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DECEMBER 6, 2019 | 8 KISLEV 5780 | VOL. 100 | NO. 9 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 4:37 P.M.
RBJH, UNO and OMA A winning trifecta
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OzzIE NOGG
Shirley’s Kitchen: Syrnichki Page 6
MoMENtum Trip Pages 8 & 9
Kitchen: Green shakshuka with feta Page 16
Blumkin Home residents create art with their UNO partners. UNO student volunteer Cathi Skalka and RBJH resident Chuck Levinger. Art is truly on the leading edge of this therapy and really benefits dementia patients. My volunteer work with
ADL appoints Gary Nachman as Director for Plains States Region
inside Spotlight Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles
tudent volunteers from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, along with Rose Blumkin Jewish Home activity staff members and a select group of RBJH Residents recently completed an eight-week program in Opening Minds through Art (OMA). The award-winning intergenerational program provides opportunities for creative self-expression and social engagement for people with dementia. OMA also provides volunteers with opportunities to improve their attitudes toward aging through the weekly interaction with their OMA partners. “I started working at a retirement home when I was 14 and have dreamed of becoming an art therapist for older adults since I was in high school,” said Haley Jessen, a UNO senior majoring in Gerontology and Social Work. “Opening Minds through
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JAkE HYMAN responsible for leading ADL’s Plains ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today States Regional Office, which provides announced the appointment of Gary Nach- services and resources to Nebraska, Iowa man, a professional with and Kansas. many years of experi“We are excited that ence in real estate fiGary is joining the Plains nance and the non-profit States team as a profesworld, as Regional Direcsional, and we are very tor of ADL’s Plains much looking forward to his efforts to combat States Regional Office, anti-Semitism and hate based in Omaha. across our region,” said Nachman previously Danny Cohn, ADL Plains served as the Chair of States Regional Board ADL’s Plains State ReChair. “Given Gary’s gional Board and has longtime commitment more than a 20-year hisand passion for ADL’s tory with the ADL board, Gary Nachman mission, we are confiincluding service on the regional Civil Rights and Israel Relations Committees. In his new capacity, Nachman will be
dent that he is well-positioned to assume this critical leadership role.” A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Nachman has worked as a professional in the real estate financial services industry for over 40 years, having worked for a number of local and national companies, as well as owning his multi-state mortgage business. Previously, Nachman served as president of the Nebraska Mortgage Association. In addition, Gary has been a real estate developer as well as owner of Rainwood Vineyard. Outside of his work at ADL, Nachman See ADL appoints Gary Nachman page 2
OMA at the Blumkin Home made me think about my grandma who suffered See A winning trifecta page 3
Latkes and Libations returns to Beth El
OzzIE NOGG On Thursday evening, Dec. 19, Beth El Synagogue will offer Latkes and Libations, a popular program cooked up by the Miriam Initiative. The event, chaired this year by Diane and Howard Shandell, runs from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Beth El kitchen. There is no cost to attend the event, which is open to Beth El members (guys welcome) and their guests; but advance reservations are required. “The first Latkes and Libations
was a huge success,” said Joanie Jacobson, general chairperson of the Initiative, “so we’re bringing it back in time to make Hanukkah even more special. Five new recipes, five cooking teams and five fine wines make for a very fun, very festive and very delicious latke-swapping evening for anyone who loves to cook. Party in the kitchen!” Diane Shandell and her husband get their love of cooking — and eating — from their grandparents. See Latkes and Libations page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019
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Environmental Chelm! Sponsored Content Benson Plant Rescue / Community Produce Rescue (BPR-CPR)
by Dr. D, Co-Founder & President A Jew from Chelm was complaining about our world’s growing natural disasters: “Tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, floods…. It’s enough to make you wish you’d never been born….” “Sure,” replied his friend Shlomi, “but who has that much luck? Maybe one in a million?” MORAL: If you’re “unlucky” enough to have been born into our failing environment, you have the responsibility to help improve it. +++++++ Dear Friends, When it comes to the environment, it seems we are living in an age of Chelm. At the national level, the U.S. is withdrawing from the Paris Accords. At the international level, years of progress in slowing deforestation of the rain forest has evaporated with the election of a Brazilian government that echoes our administration’s climate denial. What to do? Throwing one’s hands in the air and lamenting that we have been born is not an answer but a cop-out. Truth is, we may not be able to do much about trees being slaughtered in the Amazon, but we can do something about preserving and developing green spaces in Omaha. Apparently, big government is not going to help much, so it becomes increasingly necessary that we work at a local level to make such environmental improvements as we can with local resources and volunteers. For over twenty years, the Benson Plant Rescue has been developing a sustainable model of organic waste reduction. During the next five months, we intend to share what we have learned through a series of weekly columns explaining the What, Where, When, Why, and How of who we are. We are doing so to inform you how you too can participate in our Green Revolution. We hope to entertain you in the process. And we would like to invite you to assist our work by becoming a Sustaining Member. Finally, we are in the midst of our annual Holiday Fund drive. Donations made through January 6 receive a proportional match from Midlands Community Foundation. We need $500,000 by May 1, 2020, to pay off/remodel our property, so any funds you can spare will assist us in reaching our goal. Follow the link at BensonPlantRescue.org. We hope you will partner with us in helping develop a new mindset in America about disposing of organic matter. We must do everything we can to change our wasteful ways. Otherwise it won’t be the Russians or Chinese who bury us, but our waste. Stay tuned. There’s more to come…. Growing Community, Not Just Plants Read more in the Rosh Hashanah edition of The Jewish Press, Sept. 7, 2019, Section 2.
Latkes and Libations
Continued from page 1 latkes and my favorite — old-fashioned potato latkes,” Diane “Howard is a Philadelphia native,” Diane explained, “and has said. “Guests will be assigned to one of five groups and then fond memories of going to New York for the holidays to visit prepare one of the recipes for everyone to his grandparents. He especially taste. Wine will be available during the remembers his macooking process and during the moreternal grandmother than-festive Tasting Party. Recipes will be being known as the available to take home.” Soup Lady, famous for Latkes and Libations is designed for making great kreboth die-hards and kitchen novices. You plach. I grew up in can be a chopper, a fryer, a schmoozer and Omaha and all my those with limited culinary skills can wash grandparents lived or dry the dishes. There’s a job for everyhere, so I have great one. “If I hadn’t seen it for myself in past memories of my Bubbie years, I would never have known cooking in her kitchen rolling latkes in mixed company out dough on her big wooden flour-covered board. She was always baking or cooking something so delicious which came so easy to her. Bubbie made the most delicious kichel for Hanukkah. They were her own invention, more like a cinnamon roll than an air cookie that I wish I Above left: Two-month-old Diane could duplicate. She never used a recipe, and she Saferstein Shandell held by her measured by hand. Howard mother, Mary, left, and Aunt Zelda Saferstein with and I continue to carry on the menorah during Hanukkah, 1957; and above right: Howard Shandell’s ma- could be that much the tradition of cooking for ternal Bubbie, Pauline Feinberg, mixing latke batter. fun,” Jacobson said. holidays by sharing it with family and friends.” “Latkes and Libations with the Shandells is a night you’ll long During the Dec. 19 Latkes and Libations, the Shandells will remember or be sorry you missed.” share the tradition and fun with Beth El women and their Because of space limitations in the Beth El kitchen, attenhusbands, fathers, boyfriends, guy friends or good friends dance is limited to 30 people. Reservations are needed by from other congregations — all of whom are invited and en- Dec. 12. To save your spot, please contact Robby Erlich, Beth couraged to attend. “This year we’ll make stuffed gruyere El Engagement Coordinator: rerlich@bethel-omaha.org or latkes, carrot and apple latkes, sweet potato latkes, veggie 402.492 8550.
