June 2, 2017

thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

this week

JU NE 2 , 2 0 1 7 | 8 SIV AN 5 7 7 7 | V O L. 9 7 | NO . 3 4 | C A nd LeLi g H Ti ng | FRID AY , JU NE 2 , 8 : 3 4 P. M.

Friedel Jewish Academy graduation page 4

Movie review: In Our Hands page 5

inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

L

RBJH celebrates

JiLL OHLmAnn Activities Coordinator, RBJH ittle Bo Peep, Old McDonald, and other notable characters were recently spotted at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

In honor of National Nursing

Home Week, residents and staff decorated the hallways and participated in Nursery Rhyme themed activities.

The Home’s four neighborhoods competed against each other in an obstacle course and a nursery rhyme memory game. Staff members submit-

The ethical will: Leaving a legacy of love and values

Dr. Sol Kutler celebrates in style page 6

12 14 15

WWW.JEWISHOMAHA.ORG

SpOnSOred By THe BenJAmin And AnnA e. wieSmAn FAmiLy endOwmenT Fund

Amy HirSHBerg LedermAn Amy Hirshberg Lederman is an award-winning author and columnist, expert Jewish educator and attorney. She will be the keynote speaker on June 15 for the year 3 celebration event of LIFE&LEGACY. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be held on the Jewish Community Center campus. It promises to be a wonderful event which will begin with wine and hors d’ oeuvres and end with an original LIFE&LEGACY song by Karen Sokolof Javitch and a dessert reception. For more information and to R.S.V.P. contact

ted baby pictures of themselves for a “Guess the Baby” contest. Other highlights of the week were special performances by Bill Chrastil, a local Elvis Presley impersonator, and On Core, a swing choir from Beadle Middle School.

See rBJH celebrates page 2

My Broken Doll

Margo Parsow at mparsow@jewish omaha.org or by calling 402.334.6432.

My father has always been one of my most dependable fans. Sitting

Jennifer Castello (left) and Stephanie Olson are two of the actors who have worked tirelessly to bring Bea Karp’s story to a growing audience. proudly on the sidelines of my life, he roots for me regardless of whether I hit a home run or strike out. When I announced on the night of college graduation that I was going “out west to find myself,” he shook his head, calmed my anxious mother, then drove me straight to a camping store. As he paid for the new down vest and sleeping bag he insisted I have, he looked at me and said: “Whatever happens, at least you won’t be cold.”

See The ethical will page 2

dOnnA wALTer Education Coordinator, Institute for Holocaust Education When Bea Karp together with her daughter Deborah Pappenheimer published My Broken Doll: A memoir of survival of the Vichy Regime in 2014, both were delighted to know that Bea’s story would now be accessible and shared with many, many people – in addition to the thousands of Nebraska students that Bea speaks to on an annual basis.

But neither could have guessed

that the long-awaited book would also lead to the creation of a play.

Through a collaboration of the Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE) and The Circle Theatre, a TYA (theatre for young audiences) play adaption of the book was commissioned.

According the IHE director, Liz Feldstern, “We were very intentional in adapting the play. We knew it had to have a small cast, a minimal set, and a fairly short run time – to allow it to travel to See My Broken Doll page 3

2 | The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017

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Pictured above: Rosie Zweiback, Temple Israel President, thanks Rabbi Darryl Crystal for his year of service to Temple Israel at the 146 Annual Meeting, right: Year four of Holy Smokes recently enjoyed an evening of study with Rabbi Steven Abraham of Beth El. The next Holy Smokes will be on July 25 when we welcome Temple Israel’s new senior Rabbi, Brian Stoller. All men from the community are welcome to attend on July 25.

The ethical will

Continued from page 1 in life, incorporating the ideas, values and life lessons a parYears later when I told him I wanted to leave my law pracent wants to impart. tice to “maybe teach, maybe write,” his blessing came in My Dad answered my question with words that I will weekly envelopes containing articles from the New York Times carry with me throughout my life. about women who succeeded in “Living is all in the attitude. You having multiple careers. never know what will happen to I didn’t always feel this way about you -what problems, disappointDad, though. It’s a kind of later-inments or losses will come your way. life wisdom that I grew into, mostly You can’t control what happens to as a result of the daunting task of you but you can control your attitrying to raise my own two chiltude about what happens. You just dren. Over the years I have been have to learn to accept, adjust and humbled in the face of my struggles move on.” as a parent. Feigning enthusiasm, I thought about the many years offering support and keeping my Dad struggled with colon disease, mouth shut when my children about the time his business was make choices that differ from the robbed, or the time he learned his ones I want them to make is an art best friend had lied to him. The inform I am still learning. Now with evitability of life’s disappointments perfect hindsight, I can see that never changed his way of respondwhat previously felt like Downright ing to them. His strength came Dad Domination was really his best from his conviction that he could effort at loving a strong-minded find a way to live with life’s curveCadee Scheer and Joshua Shapiro will perform a balls and his dignity came from his daughter who avoided his advice song by Karen Javitch for the Life & Legacy event. determination to forge ahead withlike a rut in the road.

Living in Arizona, I have worked out complaining, even in the most hard to keep in touch with my parents who live in New Jerdifficult of situations. sey. The phone rings and I am heartened each time it is Dad “Besides,” he added, looking through a lens as thick as a on the line. My annoyance at the fact that he calls at dinner coke bottle, “now that I don’t see so well, my problems don’t time is softened by the realization that his voice sounds a bit look so bad!” weaker and he can’t remember the second reason why he Thanks Dad. I’ll remember that. called. I no longer take his questions about whether I’ve considered refinancing the house, why I don’t buy a bigger car or why I didn’t buy the stock he recommended as evidence of his disapproval or disappointment in me. Rather, I see them for what they are and probably always have been; Continued from page 1 an attempt to leave his imprint in my life and my heart This year’s events were organized by Natalie Osborne, through the transmission of his advice, values and love.

Nurse Manager, and Becky Flott, Medical Records. “The When Dad turned 87, he was diagnosed with macular debest part was seeing the residents interact during the acgeneration, a progressive eye disease that can result in tivities, especially some who do not normally participate. blindness. Because he still spends hours every day reading The nursery rhyme theme brought back memories for several newspapers and financial reports, the thought of losthem,” Osborne said. ing his sight was devastating. But within a few months, Dad National Nursing Home Week began in 1967, and is accommodated to his new disability with an upbeat attitude, observed every year in the U.S. beginning on Mother’s large print texts and a magnifying lens as big as a Frisbee.

Day. It is a week set aside to recognize the important role “How do you do it, Dad?” I asked him. “How do you hanskilled nursing facilities play in caring for the nation’s dle the frustration and limitations of getting older, the physelderly. ical aches and pains, the fear of what might be next?”

“I believe it is the one time a year that people say ‘Hey, My father is not a religious man but what followed was you do a good job’ and ‘Thank you!’ We have an amazing his own version of an ancient Jewish tradition called the community that is always supporting us,” Flott added. ethical will. In its simplest form, it is a transmission of the At RBJH, time was set aside to honor staff members values, life lessons and wisdom a parent wants to pass on to who have completed five years of service or more. This children before he dies. shirts depicting every RBJH department were designed Unlike a legal will, which disposes of property and posto commemorate this year’s festivities. All staff received sessions and must comply with state law, an ethical will bea free shirt, and everyone wore them proudly on Friday queaths one’s innermost spiritual estate and has no formal as a final salute to a very memorable week. requirements. It can be handwritten or typed, even “Thank you to the community for your support. We recorded, at any time during one’s life. It can be written in are already looking ahead to next year’s celebration,” Ossegments like a continuous letter that is added to at imporborne said. tant life stages or life cycle events. Or it can be written later

RBJH celebrates

My Broken Doll

The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017 | 3

Continued from page 1 and also provides biographical informaschools and audiences all across Netion about Bea. Throughout their travels, braska.” And travel it has! the actors found students to be well preSince the play premiered at the JCC the- pared for seeing My Broken Doll. Students ater in August of 2016, My Broken Doll has had a variety of question for the actors. been performed in 13 different venues, Some that were asked frequently: Have you reaching a total of 2,759 met Bea? What is students and approxikosher? Why did Susie mately 150 adults!

[Bea’s sister] move to IsSchools that hosted the rael? Did Bea have a play were in Omaha, good life when she came Lincoln, western Iowa, to America? Did she ever and as far as Grand go back to the concentraIsland. tion camp?

All of this incredible From teachers and touring and sharing of administrators, the reBea Karp’s story would sponse has been glownot have been possible ing. “It was a truly without the multi-talmemorable experience!” ented actor-educators said one. Words used who participated in the frequently were “out2016-17 touring season. standing” and “superb”.

The play requires three One teacher shared: actors in each perform“The kids really enjoyed Dani Howell and Jeremy Wright ance, and each must it, and it generated a lot play multiple roles (with accompanying of good questions for the cast. However... costume changes) during the play. In order it generated even better conversation to make the scheduling work with so many when they returned to the classrooms. schools and on-the-road performances, Such a great, great message for our kids.” each of the actor spots was “double cast”.

The 2016-17 touring production of My The role of Bea Karp was played by actors Broken Doll was made possible by generJennifer Castello and Courtney Stein. Bea’s ous grants from Humanities Nebraska, the mother/aunt/sister were portrayed by Nebraska Arts Council, and the Special Danielle Howell and Stephanie Olson.

Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish FederJoshua Mullady and Jeremy Wright both ation of Omaha. performed as Bea’s father/uncle/the Nazi For 2017-18, My Broken Doll has been guard. The Circle Theatre’s Fran Sillau was accepted to the Nebraska Arts Council rosthe originator of the idea to adapt the book ter of Touring Artists, which provides fiinto a play, and serves as the Director. nancial support to bring the play to schools Alongside the play, the IHE developed a 30 miles or more from Omaha. The IHE Study Guide which helps students to frame and The Circle Theatre hope to bring the the historical context of the Holocaust, play to many more schools next year!

community

Today’s refugee crisis, yesterday’s refugee crisis

D

liz felDsteRn Executive Director, Institute for Holocaust Education r. Rafael Medoff is the founding Director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, located in Washington D.C. The Institute focuses on America’s response to Nazism and the Holocaust and takes a special interest in using cutting-edge media to teach about the Holocaust, including political cartoons, animation and educational comic books.

Dr. Medoff will share his expertise in a lecture titled, America and Refugees: From the Holocaust to Today on Monday, June 26 at 7 p.m. at UNO’s Community Engagement Center (CEC) in Rooms 230/231.

The event is free and open to the public, with guest parking available. The talk is cosponsored by the Institute for Holocaust Education, the Sam & Frances Fried Holocaust & Genocide Education Fund, UNO’s Spirituality, Public Health and Religious Studies (SPHRS), Inclusive Communities, and Lutheran Family Services.

Medoff has been the author or editor of

Dr. Rafael Medoff 16 books about the Holocaust and Jewish history and is co-editor of the Encyclopedia of America’s Response to the Holocaust, and a contributor to the Encyclopedia Judaica and other reference volumes. He is also the cocreator and lead writer for the Disney Educational Productions animation project They Spoke Out: American Voices Against the Holocaust, and has authored Holocaustrelated comic strips for the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, and Marvel Comics.

Questions? Contact the IHE at info@ihene.org.

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4 | The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017

community

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Friedel Jewish Academy graduation

Parshat Naso ast week, Laura and I became parents for the first time. We brought a precious little baby girl into this glorious world. In this week’s Parsha – Naso - we learn about the “kohanim” blessing the congregation with the words “yivarechecha hashem vyishmarecha” which translates to “may you be blessed and may you be RaBBi aRi safeguarded.”

DEMBiTZER We have the tradition of blessing Beth Israel Synagogue our children every Friday night with these spiritual words. I look forward to doing this for the first time. Rav Kook explains this traditional blessing a bit deeper. He teaches that in order for one to retain a blessing, he or she has to create blessing. This productivity and positivity then combines to create the safeguard.

As we look at our beautiful child and as I look at our wonderful community, I want to bless all with the encouragement to embrace life, do more mitzvot and learn more Torah, so we can preserve what we have and continue to build upon it.

Mazal Tov to us and Shabbat Shalom to all!

Rabbi ari and Laura

Organizations

B’Nai B’RiTH BREaDBREaKERS

Ruth Meints, the executive director of the Omaha Conservatory of Music, will discuss their exciting new programs and provide a PowerPoint presentation on all the changes they made to their new home -- the old Temple Israel on Wednesday, June 7, noon. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

See full Jewish Press digital issues: https://issuu.com/jewishpress7

Thursday, May 25, Friedel’s sixth graders received their diplomas. Top: Sophia Mavropoulos, Peyton Kelln, Julian Witkowski, Mendel Wright, Jack Cohen and Noah Shrago. Middle, from left: Mendel, Julian and Head of School Beth Cohen ready the robot that delivered School President Jeff Zachariah’s notes; Jack Cohen with grandmother Jane Cohen. Bottom, right: Ruthie Sandkovsky, Eva Cohen and Sima Denenberg.

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The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017 | 5

Health+Wellness Movie Review

Nate ShapiRo The opinions that follow are those of Nate Shapiro and should not be interpreted as those of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

Before I dive in, I feel I should tell you a little bit about myself. I’m Nate Shapiro and I’ve worked as Development Director at the Jewish Federation of Omaha for about a year. I’m a proud American Jew, and I served in the Israeli Defense Force as a Lone soldier. I am a Zionist.

For the past decade (plus some change) I have followed the news coming out of Israel very closely. I try to check multiple news sources. I do not hide from the opinions that challenge my own. I use twitter to follow voices that I tend to agree with, such as Omaha’s very own Ari Kohen (@Kohenari) to voices I don’t often agree with, such as the Electronic Intifada (@intifada). As a result of this near-obsession with Israel and its role in the world, I have confidence in my ability to identify and push back against the many falsehoods that exist about Israel and her conflicts.

“No, Israel does not have the ability to flood Gaza by opening dams,” or “Actually, Israel is NOT a constitutional democracy (it has no constitution),” or “Yes, Israel did attack and destroy a US Navy Vessel killing 34 Americans in the Six Day War.” Last week, another former Lone Soldier in Omaha told me about In Our Hands: The Battle for Jerusalem, a major movie coming out, which intended to tell the story of the Six Day War from Israel’s perspective. Having not heard of it, my interest was piqued. I did a little sleuthing and found that In Our Hands was being produced by the Christian Broadcasting Network and was being shown around the United States for one night only, as a celebration of the reunification of Jerusalem. My friend and I made plans to attend the showing on May 23.

Many of us Jews know about this common (if perhaps, uncomfortable) love of Israel between Zionists and Evangelical Christians. Jews tend to love Israel as a symbol of national determination, while evangelical Christians see the State of Israel as part of their messianic prophecy. I walked into the movie with absolutely no expectations.

So, how was the movie?

A narrator spoke over photos, maps, or archival footage, interspersed with interviews and dramatizations. According to IMDB, In Our Hands is a docu-drama, and that’s an accurate categorization. The movie provides a little context talking about the founding of Israel in the wake of the Shoah, but the first important scene is a reenactment of a now-legendary address given by Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, shortly before the 1967 war. This surprisingly moving scene set the tone for the rest of the film. He spoke about his own feelings toward the celebration felt in Israel after the 1947 partition plan was approved.

“But I could not go out and join in the celebration. I sat alone and silent; a heavy burden lay upon me. During those first

hours, I could not resign myself to what had been done. I could not accept the fact that, indeed, “They have divided My land” (Joel 4:2).” “And where is our Hevron? Are we forgetting this? Where is our Shechem, our Jericho? Have we forgotten them?”

Essentially, the movie attempts to demonstrate that Israel’s success in the Six Day War was due to divine intervention to fulfill G-d’s promise that the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. The film uses the story of Colonel Motta Gur, who commanded the company of Paratroopers who eventually would take the old city, and his friend and intelligence officer, Arik Achmon, as the main narrative arc, making the film more about people than military maneuvers or equipment. This personal touch is what made the movie work as story-telling.

The film did a fine job of creating a context for the war and telling the Israeli narrative. The documentary side of the film was effective in portraying the Israelis as the underdogs. They were outmanned, outgunned, outtanked, out airplaned, and outfriended. The filmmakers conducted interviews with paratroopers and children of soldiers to tell the individual stories of bravery that often get lost in a war setting. One particularly interesting and moving scene portrayed a veteran talking about how years after they had taken Ammunition Hill from the Jordanians, survivors from all sides came back to the site of the battle to talk about how the battle was viewed from the other’s perspective. It was a scene that provided hope to me. These men, who were openly killing each other, could come together, talk about killing each other’s friends, then show each other pictures of grandkids. It seems to suggest that time does heal some wounds, and that peace is always possible.

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised about the movie. There weren’t any glaring inaccuracies that I was able to catch (granted, I’m not a military or history scholar). The director glossed over the fact that Israel carried out a pre-emptive strike against the Egyptian Air Force, there was absolutely no mention of the USS Liberty incident and only a passing mention of capturing the Gaza strip and the Golan Heights. However, the movie was pretty clear about its focus on Jerusalem, so I’ll give them a pass.

If you are looking for a well-balanced documentary that gives equal time to all perspectives, this is not that movie. Arabs are not portrayed negatively or positively, but simply as “the enemy.” The directors made no attempts to tell any stories from their perspective. Film directors have the right to tell the story the way they want to, but if I were teaching a class about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this would not be a good example of an unbiased documentary.

A welcome touch was that the movie was not only filmed in Israel, but also used Israeli actors. They spoke mostly English throughout the movie. The lead actors were See in our hands page 7

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In Our Hands

6 | The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017

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Annette vAn De KAmp-WrigHt Editor of the Jewish Press or 40 years, Dr. Sol Kutler has been a valued member of the Suburban Rotary Club of Omaha. Valued, because, according to Howard Epstein: “Sol is the most outgoing person I know. He has always had a great sense of humor and on top of that is extremely generous. Most people, once they retire, tend to drop out of the Rotary club. Not Sol; he keeps showing up and is as dedicated as ever. He even continues to sing for us. A lucky thing, because his voice is beautiful.”

Sol, a past Rotary President who turned 90 recently, has “at least 30 years of perfect attendance,” he says.

Rotary International was created in Chicago by Paul Harris 110 years ago. The purpose was for businessmen to join together and combine ethics and business. It is a service organization that today has chapters in many different countries, building community locally and around the world.

“I’ve belonged to many civic organizations,” Sol said, “and they all do great work. However, my experience at the Rotary has been most exceptional. The organization accomplishes many great things and we have tremendous fun together. It’s been especially helpful with my many travels over the years.”

Those travels are a story in and of themselves. Sol is a retired dentist (many in the community remember his old television and radio commercial that ended with “307toothy-toothy”) and in that role, he looked beyond Omaha. For years, Sol traveled to other countries to host dental clinics, providing dental services for the poor and sharing his vast knowledge and experience.

“I’ve been to Belize, Haiti, the Gaza strip, several African countries, Hong Kong, Russia and too many other places to name,” he said. “Since Rotary is international, chapters in many of those places allowed me to have local contacts. Those contacts were immensely valuable in getting the work done.”

