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Keiser Stoms Academic Excellence Award Jack, the son of Andee DIANE WALKER (Friedlander) and Anthony JFO Foundation Fund & Scioli will graduate from Scholarship Administrator Omaha Westside High School he Financial in the top 2% of his class. Jack Aid Commithas taken a number of AP tee of the Jewand honors classes while at ish Federation Westside and has earned of Omaha is many awards including Napleased to announce Jack Scitional Merit Commended oli was selected as the 2022 Scholar and the President’s recipient of the David Keiser Volunteer Service Award. He and Lillian Keiser Stoms was appointed to the GoverFoundation Education Ennor’s Youth Advisory Council dowment Fund for Academic and was elected Class PresiExcellence Scholarship. This dent for the Class of 2022. is the only merit-based scholIn addition to academics, arship granted by the FinanJack is passionate about cial Aid Committee. While baseball and is a member of based heavily on academics with high school grade point Westside’s varsity baseball Jack Scioli average and ACT/SAT scores team, singing and serving his used as primary measure, a prerequisite for consideration is communities – Jewish, Omaha, Westside, and the arts. Jack the recipient’s demonstrated commitment to the Omaha said, “My Jewish education has taught me to be generous Jewish community. Dorothy Spizman, the chair of the Finan- with my time and give back to those in need.” Early in the cial Aid Committee, remains impressed with each year’s can- pandemic, Jack volunteered with Omaha Performing Arts didates. “It is such a pleasure to read their remarkable after many employees lost their jobs. He helped the OPA stay accomplishments. I am confident in their future success.” See Kaiser Stoms Award page 2
Women’s Spring Event Page 2
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Artists Giving Back Page 5
Nebraska first state to inaugurate Jewish American Heritage Month Page 12
A whole new meaning to “BFF!”
REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
7 8 10 11
Alan J. Levine
Alan Rosen
JOANIE JACOBSON They were both born and raised in Omaha. Both went to Central High School where both were in ROTC.
Both moved to California but hadn’t seen each other for several years until they both showed up to take the CPA exam in Los Angeles on the same day! That was the day a true friendship began between Alan M. Rosen and (the late) Alan J. Levine ( for whom the JCC theater is named) that would last over 60 years. In the early years, they were bachelor friends who dined together. They enjoyed movies and lunch together. They went to singles parties together and introduced each other to lady friends. And when I asked Alan See Best friends page 3
Community Service Award: Beth El Synagogue’s Little Free Pantry “I thought it was really something LEIGH CHAVES Beth El could do. Rabbi Abraham JFO Israel Engagement was one hundred percent on board, and Outreach Director The Jewish Federation of Omaha’s and it came together in August,” she said. Community Beth El’s Little Service Award is Free Pantry given annually gives anonyto recognize a mous, easy-accreative process, 24/7 gram that has short-term help. made a signifiThe pantry cant impact on stays stocked the community. with non-perThis year, the reishable food and cipient is Beth sometimes El Synagogue’s paper goods or Little Free hygiene prodPantry. ucts. “Give what “People drive you can, take by and say ‘we what you need” love what you’re is the motto, doing,’” said Linda Saltzman, Robby Erlich and Linda Saltzman with and it embodies the essence of Beth El Syna- Beth El’s Little Free Pantry JFO’s Community Service Award. gogue member. Saltzman and Robby Erlich, Beth Saltzman said a story on CBS News about Little Free Pantries led El’s Engagement Coordinator, her to begin her research. See Community Service page 3
2 | The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022
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Women’s Spring Event
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Keiser Stoms Award Continued from page 1 on track with fundraising and community engagement. As a member of Westside’s Varsity Show Choir, his group won four Grand Champion awards at regional competitions, including best vocals, best choreography, fan favorite, and best band. They placed third at Nationals. He has enjoyed his time in BBYO, attending conventions and meeting new friends. He played baseball in the Maccabi Games in 2018, and co-chaired the 2018-2019 JFO Annual Campaign with his family. In 2015, he performed Etz Chaim with his teacher, Eadie Tsabari, at the JFO’s Campaign Cabaret event. Jack will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. He plans on majoring in economics and political science with a possible eye on law school or an MBA. Having been at Penn many times, it always felt like a second home. It is the best fit academically and socially, has lots to offer, and looks like Hogwarts. Jack has family in Philadelphia to help with the transition to college life. He said there is no comparison between Ivy League football games and Saturdays at Memorial Stadium in the Sea of Red! Following a friend’s suicide, Jack chose to honor his memory by action. He applied for and was accepted to serve on the Governor’s Youth Advisory Council. As a Council Member, he supported Legislative Bill 87 which ad-
vocates for mental health and mental health training within schools. Jack said, “Youth mental health is worsening. Suicide prevention is critical. Complaining about our lack of mental health services will not bring back my friend. Taking action can save others.” Lillian Keiser Stoms and her brother David were native Omahans, and this fund was established in their memory by their niece, Sally Clayman. In addition to the Academic Excellence award, there are two other scholarships that were established in their memory. The Lillian Keiser Stoms Educational Fund was established to benefit and assist in the education of Jewish youth living in a single parent family or Jewish single parents who have custody of their children. The David Keiser and Lillian Keiser Stoms Foundation Education Endowment Fund was created to provide funding for university scholarships to Jewish youth who have earned a minimum 3.0 GPA. Both awards are based on financial need. For information on scholarship programs, please contact Diane Walker, Fund & Scholarship Administrator at 402.334.6551 or dwalker@jewishomaha.org. Those interested in contributing to or endowing scholarship funds should contact Howard Epstein, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation at 402.334.6466 or hepst ein@jewishomaha.org
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Jessie Feinstein, left, Sandy Nogg and Jan Schneider Lund
STACY FELDMAN JFO Philanthropy Coordinator On May 3, 2022, the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) hosted more than 65 women for an elegant and inspiring evening in Omaha’s Dundee-Happy Hollow Historic District. The evening kicked off with cocktails and light bites at Lola’s Café where, after more than two years of safe social distancing, the Jewish Women of Omaha mixed, mingled, laughed, hugged, and caught up with one another in person! Halfway through the evening, the ladies were shown into the historic Peggy Payne Theater at Film Streams where the Executive Director of Philanthropy and Engagement at JFO Jennifer Tompkins and Co-Chairs of the event, Nancy Schlessinger and Cindy Goldberg, kicked off the speaking portion of the program. Over the course of the remaining hour, Stacy Feldman, Philanthropy Coordinator at
JFO, led an intimate conversation with Deirdre Haj, Executive Director of Film Streams. Guests laughed, occasionally teared up, and listened closely as Haj spoke candidly about her experiences growing up Jewish in a town that wasn’t always accepting of Jews; being a Jewish woman coming up the ranks in the lucrative film industry; and how her family and friend relationships helped shape the woman she is today. Haj wrapped up the conversation and Q&A by speaking about the importance of listening as much as speaking, and women supporting other women. Closing remarks shared by Event Chairs, Jess Cohn and Ally Freeman, left the Jewish women of Omaha excited to get together again at upcoming JFO programs (including the Annual Meeting on June 28 and The Big Picture Art Tour on July 10). Thank you to everyone who attended, and we look forward to the next event!
