A N AG E N C Y O F T H E J E W I S H F E D E R AT I O N O F O M A H A
The Jewish Press WWW.O M A H A J E W I S H P R E SS .CO M
INSIDE
|
WWW. J E W I S H O M A H A .O R G
SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND
J UN E 1 0, 2 022 | 1 1 S IVA N 578 2 | VO L. 1 02 | NO. 34 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 8:39 P.M.
2022 Sokolof Merit Scholarships NJHS invites community to experience “Archives Uncovered” Page 2
The Kaplan Book Group is a varied collection SHIRLY BANNER JFO Kripke Library Specialist On June 16 the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group will gather for their monthly meeting. Group members have the choice of meeting either in person in the Benjamin & Anna Wiesman Reception Room
Zev Gordman
Jack Scioli
Albert Cohen Sedgh
Jonathan Herskovitz
Ilana McNamara
Abby Haber
An interfaith coalition erased medical debts for over 2,000 people Page 5
DIANE WALKER JFO Foundation Fund & Scholarship Administrator n 2004, the late Phil Sokolof left a bequest to create the Phil & Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Fund and the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Appreciation Fund. These funds provide for the Phil & Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit
I
Boycott advocates claim victory as General Mills divests its Israeli dough operation Page 12
Scholarships and the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund Scholarships to honor exceptional students and teachers. Recipients of these awards epitomize the scholarship criteria of achievement, scholastic performance, community service, and overall good character. This is especially true for this year’s award winners. See Sokolof Merit Scholarships page 3
Young Leadership Awards
REGULARS7
Spotlight Voices Synagogues
8 10
JEWISH FEDERATION STAFF On June 28, 2022, the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Annual Meeting and Awards Night will celebrate two deserving volunteer leaders in the community. Tamara Draeger will receive the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Award and Justin Spooner will receive the Bruce Fellman Memorial Young Leadership Award. Both awards are given annually to honor a young woman and man under the age of 45 who have demonstrated personal commitment, dedicated involvement, and exemplary leadership qualities in rendering service to the Jewish and general
Justin Spooner
Tamara Draeger
community. The recipients are provided with a stipend to participate in the Jewish Federation of North America General Assembly or Young Leadership Conference. Justin has been deeply involved with the Omaha Jewish community for years. He grew up participating in programming at the JCC. As an adult, he has continued to be involved as a volunteer. Justin is engaged with var-
ious programs around campus and throughout the Jewish community. He volunteers with BBYO and ADL; he is the co-chair of the Ben Gurion Society; he provides assistance to the JFO with his real estate acumen, and he routinely looks for places where he can be of service. In addition, Justin volunteers throughout the wider Omaha community. He has worked as See Young Leadership page 3
in the Staenberg Jewish Community Center or via Zoom. This month they will be discussing The Collector’s Apprentice by Barbara (B.A.) Shapiro. Shapiro is a familiar author to the group as they previously read The Muralist in 2017 and many have attended her presentations given here in Omaha. In The Collector’s Apprentice, much like her previous work The Muralist, Shapiro once again centers her characters around the intriguing world of famous artists and their collections of artwork. A young and naive Paulien Mertens flees her Belgian home for Paris in 1922 after being conned by fiancé and notorious scam artist George Everard. Paulien has been banished by her parents who feel she is responsible for the loss of the family monies which resulted in the loss of her father’s art collection. In Paris, Paulien assumes a new identity calling herself Vivienne Gregsby and lands a position as an apprentice to wealthy American Edwin Bradley. Bradley is in Europe in the process of acquiring a noteworthy collection of postimpressionist art for his art museum and school in Philadelphia. Paulien/Vivienne’s plan is to earn enough money to restore her father’s art collection, prove her innocence, and exact revenge upon George Everard who is lurking in the shadows in Paris looking for his next scam. Along the way Paulien/ Vivienne earns Bradley’s admiration and trust, but becomes his See Kaplan Book Group page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022
News
NJHS invites community to experience “Archives Uncovered”
LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D
Kaplan Book Group
Continued from page 1 business partner and the sole heir to his enormous wealth. Paulien/Vivienne also becomes involved with George in his latest scam attempt but one has to wonder if George really isn’t the one being scammed this time. As Shapiro’s novel develops over an eightyear time span the chapters flash back to 1920 to reveal how Paulien fell victim to George’s deceptions as well as flash forward to 1928 where a much more worldly Paulien/Vivienne is on trial for Edward Bradley’s murder. The chapters of the novel reveal both Paulien/Vivienne and George Everard’s perspectives of their crossing paths. Through Shapiro’s novel we are privy to the lengths some people will go to achieve their obsessions. In Paulien/Vivienne’s case, this is her tunnel vision of the world of art, making money, love (in particular her affair with Henri Matisse), and seeking vengeance against George Everard.
Once again Shapiro has delivered an intriguing art novel based loosely on the lives of art collector Albert Coombs Barnes and his assistant Violette de Mazia and the famous Barnes Foundation/Collection. Please feel free to join us on June 16 in person or via Zoom. The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group meets on the third Thursday of every month at 1 p.m. New members are always welcome. To view books discussed by the group over the past several years, go to www.jewishomaha.org, click on the “Community & Education” pulldown tab and navigate to “Kripke-Veret Collection of the Jewish Federation” then to “Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group.” The Group receives administrative support from the Community Engagement & Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For information about the group and to join in the discussion, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sbanner@jewishomaha.org.
ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch the Press for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com.
See full digital issues: omahajewishpress.com/eedition
Ben Justman, seen here updating community members about the development of the Milton Mendel and Marsha Kleinberg Jewish Heritage Center, will lead NJHS’s upcoming “Archives Uncovered” series.
JILL KUSHNER BELMONT As the musical Hamilton concludes, the question ‘Who will tell your story?’ is posed. It’s a query worth examining. Who will connect the myriad puzzle pieces of our lives that illuminate our past? For our local Jewish community, the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society answers that call. Having been entrusted with countless donations of personal keepsakes, NJHS is honored to preserve and chronicle the histories of individuals, families, businesses, community organizations and religious institutions in our area. Some of those fascinating stories will be shared this summer as NJHS and the Jewish
Federation of Omaha present “Archives Uncovered,” a series of events offering the public opportunities to view collections and tour the organization’s archives spaces. The first get-together, planned for Tuesday, June 14, at 7 p.m., will focus on “Military and Political Service.” Subsequent programs will spotlight “Holocaust and Refugees,” on Tuesday, July 12, 7 p.m.; “Arts and Culture,” on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 7 p.m.; and “Business Community,” on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m. Each one-hour interactive session will take place in the Wiesman Family Reception Room at the JCC. See Archives Uncovered page 4
One of the best gifts we can give this Father’s Day: # promise to be there for all of the women in your life — from birth through adolescence to pregnancy, mid-life and beyond.
For All
WOMEN
A Campaign to Grow METHODIST WOMEN’S HOSPITAL 2CVKGPVU VJTQWIJQWV C ƂXG UVCVG TGIKQP EQWPV on Methodist Women’s Hospital. WITH YOUR HELP we
will add rooms and increase access, invest in new technology, and support underserved patients at the bedside and beyond.
