April 20, 2018

thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

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RBJH receives outstanding annual health survey

APRIL 2 0 , 2 0 1 8 | 5 IY AR 5 7 7 8 | V O L. 9 8 | NO . 2 7 | C A Nd LELi G H Ti NG | FRID AY , APRIL 2 0 , 7 : 5 2 P. M.

Spirit of Federation Award: Lisa & Gary Epstein

OzziE NOGG Last month, the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home learned that the facility had passed the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Survey, as well as the Nebraska Fire Marshall’s Life Safety Inspection, with flying colors. “I couldn't be happier or more proud of our staff for the outstanding surveys we just completed,” said Chris Ulven, Blumkin Home Executive Director. “This survey

RBJH Residents give back Page 5

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Mega Teen Trip: Kathleen Kirshenbaum Page 7

GABBy BLAiR Staff Writer, Jewish Press he Phil and Terri Schrager Spirit of Federation Award is annually presented to those who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to build and strengthen

the Omaha Jewish community. Recipients have demonstrated personal commitment, dedication and leadership to the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its agencies. This special award puts a spotlight on those who have gone the extra mile in cultivating See Spirit of Federation Award page 3

Listen Up! headlines Beth El Concert

Keeping the kippot Page 12

Event benefits the Seth Rich Memorial Camp Scholarship Fund

inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

SPONSOREd By THE BENJAMiN ANd ANNA E. WiESMAN FAMiLy ENdOWMENT FUNd

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OzziE NOGG actions are exactly what Beth El Synagogue’s Seth Rich would have annual Cantor’s Conapplauded.” cert, scheduled for SunAgain, paraphrasing day, May 6, features the Chicago Tribune, Listen Up! — a four perwhen it comes to reson ensemble that, acdefining musical rules cording to the Chicago and selling a song, it Tribune, turns melodies helps to be good — and and harmonies on their Listen Up! is very good. heads to come up with Band members include: something unique and Steve Singer, Bass/Perfull of freshness and apcussion/Musical Direcpeal. The concert betor; Sari Greenberg, gins at 4 p.m. and Si nge r / S ong w r ite r ; benefits the Seth Rich Freddie Feldman, Members of Listen Up! Steve Singer, left, Sari Greenberg, Eli Nathan Memorial Camp ScholTenor/Bass; and Eli Taylor and Freddie Feldman mix diverse Jewish musical traditions arship Fund.

Nathan Taylor/Tenor. with multi-generational wit and humor. This a cappella band is fea“This year’s concert is This uncommon vocal tured at Beth El’s May 6 Cantor’s Concert once again dedicated to band combined their the memory of Seth Rich, a promis- mer of 2016,” said Hazzan Michael individual talents and experiences to ing young man who was senselessly Krausman of Beth El. “Seth had a make Listen Up! one of the most popslain in Washington, DC, in the sum- deep relationship with Camp Ramah ular groups in the world of Jewish and a passion for Jewish summer music. A bit of bio: camp in general. At the time of his • Steve Singer, who founded Listen death, Seth was on the staff of the up! in 1992, was trained as a molecuDemocratic National Committee, lar neuropharmacologist. In the working to make sure all citizens had band, he is simply Chief Noisemaker, equal access to voting rights and a a percussionist who loves experivoice in the future of our country. It’s menting with new sounds that give ironic to see how American youth Listen Up! its eclectic flair and rhythtoday are taking the future into their mic soul. When not making noise on own hands, marching, becoming ac- stage, Steve lives in Skokie, Illinois, tivists, encouraging their peers to with his wife (and founding memberregister to vote in November. Their See Beth El Concert page 4

included the largest change to Federal and State regulations in over 20 years, plus a brand new survey process, and getting great results is the ultimate employee recognition. It takes all of the staff to make it happen, and we truly have outstanding and caring staff. We’ve always been proud of the Home’s reputation for providing quality care, and this survey report confirms that we’re extremely good at what we do.”

In November of 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), released a comprehensive revision of federal nursing facility regulations. The regulations and explanatory material (over 700 pages total) revised the requirements that longterm care facilities — like the RBJH — must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. “The new regulations address everything from Resident rights to building maintenance to dietary control to emergency preparedness and more,” Ulven continued. “So much goes into the process of ensuring compliance with regulations — staff education, doing competency checks, putting the proper systems in place. Our staff spent hundreds of hours preparing for the new requirements, to make sure we’re providing the best possible care for our Residents and their families. Considering all the areas the Health Surveyors look at, and all the things that could possibly be viewed during this process, to have them find only one thing we need to improve on is an amazing feat.” According to medicare.gov, the national average for number of deficiencies issued in an annual survey is 5.8 while the Nebraska average is 6.

Much of the preparation fell under the supervision of Natalie Osborne, Blumkin Home Nurse Manager. “My job, in a way, is to be the RBJH personal surveyor,” Osborne explained. “I look at all areas of the facility, not just nursing, for compliance with Federal and State Regulations, and review data that allows me to investigate areas at the Home that could See RBJH health survey page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018

community

RBJH health survey Continued from page 1 be improved upon. I also prepare all staff for the survey by providing education, but not with ordinary meetings and in-services. Instead, I make up entertaining word searches, crossword puzzles and quizzes and then award prizes to the winners. One of the multiple choice answers to the question, ‘What to do in case of a tornado?’ was, ‘Wish I had watched the Wizard of Oz more closely.’ Getting ready for a survey can be stressful for the staff, so an occasional laugh during the process is always welcome.”

Jerry Nevins, RBJH Assistant Administrator, understands the survey process from the inside. “Before I joined the Blumkin team in late 2017, I spent three years as a State Surveyor myself. In that capacity, I looked at everything that went on within a facility, from the rooms’ cleanliness to how the staff treated the Residents, the palatability of the food, care provided to the facility’s Residents, and everything in between to determine if that facility was in compliance. State Surveyors also observe and interview the facility’s staff, and our staff rose to the occasion. They worked together as a team, and the results of the survey speak for themselves.”

Teamwork is paramount at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. “Everyone on staff — nursing, social services, dietary, activities, housekeeping, maintenance — works together to meet our Residents’ needs,” Natalie Osborne said. “But I will give a special pat on the back to those staff members who had to be observed by the surveyors while performing care like dispensing meds, taking vitals, tending

to wounds and toileting needs. It’s very difficult to provide a care to the Resident with a surveyor watching you. Even though you provide that care multiple times every day, when someone is standing over your shoulder it feels like you’re under the microscope. It can be very intimidating.”

Previous CMS regulations required that care be individualized, but the new regulations require facilities to learn more about who each Resident is as a person, provide greater support for Resident preferences, and give residents increased control and choice. “When I read that ‘new’ requirement, I had to smile,” said Shelly Fox, Director of Admissions and Community Outreach at Jewish Social Services.

“At the Blumkin Home we’ve always striven to know each of our Residents on a personal basis, to honor their preferences and choices, to include them in decisions about their care. Judaism considers caring for the community's elders a sacred trust, and the Blumkin Home focuses on that responsibility 365 days a year.”

According to Natalie Osborne, after this year’s exit survey there were hugs all around. “Our team felt really good,” she said. “We know we provide excellent care and services to our Residents and the State knew it too. And the ‘we’ is the entire RBJH family. It’s the amazing management and the amazing ‘front-line’ staff from each department who work together that make Rose Blumkin Jewish Home what it is. The place where people want to work, the place people want to visit and the place where people want to live.”

