January 25, 2013

Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

For love of the game

January 25, 2013 14 Shevat 5773 Vol. 93 | No. 19

This Week

Beth Israel celebrates Tu B’Shevat Page 5

Incredible experiences in Israel Pages 8 & 9

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press You will probably never see Omahans Carol and David Alloy on ESPN. They are not famous athletes, coaches, or college professors. Yet they gave the University of Nebraska at Lincoln a gift that will influence the well-being of student athletes for years to come. David graduated from UNL in 1973 and Carol hails from Grand Forks, North Dakota.

“We wanted to leave a legacy,” the Alloys said, “and we very quickly arrived at the conclusion that it needed to be something we both felt passionate about.”

Passion, for the Alloys, is Husker red. Since 1962, David has followed UNL athletics, primarily football, but in 1988 the Alloys accidentally discovered the excitement of volleyball.

“In 1988,” David recalled, “we attended our first women’s volleyball game at the Big Eight Volleyball tournament in Omaha, and we just fell in love with it.” The Alloys continued to follow the women’s volleyball team and became fixtures at the

David and Carol Alloy games. They made various contributions over the years to the Volleyball

Husker Award Club, the Match Club, the UNL Foundation, and the

Nebraska Athletic Department.

But they wanted to do something more substantial and lasting, and the idea for the David and Carol Alloy Strength Complex was born.

In October of 2011, shoulder-toshoulder with then Athletic Director Tom Osborne and several coaches, the Alloys cut the ribbon on the Strength Complex, which will make Nebraska the envy of many college volleyball programs.

The facility is used by athletes in baseball, softball, rifle, soccer, women’s gymnastics, bowling, and track and field. Recently, sand volleyball was announced as UNL’s 24th varsity sport, and its players will benefit from the indoor sand volleyball court, which David jokingly calls “the sandbox.” According to feedback the Alloys have received from various coaches, “It will also help tremendously with the school’s recruiting efforts.”

The Alloy Strength Complex is designed with the unique needs of these sports in mind, allowing the athletes the training necessary for their sport. An additional advantage Continued on page 3

Into the storm Why this matters

by JULIANNE DUNN HERZOG This is part three in a three-part series about the aftermath of superstorm Sandy. Part one appeard in the Jan. 11 issue, part two in the Jan. 18 issue.

enough, I am told that a wave like the one that rolled over the lowlying areas of New York City and New Jersey had never occurred before. The science of global warming is in the hands of the experts but

Tolkien b’Shvat Page 16

Inside Point of view Synagogues In memoriam

Next Week

12 14 15

The Simchas Issue

Gerritsen Beach children check out books from the bookmobile, which is located in front of the flooded out library.

See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press

People back here in the Midwest often ask “Why do people live so close to the beach anyway? Don’t they know the dangers?” Oddly

it certainly makes one wonder.

People also say, “Well, why didn’t people leave when they were told to do so?” The only reasonable response to that question would seem to be to wonder aloud if all Nebraskans obey tornado warnings.

I guess that those who always head to the root cellar can complain about New Yorkers not evacuating, but the rest of us should probably withhold judgment.

The New York Times revealed, in an article written while I was there, that the city of New York in the Continued on page 2

by BOB GOLDBERG Director of Strategic Initiatives Why does it matter that we are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the March on Washington to free Soviet Jews with a concert and reception on Sunday, Jan. 27?

It matters because whether you are young or old, Russian or not, whether you participate actively in Jewish community life or just take it at your own pace, this is a piece of our collective history.

The following letter was signed by Leonid, Valentina and Vladkik Portugeis and published in the Jewish Press several years ago. The Portugeis family was the first Russian family to resettle in Omaha.

“To the Omaha Jewish Community, It is very difficult to write this letter, but we cannot leave without doing so. Tomorrow morning we will be on our way to a new life in New York. Many of our friends from Odessa have come there, and we are very lonesome for them. You

good people of Omaha have saved our lives. From the time you met us at the airport, even though we did not know any English, we knew you were all our wonderful American family. You did for us all the things a family does, and after one year, because of you, we are becoming real Americans. You gave us the start here that we know we would not have gotten any place else. We will never forget you. Thank you, good-bye, and God bless you.”

So, it matters to the Portugeis family as well as the many Russian families that call Omaha home today.

Shirley Goldstein and Miriam Simon put the issue of the Soviet Jews to the forefront of this community’s agenda starting in the 1970’s.

And from political leaders to journalists, from business people to volunteers, the community responded with tremendous support.

On a 1975 tape recorded interview with then Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky (a tape that was Continued on page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | January 25, 2013

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Into the storm Continued from page 1 are largely uninhabitable. person of Robert Moses, made the decision back in the late I talked to one man who was cleaning out his 95 year old 1930’s-early 1940’s, to put subsidized housing along the mother’s bungalow. She was present when the storm came beachfront and the barrier islands of lower Brooklyn, Coney and had to be swum out by the neighbors. She is still in a Island, Staten Island, the Rockaways. These subsidized mental facility because of her reaction to the near-drowning. housing projects are tenement cities of 30 to 40 buildings of I walked down the court “street� to the next bungalow twenty stories each. There because I had been told are no supermarkets, no that the resident needed a retail stores and no supnebulizer. The air was so porting services. foul with rotten wood, When the wave rolled debris and mold that I through, it took out the could not breathe. I had to cars and power to these go back up to the street. buildings which house the But the man needing the elderly and disabled and nebulizer was still living children. Lobbies were there with his wife, who, destroyed. People could by this point, also needed a not get out of their apartnebulizer. What they both ments which grew worse needed was relocation but each day with the smell of that is unlikely to happen rotten food.

Stories anytime soon. I put abound of the elderly and through the paperwork for disabled who were trapped a replacement nebulizer up 20 stories without light and understood how the or power, water or food. little boy with his finger in Mobile food truck provided by the Mayor’s Fund.

By the time I got there, the dike felt. most of the power was restored and the elderly and disabled After 20 days, a 24 hour bout of norovirus and a cough had been removed or relocated, if necessary. Because these which wouldn’t quit, I returned home. The “Sandy cough,� are New York City housing authority units, power and heat experienced by many volunteers, turned into pneumonia had been restored within 2 weeks but the grounds sur- and a collapsed lung for me. I was lucky. I got to come home rounding the buildings were in disarray. to my caring husband, my warm, dry house and a good docThe single-family dwellings on the low-lying beach areas tor who put me on super-antibiotics. did not experience the same rapid repairs. I witnessed But the people whom I tried to help are still there, living despair in the Rockaways, Staten Island, Coney Island and in cold, mold-ridden conditions and catching the same bugs Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. Town hall meetings were which the volunteers did. The difference is that there is no reportedly pretty heated. way out for them. They are still living in a nightmare which Some New Yorkers could not understand why monies may have just begun. This has all the earmarks of a developdonated by the American people for Sandy relief were not ing public health problem of enormous size and complexity. getting to New Yorkers. I could understand their frustration.

Julianne Dunn Herzog, RN, BSN, JD answered the call By my third week of deployment, I could not get supply for nursing volunteers to provide disaster relief after vehicles to Sheepshead Bay to supply food and basic neces- Superstorm Sandy hit New York on Oct. 29. She arrived 20 sities. My “Radar� had left, closing off my informal channel. days after landfall of the worst storm in the history of New The formal channel became clogged and unworkable. I York and stayed for 20 days, going door to door to singleknew that there were hundreds of emergency response vehi- family houses and floor to floor in 20 story high rises in cles filled with food and necessary supplies, but I could not low-lying areas most affected by the storm. She joined a get them to the people who needed them. volunteer force of over 5000, of which 50 were nurses, paraI was beyond dismay at the neglect of these people of medics and EMTs. Sheepshead Bay. When the waves came over the top of Julianne is a life-long volunteer and served as the first Manhattan Beach and over the cove separating Sheepshead health services director of the 2008 Creighton Homeless Bay from the Atlantic Ocean onto Emmons Avenue, people Connect Event in 2008. She has volunteered for disaster who remained describe a mini-tsunami rolling down their relief in Iowa, Nebraska and New York. streets to the freeway, which blocked them in from the back.

Julianne is married to David Herzog, a practicing attorIn this area, the houses are hip to jowl on the streets but ney in Omaha. They are members of Beth El Synagogue. there are also “secret� houses in the backyards. Generations The Jewish Press would like to thank Carole Lainof for ago, the people on the streets subdivided their backyards allowing us to use her photographs with this series. The and built bungalows in what people in that neighborhood pictures of beach destruction in Part 1 and the destroyed called the “courts�. The streets and houses were eventually Rockaway house and car in part 2 were hers, Carole is also raised. The courts below were not. So when the wave came, from Omaha and a member of Beth El. She participated the bungalows in the courts were submerged. The ones left in Sandy relief in November and December 2012.

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Continued from page 1 smuggled out by Shirley Goldstein), Sharansky says of the Soviet officials, “They want to show you (the American Jews) that your help doesn’t work, but I want to assure you that your support and your fight is the only condition of our survival.� (Jewish Press, July 21, 1978) It matters to March participant Gloria Kaslow who remembers, “Two hundred and fifty thousand American Jews exercising their freedoms of speech and assembly to stand together and demand the same freedoms for their brethren, the Soviet Jews. “ It matters to former Omahan Rabbi Daniel Fellman of Temple Concord in Syracuse, New York who said, “When I went to Washington on that March, I was a 15 year old kid, not quite sure of what I was doing. That rally showed me the power of our (Omaha) Jewish community, and had a major influence on me. It was one of a number of events that ultimately led me to become a rabbi and spend my life serving the Jewish people.�

Of the dozens of Omahans who traveled to Washington in December 1987 with Fellman and Kaslow, some went for the cause, others for the experience. But they all played an important role in the Soviet Union easing restrictions on emigration for Jews. “When we remember this anniversary,� says Kaslow, “We feel gratitude for all the former Soviet Jews who are now an important part of our own Jewish community and we rejoice in the knowledge that together - as a community-

we can do extraordinary things.�

Today, we know that those extraordinary efforts resulted in generations of Russian Jews now living free. We can be proud that our community, along with many others, helped to free hundreds of thousands of Jews from a terrible situation in the Soviet Union.

So, it matters to those several hundred thousand Jews who at one time called the former Soviet Union home, because they now live in freedom and share that with their children and grandchildren.

Freedom is something that we easily take for granted. But if you speak to some of our Russian community members, freedom is sacred. For those who had previously lived without freedom, the thought of being in command of your own life and making your own decisions is simply miraculous.

Event co-chair Anna Yuz-Mosenkis says “If we do not remember and tell future generations what we had to experience and go through during Soviet life, who will?�

Please join us Sunday, Jan. 27 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. in the JCC theater as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the March on Washington to free Soviet Jews with a free classical music concert and reception. This special 2013 Annual Campaign event is made possible with funding from the Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Family Endowment Fund and the Sokolof Javitch Music Fund, both of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.

RSVP’s to Bob Goldberg at 402.334.6431 or bgoldberg@ jewishomaha.org.

January 25, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 3

For love of the game Shoah Archives at UNO’s Criss Library

by SHERRIE SAAG Communications Specialist, Jewish Federation of Omaha The University of Nebraska-Omaha is now one of only three academic centers in the Midwest with access to the largest database of visual testimony on the Holocaust in the world.

In a joint collaboration between the university, the Dr. C. C. and Mabel L. Criss Library and Dean of Library Sciences, Steve Shorb and Sam Fried of the Frances and Sam Fried Holocaust and Genocide Fund, the University of Southern California Shoah Archives is available for research and academic purposes at UNO’s Criss Library.

The Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation was established by Steven Spielberg in 1994 to gather video testimonies from survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust. Within several years, the Archive held nearly 52,000 video testimonies in 32 languages, representing 56 countries, and in addition to Jewish survivors, included accounts from homosexuals, Jehovah’s witnesses, liberators, rescuers and aid providers.

A name change in 2006 to the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education reflects its mission to overcome prejudice, intolerance, and bigotry -- and the suffering they cause -- through the educational use of the Institute’s visual history testimonies. Its effort reaches scholars on every continent and has expanded to include survivors and witnesses from other genocides.

Research possibilities are limitless says new Professor, Dr. Waitman Beorn. The Louis and Frances Blumkin Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies, will likely make the greatest use of the archives. “Everyone involved in making this available on campus recognized its scholarly importance. There is a significant subscription fee, generously supported by the Frances and Sam Fried Holocaust and Genocide Fund and the university made an additional investment in technology, but the Archives’ benefit will far outweigh the investment made,” he said.

