January 22, 2010

Vol. LXXXIX No. 18 Omaha, NE

Celebrating 89 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa

Synagogue at Blumkin Home will carry Simon family name

Largest interactive collection of Holocaust records now online

by RACHEL TEPPER Hall, the U.S. State Department’s arts and monuments WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Efforts to track down U.S.- adviser who worked extensively with the records held records that may assist Holocaust restitution claims between 1954 and 1961. are now a click -- and possibly a fee -- away.

The records now available in Footnote.com’s databasThe U.S. National Archives and Footnote.com, a fee- es have been in the public domain in the archival based history research Web research rooms of the site, recently launched the National Archives here. The largest online interactive colnew endeavor marks the first lection of Holocaust time the documents have records. been available online and The collection organizes made searchable. more than 1 million In addition to the emoHolocaust-era records, tional impact of researching including concentration one’s family history, the camp registers and docudevelopers hope that informents from Dachau, mation detailing stolen Mauthausen, Auschwitz and Jewish possessions might aid Flossenburg; captured in restitution battles.

German records including Holocaust survivors and deportation and death lists their families are still battling A property card for a violin from the “Ardelia Hall from concentration camps; with several European govCollection,” which includes records relating to the Nazi lootNuremberg war crimes trial ernments over the issue of CREDIT: Footnote.com ing of Jewish possessions. proceedings; and about restitution, in particular the 26,000 photos from the National Archives. return of artwork stolen by the Nazis and the commuWhile the total number of Holocaust records in the nists in Central and Eastern Europe.

National Archives’ possession is not known conclusively The project also has a considerable social networking because many have yet to be assessed and processed, component; the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum archivists estimate that the material available on provided to Footnote.com the material for some 600 Footnote.com accounts for 10 percent of its current interactive personal accounts of those who survived or holdings. perished in the Holocaust. Footnote’s technology allows The database also contains the Ardelia Hall visitors to search for names and add photos, comments Collection, which includes records relating to the Nazi and stories, share their insights and create pages to highlooting of Jewish possessions such as artwork and other light their discoveries. cultural objects. The collection is named for Ardelia Continued on page 2

Inside Opinion Page see page 8

See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’

Nebraska congressman reflects on Middle East visit Page 4

January 22, 2010

Jewish groups, Israel mobilize to aid Haiti’s earthquake victims

Hanukkah menorah. But it

by OZZIE NOGG Most scholars agree that has another meaning, as after the destruction of of caretaker of the synagogue.

So it made sense to use the the Second Temple by the synagogue as acknowledgeRomans in 70 A.D., the synment of the ancestors who agogue emerged as the cenbrought us to this great ter of social and religious life country and to the wonderof the Jewish people. It was ful Omaha community.” there that the congregation Included in the family gathered to worship, study, gift are Alan and Anne observe Shabbat and celeSimon, Fred and Eve Simon, brate festivals and holy days.

Bruce and Stacy Simon and And so it continues in our Todd and Betiana Simon. time. For when the Simon “The Blumkin Home is an Family Synagogue is comessential resource for our pleted at the Rose Blumkin community,” Fred continJewish Home, this sacred ued. “Mike Silverman’s space will become a true bet management of the Home is knesset, a place of assembly exemplary. I’m very comwhere residents, their family fortable with his leadership and friends, can gather as a and with the staff, so I know community to observe, to the Simon gift is in good learn, and to delight in hands. Our family has a Jewish tradition.

Speaking for the entire B.A. (2nd generation) & wife Ethel Simon with son, Lester. nearly one-hundred year family, Fred Simon B.A. and his father J.J. immigrated from Riga, Latvia, to legacy of involvement in explained why he thinks the Omaha in 1898, and started the Table Supply Meat critical community issues, and we are so fortunate to new synagogue is an appro- Company in 1917. priate choice to carry the family’s name. “When our be in a position to help extend and improve the Blumkin grandparents came to the United States from Latvia, Home facility and services during its New Beginning.”

In the century during which the Simon family has their name was changed from Shamus to Simon. The shamus, of course, is the center candle used to light the Continued on page 3

This Week: Kripke Center speaker to address intermarriage

7 Shevat 5770

NEW YORK (JTA) -- As the death toll mounts in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the organized Jewish world is lining up support for the rescue and relief effort in the region.

With Haiti’s government struggling to cope with the aftermath of the Jan. 12 quake, which officials in Portau-Prince said has killed thousands, governments and relief agencies from around the world are pouring into the impoverished Caribbean country to help rescue thousands believed to be trapped under the rubble.

Searching for survivors of the massive earthquake in Haiti, Port-au-Prince residents work their way through the rubble.

Credit: Logan Abassi/UN/Creative Commons IsraAID, the Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid, dispatched a 12-person search-andrescue team to Haiti. The coordinating body of Israeli and Jewish organizations, IsraAID also was considering sending a field hospital, including doctors and medical equipment, as well as humanitarian aid.

Meanwhile, the list of Jewish nonprofits that have opened mailboxes to help raise money for the rescue and relief effort was growing quickly, and the Israel Defense Forces’ Home Front Command was preparing to send a delegation that included engineering, medical, logistics and rescue experts.

IsraAID and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee are funneling Jewish communal support into Haiti, and the American Jewish World Service is collecting donations for its Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund at http://www.ajws.org/haitiearthquake.

“We are assessing where the gaps in service are and putting a process in place to help specific communities that might not be immediately served otherwise,” said Aaron Dorfman, the AJWS vice president for programs.

“Because of the economic and political situation in Haiti, disasters like this have devastating consequences throughout the country. Our longstanding partnerships with grass roots organizations in Haiti allow us to reach the poorest and most remote populations with the speed necessary to save lives.”

JDC sounded a similar message.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti in the wake of this overwhelming disaster, and as we did following Hurricane Gustav in 2008, JDC will leverage its strong partnerships in the region to respond quickly and compassionately to the needs of those affected,” said Steven Schwager, JDC’s chief executive officer. “Now and in the months to come, JDC will provide both immediate relief as well as long-term assistance to help the Haitian people rebuild their lives.”

Money can be donated to that effort by calling 212.687.6200; via email, at www.jdc.org/donation/ donate.aspx; or by sending a check made payable to JDC-Haiti Earthquake Relief -- to P.O. Box 530, 132 E. 43rd St., New York NY 10017.

The Jewish Federations of North America is coordinating with the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief to Continued on page 2

Coming Next Month: Simchas and Celebrations Questioning and possible prosecution of “Women of the Wall” leader Page 7

Old kibbutz pins hopes on Conservative Judaism Page 12

Page 2

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 22, 2010

Jewish groups, Israel mobilize to aid Haiti’s earthquake victims motorcycles roadsters scooters ATVs

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Continued from page 1 assist victims of natural or man-made disasters on a non sectarian basis. The coalition is managed by the JDC, which is the Jewish Federations’ foreign aid agency, and consists of organizations including the Union for Reform Judaism, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, World ORT, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, AJWS and American Jewish Committee, among others.

After the Southeast Asia tsunami, the federation movement raised more than $10 million for the JDC’s $18 million-plus relief effort. The federation movement spearheaded a nearly $30 million aid effort for victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, creating a blueprint for collective disaster relief.

The Jewish Federations of North America also has opened its own disaster relief mailboxes when Jewish communities were affected Rescue units led by the ZAKA in other disasters, such as International Rescue Unit fires that swept across were operating in and around a university building Southern California.

In the wake of the tragedy in Port-au-Prince.

Credit: ISRANET in Haiti, Jan Goldstein, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, noted the signficant impact that local donations to the Federation can have around the world.

“It’s important for our donors to know that just as with our own special emergency campaigns, our ability to provide help in times of crisis is only possible because we consistently invest in our local, national and global resources through our Annual Campaign,” she said.

“The massive scale of the earthquake will require an international support network,” said Dennis Glick, the president of B’nai B’rith International, which is funneling money to Haiti through IsraAID at https://secure. ga1.org/05/web_relief_donations. Donations may also be mailed to B’nai B’rith International Disaster

Relief Fund, 2020 K St. NW, 7th Floor, Washington, D.C., 20006.

“Our ongoing partnership with IsraAID means our help can go a lot further,” Glick said. “We extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Haiti as they face the consequences of another natural disaster.”

The earthquake was the strongest in Haiti in 200 years. The National Palace and United Nations peacekeeper headquarters were among the many buildings that suffered damage.

Holocaust records now online

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Continued from page 1 “These pages tell a personal story that is not included in the history textbooks,” said Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “They give visitors a firsthand glimpse into the tragic events of the Holocaust and allow users to engage with content such as maps, photos, timelines and personal accounts of victims and survivors through over 1 million documents.”