Visit us at jewishomaha.org

Temple Israel welcomes new members

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Cat King Director of Engagement and Communications, Temple Israel n Sunday, April 8, Temple Israel hosted a New Member Brunch to welcome members who have joined the synagogue in the past two years. Some members are new to Temple Israel, some are returning members, and some are even new to Judaism!

As the congregation grows, it benefits from an active Membership Committee and leadership devoted to welcoming our newcomers. Jessica Cohn chairs the Membership Committee and put a lot of time and energy organizing the event on Sunday. There was a continental breakfast and beautiful bouquets of flowers on the tables.

Jess worked with committee members, staff, and volunteers to identify and invite members who have joined in the past two years, as well as coordinate an informative presentation to introduce new members to Temple Israel. Everyone’s hard work paid off, and Jess expressed gratitude to everyone involved. “The new member brunch was a wonderful success because our members are energetic about our synagogue and community! We have an amazing group of staff and lay leaders who are passionate about Temple and eager to share their enthusiasm with our newest members.”

After a bit of socializing and introductions, everyone sat down with their food and was treated to brief presentations by clergy, staff, and leaders in the congregation. Tem-

ple Israel’s current and future presidents, Rosie Zweiback and Andie Gordman respectively, welcomed everyone, gave some history about Temple Israel, and spoke about opportunities to get involved. Executive Director Dennis DePorte explained how our dues work and warmly welcomed everyone to contact him if they need anything at Tem-

ple. Sharon Comisar-Langdon distributed a handbook for Temple Israel’s Religious School and enthusiastically encouraged parents to get their children involved. Other presenters included clergy, staff, and chairs or members from various committees such as Social Justice, Caring, and Tri-Faith.

The objective was to welcome new members, help them feel more comfortable at Temple Israel, and give them enough—but not too much—information to empower them to feel at home in the congregation.

Everyone seemed to agree that the objective was met and members, new and not-so-new, stuck around and socialized after the presentations concluded. A New Member Ice Cream Social is planned for July 29 at the home of incoming president Andie Gordman.

APRIL GALLERY RECEPTION 5:30 - 6:30PM ARTIST TALK and Q&A 6:30 - 7:30PM

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J C C G A L L E RY & T H E AT E R | F R E E

FREE and open to the public. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/HumansofTelAviv

Inspired by the popular blog Humans of New York, Israeli photojournalist Erez Kaganovitz founded Humans of Tel Aviv in 2012. The project aims to show the authentic cultural and human diversity of Tel Aviv and the country of Israel.

Listen as Erez shares what he has learned after photographing 1,000 life stories. The amazing social fabric of Tel Aviv will be unraveled for you by the lives of the Humans who participated in this project.

Questions? Contact Yoni Doron, Community Shaliach, at (402) 490-1468 or ydoron@jewishomaha.org

Exhibit Open: April 22 - 30, 2018 JCC GALLERY | FREE | OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 333 South 132nd Street • Omaha, NE

EREZ KAGANOVITZ

To see this exhibit’s next location, visit https://tinyurl.com/TravelingHumansofTelAviv

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO: Dr. Howard Gendelman as a major contributor to the project, to The Philip and Ethel Klutznick Chair in Jewish Civilization at Creighton University and The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation Ann Goldstein Education Programming Endowment Fund

The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018 | 3

Spirit of Federation Award Continued from page 1 community engagement.

This year’s recipients, who will be formally recognized at the June 4 Annual Meeting of The Jewish Federation of Omaha, are Lisa and Gary Epstein.

Nominated for their unwavering and long-term support of many initiatives and organizations throughout greater Jewish Omaha, Lisa and Gary are pillars of our community who lead by example and action.

Lisa and Gary met in Houston, Texas, while attending a Jewish singles party hosted by the local Federation. The couple chose to settle down here, in Gary’s hometown, to raise their family and is happy to have made Omaha their home for the past 40 years.

Actively engaged as volunteers in the community, Lisa and Gary have been supporters and advocates for The Jewish Federation of Omaha, The Omaha JCC, Beth El Synagogue, Chabad of Omaha, The Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, and many other Jewish organizations.

In addition to the long list of leadership roles, (Gary is a Past President of the JCC and is still serving on the Board of Directors at Beth El; Lisa chaired the JCC Youth Department and BBYO for many years), they have been involved in countless undertakings over the years.

Some of these include serving as major donor co-chairs for the 2016-17 Federation Annual Campaign, active involvement with Partnership2Gether, hosting visiting Israeli artists, committing to the Life and Legacy Initiative, and generously giving to the annual campaign at the Chai Circle and Lion of Judah levels respectively for many years, with endowments through PACE and LOJE Funds at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.

Lisa and Gary are also the founders and visionaries of the newly formed Omaha Jewish Alumni Association (OJAA), their newest innovative venture.

Gary explains that he and Lisa were out to dinner one evening when they came up with the idea.

“There are many new families here looking to connect, on one hand, while many others have moved away from Omaha,” he said. “Being new in town and meeting new people can be challenging at first, and it is equally easy to get busy with life and lose touch with old acquaintances over time. We thought it would be great to create an alumni style group that would appeal to Omahans, past and present, of all ages; help us connect and reconnect, and keep Omaha ‘Homaha’. Everyone these days has social media, and our Facebook page makes networking easier than ever.”

Executive Director of the Foundation Howard Epstein and Coordinator of the Life & Legacy Initiative and OJAA Margo Parsow have worked closely with the Epsteins in their endeavor to create OJAA and chose to nominate the innovative couple for the 2018 Spirit of Federation Award.

“We are nominating Lisa and Gary Epstein not only for their past efforts and support, but also for the tremendous effort they have made to establish the Omaha Jewish Alumni Association. In early 2017, they brought the idea of an outreach program to the Federation and Foundation envisioning an ongoing enterprise where current and former Jewish Omahans could connect and build and maintain relationships.

As a result of their efforts, OJAA was born. The mission of OJAA is to establish and secure the future of Omaha’s Jewish community by connecting Jews who are currently living in Omaha with Jewish individuals who formerly lived in Omaha but are now living elsewhere.”

After many months of behind-the-scenes work, OJAA officially kicked off in November 2017. Open to anyone who has ever been part of Omaha’s Jewish Community, OJAA is successfully connecting those who have lived, worked, played or gone to school in Omaha. At nearly 400 members and increasing daily, OJAA has an active and ever-updating Facebook presence.

Margo Parsow, OJAA coordinator, explains that Gary and Lisa will be attending this year’s Young Jewish Giving Shuk event on April 24 in order to induct this year’s graduating seniors into membership in the OJAA; the first ever class to be recruited!

“The Jewish Federation of Omaha and The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation are excited to play a role in making Lisa and Gary’s vision a reality,” Margo said. “The Omaha Jewish Alumni Association is a legacy that will be a gift to us for generations to come, and I am thrilled that Lisa and Gary will be in attendance with our community’s young people!”

Excitement is also building for OJAA’s first official networking event: a luncheon for OJAA Members attending this year’s Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder’s meeting on Friday, May 4, at the RBJH Star Deli which is complementary to out-oftown members. Members of the Omaha Jewish Alumni Association who are visiting Omaha that weekend will receive free passes to the JCC Fitness Center complete with tours of the new, remodeled facilities, and a free tote bag!

Lisa and Gary are actively engaged in the planning of and providing for OJAA in addition to volunteering their time and talents.

“We are thrilled with the response to OJAA and hope it brings back many joyful memories to a lot of people,” Lisa said. “Margo Parsow and Howard Epstein have been especially helpful in getting the OJAA started, and we want to thank them,” Gary added.The Epsteins hope that by facilitating a network of advocates and ambassadors for Jewish Omaha, they not only increase the visibility of the Omaha community, but promote Omaha as a great place to live.

