July 12, 2019

thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

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Kaplan Book Group

JU L Y 1 2 , 2 0 1 9 | 9 T AMMU Z 5 7 7 9 | V O L . 9 9 | NO . 3 8 | C A ND LELi G H ti NG | FRID AY , JU L Y 1 2 , 8 : 3 9 P. M.

For first time ever, researchers able to eliminate HIV from animal

Let’s talk about organic produce Page 4

kRiPkE JEwiSH FEDERAtioN LiBRARy StAFF On July 18, the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group will be discussing Scenes From Village Life by Amos Oz who passed away in December of 2018.

He had authored 40 books, including novels, short story collections, children's books and essays; his work has been published in 45 languages, more than that of any other Israeli writer.

Members of the UNMC research team included: Back row: James Hilaire, left, Brady Sillman, Ph.D., Larisa Poluektova, M.D., Ph.D., Santhi Gorantla, Ph.D., Benson Edagwa, Ph.D., and Hang Su; Front row: R. Lee Mosley, Ph.D., left, JoEllyn McMillan, Ph.D., Howard Gendelman, M.D., Prasanta Dash, Ph.D., Saumi Mathews, Ph.D., Mary Banoub, and Zhiyi Lin. Missing from photo: Aditya Bade, Ph.D. and Nagsen Gautam, Ph.D.

Family fun at the zoo with PJ Library and Friedel Page 9

i

toM o’CoNNoR UNMC Public Relations n a major collaborative effort, researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) have for the first time eliminated replication-compe-

Serve your guests this classic marble pound cake Page 16

inside Spotlight Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

SPoNSoRED By tHE BENJAMiN AND ANNA E. wiESMAN FAMiLy ENDowMENt FUND

11 12 14 15

tent HIV-1 DNA – the virus responsible for AIDS – from the genomes of living animals. e study, reported online July 2 in the journal Nature Communications, marks a critical step toward the development of a possible cure for human HIV infection. “is achievement could not have been See HiV eliminated from animal page 2

Make plans to attend ADL-CRC’s Rosé at the Rose

PAM MoNSky Community Development Liaison, ADL-CRC Rosé at the Rose is the ADL-CRC’s second annual summer fundraiser, and you won’t want to miss this fun event!

Rosé at the Rose will be held Sunday, July 28 from 3-5 p.m. at the Rose eater, 2001 Farnam St. e event features a Rosé wine tasting, silent auction, music, food and our special guest, Sharon Nazarian, ADL’s Senior Vice President of International Affairs.

Community members will be able to join Ms. Nazarian for more intimate conversations at our VIP dinner fol-

lowing the fundraiser at Stirnella restaurant in the Blackstone District.

Honorary Event co-chairs are Alan and Carol Parsow along with Toba Cohen-Dunning and Eric Dunning as Event Co-Chairs.

Event sponsors include Kutak Rock, LLP; David Kohll; Omaha Public Schools Foundation; Broadmoor Management Company; Belle Terre Vineyard & Reception Hall; Carol Bloch; Momenta Pain Care; Abrahams, Kaslow and Cassman; Bloom

Companion Care; W.H. Ferer Co.; Julie & Jim Fried; Ron Giller; Sheila and Gary Nachman; Stephanie Shakirhev and sons; Kathleen Starr; Danny Cohn and Andrew Miller; Becki Brenner; Gary and Lisa Epstein; Andrew and Kimberly Robinson and Dr. Joel and Nancy Schlessinger.

Wine sponsor is the Gudgel family.

Highlights of the silent auction include original artwork by Omaha native Jim Krantz, a night and dinner at Lied Lodge, Nebraska Football tickets, a week’s stay at a Palm Desert, California resort condo and much more.

Tickets to the event are $50 and include wine and light fare. Event and VIP tickets are $150. VIP tickets only are $100. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit Omaha. adl.org or call 402.334.6570. If you would like to be a Community Sponsor for the event or donate a silent auction item, please contact our office.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Set in the fictional Israeli village of Tel Ilan, Scenes From Village Life is a dark broody book which offers insight into the lives of eight different residents of the village through eight short stories.

Within each short story, a leading character from a previous story may reappear as a minor participant. A recurring theme through all the stories is the ownership of property - who resided on the land prior to Israel becoming a nation in 1948 and who is rightfully entitled to it in present day. Recurring throughout Oz’s book are scenes of plans gone awry and unmet expectations.

In one short story entitled Singing, Oz presents an autobiographical masterpiece where Israel’s history seems entwined on every page. Oz seemingly presents an image of a society which has lost patience and interest in history: “Once, a long time ago, before all this maybe here and there, some people liked each other a bit. Not everyone. Not much. Not always... But now? These days? Now all the hearts are dead. It’s finished.” Oz suggests that political engagement is a thing of the past; we need to sing louder to drown out the sounds of the bombs. This is especially true in the short story Singing where many of the characters who appeared in previous stories gather for a social evening of Russian and Hebrew singing and comradery as Air Force planes can be heard overhead. It is possible that the sounds of the planes refer to the Israeli Air Force’s participation in the Gaza Offensive of 2008-2009.

The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion group meets on the third thursday of every month at 1 p.m. in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. New members are always welcome. The group receives administrative support from the See kaplan Book Group page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019

Respect holds night of comedy

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Paige Brenneman programs that help students learn how to navigate negative RESPECT, an organization working to prevent bullying, peer pressure related to drugs and alcohol, how to help themchild abuse and dating violence will hold an evening of fun selves and others with issues related to self-harm and depresand laughter with nationally recognized comedian John Bush sion. Topics that kids are really concerned about and need to July 11 at 5:45 p.m. at the Scottish Rite have conversations about but do not Masonic Center, 202 South 20th always have the skills to get started!”

Street, Omaha, NE. According to Jermaine Jones, RERESPECT is beginning its 20th year SPECT’s Chairman, the evening will be of providing collaborative, data-driven a lively one with dozens of silent aucprograms to Nebraska and Iowa tion items, a live auction for CWS tickyouth. Over 30,000 students particiets and a raffle for a RESPECT pate in RESPECT programs every program. RESPECT will recognize year, with over half a million particithree individuals: Garett Garniss, pants since the program began. AcActor-Educator and Moderating & cording to Dr. Patricia Newman, the Creative Director as Staff Member of founder and Executive Director, the the Year; Kevin Hutchison of OBI Creorganization offers educational theater ative as Board Member of the Year; and programs, workshops and artist-inDoug Marr to receive the first Commuresidence programs for students in nity Partner Award for sharing his play preschool through college and focuses e Adventures of Natalie the Net Nanny on providing the information and with the RESPECT organization. skills that students need to be safe in e RESPECT actor-educators will relationships with others. give a brief presentation of Bullying John Bush “Additionally, we give them opporAcross the Lifespan, and music by tunities to experience and practice what those skills are like - Alexander Moore will accompany the Italian buffet catered through observing their peers or through joining our actor by Westside Catering and Chef Arturo Valenzuela. educators up on stage to try out different ideas that they themSponsors include: African Culture Connection; Centris selves would try in problem situations,” said Dr. Newman. Federal Credit Union; D.A. Davidson & Company; Frankel “is allows them the opportunity to share ideas and con- Zacharia, LLC; Sonny Gerber Auto; Scott and Cindy Heider; cerns with peers, be more prepared for potentially scary situ- OBI Creative; Pinnacle Bank; Regal Printing; e Scottish ations, and figure out what their own best individual response Rite; Don & Diana Waggoner. style would be and who they could go to for help if needed.”

Tickets start at $50 per person with all proceeds going to“We are more than theater,” Dr. Newman continued. “We wards the work of RESPECT. Sponsorships are available use theater as an educational tool to teach and to facilitate – starting at $750. For more information and tickets visit to stage conversations with students – so they have the skills www.respect2all.org/comedy or contact RESPECT at they need to be safe in relationships. For example, we have 402.965.1425.

HIV eliminated from animal

Continued from page 1 possible without an extraordinary team effort that included virologists, immunologists, molecular biologists, pharmacologists and pharmaceutical experts,” said Howard Gendelman, M.D., Margaret R. Larson Professor of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine, chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience and director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases at UNMC. “Only by pooling our resources together were we able to make this groundbreaking discovery.”

“Our study shows that treatment to suppress HIV replication and gene editing therapy, when given sequentially, can eliminate HIV from cells and organs of infected animals,” said Kamel Khalili, Ph.D., Laura H. Carnell Professor and chair of the Department of Neuroscience, director of the Center for Neurovirology, and director of the Comprehensive NeuroAIDS Center at LKSOM. Drs. Gendelman and Khalili were senior investigators on the new study.

Current HIV treatment centers on the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART suppresses HIV replication but does not eliminate the virus from the body. erefore, ART is not a cure for HIV, and it requires lifelong use. If it is stopped, HIV rebounds, renewing replication and fueling the development of AIDS. HIV rebound is directly attributed to the ability of the virus to integrate its DNA sequence into the genomes of cells in the immune system, where it lies dormant and beyond the reach of antiretroviral drugs.

