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Rebecca Erbelding to speak in Omaha Specials Classes at Friedel Jewish Academy Page 2
SCOTT LITTKY Executive Director, Institute for Holocaust Education n Thursday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. at Central High School, Rebecca Erbelding the author of RESCUE BOARD: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe, will be speaking. Central High School is located at 124 North 20th Street. America has long been criticized for refusing to give harbor to the Jews during World War II as Hitler and the Nazis closed in. Now in RESCUE BOARD: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe (Doubleday; 4/10/18), U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum scholar Rebecca Erbelding tells the extraordinary unknown story of the War Refugee Board, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unpublicized effort late in the war to save the remaining Jews. In January 1944, a young Treasury lawyer and Omaha native named John Pehle accompanied his boss to a meeting with the president. For more than a decade, the Jews of Germany had sought refuge in the United States and had been stymied by Congress harsh immigration policy. Now the State Department was refusing to authorize the relief funds Pehle wanted to use to help Jews escape Nazi territory. At the meeting, Pehle
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KRIPKE JEWISH FEDERATION LIBRARY STAFF On Jan. 16, the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group begins the new year reading the novel Henna House by Naomi Eve. Henna House introduces us as readers to the fascinating world and customs of Yemenite Jewry.
Rebecca Erbelding
made his best case — and prevailed. Within days, FDR created the War Refugee Board, empowering it to rescue the victims of Nazi persecution and put John Pehle in charge. Over the next 20 months, Pehle pulled together a team of D.C. pencil pushers, international relief workers, smugglers, diplomats, millionaires and rabble-rousers to run operations across four continents and a dozen countries. Together, they tricked the Nazis, forged identity papers, maneuvered food and medicine into concentration See Rebecca Erbelding page 2
Yoel Sykes brings Shabbat weekend of renewal and song to Beth El
REGULARS
Kaplan Book Group reads Henna House
OZZIE NOGG Beth El Synagogue will welcome Yoel Sykes as musical Scholar-in-Residence on Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25. Sykes is a main prayer leader in the Nava Tehila Jerusalembased community that highlights the joy, soulfulness and spiritually uplifting nature inherent in Jewish liturgical tradition. Sykes has composed many new melodies to traditional prayers, now sung in synagogues across Israel and across the globe, which he shares in his travels to JewYoel Sykes
ish communities internationally to lead musical prayer services, concerts and workshops. “I am extremely excited to host Yoel as I have been a longtime fan of his work,” said Beth El’s Hazzan Michael Krausman. “Yoel will be working with a team of Beth El singers and instrumentalists to craft meaningful services for both Friday night and
Shabbat morning — memorable services that will leave a smile in your soul that will last for weeks. Those who regularly attend our services at Beth El will be familiar with Yoel Sykes’s music as it is heard at Six String Shabbat, Shabbat B’Yachad and Shabbat Zimrah services. Our youth already sing Yoel’s songs with great enthusiasm.” On Friday, evening, Jan. 24, Sykes will lead a Kabbalat Shabbat Experience that begins with a PreNeg Reception at 5:30 p.m. Services start at 6 p.m. and include chanted Psalms and Shabbat prayers with original melodies and guided intentions that will help congregants connect with spirit, allowing it to fill our hearts and uplift our souls as we welcome Shabbat. Shabbat Morning Encounter on Jan. 25 begins at 10 a.m., with a kiddush luncheon to follow. “Yoel and his Beth El musical team will lead this See Yoel Sykes page 3
In 1920, a very young Adele Damari and her family live in Qaraah, a small village in the mountain region of northern Yemen where the Confiscator, a Muslim official is in charge of enforcing the Orphan’s Decree. This decree in effect allows the government to kidnap any “orphaned” Jewish child and give it up for adoption to Muslim families and ultimately convert to Islam. The loophole to this situation is for the families of such young children to arrange an “engagement” of their children as young as seven or eight years old to occur. With her parents in failing health, Adela is promised in marriage to her cousin Assaf. Assaf and his elderly father, a spice trader, have come to their town of Qaraah to ply his trade. Several years later, Assaf and his father leave Qaraah and Adele’s parents break off the engagement. Adele’s safety is once more in flux. Shortly afterwards, another uncle, Barhun, his wife Rahel, and daughter Hani move to Qaraah. Adele’s life changes as she is introduced to a world she never knew existed: literacy and the art of henna dying. When a severe drought hits the region surrounding Qarrah, Adele and her new extended family flee to the modern and progressive city of Aden. After a year of waiting daily by the city’s port for the return of her beloved Assaf, Adele is finally reunited with him. What ensues is Adele’s self-discovery of who she is See Kaplan Book Group page 3
2 | The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020
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Rebecca Erbelding
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Super-cool and awesome: Specials Classes at Friedel Jewish Academy
SARA KOHEN Director of Advancement, Friedel Jewish Academy Depending on the day, Friedel Jewish Academy students come home from school with stories about building robots, improving their stroke form during swimming lessons, creating a multimedia art project in the style of a famous artist, or learning how to play a sport with Coach Mason. At Friedel, students receive a well-rounded education that includes “specials” classes outside of the core academic subjects. These classes help them realize their potential and more fully appreciate the world around them. Specials classes—which all students attend weekly—are as follows: Art, Music, Innovation Learning, Library, Physical Education (Gym and Swimming each week and Friedel Fitness at recess once a week). In the words of one
first grader, “It’s super-cool and awesome, and I get to do it with my friends.” Friedel’s specials classes each seek to develop different components of a wellrounded student. For example, research shows that a fine arts education strengthens a student’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Children who have received instruction in music perform better on tests of spatial and arithmetic skills and tend to have a larger vocabulary and more advanced reading skills than their peers who do not participate in music lessons. Students who study art are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. Friedel’s innovation learning curriculum unleashes students’ to unique strengths and creativity in order to change their world and better prepare them for the interconnected society they live in.
In Innovations, students develop their problem-solving, collaboration and communication skills through engineering and robotics curricula. Bringing abstract concepts to life with a fun, hands-on approach ignites students’ natural desire to explore and discover. In addition, Friedel’s research-based, comprehensive wellness program helps improve students’ physical health, academic performance and classroom behavior. Friedel’s physical education program includes gym class, swimming lessons and Friedel Fitness, an optional, once-a-week fitness class offered at recess. Friedel’s physical education program is aimed at establishing a healthy foundation for our students’ success. Opportunities for physical fitness during the school day not only make students physically healthier, but also increase See FJA Specials Classes page 3
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Continued from page 1 camps, recruited spies, leaked news stories, laundered money, negotiated ransoms and funneled millions of dollars into Europe. They bought weapons for the French Resistance and sliced red tape to allow Jewish refugees to escape to Palestine. Altogether, the War Refugee Board saved tens of thousands of lives. What makes this evening even more special is that John Pehle was a graduate of the class of 1926 from Central High School and later from Creighton University. When I first approached Michele Roberts, Executive Director of the Central High School Foundation about having Ms. Erbelding speak at Central High School, Ms. Roberts was excited about the opportunity to share Mr. Pehle’s story with our community as well as the possibility Mr. Pehle could become a future inductee to the Central High School Hall of Fame. RESCUE BOARD is based on a decade of Dr. Erbelding’s research, including never-before-seen documents from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and new interviews with survivors and their families. Dr. Erbelding’s visit to Omaha is being sponsored by the Institute for Holocaust Education, the Central High School Foundation and the Jewish Book Council. Her talk is open to the public and is free of charge. After speaking, her book RESCUE BOARD will be available to purchase on site through The Bookworm and Dr. Erbelding will be signing copies. For more information, please contact, Scott Littky at 402.334.6575.
