April 8, 2016

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

JFS presents Amir Levine

April 8, 2016 29 Adar II 5776 Vol. 96 | No. 30

This Week

by OZZIE NOGG Monday, May 9, the community is invited to a presentation by Dr. Amir Levine. His topic, Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find - and Keep Love, is the title of the book Dr. Levine co-authored with Rachel Heller, M.A. The program runs from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in the JCC Auditorium and is open to the public at no charge. The event is brought by Jewish Family Service with sponsorship provided by Special Donor-Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, the Sokolof Foundation, the Pennie Z. Davis Family Life Education Fund and the Paul and Joy Grossman Family Endowment.

“Dr. Levine offers the audience a relationship toolkit,” said Karen Gustafson, Jewish Family Service Executive Director. “His advice is based on science that identifies attachment styles and helps people either find the right partner or strengthen a current relationship. His message is easily accessible to everyone -- whether you’re a teenager just starting to date or a couple who have been together for ages.

All of us want to find and sustain love.”

Dr. Levine is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist and neurosci-

Kamp KEF 2016: Beth El fun Page 5

Second Seder at Temple Israel Page 7

entist. He graduated from the residency program at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University and for the past few years has been conducting neuroscience research at Columbia under the mentorship of Nobel Prize Laureate Eric Kandel.

While working in a therapeutic nursery with mothers with post traumatic stress disorder and their toddlers, Dr. Levine witnessed the power of attachment to heal, and recognized the importance of attachment principles in the daily lives of

Eye on the Refugee Crisis

Dr. Amir Levine adults as well as children.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there about dating and relationships -- and myths that simply aren’t true,” Dr. Levine said in an interview.

“However, an incredible body of knowledge does exist about relationships, and it’s called Attachment science.” According to Dr. Levine, the science of adult attachment predicts, with a great deal of accuracy, how people will behave in romantic relationships and whether they will be

well matched, on the basis of their attachment style: anxious, avoidant or secure. “If you follow the attachment principles,” Dr. Levine writes, “you will be actively giving yourself the best shot at finding and keeping a deeply gratifying love, instead of leaving one of the most important aspects of your life to chance.”

Jewish Family Service often brings speakers with important mental health messages to Omaha. “These professionals present information that enhances people’s lives or equips them with up-to-date information for their loved ones,” Gustafson said.

“Several years ago we brought Daniel Smith to the community to speak about anxiety, the topic of his book, Monkey Mind. Over 135 attended that program and gained valuable insight. Dr. Levine’s topic shouldn’t scare you. Attachment is really a subject for everyone to learn more about -- how we choose relationships in our lives, whether through friendships, spouses, co-workers. Dr. Levine’s presentation will truly be eye-opening and enjoyable.”

For additional information on Dr. Levine’s May 9 appearance, please call Jewish Family Service at 402.330.2024.

National Volunteer Week

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by ELIAD ELIYAHU BEN SHUSHAN Community Shaliach More than a million migrants and refugees crossed into Europe in 2015. The majority arrived by sea, but some of them made their way over land. Most of the immigrants traveled from Syria, but others fled from countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq, both of which are experiencing increased violence.

The international awareness of these refugee crises occurred prima-

rily after a three-year-old Syrian boy of Kurdish ethnicity drowned in the Mediterranean Sea. A victim of the Syrian refugee crisis, international attention immediately rose dramatically. Photographs of his body were taken by Turkish journalist Nilüfer Demir and quickly spread around the world, prompting an outpouring of responses.

In previous Eye on Israel sessions, the beneficial treatment Syrian refugees received at the Galilee Medical Center was highlighted, in addition to talking about social, economic and ways in which Israel assists Syrian refugees – refugees from a state which has been an enemy to the State of Israel from the moment Israel was established.

In the April 12 session of Eye on Israel I will focus on the refugee question and its influence on the world, especially on Israel and the Continued on page 2

by OZZIE NOGG April 10-16 is National Volunteer Week, and Jewish Social Services and the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home will once again show their appreciation for community members who give their time and talents to brighten the lives of the elderly among us.

“President Richard Nixon established National Volunteer Week with an executive order in 1974,” explained Linda Cogen, Volunteer Coordinator at the RBJH. “The week recognizes and celebrates the efforts of volunteers and has become an effort to urge people all over the country to get out and volunteer in their

home towns. At the Blumkin Home, we’re so thankful to our volunteers for their service. They make such a positive difference in the lives of the residents.”

In his 2014 Proclamation, President Barak Obama said, “By performing acts of service, we can shape a Nation big enough and bold enough to accommodate the hopes of all our people. Volunteers are often equipped with few resources and gain little recognition, yet because of their service, our country is a better and a stronger force for good.”

According to Cogen, special Continued on page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | April 8, 2016

Enjoy a variety of Passover happenings at Beth Israel

by MARY SUE GROSSMAN for Beth Israel Synagogue Passover preparations are now well underway in homes around the world. Between cleaning, shopping and all the planning, it’s a busy, busy time. Passover prep is of course happening at Beth Israel Synagogue as well, and that includes pre-Pesach events that can provide a short respite from the crazy schedule.

Enjoy the Shabbat before Pesach, Shabbat HaGadol, beginning on Friday evening, April 15. Mincha, Maariv and Kabbalat Shabbat begin at 7 p.m., followed by Shabbat dinner at 8 p.m. The cost for dinner is $12 for adults, $6 for ages 4-12 and free for those three and under. Dinner reservations are needed by April 12 and can be made on the synagogue website at www.orthodoxomaha.org or by calling the synagogue office at 402.556.6288.

Shabbat services continue on Saturday, April 16 beginning at 9 a.m. followed by the monthly Simcha Kiddush.

Celebrating something in your family during April?

Birthdays, anniversaries, milestone events or even a big tax return? Mark those special occasions by being a sponsor of the Simcha Kiddush for just $25. Contact the synagogue office by April 12 to be included.

