September 29, 2023

The Jewish Press

These individuals care

A Big Stick upside the head

JOANIE JACOBSON

“If you’re a man who wants to get unstuck and take charge of your life, Tony will show you how. He is one of those rare men who goes all in, whether it means moving to a new city that enlivened him, diving into his own darkness and demons, or quitting his job to become a coach and pursue his other entrepreneurial endeavors. I’ve seen how Tony works. He doesn’t cheat himself and he won’t let you cheat yourself either.”

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

In a recent message to the community, Jewish Federation of Omaha President Nancy Schlessinger wrote: “In a world with so much disharmony, we Omahans are fortunate to share a history

of teamwork and collaboration.” It’s true, and it is once again on display in our community at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. The goal: to provide a better quality of life for Residents of the Home, including private rooms, and to keep the Home financially viable in the future. See These individuals care page 2

Omaha Jewish Film Festival: Curtain is up soon

MARK KIRCHHOFF

JFO Community Engagement and Education

Mark your calendars for the 21st Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival –four great films on four consecutive nights, Oct. 16, 17, 18, and 19 at 7 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Center at the Staenberg Omaha Jewish Community Center. We’ve made some changes we think you are going to like, but first, a look at the first two films.

First released in select US cinemas in February of 2023 by Greenwich Entertainment, iMordecai opens the festival on October 16. This is a dramatic comedy written, directed, and produced by Marvin Samel in his directorial debut. Based on Samel’s real-life experiences, iMordecai focuses on the life of Holocaust survivor Mordecai

Samel (Judd Hirsch). Mordecai loves to fix things, which explains why his flip phone is being held together with duct tape and tin foil. It’s why he spent his life as a plumber and a painter. This story is about things he cannot fix. His wife, Fela (Carol Kane), has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s; See Jewish Film Festival page 3

Words of praise from Dr. Robert Glover, an author, internationally recognized marriage and family therapist, educator, motivational speaker, and a pioneer in men’s selfimprovement. Dr. Glover is best known for his groundbreaking book, No More Mr. Nice Guy. “Tony” is Omaha native Tony Endelman, now a popular self-help blogger, certified life coach and author.

Endelman’s new book, The Big Stick: Collected and Applied Wisdom from the Teachings of Dr. Robert Glover, is “a man’s guide to (almost) everything,” encapsulating the wisdom Dr. Glover has put forth over his nearly 40-year career. While the book is based on the teachings of Dr. Glover (a close friend and mentor to Tony), Endelman wrote the book in his own inimitable style – with bold, impassioned language that every man will understand and appreciate.

“This book may trigger you,” he writes. “It may challenge your beliefs. Parts of it may even offend you. I’ve accepted this as a possibility. On the other hand, this book may completely and positively transform your world – if you want it to. This book may very well be ‘the big stick’ upside your head that you need.”

After Endelman’s compelling introduction in which he shares the sinuous journey that led him to discover Dr. Glover’s work, he divides the book into nine major sections: The Nice Guy Syndrome, Masculinity and Femininity, Attraction, See A Big Stick page 3

These individuals care

Continued from page 1

Co-Chairs of the Home’s capital campaign are Jan Goldstein, Bruce Friedlander and Norm Sheldon. None of these volunteers need any introduction.

Norm is President of the RBJH Board and believed that it was part of his responsibility to lead the fundraising:

“I want to show the community that the board has a vested interest in the project,” he said. “Also, the proposed improvements are vital to the long-term service the JFO provides to the seniors of our community. Our community expects us to provide the best home in Omaha; the addition and renovations are leading-edge and fulfill what our community wants. Private rooms are the industry standard today and to keep our home occupied we need to provide them.”

Jan Goldstein agreed to co-chair, because “I knew it had to happen,” she said. “Since the beginning of my career as a Jewish professional in our community, I’ve worked first to raise dollars to build the new Blumkin Home on 132nd St., and later to do the first renovation nearly 14 years ago. My own husband, Howard, entered RBJH just a year ago, so this time it became much more personal. Now I spend hours daily seeing firsthand the need and challenges to the Residents and staff that this fundraising campaign will change. I knew that along with my co-chairs and our community leaders, this is a community that always says ‘yes’ to taking care of its elderly. This is a

project long overdue that we will accomplish together.”

“Obviously, we have a responsibility to take care of our community,” Bruce Friedlander added, “and the Blumkin Home has always been a major focus for me and many others. But at the end of the day, it was the fact that Chris Ulven is the Home’s executive director. We need a confident leader and Chris is that person.”

Jan mentioned having “all private rooms and building upon our widely-known reputation for outstanding care, privacy and excellent therapy is critical to a successful business operation and reputation in the greater Omaha community. We should all care,” she said, “because this is where we, as a Jewish Community, actually ‘walk the talk.’When we speak of caring for Jews, at all stages of life, it happens here in this building. Not only in the rooms where Residents live, where we try to give them the utmost dignity and privacy, and help them manage daily living, but where food is prepared for Meals on Wheels, and transportation to medical appointments, and other services and activities for the elderly through caring volunteers and staff- all those things create a vibrancy of life that many who are so alone in later years would otherwise never have.”

The home has continued to evolve, Norm said. The healthcare environment changes constantly and yet, the Home maintained its position as a top-notch home in the Omaha

area. Bruce agreed: “I have witnessed the Home overcoming the many obstacles that come up while running a nursing home and running a business at the same time. During recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to find staff. Working at a nursing home requires many skills sets, and we are fortunate that when we walk out the door of the Blumkin Home our loved ones are safe and cared for.”

The most important thing this community needs to know, Jan said, “is that there is tremendous concern for the Residents’ wellbeing, safety, and dignity. The nurses and CNAs perform very difficult tasks, but they also take time to see the Residents as people with long, interesting lives and talk to them about what they did and who they are. I credit the leadership of Chris Ulven, the Home’s board and our Jewish Federation for maintaining such dignity for our elders. For a long time, I knew it professionally, from a dis-

tance, but now I see it in practice every day and I’m never disappointed. There are so many different positions in the building, but they seem united in this concept. These individuals care.”

Jewish Federation of Omaha CEO, Bob Goldberg, called our community ‘beyond lucky’ to have such a dedicated team in place.

“Everyone who has ever worked with Jan, Bruce or Norm knows that when they take on a project, they are all in. They understand, on both the professional and the volunteer level, how essential the Home is to our community. With these three at the helm, we are in great, great hands.”

The actual Community Campaign will begin early Spring 2024, but, as Bruce said, “Jewish philanthropy has no end date. And we all benefit, because we might think we are invincible, but we never know when the phone rings, and we are faced with a lifechanging decision.”