ADL appoints Gary Nachman
Continued from page 1 has been involved with several other Omaha-area non-profits, including serving as Chair of Rebuilding Together --- an organization dedicated to keeping the elderly in their own homes by making functional updates to prolong livability and safety. “I am looking forward to serving ADL and helping advance our timeless mission to fight anti-Semitism and hate in all forms in the Plains States Region,” said Nachman. “ADL’s mission best expresses the passion I have for serving those who are unfairly treated, educating those who require it, and protecting the value of fair treatment to all.”
For more than 60 years, ADL’s Plains States Regional office has investigated and exposed extremism, educated law enforcement on hate crimes, and handled anti-Semitism and discrimination complaints. ADL’s regional educational initiatives, which include No Place for Hate, anti-bias and anti-bullying programs, Words to Action, PEW (Promoting Empowerment in Our World), IHE collaboratives and workshops impact dozens of schools and thousands of students across the region. Nachman succeeds Mary-Beth Muskin who led the Plains States office for the past four years before retiring.
Temple Israel Blood Drive CASSAnDRA WEISEnBERG Director of Communications, Temple Israel You can help save a life! The American Red Cross will be visiting Temple Israel for a blood drive on Sunday, Dec. 15, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and we hope you will help us support their good work. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, and a single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood. To donate, register online at, or by calling 1.800.RED.CROSS (1.800.733.2767). Questions? Contact Executive Director Dennis DePorte, 402.556.6536.
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The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019 | 3
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 save/spend/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 invitation 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 2 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: jbeckma n@jewishomaha.org with questions or for more information.
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community A winning trifecta
Continued from page 1 from dementia. I was young when she died, so I didn’t understand dementia as much as I do now; and I wish the program had been available to her because I think she would have really enjoyed it. I think art has amazing healing capabilities along with being fun. When the call went out for OMA volunteers, I signed up right away because the project is something I feel passionate about.” Jessen is pursuing a minor in Fine Arts and hopes to work in hospice, using art within her practice. In addition to Jessen, other UNO student volunteers were Dhan Biswakarma, Jordan Davis, Stephen Fogle, Jaden Green, Sarah Kopsa, Paying Lor, Cathi Skalka and Richard Smith. RBJH Activity Coordinators Emily Clement and Cheryl Poulin — both certified OMA Facilitators — were in charge of training the students. “In our efforts to recruit volunteers, we reached out to the UNO Gerontology department and worked with their staff to spread the word,” Clement said. “Cheryl and I then held an informational meeting for students, and those who signed up received two training sessions using videos and the manual provided to us by OMA. They learned about working with people with dementia in general, ways to communicate with them, and how the OMA
process works.” Blumkin Home activities staff members Jill Ohlmann and Chrissy Nelson, along with Maggie Conti, RBJH Director of Activities and
through Art project is a no-fail abstract art creation, using different materials — acrylic paint, glitter, tissue paper and glue, bubble wrap, netting, natural
Blumkin Home residents create art with their UNO partners. Sarah Kopsa and Ron Budwig. Volunteer Services, also worked closely on the project. “We chose Residents with dementia who we thought would benefit from the OMA program,” Cheryl Poulin explained. “We included people we know love art, but also tried to include residents who don’t regularly participate in a lot of activities and could use the oneon-one attention.” Each Opening Minds
sponges. There is no drawing or effort to replicate anything. “To quote Elizabeth Lokon, the founder of OMA, ‘Most people with dementia have virtually all of their decisions made for them, so this is the one hour when they get to decide everything on their own.’ At the Blumkin Home, during our sessions, we make it clear to the Residents that they See A winnig trifecta page 4
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community A winning trifecta
Continued from page 3 Volunteer Cathi Skalka is currently in the last semester of are the artists and can express themselves however they want her graduate degree requirements for Public Health and Beto. We volunteers are here as supportive friends, to provide haviors at UNO, and working towards a Graduate Certificate guidance and to help, if needed.” in Gerontology. “As a fitness instructor I work with older Elizabeth Lokon created Opening Minds through Art in adults who are highly active,” she said, “so before I signed on 2007 at Miami University in for the OMA program I’d Ohio. “When I first started not had much interaction going to nursing homes, I with older adults who saw that people with destruggle with cognitive and mentia were just bored,” physical disabilities. WorkLokon says. “I thought ing with Chuck, my partner, there must be another way I’ve seen that limitations do of engaging them that takes not always inhibit older into account the fact that adults from the enjoyment they have dementia, but at that comes from creating the same time makes them art. I learned to pause and active, more autonomous.” observe the signals of what Originally from Indonesia, Chuck wanted to do while Lokon chose the name working on our project, OMA because it means when he could not verbally grandmother in Dutch, the tell me. I want to work with language her parents and dementia patients after I grandparents speak. Now complete my education, conducted by Scripps and this opportunity was an Gerontology Center, an excellent way to gain expeOhio Center of Excellence rience and build a relationBlumkin Home residents create art with their UNO partners. RBJH resat Miami University in colship with older adults.” ident Yu Sun, far right, with volunteer Stephen Fogle, 2nd from left, laboration with The Knolls “I’ve always enjoyed art with his wife and son. of Oxford, the program has and visiting nursing spread to more than 150 locations in both the United States homes,” said Jordan Davis, a UNO senior pursuing a multiand Canada. The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is the first in disciplinary studies major, “so getting involved with OMA the state of Nebraska to implement OMA. was a pretty great opportunity. It had my name all over it. My OMA’s stated goal is to help create a society that values interaction with my Blumkin Home resident partner made older adults with dementia by building genuine friendships me realize how very capable the elderly community really is. between people with cognitive barriers and volunteers as they Just like us, they have their limitations, but they have every engage in art-making; to ensure that students gain a new ability to shine in their own way. They too just need love, refriendship, develop empathy, and a sense of pride in them- spect and attention. This experience has given me the eyes, selves for doing something to help others. At the Blumkin ears and heart of the elderly and now all I want to do is give Home, the goal has clearly been reached. back and help those individuals feel more alive again.” “For five years I lived in China and regularly played croquet The Opening Minds through Art program was made available with older adults,” said volunteer Stephen Fogle, a candidate to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home through a grant from The for Master of Social Gerontology and applicant for Ph.D. in Association of Jewish Aging Services. “The grant we received is Gerontology at UNO. “Some of the academic literature about for three years,” said Maggie Conti, “but we hope to send other croquet, leisure studies and older adults is concerned with the activity staff for OMA training and continue the program inexperiences of people living with dementia. I got involved definitely.” Two of the college volunteers, Cathi Skalka and with OMA to deepen understanding of those experiences and Richard Smith, will do their UNO gerentology practicum at the inform future research. During the project, I was fortunate to Blumkin Home during the spring semester. “This OMA probe paired with a resident who speaks Chinese. Over our weeks gram has been truly a blessing,” Conti said. “It keeps on giving.” together, I rarely thought of her as being old or incapable. For An exhibit of the Residents’ art work is planned for Dec. me, the project became sharing time with a good friend.” 15. Look for details in a future edition of the Jewish Press.