Events continue on Sunday, April 17 with a learning session with Rabbi Ari Dembitzer titled Pathways to the Haggadah at 5 p.m. Also at 5 p.m., the younger set will take part in a special pre-Pesach Shavua Tov Israel with Eliad Eliyahu Ben Shushan. At 6 p.m. it will be time for the annual Paysie’s Pre-Pesach Perfect Pasta Dinner compliments of Dr. Paul and Susie Shyken. This fun and tasty meal includes spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and dessert. Thanks to the gen-

erosity of the Shykens, there is no charge, but reservations are needed to assure sufficient food is prepared. The evening will also include a special Kid’s Craft event with a Passover-related craft for the younger set to enjoy.

Later in the week, on Thursday, April 21, from, 46 p.m., the Bagel Bin will open its doors for a prePesach dinner. The full regular menu will be available, plus lasagna and pizza. Please note that pizza must be preordered by Tuesday, April 19 by calling 402.334.2744.

On Friday morning, Friday, April 22, the burning of the chometz will take place at 11:15 a.m. Items for burning may also be dropped off earlier in the day. Remember, chometz must be burned or nullified by noon on the 22nd.

On Saturday evening, April 23, enjoy the second seder at Beth Israel and be a part of the nationwide “Passover Across America” initiative. The seder begins at 7:45 p.m. with an introduction, salad, salmon, learning and songs.

After Maariv and a short intermission at 8:40 p.m., part two of the seder will begin. The dinner menu will include matzo ball soup, tossed salad, brisket, baked chicken, mushroom farfel kugel, asparagus and dessert. The cost is $20 for adults, $12 for children 4-12 and $5 for those three and under who will be eating. Reservations are needed by April 18. Beth Israel is fortunate to have received grant funding to help offset the costs of the seder, providing the opportunity to involve more people than ever. Anyone in need of financial assistance to participate in the seder should contact the synagogue office at 402.556.6288. Additionally, anyone in need of a home in which to celebrate the first seder is encouraged to call the synagogue office.

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$20 adults $12 kids 4-12 $5 3 and under when eating dinner

National Volunteer Week Continued from page 1 treats will be available in the Volunteer Office (formerly the RBJH Gift Shop) every day between Monday, April 11 and Friday, April 15.

“Our many volunteers do so much for the staff and residents of the Home,” Cogen said. “They continue the tradition of LOVE’S Mission -to support programs and services of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home through volunteerism. We’ll formally honor our volunteers at an Appreciation event in June.”

National Volunteer Week isn’t just about random acts of kindness. It’s a time to make giving back part of your life. For information on volunteer opportunities in the Omaha Jewish community, call Linda Cogen at 402.334.6519.

Eye on the Refugee Crisis

Continued from page 1 USA. We will hear from a representative from the Ghetto Fighter’s Kibbutz in the Western Galilee, sharing how and why we, as Jews, need to be involved and have a significant part in solving the refugees crises. We will also hear from IsraAID, the Israeli non-profit and non-governmental organization which is committed to providing life-saving disaster relief and long-term support. We will hear special stories about their great and beneficial help during the last year in the Syrian refugees’ crises.

We will also learn from Mark Kirchhoff, the former Director for Refugee Resettlement for Southern Sudan Community Association (now the Refugee Empowerment Center) in Omaha about the process in the United States for resettling refugees. He will also present information on the numbers and ethnic groups who have recently resettled in Omaha.

As always, the session will start with a short Israel update, comparing different media sources from Israel and the world that are related to the refugee topic. We will also look at the latest news in Israel. The session will take place on Tuesday, April 12 at noon in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library.

Eye on Israel is sponsored by the Henry and Dorothy Riekes Donor-Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation and is administered by the Center for Jewish Life, an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, whose mission is to maximize involvement of Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences.

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Voices of Beth El: Alyssa Cohen

by SHERRIE SAAG ing her sister have so much fun in USY. for Beth El Synagogue Alyssa held USY board positions all four years of high Stories connect us to our listeners; and when we share our school and attended every regional convention and was a own real life stories with others, our audience feels that they BBYO Mother Chapter Sweetheart. She attended Herzl get to know us as authentic people. This is the broad concept Jewish summer camp and was a staff member in 2014 and behind Voices from Beth El, a storytelling series from Beth El 2015. She went on a USY Pilgrimage to Poland and Israel.

Synagogue that began in November.

Today, she is involved at KU’s awardThe synagogue will share their message winning Hillel and has interned helping and support the community conversation Freshman engage with Hillel on campus. for synagogue life and involvement She has become a die-hard basketball fan, through storytelling. Today, Alyssa Cohen of course! “I try to make it to every game shares her Beth El story. and love every single one of them,” she Alyssa graduated from Millard West said.

High School and is a sophomore at the Alyssa responds to a question about speUniversity of Kansas. She describes Beth cial memories of Beth El by saying, El as the place where she strengthened “There are too many to call one my her Jewish identity. “Being as involved as favorite. Many have stuck with me. Every I was in Beth El helped me build different Shabbaton, USY events, BESTT, being a relationships and learn different lessons counselor at Kamp Kef, USY board meetalong my way. When I was president of its ings, helping bake in the kitchen with my USY chapter, I learned how to communimom, sneaking cookies and so much cate with all kinds of different people. My more. youth group leadership role helped me “I’m not sure why, but one memory that gain responsibility and maturity.” comes to mind right away was when my Along with being involved in USY, sister had joined Cantor Emil Berkovits’s Alyssa Cohen Alyssa says, she tagged along with her choir. I also wanted to be in it and Cantor parents to Friday night and Saturday morning services. This let me. My mom had to hold me on her lap because if she made her want to continue practicing Judaism throughout left, I didn’t want to stay. Over time I learned some words her college career, and currently she is studying Hebrew at and to sing along. I remember one day I asked Cantor what Kansas. time it was and he said, ‘It’s a freckle past a hair.’ I don’t know “I find myself missing the Beth El community and want- why, but, to this day, I still think it’s one of the funniest ing to be home to celebrate holidays with my Beth El fami- things and I won’t ever forget it.” ly. When I can’t be home to do so, I go to KU’s Hillel events According to Alyssa, there is a friendly, inclusive feeling where I am regularly involved.” you experience when you are at Beth El. “I love coming “Omaha is big enough to meet many new people every home to visit and see everyone. If people see an unfamiliar day but still run into people you know. I loved the neigh- face, they will not hesitate to introduce themselves and get borhood I grew up in. All of the people I have met here have to know you. You become very close to people of all ages and obviously helped shape who I am today, and I wouldn’t trade love to hear what’s happening in their lives. Being away at that for anything.” school makes me really miss that!”

