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Freida Rothman’s jewelry tells beautiful stories
Emotional wellness in a world gone mad Page 2
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor n Monday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m., the community is invited to Temple Israel to meet jewelry designer Frieda Rothman. The event is co-sponsored by Beth El’s Miriam Initiative, Women of Beth Israel, Women of Chabad, the Institute for Holocaust Education, The Jewish Press, the Jewish Federation of Omaha, the National Council of Jewish Women and Temple Israel. “The entire event came about because my friend, Karen Ryan, represents Freida Rothman in the Omaha area,” Susie Roffman said. “Freida expressed interest in coming to Omaha, specifically because she wanted to meet our community of Jewish women, and I was Karen’s connection.” Freida is from Brooklyn- the city that inspires her art. She also draws inspirations from her grandparents, who were all Holocaust survivors. “Freida’s designs honor strength and resiliency through contemporary pieces that reflect her native Brooklyn,” her website reads. “She only sees the beauty in this city as it symbolizes a second chance for her family; for Freida, the urban expanse is replete with tradition and heritage.” She is a second-generation jeweler, “a mother of four and an entrepreneur striving to remind every woman of her See Freida Rothman page 3
O What’s up, L.O.V.E.? Page 5
Freida Rothman
Blending Witchcraft and Jewish folklore Page 12
The 19th Annual Jewish Film Festival with a bonus
REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
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MARK KIRCHHOFF JFO Community Engagement and Education The 19th Annual Jewish Film Festival returns to the Staenberg Omaha JCC with the screening of four films carefully chosen by our local film selection committee. Community members worked their way through dozens of trailers and screeners to submit their recommendations. The series begins on Nov. 20 with two films screened on Saturdays and two screened on Mondays. This year there is even more – something never offered in the 18 previous festivals. Menemsha Films, a foremost provider of films for our festivals over the years, has partnered with Chai Flicks and Jewish commu-
nities across the country, to host their first annual “Hanukkah Film Festival.” New films will be released each of the eight consecutive nights beginning Nov. 28 – 11 films in all – to be viewed in the comfort of your own home. The Omaha festival opens on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater in the Staenberg Jewish Community Center on See Jewish Film Festival page 3
Super Monday
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor The Jewish Federation of Omaha Annual Campaign is well underway. Over 65 volunteers have been busy making phone calls and talking to potential donors. Now, we are ready for Super Monday! Please join us Nov. 15 to support the Federation’s 2022 Annual Campaign. Super Monday is chaired by Terri and Dick Zacharia and Sonia and Alan Tipp. A large group of community volunteers, including members of BBYO, will gather in the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue at the JFO to participate in a two-hour calling event. From 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., we will have dinner and socialize. On the menu we have pizza, salad and
brownies. We will provide training for the volunteer callers, after which it is time to get on the phone! Volunteers will be calling donors asking them for their 2022 pledge and calling donors who have already donated to thank them for pledging. They will write thank you notes, write notes asking for new pledges and help out with food and clean-up. Super Monday in the past was known as ‘Super Sunday,’ and it has a long history. Back in the day, this intense volunteer-driven push was held on Super Bowl Sunday, because everyone would be at home for the big game. Potential donors would answer the phone, because even though they didn’t have caller I.D., they knew what to expect. In Jewish communities around the See Super Monday page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | November 5, 2021
News
Emotional wellness in a world gone mad
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Jewish Film Festival
Continued from page 1 the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus with the documentary, They Ain’t Ready for Me. This is the story of Tamar Manasseh, a black rabbinical student who leads the fight against gun violence on the south side of Chicago. Tamar’s identity and personality combine to make her a force to be reckoned with. The film is in English with a run time of one hour and 28 minutes. On Nov. 22 the Institute for Holocaust Education’s (IHE) selection of Syndrome K will be shown. This is the story of three Roman Catholic doctors who saved Jews by convincing the Nazis that these Jews were infected with a highly contagious and deadly disease that the doctors called “Syndrome K.” The documentary is in English with a run time of one hour and 16 minutes. Shira Haas, award-winning actress in Unorthodox and Shtisel, leads the cast of Asia which will be shown on Nov. 29. Asia is the recipient of multiple Jewish Film Festival awards and Israeli Academy Awards. This film presents the relationship of a mother, Asia, played by Alena Yiv, and her daughter, Vika, played by Shira Haas. Despite living together, they barely interact. Their routine is shaken when Vika’s health deteriorates and Asia must step in and become the mother Vika so desperately needs. The Omaha Jewish Film Festival’s final showing will be the comedy/drama, Standing Up, Falling Down starring Billy Crystal. This is both a comic and dramatic portrayal of a struggling stand-up comedian, Scott Rollins, played by Ben Schwartz, and an alcoholic dermatologist, Marty, played by Billy Crystal. They form an unlikely friendship and give each other the confidence to face their failures. The title of the film refers to the main character’s gig as a stand-up comic, but it also encapsulates the troubled lives of the two protagonists. Tickets for the 19th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival will
be available online for $10 apiece. A discounted “festival pass” for the entire series will be available for $36. All ticketing for the Hanukkah Film Festival will be managed directly by Menemsha Films via HanukkahFilmFestival. com. They are offering a discounted price of $36 for the entire festival if the exclusive code OMAHA is used at the time of checkout. Proceeds from ticket sales will be shared between Menemsha and the JFO. Watch for ticketing details for both experiences in upcoming Jewish Press articles and through the JFO E-News. This year’s film festival is supported by the Frederick J. Simon Memorial Endowment Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, The Samuel & Bess Rothenberg Endowment Fund, the Kenneth Ray Tretiak Memorial Fund, and the Ruth Frisch and Oscar S. Belzer Endowment Fund.
Super Monday Continued from page 1 country, large groups of volunteers would gather to call everyone and gather pledges. If your phone rings on Nov. 15, please answer—we need your help! You can pledge your 2022 gift right then and there and catch up with whoever is on the other end at the same time. Ask questions about programming, reconnect with friends, or pledge online if you don’t think you’ll be able to answer the phone that day. Find the link on our website at www.jewishomaha.org. If you would like to volunteer for this event, please contact Michelle Johnson at 402.334.6430 or mjohnson@jewishom aha.org.
