November 29, 2019 by Jewish Press

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JCC Building update

Chabad Hanukkah at Boys Town Page 3

MOMentum Women’s Trip Pages 8 & 9

ANNETTE VAN DE kAmP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press e are excited that the next phase of our campus renovation is taking place! In order to create an engaging campus that meets the needs of its 21st

Epstein@60 Page 16

Elyssa Friedland and The Floating Feldmans at Author Luncheon

inside Spotlight Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles

century visitors, we are updating spaces that need remodeling, re-thinking spaces that could be better utilized, and matching the facility with the modern programming our staff is developing. Classes and programs have been relocated during construction and we

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mARk kIRCHHOFF – a table of eight may be reserved for Community Engagement and Education, JFO $96. Reservations are required by Dec. 4. Elyssa Friedland will Call Mark Kirchhoff at address lunch-goers as 402.334.6463 to make she discusses her reyour reservation. cent novel, The Floating Friedland is the auFeldmans at the Omaha thor of three novels: The Jewish Book Month AuFloating Feldmans, The thor Luncheon at noon Intermission, and Love and Miss Communicaon Dec. 12 in the tion. She attended Yale Shirley and Leonard University where she Goldstein Community served as managing ediEngagement Venue. In tor of the Yale Daily addition to your enjoyNews and is a graduate ing a great Kosher meal, of Columbia Law School. an engaging speaker, She worked as an assoand the opportunity to ciate at a major firm bepurchase her book, this Elyssa Friedland fore turning to writing might be the first time full-time. Recently, Elyssa has written for for you to enjoy an event in this newly-remodeled venue. Tickets are $12 per person The Washington Post, McSweeney’s, POPSUGAR, RealSimple.com and Bustle. Prior to law school, Elyssa wrote for several publications, including Modern Bride, New York magazine, Columbia Journalism Review, CBS Market Watch.com, Yale Alumni Magazine, and Your Prom. Elyssa grew up in New Jersey and currently lives in New York City with her husband and three young children. The Floating Feldmans was a People Magazine “People Pick” and was praised by Cosmopolitan, Bustle, Good Housekeeping, See Elyssa Friedland page 2

appreciate your patience! Over the past several months, you have seen work being done on a number of projects, such as the new dance studios, which are being added to meet program demand. The new dance studios will replace the Social Hall and See JCC Building update page 2

Operation Grateful Goodies needs you

Ellie and CJ Novak deliver Grateful Goodies to a local fire station in 2018. OzzIE NOGG Bakers, packagers and delivery drivers are needed for Operation Grateful Goodies, a community service project sponsored by Beth El’s Miriam Initiative, in partnership with Temple Israel, Beth Israel, Chabad of Nebraska and the Jewish Federation of Omaha. The treats — cookies, brownies, candy and other goodies — will be delivered to police officers, fire fighters, hospital staff and employees of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home on Wednes-

day, Dec. 25. “These are just some of the dedicated people who serve our city and are away from their families on Christmas Day,” said Linda Saltzman, creator and chairperson of the event. “The beauty of this project is that we Jews have nothing to do on Dec. 25 when the world is shut down. So we’ll spend part of the day delivering packages of treats as a way to say ‘thank you’ and show our appreciation to those who protect, See Grateful Goodies page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019

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JCC Building update

Continued from page 1 Community Room. The Mind-Body studio in the old Canteen space has been completed and is now open. Classes held in this space will include Yoga, Mat Pilates, Tai Chi and Total Barre. The new Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Room will replace the Auditorium. This fresh and functional space will be used for events, meetings and rentals. Refurbishment of the existing indoor lap pool will include six full lanes, a new filter/gutter system, and easy access stair entry. A new indoor recreational pool will feature a water slide, lazy river, water therapy vortex, aqua play features and zerodepth entry. Some of the space to the east, behind the new Community Engagement Room, will be a staff commons area. This space will be primarily used for staff, but also available for programs as needed. But this is not all: Soon, we will start on the renovation of the Alan J. Levine Theater, which will include new seats, lights, rigging, audio/visual system and acoustic systems. Piano and voice studios will be added and dressing rooms will be updated. We estimate the new theater to be completed sometime in the spring of 2020. The renovation of the upstairs Front Entrance will include a spacious, secure, and welcoming lobby area. The new Learning Commons space will include a contemporary and informal environment that conveniently welcomes people to relax, study, work independently and meet up. This space will

also incorporate significant historical representations of our Omaha Jewish Heritage. The targeted date for this project to be completed is Summer 2020. The renovation of our Men’s and Women’s Health Spa will include a complete overhaul of the spaces with all new fixtures and furnishings. Amenities in both spaces will include: Whirlpool, Dry Sauna, Steam Room, Massage Therapy Studio, Lounge Area with TV, Personal Lockers, Towel Service. There will be some temporary displacement during the renovation of this space. Target Completion is Fall 2020. The new family changing area will be located in the space currently occupied by the downstairs Pilates reformer studio and Aquatics office. The area will include private changing rooms with toilets and showers. We hope to finish this in late Spring 2020. Finally, the renovation of the Men’s and Women’s Locker Rooms will be broken up into two phases. Phase one will be the men’s facilities and phase two will be the women’s. Renovation will include a complete overhaul with all new fixtures and furnishings. We estimate to finish this by late Fall 2020. Please contact the applicable Department Director to confirm the status of your program and where it will be held. You can also visit our website to see updated information about temporary closings and relocations. Each campus renovation is done in accordance with our mission of building and maintaining a vibrant Jewish community, not only for today but for generations to come. We thank you for your patience during this time.

Grateful Goodies

Continued from page 1 the Jewish community for this project. It’s a privilege for us defend and heal us 365 days a year. This is our chance to make Jews to use this day, when we most likely have time on our a difference, deliver a smile, and give back to those who sac- hands, to let others know that we appreciate what they do for rifice so much for us.” us. People are excited to “Operation Grateful Goodies give back and thank is a perfect activity for families, those who protect us on friends or individuals of all ages Dec. 25 and all year who want to share some goodlong.” will on Dec. 25,” Linda continVolunteers can sign up ued. “There are many ways to online at SignupGenius participate during the holiday at https://www.signup season, and we still need volungenius.com/go/10C0D teers to fill these tasks. Take 4CAFA72CA7F94-op your pick of one or all.” eration. The link is also Bake: Volunteers can bake in accessible from Beth El’s their homes, and freeze and Web site: bethel-omaha store the goodies. Home.org. For additional inbaked goods do not need to be formation on how you The Tipp family delivers treats to Children’s Hospital in 2018. kosher. Volunteers are also incan volunteer to bake, vited to bake in the Beth El Synagogue kitchen on Sunday, sort and deliver Operation Grateful Goodies packages, please Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to noon, on Monday, Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. email Linda at linda_saltzman@hotmail.com. to 2 p.m.; and on Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Operation Grateful Goodies is part of Beth El Synagogue’s Delivery Option #1: On Monday, Dec. 23, volunteers are Miriam Initiative, an ongoing series of projects and programs needed to transfer baked items from their homes and/or syn- created and implemented by Beth El women. agogues to Temple Israel between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sort and package boxes: On Tuesday, Dec. 24, volunteers are needed at Temple Israel to sort and package baked goods. Two shifts are available: from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or from Continued from page 1 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Temple will provide to-go boxes and laNational Geographic, bels for packing. The labels will include the names of all parWoman’s Day, Woman’s ticipating organizations. World, Kirkus, Publisher’s Delivery option #2: Volunteers will meet at Temple Israel Weekly, Library Journal, on Wednesday, Dec. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to pick up Booklist and more. Grateful Goodies packages and a list of delivery sites. Delivery Pam Jenoff, a past volunteers can work solo, in pairs or as a family to bring boxes speaker at the Omaha to first responders and health care workers, spreading joy Author Luncheon and across town. author of the New “Our project is extra special this year because it falls during York Times bestselling Hanukkah,” Linda said. “There’s no better way to celebrate the The Lost Girls of Festival of Lights than to bring some light into the lives of othParis, calls The Flyers during what could be a challenging day away from their ing Feldmans “upfamilies. We’re thrilled with the enthusiasm we have seen from roariously funny yet hearfelt and true.” Laurie Gelman, author of Class Mom writes, “Elyssa Friedland’s premise is perfect. Take three generations of an estranged family, put them on a boat – a forced cruise to celebrate the matriarch’s seventieth birthday - and let the dysfunction fly. A pleasure to read.” We thank the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation Donor Advised Fund for support of the author luncheon.