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Upcoming auditions for JCC Spring Musical You are invited to join our cast! We are a community of actors that support each other’s growth. Our Musical Theater group meets once a week for a two hour rehearsal. During that time we work on general musical theater skills, blocking scenes, learning dances and songs. Registration for our spring musical theater production will open Monday, Dec. 16. Musical Theater is open to JCC Members and Non-Members, ages 8 through adult. Members may register beginning at 9 a.m., Dec. 16. Non-Members can begin registering at noon. Required audition materials will be posted on our website soon. Note: registration is required to audition. Registration will close at 50 participants. Space fills quickly. Call 402.334.6419 or visit www.jccomaha.org to register. Cost for JCC members is $153, for non-Members it is $199. Support the arts and our wonderful programming! Want to do even more? Sponsor our head mics for the shows. This is a sponsorship of $2500. You generous support of our program is so greatly appreciated by us and the entire community! Contact Esther at ekatz@jccomaha.org for more information.
Christian Nobel: Nebraska and Iowa’s premiere full service furrier Tyler Ray opened Christian Nobel in 1994 after acquiring Kish Furs in 1989. Kish was founded in 1927. Having trained with Master Furriers such as Hugo J. Briza of Kish Furs, Donald Kneeter of Kneeters Furs, and Harry Getsos of New York, he himself became a Master Furrier. In addition, our Master Tailor and our highly trained staff have 148 years of combined experience. Natural fur is gorgeous, extremely warm and sustainable. Whether you are looking to purchase a new fur from our 2019-2020 collection or your grandmother gifted you her beloved fur, we are here to help. We store, clean, repair and remodel. We also take trade-ins! Each piece of inventory is hand-selected from only the most reputable manufacturers in the industry from around the world. We carry the finest Swakara from Africa, the finest mink from the US, and the finest sable from Russia. We carry sheared mink, chinchilla, lynx, alpaca, sheared beaver, cashmere and more. We also create custom furs to your desire. The proper care and maintenance of a fur garment begins with storing your fur in cold storage. Christian Nobel is equipped with temperature-, humidity- and light-controlled storage vault facilities to protect your fur, keeping it from drying out, oxidizing and prematurely aging. Your fur should be cleaned annually. Cleaning is the most vital step in preserving the integrity and the beauty of your fur. The cleaning process conditions the garment and keeps the skins soft and supple. We invite you to visit our new beautiful store in Hilltop Plaza, one block south of 108th and Center. We have the best inventory and selection we’ve ever had! Our Grand-Opening special this year is a complimentary VIP Travel Voucher with any coat purchase of $2995 or more. Choose from two round-trip airline vouchers, a five day and four night cruise for two, or eight-day and seven-night luxury accomodations! Voucher supplies are limited! PAID ADVERTISEMENT
The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019 | 5
Scholarship opportunity
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 single-parent 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.
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Chabad Hanukkah at Boys Town
2933 S. 108th Street Omaha, NE 68144 402-343-9406 christiannobel.com
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 are 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!
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6 | The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019
Shirley’s kitchen: Syrnichki From: Leah Kosinovsky Originating from: Belarus Usually served this when: Lunch, snack Shirley always enjoyed these and I enjoy making them for her! Cooking time: 8-10 minutes Temperature: medium setting
SYRnICHkI
Ingredients and directions: 1 pound cottage cheese (fresh, unsalted and with as little whey as possible) 1/4 cup sugar 1 or 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup flour Canola oil Put cottage cheese in a mixing bowl. Add sugar, egg yolks and flour, mixing with a spoon after addition of every ingredient. Form patties, roll in flour. Put small amount of canola oil in a frying pan with a non-stick surface and preheat it. Fry the patties on both sides until they are beige or light brown. Makes 8-9 patties. Can be served with sour cream or strawberry preserves. Serves 3-4 people.
Organizations
B’nAI B’RITH BREADBREAkERS
B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers meets weekly on Wednesdays at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home auditorium from noon to 1 p.m. For specific speaker information, please email Gary.Javitch@Gmail.com, Breadbreakers chairman. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.
Holiday Arts and Crafts Show at Mid-America Center Make plans now to attend the annual Christmas and many more original products. Exhibitors will also be selling coffee cakes, dips, Arts and Crafts show that will be held Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7-8 at the Mid-America Center salsa, soups, jams, jellies, cheese and sausage, wines, honey, food mixes and roasted nuts. in Council Bluffs, Iowa. All items offered for sale to the public are handThe show is billed as one of Iowa’s largest made by the exhibitor. shows, with over 200 exhibitors presenting and selling thousands of unique, handmade products. Hours of the show are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Among the various products being sold at the on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 and children 10 and younger are show are oak and pine furniture, paintings and free. Parking is free throughout the show. All paprints, ceramics, wall hangings, blankets, jewelry, trons who attend the show on Saturday will repet products, etched and stained glass, yard and ceive a two-day re-entry stamp. garden art, pottery, candles, clothing, quilts, For more information on the show, please conaprons, pillows, doll clothes, rugs, placemats, tact Callahan Promotions, Inc at 563.652.4529. table runners, purses, floral arrangements and wreathes, wood and metal signs, soap and lotions, PAID ADVERTISEMENT
The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019 | 7
Yale Richards Seminar
HoWARD EPSTEIn Executive Director, JFO Foundation ore than 75 professional advisors from across metropolitan Omaha and eastern Nebraska gathered on Nov. 22, 2019 for the 11th Yale Richards Professional Education Seminar. Co-hosted by the Jewish Federa- HoWARD EPSTEIn tion of Omaha Foundation and Boys Executive Director, Town and held at the Boys Town Con- JFO Foundation ference Center, the seminar featured
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Foundation Executive Director Howard n. Epstein, left, attorney Irving Epstein, attorney Bruce Brodkey. guest speaker Steve Gorin. Mr. Gorin is a partner in the St. Louis office of the law firm of Thompson Coburn LLP, and a licensed CPA who is recognized by the Best Lawyers in America for his work in business organizations, closely held companies and family business law, and trust and estates. The professional advisors included attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, insurance professionals, and charitable gifting professionals. During the half-day seminar, Gorin instructed them about current developments in tax, business and financial law, life insurance strategies used for buy-sell agreements and charitable gifts of business assets. He also gave practical advice on ethics and professional responsibility.
community
Major funding for the seminar was provided by the Yale Richards Professional Education Endowment Fund at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. In 1998, the Milton S. and Corinne N. Livingston Foundation established the endowment in recognition of Mr. Richards’ valuable service to the Omaha Jewish community and for his 28 years of professional service to the Livingston Foundation. In his introductory remarks to the seminar attendees, Bob Kully, Chairman of the Livingston Foundation Fund Committee, said, “Yale Richards was not only the attorney for the Livingston Foundation but also a trustee. Shortly before Yale’s 75th birthday, we had a special meeting to consider what would be an appropriate gift for Yale. When we told
B’nai Israel Speaker Series
CPA Michael Abramson, left, attorney Scott Meyerson, attorney and Foundation board member Steven Bloch, businessman and Foundation board president David Gilinsky, and bank trust officer John Gessert.
porter and Farm Editor, and the Associated Press as State Capitol reporter. Coming full circle, Dick began again a couple of years ago in his 80’s, writing articles for our Jewish Press. In his entertaining way, Dick will tell stories from each of these times. Larry Blass, with his usual blend of Torah study and humor, will be our service leader. The Oneg is being sponsored by Jori and Joe Kravitz in honor of Joe’s birthday. Come meet new friends, or visit with old friends. You’re always welcome at B’nai Israel! Save the date for our next service, Jan. 10, when our speaker will be Community Shlicha, Ron Lugasy.