In previous work, Dr. Gendelman’s team used a therapeutic strategy known as long-acting slow-effective release (LASER) ART co-developed by Benson Edagwa, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology at UNMC. Dr. Khalili's team used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to develop a novel gene editing and gene therapy delivery system aimed at removing HIV DNA from genomes harboring the virus. In rats and mice, they showed that the gene editing system could effectively excise large fragments of HIV DNA from infected cells, significantly impacting viral gene expression. Similar to ART, however, gene editing cannot completely eliminate HIV on its own.

For the present study, Dr. Gendelman and his team led by Prasanta Dash, Ph.D., instructor of pharmacology, combined its LASER ART strategy with the gene editing system.

LASER ART targets viral sanctuaries and maintains HIV

replication at low levels for extended periods of time, reducing the frequency of ART administration. e long-lasting medications were made possible by pharmacological changes in the chemical structure of the antiretroviral drugs. e modified drug was packaged into nanocrystals, which readily distribute to tissues where HIV is likely to be lying dormant.

From there, the nanocrystals, stored within cells for weeks, slowly release the drug.

Dr. Khalili said, “We wanted to see whether LASER ART could suppress HIV replication long enough for CRISPRCas9 to completely rid cells of viral DNA.” To test their idea, the researchers used mice engineered to produce human T cells susceptible to HIV infection, permitting long-term viral infection and ART-induced latency. Once infection was established, mice were treated with LASER ART and subsequently with CRISPR-Cas9. At the end of the treatment period, mice were examined for viral load. Analyses revealed complete elimination of HIV DNA in about one-third of HIV-infected mice. “e big message of this work is that it takes both CRISPRCas9 and virus suppression through a method such as LASER ART, administered together, to produce a cure for HIV infection,” Drs. Gendelman and Khalili said in a shared statement.

“We now have a clear path to move ahead to trials in nonhuman primates and possibly clinical trials in human patients within the year.” “e ability to excise HIV-1 DNA from the genomes of infected animals depends on LASER ART’s abilities to maximally restrict ongoing infection. is concept of combining both modalities provides a pathway forward to future studies in humans,” Dr. Gendelman said.

Kaplan Book Group

Continued from page 1 Community Engagement & Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For information about the group, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sbanner@jewishomaha.org. 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 Jewish Federation Library,” then to “Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group.”

RBJH Dog Show

The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019 | 3

community

Omaha native harry Friedman receives star on hollywood Walk of Fame

Jill Ohlmann Activities Coordinator RBJH e Rose Blumkin Jewish Home will host the annual Dog Show on ursday, July 25 at 2 p.m. in the Silverman Auditorium.

If you have a well-mannered pet that interacts well with people and other dogs, please join us for the festivities.

Space is limited to 25 dogs, and one dog per owner.

If you would like to bring your furry friend, please RSVP to Jill Ohlmann in the Activities Department by Friday, July 19 at johlmann@rbjh.com or 402.334.6520 Ext. 1.

We look forward to seeing you on July 25!

Organizations

B’nai B’rith BreadBreakers

Clete Blakeman, former Husker quarterback, Omaha lawyer, and now also one of the premier NFL referees/crew chiefs. My Life in the NFL on Wednesday, July 17, noon. Please rsVP before July 16 at 5 p.m. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

O

krista Ostensen OsChe Executive Director, Communications for Wheel of Fortune maha native Harry Friedman, Executive Producer of Wheel of Fortune and JEOPARDY!, has been selected by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of their Class of 2020.

Per the press release announcing the honor, Friedman was chosen from hundreds of nominations at a selection committee meeting held in June and will be ratified by the Hollywood Chamber’s Board of Directors.

Harry Friedman is the most decorated producer of game shows in history, and he holds three Guinness World Records titles to prove it. Harry is a multiple Emmy® Award winner who is the only producer to ever have won two Emmys in the same category in a tie with himself, a Peabody Award winner and an inductee into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. He

has produced more than 6,270 hours of game shows for American television audiences, and most of that tally comes from producing the two most lasting and successful syndicated programs of all time: Wheel of Fortune and JEOPARDY!. He has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has been inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

Harry is a 1964 graduate of Omaha Central High School and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2004.

In 1971 Harry arrived in Los Angeles and, without contacts, gave himself six months to find a job. With less than 24

hours remaining on his self-imposed deadline, he landed a part-time questionwriter spot on e Hollywood Squares.

Friedman went on to write and produce thousands of episodes of the popular series and was also actively involved in the development of several other game shows.

He first joined Wheel of Fortune as producer in 1995, adding producer duties for JEOPARDY! in 1997. In 1999, he was elevated to executive producer for both series.

Harry is also a champion of philanthropy, supporting a variety of worthy causes including Omaha Children’s Hospital.

Harry’s niece, Jill Schrier Folsom, was a dedicated volunteer at the hospital where doctors had saved her young son’s life. Jill died suddenly at age 49 in 2010, and Harry became instrumental in establishing a neonatal intensive care treatment room that has been named in Jill’s memory. And through their family foundation, Harry and Judy Friedman are long-time supporters of the Central High School Foundation.

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4 | The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019

community Student-led walkout protests recent abortion restrictions

SAmANThA Ferro, ClAire CoNGer, AND to lead chants for the crowd. “We females, we know this is a problem so why would we just sit back and PAiGe ANDerSoN Reprinted with permission let these people makes these decisions?... Why do Tamalpais High School, CA, Sophomore Grace [they] think we’re obligated to be quiet because it Newman, granddaughter of Murray Newman, led a isn’t ‘ladylike’, No! I don’t care if it’s ladylike or not. women’s rights walkout to protest recent anti-abor- I’m still gonna yell, I’m still gonna fight. They can’t tion legislation in front of the arches on Friday, May 31, during fifth period. The walkout, made up of about 100 students, began at 8:20 a.m. and ended at 8:45 a.m.

The protest was in response to recent abortion restrictions across the country. “Heartbeat bills” which ban abortion six weeks into the pregnancy or roughly when a fetal heartbeat can first be detected, have passed in Georgia, Mississippi, and Louisiana within Students protest recent abortion restrictions in front of The the past year.

“People were talking about the Arches. Grace Newman is in the middle. things that are going on in other states regarding do anything about it because at the end of the day, abortion bans and I just think it’s so important that it’s our bodies and our choice,” Hoang said. women and men here understand that just because Newman hopes to create a club on campus to we’re not directly being affected by the laws that continue the conversation regarding women’s rights. are happening right now, that doesn’t mean we “I think it’s important just to spread the message don’t have a part in making a difference,” Newman that it’s our generation’s job to make a difference in said. “[It] doesn’t mean we don’t need to stand in office, and we need to vote these people out. We solidarity with women all over the world whose need to fight back. There are no set plans yet, but rights are being affected because we are all part of in the future I want to start a group to empower the same community.” girls and fight for [the] rights of those that don’t Sophomores Nancy Hoang and Jake Cohen helped have the basic rights we do,” Newman said.

o

Let’s talk about organic produce DeborAh DeNeNberG rganic produce means consuming fewer toxic pesticides. Wellness advocate chef Ann Cooper says, “Corporate agriculture uses 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides each year... a five-pound bag for every man, woman and child in our country.

So if I had a five-pound bag right here and I took a teaspoon and fed it to your child, that’s what we have.”

Nebraska ranks #1 in the country for Parkinson’s disease and is in the top bracket for childhood leukemia and other childhood cancer.

Hard proof lags hypothesis, but the scientific community believes the cause is linked to the pesticides and herbicides we spray on our crops. e United States Department of Agriculture certifies organic food. From their website: “Organic regulations specify production and processing requirements (such as conserving natural resources). For example, the use of most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, growth hormones, sewage sludge, ir-

radiation, and genetic engineering...are prohibited.”

It’s easy to get started if you don’t currently buy organic produce. e Environmental Working Group publishes the EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. Download at www.ewg.org. Start by buying all organic versions of produce listed under the “Dirty Dozen.” ese foods contain the most pesticides. e EWG notes “the samples are tested for pesticides aer they have been prepared to be eaten. is means the produce has been thoroughly washed, and when applicable, peeled. Aer these preparations, pesticide residues are still detected on many of the fruits and veggies.” (i.e. buy certified organic produce...washing and peeling doesn’t help).

Many area food stores carry organic produce. Let’s live and be well by feeding ourselves and our children organic produce. e JCC Wellness Committee welcomes your comments and involvement. Contact debbie@denenberg.com.

food Music by Dana P. Rowe Book by John Dempsey Based on a story by John Dempsey and Hugh Murphy Ken Ludwig’s

by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett Based upon Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl Newly Adapted by Wendy Kesselman

by Tim Clue and Spike Manton

by Peter Gordon

General Admission $14 Student Admission $8 Group rates available!

