it in to a bucket Mrs. Crounce herself held. Bubee held the broom handle much as a batter holds a baseball bat when first walking to home plate. She carefully placed the cup in the water tank so as to not disturb any of the fish. She wanted carp, whitefish, and pike, and to my amazement she was able to identify each different kind of fish. She approached each fish quietly, almost with a fisherman’s stealth, and quickly placed the cup at the rear end of the fish, forcing it into the cup. Sometimes she followed the fish. But when she thought it was time, she lifted the fish into the cup with one quick stroke, pulled the cup out of the water and dumped the fish into the waiting
See Bubee’s Pesach page B12
GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer
This recipe comes from Rochelle Cooper of The Duck and the Peach in Washington, D.C. It’s a family recipe she used to make with her mother for their Passover Seder, and a delicious option any time you want an easy, flavorful, no-bake dessert.
This icebox cake layers liqueur-soaked matzo crackers with chocolate ganache and toasted hazelnuts for a Passoverfriendly dessert. The icebox cake will need at least a couple hours in the fridge to solidify after assembly. Feel free to make it up to a day ahead; be sure to let
the cake sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving so it softens.
Adding egg yolks to the melted chocolate helps stabilize the mixture, but if you’re avoiding eggs, you can certainly omit the yolks and use an additional two ounces of chocolate instead. In any case, you’ll want to steer clear of chocolate chips for this recipe; opt for a chopped chocolate bar, feves, or flat discs with the full cocoa butter content intact.
Full recipe and more can be found at https://www.foodandwine.com/cho colate-hazelnut-matzo-cake7255832
Matzo is dipped and soaked in espresso liqueur, which helps soften the cracker to a tender crumb. The liqueur also enhances the flavor of the chocolate while giving it a bit of a kick. If you prefer to lighten the alcohol, reduce the liqueur by half and replace that volume with water or brewed espresso. Feel free to switch up the liqueur in this recipe with rum, cognac, or sherry, or omit it altogether; Cooper says her mother made a special version for kids using lightly sweetened decaf coffee instead of the espresso liqueur. The hazelnuts may be swapped out for walnuts or almonds.
Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (9 oz.) espresso liqueur (such as Don Ciccio Concerto), plus more as needed
5 matzo squares (about 6 1/4 oz. total)
6 oz. (58% cacao) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (4 oz.) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped Flaky sea salt
Directions:
Pour liqueur into an 8-inch square pan or rimmed plate that can fit a whole matzo square. Working with one matzo square at a time, press matzo gently
Continued from page B 11 bucket. She tossed back any fish she did not want.
The process took more time than I had imagined. But pretty soon, the flapping fish were all in the bucket, which she took to the counter in the back of the store, flapping fish all the way. The fish were each individually weighed, and wrapped in heavy paper, then in a large paper bag. Once in the bag, they were wrapped again, triple-tied, and placed in a bag which she herself carried. Bubee paid Mrs. Crounce and quickly walked to my mother’s waiting car.
The fish flapped all the way home. A day or so later her oldest daughter came to Bubee’s home to help make the gifilte fish. Everyone acknowledged the strong and unpleasant odors and the heavy labor that went in to the preparation. In the end, each piece of gifilte fish was molded into a small cube about two inches long and shaped either like a football or a baseball. I could never taste the difference.
The other foods were prepared on
into liqueur and let stand 1 minute, flipping once halfway during soaking time. Set squares aside on a plate.
Pour remaining soaking liqueur into a liquid measuring cup. (You should have about 6 ounces; if not, add additional liqueur to equal 6 ounces in measuring cup.)
Place chocolate, sugar, and 6 ounces liqueur in a double boiler or a bowl placed on top of a steaming pot of water. Whisk over medium-low until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes; turn off heat. Add egg yolks, one at a time, to double boiler or bowl, whisking constantly until combined. Turn heat to mediumlow and whisk constantly for 3 minutes or until mixture has reached 160°F over simmering water.
Remove from heat and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and emulsified.
Place 1 soaked matzo square on a plate; cover with a thin layer of chocolate mixture (about 1/4 cup) and sprinkle evenly with about 1/4 cup of finely chopped hazelnuts. Continue to layer matzo squares, chocolate, and hazelnuts (four more layers), spreading chocolate over edges to coat sides of cake and making sure top layer of chocolate is smooth. Use any additional chocolate to coat any gaps on the sides. Sprinkle sea salt and remaining hazelnuts over top.
