September 11, 2020: Rosh Hashanah Edition

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 | 2 2 E LUL 5780 | VO L. 1 00 | NO. 4 6 | FIVE SECTIONS | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 7:21 P.M.

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A2 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Welcome

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Happy New Year?

Whatever it is I wrote a year ago on this page, I’m afraid to go look. Probably a lot of schmaltz about our best hopes for a Sweet New Year, abundant good wishes and excitement about what the New Year would bring. While it is still important to convey those good wishes, I cannot help but focus on how the world has changed beyond what any of us could have imagined.

One necessary ingredient for the High Holidays is a certain amount of optimism. Where do we find that? We can’t be together physically; our buildings are closed. Services will be virtual only (and I for one am incredibly grateful to all our clergy for being smart and keeping us safe), so how do we keep our spirits up?

Before I completely give in to a whirlpool of negativity (no one needs that), let’s look at this year’s Rosh Hashanah theme. It became apparent fairly quickly that this was a good time to pay extra attention to those who work in health care, starting with the heroes next door.

There are tireless people at our own Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, who have been nothing but dedicated since the beginning, with no end in sight. And since we cannot fill an entire holiday edition with COVID-19 stories, we decided to expand to a variety of disciplines, ending up with a cross-section of professionals who, each in their own unique way, contribute to our collective health. We ended up titling this issue To Life, because life is what we must celebrate more than ever. As always, there is no possible way we can feature every single person who fits the category, so let us take this opportunity to address all of you out there who have ever donned scrubs: we thank you. Whether you are a pathologist or a nurse, a cardio-vascular surgeon or a dentist, a pediatrician or a researcher: you help save lives and we are lucky to have you in our community.

We want to thank everyone who helped create this edition by answering our questions and submitting to interviews via phone or Zoom; we also want to thank all the writers who have been working from a distance for months now: Emma Hochfelder, Ozzie Nogg, Jane Glazer, Ariella Rohr, Sam Kricsfeld and Gabby Blair. A special thank you goes to our volunteer proofreaders, Pam Friedlander, Andi Goldstein, Susan Katzman, Margaret Kirkeby and Jeremy Wright (although he still gets the hard copy due to the fact he’s my husband). Proof reading is a lot harder when it’s all digital; there is something about holding those proof sheets in your hands that just doesn’t compare. However, you all went with the flow, and we appreciate that very much.

For our staff, things have certainly been different. Our Creative Director Richard Busse has been in the office with me almost every day and especially the first weeks were quiet and strange. By late June, Assistant-Editor Lori Kooper-Schwarz was able to come in a few hours every week and we are so happy to have her back- even if it is very part-time. Advertising Executive Susan Bernard and Staff Writer Gabby Blair both

continue to work from home and we appreciate your flexibility. By late June, we were able to welcome our Intern Sam Kricsfeld into the office, while still able to social distance. Sam, thank you for going with the flow! In the middle of all that, we have had to adjust our budget and switch the place where we print our paper, so things haven’t been boring. The fact that

we’re all still standing is pretty miraculous.

Thank you also to the Jewish Press Board of Directors. I miss our face-to-face meetings, but I am grateful you all make our Zoom meetings so much fun.

Finally, to all our readers, who continue to stay engaged: thank you. We talk often about this community and how much of its strength lies in coming together. That physical togetherness would be something we would have to do without was a nasty surprise. I know you’ve all made an extra effort to read the paper, get online, surf the websites, engage on social media and read your emails, and we appreciate it.

“Although we may physically be alone in our individual homes at the moment,” Cantor Laura Phillips Fogelman writes, “we remain connected through the collective experience and memory of being part of this extraordinary time in the history of humanity – a light that will shine brightly so long as we continue to nurture it.”

Let’s all be that light.

I wish you a Shanah Tova Umetukah, a Sweet New Year.

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | A3

Rosh Hashanah

An important time to serve: The co-Chairs of JSS ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor In June of 2016, Toba Cohen-Dunning and Jeff Kirshenbaum began their term as co-Presidents of the RBJH/JSS Board of Directors. Initially, that was supposed to be a three-year term, but both have agreed to serve at least one more year. Toba said: “My personal mission is to ensure a high quality, kosher, safe and welcoming facility for members of the Jewish community where they can receive every and all services necessary.”

“The RBJH serves such a critical mission in our community,” Jeff added. “Its Residents helped to build the Omaha Jewish community. The board’s role – along with the JFO – is to insure the RBJH is the best home for decades to come. The nursing home industry is ever-changing. Payments from Medicare and Medicaid are going to adversely affect nursing homes everywhere. How we address potentially significant reductions in payments is and will be a challenge for years to come.”

As the Jewish community of Omaha, we are all invested in the well-being of the RBJH. It is “our” Home, where many of us visit family and friends, but also find endless opportunity to engage in a way that many other nursing homes don’t experience.

“I believe that what differentiates RBJH from any other facility,” Toba said, “is that it provides a quality Jewish Home for Residents, whether they are seeking quality rehabilitation, short-term or longterm nursing care. My mother has been at the Blumkin Home for 8 years now and our family is grateful that she attends religious services, has access to Jewish educational and arts opportunities through the Home and JCC, regular visits from Friedel students (including three of her grandchildren who have all now graduated) and that there is a regular connection to our Rabbi. Also, sometimes people forget what an important resource Star Catering is for visitors from outside of Omaha who need kosher meals or for families that want kosher catering, let alone the Friday deli! We are fortunate to attract so many people from other Jewish communities who need this option.”

Jeff agreed: “The RBJH is truly a community asset. It’s where, pre-pandemic, children from the

Happy New Year

CDC were visiting and playing inside on the playground, Friday delis were gathering spots for not just Residents and their families, but the entire community and where there is a daily minyan for Residents and community members. Volunteers were there daily. The RBJH has never been pushed

COVID-19. The change was felt not only by the Residents, who could no longer receive visitors, but by the community as a whole (read about what it’s been like for the staff elsewhere in this issue).

No more walks to lunch to visit friends, no more attending Minyans and Shivas, no more Friday deli,

Toba Cohen-Dunning and Jeff Kirshenbaum

to the periphery of the community, rather it is at its center. The Residents are our parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts. Taking care of our families has always been a priority. The building was designed to be a home and not an institution.”

As we all know, that open door to the community changed in March of this year. It was the right thing to do, especially since we have learned what has happened in other nursing facilities. Not just in the rest of the USA, but all over the world, nursing homes have been hit particularly hard by

no more red carts spilling over with little visitors from the CDC. “I have watched the headlines, received briefings as a board member, seen the attention to details because of my mother’s residence at the Home,” Toba said. “While at the writing of this article we have not been in the Home since they closed the doors to the outside in March, I can’t imagine what life would be like for her had she contracted the virus. The care given to details is unprecedented.

See An important time to serve page A4

Shana Tova

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Meet Dr. Rebecca Aron

An important time to serve Continued from page A3 Chris Ulven and his team ensure all federal and state guidelines are followed, but they go beyond the norm. Their connection to colleagues around the country who are following best practices provides even greater assurance of the safety of each Resident and staff person. The credit goes to Chris Ulven and his dedicated team.”

There isn’t a day that goes by that the RBJH and JFS aren’t at the top of Jeff ’s mind.

“There isn’t one Resident, staff member or JFS client who hasn’t been affected by the virus,” he said. “There isn’t a playbook for how to address the challenges that Chris and his staff and Karen and her staff are facing on a daily basis. From the day Chris called me to tell me he was closing the home to all visitors, the ability to keep the Residents free from the virus has been the primary goal. Where the daily census, star ratings and financial performance were common topics of conversation between Chris and I, since March 8, conversations have focused on Resident- and staff health and welfare. What do we need to do to keep everyone safe?”

Toba said she, together with her brother Michael, grew up with older parents, which taught them a deep appreciation for multigenerational family and friends.

“Our father (of blessed memory) was president for a few years at the Philip Sher Home for the Aged, the precursor to RBJH,” she said.

“We spent many a second night of Pesach at

the facility on North 52nd Street and used to visit friends of my parents regularly as children. Volunteerism runs deep in our family and understanding that we must give back, L’Dor V’Dor - generation to generation, is never more clear than when you see the faces of Residents when students from Friedel Jewish Academy visit. We must constantly remember to teach our children the importance of former generations and maintaining a Jewish community requires volunteering and giving generously through tzedakah.”

Jeff said the JSS board has allowed him to learn from some of our community’s most knowledgeable and experienced volunteers: “I’ve been on the board for a long time and have learned a lot from the agency’s past presidents. Understand how the agency works. Understand their budgets. What can I do to make the agency better. Look forward to provide a vision for the agency long after your term is over. I’ve also learned a tremendous amount from Karen Gustafson and Chris Ulven. We have a great working relationship. They are the experts at what they do. They are the reasons for the successes of the RBJH and JFS.” Both Toba and Jeff know our community extremely well. Being co-presidents, however, often allows an additional perspective, a different seat at the table and an opportunity to learn new things: “What surprises me,” Toba said, “is when people in our community suggest that we See An important time to serve page A5

Shana Tova!

Dr. Rebecca Aron with her daughter Ella and husband Ryan Downey

SAM KRICSFELD Without anesthesia, surgeries and procedures would be much more dangerous - and would hurt. A lot. Anesthesia, a medically induced state of insensibility, provides surgeons and people giving procedures a safer way to operate and treat patients. Anesthesiologists like Dr. Rebecca Aron specialize in this and make life a bit safer.

Dr. Rebecca Aron grew up in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, a town of around 25,000 residents.

Like many medical professionals, the path leading to her career spanned multiple schools, multiple jobs and multiple cities.

After attending Mt. Pleasant’s only public high school, she attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and received a BS in chemical engineering. She left with a Master’s in biomedical engineering.

Dr. Aron then moved Minneapolis to work

as an engineer for a medical device company.

There, she gained interest in medicine, prompting her to go to medical school back at the University of Michigan. Afterward, she was an anesthesiology resident at the University of California San Francisco, a school known for its dedication entirely to health science.

“I chose cardiac anesthesiology because I found it challenging to take care of very sick patients during some of their most difficult times,” she said.

Finally reaching her current specialty, she had a cardiac anesthesiology fellowship at Duke University in North Carolina. She and her husband, Ryan Downey, then moved across the country to Los Angeles. Dr. Aron worked as a cardiac anesthesiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a Jewish hospital that treated the likes of Lucille Ball, Johnny See Dr. Rebecca Aron page A7

Happy New Year

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on how “most of us are more alike than not, but it takes meticEMMA HOCHFELDER Joanna Hochfelder’s interest in psychotherapy began in ulous mental gymnastics to find the treasure within each perchildhood. Innately drawn to solidarity, non violence and son in each therapy session and to show them real hope.” peace studies, she grew to see psychotherapy as a microcosm When asked why she selected this path, Hochfelder underof that. To her, “childhood learning and human potential are lines “her love to connect with people, helping people find their really from the same hat.” purpose, and guiding them to Hochfelder grew up outside heal their trauma so they can of New York City, attended unmove forward”. Having her own dergraduate school at Marlpractice, allows her to “welboro College. She later come and influence human life attended Lesley Graduate in a very life sustaining way.” To School in Counseling PsycholHochfelder, this work “teaches ogy & Creative Arts Therapies her humility and respect for and Tulane University for her others.” She says, “providing clinical MSW. After completing psychotherapy outside the box her degrees, she pursued postis like an aerial view of life’s graduate training in trauma, timetable, mortality, blossomlogotherapy and imago couing and potentiality.” ples work. She moved to the When reflecting on this premidwest after her graduate vious year, Hochfelder exwork and relocated to Omaha plained that “these last six Joanna Hochfelder with her daughter Emma 6 years ago. Hochfelder has opmonths have brought most of erated her own private holistic psychotherapy practice for us together toward a pro-active message of change. We’ve many years, named, A Hearth for Healing Counseling Center been in this pandemic together which has unloosened societal LLC, she has also been part of group psychotherapy practices, complacency. Many of us, because of this pandemic’s ecohas taught on the university level, and provides consultation nomic hardship, have had to open our eyes to suffering includand clinical supervision. ing the death of George Flyod; the inequalities are hitting At A Hearth For Healing, Hochfelder works with children home and we must take action.” through to adults including couples. She does in depth psyHochfelder is a proponent for universal health care. She exchotherapy and counseling. Her approach utilizes transper- plains that if she was given one wish for healthcare in the sonal person-centered psychology, logotherapy with United States that as a patient and a provider, “we all deserve psychoanalytic tenets. She is deeply committed to the unique excellent and compassionate universal health care because needs and individuality of each person she treats. we are each responsible for one another. Our United States Hochfelder describes psychotherapy as “a means to appre- healthcare system can often neglect that, but this is a time in ciating and decoding humanity through helping each person history that complacency will no longer work.” to find their own story and personal success,” She comments

An important time to serve Continued from page A4 don’t need a kosher resource or a mikvah. It is our sincere responsibility that we provide a high quality kosher kitchen/facility and a kosher mikvah.” Jeff added: “I’m surprised at times that there are many that do not realize everything the JFO and the agencies do. Whether it’s the JCC, the services provided by Jewish Family Service and Jewish Senior Services, we have a tremendous amount to be proud of. The campus serves everyone from infant to elderly and every age in between. Getting more engagement and involvement from the community needs to be a constant goal.”

Toba and husband Eric, have two children: Eleanor and Teddy. Jeff and wife Sharon, have two daughters, Alyssa and Lauren. What do they tell their kids about being a lay leader for the RBJH and JFS, especially this year?

“That giving tzedakah is a constant, regardless of the challenges,” Toba said. “And that we must always rise to the occasion when members of our community are in need, but to never forget that each dollar makes a difference throughout the year. Without regular and constant giving, there are no funds to operate.”

“With Alyssa and Lauren having been home this spring, they have seen me excuse myself for either phone calls or to reply to emails many times,” Jeff said. “They have seen both Sharon and I be active volunteers on a variety of boards over the years.”

Jeff added that the board members do not involve themselves in the day to day operations. “For as long as I have been on the board, this has been the case. What the board does, is to provide a vision of the facility we believe best serves the Residents and community, and to make sure that Chris has the resources to implement that vision. We are a resource for Chris. What can we do to better Resident care?

What can we do to maintain the quality of staff ? What can we do to insure the RBJH continues to be a 5 star home that is considered to be one of the top facilities not just in Omaha or Nebraska, but nationally?”

“Both Jeff and I agree,” Toba said, “we have learned a great deal since stepping into this role in 2016. We each bring to the table different skills and strengths and immediately found a balance with this commitment. Our intentions are the same — to lead this board of community advocates that allows them to have the space to bring their thoughts and recommendations to the table as we collectively work to strategically ensure the Home’s and JFS’s longevity. There is no greater gift in the world than to see our community receive resources that improve their quality of life.”

Both Jeff and Toba have many good things to say about RBJH Executive, Chris Ulven.

“Chris has met every challenge with incredible professionalism and grace,” Toba said. “Whether it was the necessary

closing of the doors, regular testing, unhappy family members because of a particular protocol, etc., he takes every question and gives a thoughtful, researched response. Detail to the numbers is an imperative and his background provides an important skillset necessary to withstand the COVID-19 storm AND the constantly changing state and federal regulations. Chris understands what financial resources are required to keep the quality of service, the high quality staff and the many amenities to Residents and community members. Chris listens to the Residents who, for instance, are provided first class rehabilitation through Rehab Visions.

He works with each and every vendor to maintain the highest standards, but also noting what quantifiable differences these choices make to the people who receive the services!”

Jeff called Chris “as good of an executive director a nursing home can have.” He added: “He is a wonderful fit for the RBJH. He prioritizes taking care of the Residents, respects his staff and understands every aspect of the Home’s budget.

He has earned the respect and trust of not just the board, but of the Residents, their families and community. He and I had our first conversations about the COVID-19 virus in early February. He understood the potential magnitude of the virus on the population of a nursing home and began to formulate a plan long before either the State of Nebraska or federal government had a plan to address the safety of nursing home Residents. On March 8, Chris took the initiative to close the RBJH to all visitors – including families, vendors, volunteers and guests. While many may have been skeptical of such drastic action, it was this vision that has kept the Residents safe from the virus over the last months. Chris and his staff have been at the forefront of best practices and Resident care since the virus outbreak. Every day there is new information and procedures to develop and implement while constantly updating potential revenue and cost impacts. No two days are alike.”

“The Omaha community should be very proud of the RBJH,” Jeff also said. “The staffing levels, quality of staff, the quality and care of the building are second to none. The community has always been and continues to generously support the RBJH and its mission. This generosity will help to insure the RBJH continues to be a nursing home that will provide the best care for our community.”

Finally, the question on everyone’s mind: When will the deli reopen? For that, we went straight to the source.

“It will be a long time before RBJH can be open to the community for a deli again,” Chris Ulven said. “Likely, it won’t be until after a COVID-19 vaccine is released. However, we are working on some ideas for a different venue with a reduced menu to be able to offer the community Star Catering again and somehow come up with a plan to give the community an option to get their hands on their favorite deli food!”

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A6 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

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ARIELLA ROHR Joe Rohr is a glutton for knowledge. In college when most choose between a Bachelors of Science and a Bachelors of Arts, Joe chose both (the BA is in French, specifically Old French linguistics). After undergrad when many who choose to continue their education go down the path of either MD or PhD, Joe again chose both. After completing his MD and PhD, when it was time to enter residency in either Clinical Pathology or Anatomic Pathology, Joe again chose both. The summer between medical school and residency, when he was technically not a member of any institution that would let him learn or practice medicine, was the first full break he had taken since high school. Every summer before that was spent in some sort of science-based program, including a summer program with Amgen, a major pharmaceutical company; the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program at University of Virginia; a program for high school students at WashU; and the Summer Undergraduate Research Program at UNMC. Other than that, it was science and math camps all the way back to kindergarten. Even the spring break during college that his girlfriend convinced him to stay on campus with her and their friends, he informed the lab he was working in that he would have extra availability due to not having to go to classes.

Joe was born in Los Angeles, but moved to Indiana when he was just a year old, where his brother and sister were born. The family moved again to West Bloomfield, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, over spring break of his 5th grade year. Joe’s mom likes to tell the story of how he helped the babysitter with her math homework when he was ten. He joined the school orchestra and took up the viola because that’s what the music director needed; an inauspicious start to a romance that has lasted to this day. Joe continues to keep a viola and even played in the New Orleans Civic Orchestra when he lived there (because, again, they needed a viola). Back when such things happened, Joe and his med school buddies would have jam sessions in the backyard on warm nights.

Outside of music, Joe developed a love of nature. He was a camper-turned-counselor at Johnson Nature Center in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. In an alternate life, he would love to spend his days working at a wildlife preserve, caring for plants and teaching visitors how to identify different types of birds. In the meantime, he settles for growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers in backyard pots and doggedly trying to teach his wife to identify birds.

In his undergraduate career at Tulane University, Joe got his first real taste of life as a medical researcher when he joined the lab of Dr. YiPing Chen, where he helped prepare specimens for research into craniofacial organogenesis, a term which means “growing teeth on mouse kidneys”. Joe says “Dr. Chen’s lab was where I learned how to think about science. How to dive deep into literature, to understand what question to ask next.” Perhaps the best things to come out of his experience in that lab were a taste for Mao Tai, a fancy Chinese liquor, and the hastily-cobbled phrase “be careful with those, they’re crispy” ( fragile). Coming out of college, Joe knew he wanted to go into a combined MD/PhD program because he wanted to see how medicine worked “from bench to bedside,” understanding both the basic building blocks of the tools used to fight disease, and the way things actually play out in practice.

After the first two years of medical school, Joe took a “leave of absence” per the MD/PhD program’s proscribed format, to pursue his

PhD. He worked in the lab of Dr. W.C. Chan, a pioneer in the field of blood cancer research, working towards a cure for peripheral T-cell lymphomas, a rare but deadly subtype of blood cancers. "After completing his PhD, Joe started his third year of medical school and began rotations in the hospital. He became

Joe, Amelia and Ariella Rohr

very interested in Hemato-oncology (treating blood cancers) and hematopathology (diagnosing diseases of the blood and lymphnodes.) When he reached his pathology rotation, he knew he had found his place. “In pathology you ask a physiologic or pathophysiologic question and your job is to find the answer,” Joe explains. “Ultimately what I want to do with my life is ask a question and figure out the answer.”

A day in the life of a resident pathologist varies greatly depending on the rotation, but it follows a basic structure: Arrive at the hospital by 7 a.m. -- prepare for the day and work on ongoing projects.

Joe currently has 18 different education and research projects in progress. His research spans a variety of subjects including thyroid cancer, cervical cancer, public health of the Amish in rural Nebraska, and several on lymphoma. He also helps write curriculum for the med school, medical technologist training, and the High School Alliance, which allows High School students interested in medicine to take courses from UNMC lecturers.

8 a.m. -- Department Didactic Series.

This is a daily lecture given by someone in the department on a subject related to pathology.

Topics generally focus on skills they will need during their rotations.

9 a.m. -- Service Work. Here’s where the rotation really comes into play. During Blood Bank rotation, this means seeing blood transfusion or apheresis (removal or exchanging of blood parts) patients to verify that the procedures being done on them and the blood products they are receiving are correct. Receiving incorrectly-matched blood or plasma can be massively problematic, to put it mildly.

During the “grossing” rotation, his job is to prepare excised body parts for microscopic examination. (Fun fact: everything that comes out of a person, be it organ, tumor, or foreign object, gets sent to pathology for evaluation.) On Clinical Chemistry rotations, he’s running tests/checking test results on whatever bodily fluids got “sent to the lab”, including checking for vitamin D or thyroid hormone levels. Autopsy rotation is exactly what you’d imagine. His favorite rotation is hematopathology, which consists of rendering diagnoses of lymph nodes and tissues, bone marrows, fluids, and other body samples. Asked why this was his favorite rotation, Joe’s face turned to a mixture of surprise and confusion. “I’ve never been asked that question. The hemepaths know why I like it. It’s because it’s the best field ever.”

11:30 a.m .-- Interesting Case Conference. Most days, when they are able, the pathologists share slides from noteworthy medical cases that have come across their desk.

On a good day, lunch happens at some point. Sometimes in under ten minutes.

See Joe Rohr page A8

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | A7

Dr. Rebecca Aron Continued from page A4 Carson, George Gershwin, Andy Kaufman, Stan Lee and Frank Sinatra.

Currently, Dr. Aron works at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She and her family, which now includes her daughter Ella, moved here approximately two years ago. She has another daughter on the way.

Dr. Aron explained her job as managing anything that happens to patients during surgery, including blood loss, pain treatment, and supporting all organ systems. As a specialist in cardiac anesthesiology, she specializes in patients that undergo heart procedures like coronary bypasses and full heart transplants – everything from open-heart to minimally invasive. She is also trained to perform and interpret echocardiograms – heart ultrasounds.

“My most rewarding days are when I take care of someone who is very sick and I see them come out of surgery and end up doing well,” she said.

Although there is no such thing as a typical day in the life of a medical professional, Dr. Aron usually begins by evaluating and examining patients and their medical and surgical histories. For open heart surgeries, she renders patients unconscious, places special lines and tubes and puts them on a ventilator. Medicines and fluids are administered to support organs and/or treat pain. Echocardiograms are performed before and after the surgery to make sure the operation was successful.

“Anesthesia is like the kicker in football,” Dr. Aron said. “No one remembers their anesthesiologist when things go well, despite how hard they may have been. You only get noticed when things don’t go as expected.”

Her message to future medical professionals is that they may make a lot of sacrifices and go down a long path to achieve their goal, but it is very rewarding in the end.

Regarding her Jewish life in Omaha, Dr. Aron and her family belong to Beth El Synagogue and really enjoy their Shabbat services. Jewish history and tradition are very important to her. Earlier this year, Dr. Aron and her family returned from a trip to Israel.

“It was very meaningful to have our four-year-old daughter with us on her first trip,” she said.

Dr. Aron and her family like the Omaha Jewish community and are glad to be here.

“I so appreciate the warm, tight-knit community in Omaha which immediately took us in and made us feel welcome,” she said.

Even with all her achievements and a noble job, Dr. Aron says that her crowning achievement is being a mother.

If you ever have a surgery, just remember that anesthesiologists like Dr. Rebecca Aron play a big role in your comfort – and in your survival.

Visit us at omahajewishpress.com

Samuel Cemaj, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.C.C.M. Trauma Surgeon at The University of Nebraska Medical Center GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer From the time he was a young child, Samuel Cemaj knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up.

“I would say that most people develop interests and skills throughout their formative years that lead them to jobs and careers. As long as I can remember, all the way back to grammar school, I wanted to be surgeon.” He chuckles, before adding, “although for a brief time as a child I also considered being a pilot, but I had no doubts I would be a surgeon first.”

Born and raised in Mexico City, Dr. Cemaj attended the National Autonomous University of Mexico - Mexico City, from which he earned his medical degree in 1980. He completed his residency in General Surgery from the Instituto Mexicano Del Suguro Social in 1984 before landing a position as a Research Fellow at the University of Pittsburgh in 1986.

“I always wanted to come and train in the States, but at that time, similar to now, it was a very difficult and competitive process to get into medical school, especially as a foreign graduate. Though my road was long, I was undeterred.”

Undeterred is an understatement.

Sam willingly repeated his training in the States with fellowships, first at The University of Pittsburgh as a researcher, then as a Liver Transplant Fellow.

“The door in the US that opened to me was in transplant surgery. This was when very few places offered transplant procedures. I was in Pittsburgh for three

years before I took a fellowship in Trauma and Critical Care at Loma Linda University in California from 1990-1993.”

Samuel Cemaj

In addition to earning certifications in Advanced Trauma Support and his license from The American Board of Surgery, Cemaj was awarded “Best Resident of the Year” and served as an Instructor of Advanced Trauma Life Support during his time as a resident in Loma Linda.

Dr. Cemaj returned to Mexico City for a few years where he opened a private practice which he ran until 1999, when he was invited back to California and offered a position as an Assistant Professor of Surgery. “After much discussion with my wife, Shirley, we decided to return to Loma Linda with our young family.”

In 2003, Dr. Cemaj took a position as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Creighton University Medical Center

where he remained until 2011. “When I first applied for the position I didn’t even know where Omaha was, so I came to check it out. I liked the city and was especially impressed by the Jewish community here, so I decided to take the job.

Everyone thought I was a little crazy to leave California for Nebraska, but it was 100 percent the right choice and we have been here ever since.”

He continues, “Everyone I meet seems to have funny stories about their move to Omaha. Maybe they came for a job, or because their spouse is from here. For me, I called to cancel some utility services in California and I told the operator that we were moving to Omaha. She laughed and asked why in the world I would want to move to Nebraska. Really, Omaha is a great place- a hidden secret.”

Dr. Cemaj continued his training at Duke University where he expanded his focus with a fellowship in Trauma and Critical Care in 2011. “My family stayed in Omaha while I completed my year long fellowship at Duke. Upon my return, I took a position as an Associate Professor of Surgery within the division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at The University of Nebraska Medical Center and that is where I have been since.”

Dr. Cemaj has great pride in the way UNMC prepared early and aggressively for COVID-19. “Nebraska is very lucky to have such a facility and the medical experts it has drawn. Luckily, Nebraska hasn’t been hit as hard as some other states; thus far this has helped us to not exceed our resources. UNMC has done See Dr. Samuel Cemaj page A8

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A8 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Dr. Samuel Cemaj Joe Rohr

do we send them to it, but we tell them it’s happening.”

Continued from page A6 Other things that can fill the day include teaching med stuIn terms of COVID-19, pathologists have been called the dents, answering follow up questions about labs or biopsies, “last responders’’. At the most obvious level, an autopsy tells and Tumor Boards, in which all the us how a person died and what the providers for a cancer case, includvirus did to their body. But before ing surgeons, oncologists, radiolothat, they are a part of the treatgists, and pathologists, discuss ment team for every patient from new cases or changes to existing whom samples are taken. Vials of cases. Pathologists are sometimes infectious bodily fluids come called “the doctor’s doctor” bethrough the lab and are handled by cause they are often the ones who the pathology team. They’re runother physicians call when they ning the COVID tests and vetting have questions about the results the new test types to determine they are seeing. Whether it’s a new which ones get used. “Doing a disease or a new grading scale, COVID autopsy is terrifying, for pathologists can usually explain it. me certainly, because the last Overnights and weekends -thing I want to do is bring it home Unlike many other fields, there’s to my family.” For someone so not a lot of pathology emergencies. steeped in knowledge, the scariest But they do happen. There is alpart is how new and mysterious ways a pathologist on call every COVID-19 is. “Most of the things minute of every day. Responsibiliwe need to know, we just don’t yet. ties vary from urgent intraoperaWe aren't even certain if immunity tive diagnosis (What did we cut is possible.” out? Do we need to cut more?) to By the time he is considered done triaging specimens and blood with training, Joe will have spent product dispensing. four years in medical school, three Joe and Amelia on Halloween One of the things that Joe loves years in graduate school, four years about pathology is the relative autonomy to work on projects in residency, and 2-3 years in fellowship. His ultimate goal is that interest him and benefit the field. Because he spends to spend the majority of his time doing medical research, but more time at a desk than in a patient’s room, he is more able he intends to always keep one foot in the world of medical to pivot between daily tasks and ongoing projects without dis- practice. He has spent over 25 years learning and practicing rupting the flow of the hospital and what needs to get done. and gaining the skills and knowledge to serve his community Of course, there is also a difficult side to pathology. “We deliver through science and medicine, and he’s still just at the begindeath sentences,” Joe says. “We don’t lower the guillotine, nor ning of his career.

Dr. Samuel Cemaj and his granddaughter. Life is most precious.

Continued from page A7 its best to exercise reasonable controls, such as limiting access points, barring visitors, and other variables and has worked to shield their older or higher risk physicians as much as possible. That said, in Trauma we follow strict protocols for patients since we rarely know their COVID-19 status upon arrival. All patients are tested before surgery, but in a matter of life or death, we do not always have the luxury of time awaiting COVID-19 test results, so we proceed as though the patient is positive with all necessary precautions.”

Cemaj is glad for the strides made in testing as the data provides more a realistic picture of how far the disease has spread, but he wishes more people would take the precautions set in place by the CDC and local health departments seriously. “By now, everyone should understand the importance of masks and distancing. No one is above being See Dr. Samuel Cemaj page A10

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | A9

The disease detective ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor In his 2016 book, The Next Great Pandemic: On the Front Lines Against Humankind’s Gravest Dangers, Dr. Ali Khan wrote: We humans act like we own the planet, when really it’s the microbes and the insects who run things. One way they remind us who’s in charge is by transmitting disease, often with the help of small animals, including rodents or bats.”

Ali S. Khan, MD, is the current Dean of UNMC’s College of Public Health and a professor in the Department of Epidemiology. In addition, he is the current President of the Tri-Faith Initiative Board of Directors, an organization that is extremely close to his heart.

Together with William Patrick, he published The Next Great Pandemic years before any of us had become familiar with the term “COVID-19,” but long after gathering endless data about infectious disease in the field. His credentials are robust. After obtaining his medical degree at State University of New York, Health Science at Brooklyn, he completed the Combined Residency Program Dr. Ali Khan in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, followed by Emory University School of Public Health Division of Biostatistics in Atlanta, GA. From 1991 until 2010, he filled several different roles at the Centers for Disease Control, starting as the Medical Epidemiologist and Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer for the Division of Parasitic Diseases and going on to eventually be the acting Director of the National Center for Zoonotic, Vectorborne and Enteric Diseases and finally as the Director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response.

While focusing on bio terrorism, global health and emerging infectious diseases, he designed the CDC’s global field epidemiology and laboratory training program. He helped design the President’s Malaria Initiative and has been engaged in Polio and Guinea Worm eradication. Dr. Khan also published the first national public health preparedness plan and directed the CDC operational response during the 2001 Anthrax attack in Washington D.C. He has worked with the Hantavirus, hemorrhagic fever, avian influenza and Ebola and was on the front line during the health response to Hurricane Katrina.

And those are just the “highlights.”

In lay terms: he is much more prepared for what the year 2020 has brought than the average American. A “disease detective,” is how he refers to himself.

“When I went to medical school,” he wrote, “becoming a geek version of Indiana Jones was not what I had in mind. I’d been inspired to study medicine by my father. He’d been a fourteen-year-old peasant farmer with an elementary school education who made the multi-week trek from a remote village in Kashmir to Bombay at the beginning of the Second World War, lied about being 19 and joined a Scandinavian freighter as a wiper in the engine room.

“My scientific interests, immunology and infectious disease, had been spurred by childhood readings of how Louis Pasteur refuted the theory of spontaneous generation. But after my residency in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, I was selected for a two-year fellowship to work as a disease detective at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, or what I lovingly refer to as CSI:Atlanta. I wound up staying for almost 25 years. My job took me from jungle outposts to Chilean villages reachable only on horseback, to crowded Asian cities locked down under quarantine, to the abattoirs of Persian Gulf sultanates where migrant workers slaughtered goats and sheep under appalling conditions.”

He also wrote: “Our failure to more deeply understand and more consistently attend to the bigger issues leaves us, as they say along the fault lines in California, just waiting for the big one.”

Nowadays, we’re all wondering if this is that ‘big one,’ but Dr. Khan said: “Fortunately, which is hard to believe given our current failed response, COVID19 is not the big one we fear. That would likely be a pandemic influenza virus of the magnitude we saw in 1918. The current outbreak, with some missteps, was easily handled by many countries that are going back to some semblance of normal.”

When asked if there is an advantage to being in Omaha, NE versus places like New York, or now Miami or Los Angeles, he said: “There is a huge advantage. In Omaha, we have a very collaborative academic atmosphere in a wonderful community where it is possible to think and do big things to improve health.”

His stories about infectious disease address horrible conditions, yet are extremely engaging: “The program where I got my start, the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS), was established in 1951 by Dr. Alex Langmuir to address biological warfare concerns that arose during the conflict in Korea. Its mission was to train epidemiologists on extant public health problems while they kept a watch for foreign germs. […] EIS officers have worked on issues as varied as Polio, lead poisoning, cancer clusters, smallpox, Legionnaires’ disease, toxic shock syndrome, birth defects, HIV/AIDS, tobacco, West Nile Virus, E. Coli contaminated water, natural disasters and fungal meningitis. But my first assignment was not nearly so impressive.

“I was a 26-year-old rookie (I looked about 12 despite the mustache I had grown in the hope of adding a few years) when I conducted my first Epi-Aid, an investigation of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

But immediately afterward I was summoned to my first real challenge in the field— I was shipped off to Hawaii to investigate an outbreak of diarrhea on a cruise ship.

Now, very few cruise ships are registered in the United States, but this one sailed only the territorial waters of the Hawaiian Islands, so it flew the U.S. flag, which meant that its owner, along with the State Health Department, were entitled to call up the CDC and ask us to investigate.

“For most of the ten hours I spent flying west I was on the phone with my supervisor, trying to get up to speed on the Norwalk virus, which seemed to be the cause of the outbreak, which in turn meant getting up to speed on projectile vomiting and the fine points of evaluating the stool quality of diarrhea. This was in the early 1990s, when the only way to make a call was from what amounted to a pay phone in the back of the plane. I tend to be an animated phone talker and I’m pretty sure I was loud enough to be heard in the cockpit.”

“When the plane landed in Honolulu, the captain said, “Would everybody please stay seated. We need to allow Dr. Ali Khan to get off the plane first.”

“I looked around and all the passengers were staring at me and I thought, Gee, how do they know I’m the doctor flying in on an emergency case? Then it occurred to me that I was the jerk who’d ruined everybody’s vacation by talking diarrhea all the way across the Pacific.”

Of course, it’s not all laughable, and Dr. Khan will be the first to remind us we have the take infectious disease very seriously: “I would focus on 157,000 preventable deaths (U.S. only, at the time of this writing, ed.). This number would have been unforgivable if we were in a war. And we are, against our own incompetence. Europe and other countries have contained; some have eliminated the disease. China just saw increase in GDP.” When a new virus shows up, or doctors suspect it’s new, the first questions Dr. Khan wants answered are: “Is it really new!? It may be an uncommon manifestation of a regular disease, or perhaps it has been around at a low level for a while, or it could be a regular disease in a new setting.

So, we identify the new cases, verify that it is indeed new, and find the new pathogen.”

The current U.S. administration has signaled its intent to withdraw from the World Health Organization by July 2021.

We asked Dr. Khan what that means: “It would mean that in July 2021, we would no longer be members of the World Health Assembly. If that happened, we would lose our global leadership position in preventing disease outbreaks worldwide and promoting health. We would have less visibility on global threats. Less opportunity to respond in a multilateral way to forge health diplomacy and learn about new outbreaks.”