For show times and more information visit

www.brownvillevillagetheatre.com Or call us at 402-825-4121

publishing date | 08.16.19 space reservation | 08.07.19

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

Susan Bernard | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org

The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019 | 5

FIRST CLASS ENTERTAIN

Tourist’s view of Jewish Life

OLiver B. POLLak terculturality.” e cover of his book, Cordoba in Focus, deof Richmond, California picts Maimonides, born in Cordoba in 1135 in a mosque.

Museums are good for tourism. Karen and I have visited at Aer the Reconquista que became a cathedral, minarets were least 25 Jewish museums in 15 countries. Museums can be frequently incorporated into Christian edifices. Maimonides free-standing or part of a synagogue. ey have souvenir gi (Rambam, almost the same acronym as Nachmanides, is a shops. Holocaust Memorials are in visible public places. touch confusing). A scholar, philosopher and physician, he Cemeteries in Barcelona and Girona are located on Montjuic fled persecution in Cordoba and died in Egypt in 1204.

(Jewish Mountain). e Spanish Holocaust: InMy reading on this trip was quisition and Extermination in e Museum of Innocence by Twentieth-Century Spain Orhan Pamuk published in (2011) by Sir Paul Preston ap2008. He won the 2006 Nobel propriates terms from Europe’s Prize for literature. It ranks intolerant past to capture Genwith Marcel Proust’s far longer eral Francisco Franco’s inhuRemembrance of ings Past mane actions in the Spanish recently retranslated as In Civil War (1936-39) and dictaSearch of Lost Time. Pamuk torship which ended with his and Proust are masters of indeath in 1975. Democratic trospection, rumination and Spain attempted to do the terroir. Compulsion and obright thing. Lewing postal session overcome the rational workers who fled Franco’s with a tragic but satisfying Spain lost their pension rights. conclusion aer imbibing In the 1990s the post office flagons of anisette flavored searched the world for these louche Yeni Raki. My bucket expatriates requesting they list includes Istanbul and the apply for their pensions. In Museum of Innocence which 2015 the Spanish parliament, opened in 2012. Fortunately, Cortes Generales, passed citithe local liquor store is more zenship legislation offering the accessible. progeny of the 300,000 Jews On our 2008 Spanish trip, expelled in 1492, potentially we read e Shadow of the 2.2 million Sephardic Jews, the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. right to Spanish citizenship We visited the Barcelona synuntil October 2019. By NoPorto Portugal Synagogue agogue but did not manage to vember 2018 Spain naturalget to Girona. is time, May 2019, we took a train to ized 8,365 applicants based on Jewish ancestry.

Girona, a town of about 100,000, 63 miles north of Morocco is ruled by a parliamentary constitutional monarBarcelona. Home to about 900 Jews from about 880 to 1492, chy headed by king Mohammed VI and managed to maintain by which time crises of co-existence in 1263, 1348, 1391, a hospitable environment for Moslems, Christians and Jews 1418, and 1448 had reduced the Jewish population to about despite hostility in neighboring North African countries, the 120 by the 1492 expulsion edict. Nachmanides (acronym Maghreb and the Middle East. Nonetheless, many Moroccan Ramban) born in 1194 was a Sephardic rabbi, philosopher Jews, Mizrahi, have emigrated to France, Israel and the United and physician who fled Girona at the age of 70 for Jerusalem. States. Casablanca had as many as 70,000 Jews in the 20th He died in Acre in 1270. century and Tangiers 10,000. Today, Casablanca has about Girona’s Museum of Jewish History founded in the early 5,000 Jews and Tangiers, 150.

1990s, occupies the space of the second synagogue founded In anticipation of dining at Casablanca’s Rick’s Café we in 1435. Archeological and architectural expansion is ongo- watched the 1942 film Casablanca on Netflix. We had not ing. Synagogues have glass cabinets displaying ritual items, seen it in decades but had frequently uttered its familiar lines, Torahs and Torah covers, Aron Kodesh (Holy Ark), yads, sho- “Play it Sam,” “Round up twice the usual number of suspects,” fars, megillahs, haggadahs, kiddush cups, tefillin, kipahs, and “Here’s looking at you, kid.” e script was still fresh, vital tallis, spice boxes, Passover plates, mezuzahs, menorahs, and contemporary. e chilling deception, bribery and selfamulets, hamsas, dreidels, shochet and mohel implements. sacrificing love assisted refugees to escape the nazi juggernaut.

Little remains of Girona’s Jewish past other than massive stone In Porto on the Douro River in Portugal, we delighted to gravestones. e Institute of Nahmanid Studies was created fado, five guitars and six singers, giving solo performances in in 1997. e 9,500 volume library is named in honor of emer- a crowded bar. We stood outside Porto’s impressive Kadoorie itus Professor David Romano of the University of Barcelona. Mekor Haim Synagogue built in 1929, along with a half dozen Chabad arrived in Girona two years ago joining the Chabad other Jewish world travelers. Lacking appointments, we were Houses in Madrid, Barcelona, Marbella, Ibiza and Valencia. denied entry.

Barcelona’s Restaurante Egipte on the famed Ramblas became Where Jews have not lived for half a millennium or were Maccabi Kosher in 2013. Our magic carpet cruise ship took exterminated, the burden of history carries sorrow and surus to further Jewish sites in Spain and Morocco, including vival gratitude. In 2008 we exited Barcelona to the operatic Cordoba, Casablanca and Tangiers. sounds of Puccini’s La Bohème at the Liceu Opera. is time Our guide in Cordoba, Luis Recio Mateo, deeply Catholic, we enjoyed Puccini’s Tosca. Great love is expressed in song, his son a priest, carefully parsed between Arab, Moors, printed words, and e Museum of Innocence. We are fortuMoslem, Muslim and Islam. He emphasized Cordoba’s “in- nate voyeurs and voyagers of world culture.

Volunteers needed

The Jewish Press is looking for volunteers who are willing to proof read our pages.

If you are interested and have some time on your hands, please contact Editor Annette van de Kamp for details at avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.

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King David’s gate

A

The city gate from the time of King David (11th-10th centuries BCE), recently discovered at Bethsaida. The picture shows the cobblestone pavement (L1270), a high place consisting of two steps leading to a podium and two upstanding stones abutting it (L1275). The city wall of a later period (9th – 8th centuries BCE) situated on top of the early gate is seen in the upper part of the picture. city gate from King David’s time was discovered in the city of Bethsaida in the Golan Heights’ Jordan Park, leading to new theories about the ancient landscape of the Land of Israel.

Professor Rami Arav of the University of Nebraska, chief archaeologist overseeing the excavations, said: “e gate and further findings found within the ancient city give the notion that it was possible that Solomon and David might not have been the sole kings of the Israelite kingdom at their respective times, but instead chieains of large tribes of Israelites.”

According to an article in the Jerusalem Post, “the previously uncovered gate found in the area was cautiously identified to be a part of the biblical city of Zer, a name used during the First Temple period. However, the newlyfound gate dates back to the time and rule of King David, which is purportedly from the 11th to 10th centuries BCE.” “ere are not many gates from capitol cities in this country from this period,” Arav also said.

“Bethsaida was the name of the city during the Second Temple period; but during the First Temple period, it was the city of Zer.” Arav cited Joshua 19:35, which says: “e fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinneret.” e excavation and research, sponsored by the Hebrew Union College of Jerusalem, has brought together archaeologists from different parts of the world. e possibility exists that Bethsaida was not an Israelite Kingdom, but an Aramaic one. A stone stele, dating back to the kingdom of Geshur, with the image of the Aramaic moon god was found, one of two at that locale.Others like it were found in Turkey and Egypt.

According to the Jerusalem Post article: “THE KINGDOM of Geshur is mentioned in the Bible as having co-existed alongside the Kingdom of David. It was eventually annexed by King Hazael, who ruled what is today modern Syria. e biblical kingdom of Geshur existed in parts of what is now the

Golan Heights.”

Seven kingdoms are believed to have ruled the ancient Land of Israel. However, according to Arav, the researchers know little about the archaeology of these capitals since they have been destroyed and rebuilt many times over.

Arav said that these types of excavations are difficult in places like Jerusalem, because researchers need to get permission from landowners as well as the government to excavate these sites. In addition, other ancient cities, such as Damascus, have been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times in the past, making it difficult to connect inferences in what actually happened there during these time periods.

Bethsaida is an almost untouched archaeological heaven for getting the real story about what happened during the times of the Hebrew Bible and the Second Temple period.

“Bethsaida is a unique example of a capital city from the 11th-8th century BCE that is available for archaeological research, as there has been no disturbance to this site,” said Arav.

Excavations will continue on site as archaeologists attempt to discover everything dating from the 11th century BCE to the period of Roman rule following the end of the Common Era. Arav has spearheaded the excavation efforts since 1987. In 2018, archaeologists uncovered the entrance gate to the biblical city of Zer during excavations carried out in the Golan Heights.

