March 1, 2024

The Jewish Press

Week of Understanding From Generation to Generation

SCOTT LITTKY IHE Executive Director

Each year a highlight of the Institute for Holocaust Education calendar is our annual Week of Understanding. Between March 18 and 22, the IHE has arranged more than 20 speaking engagements that will reach some 7,000 Nebraska students. Some of these events will take place with local Holocaust survivor Dr. Fred Kader along with second generation speakers, Dana Knox, Hazzan Michael Krausman, and Dr. Steve Wees. This year we will also be joined by a new member of our second generation speaker community, Eadie Tsabari, who will share her father’s unique story of survival. To learn more about these and other local survivors, you can check out the “Survivor Stories” section on the IHE website or view their presentations on the Jewish Federation of Omaha YouTube page.

We are also honored to welcome second and third generation Holocaust survivors who have agreed to travel to Omaha especially for the Week of Understanding program. The guests who will be joining us in 2024 are profiled below.

The public is invited to hear second generation speaker, Rose Viny as she recounts her father’s story of survival at the Durham Museum on Wednesday, March 20 at 6:30 p.m.

To register for this presentation, please visit the Durham Museum’s website at www.durhammuseum.org. Presented by the Durham Museum and the Institute for Holocaust Education Meet our guests:

JIM BERK

Jim will be sharing the testimony and story of his mother, Ilona Dorenter Berk who was a remarkable woman. Tough. Smart. See Week of Understanding page 3

In loving memory of Omaha natives Sandy and Florene Bernstein

The story of Sandor L. Bernstein (July 21, 1933–Jan. 28, 2024) and Florene E. Cohen Bernstein (March 2, 1934–Jan. 31, 2024) as told through their beautiful loving obituaries written by their children:

SANDY

REGULARS

Sandor Lee Bernstein was born July 21, 1933, in Omaha, Nebraska. He lost his mother when he was seven and his father when he was 13. He then lived with a loving aunt and uncle, but the early loss of his parents shaped him into a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who more than anything else wanted to provide

for his family.

By his own admission, Sandy — the only people who used his full given name were strangers — did not particularly distinguish himself in high school. But at the urging of the man he worked for as a teenager, he enrolled in what was then Omaha University (now University of Nebraska-Omaha). He graduated from

OU in 1955 with a degree in art and a wife — he wed Florene Cohen, the greatest love of his life, on Oct. 4, 1953.

After a variety of entry-level jobs, Sandy went to work for a label company in Omaha and became involved in sales. While Sandy never thought himself a natural salesman, he succeeded through a combination of his sense of humor, persistence, and hard work, and became first a regional sales manager, and then a vice president of sales. His positions required him to take his growing family, which ultimately included four children, across the country — from Omaha to Los Angeles, back to Omaha, then to Atlanta, New Hampshire, and finally to the Washington, D.C, area.

Once the oldest three children were living on their own, Sandy felt he could take the risk to start his own company, and he started Nova Label Co. in the early 1980s. Nova Label became successful beyond his dreams and when Sandy retired, he passed its leadership onto his son-in-law Alan See Sandy Bernstein page 11

Jazz at the J

GABBY BLAIR

Jewish Press Staff Writer

Love jazz? Then mark your calendars for April 18 as the conclusion of the third season of Jazz at the J presents Jazz, Blues & American Roots: Songs That Shaped Our Nation by nationally renowned pianist, vocalist and composer, Gary Negbaur!

A New York-based artist, Negbaur combines innovative arrangements of Jazz, Blues and American Roots standards with soulful originals. He has grooved at the Superdome and at the French Quarter Fest in New Orleans, knocked them out at Birdland in NYC and raised the roof at South by Southwest in Austin. He brought the audience to its feet at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival and tours as a soloist and with the Gary Negbaur Group.

When asked how he came to select our Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater for this performance, he shared that this would infact be his first visit to Omaha and that he hopes to make connections with our community. “I had toured my show Jazz, Blues & American Roots: Songs That Shaped Our Nation for a number of years to Performing Arts Centers and theaters. Because Jewish songwriters have had such an impact on the repertoire of American songs, I thought that JCC audiences would be a great match for the show. Now, I’m able to tour the country, sharing this great music at theaters as well as JCCs.” In addition to his Omaha show, Negbaur will also be returning to perform in Kansas City, where his family has roots.

A graduate of Harvard University and the Berklee College of Music, Negbaur has traveled the country and world sharing his music. Favorite international venues include spots in Denmark, Canada, Australia and Israel, where he performed across the country in 2019.

“I performed at the Mizpe Ramon Jazz Club, Mike’s Place in Tel Aviv and Mike’s Place in Jerusalem. All of the shows were solo piano/vocal performances. The Mizpe Ramon club is a great nexus of jazz in the Negev desert. It’s an unlikely spot, See Jazz at the J page 2

American

University completes deal to sell Los Angeles campus to nearby

Jim Berk Rochelle Brown Sarah Kutler Rose Viny

Sandy and Florene Bernstein

Gary Negbaur

Continued from page 1 but a great artistic environment. I played a mix of jazz standards, New Orleans R&B tunes, blues tunes and originals. All Mike’s Places are great blues and rock venues that are happening clubs with enthusiastic crowds. The Tel Aviv location is right at the beach and has a Jimmy Buffet feel to it, if Jimmy Buffet was a Sabra. The Jerusalem club has more of a music club environment combined with a lively bar. Overall, the experience of playing for Israeli audiences was great. They were really interested and knowledgeable about American music and were attentive and curious about me as a musician. It was a privilege for me to share this music with those audiences.”

In addition to touring the US, Negbaur is currently working on a recording called Binding Isaac and the Prodigal Son. “It consists of two original song suites. One is based on the Binding of Isaac (the Torah story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac) and the other is focused on the Prodigal Son (the New Testament story of a profligate son who returns to his family),” he explains.

“In each suite, every song is sung by a different character in the story and reveals their perspective on the events unfolding. I hope to start touring this show in the fall (2024) when the recording will be released. Ideally, the concerts will be presented alongside a minister and a rabbi who will explain the stories and encourage an open discussion about the impact of these well-known parables.”

ORGANIZATIONS

Jazz at the J

Negbaur is also working on two new albums; one that highlights Christmas songs written by Jewish composers, and one of original works that focuses on the phenomenon of kindness.

In addition to performing, Negbaur composes for theater, film, and TV. He wrote music and lyrics for the musical Wine Lovers and contributed to the score of the feature film An American Summer. His song, Red Pontiac, was featured on NPR’s beloved Car Talk

More info on Gary Negbaur can be found at https://garynegbaur.com

Join us at the Staenberg Omaha JCC

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS

on April 18. Pre-show cocktail hour 6:30 p.m.; the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Pre-purchase tickets for just $25 at: https://www.jccomaha.org/perfor ming-arts/special-events/ or at the door for $30, if available.

Please email tickets@jccomaha.org or call the ticket office 402.334.6457 with any questions.