TO HELP MEET AN URGENT NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SPACE
MethodistHospitalFoundation.org/ForAllWomen 402.354.4825
The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022 | 3
Sokolof Merit Scholarships Continued from page 1 It is with great pleasure that the Sokolof committee announces the 2022 Sokolof Scholarship Awards. Two high school students and two health care students have received the Phil & Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit Scholarships. One music student has received the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund Award, and one metro area educator has received the 2022 Phil & Ruth Sokolof Outstanding Jewish Teacher Award. Each recipient will receive a $10,000 award. Award winners for their freshman year of college are Zev Gordman and Jack Scioli; for health care, Albert Cohen Sedgh and Jonathan (Yoni) Herskovitz. Ilana McNamara is the recipient of the music scholarship. Abby Haber is this year’s outstanding teacher. ZEV GORDMAN Zev graduated from Westside High School. He plans to attend either UCLA or Miami this fall to pursue a degree in business-economics. In addition to taking advanced placement and honors classes, Zev has been committed to a full schedule of volunteer activities – both school and community related. He served as an officer in the DECA program, he was a member of the Westside Student Council, and he was a sports coordinator, writer, and photographer for Westside’s online website. Zev was on the varsity tennis team and was named an allmetro conference scholar by the Metro Tennis Coaches Association. Zev spearheaded efforts to bring the Dance Marathon to Westside to support Children’s Miracle Network. This is the first time the program has had a presence in Nebraska. Zev was the Godol of BBYO Mother Chapter AZA and Omaha Council, served as a board member of Memories for Kids, and was on the teen foundation board of Young Jewish Giving. He founded 402 Kickz, a sneaker and streetwear reselling business in 7th grade and has seen more than $20,000 in sales. Zev was a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. Among many other honors, he received the BBYO International Spirit Gavel Award. One teacher wrote, “Zev is hands-down one of the most ambitious teenagers that I have had the pleasure of working with.” Another teacher said, “Zev is involved with many extracurricular activities with his school and I admire his commitment to making sure he has the time and energy to be an active participant or leader in those groups.” Zev’s parents are Danielle and Jeff Gordman. JACK SCIOLI Jack graduated from Westside High School. He will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall, studying economics and political science with a possible eye to law school or an MBA. In addition to a rigorous course load, Jack kept a full and
busy schedule. He was elected Class President by his peers for the Class of 2022. He participated in varsity show choir, served as an officer in DECA, and was a member of Westside’s varsity and varsity legion baseball teams. Jack served on the Governor’s Youth Advisory Council, served as an officer of BBYO, and was on the District 66 Student Advisory Board. Jack volunteered at Heartland Family Service Junior League, Omaha Performing Arts, worked on the Jewish Federation of Omaha campaign, and served as a Young Jewish Giving Teen Board Member. Jack was a National Merit Commended Scholar, was selected for Boys State as a junior, and received the President’s Volunteer Service Award. He was in the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honors society, and was a finalist for the Samsung American Legion Scholarship, among many other accomplishments. “He is, without a doubt, one of the finest young men I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Jack is a winner and a leader,” stated one recommendation. Another teacher wrote, “Jack shows outstanding leadership in all that he does. Jack can be characterized as someone that is motivated, determined, disciplined and positive.” Jack’s parents are Andee and Anthony Scioli. ALBERT COHEN SEDGH Albert is currently a third- year dental student at Creighton University School of Dentistry. Albert came alone to the United States from Iran at age 24. He had to quickly learn English in order to find work and support himself through college. He has wanted to become a dentist since he was a small child growing up in Iran. He states, “These two qualities – improving a patient’s quality of life and building a lifelong positive relationship encapsulates my main reason to become a dentist.” He earned his BA in biology at California State University, Northridge in 2015. He has received the Unbreakable Award from Creighton for being the most helpful student in the Creighton Post-Baccalaureate Program in predental studies, and has been awarded the Creighton University Dental Post-Baccalaureate Scholarship. Albert serves as a volunteer mentor for first year dental students, and has provided dental hygiene and care for elementary school students from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds. Albert credits Dr. Paul Shyken as a great role model and example of a dentist who is passionate about both dentistry and his community. One instructor wrote, “I know his journey and contribution to the betterment of others is just beginning. I am completely confident he will do good in the world and serve his community with competence and compassion.” “Albert stands out as someone gifted with a clear focus on and commitment to achieving his goal of serving others through dentistry,” stated another professor. He and his wife, Azita Javdanfar are active at Beth Israel Synagogue and Chabad. See Sokolof Merit Scholarships page 4
Young Leadership Awards Continued from page 1 a TeamMates mentor, a volunteer for United Way, and multiple other volunteering and leadership roles throughout the community. Justin is a young leader committed to service. Justin is the son of Gayle Milder and Oliver "Jim" Spooner. Justin earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He also attended Boston University and The George Washington University. Justin is a commercial real estate broker with Sage Capital Commercial Real Estate in Omaha. He is the grandson of the late Fran and Jerry Milder, and the late Lillian and Ben Spooner. Justin shares “It is a great honor to receive this award – especially knowing who it is named after and all they have contributed to the Omaha community. To be associated and honored in this way with the Fellman name – it is just great to be a part of that. My grandfather told me that it is always important to be involved in the community. He was truly an inspiration in guiding me in my efforts to contribute what I can in the Jewish and greater Omaha communities.” Justin and Elisabeth “Lissy” Jordan Kane were married on May 14, 2022. Lissy is the daughter of Rebecca and David Kane. Lissy earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Virginia Tech. She then received her Master's Degree and Ph.D. in Education Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Lissy is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha. She is the granddaughter of Iris Kane, Marvin and Helen Borer and the late Richard Kane. Tamara Draeger’s volunteer service to the community endorse her as a well-deserving recipient of the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Award. She is a member of the Temple Israel board and the chair of the Youth Learning Programs Parent Steering Committee. She is described by Temple Israel educators as “a partner, cheerleader, and guide for the Temple school and its faculty members.” Particularly noted was Tamara’s abilities in helping to navi-
gate the rocky waters of moving to online learning and then back out again during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her fellow educators praise her commitment to positive communication and understanding the unique situations of others. They emphasize that she helped build and enact a policy that kept students safe, healthy, and happy. Tamara is described as a shining light that has drawn-in other parents to want to volunteer, and has been a fantastic liaison for parents to communicate comments and concerns. Tamara describes her reaction to receiving the award in this way: "When I received the call from Jenn, I was very surprised. Actually, a bit shocked! I know there are so many amazing community members that do so much for the Federation, their synagogues, and the community in general, that I felt a little bit undeserving. I was incredibly humbled by the news. I don’t volunteer my time to be recognized, I don’t think very many people do." Tamara is a member of a family so well known for volunteerism and philanthropy. "I am so lucky to have wonderful role models when it comes to philanthropy and volunteerism," relates Tamara. "My mom, Berta Ackerson has been involved with Camp CoHoLo, a summer camp for children with cancer and blood disorders, for over 30 years! My dad, Jon Meyers and my step-mom Denise Meyers also provide an exceptional model for me, my siblings, and our families on what it looks like to selflessly give our time and resources, especially to the Jewish community." Tamara is married to Jared Draeger and they have three children - Stockton, Macklin, and Darien. "They all attended preschool at the CDC (now the ELC) and continue to be participants of all of the amazing opportunities the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its agencies provide. Jared and I are huge believers in modeling servant leadership, having philanthropy and service to others in our hearts, and giving back to the community we are part of in any way we can," Tamara shared.