Upon learning that they had been chosen to receive the Spirit of Federation Award, Lisa shares, “I was thrilled to hear the news. I also hope this will further promote OJAA to the wider Omaha Jewish community, because I am so excited to help unite Jewish Omaha: of those who grew up here, of those who have been transplanted and of those of us who still live here. We are truly an inclusive community that cares about each other, and I think it is important for us to be connected.”

Gary was equally enthusiastic. “I am very humbled to be chosen for this award named after Phil and Terri Schrager.

Phil was a true visionary and leader in building our Jewish Community. Terri continues to impact the Omaha Jewish Community. My hope is that the OJAA is going to grow and become a connecting tool for all who lived in this town we call ‘HOMAHA’. It is a wonderful way to bring and keep Jewish friends, families and memories alive for decades to come.”

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Autism Study: Updated Results

After researchers from Johns Hopkins & Harvard’s teaching hospitals published research showing remarkable improvements in autistic individuals using a simple and safe over-the-counter supplement, the Omaha-based Therapeutics Research Institute (TRI) began to implement this break-through treatment [participation is totally free].

About 90% of all participants responded to the supplement. After the 1st three months, responding participants reversed 65% of their severe or moderately serious ranked attributes to no problem or to just a slight problem. At six months, 77% were similarly reversed. At nine months, 86% were reversed. TRI is now expanding the Study to 200 families.

Contact steven.evans@ControlAutismNow.org to learn more.

Beth El Concert

Continued from page 1 vocalist) Rebecca Klein Singer, and their three musical kids.

• Sari Greenberg (aka The Shebrew) received a BFA in musical theatre from CCPA at Roosevelt University, then moved to New York City where she performed in numerous cabaret shows and national tours. She appeared in the concert, If It Weren’t For The Irish and the Jews at Chicago’s Symphony Center with actor Martin Sheen and has performed in Moishe Oysher: The Master Singer of His People since its inception in 2009. Sari has taken the show to Paris, New York City, Chicago, and to the Jewish Music Convention Hava Nashira, headlining at the 2013 URJ (Union For Reform Judaism) Biennial in San Diego. Sari can also be seen and heard in numerous voice-over and television commercials.

• Freddie Feldman holds both a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Northwestern University. He began singing a cappella in high school, and has been at it for over 20 years. Freddie toured as the frontman of the hard-rock band Gaskit, which opened for national acts Godsmack, Tantric, Drowning Pool, SOiL, and Dark New Day. He is a two-time winner of Songs Inspired By Literature Songwriting Competition (SIBL), and the creator of The Thumper, the world’s only throat microphone designed specifically for vocal percussion.

• Eli Nathan Taylor discovered his love for performing at age 16 when he was cast as the lead in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He received a BFA in Theatre Arts from The Theatre School at DePaul University, and at Listen Up!, found a home where he can combine his passion for music with his love for Judaism. When not performing with the band, Eli works as the Events Coordinator for the Jewish National Fund’s Midwest Center of Excellence.

“Listen Up! has wonderful energy and knows how to interact with kids and adults of all ages — just like Seth did,” said Joel Rich.

“Concert goers will love their music."

What is it about Jewish camps that make them successful at instilling in children Jewish identities so deep that they last a lifetime? In their book, How Goodly Are Thy Tents: Summer Camps as Jewish Socializing Experiences, social psychologists Amy L. Sales and Leonard Saxe show how camp envelops campers and

Class of 2018 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

High School Seniors and Parents

We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 18, 2018. To be included, email us the graduate’s name, parents names current high school and the college you plan to attend plus a photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 1, 2018.

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staff in a Jewish environment, exposes them to Jewish leaders and role models, and often teaches them Jewish history and Torah.

Camps, the authors conclude, are extraordinary environments with the power to help young people “do Jewish” and become contributing members of the Jewish community.

As more and more families want to provide a positive, nurturing, safe Jewish summer environment for their children, the need for Jewish summer experience scholarships is on the rise.

“Here at Beth El, we have established a Service Grant Program whereby all students, regardless of need, can receive a camp scholarship in return for a pledge to provide a service to the synagogue when they return,” said Hazzan Michael Krausman. “These services include reading Torah and leading prayers, helping out with the Religious School, and assuming leadership roles in our USY and Kadimah Youth Groups. Not only does this instill a sense of pride in our students, but it gives them a venue to foster the skills and values they acquire during their camping experience. Last year we granted scholarships to over 25 youngsters, and we remain committed to making sure that each and every student who wants to go to camp has the means and opportunity to do so,” Hazzan Krausman continued. “The Jewish camp scholarships and Service Grant Program are wonderful investments in growing our future leaders. Of course, funding scholarships is only possible through the generosity of the members of our Beth El family and our friends in the Omaha Jewish community.

We thank you for your support.”

Chairmen for Listen Up!, a concert to benefit the Seth Rich Memorial Camp Scholarship Fund, are Mary and Joel Rich and Pam and Bruce Friedlander. Ticket pricing and sponsorship opportunities are found at http://bethel-omaha.org. Individual tickets are available at $18. Donors of $50 receive two tickets, and $100 donors receive four tickets. Donators of $180 and above should contact Hazzan Krausman at hazzankrausman@ bethel-omaha.org for ticket requests.

All donations are tax deductible.

Gallagher focuses on wellbeing At Gallagher we are very intentional about how we define wellbeing: it is everything that affects how you think about and experience your life. And it’s dimensional. By addressing wellbeing, engagement and safety together, organizations are able to build a culture that supports positive behaviors and leads to a healthy and engaged workforce.

Focusing on wellbeing, engagement and safety can: • Improve employee morale and camaraderie • Improve awareness and effective utilization of company provided benefits and resources • Improve employee attraction and retention • Improve employee productivity • Decrease worker’s comp claims • Improve retirement readiness Wellbeing strategies are evolving from a narrow focus on physical health to a broader look at how wellbeing, employee engagement, safety, culture and communication strategies connect with an organization’s overall business strategy. Seventy-two

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When looking for the best way to contain costs, promote health and elevate employee engagement, wellbeing continues to be a key component of a sustainable and competitive solution. However, it’s even more impactful when paired with comprehensive engagement and workplace safety.

At the end of the day, it is about developing a cohesive strategy that addresses wellbeing from a holistic perspective that supports and empowers individuals to thrive at home, work and in their communities. It is about identifying and leveraging resources available to support all aspects of an individual’s wellbeing: physical, social/emotional, financial, career and community health. Build a culture of organizational health and safety with Gallagher. Reach out today!

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Gov. Ricketts welcomes Israel’s Minister of Agriculture to Nebraska

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LUke RobSoN WR Reserve and the creation of 100 new jobs.

Director of Media Relations Nebraska exported $1.4 million of beef to Israel in 2017.

LINCOLN In 2016, Nebraska exported $18.1 million worth of goods overnor Pete Ricketts hosted Israeli Minister of to Israel, including $8.2 million of corn, $4.5 million of disAgriculture Uri Ariel at the State Capitol in Lin- tillers grains, and $2.5 million of soybeans. coln. Minister Ariel’s visit is part of a five-state In 2017, Nebraska exported a grand total of over $31 miltour of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and lion worth of goods to Israel, up from $27.5 million in 2014.

Indiana.