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum official records on Footnote.com will supplement data already on the museum’s Web site and bring the stories of Holocaust victims and survivors to a wider audience, thus creating a richer research experience.

The information on Footnote.com will link back to additional material on the museum’s Web site, said Michael Gurnberger, the museum’s director of collections.

Gurnberger believes that having several sites featuring the material will increase the potential for learning and meaningful research.

“It’s not only to reach more people,” he said of Footnote.com. “It’s also to bring them back to our Web site so they can learn more. That’s our mission.”

Menachem Rosensaft, vice president of the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Their Descendants, welcomed the availability of the archives’ collection but voiced some concerns.

“Any initiative that provides access to Holocaust-related documentation is positive,” Rosensaft said. “Of course, having it in conjunction with the National Archives and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is extremely important because it provides a serious legitimacy to the project.”

He added, however, that the limitations of the database must be made clear. While the database includes a large amount of historical material, Rosensaft said, it represents only a sliver of the records kept during the Holocaust and do not make for a complete picture of events during that time.

Rosensaft warned users that major discoveries are “a

longshot under any circumstances.”

He also voiced concern over the project’s social networking element, saying that scholars and users need to “keep in mind the difference between an objective document and a subjective one that is being created based on memory.”

There’s always a risk of memory fading, he says, of dates being approximations and information being inaccurate as a result, despite the best intentions of the author.

Access to the collections has been free, but full access eventually was expected to be reserved for those with paid memberships.

Memberships on Footnote.com are $79.95 annually and $11.95 monthly. Users, however, can use the databases on a “pay-per-image” basis for $2.95 per record.

Access to the “Stories” section of the site and pages created with Footnote’s social media tools were expected to remain free.

Rosensaft expressed displeasure that access to the records ultimately would become fee-based. Documents that have been in the public domain, he said, should not be part of a profit-making venture, especially in regard to research for Holocaust survivors and their heirs.

“There should not be a price tag on that,” he stressed.

Still, Rosensaft anticipated that Holocaust survivors and their descendants would welcome the resource.

“I think the community is going to be very appreciative,” he said.

Despite any misgivings about the project, Rosensaft acknowledged that the large scale of the project is particularly exciting.

“We cannot afford to forget this period in our history,” said Michael Kurtz, assistant archivist of the United States and author of America and the Return of Nazi Contraband: The Recovery of Europe’s Cultural Treasures. “Working with Footnote, these records will become more widely accessible, and will help people now and in the future learn more about the events and impact of the Holocaust.”

January 22, 2010

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 3

Simon family name on synagogue at Blumkin Home Humanitarians of the Year, and are in the forefront of campaign giving as evidenced by their membership in the distinguished King Solomon’s Circle.

“My brothers and I learned about philanthropy at home,” Fred Simon said.

“Our dad, Lester, was successful but never very wealthy, yet he gave generously to Federation, Temple Israel and other Jewish causes. We’ve been fortunate to see Omaha Steaks prosper, and now, with the fifth generation of Simons taking over, we find ourselves able to help in ways my dad would have loved, but never imagined.”

The Simon Synagogue artistic concept is the work of local designer, Marty Shukert. The exterior is sheathed in porcelain tiles that mimic Jerusalem stone, and the worship space is entered through extra wide, wheelchair accessible During the early 1920’s, the Simons used their butchering expertise decorative doors. A to offer the finest in premium beef to discerning customers, including hexagon-shaped sofarea hotels and restaurants. With his dynamic leadership skills, fit, centered in the Lester Simon led the company through an era of explosive growth in 14- to 20-foot-high the 1950’s. ceiling, houses a draTodd Simon is a former board member matic Mogen David with suspended of Jewish Family Service, served on the lighting fixtures. A hand-crafted wooden Federation’s Budget and Allocations ark and hydraulic Torah reading table, Committee, was treasurer of the Phillip along with special bimah chairs, tallit and Terri Schrager Supporting holders, extensive book shelves, electric Foundation Board and received the Bruce candelabra and niches for art and ceremoFellman Memorial Young Leadership nial objects are part of the plan. “A disAward in 2002. play case near the front of the synagogue The Simon family was recognized in will house the Torah saved from the 2004 by the Omaha Jewish Federation as Holocaust by the Erman family,” said Continued from page 1 contributed significant financial support, they have also given time and brainpower.

Fred Simon sits on the Jewish Federation Foundation Board and is part of its investment committee. He served as Philanthropies Campaign chair for two consecutive years and as Pacesetter Division chair in 1994. Fred has also been a board member of the JCC and Jewish Federation, and acted as head fundraiser for the Institute for Holocaust Education.

Josh Gurock, RBJH facilities coordinator.

“Just to look at that Torah and remember its history is a very moving experience.”

Unique yahrzeit plaques custom designed

by Lenny Burrell, husband of Temple Israel’s Cantor Wendy Shermet, are also part of what Gurock considers a very exciting and creative spiritual space.

“Our family is very pleased with the

entire project and how it progressed,” Fred Simon said. “When it came to design choices, we left all decisions to the experienced and professional team that Mike Silverman picked. They did a thoughtful, sensitive job and created a worship environment we can all take pride in.”

Jewish Federation of Lincoln wraps up 2009 Campaign

by SARAH KELEN The Jewish Federation of Lincoln held its annual meeting several weeks ago at Tifereth Israel Synagogue.

Outgoing president Jaine Evnen Merliss chaired the meeting, during which Shari Hochman, Tommy Murray, and Al Weiss were elected to the Federation board. Weiss will serve as this year’s board president.

Outgoing board members Marcia Kushner, Dan Friedman and David Feingold were recognized for their years of service. Although leaving the board, Friedman will continue in his role as community resource liaison, coordinating aid to local individuals in need.

On behalf of the Youth Scholarships committee, John Mosow reported that the Federation continues to prioritize funding of camp scholarships, as Jewish camp experiences help young people foster a lifelong commitment to Judaism. At recent focus groups within the community, support for youth activities (the Lincoln Jewish Community School, camp scholarships and youth group activities) ranked high as a com-

munity priority.

2009 Campaign chairman Donna Hersch and treasurer Jennifer Rosenblatt presented an overview of the Federation’s finances and summaries of last year’s Campaign. Although the pledge total for the 2009 Campaign was slightly lower than the previous year, given current economic constraints, the Federation Campaign was extremely successful and the board was able to meet all allocations.

Merliss reported that one of last year’s board accomplishments was the development of a protocol to address requests for ad hoc funding, grant requests from individuals or groups that fall within the Federation’s charge but outside usual allocations.

Following the meeting, attendees heard a presentation by the recipient of one such grant: Alanna Hoffman, an International Studies and Spanish major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who received a grant to help fund her participation in Volunteer Summer through American Jewish World Service.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 22, 2010

Rep. Smith: Middle East needs “outreach, understanding� Kripke Center speaker

by CONGRESSMAN ADRIAN SMITH Nebraska’s Third Congressional District Recently I was honored to accompany several of my colleagues on a bipartisan mission into the heart of the Middle East. During our time in Egypt, Israel, and Turkey, we were offered not only a chance to promote a deeper understanding of the region but also to learn about the complex security issues facing this area of the world.

There are extraordinary forces shaping these nations and to hear firsthand about U.S.-Israel relations, the Middle East peace talks, and Congressman Adrian Smith the status of economic and political trends in the area was as informative as it was sobering.

Egypt, Israel, and Turkey are important and necessary allies of the United States in a region which plays an increasingly important role in the world today.

America’s national security interests are directly tied to developments in the Middle East, as recent history has shown.

The Middle East peace process has a profound impact on American policy objectives, and it is our responsibility to learn as much as possible about the situation confronting leaders in these regions and to be a part of it by remaining actively engaged with the area to promote peace and stability.

During our time in the Middle East, we met with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, to discuss Egypt’s role in the ongoing peace process, the fight to combat terrorism, and efforts to improve the quality of life for the Egyptian people.

We visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, where

we laid a wreath at the stone crypt containing the ashes of Holocaust victims brought to Israel from concentration camps. The crypt sits before the Eternal Flame in the Hall of Remembrance and commemorates the six million Jews who lost their lives in one of the most horrible times in our world’s history.

I was able to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, and Opposition Leader Tzipi Livni to discuss the mutual security concerns of the United States and Israel, the ongoing cooperation between our two countries, and the desire of both nations to find a lasting peace in the Middle East.