Elyssa Friedland

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The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019 | 3

Chabad Hanukkah at Boys Town

community Family Hanukkah Extravaganza GABBY BlAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press he Jewish Federation of Omaha will host the 2019 Hanukkah Extravaganza on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 5-7 p.m. at the Omaha Children’s Museum (500 S. 20th St). While recommended for families and grandparents with children 12 and younger, older siblings are always welcome! Upon arriving to the event, families will first create a three-part s ave/sp end/donate ‘Moon Jar’ provided by this year’s event sponsor, Lutz Financial, followed by a delicious kosher dinner by Star Catering at 6 p.m. on the 2nd floor. Afterwards, families are free to enjoy the exhibits at the Omaha Children’s Museum, which will close to the public at 6 p.m. This community-wide celebration also includes components planned by Omaha’s PJ Library. Jennie Gates Beckman, JFO Director of Community Engagement & Education, shares, “We have two very special PJ Library book selections that have to do with Tzedakah and Hanukkah, which will be featured throughout the museum so families can browse while they play. A special invita-

T GABBY BlAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press Announcing Chabad’s Annual Hanukkah Celebration at Boys Town on Monday, Dec. 23 at 3:30 p.m. New this year, an indoor celebration will be held at The Boys Town Great Hall, (13747 Flanagan Blvd) in order to allow people to be out of the cold! As always, Chabad will be leading their famous Hanukkah Car Parade and Menorah lighting. Delicious homemade Hanukkah treats and warm beverages will be provided with help from Boys Town residents. Special guests will lead songs, teach dances and provide instrumental musical entertainment. Be sure not to miss this special family friendly Omaha Hanukkah tradition!

tion is extended to those families who have welcomed their little ones in the past year to join us for a baby meet-up in the Museum’s “wiggle room”. Finally, we will be setting up a little “book nook” where folks can explore more titles related to the themes of Hanukkah and giving back. I’m really looking

forward to seeing everyone there!” The cost for this family friendly event is $5/per person, with a $20 maximum per household; children under age two are free. Price includes admission to museum, Moon Jar, and a kosher meal. Please RSVP and submit payment online by Monday, Dec. 2 at www.tinyurl.com/ hanukkah19. Contact Jennie Gates Beckman, JFO Director of Community Engagement and Education, at 402.334.6445 or via email at: jbeckman@jewishomaha.org with questions or for more information.

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4 | The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019

Don’t miss the B’nai B’rith Bible Quiz

community

Sunday, Dec. 8 at 1 p.m., the brand new Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Room will host B’nai B’rith’s annual Edward Zorinsky Bible Quiz. It is the 34th time the Henry Monsky Lodge has organized this event. The questions this year are based on the books of Exodus and Ruth. Deadline to sign up is Nov. 29, so hurry! Judging the quiz this year are Professor Leonard Greenspoon, Marty Shukert and Rabbi Brian Stoller. First prize is $700, second prize is $400, third is $300 and fourth place

Estie Bars

SHANI KATzmAN While my granddaughter was helping me in the kitchen over Sukkot, I was transported to the fun, frenetic days when my little girls scurried around our small kitchen on 124th Avenue, creating meals and mishaps. Those girls were always in the kitchen. And they cranked out some pretty good stuff, much of it shared on Shabbat and holidays with friends from around the community. One Shabbat, Estie presented a plate of layered crunchy brownies she had made earlier on Friday. The following week, one of the guests called and asked for the “Estie Bar-“ recipe. Funny how we can become known for the things we do, even if we have done it just once.

May we be known for our kindness. Our generosity. Our selflessness. Our Jewish passion and Jewish pride. May our core values always match our actions and be one and the same. One Mitzvah is a big deal. It continues to define us.

ESTIE BARS Ingredients: 8 ounces margarine (I use Earth Balance vegan butter sticks) 2 cups sugar 6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa 2 tsp. vanilla extract 4 eggs 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream 1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth) 1 12-ounce package of chocolate chips 3 cups crispy rice cereal Directions: In a large bowl, cream margarine, sugar, cocoa

powder and vanilla very well. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well. Fold in flour and salt. Spread mixture in a greased 15x10-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. When cool, spread marshmallow cream on top. Using heavy pot over low heat, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips together (you can use the microwave as well). Remove from heat and add crispy rice cereal. Spread mixture over marshmallow topping. Refrigerate to harden and cut into 2inch squares. Yields approximately 35 brownies and freezes very well. Be well and enjoy!

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Poppies

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receives $150. These prizes are all applicable to college tuition, an approved trip to Israel, an approved camp or educational program sponsored by a Jewish organization. The Bible Quiz is open to all Jewish Omaha high school students. Participants can prepare on their own, by reading the books, or get together with a study group (contact your synagogue or a religious educator to find one). To register, email bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org by Nov. 29. Questions? Call Steve Riekes at 402.333.8498.

Alan R. Smith Photography My current work consists primarily of computer Ansel Adams, and Paul Strand, and more contemmanipulated images. I have always been interporary photographers such as Brett Weston, ested in photographers that incorporated elements William Clift, Linda Connor, Stephen Shore. of abstraction into their work. I like the mix of reA photograph captures a subject at a particular ality and abstraction. It enables me to present moment in time, and allows the viewer to examine readily recognizable, everyday subjects such as that particular version of the subject for as long flowers and buildings, with a new added dimenas desired. Photographs are a way to preserve imsion. Most of all, the images are intended to be ages and rekindle memories of experiences that bright, colorful, and fun. each of us have had. It may have been the subject My work also consists of traditional landscape matter, formal composition, lighting, or atmosphotographs. Being a resident of Nebraska, I have phere. My photographs are windows through concentrated on subjects within the state. The which the viewer can share the experience, recall landscape of Nebraska is more diverse than even a similar experience that they have had, or, perlong-time Nebraska residents realize. Capturing haps, discover something new. the beauty and uniqueness of Nebraska is both I have been teaching photography at Doane Colchallenging and rewarding. lege, in Crete, Nebraska, since 2001. I also am a Photographers that have influenced me over member of the Artist’s Cooperative Gallery in time include 19th century photographers Carleton Omaha, Nebraska, and maintain a photography Watkins, Timothy O’Sullivan, and W.H. Jackson, studio in the Burkholder Project in the historic early 20th century photographers Edward Weston, Haymarket District in Lincoln, Nebraska. PAID ADVERTISEMENT

