April 21, 2023

The Jewish Press

Young Leadership Award

Meet Eric Fingerhut

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

Please join us Wednesday, May 10, at 6 p.m. as we welcome Eric Fingerhut to Omaha! We invite you to join us at Happy Hollow Country Club to meet Eric and hear about the impact Jewish Federations make locally and across the globe in supporting Jewish needs. After the presentation, we invite you to stay for discussion and dessert.

Eric D. Fingerhut is the President and CEO of The Jewish Federations

Monday, June 5, the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Annual Meeting and Awards Night will celebrate two deserving volunteers. Ally Freeman will receive the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Award and Geoff Silverstein has been named as the recipient of the Bruce Fellman Memorial Young Leadership Award. Both awards are given annually to honor a young woman and man under the age of 45, who have demonstrated personal commitment, dedicated involvement, and exemplary leadership qualities in rendering service to the Jewish and general community. The recipients are provided with a

stipend to participate in the Jewish Federation of North America General Assembly or Young Leadership Conference.

What makes this year’s recipients even more exciting: Ally and Geoff are married. Geoff once ran with the bulls in Spain; Ally has been to 47 U.S. states (she’s missing Montana, North Dakota and Alaska).

“Louri Sullivan called me and told me about the award,” Ally said, “and I was a little speechless. After I hung up, I tried to call Geoff to share the news, but he didn’t answer.”

Geoff didn’t answer Ally’s call because he was on the phone with Louri, who shared he had also been selected for the Bruce Fellman Award. While talking to Louri, he sent Ally a text.

“Frankly,” Ally said. “I thought he deserved See Young Leadership Award page 3

Mission to Israel

PAM FELDMAN

It was an exciting opportunity to go to Israel with the Jewish Federation of Omaha group, especially since it gave us a chance to meet the people and explore Israel in a way different from our first trip. Ron and I had previously gone to Israel with the St. Luke’s Methodist/Beth El Synagogue trip four years ago and saw many amazing sites. For me, this trip was more about understanding Israel and the deep spirituality embedded in the country through its history and its people.

We had many unique experiences in different parts of the country, from the Western Galilee in the north to the Negev Desert in the south. Several encounters will always stay very present in my mind:

1. The Old City souqs are a labyrinth of alleyways lined with shops and eateries. At a call for prayer, thousands of Muslims made their way past us to the Dome of the Rock, which has significance for all of the Abrahamic faiths. I was struck by the devotion of the Muslims, Jews, Ar-

menians and Christians who continue to live separately, but among one another in that very complicated, ancient city.

2. Our guide Arie told us, with his Israeli humor and a slight grin, that at the Western Wall there is a direct line to speak to G-d. So, as I put my hand on the wall, I rolled through the usual prayers-on-demand. For my family and friends, for our trip, etc. Then I just stopped and let myself be silent. I received a very clear message. Two words. No context. Just, “Safe Passages.” For me, these words have already come to have a relevance that I am only beginning to grasp and that I will, no doubt, spend much time contemplating.

3. Our time in the Western Galilee allowed us to encounter the people who are impacted directly by the work of the Partnership that Omaha’s Federation has with this region. From helping disabled young people become able to live independently to a See Mission to Israel page 2

of North America (JFNA). Prior to his appointment at JFNA, Mr. Fingerhut served as the President and CEO of Hillel International from 2013-19. At Hillel, he led the organization’s Drive to Excellence, which resulted in doubling the number of students engaged by Hillel each year to over 130,000 and the total funds raised each year to nearly $200M.

His emphasis on recruiting, training and retaining top talent for the system, and on building a data and performance driven organization, have become models for the nonprofit sector.

Mr. Fingerhut has also had a varied and distinguished career in public service and higher education. He served as Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents from early 2007 to 2011, leading Ohio’s system of public universities and colleges; as Ohio state senator from 1997 to 2006; and represented Ohio’s 19th congressional district in the U.S. Congress from 1993 to 1994. In 2004, he was the Democratic Party’s candidate for U.S. Senate.

Mr. Fingerhut received a juris doctorate from Stanford University Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University. He and his wife Amy have two sons, Sam and Charlie, and beagles Pedro and Lulu.

The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) represents 146 Jewish Federations and over 300 Network communities, which raise and distribute more than $3 billion

See Eric Fingerhut page 2

Chabad’s Israeli Bistro is coming and you are invited!

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

Eric Fingerhut

Ally Freeman and Geoff Silverstein with Simon and Sophy

Pam and Ron Feldman

Mission to Israel

Continued from page 1

annually and through planned giving and endowment programs to support social welfare and educational needs. The Federation movement, collectively among the top 10 charities on the continent, protects and enhances the well-being of Jews worldwide through the values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), tzedakah (charity and social justice) and Torah (Jewish learning). In the fields of caregiving, aging, philanthropy, disability, foreign policy, homeland security and health care, JFNA is a thought leader and advocate.

JFNA also lobbies in Washington D.C. to secure the public funds that flow to Jewish communities. These funds support thousands of agencies serving people of all backgrounds, including hospitals, nursing homes, community centers, family and children’s service agencies, and vocational training programs.

The organization partners with the government of Israel and a variety of agencies to secure the Jewish State; helps the most vulnerable groups, including immigrants and Holocaust survivors; and strengthens and rebuilds Jewish life throughout the world.

Continued from page 1

indoor playground at Galilee Medical Center to facilitating Muslims and Jews in the area in their desire to get to know and help one another, we saw the effects of the investment in this area. We drove into an Arab village and met Akmed, who broadened our awareness of the issues they live with daily. He shared stories about humanitarian aid given to wounded Syrian soldiers at the Galilee Medical Center and seeing their fullyfunctional underground facility.

4. We heard from an amazing woman about her harrowing escape through the African desert to get to Israel. We

were treated to a delicious lunch of Ethiopian food, dancing and Ethiopian coffee made in her hut.

5. We toured Ben-Gurion’s desert home and his tomb. The expansive views of mostly dry riverbeds and mountains gave a sense of the timelessness of that region. Our discussion of why the Torah was given in the desert had greater significance after that.

Truly, Israel is a land of milk and honey. Our array of food choices at every meal was astonishing, even overwhelming, but in a good way. We had food prepared by Druze women, Bedouins, the Ethiopian woman and her husband, and

always with great pride and kindness, (such that one felt compelled to eat as much as possible). Israel is also a land of innovation, beautiful beaches and diverse landscapes. While political unrest exist, the trip was unburdened by any stress from that. We felt safe even within very short distances from the Gaza Strip and the Lebanese border. The trip was a blessing and I feel that my experiences there will forever change me. If you missed out on this trip and would like information about our next trip, Nov. 112, 2023, please contact Jay Katelman at jkatelman@jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6461

At a time when Jews are less economically and politically secure than we were a decade ago, JFNA leads a continental response, providing assistance and rapidly raising and distributing funds. We have provided immediate relief and long-term assistance to Jewish and non-Jewish victims of natural and manmade disasters around the globe, including Houston, Ukraine, the Philippines, Haiti and Japan.