Alyssa’s family has lived in Omaha for 27 years. She was Alyssa went on, “I have mentioned the Beth El family raised in an active family; her parents signed her up for quite a bit, but they are what makes Beth El special to me. If every sport they could until a few of them stuck. “I played it weren’t for the warm and friendly people there, it wouldsoftball until middle school, basketball until seventh grade, n’t be the same. They are just a welcoming group of people and tennis until I got to college. I played Varsity tennis all who genuinely care about you. I feel that every time I come four years of high school.” She also went to Hebrew school home to visit. I feel very lucky to have grown up attending and was involved in the youth groups at Beth El after watch- Beth El Synagogue.”

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Soldier in West Bank shooting to face charges of manslaughter, not murder

by JTA NEWS STAFF resent the values of the IDF.” JERUSALEM (JTA) — The soldier caught on video shootThe soldier’s parents and politicians to Netanyahu’s right, ing a supine Palestinian terrorist in the head will face charges including Education Minister Naftali Bennett, defended the of manslaughter, not murder, a military court decided. soldier and criticized Netanyahu for insufficiently defending The military tribunal met last week and made the deter- Israel’s troops during a wave of terror attacks. mination, according to reports.

Recently, Netanyahu wrote on Facebook that the soldier’s The decision comes two days after the prosecutor told the father’s words “touched my heart” and wrote that he trusted tribunal it was working to the military investigation determine the exact charges, would be “fair to the soldier.” and asked that the soldier conThe prosecutor in military tinue to be held in military court said the soldier shot the prison.

Palestinian stabber in the The soldier has still only head though he was down on been identified by his initials, the ground and no longer a as his identity remains under threat. a gag order. He was held on The soldier arrived at the murder charges on March 25 scene several minutes after the for shooting a Palestinian terror attack and acted indewounded after stabbing an pendently, the Israel Defense Israeli soldier in Hebron one Forces found in an initial day earlier. investigation. The soldier’s Knesset members from the The Israeli soldier who was seen on video shooting a attorney has said that he was Arab Joint List MKs con- Palestinian attacker in Hebron at a military court hearing, concerned that the assailant Credit: Pool/Flash 90 was wearing a bomb and was demned the downgrading of March 29, 2016. charges against the soldier, saying the decision “proves once planning to blow it up. again that such incidents must be investigated by an interThe military says the downed terrorist had been checked national war crimes tribunal.” for explosives, though the Magen David Adom emergency “This is a soldier who committed a criminal act of murder, medical service disputes this. as is clearly seen in the video, and the decision was influMilitary investigators say the soldier is cooperating and enced by the comments of the Prime Minister, who asked replies to their questions, but has refused to take a lie detecthat the family of the soldier be considered,” Ahmad Tibi tor test, Haaretz reported. and Osama Saadi wrote in a joint statement, adding that the Meanwhile, the left-wing human rights group B’Tselem Israel Defense Forces should “investigate and punish the sol- said that its Hebron volunteer that caught the soldier shootdiers and officers and medical staff who stood by and did ing the downed Palestinian stabber on camera has been called not lift a finger either before or after the murder.” in for questioning by police, the Times of Israel reported.

The soldier’s arrest has set off a national debate in Israel Right-wing activists filed a civil complaint against the volthat has enveloped the country’s leaders. On March 24, the unteer, identified as Emad abu-Shamsiyah. day of the incident, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu The complaint alleges that he conspired with the two said in a statement that the soldier’s conduct “does not rep- Palestinian stabbers in last week’s incident in Hebron.

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Milky on my mind

Serving Generations…

of chocolate Milky in small or large sizes: Mini Milky (70 ml.) and Xtra Milky (220 ml.).

[Important aside: Please do not think that with this column I will have exhausted the subject of dessert puddings in Israel. Dani, Badi, and Carlo brand puddings all compete with Milky.]

There are two basic ways to eat the classic chocolate Milky. Usually, people are extremely attached to their own way and think poorly about a person from the opposing side. I happen to believe that there is only one rational way to eat a chocolate Milky: you take your spoon, you spear it through the whippedcream layer until it nestles at the bottom of the chocolate layer, and then you carefully raise the spoon so that it takes in just the right mixture of chocolate pudding and whipped cream. My friend Gil is part of the enemy camp. These people just take life as it is. They think: if when you open a Milky and you only see whipped cream, well by golly that’s all that you are supposed to eat at that time. When the good people at Strauss want you to eat chocolate pudding, they will end your layer of whipped cream and make the pudding available to you.

All Milkys come with expiration dates on them, generally two weeks after purchase.

While Milkys are not usually around long enough in your refrigerator to actually spoil, the older a Milky gets, the more the pudding portion starts to congeal and the more the topping loses its whip. A fresh Milky is light and creamy and leaves you wanting more; and, indeed, some Israelis will occasionally eat several Milkys at the same sitting. While I have never allowed myself to go wild and crazy and eat more than one Milky at a time, I do feel that it is sort of my patriotic duty to buy Milky. After all, how else is Strauss going to maintain those numbers?

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

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High School Seniors High School Seniors and Parents

We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 20, 2016. To be included, we need your graduation photo and the information below. You can also email the items to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

High School Senior Information

Name _________________________________________________________________________ _ Parent(s)’ Name(s) _________________________________________________________________________ _ Current High School _________________________________________________________________________ _ College you plan to attend _________________________________________________________________________ Send by April 27 to: The Jewish Press | 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154

The Milky name is one of the most highly recognized brand names in Israel. Over 6,000,000 Milky products are sold each month (representing almost one for each citizen of Israel). Not that familiar with Milky? You’re in luck. Forthwith: A Milky Primer.