Sol is grateful to his Rotary companions and the feeling is mutual, which is why Sol’s 90th birthday was celebrated in style.

“I tried my best to find out what exactly

they were planning,” Sol said,” but nobody would spill. I even wined and dined one of the party planners but her lips were sealed.”

Omaha World Herald columnist Mike Kelly was one of the many guests and spoke at the birthday event.

Yolanda Hoffman and Dr. Sol Kutler “I spoke at Sol’s 80th,” he said, “and will probably do so at his 100th birthday.

Kelly wrote: “Ol’ Sol, sunny as always, picked up the lunch tab for 145 at Antony’s Restaurant.

There were members of Suburban Rotary and guests, including his children and friends from out of town.”

“My son Mark came from Dallas, together with his wife and my grandchildren,” Sol said. “They asked him to speak and probably didn’t expect him to be so funny, but he had them rolling in the aisles. They also put up an entire slideshow with pictures of my life, going all the way back to when I was a baby.”

“The celebration was absolutely beyond my expectation,” fellow-Rotarian Nate Schwalb commented. “Whether you wanted to see pictures from Sol’s early years in Omaha to Sol’s visits in Israel and Haiti as a teacher for folks to learn how to do dental work, see his awards from the Governor (including a song written by Sol, A Place like Nebraska, which the State adopted as the official state ballad in 1997) or hear Mike Kelly, Toma Ovichi and other Rotarians See Sol Kutler page 7

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In Our Hands

Continued from page 5 convincing, if a bit corny at times. It also seemed like they did their homework in terms of what uniforms, weapons and tanks would have looked like at the time.

As a former soldier in the IDF, I was filled with a deep pride for my participation in the story of Israel. This movie reminded me of why my younger self left my loved ones to go stand with my Israeli brothers and sisters.

When the final title was displayed, indicating the end of the movie, I was about to leave feeling very impressed.

However, the end of the movie was not the end of my evening. After the fade-toblack, but before the credits, Gordon Robertson, CEO of the Christian Broadcasting Network and son of famed Conservative Christian Advocate Pat Robertson appeared on screen to address the audience.

Up until this point, there wasn’t much indication that this was a CBN production, aside from the theme of ‘redemption’ being brought up pretty often. There was no talk of Jesus or a messiah.

Gordon spoke about why they made the film (as a celebration of 50 years of unified Jerusalem), and why it was important in this day in age. He showed clips from the now infamous UN meeting where the US abstained from the vote (as opposed to the traditional veto) which left Israel out to dry. He spoke positively about how President Trump was planning to move the embassy to Jerusalem. He then started using biblical passages from both the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament to sort of justify these actions. He would quote a passage that talks about all nations rising up against Israel, and then he showed the UN clip. He talked about

The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017 | 7

Jerusalem as the City of G-d’s dwelling, and would show quotes from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas wanting to kill Jews and take Jerusalem. He was making the point that Jerusalem and Israel need to belong to the Jews because whatever end-times prophecy he believes in, is in the process of happening.

I’m not a guy who believes in a lot of prophecy. I don’t think Jesus of Nazareth is coming back, and I don’t really think there are any other Messiahs. That’s just me over here. So this part really did throw a little bit of a wet blanket on my opinion of the movie as a whole. I noticed that during Gordon’s address, some members of our community stood up and walked out.

Truth be told, I considered it also. The movie was over, and I had no idea how long I was going to have to sit through Gordon and his reading the bible to me.

Although I didn’t particularly enjoy Gordon’s address, I am glad that I didn’t leave.

It helped me understand why evangelical Christians love Israel. It made a kind of sense to me. If you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and that the Christian Bible is divine, then the passages Mr. Robertson quoted will read a lot like an unfurling prophecy. You will get the sense that return to Jerusalem is not just this event that has righted a 2000 historical injustice to the Jewish Nation, but that it is bigger than that. It is the gathering of the end times, and for those bound for heaven, I would imagine this to be exciting.

As I said, I am not one of those people, and I did feel like the address (which was about 20 minutes long!) was thrust upon the audience. But, aside from that, if you are interested in Israeli history, then you will not regret watching In Our Hands: The Battle for Jerusalem.

community Sol Kutler

Continued from page 6 from the last 40 years, the event was most entertaining and funny. The best part: Sol’s jokes at the end, which were absolutely hilarious.”Committee Chair for Program & Rotaract Yolanda Hoffman said: “Sol is a stalwart outstanding Rotarian who is an epitome of Rotary's motto ‘Service Above Self.’ His support for Rotary's humanitarian projects, love for Nebraska, and love for country is worthy of emulation.”

When Sol says Rotarians have fun while making Omaha and the world a better place, he is –for once--not kidding. Seven club members in platinum blonde wigs sang

Happy Birthday, Marilyn Monroe-style.

“Just like it was done for President Kennedy,” Sol said. Former Rotary President Curt Peters jumped out of a large make-believe cake, also decked out in a blonde wig.

“At my age, women think I’m harmless,” Sol said, according to Mike Kelly. “In 40 years, I’ve never heard one critical word at our weekly meetings,” Sol said. “No matter your age, religion, skin color or background, this is a place where everyone is treated with utmost respect and I love that about Rotary. Every single week I have something great to look forward to.”

Lincoln supports Jewish Federation on Give to Lincoln Day Sarah Kelen Thursday, May 18 was the seventh annual Give to Lincoln Day, a citywide day of giving to benefit nonprofit organizations in Lancaster-county. Give to Lincoln Day is sponsored by the Lincoln Community Foundation, which offered $350,000 in matching funds to participating non-profit organizations. This year’s Give to Lincoln Day set a new record for community giving, with almost 3.7 million dollars raised.

The Jewish Federation of Lincoln has participated in Give to Lincoln since its inception, and the annual event has become the official “Campaign Clickoff,” launching the fundraising for each year’s annual cam-

paign. Many donors give their full annual membership pledge on Give to Lincoln Day because they know that the matching funds offered to participating non-profits help their donations go further.

After a day of watching the donor clicks and donation totals go up, Lincoln Federation board members were gratified to see that the community had rallied together to raise over $27,000 for the Federation.

That donation total positioned Federation at number thirty-five out of over 350 participating non-profits at the end of the day, an impressive showing for a small Jewish community.

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community Beth Israel election and Volunteer of the Year recognitions

Mary Sue GroSSMan Beth Israel Synagogue The Annual Meeting for Beth Israel Synagogue was held Sunday, May 21. The meeting began with a state of the synagogue address by President Toba Cohen-Dunning. Toba expressed her thanks to the board members for their hard work and also complimented the many volunteers for the variety of areas in which they support Beth Israel.

Elected to serve on the Board of Commissioners for 2017-2018 were Joel Alperson, Toba Cohen-Dunning, Bruce Goldberg, Julee Katzman, Jeff Kirshenbaum, Debbie Kricsfeld, Bruce Potash, Lynne Saltzman, Andreea Shnayder, Helene Shrago, Michael Shrago, Jeff Stein, Lauren Tam, Sherry Taxman, and Harry Weiner. Officers elected were President, Toba Cohen-Dunning; Financial Vice President, Bruce Goldberg; Membership Vice President, Bruce Potash; Administrative Vice President, Jeff Stein; Treasurer, Jeff Kirshenbaum; and Secretary, Julee Katzman.

Bette Kozlen and Helene Shrago were recognized as the 2017 Beth Israel Volunteers of the Year. Bette and Helene have chaired the annual, and immensely popular, Sisterhood Donor Luncheon, Style Show, and Silent Auction for many years. Toba commenting that volunteers are the true heart of the synagogue and cited Bette and Helene for their dedication, creativity, and generosity.

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Linda Hartough

Karen GuStaFSon JFS Executive Director For those of you who know me, I am a bull dog (nothing against bull dogs) when it comes to the confidentiality of clients at Jewish Family Service (JFS). We honor the community members we serve by holding sacred their privacy above all else.

Over the years I have been asked on many occasions to share some of our success stories in order for the community to see the good work that JFS performs every day. My answer, to the dislike of some, has always been that I am not willing to share our client stories even if we disguise some of the details. We live in a small community; and, for people to trust Jewish Family Service, I have never even wanted to ask people for permission to share their stories. I didn’t want a community member who was pondering calling us to even think ‘If I go there for help will they eventually ask me to share my story? Will I need to feel obligated to do this as a way to say thank you?’ I never wanted to put someone in that position.

This is still my philosophy. What made this decision different from the past was the recent hire of Linda Cogen as the Assistance Coordinator for Jewish Family Service. To me it was a “full-circle moment” that felt too important not to share. What a better person to be in this position, but someone who has been in these shoes. The decision to hire Linda was very deliberate; to provide hope to anyone needing financial assistance and to experience Linda’s compassion and respect for the difficulty that one sometimes feels when asking for help.

So... without further ado... let me introduce you to Linda Cogen, JFS Assistance Coordinator...

Linda and her husband Mark lived in many cities throughout the U.S. (Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Louisville, Chicago and Boise), with the most recent in Fort Lauderdale, Florida prior to moving to Omaha in 2001 where Mark was asked to start a new division at Physician Mutual Insurance Company. They have two adult sons who are both living their own independent successful lives, Stuart in London and Alan in Omaha.

In 2005, Mark was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. As Linda states, “Our lives changed forever. For the first time, I felt helpless and unsure of the future. Having lived a wonderful, privileged life, I never dreamed that I, too, would need help. I found myself needing assistance and reached out to Jewish Family Service and Rabbi Azriel for guidance.

The warmth and professionalism was most welcomed. I was given an opportunity to evaluate my needs and find solutions.” Linda was en-

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couraged to apply for a job opening at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and was hired as a part-time front desk receptionist in December, 2011. During her time at RBJH, her skills were quickly recognized and rewarded.

