The Jewish Press
JFO: Here for Good
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
Save the date Sunday, Sept. 22, when we are all invited to our 2025 Annual Campaign Community Kickoff Event! At 5 p.m., we’ll gather at the Pickleball courts in the Alan J. Levine Athletic Facility. It’s a celebratory event, but it is also the start of something amazing: the Annual Campaign, which is how we all come together to keep this community vibrant and robust. We aim to raise $3.4 million.
Bruce Goldberg is part of the Campaign Cabinet as Major Donor Chair.
“We are cheerleaders and promotors to help make this a successful Campaign,” he said.
“Omaha is truly unique, and we all need to participate to keep this thing rolling. That doesn’t only mean contributing dollars but also giving time and passion. The more people are actively involved in our community, the more vibrant it becomes. We all want to make more connections and friends!”
Our guests at the Community Kickoff Event are ESPN anchor Linda Cohn and FOX two-time Sports Emmy Award-
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
From May 13 through 17, Jewish Federations of North America welcomed approximately 65 participants to its National Women’s Philanthropy (NWP) Board Leadership Mission in London, England. This mission was the first of its kind and billed as an See NWP Lions page 2
winner Ken Rosenthal.
Hall of Fame sportscaster Linda Cohn has served as a SportsCenter anchor since joining ESPN in 1992. She is ESPN’s longest-tenured SportsCenter anchor and in early 2016 was recognized for anchoring her 5,000th SportsCenter, the most of any anchor in ESPN history. In 2017, she was inducted into the National Sports Media Association (NSMA) Hall of Fame. She currently hosts the 1 a.m. ET edition of SportsCenter that originates from Los Angeles. In 2008 Cohn authored her autobiography – Cohn-Head: A No-Holds-Barred Account of Breaking into the Boys’ Club. The book details her hardfought rise to the top of the sportscasting world and her life inside the ESPN empire. Cohn began her career in sportscasting in Patchogue, N.Y., as a news anchor, writer and sports reporter for WALK-AM/FM in 1981. She continued her work with three other New York radio stations until 1987: WCBS NewsRadio 88 (1984-87); WCBS-FM (1984-87); WGBB-AM (1984-85). Cohn’s radio experience is highlighted by her becoming the first full-time female sports anchor on a national See JFO: Here for Good page 3
SARAH KELEN
Congregation B’nai Jeshurun
The year 2024 marks the centennial of Lincoln’s South Street Temple. Congregation B’nai Jeshurun was founded in the late nineteenth century. The current building was dedicated in 1924 after the previous Temple building on 12th and D was destroyed in a fire. To commemorate this anniversary, members of some longstanding Temple families are sharing memories about the building and the Temple’s history.
In honor of the South Street Temple’s 100th year at its present location, Rick Kohn, currently Temple Vice President, shared some memories from his family’s deep connection to the congregation and the building. Rick’s great-grandfather, Henry Schlesinger, was one of the Temple’s founding members in the 1890s.
Temple member Jay Wolf is also one of Henry Schlesinger’s great-grandchildren still affiliated with the See South Street page 2
Linda Cohn
Ken Rosenthal
THE OMAHA NWP LIONS: Cindy Goldberg, left, Kimberly Robinson, Stacey Rockman and Nancy Schlessinger
Rick Kohn standing in front of the ark at the South Street Temple in Lincoln. The ark was designed by Keats Lorenz. Rick’s grandfather was a finish carpenter on the ark.
NWP Lions
Continued from page 1 opportunity for participants “to grow in our leadership through a unique opportunity that will widen the lens on your view of Jewish Federations and how the system makes an impact nationally and globally.” Among the participants were Jewish Federation of Omaha president Nancy Schlessinger, as well as Cindy Goldberg, Kimberly Robinson and Stacey Rockman.
All four are part of the JFNA National Women’s Philanthropy Board.
“This group of approximately 150 women from all over the country share the same values,” Nancy said. “They believe in supporting their local Federations at a certain level of giving, and they believe in volunteerism. When we gather together at NWP Board retreats for at the International Lion of Judah Convention (which happens every other year) it is like seeing your sisters all over again and sharing very special times together. NWP is an eight-year commitment with a giving level of at least $10,000 to the Annual Campaign. It is a very special group of ladies and many of us come together outside of the regular programming.”
“We are connected worldwide,” Cindy Goldberg said. “Issues like fundraising, community involvement and antisemitism affect us all. We need to work together to continue to try to repair our world. Women’s philanthropy deserves our attention.”
Nancy agreed: “Women philanthropists are the change-makers and community-shapers
of the world. We are sisters, daughters, mothers and friends, compassionate and committed women at every stage of life and career. Now more than ever, we need to come together, show our strength as leaders to help with the ongoing issue of rising antisemitism, support and solidarity for our friends and family in Israel and for those in need in our
own Omaha community.”
“We are doers,” Cindy said. “We are passionate, we volunteer, we donate and share values with our families and communities.”
Those five days in London held a jampacked itinerary, including a large variety of speakers, a presentation by JFNA President and CEO Eric Fingerhut, a celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut, a visit to the JW3, the only Jewish Community Center of its kind in the UK, and a briefing from Tzipi Hotovely, Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom. They met with Jewish youth, teens and young adults, whose commitments to Israel have been anchored by global programs such as Masa, Birthright, BBYO and more.
In addition to Hotovely, they met with other dignitaries, and “learned about the political situation in the United Kingdom and their very close relationship with Israel,” Nancy said.
“We spent much of Yom Ha’atzmaut at the largest Jewish day school in the UK, participated in some of their activities and heard from teachers and students on what it is like to attend that school. We also learned a great deal about the Jewish community in London and about the 100,000 + locals who marched promoting the Jewish message of peace in Israel. Like us, the Jewish community in London faces antisemitism. We learned about how London’s Jewish community deals with the rise in antisemitism and we wanted to show our support and solidarity with our See NWP Lions page 3
South Street
Continued from page 1 Temple. Jay and Rick are second cousins.
Another one of Rick’s great-grandfathers, Bernard Kohn, lived in Seward at the time. He and a brother-in-law ran Adler and Kohn’s dry goods store in Seward. Eventually both families moved to Lincoln.
Rick’s family has been associated with the Temple longer than the Temple has been in the current building, the congregation’s second building, after the original Temple burned down in 1922. Within our South Street Building, Rick has a particular connection with the beautiful wood ark.
The ark was designed by Keats Lorenz, a wood carver and designer of decorative architectural elements. Lorenz lived in Nebraska from 1922-1929, working as a teacher of woodworking at Whittier Junior High and also doing carving work on multiple architectural projects at the time, including his work on the Temple’s ark in 1924. Lorenz also carved the doors of the State Capitol’s east legislative chamber.
Rick’s grandfather Hac, Rick’s mother’s father, was a finish carpenter on the ark. Rick’s mother remembered bringing him his lunch while he was working on the doors when she was a girl. Although his grandfather Hac died before he was born, Rick has followed his lead in doing woodwork to beautify the Temple. Rick has done repair work on our doors as needed and also installed the wooden handrail to help congregants up to the bimah.
Rick is the fourth generation of his family to be Temple members, and his son Ben’s family includes both the fifth generation (Ben) and sixth generation (Ben’s daughter Libby) of Temple members. Rick says that he can count fifty-eight names on our yahrzeit boards who are relatives of his, either directly or through marriage.