Arav began carrying out excavations of etTell on behalf of the University of Nebraska nearly 30 years ago. In these excavations, he identified the ancient Bethsaida, and following his excavations and discoveries, masses of Christian pilgrims visited the site because of its great importance to Christianity.

Over the years, excavators have discovered in Bethsaida many remains from various periods, such as coins, beads, jugs and house keys as well as a shield that belonged to a Roman soldier. e most significant finding was a coin dated 35 BCE, which was minted in Acre on the occasion of the arrival of Cleopatra and Marc Antony. Only 12 such coins exist.

Billy McGuigan’s Rock Twist at the Omaha Community Playhouse Billy McGuigan’s Rock Twist is back at the Omaha Community Playhouse, with an all-new set list and featuring the Pop Rock Orchestra! A highenergy concoction of rock ‘n’ roll mega hits with a big band twist, Billy McGuigan’s Rock Twist is a live concert experience like no other.

Featuring a stacked lineup of all-star musicians covering everything from The Doors to Frank Sina-

tra—all backed by the 14-piece Pop Rock Orchestra—Billy McGuigan’s Rock Twist is the electric marriage of music’s greatest generations.

The show opens Aug. 2 and runs through Aug. 18 in the Hawks Mainstage Theatre. Tickets start at $42 and are available at OmahaPlayhouse.com or through the OCP Box Office at 402.553.0800 or 6915 Cass St., Omaha, NE 68138.

US Holocaust Museum takes ‘radical position’ in migrant camps debate, scholars say

maRcy osTeR But, their letter said, the JTA museum’s decision to reject Hundreds of scholars critidrawing any possible analogies to the Holocaust or the cized the U.S. Holocaust Meevents leading up to it is funmorial Museum for its damentally ahistorical.” “unequivocal” rejection of “It has the potential to inanalogies between the Holoflict severe damage on the caust and other events.

Museum’s ability to continue An open letter published in its role as a credible, leading the New York Review of Books global institution dedicated said the museum is taking a to Holocaust memory, Holo“radical position that is far recaust education, and removed from mainstream search in the field of scholarship on the Holocaust a view of barracks from auschwitz-birkenau in the u.s. HoloHolocaust and genocide and genocide. And it makes caust museum’s permanent exhibition.

Credit: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum studies,” they wrote. “e learning from the past almost very core of Holocaust education is to alert the public to danimpossible.”’ e museum in a strongly worded statement rejected such gerous developments that facilitate human rights violations analogies in the wake of the recent debate over comparisons and pain and suffering; pointing to similarities across time between concentration camps and the migrant detention and space is essential for this task.” camps established by the Trump administration, most on the Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., last month likened border with Mexico. migrant detention camps on the border to concentration camps Some 375 scholars and academics, many who write on and and invoked the phrase “Never again.” e lawmaker later said teach about the Holocaust and genocide, wrote to museum she was not likening the detention camps to the camps run by director Sara Bloomfield that they “strongly support” the the Nazis, but to other detention camps, including those that museum, whose resources many have used for their aca- imprisoned Japanese Americans during World War II. But it raised a firestorm among Jewish critics and others. demic research.

Join the 2019 JWRP momentum men’s Trip

Gabby blaiR Staff Writer, Jewish Press The men’s JWRP MoMENtum trip is set to take off on nov. 11, and we are looking for one more man for this adventure! Do not let this amazing opportunity to do more than just “visit” Israel pass you by…this is guaranteed to be an experience of a lifetime. Highly subsidized by the JWRP and The Jewish Federation of Omaha, the Men’s trip includes eight days in Israel with the JWRP and the chance to visit our partnership region in the Western Galilee.

Please contact Ari Kohen, men’s trip leader at ari.kohen@gmail.com or Louri Sullivan, JFO Senior Director of Community Impact and Special Projects at 402.334.6485 or lsullivan@jewishomaha.org or with questions and for more information about fees and requirements.

The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019 | 7

community Tu B’Av event in Scottsdale

Randi Jablin Come to a weekend of talks from renowned local and national speakers, about various aspects of dating and relationships, as well as social events. Tu B’Av Heart 2 Heart 2019: A Celebration of Love, Connection, and Discovery, will be held Aug. 15-18 in Scottsdale, Arizona. All observance levels are welcome, and Kashrut will be observed.

Tu B’Av, the 15th Day of Av, was originally a day of matchmaking for women. ey would wear white and dance. Aug. 16 falls on Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Comfort, which is the Shabbat aer Tisha B’Av. e goals for the weekend are for “singles to meet and connect in deeper ways to each other and to create relationships that, G-d willing, will lead to matches,” said Rabbi Intrator.

In addition to various talks, there will be yoga with Mariel Wilk, traditional and egalitarian Shabbat services and Shabbat dinner. Saturday night will conclude with an Havdalah service and cocktail hour, as well as two social events determined by age. e conference will conclude Sunday morning. e schedule is subject to change. is event will be held at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas in Scottsdale. Deadline for online registration is Aug 9. For more information, or to register, go to heart2heartaz.com or info@heart2heartaz.com.

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8 | The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019

community In the Swiss Alps, locals and haredi tourists find ways to get along cnAAn lIpShIz AROSA, SWITZERLAND | JTA A calmer, safer and more beautiful place than this Alpine skiing town is difficult to imagine.

In summer, cyclists abandon their unlocked mountain bicycles (there’s virtually no crime here) outside cafes surrounded by wild coniferous forests. ey enjoy reasonably priced regional treats on terraces whose stunning views include turquoise lakes at the foot of snow-capped mountains punctuated by waterfalls.

Arosa, which has had a kosher hotel since the 1930s, is a preferred destination for haredi Orthodox Jewish tourists during the summer vacation. Oen traveling on a budget, large haredi families get bargains here off season for hotels that make most of their profit from winter sports enthusiasts and incur losses during the summer .

In recent years, however, this symbiosis in paradisaical Arosa has become burdened by tension and resentment. Jewish tourists from insular communities and locals from this small town in one of Western Europe’s most conservative societies have clashed at times in ways that occasionally have made news.

Perhaps the best-known incident occurred in 2017, when an Arosa hotelier posted a request to her “Jewish guests” that they shower before entering the hotel pool. She also asked the Jews to access the refrigerator only at set times.

Jewish groups, an Israeli official and an online travel site all condemned the hotel as racist before both sides acknowledged mistakes.

Following multiple incidents like these, the Jewish community of Switzerland launched a project this summer involving dozens of volunteers and hoteliers that aims to sensitize the relevant parties to each other’s points of view.

“We’re sending about 20 mediators, observant Swiss Jews, to the three hotspots where we’re experiencing difficulties,” including Arosa, Jonathan Kreutner, general secretary of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency earlier this month.

His group and tourism bosses have spent about $25,000 on the campaign, the first of its kind in Switzerland. Volunteers distribute fliers in four languages, including Hebrew and Yiddish. Earlier this month, dozens of hoteliers came to a symposium in nearby Davos, where the Jewish federation explained about some of the sensitivities of the haredi guests.

(One of the tips: Offer the guests an apple as a welcome snack rather than a ham sandwich.)

“Mistakes have been made on all sides, including our own,” Kreutner said. “We need to develop ways of learning from that.”

He acknowledged his group’s mistakes in the 2017 swimming pool incident: Its charges that hotelier Ruth omann was guilty of discrimination helped escalate the incident into a diplomatic crisis.

Pillorying her was “a huge mistake,” Kreutner said.

Even before the storm subsided, however, it emerged that “omann was no anti-Semite,” he said; and the incident was a series of misunderstandings. Orthodox Jews who had stayed at her hotel in Arosa told the Swiss media and JTA that they had felt welcomed by omann and her staff. e enormous local and international exposure in turn magnified behaviors by some haredi visitors to Arosa that are unacceptable in Switzerland. Locals complained that the

A view of Arosa, Switzerland, in summer.

Credit: Olaf Protze/LightRocket via Getty Images tourists le trash, including used diapers, strewn about picnic areas; pushed and shoved at bus stops and skipped out on paying for public transportation. Such issues have generated multiple incidents that have not been picked up by the media, Kreutner said “Some of the haredi visitors seem to be not really aware that there are people around them,” Lena Zuberbuehler, a local from Arosa, told JTA. “Shouting, shoving on the bus. It’s a Swiss cultural thing; we don’t like that. ey ignore you if you tell them something. It’s not OK. You have to adapt yourself if you come to another country. I do that as well.”

Others, like Juan Perez, a construction worker, said these issues are “negligible compared to the contribution the Jewish tourists make. anks to them, hotels don’t stand empty offseason. It’s a huge advantage.”

Eliyahu Hamerschlag, a father of four from the Jerusalem area, visited Arosa for a weekend earlier this month with two of his children.