The Omaha Tri-Faith Initiative is a big part of who Ali Khan is as a human being. Between his impressive career in Public Health and his current role as the President of the Tri-Faith Board of Directors, where does he feel the overlap?

“This one is easy,” he said, “Social Justice! I also often reflect on a quote from Louis Pasteur, my hero: ‘Happy is he who bears a god within himself, an ideal of beauty, and obeys him: an ideal of art, an ideal of the virtues of the Gospel. These are the living springs of great thoughts and great actions. All are illuminated by reflections of the sublime.’”

What is the main difference between SARS and COVID-19?

Can you tell me in layman’s terms?

“Both are same type of virus found in bats that can cause a severe lung infection in humans and is contagious from person See The Disease Detective page A11

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Working during a pandemic: Nicole Shipley ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor What has life and work been like for some of the employees at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home? Below, some insights from Nicole Shipley, Neighborhood Clerk.

Years at the Home: Four years Why did you choose this job?

I was a CNA when I first started, this new position became available and interested me, so I wanted to give it a shot.

What has been the most challenging part of being on lock-down?

Wearing masks all day long, but mostly not being able to see the family members. Or Residents becoming sad because their family cannot come in.

How do you keep yourself motivated and healthy?

I tell myself that we are the next closest people to family members as these Residents will have for a while; that alone has given me motivation to make sure we stay as healthy as we can to keep them healthy.

What role, if any, does your family play in supporting you during this time?

They just ask if I’m doing okay, or ask, how are you doing?

What do you miss about ‘normal’ times (if there is such a thing)?

Being able to smile and laugh with the Residents and them not only seeing my mask.

Going out to a restaurant.

What do you worry about?

The Home having an outbreak of cases.

What are you grateful for?

The Home being as lucky as we have been with not having a lot of cases (Knock on wood).

How do you prepare the Residents for the Jewish holidays?

The activities department is a huge help with that, they get everything decorated.

What can the community do for you?

What can we do for the Residents?

We all enjoy the drive by parades, and seeing everyone’s thoughtful and inspiring signs.

Do you look at your colleagues in a different light now that you are going through this together?

No, we are all heroes in the Residents’ eyes.

How have the Residents surprised you?

By being supportive and appreciative of what healthcare workers are doing to keep everyone safe.

What do you say to people who complain about having to wear a mask to the grocery store?

It’s not that bad — especially compared to what others are going through in the hospitals.

What do you miss the most about having no visitors in the building?

Giving family members hugs when they come to visit their loved ones.

Dr. Samuel Cemaj

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Continued from page A8 stricken with this virus and it is mind boggling that so many willfully ignore or disregard the simple tools within their control, like wearing a mask.”

When interviewed, it was apparent how passionately Dr. Cemaj cares for his patients.

“No one comes into Trauma Surgery for pleasant reasons. Usually, my patients are people who have endured serious trauma from some terrible accident. Sadly, many but by no means all- could have been prevented. Drug and alcohol use, especially when the weather is nicer, seem to play a significant role in many of these injuries.”

I interviewed Dr. Cemaj just a few days before July 4, so this conversation was particularly on point. He shared that Independence Day was usually very busy in his department and consisted of many firework related injuries. “I unfortunately hold something of a record for the most 4th of July Trauma admissions from 4-5 years ago. It was one of my worst days as a trauma surgeon and so many of the injuries really could have been avoided with just a little more caution. Nonetheless, all patients of mine get the same level of care. I don’t care what you did to end up in Trauma, I care about getting you through the trauma so that you can live your life.

Dr. Cemaj continues. “I gain great satisfaction as a surgeon, and as a human, when I am able to successfully care for a patient. To save a human life is the ultimate mitzvah; the gratitude of patients and their families is humbling.”

When asked if his job had a ‘hardest part’, given the nature of it, Dr. Cemaj is quick with an answer. “Although I deal with

trauma patients on a daily basis, by far the hardest part of my job is when a patient, especially a child or vulnerable adult, is lost due to non-accidental trauma injuries,” in other words, abuse.

Dr. Cemaj also has ambivalent feelings about the move to digital records. “Through a strict process involving a lot of firewalls and security, it is truly amazing that I can review history, charts, labs, and imaging which allows me to monitor patients remotely, if needed. That said, the copious amount of time it takes to input my notes from rounds easily doubles my work load but are required, both to complete records and to bill correctly. When I was younger, these notes would be made as I did rounds, rather than for hours afterwards. This is the only part of my job I wouldn’t miss.”

Dr. Cemaj’s one wish for health care today would be to make healthcare more equitable and accessible. “Ideally, we could keep the quality but in a fairer way to ensure no one is left behind or unable to get the help they need.”

Sam and Shirley have three children.

Their eldest son, Alex, lives in New York with their granddaughter and their other son, Solomon, lives in Denver. Their youngest, daughter Sophie, is following in her father’s footsteps and is a third year medical student at UNMC; as such, she is also featured in this issue. Her father shared that, “Sophie came to medical school on her own volition and she is doing everything right. I believe she will go very far in medicine — definitely further than me. It is every parent’s wish to see their children grow up and be contributing members of society. We couldn’t be prouder of all our children.”

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | A11

Disease detective Continued from page A9 to person. SARS was more infectious as you got sicker and caused lots of healthcare infections – it killed about 10 percent of people infected. COVID-19 patients are infectious before they develop symptoms, which makes it harder to control. Only about 1 percent of infected people die.”

How worried should we be about any wildlife anywhere in the US? “Enjoy the wildlife, just don’t interact with wild animals and be kind to not destroy their habitat. We have innumerable diseases in the US transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, and rodents.”

Dr. Khan also wrote: “Fear is much less useful than keeping an open mind.”

Is that true mostly Dr. Ali Khan for scientists, or for the general population as well? Is it possible that the non-science community is currently not fearful enough?

“I believe that is true for the general public,” he said. “Neither fear-mongering nor hope are actual public health strategies. Instead of fear, we now have the mirror image of hopelessness (the absence of fear). This is as bad because people are not making good choices to protect themselves and their community.”

What is the one question everyone should be asking right now?

“How do I goad my elected officials and public health departments to do the right and hard things to protect our way of life? The situation where we are locked in our homes with no jobs is unsustainable.”

While Dr. Khan’s book was published four years prior to many of us experiencing a pandemic up close, his earlier words were often quite prophetic.

“We need to increase scientific understanding in the West,” he wrote, “just as we need to in the developing world. We also need to lower the temperature in the media, reducing the level of junk science entering our brains (along with the level of junk media in general). We need to help people learn to demand actual data as they form their opinions, rather than celebrity sound bites.”

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Frank L. Ciciulla Jr. 60 Years Experience With Jewish Lettering and Memorials 1439 So. 13th

Everybody here is connected SAM KRICSFELD Darlene Golbitz became the nurse of Jewish Omaha. Over the course of 32 years at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, she took care of hundreds of our community’s parents and grandparents and established herself as one of our community’s most important assets.

Now retired, Darlene still enthusiastically contributes to the Jewish community.

Darlene grew up in the small town of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.

There were early signs of her future career – she remembers putting band-aids and homemade splints on her dolls, volunteering at a local hospital as a candy striper and visiting her Darlene Goldbitz grandmother in a nursing home every weekend. Despite all of this, she anticipated becoming an English major. Her mother thought otherwise – her boss’s daughter was a nurse, so she had it in her mind that Darlene was going to do the same.

Darlene attended nursing school at Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh on a full scholarship. Hers would turn out to be the last class to graduate from the school as nursing programs began to shift to a more university curriculum. She remembers a cousin, who had worked at that hospital for years, saying that nothing had changed there since World War II. After becoming a registered nurse and furthering her studies at the University of Pittsburgh, she married and moved multiple times before settling in Omaha at the end of 1978.

Upon her arrival, she volunteered at the Dr. Philip Sher Home, the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home’s predecessor.

In 1982, the Blumkin Home officially opened. Sher Home residents arrived on buses, had their vitals taken and were led to their rooms. Darlene was there to help welcome them. She began working at the Blumkin Home, gradually increasing her number of shifts until she became a full-time employee.

In the 1990s, she went back to school at University of Nebraska Omaha and graduated with a Bachelor of General Studies concentrating on public administration and gerontology. A professor showed her data that the thing that most

Americans dreaded more than anything – more than dying – was living in a nursing home.

“I was shocked,” she said. “I had no idea. I said, ‘Okay, most people have never seen the Blumkin Home.’”

A further class project led Darlene to visit other Omaha nursing homes, where she said that she was taken aback by how depressing they were.

“There really isn’t anything else like the Blumkin Home. It’s just a different culture and it’s a different mindset. I was so proud to be a part of it,” she said.

Over her 32 years at the Home, she took care of three generations of Jewish Omahans.

Though not an Omaha native, she quickly learned the ins and outs of our Jewish community by taking care of those who essentially created it.

“It was quite interesting to work at the Blumkin Home and make the connections with all the people who are Omaha natives – let me tell you, everybody here is connected,” she said.

Full disclosure: I have a connection with Mrs. Golbitz. She took care of three of my great-grandparents, my great-greatuncle and my great-great-aunt when they were at the Home.

I was a bit choked up to hear her remember, decades later, each one of them – even which hallway my great-grandfather, Joe Kricsfeld, resided in. I was too young at the time to realize the importance of the staff at the Blumkin Home. I now see that nurses like Mrs. Golbitz help make comfortable those who need it most. To know that my family was in her hands made the whole interview a lot more personal and this article a whole lot harder to write.

Of course, there are inevitabilities when working at such a tight-knit community’s nursing home. Deaths can strike close to home, and everybody’s families cope in different ways.

“When they’re listing people [during Shabbat services] and it’s somebody’s Yahrzeit... I probably know at least a third of the names that they say, or at least a relative of theirs,” she said.

After over three decades at the Home, Golbitz retired in See Darlene Goldbitz page A12

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A12 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Hap Pocras Darlene Goldbitz Continued from page A11 2014 to be able to visit her grandchildren in Colorado with her husband.

“I said, ‘Alright, if David Letterman can retire at 68, I can retire at 68.’”

In her retirement, Golbitz reads daily.

She has always been an avid reader and is the go-to person for Beth El Synagogue’s Women’s Book Group. She is also a participant in a program called NetGalley, a site where “professional readers” read books before they’re published and leave reviews.

When I worked at the Member Services desk at the Jewish Community Center gym, I remember Mrs. Golbitz coming in regularly. She always left me with her keys and membership card while she went to work out. Since the pandemic started, she lifts weights at home and takes walks.

When asked what else she does in her free time, she simply said, “Not television.”

Despite her retirement, Golbitz isn’t done with the Blumkin Home just yet. She now sits on the board and provides unique insights about the inner workings of a nursing home that other board members may not know about. “[The board members] have continued to stress that they will do everything possible to make sure that the Blumkin Home is the best place for the Jewish community, no matter what it takes, and they go over and above,” she said.

Golbitz said she learned a lot about the Blumkin Home, but one thing specifically stuck out to her:

“One of the nicest things I learned is everybody is treated equally, whether they were Jewish or not Jewish, whether they had money [or] didn’t have money, whether they were on Medicaid or Medicare or a private payer,” she said.

Darlene Golbitz is an essential part of Jewish Omaha. You can never be more than two degrees away from knowing her – she may have even taken care of your loved ones. She is kind, caring and a pleasure to talk to. Although retired, she continues to serve some of our community’s neediest people by consistently supporting the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home – a place that she changed forever.

However, the most rewarding aspect is EMMA HOCHFELDER “It is a privilege to take care of people,” ex- “seeing the smiles on patients’ faces as they plains Dr. Hap Pocras, an anesthesiologist at recover from their procedure”. To Pocras, “it Methodist hospital. Pocras is originally from is a privilege to have this education and a Lincoln and moved to Omaha in 1999 after privileged opportunity to take care of people his training, to begin his and their health. I know how career. For Porcas, anesrewarding and gratifying the thesiology resonated with day will be because of it.” him in medical school beThe pandemic presented cause of his innate ability medical professionals with a to “remain calm under unique challenge Pocras expressure and act and plains because, “COVID-19 move quickly,” the key touches every corner of the components of a successworld. It is everywhere.” The ful anesthesiologist. virus revealed how fragile our The job of an anesthesilives really are. ologist includes “helping “Seeing patients in the hostake care of people who pital who are trying to recover were unaware the day befrom COVID-19 is a challengfore that they were going ing situation for all healthcare Hap Pocras to be facing surgery,” exproviders... You can usually tell plains Pocras. Anesthesiology involves work- patients what to expect in each aspect of ing in a fast paced operating room and the routine procedures, but with COVID, we do ability to take care of a patient in that envi- not know. We are learning as we go. What we ronment. learned last month might be different than Pocras explains that anesthesiology is “98 today. It is a tremendous challenge to healthpercent routine and 2 percent terror” be- care professionals,” explains Pocras on the cause a majority of the time everything goes health crisis. He compared March, because according to plan, but in that 2 percent of at that time “we didn’t know who would retime, it is up to the anesthesiologist to “act quire hospitalization. That was the fear. How quickly and adapt to the changing enviro- are we going to take care of all of these peoment.” Picking a speciality for Pocras hap- ple?” At the time of this interview, we had pened gradually. In medical school when begun to flatten the curve. examining all the specialties and paths, “you Hopefully going forward, the disease dihave to picture yourself in these environ- minishes. At least, that is what Pocras and ments until you find the right fit.” his colleagues hope. “What we hope for is The most difficult part of the job Pocras that this disease slowly goes away, and the says is taking care of patients who are deal- people that are exposed to the virus experiing with a lot of other illnesses like smoking, ence fewer and milder symptoms.” obesity, or a history of a heart disease. Those Until that time, Pocras and his colleagues underlying factors make it difficult to wake keep working because just like in an operatthem post operation. ing room “everybody has a job to do.”

From my family to yours, we wish you a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Paid for by the Jean Stothert for Omaha Committee, 5909 S. 118th Plaza, Omaha NE 68137

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | A13

The Singing Doctor: Scott Goodman ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Ask Dr. Scott Goodman where his career as a neurologist and his personal life overlap and he will tell you: “There’s a lot of overlap. My personal friends, associates, and acquaintances know that I’m a neurologist. I am happy to talk about medicine with friends whenever needed. It is not uncommon that I may wind up seeing a personal friend, or his or her family member, for a formal consult. I am pretty comfortable going back and forth between my professional identity as a neurologist and my personal identity as a friend, regular guy, and member of my community. Honestly there isn’t much space in between.”

Scott and Jen Goodman with their daughters Hannah and Shelby

Let’s back up. I first met Scott when he started doing theater at the JCC Musical Theater Community Acting Group. He did so with family, my husband and first one, then both our children. In fact, Shelby Goodman and our daughter Isabella played Tzeitel and Motel in Fiddler on the Roof. Our children went to religious school together at Temple Israel. Being in theater with Scott and Steve Denenberg affirmed for my husband he wanted to go back to school; he is currently in his 3rd year of med school. We partially have both of them (and Michael Cohen, read about him elsewhere in this issue) to thank for the encouragement. Scott’s wife Jen, for years, was who I would go to at Temple Israel to renew our children’s religious school enrollment; these days, she works right next door at the Institute for Holocaust Education. What’s that again about overlap?

Scott grew up in Kansas City, Missouri: “I went to Temple B’nai Jehudah as a child, was confirmed there, and actually became Bar Mitzvah in Kansas City at the age of 20.” High School was Pembroke Hill, “a private nonparochial school in Kansas City, where I graduated in 1990,” Scott added. “As I reflect back, I appreciate that I was lucky to receive an excellent high school education.”

He attended the University of California at Berkley, for his freshman year of undergraduate college. He then transferred to The University of Kansas in Lawrence, where he graduated with B.A. in biology, in 1995. In 1999, he graduated from medical school, in Kansas City, KS. “I completed my neurology residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota,” Scott said, “where I graduated in 2003.”

He met his wife Jen in undergraduate college in Lawrence, shortly after he arrived there: “We dated for approximately four years and then got married in 1996, between my first and second years of medical school.”

They have two daughters, Hannah (21) and Shelby (19).

While at age six, he probably wanted to be a singer (he still does), he did realize he was interested in medicine by 12.

“My mom was ill pretty frequently as I grew up,” he said, “so I was comfortable with hospitals, illness, and medicine from a young age. My interest was solidified by my love of the sciences during middle school and high school. I thought about a variety of different career paths through the years, but somehow I always came back to medicine. I committed to a premedicine path during my sophomore year of college and I never turned back.”

What does a regular day look like, if there is such a thing?

“My typical clinic day starts at either 9 a.m. or 8 a.m. (if I have add-on patients), and ends at approximately 4:30 p.m. I keep regular office hours, most days. I usually get to clinic at least one hour early, to catch up on paperwork and prepare for the day.

In the evenings, I spend anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours, working on charting (completion of electronic medical records). I have gotten more efficient at this, so I am able

to minimize my non-patient administrative time.

I am on-call at the hospital, on average 1 out of every 5 weeks. When I am on call, my day is longer, as I have rounds in the hospital either before clinic in the early morning, or after clinic in the evening, or sometimes both. This is manageable, as it is only 1 out of every 5 weeks.

I travel to outreach clinic (Shenandoah, Iowa), twice a month, and also have satellite clinics in various locations in Omaha (Bellevue, west Omaha) several times per month, so I do spend some time commuting. We are opening a new clinic location in Papillion in a couple of months!

I spend various amounts of time doing a variety of other professional activities such as teaching, presentations, serving on committees, and occasional independent medical evaluations or medico-legal work.”

The best thing about being a neurologist: “I know it sounds cliché,” he said, “but I like to help people. When I am able to solve a problem, make a diagnosis, or devise a treatment that

is clearly beneficial for my patient, it is very gratifying. The thing that gives me the most consternation, on the other hand, is dealing with insurance companies. It is frustrating when insurance companies deny tests or treatments that I know would be best for my patient. Fortunately, our office staff provides us excellent support to help with insurance paperwork.

“Patient care at times can be challenging. The two most challenging types of patients are those that have multiple and complex medical or psychiatric problems (both challenging and gratifying at the same time), and those that have a lack of access to healthcare resources, such as patients who are uninsured, under-insured, or who have gaps in their coverage. I strive to provide the best possible care to every patient regardless of financial circumstance, so these barriers pose special challenges that need to be overcome.

Judaism influences how he approaches his patients, he said, “in a big way. My moral and ethical grounding in Judaism See Scott Goodman page A15

The Lincoln Jewish Community Wishes You L’Shana Tova and a Sweet New Year!

Congregation B’nai Jeshurun The South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism Nicholette Seigfreid, President 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502 402/435-8004 southstreettemple.org

The Jewish Federation of Lincoln

Congregation Tifereth Israel

Part of the Network of Independent Communities of the Jewish Federations of North America

Member of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

Stacy Waldron, President

3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502 402/423-8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

P.O. Box 67218, Lincoln, NE 68506 402/915-3659 jewishlincoln.org

Seth Harris, President

A14 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Autism Study Update – 5th Year This Study provides an over-the-counter food supplement already proven in published research to very favorably impact autism.

• About 78% of participants continue to exhibit a 75% reduction in their number of • moderately serious or severe level autism attributes – with these being reduced to • no-problem or a slight-problem • This is not more medical research – it is a practical intervention for the autism • community with no placebo so that all may benefit • No side effects have been reported – there are no fees or charges • This Study is currently self-funded by the Therapeutics Research Institute of Omaha • – we continue to seek funding or a benefactor to help support a large-scale expansion • of this successful intervention • For more information [or enrollment] email sevans@gsm-usa.com

L’Shana Tova

Wishing you a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous New Year

Dana Wayne Gonzales 402-850-9007 | dana.gonzales@bhhsamb.com

Happy Rosh Hashanah

Dr. Viv Ewing University of Nebraska Board of Regents District 2

Paid for by Viv Ewing for Regent Committee

I don’t struggle with anxiety.

I’m actually pretty good at it OZZIE NOGG So picture this. It’s May 7, 1908, in the charming seaside town of Opatija, in what is now Croatia. A soon-to-be poppa — Michael Abracham Sternbach (a lower-class Polish pharmacist) and his very, very pregnant wife — Piroska (née Cohn) Sternbach (an upper-class Hungarian Jewess) are eating chicken paprikash in the kitchen of their rented four-room apartment over their drugstore when Piroska drops her fork, says, “ouch,” and soon gives birth to a son, Leo Henryk Sternbach, who would (though no one knew at the time) eventually give birth to Valium.

Yes, Valium! Recognized along with CocaCola, Mickey Mouse, McDonalds and Madonna as a cultural icon around the world. AKA diazepam, the lovable little yellow (or blue or white) pill was immortalized by The Rolling Stones in their 1967 song, Mother’s Little Helper.

“Though she’s not really ill,” Mick Jagger sneered,” there’s a little yellow pill. And it helps her on her way. Gets her through her busy day.” Such a miracle drug certainly gave Piroska Sternbach permission to brag, “My son, the doctor,” right? Or however one says it in Hungarian...

Since his Poppa ran a pharmacy, it was easy for Leo to experiment with chemicals, using his bedroom windowsill as a lab bench and ruining many in the process. He scavenged gunpowder from unexploded World War I shells, stuffed the compound into tin can rockets and launched them into the Croatian sky, offering the citizens of Opatija colorful, flaming fireworks shows. In 1926, Leo moved with his parents to Krakow, Poland (a pizzeria now occupies the ground floor of the Opatija house where he spent his youth). In Krakow he studied at the Jagiellonian University, earning a master’s degree in pharmacy in 1929 and his doctoral degree in organic chemistry in 1931. From then, until the start of WW ll, Leo worked in the labs at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and found time to marry Herta Mia Kreuzer, his landlady’s daughter. While in Basel, in June of 1940, one year after the outbreak of World War II, Leo joined Hoffmann-La Roche as a medicinal chemist. Smart move, as it turned out.

Roche was alone among the four major Swiss chemical companies to resist pressure by the Nazis to ‘Aryanize’ its work force. In Switzerland, fearful of a possible German invasion, Roche moved Jewish employees and their families, including Sternbach, to their Nutley, NJ research facility, saving him from possible death in the Holocaust. “Roche saved my life,” Leo said.

His fellow chemists admired his mastery of laboratory skills, though his lab bench was a chaotic jumble of test tubes, beakers, flasks and funnels. “Sternbach wrote up his research reports absolutely correctly,” one of his team mates said, “although they were thoroughly confusing to everybody else. Sometimes he started at the front of the notebook and sometimes at the back.”

Those notebooks contained the formula for a new, blockbuster tranquilizer.

Valium. A tiny pill that became part of the American lexicon, inspired cult novels like Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls, and served as a quick fix for the phalanx of angstridden characters in Woody Allen movies, like Broadway Danny Rose who moaned, “I need

a Valium as big as a hockey puck.” For desperate housewives, Valium was a tranquilizer. For Roche it was a stimulant, establishing the company as one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Between 1969 and 1982, Valium was the most prescribed drug in America, with over 2.3 billion doses sold in its peak year. In 1973, Valium produced $230 million in U.S. sales.

According to the 2019 analysis of Reports and Data, the global diazepam market was valued at $982.8 million in 2018 and is expected to reach $1.27 billion by the year 2026. HoffmanLa Roche paid Sternbach $1 for the Valium patent, plus a bonus of $10,000, as it did in all cases of significantly profitable drugs. “That award was dropped,” Leo said, “after I won it three or four times.”

Remember befuddled, pigtailed Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman who used Valium to calm her obsession over waxy yellow buildup?

Or the episode when the uptight Reverend Brim, played by Orson Bean, goes to chat with a mass murderer in a Chinese laundry and asks the people hanging around if anybody has a Valium? (Several dozen do.) Still, when Valium was first rolled out, some Roche decision-makers didn’t expect much from Sternbach’s synthesizing of diazepam and jokingly referred to it as ‘Executive Excedrin.’ But when a couple of them tried Valium on their postmenopausal mothers-in-law (whom they found insufferable), they were delighted by its calming effects.

Considered Roche’s wunderkind, Leo Sternbach was an old-school chemist, a ‘twolegged rat’ — a breed who often tested drugs on themselves before they entered clinical trials. After trying one particularly potent medicine (not diazepam), he had so much trouble walking that he asked colleagues to call his wife to pick him up. “I was very disoriented and half-conscious,” he recalls. “For two days, I was not at all well.” In 2003, during an interview on the 40th anniversary of Valium’s development, Sternbach said, ‘’It’s a very good drug. It gives you a feeling of well-being. Only when the sales figures came in, then I realized how important Valium was.” Leo’s wife never let him take it. No problem. “My drug of choice,” he said, “is blended Scotch.”

Valium. Who can forget the not-so-funny (yet laughable) scene in the 1979 film Starting Over when Burt Reynolds’s character has a panic attack in the furniture department of Bloomingdale’s (he’s terrorized at the prospect of buying a couch) and his brother yells, “Does anyone have a Valium?” as Burt hyperventilates and every woman in the store reaches into her purse and pulls out a little vial of pills. (Had this scenario happened at the Furniture Mart, I would happily have See Valium page A15

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | A15

Scott Goodman of Directors. He is a regular member of Omaha Mastersingers, Continued from page A13 directly impacts how I treat others, how I conduct myself, an adult choir with a long and rich history in Omaha and the and how I care for my patients. This is true with respect to founder and leader of a social poker club in Omaha, with 16 both one-on-one patient interactions and population-based regular members and 15 or more additional guest players on medicine. a regular basis.

With respect to one-on-one We suspect Dr. Scott Goodpatient interactions, I strive to man does not sleep. So why treat the “stranger who sodoes a doctor make a good journs with you as the native musical actor? among you, and you shall love “Good question! I’m not him as yourself, for you were certain. Actually, there are a strangers in the land of Egypt.” lot of physicians in Omaha In other words, I strive to relate who are also very talented to every patient, regardless of musicians and performers. his or her personal beliefs or The Metropolitan Omaha background, in a personal, emMedical Society (MOMS) pathetic, and non-judgmental used to put on the MESS way. This goes a long way toClub, once every other year. ward effective patient care.

The MESS Club was a musiWith respect to populationcal variety show, directed by based medicine, I feel that my the late and great Chuck Penhelping the sick and needy, one nington who was the bandpatient at a time, is one small leader of Manheim way in which I can contribute Steamroller. The MESS Club to tikkun olam, repairing the featured physicians throughworld, through my practice of out Omaha, singing and neurology. dancing and generally having But, there is more to Scott: a good time. The production “In addition to neurology, my quality and talent level was interests include music and very good! It was my privitheater, spending time with lege to be a part of two of family and friends, synagogue, these productions in the last poker, golf, and traveling. I’m several years. I guess a physiScott Goodman and Lloyd passionate about all those cian makes a good actor, bethings but try to keep things in balance. cause both activities require that you are able to effectively Besides the JCC Theater and the Temple Israel choir, Kol express yourself.”

Rina, he’s a bit of a renaissance man. He has served on a vaHe thinks he may have sung for his patients perhaps once. riety of professional commsittees, including the Medical “I do have a few patients who sing with me in one or another Ethics Committee at Nebraska Medicine. Currently, he serves choir, or know me from the musical or theater community. on the Credentialing Committee for Nebraska Health Part- So there are some patients out there who have heard me sing. ners/Paramount Group. He also completed leadership train- Also, all the members of my office definitely have heard me ing through Temple Israel and served on the Temple Board sing, through the walls of my office, multiple times!”

Valium

Continued from page A14 shared my stash of ‘lemon drops’.)

When Dr. Leo Sternbach retired from Roche in 1973 as Director of Chemistry, he spent the next twenty years making daily trips to his office in Nutley, consulting, talking to colleagues and young scientists, answering letters and working on his biography, Good Chemistry: The Life and Times of Valium Inventor Leo Sternbach which was published in 2003. He was directly responsible for 241 drug patents, and at one point his discoveries accounted for 40 percent of the Roche Group’s worldwide sales. And though he did not profit from Valium, there were perks. “I got very nice salary increases and extra benefits and whenever I wanted to attend conferences in Europe, La Roche picked up the tab. For my wife, too. In business class. Our hotel rooms, also. And meals.” Sternbach did not regret signing away the Valium patent. “Well, I could have gotten much more, but on the other hand I don’t need more. It has brought me great comfort to know that I could, in some way, help people feel better. I’ve had a nice life. I’ve invented some important drugs that helped many, many people. And as a Jew, I’ve had many more pleasures than most Jews of my time had.”

Dr. Leo Sternbach died in 2005 at the age of ninety-seven.

Ah, Valium. Thanks to Michael and Piroska Sternbach’s boychik, Leo, TV audiences could hear Mary Kay Place, as the bornagain country western singer Loretta in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman utter what some consider the greatest of all prayers.

“Lord, please bless our family, and please renew our Valium prescription. And please, Lord, make it the 10s instead of the 5s.”

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Wishing the Omaha community

L’Shana Tova from

Karoline S. Anderson | John Andresen | Marie Belin Thomas M. Byrne | Kimberly Christner | Michael D. Cohen Kurt A. Davey | Mary C. Dek | Elizabeth Larson | Patrick J. Steinauer 18018 Burke Street | Omaha, NE 68022 | Corner of 180th and Burke | 402.573.7337

A16 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

B1 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Rosh Hashanah S EC T I ON 2

Omaha’s Kricsfeld doctors SAM KRICSFELD When I was younger, people would always ask me if I was going to be a doctor. There are pictures of me in baby-sized scrubs and with stethoscopes. To my chagrin, some of my early stories for the Press came along with a cropped headshot. If it hadn’t been cropped, it would’ve showed me in a doctor’s coat for Purim.

I was asked if I would be a third-generation doctor. My father, Alan Kricsfeld, and his father, Barry Kricsfeld, both are internal medicine physicians in Council Bluffs, IA. The logical expectation is that I would continue the lineage...

The origins of the two generations of Kricsfeld doctors came sometime in the 1950s or 1960s. According to Barry, he didn’t know what he wanted to be when he grew up. He was “encouraged” by his father to become a doctor. His mother was also in favor.

After going to Central High School, he went for two years to the University of California at Berkeley during some of its most tumultuous times. When classes were temporarily canceled due to Vietnam War protests, he recalls seeing Joan Baez play concerts nightly. Barry, who had decided on being a doctor before the wartime draft, didn’t get into medical school immediately due to an influx of applicants.

For the next two years, he went to University of Nebraska at Lincoln, followed by two years getting a master’s at University of Nebraska at Omaha. Finally, he got into medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

After graduating medical school, getting married and having his first son (my father Alan), he did a

Alan and Barry Kricfeld

year as an intern, moving to St. Louis, MO to be at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

“I had no sleep that year,” Barry said. Alan would wake up at 2 or 3 a.m. and stay up the rest of the night. Barry would have to leave for work at 6:30

a.m. Supposedly, whenever he left, Alan would then go back to sleep.

Barry returned to UNMC for two years to continue his residency. He then found a job in Council See Omaha’s Kricsfeld doctors page B2

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B2 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Working during a pandemic: Jill Ohlman

Omaha’s Kricsfeld doctors Continued from page B1 Bluffs, where he continues there to this day. Now on his 45th year of being a doctor, a lot has changed since he started.

“What was gospel 20 years ago may not be correct now,” he said. Additionally, he said that over time, more people were around to help him.

“In the old days…we pushed our own patients down to get x-rays. We helped put them up on tables,” he said. More staff help busier doctors today, allowing more time for seeing patients.

Barry and a partner started their private practice in 1976. The partner stayed on until 1979, leaving Barry with a solo practice for three years. Another partner joined in 1982 but died ten years later.

During all this, two more boys, David (who is also a doctor in Kansas) and Michael, were born.

“It wasn’t hard being a dad; it was hard finding the time to spend with them that I wanted to,” Barry said.

Now on his fourth decade as an internist, Barry has stopped seeing new patients. Instead, he focuses on taking care of the patients he’s had for the last 30 to 40 years.

“We’ve grown old together,” he said about himself and his patients. “One little old lady told me, after she kids me and we make fun of each other, that she doesn’t consider me her doctor. She considers me her friend.”

A few of Barry’s patients are over 100 years old, and he has many only a few years younger. He often spends a half hour or longer with each patient.

“That’s why I’m still practicing – because these are people I’ve known for a long, long time, and I just want to finish off my career taking care of these people,” Barry said. “I very much enjoy my patients.”

Alan Kricsfeld graduation

Barry Kricsfeld graduation

In 2000, Barry got remarried. He and Barbara Kricsfeld just celebrated their 20th anniversary. Barbara started the first hospice in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area in 1993. Barry became the medical director at the hospice, leading them to meet. Along with Barb came two daughters, Jennifer and Kristin.

Barry has five children and seven grandchildren across three states.

“I’m proud of all my children, girls and boys,” he said.

Of course, one of those children is Alan, my father. He wanted to be a doctor for as long as he could remember. He recalled playing with a toy doctor set and using the Fischer Price stethoscope on his parents and stuffed animals. He said that his father being a doctor probably influenced his path.

After graduating from Burke High School, Alan went to Northwestern University with the initial goal of majoring in biology. His advisor told him that he would never be a doctor, so he switched advisors to one who would support him and finished off school with an English

literature major.

Throughout high school and college, Alan would take science requirements in the summer at UNO and worked with Dr. Thomas Porter doing echocardiogram research. Even with an English major, the combination of recommendations and finished prerequisites eventually got him into UNMC. During medical school, he was interested in pediatrics and psychiatry, but eventually found he enjoyed his father’s specialty, internal medicine, most.

He met my mother, Debbie, in 1995.

Debbie was an art history student at Bellevue University. “[Debbie] never wanted to marry a doctor. She didn’t – she married a med student,” Alan said. “We used to study together at the library... I learned all about art history and she helped me memorize my pharmacology.”

Alan went on to be a resident at UNMC and married Debbie in 1998. In 1999, during his residency, I was born.

My father had every third or fourth night See Kricsfeld doctors page B4

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor What has life and work been like for some of the employees at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home? Below, some insights from Jill Ohlman, Activities Coordinator.

Years at the Home: I have been at RBJH since Sept.

2016-almost 4 years.

Why did you choose this job?

I almost feel like this job chose me. I did not know I would enjoy this type of work until several years ago when a friend brought me along to volunteer at another nursing home. I ended up getting a part-time job there, and was eventually hired full-time at RBJH. Jill Ohlman I am grateful to have a job that is meaningful and provides opportunities to learn and grow.

What has been the most challenging part of being on lock-down?

The most challenging part of lockdown has been trying to establish a schedule for activities, while the rules seem to change every few days. Also, wearing a mask is tough because so many Residents have difficulty understanding me, regardless of how much I try to enunciate my words.

How do you keep yourself motivated and healthy?

My family has been very supportive and very good listeners. I have confided in them so many times.

What do you miss about ‘normal times?’

Almost everything! I miss seeing all the Residents’ families, our wonderful volunteers and community members, taking the Residents on day trips, and having group activities and parties. In my personal life, I miss going to church, seeing my friends, and simply going to public places without fear.

What are you grateful for?

I am so very grateful to have been able to work all through this pandemic, when so many people have been laid off. I am grateful for my Activities coworkers who have strengths and talents I do not have. They are my heroes.

What do you miss the most about having no visitors in the building?

I miss all of the families, volunteers, and community members, who would visit on a daily basis. I cannot imagine what it’s like for the families not being able to see their loved ones.

I have always been amazed by how vibrant and busy this entire campus is. Seeing the parking lot so empty has been eerie.

Electrolysis Julie Thornton, BFA, LE

www.omahaelectrology.com 4910 Dodge St. Suite 101 402.558.1948

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | B3

Meet Bracha and Andrew Goldsweig

Bracha Goldsweig

Andrew Goldsweig

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Bracha and Andrew Goldsweig are the parents of Naomi (8) and Ezra (6), both students at Friedel Jewish Academy. Bracha is passionate about family, pediatric endocrinology, seeing new places and reading. Andrew’s passions include his family, his work, Torah study and running.

Bracha completed her undergraduate degree at Stern College of Yeshiva University, Andrew did his at MIT. Both then found themselves in Medical School at NYU, where Bracha also did her residency in pediatrics, followed by a fellowship in pediatric endocrinology at Yale. Andrew’s residency in internal medicine was at Yale, where he also completed two fellowships, in cardiology and in interventional cardiology, followed by a third fellowship at Brown in structural heart disease.

Judaism guides them in their work: “Beyond the dictum of pikuach nefesh (saving a life),” Andrew said, “Judaism teaches us v’ahavta l’re’acha kamocha, to love your fellow as yourself. In every medical encounter, I make sure to ask myself: ‘What would I want if I or my family were in this situation?’ This principal guides me to provide compassionate, personalized care.”