Nebraska Department of “Israel is one of Nebraska’s Agriculture (NDA) Assistant greatest friends, and a growDirector Mat Habrock traving market for our quality eled with Lt. Governor Mike products,” said Governor Foley to Israel in 2016 to celRicketts. “This partnership ebrate the reopening of the is expanding opportunities U.S. beef market and welfor both the people of Necome beef from Hastings, braska and Israel. Thank you Nebraska into Israel. to Minister Ariel for visiting “It was an honor to meet Nebraska to discuss how we with Israeli Minister of Agrican grow our relationship culture Uri Ariel today to even further.” discuss our shared vision of Governor Ricketts and a strong agriculture sector,” Minister Ariel discussed the said NDA Assistant Director recent reintroduction of U.S. Mat Habrock. “Israel and beef to Israel during their Nebraska are both interested meeting. They also disin being leaders in agriculcussed opportunities for inture production through the creased collaboration in the Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts presents a token of appreciation development and implemento Minister Uri Ariel. agro-tech industry. tation of technology, partic“Many of my colleagues have understood the map of the ularly in water use. Additionally, Israel is a great trading USA to be centered around major cities like Washington, partner for Nebraska’s agricultural products.”

New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, etc.,” said Minister “We appreciate our state’s robust, mutually-beneficial Ariel. “I have understood that the challenges of climate and trade relationships with Israel, both in terms of agriculture water and food protection and production are bringing back and other industries,” said Nebraska Department of Ecoin centrality the importance of America’s heartland as well nomic Development Director Dave Rippe. “We look foras Israel’s opportunity for new and stronger cooperation ward to working to deepen these connections, and we with America’s leading agriculture states.” eagerly anticipate attending this year’s Agritech Israel exhiIn 2016, Nebraska exported the first significant shipment bition in Tel Aviv to discuss new horizons for collaboration. of beef from the United States to Israel since 2003. The It was a privilege to meet with Minister Ariel this afternoon opening of the export market spurred a plant expansion by to discuss strengthening our bonds for the future.”

The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018 | 5

community RBJH Residents give back

Residents estelle Faier, Sylvia Davis, Rose kaplan, Yu Sun, Mitzie Monovitz, and Thi Lan Plummer help place toiletry items into care packages for the Siena Francis House Homeless Shelter. eMILY CLeMeNT Last month, Residents of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home sponsored a service project to benefit the Siena Francis House Homeless Shelter.

Donations of toiletry items were collected from the community, and the Residents then arranged care packages for the people served by the Shelter. During one of their scenic drives, Residents took a trip to the Siena Francis House to drop off the packages. Beth Haig, Donations Manager, came on the bus to meet the Residents, thank them for the donations, and tell them a little about the people the Shelter serves. The experience was rewarding for all involved. The Activities Staff and Residents of RBJH would like to thank everyone who donated items for this project.

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The Right Care, Right at Home®

402.697.7536 rightathome.net/omaha-metro

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Chocolate Shabbat this Friday at Temple Israel

6 | The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018

community

Cat KinG Director of Engagement and Communications, Temple Israel emple Israel is starting a sweet new tradition: Chocolate Shabbat. When we observe Shabbat, we create what Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel calls a cathedral or sanctuary in time. Imagine filling your sanctuary with delicious chocolate and delightful song. That is Chocolate Shabbat.

One Friday a month, from October to April, a special evening Shabbat service will be a celebration of chocolate and the sweet voices of the children’s choir. Not wanting to wait to start it, the clergy decided to have the inaugural Chocolate Shabbat on April 20. Watch for it to continue in the fall.

Cantor Wendy Shermet launched Temple Israel’s kids’ choir earlier this year to engage our second, third, fourth, and fifth graders and get them excited about Jewish music.

Led by Sara Cowan, an experienced choir director, OPS

Pinwheels for Prevention

Justin Cooper and the talmon family helped Jewish family service plant this year’s Pinwheels for Prevention.

Barry Zoob earns Power Broker award

MiKe Pothoff Colliers International is pleased to announce Barry Zoob is among three brokers from our Omaha team who have been recognized as 2017 CoStar Power Brokers. CoStar recognizes the “best of the best” in commercial real estate brokerage by highlighting the firms and individual brokers who closed the highest number of transaction volumes in commercial property sales or leases in 2017 within his/her respective market.

In addition, Colliers International Omaha was recognized at the 2018 Commerical real Estate Summit. Congratulations to these gentlemen on their well-deserved recognition at the 2018 Commercial Real Estate Summit!

• Deal of the Year - Michael W. Miller and Kyle Peterson for the DeMarco Land Transaction (location of West Farm development) • Hall of Fame - Barry Zoob

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teacher, and Temple Israel member, our kids have been hard at work preparing to sing and be service leaders at Chocolate Shabbat. According to Rabbi Brian Stoller, “Kol Chokolad is Hebrew for ‘The Voice of Chocolate,’ and reflects the Jewish saying that just as music is the language of the soul, chocolate is the food of the soul.”

This is a multi-generational family service and everyone is invited! Kids, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, friends of friends, and of course, all the proud parents and siblings. Chocolate Shabbat starts with dinner at 5:15 p.m.

A free community dinner will be served, featuring Chef Hattam’s world-famous macaroni and cheese and a salad bar. A special Friday evening service follows at 6 p.m. featuring our new Kol Chokolad kid’s choir followed by a very chocolate oneg. The sweetness of their voices will increase the sweetness of our Shabbat. The chocolate won’t hurt either!

Please RSVP to Temple Israel by calling 402.556.6536 or sending an email to RSVP@templeisraelomaha.com by April 19.

Can YOU Help Jewish Family Service?

Karen Gustafson JFS Executive Director It’s not very often that WE ask YOU for help.

We prefer to be the ones to provide services to others. In fact, most recently, we were invited to apply for a Grant, called the Anything Grant that allowed each agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha to dream up “anything” that the agency needed or wanted to do. What did JFS do? We wrote a Grant that would reimburse our staff time (away from seeing clients) in order to provide our expertise to other Federation agencies and synagogues. We were able to “give away” 55 hours of training services for ADL, JCC, Temple Israel, Friedel Jewish Academy and the Child Development Center, covering topics such as parenting, supportive communication, signs and symptoms of Child Abuse, Social and Emotional Intelligence, etc.

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Did you also know that JFS: • Provided 376 gifts of financial assistance to those in need • Provided 779 Staff hours for our adults in the Yachad program • Supported 189 visits to our Food Pantry (This number has doubled in 201718) • Served 372 families across four different Tzedakah Projects • Saw 213 therapy clients for a total of 1562 therapy sessions • Supplied 16 children with Back-to-School supplies Beginning April 13 and running through June 30, 2018, Jewish Family Service is seeking YOUR help. Please consider becoming our FRIEND during our Friend’s Campaign. Our goal is to raise $21,000.

The “actual” amount of Assistance provided to the Jewish community in 2016-17 topped $115,000.

The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018 | 7

Mega Teen Trip: Kathleen Kirshenbaum

The Omaha Teen Trip to Israel is a collaborative project led by the Jewish Federation of Omaha, Beth El Synagogue, Temple Israel, and Beth Israel Synagogue. The purpose of the mission is to bring Jewish Omaha Teens to Israel to experience the Jewish Homeland, connect with Israelis, and connect with each other. As a way of saying “Thank you� to the community, the teens are writing about their experiences and sharing them with the community via The Jewish Press throughout the year.

In addition to being led and financially supported by each Omaha Synagogue and the Jewish Federation of Omaha, The 2017-2018 Teen Trip was supported in part by The Herbert Goldsten Trust, the Phillip & Terri Schrager Supporting Foundation, the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Fund, the Carl L. Frohm Educational Custodial Fund, the Milton S. & Corrine N. Livingston Foundation Fund, the Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, and the JFO Foundation Special Donor Advised Funds. Thank you to all who supported this effort.