We next traveled to Ramallah, where we met with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and other officials to discuss security and economic issues in the West Bank. We traveled to the Golan Heights, on the border with Syria, and met with the Israeli Defense Force and United Nations officials to discuss regional security issues.

We concluded our trip in Turkey, where we met with President Abdullah Gul to discuss the country’s role in regional stability.

This is an extremely important time for the Middle East. America has the responsibility to be a constructive, effective partner in the peace process. To accomplish this goal, we must remain engaged with these countries and continue to advance diplomacy by fostering new technologies and economic advancement.

As my colleagues and I saw firsthand, finding a lasting peace in the Middle East will not be an easy process – nor will it be a goal quickly accomplished. However, through outreach, engagement and continued understanding, I have confidence we can advance the peace process to ensure stability in the region for generations to come.

Blumkin Home connects to “Brooklyn Bridge�

by OZZIE NOGG The entire community is invited to put on its collective nostalgia hat and come to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home on Thursday evening, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m., to watch the first episode of “Brooklyn Bridge� -- the acclaimed TV series from the ‘90s that depicts a loving, multi-generational Jewish family wrestling with everyday problems while maintaining respect and consideration for one another. “We plan to air all 34 shows, one each Thursday evening, in the Home’s west wing,� said Lois Wine, RBJH Director of Volunteer Services. “It’s free and available to everyone who longs for the wholesome TV programming we once enjoyed.�

“Brooklyn Bridge,� which ran on CBS between 1991 and 1993, focuses on the Silvers -- a Jewish-American family living in Brooklyn in the mid-1950s. Critics describe the show as one of the finest family programs ever -- nostalgic, funny, sad, warm, beguiling, entertaining and intelligent. “This is family programming at its best,� Wine said. “Though short-lived, the series was television at its greatest. We’re happy to bring this charming, gentle portrayal of Jewish family life back to those who saw it originally, and to a new audience, as well.�

For more information on viewing dates, please contact Wine at 334-6519.

to address intermarriage and Jewishness

by RONALD A. SIMKINS, Ph.D. Director, Kripke Center for the Study of Religion and Society Does intermarriage weaken one’s “Jewishness�? Do Jews who marry gentiles leave Judaism? Not according to Dr. Keren McGinity, at least not for women.

On Wednesday, Feb. 3, 7 p.m., McGinity will be at Creighton University to discuss her research on intermarriage between Jewish women and Gentile men. Her lecture, “Jews, Gender, and Interfaith Marriage,� is sponsored by the Kripke Center, and will take place in the Harper Dr. Keren McGinity Center ballroom, 20th and California St. Free parking is available in the parking lot south of the Harper Center.

McGinity’s first book, Still Jewish: A History of Women and Intermarriage in America (NYU Press, 2009) has been selected as a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in the category of Women’s Studies by the Jewish Book Council.

In her book, McGinity presents the first gender history of American Jewish women who intermarried during the 20th century. While much has been written about inter-religious marriage during the past quarter of a century, previous scholarship has insufficiently accounted for the passage of time and the role of gender. Still Jewish dismantles assumptions that once a Jew intermarries, she becomes fully assimilated into the majority Christian population, religion and culture.

Rather than becoming “lost� to the Jewish community, women who intermarried later in the century were more likely to raise their children with strong ties to Judaism than women who intermarried earlier in the century. Bringing perennially controversial questions of identity, survival, and continuity to the forefront of the discussion, Still Jewish addresses topics of great resonance in a diverse America.

McGinity is the inaugural Mandell L. Berman Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Contemporary American Jewish Life at the University of Michigan’s Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, and a faculty associate in the American Culture Program. She currently serves on the Board of Professional Advisors of the Jewish Outreach Institute, the Academic Advisory Council of the Jewish Women’s Archive, and the Association for Jewish Studies’ Women’s Caucus.

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January 22, 2010

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Beth El and Lauritzen Gardens team up for community-wide Tu B’Shevat celebration

by JILL BELMONT presentation in the Great Hall, performed Beth El Publicity Coordinator

by Beth El’s Cantor Beth Schlossberg and It may be cold outside, but spring will guest performers. be in the air at Lauritzen Gardens on Admission fees have been underwritten Sunday, Jan. 31, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., for this fun-filled event. Activities and as Beth El Synagogue and the botanical crafts will be underwritten by Beth El. “This event is such a wonderful way to center team up for the fifth year to sponsor a special community-wide Tu celebrate the holiday which reminds us of B’Shevat celebration. This one-of-a-kind, our connection to earth,� said Beth El’s family friendly event -- which has drawn Rabbi Mordechai Levin. “In this era of several hundred people each year from global environmental threats, Tu throughout the metro area -- will be held at the Gardens’ visitor and education center, located at 100 Bancroft Street.

Tu B’Shevat marks the beginning of spring in Israel, and is also known as the New Year for Trees.

This holiday, which celebrates the gifts of nature, is the perfect time to discuss the importance of preserving the environment and becoming more “green-friendly.�

The afternoon’s During last year’s Tu B’Shevat event, volunteer Marty Shukert (at festivities will right) enlightened attendees about the holiday’s traditions; arts and include four stations crafts, seed planting and a musical performance were also featured. representing each of the seasons, which B’Shevat reminds us how fragile and will be set up in the indoor garden. At complex our ecosystem really is. Judaism each station, plants indigenous to Israel sees nature as a product of the Divine. We will be on display, and fruits and nuts of are the custodians of the earth, and we the seasons will be sampled. In addition, are commanded to respect and care for throughout the afternoon, children will our world. “A fun, educational and unique afterbe treated to fun hands-on activities, such as cookie decorating, seed planting, arts noon has been planned for everyone,� he and crafts and storytelling, all in the visi- added, “and we invite everyone to join us tor center’s classrooms. Another high- for this festive Tu B’Shevat celebration.� light will be a special 2:30 p.m. musical

Music warms the heart this Sunday at JCC

by OZZIE NOGG If you want to take a nice break from Omaha’s winter nightmare, then bundle up, come to the JCC auditorium on Sunday, Jan. 24, and enjoy the Winter Dreams concert by UNO’s Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra. The performance, which begins at 1:45 p.m., is free and open to the entire community.

The 70-member HPO is comprised of students and community members, one of whom is Jerry Gordman, second-chair French horn player with the group. “The Heartland Philharmonic is one of the lesser-known jewels of this city,�

Gordman said. “The conductor, Barry Ford, has great talent and unending ener-

gy. The work we play is challenging, and Barry inspires all of us to perform at our maximum levels. This orchestra plays thrilling music.� Sunday’s concert features compositions by Franz Schubert, Peter Warlock and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Maggi Conti, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home activities director, said, “This is the fifth concert the Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra has given at the JCC, and each one was a delight. This Sunday’s music is sure to warm people’s hearts, especially after being cooped up for so many long winter days. We thank Jewish Social Services for sponsoring the event.�

Cantor Shermet, Temple choir to lead sermon-in-song on Shabbat Shira

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Director Singing favorite choral pieces from the past several years, Kol Rina, Temple Israel’s adult choir, and Cantor Wendy Shermet will lead the Temple congregation in a sermon-in-song, featuring Kol Rina’s greatest hits, on Shabbat Shira, Friday, January 29, 6 p.m.

One of the few Shabbatot given a special name, the day Parshat Beshalack is read is called Shabbat Shira (the Shabbat of Song). It commemorates the miraculous deliverance from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, when the Children of Israel

burst forth into a song of praise to God in celebration of being saved.

Kol Rina members include Jon Meyers, Jeff Schweid, Tom Friedman, Barry Grossman, Marvin Parilman, Jay Spiegelman, Scott Goodman, Colin Brown, Grant Glazer, Scott Goldberg, Sharon Sobel, Pam DePorte, Sarah Schondelmeyer, Jill Idelman, Patsy Wallace, Mimi Rogers, Lauren Cooper, Jenn Kirshenbaum, Wendy Reiss, Miles Remer, Maxine Noodell, Lauren Goldstein, Jim Anderson, Tami Field and Dominique O’Connor.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 22, 2010

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Temple takes a stand for Chabad now taking human rights at upcom- challah orders ing service

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Director Known for pursuing social justice and organizing opportunities to make a difference, Temple Israel is dedicated to tikkun olam by doing its part to heal the world. Social justice, an essential component of Temple's mission, involves congregants in education, mitzvot, and advocacy.

Taking a stand for human rights is part of Temple's social justice agenda. On Friday, January 22, 6 p.m., members of the congregation will participate in a Human Rights Shabbat by sharing personal stories.

There are all sorts of references in Judaism to human rights, pointed out Rabbi Eric Linder of Temple Israel.

