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2016 jCC maccabi games: The teen perspective
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in St. Louis July 31-Aug. 5. Nearly 1500 athletes from more than six countries came together to compete in their respective sports, make new friends, and create lifelong memories. Read on to learn about each athlete’s JCC Maccabi experience: See 2016 jCC maccabi games page 3
A change at the ADL-CRC
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mary-beth muSKin ADL Omaha Regional Director There is much going on at the Omaha ADL-CRC office! One of those things is that Emily Newman will be stepping down from her position as Administrative Assistant to begin her doctorate degree at UNO in public administration with a focus in emergency management. Emily stepped into the position a year ago to assist with all the changes in the Omaha office and assist she has. Emily has been an integral part of the Omaha ADL-CRC team lending her expertise on all things Israel, writing articles to keep the community informed, while pitching in on all the day-to-day
marK KirChhoFF Program and Communications Assistant, Jewish Federation of Omaha “Before we go too far with this interview, I think it is important to let people know that I am, indeed, ‘Jeff Gates’ sister,’” quipped Jennie Gates Beckman with an engaging smile. “When I worked for the Jewish Press in Omaha as a Production Assistant under the direction of Carol Katzman, I was known simply as ‘Jen Gates.’ I’ve been away from Omaha for 12
jennie gates beckman
raChel martin BBYO/Teen Program Director ine Jewish teens from the Omaha/Lincoln area trained, prepared for, and represented the Team Omaha delegation at the 2016 JCC Maccabi Games
A Munich Olympics and Holocaust survivor page 16
Jennie Gates Beckman joins JFO
AU G U ST 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 | 1 5 AV 5 7 7 6 | V O L. 9 6 | NO . 4 9 | C a nd leli g h ti ng | FRID AY , AU G U ST 2 6 , 7 : 4 8 P. M.
Omaha Jewish Film Festival concludes with docu-drama page 4
School of Rock page 5
SponSored by the benjamin and anna e. WieSman Family endoWment Fund
emily newman and Scott Kurz needs of running an office. Emily is also a trained ADL Facilitator with the Words to Action curriculum. This curriculum empowers Jewish students to address bias on campus, in their schools and communities. Emily has assisted in the development, implementation and delivery of the “Words to Action” program. While we are excited for Emily as she returns to graduate school, we are equally excited that she will re-
main an important part of our ADL-CRC family. Emily’s position has been filled by Scott Kurz, who is well known in the Omaha theater community. He helped found and run the Brigit Saint Brigit Theater Company for the last 23 years. He has performed in over 100 productions. Scott is a multi-faceted producer and artist, an accomplished fight See Change at adl-CrC page 2
years now, and ever since I returned last November it seems the easiest way for people to place me. It used to annoy me since I am the oldest, but being Jeff’s sister helps jump their memory, especially since I proudly added ‘Beckman’ to ‘Gates’ when I married David in 2006.” Jennie joined the Jewish Federation of Omaha on Aug. 22 as the Director of Community Engagement and Education. Her enthusiasm for her new role is infectious. Jennie’s family moved to Omaha when she was seven years old. “This was about the time that Rabbi Aryeh Azriel began at Temple Israel,” Jennie said. “Being a part of Temple Israel and having Rabbi Azriel as our Senior Rabbi has been very special to me and my family for all this time,” she added. Jennie graduated from Millard North High School and went on to earn her BA at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. During her undergraduate studies she taught religious school and helped with the youth group at Temple Israel. She continued with post graduate work at the only nonsectarian Jewish-sponsored college or university in the country, Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. There she earned an MA in Jewish Communal Service and Non-Profit Management. Jennie began her career in the Jewish community as a FEREP Fellow. The Federation Executive Recruitment and Education Program (FEREP) is a graduate scholarship program, funded through The Jewish Federations of North America Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence, for students who are planning careers in Jewish Federations. Her first six years were spent with The Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. There she gained experience in Campaign, Leadership Development, Community Outreach, and at Jewish Volunteer Connection. “Our community outreach goal was to engage new people who were otherwise not active in the Jewish community. I was able to put a See jennie gates beckman page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016
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Continued from page 1 special emphasis on working with those who showed the most interest and potential for leadership to become more involved and to assume leadership roles,” Jennie said. “It was rewarding to see the ‘new life’ that these people experienced by learning more about the Federation agencies and programs serving our community.” Following her work with “The Associated,” Jennie served as Director of Volunteer Strategy at the Association of Jewish Family and Children’s Agencies (AJFCA) in Baltimore from February 2012-August of 2016. There she was tasked with launching a national partnership with Repair the World (werepair.org), looking to elevate the role of volunteers in AJFCA’s 125 member agencies (JFS in Omaha is one of their member agencies). Through the creation of a track at their conference focused on volunteer engagement, a cohort of volunteer professionals, quarterly community of practice calls and regular newsletters, Jennie established a strong network of professionals to come together for training and sharing of resources. Although the bulk of her work has been focused on volunteer engagement, just this past year Jennie led the creation of a new Early Career Professional Fellowship. This fellowship is an opportunity for exceptional young leaders from AJFCA member agencies to participate in a year-long leadership program, including an opening retreat, group calls, skill building webinars, technical assistance and mentoring. Jennie and David welcomed the birth of their daughter Sadie in October of 2014. “Although we’ve lived so far away, our connection to our family is very important to us. We are so fortunate in that our parents always supported our pursuing our careers wherever that might take us,” Jennie said. She then related how during a visit with family in Ohio in which the grandparents were there playing with Sadie, they realized how very special it would be for Sadie not to have to wait for these special occasions. “There were so many things that Baltimore had to offer that we just didn’t want to part with,” said Jennie. “At the same time we have such a love for Omaha and being with our families that we decided to return.” Jennie was able to begin working remotely for AJFCA in 2015, enabling her family to move to Omaha without having to do a cross-country job search. “Already, Sadie has such an amazing relationship with all four grandparents, as well as my youngest brother Jon and his fiancée Kalli.” When a friend reached out to Jennie about the position with the JFO, she was intrigued. “The more I learned about the new role, the more it seemed to fit with my passion and experience. I really enjoyed the process of exploring the position with Alan Potash and am excited to begin my work in this new capacity.” This position is tasked with enhancing community engagement, promoting lifelong Jewish learning, providing a connection to Israel and supporting the synagogues in their mission. “The breadth and depth of what we will be doing is exciting,” Jennie said. “One piece I am most excited about is improving the wel-
coming experience for individuals and families who move to Omaha. Based on my own personal experience, trying to connect to the Jewish community as someone who is already quite connected – it still wasn’t easy! I’m looking forward to hearing from more folks out there who have had a similar experience so we can put our heads together and lower the barrier for engagement. This position has the added benefit of allowing me to be directly involved with the people and the programs, which is something I have missed quite a bit working on the national level,” Jennie shared. “At AJFCA I enjoyed highlighting how our member agencies work with the entire community is supported on a foundation in Jewish values – but in this role I really get to make that a core part of my job!” We encourage you to meet Jennie to catch her enthusiasm and to volunteer to help with the exciting challenges ahead. She is sure to be a part of the ever evolving greatness that is the Jewish Federation of Omaha.
Change at ADL-CRC
Continued from page 1 choreographer and combatant, as well as an award-winning actor and set and light designer. Inclusive in the management of the theater is his background in marketing, development and social media, all skills that lend themselves to the ADL-CRC. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Scott spent five years helping manage the American Red Cross Midwest Call Center, coordinating multiple regions databases and retooling their predictive dialer platform. He also spent 15 years working in Early Childhood Education at the UNO Child Care Center and the First National Child Development Center, specializing in helping children with behavioral disorders. It was through this endeavor, helping young children and their families, that he received what he cites as his most treasured honor. He was awarded the Omaha Women’s Fund Outstanding Child Care Provider Award (the first male to ever receive the honor!) Needless to say, we will truly miss Emily’s daily input at the ADL-CRC but are glad to be retaining her expertise as a facilitator. While we look forward to benefiting from Emily’s background in emergency management, we wish Emily all the best of luck in her future endeavors in school and otherwise, and we are thrilled to be welcoming Scott to our small but mighty team!