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Let’s get acquainted Stop by and say hello to our new staff on the Jewish Federation of Omaha Philanthropy and Engagement Team! Start your day with us! Enjoy bagels, lox, and friendly conversation.
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The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022 | 3
JPro Conference JAY KATELMAN JFO Director of Community Development From May 2 to May 4, I had the privilege to travel to Cleveland, Ohio, and represent the Omaha Jewish community at the JPro22 Conference. JPro has not met since 2019 because of COVID and is a conference for all Jewish professionals in North America. JPro and the Jewish Federations of North America teamed up to make this conference the largest yet. This year, more than 1,200 Jewish professionals attended. It was a very exciting few days with many opportunities for learning and networking. On Monday, participants were able to sign up for unique immersive experiences. In Omaha, we just opened our wonderful new Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, so I chose to visit Playhouse Square. Playhouse Square is a historic part of Cleveland that houses five different theaters, all of which are connected! It is the largest performing arts center outside of New York City, and it is also a not-for-profit. Learning about what they do, how they do it, and touring some of the theaters was a one-of-a-kind experience! On Tuesday, I, along with 1,199 of my closest Jewish professional colleagues, participated in different sessions that taught about how to increase your effectiveness and efficiency in whatever role you play in your Jewish organization. Many people were at the conference representing their federation, foundation, Jewish community center, synagogue, and other Jewish organizations. All the teaching was not only informative but also cross-functional. It was wonderful to get many different perspectives on unique and innovative strategies to not just survive but have your organizations and communities continue to thrive. A few things we discussed that really stood out were to know what you’re good at and do those things really well. I
think as a community we have learned to do that with certain events and have even come up with new programming, events, and strategies that are helping us become even stronger in this area. There is always room for improvement, and I look forward to helping us grow stronger. Another idea that resonated with me was that we look for areas of improvement more often than other organizations do and make improvements quickly. It is easy to get stuck in our ways; however, if we are willing to take more frequent deep dives into what is and is not working, we will no doubt be more successful. On Wednesday, we met as a group, as we had done twice before, to say our goodbyes. Although it was a quick conference, it was one where I learned a lot and made some lifelong connections! I think it is always important to view these conferences as not just a learning experience, but as a time to get out and network with as many professionals as possible. Because I was the lone delegate from Omaha, this was not hard! Anytime I entered a room, I had to find new people to sit and connect with. However, for those of you who know me, you also know that talking is not something that comes in short supply for me, so I cherished every opportunity to meet someone new. No matter if it was at a meeting, lunch, dinner, or experience. I would introduce myself to as many people as I possibly could. I made some great connections with people from Memphis, Seattle, Cleveland, Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbus, Youngstown, and Milwaukee, and those are just a few I can name off the top of my head! I look forward to collaborating with those individuals that I now consider not just colleagues, but friends in the near future. I am already excited for JPro23, and I look forward to growing the Omaha delegation so they can experience this wonderful conference.
Best friends Continued from page 1 Rosen what kept their friendship together, he said, “It was our strong ties to Omaha and the friends we had growing up there. “I’m a two-season person,” Rosen said, “but before COVID, I was going back to Omaha once a year for almost 30 years with my son Jeff, my brother Leonard and his son David, primarily for a football game! While I was there, I’d always make time to see my friends in Lincoln and take my Omaha friends for lunch at the Greek Islands. Those high school and college years, my dad’s grocery store, Beth El Synagogue, the nice Jewish community — I have so many memories of Omaha worth keeping.” The Rosen brothers were serious athletes. They lettered in football, wrestling and track at Central. At University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the two brothers again lettered in track (shot put and discus), and Alan also lettered in wrestling. They compete to this day. “In 2016, there was an article about Leonard and me in the Omaha Jewish Press,” Rosen said. “I remember the headline... ‘Rosen Brothers Over 80 and Still Competing.’” It was those fond memories and the generosity of a close friend that would soon inspire Alan Rosen to give back to the community he loved so much. “I remember Alan Levine telling me he wanted to do something big for the Omaha Jewish community,” Rosen said. He wanted something to carry on his name, something for his friends to remember him. He’d been talking to people at the Omaha Federation for a number of years before he finally decided on a major gift to the JCC theater. He liked the idea that a theater would bring Jewish people and families together. There would be Jewish programs and events and music. The theater would create joyful memories for the entire Omaha community, particularly the children — he cared very much about children. “I called to congratulate him,” Rosen continued, “and we talked about the two of us going to Omaha to see the theater. He was very proud the theater would be named after him. Alan had had heart problems for several years, and shortly after we talked, I heard he was back in the hospital. Sadly, he died before we ever got to Omaha to see the beautiful theater that bore his name. “That got me thinking... “I’d been contributing to the Omaha and Los Angeles Federations for many years — started a scholarship fund at the College of Business at UNL — but I wanted something with my name on it in Omaha. I talked to Howard Epstein at the Federation Foundation, and he suggested I create a fund that would provide for the maintenance of the JCC theater. That sounded good to me. It was important and necessary. And be-
cause I value friendships very much, I especially liked that my gift would help keep the Alan J. Levine Theater at the J the state-of-the-art facility it had become. “I plan to add to it every year,” he said. “Anybody can add to it, and I hope they do — or maybe start a fund of their own! Once I give a gift, the money is free and clear — the community can use it however it intends or needs.” “I feel good about the whole thing,” Rosen said. “My gift was welcomed, the theater will get excellent care, and the fact it was Alan’s theater made it even more meaningful. “Oh, and by the way, I’m looking forward to competing in my next track and field competition on June 4!” If you would like to establish an endowment fund, please contact Howard Epstein at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, 402.334.6466 or hepstein@jewishomaha.org. Writer’s note: At first suggestion, Mr. Rosen did not want this article to be written. “The gift was not intended for any kind of article,” he insisted. It took several weeks of encouraging but he finally agreed to the interview. Our hope is that his story will inspire other stories much like it. My sincere thanks to Alan Rosen for sharing both his story and his generosity with the Omaha Jewish community.