A special thanks to our sponsors, Ann Woskoff Shulman Memorial Fund, Foundation IMPACT Grant, and the Etta & Harold Epstein Security Fund for helping bring our first national level musical artist to our Alan J. Levine theater!

The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch our email for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com

Spring Author Event

NAOMI FOX

JFO Assistant Director of Engagement and Education

Mark your calendars for our Spring Author event on April 1 at 6:30 p.m., in the Goldstein Community Engagement Venue. We will hear from author and producer Arthur Smith about his career and biography/memoir, Reach Arthur Smith is one of the most daring, creative, and in-

fluential minds in nonfiction television, producing and creating many shows including Hell’s Kitchen, American Ninja Warrior, and leading FOX Sports Net, to name a few.

His company has produced over 200 television shows on more than 50 networks spanning across genres, formats, and platforms. In his book, Reach, Arthur Smith draws on the most exciting moments of his pioneering career as a producer to show how far you can go when you take risks, stay goal oriented, and reach for your dreams.

At our April 1 event, beverages, kosher appetizers and dessert will be served. The book Reach will be available for purchase.

Look for registration coming soon!

IN THE NEWS

The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three online Baroque Fiddle Tunes Workshops for violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, soprano recorder, and alto recorder.

The Workshops will be on Tuesday, April 16, 7 p.m., Central Time, Wednesday, April 17, 10 a.m., Central Time, and Friday, April 19, 7 p.m., Central Time.

Different tunes will be played at each session.

We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for these charming pieces. A treble clef version of the sheet music for the tunes being played will be displayed on the screen during the workshop.

There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $10. The cost of each optional book is $15.00 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration).

For more information, and to register: https://greenblatt andseay.com/workshops_baroque.shtml

Arthur Smith

The Super Bowl: ELC Version

AMY S. DWORIN

Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center Assistant Director

It’s fourth and goal, our field is covered in mud, and the fans are getting rowdy. Luckily, they’ve seen this before and the coaches know exactly what to do, a Hail Mary that, if it works, could land them in the Hall of Fame. The whistle blows, they open the playbook, and call it out.

HUT: Learning happens when students are able to synthesize new information with prior knowledge. HUT: Students learn best when they are having fun and excited about the topic.

... ready for it?

HIKE: The play is executed beautifully! The crowd goes wild, and there are stickers everywhere!

Let’s watch it in slow motion to break down how the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center became the real winners of Super Bowl LVIII!

Creating teachable moments in daily experiences is a hallmark of the ELC. From snack time to playing outside, ELC students have opportunities to explore, converse, and question. If that’s what happens on a regular day, just imagine special events?!

This winning play was based on the students’ excitement for the Super Bowl. Children were asked to make a prediction about who they thought would win the Big Game. Predictions and hypotheses encourage learners to monitor their own understanding while being aware of future events. Students practiced their fine motor skills by sticking a sticker on the column representing their favorite team. This created a visual representation of the data. Children were able to look at the columns and see which team had more stickers on it, then use that information to determine which team had more fans. This activity engaged students in math concepts like greater and less, one-to-one correspondence, and number recognition.

Using logos as guides, students were able to read the words “NFL,” “Chiefs,” “49ers,” “Taylor Swift,” and “Super Bowl.” These logos are an example of environmental print, which is an important pre-literacy skill. Environmental print helps students understand that words have meaning and that writing is a way of communicating. This exercise also helped students recognize that they can use visual context for clues when faced

Continued from page 1

with an unfamiliar concept.

After the game, there were a lot of happy Chiefs fans and a few sad 49ers fans. Students learned that sometimes hypotheses are incorrect, and that is okay because it creates an opportunity to try again next time! Students practiced good sportsmanship, recognizing the importance of supporting each other, and most of all, having fun and trying one’s best.

This Super Bowl is emblematic of the type of child-directed and play-based learning that the ELC offers. Rather than following a packaged curriculum, the ELC creates opportunities for students to learn about topics that interest them while teachers act as facilitators who help them explore and learn more in depth. Educational goals are crafted utilizing the Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines outlined by the Nebraska Department of Education. We find this approach creates learners who are excited about learning, know how to utilize their resources, and are curious about the world. At the ELC, learning is a partnership and, just like Andy Reid, a team approach is utilized, combining classroom activities, all school events, and parent participation.

While Taylor and Travis did not make an appearance, the Super Bowl-ELC Version hit different and was enjoyed by students, families, and staff. ELC teachers are already hard at work training for next season, which includes Purim, Passover, and exploring Jewish wedding traditions.

Week of Understanding

Resilient. She used all of those qualities, including some miracles, to survive the horror of five Nazi concentration camps. She eventually settled in Lincoln and carved out a brilliant dressmaking career. Her son, Jim, former tv and radio sportscaster now living in the Detroit area, tells her remarkable story in a poignant, powerful presentation.

ROCHELLE BROWN-RAINEY

For many years, Rochelle’s mother, Magda Brown, would come to Omaha to speak during the Week of Understanding. Rochelle always accompanied her mother wherever she spoke. They traveled across the country and around the world, driven by a mission to share Magda’s harrowing story of surviving the Auschwitz-Birkenau and Buchenwald concentration camps and building a new life in the United States. Magda embraced every opportunity to reach people, speaking to more than 100,000 people in person – and reaching millions more online. Magda died in the summer of 2020 and now Rochelle is sharing her mother’s story and keeping her memory and message alive.

SARAH KUTLER

Sarah is our first 3G speaker. She is the granddaughter of Beatrice Karp of blessed memory. Beatrice was born in 1932 in Lauterbach, Germany. She was six years old when the Nazis took power. She survived the Gurs and Rivesaltes concentration camps along with her younger sister. With the encouragement of her late husband, Robert Pappenheimer, Bea went on to share her story with thousands of children and adults in order to remember the millions of innocent lives that were murdered, including her parents. Beatrice died in early March of 2019. Being able to con-

tinue to tell her story truly brings a blessing to her memory and legacy.

Beatrice’s youngest grandchild, Sarah Kutler, is a social worker now living and working in Akron, Ohio. While Sarah is learning how to keep her grandmother’s story alive, she takes a social justice perspective on how everyday individuals can engage in introspection, empathy, and social justice to ensure that a tragedy like the Holocaust will never happen again.

ROSE VINY

Rose was born and raised in Omaha and is the daughter of Holocaust survivors Bluma and Joe Polonski. Her father Joe was one of only 700 survivors of Treblinka and one of only three survivors who escaped from the death camp. Rose will be showing the movie, Escape from Treblinka: The Joseph Polonski Story, at each of her talks and will be sharing her message of Never Again! The film chronicles the life of Joseph Polonski from his childhood in Silvaki, Poland, to the Jewish ghetto, and ultimately to Treblinka. His wit and luck allowed him to become one of just two known escapees from Treblinka. After his escape, he served as an officer in the resistance, fighting Nazis until the liberation and eventually emigrated to the United States in 1949.