Bus Shabbat. Our flight home from New Jersey was canceled, so we spent 22 hours on a bus after our 12 hour flight from Israel. It was an unexpected adventure but it was actually fun to spend more time with the Omaha teens and see another part of the United States. We even had a Shabbat service “Bus Shabbat� on the bus with juice and

sponsored by T H E M E Y E R S F A M I LY L E G A C Y O F L A U G H T E R E N D O W M E N T F U N D of The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation

LE G A CY O F

phone flashlights.

The Israel trip was really fun because I learned about Israeli life and culture and made new friends. It made me feel much more connected to Israel because I had first hand experience in Israel. My sister will be able to go on the next trip to Israel and I have already talked to her about her trip to Israel with the Omaha Jewish Community. Thank you to the Omaha Jewish Community for making this trip possible!

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KaThleen KirshenbauM This was my first trip to Israel, so I was really excited to go to the Jewish homeland. I was able to spend my winter break with my friends from Temple Israel and BBYO, and meet new friends from other synagogues.

I loved staying with a family from Omaha’s Partnership2Gether region. It was amazing to learn about life in Israel.

I was surprised to learn how similar life in Nahariya was to life in Omaha. My host sister, Raz, listened to American music and watched a few of the same American TV shows as I do. One night after the scheduled programming, some of the Omaha teens and our host siblings went to see Jumanji at a movie theater. The movie had Hebrew subtitles, which was really cool. In the middle of the movie, it suddenly stopped and the lights came on. The Omaha teens were really confused, then we learned that there was an intermission in the middle of the movie!

My host family was really friendly and welcoming. It was very meaningful to spend a Shabbat with them in Israel. They made a big Shabbat dinner, with homemade challah, fish, and many other dishes. On Saturday we slept in and then went to Adamit Park for a beautiful view of Nahariya. We also went to the beach. We were the only people there because the temperature was in the 50s, but Julia Raffel and I still rolled up our pants and waded in because we were so excited to be in the Mediterranean Sea. I also got to top off the trip with an extra

8 | The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018

Celebrate Lag Ba’Omer at Beth israel Mary sue GrOssMan Beth Israel Synagogue Lag Ba’Omer, a holiday known for bonfires, weddings, and haircuts, will be celebrated in style at Beth Israel on Wednesday evening, May 2 from 6-8 p.m.

“It is going to an epic evening,” reports Yaakov Jeidel, event organizer.

“Think barbecue, bonfire, archery, frisbee, soccer, and Hasidic tales with Rabbi Ari. Yaakov also encourages everyone to bring guitars and be a part of the music jam. “Lag Ba’Omer is a great celebration and the entire community is invited to be part of the fun.”

Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich adds his encouragement to Yaakov’s. “Lag Ba’Omer is crazy in Israel. Kids search for wood for the bonfires for weeks in advance and everywhere you go, you’ll see fires” he shares. He also shares that while there is growing concern about the holiday’s impact on the environment and a movement to find ways to address the issue, tradition continues to win.

Lag Ba’Omer occurs on the 33rd day of the Omer, the 49day period between Passover and Shavuot. A break from the semi-mourning observed during the Omer, it is the one day during the Omer weddings are permitted as are haircuts. The semi-mourning of the Omer is in memory of then thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students who were killed by a plague because they did not treat one another respectfully. According to tradition, the plague ceased on Lag Ba’Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer. As a result, Lag Ba’Omer became a happy day, interrupting the sadness of the Omer period for 24 hours.

Lag Ba’Omer also remembers one of Rabbi Akiva’s students who survived, Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai. Rabbi Simeon continued to defy the Roman rulers and was forced to flee for his life and spend years in solitary hiding. Tradition places him and his son Eleazar in a cave for 12 years during which they spent their days studying and praying. The custom of lighting

fires on Lag Ba’Omer is to symbolize the light Simeon bar Yohai brought into the world.

Alex Grossman shares his Lag Ba’Omer experience during his first visit to Israel. “On my third day in Israel, my religious cousins with whom I was staying, told me they were taking me somewhere special the next day. I was awakened early, we piled on a bus and headed out. Little did I know the destination was Meron where I experienced the fervor of over 30,000 people who were visiting Rabbi bar Yohai’s grave. There were people, candles and smoke everywhere. He continued, saying “From Meron, we traveled to visit the graves of rabbis in Tiberius and Safed.

In Safed, the many candles had caused a fire on the mountainside, which was ignored by those praying. It was quite an experience for a kid from Omaha, Nebraska, and one I will never forget.”

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Maneva and Harold Edelman, the cost is just $5 per person. Their sponsorship is in memory of Maneva’s brother, Gene Ruppe. Reservations, can be made online at orthodoxomaha.org or by calling 402.556.6288, are needed by April 26.

Organizations

B’nai B’rith BreadBreakers

B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers meets weekly on Wednesdays at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home auditorium from noon to 1 p.m. For specific speaker information, please email Gary.Javitch@gmail. com, Breadbreakers chairman. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewish omaha.org.

The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018 | 9

viewpoint thejewishpress

(Founded in 1920) Eric Dunning President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Thierry Ndjike Accounting Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, President; Andy Ruback, Past-President; Sandy Friedman, Treasurer; Alex Grossman; Jill Idelman; Andy Isaacson, Mike Kaufman; David Kotok; Debbie Kricsfeld; Abby Kutler; Pam Monsky; Eric Shapiro and Barry Zoob.

The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish LIfe, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press.

Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’

Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content.

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Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jew ishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishom aha.org.

Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jew ishomaha.org.

Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view.

Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf.

Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450.

Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422.

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A

Education

ANNETTE vAN DE KAMP Editor, Jewish Press few weeks ago, my son was confronted with a classmate who sang loudly about ‘gassing the Jews.’ It’s a sentence I hoped I’d never have to write, but here we are.

The answer, as always, is: we need better Holocaust education and we need more of it.

“Did you know,” my daughter says, “that according to The New York Times, 41% of American adults do not know what Auschwitz is?”

She sends me the link and I start reading: “Thirty-one percent of Americans, and 41 percent of millennials, believe that two million or fewer Jews were killed in the Holocaust,” Maggie Astor writes. “Forty-one percent of Americans and 66 percent of millennials cannot say what Auschwitz was. And 52 percent of Americans wrongly think Hitler came to power through force.”

But she also writes: “Despite the gaps in the respondents’ knowledge, the study found an overwhelming consensus — 93 percent — that all students should learn about the Holocaust at school. And Holocaust denial remains very rare in the United States, with 96 percent of respondents saying they believe the genocide happened.”

That, however, means 4% doesn’t believe the Holocaust was real. We can consider the margin of error, so let’s say for arguments’ sake it is really only 1%. That would mean 3.25 million Americans think we’ve made it all up. That’s more than seven times the population of the city of Omaha. I don’t think that is good news at all.

In the U.S., Holocaust education is still only required by law in five states: New Jersey, New York, California, Illinois and Florida. Beyond our borders, there are similar laws in Austria, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (as of No-

vember 2013). It’s a list short enough that I can include it in this editorial without creating a massive run-on sentence; a sad reminder of the way things are.

