December 1, 2023

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DECEMBER 1, 2023 | 1 8 KIS LE V 578 4 | VO L. 1 05 | NO. 7 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 4:37 P.M.

Welcome to the NJHS Hanukkah and American citizenship Page 4

Hanukkah Extravaganza Page 5

Jane Rips and Jennifer Garza

Update from our Partnership Page 7

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor he Jewish Federation of Omaha is pleased to welcome the professional team that currently leads the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. Executive Director Jane Rips is joined

by Director of Archives and Collections, Jennifer Garza, Ph.D. “This new team will work collaboratively with the NJHS

T

Story partners

REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles

6 8 10 11

SARA KOHEN Friedel Jewish Academy Director of Advancement For many years, Friedel Jewish Academy students and residents at

the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home regularly came together for art programs, holiday celebrations, and more. Maggie Conti, the Blumkin Home’s Director of Activities and Volunteer Services, says that the connections between residents and the community, including children, is what really sets the Blumkin Home apart from other facilities.

Earlier this month, Friedel students came back into the Blumkin Home for an intergenerational storytelling workshop with professional storyteller Rita Paskowitz. The Blumkin See Story partners page 3

board to build a broad base of diverse community support for the agency,” JFO CEO Bob Goldberg said, “and will help us to achieve our goals over the next several years.”

Jane Rips is a seasoned organizational leader with extensive community-building experience and development expertise. She is an energetic community ambassador and storyteller who provides us with a warm, welcoming presence, along with an extensive knowledge of Jewish Omaha.

See Welcome to the NJHS page 3

Why we love Israel

Ethan and Ari with younger brother Asher

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor From belonging to Beth El Synagogue with mom Becca, Dad David and younger brother Asher, to attending Friedel Jewish Academy, through their B’nai Mitzvah and religious school, brothers Ari and Ethan Finkelstein learned that building a relationship with the land of Israel is important. Experiencing

it in person is a different story entirely, and so they took those lessons to heart: During the 2022-23 school year, both young men spent considerable time in Israel.

They went with Young Judaea, which is a Jewish summer camp organization similar to Jewish summer camp Ramah in Wisconsin.

“The purpose of my stay,” Ari said, “was to join a gap year program. I See Why we love Israel page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023

News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D

Why we love Israel

Continued from page 1 learned a lot about myself, who I am, and who I want to be. I also learned a lot about my culture and religion.”

“The ‘Young Judaea Year Course’ is a 9-month program,” Ethan said, “split into two semester long portions. One in Tel Aviv and the other in Jerusalem. While in Jerusalem, you live similar to how you would in college; you have a dorm with roommates, you sign up and take classes, eat in a dining hall, etc. In Tel Aviv you live in a small apartment with a few people and everyone will either live in that apartment complex or one similar about a 20-minute walk away. While in Tel Aviv, you are set up with an internship that matches your interests. You also have the option to volunteer through Israel’s ambulance service or do a twomonth basic training through Israel’s ambassadorship IDF unit on a base in the desert. During your semester there you also will be focusing more on living independently and budgeting your way through one of the world’s most expensive cities.”

“I am very passionate about the internship I was able to do in Israel,” Ari added. “I spent three months in Tel Aviv with a blacksmith/welder. This was the first ‘trades’ internship Young Judaea had ever set up. I worked to restore pieces of Israeli history that are now in museums in Israel.”

Ethan said: “The purpose of my stay was to really get a sense of our Jewish homeland and what it’s like to live in a country where you can relate to everyone around you. I learned that in America, as teenagers, we are too flooded with the idea of moving on with our lives so quickly. We’re taught that there is a chain in life and that we immediately need to go to college after high school or find a job, but in reality, you should just do what makes sense to you. It doesn’t have to be ‘normal.’”

Ari, too, learned a lot about what it means to be Jewish, and how to look at life: “My time there surpassed my expectations completely, learning about it in school and living there with people from all

Above: Ethan and his friends setting off on a jeep tour through the Eilat mountains.

Left: Ari with the engine of the first train that ran through Israel, which he helped restore.

Credit: Railroad Museum, Haifa

Above: Early morning start for day two of our three day hike. We hiked Yam Le Yam over Pesach break it is a three-five day hike where you hike from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee.

around the world are two completely different things. I had some interesting interactions with street performers at the beach, and also with the stand owners in the Shuk in Tel Aviv. I highly recommend a gap year before college, you’ve got plenty of time to think about it but, you’ll never forget it if and when you go.”

“After living there,” Ethan said, “I have a passion for the way Israelis live their lives. It’s so free and family-like. Everyone knows each other and you’re all in the same boat.

This experience to date has definitely been the best decision of my life. Through this, I’ve been able to get to know myself better and realize what I want my next steps in life to be.

I volunteered with a few friends on an army base called Michve Alon. During this time, we stayed in a room right next to a group of guys around our age that were in a unit named ‘Givati’. They were only there for the few days we were; their job was to guard the base. Every night my friend and I would stay up for most of the night talking with the soldiers before their

‘shmira’ which was typically an eight-hour shift of them guarding a certain post around the base. By the end of the few days, we’d made genuine friends in the IDF and had learned all about life in Israel and what it was like in the army.”

Ethan plans to make Aliyah through a lone soldier program called Garin Tzabar: “If all goes accordingly, I’ll be drafting into the IDF sometime in 2024,” he said. Ari is currently enrolled at Metropolitan Community College to obtain his welding certification.

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Story partners Continued from page 1 Home and Friedel have done programs with Rita in the past, before the pandemic, and Conti was excited when she learned that it would happen again.

Fifth and sixth grade students, under the direction of Friedel’s Director of Learning Initiatives, Melissa Shrago, and fifth and sixth grade General Studies teacher Denise Bennett, each have been paired with an older adult living at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

Students listened to residents’ stories about their life experiences over the course of several days and recorded them.

The students then turned these stories into books, which they presented to their partner in a ceremony held at the end of the week. The Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation generously funded Paskowitz’s visit to campus, and the activities staff at the Blumkin Home worked hard to make it a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Students’ and residents’ family members attended the ceremony. Shelly Fox is the Blumkin Home’s Director of Community Outreach. Her mother is also one of the residents who is participating in the program. Fox says her mother “thoroughly enjoyed her time with Annalise.

Thank you to Rita, Friedel Academy and the wonderful students that showed care for and interest in our elders. This project was a ‘win/win’!”