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GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer Perhaps in no other time in history has such a focus been placed on the importance of mental health. Trying to find balance and ways to cope with the world we find ourselves living in- especially today- can be overwhelming... depressing... confusing. In response, the community is invited to Emotional Wellness In A World Gone Mad: Developing Skills to ride the tide and navigate the rough waters that are daily life with Rabbi Shais Taub on Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Goldstein Community Engagement Venue. Sponsored by Chabad of Nebraska with support from a Staenberg Anything Grant and chaired by Rabbi Shais Taub Asher Stoller and Nancy Schlessinger, this event is free and open to the entire community and is dedicated to the memory of David Sherman, OBM. Rabbi Taub is a renowned author, lecturer, columnist and expert teacher of Jewish mysticism who is known for his work in the field of addiction recovery within the Jewish community and beyond. He currently serves as scholar-in-residence at Chabad of the Five Towns in Cedarhurst, NY, and his speeches and classes may be viewed on the website SoulWords.org. Rabbi Taub has delivered lectures and classes on six continents and writes a highly celebrated weekly advice column in Ami Magazine. His first book, G-d of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction, was praised by Publishers Weekly as “a singular resource for those in need.” National Public Radio referred to him as “an expert in Jewish mysticism and the 12 Steps” and the New York Times called him “a phenomenon” after a 2012 visit to Omaha in which he led clinician trainings at Boys Town. The son of a psychologist and a speech pathologist, Rabbi Taub grew up in a Lubavitcher home in Chicago and credits his father’s work as influential in his decision to pursue a career in addiction therapy. He entered this field without any prior training, first leading a recovery group for Jewish men at the Chabad House in Milwaukee in 2006 before starting his own research in the field. He has also developed several groundbreaking works on Tanya including the Tanya Map teaching tool, the JLI Soul Maps curriculum and the audio series Mapping the Tanya. See Rabbi Taub page 4
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Freida Rothman
Continued from page 1 inner strength. Taking design inspiration from the city streets around her, Freida’s signature sterling silver and mixed-metal pieces elevate Brooklyn grit— from the New York City skyline to the steel of the Brooklyn Bridge — into effortless elegance for your every day. Since 2010, she has personally designed each piece of jewelry.” In lay language: her designs reflect the city that’s so obviously in her blood, are unique and strong as well as elegant. But this is about more than jewelry: Freida has a story to tell that goes beyond the surface. Her jewelry isn’t just pretty—its beauty hints at the story that inspired each individual piece. “In the fashion industry,’ she said, “things can get somewhat shallow. I never wanted that for myself, or for the people I design for, so I asked: ‘How can I bring more meaning to it? In answering that question, combined with the examples I had in my grandparents, I came up with the ‘Women of Strength’ campaign.” All four of Freida’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Initially afraid to touch their stories, Freida, like so many children and grandchildren of survivors, wasn’t always comfortable sharing. However, when she presented the idea to a group of survivors, they told her to go for it. “They couldn’t believe a young person wanted to tell their story, and gave me
their blessing. And then my father told me: ‘if not the younger generation, then who?’ Around the same time, a coach I worked with taught me to be my authentic self. It allowed me to connect my work with who I am, with a deeper meaning.” That first campaign was followed by others. For the ‘Honor’ campaign, the second edition of the ‘Women of Strength’ campaign, Freida chose to celebrate women in the military, unsung heroes in our country, who exhibit resilience, honor and courage. Following a day at the West Point Military Academy campus, Freida Rothman was inspired by the sea of black and gold, intricate details of cadet uniforms and the academy motto, Duty, Honor, Country. The West Point-inspired jewelry collection was designed in collaboration with a team of female alumni and features de-
sign details that honor the institution. The Faith-Hope-Love campaign illustrates how the challenges of 2020 have highlighted the strength and courage of healthcare workers across the country and honors these heroes. On Freida’s website, inspirational stories of frontline workers and how they persevered with the help of Faith, Hope and Love are shared. Beyond reflecting the spirit of strength and determination in her jewelry, Freida supports new emerging talent by serving as a mentor on the Accessories Innovation Committee. She’s also a proud member of the Female Founder Collective, a network of businesses led by women, supporting women. Recognized by the FGI Rising Star Awards, Freida was a finalist in the Accessories category in both 2016 and 2017. In 2019, she received the Centurion Design Award for Designer Jewelry under $1,500 for a piece from her 2019 Fleur Bloom Collection. Humbled by her accolades, the most rewarding part of Freida’s work remains hearing from and connecting with the women who wear her pieces as reminders of their own strength, determination and accomplishments. Please visit www.freidarothman. com to familiarize yourself with her different campaigns and to see her designs. For more information about the Nov. 8 event, please contact Susie Norton at Susie.norton@icloud.com.
Vehicle donations: Turn old cars into mitzvah mobiles! GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer Visiting the ill. Providing chaplain services in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies. Preparing and delivering challah, food and holiday gifts throughout the community. Running a food pantry. Hosting the medically fragile who travel to Omaha for the excellent health care available here. Serving various needs - religious and otherwisewithin the metro and region beyond it. Chabad of Nebraska lives up to the motto of ‘doing one more mitzvah.’ When acknowledged for their work, Chabad is humble and points out that much of the work they do is made possible only with G-d’s help and support from the people throughout the community. One way to help Chabad of Nebraska continue their good work is through vehicle donation. If you happen to have a vehicle that you are ready to part with perhaps you inherited one or are in need of something that better suits you or your family’s needs- Chabad could use your old car as a mitzvah mobile! All vehicle donations are tax deductible and, when a non-profit actually uses the donated vehicle rather than sells it, the write off for donors may be even greater! Chabad covers all the pa-
perwork to make donations as hassle free as possible. “A car donated to Chabad helps to expand our reach,” explains Shani Katzman. “A lot of what we do requires a vehicle, whether we are making visits and deliveries or picking up donations. We have many people willing to help us do mitzvot in the community and being able to provide a ‘mitzvah mobile’ for them to drive is very helpful.” Another important use of donated vehicles is helping out-of-town families
who stay at Chabad’s Hospitality House. “As in the past, we have a family that has just arrived in Omaha for transplant assessment at UNMC. We are planning to help host them for as long as they are here awaiting transplant. Having a vehicle available for this family is crucial as it will allow them the ability to maintain some independence and dignity to move around the city, between appointments and the hospital without having to rely on others for a ride,” explains Katzman. “We also have a local family who is in great need of a vehicle to use as it will provide them a reliable way to get to work when needed, enabling them to better support their family,” shares Mushka Katzman. When you donate a car to Chabad, there is an emotional transfer. You know that your car is going to be put to good use and serve a purpose. The moment you donate it, your mitzvah sets off a chain reaction of mitzvot to come through its use. Please, consider vehicle donation to Chabad the next time you are ready to get rid of your old car! Want to learn about more donation opportunities available? Please visit us at www.ochabad.com/partnerwith us, call us at 402.330.1800 or email us at alissa@ochabad.com.