Nancy at JW3-the only Jewish Community Center of its kind in the UK; a vibrant hub for all things Jewish where everyone is welcome. They created a bridge with locks for freeing the 10/7 hostages and this is a photo of Nancy adding a lock and message for freedom.
JFO: Here for Good
Continued from page 1 radio network (ABC) in 1987 where she worked from 87-89. In 1985 she began working for WLIG-TV on Long Island as a part-time anchor and reporter. She also worked as anchor, news director and chief correspondent for Long Island News Tonight, a daily television news program (1985-86).
Beginning October 1989, Cohn worked at KIRO-TV in Seattle where she was a weekend sports anchor and full-time reporter.
Cohn received a bachelor of arts degree in communications from SUNY at Oswego in 1981. As a senior at Newfield (N.Y.) High School, she served as the goalie on the boy’s ice hockey team and in college on the Oswego women’s ice hockey team
Ken Rosenthal is a reporter and insider for FOX Sports’ Major League Baseball coverage. He has served as the network’s reporter for the MLB Postseason since 2006.
A sportswriter for over 30 years, Rosenthal contributes to FOX Sports’ game coverage as a reporter and insider. On-air since 2005, he delivers weekly pregame reports and serves as a roving reporter during featured matchups on FOX and FS1. Rosenthal has been a major part of MLB Network’s programming since 2009, contributing to a wide array of baseball programming throughout the year. In Aug. 2017, he joined The Athletic as a senior baseball writer, covering the latest stories from around the league.
the Sun. He also spent five years as senior baseball writer at The Sporting News, writing a weekly column for the magazine, as well as breaking news and writing features for its web site.
When he’s not tweeting (@Ken_Rosenthal) the latest inside information to MLB diehards, Rosenthal is a frequent contributor to Fox Sports Radio, and had a 14year run as a radio personality in Baltimore on WJFK-AM and WBAL-AM.
Rosenthal also has authored or contributed to three books. Chicken Soup for the Baseball Fan’s Soul was released in 2001, while Best of the Best-35 Major League Superstars, which was produced in partnership with and licensed by MLB Properties, Inc., was published in 1998. His third book, Dean Smith: A Tribute, was published in 2001. One claim to fame: his laptop once got smashed by a Cal Ripken foul ball.
“The JFO is our umbrella,” Bruce said. “Its ties us together as a community and supplies us with information, support and the programming and relationships we need in order to thrive. And all of us need to do our part and help out in various ways.”
The 2025 JFO Annual Campaign is chaired by Julie and Dr. Eric Phillips, Shiri and David Phillips, and Lily Phillips and Brett Castonado.
Rosenthal won back-to-back Emmy Awards in 2015 and 2016 in the category of Outstanding Sports Personality –Sports Reporter.
During the 2011 season, Rosenthal became active with “The Bow Tie Cause,” a philanthropic initiative created by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones in honor of Jones’ best friend who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1999. Jones’ company produces bow ties that represent a number of nationally known charities, from Livestrong to Ronald McDonald House to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Rosenthal wears a charity’s bow tie during each MLB on FOX game that he works and talks about the cause in addition to how fans can offer support during the broadcast.
He spent the early years of his professional career as a baseball writer and columnist at The Baltimore Sun (1987 -2000). Simultaneously, he was a contributor to Sports Illustrated from 1990 to 2000, serving as one of 12 national writers providing weekly notes during baseball season. Rosenthal was named Maryland Sportswriter of the Year five times while at
Federation is here for good. We have been for over 100 years and will be for generations to come. We invite you all to mark your calendars and join us on Sept. 22. We can’t wait to see you!
NWP Lions
Continued from page 2 London Lions of Judah sisters.”
“It meant a great deal to be with women from across the US who hold similar viewpoints to me,” Stacey said. “It has been hard for many of our peers to understand the pain and sadness we have felt since October 7. In many ways, I have never felt more Jewish and so bonded with my fellow Lions. I am grateful to have had this experience. We came away with beautiful memories of a perfect mission. The best part was being with friends and making new ones. I loved every minute, and I can’t wait to see all these women again at the Lion Conference next year!”
Cindy agreed: “This trip to London was a great bonding experience with fellow NWP board members.”
Jewish Family Service Summer Newsletter
TERESA DRELICHARZ
JFS Executive Director
In July, Jewish Family Service welcomed three new faces to our agency. None of them are strangers to the Jewish Federation of Omaha campus. Shelly Fox and Michael Morris were transferred to us from the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, as part of the JFS Reimagining process, and Annie Rifkin grew up in the community, attending many different activities on campus over the past three decades.
munity I have lived in my whole life.
Shelly Fox has held several positions at the RBJH over the last 21 years, and is now proud to be with JFS as Director of Jewish Senior Outreach.
“My goal is to be available to respond to and support those that are looking for help for themselves or their loved ones,” she said. “I meet with community members to learn more
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Annie Rifkin is the new Therapist and Program Specialist. Having recently graduated with her master’s in social work from the University of Kansas, she is eager to bring her passion and skills to our vibrant community. Her academic journey included valuable internships, including one at Phoenix Family, a low-income housing organization in Kansas City, and most recently at Children’s Nebraska, where she worked as a medical social worker.
“Originally from Omaha,” she said, “I spent the last ten years as the BBYO Regional Director for Greater Kansas City. During this time, our community faced significant challenges, including the tragic shootings at the Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom in 2013, along with the global pandemic. These experiences deepened my commitment to supporting teens and their families through life’s transitions, helping them adapt to change, become confident leaders, and build strong support systems within the community. This work ultimately inspired me to pursue my master’s in social work, to make a greater impact.”
about their situation and to find out how Jewish Senior Outreach (JSO) might be helpful.”
Just a few of the services available to our community through JSO are Home delivered meals, Medical Transportation, Individual case management, Home Visits, Grief Support groups, Dementia Support groups and referrals for Home Care, Handyman services and Home Handicapped supplies and equipment.
“Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns,” Shelly added, “and know that privacy and confidentiality is always respected.”
Shelly will remain in her office at the RBJH, with the same phone number and email address. You can contact her at sfox@rbjh.com or by calling 402.334.6532.
LINCOLN
In addition to her director role, she also served on a Jewish first responders’ team and trained professionals, volunteers, and parents in Youth Mental Health First Aid, equipping them to better support our youth.
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“My personal philosophy centers on nurturing the whole person,” she said, “which aligns perfectly with the mission of Jewish Family Service. I am excited to be back in my hometown and look forward to making a positive impact within the Jewish community that shaped my life and values!”
I have had the privilege of assisting our Jewish community older adults and their families for over 20 years. In 2007, I received my master’s in social work from UNO. I could not have imagined a profession more fulfilling than serving the com-
In a world filled with Simpsons— Jessica, Homer, and until recently O.J.—is there still a place for biblical Samson (as narrated in chapters 1316 of the Book of Judges)? Have no fear! This biblical strongman has managed to muscle his way into popular culture, even if he doesn’t (you’ll pardon the expression) bring the house down anymore.