For example, he mentioned Judaism's premise “that everyone is created in the image of God,” and that “no one should be treated like a stranger.”

Amy Katz, a nurse, said she will use quotes from civil rights leaders and talk briefly about how “working with people from all walks of life in my profession has helped me have empathy for all and to be more open minded.”

Matt Blodgett plans to talk about “gay rights and some situations I have encountered when I felt discriminated against.”

Also during the service, Grace Hack and Emily Katz will be welcomed to the bima for a special blessing prior to leaving for Israel at the end of the month. The two high school juniors will spend a semester of study and travel as participants in the Eisendrath International Exchange High School.

Beth Israel Synagogue to hold annual Tu B’Shevat Seder

by BETH COHEN Tu B’Shevat is the 15th day in the month of Shevat and is often described as Israel’s “Arbor Day.” During this celebration of trees and growth of plants in Israel, the main observance of this day is the practice of eating fruit associated with the land of Israel.

In celebration of the holiday, Beth Israel Synagogue’s annual Tu B’Shevat Seder will be held Sunday, Jan. 31, 6 p.m. Following the Seder, an Israeli dinner and Bracha Bee will be held.

A Bracha Bee is a contest where kids and adults get to show off their knowledge of brachas by answering which bracha is recited over different foods. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.

“There are more than a hundred opportunities every day for us to express our loving gratitude to Hashem for the countless miracles that He ceaselessly performs for our benefit,” says Beth Israel’s Rabbi Jonathan Gross.

“Tu B’Shevat is a great time to re-examine the ancient and precious practice of reciting brachot.”

The Israeli dinner will include falafel, shwarma and many Israeli delicacies. Dinner cost is $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 4-12, and free for children three and under. In addition, sponsorship opportunities are available for $36 (includes one dinner), $54 (includes two dinners), $72 (includes three dinners) and $90 (includes four dinners). Please make dinner reservations by contacting the synagogue office at 556.6288 or Beth Israel@OrthodoxOmaha.org.

Fund set up for Bagel Bin Friends of the Bagel Bin have set up a fund to support the business following its Jan. 7 fire. All donations may be sent to “The Toasted Bagel Fund,” at any Omaha State Bank branch.

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After the recent fire at the Bagel Bin, Chabad House received many calls requesting challahs for Shabbos. Volunteers Cheryl Lerner, left, Devra Bram and Nancy Wolf (not pictured) stepped in to bake challahs at Chabad to meet the current community need. Orders will be processed on a first come, first served basis. For more information or to place an order, contact Mushka Katzman at Shalom@OChabad.com.

ORGANIZATIONS

WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going to the Ameristar Casino on Thursday, January 28th please meet at the JCC by 8:45 a.m. For information call Maggie Conti at 334-6521.

LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Yiddish brings us closer to our roots! Come join us every Thursday afternoon from 1-3 in the social hall of the JCC. For information call Anne Skolkin at 3431638.

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS UNO Education Dean Nancy Edick will discuss her program. With students scoring so low on tests today, “Are we doing enough to prepare our teaching student today?” on Wednesday, Jan. 27, noon at the JCC Social Hall. Everyone in the community is invited. The program is free; an optional lunch is $13; beverage service, $3. For more information or to be placed on the email list, contact Jenny at 334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

IN THE NEWS

Sidney Mirvish, Ph.D., a professor emeritus at the Eppley Institute, who recently celebrated his 40-year anniversary at UNMC, has received a $647,000 grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

The money will be used to further the doctor’s research into nitrite-preserved meat. The preservative leads to the formation of N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), which Dr. Mirvish believes could potentially lead to colon cancer.

“Dr. Mirvish has been at the forefront of nitrosamine carcinogenesis research for four decades, with an emphasis on human exposure to these chemicals in foods,” said Samuel Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the department of pathology and microbiology and collaborator on the project.

His previous research resulted in very practical applications that have been adopted by the food industry and government regulatory agencies, Dr. Cohen said. “The proposed research to be supported by this NCI grant will continue this important, translational research.”

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Questioning and possible prosecution of “Women of the Wall” leader sparks protests

by BEN HARRIS JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The Conservative synagogue movement is launching a campaign to protest the recent questioning and possible prosecution of a leader of the group Women of the Wall.

For more than two decades, the group has been organizing regular women’s prayer services at the Western Wall and pressing for expanded worship rights at Judaism’s holiest pilgrimage site. Last week its chairwoman, Anat Hoffman, was summoned to a Jerusalem police station for questioning.

According to Hoffman, also director of the Reform movement’s Israel Religious Action Center and a former member of the Jerusalem City Council, she was questioned by police about her role in Women of the Wall, fingerprinted and told that her case was being referred to the attorney general for prosecution.

“I think it was a meeting of intimidation,” Hoffman told JTA. Micky Rosenfeld, a spokesman for the Israel Police, confirmed the basics of Hoffman’s account. But Shmulik Ben-Ruby, a spokesman for the Jerusalem police, denied that the matter has been referred to prosecutors. He said that Hoffman and her group are suspected of having acted to “hurt the feelings” of worshippers at the wall.

“We are still checking and will see what will be the end in the investigation,” Ben-Ruby added.

Hoffman’s questioning threatens to further exacerbate tensions between American Jewish groups and more conservative elements within the Israel’s Orthodox-controlled religious establishment.

She told JTA that she hopes to “wake the American Jewish giant” in an effort to prevent the attorney general from moving ahead with prosecution. If convicted, Hoffman said, she faces prison time or a fine of about $3,000.

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the movement’s congregational arm, issued a statement declaring that Hoffman’s arrest and fingerprinting, “opens a new and ominous chapter in intra-Jewish relations in Israel.”

The group urged members to send a letter to Israel’s

ambassador in Washington, Michael Oren, to inform him of “the gravity of this issue” and press his government to “take immediate steps to end the harassment of women seeking to pray with dignity at the Western Wall, Judaism’s most holy place.”

Hoffman’s questioning comes nearly two months after another Women of the Wall member, Nofrat Frenkel, was arrested after she and other women began reading from a Torah scroll in the course of the group’s regular prayer session at the wall, timed to coincide with the start of the new Hebrew month.

Frenkel and Hoffman were informed that they were in violation of an Israeli Supreme Court ruling that, citing concerns about public safety, denied women the right to read from the Torah in the regular women’s section of the wall. The ruling resulted in the designation of a nearby site, known as Robinson’s Arch, as the place for women to pray as a group with a Torah scroll.

Hoffman scoffs at the solution, calling it “separate, but it’s not equal.” A Torah scroll the group uses was damaged by rain at the site, which lacks a covered space like the men’s section at the wall.

“It is not a place of prayer,” she said. “It is a place where we are praying, and a tour guide is walking with a tour, showing them the different archaeological artifacts.

And most important, we can’t read Torah there in safety because it rains on our head.”

Rabbi Avi Shafran, a spokesman for the fervently Orthodox group Agudath Israel of America, defended the limitations on women’s prayer groups.

“People of all faiths, after all, are welcome at the Kotel -- as they should be,” he wrote in an opinion essay distributed via e-mail. “Out of respect, though, for the Jewish historical and spiritual connection to the place, public services there should respect a single standard of decorum. And that standard should be, as it has been, millennia-old Jewish religious tradition.

Promoting a “particular view of feminism,” Shafran added, “should not compel them to act in ways that they know will offend others, to seek to turn a holy place into a political arena.”

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It’s your best bet: Temple’s upcoming poker night

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Director Place your bets! Temple Israel Men’s Club is planning its annual Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament for Thursday, January 28. Registration is at 6 p.m., and the first hand will be dealt at 7:15 p.m. Barry Streit, president of Men’s Club, and Mike Silverman are planning on a full house at Temple Israel that evening, and they encourage all adults who enjoy playing poker to attend and bring their friends. The tournament is open to the Jewish community and the community-at-large.

“This is the sixth year we’ve done this tournament,” said Silverman, “and it has been hugely successful each year.” Food and drinks will be available. Last year, the top eight winners won No bluff: The Temple Men’s VISA gift cards based on Club Poker Night is a fun way to raise funds. point totals.

“I’ve played the last two years,” remarked Joe Meyers.

“I think it’s a very well-run event, it’s a lot of fun, and it’s not too serious for those who might be intimidated by a tournament. It’s a chance to have a good time and help out Temple Israel.”

Alan Widman, of the Fantasy Poker League, runs the tournament.

And, “you don’t have to be a guy to play,” pointed out Jordana Glazer who came in sixth place last year. “I had a blast and wasn’t intimidated at all, even though there were some poker studs at the tournament.”

