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The lay leaders of JSS
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Jeff Kirshenbaum and Toba Cohen Dunning AnneTTe vAn De KAmp-wrighT baum have graciously accepted the position. Editor of the Jewish Press They have known each other since Kindert is no secret that being the President of garten at Beth Israel’s Hebrew School (Jeff the Board of Directors, for any Jewish says Toba was the better student) where Federation agency, is hard work. This is both sets of parents were deeply involved. especially true for Jewish Social Serv“Jeff was cool, and I was a nerd,” Toba reices, where during the past years, members. “I couldn’t get enough of Hebrew Richard Jacobson and Steve Nogg shared the School! Which, to be sure, was not the composition. The beginning of July brought a new mon response. But, it’s so much fun being budget year, when traditionally Boards make Jewish!” changes, and at JSS that means it is time for a For the past few years, the two have been new President. Or, as in this case, Presidents. working together on the Beth Israel Board of See JSS lay leaders page A2 Toba Cohen Dunning and Jeff Kirshen-
Omaha Jewish Film Festival begins Sunday page A9
inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles
A12 A14 A15
A doctor for adults
AU G U ST 5 , 2 0 1 6 | 1 AV 5 7 7 6 | V O L . 9 6 | NO . 4 7 | 2 SECT IO NS | C A nD LeLi g h Ti ng | FRID AY , AU G U ST 5 , 8 : 1 8 P. M.
Special Feature: Health+Wellness Section 2
Beth El’s block party page A8
SponSoreD By The BenJAmin AnD AnnA e. wieSmAn FAmiLy enDowmenT FunD
JCC Dance Classes build more than muscles
Lynn BATTen JFO Publicity Manager For over 40 years, the Jewish Community Center of Omaha has been offering dance classes to the community. While a lot has changed over these years, the commitment to providing top quality dance instruction has remained the same. When asked about the reasons why someone should join a dance class, JCC Dance and Cultural Arts Director Esther Katz is quick to answer. She has experienced the benefits of dance first hand. “Dancing is not just about taking classes,” Katz said. “At the JCC we strive to teach proper technique while also teaching our dancers how to be good people, build positive re-
lationships that help encourage each other to grow and become a community that dances together.” Katz was trained at The Professional Children’s School in Philadelphia. She then went on to study at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Koresh Dance, University of the Arts, and Temple University where she was on a dance scholarship. She was a member of many independent dance companies in Philadelphia and demonstrated for Philadanco company classes under Pat Thomas. She taught ballet and modern dance at
The Professional Children’s School for seven years before moving to Omaha. In 2006 she became the Dance Director at the JCC. Over her 12 years of teaching dance at the JCC, Katz has repeatedly seen the positive impact dance has on the lives of her students. “It’s always fun to watch our students grow. A lot of times you see them start off at an early age, when they are unsure of how their bodies move, and then they grow into mature dancers who are aware of their surroundings and move through the See JCC Dance Classes page A3
AnneTTe vAn De KAmp-wrighT Editor, Jewish Press In 2012, the New York Jewish Week posed the question: So What is it with Jews and Medicine? The article shared the background of Yeshiva University’s exhibit, Trail of the Magic Bullet: The Jewish Encounter with Modern Medicine, 18601960. The point of this exhibit was “to view the modern Jewish experience through the unique lens of medical history,” according to writer Hannah Drey-
Dr. Alan Kricsfeld
fus. Before writing the story, she attended a tour at the museum. “The exhibit’s curator, Josh Feinberg began the tour by posing a provocativ,e question: ‘When I say Jews and medicine, what comes to mind?’ A brief silence. Then a diminutive, no-nonsense Jewish grandmother piped in: ‘Pride.’ Others followed with ‘identity,’ ‘status,’ ‘independence,’ ‘acceptance,’ ‘knowledge,’ and, finally, ‘responsibility,’ Dreyfus wrote. The historical tie between the Jewish people and medicine is rich and immensely meaningful. From the Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Denver (TB used to be erroneously called the “Jewish Disease”) that paved the way for the National Jewish Health Hospital, which today is a leading hospital in respiratory diseases, to the quotas on Jews entering Medical School that weren’t fully lifted until 1960. From the first Care Emergency Bandage (invented by an Israeli Military Medic) which saved Gabrielle Gifford’s life when she was shot in 2011 to a gadget called SensaHeart, which can detect an impending heart attack. Then, of course, there’s Prozac, Valium, the Polio Vaccine, Radiation, Chemotherapy, the Artificial Kidney Dialysis machine, the Defibrillator, the Cardiac Pacemaker, Vaccination against the deadly “Hepatitis B” virus, the Vaccinating Needle and Laser Technology. All of that is impressive, but at the end of the day it’s practitioners like Dr. Alan Kricsfeld who make all those inventions into something real and practical as they interact, one-on-one, with their patients. Alan is a member of Beth Israel and the husband of Debbie Besser Kricsfeld. Together, Alan and Debbie have two children: Sam, 16, and Rachel, 13. He says he has always wanted to be a physician, See Doctor for adults page A3
A2 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
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New member Ice Cream Social Scott Littky Program Director, Temple Israel he Membership Committee of Temple Israel under the direction of committee chair Phil Wayne, has been hard at work over the last year developing ways to increase our membership and to provide better membership service to those who are already members. Recently, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, a New Member reception was held at the home of Temple Israel President Rosie Zweiback, and her husband Mace Hack. The reception was attended by over 80 people including Temple Is-
JSS lay leaders
continued from page A1 Directors, and when the question about the JSS Presidency arose, Toba agreed, on one condition: Jeff would be CoPresident. “JSS is such a great organization,” Toba says. “The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Outreach... it makes such a tangible difference for the members of the community. For instance, having a kosher kitchen at RBJH has really broadened the way the community can come together and break bread. It allows members of the community to know, without question, that every meal they eat while being a resident is kosher. That means something. Meals on Wheels provides the same security to people who live independently. In addition, JFS touches countless lives in so many different ways, and is an important resource in our city.” “I’m honored to be Co-President of JSS,” Jeff adds. “What this agency does for our community amazes me. Whether it involves taking care of our community’s elderly at the Home or providing services through JFS and programming through Outreach, the mission of JSS is critically important to the Omaha Jewish Community. The agency doesn’t just rely on the JSS Board of Directors, but on countless other volunteers who give their time to make RBJH and JFS excel. Toba and I can only hope to continue to build on that.” For Toba, it also means building on what she already knows about the Home’s quality care. Since her mother Jane is a resident, she’s at the Home on a regular basis: “It gives our entire family comfort to know she is in a quality facility, with extraordinary opportunities and people we know and trust. My mother loves visiting the Kripke Library as well as the various programs, lectures and movies that are offered regularly on campus. My niece and nephew, Eva and Jack Cohen, attend Friedel Jewish Academy, and Friedel students constantly interact with residents. It brings my mother such great joy to have a front row seat to their education! She also never misses Shabbat morning services. It is a true testament to the Home’s many volunteers who provide this wonderful and exciting environment. In short, I have the opportunity to see the Home in action often, and at various times of the day and night. It is a well-run facility with deeply conscientious and well trained staff.” Hard work, coupled with passion, is oftentimes part instinct and part learned behavior. It comes from watching others, and allowing those others to inspire: “It’s exciting,” Toba says, “to follow on the heels of two great lay leaders like Richard and Steve. They set the standard for us, and we will work to keep the momentum going (although we’ll have to work extra hard to be as funny as they are.) I am also excited about remaining involved with the JFO Board and look forward to working with old and new leaders on the JSS Board, as well as engaging younger leaders to follow in our footsteps.” Toba’s father, Jack Cohen, continues to serve as a rolemodel for her. Just like Jeff ’s dad Joe, he served our community as President of the Sher Home for the Aged. In addition, he was President of Beth Israel and the Jewish Press (note: Toba is the current President of Beth Israel and her husband Eric is President of the Jewish Press) and a dedicated volunteer for AMIT Women. “He lived his life raising funds for buildings and programs for future generations in our community. Jeff and I are both
rael’s new Rabbis, Darryl Crystal and Deana Sussman. Both Rabbis Crystal and Sussman, commented on how wonderful and exciting it was to see the wide range of ages of our growing membership. Another exciting part of the Social was seeing how many young people who either grew-up at Temple Israel or in the Jewish community have returned to Omaha to raise their children have joined Temple Israel in the last two years! If you are interested in membership or receiving more information about Temple Israel, please contact, Scott Littky, Program Director at 402.556.6536.
following his example with our own families, teaching our children the importance of Tzedakah, providing Jewish experiences, great religious opportunities in our Omaha synagogues and beyond, and ensuring they understand the importance of their roles as they move through life.” Both Jeff and Toba also name each other as role model: “Toba never ceases to amaze me,” Jeff says. “I have too many role models to name in this community, some of whom have mentored me on various boards throughout the last 25 years. However, Toba has this endless energy and is a great communicator. The community is very fortunate to have her so involved.” Chris Ulven, Executive Director of JSS, counts himself lucky to welcome Toba and Jeff: “The top priority for all of us and the entire JSS Board, is to always provide the best possible care for our residents,” he says. “Everything else takes a back seat. To know we are all on the same page with that is a great start. I foresee a similar relationship with Toba and Jeff that I had with Richard Jacobson and Steve Nogg in that I will seek advice, ideas and support in the decisions that we face. We are all pretty open communicators, so keeping each other informed will not be a problem. I am really looking forward to working with Toba and Jeff!” Two major projects will keep them busy, Chris says: “First is the electronic charting system, which will allow our direct care staff to input the tasks they are assisting the residents with, so we are able to take better care of our residents, be as accurate as possible with our care plans and maximize reimbursement from third party payers like Medicare and Medicaid. This project should be completed by early September. Our second project is the Point RF project which is an upgrade to our access control and wander prevention system. The current system is not trustworthy and is not electronically monitored. This project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. “We have performed feasibility studies on some potential additional services to offer through JSS,” he adds, “and if one or more of these are pursued, Toba, Jeff and I will be spending a lot of time together planning and implementing the new services.” “We are also beginning to market the facility to Omaha hospitals,” Jeff says. “We must let physicians know what the RBJH has to offer. As the business is changing due to both government regulations and insurance providers, Chris and his staff, along with the Board of Directors, must continue to adapt to these changes.” “I think it’s important,” Toba says, “to understand that Jewish Social Services is an essential partner of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, and vice versa. The two entities make it an outstanding group of agencies that exist in our community. We are really excited to work with JFO President Bruce Friedlander and JFO CEO Alan Potash, JSS Director Chris Ulven, and JFS Director Karen Gustafson, and sad to say farewell to Past JFO President Jay Noddle – although he won’t be far away. This is a very large team effort, and there are extraordinary staff and lay leaders across campus making good things happen every day. Finally, both Jeff and I believe that you need to have trust in the professional staff for day-to-day operations, and we, as lay leaders, are here to support in whatever way we can.”
YJO update
The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | a3
JCC Dance Classes
nate a. shapirO Director of Development, Jewish Federation of Omaha Thursday July 21, 2016, Young Jewish Omaha (YJO) gathered at Omaha’s Midtown Crossing for its annual summer concert series Jazz on the Green. YJO is a lay-led initiative sponsored and supported by the Jewish Federation of Omaha dedicated to providing a social platform for engaging Young Jewish Adults and their significant others. YJO holds a wide range of monthly events ranging from attending Shabbat services at local synagogues to a Husker tailgate at Beercade. YJO is led by a president, Ben Taxman, and a board of volunteers. For those interested in YJO, please find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/YoungJewishOmaha/), or contact Nate Shapiro at nshapiro@jewishomaha.org.
Doctor for adults
Continued from page a1 “My father is one, and I remember being mesmerized by the stories he shared with me. He would sometimes take me on rounds with him and let me look at the EKG monitors.” Alan is Board certified in Internal Medicine. “In a nutshell, it means I am a doctor for adults. I diagnose and treat my patients for a variety of ailments, but also focus on disease prevention.” When asked what he loves the most, he says: “The interactions and the personal relationships I build with my patients are the best part. I also love it when I correctly diagnose a difficult case. It’s a thrill.”
As for the challenges in modern medicine, they center around the various hoops health care professionals have to jump to. “It can be hard to get the proper treatment for patients,” he says. “Often, we find ourselves on hold for 25 minutes or more just to get approval for using a certain medicine or to order an imaging study.” Still, Alan feels blessed doing what he does. “I have a job that I look forward to doing almost every day. Besides, I get to help patients live longer, and I get to build meaningful relationships with interesting people.”
Continued from page a1 space with grace. It makes a positive impact in so many ways. Dance is not only a great physical activity where students learn grace through movement, but they also learn life lessons such as self-discipline and healthy body image,” she said. “Students learn poise and grace, how to work really hard at something and to be dedicated. They gain confidence and learn about perseverance. They also make lifelong friends.” The 2016 Fall semester of JCC dance classes will begin on Aug. 21 and run through Dec. 22. Classes in Music & Movement, Pre Ballet, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Leaps & Turns and Lyrical will be offered. The upcoming semester will also offer adult classes: Beginning Ballet, Ballet and Modern Dance. “This fall we are excited to start a Beginning Adult Ballet class for those who always wanted to dance but never got the chance to. It’s also a great class for those who haven’t taken Ballet in a while but want to get back into it. Dance in general is a great option for adults because it provides physical activity, is good for your brain, and reintroduces playfulness and the joy of movement.” Another new class that Katz is excited to offer is “Dance for PD”, a specialized dance program created for those with Parkinson’s Disease. “Dance for PD is modeled, in part, on a
program developed by the Mark Morris Dance Company in Brooklyn, NY,” she said. “Participants will work on balance, strength, movement and coordination to engage the mind and body. Classes begin with a sitting warmup followed by standing work and ending with movement phrases across the floor. All movement can be done in a chair and/or with use of a walker/cane. No previous dance experience is needed.” Dance for PD will be taught by Georgie Kuhl, a certified dance teacher with DEA (Dance Educators of America) and certified group fitness instructor with ACE (American Council of Exercise). Kuhl completed Dance for PD teacher training in New York City and taught Dance for PD classes at the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona for 2 years before moving to Omaha. Dance for PD will be held on Thursdays from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., starting Sept. 15 and running through Oct. 20. Class is $48 for JCC members and $60 for non-members. Family, friends and caregivers can accompany participants at no additional charge. Registration is required for all JCC dance classes and can be done online at www.jcc omaha.org or by calling Laura Wine, JCC Registrar, at 402.334.6419. For more information on JCC dance programs contact Esther Katz at 402.334.6406 or at ekatz@jccomaha.org.
MY BROKEN DOLL by Bea Karp as told to Deborah Pappenheimer Adapted for the stage by Ernie Nolan Produced by the Institute for Holocaust Education, in collaboration with The Circle Theatre
PERFORMANCES Thursday August 18 7:00 pm | JCC Theater Talk back with Holocaust Survivor Bea Karp and Director Fran Sillau
Sunday August 21 Copyright © 2014 by Bea Karp and Deborah Pappenheimer
3:00 pm | JCC Theater
Talk back with IHE Executive Director Liz Feldstern and Jewish Family Service Therapist Teresa Drelicharz
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A4 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
Day of Jewish Learning: Celebrating humor and honoring Steve Riekes
community Beth El hires new Executive Director ozzie NoGG Allison Newfeld has joined the Beth El Synagogue staff as Executive Director. A New Jersey native, she brings 20 years of experience in synagogue administration to her position in Omaha. “We are about to begin a new chapter in Beth El’s history,” said synagogue president Jim Zipursky. “A history rooted in tradition but embracing change. Larry DeBruin, who served as our Executive Director for the past 25 years, and his predecessor, Merle Potash, set a very high standard. We are in good Allison Newfeld hands with Allison, and I look forward to her positive impact on Beth El, our members, our staff and our community.” Ms. Newfeld comes to Omaha from Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, Texas, and has served as Executive Director in Reform, Conservative and Orthodox congregations. “This unique experience provided me with an interesting perspective,” Ms. Newfeld said, “and shown me that I can embrace all of Judaism and be comfortable in all situations. I have been looking for a position that would fulfill me professionally and also become my spiritual home. I believe that Beth El Synagogue and the Omaha Jewish community will provide those things for me.” Janie Murow chaired the Executive Director search committee, which included Rabbi Steven Abraham, Jay Gordman, Jody Malashock, Bob Belgrade, Joel Rich, Jim Zipursky and Bob Yaffe, who served as Interim Executive Director during the transition period. According to Murow,
“Allison has worked her entire career in Jewish organizations, so her experience is extensive. During the interview process we also found her to be kind and compassionate, two qualities we need in an Executive Director. Allison expressed her desire to become part of a community and was impressed by the warm, welcoming environment she found in Omaha. When we started this search,” Murow continued, “people associated with synagogue and temple executives’ associations told me we’d have trouble finding someone willing to move to the Midwest. I detest hearing that we have a ‘zip code’ problem in Omaha. We proved the naysayers wrong, because here was this New Jersey girl getting excited about taking this position and moving here. Not only that, at the end of the interview process Allison said that in 25 years, after she finishes her career at Beth El, she hopes someone writes an article about her that is as glowing and beautiful as the one written for Larry when he retired. Right then we knew she was the one.” Other search committee members also applauded the hire. “Allison understands the business aspect of the position as well as the importance of a true partnership with clergy and lay leaders,” said Jody Malashock. “She will be an integral part of strategic planning that takes Beth El into the future. I am thrilled that Allison has joined our Beth El family.”
organizations
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Speaker to be announced on Wednesday, Aug 10, noon. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.