Today, Bracha works as a pediatric endocrinologist at Children’s Hospital. In addition to general pediatric endocrinology and diabetes, she has a clinical and academic interest in cystic fibrosis-related diabetes and other endocrine disorders in children and adolescents. She is also interested in the care of children with disorders of sexual development. In addition, she is an assistant professor of Endocrinology at UNMC College of Medicine (and, for full disclosure, somehow finds time to sit on the Jewish Press Board of Directors).

Bracha always wanted to work with children: “Early on, I didn’t think about doing that through medicine. Then, while doing my undergraduate studies, I came to love biology and biochemical pathways. That’s when I decided to pursue medicine. Pediatric endocrinology is like biochemical puzzle solving. I love getting to know my patients and using my biomedical knowledge to figure out what is causing a particular set of symptoms and offer the right treatments.”

Andrew works for UNMC, where his specialties include aortic conditions, heart surgery and heart valve care. He said: “I’ve always been excited at the idea of providing rapid, life-saving interventions in emergencies (CPR, etc.), so I went into interventional cardiology.

The field of structural heart disease was new when I started in interventional cardiology and I enjoy performing high-impact procedures in a minimally-invasive fashion.”

The best part about it, he says: “My field evolves very rapidly; it didn’t even exist 7 years ago; we use new techniques and devices all the time; I am constantly learning new things and increasing the types of cardiac problems that I can address in a minimally-invasive fashion.”

Bracha in turn loves getting to really know her patients: “In addition to getting to know them, seeing them succeed is very rewarding.

Besides, I love using medical science to treat endocrine conditions so that my patients can stay healthy and do everything that other kids do.”

Treating rare conditions when science doesn’t have all the answers is a challenge, Bracha said. For Andrew, the biggest challenge is matching the right procedures to the right patients: “Just because it is possible to perform a procedure, doesn’t mean that it is necessary or beneficial; it is critically important to weigh risks and benefits of every procedure with patients and families.”

When asked about misconceptions, Bracha mentioned the notion that medicine cannot be a family-oriented career. It’s something that people might think is an issue when both parents work in medicine, but: “I work hard, but I also get to spend plenty of quality time with my family.”

At the same time, Andrew realizes that some continue to think doctors play endless rounds of golf.

“In academic structural heart disease, I work 100-110 hours per week. I definitely don’t have time to golf; I’m lucky if I get to eat and sleep some days!”

How do they think COVID-19 has affected day-to-day hospital life?

“I work primarily in an office-based setting,” Bracha said, “with only a smaller part of my time in the hospital. For office visits, we converted most appointments to virtual visits.

This allowed us to continue to see and treat patients while conserving PPE and protecting our patients and staff from possible exposures to COVID-19. This is really important, because many of our patients are at high risk from serious complications if they were to get COVID-19.”

“Many elective procedures have been deferred,” Andrew added, “because everyone must be tested for COVID-19 before coming into a procedural suite. Right now, many people are afraid to come to the hospital at all.”

How do they respond to the ‘crystal ball’ questions patients ask? The stuff you can’t possibly know, yet you’re expected to give them some kind of answer?

“I am a strong believer in evidence-based shared decision making tools” Andrew said.

“Not only do I quote probabilities of potential good (or bad) outcomes, but I use graphical tools when counseling patients to make sure that people understand.”

“I think it is really important to be honest with patients and families about what we know and what we don’t know,” Bracha said.

“That way we can make decisions together about what is best for the individual based on real information.”

Maimonides allegedly said we can “anticipate charity by preventing poverty.” How can health care providers use that sentiment?

“In endocrinology we spend a lot of time educating patients and their families about their See Goldsweig page B5

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B4 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

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store, and raised eight children. Growing up, she had always GABBY BLAIR been a role model for me, yet I had never met her. I had to put Jewish Press Staff Writer Sophie is the daughter of Shirley and Dr. Sam Cemaj, a the pieces together of what I thought she was like by combintrauma surgeon, who is also featured in this issue. Growing up, ing my mother’s stories with pictures of Leyla we had around her family moved between Mexico City and Southern Califor- the house. In an old colorized picture, Leyla is wearing a yellow dress, her right arm is nia before settling in Omaha bent at a 90-degree angle, where her father began and there is a subtle invisiworking at Creighton Unible force dragging the right versity Hospital before he side of her face down. It moved onto The University wasn’t until I finished my of Nebraska Medical Center. first year of medical school Sophie Cemaj has been that it finally clicked: left featured quite a bit in the middle cerebral artery Jewish Press lately, and for stroke. By just looking at good reasons! that picture I knew she had Most recently, she illusdifficulty speaking, walking, trated an online children’s and feeling the world book, Be a Hero Too, written around her and yet she still

by Dr. Samatha Rohe of was a smart, elegant, and Children’s Hospital, which fierce woman. She was serves as a COVID-19 resomeone who I know persource guide for parents of sisted through many diffiyoung children. Sophie has cult times and rose above been described as a future them and that is why she is leader in the field of health still my role model. I truly care and has twice earned believe that studying medithe Phil and Ruth Sokolof cine has given me a gift to Merit Scholarship (which is be able to connect and unno small feat!), first in 2018 Sophie Cemaj, 3rd year med student derstand the people around and again in 2020, for her me. I went into medicine for a myriad of reasons, but it is modedication and academic excellence in medical school.

A graduate of Westside High School, Sophie completed her ments like these that make me certain I am in the right field.”

Her wish for health care, similar to most everyone else I inundergraduate degree at Emory University where she juggled an overloaded course schedule and still managed to work as terviewed, revolves around cost and accessibility. “I wish a tutor in chemistry, volunteer prolifically, and run varsity health care wasn’t so expensive and was better available to all track and cross country. During this time, she also successfully who need help.”

One thing Sophie has learned through her studies and from interned with multiple organizations including UNMC’s Munroe Meyer Institute and Nagoya University’s Institute for watching her father “is that medicine is a very humbling field Transformative bioMolecules in Japan as one of only six recip- and there is way more information one must know to reach ients of the National Science Foundation’s sponsored summer the minimum level of proficiency.”

While medical school is never easy, this year has been parstudy abroad program.

After graduating from Emory University in 2017 with a de- ticularly challenging. “This has obviously been a crazy year to gree in Chemistry and a minor in Hebrew, Cemaj spent a gap be a medical student,” explains Cemaj, whose in-person studyear working in the Medicinal Chemistry section of the Na- ies were disrupted for about 4 months. “I learned to manage tional Institutes of Health in Baltimore, Maryland, where she my time and maintain productivity while working and studying from home. I was able to conduct research and work on conducted molecular research on opioid drug abuse.

Currently starting her third year of medical school at the projects to supplement and use my time wisely.” One of University of Nebraska Medical Center (Class of 2022), Sophie Cemaj’s favorite parts about working in medicine is the person-to-person contact with both the specialists who provide plans to become a surgeon.

When asked why she decided to become a doctor, specifi- lectures and hands-on training, and the patients. “Overall, cally a surgeon, I expected her to perhaps say, ‘because my fa- being a medical student during the pandemic shut down was ther is.’ Instead I found her response even more touching and rather isolating.”

At the time of writing, Cemaj had resumed rotations and is compelling, so I have included it verbatim: “I’ve always been told that I have my grandmother’s eyes. currently spending time in family medicine clinics. “The My grandmother Leyla was smart, elegant, and fierce from all pipeline of medical students must be maintained,” she exthe stories my mother has told me. She was a Syrian immi- plains. “After all, we are the next generation of providers who grant who moved to Mexico City, founded a successful jewelry will be relied upon in the near future.”

Kricsfeld doctors

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Continued from page B2 on call but was home most nights. As he finished residency, he went to work with his father in Council Bluffs.

“I will give my dad credit...the smartest move he did is put me and him on the two farthest corners apart from each other,” Alan said. “I wasn’t underfoot, and he wasn’t looking over my shoulder.”

Alan thoroughly enjoys his job. “I couldn’t do this if I didn’t enjoy it,” he said. He finds being a physician rewarding and worthwhile, doing it for the days where he makes a big difference in someone’s life.

Like his father, Alan considers the doctor-patient relationship as one of the main reasons he loves his job. He and Barry pride themselves in their care of patients.

“We’ll go to the ends of the earth for them,” Alan said. “I like to think we actually care about our patients, and we put them first above whatever we have going on. They get the best care possible – I treat them like I treat family members.”

Now in his 21st year of being an internist, Alan has patients that have stuck with him the whole time – some of which also send their parents and children to him.

In addition to being an internist, Alan also is a medical director for AseraCare Hospice (like his father) and the medical and lab director for Octapharma Plasma.

Recently, both Alan and Barry stopped hospital work for more family time. They continue to see patients in their office. They work at Methodist Physicians Clinic Diagnostic &

Internal Medicine at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital.

Many of my father’s and grandfather’s answers in our interviews were similar, especially about patient care. “[Barry] also kind of taught, and we have the same genes, so it’s not surprising that we would have the same view on many things,” Alan said.

For future doctors, Barry recommends talking to several physicians that they trust will tell them the truth. Alan said to never be afraid of asking questions and looking things up; it’s very dangerous to act on a patient without being totally sure about what you’re doing.

When asked about Judaism, Alan mentioned the Oath of Maimonides, which Maimonides wrote as a physician: “Oh, God, Thou has appointed me to watch over the life and death of Thy creatures; here am I ready for my vocation and now I turn unto my calling.”

My father and grandfather are role models for me – what’s more noble than constantly helping people? Over two generations, Alan and Barry Kricsfeld have treated countless people with care and compassion. I know I am lucky to be a son and grandson of such great men.

And me? Alas, I will break the trend – being a doctor is very low on my list of things I’d like to do. I never inherited the strong stomach to deal with the illness that doctors see daily. But I will continue the drive, spirit and dedication of the Kricsfelds – just without wearing a white coat.

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | B5

“I would not wish it on my worst enemy” a suspected sinus infection. He was familiar SAM KRICSFELD Our community was hit early by the coro- with sinus infections and got treatment that navirus. Dan, Mindi and Sol Marburg tested should have helped within a few days. After positive for COVID-19 in late March as things three days, he felt significantly worse.

Now running a fever of 102.5° and coughbecame more real and more serious for all of ing up blood, Dan went to us. While our interview the doctor for a series of took place in June, things chest x-rays. The diagnoremain in a very similar sis changed from sinus instate today. fection to bilateral Sol, who previously was a pneumonia. More heavyJewish Press summer induty antibiotics were pretern, got the news during scribed. Dan started to spring break that he would feel worse and was told to not be coming back to go to the emergency Drake University to finish room. He would be at the his senior year in person. hospital for nine days and Due to this, his graduation was diagnosed with was held with little fanfare COVID-19. online. “It was a complete “I wouldn’t describe non-event,” he said.

Sol Marburg them as chipper,” Dan said Unfortunately, the time between the news that school would be on- about the doctors and nurses, but he felt that line and graduation was filled with illness “they were treating me like I was going to live, and fear for the Marburgs. On March 20, Dan not like I was going to die.” stopped work at North Risk Partners due to See Marburg family page B7

Bracha and Andrew Goldsweig Continued from page B3 endocrine disorders,” Bracha said. “We often diagnose endocrine disorders in young children that will need to be treated lifelong. By providing ongoing, age-appropriate education, we hope to empower our patients to take an active role in managing their endocrine disorders and staying healthy throughout childhood and into adulthood.

This is especially true for one of our most

common diagnoses - type 1 diabetes.”

“Cardiology is all about prevention,” Andrew added. “While I acutely save lives all the time by treating heart attacks, long-term interventions to prevent future cardiac events are even more important. I make sure to address blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and especially tobacco thoroughly and aggressively, anticipating future risk and thereby preventing or minimizing it.”

Philip Bierman

that have been in remission for 30 years or EMMA HOCHFELDER Dr. Philip Bierman’s specialization in med- more. I like to see them grow and go to school ical oncology-hematology began in residency. and get married and have children, and grandchildren, and have Bierman was hands on in normal lives.” In fact, when the beginning stages of the speaking about his career, bone marrow transplant he remembers how “one of program at University Nemy patients even named braska Medical Center. His their son after me.” interests lead him to the ExIf granted one wish for the perimental Immunology American healthcare syslab to continue research on tem, Dr. Philip Bierman bone marrow transplants. strongly advocates that In fact, his passions and re“everyone has to have insursearch then led him to City ance or access to healthcare.” of Hope National Medical In regard to COVID-19, center in California to train Bierman underlines that in hematology before re“most people want to do turning to Omaha. the right thing.

A lot of peoBierman is a St. Louis naple on the front lines in the tive who attended University Philip Bierman medical profession and of Missouri in Kansas City other professions have risked their lives. ” He before moving to Omaha to pursue Internal spotlights the sacrifices those on the front Medicine Residency and his oncology fellowlines in medicine and other professionals that ship. He has been back in Omaha since 1987.

Much of the time, in oncology, each patient have risked their lives have made. He also presents a unique aspect of a disease. Bier- mentioned how “a lot of workers and business man explains that “there isn’t a day that goes owners have made simliarly big sacrifices.”

Lastly, Bierman noted that, “unfortunately, by that we don’t talk amongst colleagues there seems to be a lot of people that do not about an unusual or difficult problem.” Bierhave the ability to separate facts from opinion man’s job entails treating those problems. and ideology.

They don’t, or won’t, have reaThe most difficult part of his job, like many sons to determine how we determine what healthcare providers, is when he has to give works and what doesn’t work, and how we bad and disappointing news to patients. know whether something is true.”

However, Bierman reflects on “the patients

B6 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Jim Wax, MD Dr. Eric Phillips SAM KRICSFELD Dr. Eric Phillips is a renown orthopedic spine surgeon here in Omaha. His work improves the wellbeing of many who have back and neck pain and has cemented him as not only one of Omaha’s best, but one of America’s best.

Phillips was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. Growing up, he would build models and play with Erector Sets.

This fascination with mechanics followed him to the University of Pennsylvania, where he applied it to his work as a student in biomedical engineering.

During his studies, he won an award for veterinary medicine from a research project. He was offered a position in veterinary school, but declined because he was afraid of the horses that Dr. Eric Phillips he’d have to work with. His advisor suggested that he redirect towards medical school.

Phillips went to medical school at what was then Jefferson Medical College (now Sidney Kimmel Medical College) and graduated in 1984. This was followed by an internship at the University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore. He was thrown in the deep end on his first day, having to do a heart catheter on a gunshot victim.

His residency also took place at the University of Maryland Hospital and was followed by a spinal surgery fellowship at Carolinas Medical Center. By 1993, he was board certified for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

See Dr. Eric Phillips page B8

GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dr. Jim Wax has been a respected pediatrician to many of our community’s families.

“I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and went on to medical school at UW earning my MD in 1958,” he shares. “After that, I did my internship at Milwaukee’s Mt. Sinai Hospital before coming to Omaha’s Children’s Hospital for my residency.

When asked about his family, Dr. Wax explains that a blind date with a friend of his roommate’s fiancé led him to his wife, and love of his life, Esther, (z”l). “I was in medical Dr. James (Jim) Wax school in Madison and it had been probably three-four years since I had been back home, to Milwaukee. My roommate was going home to see his fiancée and asked if we could double date. Being detached from the goings on in my home Jewish community, I had no idea what to expect but I agreed, which was the best decision of my life. We got married and came to Omaha for my residency with no real intention to remain here, but we liked it and we liked the Jewish community and I found a great practice to join, so we decided to stay and make Omaha our family’s home.”

Esther (Z”L) and Jim were married for 58 years and became pillars in the Omaha Jewish Community. The couple had four children, Chaim, Marcy, Karen and Julie, who in turn blessed them with 15 grandchildren. After Esther’s passing in 2016, Jim Wax dedicated the Esther Wax Sensory Room to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home in her memory.

Dr. Wax joined the original Omaha Children’s Clinic in 1961 when it was in midtown, near UNMC. The practice moved west some years later to the area of 132nd and Center Streets.

Today, the original partners of OCC have retired but the clinic

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is still thriving in its newest location off 191 & Q Street under the guidance of Dr. John Vann, who is also featured in this issue.

When asked what made him become a doctor; Wax chuckles and responded, “I honestly can’t even remember! We had no doctors in my family and I didn’t have any sort of real influence I can recall, aside from going to the doctor, but as far back as I remember I just wanted to be a doctor!”

His interest in pediatrics was a result of his experience during rotations. “While I enjoyed many of my rotations, working with kids was by far my favorite.I mean, what is there not to like about kids? They were fun and lighthearted, and I really enjoyed watching them grow up whether in the course of visits or within our community.”

Pediatrics isn’t all fun, however. “Some of the hardest cases for my patients still stick with me after all these years,” he explains, suddenly subdued. “Cancer. Meningitis. Losing a child to terrible disease or injury. It just killed me... broke my heart every time. You don’t just forget or get over experiencing that.

Even so, there is nothing I would have rather done with my life than care for children.”

While Dr. Wax has retired from pediatrics, he is still working part time in other areas of healthcare. “Once a doctor always a doctor,” he says. He sits on an insurance company committee, occasionally contributes to clinical pediatric research projects and conducts disability physicals which only resumed this past July.

“After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, my office paused physicals for those looking to file a claim for disability. Since the resumption of this service in mid July, we have been very careful and follow strict protocols. We only allow one patient in the office at a time and everyone- including myself, the staff and the patient are screened,and sanitized before entering. Obviously we wear masks- I have quite an assortment now ranging from respirators to three layer and two layer masks with filters depending on where I am and what I am doing.”

At the time of writing, Dr. Wax has, on his own volition, been tested for COVID five different times, all of which have, B”H, been negative: “Given my exposure to patients and my age, I have chosen, proactively, to go in for testing every two weeks or so to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Since reopening, we actually had a scheduled patient call to see if they could still See Jim Wax, MD page B8

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | B7

Remembering Muriel Frank ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor The Omaha World Herald headline from July 29, 1943 reads: “War Opens Doors to Women Doctors.” It may have been the war that opened the door (a smidge) but it was women like Dr. Muriel Frank who kicked it open further.

Muriel died July 9 of this year at the age of 100. Born and raised in Omaha, she moved to Atlanta three years ago to be closer to her son, Dr. James Steinberg. Frank was one of only three women in her class at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. After graduating, she trained in anesthesiology at Bellevue Hospital in New York, after which she returned to Omaha to co-found the Anesthesiology Department at Nebraska Methodist Hospital.

Muriel Frank It can’t have been easy; the very language of the 1943 article, which featured six women studiously looking at a medical text, Muriel among them, tells us that: “Women interns—the Cinderellas of the nation’s hospitals since Civil War days—are riding a wartime pumpkin coach.”

The article continues: “The first woman doctor in the United States was Elizabeth Blackwell, who entered the profession in the middle of the last century. Women doctors then shared in the public mind the odd characteristics of circus freaks and suffragists.”

Sometimes when we think about the work that still needs to be done, we forget how far we’ve come, thanks to women like Muriel.

“Growing up, it was a bit of an anomaly to have both my parents be doctors,” son James said (his father, Dr. Maurice Steinberg, was a urologist). “I had no peers whose mothers worked, let alone as a doctor. And although both my parents were physicians, my mother worked a lot harder. Yet, to us, this was normal. I didn’t know any better than that my dad did the cooking, which was probably fortunate since he was the better cook.”

James continued: “Although she displayed a tough exterior, she had a softer side that was selectively reserved for family and close friends. She was fiercely loyal to her family. She loved

when the extended family would return to Omaha for Thanksgiving gatherings. Mostly modest, she had a weakness for shoes, which filled her closets. She loved chocolate covered ginger and unadulterated vodka martinis. She was an early environmentalist; her husband Maurice lovingly referred her as his ‘bag lady,’ as she would always collect cans or paper for recycling.”

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“Muriel was much beloved by our neighbors on Cuming Street, where she lived for 65 years. The tall flagpole in the front yard was the starting point for many neighborhood Fourth of July parades with my father, who was a veteran, in the role of Grand Marshal. She tested positive for COVID-19 in the week of her death but it is unclear how this infection contributed to her death, which occurred after living a long, long, long full life. Muriel was the Matriarch of her family and her passing marks the end of her generation.

“It was difficult being a woman in medicine back then and women typically had to be tougher than their male counterparts. My mom lived up to this stereotype. Although diminutive in stature (she was 4’11”), she was strong-willed, had a commanding presence and expected excellence from those around her. For much of her career, she was on call every other night and often would have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night to administer anesthesia for an operation, then put in a full day of work when the sun came up. She worked long hours and had little time for other things. She never took a sick day in 40 years. I say this not to impress you with her work ethic, but to show what she had to do to succeed in that era. When I tell this story to younger physicians, regardless of See Muriel Frank page B9

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Marburg family Continued from page B5 COVID-19 cases began rising rapidly that week. On March 20, there were 3,528 new cases. By the 27th, there were 17,965.

“Thoughts and prayers – not a real successful medical technique,” Dan said. More successful were breathing treatments. He began “fighting” the pulse-oxygen machine, “like a video game trying to get a high score,” for nine days.

As to where Dan contracted the virus, he has no clue.

While Dan was fighting the pulse-ox, Sol and Mindi began to cough. They were told that they didn’t need oxygen and were sent home to recover despite increasingly feeling worse. “It took us a solid ten days to two weeks to get to the point where Solomon and I both came out of our bedrooms and were like, ‘we can make it to the kitchen and back without needing a four-hour nap,’” Mindi said.

Over the course of over six weeks, the Marburgs recovered.

They can’t believe the blatant disregard that certain people throughout the country have towards the virus.

“I still think that there are enough people that aren’t taking it seriously enough,” Mindi said. “You go to the grocery store and people aren’t wearing masks. I don’t understand the mentality of a mom or a dad with a toddler who doesn’t feel the need to protect and to safeguard their child.”

“The thing that’s probably astonished me is what a politi-

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President Donald Trump said that it is “a badge of honor” regarding testing that the United States has the world’s highest number of COVID-19 cases. “I don’t look at [the numbers] as a bad thing, I look at that as, in a certain respect, as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better.”

In response, the Democratic National Committee tweeted that the huge number of cases represented “a complete failure of leadership.”

Despite the politicization of the virus, its effects are undeniable. According to the Centers for Disease Control, symptoms can appear between two and 14 days after exposure and can include fever, cough, fatigue, aches, loss of taste or smell, nausea and diarrhea, just to name a few. As of the middle of August, over 170,000 Americans have died due to the coronavirus.

“This thing is kind of like a monster that just takes your body over, and if you’re sick, it’s going to feed on the illness and it’s going to make you worse,” Mindi said.

“I would not wish it on my worst enemy,” Sol said. “It will kick your ass and then spread from you to somebody who’s even more vulnerable – who it could potentially kill. Take it seriously. Science doesn’t care what you think.”

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B8 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Dr. Eric Phillips Continued from page B6 Phillips started concentrating on spinal cases, citing his engineering background as sparking the interest. Additionally, he was suffering from stress fractures in his spine from playing hockey in college. In a 2014 video by Nebraska Spine Hospital introducing him, he said that he wanted to use his life experience to help others.

“As an athlete, I understood what it was like to go through the problems that I had had, and then I could bring to the table the technical parts of orthopedic surgery,” Phillips said in the video.

Phillips most often treats degenerative conditions of the neck and back, including herniations and back/neck/arm pain.

He has an interest in both cervical and lumbar disk surgery.

The pandemic caused additional challenges in nearly every job, but orthopedic surgeons were almost completely out of work for the time when nonessential surgeries were stopped.

When things resumed, they were faced by a long backlog of

forcing people to wait longer for surgeries. “If your disk gets herniated, you want to be done yesterday.”

Phillips’s work has been consistently recognized as outstanding. In 2011, he was voted one of the best doctors in America by his peers and has high ratings from patients across various websites.

Eva and her long time boyfriend Jacob, left, Lilly, Jacob and his longtime girlfriend Allyson, Julie and Eric.

canceled surgeries.

“If somebody’s in absolute agony, it’s hard to tell them, ‘You need to wait, we can’t do it,’” Phillips said about the pandemic Shiri and David Phillips with their children.

Happy New Year from your eyecare professionals at ilumin

(left to right)

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Wishing you and those you love, peace, health, and happiness, this new year. Shanah Tovah Umetukah!

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Phillips met his wife, Julie, in Rome. He had been in Israel and Egypt right as the 1982 Lebanon War broke out. Originally intending to take a boat to Greece, a boycott forced him to take a flight from Cairo to Rome. Someone in Israel had suggested a place to stay, but Phillips ended up at the wrong address.

“I looked at this address, and it was a garage. I turned around and this beautiful woman comes walking out of a building. I went over to talk to her, and that was Julie,” he said.

Julie and Eric got married and relocated to Omaha. They have four grown children: Jacob, David, Lilly and Eva. Phillips and his family belong to Beth El Synagogue. He said that one of his proudest achievements is being a part of the Omaha Jewish community and raising children here.

I know the Phillips family through Friedel Jewish Academy.

Julie Phillips taught my art class and helped me make pieces that still hang in my house today. Lilly would help tie my shoes when I was a kindergartener – a memory which Dr. Phillips tells me she also remembers. Eva was a few years ahead of me.

I did not know Dr. Phillips until I interviewed him for this article. He was extremely open, helpful and kind – traits I know he shares with Julie and his daughters. He was clear that his job places patients’ well-being ahead of anything else.

“You really have to remember your role and your participation in patients’ health, and if you don’t want to help people, you shouldn’t be doing this,” Phillips said. “But on the other hand, you have to do it with an ethical mind, and you have to learn [that] a lot of principles from Judaism will guide you when there’s difficult times.”

Dr. Eric Phillips has been successful in his endeavors and truly enjoys his job. Now with over three decades of experience, he continues his award-winning work and receives high praise from peers and patients alike.

“It’s been a real privilege to do this work,” he said.

Jim Wax, MD

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Continued from page B6 come in for their disability physical since they’d recently had a positive test. Obviously, the answer was NO! I appreciated their honesty and I am sure it wasn’t easy for them to have to postpone their physical, especially since we had been closed for months. However, I cannot trust that all people will do the right thing in this situation, so I will continue getting tested to ensure my safety and that of the people I work with.”

Wax, who has long suffered from a deviated septum, allergies and a decreased sense of smell, says that these longterm health issues raise new flags as they are synonymous with COVID symptoms. “Aside from the physicals I conduct, everything else - professional or personal- like committee meetings, conferences, synagogue services- are all conducted online through platforms like Zoom.”

When asked for his opinion on schools reopening and his thoughts on this pandemic, Wax says he is unsure of the right answer. “This is a real issue. Obviously it would be safest for everyone to stay home and learn remotely.

However, the reality is not the ideal and not everyone can accommodate having their children do remote learning for various reasons. Isolation can also have a negative impact on people, especially kids, and is another factor to consider.

At this point in time, many of our area schools are offering in person and remote options or some hybrid of the two.”

He continues. “One thing that is imperative if schools open, is the responsibility of parents to not send sick kids to school. We are living in a much different world than we See Jim Wax, MD page B9

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The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | B9

Muriel Frank Continued from page B7 gender, they think that what my mom did was a bit nuts, and they are probably right to a degree. But she helped pave the way for women in medicine in Omaha.”

James remembered how, when Muriel still lived in Omaha, he’d visit and take her out to dinner. It never failed: people would come up to her, more often than not female physicians, so they could thank her in person for what she did. Then, there was the time one of the male surgeons made a female nurse cry.

“My mother took the nurse aside and told her to never, ever allow any man to treat her like that again,” James said.

Although her mother volunteered for Hadassah, Muriel never did (no time!). It didn’t stop the organization from honoring her with the Annual Freedom Bell Award. Fun fact: Abe Feldman was the guest speaker.

“Many years ago, she received the Shattered Glass award from the Omaha Chapter of the League of Women Voters for being a pioneering woman in medicine in her hometown. She was not much into accolades and played down the award, saying that she did what she did because she wanted to and not for the recognition. In going through her house prior to her 2017 move to Atlanta, I found her acceptance speech for the award. In the speech she acknowledged the importance in having a supportive spouse and took issue with the American Medical Woman’s Associations guide to career paths for women in medicine that, at the time, suggested certain specialties what were ‘women-friendly.’ My mom countered that women should be able to pursue any field within medicine, if they had the talent and drive to do so.”

In the spring of 1989, she became the first woman to head the Metropolitan Omaha Medical Society. At the time, she said to the University of Nebraska Alumni News: “I don’t deserve any credit at all, you see, because I’ve had no roadblocks put in my way. So many people grow up hearing. ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that.’ That to me is a big crime. Young people today should be encouraged to live up to their full potential.” Accord-

Jim Wax, MD Muriel Frank’s 100th birthday. James Steinberg standing on the left, his wife Shari on the right, all 6 grandchildren and 2 nephews.

ing to that same write-up, “Dr. Frank insists that her road has been an easy one since her parents and husband, Dr. Maurice Steinberg, have always supported her.”

In an undated interview, Al Sorkin spoke with both Muriel and Maurice about growing up Jewish.

“Well,” Muriel recollected, “my clearest recollections are dinner at the Grandma’s. We would go to dinner there on Friday night and we made a big deal out of all the holidays. I specifically remember that on Friday nights we had to beat it out of the house when a bell rang because the lights had been rigged so that they would automatically go off. This was way before your time.”

When asked what she thought of women as clergy, Muriel answered: “I believe women can do anything they want to.

Why not? In fact, there was a Rabbi quoted in the paper within the past week, a Rabbi in Israel. He said women belong at home, they shouldn’t even be able to vote. I’d like to have him in a conversation for a little while.”

“Times are so different today,” James said. “Work-life balance is stressed far more now than a generation or two ago, in large part because of the greater number of women in medicine, for whom the selfless immersion into a career with de-emphasis of a family life is not an option. Have we found the right balance between work and family? I suspect there is room to improve and that expectations will continue to evolve over time. I can say that we are certainly at a better place than when my mom began her career in medicine three quarters of a century ago.”

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Continued from page B8 were last year at this time. A common cold, a case of the sniffles or a little cough is enough to warrant keeping a child home. A negative COVID test last week doesn’t mean anything the following week. It is very important that parents ensure their children are fever free for at least a week without using a fever reducer; that they have no signs of respiratory issues like stuffy or runny noses, no body aches or sore throats. It should go without saying that if their child or anyone in their immediate family -or that their family may have had close contact with- has been diagnosed with COVID, they should not be sent to school and must quarantine. If parents do not do their duty or shirk this responsibility, I do not see how inperson schooling will even have a chance to work.”

When asked if he had one wish for healthcare today, Dr. Wax is quick to answer. “Well, it may sound idealistic, but my one wish would be for all of humanity to have good heath. I wish I could just wish away disease, not just COVID, but all disease, like cancer. I wish we could find a cure for these horrible illnesses.”

He continues. “In light of this pandemic, I have been thinking a lot, and have more questions than answers. Living though COVID has really made me wonder what life would have been like during the Influenza Pandemic of 1918. Obviously, our world is much different now, but what were people thinking and doing? How many of us are asking the same questions that were asked 100 years ago? What was the outlook of people back then when faced with a silent virus that infected and killed so many? Every so many generations, we seem to face some new terrible disease and over time, we find ways to deal with them, to treat if not cure them. Living during a time of a new disease we don’t have the luxury of falling back on an established treatment. We are living this real time and everyday is crucial to understanding this disease and our path forward. Time really is of the essence and the only thing we are guaranteed is today.”

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Working during a pandemic: Erika Lucoff

Wanted: Another Jonas Salk OZZIE NOGG As I write this column in July of 2020, the term most searched on Google is Corona Virus with approximately 9 billion 600 million hits. COVID Vaccine logged nearly 4 million hits. Back in 1952, before the Internet and search engines, the two words most used by terrified parents during July, August and September were polio and vaccine. At that point there were almost 58,000 polio cases in the United States, 3,000 people dead and over 21,000 paralyzed.

The country was in a panic. Parents kept kids home from school, made them stay inside, avoid movies, swimming pools, anywhere polio might lie in wait.

Dr. Jonas Salk — son of Orthodox Jewish-Polish immigrants — was born in East Harlem, NY, on Oct. 28, 1914. His mother told him he was born with a caul — a piece of the amniotic sac still attached to his head and face. “It means you have special powers, that you are destined for greatness,” she said. Jonas believed her. Every day he prayed that when he grew up he would do something good for mankind. As Charlotte DeCroes Jacobs writes in Jonas Salk: A Life (2015), “Salk wanted to be a savior.

His understanding of his privileged duty represented Judaism on the moral heights, devoted to ma’asim tovim — good deeds — and specifically to tikkun

Dr Jonas Edward Salk, creator of Salk polio vaccine, at Copenhagen Airport. Credit Wikimedia Commons

olam — repairing the world. For Jews, acts of goodness define a person. For Jonas, ma’asim tovim was not an option; it was an obligation.” His two younger brothers called him ‘Little Jesus.’

Salk was introduced to viral research as a medical student at New York University in the 1930s. After receiving his degree, he moved to the University of Michigan to help develop influenza vaccines that were used by American troops during World War II. In 1947, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine appointed Salk to develop a polio

vaccine. For the next six years he worked 16-hour days, seven days a week, until finally, in 1953, after boiling the needles and syringes on his kitchen stove, Salk injected himself, his wife and three sons with the test vaccine. When the success of the initial human test was announced, Salk achieved instant celebrity. In 1955, after national testing on 1 million children, the vaccine was officially pronounced effective. Overnight, Salk became one of the most celebrated men of the 1950s, ranked with See Jonas Salk page B12

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor What has life and work been like for some of the employees at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home? Below, some insights from Erika Lucoff, Admissions Coordinator.

Years at the Home: 4 Why did you choose this job?

I wasn’t actively looking for a job at the time but happened to have seen the posting for the Admissions Coordinator position. I’ve worked in the Jewish community in other cities and was really interested in getting back into Jewish communal work. I immediately submitted my resume, lucked Erika Lucoff out and got the job.

What has been the most challenging part of being on lock-down?

The hardest part about being on lock down has been watching the negative impact it has had on the Residents and their families.

How do you keep yourself motivated and healthy?

I try to appreciate the small things and enjoy the positive things that are happening. The largest positive thing through this situation is the amount of time I have had with my own family. I also continue to work out (mostly running and walking outside), which is a huge stress reliever for me.

What role, if any, does your family play in supporting you during this time?

I have spent a ton of time with my husband and kids, which See Erika Lucoff page B11

Happy New Year

Andy, Teresa, Max, & Chloe Ruback

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | B11

Amy Tipp APRN-NP, WHNP-BC GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer Amy Tipp is a passionate woman and anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting her knows she puts her formidable energy into her passions.

“I love people and my heart led me to nursing. I am empathetic and nurturing by nature and have always known that I wanted to work in a capacity that would allow me to help people, which is why I went into nursing.”

Tipp earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Kansas and worked as a labor and delivery nurse for many years afterwards. “The longer I’ve worked in health care, the more I have become an enthusiastic advocate for women’s health and reproductive rights.

As a woman and as a mother, I have come to understand the myriad of unique health care needs women have and the external pressures at play on our ability to receive that care.”

She continues. “Our lives and our health should not be determined by the opinions and agendas of politicians. We should have the power and dignity to make health care choices based on both our individual needs and the recommendations of our medical professionals. Each woman is unique and should not be restricted by some one-size-fits all health care policy. Our health isn’t some agenda to be politicized. It is my opinion that politics should not be involved in our healthcare decisions, period.”

While Tipp immensely enjoyed her time as a labor and delivery nurse and childbirth educator, she still took time to start her family.

She has three children, Julia and Michaelnow both in college- and Brandon, currently an 8th grader.

“While juggling work, motherhood and later, a divorce, I began to consider my options in regards to my career. With my parent’s encouragement and support, I returned to pursue my advanced practice degree at the University of Nebraska Medical Center where I graduated with honors in 2013.”

Today, Tipp is a Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Nebraska Medicine. She truly loves what she does and offers interesting perspectives of how women’s care has been impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic; a field many may not have considered unless they are pregnant or have personally sought care for women’s health issues.

“Seemingly overnight, the landscape of

health care changed dramatically. UNMC has been at the forefront of implementing protocols designed to protect its employees and patients. Obviously, our country faced a resource shortage in things like PPE and ventilators; try-

Happy New Year Amy Tipp

ing to maximize the use of our existing resources has been a very real challenge.”

On a personal level Tipp admits to having some fear of the coronavirus, but feels confident about working at UNMC. “I have more apprehension being in public than I do in the exam room. I actually feel safest at work.

UNMC has done an excellent job in controlling our environment to minimize risk. When I meet a patient today, I am masked, gloved and wearing goggles or a face shield. I know my patients have passed screenings and all must wear masks, even in the exam rooms.”

She points to the PPE requirements and screenings of all UNMC patients and personnel, restricted access points in and out of the buildings, the barring of visitors and non-patients, (as well as medical students, early on) and increased protocols regarding sanitization and cleaning. “We get updates to our guidelines weekly. As the rest of the country is opening up and relaxing protocols, UNMC is not because we are committed to keeping our staff and patients safe.”