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Music from the Galilee
“Back home, we strive to strengthen ties between the various ROBBY ERLICH communities in our region. As we travel and share our music, Beth El Engagement Coordinator After a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, the we try to convey the message that our religions and spiritual Galilee-based musical duo Feliza and Or Zohar are resuming traditions should be part of the solution, rather than part of their international tours, the problem.” with Omaha, Nebraska, as “Over the past two years,” their first stop. During their says singer and multidiscivisit, they will visit Beth El plinary artist Feliza Bascara and Temple Israel, as well Zohar, “we have been focusas the Omaha Tri-Faith ing our energy inwards, actCenter. Programing at Teming locally and making the ple Israel is scheduled for best out of a tough situaSunday, Nov. 14. tions. We’ve learned that Beth El and Temple Israel times of crisis can also are pleased to welcome the bring forth positive opporZohars on Nov. 12 and 13. tunities for healing and Rabbi Or and Feliza will join transformation. It’s good to Beth El for Kabbalat Shabbe able to travel once again, bat services (Nov 12) at 6 make new friends, establish p.m. and at Beth El for real human connections Shabbat Morning services and build bridges through (Nov 13) at 10 a.m. Furspiritual worship.” thermore, on the evening After their visit to Omaha, of the 13, the Zohars will Feliza and Rabbi Or Zohar be holding a community will continue their tour in Feliza Zohar and Rabbi Or Havdalah and a Beit Cafe the New Jersey and New Concert at Temple Israel at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday serv- York City area. When they return to Israel, they hope to bring ices and programming are being generously sponsored by the back experiences that will inspire their continuing work to proAlbert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation. mote the values of religious pluralism, Jewish-Arab co-exis“Our area in northern Israel is culturally diverse, with a tence, and creative, innovative expression in spiritual worship. mixed Jewish and Arab population living in a shared society,” Beth El’s Hazzan Michael Krausman said, “It has been our says Kabbalah scholar, musician and Reform rabbi, Or Zohar. See Music from the Galilee page 6
Anxiety and depression in children From the CDC-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Many children have fears and worries, and may feel sad and hopeless from time to time. Strong fears may appear at different times during development. Although fears and worries are typical in children, persistent or extreme forms of fear and sadness could be due to anxiety or depression. Because the symptoms primarily involve thoughts and feelings, they are sometimes called internalizing disorders. ANXIETY When a child does not outgrow the fears and worries that are typical in young children, or when there are so many fears and worries that they interfere with school, home, or play activities, the child may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Examples of anxiety disorders include: • Separation anxiety • Phobias • Social anxiety • General anxiety • Panic disorder Anxiety may present as fear or worry, but can also make children irritable and angry. Anxiety symptoms can also include trouble sleeping, as well as physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or stomach aches. Some anxious children keep their worries to themselves and, thus, the symptoms can be missed. DEPRESSION Occasionally being sad or feeling hopeless is a part of every child’s life. When children feel persistent sadness and hopelessness, they may be diagnosed with depression. Examples: • Feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable a lot of the time • Not wanting to do or enjoy doing fun things • Changes in eating patterns • Changes in sleep patterns • Changes in energy • Hard time paying attention • Feeling worthless, useless, or guilty • Self-injury/self-destructive behavior Extreme depression can lead a child to think about suicide or plan for suicide. For youth ages 10-24 years, suicide is among the leading causes of death. Some children may not talk about their helpless and hopeless thoughts and may not appear sad. Depression might cause a child to make trouble or act unmotivated, causing others not to notice that the child is depressed or to incorrectly label the child as a trouble-maker or lazy. TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION First step to treatment: talk with a healthcare provider like your child’s primary care provider, or a mental health specialist, about getting an evaluation. Signs and symptoms of anxiety or depression in children could be caused by other conditions, such as trauma. Symptoms like having a hard time focusing could be a sign of ADHD. A health provider can determine if medication should be part of the treatment. A mental health professional can develop a therapy plan that works
best for the child and family. Behavior therapy includes child therapy, family therapy, or a combination of both. The school can also be included in the treatment plan. For very young children, involving parents in treatment is key. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one form of therapy that is used to treat anxiety or depression, particularly in older children. It helps the child change negative thoughts into more positive, effective ways of thinking. Behavior therapy for anxiety may involve helping children cope with and manage anxiety symptoms while gradually exposing them to their fears to help them learn that bad things do not occur. MANAGING SYMPTOMS: STAYING HEALTHY Being healthy is important for all children and can be especially important for children with depression or anxiety. In addition to getting the right treatment, here are some healthy behaviors that may help: • Healthy eating plan • Physical activity, at least 60 minutes each day • Getting recommended amount of sleep • Practicing mindfulness or relaxation techniques PREVENTION OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION It is not known exactly why some children develop anxiety or depression. Many factors may play a role, including biology and temperament. But it is also known that some children are more likely to develop anxiety or depression when they experience trauma or stress, when maltreated, when bullied or rejected by other children, or when their parents have anxiety or depression. Although these factors appear to increase the risk for anxiety or depression, there are ways to decrease the chance that children experience them. The Mental Health Series is presented by The Jewish Press and the Jennifer Beth Kay Memorial Fund. If you need need help call the National Suicide Hotline 800.273.8255.
Rabbi Taub Continued from page 2 Rabbi and Shani Katzman are thrilled to finally welcome Rabbi Taub back to Omaha. “We had planned to host a lecture with Rabbi Taub which was delayed due to the onset of the Pandemic. In retrospect, what better time than now to have such a resource come to speak? The anxieties and struggles so many have faced since the pandemic began and the sheer exhaustion of having it now be part of our everyday lives takes a toll. Rabbi Taub will share insights and ways to manage our struggles and sustain ourselves in the current situation we find ourselves living in. He is sophisticated, well read, relatable, warm and easy to connect with. We urge all in the community to attend and learn.” RSVPs are kindly requested at ochabad.com/rsvp. For more information, please call 402.330.1800.
The Jewish Press | November 5, 2021 | 5
Israel travel restriction update SHIRA HANAU JTA Israel just moved one step closer to allowing tourists back into the country — as long as they are vaccinated. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet and the country’s health minister Nitzan Horowitz approved a plan that would allow foreign tourists back into the country beginning Nov. 1. Since the beginning of the pandemic, tourists have only been allowed to enter the country with special approval and have been subject to mandatory quarantines and multiple COVID-19 tests. Entry permits have been granted only to certain kinds of people, including immediate family members of Israeli citizens. That has left millions of Jews around the world cut off from the country to which barrier-free travel has been a hallmark of Jewish life. Under the new plan, vaccinated tourists will be able to enter freely and will not have to quarantine after arriving. It is unclear whether children under age 12 will be able to enter the country under the new plan. Children five and older are expected to become eligible for vaccination next month, but they will not be able to be fully vaccinated until the end of the year and no timeline yet exists for vaccination of younger children. There could also be complications for tourists coming from countries where booster shots are not yet widely available, including the U.S. Based on emerging evidence about waning immunity, Israel requires booster shots six months after vaccination, and tourists whose last shot was more than 180 days ago are not eligible for entry under the new plan.