Yale that we wanted to create an endowment in his name that would focus on charitable giving, he was very appreciative of our gift.” Attorney Myron Kaplan, a current member of the Livingston Foundation Fund Committee and a past Executive Director of the Livingston Foundation, added, “Yale was passionate about educating professional advisors to understand and encourage charitable giving. This is quite a turnout, and Mr. Gorin made a very interesting, in-depth presentation. I am sure Yale would be very pleased.”
nAnCY WolF We welcome you to join us for Shabbat Services at B’nai Israel on Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Our speaker Richard Fellman will present on the topic My Newspaper Career...65 Years Ago and Now Again at Age 84. Returning to B’nai Israel to tell more stories of his life, Dick will share how he arrived to the point where today he is enjoying a new “career” as a newspaper writer. He began writing for newspapers at the Daily Nebraskan in the early 1950’s while a student at The University of Nebraska, then went on to become editor. He spent time at Richard Fellman the Lincoln Star in Lincoln as a re-
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senior living
publishing date | 12.27.19 space reservation | 12.17.19 Contact our advertising executive to promote your business in this very special edition.
Susan Bernard | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org
8 | The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019
The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019 | 9
community
2019 Men’s Trip ight men from our Omaha Jewish community recently returned from the 2019 MoMENtum trip to Israel. In total, 300 men participated from the US, Canada and Australia. The trip was led by Ari Kohen. In addition to a seven-day trip, the men spent a day in the Western Galilee – Omaha’s Partnership region where they visited the Galilee Medical Center underground facility and the Maayanot Elementary School, which has connections with Friedel Jewish Axcademy. They also visited the Community Center in Sheich Danun and then toured the Lebanese border. The trip included time in Jerusalem and Tsfat. There was dancing, learning and a Bar Mitzvah ceremony at the top of Masada. They 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 Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, Special Donor-Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation and The Albert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation.
10 | The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019
We need Sephardic Jewish Latina representation ToRI AVIlA This story originally appeared on Alma. friend of mine, who’s the daughter of Chinese immigrants and married to another immigrant, recently decided that she would no longer buy her daughter a Barbie doll if it didn’t represent her little girl’s own traits, such as slightly darker skin and almond-shaped eyes. When she presented her six-yearold with a Mulan doll, the little one was a bit confused that it actually looked like her instead of having blonde hair and blue eyes, like most dolls do. I wasn’t as lucky as my friend’s daughter in my earlier years: As if Sephardic Jewish people weren’t already underrepresented in the media, I found myself being a L a t i n a Sephardic Jew, on top of that. Needless to say, I never had a Barbie doll who looked like me (they still don’t make Barbies with big noses, even though we’re in 2019). To this day, I still don’t know what to say when people spot my last name on a form or test and ask me where I’m “really from.” The moment I hear something like this, all my kind and patient answers (or sarcastic ones, depending on my mood) fade away and I’m taken back to my own childhood and the lonely, omnipresent feeling of belonging to nowhere. My oldest memory is of admiring the golden, lightly reddish locks and full cheeks sprinkled with freckles of the older girls who sat beside me at the local synagogue, and then going back home to spend hours looking at the mirror and hating my dull brown hair, brown eyes and my too pale face, which always made it look like I was sick or about to faint. I would not be able to win the tough fight against this self-loathing side of me until I was close to adulthood, and I’ll tell you what: This is what the lack of representation can do to someone, especially to young girls who are looking for a role model with whom they are able to relate. As a child, all the actresses and singers my mom and aunts kept blabbering about had either unique German or Polish last names in contrast to our plain “Avila,” which is also the name of a Spanish medieval town and other thousands of Sephardic Jews. My bubbe taught me Ladino words and songs (like the classic “Ocho Kandelikas”) she had learned from her own mother and father, but when I got together with my Jewish friends, who were all Ashkenazi, they would use Yiddish words and I felt left out of most conversations. At the same time, non-Jewish people at school would always say that I didn’t “look very Jewish” and that, if I was indeed Latina, wasn’t I supposed to be “as sexy as Sofia Vergara?” Situations like those always annoyed me, but I never knew what to answer without being rude and saying that not every Latina looks like the actresses my classmates saw on TV, that Jewish people could be very different from each other. Nowadays, I think back on my frustrated school years and wish that I had the nerve to tell the people around me how I really felt. As I grew older, it became harder and harder to find my true self: I started feeling — how can I say? — less Jewish, simply because I did not look like my other Jewish friends and classmates. I couldn’t see myself as Latina, simply because I didn’t fit the “dark skin, big boobs, and sexy as hell” stereotype the media had created and that I chose to dress modestly instead of wearing “Latina clothes,” as a male colleague at my first job not-so-gently called it. I started retreating more and more, hiding myself from others as if I was ashamed of not being a hundred percent this or a hundred percent that. Instead, I was a weird, undefined mixture of God-knows-what. My mother, who was (and still is) my safe harbor, especially
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during the most difficult teenage years, didn’t fail to notice the internal conflict going on inside my mind that was consuming the smart, kind little girl she had raised. I remember it vividly now, as she seated me on a kitchen chair one afternoon in late November when I was about 16 and asked why was I having so much trouble dealing with my personality, dreams and goals. When I was younger, I went around happily telling everyone that I wanted to be either the first female president or an astronaut, so I could have a cute Siberian Husky called Laika.
Credit: Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay
“When did you stop having those dreams?” my mother asked me, and for one of the few times in my life, I was honest and told her everything — from how I feared many people would never vote for me because of my Jewish origins, to how NASA would probably look down at the daughter of poor Latino immigrants. “That’s the world we live in,” I told her quietly, and my mother stood silent for a couple of seconds. Then a minute. Two minutes. Three. When she finally spoke, I let go of my breath, which I didn’t even realize I was holding. “If this is the world we live in,” she told me seriously, “then you are much more important than you ever thought. Not only will you be the first female president, you will also be the first Jewish president. A Sephardic Jew, on top of that! Not only will you be one of the few children of immigrants to go to space, you will bring hope to other kids who will one day stand in the same place you are now, facing this same question. You do not owe anyone any explanation or definition of who you are: You are you, Tori. You are not less Jewish than the redhead girl who sits beside you at the synagogue and whose grandparents are Holocaust survivors; you two are the same, but different. You are not less Latina because your skin isn’t as dark as your Latina classmates’ and because your first language is English; roots grow deep, and they will always be there. You can be both Jewish and Latina, you can pray in Hebrew and Ladino, and no matter what people say, no one will be able to change that. Go show people that you can have the best of both worlds, and that a single word will never be enough to define you. Show people that we exist, and that we are here.” Six years after I heard those words come out of my mother’s mouth, my identity conflict is now solved: From that day on, I stopped hating my dull brown hair and brown eyes and started loving them because they made me resemble my bubbe when she was younger. I stopped feeling ashamed for praying or singing in Ladino, and have even taught some popular Hanukkah songs to my Ashkenazi friends. I stopped feeling guilty for not being “Latina enough” because, honestly, Latinas are all about extra, and never enough, and it took me a few years to learn that. I might not have gone to Mars or been elected president (yet), but I know someday that will happen, if not to me, then to another girl. Another Jewish girl. Another Sephardic Jewish girl. Another Sephardic Jewish Latina girl who is very proud of who she is and where she has come from.