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DR. LeoNARD GReeNSpooN Klutznik Chair For hot dogs, it’s Hebrew National. For traditional matzah and sweet kosher wine, it’s Manischewitz. For educational and cultural programing in Omaha’s Jewish community, it’s Steve Riekes – the name on the top of the list. To honor Steve’s decades of service to the community, this year’s Day of Jewish Learning, dedicated to Jewish humor, will be in Steve’s honor. It will take place at the JCC on Sunday, Sept. 18, from 2-4 p.m. in the Jewish Community Center Auditorium. The event is free of charge and open to the community. Whenever there is need for support, planning, and participation in any type of learning, especially for adults, Steve has been the “go-to” guy for as long as anyone can reSteve Riekes member. Moreover, even new acquaintances, to say nothing of his many old friends and family members, know that Steve is good for a number of entertaining stories at the proverbial drop of a hat. It is for this reason, as well as for many others, this year’s Day of Jewish Learning will feature many of Steve’s friends telling jokes or funny stories that represent major facets of Jewish humor. And there will be numerous opportunities to look at expressions of Jewish humor throughout the ages and in far-flung Jewish communities. For some groups, humor is peripheral. Not so for Jews. A recent Pew Research Center’s survey of American Jews found that more than 40 percent of respondents listed “humor” as one of the main qualities defining their Jewish identity. More details and opportunities for involvement in this event will follow soon. This Day of Jewish Learning is sponsored by the Klutznick/Creighton Custodial Fund. For further information, contact Professor Leonard Greenspoon at 402.280.2304 or ljgrn@creighton.edu.
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The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | a5
Team Omaha sends nine athletes to 2016 JCC Maccabi Games
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Rachel MaRtin BBYO/Teen Director, JCC of Omaha ine Jewish teens from the Omaha/Lincoln area have been training and preparing to represent the Omaha delegation at the 2016 JCC Maccabi Games in St. Louis July 31 – Aug. 5. Nearly 1500 athletes from more than six countries will come together to compete in their respective sports, make new friends and create lifelong memories. Team Omaha is proud to include nine athletes competing in four different sports: • Charlie Cohen – Basketball • Lev Denenberg – Baseball • Max Kohll – Swimming • Jared Murray – Swimming • Ryan Patterson – Swimming • Laura Kirshenbaum – Dance • Leora McNamara – Dance • Zoe Berman – Dance • Rachel Kricsfeld – Dance These athletes will stay with volunteer host families from the St. Louis Jewish community, participate in a community service project, and experience a week-long program surrounded by fellow Jewish teens. During each summer, three North American cities host a week of competition. The 2016 sites include St. Louis, Columbus, OH, and Stamford, CT. In recent years, the JCC Maccabi Games has grown to include ArtsFest at one of the three sites. JCC Maccabi ArtsFest is a weeklong summer arts experience for creative Jewish teens ages 13-17, featuring work-
shops in a variety of specialties with some of the leading artists in each field and incorporating community service, social activities, and themes of Jewish heritage, community and Israel. The JCC Maccabi ArtsFest combined with the JCC Maccabi Games create one joint JCC Maccabi Experience, which gives participants the opportunity to be a part of a larger Jewish teen community. ArtsFest includes categories such as: acting/improv, culinary arts, dance, musical theater, rock band, star reporters, visual arts and vocal music/glee. The first North American JCC Maccabi Games® were held in 1982 with 300 athletes. Due to overwhelming interest, Regional Games were added in 1985 to augment the even-year Continental Games. 1997 marked the first time that the Games were held simultaneously in six American cities with 4,400 participating athletes. Since their inception in 1982, the Games have grown from a small pilot project in one host community to an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer in multiple sites throughout North America. Today, over 6,000 teens ranging from 13 to 16 years of age, participate in the JCC Maccabi Games® each summer. The Games are co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Center Association of North America, Maccabi World Union, Maccabi Canada and Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel. Let’s go Team Omaha! For more information or to find scores during the 2016 JCC Maccabi Games, visit www.stlouismaccabi. org.
jta news staff e Knesset passed a controversial bill that allows local Orthodox rabbinates to bar non-Orthodox Jewish conversion ceremonies in publicly funded mikvahs. e bill, which was introduced by the haredi Orthodox United Torah Judaism party and opposed by many North American Jewish leaders, was passed Monday night in a 4135 vote, e Jerusalem Post reported. e new law will be implemented in nine months. e government has said it will establish four mikvahs expressly for use in non-Or-
thodox conversions. However, it is not clear whether the funding will come from the government or the Jewish Agency for Israel, which is funded largely by donations from Diaspora Jews. Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency, condemned the new law in a statement issued aer its passage. “is bill, which offers no solution to the non-Orthodox denominations, circumvents the rulings of the High Court of Justice. It is unfortunate that the bill passed before such a solution was ensured,” Sharansky said.
Knesset passes law blocking mikvah access for non-Orthodox conversions
Two new books from Manya Nogg
Age is Just a Number and Mine is Unlisted A memoir of 60 years in show business, world travel and a life that is anything but ordinary. Signed copies available in Omaha at the Bookworm.
A Shadow in Venice Private investigators, Gil and Kate have a complicated past, but are thrown together on a dangerous mission in the dark underworld of Venice. Available at Amazon.com
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Be creative at it’s Yours Pottery Judi novotnY Owner, It’s Yours Pottery Have you heard of IT’S YOURS POTTERY? Many have... although many have not. We are a locally and family owned Paint-Your-Own Pottery and Creative Arts Studio. Our goal in the beginning, back in 2004, was to offer a comfortable atmosphere for those who want to try something different, to be a little creative. What started with ceramic painting has grown. In addition, we now offer hand building in clay, glass fusion, canvas and wooden décor painting and candle making. As a walk-in studio, we welcome you to come in anytime the studio is open. Our creative and tal-
ented team are always available to assist you to a creative success. We also host and facilitate many child and adult activities and celebrations of all sorts like school and corporate team building events, church and youth activities and more. Our monthly ‘Pottery Tot’, ‘Kidz Nite Out’ and ‘Kidz-N-Clay’ children’s programs are a hit, offering what we refer to as Good Ole Fashioned Family Fun. Stop by and let your inner artist out to play. We are located at 2518 S. 132 Ct., 132nd and Center or visit our website at www.itsyours pottery.com. You can contact us at 402.330.3470 or email: judy@.its yourspottery.com. to get more information or to set up a time for your group.
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a6 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
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Campfire Memories
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NaTe a. ShapIro paid well, but I also pursue my passion! But Director of Development, Jewish Federation of Omaha it would have been impossible without the The Jewish Federation of Omaha’s (JFO) knowledge I got at ORT-Keshernet. I’m very stated mission is “To build and sustain a grateful for the opportunity of studying at strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish commuORT-Keshernet, which laid the foundation nity and to support Jews in Israel and of my first job.” Irina Nemaya, 41 around the world.” In this episode of Campaign Spotlight, we’ll explore how donors “For a long time I worked as a social from our Omaha Jewish community are worker, looking after those who are ill, living helping to support Jews around the world. Through our partnership with an organization called World ORT, JFO is staying true to its mission and supporting women who are working to support themselves in a very tumultuous part of the world -- Ukraine. The Jewish Federation of Omaha is very proud to share Yana Vinyarskaya Irina Nemaya two success stories that wouldn’t be possible without your Campaign alone or in need. I have a degree in psycholsupport. ogy, so the job was close to my specialization Thank you for helping us to constantly but it was very difficult. For a long time I work towards our mission of supporting the looked for another job but couldn’t find one. Omaha and world Jewish communities. It was very disappointing. Then I found out Yana Vinyarskaya, 22 about opportunities at a social organization “In 2016, I graduated from university – but the roles required computer skills. with a degree in Fine Arts. Nowadays, com“My future colleagues advised me to atputer literacy is a key to success in one’s job. tend ORT-Keshernet computer literacy We were taught to paint well; however, we courses, which are well-known in Khmelgot no knowledge in working on a comnitsky. I managed to get a place on a course puter. ICT courses were very poor at our starting the following week. Women of difuniversity. When finals got closer, I started ferent ages studied there and the trainers to stress out, as I thought after getting a treated us all as individuals so that they diploma I wouldn’t be able to get a decent could teach each of us in the best way. job, because I lack computer literacy. “The program took just two months. It “At the culture center, I got a recommenwas challenging but not too hard. And dation to attend ORT-Keshernet computer when a vacancy turned up I easily passed literacy courses because lots of women from the interview; the employers even praised our center went there and were very satisme on my knowledge of computers! I was fied with the results. Several months before very flattered and couldn’t believe it at first the finals I started attending these courses. – ORT-Keshernet really does wonders! As I’d been told, the teaching was clear, fo“I’m not a social worker any longer, cused and disciplined. though sometimes I miss my clients. Now I “In the first month, we worked through have a well-paid job and the knowledge I the things I already knew. The second got at ORT-Keshernet helps me in all month was one of intense study: I learned spheres of my life. so many things which, as it turned out, were “I’d like to thank ORT-Keshernet and closely connected to my future job, such as Khmelnitsky cultural center employees for making and using spreadsheets and effectheir patience, support and kindness to tive use of the internet. course participants. They helped me, and I “After graduation, I started work as direc- hope the course will be useful for other tor of a fine arts studio – not only do I get women.”
Sports briefs
On Saturday, July 23, six students from Integrity ATA Martial Arts competed in Lincoln at a regional tournament. All competitors came home with medals. David Kay, 1st Degree Black Belt placed 2nd in forms, sparring and combat sparring. Sandy Gordon, 3rd Degree Black Belt and owner of Integrity ATA ,placed 2nd in forms and sparring and 1st in weapons and combat sparring. Jack Tewhill, JCC member, who is a white belt, placed 3rd in forms and 2nd in one-steps/sparring competition.
patsy Cline remembered and celebrated
ajewishpress exhibit
august 7 | 3-5 p.m. | jcc gallery
This exhibit is made possible through the generous support of the Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation and the Special Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation
GorDoN CaNTIello From Aug. 5 through 21, Always... Patsy Cline opens at the PART theatre at the Crossroads, 7400 Dodge Street. The show stars Kellyn Wooten as Patsy Cline and Sue Gillespie Booton as her most devoted fan, Louise Seger. The show is created by Ted Swindley, directed by Gordon Cantiello with musical direction by Kate Schrader. It also includes a six piece band called The Bodacious Bobcats which features Omaha favorites Kate Schrader, Mark Haar, Jill Van Horn, Colin Duckworth, Dan Beard and Ben Samson. Completing the ensemble are the Jordanaires
which include Bob Kropp, Jerry Van Horn, Roger Bunnell and David Weishaar. Before the show, Rob Lohman and Kristin Lyon entertain you for 45 minutes with Country songs from the American Songbook. This show combines humor, sadness and reality. It offers fans who remember Cline a chance to look back, while giving new fans an idea of what seeing her was like and what she meant to her original fans. The show features her most famous songs, including Anytime, Walkin' After Midnight, She's Got You, Sweet Dreams, and Crazy. For more information and to order tickets, please call 402.706.0778.
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The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | A7
community
F
Sisters in Israel: Sonia Tipp’s story Annette vAn de KAMp-WrIgHt Editor of the Jewish Press rom July 11 through the 18th, ten Jewish Omaha women traveled to Israel. ey were part of the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) MOMentum Trip, which brings Jewish women to Israel for an immersion experience that combines learning, excursions and spirituality -- and then some. ese women came back enriched, inspired and they became best friends in the process. Sonia Tipp never really thought of herself as an exceptionally spiritual person. “I just never nurtured that part of myself,” she said, “and when I had the chance to join the MOMentum trip through the Jewish Federation of Omaha, I decided to do it.” Plus, the timing was right. Sonia is starting a new job as a Pediatric Occupational erapist this month, so going to Israel is not something she’ll have the chance to repeat very soon: “e logistics were never going to be this easy again,” she said. “As for why this was the right trip to go on, I was drawn to the overall mission. e MOMentum trip allowed for me to connect to the culture and history of Israel, and experience the signs and the sights. What I mean by that is the unexpected things that pop up when you travel. For instance, seeing the building of the Jewish National Fund -- we are all familiar with JNF, we’ve heard the name many times since childhood, but to suddenly see
An afternoon in Jerusalem with our security guard Shachar and Madrich Yishai. From left: Marcelyn, Jenny, Annette, Louri, Jill, Sonia, Holly, Crystal, Adrianna and Sara. the actual building, the bricks and mortar, and realize it is more than an idea, is phenomenal.” It wasn’t Sonia’s first time in Israel. In fact, her mother is a Sabra, born in Israel, and her family took her for a visit at 16: “Aer WW II, my grandparents came back from Siberia to Poland and found there was nothing le for them. ey moved to Israel, and my mother was born there. Aer a number of years, they moved to the United States. For them, it was a time of great transition with an uncertain future, and although my personal transition from working part-time for the last
five years to starting a full-time job isn’t of the same magnitude, it was nonetheless special and meaningful to be here exactly when my life is about to change. Being there as an adult, and as a mother, was even more amazing.” e total immersion during the trip spoke to her: “It was so fascinating to be surrounded by the people, the food, the language, just to be there, in Israel. When do you ever get the chance to just “be” and take time for yourself? To let it all sink in and relish it -- together with the Israeli salads and the food in general, it was my favorite part of this trip.”
Among the many sights and sites, Yad Vashem spoke to Sonia more than anything, she said. “When you talk about emotional impact, Yad Vashem will definitely stay with me. It was difficult and overwhelming, especially the children’s memorial. It’s not something I will soon forget.” Overall, she said the trip has made her more fascinated with religious practices. Even more, “the meaning behind it interests me,” she said. “And that is something that surprised me. I thought it was beautiful how one trip leader described her interpretation of lighting the candles: the first candle was for her, the second one for her husband, and the additional candles for her children. Being back home with husband Alan and daughter Adria (10) and son Asher (8) means sharing her experiences with her family. “e kids loved seeing the photos on Facebook every day, but they haven’t asked any complicated questions -- yet. ey did want to know all about the Dead Sea, so I told them it was slimy and hot, and how cool it was to float!” is trip, especially for Sonia, was meant to be. e evening aer Sonia interviewed with Trip Leader Louri Sullivan, and found out from Louri she would be going, she told her mother about her plans: “...and my mom says, stop! You’re going where? As it turns out, she and my grandmother had just attended a lecture in Columbia, Maryland by Lori Palatnik, the JWRP’s founder. If that isn’t a sign, what is?”
Starring
Kellyn Danae Wooten
402-392-1818
as Patsy Cline
Sue Gillespie Booton as Louise Seeger Directed by
Gordon Cantiello
August 5-21, 2016
For Tickets: 402-706-0778
PART Theatre At The Crossroads
7400 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 www.performingartistsrepertorytheatre.org
a8 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
community Temple Israel Board and Staff retreat Scott Littky Program Director, Temple Israel Over the course of many years, Temple Israel’s Board of Trustees has worked very hard to develop quality and effective lay leadership. In order for an organization to be successful, it must work hand-in-hand with its members and professional staff. According to the Wharton School Executive Education Program, the purpose of board training should be to: • Understand how the role of a board of directors has changed in today’s increasingly changing environment • Acquire the proven roadmap for designing and leading an effective board • Uncover the best methods to recruit and select the most qualified directors • Collaborate more effectively as a board director, chairman, or chief executive With some of these goals in mind, the Board of Trustees of Temple Israel and the Senior Professional Staff of Temple Israel spent a recent Sunday
morning devoted to Board Training. Temple Israel President Rosie Zweiback, guided those in attendance through training developed by her and Interim Senior Rabbi Darryl Crystal.
on the same page and ready to begin taking action. After our goal discussion, Gary Kaplan, Treasurer, explained what the fiduciary responsibility of the Board is
The morning was divided into small group and full group discussions. The first area that was discussed in small groups was our priorities for the coming year based on material that was completed at our last two board meetings. After these goals were ranked in order of our top four, we gathered back to share as a Board to set our goals for the next year. By the end of the large group discussion, we were all
to Temple Israel. He presented a very detailed report and training session on how the finances of Temple Israel are set up and how we operate as a nonprofit organization. The session was very informative and all would agree that much was gained from it. The morning closed with Rosie thanking those in attendance for their dedication to Temple Israel.
artists from all across America. Blue Pom loves giving back to the community and respecting our environment. So you will discover artwork made from ‘up- cycled’ items like golf clubs, records, clock parts, gift cards, tools, vintage bottles and more than you could ever imagine! The gallery also supports several local charities either with donations or by hosting events where a percentage of sales goes to a specific charity. The gallery has always shown work from several Jewish artists and Israeli immigrants. Recently they expanded their line of Judaica thanks to the overwhelming positive feedback PAID ADVERTISEMENT
from the local community. Blue Pom will continue to expand this line of products and artwork based on customer support. They have a wonderful selection of wedding and Hanukah gifts including mezuzot, menorahs, dreidels, wedding glass and Seder plates. Touring the gallery is like embarking on your own personal treasure hunt as you discover new and exciting items everywhere you turn, eventually finding just the right piece that speaks to your heart! Stop in sometime and explore. And at Blue Pom, they’re happy to be your tour guides!
