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SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 | 1 8 TIS H RE I 578 2 | VO L. 1 01 | NO. 4 8 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 6:59 P.M.
100 Days of Impact
Daily lunches for underserved students in Chernivtsi
Return to campus Page 4
SAM KRICSFELD ne of the programs benefitted by your support of the JFO Annual Campaign provides daily lunches for underserved students at the ORT School in Chernivtsi in western Ukraine. The program’s goal is to serve lunch to all 350 students at the Chernivtsi ORT School, ensuring they eat a nutritious meal. The program also provides special Jewish ceremonial food such as challah and matzah to the students and their families to encourage holiday observance. Many students remain at the school after classes end to participate in workshops, extracurricular activities and the Zofim Jewish youth club. ORT’s provision of the lunches is aimed to increase the students’ ability to focus on their coursework in school and encourage engagement in afterschool activities. The free lunches also serve as an added incentive for prospective students and families. The lunches themselves are hot, and contain See 100 days of Impact page 3
O Naftali Bennett made the Time 100 list Page 6
It’s time to revisit The Grey Zone Page 12
Time well spent
Annual Campaign Fundraising Match
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REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
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Dreyer kids in Splash Pad bubble
JENNIE GATES BECKMAN JFO Director of Community Engagement & Education There is something magical about the time parents spend while reading
to their children; particularly when your child has brought you a book, plopped down in your lap and insisted you read to them. I’m blessed that both my children continue to exhibit this wonderful behavior and I do my best not to redirect in order to get something else “accomplished.” The truth is, these days it’s our TIME more than anything that is so precious. The time our children spend in our company is not something we can ever get back. And yet, these days I often feel a certain burden in this time. I would really prefer See Time well spent page 2
AY ! D O T n o donati r u o atch y m e k ll i w Ma r s dono u o m y n o gif t. w e n An an r o d ase any incre 100
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ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Our 2021 Annual Campaign theme focused on the power of positive thinking by embracing the notion that we should “Imagine
Tomorrow.” Very few times in the history of Jewish Omaha, perhaps never, has this phrase resonated as loudly as it has over the past 15 months! We are emerging from COVID as a stronger, more cohesive See Annual Campaign page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | September 24, 2021
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Time well spent
for a certain demographic (that Continued from page 1 to sleep without a toddler being people who enjoy spendclimbing up and partaking in ing time with the 0-12 yr olds in his version of snuggling (arms their life), the programming PJ outstretched in a hug, but also Library facilitates locally offers a knee to the ribcage with his a really nice sweet spot in terms full body weight resting on my of connecting different subsets bladder… this happens most of the community. If I’ve said it frequently at 6:45 am on a Satonce, I’ve said it a thousand urday). It can cause frustration times - PJ Library is more than at the table when my daughter just books! PJ Elementary (a insists we provide her with a monthly program for grades Kmuch more complicated addi6) just went apple picking Seption equation to solve when all tember 12 and a number of the I really want is for her to eat families in attendance had not the food her father prepared yet met one another, despite for dinner. the fact that many of them are Where am I going with this? families I would consider “inWell, as a parent, I would like volved.” When a family who has to do as much as I can engagjust moved to the community is ing with my children on the in attendance – I make a point weekend, while also feeling as to be sure they leave the event though I have made a connechaving met as many other famtion of my own. I enjoy seeing ilies as they can. my children run and play with Our next program geared totheir peers, and if I can do that wards families with “littles” in a setting where they also get (approx. age 0-5) is planned for to strengthen relationships Sunday, Oct. 17 starting at 10 we’ve built with other Jewish a.m. at Lake Zorinsky. This families in the community, I program, Hebrew in the Park, see that as a bonus. If it’s an acis in partnership with Friedel tivity that they enjoy and that Jewish Academy and is free also allows me to have an acand open to families in the Connor and Maeve Yellin tual conversation with another Jewish community and at the adult human, that’s a double bonus. Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center. Friedel’s own Ivrit (HeLet’s be honest though. Our community – Jewish Omaha – brew) teacher, Shiran Dryer, will teach us this beautiful lanis really not just one community, but many tiny sub-commu- guage using interactive activities and games. We’ll also get to nities. Each one of us has our own little concentric circles of meet our community’s new Shlichah (Israeli emissary), Sivan family, friends, and acquaintances depending on what our Cohen... and run and play on the playground, of course! particular routines or interests might look like. Whether your Interested families can find more info and register at time is spent in committee meetings, group fitness classes, https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Hebrew-in-Park. waiting for children outside the dance studios, going to the Know of a parent in Omaha seeking this type of community? pool over the summer or the shul every Shabbat… you’re con- Send them our way! We’d love to help them find their own connecting with different subsets of Jewish Omaha. nection to what I see as an ever-expanding web of circles. All How does this relate to PJ Library? Obviously – I think that we need from you is a little time well spent.
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Continued from page 1 community. We should celebrate and take pride in our successes and be poised to reach even greater heights! This year, our theme is “Reconnecting our Community.” As we are underway to make the 2022 Annual Campaign a success, we once again are reminded that we can all make an impact on our world—and that when we do so together, we are so much stronger.
An anonymous donor will match any increased or new gifts to the Annual Campaign before Oct. 18, to a total of $60,000. Please make your gift now or at the Sept. 30 community event, double your impact and help us unlock this generous gift to our community! You can donate by mailing in your pledge card, or you can visit our website at www.jewishomaha.org and clicking on the donation link. You can also text JFOImpact to #41444 and send your annual gift that way. Thanks to our First Challenge Match at the 2020 Campaign Kickoff Event with Joshua Malina, we saw the largest amount raised at a single event. During last year’s JFNA Challenge Match, we saw our local donors help unlock $65,000 from national donors. These past matches have inspired a donor to provide a match in this year’s Campaign. Your generosity helps us provide dynamic, creative and supportive programs and services that improve thousands of lives. The Federation invigorates Jewish life with meaningful opportunities for people of all ages to connect with each other, to make the world a better place, and discover their Jewish identities through education and travel. We care about all those who are part of our community, Jewish or non-Jewish, and we welcome anyone who wants to make a world of difference.