Milky, manufactured by the Strauss food company, is the brand name for a score of dessert puddings. The name itself is most closely associated with the classic Milky flavor: chocolate.

Milky chocolate comes in a 170 ml. (a little under 6 ounces) plastic container, the top third being vanilla whipped cream and the bottom two-thirds consisting of chocolate pudding (fat content: 6.5%). Milkys come in packs of four, but it is your right to separate them and purchase the amount you want (each one costs 3.5 shekels, about 90 cents; there is no discount for buying the whole pack -- although psychologically, the Strauss people know that you will feel like a big shot if you do). Snapping the Milkys apart at home is an important aspect of Milky tradition, since anyone may use this seemingly harmless, though surprisingly noisy sound, to persecute members of their family.

Besides chocolate, there are many other Milky products, and Strauss is always releasing new ones (a recent Milky is “Italian Caramel,” which is basically flan). Here is a sample list of Milkys (all come with vanilla whipped cream, except as noted): butterscotch pudding; chocolate kiss (chocolate whipped cream and chocolate pudding); nutty pudding; double cream (two-thirds whipped cream); spiral of vanilla and chocolate pudding; spiral of chocolate and nutty pudding, Milky lite (4.5% fat); “mocachino” (coffee whipped cream and chocolate pudding); upside-down Milky (chocolate whipped cream and vanilla pudding); and the latest Milky, as advertised on the Strauss website: strawberry. There are also two versions

Burial of religious items scheduled

by MARY SUE GROSSMAN for Beth Israel Synagogue As houses are cleaned for Passover, it often includes decisions about keeping or disposing of items. When these are religious articles, one can be put in a quandary, not knowing exactly what to do with those items.

According to the Torah, many religious articles and Judaic items retain their holiness. Referred to as “sheimot” or “geniza”, it is not proper to throw these into the trash.

What exactly is the proper disposal? The answer is by burial.

This is an important part of Judaism, states Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. “Showing proper respect to religious items no longer in use is an important lesson to remember and to share with our children.” He shares that items included in the category requiring burial are Torah scrolls, chumash, siddurs, tefillin, mezuzah scrolls, and tallit fringes in

addition to materials containing G-d’s name, three consecutive words of a biblical verse or other written or printed Torah ideas or laws. School work may be included as well if containing any of the above.

To aid the community in the proper disposal of items, a burial will take place on Sunday, May 22 at 11:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Cemetery, 78th and Crown Point.

Community members are urged to attend the ceremony and escort these important parts of history. Anyone with items to be buried are welcome to deliver those to Beth Israel from 10-11 a.m on the 22nd.

“In the merit of preserving the holiness of our religious articles, may we have health, happiness and a wonderful Passover season,” Rabbi Ari concludes. He also encourages anyone with questions on specific items, to please contact him or Rabbi Weiss at 402.556.6288.

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April 8, 2016 | The Jewish Press | 5

Kamp KEF 2016 – Beth El fun!

by SHERRIE SAAG for Beth El Synagogue Following the success of last year’s inaugural Kamp KEF at Beth El Synagogue, the camp returns for a 2nd summer of fun and adventure from Tuesday, May 31-Friday, June 3, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Beth El.

Beth El Director of Congregational Learning Eadie Tsabari leads the Jewish summer day camp experience for four year olds through Grade 3. “Kamp KEF is all about building community. The best way to instill Jewish values into our children is by doing. Summer camp is a place to build memories, make best friends and have a wonderful time,” she explains, “We know your camper will have a Jewish experience that they won’t forget. We loved sharing the beginning of summer with our campers last year and look forward to another fantastic learning experience in 2016.”

Registration is now open at www.bethel-omaha.org, the cost is $100 for Beth El Synagogue members and $150 for non-members. Before care is available from 8-9 a.m. and after care from 4-5 p.m. for just $5 per child per day.

Once again, camp staff will consist of Beth El clergy and professional staff, Beth El college alumni, Madrachim (who have been in the classroom with the children all school year), and many awesome parent volunteers!

Each day has a special theme, including Creativity on the first day of camp, B’Tzelem Elohim (In the Image of God), Tikkun Olam, Fixing the World and Shabbat and Family on Friday.

A typical Kamp Kef day includes morning flag raising,

Chug Aleph, where the day’s theme is illustrated and put into practice, playground time, water activities, lunch and plenty of Ruach!

This year, track and field activities, arts and crafts, a talent show and kid yoga are also planned.

At the conclusion of Kamp KEF last year, Tippi Denenberg said this, “Kamp KEF was a dreamy experience for both of my daughters... one who participated as a camper and the other who was a junior counselor. Beth El pulled out all the stops to create community and Jewish learning. This was a home run for Beth El synagogue.”

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Essay Contest winners announced

by LIZ FELDSTERN Executive Director, IHE The Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE) and the Plains States Region of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) are thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s 14th annual Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest for high school students.

Students in grades 9-12 were asked to write a 750-1000 word essay about an individual or group that illustrates moral courage. Essayists use the Holocaust as a lens to analyze moral behavior and demonstrate a personal connection to their chosen topic. The essay contest is generously funded by the Carl Frohm Memorial Foundation.

Three hundred fifty essays were submitted and more than 40 volunteer judges took part in the selection process. The winners will be recognized and receive generous scholarship prizes (as much as $800) at the Awards Ceremony which will take place on Monday, April 25 in the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Auditorium. The ceremony will be MC’d by Douglas County Assistant Public Defender, John Ashford, and will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Ari Kohen.

Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest Winners, 2016: 9th-10th Grades: First Place: Leona Dalton-Phillip; Burke High School, Omaha; Second Place: Maggie Keller, VJ & Angela Skutt Catholic High School, Omaha; Third Place: Dash Wedergren, Mount Michael Benedictine, Fremont; Honorable Mentions: Alyssa Schmitt - VJ & Angela Skutt Catholic High School, Omaha; Colin Lakeman - Mount Michael Benedictine, Fremont; Makayla Leiting - Burke High School, Omaha 11th-12th Grades: First Place: Zev Mishell, Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, Northbrook, IL; Second Place: Michael Turone; Central High School, Omaha; Third Place: Tyler Gillespie, Central High School, Omaha; Honorable Mentions: Vanessa Himelie - Central High School, Omaha; Laine Angstadt - Bethlehem Catholic High School, Bethlehem, PA; Kelly Blewitt - Bethlehem Catholic High School, Bethlehem, PA

Mazal Tov, Aaron!