Omaha Jewish Film Festival

Continued from page 1 his relationship with his son, Marvin (Sean Astin), is severely strained. When Marvin purchases a new iPhone for him, a mortified Mordecai accepts the gift with much less than enthusiasm and subsequently comes to know one of the “Einstein Tech Instructors,” Nina (Azia Dinea Hale). In teaching him the mysteries of the “strange device with no buttons,” Nina opens the door for Mordecai to become open to new experiences and new perspectives. The movie reveals that it is never too late for lifeaffirming inspiration.

Don’t shy away from My Neighbor Adolf to be shown on Oct. 17 because you have already decided what this film is all about. Most likely you are wrong. Yes, the movie draws from the emotions brought forth by the name, but it is much more than that. A cranky man and bit of a misanthrope who has survived WWII and the camps, Marek Polsky (David Hayman) has resettled in a small South American village, living alone and tending his roses. Set in the 1960’s when an elderly German-speaking man named Herzog Hermann (Udo Kier) moves next door, Marek suspects that he is Adolf Hitler and builds an observational case to prove his suspicions correct. Marek’s visits with clandestine purposes transform into a nuanced cat-and-mouse relationship metaphorically depicted by the challenges of chess matches. What emerges is insight into human interactions, friendships, and more questions. The performances by Polsky and Kier are worthy of awards.

Now for the changes. We are pleased to add community hosts

A Big Stick

Continued from page 1

Conscious Dating, Sex and Sexuality, Relationships, Heartbreak, Success, and Happiness and Well-Being.

“Previously, one would have to spend hours navigating Dr. Glover’s website and fork over thousands of dollars to access all of this material,” says Endelman. “Now, with The Big Stick, one can have the very best of all Dr. Glover’s teachings in one place. I strove to make it easily digestible for every reader.

“Self-help books used to cater to women,” adds Endelman. “20 years ago, Dr. Glover had a lot of trouble getting No More Mr. Nice Guy published because the publishers were certain that men would never buy a self-help book. Men used to be told to suck it up... walk it off... bury your feelings... and keep on truckin’. But that just doesn’t work. In fact, it’s why so many men drop dead at young ages. You can’t carry around that much anger, or shame, or stress, or anxiety and expect to live a healthy life.”

Endelman started his blog and his coaching business around seven years ago, while still working a 9-to-5 job in advertising. In 2020, he finally decided to go all in. Today, Endelman is proud to say he has helped hundreds of men in both one-on-one and group settings.

“I think we now understand the importance of reducing the stigma around mental health, which is fantastic,” says Endelman. “But men are still struggling. And it seems to be getting worse. Too many men are lonely, depressed, anxious and unfulfilled. They aren’t living up to their potential. They aren’t even getting out of the house. They’re afraid to approach women, they’re afraid to leave bad relationships, and they’re afraid to leave a job they hate. Many are addicted to porn or video games or alcohol and they are stuck in a rut. Many men today feel hopeless.”

Additionally, many men suffer from what Dr. Glover calls the “Nice Guy Syndrome,” a shame-based disorder that leads to a myriad of problematic behaviors like caretaking, peoplepleasing, giving to get, repressing emotions, avoiding conflict and constantly seeking the approval of others. Nice Guys, in fact, aren’t actually nice. They are fundamentally dishonest, controlling, and immature.

Endelman frequently helps men overcome their Nice Guy Syndrome to become more “integrated.” The opposite of a Nice Guy is not a jerk. It’s what Glover calls an “Integrated Man.” An Integrated Man accepts all of himself, has a strong sense of individuality, is comfortable with his masculinity, always acts with integrity and expresses his feelings in clear and direct ways.

“Dr. Glover helped me become more integrated,” admits Endelman. “And in doing so, he changed my life. He may have even saved it. I was in a particularly dark place when I found Dr. Glover. My father’s sudden death had left me questioning the purpose of life. I detested my low-paying cubicle job. I’d

for our movies this year. Susie Silverman, film selection committee member, will welcome you to the showing of iMordecai. She will introduce the film and lead a brief post-showing discussion. On the second evening, you will definitely want to discuss My Neighbor Adolf. Avid film-goer and community member Jared Berezin will be there to host and discuss.

We’ve lowered the cost of admission: four-admission passes are just $10 ($2.50 per admission) and eight-admission passes are $15 ($1.88 per admission), both are available at jewishomaha. org or at the ticket table. Single admission tickets are available at the table only for $5. We’ve also changed concession prices – you get a free bag of gourmet popcorn and a bottle of chilled water with your admission. And to select this year’s movies, we obtained input from community members in a systematic manner that produced a superior array of films.

We’re excited about this year’s Omaha Jewish Film Festival and we are thankful to our supporters at The JFO Foundation: the Ruth Frisch & Oscar S. Belzer Endowment Fund, the Klutznick/Creighton Custodial Fund, the Lindsey Miller-Lerman (Avy L. & Roberta L. Miller Foundation); the Kenneth Ray Tretiak Memorial Fund, the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Fund, and the Foundation IMPACT Grant. Keep reading the Jewish Press and watch your emails for more details about the festival. Visit jewishomaha.org now for information and for purchasing passes. For more information, please contact Mark Kirchhoff, mkirchhoff@jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6463.

published a humor book that didn’t sell. I’d started a marketing company that failed. I’d ruined some friendships. I had zero romantic prospects. I’d become bitter, angry and reclusive.”

Endelman shares his personal story of darkness, discovery and enlightenment in the introduction of The Big Stick, acknowledging that reading Dr. Glover’s work was an “eye-opening and exasperating look in the mirror.” Endelman also acknowledges that he is far from the only man who has benefited from Glover’s work. Thousands – perhaps millions of other men will tell you that No More Mr. Nice Guy helped them transform their lives.

Here is just a sampling of topics you’ll read about in The Big Stick: Breaking Free from the Nice Guy Syndrome, What Women Seek, Conscious Masculine Leadership, Self-Limiting Beliefs, The Purpose of Dating, Sexual Shame, Monogamy, Infidelity, Boundaries, The Two Types of Heartbreak, Fear of Success, Anxiety, Guilt, and Gratitude.

“It’s never too late to change your life,” proclaims Endelman. “And it’s never too late to become a better man. When men make a commitment to personal growth, when they challenge themselves and put in the work, their lives become infinitely better. And so do their relationships with women. Happier men make for happier women which makes for happier and healthier relationships.”

If you’re a man who wants to make profound changes – perhaps even break free from the Nice Guy Syndrome – Endelman insists on one thing: You cannot do this work alone.

“This can’t be overstated,” he says. “You’ve got to hire a coach, or work with a therapist, or find a support group or join a group coaching program. If you’re looking for a place to start, feel free to visit my website: tonyendelman.com. Incidentally, you should never feel shame about reaching out for help. When men acknowledge their issues, it exhibits strength and maturity.”

The Big Stick: Collected & Applied Wisdom from the Teachings of Dr. Robert Glover is quite a book. Bold, brazen and blunt. Tough talk. Truth talk. Guy talk. Its scope is vast. The subject matter is all-encompassing. The depth of the material is profound but attainable. Not only does it help men better understand women, it can help women better understand men.