The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019 | 5

A Thanksgiving lesson from Lynn Yellin

When I was about 15 years old, I learned a crucial thanksgiving lesson: In order to be able to thank another person you must first acknowledge their existence. It happened like this: Lynn and Pete Yellin, may they both rest in peace, were our next-door neighbors on the 7th floor of 135 Eastern Parkway (across the street from the Brooklyn Museum). Pete was a jazz TEDDY musician and I studied clarinet and WEInBERGER saxophone with him. When I was in the middle of the 9th grade, our family moved to Flatbush. I continued to study with Pete, arranging lessons with him by phone rather than in person. After a few months of this arrangement, one day Pete said to me: “You know, Lynn is very upset with you.” Shocked, I asked why. “Because any time she answers the phone and it’s you calling on the other line, all you say is ‘can I speak with Pete?’ Lynn doesn’t like being treated that way.” Talk about a brick upside the head! I hadn’t the faintest notion that I had been doing anything to give offense. Of course, from that point on if Lynn answered the phone when I called, I would dutifully say: “Hi, Lynn, this is Teddy. How are you?” Lynn would usually pass me on to Pete fairly quickly, sometimes without my even having to ask (she was never under the impression that I was calling just to chat with her), but I had learned my lesson. Now it is true that as a teenager when I was dialing Pete’s number, I would be hoping that Pete rather than Lynn would answer the phone. The last thing I wanted to do was to speak with her--I just wanted to arrange for my lesson. But when I entered Columbia University and my lessons became infrequent, I didn’t mind catching up with Lynn before she handed the phone to Pete. Lynn taught me to always be aware when interacting with another person that that other person is a human being. There are many corollaries to this, and one of them is especially appropriate for Thanksgiving: If another person has done you a service, you should thank them even if it is their job to serve you. As a parent, I don’t remember lecturing my kids about what I learned from Lynn, but I guess they just picked it up. I’ll give you two examples. A few months ago, Elie (25) and I had lunch out. As we were leaving the restaurant, we passed an open window where we could see into the kitchen. Elie broke

away from me, went over to the window and thanked the kitchen workers. Another example, this one from my daughter Rebecca (30). Rebecca coaches girls basketball in a number of frameworks, one of which is a Jewish-Arab program under the auspices of the Peace Players organization. There is a bus to take the girls to away games, typically driven by the same Arab bus driver named Isam. Rebecca noticed that all the girls would board the bus and walk right by Isam without saying a word. At the next practice, Rebecca gathered the girls and asked them: “Tell me: does anyone here realize that there is an actual human being who drives our bus? How is it that not

one of you ever greets or thanks Isam?” Needless to say, Isam is very busy these days as the girls get on and off his bus, what with all the “hellos” and “you’re welcomes” that he returns. But if you think he gets tired of this, you would be wrong. And I’ll end this column on that note: You cannot over-thank; so feel free to thank anyone and everyone as often as you can. Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@netvision.net.il.

2933 S. 108th Street Omaha, NE 68144 402-343-9406 christiannobel.com

Organizations B’nAI B’RITH BREADBREAkERS The State Treasurer of Nebraska, John Murante, will talk about college savings accounts, redistricting, and the BDS movement on Wednesday, Dec. 4, noon. For more information or to be placed on the email list, call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha. org.

Artists Cooperative Gallery We are a non-profit, tax-exempt gallery, located in Omaha’s historic Old Market area. The Artists’ Cooperative has been showing the work of respected regional artists for over 45 years. This cooperative group of artists conducts educational and cultural outreach activities, maintains and staffs a gallery that features works in a wide variety of media, including sculpture, weaving, painting, pottery, jewelry, photography, printmaking and drawing. Monthly First Friday opening receptions provide opportunities to meet member artists and learn more about their work. We strive for personal artistic growth and professionalism in presentation. We are dedicated to exhibiting quality art on a yearround basis. The co-op is an artist run gallery. Artists volunteer time to staff the gallery and operate all aspects of the business. There are no gallery commissions. Sales go directly to the artist. We also offer the unique opportunity for you to actually meet the creator of the art, because the person at the desk is one of the artists. Continuous media exposure is our marketing goal. Our publicity committee markets the gallery as a whole; individual artists pay for their own show fliers and mailings. Our direct mailing list goes out monthly to our most interested and supportive patrons. Community outreach programs help bring new people into our Gallery and expose the community to art; these include working with civic groups, schools and various organizations. PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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6 | The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019

Where do you want Judaism to be in the next 50 years? With conservative and reform synagogue attendance declining, many shuls are operating without a full-time cantor or rabbi. With many Jewish people admitting that they do not have a relationship with Israel, arguing vehe- AnDY GREEnBERG mently that there is no God, the question must be asked, “Where do you want Judaism to be in the next 50 years?” Authors and modern-day prophets predict where it will be, but the actual answer is where do you want it to be? Do you want to continue as a religion? Before you answer, remember what a religion is. “The worship and belief in a superbeing that controls events.” Without a God and worship, then Judaism is not a religion. With the exception of the Orthodox who continue to practice original Judaism in a modified form as there are no sacrifices, and 70% of Jews believe that God does not exist. If we are not a religion, what’s left? Are we a nation of people? A nation is defined as “a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.” Yet, 50 years from now, what will we have in common? Our traditions and practices could no longer be in existence. It won’t be language, since few mainstream Jewish people know conversational or prayer book Hebrew. If Israel is not supported and is ultimately destroyed, then we no longer have a country or territory. We could maintain a descent; however, 50 to 100 years from now with the majority of Jews intermarrying that disappears. Let’s talk culture. Its definition is “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.” Without belief, what could we possibly point to as our material traits, and what is meant by the social form of being Jewish? The answer lies in the original question. What is your vision? It’s becoming quite obvious, with the exception of the Orthodox, that many Jewish people today are busy trying to convince others that there is no God, no reason to worship and what happens in the state of Israel is not necessarily part of my concern as it doesn’t affect me.

Often at Jewish events, people I never met begin a dialogue with me that there is no God and never was. Without even asking me what my belief is, their mission in starting the conversation was to either find someone who agreed with them or convince somebody who didn’t. By the way: I am conservative. The next time I will simply ask two questions: What is the benefit of convincing another Jewish person that there is no God? If successful in the argument, what is the benefit of convincing every Jew who currently believes in God that there is no God? There are so many Jewish people who died throughout history because other religions, cultures and nations were obsessed with trying to get us to convert and abandon our heritage history and ancestral home. I will also ask, “If you are right, what is your vision of the Jewish people in the next 50 years?” One can suggest the main theme of this article is to convince the reader that Judaism’s only possibility of continued survival is its return to our original modified religious roots. Perhaps it’s an attempt to get Jewish people to return to worship occasionally, to family oriented Jewish activities, holidays, food and vital components that have allowed us to survive history. I opened with a question: “What do you want Judaism to be in the next 50 years?” Is it so reprehensible to have a vision that synagogues return to its vibrant status of only 3040 years ago and was the center focus of a person’s life? Synagogues provided social activities , emotional support, spiritual fulfillment, youth, adult and Israeli programming, clergy for fulfilling guidance, trained cantors leading services in a meaningful way and the weekly Torah parsha text and application in today’s complex society. Today’s challenge is to select your vision where you want to see Judaism in 50 to 100 years. It comes down to two choices: a vibrant people excited about their identity, heritage, culture and worship practices or independent thought that provides an opportunity for future historians’ writings that would ask, “Whatever happened to the Jews?” The vision and choice of the two alternatives answers the question yet asks another: What will you do to live your vision?”

Holiday Arts and Crafts Show at Mid-America Center Make plans now to attend the annual Christmas Arts and Crafts show that will be held Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7-8 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The show is billed as one of Iowa’s largest shows, with over 200 exhibitors presenting and selling thousands of unique, handmade products. Among the various products being sold at the show are oak and pine furniture, paintings and prints, ceramics, wall hangings, blankets, jewelry, pet products, etched and stained glass, yard and garden art, pottery, candles, clothing, quilts, aprons, pillows, doll clothes, rugs, placemats, table runners, purses, floral arrangements and wreathes, wood and metal signs, soap and lotions,

and many more original products. Exhibitors will also be selling coffee cakes, dips, salsa, soups, jams, jellies, cheese and sausage, wines, honey, food mixes and roasted nuts. All items offered for sale to the public are handmade by the exhibitor. Hours of the show are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 and children 10 and younger are free. Parking is free throughout the show. All patrons who attend the show on Saturday will receive a two-day re-entry stamp. For more information on the show, please contact Callahan Promotions, Inc at 563.652.4529.