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The storytelling program was the kickoff event for a new, ongoing partnership between Friedel and the Blumkin Home: Friedel has been selected to participate in the Better Together Program, a four-year program designed to encourage meaningful interaction between young and old. Better Together is a program developed by a well-respected national foundation and is operated in partnership with The Jewish Education Project. It is funded by an anonymous donor.

Students and their partners will participate in a series of programs together over the course of the four-year program. A percussion workshop involving students and seniors is being planned for the spring.

Shrago says, “Friedel is grateful for being chosen to participate in the Better Together Program and looks forward to sharing with our community how this program positively influences our students.”

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Welcome to the NJHS Continued from page 1 Jennifer Garza earned her Ph.D. in History from Emory University and a Museum Studies Certificate from Northwestern. Her research focus is in Russian and European History. She is a lecturer in the History Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has worked with numerous archives around the country.

Jane and Jennifer will complement each other well, and combined they give us the tools to pursue the NJHS vision as laid out in its strategic plan. This includes improved community outreach and engagement, the creation of innovative programming, being inclusive and diverse in the stories we highlight, following best practices with collections care, and ensuring the archives are accessible to our community.

Jane was born and raised in Sioux City and attended the University of Illinois. Upon graduation, she moved to Chicago and worked in buying for Sears, Roebuck and Co. She began her volunteer career in the Junior League of Chicago. In 1982, she married Harlan Rips and moved to Omaha. Since then, they have raised two children, Sara and Anne. Jane has been involved in many aspects of Omaha volunteering, from the YWCA to the Junior League of Omaha to Temple Israel and the JFO. It is partially because of her extensive volunteering that Jane has come to know our Omaha Jewish community very well, which will serve her in guiding the NJHS to a bright future.

“I was honored to serve on the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Board for 23 years,” she said, “and during my tenure chaired the Commission on Outreach and two Biennials. Although I was not born here, Omaha is truly my home and the opportunity to be at the NJHS is incredible.”

Jennifer Wynot Garza is originally from Florida. She is the daughter of a historian of Eastern Europe: “I spent the first few years of my life in Poland. My first language was Polish, and I also grew up speaking Russian (my father’s native language) and Greek (my mother’s native tongue). I received my bachelor’s degree in history from Florida State University, and my Masters and PhD in Russian

history from Emory University in Atlanta. I taught classes at several universities in Georgia and Denver.”

Nebraska became home when she married husband James, who teaches Latin American history at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. They have two teenage daughters, Katherine and Deborah. Jennifer has been teaching parttime at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. In 2021 she received her certificate in museum studies from Northwestern.

“Since the beginning of 2023, I have been working as an assistant at the Saunders County Museum in Wahoo,” Jennifer said. “In my spare time, I enjoy reading, baking, and spending time with my family.”

The NJHS is all about the lives and stories and history of the Nebraska Jewish community, Jane said: “We focus on everything that makes us so unique! I hope to find ways to share those stories, recruit more participants and continue the tradition of excellence that has been a hallmark of the NJHS.” Jennifer hopes to expand the reputation of the NJHS throughout Nebraska and beyond. She has been working with the Judaic Studies Program at UNL and hopes to expand our presence through student groups.

“I have also been talking to other small museums about having visiting exhibits about the Jewish presence in Nebraska,” she said. “The Jewish presence in Nebraska predates the founding of the state, and the story deserves to be told.

In this age of rising antisemitism, it is important to show that Jews are Nebraskans and Americans, rather than a foreign presence. I am most excited about the opening of the new museum, and getting to know more about the Jewish community of Nebraska!”

This is the culmination of a national search that yielded several qualified candidates. We are excited to welcome Jane and Jennifer as we work together to expand engagement within Jewish Omaha and the larger Omaha community through the resources of the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. When you visit our JCC, feel free to stop by. Jane and Jennifer will be happy to welcome you!

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4 | The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023

Community learns about veterans fighting fascism

ROOFING

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PAM MONSKY JCRC Assistant director Kristopher Goldsmith is an Iraqi war veteran who overcame PTSD and radicalization to become a real-life Nazi hunter. The mission of his organization, Task Force Butler, is to counter the rising fascist tide in the United States by empowering veterans and those who share their passion to stand against hate. This program was cosponsored by the Harris Center for Judaic Studies and the Institute for Holocaust Education.

Goldsmith addressed a group of around 35 Omaha Jewish community members recently to tell his story and to provide insight into how the alt-right operates in the US. He offered tools to help the public report and protect themselves from hate groups.

Kris Goldsmith Task Force Butler combines intelligence interception with violence prevention to impose legal, social, and economic costs on bad actors. “Our goal is to make it as difficult and expensive as possible to be a Nazi,” he said.

The presentation was not all doom and gloom. At the end of his conversation with JCRC Executive Director Sharon Brodkey, Goldsmith responded to a question about the in-

crease of antisemitism, especially from young people online, since the Israel war with HAMAS began. “These kids feel like something has been kept from them and that’s what they’re responding to. That’s why they’re so passionate and that’s why they’re being stupid sometimes. And it’s not gonna stick around, they’re not stuck in this moment for the rest of their lives. They’re gonna learn, they’re gonna regret some of the things they’re doing and saying. And things will get better.”

To view a recording of the event please visit the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s YouTube page.

For more information about how you can help in the fight against fascism, please visit the Task Force Butler website at: https://taskforcebutler.org/ or email info@tf-b.org.

Community Conversations an ongoing series of programs designed to present compelling, current topics that impact the Jewish as well as the general Omaha community. For more information about our programs and activities, please contact Pam Monsky, pmonsky@jewishomaha.org, 402.334.6572.

Community Conversations is generously funded by the Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, Staenberg Family Anything Grants, and the Special Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is dedicated to working in common cause to enhance cooperation with other religious, racial, ethnic, and civic groups to foster a just, democratic and pluralistic society as well as promoting the security of Israel and Jews everywhere. Guided by Jewish values, the JCRC is a nonpartisan agency that advocates, educates, collaborates, and mobilizes action on issues important to the Jewish Community and the greater community.

Hanukkah and American citizenship

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The Jewish Press

On Nov. 16, my Israeli grandsons Noam ( five) and Lavi (two) became American citizens. Coming just three weeks before Hanukkah, this family milestone serves as a very appropriate focus for my holiday column.