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100 Days of Impact
Continued from page 1 proteins and vegetables. They are provided by a vendor, and the menus and food disbursement is done by the school itself. The meals abide by the Ukrainian governmental food standards. “These healthy meals will keep the students’ energy levels high, allowing them to fully engage in seven to eight lessons per day and to participate in educational after-school activities,” said James Lodge, the project’s grant manager. Each student’s family receives the holiday foods before the holiday so that they can prepare to celebrate at home. The donations enable the school to provide matzah on Passover, apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah, Israeli fruits on Tu Bishvat and challah on Shabbat. “[The ceremonial food] serves a Jewish identity-building
purpose as well as a nutritional one,” Lodge said, “as these families would not otherwise have the financial resources or time necessary to purchase these items and would not likely celebrate these traditions without the school’s help.” The pandemic has halted school for much of the past academic year, but the money donated will be put to use for the upcoming year. ORT, the organization that runs both the school in Chernivtsi and the lunch program, is driven by Jewish values. It is one of the largest non-governmental education and training organizations in the world and educates more than 300,000 people. Your support in the JFO Annual Campaign makes a difference not only in local and national lives, but also in the lives of Jewish populations across the world. Thank you to the donors who have supported the campaign.
Women’s Philanthropy Wine Down: What inspires you? MAREN ANGUS JFO Philanthropy Coordinator The first event is always nerve-wracking. Add inclement weather to that and moving the event to another location on campus, oy vey! Questions raced through my brain all day leading up to the event. Are these women going to like me? Will they like the wine? Did we get enough snacks for everyone? Thursday, Sept. 2, 6:30 po.m. came, and the new faces came walking in the door of the community room at the JCC. “Hi, my name is Maren. I’m new here and it’s nice to meet you.” When the event began, Jenn Tompkins asked each of the women in attendance to introduce themselves and talk about what inspires them. Some spoke about surviving the pandemic while others voiced thoughts about the resiliency of the Jewish community in Omaha and Council Bluffs. One participant told a story about babysitting her granddaughter, who attends the ELC, who was playing with dolls and began singing the Hamotzi. Another participant stood up and spoke to the group about the Jewish cemetery in Council Bluffs who pulled me in to this community. I felt the need to go join her table and somehow the conversation led to me asking her to host a bridal shower because I don’t have any family in town and my wedding is in April. But, as I stood at the front of the room helping Sivan, our community Shlicha pour wine, I paused to ask myself the same question? What inspires me? I held on to that thought throughout the evening as we made 100 school supply packages for students at Benson High
School and Omaha South High School and 15 flower arrangements for the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home for Rosh Hashanah. We had a limited amount of time together so the staff didn’t have the opportunity to answer the question Jenn asked. So here I am, two weeks later and I am ready to introduce myself and answer the question. My inspiration is not a what but a who and this person is a stranger to this community, kind of like me, but I want to tell you about her anyway and why she is my inspiration. Wendie Angus, the woman I am blessed to call “Mom”, has been my inspiration through this pandemic. She became a widow far too young and just before the COVID-19 outbreak. I would call it a doublewhammy. I watched her immediately become the head of a household with two unemployed adult children and her mother whether she was ready or not. She never complained. She put on a brave face and did what she had to do to make ends meet which wasn’t easy for a hairstylist trying to work during a time when salons were shut down by the government. But she made it out of the dark months, encouraged her children to keep finding their paths and kept her mother safe. I found my path, all the way to the Jewish Federation in Omaha and my new home in Bellevue, where I think about what was said during the event about the small Jewish community and cemetery in Council Bluffs. Now it’s your turn, Omaha. What or who inspires you? Maren Angus is the Philanthropy Coordinator at the Jewish Federation and can be reached via email at man gus@jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6485.
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Return to campus JAMIE SKOGBURKE JFO Director of Community Outreach & Israel Engagement As the rush of August makes way for the regular pace of fall classes, the University of Lincoln campus is now bustling with new life. The symbolic parallels that run between the beginning of the school year and the Jewish New Year cannot be
leadership Julia Raffel and Kathleen Kirshenbaum decided to host the meal on their apartment’s rooftop patio. Additionally, since there are now a few students who keep Kosher on campus, they worked with the Jewish Federation of Omaha to order meals from Star Catering. “It is great to meet the new Jewish students on campus,” said
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UNL Hillel Students gather together to celebrate Rosh HaShanah on the rooftop patio at Latitude apartments. Included in the group picture are Rachamin Zamek, left, Morgan Brockner, Sasha Katz, Laura Kirshenbaum, Maddie Rauhauser, Robert Osborn, Jack Kohl, Kathleen Kirshenbaum, Julia Raffel, Maddie Gutterman and London Homquist.
overstated and its impact can best be felt on college campuses. For many Jewish students, fall on campus during their freshman year is the first time that they will experience celebrating the Jewish holidays away from their families. For some, it is a relief to be able to distance themselves from Judaism, but for many others it is the first time they actively seek out Jewish community. For the last five years, the Jewish community in Nebraska has seen more than 40% of their Jewish graduating seniors stay local for college. This is a stark shift from the traditions of the past in which Jewish students flocked to out-of-state schools for their undergraduate studies. While there are many factors that led to this change, the most important outcome for our community is a stronger presence of Jewish life on campus. On Tuesday, Sept. 7, students from the University of Lincoln Hillel joined together for a festive Rosh HaShanah dinner. While many had tuned in at some point for virtual services at their home congregations, the opportunity to gather together with other young Jewish adults on campus was essential for bringing the holiday to life. “I haven’t had Kosher meat since I left home, and not knowing if I was going to be able to celebrate this holiday had worried me. Thank you for helping me to find food and a community of peers,” said UNL freshman Rachamim Zamek as the meal was wrapping up. With the fear of COVID-19 present, UNL Hillel’s student
UNL Hillel’s student president Julia Raffel. “We have two international students this year, a number from out of state and a great group of participants who grew up in Omaha. Last year was difficult because we couldn’t get together to create community, so this year it is even more important. We have an interesting mix of people and I am really excited to see a strong Jewish community form on campus.” Hillel also hosted a Break the Fast on Yom Kippur and is planning on joining the Sukkot festivities offered by the local synagogues in order to ensure the students are able to meet members of Lincoln’s Jewish community. For more information about UNL Hillel or to share contact information of students who are in Lincoln, please contact Julia Raffel at nebraskahillel@gmail.com.
ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS The Monsky Lodge of B’nai B’rith is pleased to announce the resumption of its award-winning speaker program via ZOOM. Although the Home auditorium remains temporarily closed, we’ll continue presenting an outstanding lineup of thought-provoking keynoters. For specific speaker information and/or to be placed on the email list, please contact Breadbreakers chair Gary Javitch at breadbreakersomaha @gmail.com or leave a message at the B’nai B’rith JCC office 402.334.6443.
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Building collapse SHIRA HANAU JTA An apartment building in Israel collapsed Sept. 12, destroying the homes of some 36 families but leaving no casualties. The building collapse, coming just a few months after the collapse of the Champ l a i n To w e r s South in Surfside, Florida , killing 98 people, might have become a similarly horrific t r a g e d y An apartment building in Holon had the collapsed just a day after being building evacuated. Credit: Screenshot not been from Twitter evacuated the day before. Residents of the building said they heard a loud noise one day earlier, prompting the authorities to evacuate residents of the apartment building and the buildings next to it. Images of the building before it collapsed that were posted to social media showed huge cracks in the walls with peeling paint and, in some areas, chunks of the wall falling off. The structure collapsed on its own the next afternoon, destroying the homes but without any casualties or injuries.
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Worrying about Sukkot Judaism has two major week-long holidays, but one goes largely unobserved in the diaspora. While the Passover Seder has become a touchstone of Jewish identity, the same cannot be said for a meal in a sukkah. TEDDY The situation is under- WEINBERGER standable. The High Holidays grab all one’s attention, leaving little room for the observance of Sukkot, except for the Orthodox. Though I observe the holiday, I have to admit that the amount of preparation for it can seem incredibly daunting. Sometimes, I want to laugh at the tradition’s sobriquet for Sukkot: “the time of our happiness.” For the observant, the approach to Rosh Hashanah means that you also need to be thinking about Sukkot. Enterprising young men help facilitate this by sending you text messages concerning their prices for “Four Species” sets, according to level of attractiveness. On Aug. 18, I also got a whatsapp letting me know of a Four Species program whereby the profit goes to a charity that you designate. While I personally like to shake the lulav and smell the etrog, the first thing I thought about when I received that whatsapp was: Oy, it’s several weeks before Rosh Hashanah and I already have to worry about Sukkot! Besides the Four Species there is the actual
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sukkah to get anxious about. Last year, for the first time in my life, I bought a new sukkah. Unlike the traditional wooden-doors sukkah of my youth, this is a modern sukkah made up of interlocking poles, with fabric serving as the walls. [Halachic note: With the ease of modern walls comes a “catch”: the billowing of the fabric presents Jewish legal problems; ask your local halachic expert for more details.] Last year I also bought “forever schach” (and, as its name implies, it should serve us this year and for many more years to come): bamboo matting. In Givat Ze’ev where we used to live, I had resisted this technically kosher schach (the roof of the sukkah is supposed to be taken from something that has grown in the ground) in favor of beautiful, fresh, green schach (taken from the branches of our olive tree). While Sarah and I loved our “messy” sukkah, with branches dipping down from the green canopy above, our kids would complain: why can’t we be like everyone else and have a regular sukkah (i.e., a neat and orderly one—either with “forever schach” or with palm fronds). In Givat Ze’ev our sukkah kept getting bigger and bigger, starting from 2 x 2 meters (6.5 x 6. 5 feet), then going to 2 x 3 meters (with a now legendary story about how Nathan and I convinced a bus driver to let us take several 3-meter wooden cross-beams on a city bus), and ending up with our whole backyard: you were in our sukkah as soon as you opened our back door. If you have anyone who likes to keep the mitzvah of sleeping in the sukkah (as
we did), extra space is always welcome. Just because something is fun doesn’t mean that it’s tension free. I’m speaking here about decorating the sukkah. The tense part for us was that I preferred to delay the process of cutting the schach so that the olive leaves would not completely dry out before the holiday, whereas Sarah, fearing for her decorations, was loathe to decorate until all the schach was in place. Finally, and weather permitting (which is always the case in Israel, since the likelihood of rain is tiny, and in a year like this one with “early” holidays it is close to nil), there is the truly enjoyable part of eating in the sukkah. It’s also a lot of work, especially if one has a large family and/or guests to feed; and it’s especially challenging in the diaspora, which has an extra holy day-- with its attendant big holiday meals—tacked on at the beginning of Sukkot. Is it all worth it? Yes, of course (I’m no masochist). Observing Sukkot is satisfying, pleasurable and fun (it’s also fun to complain!). Like a good deal of life’s other experiences, the extent to which you enjoy is directly connected to the time and effort you put into something. And with this time and effort, Sukkot can indeed become “the time of our happiness.” Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah with his wife, former Omahan Saraj Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israeli Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@gmail.com.
6 | The Jewish Press | September 24, 2021
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Naftali Bennett made the Time 100 list
RON KAMPEAS JTA Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has made Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people, and his Arab-Israeli coalition partner Mansour Abbas thinks he knows why. “It all comes down to courage,” Abbas, the leader of the first Arab party to join an Israeli governing coalition, writes in the accompanying blurb explaining why his political opposite was recognized on the list published Wednesday. “After four elections in two years, a bold act was needed to unite a country frayed by political stalemate and brought to a desperate standstill. Something dramatic needed to change, but more importantly, someone courageous needed to make that change.” Abbas and Bennett agree on little ideologically. Abbas leads the United Arab List, a party that champions Palestinian self-determination, while Bennett comes from Israel’s right wing and has pledged that a Palestinian state will not arise on his watch. But they coalesced around the goal of removing Bennett’s predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, who they saw as divisive and corrupt. Arab parties have been part of coalition negotiations previously, and for a period in the 1990s supported a government from outside the coalition. But, Abbas notes, those negotiations always
were conducted behind closed doors. egory, are brother and sister Palestinian “I don’t do things in the dark,” Abbas activists Muna and Mohammed Elquotes Bennett as telling him when Kurd, who focused international attenBennett surprised him by opening their tion this spring on efforts to evict coalition talks to the media. Palestinians who have lived in their eastBennett is under Time’s “Leaders” cat- ern Jerusalem home for decades. egory. Other Jewish figures in that cateBiden also made the list, and his blurb gory are Rochelle Walensky, the director was written by Bernie Sanders, the Jewof the U.S. Centers for Disease Control ish Vermont senator who is the de facto who has become a public figure during the coronavirus pandemic, and Ron Klain, President Joe Biden’s chief of staff. Julie Gerberding, who served as President George W. Bush’s CDC director, wrote the Walensky appraisal, and Hillary Clinton Naftali Bennett, left, chats with Mansour Abbas. Credit: Emwrote the appraisal manuel Dunand /AFP via Getty Images of Klain. leader of progressives. Sanders emerged The “Artists” category features actress last year as Biden’s most serious rival in Scarlett Johansson, appraised by actress the Democratic presidential primaries. Jamie Lee Curtis, who says that watch“Joe Biden and I have strong disagreeing Johansson playing her mother, Janet ments, but it must be acknowledged that Leigh, in a movie about Psycho director he is the first President in a very long Alfred Hitchcock, she forgot for a mo- time who is attempting to address the ment that she was watching a perform- fundamental crises facing our nation,” ance. Curtis, like Johansson, is the Sanders said, referring to the pandemic product of a marriage that has Jewish and its repercussions to the economy, and Danish roots. racial tension, climate change and the Also on the Time list, in the “Icons” cat- growth of the authoritarian right.