Explore art at the Blue Pomegranate Gallery StEPhaniE hELLEr Durr Manager, Blue Pomegranite Gallery Have you heard of Blue Pomegranate Gallery in Village Pointe? The gallery, founded in 2001 by artist and owner Sondra Gerber, carries only American hand made fine art, fine crafts, Judaica, jewelry and unique gift items. The gallery is an inviting and uplifting place where you will find artwork you connect with - art that makes you smile! The artists of Blue Pom work hard to make beautifully handcrafted pieces you can enjoy in your home or office for years to come. Blue Pom features many local and regional artists, as well as
Beth El’s block party
ozziE noGG The grounds of Beth El Synagogue will resemble a neighborhood block party when the congregation hosts an End of Summer Festival on Monday, Sept. 5. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lisa Marcus and Caryn Scheer are Festival co-chairs. Danny Cohn serves as Festival Logistics Manager. “An old-fashioned block party is a great way to establish or reestablish friendships,” Marcus said. “In Jewish Omaha we consider ourselves neighbors even if we don’t live across the street from one another or belong to the same congregation. Beth El’s End of Summer Festival is a cross-generational program that celebrates the importance of relationships within our wider Jewish community, and we invite all of you to join the fun.” Festival activities include a Community Shuk featuring local arts, crafts and Judaica for sale; a Fun Zone where kids, teens and youngat-heart adults can enjoy face painting, bouncy houses, Velcro wall, bungee run, Bingo and a photo booth; the Picnic Patch, selling (among other delights) kosher pizza, pancakes and ice cream; and the Eternal Light Stage, the heart of the Festival, where performers and musicians will offer family-friendly entertainment. “We’ll announce additional exciting details in future issues of the Press,” Scheer said. Working with Marcus, Scheer and Cohn on Festival plans are Shirley Cemaj, Jay Durmaskin, M’Lee Hasslinger, Hannah DeBruin, Linda Fischer, Wayne Schwarz, Miriam Gottlieb and Abby Kutler. Susan Witkowski is volunteer coordinator. “The Beth El End of Summer Festival is a fantastic event for the Omaha Jewish community,” said Jim Zipursky, Beth El president. “It’s sure to be the highlight of the summer and a fabulous experience for everyone from toddlers to grandparents.” Individuals who want to sign up as Festival volunteers, along with families and businesses interested in participating as booth sponsors, should contact Lisa Marcus at lglieb@yahoo.com or Caryn Scheer at carynscheer@yahoo.com. Organizations can reserve a booth at the Festival by contacting M’Lee Hasslinger at mlee011@gmail.com. The End of Summer Festival has a suggested donation of $5 per person or $20 per family with four or more members. All activities are included, with food available for purchase. In case of rain, the Festival will be held inside the Beth El building.
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The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | a9
Serving Generations…
Omaha Jewish Film Festival begins Sunday
T
Mark kirchhoff Program and Communications Assistant, Jewish Federation of Omaha he 15th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival begins Sunday, Aug. 7 at 7:15 p.m. in the JCC Theater with the showing of the Israeli film Atomic Falafel - screenplay and direction by Dror Shaul. Film critic Alissa Simon of “Variety” refers to this 2015 release by saying, “This exuberant, delightfully absurd comedy is Israeli director-writer Dror Shaul’s Dr. Strangelove.” In this comedy/drama with a pro-peace message, two girls from nuclear towns in Israel and Iran spill their countries’ most valuable secrets on Facebook while trying to prevent a nuclear crisis. This farce takes a biting stab at the current Israel-Iran showdown. With Iran threatening to attain nuclear power, anxious Israeli politicians and top brass gather in an underground bunker to debate a response. When the brigadier general and chief intelligence officer present their plan, the defense minister and eye-patched commander approve a preemptive strike. Above ground in a dusty Negev town, a mother-daughter team runs a falafel truck catering to troops patrolling a nearby nuclear reactor. As the widowed mother falls for a uranium-allergic German nuclear inspector, her daughter and computer whiz boyfriend stumble upon secret files that could prevent a nuclear disaster. As the plotlines converge, the Israeli teens
and an Iranian youth scramble to thwart war between their countries. The film is in Hebrew with English subtitles and runs 93 minutes. The Film Festival continues every Sunday in August with showings at 7:15 p.m. There will be a bonus free showing of Rabin In His Own Words on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The Aug. 14 film is 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr.& Mrs. Kraus. Aug. 21 will be Hummus! The Movie. The final showing will be on Aug. 28, A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt. Film descriptions will be presented in future Jewish Press editions. Popcorn, snacks, and beverages will be available each evening. Mark your calendars and attend as many of the nights – all of the nights – that are possible for you. The screeners who have made the selections for this year’s festival are confident that these are films that will have wide appeal and will be appreciated by the movie goers. We extend our thanks to the generous sponsors of this year’s film festival. They are the Henry Monsky Lodge of B’Nai B’rith, Richard and Fran Juro, and the following Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation funds: Klutznick/Creighton Custodial Fund, Special Donor-Advised Fund, Frederick J. Simon Memorial Endowment Fund, Samuel & Bess Rothenberg Memorial Endowment Fund, and the Avy L. & Roberta L. Miller Film Fund. Because of the generosity of the sponsors, tickets are only $5 per film, and the film on Aug. 16 will be free of charge.
United Way of the Midlands’ biggest annual day of volunteer service is happening early this year. “Day of Caring 2016” will take place on Friday, Aug. 26. This event is a tradition for dozens of Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area companies and organizations. Last year, more than 900 employee-volunteers from several dozen local companies participated, providing much-needed support to 35 local agencies. Projects ranged from organizing, cleaning and painting at local nonprofit sites, to helping metro area students with their homework and job interviewing skills. Companies and other organizations inter-
ested in this team-building volunteer event can contact United Way’s Director of Community Engagement, Deidra Calloway by sending an email to dcalloway@uwmidlands.org, or calling 402.522.7970. To learn more about UWM’s Day of Caring, please visit www.unitedwaymidlands. org/dayofcaring.
Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Robbin Harris, owner of Spotlight Formal Wear. I have had a passion for bridal since I was a little girl. I worked in my mother-in-law’s bridal shop 24 years ago and loved everything about it. In January 2014 my husband and I were presented with an offer to own our own bridal shop: Spotlight at the Bluffs. A few short months later, we opened a second location, Spotlight at Lakeside. We are a local famil- owned business that strives to serve our customers with integrity and treats you like part of our family. When you walk in our door, the “Spotlight” is on you! With a comfortable laidback atmosphere and one stop shop, you can rest assured you will find all of your formal attire needs (bridal/prom/tuxedos), without feeling overwhelmed.
One of our goals is to give back to our community. We have found several ways to support local organizations, such as Project Pink’d and local high schools. Project Pink’d is an organization that helps breast cancer survivors. This organization gives 100% of proceeds directly to recipients. Another way we give back is by supporting local schools to provide students with the best opportunities. Our store has what is called an “Ambassador Program.” Whenever a student refers another student to come in and rent a tuxedo, or purchase a prom gown, the referring person gets $10 off of their rental or purchase. With every rental/purchase 5% is given back to the school. At our store, you are not only shopping: you are doing good and helping our community.
United Way “Day of Caring”
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Cut your tax bill with charitable gifts of appreciated stocks and securities
The stock providing you with a larger tax benefit. might want to consider establishing a market has been Charitable contributions of longdonor advised fund (“DAF”) that can sizzling this term appreciated securities (those held work in tandem with this financial and summer. During for more than one year), including tax savings strategy. A DAF operates as the week ending stocks, bonds, and mutual fund shares, a sort of permanent charitable planJuly 22, 2016, all remain one of the most tax-efficient ning tool as you benefit from an upthree major inways to benefit a charity such as the front deduction for the contribution of dices reached Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundaassets to the account and you can recrecord highs, tion. You are entitled to a tax deduction ommend which qualifying charities reHowarD ePsTein with the Dow for the full fair market value of such ceive distributions at a later date. Executive Director, closing above gifts, up to 30% of the your adjusted Next time you consider rebalancing 18,570, the S&P JFO Foundation gross income in the current tax year, your investment portfolio, the DAF at 2,175, and the and you pay no capital gains tax on any can be the repository for some or all of NASDAQ at 5,100. While the markets appreciation. In effect, this tax savings the appreciated securities. Another have fluctuated since the end of July, goes directly to the Jewish Federation gifting strategy to consider is the crethey are still very strong, in or near of Omaha Foundation in the form of a ation of a charitable remainder trust record territory. (“CRT”) funded What is an investor to by appreciated do? Buy? Hold? Sell, and sell stock and stock. In addition take healthy profits? Donate stock Donate cash to avoiding the Whoa! Won’t taxes eat into current Fair market Value of securities $100,000 $100,000 capital gains tax, those profits? capital Gains tax plus medicare surtax (23.8%) $0 $23,800 the CRT could Take advantage of tax amount available for charitable contribution $100,000 $76,200 provide you with laws that encourage chariTax savings (contribution x 39.6% tax rate) $39,600 $30,175 a current charitatable gifts of appreciated ble deduction as assets and gift some of that stock dilarger contribution and your lower tax well as an income stream for a period rectly to the Jewish Federation of bill leaves you with additional assets of years. Omaha Foundation. What a terrific that could fund other charitable gifts or For more information about gifts of way to express your philanthropy be put to other good uses! appreciated property and other Jewish while alleviating some of the tax bite. For taxpayers paying federal taxes at Federation of Omaha Foundation givConsider the illustration to see the po- the highest marginal rates, the tax on ing opportunities such as establishing tential tax benefits of donating apprelong term capital gains is now 20%, a donor advised fund or charitable reciated stock instead of selling the and there is an added 3.8% Medicare mainder trust, please contact me at the stock, then later donating cash: surtax. As an example, if you gift apFoundation office, at 402.334.6466 or Gifting appreciated stock directly to a preciated stock valued at $100,000 hepstein@jewishomaha.org. donor-advised fund or an endowment rather than donating $100,000 outThis article is for informational purfund at the Jewish Federation of Omaha right in cash, your immediate, longposes only and should not be conFoundation -- rather than selling the term capital gain tax savings would be strued as legal, tax or financial advice. stock and donating the after-tax cash $23,800 (23.8% of $100,000), and When considering gift planning strateproceeds -- can significantly increase Omaha’s Jewish community would get gies, you should always consult with the amount of funds that you have full benefit of your $100,000 gift. your own legal, tax and financial planavailable for charitable giving while If you have not already done so, you ning advisors.
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mary sue Grossman Beth Israel Synagogue For many years, Beth Israel Synagogue has welcomed summer visitors through Project SEED. The program has provided special summer learning opportunities for congregants and community members alike. Beth Israel is pleased to participate again this summer and earlier this week welcomed Netanel and Mindy Schron Myerowitz along with Meir Perlmuter and Michal Usher Perlmuter to Omaha. Both couples are from Lakewood, New Jersey. Project SEED is a program of Torah Umesorah which has the goal of providing every Jewish child and family in North America with an inspiring Torah education. SEED programs feature hundreds of volunteer young men and women spending their summers “off ” working to build Jewish lives in smaller Jewish communities. During their time in Omaha, these two young couples will lead a variety of classes, do special programs, assist with Shabbat services, all while sharing their love of Judaism with the community. Netanel and Meir will conduct Shabbat services on Aug. 6, including the sermon, plus giving post-kiddush classes in the early afternoon. The Shabbat learning continues at 7:15 p.m. with pre-mincha classes followed
by Mincha/Maariv and Seudah Shlishit at 8 p.m. On Sunday, Aug. 7 after leading Shacharit at 9 a.m., an expanded Bagels and Beit Midrash session will begin at 9:45 a.m. with concurrent sessions for men and women. Throughout the week, learning opportunities will take place from 911:15 a.m. Additionally, a pizza dinner and teen program will be held on Monday evening, Aug. 8 at Beth Israel. This program is open to all 7th12th grade students in the community. On Thursday morning at 8:45 a.m. on Aug. 11, Mindy and Michal will join the challah baking group and lead a learning session focused on the mitzvah of challah. The Thursday morning women’s class will begin at 9:30 a.m. The group will also lead Tisha B’Av services on Sunday, Aug. 14. A full Tisha B’Av schedule will be available next week. The SEED visit concludes on Monday, Aug. 22, with a final day of learning opportunities from 911:15 a.m. The SEED Committee includes Leon and Dani Shrago, Shirley Goodman and Bette Kozlen. Congregants will be joining the visiting couples for meals and social opportunities throughout their stay. SEED programming is open to everyone in the community. Anyone interested in one-on-one learning
opportunities is encouraged to contact the synagogue office. The mission of Beth Israel Synagogue is to perpetuate the legacy of Torah Judaism in the modern world and provide a home for those who wish to learn about and observe halacha, Jewish law. Beth Israel Synagogue welcomes all persons of the Jewish faith to join, and accepts the diversity of practice and thought among its members. Beth Israel offers a variety of religious, cultural and social programs throughout the year. For more information, please contact Beth Israel Synagogue’s office at 402.556.6288, or e-mail bethisrael@orthodoxomaha.org.
To submiT announcemenTs
Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha. org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements. Deadlines are normally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.
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Out and about
The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | A11
DonnA WALter Education Coordinator, Institute for Holocaust Education orking as Education Coordinator for the Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE) brings a new experience every day. I am privileged to work with teachers, students, Holocaust survivors and the public. Among the many phone calls I answer are: wanting to bring groups of students to our Searching for Humanity at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum, asking how to prepare for a trip to Holocaust sites, and asking what to do with artifacts from World War II. I am also asked to tell about the work of the IHE. I love singing the praises of the amazing work that we do. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to a seniors’ group at the 2nd Unitarian Church in Omaha. They were eager to know about the IHE, and they had many questions and comments. It was clear that the audience was well read and truly interested in trying to process the happenings during the Holocaust. Of course, speaking to this group would not be complete without acknowledging the bravery of Waitstill and Martha Sharp, two Unitarians who are among the five United States citizens who have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. Righteous Among the Nations is an official title awarded by Yad Vashem on behalf of the State of Israel and the Jewish people to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Waitstill Sharp was a minister in the Unitarian church in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and his wife Martha, a noted social worker. In 1939, on behalf of the Unitarian Church, they went to Prague to help fellow Unitarians. They also helped a number of Jews leave the country. Their mission of rescuing Jews extended into 1940. Even after the war, Martha was active in raising funds for Hadassah and journeying to Morocco to coordinate clandestine emigrations for Jews wanting to go to Israel. A new documentary by Ken Burns about the Sharps, Defying the Nazis: the Sharps’ War, will air on PBS stations on sept. 20.
community ADL speaker event
AyAnnA BoyKins The Omaha ADL-CRC invites you to attend our Community Brown Bag Lunch Series, Aug. 9 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Omaha Jewish Community Center social hall. This event will feature: Mindy Rush Chipman, Esq., Rural Capacity Building Managing Attorney for Justice For Our Neighbors. She will be discussing Immigration and the United States Legal System. Initially focusing on Nebraska rural communities including Crete, South Sioux City, Grand Island and Lexington, Mindy coordinates JFON’s efforts to promote inclusivity by offering education and advocacy as well as the availability of high-quality immigration legal services. In addition to her
work at JFON, Mindy also serves as an officer for several different nonprofit organizations that promote advocacy for the underrepresented and community service. Previously, Mindy worked as an attorney at Legal Aid of Nebraska, where she was instrumental in the launch of the Nebraska Immigration Legal Assistance Hotline (NILAH), and earlier had her own general law practice in Cass and Otoe counties. Mindy graduated with distinction in 2007 from Nebraska College of Law and is licensed to practice law in Nebraska and Colorado. We hope to see you there! Please contact Emily Newman at enewman@adl.org or 402.334.6570 or Ayanna Boykins at aboykins@adl.org or 402.334.6573 in the Omaha ADL-CRC office with questions.
LK Design: Omaha’s premier interior design firm If you are considering a design project, LK Design is a name that you should probably know. The owner, Lester Katz, has been elected best interior designer for the last two years by the Omaha Magazine poll. LK Design is a boutique interior design firm that is known for exceptional residential and hospitality design, with a particular eye for design, whether contemporary, modern, transitional or traditional, always with an updated sense of style. LK Design provides professional and skilled help with space planning, finish choices, lighting, furniture, and fixture design and selections, creating functional and beautiful spaces. In the past few years LK Design has done a wide range of residential and commercial projects. Some of LK Design’s commercial work can be seen at the new Via Farina restaurant at 10th and Pacific, Victor Victoria Day Spa in the Old Market, Inspired Dental near 72nd and Giles
and the new Urgent Care that will open soon near 72nd and Dodge. Lester Katz has worked on homes all over Omaha, from downtown at the JLofts, to Midtown Crossing, where he is completing his 9th project there including his second Penthouse unit, to District 66 and Regency to West Omaha and Elkhorn. These range from a couple rooms to multi million dollar homes. Visit www.lkdesign.biz to see some great examples of these projects. Katz says that his priority when designing for a project is to listen and find out what the client is thinking. Whether he or she wants something that harkens back to an earlier time and place, a contemporary haven, or wants their place to be the most hip and up to date restaurant, LK Design has the skill and the vision to create masterpieces that will endure the test of time.