Adam Kirshenbaum has played in the past four tournaments and is looking forward to this year’s Poker Night.

“It’s always very well run, and everybody has a good time. It has become an event that many Temple members look forward to every year,” he said.

Tickets can be purchased in advance by contacting Streit at 289.1148, or Silverman at 740.2200. Proceeds will be donated to Temple Israel.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 22, 2010

Today’s Jewish education: Try it, you’ll like it!

GUEST E DITORIAL

by GUY MATALON, PH.D. Executive Director, Center for Jewish Education David Brooks of the New York Times recently noted the following: “Jews are a famously accomplished group. They make up 0.2 percent of the world population, but 54 percent of the world chess champions, 27 percent of the Nobel physics laureates and 31 percent of the medicine laureates.” Brooks, in his article, cites Steven L. Pease’s The Golden Age of Jewish Achievement, as a source for an explanation for this oddity. He writes, “The Jewish faith encourages belief in progress and personal accountability. It is learning-based...”

The key to continuing these accomplishments in the future is to strengthen and invest in Jewish education which, among other things, reinforces the values of progress and personal accountability. Continuing to strengthen these elements is key in maintaining – and exceeding - the heights to which Jews have risen in so many areas. Far-reaching insight, innovation and invention have benefited the entire world and we do not want to see that cease.

Penina Hoffnung, the Director of the Department of Jewish Education and Continuity in Cherry Hill, NJ, recently wrote the following insightful analogy: “Jewish education is like tofu.” Everyone will tell you that tofu is good for you, it is healthy, it is a great source of fiber, and inexpensive. It has been called the perfect food. It is high in protein, low in saturated fats and a good source of calcium, as well as vitamin E. It is also cholesterol free. The benefits of Jewish education are also lauded publicly. Many studies are funded by various philanthropic organizations to prove that Jewish education is great. For example, according to a study by Matitia Chetrit, Jewish education provides happiness and meaning in

life, teaches morality, strengthens Jewish identity and Jewish survival, and last of all, it fosters a greater sense of family life. Yet can we find people who are excited about tofu? Do you know anyone who is absolutely passionate about tofu that will admit to their friends, family members and colleagues that they cannot get enough tofu?

Unfortunately that appears to also be the state of Jewish education. Most people will affirm that they are supporters of Jewish education in as much as the same way that they say they eat tofu. They will eat it occasionally but they are not too thrilled about it.

Jewish continuity or survival cannot be successful without a strong show of support for Jewish education. The support does not simply mean financial resources but rather in attendance, participation, and experiencing the different opportunities for Jewish learning.

Some contend that the reason they do not participate in opportunities for Jewish learning is because they do not have time, the topics are boring, the teachers are uninteresting. It is just like eating tofu – it is okay, but I’d rather be eating something else.

The Jewish Federation of Omaha and its agencies, along with Temple Israel, Beth El Synagogue, Beth Israel Synagogue, and Chabad, provide many different opportunities to engage in Jewish learning. Some of these opportunities are formal or structured classes, while others are more conversationally and experience-based. Jewish education cannot work and cannot be good for you if it sits on a shelf and collects dust. It can only do the good that it does if you engage in Jewish learning. The benefits of Jewish education, I would contend, outweigh the advantages of tofu (I don’t care for tofu).

As someone who gets excited and is passionate about Jewish learning, I would like to invite you to experience what I experienced when I took my first class on Judaism.

The first class I took was on the Parasha from Rabbi Gordon in Encino, CA. I was 19. It was a small room, I sat in an uncomfortable chair – I remember that. I still remember the other participants, a talkative woman, a friend of mine and an older man. What is more important is that I still remember what the class was about and what I learned. The class focused on Rashi’s commentary on Parashat Bo, which is this week’s Torah portion. The discussion and the text opened a world that enriched my life and provided me with endless opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth.

Moreover, it brought me together with inspiring people from whom I learned, and some whom I was fortunate enough to teach. Again, I would like to extend an invitation to each of you to come and experience what I experienced. What do you have to lose?

BEHIND THE H EADLINES

by DANIEL PIPES

As hands are wrung in the aftermath of the near-tragedy on a Northwest Airlines flight approaching Detroit, a conversation from London’s Heathrow airport in 1986 comes to mind.

It consisted of an El Al security agent quizzing one Ann-Marie Doreen Murphy, a 32-year-old recent arrival in London from Sallynoggin, Ireland. While working as a chambermaid at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, Murphy met Nizar al-Hindawi, a farleftist Palestinian who impregnated her. After instructing her to “get rid of the thing,” he abruptly changed his tune and insisted on immediate marriage in “the Holy Land.” He also insisted on their traveling separately.

Murphy, later described by the prosecutor as a “simple, unsophisticated Irish lass and a Catholic,” accepted unquestioningly Hindawi’s arrangements for her to fly to Israel on El Al on April 17. She also accepted a wheeled suitcase with a false bottom containing nearly 2 kilograms of Semtex, a powerful plastic explosive, and she agreed to be coached by him to answer questions posed by airport security.

Murphy successfully passed through the standard Heathrow security inspection and reached the gate with her bag, where an El Al agent questioned her. As reconstructed by

Jewish Press Board Andy Ruback, Vice President; Michael Sigmond, Secretary; Michael Siegel, Treasurer; Howard K. Marcus, Immediate Past-chairman; Daphne Pollak Alperson, Marc Brodkey; Eric Dunning; Jason Epstein; Andie Gordman; Michael Kaufman; Bette Kozlen; Jamie Meyerson; Jim Simon; Dorothy Spizman.

The role of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to involve Jews in meeting Jewish communal needs locally, nationally and in Israel. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Education, Jewish Family Service/Jewish Senior Services, and the Jewish Press .

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Security theater now playing at your airport Neil C. Livingstone and David Halevy in Washingtonian magazine, he started by asking whether she had packed her bags herself. She replied in the negative. Then: What is the purpose of your trip to Israel?”

Recalling Hindawi’s instructions, Murphy answered, “For a vacation.”

“Are you married, Miss Murphy?”

“No.” “Traveling alone?”

“Yes.” “Is this your first trip abroad?”

“Yes.” “Do you have relatives in Israel?”

“No.” “Are you going to meet someone in Israel?”

“No.” “Has your vacation been planned for a long time?”

“No.” “Where will you stay while you’re in Israel?”

“The Tel Aviv Hilton.”

“How much money do you have with you?”

“Fifty pounds.”

The Hilton at that time costing at least £70 a night, he asked: “Do you have a credit card?”

“Oh, yes,” she replied, showing him an ID for cashing checks.

That did it, and the agent sent her bag for additional inspection, where the bombing apparatus was discovered.

Had El Al followed the usual Western security procedures, 375 lives would surely have

(Founded in 1920) Bobbi Leibowitz President Jill Belmont Interim Editor Richard Busse Managing Editor Allan Handleman Advertising Manager Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Managing Editor Barbara Kirkpatrick Bookkeeper

been lost somewhere over Austria. The bombing plot came to light, in other words, through a non-technical intervention, relying on conversation, perception, common sense, and (yes) profiling. The agent focused on the passenger, not the weaponry. Israeli counterterrorism takes passengers’ identities into account; accordingly, Arabs endure an especially tough inspection. “In Israel, security comes first,” David Harris of the American Jewish Committee explains.

Obvious as this sounds, overconfidence, political correctness and legal liability render such an approach impossible anywhere else in the West. In the United States, for example, one month after 9/11, the Department of Transportation issued guidelines forbidding its personnel from generalizing “about the propensity of members of any racial, ethnic, religious, or national origin group to engage in unlawful activity.” (Wear a hijab, I semijokingly advise women wanting to avoid secondary screening at airport security.)

Worse yet, consider the panicky mickey mouse and embarrassing steps the U.S. Transportation Security Administration implemented hours after the Detroit bombing attempt: no crew announcements “concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks,” and disabling all passenger communications services. During a flight’s final hour, passengers may not stand up, access carry-on baggage, nor “have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap.”

Some crews went yet further, keeping cabin lights on throughout the night while turning continued on page 9

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January 22, 2010

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Page 9

Jewish consciousness not always a given for Israelis JOURNAL ENTRY FROM ISRAEL

by TEDDY WEINBERGER Since moving to Israel in the summer of 1997, I cannot recall a time when I have uttered the following three words: “I am Jewish.” The most obvious reason for this is that here no one ever asks me: “Are you Jewish?” In America, I was frequently asked this question. I would respond in the affirmative. I sort of miss this verbal exchange. I was always happy to tell someone that I was Jewish. For one thing, I could answer the question with absolute certainty. Unlike the questions “Are you religious?” or “Are you Orthodox,” which before answering I felt compelled to launch into a short dissertation concerning how I defined religion and Orthodoxy, I felt no compunction in responding to the question of my Jewishness with a simple “yes.” But the main reason I miss this question is that I feel good about being Jewish and the question gave me an opportunity to verbally embrace my Jewishness.