Plan to attack German synagogue on Yom Kippur was foiled
TOBY AXELROD JTA German police said they thwarted a planned Islamist attack on a synagogue in Hagen on Yom Kippur after receiving a tip from an unnamed foreign intelligence service. Officers took a father and three sons into custody for questioning on Thursday morning, according to the newspaper Die Welt. All but one son — a 16-year-old with ties to Islamists abroad — were released. The synagogue in Hagen, a city near Dusseldorf in western Germany, was under police protection on Wednesday, and Yom Kippur services were canceled the following day. In a statement, the Central Council of Jews in Germany thanked the security authorities and said the apparent plan to attack a synagogue “on the highest holiday... shows that the increase in security measures at many Jewish institutions was and is necessary.” Herbert Reul, minister of the interior for the state of North-Rhine Westphalia, told the German media that police had received a concrete tip, including the time and location of the planned attack, and the name of the suspect. The 16-year-old reportedly had made comments on the internet platform Telegram about attacking the synagogue on a Jewish holiday. Focus magazine reported that the contact had shared bomb-making instructions with the teen. The suspect told police he had not planned such an attack. While police confiscated phones and hard drives, no bombmaking materials had yet been found. Investigators reportedly are working with terrorism authorities on the case. The Hagen community had 264 members in 2020, according to Germany’s Jewish communal welfare organization. The synagogue was built in 1960. On Yom Kippur in 2019, a right-wing extremist tried to shoot his way into the synagogue in Halle. Unable to breach the door, he shot and killed two passersbys. The gunman is serving a life sentence.
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Above and below: Beth El BESTT students (and some of their parents) visited Rainwood vineyards where they picked apples, explored the vineyard and made cider for Rosh Hashanah.
Top, above, below and bottom: Before the holidays arrived, the students at Friedel Jewish Academy put in some hard work to get ready.
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Above: Busy morning at the BI! Davening and Donuts, Selichot, Pre RH Tot program, and Shofar blowing for Elul!
Above: The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Residents and staff wish the entire community a sweet and healthy New Year!
8 | The Jewish Press | September 24, 2021
Voices The Jewish Press (Founded in 1920) Margie Gutnik President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Mary Bachteler Accounting Jewish Press Board Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen; David Finkelstein; Bracha Goldsweig ; Mary Sue Grossman; Les Kay; Natasha Kraft; Chuck Lucoff; Joseph Pinson; Andy Shefsky and Amy Tipp. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Life, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha. org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.
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Chag Sameach! ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor In previous years, Sukkot was always the holiday I was excited about, because it promotes decorating. I love decorating. Deciding which boho curtains to hang in our sukkah (which is really more of a tent), crafting new decorations, stringing up lights; it’s all tremendous fun. Last year, during our first pandemic high holidays, that was no different. Never mind that my family didn’t exactly spend a ton of time in there: I built it. It was cool and meaningful. Even better: once the sun goes down and the twinkle lights are on, you can take cool photos and share them on social media. Then you can look at your friends’ posts and compare notes. It always amazes me how joyful all the different sukkahs look. Imagining everyone busy building is its own reward. We may not be together, but we are all on the same page—something like that. This year, I suddenly found my motivation to decorate the sukkah lacking. So I started reading random articles about Sukkot, in the hope something would spark the joy I’m supposed to feel. “In some ways, Sukkot seems made for COVID world,” said Rabbi Sarah Krinsky of Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C. in a USA Today arti-
cle from 2020. “It does go deeper than that, too, though: Sukkot is about recognizing the places of fragility in our lives. It reminds us of what is temporary," she says. There is an argument to be made about whether this pandemic qualifies as a ‘place of fragility.’ It’s an interesting phrase. When we think of fragility,
we often associate the word with humans: our bodies, our minds are at times fragile and in need of healing. We certainly are there now; after a yearand-a-half with this virus, we are more fragile than
ever. It’s definitely not the virus that’s fragile; it’s us. Rabbi Krinsky also said: “Sukkot is the only Jewish holiday in which there is a commanded emotion. In this case, profound joy.” Great; not only do we have to deal with this fragility business, we have to be happy while we do it. Maybe if I read a few more articles, I can find a different rabbi who tells me it’s okay to skip the sukkah, just crawl under my blankets and pretend it’s a tent? I know, no such luck. We are Jews, and we don’t give up so easily. We don’t complain—oh wait, yes, we do, but then we stop and do the thing we complained about anyway. So first, I’ll make the decision that yes, I am decorating the sukkah. I will buy the fabric, make the curtains, order our lulav and etrog. I will string up the lights and even coerce my family into helping out and joining. The weather forecast is good, I heard, so we can do this. By the time you read this, we’re well into Sukkot. By all means, check my Facebook and Instagram to check up on me; I’ll be sure to do the same with yours. P.S.: If you do take those pictures, please send them to us at the Jewish Press as well- we would love to repost them!