Community Service Continued from page 1 worked on the project together as a way to help fellow Omaha citizens and to engage the Jewish community to participate in a safe, COVID-19 friendly activity. “The whole neighborhood has appreciated it; it’s been well-received by people who contribute and take,” Erlich said. Bringing more than just the Jewish community together, the Pantry has engaged almost all of the businesses on the block. The dentist office, daycare, music school, and hearing aid store all contribute and pitch in. To sign up to take care of the pantry or to donate, visit www.bethel-omaha. org/little-free-pantry.html. “It’s been a very worthwhile project,” Erlich said. “It’s really doing a lot of good.” Beth El’s Little Free Panty was generously funded by Linda and Kevin Saltzman, and a grant received from the Milton S. & Corinne N. Livingston Foundation Fund. Programs throughout the Jewish community are eligible to be nominated for the Community Service Award, which has been given out annually since 1979.
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4 | The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022
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For directions, call Patty Lee Nogg, 402/493-3479 Cemetery Manager Steve O’Neill, 712/328-1579 Patty Nogg, President; Bob Kully,V.P.; Gail Krasne Kenkel, Secretary; Doug Krasne,Treasurer Beth Seldin Dotan, Mark Eveloff, Elyse Gallner, Mike Gallner, John Goldner, Larry Goldstrom, Jay Katelman, John Katelman, Joshua Katelman, Rick Katelman, Marti Nerenstone, Sissy Silber, and Marty Ricks
Temple Israel announces new Director of Education
the number of families receiving PJ Library CASSANDRA WEISENBURGER Temple Israel Director of Communications books and tripled the number of families enTemple Israel is excited to announce that gaged in PJ programming, which aims to Jennie Gates Beckman will be joining Temple strengthen the ties between families raising Israel as our Director of EdJewish children and provide ucation on June 1, 2022! relationships and resources Jennie grew up in Omaha, to “do Jewish” as a family. attending Temple Israel, She has also worked closely JCC summer camp and with the community’s OSRUI. She was very active clergy to provide the weekly in OTYG, serving as the community Beit Midrash youth group president her adult learning series. senior year. She pursued Jennie said she is excited her B.A. in studio art from to bring her energy and enUNO while teaching at thusiasm for all things JewTemple Israel and working ish to the educational team as the Production Assistant at Temple Israel. “I am so for the Jewish Press. She thrilled to be joining the then moved to the Boston clergy and professional Jennie Gates Beckman area for a M.A. in Jewish team to continue to build Communal Service & Non-Profit Manage- upon the wonderful foundation Ben Mazur ment from Brandeis University, where she has laid over his tenure. His work alongside took core classes in Jewish Educational Prac- our wonderful teachers and parent committice as well as the Near Eastern and Judaic tee has led to a momentum I hope to keep Studies department. moving in the direction of greater engageJennie started her post-graduate career at ment and deeper learning,” she said. the Jewish Federation of Baltimore, gaining Rabbi Deana Berezin said, “I am absolutely experience in campaign, leadership develop- thrilled that Jennie will be joining our Temple ment and volunteer management. She was Israel team! I am excited to see how her unthen hired by the Association of Jewish Family matched passion for creating joyful Jewish ex& Children’s Agencies (AJFCA) to elevate the periences will further our vision for Jewish role and impact of volunteering within education that prioritizes community, relaAJFCA’s network of 125 member agencies (in- tionship building, and positive Jewish living cluding Omaha’s Jewish Family Service). Jen- and learning. Having worked in a variety of nie and her husband, David, returned to Jewish spaces around the country, Jennie has Omaha after 12 years on the East Coast in created vibrant and exciting opportunities for order to be closer to family (specifically, all learners of all ages to connect with and exfour of their children’s grandparents who live plore their Judaism. As we work to find new in Omaha) following the 2014 birth of their avenues for youth and family education and daughter, Sadie. Their second child, Walter, engagement at Temple Israel, I am confident was born in 2019. that Jennie’s creativity, thoughtfulness, exciteIn her most recent role as the Director of ment, and enthusiasm will shine!” Community Engagement & Education for the Jennie is a lifelong learner, partaking in Jewish Federation of Omaha ( JFO), she has many adult learning experiences locally and led the team tasked with inspiring Jewish sampling the incredible online opportunities connections, promoting lifelong, innovative made available throughout the pandemic. Jewish learning, and contributing to commu- Her hobbies include gardening, photographnity planning to ensure a strong Jewish ing food, reading, and spending time outside. Omaha. In the past five years, she has doubled
Russian shelling damages Jewish cemetery in Ukraine CNAAN LIPHSHIZ JTA A Jewish cemetery in Hlukhiv, Ukraine, was reportedly shelled Sunday, May 8, in fighting close to the Russian border. The cemetery, where about 1,500 Jews are buried, is the latest Jewish site to face damage amid the 11-week-old war that began when Russia invaded Ukraine Feb. 24. Many of the Jews buried in the cemetery were victims of a 1918 pogrom. Among them are Samuel Nokhimovich Shumyatsky, an older brother of a well known rabbi, and a shochet, or butcher, named Ber Izrailevich Barkan, according to Ukraine’s Kourier news site. Ukrainian Minister of Culture Oleksander Tkachenko said in a statement that influential rabbis were also buried in the cemetery. “This is not only a monument to history, it is a special symbol for the entire Jewish people,” Ukrainian Minister of Culture Oleksander Tkachenko said in a statement. “The proof that all the higher powers are on our side is that the graves of the chief tsadik [Hasidic spiritual leader] have survived.” In the past, Jewish sites that have been damaged by Russian shelling have become symbols for the Ukrainians, who are battling the Russians’ false claim that their country is run by Nazis.
In the early days of the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, highlighted damage to a memorial for Jews murdered by the Nazis and local collaborators at Babyn Yar, as well as shelling in Uman, a Jewish pilgrimage site, as evidence that Russian forces are trying to obliterate Ukrainian history. At least one other Holocaust memorial, on the outskirts of Kharkiv, was damaged in the war. Meanwhile, the Hillel in Kharkiv, housed in a historic building in that city’s center, was destroyed early on as well. The sites have not appeared to have been deliberately targeted but have fallen victim to indiscriminate shelling as part of Russia’s shifting campaign to control regions of Ukraine. The pogrom in Hlukhiv, also known in Russian as Glukhov, was part of a series of such events perpetrated during the 19171923 Russian Revolution, where some Czarist nationalists and others regarded Jews as a hostile force. State records speak of at least 105 victims in the Hlukhiv pogrom, though reports in the media at the time spoke of several hundred fatalities. One historian wrote in 1923 about the 1918 pogrom in Hlukhiv: “Blood flowed in the river, they shot at the synagogue and tore the Torah.”
The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022 | 5
News
Jazz at the J
Doors and Windows: a Burt Bacharach Latin Jazz Tribute will take place at the JCC’s Alan J. Levine Theater, Tuesday, May 31, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at www.jccomaha.org or by calling 402.334.6403. This third Jazz at the J performance will feature Stan Spurgeon’s Doors and Windows. The band will guide you through the classic tunes of Bacharach and others in the Great American Songbook. In addition, we are looking for volunteers to help at events held in the Alan J. Levine Theater. Volunteers may be required to undergo a brief training and background check. Volunteers receive one complimentary ticket for the event they sign up to work. Interested? Email Scott Shinbara at sshinbara@jccomaha.org. Doors will open at 7 p.m.
