August 19, 2016

thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

this week

AU G U ST 1 9 , 2 0 1 6 | 1 5 AV 5 7 7 6 | V O L. 9 6 | NO . 4 8 | C a nd leli g h ti ng | FRID AY , AU G U ST 1 9 , 7 : 5 8 P. M.

team omaha returns victorious from 2016 jCC maccabi games

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raChel martin BBYO/Teen Program Director eam Omaha’s suitcases gained a lot of weight during our week in St. Louis at the 2016 JCC Maccabi Games July 31-Aug. 5 because of all the medals Omaha earned! Luckily, we flew Southwest for the free bags.

Team Omaha is home with a total of 47 medals! Congratulations to all of the athletes - I am so beyond proud of you all for working so hard, always smiling, and representing Omaha’s Jewish community so excellently.

Swimmers Ryan Patterson, Jared Murray, and Max Kohll earned 12, 12, and six medals respectively. They swam different events each day and competed in relays with athletes from different delegations including Memphis, St. Louis, Israel, and Dallas.

Hummus unites page 4

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The male and female swimmers from each delegation formed a community and cheered each other on throughout each day’s competition. PS: shoutout to Jenny Patterson for the AMAZING towels and caps she found and had personalized for the swimmers every other swimmer was envious and LOVED the Omaha caps. They all traded caps at the end of the meet and Omaha’s were a hot commodity.

Dancers Leora McNamara, Laura Kirshenbaum, Zoe Berman, and Rachel Kricsfeld earned five, three, four, and four medals respectively for their performances in several categories including Israeli, jazz, lyrical, and ballet. Zoe Berman earned a medal for student choreographed pieces. The girls befriended the other dancers competing and had fun sharing dressing rooms with and cheering See 2016 maccabi games page 3

Poolin’ around!

From LA to Israel: One swimmer’s journey to the Rio Olympics page 16

A new year at Friedel

inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

12 14 15

annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor of the Jewish Press It’s late August, and for the Friedel Jewish Academy students that means: the beginning of a new school year. For the staff, it’s hardly a beginning; they have been busy preparing for the arrival of their students. Time to catch up with Head of School Beth Cohen and find out what this year has in store.

What are the three most exciting new

things/people/improvements at Friedel this year?

I would have had a much quieter summer if there were only three things! So much has gone on this summer, in order to get ready for the school year. In our General Studies classrooms, we have installed SMART boards, giving our teachers the tools to promote collaborative and interactive learning, helping to make learning a visual, engaging experience for students.

We’ve made a huge behind-thescenes improvement to the software used on our iPads so we can better integrate the use of the classroom iPads in instructional time. Second, in the area of curriculum, we have charted a course for excellence and innovation. We are in a process of evaluating each curricular piece we use, See new year at Friedel page 2

Shari binder, “the Shark” and grace isler (with some photo bombers in the background).

Webb Center, Yachad members now have joyCe ryan Yachad Activities Coordinator a larger group of friends to interact with.

Another epic pool party was enjoyed by There were approximately 35 staff and Jewish Family Services’ Yachad and Ollie group members in attendance. The group enjoyed a music D.J., dancing to the Webb program members on July 31!

The JCC Pool Party was made possible Macarena, singing, eating pizza, tossing with the generous grant by the Million Dol- beach balls, temporary tattoos, swimlar Round Table (MDRT) last year. The ming, and socializing with their new and $5,000 Quality of Life grant was estab- current friends. We must not forget the lished to provide a collaborative fitness guest appearance by a land shark, which program for the Omaha and Jewish com- made for fantastic photo opportunities munity’s group of adults with developmen- with the group. He also displayed some amazing dance moves! tal disabilities.

Thanks to all who helped with this event This year’s pool party was the sixth event sponsored by the MDRT grant. Pre- but especially the MDRT Foundation and vious events have included: a pool party in Jim Farber, who is the grant sponsor, JSS 2015, River “Boat” Camp, a self-defense Board member, past President and long-time class, Zumba in the Park, and a hip hop JFS supporter. The MDRT grant has opened dance party. In partnering with the Ollie See poolin’ around page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016

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Continued from page 1 and are making the investment in resources as we see a need. We are also very excited to announce a new Innovation Learning program that will be in place this year. A strong innovative learning curriculum capitalizes on the challenges of discovery and gives students the opportunity to think deeply to become innovators, researchers and leaders. Critical thinking skills and design thinking skills are cultivated through an innovative curriculum with a focus on STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – to prepare students to be adaptive and nimble problem-solvers. Interestingly, innovation learning takes many forms.

Our students will engage in both the use of new technology and in learning “un-plugged.”

I really can’t say enough about how amazing Friedel teachers are! In addition to our four returning general studies teachers, we are welcoming two new Jewish Studies teachers from Israel. Both of our new Jewish Studies teachers ar experienced educators and have master’s degrees – one in educational counseling and one in Israeli culture and heritage, and they have participated in extensive training in the TalAM curriculum, the internationally-renowned program we use for immersion Hebrew and Jewish studies.

Does having your own children as Friedel alums make this job more personal?

I was a parent of Friedel students long before I was a Friedel employee, and my husband Harry Berman was a board member and past president of the school. For me, Friedel was this truly remarkable place that my children so loved to be a part of each day. This is where my children grew up, and so, of course, it was very personal. Now, it is so interesting that the personal nature of it is just as deep a feeling but for different reasons. Because we are a small school, we connect with students in ways that are just not possible in a classroom of 23 children. We are flexible to give our students experiences out-

Continued from page 1 up numerous opportunities that may have not been possible without this funding.

We cannot forget Mark Martin and his staff for the impeccable planning of the event and closing the fitness center pool to accommodate the party. The lifeguards, staff, caregivers, the music D.J. and the “shark” all joined in to make this a truly memorable evening. A splashin’ good time was had by all!

side of the classroom that build on their knowledge base. I work closely with the board to make data-driven decisions as we strive to be the best elementary school in Omaha. Period.

The pride that I feel in the work that we do with students is very personal.

What is the most common question you get from parents who are considering Friedel?

So interesting! You would think the most common question would be how do our students do academically. We are, after all, an educational institution. How well do we do our job? When asked, I would tell parents that on the Terra Nova Standardized Test, we see a direct comparison of 6th graders at Friedel scoring ten points higher in reading than Millard Public School students. Or, I could tell them that in the 2014-2015 school year, of the eight Friedel graduates attending Beveridge Middle School, seven of them were in honors classes. But, the most common question is how do Friedel students adjust socially when they leave this warm, nurturing, family-like environment and move on to middle school and high school? I’ll change hats from my “Head of School” hat to my “Mom” hat when I say that this was a question I asked when I enrolled my children at Friedel years ago. I was assured by both alumni and by their parents that I should not worry, and it was wonderful to see that for myself when my daughter graduated and moved on to public school. We do so much at Friedel to give our students the opportunity to interact with community members, to learn how to work with others and to build their self-confidence that they are ready to face the challenges of transitioning.

Imagine my child is not at Friedel, and I’d like to change that. What are my road blocks, and how can you help? What should parents do?

Call me! Not sure how a student in third grade could come to Friedel if he/she doesn’t speak Hebrew? Not sure how to navigate the tuition assistance process? Want to know more

about how we challenge students academically? Have questions about how we graduate students who are fluent in a second language? Worried about how you could help your child with Hebrew homework when you don’t speak the language? Wondering how Friedel meets the needs of Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Unaffiliated Jewish families in Omaha? Call me!

Friedel consistently produces the highest test scores in the state. What’s the secret?

The secret is NOT teaching to the test! Some schools get so hung up on the outcome of standardized testing that they lose sight of the end goal – to provide a stellar education and to equip children to be thoughtful, inquisitive adults. As we see Omaha area public schools cutting student experiences – art, music, second language learning – Friedel is continuing to add. We offer a weekly art class, swimming instruction as part of our physical education program, special events and field trips for all classes, plus daily instruction in immersion language.

Isn’t learning Hebrew when you’re five really hard?

On the contrary, there is a lot of research that shows that learning a second language – any language – at a young age helps to wire your brain for future learning. Five years old is arguably the best time to learn Hebrew! We teach using an immersion language program which means our students hear Hebrew for 90 minutes a day as they develop an appreciation for and mastery of the Hebrew language as the voice of the Jewish people. Once children learn a second language, research tells us that they not only have an easier time acquiring additional languages, but they also outperform control groups in core subject areas on standardized tests and they have superior problem solving skills.

For more information, and to schedule a tour, contact Beth Cohen at bcohen@fjaomaha.org or call 402.334.0517

2016 JCC Maccabi Games

Continued from page 1 for other delegations such as Houston, St. Louis, Detroit, Greater Washington, San Diego, Philadelphia, and Boca Raton.

The JCC Maccabi Games incorporate another way to earn medals, known as Midot medals, awarded to anyone (delegation heads, athletes, coaches, volunteers, chaperones) for exemplifying any of the six Midot values. Team Omaha awarded two Midot medals to deserving recipients. First, to the Dallas swim coach who helped coach the Omaha swimmers by giving pointers and constructive criticism, and secondly, to the San Diego dance coach who jumped right in to help the Omaha dancers with anything they needed throughout the competition.

Both coaches were recognized from the JCC Association for their hard work and enthusiasm during the JCC Maccabi Games.