There is no cost to attend this event, but we ask you to register. Sign up at https://fundraise.givesmart. com/form/UkFkow?vid=y6cqh or visit our website at www.jewisomaha.org and click on the slider at the top.

ORGANIZATIONS

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS

The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch our email for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com

We spent two wonderful days visiting the programs we help support through our partnership in the Western Galilee.

Young Leadership Award

Continued from page 1

to get an award so much more. Then I received his text.”

“Louri wanted us to tell each other,” Geoff said.

“Geoff has been a Temple Israel Trustee for many years,” Temple Israel Executive Director Nate Shapiro said. “He had previously been the social justice committee chair, where he helped spearhead our racial justice initiatives. Most notably, he co-chaired the Temple Israel Senior Rabbi Search Committee. This was a massive undertaking. Geoff and his co-chair, Susie Norton, spent countless hours developing a search committee with representatives from several demographic groups.

As a committee they solicited community feedback through a variety of methods. They sat in on staff meetings, they developed and implemented a community survey, they held a townhall meeting. After getting community feedback on what our community wanted and/or needed, they developed a job posting to match those results. They evaluated candidates as a committee. The candidates who moved forward all met with staff and other stakeholders, until they found Rabbi Sharff.”

Ally is currently one of the Omaha Federation Emerge leaders. She was the 2022 Hannukah Chair, she and Geoff cochaired the Ben Gurion Society campaign from 2019-21. She helped plan the Ben Gurion Society program at the Cottonwood Hotel in August of 2021, and she is a board member for the JCRC and the Jewish Press. As part of ‘Emerge,’ she attended the International Lion of Judah conference.

Of course, they are excited and honored:

“I’ve seen some great leaders receive these awards,” Ally said, “and it feels very special to be among them.” But besides honored, they are also fun. For this article, they were interviewed together, and they didn’t hesitate in many of their answers; they clearly know who they are as individuals and as a couple, and what motivates them.

It’s time to get to know Ally and Geoff a little better.

Ally is an Omaha native, while Geoff hails from St. Louis. They were both involved from an early age,in synagogue youth groups and summer camps. Ally went to Central, and then to Northwestern for a Bachelor’s of Science from the Journalism School (because journalism is a science, her professors told her). She earned her Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Pennsylvania. Geoff attended the University of Michigan where he earned his Bachelor of Art and Design; after that, he received his MBA from the business school at American University in Washington D.C., which is where he and Ally met. They settled in Omaha permanently in 2016.

“Geoff immediately jumped in at Temple Israel,” Ally said. “It’s a perfect match; where Geoff is active at Synagogue, I am busier with the Jewish Federation. Between the two of us, we get a fairly complete picture.”

He runs a graphic design studio called ‘Friendly Design,’ she has worked in communications for 17 years and is currently at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute. They have this in common: a drive to make this world better, even in their work. Geoff’s company focuses on non-profit and mission-driven clients, and Ally emphasizes how the work she does must better the community. “I’m passionate about design,” Geoff said, “but even more so about the impact it can have.” And so, the line between volunteering and professional life is not always so clearly defined.

Temple Mount update

RON KAMPEAS

JTA

Israel’s government has banned the entry of Jews to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount through the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan later this month, a decision prompted by heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

In past years, the mount has been the site of clashes during Ramadan between Israeli security forces and Muslim worshippers. Such clashes took place at the site recently when Israeli forces who were evacuating Muslim worshippers from the Al-Aqsa Mosque overnight were filmed beating them with clubs. The Israel Police are investigating the incident.

The decision also follows a spate of violence during

What motivates them is a deep sense of family and tradition. From that, they said, a focus on social justice and Tikkun Olam naturally flows. There is the additional side to Judaism where we as Jews have a clear social responsibility to care for others and make the world better. “It definitely guides how I engage as an adult,” Geoff said.

Both aim to bring those values into their daily life.

“Sometimes that is cultural,” Geoff added, “sometimes it is religious; Judaism is the context in which our family comes together. It is so nice to share Shabbat and Jewish holidays with our kids or extended family, and that is always in the background.”

There is also internal motivation, Ally said: “If I want to really see something happen, I will jump right in. Besides, I thrive when I do many different things, I am a planner and a doer, so volunteering for Jewish Omaha is a win-win.”

They both volunteer in our community because Jewish Omaha is unique, Geoff said.

“It’s unique because so many people put in so much time, money and effort to make it so. But I would add, there is also external motivation, because of modeling by our parents and grandparents. Especially my grandfather, who was a Holocaust survivor, has increased my sense of responsibility.

“Geoff is passionate about learning,” Ally said. “He is forever reading, he continues to learn and improve—and he is equally passionate about Judaism. And we are both passionate about our careers, although maybe slightly less so now that we have kids.”

“Ally is passionate about relationships,” Geoff said. “Ally is a convener, organizes and takes initiative. I will passively sit back and wait to be invited—Ally will prioritize. I think her receiving this award really reflects on her ability to bring people together.”

They are intentional in how they raise the kids, Sophy and Simon, in a strong Jewish manner. It’s family, culture, holidays, community, social justice, in general—and more specifically, it’s teaching them to grow into caring, inquisitive and creative human beings.

Both Ally and Geoff pick Passover as their favorite Jewish holiday, “because of the food,” Geoff added. “I have such good memories of coming together as a family when I was a child. My grandfather loved it so, and maybe I do too because of him.”

“We hosted this year,” Ally added. “My mom usually does, but my parents just returned from Israel, so it was up to us. I think, as much as I love bringing people together, this holiday is perfect for me.”

So what are their hopes for the future?

“I want to see our community continue to grow,” Geoff said. “That includes our voice. Our institutions should be a loud voice in the wider community and in the legislation. I think our generation leads differently, and interacts with the world differently. We can also be ever more creative in how people engage and attempt to remove some of the financial barriers that are still in place.”

There is still a lot to learn about Ally and Geoff, and there is a lot more to come. Please join us in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater on June 5 to celebrate our award recipients. We will start at 6 p.m. with wine, beer, and light hors d’oeuvres. The program itself will start at 6:30 p.m., and will end by 8 p.m. with desserts and drinks.

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Passover, that has included Palestinian terror attacks on Israelis, missiles fired on Israel from militant groups and Israeli military raids in Palestinian areas of the West Bank.