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What’s up, L.O.V.E.? GABBY BLAIR Jewish Press Staff Writer As L.O.V.E. prepares to mark its 50th year of service to Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Residents, the League of Volunteers to the Elderly has been keeping busy and have some big announcements to make! Co-President Gretchen Radler first shares that the long-awaited linen warmers have arrived just in time to ward off autumn chills. “I am so excited to announce that all four commercial-sized linen warmers have finally arrived! With supply chain disruptions and restrictions accessing the Home over the past year for installation etc., this special gift to our Residents is finally realized and what better time than as we go into chilly weather! Currently the warmers are housed in the spa area which is a very useful and centrally located place for them until they can be incorporated into each neighborhood. Warmed blankets and towels have been shown to provide therapeutic comfort in healthcare settings and will now be available to all Residents. Special thanks to the Staenberg Family Anything Grant, which helped to cover half of the cost of one warmer.” In addition to the linen warmers, L.O.V.E. has recently gifted three new
Above: RBJH Resident Mary Kaiman uses the latest iPad with iPad stand with Christina Caniglia, Assistant Director of Activities. “ The stand is such high-quality – it never tips over!” Below: RBJH Resident Jerry Freeman tested out a toasty towel fresh out of the warmer.
iPads complete with cases and stands to RBJH Residents. “Impacts on in-person visits have been one of the most detrimental aspects of the pandemic on Residents and their friends and families. As Covid cases continue to rise, it is likely that restrictions to the Home will again tighten. Thankfully we live in an age where virtual visits are a reality with the proper technology. The RBJH purchased a brand new iPad to test out response by Residents and families and it has been very popular. As a result, L.O.V.E., working in partnership with Nebraska Furniture Mart who provided a generous discount, purchased three additional iPads so that each neighborhood has its own dedicated device. The response has been overwhelming and the L.O.V.E. Board is so pleased to be able to do something that will ensure that Residents and families will be able to have face-to-face visits in the eventuality they cannot be in person.” “Since the start of the Covid Pandemic, L.O.V.E. has had to learn to pivot, be flexible and adapt as we are not able to do many things the way we always have in the past,” shares Radler. She references the annual L.O.V.E Game Day tradition as an example. “Earlier this year, we were really hoping See What’s up, L.O.V.E.? page 6
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Music from the Galilee Continud from page 4 practice over the last few years, to introduce different approaches to our sacred liturgical traditions to our Omaha community. Rabbi Zohar and Feliza not only present fresh, exciting and engaging musical interpretations of our prayers but they represent an Israeli liberal musical culture that we in Omaha rarely have a chance to experience. This is a unique opportunity to welcome some incredibly talented and sensitive artists and teachers to Beth El but also strengthen our connection to the land and people of Israel.” For Cantor Joanna Alexander at Temple Israel, she is looking forward to the community collaboration and the Zohar’s wealth of expertise. “I am so excited to learn from and sing with my friends and colleagues, Rabbi Or and Feliza Zohar. It is such an exciting opportunity to collaborate between both the Jewish communities and the Tri-Faith communities as we learn music, worship and the stories of shared living in the Holy Land.” Rabbi Or and Feliza Zohar are extraordinarily compelling teachers and performers. The
music which he and his wife, Feliza, have created together makes traditional Jewish texts dance to new melodies and rhythms, joyful and contemplative and spiritually provocative. Or is the Hebrew word for light; Rabbi Or Zohar cultivates and shares the light of Torah. Our community is thrilled and privileged to welcome them to our community here in Omaha, and hope you’ll join us in being with Rabbi Zohar and Feliza and spreading the light that they bring! No reservations are required for the weekend programming at Beth El. Livestream will be available for Kabbalat Shabbat Services and for Shabbat Morning Services. Visit www.bethel-omaha.org for additional information or contact Robby Erlich, Engagement Coordinator at rerlich@bethel-oma ha.org. Advanced registration is encouraged for the Community Havdalah and Beit Cafe Concert at Temple Israel on the evening of Nov. 13. Please visit www.templeisraelomaha.com to get more information and to RSVP.
ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS The Monsky Lodge of B’nai B’rith is pleased to announce the resumption of its award-winning speaker program via ZOOM. Although the Home auditorium remains temporarily closed, we’ll continue presenting an outstanding lineup of thought-provoking keynoters. For specific speaker information and/or to be placed on the email list, please contact Breadbreakers chair Gary Javitch at breadbreakersomaha@gmail.com or leave a message at the B’nai B’rith JCC office 402.334.6443
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What’s up, L.O.V.E.?
go towards improving entertainment, recreContinued from page 5 to hold our annual Game Day in person as ation and comfort options for all Residents. we have traditionally done, but in order to Look for our annual campaign newsletter minimize the chance of spreading illnesses after the first the of the year! to Residents and reduce the risk of another RBJH lockdown, we have decided on a Virtual Bingo Game Fundraiser in January. This remote event will be open to everyone in the community and beyond, and we will have three Bingo packages available: $9 for one card, $18 for two cards and for donations of $36+ participants will receive two cards plus, for those residing in the Omaha area, the delivery of a delicious treat hand delivered to your front door by one of L.O.V.E.’s dedicated volunteers.” Details for this Aaron Dittmer, RBJH Facility and Grounds Coordinator, installed event are being finalized the new Towel/Blanket Warmer. and will be made available soon! “L.O.V.E. has become an integral part of the L.O.V.E. does request that you mark your Resident experience,” explains Radler. “Until calendars now for their fabulous upcoming Covid, our volunteers spent countless hours All You Need is L.O.V.E. 50th Anniversary Cel- each week assisting the RBJH activities deebration scheduled for June 12, 2022. partment programs and visiting with ResiBilly McGuigan will be performing two dents. Being unable to physically be there separate 75-minute Beatles-inspired Tribute exposed the need for L.O.V.E to be able to fishows; An ice cream sundae bar matinée and nancially support activities from a distance. an evening happy hour. While tribute per- A lot of extra work falls to the staff when volformances will be held in the summer, there unteers cannot be there in person, so we will likely be options for long-distance want to be prepared to offer fun, enriching friends and family to tune in remotely. Exact activities, entertainment and supplies for times and links to RSVP and tune in will be Residents even when we cannot physically released in the spring. be there. In order for L.O.V.E. to be successful, Funds raised during L.O.V.E.’s Virtual Game community support is imperative. All you Day and 50th Anniversary Tribute Shows will need is L.O.V.E and all L.O.V.E needs is YOU!
Top, above, below and bottom: Staff dressed in their craziest PINK outfits for the annual RBJH Pink Out Day for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There were gifts for all staff wearing prominent pink and delicious treats throughout the day for all shifts.
The Jewish Press | November 5, 2021 | 7
Above: Sergio Wilson and his sons Sergio Jr. (6) and Luka (3) spent a rainy Sunday afternoon reading PJ Library books in the JFO Learning Commons.
Above and right: Michael and Carol Parsow at a special apple pie making afternoon in the Noshery.
SP O TLIGHT
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.
Above, below and left: Fun at Temple Israel’s Tot Shabbat!
8 | The Jewish Press | November 5, 2021
Voices
The Jewish Press (Founded in 1920)
Margie Gutnik President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Mary Bachteler Accounting Jewish Press Board Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen; David Finkelstein; Bracha Goldsweig; Mary Sue Grossman; Les Kay; Natasha Kraft; Chuck Lucoff; Joseph Pinson; Andy Shefsky and Amy Tipp. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Life, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha. org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.