I am proud to announce that one of our own Team Omaha athletes earned a Midot medal: Lev Denenberg. Lev’s mixed baseball team coach from St. Louis awarded Lev a Midot medal for his positive attitude and good sportsmanship - at Maccabi we call this rachmanus - throughout the entire week. The baseball players missed several games due to rain delays, but Lev remained positive and enthusiastic despite the circumstances. He is a great example of the spirit of the JCC Maccabi Games: it’s about much more than just sports!

Charlie Cohen’s mixed basketball team fought hard and even went into overtime during one of their games. Composed of athletes from Omaha, Dallas, and New Orleans, the players worked hard to find a rhythm on the court despite the fact that they had just met on Sunday, July 31. Although they did not win many games, Cohen had a great outlook throughout the week and said that the rest of the JCC Mac-

The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016 | 3

cabi experience made up for the losses.

Again, congratulations to all of Team Omaha’s athletes!

To the parents of Team Omaha: thank you, again, for sending your child on this incredible journey, where they connected with nearly 1500 other Jewish teens from around the world, represented the Omaha Jewish community, and made lifelong memories.

2016 AWARDS CEREMONY - Monday, Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the JCC Social Hall – athletes and families invited! We will be hosting a Team Omaha awards ceremony for the athletes to re-award their medals. At this ceremony, we will also meet about 2017 ideas, dates, requests, etc.

Mark your calendars because we are already working on building Team Omaha for the 2017 JCC Maccabi Games, to be held in Birmingham, AL, and Albany, NY, July 30 Aug. 4, and JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest, to be held in Miami, FL, Aug. 6 - 11.

We are working to put together an Omaha JCC Maccabi Committee of teens and parents, and we welcome anyone who is interested in being involved. With this committee, we will explore recruitment techniques, promote the JCC Maccabi Games in our community, fundraise, host social events to engage new participants, and collectively work together on Team Omaha’s 2017 theme and gear. For more information about the JCC Maccabi Games and other Jewish teen programming, contact Rachel Martin, JCC Teen Program/BBYO Director, rmartin@jccomaha.org or 402.334.6404.

Hummus unites

4 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016

community Mitzvah projects from our B’nai Mitzvah students SCott LittKy Program Director, Temple Israel At the end of the famous quote from Hillel, he says, “If not now, when?” Hillel is calling upon the Jewish people to act and to not sit passively in all parts of their lives. It is our obligation as Jews to work to make our world today a better place for those who will come after us. This idea is central to our understanding of Tikkun Olam. There are those today who teach that Tikkun Olam is synonymous with the notion of social action and the pursuit of social justice.

In truth, Tikkun Olam is much more.

Tikkun Olam is rooted in kabbalah and is taught as a means to repair the world from the evil that may have been exposed through creation.

Students at Temple Israel who are studying for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah take on a Mitzvah Project to be worked on during their year of study.

When planning their Mitzvah Project, Rabbi Jill Jacobs of Tru’ah said it best, “One key thing is that the mitzvah

project should be something the students really have thought about and that it comes from somewhere inside of them, and that they learn something about how to interact with communities who are in need. Students need to talk to people who work at an organization and make a long-term commitment to helping. The gold standard is a project that studies the issue through a Jewish lens and the ideal is a combination of service, advocacy, and study.”

Recently, I spoke with McKenna Blake and Micha Gilbert who have been volunteering at the Stephen Cen-

ter in South Omaha as part of their Mitzvah Project. Their work at the Stephen Center exemplifies what Rabbi Jacobs stated as the purpose of a successful Mitzvah Project. I asked them why they chose the Stephen Center. McKenna said, “I picked the Stephen Center as part of my mitzvah project because I wanted to help anywhere I could with people less fortunate. My favorite part about volunteering at the Stephen Center was seeing the smiles on all of the people’s faces as I served food. They all seemed happy and grateful.” Micha stated, “I decided to do the Stephen Center because they are a great organization that helps people in need, no matter what. My favorite part was meeting other people who volunteered there because I could see how I could help later on.”

For more information on Temple Israel’s B’nai Mitzvah program or on individual Mitzvah Projects, please contact, Scott Littky, Program Director at 402.556.6536.

ing locally-focused brokerage companies in Omaha,” Edney added. “Our local clients will see more attention and value because of this.”

T.J Twit and the World Group team are also excited for the new members. “The addition of Epstein and Edney is a statement to our growth strategy and how we want to serve our clients,” Twit stated. “They have been two of the most recognized and productive brokers in the community and they will continue to bring first class results for their clients.”

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You can contact World Group Commercial Real Estate in Omaha at 402.697.8899 or visit our website at worldgroupllc.com.

Micha and McKenna at the Stephen Center

World Group welcomes Alex Epstein and Matt Edney Alex Epstein and Matt Edney, formerly top industrial brokers at Colliers International, each accepted the role of Executive Vice President at World Group Commercial Real Estate to join T.J. Twit, who was announced as the new CEO in early 2016.

“This move allows us to combine synergies and create real strategic value for our clients,” said Epstein. “T.J. Twit is a leader in the real estate community and I’m excited to be working with him and the World Group team.”

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MArK KirChhoff Program and Communications Assistant, Jewish Federation of Omaha The Aug. 21 film of the 15th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival is titled, Hummus. Previous films, Atomic Falafel, 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. & Mrs. Kraus, and Rabin in His Own Words have all been well received by movie goers. This 2015 movie in English, Arabic, and Hebrew with English subtitles explores the ways in which one food can mean so much to so many people in the Middle East. The film screens in the JCC Theater at 7:15 p.m. and runs 72 minutes.

In the Middle East, everybody loves hummus: the dip is both a staple and a soul food. But opinions differ about its origins and how to make it. Oren Rosenfeld’s documentary is an irresistible combination of secret formulas, Guinness World Records, and the power of hummus to bring together Jews, Muslims, and Christians.

The Jüdisches Filmfestival Berlin & Brandenburg (JFBB) describes the film in this manner: “The film features three very different protagonists: Soheila, a Muslim self-made woman from Acre, who prevailed against ten male competitors on the TV cooking show Israel Hummus Genius and claims to be ‘married to hummus’; Jalil, a Christian Arab who organizes rock concerts at his eatery in Ramla and dreams of opening one in Berlin; and Eliyahu, whose life’s journey has led him to his Orthodox roots and who now runs a successful restaurant chain. Hardly surprising: hummus helped them find their own recipes for a happy life. A delicious film about a versatile food and a kaleidoscopic society!”

The Film Festival ends on Aug. 28 with the showing of A Blind Hero. This film tells the story of the heroic Otto Weidt, owner of a brush and broom factory in Berlin. Otto saved dozens of Jews, including his staff, most of whom were blind, from the Nazi death camps.

We extend our thanks to the generous sponsors of this year’s film festival. They are the Henry Monsky Lodge of B’Nai B’rith, Richard and Fran Juro, and the following Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation funds: Klutznick/Creighton Custodial Fund, Special Donor-Advised Fund, Frederick J. Simon Memorial Endowment Fund, Samuel & Bess Rothenberg Memorial Endowment Fund, and the Avy L. & Roberta L. Miller Film Fund. Because of the generosity of the sponsors, tickets continue to be only $5 per film.

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She heard about the Tri-Faith Initiative on Sol mARBuRg NPR and was intrigued by the concept. She Jewish Press Intern ome of us have been lucky believes that, especially in today’s global soenough to meet Rabbi Deana ciety, the Tri-Faith provides an excellent opBerezin (formerly portunity for people to be led Sussman), Temple to action based upon their Israel’s new assissimilarities, not their differtant rabbi, who has now been ences. She also believes in the with the congregation slightly Tri-Faith program as a way to more than two months. For build the religious commuthose of you who haven’t met nity in Omaha.

Rabbi Berezin yet, she is eager Rabbi Berezin acknowlto meet you. edges that St. Louis and For the past two years, she Omaha are in many ways was the Rabbi Educator at very similar, and that this has Central Reform Synagogue in helped ease her transition to her native St. Louis. Before Omaha. that, she studied Jewish Stud“Some of the real challenges Rabbi Deana Berezin ies and Religious Studies at will come about from Temple Indiana University, and was ordained folIsrael’s own transitions,” she said, “particulowing her studies at the Hebrew Union col- larly the retirement of the senior rabbi of 28 lege. She married Jared Berezin just before years, Aryeh Azriel.” starting at Temple Israel.

One of her goals is to help make this time Rabbi Berezin explained that she became of change as easy and smooth as possible for a rabbi because she wanted to be able to be her congregants. Already, though, Rabbi with people to help and guide them through Berezin says she can see that this commuevery stage of life, both joyous and painful. nity is both a tightly-knit and a welcoming She wanted to help make Judaism accessible one. for everyone, and in doing so, show them “My best experiences here so far have how Judaism is an essential presence in been the services, especially my first Shabevery aspect of our lives. Growing up in bat service,” she said. “(The people) really Missouri, she was eager to return to the embodied the sentiment of hospitality.” comfortable pace and friendly faces of the When leading services, and particularly Midwest following her time studying in Los when delivering a sermon, Berezin’s favorite Angeles. thing is to find herself in the Torah and When she first arrived in Omaha and at connect it to her modern life. Only once she Temple Israel, she felt as though our comdoes so, she feels she can help others to do munity was a familiar one, and an excellent so as well. place to call home. She also connected with “These first few months are a time for the values of Temple Israel and the people learning, listening, and making connections with whom she interviewed. “I look forward with all congregants,” she added. “I can’t to building relationships and connecting wait to get to know everyone!” with people,” she said, “and to growing and For those of you who want to reach out to learning with the community.”

