August 12, 2022

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AUGUST 1 2 , 2 02 2 | 1 5 AV 578 2 | VO L. 1 02 | NO. 42 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, AU GU ST 12, 8: 09 P.M.

The 2023 Annual Campaign Chairs Come join the Kaplan Book Group’s “Weiss’ members Page 4

Mega Challah Bake: Sponsors and Vendors Page 5

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor oon, it will be time for another Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign and with that, the involvement of dedicated volunteers.

Year after year, the Omaha Jewish Community is privileged to have people step up and lead the Campaign with time, passion and hard work. This year, the JFO is happy to announce Nancy and Joel Schlessinger as the 2023 Campaign Chairs.

“For many years,” Nancy and Joel said, “we have seen the devotion of the chairs for the campaign and have always admired their incredible giving spirit. When we were asked to chair it, we were delighted to say yes, but we are humbled and want to make sure we do the best job possible. The dollars raised are so important for our community and the Jewish community around the world. We hope we are up to the task and will make sure we do all we can to make this the most successful Campaign ever!”

The needs of the Omaha Jewish community, the Schlessingers said, the global Jewish community and Israel are ever present: “We never know what challenges will arise. Who would have ever thought that the war in Ukraine, which affects many Jews and their communities, would have been something that could have happened See 2023 Annual Campaign Chairs page 3

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Nancy and Joel Schlessinger

Thank you, Angela Jones Page 12

Friedel Sixth Graders in Alabama

REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles

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SARA KOHEN Friedel Jewish Academy Director of Advancement This past April, Friedel sixth graders joined students from five

other Jewish day schools around the country for an immersive educational travel experience in Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery, Alabama. It is called the “Connection Trip” because it helps the students make different types of connections: between students from different schools, between Jewish values and American history, and between classroom learning and the real world.

Students from the different schools started to develop friendships as they learned together remotely throughout the spring semester. They deepened See Friedel Alabama trip page 2

Ben Raffel’s Birthright experience

Ben Raffel (middle) with fellow Birthright participants.

SIVAN COHEN Community Shlicha Ben Raffel recently made a Birthright trip, and upon his return I met with him to discuss his experiences. Ben is from Omaha. His parents are Adam and Wendy Raffel. He recently obtained a degree in computer engineering from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

He has begun his professional career in Houston, Texas. The Raffels are members of Temple Israel.

Birthright is a ten-day trip to Israel for Jews from around the world between the ages of 18 and 34. The trip is designed for the participants to develop an affinity for Israel and to meet people from various ethnicities and cultures. The trip includes travel throughout the country, experiencing what each region has to offer along the way.

Ben and I sat down over coffee and I asked him a number of questions See Ben Raffel page 3

2 | The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022

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Friedel Alabama trip

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The Backyard Concert Series presents: The Hynek Maneuver

GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer Free and open to the community, The Hynek Maneuver will be performing an all ages show from 5-7 p.m. on Aug. 21 in the JCC Backyard.

Plan to join your friends and bring your family to the second show in our popular Backyard Concert Series. Set up your chairs and blankets on the east side of our beautiful campus next to the JCC Pavilion and just behind the Goldstein Family Aquatic Center. Pack a picnic or visit one of the food trucks -including Dante’s Pizza and Kona Ice- which will be parked onsite providing food for purchase at each show.

Lawn games, gaga pits and the JCC play-

ground will be available during concerts, providing an evening of fun and music for the whole family!

The Hynek Maneuver is a well established local band that has headlined numerous venues and events throughout the Omaha metro and will take listeners on a journey back in time, to the golden era of Rock, Pop and R&B. Veteran Omaha musicians John Finocchiaro (lead vocals, guitar), Dave Hynek (drums), Cricket Kirk (bass, vocals), along with the youthful talents of Elliott Chael (keys, vocals) will keep the pace moving, upbeat and fun as they cover songs of The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, See Backyard Concert Series page 5

Continued from page 1 these friendships in person during the trip.

These relationships gave Friedel students a window into their friends’ experiences across the country.

The students were also able to connect Jewish values and teachings with American history.

Beth Cohen, Friedel’s Head of School, explains that “the curriculum uses Jewish texts and teachings as a framework for understanding the Civil Rights Movement and our responsibilities to the people around us.”

Finally, the trip helped the students connect what they learned in the classroom with the real world. The students visited sites such as the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, a meeting place for civil rights activists and the site of the racially motivated 1963 bombing that killed four girls. They walked across the Edmund Pettis Bridge, where civil rights pro-

testors were beaten on Bloody Sunday during the first march for voting rights.

The students also heard from people connected to the Civil Rights Movement, including Lynda Blackmon Lowerly and Terry Chestnut. Lowerly was fifteen years old when she participated in the 1965 Voting Rights March. Chestnutt is the son of J. L. Chestnut Jr., the first African American lawyer in Selma, Alabama, who fought for voting rights and represented civil rights leaders, including the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Months later, the students are still talking about these experiences. Cohen says that she is “confident that they will carry these lessons with them for the rest of their lives.” This year’s trip was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, as well as numerous individual donors.

The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022 | 3

2023 Annual Campaign Chairs Continued from page 1 this year? This is why we prepare and raise money, so we can support not only the existing, structural needs, but have options for the unexpected and/or catastrophic events. Jews have always been susceptible to sudden, existential events, and this year just demonstrates that clearly. We want to be there for all Jews.”

The JFO Annual Campaign is for everyone, and the hope is the total number of donors will exceed the previous year’s.

While the JFO sets a financial goal each year, the total number of participants is no less important. Nancy and Joel themselves started out as small donors: “When I finished medical school,” Joel said, “I was in debt and couldn’t afford to contribute to anything like this in a significant manner. The same goes for Nancy, who was raised in a middle-class home as I was. We did join the synagogue in St. Louis and the JCC and felt we should always contribute, even if it was minimal in nature. In reality, that donation back when we were starting out was much more difficult for us financially than our donations now, so it meant even more. This is why we appreciate and gladly accept any donations, as they are from the heart and help us and others in so many ways.”

Nancy and Joel are excited for many things, “including Bret Stephens and the annual Jewish Federation of Omaha event Oct. 2,” they said (We’ll tell you more about that soon, but for now, save that date!). “We look forward to seeing many of our friends and community members over this coming Campaign and having the chance to get to know our amazing community team at the Jewish Federation. We are so impressed with the quality and skill of all the staff at the Federation and have already leaned on them so much for their information! It is

great to get to know them better and share their experience and knowledge with the community as a whole.”