4 | The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022
Archives Uncovered
in fact, has made it his livelihood. For the past 11 years, JustContinued from page 2 For NJHS Board President Ben Justman, sharing the man has served as the executive director of the Sarpy County archives is the perfect way to familiarize the community with Museum. the historical society and its vital work. “I never had that ‘Gee, what do I want to do with the rest of “We have a significant, dynamic collection with stories that my life?’ dilemma. I was predisposed to do what I’m doing,” he connect to experiences across genersaid, noting that, “I like the connecations,” Justman said. “These docution the museum field has with the ments and photos were not meant to public. It’s less theoretical and more sit in boxes hidden away from sight, practical about preserving history but to be seen and enrich our lives. and letting folks know that these “History is not just about the things really matter in the commupast, it’s all about the future,” he nity.” added. “We are the front line of JewJustman hopes that “Archives Unish history here at NJHS. We have covered” will be the first of many an amazing history in the Midwest, public programs that will engage and we want to make sure that our both the Jewish and non-Jewish story is not just a footnote.” communities. Justman’s dedication to preserv“I believe that there’s a lot of intering history seems to be embedded twined history connecting the Jewin his DNA. A native Chicagoan, his ish community to the greater fascination with history was piqued Omaha and Council Bluffs narraduring his childhood. That passion tives. There are so many stories to later led to an undergraduate detell, and I look forward to creating gree in history and a graduate demore outreach to the community at gree in museum studies. During his Among the items to be shared during “Archives Un- large so we can share them.” college years, Justman worked as an covered” on June 14, will be campaign hats from Ed- He also emphasized that “the Neintern at the Imperial War Museum ward Zorinsky’s 1976 run for the U.S. Senate; Harry braska Jewish Historical Society bein London. He also volunteered Goodbinder’s military helmet worn during his serv- longs to each one of us in the Jewish with several museums in Chicago, ice in World War II; and the Dec. 7, 1941 issue of the community, and we want to include including the illustrious Museum of Honolulu Star-Bulletin newspaper. everyone’s stories in our collection. Science and Industry. Each person has a unique voice and unique experiences that “Those opportunities were invaluable,” he said. “They al- enrich the story of our collective Jewish community.” lowed me to really get involved, not just in a passive way, but “Archives Uncovered” is open to the public free of charge. as an active participant learning the inner workings of how Spaces are limited, so reservations are required and may be museums function.” made by contacting NJHS Interim Director Elizabeth Boutin Since that time, he has not veered from his given path, and at lboutin@jewishomaha.org, or 402.334.6441.
HIRO 88 WEST OMAHA
3655 N 129th St.
OLD MARKET
1308 Jackson St.
402.933.0091
402.933.5168
MILLARD
LINCOLN
17664 Welch Pl.
402.933.5168
601 R St. #100
402.261.9388
www.Hiro88.com S U S H I | J A PA N E S E | C H I N E S E
Sokolof Merit Scholarships Continued from page 3 JONATHAN (YONI) HERSKOVITZ Yoni is attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center and plans to graduate in May 2023. He received his BA from the University of California Los Angeles. He enrolled in UNMC’s MD-PhD Scholars Program. This dual degree program allows him to combine his research interest in virology towards becoming an infectious disease specialist. Yoni earned his Ph.D. in gene therapy for HIV from UNMC in 2020. He is currently working on his MD with a specialty in internal medicine. Yoni has served many hours in community service. His volunteer activities include working in the UNMC student-run Sharing and Respect clinic, and serving as an executive board member of that organization. He also went on a medical mission to Jamaica to provide medical care for the underserved. He has received the Bradley Britigan Outstanding Scientist award for excellence in doctoral research presentation at the annual MD-PhD Retreat, the UNeMed Innovation Award for New Invention and Licenses Technology, the Nicolas Badami Fellowship for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Research, and has been inducted in the Phi Beta Kappa National Honors Society, among many other honors. “This recommendation is amongst my strongest ever written in consideration of any candidate for any award designation. Jonathan is a standout. He was amongst the best and brightest students we have seen at UNMC,” stated a medical professional. A UNMC faculty member said, “He demonstrates the empathy and patient rapport needed to care for vulnerable populations.” Yoni, his wife, Liora and their son, Caleb are members of Beth Israel Synagogue. ILANA MCNAMARA Ilana is currently finishing her third year at Oberlin College and Conservatory, pursuing a double degree with a BA in music in viola performance and a BA in mathematics. Her career goals are to be a Western classical chamber violist, playing as a member of a chamber music group, composing, artistically collaborating and teaching. Ilana is involved in the Oberlin Orchestra, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Opera Pit Orchestra, and Baroque Orchestra. She composes music, as well, and has had her compositions premiered. On campus she is also involved with a klezmer band called Schtick n Poke. Ilana is on the board of the Chabad Student Group and has also served as the Interim Dining Loose Ends Coordinator, Accessibility Coordinator, and New Member Trainer. She also teaches private viola students every week via Zoom. Ilana continues to be employed as a blogger for the Oberlin Office of Communications, writing primarily for prospective students and their families. One recommendation stated, “Ilana is one of the most passionate and dedicated chamber music students I have ever
encountered, both in my own education and in my career as a music educator.” Another recommendation stated, “Ilana plays with passion and energy; she is a natural performer who enjoys the stage.” Ilana’s parents are Aviva Segal and Patrick McNamara. ABBY HABER Abby received her BS in secondary education and journalism from Indiana University Bloomington and her M.Ed. in Language and Literacy from National Louis University in Chicago. This is her 18th year teaching, including 13 years in Chicago and 5 years at Alice Buffett Middle School. Most of her time has been spent teaching at the middle school level. While in Chicago, she served as Team Leader, mentoring a team of six teachers. Abby moved to Omaha in 2017 to be closer to family after 13 years in Chicago. She currently teaches Language Arts and Reading at Alice Buffett Middle School. She also participates in many extracurricular activities – sponsor on the Buffett Student Council, a member of the Inclusivity and Diversity Committee, and a member of the Wellness Committee. While in Chicago, she served as the online learning platform point person for two years, developing a skill set that was invaluable when the pandemic kept children home. She keeps up to date with educational research and best practices and is enthusiastic about improved professional development. All for the benefit of student learning. She is passionate about sharing books and stories with her students, helping instill the love and importance of developing this life-long skill. “Abby has an astonishing rapport with people, especially children. Her genuine interest and ability to make positive connections and appropriate relationships with children is an asset to her teaching skills,” stated a recommender. She is also an active participant in her community. She is a member of Beth El Synagogue and enjoys going to Torah Tots with her 3-year-old daughter, Morgan. She serves on the BESTT School committee and participates in Beth El’s Miriam Initiative hosted activities. Morgan attends the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center at the JCC. One recommendation received for Abby began “Anyone can be a teacher, but not everyone can be the teacher that inspires and leaves a lasting impression on their students.” The Sokolof committee could not agree more. The Phil and Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit Scholarships and the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund are administered by the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. Jody Malashock chairs an otherwise anonymous committee that selected the award recipients. The Foundation will host a reception for the award recipients and their families on June 14 at 6 p.m. in the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue at the Jewish Community Center.