“I’ve come here three times already and haven’t experienced any negative reactions,” he said. “I don’t think the problem here is about racism, specifically against Jews. I think it’s about the misunderstandings that can happen when a number of people come into regular contact with another number of people from a very different culture.”

Friction rose in Arosa as it began to become a destination for working- and middle-class haredi families, Kreutner said.

Wealthier haredi Jews have been vacationing here for decades, since the establishment of a large, four-star kosher hotel in the 1930s.

“e Arosa incident [involving omann] just gave a push to plans we already had for mediating between the parties,” Kreutner said. Written in consultation with haredi copywriters, the leaflets urge Jewish guests to be alert to lines and leave campgrounds clean. e fliers remind readers that they “represent the People of Israel” to many they meet in Switzerland, Kreutner added.

In 2017, Kreutner traveled to Arosa, situated about 90 miles southeast of Zurich, and apologized to omann publicly for his organization’s condemnation of her actions.

Kreutner said he has tried to have her relisted on the online hotel reservation service Booking.com, which dropped omann following the incident, but says the firm has ignored him. (Booking.com did not respond immediately to JTA’s request for comment.) He said several Swiss Jewish families, who know the inside story, have been staying in her hotel to help make up for the loss of business. (omann, whose quiet three-floor hotel borders a mossy woods with a large population of squirrels and martins, declined to be interviewed for this article, saying only “I have put it behind me.”)

Low- to medium-budget hotels like hers are key to how Arosa became a popular destination for so many haredim in the past 30 years.

Before these hotels sprang up, Orthodox visitors here tended to stay at the Hotel Metropol — the four-star kosher establishment with a gourmet, glatt-certified restaurant and an inhouse synagogue. Run by the Levin family of Swiss Jews, the Metropol planted the seed of off-season Jewish tourism in the Swiss Alps.

Especially aer Tisha b’Av, the Jewish day of mourning over the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, Arosa these days attracts hundreds of haredi tourists. Many bring kosher kitchenware and cook kosher food bought at the local store of the COOP supermarket chain.

At some budget hotels, Jews with east-facing rooms turn them into makeshi prayer spaces. e budget hotels and short-lease apartment buildings mean that “anyone with a few shekels in their pockets can come here these days, thank God,” said Hamerschlag, the haredi man from Israel.

Chuckling, he adds, “ey even let me and my little monsters stay in this slice of Eden.”

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Family fun at the zoo with PJ Library and Friedel

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Sara Kohen Director of Advancement, Friedel Jewish Academy and Jennie GateS BecKman Director of Community Engagement & Education, JFO n Sunday, June 23, over 30 families, drawn from across Omaha’s Jewish community, had a fantastic time at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo for Family Zoo Day with PJ Library and Friedel Jewish Academy. “Family Zoo Day has become a favorite annual event for Friedel, and we were delighted to partner with PJ Library Omaha in planning this year’s program,” says Beth Cohen, Friedel’s Head of School. Parent Jenny Cohen exclaimed: “We all had a great time. e boys and I appreciated the opportunity to meet and interact with the Friedel teachers and meet other families.” e group started the morning exploring several of the zoo’s indoor exhibits. Ivan Munteanu, who attended with his daughter Odelia, said that they had a great time even though it was raining when they arrived. Odelia was surprised by the differences between the real-life crocodiles at the Zoo and her favorite cartoon crocodile. e weather cleared in time for everyone to gather for snacks outdoors. is provided the perfect opportunity for parents and kids to meet new friends and catch up with old ones. Sarah Beringer and Alex Clark attended with their 16-month-old son, Ari. Beringer says that “meeting some of the teachers and connecting with other Jewish families makes us excited to send our son to Friedel in four years.”

Amanda and Joshua Mara are new to Omaha and are just one of four families in attendance who had babies this January. “We had a great time at the zoo, especially meeting and connecting with the other families with young children, which was definitely a big highlight for us. Being new parents, it’s so nice to connect with other folks going through the same things.”

Aer snacks, Friedel teachers led kids in some fun, handson activities. Trying on scuba gear with Bob Goetschkes was an especially big hit. Goetschkes, who teaches third and fourth grade at Friedel, is also a Volunteer Zoo Diver in the Zoo’s aquarium. “I had a great time teaching the kids about diving gear and how to use it,” Goetschkes reports.

Family Zoo Day is the last of many collaborative programs that PJ Library Omaha and Friedel Jewish Academy have offered children and families over the past year as part of a national grant which partners day schools with PJ Library. One of the great things about this partnership is the opportunity for Friedel to share the talents of their teachers with children from the entire community, whether their families are planning to send their kids to Friedel or not. “I love having my children engage with other Jewish families in a fun and casual setting like the zoo; I saw so many new faces—which is always a good thing,” said Abigail Kutler, mom of Sam, age 6, and Henry, age 3. e next round of joint programming will start in September, and it’s going to be amazing! More information about these programs is coming soon.

Family Zoo Day with PJ Library and Friedel was made possible by generous support from the AVI CHAI Foundation, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, PJ Library, Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, 2019 Staenberg Family Foundation Anything Grant, Pat Barton of the Volunteer Zoo Divers and the following Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation funds: Livingston Foundation, Murray H. & Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation, Esther K. Newman Memorial Fund, Morton A. Richards Youth Program Fund.

The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019 | 9

10 | The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019

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Team Omaha is ready for 2019 JCC Maccabi Games gAbby blAir Staff Writer, Jewish Press he JCC Maccabi Games® is an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer in North America and is the largest organized sports program for Jewish teenagers in the world. e Maccabi movement began in 1895 when the first all Jewish sports club was formed in Constantinople. e first world Maccabiah Games was held in Israel in 1932.

Today, over 6,000 teens, ranging from 12 to 16 years of age participate in the JCC Maccabi Games® each summer. e Games are co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Center Association of North America, Maccabi World Union, Maccabi Canada, and Maccabi USA/ Sports for Israel. is year, Team Omaha will be sending seven athletes to compete in the 2019 JCC Maccabi games in Atlanta, Georgia July 28- Aug. 2.

The 2019 Team Omaha delegation includes AJ ShefskyTennis; Leo Kohll, Brady Meyerson, Charlie Blum and Ethan Bargas- Basketball; David Kay and David Seelig- Flag Football. is is the second year for Leo Kohll, Brady Meyerson, Charlie Blum, and Ethan Bargas and the third year for Maccabi Games veterans, David Kay and David Seelig.

While this is AJ Shefsky’s first year competing in the JCC Maccabi, his family owes quite a bit to the games.

His father, Andy, played tennis for Team Atlanta in the early 1990s while his hometown was hosting the JCC Maccabi Games. Aer graduating from college in 2001, Andy saw that Atlanta was again hosting and volunteered to be a tennis coach for the team. e following year, Andy again volunteered to coach, this time traveling with Team Atlanta to Omaha, the 2002 JCC Maccabi host. He recalls meeting his future wife Jessica on the bleachers at Tranquility Park. “Her brother was playing against one of the kids I was coaching.

Fast forward to 2019 and our own son is now playing tennis in my hometown, Atlanta. Truly a full circle!”

Jacob Geltzer, BBYO/Teen Program Director, shares that “all Omaha athletes are assigned to host families, each of whom has at least one athlete of their own competing in the games. e Maccabi games is an overall great Jewish experience and provides an excellent and unique opportunity for

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our kids to meet and build connections across the US.” Geltzer continues, “Omaha is excited to be a part of a mixed team this year in both basketball and flag football. e other delegations that make up our mixed team for basketball include Omaha, Memphis, Tucson and Tampa. e other delegations that make up our mixed team for flag football include Omaha, Nashville, St. Louis and Tampa. We are also excited for our evening activities that will take place aer each day of competition.”

Maccabi athletes will be treated to an exclusive private party at the Georgia Aquarium where they will enjoy private demonstrations and shows as well as full access to all exhibits. Another highlight will be the closing ceremonies at Mercedes Benz stadium, home to the Atlanta Falcons. is last night of the Maccabi Games will feature tons of food, interactive areas on and off the field, and finally a performance by the band AJR. Geltzer feels honored to be traveling with this year’s delegation and is excited for his Team Omaha kids. “is is a truly special experience you can’t get anywhere else.”

Sasha Denenberg wins Playhouse Award

AllySon WAgner The Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) held its annual Awards Night celebration Monday, July 1 to honor those who volunteered as cast and crew in the 2018/19 season.

Award recipients for the 2018/19 season were announced throughout the show, including the Outstanding Youth Award, which was presented to Sasha Denenberg for her role in Fun Home.

The Omaha Community Playhouse is supported in part by the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Established in 1924, the Omaha Community Playhouse is the largest community theatre in the United States based on memberships sold and facility size, among other factors.

The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019 | 11

Above: Eadie Tsabari had lots of help leading the Shabbat blessings at the conclusion of Beth El’s camp Kef.

