October 28, 2016 by Jewish Press

thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

WWW.JEWISHOMAHA.ORG

SponSoReD By tHe BenjAMin AnD AnnA e. WieSMAn FAMiLy enDoWMent FunD

this week the Leo and Frances Rodick Memorial Fund:

Omaha Adieu page A6

How one popular Palestinian cafe puts women first page B1

Herb Berkowitz celebrates his 103rd birthday page B5

inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

A8 A10 A11

A Story of Survival and Gratitude

LinDA poLLARD Endowment Assistant, Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation ith the liberation of the concentration camps at the end of World War II, the Allies faced the task of setting up Displaced Persons camps for all those liberated from the camps. The Allies, however, were not prepared for the numbers of people flowing into the camps. In addition to the survivors, many Polish and Baltic Jews returning from the Soviet Union also entered the camps. Frances Rubinstein and Leo Rodick were among the thousands who went to a DP camp. Frances, who was originally from Poland, survived the concentration camps of Bergen Belsen, Auschwitz and Majdanek. Also from Poland, Leo Rodick had been conscripted into the Red Army after the Soviet Union annexed the part of Poland that was his home. Like many others, Frances lost her entire family in the Holocaust. Leo’s parents also perished, but his two brothers survived. It was at the camp in Germany

Leo and Frances Rodick with their daughter Helen and and son Bennett. where Frances and Leo met, fell in love, married and welcomed the birth of their first child, Helen. Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of

Mainstreeters November MAggie Conti Director of Activities and Outreach Programs, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Join us for a trip to The Durham Western Heritage Museum on Friday, Nov. 4 to see the traveling exhibit American Spirits – The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. Meet at the museum at 10 a.m. for a docent led tour. Step back in time to an era of flappers and suffragist, bootleggers and temperance workers, and reallife legends like Al Capone and Carry Nation. Spanning from the dawn of the temperance movement, through the Roaring 20s, to the unprecedented repeal of a constitutional amendment, the exhibition brings the whole story of Prohibition vividly to life. There is no charge if you call and make a reservation – you must make a reservation. Call or email Maggie Conti for reservations at 402.334.6521 or mconti@rbjh.com. If you are a member of the Durham please

Omaha, the three Rodicks arrived in Omaha in 1948. Frances and Leo arrived with no money, no knowledge of the See Rodick Memorial Fund page A3

The Shabbos Project

Beth Israel Synagogue and Chabad of Nebraska

Christi Zuniga bring your membership card. Join us for a special autumn piano concert by Christi Zuniga on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 1:45 p.m. at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home auditorium. Don’t miss the international star Salomey Baloney as she makes her debut at the concert. Christi Zuniga has been Principal Keyboardist with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra since 2000. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Clayton State College in Georgia and received a Master of Music degree in Chamber Music and Accompanying from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In addition to her full-time position See Mainstreeters page A2

Rabbi Ari Dembitzer and Rabbi Mendel Katzman RABBi ARi DeMBitZeR spired and brought together in unpreceand RABBi MenDeL KAtZMAn dented ways. Last month, Chabad of NeThe Shabbos Project is here! We are ex- braska introduced the program locally cited to announce that Omaha will be a with the great Challah Bake, bringing alpart of the international program, The most 100 women and girls together to Shabbos Project on nov. 11 and 12 learn and perform the mitzvah of Challah. when we join with over a million Jews And now, Omaha will feel the power of world -wide in celebration of Shabbat. The the multitudes observing this special and Shabbat Project is a global grassroots sacred day feeling the depth of connection movement that brings Jews from across between the Jewish people and Shabbat. the world together around our shared her- We encourage everyone to celebrate as itage of the Sabbath. The initiative was Beth Israel and Chabad hold hands in unity introduced in South Africa in 2013 to as- to share this unique experience. On Friday tonishing effect and in the time that has night, nov. 11 beginning at 4:45 p.m. transpired, the Jewish world has been in- See the Shabbos project page A3

A2 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016

community

Blessing of the pets

Scott Littky Program Director, Temple Israel s Jews our relationship to animals has always been a special one. We see this in both Jewish texts and in modernity. In Proverbs, 12:10 we learn, “a righteous man knows the soul of his animal.” The Jewish value of Tza’ar ba’alei chayim (literally means: “the suffering of living creatures”) is the principle which bans inflicting unnecessary pain on animals. Even the modern animal Humane Society has its roots in the concept of tza’ar ba’alei chayim. We learn in the Midrash that it was human beings who gave names to all the animals. Our most recent Nobel Prize in Literature winner, Bob Dylan in 1979 wrote a song titled, Man Gave Names to all the Animals. In the song he states, “In the beginning, in the beginning, Man gave names to all the animals, in the beginning, long time ago.” Further in Torah we learn that just like people, animals must have a day of rest. Our Torah reading for this coming Shabbat is Noah. God calls upon Noah to build an ark, and to load his family and animals onto the ark so they will be saved from the destruction that will soon be happening. In the Torah we learn of bringing two of some animals and seven of other types onto the ark. In the end Noah, his family and the saved animals begin to resettle the world again after the flood. For the past number of years we have honored the story of Noah and our dedication to the wellbeing of animals by holding a Blessing of the Pets event on a

Sunday morning before the end of classes and when the Parsha of Noah is being read. This year our Blessing of the Pets will be held Sunday, oct. 30 at 11:45 a.m. in front of the entrance to Temple Israel. All are

welcome to bring their friendly dogs, cats, horses, goats and elephants to participate and join in receiving a blessing from our Clergy! Our annual blessing of the pets is open to the community and all are welcome. We do ask that you do not bring your pets into the building. For more information on this or other events at Temple Israel, please contact, Program Director, Scott Littky at 402.556.6536.

Mainstreeters

continued from page A1 with the Omaha Symphony, Ms. Zuniga teaches piano privately and accompanies musicians in and around Omaha for various concerts and competitions. An Ice Cream Social will follow the performance. There is no admission charge; all are welcome. This concert is sponsored by The Ruth Riekes Richards Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. A Free Afternoon at the Movies: Trumbo on Friday, Nov. 18, 1 p.m. in the JCC Theater. Complimentary popcorn -warm and delicious -- will be served. No charge. No reservations necessary. Invite a friend. This movie is rated R for language including some sexual references. By the mid-1940s, Dalton Trumbo is one of the most successful screenwriters in Hollywood. When the House Committee on Un-American Activities investigates alleged communist activity, however, Trumbo is imprisoned for refusing to testify. Upon his release, Trumbo is blacklisted and must work using pseudonyms or fronts until he is allowed to put his name on two of his screenplays: Spartacus and Exodus. If you have any questions or would like to enjoy a Star Deli lunch at the Blumkin Home before the show, call Maggie Conti at 402.334.6521 to reserve a table. Lunch is on your own. The Star Deli opens for business at 11:30 a.m. Mainstreeters Luncheon with Bernadette T. Smith on Monday, Nov. 21 at 12:30 p.m. at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home auditorium. Come enjoy the music

of Irving Berlin and learn some facts about this extraordinary entertainer. Bernadette is a musician whose fascination with showbiz greats has led her to explore the lives of such notables as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Judy Garland, Debbie Reynolds, Bing Crosby, and Bob Hope. Her graduate degree in English lends itself well to researching the fine points of celebrity backgrounds and what makes them tick. Uncovering little-known facts about the personal lives of these public figures is always an adventure, and the information uncovered is a joy to share with an ardent audience who loves her heroes as much as she does. Select a 1/2 turkey sandwich or baked salmon with matzoh ball soup, seasoned mixed vegetables, challah and apple pie for dessert with a beverage of your choice. Cost is $10 per person. Make check payable to Jewish Social Services and send to Mainstreeters, c/o Maggie Conti at 323 S. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Deadline for reservations is Monday, Nov. 14. For questions call Maggie Conti at 402.334.6521. Mainstreeters welcomes all Jewish residents of the Omaha area age 60 plus. The group offers a mixed-bag of social events and learning opportunities that give participants the chance to meet new people, exercise their brains, take part in new activities and continue enjoying life to the fullest. Mainstreeters programs are supported in part by grants from the United Way of the Midlands and the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

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Rabbi Joseph Telushkin to present in Omaha

has become known as America’s tutor on all things Jewish. MaRk kiRchhoff Many of his writings have served as guides to ethical living e Jewish Federation of Omaha will welcome Rabbi and his work is filled with hundreds of ways to become a Joseph Telushkin to Omaha for a community presentation kinder, deeper person. His book, Jewish Literacy – e Most on the evening of ursday, April 20, 2017. Important ings to Know About the Rabbi Telushkin has written more Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its Histhan 15 scholarly books, including e tory, is a primary reference text for the Book of Jewish Values, the most widely JFO’s “Exploring Judaism” class. read book on Judaism of the past two Rabbi Telushkin’s visit will serve as a decades. Rabbi Telushkin is a senior asfitting capstone for Beth El Synagogue’s sociate of CLAL, the National Jewish 12-session fall 2016 adult learning seCenter for Learning and Leadership, ries titled Ethics and Values: A Jewish serves on the board of the Jewish Book Guide to Life’s Most Diﬃcult Questions Council, and is the rabbi of the Los An(complete details are on Beth El’s webgeles-based Synagogue for the Performsite www.bethel-omaha.org). e seing Arts. He lives with his family in ries, which begins Nov. 1st and is being New York City and lectures regularly taught by Rabbi Steven Abraham, is throughout the United States. In addibased on topics covered in Telushkin’s tion to his scholarship and writings, A Code of Jewish Ethics, Volume 2: Love Rabbi Telushkin is recognized as one of Your Neighbor as Yourself. e coupling the top 50 speakers in the United States. of these two programs will expand the e Jewish Federation of Omaha seeks to bring nationally recognized impact of Rabbi Telushkin’s visit Rabbi Joseph Telushkin throughout the entire year. speakers to our community on an anMark your calendar for ursday, April 20, 2017 and nual basis. e JFO presents this exciting opportunity for watch for details on Rabbi Telushkin’s visit through e Jewan exceptional Jewish learning experience at no cost to the ish Press, the Jewish Federation’s E-NEWS, and communicacommunity. Rabbi Telushkin is known throughout the world as one of tions through your synagogue. is is definitely an event you will want to attend! our most prolific and respected interpreters of Judaism. He

Rodick Memorial fund

continued from page a1 English language, no clothes other than what was on their backs, and a year-old baby. It took a great amount of courage for this young couple to immigrate to the United States as they were unable to speak the language, no money, no job and a child. But the human spirit is remarkable in its resilience and strength. Leo had been a barber in the Russian Army. Bennett, the Rodicks’ second child, reminisced that, “Dad used to talk about how he would walk into South Omaha barber shops and ask for work by showing barbering hand motions until one day an area barber hired him.” In time Leo had his own shop on 24th and Vinton. Frances stayed home to care for Helen and son Bennett, who was born in Omaha. Bennett said that his mother very rarely spoke of her experience in the concentration camps. He did recount that “she once mentioned being in the lines overseen by Dr. Mengele, who divided people in lines for life/work and for death.” Also, Frances occasionally talked about when she was separated from her mother. Leo would talk more frequently about his experiences in the Red Army – “especially after a glass of schnapps,” according to Bennett. Leo constantly got into disciplinary trouble. However, anti-Semitism was prevalent in the Red Army, so perhaps Leo was singled out because of his religious beliefs, rather than earning those frequent disciplinary actions. “The support of the Jewish Federation was so very, very important in helping them get on their feet. The Federation arranged for their first apartment, furniture, groceries and spending money,” Bennett said. Bennett further related that, “Mom mentioned how they wanted to go to the movies but didn’t know the English word for movie theater or how to get to one. As difficult as it was, they knew that they had support and caring from Omaha’s Jewish Community.” Recalling special memories of his parents, Bennett said, “One that has always stuck in my mind was Dad and I surprising Mom on her birthday with Fiddler on the Roof and dinner at Ross’ Steak House when I was in high school. Dad, of course, became a fervent Husker football fan. Every Passover Seder was special.” Frances passed away in 1992 and Leo in 1995. In memory of their parents, Bennett Rodick and his wife, Gretchen Klein Rodick, and his sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Jack Rabinowitz created the Leo and Frances Rodick Memorial Fund in 1996, with a purpose to assist the day-today living expenses, and to provide subvention assistance in cultural, educational, and career training programs for Jews who emmigrated to the Omaha metropolitan area from the former Soviet Union or other troubled regions of the world. After assisting many new residents, and after the decline of new immigrants, Bennett and Helen and their spouses

amended the fund. Any unspent or unallocated income can now also be used by Jewish Family Service for general help and assistance to needy Jews in the Omaha area. Last year, Jewish Family Service used the fund for rent, utilities, laundry, bus passes, medical bills, gas cards and car payments for those in need. Fund money has also covered costs incurred by the Jewish Family Service Assistance Coordinator to visit with community members at their homes, and to accompany them to receive other services. Throughout the years, the Rodicks’ children have generously donated to the fund to ensure that the fund created in honor of their parents continues to help those in need of assistance. Since the fund’s inception, Bennett Rodick has made donations, keeping the fund viable and enabling it to grow and to achieve the stated goals. Bennett sums up his gratitude for the Federation and admiration of his parents, “I have such deep appreciation for them making a normal Midwestern American home for my sister and me when their lives were anything but. Both Mom and Dad would always talk about how the Federation had helped them when they got to Omaha and they based their lives around their Shul (Beth Israel) and the Jewish Community Center.” With the help of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, Leo and Frances Rodick were able to build a new life for themselves and their children, despite the tragedy in their lives. Their loving children have, in turn, given support to others needing a helping hand. What goes around comes around. The Jewish Federation of Omaha once helped a young family from war-torn Europe to resettle in Omaha, and the children of that couple have been helping numerous others in gratitude for the support given to their parents.

