ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Dr. Edward Marvin Malashock passed away on May 10, 2022, at age 99. “The Malashocks are warm, humorous and welcoming,” Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation writer Linda Pollard wrote several years ago. “Having the opportunity to observe the light and loving banter between them, it is clear why their marriage has“Warm,lasted.”humorous and welcoming” are the words that describe Dr. Ed Malashock perfectly. He always had a smile on his face, and was a truly kind and gentle man. And while his career was certainly impressive, it was that warmth, his ability to build relationships instantly that truly set Ed Malashock apart. Dr. Malashock’s medical career spanned seven decades. Born in Omaha, he attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and in 1946 earned his medical degree from UNMC as part of an accelerated program during WW II. He practiced medicine in St. Louis, where he completed his internship at the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis, and New York, where he received more residency training in the urology department of Beth Israel Hospital. From 1947-1949, he completed his military service in the U.S. Army as Chief of Urinary Surgical Section, in the Tenth Hospital in Manila. Sally was able to join him there, and their son Mark was born right before they shipped back to the United States. After another year in St. Louis, they spent three more years in New York, where they lived in an apartment in Forest Hills, Queens. He had to commute to the Beth Israel Hospital, which was in the city, in what is termed downtown versus uptown. “Interestingly enough,” Dr. Malashock said in a 1990 interview, “it was the hospital that served the original Jewish settlements in Manhattan, which were in the lower East side.” In 1953, he and Sally came home to Omaha: “We truly enjoyed living in New York City for three years,” he said, “but always knew we would not settle there. Neither Sally nor I would ever See Dr. Ed Malashock
Remembering Dr. Ed Malashock
“I am so excited for Bob to be the Federation’s next CEO,” Mike Siegel said. “He has the skill set that the organization needs to further implement the strategic plan. Bob is a community person who will build bridges within our Omaha community and will inspire our Jewish community to get involved and be proud of being Jewish.”
JAN GOLDSTEIN, PHIL MALCOM AND MARTY RICKS Another Federation Campaign? Yes, we’ve had a number of these with the ongoing capital campaign, the COVID relief fund, and the campaign for Ukrainian aid, but the needs are great, and we always step up to the plate. Now, we are launching a campaign to enhance security on our campus. In particular, we feel it is necessary to bolster the security of our schools, the Pennie Z Davis Early Learning Center (ELC) and the Friedel Jewish Academy (Friedel). We ask you to help if you can (see the ad on the back page). We remind you that the 2023 Federation Annual Campaign will kick off Oct. 2 with a community event. As the Annual Campaign is the fuel that keeps our Federation/Agencies running at top speed, our goal is that this request for funds will not in any way impede the total Annual Campaign increases we have raised in past years. Why now? Events of the past three months in Buffalo, Uvalde, and Highland Park bring this into focus, but they are just a continuation of a growing pattern. The last five years brought us Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (2018), Tree of Life Synagogue (2018), and Chabad of Poway (2019). Going back further, we remember the shootings at the Kansas City JCC (2014) and Sandy Hook Elementary School (2012). Is this reason enough? During the school year, between ELC and Friedel we have about 225 children and another 40 staff on campus. In the summer, we could have an additional 500-600 on premises for day camp and swimming. And historically, schools and faith-based institutions have been high on the list of tragic events and remain targets. Over the last ten years, we have implemented security upgrades. We have installed cameras inside and outside. We have closed off unnecessary entrances, added electronic access control, and recently installed protective window film on key windows. Certainly, these are steps in the right direction, but See Security Initiative
Co-Chairs of the search committee Lisa Lucoff and Nancy Schlessinger said the entire process took approximately 11 months. “I think we knew what we were getting ourselves into,” Lisa said. “We had a few road bumps along the way at the beginning, but I am a huge believer in the fact that everything happens for a reason. Having See Bob Goldberg page 3 Bob Goldberg Dr. Ed Malashock
The future is bright
AUGUST 19, 2022 | 22 AV 5782 | VOL. 102 | NO. 43 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 7:59 P.M. Bringing happiness Page 5 Backyard Concert Series Page 5 Friedel Jewish Academy welcomes Melissa Shrago Page 7 The Jewish PressWWW.OMAHAJEWISHPRESS.COM | WWW.JEWISHOMAHA.ORG SPONSORED BY THE WIESMANANDBENJAMINANNAE.FAMILYENDOWMENTFUND AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA REGULARS Spotlight 8 Voices 9 Synagogues 10 Life cycles 11 INSIDE InitiativeSecurity
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ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor T he news is out: after a robust search process, Jewish Federation of Omaha President Mike Siegel announced Friday, Aug. 5, the hire of our new Chief Executive Officer. Bob Goldberg will start in his new position Jan. 30, 2023 Bob and his wife Kim are no strangers to Omaha and are excited to return. Among the many reasons are two important people: Bob’s parents Frank and Leanne Goldberg live in Omaha. Kim and Bob have a 21year-old daughter, Lily, a Friedel graduate who is a senior at Washington University in St. Louis. Bob is more than ready to come home, and make new Omaha memories: “I have benefited more than I can ever measure from the goodwill of this Jewish community,” he said. “I want to ensure that all of us have opportunities to care for one another and to be cared for. Working for the community affords me the potential, in some small way, to positively impact the lives of members of our Jewish community. If I can be a part of doing that, then my time will have been well spent. “I have been impacted by nearly every agency of our Jewish Federation at one time or another. It has been the background of memories that frame my identity. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it were not for the generations of givers that built our community, and the opportunities that their collective efforts provided me for meaningful Jewish experiences and for forming lifelong friendships. I want to ensure that continues.”
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• Jewish community and other businesses and
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Bring your lawn chairs & blankets and enjoy a night of fabulous music. Concerts are and held in the green space on the east side of campus (near the JCC pavilion). Open to the entire community. Simply show up and enjoy.
Hynek
IT’S BACK!
In case of inclement weather the concert will be canceled. Please check our website or find us on Facebook for event updates.
SUPPORTING
To achieve this, we’ve launched a $2 million fundraising campaign: we are seeking $1 million for one-time costs and $1 million as a start to endow two security officers. The Federation Board has unanimously approved the fundraising campaign.Thetime is now for us to make these improvements. With your help, we can safeguard our children and ensure that our facilities are both welcoming and secure. Please see the back page of this paper and join us in supporting this JFO Security Fundraising Initiative.