The Week of Understanding is an effort to maximize the opportunity for Nebraskans to hear from Holocaust survivors and liberators while these eye-witnesses are still among us. The program is made possible by generous support from The Jewish Federation of Omaha, the Institute for Holocaust Education, the Omaha Public Schools Foundation, and the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation (of the JFOF).

ROOFING SIDING GUTTERS

402-391-4287

The Super Bowl made it official: America has lost its Jewish Exceptionalism

There’s nothing like an audience of 123.4 million people to convey a message with absolute clarity. Whereas there had been all kinds of signals since the turn of this century indicating that something had significantly changed for Jews in America, including President George W. Bush’s signing of the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004 (which two years later led to the swearing in of Gregg Rickman as the first Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism), “Stand Up to Jewish Hate,” broadcast during Super Bowl LVIII, now left no room for doubt: Jews in America are like Jews living in all benign societies worldwide: We are no more than a protected minority.

To give you a concise idea of what America was but is no longer, please allow me to refer to one of my early columns: “100% American and 100% Jewish—Only in Israel.” There I write that “when I made aliyah in 1997, I discovered something astounding: I was now living in a country, far though it is from the United States, where my Jewish identity is always in complete harmony with my American identity: only in Israel do I feel 100% American and 100% Jewish.” I explained that “to feel 100% American” is to “feel intimately connected to one's society, to feel like you and your neighbor are creating something great and noble, to feel that you have an integral part to play in a marvelous whole.” Though in America I ultimately came to believe that “there simply were too many touchstones of American culture that were off-limits to me as a traditional religious Jew,” I situate my aliyah in the context of my passion for America: “The sense of oneness-with-country that because of my birth and upbringing I have come to think of as Americanness, I experience in Israel.” I wonder: Are there people growing up in today’s America who will even be able to understand me here, who will appreciate the American Jewish experience of the second half of the twentieth century?

In case you happen not to be among the 123.4 million,

“Stand up to Jewish Hate” opens as a mother and daughter leave their suburban home one morning and are confronted on their white garage door by a spray-painted black swastika and the words “No Jews.” Though the girl asks all sorts of questions (“What’s that?” “Who did that?” “Did you paint it or something?”), the mother just quickly ushers her into the car. They return to a sparkling clean garage, and it is apparent that their neighbor, a “Mr. Tony,” has painted everything over. On the surface, as my brother put it on a family whatsapp chat, this is a “beautiful ad”; however, there are some extremely troubling aspects about it. Because the target of the antisemitism is not a synagogue, or a Jewish cemetery, or anything or anyone identifiably Jewish, the ad seems to be depicting pure, racial antisemitism in America. And from my Israeli perspective, the most upsetting aspect about the ad is something that was omitted: any mention of punishment or prevention. It takes so much longer to repaint a whole garage than it does to graffiti it. How can the good guys hope to win unless the bad guys are stopped?

One of the founding texts of modern Zionism is called AutoEmancipation. Written by Leon Pinsker in 1882, an astonishing half-century before the rise of the Nazi Party, Auto-Emancipation is an argument for Jews to “return to the ranks of the nations by the acquisition of a Jewish homeland.” Given the urgency of the problem of antisemitism, Pinsker did not feel that this homeland necessarily had to be in “Palestine,” but he did emphasize, as the pamphlet’s title proclaims, that Jews need to take primary responsibility for their fate. In “Stand Up to Jewish Hate,” American Jews say loudly and clearly to the American people: “Help us.” I have absolutely no doubt that there are more than enough good Americans to help, but what a difference from the way I grew up--when the “us” was part and parcel of the “good Americans.”

Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israeli Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@gmail.com

Inclusive Communities welcomes Bob the Drag Queen to Omaha

On March 26, 2024, Inclusive Communities will present the second annual Jane H. & Rabbi Sidney H. Brooks Conversations for Change series, featuring the non-binary comic and actor, Bob the Drag Queen. Dedicated to advancing the Brooks’ legacy fostering learning through dialogue, the series aims to build connections across diverse cultures and identities.

Cammy Watkins, Inclusive Communities’ Executive Director, expressed, “We are honored to serve as the facilitators of these vital discussions in Omaha. As we continue to welcome innovators from around the world, we aim to shed light on the arts and humanities’ perspective in addressing prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination.”

Renowned for winning the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar on Season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bob brings unapologetic confidence and charisma to the stage. Bob is also a co-host of the Peabody Award-winning reality series We’re Here, where small-town residents are introduced to the transformative world of drag performance for one unforgettable night.

2023’s conversation featured actor, writer, producer, and former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, Kal Penn. Over 1,100 attended, including students of all ages from across the state.

Many of you personally knew Sidney and Jane Brooks. Sid-

B’nai Israel march speaker

HOWARD KUTLER

On March 8, Gary Nachman will be the guest speaker at B’nai Israel Synagogue for Shabbos evening services at 7:30 p.m. His talk will focus on the significance for Jews to place mezuzahs on their doorposts at home and in the workplace.

Gary has been a wood carving

ney became Rabbi at Temple Israel in 1952, and they had two children, Miriam (Mibsy) and Joel. Rabbi Brooks was always teaching with passion and dedication to the truth as he found it in Torah, yet not without a sense of humor. Congregants spoke of him as a teacher; counsel; a “pastor’s pastor;” a trailblazer in civil rights, interfaith relations, and community youth work; a giant, powerful, gregarious; and a mover and shaper.

“The Conversations for Change Series is a wonderful way to honor my parents’ legacy in Omaha. They were dedicated to bringing people together to learn from each other.

“This year’s event will be a great way for all us to do just that,” says Miriam Brooks

We thank Miriam Brooks for supporting Conversations for Change. The world looks very different than it did when Jane and Rabbi Brooks were leaders in our community. This program allows each of us to open our minds and hearts, to continue to learn, and to find meaning in our lives.

Conversations for Change will take place on Tuesday, March 26, 2023, from 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center in downtown Omaha. Tickets are now open to the public https://ticketomaha.com/ Productions/conversations-for-change. For questions please contact Lachelle Rankins, Director of Strategic Partnerships, at lachelle@inclusivecommunities.org

artist since his teen years in Minneapolis. His love of art has been expressed through sculpting, photography, oil painting, and wood burning. He became inspired by the versatility, historical, and religious significance and beauty of olive wood while living in Israel.

Gary creates beautiful handcrafted one-of-a-kind mezuzahs and yads. And he collaborates with Omaha native and artist Tom Friedman who creates beautiful glass works of art to design custom pieces. You can learn more about the Judaica artwork Gary creates by going to his website www.dorldoor.com

TEDDY WEINBERGER

Rabbi Geiger’s Weekly Torah Expedition

PARSHA VAYAKHEL

I recently heard a beautiful story about a man living in Israel, we’ll call him Avi. One morning, Avi needed to move the Torah scroll. It was very early in the morning, so he went to the synagogue alone. As he walks out the door, holding the torah, he sees a garbage truck coming up the streets.