The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022 | 5
An interfaith coalition erased medical debts for over 2,000 people
Pastor Chris Harris, who leads two Church of God in Christ congregations in Chicago, and Rabbi Ari Hart of the Orthodox Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob Synagogue teamed up for a shmita debt relief fundraiser. Credit: Screenshot from Facebook
JACKIE HAJDENBERG AND GABE FRIEDMAN JTA More than half of bankruptcies in the United States are connected to medical debt. For some families in the Chicago area, however, that debt is being erased in accordance with the Jewish law of shmita, the sabbatical year. The Torah’s shmita laws prescribe that, every seven years, all agricultural activity in the Land of Israel is forbidden, and the land must be left fallow. There are many specific rules, including prohibition against plowing, pruning and planting. But a lesser-known custom in observance of the shmita year is the release of all debts. After all, in biblical times, a poor agricultural output one year could indebt a person to the point of slavery. Pastor Chris Harris, who leads two churches on Chicago’s South Side, has been a longtime proponent of debt release to help low-income people in dire circumstances. But he didn’t know about the specific shmita concept when Rabbi Ari Hart, who leads the Orthodox Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob See Interfaith coalition page 6
News LOCA L | NAT IO NAL | WORLD
Grants awarded by Goldstein Supporting Foundation LINDA POLLARD Endowment Assistant, JFO Foundation The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation is pleased to announce the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation grants that were awarded during their May 2022 semi-annual meeting. According to Donald Goldstein, “The Board was very pleased with the number and type of received applications. We were able to fund many local, national and international projects that were in line with our Foundation Mission Statement.” The Goldstein Supporting Foundation considers requests for funds that support local projects and programs of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its agencies, synagogues and Jewish service organizations, where funding is unavailable through their respective annual operating budgets. Programs benefitting Russian Jewry in Omaha, the United States, Israel or the former Soviet Union are supported by the Foundation. They also consider applications from local and national Jewish and secular charities in the areas of medicine and medical research, rescue and relief, education and current events of Jewish content, and human rights. The following organizations and pro-
grams were awarded grants at the May meeting:
• American Jewish Historical • Society – Digitization and • Preservation of Archives • Beth El Synagogue – Kamp KEF • VIII • Beth Israel Synagogue – Burial • Fund for Russian Immigrants • Chabad of Nebraska – Kharkov • Resettlement Project • JFOF/JFO – Early Childhood • Learning Grants • Friedel Jewish Academy – Sixth • Grade Connection Trip • Halachic Organ Donor Society – • HODS New Website • Institute for Holocaust • Education – World War II Speakers • Series • Jewish Community Center – • Backyard Concert Series • Jewish Federation of Omaha – • Partnership, Israel and Overseas • Jewish Federation of Omaha – • Community Leadership Program
• Jewish Press – Eat the Press • Kountze Memorial Lutheran • Church – Kountze Food Pantry • PKD Foundation – ADPKD • Registry Expansion • Rose Blumkin Jewish Home – • iN2L Mobile Flex • Temple Israel and Tri-Faith • Initiative – Refugee Project “A supporting foundation is a separate legal entity which is created by a donor or family and has its own board of directors,” explained Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation Executive Director, Howard Epstein. “The JFO Foundation manages and invests the funds, administers operations and makes disbursements as directed by the supporting foundation board. The board independently determines allocations to nonprofit organizations it wishes to support. The Goldstein Supporting Foundation continues to make a significant impact on our community, and we truly appreciate their ongoing generosity.” The board members of the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation are: Donald Goldstein, Kathy Goldstein, Gail Raznick, Toba Cohen-Dunning, Ari Kohen, Emily Raznick, Caryn Scheer, Mike Siegel, and Nancy Wolf.
Trade scholarships available for 2022-23 academic year Coming soon: 2022 NCJW Nebraska directory
It is time for NCJW Nebraska to publish its latest directory. A lot of member information has changed and the directory needs updating. Thank you to those who have already sent updates to me. For other members with updates, please send latest name, address, phones (room for two numbers), and email address to ncjwomaha@gmail.com.
An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2022-23 academic year. Not every student who advances into higher education signs up for a fouryear curriculum. Some high school
graduates seek job training that lasts a year or two and then places them in the workforce. Such opportunities include, but are not restricted to: Information Technology, Construction, Industrial, Transportation and Horticulture. It is not too late to apply for this upcoming school year!
Qualified students who have unmet needs regarding tuition for either a two-year trade school program or a trade certificate program can contact the Jewish Press at avandekamp@ jewishomaha.org or jpress@jewish omaha.org for more information.
Enjoy a relaxing masage in your own home No Interest for 36 Months on select massage chair purchases on or before 6/30/22
Bloom Companion Care is full-service home care designed around your needs and way of life. We communicate. We listen. We understand.
