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IHE 3rd Thursday Lunch & Learn
SPRING & SUMMER
When you encounter hate Page 2
Jeremy Johnson
Ariel O’Donnell
SCOTT LITTKY Institute for Holocaust Education Executive Director e can all choose to see the glass half full or half empty. At the Institute for Holocaust Education we have chosen to see things as half full. To quote an old Broadway musical, “Always look on the bright side of life.” Our IHE 3rd Thursday Lunch and Learn program continues to be an example of programming for us that was born out of the COVID-19 Zoom necessity and continues to be popular. The next four months of our Zoom-scheduled IHE 3rd Thursday Lunch & Learn series have now been set. On May 19, at 11:30 a.m., we have the opportunity to learn from Dr. Jeremy Johnson,
Recent additions to the Kripke Library ‘s collection Page 4
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Venice’s frayed Jewish Ghetto is planning a renaissance Page 12
Nicole Freeman
REGULARS 6 8 10 11
RACHEL RING JFO Director of Development The Lions of Judah are among the most philanthropic Jewish women in the world. Globally, there are 18,000 Lions encompassing women of all ages. They make up a proud sisterhood of activists that care deeply about the future of Jews worldwide. For the past 50 years, the Lions of Judah have played a vital role in promoting social justice, aiding the vulnerable, preserving human dignity, and building Jewish identity. Through their contributions of time and resources, each Lion establishes herself as a community leader, advocating for the values they hold so
Associate Professor of Art Education in the College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Dr. Johnson was born and raised in Wisconsin. He holds a B.F.A. in multimedia design from the University of Wisconsin Stout and a B.A. in K-12 art education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Johnson also holds an M.S. in reading from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Ph.D. in art education from the University of Minnesota. Johnson has taught at the elementary, middle and secondary levels as a public arts educator. His current research focus is on educating students and adults on the Holocaust through graphic novels. He is currently working on a biographical graphic novel on the artistic prodigy Samuel Bak. See IHE Lunch & Learn page 2
dear. We are honored to have 77 Lions in our midst here in Omaha. Our Lions of Judah have set an exemplary standard of leadership and giving for others in our community. When asked to reflect on why she is a Lion and what it means to her, Dana Kaufmann said, “I chose to be a Lion to honor my mother’s memory. She was very proud to be a Lion and for me, it is a way to carry on her legacy and her commitment to Tikkun Olam while at the same time creating my own path. The Omaha Jewish Community is im-
Heart and soul ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor For 37 years, Bert Benson has worked with wonderful, dedicated people in all departments at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. “Shane Kotok, Shelly Fox, Andi Goldstein, Molly Rosenberg, Erika Lucoff, and Colin Heskin have all been amazing team members in social services,” Bert said. “Shelley Cash and numerous nurses have been true heroes.”
Scott Littky
Lions of Judah: Leading with Pride
Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
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portant to our family, and being a Lion is one way I can continue to serve the community as we look to the future.” The strength and vitality of a Lion’s contributions can continue through a Lion of Judah Endowment (LOJE). Establishing a LOJE enables a woman to leave a legacy to safeguard the values that have inspired her own giving. Nationwide, 3,800 women have created a Lion of Judah endowment fund, together totaling $620 million in future giving. Sharon Kirshenbaum, an LOJE donor, said, “I have established an LOJE Fund because I want to do my part to ensure the future of the Omaha Jewish community. I like knowing that my annual campaign gift will continue to help our community long after I am gone.” An endowment gift is a wonderful way to show your deep commitment to our Jewish community and is within reach of any Lion. Every two years, Lions gather in a major city for three inspirational days. This December, many of our Omaha See Lions of Judah page 2
Bert Benson
Now it is time to for her retire, and that is no small event for someone who has been part of the very fabric of the Home. Shelly Fox, who has worked with Bert since 2002, said: “Bert is the consummate professional as a social worker. She is organized, thorough and a wealth of professional knowledge. She has always been a trusted colleague and a very appreciated partner.” Bert’s first day at the Home was May 1, 1985; she started part-time in the activities department, where she worked with Sharon Conlon. “We did all sorts of activities with the residents,” Bert said, “from arts and crafts to Bingo, movies — very similar to what we still do nowadays. I remember the sing-along was always huge. It’s probably one of the things I missed the most during the pandemic.” She eventually became Director of Social Services, a position in which she oversees a number of regulatory things. “It’s my job to take care of needed community referrals, financial and legal requirements, and/or mental health assistance. I make sure Residents and their families have all documentation in order, and a very large part of that is knowing the Resident in question.” This “knowing” is front and center at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. It’s possibly one of the biggest reasons the Home has such a stellar reputation. “We write a social history for every Resident, It’s a huge privilege See Bert Benson page 3
2 | The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022
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When you encounter hate
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Expressions of antisemitism and other hate statements are, unfortunately, still a reality in our world. When we encounter them, it can come as a shock; we don’t always know how to respond in the moment. Should we report it? Should we ask for help? Should we address it directly? Whether you are an adult or a child, you should not have to deal with these situations alone. Community members who encounter antisemitism have resources available to them at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), as well as though the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO). The ADL’s mission is to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. While we await a new, local ADL representative, you can still report incidents to ADL directly. Please contact Cheryl Drazin at
cdrazin@adl.org or visit https://www. adl.org/reportincident. If you wish to follow up with a local JFO representative, please contact Pam Monsky, Assistant Director at the Community Relations Committee (CRC), either by phone at 402.334.6572 or by email at pmonsky@ jew ishomaha.org. The CRC’s goal is to promote the well-being of the Jewish community of the Omaha and Council Bluffs metro area. Another JFO resource is Scott Littky, Executive Director of the Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE). Scott can be reached by phone at 402.334.6575 or by email at slittky@jewishomaha.org. The IHE’s goal is to ensure that appropriate, fact-based instruction and materials are available to students, educators, and the public. By ensuring that the Holocaust is remembered, the IHE hopes to inspire our community to create a more just and equitable society.