“To be honest,” writes Dr Glover, “Tony accomplished something I wasn’t sure was possible — and he pulled it off beautifully. In one place is the breadth and depth of what I teach. Well researched and thoroughly documented. The Big Stick presents my message with Tony’s bravado. It’s a perfect combination.”

Yes, Dr. Glover is iconic and regards Endelman as a powerful and impressive writer.

“So, why did I want to write this book?” asked Endelman, repeating my question. “Well, for one thing, Dr. Glover asked me to. And I kind of owe the man. But more importantly... maybe it will save a life.”

Trip of a lifetime

PAIGE KATZ

JCC Dance Training Company Member

Last summer when Esther Katz, JCC Performing Arts Director, asked the members of JCC Training Company if anyone would be interested in going to a dance intensive in Israel the following year, my heart skipped a beat. Seven of us decided we would be thrilled to go. Saying ‘yes’ to the opportunity to dance in the country of my family’s Judaic heritage was a dream that came true this past July.

The seven of us girls, alongside Esther Katz, traveled to Kibbutz Ga’aton where we took two weeks of classes in technique from Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (KCDC). Five days a week we took three to four classes a day from internationally trained teachers with much experience and character. I loved learnig from such unique teachers who taught me new ways to move and flow in different styles of dance. We took repertoire classes from members of KCDC’s company in which we learned choreography they have performed to international audiences. At KCDC, the nonstop hours of dancing and the culture of their company have inspired me to consider dance as a career.

Throughout this trip I grew even closer to my friends from JCC Training Company. From traveling, sharing dorm rooms, and having hours of classes together, I gained new love and trust for these girls. I have danced at the JCC since I was three years

old and have known these girls for multiple years. Our bond of friendship was made even stronger through shared experiences, giving each other massages after a long and strenuous day, and searching for seashells together on the beach. I gained memories that will make me smile for years to come.

During our first weekend, KCDC took dancers at the intensive on a trip to Jerusalem which gave me the blessing to see and be in the presence of the Western Wall. I felt so empowered and blessed to even touch the Western Wall, for the first time ever. I also had the chance to meet up with distant cousins on the Kibbutz. We swapped family stories, and they gave me lifelong advice. Even weeks after this trip I’m still struggling to describe how beautiful and emotional being in Jerusalem and connecting with family across the world was for me.

I’m so honored to have been able to go to Israel with my best friends and dance together in such a beautiful setting. I gained dance knowledge that will influence me for years to come and opened my eyes to my desire to dance professionally. I am filled with gratitude for the Albert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation, the Staenberg Family Foundation, the Kiewit Companies Foundation, The Foundation Grants Committee, and the Special Donor-Advised Fund for their generosity. Without them I wouldn’t have been able to go on this trip of a lifetime.

MAGGIE CONTI

RBJH Director of Activities and Volunteer Services

RBJH celebrated Grandparents’ Day with a whole week of Cruise Fun. Each neighborhood was decorated in a different country’s theme; Residents explored Italy, Israel, China, and the Bahamas, and ate special foods at teatime to go along with the various countries. Residents enjoyed top-notch entertainment from Mark Irvin, Barry Boyce, a cabaret-style performance from Camille Metoyer Moten and her pianist Dave Murphy; The Brits (the British invasion rock music with highlights from the Beatles), a travelogue with Jill Ohlmann’s trip to Hawaii serving up a tropical cake made by Sabine Strong, special Cruising Bingo and a concert with Anna Mosenkis. The week’s highlights included a full day of being pampered with a Spa Day of nails, massages, hair,

The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three online Irish Fiddle Tunes Workshops for violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, soprano recorders and alto recorders.

The Workshops will be on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m., Central Time, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m., Central Time, and Friday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m., Central Time.

Different tunes will be played at each session.

We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for

makeup, and gifts for women and men. Mark Kirchhoff took professional photos. Each participant will receive a framed photo of their glamour shot. The one-woman show by performance artist Pippa White and pianist Vince Learned made for a great finale, as they performed I Can’t Give You

Anything But Songs: The Life and Work of Dorothy Fields. Dorothy Fields (a nice Jewish girl from NJ) wrote nearly 500 songs and had a career spanning five decades. Pippa performed the songs, but also told the stories behind them so the Residents could learn about the fascinating woman who wrote them.

Special thanks to the following funds at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation: Sheldon and Lorrie Bernstein Endowment Fund, Betty Studna and Seymour Lee Endowment Fund, and Chester & Phyllis Lustgarten Endowment.

these charming pieces. A treble clef version of the sheet music for the tunes being played will be displayed on the screen during the workshop.

There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $10. The cost of each optional book is $15 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration).

For more information, and to register: https://www.green blattandseay.com/workshops_irish.shtml

Dr. Rebecca Erbelding to speak at Creighton

DR. PATRICK MURRAY

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Hixson-Lied Auditorium in the Mike and Josie Harper Center, 20th and California Streets, Dr. Rebecca Erbelding, a historian working at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, in Washington, D. C. and the author of Rescue Board: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe (2019), will deliver the lecture Creighton Graduate John Pehle and His Work to Save Jews During the Holocaust. Last May, Creighton University awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters posthumously to John Pehle, who was a graduate of Omaha Central High School and Creighton University. Dr. Erbelding will sign books in the atrium after the lecture. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Rebecca Erbelding is a historian of American responses to the Holocaust and the author of Rescue Board: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe, published by Doubleday in 2018, which won the National Jewish Book Award for Writing Based on Archival Material. She served as a historical advisor and an on-camera expert in Florentine Films’ The U.S. and the Holocaust, directed by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and Sarah Botstein, which debuted on PBS in September 2022. She is an educator, curator, and archivist at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and frequently presents on the War Refugee Board; US immigration policy during the 1930s; and the Hoecker album, a photograph album owned by Karl Hoecker, the final adjutant to the commandant of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Her work on the Hoecker album has been adapted into a theatrical production, Here There are Blueberries, written by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich, and developed by the Tectonic Theater Project. She holds a PhD in American History from George Mason University.

ORGANIZATIONS

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS

The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch our email for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com

New in the Kripke-Veret Collection

SHIRLY BANNER

JFO Library Specialist

JUVENILE:

Out and About: A Tale of Giving by Liza

Wiemer

In this inspiring story, we follow Daniel as he tries to find out where his parents are going and what’s inside the mysterious boxes they’re carrying.

Daniel’s imagination runs wild could there be a new baseball and glove inside? A giant birthday cake? A new toy car? As it turns out Daniel learns much more than what’s in those boxes he learns the true meaning of giving. This universal message is a beautiful way to share Jewish traditions with all readers. A note explains the concept of tzedakah and addresses what it means to give and how to give in a way to respect those we want to help.

