February 6, 2009

Vol. LXXXVIII No. 23 Omaha, NE

Celebrating 88 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa

12 Shevat, 5769

February 6, 2009

Mideast expert fights the public relations battle for Israel

Meant to be: A Bar Mitzvah in Israel

by TAMAR HALEVY JCC Community Shlicha It has been less than three weeks since the ending of Israel’s self-defense campaign in Gaza, Operation Cast Lead, and criticism of Israel increases. More and more countries are condemning Israel and Israeli leaders are avoiding travels to Europe, fearing that they might be arrested by the International Court for War Crimes.

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN It was that he got out Temple Israel and Joseph told him Communications the meaning. The man Coordinator was soon freed. The One of the highlights other man with Joseph of the Temple Israel also had a dream. family trip to Israel this Joseph told him that past December was he would die; soon attending a Bar enough, he was exeMitzvah in a 1,600cuted. year-old synagogue in “I believe there are no the town of Kanaf in coincidences, and that the Golan Heights. it wasn’t a coincidence There, inside the only that the two men in jail with Joseph both hapbuilding that was still pened to have dreams standing, its thickabout their upcoming stone walls allowing in future,” Noah said. “I only the light from a do not think that it was few high windows, the a coincidence that group of 44 people on the trip sat down on while we were planwhat appeared to be During his Bar Mitzvah celebration in Israel, Noah Grossman is held ning an Omaha Bar aloft by participants of Temple Israel’s winter family trip. fallen slabs of rock.

Mitzvah, we happened Although it looked strange with the Arabic, Hebrew, to hear about the family trip to Israel. It also can’t be a and English graffiti on the wall, it wasn’t a stranger coincidence that we were in such a sacred place and that becoming a Bar Mitzvah. It was Noah Grossman, son of a thousand years ago, other boys had their Bar Mitzvahs Barry and Stephanie Grossman, members of Temple there.”

Israel.

Noah and his mother, Stephanie, agreed that they Noah’s Torah portion that Thursday, Dec. 25, in wouldn’t have had the Bar Mitzvah in Israel without Israel, was from Genesis and described how Joseph was Temple clergy and without following the Temple format. able to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. After being sold into They are grateful to Alex Fleischer, their Israeli guide, for slavery by his brothers, Noah explained, “One of the locating a synagogue and Torah for the service. men Joseph was imprisoned with in Egypt had a dream. Continued on page 12

Neil Lazarus While Israeli society is still recovering from the last war, Israel’s political leaders are already “fighting their own battle” on the upcoming elections. The parties’ campaigns are already running in full engine, trying to convince the voter who will end this conflict better.

One of the main factors affecting Israel today is the media, affecting and shaping world wide public opinion and Israel’s support. The multi-technological era offers almost unlimited access to information of all kinds, but unfortunately it also provides a lot of disinformation, which immediately affects pubic opinion.

Neil Lazarus is an expert on the Middle East and one of the top advocators for Israel. He is constantly “fighting” the public relations battle by lecturing and training a new generation of young advocators, providing the correct information and spreading the word.

On Tuesday Feb. 10, when Israelis will be holding their collective breath to hear the election results and welcome a new Prime Minister, the Jewish Community Center will be hosting a special night of Israel advocacy.

To add to the excitement, a group of 13 Israeli teens from the Western Galilee -- Omaha’s partnership area in Israel, will be joining in this critical and interesting night for Israel, sharing their personal perspective on the burning issues, and helping Omahans understand the Israeli complexity.

Teens can come early to the “Israeli Night with Neil Lazarus” for a free pizza dinner at 5 p.m., followed by a special program at 5:30 p.m., a separate adult program begins at 7:30 p.m., all at the JCC. “His presentations are substantive, educational and hugely entertaining. He successfully communicates an impressive body of knowledge on Israel and the Middle East. There is no one in the field of Israel advocacy that is currently having a greater impact than Neil Lazarus,” says Orli Gil, Consul General of Israel to the Mid-West.

Born in Britain, Lazarus received his first degree in Political Science at the University of Wales. He immigrated to Israel in 1988 and soon after received a Masters at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

As one of Israel’s leading key note speakers, he has a unique approach to the difficult subject he’s dealing with -- his presentations are fun, informative and entertaining for teens and adults alike.

“He inspires Jewish students to become more engaged not only in advocating for Israel but learning Continued on page 2

Inside Opinion Page see page 16

Israeli election campaign heats up

by MARCY OSTER JERUSALEM (JTA) -- In an election season compressed into just three weeks due to the military operation in Gaza, during which campaigning ground to a virtual halt, Israel's political parties have begun to roll out their campaigns ahead of the national elections Feb. 10.

The first round of publicly sponsored and legally restricted TV advertisements Tzipi Livni aired during a special hour of political broadcasts last week. Each party was allotted a specific amount of time based on the number of seats it holds in the current Knesset. Due to flagging interest in this year’s campaign, Israeli TV channels have declined to air subsequent broadcasts of the ads during prime time.

Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud is the front-runner, with a widening lead over Kadima, the party now in power.

Kadima has been struggling to raise the profile of party leader Tzipi Livni, Israel’s foreign minister. Of the heads of the three largest parties, Livni emerged from the Gaza operation with the fewest gains. Labor leader Ehud Barak received an initial boost from the campaign because as defense minister, he was the architect of Operation Cast Lead.

In the days of criticism that followed the fighting’s end, Netanyahu and another right-wing leader, Yisrael Beiteinu’s Avigdor Leiberman, saw their poll numbers rise as critics asked why Israel didn’t finish the job in

Benjamin Netanyahu

Ehud Barak Credit: ISRANET

Gaza by crippling Hamas.

Livni, however, has benefited neither from the war nor its aftermath. Cast by critics as largely irrelevant to the war, Livni was not helped by her appearance in the United States to sign a cooperation agreement on security at the very moment that Israel announced the Gaza cease-fire.

With Likud having the most to lose in the next week of campaigning, Netanyahu is playing it safe and warning supporters not to presume victory.

“We still have two weeks,” the former prime minister said at a rally last week. “Even though things look promising, they are not guaranteed.”

If he wins, Netanyahu is expected to reach the 61-seat majority in the Knesset needed to become prime mininster by building a coalition withLabor and smaller parties. On Jan. 26, Likud announced an alliance with the small religious Zionist party Achi, which is headed by Continued on page 2

This Week: Simchas & Celebrations starts on Page 11 Coming This Month: Local Camp and Summer Programs: Feb. 27 See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’

Mitchell’s questions may matter more than past answers: Page 4

Winter reading -a review of three new books: Page 8

Former Omahan gives invocation at the U.S. Senate: Page 19

Page 2

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

February 6, 2009

Israeli election campaign

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Continued from page 1 last week, with radio election broadcasts that allude to Knesset member Effie Eitam, who left the National former Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is viewed Religious Party when it refused to bolt Ariel Sharon's favorably by Russian immigrants as a tough leader. Barak coalition over the Gaza withdrawal. garnered 58 percent of the Russian vote when he won Netanyahu has said he favors pursuing achievable the 1999 election. incremental agreements with the Palestinians rather than Perhaps the biggest winner to emerge from the Gaza chasing what he sees as an elusive final-status deal for a war is Lieberman, whose right-wing party has been gaintwo-state solution. He has said he wants to focus on bol- ing steadily in the polls. stering the “moderate parts of the Palestinian economy” Lieberman, who immigrated to Israel from Moldova in to foster the conditions for political agreement.

1978 and lives in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, On Jan. 25, Netanyahu was quoted as telling Tony has advocated swapping Arab-populated areas of Israel Blair, the Middle East envoy of the Quartet grouping of for West Bank areas populated by Jews. He was most Mideast peace sponsors -- the United States, European recently embroiled in a verbal tussle with Arab lawmakers Union, United Nations and Russia -- that while he over claims that they should not be allowed to run in the would not build new settlements in the West Bank, he elections since they are not loyal to the Jewish state. would allow the natural-growth expansion of existing In what Lieberman derided as an annual election traones. dition, police on Jan. 25 A former finance minisarrested seven of his associter, Netanyahu is also ates, including his daughter, casting himself as Israel’s as part of an investigation economic savior, the man into allegations of money to steer Israel through the laundering and fraud. The choppy waters of the investigation has been ongoglobal financial crisis. ing for three years but has On Jan. 27, the produced no indictments.

Sephardic religious party The left-wing Meretz Party, Shas endorsed Netanyahu which has steadily lost for prime minister, albeit ground since its high of 12 with caution.

Knesset seats in 1992, said it “A strong Shas will will attack Lieberman during ensure Netanyahu doesn’t the current campaign, repeat his mistakes,” Shas The Gil Pensioners Party candidate Rafi Eitan, right, and his lat- according to an internal est recruit, journalist and TV personality Gideon Reicher, who memo sent to Meretz leadleader Eli Yishai said.

Credit: ISRANET ers, Ynet reported Jan. 26.

After winning the will run as number two in the party list.

Kadima primary last September, Livni refused to strike a The memo urges the leaders to cast the party as fascistic, coalition deal with Shas, insisting she would not be comparing Lieberman to far-rightist leaders such as forced into paying off the party with budget concessions. Austria’s late Joerg Haider.

Supporters hailed her for refusing to give in to blackmail; The Jewish-Arab Hadash Party also is positioning itself critics assailed her for not having the gumption to as the anti-Lieberman, with a campaign slogan that reads engage in the political horse trading necessary to form a “Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies. Hadash -- the governing coalition in Israel. opposite of Lieberman.” The party, which currently As for Labor, Barak’s wartime boost has sagged as holds three seats in the Knesset, is trying with an Israel’s gains from the war have begun to look more Internet-based campaign to attract young, Jewish voters dubious. Hamas’ leadership appears to have emerged disaffected from other left-wing parties. from the war mostly intact, even though the group’s Perhaps the most unusual alliance in this year’s elecinfrastructure in Gaza was destroyed by the Israel tion is between the Green Leaf Party, which has no seats Defense Forces. in the Knesset, and the Pensioners’ Party, which has six.

And on Jan. 27, an Israeli soldier was killed by a roadRenamed the Holocaust Survivors’ and Grown-Up side bomb along the Gaza-Israel border, prompting Green Leaf Party, the party’s prime issues are legalizing Israel to resume airstrikes in the strip. marijuana and pensioners’ rights, especially those of In a bid to shore up support ahead of the election, Holocaust survivors. One of the party’s TV ads shows Labor is targeting the Russian immigrant community. party head Gil Kopatch smoking a joint at the grave of The party launched its campaign for Russian speakers Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion.

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Why fight it?

Mideast expert fights public relations battle

Celebrate Tu B’Shevat at Beth Israel

Continued from page 1 about their Jewish identity through Israel,” says Alan Potash, Director of the Plains States’ Anti-Defamation League/Community Relations Committee.

He is a favored speaker for Jewish federations, community leadership, as well as student leadership groups. He is a welcomed guest at many Christian friends of Israel organizations. Lazarus has helped train a new generation of Israeli diplomats, as well as Israel’s army and air force spokespeople.

His client list is extensive and includes the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli Defense Force, the Israeli Air Force, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, Jewish federations, Keshet Television, the World Bank, Harvard University Extension Courses in Israel, Yad Vashem, Hillel, Hadassah, Birthright and the Jewish Agency of Israel, as well as UNESCO, the Herzelia Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), and many more. He also acted as the Israel advocacy policy advisor for Israel’s leading reality television program, “The Ambassador.”

“Neil Lazarus is not just another guest speaker, he is someone that will make you laugh, while at the same time teach you things about Israel you never knew,” said Justin Spooner, 18, who heard him on his BBYO trip to Israel, and was deeply impressed.

These programs are sponsored by the ADL/CRC, The JCC, Temple Israel, B’nai B’rith Monsky Lodge, the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Endowment Fund, the Center for Jewish Education and the Special Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.

by MARY BORT for Beth Israel Synagogue The community is invited to celebrate Tu B’Shevat at Beth Israel during the monthly Sunday night dinner on Feb. 8, 6 p.m. with a Tu B’Shevat Seder with Bracha Bee. The monthly dinners, chaired by Joey Shyken, focus on a different theme each month. “Since the dinner coincides with Tu B’Shevat, we decided to have an Israeli-themed dinner menu along with our Seder,” explained Beth Cohen, Beth Israel’s executive director.

“We’ll have falafel, Israeli salad, baba ghanoush and many other Israeli delicacies.” Dinner will follow the 6 p.m. seder.

Cost is $8 for adults, $4 for children ages four to 12 and free for children ages three and under.

Sponsorships for the Sunday night dinners are available.

Sponsors will be recognized at the dinner and in the synagogue bulletin the month following the dinner. Please contact the synagogue office for details.

The annual Bracha Bee will also be held on Feb. 8.

This contest will give children the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of brachas by answering which bracha is recited over different foods. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.

Children are also invited to join Miss Andreea for a special Tu B’Shevat kids’ crafts project at 5 p.m. There is no charge, but please make a reservation so that there will be enough supplies for each child.

To RSVP, please call the office at 556.6288.

February 6, 2009

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 3

Three mothers of three faiths bringing their message to Temple Israel

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Three mothers in New York -- a Christian, a Jew, and a Muslim -- decided to meet to try to make sense of the world in the aftermath of the horror of September 11 and to write a book for their children emphasizing connections among their faiths.

Ranya Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, was barraged with questions about Islam, God, and death from her own children. She began meeting with Suzanne Oliver, who converted to the Episcopal Church after growing up Catholic, and with Priscilla Warner, a Jew who attended a Hebrew Day School and was then enrolled in a Quaker school.