JFO Save the Dates Our Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus is getting busier and busier, and it can be hard to keep track of everything that’s going on. While we encourage you to check the full community calendar at www.jewishomaha.org for any and all community events, For more information, please contact Rachel Ring at rring@jewish omaha.org, or visit our website. MAY 24 Update for the Kleinberg Jewish Omaha Heritage Center, 7 p.m., JCC Gallery JUNE 1 Community/Staff Meet and Greet, from 9–10 a.m. in the Wiesman Room JUNE 9 L’chaim Shavuot edition, 6–8 p.m. Location TBD JUNE 11 Booth at Omaha Arts Festival, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Aksarben Village JUNE 12 Family Day at Henry Doorly Zoo JUNE 12 All You Need is LOVE Event, 1 p.m. AND 6 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts theater JUNE 12 JCC Piano Recital JUNE 13 Eye on Israel Event, noon–2 p.m. JUNE 16 IHE Lunch and Learn, 11:30 a.m.– 1 p.m. JUNE 16 Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group, 1–2 p.m. in the Wiesman Room JUNE 20 YJO College World Series and Tailgate, 5:30 p.m. Charles Schwab Stadium JUNE 21 Local Author Series with Harold Mann, 10–11 a.m. Wiesman Room (in person and on Zoom) JUNE 21 An Evening with Milton Mendel Kleinberg, 7–9 p.m. in the Goldstein Family CEV JUNE 28 JFO Annual Meeting and Awards Night, 7–9 p.m. Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater
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Artists Giving Back
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Every once in a while, a story finds us just when we need it most. Such was the case when Suzanne Horwich told us about her plans to travel to Krakow, Poland. She created the program “Artists Giving Back,” in an effort to elevate the spirit and lift the energy of the Ukrainian refugees in Poland through the process of creating art. Let’s backtrack. Remember those 28 bags filled with overthe-counter medicine Jeff Kirshenbaum and Rabbi Steven Abraham took to the Ukraine border? Remember how quickly this community filled those bags? Seeing there is suffering and not knowing what to Suzanne Horwich do about it is incredibly difficult. But when we are presented with a tangible opportunity to make a difference, we answer the call. For Suzanne, “answering the call” means springing into action and yes, getting on a plane. She is a mother of two daughters and an educator who has lived and worked as an artist all over the world. She is also the former Director of Curatorial Affairs for the Aspen JCC. On May 23, she will depart for Krakow, where for almost a week she will partner with the local Jewish Community Center. That JCC, under normal circumstances, isn’t terribly different from our own, but “overnight,” Suzanne said, “it transformed from a JCC to a humanitarian aid facility.” All the emergency needs are being met on a daily basis, including trauma therapy, which is where Suzanne’s skills will come in. She contacted Jonathan Orenstein at the Krakow JCC and proposed to bring art therapy to those in need: “The idea actually came to me in a dream! The mantra ‘Imagine, Create, Heal’ is something I live by on a daily basis. As an artist, educator, and mother, I know that using one’s
imagination is a sort of meditation and an intentional daily practice. If I can elevate an individual’s spirit, lifting their energy, then I’ve done my work successfully. The program is designed for all age groups, and hopefully I can bring a few moments of joy during an intensely traumatic time.” Luckily, Jonathan believed Suzanne’s program would dovetail nicely with current efforts. And so, she will travel to Krakow to work directly with the refugees in creating a collaborative work of art, which will be displayed both digitally and at the JCC Krakow. “Every single morning I ask myself, ‘How will I live joyously today?’ and every evening before I go to sleep I ask myself ’ Can I do better to live joyously tomorrow?’ If I can bring this notion to the program, along with the process of using imagination and creating art, I believe I can do some good. Energy with the right intention behind it can be extremely powerful. And I am not too worried about the fact that I don’t speak Ukrainian. Art, like love, is an international language; I’m confident I’ll be able to build relationships,” she said. Suzanne is funding the project 100 percent herself, because she feels passionately about the healing properties of using one’s imagination. It is her intention to provide art materials to as many refugees as possible and help them to just get lost in creating artwork. The program was initially created for children; through the trauma, during the most difficult of times, Suzanne recognizes that children are resilient and still want to play, create, and imagine. After careful consideration, Suzanne realized that this might appeal to some of the adult refugees as well and decided to offer art supplies to them, too. “Artists Giving Back” will be an ongoing project with plans to invite other artists to join Suzanne in the future to teach art in Poland and elevate the spirit of the Ukrainian refugees. If you would like to contact Suzanne or contribute to her program, please contact her at suzanne@artistsgivingback. com or visit https://www.spotfund.com/story/2cc4cb757096-4f7c-9497-64487cb355a8.
ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch the Press for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com.
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6 | The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022
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Man charged in Portland, Ore., synagogue and mosque vandalism spree first incident there. “We don’t believe PHILISSA CRAMER that this is part of a larger threat. JTA A man who once reported about There haven’t been other antisemitic political extremism in Portland, Oreincidents reported around town.” gon, was arrested this week in conBut as the string continued and nection with a string of vandalism the vandal was caught on video, poincidents at synagogues and a lice made the connection. Jewish admosque there. vocacy groups such as StandWithUs Michael Bivins was charged with and StopAntisemitism publicized the one count of arson and three counts In the early 1930s, Gov. Julius Meier served as incidents, connecting them to a of criminal mischief, according to president of Portland’s Temple Beth Israel. broader spike in reported incidents of Willamette Week, the weekly inde- Credit: Wikimedia Commons antisemitism. pendent newspaper where many of his articles appeared. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, who is Jewish and also a Beth IsThe charges stemmed from three incidents at local houses rael member, denounced the vandalism there, which included of worship: a rock thrown through a window at Congregation the words “Die Juden” spray-painted on an outside wall. Shir Tikvah April 30; a fire and graffiti at Congregation Beth “Hate speech and vandalism must never be allowed to terrorIsrael on May 2 and 4; and a fire at the Muslim Community ize Portland or any community,” Wyden tweeted. “I stand with Center of Portland May 3. Rabbi Cahana and our entire synagogue by adding my voice to Bivins had taken photos and video at clashes between po- his when he says we all must be vigilant against these attacks.” lice and protesters in Portland, where the Trump administraAfter Bivins’ arrest, which came after he entered a local TV tion cracked down on protesters in 2020, according to local station and asked to speak with a reporter there, Cahana said media. (The Oregon attorney general who battled Trump is a the episode underscored the importance of reporting even Beth Israel congregant.) His Twitter account shows that he seemingly minor incidents. more recently had begun posting anti-mask content and con“This series of events, which has shaken our community, is spiracy theories about the Biden administration and had also an important reminder that even incidents which seem ranexperienced housing instability in the last year. dom and unrelated or too minor to bother with, should be Police and local Jewish leaders initially said they did not be- properly reported,” he wrote in a letter to congregants. “We lieve the incidents were connected. are all responsible for one another.” “The message I’m giving to my community is that I don’t The incidents are not the first at Portland-area synagogues want anyone sitting in fear,” Congregation Beth Israel Rabbi in recent years. Beth Israel was the site of a fire in late 2020; that Michael Cahana told Oregon Public Broadcasting after the year, Chabad Jewish centers in the city experienced two fires.