The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020 | 3
Benjamin & Elizabeth Stern Scholarship Loan Fund
DIANE WALKER Scholarship Administrator The Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Financial Aid Committee administers the Benjamin & Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Stern Scholarship Loan Fund. The committee is pleased to announce that substantial interest-free loans are available for Jewish graduate students, regardless of geographic origin. This need-based fund was created to make academic loans available to graduate level students in the following fields: • Higher mathematics, physics (both classical and quantum), astronomy*, meteorology*, astrophysics, engineering or a field related to any of the foregoing which allow us to know more about the universe in which we live; • Journalism, in its best sense of ethical, honest, and accurate reporting, and photo journalism; • Finance and economics; • Architecture* and related fields, including city planning, which affect the quality of life in a community; • Classical music (limited to piano, flute, cello and violin) to give young and old joy from the beauty of its sounds; and • Scientific research in rare and incurable human diseases for which no known complete cure has been found Loan recipients need not be residents of the Omaha metropolitan area but must be Jewish and must be attending either University of Nebraska Omaha, University of Nebraska Medical Center or Creighton University. *In addition, loans are available for coursework at the University of Nebraska Lincoln in the fields of Architecture, Astronomy and Meteorology.
Awards are interest-free loans, payable in full over 15 years, beginning one year after graduation. The Benjamin and Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Stern Scholarship Loan Fund was established at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation by sisters Louise H. Stern and Naomi Stern Jaffer in memory of their parents. Bess Stern was a descendant of Benjamin Stock, the brother of Devoshe (Mrs. Samuel) Riekes. Benjamin’s granddaughter, Gertrude Brodkey, was married to Justice Donald Brodkey, the first Jew to serve on the Nebraska Supreme Court. Colonel Benjamin Stern taught mathematics and physics at Omaha University after his retirement from the U.S. Army. An Omaha native with military decorations including the Air Medal, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm Leaf, Col. Stern founded the Cadet Corps at Creighton University, the foundation for Creighton ROTC. Col. Stern was the first Jewish person from Omaha to receive an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from West Point in 1923, did graduate work at Rutgers University and earned a master’s degree in science from the California Institute of Technology. Certainly, education was important to both Benjamin and Elizabeth Stern. Loans will be made based on demonstrated financial need and character to qualified Jewish graduate students. The application deadline is March 2. The application is available on the Jewish Federation website – www.jewishomaha.org. Please contact Diane Walker at 402.334.6407 or dwalker@ jewishomaha.org with any questions.
FJA Specials Classes
Continued from page 2 academic achievement. Furthermore, proficiency in swimming increases students’ safety around bodies of water. Finally, in Library, students explore research principles such as how to find the answer to a question and how to determine whether a source is reliable. They also have the opportunity to experience the excitement of choosing new books under the guidance of the school’s library specialist. Not every student will become a professional artist, musician, or athlete, nor will every student pursue a career in engineering. The goal of these specials classes, however, is to develop skills and attributes that will serve Friedel’s students well, no matter what path they pursue in life. Schools cut fine
arts and physical education programs not because they doubt that the programs are beneficial to students, but rather because they have to make difficult budgetary decisions. Friedel is grateful for the support of the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation and the Special Donor-Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, which are helping fund specials classes this year, as well as the many donors who make it possible for Friedel to fulfill its mission of providing the educational foundation to develop inquisitive learners who confidently engage with the world through Jewish values. For more information about the school, please contact Sara Kohen, Director of Advancement, at skohen@fjaomaha.com or 402.301.1662.
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Yoel Sykes Continued from page 1 prayerful, praiseful service from the very beginning, so everyone should plan to be at the synagogue right at 10 a.m.,” Hazzan Krausman advised. On Saturday evening, at 7 p.m., Sykes will present a Community Coffee House Havdalah. Geared for the entire family, the delightful service bids Shabbat farewell and welcomes in the new week with intention and joy through Yoel’s original compositions. Yoel Sykes studied flamenco guitar at the Center for Eastern Music in Jerusalem, and at the Carmen de las Cuevas School in Granada. He has composed many melodies to prayers, ranging from simple chants to complex musical pieces. Some of these can be heard on the Nava Tehila al-
bums Dancing in the Glory and Waking Heart. Yoel's unique musical and spiritual background — drawing on traditional and contemporary melodies — shows the influence of rock and blues, reggae and flamenco, Arabic, Moroccan and African music. He is a master of improvisation and an extraordinary vocal soloist, as well as a talented leader of spiritual prayer circles. Beth El Synagogue’s Jan. 24 - Jan. 25 Shabbat weekend of renewal, growth, peace and song with Yoel Sykes is open to the entire community. Chairs are Abby Kutler, Lisa Marcus, Andy Isaacson and Alejandro Wolf. Yoel Sykes' appearance, as well as the Friday night Pre-neg Reception and Shabbat lunch, is sponsored by the Albert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation.
Kaplan Book Group Continued from page 1 and the meaning of the custom of henna dying. Those family members who Adele believes care for and respect her the most are the cause of much angst and ultimately a great betrayal. The reader is subsequently introduced to the horror and plight of Jews in the days leading up to the Holocaust in both Yemen and on the Island of Corfu. With Operation Magic Carpet in 1948, the persecuted Yemenite Jews are flown en masse to the newly formed nation of Israel as a means of escape. While in Israel, Adele finally is able to find true happiness with a long lost love. It isn’t until 1979 that Adele finally learns the fate of the two people who betrayed her so many
years before and caused her such anguish. The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion group meets on the third Thursday of every month at 1 p.m. in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. New members are always welcome. The group receives administrative support from the Community Engagement & Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For information about the group, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sbanner@jewishomaha.org. To view books discussed by the group over the past several years, go to www.jewishomaha.org, click on the “Community & Education” pulldown tab and navigate to “Kripke Jewish Federation Library,” then to “Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group.”
Publishing date | 03.13.20 Space reservation | 03.06.20 Contact our advertising executive to promote your business in this very special edition. SUSAN BERNARD 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org
4 | The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020
Worth 1000 Words?