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We need to set the bar higher
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor A few weeks ago, I ranted on this page about novelist Rooney, who wouldn’t let her novel be represented by an Israeli company. Every once in a while, we need to be reminded there are people out there who are not antisemites. Wednesday October 26, “more than 200 celebrities signed an open letter opposing efforts to boycott an LGBTQ film festival in Tel Aviv. The letter is a response to calls from activists with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement to boycott the Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, also called TLVFest, an annual film festival showcasing LGBTQ films that was founded in 2006. The letter was organized by Creative Community for Peace, an organization of entertainment industry professionals that works to counter cultural boycotts against Israel.” (Shira Hanau, JTA) First things first: who or what is ‘Creative Community for Peace?’ Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) is a nonprofit entertainment industry organization comprised of prominent members of the entertainment community who have come together to promote the arts as a bridge to peace, to counter antisemitism within the entertainment industry, and to galvanize support against the cultural boycott of Israel. According to their website, the CCFP was founded in 2012 “by David Renzer and Steve Schnur and is comprised of members of the entertainment industry who have come together to promote the arts as a means to peace, to support
artistic freedom, and believe in artists and their ability to affect lives and effect change.” Affecting lives and effecting change is certainly something any cultural event in Israel will do, for better or for worse. Either it will increase understanding, or it will bring the haters out of hiberna-
tion. The intersection between LGBTQ+ activism and anti-Zionism, unfortunately, is its own warzone (don’t attend the Dyke march with a mogen David on your pride flag; you’ll be kicked out). It’s all good and well if one wants to support the LGBTQ+ community, but not if members of that community live in Israel I guess? Do they know where Tel Aviv is on the map? Never mind—let me not go down that road. Back to the CCFP and that petition they’re asking
people to sign. “In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds in collaboration under a shared love of the arts, working together towards the common goal of telling their stories, and building bridges of compassion and understanding,” the letter reads. Right there. The phrase ‘bring together’ is what’s central to this whole discussion. When BDS decides to boycott, they do so in the hope the entire event is canceled. That is divisive on a few different levels. It hurts the potential audience, which in Israel is by definition diverse. It takes away the artists’ ability to connect with their audience, which in turn affects their artistic muscles. It cuts off the opportunity of audience members to connect with each other. Anyone who has ever attended any type of cultural festival, whether it is film or music or visual arts, knows you connect with strangers fast when you both love the same thing. Art is its own language and it often allows us to communicate more clearly than were we to use words. So, having that petition is a good thing. I signed it too. But being so hungry for any kind of validation that I’m actually excited that Neil Patrick Harris signed that letter is a little troublesome. We’re getting crumbs and we’re supposed to be happy with it. Enough already. I’m done being grateful when someone decides to not be antisemitic. Can we set the bar a little higher?
Snowstorms, bears and Stars of David RABBI ABRAM GOODSTEIN JTA I grew up Jewish in Alaska. The Jewish community in Anchorage, the city where I grew up, did things their own Jewish way. It was the only kind of Judaism that I knew. For example, I used to think that everyone had their bar or bat mitzvah during the summer, because in Alaska, anyway, that was the best time to invite relatives. Later, of course, I encountered many forms of Judaism. I have lived in Jerusalem. I have worshipped and worked at Jewish communities too small for a synagogue and congregations with over 1,500 families. All these experiences convinced me to become a rabbi. But I would have never predicted that, after ordination at Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion in 2017, I would come back to my hometown as a rabbi. I now officiate at b’nai mitzvah in the very sanctuary where I received mine. As a lover of nature and someone who has grown to appreciate Judaism in smaller cities and towns, I feel Alaska is a great place to be Jewish. While some may think it’s distant and cold, I have always found it cozy and welcoming. Except when it isn’t. This past year, as our state officials and politicians decide on how to best fight COVID, we saw an uptick of people comparing health mandates to the Holocaust. During a contentious Assembly meeting on mandating masks in Anchorage, protesters against mask mandates started wearing yellow stars of David, appropriating the Holocaust and the Nazis’ genocide against the Jewish people. Anchorage’s mayor at one point even exclaimed that the Alaskan Jewish community would support these protesters’ message. A small community of some 4,500 people, far from the large centers of Jewish life, might have been expected to let this go. Or perhaps grumble among ourselves and let “outsiders” object for us. Instead, at a hearing on masks in September, one of my congregants, State Assemblyman Forrest Dunbar, read a letter I had written. “It was heartwrenching for me when I noticed individuals were wearing yellow Stars of David, mimicking my Jewish ancestors who perished during the Holocaust,”
he read, quoting me. “For myself and most Jews, and yet we are surrounded by mikveh possibilities. seeing the yellow Star of David on someone’s chest Every one of Alaska’s 3 million lakes are pristine, elicits the same feeling as seeing a swastika on a and most of them are remote. Every summer I flag or the SS insignia on a uniform. I believe it is a ready laminated mikveh prayer cards for Jewish constitutional right to protest for your values. But Alaskans who wish to enjoy a mikveh experience I request that you do not use symbols that diminish against the incredible backdrop of rugged mounthe 6 million Jews who were murdered during the tains and emerald green forests. Holocaust.” The mayor apologized the next day, thanks to the work of a confident Jewish community that showed him how hurtful his remarks were for Alaskan Jews. Our confidence comes with deep roots. In 1900, a community of 60 Jews celebrated Rosh Hashanah in Nome using a Torah brought by Sam Bayles, a Latvian immigrant who sought his fortune in the Alaska Gold Rush. The Bayles Torah stayed in Nome until after World War A moose pays a visit to the grounds of Congregation Beth Sholom in I, when it was moved slightly Anchorage, Alaska, May 17, 2018. Credit: Margie Bauman, Congregation south (537 miles) to my congre- Beth Sholom gation, Congregation Beth Sholom in Anchorage, Most people’s Jewish experience, I imagine, come where it remains today alongside other Torah from a connection to Jewish institutions, Jewish scrolls with their own uniquely Alaskan histories. professionals and Jewish friends. My Jewish expeTheir stories are much the same as the story of riences seem always to be nestled among the splenhow Jews came to Alaska. Whether through a pio- dor of God’s creations. neering spirit, a sense of amazement or a need to The dispute over Holocaust analogies and its resconnect with tradition in the farthest North, Jews olution was a great reminder that Jews in Alaska have been coming to Alaska since before it was are a part of, not apart from, Alaska. We are not an even a state. isolated shtetl, but rather working members of the I often feel that Jews in the lower 48 consider Ju- Alaskan community. There are several current daism