This resource is available to historians, researchers, educators, students; anyone in the larger metropolitan or regional area is invited to utilize and learn from the Archives.

Continued from page 1 is that athletes can use the facility at the same time without impeding on one another for training time.

“The football team gets so much attention,” David says, “and rightfully so. But there are many others who perform at a high level. We really wanted to do something for them, and this seemed the ideal way to do it.”

For non-football athletes, different muscle groups, different areas of strength and conditioning, and different types of injuries all add up to certain needs in daily training. Having a separate space from the football team is a vast improvement.

“We feel enormously privileged to be able to do this,” Carol and David said. “The thought that we are able to literally help thousands of students makes us tear up. We hear from the athletes that there is a social component to the Strength Complex. They train side by side with athletes from different disciplines, people they would normally never meet; additional connections are made and friendships are forged. It’s a nice bonus.”

It’s what the Alloys were hoping for. The dedication plaque reads: “Our hope is that the young men and women training in this facility will also build teamwork, loyalty, friendships and memories, and leave as successful people in their future endeavors.”

A successful legacy invests in the future. Through all their involvement with the University, not only with the Strength Complex, but also through academic scholarships, the Alloys have certainly done that. David calls it their mitzvah to UNL. The Alloy’s generous example certainly will benefit many students (not just student athletes) created by their mitzvah.

Athletes can only perform on a high level when there are people who believe in them. That goes especially for student athletes; the support of others is essential when one is trying to get a degree and simultaneously play sports at a high level. Carol and David spoke about the love of the game and benefitting the athletes; not once did they speak of winning scores. Because they understand that, ultimately, winning happens not only on the field or court, but in the classroom and in life after graduation.

“It’s a fantastic resource for the local community. It is easily accessible through the UNO website and at the Criss Library. You can view the archives on campus to study, learn and understand all that they have to offer,” Beorn added.

The library has eight work stations available to the public to access the archives according to Steve Shorb, Dean of Library Services at UNO. “Unlike most institutions that can access these videotapes on request, UNO is rather unique in that we have immediate access to the entire database. It is extremely user-friendly and the library welcomes anyone who wants to learn from this extraordinary archive.”

Beorn displayed great enthusiasm when describing his plans for using the Archives in the classroom. “When teaching the Holocaust before the Archives’ existed, most of the historical record focused on the perpetrators. One could study documents from the Nazi regime and the Nuremburg trials, for example. Often, the Jewish perspective was less apparent.”

“I wanted to provide students with both perspectives and the Shoah Archives certainly provide an important counterbalance. As a source, oral history is a phenomenal and unique approach. The viewer really engages with the individuals on the videotape. It can become an intimate experience.

You notice and absorb facial cues and visual nuances you can’t get from books or written transcripts. It is really cool.”

The purpose of oral history testimony is not only to gather facts, but to gain a deeper understanding of events as they were lived and filtered through personal reflection. Unlike most documentation from this period – written by the perpetrators – oral testimony gives a voice to the survivors and other witnesses, allowing them to speak directly about their personal experiences.

“I want students to understand that the Holocaust or any planned systematic annihilation of a people doesn’t just happen. It is a gradual process of dehumanization and destabilization.”

Each taped testimony includes a survivor’s life story, not just their recollections and experiences during the Continued on page 4

Passover Greetings This year you can send your greetings through these very special ads that will run in our annual Passover issue.

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4 | The Jewish Press | January 25, 2013

Spiritual, social programming abound for the women of Beth El

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Jewish women wishing to enrich their spiritual, educational and social lives need look no further than Beth El. Offering several women’s groups, as well as a calendar filled with exciting and diverse programming, the synagogue serves as a touchstone to feed both the souls and the minds of its female congregants.

On Saturday, Jan. 26, at 9:30 a.m., Beth El’s Sisterhood will sponsor its annual Sisterhood Shabbat, chaired this year

by Shira Abraham and Laurel Krausman. Over 50 women will help to lead this special service, chanting Torah and Haftarah, presenting the D’var Torah which examines parasha Beshalach, and reciting other Shabbat morning readings. The celebration will be capped off with a special congregational Kiddush, sponsored by Sisterhood.

“I see Sisterhood Shabbat as an opportunity to take time to reflect on women’s important role in Judaism,” said Abraham.

“Women play a very special and vital role in Judaism and I hope to celebrate that during Sisterhood Shabbat.”

Beth El’s Sisterhood continues the organization’s generations-old traditions of programming, community service and fundraising projects, which support the synagogue and the Talmud Torah. The auxiliary also boasts of a dynamic, new group of leaders, including Heather Kelln, president; Melissa Schop, membership; Debbie Roitstein, treasurer; Shira Abraham, education/religious; Sara Kohen and Becca Finkelstein, recording and communications; Andrea Grossman, fundraising; and Marcie Spivack, past president.

“I could not be more excited to be working with this wonderful group of interested, committed, and capable women,” Kelln said. “They are just as enthusiastic about the future success of Sisterhood as I am.

“I want this congregation to be successful in every way,” she continued, “and it is important to me that the women of Beth El have an organization to call their own -- a group committed to the same interests and goals.”

All Beth El women are invited to join Sisterhood; annual dues are $36, and may be paid online at www.bethelomaha.org, or by sending a check - made payable to Beth El Sisterhood -- to Nancy Skid, 14964Farnam Cir., Omaha NE 68154. For more information about the organization, contact Heather Kelln, at heatherkelln@yahoo.com.

On the social end of the synagogue’s programming spectrum is “Dames and Drinks,” a monthly evening get-together for women of all ages, and created on the premise that girls just want to have fun. Sponsored by Sisterhood, these get-togethers provide the perfect opportunity to kick back in Beth El’s community court, connect with friends, and enjoy appetizers, a margarita or a glass of wine (the drink menu changes each month) or non-alcoholic drinks. The next gathering is planned for Thursday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m.; all Beth El women are welcome, free of charge, and free babysitting is available with a reservation. For more information about

Dames and Drinks or to RSVP, contact chairman Melissa Schop, at melschop@hotmail.com.

Finally, for the past 10 years, Beth El’s Women’s Rosh Hodesh Group has been a cornerstone for all women in the Jewish community seeking spiritual and social enrichment

Once a month, Beth El’s community court is the setting for Sisterhood’s ‘Dames and Drinks,’ a popular get-together for the women of Beth El to share casual conversation, drinks and appetizers.

According to Rosen-Atherton, “The evening will be a return to some of the earlier Rosh Hodesh themes of selfreflection. It will be an opportunity to use some ‘self-awareness’ tools to reflect on who we are and how others see us -and how this influences our relationships. We will also examine how our values and sense of who we are change over time, at different stages of our lives.”

To RSVP to this program, contact Rosen-Atherton at rosenath@cox.net or 402.391.3423, or Kaslow, hkaslow@ cox.net or 402.391.3486.

On Sunday, March 10, 9:30 a.m., the Rosh Hodesh group will journey to the Strategic Air and Space Museum, to view “Searching for Humanity: Veterans, Victims and Survivors of World War II,” a permanent exhibit created by local artist Matthew Placzek. Placzek will also serve as the morning’s guest speaker. Then on Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m., the group will gather together to “Get the Scoop on the Jewish Press,” featuring guest speaker Annette van de KampWright, editor of the newspaper.

To learn more about Beth El’s programming that is geared to women, as well as all synagogue activities, visit www.bethel-omaha.org, or call the synagogue office, 402.492.8550.

Birth Adrianna Eide and Jay Benton announce the Dec. 17 birth of their son, Benyamin J. (Yehuda Shalom) His hebrew name Yehuda Shalom is after his great-grandfather, Richard H Spiegal.

He has a sister, Fiona Edie.

Grandparents are Bonnie J. Hines, and Michelle and William Pelmer Jr. of Chicago.

Great-grandparents are the late Richard and Billie Spiegal, Ramona and George Rudolfo, and Carol and William Sr. Pelmer of Chicago.

Shoah Archives At January’s Women’s Rosh Hodesh Group meeting, over 60 women gathered at Beth El to hear congregant Sophie Ambrose share her fascinating, personal story, “My Path to Judaism.” through reflective, spiritual, educational and entertaining evenings, led by congregants or guest speakers. Every month, attendees welcome the new Jewish month by sharing stories and wisdom; they listen, laugh and learn - and above all else, connect with each other.

The next Rosh Hodesh get-together is planned for Monday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m., at the synagogue, and will be led by congregants Marti Rosen-Atherton and Gloria Kaslow, who will address, “What Do I Know about Myself, Anyway?”

Continued from page 3 Holocaust, including their prewar, wartime, and postwar life experiences in their home country and country of immigration.

Approximately 150 interviews feature walking tours, in which a portion of the interview was conducted at sites of former concentration camps, ghettos, mass graves, or in front of prewar family homes. Each interview averages over two hours in length.

To access the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education archives, contact reference services at the Criss Library, 402.554.2661 or http://library.unomaha.edu.

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January 25, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 5

Beth Israel celebrates Tu B’Shevat

Beth Israel children created a Tu B’Shevat garden mural to celebrate the holiday and their appreciation for the library cart and multiple Art Scroll children’s books provided by a grant from the Esther K. Newman/Carolyn Kully Newman Foundation. When asked her favorite book, Naama Weiss replied, “I like all of them!”

Schreibman Scholarships for college freshman

by STAN MALISZEWSKI Jake J. Schreibman Foundation The Jake J. Schreibman Foundation has been awarding scholarships to Jewish students residing in the Omaha community since 1997.

The Jake J. Schreibman Freshman Year Scholarship is based on student need and was designed to aid those students who were accepted to schools the cost of which would be a burden on the student’s family.

The scholarship may be up to $10,000. All Jewish high school seniors attending any high school in the greater Omaha metropolitan area are eligible to apply.

Jake J. Schreibman was born in Omaha, March 6, 1911. He graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1927, was a member of the Jewish Community Center where he won several awards as an athlete, and during World War II, he served as a medic in the Pacific Theater.

After a lifetime “hobby” of financial investing, he died in 1994, and the Jake J. Schreibman Foundation was established to serve the Omaha Jewish Community. What better way to accomplish this objective than to focus on the education of the young people who were about to enter college?

Selection criteria includes resiliency with overcoming obstacles to academic success, grades and participation in rigorous courses; letters of recommendation; employment experience; active participation in athletics, band, cheerleading, DECA, and/or other extracurricular activity leadership positions;

essay composition; and a personal interview.

This past spring, the scholarship was awarded to Brendan Leahy. Brendan is now a freshman at Creighton with the goal of attending law school. A graduate of Central High School, Brendan expressed his appreciation for the environment at Central in his application essay: “After witnessing racism firsthand in Georgia, it was a terrific experience to see such an incredibly diverse body of students and a welcoming environment.” He later continued: “I view education as the best way to better myself and I intend to take my education to the highest level possible.”

Marlene Bernstein, who is Schreibman’s niece, is the Executive Director of the Schreibman Foundation.

“Our focus has always been to support those students who have overcome with integrity some obstacle in their lives and those who have worked not only at school but also have worked to contribute financially for college,” she says. Bernstein looks forward to the personal interviews which will be held this year during the first week of April.

“It is a pleasure to spend time with the students and hear directly of the plans and goals each one has set for themselves.” she added.

The submission deadline is Feb. 22.

Information on the scholarship is available in the Center for Jewish Life scholarship section at www.jewishomaha.org. Any questions can be addressed to sjmalisz@ u.arizona.edu or 520.360.7476.

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Schwalb Center seeking photographs of Israel

by STEPHANIE MUELLER Staff assistant, Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies Attention Omaha area photographers: The Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is seeking photographs of Israel to display in its newly established center office, at Room 200 of UNO’s Arts and Science Hall.

Established in 2009, The Schwalb Center’s mission is to create, coordinate and promote an interdisciplinary program focusing on teaching and scholarship in Jewish and Israeli history, politics, culture and society. Our primary goal is to expand knowledge about Judaism and Israel, both on the university campus and in the broader Nebraska community, and we seek to promote and facilitate collaborative scholarship (teaching and research) with academic institutions in Israel.

The Omaha area is filled with talented photographers, and we wish to showcase

their work. Specifically, we are interested in pictures of nature/scenery, cultural events, religious monuments, or any other aspect that captures the spirit of Israel.