The Shabbos Project

continued from page a1 we light candles and welcome the Sabbath, followed by davening Kabbalat Shabbat together at Beth Israel. A Shabbat Dinner will follow and will include a class by Rabbi Dembitzer, titled The Power of Shabbos. Saturday services are at Beth Israel and the Chabad House and will be followed by a special Kiddush at the Chabad House at 11:30 a.m. The Shabbos will conclude with a beautiful musical Havdala at Beth Israel. Home hospitality will be available, and we hope as many of you as possible will stay in the neighborhood and enjoy a full Shabbat. To RSVP for dinner or home hospitality, contact us at Chabad House, 402.330.1800 or Beth Israel Synagogue, 402.556.6288. Cost for Shabbat dinner at Beth Israel is $18 per family. From the mundane to the holy... the timely to the timeless... the ordinary to the extraordinary... Shabbat can do that... Nov. 11-12.

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November 2016

All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Pat Anson at 402.334.8200. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the events.

FridAy, oCtober 28 Alzheimer’s Support Group, 11 a.m. at RBJH Beth El Serves Lunch at NE AIDS Coalition, 11:30 a.m. at 2723 Q Street. Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Mainstreeters Movie (A Royal Night), 1 p.m. Tot & Family Shabbat & Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth El

SAturdAy, oCtober 29 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El

SuNdAy, oCtober 30 IHE ‘Teaching the Holocaust’ Conference Temple Israel-Breakfast Service at Stephen Center, 7:30 a.m. Klutznick Symposium, 9 a.m. BESTT Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Religious School, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Adult Education Class, 11 a.m. at Beth El TED Talk, 11 a.m. at Temple Israel Klutznick Lunch, Noon at RBJH Auditorium OTYG Meeting, Noon at Temple Israel Klutznick Symposium, 1-5 p.m. Performing Arts Academy Acting Class, 2 p.m. Musical Theater Rehearsal, 3 p.m. Beth El YAC goes to Vala’s, 4 p.m. Beth El Cooking/Serving at Stephen Center, 5:30 p.m. at 2723 Q Street moNdAy, oCtober 31 IHE ‘Teaching the Holocaust’ Conference in Hastings, NE Klutznick Symposium, 8:30 a.m. at Creighton University Klutznick Symposium, 4 p.m. at University of Nebraska Lincoln

tueSdAy, November 1 Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life with Rabbi Abraham, Noon at Whole Foods

R E S TA U R A N T

Our Visit room w o Sh

calendar

We Disp dding Sup lays & plies

WedNeSdAy, November 2 Breadbreakers, Noon at RBJH Auditorium Rabbis & Presidents, Noon at RBJH Boardroom Monthly Kids Learning Chabura, 3:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Religious School, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew School, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Hebrew High Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth El Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life, 6:15 p.m. at Beth El Adult Education Class, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El

thurSdAy, November 3 Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Avot U-Banim, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Talmud Learning, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel FridAy, November 4 Mainstreeters Durham Western Heritage tour, 10:30 a.m. Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH First Friday Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel

SAturdAy, November 5 Temple Israel OTYG Program Temple Tots Shabbat, 9 a.m. at Temple Israel Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El Kids Night Out, 5:30 p.m. FED Event, 8 p.m.

SuNdAy, November 6 BESTT Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Religious School, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El OTYG Meeting, Noon at Temple Israel Performing Arts Academy Acting Class, 2 p.m. Performing Arts Academy Acting Class-Final Showing, 2 p.m. Friedel hosts the Omaha Children’s Museum, 3:30 p.m. tueSdAy, November 8 Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life with Rabbi Abraham, Noon at Whole Foods

WedNeSdAy, November 9 Breadbreakers, Noon at RBJH Religious School, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew School, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life, 6:15 p.m. at Beth El Adult Education Class, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El thurSdAy, November 10 Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Avot U-Banim, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Second Gen Meeting, 7 p.m. Talmud Learning, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel

FridAy, November 11 Temple Israel Youth - Western Fall Chavurah Sandy Nogg Retirement Party, 9 a.m. Alzheimer’s Support Group, 11 a.m. at RBJH Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Kabbalat Shabbat Services, 6 p.m. followed by Shabbat dinner featuring speaker, Orly Gal, Col. (Res.), NATAL CEO at Beth El YJO Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. at Beth El SAturdAy, November 12 Temple Israel Youth - Western Fall Chavurah Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El OAYO Chamber Music Concert, 6:30 p.m.

SuNdAy, November 13 Temple Israel Youth - Western Fall Chavurah BESTT Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Book Club, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Religious School, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Temple Tots Sunday, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El Natal Experiential Workshop, 11 a.m. Beth El Synagogue 2016 Sisterhood Donor Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. at Beth Israel moNdAy, November 14 IHE Governance Council Mtg, 11:30 a.m. Jewish Press Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m. Beth El Women’s Book Group, 7 p.m. will discuss ‘The Bridal Chair’ by Gloria Goldreich FJA Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m. at FJA

tueSdAy, November 15 Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life with Rabbi Abraham, Noon at Whole Foods Board of Trustees, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel

WedNeSdAy, November 16 Jewish Book Month Author Event, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Breadbreakers, Noon at RBJH Religious School, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew School, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life, 6:15 p.m. at Beth El Adult Education Class, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El Scholar-in-Residence, Rabbi David Ebstein, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El

thurSdAy, November 17 Family Night Dinner, 8 a.m. at RBJH Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Middle East Forum, Noon at UNO Avot U-Banim, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Talmud Learning, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel

FridAy, November 18 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Mainstreeters Movie, 1 p.m. Beth El Our Shabbat Tables, 6 p.m. SAturdAy, November 19 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Shabbat’s Cool, 10 a.m. at Beth El Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El JCC Dance Party, 5:30 p.m.

SuNdAy, November 20 Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Religious School, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel TED Talk, 11 a.m. at Temple Israel Musical Theater Rehearsal, 3 p.m. Temple Israel Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, 5 p.m. moNdAy, November 21 Mainstreeters Lunch, 11 a.m. at RBJH ADL Meeting, Noon

tueSdAy, November 22 JSS Board Meeting, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life with Rabbi Abraham, Noon at Whole Foods

WedNeSdAy, November 23 Breadbreakers, Noon at RBJH

FridAy, November 25 YJO NU/Iowa Football Game, 9 a.m. Alzheimer’s Support Group, 11 a.m. at RBJH Beth El Serves Lunch at NE AIDS Coalition, 11:30 a.m. at 2723 Q Street

SAturdAy, November 26 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El

SuNdAy, November 27 Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Musical Theater Rehearsal, 3 p.m. moNdAy, November 28 Federation Board Meeting, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH

tueSdAy, November 29 Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life with Rabbi Abraham, Noon at Whole Foods

WedNeSdAy, November 30 Breadbreakers, Noon at RBJH Religious School, 4 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew School, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Ethics and Values-A Jewish Guide to Life, 6:15 p.m. at Beth El Adult Education Class, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El

ADL joins forces with the community to encourage voter registration

SCott Kurz Administrative Assistant, Anti-Defamation League u vos es importante. Your voice matters. That powerful message resonated through the theaters in Aksarben Cinema on Thursday, Oct. 13 at the voter registration event organized by the ADL-CRC Plains States Region. Students from Omaha Central, South and Bryan high schools, UNO and Metro Community College, along with Life and Legacy and ADL-CRC Board members and Mary and Joel Rich (in honor of their son Seth’s commitment to voter registration) were in attendance to learn about the rights of EVERY citizen to make vital decisions about how our government will operate. “At ADL we wish to bring our diverse community together around common civic and human interest issues. Voting brings diverse communities together in the most important civic and human interest manner. Voting is freedom for all.” said Aaron Weiner, Civil Rights Committee and Board Member of ADL-CRC. Nearly 100 participants enjoyed a short video created by Omaha South High Magnet students, as part of a special program in the visual and performing arts, on the importance of voting. Following the video, the audience was treated to a free screening of Chris Weitz’s 2011 film A Better Life, the story of an undocumented Mexican immigrant (Demian Bichir) working as a gardener in Los Angeles while also struggling as a single parent to raise his teenage son (Jose Julian). Film critic Roger Ebert said “...not the L.A. of Sunset Boulevard or

Rodeo Drive, but the L.A. of restaurants where the kitchen staff is undocumented, of Mexican rodeos, of gang territory, of marginal workers who are essential to the city’s economy.” The Omaha South video can be viewed on ADL Omaha’s web page.

After the film, the League of Women Voters conducted voter registration while information was provided about Warren Buffet’s Drive2Vote campaign, making transportation available to citizens in need on Nov. 8 (the Drive to Vote van was even on-hand out front!) The ADL distributed voter fact sheets in both English and Spanish, and Legislative District 7 candidates were invited as well. The ADL-CRC collaborated with many organizations to bring this evening to the public: Aksarben Theaters, National Council of Jewish Women, Omaha Public Schools, Latino leaders, South High Magnet School and League of Women Voters. The Plains States Region of the ADL addresses issues of prejudice and discrimination that affect the people of Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas to secure justice and fair treatment for all citizens. The office also provides educational programs, monitors and exposes racial and religious extremists and advocates for the enforcement of hate crimes legislation.

snowbirds

Please let the Jewish Press know in advance when you are leaving and when you are returning. Sometimes several papers are sent to your “old” address before we are notified by the Post Office. Every time they return a paper to us, you miss the Jewish Press and we are charged! Please call us at 402.334.6448 or email us at jpress@jewishomaha.org.

The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016 | A5

community eric Carle: A colorful adventure

FJA Children’s museum program

SArA Kohen Children ages two through five and their families are invited to join Brown Bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar at Friedel Jewish Academy on Sunday, Nov. 6 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. as we explore the colorful world around us. The Omaha Children’s Museum will lead us in an afternoon of fun as we will mix up colors, make a rainbow, and learn about the life cycle of a butterfly

and nature through the lens of colors and counting. A snack will be served. This is the second year in a row that Friedel has hosted an Omaha Children’s Museum program for children in the community. Abby Kutler, who attended last year’s program, says her son “Sam had a blast at last year’s event, and it was a great opportunity for parents to see Friedel.” RSVP to friedelacademy@fjaomaha.com.