Harvard faculty and alumni denounce BDS endorsement
ANDREW LAPIN JTA The Harvard Crimson’s recent endorsement of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement has attracted far more wide-ranging attention than a typical student paper’s editorial page. Faculty and alumni of the Ivy League institution have lined up to denounce the student paper’s op-ed and condemn the shift in Israel discussion on college campuses. In an open letter, more than 100 Harvard faculty members objected to the paper endorsing an academic and financial boycott of the state of Israel. This included the school’s former president Larry Summers; prominent psychologist and author Steven Pinker; endowed law professor Gabriella Blum; former Harvard Medical School dean Jeffrey Flier; and emeritus law professor and longtime pro-Israel advocate Alan Dershowitz. “We believe that many well-meaning people with no hate in their hearts, including those at Harvard, gravitate to this movement believing that it offers a means for advancing Palestinian rights and peace in the Middle East,” the letter reads. “But the reality is that BDS merely coarsens the discourse on campus and contributes to antisemitism.” The letter was organized by the Academic Engagement Network, a pro-Israel campus advocacy group. Summers, a former U.S. treasury secretary, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he signed the open letter in part “to reassure Jewish students on our campus that they are not in a hostile environment,” and “to reassure the wider world that the student newspaper did not speak for the broader university.” The public should care about the Crimson’s op-ed, he said, because “it’s a widely read student newspaper that has a significant impact on the tone on campus.” He called the editorial antisemitic in a New York Sun op-ed, and said he hopes the paper will withdraw it. The faculty also called the students’ decision to publish their editorial the day after Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, “thoughtless.” Read more at www.omahajewishpress.com.
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The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022 | 7
Above below and left: It’s been a while since the community was able to come together for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut, and the May 4 carnival was a great success. Although we couldn’t be outside as we had originally planned due to weather, the gymnasium accommodated us at the last minute. We were able to commemorate and celebrate together with balloons, a mini-petting zoo, great food, music and —of course—massive inflatables. Thank you all for coming!
SP O TLIGHT 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: LOVE makes Mother’s Day special at RBJH. Every female Resident received Mother’s Day flowers to celebrate their special day. A special thank you goes out to the volunteers who helped Sabine Strong, RBJH Volunteer Coordinator, with this project — thank you, Diane Sim, Jan Philo. The Gerbera Daisies, a special cake, Mother’s Day cards (made by Ricki Skog), and fun word search puzzles (made by M’Lee Hasslinger) were sponsored by LOVE. Thank you all for making this a special day for all our female Residents.
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
8 | The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022
Voices The Jewish Press (Founded in 1920) 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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The harp above our bed about this stuff much better than editors. But then, ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT they also expect us to think for ourselves, so maybe Jewish Press Editor There are times when I don’t read emails from my I should at least consider the question. What’s our “harp?” Is it programming, which alsynagogue that carefully—as much as I hate to admit it. I open them, always, but there are many times I sort of skim through. This week, though, I happened to actually pay attention. Here’s some of what I read: Psalm 119:62 reads, “I arise at midnight to praise you.” The Rabbis asked a practical question about this verse and offered a beautiful answer. Traditionally, King David is credited with writing Psalm 119. How, the Rabbis wondered, was he able to get up at midnight every night? Their answer: David, the renowned musician, would Staffer of the Israeli field hospital Kohav Meir plays with children hang his harp above his bed, and at outside the structure near Lviv, Ukraine, March 23, 2022. Credit: midnight God would send a breeze Schneider Children's Medical Center through the window to strum its strings. Roused from lows us to show up, come together and connect? Is it opening our eyes and paying attention to the rest sleep by the music, David would rise to praise God. What good is it, if the wind blows, but above your of the world, so we know when to give, help, reach bed no harp hangs? It is our task in life to ensure that out? Is it our empathy, our patience, our willingness we are alive to the possibility of the stirrings of God’s to learn new things and see other perpectives? Maybe the “harp” can be anything to anybody and wonder. We must train ourselves and our children to tune the instruments of our souls so that when the there just isn’t one single answer. The value of these types of emails often lie in the positive struggle, the breeze blows we will be aroused by the melody. fact that we have to really mull this over. If we want Hang a harp above your bed. What does that mean for the rest of us, “hanging to find answers that truly matter, sometimes we a harp?” How do you “tune the instrument of your have to put in a lot of work—and that’s okay. It reminds me of something I heard the other soul” I’m kind of tempted to save the questions for another time, when I can ask a rabbi. Rabbis know night, about how we as Jews are all responsible for
each other — we have to pay attention to each other, no matter where we live, and be ready to step up. Maybe “hanging our harp” just means that: pay attention, but don’t stop there; act accordingly. Right now, that “harp” means not looking away from what is happening in Ukraine. In the media, we are already noticing a shift in reporting — there is a tiredness, a feeling that the status quo is war and suffering, and it’s nothing new. Only the most horrible war crimes still make headlines; the regular day-to-day suffering is pushed down, and how awful is that? Within two months, the fact that Ukraine is under siege has become “old news?” We have to do better than that. This community has already really stepped up — it’s okay to be impressed with the money raised so far, with those 28 bags of medication sent to the Polish border. But this war is not over, it is not boring, it is never, ever old news. It is now, it is urgent, it is much more important than stories about escaped inmates or who Kim Kardashian is dating. So, as a community, let’s “hang our harp.” Let’s keep paying attention, let’s keep giving, let’s continue to care and keep Ukraine front and center. Open your heart, open your wallet. Don’t tell yourself, “I already gave, so I did my part.” Give again. And again. Give until we have done everything and anything possible, and then give still more. Remember all those times we talk about Tikkun Olam? There’s our harp. And it’s much more than a breeze that’s hitting those strings. It’s a storm. Let’s all answer it.