Patent attorney. Jazz enthusiast. Philanthropist. A life well planned allows you to
LIVE YOUR LIFE.
IHE Lunch & Learn Continued from page 1 We are looking forward to his presentation on the work he is doing on his biographical graphic novel on the art of Samuel Bak and Bak’s experiences in the Holocaust. For our program on Thursday, June 16, at 11:30 a.m., IHE Communications Coordinator Ariel O’Donnell, will be presenting a discussion of LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and their experiences during the Holocaust, including the enforcement of Paragraph 175 in the post-Holocaust period. Outside of working for IHE, O’Donnell is a student at the University of NebraskaOmaha where she studies religion, philosophy, and creative writing. Thursday, July 21, will feature Nicole Freeman, Director of Education at the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach. Currently, Ms. Freeman is finishing her dissertation on the
experiences of child survivors in Poland after the Holocaust. She will be presenting on Jewish children’s experiences during and after the Holocaust and using memoirs as sources in the classroom. The July 21 Lunch and Learn will be at 11:30 a.m. over Zoom. On Thursday, Aug. 18, Scott Littky, Executive Director of the Institute for Holocaust Education, will be speaking about his trip to Poland in July of 2022 as part of the partnership that IHE has with the law school at Creighton University and their “Nuremberg to the Hague” summer program. This will be Littky’s first trip to Poland, and he will be speaking about the meaning of a trip to Poland as a Holocaust educator. For more information or to sign-up to receive the Zoom link for any of these sessions, please email Scott Littky at slittky@ihene.org.
Lions of Judah Continued from page 1 Lions will be heading to the conference in Phoenix, AZ, to learn, share, and celebrate! We’d love you to join our Lion pride! For more information about becoming a Lion, purchasing a Lion pin, or endowing your Lion gift, contact Rachel Ring, Women’s Philanthropy, at 402.334.6443 or rring@jewishom aha.org.
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@jewishomaha.org.
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The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022 | 3
Bert Benson Continued from page 1 to write the story of a life,” she said, “versus simply checking boxes. We end up with a narrative, and through that get a much more complete picture of who a Resident is. Sometimes we also discover prior relationships—like the realization that certain Residents went to school together.” Shelley Cash has worked with Bert for over 30 years and said: “She has always had a thing about ‘really knowing her Residents.’ Because she has been here so long, she knows at least three generations of Residents and family members. We have always called her the ‘Librarian,’ because she is the keeper of all knowledge related to the Home and the Jewish community. She can tell you who is married to who, who their kids are, the names of their parents, and on and on.” After this many years, it’s difficult to pick a favorite memory, she said. “There are so many! What does stand out is the remodel, the way we moved Residents—we’d empty an entire wing in half a day, and moved Residents into the newly finished and refurbished rooms. It was a fabulous experience, to be able to take all their belongings and put them it into a brand-new space. It was stressful, but also the most gratifying.” For the past 37 years, Bert has encountered and cared for thousands of Residents and their families, spanning multiple gener-
ations of community members. “As the Director of Social Services,” Shelly Fox said, “Bert is aware of and responsible for a multitude of factors that affect Residents at the Home on a large-scale basis as well as an individual and personal basis. Bert’s efforts go above and beyond in making sure that everyone is treated with respect, dignity and patience. I have never experienced her not prioritizing our Residents’ best interests.” Jeff Kirshenbaum, who, together with Toba Cohen-Dunning, is co-president of the RBJH board of directors, said: “What makes the RBJH such a special place is its staff. Bert exemplifies this. She has seen it all and done it all, and our entire community has benefited. It is nearly unheard of to have a professional have such a long tenure at one facility. Bert has cared for thousands of residents and has trained hundreds of staff members. There are very few families in our community where Bert has not met and cared for at least one of their family members.” Toba said: “As someone who is so grateful to Bert, personally and professionally, the void that she will leave is immeasurable. See Heart and soul page 5
Campaign aims to increase access to Women’s Health Care More women are turning to Methodist Women’s Hospital for care at every stage of life. Surgeries, emergency room visits and deliveries are all on the rise. Nearly 20 percent of the babies born in Nebraska are born at Methodist Women’s Hospital, the only hospital of its kind in the state dedicated to women’s health. “The staff at Methodist Women’s Hospital truly go out of their way to make sure patients are cared for,” said patient Becky Cook. Open since 2010, the hospital’s growing reach is now driving an urgent need for more space. A $16.3 million expansion will add 10–14 NICU rooms. This will reduce frequent overflow to adult care areas, opening more beds for adult patients. The ultimate goal is to help ensure every woman in the region can receive the kind of quality medical care Becky has received. She and her husband spent a year working with Dr. Abigail Delaney, a reproductive health specialist, to achieve a healthy
pregnancy. The Cook’s daughter Callie – “the light of [their] lives” – was born in January 2020. “I always felt we were Dr. Delaney’s number one priority when under her care. My setbacks were her setbacks and my successes were hers as well,” Becky said. “I truly believe she is the reason we have our beautiful daughter today.” Methodist Hospital Foundation is spearheading the fundraising campaign for the expansion. Called For All Women, it will also fund a virtual care platform in the NICU, enhance telehealth capability for rural patients and support outreach for the underserved. “I am just so thankful to have been able to work with the wonderful people at Methodist Women’s Hospital,” Becky said. To help strengthen health care for all women in the region, please visit SupportMethodist.org or contact Methodist Hospital Foundation: 402.354.4825 or foundation@nmhs.org.