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The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019 | 7

New scholarship opportunity

community Schoolteacher stabbed in New York suburb

DIANE WAlkER Scholarship Administrator he Financial Aid Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is pleased to announce a new scholarship opportunity for undergraduate study. This need-based scholarship was created specifically for children of singleparent families who worked during high school to contribute economically and emotionally to their families. The donor, who chooses to remain anonymous, feels a kinship to these individuals and has chosen to impact their college experience in a meaningful way. The donor has said, “I would like to create a new $10,000 scholarship award based on need rather than merit.” The $10,000 award may be split in the event two candidates tie. Eligibility criteria include the following: • Applicant must be from a single-parent family. Parent must have been single for at least 12 months. • Applicant must be a Jewish resident of the Omaha metropolitan area. • This scholarship is for undergraduate study only. • Applicant has had a job and has contributed to the family income This Anonymous College Scholarship Fund will require a separate application and has an earlier application deadline of Feb. 3, 2020. The application is available on the JFO website. Direct any questions to Diane Walker at either 402.334.6407 or dwalker@jewishomaha.org.

RAMAPO, N.Y. | JTA On the street where a man was stabbed to within an inch of his life on Wednesday, yellow buses waited to ferry young children to elementary school. On sidewalks now being monitored by a police vehicle, parents pushed their young children in strollers through this pastoral upstate suburb. Ramapo wasn’t supposed to be like this. Families who moved here over the past decade or so all say the same things: They came for a little more space, a little more quiet, lower housing prices than in the crowded neighborhoods of Brooklyn. There is some anti-Semitism, yes, but Jewish residents here say life, on the whole, is good. Then, November 20, an Orthodox Jew walking to morning prayers was stabbed until he was nearly dead. Now this community is praying for his survival and confronting the fact that the tranquil life they sought has been breached. “It’s like, don’t go alone, see something, say something, don’t be in the street alone,” said Rivkie Feiner, a Jewish communal leader who has lived in the area her whole life. “I grew up in a place where, as a kid, people left their doors unlocked. It’s not that place anymore, but this took us to a different place altogether that we didn’t want to be in.” The attack hasn’t yet been classified as a hate crime. As of Nov. 21, the perpetrator has not been caught and no motive has been determined. But the victim, who authorities have yet to name publicly, was visibly Jewish and nothing was stolen from him. The 29-year-old high school teacher, a married father of four, is in critical condition. There have been plenty of allegations of anti-Semitism in this town a half-hour northwest of Manhattan. Local governments have tried to block the construction of an eruv. A controversy over the Orthodox-controlled school board slashing funding for public schools made national news in 2014. Social

media pages have filled with epithets aimed at the Orthodox community. A recent video from the county Republican Party warned that Orthodox Jews were “plotting a takeover.” “There’s a very toxic, hostile atmosphere toward Jews, but in particular toward haredi and haredi-looking Jews for the way we pray, the way we practice religion,” said Yisroel Kahan, a member of the Oizrim Jewish Council, a local leadership organization. In Brooklyn, a spate of attacks against Jews in recent months has prompted a vigorous response from New York City, including the opening of an office to prevent hate crimes. But no local government in Ramapo has taken a comparable step. Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht said police patrols had been ramped up, and education and anti-bias programs would be considered. “There’s no place for this type of crime in our community,” Specht said. Residents are careful not to paint an overly dismal picture. Overall, they say their lives are peaceful and they get along with neighbors of all backgrounds. Some public officials are part of the problem, they say, but others are sympathetic. Every person who spoke to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency expressed confidence that the police are making a sincere effort to investigate the stabbing. “People aren’t scared here at all,” said Chaim, 47, an Israeli who moved to the area 20 years ago and declined to give his last name. “Not during the night and certainly not during the day. We didn’t feel anything here. We hope it’s something that won’t happen again.” The Chaverim, a Jewish volunteer force of first responders that works with local authorities, had a large white van and a black SUV parked near the site of the stabbing.

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8 | The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019

The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019 | 9

community

2019 Women’s Trip

women recently returned from the 2019 Momentum trip to Israel. 600 women participated from the US, Canada, Australia and South Africa. The trip was led by Louri Sullivan and Esther Katz. In addition to an eight day trip, the women spent a day in the Western Galilee- Omaha’s Partnership region where they visited the Galilee Medical Center underground facility, the Betzet Elementary School and visited an Ethiopian Hut to hear Yanei’s Aliyah story. The trip included time in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Tsfat. There was dancing, learning and tears. Four women received a Hebrew name for the first time and the women learned about Israel as a land of Innovation, enhancing relationships with those they love and bringing home all of the experiences to take action. The trip was generously sponsored by the Herbert Goldsten Trust, Special Donor-Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation and The Albert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation.

10 | The Jewish Press | October 25, 2019

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Discussion with Andi Grubb, Planned Parenthood, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El From My Mothers Kitchen, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El Beth El Chanukah Pop Up, 2 p.m. at Westroads Mall

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3 MONDAY, DECEMBER 16 The Book of Jewish Values Class, 11:30 a.m. Jewish Press Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4 Breadbreakers and Speaker, noon at RBJH Community Beit Midrash, 7:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17 The Book of Jewish Values Class, 11:30 a.m. at Beth El

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5 Baby Playgroup, 9:30 a.m. at Temple Israel

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18 Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Baking, 9 a.m. at Beth El Breadbreakers and Speaker, noon at RBJH Hanukkah Dinner with music guest Dan Reynolds, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Installation of Cantor Alexander, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 Installation of Cantor Alexander, 9:15 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Temple Israel Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19 Baby Playgroup, 9:30 a.m. at Temple Israel Miriam Initiative Latkes & Libations, 7 p.m. at Beth El

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Baking, Six String Shabbat Pre Neg and Service, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El 9 a.m. at Beth El Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.m. at Temple Israel Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El 34th Annual B’nai B’rith Bible Quiz, 1 p.m. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21 Musical Theater Rehearsals, 3 p.m. Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Community Hannukkah Celebration, 5 p.m. at Children’s Museum SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22 Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El MONDAY, DECEMBER 9 Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Baking, MONDAY, DECEMBER 23 9 a.m. at Beth El Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Drop Friedel Board Meeting, 7 p.m. at FJA Off, 9 a.m. at Beth El Chabad Hanukkah Parade, 3 p.m. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11 at Boys Town Breadbreakers and Speaker, noon at RBJH THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 Baby Playgroup, 9:30 a.m. at Temple Israel PJ Library/FJA program: Challah Tots, 10 a.m. Friedel Jewish Academy Hanukah Show, 6:30 p.m. at Beth Israel

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25 Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Delivery, 9 a.m. at Beth El

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Temple Israel Shabbat Comes to You at Heritage on Sterling Ridge, 4 p.m. Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El Monthly Shabbat Speaker Series, 7:30 p.m. at B’nai Israel, Council Bluffs, IA.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26 Baby Playgroup, 9:30 a.m. at Temple Israel

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29 Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El

The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019 | 11

Above and below left: Omaha NCSY Jr attended the regional Shabbaton in Kansas City.

Above: Shabbat at the Pennie Z. Davis CDC is always better when Andy Isaacson brings his music.

Right: Friedel Jewish Academy head of school Beth Cohen with daughter Zoe Berman.

Above: The chilly weather didn’t stop these brave Maintreeters from visiting the Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies for a tour of the “Witness: The Art of Samuel Bak” exhibit.

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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 and right: Last month, 40 young adults came together for a Shabbat Dinner at Mayne Street Market sponsored by TISH, Temple Israel's young adult group. Pictured are: Rabbi Deana Berezin, left, Ally Freeman, and Leora Werner; Brian Fahey and Daniel Gutman. Above and below: Linda Saltzman was among the bakers attending Tippi Denenberg’s challah baking class at Beth El.