The mount, Judaism’s holiest site, is revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. Under current regulations meant to prevent unrest, Muslims may pray on the mount and Jews and others may visit at limited times but may not pray publicly.

A “unanimous recommendation” from the Israel Defense Forces, Defense Ministry, Shin Bet and Israel Police “decided to prohibit Jewish visitors and tourists from going up to the Temple Mount until the end of Ramadan,” according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the Muslim month of fasting and worship, ends April 23.

Trade scholarships available for the 2023-24 academic year

An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school and/or cosmetology school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2023-24 academic year.

Not every student who advances into higher education signs up for a four-year curriculum. Some high school graduates seek job training that lasts a year or two and then places them in the workforce. Such opportunities include, but are

not restricted to: Information Technology, Construction, Industrial, Transportation and Horticulture. It is not too late to apply for this upcoming school year!

Qualified students who have unmet needs regarding tuition for either a two-year trade school program or a trade certificate program can contact the Jewish Press at avandekamp@ jewishomaha.org or jpress@jewishomaha.org for more information.

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Youth Talent Competition coming to the J!

JESSICA SCHEUERMAN

Broadway actress and Omaha native Q. Smith is coming home to perform at Omaha Mobile Stage’s Youth Talent Show. This free outdoor event will take place Sunday, June 11, at 6 p.m. at the Staenberg Omaha JCC.

Q. Smith will emcee and perform with a live band composed of Omaha-based musicians. This event, and booking a youth act for this competition, is free and open to the public. Talent show registration is open now for youth ages 319 at www.omahamobile stage.org. Space in the talent show competition is limited.

"I’m thrilled to be coming home to be a part of the Omaha Mobile Stage!” said Q. Smith from New York City, where she resides. “I can’t wait to share the stage with Omaha’s rising stars.”

The youth talent show is open to all performing arts disciplines. For example, solo acts and ensembles can act, sing, dance, recite poetry, or play an instrument. This event is part of a 10-event series of competitions that take place from May 27 through Aug. 10 at locations throughout the Omaha metro. Winners of each age division advance to a finals event on August 20 at Gene Leahy Mall in downtown Omaha.

This event is made possible by the Staenberg Family Foundation and Broadmoor, with additional support provided by the Staenberg Omaha JCC.

During her time in Omaha this summer, Q,, along with her husband, will also be working with UNO's Summer Musical Theatre Academy.

Q. Smith was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. She attended Fontenelle Elementary School, Brownell Talbot Prep, North High School, UNO, and then graduated with an MFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College.

Q. was a part of the original cast of the Tony Award winning (for Best Director) show, Come From Away, playing the role of Hannah. It is currently streaming on Apple TV+.

Before Come From Away, Q. was seen on Broadway as the first African American actress to play a leading role in Disney’s Mary Poppins. Q. was also in the first revival of Les Miserables on Broadway. Off Broadway, she has performed and recorded the soundtrack for Fame: On 42nd Street

She has toured with the North American Broadway show A Night with Janis Joplin, playing the roles of Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone. Other noted credits include Abyssinia: A Gospel Celebration with Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center and Showboat in concert at the renowned Carnegie Hall.

Q. was a guest soloist for Hillary Clinton’s Vital Voices awards at the Kennedy Center and a guest soloist at Barack Obama’s inaugural ceremonies. She has shared the stage with Gladys Knight, Rita Coolidge and Gary U.S. Bonds in Smokey Joe's Cafe and has traveled the world with various productions. Television credits: The Good Fight, The Black Box, FBI Most Wanted, and multiple voice-over commercials and campaigns.

Q. is also a passionate educator. Q. and her husband conduct workshops and masterclasses for groups and offer private coaching sessions for individuals of all ages. She has been developing a curriculum entitled Comprehensive and Restorative Art Conditioning, which helps children with behavioral problems and learning disabilities maintain their curriculum through the arts.

Her goals are to build a performing arts school integrated within the juvenile system, open a bed and breakfast in Hawaii, travel the world, and finish her book Queens of the Theatre! Omaha Mobile Stage is a mobile community venue for performing artists of all ages, and a teaching venue to train the next generation of creatives.

It is a project of Partners for Livable Omaha, an Omahabased nonprofit dedicated to the educational and charitable support of the live performing arts.

Omaha Mobile Stage is made possible by the generous support of numerous anonymous donors, Sherwood Foundation, Douglas County Visitor Improvement Fund Grant Award, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Weitz Family Foundation, Omaha Venture Group at The Omaha Community Foundation, Mutual of Omaha, Humanities Nebraska, Kevin M. McCarthy, Bill and Kellie Pickett, Actual Architecture Co., FACT & Nebraska Innovation Studio.

For more information about Q., go to: QdotSmith.com

Religious Renewal in Times of Crisis

CURTIS HUTT

UNO Associate Professor of Religious Studies and UNO Executive Director, Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Center for Human Rights

UNO Religious Studies, in partnership with the Tri-Faith Initiative of Omaha, will convene an international research conference at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem, April 23-28, 2023. This will be the second in a series of conferences on the topic of religious and cultural renewal. The first was held in Japan in 2019 at UNO’s sister institution, Shizuoka University and centered around work on the ethics of renewal published in Japan 100 years ago by the European philosopher Edmund Husserl.

In this second conference, Religious Renewal in Times of Crisis, there will once again be a cross-cultural focus. Scholars will present work on historical Jewish, Christian, and Islamic renewalist theologies and movements with special attention being given to how these have impacted Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Conference organizers are particularly interested in how “returning to the past” justifies religious and political action. A wide variety of renewalist groups will be addressed including religious revivalists, restorationists, primitivists and fundamentalists in addition to political movements seeking national re-birth and cultural heritage activists.

The primary aim of bringing together international experts is to produce an academic volume on comparative religious renewal.

Renewalist groups exist across the globe, from Japan to Jerusalem to Omaha. Our conference series is unique insofar as it attempts to not only understand and compare various renewalist philosophies, theologies, and political strategies

but also the dynamics of specific renewalist groups in times of crisis.

One key research question related to interfaith studies is how religious groups interact with others in times of crisis. Scholars coming from three different continents and nine countries will join local scholars from the Middle East. Several faculty from the University of Nebraska at Omaha will be presenting their work at the international conference including Paul Williams (Religious Studies), Ramazan Kilinc (Political Science), and Martina Saltamacchia (History).

UNO Religious Studies will also be hosting two annual lectures at the international conference — the Rabbi Sydney and Jane Brooks Lecture and the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Lecture on Human Rights. The Brooks Lecture will feature Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, the longtime leader of Temple Israel and founder of the Tri-Faith Initiative. Reza Aslan, the famous religious studies expert as well as Emmy and Peabody-nominated producer, will give the Goldstein Lecture. Each will be recorded and made available to not only international but Omaha audiences.

