July 17, 2015

Endowed by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

For Every Generation

July 17, 2015 1 Av 5775 Vol. 95 | No. 44

This Week

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor “The array of charitable institutions that have long existed in the Jewish community,” wrote Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, “bear testament to how seriously Jews have taken the mitzvah of Tzedakah. Giving to a charity to which we feel a particular connection elevates the mitzvah by making it heartfelt, so that we are giving with the right intentions.”

Two community leaders who have long understood what Telushkin meant when he wrote those lines are Jan Goldstein and Howard Kooper.

Together, they will spearhead the 2016 Annual Campaign for the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

When Director of Community Impact and Special Projects Louri Sullivan and Jewish Federation of Omaha President Jay Noddle approached Jan Goldstein and Howard Kooper about leading the Campaign, they “wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” Goldstein said. They agreed on one condition: this campaign will be all about celebrating community.

“Immediately,” Jan said, “we focused on the fact that this community belongs to the younger generation. They are our future. We definitely don’t want this campaign

14th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival Page 5

Dairy Deli Page 7

to look like a throwback to the past.

And we are excited! Howard and I have evolved from a strong professional/lay working relationship. That

volved in Campaign again; this time around as lay leaders.”

Both Howard and Jan have strong roots in our community and have

Darlynn Fellman, left, Barbara Nogg and Patty Lee Nogg (1987) Credit: Nebraska Jewish Historical Society

relationship and our mutual respect empowered both of us to do what we do best. We are thrilled to be in-

done more than their share in the building and sustaining of it. They feel it’s time to pass on some of that

leadership.

“When we look around in this community,” Howard said, “we see great young people; with potential, ability and the desire to carry on what we’ve all invested in for so many years.”

Finding a balance between what has been accomplished in the past and inspiring a new generation means taking advantage of that investment and making it current. To Howard and Jan, that meant bringing back Campaign Cabaret.

“Every community has certain events and programs in its history that define them,” they said, “and for us, at the time, Campaign Cabaret was a big part of building our Annual Campaign and so we thought it would be a great idea to do it again.

When we think back to Campaign Cabaret, we remember how inspirational it was. You walked out of there feeling good.”

“You can talk to Andee Scioli, who is helping to organize Campaign Cabaret,” Jan said, “and volunteer, even if you don’t want to be on stage.

We’ll need costumes and production help, all kinds of support and people with many different talents to make this happen.”

Howard added: “We should be able to bring together 600 people. Wait; Continued on page 2

Campaign Cabaret A Mission to Jewish Europe Amy Winehouse, through the lens Page 12

Inside Point of view Synagogues In memoriam

8 10 11 Ozzie Nogg and Joanie Jacobson Credit: Nebraska Jewish Historical Society

This Month The Legal Issue See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press

by OZZIE NOGG The 2016 Annual Campaign begins its fundraising season with an event that’s been 30 years in the making. Campaign Cabaret, the Vegasstyle variety show that was, at one time, the peak of Campaign season, is back!

“We’re thrilled to bring back Cam-

paign Cabaret, headed by Andee Scioli and Joanie Jacobson,” said Louri Sullivan, Director of Community Impact and Special Projects for The Jewish Federation of Omaha. “The last one was staged in 1987, but that magical, musical evening is still clear in people’s memories. Anytime I mention Campaign Cabaret to someone, they get a big smile and tell me about their favorite act. Now, 30 years later, we have a whole new generation of donors and members of our community who are excited to be a part of this fun and meaningful community event.”

The entire community is invited to participate on stage, behind-thescenes, or as an enthusiastic audience member on Sunday, Oct. 11 at the Continued on page 3

by LOURI SULLIVAN Director of Community Impact and Special Projects, JFO Teen trips to Israel and Jewish Europe are established summer experiences that dozens of Omaha teens are fortunate to have participated in throughout the years. The Jewish Federation proudly supports these trips because it recognizes the value of Jewish identity-building these opportunities provide.

Parents often report back to the Federation offices to describe the effect visiting overseas has on their children. At a recent lunch with friends, community member Kimberly Robinson recalls the group sharing memories of their children’s travels. “Several of our children have been to Eastern Europe on the March of the Living, and it’s obvious why it’s important. But at the same time, we realized, we haven’t really offered this to adults. We’ve all been to Israel, multiple times, but none of us had really experienced a trip that incorporates Eastern European Jew-

ish history. If it’s so important to teach our kids, shouldn’t we include the grownups as well?”

That thought made a mission a reality. The Women’s Mission to Jewish Europe travels through four countries from Oct. 27–Nov. 4. The trip includes Warsaw, Prague, Vienna and Budapest. It’s an important way to bring community members together at the start of another Annual Campaign season.

Robinson is the Mission Chair.

“Sharing these types of meaningful experiences is important,” she says.

“When we learn new things and visit places that have real meaning in our shared history, and we do so together, we become a better community. Our learning and our growing has to be multi-generational. We are all in this together, but we have to actively work on maintaining that togetherness. This Women’s Mission is one more element in that, and I hope many of our community members will decide to participate.”

Continued on page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | July 17, 2015

For every generation Continued from page 1 together to pass this on.” why limit? Call up 1,000.

With that community effort Combine people of different will come those connections ages, working together toward Telushkin wrote about. By a common goal. It is so imporbringing in many different tant to energize the process of people, and providing events and involvement that go way the campaign. Community beyond pledge cards and happens when we all get phone calls, this coming involved. We need a sense of Campaign is offering opporbelonging. When we do this tunities. There will be numertogether, you will feel the energy in the room. It’s about the ous ways to get involved, and spirit of the whole thing. Being when people get involved, the inclusive. When you give and excitement follows. What betwhen you get back, you ter way to get excited about 2016 Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign Chairs our community than enjoying become part of something.”

Jan Goldstein and Howard Kooper For Howard and Jan, workthis community? ing with a large number of community volunteers and proFor more information and to get involved, contact Louri fessionals is a privilege. They said, “Our job is to empower, Sullivan at 402.334.6485 or email her at lsullivan@jewish but we don’t own this. It’s everybody’s legacy. We all work omaha.org.

Web Junkie

by RACHEL DELIA BENAIM a minute of the game.”

Back in 2008, Shlam saw an (JTA) -- Wang “Nicky” Australian news broadcast Yuchao, a Chinese 16-year-old, about a Chinese youth who thought he was going skiing in was beaten to death in one of Russia with his parents. Instead the country’s treatment centhey brought him to one of ters. She said the story shook some 400 rehabilitation clinics her and inspired her to make in China dedicated to treating the film.

Internet addiction disorder.

It is still widely debated Wang spends his days confined among psychologists whether to a repurposed army base in A scene from the documentary Web Junkie, which looks at or not Internet addiction is an Daxing, just south of Beijing. one of some 400 military-style facilities to treat Internet actual psychological disorder The facility is stark, with cold Credit: Dogwoof Global that can be treated. China is addiction in China. gray hallways and metal bars in places. Treatment is a combination of army boot camp drills, the first country to list it as such, having done so in 2008 -therapy sessions, board games and antidepressants. And of some argue it was an attempt by the Communist government course, he is given no access to Internet or gaming consoles. to further control its citizens.

Two Israeli filmmakers, Shosh Shlam and Hilla Medalia, American teens are online “almost constantly,” according spent three months inside the rehab facility to chronicle how to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. Internet China treats addiction to what one therapist in the film calls addiction is not listed as a clinical disorder in the “electronic heroin.” Their documentary, Web Junkie, pre- “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” miering July 13 on PBS, follows Nicky, who had the habit of published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Israel also does not classify Internet addiction as an offiplaying “World of Warcraft” some 10 hours a day, and two cial disorder. Still, a 2012 study by the World Health other patients.

Web Junkie, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Organization indicated that young Israelis aged 11 to 15 Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, highlights the spend more time surfing the Internet than their peers anypotential “dark side of the Internet,” as the filmmakers where else in the world. Perhaps this isn’t surprising: As part explain, by looking at kids who live their lives online -- to of its identity as a “Start-up Nation,” Israel’s economy supthe exclusion of all else, including family, friends and school. ports technological innovation.

As Medalia told JTA, “Some kids wear diapers as not to miss Web Junkie will stream online through Aug. 13.

A Mission to Jewish Europe

Continued from page 1 Starting in Warsaw, Poland, this trip includes a tour of the Warsaw Ghetto, the Museum of Jewish History and the Umlschlagplatz Memorial. A drive to the city of Lublin follows. Before World War II, half of Lublin’s population was Jewish. It was famous for having, among other things, the world’s largest yeshiva. In Lublin, travelers will visit Camp Majdanek, one of the few extermination camps located within city walls.