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4 | The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022
“Check out” these recent additions to the Kripke Library’s collection
SHIRLY BANNER JFO Kripke Library Specialist YOUNG ADULT: Winter Blessings: Warm Stories from the Village by Izzy Abrahmson Whether you spell it Hanukkah or Chanukah, most books only have one story. This book goes to eleven! Funny, Silly, Heartwarming, Delicious! Izzy Abrahmson’s holiday stories have been enjoyed by readers and listeners around the world. This book collects all his favorites, plus the novella, Out of the Woods. Winters in The Village are crazy, but the promise of holiday candles always light the heart. No two years are ever the same. You’ll find out... • Who invented the Chanukah present? • What’s with Joseph Katz and all the dreidels? • Where did the Chanukah Duck come from? • When will it stop being so cold?! • Why did Rabbi Kibbitz leave that cryptic • message? • And how will Rachel Cohen save The Village? Frozen flames, muddled challah, and a community of family and friends.
2022 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND PARENTS We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 27, 2022. To be included, fill out the form below or send us an email with the student’s name, parents names, high school they are attending, the college they will be attending and photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 1, 2022. High School Senior Information ______________________________________________________________ Name ______________________________________________________________ Parent(s)’ Name(s) ______________________________________________________________ Current High School ______________________________________________________________ College you plan to attend Send by May 1, 2022 to: The Jewish Press 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154
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ADULT: The Prison Minyan by Jonathan Stone Welcome to Otisville, America’s only Jewish prison...where a new celebrity inmate is about to shatter the peace. The Jewish Chronicle called it “delectable, glorious, this most cherishbly Jewish of books.” Critic Michael Arditti called the book “erudite, trenchant and touching.” The scene is Otisville Prison, upstate New York. A crew of fraudsters, tax evaders, trigamists, and forgers discuss matters of right and wrong in a Talmudic study and prayer group, or “minyan,” led by a rabbi who’s a fellow convict. As the only prison in the federal system with a kosher deli, Otisville is the penitentiary of choice for white-collar Jewish offenders, many of whom secretly like the place. They’ve learned to game the system, so when the regime is toughened to
punish a newly arrived celebrity convict who has upset the 45th president, they find devious ways to fight back. Shadowy forces up the ante by trying to assassinate the newcomer, and visiting poetry professor Deborah Liston ends up in dire peril when she sees too much. She has helped the minyan look into their souls. Will they now step up to save her? Jonathan Stone brings the sensibility of Saul Bellow and Philip Roth to the post-truth era in a sharply comic novel that is also wise, profound, and deeply moral. The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner In 1943, Elise Sontag is a typical American teenager from Iowa - aware of the war but distanced from its reach. Then her father, a legal US resident for nearly two decades, is suddenly arrested on suspicion of being a Nazi sympathizer. The family is sent to an internment camp in Texas, where, behind the armed guards and barbed wire, Elise feels stripped of everything beloved and familiar, including her own identity. The only thing that makes the camp bearable is meeting fellow internee Mariko Inoue, a Japanese-American teen from Los Angeles, whose friendship empowers Elise to believe the life she knew before the war will again be hers. Together in the desert wilderness, Elise and Mariko hold tight the dream of being young American women with a future beyond the fences. But when the Sontag family is exchanged for American prisoners behind enemy lines in Germany, Elise will face head-on the person the war desires to make of her. In that devastating crucible, she must discover if she has the will to rise above prejudice and hatred and reclaim her own destiny, or disappear into the image others have cast upon her. The Last Year of the War tells a little-known story of World War II with great resonance for our own times and challenges the very notion of who we are when who we’ve always been is called into question.
SAVE THE DATE The Jewish Federation and Ukraine ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor These past weeks, you have been reading about the recent JFNA humanitarian trip to the Polish Ukraine border. Are you eager to hear a first-hand account from Rabbi Steven Abraham and Jeff Kirshenbaum? The Jewish Federation of Omaha invites members of the community to hear all about it on May 11 at 7 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine
Performing Arts Theater. There is no cost to attend, and RSVPs are not required. Rabbi Steven Abraham and Jeff Kirshenbaum previously shared their experiences at Beth El Synagogue and Beth Israel Synagogue. They were interviewed by Telemundo and KETV. A Zoom option will be available for those who want to join us from home and the interview will be recorded.
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The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022 | 5
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Heart and soul Continued from page 3 Bert has been a wonderful resource for our family with my mom’s care at RBJH over the last decade. There was never a time when she wasn’t able to resolve a question or issue with such care, speed and an assured resolution. They broke the mold with Bert and she is truly a one in a million friend to so many!” Chris Ulven, Executive Director of the Home, said: “I have had the privilege of working with Bert Benson for over 10 years now. She never ceases to amaze me with her knowledge, work ethic and determination to be at her best each and every day. “Bert is an amazing Social worker who always looks out for the Residents and their families first. If any conversation drifts away from putting the Resident as our top priority, I can always count on Bert to step up and remind us of our priorities. Her insight, opinions and integrity have been invaluable to me in decision making and trying to lead the Home down the right path, and do it the right way. I’m going to miss that, and her immensely! “She takes tremendous pride in really getting to know our Residents and families so she can better help them with whatever they may need. Bert has always gone above and beyond. Anyone needs help... Bert is there to help. From room moves, putting supplies away or helping at Deli, she has always been willing to be part of it. “I wish her the happiest of retirement, but
if she gets bored, we have tons of volunteer opportunities and would love to have her any time!” In 2020, COVID changed everything, Bert said. “I have missed the volunteers and the community. There are so many reasons for people to come into the Home, and we have all really missed those interactions. Now that restrictions are easing slightly, we have more people coming in compared to two years ago, but it’s still very different.” But there have been other changes throughout the years: “Residents used to have to bring in their own electronics, so any time someone moved in we’d have to figure out how to set up their television and such. Nowadays, that is a much easier
ELECT
process—everything they need is already here.” What hasn’t changed, she said, is the commitment: “Staff, management and community are absolutely dedicated to all our Residents. I have seen this through the years, different generations come through but the commitment of everyone is the big constant.” “Bert has always been the advocate for what is right and best for the Residents,” Shelley Cash said. “She caters to their needs as well as their quirks. We have raised children together, buried our parents, watched our children get married
and our grandchildren be born. She is like the sister I never had and I will miss her terribly. My work days will not be the same! As she leaves the island with her torch, I wish her only the best and hope she enjoys her retirement to the fullest. She has earned it.” She will spend that retirement with husband Bob, their children and, of course, the grandchildren. Bert and Bob have two children, daughter Kelly Benson-Gettman and son Joe Benson, who were small when Bert began working at the Home. Kelly has two children, Stella and Ben, and Bert is looking forward to being able to hang out with them. “I decided a long time ago this was where I was supposed to be. This is wonderful work,” she said when asked what her advice is for others. “You experience the resilience of people. Life just goes on—the bad times test your resilience, and it is inspiring to witness that every day.” “Bert has always been an amazing source of information and support,” Shelly Fox said. “She leads by example with dedication to details and deep understanding of the rules and regulations that we are responsible for adhering to. Bert operates with professional integrity.” The Jewish Federation of Omaha and all its agencies want to express graitude to Bert, and wish her a happy and meaningful retirement, in the company of her husband, children, and grandchildren. Having you in this building has been a privilege and a blessing, and we will all miss you!