Rabbi Berezin, please contact Temple Israel She recognizes that now is a time of imat 402.556.6536. mense growth and change for Temple Israel.

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To learn more about our curriculum for kindergarten through sixth grade or to schedule a tour, contact Beth Cohen, Head of School, at 402-334-0517 or <bcohen@fjaomaha.com>.

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See you in September at Beth El’s End of Summer Festival

B

OzziE NOgg

ambulance that Children’s Hospital is bringeth El Synagogue’s End of Suming to the Festival, climbing on the fire mer Festival will offer attendees truck provided by the Omaha Fire Departa world of games, food, live enment, and having a blast in the Children’s tertainment and outstanding Museum booth. Also, Beth El teens will covendors. “The event is geared to delight kids and adults from the entire community,” said Lisa Marcus, who co-chairs the Festival with Caryn Scheer. “Come listen to live music, buy original arts and crafts, enjoy delicious food. Those activities and more will be available from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept.

5, on the Beth El grounds.”

Starting at 11 a.m., the Lincolnbased String Beans trio kicks off the musical performances with their original, family-friendly show that delivAnticipating the End of Summer Festival fun, co-chairs ers songs about all the things children Caryn Scheer, left, and Lisa Marcus are all smiles. love - animals, cartoons, food, science, sports. “I’ve brought my kids to watch The String Beans perform many times,” Scheer said. “Their tunes are so fun and contagious, you’ll find yourself singing their music long after the show. Even though the band is geared toward children, I enjoy their music immensely. I’m thrilled that they’re coming to Beth El’s End of Summer Festival.” At 12:30 p.m., Tuffy’s Group takes the spotlight with their repertoire of jazz favorites and klezmer music, the only group between Omaha and Chicago that successfully combines those two musical genres. The String Beans are part of the entertainment at Beth At 2 p.m., Bill Wakefield & Random, El’s End of Summer Festival the cover band that plays venues all over the ordinate face painting, plus chalk and bubarea, including the Friday Night Concerts at ble activities. You won’t know where to turn Rockbrook Village, offers classic rock, coun- to first. We’re excited to see many friends try-western and pop tunes. “We want to and community members enjoying the fesprovide musical entertainment that appeals tivities.” to everyone,” said Marcus, “and these diFeel like shopping during the Festival? verse musical groups deliver the goods.”

Arts, crafts and Judaica will be available for Festival visitors will also be treated to per- sale in the Zipursky Family Community formances by talented youngsters from the Shuk, named for Platinum Sponsors CharJCC Dance and Cultural Arts Department. lotte, Morley, Sally, Jim, Aaron and Naomi The JCC Dance Training Company will Zipursky. “Beth El has always been an imstage an Israeli pop number plus a new rou- portant part of our family,” said Synagogue tine choreographed especially for the FestiPresident, Jim Zipursky. “We’re very pleased val; kids from the JCC Musical Theater to support the End of Summer Festival and Camp will perform a selection from this look forward to a fantastic event.” summer’s outstanding production of Fame.

Additional End of Summer Festival supThe young dancers and singers include port comes from Gold Sponsors Sandy and members from Temple Israel, Beth Israel Amy Friedman, Jerry and Linda Gordman, and Beth El, so the stage is set for inclusive Allan and Janie Murow, Marc and Caryn Omaha Jewish community participation.

Scheer, Barry and Nora Zoob, Granulawn, All entertainment takes place on the Eternal The Jewish Press and Marcus of Omaha Fine Light Stage, the heart of the End of Summer Photography. Silver Sponsors are Donald Festival. and Diane Baum, Hanna DeBruin/CBS Arrangements for entertainment, activiHome Real Estate, Gary and Lisa Epstein, ties and food are under the direction of Adam and Abigail Kutler, Larry and Sherry Danny Cohn, Festival Logistics Manager.

Shapiro, and Bob and Rita Yaffe. “We’re very “Our Festival Food Folk are preparing cregratified that members and friends of Beth ative, totally Kosher vegetarian light enEl stepped up with financial support for this trees,” Cohn said, “and the Frosty Treats Ice wonderful program,” Zipursky said. “Their Cream Truck will bring plenty of delicious contributions are very much appreciated.” novelties - and all Kosher. Festival-goers can Working with Marcus, Scheer, Cohn and enjoy their food in the Picnic Patch, a Kutler on Festival plans are Shirley Cemaj, shaded area with tables surrounded by lush Jay Durmaskin, M’Lee Hasslinger, Hannah lawn, while watching the entertainment on DeBruin, Wayne Schwarz, Linda Fischer stage.” and Miriam Gottlieb. Susan Witkowski is Beth El member Abigail Kutler helped or- volunteer coordinator. The Festival has a ganize the Festival Fun Zone, a setting suggested donation of $5 per person or $20 where kids and adults can play together. per family with four or more members. All “The Fun Zone includes two bounce activities are included, with food available houses, a Velcro Wall, Bungee Run and for purchase. “And don’t let inclement Photo Booth,” Kutler said. “Our son Sam is weather keep you away,” Lisa Marcus said. especially looking forward to exploring the “If it rains, we’ll move the party inside.”

Omaha BBYO teen attends international leadership training in Israel Rachel MaRtin BBYO/Teen Program Director Omaha’s BBYO Council President, Aleph Godol Nate Gendler, spent 21 days in Israel for BBYO’s International Leadership Seminar in Israel (ILSI). This seminar was Gendler’s third trip to Israel, but provided a much different experience.

ILSI covers all the highlights of a first-time Israel experience -- Jerusalem, Masada, the Dead Sea, the Negev Desert, the Galilee, the Golan, the Carmel Mountains, Haifa and Tel Aviv. However, unlike traditional tours, ILSI features seminarstyle travel, using the land of Israel as our classroom and incorporating meetings with leading artists, social activists, innovators and political leaders for additional perspective.

This seminar is BBYO's elite leadership program in Israel designed for BBYO members entering 11th and 12th grades, and welcomes Jewish teens from around the world. This experience combines educational touring, leadership training, interactive seminars and meaningful community service. During ILSI, teens gain an appreciation for the complexity of modern Israel and an enduring connection to the Jewish state and the

Jewish people worldwide.

“I have now gone to Israel three times, and I can say that it is a second home.

Whether with family, Omaha youth or my best friends, it is always great. I recently took part in BBYO's ILSI, a three week excursion across Israel. Capping off three

summers of programs with my best friends from all over the states, this trip made me realize how important Judaism and its tight-knit network really are. In this picture, you’ll see our first Shabbat in Tzfat. I am in the front row, second from the right, surrounded by my AZA brothers from around the world. This is a picture that 100% sums up my trip.”

The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016 | 7

community Foundation update

What personal life events have influenced your giving? Who taught you about charitable giving? What favorite charities do you support with your time and your money?

If you had hOWaRd epstein $1,000,000 to give away, how would you Executive Director, JFO Foundation allocate it?

How did you answer these questions? Would your children give the same answers? If posed to your parents and your grandparents, would their answers be the same as yours?

What conversations have you had with your children, parents, grandparents and grandchildren about making gifts to the many organizations in Omaha’s Jewish community? Gifts to charity in general? Do your family members understand your feelings, your thoughts and your motivations for giving to charity and to the particular charities you regularly support?

Would you like to have such a conversation with your family, but you’re not quite sure how to start? Perhaps we can help.

Steve Levinger, Chief Development Officer of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, and I were chosen to participate in a comprehensive national philanthropic training program made possible through collaboration between the Jewish Federations of North

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.

America (JFNA) and 21/64. 21/64 is a nonprofit organization that specializes in engaging multiple generations within families in philanthropic giving. 21/64’s platform helps families develop and implement their philanthropic goals and legacies.

Steve and I took part in the training program several weeks ago, and we found it to be well worthwhile. We gained valuable insight about family dynamics when multiple generations are engaged in a family’s charitable giving, and we brought back many tools that families in Omaha’s Jewish community will find useful as they develop their family philanthropic goals and values. With those tools, we can help build and strengthen relationships among families and their professional advisors and open new paths for multigenerational philanthropic involvement. We can help your family to invest in a charitable mission you believe in.

Please feel free to contact me at 402.334.6466 or by email at hepstein@jew ishomaha.org.

Organizations

B’nai B’Rith BReadBReakeRs speaker to be announced for Wednesday, aug 24, noon. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

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Yes, there are Jews in Alaska!