Photographers of all skill levels, professionals and non-professionals alike, are welcome to take part in the submission process. If interested, please email five to ten of your best photographs to Avery Mazor, Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at UNO, at amazor@un omaha.edu. Along with your images, please include your name, your website (if you have one), as well as the date and place the photographs were taken. Images must be in jpeg format and kept under 1000 pixels in any direction. Submissions are due

by Feb. 28. Photographers whose images we have chosen to use will then be contacted.

For further information or question, contact Stephanie Mueller, Staff assistant for the Schwalb Center, at 402.554.3175, or slmueller@unomaha.edu.

6 | The Jewish Press | January 25, 2013

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Grants awarded by Goldstein Supporting Foundation

by MARY BORT Endowment Assistant, Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation The Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) Foundation announced that the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation Board of Directors awarded 22 grants during their semi-annual meeting. Since the fund’s inception, nearly $967,000 has been awarded to programs in our community.

“There were so many grant applications this year, representing many exciting programs; it was challenging for the board to allocate grants,” noted Marty Ricks, JFO Foundation’s former Executive Director, who attended the meeting. “After carefully reviewing all the applications, they selected programs that were likely to make a significant impact and were in keeping with the Goldstein Supporting Foundation’s purpose.”

The Goldstein Supporting Foundation considers requests for funds that support local projects and programs of the JFO and its agencies, synagogues and Jewish service organizations. They also consider applications from local and national Jewish and secular charities in the areas of medicine and medical research (with an emphasis on kidneyrelated diseases), education and current events of Jewish content, and human rights.

Members of the Goldstein Supporting Foundation Board of Directors include Shirley Goldstein, Donald Goldstein, Gail Raznick, Kathy Goldstein Helm, Cheryl Cooper, Sandy Friedman, Louri Sullivan, Arnold Weitz, and Jerry Kohll.

The following organizations and programs were awarded grants: The Anti-Defamation League’s Becoming an Ally/No Place for Hate Campaign. The grant will support anti-bullying training for 4th - 6th grade students.

Beth El Synagogue’s Family Shabbaton/Family Camp.

Families with children in 6th grade and younger will celebrate Shabbat and various activities and experiences.

Beth El Synagogue’s Hebrew High School ROOTS Trip to New York City. Teens will explore their families’ roots after leaving Europe to make new lives in the U.S. The Center for Jewish Life’s CornerStones Fund for Scholarship Funding. There has been a significant increase in need for these confidential scholarships for needy Jewish children to attend Jewish preschool, day school, summer camps and other youth programs.

The Center for Jewish Life’s Special Needs Program.

Provides support for special needs education in Omaha area congregational religious schools for students in kindergarten through 8th grade.

Chabad of Nebraska’s Camp Gan Israel. This day camp for children is offered in the summer and winter and includes educational programs, activities and excursions that provide a wholesome Jewish experience.

Chabad of Nebraska’s Chesed Program. The program serves needy individuals by providing rent and transportation subsidies, food, emergency relief and more.

Freidel Jewish Academy Educational Programs. The grant may be used for educators/consultants for gifted students and/or special education students and/or for parent education.

Halachic Organ Donor Society’s Education Coordinator.

The coordinator will be in contact with U.S. Jewish day schools to ensure that students and staff are educated about medical issues and Jewish law pertaining to organ donation.

Heartland Holocaust Educational Fund’s Student Trip to Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.

Approximately 100 students from Nebraska will visit the museum and center, as well as other genocide-related sites in the Chicago area.

Heartland Holocaust Educational Fund’s Nebraska Holocaust Memorial Outreach. The grant helps with costs for a volunteer representative of the Memorial to travel to Nebraska schools to present a program to classes and assemblies.

In the news On Feb. 5, Yeshiva University will recognize a gift by the Denenberg family. Professor Yaakov Elman will be formally appointed the Herbert S. and Naomi Denenberg Chair in Talmudic studies. Professor Moshe Bernstein will be formally appointed the David A. and Fannie M. Denenberg Chair in Biblical studies.

There will be a campus tour at 4 p.m., and a reception at 5 p.m. followed by the investiture ceremony. The ceremony will take place at the Heights Lounge, located in the Gottesman Library, 2520 Amsterdam Avenue, New York.

Visitors are welcome to attend; please enter the building from 185th street.

Institute for Holocaust Education’s “A Week of Understanding.” Middle and high school students invite Holocaust Survivors and Liberators to speak at their schools and other locations in the community.

Jewish Community Center’s Yom Ha’Atzmaut 2013.

Events will be held for parents, children, and members of all ages from the Jewish community to celebrate Israel’s Independence.

Jewish Community Center’s Integrated Special Needs Summer Camp. Provides opportunities for high-functioning children with special needs to participate in the summer camp program with other children.

Jewish Family Services’ Financial Assistance for the Jewish Community. Qualified families and individuals receive assistance and access to the food pantry, affordable services including counseling, and help to regain self-sufficiency.

The Jewish Press Editor Attending the American Jewish Press Association’s Annual Conference. Members of the Jewish news community meet to share experiences and resources, attend workshops, and learn more about reporting on Israeli and Jewish news.

Jewish Senior Outreach’s Older Adult Case Management.

Home visits, referrals for additional care, assistance with Medicaid applications and tax relief are provided by JSO professionals.

Jewish Senior Outreach’s Russian Community Club.

Events will be held for elder Russian community members who experience financial, cultural and language barriers that prevent participation in existing JSO programming.

Jewish Senior Services’ Kosher Meals on Wheels. Kosher meals are delivered daily to homebound older adults in our community.

Nebraska Jewish Historical Society’s Oral History/ Educational Project. Funding will provide supplies and camera maintenance needed to continue recording oral histories of the Jewish community in Nebraska and western Iowa.

Rose Blumkin Jewish Home’s Educational Class Series.

Courses will offer residents mental stimulation and a renewed sense of self worth and accomplishment.

Sam and Frances Fried Holocaust and Genocide Education Fund’s College Level Education. Five Nebraska colleges and universities receive support for educational costs associated with Holocaust and genocide education.

“A supporting foundation is a separate legal entity, with its own board of directors, which is created by a donor or family,” explained Howard Epstein, the JFO Foundation’s new Executive Director. “We manage and invest the funds, administer operations and make disbursements as directed by the supporting foundation board. This offers the board a level of independence to determine where to allocate donations to non-profit organizations it wishes to support. The Goldstein Supporting Foundation makes an incredible difference in the community.”

To learn more about establishing a supporting foundation with the JFO Foundation, contact Howard Epstein at 402.590.2156 or hepstein@jewishomaha.org.

New donor says it’s time to give back

by BOB GOLDBERG Director of Strategic Initiatives, Jewish Federation of Omaha Tene is a new donor to the 2013 Annual Campaign and shares her motivation below.

Why become a donor in 2012? Why now?

It is never too late to start giving back. I grew up in Omaha and the Jewish community has given so much to me. I received scholarships for various Jewish conventions and eventually colShiri Tene lege. The Jewish community helped my family and me throughout the years. That’s why I have begun to give back.

What’s your hope moving forward?

My hope is that as a community we can work to unify our Jewish youth through various creative programming and that we continue to provide the same wonderful grants and scholarship opportunities offered when I was in various programs.

What’s your takeaway?

I hope to stay involved in various capacities and offer my assistance and time as appropriate.

January 25, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 7

Longtime Beth El teacher and staffer lauded at retirement

by JILL BELMONT El; this year also marked the celebration of her wedding, Beth El Publicity Coordinator held at Beth El and officiated by Rabbi Myer Kripke and Since 1951, Blanche Wise has been a fixture at Beth El Cantor Aaron Edgar. Within several years, the young couple Synagogue. Whether endearing herself as a Hebrew school became the parents to sons Michael and Steven. teacher to two generations of Talmud Torah students or In 1970, following her husband’s untimely death due to a working in the synagogue office for the past 42 years, Blanche has made an indelible mark on the congregation for over six decades. So it’s no surprise that, although she retired last month wanting no recognition or fanfare, the tributes have come rolling in.

“She recognized that a synagogue office is not like a business office,” said Rabbi Paul Drazen, spiritual leader of the congregation from 1982 to 2002. “For so many of the calls -- and the in-person visits on 49th Street -- the Above: Blanche Wise. Right: The much-loved Mrs. Wise enjoys a laugh with some of her stucontact with the office was a dents during Hebrew school (photo taken in the late 1970s). social call. She always asked after members of the family, especially those out of town. heart attack at age 39, Blanche was approached by Beth El’s What could have been a perfunctory transaction became, executive director, Toby Kagan, about working in the synainstead, an opportunity to share and kvell. gogue office. Raising two teenage sons alone and needing “Blanche was a support, face and soul of the Beth El office the income, she accepted the job. for generations,” said the rabbi, noting that his family Among her responsibilities were memorializing hundreds enjoyed a close personal relationship with her (his children of people through both cemetery markers and yahrzeit affectionately called her ‘Bubbie Blanche’). “It was a grand plaques. Rabbi Drazen lauded her knowledge of Hebrew, as opportunity for us to get to know and work with her.” well as her familiarity with the special coding needed to Rabbi Mordechai Levin, who worked with Blanche from assure that the names were correct. He also recalled that 2002 until her retirement, called her “one of the sweetest and when he began to include mothers’ names on markers and kindest people I know,” and added, “She has touched so plaques, “Blanche was pleased to observe that we now recmany lives – including mine -- in such a positive way. She ognized that people have two parents.” was always willing to help me with whatever I needed in the Looking back, she says that teaching was her favorite job synagogue.” at Beth El. “There’s something about children. They’re good.

“She was the pulse of the office,” said Cantor Emil Even when they’re bad, they’re good.”

Berkovits, who worked with Blanche for 22 years, from 1981 Cantor Berkovits said she was always “a teacher’s teacher, to 2003. “Whenever I needed any type of information per- possessing the ability to reach even the unreachable kids.” taining to any of our members, I knew I would get it from And Rabbi Levin recalled that, “Many times when I would Blanche. And all of her time working at Beth El was done walk by her desk, she would be talking to congregants, and out of a true love of being there.” when I stopped to say hello, she would tell me that they had And recalling his own arrival in 2011 as the assistant rabbi been her students when she taught Hebrew school. at the synagogue, Rabbi Steven Abraham said, “Blanche gave Sometimes I jokingly asked her if they had been good stuus our true welcome to Beth El. At the 20th anniversary cel- dents or troublemakers, and she always answered that they ebration she took us around the old building and gave us our were great students.” own personal tour. The synagogue has been a member of Although she retired from teaching Hebrew school in the her family and we’re all the better for it.” early 1990s, Blanche’s love of children and her passion to A native of Kansas City, Blanche moved to Omaha at age teach remains. A new door has recently opened for her: one five, later attending Central High School (where she met her day a week she works as a volunteer tutor, teaching reading husband, Harry), and Omaha University. In 1951, she took at the Phoenix Academy, a private institution which proover the third-grade Hebrew school class on Sundays at Beth vides extra help to students struggling in their everyday

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classrooms.

Less than two months into the venture, she says, “I still love the children and the principal is thrilled that I can do this. I’ve tutored four children now who are nine and 10. I’m back in the classroom -- it’s funny that I’m back to my old stuff again.

“I have to be busy – I’ve been busy all my life,” she said, adding that in addition to tutoring, she helps out in the academy’s office, enjoys playing bridge, and plans to volunteer for Radio Talking Book.

In honor of Blanche’s years of dedicated service to Beth El, Board of Trustees President Lloyd Roitstein has announced that the congregation will place a leaf on the Tree of Life in her honor, and has also established the Blanche Wise Education Fund. Donations may be made by sending a check to the synagogue (please specify ‘Tree of Life’ or ‘Blanche Wise Education Fund’).

Reflecting on Blanche’s years of dedication to Beth El, Roitstein asked, “So what makes synagogue great? Is it the rabbi, the cantor, enough money, the board, participating congregants? Or is it a staff member who is always there for everyone, has a smile, a positive attitude, a great knowledge of what has happened in the past, who knows everyone, a mentor, a friend, a hard worker, dedicated, enthusiastic, and cares about everyone and everything? Someone who, while other staff members come and go, quietly holds everything together?

“Blanche Wise is Beth El. We love her, we thank her, and we admire her. On behalf of thousands of Beth El Synagogue congregants, I wish her all the best and appreciate all she has done to make our families stronger.”

Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Jean Stothert launches our “Candidate Speaker Series” and will tell us why she wants to be Mayor of Omaha on Wednesday, Jan. 30, noon, at the Blumkin Home. An optional buffet lunch costs $11; beverage service only is $3.