After all, the Maccabean revolt in 167 BCE began as a revolt against the Hellenism that was rampant among Jerusalem elites at the time. But given TEDDY that Greek culture continued to be a WEINBERGER major force throughout the entirety of Maccabean rule (which came to an end in 63 BCE), Hanukkah is not a holiday that argues for Jewish isolation but that provokes conversation about the extent of Jewish assimilation of a “foreign,” dominant culture.

The November ceremony at the Holtsville U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Long Island, NY, came after several years of discussion within the family. I had always been against giving my grandchildren American citizenship.

Why? Because I view American citizenship as a two-way street. It’s not just about how citizenship can benefit a person (most significantly in this case, about $1,500 per child per year), but also how a person, through taking upon themselves civic duties, can work to improve America. And since all of my children view their futures in Israel, and since I hope that my grandchildren will share that view, I saw citizenship for my grandchildren as unwarranted. That all changed on October 20, the day that Hamas released hostages for the first time: a mother and daughter who are dual U.S.-Israeli citizens. When it becomes a matter of life and death, I will silence my thoughts concerning citizenship “imbalance” if it means that the President of the U.S.A. will prioritize the safety of my grandchildren.

[For those who are curious about the whole procedure: America seems to be saying to people like Nathan, i.e., Americans whose parents got the crazy idea to move to a different country when those Americans were children: If you can prove that at least one of your parents was American and lived in America as an adult, you can, for a fee of $1,700 per child to Homeland Security, make your own children American.]

I asked Nathan how the appointment went. Nathan said: “People were very nervous in the waiting room, but the people coming out were by and large happy, relieved.” He told me that as the American parent only he was invited in for the interview (though he ended up taking Lavi, and Noam

Noam, Nathan and Lavi

stayed outside with Avia). Despite the fact that the interview just consisted of “very straightforward questions” (date of birth, place of birth, etc.), Nathan said: “It was emotional because you get into the mood of being emotional because a lot of people around you are emotional. You see the 80year-old Honduran guy who has been waiting for this his whole life and he’s very emotional.” Summarizing the lengthy process, Nathan says: “It had nothing to do with any sort of tax benefits or credits; I still view myself very much as American so I think that’s a primary reason for me to do it for the kids.”

I asked Avia for her thoughts about the experience. She told me: “It speaks to the connection between the children and Nathan’s homeland, even though he is Israeli and you and Sarah are Israeli. Nathan and you have a very long history with the United States and I do feel that it is something very positive that the children now also have a part in this.

Also, speaking practically, it’s good that the kids have an additional citizenship, especially American, which is a very strong citizenship. If there is a very, very, very exceptional situation and something happens and—God forbid--you need to go someplace for whatever reason, I feel comfortable that the United States of America has our backs.”

Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah 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 Israeli Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@gmail.com.

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

The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023 | 5

Hanukkah Extravaganza

News LOCA L | N ATION AL | WO RLD

Rabbi Geiger’s Weekly Torah Expedition

clude a philanthropic component. Children are invited to bring their tzedaka to give as part of the Kids’ Campaign. Seeing the tally after their coins go through the coin counter has always been a highlight for our children. It has also always been an opportunity we have appreciated as parents to continue teaching our children what it means to have collective responsibility for the world and for our people.

We hope this year, especially, children will also personally benefit from experiencing the sense of meaning and purpose that comes from contributing to repairing the world.

Although there is no cost to attend, please RSVP at jewishomaha.org. The event will be spread throughout the gallery and surrounding areas, so please join us through the front entrance of the JCC.

SOPHIE AMBROSE AND JIMMY FRIEDLANDER On Sunday, Dec. 10 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., the Jewish Federation of Omaha and PJ Library will host the Hanukkah Extravaganza. The event is geared toward families with children ages 10 and younger, but all are welcome! The event will include bounce houses, carnival games and prizes, Lego dreidel building, a Hanukkah craft, sufganiyot, cookie decorating, the Latke Truck, and more. This is an event our children and others in the community look forward to each year. This year, in particular, we are excited to be chairing an event that we hope will bring warmth and familiarity through ritual, celebration, and fellowship.

As in previous years, this year will also in-

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PARSHA VAYESHAV Imagine lying in bed, exhausted from a long day of work and household chores. You have finally fallen asleep, hoping to get some rest before the next day. Suddenly, you hear a loud cry RABBI from the baby moni- MORDECHAI tor. You groan and GEIGER check the clock. It’s 3 Beth Israel a.m. You have only slept for two hours. You wonder why the baby is awake again. Is he hungry? Cold?

Sick? You drag yourself out of bed and walk to the nursery. The baby is lying in his crib, kicking his legs and waving his arms. He looks at you with wide eyes and stops crying.

He smiles and coos. He seems happy to see you. Oh, so now is an excellent time to play!?

For those of us with young kids at home, we don’t have to imagine. This happened last night.

Parenting can be one of the most frustrating and challenging things a person ever does.

But then fast forward to the am: While consoling his little brother over a ripped Batman costume, I overheard my son say, ‘Don’t worry, just take it to mom; she can

fix anything.’ Don’t you remember those days when mom/dad could do anything? How meaningful and special would it be to provide that for children of your own?

On the other hand, parenting can be one of the most meaningful, joyful endeavors a person ever engages in.

The Torah is full of stories describing the challenges and difficulties our patriarchs and matriarchs faced. In this week’s portion, Jacob faced the danger of his murderous brother! All this begs the question, why did the lives of our ancestors have to be so complicated?

We are all in pursuit of happiness. However, Rabbi Noach Weinberg would point out that hard work is not the opposite of happiness; instead, it goes hand in hand with true happiness. True happiness is always found on the other side of hard work towards something meaningful. Parenting is frustrating, challenging, meaningful, and beautiful all at once. Yes, our ancestors worked hard, but it was with the joy of knowing that it was all to pave the road for us.

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This Chanukah, there are many ways to support Israel and its people, but none is more transformative than a gift to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical system.

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Above, right and below: Nov. 14, approximately 290,000 people marched in Washington in support of Israel. Some of them came from Omaha!

Top, above, below and bottom: The ELC students have been busy taking a pottery class, dressing like our favorite book characters, enjoying the fall weather, and spreading joy!

SP O TLIGHT PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.

Above: Beth Cohen emceed the Beth Israel dinner, honoring Julee Katzman, Toba Cohen-Dunning and Bonnie Bloch; above right: Toba with son Teddy and Bruce Friedlander; and right: Jody Malashock with the honorees.