Life in Israel has paradoxically removed Jewishness from the day-to-day template of my being. Of course, I know that I am still Jewish, but being Jewish in America was part of my front-brain consciousness, much like my

being a man; now, however, my Jewishness has receded into the background. My Jewishness has become a fact of my life similar to such facts as my having ten toes and two eyes. What has replaced my Jewish ethnic consciousness has been a growing Jewish religious consciousness, which I have learned to define simply as: working on one’s relationship with God. It can now be understood why those Jewish Israelis who are secular sometimes have extremely weak Jewish identities. In Israel, where one is almost never called upon to say “I am Jewish,” ethnic consciousness is intertwined with religious consciousness in a much stronger way than it is in the diaspora. And when there is no religious identity here, it can happen that there is little Jewish identity. While it is a truism that only in Israel can secular Jews perpetuate themselves (whereas outside of Israel the next generation tends to assimilate into the majority culture), it does not follow that secular Israeli Jews necessarily have stronger Jewish identities than diaspora secular Jews.

The above discussion helps explain an interesting phenomenon concerning the thousands of young Israelis who fan out across the globe each year to work in Jewish summer camps, schools, and community centers. These youngsters report that in the diaspora they experience their Jewishness for the first time in their lives. But significantly, their memorable Jewish moments do not come at Jewish film festivals, or Jewish food fairs, or at

Extremist views damage relationship between Israel and Turkey

Security theater now playing

world Jewry, and builds public support for condemnation of Israel.

Israel historically has had very strong ties with the Turkish government and the Turkish people. Far from being enemies, we have always found a partner in the

by JOEL LION other. Turkey acts as a mediator in peace talks between Israel and the Arab world, and Israel is one of Turkey’s most valuable economic partners. But something has NEW YORK (JTA) -- Turkey has long been one of Israel’s most important allies. While changed.

What once was a moderate country is being corrupted one is predominantly Muslim and the other Jewish, the two countries have prided themselves in maintaining by a radical ideology. Extremists are transforming the Turkish people’s sense of nationalistic pride into xenotheir secular democracies.

But our friendship has been strained recently with an phobia. Popular culture is turning Turks away from appalling level of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric Israel and moving them closer to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Befriending President coming out of Turkey.

Ahmadinejad has reached a In a popular television What once was a moderate country is being point where Iran is using show that airs on state-run corrupted by a radical ideology. Extremists Turkey when smuggling television across Turkey and weapons to Hezbollah for by satellite all over the are transforming the Turkish people’s sense use against Israel. world, Israelis are portrayed of nationalistic pride into xenophobia.

This comes back to the as child abductors and murderers. The portrayal, unfortunately, is becoming more public’s perception of Israel, which is being framed by extremists whose power is increasing. the norm than an exception.

Turkey, once our most trusted ally in the region, has Turkey’s extremists, a minority in the country, are using state-run resources to push anti-Semitic propagan- humiliated and insulted Israel. The constant incitement da. When the state controls many television channels and on Turkish TV is poisoning Turkish culture and contributing to the spread of anti-Semitism. their message, the influence is widespread.

Israel is prepared to move on from these incidents and Turkey is becoming a prime example of how racism from the top down can work its way back up in order to continue friendly relations with Turkey. We hope Turkey reinforce the legitimacy of extremist views. It’s a disturb- will choose to stop such incitement and continue to be ing cycle, one in which the people don’t even know they the real friend that Israel respects, admires and reveres.

Joel Lion is the spokesperson and consul for media are being brainwashed, for lack of a better word.

Such extremism incites the masses against Israel and affairs at the Consulate General of Israel in New York.

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continued from page 8 off the in-flight entertainment, prohibiting all electronic devices, and, during the final hour, requiring passengers to keep hands visible and neither eat nor drink. Things got so bad, the Associated Press reports, “A demand by one attendant that no one could read anything … elicited gasps of disbelief and howls of laughter.”

Widely criticized for these Clouseau-like measures, TSA eventually decided to add “enhanced screening” for travelers passing through or originating from 14 “countries of interest” – as though one’s choice of departure airport indicates a propensity for suicide bombing.

The TSA engages in “security theater” – bumbling pretend steps that treat all passengers equally rather than risk offending anyone by focusing, say, on religion. The alternative approach is Israelification, defined by Toronto’s Star newspaper as “a system that protects life and limb without annoying you to death.”

Which do we want – theatrics or safety?

Daniel Pipes, director of the Middle East Forum and Taube fellow at the Hoover Institution, can be reached at www.DanielPipes.org.

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Jewish art museums. Growing up as they did in a Jewish majority culture, for these young people films, food, and art created by Jews do not resonate with “Jewishness” for them. What does jar them into Jewish consciousness are religious practices. One of these young people, who had worked in a Jewish summer camp, related: “It was Friday night, and everyone was singing the kiddush, and I realized that I had no idea what was going on.”

It is customary for volunteers to say that they received more than they gave. Whenever I hear this, I wonder if it is true, or if the volunteer in question is just being polite. In the case of young Israeli volunteers who work in Jewish communities in the diaspora (besides expenses, they usually receive little remuneration), they often do receive a precious gift: the gift of a Jewish consciousness.

What they do with this gift is up to them. Once they are back in Israel, where no one will ask them “are you Jewish,” they might allow their Jewishness to recede into the backdrop of their lives or they might look toward an aspect of Jewish tradition to deepen it. But please just do me one favor: Make sure that they do indeed come back—we need them here in Israel.

Teddy Weinberger made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Ross, and their five children.

Their oldest, Nathan, recently completed his three-year commitment in the Israel Defense Force; two daughters are still serving in the IDF. Weinberger can be reached at weinross@netvision.net.il.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 22, 2010

Candlelighting Friday, January 22, 5:11 p.m.

Synagogue Listings B’nai Israel Synagogue 618 Mynster St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

Beth El Synagogue Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org

Beth Israel Synagogue Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific St. Omaha, NE. 68154 556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

Chabad House An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330.1800 www.OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com

Congregation B’nai Jeshurun South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 S. 20th St. Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435.8004 southstreettemple.org

Offutt Air Force Base SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294.6244

Rose Blumkin Jewish Home 323 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154

Temple Israel Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556.6536 templeisrael-ne.org

The Neighborhood Prayer Group 1317 No. 57 St. Omaha, NE 68132 551.6609

Tifereth Israel Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org

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B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Mordechai Levin and Cantor Beth Schlossberg.

FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Morning services, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush sponored by Beth El; Learners’ Service, 10:15 a.m. Learn the basic structure of the Shabbat morning service; Shabbat Tunes & Tales, 11:15 a.m. Sing-along led by Patty Nogg, for preschoolers and their favorite adult; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:15 p.m.

WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: Beginning Hebrew, with Eadie Tsabari, and Bible Study Discussion Group, 10 a.m.; Jewish Images on the Big Screen, 11 a.m. with Susi Frydman-Levin.

Classes open to all adults in the Jewish community. To register, call the office.

HAZAK: Sack Lunch & Cinema Series, Sunday, noon.

Cost for lunch: $6 for Hazak members, $7 for non-members.

To RSVP, send a check to Esther Wax, 118 S. 88th St., Omaha NE, 68114. Questions? Call Esther at 393.4442.

USY/CREIGHTON GAME: Sunday, 7 p.m., USY members and their families will meet at the Qwest Center for the game. Cost: $8 per person. To RSVP, contact Jason in the office, or at youth dir@bethel-omaha.org.

THURSDAY: Rabbi Levin’s class, Understanding and Living Jewish Values, noon.

SHABBAT MORNING LIVE: Saturday, Jan. 30, 10:30, for four- to eight-year-old children and their parents; led by Holly Weill. No charge; RSVP to office.

SISTERHOOD SHABBAT: Saturday, Jan. 30, 9:30 a.m.

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:30 a.m-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross and Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:11 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.;

Children’s Classes, 9:45 a.m. with Torah Parade; Kiddush sponsored

by Tootie Simon in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of Max Weiner; “Guard Your Tongue,” “The Great Midrash” and “Advanced Parshah Study for Kids” (ages 10 and up) one hour prior to Mincha every Shabbat; Mincha, 4:45 p.m. followed by Seuda Shlishit; Havdalah, 6:15 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels & Beit Midrash begins with breakfast, 9:40 a.m.; Sacred Text Messages (for teens) with Rabbi Gross, 10 a.m.; Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha, 5:15 p.m.