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2016 JCC Maccabi Games
The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016 | 3
Continued from page 1 My experience during the 2016 Maccabi Games was an absolutely incredible one. The most powerful part for me was opening ceremonies. Just being with so many other Jewish teenagers who shared so much of the same morals, ethics and religious background as I did was something almost hard to describe. It was my first time participating in anything of the sort, so the experience was eye-opening for me. It showed me I was not alone as a Jewish teenager and competitive athlete, and opened my eyes to a whole new community I previously didn’t even really know existed. Overall, an amazing experience I hope every Jewish teenager can have at least once! Ryan Patterson, Swimmer My first experience being an athlete in the JCC Maccabi Games was phenomenal. In St. Louis, I loved being able to meet other Jewish teens from larger delegations, especially now that I graduated from Friedel and am not always surrounded by other Jewish kids. I absolutely loved the freedom that we had at the games. When time permitted, the athletes could leave their sport and take a bus to the “hub” (Maryville University) to play games, meet other athletes, eat lunch or take a break from the busy day. After a long day of competition, the athletes participated in amazing evening activities such as arcade games at Dave & Buster’s, spending time with our host families, going to the mind-boggling City Museum and celebrating the games at the closing party. Overall, I had an amazing experience at the Maccabi games and would love to participate again next year. Rachel Kricsfeld, Dancer My favorite thing about going to Maccabi was the day we got to spend with our host families. Leora and I had a blast seeing St. Louis along with the two host daughters, Sydney and Zoe. We were able to go up to the top of the arch where the view of St. Louis was stunning! We also went to Fitz’s to see their famous root beer being made and to eat lunch, complete with root beer floats. I loved having a day to see the city and get to know our host family. Laura Kirshenbaum, Dancer The Maccabi Games were unforgettable. As a dancer who usually doesn’t do competitions, I thought that competing opened up a whole new side of dance to me. Outside of the competitions, I met so many people who I never would have met otherwise. I also reconnected with people that I knew from other groups. I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. Zoe Berman, Dancer Maccabi was truly an amazing experience. When I arrived at the arena for opening ceremonies and waited in the lobby, I found myself lost in the sea of 1000+ Jewish teens from all over. It was amazing becoming friends with the teens there. By the time the closing party came around, I had a group of extremely close friends from Jacksonville, Memphis, Chicago, Dallas and, of course, Omaha by just competing and bonding at Maccabi. It was sad to go, but Maccabi was one of the best weeks of my life. Max Kohll, Swimmer I am Charlie Cohen and I am going to be a sophomore at Brownell Talbot. I recently attended the 2016 Maccabi Games in St. Louis, competing in basketball. I was on a team with six boys and a coach from Dallas and one boy from New Orleans. Our team was a little undersized to say the least; we were playing in the 16U field and the average height on our team was about 5’5. Our tallest player was me, at 5’7. The Dallas boys had practiced together for three months so the New Orleans boy and I were lacking the team chemistry. We ended up losing all of our games. We lost to Baltimore by 40, to New Orleans/Oregon by 37, to Kansas City by 4 in overtime, to St. Louis by 25, and to San Antonio/San Diego by 38. That’s a combined difference of
144 points. However, the experiences outside of the games were terrific! My host family was so welcoming and nice, the two boys I stayed with, along with the host family’s son, were equally welcoming and friendly. Maccabi allowed me to rekindle old friendships from BBYO and summer camp and also to make new friends by straying away from my personal box. St. Louis was a beautiful city; we were fortunate enough to visit the Arch, enjoy some Ted Drewe’s, and Fitz’s. Opening Night was a great experience and the tribute to the Munich 11 was amazing. Dave and Buster’s was amazing and it was the biggest Dave and Buster’s I have ever seen. The St. Louis City Museum was the coolest “museum” I have ever been in. The last night at the JCC was a ton of fun and there were so many different activities for everyone to enjoy. The coordinating committee and delegation heads and assistants did such a great job setting it up and making sure every single second of every single day offered multiple activity options for everyone. The facilities at Maryville, Lindenwood and the JCC were incredible. Thank you to the Jewish Federation of Omaha, Rachel Martin and Jonathan Crossley who helped make this trip possible. I recommend everyone experience what the eight other athletes and I experienced at Maccabi 2016 St. Louis. Charlie Cohen, Basketball Hi. I’m Lev and I’m here to talk about my Maccabi games experience. Unfortunately, the majority of my games for baseball got rained out due to bad weather, which made daytimes a bit boring. Yet, despite that, I still had a decent time. My favorite part of my week was probably being with my host family. They were very kind and I had a great time being with them. All In all, I think my first Maccabi games weren’t as good as they could have been, but I do hope that next year the weather will hold up so that my week can be much more eventful. Lev Denenberg, Baseball I feel so lucky that I was able to participate in the 2016 JCC Maccabi games. I enjoyed the dance competition and the preparation leading up to it with Miss Esther and Miss Jessica. Hanging out with friends new and old, was amazing! It was cool to be around so many Jewish teens from all over the world. I am so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you Rachel, Jonathan and this community for making this possible. Leora McNamara, Dancer This recent trip to St. Louis was my third Maccabi experience. It was my first as a swimmer. I played baseball during the other two. When I think of my last three years, I think about good competition, fun activities, new Jewish friends and welcoming host families. I am grateful for the opportunity, and I have made friends who I will be connected with for many years to come. Jared Murray, Swimmer The best thing about the 2016 JCC Maccabi Games in St. Louis was... everything! Being a coach for Team Omaha was the next best thing to actually competing in the Maccabi Games! Going into my first Maccabi Games experience, I did not want to have too many preconceived ideas. Those ideas and the helpful insights from friends around the JCC could not prepare me for what I was getting myself into. In other words, you have to see it to believe it! Every day I was amazed by the grand scale of venues, events and camaraderie. See 2016 Maccabi Games page 4
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2016 Maccabi Games
4 | The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016
community Omaha Jewish Film Festival concludes with heroic docu-drama Mark kIrChhoff Program and Communications Assistant, Jewish Federation of Omaha The 15th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival concludes on Sunday, Aug. 28 with the showing of A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt. Otto Weidt was a nearly blind brush maker at the time of the Nazi regime in Germany. He is currently listed at Yad Vashem as one of the Righteous Among the Nations. His story has been largely overlooked until the making of this film, released in 2015. The story is that of Otto who uses his daring and resourcefulness to bring about a cunning rescue of his blind and deaf Jewish employees who were being sent to the
camps. The film also recounts his tragic love of Alice Licht and his desperate journey to save her and her entire family from the gas chamber. Weidt has been described as “an anarchist and a fervent anti-Nazi who loathed Hitler from the word go. He set out to save those persecuted by the regime and employed Jews, many of whom were also blind, in his factory.” (Tony Patterson, Independent). This 90 minute film in German with English subtitles begins at 7:15 p.m. in
Israel experience: My ancestors’ stories
debbIe turetsky I stayed in Nahariyya with a jewish orthodox family. The daughter, Lior, just turned 17 years old. Since it was shabbat, we went to the beach to relax because we weren’t allowed to use any technology. We hung out outside because the weather was so nice and played card games and just talked. In the evening, we went to a mall and did some shopping. In Israel people dress up like they’re going out when they go to the mall which is the complete opposite of the States. I gained a connection to place that we’ve always just talked about. Since I was able to experience a place with so much history, I feel that it exposed me to the stories that my ancestors lived. I also feel like I have matured and have different goals than I had before.
the JCC Theater. Admission price is $5. Be sure to set a reminder to attend this final film of the Festival. 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.
Continued from page 3 For example, the opening ceremony was held at the Chaifetz Arena which is located on the campus of Saint Louis University. Packing the arena with delegations, host families and visitors from around the world resembled the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. This was not to be outdone by the other evening events that week which included the largest Dave & Buster’s you’ve ever seen, a carnival and the City Museum! These evening activities made for a great way for the kids to unwind and have fun! During the day, participants competed at numerous sites around St. Louis. Maryville University served as our Hub location. Many different sports such as flag football, tennis, volleyball and basketball could all be seen at the Hub. The Hub was also the central location for participants to catch the buses to different venues, eat lunch or just hang out. Other locations for events included Lindenwood University (basketball and track and field), CVAC (soccer football, and baseball), Westwood Country Club (golf), Westminister Academy (Dance) and the Fox JCC (swimming, table tennis and girls’ basketball). The venues were outstanding! During the week, I found myself wishing I could rewind to my adolescence and have an opportunity like the Maccabi Games! The games offered the opportunity to meet new friends and make lifelong connections in a holistic environment. Thus, the week also provided a different challenge for everyone. No two people will have the same experience. The Maccabi experience challenges you to be a better version of yourself. Simply put, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Jonathan Crossley, Coach Mark your calendars because we are already working on building Team Omaha for the 2017 JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest, to be held in Birmingham, AL, Albany, NY, and Miami, FL. 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 Omaha JCC Maccabi Committee, JCC Maccabi Games, and other Jewish teen programming, contact Rachel Martin, JCC Teen Program/BBYO Director, rmartin@jccomaha.org or 402.334.6404.
In the news
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The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016 | 5
School of rock
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SoL MarbUrg ob Dylan. Carly Simon. Paul Simon. Adam Levine. Paula Abdul. Drake. Barbra Streisand. Billy Joel. Neil Diamond. What do all of these legendary musicians have in common? If you guessed “Judaism”, you’re reading the right newspaper. Though it may not be well-known, the list of Jewish pop musicians is a solid list and includes the leads for bands such as Dire Straits, KISS, and Van Halen. We may want to add another name to that list: Josh Polack. Josh, a senior at Burke high school, was recently selected as a member of the School of Rock’s AllStar performance group, an elite troupe of teens who spend the summer on tour playing at major concerts. The School of Rock is an international organization that teaches students, ages 8-18, the art of performing Rock’n’Roll music. Josh joined the School of Rock around two years ago after a friend encouraged him to enroll. Josh told me he has played guitar for more than a decade. He pestered his parents for a guitar, and they finally relented, surprising him by taking him to his first lesson. Ten years later, Josh, a graduate of Friedel Jewish Academy, embarked on a concert tour of the Midwest. Unlike most incoming students at the School of Rock, Josh’s skill level was determined to be high enough that he skipped the educational groups and went straight to a performance group. Within a few months, Josh moved up to join the school’s House Band, the top group for the Omaha school. The big honor came a few months ago, when the Omaha School of Rock nominated Josh to the AllStar group. The AllStar performance group is composed of seven smaller tour groups, each with 20 performers. That means that, from a program of over 15,000 students worldwide, less than 0.1% earn one of the coveted spots in an AllStar group. Josh tells me that, following his nomination, he had to conduct several live auditions, both in-person and via video. He found out in May that he had been accepted and began preparing for his tour. The tour would see him perform in concerts and festivals at legendary venues across the Midwest. These included the Marquis Theater in Denver, Lollapalooza in Chicago, the Red Rocks Amphitheater also in Denver, and Omaha’s Slowdown. The tour, which consists mostly of high school upperclassmen, is hardly educational despite being a School of Rock program. Once selected for the AllStar group, the teens are no longer students; they are performers, expected to learn and perform the sets on their own just as any other per-
Josh’s role in the group consists mainly of guitar and bass, as well as some vocals. He enjoys listening to and playing the music of Pink Floyd, and St.Paul & The Broken Bones, as well as various soul and jazz pieces. His favorite song to perform, however, is the Allman Brothers’ Whipping Post, from the Omaha School of Rock’s house band set. At the School of Rock, Josh says, you grow by playing outside your comfort zone. New styles of playing are introduced, and Josh explained that he had difficulty mastering the rapid pace of hard rock music, including “shredding”, which involves hard and fast playing on an electric guitar solo. Josh wasn’t the only Jewish teen looking to join the ranks of music royalty on the AllStar tour. In his group of 20 was another Jewish teen from Los Angeles, and the six other tour groups also included many Jewish performers. It got to the point, Josh recalled, where it was not uncommon to log on to the AllStar performer’s Facebook group page and see musicians having discussions in Hebrew. For his part, Josh completed the tour wearing his Led Zeppelin kippa and a pair of Converse tennis shoes signed by Mark Schulman, a Jewish rocker currently touring with Cher and formerly with Pink. Schulman included “Jews Rule!” as part of his signature. So while most people might conjure up images of Fiddler on the Roof when asked about Judaism in music, Josh knows as well as anyone that Jews are a staple of Rock’n’Roll. He hopes for the opportunity to audition for the AllStar group again next year, the last year he will be eligible. For now, it’s all about the music.
Hillel is one of the largest organizations for Jewish life on campuses with over 500 chapters worldwide. Our mission is “to enrich the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.” We are excited to have you join our community and want to officially invite you to become part of the Hillel Jewish Student Association on campus. Our UNL Hillel chapter is comprised of both students and faculty. Members, friends of members, and students of all backgrounds interested in learning about Jewish life on campus are invited to attend Hillel events. We welcome Jewish and non-Jewish students, and our events are always free of admission
unless stated otherwise. At Hillel, we provide both spiritual and social opportunities in a safe and fun environment. Some of our events include: Shabbat dinners, High Holidays celebrations, Passover Seder, Annual Chanukah and Purim parties, Attending services together at one of the local Lincoln synagogues, Movie Nights, Parties, Global Discussion Panels, and so much more! We look forward to this year and hope you will join our growing community. Contact us at nebraskahillel@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like more information, and don’t forget to find us on Facebook at UNL Hillel.
former would. This was especially challenging at Red Rocks, where the group performed an additional set in tribute to David Bowie.