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The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019 | 11
Above: Receptionist Pat Anson’s dog, Ruby, greets visitors at the JCC. Above: During the Girls Scout leadership conference hosted at the JCC, older members of the JCC troop successfully held a donation drive for JFS.
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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.
Below: Participants from the four different JWRP Momentum women’s trips recently came together to celebrate Shabbat. Above: Randy Langdon and Sharon Comisar-Langdon back when the weather was still pleasant.
Above: A Few weeks ago Beth El’s Rabbi Steven Abraham gave the opening prayer at the U.S. Congress. Next to Rabbi Abraham is Congressman Don Bacon’s Chief of Staff, Mark Dreiling.
Above: Spa Day at Beth Israel.
12 | The Jewish Press | December 6, 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.
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Rick who?
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press very once in a while, you read a story and you think to yourself: that cannot possibly be true. Nobody is that anti-Semitic. Neo-Nazis, the sad ones who can’t hold on to a job, or stay married, or stay out of jail; the ones who show up to their marches in their homemade uniforms with like, 12 others…those I can deal with. But the notion that you can say the things Rick Wiles says, on air and in public all while making a living, baffles me. Wiles is a minister, pundit and radio host. He is also the founder of the TruNews website. TruNews takes the concept of conspiracy theory to an entirely new level. Among the ‘news’ he broadcasts are such gems as “Gays are trying to create a super-race,” “The anti-Christ is a Jewish Homosexual,” “The Impeachment Process is orchestrated by a Jew-Coup” and all those things will lead to the end times, which, he warns his listeners, they should get ready for. Like, now. “TruNews programming generally consists of Rick Wiles and one or more cohosts or guests praying, reading biblical passages, discussing current events, talking breathlessly about the “End Times” and asking for money,” according to ADL.org. “Wiles and his guests frequently espouse extreme conspiracy theories, including alleging that the U.S. government planned to spread the Ebola virus on U.S. soil, that the U.S. and Israel created ISIS and that “western intelligence agencies” were training ISIS soldiers, and that mass shootings are false flag operations carried out by “super-secret covert killing teams” as a way of rallying public support for eliminating the Second Amendment and for “capitulat[ing] to a globalist agenda.” The ‘Jewish Mafia’ killed President Kennedy, Wiles says, and now the Jews are taking over. By this Christ-
E
mas (that’s this month!) the U.S. military will have to choose which side they’ll fight for. Oh, and millions of Christians will be slaughtered: “You have been taken over by a Jewish cabal,” Wiles continued. “The church of Jesus Christ, you’re next. Get it through your head! They’re coming for you. There will be
President John F. Kennedy a purge. That’s the next thing that happens when Jews take over a country, they kill millions of Christians.” (RightWingWatch.com) While we’ve been busy decoding micro-aggressions, we
forget that the true fanatics are still out there, and they are as active as ever. I have two questions. Does Mr. Wiles himself believe what he preaches, like really, truly, believe? And second, who are the people who listen to him? What happened to them that they swallow this nonsense whole? I would love to see data on his followers. Where do they come from? What did they hear growing up? Are they all in some way completely disenfranchised or are some of them working at the local bank, teaching at our kids’ schools, ringing up our groceries? When I look at the list of things Wiles and his followers (yes, I trolled the Facebook comment section) blame us for, it very quickly goes from scary to bizarre, then becomes scary again. Apparently, we invented everything from abortion to porn, we make the entire U.S. Congress sign a pledge of loyalty to Israel and if they refuse we kill them. We brought gays to America. We practice witchcraft and Ivanka Trump, who converted to Judaism, ‘whispers evil Kabbalah-things in her father’s ear.’ The function of such intense hatred and prejudice is not just one of convenience; it has an element of sociopathy. Thinking everything is a conspiracy by one specific group, that level of paranoia, betrays delusions of grandeur: ‘I am so important, God speaks directly to me, I am one of the few who knows the truth.’ Perhaps the notion that the vast majority of the country is too blind to see what seems so obvious to a few can make one feel special. So is it just an illness, then? And if it is, can it be cured? Or do we simply shake our heads and look the other way? 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.
It’s time for Israel to start annexing settlements near eastern Jerusalem SETH KING JTA This week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States no longer considers Israeli Jewish settlements in the West Bank to be illegal. Following the announcement, many 2020 Democratic candidates claimed the decision would “make peace harder to achieve” and “inflame tensions in the region. However, as usual, the fears proved all for naught. Hamas did not respond with violence — in fact, they have even canceled their weekly “March of Return” protests along the Gaza border in an effort to avoid further confrontation with Israel. This follows a predictable pattern: When President Trump moved the United States embassy to Jerusalem, NPR’s Michele Kelemen insisted “moving the embassy would inflame tensions in the Arab world.” But Hamas’ politburo chief in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh conceded the move was “not an issue that can be dealt with by force.” In March of 2019, President Trump recognized Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights. Pundits claimed this was the final incendiary arbitration that would plunge Israel and the Palestinians into unprecedented chaos. Instead, the response on the ground was mute. One day after the news, CNN reported the Arab world was “unfazed by an announcement that seemingly marks a seismic shift in regional politics.” Although the Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat declared there would be “bloodshed in the region” following the decision when Pompeo touched down in Jerusalem, he was greeted by merely a few dozen protestors, far fewer than he regularly receives in the United States. If neither of these landmark decisions were enough to “open the gates of hell,” as Imam of the Egyptian mosque al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed alTayeb claimed it would, why is this announcement any different? The critics do have one thing right: Unilateral annexation of the West Bank would be a disaster. Israel knows that doing so would leave it with two
terrible options: either the state of Israel would ulation of 40,996. Modiin Illit, situated just over the need to give the Palestinians citizenship (partially Green Line, is now the largest city in the disputed negating Israel’s 2018 Basic Law which defines Is- territories with more than 70,000 people. rael first and foremost as a Jewish state) or refuse These areas are almost entirely Jewish — Israel thousands of Palestinians citizenship and rebuke knows it will never return these towns — and their the country’s founding democratic principles. Nei- Palestinians counterparts do, too. Prior to the 2000 ther option posed by unilateral annexation is an Camp David Summit, even Palestinian negotiator enticing choice. Palestinians in the West Bank Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians could accept Isshould have the right to land, life, and liberty — but under Palestinian, not Israeli, authority. Even though the land does historically belong to the Jewish people, the cost of recouping the entirety of the land isn’t worth re- Neighborhoods in Ma’ale Adumim, near Jerusalem on October 3, 2017. Credit: Hadas Parush/Flash90 ducing the Jewish connection to Israel and turning back on its democratic tradition. But it is time to consider partial annexation of certain settlements — those near East Jerusalem. The gap between Jerusalem and settlements near East Jerusalem, specifically Ma’ale Adumim, is approximately 3,250 acres and is largely uninhabited. The amount of Palestinians that would be displaced by the annexation of these settlements is negligible. More importantly, the land lies within the Israeli side of the security fence and not impede upon a contiguous Palestinian state. A proposed E1 Plan calls for the construction of residential homes, commercial, industrial and tourism buildings and a nature reserve within these 3,250 mostly uninhabited acres. Certain Israeli settlements along the green line, such as Gush Etzion, Oranit, Modi’in Ilit, Givat Zeev, Ma’ale Adumim and Karnei Shomron just south of Jerusalem are also prime candidates for annexation. Ma’ale Adumim, a suburb of Israel’s capital, barely three miles outside Jerusalem’s city limits, is one of the largest Jewish cities in the territories, with a pop-