Growing Community, Not Just Plants Sponsored Content: #005 in the Series
Dear Friends of the Environment, Some say a picture is worth a thousand words. So I’m taking a break from writing this week and letting these photos talk about 2019: Jan. 10: Tu B’Shevat Celebration in our Great Room Feb. 19: Plant Rescue at Embassy Suites, Old Mkt. Apr. 6: Young volunteers transplanting Lilac bushes Apr. 11: Embassy Suites Rescue, phase 2 May 11: Pottawattamie Master Gardeners Sale Rescue June 9: Munroe-Meyer Garden Walk July 12: 59 Volunteers at 6th Annual Perennial Rescue
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What is causing the rise in anti-Semitism in New York?
crime, such as vandalism, which represents the vast majority JOSEFIN DOLSTEN of incidents, as opposed to assault. JTA has made multiple reNEW YORK | JTA For weeks, anti-Semitic attacks have been surging in and quests to the NYPD to get a breakdown of the type of incident around New York City — from assaults in Brooklyn to the but has not received the data. shooting in Jersey City to the recent stabbing in Monsey on While police data is not available, judging from news reports Hanukkah. and other sources, it apWhat’s still unclear is pears that many — but not why the spike is happening all — of the assailants in the now — and whether the atincidents of harassment and tacks are connected. assault in Brooklyn have The Hanukkah stabbing been African-American. capped off a year of rising Eric Ward, an anti-racist anti-Semitism in the area. activist who is AfricanIn nearby New York City, American and frequently anti-Semitic incidents inspeaks about the danger of creased significantly in anti-Semitism, says Ortho2019. Through September, dox Jews in Brooklyn live in according to the New York many of the same neighborPolice Department, there hoods as black people and were 163 reported incidents are sometimes turned into — an increase of 50 percent scapegoats for racism and from that period the previother societal challenges. ous year. Anti-Semitic inci“Black people aren’t in dents make up a majority of A member of the Ramapo police stands guard in front of the house poverty and racial segregareported hate crimes in of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg in Monsey, N.Y., Dec. 29, 2019. Credit: tion because of the ultraStephanie Keith/Getty Images New York City. Orthodox community,” he But in most cases, the attackers have not stated a clear rea- said. “They are facing those things because of longstanding son for their attacks. Unlike the anti-Semitic gunmen in Pitts- white supremacy in New York, in terms of policies and in burgh and Poway, who both wrote white supremacist terms of values. The problem is that there is a segment of the manifestos before the shootings, the attackers in Monsey, Jer- black population who believes that Jews can be targeted out sey City and elsewhere have not tried to justify their anti- of those frustrations, and when bad interactions happen beSemitism with an ideology. tween the ultra-Orthodox and the black community it rein“They all had one common theme, which was the hatred of forces to that smaller part of the black population that their Jews and that’s the common thread here and that’s what we anti-Semitic beliefs are justified.” have to keep our eye on,” said Evan Bernstein, the New Earlier this year, the ADL found that 2018 saw the thirdYork/New Jersey regional director at the Anti-Defamation highest number of anti-Semitic incidents since 1979. League. “It’s not any one particular group; it’s a myriad of peo“We’re seeing in the United States a general rise in the acple. Anti-Semitism is affecting all parts of our society.” ceptance of anti-Semitism, and it is playing out across the poThat lack of clarity has left law enforcement, officials and litical spectrum and across society,” Ward added. communal leaders with the task of trying to piece together Some of the assaults may be copycat attacks. Michael Masmotives based on clues, context and the suspects’ back- ters, the director of the Secure Community Network, a group grounds. In the Jersey City shooting, the attackers had ex- that coordinates safety issues for the Jewish community, said pressed sympathy with the Black Hebrew Israelites, a there is always a concern of social contagion, in which indimovement of African-Americans who believe they are de- viduals may be influenced by the views of prior attackers — scended from the biblical Israelites. Some of the movement’s such as the Black Hebrew Israelites — to also commit assaults. adherents espouse virulently anti-Semitic views. “I think that we have to recognize that there is not a monoThe suspect in the Monsey attack also referenced the move- lithic individual or group that dislikes us,” he said, noting that ment in his journal, according to a criminal complaint, as well threats come from both domestic and international terror as Hitler and the Nazis. groups as well as those inspired by Islamist extremism, white The anti-Semitic attacks in Brooklyn, meanwhile, have oc- supremacy and the Black Hebrew Israelite movement. curred in neighborhoods, like Crown Heights, where there has Black and Jewish community leaders have attempted to been historical tension between black and Jewish residents. bridge divides between the two groups with mixed success. That peaked during 1991 in the Crown Heights neighborhood Pastor Gil Monrose, who leads Mt. Zion Church of God 7th after a car in a motorcade carrying Chabad Grand Rabbi Men- Day, a predominantly black church in Brooklyn, has worked achem Mendel Schneerson struck two black children, killing for years to bridge ties between black and Jewish Brooklynites, one and severely injuring the second. Some black youths re- and has organized Israel trips for Brooklyn pastors. He draws sponded by attacking Jews in the area, killing a young Ortho- comfort from the longstanding relationships he has been able dox man, as well as looting and damaging Jewish homes. to build. NYPD data obtained by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency “We are confident that we will get through this together,” show that 60 percent of people arrested in New York City from said Monrose, who serves as the director of faith-based and January through September of 2019 for committing anti-Jew- clergy initiatives for Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, ish crimes were white. A third of those arrested were black. “because we’re working on these types of issues for many, The NYPD data does not break down incidents by type of many years together.”
The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020 | 5
Israel and Poland slam glorification of Nazi collaborators JBL Bagels & Business presents in Ukraine Dr. Joel and Nancy Schlessinger
News LOCA L | NAT IO NAL | WO RLD
Marchers rally outside the Kyiv City State Administration during a torchlight procession honoring Stepan Bandera, in Kyiv, Ukraine on Jan. 1, 2020. Credit: Pavlo_Bagmut/ Ukrinform/ Barcroft Media via Getty Images
CNAAN LIPHSHIZ JTA Following a nationalist march in Ukraine in honor of a Nazi collaborator, the ambassadors of Israel and Poland protested the glorification of Holocaust-era war criminals. In a joint letter sent on Thursday, Joel Lin and Bartosz Cichocki accused the city government of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv of having “waved the Stepan Bandera banner,” a reference to a portrait of the Ukrainian Nazi collaborator that was hung from a municipal building at the end of a Jan. 1 march honoring Bandera’s 111th birthday. Hundreds of people attended the march. Bandera is revered in Ukraine because he fought Russian domination alongside the Nazis. Bandera hoped the Germans would allow his country independence from the Soviet Union, though the Nazis later arrested him. Bandera is not known to have participated in the killings of Jews, though men under his command did kill thousands of Jews and Poles. “Celebrating these individuals is an insult,” the ambassadors wrote. The joint rebuke was an unusual move for Poland and Israel, two countries with deep cultural and economic ties to Ukraine. The letter also condemned the sponsorship by the Lviv district of an event celebrating Andryi Melnyk, another collaborator with the Third Reich. The ambassadors wrote the events caused them “great concern and sorrow.”