That said, Tipp is hyperaware of the stress the pandemic is having on her patients.

“Overall, more patients are dealing with anxiety which is not surprising given the current situation. All of my patients are women, and a vast majority are mothers. To juggle all the uncertainties of life right now due to the pandemic- work or unemployment, childcare, school, bills, plus the normal stressors that See Amy Tipp page B13

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The Jacobs’ Families

Have a Happy Rosh Hashanah

Erika Lucoff Continued from page B10 has been great. We try to go on hikes and bike rides every weekend to get out of the house. Unfortunately, with my parents and mother-in-law being out of town we have not been able to have our typical face-toface contact with them that we typically do.

However, I have regular phone contact with them. My family has made this change in lifestyle a bit easier.

What do you miss about ‘normal’ times (if there is such a thing)?

The thing I miss most is being able to hang out with extended family and friends. Although we have done some gatherings that entailed social distancing, it is not the same.

I look forward to when we can be inside together sitting side by side and giving hugs.

Do you look at your colleagues in a different light now that you are going through this together?

I am in awe of all the staff every day who are out on the floor giving their hearts and souls to the Residents. They were doing this even before the pandemic. Since COVID-19 entered our vocabulary, their commitment became even stronger. When many stores and businesses shut down and people

began working from home, RBJH staff continued to come to work and do what they do--take care of the Residents. My respect for my colleagues who are on the floor 8+ hours a day required to wear a mask for their shift (and sometimes it is an N95 facemask and shield) has grown tremendously.

What do you say to people who complain about having to wear a mask to the grocery store?

WEAR A MASK! It will help us get a step closer to returning back to how life was prior to COVID-19.

What do you miss the most about having no visitors in the building?

I miss most seeing the smiles on the Residents’ faces when they see their friends and family.

Can you share anything about the COVID-19 testing? What’s it like?

I have been tested twice, both times at work for the scheduled testing, not because I was having any symptoms. I admit that it is uncomfortable having a stick stuck that far up your nose and is not pleasant. However, it is completely tolerable and nothing to be scared of. I encourage everyone to be tested and don’t avoid it out of fear of the test.

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Jonas Salk Continued from page B10 Gandhi and Churchill as a hero of modern history.

Short, curly-haired, bespectacled Jonas entered Townsend Harris High School for the Gifted at thirteen, graduated at fifteen and, before his sixteenth birthday, enrolled at City College of New York where he did not distinguish himself in any way. The caption under his yearbook picture was strikingly blank. No clubs.

No leadership positions. No honors. And, apparently, no close friends. “He was awfully difficult to know well,” a classmate said.

“He was not very verbose, not a social man. He rarely attended a class dinner or joined us in a game of hearts.” Salk graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science in 1933 and went on to New York University’s School of Medicine. He was just nineteen. At twentythree, Jonas Salk met Donna Lindsay and was instantly smitten.

Donna’s family enjoyed wealth and social position. Her grandfather had emigrated from Hungry in 1917 and, in an attempt to assimilate, changed his name from Schoenfeld to Lindsay.

Her father became a successful Manhattan society dentist.

Donna graduated from Smith, studied for a masters degree in social work, was cultured, talented and gorgeous. Jonas had never met a woman like her. Donna was not swept away by the young medical student, but she and Jonas shared a zeal for social justice and when he spoke about his desire to better the world she found him endearing. They married on June 9, 1939, the day after Salk graduated from medical school.

The arrival of the Salk Vaccine lead to spontaneous celebrations across the country. Church bells rang. Car horns honked. People wept in the streets.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower honored Salk in the White House Rose Garden. Author Jon Cohen noted, “As one of the only living scientists whose face was known the world over,

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Jonas Salk had a superstar aura. Airplane pilots would announce that he was on board and passengers would burst into applause. Hotels routinely upgraded him to their penthouse suites. A meal at a restaurant inevitably meant an interruption from an admirer, and young scientists approached him with dropjawed wonder as though some stardust might rub off. But the public adulation rankled Salk’s peers.

He was basically ostracized by his fellows.

They criticized the press conferences, radio and TV appearances, the Life magazine spreads, the outpouring of public adoration and other violations of the scientists’ unofficial code of behavior. They also resented the fact that although Salk acknowledged the contributions of his team in the vaccine’s development, he failed to identify them by name. “Jonas was, how shall I say, not very generous to his colleagues and he made sure that nobody else was ever mentioned,” said team member Julius Youngner. Dr. Albert Sabin, developer of the oral polio vaccine and a bitter rival, considered Salk, “a kitchen chemist. He never had an original idea in his life. You could go into the kitchen and do what he did.”

An invitation to join the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors bestowed upon a scientists, never came Salk’s way. Whatever the reason — failure to contribute original science, behavior unbecoming an academician or professional jealousy, the snub hurt. Though Salk was undeniably ambitious, his desire had been to accomplish something great, not necessarily to be someone great. And while other scientists may have blamed him, the attention was not primarily of Salk’s own choosing. “He was embarrassed by his fame,” one colleague maintained. Salk even confided to his secretary, “I wish this had never happened to me.”

There was fallout at home, too. TIME Magazine reported on May 31, 1968: Divorced. Dr. Jonas Salk, 53, developer of the first widely used polio vaccine; by Donna Lindsay Salk, 51; on grounds of extreme cruelty; after 28 years of marriage, three children; in San Diego.

Two years later, after knowing one another for only eight months, Salk married Francoise Gilot, the longtime lover and muse of Pablo Picasso and mother of two of Picasso’s children, Claude and Paloma. Gilot was 48, an artist, a determined free spirit. Salk was 55, a scientist, averse to conflict. “All our friends on both sides predicted impending doom,” Gilot said. She and Salk were together until his death on June 23, 1995, just six days before their 25th wedding anniversary. When asked in an interview how she had ended up with two of history’s most powerful men, Gilot replied, “Lions mate with lions.”

Salk believed public health should be considered a “moral commitment,” which may be why he didn’t register a patent for his polio vaccine. When Edward R. Murrow asked Salk, “Who owns the patent?”, he replied, “Well, the people I would say.

There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?” The vaccine, had it been patented, is calculated to be worth seven billion dollars.

On March 19, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a decree that ordered Californians to shelter in place because of Covid-19. The order came as a relief for Jonas Salk’s 67-year old son, Peter who lives in La Jolla. “I haven’t left home since then,” Salk said. “I’m not ready to run the risk of getting infected. It seems clear that as we loosen up, COVID can come back.” He should know. Peter is a part-time Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pittsburgh, the same place where his father did his groundbreaking work.

For people old enough to remember polio which, like COVID -19, also can be transmitted through droplets in a sneeze or a cough from someone who is infected, Peter’s message has special meaning. “It took roughly a decade for the polio vaccine to be researched, tested and distributed widely to the American public,” Peter said. “I hope it’ll happen much faster this time, but it’s important to not race ahead with a vaccine that hasn’t been fully tested. I’ve read, for example, that some of the vaccine programs may be skipping animal studies and going straight into humans.” Still, Peter Salk understands that people need good news, “so that we don’t have to live in a constant state of fear.”

Salk’s biographer, Charlotte D. Jacobs, wrote these words in the April 6, 2020, edition of the San Diego Union Tribune. “Virologists predicted a pandemic every ten years when a new mutated virus emerged. Yet Salk found the public attitude toward influenza apathetic. “Courage and boldness are needed,” he wrote in 1970, “to overcome the recurrent feeling of failure and helplessness with each recurrent epidemic.” And here we are again, Jacobs continued, five decades later, experiencing feelings of failure and helplessness. Consider just two recent headlines: New York sees a coronavirus death every 2.9 minutes in horrific six-hour stretch and Essential medical supplies in New York City could run out in a week without federal help. Perhaps this time the public and U.S. government will heed Jonas Salk’s warning.

Yes, I’m writing this in July — and taking no bets as to what life will be like when you read this...

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | B13

Making new connections during a pandemic

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor First, a personal note. When awareness of COVID-19 first truly arrived at our home, things changed fast. Within one week, my husband Jeremy and both our children found themselves out of school, since UNO and Millard North High closed their doors; at the same time, I received a call from the Health Department that I had come into contact with an active case and had to quarantine. Suddenly, everyone was home.

Then, my quarantine ended (uneventfully, thank G-d) and I happily went back to work. The rest of the family was not so lucky—they have been home ever since. It’s, now that I’m writing this, early August and not much has changed. For my husband, that is not so good—he loves being busy. Enter Chabad Rabbi Duni Blotner, who connected with him and found him things to do that did not involve sitting behind a computer screen conducting and participating in endless Zoom meetings. Rabbi Duni had a different idea: Jeremy could help out delivering food and hand out, for instance, Passover meals. Also, did he know of anyone else who wanted to volunteer?

He did. Since all his Med school friends were in a similar situation, UNMC highly recommended they all do volunteer work in addition to their online lectures. So when they asked Jeremy if he had any leads on volunteering, a match was made quickly. Thus it happened that, when Chabad partnered with the Jewish Federation of Omaha to get kosher Passover seder meals out to the community, it was an army of third years,

Amy Tipp

mostly non-Jewish, UNMC students who stood outside the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home handing out those meals.

Rabbi Duni Blotner and his wife Chaya arrived in Omaha to permanently join the local Chabad house in January.

“At that point,” Rabbi Duni said, “we had certain expectations of what we would try to accomplish, including but not limited to having a ‘matzo factory,’ which we planned to take to public schools. We imagined a busy pre-holiday season. Then Purim arrived, which we celebrated at Chabad the way it’s always done, with many guests. The week after that, my father was planning to

come to town. He is a Senior Chaplain, and we organized a ‘Judaism behind Bars-’ event. As the date grew closer, the anticipated crowd grew smaller and smaller. My dad did end up making it to Omaha, but after that: nothing!”

From the start of the lockdown, everybody at Chabad worked hard to convert all classes to online learning opportunities.

“Teaching is something that we must always continue,” Rabbi Duni said. “Your initial thought might be that everything has to pause, but Rabbi Mendel Katzman pointed out this virus could not be a deterrent. When life slows down, it can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. People may not physically be able to show up, but they can certainly show up in other ways. We’ve found that there are actually more people who attend, partially because they have more time and they really need the connection.”

It’s not easy, being brand new and See New connections page B14

Continued from page B11 come up in regular life, like family issues or unexpected repairs, etc... the pressure is a little extra heavy right now.”

She sees these anxieties magnified in her pregnant patients, specifically. “The inability for an expecting mother to bring a support person with her to an appointment is really hard. In general, pregnancy is a time of excitement and anxiety under the best-case scenarios, but under the worst-case scenarios, these women are particularly vulnerable.”

She continues. “I have patients who have complications and are scared but must come into appointments or ultrasounds alone. I have new mothers who are unable or unwilling to leave their newborn in order to come in for needed postpartum exams as they cannot bring baby with them anymore. I have patients who rely on a spouse or friend to translate for them at appointments. There are so many situations, logistics and facets of healthcare that many don’t think about unless it somehow affects them personally.”

Tipp tries her best to provide emotional and mental support for each of her patients, realizing that they are going through things with her they’d normally lean on a spouse or emotional support person for. “We are seeing pregnant patients less frequently to reduce their exposure within the hospital. As a result, these condensed care visits are typically longer and more involved. I try my best to be there for each of my patients and answer their many valid questions and concerns. It can be exhausting, but I know what it is like to be pregnant and I feel their angst, so I do my best to meet their physical and emotional needs. While there is no shortage of coverage about COVID-19 in the news, it is important to realize that the pandemic has affected every single aspect of health care; depression and anxiety amongst my patients is real and growing.”

At the time of writing, laboring mothers were permitted one See Amy Tipp page B15

Shanah Tova!

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B14 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Marvin Bittner New connections Continued from page B13 immediately dealing with such a changed landscape.

“One of the things,” he said, “is that getting to know a community often involves meeting people over and over—and that is not happening right now. On top of that, big Shabbat dinners aren’t happening. However, when interactions are small, they can be just as meaningful.”

As was the case with the ‘Passover to go’ meals. Initially Rabbi Katzman’s idea, “we figured we’d hand out something to community,” Rabbi Duni said, “but then we quickly realized big seders weren’t going to be possible under the circumstances. We ended up with 300 orders for seder kits and reached at least 800 people. That included about 80 full meals, 500 smaller matza boxes, over 50 large boxes of shmura matza—we had people reach out from as far as Chadron, Nebraska.”

Somewhere between 20-30 volunteers ended up putting Seder kits together, handing out meals and kits as well as delivering them to a number of home-bound people.

As mentioned before, some of those volunteers were non-Jewish UNMC students, who had no prior experience with either Chabad or the Jewish community in general. There were seven students who went to Chabad and painted two booths that will hopefully be

used in the future, when the Matza factory is once again possible. Many of them have con-

tinued delivering challah on Friday, while eighthelped out with the socially distanced Lag B’Omer BBQ. A total of ten UNMC students helped to hand out and deliver Passover meals. Like Grant Goertzen, who said: “I volunteered at Chabad simply because I needed volunteering opportunities, and Jeremy offered these for us. It was also a good way for me to see some of my friends during our quarantine while getting the chance to help people. What was meaningful to me was that I was able to do this in a way that protected people from COVID-19, since some restaurants and places serving food weren’t necessarily doing this properly. As an added benefit, I learned more about the history of the Jewish Community in Omaha. I also See New Connections page B15

Michael Halsted, MD Peter Whitted, MD, JD Mark Emig, MD Teri Geist, OD Martin Mizener, MD Scott Greder, OD Mindy Dickinson, OD David Ingvoldstad, MD Jill Grennan, MD

Abigail Jackson, OD Michael Feilmeier, MD Krystal Wells, OD Matt Willis, OD Matt Appenzeller, MD Rachel Mercer, MD Jesse Himebaugh, MD Zachary Brown, OD

munology, pharmacology, and epidemiology.

EMMA HOCHFELDER Dr. Marvin Bittner has had quite the busy For Bittner, it was “essential to find a career year due to COVID-19. Dr. Bittner is an infec- where I find the subject matter interesting.” tious disease specialist and professor at This particular insight came from a converCreighton University. He is sation with his uncle when Deputy Chief of Staff, hoshe was an internal medipital epidemiologist, and cine resident. His uncle told Chief of Infectious Dishim it was “important to eases at the VA Medical pick a career that you enjoy.

Center in Omaha; and he That was the spark that is a member of the COVIDconvinced me to pick infec19 task force that assisted tious disease.” in planning the response of Bittner compares his work the VA Nebrasksa-Western to detective work. “My faIowa Health Care system vorite part is when all the to the pandemic. clues come together. Out of Bittner was born in Linseemingly confusing situacoln when his father was tions, a light bulb goes on a pharmacy student at and we seemingly make University of Nebraska sense of things.” To some Lincoln. Bittner was an people, “infectious disease Marvin Bittner undergrad at the Universpecialists are frustrated sity of Chicago and then attended medical detectives. We are often working with situaschool at Harvard. tions that seem puzzling and collecting clues After graduating from medical school, he just trying to make sense of them.” Much of went on to complete an internal medicine Bittner’s time is spent going back and forth residency at the University of Michigan, fol- between observations from people and oblowed by a fellowship in Infectious Disease servations from the laboratory. “Sometimes at the University of Minnesota. Finally, Bit- experimental data from the lab gives us great tner received his master’s degree in clinical insight into what is going on with people, epidemiology from the Harvard School of and sometimes it’s a little confusing.”

Public Health.

Bittner highlights that the coronavirus Bittner has a large array of accolades in- pandemic ensured that society “relearned cluding: the Volunteerism and Community basic principles of public health. We’ve Service Award from the Nebraska chapter of learned about the importance of clear comthe American College of Physicians, the Lau- munication in order to deal with public reate Award also from the Nebraska chapter health.” To this end, his hope for health care of the American College of Physicians, and is that the “tremendous advances in medical the Metro Omaha Medical Society’s award knowledge are able to actually benefit everyfor distinguished service to medicine. one in the United States.”

Bittner’s speciality combines a wealth of During the health crisis, Bittner reflects on his interests including microbiology, im- See Marvin Bittner page B15

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The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | B15

New connections

Continued from page B14 learned a little more about Passover and got the opportunity to see how people around here celebrate it.”

Classmate Tiffany Truong added: “We love supporting our classmate and friend, Jeremy!

He’s a wonderful person who is part of a supportive community.

It’s fun to meet new people and learn more about Omaha. Also, I’m a self-proclaimed foodie, so I’m happy that I can share my love of food with others. It’s one big family! It is beautiful to see how strong the relationships are between families and how friendly everyone is towards us. We feel so welcomed.”

Paige Phillips said: “I chose to volunteer for Chabad because I didn’t have much exposure to the Jewish community, and I wanted to volunteer in an environment that allowed me to form relationships and see the impact of the work we were doing. As a medical student, I am very aware of the impact that a good diet has on our health and how important things like spirituality and faith are to our general wellbeing. In addition, I learned that the Jewish community of Omaha is a lovely group of people who truly look out for each other. It’s fun to see and hear about the relationships within the community; it makes me feel like I’m in a small town that just happens to be surrounded by a city.”

Megan Yank volunteered for Chabad because “I love learning new things about different communities and cultures, and I wanted to feel like I was making a little bit of a difference during such tough times,” she said. “Giving food to people is very rewarding, no matter what your passions are in life. There’s something uniquely human about helping other people fulfill their basic needs. I think that’s something that drew me to medicine as a profession. I want to be able to help people improve their quality and quantity of life so they can have more meaningful experiences throughout their lifetime.”

Megan said the Jewish community of Omaha is much larger than she ever would have imagined, “but they welcomed us with open arms. Coming from a non-religious family, I was nervous that I wouldn’t fit in when

volunteering for Chabad, but that anxiety was quickly replaced by comfort because the people made me feel so welcomed. I also learned a lot about different Jewish holidays, and the differences between Passover and Easter. I would love to continue volunteering within

the Jewish community. I really value the connections I’ve made!”

Finally, a total of ten UNMC students plan to spend summer 2021 working and learning at the Western Galilee Medical Center in Israel. With that, they will forge ever more connections.

“I plan to go to Israel to learn more about the intersection of different cultures and medicine,” Megan said. “Our plans right now are up in the air due to the pandemic, but I hope to do an elective rotation next summer at the Western Galilee Medical Center in either Emergency Medicine or OB/GYN. I think my time there will help me to better understand different cultures and how I can be a better doctor to my future diverse patient population.”

Paige added: “I am so excited to work at the Western Galilee Medical Center! I love to travel and experience other cultures, and this trip is of significant importance because of our destination. I cannot wait to see places like the Dead Sea and Jerusalem. I am so blessed to have this opportunity, and I hope to use it to learn how to be a better physician.

“I have been nothing but surprised and impressed with how people have come together,” Rabbi Duni said. “There are so many flavors in this community, both on the volunteering and the receiving end.”

Passover to-go 2020 was, as the saying goes ‘only the beginning.’

Amy Tipp Continued from page B13 person in their delivery room, something many feared would not be allowed. “While this allowance strives to ensure a labor, mother has intimate support by her side in a lower risk way, it does mean women have to choose between a spouse and say, a doula,” explains Tipp.

When asked what her one wish for health care in America would be at this moment in time, Tipp says that is almost impossible to answer off the cuff... before passionately answering off the cuff.

“Right now, I wish our government would listen to our medical experts and heed their advice instead of ignoring the data and feeding into politically driven chaos. How have we gotten to the point where something as simple as wearing a mask is some type of statement beyond its actual purpose; to reduce the risk of germ transmission.”

She continues. “We have people and organizations who have dedicated lifetimes of unbiased scientific study to medicine, epidemiology and the eradication and mitigation of disease.

Our country has long been a leader in the world of medicine and now our experts are being ignored, minimized or even discredited by politicians and other non-medical ‘experts’ who either don’t understand or don’t care about facts. This isn’t our first pandemic. We have learned much from the past and have the ability to have handled this so much differently.

This virus doesn’t care who you vote for, what opinions you hold or how inconvenienced you

are. Its purpose is only to spread. We need leadership that looks out for the best interest of our people. Our leaders should be encouraging everyone to work together to stem the spread of this disease rather than sowing seeds of division... To do the few simple things they can actually control, like wear a mask. Wash your hands. Don’t congregate in large groups and maintain social distance. Keep sick people, and the people they have been near, away from others for a certain amount of time. These are not new or outrageous concepts.”

She concludes, “There is no reason that our country, with all its resources, talents and brainpower should be leading the world in COVID-19 cases and deaths. We could be doing so much better than we are.”

Marvin Bittner Continued from page B14 an impactful moment that moved him. “I heard from a patient I’d seen nearly forty years ago that had some very difficult health problems. Out of the clear blue, the patient called up and offered to donate blood. They thought their blood could help people with COVID-19. I was touched that a patient who had gone through so much had such a generous heart. They were willing to give their blood to help others. I was touched when the patient reached out to me.”

Happy Rosh Hashanah

B16 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

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C1 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Rosh Hashanah S EC T I ON 3

Speedy Zweiback has heart ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor “As one of Omaha’s best known general and vascular surgeons,” the Central High School Foundation website states, “Zweiback has mended many hearts and shown a big one outside the operating room through his charitable endeavors. Zweiback earned his “Speedy” nickname as an athlete at Central before going on to Princeton University and then received a medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Military service followed and Major Zweiback served as chief of surgery at the Air Force Academy Hospital in Colorado Springs. Following a post-graduate vascular fellowship under world-renowned heart surgeon Michael De Bakey, he returned to his native Omaha. His primary practice was at Clarkson Hospital, but he practiced throughout the city including two years as president of the Midlands Hospital staff. He also served as president of the Metropolitan Omaha Medical Society and spent three decades as a surgical instructor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Charitable work has included volunteering to provide medical services for the indigent in both Phoenix and Omaha. He has served on the boards of Special Olympics, University of Nebraska Internal Review Board and the Jewish Community Center.”

It’s probably that line about how he has “mended hearts and shown a big one” that rings most true.

As introductions go, one can’t really improve on it.

Read through articles written about him throughout the years, and you quickly get the picture.

At 17, he was featured in the Omaha World Her-

Speedy and Debbi Zweiback

ald as “Teen of the Week,” because he had “forged a reputation for accomplishment during his high school career. A very young and serious-looking Speedy dressed in suit and tie stares at the reader, with the caption ‘outstanding.’

“Young Zweiback,” the article stated, “who has been one of Central’s five representatives to the Intracity Student Council three years, assumed additional out-of-class chores this fall when he was elected president of the Junior Red Cross-Omaha Police Department-sponsored Teen-Age Traffic Council. And as head of the 55-student group whose delegates come from 12 Omaha high schools young Zweiback will address a regional

(16-state) Red Cross meeting in St. Louis, Mo.” In a 1999 Omaha World Herald article, a large gift to Temple Israel was announced, establishing a Jewish adult education program: “If the adults aren’t interested in education, the kids aren’t going to be either and then the whole thing falls apart,” Speedy said at the time. “The project was something of a family affair. Both Eugene Zweiback’s son, Rabbi Josh Zweiback and Eugene Zweiback’s wife, Hermene, were involved in adult education and helped initiate the program’s development,” the story continued. Since then, countless adult education opportunities have been offered through Temple, with no end in sight.

In 1991, he was awarded the JCC Lifetime Achievement Award, after serving as chairman of the JCC’s first Health and Medical Committee. He was the innovator and driving force behind developing the first Omaha Health Fair, Children’s Health Fair, Community’s CPR program and, together with Clarkson Hospital, developed a Phase III Cardiac Rehabilitation program at the JCC. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and in his spare time used to run marathons.

“I work harder than anyone,” Speedy said. “I still do, in my limited, retired way. I’ve always been ‘the first one there.’ Back when I was a resident, rounds would be at 8 a.m. and so I would go in at 5:30 and see all the patients before the actual rounds. They didn’t always appreciate me showing up that early, but I would get to know their story before any other resident.”

It’s all part of a level of caring that Speedy may See Speedy Zweiback page C2

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C2 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Speedy Zweiback Lance Kugler

in order to help people see.” Vision surgery litEMMA HOCHFELDER “The first time I saw a patient immediately erally changes the way individuals see and exafter having her vision corrected,” Dr. Lance perience the world.

Kugler explains, “she sat up and started to cry In fact, Kugler highlighted that although a because she had never been difficult portion of his job is able to see without glasses. telling some patients that I knew at that moment they are not able to have there was no other profestheir vision fixed because sion able to deliver that the technology they need kind of impact.” Kugler, an does not yet exist, “that Omaha native, is an ophgroup of people is getting thalmologist specializing in less and less every year as vision correction surgery. new options become availKugler grew up in Omaha able.” The pace of innovaand graduated from Westtion is actually one of side Highschool. He atKugler’s favorite parts of his tended DePauw University field, “We are constantly for his undergraduate dedeveloping new technologree, majoring in computer gies that allow us to help science. Later, after attendmore people.” ing Case Western Reserve In vision correction surUniversity School of Medigery, there is quite a bit of cine, Kugler returned to the work that goes on behind Lance Kugler University of Nebraska the scenes to deliver results Medical Center for his internship and resi- to the patients. “The procedures themselves dency in ophthalmology. He also completed take just a few minutes, but there are hours of a fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, in vision work that go into it ahead of time and aftercorrection surgery. ward,” explains Kugler. “People are also surIn 2011 Kugler started his own practice, Ku- prised at how complex the technology is that gler Vision, where he is able to drastically im- we use to deliver results. The lasers, diagnosprove patients’ lives through vision correction tic devices, etcetera are all incredibly sophisprocedures. He explains that “vision correc- ticated and expensive to produce and tion surgery utilizes some of the most ad- maintain.” vanced technology humans have ever created See Lance Kugler page C3

Continued from page C1 have internalized, or maybe he was born with it.

“Watching medical shows on television, I used to get so mad I would throw things at the screen. When they glove a doctor while he’s not wearing a mask. You put your mask on before the gloves!! It used to bug me relentlessly.”

As mentioned above, one big influence in Speedy’s career was Dr. Michael DeBakey, under whose tutelage he spent a very intense one-year post-doctorate fellowship. In a 2005 UNMC press release, Speedy called DeBakey “arguably the number one surgeon of the 20th century. The daily routine included seeing more than 100 patients and doing 16 heart surgeries. In those days, heart surgery was in its infancy, so there were only a half dozen places where you could do the kind of things that are now done in hundreds of places. He was meticulous about paying attention to detail. If you didn’t pay attention to detail you were gone. He didn’t allow anything to get in his way. He was very, very smart, a great visionary.”

DeBakey offered Speedy a permanent position, but Omaha was home. “I had nice offers elsewhere,” Speedy said, “including in New York, but I always planned to come back to Omaha. And, frankly, Dr. DeBakey could be terrifying and a little mean. Sometimes he would fire you on the spot, only to bring you back immediately. At other times, the person he fired would be gone for good.”

No one will ever use the word ‘terrifying’ to describe Speedy. As accomplished as he is (and yes, his bio leaves one feeling impressed and maybe a little intimidated), the most noticeable thing about him is his kindness.

“People want someone who cares,” he said.

“They want a personal connection, they need someone to listen and really hear their story.

People are not the sum of their symptoms.””

With that comes a personal responsibility that, according to Speedy, is something acutely felt by surgeons:

Speedy Zweiback

“Surgeons can’t rely on drug treatments.

It’s all very personal; the results are your own.

If things go wrong, you can’t blame it on anything or anyone else. At the same time, when things do go well, it is that immediacy, the result of your work that is so invigorating.”

Judaism has always played an important role, both in his personal and professional life.

“I grew up at Central and I have friendships in Omaha that go back 60, 70 years. I grew deep roots in this community and Judaism has always been a huge part of my life, although I did not necessarily expect my son to become a rabbi!

See Speedy Zweiback page C4

HAPPY NEW YEAR Happy New Year

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The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | C3

John Vann MD, FAAP Pediatrician and owner at Omaha Childrens Clinic Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year! from

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Dr. John and Wendy Vann and their children, Cecelia and Jake.

GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer For the past 15 years, John Vann has been our family’s pediatrician. He goes above and beyond for his patient families and is unusual in that he actually shares his personal number for those questions and concerns that seem to pop up outside of normal business hours. Always quick to respond, whether he is in the office or on vacation, our family is thankful to have a pediatrician who cares so much about our children’s whole health.

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Dr. Vann is a graduate of Westside High School. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego with his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and cell biology before returning to the University of Nebraska Medical Center from which he earned his medical degree in 1990.

After concluding his pediatric residency in Syracuse, New York, Dr. Vann practiced medicine in New York, Kenya, Texas and Maine before returning home for good in 1995.

John has been married to his wife and best friend, Wendy, since 1993. They have two children, Jake and Cecelia. The Vann family enjoys traveling and spending time together. Dr. Vann has a love of music and attends almost every Omaha Symphony with his mother, Judy. He also likes playing piano and is a big fan of Husker football. Dr. Vann prides himself on open and honest communication with the families of his patients which he considers part of his extended family.

When asked why he got into medicine, and pediatrics specifically, John shared, “I was always into science. I loved it from an early agewhat’s not to love about it? Science is so cool!

I considered dentistry and research science before choosing to become a physician. I was on track to go into family medicine when, in my third year of medical school, I did my rotation in pediatrics and found my niche.”

Vann continues. “There is immense satisfaction in working with youth. I love the prevention part of pediatrics and my day is often spent between babies- (and who doesn’t love babies!?), teens- many of which I have watched grow up- and every age between.”

Vann explains, “When I was doing my rotations, I came to the realization that working with adults was not for me. First off, many adults are not entirely truthful when coming to the doctor with an issue. Others put off regular visits or have complaints about problems that stem from poor health choices. I mean if you have smoked for 40 years and have a coughbut refuse to quit- yet want me to somehow ‘fix the cough,’ what can I really do to help you?”

“Most parents typically prioritize their children’s health more than they do for their own, and I see my patients fairly regularly between well-child checkups and sick visits. With kids, my empathy is automatic. They are innocent and often hilariously- and brutally- honest. I feel like I have some weight- impact if you will- in helping children grow up heathy. I like being able to help parents help their children with physical, mental and emotional health.”

But working with patients is only one part of practicing medicine. The other is working within the health care system, which can be frustrating as policies often run counter to mission. This frustration was highlighted as the Covid-19 pandemic swept into Omaha.

See John Vann MD page C4

Happy Rosh Hashanah

Lance Kugler Continued from page C2 The impact of vision correction is only understood by people who have gone through the procedure themselves. “It isn’t like a car that someone can take for a test drive. So we can’t describe what it is like until they actually complete the process, and then they commonly say ‘Oh wow. I should have done this a long time ago,’” Kugler says.

These last few months COVID19 has impacted all aspects of the medical profession including vision care. Kugler elaborates on two trends he noticed as a result of COVID19: the ability to go remote and the necessity of acceleration.

“We are learning that things can be done

remotely rather than in person,” Kugler explains. “At Kugler Vision, for example, we are now having patients come in to our office for their diagnostic testing, but we are meeting with them remotely through telemedicine to discuss their results and go over the testing.” Due to COVID19 even the way we deal with vision care has drastically shifted.

Perhaps a silver lining of COVID19 is the ability to react at an accelerated speed. Kugler highlights that “COVID19 has forced us as a society to accelerate the pace of innovation and change.” COVID19 has made all of us, including the medical community, act quicker and smarter.

Paid for by Friends of Scott Petersen, 4121 S. 87th Street, Omaha, NE 68127

C4 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

John Vann MD Continued from page C3 Vann’s staff at Omaha Children’s Clinic was ahead of the ball regarding implementing extra precautionary policies such as masking as the situation with Covid exploded.

“As an independent facility, Omaha Children’s Clinic has a lot more flexibility than pediatric offices that are affiliated with hospital groups,” explains Vann. “In a 10-minute staff meeting, we were able to put safety measures into effect such as extra cleanings, requiring masks and changing appointment hours so that we had sick visits in the afternoons and well-child checks in the mornings. Operation all policy changes across a group of facilities is much more cumbersome and bureaucratic, often made by management and not by the doctors who actually interact with patients.”

That said, procuring personal protective equipment has been anything but easy for many in healthcare, including Vann. “As awareness and acknowledgment of COVID-19 began creeping into Omaha’s consciousness, I found it nearly

impossible to obtain masks. I reached out to my long time friend, Anne Twedt, art teacher at Friedel, and we spent a night making masks for my staff. How could I expect them to safely do their jobs without providing them with proper equipment? At the end of the day, they are the front line and have to go home to their own families.”

While cloth masks are not the ideal in a medical setting when treating ill patients they were better than nothing Vann sees the lack of preparation and institution of proper protocols on the governmental level being to blame for much of the unchecked spread that continues to plague our country.

“The government’s job is to be prepared and to provide the guidance and infrastructure necessary to protect its citizens.

Throughout my lifetime, until now, our country has always been a leader, an example of how a country is supposed to work. Sure, we have our own share of issues and problems, but we always were amongst those setting the example. Our country’s initial response and lack of preparation was more akin to a third world response, and our government failed us. The general public on the other hand, really came through; between the armies of mask makers and people donating hard-to-find supplies, not just to our small clinic, but to hospitals- the private citizens of our country stepped up and tried to lend See John Vann MD page C5

Speedy Zweiback

Shanah Tovah Wishing you and your family a happy, peaceful, and prosperous New Year!

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Continued from page C2 “Judaism is so many things. The most important lesson to me personally may be, if you know what the right thing is, you have to do it. It may not be convenient, but it is an obligation.”

Back in Omaha after his post-doctorate, Abe Feldman referred Speedy to the practice of Potter & Rasmussen, who professed to have no interest in hiring him. Speedy showed up anyway and they told him, “All right, you may as well stay.”

They ended up working together for 30 years.

“I forgot to ask them what the salary would be,” Speedy said, but after one year, I became a partner. Once they retired, it was just me.”

When Speedy’s wife Hermene became ill with lung cancer, he gave up the surgical practice. Hermene died in 1999 and Speedy, at first, “did nothing. Then I found out about the free clinic and went back to work. I haven’t charged a patient since 1998.”

These days, he and his wife Debbi spend winters in Arizona, but continue to come back to Omaha during the summer months. Speedy has provided health care to those without insurance through free clinics both in Omaha and in Arizona, which, if it weren’t for the current pandemic, he would be doing still.

“I feel terrible about this pandemic,” he said. “It hurts the poor, the people who can’t feed their families, who can’t pay rent. The lessons go beyond COVID-19, because we need to protect those who need it the most, because they hurt the most. Not only while this virus is here, but permanently.”

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Everything is a miracle ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Dr. Alejandro Wolf was born in San Diego, California, but grew up in Tijuana, Mexico. He is a member of Beth El, but like many of us attends events at all synagogues when the occasion arises. “I like being able to connect to Jews from all the denominations, explore our differences and our similarities,” he said. “That is very unique about Omaha.”

He is currently finishing his residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Department of Pathology and Microbiology Anatomic and Clinical Pathology.

“I also spent some time Eating falafel in Jerusalem doing research in Guatemala and lived a few months in Israel,” he said. “I traveled in Central and Eastern Europe for several months. Growing up, I always felt more European than Mexican or American, at least culturally. For example, I have never possessed a drive towards being a big consumer; I valued philosophical discussions and being socially conscious, caring more for and even compromising one’s personal needs for the well-being of the community. I love the fact that I grew up in Mexico, though, because life is full of contradictions. I grew up playing soccer in unpaved streets, riding my bicycle everywhere, and my life was mostly free of TV. And early on I learned the Mexican maxim ‘the people that have less share more’.

Young Alejandro thought he wanted to be an Olympic athlete. As an adolescent, he fell in love with physics, but there was a hurdle: there were no physics degrees in Tijuana.