M.8 Massage Chair
In-home Nursing Medicare/Medicaid and private insurance accepted
Rockbrook Village | 108th and Center 402.397.8866 | www.bodybasics.com
arialhomehealth.com 402-393-0833
402-342-3040 | bloomcompanion.com
6 | The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022
News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D
Interfaith coalition Continued from page 5 Synagogue and often collaborates with Harris’ congregations on service projects, reached out with an idea. “I fell in love with it. And I said listen, let’s keep this thing rockin’,” Harris said, referring to their service partnership. The pair started a fundraiser through RIP Medical Debt, an organization that purchases people’s medical debt from the debt collection market — through the help of private donation campaigns — and then releases it. Since their founding in 2014, RIP Medical Debt says they have erased over $6 billion in debt. In 2020, Mackenzie Scott donated $50 million to the organization. Through a campaign that began in January and finished this week, members of Hart and Harris’ congregations raised over $10,000, which RIP Medical Debt used to purchase a $1.9 million debt. That will translate into medical debt relief for 2,327 people in the Chicago area who either: earn less than two times the federal poverty level, have debts that constitute 5% or more of their annual income, or have more debts than assets. The recipients don’t know the relief is coming and will be surprised by the news with letters in the coming days. “In Jewish living today, we talk a lot about values, we teach about values, and that’s great, but I love this because it was real for those 2,000 families,” Hart said. “These are very religious biblical concepts
A fallow field in Israel. Credit: Getty Images
that people can get trapped by debt,” he added. “It can ruin your life.” Hart said he has noticed an increased interest in shmita within his own community, typically related to environmental concerns. But the interest in debt release is relatively new, and at least partially inspired by the growing calls for the White House to forgive student loan debt. “It’s starting to happen in the Jewish community,” he said. “It’s cool to see it happen in the Christian community also.” A Methodist Church in Wahoo, Nebraska is also partnering with RIP Medical Debt in honor of the “jubilee,” which is the end of a 49year cycle, or seven shmita cycles. The word “jubilee” actually comes from the Hebrew word “yovel,” but jubilee is a typically Catholic
concept related to the pardoning of sins. Harris, who leads the Bright Star Church in Bronzeville and the St. James Church in West Pullman, has a long affiliation with and fondness for Jews and Israel. He is about to embark on his seventh trip to Israel; on one of his earlier visits, he was impressed by the NATAL center in Tel Aviv, which helps veterans deal with PTSD. He brought back lessons from the center and trained counselors who work in the communities he serves on NATAL protocols. Hart’s congregation has teamed up with Harris’ to respond to “racial injustice, antisemitism, mental health, violence prevention, literacy” and other issues. In one recent example, Hart’s synagogue helped conceive of and build a Digital Literacy Center for children on one of Bright Star’s floors. So while the shmita
project hit on a core value for Harris, he also saw it as a way to further push one of his other passions: Black-Jewish cooperation. “Every time I’m on college campuses, people always brag about the fact that Blacks and Jews have been working together for a long time. And I tell them, you know, stop taking credit for what Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel did, that’s 50 years ago... Let’s keep the old frames, and let’s put new pictures of us working together in that old frame,” he said. “Rabbi Ari Hart is one of the rabbis who said I’m very serious about it. And every single thing that we’ve done, he has showed up, it’s amazing.” Hart and Harris announced the results of the fundraiser campaign on Sunday, at a joint worship service during which Harris and Rabbi Seth Limmer, formerly of the Chicago Sinai Congregation, led a sermon about debt release. (Limmer recently took a leave of absence, during which an independent investigative firm looked into allegations that he created a hostile work environment while he was a senior rabbi.) “People of faith have had some kind of consciousness of this for a while but I think it’s time to start talking about it more,” Hart said. “Debt is not just a financial issue. It’s a spiritual issue, it’s a mental health issue. We know how crippling long-term debt can be if people can’t get out of it, on all levels of life.” “It’s just a new frontier and shared value,” he added. “I’m excited about this because it’s just something that’s really different.”
Honor your father by establishing a charitable fund in his honor. Call the Foundation today! Call Howard Epstein for more details.
Contact Howard Epstein, Executive Director 402-334-6466 hepstein@jewishomaha.org www.jfofoundation.org
The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022 | 7
Above: Sunday, May 15, the Tri-Faith Garden received special blessing from Scared Seeds’ Taylor Keens, and the first seeds were planted. Sacred Seeds seeks to protect and preserve the genetic diversity of original seeds, while promoting local, traditional, and sustainable agriculture to offer healthy and low impact food to our communities.
SP O TLIGHT
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.
Above and below: Friedel students made teacher portraits in art class—but used blue light so they couldn’t see which colors they were using until the end.
The birth of Devorah, daughter of Mushka and Eli Tenenbaum, was celebrated in style on May 19. Above: the proud grandfather, below: Eva Cohen holding Devorah and bottom: Sima Denenberg with Devorah’s older sister Chana.
8 | The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022
Voices
The Jewish Press (Founded in 1920)
Margie Gutnik President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Sam Kricsfeld Staff Writers Mary Bachteler Accounting Jewish Press Board Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen; David Finkelstein; Bracha Goldsweig; Mary Sue Grossman; Les Kay; Natasha Kraft; Chuck Lucoff; Joseph Pinson; Andy Shefsky and Amy Tipp. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Life, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.
American Jewish Press Association Award Winner
Nebraska Press Association Award winner 2008
National Newspaper Association
Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.
Home
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor As of this writing, I’m still in Omaha-but I am about not to be. I’ve traveled domestically this past year, New York and Los Angeles, but this time it’s a different trip: I’m going home. For the first time in two-and-a-half years, I will be able to hug my family. I’ve reminded my colleagues here in the building ad nauseam—they are probably quite tired of hearing about it. That’s okay—I’ve come to realize the reason I am repeating this mantra of ‘going home’ so often for two specific reasons: A) I don’t quite believe it myself; B) I am not sure any more where ‘home’ is. Another traveler told me years ago (hi, Ophir) that we have to embrace the duality: we have two homes. Home is definitely still ‘over there,’ but it is also, undeniably, right here. He’s right, of course; if I didn’t feel completely comfortable with my Omaha self, I would have lost my mind over the past few years. As it stands, I think I’ve been okay being away from my birth place. Don’t get me wrong: I miss my family, especially my mother and now that I’m so close I can smell the tulips, I am beyond anxious to be there instead of here. But I also know that when it is time to come back, I will not hesitate. And that’s new: in the past, I always had a moment in Amsterdam, right before I’d walk into the airport, when I contemplated turning around. I imagined myself grabbing a taxi and simply refusing to leave. What if ? I’d ask myself. The reasonable part of me always won out—but
there were some close calls. Not anymore. What’s caused that shift? Time? Getting older? Does the fact that I’ve been forced to stay away from native soil for so long have something to do with it? I think it goes deeper than that. And I apologize if it sounds as if I’m using this page as a sort-of therapy session, I promise that is not what this is about. I just think, as human beings, we grow—whether we choose to or not. It’s impossible to stand still. The question is, in what direction does that growth take place? Do we grow against the tide, or do we roll with it? Do we grow in response to the people and experiences in our daily life, or do we grow in spite of it? During the past years, I believe we have come to be more intentional about relying on each other. Let’s face it, it’s been hard to stay in touch, and we’re only just now starting to get back to how we used to interact—we’re not quite there yet. We have to work for it. Friends you automatically run into at shul, school, work, the supermarket, yoga class—it hasn’t been that easy. Maybe it will never be that easy again. Never mind that I haven’t seen my mother because she’s 4,000 miles away—it’s very possible some of you have the same experience with a 50 mile-distance. Some of you couldn’t see relatives who were just down the street in a nursing home. And now
that the world is opening up, we are not only hyperaware of how lucky we are, we are also more knowledgeable about where we belong and who we belong with. At least, I am; I realized there is only one place that gave me the tools to make it through these crazy times, and that is Jewish Omaha.
My work, the JFO, my friends, my colleagues, my synagogue, my rabbi, they are all building blocks that make me who I am. This is my Home, with a capital H. So yes, I’m ecstatic to go see my family, hug my mother, speak my language and eat raw fish and other things I have no hope of translating (osseworst, patatje pindasaus, nasi goreng, frikandel!), but at the end of it, I’ll come Home—in fact, by the time you read this, I’m back. See you soon!