Below, left and right: The highlight of Veteran’s Day at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home was celebrating Peter Lawson’s 103 birthday and his military time in WWII. The Omaha Burke JROTC presented the Colors and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Our guest speaker, James Polack, talked about his experience as a US Marine. Thank you to the 13 Veterans at RBJH who bravely served!

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The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023 | 7

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In Israel, we continue to be in the midst of a very difficult war. Yet, as part of the home front, we try to continue some “routine” while running to safe rooms, supporting family and friends who have been evacuated, encouraging our soldiers in the north and the south.

In the US and Budapest, we are supporting Israel and fighting an intensified war against antisemitism. The Partnership strengthens all of us: Past Partnership chair Efrat Srebro and Judy Yuda, past Partnership director, have been coordinating an effort to provide home-baked cookies and cakes to soldiers in the field. This week Efrat made “Martha’s cookies,” with the recipe of Martha Lottman, z’l from Canton, OH, the Partnership’s first volunteer advocate of school twinning.

Wow - Uplifting to see and hear the hundreds of thousands of participants in this week’s rally in Washington, DC support-

ing Israel and crying to the heavens to “BRING THEM HOME!”, to return the hostages. Lots of representation of our 17 communities.

Sunday, Nov. 19, the Partnership gathered together on zoom to support each other in these times of an extreme increase of antisemitic incidents in the USA. We heard from our own volunteers about what they are doing in this war against antisemitism.

Young adults from the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis are visiting with friends in Budapest, experiencing first-hand how the Hungarians are dealing with today’s reality.

We welcome Michael Aaronson, who will be the acting Israel Partnership Chair while Moti is fulfilling his army duties.

Shabbat Shalom and Hodesh tov from your Partnership Team in the Western Galilee, Israel | US Central Area Consortium | Budapest!

Hanukkah at B’nai Israel B’nai Israel Synagogue and Living History Museum, 618 Mynster Street, Council Bluffs, is hosting a special Hanukkah celebration on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. Services begin at 7:30 p.m. followed by a Oneg Shabbat featuring five members of the Bagel Boys, it will be sponsored by Margo Parsow.

Five Bagel Boys will be holding a jam session after services.

The Bagel Boys, a group of friends, living in different parts of the country came together at Jay Parsow’s funeral in 2001.

The Boys having a common interest in skiing and planned a trip for the following year to honor and remember Jay. The

tradition grew to 30, including Jay’s sons, Aaron and Charles.

The Bagel Boys played music, and brought their instruments along, making music a part of the trip. One member of the group wrote, “Bagel Boys over 50.” Even though the ski trip has dwindled to just 3-4, the group continues to play music mostly in various Bagel Boy’s homes. This special jam session will include Bagel Boys; Michael Muskin, David Kulter, Mark Sandford, Bob Adler and Pat Aylward.

For questions please visit our website https://www Cblhs.org.

Annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Show

The Annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Show will be held Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2-3, at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs.

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 leather goods, oak, pine and wine barrel furniture, paintings and prints, ceramics, kids’ tents, wall hangings, toys, blankets, jewelry, metal art sculptures, pet products, etched and stained glass, yard and garden art, pottery, candles, clothing, quilts, aprons, pillows, fishing lures, doll clothes, baskets, rugs, place mats, table runners, purses, floral arrangements and wreaths, wood and metal signs, soap and lotions and many more orig-

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Live well. Dress well.

inal products.

Exhibitors will also be selling coffee cakes, dips, salsa, barbeque sauce, soups, jams, jellies, cheese and sausage, wines, fudge, honey, food mixes and roasted nuts. All items offered for sale to the public are handmade by the exhibitor.

The 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 $6 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 show information, please call Callahan Promotions, Inc. at 563.357.1986 or go to our facebook page at Calla han Promotions, Inc.

Trade scholarships available for the 2023-24 academic year

An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school and/or cosmetology school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2023-24 academic year.

Not every student who advances into higher education signs up for a four-year curriculum. Some high school graduates seek job training that lasts a year or two and then places them in the workforce. Such opportunities include, but are

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not restricted to: Information Technology, Construction, Industrial, Transportation and Horticulture. It is not too late to apply for this upcoming school year!

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

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8 | The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023

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Your (Hanukkah) Shopping Guide ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor The number and frequency of social media posts telling docile people who and what to boycott, ‘Because Israel,’ is rising. If that feels repetitive, nobody ever accused the antisemites of being original.

Do they know how many of us only check the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions list so we know where to spend our money? Do they realize that when we see names like Chevron, Coca Cola, Hewlett-Packard, Expedia and Amazon, we only sigh in relief ? Honestly, it’s almost a badge of honor. Almost.

Puma, Siemens, Disney, Airbnb, MacDonald’s, Domino’s, Papa John’s and Burger King are only the tip of the iceberg.

The newest addition is Squishmallows.

Don’t know what those are? Let me educate you. These are plush toys, made by the company Jazwares. In 2022 alone, 100 million units were sold. One Hundred Million.The company is actually part of Berkshire Hathaway and made its annual meeting debut in May of this year.

Those little toys are everywhere, from grocery stores to gas stations to book stores. It’s a craze that has gone way beyond the toy aisle.

CEO Judd Zebersky, who co-founded the company with his wife Laura, came out with the following statement: “We stand firmly with Israel and its right to defend its citizens against the despicable and barbaric actions of Hamas terrorists. Over the past three

days, over 900 Israelis injured... Make no mistake: Hamas is a terrorist organization with a charter calling for eradicating Israel. It’s a somber reminder of Israel’s genuine and daunting challenges, and our

hearts go out to all those affected by such evil.”

One responder online said this: “as black friday approaches, i find it important to make it known that the squishmallows manufacturers are violent zionists.” (lower case not mine).

If pointing out that Hamas are terrorists who do awful things makes one a violent Zionist, then I guess I am one too. But doesn’t it then follow that actually committing rape, murder and torture (versus making a statement in support of Israel on so-

cial media) makes one much, much more violent?

No? Oh, okay.

See: this is why we can’t engage with people like this. There is no rational argument we can make that will convince them they are measuring with an extremely crooked stick. Before we can educate, we have to uneducate. We are faced with such an intense amount of misinformation, it’s hardly worth the time.

Added to that is the fact that most antizionists and antisemites don’t want to see the truth.

The truth is very inconvenient (and doesn’t play well with short, semi-witty comments on X). If they were open to the truth, this world would be a different place.