ADULT:

Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renée Rosen

It’s 1938, and a young woman selling face cream out of a New York City

beauty parlor is determined to prove she can have it all. Her name is Estée Lauder, and she’s about to take the world by storm, in this dazzling new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Social Graces and Park Avenue Summer.

Arden, Helena Rubinstein, and Revlon. Before Gloria knows it, she is swept up in her new friend’s mission and while Estée rolls up her sleeves, Gloria begins to discover her own talents. After landing a job at Saks Fifth Avenue, New York’s finest luxury department store, Gloria finds her voice, which proves instrumental in opening doors for Estée’s insatiable ambitions.

But in a world unaccustomed to women with power, they’ll each have to pay the price that comes with daring to live life on their own terms and refusing to back down.

The Collector by Daniel Silva

New York Times bestselling author Daniel Silva delivers another stunning thriller in his action-packed tale of high stakes international intrigue.

In New York City, you can disappear into the crowd. At least that’s what Gloria Downing desperately hopes as she tries to reinvent herself after a devastating family scandal. She’s ready for a total life makeover and a friend she can lean on—and into her path walks a young, idealistic woman named Estée. Their chance encounter will change Gloria’s life forever.

Estée dreams of success and becoming a household name like Elizabeth

Legendary art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon joins forces with a brilliant and beautiful master-thief to track down the world’s most valuable missing painting but soon finds himself in a desperate race to prevent an unthinkable conflict between Russia and the West. Silva’s powerhouse novel showcases his outstanding skill and brilliant imagination, destined to be a must-read for both his multitudes of fans and growing legions of converts.

Trade scholarships available for the 2023-24 academic year

An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school and/or cosmetology school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2023-24 academic year. Not every student who advances into higher education signs up for a fouryear curriculum. Some high school

graduates seek job training that lasts a year or two and then places them in the workforce. Such opportunities include, but are not restricted to: Information Technology, Construction, Industrial, Transportation and Horticulture. It is not too late to apply for this upcoming school year!

Qualified students who have unmet needs regarding tuition for either a twoyear trade school program or a trade certificate program can contact the Jewish Press at avandekamp@jewishoma ha.org or jpress@jewishomaha.org for more information.

Dr. Rebecca Erbelding

For over a century, Jewish Family Service of Omaha has focused on providing crucial aid to individuals, couples and families facing challenges in their lives.

Between July 2022 and June 2023 our efforts have been sustained by the following contributors who chose to balance their own needs with the needs of others.

Grants

Dennis Schuman Charitable Foundation

Herbert Goldsten Trust

Lazier L. and Harriet B. Singer Memorial Fund for Youth

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) Foundation - Worldwide Grant Program

Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation

Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation

Sokolof Foundation

Special Donor-Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation

The Milton S. & Corinne N. Livingston Foundation Fund

The Phillip and Terri Schrager Supporting Foundation

Endowments

Arthur L. & Betsy Davidson Emergency Assistance Endowment Fund for JFO

Craig Saylan Memorial Endowment Fund

Edith & Paul Goldstein Endowment Fund

Harry & Fannie Stock Rothkop/Theodore Rothkop Fund

Howard and Judy Vann Family Education Fund

Ike Friedman JFS Financial Assistance Fund

Jake & Mary Wine Fund

Jerome J. and Frances 0. Milder Endowment Fund

Jewish Family Service Campaign Legacy Fund

Jewish Family Service Discretionary Fund

Jewish Family Service Endowment Fund

Kutler Dental Custodial Fund

Leo & Frances Rodick Memorial Endowment Fund

Lieberman Family of Scottsbluff, NE Endowment for Special Needs Population

Lippett Family Endowment Fund

Louis Friedman Fund for New Americans

Mark & Sophie Sturm Immigrant Education Fund

Mickey (Sturm) Stern Memorial Endowment Fund

Nancy Noddle JFS Financial Assistance Fund

Nathan & Rose Lillian Fine JFS Tzedakah Endowment Fund

Parsow & Simons Families Special Needs Community Fund

Paul & Joy Grossman Family Endowment Fund

Paul Alperson Endowment Fund

Pennie Z. Davis Family Life Education Fund

Perlmeter Family Jewish Family Service Assistance Fund

Richard “Pete” Lee Memorial Endowment Fund

Rosalie & Milton Saylan Endowment Fund for JFS

Ruth & Bernard Raskin Endowment Fund

Endowments

Ruth & Otmar Liebenstein JFS Financial Assistance Endowment Fund

Steven Bloch President’s Fund

Yachad Endowment Fund

Life and Legacy

John Atherton & Marti Rosen-Atherton

Elliot Brown* Life & Legacy Fund

Andi Goldstein

Gary & Barbara Goldstein

David & Shirley Goodman

Debbi Josephson

Beatrice Karp* Life & Legacy Fund for Jewish Family Service

Gloria Kaslow

Howard Kaslow

David Kohll

Janet Kohll

David Lieberman

Thelma Lustgarten*

Bruce Meyers

Patty Nogg

Steve Nogg

Gilda Pieck*

Sherry & Larry Shapiro

Friends Campaign

Carol & David Alloy

Marti Rosen-Atherton & John Atherton

Rabbi Deana Berezin & Jared Berezin

Sharon Brodkey

Gary Chasen

Linda & Mark Cogen

Sylvia Cohn

Teresa & Jeff Drelicharz

Vera Dobin

Janice Egermayer

Lisa & Gary Epstein

Sharon & Howard Epstein

Jim Farber

Judith Feigin

Friends Campaign (cont.)

Richard Fellman

Shelly Fine

Jamie & Ted Friedland

Cindy & Morris Friedman

Deborah Friedman

Jacqueline Gerkin

Jordana & Jim Glazer

Darlene Golbitz

Andi & Donald Goldstein

Jan Goldstein

Shirley & David Goodman

Karen & Jeff Gustafson

Margie & Bruce Gutnik

Andrea Hamburg

Sally Kaplan

Gloria & Howard Kaslow

Dana Kaufman

Helen & Les Kay

Kate & Tom Kirshenbaum

Alice & Harold Kosowsky

Jack and Bette Kozlan

Debbie & Alan Kricsfeld

Dr. Michael & Bobbi Leibowitz

Vera Levit

H. Scott Lustgarten

Dr. Neal & Jody Malashock

Marti Tichauer & Bruce Meyers

Tina & Joe Meyers

Jenny & Scott Meyerson

Lois Milder

Henry & Pamela Monsky

Anne & Gordon Moshman

Sheila Fitzgerald & Gary Nachman

Sharee & Murray Newman

Allan Noddle

Jay Noddle

Nancy Noddle

Patty & Steve Nogg

Helen Novak

Linda Neuswanger Novak

Friends Campaign (cont.)