8 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016

community Experiencing extremes in Israel

saM Kricsfeld Under the leadership and guidance of Cantor Shermet, Rabbi Abraham and Rabbi Ari, my second trip to Israel, which I expected to be more like a Shabbaton than anything, turned into an outright, movie-worthy journey! I mean, who can say that in ten short days they experienced the absolute extremes of life? We went from sleeping in a luxurious hotel to

rather annoyed camel in the negev

a Bedouin tent, from riding ATVs to riding camels, from witnessing the nightlife of Tel Aviv to seeing every star in the heavens in the Negev, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Calling it fun, exciting, and emotional is not enough. This trip was an experience, an awakening, an outright adventure. Thanks to this trip, I can call Israel my home and my friends my family. In the words of Rabbi Ari, “Sababa!”

jewish press notice

The Jewish Press office is closed Monday, sept. 5, for Labor Day; Questions? Call 402.334.6448.

his summer, I was given the opportunity by my aunt to go on the trip of a life time – an Alaskan cruise! We would be docking in several Alaskan ports (and even a Canadian one!), exploring glaciers, and observing the wildlife north of the border. Nothing EMILY NEWMAN could have made me more excited!

Intern, Jewish Press Not long after I was told I would be taken along on this journey, I was sitting in the office of Annette Van de Kamp-Wright (yes, your Jewish Press Editor extraordinaire!) and I jokingly made the statement – “I doubt there are any Jews in Alaska...!” Then she challenged me... she said: “Most people do not think of Jews in Nebraska either! Do some research!” All it took was a quick Google of Alaskan Jews on my phone for me to be humbled, for according to the Jewish Virtual Library there are an estimated 6,175 Jews in Alaska. The percentage of the Alaskan population that is Jewish is estimated at 0.84%. Both of these numbers exceed the estimations provided for Nebraska, which came in at 6,100 Jews with Jews making up only about 0.33% of the population. You can imagine my shock (and even the slight embarrassment at my assumption!)

Finding this information meant that as soon as I stepped foot on the cruise ship, I began to look for any Jewish connection I could find on my Alaskan trip. I even spent a few hours in the small library on board the ship doing some research... as it turns out, I did not even have to wait until our Holland America ship, the Amsterdam, dropped us off in our first Alaskan port in Juneau to find something! The ship librarian showed me a certificate that was awarded to the ship by the Jewish National Fund stating that “a tree had been planted in the hills of Jerusalem in commemora-

tion of the inaugural call of the M.V Amsterdam, under the representation of A Rosenfeld Shipping Ltd. Port Agents in Israel.” This got me excited – there was the start of the connection I was looking for, the Jewish connection I would be trying to locate in Alaska. Although the ship itself has and will make many more routes throughout the world than merely those throughout Alaska, it was a start!

My next connection would be found just the next day, in our first stop in Juneau. After taking a helicopter ride through the snow-capped mountains to hike on a glacier, we found ourselves with some extra time to walk around the port before we re-boarded the ship. On our walk, I stopped into a jewelry store and immediately, the sales clerk asked where we were from. Taken aback at his abrupt curiosity, I told him we were from Nebraska. Then, yet again you can imagine my shock when he replied: “Wow! There are Jews in Nebraska?” I looked down and realized he was reacting to the Star of David I had forgotten I was wearing.

I could not help but laugh.

I, as I can imagine all of Nebraskan Jews, have been on the receiving end of this statement before – but from a Jew in Juneau, Alaska? A place so remote that the only way to get there is to go by plane, helicopter, or boat? He shared in my laughter, for only we could understand the hilarity of the situation.

He told me that there is actually a Jewish presence in Juneau, although somewhat small (serving 35 families), at the Congregation of Sukkat Shalom. All you have to do is look at their webpage to envy the views they must see outside of their synagogue’s windows! And forget destination weddings... they offer destination Bar Mitzvahs!

Yet the most exciting connection I would come across, at least for me, would be in our stop in Sitka, Alaska. As soon as I stepped onto the main street by the harbor, I immediately shrieked to my aunt: “Hold on! I NEED to get a picture of that flag!” For above a large log cabin-style building, see jews in alaska page 9

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The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016 | 9

Choice words about choice words Cynthia Ozick, Critics, Monsters, Fanatics, and Other Literary Essays (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 212 pages, $25)

OLivEr B. POLLak On July 17, Lynn Neary interviewed Cynthia Ozick on NPR. I purchased it at a Brentwood bookstore; $25.00 plus 9% tax.

Really, literature and education should not be taxed.

I first read Cynthia Ozick in 1990.

Today, at 88, the novelist, poet, translator and literary critic is a force to be reckoned with. Her 13 essays are retrospective, edgy, and acerbic.

Her stiletto sharpness cleaves between trendy and substantial, best sellers of a moment and literature of lasting value. Unfortunately, the publishers did not indicate the year the individual essays first appeared. Thanks to the internet I figured out that “Writers, Visible and Invisible” is based on a 2008 talk given when she received the $20,000 PEN/Nabokov award. I enjoyed her 15-minute speech on YouTube.

If the last 100 years of literature interests you: George Orwell, Edmund Wilson, Virginia Woolf, Jonathan Franzen, Lionel Trilling, Ben Marcus, Franz Kafka, Saul Bellow, Bernard Malamud, Henry James, Rabbi Leo Baeck, a Theresienstadt survivor, and early 20th century Hebrew language writers in America, read this book with alacrity and slowly. Ozick discusses two writers with Nebraska ties, Karl Shapiro and Tillie Olsen. This book is not about Jewish writers, but great writers many of whom happen to be Jewish. She captures the tension between being a critic, poet and novelist. Lionel Trilling lamented in his journal, “Nothing has so filled me with shame and regret as what I have not done.”

Ozick disdains simple books pandering to popularity and sales, preferring the difficult revealing works. Raised in the age of the typewriter, telephone booth, fedoras and stockings with seams, her journey to the present has witnessed the once proliferating literary journals giving up the ghost, or going cyber. Ozick has mastered the adjustment and worries about declining readership.

Ozick observes, “The biographer’s choice of subject is a confession of more than interest and attunement.” It is commitment and possession. As a contrarian, she later states, “Lasting works hardly require us to be acquainted with the lives of the masters who bore them – they have pulsing hearts of their own.”

Her essay on W.H. Auden, reminded me I heard his amazing contemporary, Stephen Spender, read poetry at Creighton in April 1977. Cenacles and haruspex sent me running to google, the web dictionary, to find the meaning. Quality literature contributes extraordinary narratives about life’s burden and unpredictability, expressed through the printed word. Ozick abuses conventional thinking. Be wary of your use of Orwellian and Kafkaesque.

The last three essays discuss Holocaust poetry and fiction. She observes, “The farther the Holocaust recedes from us, the more is written and sung and dramatized.”

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In her vast display of knowledge, reading and understanding, we realize that Ozick is an intermediary for all that we will not read but must claim some understanding. Two statements resonate for reviewers and historians: “Reviews…are the sustenance of publishing.” Her last essay, a consideration of H. G. Adler, sociologist and novelist survivor of Theresienstadt and Auschwitz declares, “A name is in itself a concrete history; namelessness is erasure.” This thought pervades “never forget” as well as the wider practice of history.

Jews in Alaska!

Continued from page 8 placed in the middle of several other flags, waved a proud Israeli flag.

I then went into one of the stores inside the log building. It was an international art gallery that imports art from all over the world, including Israel. The sales associate was able to point out several paintings that were up for purchase from varying Israeli artists (unfortunately, due to the nature of the art business, no photos were allowed...).

All of these experiences showed me that there is definitely a Jewish connection in Alaska, even if I spent a large amount of my trip aboard a cruise ship. These connections might have been only small encounters on a personal level, but they were there – and have been the inspiration for continued research. They provide proof that the Jewish people are diverse, and that there is no single “Jewish Lifestyle.” Although it might not fit the stereotypical model of what a Jewish life looks like, a stereotype I am sad to say that even I, as a Nebraska Jew, could not help but feed into on a certain level. Jews exist in many different cultures, from large cities to small towns, from New York City to Nebraska, and even to Alaska!

Here are some more fun facts about “Jewish Alaska,” according to Gabe Friedman for forward.com: • Four mountain peaks in Alaska are named after Jews, including Mount Ripinsky for Solomon Ripinsky, a former mayor of Haines, Alaska, and Mount Neuberger for former Oregon Senator Richard Neuberger, who supported Alaskan statehood.

• The largest Jewish congregation in Alaska, Congregation Beth Sholom in Anchorage, calls Alaskan Jews the “frozen chosen.” (Its website is frozenchosen.org.)

• Western lawman Sheriff Wyatt Earp and his Jewish wife Josie ran a saloon in Nome.

• Russian-born Jew, Abe Spring was the first mayor of Fairbanks. In 1906, during a period of Russian pogroms, he proposed housing persecuted Russian Jews in Alaska.

The plan was rejected by Congress.

