May 10, 2019

thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

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MAY 1 0 , 2 0 1 9 | 5 IY AR 5 7 7 9 | V O L . 9 9 | NO . 3 0 | C A Nd LELI G H tI NG | FRID AY , MAY 1 0 , 8 : 1 3 P. M.

2019 Sokolof Merit Scholarships

Memories of summers gone by Page 4 Emily Kutler

Finding two Jews on the Savage Island Page 6 Alec Lerner

inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

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Ilana McNamera

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PAM MoNSKY Community Development Liaison, ADL-CRC The U.S. Jewish community experienced near-historic levels of anti-Semitism in 2018, including a doubling of anti-Semitic assaults and the single deadliest attack against the Jewish community in American history, according to new data from the AntiDefamation League. ADL’s annual Audit of Anti-Semitic incidents recorded a total of 1,879 attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions across the country in 2018, the third-highest year on record since ADL started tracking such data in the 1970s.

In Nebraska, there were 18 reported anti-Semitic incidents, representing a 6% increase. Other states included in the Plains

Benjamin Brodkey

LINdA PoLLArd Endowment Assistant/Staff Writer, JFO Foundation he 2019 recipients of the Phil and Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit Scholarships epitomize the Fund’s scholarship criteria of achievement, scholastic performance, community service, and overall good character. Each in their own way has already made positive contributions to their schools and communities, and without a doubt, will continue to do so. Two high school students and two health care students have received the $10,000 Phil and Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit Scholarships, and two music students received the $10,000 Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund See 2019 Sokolof Merti Scholarships page 3

Anti-semitic incidents at near-historic levels in 2018

The Rational Bible:Genesis Page 12

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Joshua Polack

Jeremy Payne

Young Leadership Awards

States Region are Iowa, with 14 incidents and Kansas, with 3 reported incidents.

Plains States Regional Director, Dr. Mary-Beth Muskin said, “While we measured modest declines nationally we saw modest increases regionally compared to

the previous year. In our region there were a total of 61 incidents reported, but not all were included in the audit because we record incidents of bias against all people, not only anti-Semitism.” The full audit can be viewed at adl.omaha.org.

In a year marked by the white supremacist shooting spree at a Pittsburgh synagogue, which claimed 11 lives, and punctuated by a dramatic surge in white supremacist propaganda activity nationwide, ADL’s Audit identified 59 people who were victims of anti-Semitic assaults in 2018, up from 21 in 2017. While the overall number of incidents represents a 5 percent decline from 1,986 incidents reported in 2017, the number of incidents last year remained at near-historic levels – 48 percent higher than the total for 2016 See Anti-semitic incidents page 2

Holly Weill

GABBY BLAIr Staff Writer, Jewish Press and ANNEttE vAN dE KAMP-WrIGHt Editor, Jewish Press Every year, The Jewish Federation of Omaha recognizes lay leaders whose steadfast support and active involvement help strengthen and grow our community. Please plan to attend the 2019 JFO Awards Night and Annual Meeting on Monday, June 3, 7 p.m. in the JCC Community Theater to honor the recipients of the Lois Jeanne Schrager and Bruce Fellman Memorial Young Leadership Awards: Holly Weill and Alex Epstein.

As the small business owner of

Alex Epstein one of Omaha’s premier children’s stores, Posh Children’s Boutique (16902 Wright Plaza in the Shoppes of Legacy), and a mother of two, (Julia, 14 and Levi, 10), it is obvious that Holly Weill is a very busy woman. That said, she has always made time to go above and beyond for our community.

“My husband David and I want our children to really appreciate the opportunities afforded to our community through our local synagogues and The Jewish Federation of Omaha. Every scholarship for school or camp, every community event or program we attend... I See Young Leadership Awards page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | May 10, 2019

community

Young Leadership Awards

Continued from page 1 want them to understand the value of the hard work, dedication and time that goes into making these things possible,” explains Weill. “The best way I feel I can impart this to them is through action. I want them to see how important it is to me and help me in volunteering and giving back to the community. It is something we can not only feel good about, but that will impact the future of Jewish Omaha in a positive way”.

Holly Weill has been a strong and committed member of the Omaha Jewish Community throughout her life. In 1991, she was the recipient of the Robert and Ellen Gordman Jewish Teen Leadership Award thanks to her active participation and leadership involvement in BBYO, USY and BBG. She credits her passion for community involvement to the clergy at Beth El when she was young.

“I moved to Omaha in 5th grade and the transition was hard and awkward for me. I felt very much the outsider, knowing no one. Thanks to the unrelenting efforts of Rabbi Paul Drazen and Cantor Emil Berkowitz, reaching out to me and making me feel like I had something of value to contribute, even as a shy 11-year old, I became connected.

Through their encouragement, I not only became involved, I grew to love and appreciate all my community had to offer me and as a result was inspired to find ways to offer something back in return. Through my involvement as a youth and now, as an adult, I have made invaluable connections and friends that I still have today. I see my continued involvement in helping lead things in my community as a way to give back.”

Holly is still an active member of Beth El Synagogue, where she has committed countless hours to her various roles in Jewish Education, including serving for many years on their Hebrew School Board and as a Hebrew School teacher. Her commitment to education speaks to so many of Holly’s fine qualities including her dependability, her love of Judaism and her desire to share with others.

Holly has also shown leadership in many years of active volunteerism with the National Council of Jewish Women. She has held various leadership positions for NCJW, serving as Community Service Vice President then President for a 2-year term. Holly also served as Chair of the Chocolate Festival, and helped to develop and chair a Bunco fundraiser for several NCJW programs including minigrants for OPS teachers, which provides funding for creative and innovative classroom projects not funded by school budgets. This event also provided resources for much needed school supplies for children at Jackson Elementary.

Over the past few years, Holly has provided leadership in several different ways through the Federation’s involvement with the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Program (JWRP).

Holly took part in Omaha’s first JWRP MOMentum Trip to Israel in 2016 and served as the Madricha for the 2018 JWRP trip. She is currently hashing out ideas to create a new program for those participants who have returned from JWRP experiences. “So many of us return from this trip energized and inspired, ready to connect... looking for what comes ‘next’.

While still in the nascent stages, I think it would be great to have a program here that provides the social, educational and spiritual connection we feel so strongly while in Israel.”

According to Louri Sullivan, Holly has become an invaluable volunteer. “She is assisting in organizing monthly educational classes for the JWRP group’s continued learning.

Holly, and her daughter Julia, co-chaired the 2018 JWRP Unity Event with Sonia and Adria Tipp. She has been a tremendous asset in all she does and we are so lucky to haveher in our community. Holly’s excellent attention to detail, See Young Leadership Awards page 5

Anti-semitic incidents

Continued from page 1 and 99 percent higher than in 2015.

“We’ve worked hard to push back against anti-Semitism, and succeeded in improving hate crime laws, and yet we continue to experience an alarmingly high number of anti-Semitic acts,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “We unfortunately saw this trend continue into 2019 with the tragic shooting at the Chabad synagogue in Poway. It’s clear we must remain vigilant in working to counter the threat of violent anti-Semitism and denounce it in all forms, wherever the source and regardless of the political affiliation of its proponents.”

ADL’s annual tally of incidents nationwide found that anti-Semitic assaults, harassment and vandalism are still pervasive in the U.S. All but four states experienced anti-Semitic incidents. In addition to the October mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, 2018 saw high levels of white supremacist activity, including propaganda on college campuses and in communities, and hateful robocalls aimed at voters.

ADL’s Audit classifies all incidents into three categories: assault, harassment and vandalism. Of the total incidents reported in 2018: • Assaults: 39 incidents, marking an increase of 105 percent from the 19 incidents reported in 2017. Those incidents affected 59 victims, up from 21 in 2017, and include the 11 fatalities and two injured congregants in Pittsburgh.