Not surprisingly, it is his hair, or its loss, that attracts most attention. In the world of sports shorn, or unshorn, locks are frequently associated with Samson. Thus it was that a month before an earlier Super Bowl the Philadelphia Inquirer ran a story headlined Shaggy Fans Let It Grow, about male football fans adopting a “no-shaving trend” in support of their beloved Eagles. The newspaper’s female fashion writer opines: “Who knows why men take leave of their grooming senses when they are up against a competitive wall? Perhaps the superstition harks back to the biblical story of Samson, who loses all of his strength after his lover, Delilah, orders a slave to shave his head.”
It is not only American fans. We learn from The Mercury about a footballer for the Melbourne (Australia) football club who went “from dreadlocks over summer to shoulder-length early in the season—and now, almost a corporate cut.” Although he himself was nonplussed (“Hey, it’s only a haircut, not a cruciate ligament”), “fans will be dropping to their knees until Saturday’s elimination final, imploring no repeat of the Biblical version of Samson’s demise.” Be that as it may, he was following his Mum’s desires. Would that Samson had been so respectful of parental wishes.
Mike Morris will remain our Jewish Senior Outreach Driver, and will continue to provide transportation and deliver Meals on Wheels to community members. As JFS/JSO programming expands, he will be available to offer transportation and meal delivery services to even more seniors in the community. Mike doesn’t just “drive and deliver,” he also brings a warm smile and caring attitude to people in the community who may not have much human contact otherwise.
“I am a happy family man,” he said, “who’s been married for over 25 years. I’ve helped raise my 3 beautiful daughters and have been with Jewish Family Service through RBJH for over 5 years. My passions include motorcycling, my dogs, and Nebraska Cornhusker football.”
With such popular interest in Samson, it is not surprising that there have been commercial enterprises with images of him. So we read of an action figure “Spirit-Warrior Samson who looks ready to pull down the Philistine temple again.”
As reported in Melbourne’s The Age, Samson will be joining other biblical characters in “a spiritual battle for the toybox.”
As reported in London’s Guardian, Samson can be associated with some of the sweetest items we know of, even if it seems unlikely: “Look closely at Tate & Lyle’s Golden Syrup tin and a quote from Samson appears underneath an image of a dead lion and a swarm of bees: ‘Out of the strong came forth sweetness’” (from Judges 14:14). The author of this story continues, “It seems clear what the sweetness refers to. But any connection between Samsonian strength and consuming lots of the sticky yellow contents with your pancakes seems more linked to Victorian marketing hyperbole.”
Let’s end this column with another example of undiluted sweetness. And nothing says sweetness better than a love story. So we close with a narrative, reported in the BelfastTelegraph, of a fabled running of the All-Ireland Donkey Derby. This race featured “Samson, a super donkey, who was fed Guinness and a cup of molasses daily along with the best of oats and trained to win the Derby as an odds-onfavourite.” But, we are told, this Samson “had one big weakness. He fell too readily in love with girl donkeys,” one of whom—Delilah by name—was in this very race. The result: “Instead of dashing past Delilah on the way to the winning post, Samson, braying donkey of devotion, insisted on following behind her all the way, never mind the coaxing of his young and frustrated jockey to sweep past to victory.” Although Samson “the amorous ass” was only runner up in the race, I like to believe that he savored a far sweeter victory on the grazing fields of Ireland.
Annie Rifkin
Shelly Fox Mike Morris
Samson
LEONARD J GREENSPOON
A Tree of Life screening
PAM MONSKY
JCRC
Assistant Director
Please join the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) for an exclusive event Tuesday, Aug. 20. In partnership with HBO and the Secure Community Network, the Omaha Jewish community has been chosen for a screening of the HBO documentary A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting on Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine Theater at the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus of the Jewish Community Center. The film will be followed by a panel discussion that includes Stephanie Viegas, SCN Deputy National Security Advisory and Carol Black, a survivor of the attack – the deadliest assault on the American Jewish community in U.S. history.
In a statement, Trish Adlesic, the documentary’s director said, “White supremacy and the increase of hate rhetoric and hate crimes are a matter of life and death for all of us. We began by telling an American-Jewish story, then a Pittsburgh story, and have now found ourselves telling a universal story. It was of vital importance to me to honor the sacred memory of the victims by giving agency to the family members and survivors that felt comfortable sharing their experiences and feelings. They are the only ones that should tell the story.”
The following day, Aug. 21, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. law enforcement agencies and the community are invited to a security training hosted by SCN and the Jewish Federation of Omaha in the Goldstein Engagement Venue. Lunch is included at no cost.
This event is generously sponsored by the Jule M. Newman Anti-Bigotry Fund and The Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Foundation, Anything Grants from the Staenberg Family Foundation, and The Special Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.
Registration is required for both events using the QR code or emailing pmonsky@jewishomaha.org
ABOUT THE FILM: On Oct. 27, 2018, a gunman opened fire inside a Pittsburgh synagogue, murdering 11 people as they prayed, in what would become the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history. A Tree of See A Tree of Life page 6
Anything Grant will enhance Beth Israel’s security
LINDA POLLARD
JFO Foundation Endowment
Assistant/Staff Writer
Beth Israel Synagogue was awarded a 2024 Anything Grant to help cover the costs of a new front door video intercom system. Their current video intercom system is inadequate and has not been working properly for the last few years. The new system will have a better camera and bigger viewing screen.
Liora Herskovitz, Beth Israel’s Executive Director, said, “In today’s turbulent times, the issue of security looms as a high concern for all Jewish institutions. Receiving the Anything Grant for a muchneeded upgrade to Beth Israel’s front door security is a tremendous gift. The upgrade will include a far superior video and intercom system providing a greater level of security in addition to detailed recording and playback options. The safety of everyone attending and working at Beth Israel is paramount, and this will enable the synagogue to strengthen security measures. Todah Rabah.”
Anything Grants are generously funded by Michael Staenberg and the Staenberg Family Foundation, and have been administered by the Jewish Federation of Omaha since 2017. In 2021, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation became the administrator in partnership with the Federation. The grants are one-time matching grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 equal to 50 percent of the project budget. Organizations are responsible for raising the remaining 50 percent from other sources. Project budgets are not to exceed $10,000. Grants can be awarded for anything, including hiring a nonprofit consultant, purchasing technology, staff/board pro-
fessional development, or building beautification/improvement projects.
Anything grants are available to Jewish organizations in Omaha, Lincoln, and Council Bluffs, Iowa annually.
Margo Parsow, Jewish Federation of Omaha Engagement Associate, stated, “It has been my great honor to serve as a coordinator of the Michael Staenberg and Staenberg Family Foundation Anything Grant committee along with Diane Walker from the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. Because of Michael Staenberg’s generosity and
JEWISH PRESS READERS
commitment to the Omaha Jewish community, we were able to award nearly $50,000 in grant funding to Jewish organizations in Omaha, Lincoln and Council Bluffs. The impact of the Anything Grant will be felt by many for years to come creating a lasting legacy of financial support and dedication that will assist our community in thriving.” Thank you to Michael Staenberg, the Staenberg Family Foundation, and for all who applied for this wonderful grant opportunity.