The truck drivers looked very intimidating, and Avi started walking a little faster. Then the driver started yelling at him, Mr! At this point, Avi was quite nervous and began running.

RABBI MORDECHAI GEIGER Beth Israel

The truck catches up to him, and Avi finally hears what they say. Mr.! It’s a lack of respect for the Torah to carry it around without an escort of at least three people! So they hopped out of the truck and walked Avi to his destination.

As the holiday of Purim approaches, many of us begin planning our costumes. Dressing up is fun for the kids and those of us who are kids at heart. But this costume represents a very powerful idea. In the Purim story, G-d was hidden from us, but in the end, it became clear that He was there with us all along. The mission of the Jew is to look beyond the mask. Sometimes it is G-d hiding behind a mask. And sometimes, like in the story with Avi, our fellow man hides his soul behind a rough exterior. But the job of a Jew is to see G-d behind the mask and to see the soul that is within every person.

Shabbat Shalom.

INFORMATION

ANTISEMITIC/HATE INCIDENTS

If you encounter an antisemitic or other hate incident, you are not alone. Your first call should be to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) in Omaha at 402.334.6572, or email JCRCreporting@jewishomaha.org. If you perceive an imminent threat, call 911, and text Safety & Security Manager James Donahue at 402.213.1658.

Welcoming the stranger

SHARON BRODKEY

Our Torah commands us to welcome the stranger into our midst 36 times (with the most frequently quoted mention in Leviticus 19:34)!

Since the launch of JCRC’s Welcoming the Stranger initiative last August, the generosity of Omaha’s Jewish community has helped countless refugee individuals and families rebuild their lives here with donations of furniture, household goods, and clothing to monetary support.

In the coming months, refugee resettlement agencies in Omaha are set to receive and resettle more than 700 individuals from countries across the globe and they need our assistance, passion, and experience.

JCRC is hosting a Volunteer Open House, led by Immigrant Legal Center/ Refugee Empowerment Center. More than 75 faith partners are invited to attend the event on Thursday, March 14, in the Goldstein Community Engagement Room, from 6-7:30 p.m. Attendees can expect to learn about the many different volunteer opportunities and requirements to sponsor refugees and set up new homes. Gloria Kaslow was one of the community volunteers who, along with congregants from Beth El Synagogue, helped sponsor the Al-Jassem family when they came to Omaha from Syria in 2017. The relationship and con-

nection between Gloria and the family is still strong. “I got to watch them have an American child,” Gloria said. “My father was an immigrant, and I feel like everyone who comes to this country. It could be me.” The ability to give them opportunities is so important. She explained that the Al-Jassems had no education when they came here. Gloria, Helen Epstein, and Marti AthertonRosen tutored the family in English.

JCRC advisory board member and lead on the Welcoming the Stranger committee, Lacey Studnicka said, “I’ve been welcoming refugees for more than 18 years, and we must be mindful that people don’t choose to flee their homes and country and undertake highly per-

ilous journeys unless they have been forced to do so. However, we do have a choice, and that choice is how we welcome our new neighbors.” said Lacey.

“What they really need is a support system.” Most refugees arrive without extended family. “If we can serve as a surrogate parent or sibling, or just a friend, and be there regularly, which is so important, they can feel like they’re part of a community; it’s so important to their successful integration and assimilation into their new lives here,” Gloria concluded.

All community members are welcome to join ILC/REC and the JCRC. RSVP at Volunteers@refugeeempowerment. org or by calling Alison at 712.522.1690.

American Jewish University completes deal to sell Los Angeles campus to nearby Jewish school

ASAF ELIA-SHALEV

JTA

American Jewish University in Los Angeles completed the sale of its main campus to Milken Community School, a nondenominational Jewish school located only a few hundred feet away, the two institutions announced on Feb. 21.

The announcement puts to rest concerns that the 22-acre hilltop property would go to an entity outside of the Los Angeles Jewish community, whose philanthropic donations allowed the construction of classrooms, a synagogue, mikveh and other facilities on the site over the past seven decades.

“Today marks a significant milestone as American Jewish University and Milken Community School take a major step to strengthen our Jewish community for future generations,” leaders of the two institutions wrote in a joint announcement on Feb. 21.

The two sides did not disclose the financial terms of the deal but it includes only the Familian Campus in Bel Air, and not the BrandeisBardin Institute in Simi Valley, which will remain the property of AJU.

of concern were the fate of AJU’s mikveh, the only non-Orthodox ritual bath in the region, and a major library collection.

Milken, which previously submitted a losing bid for the campus in 2022, remained interested in buying the property. With 800 students, Milken is one of the largest Jewish high and middle schools in the country. Hopes to grow Milken required

AJU, formed in 2007 with the merger of the University of Judaism and the Brandeis-Bardin Institute camping and conference center, announced in February 2022 that it would sell “all or part” of its campus to help pay for more academic offerings and community programs as it turned increasingly toward digital learning.

AJU had originally accepted a bid for the property from a Swiss language education company. The proposed deal valued the campus at $65 million, according to the Forward. But the sale fell apart after nearby residents voiced their opposition to plans for the campus presented by the company, EF Education First. In a letter to the Los Angeles Planning Commission, EF Education First, said it decided to back out of the deal because of the “level of fear and bias” it encountered from neighborhood residents.

In the aftermath, local Jewish leaders renewed calls to find a Jewish institutional buyer for the campus, where generations of Conservative rabbis have been ordained from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and countless others have participated in various undergraduate and graduate programs. Also

it to expand beyond its six-and-a-half acre footprint.

The sale delivers to Milken more classroom space, but also a football field and more spaces to hold large gatherings.

AJU will continue to maintain its administrative office on site and run the mikveh for three to five years, according to the joint announcement, which did not specify what would happen to the campus’ library collection. The Ziegler rabbinic school will relocate to an area near Pico-Robertson, a neighborhood in the heart of Jewish Los Angeles.

With the proceeds from the sale, AJU will be able to shore up its finances, which have struggled as enrollment in its degree-granting programs declined, and double down on its recent investments in online learning and engagement. Programs such as its introduction to Judaism for people considering converting to Judaism have soared in popularity since the pandemic.

”The new resources will promote new dynamism at a time when many decry the stagnation of the Jewish world,” the Feb. 21st announcement said.

JCRC Leadership Profile

PAM MONSKY JCRC Assistant Director

The Jewish Community Relations Council is one of the newest agencies of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and is responsible for advocacy, education and collaboration on issues important to the Jewish community and the community at large. The JCRC acts as the bridge from the Jewish community to the wider community.

One of the most important roles of the JCRC is education and programming, and leading that committee is Janie Kulakofsky. Programs currently on deck include Community Conversations, Willesden READS, PEW and Student to Student.