What is a Jew? Israel’s renovated Diaspora museum attempts an answer. ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL JERUSALEM | JTA I was on a short visit to Israel last week, and spent time with a friend with whom I have been engaged in a 30-year argument. Elli Wohlgelernter and I met when he was the managing editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and I was a staff reporter. We would argue about the future of Jewish life in the Diaspora, which even then he considered in unstoppable decline. We continued the argument after he moved to Israel not soon after. Over the years we’ve both dug in our heels: I am convinced, even after living for a time in Israel, that aliyah is a happy choice but not the only defensible choice a Jew can make in the 21st century, and that Israel is not the sine qua non of global Jewish creativity or inevitability in the decades since its founding. Elli is as convinced that the galut, the Hebrew term for exile is doomed, physically and spiritually, as Jews assimilate into oblivion or face yet another cycle of historical persecution. (Neither of us, I hope, is as tendentious or as boring as this sounds, at least not Elli, who is passionate about baseball, Jewish comedy, classic Hollywood and old-fashioned, ink-stained American tabloid journalism.) Last week we picked up our old argument where we had left off. And thinking to give it a little fresh material, I suggested a visit to ANU-Museum of the Jewish People. The museum formerly known as Beit Hatfutsot opened on the Tel Aviv University campus in 1978, and recently underwent a major renovation and rebranding in order to convey “the fascinating narrative of the Jewish people and the essence of the Jewish culture, faith, purpose and deed.” I remember visiting the museum in my 20s, when the old Beit Hatfutsot was about a decade old and still considered state of the art. There were dioramas depicting scenes out of various eras in Jewish history and an unforgettable display of models of synagogues throughout the ages. I also remember the criticism at the time: that the museum presented Diaspora Jewish life as a thing of the past. Its exhibit was organized according to “gates,” the last being the “gate of return,” with immigration to Israel presented less as a choice than a culmination. Amir Maltz, the museum’s vice president for marketing, acknowledged that criticism when he met us in ANU’s lobby. “People from abroad would visit and say, ‘I don’t see myself here,’” as if their lives out-
side of Israel weren’t valid or vital. He suggested we start on the third floor, labeled Mosaic, which, he said, more than acknowledges that 50 percent of the world’s Jews don’t live in Israel and insists that there is no one right way of being a Jew. And sure enough, the first thing you see are lifesize videos of various individuals explaining their distinct versions of Jewishness. The walls nearby are lined with large-format photographs of various families: religious, secular and somewhere in between. There is a mixed-race couple, a same-sex Israeli couple and two heavily tattooed hipsters. It
A wall at ANU—Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv honors Jewish literary greats. Credit: Andrew Silow-Carroll
certainly represented the varieties of Jews I encounter in New York, and some of the exuberance seen in and around Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market. The experts would call this pluralism, although it’s just the reality of who we are. Similarly, the second-floor history section begins with a wall title proclaiming A People Among Peoples, surely less Zion-centric than A People in Exile or A People Dispersed, two other plausible alternatives. That history section was the least engaging to me, giving the vibe of an earnest middle school textbook trying a little too hard to make a long, twisting journey from Temple times to the present day palatable. I appreciated the balance the curators appeared to strike between the “lachrymose” school, Jewish history as a series of disasters and the long periods of creativity, stability and autonomy enjoyed by Jews from North Africa to Middle Europe. The exhibit also tries hard to restore women to the Jewish story: I counted at least four main displays centering women. But Mosaic, subtitled Identity and Culture in Our Times, was to me the most engaging of the three
main permanent exhibits, and the one that succeeds the most in transforming this from a “museum of the Diaspora” to a museum of world Jewry. There are crowd-pleasing touches like a wall (and, on the first floor, an entire temporary exhibit) on Jewish humor (trust me, Seinfeld is as big a phenomenon here as it is back home), and the kinds of interactive features that I suspect are more intriguing to kids than adults. There is a wall dedicated to Jewish literature, from Cynthia Ozick to Clarice Lispector to the Israeli Nobelist S.Y. Agnon, and images of Jews in all their variety: Persian, Turkish, Brazilian and Canadian, to name a few. One highly symbolic corner celebrates Yiddish, on the one hand, and the revival of Hebrew as a day-to-day language, on the other. My arguments with Elli are a recapitulation of the tension these languages represent. Israel’s founding generation was seen to look down on Yiddish, partly out of the expediency of nation-building and partly out of a none-too-subtle disdain for the Diasporic ways that Yiddish represented. The museum tackles this head on in one kiosk, asking “Who Will Reign in Zion: Hebrew or Yiddish?” and acknowledging how the debate often turned vicious and even violent. There is also an animated film depicting Jewish literary, artistic and music greats accompanied by a Hebrew rap song about their accomplishments. I found it a little ironic that they chose a rap song perhaps the popular art form with the fewest successful Jewish makers (and yes, I am aware of Drake). Then again, it was in Hebrew, and that kind of cultural synthesis and, OK, flat-out appropriation is part of the Jewish mosaic as well. Like any effort to cram so many arguments and information in a limited space, the Identity and Culture section could feel a little thin. And yet for this Diaspora Jew, it also felt validating. I didn’t feel chided for living in galut, nor defensive about regarding Israel as just one of many paths in the Jewish journey. In the history section, Israel, like the Holocaust, is treated in just one room, this time with wall-sized videos displaying highlights of the country’s 74-year history. Elli said the museum played fair in its presentation of the global Jewish story. “It didn’t celebrate Zionism nor diss Zionism,” he told me. “It told that story within the context of the history of the Jewish people.” But when I goaded him and asked if that See What is a Jew? page 9
The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022 | 9
I left Israel to give my kids the American dream. Is this it? LIOR ZALTZMAN This article first appeared on Kveller. On the day when the shooting happens, I finally unlock what some say is the most vital part of the American dream. My husband and I have a house in the suburbs now, big trees towering above — no picket fence, but a wide expanse of green and room for the pattering of tiny feet. As we sign the paperwork, we each take turns rocking our baby on our legs. This house is for our children. We say it over and over again. If it were just he and I, we would be content with the walls of a small Brooklyn apartment, with the city streets as a backyard. Instead, we chose to give them rooms to grow into, a shingle roof, manicured lawns and a garden to plant and grow together. Like so many of the families in Uvalde, Texas, I am an immigrant. I came here to this country with a dream to give myself and my children a better future. As we drive home, our baby sleeping in the backseat, we hear the news of 21 dreams extinguished by an AR-15. Just like the shooter at Robb Elementary school, I got my first rifle at 18, it was borrowed, not bought, and a few weeks later I returned it, along with magazines full of bullets, to an army warehouse. It scraped against the fabric of my coarse olive green uniform, pushed against my core as I slept with it under my army-issued mattress. As I shot it at a dusty military range, I couldn’t help but think: I am too young and too stupid for this. When I was young, not much older than my oldest son is now, I was promised that maybe I wouldn’t have to go to the army when I grew up. When I moved away from Israel to the United States, I found comfort in the fact that this was one false promise I wouldn’t have to make to my children. But instead, I find myself with a much more harrowing false promise to make. Each day I send them to school, I’ll have to tell them they are safe when I know they are not. I grew up in a country where the faces of fallen soldiers greet you every morning at the entrance of schools, with a memorial wall for the soldier alumni who perished. And yet I knew that I was safe in the walls of my classrooms. I come from a place dubbed the holy land, yet I cannot fathom how one could value thoughts and prayers over actions to protect the sanctity of the lives of our school children. I come from a land known for such violence, yet it has never treated the life of its young with such callousness.