Jewish tradition ‘permits’ abortion. If you believe in bodily autonomy, that’s not enough. MICHAL RAUCHER JTA Last week, Israeli Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz responded to the draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, “A woman’s rights over her own body are hers alone.” It might seem odd that the Israeli health minister was commenting on American abortion law, but his response, contained in a tweet, addresses a theme common to the abortion discussion in Israel and America that I research as an ethicist and scholar of reproduction among Jews. In the 1970s, the Israeli Knesset debated the legalization of abortion. After several years of discussions, it ultimately passed a law that permitted abortion in certain circumstances: 1) If a woman is younger than 17 or older than 40; 2) when pregnancy results from rape, incest or extra-marital relations; 3) under the possibility that the baby will be born with a physical or mental deformity; and 4) when the continuation of the pregnancy could endanger a woman’s life or mental health. This law allows for certain abortions to be performed until the 39th week of pregnancy. When I teach Americans about abortion law in Israel, they often express shock that Israel seems much more progressive than America. That’s because their frame of reference for religion and abortion is a particular strain of American anti-abortion Christianity. My students — college-aged and adult, Jewish or not — are surprised to see a country so strongly influenced by religion that is not opposed to abortion. Yet in one important way the Israeli and American attitudes toward abortion are similar. They both reflect the fundamental assumption that abortion is wrong, and one must have a “good enough” reason to do something that is otherwise wrong. This is called the justification approach to abortion. Certain abortions are justified, while others are not. The justification approach to abortion also assumes that women were meant to be mothers. As a result, not wanting to be pregnant for nine months, give birth or raise a child are not consid-
ered good enough reasons to get an abortion. nancy to term poses real risk to the life of the In order to qualify for an abortion that is legal mother.” This popular argument is commonly also and paid for by the state, Israeli women have to sit heard among more progressive Jewish groups. in front of a committee and tell them why they are But when you hear that “Jewish law permits and requesting an abortion. Although 98% of abortion sometimes requires abortion,” you must also listen requests are approved, the law reflects the belief to the assumption underlying this statement: that women cannot or should not make this deci- Women do not have the bodily autonomy to make sion on their own. Consider the case of a pregnant 24year-old married woman who is pregnant from consensual sex but does not want to be pregnant because of the potential harm to her career. Or a 35-yearold married haredi (ultra-Orthodox) woman who has eight children and who simply cannot care for one more. In Israel, both of these women must lie or otherwise mislead the committee to get their abortions. Horowitz opposes these committees and has been advocating to get rid of A pro-choice activist holds a sign at a protest at the U.S. Supreme them, at least through the first Court, Washington, DC, May 2, 2022. Credit: Stefani Reynolds/AFP trimester. He says that women should via Getty Images not need to give any reason for their request, and that decision on their own. Jewish law must permit that nobody should have to determine whether it — and sometimes demands it, regardless of what their request is valid. a woman prefers. These statements, often used to While we don’t have these committees in Amer- express support for abortion rights, are ultimately ica, we have heard a lot this month about the leg- stymied by the assumptions of rabbinic law, a sysislation that many states have developed, each tem that does not support bodily autonomy or the providing different circumstances under which ability to make decisions about one’s own body. they would permit abortion. Some say that aborThe statement by the Orthodox Union goes even tions will only be permitted if the woman’s life is in further. It also explicitly prohibits what the group danger. Others allow abortion after rape or incest. and others call “abortion on demand,” or abortion And of course one’s ability to terminate a preg- because someone doesn’t want to be pregnant. nancy is already limited by where one lives, how far By contrast, the Reform movement’s Religious along one is in pregnancy and the financial re- Action Center bases its position on reproductive sources one has available. rights on “the core belief that each person should Well-meaning Jewish groups often draw on rab- have agency and autonomy over their own bodies.” binic sources to claim that Judaism is supportive Other progressive Jewish groups, including the Naof abortion rights. Unfortunately here, too, we see tional Council of Jewish Women, have gone on the justification approach. Last week, in a state- record highlighting the value of bodily ment, the Orthodox Union explained that it cannot autonomy over reproduction, but too few. Some support an “absolute ban” on abortion because Jew- non-Orthodox rabbis even expressly forbid it. ish law requires abortion when “carrying the preg- See Jewish tradition ‘permits’ page 9
The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022 | 9
Growing Community with Unity & Hope
May 19, 2019, was a glorious day to gather and celebrate. We officially welcomed Countryside Community Church as a neighbor on the Tri-Faith Commons, dedicated Abraham’s bridge, and broke ground for the TriFaith Center and the first planting of a Tri-Faith Community Garden and Orchard, now named the Tri-Faith Unity Garden and Hope Orchard. WENDY On that sacred day, we acknowledged GOLDBERG the traditional land of the Omaha peo- Guest Editorial ple and paid our respects to the Elders, both past and present. We stand on the shoulders of giants from many communities — including all of the visionaries who believed and continue to make the bold experiment of Tri-Faith possible. In the past three years, we have seen our democracy threatened and attacked. We are coming to understand a long-overdue and ongoing racial reckoning, a pandemic, war…and at the same time, we are witnessing breakthrough innovation. We have a purpose. We are growing relationships (and veggies). To the few very spirited volunteers who planted 20 fruit
trees and watched the first eight raised beds be delivered to the new garden space in 2019, you are a force. I see you creating a culture of trust — YOU are literally the muscle of this movement to lead change. It is not just fertile ground. We witnessed these gardeners produce more than 2,500 pounds of crops last season. This doesn't begin to reflect our community partnerships, the sharing of stories, and co-creation of opportunities to serve our larger community by improving physical, mental, social, environmental, economic, and spiritual health. With a ton of uncertainty, when we all are feeling vulnerable, these dedicated volunteers found new ways to show up with and for each other. I love how they lead with, “How are you feeling? What’s going on with your family?” Before they “get down to work.” And it is this practice that we all want to sincerely thank them for leading. Thank you for growing our capacity to collaborate and for celebrating diversity and difference. Thank you for living the experiment and for learning we can grow together and adapt and pivot as we need to. Our co-location invites us to care about each other as we create a powerful example of positive, loving common action to counter the global plague of bigotry. This is exactly what our world needs.