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With Amar’e Stoudemire’s help, Jerusalem looks to overtake Tel Aviv as Israel’s basketball capital

H

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Andrew Tobin into the new Jerusalem Payis JERUSALEM | JTA Arena, just down the street apoel Jerusalem from its previous home court, basketball fans which is now a practice facilknow that when ity where Stoudemire’s basthe owner of ketball camp was held. e their team tweets upgrade from about 2,500 to a smiley face, the signing of a 12,000 seats meant the fan new player is about to be anbase -- and revenue stream -nounced. could be expanded. e day before Amar’e At the end of the 2014-15 Stoudemire made the surseason, Hapoel Jerusalem prise announcement that he won its first Israeli champiwould be leaving the National onship. Last year it lost in the Basketball Association to play Amar’e Stoudemire is surrounded by young fans at his youth bas- finals to Maccabi Rishon ketball camp in Jerusalem, Aug. 8, 2016. Credit: Andrew Tobin Lezion, which edged Maccabi for Hapoel Jerusalem, Ori which he battled injuries, Stoudemire Allon tweeted a video of an active volTel Aviv in the semifinals. Hapoel averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds Jerusalem will compete this year in the cano that appears to be smiling. e signing of Stoudemire, a six-time per game. He was draed in the first EuroCup, Europe’s second division. round by the Phoenix Suns and later NBA All-Star and the biggest name to Where Maccabi Tel Aviv has an enplayed for the New York Knicks for ever play for the Israeli Basketball Pretrenched advantage is in Europe. e several years before finishing his NBA mier League, instantly makes Hapoel team is among the 11 members of the career with the Dallas Mavericks and Jerusalem the team to beat. If European league that this year reStoudemire fulfills his promise, it could the Miami Heat. At 33 years old, the 6- newed 10-year contracts that guaranfoot-10 forward is thought to have also mean that Jerusalem, rather than tee a spot regardless of performance. some basketball le in him.

Tel Aviv and its powerhouse Maccabi is provides an edge in terms of ate signing of Stoudemire will bring tracting talent, exposure and revenue.

Tel Aviv team, will soon be the face of increased attention to the team and the Israeli basketball worldwide.

At the moment, Hapoel Jerusalem league, but it won’t have a “dramatic” “Amar’e Stoudemire can be the guy can only qualify for the EuroLeague by financial impact, according to a source winning the EuroCup. at’s a tall who overturns the pecking order of Isin the Hapoel organization who reraeli basketball,” Eran Soroka, an NBA order given all the well-funded Euroquested anonymity to discuss internal analyst for Sport5 television channel pean squads in the way. But the team matters. e key will be success on the expects an opportunity to arise in the and chief editor at the Nana10 news court, he said. website, told JTA. “e increased comfuture, the source said, and until then ough the source said Hapoel petitiveness and exposure will make it will keep building.

Hapoel Jerusalem, not Maccabi Tel Aviv, Jerusalem is not trying to “dethrone” Maccabi Tel Aviv’s digital media Israel’s team for the first time in decades. Maccabi Tel Aviv, he acknowledged the manager, Omer Geva, said his team team wants what its competitor has.

Stoudemire just has to perform.” would not comment on the record Maccabi Tel Aviv has been the Stoudemire, who claims “Hebrew about a competitor’s acquisition except undisputed king of Israeli basketball roots,” has a Star of David tattoo and to say that Stoudemire’s arrival was for decades. Between 1970 and 2008, it good for the league. Maccabi Tel Aviv has visited Israel numerous times, told won all but one Israeli Basketball Prereporters at his basketball camp for has signed several former NBA players mier League championship, and has Jewish and Arab kids in Jerusalem on this off-season. won four of eight since. Maccabi Tel Monday that he had turned down ofWell over a third of the players in Aviv is the only Israeli team nowadays fers from at least three NBA teams. He the Israeli basketball league come from that plays in the EuroLeague, Europe’s said he felt his best chance to win his the United States. Many have either top basketball division -- which it has first championship was in Israel and played in the NBA or hope to. e called Jerusalem his “favorite city in the won six times, including three times league caps the number of foreign world.” Stoudemire and his wife, Alexis, between 2001 and 2005. players a team can have on its roster at Long a runner-up at best, Hapoel are shopping for a home and looking at eight, and requires that two Israeli Jerusalem has been on the rise since schools for their four children. players be on the court during games.

Allon, an Israeli high-tech magnate, “To be able to continue to play the ough the Israeli league is average took over ahead of the 2013 season. He by European basketball standards as game of basketball in Jerusalem is an opportunity that can only happen once led a group of investors, including far as competitiveness and salary, the Stoudemire, in buying the team aer in someone’s lifetime and, for me and lifestyle and friendliness to Americans its previous owner, the American oil my family, we want to take advantage help attract NBA players despite the tycoon Guma Aguiar, disappeared in of this opportunity while I still have security problems, Soroka said.

2012 and his unoccupied boat landed good health,” he said. “e most im“We have the beaches... we have the on the coast of Florida. Stoudemire portant thing for me right now is to bars,” he said. “People speak English, sold his stake in the team to Allon as try and create a winning atmosphere people are very warm and welcoming. part of his signing. around Hapoel Jerusalem.”

A lot of people consider Israel the 51st In 2014, Hapoel Jerusalem moved In 14 seasons in the NBA, during state for a reason.”

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community P H O T O

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Left, from top: More than 100 members of the Kirshenbaum family came together last week for a reunion in Omaha. Reunion guests Kathy Kirshenbaum with daughters Ellie and Hannah; Abby Kutler with son Henry.

Middle: Steve Nogg and Shirley Goldstein look at old summer camp photos at the Jewish Press exhibit; Steve Nogg with Mike Kelly.

Right, from top: Thursday, Aug. 11, Josh Parsow celebrated his birthday at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Shown are his grandmother, Maxine Simons and his mother, Carol Parsow; Brother Michael and mom Carol with Josh, and Josh together with Linda Cogen geting ready to deliver Meals on Wheels for the RBJH.

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12 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016

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(Founded in 1920) Eric Dunning President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Thierry Ndjike Accounting Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, President; Andy Ruback, Past-President; Sandy Friedman, Treasurer; Andrew Boehm; Scott Farkas; Paul Gerber; Alex Grossman; David Kotok; Debbie Kricsfeld; Abby Kutler; Pam Monsky; Paul Rabinovitz; Nancy Wolf and Barry Zoob.

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Tone Deaf

I

ANNETTE vAN DE KAmP-WRIGhT Editor of the Jewish Press f it sounds like a phenomenally bad idea, it’s because it is: in May of last year, the Second International Holocaust Cartoon Contest was held in Tehran. Would you like to read that sentence again? I don’t blame you.

“In January 2015, in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shooting and the magazines subsequent decision to publish further cartoons of Muhammad, the Iranian House of Cartoon and the Sarcheshmeh Cultural Complex in Iran announced that they would be sponsoring this contest.” (Wikipedia) The contest was first held in 2006 in response to the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, the staff of which refused to give in to pressure to cease publishing cartoons about Muhammad.

The point of the contest then was to showcase “the hypocrisy of the West” in allowing anti-Muslim cartoons, while criticizing anti-Jewish or anti-Israel cartoons. But there is a big difference between satire that questions religion, and satire that makes light of six million murder victims. I feel silly even explaining that.

Current winner of a “special prize,” Luc Descheemaeker, recently retired from the Sint Jozef Institute, a high school just outside the Belgian city of Antwerp. He won with a rendition of the words Arbeit macht frei positioned over a wall with guard posts, “presumably comparing Israel’s security barrier along the West Bank with the gates at Auschwitz.” (JTA) He wasn’t the only one who connected images of Auschwitz-Birkenau with that wall; first place winner Abdellah Derkaoui did the same, as did second place winner Carlos Latuff. Beyond that, a quick online image search shows cartoons that are crass, predictable, and often painful to look at.

“It must be a great pride for Sint Jozef’s Institute to be associated with the values Luc Descheemaeker stands for,” a staffer at the Belgian Jewish publication Regards wrote in an email to the school. The sarcasm fell flat; a senior faculty member re-

sponded: “We are indeed very proud to have Luc associated cially when one considers that this is not Descheemaeker’s first with our school. His talent is of great value for the artistic edu- foray into anti-Semitism; he has previously published a cartoon cation of our students!”

Well then.

Of course, the powers that be at the school later tried to give a more nuanced answer -- once they realized they had stepped in it -- and specified they were proud of the teacher for what he had accomplished during his teaching career, and what he did in his free time, well, that was up to him.

That the people at a random school in Belgium are completely tone deaf to how inappropriate the cartoon is, does not really come as a surprise. We should be used to it by now; criticizing Israel’s politics is the hip thing to do, and it’s great: Credit: This image was originally posted to Flickr by Brandon Grasley, you get to be anti-Semitic without conseand was made available through WikiMedia Commons. quence, as long as you pretend to be invested in the plight of the Palestinian people. Because apartheid “that shows a stereotypical Orthodox Jew waiting to bludgeon is bad, and we should care about those poor people who are so an Arab mother and her baby with a giant Star of David, while oppressed. Pardon me for questioning motive, and being so the boy holds a balloon emblazoned with a dove holding an olive overly sensitive about the Holocaust. I know; we should “get branch. Another one features an Orthodox Jew waiting around over it already.” a corner for a Muslim woman who wears an explosive vest, “Malice or ignorance were the teacher’s only possible explana- perhaps to jolt her into triggering the explosion.” (JTA) tions for comparing Israel to the Nazis,” said Anti Defamation Maybe the saddest part of it all is the cartoonists’ attempts League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “Either Descheemaeker intended at moral superiority, the feeling they are on the right side of to demonize Israel and trivialize the Holocaust, or he is absolutely history when they so decidedly are not. This hatred of Jews clueless about the Palestinian situation and the Iranian regime.” and of Israel does not help Palestinians. It does not help anyone.

I am going to go with malice. I think “ignorance” has been It just perpetuates misconceptions, feeds conflict, and makes overused to explain truly abrasive and hateful behavior. Espe- the whole messy situation much, much worse.