On April 12, a bi-partisan slate of House members introduced the Never Again Education Act, a bill that would grant money to provide Holocaust education nation-wide.

susceptible to the falsehood of Holocaust denial and distortion and to the destructive messages of hate that arise from Holocaust denial and distortion.” The bill would also create a website that would include Holocaust education resources.” (JTA.com) I’m not unhappy about Bill HR 5460; I do wonder if making dollars available is enough. Just because the resources are there, doesn’t mean schools all over the country will en masses add Holocaust education to their curriculum. It is up to the states to make it a requirement and I’m not optimistic. When such a high percentage of adults don’t have adequate knowledge about the Holocaust, it is likely there are politicians and school administrators among them. And while 93% of those in the survey believe Holocaust education is necessary, that doesn’t necessarily translate into action. We can believe all kinds of things; that doesn’t mean we’ll call our representatives and demand they work with us to make things happen.

So what now? How about, rather than wait for someCredit : JTA (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) thing to magically change on the legislative front (beBill HR 5460 does not have a summary on the governcause we all know how slow that goes), we go to our own ment’s website as of this writing. Lead sponsor is Rep. schools? There are 191 public schools in Douglas County, Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., other sponsors are Peter Nebraska, serving 89,416 students. Do we know how or if Roskam, R-Ill.; Ted Deutch, D-Fla.; Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Rthose school have Holocaust education in the curriculum, Fla.; Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.; Kay Granger, R-Texas; Nita Lowey, or do we assume the Institute for Holocaust Education D-N.Y.; and Dan Donovan, R-N.Y. will take care of it for us? What, exactly, is our responsi“Today, those who deny that the Holocaust occurred or bility as parents? It’s a question I can’t stop thinking distort the true nature of the Holocaust continue to find about, ever since my son came home with his story. I’ve forums, especially online; this denial and distortion dishon- visited his school several times, I’ve talked and called and ors those who were persecuted, and murdered,” the draft emailed; the adults are receptive and they are on my side, of the bill says. “This makes it even more of a national im- yet effecting real change is an uphill battle. I’m not giving perative to educate students in the United States so that up. I tell my kids: you can’t change the whole world by they may explore the lessons that the Holocaust provides yourself, but what you can do is change something in your for all people, sensitize communities to the circumstances own small corner. My son spoke up and addressed what that gave rise to the Holocaust, and help youth be less he knows is wrong. It is up to all of us to do the same.

The US, and the world, need our anti-Semitism monitor more than ever NiTA LoWEy AND CHRiS SMiTH WASHINGTON| JTA This is a hypothetical memo from two members of the U.S. House of Representatives to the nominee for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo.

To: Mike Pompeo From: Nita Lowey, Chris Smith

Mr. Pompeo: Last week, many of our constituents, as well as Jewish families here and abroad, sat down for a seder to commemorate the Exodus story of Passover. Anti-Semitic attacks, threats and incidents were likely a topic of discussion at many tables.

Conversations about Jewish communities around the world focused on a key question: Is there a future for these communities in their home countries, or will they be forced into a modern Exodus?

As two members of Congress dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism, we are deeply concerned by the increase in anti-Semitism around the globe in the last year. Here are just a few of the stories that have been brought to our attention: The recent slaying of an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor in Paris, France, who the police believe was targeted because of her religion; Comments from Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Jews could be responsible for interfering in the U.S. elections; A study from the UK’s Community Security Trust, which found that the Jewish community was targeted at a rate of nearly four times a day in 2017, an all-time high; The suspected arson of a kosher grocery store in Créteil, France, which had just been defaced with Nazi swastikas; A letter on the website for the Jewish community of Poland outlining their concerns about a “growing wave of intolerance, xenophobia and antiSemitism” in the country, leaving many in the community feeling unsafe; A 40 percent increase in the number of anti-Semitic incidents of vandalism in 2017 in the Netherlands; and Attempts in many countries to outlaw circum-

cision and various kosher and halal butchering practices.

Every one of these incidents is one too many, and they are just a small sample of what is happening around the globe.

The United States has consistently been a leader in the fight to combat international anti-Semitism.

Since 2004, this work has been led by the U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Com-

The scene after a march in Paris in memory of Mireille Knoll, the 85-year-old Holocaust survivor murdered in her home in what police believe was an anti-Semitic attack, March 28, 2018.

Credit: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images bat Anti-Semitism. The Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004, signed into law that year, created and required the position and its supporting office.

Rep. Chris Smith authored those provisions of the law. The position is tasked with tracking and leading U.S. efforts against anti-Semitism around the globe. Just as important, the Special Envoy has served as a critical high-level liaison in the U.S. administration for international Jewish communities.

The Special Envoy position is now more important than ever. Anti-Semitic extremists in the United States and elsewhere are sharing and refining their methods and materials with each other.

Terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda have hardwired hatred of Jewish people into their ideological DNA, using it as a basis for their attack priorities and propaganda. Anti-Semitic attitudes, rhetoric and incidents have risen on the far left, far right

and even the mainstream of the ideological spectrum in many countries.

As you may be aware, the position of Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism has remained vacant since the beginning of the administration. Additionally, there has been no staff in the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism since May 2017. Throughout 2017, we consistently urged the administration to fill the Special Envoy position as soon as possible, including through directives in the Fiscal Year 2017 and 2018 Omnibus bills. Ranking Member Nita Lowey authored those provisions in those appropriations bills. But even in the light of rising violence and discrimination against the world’s Jewish communities, the position and office are still vacant.

You will have many challenges to tackle should you be confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of State.

Nonetheless, we urge you to make it a top priority to quickly appoint a person of recognized distinction in combating anti-Semitism, or in a directly relevant field, to the Special Envoy position. The longer this position remains empty, the more likely the U.S. commitment to combating the modernday scourge of an ancient evil is called into question. U.S. leadership in the fight against anti-Semitism is essential, even more so now, and we cannot shirk the responsibilities that rest on our shoulders as a world leader.

At the end of a Passover seder, participants often say “Next year in Jerusalem.” But with increasing threats against Jewish communities in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere, let us hope for seders next year in the UK, France, Poland, the Netherlands and the rest of the world. We look forward to working with you to ensure this is a reality.

Nita Lowey, a Democrat, represents New York’s 17th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Chris Smith, a Republican, represents New Jersey's 4th District in the House.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

10 | The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018

synagogues B’naI Israel synagogue

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

BeTh el synagogue

Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org

BeTh Israel synagogue

Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

ChaBad house

An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com

CongregaTIon B’naI Jeshurun

South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org

offuTT aIr forCe Base

Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com

rose BlumkIn JewIsh home

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

Temple Israel

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

TIfereTh Israel

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

B’naI Israel synagogue

Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on may 11, at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Rabbi Brian Stoller on ???. Our service leader is Larry Blass, and as always, an oneg to follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information on our historic synagogue, please contact any of our board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf.

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan

BeTh el synagogue

Michael Krausman. frIday: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. saTurday: Shabbat Morning Services, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10 a.m.; Mincha following Shabbat morning services. weekday serVICes: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. sunday: BESTT Classes, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m..; Torah Tots,10:30 a.m.; Habonim, noon.

Tuesday: The Ethical Life with Rabbi Abraham, noon at Whole Foods. wednesday: BESTT Classes, 4:15 p.m.; The Ethical Life with Rabbi Abraham, 6 p.m.; Hebrew High goes to Humans of Tel Aviv, 6:30 p.m. at the JCC. Thursday: Miriam Initiative Women’s Community Forum, 7:30 p.m.

BESTT Shabbaton at Camp Rivercrest, friday-sunday, april 27-29.

Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Keren McGinty, friday-sunday, april 27-29.

NE AIDS Lunch, friday, april 27, 11:30 a.m. Joan Marcus serves lunch once a month at the Nebraska AIDS Project, and she needs baked goods for dessert. Contact Joan if you can help be donating baked goods.