• Harassment: 1,066 incidents of anti-Semitic harassment were reported to ADL last year, a 5 percent increase from 1,015 in 2017, and a 48 percent increase from 721 in 2016.

• Vandalism: 774 incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism were recorded in 2018, down 19 percent from 952 in 2017, but up 52 percent from 510 in 2016.

While most anti-Semitic incidents are not directly perpetrated by extremists, there are interesting connections between the trends.

In 2018, 249 acts of anti-Semitism (13 percent of the total incidents) were attributable to known extremist groups or individuals inspired by extremist ideology, making it the highest level of antiSemitic incidents with known connections to extremists or extremist groups since 2004. Of those, 139 incidents were part of fliering campaigns by white supremacist groups. Another 80 were anti-Semitic robocalls allegedly perpetrated by anti-Semitic podcaster Scott Rhodes in support of the candidacy of Patrick Little, an unabashed white supremacist who ran an unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate in California.

AWARDS NIGHT & ANNUAL MEETING

GREATNESS

AHEAD

MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2019 • 7:00 PM • JCC THEATER

HONORING COMMUNITY MEMBERS! Lauren Azar Beth El - Federal Government Worker Assistance Project

Kaleb Braaton Henry Davis Alex Epstein Ron Giller Andy Isaacson

Logan Jacik Larry Kelberg David Kotok Alex Kraft Zach Krausman Logan Miller Robert Osborne Jeff Platt

Ruby Platt Gretchen Radler Nancy Rips Cantor Wendy Shermet Donna Walter Holly Weill Isabella Wright

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ELECTION & INSTALLATION BUILDING PROJECT UPDATE Jon Meyers, President • Alan Potash, CEO

STATE OF THE

FEDERATION

The Jewish Press | May 10, 2019 | 3

2019 Sokolof Merit Scholarships

Continued from page 1 award. The late Phil Sokolof left a bequest to endow the funds 15 years ago to honor exceptional students. Every year the selection of the recipients is a difficult process, with many worthy applications submitted. It is with great pleasure that the Sokolof committee announces the 2019 scholarship awards.

The recipients of the awards for their freshman year of college are Emily Kutler and Ilana McNamara; in health care, the scholarships were awarded to Alec Lerner and Jeremy Payne; and Benjamin Brodkey and Joshua Polack are the recipients of the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music scholarships. The community is invited to a reception honoring these recipients on Tuesday, June 18 at 6 p.m. in the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Auditorium. n Emily Kutler Emily will graduate from Westside High School this spring as an honor student. She plans to attend either Tulane University or the University of Denver, and is interested in pursuing a degree in international relations, sociology and Spanish.

During her high school years, Emily has been involved in the Westside online publication, Westside Wired, as a writer and co-editor in chief. She is in the Spanish National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society, and has cheered for football, volleyball and basketball.

Emily’s volunteer and extracurricular activities include USY Emtza Regional President, co-chapter president of Beth El Synagogue Chapter (Bilu), and sitting on the Kadima International general board. Emily worked to reorganize the B’nai Tzedek program to include a teen board. At Herzl Camp Ozo, Emily was a counselor-in-training for seven weeks, working with 8-13 year olds. Through these organizations, Emily has been active in planning many events. She has been employed by Beth El Synagogue as a teacher assistant supervisor and assistant teacher, and Kamp Kef counselor.

One of Emily’s teachers at Westside wrote, “She embodies the qualities that not only make her an exemplary student, but an exemplary human.” Another recommendation reads, “The driving force behind everything that Emily does is a desire to not only be a part of a community, but to actively improve those communities.”

Emily’s parents are Pamela and Bruce Kutler. n Ilana McNamara Ilana will graduate from Central High School as an honor student this spring.

She has not yet made her final choice for college, but plans to double major in viola performance and mathematics.

Ilana has been very active in the music program at Central High, as well as in the greater Omaha community.

She has been the principal violist of the Omaha Central High School Chamber Strings Orchestra, and is currently the president of the orchestra. She is the vice president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and has participated in the Roadshow and other productions at Central. Ilana received the Nebraska Young Artist Award, and was designated as an Omaha Conservatory of Music Scholar.

Ilana participated in the Partnership2Gether music program in Israel, is the NCSY vice president of Chesed, and she teaches violin to three to five year old children in the Omaha Conservatory of Music Spring Sprouts Program.

Every week Ilana teaches viola to an underprivileged student, which Ilana calls her “most valuable experience.”

One of Ilana’s Central High teachers shared, “Ilana is in the top 3% of students I’ve known in 18 years of teaching with the skills, drive, artistry and personality to be successful in any undergraduate program. I see an extraordinary dedication to excellence in Ilana McNamara.”

Ilana’s parents are Aviva Segal and Patrick McNamara. n Benjamin Brodkey A former Westside High School student, Benjamin matriculated at Drake University in the fall of 2018. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in vocal music education, hoping to teach vocal, choral and general music to middle school students.

Benjamin teaches music at the Des Moines community religious school, and the Jewish Federation’s preschool, and occasionally leads the musical services at the local conservative synagogue in Des Moines. Benjamin is the vice president of Jewish Holidays and Traditions at the Drake University Hillel. He organizes events such as Shabbat dinners and services, the Passover Seder, and Chanukah parties. He also oversees other religious programming, and serves as the Programming Coordinator for Students Supporting Israel at Drake. During summers and winter breaks, Benjamin has worked as a camp counselor at the JCC, working as a youth associate, and at the CDC as an assistant teacher. He works at the Jewish Federation of Des Moines religious school as a music teacher, teaching students ranging from two years old to eighth grade.

A Westside teacher wrote of Benjamin, “I have been impressed with his intelligence, perception, sensitivity to the needs of others and dedication to community service. Benjamin is a person of impressive and impeccable character. He is responsible, mature, thoroughly honest and eager to serve others.”

Benjamin’s parents are Stacie Metz and Marc Brodkey. n Joshua Polack Joshua will be finishing his second year at Berklee College of Music in Boston this spring, with an expected graduation date of 2021. Joshua is working towards his Bachelor’s Degree in Guitar Performance and Songwriting with a secondary in Vocal Performance.

Josh has kept busy and immersed in music and school work. He plays with an original pop rock band, Mom Rock, which performs most weekends in and around Boston. He plays in various bands, ensembles and studio sessions, and has traveled across the United States to perform. When he is in Omaha, he performs as an Old Market Street musician. Josh’s group, Mom Rock, recently debuted a new single, which has earned the group followers from all over the world. This new found fame is just the beginning. Josh has plans and dreams, predicting, “In five

years, I will be living on a tour bus and in and out of studios recording and writing music.”

A Berklee professor wrote about Josh, “He consistently represents the best of students here with the depth and quality of his work, and his maturity and capability. Josh works above and beyond the average.” A former high school teacher wrote, “His musical talent is staggering. His intellectual abilities are equally impressive.”

Josh’s parents are Susan and James Polack. n Alec Lerner Alec is currently a second year medical student at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and is a Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, an honor awarded to the top 10% of students in his medical class.

Along with the rigors of medical school, Alec keeps busy with academic research, he is a committee leader of a Wellness Inspired Student Enrichment program, chairs a student ethics committee, and is a founder and member of a Medical Humanities Interest Group.

Alec completed the Healer’s Art elective course, an innovative curriculum in values clarification and professionalism for first and second year medical students. Alec leads mindfulness meditation sessions for care providers, employees and patient families, and has observed the hospital ethics committee during consultations and meetings. It is his hope to one day serve on a hospital ethics committee.

According to one professor’s letter of recommendation, “Alec has a strength, maturity, and confidence that I haven’t seen in many students early in their medical career.” Another professor wrote, “He has an extraordinary combination of intelligence, efficiency, lucidity, critical thinking skills, social skills and writing ability. Alec Lerner is an extraordinary person, who will undoubtedly become a leader in his field.”