Sukkot at Temple Israel

a6 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016

community Omaha Adieu, Shalom, Homage, Yasher Koach, Omaha Oliver and Karen POllaK Karen and I want to thank the Omaha Jewish Community for all kindnesses and opportunities to learn and thrive. We arrived in 1974, strangers in a strange land, and depart 42 years later to join our family in Marina Bay, Richmond, California. We had a wonderful run. Omaha is a great place to raise children. After graduating from Kansas and Wisconsin we settled in California. Our experiences at Beth El Synagogue, the Jewish Community Center, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, B’nai Israel in Council Bluffs, NCJW, Hadassah, and B’nai B’rith were exceptional. Jewish learning blossomed at the Friedel Jewish Academy, Schwalb, Klutznick and Harris Centers at UNO, Creighton and UNL. The Philip Sher and Rose Blumkin Home cared for the aged and infirm. The Omaha Jewish Federation, ADL and Institute for Holocaust Education were vigilant. Jewish worship centers relocated westerly. Cultural programming and creativity were fostered by Nebraska Humanities, Nebraska Cultural Foundation, the Nebraska Center for the Book, commercial galleries like Gallery 72, Joslyn Art Museum, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Kaneko, Nebraska Arts Council, Durham Western Heritage Museum, Holland Performing Arts Center, Orpheum Theater, Filmstreams, Friends of Art Omaha, Phillip Schrager Collection of Contemporary Art, Omaha Symphony, Omaha Chamber Music Society, and Tuesday Musical. Of course we are devotees of public radio and television, KIOS (especially Garrison Keillor on A Prairie Home Companion, every Saturday at 5 p.m., since the mid-1970s, and since 1985 River City Folk with Tom May),

Karen and Oliver Pollak KVNO, NETV, and IPTV, vehicles for reducing middle-of-America isolation. Eppley Airport and I 29 and 80 eased the distance between our West Coast and Canadian families. Northwestern Bell and its multiple successors and the internet starting in the early 1980s facilitated communications but reduced letters and postcards. While teaching history at the University of Nebraska at Omaha for 38 years, my research benefited from the Douglas County Historical Society, the Omaha Public Library and libraries around the State, Nebraska State Historical Society and county historical societies, and the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. My first Omaha WorldHerald and Omaha Jewish Press articles appeared in 1976 and 1981. Practicing law, going from paper to online documentation, benefited from the Nebraska State Bar Association. The emerging bicycle path infrastructure, Wabash Trace, Glacier Creek Preserve, Lauritzen Gardens, Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium,

NEBRASKA ROOTS. REAL LEADERSHIP.

Two Rivers State Park, and green spaces brought us closer to nature. Revitalizing the Old Market and the River Front introduced a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Boys Town, high quality medical care and other public services contributed to our quality of life. The food scene improved dramatically. The Indian Oven and Szechuan Chinese restaurants opened soon after we arrived followed by Thai and Vietnamese and the culinary revolution. Immigrants provided palette-pleasing tastes. Toward the end of our stay we welcomed Wild Oats, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, the Metropolitan Community College Culinary Arts program, and weekend markets in the Old Market, Aksarben and Village Pointe. Over half the institutions that excited our passions did not exist in 1974. These are a few of our favorite things, the many complementary and competing organizations that enhance our lives. Acknowledging accomplishments means there is room for improvement. A general spirit of cooperation and volunteerism prevails. This privileged assessment is not unmindful of social shortcomings. We are boosters of Omaha and Nebraska cultural assets. They rely on individual and corporate dedication and financial resources. The scale of our city and state allows intimacy and sharing. Nebraska is a gift and we can only hope for similar gratification in the Bay Area. Thank you to all our wonderful friends, neighbors, and colleagues for your friendship, love and kindnesses for the last 42 years. We can be reached at obpomni@aol.com and kfpollak@gmail.com. With best wishes for 5777 and beyond, Karen and Oliver B. Pollak

Endorsed by the Omaha World-Herald

As Senator, Lou Ann will:

About Lou Ann:

+ Cut Property Taxes & Income Taxes + Protect Local Control of Our Schools + Support Job Creation & Workforce Training

• Fifth Generation Nebraskan • Married to Kevin for 35 years • Four children and four grandchildren • Elkhorn Resident and Homeowner • Former Chief of Staff for U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel • Appointed by Pres. George W. Bush to the U.S. State Dept. • Served in Iraq from 2008-2012 with General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker as part of the Reconstruction Team to stabilize security and the economy • Women’s Center for Advancement of Omaha 2014 Distinguished Honoree

Pictured top: rabbi darryl Crystal teaching us how to properly shake and hold the lulav and etrog; bottom photo: Our Sukkah decorating Team: Mace Hack, Gretchen radler, Bruce Goldberg.

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The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016 | A7

Special guest at Beth El

OzziE NOGG NATAL Head of Outreach. “Children will he Omaha Jewish community also be invited to join the end of the session will have the opportunity to to learn relaxation techniques and stress relearn about NATAL - Israel ducing exercises. To quote NATAL’s Founder Trauma Center for Victims of and Chair, Judith Yovel Recanati, ‘Our work Terror and War - during two pre- is not a privilege. It is a duty if we want our sentations given at Beth El Synagogue by society - our children - to be healthy, thrivrepresentatives from the organization. Speing and hopeful.’” On Sunday, Ifat Morad, cial guest Orly Gal, Col. NATAL, Director of Inter(Res.), NATAL CEO, will national Relations and Despeak on Friday, Nov. 11, velopment, and Maya at Shabbat dinner followTadmor-Anderman, ing services which start at NATAL, U.S. Director of 6 p.m. Dinner follows at 7 Strategic Partnerships, will p.m. On Sunday, Nov. 13, join Ms. Pitlor-O’Meara in NATAL professionals will facilitating the session. present Creating A Safe With 150 therapists and Place – Tools for Staying 180 highly trained volunCalm in A Hectic World. teers throughout the counGeared for parents, grandtry, NATAL - founded in parents and community 1998 - is the largest and members, this experiential NATAL Executive Director, Orly Gal, most comprehensive left, with Judith Yovel Recanati, trauma organization in Isworkshop begins at 11 NATAL’s Founder and Chairperson a.m. and offers particirael, providing vital assispants strategies on how to tance to Israelis suffering talk to children about from trauma primarily due stress and the world in to terrorism and war. An which we live. apolitical nonprofit organiPrior to becoming zaion, NATAL helps all IsNATAL Executive Direcraelis - Jewish, Muslim and tor, Orly Gal served for 25 Christian. Judith Yovel-Reyears in the Israeli Defense Force. As a canati covers all operating and administraColonel, and one of the highest ranking tive costs each year, ensuring that 100% of women in the IDF, she was IDF Deputy donations go directly to patient care. Spokesperson from 1998-2003, heading the In 2004, American Friends of NATAL was entire IDF public relations department. In established to help raise awareness and re2005, she served in the Prime Minister’s ofsources in North America. “Eighteen years fice as a member of the Coordination and ago, NATAL committed itself to the great Strategy Team for the Gaza Disengagement. challenge of addressing national trauma and She and her husband served as Jewish its debilitating effects in Israel,” Kym PitlorAgency emissaries in London and in O’Meara said. “Eighteen years later, NATAL Columbus, Ohio. has helped hundreds of thousands of IsThe Sunday morning session, led by a raelis to live again, providing a path back NATAL Helpline volunteer and training from trauma for those in need and building specialist, offers a glimpse into NATAL’s resilient communities across Israel. While work and its practical application for youth. NATAL’s work began in Israel, our mission How do we help children lessen their stress resonates worldwide, and we feel strongly about an exam at school or an upcoming that our duty lies not only in Israel, but with big game? How do we try to help our chilour friends and neighbors in need. Just as dren make sense of difficult situations with- trauma knows no borders, boundaries, age out affecting them negatively? How do we or religion, neither does NATAL. It is truly explain our current cultural climate and humbling to play a small part in such an ormake sense of the new normal? ganization, and help bring NATAL’s aware“The session will provide a snapshot of ness – and application – to communities NATAL’s unique Helpline and innovative here in the US.” model of treatment, offering practical appliThe NATAL presentations are open to the cation of its tools for children to deal with community. To make dinner reservations, stress in their everyday lives,” explained Kym please visit the Beth El Synagogue website: Pitlor-O’Meara, American Friends of www.bethel-omaha.org.

COMMUNITY

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Your Voice Matters, Because Our Community Counts! In November, professional callers will contact thousands of households so we can learn what programs and services are most needed. Your answers will shape the future of our vibrant Jewish community. So when you see “Count Me Omaha” * on your phone, please… • Answer the call and stay on the line. • Or ask to reschedule, and we will call back at your convenience.

All telephone numbers are randomly selected and answers will be treated anonymously. Interviewers will not know or ask your name or address. This is not a solicitation. *The caller id “Count Me Omaha” will only display on landlines.

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JEWISH OMAHA

A8 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016

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(Founded in 1920) eric Dunning President Annette van de Kamp-wright Editor richard Busse Creative Director susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-schwarz Assistant Editor thierry Ndjike Accounting jewish press Board Eric Dunning, President; Andy Ruback, Past-President; Sandy Friedman, Treasurer; Andrew Boehm; Paul Gerber; Alex Grossman; Jill Idelman; Mike Kaufman; David Kotok; Debbie Kricsfeld; Abby Kutler; Pam Monsky; Paul Rabinovitz and Barry Zoob. 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@jewish omaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha. org.

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Coming together

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press uring this election cycle, it is hard not to think about ‘otherness.’ The many ways in which we all end up in a variety of minority categories are front and center. I find myself confronted with my own otherness as a Jew, as an immigrant, as a parent of an LGBTQ teenager. Take your pick; it is extremely easy to feel a sense of separation. Politics are personal and becoming more so by the day. But while we can dwell on how we are different from those around us, we can also focus on what binds us together. The best way to do that is to seek community, and remind ourselves of the many ways in which we are the same. Jewish Omaha is unique in the sense that we have many opportunities to come together, regardless of which synagogue you belong to, and regardless of whom you are. And no, this is not merely a plug to make you come to event X, Y or Z (although I am a firm believer in those types of plugs, and I’ll get to that later), there is much more to it than that. In 1991, author Mary Louise Pratt gave the keynote address to the Modern Language Association. Her speech, Arts of the Contact Zone discussed those spaces where cultures meet, where transculturation happens, where conflict often is born from the fact that the cultures in question are not viewed or experienced as equal. It was an important speech, and it facilitated many discussions about how dominant cultures both appropriate and influence the ’other.’ In that same speech, Pratt also introduced the concept of the “Safe Zone.” The safe zone is the space where members of the minority culture come together, without anyone from the dominant culture present, without any outsiders, where they can speak freely and be themselves. It’s the notion that some-

times it’s nice to just be ‘among us,’ the way you feel when you’ve had multiple dinner guests and suddenly you find an evening where it’s only your immediate family. Let’s face it; you relax a little more. You exhale, because it’s ‘just us.’