On Thursday, Feb. 19, they will bring their story and their book, The Faith Club, of how their concerns, stereotypes, and misunderstandings initially pulled them apart, nearly halting their original intent, until they grew close enough to discover and explore what united them. The three authors will speak at 10 a.m. at Temple Israel. This event, open to the public and free of charge, is made possible in part through the generosity of Betti and Richard Robinson.

“My daughter came home from school and asked me a simple question:” explained Idliby, ‘Do we celebrate Hanukkah or Christmas?’

Her friends at school wanted to know. I wasn’t sure how to respond,” she admitted. “I worried that the reality of 9/11 had made it unworkable for my children to be Muslims and American.”

She told her child that “Muslims believe Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which means peaceful surrender to the will of God, are three forms of one religion which was the religion of the prophet Abraham.”

“Muslims believe in the Gospels and the Torah?” wondered Oliver, the Christian mother. “Our religions

were closer than I had ever thought. It was thrilling!

Thrilling and simultaneously unnerving, because the Muslim view of events was not always the same as the Christian one.

“I walked into our first meeting,” recalled Oliver, “ready to share stories of religious inspiration. I was comfortable in my own religion having made a difficult decision to leave the Catholic Church of my parents for the relative liberalism of the Episcopal Church. After 12 years in Catholic schools, I was finally going to get an

Ranya Idliby, left, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner, three women of three faiths, started a faith club by confronting their differences on the way to gaining understanding and respect for each other. interfaith education. That education, however, proved not to be as neatly packaged as I had anticipated.”

Warner, the Jewish third of the trio, had her own misgivings. “As I drove into New York,” she said, “I worried about where the next terrorist attack would occur.

Had I become a cowering suburban wife and mother?

Did my fears define me? Truth be told, I was lost spiritually. I wasn’t sure if I believed in God anymore.

“Yet here I was sucking it up and driving into the city to meet my new acquaintances, Suzanne and Ranya, to talk about God.” As they continued their spiritual journey of provocative discussion and often controversial opinions and conclusions, the three women wrestled with issues such as anti-Semitism, prejudice against Muslims, and preconceptions of Christians. As they revealed their deepest thoughts, their relationship began to blossom into

an enriching friendship based on faith and open mindedness.

Growing up in two cultures, Dubai and the United States, Idliby likes to believe that as a Palestinian Muslim, she embraces Jesus as a Palestinian Jew who walked on water by her ancestral home, Tiberias, near the Sea of Galilee. A graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, she continued her education at the London School of Economics to study for her post-graduate degree. She shelved her PhD thesis on Iraq after getting married and embracing motherhood.

Always hoping to be the author of a book, Oliver, who grew up in the suburban Midwest, never imagined writing about religion. A graduate of Texas Christian University with a degree in English literature, she moved to New York City and began a career in financial journalism. She became a senior editor at Forbes magazine and wrote about mutual funds, after-tax returns and asset allocation. Concepts like atonement, salvation, jihad, Zionism, and religious equality weren’t part of her everyday conversation until she met Idliby at their daughters’ school bus stop.

After studying Torah, Jewish history, and Hebrew, Warner’s parents registered her at a Quaker school where she sang hymns and songs to baby Jesus at Christmas time. She also spent hours fishing with her father in the waters off Rhode Island when she had time to wonder about the questions she later would ponder with Idliby and Oliver. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Warner became an advertising art director. After she fell in love in Boston, she and her husband moved to New York City where she began writing and illustrating children’s books.

After the authors speak, they’ll answer questions and sign copies of their books. Reservations should be made by calling Temple at 556.6536. Space is limited.

PLACE YOUR PASSOVER GREETING AD NOW To send good wishes to your friends in the April 3 Passover issue, contact Advertising Manager Allan Handleman at 402.334.6451 or ahandleman@jewishomaha.org. Personal ads come in three sizes, priced from $36 to $72. Don’t wait! Deadline is March 16.

Page 4

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

February 6, 2009

Mitchell’s questions may matter more than his past answers

by RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA) -- There’s been a rush of speculation about the answers George Mitchell, President Obama’s newly named special envoy, may bring to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.

It’s natural to wonder: Mitchell, 75, a former governor and U.S. senator from Maine who became majority leader, has a long career paved with high-profile problem-solving bids -- some successful, others not. He helped broker the successful accords in Northern Ireland; his 2001 report on Israel and the Palestinians, while accepted as a basis for further negotiations by both sides, instead disappeared into the welter of other proposals.

At this stage, however, more than the answers Mitchell arrived at in the past, it is the questions he asks during his tour of the region this week that may provide a better idea of where the new U.S. administration is heading.

Mitchell’s itinerary, as well as Obama’s comments to an Arab TV network, suggest that the new president is testing the waters of advancing a comprehensive Israeli-Arab peace as opposed to the discrete Israeli-Palestinian agreement that characterized his predecessors.

Obama made it clear that Mitchell’s past was less important than his new status as his proxy when he met Monday -hours before Mitchell left for the region -- with the new envoy and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

“Now, understand that Senator Mitchell is going to be fully empowered by me and fully empowered by Secretary Clinton,” Obama said. “So when he speaks, he will be speaking for us. And I’m hopeful that during this initial trip, one of the earliest initiatives that we have taken diplomatically, that not only is he able to communicate effectively how urgent we consider the issue, but that we’re also going to be able to listen and to learn and to find out what various players in the region are thinking.”

Mitchell, in other words, will be taking his cues from his bosses -- and right now, that means he’s on a “listening tour” of the kind made famous during Clinton’s own first 2000 run for the New York Senate.

Obama emphasized that approach in his

first TV interview as president, with the “His success as special envoy to Al Arabiya network.

Northern Ireland, resulting in the signing “What I told him is start by listening of the Good Friday Agreement, gives us because all too often the United States great hope that he will be able to facilitate starts by dictating -- in the past on some a peaceful resolution for Israel and the of these issues -- and we don’t always Palestinians,” the Religious Action know all the factors that are involved,” Center said. the U.S. leader said. “So let’s listen. He’s In that case, however, decades of British going to be speaking to all the major par- political and financial investment in the ties involved. And he will then report province and the resultant Catholic back to me. From domestic presthere we will forsures on the Irish mulate a specific Republican Army response.” created a dot-theHawks and i’s and cross-the doves in the prot’s opportunity Israel community for the Clinton have read into the administration.

Mitchell selection Several lobbyists the wishes and associated with fears that have centrist pro-Israel characterized groups were santheir approaches guine about the in the U.S. Jewish pick, saying that community.

Mitchell’s past did The Zionist not raise conOrganization of cerns.

America and “He’s a senior Abraham Foxguy who had man, the Antiproven success on D e f a m a t i o n United States peace envoy George Mitchell, left, Northern IreLeague’s national arrived in Israel last week for a series of meetings, land,” one prodirector, have starting with President Shimon Peres, to discuss Israel lobbyist fretted about peace moves between the Palestinians and Israel. said. “He demonMitchell’s “even- He also was to meet with Prime Minister Ehud strated fairness handedness” in Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and opposition and some creativithe 2001 report, leader Binyamin Netanyahu before going to see the ty in the Mitchell which faulted the Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Report” on the Credit: ISRANET second intifada Palestinian Authority for hardly attempting to rein in ter- issued in 2001. “He showed pretty serirorists and Israel for not freezing settle- ous concern for Israeli security requirements. ments and made that a big part of his In his report, the ZOA said, Mitchell plan. He’s not pro-Israel, but he’s not “promotes the false anti-Israel belief that hostile either.”

Jews living in communities in Judea and The key to understanding the Mitchell Samaria [West Bank] is the biggest obsta- pick, the lobbyist said, was in seeing him cle to peace -- not Arab terrorism or Arab as a good soldier for Obama. incitement.”

So far, Obama’s agenda has been less On the other side, dovish groups than clear. Except for committing to a emphasized Mitchell’s credentials in bro- more intensive involvement in the region, kering Northern Ireland peace. The state- Obama and his aides have made clear that ment from the Reform movement’s they are not ready to break new ground Religious Action Center, like those of J in the region. His U.N. ambassador, Street, Americans for Peace Now and the Susan Rice, might have been echoing Israel Policy Forum, cited his work in that Condoleezza Rice, Bush’s secretary of endeavor. state, when she was asked after her Senate

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confirmation about immediate plans.

“We will work diplomatically and through other means to try to support efforts to ensure that the cease-fire is lasting,” she said about the relative calm in Gaza this week, “and in that context for border crossings to open and be available for humanitarian as well as day-to-day economic development imperatives.”

That echoed the Bush administration approach: end the rocket attacks, get the aid flowing and leave talk about comprehensive peace for later.

What changes may yet come were suggested in Mitchell’s itinerary: In addition to Israel and the West Bank, he also planned visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. Those nations, especially Saudi Arabia, hope Obama will pay close attention to the comprehensive 2002 Arab League proposal that posits a comprehensive Israeli-Arab peace in exchange for Israel’s return to the 1967 borders, with minor adjustments. Not on Mitchell’s agenda, however, is any meeting with Hamas or its main regional proxy, Syria.

In his al-Arabiya interview, Obama emphasized slotting Israeli-Palestinian peace into his outreach to Arabs and Muslims. He suggested the 2002 Arab League proposal would be one way in.

“I might not agree with every aspect of the proposal, but it took great courage to put forward something that is as significant as that,” he said. “I think that there are ideas across the region of how we might pursue peace.

“I do think that it is impossible for us to think only in terms of the PalestinianIsraeli conflict and not think in terms of what’s happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon or Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Obama said the tensions were “interrelated.”

“If we are looking at the region as a whole and communicating a message to the Arab world and the Muslim world -that we are ready to initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest -- then I think that we can make significant progress,” the president said.

Obama declined to offer a timeline for a Palestinian state, and he stressed that Israel is and would remain a “strong ally” of the United States.

February 6, 2009

Omaha to join worldwide release of “You Be The Judge II”

by SHANI KATZMAN for Chabad of Nebraska After a 2,000 year wait, a sequel to critically acclaimed series brings wisdom of the Talmud to the general public.

Other peoples have told their stories through music or monuments, or have expressed themselves in poetry and philosophy. But for more than 1,000 years, the most important cultural activity of the Jewish people has been the study of the Talmud, elevated to an art form, the pinnacle of their intellectual achievement.

“Perhaps you have been curious about the Talmud, but thought it was complex and inaccessible to anyone but scholars of the law,” says Rabbi Katzman of Chabad House. “Perhaps you thought you needed to understand Aramaic or Hebrew to take part in the discussion. Not any more. Participants need no prior knowledge of the Talmud and no formal legal training. There are no prerequisites other than an open mind.”

In response to the incredibly successful turnout in 2006 for “You Be The Judge,” an interactive course allowing students to explore the Talmud’s thinking about Civil Law, the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute has launched “You Be the Judge II.” This course includes six brand new case studies that allow participants to pit their wits against some of the best minds in history. “You Be the Judge II” presents students with real cases brought before beit din, the court system of Jewish law, and compares Talmudic analysis with the contemporary approach taken in United States courts.

Topics include business ethics, property rights, and employment practices, and each lesson provides an opportunity to question, discuss, and argue, based on principle and precedent. The course allows attendees to challenge conventional notions of right and wrong, and experience firsthand the exhilarating mental exploration

that characterizes traditional Talmud study.

Says local JLI coordinator Shevi Katzman, “If your mother always said you should have been a lawyer, if you have a reputation for thinking differently and creatively, if the only thing you like more than a clever line is an even wittier comeback -- this course is for you.”

This new course will be offered at Chabad House for six Mondays starting Feb. 9. “The course costs $79 prepaid,” says Carol Hutchison. “But we are so sure that you will enjoy it that we invite you to attend the first lesson free, with no obligation.”

What will you gain by taking this course? A chance to discover why the Talmud has been so cherished by our people. A chance to observe the most brilliant minds of our history in heated debate, to experience the traditional Jewish training ground for mental acuity, and to add your voice to the voices that span the millennia. You Be the Judge II is a CLE accredited course.

Everyone in the community is invited to join the class.

For further information, please contact Hutchison, 402.

330.1800 or RSVP@OChabad.com. The fee includes textbooks and is $85 at the door. JLI is offering a 10% discount for couples registering together. Register online at www.MyJLI.com.

The Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) is the adult education arm of Chabad-Lubavitch. JLI’s classes and programs are offered at over 300 locations in more than 250 cities nationwide and internationally (including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela). JLI classes have been attended by over 100,000 people since its creation in 1998.

Every course offered by JLI is synchronized so that lessons are offered concurrently in all locations. This unique feature has helped to create a true global learning community.

Family Shabbat at Temple Israel to honor service to America

by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Family Shabbat worship services at Temple Israel on Friday, Feb. 13, 6 p.m. will honor three adults involved in Boy Scouts and a Tiger Cub as well as pay tribute to military members of the community. Temple’s Children’s Choir will raise their voices in song as the congregation celebrates those who serve our country.

In conjunction with the national Scouting Shabbat, Charlie Sullivan and Bennett Ginsberg, members of Temple Israel and of the Boy Scouts Mid-America Council Board of Directors as well as Belinda Johnson, who works at the Mid-America Council office, will be honored with the Shofar Award during services. The National Jewish Committee on Scouting established the Shofar Award to recognize outstanding service by adults in the promotion of Scouting among Jewish youth.

Adam Cooper-Kahn, nine, will receive his Maccabee emblem. Taking its name from Judah Maccabee and his brothers who led the military and religious struggle resulting in the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in 168 B.C.E., the award recognizes young Scouts who have demonstrated religious growth.