GABBY BLAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press Please join Jewish Business Leaders on Friday, Jan. 17, 7:30-9 a.m. at the JCC’s Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue as JBL proudly presents the first Bagels and Business Event of 2020 featuring Dr. Joel and Nancy Schlessinger. Dr. Joel and Nancy Schlessinger moved to Omaha in 1992 to start Joel's career as a dermatologist. Since that time, they have raised two children, Claire and Daniel, and become an integral part of the Jewish and Omaha Community. Joel's parents, June and Bernie, moved here with them at that time as well and still assist them as their 'board of directors'. Joel and Nancy have worked alongside each other and started a medical practice from ground-up. In 1997, they started LovelySkin.com. LovelySkin is now one of the preeminent online skincare retailers in the world, serving over a million customers. Find out how they did this and what the future holds for them, dermatology and online skincare! To register for this event, renew your membership or become a sponsor, please visit http://www.jewishomaha .org/about community-programs-and-events/jewishbusiness-leaders/ or contact Michelle Johnson at mjohn son@jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6430. Jewish Business Leaders of Omaha brings together the Jewish business community to showcase the entrepreneurs, founders and change-makers in our community while creating an opportunity to connect, teach and leverage each relationship. Please note that JBL Memberships renew in January! Yearly dues are only $100 annually and includes 4 Bagel & Business events. Become a new JBL member or renew your membership quickly and easily today at: tinyurl. com/JBL membership2020. For more information about JBL, please contact Steve Levinger at 402.334.6433 or slevinger@jewishomaha.org or Alex Epstein at 402.505.7720 or aepstein@omnepartners.com.
Dr. Joel and Nancy Schlessinger
The event is sponsored by Centris Federal Credit Union and the Platinum sponsor is Bridges Trust.
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.
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Send your letter by March 2, 2020 to Janet Henthorn at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, 333 So. 132nd St., Omaha, NE 68154 or jhenthorn@jewishomaha.org. Contact her with any questions at 402-334-6551.
Lifestyle
6 | The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020
The Jewish history behind the Vampire Weekend Chickpeas are set for world domination in 2020 song Harmony Hall FOOD | ENTERTAINMENT | C ULTURE
RACHEL MYERSON This article originally appeared on The Nosher. The 2010s saw chickpeas rise to fame in the manner that God always intended. The king of chickpea dishes, hummus, turned from a hippy health food to a fridge staple. This was great in terms of accessibility, but not so great for preserving the authenticity of the dish. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a thousand times: Hummus is not a catch-all term for dip. It means “chickpea” in Arabic, so if a product contains little-to-no chickpeas and too many other funky ingredients (edamame, pumpkin and beetroot come to mind), it is not hummus. As for dessert hummus, which strutted into American supermarkets in the latter part of the decade with flavors like chocolate, snickerdoodle, and vanilla bean, I don’t know how to feel. Let’s rename it chickpea pudding and agree that it’s actually kind of tasty. Dessert hummus was not the only chickpea-based snack to enter our lives this decade. Riding the wave of the “healthy snack” came Rule Breaker brownies — a deliciously dense chocolatey treat, and Hippeas, puffed chip-like snacks that became a roaring success in the United States and abroad, and are now stocked at Whole Foods. If you can get your hands on the salt and vinegar flavor, you won’t regret it. Canned chickpeas answered the prayers of vegans and egg-intolerant folk thanks to aquafaba — aka that viscous, slightly funky smelling chickpea brine that whips up just like egg whites. Genius. If you thought that every possibility to consume chickpeas in every way but their original form had been exhausted, think again! These versatile little beans
Credit: Getty Images
show no sign of slowing down in 2020. Alongside other hummus abominations, healthy snacks and aquafaba-based desserts, I predict we’ll see lots more: CHICKPEA ICE CREAM Vegans and hipsters around the world, rejoice! Micah Camden, the brains behind this trend, has announced plans to significantly expand his Portland-based chickpea ice cream brand, Little Chickpea. It won’t be long until its eight flavors, which include cherry chai and mint matcha, find their way to Los Angeles, New York and beyond. Each flavor is free of dairy, nuts, soy and gluten. CHICKPEA MILK We live in the age of nut milks, so it was only a matter of time before chickpea milk became a thing. Chickpeas produce a thick, neutral tasting milk with numerous benefits over other nondairy offerings: They’re basically free of unsaturated fats, unlike coconut milk, and don’t have the environmental
stigma or health concerns related to almond and soy milks. Plus, they’re a cheap base ingredient. This stuff is ready to hit the market, thanks to Israeli startup InnovoPro, which has raised nearly $5 million in funding. It’s also pretty easy to make at home. CHICKPEA PROTEIN ChickP, another Israeli startup, is currently working on a chickpea protein that can act as a base for chickpea milks, an egg substitute, or a dairy-free butter, among other things. They seem pretty confident in its marketability, predicting revenue of $300 million by 2025. Watch this space. CHICKPEA FLOUR Though chickpea flour typically doesn’t get a lot of love, don’t underestimate its powers as a substitute for allpurpose flour. It’s gluten-free, packed full of protein and has superior binding power.
GABE FRIEDMAN JTA Vampire Weekend’s singer and songwriter Ezra Koenig has teased in previous interviews that his latest album, the Grammy-nominated Father of the Bride, contains some Jewish content. The band has also put out music videos recently that involve Jewish delis and a Passover seder. But now Koenig has gone in depth about the Jewishness of the album’s lead single, Harmony Hall, which contains a lyric that has vexed many until now: “Beneath these velvet gloves I hide/The shameful, crooked hands of a moneylender/’ Cause I still remember.” Ezra Koenig plays with Vampire As Koenig explained for Weekend in Madrid, Nov. 25, an episode of the Song Ex- 2019. Credit: Mariano Regidor/ ploder podcast this week, Redferns/Getty Images the track explores the cycles of gaining and losing power — in his words, the people “outside the palace” becoming the people “inside the palace.” Among other things, the term Harmony Hall was a popular name for plantation buildings in the pre-Civil War South. But Koenig connects the idea to Jews and Zionism. “I wouldn’t say the song’s particularly about being Jewish, but because... I’m Jewish and I’m American... I’m gonna think about American history and I’m gonna think about Jewish history,” he said. The moneylender line is a clear reference to Jews, who were once global outcasts and were forced into working in finance, being restricted from other industries. But they eventually established a state for themselves, and now, in Koenig’s eyes, are partly “the powerful ones… in the driver’s seat.” “When I think about that phrase, the moneylender, it just makes me think about the past and shame, and how sometimes people in power, regardless of what their background is, or their ethnicity, even though they have more power than they used to, because of trauma or shame sometimes make decisions that are based in fear,” he said. “In some ways that’s one of the drivers of these kind of vicious cycles that we have as people.”
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The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020 | 7
Above: The Omaha Teen Trip to Israel was ready for take off... and an amazing adventure!
SP O TLIGHT
Above: Shelly Fox and Doris Alloy made homemade latkes for the Residents of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.