Credit: Olaf Herfurth via Wikimedia Commons

Pratt, in her speech, not only pointed out the existence of “Safe Zones” for members of a minority, she validated them. While we are continually fighting to understand each other, sometimes it’s okay, and even necessary, to take a step back and be among your own. We speak of “echo chambers,” as if they are unequivocally bad for us -- but that’s not always the case. As with so many things, it’s all about balance. So yes, sometimes we need to be in a room with other Jews—and only other Jews. Sometimes we need to make Challah in a room with other Jewish women without having to explain what Challah is, or why it’s important. Sometimes

The North American cantorate is alive and thriving

steveN weiss JTA If you believe the rumors, cantors are a dying breed. But I’m here to tell you that the opposite is true. Because from where I stand, the North American cantorate is alive, well and thriving. For over 60 years, the American Conference of Cantors (ACC) – the largest organization of ordained and certified Reform cantors in the world -- has helped place hundreds of certified and ordained cantors in congregations throughout North America. Our placement system includes full-time and limited service positions, as well as temporary posts, typically for smaller congregations in need of High Holiday clergy. And according to our numbers, 98 percent of our membership is happily and gainfully employed. In fact, this year we had a net gain of five congregations who came to the ACC to help find cantors for their congregations, which means we had more new congregations coming in than no longer employing our members. And what about our unemployment rate? It’s as low as 1.6 percent among our full membership (including honorary, sustaining and retired members) and 2.6 percent for our active membership. As I like to say, the divorce rate between cantors and congregations is significantly lower than the divorce rates of marriages in the United States as a whole! So let me ask you – with so many happy cantors in happy congregations, why all this talk about cantors jumping ship, leaving an unsustainable, irrelevant profession and becoming rabbis? While it is true that some congregations have become smaller and can no longer afford both a rabbi and a cantor, it is also true that congregations that have never had an ordained ACC cantor are now actively looking to recruit one for their professional team. Over the past three years, the ACC has seen an increasing number of congregations in placement as well as a 7 percent net gain of congregations new to the ACC. In fact, of the nearly 900 Union for Reform Judaism

congregations across North America that have more than 400 member units, two-thirds employ an ACC cantor. (URJ congregations with fewer than 400 member units often turn to the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion for student cantors when they are needed.)

cantor Kerith spencer-shapiro of University synagogue in Los Angeles teaching children about the customs of the shofar. Credit: The American Conference of Cantors I’ll be the first to admit that we’re living in changing times. And in today’s postmodern world, Judaism – like pretty much everything else – is also changing. And as our Jewish needs shift, so, too, does the role of the clergy leading our communities in living Jewish lives. But during these changing times, cantors continue to provide an essential and vital role. If you look at the websites of nearly all the congregations across the country that employ ordained or certified cantors, you will notice that rabbis and cantors are listed together under the “meet the clergy” tab. Together, cantors and rabbis provide the necessary pastoral, life-cycle and educational needs that our communities require. On their own, cantors add a unique and spiritual dimension to the worship service that cannot be replicated. Like King David and his harp, the Song of the Sea and the “songs … harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets” marching band that accompanied the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, cantors, in addition to all their other duties, lead us in praising God

we need to go to synagogue without having to explain why we’re hungry, or why we really miss bread, or why we’re particularly happy that day. Every Friday night, when my daughter and I light our candles, I think of the countless other Jewish women who, in their various time zones, do the same. I imagine a wave of light traveling the globe, and I realize I am in my safe zone. I don’t know all these other women personally, but it allows me to focus on sameness, rather than on all the ways I am different. My act replaces separation with belonging. Here comes the plug. Nov. 11 and 12, Chabad and Beth Israel are teaming up for the Shabbat Project (see the story beginning on page 1 for details about the what, when and where). The Shabbat Project is a global, grassroots movement that brings Jews from all walks of life and from across the spectrum together to share Shabbos. The concept was introduced in South Africa in 2013, and by now includes close to 1,000 cities. In 2015, there were 30,000 Jews participating in Melbourne, Australia. In Buenos Aires, 10,000 Jews attended a Havdalah Unity concert, which was broadcast on national television. Posters were hung in the Toronto subway, and a giant billboard lit up Times Square. Support material was translated into a number of different languages and so many people signed up, they crashed the project’s website. Nobel prize winners, politicians, writers, athletes, actors and musicians signed on, and now it is your turn. As far as safe zones go, this may be the biggest and most impressive yet. Remember, it’s the first Shabbat after the Presidential election. I think we can all use some togetherness.

through song and music. As Rabbi Janet Marder of Congregation Beth Am of Los Altos Hills, California, told us: “Having an ACC cantor has made an enormous difference in the life of Congregation Beth Am. Our cantor is a full clergy partner in all respects -deeply grounded in Jewish texts, thoroughly trained to a high professional standard, able to teach, counsel, officiate at life-cycle events, provide pastoral care, work with a range of committees, and engage in strategic planning with colleagues and lay leaders. She not only offers us a beautiful voice and inspiring music; she enriches the life of our community at every level.” Certainly there are cantors who go on to acquire a rabbinic smicha (ordination), but the prevalence of those who have acquired rabbinic ordination online has been greatly exaggerated. For the ACC, in fact, the numbers are almost negligible. When our cantors do seek out rabbinic ordination, we encourage them to pursue ordination that is recognized by our partner organization, the Central Conference of American Rabbis. But none of this changes the reality we see all around us: the continuation of the important legacy of the cantorate. Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, senior rabbi at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, elevated the role of cantors even higher when he said: “The code of Jewish law asks this question: If a community only has the resources for a cantor or a rabbi, which should they select? The answer is that the community should select the cantor because the chazan opens the gates of heaven to prayer.” Cantor Steven Weiss, president of the American Conference of Cantors, is the cantor and director of education at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom in Hingham, Massachusetts.

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The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016 | A9

Why I won’t allow my kids to have personalized Bar/Bat Mitzvah T-shirts JordAnA Horn Kveller via JTA I am about to present a highly controversial opinion. Thankfully, it has nothing to do with the upcoming election. Here it is: Down with the bar/bat mitzvah sweatshirt/ T-shirt. If you have a middle schooler, or know a middle schooler, or have been near a middle school with Jewish students, you know what I’m talking about. You are well aware of the phenomenon. The kids in our local middle school, like in many Jewish neighborhoods, go to almost weekly bar or bat mitzvahs. As a party favor, they receive a T-shirt or sweatshirt with the bar/bat mitzvah kid’s name on it, a logo (yes, that’s a thing) and the date of the event. These are so prevalent that my son’s middle school principal recently wrote the following in a parent association newsletter: “Something to Think About... It’s Monday morning and you are 13 years old and you walk into school, homeroom, the lunchroom, or the auditorium and everywhere you see a group of your peers wearing the same color sweatshirt or pants marking the occasion of a student’s bar or bat mitzvah from the past weekend. And the scene repeats itself virtually every Monday throughout the year. It is a practice that divides and hurts... repeatedly. It fosters a culture of exclusivity and a competition for the greatest number of friends. It is a way of saying who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out.’ Wear the shirts and the pants, but not as a group on the same day. When the group intentionally wears the clothing on the same day, it sends a statement about who was invited and who was not. As a school we hope to create a culture of inclusivity, tolerance, and acceptance at a critical time in the development of our students, but we need the support of parents to change this practice. Thank you for your consideration.” Look, I realize I’m an outlier in a lot of ways. But my oldest son’s bar mitzvah is coming up, and while it will be an amazing simcha, an extremely nice kiddush lunch and a fun night party for his friends, it won’t be lavish by local/global

Credit: Amazon standards. And don’t look for favors because there aren’t going to be any. What? Blasphemy! But here are my reasons: 1. The only purpose of these shirts is to exclude people. If you think it through, it is hard to come to any other conclusion. The whole idea of these shirts is so kids will proudly wear them -- to school, on weekends, wherever. As our middle school principal rightly noted, how does this make the kids who didn’t get invited feel? I agree with him -- battalions of 13-year-olds wearing the same sweatshirt on the same day creates a bad environment at school. However, I’ll take it a step further: I happen to think that wearing these shirts anytime is kind of gross. The entire purpose of the shirt is to show that you were invited to a party. For those who weren’t invited, having that shoved in your face can hurt just as much two months later as it does the day after. 2. Have. Enough. Shirts. I live in a well-off suburb. Many of these kids possess enough clothes that they could go for a significant amount of time without repeating an outfit. Most of these “favor”

When my synagogue banned my baby on Yom Kippur

Ben SAleS CHICAGO | JTA Why did my synagogue ban my baby? It had been more than a decade since I attended my hometown synagogue for Yom Kippur, and it was my first time as a father, so I didn’t know what to expect. But I never imagined standing in the lobby, holding my baby and praying on my own while more than a thousand people sang together in the sanctuary. My wife and I had arrived at the Conservative shul in suburban Chicago around 10 a.m. to spend time with my grandmother -- our 9-month-old’s great-grandmother. The impersonal, cantorial service wasn’t really our style, but we followed bubbe’s lead, going to the most accessible place for her. Only it wasn’t accessible to us. After handing over our tickets, the usher stuck out a palm when he saw our stroller: No babies allowed until noon, he said. The synagogue technically made space for young children. The problem was, it wasn’t where we were -- there was a parallel service a mile away at a public middle school, where kids could roam free. There was also a children’s service beginning shortly in another room. But to be with my grandmother, my wife or I would have to give up being with our son. It was a jarring surprise. The main reason we had come to the synagogue was so my grandmother could spend the Jewish calendar’s holiest day with one of her great-grandchildren. The night before, Kol Nidre, had felt especially meaningful as my wife and I held him in our arms. But that morning, we ended up having to take half-hour shifts: one of us sitting with bubbe, the other outside, in the lobby, with our baby. Our family recently moved back to the U.S. after four years in Israel, and the reverse culture shock can feel especially acute at synagogue. The concept of High Holiday tickets and ushers is foreign at most synagogues in Tel Aviv. Our congregation there was almost built for kids. They ran around in the aisles and grabbed their parents’ legs while they led services. Our friends and neighbors clamored to hug and hold our son when we first brought him on a Saturday morning. Only occasionally were kids shushed -- gently. The synagogue we attend in New York -- like many American synagogues -- is exceedingly kid-friendly. But our

Yom Kippur experience isn’t isolated. Our first month in New York, we were summarily kicked out of a different synagogue when our baby cried. Rabbi Menachem Creditor, in San Francisco, wrote an essay two years ago admonishing worshippers for creating a hostile climate for parents and kids. Writing at our sister site, Kveller, in February, Rochelle Kipnis recalled a congregant asking her to leave the service because her daughter was

JTA staff writer Ben Sales and his son relaxing at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in September 2016. Credit: Ben Sales singing the prayers. A very informal Facebook survey of my friends revealed several similar experiences. “If you feel the urge to react to the sound a child makes in a sanctuary, please know that you are welcome to walk out until that feeling subsides,” Creditor wrote. “Children are cherished parts of our spiritual lives, not distractions from it.” This clash isn’t new -- these ushers, shushers and parents are perpetuating a centuries-old fight between decorum and kid-friendliness at synagogue. A 15th-century guide on synagogue etiquette during the Ottoman Empire said small children should not attend services. According to Jonathan Sarna, an American Jewish history professor at Brandeis University, beginning in the 19th century, synagogues in Europe and America that wanted a more formal feel would discourage any disruption of the prayers -- including crying or children’s banter. Because nearly all synagogues were non-egalitarian until the 20th century, women and small children would often stay at home.

sweatshirts and T-shirts, after a wearing or two, are discarded at the back of the closet -- or appropriated by the moms, who then unintentionally rub my previous point in other parents’ faces at the supermarket. 3. Do a real mitzvah project. If it weren’t beyond chutzpahdik/obnoxious, I would suggest that my kid do a mitzvah project of collecting everyone’s worn-once sweatshirts and T-shirts and donating them to people who actually need them. But in all seriousness, can’t people spend the money they would spend on these favors in a better, more long-lasting way that would actually underscore the commitment kids are supposed to be making when they become a bar or bat mitzvah? For example, here are two things I’d love to see: • Synagogues asking that instead of favors, families give the money they would have spent on favors to a fund at the synagogue that will be used to send young kids to programs in Israel. • Families deciding to spend the money earmarked for favors on their kids’ mitzvah projects instead -- whether it’s advertising for a fundraiser, or simply giving the money to the cause the child has selected. And, in any event... 4. Let’s talk about this. Part of being an adult means not going along blindly with what everyone else is doing, but rather analyzing our choices. Sit down with your middle schoolers and discuss this issue with them. You might be surprised by what you hear. Jordana Horn is a contributing editor to Kveller who has written for numerous publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Forward and Tablet. She has appeared as a parenting expert on NBC’s Today show and Fox and Friends. Kveller is a thriving community of women and parents who convene online to share, celebrate and commiserate their experiences of raising kids through a Jewish lens.Visit Kveller.com.