rael holding onto Ma’ale Adumim and Givat Zeev. These settlements are where Israel should be focusing its attention; obtaining these areas would increase the Jewish population majority in Israel. It would be difficult to annex purely Area C, home to almost 300,000 Israelis, without absorbing Areas A and B, which are home to almost 2.8 million Palestinians, almost half the amount of Jews currently living in Israel. In Areas A and B, there are no Israeli settlements and Jews are forbidden to enter, while Area C is under full Israeli civil and security control. In this sense, Area C is already annexed. More importantly, the Palestinians in the West Bank don’t want to become Israeli citizens. In the West Bank or Gaza, a mere 4% and 12%, respectively, would prefer Israeli over Palestinian citizenship. Let them remain Palestinians, there is no need to incorporate them into the Jewish state. Palestinians in the West Bank are there to stay and it’s in Israel’s interest for them to remain. As the discussion of annexation continues, the decision must be pragmatic. Recognizing these See It’s time for Israel to start page 13
The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019 | 13
Don’t lose hope in Israeli democracy SCoTT LASEnSkY COLLEGE PARK, MD. | JTA The indictment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is an understandably confusingl moment for American Jews. Netanyahu is the first sitting prime minister in Israel’s history to face such a predicament. He stands charged with bribery, breach of trust and fraud in multiple cases, the most serious one involving an attempt to trade positive media coverage for regulatory favors. Netanyahu calls the charges “an attempted coup.” In many respects, his defiant stance and refusal to step aside also is unprecedented. The confusion, uncertainty and anxiety of Israel’s ongoing political stalemate adds to the pain and discomfort. Not since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 has Israel seemed so imperiled from within, and it is natural for Diaspora Jewry to worry when the leader of the one and only Jewish state faces such grave charges. Our anguish is also wrapped in a unique and bitter disappointment in a figure who emerged 40 years ago as a living embodiment of a heroic Israel. American Jews lionized Benjamin Netanyahu, whom they first met through the triumph of Entebbe, which came with the sting of his brother Yoni’s death. Through the 1980s, Netanyahu became one of the most recognizable Israeli figures for American Jewry, giving countless interviews and speeches that brought goosebumps and a wellspring of pride to an entire generation. Although that uniform sense of awe and admiration has long since faded, and his leadership turned divisive, the starkness and severity of the attorney general’s indictment will seem like a personal betrayal to anyone who felt Netanyahu’s enchantments over the years. Because it comes at a time when a variety of forces — illiberalism, media platforms that undermine transparency and civil discourse, increasingly polarized politics that fuel nativism and extreme nationalism, to name a few — also seem to be bearing
down on Israeli and Western democratic institutions, there is all the more reason to worry. One bright spot in all of this is that Israel’s legal institutions have been proved resilient. Israel’s core democratic institutions, although stressed, remain strong and robust. Democratic and liberal norms and practices — be they voter turnout, contestation, a free press or opposition politics — remain healthy. Although back-toback elections have led to a political stalemate, much of this can be blamed on Netanyahu’s legal troubles and his unwillingness to step aside rather than a democracy deficit. Israel is fortunate in that the national security community remains a reliable and staunch bulwark of democratic life. It’s no surprise that security figures make up a disproportionate number of Netanyahu’s rivals outside of Likud, or that so many national security figures have opposed proposals to limit judicial oversight. In many respects, the long-expected indictment itself reflects an inner strength worthy of admiration by outsiders, especially Diaspora communities, who see themselves as non-voting shareholders in the Zionist enterprise — and who view the preservation of Israel’s Jewish and democratic character as inseparable. At the same time, American Jewry should be on guard against opportunism. Take for example the immediate reaction of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate who conflates Netanyahu’s case with America’s own strained politics, charging that the prime minister of Israel would “stop at nothing to enrich himself and stay in power.” Warren pledged to fight “this blatant corruption … at home and abroad,” thereby weaponizing Israel’s political travails. The interests of American Jewry, now facing resurgent right-wing white nationalism and feeling deeply exposed following Pittsburgh and Poway, are not served when politicians here use political troubles in Israel to score points. Just the same, Jewish community interests are
not served by repeated interventions by Israeli representatives into our domestic politics, as Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon did recently with his harsh criticisms of another American presidential candidate. In the uncertain days ahead, Jewish community leaders should be on guard to fend off and counter actions and statements that further expose American Jewry to the dangers stemming from increasing polarization and partisanship, which is slowly chipping away at the bedrock of bipartisanship that American Jewry has long nurtured and is fundamental to the U.S.-Israel alliance. Advocacy at home, together with a strong tradition of philanthropy, may not be enough to address the myriad challenges Israel and the Jewish people face in the 21st century. Given the recent consolidation of world Jewry within the strongest democracies, most notably the United States, there should be less hesitation about confronting threats — including internal ones — that challenge the state’s Jewish and democratic character. Whether it be the specter of West Bank annexation or American Jewry’s failed attempt last year to oppose the “nationstate” law, we have the capacity to do more. Diaspora interventions were largely taboo in earlier eras, when the Jewish world was caught between East and West, and when Jewish insecurity was the paramount concern. But Netanyahu’s indictment, as painful as it is to watch, could also be a wake-up call for American Jewry to place confronting illiberalism and bolstering democratic institutions at the top of our agenda. Scott Lasensky teaches Israel and Jewish affairs at the University of Maryland and was a senior advisor in the Obama Administration. 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.
It’s time for Israel to start
Continued from page 12 specific settlements which contain 215,000 settlers, almost a third of the total population of settlers, would actually improve, and not hinder, the peace process. When the Palestinians finally recognize these settlers are there to stay and aren’t going to budge, the reality of the situation will encourage them to end their hopes of reclaiming these areas and push them closer to the negotiating table. While the international community disagrees, I believe it’s wrong and irresponsible to continue to stoke Palestinian hopes and dreams of these East Jerusalem settlements becoming a part of Palestine. These hopes are what inspire useless terrorism. Let’s be real for a moment: The reality is they are defacto territories of Israel, and the sooner the Palestinian leadership comes to grip with this notion, the faster peace can be achieved in the region. The recognition of these particular settlements, as I mentioned before, will not negate a two-state solution. There’s no question that unilateral annexation of the West Bank settlements would be a logistical and existential nightmare. But this vote of confidence from the United States should empower Israel to begin annexing so-called consensus settlements in the East. Doing so will unify Israel, strengthen its Jewish population, encourage the Palestinians to come to grips with reality and save Israel the trouble of extending Israeli citizenship to those who don’t wish to be a part of the Jewish state. Seth King is a writer currently residing in Boston, MA. He has contributed to SpectatorUSA, The Federalist, The American Conservative, The American Spectator, as well as many others. 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.
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14 | The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019
synagogues B’NAI ISRAEl SYNAGoGUE
B’NAI ISRAEl SYNAGoGUE
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705
BETH El SYNAGoGUE
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BETH ISRAEl SYNAGoGUE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
CHABAD HoUSE
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
CoNGREGATIoN B’NAI JESHURUN
South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org
oFFUTT AIR FoRCE BASE
Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 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
TIFERETH ISRAEl
Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org
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.