For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

LOMIR REDN YIDDISH The Yiddish language is a wonderful source of rich expressions, especially terms of endearment (and of course, complaints and insults!).

Come join us for fun and laughter. We meet in the boardroom of the Blumkin Home, every Thursday from 1-3 p.m.

For information, please call Anne Skolkin at 402.343.1638.

See the Jewish Press on the web at

jewishomaha.org

8 | The Jewish Press | January 25, 2013

Incredible experiences in Israel

by MARY SUE GROSSMAN Associate Executive Director, Center for Jewish Life Each year, many teens and young adults have the experience of a lifetime, traveling to Israel on a wide variety of programs.

The Jewish Federation of Omaha is delighted to support these experiences through the Israel Experience Grant program.

The Israel Experience Grant is a one-time gift from the Federation for students in grades 9-12 or young adults ages 18 to 25 for an approved Israel experience. The grant is available to anyone in the Omaha Jewish community who meets the following requirements: 1. The applicant must be a resident of the Omaha metropolitan area.

2. The applicant, or his/her family, is a donor in good standing to the Annual Campaign of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

3. The applicant agrees to provide an article and pictures of the experience within one month of return to Omaha for publication in the Jewish Press.

4. The applicant will participate in any required preparatory program.

Applying for an Israel Experience Grant is a simple onepage application. The applications are available on the Scholarships and Grants page of the Center for Jewish Life on the Jewish Federation of Omaha website at www.jewish omaha.org. Applications may also be requested via email at

scholarship@jewishomaha.org. Return completed applications to the Center for Jewish Life, 333 South 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154.

Those in need of additional financial assistance can also apply for financial need-based scholarships. Scholarship applications are available as described in the previous paragraph. For additional information on all grant and scholarship programs, please call 402.334.6445 or email mgrossman@jewishomaha.org.

The following articles were written by teens who participated in programs in the summer of 2012 and each was a recipient of an Israel Experience Grant. More articles will be featured in the coming weeks.

Special bonding of women and girls

by HANNAH PERRY Our arms were wrapped around each other in an enormous circle. Laughter and song resonated and echoed against the nearby wall, and we were smiling, dancing, and loving. It was Friday night on the women’s side of the Western Wall, and we were having a festival.

I didn’t know most of the women there that night. Some were young children, running between the legs of longskirted mothers, some were American tourists, on high school trips or Birthright trips, and some were elderly, native Israelis smiling softly as we celebrated Kabbalat Shabbat.

I didn’t know any of the women and girls there that night, except for the ones on my trip, but it didn’t matter. The pure ruach and ahava filled my heart with something that I will never forget. It is impossible to explain it with words, but it is there, that feeling of belonging is present, and it has changed my life forever.

My group and I had the pleasure of visiting the Western Wall three times over the course of three weeks on BBYO Passport to Israel -- Journey 3. We went on our very first day in Israel, a day that was also my seventeenth birthday. Not many people can say that they prayed at the Western Wall on their birthday, and it was the first unforgettable experience of the month. The second visit to the Western Wall was on our last Shabbat on Friday night, and the third in the underground tunnels our very last night in Israel.

Those who know me are aware that I am very involved in the Jewish community in Omaha, spending Sunday mornings at Temple Israel as a Madrachim in the office, serving as President in Omaha Temple Youth Group, attending high school events, and playing a key role in many committees

and boards. not nearly as special as standing in front I love being of it and experiencing it, and saying you J e w i s h . support Israel is premature until you Whether it is shake hands with the IDF soldiers fightfor the spirituing for it. ality, communiI will not exaggerate and say that I ty, or culture, suddenly have the urge to make Aliyah, Judaism offers it because I don’t. I knew before my trip all, but I always that Israel was not perfect, and that knew that there many of their policies fundamentally was a part I was clash with my personal principles in missing. My Bat Judaism, but by visiting Israel, I have Mitzvah was four so much more of a drive to fix it. years ago, my As American Jews, we all have a Confirmation one duty to serve both the United States year ago, and and Israel, and the citizens and supgraduation only a porters in both countries. I now can year away, but in proudly say that I feel the passion to the back of my accomplish my life-goals for equalimind there was ty, freedom, and justice in both always a part of my countries, and the hope to instill om fr Jewish identity that that fervor to others in the Jewish s Elku , left, Audrey rk Yo a. ew N ad I still had to find community here in Omaha. as from ip to M Jordan Allen ring a sunrise tr du y rr Pe h before I could leave I know with all of the new friends I na Han Michigan, and home and become an have made from across the globe, the knowledge and wisadult outside of the Jewish community, and that was Israel. dom I have taken away, and the passion for Judaism and I had high expectations for my trip to Israel, having heard Israel that I now have, that traveling to Israel was an experiso many great things from friends and family who had trav- ence that I will cherish for the rest of my life. It was my first eled before me, and needless to say, Israel did not disappoint. time in Israel, but it will not be my last. I took a little piece Sitting in services is nothing like saying the Sh’ma at the of Israel home with me in my heart, but I also left my footWestern Wall on your birthday; learning Jewish history is print there, in the desert sand.

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Jessie Wees | 402.334.6559 | jwees@jewishomaha.org

Free Classical Music Concert

To mark the 25th anniversary of the December 6, 1987 march on Washington to free Soviet Jews, the Jewish Federation of Omaha will be hosting a free classical music concert featuring Duo Dmitri

Sunday, January 27th 3:30-5:30 pm

(Flute and Piano Duo).

in the theater with a reception to follow

Event is made possible with funding from the Leonard & Shirley Goldstein Family Endowment Fund and the Sokolof Javitch Music Fund, both of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation

Two of my favorite things

by EMILY GLAZER Touring Israel with BBYO Israel Journey was one of the best experiences of my life. I met so many new people, learned things about my heritage and religion, and saw places that words can’t even describe. What I liked most about the trip was how there was a perfect balance of learning and fun.

I was lucky to be able to travel to Israel with four of my best friends, but the people I met are unforgettable. I would like to thank the Jewish Federation, Temple Israel and my parents for making it possible for me to take this journey.

I had two favorite days in Israel. One was camping in the Bedouin tents; the other was when we went to the Western Wall on Shabbat. We visited the Bedouins during our trip to Eilat. When we first arrived, we sat in a tent and we learned about the Bedouin people while drinking their tea and coffee. Following our conversation and snack, we rode camels through the desert, which is an experience I will never forget! I named my camel Chewy and I shared him with my new friend Jamie from Oklahoma.

We returned to our tent where we were served a delicious dinner of rice, hummus, and beef. That night we took a hike in the desert and no one was allowed to talk. At the end of the hike, we laid in the sand, peering up at the stars. At this moment, I realized how much being in Israel meant to me and how it was such a special opportunity. After stargazing, everyone in our group just hung out together around the campfire and became even closer. What was also special about this night was that at 12 am it became July 4th. Although we were in Israel it still was fun to celebrate the Fourth of July. We celebrated by making homemade sparklers.

It was this evening that I felt completely bonded with everyone on my trip. I felt like this day did not end once we went to bed in our tents because at 4:00 am we woke up to

hike Masada. At the top, we watched the sun rise over the Dead Sea. This was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. After we hiked back down Masada we drove on our bus to the Dead Sea. Although we were extremely tired, we smothered mud all over our bodies and went into the sea. Being able to just float in the water was a really cool feeling and one of the most different but amazing experiences I have ever had.

My other fond memory was when we celebrated Shabbat at the Western Wall.

Being at the Western Wall is an opportunity that I am grateful for. It was amazing seeing and touching something that I have learned about for years.

It was like I jumped into a textbook and saw everything that I had learned about Israel. At the Wall I also got to pray for my dad who was in the hospital at the time, and I really felt like God answered my prayers, because the next day was when he was able to go home after being in the hospital for 3 weeks. What was special about being at the Wall on Shabbat was that everyone was standing by the Wall, singing, chanting prayers, and dancing. My favorite part about this experience was singing and dancing with everyone around me and feeling incredibly connected to them. It was so cool that we were from all different parts of the world, and spoke completely different languages, but we all said the same prayers which bonded us on a different level.

Although I highlighted only two of my most memorable experiences in Israel, I had many more. But beyond the hikes, falafels, camels, and sightseeing, I learned that I am part of something much bigger. I have new friends from around the country, and I was introduced to a second home. My Israel experience was amazing and something I will never forget.

Temple Israel to recognize secular school educators

by DAVID GOLBITZ Temple Israel Staff Writer Public school educators are as much a part of a child’s life as their religious clergy and teachers, which is why every few years Temple Israel asks its children in Grades K-6 to invite their public school teachers and principals to a service and meal in their honor.

“We recognize the invaluable role that the public school teachers play in the lives of our children,” said Religious School Principal Ariella Lowensohn. “We feel it’s important to recognize and commend the partnership between secular and religious education with a special service and dinner honoring those teachers who work with our children every day.”

The Public School Educator’s Dinner is Friday, Feb. 1, and coincides with the February First Friday service and meal.

Temple Israel’s Grade 3 students will take part in the service and recite the blessings before the meal.

“In Jewish tradition we equate a good teacher with a good friend,” Rabbi Josh Brown said. “Every good teacher goes above and beyond their job descriptions, like a good friend who goes out of their

way to care for you. We know that our public school teachers especially are taking time to care for the next generation.”

Public school educators are invited to attend the 5:30 p.m. candlelighting, followed by the Shabbat service at 6 p.m., during which Rabbi Azriel will invite them to the bimah for a blessing, and then stay for a fun, relaxing meal.

“It’s one thing to have a little knowledge about Jewish beliefs or history, but it’s far more meaningful to participate in a Jewish experience with someone you know and care about -- your student,” said Westside Community Schools Board Member Rosie Zweiback. “The educator Shabbat is a memorable bridge to give teachers insight into Judaism in Omaha.”

Reservations are required for the First Friday meal and can be made by emailing RSVP@templeisraelomaha.com or calling Temple Israel at 402.556.6536.

Reservations must be made by Jan. 25.

Families are encouraged to invite their teachers and principals to both the worship service and dinner as guests.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to give our teachers a peek into the Jewish community coming together for Shabbat,” Zweiback said.

Escape

January 25, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 9

the cold

Snowbirds Please let the Jewish Press know in advance when you are leaving and when you are returning.

Sometimes several papers are sent to your “old” address before we are notified by the Post Office. Every time they return a paper to us, you miss the Jewish Press and we are charged!

Please call us at 402.334.6448 or email us at jpress@jewishomaha.org.

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10 | The Jewish Press | January 25, 2013

Tu B’Shvat: Arbor Day

Journal entry from Israel TEDDY WEINBERGER The almond tree is blooming And a golden sun does shine Birds from every rooftop Announce the festive time Tu B’shvat is here-the festival of trees!

Above is the first stanza of the most well-known song for Tu B’Shvat (there are two other stanzas, both hardly known).

Though the words to this song were written in the middle of the 20th century, they smacked of the stuff of myth to me while I was growing up. Living in New York City, I could not possibly tell you what an almond tree looked like, and the odds of seeing one blooming in early February seemed unimaginable as I walked through the city’s slush and cold.

Only when I moved to Israel did the song make sense (another instance of aliyah making sense of my Jewish life).

Because wouldn’t you know it? Those trees blooming all around me in Givat Ze’ev at the beginning of February are almond trees.

Israeli schools are open on Tu B’Shvat (except of course when it falls out on a Saturday, as it does this year: Jan. 26).

B’nei Akiva and other organizations provide children with an opportunity to plant trees on this day as an alternative to school. Needless to say, even kids who are not particularly fond of youth movements sign up for this field trip.

Besides planting trees, the other rite of the day consists of a Tu B’Shvat Seder, which has been gaining in popularity in recent years thanks in part to my friend Yaacov Maoz.

Yaacov, who works for the Israel Association of Community Centers as a director for the Unit for Jewish Community Renewal, has over the last few years created guides for a number of Jewish holidays. These booklets are geared to the secular Israeli public and are especially intended for communal celebrations.

Yaacov’s “Four Season Seder for Tu B’Shvat” nicely combines traditional Jewish sources with modern Israeli culture.