“When I moved back to San Diego, it was required that I See Everything is a miracle page C6

John Vann MD

He continues. “Every day, we are learnContinued from page C4 assistance. That is what our national stock ing more about how this new virus bepile is supposed to be for, however, it was haves, spreads and what it does to neglected and gutted over the past years humans — both long- and short-term. and now we reap what has been sown...” litThus far, it thankfully does not appear to erally sewn- in the case of cloth face masks. disproportionally target children, but it is While availability of some basics, such important to take the precautions we canas disposable masks and sanitizer, has imlike wearing masks and washing hands, proved at the time of writing — though and to keep following the real science on many times with inflated costs — the dethis dynamic and evolving disease. mand still outpaces the supply. Vann has When asked if he could have one wish a limited number of face shields, even for healthcare in general in America, Vann fewer respirators and is currently having laughs and asks, “Ah, man. Just one!?” gowns sewn for him and his staff as he “While far from perfect, I would want a has been unsuccessful in ordering any. protected, improved and better honed Until late June 2020, Vann wasn’t even Dr. Vann and the OCC staff masked up version of the Affordable Care Act for all able to order a Covid-19 test for young pa- early in the pandemic because they care Americans. I want our citizens to have tients showing symptoms; another about kids and their families! unfettered access to health checks, sick source of frustration with the system and leaders who claimed visits, mental health, and care for pre-existing conditions.” everyone could be tested. In fact, two of my own children had Children with asthma, for example, who go to get insurance the dubious distinction of being Dr. Vann’s first patients who as adults have a pre-existing condition which may not be covwere able to drive up and obtain tests at Children’s Hospital ered unless a doctor gives it a new name like “reactive airway without additional screenings. Had they come down with disease,’ which is frankly, ridiculous. Call it what it is- asthmatheir symptoms - fever, sore throat, cough, fatigue and re- and just cover it!” duced sense of taste - a few days earlier, he wouldn’t have been Another thing it should include is coverage of all vaccinaallowed to order their tests. Incidentally, results came back in tions, of which Dr. Vann is unswervingly a proponent. “During about 36 hours and both were negative. my fourth year at UNMC, I spent a quarter of a year in Kenya Vann explains that with what we know about Covid-19 during a measles outbreak. From January through March of changing at a rapid pace, sometimes daily, it is more impor- 1990 we were able to vaccinate hundreds of infants and chiltant than ever before to follow the experts who are solely fo- dren, many of whom were carried from miles away on the backs cused on the science, facts and data, rather than the noise of of their parents. That said, I watched at least one child die a day misinformation and politics. “This is not the time for politics. from a vaccine-preventable disease. It changed me, to witness This virus doesn’t care about votes or our agendas. It has its that. It also underlines the importance of vaccines and their own singular agenda, to spread. It is not the time to become coverage and availability in saving lives. In America, there is no complacent, yet here we are.” excuse. Everyone should have a right to quality healthcare.”

Happy Rosh Hashanah May you have a prosperous and healthy new year From

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C6 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Everything is a miracle Working during a pandemic: Maggie Conti ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor What has life and work been like for some of the employees at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home? Below, some insights from Maggie Conti, Director of Activities and Volunteer Services.

Years at the Home? 30 Why did you choose this job?

I was in education, and it wasn’t a good fit for me. I took care of Maggie Conti my grandmother one summer in college and knew I wanted to work with the elderly. A friend told me about the position at RBJH, and it has been my Home ever since.

What has been the most challenging part of being on lock-down?

Watching Residents not being in contact with their families – it is great to have modern technology such as FaceTime and Zoom, but See Maggie Conti page C7

Continued from page C5 take courses in health, art, writing and reading before I could do any physics,” he said. “It took me a few years to figure out the American education system. By then, I had decided that cycling was my sport and was going to go for it professionally, but somehow I also felt that I had to train my mind in case the sport did not work in the long run. That’s how I ended up studying kinesiology, which is like sports medicine for undergrads, with an emphasis in health, nutrition, and fitness. It was a lovely career choice. It gave me tools to understand how my body adapted to the trainings, and how exercise and nutrition changes our cells and tissues through our lifespan.”

For many years, he worked in an outreach program associated with UCSD teaching the low-income communities of San Diego about healthy cooking and incorporating physical activity to prevent chronic diseases.

“I loved talking to people, one by one,” he said. “I still believe that I had a positive influence on people. I thought that in order to have a greater impact, my next degree needed to be in epidemiology; but my enthusiasm faded because I prefer to work with people, rather than with statistics. Ultimately, while I was riding a bike in Hungary, it occurred to me that I needed to study medicine. I wanted to be personally responsible for the health of individuals and then, at some point, use the learning acquired through the years to help as a consultant to influence policy-making in regards to the health of the community.”

His ultimate choice of pathology and microbiology came about from a realization he cared too much for the patients: “If they let me into their lives and don’t shut me out, I connect easily,” he said. “Therefore, I suffered when they suffered. I had recurrent nightmares and that affected my family life.

Additionally, it burdened me to feel part of a system that is largely after money. For many, medicine is a business and everything has a monetary value. In pathology, I have distanced myself from the suffering of my patients, and I no longer have nightmares. This allows me to see myself practicing medicine for a long time, which means I can help more people for a much longer time. On the other hand, in pathology, I feel free to use all my knowledge and technology to help people, inspired by good thoughts. It also offers opportunities to continue to educate myself, which I am looking forward to doing, especially in economics and administration. I dream about working with teams of physicians and pharmacists, using my own money to invest and volunteer my time in sustainable non-profit projects about medicine. Of course, I want to

understand the laws of economics and administration, to be fair to my employees, to make it work for my patients, create scholarship funds, and to avoid committing any unintentional action that could be seen as fraud, abuse, or taking advantage of others.”

In lay terms, that means Alejandro is responsible for having an answer (i.e. providing a diagnosis) to guide the care of patients when the primary doctors find an abnormality or are uncertain about the diagnosis and/or how to treat a patient.

“On most days, I spent the majority of the time reviewing microscope slides with small tissues or singled-out cells obtained via fine needles, biopsies or surgical resections. I encounter many diseases and tumors in a day, but most are benign and a few are cancerous.

See Alejandro Wolf page C8

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Honoring the commitment to heal JANE GLAZER Unprecedented times are often uncomfortable. After the unexpected, all one can do is try their best to recover. Recovering, however, is usually easier with a little help from the community. Community– whether it’s old and familiar, or new and previously unknown– has a special power that never fails to help provide support for people in need. Communities consistently are there to help heal.

Dr. Joel Schlessinger, a certified dermatologist in Omaha, honors his commitment to being there for communities; and distance is not a factor. Coronavirus has shown challenges to individuals and businesses, but Schlessinger has worked hard to protect his work community. His main goal, ensuring that all of his staff stay employed, was something that he was able to accomplish. And while his office, Lovely Skin, was shut down for about three months, Schlessinger did not stop caring for patients. By means of telemedicine, he and his team were able to provide care for people not only in Omaha, but as

Maggie Conti Continued from page C6 it is not the same. Not having Residents respond to the vitality and energy of all the volunteers, entertainers, STAR Deli weekly diners, services leaders, and, most notably, their families have been devastating.

How do you keep yourself motivated and healthy?

During this crisis it has been emotionally exhausting because Residents need more one on one attention. Taking care of myself has been key to staying healthy – eating right and exercising has helped.

What role, if any, does your family play in supporting you during this time?

Having all three of my children home has been fun. We are all into cooking, so family meals are a big hit. My daughter has been testing out some yummy recipes, and coming home to a cooked meal has been such a blessing.

What do you miss about ‘normal’ times (if there is such a thing)?

Being at family parties. I only see my mother on the patio and miss being inside my family home and seeing my extended family.

What do you worry about?

I fear that this virus will go on for a very long time.

What are you grateful for?

That the Residents are doing well for the most part and that my family is healthy.

How do you prepare the Residents for the Jewish holidays?

Of course, we will be Zooming services for the High Holidays services, but it is not the same. Watching services on the television doesn’t have the same importance and atmosphere, but it is better than nothing. We deeply miss the committed service leaders that come each week for Shabbat Services and all of the Jewish holidays. The activities staff will be baking honey cake and baked apples and spending as much time out on the patio while discussing each of the Holidays.

Can you share something inspiring that happened to you this year?

Receiving several grants to purchase the adaptive cycle for the Residents and seeing the joy the bike has created. Taking Residents outdoors on a ride after being inside for months was pure happiness! Word got out to Michael Staenberg (who was one of the generous donors) that he offered to donate another cycle. The new bike will allow Residents in wheelchairs to enjoy the experience—such marvelous blessings.

Do you look at your colleagues in a different light now that you are going through this together?

Yes, each department has had to learn how to adapt to the new way of doing things. I think the staff has rolled with the changes very well.

How have the Residents surprised you?

For being such good sports about the pandemic and the loss they have to endure. Residents were so stoic when getting their COVID-19 test!

What do you say to people who complain about having to wear a mask to the grocery store?

Wear the mask! This virus is real and can hurt someone vulnerable like your grandma.

What do you miss the most about having no visitors in the building?

We are like no other nursing home because the community is so active at RBJH. I miss the community seniors that came here to play Mah Jongg, participate in classes, community concerts, and movies. I miss seeing the baby buggy, preschoolers, and Friedel students, other JCC staff, STAR Deli, service leaders, fabulous and dedicated volunteers, entertainers and family members.

Can you share anything about the COVID-19 testing?

What’s it like?

Not bad at all and it is only ten seconds.

Nancy and Dr. Joel Schlessinger

across the country as well.

“It was absolutely amazing to be able to help out people as far as Seattle, Maine, Texas, Florida and California,” Schlessinger said. “I had the ability to see people– who were incredibly grateful– obtain care when they were unable to in their area. Simple things can become extremely troublesome during a pandemic.

It was gratifying to me to help people with many issues, whether they have concerns about their skin, or relating to COVID.” Telemedicine is not Schlessinger’s first experience helping patients out of Omaha. He has previously given care abroad to people living in countries with less developed health care systems, like Haiti. After the 2010 earthquake, Schlessinger traveled to Haiti with his wife and son committed to helping the Haitian community. He and his son, provided one-on-one care with patients who were in various stages of recovery from the earthquake. The two assisted in treating and cleaning wounds, with surgical needs and finding supplies.

See Honoring the commitment to heal page C9

C8 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Everything is a miracle Continued from page C6 Even though I have come a long way, I don’t know everything. I regularly consult others when I am worried about a case, even when I feel quite certain of the diagnosis. The reason: Every patient deserves to have more welltrained and inquisitive minds look into their cases. Outside of pathology, people are not aware that every pathologist consults other pathologists when considering making a new diagnosis of cancer. I am proud of that extra consideration in my profession as cancer cases stand out in my day, and because I am aware of what usually follows with the diagnosis in terms of clinical management. I cannot express how much I care to be accurate and timely in my diagnosis, as that is how I help guide management and inform patient’s decisions about what to do next. I came to pathology always hoping to provide a benign diagnosis, as I aspire to have a positive impact in the lives of all people and in my patients alike. Although it may seem paradoxical, I dislike all the preventable diseases. Cancer is different. It is a big deal, super scary, both biologically perplexing and detestable, unlike anything else in medicine. As a pathologist, I am grateful to all the clinicians that take my diagnosis to the next level by seeing and treating my patients, from family medicine to oncologists, surgeons and anesthesiologists, and even psychiatrists. The diagnosis goes way far and it is not too difficult to comprehend that when you are a father, a brother, a son, and a friend. Cancer has an emotional toll with ripple effect in the patient and the patient’s circle.”

“Pathologists tend to be associated with autopsies. I have done my share, and I do them infrequently. Sometimes it makes me think about the afterlife, but mostly it makes me think about how we live on a daily basis. I am always responsible for and read all of the pa-

tient’s medical notes available, whether they are surgical, radiological or from the laboratory. Once I get a medical picture of the person, I discuss with another pathologist what

Miryam Gomez and Dr. Alejandro Wolf

is the presumed cause of death; after this, I try to conduct an examination of the patient’s tissues to look for all the data that narrates how the person lived and the cause of death. It is a medical, scientific, and highly educational inquiry. Occasionally, we are able to unveil an undiagnosed disease process that helps explain many signs/symptoms that were present in vivo, especially for those patients that do not see their medical providers at least on a yearly basis. Speaking for all the pathologists I know, we all hope to bring about understanding of diseases and bring closure to the relatives and maybe even influence them to make better choices.”

Judaism and Alejandro’s chosen career path have definite overlap, he said.

“Paraphrasing Einstein, either everything is

Happy Rosh Hashanah

a miracle or nothing is a miracle. The way I see it, the interaction of biology, chemistry, and physics is a miracle. Medicine and life at its core are all about those sciences. Therefore, medicine and life are miracles. I am not saying that because I agree with Einstein that makes my career automatically infused with Judaism. Let me be clear: I am not the most pious person around, and I do not want to be seen as that. I elevate humanism above my religion and any religion. Spiritually, my cup is half-full, but I remain quite thirsty. I actively seek to discuss Torah and Talmud. Religious or not, I cherish the teachings of Pirkei Avot, where the sages of Judaism told me I was responsible for doing my part. Hillel and Shammai told me that it was better not to be born, but since I was born already, I had to keep on trying and to do my best. The Rabbis, in their commentaries of the Torah, have tried in every generation to make a positive interpretation of events, a teaching opportunity, and have taught us that somehow in the big scheme of things we are all important. The Rabbis in the Talmud have exemplified how to argue about everything until even the unuttered word makes sense and, perhaps more importantly, how to make all the mundane around us holier. Thus, thanks to Judaism, I feel rich by being able to do the things that I do (i.e., my music, my teachings, my exercise and my work as a physician). I am not conflicted, and it is not an overstatement to say, that Judaism has overlap and blends in.”

As it has been for all of us, 2020 has been a challenging year.

“I have been surprised by how divided we are in this country. It makes me strive to make my part more resounding; but if I give voice to my deepest feelings, the way people have reacted this year has shaken me. On rare occasions, I have recognized feelings of sadness,

anxiety and hopelessness. I just don’t remain in that state for too long. I am deeply responsible for the world I live in, so I have to remind myself of all the goodness we are capable of, and have to keep being present for those that need support more than I do.”

He has also noted the ambivalence that currently exists around how the public perceives health care workers.

“It can be uplifting when someone who you don’t know approaches you to say ‘thanks for what you’re doing.’ On the other hand, in social media, which is not unreal, some people that I thought I knew believe that we are blind for not seeing what a “hoax” the whole COVID-19 situation is. Holding a conversation with someone that sees it that way can be frustrating. I try my best to walk away in a polite manner, but I will be available for them if they ever need me.”

Alejandro doesn’t believe his vision and life would have worked out if he worked in any other field.

“I think, whether I had pursued being a cyclist, being a physicist, being a writer or being a musician, I would have still searched for a deeper understanding of life. Luckily for me, medicine is very inclusive of my past and all my interests. Additionally, a good thing about life, as exemplified by our forefathers Abraham, Rabbi Akiva and Maimonides, is that we can do more than one thing. Like them, even if you are older, you can start a new endeavor.

That gives me hope that I can still master the piano, win half-marathon and cycling races, write books about philosophy, study Talmud and Torah; and also take necessary breaks to talk and listen to my wife, hug and play with my kids, and watch movies, documentaries, or take a break on the deck, at the beach, or take a nap. In other words, there’s still much to do. I am barely getting started!”

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Honoring the commitment to heal with phantom pains, and Nancy was sure to just be there for Continued from page C7 They met many different people, and were able to come to- them. Some days, she would do crafts and projects with the gether with the local community to work and provide care for kids for a positive activity. those in need. From young physicians “Healing is helping people to get in training, to retired doctors, the through something,” Nancy said. community in Haiti was a wide variety “I love listening and talking, and of caregivers. While most of the caresometimes that might be a form of givers were Jewish, the care primarily healing for people. Just being there. took place in a Catholic hospital just I’m not medical, but just trying to be north of Haiti, called Cap Haitien. sympathetic and trying to help and “It was truly one of the most incredgiving my time. Lots of times people ible experiences I’ve ever had,” Schjust need someone to talk to.” lessinger said. “It was magnified Small actions can go far to bring one because my wife and son were with peace and hope. This is especially me, and we had the ability to effect true in situations with little resources change and help these individuals.” to begin with. In Haiti, giving and reWhile the family still sent many ceiving care is hard. A chain reaction supplies, the opportunity to go to makes seeing a doctor nearly imposHaiti seemed more valuable than just sible; Joel explained that care facilities sending money; the family was able to were 50 to 100 miles away on roads provide care in many different ways. that were barely passable.

Schlessinger’s wife Nancy describes During the time they were there, herself as “non-medical,” but she gasoline was nearly impossible to helped many heal in other ways while come across, making transportation Dr. Joel Schlessinger she was in Haiti. even harder. Simple supplies, too, like She was primarily placed in pharmacy; however she con- suture equipment, were hard to find. In fact, Joel compared nected with many of the people and kids there, not just in the the scene in Haiti to scenes at New York hospitals during the pharmaceutical wing. At the hospital– which was far from current pandemic. developed, as it was simply rows and rows of tents– there was Much surrounding COVID-19 is unknown, and hospitals are a kids’ ward. Many of the kids had been separated from their dealing with limited space and supplies. With little to no reparents, or their parents had died. The kids were severely sources, or restricted knowledge on what is going on, the dedwounded, and they were needing a lot of adult care for many ication and devotion of health care workers, as well as reasons; but they were far from showing any negativity. community coming together, to help out individuals in dire “There was a little boy, JP, who almost brings tears to my and unknown circumstances is inspiring. eyes,” Nancy said. “He was so sweet. The kids were so appre“I believe that when individuals are in tough circumciative for everything. You know, they were in pain; but they stances, everybody tries to come together to improve lives,” didn’t moan and groan. It still pulls at my heartstrings.”

Joel said.

Following the damage of the hurricane, the locals under“That doesn’t always mean that it’s a doctor that’s rendering standably needed significant psychological attention, too. A care to a patient. It could be a staff member, nurse, or a simple psychiatrist from the United States was a part of the group Good Samaritan who helps at a time when someone is in that came, but Nancy was certain to help out psychologically need. We all adhere to the tenets of Tikun Olam and the imin the little ways. Often times at night, the kids would cry out portance of making the world a better place.”

The luckiest guy in the world

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Michael Cohen is married to Karen; they are the parents of Lillian (19), Jack (15) and Eva (12). Interest for medical knowledge began early for Michael: “My sister, Toba and I were blessed to have parents who really sanctified the value of education. Our mom took college classes at UNO into her 70s, while our Dad had to enter the workforce after the 8th grade to help support his family and was never able to return to school. But they both shared a great love of learning. In our house, we had a 24 volume Encyclopaedia Britannica. As a kid, I always reveled in the stately appearance of those volumes up on the shelf. When Dr. Michael Cohen I reached the age of about 9, I finally realized that the encyclopedia contained information that was actually useful! And I fell in love with it after that.

Having access to that universe of knowledge (and this was long before the internet) was an epiphany. The general knowledge in those volumes was endlessly fascinating, but the medical topics were simply my favorite.”

Michael received his undergraduate degree from Creighton See The luckiest guy in the world page C11

C10 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Lip reading in a masked world Always serving the community: Karen Gustafson and the JFS staff has done in recent months and continues to ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT do, read Karen’s answers below.

Jewish Press Editor Jewish Social Service’s co-President Toba What has been the biggest challenge Cohen Dunning is convinced, more than during the past 6 months?

The greatest challenge has been the exploever: the Jewish community is fortunate to have Karen Gustafson at the helm of Jewish sion of need in the mental health field. With so much work in recent Family Service. years to decrease the stigma “She works diligently to of mental health, assess for find new and innovative trauma, assess for and deways to serve the commucrease suicides, etc.; there is nity,” Toba said. “As an exso much awareness out ample, her team brought there, which is a good thing.

Telehealth to the commuAt the same time, therapists nity, before COVID-19! are being stretched. Then Why? Because in order to add the pandemic, the inincrease the number of creased political division as clients who can be served the 2020 election gets closer and to provide the maxiand the personal evaluation mum amount of privacy, of one’s own racism. The she brought a progressive number of areas for which tool to those who either Karen Gustafson people are entering councan’t make it to the JFS office or have a need for additional privacy. seling and wishing to discuss challenges they That’s an important and critical piece to un- face is huge.

In March, as soon as the need for social disderstand about clients. Seeking these services is a very private matter. Karen found a way to tancing became obvious, we moved 100 perimprove service to the community and I have cent of our office work to our homes. By July the deepest respect for her clinical, opera- 6, we were able to re-open the office with new tional, fundraising and advocacy skills. We protocols. We see about one third of our clients in person while the others continue to are so fortunate to have her at the helm.”

To find out more about the great work JFS See Jewish Family Service page C12

JANE GLAZER Hot, humid days at Smoothie King on 90th and Center never fail to be hectic. As I’m working in the back room, peeling ripe bananas (and taking a break from the chaos), my co-worker peeks her head around the corner to tell me to come take this order. I quickly throw my slimy banana gloves in the trash and come out to see who is at the front register. I realize it’s my brother. As I say hi, the first thing Danny says is “What?” I proceed to pull down the mask covering my lips, and move forward with taking his order.

I’ve always known Danny as just my big brother. Communicating with him never seems like anything more than maybe having to repeat myself one or two times. Danny presents himself just as any other recent college graduate; he’s incredibly social, is willing to engage in conversations with anyone, and – despite his disability – works tirelessly to understand anyone. My brother is profoundly deaf but is used to navigating the hearing world.

“It’s just how I’ve been for the past 23 years,” Danny says. “Being deaf in a hearing world is all I’ve known.”

Being deaf in a hearing world is one thing, but being deaf in a hearing world during the middle of a pandemic is another. Danny had gotten used to reading lips, so much so that it wasn’t really an inconvenience to him. He’s gotten through life by making sure people know to look at him while they are talking to him, and making sure their hands aren’t covering their mouth. COVID regulations, however, have complicated Danny’s comfort with communicating. These regulations, as we all know, have put a hold on face-to-face interactions. Understandably, this new normal has created challenges for Danny in terms of lip-reading, and therefore communicating in general.

“I’m forced to go through drive-thrus with Coronavirus,” he says. “Normally I just walk in to the counter, order there, and take it out.

That’s been harder. I kinda just know everything I need to say in a drive thru for them to not ask me too many questions that I won’t be able to understand.”

Danny Glazer

Entering a drive-thru unable to hear what is being asked and said to you sounds intimidating. Danny seems to have found a way to navigate it, but talking over the phone– for things like appointments– are another complication for him. Danny can’t see the lips of who he is talking to over the phone, and therefore he can’t understand. Video conferences aren’t much better. The lag between video and sound occurs far too often. It is challenging to follow along a conversation through laggy, pixilated lips. Video conferences also make it easy for everyone to talk over one another– as no one really knows the ettiequte yet– and he can’t differentiate the sounds.

All of these little things, like having to go through a drive-thru, or do a Zoom call for a meeting are, on some level, inconvenient for See Lip Reading page C12

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The luckiest guy in the world Continued rom page C9 and did his residency at the combined UNMC-Creighton program.

When asked why he chose pediatrics, he said: “I truly consider myself to be the luckiest guy in the world: I get to do something I feel passionate about every day in which constant learning is required. My brain loves the workout. I work with an incredible group of physicians and nurses who are also my friends, and each day. I learn something new and exciting from my young patients. I am able to advocate for some of the most vulnerable members of our society. If I hadn’t fallen into pediatrics, I’m pretty sure I would have pursued a life in geriatrics. Practicing pediatrics fills me with a continued sense of hope, wonder and optimism. As a result, to borrow a phrase from a popular local celebrity, I get to tap-dance to work every morning.

“In the 3rd year of medical school training, you are at the point where you need to commit to a medical discipline.

When I decided on pediatrics, my friends and colleagues invariably responded, “Why would you want to do that? Working with parents is a nightmare!” I love the irony of the outcome, because working with parents is one of my favorite facets. How lucky can you be when parents or caregivers, who love their child more than anything else in the world, place their trust in you as a partner in the health and wellbeing of their child? It’s an incredible honor since the parents and I work together as a team for one singularly important goal.”

Of course, challenges come with the territory: “It’s what you might expect; any time you encounter serious illness, or physical or psychological abuse, it’s always heartbreaking. It is something that I’ve never been able to fully reconcile. While I feel blessed to be an advocate for children, I am frequently reminded of the limitations of a physician. It’s a humbling and jarring reminder that sometimes doing everything in your power just isn’t enough to ensure a successful outcome. Once in a while, you are forced to settle for the best possible outcome, which can be very different than what you had hoped for a child.”

He says the biggest misconception about young children is that they are frequently underestimated.

“Kids often have a youthful intelligence, unique insight, and emotional honesty that we as adults may be lacking. Dismissing a child as ignorant, simply because they are innocent, would always be a mistake in my opinion.”

In 2020, when COVID-19 has dominated the news cycle, it remains tricky for anyone to grasp how our kids are affected.

There is much discourse in the public square about whether schools are safe, how it affects the kids to not have a ‘normal’ routine, whether they spread the virus at the same rate as adults. In the middle of so many unanswered questions, parents will more often than not turn to their pediatrician.

“I believe that as human beings, we are hardwired to find safety and security in routines,” Michael said. “This is even more so for young developing brains. When you can anticipate the day ahead with a kind of certitude, it naturally reduces anxiety. COVID-19 has acted as the great disrupter. I hope that some blessings can always be found in the face of tragedy. For many families, the pandemic has given them an opportunity for a new way to focus and interact, sometimes with unexpected benefits.”

So, who is more anxious in 2020, parents or children?

“The answer is... yes. Everyone’s anxious, and for good reason.

There is clearly a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. The difference is how the anxiety is processed. Young children often have an advantage over adults in that they don’t attempt to suppress their anxiety; they don’t see it as a stigma. They typically feel freer to express themselves, and that is so important.

Child or adolescent anxiety is often misinterpreted as a mere tantrum, open defiance, disrespect, or some behavior which is readily dismissed or addressed as childlike. Usually, however, our children are simply expressing something deeper in a language that is more instinctive, especially when they are trying to convey an emotion that is abstract or troubling to them.”

“It’s the challenge for all parents to exercise patience whenever possible, and try to understand what their child is REALLY trying to say. When a parent is able to make that connection, they can both address the situation more effectively, and also serve as an invaluable role model for our kids in the act of parenting. The solution usually lies in being a truly mindful listener for our kids, and, even more challenging, understanding how our own anxieties often get in the way of our parenting. It’s a lifetime pursuit to get this right, and our children don’t give us that much time to figure it out; they refuse to stay young and impressionable for very long.”

How does he respond to the ‘crystal ball’ questions parents ask? The stuff you can’t possibly know, yet you’re expected to have some kind of answer?

“In the words of the great Yogi Berra, ‘It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.’ I rely heavily on Occam’s razor. It’s worked pretty well so far. Even though I’m no gambler, I’m constantly reminded that life, from sunup to sundown, is a law of averages. When a parent is asking me to

The Cohen family

predict the future, the best I can do is discuss the likelihood of a particular outcome. When I’ve been solipsistic enough to predict the future with absolute certainty, fate usually laughs at me heartily and kindly reveals my extreme hubris.”

While being a ‘Jewish Doctor’ may be a bit of an archetype, there is real value in what Judaism teaches, Michael finds.

“Judaism and the medical profession overlap every day and in every way. I’m a product of my wonderful parents and witness to their lifelong devotion to the Jewish community, of my apprenticeship as Toba Cohen’s younger sibling, of my experience as proud husband to Karen and father to Lillian, Jack, and Eva. My Judasim is so defining for me in all those roles, and I feel enriched the more that I study and learn. All of these elements combine to guide me as a pediatrician every day; the influences are inescapably intertwined. I believe, without question, that Judaism has made me a more competent and compassionate practitioner.

See Dr. Michael Cohen page C13

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C12 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Jewish Family Service

Lip reading Continued from page C10 us all. But for Danny, it’s more than just inconvenient. It’s limiting, and it’s exclusive.

And while these little things are exclusive, Danny is most anxious about the new normal of face masks. He works at Enterprise, and does not feel comfortable asking a customer to remove their mask, but he can’t communicate with someone wearing a mask.

“It’s not because I want them to have to take off their mask,” Danny says. “It’s not because I don’t wanna help them, or I don’t wanna work with them. It’s because I cannot understand or sustain a conversation when people are wearing masks.”

Danny has to remind himself that he is the minority, and that it is unusual for a mask to be a communication barrier.

He has to stay patient and hope that whoever he is talking to can understand his situation.

“There are times when I just realize other people can actually hear,” Danny says. “I honestly don’t know how to comprehend that, that people can hear over the phone, or they can hear without looking at someone and still understand everything that they’re saying.”

Like Danny struggling to understand how people can understand words without watching the lips that form them, I can’t really imagine my brother not being deaf. It’s all I’ve ever known; it’s who he is, and I love him for him. That being said, I also can’t imagine how complicated this new-normal is for him.

COVID regulations are a constant reminder to Danny that yes, people can actually hear in the drive thru, or understand their doctor over the phone. That most people don’t need to ask the girl at Smoothie King to take her mask off before they can place their order.

These regulations are a constant reminder that as a deaf person, his situation is different. COVID is an adjustment for the whole world and has added difficulties and changes to everyday life, but people in the deaf community have added challenges to their new reality. Reading lips is harder to do six feet apart, and impossible under a mask.

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Continued from page 10 prefer using Zoom. Zoom has proven to be a really effective alternative to in-person sessions with masks because we are able to see facial expressions, which are a big part of how people express themselves. However, for some people, face-toface is really needed to break through their isolation.

Sometimes the mere act of physically getting out of the house is a necessary step.

What are the changes JFS has made and how have they affected your workweek?

I felt a compelling responsibility to the entire community, not just our current clients, to provide as much information related to mental health as possible in order to prevent others from struggling. I felt like everyone needed support, no matter how much or how little! The abrupt move from seeing clients in our office to doing 99 percent of our work from home has been fascinating. I am very proud of all my staff, who were able to transition very quickly, while making sure that we were in touch with each and every client in our care (counseling as well as assistance clients). Since we had already seen the trend of Telehealth coming and prepared ourselves to begin offering this service in early March (having nothing to do with the pandemic), we were prepared to make the move. No one expected 100 percent of our services to suddenly go to this. It wasn’t easy to be glued to our computers and phone constantly initially, but our goal was to over-communicate if that was needed in order for people to feel cared for and for work on the Campus not to fall through the cracks. We were all working so fast. The number of emails was mindboggling!

At the same time, these same societal issues were happening in our own families. In my 30+ years of working in the mental health field, I have never experienced a time where

my personal and professional work collided so much. The realization and immediate need to take care of oneself was never more important in order to be effective for our clients.

The balance of work and home became very blurred and due to immediate need, everything and everyone, including checking in repeatedly with staff became the priority. Honestly, everything was a priority!

We made the tough decision to close our food pantry to visitors, at a time when food pantries across Omaha were opening more. However, the move to offering grocery gift cards to those in need proved effective and responsible. This change allowed JFS to serve people according to their specific needs ( for toilet paper, milk, eggs, bread, etc.) that we could not keep in the pantry, while also allowing the agency to protect our staff who has a compromised family member at home. We experienced very little pushback from the community once our reasons were understood and that we were still serving everyone’s needs... in a better way under the circumstance.

The most surprising development was that the number of requests for adoption home studies went up. JFS has experienced our highest number of adoption home studies in one year, out of the last 20 years. Teresa Drelicharz, Adoption Coordinator, gained permission to conduct home tours virtually (a requirement of a home study), which was extremely helpful, allowing everyone to continue minimizing their exposure to others, yet move forward with a very large life changing event.

How has the community supported you?

The community has supported JFS in several ways. The first was to donate money to the combined Jewish Federation of Omaha and JFO Foundation Campaign for COVID RELIEF. The majority of the funds provided to those in need are flowing through JFS for rent, utilities and food assistance; however, See Karen Gustafson page C14

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The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | C13

Steve Denenberg, MD prompted him to choose his specialty, he exGABBY BLAIR plains. “Medical school ‘rotations’ are so imJewish Press Staff Writer Steve Denenberg is one of the area’s pre- portant in helping new doctors choose a mier plastic surgeons, drawing clients from specialty. Each rotation, each specialty, has across the country and around the world to its own enticements, and they allow you to his practice, Denenberg Facial Plastic Surgery. delve a little deeper in each specialty you are The Central High School alum (‘73), pur- considering. I was drawn to surgery of the sued his undergraduate degree in physics at head and neck precisely because it is compliHarvard before deciding in cated and challenging.” his senior year that he After completing his would go on to study mediresidency at Stanford, Dr. cine. “I began considering Denenberg earned a felgraduate school programs lowship in facial plastic in a variety of subjects inand reconstructive surcluding music and physics gery in Birmingham, Alabefore deciding to apply to bama. He apprenticed medical school. My father’s under a highly respected three youngest brothers and experienced facial were physicians, so I had plastic surgeon there belots of exposure to medifore returning home to cine. After Harvard, I came Omaha to open his own back home to Omaha and private practice in 1985. earned my medical degree “I have never had a Steve Denenberg from UNMC in 1980.” partner; how do you find For Dr. Denenberg, an Omaha native with the right one? Facial work is delicate and deep roots in the community, UNMC was a personal. Frankly, I didn’t want someone great choice. “There were other advantages, doing crappy work out of my office! When I besides studying in a friendly and familiar first opened, I had a pretty even split of eleccommunity. While I was at UNMC, it was the tive cosmetic clients and patients needing height of the malpractice crisis that had reconstructive surgery. As time went on, my swept the coasts, hampering the ability for clientele shifted more towards elective opermedical students to get the hands-on experi- ations, and I gradually earned a national repence that one hopes to gain during medical utation in the field.” school. Many of my friends who chose schools When asked why he chose to open his on the east or west coasts were more limited practice in Omaha, he shares, “during trainin what they could do, and some couldn’t be- ing, I didn’t give too much thought to where lieve the opportunities still available to med- I would end up, geographically. I studied and ical students in Nebraska at the time.” worked on both coasts, the Midwest, and in Dr. Denenberg then interned in general the deep South. When it came time to begin surgery at the VA Hospital in Des Moines be- my own practice, the more I considered my fore heading to Stanford for his residency in options, the more Omaha made sense. It has head and neck surgery. When asked what See Steve Denenberg, MD page C14

Dr. Michael Cohen Continued from page C11 “One of the added benefits of being a Jewish pediatrician that I most relish, is the ability to represent Jewish holidays in our office for the families that we serve. Our office is always decked out for every conceivable holiday and occasion. We live by the mantra that a lively and festive office is always more fun for families. I find the experience of a young child who excitedly sees Jewish holiday decorations, represented equally alongside all the other annual celebrations, absolutely magical.

We get an amazing amount of praise from our families, regardless of their religious background, for creating that environment.”

The focus in medicine, Michael said, is often on the reactive side. This means treating problems as they occur is what draws most of the attention.

“But we really try to put the emphasis on prevention. The data has shown that the medical and economic benefits of preventing illness for families creates a significant advantage to merely treating illness. It’s not possible to anticipate every illness. But putting the time, care and attention into counseling families on healthy lifestyles gives us a unique opportunity to set children on a track for habits that will hopefully get them to age 120.”

It’s hard to speak about prevention without addressing vaccines and the opposition

against inoculating children that continues to grow across the country.

“Unfortunately, we live in a day and age where it has become much easier to believe a conspiracy theory over volumes of scientific safety data obtained and scrutinized over decades,” Michael said. “Such are the mysteries of the human mind.

“Karen and I have fully immunized all three of our children, because the safety data on immunizations is incontrovertible, the benefits to children, families and communities at large has been repeatedly proven, and to see the horrific pain experienced by a family when a child experiences the life-altering consequences of a vaccine-preventable illness is an experience I would never wish for anyone.

Vaccinating our kids is one of those great occasions where every parent can be a true hero. They aren’t just protecting their child, they are protecting a whole community; most notably, the kids who want to be vaccinated but are unable due to an underlying medical condition. Could there be any greater definition of a mensch?”

Finally, the question that must be asked of all doctor’s children: are any young Cohens showing any interest at all in following in his footsteps?

“There are small embers from time to time.

We’ll see if any of the sparks grow into a flame.”

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C14 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Steve Denenberg, MD Jewish Family Service Continued from page C12 other uses of the funds are to help families who were already enrolled at the CDC or Friedel and who have lost their jobs or had their work hours cut; and, for Federation employees who are working decreased hours or had to be quarantined as a result of a positive COVID-19 test and had no saved vacation time. The latter two uses of the funds raised are being distributed through the Federation and HR, respectively.

JFS has received many offers to volunteer and many compliments to the vast array of articles and informational postcards advertising the COVID RELIEF FUND. We cannot thank the community enough for their support.

What more can the community do now?

Honestly, just take care of themselves.

And, take the time to appreciate the staff that work on behalf of bringing services to the Jewish community, not just JFS but all of the agencies and synagogues. We all care so much about making sure that we serve the community as best we can. Can we please everyone? We know that we cannot. I

just ask that people have the compassion to realize that we are all trying.

Do you think some of the changes will be permanent?

Telehealth will remain an option. Now that it has become a “learned tool” people are less intimidated and see the

value in saving travel time, remaining comfortable in their own home or personal space, still being served even if they are ill. Insurance companies being willing to continue paying for this platform will be our greatest barrier.

We do plan to re-open the Food Pantry at some future time. When that is, we cannot say at this time. We have been able to serve each of our community clients/families, as well as new ones, through electronic gift cards or online bill pay. In some ways, the gift cards have been even better, as they allow a family to purchase items such as milk, eggs, fresh vegetables and bread that can easily expire in a food pantry.

What do you anticipate the rest of 2020 will look like, from your perspective and from your clients’ perspectives?