Jewish tradition ‘permits’ Continued from page 8 Unless you support a person’s right to bodily autonomy, then you are supporting a system wherein someone else determines what you or anyone else can do with their bodies. It does not matter whether that person is a lawmaker, a judge, a contemporary rabbi or one from 2,000 years ago. It does not matter whether that person would permit most abortions or even require some. There’s a temptation right now to say that restrictions on abortion rights in the United States violate the religious freedom of Jews. That’s true, to an extent. But a religious argument based on Jewish law and rabbinic texts only goes so far. Those of us who support reproductive health, rights and justice
ought to be honest about the connection between that and our rabbinic tradition. I believe in the same bodily autonomy argument that Nitzan Horowitz makes. It may not be an argument rooted in Jewish law, but it is a Jewish argument — and it’s time to make it. Michal Raucher is associate professor of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University and author of “Conceiving Agency: Reproductive Authority Among Haredi Women” (Indiana University Press). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
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Watch: Heirs of the Land
CNAAN LIPHSHIZ JTA The series Heirs to the Land that dropped on Netflix in April looks like just another installment in the genre of Spanish period dramas. In some ways it is, featuring the familiar mix of romance, violence and a liberal dramatization of key historical events in medieval Spain that have made international hits out of several recent Spanish productions such as Isabel and El Cid. But Heirs to the Land also takes a deep dive into what it meant to live as a Jew in Spain at the time, when the strictly Catholic country began its descent into organized persecution of minorities that culminated with the Inquisition. The series reflects a growing appetite in Spain for exploring local history in general, especially its oft-overlooked Jewish chapters. “You have multiple references to the Inquisition and to antisemitism in recent historical production, but I wanted to go beyond and show the texture of life for a Jew in Spain just before the expulsion,” said executive producer Jordi Frades, who is not Jewish. Possibly the most heavily Jewish production of its kind in Spain, the 8-episode second season of Heirs to the Land, based on a novel by Ildefonso Falcones, follows the life of Hugo Llor, a fictional character born in 14th-century Barcelona. Whereas previous productions about the Inquisition including the Netflix series The Cathedral of the Sea, which Frades also directed, and the Netflix film Coven of Sisters depicted Jews briefly and mostly as hapless victims, Heirs to the Land digs much deeper. It depicts a Jew learning of the massacre of Jews in Valencia in 1391 even as he maintained trust in the government and king, who, at that time, sometimes intervened to protect Jews from lynchings but at other times ignored or encouraged them. Frades said the new series attempts to do for the Inquisition what Schindler’s List has done for the Holocaust. The reception of Heirs to the Land has been good, Frades said. The series has cracked the list of Netflix’s top-10 most viewed shows in 50 countries, including Israel and France, he said, citing information provided to him by Netflix. Read more at www.omahajewishpress.com.
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Synagogues
10 | The Jewish Press | May 20, 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, June 10, 7 p.m. for evening services. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on COVID-related closures and about our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: 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: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Havdalah, 9:25 p.m. Zoom only SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Cantor’s Concert, 4 p.m. with the Maccabeats. TUESDAY: Mussar, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham at Beth El & Zoom; Daniel the Detective, 6 p.m. with Dr. Leonard Greenspoon via Zoom. WEDNESDAY: Community Beit Midrash, 7 p.m. via In-person at the JCC or on Zoom. FRIDAY-May 27: AIDS Coalition Lunch, 11:30 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. SATURDAY-May 28: Shabbat Morning Services and Bat Mitzvah of Eva Cohen, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Havdalah, 9:30 p.m. Zoom only. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
BETH ISRAEL 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, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:23 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:40 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha, 8:20 p.m.; Shalosh Seudos/ Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:40 p.m.; Ma’ariv, 9:31 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. (Zoom); Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 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, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:30 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.; Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 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 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Medical Ethics, noon with Rabbi Yoni at UNMC; Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. FRIDAY-May 27: 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, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:29 p.m. SATURDAY-May 28: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:50 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha, 8:30 p.m.; Shalosh Seudos/Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:50 p.m.; Ma’ariv, 9:38 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, 8:23 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:30 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 27: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochab ad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 8:29 p.m. SATURDAY-May 28: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:37 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, Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 8:24 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service and Yizkor, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study on Parashat Behar, noon; Game Night Potluck LIVE: Potluck, 6 p.m. and Games start palying, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Havdalah, 9:31 p.m.
SUNDAY: Garden work and mulching, 8:30 a.m.; 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; South Street Temple Board Meeting, 11 a.m.; Tifereth Israel Annual Meeting, 3 p.m.; 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: Guest Speaker and Film: Rabbi Guilermo Bronstein, A Return to Judaism: The Jews of Amazon, 6 p.m. FRIDAY-May 27: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 8:30 p.m. SATURDAY-May 27: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study on Parashat Bechukotai, noon; Havdalah, 9:38 p.m.
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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.; Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.m.; Donor Shabbat: A Friday Evening Shabbat to Honor Life and Legacy, Sponsors and Patrons, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or InPerson; Shabbat Morning Service and Taste of TriFaith, 10:30 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SUNDAY: Youth Learning Programs, 10 a.m.; Temple Israel Annual Meeting, 10 a.m. . WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m.; Community Beit Midrash, 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom or In-Person. FRIDAY-May 27: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat B’yachad: Voices of the Congregation with Lisa Lewis, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. Oneg sponsored by Wendy Manvitz and Shelly Fox in honor of Doris and Harry Alloy’s 70th Anniversary. SATURDAY-May 28: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
Veteran Palestinian journalist shot and killed PHILISSA CRAMER JTA A veteran Palestinian journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, was shot and killed Wednesday while reporting about an Israeli army operation in Jenin. Abu Akleh, who was an American citizen, reported about Israel and Palestine for Al Jazeera. Israeli and Palestinian authorities disputed the circumstances of her death, which came as Israeli soldiers were engaged in a raid in the West Bank city. Palestinian officials, other Palestinian reporters who were present at the scene and Al Jazeera all said that Israeli forces had fired the shot that killed Abu Akleh. Meanwhile, the Israeli army and Israeli leaders, citing video they said was from the scene, said they thought she had been killed by Palestinians who mistook her for a soldier. Video footage of the incident showed Abu Akleh wearing a vest that identified her as a member of the press, according to Israeli media. International law is meant to safeguard journalists who report from conflict zones.
“Very sad to learn of the death of American and Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh,” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides tweeted. “I encourage a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her death and the injury of at least one other journalist today in Jenin.” Israeli officials said Palestinian leaders had declined an offer to investigate jointly; Palestinian leaders said no such offer had been made. Abu Akleh’s death is certain to escalate tensions in the area, already high after a string of attacks against Israelis Credit: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP via Getty Images by Palestinian terrorists, including several from Jenin. it would return to the governing coalition, ending It also briefly appeared to threaten Israel’s deli- for now the possibility that the year-old governcate government when Ra’am, the Arab party that ment could be dissolved. Abu Akleh was born and lived in eastern for the first time holds power in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, delayed a planned press conference Jerusalem and will be buried there on Thursday, acabout whether it would support a bill to dissolve cording to press reports. She had worked for Al the government. But the party later signaled that Jazeera since 1997, according to the network.