Alec’s parents are Cheryl and Dr. Gary Lerner. n Jeremy Payne Jeremy is a second year medical student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, with an anticipated graduation date of May 2021. He is pursuing his medical degree plus a Master of Business Administration.

At UNMC Jeremy is a member of Phi Rho Sigma Medical School Fraternity, the American Physician Scientist Organization, and vice president and cofounder of the Financial Development Club. He has volunteered for Make-AWish for eight years, and does public speaking events, along with other work for the organization. He was the president and co-founder of Students Together Against Cancer during his undergraduate years at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Also during those years, Jeremy was active in the Red Cross, the Innocents Society, a senior honorary at UNL, and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Emergency Room. This summer, Jeremy will be starting as a Kaplan MCAT prep tutor.

As one professor states, “What is impressive about Jeremy is that he not only sees a need, but he actually has the motivation and passion to do something See Sokolof Merit Scholarships page 6

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4 | The Jewish Press | May 10, 2019

Memories of summers gone by

a

Gabby blair Staff Writer, Jewish Press and Jamie SkoG-burke Director of Development, JFO s summer approaches, thoughts turn to camp. No matter when or where one may have attended, nostalgic memories, such as moments around a campfire, are easy to summon. In our own Jewish Community summer camp has become a rite of passage for many.

Childhood friendships extend into adulthood thanks to the magic of shared camp experiences. This year alone, the Jewish Federation of Omaha granted 44 Jewish experience grants representing just a small portion of the number of kids who will be off on their own camp adventures in a few short weeks.

buy a hearing aid like an expert

Boys Town Ear, Nose & Throat Institute When hearing aids are properly selected and fit, the benefits can be life-changing. Today’s hearing aids can improve your overall quality of life by improving your ability to communicate with family, friends and co-workers.

Because of the many technology options available in hearing instruments, you need to be well-informed to make the best purchase for your hearing needs and lifestyle.

Audiologists are the experts when it comes to finding the best hearing assistive devices for any situation. Do not be afraid to ask all the questions you need to make sure you’re making the right choice for yourself.

Boys Town Ear, Nose and Throat Institute recommends asking the following questions: • How many different brands and types of hearing aids do you have available?

• Is there a trial period?

Our community’s own rich camp tradition can be traced, perhaps, to our very own Esther K. Newman Camp, whose history in this area spanned almost 2 decades. Today, Platte River State park sits on the land where so many of our memories were made. In honor of this part of Jewish Omaha history, a ceremony will be held at the Platte River State Park’s Mallot Lodge on May 19 at 2 p.m.

Please plan to join us as we dedicate a plaque in memory of Esther K. Newman and the entire Newman family who have not only had a vital impact on the Omaha Jewish community, but also shared the legacy of Jewish summer camp with the entire state.

For questions contact Jamie Skog-Burke, jskog-burke@ jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6440.

• What is the cost if I return the hearing aids?

• What is included with the cost of the hearing aid?

• How long is the hearing aid warranty coverage?

• What does it cost to repair an aid once its warranty has • expired?

• What hearing aid features do you recommend based on my • lifestyle?

• Will these hearing aids connect directly to my cell phone?

The experts at Boys Town Ear, Nose & Throat Institute can answer your hearing aid questions, provide no-cost demonstrations of hearing aid technology and discuss what you can do to buy the right instruments to get you back to hearing life.

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Young Leadership Awards

continued from page 2 ability to “get the job done”, and devotion to helping otherswith no expectation of recognition- made her an excellent choice for this year’s Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Award. We feel that Holly has truly demonstrated personal commitment, dedicated involvement and exemplary leadership qualities for the benefit of our Jewish community.”

Alex Epstein was born and raised in Omaha. Currently, he is the Executive Vice President at OMNE Partners. He and his wife Lindsay are expecting their first child this summer. After graduating from Burke High School, Alex attended Indiana University before returning to Omaha and building a life here.

He was a member of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce Leadership Omaha Class 40 and is actively involved with the Chamber’s Commercial Real Estate Summit, serving as CoChair alongside Jerry Slusky. Alex has also has served as a member of the Jewish Community Center Board of Directors.

“I grew up going to the JCC seven days a week to play basketball,” he said. “The Jewish Community Center was my home away from home. I was able to see at a young age what goes on here and how special our community is.”

Alex cares deeply about our Jewish community; it’s obvious from everything he does. He comes by it honestly: parents Lisa and Gary are familiar faces. One year ago, they themselves were the recipients of the Phil and Terry Schrager Spirit of Federation Award.

“Lisa and Gary have been great examples for me in life,” Alex said. “They taught me family is first, community is a close second. They have always been very involved in the Jewish Community and helped me learn at an early age every different aspect our community offers. Our community here is special; I am proud of it and proud to be a part of it.”

“I’ve known Alex since he was a toddler,” Steve Levinger, Chief Development Officer, said. “I have watched him grow into a very entrepreneurial young man. From his days as a gym rat at the JCC to Indiana University, throughout his professional career, his leadership skills have blossomed.”

Alex Epstein has been an outstanding leader in many areas of Jewish Omaha for a number of years. One of his exceptional achievements has been his significant role in the creation, development and implementation of Jewish Business Leaders, an innovative and successful new program of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Alex spearheaded JBL at every step. After bringing his original idea to the Federation, he was instrumental in its organization, development and presentation, developing bylaws, a board of directors and the selection of notable and well-received event speakers, annual hall of fame induction and corporate sponsors.

“It really was his brainchild,” Levinger added, “and he continues to play an absolutely integral role in planning and execution. I’m genuinely thrilled that someone so deserving is receiving this award and I have high expectations about all the ways in which Alex will continue to serve this community during the years to come.”

“I’m passionate about the people in our community and

The Jewish Press | May 10, 2019 | 5

the stories they have,” Alex said.

“Jewish Business Leaders creates an opportunity for the stakeholders to congregate and talk business; we are each other’s friends, clients, customers and vendors. With a rich history of leaders in every generation, there needed to be an outlet for us all to meet, catch up, hear a good story and create business opportunities. With every presentation, I continue to be amazed because I always walk away learning something new and connecting with someone I haven’t seen in a while.”

His ingenuity, creativity and leadership skills are what make him a perfect recipient of the Bruce Fellman Memorial Young Leadership Award.

“I’m very grateful to those that have made this community what it is today,” Alex said, “and actively are trying to make Omaha a better place for the next generation. We have a wealth of knowledge here, outstanding mentors, extraordinary people, and it’s a special place to do business and start a family,” he said. “Our community is a place of change makers who all actively want the best for you and are willing to help you get there. I can’t say enough about the friendships I have made and the clients I have within both Omaha as a business community and Omaha as a Jewish community. I’m fortunate that those in the real estate community, specifically Jon Meyers, Jerry Slusky, Allan Murow, Jay Noddle, Bob Belgrade, Tom Fellman and so many more took time to meet, teach, mentor or do business together. They all were generous with their time and always willing to have coffee with me or take a phone call. I wouldn’t be in real estate today without these people, and this inspired Jewish Business Leaders, as there is so much knowledge and opportunity to pass down.

L’dor V’dor (generation to generation) to the future leaders of our community, which is part of the critical mission of Jewish Business Leaders. Our entire community becomes stronger when we work together. Thanks to the current and past leaders of the Omaha Jewish community, Omaha became a place where I wanted to live and have my career. Jewish Business Leaders for decades to come will serve as the outlet to grow relationships, share inspiring stories from Jewish companies and honor the successful history of our business leaders.”

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.

community The IDF: Much more than defense forces

MARk kIRchhoFF Community Engagement and Education, JFO When you think of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), don’t think of it as the source of profound pride for Israelis – which it is. Don’t think of it as the strongest army in the Middle East – which it is. Don’t think of it as perhaps one of the strongest armies in the world – which it is. While it may be difficult to understand why, think of it as a unique phenomenon that is of paramount importance in Israeli society.