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Magen David Adom has been saving lives since 1930, some 18 years before Israel became a state. We take immense pride in being Israel’s national emergency medical service and in supplying the blood and medical care for the soldiers who have ensured Israel’s existence. Join us in celebrating Israel’s independence on Yom HaAtzma’ut. Save a life in Israel — and now in Ukraine too. Support Magen David Adom at afmda.org or call 866.632.2763.
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6 | The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022
Top, above, below and bottom: Friedel Jewish Academy students were able to have their seder in the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue.
Above: Partnership visit lucheon. Jeannette Gabriel, Ph.D.; left; Jan Goldstein; Leigh Chaves; LaDona Fishkin; Norm Sheldon; Jenn Tompkins; Mark Martin, hidden; Marty Ricks; Sivan Cohen; Melissa Shapiro; Marcy Paul, Ph.D.; Golan Rozenberg; Dick Zacharia; and Iris Ricks.
Above: Ruth Meints; Marcy Paul, Ph.D.; and Leigh Chaves. Left: Marcy Paul, Ph.D.; LaDona Fishkin; and Golan Rozenberg.
SP O TLIGHT
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.
Above and right: Rabbi Abraham selling chametz and burning the last crumbs. Below: Monsky/Pearlman seder. Front: Rob Pearlman, clockwise from bottom left: Ari Wilson, Rachael Wilson, Logan Wilson, Mary Ferer, Holly Pearlman, Whitney Ferer, Henry Monsky, and Pam Monsky.
The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022 | 7
The Bennett G. Hornstein Memorial Scholarship update
DIANE WALKER JFO Foundation Fund & Scholarship Administrator The family of the late Bennett G. Hornstein established the Bennett G. Hornstein Endowment Fund in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. The endowment funds an annual scholarship awarded to an aspiring law student in an effort to carry on Hornstein’s commitment to working for the poor and powerless and striving to make a difference in the Nebraska community. Hornstein lost an eight-year battle with cancer in March 1986 at the young age of 46. During his life, he was an inspiration to his family, friends, and colleagues, demonstrating unwavering selflessness and commitment to helping those who needed it most. After receiving his law degree at the University
of California-Berkley, Hornstein decided to spend a significant portion of his life helping people who were hated, who were detested, and whom nobody else would help. He carried out that promise case by case in his over 20 years as an attorney, from Nebraska courtrooms all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Candidates should display a high standard of academic achievement, an adventurous spirit and a desire to take on an active role in service to the community. Applicants must be attending law school at the University of Nebraska or Creighton University. Applications are available on the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation webpage – www.jfofoundation.org/bghendow ment. Please contact Diane Walker with questions at 402.334.6551 or dwalker@jewishomaha.org.
Industrial Escape Rooms: Great for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, birthdays and job parties Industrial Escape Rooms is a small local/veteran-owned business, located in the Millard area of Omaha. Established in 2018, we are dedicated to providing a fun and family-friendly entertainment option for the community. Escape room games are a great option for families and friends and co-workers to spend quality time together. Players are encouraged to play as a team, with everyone contributing to the effort to “escape” the room. Escape room games generally have a theme and a storyline to engage the players. Industrial Escape Rooms game themes include Moriarty’s Parlor, a Sherlock Holmes theme set in an 1890’s London England parlor room. Our second room is Blackbeard’s Treasure, a pirate-themed game set in the captain’s cabin of Blackbeard’s flagship. Our third room is Sea Voyage, a nautical themed game set on the bridge of the sink-
ing ship S.S. Sea Turtle. Each game features unique and fun puzzles that challenge the players to stretch their problem-solving abilities. Escape room games are great for a wide age range of players. We have had family groups with young pre-school-age players that enjoy finding puzzle pieces to give to Mom and Dad to the grandparents that find that they enjoyed solving the puzzles as well. Each room has a wide variety of puzzles ranging from easy to challenging to keep a group engaged for the duration of each game. Industrial Escape Rooms are great for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, birthdays and job parties. For more information about Industrial Escape Rooms, please contact Patrick Corbitt at 402.934.2083 or info@Industrialescaperooms.com.
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Margie Gutnik President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Sam Kricsfeld Staff Writers Mary Bachteler Accounting Jewish Press Board Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen; David Finkelstein; Bracha Goldsweig; Mary Sue Grossman; Les Kay; Natasha Kraft; Chuck Lucoff; Joseph Pinson; Andy Shefsky and Amy Tipp. 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: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, 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. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. 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@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.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@jewishomaha.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. 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 KampWright, 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. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.
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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.
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ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Over the past few weeks, we’ve been low-key putting the Centennial Endowment on your radar. By growing our endowment, we do two important things. One: we set money aside for the future, — funds that will generate interest years down the road. When the current staff is no longer here (and someday we will all retire) the Press will live on. The second reason is even more important: planning for the future means assuming and trusting there is a future. And that is something we all desperately need to do. Enough of the nay-saying, no more doom and gloom. Yes, papers have been disappearing left and right for years. Yes, people read more online, advertising isn’t going well, we have heard (and said) it all. But we need to have a positive attitude. There is a great community here, the world is starting to open up again, we still have many stories to tell. Besides, this community is vibrant; think of all the stories that haven’t happened yet. For those stories, we need this paper. So we are not going anywhere.