So, what’s new this year?

“Every year brings its challenges. This year the war in Ukraine, continued anti-Semitism, growing violence and the ongoing pandemic have made so many needs seem even more immediate. We are assaulted by news every day that not only threatens our own lives, but the lives of our community and others. Having a strong voice, backed up by a fund that is there for protection of us and our fellow Jews, lessens the burden that we all share. Working together as a community has always been something that Omaha excels at and we hope to continue to bring our community together and educate them on why this remains so important.”

Nancy and Joel also see shifts in the makeup of our community: “We are becoming more a community of blended families with the need to embrace and educate Jews by choice and families who may practice two religions. Additionally, we are seeing how important it is to make space for and be relevant to Jews who represent the full richness of the Jewish experience, whether they be LGBTQ+ or Jews of color. We are up to this challenge and want to make our community the goldstandard for an inclusive home for all backgrounds, colors and persuasions in the Jewish experience.”

Please stay tuned over the following weeks, as we introduce the entire Campaign Cabinet and bring you more details about the various events we have planned. For more information, please contact Executive Director of Philanthropy and Engagement Jennifer Tompkins at jtompkins@jewishoma ha.org or Director of Development Rachel Ring at rring@ jewishomaha.org.

Ben Raffel

Continued from page 1 about his trip.

WHAT LED YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN BIRTHRIGHT? When I was sixteen, I participated in Camp Sabra that included a trip to Israel. Since then, I always wanted to come back. I wanted to see Israel through a different lens. I was going to make this trip two years ago, but Covid hit and I had to postpone. I think it turned out for the better, because I am much more mature at twenty-two than I was at twenty. I think I have more balance between recreational times and times for educational experiences.

WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF THIS TRIP AND FOR YOURSELF ON THIS TRIP? I knew somewhat of what to expect from the country since I had been there before. I knew it would be awesome. I expected to learn a lot about other people, Israelis and Americans participating in Birthright alike.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT ISRAEL? The food was great. My favorite times were when we had free time to explore the city and the market. It was a good opportunity to learn on my own instead of with a guide. Some of my favorite memories came from these times.

DID YOU MEET OTHERS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH? During the Birthright there are Israelis who join the group. Four of these people are from the military and one was a security person. I made good connections with two of the soldiers and I maintain contact with them. They are planning on coming to the United States after their service and I will welcome them here, and I am sure they will welcome me when I return to Israel.

WHAT WAS YOUR IMPRESSION OF ISRAEL AND ISRAELI PEOPLE? Israel is very different than America. People are calmer and there is a better balance between work life and personal life.

It seems much healthier. In America there is much more stress and thinking way into the future. In Israel when people finish

work, they enjoy their time and they are finished with work; people travel and experience different cultures without worrying about what they will do next.

DID YOU OBSERVE ANY MAJOR CULTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES? There are many, but one really stands out. While I was in Israel there was a mass shooting in a synagogue in Texas. I asked the soldiers about carrying guns in Israel. They told me that if you are a soldier, you carry a gun. If you are with the police, you carry a gun. Soldiers and police carry guns in Israel – nobody else carries guns. They told me that this is how it should be. By comparison I thought about how ridiculously easy it is to get a gun in the United States.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Sabich was my favorite. After Birthright I did a food tour around the market in Tel Aviv where I found some excellent sabich.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM YOUR TRIP? While I was getting my degree, I was so engulfed in the work that I was doing that I did not practice my Judaism very much.

I did have a roommate whose family was in Milwaukee and he invited me to go with him for the High Holidays and other occasions. When I got to Israel, I became inspired to pay more attention to my Judaism and to have it more in my life. Outside of my Judaism, I think the biggest thing is the work/life balance that Israelis have. It was good to learn about the differences between cultures. This was even true when I visited Germany and Spain after the Birthright experience. I didn’t come with specific questions about Israel, but while I was there, I learned a lot.

DID YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK – TO CREATE A DIALOGUE? We had a speaker named Guy Hoffman who is a writer for See Birthright page 4

4 | The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022

Come join the Kaplan Book Group’s “Weiss” members

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SHIRLY BANNER JFO Kripke Jewish Federation Library Specialist On Aug 18 the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group will gather for their 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 Sisters Weiss by Naomi Ragen. The group is familiar with Ragen’s works having read her novel The Devil in Jerusalem in September of 2018.

What does a person do when their passion and their life is in direct conflict to the Ultra-Orthodox culture they have been raised in all one’s life? In The Sisters Weiss, the lives of sisters Rose and Pearl Weiss and subsequently their daughters resolve this dilemma. Each sister faces their situation in a different way yet ultimately comes to see that the path one follows ultimately is a personal and often not accepted one by their family.

In late1950’s early 1960’s Brooklyn, Rose and her younger sister Pearl have grown up in a loving but strict Ultra-Orthodox environment where girls must succumb to the laws of modesty and accepted the practice of marrying young and having large families. When teenaged Rose develops an interest in photography through a less religious classmate, a conflict arises over the seemingly innocent photographs which her strict community sees as being inappropriate. Forced to switch schools, Rose becomes estranged from her family as she becomes more and more involved in her passion of becoming a photographer. The night before Rose is to be married with the intent of endearing her back to her family and religious community’s good graces, Rose leaves to pursue life on her terms, not her family’s or community’s.

Fast forward 40 years and we are introduced to Pearl’s daugh-

ter Rivka who has grown up in the stringent Ultra-Orthodox world like her mother and generations of her family, with the exception of her estranged aunt Rose. Rivka wants to pursue an education at a secular college in hopes of becoming a doctor which is much against the desires of her family. So as to avoid this foolish situation, Pearl’s family has arranged for Rivka to be married in the next few months. Rivka contacts her cousin Hannah who is Rose’s daughter in hopes of finding a place to run away to in order to achieve her dreams, much like her never-talked-about aunt Rose did all those years ago.

Will naïve Rivka succeed in making her own mark or find out the truth behind the seemingly glamorous life she believes her renowned photographer Aunt Rose has live? Ragen skillfully uses Hannah’s academic path of women’s history to emphasize that even now a woman’s pursuit of personal freedom can be tenuous at best in both secular and religious communities. Should a woman’s life and her right to choose be mandated by society and/or legislated laws? Consider the issue of Roe vs Wade.

