A N AG E N C Y O F T H E J E W I S H F E D E R AT I O N O F O M A H A
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Some of the speeches from the Israel Solidarity event Pages 2, 3 and 4
JFNA update on the war in Israel Page 5
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SCAN TO GIVE TO THE ISRAEL EMERGENY FUND
y now, you are aware that Israel is at war. As of this writing, more than 900 Israelis have been killed. Some 2,000 Israelis are wounded. At least 5,000 rockets fired at Israel. An estimated 100 Israelis are being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas terrorists. In what many have begun to call Israel’s 9/11, the Jewish state has entered its war against Hamas. Clearly, the numbers above point to one of the blackest days in the country’s history. As a community, we gathered on Monday, Oct. 9 in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater to show our community’s love and solidarity with Israel. We have included a
All in My Family
REGULARS8
Spotlight Voices Synagogues
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AMY BERNSTEIN SHIVVERS JFO Foundation Executive Director Preparations are underway for The Foundation’s final community event in celebration of our 40th Anniversary, titled All in The Family. In this program members across generations will come together to share their collective stories of Jewish values and traditions followed by facilitated table conversations. Bette Kozlen, a member of Beth Israel and a valued member of the Omaha Jewish community since 1968, graciously offered to share her early childhood memories of growing up in a Jewish household. Our conversation with Bette began as she selected a picture card from a deck, one that resonated with her deeply. A pre-
Bette Kozlen
view of what we’ll do at All in The Family on Nov. 5 at the JCC. QUESTION: Why did you choose a card with a daughter and grandparent? ANSWER: This photo reminds me of my Baba, my grandmother, who lived in Omaha until her house became too much upkeep. She then moved in with my parents and me in Ottumwa, Iowa, when I was in high school. Baba lived with us for five years, and I vividly remember her See All in My Family page 5
few of the speeches in this week’s paper. At the Jewish Federation of Omaha, we have a number of employees who are not Jewish. We are offering educational materials, talking points, and classes to help all of our staff, both Jewish and non-Jewish, understand the conflict, respond to the misinformation they will likely encounter in the coming weeks, and lift up their colleagues, many of whom are personally connected to people in Israel. Our Jewish Federation of Omaha stands in total and complete solidarity with Israel. We need your support, and we’re asking you to donate generously today to both the Israel Emergency Fund (to respond to immediate needs) by scanning the QR code on the left side of the front page.
Message from Zoë Riekes ZOË RIEKES President, JCRC Good evening, and thank you all for coming to show your support and solidarity for our brothers and sisters who need us, the American Jewish Community, today more than ever before since the establishment of the sovereign Jewish homeland. My name is Zoë Riekes, and I am the current board president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Omaha. The people in the video you just saw are my friends and friends of many of you sitting here tonight. They are part of our Partnership family living in the Western Galilee located in the northern most region of Israel bordering with Lebanon. Last night, and again this morning, our region was attacked by Hezbollah, a terrorist organization in Lebanon. Our thoughts and our prayers go out to them as well as to the rest of the Israeli citizens. Many of you may know that I have been involved in Federation
life for decades. In addition to my current role, I have been the chair of our Partnership with the Western Galilee Central Area Consortium, and sat on the JFNA Israel/Overseas Board. I helped create and am currently President of The American Friends of the Galilee Medical Center, which, is a front-line hospital serving over 600,00 people in the region. Since last night, our region has suffered attacks by the terrorist organization Hezbollah. The Hospital is currently in full emergency operations mode, answering the needs of Jewish, Muslim and Christian Israelis. In a call today with JCRC directors across North America, JFNA President and CEO Eric Fingerhut called JCRCs the single most important resource and front line in uniting our Jewish communities and our nonJewish allies and partners during this horrific and uncertain time. Our hearts are so heavy today, as we mourn the loss of innocent See Zoë Riekes page 3