I hope that the only thing our clients recognize is our continued ability to serve them. The manner in which we are doing that has changed and may not completely go back to “pre-COVID-19” protocols. However, we continue to learn and adjust. The most important aspect to consider while serving clients is the safety of all those involved: clients, staff and family members.

What we do know is that if we have to close our office again, either now or in the future, we can do so quickly and efficiently. If I could leave a message for whoever is reading, it would be that...We are here for YOU no matter where that HERE is... our home or our offices.

Stay well, be safe and please wear a mask in a collective effort to decrease the virus’ spread. I cannot speak for everyone but those with mental health needs will thank you if they can return to services that best suit their ability to stabilize and heal.

Continued from page C13 always been my home, and I love it here. Obviously my family, friends and shul community were here, so in the end it was an easy decision.”

After establishing his practice, Steve met Tippi. The couple soon married and began a family of their own having five children, Daniel (17), Michael (16), Sasha (13), Sima(11) and Solomon (8). As Covid crept into the Omaha psyche, Steve took no chances, putting the health of his family and patients first.

“Having a private practice where the majority of my work is focused on elective procedures gave me the flexibility to shut down in early March on my own terms. Covid impacted my practice much differently than so many of my friends and colleagues, who complained bitterly about the cancellation of elective surgery. They rejoiced when our governor reopened the state allowing for the resumption of elective procedures. I didn’t trust the safety and stayed closed. There are too many asymptomatic spreaders and too many unknowns to recklessly rush into reopening everything and going back to some illusion of ‘business as usual’. My main concern obviously was avoiding Covid. I don’t want to get the virus or bring it home to my family. I don’t want it spread amongst my staff or my patients. I recognize how fortunate I am to have the ability to control my time and make the business decisions I have made. Obviously there is a real need for many physicians to keep working right now- ER, ICU, hospitalists, OBGYN, pediatricians and the like, because normal everyday health issues are still happening.”

At the time of this writing, Dr. Denenberg only just resumed working, at a slow pace. “I partially reopened in mid July, seeing only a few patients. I have stringent requirements in place to reduce the chance of exposure and transmission.

Patients must have two negative test results the week before and the week of their procedure and must pay attention to social distancing at least from the time of testing. I have a good relationship with my patients and generally I can count on them to take the issues seriously, if I do so as well.”

Ideally, Denenberg hopes to get a point-of-care device that would allow him to test patients for the virus and get sameday results. While these devices exist, they are still very hard to acquire. “Demand is high and supply is still low. But I’ll keep trying.”

See Steve Denenberg page C15

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | C15

Michele Aizenberg, M.D.: Professor of Neurosurgery; Director of UNMC Brain and Spine Cancer Center (BASCC) GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer Dr. Michele Aizenberg came to Omaha specifically to take her position in neurosurgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2007. The Sacramento, California native is married to Shervin Ansari and is the mother of five-and-a-half year-old twins, Ava and Cyrus.

Dr. Aizenberg earned her undergraduate degree at the University of California-Davis and her medical degree at St. George’s University, before completing her surgical internship at Brown University. She did her neurosurgery residency at George Washington University and served as an in-residency fellow in Surgical Neurology at The National Institutes of Health. Upon completion of her residency, she moved on to The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center for a post-residency fellowship in neurosurgical oncology before joining The University of Nebraska Medical Center.

She has a special interest in primary and metastatic tumors of the brain and spine and was instrumental in establishing the Brain and Spine Cancer Center (BASCC) at the Nebraska Medical Center for which she was named Director in 2009.

She attributed her motivation to pursue Neurosurgery and Neurosurgical Oncology to her desire to develop a better understanding of how the human brain and nervous system

Steve Denenberg, MD Continued from page C14 While his office was closed, Dr. Denenberg’s children were also home and trying to sort out schooling. This provided an opportunity for him to work with them. “Our eldest was in the midst of preparing for AP exams in calculus and calculus-based physics, so I used my free time to teach.

I set up a whiteboard in our basement, read each word of his texts and delivered over 30 hours of lecture to help him prepare. While I have always loved physics, it was refreshing to return to teaching it and helping my son understand the material. Who knows, I may offer my services to Central as a substitute remote learning physics instructor. Incidentally, Danny did wonderfully on his exams.”

When asked about his ability to maintain adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), Denenberg explains this hasn’t been an issue for him. “Having the office closed and working with low volumes of patients, even before Covid hit, helped. I couldn’t imagine trying to maintain supplies in high-patient-volume facilities like hospitals. Having to reuse PPE or ration supplies would be a logistical nightmare.”

Denenberg sees the pandemic as the biggest challenge to health care today. “Today, there is no bigger issue we face. If you’d have asked me this question last year, I could have listed any number of challenges- politics, broken systems, affordability of care, quality of care. All of those have been eclipsed and now, it’d be nice if our old challenges were the most pressing issues. The old adage of ‘it could always be worse’ seems to have come true in this moment.”

“We are caught in a bad situation,” explains Denenberg.

“If businesses are open, of course it helps the economy, but sending children to school so the parents can get to work is outrageously risky. The kids will be fine academically if schools don’t open. We have options available to learn remotely that we haven’t had in the past. And even if learning this year is inferior to last year, it doesn’t justify the risk of spreading the virus even farther and wider, while we should be practicing care while waiting for a vaccine. What will be detrimental to kids is becoming ill or losing parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, teachers or caregivers because of schools spreading the virus. Keep the kids home to study, and the government should step to the plate to help out more.”

Dr. Denenberg is of the opinion that the biggest problem in the US right now is the denial of hard science. “Unfortunately, the number of people who simply don’t understand, care or believe the science and refuse to be inconvenienced by restrictions necessary to stem the spread of Covid is a national embarrassment.”

When asked if he could have one wish for healthcare today, Denenberg is quick to reply. “We need a vaccine. A safe and effective vaccine. Of course, there will be those who say they don’t trust vaccines because of possible complications. But if you do the numbers, the percentages, the risk of a vaccine complication vs. the risk of a bad result from the virus, let’s just say that I’ll be the first in line for the vaccine. But until then, we must all follow guidance on masks and social distancing; we must work together to stem the spread.”

function. “I like to fix things and have always had a desire to understand how things work. I was also intrigued and frankly, fascinated, by the nervous system. It is the essence of who we are and what we can do. These combined interests led me early on to pursue neurosurgery.”

Dr. Aizenberg gets great satisfaction in improving her patients’ lives in various ways and said she enjoys “performing surgery, solving problems and analyzing data, and understanding disease processes.”

When asked if her job had a ‘hardest part,’ Dr. Dr. Michele Aizenberg of UNMC Aizenberg shared that managing multiple significant responsibilities, juggling professional and personal life and getting enough sleep, especially with two young children, make the top three.

When asked what she has learned about herself over the past six months, in light of COVID-19, Dr. Aizenberg shared the following. “I have a deeper appreciation of the risks to our own health and safety we, as healthcare providers, take in order to do our jobs and to care for others. This can translate into placing our family members at risk. It has also made me acutely aware of how my own practices might contribute. For example, under normal circumstances when we are sick, we just keep on going to take care of patients and get the work

H A P P Y N E W

Y E A R

done. COVID-19 has made us reconsider this because if we are not careful, we could possibly spread disease. This includes our colleagues, patients and all our respective families. Early on, it was scary to consider what would happen to our small, highly specialized department should some of us become ill and not be able to work; we would be short staffed and possibly not be able to provide adequate neurosurgical coverage.

Early on, UNMC implemented safety measures which we continue to follow and fortunately, none of us has been ill. We have been diligent in practices to minimize exposure to ourselves, our patients, our staff and our trainees.”

As far as her opinion on the biggest challenge to healthcare workers today, Dr. Aizenberg points to the ability to provide care in such a constrained and constantly-evolving environment. “The threats to PPE and medical supplies is sadly, a reality. The policies designed and required to protect everyone, such as no visitors for patients in hospitals or clinics, lends itself to patient and family frustration and emotional stress. Uncertainty as to how we will be practicing next week or next month is difficult to navigate. Additionally, the lack of patient or layperson appreciation for the health threats that exist from COVID-19, while managing careers and family during an uncertain time in a pandemic environment is a huge challenge.”

When asked if she could have one wish granted for healthcare today, Dr. Aizenberg is thoughtful before responding.” I would wish for patients to help themselves and fellow humans as much as possible to improve our fight against disease. This applies to the COVID pandemic or any other disease. It is inconceivable to me that there are individuals in this country that not only question, but frankly deny objective scientific evidence. I would wish for humanity at large to respect healthcare professionals and the scientific community. We are all in this together, and we need collective support.”

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C16 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Bruce Gutnik: Forensic psychiatrist ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Dr. Bruce Gutnik was born and raised in St. Louis and went to University City High School in the St. Louis suburbs. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a psychology major. After that, he attended the University of Missouri School of Medicine and did his psychiatry residency at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He and his wife Margie live in Omaha.

“Margie and I just celebrated our 50th anniversary,” he said. “We have three daughters- Julie, Allison and Andi. None live in Omaha, but we see them regularly.

They are all married, and Bruce Gutnik each has two children.”

Originally, Bruce was a psychology major in college.

“I decided to go to med school, because I wanted to learn how the brain works and how to treat it,” he said. “I practiced general adult psychiatry and was residency training director for the UNMC department of psychiatry from 1977 to 1983 and then went to full-time private practice. As part of my week, I spent one half day per week treating inmates at the Douglas County Corrections Center. That is where I became interested in Forensic Psychiatry. I evaluated inmates and treated them. Now, I still do forensic evaluations, not only of inmates, but of people involved in other legal situations as well. I picked up legal information and skills from lawyers and my readings.”

So what exactly is “forensic psychiatry?”

Not to be confused with forensic pathology or psychology, forensic psychiatry is a branch of medicine that focuses on the area where law and mental health meet. It can include mental health evaluations and consultations as well as clinical work with both victims and perpetrators. The two major areas of criminal evaluations in forensic psychiatry are competency to stand trial and mental state at the time of the offense. A

forensic psychiatrist has completed additional training in diagnosis and treatment of certain mental disorders, as it relates to legal matters. This expertise is necessary for lawyers and judges during criminal trials, when there are issues that need further clarification.

While many lay people think Criminal Minds or other TV shows when we hear the term “forensic psychiatrist,” examples of when this discipline is relevant throughout history are not hard to find.

When Yigal Amir went to trial for the 1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, Amir “sought to argue that he had acted legally under Jewish law in that the peace process was risking Jewish lives. The court, however, rejected such a defense, since Israeli criminal law is not based on Jewish law, and instead concentrated on legislative issues of premeditation and intention. At his trial, the court accepted evidence from three forensic psychiatrists that Yigal Amir was not suffering from mental illness or indeed any other mental disorder. In March 1996, Amir was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The presence of intensely held religious and messianic motivation at a time of rising social conflict was sufficient to account for the assassination of the Israeli Prime Minister, without any factor of mental illness in the perpetrator. This is a pertinent reminder to the public that concern about homicides by people suffering from mental illness needs to be kept in context of the relevance of a range of other factors associated with homicides in the community.” (Source: Cambridge.org) “In 1843, a man named Abner Rogers murdered the warden of the prison in which he was confined. He pled “not guilty by reason of insanity” based on an overdose of chloroform he had been given during a previous surgery. He was ultimately acquitted and sent to the Illinois Asylum—clearly a loss for the prosecution side. The defeated prosecutor was so tall and thin that it seemed to some that he had the then unfamiliar entity now known as Marfan’s Syndrome. His name was more familiar: Abraham Lincoln.” (Source: Thomas Gutheil, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law) In 1960, the Supreme Court of the United States in Dusky v.

United States established the standard for federal courts, ruling that “the test must be whether the defendant has sufficient present ability to consult with his attorney with a

reasonable degree of rational understanding and a rational as well as factual understanding of proceedings against him.” The evaluations must assess a defendant’s ability to assist their legal counsel, meaning that they understand the legal charges against them, the implications of being a defendant and the adversarial nature of the proceedings, including the roles played by defense counsel, prosecutors, judges and the jury.

They must be able to communicate relevant information to their attorney and understand information provided by their attorney. Finally, they must be competent to make important decisions, such as whether or not to accept a plea agreement.

(Source: Steven Hoge, Competence to stand trial) “As a forensic psychiatrist I do evaluations of patients involved in criminal cases,” Bruce said, “to determine if they have any psychiatric problems, if they are competent to stand trial and if they were sane or insane at the time of the alleged crime. I also evaluate individuals to determine if they have any psychiatric damage as a result of injuries. The evaluations are similar to those done for patients, but have the added need to determine how the person’s legal situation affects them and how their psychiatric condition affects their legal situation.”

Forensic psychiatry touches on more than evaluating criminals; it’s also relevant to cases of civil litigation, one’s competence to make a will or consent to medical care or take care of children, child custody cases, helping victims of crimes and helping those in the legal profession understand the psychological aspects of their cases. Forensic psychiatrists are also involved with care for prisoners. Maybe most importantly, although a forensic psychiatrist has legal knowledge, he or she is not a lawyer. He or she is first and foremost a doctor, who can ‘translate’ for those who work in the legal system. Most forensic psychiatrists continue to work directly with patients not tied up in the legal system, which helps them stay in close touch with their clinical field.

Bruce said his biggest professional challenge is dealing with murderers: “The biggest misconception about psychiatry is that we treat ‘crazy people’,” Bruce said. “Very few of the people I see are insane. They are troubled and need help. Also, over the past decade, a larger percentage of people who I evaluate have problems with drugs. Judaism teaches that all people are God’s children. I always have to keep this in mind.”

D1 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Rosh Hashanah S EC T I ON 4

Drs. Sarah and Beau Konigsberg ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Dr. Sarah Konigsberg, an endocrinologist at Methodist Physicians Clinic Diabetes and Endocrine Specialists, attended medical school and completed a diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her husband, Beau, is an orthopedic surgeon at UNMC. They have three children: Leo 14, Rex, 11 and Drew, 9. Beau grew up in Omaha, Sarah grew up in Cozad, Nebraska.

Both Beau and Sarah love that practicing medicine means caring for patients from every aspect of society. “Building health care relationships with people from all types of backgrounds helps you appreciate different perspectives,” Sarah said.

As is often the case, it was a teacher who helped spark Sarah’s love for science when she was young: “One of my early inspirations was an especially enthusiastic biology teacher I had in high school,” she said. “He made learning science fun. I majored in biology in college and my decision to go into medicine grew out of that interest combined with my desire to help others.”

As an endocrinologist, Sarah treats disorders of hormone-making glands.

“About half of the patients I see have diabetes.

After that, thyroid, adrenal and pituitary disorders are the next most common problems I treat. Most of my day is spent in a clinic, either seeing patients in consultation or for regular follow-up of a chronic condition. So my days are very predictable. I’m usually seeing patients from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then do another hour or two of charting and paperwork.”

Dr. Sarah Konigsberg

Dr. Beau Konigsberg

In the COVID era, Telehealth has become a more acceptable way to treat patients, she said.

“There are very few endocrinologists in Nebraska and Iowa outside of the largest cities. I have patients who drive several hours every few months for their appointments. I have long thought Telehealth visits would work well for such patients. Until COVID-19, it was very difficult to document and be reimbursed for Telehealth. Now, we can easily do Telehealth visits through a number of easily accessible online plat-

forms. I am hopeful this will continue.”

Since most of the patients she treats have diabetes and diabetes is a high-risk condition, Sarah worries about their physical health “and that we as a society do enough to protect them. I also worry about their emotional health. Trying to avoid contracting COVID-19 and also experiencing the social isolation that goes along with that is causing so many of my patients to be depressed.”

See Drs. Konigsberg page D3

Messages

D2 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

FR OM T H E F E D E RAT I O N

From our CEO The theme for this year’s Rosh Hashanah issue is Health Care and doctors. Annette and her staff of writers have interviewed area doctors and others in the healthcare profession. I am going to stick with the theme but take a different approach.

We think of the time period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as Yamim Noraim or the Days of Awe. I ALAN POTASH have experienced awe in the medical Chief Executive Officer, JFO profession, first-hand, as a patient.

It began with my birth. I was born with a hole in my heart, often referred to as a blue baby. (Blue remains my favorite color.) The awe-inspiring piece is not that I was born but when. I was born in 1959 and just a few years earlier a heart lung bypass machine was invented. It was first successfully used on an adult in 1953. This machine, also known as a cardiopulmonary bypass machine, was able to take over the functions of the heart and lungs during surgery so the heart could be repaired. It took a number of years and modifications before it became more of a routine procedure on adults and even later, on children.

By the time I was six years old, I was ready for the surgery.

I was fortunate that the surgery was becoming common in some parts of the country. Omaha, Nebraska was not one of those parts. My parents took me to New York, to Columbia Presbyterian Children’s Hospital for the surgery. One of the most traumatic experiences for my parents was when they had to say good-bye to me the night before the surgery. I walked them to the elevator and said good bye. Then I walked back into the room by myself. In those days parents weren’t allowed to stay overnight with their kids. Other than cracking open my chest, and hooking me up to the machine, all the

doctor needed to do was patch up the hole and send me on my way. No big deal.

I often think about the timing of this surgery – had I been born even five or ten years earlier, I most likely would not be alive today. It especially strikes me as we read in the High Holy Day Machzur, who shall live and who shall die. I marvel at my luck and at the medical technology and research that made something like this possible.

Jump ahead 52 years and I found myself again hooked up to that lifesaving machine although this time for a different procedure. This time my aortic valve was in need of some help.

And again, medical technology and research made it possible to have my valve replaced. It is amazing to think a heart valve could be cut out and another sewn into place. I was given three options for my new valve: mechanical, or one made from the tissue of a pig or cow. The mechanical one makes a slight clicking sound when it opens and closes. My hearing is sensitive so I knew that one was out. I didn’t feel right having pig tissue in my body, so I went with the cow valve. This was also the surgeon’s preferred choice; it’s good to be on the same page as the one performing this amazing procedure.

The morning after my valve replacement, the surgeon asked me how I was feeling. I answered that I felt great! He replied, you should feel great. I just gave you a new valve. His response has added to my understanding of awe. Yes, it was a second chance but it was also a successful collaboration of skill, research, technology and care. All the things needed for my survival were in place, things that would not have been available 60 some years ago.

Despite the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am confident that just as medical technology cured me, not once but twice, we will have a vaccine soon.

May you have a sweet and healthy New Year Shana Tova.

A Retrospective

When preparing to write this for the High Holiday edition of the Jewish Press, my mind began swirling. Understand that it is mid-July as I begin to contemplate my remarks, and I am acutely aware that anything I say here will be “old news” by the time you read it. This, along with the fact that I am not an expert on many topics, I chose NOT to write about COVID-19, anti- JON MEYERS semitism, violence, religion, politics, President, JFO or Black Lives Matter. I am also aware that you hear all the time in the Press and from our synagogue pulpits about, affiliation/engagement, philanthropy, spirituality and religion... so I am also not writing about them. Last year I wrote about the campus renovation project. This year I will only mention that if you haven’t been to the Staenberg-Kooper-Fellman Campus to see the transformation, you’ll be amazed when you do get there!

This New Year season I would like to focus on a brief retrospective of what will be a two 1/2 year JFO presidency and plus- 22 years of Jewish volunteerism. I was voted on to the JFO Board in June 2013. Until that time, most of my Jewish volunteerism was synagogue-centric. I served Temple Israel on its board for 16 years, and as its President from 2007-2009.

I tell you this, because I have the dubious distinction of having served in a leadership role at both Temple Israel and the JFO during some of the most difficult times in our recent history. The implications of both the Financial Crisis of 2008 and the Covid Crisis of 2020 were/are so incredibly far-reaching, that the very existence of the institutions as we know them were/are in jeopardy. This requires our professional and lay leaders of the JFO and especially its agencies to think, act and plan differently. These times of crisis are stressful for everyone; staff, lay leaders, and most certainly for our community members that use and rely on the institutions for the services they provide. There seems to be an enormous amount of pent-up frustration and aggressiveness everywhere we turn. We have all been so ‘distanced’ from each other for so long, I believe that we have, to some great extent, forgotten how to be social with one another. To be See Jon Meyers page D3

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Drs. Konigsberg Continued from page D1 Sarah said the numbers of women in medicine who are in leadership positions are very disappointing: “The more women are encouraged to go into leadership, the more young women might be inspired to follow. The same goes for underrepresented minorities. I would tell college students to get as many different health care exposure opportunities as you can, such as physician shadowing, working as a certified nursing assistant or volunteering in a hospital. Also, doing well in your science classes will open doors in medicine.”

Beau Konigsberg was inspired to go into medicine by his father, who was a physician right here in Omaha for more than 40 years.

“Hip replacements have been called “the surgery of the century” because of their ability to relieve pain, get people back to activities they enjoy and improve quality of life,” Beau said. “Patients recover much faster from hip and knee replacement now because there have been tremendous improvements in surgical technique, anesthesia, pain control, and physical therapy.”

When he meets a new patient who is considering joint replacement, he tries to first understand what their particular goals and expectations are.

“Orthopaedics is a team effort,” he said. “I work with a dedicated team of nurse case managers, physical therapists and other physicians such as internists and anesthesiologists.

Working at UNMC means that residents and students are also

part of the team.”

The mental part of healing is important: “When it comes to helping people gain better mobility,” he said, “having a positive attitude, being motivated and committed to recovery does wonders for a patient’s outcome following joint replacement surgery.”

As COVID-19 began to spread, there were quite a few stories in the media. People weren’t seeing their doctors for nonCOVID symptoms; they were scared to go to the hospital for fear of contracting the virus.

“That was a concern in April and May,” Beau said. “As Nebraska Medicine has adapted to the current situation, I think patients are comfortable coming to the hospital for elective surgery again.”

Outside of work, he enjoys being outside and being active, particularly playing golf in the summer and skiing in the winter.

“I have also coached my sons’ flag football teams and love watching their many baseball and basketball games.”

“Being a physician is a job that never becomes easy,” the couple said. “Even though we have both become more experienced, each patient is different, and we are both still regularly challenged to do our best. That said, being a physician is also a job that never becomes boring.” And while the hours, especially Beau’s, can be unpredictable, “we are very lucky to have supportive family in town and our wonderful nanny of 12 years.”

Both are happy to also have the support of the Jewish community: “We enjoy that we treat many Jewish patients.”

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Jon Meyers Continued from page D2 pleasant, to converse in a cooperative and collaborative manner. When we enter into uncharted territory, as is the case with both of these crises, the entire conversation about solutions and responses gets ratcheted up so high and the stress levels reach a level that cause many to begin to ‘shut down’. We are quick-fused and easily agitated. We lose faith in our core values and principles. We stop listening to one another. Some of our actions will actually cause more harm than good.

While our world may be changed forever, that does not have to be a bad thing. I had faith during the weeks and months following Sept. 11, 2001, in the months during and following the 2008 financial crisis, and right now in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that our society will survive.

Everyone has been affected by all of these. Life changed but went on. Things got better. Just remember that we will be judged on how we acted during these times of crises. How we held true to our values and how we helped one another.

How we acted JEWISHLY!

LESLIE’S

My retrospective here would be incomplete if didn’t share this very important part of my story.

During my last 22 years of Jewish Volunteerism, ESPECIALLY during my 2 presidencies, the thing that remains consistent for me is my wife Denise! Denise is Lutheran and we were married in 1998. I affectionately refer to her as a quasi-Jew. She has always been supportive of the amount of time I spend going to meetings, taking phone calls, attending seminars, etc. More importantly is how strongly she has embraced and supported my Jewishness. She opens our home to host Hanukkah/Christmas family dinners and parties, puts on a beautiful Passover Seder, provides Break the Fast for the family, as well as attending Shabbat Services and Jewish life cycle events with me. She makes great Kreplach and a perfect Matzah Ball! (not too firm, not too soft). She has helped plan, decorate and host community events. She is always grounding me when I start to drift from my core beliefs.

Denise, I want to thank you for all you do for the community, the family and ME! Shana Tova

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D4 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Finding ways to thrive Dear Friends, The year 5780 will go down in history as most memorable and momentous. It has made its mark on our economy, culture, and most of all, our state of health. The accursed virus of this year is also indelibly engraved on our emotional and mental psyches with pain induced by loneliness, fear,and trauma.

As we step into a new beginning and RABBI MENDEL re-emergence, we will invariably place KATZMAN great emphasis on the physical and ma- Chabad Nebraska terial aspects of our health. With G–d’s help and medical know-how, our families, community, and indeed the entire world will be healed and achieve protection.

It will be a process, this going back. And it may take time.

But what of our emotional and mental angst? How will we heal from that?

A story is told of a follower of R. Menachem Mendel, the “Tzemach Tzedek,” whose son was seriously ill. He was advised to travel to the Tzemach Tzedek to procure a blessing for the boy’s recovery. With a heavy heart, he made the difficult trek.

In response to his request for a blessing, the Tzemach Tzedek pronounced five Yiddish words, which have since entered the mainstream vernacular: Tracht gut vet zein gut— Think good and it will be good.”

The Chasid took these words to heart, and during the entire homeward journey consciously strengthened his trust in G–d and visualized a good outcome for his son. When he returned home, he was shocked to see his son completely healed and back to himself.

The efficacy of “thinking good,” according to this Chassidic teaching, is bound up with one’s faith in G–d’s ability to manifest a positive outcome. The Rebbe once explained: “When a person decides to place their trust in G–d, believing that their current crisis will be resolved favorably despite facing a bleak

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reality, they have, in effect, risen above their own nature, which in turn elicits, reciprocally, the suspension of the Divine order...

G–d understands how difficult and even “supernatural” it is for a human being to believe sincerely—to the degree that he or she no longer experiences fear and anxiety—that an unpromising and even seemingly hopeless situation will have a positive outcome. Therefore, as a result and reward for the extraordinary act of “thinking good,” G–d gifts the believer ...an extra measure of Divine generosity in this instance.

And this brings us to the story of Chana whose prayers and “ridiculous- over- the- top faith” are the centerpiece of the Rosh Hashana theme. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the Haftarah is from the Book of Samuel which tells of a childless woman who makes her case before G–d, even to the chagrin of the Eli, the High Priest. She prays silently, sincerely, and secure in the positive outcome that G–d will affect. The amazing thing about this story is that her request was very specific, and all the details of her requests were indeed granted.

Through her sincere prayers, which were predicated on an expected positive outcome, she taught us how to pray to G–d, to converse with Him, and how to weather difficult times.

Of course mental illness and emotional weakness must be addressed by medical professionals. But there is much work we can do ourselves for mental and emotional wellbeing.

Tracht gut vet zayn gut, I believe is key. Tracht gut vet zayn gut is an anchor, a life jacket that allows us to feel secure no matter how turbulent and uncertain our lives may be. Tracht gut vet zayn gut is a window into a greater reality, bigger possibilities, and the promise of G–d’s assuring protection. In our own family, when we faced huge challenges, we dug our heels into the ground and clung to this belief. I saw the power of ‘tracht gut’ in speaking to survivors of calamitous events and in counseling many during tough times. Let’s just say that G–d has a pretty good track record.

It takes work to live this way. Faith is definitely not logical or tangible. But it opens the door for impossible possibilities to enter. Anyone can do it. It takes work and conviction. And practice.

You know the gentleman that stopped a stranger in Manhattan and asked, “Excuse me, how do you get to Carnegie Hall”?

“With lots of practice, young man,” the stranger replied.

The word “emunah,” faith is related to “eemun,” practice or training which inevitably improves performance. You constantly have to flex those Emunah muscles and let G–d take over.

Anything wonderful can happen and many things wonderful WILL happen if you “Tracht gut.”

May each one of us be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life. May we infuse this life with meaning and purpose as we strengthen our faith and our relationship with G–d. May we make a habit of turning to G–d and being secure in His ability to take good care of us. May we usher in a time of health, prosperity, peace, peace of mind, and all things good. In the words of Maimonides, may we see the “knowledge of G–d proliferate in the world like the waters cover the ocean bed.”

Shana Tova Umetuka

An opportunity for change 5780 was a year like no other. We are approaching the high holidays, not knowing if we could/should be in Shul. Yet, these high holidays can be the most uplifting of all. We have traditions of what we do and what we don’t do. This year, those traditions are challenged. Our high holidays won’t look the same as every year. Instead, we have an opportu- RABBI ARI nity to change. Rosh “Hashanah”, or DEMBITZER “Shana” means year or repetition. Beth Israel That is for most years. This year we focus on the other meaning of the word “Shana” or “Shinui”, which means “change.” This year we have the ability and responsibility of looking at the world and uncovering the will of the creator. This year we don’t have the norms to hide behind. This year, we don’t have the comfort of our community, as least the way we like it. This year we have to blaze and form a deeper relationship with the creator. We have to ask the tough questions. We have to be humble to not expect to have all the answers. This year we feel vulnerable and humble(hopefully). The world has changed around us, and we have to change. We can’t just look at the world and stay the same. We need to reexamine our connection with the creator, our community, our shul, our family and ourselves. We dip the apple in the honey because we want a good year that also feels sweet. When we are engaged and connected to our faith, it tastes sweet. We have an incredible opportunity to challenge the status quo, to learn from all the change around us and change for the better.

Blessings for a healthy, good and sweet New Year!

Messages

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | D5

Coming out stronger

I will be very upfront and say that looking back on 5780, I am excited to welcome in 5781, although I wish with all my heart we could do so in person. To say that 5780 has been an interesting year would be an understatement, and yet, Judaism continues to find ways to thrive no matter the environment it finds itself in. This for me has been the lesson of 5780: RABBI STEVEN that Judaism has always been tested, ABRAHAM yet it has always come out stronger Beth El and more dynamic than before.

At the time of the destruction of the first and second Temple, our ancestors reinvented Judaism; we went from a religion based on sacrifice to one steeped in this new invention called “prayer.” During the middle ages, Judaism continued to evolve, with the brilliance of Rashi, Maimonides and others, our religion continued to make strides keeping history intact while also staying relevant for the times.

Judaism lived through plagues that were blamed on us, we lived through pogroms and the Shoah. Yet the Jewish people never gave up hope that tomorrow would be a better day, that joy would come in the morning as the psalmist wrote.

Today, we are living in an unprecedented time, and yet the amount of Jewish content being provided is greater than at any other time in Jewish history. We are seeing Jewish learning and teaching flourish. We are seeing the best Judaic teachers across the world teaching content to anyone and everyone who is interested. At Beth El, we have not missed having a “minyan” on zoom since we instituted the policy in mid-March. We have come together for educational classes, cooking classes, from Shabbat services to lectures from retired Israeli ambassadors to conversations with other local clergy on grief. Judaism has continued to blossom, even outside the synagogue, even in a medium it had never before entered, one that our sages could never have imagined.

In 5781, I pray for our families and friends to be safe and healthy. I pray that we continue to look for ways to bring Judaism into peoples’ homes during this pandemic, with the goal of bringing the people back into the synagogue when See Rabbi Abraham page D6

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The future is now: High Holidays in the age of Covid According to talmudic legend, Rabbi Akiva and two of his fellow sages once took a long journey to Jerusalem in order to behold the magnificent and sacred Tem- RABBI BRIAN ple Mount with STOLLER their own eyes. Temple Israel When they arrived only to find the Temple Mount empty of people, the other two sages despaired and began to cry. But Rabbi Akiva did not cry. His friends asked him, “Akiva, do you not see that God’s sacred place is deserted and desolate? Why aren’t you crying?” Rabbi Akiva smiled and replied, “Because I have seen the future, and I have faith that our renewal is at hand.”

Upon hearing this, his colleagues were comforted. (Makkot 24b, paraphrase) Today, our Temple Israel building, too, sits empty of people. It is a difficult and painful thing to see the doors of our communal home shuttered – and yet, we are not despairing. Though we have not been able to gather in-person for three months, our community is as vi-

brant as ever, with congregants coming together online nearly every day of the week to pray, learn, connect and care for each other. Even in the midst of this crisis, we, like Rabbi Akiva, can see that renewal is at hand – and that the future of Judaism is now.

It is with this mixture of trepidation and optimism, disappointment and excitement, that we prepare to enter the first-ever all-online High Holidays in the history of Judaism. We understand the thought of not coming to Temple for High Holidays is disappointing, saddening, and even unsettling. But we are not despairing. While this will certainly be an unconventional High Holiday season, we are excited about the opportunities it presents to be creative and try new things.

Our worship experiences this year will blend the traditional and the innovative in speaking to the particular spiritual challenges and realities of this unique moment in our history. Each service will be theme-based, interactive

and shorter than usual (approximately 60 minutes) in order to provide a meaningful prayer experience while also avoiding “Zoom fatigue.” With the help of a local production team, the clergy will lead services from various places in our building, incorporate pre-recorded music and video, and provide a rich textured audio and visual experience for our community. While this is uncharted territory for us, we are energized by the chance to create an exciting and innovative High Holiday experience that will nourish, inspire, uplift and sustain us during this unique and uncertain period.

These times in which we are living are challenging and difficult, and we grieve for all that we are missing. At the same time, they present us with unprecedented opportunities to be pioneers in re-imagining Judaism for the future.

This is our sacred calling. Like Rabbi Akiva, we are ready to answer it with optimism and vision, because we have faith that our renewal is at hand.

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D6 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Hayom Harat Olam The power to make us whole In the 16th century, Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz inspired the words of this meditation: Tekiah – One whole note Sh’varim-Truah – Three broken notes; nine staccato notes T’kiah – One whole RABBI DEANA SUSSMAN note My return to the right BEREZIN path has the power to Temple Israel make me whole again.

Tekiah – Once I was whole Sh’varim-Truah—In the wear and tear of living, I became broken and shattered.

Tekiah—My t’shuvah has the power to make me whole again.

Now, more than ever, these words ring true for me. In the wear and tear of living, I became broken and shattered. I do not believe that I am alone in saying that I am feeling a bit broken and shattered these days. As the pandemic continues to surge forward and our numbers climb, the wear and tear of daily living is real. I find myself, more than ever, missing even the most mundane things that I used to do without a second thought – going to the grocery store, running into Target, grabbing a quick cup of coffee in between meetings, the list goes on.

And yet, as we approach the High Holy Days, we have an opportunity to take stock of where we are right now. Jewish tradition

teaches that as we enter this season of reflection, we are called upon to do a cheshbon ha’nefesh, an accounting of the soul. The work of t’shuvah, of repentance and returning, goes beyond atonement and apologies. It is also a call to turn inward and to find ways to make ourselves whole and healthy once again; to consider what it is that we need to become the highest and best versions of ourselves.

As we approach this sacred season, I invite each of us not only to think about how we can make our relationships with others whole again, but to consider what we need to make ourselves whole again. As you take stock, ask yourself: What brings you joy? How are you nourishing your mind, body and spirit in these turbulent times? How can you carve out space, each and every day, to tend to your own wounds and care for your own needs? What do you need to add or subtract from your life to become whole and healthy once again?

May the sound of the shofar pierce our souls and awaken our senses. May the haunting sounds of these notes, broken and whole, side by side, remind us that even when the wear and tear of daily living threatens to bring us down, it is we who have the power to make the changes that will allow us to become whole once more.

In this new year, may Rabbi Horowitz’s words inspire us to turn inward: My return to the right path has the power to make me whole again.

Shana Tova, a happy and healthy new year to all.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is among other things, a celebration of the birthday of the world.

Unlike our birthday which celebrates our becoming one year older, a reality many of us work very hard to HAZZAN MICHAEL hide, on Rosh KRAUSMAN Hashanah we cele- Beth El brate the creation of a brand new, newly-born world. That is to say, according to the teaching of one of the foremost scholars and teachers of our time, Rabbi Brad Artson, the world and everything contained within it that existed the day before Rosh Hashanah no longer exists and a brand new replacement world is created.

Thus, Rabbi Artson teaches that the “you” that existed the day before Rosh Hashanah is only a memory; it is replaced by a “new you” on Rosh Hashanah. It is in this spirit that the prayer, Ha Yom Harat Olam, (Today the World is Born), is inserted into the Rosh Hashanah liturgy.

Ha Yom Harat Olam is an ancient liturgical poem dating back to the time of the Geonim, the great sages of the Talmud (8th to early 11th century). It can already be found in the prayer books of Rav Amram (9th century) and the writings of the renowned twelfthcentury sage Maimonides (1135-1204). Ha

Yom Harat Olam is one of the shortest poetic insertions in our liturgy, however, it is also one of the most impactful: “Today the world stands as at birth. Today all creation is called to judgment, whether as Your children or as Your servants. If as Your children, be compassionate with us as a parent is compassionate with children. If as Your servants, we look to You expectantly, waiting for You to be gracious to us and, as day emerges from night, to bring forth a favorable judgment on our behalf, awe-inspiring and Holy One.” —Mahzor Lev Shalem, United Synagogue This prayer serves as a leitmotif, or recurring theme, that punctuates the three distinctive blessings that are inserted into the body of the Musaph (additional) service of Rosh Hashanah, each concluded with the sounding of the shofar: Malchuyot (Monarchy,) Zichronot (Memories) and Shofarot ( the sounding of the ram’s horn in the context of divine revelation.)