Please feel free to join us on Aug. 18 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. To view books discussed by the group over the past several years, go to www.jewishomaha.org, click on the “Community & Education” pulldown tab and navigate to “Kripke-Veret Collection of the Jewish Federation” then to “Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group.”

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.

Ma’ayanot On a recent Friday afternoon, Elie and his family were at a ma’ayan with their friends. Such outings are routine in the summer months all across Israel.

I love it that a trip to a fresh-water spring is as popular today as it has been for centuries. Okay, okay, it was probably a little more popular when there was no air conditioning, but today, too, an afternoon at a ma’ayan is quite liter- TEDDY WEINBERGER ally good clean fun.

Certain ma’aynaot are known to be the turf of specific populations, whether secular, national-religious, or ultra-orthodox. Mixed swimming is an issue at ma’ayanot since many religious boys will not enter a ma’ayan if a female is in it. My son Elie was once at Ein Lifta, known to be an ultra-orthodox ma’ayan ( for men that is--ma’ayan-going would be too immodest for ultra-orthodox women), and he saw dozens and dozens of ultra-orthodox boys waiting around the ma’ayan while a single (intrepid) young woman swam around at her leisure (presumably, the boys did their very best not to look at her). Elie told me that several of the boys were already mid-jump into the ma’ayan as the girl withdrew the last of her toes from the water.

Since most ma’ayanot are also kosher mikva’ot (ritual baths), religious boys like to completely disrobe and totally immerse themselves in the water for spiritual purification. Needless to say, a sharp eye is kept open for any approaching females.

Every ma’ayan has a name, and regular ma’ayan-goers will always name their day’s ma’ayan for you. Usually, a ma’ayan will take the name of a hill in which it sits (such as Ein Harat, on the slope of Mt. Harat), or of a nearby village (such as Ein Kobi, named after a nearby ancient Jewish village mentioned in the Talmud). Sometimes a ma’ayan’s name reflects the struggle over this land, as in the case of Ein Al Balad (Arabic for “village spring”), which is also known as both Ein Ora (named after the nearby town of Ora which sits atop Mt. Ora), and as Ein Itamar (named after a young man killed in a terrorist incident there).

It’s no surprise that my son Elie, my most spiritual child, is also the biggest ma’ayan-goer in our family. Elie says, “People ask me, ‘why do you like going to ma’ayonot so much: is it for the ritual immersion or for the fun?’ And I answer them: ‘It’s both.’” Elie also points out that a ma’ayan offers hikers a pleasant destination--so that one is not “just” hiking but also going to a ma’ayan.

Ma’ayanot are totally unsupervised, and this surely is one

reason why Israeli youth love them so much. However, despite the fact that many ma’ayanot are basically small swimming pools with extremely cold water (excellent for storing watermelon and drinks but also potentially shocking to bathers), accidents are very rare.

Besides eating, bathing, and talking, activities at a ma’ayan can include guitar and halil (recorder) playing, as well as the smoking of nargilot (water pipes) containing tobacco. Often, though, a large number of the people one finds around a ma’ayan come without any accessories. There’s just something about a ma’ayan that proves irresistible to a lot of Israeli youth.

Elie says: “It soothes the soul.”

Cultural Note: “Ma’ayan” as a given name was used exclusively for girls during the first few decades of Israel’s history.

Toward the end of last century, Israeli parents have allowed themselves the freedom not to be beholden to this sort of tradition. In the case of “Ma’ayan,” parents who give their sons this name can even (should they wish to) turn to Israeli grammar for support: “ma’ayan” is officially classified as a “male” noun.

Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah with his wife, former Omahan Saraj Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israeli Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@gmail.com.

Birthright Continued from page 3 the Jerusalem Post. Even though we were tired, his lecture got me to thinking afterwards. When I was traveling from Prague to Paris on the way home, I was very tired and traveling alone. I met people and had small talk. I met someone in line who spoke English. He was Palestinian. I told him that I was returning from Israel. I asked him to talk about being a Palestinian in Israel and he shared some of the experiences he had. He was angry about some of those experiences, so it was difficult for me to learn as much as I would have liked.”

I am so thankful to Ben for taking the time to share his Birthright experience with me. It might encourage others to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Ben’s brother, Jordan, who is currently in college in Kansas City, plans to participate in Birthright in 2023.

The Jewish Federation of Omaha allocates money to Birthright Israel and is proud to support this amazing program.

The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022 | 5

Backyard Concert Series Continued from page 2 Steely Dan, The Doors, The Allman Brothers and much more!

A nostalgic and entertaining experience for all, The Hynek Maneuver is sure to please all in attendance.

As always, donations of non-perishable unexpired food items for the Jewish Family Service Pantry are appreciated and can be placed in marked donation bins as you enter the JCC Backyard.

Event updates can be found on our website (www.jccom aha.org) or on our JCC Facebook page. Please note that in the event of inclement weather, the concert will be cancelled.

The 2022 Backyard Concert Series is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors: The Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, Omaha Steaks and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor, Andrew Robinson.

Thank you!

IN THE NEWS Greenblatt & Seay announce the 26th Annual Schoolhouse Fiddling Bee, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. CT. This virtual event will feature the video performances of the winners. Friday, Sept. 9 is the deadline to submit a video for the contest.

There are two Divisions...

1. JUNIOR DIVISION: for musicians who have played less than three years.

2. SENIOR DIVISION: for musicians who have played three years or more.

Each Division will have 3 separate Contests: 1. FAST CONTEST: one fast fiddle tune played on any acoustic bowed string instrument.

2. SLOW CONTEST: one slow fiddle tune played on any acoustic bowed string instrument.

3. FEE FI FAUX CONTEST: one fiddle tune played on an acoustic instrument that is not a bowed string instrument.

For more information, and to register for the contest: https://www.greenblattandseay.com/schoolhouse_fid dling_bee.shtml.

Sunday, Oct. 9, 2:30 p.m., CT, 2022 Virtual Schoolhouse Fiddling Bee (For more information and to request an invitation to watch the event on Oct. 9: https://www.greenblatt andseay.com/schoolhouse_fiddling_bee.shtml.