We are so proud of your achievements – membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from the Band.

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We are so proud of your achievements – membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from B.E.S.T.T. Love, Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters and grandparents

6 | The Jewish Press | April 8, 2016

Cuban Chickpea Stew recipe

by JENNIFER STEMPEL (The Nosher via JTA) -- Beans are a staple food on many Cuban dinner tables: They are inexpensive, can feed an army and are easily adaptable to whatever you find in your fridge and pantry.

There’s something about a pot of beans, simmering low and slow on the stove all day, allowing all of the flavors and aromas to release, that screams home-cooked comfort. Plus, nothing sticks to your ribs on a cold day better than a good bean soup or stew.

To be fair, I’d eat this even on a warm day. In fact, I remember a distinctively warm winter night in Santiago de Cuba, when after a grueling day of distributing humanitarian aid to those in need, my mom and I wanted nothing more than a good, hearty chickpea stew. Lucky for us, my mom’s cousin Virginia, who is known for being a great cook, surprised us that evening with exactly the comfort food that we had a hankering for.

That night, her chickpea stew included big chunks of sweet squash, creamy potatoes and hearty chard, all perfumed with the unmistakable smoky flavors of chorizo. As she CUBAN CHICKPEA STEW explained to us, the No. 1 ingredient in Virginia’s now-famous chickpea stew is “lo que sea,” which translates to “whatever I can find.”

Since ingredients can sometimes be hard to come by in Santiago, Virginia has made a name for herself creating rich, indulgent meals using “lo que sea.” This stew was no exception.

Ever since returning home, I’ve wanted to re-create it every chance I get. Even though ingredients are more readily available here, I still do my best to stay true to the “lo que sea” philosophy, and find myself adding whatever I find in my vegetable crisper and pantry that particular day.

So long as the base ingredients Credit: Jennifer Stempel remain the same, you can really Ingredients: Directions: have fun experimenting with “lo 1 tablespoon olive oil In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium que sea” the next time you try 6 ounces soy chorizo (soyrizo) heat. Add soyrizo, breaking it up with a woodyour hands at chickpea stew. or kosher chorizo such as Jack’s en spoon. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic Jennifer Stempel is a TV devel1/2 large onion, diced and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. opment executive who lives in Los 1/2 red bell pepper, diced Cook until onions are translucent.

Angeles with her husband and 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced Add the potato, squash, turkey leg, tomato son. When she's not developing 3 carrots, sliced in rounds sauce, broth, garbanzo beans and bay leaf. new TV shows, she enjoys teachSalt and pepper Cook until the potato and squash are fork ing cooking classes and blogs 1 large russet potato, cubed tender. about her experiments in the 1/2 kabocha squash, seeded and cut Remove the bay leaf, turkey leg and squash kitchen. To read more about her into large chunks, including peel pieces. culinary adventures, check out 1 smoked turkey leg Shred the meat off the turkey leg and www.TheCubanReuben.com.

1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce return to pot.

The Nosher food blog offers a 1 quart chicken broth Remove the peel from the squash, dice the dazzling array of new and classic 2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and flesh and return to the pot. Add the chard and Jewish recipes and food news, rinsed continue cooking until chard wilts. from Europe to Yemen, from chal1 bay leaf Taste for seasoning, adjusting accordingly lah to shakshuka and beyond.

1 bundle of chard, ribs removed and with salt and pepper.

Check it out at www.The leaves coarsely chopped Nosher.com.

A New Choice in Senior Living

The ADL/CRC invites you

by MARY-BETH MUSKIN Regional Director, ADL Please join us for our fundraising event and showing of Lost Boy Found in Whole Foods, a play by Tammy Ryan on Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

Gabriel, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, has started a new life in America. Working at Whole Foods, he meets Christine, a middle-aged single mother. Their connection and Christine’s quest to help him changes both their lives.

Tammy Ryan Lost Boy Found in Whole Foods is an impactful and heartbreaking play that spotlights social responsibility and compassion for humanity.

Please join us after the show for a discussion with the playwright, Tammy Ryan.

Have questions or would like to purchase tickets to an evening of theater with the ADL/CRC, Lost Boy Found in Whole Foods? Please contact the ADL/CRC office at: 402.334.6570 or e-mail; Emily Newman at enewman@adl.org.

Birth Brooke and Ben Gordon of Omaha announce the March 24 birth of their son, Conley David.

He was named for his great-great-grandfather.

He has a sister, Laney.

Grandparents are Sandy and Bruce Gordon, Katharine Chaussee, and Erik Chaussee, all of Omaha.

Great-grandfather is John Taylor of Omaha.

In the news Camp Sabra, affiliated with the St. Louis JCC, is looking for a videographer and a photographer for the summer of 2016. For more information, please contact Director Terri Grossman or Assistant Director Kimberly Holtzman Sloan at 573.365.1591 or visit www.CampSabra.com.

Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Speaker to be announced for Wednesday, April 13, noon.

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

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April 8, 2016 | The Jewish Press | 7

Second Seder at Temple Israel to worship God through prayer, study, and learning by taking part in what is essentially a lesson of Jewish history, literature, and religion. Participation in the Seder lets one symbolically and vicariously relive the Exodus, where past and present merge.

During our meal this year we will share sto-

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

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

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

ries of freedom and participants will be able to discuss different ways they can get involved in helping to secure freedom for all.

Reservations are a must! Please contact the Temple Israel office, RSVP@templeisra elomaha.com or 402.556.6536, by Wednesday, April 13 to reserve your seats. Cost of the dinner is: $25 for adults, $12 for children ages 6-12, and no charge for children ages five and under.

A new purpose for Temple’s old location

by KEVIN MAHLER We have all wanted to know for a long time what would happen to the old Temple Israel building at 7023 Cass.