Dr. Jeffrey & Sandy Passer

Helga Patterson

Ann Pickel

Deborah Platt

Linda & Bruce Potash

Miles Remer

Zoë & Carl Riekes

Iris Ricks

Martin Ricks

Nancy Rips

Judith Roffman

Margo Rosen

Joyce & Victor Samuel

Caryn & Marc Scheer

Hannah & Natan Schwalb

Sherry & Larry Shapiro

Dr. Norman & Suzy Sheldon

Claudia Sherman

Patty & Michael Sherman

Harriet (Sissy) Katelman Silber

Susan Silverman

Betiana & Todd Simon

Dorothy Spizman

Temple Israel Synagogue

Garrett Taub

Caryn Rifkin

Heather Topil

Annette Van de Kamp-Wright & Jeremy Wright

Nancy & Philip Wolf

Contributions/Tribute Cards

B’nai B’rith-Henry Monsky Lodge

Beth El Synagogue

Catherine & Jonathon Bischof

Stacy & Paul Bleicher

Al Bloch

Barry Carnine

Susan Friedman Cohn

Susie & Jeff Cooper

Contributions/Tribute Cards (cont.)

Broadmoor Development

Harriet Epstein

Sandy & Paul Epstein

Judith & James Farber

Barbara Finkle

Sandra Friedman

JoAnn Hill-Gold

Nancy & Don Greenberg

Harvey Greenstein

Mike Greenstein

Rosie Zweiback & Mace Hack

Anne Hellbusch

Martina Henderson

Joanie & Richard Jacobson

Sheryn & Arnold Joffe

Candice & Joseph Junior

Bret Katelman

Gail & Jerry* Kohll

Janet & David Kohll

Marilyn Konigsberg

Tina and Joe Meyers

Anne & Gordan Moshman

Linda & Alan Muskin

Gary Nachman

Randi & Joseph Nanfito

Sharee & Murray Newman

Eden & Allen Ostravich

Carol & Alan Parsow

FeFe Passer

Marcella Peterson

Robert Peterson

Shayna & Matthew Ray

Iris & Martin Ricks

Margo & Steven Riekes

Judith Roffman

Lisa & William Roskins

Hannah & Natan Schwalb

Aviva Segall

Helene Shrago & Jack Shrago*

Contributions/Tribute Cards (cont.)

Sandy Sparkman

Dorothy Spizman

Elizabeth & Michael Waltz

In-Kind Donations

Bagel Bin

Beth El Synagogue

Beth Israel Synagogue

Angela Love

Roni Braaton

Millie Campbell

Early Learning Center Classroom

Linda & Mark Cogen

Lisa Cooper

Debbie Denenberg

Whitney & James Donahue

Shirley Falk

Hy-Vee

T.O. HAAS

Gary Javitch

Kate Kirshenbaum

Judith Lorenz

Bruce Meyers

Tina Meyers

Eden & Allen Ostravich

Leo Poulos

Shayna & Matthew Ray

Judith Roffman

Jan Roos

Reva Rosenblum

Marsha & Steve Senft

Dr. Bob & Dottie Shapiro

Dr. Norman & Suzy Sheldon

Temple Israel Synagogue

Shelly Tucker

Diane Walker

Scott Widman

Terri Zacharia

*OfBlessedMemory

Rabbi Hillel said

“If I am not for myself, who will be? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”

These words remind us that though self-interest is our right, we also have a duty to care for others. Today.

Jewish Family Service is able to do its work because members of this remarkable community genuinely care about one another. Thank you for your generous support.

SP O TLIGHT

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

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

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

Above, left and below: On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the Friedel Jewish Academy’s middle school was officially opened with a ribbon cutting.

Above: Grandparents’ week at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home meant cruise week!

Below: Friedel’s Jewish Studies teachers are making the dough for the Rosh Hashanah challah.

Above and below: Quiet reading time in Friedel’s classroom library.

Below: Rabbi Steven Abraham calls it “an honor to learn from Beth El past presidents. We have a rich history that will continue for years to come.”

Voices

The Jewish Press

(Founded in 1920)

Margie Gutnik

President

Annette van de Kamp-Wright

Editor Richard Busse

Creative Director

Howard Kutler

Advertising Executive

Lori Kooper-Schwarz

Assistant Editor

Gabby Blair

Staff Writer

Sam Kricsfeld

Digital support

Mary Bachteler

Accounting

Jewish Press Board

Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Helen Epstein; Seth Feldman; David Finkelstein; Ally Freeman; Mary Sue Grossman; Chuck Lucoff; Patricia Newman; Joseph Pinson and Larry Ring.

The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Press Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.

Editorial

The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org ; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org

Letters to the Editor Guidelines

The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.

Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events.

News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.”

The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf.

Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450.

Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422.

Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org

Creating a home

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

It’s almost October, which means we’re entering Annual Campaign season. In the middle of thoughts of forgiveness, sweet desserts with apples and honey and random days off that don’t fit the mainstream calendar, I find myself at the first lunch for this campaign season. Listening to the speeches, socializing with staff and community members, filling out my pledge card- I have to ask myself why this is so important.

I give because I believe in this community. How about you? I’m late to the game; I’m well aware some of you have given for decades, your parents and grandparents paving the way. I haven’t been an Omahan that long. So where do I find the chutzpah to suggest where you should send your donor dollars?

‘Giving,’ my children remind me often, isn’t just about cash. We give in a multitude of ways, by caring, by reaching out, building relationships and by showing up. In short, we do the work, and it goes far beyond our bank accounts. We show we care about our community by going to events, reading those emails, volunteering for a wide variety of things.

And yet, we can’t maintain this community without money. Yes, it’s uncomfortable to talk about how much money it takes to keep the lights on, at

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.

our synagogues, in the gym, at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, at the Jewish Funeral Home, at our schools. Often it is no different in our personal lives; we pay to belong to the synagogue, we donate when loved ones die, we give when there are fundraisers we care about—and sometimes we give when we don’t really care as much, just because we know it’s the right thing to do. We give and we give and we give; who among you doesn’t sometimes want to ask: when is it enough?

ing Israel, and we give to bring a Shlicha to Omaha. We give to support our elderly, and we give to help those who need mental health care. We give so we all have a community we can call home.

Being Jewish is not something we are supposed to experience in isolation, it’s something we experience together. And for that, we need institutions and organizations, cemeteries and synagogues and schools and you name it. What do all these places have in common? They are a physical home, which allows us to build our spiritual home.

Yes, talking about cold hard cash can be unpleasant. We have too much, we don’t have enough. Talking about money makes us feel guilty, dissatisfied, afraid or arrogant, happy or worried. But reminding ourselves of the spiritual home we have built puts things in perspective.

Here’s the thing. When we give actual dollars to the JFO Annual Campaign, we are giving on a number of different levels.