“Synagogues felt that Jews were being judged on the basis of decorum,” Sarna said. “They became deeply sensitive to having children there because you couldn’t have the kind of atmosphere and decorum you wanted if you had children who would cry at inappropriate moments and the like.” As the 20th century progressed, American synagogues took on an expanded function, and the so-called “shul with a pool” proliferated. Parents joined a synagogue when their children entered school, and synagogues were seen as a central vehicle for keeping children connected to Judaism -but not necessarily in the sanctuary. So while Hebrew schools and social halls would welcome children, many prayer services still insisted on decorum. “The emphasis was a pediatric one,” said Jack Wertheimer, an American Jewish history professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary, referring to mid-century synagogues. “We know perfectly well that people join synagogue when they have children of school age. We know that a high percentage of them drop out of synagogue life when their young child has celebrated a bar or bat mitzvah.” Now, Wertheimer and Sarna both say, there is an increasing trend of welcoming children. The Reform and Conservative movements don’t have official policies on allowing children in High Holiday services, but both encourage making children feel comfortable. Concerns over losing the next generation have pushed synagogues to invite children to services in the hopes that growing up in a sanctuary will help the children stay there as adults. “The pendulum has swung a lot more in the direction of wanting to find ways to include children, to have children present in the shul,” Wertheimer said. “Rabbis particularly are aware that [discouraging children] can be a self-destructive way to go.” On Yom Kippur afternoon, after my grandmother went home to rest, we joined my parents at another synagogue. During the closing service, my son and I both began to get tired: I from fasting, he from, well, being a baby. He squirmed in my arms, shifting positions every few seconds and letting out the occasional cry. Yes, it was a little disruptive, particularly as the service crescendoed to a close. But while I got a few bemused looks, no one seemed to mind.

a10 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016

synagogues b’nai iSraeL SYnagogue

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 402.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

beTh eL SYnagogue

Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org

beTh iSraeL SYnagogue

Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

chabaD houSe

An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com

congregaTion b’nai JeShurun

South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org

oFFuTT air Force baSe

Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244

roSe bLumkin JewiSh home

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

TemPLe iSraeL

Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com

TiFereTh iSraeL

Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

b’nai iSraeL SYnagogue

The monthly Shabbat Speakers Series in october is cancelled. Our services are led by lay leader Larry Blass. For information on our historic synagogue, please contact any of our board members: Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf.

beTh eL SYnagogue

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FriDaY: Lunch at Nebraska AIDS Coalition, 11:30 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m.; Family Kabbalat Shabbat led by USY, 6 p.m. Congregational Shabbat dinner following services. SaTurDaY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Shabbat Speaker, Dr. Leonard Greenspoon; Junior Congregation, 10 a.m.; Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6 p.m. weekDaY ServiceS: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SunDaY: BESTT Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Rabbi Abraham’s Class, “The Bible Now,” 11 a.m.; B’nai Mitzvah Meeting for Grade 5 & Parents, 12:15 p.m.; YAC Goes to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, 4 p.m. Meet at campsite #20 at 5 p.m. for dinner. TueSDaY: Rabbi Abraham’s Ethics & Values: A Jewish Guide to Life’s Most Difficult Questions, noon at Whole Foods. weDneSDaY: BESTT Classes, 4:15 p.m.; USY Board Meeting, 5 p.m.; Hebrew High Dinner, 6 p.m.; Rabbi Abraham’s Ethics & Values: A Jewish Guide to Life’s Most Difficult Questions, 6:15 p.m.; Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. Blessing of the Animals, Sunday, nov. 6, noon USY Lunch & Paintball, Sunday, nov. 6, 12:15 p.m. Sisterhood/Rosh Hodesh Strudel Baking Demo/Class, Thursday, nov. 10, 7 p.m. All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.

beTh iSraeL SYnagogue

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. FriDaY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:06 p.m.; Candle Lighting, 6:06 p.m. SaTurDaY: Scholar-in-Residence: Lawrence Schiffman; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Parade and Kids Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Written Torah, Oral Torah and the Authority of the Rabbis, 10 a.m.; The Dead Sea Scrolls adn the Jewish Origins of Christianity, 12:15 p.m.; Judaism & Islam: Thier Historical Relationship, 5 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 5:45 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:05 p.m. SunDaY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels and Beit Medrash, 9:45 a.m. weekDaYS: Orot Hateshuva with Rabbi Ari, 7:45-8:15 a.m. monDaY-weDneSDaY: Shacharit, 6:45 a.m. ThurSDaY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m.; Lunch & Learn, noon at UNMC with Rabbi Shlomo; Scholars Club, 4:30 p.m. at JCC; Avot U-Banim, 7 p.m.; Talmud Learning, 8:30 p.m.

chabaD houSe

Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. FriDaY: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. SaTurDaY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. followed by a festive kiddush luncheon. SunDaY: Shacharit, 8:30 a.m. followed by Sunday Secrets: Jewish Fun Facts class at 9:15 a.m. weekDaYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. monDaY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani. weDneSDaY: New Tanya Series -- The Anatomy of Your Soul: Who Are You?, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Mendel Katzman. ThurSDaY: Advanced Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Mendel Katzman; Women’s Workshop: The Art of Marriage, 78 p.m. with Shani Katzman. All programs are open to the entire community.

congregaTion b’nai JeShurun

Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. FriDaY: Pre-neg, 6 p.m. hosted by Vicki Edwards; Sha-baba-bat dinner, 6 p.m. hosted by Priscilla Henkelmann and Sandy

Grossbart; Candlelighting, 6:08 p.m.; Shabbat Evening Service/Sha-ba-ba-bat Family Service, 6:30 p.m. SaTurDaY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Bereshit; Havdalah (72 minutes), 7:37 p.m. SunDaY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m. at Tifereth Israel; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m. at South Street Temple. weDneSDaY: LJCS Hebrew classes, 4 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. aDuLT eDucaTion TueSDaY: Intro to Judaism, Session #2, 6:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Lewis. weDneSDaY: Intro to Prayer Hebrew, Session #3, 6 p.m. President’s Office Hours, Sunday mornings, 10 a.m.– noon at SST. If you have any Temple business you would like to bring before the Board of Trustees, potential programs, or new ideas, please let us know! Call for an appointment at the Temple at 402.513.7697. Or if you prefer, email David Weisser at president@southstreettemple.org.

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FriDaY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.

roSe bLumkin JewiSh home

FriDaY: Shabbat Comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m. with Chabad. SaTurDaY: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Scott Weiler. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.

TemPLe iSraeL

FriDaY: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Berezin and Cantor Shermet. SaTurDaY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Services, 10:30 a.m. Bat Mitzvah of mckenna blake, daughter of Denise and Chris Blake; Fall into Fall with OTYG, 6:30 p.m. at 4316 South 174 Street. Join OTYG 9th-12th graders as we jump right into the fall festivities. This includes dinner, storytelling, games, hot cocoa, Havdalah, and s'more making. RSVP’s required. SunDaY: Fifth Sunday Breakfast Service, 7:30 a.m. at Stephen Center; Habitat for Humanity Build, 8:30 a.m.; Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; Madrichim Meeting, 10 a.m.; Seeking Everyday Holiness: The Mussar Path of Spirituality, 10:30 a.m. There will be weekly group meetings and weekly periods of personal study and practice. Advanced registration will be needed; Blessing of the Pets, 11:45 a.m.; OTYG Meeting, noon; Religious School Steering Committee Meeting, noon. weDneSDaY: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6:30 p.m.; Family School, 6:30 p.m.; The Lost Art of Jewish Cooking, 6:30 p.m.; What’s It All About God: An In-

troduction to Jewish Mysticism, 6:30 p.m. with Rabbi Crystal. ThurSDaY: What’s It All About God: An Introduction to Jewish Mysticism, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Crystal. First Friday Shabbat Service and Dinner: Candlelighting & kiddush in the Simon Community Court, 5:30 p.m., Services, 6 p.m., dinner following services. Our First Friday Temple Israel Band be a part of services. Cost is $5/person, max of $20 per family. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536 or rSvP@templeisraelomaha.com, by nov. 2. Temple Tots Shabbat, Saturday, nov. 5, 9 a.m. All children and their families are invited to participate! Enjoy stories, songs, crafts (and bagels, of course!) with your child, while connecting with our Temple Israel community. Chicken and Waffles Lounge Night with OTYG @ Temple Israel, Saturday, nov. 5, 5–8 p.m. Thoughts on Democracy with Dr. Ari Kohen, Sunday, nov. 6, 10:30 a.m. Using the art exhibit in the Simon Community Court, Dr. Ari Kohen, PhD., professor of political science at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, will examine how the different posters relate to the American political system.

TiFereTh iSraeL

Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FriDaY: Services, 6:30 p.m. SaTurDaY: Shabbat Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a Shabbat Scientists Series Lunch and Learn led by Ken Bloom. SunDaY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m. at Tifereth Israel; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m. at South Street Temple. weDneSDaY: LJCS Hebrew classes, 4 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Join us for our Shabbat Pasta Dinner and Birthday Celebration, Friday, nov. 4, 6:15 p.m. sponsored by Steve and Barb Seglin, Al and Lea Weiss and Marcia Kushner honoring all congregants born in October and November. There will be no Friday Evening Services following dinner. Havdallah at the Zoo with Tifereth Israel, Saturday, nov. 5, 5:30 p.m. will be a tour and light dinner at the Lincoln Children's Zoo and Havdallah Service at 6:30 p.m.

To SubmiT b’nai miTzvah announcemenTS

Announcements should be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewish omaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 two weeks in advance of the B’nai Mitzvah. Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, by e-mailing the editor at: avande kamp@jewishomaha.org or online at: www.jewish omaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press.’

bob Dylan’s nobel Prize mention deleted from his website

JTA NEWS STAFF associates of his since the award announcement. Sara Danius, the Nobel academy’s secree fallout from Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize in tary, told Swedish radio on Monday that the Literature has taken a strange turn: e Jewish folk singer’s website has taken down its only brief academy has given up attempting to contact him and could not conmention of the award. firm whether he would Dylan has not acattend the award cereknowledged the award at mony in Stockholm on any of his performances Nov. 10. in the week since the Numerous publications Nobel committee’s Oct. have noted that celebri13 announcement, but ties oen do not control his website made one althe content of their public lusion to it this week on websites, so it is conceiva page promoting a new collection of his lyrics, able that Dylan had no “e Lyrics: 1961: 2012.” input about the award’s bob Dylan onstage during the 2015 musicares e page on bobdylan. mention on his site. Person of The Year honoring him held at Los ancom simply called him Dylan, 75, is the first geles convention center, Febr. 6, 2015. the “winner of the Nobel artist seen primarily as a Credit: Michael Tran/FilmMagic Prize in literature.” songwriter to win the As of Friday morning, the reference has been award, a fact that has stirred a divisive debate in erased without explanation. literary circles. Some writers, such as the poets e Swedish Academy has tried and failed Amy King and Danniel Schoonebeek, have multiple times to contact Dylan through close called for him to turn down the award.

The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016 | a11

Pulverent e

lifecycles In memorIam

florenCe davIdson brody

Florence Davidson Brody passed away on Oct. 19 at age 95. Services were held Oct. 23 at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines, IA. She preceded in death by husband Jack I. Brody, parents Bessie and Harry Davidson, brothers Marvin and Arnold Davidson and sister Maxine Greenblatt. She is survived by sister, Louise Davidson Weiss, Escondido, CA.; daughters and sons-in-law, Jan and Howard Goldstein of Omaha; Connie and Ted O'Connor of Irvine, CA; sons and daughters-in-law, Dennis Brody and Ruth Daniels of Sherman Oaks, CA; Dr. Larry Greenblatt and Norma Ferchaud of Bellevue, WA; grandchildren: Baruch and Ariela HaLevi of Eschar, Israel; Rebecca Rosen Hageseth and Christian Hageseth of Denver, CO; Lanie Sterling of Las Vegas, NV; Scott Slutzky and Allison Stone of Los Angeles; Zachary Perelman of Denver; Mitchell Greenblatt of Bellevue, WA; Makenzie Greenblatt of Seattle, WA; great-grandchildren: Yuda, Maya, Shoshie and Aviv HaLevi of Israel; Jakob and Sam Rosen and Haven Rose Hageseth of Denver, CO; step-grandchildren Hannah, Harper and Hadley Hageseth, Denver, CO. Born in Des Moines, she attended Roosevelt High School and the University of Iowa. Member of Sigma Delta Tau. She moved to California in 1953, relocating to Omaha in 1990. Active member of World ORT, Los Angeles chapter, and dedicated volunteer for Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. Florence worked in the Beverly Hills, CA fashion industry throughout the 70's and 80's. Since the 90's, she was an active volunteer in Omaha's Jewish Community, raising funds for the Annual Jewish Federation Campaign. She received Jewish Senior Services Volunteer of the Year award. She was a source of inspiration and light to everyone who knew her and a relevant inspiration of positive living and giving back to the world for all generations. She will be deeply missed by her adoring family and many friends. Memorials may be made to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, 323 S. 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154.