The trip includes Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau and then on to Prague in the Czech Republic.

The Prague castle, the Royal Palace and the Jewish Quarter are all highlights of this part of the tour. The Quarter is considered the most well preserved complex of Jewish historical monuments in Europe. You will see the Maisel, Pinkas and Klausen synagogues as well as the oldnew synagogue. The Altneu Shul is Europe’s oldest active synagogue and has been the main synagogue of Prague’s Jewish community for over 700 years. It was completed in 1270 and was built in Gothic design. After visiting the Jewish cemetery, the tour travels by train to Vienna.

Together with a local guide, you will explore Vienna’s sights like the Hofburg, the Kohlmarkt and Schloss Belvedere before taking the train to Budapest. While there, our time will be spent cruising the Danube, touring the Jewish quarter in Pest and meeting with representatives of the Israel Cultural Institute and leaders from the Jewish Agency’s Partnership office who will showcase their work rebuilding Hungary’s Jewish community.

For more information and a complete itinerary, please contact me at 402.334.6485 or lsullivan@jewishomaha.org.

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Welcoming strangers: It’s a Jewish thing

by MARK KIRCHHOFF Center for Jewish Life It was late afternoon on June 29 when Julee Katzman received a call from the New York headquarters of the Tzofim Israel Scouts. The caller said the overnight sleeping arrangements for a group of scouts with the Tzofim Friendship Caravan had fallen through. The group was traveling from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Des Moines, Iowa and the troop needed a place to spend the following night. “Can you help us?” was the request. After a quick consult with JFO CEO Alan Potash, the answer was “Of course we can!” and planning was underway. As Alan noted in his Employee E-News after the scouts were here, “The Torah has many references to welcoming the stranger and extending hospitality.

Leviticus commands us to ‘welcome the stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.’ The idea of being warm and welcoming to strangers is such a basic tenet of Judaism that it is emphasized even more frequently than are the laws of Shabbat or Kashrut.”

On Tuesday morning, JCC Executive Director Mark Martin immediately stepped in to help. He and his staff arranged a sleeping area and gave a heads up to the Fitness Center and housekeeping staff that guests would be using the facilities overnight. “The staff was happy to help with the arrangements,” reported Mark. “We have a great facility and the accommodations went well.” He met the group when they arrived mid-evening, gave them a tour and helped them set up for the night. And Wednesday morning, Mark delivered bagels and juice to the group for breakfast.

A call also went out to Mike Aparo from Star Catering, and he was happy to help as well. Mike and his staff immediately planned a hot kosher meal for the guests including set-up and delivery, handled after the group’s arrival.

Grateful for the hospitality extended to them, the scouts spent the morning of July 1 with the JCC campers and staff.

They shared special songs and games and conducted a fun “facts about Israel” contest. They were impressed with the campus and the people and took the time to learn more about the JFO and its programs. They spent time with Eliad Eliyahu, Community Shaliach, exchanging information, sto-

ries, and enjoyed the company of a fellow Israeli speaking Hebrew. Eliad talked to them about Israel advocacy and his experience as an entertainer in the IDF. The visitors were so impressed with the campus, they used it as the scene for producing a video to promote their program.

The scouts were members of one of three Tzofim Friendship Caravans celebrating over 40 years of bringing

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excitement, energy and friendship to North America.

Founded in 1973, the first Caravan came to the United States to bring a message of hope and peace for Israel. Since that first Caravan, the program has grown to three different Caravans travelling across North America. Each Caravan is made up of a group of five girls and five boys and their two leaders. They are chosen to be members of the Caravan based on their maturity, fluency in English, and their talent in the performing arts. After several rounds of competitive auditions and interviews, the scouts spend a year training and rehearsing for their exciting summer in North America.

CEO Potash summarized the opportunity well when he said, “welcoming the stranger means that we must be warm, gracious and friendly, and that we foster an environment whereby everyone’s presence in our community is anticipated, fully accommodated and truly valued.” We can all feel satisfied at the hospitality the JFO was able to show to the strangers. We have subsequently heard back from a camp director in Wisconsin that the group expressed their highest praise for their stay in Omaha, wishing that they could have spent more time in our community.

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Campaign Cabaret Continued from page 1 Joslyn Art Museum. Dinner will precede the show that features community Cabaret performers.

The April 4, 1986, edition of the Jewish Press described Campaign Cabaret as a cross between a Broadway show and a “colossal, stupendous, marvelous” Las Vegas night club act. The attendance -- 754 filled the Peony Park Ballroom - set a record as the largest turnout in local Campaign history. That musical revue was written, produced and directed by Joanie Jacobson. This time around, Jacobson and Andee Scioli are acting as Production Advisors and have assembled a professional production team including a director, music director and choreographer.

For Scioli, the Campaign Cabaret revival is like opening a time capsule. “I have fond memories of dancing in the opening number -- Coming to America -- 30 years ago. I was just a pre-teen at the time, but I danced with many Jewish teenage girls who took me under their wings and made me feel part of the group.” Her association with and admiration for Jacobson continues to grow. “She is incredibly talented. Her writing is clever, entertaining and relevant, her passion is contagious and her energy draws everyone to her. Working with Joanie again is a dream come true.”

“Campaign Cabaret will be a special, collaborative event that celebrates being Jewish, particularly being Jewish in Omaha,” Scioli continued. “The music, the script, all are designed to create and strengthen relationships, to make people feel connected, to make everyone happy to be part of this Jewish community and proud to support it.”

For 2016 Annual Campaign Co-Chair Jan Goldstein, Campaign Cabaret is unique to Omaha. “It’s one of those rare things we can do today that is filled with fond memories and nostalgia of the past, but is still relevant to younger people and those who never experienced it before. Thirty years ago, the feeling of ‘Jewish community’ was very new for me as I had recently moved to Omaha from Los Angeles. I remember sitting in that room at Peony Park, marveling at Campaign Cabaret and thinking, ‘This is the real deal.’ The magnitude of that experience,

the power of people coming together in Jewish Omaha was much bigger than anything I ever imagined. That is still true today.”

Campaign Co-Chair Howard Kooper agrees. “Campaign Cabaret is not passive. It represents what we as a Jewish Federation are all about -- being involved, being Jewish, remembering our traditions and participating in the privilege of creating a strong, committed community.”

Even 30 years later, Campaign Cabaret (in advertising lingo) still has legs. The show -- its joy, energy and love between cast and audience -- is still palpable. “I didn’t live in Omaha in 1986,” said Steve Levinger, Federation chief development officer, “but after watching parts of the 1986 Cabaret video, I observed the same sense of caring, commitment, and compassion that my wife Bonnie and I felt immediately upon moving here. Campaign Cabaret worked 30 years ago and the concept still works. It allows us to celebrate why we love Jewish Omaha. We shouldn’t take for granted what we possess in this great community.”

He continued, “At the same time, Campaign Cabaret provides a platform for us to demonstrate to others what we can accomplish as a cohesive collection of friends and family. I see Cabaret as a celebration of our past, but also as a vision of what lies ahead, particularly with significant involvement of our younger community. For those who may have felt a bit disconnected, for whatever reason, Campaign Cabaret is a great way to re-connect.”

Sullivan stressed that Campaign Cabaret can truly bring the community together. “Everyone can be part of it, whether you choose to sing, dance, make costumes, work backstage, usher, be a table host, or just come and enjoy the evening. It offers something for everyone. I wasn’t living in Omaha at the time, but watching the video and seeing my mom, Darlynn Fellman, on stage -- tap dancing and belting out a song -- makes me proud to be part of this year’s Campaign Cabaret.”

If you or someone in your family -- young or not so young -- is interested in being part of Campaign Cabaret, please contact Louri Sullivan lsullivan@jewishomaha.org.

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Bringing Israel to our JCC Summer Day Camp

by MARK KIRCHHOFF Center for Jewish Life Can you imagine 80 camp kids with their counselors singing and dancing to an Israeli Hebrew song? That’s what happened in our JCC Summer Camp!

Community Shaliach Eliad Eliyahu brought Israel to the JCC Summer Day Camp with music and dance on Monday, July 6.

“This is the best way to experience Israel, through the music and dance of the culture.

less than three days there were over 200 views.