Place cake in refrigerator, uncovered, until chocolate is thick and cake is set, about 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 1 hour before serving.
Credit:
that small stove and in the tiny storied kitchen. I never knew how.
The big night came. We dressed in special holiday clothes, usually new outfits my mother bought each of the four of us in our family for Pesach. My
mother’s large family gathered at Bubee’s home. The table in the dining room was pushed to one side and chairs were crowded around three sides, leaving only a narrow path to take a seat.
See Bubee’s Pesach page B14
B’NAI ISRAEL
SYNAGOGUE
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BETH EL
SYNAGOGUE
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BETH ISRAEL
SYNAGOGUE
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CHABAD HOUSE
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TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206
402.556.6536
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LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:
TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236
402.423.8569
tiferethisraellincoln.org
Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, May 10, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!
For information about our historic synagogue, please visit our website at www.cblhs.org or contact any of our other board members: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Ann Moshman, MaryBeth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber.
Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL
Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.
IN-PERSON AND ZOOM MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9:30 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays, 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m.
FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat 6 p.m
SATURDAY: Shabbat Hagadol Zimra 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Havdalah, 8:45 p.m. Zoom only.
MONDAY: Shacharit/Siyyum B’khorim (followed by Biur Chametz & Breakfast), 7 a.m.
TUESDAY: Beth El Office Closed; Passover Day One Morning Service, 10 a.m.; Passover Seder, 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Beth El Office Closed; Passover Day Two Morning Service, 10 a.m.
THURSDAY: BESTT Passover Spring Break Special, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. includes lunch & snacks for $15.
FRIDAY-Apr 26: Nebraska AIDS Project Lunch, 11:30 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.
SATURDAY-Apr. 27: Passover/Shabbat Morning Service with Yizkor, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m. Zoom Only.
Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Sale of Chametz Forms Due, noon; Mincha/ Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:52 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Tehillim, 6:25 p.m. at the Uzi’s; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s Teachings, 6:51 p.m.; Mincha, 7:40 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:10 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m.
SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Kinyan HaMasechta, 9:40 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 8 p.m.; Bedikat Chometz, 8:55 p.m.
MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Fast of the Firstborn Siyum, 7:45 a.m.; Latest time to eat chometz, 10:36 a.m.; Biur Chametz, 11 a.m. at Beth Israel; Lastest time to dispose of chametz, 12:02 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:55 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.; Earliest time to begin Seder, 8:55 p.m.
TUESDAY: Last time to eat the afikomen, 1:22 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Kids Davening, 10:30 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.; Beth Israel Community Pesach Seder, 8:45 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:56 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Last time to eat the afikomen, 1:26 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Kids Davening, 10:30 a.m.;
Continued from page B12
Usually, at least two card tables were placed in the living room. This was where the children sat. When all the babies were born, Bubee had 14 grandchildren. When I was a child there was only half that number, and that one night I was the youngest able to memorize the Hebrew to recite the Four Questions. Because of that specialty, I had a seat at the grown-up table, between my mother and father. When my turn in the service came, I stood up, pushed my chair back, and began the recitation.
The entire family became quiet and listened, and when I was finished they were all smiles and compliments. My mother hugged me, and then my father did the same, and Bubee came around and gave me a wet kiss and a big hug. It was worth every minute of the long preparation.
The Seder service continued. It took well over an hour, maybe and hour and a half, and while it was taking place, the snacks that were placed in the middle of the table were nibbled... dill pickles, big black olives, small green olives, and cut veggies
Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.; Havdalah, 9 p.m.
THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Character Development Class, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.
FRIDAY-Apr 26: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:59 p.m.
SATURDAY-Apr. 27: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45 a.m.; Mincha 7:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:03 p.m.
Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person and via Zoom (ochabad.com/academy). For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800.
FRIDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: Ochabad.com/ Lechayim; Candlelighting, 7:51 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shacharit 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:54 p.m.
SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Shacharit, 99:30 a.m., Video Presentation, 9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m.; Torah and Tea, 10:30-11:15 a.m.
MONDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Pesach Seder, 7:30 p.m. go to ochabad.com/pasover84 for more details; Candlelighting, 7:54 p.m.
TUESDAY: Morning Services, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and lunch; Candlelighting after, 8:57 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Morning Services, 10 a.m.
THURSDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 10 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 34), noon; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) Class, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY-Apr. 26: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: Ochaba d.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 7:59 p.m.
SATURDAY-Apr. 27: Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Shabbat Ends, 9:02 p.m.
Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.