Above: Habonim (Grades K-2) goes bowling! Pictured are: Eadie Tsabari, left, Molly Epstein, Amy Dworin, Sammie Ray and Maeve Yellin.

12 | The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019

viewpoint thejewishpress (Founded in 1920) Abby Kutler President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer

Jewish Press Board Abby Kutler, President; Eric Dunning, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen, Candice Friedman, Bracha Goldsweig, Jill Idelman, Andy Isaacson, Natasha Kraft, Andrew Miller, Eric Shapiro, Shoshy Susman 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@jew ishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishom aha.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@jew ishomaha.org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

American Jewish Press Association Award Winner

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Hilter’s top hat

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press t an auction in Munich last week, someone paid $55,000 for Adolf Hitler’s top hat. Personally, I would have burned the thing on the bonfire in my backyard, but maybe that’s just me. The auction at Hermann Historica lasted two days and also offered up a silver plated copy of Mein Kampf ($145,000) and Eva Braun’s cocktail dress ($5,000). In the face of expected criticism by the European Jewish Association as well as Germany’s anti-Semitism Commissioner, the auction house was quick to defend itself: “Most customers are museums, state collections and private collectors who really meticulously deal with the subject,” said Director Bernhard Pacher. I am not sure I believe that. What could the historic or academic value be? What can anyone possibly gain from these objects? While trading Nazi memorabilia remains legal in Germany, what about the moral question? Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Besides, the auction house and the original owners are making money off this and there is nothing just about that. “I’m writing to respectfully ask you to withdraw the auction,” wrote Rabbi Menachem Margolin on behalf of the EJA, “…not because of any illegality, but instead to send the message that some things, particularly when so metaphorically blood soaked, should not and must not be traded.” But the auction happened anyway, and since it wasn’t

the first time this auction house traded Nazi memorabilia (they’ve been doing it since the 1980s), we can safely assume no one at Hermann Historica is learning anything. One caveat: “Along with a number of other Nazi items, [the top hat] was purchased by Swiss-Lebanese investor Abdallah Chatila who donated it to Keren Hayesod, the Israeli fundraising organization.” Leonid Bershinsky wrote

But many of the other transactions happen in the shadows, and even the auction house itself admits it can be hard to keep track of all the buyers and their ideologies. There is a reason Rabbi Margolin chose the term “blood soaked” when he plied the auction house to cancel. This was not just a hat; it’s a hat worn by a man who was responsible for millions of deaths. Yes, there is always the danger of people idolizing such objects and through it the man and what he stood for; the bigger danger, however, is that it becomes a historical object only. Calling the Holocaust ‘history’ can trivialize it, can make it theoretical, can make it possible to forget about the very real lives lost. The time is upon us where the vast majority of the world population only knows about the Holocaust from history books, if they know about it at all. And when something so vast, so brutal, becomes ‘just a story,’ we are in real danger of repeating it. We won’t remember the suffering, the reality of it. We need reminders, like Auschwitz, like Yad Vashem, like the recorded narCredit: Hermann Historica ratives of survivors. We need the phofor Bloomberg Opinion. “But he couldn’t get all the Nazi tographs and we need the memories in order to educate memorabilia that were on offer. It’s time the other buyers as many people as possible. What we don’t need is Eva got more attention.” Braun’s dress or Hitler’s top hat. Those items tell us nothSome of those collectors are known: “One is U.K. real ing about the reality of hatred and bigotry. estate multimillionaire Kevin Wheatcroft, who owns 88 I am relieved the hat at least is actually going to an Istanks, sleeps in Hitler’s bed and admires the fuehrer’s raeli organization. I still hope they throw it on the bonfire. “eye for quality.” Another was Henry Frederick Thynne, Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necthe Marquess of Bath, who died in 1992, leaving behind a essarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press huge collection of Nazi artifacts that has caused no end Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of worry to his heirs,” Bershinsky also wrote. of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.

New York’s new regulations are vital for ultra-Orthodox students. MIRIAM MoSTER NEW YORK | JTA On our first date nearly nine years ago, my (now) husband resolved to improve Hasidic education. He had grown up in the Belz Hasidic community in Brooklyn, attending Belz schools from nursery through post-high school. But in all those years, he never learned science, geography, history, how to write an essay or how to calculate a tip. Instead, he and his peers devoted as many as 14 hours a day to the study of ancient Hebrew and Aramaic religious texts. Despite his ambition and vision, he felt handicapped by his inadequate education, which is why I took on a serious role in helping him start Yaffed, an organization that advocates to improve Hasidic education. I have since met dozens more individuals who, like my husband, continue to suffer from their deficient education and want to see change. Eight years after we started Yaffed, in response to the organization’s efforts, New York State’s Education Department proposed regulations in June that would ensure Hasidic yeshivas provide a decent secular education to their students. In the next two weeks, the New York City Department of Education is expected to release an updated report on the state of secular education in city yeshivas. Between now and April, the New York State Education Department will be deciding on whether or not to enforce the proposed regulations of private schools, and the enforcement would begin soon thereafter. The regulations outline a mechanism by which education officials can uphold the state’s centuryold education law in private schools. The regulations articulate the local school districts’ role in reviewing all private schools — once within the next three years and regularly thereafter to assess whether they are complying with education law — and delineate the required subjects and hours of instruction, as well as protocols for schools that are not in compliance.

But two Orthodox lobbying groups, Agudath Israel and Parents for Educational and Religious Liberty in Schools, led a massive campaign this summer in protest. Their campaign rallied over 140,000 individuals to write letters to the state Education Department — nearly 90 percent of them coming from the Orthodox community. They claimed that yeshiva education is responsible for

— a claim that finds no support in the data. A letter to the New York State Education Department signed by 230 Orthodox mental health professionals claims that their own professional achievements are sufficient to “refute misguided claims that yeshivas provide inadequate academic preparation for professional success.” A letter signed by nearly 600 educators argues that “the trope of yeshivas’ education inferiority … is belied by our own academic and professional achievement.” And a letter signed by a handful of Harvard Law School graduates allegedly claims that their yeshiva education positioned them for academic success before asserting that the state Education Department should refrain from regulating private schools. But it is a classic bait and switch: These signatories fail to mention that most of them attended non-Hasidic yeshivas or girls’ schools, both of which typically provide a copious secular education in addition to a religious studHasidic yeshiva students in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Credit: ies curriculum. Andy Katz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images In non-Hasidic yeshivas, students typically producing successful individuals like themselves receive an education that includes required subjects and yeshivas offer a kind of moral education that such as English, math, history and science for three cannot be measured by the state. Thus, they ar- to five hours each day — in contrast to Hasidic gued, the Education Department should not reg- boys’ schools, some offering no secular instruction ulate any private schools, but instead should defer at all, and others offering a mere hour-and-a-half to leaders and professionals like themselves within of instruction in some cases by teachers who are the Orthodox community to self-regulate. themselves disfluent in the English language. Their assertions, however, are highly misleading Another letter to the state Education Departand fly in the face of established data. ment signed by more than 200 rabbis claims that Reports clearly demonstrate that Hasidic commu- yeshiva education produces “prominent leaders in nities have some of the highest rates of poverty and almost every field” and provides students with “a dependence on government assistance in the state moral framework for life.” But this “moral frameand in the country. Though this should seem intu- work” argument is a red herring. Plenty of ultraitive, defenders of yeshiva education are claiming Orthodox schools manage to teach secular studies the opposite to be the case. Dr. Moshe Krakowski, in compliance with state requirements without director of the master’s program of Jewish education compromising on “moral” or religious instruction. at the Azrieli School of Yeshiva University, has gone Many non-Hasidic yeshivas provide a model that so far as to claim that the religious studies taking Hasidic schools would do well to follow, prioritizplace in Hasidic schools might better prepare stu- ing religious studies while still offering a sound dents for future success than a secular curriculum See New regulations page 13