I come from a place known for occupation and war, shelters and bombs, missile fire and violent attacks in the streets — for all those reasons, I’m glad my children are growing up somewhere different. And yet, it’s also a place of gun control, it’s very hard to obtain a permit for a weapon in Israel. Once, someone tried to partially blame school shootings on America’s militarization, and I attempted to refute the argument by saying that I come from an even more militarized place. They scoffed at me, but it was true, school shootings don’t happen in Israel. The week before the Uvalde shooting, I talked to Jewish comedian Michael Ian Black about his book A Better Man, an open letter to his son about boyhood and masculinity which is brack-
of a war, one that they didn’t sign up for a cynical war waged by politicians and gun lobbies. Almost every mass shooting involves an AR-15, and yet we refuse to outlaw them; so many shootings are committed by young, angry men, and yet we don’t restrict their access to guns. Too many men and women in power send us the message that guns are more important than the lives of our children and of their teachers, who are meant to foster their growth, not shield them with their bodies. I had my children in this country hoping, in part, to protect them from violence. But when I see images of Alithia Ramirez and Irma Garcia, all the Uvalde victims and their families, another community devastated by this same gun, I recognize that’s an American dream that, for now, I cannot give them. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
What is a Jew? Crosses sit outside of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, after a gunman killed 21 people inside, May 24, 2022. Credit: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
eted by school shootings. I was distracted during our interview, my son was terribly ill, and being faced with your child’s mortality is a haunting, terrible thing. I told him how his book feels just as relevant now, two years after it came out, especially after the Buffalo shooting that had taken place the week before. As we ended our call, he told me that this would not be the last time his book feels pertinent, the last mass shooting. It’s an awful thing to be right about this week. It’s an awful thing that these shootings feel unavoidable. It’s an awful thing to, once again, be faced with our children’s mortality this way. I return, over and over again, to an Onion headline: “‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens.” I come from a country that prevents this so many other immigrants in this country do, too. The 21 victims of the Uvalde shooting should still be with us. Yes, in Israel, we send children to defend our country, in uniforms and guns — but at least they know they’ll be in danger. Every day, the children of this country get drafted to be part
Continued from page 8 was satisfying, he dropped the gloves: “One can walk away thinking that there are so many more chapters to write about the future glory of Diaspora Jewry, when in fact the story is virtually over. It won’t survive the 21st century.” I left thinking that if the museum has a Zionist agenda, it doesn’t need a wall label or “gate of return” to make its point. You only need to exit the museum and find yourself surrounded by buildings representing the life sciences, engineering, biotech, security studies and “cereal crops improvement.” To catch the train back to Jerusalem, you walk along a bluff that offers a spectacular view of the high rises of Ramat Gan and downtown Tel Aviv. And as you consider the present-day vitality or the nearly inconceivable accomplishments of the Jewish state, you think, “Touché, Israel. Touché.” Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor in chief of The New York Jewish Week and senior editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
The Jewish Press Endowment The purpose of this endowment fund is to ensure the Omaha Jewish Press continues to serve the Omaha Jewish Community. Here’s how you can help: $36 pays for two weeks of office supplies $180 covers the monthly cost of our copier contract $360 helps us develop new content, such as our author series $1,800 will cover two weeks of printing the Jewish Press Fill out the information below and simply return it to the Jewish Press office, or visit us online at http://www.omahajewishpress.com.
The Jewish Press Endowment Giving levels O O O O O
$36 $180 $360 $1,800 Other $______
Your information Name_________________________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________________________________ Email_________________________________________________________________________________ Please make checks payable to The JFO Foundation
The Jewish Press
Synagogues
10 | The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
CHABAD HOUSE
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN
South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154 rbjh.com
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us on Friday, June 10, 7 p.m. for evening services. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on COVID-related closures and about our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays, 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Annual Meeting, Six String Shabbat, Awards & Dinner, 5:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 9:40 p.m. Zoom Only. SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Wednesday Night Workout, 6 p.m. at Turner Park. FRIDAY-June 17: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream SATURDAY-June 18: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 9:45 p.m. Zoom Only. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
BETH ISRAEL FRIDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Camp JYE, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:39 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Camp JYE, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Tehillim for Kids, 5:30 p.m. at the Uzi’s; Kids Parsha Class, 6:50 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha, 8:40 p.m.; Shalosh Seudos/Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 9 p.m.; Ma’ariv/Havdalah, 9:49 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. MONDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. (Zoom); Camp JYE, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel; Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. TUESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. (Zoom); Camp JYE, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel; Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. (Zoom); Camp JYE, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel; Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m.; Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m.
THURSDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Camp JYE, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel; Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Kids Parsha Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Medical Ethics, noon with Rabbi Yoni at UNMC; Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. FRIDAY-June 17: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Camp JYE, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:42 p.m. SATURDAY-June 18: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Luke Weiners Bar Mitzvah, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Tehillim for Kids, 5:30 p.m. at the Uzi’s; Kids Parsha Class, 6:50 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Daf Yomi, 8:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha, 8:40 p.m.; Shalosh Seudos/Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 9 p.m.; Candlelighting, 9:52 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
CHABAD HOUSE All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person/Zoom hybrid (Ochabad.com/classroom). For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Le chayim; Candlelighting, 8:39 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:48 p.m. SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps, 9 a.m. MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Virtual Pirkei Avot Women’s Class, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introduction to Hebrew Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen. THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Advanced Hebrew Class, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin — No advance experience necessary), noon with Rabbi Katzman; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) Class, 8 p.m. with Rabbi Ell. FRIDAY-June 17: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochab ad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 8:42 p.m. SATURDAY-June 18: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:51 p.m.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. Note: Some of our services, but not all, are now being offered in person. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service lead-
ers/ music: Rabbi Alex, Leslie Delserone and Peter Mullin, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 8:39 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study on Parashat Nasso, noon; Havdalah, 9:49 p.m. SUNDAY: Men's Jewish Bike Group of Lincoln meets Sundays at 10 a.m., rain or shine, to ride to one of The Mill locations from Hanson Ct. (except we drive if it’s too wet, cold, cloudy, windy, hot or humid) followed by coffee and spirited discussions. If interested, please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com to find out where to meet each week; Pickleball at Tifereth Israel is on hiatus until after Yom Kippur 5783. In the meantime, everyone is welcome to play at Peterson Park through the spring and summer; just wear comfortable clothes and tennis or gym shoes. For motre information, contact Miriam Wallick by email at Miriam57@aol.com; Candlelighting for Yom Tov, 9:45 p.m. TUESDAY: Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY-June 17: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/ music: Rabbi Alex, Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 8:42 p.m. SATURDAY-June 11: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study on Parashat Beha’alotcha, noon; Havdalah, 9:52 p.m.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
FRIDAY: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home’s service is currently closed to visitors.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander. DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat Shirah, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or InPerson. SUNDAY: Second Sunday Breakfast, 9 a.m. at the Stephen Center. WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom or In-Person. FRIDAY-June 17: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat B’yachad: Voices of Tri-Faith, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY-June 18: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
Join Chabad for bistro night
MUSHKA TENENBAUM Chabad of Nebraska For the third time this year, we invite you to participate in Omaha Kosher Bistro night on Monday, June 13 between 57 p.m. featuring Jewish Deli fare. Don’t miss an opportunity to chow down on delicious pastrami on rye with a shmear of mustard while chatting with your fellow Omahans in true NY deli fashion. Dine in and take out options, your choice. Pre-orders are rec- Left picture: Rabbi Eli and Shervin Ansari make a lechaim once all the hungry patrons were served; Right picture: Rice pudding ommended. Order today at featured at the previous Omaha Kosher Bistro night - Persian style - March 28th ochabad.com/bistro. Sponsorship opportunities available.
TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at www.omaha jewishpress.com/site/forms/. Deadlines are normally nine days prior to publication, on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.
The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022 | 11
News
Pulverente MONUMENT CO. Over 60 Years Experience With Jewish Lettering and Memorials
1439 So. 13th 402-341-2452 Family Owned and Operated
LOC AL | N ATI O N A L | WO R L D
In a first, Israeli government to pay Orthodox women to advise on Jewish law RON KAMPEAS JTA In a first, Israel will pay 21 women to be advisers on Jewish law in the Orthodox community, a concept that has spread in the United States but that Israel’s Orthodox establishment has resisted. Matan Kahana, the deputy religious services minister, said in a release Thursday he will hire the women for “communities across Israel” this year. Women advisers on halacha, or Jewish law, have flourished in recent years in the United States, where there has been a demand among women for counseling on issues considered too sensitive to bring to a male rabbi. The rabbinic establishment in Israel has resisted the concept, saying that certification may be seen as a form of ordination, which is prohibited for women across almost all of Orthodoxy. Polling in Israel has nonetheless shown that there is a demand for the service among Orthodox women, and the
Tritz Plumbing Inc. 402-894-0300 www.tritz.com repair • remodel
commercial • residential
family owned and operated since 1945
institute founded by Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin, who died last year, and his wife Chana to train and certify “Yoatzot Halacha” is based in Jerusalem. Kahana has become known for his efforts to accommodate non-Orthodox and more liberal Orthodox Jewish practices, and has come under fire from extremists for doing so.
SUMMER INTERN The Jewish Press is looking for a summer intern. If you are currently attending college, are between the ages of 18 and 24, and want to become more involved in our community, this is your chance. If you are interested, please send your resume and cover letter to avandekamp@jewishomaha.org. We can’t wait to meet you!
The Jewish Press
NEBRASKA STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS
HELLO NEBRASKA! Introducing www.nepublicnotices.com, a new public notice website presented as a public service by all Nebraska newspapers. Free access, fully searchable – because democracy depends upon open government and your right to know.
STOP worrying! SilverBills eliminates the stress and hassle of bill payments. All household bills guaranteed to be paid on time, as long as appropriate funds are available. Computer not necessary. Call for a FREE trial or a custom quote today. SilverBills 1-877-3551774
SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! Strong, recent work history needed. Call to start your application or appeal today! 866-563-0161 [Steppacher Law Offices LLC Principal Office: 224 Adams Ave Scranton PA 18503]
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING works! Place your 25 word ad into thousands of Nebraska homes for $225. Contact The Jewish Press or call 1-800-369-2850.
AFFORDABLE PRESS Release service. Send your message to 155 newspapers across Nebraska for one low price! Call 1-800-3692850 or www.nebpress.com for more details. SENIOR COUPLE late 70’s need a non-smoking couple for immediate help to run 1,700 acre corn, wheat, soybean, alfafa and garden. 450 cow/calf operation housing & Benefits. 308-470-1076
BATHROOM RENOVATIONS. Easy, One Day updates! We specialize in safe bathing. Grab bars, no slip flooring & seated showers. Call for a free in-home consultation: 844-596-6325.
PORTABLE OXYGEN Concentrator? May be covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855385-3580.
THE GENERAC PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system. Save money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a Free, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-833-513-0190.
DOES YOUR basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundations, sinking concrete and nasty crawl spaces. FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate. $250 off ANY project with code GET250. Call 1-844-958-3431.
VIVINT. SMART security. Professionally installed. One connected system for total peace of mind.FREE professional installation! Four FREE months of monitoring! Call now to customize your system. 1-833-776-0423
USE HAPPY Jack® Kennel Dip as an area spray to control lyme disease ticks, fleas, stable flies, & mosquitoes where they breed. At Tractor Supply® (www.fleabeacon.com)
BECOME A Published Author. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance Publishing-Trusted by Authors Since 1920 Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution Call for Your Free Author’s Guide 1-877-858-2822 or visit dorranceinfo.com/Ne braska.
12 | The Jewish Press | June 10, 2022
News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D
Boycott advocates claim victory as General Mills divests its Israeli dough operation ANDREW LAPIN JTA General Mills announced Tuesday it would be fully divesting from a business venture in Israel that had operated in an East Jerusalem settlement, in a move pro-Palestinian activists celebrated as the result of their campaign against the food conglomerate. The Minnesota-based company has operated a Pillsbury frozen-food factory in the Atarot Industrial Zone since 2002, in a joint venture with Israeli investment group Bodan Holdings. In a statement, the company said it would sell its majority stake in the venture back to Bodan as part of a larger international investment strategy. General Mills’ statement did not mention politics and noted that the company had previously moved to sell off its European dough business, as well. Reached for comment, a company spokesperson redirected the Jewish Telegraphic Agency to its statement. The company has been a target of proPalestinian activists since it was included in a 2020 United Nations database of companies doing business in Israeli settlements. American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker-affiliated activist organization that has been pushing the company to end its Israel operations via a campaign called “No Dough For The Occupation,” took credit for
Identical twins give birth to boys on the same day
Identical twins Yael Yishai, right, and Avital Segel pose with their newborn sons at Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem, May 30, 2022. Credit: Shaare Zedek
General Mills announced in June 2022 that it would be selling its Israeli business to its joint venture partner. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
the divestment in a statement. “General Mills’ divestment shows that public pressure works even on the largest of corporations,” Noam Perry, a member of the group’s Economic Activism team, said in the statement. The divestment carried echoes of another food producer’s Israel-related move: last year’s decision by ice-cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry’s to stop selling ice cream in “Occupied
Palestinian Territory.” In that case, the decision was explicitly political, coming on the heels of Israel’s deadly conflict with Hamas. And the blowback was swift, with Jewish groups and several state governments lining up to not only boycott Ben & Jerry’s products but also divest from its parent company, the British multinational conglomerate Unilever — in many cases citing anti-Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions laws to do so.
RON KAMPEAS JTA When they were born, Yael came first, and then came her twin sister, Avital. The twins preserved that sequence 31 years later when they gave birth on the same day on Monday to boys at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek hospital. That’s not where the coincidences stopped, according to a hospital news release and an interview the twins gave to Kikar HaShabbat, a religious news outlet. The sisters Yael Yishai and Avital Segel, who live in the Gush Etzion bloc in the West Bank, were each bearing a fourth child, and each had two girls and a boy already. The nursing staff made sure the sisters shared a room, which they appreciated. “It was so much fun to be in the same room, with newborns,” Avital said. The hospital noted that a similar event occurred in 1997.