It’s a pity, really. For many years, we’ve believed in the power of education, as the mightiest weapon in the fight against antisemitism.

We talk, we teach, we remember and we retell our stories. We may refer to ourselves as ‘People of the Book,’ but much of the time, we rely on our personal oral history, and that of our people. When we hear someone sharing an antisemitic trope, we speak up, we try to correct them, we share information.

We are once again learning that when it comes to antisemitism, many people simply do not want to listen. They are not antisemitic because they don’t know any better; they are antisemitic because they want to be. There is nothing we can do about that.

You know what we can do? Buy lots of squishmallows. Let’s hope they release an Am Yisrael Chaithemed Squishmallow soon, because I want one.

In dark times like these, Jewish tradition suggests a new way of seeing RABBI DIANE ELLIOT This story was first published on My Jewish Learning JTA This past week we entered the Hebrew month of Kislev, the month here in the Northern Hemisphere when we often experience the longest, darkest nights of the year. As the light contracts each day, I experience a tightening in my gut, an anxious fluttering of the heart. Time feels compressed, as if there aren’t enough hours in a day to do everything that needs doing. When the light fades at the end of these foreshortened days, I draw the blinds and turn on the lamps, wanting to make my home into an island of warmth and light in the face of the encroaching darkness.

My trepidation at the onset of night echoes the primal fear of the dark ascribed to the first mythic humans, Adam and Eve. A talmudic tale, found in Avodah Zarah 8a, imagines the two of them becoming frantic as darkness falls at the close of the first day of their lives. They’ve disobeyed God by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and now they’re terror stricken. “Woe is me,” Adam wails, “that because I’ve sinned, the world is darkening around me! The world will return to chaos and emptiness; this is heaven’s death sentence upon me!”

In this midrash, Adam experiences the arrival of darkness as punishment. His words conjure up the kind of existential shudder that can overtake a person in the dark, as the familiar shapes and colors of the daytime world dissolve into the trackless night. No wonder that darkness is often a metaphor for the scariest of times, times like the present, when awash in grief, fear and anger, we bear witness to the atrocities of war, to hatred unleashed and suffering magnified, to shattered dreams and dampened hopes. “These are dark times,” we tell one another.

Perhaps it’s only natural that humans try to beat back the dark with our hearths, campfires and brilliant winter light displays. We Jews do this beginning on the 25th of Kislev, when we kindle Hanukkah candles in remembrance of the Hasmoneans’ military victory over the Seleucid Greeks and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. But

on a more primal level, we do this to remind ourselves that even a tiny flame instantly dispels the deepest dark, offering hope, a light at the end of the tunnel.

And yet it strikes me that many of our tradition’s most transformational and transcendent moments unfold in the dark, in a dream space rich with spiritual potency. In Toldot, this week’s Torah portion, for instance, we meet Jacob, whose journey toward self-realization is bookended by two stirring night

Credit: Getty Images

episodes. Fleeing from his wrathful brother, he has a prophetic dream in which angels ascend and descend a ladder stretching between heaven and earth while God looms over him, promising protection. Returning home some 20 years later, he engages in an all-night wrestling match with a mysterious being, perhaps his own shadow self, who ultimately blesses him as the dawn breaks, renaming him Israel, the one who strives with God and prevails.

Despite the anguish that darkness evokes, the dark times offer unique opportunities. They slow us down, inviting us to rest in the moment. Sometimes they force us to face painful truths. They challenge us to deepen our prayer life, strengthen our faith and resolve, and discover inner resources and possibilities for transformation we might not know we possess.

Years ago, I practiced walking in the woods at night without a flashlight and discovered that when I could breathe deeply and relax into the

darkness, over time my eyes would adjust and I could see much more than I thought possible. Not just my eyes, but my whole body began to see in the dark in ways that I couldn’t in the light of day. I could find my way.

Adam and Eve, so the story goes, sat across from one another on that first traumatic night, fasting and weeping. When the dawn finally broke, they realized that the freshly created world was not coming to an end and that the alternation of light and dark, day and night, was simply the way of the world. Had they not felt so guilty and terrified they might have been able to look around with curiosity as the light waned, noticing how their eyes were primed to pick up many subtle shades of gray, the palette of darkness. Their vision might have gradually adjusted to the dark and, in the subtle glow of starlight, they might have been able to pick out the familiar, reassuring features of the other’s face and been calmed and comforted, even in the midst of their distress.

Could it be that in our yearning for the resurgence of the light, we fail to recognize and fully receive the gifts of darkness? That in drawing my blinds against the terrors of the night, I also shut out the vastness of the cosmos, the glimmering pinpoints of distant stars, the radiant winter moon, and the intimate, enveloping quiet of the dark?

Rabbi Diane Elliot is a spiritual leader and somatic therapist. She leads retreats, teaches nationally, and works with individuals in spiritual direction. Learn more about her work at www.whollypresent.org.

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.

TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at www.omahajewish press.com/site/forms/. Deadlines are normally nine days prior to publication, on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.

The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023 | 9

Missed opportunities

What do “The Jews will not replace us”, “Arbeit Macht Frei” (work will make you free), and “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free”, have in common? They are all 20th and 21st century examples of antisemitic tropes whose meaning was and is, the destruction of the Jewish people.

I have vivid memories of hearing Abdul Nassar of Egypt and Hafez al- GARY NACHMAN Assad of Syria, say numerous times and Guest Editorial broadcast over the radio in pre-Yom Kippur War, 1973, “We will destroy the Jews and push them into the sea”. The “Jews” at that time included this American studying at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. They were speaking to me then just as Hamas and in the west, pro-Palestinian protestors issuing this death sentence, speak to Israelis, and Jews everywhere in the world.

I am not going to dignify the “who came first” argument.

Factual history is very clear on this topic. I will start with modern history when in 1948, the world agreed to allow there to be both a Jewish state and a Palestinian state in the Middle East. Israel agreed but the Arab countries could not tolerate there to be a Jewish country in their midst. This was truly the beginning of the Palestinians becoming pawns by their own Arab brothers.

The Palestinian people have continued to be pawns through today. Autocratic countries and terrorist organizations use peace-loving people as human shields, as disposable “martyrs”

to further their own demands for power and control.