Why progressive Jews mustn’t give up on Zionism GIDEoN ARoNoff, KEN BoB, JoSh WEINBERG AND JohN RoSovE NEW YORK | JTA As progressive American Zionists, we take seriously the critique of Israel and Zionism by professors Hasia Diner and Marjorie N. Feld, contained in their Aug. 1 Haaretz article, “We’re American Jewish Historians. This is why we’ve left Zionism behind.”

However, unlike them, we affirm progressive Zionist values. And those values mandate activism in order to ensure that Israel is both a democracy and the national home of the Jewish people.

The difference between us and professors Diner and Feld is that we continue to believe in the Zionist enterprise and the viability of the State of Israel, despite troubling trends: the rightward turn of the Israeli government; the corrupting influence of the nearly 50-year Israeli occupation of the Palestinian people in the West Bank; the growing messianic nationalism of the settler movement; the ultra-Orthodox influence on the Israeli government and its control over Jewish religious life; the second-class status of Palestinian Israeli citizens. We have a duty as Diaspora Zionists to critique Israeli policies whenever we believe that the State of Israel violates Jewish and democratic values as articulated in Israel’s Declaration of Independence.

For us, Jewish “nationalism” cannot be the sole objective of Zionism. Rather, Zionism and the Jewish nation is a means towards the perfection of the Jewish people and the world (tikkun olam).

Since its establishment, Israel has meant many things to many people: a haven from persecution, a catalyst for Jewish renewal and a place where the rhythms of civic life are Jewish rhythms. We regard the State of Israel as the Jewish people’s laboratory of Jewish ethical living, one that has seen unparalleled achievements and successes, as well as considerable deficiencies and failures. We regard the founding of the state as a consummate historic opportunity to test the efficacy of Jewish ethical values, institutions and the diversity of Jewish peoplehood, all while holding onto political power as a sovereign state.

Sadly, the professors base their argument on the highly reductionist notion of Judaism as simply a religion, and they even seem to breathe life into the 40-year-old defamatory attempt to label Zionism as racism. They suggest that it was Israeli homogenization that led to the demise of Jewish communities around the world, as if the great holy communities of Warsaw, Vilna and Krakow would somehow be intact today if it weren’t for... Zionism.

Israeli left-wing activists holding placards and their national flag during a Peace Now march calling on Israelis to end the occupation of Palestinian lands, in Tel Aviv, Dec. 19, 2015.

Credit: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images They also deeply oversimplify the reality here in the U.S., with its religiously neutral environment. America, and American Jews, have championed the “Goldene Medinah” -- the Golden Land -- as the great melting pot and exalted land of assimilation and acculturation. But today, Jews throughout the U.S. struggle with the challenge of balancing the benefits of American religious freedom while responding to communal trends in which Jews struggle to find connections, meaning and relevance in being Jewish.

As Zionists, Israel is the center of global Jewish life and, it is important to recognize, it has managed to create a vibrant and creative Jewish society with a rich and incredibly ethnically diverse Judaism. Yet, Diaspora Jewry is a partner in assuring Israel’s viability as a democracy and a Jewish state, and its security as a sovereign nation. Our role in

the Diaspora is different than that of Israeli citizens, but it is no less important. Indeed, our two centers need each other’s wisdom and support.

Professors Diner and Feld seem to have been defeated by their mythic understanding of Zionism and Israel. Though there is merit to their legitimate concerns about the “other” and what Jewish nationalism must do to include non-Jews as equal citizens in the state, it is unfortunate that they are turning away from Zionism altogether. Their relationship with Israel seems to be conditional. We would like to suggest an unconditional relationship to Israel. That means, like family, when we see troubling trends and abhorrent behavior, rather than disavow the entire enterprise, we prefer to roll up our sleeves and get more involved.

They are right that the Palestinians are entitled to empathy, justice and redress. Israel cannot continue to occupy another people and remain true to its democratic and Jewish values. The only way to preserve Israel as a Jewish state and a democracy is for Israel and the Palestinians to enter into negotiations leading to two states for two peoples.

Similarly, Israeli Jews and Diaspora Zionists must actively engage non-Jewish Israelis to address the real tensions within Israel’s identity as a Jewish and democratic state. Making Israel both more democratic and more Jewish is a serious challenge, but it is the essential struggle of Zionism. And as we reject Professors Diner and Feld when they give up on Israel as a Jewish state, we oppose Israelis and other Jews who take actions that threaten Israel’s essential nature as a democracy.

Ultimately, our vision of progressive Zionism - which is embodied in the Israeli Declaration of Independence and the Zionist movement’s Jerusalem Program -- is one grounded in hope and action. And we will continue to strive to fulfill this vision to ensure a just, secure and peaceful future for all Israelis, and an Israel that can be a dynamic inspiration to Jews around the world.

Rabbi Josh Weinberg and Rabbi John Rosove are the President and Chair of ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionists of America. Gideon Aronoff and Ken Bob are the CEO and National President of Ameinu.

The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016 | 13

Why Spain is standing up to BDS -- for now Cnaan LiPhShiz JTA Only last year, Spain was still the undisputed bastion for the BDS movement in Europe. Some 50 Spanish municipalities had passed resolutions in recent years endorsing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel more than in any other European country.

Relying on backing from a strong far left, the branches of Spain’s BDS movement were able to exert considerable pressure. Last August, BDS activists pressured the organizers of a reggae festival near Barcelona to demand that the American-Jewish singer Matisyahu sign a statement condemning Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. Matisyahu, who was the only artist asked to sign the document, was disinvited when he declined.

He was reinvited following an international outcry over what was perceived as an anti-Semitic measure.

It was not an unusual occurrence in a country that topped the AntiDefamation League’s 2015 anti-Semitism index in Western Europe, and where Jews are often conflated with Israel -- including by a Catalan lawmaker who in May demanded the head of Barcelona’s Jewish community be removed from the local government’s parliament for being “a foreign agent.”

But the wind has shifted for BDS in Spain, where the movement recently was labeled discriminatory in a series of legal defeats and resentment growing against its activists because they oppose trade with Israel at a time of economic crisis.

Over the past year, pro-Israel activists have obtained 24 rulings, legal opinions and injunctions against BDS in Spain, according to ACOM, a nonprofit based in Madrid. Thanks to litigation by its volunteer team, including several lawyers, BDS motions have been repealed, defeated or suspended this year in a dozen Spanish municipalities.

“The BDS movement in Spain is established and works systematically,” said ACOM’s president, Angel Mas. “But for the first time, they are encountering a response that is as systematic.”

Last month in Campezo, a town 210 miles north of Madrid, an ACOM ultimatum forced the City Council to scrap a resolution passed in June in support of BDS. ACOM threatened to sue based on precedents set this year in Spanish tribunals ruling that BDS is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

In January, Spain’s Council of State, the country’s highest consulting body, made a similar ruling, forcing the government to compensate a West Bank Israeli university to the tune of $107,000 over its exclusion for political reasons from a state-sponsored scientific competition.

Such rulings are commonplace in neighboring France, where BDS is included among other forms of illegal discrimination against countries or their citizens under a 2003 law introduced by Pierre Lellouche, a Jewish lawmaker. Dozens of BDS activists have been convicted in France of inciting hate or discrimination based on the Lellouche law and other legislation. Britain’s ruling Conservative Party in February said it would pass

similar laws.

But in Spain, where a judge in 2009 opened a war-crimes probe against the late Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, such strong judiciary treatment of BDS is unexpected and revolutionary, according to Yigal Palmor, a former Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman who served in Spain during the 1990s as cultural attache.

Palmor said the BDS shift coincided with several developments in Spain that were welcomed by Israeli diplomats and Jewish community leaders. They include legislation to naturalize Sephardic Jews, support

Demonstrators protesting outside the Spanish Government Delegation in Barcelona, Oct. 20, 2015.

Credit: Albert Llop/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

for Israel’s position on Palestinian statehood, a crackdown on anti-Semitic hate speech and a massive investment in the restoration of Jewish heritage sites.

Palmor attributes these changes to a mix of factors, including Spain’s gradual adoption of European standards on hate speech, improved rule of law and the election of a relatively stable centrist government.

And then there’s the effect of the financial crisis. Many Spaniards feel their country cannot afford to spurn any partners – especially not an affluent country like Israel. Last year, Spain had 21 percent unemployment and 45 percent among workers under 25.

The effects of the financial crisis on popular attitudes toward BDS were on full display last month in the northern city of Santiago de Compostella. After its City Council passed a nonbonding resolution supporting BDS, Israel’s national airline El Al reportedly ended talks on opening a direct connection to the city.

Local politicians for Spain’s centrist Popular Party accused the local government, led by a far-left party, of sabotaging the local tourism industry and precious jobs.

Israel, whose GDP per capita in 2015 was 36 percent higher than Spain’s $25,831, provides Spain with approximately 350,000 tourists annually. Some observers also see a financial incentive in Spain’s historic legislation last year to grant citizenship to Sephardic Jews with ties to Spain.

Spanish officials described the move as correcting the historical wrong done to Iberian Jews during the Spanish Inquisition. At least 4,500 of their descendants became Spanish citizens under the legislation in a process that generated millions of euros in revenue for Spanish notaries, government offices and language instructors. The legislation coincided with several Spanish initiatives to draw wealthy residents from abroad as well as tourists.

In 2004, Spain’s Congress passed a nonbinding motion conditioning support for Palestinian statehood on direct negotiations between both sides. The motion was considered a diplomatic victory for Israel and its supporters, especially after the parliaments of Britain, France and several other European countries pledged unconditional support for Palestine.

Until recently, Spain’s largely independent judiciary was subject to pressure from BDS supporters, noted Ramon Pérez-Maura, a journalist for Spain’s ABC network.

“The problem was pressure and intimidation of judges by lobby groups with anarchist traditions and violent tactics,” he told JTA. “There has been a crackdown on this sort of thuggery and this has empowered the judiciary, not only on Israel.”

Representatives of the BDS movement in Spain did not respond to JTA’s requests for an interview. But a campaign launched on their website in April showed they are feeling the heat.

In a petition titled “Stop criminalizing BDS,” they asserted that “activists of non-violent struggle [against Israel] are under threat.” They urged the European Commission to enforce in Spain “human rights guidelines guaranteeing freedom of speech and the right to boycott.”

Though Spain has modernized greatly since the fall in 1975 of the dictatorial regime of Francisco Franco, “it is still a decade or two arrears in many areas” compared to other Western European countries, Palmor said.

Many Spaniards display strong anti-American – and by proxy, anti-Israeli -- sentiment and “a worldview of Jews that’s at times based on medieval imagery,” he said.

With a Jewish population of only 6,000, there is “a lot of ignorance about Jews,” Palmor said. That manifests itself in phenomena that hardly occur elsewhere in Western Europe, including the airing of anti-Semitic screeds on public radio and cases like the Matisyahu affair.

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14 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016

synagogues b’nai iSraeL Synagogue

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 402.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

beTh eL Synagogue

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

beTh iSraeL Synagogue

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

chabad houSe

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

congregaTion b’nai JeShurun

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

offuTT air force baSe

Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244

roSe bLumkin JewiSh home

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

TempLe iSraeL

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

TifereTh iSraeL

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

b’nai iSraeL Synagogue

trimming of the Temple grounds.

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

beTh eL Synagogue

offuTT air force baSe

There will not be Friday night services in July and August.

Services and speaker series will resume Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

For information on our historic synagogue, please contact any of our board members: Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf.

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. friday: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.

SaTurday: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. Bat Mitzvah of Melanie Schwarz; Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8 p.m. weekday ServiceS: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Sunday: Torah Studay, 10 a.m.

Special Shabbat on the Green, friday, aug. 26, 6 p.m.

Kabbalat Shabbat service followed by a BBQ Shabbat dinner.

Reservations for dinner are required. Earlybird Pricing: Adults: $12.50 – Children ages 6-12: $6.50 – Free for Children ages 5 and under due by Friday, Aug. 19. Pricing Aug. 20-22 is Adults: $18 – Children ages 6-12: $10 – Free for Children ages 5 and under. We are unable to take reservations after Aug. 22.

Red Cross Blood Drive, Sunday, aug. 28, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

BESTT Talmud Torah First Day of School, Sunday, aug.

28, 9:45 a.m.

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

beTh iSraeL Synagogue

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. friday: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv & Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 7:58 p.m.

SaTurday: Services led by Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Parade and Kids Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by Sisterhood; Insights into the Weekly Portion, 7:05 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:59 p.m.

Sunday: Shacharit, 9 a.m. weekdayS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.

chabad houSe

Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. friday: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m SaTurday: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m.

Sunday: Minyan, 8:30 a.m. weekdayS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m.

TueSday: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office. wedneSday: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. In memory of Forrest Krutter -- Efrayim Menachem Ben Avraham Yitzchak.

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

congregaTion b’nai JeShurun

Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. friday: Pre-neg, 6 p.m. hosted by Sara Friedman; Shabbat Evening Service, 6:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:59 p.m.

SaTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Va’etchanan; Game Night and Potluck, 6 p.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 9:28 p.m.

Sunday: Garden/Grounds Clean-up, 8 a.m.; LJCS Board Meeting, 10 a.m. at Tifereth Israel.

TueSday: Kochavim Rehearsal, 6:45 p.m.; Federation Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

ThurSday: High Choir rehearsal, 7:30 p.m.

It’s a mitzvah! The Temple is seeking volunteers willing to provide occasional transportation to services and events for members who are in need of a ride. Please contact the Temple office for details and to sign up by phone at 402.435.8004 or email at office@southstreettemple.org.

Temple volunteers will gather at 8 a.m. on Sundays, aug.

21 and Sept. 11 to help with weeding, raking, sweeping, and

friday: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.

roSe bLumkin JewiSh home

friday: Chef’s Demo, 1:30 p.m. with Temple Israel.

SaTurday: Services, 9:15 a.m.

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

TempLe iSraeL

friday: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Crystal, Rabbi (Sussman) Berezin and Cantor Shermet. Note: Rabbi Sussman was recently married and has decided to change her name. She will now be going by Rabbi Berezin; TiYPE Smores n’ Outdoors, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel Join our young adults for Friday night services starting at 6 p.m., followed by making smores and hanging out with friends at Temple Israel’s fire pit!

SaTurday: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. micah gilbert, son of Sarah and Daniel Gilbert, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah.

Sunday: First Day of Religious School for Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; Temple Israel Book Club, 10 a.m.; Temple Tots, 10:30 a.m. Join us for this fun and engaging program, for children 4 and under. Enjoy Jewish learning with your little ones, while meeting other families with young children. Enjoy stories, songs, crafts (and bagels, of course!) with your child, while connecting with our Temple Israel community; JYG Rush,12:30 p.m. at SkateDaze. Our annual JYG Rush event, all 7th and 8th graders invited for some skating, food, and fun! $20 includes admission ticket and food. wedneSday: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m., School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6:30 p.m.; Family School, 6:30 p.m.

Habitat for Humanity Build, Sunday, aug. 28, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Temple Israel is once again participating with 12 other congregations in the Carpenter's Crew coalition to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity. This year's homeowners are a refugee family that has been resettled in Omaha. Homeowners are working families that purchase their house from Habitat with a low down payment and zero-interest loan. Volunteer labor helps keep the price of the home affordable. We are looking for 15 volunteers to help with framing.

Temple TED Talk, Sunday, aug. 28, 11 a.m.

TifereTh iSraeL

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. friday: Services, 6:30 p.m.

SaTurday: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a light Kiddish luncheon.

Sunday: LJCS Board Meeting, 10 a.m. at Tifereth Israel.

TueSday: Federation Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

Mark your calendar's now for Tifereth Israel's 7th Annual Shabbat on the Green/ New Member Dinner on friday aug.

26. We will be grilling up hotdogs and sides beginning at 6:30 p.m. followed by a fun outdoor Shabbat service. We hope to see you all there! Please RSVP to the office no later than Monday, Aug. 22.

Please let Nava in the office know of any personal information changes as she is working on the new TI directory. Please inform the office of any landline/cell number, address or name changes ASAP. Thank you.

To SubmiT b’nai miTzvah announcemenTS

Announcements should be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewish omaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 two weeks in advance of the B’nai Mitzvah.

Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, by e-mailing the editor at: avande kamp@jewishomaha.org or online at: www.jewish omaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’ scroll down to ‘Submit Announcements, complete form and click on “submit”.

Lawsuit claims uS aid to israel violates nuclear pact JTA NEWS STAFF JTA A lawsuit filed in federal court claims that U.S. aid to Israel is illegal under a law passed in the 1970s that prohibits providing assistance to nuclear powers that do not sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Grant Smith, director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy, who filed the lawsuit Monday in Washington, D.C., District Court, said the United States has given Israel an estimated $234 billion in foreign aid since Congress passed the International Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Act in 1976 with the stipulation regarding countries that did not sign the NPT, according to Courthouse News.

Discussing his Aug. 8 lawsuit in an interview with Court House News, Smith said the litigation has been 10 years in the making.

Though Israel is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Smith noted that it is a known nuclear power and a recipient of U.S. aid. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied possession of nuclear weapons but is widely believed to possess dozens if not hundreds of nuclear warheads.

The U.S. has had a longstanding policy of keeping mum on the existence of Israel’s nuclear weapons program, an open secret that successive U.S. administrations since Gerald Ford’s have refused to publicly acknowledge.

Smith’s lawsuit comes on the eve of a deal that would boost U.S. aid to Israel by between $1 billion and $2 billion per year in the next decade beyond the $3 billion a year it now receives.

In addition to the United States and President Barack Obama, the complaint names as defendants Secretary of State John Kerry, CIA director John Brennan, Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and the secretaries of the Treasury, Energy and Commerce departments.

“Defendants have collectively engaged in a violation of administrative procedure and the Take Care Clause by unlawful failure to act upon facts long in their possession while prohibiting the release of official government information about Israel’s nuclear weapons program, particularly ongoing illicit transfers of nuclear weapons material and technology from the U.S. to Israel,” the 33-page lawsuit states.

To sustain a policy of “nuclear ambiguity” on Israel’s weapons program, Smith says the government uses improper classification and threatens federal employees and researchers with prosecution, fines and imprisonment.

The gag is driven, according to the complaint, by a Department of Energy directive known as WNP-136, Foreign Nuclear Capabilities.

Smith says his digging under the Freedom of Information Act brought a version of the document to light that was “nearly 90 percent redacted.”