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Traditional Values
Carol Black
The Kaplan Book Group is “Numbered”
SHIRLY BANNER
JFO Library Specialist
On Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group will gather for its monthly meeting. Group members have the choice of meeting either in person in the Benjamin & Anna Wiesman Reception Room in the Staenberg Jewish Community Center or via Zoom. This month they will be discussing The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is the first book in a three-book series about survival during the Holocaust in the concentration camp of Auschwitz. Each novel introduces a character who is developed in a subsequent novel. Written in the genre of historical fiction, the main characters are based on real people whose lives and struggles Morris brings to light.
In The Tattooist of Auschwitz, we are introduced to Lale Sokolov and Gita Furman. This novel tells the story of their love, survival, and hopes during their bleak days spent in Auschwitz. It is by sheer luck and the kindness of an academic of economics from Paris that Lale is befriended by the camp’s Tätowierer and asked to become his assistant. When Pepan disappears, Lale becomes the Tätowierer. It is with this privileged assignment position that Lale is able to aid others in the camp and survive. It is shortly after assuming his assistant duties and tattooing a group of young ladies that Lale first sets eyes upon Gita Furman. Gita becomes the hope and salvation that will get Lale through his concentration ordeal, and Lale serves the same purpose for Gita.
sorting place for all the former possessions of those who have come to the camp. Their task is to secure a source of jewels and monies for bargaining to obtain much needed extra food portions and the occasional medicine needed for the survival of fellow prisoners.
Lale and Gita’s love and devotion to each other helps ensure a strong motivation to survive and think about a future beyond the camp at the end of the war. When Gita is sick with typhus, Lale barters for medicine and secures a transfer from “Canada” to the administrative offices for her. It is there that we are introduced to Cilka, whose character is developed in Morris’ second book, Cilla’s Journey
Lale develops a close relationship with a large group of Romany people who share his housing block. He is heartbroken when they are later “evacuated.” Lale also encounters the infamous Dr. Mengele. Lale is a witness to the cruelty and fear of Mengele’s wrath towards Jews.
After nearly three years, and with the Russian army advancing towards them, the women and subsequently the men are being evacuated from the camp by the SS. While Lale and Gita are separated, they both eventually escape from the SS guards and are reunited to begin their long-anticipated lives together. Please feel free to join us on Aug. 15 in person or via Zoom. The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group meets on the third Thursday of every month at 1 p.m. New members are always welcome.
Did you know...
Israel is only 1/6 of 1% of the landmass of the Middle East ( roughly half the size of Lake Michigan).
Israel has more museums per capita than any other country in the world.
In many Israeli bus stops, you can find a box for tzedakah. Most of the Windows NT operating system was developed by Microsoft-Israel.
The Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is the world’s oldest continuously used cemetery and the world’s biggest Jewish cemetery.
Israel has the world’s only underwater museum and only underwater restaurant, in the southern city of Eilat. Israel is home to the largest known dog cemetery, in the coastal city of Ashkelon.
Every year, about 1,000 letters are sent to Jerusalem, Israel, that are addressed to G-d.
More than 9 out of 10 Israeli homes use solar power to heat water.
A Tree of Life
Continued from page 5
Despite being a prisoner, Lale makes the most of it, and befriends various female prisoners who work in “Canada” - the
The Group receives administrative support from the Community Engagement & Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For information about the group and to join in the discussion, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sbanner@jewishomaha.org
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. Just fill out the form below and send or bring it to the Jewish Press office. But hurry; these ads will only be accepted through August 16, 2024
Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting is a deeply personal portrait of the survivors, victims, and family members, who share their harrowing first-hand accounts of the impact of the shooting on the community. The film is rooted in a community working to rebuild and heal in the aftermath of a violent attack. Despite core differences, they come together to determine what justice looks like and how best to move forward while honoring and learning from the past. The film sheds light on the collective trauma suffered by a tight-knit group and brings into sharp focus the hatebased rhetoric surrounding many of the mass shootings today, threatening the fabric of our society. The story of the attack is told through voices from the community, including Carol Black, Dr. Joseph Charny, Anthony Fienberg, Martin Gaynor, Audrey Glickman, Daniel Leger, Hannibal Lokumbe, Wasi Mohamed, Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, Brad Orsini, Rabbi Jonathan Perlman, Michele Rosenthal, Diane Rosenthal, Augie Siriano, Ellen Surloff, Andrea Wedner, Stephen Weiss, Barry Werber, Eliezer Rosenthal, and Joy Rosenthal.
SP O TLIGHT
PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS
SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org
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Right: Amy Dworin was all-in during the ELC color wars.
Above: Christine Olsen, left, Sarah Piper, Lisa Cooper, Amy Dworin and Pam Kutler celebrate the end of a very successful color wars week at the Early Learning Center.
Top, above, below and bottom: Rose Blumkin Jewish Home celebrated the beginning of the Paris Olympics with an opening ceremony of our own.
Below: U.S. Congressman Mike Flood hosted Rabbi Steven Abraham of Omaha in Washington, D.C., as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress.
Left, above and below: Sasha Denenberg has been volunteering in Israel for over a month; left top, Sasha with Maya and Gali Gavron, whose father Assaf was in Omaha to work at UNO almost ten years ago. Gali and Maya attended Friedel Jewish Academy back then. The menorah on the right is being held up as part of a protest in Tel Aviv to release our hostages. More to follow next week!
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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 JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Press Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.
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The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.
Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.”
The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf.
Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450.
Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422.
Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org
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.
Story Time: you are invited
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
Here is where I make my case for you to join us during the upcoming writer’s workshop. We all need good, positive, happy stories. I know you have some.
People often wonder where I get my ideas for opeds, and it’s simple: I read news wherever I can find it. But lately, there is an excess of bad and depressing headlines in my inbox. And every once in a while, I have to walk away from that.
I’m lucky: I’m surrounded by a community and a workplace that is warm and full of love. If that sounds shmaltzy, I won’t apologize. It may seem like a disconnect: the realization, again and again, that the world is becoming more and more dangerous for Jews, coupled with our day-to-day lives in Jewish Omaha. I get to photograph three-year-olds covered in foam and food coloring during the ELC’s color wars. I have to watch my step when I walk through the hallway because there are camp kids underfoot everywhere. Our synagogues are vibrant and welcoming. We do not have to hide in bomb shelters. We plan events, and are getting ready for the Annual Campaign-and all that that entails. And then I read about Nazi salutes at Olympic games and dead terrorists and rocket attacks and see photographs of Druze funerals.
The counterbalance can be found in our personal beliefs, our histories, our habits and our culture. It can especially be found in our thriving community.
The mission of the Jewish Press isn’t just in sharing
news, it’s in telling the story of Jewish Omaha, and that is something we can’t do without your help. Often that help comes in the form of donations, ad buys, verbal support (we do love compliments) and clicks when you open the weekly email or visit our website. It’s also support when you see an article, then call a friend or family member to share what you read, or when you visit us, share anecdotes in an email, or save a newspaper clipping for your scrapbook.
The truth is, we need your stories.
The Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Press recently held our first writing workshop. Our remaining sessions are 5-7 p.m. on Aug. 13 and Sept. 5 in the Wiesman Family Reception Room, and Sept. 19 in the Noshery.
If you have never been to a writing workshop, here is what to expect.
appear with you. If you don’t pass on your family’s history, who will? (Disclaimer: that doesn’t mean you’re there to share secrets).