He includes the Talmudic discussion of the four New Years, with Tu B’Shvat being the New Year for Trees (of course, this being the Talmud, there was an argument over when this New Year occurs, with the School of Hillel’s 15th of the month winning over the School of Shammai’s position of the first of Shvat). Yaacov speaks of the spread of the holiday by the Kabbalists in Safed in the 17th century. It was this group that introduced the custom of the four cups of differently colored wine to the Tu B’Shvat Seder, going from white, to rose, to light red, to dark red (symbolizing the ripening of the natural cycle). The booklet is divided between these 4 cups, and in each section there are modern Israeli songs and poetry; Judaic texts; and historical, traditional, and scientific information on a number of plants, trees, and fruits native to Israel: the date, the olive, the pomegranate, etc.

When I lived in the States, we would often conduct a Seder for Tu B’Shvat, especially if the day fell out on a Shabbat. Now that I’m in Israel I feel less of an urge to celebrate the holiday, which as Yaacov writes, “symbolized the yearning for the Land of Israel, its scenery and fruits.” My yearning came to a close in July of 1997. Still, as with jelly donuts before Hanukkah and dairy products before Shavuot, my local Israeli supermarket will make it hard to ignore the upcoming holiday. I will be tempted by many kinds of dates, several forms of almonds (roasted, salted, sugared), as well as all other possible kinds of nuts.

[Although interestingly, the fruit of the carob tree, a.k.a. St. John’s Bread or “buxer” in Yiddish, which was always around to gross people out in the States on Tu B’Shvat-let’s just say it’s an acquired taste-is hard to find.] Then there will be a huge assortment of dried fruit, ranging from the unusual etrog (citron), to apricots, prunes, bananas and figs. To be sure, much of this dried fruit will come from Turkey, but I guess that’s close enough. Happy Tu B’Shvat.

Teddy Weinberger made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Ross, and their five children. Their oldest three, Nathan, Rebecca and Ruthie, are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@net vision.net.il.

A tasty exhibit

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press A recent collaboration between the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the Institute of Culinary Arts at Metro Community College led to a tasty exhibit at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

Old menus from Omaha restaurants are displayed in the front lobby of the Home.

Jim Trebbien, Executive Director - Institute for the Culinary Arts, said: “The menus were given -by a printer going out of business -- to Mr. Harold Norman, then the Executive Director of the Omaha Restaurant Association.

Harold a year or so later, when retiring from his position as Exec. Director, passed them on to Ms. Jennie Warren, his successor. She eventually called me and asked me if I wanted them. I picked them up, added a number of menus that I had collected, and asked a friend, Mr. Bob Miller to frame them.”

The menus have been on display at numerous events, according to Trebbien, both at the college, with the Douglas County Historical Society, and at the Downtown library.

“They have always drawn a lot of attention,” he said, “especially the menu selections of years ago, and the prices.”

Imagine a cup of soup for 15 cents, or a Denver sandwich for $0.50 at 40 Bowl.

Then there’s a broiled New York strip sirloin steak at Jack and Jill’s, for a mere $3.

How about the French Café’s cheese platter, with Camembert, Roquefort, Gruyere and Port Salut, for $0.90? Or Baked Alaska, for $1.25, at Ross’ Famous Steakhouse?

The exhibit will be on display at least through the end of February.

For more information about the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, call Renee Corcoran at 402.334. 6442 or email rcorcoran@jewishomaha.org.

Know your finances

by RUSS KAPLAN Russ Kaplan Investments I have often stressed that the public in general needs much more training in personal finance. This is a common problem with many married couples, which could be a holdover from the traditional family, where the husband made all of the financial decisions and also did the financial record keeping.

As we know, this type of arrangement has become increasingly outdated. Because of divorce, widowhood, longer life expectancy and non-traditional marriages, there are large numbers of women who will need to end up making their own financial decisions. This financial situation benefits from some additional financial education.

The first requirement for keeping sound records is learning a bit of bookkeeping because it is hard to make financial decisions based on poor record keeping. It is very important you

know how much money is coming in vs. how much money is going out on a monthly basis. To make this process easier there are some good computer bookkeeping programs to use to keep your personal financial reports updated, such as Quicken.

This exercise can easily show you better ways to manage money based on your particular financial situation. It’s a good way to see where your money is being wasted and/or could be spent more efficiently. I have come across many cases where using a bookkeeping software this has given people a lot of insights into managing their finances more effectively. For example, I know of one person who was very surprised to find out how much he spent on snacks in a given month.

An important thing to keep in mind is to try to save 15% of your net income. In these times and in the future, your Social Security checks will barely be enough to support you.

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January 25, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 11

FIRST CLASS ENTERTAIN

February

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Community Calendar FRIDAY, JANUARY 25 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Temple Israel OTYG Movie Night, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Sisterhood Shabbat, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El Shabbat’s Cool, 10 a.m. at Beth El Annual Tu B’Shvat Bracha Bee, noon at Beth Israel Simcha Kiddush, noon at Beth Israel Kibbutz Chaverim “Shul-in”Overnight, 1 p.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, JANUARY 27 BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El LEAP Limmud for Teens, 10 a.m. at Beth Israel Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El Beth El Community TuB’Shevat, 10:30 a.m. at Lauritzen Gardens Russian Community Event, 2 p.m.

2013 Annual Campaign Event, 3:30 p.m.

MONDAY, JANUARY 28 Adult Education with Rabbi Abraham, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Tai Chi Class, 6:30 p.m. at Beth El Beth Israel Monthly Women’s Dessert & Discussion, 7 p.m.

Introduction to Judaism, 7 p.m.

Jewish Press Board Meeting, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29 BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

“Yada, Yada, Torah” class, 7:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30 Beth El YAC Playgroup, 10:30 a.m. at Bounce U BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Clergy Panel OJC program, 6:30 p.m.

Jewish Bedtime Rituals, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El Rabbi Weiss’ Weekly Class, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel THURSDAY, JANUARY 31 Sacred Grounds with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with Rabbi Brown, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Scholars Club for 4-6th graders, 3:30 p.m. at RBJH Hebrew 101, 6 p.m.

Hebrew 102, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Kids Rule the Shul, 5 p.m. at Beth Israel Oh Say Shalom to Shabbat & Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El First Friday Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel Tot Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel Congregational Dinner, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2 Kids Rule the Shul, 8 a.m. at Beth Israel Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Men’s Club’ World Wide Wrap, 9 a.m. at Beth El BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El LEAP Limmud for Teens, 10 a.m. at Beth Israel Sunday Night Dinner, 5 p.m. at Beth Israel MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Adult Education with Rabbi Abraham, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Tai Chi Class, 6:30 p.m. at Beth El Forgotten Jews but Definitely Jewish, 7 p.m.

Introduction to Judaism, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

Back2Basics Class with Rabbi Abraham, 7 p.m. at Beth El JCC Board Meeting, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6 BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Teen Night, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel Jews and Native Americans, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El Rabbi Weiss’ Weekly Class, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7 Sacred Grounds with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with Rabbi Brown, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel WRJ Program: Slow Cooking Class, noon at Temple Israel Scholars Club for 4-6th graders, 3:30 p.m. at RBJH Hebrew 101, 6 p.m.

Friedel Science Fair, 6:30 p.m.

Hebrew 102, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Temple Israel: Shabbat comes to you at Remington Heights, 4 p.m.

Beth Israel Shabbat Dinner for Teens, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9 Veshinantam, 8 a.m. at Beth Israel Wellness Shabbat, 9 a.m. at Beth Israel Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Shabbat’s Cool, 10 a.m. at Beth El Extended Day of Shabbat’s Cool, 12:30 p.m. at Beth El Our Shabbat Tables Havdalah Kickoff Night, 5:30 p.m. at Beth El PJ Havdalah (Preschool – 2nd grade), 5:45 p.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10 WRJ/MRJ Hamentaschen Baking, 9 a.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El LEAP Limmud for Teens, 10 a.m. at Beth Israel Friends of Friedel Brunch, 10 a.m. at Friedel Children’s Purim Activity, 10:15 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class, 11 a.m. at Beth El Judaism 101: Living the Jewish Year, 5 p.m. at Beth Israel OTYG/JYG Annual Spaghetti Dinner, 5 p.m. at Temple Israel MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Adult Education with Rabbi Abraham, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Tai Chi Class, 6:30 p.m. at Beth El Women’s Rosh Hodesh Meeting, 7 p.m. at Beth El Forgotten Jews but Definitely Jewish, 7 p.m.

Introduction to Judaism, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12 Jewish Medical Ethics, noon at Med Center BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Beth El YAC Playgroup, 10:30 a.m.

BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Teen Night, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Hinduism and Buddhism, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El Rabbi Weiss’ Weekly Class, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14 Sacred Grounds with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with Rabbi Brown, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Scholars Club for 4-6th graders, 3:30 p.m. at RBJH Hebrew 101, 6 p.m.

Hebrew 102, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Human Rights Shabbat Service with Rabbi Jill Jacobs, 6 p.m.

Dinner and Drash, 7 p.m. at Beth El SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Torah Study with Rabbi Jill Jacobs, 9 a.m. at Temple Israel Beth El Scout Shabbat, 9:30 a.m.

Simcha Kiddush, noon at Beth Israel Beth El YAC group goes to Funny Bone Comedy Club, 7:30 p.m.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Adult Education with Rabbi Abraham, 10 a.m. at Beth El Forgotten Jews but Definitely Jewish, 2:30 p.m.

Introduction to Judaism, 7 p.m.

Jewish Press Board Meeting, 7 p.m.

Teens 4 Israel with Rabbi Gross, 7:30 p.m. at Starbucks, 114th & Dodge TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 The Ethics of Our Fathers, 2 p.m. at Remington Heights BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

BESTT Talmud Torah Board Meeting, 7 p.m. at Beth El Board of Trustees, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Beth El Adult Ed Lunch and Learn, noon at Herzog & Herzog, P.C. BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Hinduism and Buddhism, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El Rabbi Weiss’ Weekly Class, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Sacred Grounds with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with Rabbi Brown, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Scholars Club for 4-6th graders, 3:30 p.m. at RBJH Hebrew 101, 6 p.m.

Dames and Drinks, 7 p.m. at Beth El NCJW Girls Night out Event, 7 p.m. at Project Harmony Hebrew 102, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El Megillah Reading, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El Ice Cream Social & Pajama Party, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El Purim Carnival, 11 a.m. at Beth El Purim Seuda, 5 p.m. at Beth Israel

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Adult Education with Rabbi Abraham, 10 a.m. at Beth El Beth El YAC Playgroup, 10:30 a.m. at RBJH Forgotten Jews but Definitely Jewish, 2:30 p.m.

Introduction to Judaism, 7 p.m.

Beth Israel Monthly Women’s Dessert & Discussion, 7 p.m.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 BBYO Night, 6 p.m.

Board of Director’s Meeting, 7 p.m. at Beth El WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Rabbis and President Meeting, noon BESTT Talmud Torah Class, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Federation Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Put God on Trial OJC program, 6:30 p.m.

Hinduism and Buddhism, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel Hebrew High, 6:45 p.m. at Beth El Rabbi Weiss’ Weekly Class, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Omaha Area Youth Orchestra Concert, 9:30 a.m.

Sacred Grounds with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with Rabbi Brown, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Scholars Club for 4-6th graders, 3:30 p.m. at RBJH Hebrew 101, 6 p.m.

Hebrew 102, 7:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Adult Ed Class: The Highly Controversial Laws of the Torah, 10 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class, 11 a.m. at Beth El Womans Spa for the Soul, noon at Chabad Connections for Teens, 2:30 p.m. at RBJH Movie and Dinner Center for Jewish Life, 4:30 p.m.

PlearVies: Pizza, Learning & movie, 6 p.m. at Beth Israel

All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Pat Anson at 402.334.8200. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the above events.

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12 | The Jewish Press | January 25, 2013

Point of view

American Jewish Press Association Award Winner

Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008

What else is new

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press With all eyes on the country’s finances, cabinet appointments and gun control, it’s easy to overlook some of the other stories out there. So, here it is: a random selection of things you may have missed.

Remembering Aaron Swartz Aaron Swartz was a child prodigy; he attended Stanford and was a Harvard Fellow. At a young age he contributed a code that ultimately created RSS feeds (you wouldn’t be getting those CNN updates without the work he did) and was, by all accounts, a genius. He was also a hacker, and a firm believer in the adage that information should be free. Had Swartz not graced this world, the Internet would probably not be what it is today. In addition, he founded Demand Progress, which was instrumental in fighting both the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act. In 2011, Swartz was arrested for downloading millions of documents from MIT’s digital library of academic journals, JSTOR. Although JSTOR declined to prosecute, MIT cooperated with the FBI and Swartz was charged with a slew of counts under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He was facing a possible sentence of up to 35 years.