It’s tough to ask for funds, even for those of us who work in the non-profit world and should be used to it by now. As one of the last Jewish communities who enjoy a weekly paper, we will most likely have to make some tough decisions in the coming decade. Do we continue to print weekly? Do we charge for subscriptions? Should we consider a paywall on our digital issue? How can we change with the times, and not be too big a drain on the Annual Campaign? Or, should we avoid considering a newspaper a ‘drain’ and instead, be proud that a portion of campaign dollars goes to sustaining a weekly Press? How do we best continue our mission of telling the story of us? Many if not all of these questions are a little uncomfortable, but they must be asked and answered nonetheless. Until we do, we continue to battle rising print and mail costs and diminished advertising. I believe there is great value in a weekly print edition. Of course, I am more than a little biased, but I also know I am not the only one.
We’ve practically lived our entire lives online these past years. From work meetings to education, remote offices and ordering our shopping for nocontact delivery, we’ve isolated ourselves. We’ve had to, but it has left scars. At the Press, we very early on decided that putting a paper in your hands, something you can touch, something that takes up physical space, was essential. Now that we are slowly coming out of our isolation, we are more aware than ever that we need to feel connected. It’s who we are as human beings. For all our talk about ‘community,’ we now actually have some very personal and painful data to teach us why we care about each other so much. Sunday, May 1, we will celebrate our now 102year existence. We will eat and drink and come together; listen to music and dance and enjoy each other’s company. And it’s just one party, but it will become part of the tapesty of Jewish Omaha stories. We’ll take the photos and write the post-story, the images will find their way to various social media. It is one tiny thread, sure, but all threads, no matter how small when they are alone, are essential to the bigger picture. We hope you continue to support us while we weave them together. If you do, I promise I’ll stop mixing my metaphors. I also promise we will bring you a quality paper week after week. Please check out page 9 and send your endowment contribution in. Your gift will support this agency for many years to come. Alternatively, if you are reading this online, you can go to: https://app.mobilecause.com/form/LWqByw?v id=rhy1d.
This year, I was a refugee spending a joyful Passover in Berlin. Next year in Kharkiv. TANYA BORODINA BERLIN | JTA Until last month, Tanya Borodina, 44, headed every day to the Shaalavim Jewish Lyceum, a school affiliated with the Conservative, or Masorti, movement in Kharkiv, Ukraine. When the city came under Russian shelling, Borodina and her young daughter fled, ending up in Berlin, where the sister Masorti community swung into full gear. This year, mother and daughter were among 40 people attending a Passover seder at Berlin’s Fraenkelufer Synagogue, run by volunteers from Germany’s Limmud.de Jewish learning program. For Borodina, who has been teaching via Zoom, the closing prayer was: Next year in Kharkiv. I want to share my story: Maybe it will inspire someone, maybe it will upset someone. I have an ordinary family: me, my husband, Andrei Barkovsky and our child, Allochka, now 10 years old. I was born in Ukraine, in the city of Donetsk, but in 2014 the war in the Donbas began. On July 23 we grabbed a package with documents and our little Alla (then 2 years old) and we fled from the war. We arrived in Kharkiv — a large, beautiful, peaceful city, the original capital of Soviet Ukraine. We left everything in Donetsk — an apartment, our belongings, toys, photographs — and started our lives from scratch. It was not easy: to find an apartment, to issue documents for immigrants, to find a job, a kindergarten, a school. But we coped, slowly adjusted our lives: My husband immediately found a job in auto repair and I was invited to teach Hebrew and Jewish tradition at the Shaalavim Jewish Lyceum. As it turns out later, these were the brightest eight years of our life in Kharkiv. On Feb. 24, our peaceful life there ended, as if an hourglass had been turned over. I still remember how a peaceful city woke up at 4:30 in the morning from explosions and the roar of shells, tanks passing through the streets. I had deja vu. My family and I had run away from the war in 2014, but it turned out that the war was chasing us and overtook us in Kharkiv. Now we were learning to live in wartime condi-
tions: There were no calendar dates or times. Just “day one of the war,” “day two,” “day 15.” Everyone hoped that this was not true, that everything would end soon, that Kharkiv would not be bombed. This is a terrible word: war. It does not even fit in
Safe in Berlin after their odyssey from Kharkiv, Ukraine, from left: Tanya Borodina, Marta Kraynyukova, Alla Borodina, Alice Kraynyukova and Julia Kraynyukova. Credit: Masorti Germany
my head that this is possible in the 21st century. We tried to survive inhuman conditions: without water and heating, without vegetables and fruit. Stores closed, public transport stopped running in the city, and in a panic people bought all the food and medicines in pharmacies. We decided that the safest place in our house is the hallway, so our whole life was spent there. We slept there, ate there, Alla played there. In order not to completely disrupt our child’s psyche, we put headphones over her ears, so she could not hear the explosions outside. Everyone texted each other: How are you? And we looked forward to an answer, any answer, because this was a guarantee that the recipient was alive. Many people simply lived in the subway. Many were in cellars. We didn’t go outside for a month. You didn’t know when the shelling will start. All you could hear from friends is that their house was blown up, or the school was hit, and most importantly, that people were dying, ordinary peaceful people who were going to get food or standing in line for humanitarian aid.