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Mega Challah Bake: Sponsors and Vendors ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor The Mega Challah Bake and Boutique is soon coming to Omaha. Doors open on Sept. 15 at 6:15 p.m. at the JCC for wine, socializing, and shopping. At 7 p.m., participants will learn how to mix, knead, and shape their own tasty challah bread.

The Boutique alone is reason to attend this event: this is a one-stop shopping high holiday heaven. Every Judaica resource this town has to offer will be in one place at the same time. The gift shops of Beth Israel, Beth El, Temple Israel, and Chabad will all set up shop at the JCC that night. But wait, there’s more! You will also be able to buy gifts and cards from Nanci Kavich’s RSVP store, and children’s clothes, accessories, and gifts from Holly Weill’s Posh Children’s Boutique. Two artists, painters Annette Van de Kamp and Shiri Phillips, will bring their exciting, recently exhibited and new works for display and purchase. Artist craftsman Gary Nachman of “Dor l’Door” will sell his high-end, hand-carved wooden and hand-blown glass mezzuzahs and hand-carved yads; they are exquisite, natural wonders and must be seen.

Thanks to incredibly generous corporate sponsors, this

event took off right out of the gate. Rotella’s Italian Bakery gave funding for the aprons that every participant will take home.

Rotella’s has been a long-time supporter of Chabad’s food pantry, a cause they feel passionate about. Another apron funder is the Mutual of America Financial Group, allies of our broader Jewish community. Rounding out our apron donors is Industrial Packaging Corporation, a local packaging supplier and long-time Chabad supporter who generously gave to last year’s successful menorah parade.

SalonCentric, a local L’Oréal distributor and salon supplier, donated swag bags of beauty goods for all of our guests attending the event. Valmont, an international company that is in business with local water conservation and irrigation business, made a cash donation to this project. We also thank the Jewish Federation of Omaha for its unparalleled support and facilitation of the event.

This event will sell out. To register, go to Ochabad. org/challahbake. You can also call 402.330.1800. Lastly, let’s get social, challah bakers! We want to see your challah on Instagram, so please send your pics to @MCBBomaha on Instagram.

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Michigan Dem group apologizes for ‘offensive’ TikTok attacking ‘Zionists’

ANDREW LAPIN JTA The chair of a county Democratic Party in Michigan apologized after the group made a social media post reading “Zionists have no place in office,” apparently meant to support a member of Congress, Rep. Andy Levin, who identifies as a Zionist.

Washtenaw County Democratic Party chair Chris Savage issued an apology Saturday for the TikTok post, which was sent Friday by the @WashtenawDems account and referenced the millions of dollars’ worth of pro-Israel money that has flowed into Michigan’s 11th District primary. The race, a redistricting battle between progressive Jewish member Levin and centrist non-Jewish Rep. Haley Stevens, concludes Tuesday.

The party group has since deleted the post, but a screenshot of it was shared on social media

by Jordan Acker, a Jewish Democrat who is an elected member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents. It contains the text “Zionists have no place in office” under a headline reading “AIPAC VS ANDY LEVIN” and a hashtag reading

“#nastywoman” with a devil-horns emoji.

The post, which Acker later said had been made by a college student, was notable for arriving in the thick of a Democratic primary season that has been largely defined by how thoroughly Israel has taken center stage in even local races. AIPAC has demonstrated a willingness to spend enormous sums of money to back their preferred candidates, who support hard-line pro-Israel policies, over more liberal opponents.

At the same time, the Democratic Party has become more divided over its stance on Israel. For many young progressives, “Zionism” — even the more liberal two-state variety advocated by the likes of Levin — has become a dirty word synonymous with perpetual oppression of Palestinians.

Washtenaw County includes Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, and Ypsilanti, home of Eastern Michigan University; an estimated 8,000 Jews live in the county. It is not part of the 11th District.

This article was edited for length. Read the full story at www.omahajewishpress.com.

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Exploring Judaism Classes

ternoon religious school programs. Scott MARK KIRCHHOFF served 17 years as a Director of Education, Program Assistant, JFO The fall classes of Exploring Judaism begin first at Beth El Synagogue in Omaha, Neon Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022 and continue braska, followed by positions in Ann Arbor, son subsequent Thursdays through Dec. Michigan, and Alexandria, Virginia. In 2014 1. Classes are from 7-8:30 he returned to Omaha and p.m. and will be prewas the Program Director sented virtually via Zoom at Temple Israel. Scott is with selective sessions incurrently the Executive Diperson. A winter series rector for the Institute for beginning Dec. 13 will Holocaust Education. He also be offered. has been teaching Exploring Exploring Judaism Judaism since 2014. through the Jewish FederScott has arranged the ation of Omaha is wonclasses into three catederfully suited for gories: (1) Judaism as a Reinterfaith couples, those ligion, (2) Judaism as raising Jewish children, inHistory, (3) Judaism as a dividuals considering conWay of Life. In addition to version, spiritual seekers the core course reading maand anyone who wants to terials, Scott adds a variety gain a deeper understandof supplemental material ing of Jewish life, no mateach week. All of the readter faith tradition, cultural ing material is accessed via background or religious electronic links, so no purScott Littky upbringing. Group discuschase of written material is sion is an integral part of the class. You are required. “I’m always on the alert to include encouraged to ask questions, learn multiple current, topical articles that fit with the Experspectives on topics and discover what is ploring Judaism classes,” Scott commented. meaningful to you in Judaism. As part of the The fee for Exploring Judaism is $180 per class, clergy from the three congregations in person. The Jewish Federation of Omaha Omaha participate in a panel discussion fo- ( JFO) presents the class as a gift, free of cusing on Judaism from each of their per- charge, to current contributors to the Annual spectives.

Campaign of the JFO, to those who are active The instructor for Exploring Judaism is congregants of an Omaha synagogue, to Scott Littky, an experienced Jewish educa- those who are being guided in a conversion tion instructor. He began his career in Jewish process by the clergy of one of the synaeducation in 1985 as a religious school gogues, and to JFO employees. Pre-registrateacher. From 1988 through 1997 he served tion is required. You may obtain registration the then Bureau of Jewish Education of details by calling Mark Kirchhoff at Omaha as a Community Teacher. He taught 402.334.6463 or emailing him at mkirch at the Friedel Jewish Academy as well as af- hoff@jewishomaha.org.