FRIDAY: Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:53 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Metzora; Potluck Dinner and Family Game Night, 6 p.m. at SST. Adults and kids of all ages are welcome. Please bring a dish to share; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m.
SUNDAY: LJCS Classes, 10 a.m.; Passover Family Learning Event, 10 a.m.-noon at SST; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group, 10:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at
with small tomatoes, radishes, and carrots. The service had times when matzos were eaten, fresh green onions were dipped in salt water, and strong horseradish was placed on matzo. It brought tears to everyone’s eyes, but the adults seemed to love it.
All of a sudden the telephone rang. In those days long distance calls were expensive and rare. One daughter, Ethel, had married a medical student who came to Creighton because young Jews, even smart ones like this young man, were denied admission to professional schools in many parts of the country, but Creighton in Omaha was fair and admitted the sons of immigrant Jews. When he graduated, Ethel married him and moved with him to his home town. They lived the rest of their lives in Pittsburgh. Every Pesach about midway through the dinner, the only phone in the house would ring.
The phone in Bubee’s house was different than ours at home. Bubee’s phone had an earpiece, about the size of half an ear of corn on the cob, connected by a cord to a round metal circle the size of
Rock 'n Joe (5025 Lindbergh St.). For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw 801@gmail.com; Spring Gardening, 10:30 a.m. at SST. Email Ellin at ellin.siegel@gmail.com if you can help; Jewish Book Club, 1:30 p.m. and will discuss In the Garden of the Righteous:The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews during the Holocaust by Richard Hurowitz via Zoom; Pickleball, 3-5 p.m. Anyone interested in playing or learning how to play can text Miriam at 402.470.2393. If there are enough interested people; we will play in the Social Hall at TI.
MONDAY: Candlelighting, 7:56 p.m.
TUESDAY: Synagogue Offices Closed; Passover Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Candlelighting, 8:59 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Synagogue Offices Closed; LJCS Classes, 4:30-6 p.m.; Havdalah, 9 p.m.
FRIDAY-Apr 26: Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8 p.m.
SATURDAY-Apr. 27: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study, noon on Pesach; Havdalah, 9:04 p.m.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
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ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home’s service is currently closed to visitors.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Benjamin Sharff, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander.
FRIDAY: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. In-Person; Classic Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.
SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service and Bar Mitzvah of Alexander Yale, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.
SUNDAY: Grades PreK-7, 9:30 a.m. In-Person; Temple Tots Sunday, 10 a.m In-Person; Book Club 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.
TUESDAY: Temple Israel Office Closed; Passover Festival Service, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Temple Israel Second Night Passover Seder, 6 p.m. RSVP Required — In-Person.
WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9-11 a.m. In-Person; Grades 3-6, 4:30 p.m. In-Person; Grades 8-12, 6 p.m. In-Person.
THURSDAY: The Zohar: Thursday Morning Class, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Sharff and Rabbi Azriel In-Person & Zoom.
FRIDAY-Apr 26: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. InPerson; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.
SATURDAY-Apr. 27: Torah Study 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. InPerson & Zoom.
Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
an onion cut in half, mounted on a small metal post about a foot high. All of this was firmly hooked up at the bottom and attached to a round piece of metal, about the size of a small pancake, which served as a base for the entire telephone.
Uncle Eddie, the third of the sons, always sat near the corner shelf where the phone was placed, and when it rang he always answered, speaking softly to the caller, and then he shouted in the loudest former Army sergeant’s voice he could muster, “It’s Ethel.” The phone was passed around the table, except to the children, and everyone said “Hello Ethel.” There wasn’t time to say more since time on long distance cost a lot of money, and this family was still poor.
At long last, after the meal, after dessert, and after the final prayers were read, the Seder was over. It always concluded with everyone saying in unison and in almost melodious voices the traditional ending, “Next Year in Jerusalem.”
Everyone knew it was just a wish... but a good one. I loved it.
JTA Taylor Swift has (unofficially) entered her Exodus era. Swifties can now express their love for the pop icon while celebrating Passover, thanks to the Unofficial Taylor Swift Haggadah, written by author Na’ama Ben-David.