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A12 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
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(Founded in 1920) Eric Dunning President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Thierry Ndjike Accounting Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, President; Andy Ruback, Past-President; Sandy Friedman, Treasurer; Andrew Boehm; Scott Farkas; Paul Gerber; Alex Grossman; David Kotok; Debbie Kricsfeld; Abby Kutler; Pam Monsky; Paul Rabinovitz; Nancy Wolf and Barry Zoob. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish LIfe, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewish omaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha. org.
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Stop blaming the press
ANNETTE vAN DE KAmP-WRIGhT Editor of the Jewish Press his is an interesting election year. By ‘Interesting,’ I mean: conflicted, loud, frightening, crass, rude and muddled by misinformation on both sides. We all pick and choose which sources to cite, and since there’s something for everyone, we only have to look as far as our own social media feed. Didn’t aunt so-and-so just post an article that explains exactly what we’re thinking? So we repost it, and now we can congratulate ourselves. We’ve contributed to the discussion; job well done. If, as is sometimes the case, the writer of that article was wrong, or misquoted someone, or was mostly right but left out some very pertinent facts, well, that’s the media’s fault. They should not have published it without fact checking. Wait; what? It’s something we keep hearing in the public forum: blame the media. Who is this media? What media? Are we talking about CBS or NBC, or cable news like FOX or CNN? Social media? Blog posts, op-eds picked up by the Huffington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal? How about our own Omaha World Herald or some Chicago news show your dish accidentally picks up? Morning Television? Ellen? What about your cousin, who happens to be a blogger and who you read religiously because she seems to have all the answers and you assume she checks her sources? The truth is, there is no “Media.” Instead, there are thousands of different media outlets, all with different voices, and all with different agendas. There are varying levels of skill and varying levels of research; the days of one-source-news are behind us. The notion that we can blame a nameless, faceless entity for the fact that we are facing an information crisis in this election year is ludicrous. Yes; I’m calling it an information crisis. Because never before have we had this many resources at our fingertips, and never before have we had this much difficulty taking responsibility for that information. I’d like to propose a few simple rules to help us move forward. There are, after all, a long few months to get through,
with only a minimal chance it will get better after November. Rule #1: It’s okay to sometimes get it wrong. Like all opinions, a political opinion is not supposed to be set in stone. As human beings, we are uniquely able to change and grow. Discourse should be more than simply stating your ideas and then walking away. Once you read and listen to a variety of different stories, and dig through the facts, you might find you’ve changed your mind. If you don’t, you might discover that your initial opinions are valid. Both of those constitute a win. Besides, there is something liberating in considering you might not have all the facts, and admitting so out loud does not make you a loser. It makes you brave. So what if you read a story that turns out not to have all the facts? Your mind is yours to change. Rule #2: It’s not okay to only read/watch one news source. We all have our echo chambers, and while it is sometimes nice and even necessary to read/hear/ see people who agree with you, it is also essential to diversify. If you consider yourself an MSNBC fan, open the FOX web site from time to time to see what the other side is saying. If someone quotes from an article that makes you roll your eyes with disgust, take the plunge and click on the link. More information, especially when it comes from a variety of sources, is healthy. If you only ever read ‘safe’ sources, you might start to assume everyone agrees with you and thinks the way you do. So get away from your usual suspects
and read or watch something you haven’t looked at before. Civilized discourse is the backbone of Democracy, but to arrive there we need to take responsibility. Do any of the many media outlets ever get it right? Sometimes, yes, but just as often there is an unspoken agenda to what is being published. Either the individual who wrote it has strong opinions he or she can’t ignore, or a journalist only picks up on facts when they match the narrative. Then there are the silent stories: it is not only a matter of objectivity in how the story is told, it is also about which story is told. For every article written and every special bulletin aired, there are 100 stories left on the cutting room floor. Not because they aren’t true, and not because they are Credit: Takkk via Wikimedia irrelevant, but because there are only so many hours in the day. Journalists are not superheroes. They are people, just like you and me. The bottom line is: we are no longer passive consumers of the news. We haven’t been for a while now. We are part of the story, we comment, we repost, we quote our favorite anchors and re-tweet those we agree with, but with that comes the responsibility to do so consciously. Today, the news is made by everyone, acting, reacting and processing. The media is not a nameless and faceless creature we can blame for our own shortcomings. The media is us.
mans arrived and managed through subterfuge and cunning to find his way on a boat to prestate Israel. He had been volunteering for years every Saturday and spoke kindly to everyone, even
on God’s nature as a Creator, and it does not answer Job’s own questions of the reason why he is suffering. Probably more of a Reform manner of believing, some interpret this answer to mean that God wants Job to know that all humans -evil or good -- experience suffering, and that life is not a series of God’s rewards and punishments. (‘The sun rises on the righteous and sinner alike.’) Growing up, it was ingrained in me that I was punished directly for my actions, and that my suffering was somehow caused by something I did or did not do. I did not like this version of God because I did not believe in it. I wanted to love God not for what He could do for me, but for the inherent relationship itself. And when I decided to go through the conversion process while pregnant, I did it so my daughter could know this relationship from the beginning: to know that God was both mysterious and loving, that it was good to believe in doing good for its own value. And to be like Job, who said, though he submits to God, ‘Yet will I argue with him.’ Because the Jewish people are the ultimate wrestlers. I am one of those people now. As I floated, fully submerged in the mikvah waters, the water holding up both my baby and me in its own kind of womb, ever the poet I began writing a poem in my head as I thought of my new relationship with God. At home, I wrote it down: ‘To call God, the name I have chosen. Adonai, I say, and the baby and I float, perched on the edge of this name. To enter the world as we choose, to enter with our eyes wide open, gasping for air as if we call out for this through our very breathing.’ I had found a way to name the struggle I had always had with understanding God and a See Why I converted page A13
Why I converted to Judaism while 7 months pregnant LESLIE CoNTRERAS SChWARTz Kveller via JTA I was pregnant with my first daughter when I stood above the steps leading into the mikvah. After years of study, private and at a synagogue, and months of preparation, I was converting to Judaism. Naked and heavily pregnant, with my husband and rabbi standing in witness, the room was full of light and the still water before me. It was fitting and symbolic for me to be converting so close to delivering my first child. As a third-generation Mexican-American, I had grown up in a cultural limbo. I grew up in a mostly black and Latino area of Houston where I was considered too ‘white’ by my peers, yet whites never considered me American. I had no sense of belonging to any community. Although I was brought up Catholic, its dogma, saints and forms of worship never spoke to my heart. I had always longed for a community in which its members shared my same passion for giving, justice and respect for humanity, and related that to their relationship with God in a way that connected to me on a spiritual and intellectual level. My Jewish husband and I had a rabbi and a priest officiate at our wedding five years before. Years later, when I understood one of the interpretations of the glass being broken at the end of the ceremony, something shifted in me. The story I like the best is that the breaking of glass is a symbol for tikkun olam, or the need to bring together a shattered world through compassion and loving kindness. That connection drove me to start volunteering at the Holocaust Museum Houston, where I helped staff the gift shop. There I met a longtime volunteer and his daughter. This man was nearly 90 years old and was himself a survivor. Born in Transylvania, he forged a passport when the Ger-
A pregnant woman
Credit: iStock
those who (surprisingly) knew next to nothing about the Holocaust. I saw something in him that I wanted to do -- to carve out for myself a humility and giving spirit through love for both a community and humanity at large. I attended a class at a nearby Reform synagogue with my husband. I discovered that many of the traits and values that I loved the most about my husband stemmed from his connection to Judaism -- the belief in education and learning, and how it is something that cannot be taken from you; the protection of the family unit; his belief in the inherent goodness of people and the responsibility of helping others, and especially his emphasis on focusing on the here and now of life rather than the afterlife and its supposed consequences or glory. The glory, in Judaism, is the present. In the Book of Job, God asks a series of questions to Job, who has fallen to his lowest point of suffering. This section, called ‘The Voice in the Whirlwind,’ asks a series of questions that focus
Why Bill Clinton’s Hebrew Hillary button resonated
roN KamPeaS PHILADELPHIA | JTA ere was a thrill ride on Jewish Democratic social media when Bill Clinton was spotted at the Democratic National Convention sporting a button backing his wife – in Hebrew. Robert Wexler, a former Democratic congressman, indulged in a little partisan kvelling when he appeared Bill Clinton sporting a Hebrew ursday with Israeli AmbasHillary Clinton button on sador Ron Dermer on a panel. Wednesday July 27, 2016, at “What a remarkable statethe Democratic National Conment for America that a forvention in Philadelphia. mer president of the United Credit: MSNBC States could wear that,” said Wexler, who now directs the Center for Middle East Peace. Wexler’s enthusiasm was telling: As a prominent Florida lawmaker, he was the first major Jewish political figure in 2007 to endorse then-Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Most of the rest of the unofficial Jewish caucus in Congress went with Hillary Clinton. Yet here he is, nine years later, sounding almost wistful about the Clintons. Democrats will vigorously defend Obama’s record on Israel, and they are able to cite a formidable array of facts: the launch of the Iron Dome missile defense system – U.S. funding originated not in Congress, but in the administration – and unprecedented levels of military and intelligence cooperation. Stuxnet, the virus that disabled Iran’s uranium enrichment capacity, is widely believed to be a U.S.-Israel operation, and happened on Obama’s watch. Yet, there is the “kishkes” thing, which drives Obama and his partisans nuts. e maybe not so subtle messaging from the organizational Jewish side: Bill Clinton got Israel! Hillary Clinton gets Israel! What’s with Obama? e frustrated reply: Of course he gets Israel, he’s been to Sderot, and made the threat its residents face from the Gaza Strip
personal when he said he could imagine his daughters’ facing it. He visited the grave of Zionist founder eodor Herzl. He gets it! And yet. Clinton was the first Democrat to mention Israel on the main stage on Tuesday night, and it came up not in the emphatic “best U.S. ally” way it did repeatedly at the Republican convention in Cleveland last week, but organically, recounting Hillary Clinton’s role as Arkansas’ First Lady. “Hillary told me about a preschool program developed in Israel called HIPPY, Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters,” recalled the former president. “e idea was to teach low-income parents, even those that couldn’t read, to be their children’s first teachers. “She said she thought it would work in Arkansas. I said that’s great, what are we going to do about it? She said, oh, I already did it. I called the woman who started the program in Israel, she’ll be here in about 10 days and help us get started. “Next thing you know I’m being dragged around to all these little preschool graduations.” Clinton’s reference to the Israeli program was so casual that might as well have been referring to a preschool program founded in Illinois. It’s the unforced familiarity that melts pro-Israel activists, and there it was on display in the pin he wore. e button was also a nice contrast to an event from the day before, when activists outside the arena burned an Israeli flag. Obama also had a Jewish moment in his speech Wednesday night, but it was telling in that its reference was purely American. It came toward the end, when he spoke of his Kansan grandparents and how they welcomed the stranger: “ey knew these values were exactly what drew immigrants here, and they believed that the children of those immigrants were just as American as their own, whether they wore a cowboy hat or a yarmulke; a baseball cap or a hijab,” he said. e reference no doubt resonated with many Jews. But the relief and joy triggered by the button on Bill Clinton’s chest suggests many are still looking for something more.
Continued from page a12 community for which I had longed. Like the exemplar convert Ruth, which became part of my Hebrew name, I followed my longing to know God as she followed Naomi into a strange land. And also like Ruth, I did not simply convert to the Jewish faith. I became Jewish. I continue to learn the long history of traditions, rituals, songs and prayers. I have learned enough to teach Sunday school at my congregation, to participate in worship and to teach my children at our private observances. Some-
times I even teach my husband things he did not know or did not practice growing up. And it is this constant growing in my relationship with God that I love. Leslie Contreras Schwartz is a Mexican-Jewish writer living in Houston. She is the author of Fuego, a collection of poems about motherhood and teaching refugees. Kveller is a thriving community of women and parents who convene online to share, celebrate and commiserate their experiences of raising kids through a Jewish lens.Visit Kveller.com.
Why I converted
The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | a13
Letter to tHe eDItor
Dear Editor, Hi. I am going to be steering a fundraiser on Jewcer.com for Sulam L’Atid, an NGO in Israel started by my brother, Gary Tahar-Lev,( a retired judge in Israel), that is designed to provide students in impoverished families the kind of support they need for academic and physical sustenance. Before the campaign goes live, please know that I’d love to be able to count on you to help support this project with any amount with which you feel comfortable. I need to hear back from at least 50 friends who will be willing to click on the website to provide donations once it is up and running which should be within the next 3 weeks. I’ll of course let you know when the website is active. If you’d like to familiarize yourself with the mission of Sulam L’Atid I have included it below. I believe it is a truly exceptional way to support Israeli youth. “The Sulam L’Atid NGO brings together people of good conscience who have decided to contribute to reducing the social and economic gap in Israel for the sake of our younger generation. Today, about 20% of Israel’s high school children work after school, sometimes as much as 35 hours per week, to help support their impoverished families. According to the people of the Sulam L’Atid NGO, after-school work at the expense of high school students’ studies perpetuates the economic complexity, in which these pupils are caught up. Therefore, the Sulam L’Atid NGO provides gifted pupils from poor neighborhoods with free tutorials. In addition, in return for these pupils honoring their commitment to reduce their afterschool workload or to refrain from working during the school year and to participate regularly and actively in our tutorials, the Sulam L’Atid NGO rewards its pupils with vouchers to buy food and clothing. The NGO works in cooperation with Israeli schools and accompanies its pupils during successive years up to their matriculation (college preparatory) exams. In this way the Sulam L’Atid NGO intends to see its students be accepted to higher education and afterwards to lucrative positions in the job market. We should stress that the Sulam L’Atid NGO functions at all levels, beginning with its tutors, continuing with its supervisors and ending with its directors entirely on the basis of volunteers.” There is no one on the Sulam L’Atid board or volunteer staff who receives monetary compensation for their work. Please let me know if you think you are willing to support this campaign. After I hear from you positively, I will be back in touch with you at the start of the campaign. Thank you for your consideration as we strive to help youth in Jerusalem. Nancy e. Coren corenancy@gmail.com
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A14 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
synagogues B’nAi isrAel synAgogue
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 402.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
BeTH el synAgogue
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BeTH isrAel synAgogue
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
cHABAd House
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
congregATion B’nAi JesHurun
South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
oFFuTT Air Force BAse
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244
rose Blumkin JewisH Home
323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154
TemPle isrAel
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
TiFereTH isrAel
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’nAi isrAel synAgogue
There will not be Friday night services in July and August. Services and speaker series will resume sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. For information on our historic synagogue, please contact any of our board members: Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf.
BeTH el synAgogue
Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FridAy: Tot Shabbat Potluck Picnic,5:30 p.m. led by Miss Patty at the JCC Pavilion. This program is designed for children 2nd grade and younger and their families, but all are welcome. There is no charge to attend, but please RSVP so we can bring plenty of desserts and drinks; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. sATurdAy: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; MiniMinyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Kiddush Luncheon, noon for Executive Director Allison Newfeld; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:15 p.m. weekdAy serVices: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. sundAy: Torah Study, 10 a.m. wednesdAy: Women’s Book Club, 7 p.m. will discuss Lilac Girls, by Martha Hall Kelly at the home of Judith Barnes. Newcomers are always welcome. For questions or directions, contact Darlene at darlene.golbitz@gmail.com. THursdAy: Shanghai, 1 p.m. Tish B’Av and the reading of Eicha, saturday, Aug. 13, 8:45 p.m. and Tish B’Av Mincha, sunday, Aug. 14, 1 p.m. All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.