In this role, she also collaborates with the other JCRC committee chairs and JFO agencies. All of these programs reach a wide range of people in the Jewish and general communities. We asked Janie about her role as Education and Programming Committee Chair. She said that involvement with the community and her friends has exposed her to learning experiences that continue to motivate her. “Even at age 75, there is still so much to learn.” She added, “The mission of the JCRC inspires me to expand our education options and reach deeper into the community. I’m compelled to support the safety of the community through education about antisemitism for both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities,” she explained, “I am particularly excited to learn more about the advocacy work and to interact with our elected officials on important areas of concern to our community related to our safety and security.”

Janie is a recovering teacher who likes to research genealogy and local history, needlepoint, and entertain. She has a keen urge to volunteer and when she’s not immersed in community projects, she loves spending time with her grandchildren and spoiling her dog, Sarah! Her favorite Jewish-themed movie is Exodus

Janie Kulakofsky, Eduction and Programming Committee Chair at the Kotel

An aerial view of American Jewish University’s Sunny & Isadore Familian Campus in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. Credit: Communications Department, AJU

SP O TLIGHT

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

SUBMIT A PHOTO:

GENEROUSLY

SUPPORTED BY

Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org

Right and below: It’s always happening at the Early Learning Center!

Left: Friedel’s Kindergarten Innovations class challenge. Can you make a boat that can float with 100 bears inside of it?

Below: Rose Blumkin Jewish Home remodel renovations are in full swing in the NW neighborhood.

Above: This is what a snow day looks like at the ELC.

Above: It’s official! Appa, RBJH mascot is a Paws for Friendship Therapy Dog! The puppy is all grown up.

Below: Hazzan Michael Krausman recently talked to the Residents of RBJH about his trip to Poland.

Above and below: Baker’s Supermarket donated red stem roses to RBJH, and Residents and staff were thrilled to receive this thoughtful gift.

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The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society 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. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.

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We Find a Way

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

During a recent phone conversation with my family, my mother tells me about all the memorial events being held to mark the two-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. There are special marches, and services; I hear about a speaker who has lived in a refugee center for almost the entire time, has learned a decent amount of Dutch— enough to relay her story in this new unfamiliar language.

I feel a mixture of shame and tiredness. I’ve not forgotten about Ukraine, but I’ve definitely scrolled by some of the headlines. My attention is elsewhere.

Shortly after, I encounter this headline: Two years into war, major Jewish fundraising for Ukraine has slowed to a trickle.

“As Jewish organizations’ focus has shifted to the war in Israel, what was once a core priority for Jewish federations has become far more peripheral,” Asaf Elia Shalev writes for JTA.

Oct. 7, Jews everywhere have felt a type of exhaustion we really aren’t equipped to handle. Is this what it was like in WW II? The point at which the amount of bad news, bad situations, destruction and pain becomes too overwhelming, and it’s tempting to just focus on one thing, because it’s all we can handle?

These are the simple-yet-not-simple words we need to live by, I think. Can we?

Being Jewish means doing the work. That work consists of mitzvot, prayer, living by a code of ethics, a calendar, making this world better. Healing what we see is broken. The fact that there is so much broken at the moment doesn’t mean we stop

“Nobody’s going to argue that Israel didn’t need tremendous help,” Judi Garrett, the chief operating officer of Jewish Relief Network Ukraine, is quoted as saying. “People in Ukraine recognize that and they even held prayer vigils in support of Israel. But we saw an immediate pivot, where individual donors even were going to Israel and not Ukraine, and certainly the federations’ strategies changed on a dime. They basically said, ‘Sorry, Ukraine, we have to go help Israel right now.’”

Our emotional bandwidth followed suit; since

I’ don’t really know the answer to that. Often, what we preceive as a choice, is not really that: we should, of course, pay attention to both Ukraine and Israel at the same time. In the past, I would have said: do both, we are strong, we can do this. let’s go.

But I am not so sure anymore. Yet, what is the alternative?

“We find a way,” Garrett said. “We lean on volunteers more, we push harder for individual donations, whatever it might be.”

‘We find a way.’

doing the work.

‘We find a way.’

Finding a way, it doesn’t mean we have to have everything solved by tonight, or tomorrow. Finding a way implies a continuing effort; repairing the world means acting, doing. We don’t have a deadline, and we don’t have to frantically solve every problem right this second. But even if our movement is slow, and fractured, it still needs to move forward, little by little.

We find a way.

Jewish service can support recovery efforts in Israel and sustain Jewish life in North America

CINDY GREENBERG

It’s not hard to feel a sense of despair in these extraordinarily difficult times for Jews in Israel and around the world following the horrors of Oct. 7, the upsurge in antisemitism close to home, and the continuing loss of human life.

In times of despair, Jewish tradition offers us a path to hope, repair, and connection: service. In times of brokenness, we are called upon to ask: “What can I do to make things better?” Through service, we can address the most pressing needs in our communities, build connections, and restore our own sense of purpose.

Since Oct. 7, we have seen an unprecedented mobilization of mutual aid work in Israel. Volunteers are meeting urgent needs: identifying housing for people who have been displaced, running schools for displaced children, and supporting farms that have lost their agricultural workers. People are cooking meals for soldiers, displaced neighbors, and families impacted by the call-up of army reservists. In the early days of the war, numerous volunteers mobilized to collect, organize and distribute everything from food and toiletries to mobile phone chargers and clothing for those who needed it.

Service has a critical, long-term role to play not just in this time of crisis and in supporting recovery efforts in Israel, but in sustaining Jewish life and community in North America.

American Jews, too, have turned to service as a meaningful response to the crisis. At Repair the World, the organization I lead, the number of Jews turning to Jewish service since the start of the war has surged. Some have organized supplies to directly support Israelis and others have contributed to their own communities. Some are seeking out Jewish community because they are feeling less comfortable in other spaces. Others cite the rise of antisemitism and the importance of building bridges with their neighbors. All are looking for a way to find meaning and purpose.

For almost 15 years, Repair the World has been mobilizing Jews to serve, grounded in the idea that through service we can both strengthen our Jewish community and also make social impact. Our re-

search clearly demonstrates that meaningful acts of service, grounded in Jewish learning and designed to address true community needs, can transform people and communities.

In Israel, several organizations, most notably Birthright Israel, MASA and Yahel already have mobilized Jews from North America to volunteer in Israel. This work should expand dramatically in the coming months. We know that service is one of the most powerful ways to build bridges across lines of difference. By volunteering in Israel in partnership with Israelis, American Jews can contribute to Israel’s recovery while building meaningful connections with their Israeli counterparts, deepening their own connection to Israel and providing a spiritual boost to Israelis by showing them that world Jewry is with them. Serving in Israel also can inspire an ongoing commitment to service once volunteers return home, which is a meaningful way for them to continue to live their Jewish values.