International academic institutions represented at the conference include: University of Nebraska at Lincoln, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Toronto, University of California at Irvine, Seton Hall University, Denison University, Malmö University, Sankt Georgen Jesuit College, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Individual scholars from local academic institutions and representatives of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic communities from Jerusalem and its surroundings will also present their work.

For more information, please contact Curtis Hutt at chutt@unomaha.edu. For the full conference schedule, visit www.omahajewishpress.com

Q. Smith

The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three online “Ukrainian Music Workshops” for soprano recorder players, alto recorder players, fiddlers, violists, cellists, bassists, and mandolinists.

The Workshops will be on Tuesday, May 9, 7 p.m., Central Time, Wednesday, May 10, 10 a.m., Central Time, and Friday, May 12, 7 p.m., Central Time. Different tunes will be played at each session.

During these workshops, we will play and discuss tunes from the “Ukrainian Fiddling Tunes for Two” series. We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for these kinds of pieces. A treble clef version of the sheet music for the tunes being played will be displayed on the screen during the workshop.

Just as in all of the collections in the Tunes for Two series, these books contain the same tunes in the same keys making it easy for you to play with a friend playing another instrument.

There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $10. The cost of each optional book is $15 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration).

For more information, and to register: https://greenblattandseay.com/work shops_ukrainian.shtml

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Israeli star Manor Solomon is making waves

JACOB GURVIS

JTA

For decades, Jewish players have been increasingly rare in English professional soccer. Since 1992, only one British-born Jew has appeared in the Premier League, the country’s top tier and arguably the best soccer league in the world.

But this year, an Israeli has been turning heads with his play in the league, to the extent that analysts believe he could earn a spot on one of the world’s elite teams this summer.

After recovering from a knee injury last year, Manor Solomon, a 23-year-old from Kfar Saba in central Israel, has shined as a midfielder for Fulham F.C., one of a few Premier League teams based in London. Solomon scored in five straight games from Feb. 11 through March 6, becoming the first Israeli to accomplish the feat since Liverpool’s Ronny Rosenthal scored in three straight in 1992.

“It’s something I’ve always dreamed of,” he said of his first Premier League goal, against Nottingham Forest.

His success story comes after a harrowing year. After playing for the Israeli team Maccabi Petah Tikva, Solomon joined the Ukrainian soccer club Shakhtar Donetsk in 2019. When he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal that season, he became the youngest Israeli to score in the Champions League — the highest level of club competition in Europe — at 20 years old.

After Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine in

February 2022, he “woke up to the sound of explosions and sirens,” as he recounted to BBC Sport. “It was like being in the middle of a movie.”

He quickly made arrangements to leave Ukraine, making the 17-hour journey to the Polish border — where he had to wait for more than 10 hours in the freezing cold before making it home to Israel.

“I feel lucky I got out,” he said.

He joined Fulham F.C. last July on a temporary one-year deal, thanks to a FIFA rule allowing non-Ukrainian players in Ukraine to suspend their contracts. His Sephardic heritage allowed him to obtain a Portuguese passport, which helped facilitate his travel throughout the European Union.

Soccer fans back home in Israel are taking notice of the rise of “King Solomon.”

“Everyone has their eyes on the TV to see what Manor is going to do. That’s across the country. Any time that Manor is on TV now, you can guarantee the viewers are through the roof,” sports writer Josh Halickman told The Athletic Solomon said, “it’s difficult” for him to walk down an Israeli street.

“If you go to Tel Aviv or somewhere, it’s impossible to walk,” he said. “Sometimes, I want to go with my girlfriend to the beach in nice weather and you need to go to a separate

place because otherwise, the people go crazy.”

The “Manormania,” as some have called the hype around Solomon, is evident across Israeli media’s sports pages. Soccer is one of the most popular sports in Israel, and having a homegrown star play in Europe is no small feat.

“Him being a representative for Israeli success has a double meaning,” Einav Schiff, a journalist at Yedioth Ahronoth, told The Athletic. “It’s not only that he’s a good soccer player and people admire him for that — they also admire him as a representative of the country.”

Solomon also plays for Israel’s national team. Israel hasn’t qualified for the FIFA World Cup since 1970, but the team is currently in the midst of qualifying for the UEFA 2024 European Championships.

Manor Solomon celebrates after scoring a goal during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Fulham FC, Mar. 6, 2023. Credit: Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Chabad’s Israeli Bistro is coming and you are invited!

DC declared an official Mimouna day

RON KAMPEAS

WASHINGTON | JTA

It’s official: The mayor of the U.S. capital wanted Washingtonians to celebrate the end of Passover with a traditional North African Jewish party.

In a proclamation signed last weekend, Mayor Muriel Bowser urged her constituents to celebrate Mimouna, a feast that marks the end of the holiday and that has spread from North Africa to become popular in Israel and beyond.

“Now, therefore, I, the mayor of Washington, D.C., do hereby proclaim Sunday, April 16, 2023 in Washington, D.C. as ‘Mimouna –A Festival of Good Neighbors Day,’ and do commend this observance to all Washingtonians,” the proclamation said.

Bowser’s proclamation was shared with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency by the Washington D.C. chapter of Sephardic Heritage International, which has organized local events around the celebration in the past and is also doing so this year. Bowser made a similar proclamation in 2021, according to the group’s website.

The celebration took place this year at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and featured a musical performance and traditional North African cuisine. Last year, Israeli and Moroccan government officials attended the D.C. festival. The countries normalized relations as part of the 2020 Abraham Accords.

“The festival is inspired by the Moroccan Jewish and interfaith narratives of unity, commemoration, goodwill, and friendship of neighbors,” Bowser said in her proclamation. Mimouna is traditionally celebrated as Passover ends — this year in the Diaspora on Thursday night, and on Wednesday night in Israel. Bowser’s proclamation and the corresponding festivities were timed for a weekend day so more people could attend.

Mimouna festivities are food-centered and particularly feature leavened cuisine as a celebration of no longer having to ingest matzah. The offerings traditionally include mufleta, a crepe-like fried pastry. The celebrations have become more common in recent years in Israel, and presence at Mimouna festivities has become de rigueur for Israeli politicians, whatever their ethnic origin.

The name of the celebration is believed to stem from the father of one of the most influential Sephardic Jews in history, Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, known as Rambam or Maimonides. In addition to shaping Jewish thought and practice, the medieval scholar and philosopher lived part of his life in Morocco and was respected by Muslims as well as Jews. His father, Maimon ben Yosef, was also known for bridging Muslim and Jewish communities, and Muslims traditionally joined Jews in Mimouna festivities when Passover ended.