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The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022 | 7

This American rabbi fights Jewish stereotypes in China ness wisdom to get them to follow us. We have JORDYN HAIME sort of played to that before,” he said, referring JTA With two degrees in Asian studies and 15 to himself and a Jewish Chinese-speaking partyears of his life spent living and working in ner in Australia who is helping with the project.

China (everything “from acting to the diaAppealing to Chinese interest in the Talmond business to real estate”), Rabbi Matt Tr- mud as a business guide is strategic for anusch has a lot of experience with China. other reason: Religious activity is complicated But antisemitism wasn’t one in China, where Judaism is not of those experiences until he one of the five recognized relibegan posting on Douyin, gions, and proselytizing by forChina’s TikTok, from his home eigners is forbidden. back in Texas in 2021.

“Pirkei Avot and the TalSpeaking in fluent Mandarin mud do not mean religion in peppered with Chinese idioms China, even though those are and filmed in front of a bookJewish texts that we learn Torah shelf lined with Jewish texts, Trfrom,” Trusch said. “If I were to usch passionately shares Jewish say, ‘I’m going to teach Torah parables from the Talmud and concepts in China,’ that will be the Tanya — a book of Hasidic forbidden, probably. But if I talk commentary by the rabbi who about things from the Talmud, founded the Chabad Orthodox In a video for Douyin, China’s then it’s not threatening.” movement — and the life and version of TikTok, Rabbi Matt Trusch always had an interbusiness lessons they may offer Trusch explains in Mandarin est in China. After getting an Chinese viewers. With nearly “what Jews have done for undergraduate degree in Asian 180,000 followers, his videos the world.” Courtesy studies at Dartmouth College have accumulated nearly 700,000 likes. and a master’s degree at Harvard University, he But the comment section under Trusch’s spent 12 years in Shanghai doing business in a videos is revealing. In China, the line between range of industries. While he was there, he loving Jews and hating them for the same grew closer to Judaism and began flying to Isstereotypical traits can be thin. On his most rael every two weeks to study at a yeshiva there. viral video, which has over 7 million views In 2009, Trusch moved back to the United and explains how China helped give refuge to States with his family and settled in Houston, Jews escaping Europe during World War II, where he is active at two Chabad centers. comments laced with antisemitic tropes Still, he made frequent visits to China on busiseem to outnumber the ones thanking Trusch ness (including starting his own Chinese for sharing Jewish culture and wisdom. “white liquor” company called ByeJoe) until “You don’t want to take my money, do you?” the pandemic struck in 2020. With no way to reads one top comment. visit China in person, Trusch and his partner “Wall Street elites are all Jews,” another com- began making videos about Judaism on ment says; others call Jews “oily people,” a play Douyin as a way to connect with people there. on the Chinese characters that spell out the “When I was in China, I very rarely felt anyword for “Jew.” Many blame Jews for the mid- thing but a fond appreciation of Jews” from 19th century Opium Wars between China and Chinese people, Trusch said. He was aware of foreign powers, or for inflation in pre-World the stereotypical way Chinese people think War II Germany. Other commenters repeat- about Jews: as intelligent and business-savvy, edly ask Trusch to address Palestine on videos paragons of worldwide wealth and power that have nothing to do with Israel. with control over Wall Street and the media.

The comments reflect the fact that in the Much of the time, these traits are viewed with minds of many in China, the Talmud is not a Jew- admiration, and stereotypes are perpetuated ish religious text but a guide to getting rich. The even in mainstream media. belief has spawned an entire industry of self-help And yet, some of the most popular antisebooks and private schools that claim to reveal mitic comments on Trusch’s videos reference the so-called money-making secrets of the Jews. the so-called “Fugu Plan,” a 1930’s proposal by In his Douyin bio, Trusch appeals to this belief, several Japanese officials to settle 50,000 Gerdescribing himself as a rabbi who shares “wis- man Jews in Japanese-occupied Manchuria. dom of the Talmud,” “interesting facts about the Some in the Japanese leadership were inJewish people,” “business thought” and “money- spired by the antisemitic forgery “Protocols of making tips.” Trusch told the Jewish Telegraphic the Elders of Zion,” believing that resettling Agency that appealing to Chinese stereotypes Jews in occupied China would attract great about Jews was a strategic decision meant to ex- wealth and the favor of world powers like pose more Chinese people to Jewish precepts.

Britain and America.

“We do sort of exploit the fact that [Chinese This article was edited for length. Read the people] are interested in listening to Jewish busi- full story at www.omahajewishpress.com.

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8 | The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022

Above: Beth El had an ‘afternoon at the Storm Chasers game’ July 24.

Top, left, above and below: Catching up on summer photos: Beth El’s Camp Kef. Above and below: Megan Kugler, Hannah Whyte, Isabel Vik, Makayla and Kori Lucoff at Camp Sabra celebrating Shabbat and friends.

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Right: Greetings from the RBJH: One of our Residents soaking up some sun and enjoying the beautiful weather on a bike ride.

Below: Courtney and Sabrina Schwarz at Herzl Camp.

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The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022 | 9

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Good stories als have I written in the past 12+ years, complainANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT ing about the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Jewish Press Editor NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, a Turkish movement? I am not going to do the math, officially because I don’t have the time. Unofficially? I Muslim known for his off-court activism, does not boycott Israel. Instead, he traveled to Jerusalem to host an interfaith basketball clinic, “the Enes Kanter Freedom Unity Basketball Camp at the Jerusalem YMCA July 26 to Aug. 5. The clinic is open to 40 Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze children ages 10-15. It is a partnership between nonprofits Bnai Zion, Athletes for Israel and Together Vouch for Each Other US.” Why is that important?

“I believe that we can use sports to promote tolerance, respect and coexistence,” Kanter Freedom told the Jerusalem Post.

“By bringing children together on a basketball court, I know we can show them the importance of respecting people of all faiths while building camaraderie and de- Enes Kanter Freedom poses during an interview with AFP at the United Nations Office in Geneva, April 5, 2022. Credit: Fabveloping relationships.” (JTA.com) Focusing on what we have in common, rice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images rather than on what sets us apart, always seems really don’t want to know the answer.

Complaining about the things we don’t like is like such a logical thing to do. Yet, as human beings, we often fall short and pay much more attention to easy. Telling the positive stories is much harder. Not all the ways in which we are different. I wonder so much when it comes to local news, because in why. Is there something gratifying about separating Jewish Omaha, we have many good things to share.