Below: Tim Gilloon, the Bubble Man, came to entertain Residents at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and students from the Friedel Jewish Academy. Pictured is Caia Vacanti.
PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.
Above and below: A good time was had by all at Beth El’s festive Hanukkah Dinner party.
Above: Temple Israel’s Kids’ Choir singing Walk in the Light of God - Mi Chamocha at the Installation service of Cantor Joanna Alexander.
Above: Esther Katz and Jessica Westerlin enjoyed chowing down at the Employee Hanukkah party in the new Noshery!
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8 | The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020
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The Jewish Press (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 Michael Ivey Accounting 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@jewish omaha. org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be singlespaced 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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Light in the dark GABBY BLAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press As Hanukkah 2019 drew to a close, I sat in the stillness of a dark house watching our menorah’s flames bounce shadows and light around the room. The weather had suddenly changed from balmy to downpour then, to ice and snow. That last night of Hanukkah, I sat with my back to the stormy darkness raging outside my window and kept my face towards the light. There was comfort there, in the soft warm glow. It had been a long and taxing week and I relished the peacefulness of the moment, mesmerized by the dancing flames and the intricate drippings of wax. As the music box menorah tinkled out the final notes of Maoz Tzur, I turned inward, reflecting on the many things I absorbed over Hanukkah. Humans are receptive; vessels to be filled, not always in control of the filling, yet always responsible for our reactions to them. There is no shortage of stories, symbolism and analogies regarding the significance of Hanukkah falling during the darkest time of the year. Most focus on the central idea that even the smallest of lights can dispel great darkness. Although I celebrated a beautiful Hanukkah full of light with my family, friends and community, I could not help but feel the darkness creeping in around the edges of the holiday. While days are technically getting longer now that the solstice has passed, it very much seems as though the darkest and coldest time of the year has settled in, content to stay regardless of the discomfort it causes. The dark and cold is increasingly noticeable in the heart and soul of people as well. Daily reports of attacks on Jews unlike at any other time in my life, certainly, and perhaps in American history - be it at synagogues, during Hanukkah parties, on the subway, the street, on college campuses signal an uncomfortable but unmistakable shift; apparently, it is open season on Jews, yet again. The horror stories increased with every candle we lit and as our menorah’s lights grew, so
did the heaviness in my heart knowing that someone else’s family had one of their own flames diminished, or even extinguished. That someone else’s family will always have a trauma associated with a holiday that should be joyous. These attacks are coming from all directions and cut across demographics, socioeconomic levels and political affili-
ations. These attacks strike fear, anger, sadness and even hatred into the hearts of Jewish communities. Deborah Lipstadt, Professor of Holocaust History at Emory University, published an article in the Dec. 29 issue of The Atlantic entitled, Jews are Going Underground, in which she acknowledges her rightful fury, frustration and angst over the increasingly violent attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions across the US and Europe. Lipstadt also notes the ways Jews around the world are trying to cope, mostly by outwardly hiding their Jewishness in a Marrano-esque fashion. Through the unfolding tragedies, Lipstadt shares, “the news that most depressed me did not involve violence. It was not something done to Jews, but something Jews did. A synagogue in the Netherlands is no longer publicly posting the times of prayer services. If you want to join a service, you have to know someone who is a member of the community.” She goes on, explaining why this small story, comparatively benign to the gruesome attacks in Monsey and Jersey City for example, is one
that is most upsetting to her. “Because it is vivid proof that anti-Semitism is driving Jews underground in the West.” Could anything be more antithetical to the Hanukkah message than Jews hiding themselves during the very holiday in which we are to shine our lights out from the windows of our homes? Is it not enough that today, armed guards at our schools and places of worship are normal? Hiding our prayer, our congregation, is beyond a personal choice to hide a kippah under a ball cap or tuck in a Star of David necklace; this is a communal reaction to a societal shift that is alarming. We as a people have dealt with this for generations and as recently as 70 years ago, declared Never Again. In this darkness, it is on us to be like the Shamash. We need to maintain our light for our children’s sake and for the merit of those who came before us. A sad irony that a holiday celebrating the miracles bestowed upon the Maccabees – who, thousands of years ago fought for their right – and by proxy our right today – to be Jews, is a war that is still waging. As Elie Wiesel eloquently stated, “I know and I speak from experience that even in the midst of darkness it is possible to create light and share warmth with one another; that even on the edge of the abyss it is possible to dream exalted dreams of compassion.” In spite of the external darkness, I found plenty of ways to create and share internal light. Making an effort to get out to various celebrations, throwing a Hanukkah party for my youngest’s school, putting our menorah in the window and resisting the urge to camouflage into the background. We must maintain and fight for our faith; if we don’t, then who are we? In the face of darkness, we must unite – across congregations, observance levels and backgrounds -and always keep our faces turned towards the light. Solidarity amongst ourselves, and with those who stand with us against anti-Semitism, is key. Alone, we are but individual sparks in the darkness. Together, our light can blaze like the sun, allowing us to be the light we are commanded
The Hasidic response to the Monsey attacks. What’s next? YISROEL B. MONSEY, N.Y. | JTA On Dec. 28, I was invited to a Hanukkah party at a friend’s house. I drove through the tranquil Monsey streets and arrived at 10:30 p.m. Much to my surprise, I found the front door locked. I called my friend, who quickly opened up and locked the door behind me. I entered and immediately felt that something was off. The mood was somber and tense, the men’s faces were buried in their phones and the women were nervously trying to distract the children. “What happened?” I asked. “You didn’t hear?! There was an attack on Forshay and the attacker is still on the loose. There are a number of injured people!” My heart sank. We are sadly used to hearing of attacks against our Israeli brethren and, more recently, our fellow European Jews and in New York City... but to hear of a terror attack mere minutes from my house in a quiet and peaceful community? This was no longer an issue to brush under the rug. It did not take long for the usual rabble-rousers to start fanning the flames of their familiar crusades. The former politicians, the city councilmen, the local assemblymen and the Second Amendment guys all rushed to the scene and to their Twitter feeds to begin pushing their agenda. It seems that in a time of crisis, people look for clear and identifiable enemies or solutions so they can make sense of things. These activists clearly know which buttons to push. And then the sun rose on Sunday, and an element rarely seen in our community dialogue made its appearance: nuance. In an era of WhatsApp groups where every individual has a platform, people seemed to agree on one thing only: that the in-
stigators and ideologues do not speak for all of us, and that we do not need more hateful discourse. One group debated the merits of arming a civil vigilante group, while another discussed whether we are missing the forest for the trees by focusing on these rogue attackers and ignoring the growing threat of far-right nationalism.