Videos like this and a wealth of other material are shared on “Hava Nagila Gan” (an early childhood education curriculum website shared with members of the Partnership2GETHER Program worldwide). The “Hava Nagila Gan” initiative of our Partnership was extended last year with new Israeli songs and folk dances that the kids from the Western Galilee teach their American friends. Eliad speaks fondly of the

Credit Mark Kirchoff

The B’nai Israel Community extends a BIG Thank You to Claire & Larry Blass for your outstanding leadership and commitment to our synagogue and services.

Club July 2015 Members GO L D Bruce Belgrade Sandra Belgrade Lorrie Bernstein in memoriam of Sheldon Bernstein Jill & Mike Erman

Gloria & Howard Kaslow Sissy Silber in memoriam of Howard Silber Nora & Barry Zoob

P UBL I S H E R Marlene & David Cohen Mimi & Scott Farkas Amy & Sandy Friedman Jody & Neal Malashock

Patty & Steve Nogg Sissy Silber in memoriam of Howard Silber Nancy & Phil Wolf

E D I T O R Beth Cohen & Harry Berman Sally & Paul Fine Randi Friedel Jablin Sylvia Kaiman of blessed memory Shane & David Kotok Abigail & Adam Kutler Bonnie & Steve Levinger

Pam & Henry Monsky Iris & Marty Ricks Phyllis Schwartz Susann & Paul Shyken Jay Simon Esther & James Wax

RE P O RT E R Marcia Arch Molline & Fritz Cassman Audrey Epstein Sharon & Howard Epstein Liz & Yonatan Feldstern Cantor Leo & Annette Fettman Lois & Lloyd Friedman Myrna Grumer Joanie & Richard Jacobson Julee Katzman David Lercher

Elinore Penner Debbie & Lloyd Roitstein Susan Rothholz Lynne & Errol Saltzman Claudia & Marc Sherman Susie Silverman Coke Tillman Lois & Norman Wine Jeremy Wright Phyllis & Harold Zabin

Music and dance are the ways to reach the hearts of the kids. It is a fun, effective way to connect them with our friends in Israel.”

Months before the camp session began, Eliad met with camp counselors and provided them with an Israel 101 session.

“I was really impressed with the counselors,” he sad. “All of them were very excited about Israel and suggested creative ideas during the workshop of how to involve Israel in the camp.” In this activity with the kids it was evident that kids and counselors alike were equally excited to sing and dance.

The session began with a warm up with camp kids and counselors laughing, jumping, and practicing loud vocalizations for the singing that was to follow. Eliad showed a video prepared by the kids from Akko, Israel (our partner city) who sang and danced the Hine ma Tov song. “I taught this song at the CDC last year and it was a great hit!” exclaimed Eliad. After watching the video, kids and counselors enthusiastically joined with Eliad as he taught the Hebrew words and the accompanying dance to the song. In less than 20 minutes everyone was so good they were ready to record a video to share with Israel, which they did. Eliad also put the video on his Facebook page and in

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honor he felt to have served as Education Task Force Coordinator of the Partnership for the past five years. As he looks back on those years, Eliad says, “There is a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that we developed a tool for educators, shlichim and counselors all around the world. With that tool, kids and educators alike can have access to great Israeli fun activities - and with very little preparation time required.”

After watching the video of our JCC Summer Day Camp experience, Efrat Srebro, the Director of Hava Nagila Gan initiative and the current Israeli co- chair of the Education Task Force of the Partnership, wrote in Eliad’s Facebook post: “Great Job, Omaha! It looks like you are having a great time together with our Israeli kids. The power of dance and the power of music are magnificent!” Eliad summed up his enthusiasm: “It was a great experience, and I am sure we will have more joint programs with the camp and Israel.”

Bringing Israel to our JCC Summer Day Camp” is a joint effort between the Jewish Community Center and the Center for Jewish Life. For more information on the JCC’s “Summer of Awesomeness,” call 402.334.6409.

BBYO in Israel

Jordan Saag is attending BBYO ILSI (International Leadership Seminar in Israel) for the month of July. He at the Western Wall on July 2, 2015.

He is the son of Sherrie and David Saag.

July 17, 2015 | The Jewish Press | 5

14th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival coming in August

by MARK KIRCHHOFF Center for Jewish Life The 14th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival begins Sunday, Aug. 2 with five movies to be shown throughout the month. The festival is presented by the Center for Jewish Life and the Institute for Holocaust Education. Show time for each film is 7:15 p.m. in the JCC Theater. This year’s tickets are just $5 per person with no charge for Besa: The Promise on Aug. 11. The reduced cost is due to the generous sponsorships provided by Todd and Betiana Simon, the Henry Monsky Lodge B’nai B’rith, and the following funds of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation: The Klutznick Chair of Jewish Civilization at Creighton University; Special Donor Advised Fund; Samuel & Bess Rothenberg Memorial Endowment Fund; and Avy L. & Roberta L. Miller Foundation by Lindsey Miller-Lerman.

“The film festival is always a wonderful way to begin our programming year,” commented Mary Sue Grossman, Program Coordinator. “The most difficult task is that of choosing the films to include as there is a wide variety from around the world. Selecting just a few is always tricky.” Mary Sue also commented on this year’s partnership with the Institute for Holocaust Education in presenting the festival, “Having the Institute for Holocaust Education join the festival is exciting, allowing us to join our resources.”

Liz Feldstern, IHE Director, expressed her enthusiasm for the collaborative effort between IHE and the CJL. “The IHE and the CJL working together on the film series is such a win-win for our community! It has allowed us to bring exceptional films to Omaha and bring down the cost of tickets. With such a great deal – we hope to have many viewers from across Omaha attend the festival.”

Opening the festival on Sunday, Aug. 2 is Dough. In this 2014 release from the United Kingdom, Jonathan Pryce stars as an aging Jewish baker whose faltering business is inadvertently saved by his young Muslim apprentice. Widowed

and down on his luck, Nat Dayan (Pryce) is desperate to save his London bake shop. His customers are dying, his sons have no interest in the family business, and hostile businessman Sam Cotton has his own greedy plans for the property.

Nat reluctantly enlists the help of teenager Ayyash, a refugee from Darfur. The Muslim boy works in the bakery while selling marijuana on the side to help his struggling mother.

When Ayyash accidently drops his stash into the dough, the challah starts flying off the shelf, and an unlikely friendship forms between the old Jewish baker and his young Muslim apprentice. Dough is a warmhearted, humorous story about overcoming prejudice and finding redemption in unexpected places. (2014, Directed by John Goldschmidt, United Kingdom, English, 94 minutes.)

Sunday, Aug. 9, the featured film is 24 Days. It is January of 2006 and a beautiful young woman walks into a Parisian cell phone shop. She browses, asks for the sales attendant’s phone number, and calls the young man later that evening asking to meet. The next time 23 year-old Ilan’s family hears from him is as they are preparing for a group meal – and are shocked to learn of Ilan’s abduction. His parents go to the police, who unfortunately fail to recognize the antiSemitism behind the attack. The film depicts the next 24 days during which time the Halimi family receives over 700 threatening phone calls from Ilan’s kidnappers. Tensions rise between the family and the police assigned to their case, as days go by without Ilan’s safe return. The film is a chilling depiction of the real-life events surrounding the attack, and presents a commentary on growing anti-Semitism in France. The film is “one of the most wrenching and politically astute films to come out of France” (Screen Daily).

(2014, Directed by Alexandre Arcady, France, French with English subtitles, 108 minutes.)

Besa: The Promise will screen on Tuesday, Aug. 11 for this special free presentation. The movie tells the story of heroism found in Albania during WWII through the actual jour-

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neys of two men. One is Norman Gershman, a renowned Jewish-American photographer who travels to Albania, determined to document first-person accounts of those who rescued Jews during the Holocaust. The other is Rexhep Hoxha, a Muslim-Albanian trying to fulfill the promise his father made to a Jewish family during the Holocaust and return a set of Hebrew books they left behind. For Rexhep the promise is more than words -- it’s part of his “besa” -- an honor code that, among other things, pledges all Albanians to offer safe harbor to refugees. Rexhep’s quest takes him to Bulgaria and Israel, and brings about discoveries of faith and family. Through the stories of Rexhep and his fellow Muslims, comes a story of a nation of everyday heroes much different from the narrative of violent Islam and antiSemitism portrayed in media today. Besa: The Promise presents stories of gratitude from Jewish survivors to Muslim rescuers who have gone unheard for almost seventy years. It is a story that bridges generations and religions, uniting fathers and sons, Muslims and Jews. (2012, Director Rachel Goslins, United States, English, 90 minutes.)