On Monday May 1, Chabad will host another mouthwatering Bistro Night. This time, the focus is on Israeli delicacies: shoarma, falafel, fresh Israeli salads and, of course, pita bread.

That same night, we will celebrate Jeremy Wright’s upcoming graduation from the University of Nebraska School of Medicine, and wish him well during his upcoming residency in Sioux City.

“Maimonides divided the practice of medicine into three sectors,” Lorne Rozovsky wrote, “each of which is still regarded as appropriate in modern times: prevention of illness, healing the sick, and long-term care such as invalids and the aged.” This recognition is at the core of modern public health

policies throughout the world. Is it any wonder that with the discussions of health matters in both the Talmud and by Maimonides, so many Jews over the centuries have played a major role in the practice of medicine and in healthcare, generally? It should come as no surprise that the phrase “Abi gezunt” is so popular: “Be healthy!”

All of you who have supported Jeremy and his family throughout this journey, please stop by between 6-8 p.m. and stay for a bite! But: please let us know you are coming, so we know how much to cook.

Registration is available through ochabad.com; for more information about the exact menu and pricing, please email rabbieli@ochabad.com

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Credit: Vera Yu and David Li, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

SP O TLIGHT

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

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Above: Winners of RBJH Annual March Madness contest: for first place, winning $100 Jennifer Stoneking; second place winning $50 Julie Logsdon and third place, winning $25 Colin Heskin! Congratulations to the frontrunners, and thank you to all the participants! Oh, what a maddening March Madness it was.

Below: JFO Marketing Director Margie Utesch shows off the awesome tote bag that will be for sale at our Yom Ha’atzmaut carnival, April 26.

Above and below: The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home celebrated the first Seder, with James Polack leading the celebration. This Seder was different from most other nights because RBJH still has limitations with Covid virus, and we couldn’t invite family members to join us. We are hoping the restrictions will be over next year. On behalf of the Residents and staff, we thank the Polack family for sharing this special Seder with all of us.

Above, left and below: The Matzah Factory was recently at Beth Israel. Everyone had a grand time, and how could you not with Yoni and Eli?

Top, above, below and bottom: Friedel Jewish Academy held their annual school Seder. Great job, Friedel!

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Excuses

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

Who is Republican megadonor Harlan Crow?

To be honest, I had never heard of him, and now I only know his name because he apparently owns a large collection of Nazi memorabilia:

“...including a signed edition of Hitler’s antisemitic manifesto Mein Kampf, two of Hitler’s own paintings and a set of linens emblazoned with the Nazi insignia. Crow also maintains a garden full of statues of Communist leaders he calls the “Garden of Evil.” His other historical artifacts reportedly include documents signed by George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower’s military helmet.” (Andrew Lapin, JTA)

Crow is currently in the news because of two decades’ worth of lavish gifts, including complimentary vacations and private jet and yacht rides, shared with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Never mind the judge right now; I’m much more concerned with the artifacts:

“In the wake of the recent reporting on Crow,” Lapin continued, “some conservatives have defended his collection. Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, who is Jewish, suggested on his podcast that the collection may be a way ‘to remember the things that you hate.’”

Sure.

It’s more likely that people like Crow simply have an unhealthy fascination with dicators, and only pretend to disagree with the underlying politics because common decency tells them they must. I’m sorry—I don’t really buy the excuses. Having any

ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL

JTA

When Benjamin Netanyahu put his controversial calls for judicial reform on pause two weeks ago, many thought the protesters in Israel and abroad might declare victory and take a break. And yet a week ago Saturday some 200,000 people demonstrated in Tel Aviv, and pro-democracy protests continued among Diaspora Jews and Israeli expats, including those who gather each Sunday in New York’s Washington Square Park.

On its face, the weeks of protest have been about proposed legislation that critics said would sap power from the Israeli Supreme Court and give legislators — in this case, led by Netanyahu’s recently elected far-right coalition — unchecked and unprecedented power. Protesters said that, in the absence of an Israeli constitution establishing basic rights and norms, they were fighting for democracy. The government too says the changes are about democracy, claiming under the current system unelected judges too often overrule elected lawmakers and the will of Israel’s diverse electorate.

But the political dynamics in Israel are complex, and the proposals and the backlash are also about deeper cracks in Israeli society. Yehuda Kurtzer, president of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, recently said in a podcast that the crisis in Israel represents “six linked but separate stories unfolding at the same time.” Beyond the judicial reform itself, these stories include the Palestinians and the occupation, a resurgent patriotism among the center and the left, chaos within Netanyahu’s camp, a Diaspora emboldened to weigh in on the future of Zionism and the rejection on the part of the public of a reform that failed the “reasonableness test.”

“If these protests are effective in the long run, it will be, I think, because they will have succeeded at reorganizing and mobilizing the Israeli electorate to think and behave differently than before,” said Kurtzer.

I recently asked observers, here and in Israel, what they feel is really mobilizing the electorate, and what kind of Israel will emerge as a result of the showdown. The respondents included organizers of the protests, supporters of their aims and

sort of Nazi memorabilia on display is a red flag. Imagine, for a moment, going over to a friend’s house and seeing a copy of Mein Kampf on the bookshelf. Not only that, you then discover it’s been signed by Adolf himself. Would it give you pause? Of course it would.

“The Nazi artifact market is contentious,” Lapin also wrote, “with laws prohibiting it in some European countries and criticism of auction houses that sell the items fierce in places where it is permitted. Much of the criticism centers on the idea that the people purchasing the artifacts are sympathetic to

the Nazis, although one frequent purveyor of Nazi artifacts in the United States told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency last year that his typical buyers “are NOT neo-Nazis, who are too poor and too stupid to appreciate any kind of historic material.”

That is an argument I’ve heard many times— and as nice as it is to imagine that all Nazis are stupid, we should know better. When we say ‘stupid,’ we really mean ‘harmless,’ and that, they definitely are not.

But then it strikes me: why do I care so much? Why should I get upset over this? It’s not as if it’s news, and it’s not as if me being irritated will change anything. There is a difference between times we should be upset, and times when it’s just performative, righteous indignation.

As always, whenever we allow ourselves to get angry over something we can’t change, there’s a lesson: the only way to balance things out is by doing something positive. Stewing behind a computer screen does not help anybody. That energy is much better directed elsewhere: towards our family, friends, colleagues and complete strangers who need our help—or maybe just a friendly moment.

Today’s news wire talked about ‘Death to Jews’ chants at a Berlin rally, a Massachussetts man railing against Jews online, a politician defending him, hate crimes and arson. But that’s basically every day, and remembering there are also countless good people and good stories out there takes effort.