Dinner at the Stephen Center, sunday, april 29, 5:30 p.m. Join chairman M’Lee Hasslinger as we again cook and serve dinner at the Stephen Center. If you are interested in helping, contact M’Lee. All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.

Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer.

BeTh Israel synagogue

frIday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Friday Learnig Series wtih Rabbi Shlomo, 11:15 a.m. at the JCC; Mincha, 7:30 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 7:52 p.m. saTurday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 6:50 p.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:35 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m. sunday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels and Beit Midrash, 10a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Sofer Rabbi Zelig Mandel, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. monday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Talmudic Tales, noon with Rabbi Shlomo.

Tuesday-wednesday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.

Thursday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Connecting to Our Faith, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; L’Dor V’Dor — Intergenerational Learning, 6:30 p.m. with Rabbi Shlomo; Character Building, 6:30 p.m. with Rabbi Ari; Talmud, 7:30 p.m. with Rabbi Shlomo.

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday,

ChaBad house

8 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. frIday: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. saTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. weekdays: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. monday: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani. wednesday: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman.

Thursday: Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman.

All programs are open to the entire community.

Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby.

CongregaTIon B’naI Jeshurun

frIday: Israeli Independence Day Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. with Star City Kochavim; Yom Ha’atzmaut Dinner, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:54 p.m.

saTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Tazria-Metzora; Game Night and Potluck Dinner, 6 p.m.; Havdalah (72 Minutes), 9:25 p.m. sunday: Garden Work Party-Rescheduled, 8:30 a.m.; LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; Adult Beginning Hebrew, 11:30 a.m.; LJCS Board Meeting, 1:30 p.m.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m.

All equipment furnished. Wear comfortable clothing. For questions, call or text Miriam Wallick at miriam57@aol. com. wednesday: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m.

Thursday: Choir Rehearsal, 7 p.m.

Jewish Book Club, sunday, may 6, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Gere Library, 2400 S. 56th St. We will discuss Day After Night

by Anita Diamant.

LJCS CAMP ISRAEL is gearing up for another great twosession July 9–July 20, 2018. Make plans for your child to attend this summer.

It's not too soon to be thinking about summer camp! All Federation families are eligible for Camp Incentive Grants of $300 per camper to pay the initial camp registration deposit.

offuTT aIr forCe Base

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

rose BlumkIn JewIsh home

saTurday: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Larry DeBruin.

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

Temple Israel

frIday: Chocolate Shabbat featuring Kol Chokolad, Community Dinner, 5:15 p.m. Chef Hattam’s world-famous macand-cheese and a salad bar; Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. featuring our new kids’ choir: Kol Chokolad; Chocolate Oneg, 7 p.m. with many delicious chocolate treats from our baking volunteers. There is no cost for the dinner—it’s our clergy’s treat! Please RSVP to Temple Israel by calling 402.556.6536 or sending an email to rsVp@templeisraelomaha.com by april 18. saTurday: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Service, 10:30 a.m. Torah Reader and Haftarah Reader: Miles Remer. sunday: Kol Chokolad Kids’ Choir, 9:30 a.m.; Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; Temple Tots, 10:30 a.m. Enjoy stories, songs, and a bagel breakfast with your young children, while connecting with your Temple Israel community. All are welcome—bring friends!; Pride Task Force Meeting, 10:30 a.m.; Soup Kit Project, noon. Join the Social Justice Committee for a multi-generational mitzvah opportunity to pack soup kits for Jewish Family Services. We need volunteers, young and old, for our assembly line. Lunch is included and all are welcome. wednesday: Book Signing and Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., As part of our three-part series, “Temple Israel Remembers,” we are hosting the College of St. Mary’s “Great Conversations” event with international bestselling author Pam Jenoff.

She will be signing her book The Orphan’s Tale. A luncheon follows at noon. Cost: $25 per person. Register at www. csm.edu; Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; T’filah for School, 4:30 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6 p.m.; Family School, 6 p.m.; Guiding Principles for the Synagogue Community: Shalom: Make Peace, 6:30 p.m. with Rabbi Brian Stoller.

Thursday: Jewish Heroes, Heroines, and Personalities: Amos Oz, 10 a.m. taught by Rabbi Aryeh Azriel. All classes meet at Temple Israel; OTYG Lounge Night, 5 p.m. Catch up with youth group and schmooze with friends. Bring your

school work and study at Temple Israel. Snacks will be provided. RSVP to Ben Leathers-Arnold, benleathersarnold@ yahoo.com.

Temple TED Talk, sunday, april 29, 10:30 a.m. Join host Kathy Beauchaine as we watch “What really matters at the end of life,” a TED Talk by BJ Miller, a hospice and palliative medicine physician who will share his thoughts about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients.

2nd through 6th Grade Spring Kickoff Program, sunday, april 29, 12:30 p.m. Calling all incoming 2nd-6th graders: do you wish there was youth group just for you?! NOW THERE IS! Join us at Temple Israel where we invite parents to join us for lunch and hear more about what these youth groups will have to offer. We’ll be announcing our 2nd-4th and 5th-6th grade youth group names! Cantor Shermet will stop by for musical fun. This will include some fun kid Maccabiah game competitions including tug-o-war, musical chairs, water balloon competitions, and much more! RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536 or rsVp@templeisraelomaha.com, by monday, april 23. Please make sure to indicate if your child has any allergies and we will be sure to accommodate!

Jewish Heroes, Heroines, and Personalities: Rachel Adler, Thursdays, may 3 and 10, 10 a.m., taught by Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin. All classes will meet at Temple Israel.

TIfereTh Israel

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. frIday: Shabbat Dinner, 6:30 p.m. All food will be provided at this gathering. saTurday: Shabbat Morning service, 10 a.m. We will be joined by congregants from First Lutheran Church for services; Junior Congregation, 11 a.m.; Please join us after services for a light Kiddush Lunch. sunday: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m.

All equipment furnished. Wear comfortable clothing. For questions, call or text Miriam Wallick at miriam57@aol.com. wednesday: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m.

Thursday: Hebrew classes for adults, 7:30 p.m., with Esti Sheinberg. Each meeting will include listening, speaking and a little reading.

Tifereth Israel, South Street Temple, and the Lincoln Jewish Federation will be sponsor a table at the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast. If anyone would like to attend the gathering on Thursday, may 3 at 7:30 a.m. at the Graduate Hotel, 141 N. 9th Street, please let Nava know by april 20 and send your payment for an individual ticket costing $30 via a check made out to Tifereth Israel. We will then send payment to the Faith Coalition of Lancaster County with the names of those who will be in attendance. Monies must be turned in by Monday of next week.

It's not too soon to be thinking about summer camp! All Federation families are eligible for Camp Incentive Grants of $300 per camper to pay the initial camp registration deposit.

Application packets are availible in the Tifereth Israel foyer.

As you start to make summer plans, consider sending your child to LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 9–July 20, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Light Kosher dairy snack and lunch included. Tuition for each week is $75. This program is open to children ages 5-14. We require ALL campers to be registered through the LJCS, therefore we cannot accept drop-in guests.

We have a display called Celebrating Israel: Snapshots of the People Behind a Young State which we have received from the Museum of the Jewish People (Beit Hatfutsot) in Tel Aviv. It will be able to be viewed from april 19- may 20th.

The exhibit showcases historical moments of the State of Israel as seen through the eyes of its people.

Jewish man assaulted in Crown heights JTA news sTAff A Jewish man was assaulted in the Crown Heights neighborhood of New York near 770 Eastern Parkway, the international headquarters of the Chabad movement.