Formed during the first days of the State of Israel during the War of Independence in 1948, the success of the IDF on the battlefield is Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich a major reason for Israel’s survival and success. However, the importance of the army goes beyond that.

The IDF is considered as “the army of the nation,” and not solely because of the draft which requires every citizen to serve. The service in the army is considered as the ticket for entering Israeli society. It is the “melting pot” where all sectors and groups merge together.

During May’s Friday Learning Series (May 10, 17, 24) Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich will talk about the IDF. In his preferred way of approaching a topic, he will first take an historical perspective of the IDF, focusing on its main units and divisions. He will explain briefly how this incredibly complex system works as efficiently as it does.

An Israeli topic would not be complete without a bit of controversy, so Rabbi Shlomo will address some of the “hot topics” often discussed in Israel. Among those will be women serving in the army, the integration of Haredim – Ultra Orthodox people, and the ‘Jewishness’ of the IDF. The Friday Learning Series meets from 11:15 a.m.-noon in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. It is a joint program of Beth Israel Synagogue and the Community Engagement and Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. The series is open to the community free of charge, thanks to the support of the Ann Goldstein Programming Endowment Fund. Reservations are not required. While you are encouraged to attend all the sessions, each one will have a wealth of information and you will benefit from attending one or all.

Contact Mark Kirchhoff at mkirchhoff@jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6463 for questions.

Snowbirds

Passover We’re Happy In The Neighborhood!

Please let the Jewish Press know in advance when you are leaving and when you are returning. Sometimes several papers are sent to your “old” address before we are notified by the Post Office. Every time they return a paper to us, you miss the Jewish Press and we are charged! Please call us at 402.334.6448 or email us at jpress@jewishomaha.org.

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6 | The Jewish Press | May 10, 2019

community Jewish Omaha Gives!

JamIe Skog-BuRke Director of Development, JFO Omaha Gives! started seven years ago and has successfully increased the Omaha community’s understanding of the Value of Giving.

It encourages everyone to support the local community in order to get those “get the good give feels.” As Jews, we know this feeling well as we are taught to give tzedakah (charity) from a very young age. Instilling the power of giving into our youth is what ensures that we have a strong and vibrant Jewish community and helps us to live out our Jewish values.

This year help us collectively raise money for the Jewish community. On may 22 support one of the many Jewish organizations in our city! Check out all of the Jewish organizations on the Omaha Gives platform at omahagives.gov.

Sokolof Merit Scholarships

continued from page 3 about that need. I can truly say that Jeremy is one of the best students I have ever had the pleasure of working with. His collaborative and thorough nature will undoubtedly be beneficial when Jeremy is a physician and will make him very successful in all of his future endeavors.”

Jeremy’s parents are Dr. Jodie Stein and Dr. Jeffrey Payne of Lincoln.

The Phil and Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit Scholarships and the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund are administered by the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. Jody Malashock chairs an otherwise anonymous committee that selected the award recipients.

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Finding two Jews on the Savage Island: Part 1

RIch JuRo ran and I were running out of new countries to visit, so on our way to pick up a cruise in Tahiti, we flew 2,500 extra miles to Auckland, New Zealand, spent a day, and then flew another 1,500 miles northeast to the island of Niue. Pronounced NEW-ay, Niue is almost a separate nation: it is self-governing, but is in “free association” with New Zealand. That means that Niueans use the New Zealand dollar as currency, they have New Zealand passports, and they recognize Queen Elizabeth II as their sovereign. In fact, 8,500 of the 10,000 Nieuans live and work in New Zealand (there’s really almost no jobs on Niue itself). And, I should mention, about $15 million dollars is sent from New Zealand to Niue annually to help administer the government and the schools. That’s about $10,000 per person!

So why was Niue called “the savage island”? Very simple: no less than Captain Cook himself was sailing to unknown islands in the Pacific Ocean in 1774. The famous explorer tried to land three times on the 10 square mile island, but the Polynesian natives wouldn’t let him. The locals’ skin was what Cook thought was coated in blood.

So between the threatening reception and the bloody skin, Cook named it the Savage Island. At least these natives didn’t kill Cook like they did in Hawaii a few years later.

The island didn’t regain its original name Niue, which translates as “behold the coconut”, for many years. It became a New Zealand protectorate a century later.

We landed at Niue about 20 hours before we took off from Auckland because we flew over the international date line.

For anyone who hasn’t crossed that line, it’s a lot more confusing than just crossing the Equator. First, we lost a day flying from the USA to New Zealand. Then we gained 24 hours back going to Niue. When we flew back to New Zealand, we had to adjust our calendars to again losing a day. And then, when we flew to Tahiti from Auckland, we gained a day again. Talk about disorienting...

After the twice-a-week plane landed, the lady from the Matavai Resort Niue showed up in a van, and we and a few other hotel guests got in. It was just a few minutes drive to the resort, which was perched on a limestone cliff over the Pacific Ocean. The room was fine, even the WiFi worked, and the restaurant served pretty good fresh fish and other food whilst we sat overlooking the sea. Later, the manager

gave all the new guests an introduction to the resort and the island. There’s a beautiful pool, which was good, because there’s no real beaches on Niue, just “sea tracks” leading down the cliffs to the ocean if you want to swim or snorkel.

However, most of the sea tracks were closed now. Reason: the kaloama (juvenile goat fish) was in season and if disturbed, these fish head out to sea, ruining the fishing and delicious dinners for everyone. Apparently, when the kaloama are close to shore, they become crazy if there are tuna or large fish nearby. Then the kaloama just flop onto

the shore, making it easy to “catch” them. So kaloama “fishing” is picking them up on land, not using a motorized fishing boat. Yet, sadly, in the next days, while we consumed some delicious fresh tuna and mahi mahi, we ate not a single juvenile goat fish.

At the end of the manager’s talk, he introduced a man named Keith. Keith, a bearded Kiwi (New Zealander), had come here with his wife, Sue, right after the cyclone Heta devastated Niue in early 2004. They helped and stayed, as several other non-natives have done. Keith now operates a tour company, and Sue teaches math and also does some tours. Five guests wanted to see the sea tracks to learn where they could enter the ocean, even though the kaloama season would prevent them from doing so. Fran and I no longer snorkel or walk hard hiking paths, so we went with Sue to see the “cultural” sights.

Editor’s note: due to the length of this article, we will run this in two installments. Find part two in next week’s Jewish Press.

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Shtisel and Yom Ha’Atzma’ut

The Amish constitute only about 0.1% of the U.S. population.

Even in Pennsylvania, the state with the most Amish (76,620), the percentage is just 0.6%.

As a kid, my parents took us several times to Lancaster, PA to see TEDDY the Amish driving WEINBERGER their horses and buggies. Most Americans view the Amish like we did back then: How cute! In a certain way, haredim (the ultra-Orthodox) are Israel’s Amish. Both groups are illiberal minorities within a majority liberal society, and both live in their own enclaves and run their own institutions (schools, community centers, etc.).

The huge difference between the groups is that haredim in Israel constitute approximately 14% of the population, and also that haredim do not keep to themselves politically. Indeed given Israel’s parliamentary system, haredi political parties often have outsized power, as smaller parties are rewarded handsomely for becoming “government-makers” for the larger parties.

Precisely because of their relatively large numbers and strong political power, haredim in Israel frequently try to impose their practices upon the larger society (unlike the Amish). Haredim demonstrate against highway construction that is on the Sabbath or that passes over ancient graves, they protest against autopsies of any kind, and they attempt to gender-segregate public spaces. In addition to these and other sins of commission, haredim commit a glaring sin of omission against Israeli society: they (in general) do not serve in the military. As a result, the baseline feeling of many non-haredi Israelis for haredim is at best mildly negative, and proceeds from that all the way up to hatred bordering on antisemisitsm.

