Voices

The Jewish Press

(Founded in 1920)

Margie Gutnik

President

Annette van de Kamp-Wright

Editor

Richard Busse

Creative Director

Susan Bernard

Advertising Executive

Lori Kooper-Schwarz

Assistant Editor

Gabby Blair

Staff Writer

Sam Kricsfeld

Digital support

Mary Bachteler

Accounting

Jewish Press Board

Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Seth Feldman; David Finkelstein; Ally Freeman; Mary Sue Grossman; Les Kay; Natasha Kraft; Chuck Lucoff; David Phillips; and Joseph Pinson. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.

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@jewishomaha.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@jewishomaha.org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450.

Postal

The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

Preparing for the Holidays

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

The other day, I was at Temple Israel and someone mentioned the words ‘live’ and ‘goat’ in the same sentence. I’m not saying who it was. Okay, fine, it was Jennie Gates-Beckman. That was probably the moment it hit me: the High Holidays are really almost here. Really, really. This always happens: I prepare for the Holidays two ways: getting all the work done (New Year’s issue, Sept. 23!!) with all the craziness and writing and planning, doing double duty because there’s the regular paper and all that comes with it. It starts in April and it’s such a hectic time, I always forget that at some point I get to look forward to the actual holidays. Not as something that gives our office pressing deadlines, but as a cause for celebrating with family and friends. Peace, instead of stress. Reward, renewal, a chance to breathe and re-engage, Why do I have to learn that lesson anew every single year? Recently, Rabbi Erin Boxt wrote:

Have you ever sat down and just emptied your brain of all of the tensions and stresses that are affecting you? This may sound crazy. Go ahead, try. Sit down, take a deep breath, and just relax. Let your worries fade away…find yourself in a safe, comfortable place. The month of Elul gives us this opportunity to reflect and look deep within ourselves for hidden comfort and possibility. This possibility allows us to focus on what we need. Our health – mental, physical, and spiritual – is of utmost importance. Part of Teshuvah – repentance – is just letting go. Rather than dwell on what may or may not have upset you in the past, allow yourself to live in the present, to be holy and let the holiness of others shine through. Teshuvah is not just about repentance – it is also about returning. Let us all return to a place of healing and wholeness.

It’s no coincidence that email arrived the day after my goat-related epiphany. I guess this is why it’s so important the High Holidays come every year—we need that reminder every year, that voice that tells us to ‘just breathe.’ At least, I do; maybe you are better at this than I am. I kind of hope so. So why is it that it doesn’t stick throughout the year? Is my attention span that short? I think it has to do with Ego. For many of us, being busy makes us feel important. No time to waste, we are adults and we are essential. Does the world turn just fine when we take a day off? It does, but we don’t like to think about that. We’d rather focus on completing tangible tasks, paperwork we can point at and say: “I did that.” We want spreadsheets and meetings and endless data that tells the world we are here and we matter. Here’s a thought: what if we think of collecting a different kind of data, the kind that can’t be measured in office hours or pay stubs? What if we do what that Rabbi said, and simply breathe? The Holidays will get here, whether the shopping is done, whether the brisket is cooked or not, whether we leave a perfectly clean desk or a mount of unfinished reports. All we have to do to be present is just that: be present. The mere thought of letting go lowers my heart rate. The notion that Judaism allows us space to calm down, to slow down and relax, even if it is only temporary, is comforting. Maybe I’ll even take a few extra days off this time around and maybe I’ll convince myself to not spend those days frantically working on my house. Maybe. I know better than to make promises to myself I’ll have a hard time keeping. But then, part of learning how to breathe is knowing that even if I am not perfect, G-d willing, there is always next year.

‘Quiet quitting,’ the sudden trend in work, sounds sort of ... Jewish? (Hear me out.)

ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL

JTA I hadn’t heard of “quiet quitting” until about 10 minutes ago. Since then every major news outlet has done a story on this purported trend, defined as a movement among office workers to draw firmer work-life boundaries by doing less work. It means closing your laptop at 5 p.m. when your cubicle-mate is staying late to finish a project. It means turning off notifications on your phone so you can’t check your work emails after hours. It can mean doing the bare minimum and still hanging onto your job. On a grander scale, it means cooling your hottest ambitions in favor of a saner work-life balance. Of course, to a certain kind of devotee of the attention economy, this sounds like nothing less than slacking off. “Quiet quitting isn’t just about quitting on a job, it’s a step toward quitting on life,” huffed Arianna Huffington, in a LinkedIn post. The Fox News host Tomi Lahren said it’s just a euphemism for being “LAZY” (she added an expletive). I don’t have a dog in this fight, since I am not a “quiet quitter.” (I am more a “person without any hobbies or little kids, who if he closes his laptop at 5 p.m. doesn’t know what to do with himself.”) But I understand the impulse. Technology and corporate culture conspire to blur the lines between work and office. The demise of unions has shifted the workplace power balance to employers. For those who could work at home, the pandemic obliterated the boundaries between on and off hours. “Quitting” is a terrible way to describe what is really doing your job, no more and no less. It only feels like “quitting” to a culture that demands that you sacrifice private time to your employer or career. This peculiarly American “ethic” shows up, for instance, in vacations: Americans get on average 10 fewer vacation days a year than Europeans because, unlike the European Union, the United States does not federally mandate paid vacation or holidays. Just reading a New York Times article about how eight of the 10 largest private U.S. employers are using tracking software to monitor their employees made me feel guilty and anxious — even though I was reading the article as part of my job. If quiet quitting were actually slacking, it would run afoul of Jewish law. “Jewish employees are obligated to work at full capacity during their work hours and not to ‘steal time’ from their employers,” writes Rabbi Jill Jacobs in a responsa — legal opinion — called “Work, Workers and the Jewish Owner,” written for the Conservative movement in 2008. And yet this warning aside, Jewish law is much more concerned with employers who take advantage of employees rather than the other way around.

Credit: Heide Benser/Getty Images Jacobs — now the executive director of T’ruah, the rabbinic human rights group — describes nine principles of workplace justice in the Torah, and nearly all are addressed to the employer. These include treating workers with “dignity and respect” and paying them a living wage and on time. “The ideal worker-employer relationship should be one of trusted partnership,” she writes, “in which each party looks out for the well-being of the other, and in which the two parties consider themselves to be working together for the perfection of the divine world.” This is not exactly what we now know as the “Protestant work ethic.” The rabbis of the Talmud did not tie hard work and economic success to divine salvation. No doubt, they understand that people need to and should work for a living. “In traditional sources, work is often regarded as necessary, and certainly better than idleness (which can lead to sin),” according to a helpful article from My Jewish Learning. And yet, because the study of Torah is considered the ideal use of one’s time (assuming you are a man, anyway) the rabbis were clearly wary of occupations and ambitions that demanded too much of a worker. In Pirkei Avot, the collection of ethical sayings from the Mishnah, Rabbi Meir says, “Minimize business and engage in Torah.” The rabbis, My Jewish Learning explains, “were clearly worried that excessive pursuit of material well-being would distract from higher pursuits.” The artist Jenny Odell’s 2019 manifesto about quitting the “attention economy,” How to Do Nothing, similarly rejects “a frame of reference in which value is determined by productivity, the strength of one’s career, and individual entrepreneurship.” Easier said than done, however. Her antidote — to “stand apart,” to embrace “solitude, observation, and simple conviviality” — is perhaps more feasible if you are an artist rather than an office-worker, let alone a factory worker, home health aide or Amazon warehouse runner. (She spends a lot of time birdwatching and retreating to mountain cabins.) To her credit, Odell quotes Samuel Gompers, the Jewish-British immigrant and labor leader who championed the eight-hour work week as far back as 1886. In an address asking What Does Labor Want?, Gompers answered by quoting Psalms: “It wants the earth and the fullness thereof.” What most people want, I suspect, is simply more control over their time and mind-space, and to keep work from leaking into their private lives — and maybe vice-versa. They want to do work that matters, and the private time to decompress, reconnect and take care of stuff. It’s telling that there is no commandment in Torah to work, but there are plenty to rest. Shabbat is a literal day of rest, but it is also a mindset. It strictly defines profane productivity, in order to carve out space and time for the sacred. This Jewish attitude toward work and rest is not about quitting, but it is about occasional quiet.

Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor in chief of the New York Jewish Week and senior editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. He previously served as JTA’s editor in chief and as editor in chief and CEO of the New Jersey Jewish News. @SilowCarroll

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

RABBI WARREN GOLDSTEIN

JTA In a recent Jewish Telegraphic Agency column, Andrew Silow-Carroll identified a trend in American Jewry, which he described as “fictionalism.” In the article, he defines it as “pretending to follow a set of beliefs in order to reap the benefits of a set of actions” and cites the philosophy professor Scott Hershovitz, who explains that he fasts on Yom Kippur and observes Passover even though he doesn’t believe in God. “It’s just what we Jews do,” Hershovitz explains. “[I]t keeps me connected to a community I value.” For fictionalists, God is a useful fiction, and Jewish practice has value only in its pragmatic utility. As Hershovitz puts it: “When it feels like the world is falling apart, I seek refuge in religious rituals — but not because I believe my prayers will be answered.” This trend requires a well-thought-out, clear response because of the serious problems it presents. Firstly, denial of God’s existence or the truth of the Torah’s narrative is utterly incompatible with Judaism itself. Take, for example, the Passover seder. According to fictionalism, the Haggadah that parents read to their children is the equivalent of a collection of the writings of Hans Christian Andersen. “We were slaves to Pharaoah in Egypt, until the Almighty, the Holy One blessed is He, took us out.” Welcome to Hansel and Gretel: “Once upon a time …” When we read the about the Exodus — when we tell our children that our ancestors were slaves in Egypt and that God liberated us with miracles — that is a fraud, according to the fictionalist. This approach drives a dagger through the heart of Passover and places Jewish parents in an invidious position. When do you tell your children that the story of the Exodus is one of the greatest frauds of history, perpetuated by generations of Jewish parents and grandparents? Should the seder night begin with a disclaimer: none of what you are about to hear is true? The point is, if you remove God from Judaism it ceases to be recognizable as such. When we say “may the Omnipresent comfort you” at a funeral , or “God who blessed bride and groom” at a wedding, or “God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh” during Kiddush, or “God is one” every morning and evening, and on our deathbed — these are all just fictions? If so, Judaism is meaningless; it becomes a system based on falsehoods. Strip away the psychobabble, and these aren’t just “useful fictions” or “principled self-deceptions” — they are, simply, falsehoods. And, who wants to live a lie? This brings us to the second major problem with the fictionalist approach to Judaism — it is a formula for the self-implosion of the Jewish people. If Judaism is a fairytale, then we must not be surprised when our children discard it along with the Tooth Fairy when they grow up, dismissing it as just another tale to make their childhood more charming. Why should they live a delusion? Why should they pay any more attention to their heritage than the “Magic Faraway Tree”? A new generation of Jews is being born into a world overflowing with real, compelling and competing ways of thinking and living. Fed a Judaism that is a quaint cultural relic, a fairytale of false claims, they have quite naturally concluded that it can be jettisoned at a whim. That is why we are hemorrhaging young Jews, who are exiting our people in droves, raising questions of who and what will be left.

The only form of Jewish identity that has proven itself capable of surviving more than a few generations is one rooted in the complete embrace acceptance of the truth of all the factual claims made by Judaism, including belief in God and His authorship of the Torah. Throughout our long history no Jewish community has ever survived without a belief in the foundations of our faith. A pretend Judaism won’t cut it. Only the real thing is worthy of us and our children — and a guarantee for a bright Jewish future. So where does this leave us? As a first step, we need to acknowledge the problem: that the fictionalist approach is both incompatible with Judaism, and unsustainable. This means that we cannot accept with equanimity the trend of fictionalism, and become comfortable with this as the new normal. We need to formulate an appropriate response. There are many proud Jews with genuine doubts about their heritage, and genuine crises of faith. The answer is not for us to reject those who harbor those doubts. Neither should those doubters give up hope in faith, or shape their doubts into a new philosophy which celebrates the falseness of Judaism. The only way forward is to engage directly and honestly and fearlessly with doubt, embracing the struggle to find faith, and make that the goal. There are many who have grappled with these issues — and have discovered their faith through intellectual inquiry and rational argument, rather than discarded it. Judaism makes specific truth claims about the world and the nature of reality, and these claims are supported by rational inquiry. We must discover the compelling evidence, and the powerful philosophical, scientific and historical proofs for the authenticity of the Torah, and its claims about the existence of God, and all He did: the creation of the universe, the Exodus from Egypt and the giving the Torah to the Jewish people at Sinai with the mission to observe its mitzvahs forever. For thousands of years, up until around 150 years ago, the vast majority of Jews did not dispute these historical truths. Rabbis need to address matters of faith head on. This has been my experience both as a synagogue rabbi as well as from the almost 18 years that I have served as the chief rabbi to the South African Jewish community. People are searching for truth. We need to articulate with absolute clarity that belief in God and the authenticity of the Torah are indispensable to Judaism. We need to present all of the many rational and scientific arguments to uphold these claims. We need to be fearless and unapologetic about the fact that God exists and that He gave the Jewish people the Torah at Sinai, and how these claims are substantiated with compelling arguments and evidence. But we need to do this with love and kindness — not anger and aggression. And we need to teach Torah to as many Jews as possible as often as possible. A path to rich, authentic faith lies in learning Torah. Our sages (Midrash Eichah, Petichta 2 based on Jeremiah 16:11) tell us that when we feel distant from God — even to the point of losing faith — learning Torah, with dedication and depth, offers us a way back, a means of knowing God and locating our values and identity, and connection to Him. And there is hope. The very fact that those who have adopted fictionalism are so drawn to the mitzvah experiences of the Torah despite not believing shows how even they find the system so attractive. It is remarkable that the Torah’s way of life is so compelling thousands of years after it was introduced to the world that even people who think it is based on false claims cannot let go of it. The Passover seder as the model of generational transfer of values and narrative; Yom Kippur as an immersive, cathartic experience of personal growth and accountability; Shabbat with its laws that create the space to rediscover and reconnect with ourselves and our loved ones. How did these and all our other mitzvahs survive with us for thousands of years, and yet still feel as relevant as they were thousands of years ago? This inexplicable phenomenon gives us a glimpse of the Divine author of it all. And it is the bridge waiting for the fictionalists to make the journey over to a world of faith.