BETH El SYNAGoGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Bar Mitzvah of Mo Blair; Junior Congregation (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m. WEEkDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Baking Day, 9 a.m.; BESTT Classes (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; BESTT Committee Meeting, 11 a.m.; USY Board Meeting, 11 a.m.; Yiddish Class, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; Kadima Ice Skating Program (Grades 6-8), noon — Offsite. MoNDAY: Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Baking Day, 9 a.m. TUESDAY: The Book of Jewish Values, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Steven Abraham; Mahjong, 1 p.m.; Chesed Committee visits Remington Heights, 2:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: BESTT Classes (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Teen Trip to Israel Meeting, 6 p.m. at the JCC; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6:30 p.m.; Beit Midrash: The December Dilemma, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel. THURSDAY: Brachot and Breakfast, 7 a.m.; Shanghai, 1 p.m. Shabbat’s Cool (Grades K-7), Saturday, Dec. 14, 10 a.m. From My Mother’s Kitchen, Sunday, Dec. 15, 10:30 a.m–noon. Pop Up Chanukah Workshop, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2-5 p.m. at Westroads Mall. Chesed Committee Visits The Heritage at Sterling Ridge, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Join members of the Chesed Committee as we visit with residents of Sterling Ridge on the third Tuesday of the month. Grateful Goodies Baking Day, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 9 a.m-6 p.m.
BETH ISRAEl SYNAGoGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Candle Lighting, 4:37 p.m. SATURDAY: Open Beit Midrash — Well welcome to learn the Torah and Dance, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bar Mitzvah of Abiel Shyken, 11:15 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 3:35 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 4:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:41 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 am.; JYE BI, 10 am.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. MoNDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Cooking the Torah: Learning Torah through the Palate, 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; Board of Commissioners Meeting, 6 p.m. 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.
Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby. FRIDAY: Erev Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. music with Elaine Monnier; Bat Mitzvah of Maggie Gordon; Oneg, 7:30 p.m. hosted by the Gordon family; Candlelighting, 4:40 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m. Bat Mitzvah of Maggie Gordon, daughter of Tracy and Randy Gordon. Kiddush luncheon following services; No Torah Study; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:10 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; LJCS Committee Meeting, 1:30 p.m. at Temple. TUESDAY: Learn more about Israel with an AIPAC representative, 6:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Dinner is included with the evening. Please note, this is not a fundraiser. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. Our next Pop-up Shabbat Dinner is Friday, Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Note: No Erev Shabbat Services at the Temple.
follow services. We will be collecting new mittens, gloves, scarves, and hats to donate to Boys & Girls Club. Please consider bringing your donation to the Installation service. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. with Rabbi Donald A. Weber; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.; Concert and Havdalah, 4 p.m. A wonderful concert featuring Cantor Alexander and Cantor Moses, followed by havdalah and a wine and cheese reception. SUNDAY: Youth Learning Progams for Grades K-6, 10 a.m.; Social Justice Committee Meeting, 10:30 a.m.; Book Club: “The Floating Feldmans” by Elyssa Friedland, 10:30 a.m.; Grade 5 B’nai Mitzvah Date Ceremony, 10:30 a.m.; Kids’ Choir Rehearsal, noon; OTYG Board Meeting, noon. WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4-6 p.m.; Community Dinner, 6 p.m. Menu: grilled cheese, tomato soup, potato bar, fruit salad, dessert. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536; Grades 7-10, 6-8 p.m.; Teen Trip to Israel Meeting for Grades 11-12, 6 p.m. at the JCC; The Power of Spoken and Non-Spoken Language in Jewish Literature and Film, 6:307:30 p.m. with Dalia Bolotnikov Mazur; The December Dilemma: Navigating Family & Social Dynamics at the Holiday Season with Rabbi Steven Abraham and Rabbi Brian Stoller, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Temple Israel. 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 Dennis Deporte, 402.556.6536.
oFFUTT AIR FoRCE BASE
TIFERETH ISRAEl
FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIDAY: An Erev Shabbat gathering, 6:30 p.m. at the home of Nancy and Charles Coren. The Corens will be making dinner for all who attend. RSVP's needed. All ages are welcomed to join at the Coren home to welcome in Shabbat; Candlelighting, 4:42 p.m. SATURDAY: No Shabbat morning services at TI. We will join the SST as Maggie Gordon is called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah; Havdalah (72 minutes), 5:11 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; LJCS Committee Meeting, 1:30 p.m. at Temple; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. TUESDAY: Learn more about Israel with an AIPAC representative, 6:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Dinner is included with the evening. Please note, this is not a fundraiser. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI.
CoNGREGATIoN B’NAI JESHURUN
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: Cantor Alexander Installation Dinner, 5:30 p.m. RSVPs required; Shabbat and Cantor Installation Service, 7 p.m. Join the entire community for a celebratory Shabbat Service featuring remarks from Cantor Alexander’s mentor and previous clergy partner, Rabbi Donald A. Weber, and her dear friend and classmate, Cantor Rebecca Moses. Oneg to
Moshe Holtzberg, whose parents were killed in 2008 Mumbai attack, celebrates bar mitzvah MARCY oSTER The Chabad House was among 12 targeted loJTA cations in coordinated attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba, Moshe Holtzberg, whose parents were killed in an Islamic terrorist organization based in Pakistan. the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai when he was The child was dubbed “Baby Moshe” when a 2, was called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah. photo of his terrified-looking nanny running Holtzberg celebrated in his hometown of from the besieged Chabad House clutching the Afula, in northern Israel, Chabad.org reported. A party was held in the evening on Dec. 1 in Kfar Chabad. “As you make this important transition and cross a significant landmark in the journey of your life, the courage of [nanny] Sandra and prayers of the people of India will continue to bless you for a long, healthy and successful life,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a letter to Moshe, COLLive reported. “Your story continues to inspire everyone. It is one of miracle and hope overcoming tragedy and immeasurable loss.” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Israeli Prime Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu, with Moshe Holtzberg and his tanyahu also sent a note of congratulananny Sandra in 2017. Credit: Atef Safadi/AFP/Getty Images tions. “We know that there is life amidst this tragedy. little boy was splashed on the front pages of There is revival and there is hope,” he wrote. “You newspapers around the world. come now with the love of the entire Jewish people, In January, 2018, Moshe returned to Mumbai, all citizens of Israel and very many outside Israel.” accompanying Netanyahu on a state visit. Moshe’s parents, Rabbi Gabi and Rivky In September, Moshe celebrated the ceremony Holtzberg, were the directors of the Nariman of Hanachat Tefilin, or putting on the tefillin for Chabad House when it was attacked on Nov. 26, the first time, during a ceremony in Stony Point, 2008. Four other Israeli and American visitors to New York, and visited the grave of the Lubavitcher the house also were killed. Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019 | 15
Pulverente MONUMENT CO.
lifecycles BAR MITzVAH DAVID lUSTIG GRooTHUIS David Lustig Groothuis, son of Becca and Derek Groothuis, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Beth Emet Synagogue in Evanston, IL. David is an eighth-grade student at Chiaravalle Montessori School in Evanston, IL, where his favorite classes are math and science. His hobbies include playing video games, soccer, tennis, the piano and melodica, and spending time with friends. For his mitzvah project, David prepared lunches for residents of a local homeless shelter overseen by Connections for the Homeless because he cares about issues of hunger and homelessness and wanted to contribute to a local organization working in Evanston. He has a younger sister, Zoe, who is a 4th grade student at Chiaravalle. Grandparents are Donald and Andi Goldstein of Omaha, Ann Goldstein, of blessed memory, Dr. Jessie Groothuis and Steven Lustig of Santa Fe, NM, Dr. Dennis Groothuis and Judy Groothuis of Evanston, IL, and Dr. Jim Lustig and Cheryl Lustig of Kenosha, WI.