I’ve troubled you with all of the above for one reason: It sets the stage for the accomplishments of the Israeli television show Shtisel, now available on Netflix with English subtitles. Shtisel is a family drama about haredim set largely in Jerusalem’s Ge’ula neighborhood. The characters speak a mixture of Yiddish and Hebrew and are treated by the writers and actors lovingly and with

much respect. The dramatic themes are universal (sibling rivalry, infidelity, generational conflict), as well as more particular to haredi society (arranged marriages, isolation from western culture, and huge time commitments to prayer and Torah study). The characters are well-rounded and developed, and the acting is excellent. It’s hard to believe that these haredi characters are played by secular actors.

Shtisel does not hide the tensions between haredim and the larger society. There is an episode in the first season where one of the main characters becomes head of a boys’ yeshiva. He abolishes the school’s practice of allowing the boys to go outside for a few minutes on Independence Day to watch the Air Force’s traditional flyover. The yeshiva is now to treat the flyover as it treats all of Yom Ha’Atzma’ut: as time to just continue regular Torah studies. And yet, even this episode fills one more with empathy than antipathy for the haredim. Why? Because the main character, who is the principal’s son and a teacher at the school (it certainly does not hurt that he is played by an actor whom my friend Alicia calls “a dreamboat”), disobeys the orders, allowing his 10-year-olds to press up against their classroom’s windows to gaze excitedly at the flyover.

As Israel celebrates its 71st Independence Day, I would like to draw some hope from Shtisel that we can become a more tolerant, caring society. Precisely out of secular Tel Aviv, that part of Israeli society that is at extreme odds with haredim, comes a television show that embraces haredim in all their humanity. Shtisel lends weight to the powerful Israeli song called One Humanity. Sung frequently at this time of year, the song at its heart is about our shared humanness. Here is how the song was sung (in a duet featuring a secular and a haredi singer!!) a few years ago at the annual Memorial Day commemoration in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square: https://www.you tube.com/watch?v=nFhClW1QoB0.

Happy Yom Ha’Atzma’ut!

Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@ netvision.net.il.

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Down the rabbit hole

ANNETTE vAN DE KAmP-WRiGhT Editor, Jewish Press t was a jubilant post on my brother’s facebook page that introduced me to Pastor Steven L. Anderson from Tempe, Arizona. Anderson, apparently, was banned entry to the Netherlands. The post stood out; my brother isn’t very political and usually only shares pictures of two things: the Dutch beach and my nephews soccer games. And so, I clicked on it.

Turns out, Steve Anderson is the kind of preacher who tries to spread his hate wherever he goes. Hie founded the ‘Faithful Word Baptist Church,’ with a mission to win souls. Anderson feels gays should be executed, has been in the news for praying for Barack Obama’s death and says the Holocaust was a hoax. Oh, and he’s against birth control, because why not. He and his congregation meet in a strip mall; the same strip mall he uses for his fire alarm installation business (there’s a joke in there somewhere).

The Netherlands isn’t the first country to ban Anderson and his followers. He has previously been denied entry by the United Kingdom, Jamaica, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and Canada. Also, a ban from the Netherlands means an automatic ban from all Western-European member nations in the Schengen Area, 22 in total. There are very good reasons for that.

In 2015, Anderson published a documentary called Marching to Zion, in which he argued that the anticipated Jewish messiah is the Antichrist, the Star of David is actually the Star of Remphan (a satanic image), and the Talmud is blasphemous.

Then there’s this: ‘In a sermon, Anderson said that in the 2015 Paris attacks the victims brought the attack upon themselves by being devil worshipers for attending a concert by the Ea-

gles of Death Metal, and that France was a sinful nation.

Jesuit General and the Pope of Rome, who control the In a YouTube video posted following the 2016 Orlando Jews and the Zionist state of Israel.’(endtimesdecept nightclub shooting, Anderson said it was good that there ions.com) were 50 fewer pedophiles in this world, but that it was Wait, what? bad that there were survivors. He also said there would be The real problem is not Anderson himself, it is that a backlash against gun rights and religious fundamentalism, both Christian and Islamic. He said that the killings should not have been carried out by a vigilante, but rather ‘through the proper channels by a righteous government.’

(Phoenix New Times) I’m a little worried that I didn’t know anything about this clown. At the same time, these types can be easy to miss; it’s not as if most of us Steven L. Anderson preaching at his church in April 2017 spend any time on Credit: Wikipedia the typical platforms where Holocaust denial and homophobia reign. Still, I’m there are so many just like him. They are a dime a dozen. wondering: how dangerous are people like him, really?

Most of the time, we don’t remember they are there, unReading what others have to say about Anderson less we want to actively troll the dark corners of the Inquickly throws you down a very surreal online path: ternet and speed down that rabbit hole. And who has the ‘Pastor Steven Anderson is a false prophecy teacher. He time or motivation to do that? blames the Jews for everything. It is true that some Jews Yet, ignoring ‘Pastor’ Anderson and others like him is are being used by the Jesuits of Rome, to steal, kill and something we do at our own peril, I’m afraid. destroy; but they are not the beast of Revelation. It is the

The Poway shooting exposes the fractured state of our communal discourse

ANDREW SiLoW-CARRoLL JTA Here’s what we know about the shooter who took the life of a worshipper at a San-Diego area Chabad and wounded three others: He was a white, 19year-old college student who grew up in an Orthodox Presbyterian church and he may or may not have tried to set fire to a nearby mosque last month, perhaps inspired by the terrorist attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

What we didn’t know: Why he targeted a synagogue; why he wanted Jews to die; what combination of personal madness and outside influences drove him to murder and terror.

What we don’t hesitate to do in the absence of hard information: Draw our own conclusions; lay blame; wedge the shooter’s scant bio into the political frameworks that we’ve already erected.

The “react” story has long been a staple of ethnic journalism. After a big global or national event, you round up the reactions of, in our case, Jewish organizations. Rarely are these condemnations or celebrations surprising or even very interesting.

Sympathy at natural calamities, outrage at manmade ones, thumbs up or thumbs down when the story is political, depending on your ideology.

As to anti-Semitism reacts, how many ways can an organization express its dismay at acts of antiJewish hatred, except to go to the thesaurus?

They’re a “scourge,” a “disease,” a “poison,” a “pathology.”

But that formula has changed, like just about everything else, certainly in the past three years, and perhaps over a decade and more. Jews can no longer agree on how to regard anti-Semitism. The left focuses on a far right energized by the rise of nationalist populism and politicians whose own nativist views sound awfully familiar to historians of hate. The right sees anti-Israelism as the “new anti-Semitism” and regards as the biggest threat those whose support for the Palestinians quickly devolves into classic anti-Jewish “tropes.” Centrists are criticized for trying to straddle the line because failing to take sides means they are weak on [insert your enemy here].

The dynamic was on display in the hours after the shooting at the Poway Chabad. The AntiDefamation League, long the community’s compass on anti-anti-Semitism, avoided the blame game.

“It’s heartbreaking to see yet another tragedy on Shabbat, on the last day of Passover, exactly six months after the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh,” which claimed 11 lives, the ADL wrote April 27.

People embrace outside the Congregation Chabad synagogue in Poway, California after a gunman opened fire during services on the last day of Passover, April 27, 2019, leaving one person dead and three others injured. Credit: David McNew/Getty Images But the ADL also didn’t look to include the Poway shooting into some sort of grab bag of anti-Jewish threats on the left and the right, which has become the safe way to talk about anti-Semitism. Instead it compared the shooting only to the recent attacks carried out by white, male lone wolves — Christchurch, Pittsburgh — and to the far-right hatefest at Charlottesville. Given what was and is still known about the Poway shooting, the statement felt measured and factual. It was in keeping with an ADL report from earlier this year noting that nearly all recent acts of violent extremism in the United States were carried out by white supremacists, not Islamists or pro-Palestinian activists.