It’s scary, very scary: trembling in the knees, pain in the stomach and heart. Many people began to leave. Many others stayed, especially old people, sick people, those who could not walk. The other teachers and I organized our own volunteer headquarters, to help our families who remained in Kharkiv. We prepared and brought food, groceries, medicines, stationery and other products and delivered them to addresses across our devastated city. That is how we lived until March 26, when my husband said: You must leave the war zone, you have 15 minutes to pack. It was the most difficult decision of my life, because it is forbidden for men to leave Ukraine. Our train from Kharkiv to Lviv, as it turned out later, was the last evacuation train from our city. My husband, who is 51 years old, just stood there and cried. I always thought that he did not know how to cry at all. The moment when the train started moving and began to pick up speed especially hit us all. He was standing there, and I was on the train with the baby. It turned out that my whole life could fit in a backpack. It feels like a dream, that now I will wake up, and everything will be fine, as before. After 17 hours on the train, you don’t feel your legs and arms any more. All the food and water are gone. The train stops for one minute. Lights must not be turned on for safety reasons. And from outside we hear sirens, sirens. Kyiv is being bombed, Lviv is being bombed. We arrive in Lviv at midnight to learn that all the free buses leave at 9 a.m. There is a curfew. We need to go further. We buy a ticket to Warsaw and wait 12 hours at the border. The phone is constantly ringing: “How are you?” “When are you coming?” “Let us know.” What we dream of — probably like everyone else — is that the war ends quickly. I want to see and hug my husband, wipe away his tears and say everything will be fine: We are all alive. Tanya Borodina is a mother and Hebrew teacher from Kharkiv, Ukraine. This story was edited for length. Read the full article at www.omahajewishpress.com.
The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022 | 9
Idina Menzel, Ilana Glazer, Rachel Bloom and several other Jewish celebs discuss antisemitism on YouTube show
club foot and couldn’t keep up. So they shot him.” EVELYN FRICK But the dinner conversations aren’t about only antiThis article first appeared on Hey Alma. It’s fun and exciting when our favorite celebrities regale us semitism. Rather, some of the scrolls focus on Jewish joy, askwith the minutiae of their lives. What color were the balloon ing, “What makes you proud to be Jewish?” and, “Tell me arches at Jenny Slate’s bat mitzvah? How does Morgan Spector you’re Jewish without telling me you’re Jewish.” Other scrolls react to being the object of the internet’s thirst? prompt discussions about Jewish identity, like whether Jews But when our favorite celebrities speak out on issues that of European descent are white. matter, that’s a special kind of heartening. In a moment of perfectly blended humor and a confession In Recipe for Change: of Jewish assimilation, Idina Standing Up to AntiMenzel revealed, “I have to semitism, a YouTube special come clean, so my real released on Thursday prospelling of my name is M-Educed by The SpringHill N-T-Z-E-L. Which everyone Company, a whole cohort of would say ‘Ment-zel’ and I Jewish celebrities are doing had a lot of self-hatred just that. about that for some reason. Featuring (seriously, preAnd then [I] wanted this pare yourself for this starcool sounding [name], so I studded list) Idina Menzel, took the ‘t’ out, which didn’t Ilana Glazer, Rachel Bloom, help anybody say it right.” Skylar Astin, Michael Ultimately, Recipe for Twitty, Hannah Einbinder, A large group of Jewish celebrities participate in Recipe for Change: Change couldn’t be coming Alex Edelman, Tommy Standing Up to Antisemitism. Credit: SpringHill Company at a better time. Debuting Dorfman, Josh Peck, Hari Nef, Michael Zegen and more, Recipe right before Passover, and when many Jewish families will be for Change brings together this group to discuss the current gathering at their own tables, this special will easily prompt global rise of antisemitism. important discussions for many Jews, as well as allies to the In the special, the celebs are divided into three Shabbat din- Jewish community. ners and are each given a scroll. As they dine on delicious Recipe for Change also succeeds in its radical inclusivity. Inlooking Black and Middle Eastern-inspired Jewish food, they stead of just focusing on what Jewishness and antisemitism open their scrolls to discuss the tough questions they pose mean to cisgender, straight, Ashkenazi Jewish men, the special like, “Have you ever experienced antisemitism?” and “Could very purposefully makes room for the voices of Black Jews, the Holocaust happen again?” Mizrahi Jews, LGBTQ+ Jews and Jewish women. For Mrs. Maisel actor Michael Zegen, the latter question What results are conversations that are as thoughtful and prompted memories of intergenerational trauma. “My grand- poignant as they are full of laughter and Jewish pride. parents on my mother’s side were Holocaust survivors,” he reThe views and opinions expressed in this article are those of membered. “My grandfather essentially lost his whole family. the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its His father was shot on the way to the trains because he had a parent company, 70 Faces Media.
The Jewish Press Endowment The purpose of this endowment fund is to ensure the Omaha Jewish Press continues to serve the Omaha Jewish Community. Here’s how you can help: $36 pays for two weeks of office supplies $180 covers the monthly cost of our copier contract $360 helps us develop new content, such as our author series $1,800 will cover two weeks of printing the Jewish Press Fill out the information below and simply return it to the Jewish Press office, or visit us online at http://www.omahajewishpress.com.