And at this time of rising antisemitism, there are young Jews expressing a newfound desire to be part of a movement that connects Jewish communities with other communities. Most of our organization’s service work is done in deep partnership

We must ensure that the American Jewish service in Israel holds true to what we at Repair the World have learned is most effective: that the service meets real needs, is done in partnership with those impacted and includes Jewish learning. Service is a universal value, but Jewish tradition has much to say about how we offer it, and participants should explore Jewish wisdom about how service should be approached.

Service that combines these components — that actually contributes to relief and recovery efforts and cares about the experience of American Jewish volunteers — will have the biggest impact.

Back in the United States, we’re seeing young American Jews who may be feeling alone or distressed seeking new ways to connect to Jewish life and Jewish community. We need to recognize that service is a form of deep Jewish expression and do everything possible to welcome these young Jews into our Jewish community of purpose that focuses its time and energy on making the world better.

with non-Jewish communities, including those that are low-income, largely immigrant, on the socioeconomic periphery or communities of color. We’re building bridges by working arm in arm in places like soup kitchens, food pantries, after-school programs and organizations supporting those experiencing homelessness.

Finally, service gives those who participate a sense of well-being, purpose, and connection to their peers. Among volunteers who have served in our programs, 90% indicated that Repair programs contributed to their overall health and well-being.

In these challenging times, service is a powerful statement of hope – a statement that our actions matter. Tikkun olam isn’t just about repairing the world, but repairing ourselves.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

This story was sponsored by and produced in collaboration with Repair the World, which mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service. This story was produced by JTA's native content team.

The Chabad center Kharkiv, Ukraine, became a distribution center for humanitarian aid to the Jewish community when the war started. Credit: Miriam Moskovitz

Repair the World volunteers pack meal kits in Chicago. Credit: Repair the World

What Jewish mysticism can teach us about psychedelics

JAY MICHAELSON

This was originally published on My Jewish Learning | JTA Psychedelics, long caricatured as hedonistic tools of escapism, have lately come of age, with several chemicals now approved for use in therapeutic contexts and inspiring significant spiritual and theological reflection. In the Jewish world, psychedelics have been used in many ways: as a means to unpack and release trauma, as modes of re-connection to Judaism and as new vessels for the practices of Jewish mysticism, spirituality and revelation.

The first question many Jewish users of psychedelics ask is if there is Jewish precedent for their use.

Credit: Raimond Klavins/Unsplash

This makes sense due to the nature of the experience, which often has powerful religious and spiritual overtones. If one has some emotional tie to Judaism, it’s natural to ask how a psychedelically mediated spiritual experience does or does not fit into being Jewish. Is it similar to the peak spiritual experiences described in sacred text? Is it tangential to it? Or is it misdirected and evil — perhaps a form of avodah zara?

One approach to answering this question is to hunt through Jewish textual history looking for clues that psychoactive substances were used in the past. Were the priestly visions of Ezekiel occasioned by psychoactive fumes? Could Isaiah, Daniel or Elisha have been under the influence of DMT, which occurs naturally in the acacia trees and Syrian rue native to the ancient Near East? Is knei bosem, an ingredient in the anointing oil used in the Tent of Meeting, actually cannabis?

I can see the appeal of this line of questioning, as it might validate the psychedelic experience for some Jews, or validate Jewish revelation. But ultimately I find it unpersuasive. There’s simply no definitive proof in the archeological and textual evidence. I wonder, too, what such evidence would really teach

It’s more fruitful to look at what I call the “grammar” of the Jewish prophetic experience: forms, patterns and structures of transpersonal experiences described in biblical, talmudic, philosophical and kabbalistic texts. The “vocabulary” — that is, the method of attaining spiritual experience — may differ.

But when I look closely at the record of Jewish prophecy and revelation, I find ample analogues to psychedelic experiences — and maybe some useful advice. Here are four examples.

ALTERING THE MIND TO SEE MORE CLEARLY

In popular imagination, “hallucinogens” yield illusions — tangerine trees and marmalade skies, as the Beatles put it. But in the biblical and mystical traditions, mind-altering techniques aren’t an escape into illusion, but a means to see deeper levels of reality more clearly. Fasting is the most common of these (see Exodus 34:28, I Samuel 28:20, Daniel 10:2, Judges 20;26, Joel 1:14, Zohar 1:4a-b). Trance is another, as discussed in Jonathan Garb’s “Shamanic Trance in Modern Kabbalah.” In such practices, a non-ordinary state of awareness is induced to obtain some kind of prophecy or revelation.

Then as now, the mind is altered not to “get high,” but so the doors of perception can be cleansed and reality be seen. As the term psychedelic (“mind-revealing”) indicates, what is revealed may be patterns of mind, structures of reality, insights, or visions — all of which have potential revelatory value.

IT’S THE FRUITS THAT MATTER

Jewish prophetic experiences, like psychedelic ones, frequently include powerful visions: Israelites on Mount Sinai seeing the “feet” of God; Ezekiel seeing the divine chariot and the bizarre creatures who drive it; the Baal Shem Tov ascending to heaven to meet the messiah. But in all these cases, the visionary experience is secondary to the insights they yield.

This is true in the part of the Torah read in these weeks by Jews around the world, in which the theophany at Sinai is only barely described but the minutiae of the Ten Commandments is exquisitely detailed. Kabbalists meet the messiah not to bathe in his glory, but to ask when he is coming to alleviate suffering and to see what they can do to expedite it. Even Ezekiel’s revelation, more detailed than others, exists as a prelude to the chapters of prophecy that follow.

So too with the “prophetic” experiences occasioned by psychedelics. Sure, the impossibly complex visual experiences are remarkable. But the fireworks display is far less enduring than whatever healing, insight or communication might take place. And while the experience inevitably fades, the integration of insights that come from it can have lasting impact.

NOT FOR DAY TRIPPERS

Both Jewish tradition and responsible psychedelic practice are clear that such journeys aren’t for everyone. In the Jewish case, probably the most famous warning is the tale of the four

rabbis who entered Pardes (literally orchard or paradise, but understood to refer to the mystical quest to visit the Divine realm). One died, one went mad and one became an apostate — only Rabbi Akiva returned as he was. Those aren’t good odds, especially for unprepared day trippers. Similarly, Jewish tradition warns against practicing Kabbalah without the ballast of years, training and community — boundaries set after the messianic heresies of Shabbetai Zevi and Jacob Frank.

Emerging understandings of psychedelics urge that these journeys are best taken with preparation, guidance and integration afterward. At the very least, spiritual journeys may uncover parts of our shadows that we may have comfortably hidden from view. But sometimes, especially when one travels without a guide, the results are tragic. Whether created by trance, fasting, psychedelic medicines or other means, the mystical path can be transformative. But it can also destroy the unprepared and insufficiently supported. WE TO ME TO WE

Finally, the Jewish prophetic experience is one of oscillation between individual and community. With the exception of the mass revelation at Sinai, these experiences typically take place alone or in very small groups. Communal forms and norms shape the contours of the experiences themselves and their integration into ethical and ritual life. For example, the Baal Shem Tov’s description of his “ascent of the soul” is conditioned by Jewish categories, suffused with Jewish myth, and communicated in Jewish language.