Linda was offered full-time, then Volunteer Coordinator. In November, 2016 Linda was promoted to the JFS Assistance Coordinator.

A bit of education here: Due to the State and National Code of Conduct that all staff at JFS are trained to adhere to... Linda could only become an employee at Jewish Family Service after having no longer been a client

for at least 5 years. Similar limits hold true for Board Members as well...

No current Board Member may request services through Jewish Family Service, although the time regulations are considerable shorter.

Where most people do not have to worry about boundaries, JFS staff, by law, are not permitted to enter into what is called “a dual relationship,” which can mean several things, but for the sake of this conversation, means that we should never put ourselves in a position where there is the potential for influence; either by us to someone or by someone to us.

An old favorite book of mine, Living a Life That Matters, by Harold S. Kushner reads “Every life touches many other lives, and rare is the person who knows how much of a difference he or she has made. But, by being good people and doing good things, we can, as members of a community dedicated to goodness, change the world. We can matter.”

We all matter. Every single member of this community matters and we all are capable of giving something back to someone. Whether we are a donor who donates to JFS so that others can be helped, whether we are the people who work on behalf of the givers or are those in need... not one of us is immune to problems and the need for compassion and support.

All of us at JFS feel lucky every day to serve community members... look what we all can do when we work together. Not only can we matter... we DO matter.

I want to assure anyone who is considering calling JFS for help that you will not be asked to share your story. Call us at 402.330.2024.

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Voices of Beth El

Martin ShukErt eth El Synagogue has always been a major part of my life. Many of us who grew up in and with the synagogue remember vignettes of childhood that keep coming back to us.

One of these moments for me goes back to the High Holiday service in the 49th Street building, when we sat as part of the overflow crowd in the basement social hall – we rarely got to services early enough to sit upstairs. My special moment was hearing Cantor Aaron Edgar and the Beth El choir reach the stirring Martin Shukert conclusion of Louis Lewandowski’s choral composition of U’netanah tokef with the lead-in “mi yanuah” sung in counterpoint, crescendoing and resolving itself triumphantly into the major key “ut’shuvah, ut’fila, utzedaka” – repentance, prayer, and righteousness minimize the evil decree... three times every year hearing these historic voices of Beth El proclaim the importance of these three critical elements of a religious and moral life. It was a personal thrill when I, an untrained and usually overfrenetic choir director, tried to use what I had observed from great musicians like Tuffy Epstein, Chaim Najman, and Emil Berkovits, and had the chance to reintroduce this same piece.

I remember listening to the sermons and textual interpretations of Rabbi Myer Kripke, another historic voice of Beth El, and know that he sparked my interest in Biblical interpretation. I remember how Rabbi Kripke was there for me during my various conflicts and doubts over theology during college. I remember the learning that Rabbi Alexander Katz, yet another distinctive voice of Beth El, provided when he taught me to read Torah (including his special re’viah note that is the mark of every Katz-trained Torah reader), giving me the skills and appreciation for Torah that helped me reconnect with Judaism in an active way when Aveva and I lived in Austin, Texas. All these and more gifts were granted me by my synagogue.

Beth El has also been there for the life events of our family. When Aveva and I were married almost 44 years ago, the ceremony took place at Beth Israel but Rabbi Kripke coofficiated. Our daughters’ baby namings and Bat Mitzvahs took place at Beth El, and both of their weddings were performed by our dear friend and constant source of inspiration Rabbi Paul Drazen. And the funerals of my beloved parents took place at Beth El and, true to their nature, were unusual events. Beth El has given us the opportunity to give

The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017 | 9

back to it as well, and Aveva and I have been grateful for that faith in us.

But enough of the past. There are new voices of Beth El that make me even more excited about our future. They are the voices of Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman, who have injected new life into the congregation, creating through their passion, intelligence, and humor an environment that is at once welcoming, innovative, intellectually stimulating, and whimsical. They are the energetic voices of young children who are free to be children and make the rest of us feel young. They are the voices of accomplished B’nai Mitzvah, whose love for Judaism shows in their facility with the liturgy and the art of reading Torah. Their thoughtful insights fill me with pride and happiness. They are the voices of our long-running Sunday morning Torah study group, whose arguments and sometimes “creative” interpretations of Tanach spill out into the hallway beyond the library. All these and many other voices define the collective voice of Beth El. But what is most special about this congregation isits willingness to explore and innovate – to accommodate and welcome a changing world while maintaining the essence of our foundational values. A congregation whose seder includes camel rides and goat petting as a prelude to a beautiful event that appeals to all of the senses, including the visual. A congregation that travels to Cuba to connect with the remnants of the island’s Jewish community. A congregation moving rapidly in the direction of inclusion and openness in all aspects of its life and the life of its members. A congregation with professionals who challenge conventional thinking, are not afraid to have fun, and are partners with congregants in exploring the meaning of Judaism in this century. It is no wonder that our daughter Ariel, living in Los Angeles, tells us that she wishes she could find a “Beth El” among the congregations in the nation’s second largest Jewish community. It is a privilege to be part of this living and evolving synagogue, whose voices, while diverse and interested in different things, unite in their way to make music as beautiful as that of the majestic choir of years past.

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Lawrence Pollack: 1933-2017

John D. PoLLack property line en route to San Francisco. or Lawrence Pollack, if you But if the work was hard and the farming weren’t where you were supposed business dependent on many factors beto be at least five minutes early, yond his control, Lawrence never comyou were late. Such structure and plained, because that’s what he learned from punctuality, a Harold, whom Lawrence legacy of his career as a called “the best man I naval aviator, often found ever knew.” Besides, the expression in his anfarm wasn’t just work, it nouncement of an apwas a place to host family proaching “pushback barbeques, Fourth of July time” – the exact mopicnics, Boy Scout camment it was time to leave, pouts and occasional whether he was taking field trips from the youth family to the airport, groups at Temple Israel. meeting friends for a Community and family, meal, or volunteering especially family, were with his therapy dog, central to Lawrence’s life.

Ranger. In the early hours With his first wife Enid, of May 21, after living a he raised Danny, Kathy life full of purpose, and Sally, imbuing in all friendship and enthusithree children the paraLawrence Pollack asm, Lawrence pushed mount importance of back for the final time. He was 83. hard work, integrity, generosity, service and A native of Omaha, Lawrence enjoyed kindness. three careers. As a navy pilot, who retired as Together, and despite his duties to farm a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve after 24 and navy, Lawrence showed them America years of flying, he enjoyed adventures with vacations to the mountains of Colorado, around the world. In his early years of serv- the Great Lakes of Michigan, the boundary ice, he regularly flew from Hawaii to Alaska waters of Minnesota and the beaches of and back, as part of the Airborne Early Florida – all places to share the beauty of naWarning Line on watch for a missile attack ture with each other, with grandparents, with from Russia. Later, his plane took some flak aunts and uncles and cousins. Because what – but was not shot down – over Vietnam. In is life for if you don’t share it with the people another instance, he watched in awe as you love, eating and joking and reminiscing? lightning struck the nose of his aircraft, enAlways a dutiful son, he spent many Sunday veloping the entire plane in a beautiful, mornings at his parents’ home, where his crackling blue light. It was all part of the ex- mom Sylvia would happily make crepes for citement and beauty of his job. three generations of Pollacks. In that same Often, when he returned home to his fam- spirit, for decades, he often celebrated Shabily, he brought souvenirs from his travels – a bat dinner at the home of his aunt and uncle, sword from Spain, a straw hat from Cuba, Dorothy and Henry Riekes. an exotic urn from the bazaars of Turkey.

Lawrence’s third career was in real estate.

Wherever his missions took him, Lawrence As life changed and Omaha grew, he left loved flying, loved his crewmates, and loved farming and embraced the challenge of serving his country. He retired in 1979, helping families find just the right home. turning over command of his squadron in a And if the endeavor didn’t inspire him in ceremony at the Memphis Naval Air Station. quite the same way that flying and farming He took great pride in his military service did, it allowed him to put his gift for buildfor the rest of his life. A small sign on the ing new relationships, his wisdom about birdfeeder outside his patio door proudly life, and his abiding spirit of community to states “Home of the Free because of the good use. Arriving at one listing, he found a Brave”. Only the birds that drop by (and a small one-eyed dog abandoned and whimfew acrobatic squirrels) get a free lunch. pering on the home’s doorstep. He gave it a Lawrence earned a degree in Agriculture bath, a name and a new home – his. He from the University of Nebraska that related even fitted his new companion, Honey, for to his second career – working with his dad, her own life jacket, so that he could take her Harold Pollack, on the family farm near sailing on Escape, his 25’ MacGregor.