BeTH isrAel synAgogue
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, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv & Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 8:18 p.m. sATurdAy: Services led by Project SEED; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Parade and Kids Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Portion, 7:15 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 8 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:20 p.m. sundAy: Shacharit, 9 a.m..; Bagels & Beit Midrash with Project SEED, concurrent men’s and women’s sessions, 9:45 a.m. weekdAys: Shacharit, 7 a.m. mondAy: Morning Learing Opportunities with Project SEED, 9-11:15 a.m.; Pizza Dinner and Teen Programming with Project SEED, 7 p.m. TuesdAy: Morning Learing Opportunities with Project SEED, 9-11:15 a.m. wednesdAy: Morning Learing Opportunities with Project SEED, 9-11:15 a.m. THursdAy: Challah Baking and Learning -- The Mitzvah of Challah, 8:45 a.m.; Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m.; Talmud Learning, 7:45 p.m.
cHABAd House
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, 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.
congregATion B’nAi JesHurun
Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. FridAy: Pre-neg, 6 p.m. hosted by Leslie Delserone and Peter Mullin; Shabbat Evening Service, 6:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:18 p.m. sATurdAy: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Matot-Masei; Havdalah (72 minutes), 9:47 p.m.
sundAy: Peace Pasta: Eat Spaghetti to Support a Local Peacemaker’s Journey to Jerusalem, 5:30 p.m. Complete Spaghetti Dinner including Dessert. Cost is Adults: $6, Children 10 & under: $2 at South Street Temple. RSVP encouraged at 402.435.8004 or office@southstreettemple.org. Additional Free Will Donation Welcome and Appreciated! TuesdAy: Kochavim Rehearsal, 6:45 p.m. THursdAy: High Choir rehearsal, 7:30 p.m. It’s a mitzvah! The Temple is seeking volunteers willing to provide occasional transportation to services and events for members who are in need of a ride. Please contact the Temple office for details and to sign up by phone at 402.435.8004 or email at office@southstreettemple.org. Annual Back-to-school supplies drive: South Street Temple continues its tradition of providing supplies to students and teachers at Saratoga Elementary School. Eighty-six percent of Saratoga's students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, double the average for Lincoln Public Schools. The school is specifically in need of the following items: Crayons, especially the twistable kind, Glue sticks, Pencils - mechanical and wooden (No. 2), Boxes of tissues, Hand Sanitizer, Sanitizer wipes, Pocket folders (2 pockets), Erasers and Composition notebooks. Please drop all donations in the totes labeled "Saratoga School Supply Drive" in the social hall by Aug. 11. Thank you! 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@southstreettemple.org.
Butter Johnny's. Music entertainment provided by the George Walker Trio. If you would prefer a Grilled Cheese Sandwich from the Temple Israel kitchen due to nut allergies, please contact the Temple Israel office, 402.556.6536. sATurdAy: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Summer Tot Shabbat in the Park! 10 a.m., Zorinsky Lake, 3808 South 156 St. led by Rabbi Deana Sussman and Dani Howell. All children 4 & under and their families are invited to participate in a morning of Shabbat prayers, stories, songs, crafts, and activities; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. Torah Reader: Beth Slovut and Haftarah Reader: Miles Remer. sundAy: Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Omaha Storm Chasers Baseball Game, 5 p.m. Cost is $10 per ticket. RSVP to the Temple Israel Office. Annual Tri-Faith Picnic, sunday, Aug. 14, 12:30-2:30 p.m. at Countryside Community Church, 8787 Pacific St. Please join us for food & fellowship! Rain or shine! Halal burgers & kosher hot dogs provided. Bring a side dish or dessert to share! (Please, no pork, shellfish or gelatin dishes) Open to all supporters of the Tri-Faith Initiative! Questions? Contact info@trifaith.org or 402.934.2955. Temple Israel Golf Outing, monday, Aug. 15, noon at Shadow Ridge Country Club. Invite your spouse or friends to join us for cocktails, dinner and awards banquet! Schedule: noon – Lunch, 1 p.m. – Shotgun and 6 p.m. - Dinner with cash bar. Player Options: Includes 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, driving range and dinner. Cost: Participant $135 (Singles — we’ll find a group for you to join!), Foursome $540, Dinner Only $30.
oFFuTT Air Force BAse
Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FridAy: There will not be services held this week. sATurdAy: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a light Kiddish luncheon. Mark your calendar's now for Tifereth Israel's 7th Annual Shabbat on the Green/ New Member Dinner on Friday Aug. 26. We will be grilling up hotdogs and sides beginning at 6:30 p.m. followed by a fun outdoor Shabbat service. We hope to see you all there! Please let Nava in the office know of any personal information changes as she is working on the new TI directory. Please inform the office of any landline/cell number, address or name changes ASAP. Thank you.
FridAy: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
rose Blumkin JewisH Home
sATurdAy: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Jim Polack. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.
TemPle isrAel
FridAy: Shabbat Service and Picnic, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Crystal, Rabbi Sussman and Cantor Shermet. Stay for a Picnic Shabbat Dinner. Bring your own dinner or purchase from Peanut
TiFereTH isrAel
Hours after historic Auschwitz visit, Pope Francis says ‘the same thing is happening’ today in many places JTA News sTAff Human cruelty “did not end in Auschwitz,” Pope Francis said in Krakow after visiting the Nazi death camp in Poland. Following his historic visit on Friday, the pope compared contemporary atrocities around the world to the atrocities at Auschwitz, The Associated Press reported. Some 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, died there between 1940 and 1945. Citing torture and overcrowded prisons, the pope said, “We say, yes, there we saw the cruelty of 70 years ago, how people died being shot or hanged or with gas. Today in many parts of the world where there is war, the same thing is happening.” In the past, Jewish leaders have sometimes bristled at comparisons between the Holocaust and other atrocities, particularly ones that have not involved genocide. While at Auschwitz, Francis did not make any public statements but engaged in silent prayer. He wrote in a guest book there, “Lord, have mercy on your people! Lord, forgiveness for so much cruelty!” While at Auschwitz, the pope also met with 11 Auschwitz survivors and a group of Polish Catholics who rescued Jews during the Holocaust in a meeting arranged by Poland’s chief rabbi, the American-born Michael Schudrich. In a telephone interview with the AP on Friday, Schudrich said the pope’s meeting with survivors was “something I have been thinking about for a while: what kind of non-material present, what kind of thank you, can we give to the Righteous?”
While the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous offers some financial help to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews, Schudrich told the AP he “wanted to come up with a spiritual gift, and I thought that a special blessing from the pope would make them feel honored because of their unbelievable morality and humanity.” In a statement Friday issued in advance of Francis’ visit, World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder praised the pontiff, who has forged ever-closer ties between the Catholic Church and Jews since his election in 2013. “Pope Francis is one of the closest allies Jews have today in the fight against anti-Semitism, bigotry and hatred,” Lauder said. “He is a true friend of the Jewish people, a man who reaches out to others and embraces them. Never over the past 2,000 years have Catholic-Jewish relations been better.” The pope’s visit “sends an important signal to the world that this dark chapter must never be forgotten and that the truth about what happened seven decades ago must not be obfuscated,” Lauder added. The late Pope John Paul II, who was born in Poland, visited Auschwitz in 1979. His successor, the Germany native Pope Benedict XVI, visited in 2006. “Pope John Paul II came here as a son of the Polish people,” Benedict said. “I come here today as a son of the German people. For this very reason, I can and must echo his words: I could not fail to come here.”
The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | A15
Pulverente MONUMENT CO.
lifecycles Birth
eli JoSePh AnD nAthAn SAMUel tArADAY
Ariel and Jeff taraday of Los Angeles announce the June 15 birth of their twin sons, Eli Joseph Taraday and Nathan Samuel Taraday. Grandparents are Aveva and Marty Shukert, and Adrienne and Michael Wienir. Great grandparents are the late Doris and Nate Shukert, the late Pearl and Dave Hahn, the late Joan and David Wienir, and the late Adele and Edward Paier.
BAt MitzvAh
hAnnAh roSe DYSiCo
Hannah Rose Dysico, daughter of Rachel and Gilbert Dysico, will become a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 13 at Temple Israel. Hannah is a seventh-grade student at Westside Middle School. She is also a member of Westside’s Excellence in Youth Program and a member of 2016 Omaha-Metro Battle of the Books Championship Team. Hannah has received many awards for her piano performances since she began playing in 2012. She enjoys basketball, soccer, dance and volunteering at the Henry Doorly Zoo. For her mitzvah project, Hannah focused most of her mitzvah project time to raising money and awareness to help protect all species of sharks. She sewed and sold over $200 worth of neck cool ties to help support Ocearch and The Gills Club. The Gills Club is part of Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, and works to connect young girls interested in sharks with female scientists from all over the world through a STEM-based curriculum in shark research. She also volunteered as a junior docent at the Henry Doorly Zoo, and served meals at Omaha’s Siena Francis House. She has a sister, Leah. Grandparents are Kiva and Doug McEwen and Erlinda and Ray Dysico.
in MeMoriAM
ronAlD JoSePh BeACh
Ronald Joseph Beach passed away on July 31 at age 55. Services will be held Friday, Aug. 5 followed by Shabbat Service and a deli inspired dinner and drinks all at Temple Israel, 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive. She is survived by his wife, Mona Jones; daughter, Dru Beach; sons, Wil and Jack Beach; parents, Bill and Marilyn Beach of Sac City, IA; brothers and sisters-in-law, Gary and Sharon Beach of Austin, TX, and Dave and Lori Beach of Iowa Falls, IA; brother, Brian Beach of Sac City, IA; sister and brother-in-law, Kate and Marty Petersen of Parkersburg, IA, and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. Memorials may be directed to Temple Israel.
Peres: Trump’s foreign policy proposals would be a mistake
JTA News sTAff Israel’s former president Shimon Peres said carrying out Donald Trump’s isolationist foreign policy vision would be “a very great mistake.” In an interview with Bloomberg.com published Monday, Peres did not refer to the Republican presidential nominee by name. But asked about Trump’s statements on foreign policy, the Nobel Peace Prize winner said, “To suggest that America will disconnect her relations with NATO, that America will leave the whole field open to other countries -- in my judgment it’s a mistake. A very great mistake.” Last month Trump suggested in an interview with The New York Times that U.S. military support for NATO member states might be conditional on whether those members' fulfill their obligations to the bloc. During the interview, Peres, who turns 93 on Aug. 2, also addressed other topics, such as a project he’s working on that seeks to bring together Israeli and Arab tech entrepreneurs. “We want to make not just a Startup Nation, but a Startup Region,” Peres said of his project, the Israeli Innovation Center. “Science doesn’t have flags. Science doesn’t have borders.” Asked about the Palestinian Authority ’s threats to sue Great Britain over the 1917 Balfour Declaration, Peres compared the move to refighting the Crusades, the medieval battles for control of the Holy Land. “The past is dead,” he said. “The future is the agenda.”
Musical Theater Auditions e JCC Musical eater Community Acting Group is excited to announce the next production: A Kidsummer Night’s Dream. No, it’s not a typo: A Kidsummer Night’s Dream is a a musical based on William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, aer the Book by Lynne Bartlett, Mark Leehy, and Kevin O’Mara, with music and lyrics by David Billings, Rob Fairbairn, Mark Leehy, and Kevin O’Mara. It’s a marvelous musical that explodes in a joyous celebration of Shakespeare’s classic comedy. Kidsummer is full of mischief and mayhem, misunderstandings and magic potion mix-ups, as kings and queens, humble workers and fairies, all chase their dreams. is show is simply... MAGIC! Auditions will be held in the JCC Auditorium, Sunday, Aug. 14 from 1-2 p.m. for adults, and from 2:30-3:30 p.m. for kids ages 8-18. Registration is required, and is $145 for JCC members, and $181 for non-members. Space is limited. Registrations will close at a maximum of 50 participants. To register, contact Laura Wine at 402.334.6419 and mention code 16-101. Our Musical eater Community Acting Group is open to JCC Members and Non Members, ages 8-adult. We meet once a week at the JCC for a 2 hour rehearsal. During that time we work on perfecting our musical theater skills while blocking scenes, learning dances and songs and building a community of actors that support each other’s growth.
BBYO council presidents attend executive conference
rAChel MArtin BBYO/Teen Director, JCC of Omaha Co-presidents, Council Godol Nate Gendler and Council N’siah Rachel Hockfeld will represent the entire BBYO Mid-America Region: Omaha Council at the North American August Executive Conference held Aug. 11-14 at Capital Camps in Waynesboro, PA. Gendler and Hockfeld will gain knowledge in several different areas such as leadership training, teambuilding, Judaic enrichment, Shabbat celebration and calendarplanning. ey will experience all of this plus more alongside all of the co-presidents of BBYO regions and councils across North America.
BBYo Fall Kickoff event
Sunday, Aug. 21 Depart omaha JCC at 7 a.m. Kosher BBQ lunch in Kansas City, 11 a.m. royals baseball game, 1:10 p.m. Pick up at omaha JCC, 8 p.m. is semi-annual conference is held in August, to prepare the leaders of the world’s largest pluralistic youth movement (BBYO) for the upcoming school year, and again in February, during the movement’s International Convention held over President’s Day weekend. BBYO professionals will lead sessions, challenge the teen participants, and enrich the experience of the conference with their vast range of knowledge in areas such as leadership, Judaism and successful teen programming. e Omaha Council of BBYO is extremely eager to begin the upcoming school year, with tons of exciting programs already scheduled. We are looking forward to implementing new ideas and practices directed by all of the council leaders. Interested in BBYO? Come check it out at our Fall 2016 kickoff event FREE for new members! Current members donate $10 to your chapter (suggested, not required). RSVP by Friday, Aug. 12 to Rachel Martin rmartin@jccomaha.org.
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A healthier democracy?
emergingvoices
A16 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
At this point in time, we know for certain the 2016 general election will pit Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump against each other for the presidency, and if that idea fills you with complete disgust, you’re hardly alone. Both of these major party candidates are extremely unpopular (albeit Trump more than Clinton); by some surveys, the most disliked potential presidents ever. And yet, this election may not quite be as much of a disaster as it might seem. Rather, 2016 might well mark the beginning of a much healthier American democracy, because arguably for the first time in a century (if not longer) we will have a viable four-candidate election, in which Clinton and Trump are joined by Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian contender Gary Johnson. Essentially, this four-candidate race will occur precisely because Clinton and Trump will ensure that Stein and Johnson have their respective chances of being more than also-rans. Why will this happen? In Stein’s case, recall that, to win the Democratic Party’s nomination, Clinton had to defeat the extremely popular (and liked) Bernie Sanders. Many former Sanders supporters are thusly much less willing to support Clinton than they might otherwise be, and so many might ‘defect’ to Stein. Undoubtedly, some – notably those who rallied under the ‘Bernie or Bust’ slogan – will make this defection out of simple spite for Clinton, but more are likely to simply note that Stein is, overall, more in line with their particular ideological views than Clinton is. With this being the case, it will be especially interesting to see how far some of these newly-minted Stein supporters will go in support of the Green Party. While most will merely be temporarily bucking their party and will return to the Democratic Party in future elections, it is quite possible that a good number will change their registration, thus boosting the Green Party and potentially making it at least somewhat viable in future elections. Gary Johnson will benefit from this type of dislike-driven party
realignment even more than Stein, for while Clinton has been polarizing within the Democratic Party, Trump has been far more so for the Republicans. The many and varied ‘Never Trump’ movements led by such major Republican players as former presidential candidate Mitt Romney demonstrate this, as do the countless Connor P. Mullin other exhibitions of Republican disgust with Trump. Clearly a candidate is incredibly unpopular when noteworthy politicians – such as House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin – nominally (though often unwillingly) give their endorsements to Trump, only to almost immediately attempt to downplay this support. These movements never had a real chance at preventing Trump from becoming the Republican Party’s nominee for the general election, but they will still heavily benefit Gary Johnson, simply because they also reflect the opinions of many ordinary Republican voters. Thus, like Stein for anti-Clinton DeHillary Clinton mocrats, Johnson will be recognized Credit: Wikimedia as providing this type of disaffected commons Republican with a much more palatable candidate who also likely aligns more closely with their own ideological views. The result, naturally, will be a greatly increased showing for the Libertarian Party in 2016, and arguably in future elections as well – as with Democrats for the Green Party, some defecting Republicans are likely to permanently realign themselves to the Libertarians. Undoubtedly, party officials for both the Democrats and the Republicans will do their best to block this defecting to third-parties, breaking out the standard suggestions that voting for Stein as a Democrat or Johnson as a Republican will be ‘throwing votes away’ and so guaranteed to give victory to the opposing party. This will equally undoubtedly have some effect, but the sheer distaste with which Clinton and Trump are viewed will mean that the defections to these third parties will be too great for these sorts of efforts to stem. Thus, apart from the results noted above
in terms of giving the Green and Libertarian Parties more consistent future support, it is very likely that, for the first time since 1968, a third party candidate may carry a state’s Electoral College votes. This would be a remarkable occurrence, and one that would give an even greater boost to any party that managed to do so. Unlike in 1968, however, this is unlikely to be isolated to just one state. It would definitely not be out of the realm of possibility for New Hampshire to vote for Johnson, or Vermont or Rhode Island to go to Stein. Stein is less likely to win states outside of the northeast, but Johnson certainly has a good chance. Portions of the Deep South, with heavy voting blocs of evangelical Christians, are simultaneously heavily conservative and opposed to Trump, and so are quite possible to vote Libertarian. The mountain west would be even better ground for Johnson; Montana and Wyoming would both be conceivable states for him to capture, and the low regard many residents of Utah hold Trump in could even result in an out-of-left-field win in that state. No matter the ultimate electoral outcome, the sheer unpopularity of Clinton and Trump essentially guarantee that the U.S. will, at long last, have a four-candidate election. Donald Trump Equally finally, despite the wideCredit: JTA spread feelings of disgust and general apathy towards the major-party candidates and the election, it may well end up that 2016 becomes the year the American political landscape begins to diversify. Thus, no matter how distasteful the impending Clinton-Trump match-up may be, in the long run it is likely to prove beneficial to the nation as a whole. Connor Mullen is a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He shares his story as part of the Emerging Voices series. Emerging Voices invites Jewish writers between the ages of 13 and 25 to share their thoughts and opinions about any topic they choose. If you are interested in writing for this series, please email the editor at avandekamp@jewish omaha.org. Emerging Voices is supported by the Joanie Jacobson Jewish Cultural Arts Fund at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.