Likewise today. Many psychedelic users search for a language, conceptual framework and community through which to understand the profound experiences they have had. And while the Jewish context is hardly the only one available, for many it is a powerful one in which to integrate. We ascend the sacred mountain alone, but eventually return to our communities of meaning below.

What does it mean that these principles derived from the literature of Jewish spiritual experience are applicable to psychedelic spiritual experience as well? It seems to point to a continuity of spiritual experience, despite the novelty of the means of ascent. We are doing similar things here, we mystics from across the ages, even as so much is different as well. Which sounds like a very Jewish truth.

Jay Michaelson is a rabbi and the author of 10 books, including, most recently, The Secret That Is Not A Secret: Ten Heretical Tales.

Synagogues

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

618 Mynster Street

Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766

712.322.4705 www.cblhs.org

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980

402.492.8550

bethel-omaha.org

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154

402.556.6288

BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

CHABAD HOUSE

An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646

402.330.1800

OChabad.com

email: chabad@aol.com

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN

South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism

2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797

402.435.8004

www.southstreettemple.org

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244

email: oafbjsll@icloud.com

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

TEMPLE ISRAEL

Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)

13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:

TIFERETH ISRAEL

Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236

402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

B’NAI ISRAEL

Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, March 8, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker, Gary Nachman. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information about our historic synagogue, please visit our website at www.cblhs.org or contact any of our other board members: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Ann Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber.

Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

IN-PERSON AND ZOOM MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9:30 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Tot Shabbat 5:30 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream followed by Kiddush Lunch sponsored by Miles Remer; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Havdalah 6:50 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Hamantashen Bake, 9:30 a.m.; Hebrew Reading for Adults, 10:30 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 11:15 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman.

WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m.

THURSDAY: PJP What Jews Think Series, Rabbi Dr. Haim Rechnitzer, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY-Mar. 8: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY-Mar. 9: Shabbat Morning Service 10 a.m. at Beth El & Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Havdalah & Israeli Wine Tasting 7 p.m. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL

FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Candlelighting/Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 5:58 p.m.; Shabbat Across America, 7:15 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Kids Kiddush Club, 11:15 a.m.; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s Teachings, 5:05 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 5:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity 6:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:59 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Kinyan HaMasechta, 9:40 a.m.; Duties of the Heart 3 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Monday Mind Builders 4 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6 p.m.; Kinyan HaMasechta following Mincha/Ma’ariv.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development Class, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 6 p.m.; Parsha Class, 6:30 p.m.; Kinyan HaMasechta following Mincha/Ma’ariv.

FRIDAY-Mar. 8: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Candlelighting/Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:06 p.m.

SATURDAY-Mar. 9: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45 a.m.; Kids Kiddush Club, 11:15 a.m.; Teen Leadership Kiddush, 11:15 a.m.; Soulful Torah: Unpacking the Or HaChayim’s Teachings, 5:15 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 6 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity 6:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:07 p.m.

Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

CHABAD HOUSE

All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person and via Zoom (ochabad.com/academy). For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/Lecha yim; Candlelighting, 5:57 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 6:57 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Shacharit, 99:30 a.m., Video Presentation, 9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m.; Torah and Tea, 10:30-11:15 a.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 7 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

WEDNESDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya), 9:30 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 34), noon; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Mar. 8: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad. com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 6:05 p.m.

SATURDAY-Mar. 9: Shacharit 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 7:05 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL

Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.

FRIDAY: Shabbat Candlelighting, 6 p.m.; Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30 p.m. at SST.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study noon on Parashat Ki Tisa; Havdalah, 7:01 p.m.

SUNDAY: LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m.-noon at SST; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group, 10:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at Rock 'n Joe (5025 Lindbergh St.). For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Pickleball, 3-5 p.m. Anyone interested in playing or learning how to play can text Miriam at 402.470.2393. If there are enough interested people; we will play in the Social Hall at TI.

TUESDAY: Jewish Themes Through Jewish Films, 6:30 p.m. at SST.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4:30-6 p.m.; Richard Kohn Improv Practice, 7-9 p.m. at SST.

FRIDAY-Mar. 8: Shabbat Candlelighting, 6:08 p.m.; Erev Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex, 6:30 p.m. at SST.

SATURDAY-Mar. 9: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Torah Study noon on Parashat Vayakhel; Havdalah, 7:08 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

FRIDAYS: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home’s service is currently closed to visitors.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Benjamin Sharff, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander

FRIDAY: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. In-Person; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY: Torah Study 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SUNDAY: Grades PreK-7, 9:30 a.m. In-Person; Coffee and Conversations with Board Members, 10 a.m.; Temple Tots Sunday, 10 a.m.

TUESDAY: Planned Parenthood Lobby Day, 9 a.m.2 p.m. in Lincoln.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person; Grades 36, 4:30 p.m ; Grades 8-12 Teen Lounge Night, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY-Mar. 8: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. InPerson; Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.m. In-Person; Shabbat Shira Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY-Mar. 9: Torah Study 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service and Bat Mitzvah of Marley Atlas, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

Calls for ‘immediate humanitarian ceasefire’ in Gaza from three world leaders

PHILISSA CRAMER

JTA

The prime ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand have joined a growing chorus of voices calling on Israel not to follow through with its plan to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

“With the humanitarian situation in Gaza already dire, the impacts on Palestinian civilians from an expanded military operation would be devastating,” the leaders said in a joint statement released Thursday. “We urge the Israeli government not to go down this path. There is simply nowhere else for civilians to go.”

The leaders — Canada’s Justin Trudeau, Australia’s Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Christopher Luxon — say in their statement that “a negotiated political solution is needed to achieve lasting peace and security” and call for Hamas, which they condemn, to “lay down its arms and release all hostages immediately.” But, they say, “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed.”

The call adds to mounting pressure on Israel not to invade Rafah, a city near the Egyptian border where Gazans were told to go when Israel invaded Gaza City and Khan Younis. An estimated 1.5 million Gazans are crammed into the city, which be-

fore the war had about 200,000 residents.

On Feb. 14, a U.S. State Department spokesman said the White House “cannot support any military operation in Rafah until such time as Israel has developed a humanitarian plan that can be executed, and that they have executed such a plan.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the city is Hamas’ last remaining stronghold. He has agreed to American requests to evacuate civilians from the city, but it is unclear where they will be able to go. Months of war have left much of Gaza

uninhabitable.

“There is growing international consensus. Israel must listen to its friends and it must listen to the international community,” the leaders’ joint statement says. “The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.”

In addition to the White House, the Arab League and the Vatican have both issued official opposition to Israel’s planned Rafah invasion. Israel called the Vatican’s comments “deplorable” but toned its characterization down to “regrettable” on Feb. 15.