The Last Mentsch will be shown Sunday, Aug. 16. The film tells the tale of Marcus Schwartz, an old man who has been hiding his real identity since the day he survived the horrors of Auschwitz. Now that he wants to be buried in a Jewish cemetery, Marcus must prove that one single thing he tried to deny for so many decades – his Jewishness. With no synagogue, Jewish friends or family, the hardened old man has done such an effective job of creating a new identity that, when faced with his own mortality, the rabbis refuse his about-face appeal to be buried in a Jewish cemetery in Cologne. The only record that remains is the faded tattoo on his forearm. Marcus’s only hope is to return to the Hungarian village where he grew up to try to find proof of his birth. The young Turkish woman he enlists to drive him there turns out to have a past of her own, and the journey is Continued on page 7

6 | The Jewish Press | July 17, 2015

Israeli ingenuity and ALS

by EMILY NEWMAN Jewish Press Intern In 2014, the Ice Bucket Challenge was born. In this challenge, the participants filmed themselves having a bucket of ice water dumped over their heads in order to raise money for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. They then posted the video to social media, thus nominating friends and family to be the next participants in the challenge. It went viral, the challenge even being carried out by celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates. All in all, since its start, the challenge has raised more than $15 million for ALS research.

However, a few Israelis are going about ALS research in their own, innovative way.

The new Israeli start-up company, Eye Control, is paving the way for a higher quality of life for those suffering from ALS. The device that the start-up is raising money to create will be both affordable and easy to use. It is a head-mounted device that looks much like a pair of glasses but is so much more. It will use an infrared camera that communicates with a credit-card sized computer in order to read the blinks and movements of the user’s eyes. It will then transmit these messages through the use of an app, which will then process and translate them for easy communication. And, most importantly, this device will be mobile.

Unlike the current ways of communication for ALS patients (such as clunky computers and large screens) this device will allow them to easily communicate anywhere and everywhere they go. All that is needed are

the glasses and a smart phone.

The creation of this device will not happen without public funding. According to IsrALS founder, Avichai Kremer (who also

suffers from ALS,) those who suffer from the neurological disease “need an affordable communication device. I communicate today via a computer with the help of head movements. I mainly use email and Skype.

A product like Eye Control will give me more freedom. I will be able to leave the house and communicate with friends and family. Today, ALS patients are locked in, a healthy mind in a paralyzed body. We need to change that...”

It is this reason that his company, IsrALS, has provided seed funding to Eye Control.

This invention is just one example of the ingenuity that is coming out of Israel and will enhance the quality of life for those suffering from ALS (and their family members and caretakers) throughout the world. If you are interested in providing funding to help make this vision a reality, you can go to the following link in order to donate www.indiegogo.com/projects/eyecontrolcommunicate-anytime-anywhere#/story.

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Mah Jongg classes at Temple Israel

by SCOTT LITTKY Program Director, Temple Israel Mah Jongg continues to be alive and well at Temple Israel. At least two afternoons a week and on Tuesday evenings multiple games of Mah Jongg are being played.

This past June our second Annual Mah Jongg tournament was a big success with over 40 men and women participating.

We are looking forward to our next tournament in June of 2016. With more and more people contacting Temple Israel about learning to play, we are happy to announce that again this fall we will be offering Mah Jongg leasons.

During the last two years, Claire Flatowicz and Dora Goldstrom conducted very successful classes in preparation for our annual Mah Jongg tournament. Claire

by MARGIE GUTNIK Beth El Publicity After a hiatus of several years, the return of Beth El’s Holiday Shopping Boutique on Sunday, Nov. 15, promises to be an exciting shopping extravaganza. This well-attended and eagerly anticipated event will enable customers to browse and shop just in time for the holidays.

“Even though the boutique is still sever-

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will be 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $45 for the class and includes, the most recent Mah Jongg card and a copy of the official rules of the game. Classes are open to both men and women. To register for the class, please contact the Temple Israel office at 402.556.6536.

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and Dora are very excited to be offering Mah Jongg lessons again this fall. The classes will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 13 and will conclude on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Hours

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al months away, we are excited that we have many vendors that have already signed on to participate,” said Boutique chairman Joni Brooks. Although space is filling up fast, some spots remain for additional artisans and businesses to showcase their merchandise. The deadline for reserving space is Oct. 14. In order to be included, please contact Joni Brooks at bethelboutique@ outlook.com for complete information.

July 17, 2015 | The Jewish Press | 7

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by OZZIE NOGG The STAR Dairy Deli Lunch scheduled for Friday, July 24, will feature the cremede-la-creme of milchig dishes including the ever popular Deep Fried Lox and Cream Cheese Kreplach. In addition, the 2015 Dairy Deli menu offers the Cheese Frenchie Sandwich (batter dipped, rolled in crushed corn flakes and deep fried); Deep Fried Ravioli; and Rich as Rockefeller New York Style Cheese Cake. If you’re worried about your digestive tract, take comfort in Mark Twain’s philosophy: “Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.” Amen to that.

Other July 24 Dairy Deli items prepared to duke it out in your tummy are Challah French Toast Sticks, Cheese Tortellini with Marinara Sauce and Giant Baked Potato with Broccoli Cheese Sauce. To balance the scales, Chef Mike Aparo, Director of Food Services at the RBJH, and his STAR Catering crew created several special entrees that could be considered health food. “You can choose Seared Ahi Tuna Steak or Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Pineapple Salsa,” Aparo said. “Both are delicious and very heart healthy.” When asked about the medical merits of other Dairy Deli menu items -- Corn Chowder in Sour Dough Bread Bowl and a Soft Serve Ice Cream Bar -- Aparo assured this reporter that lighter fare is available at the Dairy Deli, including a Mediterranean Salad. “Our

sandwiches and wraps -- egg, tuna and veggie -- are part of the July 17 menu, too,” said Jen Addison, Food Services Supervisor at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. “I promise you, there’s something for everyone.”

It’s customary for Jews to refrain from eating meat during the nine days leading up to Tisha B’Av which begins at sunset on Saturday, July 25, and continues until the evening of July 26. On this day of mourning and fasting, Jews remember the destruction of The First Temple in 586 BCE, the destruction of The Second Temple in 70 CE, as well as other tragedies suffered by Jews in the past. According to Aparo, “After the Dairy Deli on July 17, our regular line-up of smoked turkey, pastrami and corned beef sandwiches will once again be center stage.”

The STAR Deli is open every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. “The Jewish food and raucous ambience clearly make us Omaha’s answer to a Lower East Side eatery,” Aparo said. “What’s not to like?”

Speaking of like, to stay up to date on specials and hear the online Deli scoop, ‘like’ their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/star.deli.rbjh. For information on how Star Catering can accommodate your needs for special occasion meals at meetings, parties and life cycle events, contact Mike Aparo at 402.334.6522 or go to: http://www.rbjh.com/index.php/ starcatering/home.

Omaha Jewish Film Festival Continued from page 5 one that will change both their lives forever.

The Last Mentsch is an emotional narrative of friendship and healing that explores the cost of forgetting the past and the power in remembering it. (2014, Director PierreHenry Salfati, Germany, German with English subtitles, 93 minutes.)

The final film of the festival, on Aug. 23, is Above and Beyond. In 1948, just three years after the liberation of Nazi death camps and the end of WWII, a group of Jewish American pilots answered a call for help. In secret and at great personal risk, they were smuggled out of the U.S., trained behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia and flew for Israel in its War of Independence. As members of Machal – “volunteers from abroad” – this make-shift band of brothers not only turned the tide of the war, they also embarked on personal journeys of discovery and renewed Jewish pride. Above and Beyond does more than retell the history of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It examines the motivations of the foreign volunteers – both Jews and non-Jews. It explores the tension between the Israelis and Machal soldiers.

Would the foreign pilots stay in Israel after the war? Were they Americans first, or Jews first? The film recounts the personal stories

of the young pilots, their life-altering experiences in Israel, and the critical role they played in the country’s survival. (2014, Directed by Roberta Grossman, Israel and the United Kingdom, English, 90 minutes.)

The Omaha Jewish Film Festival is presented jointly by The Center for Jewish Life as part of its mission to maximize involvement of Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences, and the Institute for Holocaust Education with its mission to provide educational resources, workshops, survivor testimony, and integrated arts programming to students, educators, and the public. For more information about the 14th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival please call 402.334.6463 or 402.334.6575.

Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Tom Goutierre, retiring Dean of Afghan studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, will be our special guest, as he makes his final appearance on Wednesday, July 15, noon. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

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8 | The Jewish Press | July 17, 2015

Point of view

American Jewish Press Association Award Winner

Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008

You are not alone

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Early Sunday morning I had my coffee outside, and surfed my phone. In rapid succession, I checked my email, messaged my sister, and read an article about the stereotypes mixed families have to deal with. I also read the Abe Foxman interview in the Forward, a story about two stand-up comics who disagreed about what’s funny and what’s insulting, and an article by a Dutch politician about the importance of language. I posted a picture of a butterfly that landed in my garden, read a story about the Heroin epidemic in the US, and read a twitter feed from Toronto, detailing the slow response of animal control to a dead raccoon, resulting in a makeshift memorial by Toronto citizens.

While in daily life, I do not think of myself as easily distracted, give me half an hour online and my attention is all over the place.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just, well, different.

The way we process information in 2015 is scattered; a little bit like binge eating.

Pictures of cute kittens compete with an update about the death penalty debate, and in spite of what popular opinion tells us, the kittens don’t always win. Just because there is a lot of light and nonsensical news doesn’t mean we all automatically gravitate towards it. It’s the baby, and it’s the bathwater, and it’s okay to have unlimited access to both. The somewhat cranky assertion that when we read “The News” we should only read serious things, is outdated. Social media is here, and we better catch up.

Having said that, with our changed attention span comes a certain type of impatience. If we see the same story covered from different angles, we become tired of it. When KMTV recently posted a story about inmate Nikko Jenkins cutting himself with razors, there were several readers admonishing the news channel for still paying attention. An inmate who

is in isolation, and yet manages to get his hands on razors and proceeds to cut his face, is news, but to many readers, it wasn’t. They’d heard enough. (The fact that they nonetheless clicked on the link tells another story).

We read something, and before we really process it, we’ve moved on to the next story. And because we move on so fast, we live under the mistaken assumption that our responses don’t really matter. They are fleeting; we read, we care for 2

minutes, we leave a quick comment, and we move on.

And while I have no problem with the changing landscape of information sharing, I do think those comments, and the habits that go along with it, are going to haunt us. Is it honesty that allows for so many hateful comments online? Is it a lack of impulse control? Have we learned to be polite in faceto-face interactions, but do we forget the rules of decency when we are “alone” with our devices? Do we still mistakenly believe that our online rants are private, while, in fact, social media is now the public square? You may think you’re just commenting on your aunt’s random meme, but you may as well scream it from the rooftops. I am quite sure I am not the only one who has typed a few lines, paused, decided against it, and hit the delete button. If you post it, you better make sure you mean it.

The line between freedom of speech and common decency has been blurry for a long time -- I don’t think that is news. What’s news is that we can’t seem to get any better.

And we need to. Freedom of speech is no excuse when we abuse it to hurt others. What’s more, the right to freedom of speech means nothing if all we do is treat it as a loophole for misogyny. So when you see a story about a woman who was shopping at Old Navy and had her feelings hurt by other customers joking about plus-size clothing, don’t suggest she lose weight and stop whining. It doesn’t make the world a better place, and it won’t make you a better person.

At the same time, if you are an anti-Semite, and you accidentally pass through my feed, I would rather know as soon as possible, so I can block you. If you post racist memes, or homophobic jokes, or say things like “They should give Nikko Jenkins more razor blades so he can kill himself,” it tells me something about how you think. If that is, indeed, how you think. Because, at the end of the day, I am not really sure about that. After all, one knee-jerk comment can’t tell me everything about you, can it?

One thing is for sure: all these comments flying back and forth rarely give us what we really need, which is peaceful and respectful dialogue. Dialogue with well thought-out arguments and the ability to really listen to different viewpoints without getting angry and spewing hate. That is what freedom of speech really was meant for.

ed, I would not have been able to pursue such an enriching endeavor, for I certainly would not have been able to take six weeks off of work.

It is the generosities of donors that make so much in our community, in both the Jewish and larger Omaha community, happen. It is the giving from donors that make nonprofits and experiences such as mine possible. They grow our community centers and hospitals, provide assistance for those who need it most, and truly enrich both our city and state. Without the gift of grants, so much in our communities would not have been possible or even dreamt of. The gift that a donor provides is so much more than money; it is caring, good will, and support to those around them.

For the majority of my life, I’ve known of the good that donors do for those they gift with their time and money, for I’ve experienced this in other aspects of my life as well. Ever since its founding in the year 2001, I’ve grown up around my mother’s own non-profit organization RESPECT, an organization that uses theater to educate on bullying, teen dating violence, mental health, and more. I’ve been both a volunteer and employee of an organization that brings educational programming to children, parents, students, and teachers who need it most. I’ve grown up with an understanding of how important generosity is, for without it, thousands of children throughout the Omaha community and beyond would not have received such important programming.

However, outside of my experience with RESPECT and

this internship, I’ve also experienced the importance of donors in other aspects of my life as well. I’ve received scholarships for both my undergraduate and graduate education, to go to Israel for the first time on Birthright, been gifted funding to attend the annual AIPAC policy conference and the upcoming AIPAC Saban conference this July, been granted the ability to attend a student leadership conference hosted by the Israeli consulate in Chicago last fall, and more.

It is needless to say that donors have enriched my life beyond what can simply be stated in words. Without such generous people, it is hard to say if I would be half the student, leader or person that I am today. It is these experiences, both at the Jewish Press and beyond, that have shaped who I am and the path that I have set myself on in life.

In my writing, whether it is for the Press or academic, I have a rule of not over-using a single word. However, I feel that I have broken that very rule in this thank-you piece, for I cannot refrain from using the word “generous” again and again. However, there is no way around this, for it is generosity that has made both this experience at the Jewish Press, and much of what built my resume, possible. It is generosity that keeps our community strong and full of life.

So, I will conclude with a big THANK YOU to all of the generous donors out there who have made my experiences possible, especially to Murray and Sharee Newman for providing this internship. Thank you for all that you do and all that you give!

ries and announcements, can be found online at: www jewishoma ha.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.

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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, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. 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

Thank you

From our intern EMILY NEWMAN Throughout the last six weeks I have gained invaluable skills through my internship here at the Jewish Press. I have been tasked to do things that I would never have had the opportunity to do before, such as write Op-Ed articles, go through original photos from the 1960s of the Esther K. Newman camp, and read through newspaper editions from the 1930s. I’ve interviewed JCC campers and photographed events at the Rose Blumkin home. I’ve written about BDS, anti-Semitism, and college students, all of which are hot topics in my personal life and studies. I’ve also learned just how important the Jewish Press is to the Omaha Jewish (and nonJewish) community. All in all, I’ve gained experience and understanding about the importance of news media, whether it is print, web, or televised in today’s world.

However, none of this would have been possible for me if it were not for my donors, Murray and Sharee Newman.

Without their generosity in funding this internship, I would not have been able to have gained all of this knowledge and experience. Without the generous funding they have provid-

(Founded in 1920) Eric Dunning President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Jessie Wees Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Thierry Ndjike Bookkeeper Emily Newman Press Intern

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July 17, 2015 | The Jewish Press | 9

Fullfilling our moral duties as human beings

by JOSIE SLOVUT My name is Josie Slovut. In the weeks and months to come, I will be doing a bit of writing for the Jewish Press. Of course, the topics I write about and the angle I take on them will not come out of nowhere but will be shaped by the person I am. I am 16 years old and will be a junior this fall at Millard North High School. I have a sister named Heather and a brother named Simon. In my spare time, I play violin and participate in public forum debate, also called “controversy debate” because of the tendency of the debate topics to raise uncomfortable but important questions. Like most teenagers, I love to listen to music. I especially like to listen to pieces by Sergei Rachmaninoff and songs by the band Nochniye Snaiperi.

Judaism has played a major role in creating me as a person.

I find Judaism very impressive as a community and a means of expression. The Jewish community in Omaha is very supportive and contains many inspirational people. Going to religious school and attending services at synagogue has given me a sense of belonging and had a very strong influence on the person I am. Besides being a community, Judaism is also a sort of language. Jewish texts expound on themes that still have a desperate relevance. Today, we still are struggling to crystallize concepts such as economic justice into their expression in the material world. Discussing Jewish texts with such themes is an indispensable way for the Jewish

community to connect ourselves with what is happening today and to fulfill our moral duties as human beings.