in Alaska to be diminished due to its isolation Alaskan Jewish lawmakers, and we have been repand its limited population. We certainly have our resented in state leadership all the way back to the own unique problems here. Starting Shabbat is a dif- framing of the Alaska Constitution. Prior to the ficult venture when our sunsets are swinging from current Anchorage mayor’s hurtful comments, light most of the night to dark most of the day. Moose three of the city’s previous mayors were Jewish. get in our sukkahs, and snowstorms and bears have We love this place, and we support it in every way prevented us from coming or leaving shul. we can. However, I believe that Judaism is beautiful here. Rabbi Abram Goodstein is the rabbi of ConThis is not a place where Judaism just survives, but gregation Beth Sholom in Anchorage, Alaska a place where Judaism thrives. We have our own and the co-host of the podcast What Divines Us. special Alaskan way of being Jewish. The views and opinions expressed in this article are For example, our community, which has 160 fam- those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the ily members, has no formal mikveh, or ritual bath, views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
The Jewish Press | November 5, 2021 | 9
My fellow progressives ask me if anti-Zionism is antisemitic OREN JACOBSON JTA I’ve spent most of the last decade focused on grassroots organizing and capacity building inside the American progressive movement. From helping build the largest leadership development organization on the left, to launching a first-of-its-kind organization to mobilize male allies into the fight to protect and expand reproductive freedom, I’ve proudly helped elect progressive change makers and pass landmark legislation. I’ve done all of that as a Jew who wears a kippah in public, as someone who, statistically speaking, shouldn’t exist. My grandfather is one of the 10% of Polish-born Jews to survive World War II. Three million of his Jewish neighbors, and another 3 million across Europe, were packed into boxcars and sent to the slaughter, to gas chambers, to the ovens. What I am is central to who I am. So when I saw the statement from the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Sunrise Movement explaining its refusal to march in a voting rights rally with Jewish groups because they are “Zionists”, I understood immediately that it was deeply problematic. Not only did the decision have the potential impact of spreading anti-Jewish bigotry, but it also weakened our movement more broadly at a time when democracy, which is necessary to ensure civil rights, is under assault in America. For many people, the anti-Jewish nature of the statement wasn’t so obvious. When moments like this arise, I get texts and calls from progressive peers across the country who ask: “Is this antisemitic?” To answer the question, I begin by explaining what it means to be a Jew. Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. But Jewish identity is so much bigger and more diverse than religion. Some of us are deeply religious. Some of us are totally secular. All of us are Jews. We’re a people, not simply a religious community. Contrary to what most think, antisemitism is not anti-Judaism in its modern form (several hundred years). It’s anti-Jew. It’s not about how Jews pray, but rather about who they are and what they are accused of doing. Jews get attacked for supposedly controlling the world (governments, banks, media), for being disloyal to our home countries, for killing Jesus, for making up the Holocaust, for being greedy, for undermining the white race and subverting people of color (among other things).
We’ve been blamed for plagues, famine, economic hardship group and ask if that would be acceptable. and war. Whatever major problem a society has, Jews have Even if you forswear coalitions with anyone, Jewish or not, been blamed for it. None of those things has anything to do who thinks Israel is legitimate, that still denies the Jewish peowith religion. ple’s right to self-determination. It says that Jews must be a perCriticism of Israel or opposition to it isn’t necessarily anti- petual minority on this earth subject to the whims and bigotries semitic. Harsh criticism of Israeli government policy may of the societies they live in. For thousands of years Jews tried that make us uncomfortable but isn’t antisemitic. But the Sunrise and failed to find permanent refuge — which, fairly or not, is part DC statement wasn’t about policy. By attacking “Zionist or- of the reason most Jews believe in the right to, and need for, naganizations” in a voting rights coalition, and saying that they tional self-determination in some portion of a contested land. can’t participate in a coalition that inSunrise DC wasn’t interested in the nacludes them, Sunrise DC basically said ture of their shunned Jewish allies’ supit won’t work alongside Jewish organiport for Israel — even though each of the zations (or Jews) that believe the state three groups, like most Jews in America, of Israel has the right to exist. have advocated for a Palestinian state For the average Jew, Zionism has beand for an end to policies by the governcome simply the idea that Israel has the ment of Israel that harm the Palestinian right to exist, rather than an embrace of people, including, but not limited to, the the policies of its government. The Zionoccupation of the West Bank. ist movement got its name in the late Ultimately, only Jews get to define 19th century, but it really put a label on who and what we are and what antia 2,000-year-old yearning to return to the semitism is. Too often in progressive native land Jews were violently forced Credit: Jewish Telegraphic Agency illustration spaces that right is denied to Jews. Inout of (in an act of colonization). That yearning grew over time stead, to justify their own positions, some rely on Jews whose as we failed to find sustained peace and security elsewhere, in- voices, while relevant, are far from representative on the quescluding in Europe, North Africa and the broader Middle East. tion of what constitutes antisemitism. If someone ignored the That’s why when people attack Zionists, we hear “Jews.” We voices and lived realities of 80-90% of any other minority hear them saying that the 80-90% of Jews who believe Israel has group, most progressives would quickly recognize that as an a right to exist are unacceptable, and that Israel, a country that act of tokenization to shield biases (or worse). came into existence with the vote of the international commuI believe in standing up for those who are attacked for the nity and today is home to 7 million Jews, must be ended. crime of being who they are as much as I believe in standing Why is that antisemitism? First, it singles out Jews when up for Jewish life. For me, this work is personal, because I feel most people believe Israel has the right to exist. (In fact, 85% like I owe it to my grandfather. To Jews who were murdered of the general public in America believes the statement “Israel and never had a chance to live. To my peers here who face sysdoes not have a right to exist” is antisemitic, according to a sur- temic racism and bigotry. And yes, because I believe “Never vey released this week.) Second, it seeks to deny Jewish people Again” isn’t just a slogan to hope for, but rather a mission to the right to self-determination by erasing our peoplehood and fight for. connection to the land. Third, it declares that a national moveOren Jacobson is the co-founder of Project Shema. ment for Jews is uniquely unacceptable, while at the same time The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of advocating in support of another national movement. the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its Fourth, it divides Jews into good and bad. Only those who parent company, 70 Faces Media. oppose their own national movement can stay. Only Jews who This article was edited for length. Please see the full text reject Zionism are allowed. Replace “Jew” with any other at www.omahajewishpress.com.