We are supporting the Jewish Federation of Omaha and every one of its agencies. We are giving to support sending kids to summer camp, and to receive daycare and Jewish education at both the Early Learning Center and Friedel Jewish Academy. We give to support Jews in other countries, includ-

Whether you give a little or a lot, whether you haven’t given in a few years and are just thinking about getting back to it, know that your gift matters. Not because of the amount, but because of what we as a community continue to build with it. And because by filling out that pledge card, you are not just promising dollars—you are creating a Home for all of us.

“Nobody is ever impoverished through the giving of charity,” Maimonides wrote. He was right; giving might sometimes make us feel inconvenienced, it has never made any of us poor.

Let’s make this the most successful Annual Campaign ever. Although it hurts a little, I’ve increased my pledge.

Who’s with me?

Mayim Bialik’s guide to embracing the new Jewish year

MAYIM BIALIK

This article originally appeared in Kveller.

JTA

The Hebrew month of Elul — which leads up to Rosh Hashanah — is when I like to take stock of my previous year, and a part of me feels like I say the same thing every single time: Heck of a year. Another part of me wonders if this is the year I’m actually really right, though. Because this year seems like it was exceptionally challenging.

And I don’t just mean for me. I’m no climate scientist, but it seems like this year has had more catastrophic fires, storms and earthquakes than feels normal. I’m no political analyst, but it seems the right and the left, the Democrats and Republicans and everyone in between, is going crazy, with corruption rampant everywhere we look. And I’m no therapist, but the mental health of this nation and the world at large is approaching staggering statistics as diseases of despair and loneliness strike younger and younger and with more and more fatal consequences. It seems there is not a community that cultural turmoil regarding race, class and gender has not threatened this year.

But also, for me, it’s been a heck of a year. The details of my personal life will remain for the most part personal, but my decision to not cross the Writers Guild of America picket line, which continues to guide my career, has been subject to public scrutiny and it’s been a trying year emotionally.

Of course, there have been many bright spots this year, for our nation, our world, and for each of us individually. Here’s a highlight: My older son finally got his driver’s license (at almost 18 — slow and steady wins the race!), which means I can send him to the market for yeast when my first attempt at challah fails. Also big news from this summer: Both of my sons had a beautiful Jewish summer camp experience — and are now taller than me!

But I know I am not alone in hoping for a less challenging year to come. I’m taking a closer look at what I want to shift as we enter 5784. Here’s what’s in store for me. Maybe you’ll want to try out some of these changes, too.

Unplug. This is partly what led me to a twoweek complete digital/phone/social media/social interaction detox just before Elul began. I detailed

my main revelations on my YouTube channel, but the lessons I learned from that voluntary isolation have stayed with me and feel like my guiding principles not only for a detox, but for an entire perspective shift I think many of us are in need of.

I gained an understanding of myself that includes the fact that not everyone can manage the amount of information that comes at us from the current media world at the pace that we have been told is

to things I can’t do without rushing to or from them. It’s as complicated as tolerating the down time that results when you make space to think and wonder.

Dream. This is something children innately know how to do. Most of us adults forget how to do it, but it’s a critically thrilling and significant aspect of our human experience that we have been taught has no place in adult life. For those of us who spend time as artists and creatives, we have more “right” to dream, but I am a firm believer that even people who are “settled down” in life and are told that they have no time or reason to dream are precisely the people who need to do it most.

“Every year we get the opportunity to start again, to try again and to reinvent ourselves,” writes the actress, podcaster and Jeopardy! host. Credit: Getty Images; assets via Canva

“normal.” I regained the gift of unstructured time, which led to a lot of creativity and the rediscovery of literature, poetry and intellectual stimulation that is not attached to a screen.

Unplugging is a Jewish notion in that Shabbat gives us that opportunity weekly, and I more and more seek to embrace the spirit of Shabbat: to focus at least one day a week to being a human being, and not a human doing. Unplugging is more critical than ever as we (and our children) increasingly spend hours of their lives plugged in. It’s a boundary I plan to hold them and myself to in 5784.

Slow down. I operate really well in black and white. I don’t really do grey. So in the past, when I worked — when I was plugged in — I would run hard and fast from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. Constant appointments, phone calls while driving to “personal” lunches or yoga class — every minute filled. I started using a wearable device that measures things like heart rate variability, recovery index and sleep patterns and I had a health scare this past year. It’s because I did not know what it meant to slow down. Now I know. It’s as simple as saying “no”

I’m not advocating for abdicating responsibility for your duties at home or at work. I am suggesting you tap into the wonder of your childhood, no matter what that looks like. It might look like taking an art class. It might look like getting back to reading fiction or writing poetry or spending time in nature among flowers and trees. Whatever it looks like to step outside of your current reality is what dreaming is. We need more of it.

Find God — or something like it. I’ve held for a long time that everyone finds their own path and for many, that path doesn’t include religious belief. I know the pitfalls of organized religion, especially the monotheistic patriarchal variety. And I’ve known many “Godless” people with wonderful morals, a true sense of a path and a satisfying life. But as I continued to do the deepest therapeutic work of my life this past year, I found that for me, true healing comes from an exploration of one sort or another into the Divine.

Every year we get the opportunity to start again, to try again and to reinvent ourselves. It’s not a time to look back at the ways we have failed in self-criticism; rather, it is a time to look forward with a lens of hope, self-compassion and joy. Perhaps as we individually look with this lens, we can share hope, compassion and peace with our families, our communities, our nation and even the world.

Mayim Bialik is the host of Jeopardy! and the mental wellness podcast Mayim Bialik's Breakdown. Bialik holds a PhD in Neuroscience from UCLA . She is the grandchild of immigrants from Eastern Europe and the mother of two teenagers and three cats.

Synagogues

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

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

Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information about our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail. com or any of our other board members: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Ann Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

IN-PERSON AND ZOOM MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9:30 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Sukkot/Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m.; GaGa Shabbat (Grades 3-7) 10 a.m.; Young Family Graham Cracker Sukkahs, 12:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SUNDAY: Sukkot Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Soup in the Sukkah following services.

WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m.

FRIDAY-Oct. 6: Hashanah Rabbah Service 7 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.; Our Shabbat Tables in Homes.

SATURDAY-Oct. 7: Shmini Atzeret Morning Service 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Junior Congregation (Grades K-12) 10 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv/Havdalah & Simchat Torah Celebration 7 p.m. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL

FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 6:52 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Kiddush 11 a.m.; Shtiegers, 4:49 p.m. at the Geigers; Tehillim Youth Class, 5:03 p.m. with Rabbi

Tal; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s

Teachings, 5:48 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/ Kids Activity, 7:10 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:50 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit 9 a.m.; Special Sukkot Turkey Lunch, 11:30 a.m. Registration Required; Kids Sukkah Program 1:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:48 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45

a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:50 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45

a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:50 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:50 p.m.; Simchat Beit HaShoevah, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv 6:50 p.m.; Parsha Class 7 p.m.; Omaha’s Adult Sukkah Hop, 7 p.m.