Palestinians detained after visiting mayor’s sukkah

JTA NEWS STAFF Four Palestinians who attended a Sukkot celebration alongside Israelis in the home of a West Bank mayor were arrested by Palestinian security forces. e celebration took place without incident Wednesday at the home of Oded Revivi, mayor of the Efrat settlement. Revivi had invited several dozen Palestinians living near Efrat to join 30 Israelis in celebrating the Jewish harvest holiday. But four of the Palestinians who attended were arrested late the next day. e reason for their arrest was not clear, but their relatives suggested it was because they were photographed with prominent Israeli army and police oﬃcers, e Washington Post reported. One relative of the detained men accused Revivi of “tricking” the Palestinians. “Instead of helping us, he destroyed us,” Asad Abu Hamad told e Washington Post. Revivi denied the accusations and said he had urged for the four men to be released. “I understand they are upset. I understand what the relatives are saying,” he said. “But was this a trap? is was no trap.”

MONUMENT CO.

Frank L. Ciciulla Jr.

Israeli pharmacy chain working with government to sell medical marijuana

JTA NEWS STAFF Israel’s largest pharmacy chain is working with the government to implement reform that would make medical marijuana more widely available. Super-Pharm has been talking in recent weeks with the Health Ministry to coordinate selling cannabis in some of its stores to those with a prescription, Haaretz Cannabis plant Credit: Kobi Gideon/Flash 90 reported. While medical marijuana has been legal in Israel since the early 1990s, it was previously only sold in specialized dispensaries. Last year, the Health Ministry said it intended to make medical marijuana available at pharmacies with a prescription. It was not yet known when medical marijuana would become available in Super-Pharm stores. “Super-Pharm strictly observes Health Ministry guidelines and is participating in reforms that improve the lives of Israeli patients,” the chain said in a statement. “We are currently studying all aspects and consequences of the subject, with the intention of taking part in this field later on.” A former chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Israel told Haaretz that the group supports the sale of medical marijuana in pharmacies. “We think that this is the right place for dispensing the substance, just as it is for other narcotic drugs,” Miki Ofer said. “Also, economically, we think that this will be a potential source of profit for the pharmacies.” About 27,000 Israelis are legally using medical marijuana, according to Haaretz.

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A12 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016

usnews

The sad truth about watching Fiddler On The Roof with my daughters

Ariel Chesler Kveller via JTA atching Fiddler on the Roof with my children for the first time recently was illuminating in ways I had not considered. I knew my daughters would be taken in by the music, which remains as joyful, vibrant, and moving as ever. I knew they would appreciate seeing some of the traditions we carry on in our own home. And I knew they would get wrapped up in the on-screen relationships, the matchmaking, the comedy of errors, the breaking of tradition, and declarations of love. e humor and hope expressed in the film are contagious. And then suddenly I found myself concerned as I watched my daughters taking in the end of the wedding scene when Russians break up the celebration, destroy gis, and attack the village. I paused the film. e truth is that it is painful to have to Barock violin talk to our children Credit Frinck51 via wikimedia commons

about such things. I think we would all prefer to teach them to be proud of their heritage, to enjoy our traditions and holidays, and to have only positive feelings about who they are. Of course, as Jews, even some of our holidays demand a discussion of painful things: enslavement, oppression, Jew hatred. Yet discussing slavery in Egypt, or defeating Haman, or the Macabees’ victory, seems safe because it is so distant.

In the present moment, my mind is drawn to “the talk” so many black parents have had with their children for generations - a talk that is more necessary than ever given the rate at which black men and boys are killed in this country. Indeed, a new video seems to surface every minute, a new protest every week. e names begin to blend into each other just as the names of murdered Jews over the millennia might. I am reminded that I’ve already been forced to discuss hatred and violence against Jews with my children when I canceled my family’s vacation to Israel during the latest war in Gaza. My eldest daughter was only 4 at that time and so I kept it simple. “ere are bad guys who want to hurt us over there right now and so we can’t go,” I told her. “Jewish soldiers are fighting them,” I added. But just the fact that we could not go and that our people were fighting in a war must have impacted her. I dread the talks I will have to have with my children when they go out in the world, especially to college, where they will likely be subject to hate if they associate with Jewish organizations, if they wear items that identify them as Jews, if they speak out for Israel. ey may see swastikas scrawled on campus, rallies that become violent, professors that teach myths and not facts about Israel and Jews. More broadly, we live in a time when all children may be subjected to irrational hate and acts of violence and terrorism -- from Israel to France to Syria, and even here in the United States. What sort of talk could possibly prepare our children or us for these realities? ere is nothing we can say that will guarantee their safety. No change in behavior can ensure that black boys will be safe on America’s streets, or that Jews will be safe on college campuses or elsewhere, or that people

around the world can rest easy. It does not help to teach children that if only they behave a certain way, racism or anti-Semitism will cease to exist. We don’t have to change or apologize; those who hate do. So, the Jewish people -- and so many others -- remain perched in a precarious position. Turning to my kids, remote in my hand, I found myself wanting to discuss all of Jewish history. “Diﬀerent people have hated the Jewish people in many diﬀerent countries,” I instructed. “In Russia, it was the tsar; In Egypt, it was the pharaoh. Even when we lived in Israel thousands of years ago, people called the Romans attacked us and took over the land. Ever since, we have traveled around the world.” I could give no reasons for this hatred. I presented it just as the way things are. I paused the film again when we reached the end, which shows the Jews of Anatevka forced out of their longtime home by the tsar, dispersed to America and Ottoman Palestine. is provided me with an answer. “is is why Israel is so important,” I told my children. “In our own country we don’t have to run. We can protect ourselves from enemies.” But even Israel oen seems as if it is balanced on a roof “trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune” without toppling over. Why then do we remain there, and why do we perpetuate Jewish identities, traditions, communities, and narratives? As Tevye tells us in the film, we stay because it is our home, and we continue our Jewish ways because without them our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on a roof. Kveller is a thriving community of parents who convene online to share, celebrate and commiserate their experiences of raising kids through a Jewish lens. Visit Kveller.com.

Congressman Brad Ashford Ranked the 6th Most Bipartisan Member of Congress Opposed the Iran Nuclear Deal Introduced legislation to cut his own pay

Paid for by Brad Ashford for Congress

The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016 | B1

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How one popular Palestinian cafe puts women first -- and men in the corner ANdreW ToBiN NABLUS, West Bank | JTA e “Mountain of Fire.” e “terror capital” of the West Bank. is city has earned its militant nicknames with generations of violent resistance, whether aimed at the Ottomans, the British, the Israelis or the current Palestinian Authority government. Nablus may not seem like an ideal destination for an upscale California-style cafe. But owner John Saadeh is optimistic aer opening Jasmine Cafe here in August. He is following a business plan that has worked for him before: Put women first. Just as when he launched the Jasmine chain in Ramallah years ago, Saadeh is screening men at the entrance and going out of his way to hire women, challenging the traditional norms of Palestinian society. “We’re bringing a little Western lifestyle to the east side of the world,” Saadeh told JTA. “We have people drinking cappuccinos and ladies mingling and men smoking shisha [water pipe] and college students coming to hang out and just socially exchange with one another. “To make all that happen in Palestine, we need to make sure the [gender] ratio is good, so that women feel comfortable and they keep coming back.” In 2011, Saadeh and his father opened the first Jasmine in Ramallah, the de facto capital of the West Bank. Inspired by his time in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he was born and later attended college and law school, Saadeh had long wanted to create a venue where men and women could hang out. “Ever since high school here, I felt a little suﬀocated. I was like: Are you guys serious? We still live like this?” said Saadeh, explaining that every time conflict with Israel flares, social progress stalls or reverses.

“With your boys, you could hang out at the coﬀee shops or the pool hall. But the only places to take girls were restaurants. So I always had the idea for Jasmine in the back of my mind.”

Young people hanging out at the Jasmine Cafe in Nablus, West Bank, Sept. 18, 2016. Credit: Andrew Tobin Aside from personal and business motives, Saadeh hopes to help push his society forward -- and maybe even toward peace with Israel. “We’re living in the past right now, and that’s a problem,” he said. “If we’re going to continue living in the past, we can’t solve anything because the past for us sucks as Palestinians. “But if we look forward to the future, and what we can become rather than what she should’ve become, it’s a positive state of mind for the society, and people don’t have that here. People are walking around like they took our land, they killed our people and stuﬀ. It’s all this negative. You don’t feel the positive vibe.” e cafe is now a brand name among in-the-know Pales-

tinians. On any given day, local politicians and celebrities can be found there mingling with foreigners. Saadeh wants Jasmine to be part of a similar process in Nablus, a Palestinian commercial center in the mountains of the northern West Bank. As he is well aware, there are major obstacles: Recent attempts by Palestinian security forces to crack down on lawlessness led to clashes in the streets. e Palestinian Authority, aer two security officers were shot dead by armed men in the city on June 30, launched raids it said found “large quantities of weapons and ammunition”; thousands marched in the streets in August to protest the crackdown and the death in custody of a suspected “outlaw.” And Nablus is a deeply traditional society, where families guard their honor and their women. “In Palestinian society in general, women don’t really have a lot of spaces that we are allowed to be in,” said Nasreen Hadad Haj-Yahya, the head of the Arab-Jewish Relations Project at the Israel Democracy Institute, who lives in Tayibe, a mostly Arab city in central Israel. “e public space unfortunately belongs to males. And we don’t have places like gardens, parks where you can go with your children. “Nablus is surrounded by a lot of refugee camps, and the economic situation is really bad. As much as anything, that influences the ability to be progressive.” But Saadeh sees the clashes as a sign that the Palestinian Authority is imposing the rule of law. Once it does, he expects economic and social progress to follow. “I feel like Nablus now is similar to what Ramallah was 10 years ago,” he said. “All you need to do is open up a little bit. Bring in little bit of money, some nonprofits here and there, and it’s right there.” Avi Issacharoff, an Israeli journalist who specializes in Palestinian affairs, agreed there were reasons to be See Palestinian cafe page B2

