Spotlight

Top, above and below: Husker Time at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

Below: Ben Justman, accompanied by his wife, Jeannette Gabriel, had the honor to serve as the Grand Marshal of Bellevue’s Arrows to Aerospace parade in recognition of his service to historical preservation. “He is a guardian for the history of Sarpy County,” Event Chair Karen Mier said. “We felt it was an important time to recognize his role in the community.” Above: Members of the Abraham Lincoln High School Class of 1952 pose during a class reunion in Council Bluffs in July. Among them is Sissy Silber, sixth from left on the backrow. Right and below: Beth Israel’s ‘Meat Your Whiskey 2022’ is in the books. A big Thank you to Ari Kohen, Ben Shapiro, Steve Kaniewski, Joel Alperson, Rabbi Yoni Dreyer, Seth Feldman, Jeff Zacharia and Matthew Taub for sponsoring, preparing, cooking, coordinating, and presenting. Thank you also to everyone who came out and participated.

SP O TLIGHT

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.

Above: Staff and lay leaders recently attended communication training with Aaron Henne. Left: Fun in the Sun. RBJH Residents soaked up the sun at the JCC pool and enjoyed a perfectly sunshiny day. Thank you to the RBJH volunteers and staff who helped Residents journey to the outdoor pool. Left and below: RBJH Residents celebrate Bee & Honey month with a beehive craft project and tasting homemade cornbread with various honey samples. Residents learned fun facts, trivia, and information about how honey is produced.

PAM MONSKY

Jewish Community Relations Council Assistant Director Please join the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m., in the Alan Levine Theater at the Staenberg Omaha JCC, for Community Conversations, the first in a series of programs on compelling, current topics impacting the Jewish community of Omaha. This inaugural program, Reproductive Rights in Nebraska— Where Do We Go from Here features a panel of local and national experts in a moderated discussion about protecting reproductive rights in Nebraska. The JCRC, along with our partners and cosponsors, aim to equip attendees with tools to advocate for reproductive freedom, learn the best ways to communicate with local law makers and how to build coalitions. Cosponsors of the program include the ACLU of Nebraska, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska, and The Women’s Fund of Omaha. Panelists as of this writing include Carol Bloch, moderator and chair of the JCRC’s Civil Rights Committee; and Rabbi Steven Abraham of Beth El Synagogue will offer insights into the Jewish perspective on abortion. Other panelists include renowned researcher and author Gilda Sedgh, Principal Advisor of Research and Policy Integration at the Guttmacher Institute; Dr. Daniel Rosenquist, newly elected president of the Nebraska Medical Association and family physician from Columbus, NE; Andi Curry-Grubb, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska; Dr. Erin Feichtinger, Policy Director of The Women’s Fund of Omaha; and Scout Richters, Senior Legal & Policy Counsel at the ACLU of Nebraska. “The Jewish community in particular, is concerned that the Dobbs v. Jackson decision returning power to the states will have a profound impact on many people, including our most vulnerable populations,” said Sharon Brodkey, JCRC Executive Director. “Abortion is NEVER an easy choice, and this is a nuanced

OJAA Topgolf:

Thank you for coming!

issue within Jewish law and many other faiths. With no Federal protections, the religious beliefs of vocal minorities may lead to poor state laws that place stumbling blocks in front of people.” This program will be in-person and virtually. A reception with light refreshments will follow the program. For more information please contact Pam Monsky, JCRC Assistant Director, pmonsky@jewishomaha.org, 402.334.6572.

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is the public affairs voice of the JFO. The JCRC works to foster a just, democratic and pluralistic society through cooperation with other faith partners, racial, ethnic, and civic groups. Guided by Jewish values, the JCRC fights anti-Semitism, advocates, educates, collaborates, and mobilizes action on issues of importance to the Jewish community, and promotes the security of Israel and Jews everywhere.

Experience the Imperfect Pearl

JAY KATELMAN

JFO Director of Community Development Aug. 14, 2022 was a day to remember. From noon to 3 p.m., the Omaha Jewish Alumni Association hosted its second yearly Topgolf Charity Event. Just like the previous year, the event was sold out completely. This year, 113 people registered. While we had many people return because of how much fun the event was in 2021, we welcomed many new faces as well. It was great to see families, friends, and those that were strangers become friends. Everyone who attended was treated to three hours of unlimited golf, food, drinks, and an extraordinary silent auction. A huge thank you goes out the Omaha Jewish Alumni Board, Omaha Jewish Alumni members, and the Foundation staff for their support in making this event even more successful than in 2021. This year we raised around $8,000 to be used by deserving families who need scholarships to attend or continue attending the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center. Since we always have more families that apply than we can award, we think this is the perfect partnership to help families attend our Early Learning Center. We are so thankful to all those who registered, sponsored, or donated a silent auction item. Thanks to the continued success, this event does not look to be going anywhere anytime soon! We’ll see everyone next August. We hope you are marking your calendars now!