Others saw in Poway a reflection of their worst fears and bêtes noires. For a left-wing group like Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, the blame lay squarely on the White House and its current occupant.

“Although it may be hard to accept, the fact that we witnessed yet another act of white nationalist

violence is sadly not ‘hard to believe,’ as President Trump said in response to the shooting,” Bend the Arc said. “Not when the President and his allies have helped mainstream white nationalism in American politics, making our nation ripe for the acts of terror in Poway and in Pittsburgh, where both shooters were inspired by conspiracy theories peddled by the President and his allies, and contributing to an increase in acts of anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, anti-Black and antiLGBTQ violence in recent years.”

Compare that to the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, a Canadian affiliate of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center.

The Friends group was fast out of the gate with a statement saying that “anti-Semitism and hate at large continues to increase year to year as nationalist white supremacist groups expand globally,” but expanded the camera view to include “extreme leftists [who] unfairly and hypocritically defame Israel and radical Islamists [who] push an antiZionist agenda.”

It also included in its statement a condemnation of what normally would have been the most outrageous anti-Semitic act of April 28, 2019: A cartoon that appeared in The New York Times international edition depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a guide dog (a guide dachshund, actually), leading a blind Trump. The dog’s collar has a Star of David and Trump is wearing a black yarmulke, pushing the cartoon out of the realm of political commentary and into Der Sturmer territory.

Unlike Bend the Arc, however, the Friends of the Wiesenthal Center statement did not point fingers at the American president or mention the actual Nazis who marched at Charlottesville or ran as Republicans in last year’s midterms. Instead it condemned college students and professors who support the boycott of Israel, and leftist political leaders like the British Labour Party’s Jeremy Corbyn and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., “who have been accused of promoting anti-Semitism and of trying to create a wedge between their countries See The Poway shooting exposes page 9

Facebook bans anti-Semites

The Jewish Press | May 10, 2019 | 9

The Poway shooting exposes

Continued from page 8 and the State of Israel.” It also singled out the United Nations for its “baffling” anti-Israel resolutions.

(For its part, the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, whose founder gave the benediction at Trump’s inaugural and has praised the president often for his full-throated support of Israel, likened the Poway shooting to attacks on other houses of worship in Sri Lanka, France, Jerusalem, Pittsburgh and Christchurch. It didn’t use the occasion to condemn the left.)

There was still another approach, which was to find the commonalities among the various brands of contemporary anti-Semitism.

“The antisemitic intersection of white nationalism, antiZionism and Islamic Jew-hatred is to render the Jews isolated and powerless,” tweeted Einat Wilf, who served in the Israeli Knesset as a member of the Labor and Independence parties.

“Each feeds off the others as evidence that Jews have no allies, and therefore could be bullied, maligned, injured and killed, with no consequences.”

Unsurprisingly, this common cause approach is rarely the way of Twitter, where the left-right divide is often on full display. Either modern anti-Semitism is Trump’s fault, or the Boycott Israel movement is the greatest danger facing the Jews. That New York Times cartoon was the result of vicious anti-Zionism gone mainstream or part of the coarsening of the public discourse led by the “alt-right.”

At a House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Hate Crimes and the Rise of White Nationalism” earlier this month, the president of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein, devoted almost the entirety of his testimony to denouncing the anti-Semitism on the far left and among antiZionists and radical Muslims. He also included a section defending Trump against charges that the president hasn’t done enough to denounce far-right anti-Semitism.

In its statement on Poway, the ZOA called for congressional

action against…Omar, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich) and Students for Justice in Palestine.

For many there appears to be a fear that if the focus turns to one side of the political spectrum, we’ll go soft on the antiSemitism coming from the other side.

The historian Deborah Lipstadt notes this politicization of anti-anti-Semitism in her new book, Antisemitism: Here and Now. “Don’t see anti-Semitism only on the other side of the political transom from which you are located,” she warned in an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “If you’re only seeing it on the opposite side of the transom, you’re instrumentalizing this for political purposes.”

The Chabad movement, whose affiliated center was the target of the attack, kept out of the political fray. Even amid its own grief, a statement from its national headquarters did something that many other organizations have often failed to do in these polarized times. It spoke to all Americans, not just to or at the partisans.

“Let us remember that while primitive hatred against Jews was allowed to fester in many other countries, ultimately to the detriment of all their citizens. America’s values of tolerance and lovingkindness, and its commitment to law and order have been its greatest assets,” Chabad says in its statement.

Then it quotes Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, the chairman of the Chabad-Lubavitch educational and social services arms.

“The alarm bells of recent events are ringing, and we call upon leaders from across all political divides to stop the dangerous, downward spiral of anti-Semitism,” Krinsky said. “In the spirit of Passover, the Festival of Freedom, may we each commit to work to bring security, healing and unity to our fractured nation.”

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.

ben sales JTA For critics of how the largest social media platforms have handled anti-Semitic and racist rhetoric, it has been a long time coming: David Duke, Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones, and their ilk are no longer welcome on Facebook.

A statement from a Facebook spokesperson confirmed that several bigoted public figures have been removed from the social networking giant. e ban appears to extend to their personal and professional pages, as well as to many of their fan pages.

“We’ve always banned individuals or organizations that promote or engage in violence and hate, regardless of ideology. e process for evaluating potential violators is extensive and it is what led us to our decision to remove these accounts today,” Facebook said in a statement to multiple publications. e ban applies to anyone who issues violent threats, uses hate speech or ascribes to a hateful ideology. In addition to Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader; Farrakhan, the anti-Semitic leader of the Nation of Islam; and Jones, a conspiracy theorist who has said George Soros heads a “Jewish mafia”; the ban appears to include Laura Loomer and Milo Yiannopoulous, two prominent far-right provocateurs, and Paul Nehlen, a white nationalist who made anti-Semitic statements while running for Paul Ryan’s congressional seat in Wisconsin last year.

Farrakhan and Duke are still on Twitter. Yiannopoulos, Loomer, Jones and Nehlen are not.

What it means: Activists who support the bans have said such “de-platforming” helps limit the spread of bigoted and extremist ideas, but social media companies have long resisted policing the limits of ideology in deference to free speech concerns (it can also be bad for a business in which outrage and heat boosts engagement). Facebook’s move signals that the tide in how these companies police hateful rhetoric is shiing in response to public criticism. e move may also be an effort to head off government regulations on social media speech, which have been proposed in Germany, Austria and Great Britain.

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synagogues b’nai israel synagogue

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

beth el synagogue

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

beth israel synagogue

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

Chabad house

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

Congregation b’nai Jeshurun

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

offutt air forCe base

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

rose blumkin Jewish home

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

temple israel

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

tifereth israel

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

b’nai israel synagogue

Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on may 10, at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Ophir Palmon. Our service leader is Larry Blass, and as always, an Oneg to follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information on our historic synagogue, contact any of our board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Howard Kutler, Carole Lainof, Wayne Lainof, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf, or email nancywolf16620@gmail.com.

beth el synagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. friday: L’Dor Va Dough Delivery Day, 10 a.m.; Pre-Neg, 5:30 p.m.; Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. saturday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. Bar Mitzvah of Joseph fischer; Junior Congregation (Grades K7), 10 a.m.; Mincha following Shabbat morning services. weekday serViCes: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. sunday: BESTT Classes, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; God 101 Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Yiddish Class, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman. tuesday: A Journey through the Talmud, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Mahjong, 1 p.m.; Chesed Committee visits Remington Heights, 2 p.m. wednesday: L’dor Va Dough Baking, 10 a.m.; Chesed Committee visits Sterling Ridge, 2 p.m.; BESTT Classes, 4:15 p.m.; USY Installations, 5:15 p.m.; BILU Baseball USY Program with High School, 6:15 p.m.; A Journey through the Talmud and Rabbinic Literature, 7:15 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham. thursday: Morning Minyan with Breakfast and Brachot, 7 a.m.