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor
An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2022-23 academic year. Not every student who advances into higher education signs up for a four-year curriculum. Some high school graduates seek job training that lasts a year or two and then places them in the workforce. Such opportunities include, but are not restricted to: Information Technology, Construction, Industrial, Transportation and Horticulture. It is not too late to apply for this upcoming school year! Qualified students who have unmet needs regarding tuition for either a twoyear trade school program or a trade certificate program can contact the Jewish Press at avandekamp@jewishom aha.org or jpress@jewishomaha.org for more information. scholarships available for the 2022-23 year them saw ad Jewish Press
The Jewish Federation of Omaha invites you to mark your calendar for a community celebration on Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. at Temple Israel. Reservations will be required, and the sign-up link will be added to our website at www. jewishomaha.org soon. Campaign event chairs are Cindy Goldberg, Dana Kaufman and Sharon Kirshenbaum, so we are in good hands! The evening will start off with cocktails, followed by dinner. Kosher and vegetarian dinner options will be available. The program features Keynote speaker Bret Stephens, who is a columnist for the New York Times. Bret came to The Times in 2017 after a long career with The Wall Street Journal, where he was most recently deputy editorial page editor and, for 11 years, a foreign affairs columnist and responsible for the editorial pages of its European and Asian editions. Also in 2017, he joined NBC News as a senior contributor. From 2002 until 2014, he was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he oversaw the paper’s news, editorial, digital, and international operations, and also wrote a weekly column. He has reported from around the world and interviewed scores of world leaders. In 2013, Stephens won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. He is also the recipient of the 2008 Eric Breindel Award for Excellence in Opinion Journalism. Tickets are $45 per person and reservations will be required. The sign-up link will be on our website soon. For more information, please contact Director of Development Rachel Ring at 402.334.6443 or rring@jewish omaha.org Bret Stephens the Date!
The first initiative of the CSI is the one that requires the highest level of funding, and its recommendations include the following: two campus officers, moving the entrance to Friedel, changing the ELC fencing to privacy fencing, adding safety bollards, increasing our camera count, and several other infrastructure improvements.
If you do business with any of our advertisers, please tell
We have reason to celebrate! In a few short months, we will begin another Annual Campaign. You read about our inspiring Campaign Chairs, Nancy and Joel Schlessinger, in last week’s issue; now it is time to introduce our Annual Campaign Community Kick-off event.
•Lawn games, gaga pits & playground will be available providing fun for the whole family!
• Building relationships with local, state and federal law
• Building relationships and bridging the gap between the
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• members.
•Jewish Family Service will be taking nonperishable, non-expired food donations. Visit forwww.jccomaha.orgfulldetails! 28 Maneuver Aug. 21 Coast Bach MaiManeuver ac
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• organizations within the community we share.
• enforcement agencies to help with intelligence sharing
Security
The Backyard Concert Series is made possible through the generous support of: SHIRLEY & GOLDSTEINLEONARD FOUNDATION Initiative
• and threat reporting.
Continued from page 1 based on recent events and the results of a recent facility assessment by the Department of Homeland Security, we need to do more. In March we hired our first security manager, James Donahue, and he’s already made an impact on our campus. After a thorough review of our campus and in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and campus leadership, James authored a “Community Security Initiative” (CSI). The CSI focuses on four priorities:
•Food trucks will have food and beverages available for purchase.
2 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2022 News LOCAL | NATIONAL | WORLD FREE • Sundays • 5:00-7:00 p.m. STAENBERG KOOPER FELLMAN CAMPUS | 333 SOUTH 132ND STREET CONCERTS HELD BY THE PAVILION BEHIND THE JCC
• Increasing security awareness for our community
• Analyzing the physical security of our community and
. It really helps us! JEWISH PRESS READERS
• making improvements where necessary.
On a personal level, he is looking forward to being with the people that mean the most to him. “Everything else aside,” he said, “it is about the people and friendships that we build over many, many years through shared experiences, and the value of those friendships is what gives life meaning. I think as I get older, that comes more into focus for me. Life is best spending time with the people we care about the Professionally,most.”heis excited to meet staff across the campus and work alongside them, “to do everything that we can to ensure we are caring for one another, investing in our collective and individual well-being, and striving to give everyone the same opportunities I was given to participate, learn, grow, and to believe that each one of us can make a difference.”
The JFO is optimistic we will see Bob at our Oct. 2 community event (read all about that elsewhere in this paper!) and we will for sure hear from him several times between now and his start date. In the meantime, please help us welcome Bob and his family back home. The future is, indeed, bright.
Dr. Malashock always felt an obligation to not only serve in the medical community, but also took an active role in Jewish communal life: “I was able to serve twice on the Jewish Federation of Omaha board and as chairman of the Jewish Family Service Committee, but that was many years ago. The JFS has grown considerably since those days. Sally and I were members of Temple Israel, and we both served on the Temple board as well.” Sally was also a long-time member and past-President of the NCJW-Omaha chapter. Of course, there is also the Edward and Sally Malashock Senior Outreach Fund, which Sally and Ed established at the JFO Foundation to assist Jewish seniors who live independently and need help with transportation and basic handyman services. The Malashock Town Hall at the Rose See Dr. Ed Malashock page Dr. Ed Malashock
Current interim CEO Phil Malcom is thrilled to welcome Bob Goldberg as our next CEO. “Bob is a man of tremendous character and a seasoned leader,” he said. “He’s someone who understands the importance of community relationships and the value of positive culture, and I am excited to work under him. The future is bright for us in Omaha!”
When he spoke about growing up in Omaha, he said: “I was born March 27, 1923. My family at that time lived in an apartment house on 33rd and California. I remember it just by being shown pictures. From there, we moved to a duplex between 50th and 51st and California. I remember that quite well, because that is where I left the gate open on the porch and my younger brother Stan was allowed to roll down the steps in his stroller and broke his nose. I am not sure he ever forgave me for Neighborhoodthat.”life, he said, “centered around very disorganized activities. We didn’t have Little League in those days, we didn’t have any organizations. I can remember most evenings during the summer, we’d get together with all the neighborhood kids, especially from Emily and Jones Street. The neighborhood was loaded with kids my age. Our chief occupation was ‘kick the can.’ We did play baseball and soccer, but those were grade school activities.”
Continued from page 1 those bumps benefited us in the end. We had a great committee with people who were flexible and dedicated the time needed to complete the process.”
Nancy added: “This is such an important position for our Federation! We both have a background in Human Resources, so in many ways, it was a natural fit for both of us. We could not have done it without our committee, and we'd like to give a special thank you to them.”
Continued from page 1 have entertained the thought. I might add that our son James came along while we were living in New York, so he was born half-way around the world from his brother Mark. Our daughter Janice was born in Omaha, so our three children were literally born all around the world.”