4. Writing without pressure is therapeutic.
1. No judgment. Nobody goes to a writing workshop because they’s Pulitzer winners. Everyone is there to learn. If you think your writing skills aren’t good enough to attend a workshop, then you are exactly who we want to see.
2. You’ll surprise yourself. Who knew that the stories your uncle told every single Thanksgiving (you know, the ones everyone in the family has heard a hundred times) were actually meaningful for people beyond the immediate family? Maybe, once you write some of them down, they’ll trigger other memories!
3. Your family and friends will thank you. Believe it or not, some of the stories you know will dis-
Yes, we need happy and positive stories, but that does not mean all stories have to be joyful. Let’s face it: it’s been a challenging year. Why not get some of it off your chest? Besides, it’s a writing workshop, not a publishing workshop. If what you put on paper is for your eyes alone, nobody will force you to share.
Of course, if you do end up writing something you want to see in print, the NJHS and the Press will be happy to oblige.
Please come! You can register at https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/_mac 9g?vid=16mmzh, or by emaling avandekamp@ jewishomaha.org or Jrips@jewishomaha.org
Handing power to the next generation is hard. This week’s Torah portion argues for its necessity.
ERICA BROWN
JTA
We often invoke the Hebrew phrase “l’dor v’dor,” from generation to generation, within Jewish life. This expression of continuity suggests that a smooth transition from one generation to the next is only one Hebrew consonant away.
But anyone who studies or practices leadership, however, knows that succession is tricky. Sometimes it’s even treacherous. Veteran leaders may hesitate to hand over the reins, believing they have the most wisdom and experience. Experience alone does not create trust. Experience can also be a liability.
The succession from older to younger leaders raises deep anxieties about an organization’s identity and its governance. New policies can alienate traditional supporters. Such turns can also destabilize a political party or an organization for months, if not longer. Yet implementing change is critical and essential. It signals to stakeholders that new energy and ideas are valued. Emerging talent will be nurtured and grown.
Leadership transitions have been at the center of U.S. politics this week as President Joe Biden decided to end his reelection run and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. So it is a fitting coincidence that this week’s Torah portion offers numerous examples of next-generation leadership, culminating in Moses’ ceding his role as the leader of the Israelites as our peripatetic nation inches closer to a homeland.
In the portion, Pinhas fills a role that Moses could not. Eleazer, the High Priest, stands next to Moses, his uncle, to occupy the former role of his late father Aaron. On the steppes of Moab, the two enumerate the clans then name the main descendants associated with each tribe, offering a glimpse of future leadership on the precipice of the Jordan River.
These examples are followed by Moses’ astounding support for the transfer of power from the very being with the most at stake: “Let the Lord, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out
and bring them in, so that the Lord’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd” (Num 27: 16-17).
The medieval French commentator Rashi notes that Moses, once forbidden to enter the Promised Land, asks only that his replacement have merit. There is a darker midrashic take on this request: “I ask that You should not do to him, as You have done to me since I may not bring them into the Land.” Moses seeks to correct the way he had been treated.
God immediately grants Moses’ request. Joshua is chosen. Moses’ own sons are not deemed worthy. The needs of the nation come first. Joshua earned his place through loyalty and hard work, and, according to interpretations in Jewish tradition, deserved his new status because he straightened out the chairs in the study hall and carried buckets of water. Leadership is ultimately about serving rather than being served.
Moses lays his lands upon Joshua’s head in a gesture of affection and authority and secures his replacement in front of the entire congregation publicly. “Invest him with some of your authority, so that the whole Israelite community may obey” (Num. 27:20). This biblical equivalent of an endorsement told others that Joshua had God’s approval rating.
As we live longer and healthier lives, many deserving leaders wait in the wings for established leaders to cede power. They rarely go willingly, as we’ve seen with many political and corporate leaders today. They hang on too long and make little room for fresh blood when they should have left the
world stage gracefully. When they do, as we’ve seen this past week, they are rightfully celebrated and praised for the wisdom. They create space for praise and appreciation. Their service is feted.
The transfer of power takes place within families and companies, within for-profit and nonprofit structures. Our own Jewish organizations — schools, synagogues, communal institutions — would benefit from taking a page out of Moses’ playbook. How old are those who are leading? Who is waiting to lead and for how long?
There are better ways of leaving. In my forthcoming book, The Torah of Leadership, I cite Bill George’s Harvard Business Review article, “The CEO’s Guide to Retirement.” The self-worth of a leader, he writes, is profoundly connected to his or her public selfimage. It is understandable to want to stay in the game and remain relevant and vital. But it is not fair to put personal concerns above the well-being of an organization.
George’s advice: finish strong. Leave before you are asked to leave. Prepare a year earlier by charting a next chapter. Make a clean break to give space for successors to grow. Create a pause of 6-12 months before taking on new leadership commitments to recover rather than rebound.
Moses’ death is told in Deuteronomy 34. His lasting contribution is burnished: “Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses” (Deut. 34:10). The entire Torah ends, not with Israel’s arrival in Canaan, but with Moses’ legacy. Moses leaves only after anointing his successor, his decades of service a crowning achievement.
The story of every nation is the story of its leaders, when they were born, how they lived — and also how they leave.
Erica Brown is the vice provost for Values and Leadership at Yeshiva University and the director of its Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership. See ericabrown.com for her most recent writing. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
Credit: Pict Rider/Getty Images
My stepfather Joe Lieberman set one path as a Jew in politics.
Will his many successors follow it?
RABBI ETHAN TUCKER
JTA
My family and I gathered this week at a memorial service for my stepfather, Sen. Joe Lieberman, who passed away earlier this year. Though we knew him as a loving parent, grandparent and husband, he was perhaps best known as the first Jewish candidate on a national ticket, a distinction he earned when selected by then Vice President Al Gore as a running mate in the 2000 election.
Twenty-four years later, we may have another Jewish candidate for vice president if Gov. Josh Shapiro is tapped. Other prominent candidates have Jewish spouses including Vice President Kamala Harris, now the leading Democratic presidential contender, whose husband Doug Emhoff is Jewish; and Mark Kelly, reportedly also on Harris’ shortlist, whose wife is the Jewish former congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Of course we all recall, too, that Donald Trump’s daughter and her family are Jewish.
The presence of so many Jews on the national stage is naturally reigniting questions about the role of Jewish identity in politics that my stepfather answered loudly, in his own way.
My stepfather frequently described his ceiling-shattering moment in words offered to him at the time by Rev. Jesse Jackson: “Remember that, in America, when a barrier falls for one group, the doors of opportunity open wider for every single American.” I think he loved this framing because it matched how he saw his Jewishness: as a lever and fulcrum for moving the world to a better place. Jewishness was something very personal for him, yes, but it wasn’t private, and it wasn’t parochial. While he wore his Jewish practice with deep humility, he did so proudly and publicly, and he always believed that his faith connected him to others more than it separated him out.
Jewishness in the public eye can take different forms. One type is virtually invisible, sometimes by design. Indeed, back in 2000, many Jews — whether out of fear or a different conception of the role of religion in the public square — wished my stepfather had gone this route. The kind of Jewishness that is in the “Personal Life” section of your Wikipedia page, accessible to the researcher but essentially unknown to the political observer. This is Jewishness by origin, by ethnicity, in biography, a private confession. It otherwise gets in the way of a
dream of a more neutral, less religious society that treats all equally, regardless of our particular origin stories.