Air Force Captain Jonathan Beha, who returned from the most recent of his five Middle East assignments in October, will share some of his deployment experiences with the congregation. He promises to keep it child friendly. Capt. Beha and his wife Lynn are members of Temple Israel.

Following the service, the Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) will host a service project preparing boxes to send to soldiers on active duty. After services, WRJ invites everyone to help pack boxes with everything from beef jerky to speedstick deodorant. The boxes will be mailed to 40 or 50 Jewish members of the armed forces who are serving overseas.

For those interested in sponsoring a box, the cost is $36 per box. Donations to be included in the boxes such as athletic socks, small light-weight blankets, towels, dried fruit, hand sanitizer, travel size toothpaste, and small containers of shampoo (PERT) can be dropped off before Feb.13 at the Temple office or brought to services that night. Congregants and visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to write notes, make cards, or draw pictures to be included in the boxes.

ORGANIZATIONS

WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going to Bunch to Lunch on Wednesday at the Lone Star Steakhouse, please meet at the JCC by 10:45 a.m. The Billie James concert will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the JCC. For information, call Maggie Conti at 334.6521.

LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Yiddish brings us closer to our roots! Come join us every Thursday, 1-3 p.m., at the JCC. For information, call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638.

VISIONS Reminder: Join your fellow Visionaries for a fun day on Thursday, Feb. 12. Lunch and a Movie at 11:15 at Hooters (12405 West Center Road) with a movie at Westwood Cinema 8 (on your own and your choice of movie). The cost of $13.50 includes lunch, beverage, tax and gratuity. Send reservations to Phyllis Roffman, 4118 No. 139 St., Omaha, NE 68164. Call for information to Rosalie Greenspan at 391.1954 or Phyllis at 333.1222.

Make check payable to Visions.

JEWISH SENIOR SERVICES Billie James -- The “Awesome Aussie” will perform on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 1:30 p.m. at the JCC. There is no admission charge.

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Tom Warren, the former police chief in his new role as Executive Director of the Urban League, will discuss his goals for North Omaha and more at Breadbreakers on Wednesday, Feb. 11, noon, at Regency Lodge. An optional buffet lunch costs $13; beverage service only is $3. All men and women in the community are invited to attend.

NJHS, B’NAI B’RITH AND BBYO The Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, Henry Monsky Lodge #3306 B’nai B’rith and the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization are in the process of planning a celebration in honor of the 85th anniversary of AZA. If you have AZA memorabilia that can be used or photographs that can be copied for an exhibit, please contact the NJHS office at 334.6442.

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 5

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

February 6, 2009

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The Jewish Press 333 South 132nd Street, Omaha,NE 68154 or see bottom of page 16 for email address and Fax number

IN THE NEWS The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) will host its 12th Annual Art & Soup event to benefit the Shelter Nursing Program on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2- 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Omaha Convention Center, located at 72nd and Grover. Tickets are $45 in advance, online at www.theVNAcares.org or by calling 402.930.4021, or $50 at the door.

This year, Art & Soup will feature original artwork from 60 area artists and soups created for this event by 25 of Omaha’s and Council Bluffs’ finest restaurants.

The artists themselves donate a minimum of 50% of the proceeds to the VNA. Attendees can sample the different soups and vote for their favorite, in addition to viewing and purchasing original art from area artists.

Artwork will include paintings, sculptures, jewelry and artist demonstrations. Guests will also enjoy desserts and coffee and hear some great live jazz.

Omaha attorney Jon Blumenthal officially filed with the Douglas County Election Commission office to seek the District 5 seat on the Omaha City Council.

Incumbent Dan Welch has announced that he is not seeking reelection.

Blumenthal, a Republican, was raised in West Omaha and is a graduate of Millard North High School. He currently lives a few blocks from his childhood home. “My campaign has a lot of momentum, and I have been honored by the tremendous support I have received from numerous community and business leaders. I look forward to continuing to take my message of moving Omaha forward to the citizens of my district,� Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal’s campaign raised approximately $43,000 as of Dec. 31.

Blumenthal is a real estate attorney with Baird Holm LLP, serving as the Firm’s hiring partner from 20032007. He has been active with numerous Omaha charities and was named one of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans by the Omaha Jaycees in 2004, and one of the Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2004.

Blumenthal currently serves on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of Omaha and the Curriculum Committee for the Omaha Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Omaha program.

Blumenthal has cited developing a plan to combat violent crime, controlling city spending and continuing Omaha’s growth and development as his top priorities since announcing his intention to run for the seat last year. Blumenthal, 37, and his wife Amy, have two children who attend elementary school in the Millard Public School district. “Carnival of Love� is the theme of the 2009 Heartland Family Service Friends annual gala. The carnival theme was so well received last year that the Friends guild decided to build and expand on the fun.

The Feb. 21, 6 p.m., fundraiser will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center in La Vista.

Tickets are $125 per person ($85 tax-deductible) or $1,500 per sponsored table, with sponsor recognition.

Programs that will receive financial support from gala proceeds include the children’s emergency shelter for abused children, the concealed Safe Haven emergency and transitional facility for abused women and children, Family Works residential treatment facility for women with infants, the Solomon Girls Center and the Senior Center.

For more information about the Carnival, Heartland Family Service or to become a member of the Friends

guild, call Caryn Ficco at 552.7424.

Marc Breslaw, Executive Director of the United States Agency for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (USA for UNHCR), will be visiting Omaha on Feb. 14-15, to speak about the work of UNHCR and promote the seventh annual Hike to Help Refugees.

Breslaw will be speaking at the Western Historic Trails Center at 3434 Richard Downing Avenue in Council Bluffs on Feb. 14, 2 p.m., and at the First Unitarian Church in Omaha on Sunday Feb. 15, 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. at 3114 Harney.

Hike to Help Refugees is a non profit 501(c)(3) organization which has become the largest grass roots fund raiser for USA for UNHCR. The seventh annual Hike will run May 23-30, 2009. Hikers will gather at Miller’s Landing in Omaha on Saturday, May 23, for a 10 a.m. start. The route will take hikers across the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and along the Iowa Riverfront Trail to the Western Historic Trails Center. After a short ceremony at the Center, day hikers will retrace their steps to Miller’s Landing while weekend or week long hikers will continue on the Wabash Trace Nature Trail.

The Hike will end at Blanchard, Iowa on the Missouri border on Saturday, May 30.

Breslaw was most recently vice president for development and communications at the Jewish Social Service Agency of Greater Washington, a 115-year-old non-sectarian agency based in Rockville, MD. From 1999 through 2006, he served as chief operating officer of the New Israel Fund, an international organization that funds and assists NGOs in Israel dealing with civil and human rights. Breslaw has an MBA from Johns Hopkins University, an MS in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a BA in history and political science from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Breslaw’s presentations will be open to the general public at no cost. For more information about Mr. Breslaw’s visit or Hike to Help Refugees, please contact Betsy Kallstrom at 402.334.2147, email: betsypepperkallstrom@hiketohelprefugees.org.

High school senior, Alec Lerner, received athletic honors in football. As a kicker, he was named to the first team: All-State Superstate; All-State Class A; All-District; and All-Metro. He was also named co-captain of the Academic All-Metro Team. As a soccer player, he was recently chosen for the US Youth Soccer Region II Under-18 team. He will travel to Costa Rica for an international tournament in March. Alec is the son of Cheryl and Gary Lerner.

Dave Bonicatto received Hague Quality Water’s #1 Salesperson in the Nation Award for the month of October and is currently #2 YTD. Hague Quality Water has over 300 dealerships and 1000 sales people worldwide. Hague provides service and sales of residential and commercial water conditioning equipment, bottleless water coolers and office coffee. Hague’s new Healthy Living division includes Air Purification and eco-friendly products designed to save money and protect the environment. See our complete line of healthy living products at www.EcoQuest.com/HagueNE. For more information, please contact Hague at 466.6800 (Lincoln) or 991.1414 (Omaha) or visit them online at www.HagueWaterNE.com.

Chabad’s “Cooking around the World� features a touch of the tropics

by CHERYL LERNER for Chabad House As the cold winds blow and spring still seems so far away, a touch of the tropics could be just the thing to bring a little warmth and sunshine to the cold winter days. Caribbean cuisine will be the feature at Chabad House’s upcoming offering of “Cooking Around the World�, Wednesday, Feb. 11, at a new time, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program will feature a light Caribbean lunch, participant activities, and as always, an informative interactive discussion with Shani Katzman, co-director of Chabad of Nebraska. “The event promises to be one of friendship and warmth. Even for gals who don’t love to cook, the luncheon will be entertaining and fun,� said Katzman. “Note the new time which will accommodate women who want to use their lunch break for a quick, delectable lunch and a splash of camaraderie.�

The cuisine of the Caribbean is like a cultural patch-

work quilt. Each patch or dish represents the plentiful bounty of the islands’ lush tropical vegetation, combined with the one or more diverse groups of people who have lived there, including the original Carib and Arawak Indians, followed by the Spanish, British, French, and Dutch settlers, as well as Africans, who have had a profound influence on the food and cultural traditions of the islands. “A typical dish and one increasingly popular outside of the area is ‘jerk’ seasoned meats, commonly chicken. It is a unique, spicy flavor, reminiscent of Louisiana Creole Cuisine,� according to wikipedia.org., “but still quite distinct from it.�

Participants will have the opportunity to make and take home their own blend of jerk seasoning to use at home. Cost is $10. RSVP to Carol at Chabad at 330.1800 by Monday, Feb. 9 or e-mail at office@ ochabad.com If you require babysitting, please let Carol know when making your reservation.

February 6, 2009

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Opera Omaha is holding Musical Theater auditions in the morning and early afternoon on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Opera Omaha offices, 1625 Farnam St. for the summer production of Das Barbecü, a country-western spoof of Richard Wagner’s German opera series, the “Ring Cycle”, and features music from Broadway to Texas swing and from jazz to country two-step.

Auditions are open to anyone high school graduate age or higher. A oneminute monologue and a song of less than two minutes are required to audition. Those assigned auditions will also be asked to demonstrate movement potential. An accompanist will be provided or you may bring your own CD with which to sing. Call-backs will be held later the same day.

Please contact Blythe Watkins at blythew@operaomaha.org or 402.346.

4398 x203 no later than Feb. 5 to schedule an audition. For additional information, please go to www.opera omaha.org.

Omaha Performing Arts welcomes The Waybacks and Bettye LaVette to the 1200 Club at the Holland on Friday, Feb. 13, 8 p.m. Bettye LaVette will perform on Saturday, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m.

In celebration of LaVette’s soulful Valentine’s Day performance at the 1200 Club, complimentary champagne and dessert will be served.

Refreshing and eclectic, The Waybacks are self-proclaimed and celebrated as purveyors of “acoustic mayhem.” They perform a repertoire influenced by Memphis soul, honky-tonk, swing, classical music,

pop and much more.

One of the greatest soul singers in American music history, Bettye LaVette has been recording for over four decades, LaVette recently performed a musical tribute to Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who at the 31st Annual Kennedy Center Honors in December 2008.

Now in its third season, the 1200 Club at the Holland transforms the Holland Performing Arts Center’s most intimate venue, the Suzanne and Walter Scott Recital Hall, into a relaxed lounge where patrons can experience performances by nationally and internationally known artists in folk, jazz, blues, world music and award-winning comedy. While enjoying the evening’s entertainment, audience members may order hors d’oeuvres and cocktails served right at their table.

Upcoming events include: Friday, Mar. 13: Pistolera (Latin-Folklorico); Saturday, Mar. 14: The Twisters; Friday, April 24: The Bad Plus (Jazz) ; Saturday, April 25: Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne; Friday, May 8: Dobet Gnahore?

(Afro-Pop); Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10: Frank Ferrante in “An Evening with Groucho (Theatre).

Tickets for most performances at the 1200 Club are $25 in advance, and $30 the day of the show. Tickets for Bettye LaVette (Playing With Fire) and Frank Ferrante are $35 in advance, and $40 the day of the show.

Tickets may be purchased by phone at 402.345.0606, online at www.Ticket Omaha.org, or at the Ticket Omaha Box Office inside the Holland Performing Arts Center at 13th and Douglas.

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 7

Nebraska goes red to wipe out heart disease in women

by JAYME GEORGE Communications and Marketing, American Heart Association, Midwest Affiliate Heart disease kills one woman every minute, but we can change this statistic by raising awareness and making the right choices for our hearts. The first Friday of every February is National Wear Red Day. On Friday, Feb. 6, wear red to show your support for Go Red For Women, the American Heart Association’s nationwide movement which aims to eliminate heart disease as the No. 1 killer of U.S. women age 20 and over.

Wear red and jeans to work, make a donation of $5 or more, and learn how to love your heart by preventing heart disease. More than 10,000 companies participate in Wear Red Day, and many cities across the nation illuminate monuments, landmarks and major buildings in red to show their support.

Among the buildings in Nebraska turning red this year is the Stat eCapitol Building. The Capitol will “go red” the evening of Feb. 6 for three nights, signifying that one in three women dies of cardiovascular disease.

“Several Nebraska companies and schools support the Go Red For Women movement by coordinating their own Wear Red Day any day during February.

Of course, we encourage all Nebraskans to wear red on Friday, Feb. 6, and join us in the fight against heart disease,” says Tracy Kuester, regional vice president for the American Heart Association.

Thanks to the participation of millions of people across the country, the color red and the red dress have become linked with creating awareness of heart disease in women. Hundreds of thousands have joined the Go Red For Women movement at www.GoRedForWomen.org and continue to learn how to make hearthealthy choices every day.