Members of the Hasidic community gather outside the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg in Monsey, N.Y., following a machete attack that took place earlier outside the rabbi's home during a Hanukkah party, Dec. 29, 2019. Credit: Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images
I have been living in this community for decades and have been used to a black-and-white reactionary response to such matters. Perhaps it was handed down from our Eastern European grandparents who lived through the most unimaginable of horrors, leaving them with a siege mentality and little space for nuance and perspective. But thankfully, our world is more open than ever before, and individuals are learning to think for themselves. On one WhatsApp group, I saw a couple of friends vehemently defending the black commu-
nity and rightfully pointing out that they are fellow minorities and our natural allies in the fight against bigotry. Those who are perpetrating these attacks are but the most fringe extremists among them, and we are not facing anything remotely close to the pogroms of the previous century or the infamous Kristallnacht. The contrast of these comments to the community strife between blacks and Jews in New York City in the 1980s and 1990s is striking. It turns out that a majority of community members do not want to live in perpetual fear, a police state or constant tension with our neighbors. Those who do unfortunately get all of the attention, and I’m not sure there’s a remedy for that. Thankfully, however, we are seeing people speak up and point out that the anti-Semites are small in number and strength, and that marginalizing them will have a greater net benefit than amplifying their voices. We are also seeing people share how we need to take the lessons from these attacks and realize that we are in this together with other minorities, and should identify with their struggles and fears. Some have pointed out that the attacks against Jews are not receiving sufficient attention, but most of the community seems to be appreciative that the governor came down to the scene of the attack, federal law enforcement agencies are doing their part and local police have stepped up their presence. The outpouring of support from around the country makes us hopeful that we can build a better future — together. YISROEL B. is a Hasidic resident of Airmont, New York. 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.
The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020 | 9
Joe Biden: My plan to fight anti-Semitism JTA This is the first op-ed in a series of pieces about anti-Semitism and Jewish issues written by 2020 presidential candidates. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency has sent five questions on the topic to all of the registered candidates from both parties.
Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a community event. Credit: Daniel Carde/Getty Images
1. Anti-Semitic hate crimes are currently on the rise across the United States. In 2018, there were two deadly shootings at synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway, violent attacks now regularly plague the Jews of New York City and Jews continue to be the target of most religion-based hate crimes across the country. What is your plan to address the rise in anti-Semitism across the U.S.? We have a serious problem with rising tides of white supremacy and anti-Semitism — both in America, on the political right and left, and around the world. It’s not a new phenomenon, but it is the responsibility of leaders everywhere to work aggressively to combat this poison. Instead, we have a president who, in clear language and in code, encourages and emboldens it. After Charlottesville, Donald Trump gave renewed license and safe harbor for hate to white supremacists, Neo-Nazis and the KKK. There’s a short line from those people marching with tiki torches in Charlottesville chanting “Jews will not replace us” to the shooter at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh saying
Jews “were committing genocide to his people.” We need a comprehensive approach to battling anti-Semitism that takes seriously both the violence that accompanies it and the hateful and dangerous lies that undergird it. Sadly, anti-Semitism takes many different forms and cuts across ideology, political party, group and nation. So we must remain vigilant and speak out every time we see the persistent evil of anti-Semitism rear its ugly head. It’s incumbent on all of us to stand against those who traffic in pernicious stereotypes, or who seek to scare and divide us for political gain. Silence is complicity, so we must speak out — every time. We must call hate by its proper name and condemn it. We must also address the extremist, white supremacist violence that has sparked so much bloodshed, especially with Trump fanning the flames of hatred and hollowing out resources we put in place during the Obama-Biden administration to address domestic extremism. I’ll restore that funding and work to pass a federal domestic terrorism law. We can craft legislation that respects free speech and civil liberties, while making the same commitment as a nation to root out domestic terrorism as we have to stopping international terrorism. We must appoint leadership at the U.S. Department of Justice who will prioritize the prosecution of hate crimes — making clear that there is no place for such vitriol in this country. And we must break the nexus between extremism and gun violence by enacting sensible gun control laws. As president, I’ll make sure assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are banned again; and we’ll put in place a buy-back program to get as many of these weapons of war as possible off our streets. Finally, we know that this hate didn’t begin with Donald Trump, and it won’t end when he leaves office. American history is not a fairytale. The battle for the soul of this nation has been a constant push-and-pull between the American ideal that we are all created equal — and the harsh reality that racism and anti-Semitism have long torn us apart. So we must renew our commitment to our highest
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ideals and do what this president cannot — stand together against hate; stand up for what, at our best, this nation believes. 2. A number of Democratic lawmakers have recently critiqued Israel in ways that some have characterized as anti-Semitic. What is the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and anti-Semitism to you? No nation, including Israel, is immune from legitimate criticism. For example, I have for decades opposed the expansion of settlement activity as counterproductive to peace and damaging to U.S. support for Israel; and I have shared those criticisms directly with Israeli leadership, from Menachem Begin to Bibi Netanyahu. But Israel should never be unfairly singled out or targeted. It’s dangerous. And any action designed to marginalize one ethnic or religious group imperils us all — that’s something the Jewish people know all too well. That’s why it’s critical to stand against biased resolutions and attempts to delegitimize Israel at the United Nations, and why it’s important to ensure Israel, like other nations, is represented on important committees there. And it’s why I’ve been clear: the calls here in the United States to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel are wrong. Period. The BDS movement singles out Israel — home to millions of Jews — in a way that is inconsistent with the treatment of other nations, and it too often veers into anti-Semitism, while letting Palestinians off the hook for their choices. 3. Countless politicians have tried to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and yet, a two-state outcome now seems more dream than possibility. What are your concrete plans to address the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians? I believe a two-state solution is the only path to long-term security for Israel, while sustaining its identity as a Jewish and democratic state. It is also the only way to ensure Palestinian dignity and their legitimate interest in national self-determination. And it is a necessary condition to take full advantage of the opening that exists for greater cooperation between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
At present, neither the Israeli nor Palestinian leadership seems willing to take the political risks necessary to make progress through direct negotiations. This challenge has been made even more difficult by President Trump’s unilateralism, his moves to cut off assistance to the Palestinians and his equivocation on the importance of a two-state solution. I will restore credible engagement with both sides to the conflict. America must sustain its ironclad commitment to Israel’s security – including the unprecedented support provided by the Obama-Biden administration. It is also essential to resume assistance to the Palestinian Authority that supports Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation, people-to-people programs, economic development, and humanitarian aid and health care for the Palestinian people. My administration will urge both sides to take steps to keep the prospect of a two-state outcome alive. Palestinian leaders should end any incitement and glorification of violence, and they must level with their people about the legitimacy and permanence of Israel as a Jewish state in the historic homeland of the Jewish people. Israeli leaders should stop the expansion of West Bank settlements and talk of annexation that would make two states impossible to achieve. They must recognize the legitimacy of Palestinians’ aspirations for statehood. Both sides should work to provide more relief to the people of Gaza while working to weaken, and ultimately replace, Hamas. And Arab states should take more steps toward normalization with Israel and increase their financial and diplomatic support for building Palestinian institutions. 4. Is there any part of American Jewish culture, or Jewish figure from history, that has been particularly meaningful to you in your life? I’ve had the honor of meeting every Israeli Prime Minister since Golda Meir and formed close relationships with many of them. In particular, I treasured my deep, personal friendship with Shimon Peres and the wisdom and kindness with which he imbued his See Joe Biden page 11
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Synagogues
10 | The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020
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
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
B’NAI ISRAEL Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on Friday, Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Ron Lugasy, Omaha Community Shlicha. 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. Handicap Accessible.