You can celebrate the rest of the High Holidays anywhere in the world without ever leaving home AVI DRESNER This article originally appeared on Kveller. One of the distinctively Jewish benefits of the pandemic is that we can attend services virtually anywhere in the world. This time last year, probably like many of you, my family chose to spend Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur on Zoom with our home congregation in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. This second round of pandemic-era High Holidays, however, with all due respect to our wonderful local Jewish community, we decided to switch things up. We figured, why not look for a service somewhere we’ve always wanted to visit? Our family loves to travel, and some of our most memorable vacation experiences have come from the services we’ve attended with Jewish communities around the country and around the world. There’s a Hebrew expression, “im kvar, az kvar,” which literally translates as “if already, then already.” It basically means that if you’re already doing something, then go all the way. In our case, we were content to go halfway — around the world, that is. Our initial criteria for where to go were pretty simple: We wanted a Reform synagogue in an English-speaking country we’d never been to — the farther, the better. (I speak Hebrew and Russian, and my wife speaks Russian and Ukrainian, but we wanted a shul where our sons, 8 and 10, would understand everything, too.) And so, in the week leading up to Rosh Hashanah, I virtually explored shuls in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa that I found on the website of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, the umbrella organization of the Reform movement around the world. A country search yielded 14 such synagogues in Australia, 11 in South Africa and three in New Zealand which, according to the Jewish Virtual Library’s 2019 Jewish Population of the World Vital Statistics, correspond to national Jewish populations of 113,200, 67,500 and 7,500, respectively. Our secondary criteria were also fairly basic, though the more practical one involved the time difference. We weren’t going to be able to attend a morning service in South Africa, which was six hours ahead of our time on the east coast of the U.S., as that would be the middle of the night for us. By the same token, an evening service in New Zealand, which is 16 hours ahead of us, would also be the middle of the night. The more amorphous of our secondary criteria was, “Does this seem like a shul we’d belong to?”
That’s pretty hard to explain to someone else, but the room when I got there: Michelle and Nik told you know it when you see it. And we saw it on the how they had come from Toronto to New Zealand; websites of one shul in New Zealand and one in Ali and Paul recounted their peripatetic journey South Africa — the programs they offered, the way from Australia to England and eventually back to they wrote about them and the look and feel of the Ali’s native New Zealand. And I told how we had websites and physical buildings seemed like “us.” come to be with them. And so, that’s how we decided to “spend” Rosh Our stories were all different and yet, they were Hashanah in Auckland with Beth Shalom, and Yom somehow the same on a certain level, which only Kippur in Cape Town with Temple Israel. deepened the sense of connection we felt during Both shuls couldn’t have been more welcoming in the service, in spite of the disconnection caused by their responses to our email inquiries about joining the pandemic. Another Hebrew phrase came to them. Temple Israel’s executive director, Eric Beswick, was a joy to deal with, as was Beth Shalom’s office administrator, Christine O’Brien. Beth Shalom’s Rabbi, Dean Shapiro an American, who recently served as the rabbi of a congregation in Tempe, Arizona, and relocated to New Zealand, where his partner is from, during the pandemic also responded with his own email of welcome. And so, on Monday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m., which was erev Rosh Hashanah for us but Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 10 a.m. in New Zealand, we found ourselves exchanging “shanah tovahs” with Credit: Matthias Kulka/Getty Images the just under 100 Zoom participants of the over mind, “kol Yisrael arevim zeh ba-zeh,” which is 200-family congregation. The faces may have been often translated as, “all Jews are responsible for unfamiliar, but the names weren’t — Cohen, Levin, each other” but which I would translate as “bound Bernstein and dozens of others I had grown up up in each other.” hearing in my hometown shul in Wayne, New JerIn microcosm, our experience is the story of the sey, where my dad was the rabbi. Jewish people. We are all wandering Jews, now at When the service began, the Rosh Hashanah home together, a world away — like so many of us prayers and melodies like Avinu Malkeinu and Un- during this seemingly never-ending pandemic. But etaneh Tokef were familiar as well, once you got end it will. Someday. Until it does, I encourage you used to the fact that we were saying traditional and your family to expand your horizons and cross morning prayers like Modeh Ani in the evening. I the horizon for Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah was particularly tickled by the New Zealand accent or other services throughout yet another panin Hebrew, which I immediately dubbed Kivrit an demic-era Jewish year. amalgam of Kiwi and Ivrit, the Hebrew word for HeAs for my family, we can’t wait to do it again on brew. My kids thought the accents were cool, too, Yom Kippur with Temple Israel in Cape Town. The and marveled that there were Jews on the other congregation actually has three different synaside of the globe saying the same prayers we do. gogue buildings; the tag line on their website says, (Normally the boys see going to services as a chore, “Three centres, One community,” which reminds us but the thought of spending the holiday in a foreign of the Passover seder we spent in Paris five years country albeit on Zoom had them pretty excited.) ago with a congregation that had two buildings in Services were followed by what was billed as an different parts of the city. Perhaps one day we’ll join informal “deeper dive.” It was already getting late them again. Perhaps next year in Jerusalem. Alfor us, so my wife left to put the boys to bed. Rabbi though, at this point, we’ll be happy with Beth AnyDean sent the several dozen of us who stayed into where But Home. breakout rooms, encouraging us to take space and The views and opinions expressed in this article are make space in telling each other the story of a jour- those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the ney we had taken. There were two other couples in views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
The Jewish Press | September 24, 2021 | 9
No one lost their Jewish last name at Ellis Island. But we gained a safe haven
find a job, or because their children are being humiliated or disANDREW SILOW-CARROLL criminated against at school, or because with their real names, New York Jewish Week via JTA Shortly before he died, my dad gave me a trove of family doc- no one will hire them for any white-collar position.” What uments, some dating to the 19th century. For the first time I Horn didn’t count on was the anger of her audiences, who inhad confirmation of what our family name was before a great- sisted that their grandparents and great-grandparents were uncle changed it to Carroll when he and passive victims of a clerk’s pen. Horn exhis brothers immigrated to America. plains this denial as a “deep pattern in My father’s parents moved from Russia Jewish history,” which is “all about living to Paris before coming to the United in places where you are utterly vulnerStates. Among the papers is a yellowed able and cannot admit it.” Instead of fesFrench immigration document signed by sing up to that vulnerability and their my grandfather on March 13, 1913; there culpability in bowing to it, many Jews he spells his last name Karoltchouk. On prefer to invent more benign “origin stomy grandmother’s “Permis de sejour a un ries,” either to exonerate their non-Jewetranger,” issued