Our new Campaign Chairs, the fabulous trip the ‘us’ from ‘them?’

Then it dawns on me: this is most definitely a dis- Friedel kids took to Alabama, the mega challah ease I myself suffer from. How many angry editori- bake we’re all looking forward to, summer camp

photos; these are all things we celebrate and pay attention to. With national or international stories, however, do we make an intentional effort to fill this paper with good stories? Or do we make the excuse that that means we’re sticking our heads in the sand? I think we have some work to do.

And since I’ve already identified myself as one of the people who needs to be more intentional about sharing positive news, I’ll start.

For the next four weeks, I am setting a goal to tell you a positive, hopeful, optimistic story on this page. That is harder than it sounds, but that’s okay.

I think especially when something is difficult, we have to take it as a sign that we need to work harder and do more.

Back to Enes Kanter Freedom, who by the way also runs workshops for a diverse crowd of kids in Brooklyn. In addition, he helped organize a Holocaust education program at a Muslim school.

“I’m going to educate our kids so they can have some empathy, they can have some sympathy, so they can put themselves in other people’s shoes so they can understand them better,” Kanter Freedom told the New York Jewish Week last month. “If you understand other religions or cultures, if you get to know them better, the better you’re going to respect them and love them.”

He’s right, and paying attention when people like him make concerted efforts to improve the world we live in is inspiring, but it’s also a call to action.

I hope to see you here next week. And feel free to call me out if I’m kvetching about anything.

Can Jews agree to disagree?

ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL JTA Here’s a story I recently shared on Facebook: I was paddling my inflatable kayak on a lake in the Berkshires. Granted, it is not the sleekest or coolest-looking conveyance, but it gets the job done and it fits in the trunk of my car. At one point I passed two guys in a very lovely canoe. One of the guys says to me, “That looks like fun!” And I say, “And you have a beautiful boat,” which it was. And then the guy in the stern of the boat says, “It’s a lot more expensive than yours.”

His response sort of stunned me: Why was he talking about the price of our boats? Had my clunky kayak offended his sensibilities somehow?

My Facebook friends mostly agreed with my initial reaction: The guy was a jerk. But then a few people weighed in with an alternative interpretation: The guy was actually making fun of himself for spending so much on a canoe. One friend, a Jewish educator, channeled the Credit: Getty Images guy’s thinking this way: “Our boat might be beautiful, as you say, but I’m not sure it’s worth it, considering we could be getting a lot of fun from rowing in a kayak like yours and would have spent a lot less money to do it.”

True or not, I love that interpretation. It reminds me of something from Pirke Avot, the Mishnah’s compilation of ethical principles: “Judge to the side of merit.” (1:6) That is, in life and conversation, give the other person the benefit of the doubt. How many conversations slip off the rails because we assume the worst of the other person?

The story was fresh in my mind when I attended an event on “viewpoint diversity,” put on by the Maimonides Fund. The day-long seminar brought leaders of various Jewish organizations together to discuss our society’s inability to engage in what the keynote speaker, NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, describes as “constructive disagreement.” In

Haidt’s 2018 book The Coddling of the American Mind, he and co-author Greg Lukianoff dissect a “callout culture” in which “anyone can be publicly shamed for saying something well-intentioned that someone else interprets uncharitably.”

Because Haidt’s book is mostly about the college campus, I thought the day might shape up as an attack on “wokeism.” But the speakers and attendees were diverse, and liberals and conservatives alike fretted about the demise of civility and tolerance in their polarized worlds. A Jewish education professional said she is wary about bringing up Israel in front of donors, many of whom treat any criticism

of Israeli policy as “anti-Israel.” And the leader of a right-leaning think tank complained about a leftleaning Jewish “monolith” that dismisses the views of Jewish conservatives or considers them somehow “un-Jewish.”

After the event, Mark Charendoff, president of the Maimonides Fund, said he and his colleagues — Ariella Saperstein, program officer for Maimonides, and Rabbi David Wolpe of Los Angeles’ Sinai Temple put much of the program together — had been thinking about these issues for a while. “It seems to us that it’s just become more difficult to have some of these conversations,” Charendoff told me. “It started off with Israel — what are you allowed to express regarding Israel, and then, you know, politics in America has become obviously a dividing line. And it doesn’t seem to have gotten any better.”

Although few if any members of Gen Z were taking part in the convening, the group born after 1995

seemed to be on a lot of people’s minds. That’s partly because of Haidt’s framing of the issue; in his book, he dates strict campus speech codes and polarizing identity politics to the arrival of Gen Z on college campuses. A leader of a secular Jewish group that works with young people said she is often under pressure from Gen Z-ers to take an organizational stand on hot-button issues, when her mission is to encourage participation from a politically diverse population.

On the flip side, a leader working with the same cohort said Gen Z-ers complain that they were “lied to” about Israel by their Jewish elders, and that their own ambivalent or anti-Zionist viewpoints are shunned in Jewish spaces.

Indeed, a few participants defended “red lines,” saying viewpoint diversity does not mean “anything goes.”

As one fundraising executive told the room, “When it comes to Israel, the last thing I want is nuance.”

When I brought this up with Charendoff, he said, “One-hundred percent I want to hear from young people who are uncomfortable with Zionism, because I want to understand why, and I think our young people are smart and passionate. That doesn’t mean... that we have to be completely neutral to who the convener of a discussion is and what their motivations are.”

At times I lost track of who is to blame for constricted speech and cancel culture, especially on college campuses. Is it the student governments at liberal universities that block campus Jewish clubs from organizing because their support for Israel made other students uncomfortable? Or is it the Jewish groups that insist campuses that allow harsh criticism of Israel are making Jewish students feel unsafe?

Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor in chief of the New York Jewish Week and senior editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Synagogues

10 | The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

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

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

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

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

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

CHABAD HOUSE

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

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN

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

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

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

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154 rbjh.com

TEMPLE ISRAEL

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

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL

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

B’NAI ISRAEL Join us on Friday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m. for evening services. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information on COVID-related closures and about our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber.

Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays, 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat & Dinner with Dr. Sharon Keller, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services with Dr. Sharon Keller, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream followed by Lunch & Learn with Dr. Sharon Keller; Walking Group with Matt Hazimeh, 1:45 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:05 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: Torah Study and Nosh with Dr. Sharon Keller, 9:30 a.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 19: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY-Aug. 20: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Bar MItzvah of Jacob Fischer; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m. Zoom Only.