“Whether it’s eating healthier, exercising more, reducing our cholesterol, or quitting smoking, we can turn our personal choices into life-saving actions,” Kuester adds. Wear red to help save the hearts of women who are loved by many.

Visit www.GoRedForWomen.org to find out more and join the Go Red For Women movement.

Call 402.489.5115 to learn more.

BIRTH Amy and Brian Thomas of Chicago, Il announce the Dec. 17 birth of their son, Samuel Harrison.

Grandparents are Vicki Perlmeter, Jeff Perlmeter of Scottsdale, AZ Diane

Thomas and Shelly Thomas of Chicago.

Great-grandparents are Roie and Bernie Meyers, Stan Perlmeter of Key Biscayne FL, the late Janet Perlmeter, and Lucille Kopke of Elmhurst, IL.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

February 6, 2009

Winter fiction medley BOOK REVIEWS

by RABBI RACHEL ESSERMAN The Reporter (Binghamton, NY)

Over the years, I’ve listed good reasons for reading during any given season. One former executive editor suggested, while doing a parody of my openings, that I think every season is a great time for reading. To be perfectly honest, that’s true. In fact, thinking about this brings to mind Cole Porter’s “I Love Paris” although sung with a variation in subject matter dearer to my heart: “I love reading in the springtime. I love reading in the fall. I love reading in the winter when it drizzles. I love reading in the summer when it sizzles. See, I love reading every moment, every moment of the year...” Well, you get the idea. For those of you who feel the same way, here are some suggestions for your reading pleasure.

Songs for the Butcher’s Daughter Some books have a near perfect mix of ingredients: a clever premise, interesting characters and astute insights into human nature. Songs from the Butcher’s Daughter

by Peter Manseau (Free Press), not only contains these, but also discusses some of my favorite topics: Judaism and writing.

In 1996, a Catholic college student with the ability to read Hebrew takes a job sorting and organizing old books at the Jewish Cultural Organization’s warehouse.

To his surprise, he discovers that the books aren’t written in Hebrew, but in Yiddish. Intrigued by the numerous volumes that pass through his hands, the unnamed narrator learns to translate the unfamiliar language.

Then, in the course of an emergency rescue of Yiddish texts, he meets Itsik Malpesh, a 90-something Yiddish poet from Russia who has written a 22-volume memoir.

The narrator finds Malpesh so compelling, he decides to translate his memoir into English. The remaining chapters feature not only Malpesh’s narrative, but the narrator’s comments on language, translation and his friendship with Malpesh.

The narrator notes that “Malpesh seems to have written about himself as if he lived in the world of Yiddish fiction rather than Yiddish fact,” a statement that allows Manseau to openly admit how freely he’s borrowed from major and minor Yiddish writers in order to write this novel. (He even includes a list detailing their influences.) Malpesh was born during a pogrom, escaped from kidnappers who wanted to sell him to the Russian army and traveled to the United States where he.... well, to say more would spoil the plot.

For those who don’t think a book is complete without a love story, Songs from the Butcher’s Daughter features not one, but two of them. While these plot details may sound familiar from other works, it’s the inventive spin that Manseau puts on the material that makes the novel such fun, particularly his portrayal of Malpesh.

While the poet is self-centered and selfserving, he is also a delightful, if crotchety, character. Plus, “Songs from the Butcher’s Daughter” is filled with interesting asides and discussions about life and writing.

For example: Learning to read the books in the warehouse becomes “an obsessive preoccupation [for the narrator]... not least of all because, as I learned to read, I was learning about a culture immensely appealing to a fallen Catholic like myself. For if Yiddish writers have one thing in common, I discovered, it was the kind of passionate irreligiosity that can only be found among those who’d been born, raised and sickened by spiritual tradition.”

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Malpesh’s reflections on the Hebrew/Yiddish alphabet include noting “the flexibility of the 22 letters of the alef-beys... With them I could write my name two ways, one I heard spoken in Yiddish -- Yud Tsadek Yud Kof - and again as it was given in the Torah’s Hebrew -- Yud Tsadek Khet Kof - like the son of Abraham our patriarch. There is only a slight difference between Itsik and Isaac, but it was a marvel to me to be one boy with two names -- one for the streets, one for the shul - as if who I was depended on the walls around me.”

One character described the number of Jewish factions that visit his tavern.

“Every day a new species of true believer appears at my door: Socialist Zionists.

Socialist Yiddishists. Socialist Hebraists.

Yiddishist Zionists. Socialist Zionist atheist Hebraists. The only combination I haven’t seen yet is a man who claims simultaneously to be both religious and not.”

Jewish newspapers feature headlines with a decided editorial slant. When reporting on the end of World War I, the paper states, “Peace Declared: Germans, Russians Agree To Only Kill Jews.” The success of the Bolshevik revolution is acknowledged as, “Well, Not Peace Exactly: October Revolutions Ousts February Revolution, Further Revolutions To Follow,” and life in Soviet Russian is described as “Famine, Disease rage in Civil War’s Wake: At Least We Have Our Health, Sources Say.” Reading these statements out of context can’t do justice to the roller coaster ride “Songs from the Butcher’s Daughter” provides. The work is so convincing it felt like a memoir, even if the plot was outrageous at times. Anyone who loves books about writers, meditations on language or just a great love story will want to read this novel.

Tales of the Ten Lost Tribes Looking to hold an exciting, fun party?

Don’t invite the characters in Tamar

Yellin’s Tales of the Ten Lost Tribes (The Toby Press). These beautifully written stories, each named after one of the lost tribes of Israel, feature a rather depressing group: men and women who are members of what the narrator describes as a “hidden tribe of wanderers and strangers, aliens and misfits to which I too belong.”

All of them are hardluck cases unable to find a place that feels like home. Readers may also come to feel as unsettled as Yellin’s characters: It’s unclear in which country or century these stories take place and her narrator not only remains nameless, but sexually ambiguous. (No pronouns are ever used to describe his/her gender.)

While the cumulative effect of these stories may dampen readers’ spirits, individually they do contain many pleasures.

The first story, “Reuben,” is a gem. It tells of Uncle Edras’ visit when the narrator is nine years old. The child is bewitched by the uncle who represents the exotic world beyond the horizon.

Entranced by the treasures Uncle Edras has collected, the narrator searches for his own, ones which could be traded for the uncle’s special mementoes. The story ends with a clever twist that clearly shows the difference between adults’ and children’s worldview.

The collection’s title, “Tales of the Ten Lost Tribes,” is borrowed from the history book the narrator’s father attempts to write. In “Dan,” the work is described as “my father’s secret undertaking: to trace and reclaim names, to exhume the missing and retrieve the dead; to create a synthesis of all he read and learned, and set it down at last in some kind of order, a map of the maze in which he lost himself.”

Of course, the work can never be completed; each new reference or history book purchased from his favorite Continued on page 9

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February 6, 2009

Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Winter fiction medley

by Georgeanne Brennan (Oxmoor,$34.95)

READ IT AND E AT Reviewed by LOIS FRIEDMAN

Williams-Sonoma brings ideas for entertaining from a Thanksgiving menu to cocktail parties, brunch, an elegant dinner, to-make-your own edible gifts to open house menus. Set the scene with lovely decorations and themes, celebrate and plan ahead. Beautifully illustrated with oversized color photographs.

The recipes begin with 19 drinks followed by more than 100 additional recipes for Hors d’Oeuvres, Soups & Salads, Mains, Sides, Desserts, Breakfast and Gifts from the Kitchen. The recipes have shopping, prep and serving tips, detailed instructions, helpful sidebars and headnotes.

The recipes are as easy as selecting one of three varieties of cheese for a Winter, Italian or Artisanal cheese plate to Ice Cream Truffles. Holiday table setting is an illustrated chart of glassware, dinnerware and serving utensils and precedes an example of setting a formal table ... where does the butter plate go?

Toast your simcha with this recipe.

LILLET COCKTAIL Ice cubes 1/3 cup (3 fl oz) Lillet Blanc 1/3 cup (3 fl oz) gin 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 dashes of orange bitters 1 bottle (24 fl oz) sparkling water 2 lemon peel strips, curled loosely, for garnish Select two small glasses. Fill a tall cocktail shaker half full with ice. Add the Lillet Blanc, gin, lemon juice, and bitters.

Cover with the lid and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into the glasses. Top with a splash of sparkling water. Garnish each glass with a curled lemon strip and serve at once. Serves 2.

Lois Friedman can be reached at ReadItAndEat@ yahoo.com.

Continued from page 8 bookseller means he must reconfigure his genealogies and charts. The father’s search for the book that will finally resolve his endeavor can only end in despair.

Other stories describe one of the narrator’s students, a woman who has so mastered the trick of blending into the background that no one can recall her face; an older woman who is so uncomfortable in her own skin that the only place she can relax is on a train between the town where she now lives and the countryside in which she grew up; and a linguist who is tormented by the fact that no one else can speak his native tongue.

Most of these tales have bittersweet endings, with the narrator’s sorrow etched more sharply by the reflection of someone else’s happiness. Each story takes readers deeper and deeper into this cheerless world, which makes the ending of this short work (less than 155 pages) come almost as a relief. That’s a shame because the cleverer of these stories shows that Yellin has real talent. Now if she would only find a subject worthy of her skill.

The Shiksa Syndrome What a wonderful idea for a novel: a Jewish girl who longs for matrimony can’t get a date with a handsome Jewish boy until she’s mistaken for a shiksa (non-Jewish woman). This over-simplified description of the plot of The Shiksa Syndrome by Laurie Graff (Broadway Books) left me hoping for a biting satire on the Jewish dating scene complete with cutting remarks about the expectations of both sexes. The author, though, had a different idea: instead of satire, Graff has written a light comedy filled with heart-felt moments about the need to be true to oneself.

Thir ty-something Aimee Albert longs to get married. After she and her non-Jewish boyfriend, Peter, break up over religion, Aimee becomes part of the Manhattan Jewish dating scene. The problem is that all of the men she meets seem more interested in the non-Jewish women who attend.

One particularly handsome stranger doesn’t even seem to register she’s in the room. Her brother arranges a makeover for her as a birthday present, and afterward Aimee looks so good that, at the next singles event, the same O handsome stranger not only notices her, but wants a date.

The only problem is that Josh thinks Aimee is Christian, a fact she doesn’t correct. Then, as time passes, it becomes harder and harder to reveal her true self.

To keep dating Josh, she must not only invent a new past, but prevent her parents and siblings from meeting him.

Compounding her dilemma is the growing realization that while Josh is Jewish, he has no interest in Judaism. Is this a match made in heaven or a very bad mistake?

Aimee finds it hard to articulate exactly why it’s so important for her to marry someone Jewish. She notes that it “is really difficult to explain because when it comes right down to it, I’m not what you’d call religious. But I have a very strong Jewish identity.

Yiddishkeit is my blood. I love the traditions and the culture. I want a Jewish home, to pass to my children. And I need a man who will share that vision as ours.”

She’s horrified to visit Josh’s family for Passover and discover that they skip the seder and go straight to the meal. This leads Aimee to wonder about how he would want their children raised: “Would they be Jewish in name only, without rituals? Even if one struggles personally with the concept of God, must it interfere with traditions?” While her non-Jewish girlfriends are learning Jewish customs in order to become closer to their Jewish boyfriends, Aimee finds herself struggling to regain her Jewish self.

The funniest parts of the novel tell of Aimee’s misguided attempts to turn herself into a Gentile. Her nonJewish friends must not only teach her appropriate ways to dress, but what food she should keep in her kitchen.

One piece of advice comes as a list of “Shiksa Dos & Don’ts,” which includes information about refrigeration, (“DON’T. Bread, bananas, and butter are always out on the table.”), shopping (“DO always buy retail.

Forget a good bargain.”) and decorating (DO learn to abandon solids. Flowers, patterns, and clashing colors always work best.”). Watching Aimee scramble to explain to Josh why she knows a particular piece of Jewish lore is also amusing, as are the almost slapstick scenes with friends and family, many of whom are unaware of her masquerade.

While the action in The Shiksa Syndrome isn’t always convincing (at times it seems like a too long comedy skit), Graff manages to keep her characters one step above stereotype. Her portrayal of Aimee may not have great psychological depth, but she feels like a real person, particularly when she reflects on her Jewish heritage and her family. While consistently pleasant, I didn’t find the novel particularly gripping. For those who enjoy light romance coupled with religious insights, it may be more of a hit.

All of these books and songs for the the Butcher’s Daughter can be found at the Kripke Jewish Federation Library.

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Beth El offers joyous atmosphere for celebrating simchas

by JILL BELMONT is pretty Beth El Publicity Coordinator and you Whether weddings, brises, B’nai mitz- can divide vah, anniversaries or other joyous occa- it into sions, Beth El is the place where memo- w h a t e v e r ries are made. For years, the synagogue size you has provided an ideal setting for countless need.

It celebrations, offering a lovely atmos- was ideal phere, a kosher kitchen which allows for us.” every Jew the comfort of eating all food Ruti and items; plus facilities to accommodate par- Eyal Marties large and small. galit were The social hall has chameleon-like qual- so pleased ities, lending itself to a myriad of decora- with Beth tive themes: it can be set up for an elegant El during Tal Margalit, during her Bat sit-down dinner for up to 450; it can also d a u g h t e r Mitzvah weekend. be transformed into a playground, hold- Noam’s Bat Mitzvah several years ago ing inflatable climbing equipment and that they chose the venue again for their games for Bar Mitzvah fun, or partitioned daughter, Tal’s Bat Mitzvah celebration for small get-togethers. last November.