MONDAY: Mincha & Mishna, 5:15 p.m., Mishna study with the rabbis along with Mincha/ Ma’ariv services.

TUESDAY: Scholars Club for fourth-sixth graders, 3:45 p.m. at the Blumkin Home; Rabbi Mizrahi’s Weekly Class, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Rabbi Weiss’s weekly class, 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m.; Rabbi’s Gross’s weekly class, 7:30 p.m

CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Service, 7 a.m.

SATURDAY: Maamar class, 9 a.m.; Service, 9:30 a.m.; Youth Minyan, 10:30 a.m. MiniMensch title will be awarded; Kiddush lunch follows; join Rabbi Katzman from 12-1 p.m.

SUNDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m.; Mishpacha Mornings Remix, 10:15 a.m.

WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m.

TUESDAY: W.O.W. Parsha, Prophets, and Prayer, 9:15 a.m.

THURSDAY: The Parsha Club for Level I beginners, ages 5-6; Level II intermediates and experts, ages 7-9, 3:50 p.m. Contact Shevi@ochabad.com.

FRIDAY, Jan. 29: Service, 7 a.m.; One Shabbat One World, Shabbat Dinner, 6 p.m. To RSVP or for more information email RSVP@OChabad.com or call the office.

Starting Feb. 1, new JLI course, Portraits in Leadership: Timeless Tales for Inspired Living, 7 p.m., visit www.OChabad.com to register.

All programs are open to the

entire community.

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Ilan Emanuel.

FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m., with oneg hosted by Sue Schreiber.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m.

SUNDAY: LJCS Grades 3-7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Gam Simcha-Grade 2, 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at South Street Temple; Hallah High, 10 a.m.noon at South Street Temple; LJCS Teachers meet at the South Street Temple, 12:30 p.m.; Annual Meeting, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Hebrew classes (grades 3-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

THURSDAY: LCJS Parent Teacher Conferences, 7 p.m.

ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAYS, 7 p.m. Intro to Judaism, led by Rabbi Emanuel.

TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m. Jewish Ethics: Animal Experimentation, led by Rabbi Emanuel and Nancy Coren at Tifereth Israel.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m., led by Chabad Members.

SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Miles Remer.

TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Tot Shabbat and Dinner, 6 p.m. led by Cantor Wendy Shermet; sponsored by Kelly and Jeff Nogg and WRJ. To RSVP, contact the Temple office, 556.6536 or mkube@templeisraelomaha.com; Human Rights Shabbat Worship, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Eric Linder as we join congregations across the country to mark 60 years since the United Nations passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.

Spencer Newman, son of Karli and Jody Newman, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah.

SUNDAY: Teacher Meeting, 9 a.m.; Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; WRJ Meeting, 10 a.m.; Adult Education Meeting, Noon; Children’s Choir Rehearsal, Noon.

Pizza lunch provided for choir members and younger siblings; 11th & 12th Grade Coffee with Cantor Shermet @eCreamery, 12:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 46 p.m.; OTYG Lounge Night, 5 p.m.; All School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Family School, 6-8 p.m.; Grades 712, 6 p.m.; Taste of Tri-Faith: Hospitality, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: “Adult Study with the Clergy,” 10-11:30 a.m.; Kol Rina Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m.; MRJ Annual Texas Hold ‘em Poker Tournament, 6 p.m. (see full story on page 7) Shabbat Shira, The Shabbat of Song, Friday, Jan. 29, 6 p.m.

Cantor Wendy Shermet and the Kol Rina Choir will lead the congregation in reading Parshat Beshalach.

Donate Blood to the Red Cross, Sunday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Contact office, 556.6536, to sign up.

NEIGHBORHOOD PRAYER GROUP FRIDAY: Minyan, 5:03 p.m.

SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.

TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Nancy Coren, Lay Leader. Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and Friday, 8-11 a.m.

FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Morning service, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush lunch and Talmud study.

SUNDAY: LJCS Grades 3-7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Gam Simcha-Grade 2, 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at South Street Temple; Hallah High, 10 a.m.noon at South Street Temple; LJCS Teachers meet at the South Street Temple, 12:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. Contact Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066; Hebrew classes (grades 3-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

ADULT EDUCATION TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m. Jewish Ethics: Animal Experimentation, led by Rabbi Emanuel and Nancy Coren, at Tifereth Israel.

B’NAI MITZVAH Jake Vann, son of Wendy and John Vann, will become a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 30, at Temple Israel.

Jake is a seventh-grade student at Westside M i d d l e School.

He received an Outstanding Leadership Award.

His interests include football, reading, piano, and travel.

For his mitzvah project, Jake played piano for residents at Remington Heights.

He has a sister, Cecelia.

Grandparents are Judy and the late Howard Vann, Rita Hughes, and Steven Hughes of Syracuse, NY. Rachel Benenson Warren, daughter of Barbara Benenson Warren and Marc Warren, will become a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 30, at Skyline Studios in New York City.

Rachel is a seventh-grade student at Fieldston M i d d l e School in Bronx, NY. Her interests include outdoors/ conservation, tennis, running, Camp Walden, and her two golden retrievers.

For her mitzvah project, Rachel is helping to plan, finance and create a new “green roof” at the JCC

of Manhattan; the Rachel B. Warren Charitable Trust.

She has a brother, Benjamin.

Grandparents are former Omahans Marilyn and Marty Warren, Madeline and the late Alvin Benenson of Verona, NJ. Great-grandparents are David and the late Jeanne Dvorkin, the late Lillian and the late Benjamin Warren, the late Frances and the late Morris Schwartz.

Pulverente MONUMENT CO.

January 22, 2010

The fateful exodus

SPARKS FROM THE WORD

by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashat Bo Notice, first of all, that the Sacred Text does not say, “Go to Pharaoh,” but instead it says: “Lekh,” which has the connotation that Moses already was in the imperial palace. Now he was told to approach Pharaoh with the Divine demand: “Let My People Go!” But note that there is one more word, an important one: “Let My People Go, SO THAT THEY MAY SERVE ME ...”

The Torah does not waste words. If Israelites were not to serve the KHVH (the Good Lord), but just to hang around the imperial palace, it would not have been necessary to persuade Pharaoh with the 10 powerful strokes that the Torah lists as plagues.

Jews, the great-great-grandchildren of the Israelites who were in Pharaoh’s service, ought to remember how hard it was to persuade Pharaoh to let our ancestors go.

It took those 10 mighty strokes to prove that he was not all powerful, and that he was, indeed, subject to the KHVH. So now begin the makkot, the Divine strokes, which even Pharaoh could not abide. This all explains why the Hebrew title of the second book of Torah -- Shemot -- is given in English bibles, not the Names, but the pregnant word “Exodus.”

This history of mankind is influenced for good ever more: in the wake of the Exodus, there follows all the rest of biblical history, including the journey to the land that was to be known as the Land of Israel, and eventually the prophets of Israel, who were to teach humanity how life must be lived in human brotherhood.

Chabad assists families in town for medical care

by SHANI KATZMAN “How can I help?” This is the question on people’s minds when they hear of a Jewish family from abroad visiting a local medical center for treatment.

For more than two decades, Chabad, with its team of outstanding volunteers, has been committed to help ease the road through treatment and recuperation, or to relieve the acute pain of a serious medical challenge.

Families face uncertainty regarding the duration of their stay here and the future of their health. Language is often an added hurdle, along with the American culture. Loneliness and lots of free time must be addressed.

Patients miss their families, their homes and their jobs.

A Thread of Kindness is Chabad’s initiative which organizes volunteers to reach out to these families.

There are currently several families in Omaha for whom Chabad would like to extend a warm welcome and offer friendship and assistance. Volunteers’ creativity and ideas are always appreciated and welcome.

To participate in this special mitzvah, contact Mushka Katzman at shalom@ochabad.com.

CORRECTION In last week's Jewish Press, it was mistakenly reported that Bagel Bin was the only kosher bakery in Omaha.

Rotella's Bakery and the James Skinner Baking Company are supervised by the Orthodox Union, and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is under the supervision of the Vaad Hakashrut of Omaha.

The Jewish Press regrets the error.

To Submit Announcements to the Jewish Press: Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 (with photos we will scan and return).

Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, or by e-mailing: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org.

Readers can also submit other announcements -- births engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements. Deadlines are normally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Check the Jewish Press, however, for notices of early deadlines prior to secular and Jewish holidays.