On Jan. 11, 2013, Swartz, who suffered from depression, took his own life in his Brooklyn apartment. It’s a sad loss that will have consequences. Those consequences will include an internal investigation into MIT’s handing the case over to the FBI, as well as a wider discussion of what some describe as a bully prosecution.

Trump to the rescue Freshly recuperated from failing miserably in the U.S. presidential primaries, Donald Trump now has his sights set on the Israeli political scene. In anticipation of the election, which took place on January 22, he advised the Israeli electorate to vote for Bibi. The Donald released a 36-second

YouTube video, stating: “My name is Donald Trump and I’m a big fan of Israel. You truly have a great prime minister in Benjamin Netanyahu—there’s nobody like him. He’s a winner, he’s highly respected. He’s highly thought of by all. And people really do have great, great respect for what’s happened in Israel.”

I’m sure the Israelis are very grateful; it’s difficult after all to make up your own mind, about your own country, about your own politicians, without Donald’s interference. Next, we’ll have Charlie Sheen solve the peace process and Mario Lopez fix the inflation.

It’s Annual Day of Judaism!

Roman Catholic cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews (that’s actually his job description) was interviewed by the Italian religious news agency SIR, and said: “The Jews are our older brothers. We are inseparably linked with the Jews.”

Annual Day of Judaism is always on Jan. 17; it’s been observed since 1997 and is a day of reflection on Christian-Jewish relations. The Italian Jewish community joined the initiative in 2001, which was handy since you need two sides to foster dialogue.

Then, things went a bit sour in 2009: the Italian rabbis boycotted the day due to the modern usage of the Good Friday Prayer for the Jews in Catholic liturgies. Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco and chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni eventually made up. There’s still hope for the Presbyterians.

What we don’t like Marina Weisband, a leading member of the Pirate Party Germany, was voted sexiest female politician. While here at the office

we are always excited to see Jewish leaders win awards (Pulitzers, Nobel prizes) we are not pleased with this one.

Sexiest politician, honestly? How condescending is that?

Isn’t it time that female politicians are taken seriously?

Weisband moved to Germany from Ukraine in 1994 after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

She joined the Pirate Party -- a progressive liberal party that promotes Internet freedom -- in 2009, and served as its executive director from May 2011 to April 2012. During her tenure, she reportedly took on the issue of anti-Semitism and rightwing extremism among some party members. Weisband now is pursuing a doctorate in psychology. (Source: JTA) Plenty of accomplishments, and she should be lauded for that rather than her sex appeal.

OK, since you asked: Angela Merkel received three percent of the vote.

Israel’s political cycle not stuck on the right

Behind the headlines DAVID BERNSTEIN WASHINGTON (JTA) -- With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu poised to win re-election later this month, some critics of Israel’s peace and security policies worry out loud that Israel’s political cycle -- its pattern of cycling alternately between the political left and right -- is stuck on the right.

“This is the Israeli reality of 2013, enabled in part by American politicians and staunch supporters in this country as the two-state solution slips through our fingers,” asserts J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami in the Washington Post.

Anyone who has ever taken a course in economics is familiar with the concept of the business cycle, the observation that our economic fortunes expand and contract in distinct phases. Politics, similarly, has its own natural cycle.

One political party becomes strong, thinks it has a lock on the electorate, purges its own ranks of political moderates, enunciates policy positions at odds with mainstream sensibilities and alienates the very middle-of-the-road voters that brought it to power. Republicans and Democrats have been vulnerable to its vicissitudes.

Israel, to be sure, is no stranger to the political cycle. Just like Americans, Israelis tend to lean left or right for a period until the ideological camp in power overreaches or external conditions dictate otherwise, sending the pendulum swinging in the opposite direction. Since the onset of the peace process with the Palestinians in the early 1990s, the Israeli public has ousted Israeli prime ministers whenever the prime minister has appeared resistant to opportunities for

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peace or appeared too eager for peace in the face of intransigence on the other side.

In 1992, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir lost the election for being perceived as inflexible in the Madrid peace talks; in 1996, Shimon Peres lost for being too forthcoming in the Oslo process; in 1999, Netanyahu lost for being too hawkish; and in 2001, Ehud Barak lost for being too dovish. Since that time, two prime ministers -- Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert -- left office for reasons other than their stances on peace and security. Elected for a second time in the spring of 2009, Netanyahu is on track to win another term in office.

If the political cycle holds true, sooner or later there will be a perceived opening for peace, at which time either the right-leaning government will move to the center (e.g.

Begin’s peace with Egypt or Sharon’s disengagement from Gaza) or will be defeated by a left-leaning challenger.

Some critics of current Israeli government policy are troubled that Israelis haven’t punished Netanyahu for a lack of progress in the peace process. They surmise that the growth of the Israeli religious nationalist camp and right-leaning Jews from the former Soviet Union has moved the electorate decidedly to the right. Israelis, they fulminate, may permanently forsake the possibility of a two-state solution.

But in a recent poll of Israeli attitudes toward peace, a full two-thirds of the respondents said they would support a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with land swaps and a demilitarized Palestinian state. Even a majority of Likud voters supported such a deal.

The issue, then, is not that Israeli attitudes have hardened against making painful compromises for peace -- quite the contrary -- it’s that most Israelis don’t believe that peace is a

realistic option at the moment.

It’s not hard to see why. Given the massive unrest sweeping through the Arab world and the ascendance of the Muslim Brotherhood, many wonder how a fledgling Palestinian state could stave off such radical forces or survive a Hamas onslaught.

The results of Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas’ subsequent takeover and the unremitting rocket fire aimed at Israeli population centers do not inspire confidence.

Rather than setting a precedent for neighborly relations and sound governance, it gave Israelis a glimpse into a possible mess on its eastern border in the event of a peace deal in the West Bank.

“There will be those who say, “If you didn’t like the book [in Gaza], why would you see the movie [in the West Bank]?” observed Middle East analyst David Makovsky.

And while some critics of Israel’s peace policies point to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ recent statements indicating that he would be willing to come to terms with a Jewish state, fresh on the mind of many Israelis is Abbas’ refusal to negotiate for 10 months during Israel’s 2010 settlement freeze, the recent unilateral move for statehood at the United Nations and various statements denying the Jewish connection to the land.

Most Israelis don’t believe enough has changed in the Palestinian camp or in regional conditions to justify a shift in approach.

Do critics of Israeli policy expect that no matter what the Arab world dishes out, Israelis will continue to elect governments with a predilection for making comprehensive peace offers to the Palestinians? Do they expect Israel to be on a Continued on page 13

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January 25, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 13

The need for LB 77: Nebraska’s Iran Divestment Act

Focus on issues JON BRUNING, Nebraska Attorney General Our federal government and nations across the globe recognize Iran as a threat to the safety and security of the free world. The Iranian regime continues to ignore the international community in its pursuit of a nuclear weapon. It actively supports terrorist groups. Iran poses a real and immediate threat to both the United States and our closest allies, especially Israel. We know political change is needed now more than ever.

With this in mind, I have partnered with Senator Bill Avery of Lincoln to introduce LB 77, the Nebraska Iran Divestment Act. This bill will protect Nebraska’s public funds from being invested in companies with links to Iran’s government and its oil, mineral extraction, or power (including nuclear) sectors, or the Iranian military. We must invest in a way that does not incentivize companies to operate in places which could support regimes that sponsor international terrorism and disregard basic human rights.

Iran has actively supported groups which pose grave threats to Israel’s security. Iran’s patronage of its proxy militia Hezbollah was credited with bolstering Hezbollah’s potency and resiliency during and after the Second Lebanon War. And, many believe Iran supported, and continues to support, insurgent groups in Iraq and Afghanistan - particularly in the development of advanced, lethal improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which have killed many of our American servicemen and women.

More recently, Iran’s military support of Hamas in Gaza was made painfully apparent to residents of southern Israel, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. One needs to look no further than the dramatic advance in Hamas’ missile technology to know the depth of Iranian support. Hamas was once consigned to mostly simple, relatively inaccurate rockets to fire en masse into Israel. Now it is armed with the Fajr-5 missile, an Irandeveloped weapon capable of reaching Israel’s most populous cities. Late last year, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards admitted with pride that the Fajr-5 technology had been transferred to Hamas.

Under LB 77, my office will assemble a comprehensive list of these companies on an annual basis and present it to the State Investment Officer and Investment Council. Going forward, the Investment Officer will be prohibited from acquiring any direct investment in any company on the most recent list, unless not doing so would result in a breach in the fiduciary obligations owed to our state employee retirement plan participants. Moreover, it will not affect any humanitarian efforts serving the people of Iran.

Economic sanctions and divestment policies require a collective effort. One state, even a large one, is unlikely to have much of an impact by itself. However, sanctions by a critical mass of states, institutions, and foreign governments make it difficult or impossible for companies to profit from doing business in Iran. This, in turn, will make it difficult or impossible for the Iranian regime to profit from those companies’ activities. The resulting economic impact can yield positive political change.

Passing this law would place Nebraska among the ranks of

23 states and the District of Columbia which have enacted statutes or policies of divesting public funds from Iran. It would complement and reinforce federal law, which specifically authorizes state-level sanctions. The federal Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 passed by an overwhelming, bipartisan vote in both houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Obama on July 1, 2010.

Though the Iran Divestment Act will not apply to the state’s indirect investments, such as mutual, real estate, or private equity funds, it will require our office to issue letters of policy to the managers of each of the state’s indirect investments on an annual basis. These letters will explain Nebraska’s policy of divestment regarding the Iranian regime, and will encourage managers to avoid Iran-linked holdings.

We must do our part to stem the dangerous activities of the Iranian regime. Obviously, we as a state government do not exercise the power of foreign policy. But we can make a political and moral choice as to how our public resources are invested. I believe we can and should make this choice. We must protect our state’s funds from being directly invested in firms with links to an Iranian government which brazenly supported acts of terrorism and demonstrates a reckless disregard for human rights and the international community.

Passing the Iran Divestment Act would make Nebraska part of a global effort to collectively restrict Iran’s economic options. It is a meaningful step our state can take in this critical area of national security.

Re-engineered United Synagogue has made great strides

Behind the headlines STEVEN C. WERNICK NEW YORK (JTA) -- For the last 3 1/2 years, I have been working intensely with our leadership to re-engineer United Synagogue and make it a relevant, effective instrument for strengthening and expanding Conservative kehillot, congregations. A major piece of this work has involved USCJ’s finances, which have become demonstrably more stable and transparent, and which we have set firmly on a course for future growth.

So imagine my dismay when I read JTA’s dramatic headline last week touting its apparent discovery of a “budget hole” representing United Synagogue’s “latest woe.” I may have been less troubled by this misleading portrayal had our international president, Richard Skolnik, and I not spent well over an hour explaining the actual situation to the JTA reporter writing the story.

It’s no secret that Conservative Judaism and its institutions are in the midst of a difficult transformation as they address the demographic and cultural realities of the 21st century. As we mark our centennial year, United Synagogue is certainly not immune from these challenges. Indeed, we have dubbed our centennial celebration the "Conversation of the Century" precisely because we want to facilitate a bold, honest discussion about where we need to go in the years ahead.

Moreover, three years ago our organization undertook a deep, sometimes painful process of self-evaluation. We acknowledged our shortcomings, collaborated with our critics and developed a visionary, aggressive plan for a new United Synagogue focused on one central mission: renewing our congregations as beacons of the vital Jewish center that is Conservative Judaism.

Far from gathering dust on a shelf, our strategic plan has

led to a major restructuring of our organization. We’ve aligned our budget and staff around three core areas vital to the health of our kehillot: leadership development, learning, and engaging the next generation in Jewish life. This restructuring hasn’t been easy -- and at times it’s been expensive.

Which is where we come to the distorted impression conveyed by the recent article.

As anyone who has turned around a major organization knows, one cannot do so without spending money. Our leadership made a careful, considered decision two years ago to use some of our financial reserves in order to offset the costs of our transformation. There were compensation costs involved in trimming and restructuring our staff.

There was an unforeseen one-time expense involving a judgment in a lawsuit brought against us nine years ago.

Finally, there were investments we needed to make to begin focusing on our core mission -- and to do so without adding to the costs borne by congregations. (In fact, we have not raised base dues for five years, and only in December asked our kehillot to approve a small increase, which they did.)

We were able to resolve our outstanding business issues and remain fiscally sound precisely because our leadership had wisely put aside money in reserve. We used some of this money just as it was meant to be used -- for extraordinary “rainy-day” expenses outside the normal course of business. Indeed, a recent independent audit report declared us fiscally sound.