Jewish student government member at McGill U ordered to cancel Israel trip or resign DAVID lAzARUS MONTREAL | JTA A Jewish student leader at McGill University in Montreal is fighting efforts to oust her from the student union for accepting a trip to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Jordyn Wright, a member of the Student Society of McGill University’s legislative council and board of directors, said she is “outraged and disgusted” by the student society’s call on Nov. 28 for her to resign for agreeing to the trip sponThe student government at McGill University, seen sored by here, is being accused of a "persistent abuse of Hillel. power and displays of hostility toward Jewish and She is refusing to pro-Israel students." Credit: Wikimedia Commons resign or quit the trip, despite the threat of impeachment upon return. The trip, called Face to Face, leaves at the end of the month and includes visiting Palestinian areas of the West Bank. “As a Jew, my connection to Israel is one core aspect of my identity, and I hoped that the trip would help me experience Israel through a new lens,” Wright explained in a post on Facebook. She called the effort to have her resign “anti-Semitic.” “The SSMU president singled me out and actively encouraged others to attack me,” she said in the post, adding that a non-Jewish councillor also planning to be on the trip has not received the same treatment. A co-chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Rabbi Reuben Poupko, said in a statement: “[W]e are once again witnessing misuse of the student government platform to exclude a Jewish student. The SSMU’s persistent abuse of power and displays of hostility toward Jewish and pro-Israel students are clearly not representative of McGill’s mainstream student population. “We call on McGill students to reclaim the SSMU from the ideological fringes and rebuild an open, tolerant and inclusive campus environment,” he said. In 2017, the SSMU failed in an effort to impeach a Jewish councillor for being pro-Israel. The same year, an ex-SSMU member tweeted to “punch a Zionist.”
60 Years Experience With Jewish Lettering and Memorials
Jewish War Veterans meeting The Nebraska Jewish War Veterans (Epstein-Morgan Post 260) will meet Sunday Dec. 15 from 10:30 to 11:30 at Temple Israel. Jewish Veterans and spouses are welcome to attend. JWV holds monthly meetings for veterans to connect, support each other and do volunteer work. Nationally, JWV is the longest-running veterans’ organization. It was founded in 1896 by a group of 63 Jewish veterans from the Civil War after a series of anti-Semitic comments about the lack of Jewish service in the Civil War. Since then, JWV has been working hard to be the voice of American Jewry in the veteran community. For more information, please contact Jay Benton at jay.benton@gmail.com.
British Labour Party omits Jews from campaign video that promotes rights for all CnAAn lIPSHIz JTA The Labour Party failed to mention Jews in an elections campaign video that champions diversity and the rights of over 20 groups. The 68-second video released this week features images of British people, towns and cities, along with a September speech by Dawn Butler, who holds the party’s Women and Equalities portfolio. Butler lists various population groups, including people who are LGBT+, straight, Roma, black, white, Asian, disabled, “struggling to pay rent” or “wear a hijab, turban, a cross.” She assures that “a Labour government will value you, just be your true authentic self.” While Jews make up 0.37 percent of the United Kingdom’s population, leaders of major Jewish groups suggested the omission was not connected to the minority’s limited electoral strength. Rather, they say, it is linked to the anti-Semitism problem in Labour’s ranks following the 2015 election of Jeremy Corbyn as its leader. Corbyn, a far-left politician, has supported boycotting Israel and called Hamas and Hezbollah his friends. Jewish Leadership Council Chairman Jonathan Goldstein told the Jewish Chronicle that the omission of Jews from the video was “extraordinary and chilling” and “shows they don’t regard the Jewish community or anti-Semitism as equal to other communities or racism of other types.” The Board of Deputies of British Jews said that in the video, “The Jewish community is ‘erased’ as a minority group worthy of their support.” Labour’s media team did not immediately reply to requests for comment from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Jewish Funeral Home, Inc. 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha NE 68154 | (402) 556-6288 | Fax (402) 556-5759 Nate Shapiro, Executive Director | nshapiro@orthodoxomaha.org
The Jewish Funeral Home (JFH) is hiring Shomrim (guards). Shomrim participate in the mitzvah of “watching” or “guarding” the body of a deceased person from the time of death until burial. Requirements of Shomrim: 1. Be Jewish 2. Ability to lift 50lbs 3. Have reliable transportation Benefits for being a Shomer for JFH: 1. Payment ($10 an hour for day shift, $9 an hour for overnight 1. shift) 2. Participating in Chesed Shel Emet (a good deed of truth). Shift availability is dependent on deaths in the community and is inconsistent. If you, or someone you know, might be willing and able to serve as a Shomer/Shomeret, please be in contact with Nate Shapiro, nshapiro@orthodoxomaha.org, (402) 556-6288.
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16 | The Jewish Press | December 6, 2019
kitchen Green shakshuka with feta: Even better than the original?
CHAYA RAPPoPoRT This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher. f I’m hosting brunch, it’s a pretty sure bet that I’ll make shakshuka. Saucy, spicy and runny with egg, it’s a universally beloved dish that, to its credit (and my eternal disappointment), never yields leftovers when I make it, a sure testament to its popularity. I make my regular shakshuka with fresh tomatoes and peppers, which leaves me in somewhat of a bind come wintertime, when neither are in season. Rather than use canned vegetables (they have their place; shakshuka is not it) I’ve started making a green shakshuka. It isn’t exactly authentic, but it’s deliciously herby, spiced with serrano chile, cumin and paprika, and full of invigorating leafy greens. I love spinach here — I frequently eat it with eggs on toast — but I’ve also made this with kale, collard greens and Swiss chard, all of which you could substitute for the spinach. You can also control the spice level — if you like putting harissa in your red shakshuka, try serving this with the Yemenite hot sauce zhug. Alternatively, you could omit the serrano chile, or use only half of it, for a milder bite. This is a shakshuka that lends itself to endless adaptations. This shakshuka gets finished in the oven. I find it gives you slightly more control over the texture of the eggs. That being said, if you like your yolks very runny, keep a close eye on it. I finish it with salty crumbles of feta, a shower of fresh parsley and dill, and a sprinkling of pepper and sumac. Serve with toasty sourdough or fresh pitas and dig in while the yolks are still runny.
I
GREEn SHAkSHUkA WITH FETA Ingredients: 1 large onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeds removed, chopped 1/4 cup olive oil, divided 10 oz. fresh spinach, roughly chopped (around 6-8 cups) 1 cup roughly chopped parsley, with stems 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. paprika 5-6 large eggs 3/4 cup feta, for crumbling on top Aleppo pepper, sumac, and coarsely chopped dill for serving Sourdough or pitas, for serving Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 F. and position an oven rack in the center. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat in an oven-safe skillet or cast iron pan. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Season with the cumin and paprika. Add the diced jalapeño or serrano, and let soften, 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and the remainder of the olive oil, and cook until it begins to wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Credit: LeAnne Shor Using a wooden spoon or spatula, create 5-6 wells inside the bed of greens. Crack an egg into each well. Bake the shakshuka for 6-8 minutes, until the egg whites are settled. If you like very runny yolks, start checking the eggs at around 4 minutes. The eggs will cook quickly. Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the crumbled feta. Sprinkle with sumac and aleppo pepper, and top with fresh dill. Serve with pita or sourdough. Serves 3-4.
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