During recent months, the synagogue Their party, held in the social hall, carhas hosted a variety of successful events, ried the theme, “Saving the as evidenced by a trail of happy congre- Environment”; centerpieces were made gants. from milk cartons and soda cans, and Holly Weill, along with husband David, attendees enjoyed music, moon-bounces, celebrated the brit milah of their son, food and friends.

Levi, last December. The venue proved to “We joined Beth El when we moved have both practical and sentimental value here from Baltimore five years ago to Weill, who said, “We chose Beth El for because of the atmosphere, the welcoma few reasons: every simcha that I have had in my life happened at Beth El. I became a Bat Mitzvah there, was married there, and had my daughter’s naming there.... so it just made sense that we would do Levi’s bris there as well. Beth El was also large enough to accommodate all of our family and friends, and it made the day go by smoothly because we didn’t have to worry about cooking and cleaning!”

Expressing gratitude to the synagogue staff for David Weill, daughter Julia, left, and Holly Weill, holding Levi, helping to prepare for the celebrate Levi's brit milah with family members. reception (“If we had to do all of that organizing and planning by ourselves with only one week, I would have lost my mind!” she joked), Weill added that, “I think that the location of your simcha should be based on where you feel comfortable and at home. Not only are the clergy and staff of Beth El helpful, they are like members of an extended family. If you want to work with professional people, want an Jeff, Lauren, Sharon and Alyssa Kirshenbaum, during Alyssa’s effortless event, and want Bat Mitzvah celebration. your guests to feel at home, then Beth El ing attitude of the community, and the is the place to go.” programs,” Ruti commented.

Last month, Sharon and Jeff “Along with the meaningful services, Kirshenbaum celebrated as their daugh- we like the light-heartedness, the comter, Alyssa, became a Bat Mitzvah at Beth munity involvement and the active nature El; their Friday night Shabbat dinner – of the synagogue. We knew we would with around 90 in attendance -- took hold Tal’s Bat Mitzvah at Beth El, just as place in the synagogue’s West Court, an we did two years ago for Noam. It was a annex of the social hall. wonderful experience for Noam and all of Holding the dinner at the synagogue us, and we wanted to repeat it.,” she was “much easier than making guests added. drive to a different location for dinner,” The synagogue is also known for its Jeff said. lovely setting for weddings, The sanctuary “The flexibility of choosing our own offers a magical ambience for celebrating caterer -- as long as they followed the nuptials: the architecture of the room rules of kashruth -- and being able to emphasizes the dramatic and lovely offer a quality kosher meal, was perfect atmosphere: the high, wood ceiling; for us,” he added. warm, golden overhead lighting; the arch“Beth El is a great facility: it’s spacious, es surrounding the curved walls of the and relatively new, not dated- looking so room and the warmth of the wood-panthat you need to bring in lots of decora- eled ark, all help to create an impressive tions; it has a great kitchen; it’s kosher, and yet intimate setting for celebrants. which is a necessity to some; the social hall Continued on page 12

February 6, 2009

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 11

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

February 6, 2009

Beth El’s joyous atmosphere

A Bar Mitzvah in Israel

Continued from page 10 Selecting Beth El for her daughter, Lisa’s May 2008 wedding, was easy, said Marcia Pitlor. After receiving permission to transform the community court for a cocktail hour and decorate the social hall as they desired, the Pitlors began planning their family’s simcha. The synagogue’s staff was instrumental in helping with the arrangements, Marcia noted.

Continued from page 1 Stephanie had been to Israel twice previously. She wanted to go next time with her family. She had seen “a brightness in Noah’s soul” from a young age. “He’s always been a spiritual child, so to me, Israel seemed like the perfect place for him to have his Bar Mitzvah,” she explained. Everything began to fall into place “like it was meant to be.”

It wasn’t easy though.

First, most of the group on the trip were two days late getting to Israel due to a strike by the ground workers of Alitalia at the airport in Rome. Then there was the jeep drive up a steep hill to get to the ancient synagogue.

“Jimmy, our driver, had to reroute three times” due to rain and mud on the hill, said Noah. “But he wouldn’t give Temple Israel’s Rabbi Aryeh up getting us there.”

Noah had planned to wear Mitzvah boy, Noah Grossman. khakis and a nice sweater, but everyone’s clothes were still in Rome on the Alitalia plane. So Noah wore the sweat pants and gray hoodie that he had been wearing since getting on the plane in the United States. Before we left, Stephanie said. Noah told her, “I can’t imagine being in Israel.” She knew he was worried that something would go wrong.

“See?” Noah declared upon being stranded shortly after landing in Rome.

“The group was wonderfully supportive,” Stephanie said. Larry Gendler, another Omahan on the trip, contacted the Chabad House in Rome just in case they were unable to get to Israel in time. But after surviving the outbursts of angry passengers at the airport, a strong police presence, threats to take over a plane, and concerns for the Temple kids’ safety, the Grossman family, including Noah’s sister Hannah, 16, and the others on the family trip boarded a flight to Tel Aviv.

“Noah was wide awake. He couldn’t relax,” Stephanie recalled. But once he knew we were on our way, “he was out cold.”

Lisa (Pitlor) and Ian Abramson on the bimah at Beth El for their wedding.

“Beth El’s staff and clergy were enormously helpful and gracious,” she said. “They were completely supportive and made sure we had and were able to do everything and anything we wanted. And, they were all equally helpful in working with all of the various vendors we used. We found there was a large list of high quality vendors that had experience working at Beth El, and when we found others in some areas who hadn’t been there before, it was a simple step to get new vendors on board -- all with the help and ease of the entire staff.”

Overall, Marcia raved about holding her daughter’s wedding at the synagogue, and said she would encourage anyone celebrating their wedding at Beth El to also hold their reception there.

“It was such a lovely feeling to walk out of the sanctuary and immediately walk right into the wedding reception transformed so easily and wonderfully into my daughter’s every dream of what she hoped her wedding to be.”

Rabbi Aryeh Azriel and Gendler’s wife, Tamara Field, a soloist and a member of Temple’s choir, officiated at the worship service for which Stephanie had compiled a colorful booklet from Mishkan T’filah and Gates of Prayer, Temple’s prayerbooks. Additional readings and prayers were chosen to reflect the sacredness and magic created “at this special time, in this holy place,” wrote Stephanie.

“It felt different in a way,” Noah explained. “Some ways it was unfamiliar and someways, I felt like we had been there for awhile.

It felt right.”

“I stood before God, in the land of Israel, as a Bar Mitzvah, ready to accept the responsibilities and privileges of being a Jewish adult,” Noah read from his d’var Torah in Israel and at Temple Israel at Shabbat worship services, Jan. 17.

“I think by having the Bar Mitzvah service in Israel, it had an Azriel escorts the Bar emotional affect on everyone, including me, as well as bringing the spirit of the ancient synagogue back to life. It was not only the spirit of God but also the spirit of everyone who ever prayed there. The emotions we felt could have been the same emotions felt by the people before us hundreds and maybe thousands of years ago.”

That night, the group partied. Noah lit the Hanukkah candles and was lifted up in a chair 13 times “plus one” per Rabbi Azriel’s instructions. “It was everybody’s Bar Mitzvah. It became a family,” Stephanie noted.

For Noah, who loves to read science fantasy, Israel didn’t seem real before he went there. “I’d heard about it, seen pictures, and read stories about it. Israel seemed like some beautiful, mystical place to me. But when I got there, I saw that it wasn’t perfect, which was a relief. It was beautiful in many ways, but it was real so I didn’t feel like I had to live up to any expectations to be perfect. I felt a huge connection with the state and the people, and I was awed to be in a Jewish state. I’m going to miss being in a place with Jews all around me,” but he promised, “that no matter what I’m doing or where I am, Judaism will always be a special part of me and my life.”

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 13

Glimpsing the modern American Bar Mitzvah from the outside in JEWISH P ARENTING

by SHARON DUKE ESTROFF

*All names have been changed. Any similarities are purely coincidental.

It’s been said that when it comes to raising children, the days go slow and the years go fast. As I find myself in the thick of planning my second son’s bar mitzvah, these words ring all too true. But who has time for sentimentalism when you’ve got to pull off a colossal bar mitzvah bash in less than a year?!

The first item on my party-planning agenda was to secure the entertainment. “Bar Mitzvahs R Us,” said a perky voice on the telephone.

“I’d like to know if you have availability on April 7th, please.” I inquired, cordially.

“2010 or 2011?”

“2009,” I answered, panic rising.

“Ha!” said the voice (no longer sounding so perky).

“Good Luck.”

Fifteen phone calls and 14 rejections later, I’d managed to land a living breathing Master of Ceremonies (who’d miraculously just had a cancellation for my date).

The next morning, I was sipping Starbucks with an MC named Rhythm -- a hulking albeit friendly man who, I can only assume, plays for the NFL during his off-season -- to nail down the details of my family’s fast approaching event.

“Do you want to do the Motzi?” asked Rhythm.

“Yes,” I answered, “Of course.”

“How about a Candlelighting?’

“Umm, I’m not sure.”

Things proceeded in this manner. Was I interested in the Birchat? What about feather boas? Did I want to do the Hora? How about the Chicken Dance?

As Rhythm threw me option after option without missing a beat, I felt myself entering a transformational spin. Like Lynda Carter on the old Wonder Woman TV show. And when I stopped whirling, I was sitting on the other side of my Frappuccino -- in Rhythm’s shoes (enormous though they might be).

I could suddenly grasp the stark bizarreness that this 300 pound linebacker -- whose bling didn’t include a single Star of David -- was so incredibly well versed in terms like Motzi and Birchat; and, more bizarre yet, was using them in conjunction with terms like feather boa and Chicken Dance.

I could now clearly see what Rhythm (and the rest of the gentile world, for that matter) must think from the outside looking in at the modern American Bar Mitzvah phenomenon, and how he might interpret the ways we Jewish parents choose to celebrate these meaningful religious rites of passage for our children.

On the heels of this revelation came an unsettling flashback to a website entry I’d encountered earlier during a cyber-hunt for hopping bar mitzvah party themes.

It was written by a non-Jewish mother about her son’s experience at a friend’s bar mitzvah. Here it is, slightly abbreviated and 100% true.

Best Bar Mitzvah Party Theme: Terminator My son William was recently invited to his friend

Josh’s bar mitzvah. William had never been to a bar mitzvah before, and he’s still talking about it.

The invitation was a video tape of Josh, dressed like the Terminator and doing an Arnold Schwarzenegger impression: “Come to My Bar Mitzvah, Or Else!”

When I dropped William off at the five star hotel ballroom, everything was decorated to look like metal.

There were robots standing guard with blinking eyes and moving arms; destroyed tanks and cars strewn about (rented from a movie prop house); and inflatable jungle gyms and slides, all in camouflage colors. There was even a life-sized Arnold Schwarzenegger cutout for guests to sign.

After the “Aliea La Tora”, Josh made his grand entrance on a “T2” motorcycle -- his Bar Mitzvah gift from his parents!

Following the “Hamotze”, a live rock band played modern techno music. Josh did a really cool robot dance.

During the traditional candlelighting ceremony, Josh lit 13 candles with a butane lighter shaped like a Terminator rifle. My son wished he could take it home with him.

At midnight, Josh’s parents announced that a collector’s Terminator action figure was hidden somewhere in the ballroom. While everyone searched, an Arnold Schwarzenegger look-alike dressed like the Terminator walked in. Every kid got a picture taken with the surprise guest.

William had such a great time that he asked if he could have a bar mitzvah, too.

Fueled with newfound perspective and courage (and an unmistakable wave of nausea), I thanked Rhythm for his time and made a dash for my bookshelf to retrieve my dog-eared copy the Book of Jewish Values to see what the ever wise and rational Rabbi Joseph Teluskin might have to say about the situation. He didn’t let me down.

“Out of the desire not to appear cheap or unloving to their children, many ... Jews feel forced to spend far more on [bar mitzvah] parties than they can or want to,” writes Teluskin. “Furthermore lavish parties often end up diminishing, sometimes even eliminating, the religious significance of the bar mitzvah. For many of the celebrants, what counts is the “bar”, not the mitzvah.”

What we desperately need, says Rabbi Telushkin, are some “wealthy moral heroes ... prominent, affluent Jews in our largest Jewish communities -- to throw a simple bar or bat mitzvah celebration, one in which the party is very pleasant and celebratory, but not lavish.” In doing so, he holds, “the good they would do for their fellow Jews would be almost incalculable.”

In my community, I’ve seen a few brave parents heed this critical calling with wonderful results; and I -- postWonder-Woman-style transformational spin and faithful Telushkin fan -- plan to do the same (even if I may fall a tad short of affluent, pillar of the Jewish community status at the present time).

At this stage in my Bar Mitzvah planning process, I’m still not sure where this journey will take my family. But I do know where it won’t. I welcome you to join me along this road less taken. Stay tuned.

Sharon Duke Estroff is an internationally syndicated parenting columnist, award-winning Jewish educator and mother of four. She is the author of Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah? by Broadway Books. Read more at: www.sharonestroff.com.

Document your life

by JANINE McCLINTOCK Whenever I see a picture of myself as a child that I have never seen before, it’s like a piece of my life is revealed to me that I never knew was missing. Those missing pieces are often the most treasured and are the ones that might have been lost without someone picking up their camera.

There are some occasions in our lives that we “know” we should document. Generally there are lots of cameras at weddings, graduations, bar mitzvahs and other celebrations. You want to remember the first time you see your spouse walking down the aisle and your loved ones’ achievements.