in Paris in 1914, it’s ish neighbors or spare themselves and spelled Karolchouk. their children the “humiliation” that the My father was always ambivalent new country is no more friendly to Jews about his last name. His uncle was than the one they left. If Jews were to probably right that a deracinated name tell the truth about why Karolchouk belike Carroll made it easier for a family of came Carroll, or (in my mother’s case) Polish Jewish immigrants trying to gain The author’s grandmother’s French resi- Greenberg became Green, they’d be a foothold in America. On the other dence permit from 1914 includes a spelling “confirming two enormous fears: first, hand, Dad always felt the name sug- of her husband’s original name, Karolchouk, that this country doesn’t really accept gested that he was trying to hide some- before he and his brothers changed it to you, and second, that the best way to thing or pretend to be something he Carroll. Credit: Courtesy survive and thrive is to dump any outwas not. ward sign of your Jewish identity, and symbolically cut that The dilemmas of Jewish name-changing form a powerful cord that goes back to Mount Sinai.” chapter in novelist Dara Horn’s new collection of essays. People Horn ends up saluting the “enormous emotional resources” Love Dead Jews is an examination deeply reported, at times displayed by the Jews who cling to the Ellis Island myth, but I brilliant and often bitter on the persistent hatred aimed at felt hers is an overly harsh assessment of the survival strateJews, even in their absence. A recurring theme of the book is gies employed out of necessity by a previous generation of the way antisemites, philosemites and Jews themselves rewrite Jews. I can’t prove that my great-uncle and his brothers and distort the past, and how Jewish identity is “defined and weren’t humiliated by the name change, but I am guessing determined by the opinions and projections of others.” that it went down easier than Horn imagines. A new country, Our last names are a case in point. Horn explodes the old a new language, a new alphabet. So much was lost in translamyth that Jews’ names were changed at Ellis Island by clerks tion. I think given the choice between the misery they left betoo lazy or malevolent to spell them right. In public lectures and hind in the Old Country and the opportunities available to a 2014 essay, Horn would explain that “nobody at Ellis Island them even in an intolerant America, their generation felt losever wrote down immigrants’ names.” Instead, she’d cite works ing the last name was a palatable tradeoff. like Kirsten Fermaglich’s A Rosenberg by Any Other Name, a deep History bears out their choice. Within a generation or two, dive into the data showing the “heartbreaking reality” of Jewish the name-changers’ children were able to assert their Jewishimmigrants changing their own names “because they cannot ness in countless ways. The prosperity that came with “pass-
ing” allowed them to build public Jewish lives, worship as they chose and climb the ladder of success unthwarted by the twisted imaginations of antisemites. These Jews would build forward-facing Jewish institutions, proudly attach their names to dormitories and concert halls, and send their children to Jewish day schools without fear that they would be denied admission to the top universities. Horn’s book, by contrast, is haunted by the killings of Jews in Pittsburgh, Poway and Jersey City, but those attacks remain the exceptions. Despite the beefed-up security at American synagogues in the wake of 9/11, and the renewed feelings of vulnerability they instilled, those attacks don’t reflect the lived reality of most American Jews 100 years removed from Ellis Island. Jewish survival and adaptation have often depended on shape shifting, from first-century Yavneh to 20th-century Tel Aviv, when Jews like David Grün and Goldie Myerson traded one kind of Jewish name for another. Besides, what we consider “Jewish” last names are often themselves “un-Jewish” place names and occupations, adopted after state legislation in Yiddish-speaking lands required hereditary names instead of the patronymics the Jews had been using. They certainly didn’t go back to Sinai. Name changing wasn’t a humiliation but a strategy, and one that, in the American context, has paid off handsomely. Like my dad, I sometimes wish our last name sounded more Jewish. I fret that Carroll undercuts what little authority I have as a “public” Jew, or reinforces my own occasional feelings of inauthenticity (which I define as “not having gone to Jewish summer camp”). But of course, to even think of reclaiming a “Jewish” name is a privilege that would have been unimaginable to so many Jews living in truly hostile lands. And the notion of what is and isn’t a “Jewish” name is itself being complicated and enriched by conversion, interfaith marriage and all the other factors that have diversified the Jewish community in recent years. Still, as Horn wrote in her original article about the Ellis Island myth, the internet has become a “toxic sea” of antisemitic misinformation, and “that makes it all the more important to get Jewish history right.” We should all recognize the Ellis Island story for the myth that it is, and embrace the real stories of courage and adaptation that brought us to this place and time. Andrew Silow-Carroll is the editor in chief of The New York Jewish Week and senior editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (@SilowCarroll).
HANUKKAH
Publishing date | 11.19.21 Space reservation | 10.26.21 Contact our advertising executive to promote your business in this very special edition. SUSAN BERNARD | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org
Synagogues
10 | The Jewish Press | September 24, 2021
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
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: 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 rbjh.com
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us via Zoom on Friday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m. for evening services. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! 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, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m. and Mondays and Thursdays, 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Sukkot Day 4 Morning Service, 7 a.m. at Beth El & Zoom; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. SATURDAY: Sukkot/Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream — Yizkor following Torah Service; Ma’ariv/Havdalah, 7:50 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom followed by Adult Soiree in the Sukkah at Beth El. SUNDAY: Morning Minyan, 9 a.m. at Beth El & Zoom; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Pizza in the Hut (Grades K-7 Families), 11 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. MONDAY: Morning Minyan, 7 a.m. at Beth El & Zoom; Erev Sukkot Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom. TUEDAY: Beth El Closed; Shmini Atzeret Morning Service, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream followed by Hakafot in Beth El’s Sukkah — in person only; Sim Tot Torah, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El. WEDNESDAY: Simchat Torah Morning Service, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:45 p.m. Zoom Only. THURSDAY: Morning Minyan, 7 a.m. at Beth El & Zoom; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom. FRIDAY-Oct. 1: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. SATURDAY-Oct. 2: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 7:40 p.m. Zoom Only. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and 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 pergola, weather permitting. Physical distancing and masks required. FRIDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:01 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:01 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m. with Shiran Dreyer; Daf Yomi, 6:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos, 7:10 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:58 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Sukkah Hop, 4 p.m.; Daf Yomi, 5:50 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Tikkun Leil Hoshana Rabba Learning, 6:20 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:50 p.m. MONDAY: Hoshana Rabba — Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp);