Elkhorn. While the business was called the Over the years, as Lawrence gradually Omaha Feeding Company, he called the shifted from real estate into retirement, he farm Chosen Hill. From the late 1950s to began putting more of his time into volunthe early 1980s, he rose every morning long teer work: visiting with patients in the hosbefore dawn, met Harold for breakfast, then pital, delivering care packages to the elderly, drove out to 168th and Blondo to feed the and taking his therapy dog Ranger to cheer cattle, rain or shine or blizzard. A coffee up people struggling through hard times. break came mid-morning, with the tires of Never one to think life’s joys were over, his pale green Cadillac humming over the Lawrence was 61 when he married Jan worn bricks of the old Lincoln Highway on Grimsley. Between courtship and marriage, the way into Elkhorn. To the amazement of he and “Griz”, as he affectionately called her, visiting nieces and nephews, the car ran enjoyed nearly 20 great years together bewithout keys. fore she died of cancer in 2008. Two years Late in the afternoon of a hot Nebraska ago, Lawrence moved from their longtime summer, after the cattle were cared for, the home on 91st Street in Omaha to Hillcrest fields tended, the weeds mowed, the silos Estates, in Papillion. There, he made an entopped off and the tractors back in the shed, tirely new group of friends who appreciated Lawrence sometimes walked up to the grove his upbeat attitude, wisdom, and sense of of cottonwoods that crowned the farm’s humor even as the health challenges of age highest point to look over the feedlots below began to mount. and the sea of tasseled corn beyond. Along Lawrence is survived by his daughters Sally with Clyde, his favorite farm dog, he might and Kathy Pollack of San Carlos, CA; his son then take a short nap on a bench by the Danny Pollack and daughter-in-law Barbara farm’s cool cistern, a buried tanker car from of Seattle, along with granddaughters Lara the Union Pacific Railroad, whose trains and Beth; his brother Henry and sister-in-law See Lawrence Pollack page 11 regularly whistled past the farm’s southern

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Fellman B’nai Mitzvah

Nancy Fellman Rips, daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. Leon Fellman, mother of Amy (Scott) Levine (Highland Park, IL) and Wendy (Conrad) Mahaffey (Santa Fe, NM), and grandmother to Noah Levine will celebrate the 60th anniversary of her Bat Mitzvah with her twin brother, Tom Fellman. It will take place Saturday, June 17 at Beth El Synagogue.

Tom Fellman, son of the late Dr. and Mrs. Leon Fellman, husband to Darlynn, father of Louri Sullivan and Ted (Estee) Fellman (Missoula MT.), and grandfather to Rachel, Josh, Samantha, and Tommy Sullivan and Leo and Grayson Fellman will celebrate the 60th anniversary of his Bar Mitzvah with his twin sister, Nancy Rips. It will take place Saturday, June 17 at Beth El Synagogue.

They have a sister Jane Pickus, Highland Park, IL. and a brother Richard Fellman.

Their mitzvah projects have included Libraries, Synagogues, Temples, Nursing Homes, Fitness Centers, Schools, and Assisted Living Residences.

The Bar and Bat Mitzvah 60th Anniversary Celebration at Beth El will be followed by an Oneg Shabbat and Kiddush Lunch.

No gifts, please

The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017 | 11

community Eye on Israel and memories from the War Mark kirChhoff Program and Communications Assistant When Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich begins his session of Eye on Israel on June 5 at noon in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library, he will be prepared to look

Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.

Those are some of the facts. Rabbi Abramovich will review those before looking at the war from a new perspective. He will explore how memories of

which people have viewed the existence of the Israeli state. I am going to share some of those societal perspectives during this session.”

Rabbi Shlomo will include a review of current events in Israel to begin the

at the Six-Day war from an interesting perspective. It is generally well-known that this war is also known as the June War, 1967 Arab–Israeli War, or Third Arab–Israeli War. It was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967 by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt (known at the time as the United Arab Republic), Jordan and Syria. On June 11, a ceasefire was signed. Arab casualties were far heavier than those of Israel. Israel's military success was attributed to the element of surprise, an innovative and well-executed battle plan, and the poor quality and leadership of the Arab forces. Israel seized control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East

the war have changed over time. Changing times lend themselves to differing interpretations and evaluations of the significance of past events. History often uses wars as benchmarks of a nation’s development and culture. “It is amazing how perceptions of the SixDay War have changed over time,” exclaimed Rabbi Abramovich. “This war has an interesting relationship to the War of Independence in the way in

presentation. He will also include a special guest who was a soldier who fought in the Six-Day War. The mystery guest will share his memories and assessment of the effect of the war. All this will be packed into an interesting and informative hour from noon until 1 p.m. on Monday, June 5. Eye on Israel is always open to the public free of charge. Please come and invite a friend.

Continued from page 10 Lana; and his sister Judy Pazol and brother-in-law Larry. Many cousins, nephews, nieces and friends also mourn his loss.

A memorial service will be held later this summer. Memorials may be made

to support one of his favorite organizations: The Nebraska Humane Society at 8929 Fort Street, Omaha, NE 68134; or the Visiting Nurse Association, at 12565 West Center Road, Omaha, NE 68144.

Many years ago, on a summer night, he taught his kids, nephews and nieces

how to construct homemade hot-air balloons from dry-cleaning bags, a few drinking straws, and a handful of birthday candles. The balloons they set aloft glowed until they finally disappeared into the night. Lawrence, too, still flies in our memory.

Lawrence Pollack

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Welcome to the comment section aNNETTE vaN DE KaMP-WRiGhT Editor of the Jewish Press efore I dive into this week’s editorial, I wanted to take a moment to apologize for a mix-up in last week’s paper. The start time of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Meeting, June 5 is 7 p.m. The reception will take place after the meeting, not before as previously announced. We’re very sorry for the error! Please tell your family and friends. I’m a little worried people will miss the correction and show up at 6 p.m....

It was a reasonable, well-balanced article in the Omaha World Herald, titled: As $6.5M mosque on Omaha’s tri-faith site prepares to open, area’s Muslim population is growing, has roughly doubled in size by staff writer Michael O’Connor.

At least, about two-thirds of the people who read it and commented on the Facebook link thought so. They wrote nice things, like “Welcome to the neighborhood,” “The point of the tri-faith initiative is to build bridges” and “We are proud to have you as our neighbors.”

No doubt, that was what the journalist who produced the article had hoped for. It’s what every writer hopes for: readers who understood the intentions inherent in writing about something that makes Omaha unique, something interesting; something maybe slightly different and thought provoking, which we should nonetheless be able to discuss like adults.

Cue the trolls.

(Trolling, for those not familiar with the term, happens when people leave comments online with the sole purpose of getting others riled up.)

It’s not a phenomenon unique to the Herald, nor is it reserved for stories about this particular initiative; it happens all over the Internet every day. What’s disappointing — but maybe not surprising — is the infantile tone of many of the hateful responses. Especially the cartoons showing a bad

rendition of Calvin, sans Hobbes, peeing on the word ‘Islam.’

A picture of a hand, showing a raised middle finger, combined with the word ‘Muslims.’ Really, people?

I know, I know: don’t read the comments. But here’s the thing: when we treat these silly, juvenile responses as just that, we’re doing ourselves a disservice. Not everybody who leaves these types of memes is a harmless fool with nothing better to do than troll the Internet for some excitement. Sometimes, these are people who are genuinely ill and troubled.

Take Jeremy Christian, for instance.

And it makes me wonder: how far is the distance between someone posting a hateful comment and that same someone pulling a knife? All hateful acts start somewhere; not everyone who speaks hateful words will eventually commit atrocities, but everyone who commits a hate crime did start at some point by putting that hate into words. And while hateful speech aggravates those with a different mindset, they can also inspire others who feel the same dark anger and the need to lash out. What if you post an anti-Semitic rant and nobody sees it? What if you post that rant a day later

Credit: WOWT.com “If Trump is the next Hitler then I am joining his SS to put an end to Monotheist Question,” he wrote on Facebook last January. “All Zionist Jews, All Christians who do not follow Christ’s teachings of Love, Charity and Forgiveness And All Jihadi Muslims are going to Madagascar or the Ovens/FEMA Camps!” (See the full article on the opposite page.)

The problem is, we don’t need to check his Facebook rantings to know Jeremy Christian is dangerous. We know by now he is a hateful, anti-Semitic Islamophobe who thinks nothing of taking his anger out on others. We don’t need his previously written words: we have an actual body count.

and 50 Internet ‘friends’ like it? Now you have an audience.

Suddenly, trolling becomes much more menacing.

I don’t have a solution. I do know that words matter, much more than we realize. It’s why I find those Internet trolls more than just aggravating; it’s why I have an almost compulsive need to check the comment section, even though I know some of it will upset me. Maybe more so when the trolls are responding to a story that involves my synagogue, my city. And maybe also because today your cartoon character is disrespecting Muslims, but tomorrow it will disrespect all of us.

War. He explained his decision at an infamous news conference in which he said Israelis were “an elite people, assertive and domineering.”

David Ben-Gurion responded, “We do not harbor an ‘ardent ambition to conquer’ but rather a fervent faith and the vision of peace as described by our prophets.”

rooted in distrust of Iran. In recent months, with the new American administration in place, there have been signs that such an implicit alliance is a real possibility. What remains unclear is whether France will rise to the occasion and play a key role in forming and bolstering this alliance against a common threat.

The election of Macron gives cause for optimism about the future of Franco-Israeli relations.

His visit to Israel as minister of the economy sent the message that France is eager to renew cooperation. After all, as Macron has suggested, “French tech” and the “start-up nation” rank among the 10 most innovative economies in the world.

Furthermore, Macron proved himself a friend to Israel during the presidential campaign, opposing any boycott of the country or the recognition of a state of Palestine in the absence of any peace agreement.

As president-elect, Macron has already had discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who congratulated the new French leader on his triumph and highlighted the importance of cooperation between their two nations on counterterrorism initiatives.

Yet we cannot allow these hopeful signs to make us complacent. The history of French diplomacy over the past 50 years offers much evidence of dashed hopes.

At a time when U.S. plans for mediating between Israelis and Palestinians remain in doubt because President Donald Trump has yet to win the confidence of either party, and Germany’s relations with Israel have turned fraught, Paris has a window of opportunity to restore ties and benefit from cooperation with an Israel that can be its ally on many fronts.

Let’s hope that the new president will choose to renew a sincere, solid bond between France and Israel.

Simone Rodan-Benzaquen is director and Julie Decroix is deputy director of the American Jewish Committee’s Europe Office.