So let’s put in that effort. And yes, I totally deleted the paragraph explaining what I’d like to do to Harlan Crow’s Hitler paintings. You’ll never know.

behind the judicial reform protests

those skeptical of the protesters’ motivations. They discussed a slew of issues just below the surface of the protest, including the simmering Israeli-Palestinian conflict, divisions over the increasing strength of Israel’s haredi Orthodox sector, and a lingering divide between Ashkenazi Jews with roots in Europe and Mizrahi Jews whose ancestry is Middle Eastern and North African.

Conservatives, meanwhile, insist that Israeli “elites” — the highly educated, the tech sector, the military leadership, for starters — don’t respect the will of the majority who brought Netanyahu and his coalition partners to power.

Here are the emerging themes of weeks of protest:

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY

Whatever their long-term concerns about Israel’s future, the protests are being held under the banner of “democracy.”

For Alon-Lee Green, one of the organizers of the protests, the issues are equality and fairness. “People in Israel,” said Green, national co-director of Standing Together, a grassroots movement in Israel, “hundreds of thousands of them, are going out to the streets for months now not only because of the judicial reform, but also — and mainly — because of the fundamental question of what is the society we want to live in: Will we keep living in a society that is unequal, unfair and that is moving away from our basic needs and desires, or will it be an equal society for everyone who lives in our land?”

Shany Granot-Lubaton, who has been organizing pro-democracy rallies among Israelis living in New York City, says Netanyahu, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and the coalition’s haredi Orthodox parties “are waging a war against democracy and the freedoms of citizens.”

“They seek to exert control over the Knesset and the judicial system, appoint judges in their favor and legalize corruption,” she said. “If this legal coup is allowed to proceed, minorities will be in serious danger, and democracy itself will be threatened.”

Two researchers at the Institute for Liberty and

Responsibility at Herzliya’s Reichman University, psychology student Benjamin Amram and research associate Keren L.G. Snider, said Netanyahu’s proposed judicial reform “undermines the integrity of Israel’s democracy by consolidating power.”

“How can citizens trust a government that ultimately has no limitations set upon them?” they asked in a joint email. “At a time when political

trust and political representation are at the lowest points, this legislation can only create instability and call into question the intentions of the current ruling party. When one coalition holds all the power, laws and policies can be swiftly overturned, causing instability and volatility.”

A STRUGGLE BETWEEN TWO ISRAELS

Other commentators said the protests revealed fractures within Israeli society that long predated the conflict over judicial reform. “The split is between those that believe Israel should be a more religious country, with less democracy, and see democracy as only a system of elections and not a set of values, and those who want Israel to remain a Jewish and democratic state,” Tzipi Livni, who served in the cabinets of right-wing prime ministers Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert before tacking to the center in recent years, recently told Haaretz.

Author and translator David Hazony called this “a struggle between two Israels” — one that sees Israel’s founding vision as a European-style, rightsbased democracy, and the other that sees that vision as the return of the Jews to their ancient homeland.

“Those on the first side believe that the judiciary See ‘Two Israels’ page 9

‘Two Israels’: What’s really

Credit:JTA illustration by Grace Yagel; Photo by Erik Marmor/Flash90

A photo of Nazi memorabilia would be expected, but we opted for a kitten instead. Credit: Leijurv, licensed under the Creative Commons AttributionShare Alike 4.0 International license.

Israels’

Continued from page 8 has always been Israel’s protector of rights and therefore of democracy, against the rapaciousness and lawlessness of politicians in general and especially those on the right. Therefore an assault on its supremacy is an assault on democracy itself. They accuse the other side of being barbaric, antidemocratic and violent,” said Hazony, editor of the forthcoming anthology “Jewish Priorities.”

As for the other side, he said, they see an activist judiciary as an attempt by Ashkenazi elites to force their minority view on the majority. Supporters of the government think it is entirely unreasonable “for judges to think they can choose their successors, strike down constitutional legislation and rule according to ‘that which is reasonable in the eyes of the enlightened community in Israel,’” said Hazony, quoting Aharon Barak, the former president of the Supreme Court of Israel and bane of Israel’s right.

(Naveh Dromi, a right-wing columnist for Yediot Achronot, puts this more bluntly: “The problem,” she writes, “lies in the fact that the left has no faith in its chance to win an election, so it relies on the high court to represent it.”)

Daniel Tauber, an attorney and Likud Central Committee member, agrees that those who voted for Netanyahu and his coalition have their own concerns about a democracy — one dominated by “elites,” which in the Israeli context means oldguard Ashkenazi Jews, powerful labor unions and highly educated secular Jews. “The more this process is subject to veto by non-democratic institutions, whether it be the Court chosen as it is, elite military units, the Histadrut [labor union], or others, the more people will lose faith in democracy,” said Tauber.

Green also said there is “a war waging now between two elites in Israel” — the “old and more established liberal elite, who consist of the financial, high-tech army and industry people,” and the “new emerging elite of the settlers and the political far-right parties.”

And yet, he said, “I think we will lose if one of these elites wins. The real victory of this historic political moment in Israel will be if we achieve true equality, both to the people who are not represented by the Jewish supremacists, such as the Palestinian citizens of Israel, and to the people who are not represented by the ‘old Israel,’ such as the haredi and Mizrahi people on the peripheries.”

THE CRISES BEHIND THE CRISIS

Although the protests were ignited by Netanyahu’s calls for judicial reform, they also represented pushback against the most right-wing government in Israeli history — which means at some level the protests were also about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of religion in Israeli society. “The unspoken motivation driving the architects and supporters of the [judicial] ‘reform,’ as well as the protest leaders, is umbilically connected to the occupation,” writes Carolina Landsmann, a Haaretz columnist. If Netanyahu has his way, she writes, “There will be no more two-state solution, and there will be no territorial compromises. The new diplomatic horizon will be a single state, with the Palestinians as subjects deprived of citizenship.”

Nimrod Novik, the Israel Fellow at the Israel Policy Forum, said that “once awakened, the simmering resentment of those liberal Israelis about other issues was brought to the surface.”

The Palestinian issue, for example, is at an “explosive moment,” said Novik: The Palestinian Authority is weakened and ineffective, Palestinian youth lack hope for a better future, and Israeli settlers feel emboldened by supporters in the ruling coalition. “The Israeli security establishment took this all into account when warning the government to change course before it is too late,” said Novik.

Kurtzer too noted that the Palestinians “also stand to be extremely victimized following the passage of judicial reform, both in Israel and in the West Bank.” And yet, he said, most Israelis aren’t ready to upend the current status quo between Israelis and Palestinians. “It can also be true that the Israeli public can only build the kind of coalition that it’s building right now because it is patently not a referendum on the issue of Palestinian rights,” he said.