BETH EL Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FRIDAY: USY/Kadima Shabbat Services & Dinner with Steve Kerbel, 5:30 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service with Steve Kerbel, 9:30 a.m.; Shabbat’s Cool (Grades K-7), 10 a.m.; Kamp KEF Blowout, 5:30 p.m.; Israeli Wine Tasting with Steve Kerbel, 7 p.m. at the home of Sally and Jim Zipursky. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; USY Parent/Teen Purim Meeting, 10:15 a.m.; Steve Kerbel Israeli Talk, 11 a.m.; USY Board Meeting, 11 a.m.; Yiddish Class, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; USY/Kadima Program, noon. TUESDAY: Jewish Values Class, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Mahjong, 1 p.m.; Chesed Committee visits Remington Heights, 2:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; USY Purim Prep, 5:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6:30 p.m.; Community Beit Midrash, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel. THURSDAY: Brachot and Breakfast, 7 a.m.; Jewish Memoir Writing Class, 6 p.m. with Dr. Gabriel; Whiskey Tasting, 7 p.m. Our Shabbat Tables in Homes, Friday, Jan. 17. No Jr. Congregation — MLK Weekend, Saturday, Jan. 18. No BESTT Classes — MLK Weekend, Sunday, Jan. 19. Chesed Committee Visits the Heritage at Sterling Ridge, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 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.
BETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer FRIDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Mincha/Candle Lighting, 4:57 p.m. SATURDAY: Open Beit Midrash — All welcome to learn the Torah and Dance, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Tot Shabbat, 10:50 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 3:55 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 4:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:01 p.m.. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 am.; Works of Maimondies, 9:45 am.; JYE BI, 10 am.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. at RBJH. MONDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Tasty Torah: Learning Torah through the Palate, noon with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. at RBJH. TUESDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Torah Tuesday, 1 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. at RBJH; Tasty Torah: Learning Torah through the Palate, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Yoni. WEDNESDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 p.m. at RBJH. THURSDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5 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.Ocha bad.com.
B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby. FRIDAY: Pop-up Shabbat Dinners — Note: No Erev Shabbat Services at the Temple.; Candlelighting, 5 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:45 a.m. on Parashat Vayechi; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:31 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m. TUESDAY: Intro to Judaism, 6:30 p.m. To register: please contact the Temple office: 402.435.8004 or off ice@southstreettemple.org. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. Potluck Dinner and Game Night, Saturday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. All are welcome! Jewish Book Club Meeting, Sunday, Jan. 19, 1:30 p.m. at Gere Library and will discuss The Girl From Venice by Martin Cruz Smith. SST is partnering with "We Can Do This" to provide weekend meals to the children of the F St. Community Center. Join us as we provide lunch on the third Sunday of every month. Food/monetary donations, meal preparation and assistance with setting up, serving, and cleanup are needed! If you would like to donate funds to this program and help continue this mitzvah, please contact Leslie Delserone at treasurer@southstreettemple.org or call Peter Mullin at 402.435.8004. We will serve our next meal on Jan. 19 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact Aimee Hyten at aimee.hyten@gmail.com.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Larry DeBruin. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.
TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to You at Remington Heights, 4 p.m.; Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.; OTYG Obstacles, 1:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Beginning Adult Hebrew — Level 1, 9 a.m.;
Beginning Adult Hebrew — Level 2, 10 a.m.; Youth Learning Programs for Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; Membership Committee Meeting, 10:30 a.m.; Social Justice Committee Meeting, 10:30 a.m.; Holidays @ Home: Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; OTYG Board Meeting, noon. WEDNESDAY: More Than a Joke: A Tri-Faith Symposium, noon at AMI; Grades 3-6, 4-6 p.m.; Community Dinner, 6 p.m. Menu: chicken noodle soup, vegetable soup, salad, breadsticks, dessert. RSVP to Temple Israel, 402.556.6536.; Grades 7-12, 6-8 p.m.; Community Beit Midrash: Study with Rabbi Dembitzer, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel. Women of the Bible: Celebrating Their Stories, Reclaiming Their Voices, Wednedays, Jan. 22, 29 & Feb. 5, 6:30 p.m. The Hebrew Bible tells the stories of so many incredible women – heroines, leaders, prophets, visionaries, mothers, wives, and sisters who helped shape Jewish history and changed the world. Some of their stories are well-known, while others are buried in a few lines of Torah or silenced altogether. In this class, Rabbi Berezin will guide us in re-discovering the women of the Bible and re-claiming them as role models for our generation and those to come. Out for Shabbat, Friday, Jan. 24, following Shabbat Service. Join Temple Israel for a dinner discussion about LGBTQ+ topics and Judaism. After Shabbat services, we will join in the social hall for a delicious dinner and thoughtful conversation. The cost is $18 and we ask that you RSVP online by Monday, Jan. 20. If you have any questions, please contact Robert Friedman.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIDAY: No Shabbat Service; Candlelighting, 5 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Service, 10 a.m. followed by light kiddush lunch; Junior Congregation, 11 a.m. followed by a snack; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:01 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; Tifereth Israel board meeting, 1 p.m.; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. The Lincoln Jewish Community is privileged to welcome Tal Schneider, Chief Diplomatic and Political Correspondent for Globes to our City, Israel’s oldest financial daily newspaper, at a community Shabbat dinner at on Friday, Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m. She will speak immediately following dinner about Israeli Society at a Crossroads: A look at four sectors: the national-religious, the secular, the Arabs, and the ultra-Orthodox. A question and answer session will follow her presentation. Please mark your calendars to join us for this very special evening sponsored by Congregation of Tifereth Israel, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, and the Lincoln Jewish Federation. Please RSVP for this event by Jan. 23 by calling the office 402.423.8569 or texting Nancy Coren at 402.770.4167. Tifereth Israel members are welcome to bring non-member friends to hear Ms. Schneider.