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: An accidental fire alarm evacuation didn’t stop ballet practice for these dancers - they simply continued their warm ups outside on a beautiful day!

Below: Our awesome Israeli Shlicha, Ron Lugasy, helped camper, Makayla Lucoff to lead Shabbat services at JCC Camp.

Above: JCC Extreme Sports campers took a break on Memorial Stadium’s field after a fun field trip in Lincoln filled with all things Huskers. Go Big Red! Left: Bathing beauty, Lynne Saltzman, enjoyed a hot summer day by cooling off at the JCC pool.

Above: Scott Goldberg, son of Cindy and Bruce Goldberg, teaching the Thursday Symposium at Temple Israel as part of his internship with Rabbi Brian Stoller to gain first-hand experience as he prepares to become a rabbi.

Right: Joanie Bernstein with Joey Gulizia from the Sing, Sing, Swing Orchestra community concert.

Left: Ayanna Boykins enjoyed a lox bagel with a shmear at the June staff birthday bagel brunch. Monthly staff birthday celebration brunches began in May 2019 as a way of showing appreciation to our campus’s wonderful staff members. Over 50 staff members came through this time, much to the delight of the HR deprtment which spearheaded this monthly event.

Below: Standing are Leigh Chaves, left, Thierry Ndjike, Amber McIntosh, Vanessa Gifford, Jill Adkins and Ariadna Wells.

Seated are Mariana Nieto, left, Kael Sagheer, Lynn Batten and Jen Kirschenbaum.

Above: Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Residents enjoyed working on a summer flower craft. Pictured are Theresa O’Keefe and Sharon Kraft.

12 | The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019

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Human beings

ANNETTE vAN dE KAmP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press t’s not a pleasant headline: “Nearly one in five Americans say small businesses should be able to refuse service to Jews, study finds.”

It’s from a story about a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, published June 25, which found a seven percent increase in support for refusing service to Jews if doing so “violates their religious beliefs.”

That’s not all: “The survey found increased support for business owners to refuse service to a number of other groups as well, including gays and lesbians, transgender people, atheists, Muslims and African Americans. The survey did not ask, however, about refusing service to Christian or straight people, which might have controlled for those who were expressing support for religious autonomy, as opposed to harboring prejudices at specific groups.”

Religious autonomy? That’s a pathetic excuse at best, and I’m not buying it.

Here is my question: Under what circumstances would I as a Jew ask a small business owner to do something that would violate their non-Jewish beliefs? Order Hamantashen from a non-Jewish bakery? Pay a non-Jewish DJ to perform at my children’s B’nai Mitzvah? Expect my non-Jewish grocery store to carry kosher products?

What does that even mean, “violating their religious beliefs?”

I’m at a loss to explain it, and I can’t come up with any examples. And that ‘nearly one-in-five’ number bothers me. It makes me paranoid.

Here’s my next question: How would anyone refuse

service to African Americans based on religious convictions? Of course, the survey just gives the numbers and doesn’t draw detailed conclusions. That is up to us—if we even read the study. I’m guessing most Americans don’t even know such a study was conducted.

We all know this country has become more polarized.

We’re not all getting along so well. Anti-Semitic crimes in California alone increased by 21 percent in 2018. Graveyard desecrations at Jewish cemeteries are so common these days that it barely blimps our radar. Last week, a North Carolina man, who was charged with threatening to lynch a Muslim state senate candidate in Virginia, also was accused of posting an anti-Semitic threat on the Facebook page of a Florida synagogue.

And then there was this: “The polarized political climate in the United States, both in the wider body politic and inside the Jewish community, is making it increasingly difficult for non-partisan organizations... to enlist passionate, committed supporters willing

to set aside differing views in pursuit of common purpose.”

It’s a quote from former Israel Project CEO Josh Block, who resigned last week. The Israel Project’s current troubles are a separate issue, but Block’s laments sound familiar.

Whether the issue is religious diversity, political preference, race, sexual orientation, gender or national origin, we are drifting further apart every day.

The coming election (still 16 months away, 16 more months of debates and infighting!) will not make this better.

The only way to grow beyond this is to stop obsessing about all the ways we are different, and that is hard. Learning to say: “You didn’t vote for my guy, you don’t even like my guy, and that’s okay.” Learning to say:”You don’t believe in my god, but that doesn’t give me carte blanche to judge you.” Learning to say: “Your gender doesn’t threaten me; your sexual orientation is none of my business; your color is not my color and so what?”

Refusing service because we are not the same: It’s much more than annoying. It hurts the very fabric of society when we start thinking “other” is bad and end up actually refusing to interact.

Realizing that one in five Americans would refuse us service should give us all pause, but only a short pause.

Then, we need to get to work and change things for the better. Not just for us, but for everyone who is on that “no service” list. Because when all is said and done, none of our differences matter if we simply remember that underneath, we are all human beings.

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.

Anti-Semitism is strengthening the Jewish identity of young people.

HoWARd LovY TRAVERSE CITY, MICH. | JTA The year was 2000, and Michael Steinhardt had just dropped a bombshell that nearly brought an otherwise dignified conference to blows.

“I tend, in my dourest moments, to consider both the Reform and Conservative Jews as historic accidents in the 21st century and suspect, before the end of this century, they will have disappeared,” he said.

Steinhardt, along with Edgar Bronfman and Charles Schusterman, was in Chicago at a meeting of STAR: Synagogue Transformation and Renewal, which was ostensibly designed to find ways to get young people back into synagogue pews.

This and similar statements by Bronfman had understandably irked Rabbi Eric Yoffie, then-president of the Union for Reform Judaism. Undermining non-Orthodox synagogues was not the way to encourage experimentation.

“I’m not going to get into a pissing match with Rabbi Yoffie over whether the Reform movement is a good movement or not because that’s not the point,” the secular Bronfman told me. “The point is, we have a crisis and I don’t care how we go about getting young people involved in their Jewishness.”

Of course, it turned out that the BronfmanSteinhardt answer was Birthright Israel.

At the time of this dispute, I was the managing editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. While covering the birth of Birthright, I often heard echoes of this deep depression and desperation among Jewish leaders to attract the young.

Today, when Jewish leaders talk about problems facing young Jews, it is often not their lack of affiliation that’s in focus, but what they see as increased anti-Semitism in the form of anti-Zionism on college campuses. There may be fewer young Jews in the pews now, but as Jewish Theological Seminary professor Jack Wertheimer told me, that’s because millennials are waiting longer to have children.

Many have yet to practice what Wertheimer calls “Judaism for peak moments” like bar and bat mitzvah or family-friendly holidays such as Purim.

Yet for some reason, young campus Jews on the front lines of this fight against anti-Semitism may

never be counted among the affiliated if they never join a synagogue. It seems to be a lost opportunity if we did not find a way to welcome them into the fold. Anti-Semitism has given them a heightened sense of Jewish identity, but the institutions aren’t in place or are unwilling to offer them a positive path into the Jewish fold.

Though initiatives like STAR and Birthright

Young Jewish adults from all over the world participate in the Birthright Israel program in Jerusalem, Jan. 14, 2015.

Credit: Hadas Parush/Flash90 begin to address the issue, there are too few places that welcome Jews who feel a renewed sense of Jewishness in response to anti-Semitism but don’t necessarily feel comfortable attending shul.

Going through my 20-year-old notes, I am struck at how often Jewish lay and religious leaders voiced a fear that an end to anti-Semitism would further erode the tenuous connection young people had to Judaism. Ironically, the rise in Jewish activism in response to anti-Semitism could be an opportunity to find a place for them.

In 2019, while our institutions are hashing out the same arguments, American Jews are faced with an altogether different existential crisis: the rise of American anti-Semitism. Now is the perfect time to truly reckon with what it means to be a Jew and who gets counted as a member of the tribe because people who never thought about their Judaism before are now constantly reminded of it by anti-Semites.

It is a sad contrast, the difference between the Jewish mood of 20 years ago and today. There is a renewed sense of solidarity and purpose among Jews of all denominations in light of the threat of

anti-Semitism coming from outside.

Yet even though they were wrong about an end to anti-Semitism, the machers of two decades ago were right in turning the discussion to how to embrace more Jews who acknowledge only a tenuous connection to Judaism. That was the original thought behind Birthright Israel.

Today, as I interview people whose connection to Judaism is strengthened through the rise in antiSemitism, it is still the case that many are unaffiliated with synagogues. Twenty years ago, they would have been counted as lost to Judaism – and these “cultural Jews” are still not counted in many official surveys or in institutional decisions.

I was an odd choice for managing editor of JTA. I knew very little about the organized Jewish world, having grown up primarily in small communities, often one of only a handful of Jews in town. The way I practice Judaism is very personal and not at all communal. The publisher at the time hired me for my news judgment first, connection to Judaism second. I guess you could say that I was JTA’s own private Birthright experiment.