RELIGION AND STATE

Novik spoke about another barely subterranean theme of the protests: the growing power of the haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, parties. Secular Israelis especially resent that the haredim disproportionately seek exemption from military service and that non-haredi Israelis contribute some 90% of all taxes collected. One fear of those opposing the judicial reform legislation is that the religious parties will “forever secure state funding to the haredi Orthodox school system while exempting it from teaching the subjects required for ever joining the

Father’s Day

workforce. It is to secure for them an exemption from any military or other national service. And it is to expand the imposition of their lifestyle on non-Orthodox Israelis.”

WHAT’S NEXT

Predictions for the future range from warnings of a civil war (by Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, among others) to an eventual compromise on Netanyahu’s part to the emergence of a new center electorate that will reject extremists on both ends of the political spectrum.

David E. Bernstein, a law professor at the George Mason University School of Law who writes frequently about Israel, imagines a future without extremists. “One can definitely easily imagine the business, academic and legal elite using their newfound political voice to insist that future governments not align with extremists, that haredi authority over national life be limited, and, perhaps most important, that Israel create a formal constitution that protects certain basic rights,” he said. “Perhaps there will also be demand to counter such long-festering problems as corruption, disproportionate influence over export markets by a few influential families, burgeoning lawlessness in the Arab sector and a massive shortage of affordable housing.”

Elie Bennett, director of International Strategy at the Israel Democracy Institute, also sees an opportunity in the crisis.

In the aftermath of the disastrous 1973 Yom Kippur war, he said, Israel “rebuilt its military and eventually laid the foundations for today’s ‘startup nation.’ In this current crisis, we do not need a call-up of our reserves forces, or a massive airlift of American weaponry to prevail. What we need is goodwill among fellow Israelis and a commitment to work together to strengthen our society and reach an agreed-upon constitutional framework. If we are able to achieve such an agreement, it will protect our rights, better define the relationships between the branches of government, and result in an Israel that is more stable and prosperous than ever as we celebrate 75 years of independence.”

Andrew Silow-Carroll is is Editor at Large of the New York Jewish Week and Managing Editor for Ideas for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

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.

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TEMPLE ISRAEL

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3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236

402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, May 12, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information on COVID-related closures and about our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Beth Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.

B’NAI ISRAEL BETH EL

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON 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. with guest speaker, Don Goldstein, “The Importance of Organ Donation at Beth El & Live Stream; Shabbat Dinner, 7 p.m. with guest speaker, Dr. Alan Langas, Chief of Transplant Surgery at UNMC.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. with guest speaker Jen Tompkins, “My Personal Journey’ at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades 3-7) 10 a.m.; Kiddush Lunch following services with guest speaker, Martha Gershon, author of “Kidney to Share: A Living Donor’s Story”; Havdalah, 8:50 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Hebrew Reading, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman

TUESDAY: Pirkei Avot, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham.

WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7) Yom Ha’atzmaut, 4 p.m. at the JCC; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12) Yom Ha’atzmaut, 5:30 p.m. at the JCC.

FRIDAY-Apr 28: Nebraska AIDS Project Lunch, 11:30 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY-Apr. 29: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. with guest speaker JFO CEO Bob Goldberg at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m. Zoom Only. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL

FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:53 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha, 7:40 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity 8:10 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:56 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 8 p.m.

MONDAY: — Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Yom Hakizaron, 7 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.;

Share the Blue Square

PAM MONSKY

JCRC Assistant Director

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) is very excited to announce our participation in a new national campaign, reaching all Americans to raise awareness about antisemitism, and you are invited to join us.

FCAS is the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. Our mission is to win the hearts and minds of non-Jews and Jews through powerful positive messaging and partnerships, motivating and equipping them to be defenders of and upstanders for the Jewish community. We aim to raise awareness and respond to antisemitism, rebuild and celebrate Jewish identity and build familiarity and understanding toward Jews.

One way you can help us is by sharing the blue square.

STEP 1: CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORM

You can share messages of support on any platform. Consider where it feels most natural for your post and where you want to share this message with those who follow you.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv 8 p.m.; Parsha Class 8:20 p.m.

FRIDAY-Apr 28: Jr. NCSY Shabbaton — Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY-Apr. 29: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha, 7:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity 8:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:05 p.m.

CHABAD HOUSE

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, 7:52 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:55 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Video Presentation 9-9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 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; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

THURSDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; 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 28: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ocha bad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY-Apr. 29: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:04 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:

B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL

Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. Note: Some of our services, but not all, are now being offered in person.

FRIDAY: Omer Day 15 — Rosh Chodesh Iyyar; Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex and music by Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Oneg host: TBD; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:45 p.m.

SATURDAY: Omer Day 16 — Rosh Chodesh Iyyar; Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex

at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Tazria-Metzora; Havdalah, 8:57 p.m.

SUNDAY: Omer Day 17; Temple Gardening, 8:3010 a.m. Contact Ellin Siegel at ellin.siegel@gmail. com for more information; LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m.; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group continues to meet during the winter months, 10:30 a.m. at Rock-N-Joe, just off of 84th and Glynoaks. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail. com; State Holocaust Commemoration, 2 p.m. at the State Capitol; Pickleball, 3-5 p.m. at TI.

MONDAY: Omer Day 18

TUESDAY: Omer Day 19 — Yom HaZikaron

WEDNESDAY: Omer Day 20 — Yom Ha’atzmaut; LJCS Picnic, 4:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Omer Day 21

FRIDAY-Apr 28: Omer Day 22; Jacob Bowers Bar Mitzvah and Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex and Jacob Bowers, 7 p.m. at TI; Oneg host: The Bowers Family; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:01 p.m.

SATURDAY-Apr. 29: Omer Day 23; Jacob Bowers Bar Mitzvah and Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex and Jacob Bowers at TI; Kiddush Lunch sponsored by The Bowers Famiy; No Torah Study; Havdalah 9:05 p.m.

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FRIDAYS: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.

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 Batsheva Appel, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander

FRIDAY: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. In-Person; Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.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 Julian Simon, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SUNDAY: Grades PreK-6, 9:30 a.m. In-Person; Inclusive Communities for Teens, 12:15 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person; Grades 36 to attend Yom Ha’atzmaut Celebration, 5:30 p.m. at JCC; Grades 7-12, 5:45 p.m. at JCC.

THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel.

FRIDAY-Apr 28: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. InPerson; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY-Apr. 29: Torah Study 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

STEP 2: FIND THE BLUE SQUARE EMOJI

The Blue Square can be found as an emoji on your phone or mobile device. Just click the smiley face on or below the keyboard to bring up all available emoij and search for “blue square.” It can be inserted into social media posts, emails and text messages.