Life cycles IN MEMORIAM EDWARD MARVIN MALASHOCK Edward Marvin Malashock passed away on May 10, 2022, at age 99. A memorial service was held on May 13, 2022, at Temple Israel. He was preceded in death by wife, Sally; parents, Jay and Ruth Malashock; brother, Stanley Malashock; and son-in-law, Bob Egermayer. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Deborah Malashock; son, Jim Malashock; daughter, Jan Egermayer; grandchildren: Julie and Ari Rabin-Havt, Matt Egermayer, Scott and Tristar Egermayer, Joshua, Joseph and John Malashock; and brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Norma Malashock. While Dr. Edward Malashock is no longer with us, the memories of kindness, love and devotion he showed will be with us forever. Dr. Malashock had a storied medical career that spanned seven decades. After earning his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, he served in the US Army Medical Corps in the Philippines in 1946. After serving, he briefly practiced medicine in St. Louis and New York before coming home to Omaha. In 1965, Dr. Malashock performed the first two kidney transplants in Nebraska. It was then that he joined the UNMC faculty as a clinical professor of surgery urology. He would go on to serve as President of Clarkson Hospital Medical Staff, Metropolitan Omaha Medical Society and the Nebraska Urological Society. While his career in medicine was one to be proud of, his greatest sense of pride was his family. In the story of Ed there were two main characters: Ed and Sally. Of Dr. Malashock’s 99 years on Earth, he spent 74 of them side by side with the love of his life. They had ambitions to travel the world, be contributing members to their community and raise a beautiful family. Together they accomplished all three. They saw every country you could want to see, were leaders in the Omaha community and raised three children, Mark, Jim, and Jan, with love and pride. Of all Dr.
Malashock’s accomplishments, he would argue that his greatest was being there for Sally at the end of her life. When she passed three years ago, he was there holding her hand, kissing her forehead and cherishing every last minute he had with her. For those who had the privilege of knowing Dr. Malashock, the memories will be enduring. Memories such as his weekly meet ups at the Bagel Bin, his endless cups of coffee at dinner, the extra hours he stayed late at the hospital making sure his patients felt cared, for or even sitting in Memorial Stadium for a Husker game, humming the tune of every song the band played. For many though, the memory that will be brightest is the memory of his smile. He loved people, and the warm embrace and genuine love he showed others has left a mark on so many. Dr. Malashock received numerous awards including the 2009 Nebraska Medical Center Legends Award, the 2002 College of Medicine Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Outstanding Physician Award. He is included on the Wall of honor at the UNMC Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education. The Chair of Urologic Surgery at Nebraska Medicine is named for Ed and Sally Malashock, as is the atrium of the Davis Global Center on the Nebraska Medicine campus. Memorials may be made to Learning for ALL.
The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022 | 11
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Deborah Lipstadt gives first talk RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON | JTA Antisemitism is often not taken seriously until it becomes deadly, said Deborah Lipstadt, the Holocaust scholar whose nomination to be the State Department’s antisemitism monitor was delayed as she tangled with Republican senators who were peeved at her criticisms of their side of the aisle. Lipstadt chose the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum for her first talk May 12 since her Senate confirmation in March after contentious hearings. She made good on her pledges to skeptical Republicans in the body that she would identify and target antisemitism on all sides. Antisemitism does not come from one end of the political spectrum,” Lipstadt said. “It is ubiquitous and is espoused by people who agree on nothing else or, better put, disagree on
everything else.” She spoke of the threat from the far-right, mentioning the 2017 neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville that convinced President Joe Biden, who named her to the post, to run for the presidency. But she also alluded to her frustrations with the left. “Too often, when there is an act of antisemitism, those who condemn it cannot bring themselves to focus specifically on this particular prejudice,” she said. In 2019, Jewish groups, Republicans and some Jewish Democrats were unhappy when a resolution condemning antisemitism was amended to include condemnations of other forms of bigotry, including Islamaphobia. In her remarks and later in a conversation with Sara Bloomfield, the museum’s director, Lipstadt said that antisemitism is often not taken seriously until it is too late. Read more at www.omahajewishpress.com.
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12 | The Jewish Press | May 20, 2022
News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D
Nebraska first state to inaugurate Jewish American Heritage Month
philanthropist Milton “Milt” Kleinberg, who ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT was given special tribute. He said: Jewish Press Editor On Thursday, May 5, which corresponded to “I’m Jewish, and I have always loved the free Israel’s Independence Day, Gov. Pete Ricketts state of Nebraska. I could have taken my busiinaugurated May as Jewish American Heritage ness to Texas, but Nebraska is home, and our Month, making Nebraska the first US state to governor is a friend.” do so. Other speakers included Chabad’s Rabbi The same day, he proclaimed the official Mendel Katzman, Israeli Consul General to the adoption by the State of Nebraska of the InterMidwest Yinam Cohen and Nebraska Secretary national Holocaust Remembrance Alliance of State Robert Evnen, who also signed the Working Definition of Antisemitism, making proclamation. the number of US states that have adopted or As of March 2022, 37 nations and almost 900 endorsed the IHRA definition 26 (plus the Disentities around the world have adopted the trict of Columbia), meaning that the majority IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism since of states now officially recognize it. 2016, including the US, Canada, Germany, the That definition reads as follows: UK, Australia and France. “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, Jews are only 0.5% of the population in Newhich may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. braska, according to the 2020 American Jewish Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antiYear Book. Two weeks ago, Arizona voted to semitism are directed toward Jewish or nonadopt the IHRA’s Working Definition of AntiJewish individuals and/or their property, semitism. In addition, Ohio adopted the definitoward Jewish community institutions and re- Scott Littky, left, Marsha Kleinberg, Phil Malcom, Milton Kleinberg, Gov. Ricketts, Rabbi Deanna tion in an executive order three weeks ago. Berezin and Sivan Cohen. ligious facilities.” According to the Anti Defamation League, “Ac“We see the rise in antisemitism,” Ricketts said, “and must companying the IHRA Definition are eleven examples that may The IHRA Definition is intended to be utilized as non-legally binding guidance and education for a range of stakeholders be aggressive in combating it. We must let people know we serve as illustrations of how antisemitism manifests contempoincluding law enforcement, campus administrators and other will stand against hate. When we see antisemitism, we have raneously, ranging from age-old anti-Jewish tropes, to Holocaust institutions and entities to better enable them to identify an- to take very strong steps immediately to combat it. That’s why denial, to certain expressions of animus toward the Jewish State tisemitism and gather and analyze relevant data. As explained we want to make this proclamation to recognize the Jewish of Israel that may at times cross the line into antisemitism. by Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coor- community’s contributions to Nebraska and the nation.” These examples are important, because while certain longstandRepresentatives from each of Nebraska’s synagogues, ing myths animating antisemitism have stood the test of mildinator on Combating Antisemitism: “[N]on-legally binding in its nature, the working definition is helpful in public dis- Chabad and the Jewish Federation of Omaha were in atten- lennia, manifestations of antisemitism do change, sometimes course as well as training for media, educators and public au- dance. Gov. Ricketts recognized Eleanor Dunning for her pres- significantly, over time and place. It is important to provide guidthorities, without impeding the legal right to freedom of entation to the Unicameral. ance built on the knowledge of experts in the field, as well as the Also in attendance was Nebraska Holocaust survivor and lived experience of large segments of the Jewish population.” speech.” (Source: ADL.org)
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