B2 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016

worldnews

Palestinian cafe

Continued from page B1 come here.” working service jobs, especially when the hours stretch into optimistic about the Palestinian Authority bringing Nablus On an average day, Saadeh turns away a handful of men. the evening. under its control, but cautioned that the situation is unstable. On busy evenings it can be dozens. Aer years of screening, It helps that Jasmine’s reputation preceded it from Ra“It’s kind of a gamble, I would say, to open a new franSaadeh said, he has become pretty good at it. But every once mallah, but concerned fathers and brothers still like to chise in Nablus,” he told JTA. “I won’t tell you it won’t hapin a while, a troublemaker slips through. He has had to give come in to drink coffee and check in. Before one hostess, pen. We might even be seeing a process now with these three men the boot in Nablus: one for being drunk, and two Nagla Aburous, a 19-year-old art student at An-Najah Uniclashes. But if something will versity, interviewed for the happen to [Palestinian Aujob, her father interviewed thority President Mahmoud] the management. Abbas, God forbid, the whole “At first, my father refused. story will be completely difHe said you aren’t like the ferent. Forget about quiet.” girls who work. I had to chalIn the meantime, Jasmine lenge him,” Aburous told JTA. has the advantage of being “But aer he spoke to John, above the fray. Located in the he agreed, and now he’s hilltop Rafidia neighborhood, proud of me. He sees that I the cafe occupies an entire come home every night extwo-story building made of hausted, but I’m happy. I like glass, local stone, wood and it here. I’m having new expemetal. Jasmine’s yellow-andriences, and I can be myself.” brown leaf logo is plastered Hiring women is just the on everything from the sigbeginning of a longer process, nage to the menu, which ofsaid Saadeh. He has to eduOwner John Saadeh standing outside the Jasmine Cafe in the Hostess Nagla Aburous sitting at the Jasmine Cafe in Nablus be- cate his employees on how to fers American favorites like Credit: Andrew Tobin interact with, let alone work hamburgers, salads and iced West Bank city of Nablus, Sept. 18, 2016. Credit: Andrew Tobin fore her shift, Sept. 18, 2016. tea. ere is no alcohol, which is prohibited by Islamic law, for trying to sit in an area reserved for women. alongside, the opposite sex. Most Palestinian schools are though the Ramallah location offers it off menu. at’s right. e best seats, on Jasmine’s patio and near single gender, and social pressure can mean segregation Jasmine in Nablus shares a privately secured parking lot the windows, are reserved for women or families and mixed persists even at university. For many young women, workand entrance with a high-end supermarket and children’s groups. Men who manage to get in without women are usu- ing at Jasmine is their first job. play center. Down the street is An-Najah National Univerally tucked into a corner, where they can be monitored. “Some girls are extra sensitive, and some guys are extra sity, the biggest in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, where Saadeh said he does not get much pushback about his feaggressive,” Saadeh said. “So you have to bring the males men and women attend school together in a relatively libmale-centric approach. Many cafes in Ramallah use similar and you have to explain to them: Yes, we all work, we’re all eral environment (although Jewish critics insists it harbors tactics, as do at least two others in Nablus. And people do one team. But the girls don’t have the same experience as pro-Hamas faculty and student leaders). not want to be blacklisted from the hottest new place in maybe you do, and that doesn’t mean they’re not good Still, Saadeh said he must practice a bit of affirmative actown. But complaints are sometimes posted on Jasmine’s workers. It just means they need a little more time, and we tion to keep Jasmine from looking like a traditional coffee Facebook page. have to be a little more patient. Kid stuff like that.” shop, where men while away the hours over shisha and “I get people writing things like, ‘I’m more scared of going Saadeh said the time he invests in the staff helps create Turkish coffee. at means running the door like at a night- to Jasmine and getting rejected than of going to the doctor Jasmine’s female-friendly atmosphere for the customers. club. e basic policy: Women are welcome; men are suband being told I need surgery,’” he said. “Another person Women see the waitresses and hostesses are comfortable at ject to screening. wrote, ‘Going to Jasmine, you might get in, you might not. the cafe, he explained, and the male staff knows how to “If we know you, fine. If not, we are screening for how At least when you go to prison, you know they’ll take you.’” serve them. you look, the way you dress, the way you present yourself,” Saadeh is also picky about the people he hires. Palestinian Aer Jasmine’s grand opening, Saadeh plans to hand off Saadeh said. “We have a lot of female customers, and there restaurants are traditionally staffed by older men. But most day-to-day management and take a long trip abroad. en are men who want to come in and hit on them or just stare. of Saadeh’s three-dozen employees are university students. he will begin scouting locations for the next Jasmine. e I don’t want that business. at business ruins my initial About one-third are women. at ratio has not been easy to leading candidates are Israel and a neighboring Arab counbusiness, which is having people be comfortable when they achieve, he said, as Palestinian society frowns on women try. He is leaning toward Israel.

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Gabby blaiR One of the most enjoyable evenings this Fall took place at the Omaha JCC auditorium on Oct. 13. One hundred local Jewish women shared a unique experience of sisterhood, learning and challah-making led by Omaha Chabadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own, Shani Katzman. One attendee, Marlene Cohen, exclaimed that â&#x20AC;&#x153;This event was beautifully done, educational and filled with spiritual lessons and surprises. Perhaps the best surprise was how easy and satisfying it is to make your own challah! I am already looking forward to Shaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next event.â&#x20AC;? Indeed, the auditorium was transformed into a tastefully-decorated baking hall with seven stations arranged per table for each participant. Each table held a mason jar of beautiful cut fall flowers, a whisk and a wooden spoon, keeping with the theme of the evening. Every station held a mixing bowl, cutting board, containers of pre-measured ingredients, and gloves. Each woman also received recipes, challah blessing pamphlets, music CDs and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mega-Challah Eventâ&#x20AC;? stamped silicon brushes and aprons to use and keep. Tables were assigned in order for attendees to meet new people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was such a fun and unifying event,â&#x20AC;? stated Tippi Denenberg, who is an avid and talented challah baker. She goes on to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was really nice to meet new people and to see women of every age, background and synagogue together in one place. It was also great to see Omahaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Rebbitzen, Laura Dembitzer, happily engaged among the group; and Shani was smart, insightful and educational, as always!â&#x20AC;? The evening began with socializing and noshing on delicious homemade goodies like rugalach, mandelbrodt, and cookie bars, expertly made by Lisa Epstein, along with fruit, black and white cookies, and re-

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freshing berry and mint-infused water, graciously provided by Chabad. Shaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lovely daughters, Esti, Rochi, Chani, Shevy, Mushka and Feigy, were wonderful hostesses and kept everything running smoothly, along with gathering names of those in need of prayer and healing from the attendees. Soon after, Shani called the event to order from a stage set with candelabras and her own challah making station. Once everyone had found their assigned table and met their new friends, Shani started talking about what makes challah different, special, and even mystical, compared to other breads. Cheryl Lerner recited Psalm 121 beautifully in Hebrew and was followed by the group reciting it together in English. From the stage, Shani then led the women in preparing the dough. Each woman had enough ingredients to make one-third of Shaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabulous recipe, which yielded two loaves per person. After much fun and conversation over kneading, the doughs were covered and allowed to rise a little. The women were asked to pull out their phones for a fun interactive trivia game led by Esti, Shaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eldest daughter. As the results were being compiled, Shani spoke to the group about the power of prayer. The ladies were asked to think about a moment in their own lives that they had a prayer answered and to consider the many miracles we are blessed with daily and perhaps take for granted. One woman, Lisa Senal, shared her own very special testimony, and then recited the names of those in need of healing that was compiled earlier in the evening, before Shani led the group in the Mi Shebeirach. Rebbetzin Laura Dembitzer then led the group in the blessing of the challah, after which all the women began working their See One hundred women page b5

Gary Hill, President of CEGA Services/Contact Center in Lincoln, was awarded the Training System Award by the International Association of Correctional Training Personnel (IACTP). The award is presented by the IACTP to recognize an individual who has developed high quality training of personnel throughout an entire correctional system or training department. In the case of Mr. Hill it was presented for his work in helping develop or establish training programs for correctional personnel in a variety of nations. Much of Garyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in developing or improving training programs has been in nations at war or just coming out of crisis. Some of the more than 40 nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mr. Hill has worked in include Somalia, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Thailand, Italy, Japan, Romania, Chile, Brazil, Iran, Lebanon, and Namibia. In addition to working with national correctional systems, Gary has worked with the United Nations and other international bodies in writing training manuals for correctional staff as well as specialized manuals dealing with use of force, working with radical or violent extremist prisoners, working with foreign prisoners, and international standards. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Training and Development for the International Corrections and Prisons Association. Gary is a member of Tifereth Israel Synagogue and serves as the Managing Director of the Nebraska State Holocaust Memorial.

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B4 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016

Ewan McGregor’s biggest challenge: Philip Roth Curt SChLEiEr JTA

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“which, to my shame, I didn’t complete,” he admitted. But McGregor said he hadn’t read American Pastoral until hich is braver: Riding a motorcycle across aer he had been offered the script. He agreed to the role, the length of Africa, or taking on an adapbut as oen happens in Hollywood, years went by and nothtation of a Philip Roth novel for your first ing happened. directing “We got close to the film gig? disappearing, so I threw myFor a second, actor Ewan self into the mix and offered McGregor is stumped by the to direct,” he said. question -- but he quickly reMcGregor threw himself covers. into the book, reading and “I think this [American rereading portions every day. Pastoral] was more dangerHe listened to Ron Silver’s ous,” he told JTA, chuckling. audio recording while driving. As part of his role as a “My goal was to sop it up UNICEF ambassador, in 2007 and sear the book into my the leading man traveled soul,” he said. 15,000 miles by motorcycle And he largely succeeded. from Scotland through EuWhile some might disagree Ewan McGregor starring as Swede Levov in "American Pastoral. rope and across Africa, all the with what he put in and what Credit: Richard Foreman way to Cape Town, South he le out, McGregor effecAfrica. ere his biggest obstacles were potholes. tively captured the book’s essence -- that nothing is what it But staying true to the Hollywood trope that every actor re- seems, that beneath the seeming tranquility of postwar ally just wants to direct, McGregor apparently sought an even American life simmered anger, subterfuge and lies. bigger challenge with his desire to work behind the camera. McGregor also elicits extraordinary performances from McGregor, of course, has spent the past two decades his cast, particularly Fanning, whose emotional turmoil and building a considerable reputation as an actor. Starting with its impact on her family is at times heartbreaking. his brilliant portrayal of heroin addict Mark Renton in But not everyone is impressed -- recent reviews have Trainspotting, he has starred in well-received independent ranged from tepid to damning. e response from critics films such as Salmon Fishing in Yemen as well as blockfollowing the premiere at the Toronto International Film busters like Moulin Rouge! and the three Star Wars prequels, Festival in September was decidedly mixed, most oen sugwhere he portrayed the young Obi-Wan Kenobi. gesting his direction was uninspired. But the inaugural directorial project he decided to take on “I never read critics,” McGregor said. “I never liked to as -- an adaptation of Roth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel -- is an actor -- I find it difficult to read harsh things about my one that might foil the most experienced directors. performance. But I’m under no illusions. I know there were American Pastoral is the eighth movie made of Roth’s some hard ones coming out of Toronto.” work -- nearly all of which have been critically panned and e reviews may be part of the reason he is so actively commercial failures. Goodbye Columbus was the exception, promoting the film -- McGregor is making the rounds these achieving both critical and commercial success on its redays on TV with appearances on e Today Show, Jimmy lease in 1969. More recently, Indignation received positive Kimmel Live! and the like. notices, but failed to gain traction with audiences. He’s been talking to the press, too -- sometimes with unMoreover, unlike Columbus, a novella, and “Indignation,” expected results. a shorter book, Pastoral is longer -- the hardcover clocks in “I was reminded this morning [in another interview] that at 423 pages -- more nuanced and, as a result, more difficult the Swede is not my first Jewish character,” McGregor said. to adapt to the demands of the screen. “I played Jesus in Last Days in the Desert.” And if that wasn’t daunting enough, in addition to directIt raises the issue of how comfortable he was playing a ing, McGregor also plays the lead role of Seymour Levov -Jewish character. Very comfortable, it turns out. a handsome, goyish-looking Jewish athlete turned success“I’m married to a Jewish woman,” he said of wife Eve ful businessman known as the Swede. Mavrakis. “My children are Jewish and we brought them up Yet none of this deterred the 45-year-old Scottish-born actor. as such. It is sort of the only religious experience I’ve ever “I didn’t think it was dangerous at the time,” McGregor had, so I was very proud to be telling this story since half said. “I thought John Romano’s script was beautifully writmy family is Jewish.” ten and got right to the heart of the story. McGregor said he attends synagogue from time to time with “I didn’t feel it was an uphill battle. I didn’t think I had to his family, which includes four daughters ranging in age from reach for something because it was all there in the script. five to 20. Each of the older three have had a bat mitzvah. And if you’re going to start your directing career based on a Perhaps because he himself is not Jewish, McGregor took novel, why not make it an amazing novel?” extra care with Jewish tradition in the film, a touch he American Pastoral is considered among the best, if not the added at the movie’s denouement. best, of Roth’s works. In addition to the Pulitzer, it made “I wanted the Mourner’s Kaddish at the end of the film [at Time magazine’s list of the 100 greatest novels of all time. Swede’s burial],” he said. “It was not of great importance to e book, like some other novels by Roth, is narrated by him, but I think it’s part of what Roth was exploring, if we his alter ego, Nathan Zuckerman, and is centered on Ameri- can turn our backs on who we are.” can and Jewish identity. Here, Zuckerman returns to McGregor had recently returned from Iraq, where he visNewark, New Jersey, for his 45th high school reunion to ited several refugee camps and spoke at UNICEF offices. discover the Swede, his best friend’s larger-than-life big Asked if he had ever heard the expression “tikkun olam” brother, had just died. - he hadn’t -- I suggested that his efforts to repair the world e Swede had seemed destined for greatness: He was a were, in a small way, very Jewish and appreciated. multi-sport star, a Marine Corps officer and heir to the fam“at’s a lovely thing to say and means a great deal to me,” ily’s Newark glove factory. Over the objections of his father, McGregor said, demonstrating the kind of “nice guy” temLou (Peter Riegert), he marries Dawn (Jennifer Connelly), perament that had made the Swede famous in Newark. the shiksa former beauty queen. “American Pastoral” opens in 15 cities across the country “Perfect wife, perfect house, perfect baby,” Zuckerman on Oct. 21 and expands nationally in the following weeks. (David Strathairn) narrates. “Something was smiling down on him. is is the way I always thought it would be for him. He was the Swede.” But it wasn’t to be. His daughter, Merry (played as a teenager by Dakota Fanning), is a stutterer with emotional problems. She becomes radicalized, plants bombs that kill B’nAi B’rith BrEAdBrEAkErS three people and is forced to go underground. e Levov Brad Ashford, the current Nebraska member of the US House of family disintegrates just as the nation around it erupts into Representatives on why he should be retained as our 2nd district repriots, violent demonstrations and domestic terrorism. resentative on Wednesday, nov. 2, noon. For more information or McGregor said he had read Roth before: e Human to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jew Stain, Portnoy’s Complaint and I Married a Communist -ishomaha.org.