Rabbi Warren Goldstein is the chief rabbi of South Africa and founder of the global Shabbat Project, and holds a PhD in human rights and law.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

"Emet" is the Hebrew word for "truth." Credit: JTA graphic

A Few of our Upcoming Programs at the Staenberg JCC

DANCE CLASSES & PROGRAMMING

Member & Non Member, Ages 2 – Adult Welcome! The Performing Arts Department at the Jewish Community Center of Omaha imparts the joy and discipline of dance, theater, and music through a well-rounded catalogue of programming. For over 40 years we’ve provided dance programming to the community. We offer high caliber instruction in pre-ballet, ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip hop, leaps & turns, lyrical and pom. Classes are offered at a variety of levels, with all classes providing emphasis on technique, musicality, body awareness and the development of self-expression through movement. All programs are taught in a caring and positive atmosphere by our qualified and experienced staff. Limited class size ensures students receive greater personalized instruction and the ability to social distance. Attention to detail, such as providing live piano accompaniment for ballet classes, is what sets our program apart from the rest. We also house one of the finest facilities in the metro area. We have gorgeous dance studios that are newly renovated and fully equipped, a beautiful 330-seat theater and new musical training studios. We also offer a variety of special programs. Choreographic workshops, music lessons, theater and acting classes, performance opportunities with recognized artists, and field trips to area dance events, are just some of the exciting opportunities that await! Performing Arts programming at the J is open to Members and Non-Members, ages 2 through adult. Members receive discounted rates and other benefits. If you are interested in joining the J, contact Member Services at 402.334.6426.

KIDZ INN AFTER CARE

Members, K-6th Kidz Inn is for families needing after school care for the entire school year. We provide age appropriate activities in a safe, nurturing and exciting environment. Kidz Inn is a state licensed childcare program, which means we meet the highest standards of our state regulations for childcare centers. We give kids one-onone attention as we promote their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development through our curriculum. Kids love it because they run off steam in the gym and outdoors, get help with homework, get creative with art projects, play games and eat snacks. Parents love it because they know their children are being cared for in a safe environment by our professional staff. Kidz Inn enhances your child’s school day experience in the best way possible. Children will be offered a variety of programming throughout the week with a different topic focus each day. Topics can range from: • Nutrition & Cooking • Sports & Physical Activity • Science & Technology • Art & Culture

All School After Care:

Mondays – Fridays, 3:30 – 6 p.m. Millard Public School Early Dismissal: Wednesdays, 2:15- 6 p.m. Friedel Jewish Academy Early Dismissal (Nov. – Mar.): Fridays, 2 – 6 p.m.

After Care Includes:

Kosher Snack, Afternoon Activities & Study Time and Transportation which is available to select area schools at a nominal rate. We transport from Aldrich, St. Vincent de Paul, Columbian and Friedel. Additional schools may be added as need arises. There is no transportation fee for Columbian and Friedel children, as they are walked over each day. Transportation fee is $50/month for all kids who need transportation (not based on days attending). Parents must complete a Youth Health Form (for each child) and return it to the JCC Youth Department on or before the first day of the program. The Health Form should be updated every year. To download forms and to register, please visit our website at ww.jccomaha.org or call us at 402.334.6452 or 402.334.6426 to register for programs.