Through many iterations of attempting to eliminate the Jewish state, the Palestinian people and Israeli citizens continue to pay the price, to be the losers of this futile effort of eliminating Israel. In the process, peace-loving Palestinians and peace-loving Israelis have lost their voice at the table. They have been supplanted by militant, zealous religious extremists on the one side, and by zealous religious extremists on the other side, supported by power-hungry governments afraid of losing power if they don’t support the religious extremists.

There have been so many missed opportunities to create a peaceful resolution, but they required adults in the room, unafraid to be brave and far-sighted. These efforts also required the support of major world powers and most importantly, neighbors in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the region was unable to achieve this equilibrium.

The Abraham accords felt like for the first time, reasonable people were willing to take a risk on peace. Clearly there were many ulterior motives for coming to this time, but the resulting benefit was a scene where the risks were greater to pursue conflict than for creating peace. It seems obvious that Iran, through its proxies, couldn’t allow this axis of power to solidify in a way that makes them (in their view of themselves) the “other,” the enemy. It was only a matter of time before they had to object in the only way they knew how to save face in their eyes, dramatic terror.

Hamas is a terrorist organization, full stop. Their charter clearly states their intention is to eliminate the Jewish people.

Israel has the same right that the Allies had in WWII to over-

I’ve worked in Jewish media for a decade.

I’ve never seen social media this unhinged. whatever standards they’ve arbitrarily decided it must. BeLIOR ZALTZMAN yond Israel and Palestine, we’ve been tearing ourselves apart This essay originally appeared in Kveller. inside our Jewish community, and that also breaks my heart.

JTA It was a slow trickle, each long press of the finger and ensuI understand the deep grief and rage behind most posts. I’ve ing quick tap was days and sometimes weeks apart (it’s hard been enraged and grieving myself. I’ve been scared too: Of the to comprehend that a whole month has passed since Oct. 7), growing antisemitism. Of the people who tell me that I and my but I am here to tell you that I — a former social media man- family, because we were born in Israel, can’t be innocent civilager — have removed each and every social media app from ians, that we all deserve the horrors of Oct. 7 to befall on us. my phone.

In fact, as I was writing this very esssay, I realized I still had Threads downloaded, opened it for a minute, saw a Thread that said “Zionism is antisemitism,” and promptly deleted that, too.

I have zero desire to restore a single one of them.

What happened to me has probably happened to you, too. I saw a Tweet, a TikTok, an Instagram Story that filled me with such fury and indignation that I spent hours — sometimes days — formulating and reformulating an epic, fact-based, emotionally charged, imagined response. Imagined, of course, because I knew I’d never post it. I’ve seen so many celebrities Credit: Via Canva and random acquaintances do such utterly embarrassing and harmful and reputation-destroying things in I’ve also been scared for the life of every innocent person the last weeks to even dare to try. lost and about to be lost. Around 1,200 Israelis killed, 300 kidAnd to be clear: I would try if I thought I could change napped, over 10,000 Palestinian lives believed to have been someone’s mind and force them to see my humanity, but be- taken, all unfathomable numbers. And I’ve been scared about yond the small, intimate, personal conversations that I can the cycle of rage and violence and siloed indignation that rehave off the apps, I feel like these enraged indignant responses moves the humanity of a whole swath of people. Because I do only seem to silo people further. believe that that’s part of what got us here. And I keep seeing I’ve worked in social media since 2014 — in the Jewish realm it evinced, over and over again, on social media. of social media, specifically. That means I’ve seen a lot of awI am — unlike many “experts” newly minted by numbers of fulness, gas chamber memes, overt antisemitism and Islamo- followers or magnitude of chutzpah — not an expert of Middle phobia. I’ve personally been told many times to go back where Eastern politics, despite being Israeli and working in Jewish I came from (which, yes, is Israel, and that feels grimly funny media for almost a decade. I know a lot, but I am not a politinow). Yet I’ve also believed in its power to heal, to make people cian or historian. And yet, to the extent I believe that there is feel seen, to energize activism, to educate. a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I believe that it I still believe that — kind of ? But I’ve also never seen it this has to be one that takes into account the inherent humanity awful, this polarizing, this … honestly, unhinged. An unscien- of all those involved. I believe that it will be human and imtific poll of people I know seems to indicate the same thing: perfect.

Social media is the worst it’s ever been, maybe because the IsI’m awed by the people who are still managing to use social rael/Palestine conversation has always been so impossibly po- media for good right now, the little spots of light — people larizing. who parse through history and reality with wisdom and emPeople are so stuck in their “side” and binary that they’re pathy, well-educated veteran observers of Israel and Palestine, willing to share anything — without fact-checking, without academics, journalists, fierce activists, who, through immense making sure they’re not getting in bed with people whose pain, still manage to retain their humanity. worldview is dangerous, without asking themselves for a small Yet for me, I’ve realized being on social media is doing more second, wait, is this Islamophobic? Antisemitic? Completely harm than good. It’s keeping me further away from solutions detached from reality? Without wondering if they sound like and useful action, and closer to rage and fear. So for now, I a conspiracy theorist, or if they’re just being cruel for cruelty’s can’t stay there. sake.

Lior Zaltzman is the deputy managing editor of Kveller.

And the amount of words wasted on misinformation and The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of meanness doesn’t even compare to the number of words the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its some people insist on putting into other people’s mouths (or parent company, 70 Faces Media. keyboards, rather) when their statement doesn’t 100% pass

come and defeat this inhumane blot on civilization.

However, current events require the world to separate Hamas from the Palestinian people. This difficult task is further complicated by the fact that Hamas uses the Palestinian people as human shields from which to attack the Jewish people. Some may ask why the Palestinian people allowed this to happen. It’s a naïve question as it supposes that the Palestinians had standing to really make change against people with guns. Besides, Hamas was clever enough to realize that if they provided services, basic existence, and a clear understanding of who had the weapons, they could control the population.

They could always blame Israel for any despair.

I am optimistic that this war will end. I am further optimistic that in the near future, peace-loving people on both sides will try very hard not to look for blame, but to look for a way all parties can live in safety and have the opportunity to bring their children up in a better place. There has been so much pain inflicted that it is natural for emotion to be the initial driver of a post-war era. Let us hope that we can find forgiveness, move past blame, and pray that everyone’s children can know peace and security.

PS: While there is hope for some form of settlement in the Middle East, there is still hatred and violence in our own country. Antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, and all forms of “othering” have never been so pronounced as they are today with vitriol and passion. Again, it takes compassionate and fearless leaders to effect the changes needed, to show tolerance and understanding. Let us hope that those leaders exist. On this score I am less optimistic…

In the classroom

The following is an excerpt from an article by Alex Augenbraun, a Jewish student at Hunter College, New York.