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Synagogues
10 | The Jewish Press | November 5, 2021
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
CHABAD HOUSE
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN
South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154 rbjh.com
TEMPLE ISRAEL
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us via Zoom on Friday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. for evening services. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9:30 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays, 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream followed by Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands Speeches; Jr. Congregation (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m.; BESTT Lock-in Shabbat, noon; Havdalah, 6:45 p.m. Zoom only; USY Bonfire, 8 p.m. SUNDAY: Jo On the Go, 9 a.m.; Siddur 101 with Hazzan Krausman following morning minyan; BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Tots (Ages 3-5), 10 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Stress Management, 7 p.m. with Daniel Hertz. MONDAY: An Evening with Frieda Rothman, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel. TUESDAY: Mussar, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham at Beth El & Zoom. WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-10), 6 p.m. at Beth El; Israel Meeting (Grades 11-12), 6:30 p.m. at the JCC; Singing in the Reign, 6 p.m. with Dr. Leonard Greenspoon via Zoom only; Community Beit Midrash, 7 p.m. via Inperson at the JCC or on Zoom. FRIDAY-Nov. 12: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream. SATURDAY-Nov. 13: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. with the Zohars at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 5:40 p.m. Zoom only; Community Havdalah, 7 p.m. with the Zohars at Temple Israel. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
BETH ISRAEL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. Classes, Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah on Zoom, WhatsApp or Facebook Live. On site services held outside in pergola, weather permitting. Physical distancing and masks required. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbos/Candlelighting, 5:57 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m. with Shiran Dreyer; Daf Yomi, 5:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos, 6:10 p.m. with Rabbi Ari; Kids Class, 6:20 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Havdalah, 6:57 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Daf Yomi, 4:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:50 p.m. MONDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi, 4:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:50 p.m. TUESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping
Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi, 4:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:50 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi, 4:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 4:50 p.m. THURSDAY: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Daf Yomi, 4:10 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:50 p.m. FRIDAY-Nov. 12: Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Deeping Our Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (Zoom); Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbos/Candlelighting, 4:50 p.m. SATURDAY-Nov. 13: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m. with Shiran Dreyer; Daf Yomi, 4 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos, 5 p.m. with Rabbi Ari; Havdalah, 5:51 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
CHABAD HOUSE All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person/Zoom hybrid (Ochabad.com/classroom). For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 6 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Lecha yim; Candlelighting, 5:56 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 6:56 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Parsha and Coffee, 9:45 a.m. MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha Class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen. TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Virtual Pirkei Avot Women’s Class, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introduction to Hebrew Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen. THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Advanced Hebrew Class, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 18 — No advance experience necessary), noon with Rabbi Katzman. FRIDAY-Nov. 12: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 6 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad. com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 4:49 p.m. SATURDAY-Nov. 13: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 5:49 p.m.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. Note: Some of our services, but not all, are now being offered in person. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Steve and Nathaniel Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 5:59 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study on Parashat Chayei Toldot, noon; Havdalah, 6:59 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m.; Men's Jewish Bike Group of Lincoln meets Sundays at 10 a.m. rain or
shine to ride to one of The Mill locations from Hanson Ct. (except we drive if its too wet, cold, cloudy, windy, hot or humid) followed by coffee and spirited discussions. No fee to join, no dues, no president, no board or minutes taken. If Interested please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com to find out where to meet each week; Ben Novicoff’s gravestone dedication, 12:15 p.m. at Mt. Carmel cemetery; SST Annual Meeting, 1:30 p.m. at South Street Temple (with Zoom option); Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. at Peterson Park. Everyone is welcome; just wear comfortable clothes and tennis or gym shoes. If you need a paddle, contact Miriam Wallick by email at Miriam57@aol.com or by text at 402.470.2393 before Sunday. TUESDAY: Tea & Coffee with Pals, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom; Jewish Ethical Teachings Class, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Alex. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Classes, 4 p.m. FRIDAY-Nov. 12: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: Rabbi Alex, Leslie Delserone and Peter Mullin, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Candlelighting, 4:52 p.m. SATURDAY-Nov. 13: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study on Parashat Vayetzei, noon; Havdalah, 5:53 p.m.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
FRIDAY: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME
The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home‘s service is currently closed to visitors.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander. DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY: OTYG Lock-in, 5 p.m. In-Person; Shabbat B’yachad: Voices of the Congregation with OTYG, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or InPerson. SUNDAY: Temple Tots, 9:30 a.m.; Youth Learning Programs — Grades PreK-6, 9:30 a.m. MONDAY: Jewish Law & the Quest for Meaning, 11 a.m. via Zoom. WEDNESDAY: Youth Learning Programs: Grades 36, 4-6 p.m.; T’filah, 4:45 p.m.; Community Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-10, 6:30-8 p.m.; Israel Education for Grades 11-12, 6:30-8 p.m. at the JCC; Community Beit Midrash, 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom or In-Person. FRIDAY-Nov. 12: Shabbat Shira, 6 p.m. via Zoom or In-Person. SATURDAY-Nov. 13: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. via Zoom or In-Person; JFO Israel Teen Program, 5:30 p.m.; Beit Cafe Concert, 7-9 p.m. with Feliza and Or Zohar at Temple Israel or via Zoom from our FaceBook page. This event is co-sponsored with Beth El and sponsored by the Albert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation; Spirit of the Galilee: Interfaith Music and Stories from the Holy Land, 7-9 p.m. the Zohars at Temple Israel or via Zoom from our FaceBook page. This portion of the Zohar weekend is sponsored by Speedy and Debbi Zweiback. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.
Rosenworcel set to become first woman to lead FCC permanently SHIRA HANAU JTA After serving as the acting chair of the Federal Communications Commission, a Jewish woman is now on track to become the first woman to hold the position permanently. President Joe Biden nominated Jessica Rosenworcel, who is Jewish, to the position of chair Tuesday. If confirmed by the Senate, Rosenworcel will permanently assume the position which she has held on an acting basis since January. Rosenworcel first worked at the FCC from 1999 to 2007 before returning in 2012 when she was named a commissioner by President Barack Obama.
Credit: Jonathan Newton-Pool/Getty Images
She has long been a fierce defender of net neutrality, which bars internet providers from charging websites to reach customers faster, and has cited the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, which means repairing the world, in defending the concept. Net neutrality rules, first adopted by the FCC during the Obama administration, were rolled back under Donald Trump. Rosenworcel made the “homework gap,” a term she coined to refer to those children who need the internet to do homework but who lack an adequate internet connection, a focus of hers at the FCC. Rosenworcel and her husband, media lawyer Mark Bailen, have two children.
Life cycles IN MEMORIAM DAVID JUSTIN SHERMAN David Justin Sherman passed away on Oct. 24, 2021 at age 44 after a brief battle with cancer. A graveside service was held on Oct. 27, 2021 at Temple Israel Cemetery, 6412 N. 42 St. He is survived by son, Aaron; former partner, Susan Long; parents, Michael and Patty Sherman; sister, Ali; nephews, Isaac and Noah; friend, Nichole Williams, loving family and friends. David attended Westside High School and University of Northern Colorado. He enjoyed playing guitar, canoeing in the Boundary Waters, skiing in Colorado, Jeeps and writing in Hebrew. He was a prankster, followed by his trademark Sherman grin. Most of all, he loved his son. Memorials may be made to Friedel Jewish Academy, 335 S. 132 St, Omaha, NE 68154.