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Synagogues
10 | The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022
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
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: 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 rbjh.com
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us on Friday, May 13, 7 p.m. for evening services. Speaker is Jeff Kirshenbaum, who will speak about his recent humanitarian mission to Ukraine. 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: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Virtual 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: Nebraska AIDS Coalition Lunch, 11:30 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 9 p.m. Zoom only. SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Tots (Ages 3-5), 10 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Grade 3 Siddur Celebration, 11 a.m.; Book of Daniel, 6 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham and Pastor Johnson. TUESDAY: Mussar, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham at Beth El & Zoom. WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m. FRIDAY-May 6: Kabbalat Shabbat: Graduation/ Teacher Appreciation Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. SATURDAY-May 7: Bat Mitzvah of Liat Frey and Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 9:05 p.m. Zoom only. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
BETH ISRAEL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. Classes, Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah on Zoom, WhatsApp or Facebook Live. On site services held outside in pergola, weather permitting. Physical distancing and masks required. FRIDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha, 8 p.m.; Shalosh Seudos/ Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:20 p.m.; Ma’ariv/ Havdalah, 9:06 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:40 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m. MONDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. (Zoom); Daf Yomi, 7:40 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m. TUESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. (Zoom); Kids Parsha Class, 3:45 p.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:40 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/
Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. (Zoom); Wednesday School, 4:15 p.m.; Yom Hazikaron Ceremony, 7 p.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:40 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m. THURSDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Character Development, 9:30 p.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Medical Ethics, noon with Rabbi Yoni at UNMC; Daf Yomi, 7:40 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m. FRIDAY-May 6: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY-May 7: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:30 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha, 8:10 p.m.; Shalosh Seudos/Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:30 p.m.; Ma’ariv/Havdalah, 9:14 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
CHABAD HOUSE All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person/Zoom hybrid (Ochabad.com/classroom). 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/Le chayim; Candlelighting, 8:01 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:05 p.m. SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps, 9 a.m. MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha Class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen. TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Virtual Pirkei Avot Women’s Class, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introduction to Hebrew Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen. THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Advanced Hebrew Class, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 18 — No advance experience necessary), noon with Rabbi Katzman; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) Class, 7 p.m. FRIDAY-May 6: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochab ad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 8:09 p.m. SATURDAY-May 7: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:14 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: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex and Elane Monnier, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:03 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study on Parashat Achrei Mot, noon; Havdalah, 9:07 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Classes Zoom Musuem Tour, 9:30 a.m. via Zoom; Men's Jewish Bike Group of Lincoln meets Sundays at 10 a.m., rain or shine, to ride to one of The Mill locations from Hanson Ct. (except we drive if it’s too wet, cold, cloudy, windy, hot or humid) followed by coffee and spirited discussions. If interested, please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com to find out where to meet each week; Nebraska State Holocaust Commemoration, 2 p.m. at the State Capitol; Pickleball at Tifereth Israel is on hiatus until after Yom Kippur 5783. In the meantime, everyone is welcome to play at Peterson Park through the spring and summer; just wear comfortable clothes and tennis or gym shoes. For motre information, contact Miriam Wallick by email at Miriam57@aol.com. TUESDAY: Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Classes, 4:30 p.m. FRIDAY-May 6: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex and Star CIty Kochavim, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:10 p.m. SATURDAY-May 7: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study on Parashat Kedoshim, noon; Havdalah, 9:15 p.m.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
FRIDAY: 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 Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander. DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat B’yachad: Voices of the Congregation with Ariella Rohr, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or InPerson. SUNDAY: Community Geniza Day, 10 a.m. In-Person; Temple Tots, 9:30 a.m. In-Person; Youth Learning Programs, 9:30 a.m. In-Person; Words of Wisdom, 10:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person. MONDAY: Jewish Law & the Quest for Meaning, 11 a.m. via Zoom. . WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m.; Jewish Federation of Omaha Yom Ha’atzmaut Festival, 5:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom or In-Person FRIDAY-May 6: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat Shirah, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY-May 7: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; Shabbat Morning Services and Bar Mitzvah of Henry Cohen, 10:30 a.m. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
Schindler’s List leggings? ANDREW LAPIN JTA That’s one way to “never forget.” A peculiar item of clothing went viral this week after a comedian tweeted about a pair of leggings emblazoned with artwork inspired by Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg’s 1993 Holocaust drama. The pants show an artist-made poster with characters from the film. The symbolic “girl in the red dress” is featured most prominently, standing on train tracks overlooking the Auschwitz death camp. Beside her float the heads of Liam Neeson, as German factory owner Oskar Schindler; Ben Kingsley, as his Jewish employee Itzhak Stern; and Ralph Fiennes, as SS officer Amon Göth. Elise Brown, who is not Jewish, spotted the leggings on the rack at a Goodwill in Long Beach, California, and submitted a photo of them to an Instagram account called ThriftStoreArt. Brown also sent the image to a Jewish comedian friend, who helped the post ricochet across Twitter.
“Babe, what’s wrong? You’ve hardly worn your Schindler’s List leggings,” one post read. The leggings appear to originate on a virtual storefront on Redbubble, a website that allows users to generate artwork for buyers to print on demand. In addition to leggings, the Schindler’s List design is for sale on skirts, socks, T-shirts, coffee mugs, Schindler's List leggings iPhone cases, shower for sale on the artisan site Credit: curtains, throw pillows Redbubble. Screenshot and other assorted items on Redbubble, all via the user “angelbertran,” who is credited as the designer and seller. The user, whose sparse profile page identifies
them as based in the United States, has several pop culture-inspired designs to their name. “Angelbertran” did not respond to a request for comment from JTA submitted on Redbubble. Such designs are common on artisan sites and are generally protected from copyright laws under fair-use guidelines. Whether they are tasteful is another question. “These should not exist,” Brown told JTA sister site Hey Alma. She also said she bought the item for her friend, at his request, for $8. Schindler’s List has made the news in multiple ways recently, for a range of reasons. Oliwia Dabrowska, the Polish former child actress who played the girl in the red dress, has used her character to advocate for Ukrainian refugees on social media. A Belgian state broadcaster apologized this week for parodying the movie in a comic short about a cookie shortage. And Mimi Reinhard, the real-life Jewish secretary who typed the list of Jews whom Schindler would seek to save, died last week at age 107.
Life cycles BAT MITZVAH LIAT FREY Liat Frey, daughter of Sarah and Matt Frey, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, May 7, at Beth El. Liat is a seventh-grade honor roll student at Elkhorn Ridge Middle School. Liat is interested in art, drawing, and anime. She is a member of the Student Council and the basketball team at her school. For her mitzvah project, Liat will be donating seeds, plants, and her time to City Sprouts Community Gardens, which works to combat food insecurities by building local food systems, improving community health, empowering neighborhoods, and strengthening economic viability and sustainability. She has a sister, Yael. Grandparents are M’Lee Hasslinger of Omaha and the late Lawrence Hasslinger; Matt and Michelle Frey of Patchogue, NY; and Ali Gutierrez of Jacksonville, FL. Great-grandmother is Elaine Jabenis of Omaha.