OJAA Reunion

STACIE METZ

JFO Foundation Program and Stewardship

Administrator

The Omaha Jewish Alumni Association is excited to host our THIRD reunion! Following successful reunions in Scottsdale and Dallas, we couldn’t be more ready to host our next big event.

On Sunday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. – noon the Omaha Jewish Alumni Association (OJAA) along with the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, will sponsor brunch in Kansas City, at the home of Michael and Lindsay Fineman. We are looking forward to bringing together current and former Omahans to catch up and connect. We will bring a snapshot of Omaha to Kansas City, so everyone is in the loop!

The mission of OJAA is to establish and secure the future of Omaha’s Jewish Community by connecting Jewish individuals who are currently living in Omaha with all Jewish individuals who formerly lived in Omaha and now live elsewhere. The vision

FRIDAY-Oct. 6: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 6:40 p.m.

SATURDAY-Oct. 7: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Yizkor, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45 a.m.; Kiddush 11 a.m.; Shtiegers, 4:37 p.m. at the Geigers; Tehillim Youth Class, 4:52 p.m. with Rabbi Tal; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s Teachings, 5:37 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6:30 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/ Kids Activity, 7 p.m.; Hakafot, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:39 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 in-person and via Zoom (ochabad.com/academy). 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, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/ Lechayim; Candlelighting, 6:51 p.m.

SATURDAY: Sukkot Services, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush Lunch in the Sukkah; Light Holiday Candles after, 7:48 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sukkot Services, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush Lunch in the Sukkah; Holiday Ends, 7:47 p.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introduction to Writing Hebrew Script and Vocabulary Practice, 5 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Women’s Soup in the Sukkah, noon; Sukkah, 3 p.m. at UNMC Campus; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 7 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; CYP Hot Pot in the Sukkah, 6 p.m.

THURSDAY: Sukkah at UNL; Shacharit 8 a.m.; Parsha Reading, 10 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 34), noon; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Oct. 6: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Kids Hakafot and Torah Dancing in Pajamas, 6-7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 6:40 p.m.; Adult Hakafot, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY-Oct. 7: Shemini Atzeret Services 10 a.m.; Yizkor, 11:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush Lunch in the Sukkah; Hakafot, 7:30 p.m.; Light Holiday Candles after, 7:37 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:

B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL

Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.

FRIDAY: Kabbatlat Shabbat Service with Rabbi

Alex and music by Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Oneg Host: TBD; Shabbat Candlelighting, 6:54 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Ki Teitzei; Havdalah, 7:51 p.m.

SUNDAY: LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m.-noon; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group meet, 10:45 a.m. at The Mill on the Innovation Campus. We sit outside, facing east. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Pickleball is on haitus until Oct. 15. Anyone interested in playing or learning how to play can text Miriam at 402.470.2393.

MONDAY: Mutual Review Committee Meeting, 78:30 p.m. at SST.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Classes (Grades 3-6), 4:30-6 p.m.; Sukkah Crawl, 5 p.m.

FRIDAY-Oct. 6: Kabbatlat Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 6:42 p.m.

SATURDAY-Oct. 7: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study, noon; Havdalah, 7:40 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

FRIDAYS: 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 Benjamin Sharff, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander

FRIDAY: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. In-Person; Festival Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Sukkot Service, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Sushi in the Sukkah with the 20-Somethings, 6 p.m. In-Person

SUNDAY: Grades PreK-7, 9:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Temple Tots Sunday, 10 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person.; Grades 36, 4:30 p.m.; Grades 8-12 Mitzvah Corps, 6 p.m.

THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom; Bring Your Own Lunch in the Sukkah with the Clergy, noon In-Person.

FRIDAY-Oct. 6: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. InPerson; Integrated Dinner, Shabbat, Torah Celebration & Consecration Experience, 5:30 p.m. In-Person.

SATURDAY-Oct. 7: Torah Study 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shemini Atzeret: Service and Yizkor, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

JEWISH PRESS READERS

If you do business with any of our advertisers, please tell them you saw their ad in the Jewish Press. It really helps us!

for the OJAA has been the inspiration of our generous donors, Lisa and Gary Epstein. Our brunch hosts are Erin (Malashock) and Aaron Berger, Hollie and Glen Fineman, Lindsay and Michael Fineman, Margie and Bruce Gutnick,

Julie (Gutnik) and Michael Levine, Jody and Buzz Malashock, and Annie Rifkin. Please RSVP to smetz@jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6485 by Friday, Oct. 13

Creating future leaders in Jewish Omaha

RACHEL RING Director of Development, Jewish Federation Omaha

When Michael Siegel became the President of the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) in 2020, his agenda was jampacked with ideas to sustain Omaha’s Jewish future. One item he was particularly passionate about was revitalizing a leadership program that would engage, educate, and prepare young Jewish adults to become future leaders in Jewish Omaha. That’s how Young Omaha Emerging Leaders (YOEL) came to be.

Mike’s message was clear...

Be a part of the 2024 YOEL cohort!

The Jewish Federation of Omaha is currently recruiting young Jewish adults in Omaha for the next YOEL cohort. Interested community members should be between the ages of 25 and 40 years and want to give their time to the Omaha Jewish community through volunteerism and leadership. The program runs from January through April of 2024 and at the end of the program, all participants will be required to participate on a local Jewish organization committee. Please reach out to Stacy Feldman, Impact Leader at the Jewish Federation of Omaha, for more information, SFeldman@JewishOmaha.org. The application is online at: https://forms. gle/VdWPrkMeLpA8Qawn8

“The development of our young, emerging leaders is critical to the sustainability of the Omaha Jewish community”, he shared. “It does not matter if you become a leader at the Federation, your synagogue, or another Jewish organization. What matters is that you will be prepared to take on leadership roles in our Jewish community.”

Taking its cues from a former well-known and popular Omaha leadership program called JOLT (Jewish Omaha Leadership Training), YOEL’s mission is to cultivate forward-thinking, highly effective, solution-oriented, philanthropic volunteer leads for Jewish Omaha. And while the program is presented by the JFO, one of the program’s goals is to bring together and educate potential future lay leaders of the many Jewish nonprofit organizations and synagogues, throughout Omaha.

Each of YOEL’s sessions are jam-packed with information. Program participants learn how to find and tap their own leadership strengths, and how to work with others. There is ample time spent hearing from and networking with current Jewish Omaha lay leaders and professionals; and the program tackles the history of Jewish Omaha and its organizations to help participants understand how Jewish Omaha began and arm them with the knowledge to help guide Jewish Omaha into the future. Finally, the program gives participants the opportunity to connect with one another knowing they will work together in the future.