Another type of Jewishness is, in a way, partisan. It seeks out specific allies with one part of the political spectrum — sometimes the part imagined to be best for “Jewish interests” or for the pursuit of a more universal justice or some combination of the two. This type of Jewishness seeks to align itself with, to
Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
weld itself to, movements on one side of American political divides. This sort of Jewishness is highly visible, a deep substantive commitment that you can’t miss, even as it is also more narrow and political. This sort of Jewishness also often leads Jews to turn on their own — against those who didn’t get the partisan memo and who are, in the eyes of the beholder, misrepresenting and distorting our faith.
My stepfather walked a third path. He saw himself as part of a “group,” his beloved Jewish people, whose destiny in the arc of history fueled his energy and focus. He manifested his public observance of Shabbat to an audience broader than that of perhaps any Jew in history. There was nothing invisible about it.
But his Judaism was also never partisan, and not just in the political sense. He saw his own destiny, as an American, to leverage his Judaism to accomplish things for others, for the broader world in which he lived, for the country he so deeply
loved and to which he gave a lifetime of service. Nothing less than that would do — did Jews not bear witness to and serve the God of the world, about whom they say three times a day: “God loves all and has compassion on all God’s creatures?”
More than two decades, later, Jews surely feel more vulnerable than they did back in 2000. The horrific events of Oct. 7, rising antisemitism at home and abroad, political instability — these could beckon Jews, and perhaps Jewish candidates and their family members, in the public sphere to invisible or partisan forms of Jewishness.
Joe Lieberman would have beckoned us to something different. Archimedes, when musing on the laws of physics, is said to have remarked: “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” My stepfather would have asked us to consider: What if Judaism were that lever and that fulcrum? What if we are the ones uniquely positioned to move the world through a deeper embrace of who we are?
Jews — authentic bearers and owners of a Scripture viewed as sacred and foundational to an overwhelming majority of Americans and by billions of people worldwide. Jews — dogged political survivors, suspicious of untrammeled state power that threatens to slide into tyranny, able to connect profoundly with the notion of a birthright of freedom that should belong to all. Jews — a minority, often persecuted, able to understand the plight of the mistreated, the marginalized, the “strangers” in all the Egypts of history and to fight for them as an extension of our own self-preservation. Jews — exemplary beneficiaries of American opportunity, coming as immigrants and outsiders and ascending ladders of achievement and prosperity, poised to share a gospel of what America ought to be for everyone: a place where those of humble origin can shape the destiny of their society. What type of Jewishness will be on display this election season? Where is Jewishness in America headed in the coming years? I hope it will be one that will live up to my stepfather’s example and make him proud.
Rabbi Ethan Tucker is president and rosh yeshiva at Hadar.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
I hear American Jews threatening to cut off Israeli haredim who shun army service. That would be a mistake.
RABBI YOSIE LEVINE
JTA
When her son received word after Oct. 7 that his unit was being deployed, Clara understood that sending her child to the front line was the price and privilege of living in Israel. In a small country with a citizen army, everyone is called to serve. Driving from their home in Jerusalem to an army base in the south of the country, Clara and her son passed through a haredi neighborhood. Yeshiva students had set up a makeshift hospitality table at an intersection. Seeing a soldier in uniform, they rushed over to the car with sandwiches, homemade desserts and soft drinks. At a moment of national crisis, it was a small gesture of goodwill from those who do not serve in the army toward those who do.
Clara, who identifies as Religious Zionist, politely declined. “I know they think they are being helpful,” she told me when my Modern Orthodox synagogue’s mission visited her community on a recent trip to Israel. “But really I just wanted to get out of my car and punch them in the face. My son is putting his life on the line for our country while they sit around cashing their government checks without a care in the world.”
Who could argue with her?
In a nation racked by division, there is perhaps none more divisive than the refusal of the ultra-Orthodox to follow the laws requiring them to serve in the army or participate in national service. The cherry-picked Talmudic sources the haredim summon to justify their intransigence don’t withstand even minimal scrutiny. The robust “hesder yeshiva” model in which students from mostly religious Zionist backgrounds combine rigorous Torah study and military service belies the argument that the army and the yeshiva are anathema to one another. And even if in peacetime one accepts a case for some form of accommodation for Torah scholars, in a war in which the army is desperate for more personnel, what possible exemption could there be?
While the tension is naturally felt more acutely among the citizens of Israel, Diaspora Jews feel it, too. Modern Orthodox communities have seen a dramatic uptick among young Americans who are making aliyah and enlisting in the IDF. The overwhelming majority of my synagogue members have relatives and friends who are on active duty or serving in the reserves. Meanwhile, thousands of haredim are taking to the streets to protest new draft bills that would limit the exemp-
tion for young ultra-Orthodox men enrolled in yeshiva study. When our synagogue delegation met with a haredi soldier tasked with recruitment of yeshiva students, the prevailing sentiment among our members was: Good job. Now if only you could add a few zeros to the total number of your recruits.
American Jews in particular are allergic to injustice. Equality
before the law is sacrosanct. To most, that an entire class of people would be accorded special treatment seems preposterous. Where is the fairness in a system that allows haredim to sleep soundly under the blanket of protection provided by the IDF without ever lifting a finger to support those who provide it?
Some members of my congregation have told me that — since the war in Gaza began — they are no longer comfortable watching their philanthropic dollars support the ultra-Orthodox in Israel. All of the inequities notwithstanding, American Jews should resist the impulse to punish all haredim by withholding their charity dollars across the board. Rather than paint the entire haredi community with one brushstroke, American Jews ought to be more discerning.
Surely, enabling yeshivas that have institutionalized draftdodging serves no noble end. But there are also many deserving charitable causes in the haredi world of which Modern Orthodox communities like mine have been historically supportive. Whatever we think about the question of army service, we American Jews should continue to contribute that much-needed support. Some of these organizations encourage the integration of haredim into the army; some provide financial assistance to widows and orphans or those struggling with
disabilities; others help at-risk youth or support the elderly. Part of what it means to belong to a Jewish people is the willingness to help those with whom we disagree. When Jews are in economic distress — even if that distress is self-inflicted — the obligation of tzedakah is not diminished. Would a day school withhold a scholarship from a prospective student because the family’s financial needs were caused by a bad business decision? Some 30% of Israeli children are living below the poverty line, including the majority of children in haredi households. American Jews should support them irrespective of their religious or political affiliation.
Time can have a way of shrinking cultural divides. Given the growing number of haredim who have a direct connection to someone serving in the army — whether it’s a neighbor, friend or family member — there is every reason to believe that the gap between haredim and non-haredim could narrow. There are already signs that change is coming to the haredi community. After Oct. 7, thousands of haredim volunteered to join the IDF. Military units like Netzach Yisrael and Nahal Haredi, which were created to integrate such enlistees, are helping move the needle. (Another such unit is reportedly facing U.S. sanctions over its human rights record.)
But cultural changes like these can’t be willed into existence by legislators or judges; they will take time. In the interim, American Jews should be thinking about how to build bridges with the haredi community. We Jews are a small people with quite enough adversaries in the world. The haredim are not the enemy. One can believe in one’s heart that their leadership decisions are entirely misguided without concluding that the whole lot of them ought to be written out of the script. The next chapter of the Jewish story will surely include Jews of many different persuasions.