The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019 | 13

A rhetorical antidote to increasing anti-Semitism

New regulations

RICHARD CHERWITz I was saddened to learn that, close to the anniversary of Kristallnacht, more than 75 headstones were toppled and more than $50,000 in damage caused at Temple Israel Cemetery in Omaha. Members of my family have lived in Omaha for many years and my parents and grandparents are buried in a different Jewish cemetery there. As a Jew and proud American, I am horrified and deeply offended by the increasing number of stories like this one about the rise of anti-Semitism and racism both at home and abroad. Too often we get embroiled in unproductive debates about whether President Donald Trump is anti-Semitic and racist. Moreover, to suggest that he is directly the cause of this recent episode of hatred and violent activity misses the point and obscures a legitimate worry. What is clear is that the president’s rhetoric and actions have at minimum emboldened and empowered those such as the neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists. The best examples of this are Trump’s repeated unwillingness explicitly to condemn and disassociate from racist behaviors since he came down the escalator and announced his candidacy for president, as well as his suggestion that there were good people on both sides of the Charlottesville protest — all of which was taken as a wink and a nod to extremist groups. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that following his election these groups have come out of the shadows and are now a daily part of current events. The same is true in Europe as well, where the growing influence of nationalist leaders seems to be correlated with an increase in hateful discourse and behavior. What especially troubles me is the context in which

Continued from page 12 secular education — precisely what the state’s regulations are aiming to ensure. But without regulations, we have begun to see the opposite trend. Lately, some non-Hasidic yeshivas have been regressing, cutting corners on secular education and coming closer to a Hasidic education model. Without intervention, we will likely see more schools following the Hasidic model and, as a result, poorer economic outcomes in the future among other Orthodox sectors. It is unconscionable that Orthodox professionals who attended non-Hasidic yeshivas would leverage narratives of their own success to deny Hasidic boys the very educational opportunities that allowed them to thrive. By deliberately obfuscating the issue, Orthodox leaders and professionals demonstrate that they cannot be relied upon to ensure Hasidic children receive a proper education. It is imperative that the New York State Education Department intervene and ensure Hasidic children receive a basic education. Miriam Moster is a doctoral candidate in Sociology at The Graduate Center (CUNY), a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a Mellon Humanities Public Fellow. Her husband, Naftuli Moster, is the executive director of Yaffed. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

all of this is happening. First, political polarization, which may be at an all-time high and level of intensity, appears to feed on, as well as take advantage of and exacerbate, such hatred. Second, we live at a point in history when the “Browning of America” is regarded as threatening to some who for the first time will become the minority. Many of these people even blame their own problems on increasing numbers of the nonwhite population. Third, and even more worrisome, is the fact that younger Americans, whom as a professor I teach, as well as younger citizens of the world, do not have a memory or knowledge of the Holocaust that their parents and grandparents had. Several of my students told me that, while they “believe” the Holocaust took place, they feel illequipped and unprepared to respond to those who suggest otherwise. Sadly, there are fewer individuals capable of making cogent arguments supported by more than opinion to rebut Holocaust deniers. Fourth, and as has been repeated over and over in the last three years, too many people no longer have an understanding or appreciation of “facts” and “truth.” All of these — and many additional factors — make anti-Semitism, racism and hatred more possible and tolerable. The only antidote to this is awareness and resistance. The media has a professional obligation to expose this problem. Republicans, most of whom are good and decent people, must do what they haven’t, namely, speak out forcefully against the president’s racist discourse, telling him there will be no more business as usual. Put simply, they must stop normalizing, protecting and enabling Trump simply because they fear political repercussions. Cowardice is no excuse

for permitting unethical behavior; not reprimanding Trump is tantamount to agreeing with him. As teachers, not only must we do a better job of educating students about the history of the Holocaust, but we must make sure the next generation understands the clear demarcation between “facts” and “opinion” and that statements like “the truth is not the truth” are unacceptable. They must have the wherewithal to argue effectively, always employing critical thinking skills. And the rest of us, many of whom don’t follow or engage in politics, must avoid the complacency that existed in pre-Nazi Germany — a complacency that arguably allowed the rise of Adolf Hitler. Like many Germans then, we must stop saying this can’t or won’t happen in the United States. It is imperative that we have the courage to protest often and loudly, making clear “never again.” Put simply, rather than merely debating whether president Trump is the cause of the problem or whether he himself is a racist and anti-Semitic, let’s move beyond partisanship, calling him out and vigorously resisting. While it may be trite to say, years from now all of us will be asked: What did you say or do to prevent this? This article first appeared in the Des Moines Register. Richard Cherwitz, Ph.D. is the Ernest A. Sharpe Centennial Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin.

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

B’nAI ISRAEl SYnAGoGUE

ConGREGATIon B’nAI JESHURUn

Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on Friday, Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Richard Fellman. Our service leader is Larry Blass, and as always, an Oneg wil follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on our historic synagogue, contact any of our board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Howard Kutler, Carole Lainof, Wayne Lainof, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf, or email nancywolf16620@gmail.com. Handicap Accessible.

Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby. FRIDAY: Rosh Chodesh Kislev; Erev Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. music by Elaine Monnier; Oneg, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 4:42 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:45 a.m. on Parashat Toldot; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:14 p.m. SUnDAY: No LJCS Classes. WEDnESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Federation Board Meeting, 7 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Learn more about Israel: An AIPAC representative will be at Tifereth Israel on Tuesday evening, Dec. 10 to talk about Israel. A dinner is being planned for 6:30 p.m. Please note, this is not a fundraiser.

BETH El SYnAGoGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FRIDAY: Office Closed; Morning Minyan, 9 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. WEEkDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUnDAY: No BESTT Classes; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Yiddish Class, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman. TUESDAY: The Book of Jewish Values, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Steven Abraham; Mahjong, 1 p.m. WEDnESDAY: BESTT Classes (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High with Dinner (Grades 8-12), 6:15 p.m.; Beit Midrash, 7:30 p.m. at the JCC. THURSDAY: Brachot and Breakfast, 7 a.m.; Chesed Committee Visits the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m.; Tacky Holiday Sweater Party, 6 p.m. at Urban Abbey. Grateful Goodies Baking Day, Sunday, Dec. 8, 9 a.m– noon and monday, Dec. 9, 9 a.m-2 p.m. Kadima Ice Skating Program (Grades 6-8), Sunday, Dec. 8, noon–2 p.m. RSVP to Amy at Beth El. B’nai B’rith Bible Quiz, Sunday, Dec. 8, 1-3 p.m. at the JCC. Chesed Committee Visits Remington Heights, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Join members of the Chesed Committee as we visit with residents of Remington Heights on the second Tuesday of the month.

BETH ISRAEl SYnAGoGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer FRIDAY: Rosh Chodesh Kislev; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/ Candle Lighting, 4:39 p.m. SATURDAY: Open Beit Midrash — Well welcome to learn the Torah and Dance, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 3:35 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 4:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:42 p.m. SUnDAY: Shacharit, 9 am.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. monDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Lunch and Learn — Kosher Cooking Why and How, noon with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. TUESDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Torah Tuesday, 1 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. WEDnESDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. THURSDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH.

CHABAD HoUSE Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. WEEkDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. SUnDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m.; Sunday Secrets, 9:15 p.m. following Minyan. monDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani; Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. WEDnESDAY: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introduction to Reading Hebrew, 10:30 a.m. THURSDAY: Intermediate Hebrew Reading and Prayer, 11 a.m.; Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman. All programs are open to the entire community. For more information call 402.330.1800 or visit www.ochabad.com.

Visit us at jewishomaha.org

oFFUTT AIR FoRCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.