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

BETH ISRAEL FRIDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:10 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Tehillim for Kids, 5:30 p.m.; Kids Parsha Class, 6:50 p.m.; Mincha/Shalosh Suedos, 8:10 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:30 p.m.; Ma’ariv/Havdalah, 9:12 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Kids Parsha Class, 10 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:30 p.m.; Min-

cha/Ma’ariv, 8:10 p.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 19: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 20: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Tehillim for Kids, 5:30 p.m.; Kids Parsha Class, 6:50 p.m.; Mincha/Shalosh Suedos, 7:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/ Kids Activity, 8:20 p.m.; Ma’ariv/Havdalah, 9:01 p.m.

Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

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

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Le chayim; Candlelighting, 8:09 p.m.

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

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps (Food-Free): Video Presentation, 9-9:30 a.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Women’s Power Lunch, noon-1 p.m. with Shani Katzman at the Katzman Residence. Lunch with be served. RSVP at ochabad.com/lunch.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.

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

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

FRIDAY-Aug. 19: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochab ad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 7:59 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 20: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed

by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:59 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch.

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

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Leslie Delserone and Peter Mullin, 6:30 p.m. at SST. Oneg host: TBD; Candlelighting, 8:10 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Va-etchanan; Havdalah, 9:12 p.m.

SUNDAY: Men's Jewish Bike Group of Lincoln meets Sundays at 10 a.m., rain or shine, to ride to one

of The Mill locations from Hanson Ct. (except we drive if it’s too wet, cold, cloudy, windy, hot or humid) followed by coffee and spirited discussions. If interested, please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com to find out where to meet each week; Pickleball at Tifereth Israel is on hiatus until after Yom Kippur 5783. In the meantime, everyone is welcome to play at Peterson Park through the spring and summer; just wear comfortable clothes and tennis or gym shoes. For more information, contact Miriam Wallick by email at Miriam57@aol.com; Fast Ends, 9:12 p.m.

TUESDAY: Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom.

THURSDAY: HHD Choir Rehearsal, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 19: Federation Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex and lay leadership, 6:30 p.m. at Antelope Park; Candlelighting, 8:01 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 20: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Eikev; Havdalah, 9:01 p.m.

First Day of LJCS; Garden Work Party, 8:30 a.m. and Jewish Book Club, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom on Sunday, Aug. 21.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

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

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

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

TEMPLE ISRAEL

In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Batsheva Appel, Rabbi Deana Sussmam Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander FRIDAY: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat Shira Service, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person.

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

MONDAY: Temple Israel Golf Outing, noon-6:30 p.m. at Shadow Ridge Country Club.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m.

THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom or In-Person; Brooks Institute for Clergy, 11:30 a.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 19: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat B’yachad Service: Welcome Director of Education Jennie Gates Beckman and Director of Youth Engagement Jay Ascher, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person.

SATURDAY-Aug. 20: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; Bar MItzvah of Clayton Maxwell Ruback; Splash Out of Shabbat, 4-5:30 p.m. at The Grove Splash Park. Please RSVP. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

Jay Noddle honored by Greater Omaha Chamber Jay Noddle, President and CEO of Noddle Companies and past-President of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, will be inducted into the 2022 Greater Omaha Chamber Hall of Fame. The Greater Omaha Chamber annually inducts civic and business leaders whose accomplishments are both outstanding and historically significant.

This year’s Induction Ceremony will be held at the Holland Performing Arts Center, Wednesday, Aug. 17 with Hors d’oeuvres and cocktail hour at 6 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 7:30 p.m. and a dessert reception at 9 p.m.

Initiated in 1993 as part of the Greater Omaha Chamber’s centennial anniversary, the Omaha Business Hall of Fame event includes an hors d’oeuvres dinner and cocktail hour, induction ceremony and dessert reception. Achievements are then showcased in a permanent exhibit at The Durham Museum.

The Omaha CHamber aims to preserve the role of individual business achievement in Greater Omaha’s history through a permanent Omaha Business Hall of Fame.

In addition, we recognize individuals who have contributed to the business history of the Greater

Omaha area in some significant manner, either through sustained superior accomplishment or through a specific important achievement.

development, future growth and overall quality of life in Greater Omaha, and contribute to the overall business image of Greater Omaha.

Proceeds from this event help support Greater Omaha Chamber Foundation efforts to drive growth of the region’s strong, diverse economy; help attract and retain young professionals and maintain the permanent Omaha Business Hall of Fame exhibit at the Durham Museum.

TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Jay Noddle

Finally, it is part of the Chamber’s mission to foster recognition by the general public of the importance of business and free enterprise to the

Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress @jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154.

Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, by e-mailing the editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org or online at: www.omahajewishpress.com, go to Submission Forms.

Submit other announcements -- births engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at: www.omahajewish press.com, go to Submission Forms.

Life cycles BAR MITZVAHS JACOB DYLAN FISCHER Jacob Dylan Fischer, son of Linda and Joe Fischer, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 at Beth El. Jacob is an eighth-grade honor roll student at Buffet Middle School, where he earned the Student of Distinction award.

Jacob is interested in soccer, playing video games, canoeing, and swimming at the J in the summer.

For his mitzvah project, Jacob is helping fight hunger in the heartland: filling the food pantry with family and friends at Beth El during the summer; volunteering twice a week at Food Bank of the Heartland with friends and family helping with different tasks each time; collecting food to bring to the foodbank (cereal is in high demand if anyone would like to drop off cereal to the foodbank).

He has a brother, Joseph.

Grandparents are Dolores Fischer of Kansas City and the late Dr. Jose Fischer, and Elaine Lazarus of Miami Beach, FL and the late Dr. Mark J. Lazarus.

CLAYTON MAXWELL RUBACK Clayton Maxwell Ruback, son of Teresa and Andy Ruback, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 at Temple Israel.

Max is a seventh-grade student at Westside Middle School. He received the Presidents Award for Educational Excellence.

Max is interested in gardening, singing, cooking, theater, and spending summers at Herzl Camp, and he is a tea aficionado.

For his mitzvah project, Max volunteers at the Tri-Faith Garden.

He has a sister, Chloe.

Grandparents are the late Hilda and Larry Kramer, and Jayne and Altan Ruback of Omaha.