The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | B1
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HEALTH+WELLNESS
Uncle Chuck remembers everything: Part 1
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Emily NEwmAN Intern, Jewish Press AND ANNEttE vAN dE KAmp Editor of the Jewish Press history is one thing that everyone has in common – and as far as Jewish Omaha goes, this history is rich and binds people together across several generations. During the month of August, come celebrate with the Omaha Jewish Press Exhibit and explore what we have been examining for over a year: Jewish Camp! Of course, you can’t say the word “Camp� without thinking of Chuck Arnold, whose name will forever be tied to the memories of many. He is known as ‘Uncle Chuck,’ and he remembers everything. From Camp Brewster (down by the Missouri River, in Fontenelle Forest) to Esther K.Newman. “You take the kids 40 miles out of Omaha, and it feels like they are far outside the city,� he says. “Kids would stay anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks, and we did nature projects, arts and crafts, and the kids couldn’t wait to meet up with each other for the summer. They all came from different shuls, schools, etc. They didn’t have the social media they have today, so this provided a really great way to connect.� There was no television at camp, Chuck says. �Camp is a time to look at the stars and smell the trees! Camp gives you a new perspective, and gets you away from indoor electricity and the air conditioning. We even had telescopes, so we did astronomy lessons.� Our exhibit includes photos and memories that stretch over decades and generations; from young children in the 1960s learning how to shoot arrows,
to adults in the 1980s desperately attempting to keep knowledge about camping. up with their energetic campers. Emily: Going through these old photos also Emily: As the Press intern last year, I had the op- brought back my personal memories of the summer I portunity to be the first person in years to go through spent two weeks away from home at camp Osrui. these old photos. As I began to delve through the vast This made me think – why is it that we love summer amounts of camp photos and doccamps? What is it about summers uments, I quickly realized there spent away from your parents and was treasure in the old boxes. I school friends? continued to run into familiar faces Perhaps parents love the break and names, and I quickly learned from their kids, and perhaps kids that there are countless people love the break from their parents who had a shared history at the (even more?). However, something Esther K Newman camp (many of inside tells me that is it something whom even work at the Jewish deeper, for I would not think that Federation of Omaha today!) There non-Jewish kids would enjoy the are such fascinating stories that several weeks away from home in are told through these priceless the woods any less... relics of the Omaha Jewish ComThen I remember something. I munity! remember the feeling that I had the Working next to Sherman Poska, first time I boarded a plane for IsUncle Chuck became Assistant rael. On every side, to my left, Chuck Arnold Camp Director. Chuck’s wife, Joy right, in front of me and behind me, Freiden taught art at camp. The couple lived in the in- there were other Jews. Keep in mind that for a girl firmary while Joy was pregnant with their first child. born in Nebraska, this is a strange feeling. The feeling “Working with Sherman was fantastic,� Chuck became even stronger when I stepped off the plane says. “He was a great mentor, so much knowledge and finally stepped foot in Israel. I knew then what about camping! We didn’t always agree, but I learned the feeling was: it was the feeling that I was no a lot from him.� longer a minority. I was around people who shared JuOnce, Chuck remembers, Sherman decided he daism with me. I was in a place where I was autowanted a wagon at camp: matically understood, where I did not have to explain “So, we started looking for a pair of matching don- to a friend’s parents what Rosh Hashanah was, or keys. He found them, and we named them Tom and why a Jewish person might not drive on a Friday Jerry. The kids loved how much noise they made!� night. I was, for the first time in my life, truly part of There was a Counselor-in-Training program as well, the majority. allowing both Sherman and Chuck to spread their vast This is, I believe, behind many of the smiles that
beam up at you from the old camp photos. You can just imagine the children thinking - “Look at me, I belong!� So bring your kids, and bring your grandkids. Show them what summers looked like without head phones, IPods, and the Xbox. Show them what it meant to you when you were able to board a bus and spend the summer with dozens of other Jewish kids. In our exhibit, you will also have the ability to write notes to be placed along with the photos. You can even take the photos off the wall and take a closer look! “Before the J moved to its current location,� Uncle Chuck said, “we temporarily ran a day camp at the Sher Home. We had a miniature petting zoo in the basement, with gerbils and mice. I don’t think anyone knew they were there--we’d smuggle them out over the weekend.� The exhibit also includes photographs from the 2015 Mega Teen Trip to Israel, as well as the 2015 Women’s Mission to Eastern Europe. It will officially open Sunday, Aug. 7, 3-5 p.m. in the Jewish Community Center Gallery, with kosher food provided by Star Catering. It is open to the public. This chapter of the Omaha Jewish Community, although it is just a small section of our community’s history, is an excellent example of how the philanthropy of a few can change the lives of many. We would like to thank the Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation and the Special Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. In addition, we would like to thank Renee Corcoran at the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society for maintaining such impeccable records for our community, and for sharing the archives with us.
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b2 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
health+wellness
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Taekwondo at the J is family friendly Lynn baTTen JFO Publicity Manager he daily schedule for most families is hectic. It can be challenging to find family friendly programming that allows everyone to be together while also being physically active. Taekwondo classes at the JCC provide a solution – allowing families to spend active and constructive time together. Classes are led by the Omaha ATA Martial Arts Black Belt Academy and are open to JCC Members, age 6 through adult. And while not required, families are encouraged to participate together. Omaha ATA Martial Arts Black Belt Academy is a member of the American Taekwondo Association, which is one of the world’s largest martial arts organizations with over 1,500 schools and clubs around the world. The ATA started in Omaha in 1969 before eventually moving its headquarters to Little Rock, Arkansas. Aaron Sailors, 5th degree black belt and Chief Instructor at Omaha ATA, and Bret Salomon, 3rd degree black belt and owner of the school, teach classes at the JCC. “We are happy to partner with the JCC. It helps us build on the importance of community and family,” Sailors said. Taekwondo offers numerous physical and mental health benefits, which is why it has become one of the most popular forms of martial art. “Taekwondo is a Korean Martial Art that, like any martial art properly taught and properly practiced, is a non-aggressive and ethical system of self-defense. Taekwondo is a physical and mental discipline as well as an ex-
cellent system for fitness and self-defense that has grown internationally to become one of the world’s most popular martial arts. It is not only a sport, but also a way of life,” he said.
cal, but also on important skills that will help to lead a person to success in life. Our classes include lessons in Goals, Courtesy, Loyalty, Respect, Attitude and Integrity,” he said.
The benefits of martial art training extend far beyond the physical aspects. The sport helps develop confidence and focus, which can be especially beneficial for kids. “Taekwondo trains the body as well as the mind,” Sailors said. “Benefits of Taekwondo training include building levels of fitness, self-defense, and self confidence. The principles of Taekwondo are based on body mechanics and require speed and power. As you train you will develop muscle, coordination and balance to focus your body’s strength. Knowing you can defend yourself helps to build confidence, and accomplishing new goals helps to build self-confidence that can carry over into all aspects of your life.” Sailors notes that ATA Taekwondo classes incorporate specific lessons that work to strengthen character and help students gain tools that they can use in everyday life. “When a student learns Taekwondo, the focus of training is not only physi-
JCC Member Jeff Zacharia, has seen the benefits of Taekwondo first hand. Zacharia’s 8-year-old son Sidney participates in Taekwondo at the J. “The JCC taekwondo program has been great for our son and has been a real positive experience for our family,” he said. “The teachers are great and work well with the kids. Sid looks forward to testing every two months to obtain a higher level belt. I would definitely recommend it. It teaches discipline, focus, working with others, and self defense.” Zacharia recommends parents thinking of enrolling their kids in Taekwondo should attend a class to observe. “Spend 45 minutes watching the teachers work with their students and see how positive an experience it is for the students,” he said. While Taekwondo is particularly beneficial for the learning process of children, it can be very beneficial for adults as well. see Taekwondo page b3
Fun Runs at the JCC
Lynn baTTen JFO Publicity Manager Starting this fall, the Jewish Community Center of Omaha will begin a new running program. The “Bagels, Beverages, & Buddies Fun Runs” program will begin aug. 28 and continue through oct. 30. This recreational running group will meet twice a week, on sunday mornings from 8–9 a.m. and Wednesday evenings from 5:30–6:30 p.m. JCC staff members, Jen Freeman and Heather Bucksner, will lead the program. “Each session we will run anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and then enjoy a post workout treat. On Sunday mornings we will have bagels and on Wednesday evenings we will have beverages,” said Freeman. The Bagels, Beverages, and Buddies Fun Run program is open to JCC members only, but Freeman stresses that all levels are welcome. “Runners of all abilities are welcome to participate, whether they have race goals or they are just running for fun,” she said. “Walkers are welcome too. This is a recreational running/walking program. People can come for the exercise and enjoy a bagel or beverage and make new buddies.” With this program both Freeman and and Bucksner hope to challenge the idea that exercise has to be tedious and boring. “Our love of running and food inspired us to start this program. We aim to challenge participants and help them reach their goals while having fun at the same time,” Freeman stated. Both Bucksner and Freeman have a wealth of running experience to pass on to participants. Freeman has run 20 marathons, including four times running the Boston Marathon. Out of the 20 marathons she’s completed, she’s finished First Place in four of them. She’s also completed many other road races of various distances. Bucksner started her running career as a member of the JCC Running Club in 2013. “My original goal was just to be able to run a mile,” she said. Now she has completed a half marathon, two Corporate Cup runs and many other road races. The cost to participate is $50, which includes a bagel or beverage after each session. Participants should wear comfortable workout clothing, running shoes and bring a water bottle. Registration should be completed by aug. 28 and can be done online at www.jcc omaha.org or by calling Laura Wine, JCC Registrar, at 402.334.6419. For information on how to become a JCC Member contact Member Services at 402.334.6426.
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Are you in transition in your life? Career | Family | Romance | Move
This Jewish drummer, 24, is busking up the California coast to stomp out Crohn’s disease
GaBe Friedman took solace in learning about the different realms of JTA Crohn’s research. Gideon Grossman taps out rapid hip-hop beats on his The American Gut Project, one of the world’s largest compact setup of bucket drums. He beams at the camera. crowdsourced scientific research projects, caught GrossHis drumming is so effortless, it’s hard to believe he suffers man’s attention. Using samples mailed in from people from a sometimes-crippling across the country, project gastrointestinal disease. co-founder and UC San In addition to flawless Diego professor Rob Knight rhythm, Grossman has and other researchers comCrohn’s disease, an inflampare what a healthy person’s mation of the digestive tract bacteria networks look like that usually manifests itself against those found in somethrough chronic diarrhea and one with a hard-to-underabdominal pain. As yet there stand disease like Crohn’s. is no cure. If they can identify the difGrossman, 24, is a lanky ferences, then curing Crohn’s and cheerful New Jersey nacould potentially be as easy as tive who’s relying on his changing one’s diet to culticharm and talent to launch an vate certain types of bacteria, Gideon Grossman wants to use his drumming skills to raise money project manager Embriette ambitious effort to raise for research into a cure for Crohn’s disease, a condition he has Hyde explained to JTA. But money for research into Credit: Screenshot from YouTube there’s a catch: As of now, Crohn’s and other inflamma- had for years. tory bowel diseases, or IBD, like ulcerative colitis. there’s no telling whether one’s bacteria makeup is a cause This week, Grossman is launching Busking for Crohn’s. or an effect of IBD. With that, he’ll be banging his bucket drums up the CaliforAs for Grossman, he didn’t let his Crohn’s diagnosis prenia coast, from San Diego to San Francisco, and will donate vent him from playing music. He had played drums for his proceeds to the American Gut Project at the University years in various bands and in the school marching band, of California, San Diego. He believes the project, which fobut moving into a New York apartment didn’t allow for that cuses on mapping the human body’s systems of bacteria, is type of noise (or space). So he began to play on the quieter the most promising in the field of IBD research. His goal is buckets -- something he calls much harder than playing a to raise $10,000. full kit. By the time he moved to Maui to work for a startup, For Grossman, it’s an opportunity “to fuse together the he was comfortable playing around the island’s beaches. His two interests of mine,” he told JTA. In the spring, he was Crohn’s disease was also in remission, helped by injections kicking around the idea of a California road trip, he said. of the anti-inflammatory drug Humira. “I decided, ‘You know what? I want to add this other eleGrossman’s $10,000 goal for Busking for Crohn’s is a lofty ment of passion from my personal history and my life and one -- the most he’s made busking in one day is about $40, make this trip more fulfilling than just roaming around,’” at the Tayelet promenade in Tel Aviv, he said. (His website is Grossman said. also taking donations.) Doctors believe that Crohn’s disease -- first identified by In addition to busking, Grossman will raise awareness by Jewish doctor Burrill Crohn in 1932 -- is at least partly a re- conducting interviews with experts and posting content on a sult of an abnormal immune system response to gut bacteFacebook page. He plans to update his location -- which will ria caused by genetic mutations and environmental factors. be determined, at least in part, by where he finds a place to It affects about 700,000 Americans, but Ashkenazi Jews are crash -- through a Twitter account. He has lined up overnight up to four times more likely to have it than the average non- stops in Southern California, from the home of a 70-year-old Jew of European descent. retired woman in Escondido to a friend-of-a-friend’s place in But the field of IBD research is still fuzzy. One doctor told Los Angeles. He said he’s also started reaching out to synathe Forward in 2011 that the kosher diet and other sanitary gogues en route to see if they would be interested in having habits of 20th-century Jews (Crohn’s and colitis symptoms him speak to fellow Jews about the disease. were virtually undocumented before the 20th century) Following the tour, Grossman hopes to enlist others could have left their immune systems ill prepared to deal across the country in the busking cause. with certain bacteria. In 2012, Mount Sinai School of Medi“If other people want to contribute, if they play music or cine researchers discovered five genetic markers that could sing or do gymnastics or breathe fire, if they want to do help explain the high rates of Crohn’s among Ashkenazim. some busking for the same cause in their city, maybe it’s Busking is a relatively new pursuit for Grossman, somesomething more people will be involved with,” he said. thing he’s done since graduating from Princeton in 2014. In addition to on-and-off gigs as a software developer, he’s been honing his bucket drumming skills while busking in different places he has lived, like New York City, Tel Aviv Continued from page B2 and Hawaii. “We train their students to the best of their ability. Stu“[It’s] a nerve-wracking hobby, but that nervousness is what dents start at all levels of ability and fitness and most makes me feel so alive while performing,” he said in a video come with limited flexibility. Adults start at any age. promoting his project. “Transforming a dull subway platform We’ve have had some adults who started as late as age 65 into a stage, and converting passers-by who didn’t buy tickets and have still earned their black belts. As a student, you into an audience, is an incredibly unique experience.” are looked upon as an individual, never compared to For Grossman, who attended a New Jersey day school and anyone else,” Sailors said. grew up observing Shabbat, his Crohn’s symptoms first apTaekwondo is open to JCC members only. Registration peared at sleepaway camp before his senior year of high is required. All participants will need to purchase a unischool. He had diarrhea some six times a day, lost weight form from ATA. As they progress, participants will also and started to feel tired participating in the sports he loved, purchase belts and pay testing fees to Omaha ATA. like soccer and swimming. He became nervous and kept the Classes are held three times a week: Tuesday and Thurssymptoms to himself, wary of talking about his troubles in day evenings from 5:30–6:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1–2 the bathroom. p.m. Class size averages six-10 people, allowing for greater When his mother came to pick him up at the end of the student/instructor interaction. In addition to Taekwondo, summer, she could tell something was wrong. So he exATA also offers H2H (Hand to Hand) Self-Defense classes plained his stomach struggles. at the J. These classes are for 9th graders through adults. “Any Jewish mother does not like to hear that,” Grossman For more information on any of the Omaha ATA Marsaid. “We didn’t go home, we went straight to the hospital.” tial Arts Black Belt Academy classes offered through the After a long diagnostic process -- an initial colonoscopy JCC, contact Lynette Brannen, JCC Director of Athletic found nothing, but eventually an ingestible pill camera inPrograms, at 402.590-2144 or at lbrannen@jccomaha.org. vented by Israelis identified Crohn’s markers -- Grossman
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Darkaynu: A place to belong SYbil Kaplan What if you had a daughter or son, 17-18 years old, with some type of mental disorder such as Down Syndrome, severe learning disability, attention deficit disorder, or autism, who was a senior in high school, mainstreamed in a Jewish or other school? He or she sees his or her friends planning their gap year. For a Jewish youngster, that year might well be in Israel. If this occurred before 2003 (for a daughter) or 2005 (for a son), you may have been at a loss. Midreshet lindenbaum Elana Goldscheider, originally from Long Island, was national director of Yachad, an organization for social activities for people with social needs for 12 years before her aliyah in 2001. She went to the director of the Jerusalem Lindenbaum Seminary overseas program and asked if she could organize a program, alongside their regular program, to fit these people’s needs. Midreshet Lindenbaum, originally named Michlelet Bruria, is a Jewish educational institution for women, founded in 1976 by Rabbi Chaim Brovender, as the women’s component of Yeshivat Hamivtar. At Bruria, as in a traditional men’s yeshiva, women study with a partner and learn Talmud and advanced Bible. In 1986, Bruria merged with Ohr Torah Stone and was renamed Midreshet Lindenbaum after Belda and Marcel Lindenbaum. Belda Kaufman Lindenbaum was President of the Board of Drisha Institute for Women in New York City, Vice President of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, and a founding board member of Yeshivat Maharat. She was also a board member of Ramaz Day School and Bar Ilan University. With her husband, Marcel, and Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, she co-founded Midreshet Lindenbaum, a post-high school learning center for diaspora women and a Yeshivat Hesder (combining study with military service) for Israeli women. September 2003, seven students enrolled for the special Darkaynu program with Goldscheider as its director. “Most of the women are functioning at a fourth-grade level, and they cannot sit and learn,” explains Goldscheider. From seven to 17 students attend each year, at a cost of $30,000 a year. What
is more amazing is the women do not attend for just one year and then return to the States. “They tend to come for more than
Darkaynu Young Men’s class one year; two or three years typically. When they go home, they’re the only one from their area.” This year’s class members come from Florida, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Toronto, California and Australia; 80% come from an Orthodox family. Each day has a different schedule, but they start each day with a “sevenminute initiative davening,” and one morning lecture before going to work. Work can be in a kindergarten, in food preparation or in an office, for example, where English is spoken to them. After lunch, there are more lectures, often emphasizing life skills, says Goldscheider, “so when they go home, they can function independently.” The women take a once-a-week class in computers to familiarize them with Facebook, so when they return home, they can keep up with their friends. They also have a weekly ulpan class to learn some basic words in Hebrew to use while they are in Israel. One hour a day, they also have a partnered hour in the Jewish study hall for learning Judaic studies. There are also opportunities for them to have free time, visit an adopted family, go swimming and other activities, Yeshiva for the boys Gush Etzion is a group of 22 Jewish communities, 15 miles south of Jerusalem with a population of over 70,000. Reestablished on the original site of communities from the 1920s, today there are 13 communities, two independent municipalities, three kibbutzim and four “outposts.” Yeshivat Har Ezion is a hesder yeshiva, where young men combine religious study with army service. It was founded in 1968, in Alon Shvut, a community established in 1970, with a
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population today of more than 3,200. Elana Goldscheider, who had created the program for special needs young women, created the Darkaynu program for young men, whose first year was 2006-2007. Director of the young men’s program is Avi Ganz, who was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Prior to moving to Israel 15 years ago, he had been working with the special education population in New York. The Israeli, whom he married in 2004, was madrichah to Darkaynu’s first young women’s program. When the young men’s program began, there were six young men from the States. Today, there are ten young men and the tuition is the same as the young women’s program at Lindenbaum, $30,000 a year. In the young men’s program, there are two Israelis, one Canadian and others from Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and New York. They range in age from 18 to 24; they have either an autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, a brain injury or a severe learning disability. The one in the program the longest is in his fourth year. “This is the first time most of them are able to spend a general significant time among peers in a mainstream environment,” says Ganz. “Now they are part of the whole--different but equal.” After breakfast, there is a lecture; then the young men go to work--in the library, in the winery, in a kindergarten, in food preparations, or at an army base. After lunch and a break, they have mincha services then several more classes and the chavruta. “The chavruta is a big deal,” says Ganz, “a successful part of the day,” as each Darkaynu young man studies Jewish subjects with a partner. “The pace is always different, and the level is slightly different.” (A chavruta, meaning fellowships, is a form of learning Jewish texts in pairs.) The young men also learn computers twice a week, have time with adopted families, learn cooking and have exercise, workouts, swimming and other activities. See Darkaynu page b5
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Junior Boot Camp
AliciA JAcqUes JCC Staff unior Boot Camp is in session! It is the newest addition to the already diverse list of Group Exercise classes offered at the Jewish Community Center. Junior Boot Camp is a challenging class for kids ages nine and up to attend with their parents. Class is held in a family friendly setting where parents can spend quality time with their kids while getting healthy at the same time. The aim of this program is to teach kids smart habits that will last a lifetime, while also building confidence so they can feel good about their bodies. Junior Boot Camp participants learn about strength training and bodyweight movements, and get to try new athletic training activities such as battle ropes and ball slams. With an array of age-appropriate games such as Human Hungry Hippos and workout Jenga, kids are kept interested and moving the whole time. Junior Boot Camp instructor, Heather Bucksner, knows this class is important. Children who begin to exercise at an early age tend to continue to exercise throughout their adult lives. Her class is a way to get kids excited about fitness while allowing parents to lead by example. Bucksner also notes that this class is a good alternative for kids who are not interested or involved in team sports. Bucksner said, “As a child and a teen I never felt like there was a place for me in sports. I was ALWAYS picked last for teams in P.E. and had a difficult time doing the fitness exams. I joined various sports teams, only to be left on the bench feeling frustrated and bad about myself. Because of this, I never felt I
The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | B5
was good enough, strong enough, or able to do the activities other kids were doing.” Bucksner is passionate about this class and the impact it can make in the lives of those who participate. Her goal with this class is to empower kids and to help them understand they are strong and that they have a choice in the activities they want to be involved in.