We don’t have to wonder anymore: the former Temple Israel building is now a fully functional music education and performance facility and permanent home to the rapidly growing Omaha Conservatory of Music.

On the evening of April 15, Omaha Conservatory of Music will host its Grand Opening Gala. The “Magical Musical Tour” is a celebration of its newly-renovated permanent home, and the entire community is invited to celebrate with us.

The Conservatory’s new centrally-located 40,000 square foot facility features an exceptional 500-seat concert hall, a state-ofthe-art 100-seat recital hall, a spacious study area, practice spaces, and nearly 40 studios and classrooms outfitted for private and group instruction. Join us as we hear beautiful music, enjoy exquisite food and beverage, and explore the area’s newest cultural landmark.

Event chairs are Fatima Basith and Dr. Pirzada Sattar; honorary Chairs are Annette and Paul Smith. The event will feature culinary creations by Clayton Chapman of The Grey Plume.

Tickets to this event are $200 and can be reserved online at http://omahacm.org/

gala. Valet parking will be provided and cocktail attire is recommended. A special inaugural tour for patrons will precede this event. To learn more about how to be a

Scholar - in - Residence

Danny Maseng Born in Israel to American parents, Danny Maseng first came to the United States to star on Broadway in ‘Only Fools Are Sad.’ A playwright, actor, singer and composer, Danny has served as Evaluator of New American Plays/OperaMusical Theater for the National Endowment for the Arts, as the Director of the Spielberg Fellowships for the FJC, as Spiritual Leader of URJ congregation Agudas Achim in New York and as Cantor of Temple Israel of Hollywood in California. Danny is most excited to now be the Chazzan and Spiritual Leader of Makom Los Angeles, a new, dynamic, post-denominational Jewish Community.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Friday Evening Services Community Concert

part of this Patron Party, please contact Omaha Conservatory of Music’s Director of Development, Kevin Mahler, at 402.932.4978, ext. 208.

All proceeds of the gala benefit the mission of Omaha Conservatory of Music, a 501c3 that guides musical community through education and performance to enrich lives.

Adult Education

Temple Israel The Reform Jewish Congregation of Omaha

Services with Danny Maseng and the Temple Israel Choir Friday, April 15, 6 p.m.

Spirituality in Public: Looking for God in Omaha, Nebraska Saturday, April 16, 7 p.m.

Open to the public; free of charge.

Dessert reception to follow.

Through Poetry and Music Sunday, April 17, 10 a.m.

Open to the public; free of charge.

Hermene Zweiback Center Lifelong Jewish Learning for

by SCOTT LITTKY Program Director, Temple Israel A highlight each year in the programming calendar of Temple Israel is our annual 2nd Night Passover Seder to be held, Saturday, April 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. As in the past, the Seder will be conducted by Rabbi Azriel, Rabbi Brown and Cantor Shermet.

We hope that you join us for our family-friendly Passover Seder with delicious food, thought-provoking discussion, joyful song and activities for children. The Passover Seder is one of the Jewish peoples most treasured traditions. To this day, in every corner of the world, Jewish families come together to reconstruct that original Passover Seder, again and again, year after year. And every year, there is more to learn. We look forward to sharing this tradition with you and your family this year at Temple Israel.

Dinner will include matzah ball soup, roast brisket, potato kugel, salad, chocolate-dipped macaroons for dessert, and all the traditional favorites such as charoset, gefilte fish and, of course, matzah. Kids are advised to get their detective skills ready to search for the afikoman.

Over the years, Passover Seders have held different meanings for those who have participated. One universal theme each year has been to emphasize one of the four names for Passover such as Hag ha-Herut (The Feast of Freedom). Freedom is the primary theme of the Seder, with numerous other recurring themes and motifs. The Seder permits Jews

8 | The Jewish Press | April 8, 2016

Point of view

American Jewish Press Association Award Winner

Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008

Why The Mitzvah project was worth our time

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor When I went to Roger Grunwald’s play The Mitzvah a few weeks ago, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Presented by the Institute of Holocaust Education as part of the Week of Understanding, it drew a nice crowd to the Community Playhouse, and I saw quite a few familiar faces. So far, so good.

I knew there was to be a lecture, which is not what concerned me; it was the 25 minute one-act play that the evening would open with that had me a little jittery.

“Through one soldier’s story,” the website states, “The Mitzvah reveals the startling history of tens of thousands of “partial Jews” who served in Hitler’s military, most of whom were discharged in 1940. Nearly all were sent to forced labor camps, or worse.

“However, a few thousand who had an “Aryan Appearance” and who were deemed by the Reich to be “valuable to the war effort” were exempted for the Nazi race laws.

A “Declaration of German blood,” signed by Hitler himself, allowed these select few thousand to fight for the Nazi cause.”

While there are many valid ways in which to commemeorate the Holocaust, or any part thereof, I’ve often felt that any kind of re-creation puts us on a slippery slope. Not because the story is made up (because it isn’t) but because it can open the truth to interpretation. As in: is it sad enough? Is it somber enough? Is the actor going to tell me what to feel by setting a certain mood, through music, through lighting?

I shouldn’t have worried. In his one-act, Grunwald tackles a difficult chapter in a straighforward way, without unncessary embellishment. His dress is simple, the stage is empty save for a box to stand on, the lighting doesn’t distract.

The topic is difficult, bcause he talks about assimilation in pre-war Europe, and the extreme consequences of that

Credit: Leonardo Correa assimilation. He speaks of German Jews who felt more German than Jewish, so much so, they ended up in Nazi

uniform. He talks about those the Nazis called “Mishlinge,” people with mixed Jewish and non-Jewish heritage, tens of thousands of whom served in the German army during World War II. It’s a massively uncomfortable topic, not in the least because there are some hard-to-ignore parallels to today’s American Jews, and Grunwald treats it with both urgency and grace. Not once is the audience tempted to think he’s putting on a show, with a clean plot that we can all forget about as soon as we get home.