Ben-David says the idea came from her teenage daughter, a big fan of Swift. “She loves talking about Taylor Swift,”
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Abrahams, Kaslow & Cassman LLP .............. A7
Arial Home Health ................................................. A12
Arnold Weitz & Co. ................................................ A6
B’nai B’rith Henry Monsky Lodge ................. B13
B’nai Israel Synagogue ........................................ B13
Bagel Bin ..................................................................... B12
Belgrade Family ....................................................... B3
Beth El Synagogue ............................................... B13
Beth Israel Synagogue ........................................ B13
Bloom Companion Care .................................... A12
Body Basics ............................................................... A5
Boots For Less ......................................................... A3
Borsheims ................................................................... B6
Chabad ........................................................................ B13
Charleston’s .............................................................. B10
Cohen Family ............................................................ A5
Colliers .......................................................................... A6
Cotton family ............................................................ B7
Congregation B’nai Jeshurun .......................... B4
Congregation Tifereth Israel ............................. B4
Creighton University ............................................. B8
Enterprise Bank ...................................................... A13
Frankel ......................................................................... A14
Fraser Stryker Law Firm ..................................... A5
Friedel Jewish Academy .................................... B9
Healing Calm Physical Therapy ..................... A12
I-Go Van & Storage ............................................... A14
Ideal Pure Water ..................................................... B11
Ilumin ............................................................................. B8
Ben-David said in a statement. “Her music, her lyrics and the inspirational messages she gets from listening to the albums. When we started talking about Pesach, she remarked that there are a lot of parallels between the story and themes of Pesach, and Taylor Swift’s music — and the idea was born!”
Illustrated by Shelley Atlas Serber, this edition of the haggadah, or central text that guides participants through the
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Image Entertainment ........................................... A3
Industrial Escape Rooms .................................... B7
Institute for Holocaust Education ................. B13
Israel Bonds ............................................................... B3
Jade Garden ............................................................. B12
Jewish Community Relations Council ......... B8
Javitch Family .......................................................... B12
Jewish Family Service ......................................... B13
Jewish Federation of Lincoln ........................... B4
Jewish Federation of Omaha ........................... B1
Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation . B1
Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation Life & Legacy ....................................................... B16
Jewish Funeral Home .......................................... B13
Jewish Press .............................................. B4, B7, B11
Jewish War Veterans ............................................ B13
Kaiman, Barry and Toni Victor ......................... B7
Kohll’s Rx .................................................................... A13
Kugler Vision ............................................................. A7
League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly ..................................................... B13
Legacy of Laughter - The Meyers Famliy .................................................................................. A6
Lerner Company ..................................................... B6
Lion’s Automotive Upholstery ....................... A10
Malashock Jewelry ................................................. B3
McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp, PC, LLO. .................................................... A10
Mid-City Jewelry & Loan .................................... A13
Nature Conservancy Nebraska ....................... A3
Nebraska Furniture Mart ................................... A10
Passover seder, joins a crowd of creative Passover haggadahs published for the 2024 holiday.
“The vibrant and modern design of the Haggadah was inspired by Taylor Swift’s worldwide hits,” Serber said in a statement. “When we all sit down at our seder tables around the world, we share the same songs that we’ve enjoyed together for years — the hits of the Jewish people.”
ADVERTISER PAGE
Nebraska Jewish Historical Society .............. B5
Nebraska Press Statewide Classifieds ....... B15
Newman Family ..................................................... A14
Omaha Compound Company ........................ A6
Omaha Trans Video ............................................... B4
One Pacific Place-Broadmoor ......................... B4
ONYX Automotive ................................................ A15
Phillips family ............................................................ B3
Pulverente Monument Co. ................................ B15
Recanati Wines ....................................................... A13
Refresh Cleaning Services, LLCJudy Bunkers ....................................................... A7
Ricks, Marty & Iris ................................................... A10
Ronco Construction .............................................. B7
Rose Blumkin Jewish Home ............................. A4
Rotella’s Italian Bakery ........................................ B12
Schwalb Realty ........................................................ B7
Seldin Company ...................................................... A11
Sol’s Jewelry & Loan ............................................. A5
Staenberg Family Foundation ....................... A16
Star Deli/Star Catering ........................................ B13
Swartzbaugh Farber ............................................. B7
Temple Israel ............................................................. B13
The Rooferees - John Higgins Weatherguard ................................................... A10
Tritz Plumbing .......................................................... B15
Vann Realty ............................................................... A10
Village Pointe Pediatrics ..................................... B2
Wiesman Development .................................... A14
Zio’s Pizza ................................................................... B11
ANNOUCEMENT
ADVERTISE STATEWIDE for $225/25 word classified ad. Over 140 newspapers with circulation of more than 237,000. Contact the Jewish Press or call 1-800-369-2850.