The class meets every saturday morning in the JCC Gymnasium at 10:15 a.m. and lasts 45 minutes. Junior Boot Camp is offered as part of the Group Exercise Program. All Group Exercise classes are free for JCC members. Registration is not needed to attend. Members can simply show up and enjoy their workout. More information can be obtained by calling JCC Member Services at 402.334.6426 or by visiting www.jccomaha.org.
health+wellness Darkaynu
continued from page B4 More than 400 people honored Elaine and Once a week, the young men also have Norm Brodsky for the generous support of ulpan. Twice a month, wearing Israel Dethe Darkaynu program in Israel for young fense Forces uniforms, they go to an army women and men with special needs which base where they work in a variety of tasks from food preparation to munitions sorting and cleaning. Last March, the staff and students were part of Team Darkaynu in the Jerusalem Marathon. Our host for the two visits was Rabbi Yishai Hughes, originally from Worcester, Massachusetts, the resource deDarkaynu women around an Ulpan teacher velopment assistant to the Ohr Torah Stone movement, whose interna- now bears their names. tional director is David Katz. Elana Goldscheider was recognized at the The Ohr Torah Stone modern Orthodox Dinner for spearheading its growth from its movement was founded in 1983 by Rabbi inception until today. Four “Outstanding Shlomo Riskin. Darkaynu Students”; Bobby Dratch of West The women’s college was the first school Hempstead, NY; Jonah (JJ) Goldstein of to teach post-high school women Talmud. Woodmere, NY; Michael Nagler of West They also have a program for religious Hempstead, NY; and Melissa Spector of women to serve in the army and another Lawrence, NY, were also honored at the program to train and certify women as addinner for their achievements and commitvocates in rabbinical courts. ment to Torah, chessed and Am Yisrael. The men’s section has the Yeshivat HesRabbi Shlomo Riskin, Ohr Torah Stone’s der, a rabbinical seminary and two kollels founder and Chancellor, presented awards for married men. to each of the honorees; co-Chancellor of The Museum of Jewish Heritage in Lower OTS Rabbi David Stav addressed the crowd Manhattan was the site for a celebration of and spoke about OTS’s future frontiers. The the annual dinner of Ohr Torah Stone on evening’s Master of Ceremonies was OTS Dec. 21. President, David Eisner.
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It’s not a bird – it’s SuperMeat: Israeli startup aims to grow meat without the animal
Andrew TobIn TEL AVIV | JTA The founders of an Israeli food tech startup want you to enjoy your meat without the guilt -- in fact, without the animal. SuperMeat, which launched in December and began an online crowdfunding campaign Monday, is developing a method for bioengineering “cultured meat” from animal cells. Its tagline: “Real meat, without harming animals.” Imagine a chicken breast without the chicken, developed in a machine from cells taken from a living bird and cultured in a nutrient-rich stock. The company has won notice in Israel with slick mar- Chickens would be spared under a bioengineering method being developed by the Israeli food tech startup SuperMeat. Credit: Wikimedia Commons keting, celebrity technology, which is being developed by a company coendorsements and news coverage. But the increased awarefounder and its head of research, Yaakov Nahmias, a bioness has raised tough questions for two highly principled medical engineer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. groups of Israeli eaters: Kashrut observers and vegans. Production is to work like this: Cells will be harmlessly taken SuperMeat’s co-founder and co-CEO, Koby Barak, himfrom a chicken and put into a special machine that simulates self a longtime vegan and animal rights activist, said his the bird’s biology, allowing them to self-assemble into meat. company’s cultured meat will be both kosher and veganBarak said the process could revolutionize how the world friendly, and he has the supporters to prove it. eats, striking a major blow against environmental degrada“I have spoken to about ten rabbis and I don’t see any tion, animal suffering and global health pandemics. Other problem. It will be kosher,” Barak told JTA. “The vast majority of the vegan-vegetarian movement is very supportive, meats could be made using more or less the same process, he said. and we thank them for really supporting us.” The Indiegogo fundraising goal is $100,000, which Barak Among rabbis and vegan activists, though, the debate over exactly what to make of SuperMeat, and cultured meat hopes will demonstrate consumer interest to investors, from whom it will need to raise millions more. in general, is far from resolved. Science aside, SuperMeat certainly stands out for its marSuperMeat is not the first cultured meat company, but it is keting. Between the videos of actors and models on the the first to focus on chicken. Others have already produced company’s Facebook page are taped testimonials by haredi beef, and at least one is working on pork. Mark Post, who Orthodox and religious Zionist rabbis. made headlines with the first cultured hamburger in 2013, Dov Lior, the chief rabbi of Hebron and Kiryat Arba in told JTA he hopes to be the first to get his product, recently the West Bank, and Yuval Cherlow, a Ranaana rabbi who branded Mosa Meat, to market -- in four to five years. See SuperMeat page b8 What SuperMeat thinks makes it unique is its patented
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The leper hospital that is no more Sybil Kaplan
ention leprosy and the reaction is either one of disinterest or a squeamish look. When Nefesh b’Nefesh advertised an exclusive tour in English of the Hansen House, it was probably high curiosity that brought out a room full of people, primarily senior citizens. [Nefesh b’Nefesh is a non-profit organization that promotes, encourages and facilitates aliyah from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdome, aiming to remove or minimize financial, professional, logistical and social obstacles often faced by potential new immigrants.] Knowing only that Hansen House is today a Hansen House home for artists and creators and design, technology and media academics, we were curious to learn how did this happen and what was it before. Ruth Wexler, a petite woman born in London, whose family moved to Israel when she was less than three years old, became a nurse at this Hansen House in 1988. When the doors of the house were closed in 2000, Nurse Wexler started knocking on doors to see how it could be preserved. The entire story begins in the 1830s when there were 25 people with leprosy, living in mud huts around Zion Gate, with nowhere to go. In 1865 the Baron and Baroness Augusta von Keffenbrinck Ascheraden came to Palestine and saw these people begging. The Baroness was so moved, she decided to sponsor the Mamilla Asylum for them, near Jaffa Gate with a group of German Protestants responsible for the operation. The building at 20 Agron, dedicated in 1867, was next to the US Consulate. When it became too small, in 1885, the brothers of the Moravian Church decided to build a new building, and they chose a plot near a vineyard and near the German Templers Colony. The building was designed and built by the German Protestant architect, Conrad Schick. It was dedicated as Jesus Hilfe Asyl (Jesus Helps Asylum) and between 1887 and 1950 was operated by the German Protestant community of Jerusalem and supported by the Moravian Church. Muslims, Christians and Jews were sheltered there.
The physician, who was the first to see the leprosy germ under his microscope in 1873, was Dr. Armauer Hansen of Norway. From then on, it was more often referred to as Hansen’s disease, a skin disease with skin lesions. Since 1941, there has been an effective antibiotic for it.
Credit: Wikimedia In 1948, the Moravian church debated what to do with it and in 1950 the Moravian Church sold the compound to Keren Kayemet (JNF), which transferred ownership to the State of Israel. From then on, it was renamed the Hansen Hospital. Patient care was handled by the dermatology department of Hadassah hospital and by the Ministry of Health. From 2000, when the last patients were discharged, until 2009, it was the Israeli Center for Hansen’s Disease. In 2009, that unit was relocated, and authority went to the Jerusalem Municipality which declared it an historic site in 201l. The Jerusalem Development Authority then began overseeing the renovations between 2011 and 2013. The house and garden were preserved, and it became a center for design, media and technology, hosting art and cultural events, dance performances and movie showings. The building also became the location for the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design’s Master’s Program. Most interesting is the “Behind the Wall” exhibition which documents the history of the compound from the time it served as a hospital/shelter for people suffering from Hansen’s Disease (commonly called leprosy). One can also see the operating theatre and a dining room. The house is located at Gedalyahu Alon Street 14, phone 02 579-3702; hours--Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free and open to the public.
boys Town Hospital is wrapping up the summer with free fun and fitness Kara KoSTal Marketing Coordinator, Boys Town National Research Hospital On Saturday, aug. 6, Omaha families are invited to Boys Town Hospital on 139th and Pacific Street to enjoy an afternoon of jumping, moving and grooving at the free Healthy Kids Carnival. And when we say “jumping, moving and grooving,” we mean it! Kids can jump into action in our bounce houses, move on over to the vendor booths for giveaways, education on living a healthy lifestyle and hands-on activities, then groove through fitness and performance exhibitions every hour. Activities at the Carnival include obstacle courses, carnival games and meeting the fire fighters of the Village of Boys Town, not to mention face painting, balloon twisting and music from local radio stations KAT 103.7 and 96.1 KISS FM.
Once they have visited all of the Boys Town Specialty booths and completed their carnival ticket, kids can enter for prizes like a backpack from The North Face, Omaha Storm Chasers tickets, YMCA family passes and, of course, the grand prize – a youth bike with safety gear, donated by Scheels. Don’t worry, parents and grandparents, we haven’t forgotten about you! Meet with Boys Town Specialty physicians or walk over to the Noodles and Company tent for a free sample. Our vendors would be happy to talk about the resources they can provide for happy, healthy Omaha kids. The Healthy Kids Carnival will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 14040 Boys Town Hospital Road. Parking is available at 14000 or 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road and at select Boys Town Campus parking lots, with a shuttle to drive you to the Carnival location. For more information, visit boysTownHospital.org.
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Continued from page B6 helped found the religious Zionist rabbinical group Tzohar, argue on video that SuperMeat will be parve. They say animal cells don’t count as meat and that SuperMeat’s process anyway transforms the cells into an entirely new substance. Based on similar logic, they say, gelatin derived from pigs is kosher – a position with which many other Orthodox rabbis disagree. “Here, from the beginning it’s not considered meat because it’s a microscopic thing. ...And even if it were really meat, because it changed its form, a ‘new face has arrived here’ and it’s not considered meat, and it’s clearly parve,” said Lior, using a Talmudic expression meaning that something that had previously been forbidden is no longer forbidden because of changing circumstances. On the other hand Yisrael Rosen, head of the Zomet Institute, which works to reconcile Orthodox Jewish law and technology, says SuperMeat is meat and suggests it will need rabbinic supervision. Cherlow told JTA he expects haredi Orthodox and religious Zionist rabbis to be divided on this issue. He said that’s partly because religious Zionists are willing to consider extralegal factors, like the welfare of the planet, more than haredi Orthodox rabbis would. Israel’s Chief Rabbinate will err on the side of the haredim, Cherlow predicted. “The Rabbinate is trying to include everyone, so therefore it will go to the more extreme opinions,” he said. “But I think when there is a big need, I think most of the rabbis will say you should” accept the more lenient position. Asked if cultured pork would be kosher, Cherlow said: “Emotionally it’s more difficult. But logically it’s the same answer.” The New York-based Orthodox Union has yet to take a position on cultured meat. (The group doesn’t recognize pig gelatin as kosher.) But Rabbi Moshe Elefant, the chief operating officer of the OU’s kashrut department, suggested the product sounded a lot like meat. He also confirmed that the OU’s position would be based solely on Jewish law. “We of course are very concerned about the environment, but our first consideration is always halachah,” he told JTA. SuperMeat’s concerns are more in line with those of veg-
ans and animal activists. After all, much of the company’s staff comes from that world. Like Barak, SuperMeat cofounder and co-CEO Ido Savir has been a vegan and animal rights activist for nearly two decades. Both men left jobs in Israel’s high-tech industry to join the company and focus full time on the cause of cultured meat. These deep roots in Israel’s surging vegan and animal rights movement give SuperMeat street cred. Enthusiastic supporters include the vegan activist and restaurateur Ori Shavit and leaders of the Israelbased advocacy groups The Vegan North and 269. “I’m a great admirer of the dedication of the people behind the project,” said 269 founder Sasha Boojor, who is known for having used a hot iron to brand himself with his movement’s numbers during a 2012 animal rights protest in Tel Aviv. “Of course it would be best if people decided to stop eating animals all together, but it’s not the reality we’re facing right now. And this research can address the suffering of hundreds of billions of animals who are suffering each year for no reason at all.” Boojor added: “If people eat cultured meat, I have no problem at all. I don’t have a problem eating it myself.” But other activists caution against being seduced by SuperMeat. “SuperMeat is not the change of mindset that we are working on,” said Sharbel Balloutine, the founder of an Arab-Israel group called The Vegan Human, which works with Jews to promote veganism and animal rights. “We are working on compassion. We are working on justice. And that’s what really attracts me to my vegan activism.” Anonymous, another Israeli activist group, sent JTA a statement saying: “We wish SuperMeat best of luck with the research, we welcome any initiative that can help animals. However, we must remember that as consumers, we don’t need to wait for a scientific breakthrough in order to save animals. ...There is no nutritional need for meat.” Nahmias, the scientific brain behind SuperMeat and a rare omnivore on staff, told JTA his work is motivated by his love of schnitzel, an Israeli staple that he said is becoming increasingly unsafe to eat. “As a kid, I was eating what my mother and my grandmother were cooking. And I want my kids to be able to eat the same kind of schnitzel,” he said. “That’s the reason that I do this.”