Josh Polack
Hillel welcomes students to UNL
6 | The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016
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Start of temple israel’s Religious School Year
strengthen according to Mrs. ComisarOther highlights of Temple’s ReliSCott LittkY Program Director, Temple Israel Langdon. For the Jewish studies progious School program are the class ho doesn’t love the be- gram in Pre-kindergarten through 7th trips. The 9th grade visits Jewish New ginning of a new grade, we continue to incorporate exYork with one of our Rabbis and school year? The start periential learning, art and music as Aliyah Lasky serving as their guide. of a new grade, new The 10th grade attends the L’Taken school supplies, new social justice seminar in Washington teachers, new friends and so much D.C. conducted by the Religious Acmore. This past week at Temple Istion Center. The 11th and 12th grades rael, we began another new school this year will be headed to Colorado year in our Religious School. We feel to camp over a Shabbat with Cantor so fortunate to have a strong, vibrant Shermet and Aliyah Lasky and to visit Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade the University of Colorado at Boulder program at Temple. We are also so for a Jewish experience college camfortunate again this year to have pus visit. Every other year, the 11th Sharon Comisar-Langdon serving as and 12th grades visit Israel during our Interim Religious School Direcwinter break. After the huge success tor. After finishing a 34 year career in of last winter’s community trip, we the Millard School District, Mrs. now look forward to traveling next Comisar-Langdon stepped right up winter again with 11th and 12th to the plate when our past director graders from Beth El and Beth Israel. left to take a new position closer to Each Wednesday evening the 7th her family. Recently, I spoke with through 12th grades end class with Mrs. Comisar-Langdon about what Beit Café. The 7th and 8th grades Beit the second year of her leadership and Café is led by Scott Littky with focus guidance would be like. and conversation on the meaning of When first asked to explain what prayer in our services. The objective is she is most proud of as the new to help support our B’nai Mitzvah and Top photo: Beit Café, bottom: 9th Grade trip to post B’nai Mitzvah students in their school year begins, Sharon began NY a few years ago. talking about how pleased she was lifecycle event experiences. Beit Café with the general structure of the our students explore Judaic themes for 9th through 12th grades is a “clergy school. “There are currently over 150 outlined in the Chai Program from the unplugged” time when our students students actively involved in our ReliURJ. The Chai Program was designed and clergy talk about relevant subjects gious School program. This year, we as a flexible educational system for Re- that arise during the school year. No are so strong in our enrollment that we form congregational schools based on topic is off limits. will have a Pre-kindergarten class, and the values of Torah, Avodah, and Sunday mornings are also a special families were still registering for G’milut Chasadim. For Hebrew study time in religious school. Each Sunday classes on the first day! It is exciting to in kindergarten through 7th grade, the begins with Mrs. Comisar-Langdon see our students and their parents Mitkadem curriculum from the very and members of our clergy greeting enter the building each day of Reliestablished Jewish publisher, Behrman students and parents as they enter gious School with big smiles and House, is used. The Mitkadem curTemple and head to their classrooms. happy faces. Our 19 experienced and riculum is a self-paced Hebrew prayer New this year is our revamped Temple skilled teachers are incredible and have and ritual program designed to emTots Sunday morning program that a combined experience in Jewish edupower every child to learn Hebrew. will meet nine times this year under cation of over 100 years. They love Another highlight of our program is the direction of master educator Dani teaching at Temple Israel and, most Wednesday evenings. At 6 p.m. each Howell. The program has been deimportantly, they love their students.” Wednesday, we gather as a Temple signed so that children four years and Our Madrichim program has 19 high family for dinner. All ages of the Temunder (not enrolled in our Pre-kinderschool teens involved this year. Our ple community are present at dinner garten class) along with their parents Madrichim aid in all aspects of the Refrom young children to senior memcan enjoy stories, songs and crafts ligious School. Again this year, they will bers. After dinner our Family School while connecting with our Temple Isbe trained and supervised by Director 3rd through 6th graders and our 7th rael community. of Youth & Young Adult Engagement, and 8th graders go to their classes in Finally, along with our amazing Aliyah Lasky. The program also helps the school wing. The 7th grade exteachers, we have Jen Goodman, our to serve as a training ground for our fu- plores the Chai Program curriculum Religious School Coordinator, who asture Jewish educators. Along with their with their teachers and enjoy an active sures that each classroom and all of time as aides in the Religious School, B’nai Mitzvah year. The 8th grade pro- our teachers have what they need to our Madrichim actively participate in gram continues with B’nai Mitzvah ex- assure a wonderful Jewish experience our high school Religious School periences as children turn 13 and also each class period. Further, our Reliclasses and many are active in OTYG, take part in an age appropriate study gious School program is supported by (Omaha Temple Youth Program). We of the Shoah and Israel. The 9th the Religious School Steering Comare so proud of our Madrichim and we through 12th grades study “up close mittee under the leadership of Susie appreciate them so much. They are and personal” with our Clergy. The Norton. The RSSC helps to provide viwonderful role models for our younger 9th grade meets weekly with Rabbi sion, perspective and support to all students and they help us out so much Crystal, the 10th grade with Rabbi levels of the program. in our Religious School. This year we (Sussman) Berezin; and the 11th and If you would like more information are also fortunate to have two college 12th grades meet with Cantor Shermet on our Religious School or would like teaching assistants who support inand Aliyah Lasky to continue their to visit the school, please contact, Instruction in our classrooms. Jewish studies and relate Reform Jewterim Religious School Director, The curriculum in the Religious ish perspectives to life within and beSharon Comisar-Langdon at School continues to grow and yond the walls of our Temple. 402.556.6536.
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5
ADL National honors Susie and Irv Blumkin
emily newman On June 16, National ADL honored three couples at the National Home Furnishing Industry Awards Tribute and Dinner Dance. Neil and Robin Goldberg of Raymour and Flanigan and Norman and Sondra Waxman of Norman Waxman LLC represented New York City. However, the third couple represented our small but mighty city of Omaha. Honorees were Irv and Susie Blumkin of the Nebraska Furniture Mart. They were introduced at the banquet by their daughter Rebecca; both addressed the audience and proudly represented both Omaha and the Plains States Region. The Blumkins have been honored for the ways in which their donation of time and money have perpetuated the mission of the ADL “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all people.” We wish to congratulate the Blumkin Family. According to MaryBeth Muskin, ADL-CRC Regional director: “We are so excited to have our community represented and honored at this event. The local Omaha ADL-CRC office is so grateful to have such a giving community. Congratulations again to the Blumkin Family for their dedication and contributions to ADL and the Omaha community.” The Blumkin family’s support of the ADL is nothing new. The Blumkin family and Nebraska Furniture Mart, through the Home Furnishing Industry, have supported the ADL for over 20 years. Susie Blumkin said: “The ADL is truly an outstanding organization. Their efforts to fight discrimination, promote diversity and support civil rights are helping to build stronger American communities. The ADL’s educational, training and anti-hate programs have not only benefited us, but our children and our grandchildren. We sleep better at night, knowing that the ADL is there to help make the world a safer, more accepting and loving home for all human beings.”
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The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016 | 7
community Two years later evan saltzman Evan and Rebekah Saltzman made Aliyah from Riverdale, NY to Haifa with their 3 kids, Nathan, Alice and Alexander on August 12, 2014. Evan is the son of Lynne and Errol Saltzman of Omaha and Rebekah is the daughter of Ruth and Richard Chaifetz. We just celebrated our second Aliyah anniversary on Aug. 12, 2016, and life in Israel is slowly starting to come together for us. Like people all over the world, Rebekah and I work hard each week to do what everyone does on a weekly and monthly basis. That is to simply put dinner on the table, pay the bills and keep the kids happy. Rebekah’s personal organizing business is picking up as she is working very hard to get her name out there. Please check out her website and blog at www.balaganbegone.com. As many of you know from what was written in the article, I have been working from home for the past 11 months for a NJ-based managed service provider. This has served us well for that time affording me a (supremely) short commute to work, a small wardrobe and the advantage of being home throughout the day. I am very excited to report that I have been recruited through LinkedIn by Amdocs to be their Regional Business Continuity Expert, working with their
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.
global corporate offices and managed service clients in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Amdocs is the leading provider of software solutions to some of the largest telecommunications companies around the world. They are one of the most desired companies to work for in Israel. I started my new position with them earlier this month. I am primarily based out of their new northern offices in the high-tech development center of Nazareth, and visit the corporate offices in Ra’anana once a week. For those of you who do not know, for 10 years, in addition to my managerial role at the Service Desk for The Rockefeller Group in New York City, I was their Business Continuity Coordinator, where I managed the corporate emergency preparedness plan, implemented employee awareness initiatives and made sure employees knew what to do in the event of an emergency. I’m very excited to take on this new role and essentially this new full-time career path. To work with a global company will be an amazing experience. This will be my 4th job since our Aliyah and this one has many similarities from when I started with The Rockefeller Group back in 2002. This new position is the culmination of two years of believing that our Aliyah will be successful and, while everything
can’t be as you want it to, I.E.: the commute from Haifa, we know that everything is for the best. Most people will tell you that it takes three years at the minimum for an Aliyah to be successful, especially moving here with a family. While Rebekah and I feel that after two years we have accomplished a lot with much hard work and effort, our journey still is not complete. In this upcoming third year, we hope to solidify our home, our family dynamics and our relationships with each other, with our kids, with friends and with God. This, for me, is a constant work in progress. We are fortunate to be able to live in a wonderful community and have the opportunity to help others make Aliyah. Please come and visit, or better yet join us, share a drink (a l’Chaim) with Rebekah and me for a healthy and prosperous future filled with happiness, success and good fortune (and to Tzeitel, your daughter! My wife!!)! Oh, and make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date! Shabbat Shalom! If you would like to contact me please email me at ems1022@hotmail.com.
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The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016 | 9
Rabbi Hillel said
“If I am not for myself, who will be? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” These words remind us that though self-interest is our right, we also have a duty to care for others. Today. For over a century, Jewish Family Service of Omaha has focused on providing crucial aid to individuals, couples and families facing challenges in their lives. Between July, 2015 and June, 2016, our efforts have been sustained by the following contributors who chose to balance their own needs with the needs of others. Grants
Endowments
Contributions & Tribute Cards
Contributions & Tribute Cards
Project Dreidel
Friends Campaign
Friends Campaign
Friends Campaign
Members of our community deserve to live with dignity. These grants provide financial assistance, counseling services, YACHAD activities and other critical programs that strengthen Jewish family life.