HELLO NEBRASKA! Introducing www.nepublicnotices.com, a new public notice website presented as a public service by all Nebraska newspapers. Free access, fully searchable – because democracy depends upon open government and your right to know.
AFFORDABLE PRESS Release service. Send your message to 155 newspapers across Nebraska for one low price! Call 1-800369-2850 or www.nebpress.com for more details.
FORSALE
GERMAN SHEPHERD AKC pups, black/tan, shots, ready now, $750, Country Raised, 308-754-6218.
FORSALE-SENIORS
PORTABLE OXYGEN Concentrator? May be covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-385-3580.
GUNSHOW
GUN SHOW: April 26-28, 2024, Westfair Council Bluffs, IA Fri 38pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. $10 (under 14 FREE). More info: 563-608-4401 www.marvkrauspromotions.net.
KEARNEY GUN & Coin Show, April 20th and 21st, Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Expo Center, Fairgrounds, Kearney, NE.
HELPWANTED
FARM/FEEDLOT Maintenance person needed with experience in welding and shop work. 401K and Group Health Insurance. R Lazy K, Inc., Glenvil, NE. Call 7a.m.-5p.m. (402)771-2394.
HOMESERVICES
DOES YOUR basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundations, sinking concrete and nasty
Rabbi Steven Abraham
Michael & Sheri Abramson
Michael Albert*
Anonymous (39)
Ansari Family
Joyce Ashley
John Atherton & Marti Rosen-Atherton
Elyce* & Aryeh Azriel
Bob Belgrade
Sandra Belgrade*
Harry Berman
Marilyn F. Berman
Jake & Susan Besser
Bonnie Rae Bloch
Steven R. Bloch
Becki Brenner
Beth Brodkey
Bruce H. Brodkey & Marcia A. Hoffman
Ron Brodkey*
Miriam Brooks
Carrie & Josh Brown
Elliot Brown*
Beth Cohen
David & Karla Cohen
Marla & Bob Cohen
Drs. Michael & Karen Cohen & Family
Daniel Cohn
Pam Cohn
Judith Cooper
Justin Cooper
Ronald & Cheryl Cooper
Mickey & Fran Coren
Jerry* & Janey Dann
Hal & Mary Daub
Arthur L. Davidson*
Betsy G. Davidson
Larry & Hanna DeBruin
Rabbi Ari Dembitzer
Deborah Denenberg
Norman & Eunice* Denenberg
Steven Denenberg
Tippi Denenberg
JohnCarl Denkovich
Pam & Dennis DePorte
Beth Seldin Dotan
Jared and Tamara Draeger
Eric Dunning
Toba Cohen-Dunning
Penny Krasne Endelman
Alex Epstein
Harold Epstein*
Howard & Sharon Epstein
Irving Epstein*
Lindsay Epstein
Lisa & Gary Epstein
Mel Epstein
Paul & Sandy Epstein
Dr.
Steven R. Epstein
Robert & Andrea Erlich
Richard Evnen
James & Judy Farber
Yonatan & Liz Feldstern
Richard M. Fellman
Toby Fellman*
Cantor Leo* & Annette Fettman
Glen H. & Hollie Fineman
David Finkelstein
Rebecca Ruetsch-Finkelstein
Alan J. Fredricks
Arlene Fredricks*
Jerry Freeman*
Joanne Freeman*
Robyn & Bob Freeman
Ted & Jamie Friedland
Bruce & Pam Friedlander
Amy & Sanford Friedman
Lloyd D. & Lois N. Friedman Trust
Steven M. Friedman
Lynne Friedel Gellman
Howard E. Gendelman
H. Lee & Carol Gendler Charitable Fund
Donald Gerber
Dan & Sarah Gilbert
David Gilinsky & Katherine Finnegan
Ronald Giller
Darlene & Sherman* Golbitz
Andi Goldstein
Donald E. Goldstein
Gary & Barbara Goldstein
Jan Goldstein
Kathy Goldstein
Dora Goldstrom
Mark Goldstrom
Alan Goodman*
David & Shirley Goodman
Andie Gordman & Dan Fitzgerald
Jay & Allison Gordman
Kip & Bridget Gordman
Linda* & Jerry* Gordman
Steven Gottlieb
Andy & Carole Greenberg
Barton H.* & Caryl B.* Greenberg
Paul G. Greenberg(in
loving memory
of Yvonne, Walter & Brant Greenberg)
Bennett & Robin Greenspan