The search committee looked for someone able to engage with all levels of our community; someone who understands and has a passion for our Omaha Jewish community. They found that person in Bob Goldberg: “Bob’s experience and the success he has had as Executive Director of two other Federations will be vital to the growth and sustainability of our Jewish community. Jewish Omaha is very lucky to have Bob lead our Federation into the future.”
The Jewish Press | August 19, 2022 | 3 AssociatedGlenProfessionalsCounselingFineman,LICSW,LIMHP Clinical Social Worker 2255 So. 132nd Street | Suite 200 | Omaha 402-334-1122 | fax: www.acpcounseling.com402-334-8171 Family & Children Issues Marriage Counseling Depression | Anxiety | Grief & Loss Bob Goldberg
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Sally and Edward Malashock
In 1965, Dr. Malashock performed the first two kidney transplants in Nebraska. It was then that he joined the UNMC faculty as a clinical professor of surgery urology. He would go on to serve as President of Clarkson Hospital Medical Staff, Metropolitan Omaha Medical Society and the Nebraska Urological Society. Dr. Malashock received numerous awards including the 2009 Nebraska Medical Center Legends Award, the 2002 College of Medicine Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Outstanding Physician Award. He is included on the Wall of Honor at the UNMC Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education. The Chair of Urologic Surgery at Nebraska Medicine is named for Ed and Sally Malashock, as is the atrium of the Davis Global Center on the Nebraska Medicine campus. In the story of Ed there were two main characters, Ed and Sally. Of Dr. Malashock’s 99 years on Earth, he spent 74 of them side-by-side with the love of his life. They had ambitions to travel the world, be contributing members to their community and raise a beautiful family. Together they accomplished all three. They saw every country you could want to see, were leaders in the Omaha community and raised three children, Mark, Jim, and Jan, with love and pride. Of all Dr. Malashock’s accomplishments, he would argue that his greatest was being there for Sally at the end of her life. When she passed three years ago, he was there holding her hand, kissing her forehead and cherishing every last minute he had with her.
We are living at an amazing time to be Jewish, he added. “Perhaps in the best of times. We have more opportunities to live Jewishly today, to explore what being Jewish means to us as individuals, and to pursue Jewish learning, engagement, and participation. At the same time, we cannot take it for granted. It is not a given that these freedoms will always be here for us. We have to work as diligently today to maintain and strengthen these freedoms as previous generations had to work to gain them in the first place. “One thing that I love about our Federation movement is the central idea that we are a people, a family, Mishpacha. We are not in competition with our fellow Jewish organizations and congregations, we are in partnership, to inspire and engage individuals to build relationships, to have experiences, to do mitzvahs, to pursue justice, and to do the work of Tikkun Olam. We are at our very best when we learn with and from each other, respect and appreciate our diversity, and try to grow our own personal perspective.”
Other members of the search committee were Margie Gutnik, Ron Feldman, Toba Cohen Dunning, Richard Jacobson, Jon Meyers, Justin Spooner, Jan Goldstein, Allyson Wilczeski, and Brian Nogg. “Mike Siegel could not vote, since he is the president,” Nancy said, “but his help was integral to the process. We are very grateful for his assistance. All the people involved were flexible in attending in-person meetings or joining via Zoom, and in addition, they each shared so much history and background of our community, including helpful experiences from their personal, daily careers.”
What made Bob Goldberg say yes? The answer to that question has two parts: “I care deeply about the work that we do,” he said, “and to be able to do it for the community I care most deeply about is the ultimate honor and privilege. The longer answers include the fact that I never wanted to leave Omaha. I found that if I was going to advance as a Jewish professional, I had to search out new experiences and grow. “I’ll also share that I was approached last year to come home and said no at the time. I had only been in Des Moines for less than a year and felt it wasn’t appropriate to leave so quickly after arriving. I didn’t think the opportunity would present itself again a year later and when it did, I couldn’t say no.”
Dr. Ed Malashock
MARY SUE GROSSMAN When looking at the list of the 23 men who served as presidents during Beth Israel Synagogue’s tenure on 52nd Street, one is struck by the variety of careers found in the lineup. One starts with Harry Sidman, who was in the coal business, Maury Katzman of Mastercraft Furniture, and Dan Gordman of Richman Gordman. Physicians in the list include Haskell Morris, Maurice Schwartz and James Wax. Pharmacists include Manny Goldberg and David Kohll, and Paul Shyken is a well known dentist. The list continues with attorneys Paul Crounse and Bob Oberman, Leon Wintroub was in insurance, and Bill Cohen was with City Glass. Henry Appel was in the trucking business and Ernest Hochster in clothing. Mort Glass first produced Morton’s Corned Beef and later ground beef. Joe Kirshenbaum continues in the real estate and development world today with Kirshenbaum Realty. Gary Parilman was in real estate sales. Leon Shrago was in the grocery business with Bag & Save and Donald Gerber leads Sonny Gerber Auto Sales. (Author’s Note: These are extremely abbreviated descriptions and do not begin to touch the success of these businessmen.) Despite their wide-ranging interests, they shared a common vision: that of Beth Israel as a religious home for Orthodox Judaism for Omaha. Their willingness to give their time, often at the expense of family and business interests, served as the catalyst for those who followed to continue the work needed. From large undertakings such as the addition of the school wing on the 52nd Street building and hosting a dinner honoring former President Harry S. Truman to the common dayto-day decision making required of a person, each president took on the responsibilities of theWhyoffice.did they step forward to serve? Why did they assume the mantle of leadership? In chatting with various family members, a common theme is present, that of the desire for Beth Israel to provide a strong shul for the congregation and the Omaha Jewish community. “When my dad would talk about Beth Israel, it was with such love and respect,” shares Toba Cohen Dunning, daughter of Jack E. Cohen. “He was honored to serve as president and work with so many dedicated volunteers. He impressed upon my brother, Michael, and me the importance of the synagogue in our lives.” Smiling, she also shared that she remembers the look of happiness on his face when he would enter the sanctuary. “We knew Beth Israel was our home and it would be our responsibility as adults to keep that home strong in the future.”
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Blumkin Jewish Home welcomes everyone who enters the building through the front door.
Dr. Malashock was preceded in death by wife, Sally; parents, Jay and Ruth Malashock; brother, Stanley Malashock; and son-in-law, Bob Egermayer. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Deborah Malashock; son, Jim Malashock; daughter, Jan Egermayer; grandchildren: Julie and Ari Rabin-Havt, Matt Egermayer, Scott and Tristar Egermayer, Joshua, Joseph and John Malashock; and brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Norma Malashock. May his memory be for a blessing.
Beth Israel honors Past Presidents from page 3
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For those who had the privilege of knowing Dr. Malashock, the memories will be enduring. Memories such as his weekly meet -ups at the Bagel Bin, his endless cups of coffee at dinner, the extra hours he stayed late at the hospital making sure his patients felt cared for, or even sitting in Memorial Stadium for a Husker game humming the tune of every song the band played. For many though, the memory that will be brightest is the memory of his smile. He loved people, and the warm embrace and genuine love he showed others has left a mark on so many.
On Sunday evening, Sept. 18, Beth Israel will pay tribute to the work and dedication of the individuals who led the synagogue with a fundraising dinner, “Honoring the Presidents of 52nd Street.” Irv Epstein, Beth Israel’s long time legal counsel will also be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The evening’s schedule includes a social hour at 5:15 p.m., Mincha at 5:30 p.m., and the dinner and program at 6 p.m. Tickets are $118 per person and various honor levels are also available. A raffle will offer the chance to win one of two $500 prizes. Raffle tickets are $10 each or six for $50 and one need not be present to win. Ads in the event program are available for purchase by both individuals and businesses. Reservations can be made on the Beth Israel website at orthodoxomaha.org or by calling 402.556.6288. Reservations are needed by Aug. 29, 2022. The event is open to the community. Questions can be directed to the number listed. “It will be so great to see the Omaha Jewish community join in honoring the history of these leaders,” ends Toba. “Family members of many of the honorees will also be attending from near and far. Please join me for what is sure to be a marvelous evening!”
The band’s namesake and sometimes solo troubadour, Bach Mai started playing music in his late teens, latching on to the tunes of Say Anything and Damien Rice. He is decidedly focused on developing lyrical content that he feels is as honest as possible. His greatest pleasure is to see people singing together whether it be out of joy or anguish. The band’s second most senior member, Joshua von Kampen, has been one of the greatest immediate influences on the direction of the band’s music today. Josh earns his stripes creating all percussive elements to the repertoire. Crushing the drums and aiding Bach through the writing process, he has become an indispensable part of the team.
happinessBringing
GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer Mark your calendars for the final show of the 2022 Backyard Concert Series, Bach Mai, on Aug. 28 from 5-7 p.m. Bring your family, chairs and picnic baskets or plan to purchase a bite from one of the food trucks on site. Lawn games, gaga pits and the JCC playground will be available during concerts, providing an evening of fun and music for the whole family! As always, the concert is free but 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. The indie pop-punk band leans on lyrical content, pop punk tropes, and percussive nuance to garner the attention of their listeners. Bach Mai attempts to unravel the emotional tumult of growing up through verse and song. Mistakes, broken hearts, love, and hope are strewn across the band’s music, highlighting a particular vulnerability in their performance.
We offer a large assortment of Knitting and Crochet yarns, needles and hooks.
The Jewish Press | August 19, 2022 | 5 News LOCAL | NATIONAL | WORLD 8600 Cass Street | Open: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | Sat 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | 402-391-7733 Art, lamps, tables, accessories and gifts One-week custom picture framing service www.lewisartgallery.com Family-owned for 51 years! www.personalthreads.com Find us on social media @personalthreadsboutique
Also, we have a outstanding assortment of Needlepoint canvases and supplies including Appleton English wool and Paternayan Persian wool. Always the best.
Backyard Concert Series
Aside from creating sweet, sweet tunes, Josh spends his days enriching the lives of Omaha youth by directing theater, telling awful jokes and dreaming of his wife. Molly Gaughan provides a truly necessary layer of moving melodies on lead guitar and backup vocals that direct the music to new spaces. Molly made her mark in the band by showcasing an unprecedented level of work ethic. Practicing and developing her skills, there’s little that Molly cannot learn. Molly’s passions lie in the creation of her music but also in the music education of others. As an active teacher in the band, she helps other children around Omaha reach their musical goals.Matt Capoun is too good at everything he does. An absurdly talented bassist and guitarist, Matt continuously finds fresh lines to keep the listener’s ear from turning away. His foremost training in guitar enables him to play the bass with lead melodies in mind. Always jumping between frets, Matt is impossibly entertaining to watch on stage. The band as a whole agrees that Matt is the greatest showman of the group. Matt is an engineer by day and a lover of food 24/7. If Bach and him aren’t talking about music, they’re gossiping about the last delicious meal they ate. Bach Mai shares, “The solidarity that music can bring is one of the most beautiful things on this Eventearth.”updates can be found on our website (www.jccomaha.org) or on our JCC Facebook page. Please note that in the event of inclement weather, concerts will be cancelled. The 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.
MAGGIE CONTI RBJH Director of Activities and Volunteer Services Teen volunteer Julia Clausen gives back and makes a difference at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Julia contacted Maggie Conti and wanted to volunteer over the summer. Maggie gave her several suggestions of projects she could work on at home, never thinking she would work on all of them. Julia explained that she hoped to bring happiness and joy to our Residents by providing these pick-me-ups. Pictured are some of the projects she kept busy with this summer - plastic suncatchers inspired by Dale Chihuly, glass fire art, geometric door hangers, flower door hangers, and flower centerpieces for the dining room tables. On behalf of the Residents, we want to thank Julia and her family for these heartfelt gifts. If interested in volunteering at RBJH, contact Sabine Strong at 402.334.5419.
Bach Mai
EASY PEANUT SAUCE Mix, stir fried vegetables, a cooked protein source, and whole wheat noodles with this delicious sauce for a complete meal.
Creighton honors Dr. Helene Lohman
Mrs. Shrago has won the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award and the Sokolof Jewish Educator Award. Mrs. Shrago’s primary goal for this school year will be to help finalize plans for curriculum, staffing, schedules, community partnerships, sports and fitness options, participation in local and national competitions, and student travel experiences. She will also be involved in schoolwide— kindergarten through eighth grade—initiatives, including curriculum evaluation and student assessments. Mrs. Shrago says, “I’m looking forward to creating an engaging, positive atmosphere for all kids and adding an amazing middle school community where learning and fun go hand in hand. I can’t wait to be involved with the families at Friedel.”
Ingredients: 1⁄2 cup smooth, natural peanut butter 1⁄4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 1⁄4 cup brown rice syrup 1⁄4 tsp. ground ginger 1⁄4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional) Directions: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together well. Sauce can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Mrs. Shrago taught at OPS’s Lewis and Clark Middle School for 30 years. She has taught Language Arts, Honors Language Arts, Reading, Drama, Study Skills, and Honors Special Projects. In addition, she has been a team leader, a department head, a cooperating teacher to numerous student teachers, a mentor teacher to new teachers and the Gifted Facilitator. She also coached swimming, basketball, gymnastics, and track and advised Lewis and Clark’s National Junior Honor Society.
JCC Trainers in the Kitchen
Good nutrition doesn’t have to be boring! Our personal trainers have taken to the kitchen to share some of their favorite healthy recipes and tips.
EUGENE CURTIN Creighton University educator Dr. Helene Lohman was recognized as a distinguished educator during Creighton’s annual convocation ceremonies held in February. Dr. Lohman received the Creighton University Distinguished Educator in Teaching as Scholarship Award. It was a recognition celebrated by professors and students alike. Dr. Lohman has taught at Creighton for more than 25 years and is a tenured full professor in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions. She was among the early developers of Creighton’s occupational therapy program created in 1985. Keli Mu, BSOT’01, PhD, OTR/L, associate dean, chair and professor with the Department of Occupational Therapy at the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions (SPAHP) said: “Dr. Lohman thoroughly embraces her students, even baking cakes as classroom treats. She has a good heart and really cares about people. She has also accumulated a lot of stories, so she developed a very creative ability to click with students.”
“Dr. Lohman is a fabulous mentor, teacher and collaborator,” says Sara Synek, who graduated with a doctorate in occupational therapy this past May. “She takes extensive time out of her day to ensure lectures are fun, interesting and collaborative and hosts office hours outside of class times to ensure each student understands the material she is teaching.” Dr. Lohman has won recognition for scholarly achievement beyond the classroom. She has co-authored or co-edited three textbooks that are widely used throughout the profession, all of which are primary resources for students preparing for board exams. Her research and scholarship have consistently anticipated trends. She was an early proponent and adopter of interdisciplinary and interprofessional education, a concept that has since become central to Creighton’s approach to medical and health sciences education. She is also a pioneer not just of Creighton’s adoption of a “hybrid” pathway to a doctorate in occupational therapy but of the acceptance of such programs in the profession generally.
MelissaWelcomingShrago
6 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2022 News LOCAL | NATIONAL | WORLD
Mrs. Shrago’s hiring is the first of many exciting announcements leading up to the launch of the new middle school. Melissa Shrago
SARA KOHEN Friedel Jewish Academy Director of Advancement Friedel Jewish Academy will be adding seventh grade in fall 2023 and eighth grade in 2024. With the expansion, Friedel is adding new staff members, starting with Melissa Shrago as the new Director of Learning Initiatives starting this fall. Beth Cohen, Friedel’s Head of School, says that Mrs. Shrago’s “extensive background in education makes her the perfect person to help us structure our new middle school.”
Helene Lohman
The Architect Award. We are honoring Nancy Rips for her incredible efforts at being a dedicated family member not only to her own family--as a sibling, daughter, and mother—but to the many more families she has created. She has made it her business and life’s work to foment family where there often is none, to take people who are living in residential and assisted living facilities (like The Remington, The RBJH, The Heritage at Sterling Ridge, etc.) and she brings to them the joys of Judaism through various programs that she creates specifically for them year after year. Over time, she has grown multiple facsimiles of family. Wherever Nancy goes, a spirit of family seems to erupt. All this, and she’s a published author of several books about Jewish holidays too. Giving awards to these outstanding women is to showcase the incredible work that women are doing in our community and also to inspire. We ALL have something to be proud of, something to contribute... and the opportunity is now. Speaking of now, this challah baking extravaganza will sell out. To register, go to Ochabad.org/challahbake. You can also call 402.330.1800. Also, let’s get social, challah bakers! We want to see your challah on Instagram, so please send your pics to @MCBBomaha on Instagram.
Mega Challah Bake & Boutique honorees
B’NAI
Michelle Aizenberg Ansari Nancy Rips Nancy Schlessinger B’RITH award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch the Press for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com
BREADBREAKERS The
ORGANIZATIONS
The Jewish Press | August 19, 2022 | 7 Tritz Plumbing Inc. family402-894-0300www.tritz.comownedandoperatedsince 1945 repair • remodelcommercial • residential What brings you joy? Share your joy with others by creating a charitable endowment or donor-advised fund. Let others experience life fully! Contact Amy Shivvers, Executive Director 402-334-6466 ashivvers@jewishomaha.org www.jfofoundation.org TIPPI DENENBERG G-d entrusted Jewish women with the task of fortifying the Jewish family, the Jewish home, and by extension, the community. Women were given three exclusive mitzvahs with which to carry out this sacred mission: separating challah through which we sanctify the bread we eat, observance of mikvah to sanctify marriage and strengthen family, and candle lighting to illuminate the home while also projecting spiritual light into a world darkened by brokenness and pain. In the spirit of these three mitzvahs we have established three awards to be given during the Sept. 15 Mega Challah Bake & Boutique event: the Nurturer (challah), the [family] Architect (mikvah), and the Lamplighter (candle lighters) awards. We have selected women who in one or more ways exemplify or personify the spirit of these mitzvahs. There’s a lot of quality overlap here, but the main goal is to recognize and celebrate all women do to carry on the timeless traditions and wisdom of our forbearers. They had the wisdom to study and elevate the importance of how to create a peaceful and beautiful Jewish home. Our Nurturer Award goes to Michelle Aizenberg Ansari who as a neurosurgeon literally holds people’s lives in her hands, often by removing dangerous tumors of the brain and spine. This is nurturing in a palpable, cutting-edge way. She’s also a nurturing mother of boy/girl twins along with her husband Shervin. Both she and Shervin dedicate themselves to transmitting strong Jewish values to their children despite intense and demanding careers. Nancy Schlessinger will receive the Lamplighter Award. The mitzvah of candle lighting is near and dear to Nancy’s heart; she often uses her mother’s candle sticks which have a lot of meaning to her. Nancy is a metaphorical lamplighter in our community. She works tirelessly to bring more light and joy wherever she goes: volunteering, recruiting, raising funds, being involved in any way she can help. Her manner of openly embracing her Judaism shows people how joyous it is to be Jewish and how meaningful it can be to be involved in the Jewish community.
Above and below: The Friedland and Benton families were among the many audience members who came to watch the final dance camp performance of the summer.
Left and above: Residents and art enthusiasts from the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home enjoyed Beyond Van Gogh, the Immersive Experience exhibit at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs; through cutting-edge projection technology, Beyond Van Gogh breathes new life into over 300 VanGogh’s artwork. This memorable outing was made possible by the generous support of the Shelly Nogg Pichik Field Trip Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.
Above: Everything Bees. Residents from RBJH are gearing up this month for the High Holidays with a BEE & HONEY theme. Next month it will be all APPLES.
Above: The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Residents and staff want to thank our volunteer leaders, Renee Kazor and Jim Polack, for Shabbat services in the chapel. We sincerely appreciate your hard work and efforts year after year.
Below: A shoutout of appreciation to our volunteers that COVID screen at the RBJH main entrance! Pictured are Kate and Tom Kirshenbaum.
8 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2022 SUPPORTEDGENEROUSLYBY PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS
SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org O TLIGHT
SP
Top, above and below: Returning campers from Camp Sabra arrived at the JCC.
Above and below: The Women’s Leadership Tea, hosted by Shani Katzman.
Tamid Synagogue’s Rabbi Darrin Levine once called it ‘the intersection between happy moments and resilience:’ the notion that experiencing Judaism as a positive force will provide us with the tools for those rainy days. “Ultimately,” he wrote, “Positive Judaism answers the question, ‘why be Jewish?’ For people who are seeking to enhance their personal well-being, for Jewish leaders who are seeking to have a relevant and positive impact, and for congregations seeking to have a positive impact on their larger community, Positive Judaism offers a compelling framework for Jewish leadership and Jewish living in the 21stAsCentury.”Tauberwrote, the Torah has been telling us this all along. We don’t need a fancy name like ‘Positive Judaism’ for this to work, we just need to pay attention. If we don’t know where to start, maybe we can let the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel guide us: “Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement. Get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”
Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.
Nebraska
Jewish Press Board Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Seth Feldman; David Finkelstein; Ally Frieeman; Mary Sue Grossman; Les Kay; Natasha Kraft; Chuck Lucoff; David Phillips; and Joseph Pinson. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services and the Jewish Press Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.
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(Founded in 1920) Margie Gutnik President Annette van de Kamp-Wright
ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL JTA Ah, summertime. A season to take a plunge in a mountain lake, read a trashy novel on the beach and reenact a historical tragedy through a monthlong pageant of self-denial and fasting. Wait, what? If you don’t associate summer with performances of communal grief, you may not be familiar with Tisha B’Av. The Jewish fast day, which began last night and continues until sundown, is a ritual of lamentation for the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, and the culmination of a three-week period of gradually intensifying mourning rituals: no haircuts, no new clothes, no meat. The day has become a metonym for the larger sweep of historical Jewish suffering. That it falls in the middle of a North American summer can be a problem for Jewish camps, where rules forbidding swimming and other expressions of pleasure especially during the climactic “Nine Days” of mourning before the fast make it a major buzzkill. Others have asked if the mourning for Jerusalem is still relevant when the city has been reclaimed as the capital of Israel. What I find challenging about Tisha B’Av is its artificial imposition of grief. With all the real tsuris in the world, why would we intentionally afflict ourselves over a calamity that happened 2,000 years ago? In a very different context, roots musician Rhiannon Giddens made a similar point this week on PBS NewsHour, when she was asked how she can make art in awful times: “It’s kind of like, yes, it’s all going to hell in a handbasket. Therefore, we need to make every day the best day that we can make.” Tisha B’Av says we need to make today the worst it can be. “The underlying experience that the individual should live through is that of a first-century Jerusalem defender who goes through the siege from inception to becoming a prisoner of the Romans at the climax,” writes Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, explaining the history behind and experience of Tisha B’Av in his book The Jewish Way. Yom Kippur similarly demands this sort of playacting in search of religious enlightenment: The day has been described as a rehearsal of our deaths, during which we deny ourselves food and sex, dress in clothing reminiscent of a shroud, and literally prepare to meet our Maker. The intended effect is straight out of A Christmas Carol, in which Scrooge’s glimpse of his miserable afterlife inspires him to repent, or the famous story of dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel, who got a chance to read his own mistakenly published obituary. Aghast that he’d only be remembered as the creator of a weapon of mass destruction, Nobel established the prizes that honor human achievement. Greenberg suggests a difference between Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, and his interpretation softened my resistance to the fast day. Unlike Yom Kippur, when our fates are uncertain, we know what is going to happen on Tisha B’Av. “Thus, the sense of doom and grief builds up before the day actually arrives. The day of Destruction is a culmination of the grief, but immediately thereafter, since nothing can be done to prevent the tragedy from happening, the psychological balance shifts toward the renewal of life,” writes Greenberg. In other words, by reenacting low points in Jewish history, we are able to make the next day the best we can make it or, as the Talmud explains, “All who mourn [the destruction of] Jerusalem will merit to see it in its joy.” (Ta’anit 30b) The effect is like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which helps people unlearn patterns of unhelpful behavior, such as deep-seated anxiety. One CBT technique asks people to play out worst-case scenarios so that, as one CBT website explains, “even if everything he or she fears comes to pass, the outcome will still be manageable.”
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Since I set the intention to write positive stories for at least the rest of August, I thought it might be useful to take a closer look at what it means to ‘stay positive.’Noteveryone agrees that staying positive is always good. “A recent New York Times article reported on a group of psychologists who are chafing under what they call the ‘tyranny of the positive attitude,’ columnist Yanki Tauber wrote. “For several years now, positive thinking has been in vogue. But these good doctors are ‘worried that we’re not making space for people to feel bad’ and feel that a reversal of this trend is in order.” Let’s unpack that. It’s a strong word, ‘tyranny.’ It implies oppression, force. When we feel positivity is pushed on us, it’s not really positivity, is it? Positive thinking, I think, by definition has to come from inside of us—but maybe those doctors Tauber wrote about would disagree.Ikeep going back to that word, ‘tyranny,’ and it strikes me how opposite that way of thinking is from what Judaism teaches us. When I think of Judaism, the first thing that comes to mind is ‘Joy.’ At some of our holidays, it’s even commanded. Not in a tyrannical way, but as a reminder of how privileged we are to be Jewish and live Jewish lives. In that same article I quoted above, Yanki Tauber also concluded: “I take comfort in the fact that the Torah’s attitude, which predates today’s positivist trend by 4,000 years and will survive it by much longer than that, is one of unabashed optimism.” That’s great, you say, but what do we do when life throws us curve balls, when we experience pain, depression and adversity; do we have to remain optimistic always?
The new HBO reality series The Rehearsal seems to be based precisely on this premise. Created by the deadpan Jewish comic Nathan Fielder, the show helps ordinary people confront a problem by offering them elaborate rehearsals of best- and worst-case scenarios. In the first and most straightforward episode, a man named Cor isn’t sure how to tell an old friend that he has been lying about his educational credentials. Fielder convinces Cor to rehearse the conversation, with an actor playing his friend. The rehearsals are held in an exact replica of the Brooklyn bar where the real-life confrontation will take place. Critics either love The Rehearsal for its wry sendup of reality shows and its surprisingly emotional payoffs, or find Fielder to be smug and disingenuous. But among the many scenes from the first episode that stayed with me was this one: Not only does Cor rehearse the conversation, but he goes back to his apartment (actually, a meticulous recreation of Cor’s actual apartment) and imagines two futures: one in which the conversation will go well, and one in which it will be a disaster. The exercise leaves Cor ready to face and overcome his fears. That, in a nutshell, is Tisha B’Av: We inhabit a painstakingly constructed mental landscape in which the Temples still stand and are about to be destroyed. We are rehearsing tragedy so we might better be able to handle it when it comes for real, and better appreciate our happiness when it doesn’t. Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor in chief of the New York Jewish Week and senior editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. He previously served as JTA’s editor in chief and as editor in chief and CEO of the New Jersey Jewish News. @SilowCarroll. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
How Nathan Fielder’s HBO show The Rehearsal made me appreciate Tisha B’Av
Nathan Fielder is the creator of The Rehearsal. Credit: HBO. Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Credit: 1850 painting by David Roberts, via Wikipedia. Credit: JTA collage by Mollie Suss
Staying positive
Credit: Nevit Dilmen, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
Let’s be honest: ‘being positive’ does not necessarily mean always being happy. It does not mean ignoring pain and suffering. It does not mean ‘smiling through the pain’ and pretending nothing is amiss. What it does mean, is that, even when life is hard, we maintain a belief that ultimately, we will persevere. That things will get better, that a setback is just that, a setback. That pain, even when it is not temporary (let’s face it, sometimes it isn’t) is still something we can learn to live with.
Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Sam Kricsfeld Digital support Mary Bachteler Accounting
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FRIDAY-Aug. 26: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochab ad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 7:48 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shacharit 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:59 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: LJCS Classes, 4 p.m.
BETH SYNAGOGUEISRAEL Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org402.556.628868154
SUNDAY: Litter Clean Up with St. Luke, 10 a.m. at Trendwood Park. TUESDAY: Active Shooter Training, 9:30 a.m.-noon and 2:30-5:30 WEDNESDAY:p.m.Slide Back to BESTT, 6 p.m.
SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE bethel-omaha.org402.492.855068154-1980
TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deepening Prayer 7:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi 7:20 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.
THURSDAY: HHD Choir Rehearsal, 7 p.m.
Join us on Friday, Sept. 9, 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. 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-Aug. 26: Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex and music with Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Oneg host TBD; Candlelighting, 7:50SATURDAY-Aug.p.m. 27: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Re’eh; Havdalah, 8:49 p.m.
FRIDAY-Aug. 26: Drop-In Mah Jongg 9-11 a.m.; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY-Aug. 27: Torah Study 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; Bat Mitzvah of Evi Schneider Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
SATURDAY: Torah Study 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or InPerson; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; Bar Mitzvah of Max Ruback; Splash Out of Shabbat, 4 p.m. at The Grove Splash Pad.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL MORRIS MALINE Reprinted from the Aug.14, 1987 Jewish Press. As we approach Israel’s 40th birthday of the modern era, we tend to be somewhat at ease with the status quo in the Middle East. Israel has displayed to the world an ability to fight and protect herself throughout a series of wars. Her emergence from these conflicts as a nation intact is nothing less than miraculous when one examines the odds against her. We are told that Israel has a military edge and we feel better about her chances for survival. Then, in a CBS newscast last week, a segment appears about the growing capabilities of Syria—not in medicine, not in cultural arts, not in peace—but in the manufacture and storage of poison gas. How soon we forget. How naive we are. Israel is safe, we can now relax our efforts, her enemies will not dare attack, etc. So we hum ourselves a tune of complacency. And all of a sudden, we are awakened. Poison gas is now a principal product of the growing Syrian menace. Well, we don’t have to worry about that, do we? After all, the world recognized that poison gas was just too terrible to contemplate, and the use of this pervavasive weapon was outlawed after World War I (the war to end all wars). If all of the world’s nations have outlawed poison gas, why is the Syrian capability a threat to awaken us at this point? The answer is that poison gas has been and is being used in the Iran/Iraq war. And the world powers have not responded with anger and action. The message is that anything goes in the Middle East—posion gas included. This is a message that Israelis are hearing loud and clear. It is also a message that peace-seeking Americans should be concerned about. Many Americans might say: “Well, Israel has atomic bombs, so Syria wouldn’t dare use poison gas.” We know better. Today, atomic bombs are considered doomsday devices, to be used only as a last desperate attempt to retaliate. Poison gas is not in this category. It is being readied by Syria as a battle weapon, and if it spreads to the civilian population, so be it. This is the Syrian attitude. What is the world’s reaction?
WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom or In-Person; Temple Israel Happy Hour, 6-8 p.m. at Corkscrew Wine & Cheese. RSVP’s required.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 email:402.294.6244oafbjsll@icloud.com
This week in the Jewish Press archives
BETH SYNAGOGUEEL
CHABAD HOUSE An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE email:OChabad.com402.330.180068144-1646chabad@aol.com
SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Bar Mitzvah of Jacob Fischer; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m. Zoom Only.
FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8 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, 7:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 8:20 p.m.; Ma’ariv/Havdalah, 9:01 p.m.
THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m.; Character Development 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Kids Parsha Class 10 a.m.; Daf Yomi 7:20 p.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.
B’NAI SYNAGOGUEISRAEL 618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 email:712.322.4705CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
SATURDAY-Aug. 27: 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, 8:49 p.m.
TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE templeisraelomaha.com402.556.653668144-1206
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.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Eikev; Havdalah, 9:01 p.m.
FRIDAYS: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for moreTheinformation.RoseBlumkin Jewish Home’s service is currently closed to visitors. 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 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.
B’NAI ISRAEL BETH EL BETH ISRAEL CHABAD HOUSE OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME TEMPLE ISRAEL
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.
WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.
SATURDAY-Aug. 27: Shacharit 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:47 p.m. Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. Note: Some of our services, but not all, are now being offered in person.
Synagogues
FRIDAY: Federation Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex and lay leadership, 6:30 p.m. at Antelope Park; Candlelighting, 8:01 p.m.
SUNDAY: Garden Work Party, 8:30 a.m. at SST; LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m.; 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; Jewish Book Club, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom; 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 TUESDAY:Miriam57@aol.com Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom.
TUESDAY: Rosh Chodesh: Painting with a Twist: Hosted by Tori Haussler and Jackie Friedland, 7:15 p.m. at Painting with a Twist. RSVP’s required.
LINCOLN TIFERETHCOMMUNITY:JEWISHISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE tiferethisraellincoln.org402.423.856968502-5236
MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.
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.
Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links. 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.