The goal of my writing for the Jewish Press will be to open up and add to discussions about important issues. Some of the topics I plan to write about are local events, while others are taking place on the other side of the globe. Some of the topics are concrete social issues, and some are open questions about Judaism and about life. The common feature is that these are all conversations that need to be happening to maintain our health as a community. To clarify, I will provide a few examples. Tri-Faith is a project that will directly impact us as residents of Omaha. Personally, I find it very exciting, and I think it is important that as a community we talk about our expectations and hopes for Tri-Faith. Exploitation of workers in the United States and in other countries by American corporations is a crime that weighs on our conscience as a country. If any of us has a heart, then we must form a clear definition of economic justice and use pragmatic methods to bring it about. The systematic persecution of the Rohingya people in Myanmar is important for everyone in the world to know about. We have a moral duty to not close our eyes to injustice and to do what we can to eradicate it.

People my age need to be part of these discussions because these things are highly relevant to us. Sometimes discussions lead to nothing, but sometimes they lead to action. And sometimes action leads to change. Teenagers are affected by

local and global issues just like everyone else. The results of discussions can shape our lives. Teenagers are self-aware and capable of sorting out what is happening around us. We can articulate our opinions as well as any other age group. As individual human beings, we each have different perspectives stemming from our experiences. Collectively, we offer a perspective unique from any other age group. We have much to offer to the conversation. It is imperative that we are included in these discussions because we are the future.

Very soon, we will be adults – able to vote and influence what happens in the world. If we are not even accustomed to talking about current events, this would be a disaster. To expect social change without even knowing the status quo is extremely naïve. When it is time for the teenagers of today become the generation most able to change the world, we need to have a good grasp of what needs to be changed, or nothing will change and the injustices of today will be prolonged for decades.

Most teenagers want to change the world. We want to do everything we can to end poverty, war, and oppression.

When I write articles for the Jewish Press, I speak from my own perspective rather than the collective perspective of people my age. I will try to voice my perspective in a way that is interesting to read and empowering to others.

Fortunately, I will not be the only voice of my generation. I am one of many, and that has power.

Don’t whitewash Charleston’s troubled racial history

by ADAM D. MENDELSOHN CHARLESTON, S.C. (JTA) -- A prominent Jewish Charlestonian’s inspiring response to the massacre at the Emanuel AME Church has circulated widely in recent days.

Robert N. Rosen’s essay points to the best traditions of life in the city: tolerance, an attentiveness to history, and a powerful sense of place and community.

But Rosen has also whitewashed the city’s history. His account lacks critical context when it comes to Charleston’s Jews and is rose-tinted when it comes to race. The city has changed dramatically in recent decades, but it all too often remains willfully ignorant of the long reach of the past into the present.

Yes, Charlestonians are outraged by this terrible event. But by pointing only to the best traditions of the city, and claiming that these alone represent its values, Rosen deludes himself about both the past and the present.

Charleston’s troublesome history did not end abruptly with the Civil War or the civil rights era. Charlestonians have not “lived together in peace for 150 years since the Civil War,” as Rosen suggests. Has he forgotten the terrorism that sunk Reconstruction? The indignities and injustices of Jim Crow? The inequalities of the present? Or even the killing of Walter Scott, an unarmed black man shot by a white policeman in April of this year?

Nor is the fact that Charleston avoided the bloody showdowns of Birmingham or Selma in Alabama necessarily a mark of success. Insidious alternatives to formal segregation allowed South Carolina to effectively keep key elements of the system in place while appearing to follow the law. The legacy of those measures, which speaks today most clearly through the number of private schools in the city and the weaknesses of the public education system, has ensured that inequality and separation outlasted the civil rights era. In the long run, Charleston might have done better with more confrontation, not less.

The city’s record when it comes to addressing its past is

spotty. Public memorials to slavery are hard to find, while statues glorifying the Confederacy and the opulent mansions of the antebellum era are conspicuous and celebrated. The city continues to honor John C. Calhoun, the intellectual and political heavyweight responsible for giving new ideological

A woman holding a sign at a Brooklyn, N.Y., vigil for victims of the Emanuel AME Church shooting in Charleston, S.C., Credit: Kena Betancur/Getty Images June 21, 2015. life to the slave system before the Civil War. Calhoun’s statue anchors Marion Square, which sits close to the Emanuel AME Church and serves as the crossroads of the city.

In the early 2000s, the owners of Marion Square beat back a proposal to erect a monument to Denmark Vesey, who was accused of plotting a slave uprising in 1822 and was one of 35 men hanged. His church was Emanuel AME, and the building was burned down in retribution. The monument was ultimately built in a park far from the center of town.

Today, Marion Square has no monument to those who were enslaved, but it is home to a large public memorial to the Holocaust that sits near the massive Calhoun statue.

When the sun is high in the late afternoon, the statue casts

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its shadow toward the memorial. This grand irony bespeaks the strange history of Jews and race in the city.

Jews were welcome at the founding of the colony, but Catholics were not. Before the Civil War, Jews were accepted into white society in large measure because the enslaved population outnumbered a paranoid white populace that wanted strength in numbers.

Jews in Charleston today remember the unusual extent of their integration in the city, but not the other half of the equation. The present-day economic and social success of Charleston’s Jews is inextricably linked with this past exclusion of others.

If Rosen’s essay is representative, local Jews also have misremembered their mixed record when it came to civil rights.

Burton Padoll, who served as rabbi of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim in the 1960s, resigned under pressure from prominent members of his congregation in large part because of his activism on behalf of African-American equality.

This is not to say that the history of Charleston’s Jews is unremittingly negative on matters of race -- far from it. But the role of race in forging the city and shaping the experience of its Jews cannot be wished away. Sure, we should celebrate that Charleston is so attentive to memorializing the Holocaust, but we should also think carefully about why the city is comfortable mourning a cataclysm that occurred in Europe but not a sordid history closer to home.

Only by recognizing our troublesome past, and our place in it, can we think clearly about real change in the present.

We in Charleston should all aspire to create the kind of society Rosen imagines for us. But if we shear our city from its past, we’re never going to get there.

Adam Mendelsohn is the former director of the Pearlstine/Lipov Center for Southern Jewish Culture at the College of Charleston and the author of The Rag Race (NYU Press), winner of the 2014 National Jewish Book Award in American Jewish Studies.

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10 | The Jewish Press | July 17, 2015

Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 |712.322.4705 email: BnaiIsraelCouncilBluffs@gmail.com Tribute cards for any occasion are available. Please contact Sissy Silber at 311 Oak Ridge Ct., Bellevue, NE 68005 or 402.292.8062.

For information on our historic synagogue, or to arrange a visit, please contact any of our board members: Mark Eveloff, Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California | Omaha, NE 68154-1980 | 402.492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m., featuring Andy Greenberg, How Beth El changed my life over the last 25 years; Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:45 p.m.

WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: Habitat for Humanity Build, two shifts, 8:30 a.m. - noon and noon-3:30 p.m. Sign up online; Torah Study, 10 a.m.

MONDAY: Women’s Book Group, 7 p.m. at Sheryl Friedman’s home; Torah Study, 10 a.m.

Shabbat Playgroup and Potluck Picnic on Playground, Saturday, July 25, 4 p.m..

USY on Wheels Dinner, Tuesday, July 28, 6 p.m.

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

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha, NE. 68154 | 402.556.6288 www.orthodoxomaha.org Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; 15 mins after Kiddush -Mishna L’Neshamah; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 8:20 p.m.; Ma’ariv/Havdalah, 9:44 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels and Beit Medrash, 9:45 a.m.

WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.

MONDAY: Teen Class, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY: Walking Group, 6:30 p.m. Meet at Walgreens 90th and Center; Men’s Basketball, 8 p.m. at the JCC. WEDNESDAY: Wrestling with Rashi, 8 p.m.; Talmud Learning, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY: Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m.; UNMC -- Med Center Chaburah, 1 p.m.; Avot U-Banim, 7 p.m.; Jews and Brews Class, 8:30 p.m.

CHABAD HOUSE An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street | Omaha, NE 68144-1646 | 402.330.1800 www.OChabad.com | email: chabad@aol.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m SATURDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m.

SUNDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 8:30 a.m.

WEEKDAYS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m.

TUESDAY: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office.

WEDNESDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. In memory of Forrest Krutter -- Efrayim Menachem Ben Avraham Yitzchak.

THURSDAY: Women’s Study at UNMC with Shani Katzman, noon. RSVP by emailing Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@unmc.edu.

All programs are open to the entire community.

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 Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis.

FRIDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. with oneg follow-

ing hosted by Shannon and Michael Boekstal.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Matot-Masei; Game Night/ Potluck, 6 p.m. All ages welcome!

MONDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

TUESDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Ladies Lunch Group, noon at Mr. Hui’s II, 4131 Pioneer Woods Drive. Questions? Contact Stephanie Dohner.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

THURSDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Choir Rehearsal, 7:30-9 p.m.

LJCS Camp Israel, Friday, July 24, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

President’s Office Hours, Sunday Mornings, 10 a.m.–noon at SST. If you have any Temple business you would like to bring before the Board of Trustees, potential programs, or new ideas, please let us know! Call for an appointment at the Temple or just to chat any time at 402.513.7697. Or if you prefer, just email David Weisser at president@southstreet temple.org.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road | Offutt AFB, NE 68123 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 FRIDAY: Chef ’s Demo, 1:30 p.m. with Beth Israel.

SATURDAY: Services, 9:15 a.m.

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

TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive | Omaha, NE 68144-1206 | 402.556.6536 http://templeisraelomaha.com FRIDAY: Summer Shabbat Evening Speaker Scott Littky: Heroes & Mentors in My Jewish Life!, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning

Candlelighting Friday, July 17, 8:36 p.m.

Service, 10:30 a.m. Haftarah Reader: Miles Remer.

SUNDAY: Babes and Tots in the Park, 10 a.m. at Stinson Park, 2285 S 67 St. Join us for another morning together with the little ones. We will begin with bagels and coffee for adults and activities for kids. Singing and story time to follow.

THURSDAY: Adult Study, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Brown.

Summer Shabbat Evening Speaker, Aliyah Lasky: Heroes & Mentors in My Jewish Life!, Friday, July 24, 6 p.m.

Temple Israel Annual Golf Outing, Monday, Aug. 17, noon.

Contact the Temple Israel office for more information.

TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard | Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 | 402.423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

FRIDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Shabbat Services, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a Kiddush Luncheon.

MONDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

TUESDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Ladies Lunch Group, noon at Mr. Hui’s II, 4131 Pioneer Woods Drive. Contact Stephanie Dohner with any questions.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

THURSDAY: LJCS Camp Israel, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Choir Rehearsal, 7:30-9 p.m.

LJCS Camp Israel, Friday, July 24, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

To Submit B’nai Mitzvah Announcements Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewish omaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154.

Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, by e-mailing the editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org or online at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press.’

Jewish groups rip Israeli religious minister’s anti-Reform remarks

by JTA NEWS STAFF JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Jewish groups in the United States slammed Israel’s religious services minister for saying that Reform Jews cannot be considered Jewish.

“It would be one thing if Minister Azoulay’s ignorant and myopic views of Reform Judaism were nothing more than this his own semi-coherent ramblings,” Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said in a statement on Tuesday. “The real danger is that he now sits at the Cabinet Table, and is in a position to turn those views into governmental policy.”

Jacobs was respondRabbi David Azoulay ing to comments made earlier in the day by David Azoulay of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party.

“A Reform Jew, from the moment he stops following Jewish law, I cannot allow myself to say that he is a Jew,” Azoulay said on Army Radio. “These are Jews that have lost their way, and we must ensure that every Jew returns to the fold of Judaism, and accept everyone with love and joy.”

Last month, Azoulay in an interview also called Reform Jews “a disaster for the people of Israel.”

“One would hope that a minister charged with administering religious affairs would be a voice for respect and tolerance of the religious views and traditions of others,” Abraham Foxman, national director of the AntiDefamation League, said on Tuesday.

Both Foxman and Jacobs welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repudiation of the

remarks. Netanyahu said they do not reflect the position of the government.

“I have spoken with Minister Azoulay to remind him that Israel is a home for all Jews and that as minister of religious affairs, he serves all of Israel’s citizens,” Netanyahu said.

Jay Ruderman, president of the Boston-based Ruderman Family Foundation, called for Azoulay’s dismissal should he make any further remarks against non-Orthodox Judaism.

“Diaspora Jews, and especially American Jews where Reform Judaism is the largest Jewish religious affiliation, are critical to Israel’s sense of well being and security.

Representatives of Israel’s government should treat them accordingly,” Ruderman said in a statement.

The Rabbinical Council of America, which represents Orthodox rabbis, in a statement on Wednesday reiterated that under Jewish law, “all Jews, regardless of their observance or belief, are full members of the Jewish people, and are our brothers and sisters.” The statement also defended Azoulay, saying that “from the context it seems clear that he meant to question the validity of their religious expression rather than their essential Jewishness.”

The RCA “has well-known objections to some of the fundamental tenets of Reform Judaism,” RCA President Rabbi Leonard Matanky said. “There is no question, however, that we certainly embrace all members of the Jewish community.”

In Israel, Jewish Home party head Naftali Bennett wrote in a Facebook post, “All Jews are Jews. Whether conservative, reform, orthodox, haredi or secular. And Israel is their home. Period.”

Haredi Orthodox Knesset member Moshe Gafni of the United Torah Judaism Party, in an interview Wednesday with Army Radio, acknowledged that Reform and Conservative Jews are indeed Jewish, but said that they “take the Torah and tear it to pieces.” He also blamed the movements for the high rate of intermarriage, adding, “”They sinned, and I pray that they will repent.”

Pulverent e

July 17, 2015 | The Jewish Press | 11

In memoriam MARCIA ZALKIN COHEN Marcia Zalkin Cohen passed away on July 10 at age 76 in Fort Myers, FL. A Memorial Service will be held on Aug. 7 at Temple Israel in Omaha.

She was preceded in death by her parents Eli and Sara (Katz) Zalkin; and sister Harriette Zalkin.

She is survived by her husband, Jack B. Cohen; children and their spouses Michael and Tammy Rochman of Sacramento, CA; Daniel and Sayaka Rochman of Tokyo, Japan; Julie Rochman and Sandra Palmer of Tampa, FL; Gary and Sally Cohen, Julie and Mark Martin, Lynne and Mike Bonham, all of Omaha; and grandchildren Andrew, Sara, Thomas, Natalie, and David Rochman, David and Rachel Martin, Ethan and Katie Bonham, Nick Saitta, and Andrew Prystai.

She was a graduate of Central High School; attended University of Indiana and graduated from Omaha University. Among other organizations, she was a volunteer for the Jewish Federation, Planned Parenthood, KETV’s “7 Can Help”, and Temple Bat Yam. Memorials may be made to Temple Israel.

BRADLEY “BRAD” EPSTEIN Bradley “Brad” Epstein passed away on July 9 at age 72.

Graveside services were held on July 12 at Temple Israel Cemetery.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Marc and Janet Epstein; sons, Steve and Jeff Epstein; daughters, Shannon Graf and Hannah Epstein; brother, Mel Epstein;

grandchildren, Melissa Kok, Zayden Garza and Zarek Garza; nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to a charity of your choice.

ALAN H. FRIEDMAN A memorial service will be held for Alan H. Friedman on Sunday Aug. 2, 2 p.m. at Temple Israel. The service will be followed by a reception.

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STANLEY JOSEPH WIDMAN Stanley Joseph Widman passed away on July 9 at age 78.

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He was preceded in death by his parents Pauline and Elias Widman; and brother David Widman.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughter and son-inlaw, Cheryl and Howard Sukenik; son, Alan Widman; son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Julie Widman; grandchildren, Leah and David Sukenik, Bennett and Sophie Widman; brother, Marshall Widman; brother-in-law, Marvin Parilman; nephews; nieces; cousins and many friends.

He served in the United States Air Force for 4 years. Stan will always be remembered for his beautiful singing voice, great acting abilities and love of making people happy.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Midland's Chapter, 1941 South 42 Street Omaha, NE. 68105; Make A Wish Foundation, 11926 Arbor Omaha, NE 68144 or the charity of your choice.

Mismanagement at Holocaust fund?

by URIEL HEILMAN Schneider. The Claims Conference plans to hire a new NEW YORK (JTA) -- When the board of directors of the ombudsman to replace Hollander, who lives in Israel.

Claims Conference gathers next week for its annual meet“Until this happened, I didn’t consider him a kook at all,” ing, controversy again may lead the agenda for the group Berman said. “I am surprised as to the difference between that handles German compensation for Nazi atrocities how he relates to a person one on one and how he writes his against Jews. letters. It’s like he’s a different perThis time the cause is an son.” angry letter sent to the board Berman said his recent interactions on June 29 by Shmuel with Hollander prompted him to Hollander, the independent decide not to meet with Hollander ombudsman appointed by the unless there was a third party in the Claims Conference three room. years ago in the wake of a $57 Hollander told JTA that all of million fraud scandal that this could have been avoided if rocked the organization and Berman had met with him and resulted in numerous arrests offered a respectful parting of ways and prison sentences. rather than firing him by phone.