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Here at the Jewish Federation, we are mindful of and attuned to the struggles that families face today and we share your concerns. We are monitoring everything we do to obtain maximum benefit from each and every campaign dollar.

Obviously, this is not an easy process.

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We know that people are facing challenges like never before. In times like this,

we need to utilize our community’s strengths to help where we can. If you know of friends who have lost their jobs or are struggling, invite them for Shabbat dinner, suggest a volunteering opportunity, and encourage them to talk to their rabbi or contact Jewish Family Service. These efforts can help people feel connected, more involved and more confident in difficult times.

As the budget and allocation process begins for us, I want to thank our agency directors and their boards for being well prepared and ahead of the curve in planning for the upcoming year. Every director knows that balancing service delivery with fiscal responsibility is the name of the game and as a community, we need to acknowledge their hard work on our behalf.

Folks, these times will pass. However, right now we need to support each other and do what we do best: continue to be a strong and supportive community. This is a great time to get more involved at your synagogue, sit down and visit with your rabbi, attend a CJE class or visit the Kripke Library, volunteer at the Blumkin Home, the CDC or Friedel, or just make plans to invite friends to Shabbat dinner.

We are partners in this community and we need to be here for each other as much as possible. Reach out to someone in need. It does a world of good.

A minefield of simchas BERT’S EYE VIEW

by BERT LEWIS When I learned the special theme section of this issue was to be about Simchas and Celebrations, I thought I had already said as much as there was to say. But I realized a Jewish woman rarely runs out of things to talk about when it comes to events, especially those connected to her family. As a daughter, a wife, a mom (we hope in that order), then a grandmom, and wait a minute -- she’s a great-grandmom, too!

By that time she has a minefield of simchas to talk about.

She can share her joy in the five-yearold who is the star of his Montessori class, or the kid just before his 13th birthday as his bar mitzvah approaches. You know the one -- his voice hasn’t changed yet and he’s so short he can hardly been seen on the bimah, but his grandparents kvell enough to light the entire sanctuary! And you can bet the kid isn’t thinking this is a simcha. More likely he’s silently praying not to goof up his Torah portion.

There are many glorious opportunities for proud parents and grandparents, including all the graduations and engagement parties and passing grades on Bar exams, plus weddings and babies.

But that isn’t my point. What I’m trying to get to here is not the simcha, but rather the person or subject of the simcha.

You know, the graduate or the fiancee or the prospective lawyer or doctor. What about that kid who’s been pouring over the books or the labs or whatever, in order to get to the place where his Bubby can say to her maj partner, “Did I tell you my grandson is graduating from Wharton next week? In the top 5% of his class!”

The kid worked and studied and slaved, not so Bubby could brag about him -- or her? No, I don’t think that was the reason. But I still wonder about all those who study, rehearse, worry, work and do everything people do in order to reach a place where his entire family can just about burst with pride. When they’re

doing all this stuff to reach their goal do they stop to wonder about the family reactions or are they sending up a silent plea for a successful test score? Do they have a clue that they’re providing a simcha to be kvelled over?

Sure, we can do one example after another, but you get the idea. and you know I’m not making fun of simchas, heaven forbid! I’m a great believer in the more the merrier. Like who could have too many?

No, no. I’m just trying to look at the other side of simchas. You see, I can do that now, having reached the place in my life where I don’t worry about the flip side of that coin. I’ve had the genuine pleasure of being present at college graduations, at the weddings of my children, at the wedding of a grandchild and even the joy of saying, “Oh yes, bring our great-grandchildren for a visit.”

You can see, I really do know what a simcha is.

Actually, I’m remembering when my roommate and I got married on a rainy day a long time ago. There we were, before family and friends at the Fontenelle Hotel, where each of my grandfathers, of blessed memory, was holding up a corner of the chuppah. One of my grandmothers was there in the front row, and the other, while not well enough to attend, was surely there in spirit. Now, after all these years, do I recognize what a true simcha that was.

How fortunate we were to have our parents and grandparents there. At the time, I was too involved in the excitement to fully appreciate how lucky we were.

Now I know.

Does that mean you have to reach a really ripe age in order to truly appreciate a simcha? As mature citizens, we don’t take so much for granted as we tend to when we’re young. Maybe simchas should be included in that long list.

I’ll leave that decision up to you, and wish you so many happy occasions, celebrations and simchas in the coming year you’ll need a social secretary to keep them organized.

Bert Lewis can be reached at Bert Lewis39@aol.com.

February 6, 2009

Now is the time to stop smoking

by DIANE ROHLFS Did you know that within 20 minutes after you stop smoking your blood pressure and pulse rate will return to normal? Within 24 hours carbon monoxide levels will be eliminated from the body and after just 72 hours your entire blood will test 100% nicotine free. Wow! And, did you know that tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals! Many of these chemicals are carcinogens and at least 60 are toxic to the body. Would you knowingly put arsenic (a poison), ammonia, mercury, DDT (an insecticide), nitrous oxide (a disinfectant:) or carbon monoxide in to your body? Of course you wouldn't. But that is exactly what happens when you smoke!

Many of the stop smoking procedures, programs and products are designed to help build up the personal power to resist or overcome the addiction. Hypnotherapy does not work at achieving the strength to resist. It is designed

to eliminate the desire. Through hypnosis it is possible to change the taste of a cigarette from pleasurable to unpleasurable. Instead of giving up something a person enjoys, the goal is to be rid of something that is not wanted. The ability to visualize one’s self as a non smoker is a major asset and hypnotherapy can help to develop and focus the powers of visualization.

Most people do not understand what hypnosis is all about. Their only knowledge comes from what they see in movies and stage shows. While experiencing hypnosis, you are neither unconscious nor asleep but in a deep state of relaxation allowing the mind to be focused and open to the suggestions that help achieve your goals.

Do you know someone who would like to stop smoking?

Call A+ Hypnosis Wellness Center 402.333.1069 or visit us at: www.aplushvpnosis.com. Saturday sessions in February are priced at only $50.

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 15

ENGAGEMENTS

EISENMAN/YANKOVICH Tiffany Eisenman and Mordechai Eisenman, and Scott Eisenman of Yankovich of New York City announce Houston, TX, and the granddaughter of Mary and Paul Dark of their engagement.

Merriam, KS, and Ruth The bride-to-be graduated Eisenman of Kansas City, cum laude from Boston University with a Bachelor of KS. Science in Communication.

Her fiancé graduated from She also earned dual Boston University with a Masters’ degrees from New Bachelor of Science in York Univer-sity in Arts in Communication and was a Hebrew and Judaic Studies, University Scholar. He is and Public Administra-tion. currently a first year law stuA FEREP (Federation dent at Hofstra Law School.

Executive Recruitment and Education He is the son of Hennie and Zvi Program) Scholar, she is currently the Yankovich of Livingston, NJ, and the Director of Community Outreach, grandson of Magda Yankovich of Petach United Jewish Federation of Greater Tikvah, Israel.

A Aug. 2 wedding is planned in Long Stamford, New Canaan, and Darien, CT. She is the daughter of Shelly “Sam” Island, NY.

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DEADLINE NOTICE Please send all articles, photos and ads to the Press by Thursdays, 9 a.m., for all regular issues. Early deadlines will be announced in advance. Questions? Call 334.6448.

Page 16

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

February 6, 2009

How important is the Press to you?

We’re talking about the Jewish Press here -the one that has been arriving weekly in mailboxes since December, 1920 -- the one that has garnered awards nearly every year in the last 15 years from either (or both) the American Jewish Press Association and the Nebraska Press Association -- the only vehicle to reach every Jewish household in Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska -- and the one treasured by more than 400 former Nebraskans who pay for the privilege.

That was yesterday. Today it’s a new reality.

We all know what’s happening in the newspaper industry; one only has to look at Omaha’s daily newspaper to see the decrease in the number of pages and the loss of daily op-ed columns. Advertising revenue is down from three sources upon which newspapers relied for decades: car dealerships, retail stores and supermarkets. Add the move of classified to the internet and the losses lead to job cuts on the editorial side and declaring Chapter 11 for others.

Staffers of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer are blogging about their last days, while the New York Times has borrowed on two of its real estate properties and sold stock to Carlos Slim, Mexico’s (and now the world’s) richest man.

Despite the loans, even the “Old Grey Lady” of journalism could very well close by year’s end.

Yes, “it’s the economy, stupid,” as then candidate Bill Clinton said in 1991. But 18 years later, newspapers also have the internet with which to contend.

So here’s the question for our readers: how important is it for you to have the Press in your hands every week?

We’re trying our best to cut costs and still deliver, but we’re sure you’ve noticed that our ad revenue is down, too -- so papers are smaller and even the Press has eliminated two

papers a year (we skipped Jan. 2 and we’ll skip July 3 this summer, too).

While we are posting more to the Federation’s website (www.jewishomaha.org), we’ve also raised funds through grant requests and individual donations for a new, userfriendly website with more content. And frankly, we think that now, more than ever, is the time to pursue this as the future of the Jewish Press.

We’ve raised this issue before: are we in the business of publishing a newspaper or delivering the news? If it’s the latter, then it doesn’t matter what platform.

Of course, going to a web-only edition of the Press will exclude many of our readers.

And even web-savvy readers will have to be reminded each week to check out the new online edition. Will you send us your e-mail address? And will you visit a Jewish Press website each week? (And those websites hosted by our advertisers?)

This is new territory for all of us -and not just at the Jewish Press. The Federation is facing a loss of investment income (no, not because of Bernie Madoff, but because all our investments -- like yours -- are down).

And even if the Annual Campaign hits its goal, it may not be enough to make up for agency losses in memberships, ad revenue, and anual Friends’

Campaigns run by our Agencies.

Add to that the increasing number of members of our own Jewish community who have lost their jobs and need help and you understand how difficult this situation is.

We’re not asking you for money; we know you’re facing this economic uncertainty, too.

But we do want to hear from you about what you want and need from the Jewish Press, so we can figure out how to get it to you (one way or another).

Do you want an online-only Press or do you still want it in your mailbox every week? If we published every other week, would you be satisfied? What about once a month? Would you pay for a subscription? If so, how much?

We’re very interested in your responses. Email them to us at ckatzman@jewishomaha.org, call 402.334.6450 or drop us a note at Survey, Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Thanks -- and hang in there!

FOCUS ON ISSUES

by LISA EISEN WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Barack Obama has made national and community service a cornerstone of his vision for transforming our country. The intimate linkage between his inauguration and call for widespread participation in the national day of service on Martin Luther King Day actualizes his vision of igniting long-term commitment to meaningful community service.

As we celebrate his historic inauguration, the Jewish community should issue our own call to serve that will engage our young people, reenergize our community and inspire us to fulfill the Jewish mandate to repair our fractured world. We should take full advantage of this moment to promote service as a defining feature of what it means to be Jewish.

We can and must provide young Jews with opportunities to address real needs in the context of Jewish tradition and with a connection to Jewish community. We have the chance to educate an entire generation about how service is an expression of Jewish values and identity, and to awaken them to their ability to work as Jews to make the world a better place.

Young Americans today are choosing to volunteer as never before. Teach for America has seen applications nearly double this year.

According to the Boston Globe, teenagers are twice as likely to volunteer now compared with past decades. More than 90 percent of college freshmen report having done service in the past 12 months, and a full third do service

... demand for Jewish service programs among college-aged students exceeds the supply. Yet only a fraction of Jews aged 18 to 24 are participating in service experiences sponsored by Jewish organizations.

The secular service community is already engaging our young people. Now we must seize the moment to ensure that we create the infrastructure, programs, support and visibility that will inspire and enable tens of thousands of young Jews to serve in a Jewish context.

Linking service to Jewish values and community creates a potent nexus that can indelibly impact both the individuals serving and the communities served.

We also can expand the number of Jews serving within a Jewish context by providing

Jewish Press Board Michael Sigmond, Vice President; Stan Mitchell, Secretary; Michael Siegel, Treasurer; Howard K. Marcus, Immediate Past-chairman; Marc Brodkey; Andie Gordman; Michael Kaufman; Bette Kozlen; Susan Lehr; Jamie Meyerson; Andy Ruback; Jim Simon; Nancy Skid; and Dorothy Spizman.

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

Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’

Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.

The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content.

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A call to Jewish service on a regular basis.

Young Jews are well represented -disproportionately so -- in this growing volunteer force. More than 10 percent of Teach for America corps members report Jewish involvement.

More than half of Jewish young adults report engaging in service in the past year, and Jews are leading campus service organizations, and pursuing volunteerism and social action opportunities post-college in record numbers.

This impulse to serve is alive and well among young Jews. Evidence suggests that demand for Jewish service programs among collegeaged students exceeds the supply. Yet only a fraction of Jews aged 18 to 24 are participating in service experiences sponsored by Jewish organizations.

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

Jewish experiences and connections to those in secular service. By crafting creative, relevant Jewish points of entry to enrich the secular service work done by young Jews, we can tap into their passion and link them to our community in deeply resonant ways.

Finally, we can cast the widest net possible by demonstrating that we value the service work to which young Jews already are committed and validate it as a fundamentally Jewish act. When young Jews understand that their urge to heal the world is rooted in Jewish teaching and that Judaism provides a valueadded lens for their work, they will be stronger volunteers, stronger leaders and stronger Jews.

Whether giving more young people the impetus and chance to serve in a Jewish program, providing Jews in secular programs with Jewish framing and experiences, or promoting a culture in which service is viewed as a Jewish practice, we can forge an inspired and inspiring community where serving others is paramount.