Pennie Z. Davis Family Life Education Fund
Barbara Benenson/Marc Warren Charitable Fund
Dr. and Mrs. Milton Simons
Linda and Alan Muskin
Susie and Ray Somberg
Patty and Steve Nogg
Champion Judy Roffman
Supporter Carol and Steve Bloch
Sponsor Alla and Mark Rubenzhin
Perlmeter Family Jewish Family Service Assistance Fund
Harold Bernstein
Stewart Tully
Susie and Mike Norton and Sons
Carol* and Edward Schneider
Beth and Ronald Brodkey
Phyllis Schwartz
FeFe Passer and Al Bloch
Sally and Leon Wintroub
Fefe Passer
Hannah and Natan Schwalb
Anne and Alan Cohen
Sherry and Larry Shapiro
Sylvia Cohn
Judy Zweiback
Silvia Roffman
Gail and Irv Veitzer
Beth Cohen and Harry Berman
Raisa and Yakov Shatz
Project Tzedakah
Heidi and Scott Schneiderman
Judith Cooper
Dorothy Rosenblum
Jan and Les* Schneiderman
Lisa and Gary Epstein
Helen and Clinton Weber
Jim Farber
Burke High School Students with Nadine Reyes and Nancy Burkhardt
Patron Anonymous (2) Marti Rosen-Atherton and John Atherton
Judith Feigin
Nancy and Philip Wolf
Marsha and Ron Frank
Tuffy Epstein
Helene and Jack Shrago
Mary and Tom Bernstein
Toby Fellman
Judi and Larry Yampolsky
Joanne and Melvin Freeman
Judy Farber
Amee and Ted Zetzman and Family
Sylvia Cohn
Annette and Cantor Leo Fettman
Rosie Zweiback and Mace Hack
Steven Bloch President’s Fund
Sandra Friedman
David Goldberg
Sharon and Howard Epstein
Sally and Paul Fine
Yachad Endowment Fund
Phyllis* and Dick Glazer
Karen Gustafson
Friends Campaign
Judith and James Farber
Joan Kaiman
Circle of Friends Anonymous (8)
In Kind Donations
Leonard Goldberg
Shari Hess
Friend for Life Ike and Roz Friedman Foundation
Richard Fellman
Kate Kirshenbaum
Paula and Larry Albert
The Talmud says, “A good friend is a tower of strength. To find one is to find a treasure.” Friends of JFS help families in crisis receive guidance to put their lives back in order.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Goodman
Friedland Family Foundation
Ronald Giller
Abigail and Adam Kutler
Vicki Allely
Mr. and Mrs. David Goodman
Danielle Howell with Nancy Katz and Matthew Katz
Andi and Donald Goldstein
Cheryl and Gary Lerner
Judy and Larry Brookstein
Karen and Jeff Gustafson
Kate Kirshenbaum
Judi and David Goldstein
Jenny and Scott Meyerson
Rose Davis
Bonnie Horwich
Nikki Kirshenbaum
Shirley and Leonard Goldstein
Donna and Bob Olesh
Vera Dobin
Special Donor- Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation
Leor Abraham
Ellen and Dr. Thomas Jaeger
Gary Kudym
Rosalie Greenspan
Ann and Harvey Pickel
Hersz Flatowicz
Doris Alloy
Sheryn and Arnold Joffe
Bruce Meyers
Benefactor Darlynn and Tom Fellman
Rebecca and Derek Groothuis
Helen Rifkin
Paulette Flatowicz
Endowments
Beth El Synagogue
Frankie and Sander Kasin
Barbara and Bob Goodman
Dr. and Mrs. Fred Kader
Nancy Rips
Dee Goodman
Tikkun Olam -- repairing the world -is a moral obligation. Through these endowments, JFS continues to help people build lives of hope and joy.
Chris Blumkin
Andrea Kavich
Jennie and Scott Meyerson with Jake, Brady and Cody
Marcel Kahn
Joanie Jacobson
Mary Day
Joan Kirshenbaum
Ann Moshman
Debra Kaplan
Lori Kooper-Schwartz and Wayne Schwartz
Cynthia and Joshua Follick
Maxine and Joe Kirshenbaum
Alan Nogg
Cookie and Jerry Hoberman
Patricia and Michael Sherman
Shane and David Kotok
Edith & Paul Goldstein Endowment
Barbara and Bob Goodman
Kate and Tom Kirshenbaum
Alice and Harold Kosowsky
Barry Snyder
Barbara Kushner
Glazer Family Endowment
Mary Sue Grossman
Gail and Jerry Kohll
Nancy Milder Lazer and Michael Lazer
Judy and Stewart Tully
Michael Levine
Harry & Fannie Stock Rothkop/ Theodore Rothkop Fund
Gary Javitch
Jack Kozlen
Ellen Platt
Joanie Lehr
Ruth Weiner
Patricia Mogil
Debbi Josephson
Sissi and Max Lapides
Caryn Scheer
Diane and Dr. Larry Malashock
Pam and Henry Monsky
Howard and Judy Vann Family Education Fund
Dr. Fred Kader
Michael Levine
Dorothy Spizman
Jody and Dr. Neal Malashock
Sponsor Anonymous (3)
Judah Kohen
Allan Noddle
Sonia Tipp
Ann and Gordon Moshman
Carol and David Alloy
Vicki Perlmeter
Ike Friedman JFS Financial Assistance Fund
Debra Kronick
Nancy Noddle
Project Dreidel
Alan Potash
Elyce and Rabbi Aryeh Azriel
Amy and Sandy Friedman
Julie Pashchenko
Alan Langnas
Alan and Sandy Nogg
Albert Bloch
Joanie and Richard Jacobson
Sheila Priluck
Mary Berman and Ida Berman Cohoon
Gail and Gene Pashchenko
Steve Levinger
Babe Nogg
Iris and Marty Ricks
Peter Brodkey
William Pisetsky
Maxine Noodell
Janet Papenfuss
Susan Rotholz
Joan and Justin Cooper
Mary and Joel Rich
Cynthia Kohll Persky and Joshua Persky
Faye Ruback
Margo and Steve Riekes
Jewish Family Service Campaign Legacy Fund
Deb Platt
Debbie Denenberg
Iris and Marty Ricks
Gwen and Ray Pred
Marcy Ruback
Cynthia Shoham Follick
Sheila Rosen
Jewish Family Service Discretionary Fund
Dottie Rosenblum
Barbara Rennard
Suzanne and Dr. Norman Sheldon
Cindy and Morris Friedman
Lynn and Errol Saltzman
Jewish Family Service Endowment Fund
Claudia Sherman
Amy Reynolds
Nancy Heller/Nan C.
Susan and Michael Norton
Sissy Katelman Silber
Mary Sue and Alex Grossman
Esther Silver
Maysie and Carter Simons
Iris and Marty Ricks
Nancy and Matthew Katz
Michele and Dr. Peter Silberstein
Joodi and Norman Veitzer
Jordana Glazer
Kutler Dental Custodial Fund
Susie and Jim Silverman
Cindy Stover
Judy Roffman
Sharon and Jeff Kirshenbaum
Marty Tichauer and Bruce Meyers
Anne and Arnie Weitz
Bonnie Horwich
Leo & Frances Rodick Memorial Endowment Fund
Dorothy Spizman
Temple Israel
Schwartz Family Foundation
Terri and Dick Zacharia
Sheryn and Arnold Joffe
Rocky Stern
Sonia Tipp
Joshua Shapiro
Marilyn and Steve Tipp
Jan Wayne
Sherry and Larry Shapiro
Ilana and Rabbi Yaakov Weiss
Jeanne Shechet
Jeff Zacharia
Patty and Mike Sherman
Sue Meyers
Jerome Kaiman
Liat and Gary Shyken
Jamie and Troy Meyerson and Family
Marsha and Milton Kleinberg
Sokolof Grant
Jenny and Scott Meyerson and Sons
Allan Noddle
Herbert Goldsten Trust The Milton S. and Corrine N. Livingston Foundation, Inc. Phillip and Terri Schrager Supporting Foundation Lazier L. Singer Memorial Fund for Youth Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT); Qualilty of Life Grant Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Supporting Foundation Sokolof Foundation
Jake & Mary Wine Fund Jerome J. and Frances O. Milder Endowment Fund
Louis Friedman Fund for New Americans Mark & Sophie Sturm Immigrant Education Fund Nancy Noddle JFS Financial Assistance Fund Nathan and Rose Lillian Fine JFS Tzedakah Endowment Fund Parsow and Simons Families Special Needs Community Fund Paul Alperson Endowment Fund Paul & Joy Grossman Family Endowment Fund
Richard “Pete” Lee Memorial Endowment Fund Rosalie & Milton Saylan Endowment Fund for JFS Ruth & Bernard Raskin Endowment Fund Ruth & Otmar Liebenstein JFS Finanacial Assistance Endowment Fund
Contributions & Tribute Cards Donations in honor and in remembrance of family and friends help meet the emotional and financial needs that accompany unexpected medical problems or the loss of employment. Marcia Arch
Judith Cooper Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center
Jeanne and Rabbi Maximo Shechet
Rosalie Saylan Frederick J. Simon Memorial Endowment The Todd and Betiana Simon Foundation
Sally and Gary Kaplan Mr. and Mrs. Howard Kaslow Julie and Mark Martin
Susie Norton Justin Norton
Sandra and Sherman Brodkey Laurie and Jason Epstein and Family Francis Fried Laurie and Jason Friedland Jamie and Ted Friedland and Family
Sharon and Howard Kooper Stacie Spies-Matz and Jay Matz Denise and Jon Meyers Tina and Joe Meyers
Sue Meyers Sharee and Murray Newman Sandra and Dr. Jeffrey Passer Angel Anonymous (1) Sandy and Paul Epstein
Deborah and Larry Josephson Richard and Frances Juro Charitable Fund Maxine and Joe Kirshenbaum Sandy and Alan Nogg Patty and Steve Nogg
Sally and Jim Zipursky
Leah and Joseph Kosinovsky
Linda Neuswanger Novak
Charlotte and Morley Zipursky
Esther and Robert Katleman
Champion Anonymous (1)
Mort Zuber
Donald Klein
Lois and Norman Wine
Karen and Jeff Gustafson
Supporter Anonymous (6)
Leslie Kully
Alla Zinkov
Marc Ocheretyanskiy with Aleksander and Lyvdmyla Larina
*Of Blessed Memory
Shira and Rabbi Steven Abraham Joanie and Terry Bernstein
Helga and Philip Patterson Eileen and Miles Remer
Jewish Family Service is able to do its work because members of this remarkable community genuinely care about one another. Thank you for your generous support.
Phyllis Aron All contributions are as of June 30, 2016. We apologize if your name was omitted from this list. Please call JFS at 402-330-2024.
10 | The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016
calendar September 2016
All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Pat Anson at 402.334.8200. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the events.