Over the past 70-some years, we’ve seen countless films, novels, plays and books about the Holocaust. Some attempt to cover the entire Nazi period, others pick and choose a detail here and there. Some are fictionalized, and even the stories that are true are often embellished. That can be okay, but only if we all know the real story. And with fewer and fewer eye witnesses, there is a real danger the world will start to forget. The Holocaust will be delegated to the history books, a footnote, something we know rationally did happen, but will no longer comprehend emotionally.

That is why it is so important we continue to hear the truth. When there are no bells and whistles, and no fancy costumes or unnecessary make-up, the story is allowed to speak for itself. If the Holocaust gets the stage, that stage needs to be unadorned.

Roger Grunwald is a graduate of the University of California, Berkely and the London Aacademy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He has been a professional performing artist for over four decades. he was honored with a grant from the New York Foundation for the Arts for the development of The Mitzvah Project and is on the Speakers Bureau of the Jewish Federation. The Mitzvah is coauthored and directed by Broadway veteran Annie McGreevey.

Justice delayed is justice denied

by NANCY K. KAUFMAN The leadership in the United States Senate has indicated that it will block any vote on filling the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy -- a move that makes it clear that our elected officials are more concerned about delaying justice than delivering justice to the people they claim to represent.

This is a moment in our nation’s history that exposes the true values of our senators -- specifically, whether partisanship is more important to them than public service. Supreme Court decisions impact every aspect of our lives: the ability to access affordable health care and voting rights, equal opportunity in education and the workplace, and the ability to exercise religious freedom -- all of which are on the docket this term.

Earlier this month, 400 members of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) participated in a silent procession from the Supreme Court to the Capitol. We carried copies of the U.S. Constitution that we then delivered to Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA), urging him to fulfill his constitutional obligation to hold hearings and a vote on the president’s nominee. We know that a full Supreme Court -- and a judicial system that works as our founders designed -- is imperative to our democracy, and should not be delayed for political gain. Delaying the filling of this vacancy is paramount to delaying justice for millions of people.

Across the country, concerned citizens are mobilizing to ensure that the President’s nominee gets a timely and fair hearing and a vote in the US Senate. We at NCJW have long supported a federal judiciary that holds fast to constitution-

(Founded in 1920) Eric Dunning President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Thierry Ndjike Accounting

Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, President; Andy Ruback, Past-President; Andrew Boehm, Scott Farkas, Sandy Friedman, Paul Gerber, Alex Grossman, David Kotok, Debbie Kricsfeld, Abby Kutler, Pam Monsky, Paul Rabinovitz, Nancy Wolf and Barry Zoob.

The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world.

Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish LIfe, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press.

Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page sto-

al values and we are leading the mobilization of the Jewish community as part of state-based coalitions advocating for the Senate to do its job.

The Supreme Court vacancy creates confusion and ambiguity in our judicial system -- and can even lead to people being held to different interpretations of federal laws, depending upon where they live.

We all go to work every day and do our jobs as business

President Obama’s nominee. Further, most Americans -seven in 10 of the total population, and a majority of Republicans -- believe that the refusal to hold hearings on Judge Garland is driven by political reasons and is not in the best interests of the country.

The Senate has the opportunity to consider the implications of leaving this seat vacant, and to demonstrate that it cares about what this obstruction means to the lives of their constituents. We urge them to take this course rather than continue what has amounted to elaborate political posturing, which is so obviously transparent and wrong.

As a people committed to the rule of law, a strong democracy, and a fair and responsible judiciary, I hope that Jews around the country will join NCJW in calling their Senators and contacting members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to fulfill their constitutional duty and work with the President to fill the Supreme Court vacancy.

For our Senators to do anything less is a betrayal of the oath they took to uphold the Constitution. It is a Constitution that we, as Jews, proudly defend and which has served credit: www.ncjwny.org to protect our rights as a minority religious leaders, doctors, architects, librarians, lawyers, teachers, group in America. parents, and volunteers. We deserve senators who will do Nancy K. Kaufman is the chief executive officer of the the same.

National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), a grassroots Now that the President has nominated Judge Merrick organization of volunteers and advocates who turn proGarland to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, the Senate must gressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, do its job and hold hearings on the nominee. In fact, accord- NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of ing to a CBS News/New York Times poll, a majority of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding Americans believe the Senate should hold a vote on individual rights and freedoms. ries and announcements, can be found online at: www jewishoma ha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’

Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.

Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

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is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp @jewishomaha.org; send ads (in .TIF or .PDF format) to: rbusse@jew ishomaha.org.

Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jew ishomaha.org.

Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events.

News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.”

The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf.

Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the

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Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

April 8, 2016 | The Jewish Press | 9

Not too late to do right by Arab-Bedouin residents of Atir-Umm al-Hiran

by THABET ABU RAS and ELI BAHAR JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Few stories illustrate the unfeeling and aggressive attitude of the Israeli government toward the Arab-Bedouin population of the Negev as well as the case of Atir-Umm al-Hiran.

The residents of this unrecognized Bedouin village in southern Israel were transferred there from their original homes, on the lands of Kibbutz Shoval, by direct order of the military governor of the Negev in 1956. For the past 60 years, they have lived in a sort of legal limbo: their rights to the land have never been recognized, they have no school and no access to state or municipal services.

The roughly 1,000 Bedouin in Atir-Umm al-Hiran have watched longingly as new Jewish arrivals in the area were quickly connected to the power grid while they continue to live without electricity and running water.

Now the state is threatening to uproot them again, demolishing their homes to make room for a new Jewish town on the lands where the residents of Umm al-Hiran are now living. A group of Orthodox Jews designated to make their homes in the town already are living in nearby caravans.

And yes, they have water and electricity.

The Bedouin appealed to the Supreme Court, which denied their petition in May. A final appeal was rejected in January, clearing the final obstacle to their removal.

But it is not too late to do right by the residents of Umm al-Hiran. The Israel Democracy Institute and the Abraham Foundation have spearheaded an initiative to arrive at a fairer solution through direct negotiations with the Bedouins.

Several Bedouin leaders have requested this dialogue and

are willing to discuss creative possibilities.