Serving those in need has been an integral part of the Jewish tradition for thousands of years. Now President-elect Obama’s vision provides us with a catalyst to make service to others one of the most shared and valued Jewish experiences.

When Jews ask each other upon meeting, “Where did you do your service?,” when service becomes a rite of passage as common as a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah, not only will Jews be a powerful force for repairing our world, but the Jewish community will have a relevance to young people beyond anything we can currently imagine.

Lisa Eisen is the national director of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.

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February 6, 2009

Undiluted truth of Holocaust must be recalled to educate

BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 17

Papal move on Holocaust denier sparks anger, prompts Chief Rabbinate to cancel summit

and distorted, reinforces a negative and troubling trend.”

Abraham Foxman, the ADL’s national director, was more ominous.

by BEN HARRIS “This decision undermines the strong relationship between Catholics and Jews that flourished under Pope NEW YORK (JTA) -- In an echo of the 2007 contro- John Paul II and which Pope Benedict XVI said he versy over the Latin Mass, Jewish interfaith leaders again would continue when he came into his Papacy,” Foxman are expressing concern that a Vatican action aimed at said in a statement. “We are stunned that the Vatican has promoting unity within the Church may have adverse ignored our concerns by welcoming back into the fold a bishop who denies the Holocaust and rejects the seminal effects on Catholic-Jewish relations.

Pope Benedict XVI last week revoked an excommuni- reforms of Vatican II.” Seeking to tamp down the criticism, the pope, in his cation order against four bishops, followers of a Catholic faction that rejects the Second Vatican Council, which weekly audience at the Vatican, affirmed his “full and introduced reforms paving the way for improved rela- unquestionable solidarity” with the Jewish people and tions with the Jewish people. The move is seen as an expressed hope that the Holocaust “will induce humanattempt to bring the bishops back into the Catholic fold, ity to reflect on the unpredictable power of hate when it a development that would still be conditioned on their conquers the heart of man.”

The flap echoes the concern aroused in the Jewish acceptance of the authority of Church teachings.

Among the four is the British-born Bishop Richard community when Benedict in 2007 allowed the recitaWilliamson, who in an interview with Swedish television tion of the Latin, or Tridentine, Mass, whose Good aired just days before the papal ruling and the Jan. 27 Friday liturgy includes a prayer for Jewish conversion.

International Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust, Then as now, the pope’s decision was understood as an doubted the accuracy of the accepted history of the effort to reach out to the same group of traditionalists that rejected the Holocaust. council’s reforms.

“I believe that the In 2007, Benedict historical evidence is described the Latin hugely against six milMass decision as an lion Jews having been effort to achieve “an deliberately gassed in interior reconciliagas chambers as a tion” within the deliberate policy of Church.

Adolf Hitler,” Rabbi David Rosen, Williamson said. the AJC’s director of Williamson clarified interreligious affairs by saying that accordand the chairman of ing to the best IJCIC, told JTA it is research he’s seen, unclear whether the 200,000 to 300,000 pope has determined Jews may have died in that he is willing to Nazi concentration pay a price in Jewishcamps, and none in Catholic harmony to gas chambers. achieve his unificaThe pope’s move prompted the Israeli Pope Benedict XVI, seen here in his April 2008 visit to Park East Synagogue tion objectives, or Chief Rabbinate to in New York City, has moved toward embracing a schismatic bishop who whether he simply Credit: Diane Bondareff has a penchant for break its ties with the denied the Holocaust.

Vatican and suspended an annual interfaith meeting with unilateralism.

“I believe it is the second, both because some would Catholic leaders scheduled for March in Jerusalem. A flurry of concerned statements have poured forth from accuse me of wishful thinking, but here there has really Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation been a pattern of a lack of consultation,” Rosen said.

League, the American Jewish Committee, B’nai B’rith “He appears to do things without understanding their International and the International Jewish Commission full implications.”

In a letter to Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican’s on Interreligious Consultations, or IJCIC, the Jewish community’s main body for interfaith dialogue. The point person on relations with the Jewish people, Rosen U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum also weighed in requested that Williamson be asked to retract his position and apologize. against the move.

Kasper has said publicly that Williamson’s comments In their statements, the Jewish groups have generally acknowledged that the status of the bishops, members of are “unacceptable” and Bishop Bernard Fellay, the leader the Society of St. Pius X, is essentially an internal of the society, said his group does not share Williamson’s Catholic matter. Their criticisms have focused mainly on view, The Associated Press reported.

In a response to Rosen on Jan. 26, Kasper wrote that Williamson and his comments about the Holocaust.

B’nai B’rith insisted that it “does not wish to insert he had brought the issue to the attention of Vatican itself into the internal processes of the diverse Catholic authorities.

“I am sure you will understand,” Kasper wrote, “that Church,” but said that the “latest step, coming on the eve of international Holocaust Remembrance Day, and as Bishop Williamson’s ideas do not represent the position the reality of the Holocaust is being increasingly denied of the Church or of the Holy See.”

NEWS ANALYSIS

by ROMAN KENT

“Zachor, Gedenk, Remember.”

This word, translated from Polish and Yiddish, was uttered to us by our fathers during the Holocaust.

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day (held Jan. 27) more than 60 years later, it appears that for survivors this word is indeed superfluous. For how could it be possible for me, a survivor of Auschwitz, to forget even for one moment the horrific experiences endured in the concentration camps?

This year, when I spoke at Yad Vashem, a memorial for those killed in Jerusalem, my message continues to emphasize that our children and future generations must be taught what happens when prejudice and hatred are allowed to flourish. It is my conviction that only through education can a calamity such as the Holocaust and the atrocities in Darfur, Biafra, Kosovo and other countries be prevented from occurring again. Tolerance cannot be assumed; it has to be taught.

And when I speak at Emory University this month, I hope to impart to the students that the antidote to intolerance and hatred is education.

What worries me is that the public is learning about the Holocaust from TV and Hollywood, media that often dilute the meaning of the Holocaust and incorrectly depict the actual events. Most filmmakers will tell the more palatable, yet unrepresentative, parts of the story. They risk trivializing the horror and reducing the unspeakable to the mundane.

There are too many people who say it is necessary to forget the trauma of the Holocaust in order to go on living. Some even go as far as to deny that the Holocaust existed. I believe it is imperative to recall the past so that our lives and those of generations to come will have more meaning.

As a long-time negotiator with the Claims Conference, established in 1951 to provide restitution to survivors, I worry that the needs and dignity of many of the remaining survivors have become lost in all the Hollywood Holocaust hype. There are still critical ongoing problems facing needy Holocaust survivors that must be addressed.

I have also made it my mission to continue to fund and promote our international Holocaust education programs.

These advanced studies provide scholarships to teachers living throughout the United States, enabling them to learn about the Holocaust in depth. This generally includes travel to Poland, Germany and Israel.

To bring my thoughts full circle, I will end as I began by recalling what my dear father said when we were taken to the Lodz ghetto: Zachor, Gedenk, Remember.

To this I add, we must all remember!

Roman Kent survived three concentration camps and came to Atlanta in 1946. He spoke in Omaha last year on Yom HaShoah as well as during the awards ceremony for the winners of the Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest.

Tolerance cannot be assumed; it has to be taught.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the Editor: The World Union stands with all people of conscience as we decry the recent attack at the Tiferet Israel Sephardic synagogue in Caracas, Venezuela. A security guard was injured, sacred Torah scrolls were defaced and words of hate were spray-painted on the walls.

If this were an isolated incident, it would be enough to rend the heart, but this is part of a pattern of anti-Semitic acts against the Jews of Venezuela, abetted by the Venezuelan government’s support of Iranian policies and President Hugo Chavez’s anti-Israel bias. Anti-Semitism, no matter where it comes from, is a sickness that must be countered, but when it comes as part of governmental acquies-

cence or support, we cannot remain silent.

History teaches us well where antiSemitic acts like those in Caracas can lead.

We call upon all good people to speak out against this act and support the Jews of Venezuela.”

Chairman Steven Bauman Shai Pinto and Rabbi BrettonGranatoor, vice presidents The World Union for Progressive Judaism, New York City, NY To the editor: When you hear the term “Dating Violence,” you may think of two adults in a relationship. But the disturbing truth is that verbal and physical abuse is happen-

ing at a much younger age.

The latest research on tween and teen dating is shocking. According to Teenage Research Unlimited, one in five 13 to 14year-olds know friends who have been struck by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Astonishingly, nearly half of teen girls in relationships say they’ve been victims of verbal, sexual or physical assault. And in Nebraska, more than 10 percent of high school girls have experienced dating violence in the last 12 months, which is slightly higher than the national average.

Many kids don’t know the warning signs of a bad relationship and won’t share concerns with their parents. The time for intervention is now.

I believe education is critical and can

help save lives, and that’s why I included the Lindsay Ann Burke Act, sponsored by Sen. Gwen Howard, in my office’s legislative package. The Act was first adopted by Rhode Island in 2007. It requires public schools to incorporate dating violence education for students.

This week is is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week, and it’s important for Nebraskans to know that teaching students about dating violence will help stop an abusive relationship before it starts. Together, we can raise awareness. Together, we can protect our children and prevent abuse.

Jon Bruning Nebraska Attorney General Lincoln, NE

Page 18

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

February 6, 2009

Candlelighting Friday, February 6, 5:30 p.m

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m.

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

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m. free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Children’s Classes, 9:45 a.m. with Torah Parade; Kiddush sponsored

by Sisterhood; “Guard Your Tongue” and “The Great Midrash” and “Advanced Parshah Study for Kids (ages 10 & up)” one hour prior to Mincha, 5:15 p.m., followed by Seudah Shlishit; Havdalah, 6:32 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m.; Rabbi Gross’s Teen Class, 10 a.m.; Kids’ Crafts with Miss Andreea, 5 p.m.; Tu B’Shevat Seder and Israeli Dinner, 6 p.m.

WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

TUESDAY: Mishnah Club for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, 3:45 p.m. at the Blumkin Home; Rabbi Mizrahi’s Weekly Class is cancelled for this week.

WEDNESDAY: Board of Commissioner’s Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

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

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

FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m.; Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m. Family-friendly dinner follows. Cost: $10 per person. No charge for children ages six and younger. To RSVP, contact the synagogue office.

SATURDAY: Morning services, 9:30 a.m.; Members of Sisterhood will help lead services; Kiddush sponsored by Sisterhood; Minha/Ma’ariv, 5:35 p.m.

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

Bible Study SUNDAY: Discussion Group; Navigating our Services with Joy led by Susi Frydman-Levin, and I am a Jew led by Andy Greenberg, 10 a.m.; The Mitzvah Club also led by Frydman-Levin; and Synagogue skills class led by Cantor Schlossberg, 11 a.m.

USY: Sunday, 12:30-6:30 p.m., join the fun during a skiing program at Mount Crescent, IA, for all local Jewish groups. For details, contact Robert Mosenkis in the office, or at youthdir@bethel-omaha.org.

THE CHOREOGRAPHY OF SHABBAT SERVICES: Mini course, led by Cantor Schlossberg, on Sundays, Feb. 8, 15, 22, March 1 & 8, noon.

Cost: $18; open to all adults in the Jewish community; knowledge of Hebrew is not required.

To register, contact the office.

HAZAK SACK LUNCH/ CINEMA SERIES: Sunday, Feb. 8, noon. Cost is $4 for members, $5 for non-members.

Send a check to Tootie Simon, 8725 Izard St., Omaha NE 68114. For movie information, call Simon at 397.3616.

THURSDAY: Rabbi Levin’s Jewish Ideals and Ethics for Everyday Living, noon.

WOMEN’S BOOK GROUP: Thursday, Feb. 12, 1:15 p.m.

The club will explore The Fixer by Malamud; Alice Bernard Kosowsky will lead the discussion.

All women in the Jewish community are welcome; there is no charge to participate.

SISTERHOOD BAKING: Hamantaschen bakers needed on Sunday, Feb. 15, Tuesday, Feb. 17 and Sunday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m.

For information, call the office.

HAMANTASCHEN SALE: Now through Feb. 19. Available in poppy seed, apricot, prune, raspberry and cherry, all for $6.25 a dozen. All proceeds benefit Sisterhood. To order, send a check – made payable to Beth El Sisterhood – to the synagogue.

PROPHETS, PROPHECY & POLITICS BEFORE THE EXILE: Mini course taught by Dr. Guy Matalon, on Thursdays, Feb. 12, 19, 26, 7:30 p.m.

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

FRIDAY: Services, 7 a.m.; One Shabbat, One World: Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Dinner, 6:30 p.m. Reserve a spot by email RSVP@ochabad.com or call the office.

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

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

For more information or to register email Estie@ochabad.com.

WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m.

MONDAY: Kabbalistic Insights for Women, 12:15 p.m.; You bet the Judge II-exploring Jewish Civil Law, 7 p.m. (See full story on page 5.)

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

WEDNESDAY: W.O.W. Cooking from Around the World, 11:30 a.m. for Caribbean cuisine and a light kosher lunch. RSVP by Feb. 9 by email office@ochabad. com or call the office ; Achieving Integrity, Torah Studies for the Workplace, 7 p.m. For information, e-mail TorahStudies@ ochabad.com.

THURSDAY: Jewish Thought, 12:45 p.m.; The Parsha Club for Level I beginners, ages 5-6; and Level II for ages 7-9, 3:45 p.m.

Please contact shevi@ochabad. com for a pass.

All events and programs are open to the entire community.