Dear President Macron: It’s time to reinforce France’s ties with Israel SiMoNE RoDaN-BENzaquEN and JuliE DECRoix PARIS | JTA In the French presidential campaign just concluded, discussion of foreign policy was largely forgotten. Nonetheless, Emmanuel Macron, France’s new president, faces several critical global issues, among them the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

If France would like to play a role, she must rebuild the credibility that was diminished in January when the Paris Peace Conference concluded with declarative statements but no tangible results that might encourage the two parties to work toward peace. By internationalizing the conflict and leading the Palestinians to believe that they can avoid the negotiating table, the French initiative in effect slowed down an already lagging peace process.

France must appear as an honest broker, an impartial mediator that takes the concerns of both parties into consideration. And France must win back Israel’s trust -- especially after deciding to exclude it from the January negotiations -- by reaffirming the absolute necessity of ensuring Israel’s security within secure and recognized borders. Macron must approach his relationship with Israel with great care.

Earlier this month, France abstained from voting on the umpteenth UNESCO resolution aimed at denying the historical connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem. Meanwhile, a number of other European countries (Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Greece and the Netherlands) made the decision to oppose the resolution, one that runs counter to the aim of achieving peace.

Is it not time for France to reconsider its position on this issue, to dare to oppose initiatives that strive to delegitimize Israel?

In 1967, President Charles de Gaulle officially ended the Franco-Israeli honeymoon period of the 1950s and early ‘60s when he imposed an arms embargo on Israel just before the Six-Day

Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron at a news conference in Berlin, May 15, 2017.

Credit: Axel Schmidt/Getty Images Fifty years later, there are vast possibilities for cooperation between France and Israel. The most obvious is the fight against terrorism. France is a target for attacks, and in that regard finds itself in a situation similar to Israel’s. It would make considerable sense to look to Israel for expertise in population preparedness and government resilience in order to combat this scourge.

In responding to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, France has adopted an uncompromising position in opposition to Tehran’s aggressive policies.

Surely it would be in France’s best interests to align its strategy with that of Israel, a country similarly concerned by the Iranian threat, as well as with the new U.S. administration, which is eager to address the Iranian nuclear threat.

Moreover, Paris can help broker a rapprochement between Israel and Sunni Arab countries -powers that already engage in a discrete alliance

When a government won’t let you look away

Portland man charged with light rail murder was known white supremacist

The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017 | 13

anDReW siloW-caRRoll utes ago came word that Israel was -- no surprise here -- the NEW YORK | JTA source of the intelligence Trump disclosed to the Russians JTA No one who has lived in Israel or even visited for an ex(the Russians!). e Portland man who allegedly killed two men on a tended time can forget the top-of-the-hour news broadcasts The nature of this presidency is that the unusual and uncommuter train aer they intervened as he spewed hate on Kol Yisrael, or Israel Radio. precedented quickly supplants the abnormal and the unspeech at two women who looked Muslim is a known Before its shutdown this week as part of a byzantine reheard of, cycle after cycle. The left cries emergency. The local white supremacist, a local newspaper reported. form of public broadcasting, the government-run station right celebrates the disruption. And most of us switch on Jeremy Christian, 35, preceded its brief updates with a series of short beeps and our televisions the way we do a broken barbecue grill, bracwas arrested early Satone long one marking the hour. On public buses, the driver ing for the explosion and singed eyebrows. urday and charged with would turn up the sound and the passengers would go quiet There is an upside, I suppose, to all this craziness. You murder, attempted as a voice-of-doom announcer would intone, “Kol Yisrael can’t say people aren’t paying attention. Last year, according murder and a hate m’yirusalayim, shalom ... to Nielsen, cable news viewcrime, among other Hinei hachadashot ...” -- “The ership almost doubled, with crimes, in connection Voice of Israel from adults watching over 27 bilwith the slayings Friday Jerusalem, shalom. Here’s the lion minutes per week. (That’s on the MAX, or Metronews ...” cumulative, by the way. I first politan Area Express Even in periods of relative read that as saying individual Light Rail, the Portland calm, you could sense people adults watched 27 billion Mercury reported. holding their breaths until the minutes of cable news each Christian was harassnews turned out to be someweek and figured, sounds ing two women who thing benign or unsensaabout right.) The failing New looked Muslim, includ- Jeremy christian speaking at the tional. My Hebrew was never York Times added 308,000 ing one wearing a tra- right-wing “march for Free speech” in Portland, oregon, april great, but even I remember new digital subscriptions in ditional hijab. feeling relieved when the first the first quarter of this year. e Portland Police 29, 2017.

Credit: Screenshot from Vimeo thing the announcer said was JTA posted record numbers Bureau said in a report “Rosh hamemshala,” or of online readers during the that the man “was on the MAX train yelling various re“prime minister.” My thinkelection campaign and it has marks that would be best characterized as hate speech ing was, nothing dire could continued into the Trump toward a variety of ethnicities and religions. At least two President Donald Trump walking to a waiting limousine to greet be happening if they’re talkpresidency. of the victims attempted to intervene with the suspect Turkish President Recep Tayyip erdogan at the White House, may ing about the government.

Friends regularly tell me and calm him down. e suspect attacked the men, stab16, 2017.

Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images The standard explanation they and their children are bing three, before leaving the train.” for all this solemnity was that Israel was a country perpetumore engaged in public affairs than they were before the Two of those stabbed, Ricky John Best and Taliesin ally on the edge, and every newscast could bring notice of a election campaign. More quietly, Trump foes admit that Myrddin Namkai Meche, died from their injuries. Micah new threat or sudden disaster. On visits to Israel over the they don’t remember the news ever being this interesting, or David-Cole Fletcher is recovering in hospital. decades, I learned to appreciate living in a country of relaentertaining, outside the occasional crisis -- although they Christian’s Facebook page included several posts with tive stability and calm, where threats were usually distant will quickly say it is entertainment they can do without. anti-Semitic messages. and few issues were existential.

Israelis like to claim that the high stakes of living in a In January he wrote: “Trump is the Next Hitler then I Whatever else you can say about the past four months, stressed-out country actually make life seem more precious. am joining his SS to put an end to Monotheist Question. the Trump administration has robbed us of that luxury.

According to the U.N.’s recent World Happiness Report, IsAll Zionist Jews, All Christians who do not follow I am hardly the only one who powers up his phone in the rael is the 11th-happiest country in the world, three places Christ’s teaching of Love, Charity, and Forgiveness And morning, or clicks on the radio, and wonders, “OK, now ahead of the United States. When the Christian BroadcastAll Jihadi Muslims are going to Madagascar or the what?” And there is almost always a what. A tweet from ing Network asked a young Israeli named “Sam” why that Ovens/FEMA Camps!!! Does this make me a fascist!!!

Trump accusing his predecessor of illegally wiretapping his would be, he replied, “I think that the things that are really #Monotheist Holocaust FinalSolutionToeMonothe phones. A military strategy session held in full view of dinimportant to people here in Israel, they’re not sort of superistQuestion” ers at his Florida resort. A Friday afternoon immigration ficial things.”

He is also against ritual circumcision, practiced by order that throws airports into chaos. A friendly overture to But all this paying attention comes with a price. An both Jews and Muslims. Among several posts that were the Philippines’ autocratic president. Or Turkey’s autocratic American Psychological Association survey in February both anti-circumcision and anti Semitic and anti-Muspresident. Or Egypt’s autocratic president. found that 57 percent of Americans say the current political lim he wrote: “I want a job in Norway cutting off the Blame Trump or a hysterical media, but the whole notion climate is a “very” or “somewhat” significant source of their heads of people that Circumcize Babies... Like if you of stability and calm seems so ... 2016. Honestly, I’ve been stress. (Unsurprisingly, Democrats were about three times agree!!!” e post came aer Norway’s ruling party voted wracking my brains trying to remember a key moment from as stressed as Republicans.) An APA official suggested peoto ban ritual circumcision. either of Barack Obama’s two terms. Yes, there was the overple limit the amount of time spent consuming the news and He also wrote earlier this year: “I just Challenged Ben all sense of a personally popular and politically divisive pres- social media.

Ferencz(Last Living Nuremberg Persecutor) to a Debate ident wrestling with the opposition in the House and Senate.

The biggest price may come in the loss of a basic sense of in the Hague with Putin as our judge. I will defend the There were popular decisions and unpopular decisions. But freedom. If any institution is running well, its activities are Nazis and he will defend the AshkeNAZIs.” the alarming and, as they say in the news business, “holy mostly invisible or unremarkable to the people using them. e Anti-Defamation League condemned the attack s**t” moments were few and far between. His first inaugura- (No one tweets, “The A Train was on time, uncrowded and and called for government policy to help counter such tion was inspiring. The announcement of the killing of delightfully clean!,” and not just because it never is.) A citiextremism.

Osama bin Laden was way cool. I remember tearing up zen should be able to turn off the media for a while without “Now more than ever, ADL is sounding the alarm when he sang Amazing Grace at the funeral for a victim of feeling that she will be missing something significant to her about domestic terrorism and hate crimes in America,” the Charleston church shooting. And chuckling when he well-being or survival.

Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO said in a statement. played along with Zach Galifianakis on Between Two Ferns.