“This is an Energy Department directive that demands imprisonment for any federal official or contractor who even mentions that Israel might have a nuclear weapons program,” Smith said in an interview.

The CIA, White House, State Department and Treasury Department each declined to comment.

The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016 | 15

lifecycles baT miTzvah

clara remily murPhy

Clara Remily Murphy, daughter of Kate and Joe Murphy, will become a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 27 at Temple Israel.

Clara is an eighth-grade student at Glenwood Middle School where she is in the talented and gifted program.

Her interests include Omaha Junior Roller Derby competitive team, roller skating, horseback riding, piano, accordion, short-track speed skating, and she plays mallets in the school band.

For her mitzvah project, Clara volunteers with the Glenwood Giving Garden. She helps with growing and packing fresh produce for those in need in her local community.

She has two brothers, Simon and Brendan.

Grandparents are Irving and the late Naomi Kaminsky of Chevy Chase, MD, and the late Carole and Joe Murphy of Cody, WY.

in memoriam

marc r. Sherman

Marc Sherman passed away on Aug. 10 at age 69. Services were held Aug. 12 at Temple Israel Cemetery and was followed by a memorial service at Temple Israel.

He was preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Marva Sherman.

He is survived by Claudia, his wife of 45 years; son and daughter-in-law, Mitchel and Shannon Sherman; and daughter, Jill Sherman; grandchildren: Allyson and Zachary Sherman; brother and sister-in-law, Jerry and Terrill Sherman of New River, AZ; sister and brother-in-law, JoAnn and Glenn Miner of Cave Creek, AZ; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Sindie and Jerry Katskee, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.

A U.S. Army Reserve veteran, Marc, a graduate of Central High School and UNO, started his career at Food City as wine and liquor department manager. He later served as the wine sales manager at Sterling Distributing Company, co-owned Spirit World (114th and Davenport Streets), was general manager of Cost Plus World Market, and operations manager of Brix.

Memorials can be made to Temple Israel and the Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center.

To 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 the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on Jewish Press and go to Submit Announcements.

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AMIA bombing victim identified 22 years later

JTA NEWS STAFF BUENOS AIRES, Argentina | JTA e only unidentified fatality of the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center here has been named.

Augusto Daniel Jesus was identified as the victim with more than 99.99 percent certainty based on an analysis of DNA taken from the body and from his mother, according to the Argentina government’s AMIA Special Investigating Unit, which announced the identification recently.

Jesus and his mother were among the 85 people killed and 300 were injured in the solo suicide bombing -- most but not all of them Jews.

Argentina has accused Hezbollah of carrying out the attack at the direction of Iran. No arrests have been made, and the investigation has been plagued with charges of incompetence and corruption. e DNA analysis was conducted by the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team and verified by the team along with the University of Buenos Aires. Efforts to identify the body began in 2002 aer Jesus’ identity card was discovered in the debris at the scene.

Some believed the body may have belonged to the suicide bomber, but the theory has now been discredited.

Jesus and his mother were attending a class at AMIA on caring for people with health problems when they were killed, according to relatives. Jesus was 20 years old.

Argentina is home to some 230,000 Jews, according to the World Jewish Congress, the largest community in Latin America and the sixth largest in the world outside Israel.

Sabrina Namer, Roberto Salum and Leonardo Filippini have led the AMIA Special Investigatory Unit since their predecessor, Alberto Nisman, was found dead of a gunshot wound last year in his apartment in Buenos Aires. He had accused then-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and other senior officials of secretly covering up Iran’s involvement in the bombing.

Kirchner denied the allegations and judges threw out the case, but it was reopened this month. e nature of Nisman’s death, whether murder or suicide, remains a mystery. Six Iranians have been on the Interpol international police agency’s most wanted list in connection with the bombing since 2007. e government “talked a lot but did very little” over the past 22 years, said Sofia Guterman, whose daughter Andrea was killed in the attack, on the anniversary last month. “It is time that it promises less and solves more.”

Immediately aer taking office last year, Argentine President Mauricio Macri canceled the controversial memorandum of understanding between Argentina and Iran agreed to under Kirchner to jointly investigate the bombing.

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16 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2016

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From LA to Israel: One swimmer’s journey to the Rio Olympics HILLeL KuttLer NETANYA, Israel | JTA ndrea Murez steps on the diving board, adjusts her goggles, swings her long arms and propels herself into the water at the Wingate Institute athletic complex here.

Murez is training with a dozen other swimmers. She is the one preparing for the Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro this summer.

The 24-year-old Los Angeles na- Andrea Murez training in the pool at the Wingate Institute in NeCredit: Hillel Kuttler tive represented Israel when she hit tanya, Israel. the pool on Aug. 8 at Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic Aquat- swim in her county’s junior lifeguard program. She ics Stadium, having immigrated in 2014 after excelling reached the time requirement on her third try.

At a lifeguard’s suggestion, Melanie and James at the Maccabiah Games a year earlier and in 2009.

Her coach hoped she would reach the semifinals in Murez enrolled the siblings in a swim club. Murez was the 100 meters freestyle. Murez, who was one of six more passionate then about karate. She took lessons Israeli swimmers in Rio -- three women and three men six days a week beginning at age three at a studio in the same building as one of the synagogues in Venice, -- didn’t make any predictions.

“I’m really just focused on swimming a personal- California, the family attended.

But Murez progressed nicely in the pool. At 12, as best time,” she said. “It’s hard to know what it’ll take to swim a semifinal or a final. The best you can do is a spectator, she attended the U.S. Olympics swimming trials in 2004 in nearby Long Beach. swim your own race.”

“You’re talented. You can make it at 15. Start Murez, who stands 6-foot-1, competed in three additional events in Rio: the 50- and 200-meter freestyle dreaming,” her coach at Team Santa Monica, Rachel Stratton-Mills, told her there. and the 100-meter backstroke.

Murez recalls thinking: “I realized I was getting to She has been excelling in the water since she and her older brother, Zachary, first took up swimming as be the age where that’s possible.”

She competed at the 2009 Maccabiah Games in Ischildren at the condo pool of their paternal grandfather, Joe, a swimmer in the 1930s for Hakoach, the rael, her grandfather and parents in attendance, then swam for a strong Stanford University team. Returning legendary Jewish sports club in his native Vienna.

At 7, Murez completed the compulsory 100-meter to the 2013 Maccabiah, Murez set multiple records in

the very pool where she is practicing now and was selected the outstanding female athlete at the games.

Her overall Maccabiah medal count: 15, including 10 golds.

But Murez remembers the games as much for how well she was treated by the Israelis, especially in 2013.

“They asked if I could swim here [as an Israeli], which was funny because I’d wanted to,” she said poolside before practice. “It seems like this is the best opportunity for me. I love it. It’s been the best experience. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Murez lives in apartment on the grounds of Wingate and spends much of her day training. In her free time, she said she has enjoyed visiting the Dead Sea and coastal places like Caesarea.

A human biology major at Stanford, Murez plans to enroll in Tel Aviv University’s medical school beginning in the fall of 2017, following the next Maccabiah, when she will be representing Israel.

Stratton-Mills said Murez at an early age enjoyed swimming but “didn’t take it too seriously, in a wonderful way.”

That changed, Stratton-Mills said, during a drill in which the coach placed pieces of paper in hats and instructed the swimmers to draw two: a stroke and a distance. Murez, who was about 11, drew the 500-meter butterfly -- the “worst selection,” Stratton-Mills said.

In completing the assignment, however, “something clicked” for Murez, Stratton-Mills said.

“I saw her turn into a serious, high-level swimmer,” the coach said. “She handled everything from that point forward with the attitude of ‘I can do this.’”

Stratton-Mills, who now coaches with her husband in Cleveland, has stayed close with the family. In preparation for Rio, she sent Murez workout tips:

speed and aerobics training, attention to fundamentals, and other instructions.

Stratton-Mills didn’t go to Brazil, but Murez hadplenty of fans there: her parents and brother, along with other relatives, including one from nearby Argentina.

Melanie and James Murez are no strangers to the Olympics. They had met just prior to the 1984 Summer Games, when she worked for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, in charge of the cadre of interpreters. Melanie recruited James as a technology consultant. Melanie’s all-access pass enabled entry to all venues; she watched some swimming.

“I didn’t know if my seats would be as good this time,” she joked.

Regardless of what the ticket says, of course, the view was far better at these Olympics.

“I never thought I’d have a child go to the Olympics, so it’s amazing,” she said. “It’s definitely a cycle and a circle.”

This winter, Murez will be inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Her coach, Leonid Kaufman, estimates that Murez must shave a fifth of a second off her personal best of 54.40 seconds and cut that to 54.0 to qualify for the finals. Should that happen, he said, “she’ll be a national heroine.”

“The goal is to be in the top 16 in the world,” said Kaufman, who also coaches the Israeli team.

Editor’s note: Ill with sinusitis, Murez withdrew from the 100 m backstroke and 200 m freestyle heats, but tried to recover in time for the 50 m and 100 m freestyle heats. In the Women's 100 m freestyle heat she came in 30th with a time of 55.47.

Happy 72nd Wedding Anniversary

Norma & Stanley Silverman August 20, 1944

We love you very much!

Jeff & Mary Kay and your loving Grandchildren & Great-Grandchildren