Shabbat’s Cool (Grades K-7) and Grandfriend’s Shabbat, saturday, may 18, 10 a.m.

Last Day of BESTT, sunday, may 19, 9:30 a.m.

beth israel synagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer friday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:30 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 8:13 p.m. saturday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Sponsored Kiddush, 11:30 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 7:10 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:55 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:19 p.m. sunday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Blood Drive, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel; Kabbalah and Mysticism, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Shlomo; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:20 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. monday: Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Jewish History — Your History, noon with Rabbi Shlomo; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:20 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. tuesday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:20 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. wednesday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:20 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. thursday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Connecting with Our Faith, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:20 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

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

Chabad house

8 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. friday: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. saturday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. weekdays: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. monday: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani. wednesday: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Power Lunch, noon with Shani. thursday: Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman.

All programs are open to the entire community. For more information call 402.330.1800 or visit www.ochabad.com.

Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby.

Congregation b’nai Jeshurun

friday: Yom HaAtzma’ut Service, 6:30 p.m.; Family Dinner, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:14 p.m. saturday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study on Parashat Kedoshim, 10:45 a.m.; NSNA VIP Tour of Homes, 5 p.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 9:45 p.m.

sunday: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; Adult Hebrew Prayer Class, 11:30 a.m.; NSNA VIP Tour of Homes, noon; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. All equipment furnished. Wear comfortable clothing. For questions, call or text Miriam Wallick at miriam57@aol.com. tuesday: Star City Kochavim Rehearsal, 6:45 p.m. wednesday: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. SST is partnering with "We Can Do This" to provide weekend meals to the children of the F Street Community Center.

Join us as we provide lunch on the third Sunday of every month. Food/monetary donations, meal preparation and assistance with setting up, serving, and clean-up are needed! We will serve our next meal on may 19 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact Aimee Hyten at aimee.hyten@gmail.com or Lupe Malcom at lupemalcom 65@gmail.com.

As you start to make summer plans, consider sending your child to LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 22–aug. 2, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Light Kosher dairy snack and lunch included. Tuition for each week is $75 per camper. This program is open to children ages 5-14. We require ALL campers to be registered through the LJCS, therefore we cannot accept dropin guests. friday: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the

offutt air forCe base

month. saturday: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Jim Polack.

rose blumkin Jewish home

Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend. friday: Shabbat Comes to You at Remington Heights, 4

temple israel

p.m.; Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. saturday: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. B’not Mitzvah of samantha and sophie stern, daughters of Kim and David Stern; Grade 11 & 12 Havdalah, 5 p.m. at Cantor Shermet’s. sunday: 2nd Sunday Breakfast Service, 8:30 a.m. at the Stephen Center. tuesday: Holy Smokes, 7 p.m. Cigars. Beer. Whiskey.

Rabbi Stoller will lead this men-only evening at Temple Israel featuring philosophical discussions of men’s issues and perspectives from Jewish texts, along with corn beef sliders. This month's topic is "Ask the Rabbi," so come with your questions ready! This event is free, though reservations are required. RSVP to Temple Israel, 402-556-6536. thursday: The History of the Jewish People: The Jews of Azerbaijan, 10 a.m. with Cantor Shermet.

Shabbat Service with Kol Rina and St. Paul Choir Exchange

friday, may 17, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel and sunday, may 19, 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul United Methodist.

Annual Meeting & Lag B’Omer Celebration, wednesday, may 22, 6 p.m. (see full story below) “More Than a Joke” – Shavuot Edition, saturday, June 8, 5 p.m. Over the past several years, the Tri-Faith Initiative’s “More Than a Joke” learning program – where a rabbi, a minister, and an imam lead an interactive panel discussion about interesting issues – has become a highly sought after experience in the Omaha area. On the evening of Shavuot, when the Jewish community celebrates the gifts of Torah and learning, our Tri-Faith clergy partners will join our rabbis for a holiday edition of “More Than a Joke” – an evening of conversation about the Ten Commandments in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. While the adults learn with the clergy alongside our fellow congregants and Tri-Faith friends, there will be fun and educational activities for our children to learn about the Ten Commandments with kids from Countryside and AMI as well! This will be a beautiful evening of study and friendship that you do not want to miss! Here are the details: Multi-generational Shavuot service, followed by a congregational holiday dinner, 5 p.m.; More Than a Joke” – Shavuot Edition: Panel #1 – The First Tablet: For the Love of God, What Do You Want from Us?! and Panel #2 – The Second Tablet: Adultery, Coveting, and Other Big No-No’s, 6:308:30 p.m.; Children’s Shavuot activities: What are the Ten Commandments and Why Are They Important to Us?, 6:308:30 p.m.

tifereth israel

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. friday: No Shabbat Service; Candlelighting, 8:14 p.m. saturday: Shabbat Service, 10 a.m. followed by light kiddush lunch; Got Shabbat, 11 a.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 9:15 p.m. sunday: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; Tifereth Israel Board Meeting, 10 a.m.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. All equipment furnished. Wear comfortable clothing. For questions, call or text Miriam Wallick at miriam 57@aol.com. wednesday: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. As you start to make summer plans, consider sending your child to LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 22–aug. 2, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Light Kosher dairy snack and lunch included. Tuition for each week is $75 per camper. This program is open to children ages 5-14. We require ALL campers to be registered through the LJCS, therefore we cannot accept dropin guests.

Tifereth Israel Annual Meeting, sunday, June 2 at 3 p.m.

Lag B’Omer and Temple Israel Annual Meeting

rabbi brian stoller Lag B’Omer is a day of joy and celebration which is making a comeback in our movement.

It marks the 33rd day between Passover, when we celebrate our freedom from slavery, and Shavuot, when we celebrate the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

So why is the 33rd day, of all days, a cause for special celebration?

The reason has to do with the great Rabbi Akiva, one of our most famous and admired Jewish sages.

In the year 132 C.E., Rabbi Akiva supported a Jewish rebellion against the Roman Empire. In retribution, the Romans persecuted Rabbi Akiva and his disciples intensely in the days following Passover that year – but, as tradition has it, the persecution ended on

the 33rd day.

In remembrance of Rabbi Akiva’s heroism and spiritual strength, it has become customary for the Jewish community to celebrate that day, Lag B’Omer, with bonfires, weddings, and of course lots of eating!

On Wednesday, May 22, 6 p.m., our Temple Israel community will celebrate Lag B’Omer with a family-friendly congregational cookout in our beautiful outdoor amphitheater.

We will start the evening with a short annual meeting during which we will install several new board members, honor those who are outgoing, and vote on the extension of Credit: Petri Tapola Rabbi Stoller’s contract.

Then, we will celebrate the holiday with hamburgers, hot dogs, and fun for the whole family!

The Jewish Press | May 10, 2019 | 11

lifecycles marriage

roberTS/LewiS

Rachel Elizabeth Roberts and Justin Robert Lewis were married Saturday, April 13, 6:30 pm at Noah's Event Venue in Westminster, CO. The ceremony was officiated by Rabbi Aryeh Azriel.