RoSE BlUmkIn JEWISH HomE SATURDAY: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Jim Polack. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.

TEmPlE ISRAEl FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. SUnDAY: No Youth Learning Programs. TUESDAY: Rosh Chodesh: Everything You’ve Wanted to Know about (and See), 6-8 p.m. at the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. RSVP’s required; More Than a Joke – A Tri-Faith Symposium You’re Not the Boss of Me (Or Are You?)!: Law, Conscience & Community in Religious Decision-Making — Dinner, 6:30 p.m., Panel, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel. RSVP to info@trifaith.org. $10 suggested donation. WEDnESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4-6 p.m.; Community Dinner, 6 p.m. Menu: cheesy eggs, pancakes, fruit salad, dessert.

Please RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536; Grades 7-12, 68 p.m.; Omaha Beit Midrash Panel: Ba-yamim Ha-hem Baz’man Ha-zeh: The Miracle & Meaning of Hanukkah, Then & Now, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the JCC. THURSDAY: The Israel Forum, 10 a.m. Cantor Installation Weekend: Celebratory Shabbat Dinner, Friday, Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m. RSVPs required; Shabbat and Cantor Installation Service, Friday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.; Torah Study, Saturday, Dec. 7, 9:15 a.m.; and Concert and Havdalah, Saturday, Dec. 7, 4 p.m. Temple Israel Book Club: “The Floating Feldman’s” by Elyssa Friedland, Sunday, Dec. 8, 10:30 a.m. Temple Israel Blood Drive, Sunday, Dec. 15, 8:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. Make your appointment now to donate your life saving gift! Register by calling 1.800.RED.CROSS. Questions? Contact Executive Director, 402.556.6536.

TIFERETH ISRAEl Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIDAY: Office Closed; No Services; Candlelighting, 4:42 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Service, 10 a.m. We’re having a special welcoming ceremony for Matthew Carlson during the Torah service on Shabbat morning. A kiddush lunch sponsored by the Brockman family will follow the service; Junior Congregation, 11 a.m. followed by a snack; Havdalah (72 minutes), 5:11 p.m. SUnDAY: No LJCS Classes; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. WEDnESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Federation Board Meeting, 7 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. An Erev Shabbat gathering, Friday evening, Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m. at the home of Nancy and Charles Coren. The Corens will be making dinner for all who attend, but will need RSVP's by Dec. 3 in order to purchase the proper amounts of food. All ages are welcomed to join at the Coren home to welcome in Shabbat. An AIPAC representative will be at Tifereth Israel on Tuesday evening Dec. 10 to talk about Israel. A dinner is being planned for 6:30 p.m. Please note, this is not a fundraiser.

Columbia College Student Council approves holding campus-wide Israel divestment referendum endum, with 64.3 percent in favor, that called for mARCY oSTER JTA the Student Government Association to write a Columbia College Student Council voted in letter to administrators in support of divestment favor of holding a campus-wide referendum over The university is not bound by any student vote divesting from Israeli companies. on divestment. Elected student representatives voted on SunThe results of a referendum would go to the day evening by secret ballot by a vote of 25 to 12 university’s Advisory Committee on Socially Reto hold the referendum on whether the university sponsible Investing. In the past five years, this should divest “from companies that profit from or engage in the State of Israel’s inhumane acts against Palestinians,” the campus student newspaper the Columbia Spectator reported. The vote will be scheduled in the coming months. It is the third time that the student council has voted on whether to hold such a referendum, in initiatives spearheaded by the campus organization The alma mater statue on the Columbia University campus. Columbia University Credit: Wikimedia Commons Apartheid Divest. Some 34 campus organizations supported the initiative, committee has approved the divestment from according to the Spectator. private prisons and from public companies The council said at Sunday night’s meeting, whose primary business is the production of which heard students speaking on both sides of thermal coal. If the committee decides to reconthe issue, that the vote would be gauging stu- sider the university’s investment in the Israeli dents’ perspective on the issue, not taking a po- companies, it would present the proposal to Unisition on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. versity President Lee Bollinger and the univerIn March 2018, Barnard College students, who sity’s board of trustees. are part of Columbia University, passed a refer-

The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019 | 15

lifecycles B’nAI mITzVAH

In mEmoRIAm

mIlES oWEn BlAIR

YAlE (BUzz) TRUSTIn

Mo Blair, son of Gabriella and Jason Blair, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Beth El. Mo is a seventh-grade superior honor roll student at Millard North Middle School. He enjoys playing football for the Jr. Mustangs, video games, fishing and travel. Other interests include reading, science, music and playing clarinet. For his mitzvah project, Mo has found numerous opportunities for mitzvot over the year. He has volunteered in many local neighborhood clean-ups and school events, collected donations for the Open Door Mission and is part of the MNMS Asset Club. He has two brothers, Noah and Ezra. Grandparents are Judy Cohen of Lincoln, Edmond and Raymonde Cohen of Ashdod, Israel, and the late Joe Blair and Susan Larkin, of Blessed Memory, both of Omaha.

Yale (Buzz) Trustin passed away on Nov. 16 at age 95. A committal service honoring Buzz was held on Dec. 16 at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, and a memorial service took place on Dec. 16 at the High Flight Chapel, Blue Skies over Texas, San Antonio. He was preceded in death by his wife, Litzie Trustin, parents, Harry and Bess Trustin, sister Barbara Taxman and brother-in-law, Marvin Taxman. He is survived by daughter Bonnie; daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Greg Stone, and son and daughter-in-law, Mark Trustin and Dr Marcia Angle; grandchildren: Lauren and Jocelyn Corbett, Evin and Glen Wick; sister-in-law, Helen Bachus and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Yale F. (Buzz) Trustin was born in Omaha to Harry and Bess Trustin. He was the grandson of Belarusian immigrants and son of one of Omaha’s most well-known and celebrated couples. His sister, Barbara Trustin Taxman, also made her mark in Omaha’s classical music concert series, tournament bridge and social circles during her long life. Buzz graduated from Omaha Central High School and United States Military Academy (Class of ’45). His first assignment in the Army Air Corps was as a pilot of the C-47 Aircraft and as Base Engineer at Rein — Main Air Force Base, Frankfurt Germany. While participating in the Berlin Airlift, Buzz met and fell in love with the stunningly beautiful and talented Alice (Litzie) Singer, of Vienna Austria, who was working as a linguist and translator for the US Army in Frankfurt. Litzie had escaped the Nazi invasion, thanks to her intrepid mother and the British participation in the Kindertransport in 1938. The two were married in Omaha in 1948. From 1948 —1950, Buzz was a student at the USAF Institute of Technology for an advance degree at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. He served there for another two years as Director of Civil Engineering. Their first two children, Bonnie and Mark, were born during their time there. From 1952 — 1953, Buzz served in the Korean Conflict as Flight Leader and Instructor flying C-119 cargo aircraft between Ashiya, Japan and Seoul, South Korea. After Korea, Buzz and Litzie added another child, Lisa, to the family in Omaha. Buzz left active duty and began a long career in manufacturing and real estate development. He retired in 2005, at age 81, and the couple joined Air Force Village retirement community in San Antonio, TX (now known as Blue Skies Over Texas). Here, Buzz was very active on many committees, most notably on the Concert Committee that brought professional musicians to perform regularly at Blue Skies and he was the one of the primary piano accompanists for numerous parties, events and sing-alongs. He was active in his local congregation, Temple Beth-El, and was an ardent supporter of Rotary and the proposed High Flight Center, a non-denominational Chapel at Blue Skies. Buzz is remembered for his extraordinary kindness and the generosity of his positive spirit. He knew everyone’s story, whether from prior Omaha relationships or the many new friends he made at Blue Skies. He honored each person’s unique connection or contribution and always offered to help anyone in need. Memorials may be made in his honor to High Flight Center Chapel (high flightcenter.org), the Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter. org) or the USC Shoah Foundation (http://sfi.usc.edu/).

mAGGIE GoRDon Maggie Gordon, daughter of Tracy and Randy Gordon of Lincoln, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Congregation B’Nai Jeshurun (The South Street Temple) in Lincoln. Maggie is a seventh grade student at Lefler Middle School and attends the Lincoln Jewish Community School. She received the Lincoln Public Schools Inspire Award for Leadership as a fifth grader at Elliott Elementary and enjoys hanging out at the mall, taking care of her numerous pets and spending time with her family. For her mitzvah project, Maggie implemented Kindness Rocks projects in the Lincoln community. Kindness Rocks are hand painted rocks containing positive messages that are delivered, either personally or anonymously, to anyone who could use a kind word of encouragement and positivity. She has three brothers, Grant, Joshua and Calvin. Grandparents are Linda and Alan Muskin of Omaha, Marilyn and Charles Gordon of Fremont, and Jean and Jerry Jordan of Lincoln. Great-grandparents are Bettie Muskin and the late Stuart Muskin, and the late Margaret Wiemann.