FridAy, AuguSt 26 Temple Israel Youth - LTI in Kansas City Ethics Workshop, 8 a.m. Beth El Serves Lunch at NE AIDS Coalition, 11:30 a.m. at 2723 Q Street. Omaha, NE Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Mainstreeters Movie, 1 p.m. Tot & Family Shabbat & Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth El
SAturdAy, AuguSt 27 Temple Israel Youth - LTI in Kansas City Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El
SundAy, AuguSt 28 Blood Drive, 8 a.m. at Beth El Temple Israel Habitat for Humanity Build, 8 a.m. Temple Israel Youth - LTI in Kansas City BESTT Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Religious School, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel TED Talk, 11 a.m. at Temple Israel Performing Arts Academy Acting Class, 2 p.m. Backyard Concert Series 2016 with Soul Dawg, 5 p.m. Yachad Concert at the JCC, 5 p.m. Omaha Jewish Film Festival: A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt, 7 p.m.
mondAy, AuguSt 29 Federation Board Meeting, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Lunch ‘n’ Learn, Noon at Beth Israel JCC Maccabi Games Award Ceremony/ Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
tueSdAy, AuguSt 30 An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, noon at Beth El
WedneSdAy, AuguSt 31 Breadbreakers, noon at RBJH Religious School, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew School, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, 6:15 p.m. at Beth El Adult Education Class, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel Kehilla Cup Kick-Off, 6:30 p.m.
thurSdAy, September 1 Temple Israel 11th-12th Graders College Visit (CO) Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Elul Adult Ed Class, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Father and Son Learning, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Talmud Learning, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel
FridAy, September 2 Temple Israel 11th-12th Graders College Visit (CO) Alzheimer’s Support Group, 11 a.m. at RBJH Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH
SAturdAy, September 3 Temple Israel 11th-12th Graders College Visit (CO) Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El SundAy, September 4 Temple Israel 11th-12th Graders College Visit (CO) Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Performing Arts Academy Acting Class, 2 p.m.
mondAy, September 5 Temple Israel 11th-12th Graders College Visit (CO) Labor Day Extravaganza, 11 a.m. at Beth El
tueSdAy, September 6 An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, noon at Beth El WedneSdAy, September 7 Breadbreakers, Noon at RBJH Rabbis & Presidents Meeting, Noon Monthly Kids Learning Chabura, 3:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Religious School, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew School, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Hebrew High Dinner, 6 p.m. An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, 6:15 p.m. at Beth El Adult Education Class, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El
thurSdAy, September 8 Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Elul Adult Ed Class, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Father and Son Learning, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Talmud Learning, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel FridAy, September 9 Temple Israel Scholar Harold Pachios Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Prairie Gators, 1:30 p.m. Temple Israel Shabbat Comes to You at Remington, 4 p.m. TiYPE Program, 5:45 p.m. at Temple Israel YJO Shabbat Service & Dinner, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel
SAturdAy, September 10 Temple Israel OTYG Program Temple Israel Scholar Harold Pachios Temple Tots Shabbat, 9 a.m. at Temple Israel Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El Kids Night Out, 5:30 p.m.
SundAy, September 11 Temple Israel Scholar Harold Pachios BESTT Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Madrichim Meeting, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Religious School, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Book Club, 10 a.m. Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El BESTT Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El OTYG Meeting, noon at Temple Israel BESTT Kibbutz Chaverim, 12:15 p.m. at Beth El Grandparent’s Day and Carnival, 1 p.m. at RBJH Performing Arts Academy Acting Class, 2 p.m. JCC Musical Theater Rehearsal, 3 p.m. Backyard Concert Series 2016 with Hector Anchonodo, 5 p.m.
mondAy, September 12 Lunch ‘n’ Learn, Noon at Beth Israel Jewish Press Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
tueSdAy, September 13 An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, noon at Beth El Holy Smokes, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel
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thurSdAy, September 15 Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Elul Adult Ed Class, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Father and Son Learning, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Movie Night and Discussion, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel Talmud Learning, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel FridAy, September 16 Alzheimer’s Support Group, 11 a.m. at RBJH Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH
SAturdAy, September 17 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El
SundAy, September 18 Babies, Bigger Kids ‘n Bagels, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El BESTT Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Religious School, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Temple Tots Sunday, 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel Klutznick Special Event, noon at JCC Performing Arts Academy Acting Class, 2 p.m. Little Lions Open House, 3 p.m. Musical Theater Rehearsal, 3 p.m. Backyard Concert Series 2016 with Lazerwolfe, 5 p.m. mondAy, September 19 Mainstreeters Lunch, 11 a.m. at RBJH ADL Meeting, noon Lunch ‘n’ Learn, Noon at Beth Israel
tueSdAy, September 20 An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, noon at Beth El Board of Trustees, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel
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FridAy, September 23 Beth El Serves Lunch at NE AIDS Coalition, 11:30 a.m. at 2723 Q Street. Omaha, NE Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Mainstreeters Movie: My Big Fat Greek Wedding II, 1 p.m.
SAturdAy, September 24 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Shabbat’s Cool, 10 a.m. at Beth El Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El Selichot Scholar-in-Residence, 8:30 p.m. at Beth El
tueSdAy, September 27 JSS Board, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, noon at Beth El
WedneSdAy, September 28 Customer Service Training, 10 a.m. An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, noon at Beth El Breadbreakers, noon at RBJH Religious School, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew School, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, 6:15 p.m. at Beth El Adult Education Class, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El thurSdAy, September 29 Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Elul Adult Ed Class, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Love & Logic Child Care, 6 p.m. UNO Brooks Lecture, 6 p.m. at UNO Alumni Center Father and Son Learning, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Talmud Learning, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel FridAy, September 30 Alzheimer’s Support Group, 11 a.m. at RBJH Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH
SundAy, September 25 BESTT Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Religious School, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El TED Talk, 11 a.m. at Temple Israel OTYG Meeting, noon at Temple Israel Jody Boyer and Russ Nordman Reception, noon Temple Israel Tzedaka Program - Apple Picking, 1 p.m. Performing Arts Academy Acting Class, 2 p.m. 2017 Annual Campaign Community Event (Tentative), 6 p.m. mondAy, September 26 Federation Board Meeting, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Lunch ‘n’ Learn, Noon at Beth Israel
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Please join us for Omaha’s newest Sunday Brunch. Our menu includes Chef Archie’s famous fluffy omelette, eggs benedict, and chicken and waffles, which is a huge hit on the east and west coasts. We open at 10 a.m. and serve brunch until 2 p.m. We want to thank the Jewish community for their support, and we look forward to serving all of you in the future. We hope to see you at brunch on Sunday.
thurSdAy, September 22 Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Elul Adult Ed Class, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel “Stories of Survival” Panel of Genocide Survivors, 7 p.m. at Strauss Performing Arts Center at UNO Father and Son Learning, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Talmud Learning, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel
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WedneSdAy, September 21 An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, noon at Beth El Breadbreakers, Noon at RBJH NJHS Board Meeting, 3:30 p.m. Religious School, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew School, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Days, 6:15 p.m. at Beth El Adult Education Class, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El
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israel experience: Touching the Kotel
To travel in this country with my friends since Kindergarten is a memory that will never fade. BrandOn idelman To me the most impactful experience in Israel was the trip to the Kotel. Seeing the Western Wall in person, being able to touch it and pray at it was unbelievable. I now am even more proud to be a Jew after my trip to Israel. Also, meeting Israelis and living with them for a few days made me see how it really is to live as a Jew in Israel and how everyone is so alike. It was really nice how the Israelis are so welcoming to everyone who goes to Israel. This trip really gave me a better perspective on how it is to live in Israel as a Jew. I want to return, and definitely will go back to my homeland in Israel.
The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016 | 11
community United Way of the Midlands awards $23,000 to the Jewish Federation of Omaha
T
he Jewish Federation of Omaha is pleased to announce it was recently awarded a grant of $23,000.00 from United Way of the Midlands to fund a variety of programmatic initiatives through agencies on the Jewish Federation of Omaha campus, Jewish Senior Outreach and Jewish Family Service. The generosity of United Way donors will greatly impact the members of the Jewish community of Omaha. The demographics directly impacted by this grant are youth, seniors, and those most vulnerable or in need of direct assistance. United Way’s investments in the Jewish Federation of Omaha include the following: $8,000 for Jewish Social Services’ geriatric counseling, $15,000 for mental health care and counseling through Jewish Family Service. Jewish Family Service received funding for mental health care and counseling services. This funding provides counseling services to individuals (they need not be Jewish clients) who require a Sliding Fee rate, either because they do not have insurance or income qualification. Jewish Family Service accommodated 165 clients who attended 1551 therapy sessions, from July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016. Members of the Omaha community received help when access to comparable services was unavailable elsewhere. When Jewish Family Service has the resources available to provide these services, they are fulfilling one of the most important tenets of the Jewish faith: Tikkun Olam, to help repair the world. For Jewish Senior Outreach, the goal has been, and remains, varied programming for the frail elderly to keep them healthy and a vital part of the Jewish community. Consider this: “Elvin” is an 82-year-old gentlemannever married, with no family or close local contacts. He has lived on his own for his entire adult life, strug-
gling with anxiety and mood disorders. In 1994 he suffered an eye injury that left him blinded in one eye in addition to already limited vision in the other. Elvin has received community support services from Jewish Senior Outreach (JSO) as needed over the years. Recently, he was experiencing uncontrolled anxiety and OCD regarding his living situation. He had an infestation of bedbugs and conditions in his apartment had reached the point where he would not allow anyone to enter and he was afraid of contaminating others if he went out. He was so fearful of being evicted that he had not alerted his landlord or anyone else of the problem for months and the situation had become overwhelming and dangerous. He finally contacted JSO and divulged he was without food or his medications. He allowed the JSO social worker to bring him Kosher meals and to contact his psychiatrist for help. Elvin was admitted to an inpatient psychiatric stay after experiencing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, Major depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He was unable to remove any personal belongings from his apartment and JSO assisted in purchasing new clothing and needed personal items. He has since moved into the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home as a long term resident where he receives appropriate care. Because Elvin trusted Jewish Senior Outreach and his social worker... he is now safe and living in a healthy environment. United Way support makes it possible for “Elvin” and many like him to receive case management attention from JSO -- an agency they know and trust. Alan Potash, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Omaha expressed his gratitude to United Way of the Midlands saying this, “Jewish Senior Outreach and
Jewish Family Service strive, each and every day, to provide the highest level of service to improve the quality of lives of every individual in our community. We are thankful to United Way for their generous support of our programs and we thank all who contribute to the United Way of the Midlands.” United Way of the Midlands helps the most vulnerable in our community, and works on human service solutions that will benefit our metro area for generations to come. We connect people and organizations with a secure way to donate their financial support and their time, and connect them to a strong network of health and human service programs that help our neighbors build a better life for themselves. Thanks to all who come together at United Way’s table, we are COMMUNITY STRONG. See our website at www.UnitedWaymidlands.org. The Jewish Federation of Omaha works each day to fulfill its mission to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. We strive to achieve our goals through the basic core values of Judaism: collective responsibility, community, education, health and well-being, integrity, leadership and stewardship.
Organizations
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speaker to be announced for Wednesday, aug 31, noon. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.
camping coming in october
J&K On The Rocks John & Kathy Winterburn Rockbrook Village Art Fair Saturday, September 10 | 10-6 Sunday, September 11 | 10-5 Hand-cut, beautifully designed rare natural colored stones from all over the world Always one of a kind pieces Bring this ad for 10% off
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publishing date | 10.14.16 space reservation | 10.05.16 camera ready deadline | 10.07.16
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Susan Bernard | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org
12 | The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016
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(Founded in 1920) Eric Dunning President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Thierry Ndjike Accounting Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, President; Andy Ruback, Past-President; Sandy Friedman, Treasurer; Andrew Boehm; Scott Farkas; Paul Gerber; Alex Grossman; David Kotok; Debbie Kricsfeld; Abby Kutler; Pam Monsky; Paul Rabinovitz; Nancy Wolf and Barry Zoob. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish LIfe, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewish omaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha. org.
Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jew ishomaha.org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450.
Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha. org.