STEP 3: WRITE A MESSAGE USING #STANDUPTOJEWISHHATE

Once you decide where to share, create a post as you would for that platform. If you post an image or video, we encourage you to add a Blue Square by using our branded filter on TikTok, or by editing your photo to include a blue square.

You can also share your support in the caption by writing a message of support and using #StandUpToJewishHate.

STEP 4: POST YOUR MESSAGE AND SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD

After you make your post, publish it and share it with the world! When doing so, you show the Jewish community they are not alone and can educate and inspire other people to take action and stand up against antisemitism.

Life cycles

HOWARD A. KAIMAN

Howard A. Kaiman passed away on April 11, 2023 in Omaha. Services were held on April 14, 2023 at Beth El Cemetery and were officiated by Rabbi Abraham.

He was preceded in death by parents, Samuel Kaiman and Ida Sidman Kaiman; brother, Ernie; and the love of his life, Mary Jane Lightner.

He is survived by Donna Kaiman Gilbert; nephews and nieces: Samuel, Jerry, David, Daniel, Stacey and Julie. He treated his nieces and nephews like his own children and helped to change the course of many of their lives.

He was born in Omaha on Oct. 31, 1929. Kaiman grew up up in a close-knit Jewish family with a strong emphasis on Jewish education. He attended Henry W. Yates Elementary, Central High School, and the Municipal University of Omaha, where he received a combined degree in Sociology and Secondary Education. He also earned a Teaching Certificate and taught for a while, but felt something missing. Like his father, Samuel Kaiman, he attended night school at Creighton University School of Law where he graduated in 1967. He quickly established himself as a highly respected attorney, specializing in corporate law, estate planning, tax law, and personal injury. His work took him to the highest levels of the profession including appearances before the Nebraska Supreme Court.

Kaiman was a committed member of the Omaha Jewish community, and he was active in many organizations dedicated to promoting Jewish culture and education. In an article written in the Jewish Press on May 7, 1999, Kaiman is quoted, “We know the beauty of Judaism. It makes the ordinary extra-ordinary.” He was a regular attendee at Temple Israel, where he served on the Board and was involved in numerous events and programs. He was also a member of the Board of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and worked closely with local schools to provide men-

JEWISH PRESS READERS

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TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at www.omahajew ishpress.com/site/forms/. Deadlines are normally nine days prior to publication, on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.

torship and guidance to young students interested in pursuing careers in law. Throughout his career, Kaiman was recognized for his expertise, professionalism, and commitment to his clients. He was highly respected by his colleagues in the legal community who valued his thorough research and attention to detail.

Memorials may be made to Beth El Synagogue in Kaiman's memory.

DAVID COOPER

David Cooper passed away on April 13, 2023 in Omaha. Services were held on April 16, 2023 at Beth El Cemetery and were officiated by Rabbi Abraham and Hazzan Krausman. He was preceded in death by parents, Martin and Ida Cooper; brothers, Samuel and Jack Cooper; and grandson, Benjamin Littky. He is survived by his wife, Sarita Z. Cooper; son and partner, Jeffrey Cooper and Johanna Missek; daughter, Amy L. Cooper, and daughter and son-in-law, Felicia and Scott Littky; grandchildren: Sarah Littky and fiancé Ran Solomon, Avi Littky, Adam Cooper-Kahn, Julianna, Isabella and Paul Cooper; sisters-in-law, Judith Cooper and Susan Cooper; nieces and nephews; and friends.

Memorials may be made to Beth El Synagogue, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium or the organization of your choice.

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Shalom, Artists!

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

It is no secret that artistic expression has a home in Judaism. It’s the reason we have art on our walls, in our public spaces and our homes. We’re familiar with Jewish artists from Marc Chagall to Amedeo Modigliani, and we have a long tradition of creating ritual objects that are at home in our dining room as well as in museums.

At the Jewish Federation of Omaha, the art on the walls as well as in the Eisenberg Gallery are visible to anyone who enters. However, there are other forms of artistic expression that we aren’t always able to share with the community.

Christina Caniglia is the Assistant Activities Director at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. For four years, she has fullfilled her mission to keep Residents engaged and bring moments of joy through creating artworks.

“Whether they paint or use other mediums, the act of making something gives them a sense of accomplishment,” she said. “It’s about trying something new and then finding they are capable of creating something beautiful. It’s immensely gratifying for them to experience that, and for us to facilitate it. It doesn’t ever feel like a job. This is where I am supposed to be.”

Earlier this year, Jewish Family Service hired Dr. Hillary Rubesin. Hillary is an Expressive Arts Therapist, who has since worked with Residents at the RBJH, but also with students

ative Arts Therapy Week:

“We collected a collective weaving about the often ‘hidden’ disability of mental illness,” Hillary said. “We invited participants to look

bers of the Omaha Jewish community, celebrated diversity, equity and inclusion by learning about how all Hebrew letters can be found in the Star of David, and how this can translate to all of us being honored as important parts of the Jewish community,” Hillary explained. “We painted Stars of David and added words about what makes us feel included and celebrated in our wider communities.”

We also have beautiful watercolor paintings and ceramics, all made by RBJH Residents, as well as endless photographs that show all our creators in action.

at Friedel Jewish Academy, Yachad, Temple Israel and staff at the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

There are monthly visits to the Home, offering programming around Jewish themes. Under Hillary’s guidance, Residents made candle holders for Hanukkah and painted trees for Tu B’Shvat.

“We reminisced about our roots,” Hillary said, “where and who we come from, and what things and people have inspired us in our lives. The leaves represent the lessons we hope to leave behind for others.”

JFS also partnered with the JFO’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee during Cre-

within and write messages about how mental illness has impacted their lives and their friends and families. The resulting project became a beautiful message of hope.”

It’s merely the tip of the iceberg—and it is time for the community to see some of the inspiring work that is done across the generations on our campus.

During the month of May, the Eisenberg Gallery will host a number of works by Friedel Jewish Academy students, ELC students, RBJH Residents (we’ll show you the tree Hillary was talking about) but also a work of art created by Yachad:

“Yachad members, alongside other mem-

In addition, we invite the youngest members of our community (and their parents) to participate in an interactive activity Sunday, May 21 between 2 and 6 p.m. Kids 14 and younger can stop by the Ben and Anna Wiesman Family Meeting Room at any point during that time, as long as they are accompanied by at least one adult. Together we will create a piece that can live on our Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus for years to come. To reserve your spot, simply email avandekamp@jewishomaha.org. Please join us!

There is no cost to participate; this program is generously supported by the Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Supporting Foundation.