After the breakdown of talks between Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat and the beginning of the second intifada, I left JTA, moved back to Michigan and pivoted my career to cover science and technology. Sixteen years later, I began writing about Jewish issues again after I noticed more swastikas in my social media timeline following a decade and a half of being relatively swastika-free.

I never wanted anti-Semitism to define the way I write about Judaism. But the rise in anti-Semitism can perhaps help us see clearer than we did 20 years ago. We can see who is with us and who is not. Jews are standing up to be counted. I would be more optimistic for the future if we found a way to embrace them.

Howard Lovy is a freelance writer based in Traverse City, Michigan. He is the former managing 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 | July 12, 2019 | 13

What preparing a Jewish body for burial is really like Anonymous JTA In Jewish communities around the world, there is a little known group of men and women dedicated to performing the mitzvah of preparing a body for burial, a ritual called tahara.

The group is called the chevra kadisha, the holy society.

The chevra kadisha isn’t secret, but it operates quietly.

Tahara is considered an especially holy mitzvah because it is performed without the possibility that the person you perform it for will return the favor. Because we perform tahara without expectation of reward, I’m also writing this article anonymously because I don’t want any “credit” to accrue to me.

Tahara has been passed down across the centuries and has many variations. The particular ritual I’ll describe is based on my own decade of experience and the “Tahara Manual of Practices” by Rabbi Mosha Epstein.

It all gets started with a telephone call. A rabbi, a funeral home or the family of the deceased calls the contact for the chevra kadisha and lets it know a tahara needs to be performed. As Jewish burials take place as quickly as possible, there’s a small window of opportunity. And tahara, just like a burial, is not performed on Shabbat.

Each chevra has a separate group for women and men. A group of four or more is recruited by the contact.

Typically there is no interaction with the family of the deceased in keeping with the tradition that the mitzvah is performed with no expectation of credit accruing to those who perform it.

When I perform tahara, I keep in mind that the deceased’s soul has already returned to Hashem’s care – what remains is what has been cast off. Second, I need to take care of what remains with the utmost respect and even love. Sometimes it’s a difficult experience, but it is a holy one.

To begin the process, the chevra kadisha places the deceased on a table with the feet pointing to the door and

straightens the body.

Many hospitals don’t remove all the tubes and such that are inserted into the deceased, so the body must be prepared by removing any objects, stanching any flow of blood and closing any wounds as much as possible. Wounds may not be stitched shut because this is considered damaging the body, so medical adhesive is used.

Credit: Miriam Alster/Flash 90 Any items with blood on them are put in a bag that is placed at the foot of the coffin. Nail polish, makeup and jewelry are removed. As for false teeth and dentures, practices widely vary.

The washing of the body follows a particular order, starting with the head and neck, then the right arm, the right side of the front of the body, the left arm, the left side of the body and the back.

After the body is washed, the ritual of the nine kavim is performed: Chevra members ritually wash their hands again and fill three buckets of water. Boards are placed under the body so that it doesn’t touch the table. The body is placed, as much as possible, into a standing position; most funeral homes have tilting tables to help. Nine buckets of water, one after the other without a break, are poured over the entire body starting with the head and moving to the feet. It’s important that a contin-

uous flow is maintained or this part of the ritual must be restarted.

Afterward, the chevra announces in Hebrew, “She/He is pure.” The table is tilted back into its flat position and the body is dried. In some communities, a mixture of raw egg, wine and vinegar is daubed onto the head, chest, arms and hands. An egg, one of the symbols on the Passover seder plate, is considered a symbol of the renewal of life. The yolk is used for women and the white for men. As it is applied, a prayer

by Rabbi Akiva is recited. Now the body can be dressed.

There is wide variation on the dress of the deceased. Sometimes the deceased is dressed in their own clothes, or in white linen garments meant to remind us of the Kohen Gadol of the Temple.

Once the body is dressed, it’s time to place it in the coffin (unless the family or deceased prefer a “natural” burial, in which case the deceased is buried in the shroud, as is the practice in Israel). The chevra kadisha inspects the coffin to make sure it has holes in its bottom to hasten the decomposition of the body.

Broken pieces of earthenware are placed over the eyes and mouth of the deceased. First a tallit and then the linen sheet is wrapped around the body. More prayers are recited and then the coffin is closed, not to be opened again.

Afterward there is a sense of completion like no other I’ve experienced. The deceased’s life has officially come to an end.

The chevra kadisha has prepared the body for the next step in its journey. The soul has already departed and moved on.

And I’m usually filled with hope that when the time comes for me, I’ll be as carefully tended to.

This article is sponsored by UJA-Federation of NY, to raise awareness and facilitate conversations about end of life care in a Jewish context. The story was produced independently and at the sole discretion of JTA’s editorial team.

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14 | The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019

synagogues B’Nai iSRaeL SYNagogue

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

BeTh eL SYNagogue

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

BeTh iSRaeL SYNagogue

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

chaBad houSe

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

coNgRegaTioN B’Nai JeShuRuN

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

offuTT aiR foRce BaSe

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

RoSe BLuMkiN JewiSh hoMe

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

TeMpLe iSRaeL

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

TifeReTh iSRaeL

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

B’Nai iSRaeL SYNagogue

Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series after a brief hiatus. We will next meet on friday, Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Dr. Marvin Bittner on the Importance of Vaccinations. Our service leader is Larry Blass, and as always, an Oneg wil follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

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

Handicap Accessible.

BeTh eL SYNagogue

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

SaTuRdaY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Blessing for Interfaith Trip; Mincha following Kiddush. 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.

TueSdaY: Mahjong, 1 p.m.

ThuRSdaY: Israeli Dancing, 7 p.m.

NE AIDS Coaltion Lunch, friday, July 26, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Joan Marcus serves lunch once a month at the Nebraska AIDS Project, and she needs baked goods for dessert.

Contact Joan if you can help by donating baked goods.

Order Honey for the Holidays now through aug. 5. Learn more at www.bethel-omaha.org.

BeTh iSRaeL SYNagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer fRidaY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:30 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 8:40 p.m.

SaTuRdaY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 7:35 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 8:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:47 p.m.

SuNdaY: Shacharit, 9 am.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

MoNdaY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

TueSdaY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. wedNeSdaY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

ThuRSdaY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Connecting with Our Faith, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

chaBad houSe

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. fRidaY: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing.

SaTuRdaY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. weekdaYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing.

SuNdaY: Service, 8:30 a.m.; Sunday Secrets, 9:15 p.m. following Minyan.

MoNdaY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani. wedNeSdaY: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman.

ThuRSdaY: Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman.

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

coNgRegaTioN B’Nai JeShuRuN

Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby. fRidaY: Pop-Up Shabbat Dinners—No Service at Temple; Candlelighting, 8:40 p.m.

SaTuRdaY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:45 a.m. on Parashat Chukat; Kiddush Lunch, noon hosted by David Nachenberg; Havdalah (72 minutes), 10:09 p.m.

SuNdaY: Adult Hebrew Prayer Class, 11:30 a.m.; Board of Trustees Meeting, 1:30 p.m.

MoNdaY: Academic Advantage visits Temple, 1 p.m.

TueSdaY: Ladies’ Lunch, noon at Carmela’s Bistro, 4141 Pioneer Woods Drive. Let Deborah Swearingen (402.476.7528) know if you plan to attend and if you need a ride.

ThuRSdaY: Ruach Branch Meeting, 6 p.m.

Jewish Book Club Meeting, Sunday, July 21, 1:30 p.m. at Gere Library, 2400 S. 56th St (South 56th & Normal Blvd) and will discuss Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger. Bringing of treats is permitted. Also note that this not intended to be a women’s-only group; men are welcome!

SST is partnering with "We Can Do This" to provide weekend meals to the children of the F Street Community Center.

Join us as we provide lunch on the third Sunday of every month. Food/monetary donations, meal preparation and assistance with setting up, serving, and clean-up are needed! We’ll serve our next meal on July 21 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact Aimee Hyten at aimee.hyten@gmail.com.

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

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 Larry DeBruin.

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

TeMpLe iSRaeL

fRidaY: Shabbat Comes to You at Remington Heights, 4 p.m.; Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m.

SaTuRdaY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.; Temple Tots Havdalah with Cantor Alexander and Ben Mazur, 4:30 p.m. Join us at Temple Israel's playground for some outdoor fun! Bring your picnic dinner and we will enjoy activities with Dani Howell, dinner, and havdalah together! PJ Library will provide a story and deli-

cious grape popsicles for dessert! This is a wonderful opportunity for our young families to meet Cantor Joanna Alexander and our new Director of Congregational Learning Ben Mazur.

All families with tots and older siblings are invited. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536. In case of rain, we will enjoy the afternoon in the Temple Israel Social Hall.

SuNdaY: 2nd Sunday Breakfast at Stephen Center, 8:30 a.m.

TueSdaY: Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m.

Holy Smokes at Temple Israel, Tuesday, July 23, 7 p.m.