The state of USCJ’s budget is no secret. Look at our website, http://www.uscj.org, under “About Us.” You’ll see a budget tab that offers a complete audit report and budget from our 2011-12 fiscal year. And in a few weeks, once our board approves our current audit report, we’ll post our latest budget information for fiscal year 2012-13. This reporting reflects how seriously we take the pledge we made two

Who is Jeremy Gimpel?

by BEN SALES (JTA) Jeremy Gimpel, the U.S.-born Knesset candidate who’s fourteenth on the far-right Jewish Home’s list, has gotten into hot water over a video unearthed this weekend where he talks enthusiastically about the Dome of the Rock being blown up.

Speaking in 2011 to a Christian audience, Gimpel says, “Let’s say the Dome was blown up, right? And we laid the cornerstone of the temple in Jerusalem. Can you imagine?

None of you would be here. You would all be like, ‘I’m going to Israel, right? No one would be here! it would be incredible!”

Coming only a few days before an election, this is a candidate’s worst nightmare. Unless that candidate lives in Israel.

Unlike U.S. candidates, Gimpel isn’t running in a district or region. He doesn’t have constituents who pay attention first and foremost to him. Israelis all vote in one election, and vote directly for a party, not specific candidates. So if enough people vote for Jewish Home, it will earn 14 seats

and Gimpel will head to the Knesset -- a definite possibility.

If not, he won’t.

In other words, no Israeli can watch this video and then decide, “I’m not voting for Jeremy Gimpel.” Israelis can watch the video and decide not to vote for Jewish Home, though most Israelis pay attention to what party leaders say, and tend not to care about the gaffes of number 14.

Israeli political culture is also replete with controversial statements of this kind. Take number 23 on the joint LikudBeitenu list, Moshe Feiglin. Feiglin recently wrote on Facebook that Jews should “build the temple on top of the Temple Mount and fulfill our purpose in the land.”

(In 2004, Feiglin also told Jeffrey Goldberg, then at the New Yorker, that “You can’t teach a monkey to speak and you can’t teach an Arab to be democratic.”)

It’s theoretically possible that a sufficient number of Israelis will see this video and decide that Jewish Home is not their party. But whether or not Jewish Home gets to 14 seats, it probably won’t be because of Jeremy Gimpel.

years ago to become a more transparent organization.

Still, it’s fair to ask: What’s the plan for the future? Will we keep using reserve funds to cover operational deficits? Of course not. We have been putting our financial house in order precisely to build a sound base on which to grow for the future. With our extraordinary expenses behind us, the deficit will be substantially smaller this year, and we plan to eliminate it completely over the next two years.

One way we’ll do that is by expanding the portion of our budget that comes from philanthropy. It’s a major shift for our organization, but we are confident we have the plans and personnel in place to meet our goals.

We’ll also continue an aggressive initiative begun two years ago to streamline operations by identifying greater efficiencies and new ways to contain costs.

So forgive me if I sound a little peeved at yet another article foretelling the demise of United Synagogue. It’s just that we have come a long way from the crisis of three years ago, but some in the media remain wedded to a narrative of decline.

We are well aware that USCJ still has big hurdles to cross before we fulfill the vision we’ve set out to achieve and become the dynamic, effective organization that our constituents deserve. We also realize that it’s perfectly legitimate to hold us up to scrutiny. It would be refreshing, though, and perhaps more constructive, if those in the media would let go of what has become a stale narrative; if they would stop turning to the same critics for pithy quotes; and if they would take the time to find out what’s really happening at United Synagogue today.

It wouldn’t be a perfect story, but it might be an accurate one.

Rabbi Steven C. Wernick is executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

JTA Editor’s note: JTA stands by the accuracy of its report on the United Synagogue’s budget deficit.

Israel’s political cycle Continued from page 12 permanent peace footing?

If so, then they want Israel to be a country not made up of diverse people with diverse attitudes subject to political swings, but of people just like them who will make concessions at any time and at all costs. They want Israel to be a country like no other -- that cannot exist -because all democratic policies are, in their own way, beholden to the inexorable logic of the political cycle.

David Bernstein is the executive director of the David Project.

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14 | The Jewish Press | January 25, 2013

Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 | 402.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com For information on our historic synagogue – dates and times for Friday night services, call 712.323.8885.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California | Omaha, NE 68154-1980 | 402.492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Sisterhood Shabbat Service, 9:30 a.m.; Shabbat’s Cool/Shul-in, special Shabbat overnight for BESTT students in grades 3-7, beginning at 10 a.m., and featuring games, music, a movie, pancake breakfast and much more; Kiddush given by Sisterhood; Evening Service, 5:10 p.m.

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

SUNDAY: No Torah Study Group this week due to Tu B’Shevat program; class resumes Feb. 3; Torah Tots, 9:45 a.m., tots and parents will catch the bus at Beth El and head to Lauritzen Gardens for Tu B’Shevat festivities. RSVP for the bus at the synagogue web site; BESTT students we’ll take a bus to Lauritzen Gardens for a Tu B’Shevat celebration at 9:45 a.m. BESTT parents are encouraged to ride the bus with their children; reserve a seat by visiting www.bethelomaha.org, or call the synagogue. (Note: All children who ride the bus to the botanical center must return on the bus to Beth El); Tu B’Shevat at Lauritzen Gardens, community-wide celebration, 10:30 a.m.–noon, for all ages, featuring seedplanting, cookie-decorating, music and more. Free admission. Free bus transportation from Beth El to the gardens; reservations are required and may be made by visiting www.bethel-omaha.org, or by calling the synagogue.

MONDAY: Wrestling with Rabbis of the Talmud, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Tai Chi Class class, 6:30 p.m., led by Beth Staenberg and continuing on Feb. 4 and 11. Register online at www.bethel-omaha.org. For more information, contact Margie in the office.

WEDNESDAY: YAC Playgroup, 10:30 a.m. at Bounce U. For more information, contact Caryn Scheer at caryn scheer@yahoo.com.

Tot Shabbat/Oh Say Shalom to Shabbat, Friday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m., followed by 6:30 p.m. dinner. Dinner cost: Beth El members, $5; non-members, $7.50. No charge for children six and younger. RSVP online at www.bethel-omaha.org, or contact the synagogue office at 402.492.8550, or programming@bethel-omaha.org.

Worldwide Wrap, Sunday, Feb. 3, Men’s Club will sponsor the Wrap, celebrating the ritual of wrapping tefillin. Minyan at 9 a.m.; then at 10 a.m., Hazzan Krausman will demonstrate wrapping – adults will use tefillin and BESTT students will have fun wrapping Fruit by the Foot. After a brief service at 10:20 a.m., breakfast will be served. The entire congregation is invited to participate.

All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.

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

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:15 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Free babysitting service begins at 9:30 a.m.; Children’s Classes begin with Torah

Bat Mitzvah Aleia Budwig, daughter of Larry Budwig and the late Kirsten Budwig, will become a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Feb. 2, at Temple Israel.

Aleia is a seventh-grade student at Westside Middle School.

Her interests include SNJ Show Choir, madrachim at Temple Israel, and baking.

For her mitzvah project, Aleia worked at Project Harmony doing everything from stuffing envelopes to cleaning stuffed animals.

She has two sisters, Hannah, 16 and Sophie, 14.

Grandparents are Susan Rothholz, Ron Budwig, and Vern and Dot Cornish.

Parade, 9:45 a.m.; Tu B’Shvat Kiddush Seder is sponsored in honor of January Simchas; Annual Bracha Bee during Kiddush; The Laws of Shabbat, 3:15 p.m.; Advanced Parshah Study for Boys (ages 10 and up), 4:15 p.m.; Mincha, 5:15 p.m., followed by Seuda Shlishit; Havdalah, 6:02 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m. followed by breakfast; LEAP Limmud for Teens, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Gross.

WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.

MONDAY: Daf Yomi: Week in Review, 7:45 a.m.; Women’s Dessert & Dicussion, 7 p.m. Please contact the office for meeting location.

TUESDAY: Women’s Study Group, 6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: OJC: Clergy Panel, 6:30 p.m. at Beth Israel; Rabbi Weiss’s Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m.

THURSDAY: Sacred Grounds with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m; Med Center Chabura, 1 p.m. at UNMC; Scholars Club for fourth-sixth graders, 3:30 p.m. with Rabbi Gross.

Candlelighting Friday, January 25, 5:15 p.m.

Sandra Martin, 10 a.m.; Grade 3 Family Day, 10 a.m.; Purim Rehearsal, noon.

WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Family School, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-8, 6 p.m.; Jewish Bedtime Rituals, 6:30 p.m. with Religious School Principal Ariella Lowensohn.

THURSDAY: Articulate Architecture, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Brown.

First Friday Shabbat: Public Teacher Shabbat, Friday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m., followed by a congregational dinner at no charge.

Please RSVP for dinner to Lachisha, lsherrod@templeis raelomaha.com, or 402.556.6536. Reservations required.

Tot Shabbat, Friday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m., followed by a congregational dinner at no charge. Please RSVP for dinner to Lachisha, 402.556.6536 or lsherrod@templeisraelomaha. com. Reservations required.

Temple Israel Congregational Congregational, Sunday, Feb. 3, 10 a.m.-noon.

CHABAD CENTER An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street | Omaha, NE 68144-1646 | 402.330.1800 www.OChabad.com | email: chabad@aol.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m.

SATURDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush luncheon in honor of Rabbi Katzmans birthday and Shevi and Mushka Katzman’s birthday. Leaving Egypt in your everyday life?; Join us for Feast of Fruit a Tu B’Shvat gathering, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY: Minyan, 8:30 a.m.; Breakfast Bonanza, 9:30 a.m.

WEEKDAYS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m.

MONDAY: Special gathering, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. Please reserve by calling 402.330.1800.

WEDNESDAY: Personal Parsha class, 10 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. Call 402.417.2752 to reserve.

THURSDAY: Call for women at UNMC with Shani Katzman, noon. Contact Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@ unmc.edu to receive updates.

All programs are open to the entire community.

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 Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis.

FRIDAY: Tot Shabbat with Miss Jennifer, 6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m., with oneg following hosted by Marc Shkolnick.

SATURDAY: Tu B’Shevat Shabbat Shira Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Beshallach.

SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Confirmation class, noon; Purim Spiel Rehearsal, 1-3 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Joint Shabbat Shira Concert: A community celebration of Jewish music featuring the Star City Kochavim, 3 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

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

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway | Offutt AFB, NE 68113 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Judy Rosenfeld.

Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.

TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street | Omaha, NE 68132-2651 | 402.556.6536 www.templeisrael-ne.org FRIDAY: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Brown and Cantor Shermet; OTYG Movie Night, 6-10 p.m. Attend services and then enjoy dinner and a movie.

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.

SUNDAY: Teacher Meeting, 9:30 a.m.; Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; Social Justice Meeting, 10 a.m.; Family Treasurers with

TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard | Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 | 402.423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

FRIDAY: Tot Shabbat with Miss Jennifer, 6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Services, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush lunch.

SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Confirmation class, noon; Purim Spiel Rehearsal, 1-3 p.m. at Tifereth Israel; Shabbat Shira Musical afternoon, 3 p.m. featuring the South Street Temple’s Star City Kochavim at Tifereth Israel.

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

Jewish Federation of Lincoln Annual Meeting, Sunday, Feb. 3, 3 p.m. at Tifereth Israel with guest speaker, Liz Fine.

Jewish Home’s Bennett attacked by haredi Orthodox at Western Wall

by JTA NEWS STAFF JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Haredi Orthodox Jews reportedly pushed and verbally attacked Naftali Bennett, the head of the Jewish Home party, at the Western Wall.

The attack occurred as Bennett began praying in front of the Wall on Jan. 21, the day before Election Day. He was protected by a security detail.

Jerusalem Police reportedly detained a haredi Orthodox youth who called on Bennett to take off his Naftali Bennett kippah. The youth reportedly shouted “You want to draft our children to the army, mothers are crying at night,” and “let me study Torah.

Don’t force me to go to the army, you’re inciting sin.”

Bennett, whose party has been rising in the polls, has sent out mixed signals on military service for all Israelis, including haredim.

Hundreds of supporters had greeted Bennett upon his arrival at the wall.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the haredi Orthodox Shas Party, on Saturday night had called the Jewish Home party a “home for the gentiles.”