MARRIAGE DOLGIN/SHERMAN Madeline Dolgin and Mathew Sherman were married on March 5, 2022, at 6 p.m. at The Icehouse in downtown Phoenix. The ceremony was officiated by Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman. Madeline is the daughter of Holly and Ken Dolgin, Scottsdale, AZ. Mathew is the son of Randi and Alan Jablin, Scottsdale, AZ; and Lisa and Dave Sherman, Phoenix, AZ. He is the grandson of the late Leonard and Phyllis Friedel. The couple honeymooned in Sedona and took a Mexican cruise.
The Jewish Press | April 29, 2022 | 11
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IN MEMORIAM BRAD ASHFORD Former U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford, a Democrat who served one term representing Nebraska’s Omaha-centered district, passed away on April 19, 2022, at age 72. Services were held on April 23, 2022, at Christ the King Catholic Church, followed by interment at Forest Lawn Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, three children and a granddaughter. Ashford earned his bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in 1971 and his law degree from Creighton University in Omaha in 1974. He worked as an attorney for the Federal Highway Administration in 1974 before opening a private practice the next year. In the 1990s, he became co-owner of the Nebraska Clothing Company. As a state senator, Ashford represented Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. Memorials may be sent to an organization of your choice. ROBERT E. KATLEMAN Robert E. Katleman passed away on March 30, 2022, at age 94 at Hospice House in Omaha. The burial was held on April 1, 2022, at Temple Israel cemetery followed by a memorial service at Temple Israel and were officiated by Cantor Joanna Alexander. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Esther J. Katleman; parents, Minnie and Oscar Katleman; and sister, Beverly Katleman Gilinsky Portnoy. He is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Debi and Jeff Smedlund of Omaha; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Roberta Katleman of Fairfax, VA; grandchildren: Rebecca Smedlund of Omaha and Daniel Katleman of Fairfax, VA.; niece, Sandra Gilinsky Cole; nephew, William Gilinsky of New York; and cousins and friends. Robert served in the US Army after WWII in Japan. He was a life member of the Jewish War Veterans Organization and a longtime volunteer with his wife Esther at Methodist Hospital. Memorials may be made to Temple Israel or the organization of your choice. ESTHER MISLE Esther Misle passed away on April 18, 2022, at age 98 in South Florida. Serivces were held on April 24, 2022, at Beth El Cemetery in Omaha and were officated by Rabbi Abraham. She was preceded in death by husband, Henry; sister, Shirley and brother, Martin. She is survived by four children; six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Esther grew up Jewish in a small Polish town. She was displaced for 10 years during WWII. Esther fought to survive during the Holocaust, working long days of manual labor to keep the whole family alive in a Siberian work camp until they were able to emigrate to Detroit in 1949. She met her husband Henry, a World War II veteran, and started a new life in Crete, NE, moving to Lincoln as the family automobile business continued to grow. They raised four children together. Esther was a pillar of the Lincoln Jewish and secular communities and made entertaining seem effortless. She and Henry enjoyed a later retirement in Boca Raton, FL.
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Venice’s frayed Jewish Ghetto they lived here. Nowadays, we are apORGE CASTELLANO proximately 450 Jews,” said Paolo VENICE | JTA Through a narrow, fraying sottoporNavarro, vice president of the Jewish tico, or Venetian alleyway, and across a Community of Venice organization. wooden footbridge, there is a wide In recent decades, tourism has been a square enclosed by rows of multicolored double-edged sword: it sustains an econbuildings. omy but has caused a citywide exodus of Stepping into Venice’s Jewish Ghetto local Jews and non-Jews who find daily feels a bit like traveling back in time. On tasks, like shopping and errands, difficult March 29, 1516, the Venetian Senate in a city that receives tens of millions of gated the city’s Jews here near a cannon tourists each year. factory, in one of the earliest examples of The buildings, which were wedged too A guard climbs stairs by the entrance to closely together from the start, needed a forced religious segregation. In contrast to their Muslim, Greek Or- the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, or former long-overdue renovation to stay standthodox, and Christian neighbors, Vene- Jewish Ghetto, in Venice. Credit: Orge ing, especially as the city’s water levels Castellano tian Jews were allowed to freely practice continue to rise due to climate change. their religion as long as they remained inside the Ghetto, paid In 2014, looking forward to the 500th anniversary of the their taxes and rents (higher than other citizens), and stuck Ghetto’s creation in 2016, a group of philanthropists called the to a few occupations: moneylenders, doctors, traders and rag Venetian Heritage Council, led by the famed Jewish fashion sellers. designer Diane von Fürstenberg, announced a $12 million They endured, and over time the Ghetto, crammed into the project to restore the ghetto. But the project fell through when space of an acre, became the vibrant Jewish cultural capital of the group couldn’t raise enough funds to begin the restoration. Europe. Early printing presses produced religious and secular That’s when the Jewish Community of Venice, a group that works in Hebrew, Ladino, and Yiddish within the Ghetto; the now owns much of the Ghetto’s real estate, decided to take 1609 Venice Haggadah is one of the most famous examples of the challenge into their own hands. First they renovated the the book that guides the Passover seder. Ghetto’s kosher bed and breakfast, the Giardino Dei MeloCenturies later, much of the architecture is in a precarious grani, Garden of Pomegranates. This year they’re renovating state, and the local Jewish community is much smaller than the kosher restaurant next door, the Gimmel Garden, which it was. It’s taking action — small steps at first — to reverse has been closed for years, and the small-but-historic Jewish those trends in the wake of the failure of other high-profile Museum, which catalogs Venetian Jewish history. Both buildcampaigns. ings are scheduled to reopen this summer. “The community’s population probably peaked around 1630 This article was edited for length. To read more about with about 5,000 Jews of German, Italian, French, and Venice’s Jewish community, please visit www.omahajew Sephardic descent. Before the Shoah, between 1500 and 1800, ishpress.com.
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