Mary Sue Grossman
Joshua & Amanda Gurock
Mendy & Michael Halsted
Andrea & Marc Hamburg
M'Lee Hasslinger
Bonnie Kuklin Horwich
Jon Jabenis
Randi Friedel Jablin
Joan Sandler Jacobson
Richard Jacobson
Gary & Karen Javitch
Patrick Jensen
Sylvia Jess*
Edward & Anne Joseph & Family
Debbi Josephson
Frances Juro
Richard Juro
Becky Kahn
Marcel & Ilse* Kahn
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Kaniewski
Gary* & Sally Kaplan
Myron Kaplan
Russ Kaplan
Beatrice Karp*
Gloria C. Kaslow
Howard J. Kaslow
Cookie Katskee
Julee Katzman
Les & Helen Kay
Jeff & Sharon Kirshenbaum
Joe Kirshenbaum*
Kevee Kirshenbaum*
Donald S.* & Delores Klein
Marsha A. Kleinberg
Milton M. Kleinberg
Sara & Ari Kohen
David Kohll
Janet Kohll
Howard M. & Sharon Kooper
Shane & David Kotok
Jack Kozlen
Alan & Deborah Kricsfeld
Janie Fox Kulakofsky
David & Debi Kutler
Howard Kutler
Stuart & Sandy Kutler
K. Wayne & Carole A. Lainof
Randal Langdon
Sharon Comisar-Langdon
Barbara Lashinsky
Joanie Lehr
Sandy & John Lehr
Susan Lehr
Mike & Bobbi Leibowitz
Paula A. Lenz
Vincent P. Lenz
Steve & Bonnie Levinger
Rochelle Lewis
David Lieberman
Felicia & Scott Littky
Mario Lopez
Steve* & Thelma* Lustgarten
Trenton B. Magid
Diane* & Larry Malashock
Dr. Edward* & Sally* Malashock
Jody & Neal Malashock
Stanley* & Barbara* Malashock
Chaya Sarah Malkah
Dan Marburg
Joan Krasne Marcus
Lisa Marcus
Julie & Mark Martin
Bruce Meyers
Jon & Denise Meyers
Sue Meyers*
Tina & Joe Meyers
Robert Y. Meyerson, M.D.
Troy & Jamie Meyerson
Lois Milder
Dr. Sidney Mirvish*
Stanley & Evelyn Mitchell
Eli* & Ann* Modenstein
Ann Moskovits*
John Mosow & Ellin Siegel
Janie & Allan Murow
Alan and Linda Muskin
Mary-Beth & Bruce Muskin
Michael Muskin
Amy Nachman
Gary Nachman
Bob Nelson
Allison Newfeld
Murray & Sharee Newman
Dr. Patricia Newman
Phyllis & E. R. “Bob”*
Allan S. Noddle
Patty Nogg
Steve Nogg
Susan R. Norton
Andrea Olson
Alan S. Parsow
Carol S. Parsow
Margo Frohman Parsow
Newman
Zoë Riekes
Bob Rifkin
Jane & Harlan Rips
Stuart Richard Rochman*
Jonathan Rockman
Stacey Rockman
Silvia G. Roffman
Debbie & Lloyd Roitstein
Susan Rothholz*
Lynne-Carol Saltzman
Rosalie* & Milton* Saylan
Caryn & Marc Scheer
Dr. Joel & Nancy Schlessinger
Carol* & Ed Schneider
Beth and Harley Schrager
Jeffrey Schrager &
Robert* & Betty Perelman
Vicki Perlmeter
Bonnie Pfrenger
Eric & Julie Phillips
Gilda Pieck*
Marcia & Steve* Pitlor
James & Susan Polack
Karen Pollak
Oliver Pollak
Alan E. Potash
Bruce Potash
Linda Neumann-Potash
Paul Rabinovitz
David & Gretchen Radler
Gail Goldstein Raznick
Mary & Joel Rich
Philip & Diane Rich
Marty & Iris Ricks
Ari Riekes
Carl Riekes
Margo Riekes
Steven J. Riekes
684 commitments with an estimated value of $25,641,422.
Life & Legacy is a collaboration between the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, and our local partner organizations: The Jewish Federation of Omaha and its Agencies (Jewish Community Center, Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Press, Jewish Social Services including Jewish Family Service, Jewish Senior Outreach, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society ), B’nai Israel Synagogue, Beth El Synagogue, Beth Israel Synagogue, Chabad Nebraska, Friedel Jewish Academy and Temple Israel
Amy Bernstein Shivvers, Executive Director 402-334-6466
Contact the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation