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What we need to know about Jill Stein
ANNETTE vAN DE KAMP-WRiGhT Editor of the Jewish Press aving choices is one of the most beautiful elements of democracy. No matter what, on Election Day, you’ll be in that voting booth by yourself, and you get to vote for whom you deem the best candidate. You get to do so in private; no one will be looking over your shoulder. It is not my habit to, on this opinion page, tell you what to think. It is my purpose to give you information to think about. This year’s Presidential election has made it a challenge to not say too much, and yet it is impossible to stay silent. Some things are too important to ignore, and the “third party option” we keep hearing about is one of those things. Jill Stein of the Green Party is one of those options, albeit not a realistic one. She is currently polling at a 3.1 % average (Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson is at 6.7%) according to realclearpolitics.com, which compares 8 different polls. It is a safe assumption Stein will not occupy the White House for the next 4 years. Those poll numbers makes it tempting to ignore her platform, but that would be a mistake. Sometime, taking a closer look at these types of candidates is a good idea. Out of 215 million US citizens over 18, only 153 million are registered to vote. Take 3.1 percent of that, and you end up with 4,743,000 people who support Jill Stein’s candidacy. That is relevant, because of what the candidate has to say about Israel. There is some very worrisome language in the Green Party platform, and we should all be aware of it. For that purpose, I chose to include the below (partial) platform information, straight from the horse’s mouth. It’s unedited, as it appears in Jill Stein’s Statement on US Foreign Policy. Not because I am too lazy to write about it (believe me) but because I think it’s better to read it as is. You
can find it here: http://www.jill2016.com/statement_ on_us_foreign_policy_palestine_israel_and_bds. The Jill Stein campaign calls for ending support for governments committing war crimes and massive human rights violations, including Israel and Saudi Arabia. It supports the BDS movement as a peaceful, nonviolent set of actions organized by civil society across the world aimed to end Israeli apartheid, occupation, war crimes, and systematic human rights abuses. In addition to ending our catastrophic and immoral wars for oil and markets, we must stop aiding and abetting the human rights violations and war crimes of our allies who are also massively defying international law. This includes the Israeli government and the rulers of Saudi Arabia. With regard to Israel, the United States has encouraged the worst tendencies of the Israeli government as it pursues policies of occupation, apartheid, assassination, illegal settlements, demolitions, blockades, building of nuclear bombs, indefinite detention, collective punishment, and defiance of international law. Instead of allying with the courageous proponents of peace and human rights within Palestine and Israel, our government has rewarded consistent abusers of human rights. Therefore, the Stein campaign calls for ending military and economic support for the Israeli government while it is committing war crimes and defying international law. In addition, the Stein campaign supports actions of nonviolent resistance to the policies of the occupation and of the Israeli apartheid regime, including those of the global boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign, which
was endorsed by the Green Party of the United States in 2005 and is supported by thousands of civil society peace activists and organizations. Consistency in U.S. policy regarding human rights and international law will begin, but not end, with Palestine and
DAviD M. ELcoTT NEW YORK | JTA We met Demoz Deboch at services in Gondar, Ethiopia. It was Friday night in June of 2013 and we were surrounded by hundreds of white-clad Falash Mura, the descendants of Jews who were now living a Jewish life in neighborhoods near the Jewish compound set up by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency for Israel. Women stood and blessed candles chanting in Hebrew and Amharic. The service began; African melody but Hebrew words. White robes, white tzitzit and beautiful, delicate black faces. I sat among the young men. This was a dramatic moment. Israel had announced that the last Falash Mura would be flown on eagles’ wings to Israel, the end of an almost 3,000-year-old Jewish community. We were there to witness the event, to cheer on these men, women and children who were so passionately committed to Israel -- to returning home. I turned to this young man, Demoz, and spoke to him in Hebrew. “When exactly are you leaving?” He turned his head as if in shame and replied, “Ani lo b’rishima,” I am not on the list. I was confused. What list? And how could this young man, who wears a kippah, speaks beautiful Hebrew, keeps kosher and teaches the young kids at the compound -- how could he not go to Israel? I turned to the young men on the other side and asked the same question. The same response all around me: None were “on the list.” And so I learned a painful truth. The visiting Jewish leaders who had come for the ceremonial closing of the Jewish school were being thanked by students, teachers and youth leaders who were being left behind. And the health center, the food kitchen – even the Torah – were all being taken away, leaving 6,000 stranded Falash Mura in Gondar -- as well as another 3,000 attached to the Jewish compound in Addis. The Falash Mura are a subset of Ethiopian Jewry. Over the last 100 years, under economic and social pressures, some Jews converted to Coptic Christianity. Others married Christians or Muslims. While other Ethiopian Jews were making their epic migration to Israel, the Falash Mura’s Jewish lineage -- a matter of biology, not identity -- was considered suspect. In the case of Demoz, his maternal line was Jewish, but his father was not in town when the Jewish census took place, so the family was not on the list maintained by the Population and Migration Authority of Israel’s Interior Ministry. By the time that was rectified, Demoz had “aged out” and as an adult was no longer listed with his family.
Demoz was a child when his family sold its land in the rural village where he was born to join the Jewish community in Gondar. Families from around the province with rich memories of Jewish customs and celebrations handed down from their grandparents flocked to the Jewish community on the path of
of his dreams would not fail him. He enrolled in college with the hope of joining the Israeli Foreign Ministry and becoming an ambassador for Israel. He made Jewish friends around the world on Facebook, making his simple request: Bring me home. After over two years passed, a miracle seemed to unfold. In 2015, the commission appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to consider the plight of the 9,000 remaining Falash Mura of Ethiopia recommended that they be brought home to Israel. In November, the Israeli Cabinet unanimously agreed. Demoz was ecstatic, making plans to reconnect with friends and family in Israel, to sell the little he had and go to Israel, join the army and finally be a true Israeli. Then, in February, Netanyahu’s government announced, citing budget reasons, that there would be no aliyah, no more Jews from Ethiopia. The incredulity and despair, in Israel and in Ethiopia, was huge. As one member of the Knesset, Revital Swid of the Zionist Union, angrily reacted: “How can we tell soldiers from Ethiopia that they’re good enough to sacrifice their lives but not good enough to reunite with their relatives?” And there was a darker irony. At the very moment Demoz was told he was not good enough to come to Israel, Natan Sharansky – himself a Russian Jew brought to Israel along with a million Russians, many of whom knew nothing of Judaism or even were not in fact Jews -- invited the Catholic descendants of Spanish Jews who converted over 500 years ago to make aliyah. But not Demoz of Gondar. Demoz and I Skyped and, to my utter amazement, he was his optimistic and joyful self, believing against all the evidence that he would soon be making aliyah. I was filled with anger and fury. Demoz was serene, refusing to waver in his faith or believe that Israel would abandon him. And he has made believers of us. That is why we, an ad hoc group of American rabbis and Jewish leaders, brought Demoz and his close friend Gezi Derebe to America this month. They will tour the East Coast and California speaking at conventions and camps while meeting with often recalcitrant Jewish leaders. Some 50 rabbis and leaders have also launched a petition campaign to give voice to the Falash Mura community left behind and tell this very simple story of “ahavat Yisrael,”the love of Israel, and the unwavering belief that the ingathering of the exiles means that Demoz and Gezi and their families and friends will soon be brought home on eagles’ wings, just as the Torah they read every week promises. David M. Elcott is the Taub professor of practice in public service and leadership at the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service of New York University.
Credit: Kevin McCoy via Wikimedia Commons
Israel. I will apply this same approach to other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt, among others. Finally, we call for establishment of a Palestine and Israel Truth and Reconciliation Commission as the vehicle for shifting from an era of US support of human rights and international law violations to one based on justice and truth bringing all parties together as equals to seek workable solutions. A dedicated commitment to justice will further the security of all parties, Palestinians, Israelis, and all people in the region, much better than the current policies of politically, economically and militarily supporting the systemic and institutionalized abuse of one side against the other.
Enough delays: It’s time to bring the Falash Mura home
Demoz Deboch praying in the synagogue at the Jewish compound in Gondar, Ethiopia, in 2013. Credit: Facebook
aliyah. They left everything they had in the village and then had no place to which they could return. Always considered outsiders in Ethiopia -- the derogatory name Falasha suggests “exile” or “transient” -- they felt the pull of their Jewish faith. Growing up in the compound, Demoz only knew his Jewish life, his Zionist schooling, his Jewish soul. The idea that he was now rejected by Israel and the Jewish community that had nurtured him his whole life was unfathomable. And so began a campaign by the Ethiopian leadership in Israel headed by the activist Avraham Neguise, now a member of Knesset, and supported by empathetic Israelis and American Jews. Demoz and I corresponded the past three years. We offered to bring him to America with his two closest friends to help him formally convert to Judaism and resolve any lingering doubts, to study at college here and then go to Israel from America. He refused. He could not abandon his family and community, saying that when he leaves Gondar, it will only be to go to Israel. Rabbis in White Plains, New York, helped raise money among their congregants to fund the Jewish compound and keep it open. The Torah stayed. Ethiopian Jews in Israel, supported by their allies, demonstrated. Meanwhile, months and then years passed with no resolution. But Demoz stayed faithful, a true believer that the Israel
Why Tim Kaine, Clinton’s VP pick, is good for Israel and Jewish values Ben CaRDIn JTA American Jewish voters have naturally voted for Democratic candidates because it has meant voting to support strong social justice and a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. Hillary Clinton and her vice presidential choice, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, will continue Democratic action on economic and educational opportunities, retirement security and quality, affordable health care, and especially Israel’s security and Middle East peace. The Clinton-Kaine ticket promises to build upon a strong tradition of Democratic leadership, while the Republicans’ ticket of Donald Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence offers a reckless and dangerous blend of empty rhetoric and inconsistent positions that should alarm all Americans, particularly American Jews. Clinton has deep knowledge of the history of the Middle East and a proven record of engaging with the leaders and peoples of this complex region. She also has a record advocating for U.S.-Israel ties in the Senate and hands-on experience managing the relationship as secretary of state. In contrast, Trump’s shocking inexperience and wild pronouncements, including suggestions that he would abandon commitments to key U.S. allies, has earned unprecedented repudiation by foreign policy experts across the political spectrum. The distinction between the two parties’ vice presidential nominees is just as stark. Take social justice issues. Pence’s longheld positions on issues such as reproductive freedom, fair and balanced immigration reform, environmental protection, civil rights and LGBT rights place him far to the right of the American Jewish mainstream -and to Kaine, a lifelong progressive who has fought for equality and justice throughout his career in public service. On Israel, Pence is quick to profess his support for the Jewish state. But stated support alone is not sufficient. What matters in these dangerous times is a mature, deep understanding of the challenges facing Israel as it seeks avenues for peace with security. And what matters are ongoing, real-world ties to the Jewish community in this country and the leadership in Jerusalem. Kaine, who proudly identifies as a “strongly pro-Israel Democrat,” has demonstrated both throughout his career. Kaine serves on the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, its subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian affairs, and the Armed Services Committee, positions that give him a leadership role and a comprehensive understanding of fastchanging conditions across the region. As the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, I have a front row seat to Kaine’s thoughtfulness, inquisitiveness and mastery of the complex issues facing the United States, Israel and our allies and partners. He has had meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, traveled to Israel and visited an Iron Dome battery on the border with Gaza. He has stood up time and again for Israel in Congress, from emergency funding for its successful anti-rocket system to the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2015. Kaine was vocal in condemning the United Nations Human Rights Council for its decision to launch a one-sided investigation into Israel’s actions during the 2014 conflict in
How Mike Pence, Trump’s VP pick, supports traditional Jewish values
The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016 | 13
Gaza while ignoring the unprovoked rocket attacks against Israeli civilians by Palestinian terrorists that touched off the conflict. Kaine knows that protecting Israel’s secu-
eLLIoT BaRTKy and aLLon FRIeDMan JTA With the presidential race heating up, a number of progressive Jewish commentators have portrayed the Republicans’ vice presidential candidate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, as a conservative extremist opposed to Jewish beliefs and values. As officers of the only statewide, grassroots Jewish and Israel advocacy organization in Indiana -- who also have had the privilege of working closely with Pence and other Indiana legislators of both political parties to pass important pro-Jewish, pro-Israel legislation -- we dispute this inaccurate portrayal.
Then-Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, left, speaking with Rabbi Jack Moline and Moline’s son Max at the Virginia Statehouse. Credit: Jack Moline rity also means ensuring that Israel has a healthy economy. As governor of Virginia, he worked closely with the Israeli Ambassador to the United States at the time, Sallai Meridor, resulting in a 2008 agreement to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Virginia and Israel on private sector industrial research and development. For Israel, the agreement was only the second it had ever entered into with a state government, and both parties have seen tangible benefits. A nuclear-armed Iran would represent an existential threat to Israel, and Kaine has been a key leader in bipartisan efforts to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. He negotiated the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act that ensured Congress could review the nuclear accord and advocated for a resilient and fully resourced U.S. military so that “all options are on the table.” Kaine knows that the threats emanating from Iran are about more than its nuclear program. Iran’s continued ballistic missile testing and state sponsorship of terrorism are equally troubling and threatening to Israel. He worked on a bill with Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., to extend sanctions on Iran until President Barack Obama and the IAEA can guarantee that Iran’s nuclear material is for peaceful purposes. Finally, Kaine understands that support for a safe, secure Jewish state goes far beyond easy slogans and reflexive criticism of its many foes. Farsighted U.S. diplomacy is critical in helping Israel reach its goal of a sustainable, secure peace. Like a strong majority of American Jews, Kaine remains committed to a two-state solution that has been the stated policy of Prime Minister Netanyahu and every recent Israeli government before his, and which is the critical prerequisite to the kind of peace that Israel’s citizens deserve and want. Kaine understands that tough talk about Israel’s security is just that – talk – if not built on a foundation of active support for U.S. peacemaking efforts in the troubled region. Close to home, it was Kaine who held the first Passover seder in the Virginia governor’s mansion. He has a long record of working closely with Virginia’s small but active Jewish community – unlike Pence, who as a member of Congress in 2009 told an American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, “I know of no synagogues in my district.” For the record, there are two synagogues in Pence’s former congressional district. Surely he would have benefited from knowing them better. U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, is the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence ceremonially signing legislation requiring the state to divest from any business that engages in action to boycott, divest or sanction Israel, May 27, 2016. Looking on is Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, seated right. Credit: Screenshot from Twitter
In fact, there is strong reason to believe that such opposition to Pence is much less a reflection of his positions than an indication of how far many Jewish Americans have strayed over recent years from core Jewish beliefs. Take for example Pence’s demonstrable attachment to the Jewish state of Israel, which he has called “America’s most cherished ally.” In sharp contrast to many of his critics, Pence is a vocal supporter of Israel’s right to defend itself against sworn enemies like Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. While some of Pence’s opponents support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which opposes the existence of a Jewish state in any form, he recently signed into Indiana law what Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, called “the toughest anti-BDS legislation in the nation.” Why don’t Pence’s undeniably pro-Israel positions help win over his Jewish critics? Douglas Bloomfield in a recent anti-Pence piece argued that “for most Jewish voters, support for Israel is not a determinative issue but is often around fourth or fifth on their priority list.” Bloomfield is correct when he observes that for far too many American Jews, the security of Israel is of little importance. Pence’s support for Israel doesn’t resonate because much of American Jewry has chosen to distance itself from the Jewish state. Another example involves social issues related to marriage and family. As it turns out, Pence’s positions on these issues are largely in accord with traditional Jewish beliefs. An important aspect of traditional Judaism involves discriminating or distinguishing between one thing and others. Of course, the type of discrimination we are referring to is not like the historical prejudice of whites toward blacks. But Judaism involves discrimination nonetheless. Kodesh, the Hebrew word for holy, implies separating or making something distinct. For practicing Jews this concept applies to dietary practices, clothing, family and marital relations, and keeping the Sabbath. Making distinctions also requires making value judgments. Pence’s religious perspective, which shapes his positions on marriage and family, is also dependent on making distinctions. This type of thinking is disdained by liberal Jews, who have redefined Judaism as rejecting distinctions within the Jewish tradition and in their relations to non-Jews. Another example involves religious liberty, a concept that has allowed American Jews historically unprecedented space and freedom to pursue their lives as Jews. Pence’s statesmanship has been grounded in the American constitutional tradition of individual
rights and limited government, which are required for religious liberty to flourish. Pence’s opponents, however, are opposed to these classic liberal ideals and support the use of government power to compel people to abandon their religious convictions in the public square. For traditional Jews this in effect means being forced to adhere to whatever happens to be the prevailing social norms. This type of behavior is akin to classical anti-Semitism, which demanded that Jews abandon their discriminating religious beliefs. This issue arose with Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, which Pence signed into law in 2015. Though Indiana’s RFRA is one of 21 state RFRA laws, Democrats have built an entire campaign against Pence by claiming that his RFRA was designed to deny LGBT civil liberties. At the 2016 Democratic convention, Nevada State Sen. Pat Spearman claimed that Pence “used religion as a weapon to discriminate.” U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts argued that Trump “picked a vice president famous for trying to make it legal to openly discriminate against gays and lesbians.” Hillary Clinton’s campaign characterized Pence as the “most extreme VP pick in a generation,” claiming that “Pence personally spearheaded an anti-LGBT law that legalized discrimination against the LGBT community.” These claims have been echoed by some Jews. Rabbi Dennis Sasso, whose Indianapolis congregation is affiliated with the Conservative and Reconstructionist movements, asserted that Pence’s failure as governor is most evident in his support of RFRA, since it “allows a private business the right to restrict or limit services to LGBTQ persons on religious grounds.” The Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council testified before the state legislature that if RFRA were adopted, “people could use their religion to justify almost any discriminatory action they choose to take in their public lives.” In his article, Bloomfield wrote that Indiana’s RFRA law permits “Indiana businesses (to) refuse to serve gays, lesbians and others by citing religious objections.” In reality RFRA is nothing like what its critics claim. Indiana University law professor David Orentlicher observed that it was “designed to protect religious practice from discrimination by government.” Orentlicher, a Democrat, is himself a former Indiana state representative and currently a candidate for Congress. Law professor Douglas Laycock, who helped write the federal RFRA law, notes that religious freedom laws are mostly used for a wide range of reasons including “churches feeding the homeless” and “Muslim women wearing scarves or veils.” “They’re about Amish buggies. They’re about Sabbath observers,” he said. RFRA neither intends to nor enables the wholesale denial of LGBT rights and does nothing to permit or promote discrimination against LGBT individuals as individuals in the marketplace. In fact, its critics are using it as a smokescreen to conceal their own wholesale rejection of fundamental constitutional and religious principles, including religious liberty. The real, underlying issue that prompted such fury against Pence is that the RFRA may, depending on how the courts rule, permit individuals and businesses to adhere to their religious beliefs on how to define marriage. Supporters of RFRA believe in the classic liberal idea that government should not compel citizens to abandon the free exercise of their religious beliefs in the public square. It is ironic that an evangelical Christian politician who has demonstrated tenacious support for the Jewish state of Israel, who advocates aggressively for religious liberty, and who supports the practice of traditional Jewish values has been so demonized by individuals and groups claiming to represent Judaism. As American Jewry drifts further from its traditional religious moorings, we should expect to see more of such rhetoric. Elliot Bartky, Ph.D., and Allon Friedman, M.D., are the president and vice president, respectively, of the Jewish American Affairs Committee of Indiana. Bartkey is associate professor of political science at Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne. Friedman is associate professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
14 | The Jewish Press | August 26, 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
Services and speaker series will resume Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Our presenter will be California native Oliver Pollak who will speak about how Iowa and Nebraska formed his adult Jewishness. We look forward to hearing Oliver's story as he and Karen prepare to return to California to be closer to their kids and grandkids. As always, our services are led by lay leader Larry Blass. For information on our historic synagogue, please contact any of our board members: Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf.
beTh el SynaGoGue
Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. friday: Beth El serves lunch at the Nebraska AIDS Project, 11:30 a.m.; Special Kabbalat Shabbat with Dinner (Tot Shabbat/Back to School/College Farewell), 6 p.m. SaTurday: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 7:45 p.m. weekday ServiceS: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. Sunday: Red Cross Blood Drive, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.; BESTT Talmud Torah First Day of School, 9:45 a.m.; Torah Studay, 10 a.m.; BESTT Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m. TueSday: Your Journey Starts Here - An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Day, noon with Rabbi Abraham. wedneSday: BESTT Talmud Torah (First Wednesday Class), 4:15 p.m.; Your Journey Starts Here - An Insider’s Guide to the High Holy Day, 6:15 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham at Spirit World, 6680 Center St. End of Summer Festival, monday, Sept. 5, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat service followed by a BBQ Shabbat dinner. Reservations for dinner are required. We are unable to take reservations after Aug. 22. 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, 7:48 p.m. SaTurday: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Parade and Kids Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by Sheila Priluck in honor of the Auf Ruf of Josh Priluck; Insights into the Weekly Portion, 6:30 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:15 p.m.; Seudah Shlishit sponsored by Shana Miles and Assaf Barnoy; Havdalah, 8:35 p.m. Sunday: Shacharit, 9 a.m. weekdayS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. ThurSday: Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m.; Avot U-Banim, 7 p.m.; Talmud Learning, 8 p.m.
chabad houSe
Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. friday: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m SaTurday: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m. Sunday: Minyan, 8:30 a.m. weekdayS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m. TueSday: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office. wedneSday: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. In memory of Forrest Krutter -- Efrayim Menachem Ben Avraham Yitzchak. ThurSday: Women’s Study at UNMC with Shani Katzman, noon. RSVP by emailing Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@ unmc.edu.
conGreGaTion b’nai JeShurun
Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. friday: Sha-ba-ba-bhat Family Dinner, 6 p.m. hosted by Temple; Pre-neg, 6 p.m. hosted by Kelen-Bloom Family; Shabbat Evening Service, 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary; Sha-ba-babat Service, 6:30 p.m. in the Social Hall; Candlelighting, 7:48 p.m. SaTurday: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah
Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Ekev; Havdalah (72 minutes), 9:17 p.m. Sunday: Board of Trustees Meeting, 1:30 p.m. TueSday: Kochavim Rehearsal, 6:45 p.m. ThurSday: High Holiday Choir rehearsal, 7:30 p.m. The synagogue office will be closed on monday, Sept. 5 for Labor Day. 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 Sunday, Sept. 11 to help with weeding, raking, sweeping, and 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.
