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D ECEMBER 7 , 2 0 1 8 | 2 9 K ISL EV 5 7 7 9 | V O L . 9 9 | NO . 9 | C A nD LELI g h tI ng | FRID AY , D ECEMBER 7 , 4 : 3 7 P. M.
J Camp: Registration for 2019
Serendipities and a coat: Why museums matter Page 3
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RAChEL MARtIn illy songs, sunscreen, and splashing in the pool: ah, the simple joys of summer camp. Last summer, J Camp was filled with longstanding traditions, unique premiere camps, and water-sliding at the Goldstein Family Aquatics Center. Though 2018 will be tough to top, the JCC Youth Department is already planning imaginative and exciting J Camp programming for next summer. “J Camp is a Jewish day camp that takes place on the Omaha Jewish Community Center’s 37-acre campus,”
From Shirley’s kitchen Page 6
Our visits to Djibouti and Eritrea
Celebrate Hanukkah with latkes, dreidels, and song at Temple Israel Page 7
Where are they? What’s to do? Dinner with the “Ambassador”; and one Jew = one synagogue?
inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles
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Rich at Lake Assal, Djibouti to the Red Sea from Yemen. Its neighbors RICh JuRO Part I: Djibouti – Fun to pronounce, but are Ethiopia to the west, Eritrea to the what else? north, and (scary) Somalia to the south. Djibouti is a tiny country (smaller than Why go there? Fran and I have about 15 Massachusetts!) located in the Horn of countries in the world (out of 195 or so) to East Africa across the southern entrance visit, and Djibouti is accessible and safe. Because of its strategic location near the Suez Canal and Somalia, there are four, count ‘em, four, foreign military bases in Djibouti: France, Japan, the first foreign military base for China, and the only permanent military base in Africa for the USA. America pays $60 million yearly to Djibouti as rent, and the other countries pay significant sums too. Not bad for a country of less than one million people with little else to produce income. Tourism See Djibouti and Eritrea page 5
said Allison Burger, Director of Camp and Youth Programming. “We serve campers entering Kindergarten through 7th grade, offer a Leaders-in-Training (LIT) program for teens entering grades 8-9, and a Counselors-in-Training (CIT) program for teens entering grades 10-11.” Campers are split by age group: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2-3rd Grade, 4-7th Grade. Counselors are assigned to each group and lead games, programs, and lessons about all things camp. J Campers are often seen See J Camp page 3
ISIS survivor to speak at Beth El Shireen Ibrahim, a Yezidi woman, who was captured by ISIS, shown in late October at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. She spent more than eight months being trafficked across Iraq and Syria in ISIS captivity from 2014-15. Credit: Lincoln Journal Star, Kayla Wolf OzzIE nOgg Shireen Ibrahim, a 31-year old Yazidi woman from northern Iraq who was captured by ISIS in 2014 and spent eight months being trafficked as a sex slave to fighters in Iraq and Syria, will speak of her horrific experiences and eventual rescue on Saturday morning, Dec. 15, at a kiddish lunch following Shabbat services at Beth El Synagogue. Ibrahim’s appearance is made possible through Beth El’s relationship with Lutheran Family Services. The presentation and lunch is open to the entire commu-
nity at no charge. Now living in Lincoln as a refugee, along with approximately 3,000 other Yazidis who escaped a series of conflicts and genocides in the Middle East to settle in Nebraska, Shireen Ibrahim has shared her story with the United Nations and received national and international media attention, serving as a voice for young girls and raising awareness about the ongoing plight of her people in Iraq. “Shireen has three siblings who are also survivors,” said Rabbi Steven See ISIS survivor page 2