Read the full story at JTA.org or omahajewishpress.com.

As tensions over this conflict rise on college campuses around the country, attention has largely gone toward protests, rallies and open letters. But the recording from my class illustrates a different frontier for Jewish students — discourse within the classroom. The quotes that follow are directly from the recording.

When the teacher asked, “How have you been following the news?” One student said they had been watching ABC and CNN. “It’s horrible... Just the devastation, especially in Palestine,” said the student. Another student added: “I don’t really like what’s going on in this war. I know it’s been going on for 75 years. I guess I see Palestine’s side more.”

“The Palestinian people?” asked the teacher.

“Yeah,” said the same student. “I don’t want to say I don’t understand the other side, but I understand the Palestinian side more.”

Later on, the conversation turned to the more than 200 Israelis taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7.

“Because of where I stand on this issue... I don’t think we should be bombing people’s homes to get the hostages,” said a third student. “I mean, me specifically, I don’t think Israel is a legitimate country. Let’s start from there. They are a colonial country.”

“What do you mean?” asked the teacher.

“Israel is not legitimate,” the student went on. “The U.N. placed them there. ... They literally took people’s homes in order for them to be a country.”

According to the student, Jews had no claims on any part of the region when, in November 1947, the United Nations voted to divide Great Britain’s former Palestinian mandate into Jewish and Arab states. “I mean, the U.N. did that for them,” said the same student. “And then they kept expanding and taking people’s homes and lives.”

No mention was made of the Arabs’ rejection of the partition plan, or the war they launched the following year to destroy the newly independent Jewish state.

“And the Hamas are reiterating... I mean, I don’t support terrorism but — there has always been conflict before Hamas bombed Israel. Palestinian lives have been lost for 75 years and no one cares. But then when they retaliate on Israel, suddenly it’s making headlines. That just doesn’t... I don’t know — the U.N. and every country in the U.N. partook in the taking of the land.”

Nine days after Hamas killed 1,400 Israelis in a single day of bloodshed, another student was ready to move on.

“This sounds like old news,” they said. “How did this all begin again? Didn’t they have a truce? The news shows Palestinians in here, in New York who are protesting the war, and they wore signs saying ‘Palestine’s not for sale.’

My guess is that might have something to do with why this whole thing started up again.”

“There was a massacre,” the teacher pointed out.

“Who massacred who?” asked the student.

“Don’t you have qualms with Hamas?” asked the teacher.

“No, I have no qualms about anything,” said the student.

“Don’t you know what Hamas did?” the teacher pressed.

“No,” said the student. “I have no idea.”

Synagogues

10 | The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

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

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

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

CHABAD HOUSE

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

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

TEMPLE ISRAEL

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

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

B’NAI ISRAEL Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m. with a jam session with the Bagel Boys after services. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

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

Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

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

FRIDAY: Pre-Neg & Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service and Bar Mitzvah of Evan Shapiro, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 5:35 p.m. Zoom Only..

SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Tots (Ages 3-PreK & Parents), 10 a.m.; Hebrew Reading for Adults, 10:30 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; Young Family PJ Library Book Swap, 11 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 11:15 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; B’nai Mitzvah Parent Meeting (Grades 5-6), 12:15 p.m.; Tacky Sweater Party, 4:30 p.m. at Urban Abbey.

TUESDAY: Pirkei Avot, 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham.

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

FRIDAY-Dec. 8: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY-Dec. 9: Shabbat Morning Service and Bat Mitzvah of Naama Abraham, 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 5:35 p.m. Zoom Only.

Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 4:38 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Kids Kiddush Club, 11:15 a.m.; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s Teachings, 3:45 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:30 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 5 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:42 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Monday Mind Builders, 4 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development Class, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m.; Parsha Class, 5 p.m.

FRIDAY-Dec. 8: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 4:37 p.m.

SATURDAY-Dec. 9: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Kids Kiddush Club, 11:15 a.m.; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s Teachings, 3:45 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:30 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity, 5 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:41 p.m.

Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

CHABAD HOUSE All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person and via Zoom (ochabad.com/academy). For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 4:30 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/ Lechayim; Candlelighting, 4:37 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 5:40 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Shacharit, 99:30 a.m., Video Presentation, 9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 7 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Parsha Reading, 10 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 34), noon; Hanukkah Kick-off, 5 p.m. at Stinson Park. RSVP at ochabad.com/chan ukah84; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

FRIDAY-Dec. 8: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 4:30 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ocha bad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 4:36 p.m.

SATURDAY-Dec. 9: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed

by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 5:40 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL

FRIDAY: Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 4:41 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Vayishlach; Havdalah, 5:44 p.m.

SUNDAY: LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m.-noon; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group, 10:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at Rock 'n Joe (5025 Lindbergh St.). For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at alb ertw801@gmail.com; Pickleball, 3-5 p.m. Anyone interested in playing or learning how to play can text Miriam at 402.470.2393. If there are enough interested people; we will play in the Social Hall at TI. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4:30-6 p.m.

FRIDAY-Dec. 8: Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 4:40 p.m.

SATURDAY-Dec. 9: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Vayeishev; Havdalah, 5:44 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

FRIDAYS: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home’s service is currently closed to visitors.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Benjamin Sharff, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander FRIDAY: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. In-Person; Shabbat B’Yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom; 20 Somethings Event, 6 p.m. In-Person.

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SUNDAY: Blood Drive, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.; Grades PreK7, 9:30 a.m.; Temple Tots Sunday, 10 a.m.; Coffee and Conversation with the Board Members, 10 a.m.

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

THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom.

FRIDAY-Dec. 8: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. InPerson; Lights, Laughs, Latkes: A Hanukkah Celebration, 5:45 p.m.

SATURDAY-Dec. 9: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

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

Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch.

All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.

Hugs, slinkies and trauma care DEBORAH DANAN TEL AVIV | JTA Israeli health, military and government officials have been preparing for what a release of hostages from Gaza would look like since Oct. 7. But on November 24, as the first round of hostages were released at the start of a ceasefire brokered with Hamas, some admitted just how difficult that preparation has been.

“We had to write these guidelines without any theoretical or practical knowledge in the world of a situation where children are being held captive by a terrorist organization,” said Sarit Sarfatti, a government official who works with child protection social workers at a briefing for journalists.