“It’s forbidden to vote for them,” Yosef said in his weekly sermon. “These are religious people? Anyone who votes for them denies the Torah.”

To Submit B’nai Mitzvah Announcements Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewish omaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154.

Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, by e-mailing the editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org or online at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press.’

Pulverente MONUMENT CO.

January 25, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 15

Egypt’s wealth

In memoriam DORIS IZENSTAT

Sparks from the word RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parsha Beshalach Our Sidrah recounts the actual Exodus from Egypt, the miracle at the Sea of Reeds, and Israel’s resolute plunging into the wilderness to seek a way to the Promised Land.

The Midrash (Yalkut) offers an extremely interesting interpretation of one of the verses in our Sidrah.

After the crossing of the Sea of Reeds, and after the spontaneous outburst of the people into a song of triumph and thanksgiving, we are told that Moses led the Children of Israel into the Wilderness of Shur.

But the Hebrew word “vayasa,” here translated “led,” the Midrash points out, is in an intensive, causative structure, the Hiphil. What this means is that Moses “caused the Children of Israel to journey on.” He forced them, the verb implies, even against their will.

The Midrash sees a practical appraisal of the situation by the people. They noticed that all the military power of Egypt was now dissipated, and a good deal of the gold and silver trappings of horse and chariot and rider was now theirs for the taking. Why not go back to Egypt now, take over the country and its wealth, and continue there?

But Moses forced them on. Behind you, the wealth of Egypt. In front of you, the trackless desert and an uncertain future. Which will you choose? You will do what I command you, since this is what the Lord wants of you.

One modern commentator added another thought.

Moses had to urge them on because of their sudden enchantment with the place. Here, God is to be worshiped; here is the manifestation of His power, here His glory, here His clearly indicated love for us. Here we will never forget.

But Moses recognized how short-sighted this was. God is not to be worshiped and loved because of miracles. God is to be worshiped because He is God. The rabbis considered it a fundamental principle of religion that one does not rely on miracles. Life is made of sterner stuff; Judaism requires an adult view of life and the universe. For that matter, it requires an adult view of the Bible.

Obama in second inaugural speaks of a united America

by JTA NEWS STAFF (JTA) -- President Obama in his second inaugural address spoke of U.S. involvement throughout the world and Americans working together at home.

Obama was sworn in publicly for his second term at 11:50 a.m. Monday by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Some 800,000 people reportedly thronged the area to witness the inauguration.

“America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation,” he said. “We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom.”

In his address, Obama focused on the promise of American democracy and all Americans working for the common good. He spoke of the allegiance to the Constitution and its promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time,” he said. “For history tells us that while these truths may be selfevident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth.”

The president alluded to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the day set aside in the United States to commemorate the slain human rights activist.

Obama said the U.S. “must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher.”

He called for a response to the threat of climate change, and praised the men and women who serve in the U.S. armed services. Obama also spoke of equality for women in the workplace and for gays.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), the inaugural ceremonies chairman, opened the ceremony and introduced the participants.

Obama was sworn in officially on Sunday, the inauguration day mandated by the Constitution, in a private ceremony.

Doris Izenstat passed away on Jan. 15 at age 89. Services were held on Jan. 16 at Beth El Cemetery, 84th and L Street.

She was preceded in death by her parents Leo and Mamie Gotsdiner.

She is survived by husband, Lewis and daughter, Hannah.

Memorials may be made to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

60 Years Experience With Jewish Lettering and Memorials

1439 So. 13th 402-341-2452

Frank L. Ciciulla, Jr.

B’nai Israel Speaker Series On Dec. 14, 2012, B’nai Israel Synagogue had a potluck Hanukkah Party. Congregants brought Menorahs and candles for B’nai Israel’s traditional Hanukkah candle lighting. This was part of the Speakers Series Services with Cantor Beth Schlossberg officiating. Phil Wolf presented and lead a discussion entitled, Significance of Numbers and Understanding the World with a Jewish Perspective. Providing detailed research, he a gave a chronology of world Jewish population during the times of particular political and social eras. He even gave interesting and surprising information about the changes and geography of the Jewish population in the Council Bluffs/Omaha metropolitan area.

The next Speaker Series Service wil be on Feb. 8. Bill Dreyfus, Disaster Action Team Metro West lead, will discuss Serving Others. Cantor Beth Schlossberg officiates at all of the Speaker Series Services.

Israel sees slight drop in Jewish immigration

by JTA NEWS STAFF (JTA) -- Jewish immigration to Israel fell 2 percent last year, a trend that was bucked by new arrivals from Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Overall, Jewish immigration to Israel stood at 18,691in 2012 compared to 19,135 in 2011, according to an annual analysis by the Jewish Agency for Israel of figures for aliyah, or Jewish immigration to Israel, obtained by JTA on Jan. 21.

Of the newcomers, 2,432 came from Ethiopia -- a 9 percent drop in immigration from that country compared to 2011.

Jewish immigration from North America shrunk for the second straight year, to 3,389 last year from 3,512 in 2011 -a 4 percent decrease. Immigration from the United Kingdom meanwhile rose by 23 percent, to 698 new arrivals from 560 in 2011. In total, Jewish immigration from Western Europe brought 3,243 new arrivals to Israel in 2012, an increase of 6 percent from the previous year. Immigration from the former Soviet Union remained steady with 7,755 new arrivals in 2012, a slight dip from the 7,786 a year before.

Immigration from France registered a 1 percent increase last year with 1,907 new arrivals, despite what leaders of the French Jewish community described as “an explosion of anti-Semitic incidents” occurring in France in 2012.

Richard Prasquier, president of the CRIF umbrella organization of French Jewish communities, is quoted as saying last month, “There is some Jewish emigration taking place, of which only a minority is leaving for Israel.”

Jewish immigration from Italy and the Iberian Peninsula increased in 2012 by 50 percent and 30 percent, respectively, to 160 from Italy and 93 from Spain and Portugal, but immigration from the Benelux area -- Belgium and the Netherlands -- dropped by 26 percent, to 209 new arrivals last year from 274 in 2011.

Immigration from Latin America and South Africa both registered a 16 percent drop, resulting in 925 and 173 new arrivals, respectively.

Israeli troops dismantle second Palestinian outpost

by JTA NEWS STAFF JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israeli troops dismantled a Palestinian tent city, the second erected in recent days in the Jerusalem area.

The soldiers entered the Palestinian outpost in northwest Jerusalem near Beit Iksa on Monday morning and began to take down the four tents and the structure serving as a mosque. Bulldozers removed the structures, the Palestinian Maan news agency reported.

Twenty Palestinian protesters were removed peacefully from Bab al-Karama, or Gate of Dignity, according to reports. The outpost was founded on Jan 18.

It was the second Palestinian outpost established last week, and the second to be dismantled. Israeli troops late last week dismantled a Palestinian tent city erected in the controversial E-1 corridor between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim.

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16 | The Jewish Press | January 25, 2013

Tolkien b’Shvat: Looking to the Middle-earth folk to save our planet

by EDMON J. RODMAN resembles a shtreimel.

LOS ANGELES (JTA) -- What lore does Bilbo Baggins The oddball of the film, Radagast, is like our sincerely have to share with us about Tu b’Shvat? nutty environmentalist aunt, uncle or cousin who has beratWhile viewing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and hearing the Middle-earth characters talking about threats to the forests, more than a seed or two of connection between the increasingly popular Jewish holiday dedicated to trees and the fruit of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work popped out to me.

With my 3-D glasses, I watched as Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf and Elrond -- the representatives of Tolkien’s Middle-earth races -mostly lived hand-in-hand with the natural world.

Concerning Jewish atti- In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a film with characters that bring to mind the themes of tudes toward trees and Tu b’Shvat, Bilbo Baggins discovers there is trouble brewing in the forests of Middle-earth.

Credit: Warner Bros. environmentalism, I wondered which group we should strive to emulate. ed us for not washing and reusing our plastic utensils. Like Would it be the hobbits, the dwarves, the elves, the wiz- that green relative, he’s the one who can make us squirm by ards? Or do we secretly identify with the goblin-like orcs, painting a picture of impending environmental disaster. who tear through the environment wherever they go?

On today’s earth, sensing the coming of our own environUpon leaving the theater, I mulled which Middle-earth mental Mirk, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish group would be best to have over for a seder on Tu b’Shvat, Life has pledged “To carry to our homes, communities, conwhich begins this year on the evening of Jan. 25 and ends the gregations and workplaces the urgent message that air, land, next night. Not that I was planning a role-playing party -- water and living creatures are endangered.” that could wait till Purim -- but who would best get into the Though COEJL doesn’t seem to be working with swords seder’s singing and drinking and connections to nature? or shields, or even wizards, perhaps the part of us that idenWho loves to feast and toast more than the dwarves? The tifies with The Hobbit’s coalition of nature-loving Middleseder’s four cups of wine -- meant to show the progression earth inhabitants can see the adventure and mitzvah of savof the season through different colored wines -- certainly ing our earth as well. would be much to their pleasure. And with their singing and Edmon J. Rodman is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish dancing in the film, one could almost hear the dwarves har- life from Los Angeles. Contact him at edmojace@gmail.com. monizing and stomping to a rendition of Uvshatem mayim, a song we sang last year at our seder.

The dwarves, miners of the earth, no doubt would identify with the song’s lyric: “Draw water joyously from the wells of salvation.”

Exiled from their mountain home, Tolkien himself likened the dwarves to Jews. According to a transcription of a 1971 BBC interview with the English author found on Tolkienlibrary.com, “The dwarves of course are quite obviously, couldn’t you say that in many ways they remind you of the Jews? Their words are Semitic, obviously, constructed to be Semitic,” he said.

Besides, Tolkien’s dwarves are stubborn and bound to tradition. They even have beards like the rabbis of yore.

The dwarves might be fine for a festive seder of wine and song, but which group seemed the best protectors of the forest?

As shown in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Lothlorien is the forest refuge that protects the sylvan elves and allows them to flourish. Known as “tree folk,” the elves are most protective of huge, golden mallorn trees, and are willing to fight for them.

Seeing that a portion of the Tu b’Shvat seder representing “Briyah,” or “Creation,” calls for one to commune with nature, the elves with their woodsy “ruach,” or spirit, seem Middle-earth’s group most suited to answer the call.

Yet the hobbits appear to be the best overall model for living in harmony with the earth. Gardeners and farmers, with the earth between their toes, and their homes built into hillsides, Bilbo and the rest of the inhabitants of the Shire seem the most at home in nature. A giant Party Tree is even at the center of many hobbit community events.

Who but a hobbit chowing down on four meals a day could be more appreciative of the fruits of the earth represented by Tu b’Shvat?

Hobbits even seem closest to the seder’s concept of “Assiyah,” of “doing.” Consider that from a Jewish point of view, Bilbo Baggins, who is at the center of the film, is tasked with repairing the world and keeping it whole.

What do the wizards have to tell us about Tu b’Shvat?

On our earth, the Torah places man as the steward of nature. On Middle-earth that role falls to Gandalf and the wizards in his order. Watching over the land, they are the “Fixers,” the gray geschreiers and exhorters to action.

The wizard, Radagast the Brown, is the film’s best poster boy for Tu b’Shvat, which is derived from the Torah and Applicants must be from the Mishnah, and marks the Jewish New Year for trees, Rosh Omaha metropolitan area.

Hashanah La’Yanot. Drawn by a sled of speedster rabbits and outfitted with a bird’s nest in his hat, he is the first to Application deadline: report that evil is falling upon the forest, changing it from March 1, 2013 Greenwood to Mirkwood. His furry-looking hat even

Coming soon: Auditions for Seussical Jr.

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Auditions for the JCC Musical Theater Community Acting Group’s next project, Seussical Jr., will be held Sunday, Jan. 27 at the Jewish Community Center.

In January, the JCC Musical Theater Community Acting Group performed Guys and Dolls for an enthusiastic public. Next: Seussical Jr. Adults (over 18) should come between 3 and 4 p.m.; auditions for children 18 and under are from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. No need to come prepared with anything, all audition materials will be provided at the audition.The cost for JCC members is $130; for non-members it's $165.

Rehearsals will start Sunday, Feb. 10; rehearsal time is 3-5 p.m. through May 5. From May 12 through May 26, rehearsal time will be 2-5 p.m; performances are scheduled for May 30th and June 2nd.

The JCC Musical Theater Community Acting Group is made possible by the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund and a grant from the NE Arts Council. For more information, please send an email to ekatz@jccomaha.org.

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