The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | B9
health+wellness
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Why infertility is a Jewish issue - and what we can do about it MIChelle Ben-AvIv MIAMI | JTA rowing up, I always dreamed of being a mom. Even as a kid I would brainstorm baby names, tell my dolls bedtime stories and swear that I would be a cool mom and let them eat cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I had it all planned out, down to the soccer jerseys and frilly dresses my future children would wear. It all seemed easy enough -- until it wasn’t. When my husband Matan and I experienced difficulty getting pregnant, we worried that our lifelong dream of becoming parents might never happen. We knew from many of our friends just how common fertility issues are -- it seemed like an epidemic. Many people we knew had been in our shoes and had to seek out fertility treatments or consider adoption. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 12 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the U.S. have difficulty either getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term. We decided to try in-vitro fertilization, or IVF, which is a grueling process but boasts high rates of success. During IVF, eggs are collected from the ovaries, fertilized in a laboratory and placed back into the uterus with the hope it will result in a successful pregnancy. When we began the process of IVF, we were shocked by the costs associated with this medical procedure. On average, each cycle costs around $12,000, plus medication, which can run another $3,000 to $5,000. And there are no guarantees. Often these costs are not covered by insurance, adding a tremendous financial burden to the litany of challenges faced during a fertility struggle. After four rounds of emotionally and physically draining IVF treatments, I gave birth to our son, Samuel, in December 2013 -- our modern miracle. We were overjoyed and ex-
traordinarily grateful. And we were inspired, too. Matan and I agreed that we wanted to do everything we could to help others experience the same magic that we had found by becoming parents. As we basked in the glory of our new baby, we agreed that money should never be the obstacle preventing anyone from becoming a mom or dad.
Matan and Michelle Ben-Aviv with their children Charlie, left, and Samuel, who were conceived with the aid of in-vitro fertilization. Inspired by their journey, the couple launched the Making Miracle Babies Fertility Fund. Credit: Michelle Ben-Aviv We knew what we needed to do. After weighing the many approaches to helping others overcome infertility, in 2014 we created the Making Miracle Babies Fertility Fund -- an interest-free loan program designed to offer loans of up to $18,000 to individuals or couples in South Florida who need costly IVF to realize their dreams of parenthood. Matan and I determined that an interest-free loan would enable people to proudly borrow the funds and repay them within a time frame of three years. In addition, the dollars would be used to create families in perpetuity; as each loan is repaid, the same dollars can then go
ROSH HaShanah Greetings This year you can send your greetings through these very special ads that will run in our annual Rosh Hashanah issue. Each ad can be personalized with your name, the names of your children or your grandchildren.
to help build the next family. With the cooperation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, we started the fund through the Hebrew Free Loan Association of South Florida, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging economic empowerment. Its loan programs provide financial help to individuals and families to navigate the opportunities and challenges in everyday life by lending money without interest. The association helps people in accordance with the core Jewish values of respect, compassion, confidentiality and self-sufficiency. Just how is infertility a Jewish issue? Our community has always placed a value on raising Jewish families. We often think of this in terms of the educational process -- we fret about the high cost of Jewish schools, we emphasize Jewish summer camps and prioritize identity-building trips to Israel. Initiatives like the PJ Library, which mails Jewish books to children free of charge, are designed to engage the youngest members of the Jewish community. But before we can even crack open that first Hanukkahthemed board book or decide between public or Jewish day school, we first need to help build Jewish families -- and that starts at the cellular level, quite literally. After all, there can be no “Jewish continuity” -- nor assimilation or intermarriage to worry about -- if we don’t have Jewish children in the first place. In recent years, the Jewish community has taken notice of this: IVF and adoption funds are available throughout North America with other agencies affiliated with the International Association of Jewish Free Loans. In New York, for example, the Hebrew Free Loan Society’s Fertility Treatment Loan Program provides interest-free loans of up to $25,000 for residents of the New York City’s metro area. In Los Angeles, there is the Feit 4 Kidz Fertility Loan Fund through the Jewish Free Loan Association. See Why infertility is a Jewish issue page B10
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health+wellness Warsaw march commemorates doctors, nurses who worked in ghetto
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JtA neWs stAFF WARSAW, Poland | JTA ome 700 people marched through the streets of Warsaw to remember the doctors, nurses and other health care workers who gave aid to Jewish ghetto residents during the World War II era. î ˘e march began Friday at the monument at the Umschlagplatz, the square where Jews during the German occupation were gathered for deportation to the Treblinka extermination camp. â€œî ˘is year we go there where the doctors and the medical service of the Warsaw Ghetto worked, the Bersohn and Bauman Children’s Hospital,â€? said
Pawel Spiewak, director of the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw. “We’re walking there to show that we remember those who were completely helpless, powerless in the face of what happened then in Warsaw.� At the hospital building, march participants hung ribbons on its fence with the names of victims of the liquidation of the ghetto. Piotr Glowacki, an acclaimed actor in Poland, read excerpts from the testimonies of ghetto nurses and doctors. He was accompanied by musician Olgierd Dokalski. Bersohn and Bauman Children’s Hospital was founded in 1878 and operated until 1942. Before World War I, Janusz Korczak, who ran an orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto for Jewish chil-
dren during World War II and died with them, was a pediatrician there. î ˘e hospital was located in the ghetto. Doctors tried to help the children, although they had limited options. Some doctors could not come to terms with the fact that their patients would be murdered in Treblinka. Children were given morphine to die in their beds and avoid transport to death camps. At the commemoration, Israel’s deputy ambassador to Poland, Ruth Cohen-Dar, said: “We are gathered here to remember the names of our sisters and brothers who were killed in the largest genocide of contemporary humanity. We are here to remember each one of them.â€?
to the next� -- is the bedrock of a thriving Jewish community. Building families can happen in many ways, and we dream of expanding the fund to enable family growth by whatever form it happens to take. Last summer, we gave birth to our daughter, Charlie, also through IVF. I joke with Sam that it was really Matan and I who were born on his birthday, not him. We truly believe that our lives really began the minute our son
was born. Our aim is to help as many people as possible experience that same sensational phenomenon - that spectacular journey called parenthood. Michelle Ben-Aviv lives in Miami Beach with her husband, Matan, and two children. Prior to becoming a mom, Ben-Aviv worked for the UJAFederation of New York building its next generation of leaders and for the Birthright Israel Foundation.
Why infertility is a Jewish issue
Continued from page B9 And now, in South Florida, we have the Making Miracle Babies Fertility Fund. Through generous donations from friends and members of the community, the fund has grown to approximately $250,000 -- enough to assist a multitude of families in perpetuity. We currently have four IVF loans in process and are seeking potential recipients to make additional loans. And because we realize IVF isn’t always an option for some families, the Making Miracle Babies Fertility Fund just began offering loans to assist with adoption, thanks to a generous partner donor. Those considering adoption can receive a loan for any related legal, medical or agency expenses. “L’dor v’dor� -- “from one generation
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While fishing for Pokemon, Israeli teen collapses in Mediterranean
JtA neWs stAFF JERUSALEM | JTA An Israeli teen lost consciousness in the Mediterranean Sea while tracking a Pokemon Go character. Assaf Ben Guzi, 17, of Ashdod, told Israel Channel 2 that he caught the Wartortle Pokemon before losing consciousness in the sea on Monday night.
A man holding up his cellphone with a screen shot of the Pokemon Go game as a woman searches on her cellphone for a Pokemon in front of the White House, July 12, 2016. Credit: Jim Watson /AFP/Getty Images
“I managed to catch it and then collapsed in the water, and from then on I don’t remember anything,� he told Channel 2 from his bed at the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot. He was pulled from the water by his brother, who is credited with saving his life. It is not known why Ben Guzi collapsed. “Assaf was concentrating on his search for the Pokemon and in his excitement ran into the water while focused entirely on what was happening on the screen of his mobile phone,� Ronit Gilad, head of the Department of Neurology at Kaplan Hospital, told Channel 2. “There is no clear cause for the collapse, but there is no doubt that the fact that he walked around for several hours with his phone, staring into it, could have triggered his collapse.� Pokeman Go has not officially launched in Israel, but players have skirted the restrictions and found characters throughout the country, including at the Western Wall and in closed military zones. The app has caused accidents around the world -- users are too absorbed in their cellphone screen to pay attention to what is going on around them. Sabre Industries, a leader in Utility and Wireless Industries, is staffing up!
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The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016 | B11
US health firms, Haifa hospital team up to ‘incubate’ digital medicine start-ups
JTA NEWS STAFF rector general of the the Rambam Health Care Campus, said in a statement. IBM Watson Health and Medtronics are IBM and Medtronic won an economic teaming up with an Israeli hospital to create stimulus grant last year from the Israeli gova high-tech “incubator” to encourage innovations in digital medicine. Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa announced the partnership, to be called “MindUP,” on Friday. Funded by the the Israeli venture capital firms Pitango and Impact First, the incubator is to be housed at the Haifa Life Sciences Technology Park in northern Israel. MindUP will eventually be home to some 40 startPeople entering the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Jan 30 2011. ups, according to the reCredit: Moshe Shai/Flash90 lease from Rambam, in a field that includes telemedicine, cloud com- ernment to launch the incubator. In anputing, wearable and implantable diagnostic nouncing the grant, Israel’s Economy sensors and information technology sysMinistry said budgets for incubators range tems for hospitals. from $500,000 to $800,000, with the grant “Digital medicine draws from a broad covering 85 percent of that amount. e range of technological fields, and Israel exstart-ups pay royalties until the grant is recels in virtually all of them,” Rafi Beyar, dipaid, according to a website for the program.
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Israeli researchers use stem cells to treat age-related blindness
jection of RPE cells, derived from human embryonic stem cells, underneath the patient’s retina. Dr. Eyal Banin, one of the lead developers of the technology and director of degenerative diseases at the Retina Center at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, believes that the OpRegen infusion will replace the patient’s dysfunctional RPE cells. It also may help support the remaining healthy cells. “e biggest advantage of this type of therapy may be its communication with the surrounding cells and environment,” he said. “is two-way interaction may help these remaining cells to survive and function properly.” Based on the encouraging results of the first phase, the researchers will move on to a second trial in which new patients will receive an upped dose. e news was announced via the Columbia, Marylandbased Foundation Fighting Blindness, which provides funding and pre-clinical research for the trials.
NYPD officers help Jewish man with wedding proposal JTA NEWS STAFF ree New York Police Department police officers staged a fake traffic stop as part of a wedding proposal. e officers stopped Yehuda Coriat, 22, and his girlfriend, Sorah Oppen, 20, in the borough of Queens on Wednesday, the New York Post reported. ey accused Coriat of carrying drugs and weapons in the car and questioned Oppen about her boyfriend before ordering her to get out of the car and open the trunk, according to the newspaper.
When Oppen opened the trunk balloons flew out, and Coriat dropped on one knee and proposed, the Post reported. A friend named Yoel Tyrnauer arranged the ruse, Oppen told the Post. Oppen said Tyrnauer was a member of the Shomrim, a Jewish volunteer neighborhood watch group, and asked the police officers for a favor. It is not known if the police officers, who wore uniforms, were on duty or off duty.
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JTA NEWS STAFF Israeli researchers say they have developed a promising stem-cell therapy to treat age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, potentially saving the sight of millions of people. Jerusalem-based Cell Cure Neurosciences reports that its OpRegen therapy infusion has shown encouraging potential in the first phase of its clinical trials. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in people over 60, and is estimated to affect 11 million people in the U.S. in various forms, asserts the Bright Focus Foundation’s fact sheet. In a healthy retina, one layer of retinal pigment epithelial cells functions to help support nutrition to photoreceptors, cells that process light to provide vision. When the RPE cells deteriorate in people with macular degeneration, photoreceptors lose their support system and deteriorate, ultimately leading to blindness. e Israeli firm’s therapy involves an in-
B12 | The Jewish Press | August 5, 2016
usnews
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Yes, I’m a Democrat married to a Republican
SHANNoN SARNA Kveller via JTA few weeks ago, a dear friend texted me, “I’ve been wondering. How do you and your husband deal with the election, ya know, since he’s a Republican?” I laughed out loud at her text, but there is a serious undertone to it. We are, in fact, a “mixed marriage.” Republican presidential candidates debating at Saint Anselm ColI hail from what some lege in New Hampshire, Feb. 6, 2016. Credit: YouTube might call a “raging liberal Practically a four-letter word for me. Democratic (Jewish) family.” Yup, my parNevertheless, I gave him a chance, which ents were hippies and their kids have not (obviously) has a very happy ending, at least strayed too far, at least from their politics. on the days when he doesn’t leave his launAnd if you would have told me 15 years ago dry all over the bedroom floor. I would be happily married to a -- gasp -Now that we have both le the (wonderRepublican, I would have told you that fully nerdy) bubble of Washington for subyou’re out of your mind. urban New Jersey (not so ick, turns out) and But it was our mutual love of politics and neither of us work in politics any longer, we authentic interest in debate and the state of still crave the engagement in current affairs the country that contributed to our attracand healthy debate. We have both influenced tion. We met in Washington, D.C., just over one another’s views: My husband has benine years ago. We had both majored in pocome a vocal advocate for LGBT issues, and litical science, focusing on the Middle East he has challenged my positions on taxes and and Israel, and both worked in politics, he economy. (I won’t quite go quite so far as to for a presidential campaign and political say he has changed my mind, but he has strategy firm, and me for a lobbying firm. I forced me to examine my positions.) scoffed when I first met him: He was Some people have been critical of his younger than me, he was from New Jersey changed position, saying I have “converted” (ick) and he was, indeed, a Republican.
him. But I view the political challenges we have given one another as the best possible outcome when two people have diverging viewpoints. We debated, we researched, we debated some more, and we moved a little closer to one another through education and conversation. Like a marriage, a healthy political system needs checks and balances and will thrive from respectful, ongoing, healthy debate. I would like to think that’s one of the ways a government can best act in the interests of its citizens: by elected officials challenging one another, and by listening to dissimilar viewpoints with an open mind. It doesn’t always result in a vast change of view, but hopefully it does result in greater knowledge. We will probably never agree on foreign policy or taxes, though I am now trying to better understand the minimum wage debate as a result of our conversations. We agree on most other domestic issues, especially gun policies and reform considering recent tragic events. ere is one thing we agree on of late: what a crazy upside down and somewhat terrifying election this has been. And I am relieved with the degree to which he has been disenchanted with the Republican Party of late. is election has truly brought out the worst in all of us. It’s emotional. It’s frustrating. ose are understatements. It’s hard to scroll through Facebook without seeing dozens of inciteful posts from both sides, and of course it’s so easy to have strong,
sometimes hateful opinions when it’s online. Which is one of the reasons I do appreciate having a partner with whom I can debate in person. We all tend to stick to our bubbles and shy away from debates that could be contentious in person. It’s hard when someone you love doesn’t agree with you on an issue you feel passionately about. But I think that’s one of the reasons the country is as polarized as it is right now: We react emotionally instead of rationally; we respond to a headline before actually reading a piece, and we don’t take the time to know “the other.” “If you understand each other, you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never led to hate and almost always leads to love,” wrote John Steinbeck. I am scared about the outcome of this election, but I remain pro-dialogue. And I am happy to be married to a thoughtful, smart, albeit messy Republican who is happy to (respectfully) duke it out with this raging Democrat. Shannon Sarna is editor of e Nosher. She graduated from Smith College with a degree in comparative government and Spanish language and literature and lives in South Orange, New Jersey, with her husband, daughters and rescue dogs.) Kveller is a thriving community of women and parents who convene online to share, celebrate and commiserate their experiences of raising kids through a Jewish lens.Visit Kveller.com.
Living Well with Tinnitus Boys Town Audiology INVITES YOU TO
During this free two-hour class, Boys Town audiologists will explain: • What tinnitus is • How tinnitus can affect you • Ways to reduce tinnitus annoyance • Listening device options for tinnitus
Thursday, August 25 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. Boys Town National Research Hospital 14000 Boys Town Hospital Road (139th & Pacific Street, on Boys Town campus) The class includes a light snack. Attendees will be allowed to interact and talk about their tinnitus experience.
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National Research Hospital
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Please register by calling (402) 498-6520 or register online at boystownhospital.org
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