Many of the hostages have experienced severe trauma, including witnessing the murder of family members. They were shuttled Friday evening Israel time from Gaza into Egypt, and from there were moved to several designated hospitals throughout Israel.

There, they were received by teams that include pediatricians, gynecologists, forensic medicine experts and legal medicine specialists, focusing on the specific needs of women and children. No adult

men were expected to be released as of Nov. 27.

In parallel, the Israel’s welfare ministry has selected 60 social workers with expertise in child trauma and at least one social worker will also be designated to each family.

Sarfatti described a three-phase care plan for the hostages. Initially, the focus is on their return to Israel. The second phase involves acute care, at least a month-long, tailored to each individual’s specific medical and psychological needs. The final stage, which could extend over a year or “much, much longer,” she said, focuses on long-term care, factoring in personal circumstances, such as the murder of family members.

“We do have a lot of therapeutic models that deal with trauma intervention,” she said. “We have a lot of faith and hope for their healing.”

Dr. Hagai Levine, who is also involved in the process, said the situation will differ from hostage to hostage. “For one it’s a hug from his mother, for another it might be urgent heart repair.”

The Israel Defense Forces showed reporters a range of items that is distributed to the returned hostages, from neon-colored slinkies to noise-canceling headphones. Levine explained that simple

items like a pair of shoes or glasses could make a significant difference in improving the condition of the hostages.

“They were dehumanized, treated as mere objects by Hamas,” he said, noting that many of them were barefoot when they were abducted.

Levine also said he had met with hostages who had previously been released, including Yocheved Lifshitz. She “complained about the light,” he said, adding that it could “take a long time to get used to again,” and comparing the experience to being a newborn.

Forensic examinations to determine if the hostages — especially the younger ones, who may not be able to communicate their experiences — went through torture, sexual violence or other forms of abuse may yield inconclusive results, Levine said, as too much time has elapsed since the events would have occurred. “We may never know,” he admitted. “Some of them don’t know that their community has been almost entirely annihilated, and we will have to break the news to them very soon,” Sarfatti said. “This is something that cannot be delayed.”

Read more at www.omahajewishpress.com.

Life cycles IN MEMORIAM PEGGY LOUISE CHASEN Peggy Louise Chasen passed away on Nov. 25, 2023, in Omaha. Services were held on Nov. 28, 2023, at Golden Hill Cemetery and were officiated by Rabbi Steven Abraham.

She was preceded in death by loving husband, Jay Joseph Chasen.

She is survived by three children, Steve and Debbie Chasen, Diane and Richard Stein, and Gary Chasen; five grandchildren: Danielle and Kevin Tornkvist, Mathew and Stacy Chasen, Jeremy Chasen and Nicole Greene Chasen, Rachel Stein, and Aaron Stein.

She was a proud social worker at the Salvation Army and a Nursery School Teacher at Beth El Synagogue.

Memorials may be made to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

Fischer Statement on conditioning U.S. support for Israel WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after Democrats in Congress held discussions about placing conditions and restrictions on U.S. support for Israel: “This administration has said from the beginning that it would not tell Israel how to protect itself — President Biden and Democrats in Congress should stay the course.

The political whims of a far-left minority shouldn’t erode American support for our ally. In the coming weeks, Congress ought to reject attempts to dictate Israel’s response to the worst terrorist attack in its history.”

From the Governor

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 B’nai Israel Synagogue and Living History Museum along with all other synagogues in the state of Iowa received a letter and an Executive Proclamation from Kim Reynolds. In the letter she extends her deepest sympathies to the congregations in the wake of Hamas’ terrorist attack on the innocent civilians of Israel.

The Executive Proclamation signed by Govenor Reynolds was to observe blue ribbons for Israel Solidarity Week beginning Oct. 22-29, 2023. Israel Solidarity Week symbolizes support for the safe return of the hostages taken by Hamas, and solidarity with the hostages, their families and all who care for their safety.

The B’nai Israel community appreciates the proclamation and the support offered by Governor Reynolds and the State of Iowa.

It is our sincere hope that this support is followed by the safe return of hostages and a path toward peace in the Middle East.

TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress @jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at www.omahajewishpress. com/site/forms/. Deadlines are normally nine days prior to publication, on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.

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

Lois Frankel quits progressive caucus RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON | JTA Florida Rep. Lois Frankel, a Jewish Democrat, quit the party’s progressive caucus, one of the largest in Congress, as the Israel-Hamas war has brought to the surface long simmering differences over Israel among progressives.

Frankel’s departure was first reported Monday by The Intercept, and later confirmed with her office by Axios. Both publications cited anonymous sources Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla. as saying that Frankel quit over how progressives were treating Israel since Hamas terrorists invaded the country on Oct. 7, launching a war.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which numbers 100 or so members out of the 212 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, has long avoided Israel issues to keep the peace among members. Frankel, Axios reported, has a 96% rating of voting with the progressive agenda on issues not related to Israel.

In the weeks since the war, Frankel, along with other Jewish Democrats, has pushed back bids by other progressives to condemn Israel’s wartime conduct and to call for a ceasefire.

Earlier last month, she was one of six progressives among 22 Democrats who joined Republicans in censuring Palestinian American Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib for using proPalestinian language that some Jewish groups say is antisemitic. Two other progressive caucus members voting to censure Tlaib are Jewish: Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Dan Goldman of New York.

Israel has long been a fault line among progressives, but it has not riven the caucus until now. Members of the caucus’s small left wing, the “Squad,” which includes Tlaib, have led calls to defund assistance to Israel and since the war to call for a ceasefire. Others, like Ritchie Torres of New York — who also voted to censure Tlaib — have vigorously defended Israel as a pluralistic democracy and have accepted the endorsement of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which Tlaib and others have made a bogeyman.

Tensions among progressives occasionally burst to the surface, for instance in July, when the caucus chairwoman, Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, sought to calm a crowd at a Netroots Nation conference in Chicago that protested that members of the caucus were not outspoken enough in their criticism of Israel. The protests brought a panel to a standstill for more than 20 minutes.

A specific target of the protests at that conference was Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who is Jewish. “Maybe I should just walk off,” she said, until Jayapal urged her to stay.

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JEWISH PRESS NOTICE The Jewish Press will be closed on Mondays, Dec. 25, 2023 and Jan. 1, 2024. There will be no Jewish Press on Jan. 5, 2024. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.

The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023 | 11

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12 | The Jewish Press | December 1, 2023