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friday: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
roSe blumkin JewiSh home
friday: Shabbat Comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m. with Beth El. SaTurday: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Marty Shukert. 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. SaTurday: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. clara murphy, daughter of Kate and Joseph Murphy, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah. Sunday: Habitat for Humanity Build, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. We are looking for 15 volunteers to help with framing; Grades K-6, 10 a.m.; Temple TED Talk, 10 a.m. Justin Grau will present
Global Ethic vs National Interest by Gordon Brown. 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.; My Israel: A Virtual Tour to Israel, 6:30 p.m.
TifereTh iSrael
Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. friday: Shabbat on the Green/ New Member Dinner. 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 for food preparations. SaTurday: Morning service, 10 a.m. and will recognize the YAD Squad followed by a special Kiddish luncheon honoring these individuals who make services possible. Join us for our first Shabbat Pasta Dinner and Birthday Celebration honoring all congregants born in September on friday, Sept. 9, 6:15 p.m. and conclude at 7:45 p.m. There will be no Friday evening services following dinner. All ages are welcome to join together. New Nurture the Wow Parenting Group begins Sunday, Sept. 18, 11 a.m. at Tifereth Israel. Our topic will be How Do We Love. Discussion will be facilitated by Nancy Coren. Federation Shabbat, friday, Sept. 16, 6-9 p.m. at Antelope Park enclosed shelter (between the playground and Auld Pavilion). Set up and Park Play Time, 6 p.m., Family-Friendly Shabbat Service, 6:45 p.m. followed by a Potluck Dinner at 7:15 p.m. Please bring a dairy or pareve dish to share. If you participated in a Jewish camp this summer, please bring photos and memories to share. All members of our community are welcome. 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.’
Getting the “High” from the Holidays at Beth Israel mary Sue GroSSman Beth Israel Synagogue As one approaches the high holidays, there are two choices. One can show up and “get it over with.” Or a person can experience the depth and passion of why it is called the “high” holidays. At Beth Israel Synagogue, Rabbi Ari Dembitzer has planned a variety of opportunities to approach the holidays and make them enjoyable and deeply meaningful. The special learning opportunities begin Sept. 1 with Rabbi Ari teaching “Orot Hateshuva” immediately after minyan, Monday through Friday, 7:45-8:15 p.m. Written by Rabbi Kook, “orot hateshuva” explains the process of how one’s own connection to God is part of the greater “tikkun olam”. On Sunday mornings, Sept. 11, 18, and 25 at 9:45 a.m., Rabbi Ari will discuss the prayers and their meanings. He will also share the beautiful tunes behind the words and reminds everyone that “a song can take you from where you are to where you want to be”, the perfect focus for the High Holidays. High Holiday preparation will also be incorporated into Beth Israel’s weekly Day of Learning. On Thursday mornings at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 15, 22 and 29, Rabbi Ari will discuss the mystical teachings behind the Holy Days. “I encourage everyone to please just show up and learn,” said Rabbi Ari. “Be a part of an amazing chance to learn and grow and have meaning-
ful and spiritually uplifting High Holidays.” For additional information, please contact the synagogue office at 402.556.6288 or www.orthodoxomaha.org.
Beth Israel is also delighted to welcome Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich who will serve as a visiting scholar for the next two years. Rabbi Abramovich, who holds a Ph.D in Jewish history is from Akko, Israel and arrived in Omaha in early August. Rabbi Shlomo’s wife, Hodaya, is a teacher at Friedel Jewish Academy and they have three sons. Rabbi Shlomo and Rabbi Ari are working closely together in expanding class offerings for adults and youth at Beth Israel. Beginning Monday, Aug. 29 from noon-1 p.m., Rabbi Shlomo will lead a weekly Lunch and Learn sharing The Amazing Tales of Rabbi Nachman. He shares the stories of Rabbi Nachman, which includes a wide variety of fascinating stories adding there are “kings and queens, magic and mystery - and it’s all full of deep ideas, which are relevant to everyone’s way of life”. A light lunch will be available for $5.
The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016 | 15
lifecycles B’naI mITzvah
allIe anD jacOB zachaRIa
David and Elyse Zacharia are proud to announce their children allie and jacob will be called to the Torah as B’Nai Mitzvah Sept. 3, at Temple Beth Sholom in Las Vegas, Nevada. Allie is in seventh grade and Jacob is in eighth grade. Allie and Jacob are straight A students and members of National Junior Honor Society. Allie loves her swim team, YouTube, friends and family. Jacob’s passions include playing baseball, the Royals and Cornhuskers, drumming and family. Their Mitzvah Project increased awareness of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Allie and Jacob's team raised the most money for the Las Vegas MS Walk. They also appeared several times on television promoting the MS Walk. Grandparents are Barbara and Dr. Laurence Zacharia and Sharon and the late Michael Pressler of Las Vegas, NV.
YJO back-to-school pool party
Goebbels’ wife had Jewish father
jta news staff e wife of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels had a Jewish father, according to a new document discovered in the Berlin archives. e document shows that the father of Magda Goebbels was a Jewish businessman named Richard Friedlander, who married Magda's mother, Auguste Behrend, when Magda was about 7 years old. Friedlander had an affair in 1901 with Behrend before she married German engineer Oskar Ritshel, who had been blamed for impregnating Behrend before their wedding. Friedlander’s residency card, the document found in the archives, states that Magda is his biological daughter, according to the Jewish Chronicle. Friedlander died in the Buchenwald concentration camp in 1939; his daughter did not attempt to help him.
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On Sunday, Aug. 14, Young Jewish Omaha (YJO) hosted a back-to-school pool party at the Broadmoor Hills apartment complex. Attendees enjoyed a Kosher grill-out experience while enjoying an evening of swimming, card games, music, camaraderie, and general merriment. YJO welcomes all adults in the community who Identify as Young and Jewish and their friends and significant others. For information about upcoming YJO events, please look up Young Jewish Omaha on Facebook or contact Nate Shapiro at nshapiro@jewishomaha.org.
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The board of OTYG (Omaha Temple Youth Group) recently held their annual board retreat dedicated to planning for the new school year. The retreat began with an Ice Breaker conducted by Rabbi Deana Berezin.
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16 | The Jewish Press | August 26, 2016
sports
S
A Munich Olympics and Holocaust survivor
itus in industrial engineering at nearby Ben-Gurion University of the of Jerusalem student and realized that many runners lagged behind his HiLLeL KuTLer OMER, Israel | JTA Negev who isn’t shy about speaking. walking. This summer he participated in two four-day, 84-mile walk races in His feet would convey Ladany to the still-standing world record in the haul Ladany, a two-time Olympian, acknowledged that he was “very happy” that the International Olympic Commit- the Netherlands. He competed for the 23rd time in the one held in Ni- 50-mile race walk (7:23:50), set four decades ago in New Jersey, and tee finally held an official memorial for the 11 Israelis who jmegen, which Ladany calls “the greatest walking carnival in the world.” to five Maccabiah gold medals in four distances: 3-, 10-, 20- and 50-kilometers. In addition to the 1972 games, he was an Olympian in 1968 were killed in a terrorist raid at the 1972 Munich in Mexico City at age 32. games. During the Munich games, he was staying along with most of the But Ladany, an Israeli racewalker who still holds a world record, Israeli delegation in the Olympic Village. When members of the Palesdidn’t need the Aug. 3 ceremony at the Rio games to remember the tinian terrorist group Black September broke into his teammates’ tragedy. He was there, forced to flee the dorms where the Palestinian rooms on the September morning, he was able to dash to safety. terrorists held his teammates hostage. Correcting the historical record that claims he jumped to safety “I remember everything that happened in Munich. I don’t need spefrom a second-floor balcony, Ladany told JTA that he was on the first cial memorial services to remind me,” said Ladany, who watched clips floor and stepped on the terrace and continued away to safety. He of the ceremony on the TV news. “What the [Rio] event did, though, said two other Israelis fled serpentine-style to avoid being shot. was to mark the IOC’s recognizing that this was part of the Olympic He has a theory for why the terrorists who invaded apartments 1 movement and that the Israelis and others must be remembered.” and 3 bypassed his duplex in apartment 2: His five suite mates inHe added: “Anyone with a head on his shoulders, and especially cluded competitive sharpshooters Henry Hershkowitz and Zelig Israelis who were there, wanted this [commemoration] very much.” Stroch. All survived. The ceremony, held two days before the Olympics opened in Rio, Some three decades before his second Olympics, Ladany and his culminated a 44-year struggle by victims’ families to attain official parents fled their native Belgrade, Yugoslavia, to Hungary following recognition of their loved ones. the Nazi invasion in 1941. They were deported to Bergen-Belsen, “I think a big reason for that [breakthrough] is that the president then freed in a December 1944 prisoner exchange and sent to of the Olympic movement is German, and he understands his obligaSwitzerland before returning to Belgrade. tion,” Ladany said of Thomas Bach, adding that he hopes such comIn 1948, the family immigrated to Israel along with Ladany’s ormemorations are held at every Olympics. Even before Munich, Ladany was no stranger to survival, having Shaul Ladany in his suburban Beersheba home with a prized piece of his phaned first cousin, Martha Flattow, who was raised as his sister and now lives in Rishon Lezion. The Ladanys’ daughter and three made it through the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during World Theodor Herzl collection, left. Credit: Hillel Kuttler In 2012, he interrupted a speaking tour in Canada to return to Israel grandchildren reside in Reut, near Modiin. War II as an eight-year-old. “Maybe the events of my life shaped my character. I don’t know,” Yet at 80 he’s still going strong, competing in long walk races and long enough to make the Galilee swim, then flew back to resume his talks. Ladany said. swimming events. “Only a crazy, sports-minded person would do it,” said Ladany, sitting He says that among the most profound utterances he has ever heard In September, he will participate for the 55th year in a 2 1/2-mile swim in the Sea of Galilee – a number he thinks has been exceeded by only in his living room across from his wife Shoshana, 82, in an interview at was the day his father dropped him off at the Israeli army induction centhree people. And in November, Ladany plans to compete in a 20-mile his home in this Beersheba suburb. ter in 1954. Ladany recalls his dad telling him: “The honor has accrued walking marathon in the Jezreel Valley. Ladany’s been at racewalking for more than a half-century, ever since to you to serve the Jewish state.” Ladany would repeat the phrase when “I’ll be the oldest one there, of course,” said Ladany, a professor emer- he participated in a four-day recreational event as a Hebrew University his daughter was drafted.
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