Shacharit, 6:40 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv/Candlelighting, 6:50 p.m. TUESDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:50 p.m.; Hakofot, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:54 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Simchat Torah — Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Hakofot, 10 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:51 p.m. THURSDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Selichot/Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi, 6:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:50 p.m. FRIDAY-Oct. 1: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:49 p.m.; Candlelighting, 6:49 p.m. SATURDAY-Oct. 2: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m. with Shiran Dreyer; Daf Yomi, 6 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 6:40 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos, 7 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:46 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
CHABAD HOUSE All services are in-person. All classes are being offered online at Ochabad.com/classroom. For more information or to request help, please visit www. ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 6 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Lecha yim; Candlelighting, 7 p.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10:30-11:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush Lunch in the Sukkah; Shabbat Ends, 7:57 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Parsha and Coffee, 9:45 a.m. MONDAY: Hoshana Rabba — Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Candlelighting, 6:55 p.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 7 p.m. followed by Hakafot and refreshments. TUESDAY: Shemini Atzeret — Shacharit, 10 a.m.; Yizkor, 11 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7 p.m. followed by Hakafot and refreshments; Candlelighting after, 7:52 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Simchat Torah — Shacharit, 10 a.m.; MIncha/Ma’ariv, 7 p.m. followed by Havdalah; Holiday Ends, 7:50 p.m. THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Advanced Hebrew Class, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 18 — No advance experience necessary), noon with Rabbi Katzman. FRIDAY-Oct. 1: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 6 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad. com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 6:47 p.m. SATURDAY-Oct. 2: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 7:44 p.m.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. Note: Some of our services, but not all, are now being offered in person. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex and Elaine Monnier, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 7:02 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Havdalah, 7:59 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Classes begin, 9:30 a.m.; Men's Jewish Bike Group of Lincoln meets Sundays at 10
a.m. rain or shine to ride to one of The Mill locations from Hanson Ct. (except we drive if its too wet, cold, cloudy, windy, hot or humid) followed by coffee and spirited discussions. No fee to join, no dues, no president, no board or minutes taken. If Interested please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com to find out where to meet each week; Sukkot Celebration, 11 a.m. at TI; SST Board of Trustees Meeting, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom; Sukkah Crawl, 4 p.m.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. at Peterson Park. Everyone is welcome; just wear comfortable clothes and tennis or gym shoes. If you need a paddle, contact Miriam Wallick by email at Miriam57@aol.com or by text at 402.470.2393 before Sunday. MONDAY: Hoshanah Rabah — Candlighting for Yom Tov, 6:56 p.m. TUESDAY: Synagogue Offices Closed for Sh’mini Atzeret; Yom Tov Service with Yizkor, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom; Simchat Torah Service, 6:30 p.m. Candlighting for Yom Tov, 7:54 p.m. WEDNESDAY: TI Office Closed for Simchat Torah; No LJCS Classes; Havdalah, 7:52 p.m. FRIDAY-Oct. 1: Jon Harris Bar Mitzvah; Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Jon Harris and the Star City Kochavim, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 6:50 p.m. SATURDAY-Oct. 2: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex, and Jon Harris at TI; Havdalah, 7:47 p.m.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
FRIDAY: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home‘s service is currently closed to visitors.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander. DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY: Shabbat Service with Artist-in-Residence Elana Arian, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY: Torah Study with Artist-in-Residence Elana Arian, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; Havdalah Concert with Artist-in-Residence Elana Arian, 7 p.m. SUNDAY: Youth Learning Programs — Grades PreK-6, 9:30 a.m.; Simchat Torah and Consecration with Artist-in-Residence Elana Arian, 10 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person. MONDAY: Jewish Law & the Quest for Meaning, 11 a.m. via Zoom. TUESDAY: Simchat Torah Service, 10:30 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person. WEDNESDAY: Youth Learning Programs: Grades 36, 4-6 p.m.; Community Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6:30-8 p.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel. FRIDAY-Oct. 1: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY-Oct. 2: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
22% of adult Jewish gamers face antisemitic harassment BEN SALES JTA More than one in five Jewish adults who play online multiplayer games faced antisemitism while playing, according to a new survey from the AntiDefamation League. The survey, published Wednesday, found that harassment and bigotry are common across the 97 million Americans who play multiplayer games. Among adult gamers surveyed, 83% said they have been harassed while playing. Sixty percent of gamers aged 13-17 who were surveyed said the same. Among adults, nearly half of women said they were harassed, as did 42% of Black gamers and more than one-in-three Asian and LGBTQ+ gamers. A quarter of Muslim gamers also said they were ha-
rassed. More than seven-in-10 adults reported what the ADL calls “severe abuse, including physical threats, stalking, and sustained harassment.”
Among teens, Black, female and Asian gamers also reported the highest rates of harassment in their age group, though harassment is less common across the board among teens.
Only 7% of Jewish teen gamers said they were harassed for their identity. But 10% of teen gamers, and 8% of adult gamers, said they’ve been exposed to white supremacist extremism online. Among teens, 17% said they didn’t feel like talking to family or friends after being harassed, and 10% said they did worse in school because they were harassed. Among both teens and adults, two-thirds said they sometimes or always hide their identity as a result of being targeted by hate. The survey was conducted in June in collaboration with Nowzoo, a gaming and esports analytics firm. It included 1,664 adult respondents and 542 teen respondents. Depending on the group, the findings have a margin of error of between 2% to 3%.
Life cycles BAR MITZVAH SIDNEY ZACHARIA Sidney Zacharia, son of Renee Zacharia and Jeff Zacharia, celebrated his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 28, at Beth El. Sidney is a seventh-grade honors student at Millard North Middle School. He received the President’s Educational Award of Excellence and the Beverly Fellman Best Hebrew Award. Sidney is interested in basketball and studying Torah. He has a sister, Evie. Grandparents are Barb and Larry Zacharia of Omaha and Marla Barry and Don Barry. This announcement was originally published in the 8/27/2021 edition.