Rachel is the daughter of Nancy Milder Lazer of Omaha. She is the granddaughter of the late Adrienne Rice Milder of Hermosa Beach, CA and Orvel Milder of Omaha, both of blessed memory and the great-granddaughter of Ruth and Joe Rice of Omaha, and Ella and Hymie Milder of Omaha, all of blessed memory. Her attendant was Isaiah Mainus, son of Derek Mainus and the late Marci Brookstein Mainus (Marci was Rachel's best friend for 35 years). Rachel graduated from University of Denver with a Bachelors degree in Communications, and earned her Masters degree in Elementary Math Education from University of Colorado at Denver. She is a fifth grade teacher at Southeast Elementary School in Brighton, CO. Justin is the son of Brenda and Chris Lewis of Sweetwater, Texas and the grandson of Daniel Lewis of Golden, CO and the late Sarah Lewis, and

in memoriam

herSz fLaTowicz

Hersz Flatowicz passed away on April 30 at age 96 in Omaha. Services were held May 1 at Beth Israel Cemetery, 78th St and Crown Point Ave. He is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Paulette (Baranowski) Flatowicz; his children, Pierre and Claire Flatowicz, Martine Levine and Harold Levine of blessed memory, Francois Flatowicz and Rhonda Buck, John and Pat Flatowicz, and Glen Flatowicz; grandchildren: Jason Flatowicz, Jeffrey Levine and Sara Beth Berman, Shayna and Kevin FlatowiczFarmer, Nicole Flatowicz, Rachel Flatowicz, and Lisa and Eric Rubin; and great-grandchild Mason Newton.

Hersz was born and raised in Nowa Brzeznica, Poland, the son of David and Sarah, and had seven siblings: Genia, Luba, Mania, Miriam, Moishe, Rebecca, and Yisrael. At the age of 16, he was taken from his family by the SS under the guise of picking apples. From 1939-1945, he was in seven different concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Birkenau, Kreising, Lagischa, Poggenburg, Posen, and Blechhammer, where he was liberated by the Soviet army.

After the war, he traveled around Europe looking for his family and reached Paris, France. Hersz met Paulette and soon after, they were married. After starting their family in Paris, they emigrated to the United States with Pierre and Martine. The couple settled in Omaha, raising their five children in the Dundee neighborhood. Hersz served as a mashgiach at a nearby meatpacking plant early in his career, owned his own tailoring business, then worked for Brandeis (Younkers Department Store) until his retirement.

Hersz and Paulette are long-time members of Congregation Beth Israel.

Hersz attended Shabbat services regularly and enjoyed them so much. He had a deep appreciation for his Jewish faith and identity and instilled this in his children and grandchildren. Hersz was very knowledgeable about current events, reading the newspaper and watching national news daily.

Though he did not have the chance to get a formal education, he was passionate about having his children and grandchildren pursue higher education and graduate school opportunities, which made him so proud.

Donations may be made to Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Memory Care Unit, 323 South 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154 or Congregation Beth Israel, 12604 Pacific Street, Omaha, NE 68154, or organization of your choice.

LeTTer To The ediTor

Thank you, Susie Norton, for such a well written article about a very important Jewish Omaha agency, Jewish Family Service. JFS does great work just as Susie mentioned. Some years ago, when I was on the JSS board, I remember how impressed I was with the way Karen Gustafson ran JFS and how wisely and carefully she spent the funds that she was allotted.

Thank you, Omaha, for continuing to support and use a well-run agency. debbi Josephson

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Frank L. Ciciulla, Jr.

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His attendant was his father, Chris Lewis. He works at Hulcher Services.

The couple resides in Reunion, CO and has a honeymoon planned in Akumal, Mexico at a later date.

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rifkin/bankS

Laura Rifkin and Sean Banks were married Saturday, April 6, 4:30 p.m. at the Magnolia Hotel followed by a reception at Strinellas restaurant in Omaha.

Laura is the daughter of Caryn and Gary Rifkin of Omaha and the granddaughter of Helen Rifkin of Omaha and Ben Rifkin, Gloria Goldberg, and Sonny Suhl of blessed memory. Laura earned her MSSW from University of Texas.

Sean is the son of Barry Zebrick of Philadelphia and the late Robin Banks and is the grandson of Cecilia Banks of Philadelphia, the late Irving Banks Newton and the late Sylvia Duitch.

Sean earned his PhD from Penn State University.

The couple resides in Austin, Texas.

Trade School Scholarships available for 2019-20 academic year

An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2019-20 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 and Transportation and Horticulture.

It is not too late to apply for the 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 avande kamp@jewishomaha.org for more information.

To SubmiT obiTuarieS To The JewiSh PreSS:

Email the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; mail to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; or online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on Jewish Press and go to Submit Announcements.

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12 | The Jewish Press | May 10, 2019

community

The Rational Bible: Genesis

i

annette van de kamp-wright Editor, Jewish Press n April 2018, e Rational Bible: Exodus was published. e brainchild of Joel Alperson and Dennis Prager, it was the first installment of a commentary on the Torah

by Dennis Prager, edited by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin.

“As the title states,” Joel Alperson said at the time, “it’s a rational explanation of the Torah. We are attempting to give people a non-political, non-faith based, practical, accessible and meaningful explanation of the stories and laws in the Torah. is month, the second installment, Genesis, is coming off the presses. Time to catch up with Joel Alperson. what was the response to the first installment? any reactions that were surprising? e biggest surprise by far was that a book in the planning stage for over 15 years, an explanation of the Bible no less, became the number two book in America!

We were stunned. We hoped it would do well, but never imagined it would do that well. One year later, it has 514 reviews on Amazon, 90% of which are five out of five stars. did the process change between the first and the second installment? e process didn’t change much but we didn’t have to create that process for Genesis (the second volume) as we did for the first volume. For Exodus we had to consider the goal of the entire series, the format of the pages and the kinds of ideas we wanted to convey. Anyone who reads e Rational Bible (Exodus, Genesis and future volumes) will see, unlike most reference books, that it can be read easily, like a novel. And, believe it or not, the deep insights offered will be useful in one’s everyday life. how do you personally grow from being involved with a project like this?

ere are more ways than I can count. Reading and re-reading the Torah to gain a better understanding of its laws and stories is a huge benefit by itself. But Dennis Prager and Rabbi Joseph Telushkin have given me a master-class in clear writing and clear thinking. Having the chance to challenge both of them and learn from them has been a tremendous gi. In a

sense, I commissioned the explanation of the Torah I wish I’d had growing up. I hope to take the lessons I’ve learned from these volumes and pass them on to our children. are you still on schedule for all five books or is this more timeconsuming than previously anticipated?

I wish we were. We’re way off schedule. But I remind myself how incredibly good these books are... even better than I had imagined, and I feel a little better. I remind myself that one hundred years from now, people won’t be thinking about how long it took to produce these books, they’ll be thinking how profound they are.

Can you share some examples of the questions that prager poses in this second book? i remember him asking really great questions the first time around.

Sure. Even for those who aren’t religious or even if they

don’t believe in God, I hope they’ll consider how compelling these topics are: On the Question “Who Created God?” Do Science and Genesis Conflict?

Why God Is Depicted in Male Terms Marry and Become a Man e Woman’s Desire for a Man When Do Intentions Matter? e Most Empowering Idea in Life People Are Guilty for eir Bad Actions, Not eir Bad oughts On Having Many Children When Good People Have Bad Children e Self-Destructive Pursuit of Fame We Choose When to Feel Hurt or Insulted Since exodus was the first one published, which one is this year’s? i can’t remember if i asked you last year why you started with exodus and not with genesis.

Genesis is the second volume and it came out on May 7.

Dennis believes that the Ten Commandments are so foundational to creating a good world that he wanted to get Exodus out first.

Besides borrowing it from the Jewish Federation of Omaha Library, where can people get the book?

We’re excited that Costco has ordered over 25,000 copies.

Otherwise, they can go to Amazon: https://www.amazon. com/Rational-Bible-Genesis-Dennis-Prager/ dp/1621578 984/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=e+Rational+Bible+Genesis &qid=1557110698&s=gateway&sr=8-1 Or, if people want to get an autographed copy, they can order it from the Dennis Prager store: https://pragerstore. com/product/the-rational-bible-genesis-autographedhardcover.

I expect that Barnes & Noble and independent stores will also be carrying the book.

Senior Living publishing date | 06.28.19 space reservation | 06.19.19

Contact our advertising executive to promote your business in this very special edition.

Susan Bernard | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org