“One of the great achievements of free society in a stable “e scourge of ideologically motivated violence of all And that’s about it for “No Drama Obama.” Trump, by democracy is that many people, for much of the time, need kinds, no matter where it happens or in what form, is contrast, provides as much drama in a week as Obama not think about politics at all,” Andrew Sullivan wrote reone of the key issues of our time. e deadly attack in would in a year or two. Do you remember the Comey fircently. “The president of a free country may dominate the Portland is not a rare or isolated event. Rather, this is the ing? How about the evolving series of explanations offered news cycle many days -- but he is not omnipresent -- and latest in a long string of violent incidents connected to by his aides? Or Trump’s interview with Lester Holt, in because we live under the rule of law, we can afford to turn right-wing extremists in the United States. is consiswhich he said he had already decided to fire the FBI directhe news off at times. A free society means being free of tent threat requires consistent resources and we call on tor before the Department of Justice could provide a, well, those who rule over you -- to do the things you care about, our leaders to condemn this brutal act of terror and cra justification. your passions, your pastimes, your loves -- to exult in that policy to counter all forms of violent extremism, includYou’re forgiven if you thought, in the wake of Monday blessed space where politics doesn’t intervene.” ing white supremacy,” Greenblatt concluded. night’s bombshell about Trump sharing highly classified inThe ominous message of George Orwell’s 1984 is that Christian is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. formation with the Russians -- the Russians! -- that the “Big Brother is Watching You.” Maybe just as ominous is the He previously served prison time on robbery and kidComey thing took place a few months ago rather than last idea that we can’t stop watching Big Brother. napping convictions, according to reports.

Tuesday. I was about to sink into a stupor on the bus ride home Monday when my wife messaged me, “Did you see the Washington Post story?” Nap averted! That meant an To submiT announcemenTs evening of surfing the cable news networks and thumbing Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewish omaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, through Twitter. After a night of restless dreams -- in one I NE 68154. was forced to spill my deepest, darkest secrets to a beast Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at with the face of Sergey Kislyak and the body of Sergey Kislyak -- I woke up to Trump essentially confirming the the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewish omaha.org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements. Deadlines are account his top aides had denied the night before. Five minnormally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.

14 | The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017

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

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 June 9, at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Sandi Yoder, Director of the Iowa Jewish Historical Society. Our special guest Torah reader will be Noah Levine of the Jewish Community Legacy project. Oneg to follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! Our services are led by lay leader Larry Blass.

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

BeTh el Synagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. frIday: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.

SaTurday: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. weekday SerVICeS: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Sunday: Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Clothing Drive for our Syrian family, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Please note: Clothing can be dropped off at any time during office hours throughout the week. monday: Kamp KEF, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

TueSday: Kamp KEF, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. wedneSday: Kamp KEF, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

ThurSday: Kamp KEF, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Shanghai (in the right-side pod), 1 p.m.

Kamp KEF, friday, June 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Shabbat Speaker, Saturday, June 10, 9:30 a.m., featuring Malakal Goak, Executive Director of Caring People Sudan, a non-profit based in Omaha which focuses on caring for refugees who have immigrated from Sudan, primarily South Sudan. Omaha is one of the major centers in the United States for Sudanese refugees.

All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.

BeTh ISrael Synagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. frIday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Friday Learing Series with Rabbi Shlomo, 11:15 a.m. at JCC Kripke Library; Mincha/Ma’ariv & Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 8:34 p.m.

SaTurday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Insights in the Weekly Torah Reading, 7:30 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 8:15 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:43 p.m.

Sunday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels & Beit Medrash, 9:45 a.m. monday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Eye on Israel with Rabbi Shlomo, noon at JCC Kripke Library; Reb Nachman Class with Rabbi Shlomo, 1 p.m. at JCC Kripke Library; Hebrew Class Level II with Rabbi Shlomo , 7:30 p.m.

TueSday-wedneSday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.

ThurSday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Ethics with Rabbi Ari, 7:45 a.m.; Woman’s Class with Rabbi Ari, 9:30 a.m.; Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Shlomo, noon.

ChaBad houSe

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 9 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. followed by a festive kiddush luncheon.

Sunday: Shacharit, 8:30 a.m. followed by Sunday Secrets: Jewish Fun Facts class at 9:15 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: New Tanya Series -- The Anatomy of Your Soul: Who Are You?, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Mendel Katzman.

ThurSday: Advanced Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Mendel Katzman All programs are open to the entire community.

CongregaTIon B’naI JeShurun

Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. frIday: Farewell Service for Rabbi Lewis: Shabbat Evening Service, 7 p.m. followed by Potluck Dessert Oneg, 8 p.m.

Music by the Star City Kochavim and the Temple Choir. Please bring your favorite dessert to share!; Candlelighting, 8:35 p.m.

SaTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Naso; Havdalah (72 Minutes), 10:05 p.m.

TueSday: Kochavim Rehearsal, 6:45 p.m.

ThurSday: Trope Class, 6:15 p.m. with Michael Boekstal. Class participants will need The Art of Torah Cantillation

by Marshall Portnoy and Josee Wolff; Choir Rehearsal, 7 p.m.

South Street Temple 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 June 18 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, email Sarah Beringer at sarah.m.beringer@gmail.com.

Help in our Temple Gardens! Help us get ready for a beautiful summer garden! How can you help? Tending the flower beds during the summer: We can also use help with routine weeding and trimming during the spring and summer. Help us keep a beautiful garden to enhance our Temple! Contact: Ellin Siegel at ellin7@aol.com or 402.525.4022 or the Temple Office and let us know you would like to help in the gardens.

LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 10–July 21, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at TI. Kosher lunch and snack provided. LJCS enrolled students entering. Tuition for each week is $75 and if you are enrolling two or more children, the cost is $50 per child, per week. This program is open to children entering kindergarten through sixth grade.

Please send tuition checks payable to LJCS to Andrea at TI no later than July 1. Camp registration is required through LJCS.

offuTT aIr forCe BaSe

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

roSe BlumkIn JewISh home

SaTurday: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Jim Polack and David Herzog.

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

TemPle ISrael

frIday: Shabbat Service and Picnic, 6 p.m. Please bring your own picnic to enjoy after service or the 402BBQ Food Truck will be here for those who wish to purchase a meal.

SaTurday: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m.

Old School Shabbat, friday, June 9, 5:45 p.m. Looking to make friends at Temple Israel or reconnect with folks you already know? In partnership with PJ Library, we invite you to join us for an Old School Shabbat dinner & songs. We welcome all families with young children, young couples or anyone wanting to meet new people at Temple Israel. Dinner is included as well as fun activities to keep the kiddos busy. Cost: $5 per child, $7 per adult, max $25 per family. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, 402-556-6536, by Tuesday, June 6.

Friday Shabbat TiYPE Night, friday, June 9, 6-9 p.m. Join our college-age TiYPE group for Shabbat services at Temple Israel, followed by dinner at Hunan Fusion! Appetizers are on us!

RSVP to Aliyah Lasky by monday, June 5.

Grief Support Group, Tuesday, June 13, 5:30 p.m. For many, support groups are also important in the grief process.

Whenever you feel ready to begin, Temple Israel’s Grief Support Group will welcome you. It is with this in mind that we would like to invite you to participate in our Grief Support Group, led

by Marla Cohen, MS, NCC, LMHP. With Marla, you will have an opportunity listen and learn from others who find themselves in similar situations as they strive to find a “new normal” in their lives. If you have any questions about the Grief Support Group, please call the Temple Israel office, 402.556.6536.

TIfereTh ISrael

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. frIday: Farewell Service for Rabbi Lewis, 7 p.m. followed

by Potluck Dessert Reception, 8 p.m. at South Street Temple.

Please bring your favorite dessert to share as we celebrate this bittersweet occasion of Rabbi Lewis' departure for Mizpah Congregation in Chattanooga, TN. SaTurday: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. There will be no Kiddush lunch this week.

LJCS CAMP ISRAEL, July 10–July 21, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at TI. Kosher lunch and snack provided. LJCS enrolled students entering. Tuition for each week is $75 and if you are enrolling two or more children, the cost is $50 per child, per week. This program is open to children entering kindergarten through sixth grade.

Please send tuition checks payable to LJCS to Andrea at TI no later than July 1. Camp registration is required through LJCS.

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Peter Pan comes to The Rose Theater

Peter Pan, with Danny Denenberg in the title role, takes flight at e Rose eater, June 2-18.

Audiences will be transported on a magical flight to Neverland for a swashbuckling musical that delivers non-stop action, spell-binding music and stunning choreography.

Peter Pan shares the story of a boy who escapes growing up by spending his life in the magical realms of Neverland. ere, he battles pirates, flies with fairies and befriends the natives.

On a random flight to London, he encounters the Darling children -Wendy, John and Michael -- who follow him on the adventure of a lifetime. Together with the Lost Boys, they battle the sinister Captain Hook and his pirate crew.

Peter Pan features fabulous flying effects and the iconic songs I’m Flying, I Won’t Grow Up, and Never Never Land.

“All of us who have read Peter Pan know that

this story tackles what it means to be an adult and what makes childhood special,” says Rose artistic director Matthew Gutschick. e Rose’s production of Peter Pan is being led by guest director Amy Lane, whose work was last seen in e Rose’s world premiere of Buffalo Bill’s Cowboy Band.

“Amy is the perfect person to lead this show,” says Gutschick, “She is the most creative and kind individual and is someone who embodies what we all want to be when we grow up.”

Peter Pan runs June 2-18, with performances on Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. e June 10 show will be interpreted for people who are deaf or hard of hearing; this show will also include audio description services for audience members who are blind.

Contact e Rose Box Office at 402.345.4849 for more information.

The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017 | 15

Pulverente MONUMENT CO.

lifecycles in MeMoriaM

harold e. bernsTein

Harold E. Bernstein passed away on May 12 peacefully at his Omaha home at age 96. A private burial was held on May 16 at Temple Israel Cemetery followed by a Memorial Service at Temple Israel.

He was preceded in death by parents Grace and Louis Bernstein, sisters Rae Brodkey, Pauline Friedman Mayer and Shirley Kulakofsky.

He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Millie Bernstein; daughter and son-in-law, Kay and Bruce Goldstein of Minneapolis; son and daughter-in-law, John and Nancy Bernstein of Denver; grandchildren: Aaron and Michelle Goldstein; Danny and Blair Goldstein, Max Bernstein and Madeleine Bernstein; great-granddaughter, Jordyn Goldstein; brother-in-law, Mort Zuber and brotherin-law and sister-in-law, Bob and Beverly Zuber; and nieces and nephews.