To paraphrase Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, the pioneering chief rabbi from prestate Israel, in response to a question from a distraught parent about how to approach children who had veered from “the path” of piety: The answer isn’t to love them less; it’s to love them more.
Rabbi Yosie Levine is the rabbi of The Jewish Center in New York City and the author of "Hakham Tsevi Ashkenazi and the Battlegrounds of the Early Modern Rabbinate." The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
Sen. Joe Lieberman puts a kippah on Arizona’s senator and presumptive Republican nominee John McCain's head during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, March 18, 2008. Credit:
Police officers in Bnei Brak, Israel use water cannons as haredi Orthodox Jewish men block a main highway to protest efforts to allow the state to draft Haredi yeshiva students into military service, June 2, 2024. Credit: Amir Levy/Getty Images
Synagogues
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766
712.322.4705 www.cblhs.org
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980
402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BETH ISRAEL
SYNAGOGUE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154
402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
CHABAD HOUSE
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646
402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:
B’NAI JESHURUN
South Street Temple
Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797
402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
OFFUTT AIR
FORCE BASE
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123
402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206
402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:
TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, Aug. 9, 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Gary Javitch. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!
For information about our historic synagogue, please visit our website at www.cblhs.org or contact any of our other board members: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Ann Moshman, MaryBeth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.
IN-PERSON AND ZOOM MINYAN SCHEDULE:
Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays, 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m.
FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream with guest speaker Sadie Hinkel, Alzheimer’s Association: Healthy Living for your Brain and Body; Havdalah, 9:05 p.m. Zoom only.
SUNDAY: Morning Minyan, 9 a.m. Zoom Only.
MONDAY: Erev Tisha B’Av, 7 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom with Ma’ari followed by Eicha.
TUESDAY: Tisha B’Av 7 a.m. at Beth El & Zoom.
FRIDAY-Aug. 16: Welcome Back Six String Shabbat with Pre-Neg 5:30 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.
SATURDAY-Aug. 17: Shabbat Morning Service, 10
a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Post-Oct. 7 Discussion Panel during Kiddush Lunch sponsored by The Dorothy Riekes Beth El Endowment Fund, Steve & Margo Riekes and Carl & Zoe Riekes; Havdalah 8:55 p.m. Zoom only.
Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:12 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9
a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45
a.m.; Tehillim, 7:05 p.m. at the Zivs; Soulful Torah, 7:15 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha, 8 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity 8:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:15 p.m.
SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Kinyan, 9:40 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 8:10 p.m.
MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m.; Fast Begins, 8:25 p.m. Kumzitz led by SEED.
TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Tish B’Av Class, 7:30 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha/Ma’ariv 8:10 p.m.; Fast Ends, 9:01 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m.
THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m.; Kinyan, 7:35 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m.; Parsha Class, 8:30
p.m.
FRIDAY-Aug. 16: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:03 p.m.
SATURDAY-Aug. 17: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45 a.m.; Tehillim, 7 p.m. at the Zivs; Soulful Torah, 7:05 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha, 7:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity 8:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:04 p.m.
Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person and via Zoom (ochabad.com/acad-
emy). For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800.
FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: Ochabad.com/ Lechayim; Candlelighting, 8:12 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:14 p.m.
SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Shacharit, 99:30 a.m., Video Presentation, 9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m.; JewQ and CKids Shabbaton Info Meet, 9-10:30 a.m. at JCC Noshery, text 'JewQ' to 402.215.5240 for any questions or to RSVP.
MONDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Translating Words of Prayer, 7 p.m. with David Cohen.
TUESDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Translating Words of Prayer, 11 a.m. with David Cohen; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 7 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.
WEDNESDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.
THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Introduction to Alaphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 10 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 34), noon; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) Class, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY-Aug. 16: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: Ochaba d.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 8:03 p.m.
SATURDAY-Aug. 17: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:03 p.m.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL
Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.
FRIDAY: Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:14 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service with Rabbi Alex, 9:30-11 a.m. at TI with special oneg, sponsored by the Trainins after services in honor of Rabbi's return; No Torah Study; Havdalah, 9:16 p.m.
SUNDAY: Men’s Bike/Coffee Group, 10:30 a.m. at The Mill on the Innovation Campus. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Pickleball, 3-5 p.m. Anyone interested in playing or learning how to play can text Miriam at 402.470.2393. If there are enough interested people; we will play in the Social Hall at TI.
MONDAY: Centennial celebration of SST with an illustrated presentation on the 100-year-old Temple presented by Ed Zimmer, 7 p.m. at SST.
THURSDAY: High Holidays Choir Rehearsal, 7 p.m. If you are interested in singing with the choir please contact our Music Director, Steven Kaup by email at MusicDirector@southstreettemple.org
FRIDAY-Aug. 16: Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:04 p.m.
SATURDAY-Aug. 17: Shabbat Morning Service with Rabbi Alex, 9:30-11 a.m. at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Va’etchanan; Potluck Dinner and Family Game Night, 6 p.m. at SST. All ages are welcome. Please bring a dish to share; Havdalah, 9:05 p.m.
FRIDAYS: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.
In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Benjamin Sharff, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander
FRIDAY: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. In-Person; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.
SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.
SUNDAY: YLP Faculty Orientation, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. In-Person.
TUESDAY: Adult Prayer Hebrew: Level Bet (Part 1), 6 p.m. In-Person.
WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m.
THURSDAY: The Zohar: Thursday Morning Class, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Sharff and Rabbi Azriel — In-Person & Zoom.
FRIDAY-Aug. 16: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. InPerson; Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.m. In-Person; Classic Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.
SATURDAY-Aug. 17: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. InPerson & Zoom; Tish is Going to the Ball Park, 5 p.m. RSVP Required.
Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
JCRC Civil Rights Committee Meeting features Dunixi Guereca
PAM MONSKY
JCRC Assistant Director
On Monday, Aug. 12 at noon, the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is hosting Dunixi
Guereca, the executive director of Stand for Schools, a Nebraska nonprofit organization focused on supporting and strengthening public schools.
The community is invited to attend in person at the Staenberg Jewish Community Center or via Zoom. Registration is required by contacting Pam Monsky, JCRC assistant director at 402.334.6572 or emailing pmonsky@jewishomaha.org. The Zoom link will be sent upon registration. Guereca has dedicated his career to empowering everyday working people and creating opportunities. He was a union organizer for SEIU where he built
power so that healthcare workers were given a fair wage, had the tools to keep themselves safe during the pandemic, and were able to care for our loved ones. He now works everyday to make sure that Nebraska’s public schools remain among the best in the country.
Guereca is the proud son of immigrants and the product of quality public education. At an early age, he learned not all public schools are created equal and that, sometimes, a few miles or blocks can make a big difference.
While studying Political Science at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln and the University of Nebraska- Kearney, Guereca worked with a variety of causes and organizations striving to build a stronger, more equitable society. This led to a career in activism that allowed him to travel all over
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the state, visiting communities and meeting Nebraskans with a deep and enduring pride in their local public schools.
Guereca believes public education is the silver bullet to many of society’s problems, and he’s committed to fight every day until every child - no matter their zip code - is given the tools necessary to reach their full potential.