IN MEMORIAM JAROLD L. KOHLL Jarold L. Kohll passed away on Aug. 1, 2022, at age 85 at home surrounded by loves ones. Services were held on Aug. 3, 2022 at Temple Israel.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis Kohll, Leona Kohll Cohn and Gerald P. Cohn.

He is survived by his wife, Gail; daughter and son-in-law, Cindy Kohll and Joshua Persky, sons and daughters-in-law, Alan and Brigitte Kohll and Jason and Stephanie Kohll, and daughter, Allison Kohll; grandchildren: Abby, Isabella, Isaac, Jacob, Hayden, Adam, Drew, Benjamin and Sivan; brother, Marvin Kohll; and beloved dog, Simba.

Jerry will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather, caring friend, respected businessman, community leader, wonderful nature, unflappable optimism, generous heart and good humor. He will be greatly missed.

Memorials may be made to Jewish Family Services, 333 S. 132nd St, Omaha, NE 68154 or the organization of your choice.

SUBMIT OBITUARIES TO THE JEWISH PRESS:

Email the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; mail to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; or online at online at www.omahajewishpress.com/site/forms/.

Ceasefire brokered

by Egypt JTA After more than 48 hours in which hundreds of rockets were fired from Gaza toward targets in Israel, calm reigned again Sunday night, Aug. 7, after a ceasefire brokered by Egypt took effect. Although a handful of rockets were fired shortly after the ceasefire start, 11:30 p.m. in Israel, the truce between Israel and Islamic Jihad appeared to be holding throughout the night.

The ceasefire marked a swift conclusion to a conflict that erupted Aug. 5 when Israel killed a senior commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a group that promotes the military destruction of Israel and is regarded as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.

Islamic Jihad leaders vowed to retaliate, and over the next two days, sirens blared frequently in Israeli towns near Gaza and occasionally farther afield in Tel Aviv and outside Jerusalem as nearly a thousand rockets were fired from Gaza. Israeli officials said the Iron Dome defense system intercepted 300 of them, with most of the rest that fell within Israel landing in open areas.

Meanwhile, Israeli armed forces continued to strike targets in Gaza and by Sunday Aug. 7, Israeli leaders said they had killed the entire leadership of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, preventing an offensive that they said the group had planned.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 44 Palestinians were killed, including 11 children. Israeli officials said the children had died when Islamic Jihad missiles fell within Gaza. Seeking to demonstrate its care in avoiding civilian casualties, the Israeli army released videos, some subtitled in English, showing pilots aborting missions when civilians were present. According to Israel’s Channel 12, the head of the country’s Shin Bet security service urged lawmakers Saturday night to end the operation, titled Breaking Dawn, before an “accident or mistake” complicated it.

“My support for Israel’s security is long-standing and unwavering — including its right to defend itself against attacks,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “Over these recent days, Israel has defended its people from indiscriminate rocket attacks launched by the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the United States is proud of our support for Israel’s Iron-Dome, which intercepted hundreds of rockets and saved countless lives. I commend Prime Minister Yair Lapid and his government’s steady leadership throughout the crisis.”

The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022 | 11

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12 | The Jewish Press | August 12, 2022

News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D

Thank you, Angela Jones ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor One sure way to know a facility like the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is truly a ‘Home,’ is to acknowledge the length to which employees go to make the Residents feel loved and cared for. At our Home, there are a number of staff who not only go above and beyond, but have done so for a great number of years. Certified Nursing Assistant Angela Jones is one such example: someone who does the work, day after day, knowing that taking care of our elderly is so much more than a job.

Sept. 30 will mark Angela Jones’ last day at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, as she is retiring after more than two decades. We can only imagine the impact she has had on our Residents, and our community, during that time.

“Angela Jones has impacted so many people’s lives over her years at the Home,” RBJH Executive Director Chris Ulven said. “I constantly get positive feedback from Residents and their families about the exceptional care she provides. Angela’s passion and pride in what she does has not only made us better, but has left a legacy in how to truly care for people. She has extremely high standards and has held others to this along the way. We are really going to miss her and her work ethic, and wish her nothing but the best!”

Colleague Shelly Tucker has worked with Angela for 25 years, and said: “I was a CNA with her through the pool agency when I first started. After that, I was a med nurse, then charge nurse, and now nurse manager. She has been with me through all the changes.”

Some of Tucker’s favorite memories deal with Angela’s dedication to the Residents:

“She would take her time and make sure ‘her’ Residents had make-up on, hair curled, nails done-- whatever she could do to make them feel good. She loves all the Residents.”

When Husker football season arrives, Angela always makes sure the nurses’ station is fully decked out in Husker colors.

She gets the Residents excited and makes sure they have snacks, so they have the full gameday experience every time.

“I have worked at RBJH going on 22 years,” Pauline Cullins said, “and 13 of those years I have been on the day shift with Angela. I eventually transferred to the night shift, but Angela and I had already created a friendship, so we always kept in

touch, whether it was in passing change of shifts, outings, or just a simple phone call. I’m sad to see her go, but I wish her the best!”

Shana Hester has worked with Angela since the day she started almost 23 years ago: “I worked with her as a CNA when I first started.

Then I took on the role of Nursing Secretary for several years, after which I became the Staffing Coordinator.

Angela is a huge Husker fan. On game day the Residents on her unit would be decked out in their red!

Along with some of the others, she would arrange for a Husker party on the unit with popcorn, soda, sometimes beer, chips and candy. Game day was always a good day.”

Not all memories are work-related. According to Shana, “Angela used to make a habit of trying to snatch my daughters’ candy when she was little (she is 21 now). And every year after Easter, Angela would make me homemade ham and bean soup from my left-over ham and it was so, so delicious. We would make a trade. She would want my homemade rice kripsy treats, and in turn she would make my soup. She finally taught me how to make the soup myself. Mine is good, but nothing will beat Angela’s, or, as I like to call her Faye. Faye is her middle name and I have called her that since the day I found that out. Angela likes to say that she has worked here “since the first stone was laid”. Angela has always been an excellent employee. Kind, caring, and very reliable. There will definitely be a void when she leaves.”

The staff and Residents at the RBJH are wearing Husker attire on Angela’s last day, because, of course, the goodbye party is Husker-themed. Her community at the Home, as well as the Jewish community as a whole, thank Angela Jones for her years of dedication. We wish you all the best in your retirement!