The man, who was walking with another haredi Orthodox man, was attacked late on Friday night by three black men and two black women near the Chabad headquarters, CrownHeights.info reported. One of the assailants asked the man “do you want to fight?” and began to kick and punch him with others joining in the

attack.

A neighbor who heard a man’s shouts for help called the Crown Heights Shomrim, a local neighborhood watch, who found blood on the sidewalk but not the victim.

The Shomrim volunteers followed a trail of blood into the building at 770 Eastern Parkway, where the injured man had called for medical assistance from the Hatzalah ambulance service, according to CrownHeights.info.

Police reportedly have opened a bias investigation into the attack.

The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018 | 11

lifecycles Marriage

Shulewitz/brown

Brooke Shulewitz and DreChaun Brown were married March 23, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel Regency Omaha. The ceremony was officiated by The Honorable Judge Larry Gendler.

Brooke is the daughter of Cindy and Alan Shulewitz of Omaha and the granddaughter of the late Phyllis and Normand Roffman, and the late Anna and Norman Shulewitz. Brooke is a graduate of Harry A. Burke High School. Her Maid of Honor was her friend, Kacie Edwards.

DreChaun is the son of LaVita Haynes of Omaha and Fred Dutcher, Jr. of Omaha and the grandson of Susan Brown of Omaha, and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dutcher, Sr. of Omaha, and the great-grandson of Delores Hunter. His Best Man was his childhood friend, Gabriel Amburn from Missouri. DreChaun is also a graduate of Harry A. Burke High School.

They will continue to reside in Omaha.

Four Israeli police injured in haredi Orthodox draft riot

JERUSALEM | JTA Four police officers were injured during clashes with haredi Orthodox demonstrators protesting in Jerusalem against mandatory conscription.

The police used riot control measures, including stun grenades and water cannons, to break up the violent demonstration on Sunday night.

The demonstration took place in front of the Israel Defense Forces recruitment center in Jerusalem.

Demonstrators reportedly also threw objects at police officers and passing cars.

The riot reportedly was sparked by attempts by the military police to arrest a woman, who was at the IDF recruitment office, for refusing to enlist.

Several demonstrators also were reported injured.

Trump administration asks Israel to tamp down criticism of Polish Holocaust law

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WASHINGTON | JTA Trump administration officials asked Israel’s government to tamp down criticism of a proposed Polish law that would criminalize blaming Poland for Nazi crimes. e report by Barak Ravid, the diplomatic correspondent for Israel’s Channel 10 News, quoted senior Israeli officials, who said that while the Americans found the law objectionable, they also sought to preserve relations with Poland, a critical ally. Ravid posted his report on Twitter in Hebrew. e pressure extended to Israel’s opposition, according to Ravid, when Vice President Mike Pence met Isaac Herzog, the parliamentary leader of the opposition Zionist Union faction.

Ravid suggested that the American pressure on Israel to make nice with Poland bore results: e Washington embassies of Poland and Israel joined the U.S. State Department in cosponsoring a Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration.

Israeli government officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have harshly criticized the law because, they claim, while it ostensibly targets those who say Poles collectively were responsible for the Holocaust, it could also be interpreted as criminalizing any reporting of Polish antiSemitism during the period around the Holocaust, and any reporting of Poles who collaborated with Nazis.

Other critics say the law impinges on free speech. Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, this week reassured his Israeli counterpart, Reuven Rivlin, that Holocaust survivors would not be at risk simply for telling their stories.

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12 | The Jewish Press | April 20, 2018

community

K

Keeping the kippot

Oliver B. POllaK ippot are among the dozen or so things I have mindlessly acquired over the years. Orthodox Jews cover their heads in public and in worship as a sign of humility before God. Conservative Jews and, increasingly, Reform Jews cover their heads in synagogues and temples.

We acquire skullcaps, yarmulkes, kippot at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, birthdays, and historic anniversaries.

They are handed to us upon entering the building. They pile up inconspicuously at home. We save things because it does not seem right to get rid of them. We could leave them at the synagogue, but somehow the aura and ambiance of the event suggests that it was designed as a takeaway, a memento. We could take them back to the synagogue to be used by other worshipers who arrive without head cover. They could come in handy along with Haggadahs at Passover. We could drop them off at another synagogue and plant a mystery. Trashing them evokes disrespect and bad luck. They are not genizah type material.

Some yarmulkes have textual identification and are works of stitchery embroidered art with gold and silver thread. Some made from knitted wool, linen, or leather, may also proclaim sports loyalties like Dodgers or Yankees, but most clearly, Jew. Kids make them in summer camp. Kids bring gifts from their summer in Israel. Not quite a T shirt, Kippot for events send the message, this event is special, it’s memorable.

My kippot are predominantly from Omaha and a smattering from Council Bluffs, Chicago, Winnipeg and Jerusalem.

Most of my yarmulkes come from Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.

Seven are from Bar and two from Bat Mitzvahs, the latter occurring in Palo Alto and Memphis. Our oldest kippah is from my wife’s brother, Marty, Martin Goldstein, 1962, probably purchased at the House of Israel on Wilshire Boulevard. We have several from our younger son’s bar mitzvah, Aaron Pol-

lak, in 1988. For some families we have attended coming of age rituals and weddings; and weddings followed by their children’s coming of age.

It’s a nice touch to evoke Jewishness to honor the event, honoree and guests at publicly-celebrated birthdays of individuals and institutions. I have kippot from the Omaha B’nai

B’rith Centennial, Feb. 5, 1989; B’nai Israel Synagogue, Council Bluffs, 100th anniversary, June 4-6, 2004; and a 75th birthday of a friend in 2015.

Kippot are nice to commemorate a wedding. Most couples are still married and alive, the longest for 24 years. There are none from my 1968 wedding or Noah’s 1984 Bar mitzvah.

Mortuaries offer generic black yarmulkes, with the name of the funeral home, not the decedent.

Synagogue and Jewish museum gift shops, Judaica stores and online retailers have a wide selection of kippot. Women are increasingly wearing kippot along with prayer shawls or tallitim.

All kippot are special. I have two standouts. At the Passover Seder, I wear my ‘freedom kippah’ given to me in the early 1980s by a grateful Russian emigrant for some legal work I did in his behalf. Alex Shtromberg came to San Francisco from Odessa in 1979. Alex is machitonim, father of my daughter-in-law Marianna. He related, “This skullcap (I believe is called “tubete” in Uzbek and “tubeteyka” in Russian) is widely used in all former USSR middle Asian, mostly Muslim, republics and regions (Uzbekistan, Tadzhikistan, Bashkiria, Chechnya, Turkmenistan etc.). When they are individually handmade in the family, the ornaments usually have some meaning. They became very popular in Russian-speaking republics as well as after WWII in late 1940s through 1960s when evacuees started returning home to territories that were occupied by Germans. It was mass produced in Odessa, the city of my birth and was not unusual for the boys of my age in late 1950s to wear them in summer camps.”

On my first trip to Israel, in 2014, I went to the Wall and was handed a Western Wall Heritage Foundation commemorative kippah. an affectionate reminder of my visit.

Accumulating and letting go. Your feelings of what is meaningful may not be shared by your intimates. Kippot keepers are anachronisms. Kippot yellowing from age await their fate at the bottom of the box. Children and grandchildren may retain the keeper kippot. I don’t expect them to fight over it.

Pollak, a professor emeritus of history at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, is a freelance writer now based in Richmond, California. He may be contacted via oliver.pol lak@sdjewishworld.com.

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