Hollander was informed “I’m very much offended and recently that his contract hurt by the way they did it,” would not be renewed, and in Hollander said. “Let’s separate like Shmuel Hollander in Israel, Nov. 23, 2007. his letter accuses Claims friends and decide on a date not in Credit: Anna Kaplan/Flash 90 Conference chairman Julius three weeks but give me a couple of Berman of terminating him in a June 3 phone call because months. Do it in a nice, proper way like it’s supposed to be, of a review that Hollander oversaw two years ago to investi- not to call me after a long time that you refused to speak to gate how the Claims Conference botched an opportunity in me or meet with me.”

2001 to detect the fraud scheme.

Asked if he would have stayed silent about the other alleThe report that resulted from that review exonerated gations of inappropriate behavior outlined in his letter if his Berman, who received the warning about fraud in 2001, but termination had been amicable, Hollander said he probably called for changes to the Claims Conference’s structure, would have informed the board at some point. administration and management. (After the report was sub“I was really hoping that things would change. I tried to mitted, two of the four Claims Conference committee mem- convince Mr. Schneider that I really wanted to work in a bers charged with producing it disavowed the report and professional way and cooperate with the organization,” resigned).

Hollander said. “Sooner or later, if I would come to the conHollander in his letter of June 29 also accuses the Claims clusion that it’s all a lost cause, of course I would have Conference’s professional head, Greg Schneider, of obstruct- resigned.” ing his work and says the final fraud figure likely is “much Schneider declined to publicly address Hollander’s accuhigher” than $57 million. sations about obstructionism except to say they are untrue.

The fraud -- discovered in 2009 by Claims Conference He also rejected Hollander’s claim that the fraud figure is officials, who then alerted the FBI -- involved employees much higher than previously reported. who falsified applications to the Hardship Fund, which pro“Since the 2013 trial there’s been no new discovery of vides one-time payments from Germany of approximately fraud -- period,” Schneider said. $3,360 to those who fled the Nazis as they moved east All this threatens to eclipse the Claims Conference’s negothrough Germany, and the Article 2 Fund, through which tiating successes vis-a-vis Germany over the last two years, the German government gives monthly pension payments which have resulted in widening the eligibility criteria for all to needy victims of the Nazis. sorts of compensation programs and banner years for payThe Claims Conference is charged with extracting restitu- outs to survivors. In 2014, the Claims Conference paid out tion from Germany and Austria on behalf of Holocaust sur- $760 million, a record amount for the world’s 200,000 or so vivors; restitution from other countries is handled by the remaining survivors, according to Schneider. This year it World Jewish Restitution Organization. anticipates $900 million in payouts.

Berman says Hollander’s letter contains outright falseIn addition to increasing payouts, the Claims Conference hoods, such as that he was terminated in the June 3 phone has managed to recover about $10 million from ineligible call. Berman argues that the notion that Hollander is being individuals who received fraudulent payouts during the two fired for a report he produced two years ago makes no sense, decades the fraud was underway, Schneider told JTA. That since he was given an 18-month contract extension about reduces the total damage of the fraud to about $47 million. six months after the report was submitted.

It is virtually impossible to ascertain a precise dollar figure Rather, Berman told JTA, it became clear in the past few because the fraudulent payouts were made in foreign curweeks that Hollander would have to go, in part because of rencies, which have constantly fluctuated in dollar value his apparent irrationality and inability to work with between 1993 and 2009, when the fraud was taking place.

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Amy Winehouse, through the lens (and the bottom of a bottle)

by CURT SCHLEIER (JTA) -- To anyone who has read a rock-and-roll biography or caught an episode of VH1’s Behind the Music, it is a sadly familiar tale: An artist achieves great success only to self destruct.

There’s something called the “27 Club,” made up of a surprisingly large number of influential musicians who died at that young age. Among them are Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and, as of July 2011: The English songstress Amy Winehouse.

Winehouse is the subject of a powerful new documentary, Amy, which is both fascinating and painful to watch. She released only two albums during her brief career, though two more (a compilation and live performance) were released in short order after her death from alcohol poisoning.

A singer of remarkable talent -- her last recording was a magical duet with her idol, Tony Bennett -- Winehouse’s erratic, drug-addled ways threatened to overshadow her image (videos of her being booed off the stage in Belgrade, too drunk to sing, spring to mind). And what Amy, the film, does best is bring Winehouse to life, turn the caricature we imagine her to be into a complex, full-blooded human being.

At first, it didn’t look as if director Asif Kapadia (Senna, about the race car driver Ayrton Senna, who died at age 34) would pull it off. He was approached in 2012 -shortly after her death -- by the head of Universal Music UK about making the film.

Although Asif says he knew of Winehouse and owned her records, he wasn’t a fan. Still, he and his team were intrigued by the idea.

They gathered material, but the people he wanted most to participate -- her first man-

Amy Winehouse ager, Nick Shymansky, and lifelong friends Juliette Ashby and Lauren Gilbert -- were not interested. They said it was too soon.

But over the course of a year, he built trust with them -- or, perhaps, just plain wore them down -- and they agreed to take part.

Shymansky’s participation proved critical, since he possessed a cache of videos he’d taken of the young, playful and hopeful singer.

There were recordings of messages she’d left on his machine that he’d saved: “This is your favorite Jewish girl -- apart from your mother.”

Shymansky’s contributions adds an unparalleled level of intimacy. We see a teenage

Amy sing Happy Birthday in the soulful, jazzy voice of someone much older. In a voiceover -- played over a montage of still photographs -- she claims she didn’t consider the possibility of a show business career.

Still, she says she “started writing music to challenge myself,” like James Taylor and Carole King, whom she admired.

When Island Records president Nick Gatfield (who signed Winehouse) met her, he says he saw “a classic Northlands Jewish girl. She had an attitude.”

She was still that little Jewish girl with an attitude after recording her first album, Frank, in 2003, a jazz album that proved more a critical than a commercial success.

While making a promotional appearance on TV, one talk show host called her speech “common” -- meaning it as a compliment, that she didn’t put on airs.

When considering her future at the time, Winehouse, in an interview with a British print journalist, predicted, “I don’t think I’m going to be at all famous. I don’t think I can handle it.”

Certainly, there were early signs of trouble. She was treated for depression as a child and was also bulimic, which she attributes to her parents’ divorce when she was nine. But the added pressure of success started a downward spiral from which she never recovered.

At first, it was alcohol. There was an early opportunity to help, in 2005, but Winehouse said she’d only go to rehab if her father thought it necessary. He said it wasn’t. That became the inspiration for her biggest hit, the multiple Grammy-winning song, Rehab -- but ultimately it was scant reward for what was to come.

Sometime after the release of her hit second album, Back to Black, she met Blake Fielder-Civil, her on-again, off-again

boyfriend and, eventually, husband. It was Fielder-Civil who introduced her to hard drugs, and he even had the unmitigated chutzpah to film them doing drugs.

As her addictions and demons took over, Winehouse changed. Her performances became uneven; she slurred words. She became so difficult that Shymansky quit as her manager. He told her: “I love you but I don’t like what you’ve become. I don’t want to be around you.”

Winehouse signed her road manager Raye Cosbert as Shymansky’s replacement, which proved a bad choice. Cosbert had divided loyalties: To do one part of his job, he had to keep her on the road -- even, as it turns out, when that wasn’t in her best interest.

In fact, the filmmakers suggest that she purposely went on a binge drinking spree, hoping that her management would cancel her last tour -- the one where she gave that disastrous Belgrade appearance -- to no avail. She was in drunken oblivion when they came to put her on the plane.

The documentary has already generated considerable controversy. Winehouse’s father, Mitch, claims the film was edited to make him look bad -- and that he didn’t say she shouldn’t go to rehab. He just said she shouldn’t go to rehab “at that time.”

In any case, he’s not the only villain here.

Watching the film, it’s hard not to rage not only at her father, but also at Cosbert and Fielder-Civil. That’s the power of Amy. It strips away the trappings of celebrity to reveal a genuine and talented person.

Beneath the beehive hairdo, she was a young woman in considerable pain, who, more than anything, needed more people in her life to be more concerned about her wellbeing than riding her gravy train.

Amy opened in New York and Los Angeles July 3 and nationwide July 10.

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