IN MEMORIAM ELLIS BYRON GOODMAN Ellis Byron Goodman passed away on Sept. 9, 2021, at age 81 in Sarasota, FL. Funeral services were held on Sept. 17 at Beth El Cemetery. He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda Goodman; parents, Bess and Herman Goodman; and brother, Ralph Goodman. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Kristopher and Franny Goodman; daughter and son-in-law, Heather Goodman and Kye Andersen, and daughter, Nicole Goodman; and grandchildren: Arthur and Quinn Goodman, and brother and sister-inlaw, Michael and Cherie Goodman. Memorials may be made in his memory to Nate's Honor Animal Rescue in Sarasota FL, where he adopted his beloved dog Bella (nateshonoranimalrescue.org). BERNARD OSTRAVICH Bernard Terry Ostravich passed away on Aug. 8, 2021, surrounded by family at age 83. Services were held on Aug. 11 at Mt. Sinai in Simi Valley, CA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sarah and Phil Ostravich. He is survived by his wife, Rita; daughter and son-in-law, Sherri and Mike Cohn, and daughter, Julie Ostravich; grandchildren: Becca, Josh, Benjamin and Paige; and brother and sister-in-law, Allen and Eden Ostravich. Bernard, was more affectionately known to family as “Gumpa.” He was fiercely devoted to his family and friends. His laughter was infectious, his humor everlasting, his stories always remembered. Memorials may be made to City of Hope, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010 or online at www.cityofhope.org. This obituary was originally published in the 8/27/2021 edition.
Burlington BDS resolution to be withdrawn ASAF SHALEV JTA The sponsor of a bill that would have made Burlington, VT, the first city in America to divest from Israel is withdrawing his legislation, citing concerns that it would promote antisemitism. Councilmember Ali Dieng, who sponsored the resolution, said that he would withdraw it at the council meeting scheduled for the same evening, and refer the resolution for reconsideration at the council’s racial equity committee. The city’s Jewish mayor also publicly expressed concerns about the resolution. Dieng told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that conversations he had with community members in recent days changed his mind and led him to believe that BDS is “onesided” and that it contributes to antisemitism. “Community members who are Jewish have been experiencing antisemitism for a very long time and I didn’t know about it,” he said in an interview. “We are a small community and I want to make sure everyone feels safe. Many people [who supported the resolution] are not happy with me, but I think it is the right thing.” Dieng also said that, going forward, he would like to avoid focusing on international issues at the expense of local concerns. Dieng’s reversal came moments after Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger came out with a statement opposing the resolution. Weinberger, who is Jewish, has the power to veto council resolutions, but he didn’t specify whether he intended to use it on the BDS measure. Read more about this at www.omahajewish press.com.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, I totally agree with Susie Silverman’s letter to the Press from a week ago, about the present state of “The Jewish Federation Library.” I agree with ALL she said. Imagine, we have two Olympic size swimming pools, just waiting to develop the next Mark Spitz.... We have a huge basketball area in hopes that among all the tall Jewish kids, some will make it to the NBA. Imagine, the “People of The Book” don’t have a library. The “Center For Jewish Learning,” as written in big block letters on an exterior wall of this beautiful new building, does not have a library. Imagine. I agree with everything Susie Silverman wrote. I miss the “J” too. RICK ENGEL
The Jewish Press | September 24, 2021 | 11
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12 | The Jewish Press | September 24, 2021
News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D
It’s time to revisit The Grey Zone
RICH BROWNSTEIN JTA On Sept. 11, 2001, the greatest Holocaust film ever made, before or since, premiered at a festival — and quickly disappeared, largely unnoticed. The film’s cast included Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, David Arquette, Michael Stuhlbarg and Mira Sorvino, and it was written and directed by the acclaimed Jewish actor Tim Blake Nelson. Roger Ebert called it one of the best films of the year; later, he added it to his prestigious Great Movies series. The film was so extraordinary that Steven Spielberg considered distributing it himself, less than a decade after making Schindler’s List. This was the astonishing pedigree and support behind The Grey Zone. But it couldn’t translate into any attention for the beleaguered film, which had a quickly-forgotten premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and languished at the box office when it was released the next year. The Grey Zone is not about righteous gentiles or good Nazis who redeem themselves by saving Jews. It’s not a happy-golucky film with a father and son prancing around Auschwitz playing games, or a cartoonish Adolf Hitler mugging for the camera. It lacks the other typical trappings of Holocaust movies: the lush musical score, the tortured accents, the melodramatic misdirections. The Grey Zone is, instead, about the moral and philosophical conundrums faced by the Sonderkommando: the Jews in the death camps who worked to dispose of the victims’ bodies in exchange for slightly better treatment from the Nazis.
Drawing on the writings of Primo Levi and the true story of the forgotten rebellion at Birkenau by the Sonderkommando in 1944, where the Jewish workers destroyed two of the main four crematorium complexes on the deadliest spot in human
history, Nelson portrays real people living their reality — not with black or white choices, but with grey moral choices. And The Grey Zone tells its complex, layered story in an economical 108 minutes, with grace and humility. How did such an important film fall through the cracks? The Grey Zone was practically stillborn, set to premiere just after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, while smoke was still rising from lower Manhattan. Yet even if the film’s release date had not itself been cataclysmic, it was still made by Nelson — best known at the time for playing a buffoonish ex-con in O Brother, Where Art Thou? — and starring a cast of American actors not known for weighty dramatic performances. Even though Nelson, basing the film on his own play of the same name, was himself the son of a Holo-
caust refugee and had traveled to Dachau and Auschwitz for research, he’d hardly seemed like the kind of filmmaker to pay the Holocaust sufficient reverence. In the 20 years since the film’s release, it has come to seem oddly prescient in the world of Holocaust cinema. More and more often, dramatizations of the Shoah, including Roman Polanski’s The Pianist and foreign-language films like Fateless and The Counterfeiters, favor more unsparing, morally complicated depictions of Holocaust victims. And in 2015, the Hungarian film Son of Saul drew from much of the same plot and setting as The Grey Zone for its own depiction of the Sonderkommando; that movie won the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar, while its forebear suffered the fate of most pioneers, alone and forgotten. Nevertheless, Nelson remains proud of his contribution to Holocaust cinema. “There’s nothing I’ve done that’s more important to me than The Grey Zone,’’ he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in a recent interview looking back on the film. “And it doesn’t matter that most people have never even heard of it. The great irony of my life is that more people know me from my cameo in Scooby-Doo 2 than will ever have heard about The Grey Zone. After 20 years, he thinks the film holds up: “I’m incredibly proud of it and my work as its writer and director. But I have so much gratitude to Avi Lerner for financing it, and also for the incredible people who taught me so much about filmmaking while I was making it. It was this great group effort. And I’m so proud to have had that team working on this project.” The Grey Zone is currently available to stream for free (with ads) on Amazon Prime, IMDB TV and Tubi, and for rental from various VOD services. To read the full interview with Tim Blake Nelson, please visit our website at www.omahajewishpress.com.