Harold was born in Council Bluffs in 1921. He went to college at the University of Nebraska in 1939. During World War II, he served in the US Army Air Corp. After the war, he returned to the University of Nebraska and graduated from there in 1946. While at Nebraska, he was a member of ZBT Fraternity, where he made many life-long friends. Harold was a successful and well-respected businessman in Council Bluffs for 50 years. He was a partner in the Peoples Department Store and later founded Peoples True Value, a large hardware and home center store in Council Bluffs. Upon the sale of his business in 1996, Harold enjoyed over 20 years of active retirement. During his 50 years in business, he was recognized and honored many times for his leadership and involvement in the Council Bluffs business community. In addition to his business activities, Harold was a life-long member of Temple Israel and supporter of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and other Jewish causes and organizations. He was an avid sports fan, a 50 year Nebraska football season ticket holder, and enjoyed golf and regularly worked out at the JCC well into his 90s. He was a man of high integrity, he had numerous friends, and was loved by many.

Memorials may be made to the Phil Sokolof Fitness Center at the Omaha Jewish Community Center, Temple Israel or the organization of your choice.

60 Years Experience With Jewish Lettering and Memorials

Marriage

soloMon sChWarTz

Solomon Schwartz passed away on May 2 at age 91. Services were held May 5 at Beth El Cemetery, 84th & L Street.

He was preceded in death by wife Sylvia Schwartz, and brothers Melvin Schwartz and Ben Schwartz.

He is survived by daughter Debbie Schwartz, daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Schwartz and David Leubben; grandchildren: Janet Baack-Kukreja, and Evan Baack.

Memorials to Rose Blumkin Jewish Home or Buffett Cancer Center.

Card of Thanks

We would like to thank everyone in the Omaha community for the generous and caring support we received after the passing of our beloved husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather, Igor Mosenkis. We sincerely appreciate your visits, cards, meals, offers to help, and donations to organizations that are important to our family. Igor would have been very pleased to see how the community came together to celebrate his life and comfort his family. anna Yuz-Mosenkis and family

jeWish press noTiCe

There will be no Jewish Press on july 7, 2017. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.

Frank L. Ciciulla, Jr.

Tritz Plumbing Inc. 402-894-0300

Milder/MurphY

Cassidy alexis Milder and Christopher stewart Murphy of Austin, Texas, were married on May 6, 2017, at Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. The ceremony was officiated by Cantor Bernie Zahn.

The bride is the daughter of Julia Kraber and Ken Milder of Scottsdale, AZ and Jennifer LaMoureaux of Tucson, AZ and the granddaughter of Adrienne Milder of Hermosa Beach, CA and the late Orvel Milder, Ron and Lee LaMoureaux of Phoenix, AZ and the late Marcia Hartley.

Cassidy graduated from University of Arizona with a BA in Communications and Sociology and an MA in Advertising and Public Relations from University of Texas. She is a Marketing Manager at Demand Generation Marketing.

Her maid of honor was her sister, Caitlin Milder and her attendants were Kathryn Nail, Anna Rash and Jazmine Russell.

The groom is the son of Jeannine and Jim Murphy of Carrollton, TX and the grandson of Rosalie Neel of Noblesville, IN, the late John Neel, and the late Harlan and Mary Pauline Murphy.

Chris is a graduate of the University of Texas with a BA in Government and he earned his Juris Doctorate from University of Houston. He works for Oracle Corporation.

His best man was Raynor Choate and his attendants were Conrad Fried, Brandon Dugie and Paul LeBlanc.

After a wedding trip to Italy and the Greek Islands the couple will reside in Austin, TX.

Past, Present and Future -Jewish Life in Iowa

ruTh segall Cain

Former Omahan Ruth Segall Cain passed away on May 10 in Tucson, AZ. She was predeceased by husband, Norman Cain, sister, Pearl Segall Herzog, brothers, Max Segall, and Irving Segall and brother and sister-in-law, Abraham and Bess Segall.

She is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Jack and Judy Cain of Fresno, CA, daughter, Karen Cain of Minneapolis, MN, son, Stuart Cain of Seattle, WA, and daughter, Susie Cain Townsend of Tucscon, AZ; and grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Ruth’s life in Omaha was devoted to her family and to her volunteer work and her many friends. Included in her work was her aid and assistance to Russians who sought a home in Omaha. She served so many. Her parents, the late Benjamin and Rachel Segall, came from Poland and were devoted to Rabbi Twersky of Milwaukee.

Memorials may be made to the organization of your choice.

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nanCY Wolf and MarTY riCks Please join us for Shabbat services on June 9, at 7:30 p.m., for our final speaker event for this Jewish year 5717. It is a celebration of a year of wonderful speakers and strengthening friendships. As always, an oneg of sweets and smiles will follow.

Our primary speaker will be Sandi Yoder, Director of the Iowa Jewish Historical Society, an office she has held since 2008. Prior to that she was CEO of the Iowa Living History Farms in Des Moines from 2000 - 2007. Before moving to Iowa, she was the Director of e Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Nebraska during the years 1989 2000. Sandi will be joined by her colleague, Sarah Carlson, Collections Manager of the Iowa Historical Society.

Sandi will share some anecdotes of Iowa’s Jewish history, and touch upon the current status of the IJHS. As part of their soon-to-begin strategic plan, IJHS hopes to focus more energy on the Jews in western Iowa.

We are pleased to include in this special evening, a visit by Noah Levine of the Jewish Community Legacy Project. Noah will be working with our synagogue Board of Directors on the future planning of the Synagogue. In keeping with the celebratory mood of the evening, Noah will be reading Torah, with some special aliyot, and we will conduct the service in our main sanctuary.

Our next service at B’nai Israel will be on Sept 1, following a brief summer hiatus. Guest leaders will be Shayna Kurland and Ben Cohen, who as part of their wedding weekend celebration will be conducting services.

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16 | The Jewish Press | June 2, 2017

community

T

Operation Transformation JCC STaff

echnology, more efficient cars, ready access to nearly every and all types of foods, TV and movies on demand, and the pressure to make more money has set us on the path the Disney movie Wall-E so cleverly depicted. For all these reasons the JCC Fitness Training staff set out to create a lifestyle change program.

“We have clients who give it their all in the gym,” Fitness Trainer Maggie omas said, “but then you hear them talk about the level of stress at home, or what they are eating, and you just know that what they do here is barely going to make a dent.”

In January of 2017, the JCC launched “Operation Transformation.” e program was 12 weeks long and provided the participants with 10 group training sessions, two hours with the JCC Registered Dietician, weekly emails on how to manage stress, implement healthy eating patterns, recover from exercise and over all how to set-up a healthy lifestyle. Each participant kicked off the program with the Eat Right for Life book by Dr. Ann Kulz, a JCC water bottle, and a pre-session with their trainer. is pre-session provided them with their starting weight, measures, and body composition as well as time to strategize a game plan for them.

Over the 12 weeks the participants

pushed through some pretty tough workouts and enjoyed some more laid back experiences such as yoga. ey talked weekly with their group, their trainer, and most met with the RD three to four times during the program.

“We knew that creating a group setting would provide accountability, motivation, support, and the challenge that these members would not receive on their own,” said

e top female in the group was Colleen Finochiaro, who lost 9% of her starting weight, and reduced her body composition by 8%, not to mention shaving off 14.5 inches in her mid-section. Colleen worked out once a week with trainer Jen Freeman, swam and completed her own workouts. ”Two family weddings coming up this year was motivation to give Operation Transformation a try,” Colleen said. “I knew

JCC Fitness Director Breann Lundblad “We also knew that weight loss done in a group can make people up to 70% more successful. When the results were in, I was so proud of what they had accomplished. I had seen their hard work on the floor, heard their challenges, and knew they were doing great things, but the results were amazing.”

Operation Transformation wrapped up April 2. e program started with 11 females, and 4 males, and ended with 7 females and 3 males. As a group they lost 130.5lbs and 23.25in. around their waist and hips, reduced their body composition by 8%, and created workout buddies to keep them going.

that dropping some weight would definitely help alleviate my knee and ankle pain, but adding Jen Freeman as my personal trainer was the key to my success. She was the right amount of encouragement mixed with a wide variety of workouts and a dose of fun.

Balance, strength, and agility improved and that cranky knee was no longer a problem. I am continuing my workouts and looking forward to those weddings!”

Top male was Todd Lines, who dropped 12% of his starting weight, 17.5 inches in his mid-section, and changed his body composition by 2%. Todd started his journey by working with Lori, RD, and avoiding what he calls the “great white hazard” – starchy

carbs. He also focused on controlling portion sizes at meals and loading up on lean protein and veggies. However, his workouts with trainer Steve Rushlau were nothing to laugh at. ey worked hard sweating off each pound and what they didn’t do together, Todd would come in and complete on his own. “e group training sessions with Steve along with the meetings with Lori helped me change my life,” Todd said. “e beginning was difficult but the encouragement and enthusiasm of the JCC staff gave me the push I needed. My attitude has changed about staying healthy in the future. Sure, there are bumps in this journey but, I know I can get back on track with the support from everyone.”

Operation Transformation was a success. ese JCC members learned how to balance life with a healthy diet, exercise, and started lifestyles that will not only provide them with bonus Saturdays, but quality ones. As you see these members on the fitness floor (you’ll know them because occasionally they will be sporting their Operation Transformation shirt they earned) give them a pat on the back.

Missed it? Don’t worry, if this sounds like a program you need to get involved in, watch for Operation Transformation to be offered again in the fall, and winter.

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