The Hebrew term “Harat” is packed with meaning because it implies not birth but rather conception and pregnancy. Interestingly, the phrase “Harat Olam” is first found in the writings of the prophet Jeremiah(20:17) who, out of the depths of his depression and despair, curses the day of his birth. In addition to meaning “world,” the Hebrew word Olam also means eternal as in See Hazzan Krausman page D8

Rabbi Abraham Continued from page D5 it’s over. Judaism has been tested throughout the generations and always come out stronger than before. Today will be no different.

L’shana Tovah

Happy New Year W I S H I N G T H E E N T I R E J E W I S H C O M M U N I T Y A

MARY ANN BORGESON Douglas County Board District 6 Paid for by Mary Ann Borgeson for County Board, 12503 Anne Street, Omaha, NE 68137, Treasurer Linda Love

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | D7

Praying for a healthy world Dear Friends, At the outset of this Rosh Hashanah, our hearts and minds are focused Heavenward calling out to G-d to give us a sweet, happy, healthy year.

And while each of us has our own personal ‘shopping list’ of hopes and dreams, we all pray for a healthy world.

Smitten by a deadly pandemic, we are eager to return to a life and routine free SHANI KATZMAN Chabad Nebraska of the dangers of infectious disease.

We share a dream and vision for a healthy society; where citizens are all dealt equal opportunity and justice; where citizens are law abiding, respectful, and are dedicated to the common good; where there is no place for corrupt leadership; where children can go to school and citizens can gather in houses of worship and pray without the fear of violent attacks.

But dreaming and praying are not enough. We must take action.

A sound, moral, healthy society must have G-d at its center.

Unbiased morality must be formed based on the tenets of a Supreme, all-knowing G-d. It cannot be guided by human whim and conscience.

And the place to begin is with the education of our youth.

What is the objective of education? Certainly it is not merely the transference of information, nor the learning of technique and life skills, or the rearing of a self-reliant individual who can make a good living. While important, these will not empower the student to realize their G-d given mission and purpose.

A large jar of chocolate chip cookies was placed in the cafeteria in a private religious school. A large sign above it announced: “Please take one. G-d is watching.” Children passed the jar and obediently took one cookie. Across the room there was a large bowl filled with apples. The sign above it read:

“Please take one.” John says to Jim, “Come quick. Let’s go grab some apples. G-d is watching the cookies!”

History has shown that a society can be well educated, yet steeped in immorality and evil, like Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia. We share the obligation to bring G-d back into the American, and, certainly, the Jewish picture.

How awesome would it be if our kids were trained to recite the Modeh Ani prayer, thanking G-d for the gift of life when they wake up? Or to recite a blessing before and after eating in gratitude to G-d? These habits imbue the child with a sense of appreciation and humility which are the foundation of the moral education we endeavor to impart. What if we could inspire our children to understand how invested G-d is in their behavior? How much He cares about their lives? That He kvells when they do the right thing? And that He is indeed watching the cookies. And the apples, too!

Shana Tova Umetuka.

Moving from fear to strength “Let us sing this song for the turning of the world, that we may turn as one, with every voice with every song we will move this world along and our lives will be the echo of our turning” —Ruth Pelham Every year we return to Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays, and we expect they will be much the same.

Some years we see the ways WE are dif- CANTOR JOANNA ferent: perhaps we’ve gotten married, or ALEXANDER had a baby, perhaps we’ve lost a loved Temple Israel one and this is our first holiday season without them. Perhaps our change of circumstance seems monumental, or perhaps we feel like we are just about the same, going down a gentle path of days and years hardly noticing the time is turning at all. Generally, we expect our Rosh Hashanah to be filled with our family meals, and the familiar sounds and scents of all past years.

But this year will be different. We will not gather inside our building, but over a wifi connection. We will hear the familiar sounds but not our communal cacophony reverberating through our bones. We will see images of the familiar, yet we must work so hard to make it meaningful. Do I stand when they say, “please rise”? My couch feels comfortable and I feel foolish. Should I sing out loud? What will my cat think? (or my children)?

This year our song for the turning of the world does not feel like a joyous optimistic declaration of what is possible, but like a voice calling out in communal upheaval: a lost sense of time and place and security. But here is the choice we get to make as we renew ourselves in this new year. Are we the same or are we changed? If we are changed, can we move our fears into strength and support and love for our communities?

As we lose our sense of time while isolated in our homes, can we reach out and make meaningful connection to another isolated soul? As we lose our place and sense of self, can we form a new sense of mission not based in blame for those who have let us down but on the potential of how to build up anew? Our song for the turning of the world is one filled with mourning for all that has been lost. Containing the souls who have been taken due to this disease and those we have not mourned properly due to its restrictions. It contains the missed proms and graduations, the missed wages and missed sleep, missed health check up’s and missed weddings. The feeling that other people are being selfish and the shame of helplessness from not knowing what a “good” choice looks like.

Let us take our fears and our shame, our distrust and our anger, our righteousness and our incredulity and let us place it into prayer. Can it be a unified release of all that is holding us down? Can it be a united cry for all the loss and pain in the world? Can it be a coming together of sounds and vibrations and intentions which in fact begin to let us heal? Let us celebrate the creation of the world, let us know that this new year is an opportunity to start again, to review our ways, and renew our compassion. It’s an opportunity to rededicate to each other and a healing of the world. “Let us sing this song for this turning of the world,” that our lives will be as one, that our souls will be as one, that our health with be as one, that we can find union where before lay division; “that we may turn as one.”

May you have a healthy and meaningful Rosh Hashanah, shana tova um’tuka.

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L’Shanah Tovah May you have a happy, sweet year, filled with many blessings.

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D8 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Feldenkrais: Method or madness?

OZZIE NOGG In October, 1956, IDF troops grabbed Egypt’s Sinai peninsula in a lightning surprise attack. Between that victory and early March of 1957, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion was under unrelenting political pressure from the United States to withdraw forces from the occupied territory. But even during those stressful times (or perhaps because of the constant tension) Ben-Gurion never stopped practicing mind-body awareness. In fact, at the exact hour that President Dwight Eisenhower was expected to contact Ben-Gurion and demand the Israeli withdrawal, the Prime Minister was exercising with his personal physical therapist, Moshe Feldenkrais.

When the communique from Eisenhower arrived, Ben-Gurion took the message and then — even though the map of Israel had literally shifted beneath him — continued working with Feldenkrais.

Who was this man for whom Ben-Gurion put seismic affairs of state on hold? Simply put, Feldenkrais was a Ukrainian-Israeli physicist, engineer and judo expert. After suffering a crippling knee injury that threatened to leave him unable to walk, Feldenkrais — relying on his knowledge of cybernetics, psychology, gravity and the mechanics of motion — taught himself to walk again. In the process he developed a revolutionary way to treat pain — The Feldenkrais Method — and in 1949 published Body and Mature Behavior, his first book on the new system. Dr. Norman Doidge, psychoanalyst and author of The Brain That Changes Itself, offers this colorful sidebar to the Feldenkrais bio.

“In 1918, when Moshe Feldenkrais was fourteen, and after years of Jews being attacked in anti-Semitic Russian pogroms, he set out alone to walk from Belarus to Palestine. A pistol in his boot, a math text in his

Moshe Feldenkrais, left, and David Ben-Gurion, right. Twins separated at birth?

Hazzan Krausman Continued from page D6 “Adon Olam: Eternal Lord.” Thus, Jeremiah wishes that his mother, rather than having given birth to him, had remained “Harat Olam” (eternally pregnant!) The author of our poem takes Jeremiah’s use of this phrase Harat Olam to express despair and turns it into an expression of great possibilities by implying that Rosh Hashanah is not simply the birthday of the world, but it is the moment of the world’s conception, which is renewed every year with unlimited new potential.

The text goes on to remind us that Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Day of Judgment. Hayom Harat Olam continues by acknowledging that each of us has our individual perception of our relationship with the Creator, ranging from those who see themselves as children of the Holy One to those who view themselves as subjects of a celestial monarch. The author, in either case,

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sack, and with no official documents or papers, he crossed marshes and endured temperatures of 40 degrees below as he traversed the Russian frontier in the winter of 1918-19.

As he walked from village to village, other Jewish children, intrigued, joined him. At one point, to survive, they joined a traveling circus, where the acrobats taught Moshe tumbling and how to fall safely — skills he would one day perfect with his judo. By the time he reached Cracow, 50 children had joined the much-admired boy on his way to Palestine, then more, until over 200 young people were following him. Eventually, adults joined his children’s march through central Europe to Italy and the Adriatic, where they See Feldenkrais page D9

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presents God as a wellspring of favor, lovingkindness, and light who will be with us no matter what may unfold in the year to come.

Perhaps the most impactful aspect of this poem is the last phrase in which the author refers to God as “Ayom Kadosh”(awe-inspiring and Holy One.) In an insightful essay about our prayer, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz observes the following: “We, therefore, turn to God with the adjectives that are most appropriate to this the day: Ayom, Kadosh; You are above everything, You are the source and holiness to Whom we must all look with awe and also be connected, on all the levels of our existence.”

The placement of Hayom Harat Olam immediately following the rousing tones of the shofar that punctuate the subdivisions of the Rosh Hashanah Musaph, takes advantage of an exquisite moment for the worshipper to contemplate his or her bond with

God and their place in God’s cosmos. In a few short phrases, the poet transports us to the moment of creation; we are present at the nexus of all time, the very conception of the universe.

Especially now as we face a devastating pandemic and other social uncertainties, Hayom Harat Olam reminds us that the future, while ambiguous, is marked by infinite possibilities for renewal, growth, change, and development. As we intone this meaningful and inspirational prayer on Rosh Hashanah we are invited to examine, strengthen and invigorate our unique relationship with all of creation, the society in which we live and, most significantly, the “Ayom Kadosh” – the “Awe-Inspiring and Holy One.” On behalf of my wife Laurel and my sons Zev and Zach, my best wishes to the entire community for a Goot, Gezunt, Gebentched Yohr – a Good, Healthy, Blessed New Year.

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | D9

Deluged by pandemic needs, Israeli doctors get help from unlikely source: Robots 15 years, Hadassah doctors have used the ACMazor Robotics LARRY LUXNER Renaissance Guidance System to place screws in patients’ JERUSALEM Orthopedic surgeons at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center spines with added safety and precision. Another robot, on Mount Scopus recently welcomed a newcomer to their team. Siemens’ Artis Zeego, provides real-time 3-D imaging during She’s incredibly efficient, never needs a coffee break, doesn’t complain about the long hours and isn’t worried about catching COVID-19.

That’s because she’s a robot.

Called ROSA, short for Robotic Surgical Assistant, the diminutive white-and-blue robot already has proved her value in the operating room.

Since ROSA’s arrival last year, thanks to a grant from USAID’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad, she has helped Hadassah replace the knees of 20 patients.

“Our preliminary impression is that surgery with ROSA is Surgeons doing knee surgery at Hadassah hospital’s Mount Scopus campus use the ROSA better — we see the clinical robot, made possible with a grant from USAID’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals benefit,” said Prof. Meir Lieber- Abroad. Credit: Gurion Rivkin gall, chairman of the hospital’s orthopedic department. “Ro- operations, eliminating the need for pre-surgery CT scans bots are good when you need to do repeated motions, but and post-surgery X-rays. not only that. The robot assists the surgeon, creates some di“We’ve inserted thousands of screws using this technology. alogue about decision-making and improves performance.”

It’s one of our best friends in the operating room, and it’s 99% For example, ROSA might warn surgeons that if they cut accurate,” Liebergall said. “Usually, the robot doesn’t make the bone at a 5-degree angle it could prevent proper align- mistakes, but problems sometimes occur. We know when to ment of the leg, while a 3-degree angle will result in better give up and go back to the old way.” positioning of the artificial implant.

Robots are also lending a hand — or, rather, a mechanical “ROSA doesn’t do the work instead of me, but brings me to arm — to the essential testing for COVID-19 that Hadassah the right position,” said Liebergall, whose department per- Hospital has taken on. To help during the coronavirus panforms more than 300 knee replacements annually. “It guides demic, Hadassah has deployed robotics to address the sudme where to cut the bone and at which angle — and it gets den, massive need for urgent analysis of blood samples for that information from the patient’s anatomy.”

COVID-19.

Robotic surgery is nothing new at Hadassah. For the past See Israeli doctors get help from robots page D10

Feldenkrais

Contunied from page D8 boarded a boat. It arrived in Palestine in 1919, in late summer.”

Fact or fiction? You decide.

Young Feldenkrais entered Gymnasia Herzliya in 1923 and supported himself by tutoring children with whom other tutors had failed, displaying an early talent for helping people overcome blocks in the learning process. After graduating in 1925, the kid who walked from Belarus to the Adriatic was then determined to go even farther. And he did.

Movement is life. Life is a process. Improve the quality of the process and you’ll improve the quality of life.

Moshe Feldenkrais

From 1928 to 1940, Feldenkrais lived in Paris, earning degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering and a doctorate in applied physics from the Sorbonne where he studied with Marie Curie. He subsequently joined the French nuclear research program with Frederic Joliot and his wife Irene Joliot-Curie, Marie’s daughter. When the couple won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1935, Feldenkrais was their lab assistant. In Paris, his fascination with judo took off, and he became one of the first Europeans to earn a black belt. His book, Jiu-Jitsu and Self-Defense (written in Hebrew) was the first hand-to-hand combat manual used by the Haganah during the British Mandate of Palestine.

On the eve of the Nazi invasion of France in 1940, Feldenkrais was asked to smuggle French atomic secrets and a jar of ‘heavy water’ to the British Admiralty War Office to See Feldenkrais page D10

10 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Feldenkrais

Israeli doctors get help from robots Continued from page D9 “We had to move from tens of samples a day to thousands,” said Dr. Asaf Gertler, clinical laboratory director at Hadassah Medical Center’s Ein Kerem campus. “Without robots, this would have been impossible.”

The rooms in which he works hold millions of dollars’ worth of machines made by Roche, Tecan and Qiagen. In all, Hadassah employs eight types of robots just to extract the RNA of the virus; each one uses different substances.

“From our point of view, any instrument that frees us from performing manual processes and instead does them by itself is a robot,” Gertler said. “It’s more accurate, it’s repeatable, it’s always the same and it doesn’t get tired.”

Prof. Abd al-Rouf Higazi, head of clinical biochemistry at the Ein Kerem hospital, said the robots his facility employs are “the cutting edge of civilian technology, more advanced than F-35” fighter jets.

In the old days, Higazi’s lab would receive blood samples in a glass or plastic tube, accompanied by a written request listing which tests were to be performed. After doing the tests, lab technicians would send a printout with the results back to the department that requested the test.

Now, a physician enters the necessary tests into a computer, which produces a bar-code sticker. When the tube arrives at the lab, a robot sends it to a centrifuge, where it is opened, forwarded to another machine for analysis, resealed and finally sent to the archives — in the event a physician decides to do an additional test.

“You don’t have to touch the tube,” Higazi said. “It does everything by itself.”

Robots can handle 95% of all required tests, according to Higazi, with a few exceptions, such as antibody tests for neuroimmunology. Hadassah’s lab now processes about 600 samples per hour, or about 4 million a year.

“In the future, we hope to automate all serological tests and free up human resources,” Higazi said. “When everything is automated, the possibility of mistakes is close to zero.”

Hadassah’s robots have been particularly useful to spine surgeons. Dr. Josh Schroeder, a spine surgeon at Hadassah’s Mount Scopus campus, does 10 to 15 surgeries a week; three or four of them generally involve robots. A recent one was on a Palestinian construction worker from the West Bank who See Israeli doctors get help from robots page D12

Continued from page D9 keep them out of Nazi hands. In England, he worked for British counterintelligence to develop sonar used to track Nazi submarines. Feldenkrais returned to Israel in the early 1950s and began offering pain relief to patients and training others to teach his Method.

So. since we now are more familiar with the man for whom Ben-Gurion put seismic affairs of state on hold, let’s unpack The Method.

While informed by science, Moshe Feldenkrais’ work parallels the Eastern path of acknowledging the oneness of mind and body, intention and action. Essentially, the Method is a program of exercises that suggest mind over matter, with the body programming the brain so that the whole system operates in a new way. “I’m not interested in the movements themselves,” Feldenkrais “I have to stand on my head, so explained, “but rather in the State of Israel can stand on how you do them. its feet.”

Through awareness, we can learn to move with astonishing lightness and freedom at almost any age.” His mother, Sheindel, who survived the Shoah, remarked, “He could have got a Nobel Prize in physics, and instead he became a masseur.”

Which circles us back to the Israeli Prime Minister.

Ben-Gurion suffered from recurrent back pain severe enough to land him in the hospital with regularity. Moshe Feldenkrais sent him a letter offering a cure through the then little-known mind-body exercise techniques, but the Prime Minister dismissed him as a crank. But when Ben-Gurion suffered a particularly painful attack in 1956 (at the start of the above-mentioned Suez Campaign), he turned to Feldenkrais for relief. The pair clicked.

It was obvious that Ben-Gurion — five feet tall and pudgy —avoided physical activity. Feldenkrais suggested he get moving, and reportedly told his patient, “It’s extremely important that you enjoy your body, because it will make you a better Prime Minister. You will understand other points of view that right now are not accessible to you.” And so, over a year of quiet preparation, working one muscle at a time in an effort to improve the Prime Minister’s physical coordination, Feldenkrais taught Ben-Gurion to stand on his head. When the iconic photograph of this feat (taken by Paul Goldman on Sept. 20, 1957, at Herzliya beach) hit newsstands around the world, Ben-Gurion was proud as punch and Feldenkrais became a household name. He continued to treat the Prime Minister almost daily for 17 years.

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Ben-Gurion’s wife, Paula, was not a Feldenkrais fan. She called him, “Mister Hocus-Pocus.” Based on interviews with his students, we might call him a flawed hero.

“Feldenkrais was a narcissist who had to prove he knew everything,” one student said. “He demanded all the attention. When he was around, no one else could get a word in edgewise.” Another student added, “He would scream at us and amuse himself at our expense. He could be crude, offensive and couldn’t abide people who didn’t get it.” Still, most Feldenkrais students agreed he was a wonderful teacher — charismatic, brilliant and sensitive. “Yes, he embodied a lot of contradictions. He was equal parts toughness and gentleness. He would call us idiots, but then go back to being his nice self again. All patience and generosity. He was funny, curious and innocent like a child. In his childish way, he really wanted respect. There are people who admired him and people who didn’t, but he was unquestionably a highly original person, a true renaissance man in his thinking and light-years ahead of his time.”

Patients of Feldenkrais considered him a miracle worker.

“He had this natural feel for the body,” one woman said. “He just knew what to do because he cured himself. His hands were extraordinary. He had a touch that none of the others had.” Besides Ben-Gurion, Feldenkrais treated other famous clients including Moshe Dayan, Betty Ford, Julius Erving, Norman Cousins, Margaret Mead, Helen Hayes, Whoopi Goldberg, Yehudi Menuhin and Yo Yo Ma. Feldenkrais married once, divorced, and never considered marrying again. “What woman would want to live with me when all I do is work all day and read all night?” A card-carrying hedonist, he ate, smoked and drank to excess. “There are no dietary restrictions in my method,” he bragged. “I do everything sinful as long as I like it — even adultery.” For the record, Feldenkaris’ fellow clinicians at the time considered him and his Method totally wacky.

Moshe Feldenkrais died of a stroke on July 1, 1984. His best friend, the dancer Noa Eshkol — daughter of Levi Eshkol, Israel’s third Prime Minister — gave this account. “Before the burial, Moshe’s nephew put him on the floor of his bedroom, put dry ice on him that came from a friend at El Al, and placed two candles beside him. He was very beautiful and peaceful. I was with him the whole night. I lay on the floor next to him and that’s how I said good-bye to him because I don’t like funerals. He wanted very badly not to die. He wasn’t prepared to die until he knew the secret of gravity. I love him and miss him very much.”

“Israel didn’t appreciate him properly,” Noa Eshkol continued. “He was a special man, an autodidact, a great and bold inventor. He invented a compass that draws ellipses, a special type of eye-glasses. I tried to nominate him for the Israel Prize — our highest cultural honor — but was told there wasn’t a rubric that suited him. He’s renowned throughout the world and only here, they can’t figure out where to fit him in.”

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | D11

Israeli scientists identify new culprit behind How did Europe’s Jews cope with a cancerous growths: Tumor-specific bacteria 17th-century plague?

LARRY LUXNER REHOVOT, Israel Despite their reputation, most bacteria are harmless. Many are vital to human life.

Others, however, cause infections that lead to fatal diseases ranging from tuberculosis to bubonic plague.

Add cancer to that list, at least indirectly.

According to new research led by Dr. Ravid Straussman of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, bacteria living inside cancer cells are likely to have a profound effect on how different types of tumors behave.

“Most bacteria you find in tumors are known to be present in normal people, but there’s also a minority of bacteria that were never described in humans or any other host before,” Straussman said. “Some of these bacteria don’t even have names.”

While bacteria were first detected in human tumors more than 100 years ago, Straussman reported in a paper in the May 29 issue of Science that he found bacteria live inside the cells of many cancer types, and that each type of cancer houses unique populations of bacteria.

Breast cancer, which has a relatively high incidence among Jewish women, has a particularly rich and diverse microbiome.

“Overall, this research will change the diagnosis, management and prognosis of human cancer starting now and for many years to come,” said Daniel Douek, a senior investigator in the human immunology division of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Straussman began his research into bacteria nearly 10 years ago after wondering why cancer cells in patients don’t consistently re-

spond to drugs the way they do in the lab.

“People think of tumors as a mass of cells that grows uncontrollably,” Straussman said in a recent interview at his 15-person laboratory at Weizmann’s Department of Molecular

executive director of the Israel Cancer Research Fund, or ICRF. “This is important because specificity in biology means that those bacteria are playing some biologic role. In other words, if there wasn’t a reason for those bacte-

Straussman inspects images of bacteria in a tumor in his lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot. Credit: Larry Luxner

Cell Biology. “The truth is that tumors are just like any other organ.”

In Straussman’s most recent project, he and his team took tumor samples from 1,526 patients with seven cancer types — breast, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, melanoma, bone and brain — and found different assortments of bacteria that correlated with specific tumor types. Interestingly, he discovered that about 70% of breast cancer patients have bacteria in their tumors.

“Some of these bacteria could be enhancing the anti-cancer immune response, while others could be suppressing it,” said Dr. Mark Israel,

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ria to persist, the body would reject them.”

Since 2016, ICRF has been funding Straussman’s work with grant funding exceeding $300,000. The organization, which raises millions of dollars in North America for cancer research, supports scientific investigations at more than 20 institutions across Israel.

“The unique finding of Straussman’s paper is that the collections of bacteria within tumor cells vary from tumor type to tumor type,” Israel said. “They must be providing some sort of advantage to the tumor cells, or doing something that contributes to the See New culprit behind cancer page D12

PENNY SCHWARTZ BOSTON | JTA More than 350 years ago, a plague took a deadly toll on Hamburg, Germany. As the High Holidays approached, fear and panic set in and many of the city’s Jewish families fled.

Among them were Glikl and Hayyim Hamel, successful Jewish merchants who left with their three young children, including an 8-week-old daughter. En route to Hayyim’s parents, they spent time with relatives in Hanover, where some locals came to suspect their oldest daughter, 4-year-old Tsipor, was infected. Despite their assurances that she wasn’t ill, Glikl and Hayyim were forced to banish Tsipor and her caregivers to another town and were only allowed to visit from a distance.

“I will let any good father or mother judge for themselves how we felt,” Glikl would later write in her memoir. “My husband, of blessed memory, stood in a corner, weeping and pleading, while I stood in a corner.”

In the midst of a viral pandemic that again is separating parents from their children, Glikl’s poignant rendering of the family’s ordeal rings chillingly familiar. And as of last December, English readers can appreciate it for themselves thanks to the first new English translation in nearly 60 years.

Glikl’s memoir is “fast-paced, engrossing, deeply compassionate and full of pathos,” See 17th-century plague page D15

D12 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

New culprit behind cancer Continued from page D11 tumor’s behavior. Therefore, there’s a lot of interest in getting rid of them, and hopefully having a therapeutic effect.”

Straussman said his latest study may also shed light on why some bacteria are drawn to certain cancer cells and why each cancer has its own typical microbiome.

Tumors are complex ecosystems that are known to contain immune cells, stromal cells, blood vessels, nerves and many more components in addition to cancer cells. They’re all part of what’s known as the tumor microenvironment.

“Our studies, as well as studies by other labs, clearly demonstrate that bacteria are also an integral part of the tumor microenvironment,” Straussman said. “We hope that by finding out how exactly they fit into the general tumor ecology, we can figure out novel ways of treating cancer.”

Dr. Naama Geva-Zatorsky of the Technion Integrated Cancer Center in Haifa is doing related research. She’s one of a growing number of cancer researchers worldwide who study bacteria that live in the gut microbiome.

Supervising a 10-person lab, she has tested at least 60 types of bacteria that thrive in the human gastrointestinal tract.

Geva-Zatorsky hopes to learn whether the immune effects of gut bacteria can be used either to prevent cancer from forming or to increase the efficacy of cancer treatments.

“We believe we can induce an environment where cancer cannot develop,” she said. “Maybe in the future bacteria that stimulate the immune system can be added to immune therapy, so that the cancer can be eradicated more quickly and efficiently.”

Her work, too, is being funded by the Israel Cancer Research Fund.

“We’ve known for centuries that the bacteria in your gut play important roles, but in the last three to five years it’s been discovered that a collection of bacteria influences your immune response,” Israel said. “That’s important now because of the major new modalities of treatment that modify the immune system to fight off the tumor.”

This article was sponsored by and produced in partnership with the Israel Cancer Research Fund, whose ongoing support of these and other Israeli scientists’ work goes a long way toward ensuring that their efforts will have important and lasting impact in the global fight against cancer. This article was produced by JTA’s native content team.

Dr. Naama Geva-Zatorsky of the Technion Integrated Cancer Center in Haifa is among a growing number of cancer researchers studying bacteria that live in the gut microbiome.

Credit: the Technion

Israeli doctors get help from robots Continued from page D10 had fallen from scaffolding, breaking eight ribs and smashing his vertebrae.

“With the robot’s help, we did micro-incisions and healed his entire spine,” Schroeder said. “Robots can bring you to places you can’t see with the bare eye.”

This is especially the case with surgeries to correct deformities, where the anatomy isn’t always clear. For example, for children with spinal muscular atrophy — an often-fatal genetic disease that causes a severe curvature of the spine — robots allow the insertion of corrective screws without having to open up the child’s entire skin, a surgically risky procedure.

“Instead of doing huge cuts on the child’s back, we do many small cuts in order to reduce surgical complications,” Schroeder said. “The robot brings you into the perfect trajectory to put a screw into the spine. Either I expose the entire anatomy to figure out where the spinal cord is, or I can use the robotic technology to bring me to that site without actually seeing it.”

Schroeder likened robotic assistance to “the difference between driving an autonomous car with your eyes closed, or looking at the road every second.”

In April 2017, he and Professor Leon Kaplan, head of the

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spine surgery unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem, performed the world’s first-of-its-kind dual robotic surgery utilizing the Zeego robot and the Renaissance. And about a year and a half ago, the hospital “created a dialogue” that enables the two robots to essentially talk to each other.

“In small kids, definitely those with deformity, the spine is constantly moving, and you’ve got to constantly look at what you’re doing,” Schroeder said. “So the use of the second robot gives us real-time imaging as we’re moving along to make sure we’re still in sync.”

Schroeder said he doesn’t see any downside to using robots, as long as they don’t malfunction.

“We’re not yet at a place where robots can replace us, because they’re not 100% safe. But technological enhancement to human hands is phenomenal,” he said. “I think as robotic technology evolves, it’s going to become a major part of our everyday medical practice.”

This article was sponsored by and produced in partnership with Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc., which is celebrating the 100th year of Hadassah Medical Organization, the Henrietta Szold Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Nursing and the Hadassah Ophthalmology Department. This article was produced by JTA’s native content team.

SNOWBIRDS

Please let the Jewish Press know in advance when you are leaving and when you are returning. Sometimes several papers are sent to your “old” address before we are notified by the Post Office. Every time they return a paper to us, you miss the Jewish Press and we are charged! Please call us at 402.334.6448, email us at jpress@jew ishomaha.org or see our website at omahajewishpress.com.

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The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | D13

JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE/ COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE

Co-Presidents, Ellie Batt and Ron Giller; Ex Officio, Jim Fried; Board Members: Mike Abramson, Lindsay Belmont, Bob Bleicher, Carol Bloch, Becki Brenner, Shirley Cemaj, Ted Friedland, Herb Friedman, David Gilinksy, Steve Hogan, Nancy Jacobson, Rich Juro, Gary Lipschutz, Jamie Meyerson, Bob Nefsky, Andrea Olson, Alan Parsow, Erin Porterfield, David Radler, Mark Singer, Meagan Spomer, Tom Vann, Jim Wax, Aaron Weiner.

INSTITUTE FOR HOLOCAUST EDUCATION GOVERNANCE COUNCIL

Board Members: Stacey Atlas, Robert Cohen, John Carl Denkovich, James Gilag, Shami Jacobs, Gloria Kaslow, Howard Kaslow, Ari Kohen, Kelly Kirk, Paula Lenz, Jamie Meyerson, Lori Miller, Jama Samiev, Jill Sideris, Paul Smith, Lacey Studnicka, Donna Walter, and Steven Wees.

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

President, John Glazer; Ex Officio, Jason Epstein; Board Members: Amanda Blumkin, Shane Cohn, Dan Epstein, Laurie Epstein, Karen Flayhart, Mosah Goodman, Janet Klein, Howard Kutler, Terry Rush, Mike Schmidt, Meagan Spomer, Joy Watanabe.

JEWISH FEDRATION OF OMAHA

President, Jon Meyers; President Elect*, Mike Siegel; Ex Officio, Bruce Friedlander; Board Members: Betsy Baker, Ellie Batt, Toba Cohen-

Dunning, Ron Feldman, David Gilinksy, Ron Giller, John Glazer, Abigail Kutler, John Lehr, Lisa Lucoff, Mike Norton, Linda Saltzman, Nancy Schlessinger, Matt Shapiro, Phil Wolf, Jeff Zacharia; Zoë Riekes, Ex Officio; Kimberly Robinson, Ex Officio; Stacey Erman Rockman, Ex Officio. *Presidency begins 1.1.21

JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA FOUNDATION President, David Gilinsky; Vice President, Bob Belgrade; Ex Officio, Jon Meyers and Mike Siegel Board Members: Steven Bloch, Paul Epstein, Ted Friedland, Donald Goldstein, Kip Gordman, Howard M. Kooper, Jody Malashock, Murray H. Newman, Steve Nogg, Susan Norton, Martin Ricks, Carl Riekes, Andrew Robinson, Stacey Erman Rockman, Harley D. Schrager, Norman Veitzer.

JEWISH PRESS President, Abigail Kutler; Ex Officio, Eric Dunning; Board Members: Danni Christensen, David Finkelstein, Candice Friedman, Bracha Goldsweig, Margie Gutnik, Natasha Kraft, Chuck Lucoff, Eric Shapiro, Andy Shefsky, Shoshy Susman, Amy Tipp.

JEWISH SOCIAL SERVICES Co-Presidents, Toba Cohen-Dunning and Jeff Kirshenbaum; Ex Officio, James Farber; Board Members: Mike Abramson, Joanie Bernstein, Sharon Brodkey, Darlene Golbitz, Larry Kelberg, Kate Kirshenbaum, Alan Kricsfeld, Tina Meyers, Susan Norton, Jeff Platt, James Polack, Shayna Ray, Dorothy Spizman, Terri Zacharia.

JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS FRIEDEL JEWISH ACADEMY Co-Presidents, Ari Kohen and Jeff Zacharia; Immediate Past President, Lloyd Roitstein; Ex Officio, Rabbi Steven Abraham, Cantor Joanna Alexander, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, Rabbi Ari Dembitzer; Rabbi Brian Stoller; Board Members: Joel Alperson, Pam DePorte, Ron Giller, Margie Gutnik, Patricia Kaniewski, Natasha Kraft, Gary Lerner, Susan Long, Lisa Marcus, Linda Neumann-Potash, Shiri Phillips, Anna Priluck, Caryn Rifkin, Ariella Rohr, Becca Ruetsch, Ben Shapiro, Helene Shrago, Melissa Shrago.

NEBRASKA JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY President, Bob Belgrade; Vice President, Beth Staenberg; Secretary, Rocky Stern; Treasurer, Jeannette Gabriel; Board of Directors: Larry Albert, Ellie Batt, Jill Belmont, Judy Brookstein, Virginia Gallner, Michael Gendler, Dora Goldstrom, Janie Kulakofsky, Ben Justman, Rocky Lewis, Vicki Perlmeter, Emmaline Sabin, Mark Wiesman; Past Presidents: Joanie Bernstein, Midge

Board Members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

President, Ari Riekes; Vice Presidents, Adam Kutler and Linda Saltzman; Treasurer, Miriam Gottlieb; Secretary, Susan Witkowski; Past President, Jay Gordman; Religious Life Chair, Ari Kohen; BESTT Chair, David Finklestein; Cemetery Chair, Bruce Kutler; Board Members: Stan Edelstein, Gary D. Epstein, Jason Epstein, Hollie Fineman, Darlene Golbitz, Howard K. Marcus, Ellie Novak, Caryn Scheer, Melissa Shapiro and Michelle Shkolnick.

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

President, Jeff Kirshenbaum; Administrative VP, Julee Katzman; Financial VP, Jonathan Rockman; Membership VP, Bruce Potash; Treasurer, Yosef Seigel; Secretary, Bonnie Bloch; Past President, Toba Cohen-Dunning; Board Members: Joel Alperson, Shirly Banner, Bruce Goldberg, Lynne Saltzman, Helene Shrago, Susie Shyken, Sherry Taxman, Harry Weiner, and Jeff Zacharia.

Youth Board: Brad Berman, Eli Lopez, Rachel Kricsfeld and Leora McNamara.

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN/ THE SOUTH STREET TEMPLE

President, Nicholette Seigfreid; Vice President,

Thoughts for the New Year from Chabad ANTHONY D. SCIOLI President, Chabad Board of Directors The year has not been without its challenges. The world has suffered as COVID has inflicted considerable pain and unimaginable consequences on many. As COVID has wreaked havoc, civil unrest has reached an alarming level. These are unsettling times.

What can we do to shine the light? What can we do to make the world better? We can do what Chabad of Omaha does. We can be kind, caring, patient and committed to helping all Jews in need, regardless of political affiliation, synagogue affiliation, skin color or citizenship. Our tent is large and all are invited to enter.

The Jewish people have always been leaders in the promotion of justice and equality for all. In fact, we are champions of tolerance and justice. In the face of terrible hate and great danger, U.S. Jews stood side by side with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many other black

Americans to protest injustice and pray for equality. We have always believed in the American dream, and we have worked hard to achieve it and give back.

The world needs us now more than ever. As Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of the Chabad movement said, “At all times, G-d is asking us: ‘Where are you? What are you doing to fulfill your purpose in life?”

Let’s fulfill our purpose by delivering love and kindness. Let’s treat all others with dignity and respect. Let’s perform as many mitzvot as possible as we abstain from negative acts.

We are fortunate to be in America. We are fortunate to have Chabad of Omaha here to help all of us. I pray we continue to work together to help those in need; promote equality, justice and peace and shine the light as brightly as possible. I wish you and your families a very Happy and Healthy New Year. May G-d bless all of us.

BIRTHS Bowers, Helen Epstein, Debbi Josephson, Ira Nathan, Helen Rifkin; Executive Director, Renee Ratner Corcoran

LEAGUE OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THE ELDERLY (L.O.V.E.) Co-presidents, Larry DeBruin and Gretchen Radler; Treasurer, Les Kay; Secretary, Lois Wine; Immediate Past Presidents, Vicki Perlmeter and Ricki Skog; Board Members: Gabby Blair, Karen Cohen, Shelley Stern, Michael Shrago, Mark Kazor and Crystal Smith; Volunteer Coordinator, Sabine Strong.

B’NAI B’RITH HENRY MONSKY LODGE President, Gary Javitch; President Emeritus, Ari Riekes; Trustee-Board Member, Steve Riekes; Standing Committee Chair, Howard Shandel; Board Members: Marty Ricks and Howard Borden; Honorary Board Members: Nate Schwalb and Rich Juro; Administrative Assistant, Adam Trubnikov.