10 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2022
FRIDAY-Aug. 26: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:49 p.m.
SATURDAY-Aug. 27: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Bar MItzvah of Jason Clignett; Havdalah, 8:40 p.m. Zoom Only. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
ROSE JEWISHBLUMKINHOME 323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154 rbjh.com
FRIDAY-Aug. 26: Nebraska AIDS Coalition Lunch 11:30 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.
FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.
LINCOLN B’NAICOMMUNITY:JEWISHJESHURUN South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE www.southstreettemple.org402.435.800468502-2797
SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Video Presentation 9-9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m.
FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Le chayim; Candlelighting, 7:59 p.m.
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JASON ANTHONY MICHAEL CLIGNETT Jason Anthony Michael Clignett, son of Eileen and Ed Clignett will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022 at Beth El Synagogue. Jason is a seventh grade Honor roll and Superior honor roll student at Kiewit Middle School. He was also student of the month in sixth grade (a student can receive this honor only once during the year.) He enjoys watching and playing baseball and basketball, loves playing video games, bike riding and swimming. He is a huge Dodgers and Golden State Warrior fan. Jason is involved with Kadima at Beth El Synagogue. His OSAA baseball team was the 2022 season undefeated Champions for his age division.Forhis mitzvah project, Jason volunteered at the Food Bank of the Heartland and he volunteered during the summer at Beth El Synagogue to help get ready for the start of the school year. He has an older sister, Brittney. Grandparents are Sarah and Fred Kader of Omaha, and Stephanie and the late Henry Clignett of Rockwall, TX.
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In the Aug. 12 issue, The article about Ben Raffel had several errors. Ben is beginning his professional career in Austin, Texas (not Houston, Texas). While Ben was in Israel there was a mass shooting in a synagogue in Texas, which was incorrect. Ben’s brother, Jordan is a sophomore at University of KansasLawrence, Kansas, rather than Kansas City). The Jewish Press regrets these CORRECTIONerrors.
The shooting comes a week after an exchange of hostilities between Israel and the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza in which dozens of Palestinians died and nearly a thousand rockets were fired toward Israelis. It also comes after months of relative calm within Israel following a series of attacks this spring in which 19 Israelis were murdered. The tourists wounded in the Jerusalem shooting are among the wave of visitors flowing into Israel this summer after years of pandemic travel restrictions had tamped down travel. Hours after the attack, Prime Minister Yair Lapid broadcast confidence in Jerusalem, tweeting a picture of himself eating at a cafe there. “Our capital city is strong, safe, beautiful and welcoming to residents and tourists,” Lapid wrote.
Five Americans among victims in Jerusalem terror attack
PHILISSA CRAMER
Jewish communities in two countries were reeling this weekend after a shooting just outside the Old City of Jerusalem left eight wounded. An Arab resident of East Jerusalem turned himself in to police after a manhunt that focused on the Silwan neighborhood there, according to Israeli media. The shooting took place early Sunday morning, Aug. 14, as people boarded a bus. Among those shot, according to various reports, were multiple members of a family from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a center of the Satmar Hasidic Orthodox sect; a teenager from a different Brooklyn family; a pair of Israeli brothers; and a pregnant woman who remains hospitalized along with her child, whom doctors delivered after she suffered an abdominal injury. Rabbi David Niederman, executive director of United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, confirmed to the New York Jewish Week that Shia Hersh Glick — a member of the Satmar Hasidic movement — and his wife, son and daughter were among those shot. Niederman said the family is asking that people pray for them to “go through this and still be whole.” The family is in Israel because the son, who was shot in the arm, is getting married.
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12 | The Jewish Press | August 19, 2022 Your Jewish Federation of Omaha Board and staff have been addressing the issue of security at our Staenberg Omaha JCC, Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center, Friedel Jewish Academy, and the rest of the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s agencies on the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus. Our Community Security Initiative (CSI) focuses on four priorities: The JFO Board has unanimously approved a $2 million fundraising campaign to implement the CSI: $1 million for up front, one-time costs, and a $1 million fund to partially support the annual cost of two security officers over the next ten years. The balance of that support will come from a combination of an annual operations budget allocation and the creation of a security endowment fund. CSI PRIORITY 1 FUNDING SOURCES TOTAL: $2,000,000 One-Time costs: $1,000,000 Endow Security Staff: $1,000,000 $82,400 CURRENTLY $1,333,333 GOAL $666,667 Matching Grant JFNA’s LiveSecure Program $1,333,333 Community Donations & Other Grants Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), has established a LiveSecure Program that will provide a matching grant of 50% of donations to a special community fundraiser targeted at improving security. Scan this QR code with your phone to make your donation online Questions? Contact: Marty Ricks Fundraising Consultant (402) 334-6428 | (402) mricks@jewishomaha.org301-4038 Jennifer Tompkins Executive Director of Philanthropy & Engagement (402) 334-6435 | jtompkins@jewishomaha.org Enclosed please find my contribution to the Community Security Initiative in the amount of: Name: Phone:City:Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________State:_____Zip:_________(_____)_____-___________ $10,000 ___ $5,000 ___ $2,500 I would prefer to be listed as anonymous on the JFO donor recognition lists PHYSICALIMPROVEMENTSSECURITY SECURITY AWARENESS WITHIN COMMUNITY BUILDINGRELATIONSHIPSCOMMUNITY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT Ellie RichardHowardBobDonaldJackMargaretMarvinBattBittnerBlock-WestCohenGerber&KimGoldberg&JanGoldstein&JoanieJacobson THANK YOU Rich & Fran Juro Myron Kaplan Phil & Laura Malcom Mark & Julie Martin Jon & Denise Meyers Eric & Julie Phillips Marty & Iris Ricks Robert Rifkin to those who have already generously pledged, totaling $82,400. Natan & Hannah Schwalb Norm & Suzy Sheldon Leon Shrago Mike & Andrea Siegel Jenn ArnieTompkins&AnneWeitz FUND THE FIRST PRIORITY OF CSI We greatly appreciate your support for this special appeal. JFNA’s Live Secure program will provide $1 for every $2 we raise, so we would appreciate your payment as soon as possible, but no later than December 31, 2022 MATCHING GRANT PLUS a $1 for $1 match up to $100,000 by the Kooper Fellman Partnership (Howard Kooper, Tom Fellman and Larry Kelberg) ___ $1,000 ___ $500 ___ $250 MAIL FORM TO: Jewish Federation of Omaha Attn: Jennifer Tompkins 333 South 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154 ___ $100 ___ $_______Other Method of payment: Check (Make payable to the Jewish Federation of Omaha) Bill Contactme me for credit card information I will recommend distribution from my donor advised fund