Greece’s top court rules against ritual slaughter CNAAN LIPSHIZ JTA The highest court in Greece has ruled against allowing ritual slaughter, fulfilling fears that some Jewish leaders voiced last year after the European Union’s top court ruled in support of such bans. Last December, the EU’s highest court upheld the bans imposed in regions of Belgium against slaughtering animals for meat without stunning them first. The ruling meant that slaughter in accordance with Jewish law, which requires animals be conscious when their necks are cut, would be prohibited in those regions, as it is in some other parts of Europe. Greece’s top court did not cite that ruling in its decision Tuesday on a petition filed by the Panhellenic Animal Welfare and Environmental Federation, according to the Greek news site Protothema. But Jewish watchdogs who have been monitoring bans on ritual slaughter across the European continent said the connection was undeniable. The bans on kosher slaughter, or shechitah, are part of a struggle across Europe between animal welfare activists and Muslim and Jewish community representatives. In recent years, anti-immigration activists and politicians who are unhappy about the immigration of Muslims in Europe have joined the debate A similar fight is unfolding around nonmedical circumcision of boys, or brit milah in Jewish tradition.
Israeli and American rabbis: ‘take climate change seriously’ SHIRA HANAU JTA Rabbis in the United States and in Israel called on the leaders of their countries to take the issue of climate change seriously ahead of a gathering of world leaders to address the issue. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet will attend the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which began in Glasgow, Scotland Oct. 31. A group of major Israeli Orthodox rabbis, largely from the Modern Orthodox community, wrote a letter calling on Bennet to treat climate change as a matter of the utmost importance in a letter Friday. They called climate change a matter of worldwide “pikuach nefesh,” invoking the Jewish legal term for the requirement to preserve life, a requirement which overrules nearly all other commandments in Jewish law. “This issue today touches the preservation of life worldwide, in the full meaning of the words,” the letter states. The letter was signed by a group of 20 influential rabbis in the Modern Orthodox community in Israel, including Rabbi Yuval Sherlow, Rabbi David Stav, and Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, according to Israeli news site Makor Rishon. A separate call to action was made last week by a group of American rabbis and other religious leaders in the form of a prayer, modeled on the traveler’s prayer, for Biden. The prayer, composed by Rabbi Daniel Swartz, who serves as executive director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, reads in part: “Through your blessing, may the President lead the world to take the swift, ambitious actions needed to protect this common home, Your Earth, so that future generations inherit a just, sustainable, and bountiful world. May generosity triumph over greed, and may all the leaders gathered at COP26 stand in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable.” The prayer was delivered to the White House and signed by a number of well-known American rabbis, including Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, head of the Rabbinical Assembly; Rabbi Sharon Brous, rabbi of IKAR in LA, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, founder of the Shalom Center, and Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster, vice president of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, who was arrested last week at a climate protest in New York City.
The Jewish Press | November 5, 2021 | 11
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News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D
Blending Witchcraft and Jewish folklore
group. Erev, who first heard the term while attending a RACHEL ROMAN 2014 “Jewitch Collective” retreat in the Bay Area, says JTA Occult practices and totems are a mainstay of Halthey don’t care for it today. loween season, and sage bundles, altars and crystals are “I feel that any word that identifies someone as a an increasingly trendy way to dabble in divination and witch is controversial in nature because of how society, witchcraft. But the spooky supernatural world also has a including Jewish society, has demonized witches leadlong history in Judaism, and modern “Jewitches” are ening to violence and ostracizing,” they said, even though couraging the connection — though their practices often they do consider both witchcraft and Judaism to be slightly differ from their non-Jewish contemporaries. major tenets of their life. “I do not burn sage,” said Zo Jacobi, who runs Jewitches, Cooper Kaminsky, a Denver-based intuitive artist a popular blog and podcast that deep dives into ancient and healer, concurred that the portmanteau was “reviJewish myths and folkloric practices. The sage-related ritsionist” to some, but added, “Many, including myself, ual of “smudging,” an Indigenous ceremony popular are empowered by identifying as a Jewitch.” among modern witches for cleansing a person or place Historically, as Judaic practices grew more patriarof negative energy, “is not a Jewish practice,” she said. “But chal, women were exempt from studying the Talmud Zo Jacobi runs Jewitches, a popular blog and podcast that deep dives into an- and Torah. They knew little Hebrew, so they created Jews had crystals. Actually, they were called ‘gems.’” cient Jewish myths and folkloric practices. Credit: @Vlasta/Getty Images Jacobi and her peers are revitalizing ancient Jewish their own prayers in Yiddish, used herbal remedies and practices of witchcraft, which have been seeing somecentered their religious practices around the earth. Erev demons, ghosts and other mythological creatures. When we thing of a revival as of late. Far from having an uneasy rela- break glass at a wedding, scholars say, we’re not just remem- mirrors these customs by creating magical rituals, like meditionship with magic practitioners, Judaism — or at least bering the destruction of the Temple; we’re also scaring off evil tating on cinnamon sticks during the month of Shvat, hearKabbalistic strands of it — has long embraced them. spirits that may want to hurt the bride and groom. Likewise, kening back to how cinnamon trees in Jerusalem scented the Jacobi, based in Los Angeles, studies those gems’ role in Jewish ancient Jews believed that the mezuzah protected them from land during the harvest. ritual, along with the connections between assorted other mag- messengers of evil — a function parallel to that of an amulet, “There’s a Kabbalistic idea of making oneself smaller for creical artifacts and Judaica. Eight shelves in her home are filled with or good-luck charm. ation to emerge. Connecting with a cinnamon stick is a simple books on Judaism as well as Jewish magic, witchcraft and folklore. “The mezuzah is absolutely an amulet,” said Rebekah Erev, ritual. The cinnamon folds in, and the bark contracts in on itHer studies have revealed the historical ways that items like a Jewish feminist artist, activist and kohenet (Hebrew pries- self,” Erev said. “Sometimes contracting inward can give us gems have been used in Jewish magical correspondences. Like texx, a gender-neutral term for “priest” or “priestess”) who space to emerge and create.” healing crystals, gems are meant to protect and heal based on uses the pronouns they/them and teaches courses on Jewish The goal of many “Jewitch” educators and practitioners, their properties, according to Midrash (Numbers Rabbah 2:7). magic out of a studio in Olympia, Washington. “I consider it they say, is to shine a light on rituals that have been forgotten For example, sapphire was thought to strengthen eyesight. to be a reminder of the presence of spirit, of goddess, of shechi- or buried for self-preservation. Jacobi believes that many folk“It’s in a medieval text called the Sefer Ha-Gematriaot,” Jacobi nah [the dwelling or settling of the divine presence of God]. loric practices died out following the 13th-18th centuries besaid. “But even if we go to the Torah, we see crystals on the Much of magic is about reminding ourselves that we’re all con- cause, at the time, Jews were viewed as demonic witches. breastplates of the kohanim (high priests of Israel).” This story was edited for length. Please find the full arnected and that everything is alive and animate.” Many Jewish rituals today have their roots in warding off ticle on our website at www.omahajewishpress.com. The moniker “Jewitch” itself is controversial within the