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

FRIDAY: Snacks, 6 p.m. hosted by Sue Schreiber; Early Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 p.m. led by Rabbi Emanuel, celebrating Shabbat Shira, the Sabbath of song.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Emanuel.

SUNDAY: All LJCS Students, 9:30 a.m. at Tifereth Israel for the Tu B’Shevat “Spirit in Nature” program at 10 a.m.; LJCS Board meeting, 1 p.m.; Temple Annual Meeting, 4 p.m.; Winter Lecture Series, 7 p.m. at Unitarian Church: Cuban Culture with Joe Starita, UN-L Professor of Journalism.

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

ADULT EDUCATION FEB. TUESDAYS, 7:30 p.m.

Yoga for Every “Body”, led by Barbara Barron.

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

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. led by Nancy Rips and Andy Greenberg.

SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Andy Greenberg and assited by Aaron and Naomi Zipursky.

TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Shabbat Shira: A Musical Journey: Worship, Dinner, and Open Mic Night, 6 p.m.

Cantor Wendy Shermet, Kol Rina and the St. Paul United Methodist Church Choir, under the direction of Music Minister Jerry Brabec, will lead a musical journey. Services will be followed by a Mediterranean-style dinner and Open Mic Night.

SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m.; Grade 6 Shabbat Service, 10:30 a.m.

SUNDAY: Teacher meeting, 9 a.m.; Caring Community Card Making, 10 a.m.-noon. Volunteers interested in making cards to congregants; Parent-Teacher Conferences, 10 a.m. Family Last names M-Z, 10-11 a.m. and last names A-L, 11 a.m.-noon; Kol Rina, 11 a.m. at St. Paul Methodist Church; Teacher Appreciation lunch, noon.

WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 46 p.m.; All School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Family School, 6 p.m.; Grades 712, 6 p.m.; Aleph Bet and Beyond, 6:30 p.m. with native Israelis Na’ama Artzi and Mor Sheinbein.

Fee is $18 for members; $25 for non-members; no charge for Family School parents. Contact Program Director Wendy Goldberg at wgoldberg@templeisraelomaha.com to register.

THURSDAY: “Adult Study with the Clergy” with Cantor Shermet, 10 a.m.

Family Shabbat to Honor Scouts and Military Troops, Friday, Feb. 13, 6 p.m. Our Family Shabbat worship service will feature a Boy Scout ceremony, Temple’s Children Choir and some deployment stories by Air Force Captain Jonathan Beha.

NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN FRIDAY: Minyan, 5:21 p.m.

SATURDAY: Srvices, 9 a.m.

TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Nancy Coren, Lay Leader. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

MONDAY and THURSDAY: Minyan, 9 a.m.

FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Morning service, 9:30 a.m., and Talmud study.

SUNDAY: LJCS Students, 9:30 a.m. at Tifereth Israel for the Tu B’Shevat “Spirit in Nature” program that begins at 10 a.m.; LJCS Board meeting, 1 p.m.

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

Therapist offers advice at B’nai Israel Speaker Series Glen Fineman, L.I.M.H.P., L.C.S.W. offered the congregation at B’nai Israel an answer to the question, “How Do I Know if I’m Mishuganah or Not?” Of course the answer was -- it depends. Fineman has been a social worker for decades, practicing in the Council Bluffs/Omaha metro community. Fineman advised congregants to deal with the things in life that they can control, not those things that they have no power to change. Next week, Carol Lainof, RN, MSN will be at Shabbat Services on Friday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., with the topic, “Here’s to Your Health.” The speaker series is designed to offer a variety of speakers and topics of interest to the Jewish Community. The entire Jewish community is invited to attend. An Oneg will follow services.

PERSONAL Thank you for all the cards, calls, donations and visits during my recent surgery and recovery.

Faye Ruback

Pulverente MONUMENT CO.

February 6, 2009

Omaha native opens U.S. Senate session

by JAKE THOMPSON to our founding leaders who Nebraska’s Senator Ben joined those rights with Nelson welcomed Rabbi responsibilities for ourselves Daniel J. Fellman as guest and our fellow citizens; to chaplain of the United States the people of our nation for Senate on Jan. 29. Rabbi entrusting us with aweFellman delivered the openinspiring duties; to each ing prayer for last other as we endeavor to Thursday’s session of the maintain civility, striving for Senate. dignity and high purpose in Rabbi Fellman, a native of conducting the people’s Omaha, whom Senator business.

Nelson has known for nearly “Today and everyday let us two decades, is the current strive to fill this chamber Assistant Rabbi at Anshe Sen. Ben Nelson, Rabbi Daniel J. Fellman, Melissa Fellman with humanity, humility, and Emeth Memorial Temple in and their son Zachary wait in the Senate Chaplain’s office. hope, honoring our nation’s New Brunswick, NJ. A respected teacher, he has served past while honing our unique yet shared understanding congregations in a number of communities, including of the future’s ever-present call.

“As we turn to the business of the people, remind us Cincinnati, Ohio; Natchez, MS; Petoskey, MI; Joplin, that we have not come into being to hate or destroy, but MO; LaSalle, IL, and in Nebraska.

Fellman earned an undergraduate degree in political rather we have come into being to praise, to labor, and science from Colorado College and a Master of Arts in to love. With gratitude in our souls, we turn to the Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Source of All, seeking blessing for ourselves, our famiInstitute of Religion in Cincinnati. He was ordained as a lies, our endeavors. May we be guided by the light of the rabbi in 2005. He also has helped foster interfaith Lord, and may we be of the generation who shines that understanding on the steering committee of the light for all to see.

Catholic-Jewish Educators Dialogue of the American “And let us live the words of our first President: ‘May the Father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in Jewish Committee in Cincinnati. our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useThe text of Rabbi Fellman’s prayer follows: “We arrive this morning filled with thanks: to our ful here, and in his or her own due time and way, everCreator who endows each of us with unalienable rights; lastingly happy.’”

Thank you Pharaoh

SPARKS FROM THE WORD

by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashat BeShalah My limited Hebrew grammar cannot quite identify the infinitive BeShalah, which means “when he let go,” he meaning, of course, Pharaoh. As a pi’el -- a transitive verb -- it carries a tone of intensity (and dislike of the Israelites who were later the Jews), giving Pharaoh the title of the first of a long list of anti-Semites.

At any rate, Pharaoh did not choose to chase the Israelites north from his land, hugging the shores of the Mediterranean coast, which would have been a relatively short journey, even by foot. Instead he sent them into the vast Middle East, where he expected them to expire.

But Israel, even at that stage of infancy, was already stubborn. They did not die. Instead, they wandered throughout the Middle East, we are told, for 40 years, finally entering Canaan, which was to be the Land of Israel, from the East, rather than from the South.

The 40 years in the desert were not wasted: “it is easy to take the man from the farm, but it is hard to take the farm from the man.”

Thus it was not easy to take the physical and mental/moral effect of slavery on Israelites; yet after 40 years, they had become Israel.

They stopped at Sinai, where they acquired the 10 Mitzvot, which, according to the Greeks and the King James versions of the Bible, are widely called the Ten Commandments.

Did it take 40 years for those former slaves to become Israel? As least we do know that after 40 years, they were, indeed, not slaves but free men. They were now prepared to share with the world, then their contemporary world and mankind ever after, a sense of morality and decency.

They learned how civilized man attempts to live in peace and harmony with his neighbor. The Israelites even learned to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Thus the 40 years were put to good use and when they entered the Land of Israel, the people were prepared for moral living in a civilized society.

Here begins Torah -- the Teaching, which has sustained Judaism, Christianity and other civilizations around the world.

There are often unexpected results from our actions.

Pharaoh meant to exterminate all Israelites. Instead, he inadvertently pushed the world of humankind into a long search for moral, civilized living, in which ever since, we have been engaged.

Let the search continue. We hope it will succeed.

Thank you, Pharaoh.

DEATHS BELLA EISENBERG Holocaust survivor Bella Eisenberg died Jan. 30 at the age of 82. Services were held Feb. 1 at Beth El Synagogue.

One of the few young women to survive with her mother, Mala Schlachet, she lost her father, Wolf and brother, Yoshu, during the Holocaust. First imprisoned in the infamous Plasczow Concentration Camp outside her hometown of Krakow, Poland, she and her mother were later transferred to Auchwitz.

After the war, she met her husband Erwin Eisenberg in a DP camp in Europe and they married in 1948. The couple and Bella’s mother made their way to Omaha. At first she worked at the Dr. Sher Home, where she learned English. Erwin worked for the Standard Oil Company in Des Moines. The couple later moved back to Omaha and opened Eisenberg Art Gallery, which Bella ran on her own after Erwin died in 1974.

She is survived by her son, Robert Mark Eisenberg of New York City; grandchildren, Talia Florence and Zev Zachary, also of New York; and daughter-in-law, Pamela Susan Kohll of Boulder, CO. Memorials to charity of choice.

GAIL SPECTOR ABRAMSON Former Omahan Gail Spector Abramson died Feb. 1 in Las Vegas, NV. Services were held Feb. 3 at the King David Palm Cemetery in Las Vegas.

Active in numerous organizations during her years in Omaha, she served as President of both B’nai B’rith Women and Pioneer Women.

She is survived by her husband, Marvin; son and daughter-in-law, Neal and Betty Abramson; daughter, Michelle, and sister, Carol Schien.

Memorials to the American Diabetes Association or Midbar Kodesh Synagogue, 1940 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, NV 89012.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

February 6, 2009

Wasting food in the name of science TIME OUT

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Late in December, my family suddenly informs me that I have to come home. Although I normally welcome holiday travel like a hefty attack of the stomach flu, this time I have no choice.

Flying by myself under the circumstances is a very bad idea, so I decide to take my daughter Isabella along. As soon as I share my plans with her, the panic sets in.

“What about the Science Fair?” she asks, and I quickly check the calendar.

Late February, so I think we’ll be okay.

Once she hears there is very little chance we’ll be gone that long, she relaxes.

“Besides,” I say, “you can do your experiments in Holland, can’t you? I’m sure it’ll be very inspiring.”

When I introduce the topic to my family, they are more than game to play their part. My brother knows a great science museum, and my sister immediately starts making plans.

In spite of the fact that our list of famous painters is roughly three times as long, there have been some great scientists in the lowlands. From Huygens to Leeghwater to Van Leeuwenhoek, there are plenty of good role models to choose from.

Didn’t Descartes live in Leiden for more than 20 years? Maybe Isabella can build her own microscope, or a hydraulic dam, or dissect a tulip bulb. Maybe she can build a miniature (working) windmill.

With popsicle sticks.

“No,” she says, “I want to watch green beans rot.”

Fantastic. Why is it that science experiments always involve all things gross and disgusting? I envision a filthy decomposing pile of rubbish on my mother’s kitchen counter, and sigh.

“I’m sure grandma will be delighted,” I say, and hope for the best. My mother, when I give her the good news, doesn’t seem fazed. This is probably because she

beans start to arrive on my e-mail, and discussions about my father’s illness are interspersed with comments about mold and questions about whether the outside experiment will be eaten by those famous Amsterdam pigeons.

Once we arrive in Holland, we take daily photographs of beans that rot, beans that freeze, beans that get covered in snow, and beans that dry out.

Not to be outdone in the nastinessdepartment, our son busies himself with a few experiments of his own: he throws about eight farm fresh eggs down the stairs at an uncle’s house, then quickly follows this up with a “stick your finger in the bunny cage and see what happens” investigation.

That’s okay; this trip, everybody gets a chance to shine. Besides, it’s handy to know that eggs, when thrown down the stairs onto a concrete floor, will break every time, and that bunnies don’t know the In her grandmother’s home in Holland, Isabella Wright sets up her difference between a “science” experiment for Friedel Jewish Academy’s Science Fair. juicy carrot and a finger. doesn’t remember anything about chilIt occurs to me that we were all ready to dren and the messes they make. No wor- be a little distracted from the situation we ries, she will find out soon enough. found ourselves in; we just didn’t know Over the next few days, while we anx- how until the Friedel Science Fair threw iously await our departure, my sister pre- us a lifeline. pares several dishes with raw and partially Annette Van de Kamp-Wright is a cooked beans. My brother offers us a for- local freelance writer who volunteers for gotten piece of bell pepper that he discov- Friedel and Chabad. A member of the American Jewish Press Association, she ered in the back of his fridge.

“No, thanks,” I tell him, “we’re only can be reached at: avandekamp@ doing beans.” Soon, photographs of said tconl.com.

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Learn the art of Purim and the history of Purim costumes

by GARY KATZ Kripke Library Administrator Join in the festive and creative atmosphere at the Kripke Jewish Federation Library’s fourth annual Art of Purim on Monday, March 2, 9:30 a.m. Spend the morning creating Shalach Manot packages with local artist Julie Philips and learn about the history of Purim costumes with Rabbi Yitzhak Mizrahi of Beth Israel.

Purim is a fun-filled holiday, and the mitzvah of sending Shalach Manot to at least two friends is one of the four designated mitzvot for this holiday. The others are reading and/or hearing the Scroll of Esther -- the Megilla, eating a festive meal, and giving money to the poor. Other popular activities include staging comedic plays, expounding on the Torah in humorous ways, dressing up in costumes, holding beauty contests, and marching in parades. Sending Shalach Manot baskets of food to friends and relatives began with Queen Esther and Mordechi. These gifts usually have at least two different foods or drinks that do not have to be cooked or prepared by the recipient.

Adults will be able to make and take home two packages. All supplies and materials will be provided. This program is free, but reservations are needed. To RSVP or for information, call 334.6462 or email gkatz@jewishomaha.org.