Cigars. Beer. Whiskey. Rabbi Stoller will lead this men-only evening at Temple Israel featuring philosophical discussions of men’s issues and perspectives from Jewish texts as we enjoy corned beef sliders. This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet Cantor Alexander's husband Jacob and our new Director of Congregational Learning Ben Mazur. This event is free, though reservations are required. RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536.

TifeReTh iSRaeL

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. fRidaY: No Shabbat Service; Candlelighting, 8:40 p.m.

SaTuRdaY: Shabbat Service, 10 a.m. followed by light kiddush lunch; Havdalah (72 minutes), 9:39 p.m.

TueSdaY: Ladies’ Lunch, noon at Carmela’s Bistro, 4141 Pioneer Woods Drive. Let Deborah Swearingen (402.476.7528) know if you plan to attend and if you need a ride.

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

50,000 flock to Lubavitcher Rebbe’s grave in New York to mark 25th anniversary of his death

cNaaN LipShiz of ‘Ahavat Yisroel’ [love for fellow Jews] is more JTA important today than ever.”

An estimated 50,000 people have visited the In addition, celebrities praised the teachings of resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Supermodel Naomi Menachem Schneerson, ahead of the 25th an- Campbell and singer Paula Abdul were among niversary of his passing. e pilgrimage to the burial site in Queens, New York, known as the Ohel has taken place over the past week ahead of the anniversary Saturday, the 3rd of Tamuz on the Hebrew calendar, according to a spokesman for the late rabbi’s Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. Schneerson headed the movement from 1950 until his passing in 1994 — a movement he had helped revive following its post-Holocaust Thousands of Jews and visitors from around the world have visited re-establishment in New York. roughout the year, approxi- the gravesite of the Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, to commately 400,000 people visit the memorate the 25th anniversary of his passing, July 5, 2019.

Credit: Mark Abramson/Chabad.org Cambria Heights site, many of them not Hasidim or even Jewish, the spokesman said. the stars recalling the legacy of Rabbi Menachem In Britain, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis eulo- Schneerson, who led the Chabad-Lubavitcher gized Schneerson as “one of the great rebuilders Hasidic movement through a period of revival of Jewish life aer the tragedy of the Shoah,” and spread its influence through Jewish outreach whose “teachings and insights remain as fresh centers in dozens of cities and countries. and relevant today as they have ever been.”

Abdul, who is Jewish,honored Schneerson in Numerous political leaders in Israel took to so- a tweet to mark his 25th yartzheit, promoting his cial media to share tributes to Schneerson.

Shabbat candle campaign, which calls on all JewPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel ish women and girls to light candles for the Jewwrote on Twitter that Schneerson “changed the ish Sabbath. world and influenced me a lot. I’ll always re“His teachings to better our world through unmember him.” conditional love are more urgent now than ever!

Moshe Yaalon of Israel’s Blue and White op- Join me in his Shabbat Candle campaign, position party in a tweet called the Rebbe “one spreading light before sundown this evening,” of the greatest leaders of the Jewish people in our she tweeted late on Friday aernoon. generation. He also said Schneerson’s “directive

The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019 | 15

lifecycles BIRth

ARI dAe ePSteIn

Lindsay and Alex Epstein of Omaha, NE announce the June 11 birth of their son, Ari Dae. Grandparents are Gary and Lisa Epstein of Omaha, NE, and Kevin and Susie Keuck of Council Bluffs, IA. Great-grandparents are Harold "Bae" Epstein of Omaha, NE, Travis and Nancy Cochran of Council Bluffs, IA and Kathleen Keuck of Omaha, NE.

In MeMoRIAM

MARCIA MoRRIS BlACkeR

Marcia Morris Blacker passed away on June 20 at age 83 in Lexington, Kentucky. Services were held July 27 in Lexington, Kentucky and officiated by Rabbi David Wirtschafter.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Sara Morris and her sister Bernice Crounse of Omaha.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Nancy Blacker and Jay Hancock of Springfield, VA and Mimi Blacker and Scott Hicks of Long Island City, NY, and son and daughter-in-law, David and Carolyn Blacker of Philadelphia, PA; grandchildren: Alex Parker, Abigail Blacker, Josh Blacker; and many nephews and nieces.

Marcia went to the University of Nebraska Omaha and received a bachelor’s degree. She earned a Master in English from the University of Kentucky. After college she taught English at Omaha Central High School, and in later years Marcia taught Shakespeare at the University of Kentucky.

She was a top staff aid to Governor John Y. Brown of Kentucky, and Senior Editor of the American Board of Family Practice Physicians. Marcia was also active in Lexington Studio Players where she acted and directed several plays, was on the Board of Directors and a member of Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington and was active in Hadassah.

Memorials may be made to Parkinson’s research and the organization of your choice.

JoAn e. “JoAnIe” MARtIn

Joan E. "Joanie" Martin passed away on June 11 in Omaha. Services were held June 14 at Beth El Cemetery and officiated by Rabbi Abraham.

She was preceded in death by her husbands Marshall Zalkin, Bruce Horwich and Richard Martin.

She is survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Cheril and Frank Comisar, Brenda and Dan Frost, and son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Kathy Zalkin; brother, Miles Remer; grandchildren: Marshall and Shannon Comisar, Andrea and John Gomez, Eric and Molly Rosenberg, Marci Rosenberg; seven great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Beth El Synagogue, 14506 California Street, Omaha, NE 68154.

Don’t look at the lobster

MARCuS GIlBAn RIO DE JANEIRO | JTA Israel’s embassy in Brazil shared a photo of its ambassador eating lunch with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, but not before blurring out the lobster dishes the two appeared to be enjoying. e camouflaged picture made headlines in Brazil, with local media noting that the crustacean is an expensive delicacy and international media noting it is decidedly non-kosher.

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Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro has what appears to be a lobster lunch with Israeli ambassador Yossi Shelley, prior to the Copa America final match in Rio, where Brazil beat Peru 3-1,on July 7, 2019.

Credit: Twitter Black smudges blur what appear to be lobsters from a picture posted on social media on Sunday of Ambassador Yossi Shelley having lunch with Bolsonaro.

Shelley and Bolsonaro have been close friends for some time. e picture was taken at a seafood restaurant in Brasília before they went to watch the Copa America final soccer match in Rio, where Brazil beat Peru 3-1, winning the championship.

Later, the ambassador posted several photos at the Macarana stadium expressing his effusive support for the Brazilian team.

“Difficult to describe the feeling of being present this night of great emotion for the Brazilian people. I already feel heartfelt as part of this beautiful country,” Shelley posted adding both the Israeli and the Brazilian flags united by a heart.

In May, Bolsonaro awarded Shelley the National Order of the Southern Cross, Brazil’s highest national honor for highranking guests.

Shelley was the very first diplomat welcomed by Bolsonaro, less than 24 hours aer his electoral victory last year in a clear signal of close ties between Brasilia and Jerusalem. During the previous 15 years Brazil’s former far-le governments clashed with Israel’s government.

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16 | The Jewish Press | July 12, 2019

kitchen

T

Guests stopping by for coffee? Serve this classic marble pound cake. leanne Shor wo defining characteristics of Israeli culture are hospitality and spontaneity. Put those together, and you end up with a lot of guests that just pop by for coffee and cake. As a host, you’d typically offer tea or coffee along with some kind of cake or cookie, either homemade or store-bought.

Growing up in Israel, marble pound cake (oen store-bought) was a staple in almost every household for just those occasions. e cake usually sat out on the kitchen counter, as family members would casually slice away over the course of a few days.

Traditional pound cake originates from England, but the sweet, dense loaf also has very strong roots in Jewish and Israeli culture. Not so strange, the term for “loaf pan” in Hebrew is actually “English Cake” pan.

In many homes, a simple loaf pound cake is prepared on ursday night or Friday morning to nosh on aer the Friday night meal. Any remnants of the cake are usually eaten as a sweet treat aer a Shabbat lunch, when friends oen stop by for coffee. A good pound cake recipe can be passed on for generations and is something to really cherish. is recipe calls for milk for its richness and flavor, so the cake is dairy. If you’d like to make it nondairy, simply substitute soy or almond milk. is recipe originally appeared on e Nosher.

Marble Pound Cake

Ingredients: 2 1/3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 large eggs, plus one egg yolk 2/3 cup whole milk 3/4 cup grapeseed, avocado or vegetable oil 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. almond extract 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp. instant coffee

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and oil. Whisk to thoroughly combine until becomes light in color, about 2 minutes.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the egg and milk mixture into the well. Whisk until thoroughly combined, about 1 or 2 minutes.

Credit: Leanne Shor

Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Add the unsweetened cocoa powder and instant coffee to the remaining batter.

Whisk to fully incorporate the cocoa powder, removing any lumps.

Gently pour the chocolate batter over the vanilla batter, and use a skewer or knife to create a marble pattern. Don’t overdo it. You still want to see distinct colors.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before removing.