The feedback from the first YOEL cohort has been excellent. As summed up by Anna Priluck, “The program was a very efficient use of time, short sessions jam packed with helpful and useful information.” And while participants enjoyed most every session, the ones that stood out the most for these young leaders were those that featured current Jewish Omaha

lay leaders talking about their personal experiences, community challenges, and why YOEL is a critical and necessary steppingstone to sustaining a thriving Jewish Omaha community. Shared by YOEL participant Dan Grossman, “Meeting the leaders within the community and being able to understand their thoughts regarding the future was exactly what I expected from this program. As the next generation of leaders, I was pretty interested in hearing about what they have tried to do to help us figure out what needs to be done.”

And that sentiment was echoed by participant Joshua Sullivan, who said “Hearing from people in the community that have worked on these committees and made a difference in the community was the best part of the program. They each had experiences to share that were very helpful in understanding the importance of what the Federations and all the organizations and committees do.”

With the success of the first YOEL cohort in the past, the Jewish Federation of Omaha is gearing up for its second cohort. JFO is currently recruiting for year two of the program, which will start in January 2024. For more information on the program, to recommend someone for the program, and/or to apply, please reach out to Stacy Feldman, Impact Leader, Jewish Federation of Omaha, SFeldman@JewishOmaha.org

INFORMATION

ANTISEMITIC/HATE INCIDENTS

If you encounter an antisemitic or other hate incident, you are not alone. Your first call should be to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) in Omaha at 402.334.6572, or email JCRCreporting@ jewishomaha.org. If you perceive an imminent threat, call 911, and text Safety & Security Manager James Donahue at 402.213.1658.

ANNOUNCEMENT

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in over 150 newspapers. Reach thousands of readers for $225/25 word ad. Contact The Jewish Press or call 1-800-369-2850.

HELLO NEBRASKA! Introducing www.nepublicnotices.com, a new public notice website presented as a public service by all Nebraska newspapers. Free access, fully searchable – because democracy depends upon open government and your right to know.

AFFORDABLE PRESS Release service. Send your message to 155 newspapers across Nebraska for one low price! Call 1-800369-2850 or www.nebpress.com for more details.

FOR SALE – CELL PHONE

SWITCH AND save up to $250/year on your talk, text and data. No contract and no hidden fees. Unlimited talk and text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. For more information, call 1-877-768-5892.

FOR SALE - INTERNET

FREE HIGH speed internet for those that qualify. Government program for recipients of select programs incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet service. Bonus offer: Android tablet FREE with one-time $20 copay. Free shipping & handling. Call Maxsip Telecom today! 1-855-646-1256.

FOR SALE - SENIORS

PORTABLE OXYGEN Concentrator? May be covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-385-3580.

HELP WANTED

FARM/FEEDLOT Maintenance person needed with experience in welding and shop work. 401K and Group Health Insurance. R Lazy K, Inc., Glenvil, NE. Call 7a.m.-5p.m. (402)771-2394.

HOME SERVICES

DOES YOUR basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundations, sinking concrete and nasty crawl spaces. FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate. $250 off ANY project with code GET250. Call 1-844-958-3431.

THE BATHROOM of your dreams for as little as $149/month! BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Limited Time Offer - FREE virtual in-home consultation now and SAVE 15%! Call Today! 1-855-451-2244.

VIVINT. SMART security. Professionally installed. One connected system for total peace of mind. FREE professional installation! Four FREE months of monitoring! Call now to customize your system. 1-833-776-0423. WANTED

24-24-24-24

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

How it happened

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

There is a new mural at the Chabad House, and it has stories to tell. Stories about Rosh Hashana, about Sukkot, about the Exodus.

Following the Jewish year, it includes all the

It just so happens, your neighbors are Jewish, so you ask for help. Before you know it, you and your family have been invited to a meal, and then some.

The protagonist in this story is Cheryl Williams, a retired OPS art teacher. The neigh-

tionally the children’s space, has been upgraded in recent years and the mural was the one piece these artists could help with. And so, under Mushka’s guidance, they went to work, integrating holiday themes and Hebrew words they had never seen before; the learn-

The Jewish Federation of Omaha’s 2024 Annual Campaign is here, and to get everyone excited, the JFO staff has added a kickoff event named ’24-24-24-24.’

Oct 24, we invite you to be part of a 24hour Day of Giving. We are looking to raise $24,000 in 24 hours for the 2024 campaign on Oct. 24th: “We ask the entire community to chip in and be involved,”

JFO Director of Development

Rachel

Ring said. “We have a robust but attainable goal of raising $3,500,000 for the 2024 Campaign. Our Day of Giving will ensure a strong start to a successful Campaign!”

symbols for the holidays. It’s a teaching tool, but it’s also beautiful to look at. The story of how it happened is equally inspiring.

Imagine this scenario: you live in Omaha, Nebraska. Your family is of Norwegian descent, your daughter-in-law and your grandson are Jewish and Hanukkah falls on Christmas. You decide, after serving Norwegian food each December, you’ll include Jewish delicacies this time—just for them.

Except, you are not sure what to cook, so now what?

bors? Mushka and Rabbi Eli Tenenbaum.

After those initial latke-lessons, a relationship was built which extended beyond Cheryl’s family. Her friends, Jeanne Cejka-Gregory, Joseph Gregory and Kory Abdouch are all retired art teachers as well, and the group stays in touch:

“We had lunch,” Jeanne said, “and frankly, I thought that’s all it was. But then Cheryl told us about Chabad, the empty wall, and the visions for a mural.”

The space in Chabad’s downstairs, tradi-

ing curve that accompanied the art allowed all four artists to make a deeper connection.

“The images are really based on children’s books,” Mushka said, “because learning through visual means is important. And if you can explain the holidays on a child’s level, you really grasp it.”

“Doing anything that helps you grow beyond your own experience is so valuable,” Jeanne said. “I learned how much there is I don’t know, including related to my own religion.”

Joseph loved learning about all the food: “The way food traditions are related to the Jewish holidays, the symbolism and signifacnce, really stayed with me.”

The symbols on the wall will be used to illustrate and teach, because, as Mushka said: “You have to tell the stories.”

The event is digitally focused and will be on all of our social media channels. You can make your pledge Oct. 24 through Venmo (@JFOOmaha), online at www.jewishom aha.org, or you can use the QR code. Or you can use your Donor Advised Fund, and you can even use snail mail- just send it in a few days early to Jewish Federation of Omaha, Annual Campaign, 333 South 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154.

This first-ever 24-hour Day of Giving was the brainchild of Campaign Co-Chair Alan Tipp, so let’s all show up! Put Oct. 24 on your calendar now, and make your pledge that day! Stay tuned for additional updates; for more information, please contact Rachel Ring at rring@jewish omaha.org

The artists : Joseph Gregor, left, and Jeanne Cejka-Gregory, Cheryl Williams and Kory Abdouch in front of the mural they created.