Organizations

Herb Berkowitz celebrated his 103nd birthday on Oct. 27. Herbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maternal grandmother (Yetta Newman Schonberger) was a sister of Bob's, Jimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Murray Newman's paternal grandfather (Moritz Newman). Another sister (Zollie Newman Silver) was the mother of Ben Silver (one of the founders of Hinky Dinky along with the brothers Jule Newman, Henry Newman and Albert Newman). Another sister (Lena Newman Newman) was Ted Newmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother. Ted Newman, Jule, Henry, Albert and Sally Newman Hartung were double first-cousins as their mother (Fannie Newman Newman) was a sister of Tedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father (Adolf Newman). Both familes had the surname of Newman. All of these cousins had common grandparents, Elka Jacobvits Newman and Israel Newman.

One hundred women

Continued from page B3 dough into braided loaves of sanctified challah. Once the challah had been fashioned, washed with egg and sprinkled with seeds, the ladies boxed them up into covered foil pans to take home and bake. The group then shared a special Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Chaim together and recognized the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Challah Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sponsors of the evening; Marlene Cohen, Joanie Jacobson, Cheryl Lerner, Patty Nogg and Susan Witkowski. A special thanks was also given to Lisa Epstein, Jeff Platt at Ideal Pure Water and Trader Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for helping with the event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Making challah with so many people at once was a really fun experience,â&#x20AC;? says attendee Lynne Saltzman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was a level of camaraderie and spirituality galore that one doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t often experience and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for next year!â&#x20AC;? Indeed, this sentiment was shared by many at the close of the evening, with calls on social media in the hours after the event for an encore. For more information on the many wonderful events, classes and offerings sponsored by Chabad, check out their website at www.ochabad.com.

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community Parashat Bereishit SHEvI KATZMAN for Chabad PepsiCo, Inc. recently announced their 2025 sustainability agenda. The owner of many kosher certified brands including Pepsi, Gatorade, Tropicana, Aquafina, Quaker Oats, Layâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Sabra, PepsiCoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changes will be felt in many Jewish households. These proposed changes in the company to positively affect the products, the planet and the people were announced at the time of year when the beginning of the Torah is read, starting with Parashat Bereishit. Bereishitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first verse is well known, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the beginning G-d created Heaven and Earth.â&#x20AC;? Creation teaches us how to make our technologically advanced and productive world more technologically advanced and sustainable. We can look at the Torah and respect the way the world was created and the way G-d intended for us to use it. Parashat Bereishit teaches that G-d created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. On the first day, G-d separated between darkness and light; light became day and dark became night. Day One encourages us to use daylight as a time for work and darkness as a time for resting, renewing and connecting with ourselves. On the second day, G-d separated between the waters that are above and below. PepsiCo plans to replenish 100% of the water it consumes in some manufacturing areas. The company also plans to provide safe water to people in high water-risk areas. Day Two reminds us how important water is, how effective and complex the water cycle is. On the third day, G-d gathered the water into oceans and showed dry land. He told the earth to sprout vegetation. PepsiCo is respecting vegetation by improving its water use

efficiency in the agricultural supply chain and by using recoverable packaging which can be absorbed back into the earth to create more growth. We spent last week in the sukkah with walls of wood and roofs of branches,

the dances of the fish evoke our awe and amazement at the intricacies of the systems created. On the sixth day, G-d spread beasts, cattle, and creeping things on the ground. Man was created in the image

Credit: godrunning.com surrounded by nature, surrounded by G-d. The growth cycle created on the third day inspires us to grow, to nourish ourselves and to produce. On the fourth day, G-d created the luminaries in the sky to separate between night and day and to be signs for seasons, days and years. PepsiCo is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere across their supply chain. The seasons mark time, develop change, and encourage efficiency. On the fifth day, G-d filled the ocean with creatures and fowl across the earth and heavens. PepsiCoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zero waste to landfill by 2025 will help protect the fish and the birds. Listening to the songs of the birds and watching

of G-d, to rule over the living creatures on the earth and gave man vegetation to eat. PepsiCo intends to be more respectful to human rights across its supply chain and to implement environmentally responsible agricultural practices and to improve the livelihoods of their growers. By being upright citizens, by respecting and working with one another, we become true partners in creation, not only supporting sustainability, but moving towards an ever flourishing world. Like PepsiCo, businesses and homes are becoming more sustainable, more respectful, and more thoughtful. We are more in tune with the mission G-d entrusted us with, to infuse the world with more goodness and kindness.

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The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016 | B5

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publishing date | 12.09.16 | space reservation | 11.30.16 Contact our advertising executive to advertise in this very special edition.

Susan Bernard | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org

Feast of Tabernacles brings gentile supporters to Jerusalem

b6 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016

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Sybil Kaplan n the book of Zachariah (14:16-19), we read: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is le of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” In 1980, when embassies began to leave Jerusalem, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) was created in recognition of the biblical significance and its unique connection with the Jewish people. Its main objectives are to stand with Israel in support and friendship; to equip and teach the world wide church regarding the purposes of G-d with Israel and the Dance performers nations of the Middle

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East; and to be an active voice of reconciliation between Jews, Christians and Arabs and to support the churches and congregations in the Holy Land. Representatives of the 80 branches of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem in 140 countries come together for an annual Feast of Tabernacles pilgrimage to Jerusalem. is year’s gathering took place Oct. 16-21 with an opening at Ein Gedi, the natural spring by the Dead Sea; on another day, services were held at the Garden Tomb, believed to be the site of the burial and resurrection of Jesus; there was a prayer vigil and choices of excursions. A highlight was a march through Jerusalem, with participants wearing the costumes of their countries. For 2016, over 5,000 people from 90 nations participated. Another highlight of the pilgrimage is a tribute evening to Israelis. For the past number of years, we have been the guests of Pastor Al Nucciarone of the Baptist Church and

his wife, Billie. is year the evening was held at the Pais Stadium, a multipurpose sports arena seating 11,600, and much of it looked filled. e evening program, in English and simultaneously translated into Hebrew, included a dance group from among participants, which performed throughout the evening, a welcome, a group of eight individuals, from among participants, who sang all evening; greetings by Dr. Jurgen Buhler, executive director and Susan Michael, USA ICEJ Director; and a special lifetime of service presentation to a founding director of the ICEJ Board, Dr. George Giacumakis. Focusing on their ICEJ projects, included were: a tribute to the Holocaust House in Haifa for which Credit: Barry Kaplan the ICEJ provided funds to purchase the building and carry out extensive renovations for housing up to 80 Holocaust survivors, which opened several years ago; an Ethiopian young man who had served in one of Israel’s elite army units, awaiting the arrival of siblings; and recognition of the recently-arrived group of Falash Mura from Ethiopia whose transportation was paid by the ICEJ. All evening, members of the audience were waving flags, standing and clapping and singing. Concluding the evening was a video of ICEJ activities in its branches in Finland, Denmark, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Russia, United Kingdom, Taiwan, India, Tanzania, Brazil, West Africa, South Africa, the US, Canada, Bolivia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Cuba. For delegates as well as guest Israelis, it was a joyous, euphoric experience which we look forward to each year.

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The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016 | B7

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Terrorist attacks doubled in Jerusalem in September, Israel says

JTA NEWS STAFF attacks carried out there per month since September 2015. Terrorist attacks in Jerusalem doubled last month comAccording to the Palestinian Maan news agency, a total of pared to August, according to Israel’s security agency, the 274 individuals died during the wave of unrest starting Shin Bet. from Oct. 1, 2015, to Sept. ere were 26 attacks in 30 of this year, including the capital in September, 235 Palestinians, many of compared to 13 in August, whom were killed while the Shin Bet wrote in its perpetrating attacks. Durmonthly report for Seping that period, attacks tember published this caused the death of 34 Isweek. e number of atraelis and five foreign natacks perpetrated against tionals -- two Americans, Israelis in the West Bank one Eritrean, one Suremained unchanged at 78. danese, and one Jordanian. With the increase in On ursday, Israeli Jerusalem, the total numtroops in the West Bank ber of attacks against Isshot dead a Palestinian teenager who hurled rocks raelis in September rose to The scene of a bus bombing in the Talpiot neighborhood of Jerusalem, at a patrol, the Israel De109, constituting a 17 perApril 18, 2016. Credit: Nati Shohat/Flash90 fense Forces said. e incicent increase over the 93 dent occurred in the Beit Ummar area near the city of attacks recorded in August. e August figure was the lowHebron, a flashpoint for terrorist attacks. e Palestinian est monthly tally recorded since March 2015 and the first Health Ministry identified the slain Palestinian as 15-yeardip since then below the 100-incident mark. Ten Israelis were wounded in the September attacks, old Khaled Bahar. compared to seven in August. September saw no Israeli faEarlier that day, a Palestinian man died from injuries he talities from attacks. sustained in 2007 in clashes with Israeli troops, Maan reMore than half of the attacks in September involved the ported. e Makassed hospital announced the death of hurling of firebombs. Mahmoud Jawda, who had been treated at the Jerusalem Despite the increase in attacks in Jerusalem, the Septemmedical center ever since he was shot multiple times by Isber tally was 47 percent lower than the average number of raeli troops in Ramallah.

Sites near University of Toronto defaced with swastikas

JTA NEWS STAFF dian Jewish News that TORONTO the university worked to remove the graffiti as Swastikas were found at quickly as possible. seven sites on and near the Rob Nagus, director campus of Canada’s largest of the university’s Hillel, university in what appears to said his organization be two separate anti-Semitic appreciated how quickly incidents. the university cone first three swastikas demned the acts and renear the University of moved the daubings. Toronto’s downtown campus Nagus told e Canawere discovered late last dian Jewish News that it month. appears the earlier acts Just before Yom Kippur last The University of Toronto of vandalism were unweek, two more were discovCredit: Nat/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 connected to the ones ered on a mural. Two days discovered later. later, another was found on a nearby sidewalk outside the e Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said it was anthropology building. “deeply alarmed” at the vandalism, which “appears to be Similar graffiti were also discovered on the steps of the deliberate acts of hate rather than matters of casual or school’s mining building and on a city-owned road near thoughtless graffiti.” the campus. A University of Toronto spokesperson told e Cana-

Italian prime minister: UNESCO vote on Jerusalem ‘shocking’ JTA NEWS STAFF In a further twist in the fallout over the controversial vote on Jerusalem by UNESCO, Italy’s prime minister said Rome may oppose future resolutions ignoring Jewish ties to the city’s holy places. Matteo Renzi during a radio interview Friday with the RTL broadcaster called the UNESCO dra resolution passed Oct. 13 "incomprehensible, unacceptable and

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B8 | The Jewish Press | October 28, 2016