ABIEl kEVA SHYkEn Abiel Keva Shyken, son of Rebecca Shyken, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Beth Israel. Abiel is a seventh-grade student at Norris Middle School where he is a math and science honors student. He is a graduate of Friedel Jewish Academy. He enjoys playing soccer. He has two sisters, Alondra and Alex and a brother, Aiden. Grandparents are the late Yafa and Keva Shyken of Omaha. Great-grandparents are the late Bess and Sam Shyken of Omaha and the late Yadida and Shmuel Shabbtai of Lod, Israel.

Shabbat bus service launches in Tel Aviv JERUSALEM | JTA The new Shabbat bus service in Tel Aviv was such a hit that some passengers were left waiting at the station. More than 10,000 passengers used the public transportation service, an initiative called “We move on weekends.”There are six routes — most circumvent religious neighborhoods — with minibuses scheduled to come every half hour. The service includes transportation to surrounding communities including Ramat Hasharon, Givatayim and Kiryat Ono.

lETTER To THE EDIToR Dear Editor, “The Pot Calling the Kettle Black.” Back during the Korean War, I was an active duty officer in the USAF. While working, I wore my uniform proudly. Last week, during the impeachment hearings in the US Congress, an active duty Army officer, Lt Col Vindman, appeared during the house hearings wearing his much decorated US Army uniform. But, before the nation, President Donald Trump questioned why the decorated officer appeared in his uniform. Although he wears a Purple Heart to show his service to the USA, Lt. Col. Vindman’s loyalty was questioned. POTUS cannot wear his service uniform. Why? He has none to wear. Seems his doctor claimed he suffered from bone spurs. So who is the patriot here? I‘ll go with the Lt. Colonel 100%. Jerry Freeman omaha P.S.: Why is this letter in the Press? #1 I am Jewish #2 So is Lt Col Vindman (I looked him up).

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16 | The Jewish Press | November 29, 2019

community Epstein @ 60 “Honestly, the best thing I’ve ever seen,” Tuffy Epstein said. He was talking about Epstein @ 60, a performance by the Ludovico Ensemble, celebrating daughter Marti’s birthday. Tuffy and his wife Helen attended the mini-festival at Longy’s Pickman Hallin Boston, where the Ludovico ensemble performed several of Marti’s original compositions, including “Nebraska Impromptu,” a musical reflection of the Nebraska landscape from Marti’s childhood memories. According to Boston Globe writer Jeremy Eichler: “The grandeur of landscape and the pull of memory have provided countless composers with a powerful marti Epstein creative prompt. In the case of Marti Epstein, both forces seem to magnetize her music.” Marti, of course, is a native Omahan. She has a 17-year-old son, Gideon and a sister, Danielle Sherman, who lives in Belmont, California with her husband Drew and her five-year-old son, Michael. “I think growing up in Omaha was a pretty typical middle-American experience,” Marti said. “I had lots of friends in school and at Beth El Synagogue. I have very strong memories of car rides across Nebraska, which informs much of my music. I also have very strong memories of Beth El's musical life; Cantor Edgar and Rabbi Kripke had prominent roles in shaping who I am as both a person and a musician.” Marti started studying composition in 1977 with Professor Robert Beadell at the University of Nebraska. She has degrees from the University of Colorado and Boston University.

She was a fellow in composition at the Tanglewood Music Center and worked with Oliver Knussen and Hans Werner Henze. As a result of her association with Henze, she was invited by the City of Munich to compose her puppet opera, Hero und Leander, for the 1992 Munich Biennale for New Music Theater. Marti has received commissions from the Paul Jacobs Memorial Commissioning Fund, the CORE Ensemble, ALEA III, Sequitur New Music Ensemble, the Fromm Foundation, guitarist David Tanenbaum, the American Dance Festival and countless others. Marti’s music has been performed all over the world by ensembles, which include the San Francisco Symphony, the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Frankfurt, the Atlantic Brass Quintet, and Ensemble Modern. The Atlantic Brass Quintet, Sequitur New Music, The Seattle Trumpet Consort, pianist Kathleen Supové, guitarist Ulf Golnast, Robert Sheena with the Boston Conservatory Wind Ensemble, and the University of Iowa Brass Quintet have recorded Marti’s music. In 2015, the Ludovico Ensemble recorded and released Hypnagogia, a CD of Marti’s music. She was a resident at the MacDowell Colony in 1998 and in 1999. She was a recipient of a 1998 Fromm Foundation Commission, and she won the 1998 Lee Ettleson Composition Prize. Marti is an active pianist and a devoted teacher. She plays prepared piano with guitarist David Tronzo in the Epstein/Tronzo Duo. As Professor of Composition she has been on the faculty at Berklee for 29 years, and at Boston Conservatory for 12 years: “The two institutions are part of the same larger umbrella institution,” she said, “but are separate in terms of curriculum. Berklee is a lively energetic place where you can study anything you can imagine: film scoring, music therapy, music education, music business, music production and engineering, song-writing, jazz composition, performance. Berklee started as primarily a jazz school, but now we have all styles, including modern classical.” Although her accomplishments as an adult are impressive, there are additional reasons her parents are proud of her: “She was the first ever female Torah reader at Beth El,” Tuffy said. “She was the first to earn the Sokolof Music Scholarship and she sang

in the Beth El choir. She also played piano in the Burke high school Jazz Band and the organ at Beth El. She even composed an entire Friday night service for both adults and children choirs! On top of that she was VicePresident of USY.” When asked how early she knew music would be her path, Marti said: “It wouldn't be completely inaccurate to say ‘since I was four!’ I have always gravitated towards music and started playing the piano by ear when I was four years old. But when I was young, I also engaged in other types of creative endeavors, like writing and drawing/painting. When I was in high school at Burke, my music teacher, Dr. Stephen Lawrence, recognized my creative streak and suggested that I try composition. It was his encouragement that introduced me to being a composer, and it was from that moment that composition found me. I wouldn't say that I ‘decided’ to be a musician; it is just what I am.” It's very difficult to explain her process, she said, “but it's important to try. I can imagine complex harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic structures in my head, and then notate them on paper in a way to communicate to performers so that they will be able to reproduce what's in my head. But here's the part that is confusing to explain- when I am beginning a piece, I often imagine it in visual or even tactile terms. I suppose that's a kind of synesthesia. The other thing is that I mostly write chamber music because that's what I get commissioned to write, and I usually know the people I am composing for; their abilities and personalities definitely enter in to the process. One more thing- in a world where lots of people now notate their music using computer notation programs, I still write everything by hand. Music calligraphy is very important to me!”

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Small Works Exhibition Dec. 3 to Dec. 29, 2019 First Friday opening reception 6–9 p.m. | Dec. 6

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