SYNAGOGUES

B’NAI ISRAEL

BOARDS | LIFE CYCLES

Dan Senft; Secretary, Julie Moore; Treasurer, Elaine Monnier; Board Members: Maria Cadwallader, Leslie Delserone Aimee Hyten, Nathaniel Kaup, Anne Rickover and Art Zygielbaum,

TEMPLE ISRAEL President, Dan Gilbert; Presidential Appointee, Wendy Hamilton; President Elect, Troy Meyerson; Vice Presidents: Susie Norton and Geoff Silverstein; Secretary, Justin Cooper; Treasurer, David Goldberg; Past President, Andie Gordman; Board Members: Tamara Draeger, Gil Dysico, Tami Field, Dani Howell, Lester Katz, Laura Kirshenbaum, Brandon Koom, Stan Krieger, Traci Kugler, Lisa Lewis, Joseph Pinson, Jeff Platt, Marti Poulos and Ariella Rohr.

Omaha Temple Youth Group: President, Laura Kirshenbaum; Programming Vice President, Abby Friedland; Social Action Vice President, Hannah Dysico; Religious and Cultural Vice President, Noemi Gilbert; Membership Vice President, Daisy Friedman; Communications Vice President, Lauren Marshall; Special Projects Coordinator, McKenna Blake; Ruach Chair, Max Vitek; and Freshman Liaison, Leah Dysico.

TIFERETH ISRAEL President, Seth Harris; Vice President, Dan Friedman; Treasurer, Howard Feldman; Secretary, Ken Bloom; Immediate Past President, Marcia Kushner; Fair Shares Dues Chair, David Brockman; Trustees: Kirk Bowers and Jay Slevin; Board Members: Nanci Hamicksburg, Bob Evnen, Joyce Davidson, Gary Hill and Cindi Weiss; Administrator, Nava Halpern.

Berkeley Amelia, daughter of Marissa and Brad Abramson; Zachary Ross, son of Jennifer and Erik Brook; Ellie Ilana, daughter of Rachel and Dan Canfield; Lior Ezra Clark, son of Sarah Beringer and Alex Clark; Simon, son of Haleigh and Matthew Carlson; Bronwen Shirley Carlson, daughter of Jill Canfield and Jeremy Carlson; Uri, son of Rabbi Ari and Laura Dembitzer; Harper Isabel, daughter of Brittany Willis and Sam Edelstein; Zoe Faye, daughter of Brooke and Nathan Fineman; Asher Fritz, son of Candice and Dusty Friedman; Kirra Hazel, daughter of Marissa and Mike Fox; Payton James, son of Becca and Andy Goldenberg; Charlotte Poppy, daughter of Allison and Mark Javitch; Esme Jordan and Heidi Claire, twin daughters

of Abigail and Jordan Lill; Tuvia, son of Rabbi Moshe and Hadar Nachman; Matan Antonio Romo Ocanto, son of Cantor Annelise OcantoRomo and Alessandro Romo; Noah Eugene, son of Shiri and David Phillips; Myelle Grace Shyken Rothbart, daughter of Beth Shyken Rothbart and Chad Rothbart; Isabelle Leigh, daughter of Lauren Freeman and Matthew Sculnick; Naomi Yael, daughter of Carly and Nate Shapiro; Talia Corrine, daughter of Elisa and Steven Speer; Amelia Rose, daughter of Ariel and Jeff Taraday; Romy, daughter of Anna and Onie Tsabari; Shoshana Yael, daughter of Rachel Katskee Winthrop and Eddie Winthrop; and Nyla Alexandra, daughter of Emily and Andre Woods.

B’NAI MITZVAHS Lorenzo Elijah, son of Valerie Batt and Aaron Batt; Miles Owen, son of Gabriella and Jason Blair; Eva Bloom, daughter of Sarah Kelen and Ken Bloom; Juliette Rose Boehm Smith, daughter of Regan Smith and Andrew Boehm; Job Samuel, son of Heather Feierstein and Seth Feierstein; Amanda Jayne, daughter of Jodi (Slusky) and Yoav Gershoni; Maggie, daughter of Tracy and Randy Gordon; Max, son of Priscilla Henkelmann and Sanford (Sandy) Grossbart; David Lustig, son of Becca and Derek Groothuis; Daniel Harris, son of Karen

Gilbert and Seth Harris; Jonah Samuel, son of Esther L. Katz and Philip B. Katz; Arel Zohar, son of Orly and Israel Scott Kotzen; Evan Brandon and Ryan Henry, sons of Traci and Lance Kugler; Jacob, son of Kelly and Thomas Kirk; Brandon Raffel, son of Andrew Raffel, Amy Tipp and Ron Hackbart; Joseph Samuel, son of Andee and Anthony Scioli; Courtney Lauren and Sabrina Monica, daughters of Lori KooperSchwarz and Wayne Schwarz; Grayson Asher, son of Beth and Scott Seldin; and Abiel Keva, son of Rebecca Shyken.

MARRIAGES Talia Tene and Alex Bruggen; Halle Schulman and Benjamin Clark; Rachel Martin and Daniel Grossman; Dayna Cohen and Jeff Lifson; Alexandra (Allie) and Alexander Lund; Hannah

Grossman and Donovan Moran; Jenni Elizabeth Pozmantier and Zackary David Muskin; Emily Muskin and Jesse Rathner; Ellie Batt and Mark Sherman; and Jamie and Jerry Watch.

IN MEMORIAM Alvin Abramson, Daniel (Dan) Abramson, Holly Abrahamson, Mildred “Millie’ Altman, Elyce Azriel, Rosalie “Whiz” Babendir, Michael Binder, Erlinda T. Bloom, Solomon Bloom, Ph.D., Audrey Bodlovic, Michelle T. Byrnes, Dr. Howard “Chaim” Bohn, Robert E. Bramson, Jerome Edwin Cohen, William (Bill) Cohen, Victoria Morris Reynolds Cooley, Bella E. Debruin, D. David Deland, Jack Diamond, Timothy James Duffy, Jean Elkon, Harold (Bae) Epstein, Mary Etus, Albert L. Feldman, Frieda Feldstein, Patricia Ryan Flaherty, Phillip Flaherty, Dr. Harold William Forbes, Thelma (Toby) Rae Forbes, Joanne L. Freeman, Hymie Gendler, Linda Glaser, Beverlee Katherine Greenberg, Elinor Greenberg, Weiss Fromkin, Renee Plotkin Handleman, Benjamin Adam Holmberg, Jeannette Hope, Lila Jacoby, Jerry Jordan, Marilyn T. Kaplan, Sanford “Sandy” Kasner, Melvin Katz, Melvin Katskee, Naomi Betty Kelberg, Susan Lipp Kentoff, Sandra Kohll, Frieda Fox Konigsberg, Madeline F. Kripke, Rabbi Howard Kutner, Alice Young Lachin, Jor-

dan Lagman, Hugh Levin, Judy Siegler Liberson, Louise Lippett, Richard V. “Doc” Lombardi, Clare Maney, Paul Mann, Jeri Mason, Gerald Marburg, Charles S. Marks, Donald Lloyd Marti, Howard Robert Martin, Annette Faye Forbes Merlis, Harriett “Sue” Meyers, Emil Miller, Hayley Millward, Michael Edward Mogil, Arlene Monnier, Ann G. Moskovits, Bernadine “Bernie” Mosow, Anne Elizabeth Mullin, Raquel H. Newman, Gary Parilman, Gerri Rae Phillips, Stephen T. Reynolds, Albert “Al” Rieder, Joan Rieder, Ramona Rivera, Rose Meyerson Kaufman Rosenberg, Marvin Rosenblatt, Barbara Joy Roseman, Henry Steven Rothenberg, Felicia Schrier, Rose Schupack, Millard R. Seldin, Eleanor Shandell, Frances Shapiro, Rodney Shkolnick, Aileen Shmuger, Danita “Dani” Shrago, Simmy Siegel, Sara Lee (Davis) Sigoloff, Alan D. Simon, Jerome David Simon, James Louis Steil, Carl Horst Sussman, Morris Sweet, Anthony William Teichman, Yale (Buzz) Trustin, Tevee Joy Turkel, Donna Varble-Hook, Cheri Weiner and Cherry Witham.

Synagogues

D14 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 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 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com

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 We will not be holding services on Friday, Sept. 11.

Rosh Hashanah Evening Service, Friday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m.

Rosh Hashanah Morning Service, Saturday, Sept.

19, 10:30 a.m.

For information on our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin and Sissy Silber.

Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

VIRTUAL MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m. and Mondays and Thursdays, 8 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.; AIPAC: A Story That Defines A Movement, 6:45 p.m. (following services) SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; AIPAC: A Story That Defines A Movement, 11:15 a.m. (following services); Selichot with guest speaker Susan Kuklin, 7:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv/Havdallah, 8:30 p.m. (followed by Selichot) SUNDAY: Torah Tots/PJ Library, 8:30 a.m.; Ark Visits, 9 a.m.; BESTT (Grades K-2) Outside at Beth El, 9 a.m.; BESTT (Grades 3-7) Online, 10:30 a.m.; Apple Roses with Andrea Erlich, 4 p.m.

MONDAY: High Holy Days Mahzor Checkout, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Joshua Ben Nun with Dr. Leonard Greenspoon, 8 pm.

TUESDAY: High Holy Days Mahzor Checkout, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7) Online, 4:30 p.m.; USY Check-In, 5:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 7 p.m. at Beth El. THURSDAY: Chug Chamishi, 4:30 p.m.; Shul Music with Hazzan Krausman, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Sept. 18: Rosh Hashanah To-Go, 10 a.m.; Erev Rosh Hashanah Service, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept. 19: Rosh Hashanah Day 1 Family Service, 9:30 a.m.; RH Day 1 Morning Service, 10 a.m.; RH Study Session, 4:30 p.m. with Marty Shukert; RH Day 1 Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m.

Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

BETH ISRAEL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer.

Classes, Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah on Zoom, Whatsapp or Facebook Live. On site services held outside in Sukkah, weather permitting. Physical distancing and masks required.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m.; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Mincha, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:21 p.m.

SATURDAY: Open Beit Midrash, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha, 7 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:19 p.m. (Zoom); Pre-Selichot Musical Selichot, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY: Selichot, 1:20 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Daven and Donuts ages 10-16, 9 a.m.; Gemara Class with Rabbi Moshe, 9:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv/Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m.

MONDAY: Selichot, 6:40 am.; Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Mincha/Ma’ariv/Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m.

TUESDAY: Selichot, 6:40 am.; Shacharit, 7 am.;

Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Mincha/Ma’ariv/Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Selichot, 6:40 am.; Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Mincha/Ma’ariv/Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m.

THURSDAY: Selichot, 6:40 am.; Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Middot, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Parsha Inspiration, 4:30 p.m. with Rabbi Ari (Facebook Live); Mincha/Ma’ariv/Daf Yomi, 7:20 p.m.

FRIDAY-Sept. 18: Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m.; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Mincha/Ma’ariv/Daf Yomi, 7:15 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:09 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept. 19: Shacharit (Hamelech), 9 a.m.; Torah Reading, 9:45 a.m.; Kids Programming, 10:4511:15 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:15 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:07 p.m.

Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

CHABAD HOUSE Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Due to Coronavirus, all services and classes have moved online. For schedules and more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.org or call the office at 402.330.1800 FRIDAY: Candlelighting, 7:21 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Ends, 8:18 p.m.

SUNDAY: Unbridled Joy: Oh, the Possibilities: Holiday Prep - The inside story of the high holidays, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Mendel and Shani Katzman.

MONDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani; Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introduction to Reading Hebrew, 10:30 a.m.

THURSDAY: Intermediate Hebrew Reading and Prayer, 11 a.m.; Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman.

FRIDAY-Sept. 18: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:09 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept. 19: Mini Service, 11 a.m.; Kids Holiday Experience, 11 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:25 p.m.; LIght Candles after, 8:09 p.m.

B’NAI JESHURUN The Temple office is on reduced hours until further notice and all services and activities are being offered via livestream or teleconferencing. Please call 402.435.8004 or email office@southstreettemple. org for further information or to make an appointment for a visit, if necessary. You may also email board president Nicholette Seigfreid at president@south streettemple.org. South Street Temple’s events can be found at https://south streettemple.org/calendar/.

FRIDAY: Erev Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. service leaders/music: Leslie Delserone, Nathaniel Kaup, Steve Kaup, Elaine Monnier, Peter Mullin; Candlelighting, 7:26 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, service leaders/music: TBD, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:45 a.m. on Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech led by Elaine Monnier; Havdalah (72 minutes), 8:23 p.m.; S’lichot Service, service leaders/music: TBD, 7:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: LJCS Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. All classes via Zoom.

TUESDAY: Tea & Coffee Time with Temple Friends, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School: Grades 3-7, 4

p.m. via Zoom.

FRIDAY-Sept. 18: Erev Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Leslie Delserone, Nathaniel Kaup, Steve Kaup, Elaine Monnier, Peter Mullin, Nicholette Seigfreid, 6:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:14 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept. 19: Rosh Hashanah Morning Service, service leaders/music: TBD, 10:30 a.m.; No Torah Study; Candlelighting for Yom Tov, 8:11 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE All services canceled until further notice.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is currently closed to visitors.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander.

DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.

FRIDAY: Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m..; S’lichot Study Session with Rabbi Stoller — Comtemplating Repentance: A Personal Journey of Writing and Reflection, 7-7:45 p.m.; S’lichot Service, 8-8:45 p.m.

SUNDAY: Parking Lot Meet and Greet for Teachers and Students, 10-11 a.m.; Book Club: Three Bodies Burning by Brian Bogdanoff, 10:30 a.m.

MONDAY: Jewish Law & the Quest for Meaning, 11 a.m.

TUESDAY: Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6 Online, 4-6 p.m.; Grades 7-12 Online, 6:30-8 p.m.

FRIDAY-Sept. 18: Erev Rosh Hashanah Service, 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept. 19: Children’s Service, 9-9:30 a.m.; Rosh Hashanah Morning Service, 10:15 a.m.; No Torah Study; Candlelighting for Yom Tov, 8:11 p.m.

Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

TIFERETH ISRAEL

FRIDAY: Zoom Evening Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:30 p.m. Candlelighting, 7:22 p.m.

SATURDAY: Zoom Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m.; S’lichot Service, 8 p.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 8:20 p.m.

SUNDAY: Board Meeting, 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. via Zoom.

FRIDAY-Sept. 18: Zoom Evening Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:30 p.m. Candlelighting, 7:22 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept. 19: Zoom Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m.; S’lichot Service, 8 p.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 8:20 p.m.

Please visit tiferethisraellincoln.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

MEMORIAL SERVICES

Sunday, Sept. 13 Mount Carmel Cemetery in Lincoln, 10:30 a.m.

Beth El Cemetery, 84th and L Sts., 11 a.m.

Golden Hill Cemetery, 5025 N. 42nd St., 11 a.m.

Beth Israel/Crown Point, 78th and Crown Point, noon Fisher Farms, 8900 S. 42nd St., 1 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 20 Temple Israel Cemetery, 6412 N. 42nd St., 1 p.m.

Our future is now Our Future is Now, and we invite you to Be a Part of It! “You have to see it to really appreciate it... photos don’t do it justice.” These are words commonly heard in the hallways of the transforming Staenberg Omaha JCC as construction continues. According to the Federation’s Chief Development Officer Steve Levinger, “Our community is so fortunate that around 100 donors have made contributions to the building project so far. This has allowed us to do construction work while we are out raising necessary capital. Most projects of this type require that a large percentage of the funds are

and community for generations to come.”

In the future, a communitywide fundraising campaign led

by Donald Goldstein, David Gilinksy, John Glazer, Joanie Jacobson and Mike Siegel will begin with the goal of raising an additional $4 million on top of 2021 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN the $29 million already secured.

The JCC website will provide secured before the shovel actually hits the ground. an overview of the project with a donation page for “We are excited to invite the entire JCC commu- online gifts.We are making some big changes that nity, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, to help us reach will enhance our JCC for the 21st century and allow the finish line. This is a project that benefits all of us to continue impacting our community memus and ensures the sustainability of our facilities bers’ lives now and in the years to come.

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | D15

17th-century plague Continued from page D11 said Sylvia Fuks Fried, editorial director of Brandeis University Press, the publisher of Glikl: Memoirs 1691-1719. “It’s an example of Glikl’s remarkable skills as a writer. It’s why it has such staying power and why we are reading it today.”

The new translation — 375 pages, with illustrations and meticulous notes

by Israel Prize winner Chava Turniansky, a scholar of Yiddish literature and professor emerita at Hebrew University — was decades in the making. It is based on Turniansky’s 2006 Hebrew-Yiddish version of the memoir, which was originally written in Old Yiddish, the vernacular language among German-speaking Ashkenazi Jews in the early modern era.

Glikl’s writing is a rare surviving memoir from this period. Even rarer is that it was written by a woman, according to Rachel Greenblatt, a cultural historian specializing in the Jews of central and Eastern Europe who led a recent course on the memoir sponsored by the Vilna Shul, a Jewish cultural organization in Boston.

“Glikl provides us with an unparalleled historical source, opening a window on the daily life, anxieties, petty rivalries and stories of folk wisdom occupying the mental world of a woman who bore 14 children... while partnering with her husband in a business that grew from trade in second-hand gemstones run by two newlywed teenagers to international money lending, exchange of credit and the margins of mercantile Court Jew

Bertha Pappenheim, a descendant of Glickl Hamel, poses as Glikl for this portrait painted by the artist Leopold Pilichowski. Credit: Leo Baeck Institute

society,” Greenblatt told JTA. Glikl began writing her memoir about two years after the death of her husband in 1689, initially as a way to console herself through sleepless nights. She was 44 at the time and had eight unmarried children living with her along with a family business to manage.

“Glikl wrote resilience,” Greenblatt said. “She turned to the pen for comfort and self-therapy.”

Over the course of seven chapters, Glikl weaves together her views of living a Jewish life, running a household and managing the family business, all of it embellished by stories and proverbs.

Through accounts of her extensive travels, readers get a glimpse of how Jewish communities responded to historic events.

Her intended audience was her descendants, to whom she wanted to bequeath a sense of their identity and family history. But Turniansky has suggested that her writer’s flair and literary choices make it clear that she sensed a broader audience as well.

In her introduction, Turniansky traces the complex publication history of Glikl’s memoir. The original handwritten version was not preserved, but two copies — one made by a son and the other by a grandson — were passed down in the family for several generations, eventually finding a publisher in the late 19th century.

Since then, it has been translated into German, Hebrew and several English versions. But Greenblatt says those earlier versions were incomplete or presented as biography and history, and were not true to the original text. The new publication, she said, introduces readers to Glikl’s authentic voice.

“It’s readable and it’s elegant,” Greenblatt said.

In the past, the memoir has been explored from the perspective of Jewish history, women’s social history and Glikl’s extraordinary role as a savvy businesswoman, Fuks Fried said. This new translation should broaden those perspectives while opening a new one — as an important entry into the canon of Jewish literature.

“It deserves to be there,” Fuks Fried said. “It’s of that caliber.”

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D16 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

NEBRASKA

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year

Henry Monsky Lodge

Best wishes to our wonderful community for a sweet, healthy, happy year.

May this year bring the fulfillment of our most fervent wishes and dreams.

B’nai B’rith

Rabbi Mendel and Shani Katzman and Family Chabad Board Members and Volunteers

B’nai Israel Synagogue

Happy New Year

You’re always welcome at B’nai Israel!

618 Mynster Street, Council Bluffs 51503

From the staff of

Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year!

A Century of Tradition National Register of Historic Places

National Council of Jewish Women Nebraska

NCJW extends its warmest wishes to the Jewish community for a Joyous New Year.

With Your Help We’ll Have A Great Past Ahead Of Us

Happy & Healthy New Year Join us and give a gift for future generations.

Gold $250 | Patron-1 Year $100 | Sponsor $72 | Regular $36

Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year Beth Israel Synagogue Beth Israel Sisterhood JYE BI

Jewish Youth Experience at Beth Israel

Have a sweet New Year!

JEWISH WAR VETERANS of AMERICA Epstein Morgan Post 260

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful Rosh Hashanah.

FREE membership to all active-duty personnel Contact: Jay Benton, Commander 402-250-6133 We welcome any and all new members

The Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies at the University of Nebraska-Omaha wishes all our Friends and supporters a

Happy New Year

Wishing our community a sweet new year!

From the Staff and Governance Council of the Institute for Holocaust Education

League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Auxiliary

L’Shana Tovah Sabine Strong Volunteer Coordinator 402.330.4272 Ext. 6519 sstrong@rbjh.com

FOOD THE ROSH HASHANAH EDITION

A supplement to The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

E2 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Shirley’s Kitchen: Coffee Cake

Food

Safta’s Salmon

GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer This is a near weekly Shabbat standard at Saba’s house and

a holiday wouldn’t be a holiday without it. No matter how many times I follow the recipe to the letter, it always comes out delicious, but not quite as good as Safta’s.

From: GAIL GOLDSTEIN RAZNICK Originating from: ROSE RAZNICK Aileen Eisenstatt always used to bring a chocolate cake over when Donald came home from school. This is MY Aileen Eisenstatt cake!

SAFTA’S SALMON Ingredients: 4 nice sized skinned salmon portions Oil 2-3 sweet bell peppers (we use red, green and yellow) 2 medium tomatoes 3-4 cloves sliced garlic Chopped half bunch of cilantro and/ or parsley Spices - mix in bowl.

1 tsp. each paprika, garlic powder, pepper, parve chicken consommé power (I use Osem) 1-2 tsp. turmeric 4-5 thinly sliced lemon pieces- fresh or pickled Directions: Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in pan Slice tomatoes and get rid of half their seeds. Slice bell peppers into strips. Slice garlic. Fry in heated oil for a few minutes.

Add 2-3 tablespoons water. When skins begin to loosen, add all but a teaspoon or so of the spices. Spice quantities can be adjusted to suit tastes.

Make little spaces between the veggies and add salmon portions to them Add just enough water to reach half way up fish. Depending on the juices from the veggies this amount varies from not needing to add much at all to 1/2 cup.

Sprinkle reserved spices on top of fish. Add sliced lemon.

(Safta always uses lemons she pickled herself, but fresh work just fine, just don’t over do it!). Then, add cilantro and/or parsley on top.

Cover and cook on high heat 10-15 minutes max. Overcooking will result in drier, tougher fish.

Optional: Add cooked or canned chickpeas after 5 minutes if desired.

COFFEE CAKE

Ingredients: 1 cup margarine 2 cups sugar 4 eggs, added one at a time 3 cups flour 3 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup milk 3 Tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 3/4 cup walnuts Directions: Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, alternating with milk.

Grease and flour bundt pan. Add 3/4 batter, 1/2 nut mixture, rest of batter, and top with rest of nut mixture.

Bake at 350° and check at 45 min. Add 10 more minutes if needed Let cake cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

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The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | E3

Recipes from my family GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer Our Rosh Hashanah table always features a wide array of fresh, simple and tasty salads. Sure to please the palate, these also add bright splashes of color to the table and contain symbolic foods meaningful to the Holiday. These are also easy to

adjust up or down to fit the size of your gathering.

A favorite at our house and a taste I grew up with, these salads are quick to whip up and have very different textures and flavors.

Adjust quantities to suit your needs and tastes. Always served at Rosh Hashanah, sometimes I whip up these up as a quick side dish for the family or a healthy salad for one. Try them all!

RAW CARROT SALAD

Ingredients: 2 lbs. of raw carrots peeled and grated.

3 Tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley Up to 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Up to 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped Up to 1 tsp. each salt & coarse black pepper Grated fresh ginger root- to taste 1-2 tsp. sesame seeds Directions: Combine shredded carrots, parsley and garlic in a large bowl.

Drizzle with oil and lemon juice and spices. Best to start with less and add more to suit taste.

Grate ginger root over the bowl to suit taste.

Toss all ingredients and enjoy!

Garnish with a light sprinkling of sesame seeds and a sprig of parsley.

This salad can be made ahead or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. I prefer this salad at room temperature, but it is also tasty cold. For a different flavor twist,

MOROCCAN CARROT SALAD Another simple, unique, and flavorful dish, this Moroccan carrot salad is sort of like our take on the Ashkenazi Tsimmes.

Toss just tender boiled carrots with herbs and spices like cumin and harissa, lemon juice and olive oil for a taste that is distinctly Moroccan.

Ingredients: Water Kosher salt 2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into thick coins 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4-1/12 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 3/4 tsp. harissa 1/2 tsp. each of ground cumin, ground coriander, sweet paprika 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 3 Tbsp. olive oil Directions: Peel and cut carrots into coins of even thickness so that they will cook to same consistency.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and boil until just tender, but not mushy. It won’t take very long! Drain well!

Immediately transfer the cooked, drained carrots to a large mixing bowl. While warm, season with a dash kosher salt and black pepper. Add the spices (harissa spice, cumin, coriander and paprika.) Add minced garlic, cilantro, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

Add a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Give the carrot salad a good toss to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ROASTED BEET AND FRESH MINT SALAD Fresh roasted beets are so delicious and simple! You will find these to be sweeter, tastier and more flavorful than their commonly pickled counterparts. I look for firm, smaller beets with green leafy tops still attached. Delicious when combined with fresh mint, this healthy and nutritious salad adds a pop of color to your table at Rosh Hashanah, or anytime!

While this salad keeps well, when first serving, I like to put the mint in last minute so it is bright and green with an unaltered taste. The mint will eventually absorb the juice and color of the beets.

Ingredients: 4-5 small fresh beets 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2-3 Tbsp. orange juice + orange zest to taste 1 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/4 tsp. salt (or more to taste) 1/4 cup fresh chopped mint Directions: Cut stems, leaving 2 inches attached to the top of the beet. Do not cut the root off yet! Leaving stems and roots attached will keep the beets from leaking their red, staining juices out while roasting! (The leafy greens are super healthy and edible! They

Rosh Hashanah Greetings

Nick & Tori Haussler-Lemek and family

Happy New Year To All Our Friends & Customers substitute sesame oil for the olive oil, cilantro for the parsley or add different spices you like. It is a very versatile salad! are delicious fried, sautéed or in a salad!)

Wash and dry the beets, then lightly rub with olive oil.

Place on foil lined pan. You could also use a baking dish.

Roast the beets in oven, preheated to 400 F, for 45 minutes to 1.5 hours checking for tenderness ever 15 minutes or so, until tender when pierced with a fork. Smaller beets roast faster and are generally more tender.

Once tender, allow to cool a few minutes. Rinse under cold running water and simply rub the skins, stems and roots off. Remember beets stain- so wipe up any beet juice asap! (and wear gloves if you don’t want temporarily pink fingers!)

Chop roasted beets into bite-sized pieces and place them in a salad bowl.

In another bowl, whisk, oil, juice, sugar, cumin and salt together, then pour over beets and toss.

Just before serving, toss in half the fresh chopped mint leaves.

Sprinkle the rest of the chopped mint on top, grate a little orange zest over the bowl and serve immediately.

CORN-EGG SALAD Quite possibly the easiest salad ever to prepare. Always a favorite, guests always think I am kidding or leaving out some secret ingredient when I tell them how to make it.

Ingredients: 2 cans corn, drained 4-5 hard boiled eggs, chopped 2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise (or more/less to achieve preferred consistency) salt & pepper to taste can add other spices like paprika Directions: Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Eat and enjoy!

Shirley’s Kitchen: Mocha Torte

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From: KAY GOLDSTEIN Originating from: MARGIE BERGER, a cousin of Ruthie Goldstein

U

MOCHA TORTE

Ingredients: 1 1/2 dozen ladyfingers for crust and top 1/2 cup black coffee 1 tsp. Nescafe or powdered coffee 1 pound marshmallows Directions: Line a springform pan with ladyfingers.

Heat coffee, remove from fire and fold in marshmallows until smooth. When cool, add 1 pint whipped cream and powdered sugar to taste.

Pour into springform and refrigerate.

Certified Kosher & Pareve Our products are certified Kosher U by the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

You will find the U on every Rotella package.

Wishing our friends and customers a Happy Rosh Hashanah JANET THOMAS

6949 South 108th Street 402-592-6600

E4 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Shucks Fish House Bailey’s Breakfast Absolutely Fresh & Lunch Seafood Market & Oyster Bar At Shucks Fish House, we could not be happier with the support we received from the Omaha community over the last few months from the early days of carryout only service, to being able to go back to some semblance of normal with the full reopening of our dining rooms. It is very nice to see many of the familiar faces back, as well as many new faces who have discovered our restaurants.

Since day one, keeping our customers and staff safe has been a big priority, and we continue to focus on this for the long term. The good news is, fresh oysters are back, a new menu is on the way, and thanks to the support of the community, we are back to our regular staffing levels.

Shucks also offers online ordering for carryout through ChowNow at all 3 locations, as well as UberEats delivery and curbside pickup. Check out our daily specials at shuckfishhouse.com, and be sure to put us on your list of places to enjoy a nice lunch or dinner in the near future.

Transitioning from being a primarily dine-in business to carryout only was quite a challenge for us when the restrictions began back in March. Like many other local restaurants in Omaha, part of our allure was the comfortable and familiar setting for many regulars to enjoy breakfast, coffee, and conversations with friends and family. One of the first steps we took to adapt was offering online ordering through ChowNow to allow our customers to place orders fast and easy and have them brought out right to their cars. In addition, we simplified our menu to items that were more conducive to carryout, including some of our signature drinks. Since we have been allowed to go back to full dining room capacity, we continue to take extra precautions to make sure both our customers and staff remain safe and healthy. Be sure to check out baileysbreakfast.com to see our weekly specials, our full menu, and to start your online order fast and easy.

We are open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day of the week.

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The last few months have obviously been challenging for everyone, and we hope that everyone is safe and adapting to the changes in everyday life well. Our fish market has certainly risen to the occasion as our business has doubled for us over the last few months as many people were opting to cook at home versus getting carryout or dining in. To help adapt to this added business, we increased our staffing levels, expanded our inventory levels, and most recently launched online ordering for the products we sell. We are always happy to provide curbside pickup as well as our usual full service shopping experience inside our store. In addition, we have expanded our Take & Bake line of frozen entrées and appetizer to include multiple varieties of 16 inch pizzas with other new items appearing weekly. Our weekly newsletter debuts every Friday to announce what the latest featured Fresh Fish we have received is along with many other tasty and fun specials. To sign up for this, or to check out everything we have to offer, visit absolutely freshmarket.com where you can start your online order as well – fast and easy!

The Jewish Press |September 11, 2020 | E5

Shirley’s Kitchen: Gail’s Brownies Editor’s note: These are not strictly brownies; more chocolate chip blondies.

From: JANIE KENNEDY Originating from: GAIL GOLDSTEIN RAZNICK (who said they originated with Harlan Milder, Cheryl Cooper’s brother!)

Gail used to make these blonde brownies in her single days, in between times that we went to Weight Watchers together.

Shirley’s Kitchen: Apple Brownies From: SHELLY BAN Usually served this when: High Holidays My family likes these better than apple cake or honey cake.

APPLE BROWNIES

GAIL’S BROWNIES

Ingredients: 1/3 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 package chocolate chips (or butterscotch chips) 1 cup + 1 Tbsp. flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. baking soda Directions: Melt butter, add sugar, and cool. Then add egg (beaten) and vanilla. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together and then add to the above mixture. Last, add chocolate chips, leaving some to be scattered on the top. Bake at 350 for 2025 minutes in an 8x8 pan.

Serves: 12-16 bars.

Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 cup chopped nuts 3/4 cup raisins (optional) 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil 3 large eggs 2 cups granulated sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract 3 cups Granny Smith apples (about 1 lb.) chopped and peeled.

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 15.5 X 10.5 X 1” jelly roll pan. Mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk oil and eggs in another large bowl until blended and smooth. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until blended. Stir in apples, nuts and raisins. Mixture will be very stiff. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely on wire rack. Cut in squares.

Servings: 40.

E6 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Shirley’s Kitchen: Lemon Bars From: KATHY GOLDSTEIN HELM Originating from: NCJW COUNCIL COOKBOOK Usually served this when? When I bake, which is rarely!

Shirley’s Kitchen: Banana Blueberry Bread From: ANN GOLDSTEIN Originating From: CHERYL COOPER Anytime Cheryl passes on a recipe, we

knew it was great and this is no exception!

The girls always wanted this available when they were home from college.

BANANA BLUEBERRY BREAD Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup flour 2/3 cup sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup quick cooking oats 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs slightly beaten 1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas) 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries Directions: Combine the first four ingredients in mixing bowl.

Stir in quick cooking oats.

Add and stir in the rest of the igredients till mixed and moist.

Bake in greased loaf pan at 350° for 60-65 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Serves: 1 loaf

LEMON BARS Ingredients: Crust: 1 cup flour 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/4 cup powdered sugar Pinch of salt Directions: Blend together and press into bottom of 8X8 pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Topping: 2 eggs 1/4 cup sugar 4 Tbsp. lemon juice Grated rind of 1 lemon 2 Tbsp. flour Credit: bakingamoment.com 1/2 tsp. baking powder Directions: Blend topping ingredients with fork and spread over baked crust. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes longer at 350 degrees. Sprinkle top with sifted powdered sugar.

Shirley’s Kitchen: Divinity From: SHIRLEY GOLDSTEIN Edith and I would get together to make divinity. My brother, Teddy, used to love when I made it... and enjoyed every bite! I still love it and so does Howard... one of these days I will make it for him again!

DIVINITY Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups sugar 3/4 cup Karo syrup 1/2 cup hot water 1 cup nut meats 2 egg whites 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup black walnuts

Directions: Blend sugar, syrup, and hot water. Thoroughly boil at 248° on a candy thermometer until it spins a fine thread. Do not stir boiling syrup. While cooking, beat eggs whites with 1/8 teaspoon salt till stiff. When syrup is done, pour slowly onto beaten egg whites, beating continuously till barely holds shape. Add vanilla and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls with peaks onto buttered waxed paper.

Have a sweet New Year

The Jewish Press

The Jewish Press Board | Abby Kutler, President | Eric Dunning, Ex-Officio Danni Christensen | David Finkelstein | Candice Friedman | Bracha Goldsweig | Margie Gutnik Natasha Kraft | Chuck Lucoff | Eric Shapiro | Andy Shefsky | Shoshy Susman | Amy Tipp

The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020 | E7

Oatmeal Apple Honey Cups GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer Look no further for a delicious dessert for Rosh Hashanah. Always a big hit at our house, these individual oatmeal cookie like cups hold sweet tender apple crisp filling. The

recipe originally called for a caramel sauce drizzle, but we prefer a drizzle of thick raw honey from locally owned “Its All About The Bees” in Ralston. I always make a few extras for the morning- they make a pretty tasty breakfast treat too!

SNOWBIRDS

OATMEAL APPLE HONEY CUPS Ingredients: Cooking spray 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (or parve substitute) softened (plus more for cooking apples) 1 1/4 cup brown sugar (divided) 3/4 cup granulated sugar (divided) 2 large eggs 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cup rolled oats 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 4 apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon Caramel sauce or Honey, for serving Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 muffin tins with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, add butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until evenly combined. Add flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and stir until just combined.

Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough into muffin tins, and flatten. Bake until cookie cups are golden brown and set, 18 to 20 minutes.

While cookies are still warm, make the cups. Spray the bottom of a small shot glass with cooking spray and press shot glass down into center of each cookie to create cups. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

Meanwhile, melt about 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and cook until beginning to soften. Add remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, and cinnamon and cook until soft and caramelized.

Spoon apple filling into cups. Drizzle with a caramel sauce or honey and serve warm or at room temperature.

Shirley’s Kitchen: Pumpkin Bread From: BETSY “BOO” GERSHUN Originating from: My childhood somewhere Usually served this when: When boyfriends (current or prospective) came to visit.

While this recipe does not hail from a previous generation, it was always a favorite of the Gershun Girls when entertaining gentlemen callers. So I guess you could say it played a part in future generations... [editor’s note: awww]

Please let the Jewish Press know in advance when you are leaving and when you are returning. Sometimes several papers are sent to your “old” address before we are notified by the Post Office. Every time they return a paper to us, you miss the Jewish Press and we are charged! Please call us at 402.334.6448, email us at jpress@jewishomaha.org or see our website at omahajewishpress.com.

HAPPY R OSH HASHANAH

Happy New Year

PUMPKIN BREAD

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 1 can canned pumpkin 1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut) 2 eggs beaten 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. allspice 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1/4 cup water Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour 9x5x3 loaf pan. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, water, and spices together. Combine dry ingredients with liquid ones but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Turn out of pan and cool on rack.

Serve with softened cream cheese and plenty of stimulating conversation.

Serves: 6-8.

Paid for by Friends for Tim Hall

E8 | The Jewish Press | September 11, 2020

Happy Rosh Hashanah!

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