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

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN

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

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

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

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154 rbjh.com

TEMPLE ISRAEL

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

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL

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

B’NAI ISRAEL

Join us on Friday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m. for evening services. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on COVID-related closures and about our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber.

Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays, 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. Beth El & Live Stream; Havdalah, 9:20 p.m. Zoom Only. SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m. THURSDAY: Registration Due for Dinner Dr. Sharon Keller, 5 p.m. FRIDAY-Aug. 5: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY-Aug. 6: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. Beth El & Live Stream; Tisha B’Av Service and Eicha, 9 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom.

Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL

FRIDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Halacha Class, 7:45 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:27 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Tehillim for Kids, 5:30 p.m.; Kids Parsha Class, 6:50 p.m.; Mincha, 8:20 p.m.; Shalosh Seudos/Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:31 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; The Nine Days with the Seed Guys, 9:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:50 p.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Halacha Class with the Seed Guys, 7:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. TUESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Halacha Class with the Seed Guys, 7:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Halacha Class with the Seed Guys, 7:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Halacha Class with the Seed Guys, 7:45 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Kids Parsha Class, 10 a.m.; Medical Ethics, noon at UNMC; Daf Yomi, 7:50 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. FRIDAY-Aug. 5: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Halacha Class with the Seed Guys, 7:45 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:19 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 6: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Tehillim for Kids, 5:30 p.m.; Kids Parsha Class, 6:50 p.m.; Mincha/Shalosh Seudos, 7:30 p.m.; Tisha B’Av Class/Kids Activity, 8:30 p.m.; Fast of Tisha B’Av Begins, 8:34 p.m.; Maariv/Eicha, 9:21 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

CHABAD HOUSE

All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person/Zoom hybrid (Ochabad.com/classroom). For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Le chayim; Candlelighting, 8:26 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Video Presentation, 9-9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m. MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Tanya, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Hebrew Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Advanced Hebrew Class, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 18 — No advance experience necessary), noon with Rabbi Katzman; Jewish Law Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 5: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochab ad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 8:18 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 6: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:21 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL

Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch.

Note: Some of our services, but not all, are now being offered in person.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST. Oneg host: TBD; Candlelighting, 8:27 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Matot-Masei; Havdalah, 9:31 p.m.

SUNDAY: Men's Jewish Bike Group of Lincoln meets Sundays at 10 a.m., rain or shine, to ride to one of The Mill locations from Hanson Ct. (except we drive if it’s too wet, cold, cloudy, windy, hot or humid) followed by coffee and spirited discussions. If interested, please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com to find out where to meet each week; Pickleball at Tifereth Israel is on hiatus until after Yom Kippur 5783. In the meantime, everyone is welcome to play at Peterson Park through the spring and summer; just wear comfortable clothes and tennis or gym shoes. For more information, contact Miriam Wallick by email at Miriam57@aol.com. TUESDAY: Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY-Aug. 5: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST. Oneg host: TBD; Candlelighting, 8:19 p.m. SATURDAY-Aug. 6: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Devarim; Fast Begins, 8:36 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:22 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

FRIDAYS: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home’s service is currently closed to visitors.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Batsheva Appel, Rabbi Deana Sussmam Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander

DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat Service and Oneg, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person.

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or InPerson.

SUNDAY: Fifth Sunday Breakfast, 9 a.m. at Stephen Center. WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom or In-Person.

FRIDAY-Aug. 5: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person.

SATURDAY-Aug. 6: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; Tisha B’Av Service, 7 p.m. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

NBA star Joel Embiid goes viral for dancing the hora at Jewish friend’s wedding

GABE FRIEDMAN

JTA NBA star Joel Embiid is an enormous man — around 7 feet tall and 280 pounds, to give an idea. But that didn’t stop him from joining in a hora dance and getting lifted in a chair at a Jewish friend’s recent wedding. Embiid went viral over the weekend as videos of the Philadelphia 76ers center joining in the Jewish nuptial fun — with a huge smile, to boot — circulated around social media. The wedding took place in Napa, California, for Michael Ratner — a filmmaker who made a documentary about Embiid’s life, from his native Cameroon to the University of Kansas — and Lauren Rothberg, the head of brand for Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s new skincare line. Both Ratner and Rothberg shared videos of Embiid in the action on their Instagram accounts, the New York Post reported. In one, he is seen joining in the hora circle; in others, he is shown holding a woman on a chair at the center of the circle. (Both parts of the folk dance are common tradition at Jewish weddings.) Embiid, a five-time All-Star by the age of 28 known for his sense of humor, is also close with Sixers owner, Josh Harris, who is Jewish. Embiid is a Cameroonian-French professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), who also holds French citizenship. He played college ball with the Kansas Jayhawks and was drafted by the NBA in 2014.

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors during a game at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, April

18, 2022. Credit: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images