Miep Gies dies at 100; helped Anne Frank NEW YORK (JTA) -- Miep Gies, the woman who helped hide Anne Frank and recovered her diary, has died at 100.

Gies, who died Jan. 11 in the Netherlands, was the last surviving member of the small group that hid Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis.

After the arrest of the Frank family by the Gestapo in 1944, Gies returned to the attic where they had been hiding and found the diary.

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

60 Years Experience With Jewish Lettering and Memorials

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SUMMER JOB OPPORTUNITY at the Jewish Press College Editorial Intern needed part-time, June through mid-August.

Communications or journalism major preferred to interview subjects for Sept. 3 New Year’s issue, profile volunteers and staff for JCC Maccabi Games, cover Games Aug. 1-6 in Omaha, and supervise Teen “Star Reporters” for Games.

Send resume and writing samples to: Editor Jewish Press of Omaha 333 So. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154 or via e-mail to: editor@jewishomaha.org This is a paid position!

Miep Gies received the Wiesenthal Center’s Righteous Among the Nations Award in Los Angeles in 1994, from Rabbi Marvin Hier, the center’s founder and dean, and actress Whoopi Goldberg.

Credit: Bart Bartholomew/Simon Wiesenthal Center “Miep Gies was a beacon of light during the dark days of the Holocaust,” said Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “Without her, the world would never have known about Anne Frank and hundreds of millions of people would never have been inspired by her story.”

JTA NEWS BRIEFS • NEW YORK (JTA) -- A coming-of-age novel about an Israeli girl whose family relocates to Staten Island was among the winners of the 2010 Sydney Taylor Book Awards for Jewish children’s literature.

The Importance of Wings, by Robin Friedman, won in the older readers’ category when the awards were announced this week by the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Friedman’s book has received critical acclaim for capturing the contemporary immigrant experience, as well as the middle-school angst of teenage girls trying to fit in. She was 5 years old when her own family moved from Israel to the same New York borough as the teenager in her book.

New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story (Dial/Penguin), by April Halprin Wayland and illustrated by Stephanie Jorish, won in the young readers category. The book explores the tradition of Tashlich, and its themes of reflecting on one’s actions and seeking forgiveness.

Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba (Holt), by Margarita Engle, won the highest award in the teen category. Speaking through the voices of two teens -- a German Jewish refugee and a Cuban -- Engle sheds light on the little-known history of Jewish refugees in Cuba fleeing the Nazis.

The Sydney Taylor Book Awards are named for the author of the popular children’s series All of a Kind Family. Current and past recipients include Jewish and non-Jewish writers and artists.

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• JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel has stayed the deportation of a Jewish-American journalist working for a Palestinian news agency.

Jared Malsin, the English-language editor of the Palestinian Ma’an news agency, was detained Jan. 12 at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport following a vacation in the Czech Republic. He was interrogated for eight hours and was to be deported on Jan 14.

The Tel Aviv District Court stayed the deportation and during a hearing last week requested more information on Malsin.

According to Ma’an, interrogation transcripts obtained by the news service show that Malsin was considered a security risk on the basis of his political beliefs, determined by his news stories that criticize the State of Israel. The transcripts also said, according to Ma’an, that security officials believe Malsin “exploited his Jewishness” to gain entry to Israel.

Ma’an, based in Bethlehem, has several radio stations and a television channel in the West Bank. The news agency also runs a Web site in English, Arabic and Hebrew.

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Page 12

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 22, 2010

Old kibbutz pins hopes for revival on Conservative Judaism

Lower Galilee, some 20 miles east of Haifa. Its agricultural ventures include a dairy farm, a chicken coop and a grapefruit orchard. The kibbutz also is home to the only Israeli mikvah, or ritual bath, not under the control of the Orthodox rabbinate, and an educational center that focuses on spirituality, Jewish studies and ecology.

In its second incarnation, Hannaton’s various objectives are sometimes hard to pin down, but broadly speaking they encompass a desire to create a pluralistic community animated by a concern for social justice, the environment and Jewish spirituality; to strengthen the ties of Jewish peoplehood between Israel and the Diaspora; and to help shape Israel’s Jewish identity.

It is on that last point that the movement’s leadership in Israel has perhaps the most at stake. After laying dormant for some time, questions of religious pluralism in Israel are grabbing headlines again, sparked in large part by the recent arrest of a Conservative woman for wearing a tallit, Rabbi Yoav Ende leads the Havdalah service marking the or prayer shawl, at the conclusion of the Sabbath at Kibbutz Hannaton, earlier this Western Wall. Through its month.

Credit: Kibbutz Hannaton educational programming -Hannaton, is one of only a handful of Edne says he conceives of the educational remaining longtime residents. Aylon and center as something akin to a think tank - the kibbutz hopes to have a much Ravit arrived only in the last week.

Hannaton was founded in the mid- broader impact on Israeli society and ulti1980s by a group of Israelis and American mately on freedom of non-Orthodox religious expression in Israel. immigrants.

“It’s important for Masorti because It was an inauspicious moment to start a kibbutz, as the erosion of the economic Masorti is one, and only one, player advoand social underpinnings of the kibbutz cating and working towards implementamovement was well under way. At kibbut- tion of these same values -- pluralism, zim throughout Israel, members were acceptance of other views,” said Emily being lured away from the socialist enter- Levy-Shochat, the recently elected chairprise by the promise of greater freedom woman of the Masorti movement in Israel. “I think the potential damage for and material prosperity.

By 2003, Hannaton had fallen into the entire society is so scary. I’m very bankruptcy and receivership and was on worried about the base of democracy of this society.” the cusp of dissolution.

Levy-Shochat sees Hannaton as an In an effort to save the kibbutz, the Masorti movement, the Israeli wing of important prong of a larger effort to culthe worldwide Conservative movement, tivate allies in the struggle for greater pluturned to Yoav Ende, a charismatic young ralism in Israel.

But Hannaton has faced challenges rabbi with a mop of auburn curls. A product of Masorti institutions, Ende saw an right in its own backyard that suggest its opportunity to create a new kind of com- model of religious tolerance won’t be munity in Israel, and he began working spread so easily.

Over the High Holidays, the secular his network of contacts to recruit 20 famcommunity that abuts Hannaton asked a ilies to settle at Hannaton.

The first group began arriving this sum- Chabad rabbi to lead its services rather mer, and Ende hopes to attract as many as than participate in the egalitarian prayers being held at Kibbutz Hannaton. At the 50 more families within a few years.

“My vision is to have here a religious, same time, Edne’s suggestion that chilpluralistic, Conservative community that dren in the kindergarten recite a blessing will be on one hand very religious, very before eating was met with hostility from connected to its Judaism, and on the secular parents who feared religious other hand very much connected to its indoctrination.

The conundrum of being seen as both society,” Ende said. “We’re here to build a model that if it can be replicated, it can too religious and not religious enough also has bedeviled Conservative Judaism make a statement to Israeli society.”

The objectives of the kibbutz’s new in the United States.

But Edne, like many at Hannaton, sees cohort are as diverse as their reasons for relocating there. Some have come to the movement’s ability to juggle both traescape urban life, others for the chance to dition and modernity as a potent model shape a tight-knit community from the of non-Orthodox Judaism more consoground up. Still others have come nant with the values of Israel’s largely secbecause the religious offerings elsewhere ular population. As a largely home-grown group, the Hannaton newcomers see in Israel were seen as inadequate.

“I lived in a tight community [as a themselves as uniquely poised to combat child], and I loved it,” said Jonny Whine, the stigma that Conservative Judaism is 33, a Briton with roots in the Conservative an American import.

“Now we see a second generation of and Reform movements who moved to Hannaton this summer with his Jerusalem- people who grew up here, who are born wife and their two children. “I could- natives,” said Ende, the product of an n’t see any community in Jerusalem that I American father and an Iraqi mother.

“It’s just easier for us. We have the culwanted to be part of.”

Hannaton sits atop a modest rise over- ture, the networking. We can’t be delegitlooking the Eshkol Reservoir in the imized.”

by BEN HARRIS KIBBUTZ HANNATON, Israel (JTA) -- Over the din of children playing, some 20 people crowded into the home of Aylon and Ravit Samson here on Saturday night for Kibbutz Hannaton’s biweekly communal Havdalah service.

While some of Israel’s kibbutzim are in steady decline, 10 mostly young families have arrived at Hannaton since the summer. They are part of a larger group of 20 families aiming to revitalize the country’s only official Conservative kibbutz.

“It’s like a dream,” said Linda Samson, Aylon’s aunt and an American.

Samson, a 21-year veteran of

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