Homeland Security advisory committee issued recommendations to protect religious communities MARCY OSTER JTA The acting Homeland Security secretary has ordered agency heads to implement recommendations by an internal advisory committee for preventing violence against religious communities. The order was issued by acting Secretary Chad Wolf on Jan. 2 in a memo in the wake of the recent attack on a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, the Washington Post reported Jan. 5. “The right to practice religion free of interference or fear is one of our nation’s most fundamental and indelible rights. As such, the targeting of houses of worship by violent extremists of any ideology is particularly abhorrent and must be prevented,” Wolf wrote. He gave the agency heads 14 days to review the recommendations and suggest plans to implement them. The advisory committee was formed in May 2019, following a string of attacks against synagogues, churches, temples, and mosques. Its final report was submitted in mid-December. The report found training, resources and coor-
dination between federal, state and local law enforcement “inconsistent” and “unlevel.” It also recommends Congress increase security grant money for faith-based organizations. Meanwhile, an intelligence document issued Friday by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center called on federal, state and local authorities “to remain vigilant in light of the enduring threat to Jewish communities posed by domestic violent extremists and perpetrators of hate crimes,” ABC News first reported. https://abcnews.go.com/US/jewish-communities-face-enduring-threat-us-federalauthorities/story?id=68066362 The document cited four deadly attacks against Jewish communities since October 2018 in Monsey, New York; Jersey City, New Jersey; Poway, California; and Pittsburgh. “We remain concerned that other U.S.-based individuals... could become inspired by these attacks and carry out further violence against Jewish communities,” the document said.
Life cycles IN MEMORIAM CHERI WEINER Cheri Weiner pased away on Jan. 5 at age 93. Services were held Jan. 8 at Golden Hill Cemetery. She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Weiner, parents, Sol and Jennie Sherman, and brothers, Harold Sherman, Bill Sherman and Stanley Sherman. She is survived by daughter, Frankie Weiner-Mash, and sons, Ricky Weiner and Warren Weiner. Memorials may be made to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.
Joe Biden Continued from page 9 leadership. He had an unyielding commitment to the inherent dignity and worth of every single human being; and in my opinion, he embodied the conscience and the soul of Israel. Shimon was always about hope, always about the future. I met him on my first visit to Israel in 1973 — during my first year in the Senate. That’s also the trip where I met with Meir and her then-aide Yitzhak Rabin for close to an hour. She went through what happened during the Six-Day War, the price that was paid, and painted a bleak picture that, quite frankly, scared me. I had just come from Egypt, and I had seen what was happening there. But when we walked out for the press to take our photo, she said to me: “Senator, don’t worry. We have a secret weapon. You see, we have nowhere else to go.” Just about a month later, the Yom Kippur War touched off. That experience was foundational for me. It made me understand, in my gut, the threat that the Israeli people live under every day — but also their resilience. Peres and Meir showed me the spirit of a people who, against all odds, transformed the desert, founded a robust democracy and built a thriving economy based on innovation. It’s why I am and have always been such a strong supporter of Israel. 5. Have you participated in a Passover seder or other Jewish holiday ritual? If so, what were the circumstances, and what was the experience like for you? I’ve had the honor of sharing many meaningful experiences with Jewish friends and family — celebrating weddings, sitting shiva. During our first year in office, in 2009, President Obama became the first president to host a seder at the White House — a tradition he maintained each year of his presidency. In 2013, Jill and I were proud to have the first Vice Presidential Sukkah at the Naval Observatory, and we welcomed Jewish children from the community to come decorate it. It was incredibly meaningful to be able to host our friends from the community during Sukkot with traditional hospitality. And in 2014, I presided over the lighting of the National Menorah to mark the start of Hanukkah with a message that is critical for us all to remember today: “Jewish heritage is American heritage.” 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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US kills Qassem Soleimani, top Iranian general, in airstrike RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON | JTA A U.S. airstrike authorized by President Trump killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Quds Force, which operates a number of regional militias and is allied with terrorist groups targeting Israel, including Hezbollah and Hamas. The strike early Friday morning hit a vehicle near Baghdad International Airport. The Quds Force arms and funds a number of militias in Iraq.
The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020 | 11
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, second from left, shakes hands with Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, Sept. 15, 2015. Credit: Pool/Iranian Presidency Press Office/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
“General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region,” a Pentagon statement said. “General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more.” The Trump administration blamed Iran for recent escalations in the region, including the recent besieging of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad by sympathizers with Iran and its proxies. President Donald Trump tweeted an image of the U.S. flag after reports of Soleimani’s death first emerged. The strike is likely to escalate U.S.-Iran tensions and could implicate Israel. Soleimani has for years been behind Iranian actions in Israel. Just three months ago he said in a lengthy interview on Iranian television that he helped direct Hezbollah’s war on Israel in 2006. Hezbollah is a terrorist militia in Lebanon. Hamas is the terrorist organization governing the Gaza Strip. Soleimani, 62, supervised Iran’s operations in Syria during the civil war that has raged in that country since 2011. Iran helped prop up the Assad regime, which is emerging triumphant in the war. Israel is seeking the ouster of Iran from Syria as part of permanent post-civil war status.
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Lifestyle
12 | The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020
FOOD | E N TE RTA I N ME N T | C ULT URE
Bukharian chicken and herbed rice: A fragrant one-pot meal with a generations-old recipe LEANNE SHOR This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher. Why use several different pots and pans when you can fit a full meal into one? Bachsh is a traditional Bukharian rice and meat dish that is loaded with aromatic onions and fresh herbs. Bukharian Jews originate from central Asia, in modern day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. They have an incredibly rich, insular culture. Their cuisine doesn’t use many vibrant spices, but focuses on subtle aromatics like carrots, onions, garlic and meats to infuse flavor. Bukharians are the champions of the one-pot meal, and many dishes are focused around the round, short grain rice that they had access to, along with lamb, beef and chicken. My husband grew up in a traditional Bukharian home, and this recipe is straight from my mother-in-law, who is an amazing cook and incredible hostess. She prefers to use chopped chicken breast here, but some choose to make bachsh with chopped lamb and beef. When I was first married, my mother-in-law gave me some wise advice for hosting guests: “Make bachsh — it’s all in one pot and you’ve satisfied every guest!” She meant that a great way to make your life easier but still make everyone happy is by preparing a deeply satisfying meal like bachsh. Bachsh is a perfect simple weeknight meal, as it comes together in about 45 minutes, and is a huge family favorite. It’s usually served with a chopped salad of tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers and bell peppers dressed with lemon and olive oil. On your plate, the tart lemony dressing mixes with the savory rice and meat for a delicious balance of flavors.
BUKHARIAN CHICKEN AND HERBED RICE Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil 2 cups round, short grain rice 2 chicken breasts, chopped finely into small cubes 1 bunch of parsley, minced finely 1 bunch of cilantro, minced finely 1 large onion, chopped 2 1/2 cups water 2 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper Directions: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium Credit: LeAnne Shor heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped chicken breast, 1 teaspoon salt, and half the chopped parsley and cilantro. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 1/2 cups water, cover the pot and cook for 7-8 minutes. Meanwhile, place the rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear. This removes any dust and excess starch from the rice. This step is essential to prevent the rice from becoming sticky and mushy. Add the rinsed rice to the pot, along with the rest of the
chopped herbs, remaining salt, black pepper and water. Stir to combine, and bring the mixture back to a simmer over medium heat. Stir gently and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook for another 12-15 minutes until the rice is fully cooked. Stir again gently, turn off heat and allow the rice to steam for another 5 minutes. Serve with a chopped salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion and bell peppers dressed with fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Serves 6-8.
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