The Zionist Federation of Australia criticized Albanese’s statement, saying that Australia must recognize the need for Israel to defeat Hamas. Canada and Australia are two of the countries with the largest Jewish populations outside of the United States and Israel.

“It is extremely disappointing and frankly unreasonable for the government to call for the removal of Hamas from power as the only pathway to end the war and simultaneously call on Israel to refrain from entering Rafah to remove the last remaining Hamas stronghold,” ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said in a statement. “It places Israel in an impossible position.”

Palestinians who were evacuated from their homes Khan Yunis seen near their tents in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 15, 2024. Credit: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90

Life cycles

Continued from page 1

SANDY BERNSTEIN

Rich, who had helped him run the company for many years. As a businessman, Sandy was demanding of himself and others, having little patience for dishonesty, lack of effort, or lack of punctuality. He always conducted himself with integrity and fairness.

Sandy's other great passion was art. Over his lifetime he made hundreds of beautiful wood carvings, some of which he exhibited. He also designed metal works and book covers. Until the final weeks of his life, he spent many happy hours in the workshop in the basement of his house, designing and creating new wooden bowls and whimsical carvings.

Sandy was also active in volunteer events, serving for many years as a board member of his synagogue and a volunteer for his homeowners’ association.

FLORENE BERNSTEIN

Florene Edith Cohen Bernstein was born on March 2, 1934, in Omaha, Nebraska. The oldest surviving child Abraham and Rose Cohen who fled the early 20th century anti-Semitism of Eastern Europe to greater opportunity in America, she began working in her father’s modest grocery store— which her family lived above during her childhood— at the age of eight. She grew into a woman with a fierce love of her family, Judaism, and the belief that she could give her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren the life she never had as a child.

Florene’s life work was creating a family that was close, well-fed, well-educated, well-loved, and Jewish. Every Jewish holiday was a gathering and once the grandchildren moved away, every holiday also involved sending carefully curated care packages of Jewish treats to anyone who wasn’t local, even if they were flying in to celebrate. While her first priority was family, you didn’t actually need to be related to Florene for her to fully embrace you and pull you into the fold. She was a force unlike any other and although a tiny woman, she made a big impression on everyone she met.

Florene was a shy and studious child, and she was the first in her family to attend college. However, in the midst of her studies at Omaha University (now University of Nebraska — Omaha), obtaining a degree took a back seat to love and marriage. She married Sandy Bernstein, another OU student, on October 4, 1953, and dropped out of school after her sophomore year to support him.

Their family quickly grew. By the time Sandy graduated from OU in June 1955, Florene was pregnant with her first child. When Sandy’s job required him to move to Los Angeles in 1960, she already had two sons and a newborn daughter. Another daughter would be born in Los Angeles in 1964. Florene always said that the move to California allowed her to reinvent herself. It was there that she allowed her true personality— funny, gentle, outspoken, and fearless — to emerge.

When her children were growing up, Florene was extremely busy as a stay-at-home mom. There were four children to raise, mostly on her own and on a limited budget, as Sandy had to travel almost constantly during the week for work. Florene took charge at overseeing her children’s education — both secular and Jewish. Each of the children was Bar or Bat Mitzvah and each received a postgraduate degree. She made sure that the family sat down together for a homemade dinner each night. TV watching was not permitted. Dinner was a time to eat together and talk. In those years, Florene sewed many of her own clothes, as well as her daughters’, and kept a beautiful, immaculate house that she decorated herself.

Florene was also involved in a myriad of volunteer activities in synagogues and her children’s schools. Her school volunteering was so extensive that she was interviewed for an appointed school board position in Atlanta and provided the perspective of a parent on a panel on the MacNeil-Lehrer Report discussing school discipline.

Florene rejoined the labor force in the early 1980s, after her three oldest children had moved from home. Sandy had started his own business, Nova Label Co., and Florene helped with office and administrative work for several years.

SANDY AND FLORENE BERNSTEIN

Sandy and Florene loved hosting their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and whatever nephews, nieces, and cousins happened to be in town for holidays, birthdays, celebrations, or

just big family meals. The success of Nova Label enabled them to purchase the large home of their dreams to do just that. Well into her 80s, Florene would help prepare the food and supervise the cleanup of their numerous family gatherings. She was particularly proud of hosting one of the final large family events in her house, the August 2022 Bar Mitzvah of her great-grandson Deionte Shelto, presided by her son-in-law Jeffrey Burka. Sandy and Florene lived in their house, still welcoming visiting family, until their deaths.

Sandy and Florene are survived by their four children and their spouses: Marc Bernstein (Jeffrey Burka) of Washington, DC; Jeffrey Bernstein (Susan) of Swanton, MD.; Shari Bernstein (Steve Timm) of Madison, WI; and Bonnie Rich (Alan) of Colesville, MD. They are also survived by seven grandchildren: Jason Bernstein and Eric Bernstein of Alphraetta, GA.; Emily Devlin and Kerry Devlin (Josh Stuewer) of Madison; Jacob Devlin (Shelley Katz-Devlin) of Ft. Myers, FL; Rebecca Rich (DaVaughn Montgomery) of Washington, DC; and Leah Rich (Erik Constantoulakis) of San Diego. They are also survived by two great-grandchildren, Shaundre Shelto and Deionte Shelto of Madison, and many Omaha relatives and friends.

Services were held on Feb. 2, 2024, at Garden of Remembrance in Clarksburg, Maryland, and were officiated by Rabbi Tamara Miller.

Memorials may be made in memory of Sandor and Florene Bernstein may be made to: Bet Mishpacha (Betmish.org/donate) or United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (ushmm.org/support).

STEVEN A. NEESMAN

Steven A. Neesman passed away on Feb. 20, 2024 at age 72 in Bastrop, TX, where a private family service was held.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harry Neesman and mother, Lavina Jacobs.

He is survived by his wife, Maria, children Aron and Jacquelyn (Gregory) Vuagniaux; grandsons: Jaxon and Luka; sister, Margo Rosen and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Steven was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He was born in Omaha and attended Central HS. In his youth he loved playing the drums, photography and building things. Steven studied in Boston and worked for many years as a photographer and contractor in Omaha.

Memorials may be made to The Cares Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Foundation in Steve’s name at caresfoundation.app.neo ncrm.com/np/clients/caresfoundation/survey.jsp?surveyId=17

BAT MITZVAH

MARLEY ATLAS

Marley Atlas, daughter of Stacey and Brett Atlas, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Temple Israel.

Marley is a seventh-grade honors student at Westside Middle School.

Marley played volleyball for Westside Middle School and currently plays for Nebraska Elite. She is a member of the WMS show choir, enjoys hanging out with her friends and going to camp at URJ Six Points Sports Academy in Asheville, NC.

For her mitzvah project, Marley collected over 500 books for the Westside Family Resource Center.

She has two brothers, Zach and Noah.

Grandparents are Carl and Zoe Riekes of Omaha, Ellen Atlas of Wheeling, IL and the late Ronald J. Atlas of Wilmette, IL.

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