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is dedicated to working in common cause to enhance cooperation with other religious, racial, ethnic, and civic groups to foster a just, democratic and pluralistic society as well as promote the security of Israel and Jews everywhere. Guided by Jewish values, the JCRC is a nonpartisan agency that advocates, educates, collaborates, and mobilizes action on issues important to the Jewish Community and the greater community.
B’NAI ISRAEL
BETH EL
BETH ISRAEL
CHABAD HOUSE
Dunixi Guereca
Life cycles
IN MEMORIAM
AARON ZACHARY BATT
Aaron Zachary Batt passed away on June 30, 2024. Services were held on July 5, 2024 at Beth El Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Lawrence I. Batt and Jane P. Batt; and grandparents: Norman & Frances Batt, and Harold & Gloria Feintech.
He is survived by his son, Lorenzo Batt; brother, Jonas Batt (Amy Albertson); stepbrothers: Bret Conant (Esther) and Blake Conant (Sara); stepmother, Margaret Kirkeby; great-aunts: Babe Cohn and Evelyn Novak; uncles: Bob Batt (Janice), and Jim Feintech (Carol); aunts: Ellie Batt (Mark Sherman) and Sandy Weil; and his many beloved multi-generational cousins, nieces and nephews. Aaron was bright, charismatic, funny, and multifaceted with a particular passion for adventure. He loved communing with the mountains when skiing and hiking and flowing with the water when canoeing and surfing. He was always willing to attempt
any physical challenge he could find. His passion for travel and adventure led him to Costa Rica where he helped to develop a nature preserve in the untouched rainforest of the Osa Peninsula. After returning to Omaha after his beloved son Lorenzo was born, he parlayed his fluent Spanish into a career as an interpreter, helping people navigate the medical and legal systems. Throughout his life, Aaron continued his quest for new experiences; travelling, learning and developing new skills along the way. He scaled tall trees, tended his beautiful flower garden and created amazing sculptures. He appreciated and enjoyed the quiet contemplative life his property afforded, but lit up a room when he was with others. He will be remembered for making people laugh and will be dearly missed by all those that knew and loved him.
Memorials may be made to the 02 for Life Rainforest Foundation, 4751 Sun Valley Road, Del Mar, CA 92041.
Israel braces for another Iranian attack
Many Israelis spent the weekend cleaning out bomb shelters and stocking up on supplies as officials warned of an imminent Iranian attack.
The country’s Home Front Command has launched a new text-message system to alert people in threatened areas, adding to the sirens and alert apps that Israelis already hear when rockets are incoming.
“We are in strong readiness for defense in the air, at sea and on land, and we are preparing for any sudden threat,” an Israel Defense Forces spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said in a briefing Monday morning.
The United States reportedly also believes an attack is imminent and is working to shore up a defense coalition, six days after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from other countries on Sunday that he believed Iran and Hezbollah would work together and attack as soon as Monday, according to an Axios report.
Iran vowed to retaliate after Haniyeh’s assassination, widely attributed to Israel, which does not always claim credit for targeted killings abroad. Iran’s leaders are widely perceived as seeking to calibrate a response that would demonstrate strength without tipping the region into all-out war. In a sign of how delicate the situation is, Jordan sent its foreign minister on a rare trip to Iran where he said he warned against the “dangerous escalation taking place in the region.”
Meanwhile, a new billboard went up in Tehran’s Palestine Square bearing the Hebrew message, “You won’t have safety even in your bomb shelters.” Below the message is a photo of
Israeli forces apparently running for cover.
An attack would be the second direct strike by Iran on Israel in just four months. In April, the first time that Iran fired directly on Israel following decades of mutual hostility, a coalition including the United States, Egypt and Jordan worked together to down hundreds of Iranian missiles.
The situation has caused many air carriers to cancel flights to and from Israel, leaving an untold number of people stranded abroad or unable to leave the country at a time of peak tourism.
The situation has also left Israelis in a state of suspended animation, with most going about their business while also making sure they are prepared for any eventuality. Rockets detected from Iran would give Israelis several hours’ notice, while rockets fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon would come with warnings of only a few seconds in Israel’s north and a few minutes in other parts of the country.
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Chabad’s Camp Gan Israel returns!
MUSHKA
TENENBAUM
Chabad Nebraska
This summer marked the triumphant return of Chabad’s Camp Gan Israel (CGI) to Omaha, drawing children from across the community for a week of unparalleled fun and learning.
The camp, renowned for its engaging and educational programs, once again delivered an unforgettable experience for all attendees.
Children enjoyed a week filled with diverse activities designed to entertain and educate. The camp’s focus on Jewish holidays provided a rich cultural and religious experience through hands-on activities and crafts. These interactive sessions allowed the campers to immerse themselves in the traditions and stories of their heritage, making learning both enjoyable and memorable.
One of the many highlights was the extensive range of water activities. The children relished the opportunity to swim and participate in various aquatic games, providing a refreshing break from the summer heat. The camp’s sports program was equally engaging, offering a variety of games that promoted teamwork, physical fitness, and, most importantly, fun. Culinary activities were another hit, where budding chefs learned to prepare simple, kid-friendly dishes. This not only imparted valuable kitchen skills but also encouraged creativity and independence.
A standout feature of the camp was the delicious hot lunches tailored to young palates. These meals were not only nutritious but also
immensely popular among the children, ensuring they were well-fed and energized for their daily activities. The careful planning and execution of these meals played a significant role in the overall success of the camp.
Preparedness was key, as the children brought changes of clothing for the many “messy” activities that were a hallmark of the camp’s itinerary. One of the favorite activities was making tie-dye CGI T-shirts, a fun and creative project that allowed the kids to express their individuality while creating a keepsake to remember their time at camp. This activity, along with others like goop splashing, ensured that the children were constantly engaged and entertained, even if it meant getting a little dirty. The carnival day was undoubtedly a highlight, featuring classic games such as bean bag toss, licorice pull, and the ever-popular bobbing for apples. The carnival atmosphere
created an environment of joy and excitement, with each game offering a chance to win prizes and create lasting memories. The laughter and cheers of the children were a testament to the day’s success.
As the week drew to a close, there was already palpable excitement for next year’s camp, which promises to be even better with a planned two-week session. The anticipation among the campers is a testament to the camp’s ability to create a positive and impactful experience.
Special thanks go to the parents and volunteers whose dedication and hard work made CGI the “greatest camp in the universe.” Their efforts in organizing and running the camp were instrumental in its success. From overseeing activities to ensuring the safety and well-being of the children, these volunteers were the backbone of the camp, providing
support and encouragement at every turn. Moreover, gratitude is extended to the generous sponsors whose contributions helped provide these children with positive Jewish experiences. Their support enabled the camp
to offer a wide range of activities and amenities, ensuring that every child had an opportunity to learn, grow, and have fun in a supportive and enriching environment. In conclusion, Chabad’s Camp Gan Israel in Omaha not only lived up to its reputation but exceeded expectations, providing a week of fun, learning, and community building. The camp’s successful return is a testament to the power of community and the dedication of all those involved. With the promise of an extended session next year, the future of CGI in Omaha looks brighter than ever, as it continues to offer invaluable experiences that enrich the lives of its young participants.