And yet, our appeals to the minister of agriculture and the Authority for the Regulation of Bedouin Settlement in the Negev (a government body that is charged with handling disputes like this one) to negotiate with residents have been rejected. The government continues to insist on relocating

Bedouin from the town of Umm al-Hiran at the Israeli Supreme Court in Jerusalem, Nov. 20, 2013. Credit: Flash 90 them to the nearby town of Hura, even though authorities there lack the infrastructure to accommodate them.

In 2011, a government commission created to resolve outstanding land claims among Negev Bedouin recommended that preference be given to existing Bedouin communities over forced relocation to make way for newcomers. But in this case, the government is insistent on doing precisely the opposite.

It is impossible to imagine that a Jewish community established at the behest of the State of Israel and standing in

place for 60 years would be treated in this manner. The message being sent here is that the Bedouin cannot trust the Israeli authorities to act justly toward them.

When the state neglects Arab-Bedouin citizens for years and then seeks to relocate them in order to build a new Jewish community, and when the state refuses to enter into dialogue with Arab-Bedouin residents to arrive at an appropriate and realistic solution, it raises serious questions about justice, morality and public policy.

Israel has an obligation to take care of its minority citizens -- an obligation that derives not just from its democratic values, but also Jewish ones. It says in Leviticus, “There shall be one law for you, for the stranger and citizen alike.” If Israel is to be a Jewish and democratic state, then it must treat all its citizens equally.

The story of Atir-Umm al-Hiran has the potential to become a black mark on relations between Israel and its Bedouin. And unfortunately, it is not the first one. There are ongoing challenges between Bedouin communities and the Israel Lands Authority.

But it is still not too late. We can reach a negotiated settlement, one that could serve as the basis for a broader effort to resolve outstanding issues facing Bedouin communities in southern Israel.

All that is needed to transform this bleak picture is a bit of goodwill. It’s not too late for that.

Eli Bahar is the co-director of the Arab-Jewish Relations Program at the Israel Democracy Institute. Thabet Abu Ras is the co-executive director of the Abraham Fund.

Muslim textbooks in North America teach tolerance -- and demonize Israel

by MARCUS SHEFF JERUSALEM (JTA) -- It might appear churlish to criticize the teaching of Islamic studies in America.

After all, Between Sharia and Democracy: Islamic Education in North America, a just-released study by Impact-SE, finds that the most widely used Islamic textbooks published in the United States are generally free of imagery and ideologies that generate prejudice or contempt for others. They aim to present Islam as harmonious with many aspects of Western society and, in the main, with UNESCO’s standards of tolerance in education.

But it is not unreasonable to expect more, and particularly to ask why these curricula draw the line of tolerance and educational decency when it comes to references to Israel.

The report, edited by Dr. Eldad Pardo of The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, examined five Islamic studies curricula, all of which are based on orthodox Sharia (Islamic law). Four of the five curricula come from publishers in the United States and one in Saudi Arabia by the Canadian author Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips. They are used in 244 schools across the U.S. and 28 in Canada.

The Bilal Philips curriculum ought not to be taught in the U.S., Canada or anywhere else. While the new study estimates it is used in only around a half-dozen North American schools, the texts are available online. The curriculum associates the West with social ills and immorality, portrays Muslims as under constant threat, and advocates for the imposition of Islam while viewing Judaism and Christianity antagonistically. This is clearly not acceptable.

The U.S.-published curricula used in the majority of schools encourage good citizenship and partnership in American economic and public life. Loyalty to Sharia Islam

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translates into discipline, brotherhood, support for Muslims, “Muslim causes” and commitment to the worldwide Ummah (Muslim community). Teachers are encouraged by the curricula to present the notion of competing narratives among nations, national groups and monotheistic religions

Muslim education in North America is generally flexible and tolerant, according to a new study, with a notable exception Credit: Noorart Inc. when it comes to Israel. and to cultivate their awareness. They generally remain friendly to Judaism and Christianity as monotheistic faiths, though ancient antipathies toward the former and some suspicion toward theological aspects of the latter remain.

All is not rosy. There exists a clear “us versus them” paradigm that unfortunately also rejects a more liberal Islam. As the study makes clear, the textbooks do not glorify war or promote violence as a means of resolving conflicts. They do, however, teach about military jihad and episodes of past acts of Islamic heroism. We believe the curricula should uncon-

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ditionally reject violent jihad and work emphatically to discourage participation in jihadi activities around the world.

But if in juggling between Sharia and Western values, most American Islamic studies curricula manage to keep the balls in the air, they crash to the ground when it comes to Israel. With a bias that resembles unreconstructed Arab League propaganda, these curricula present Israel as a usurper. There are calls for political activism against Israel, which is sometimes referred to as Palestine. They omit Israel from some maps and deny Jews any historic claims to the land.

The North American curricula offer, at best, a simplistic, one-sided and unhelpful narrative that demonizes Israel.

Even worse, they also miss a great opportunity. There is no mention of peace efforts, including the Oslo Accords, no discussion of peaceful solutions.

Imagine if instead of rubbing Israel off maps and rewriting history, a discussion was opened up for young American Muslims that peace between Israel and Palestinians is both possible and desirable, despite being complicated and difficult to achieve -- and that there are competing narratives, national claims and chronicles of wrongs on both sides.

Education has a special role in society. There is trust in its veracity; those who deliver it have authority and it is usually managed by state institutions. That's why it is so important that impressionable students, absorbing what is taught to them, are prepared for futures of hope in the classroom, not hate and incitement.

Marcus Sheff is CEO of Impact SE, an international organization founded in 1998 and based in Jerusalem that researches education throughout the world to determine compliance with UNESCO-defined standards on peace and tolerance. He tweets at @marcusjsheff.

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Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 |712.322.4705 email: BnaiIsraelCouncilBluffs@gmail.com Join us for our Monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on April 8, at 7:30 p.m. Carole and Wayne Lainof will share a slide presentation and speak about their recent trip with the Beth El Mission to Cuba. They will share their impressions of Jewish life today. Oneg to follow the service. Come enjoy homemade hamantaschen baked to perfection by Debbie Friedman and Sue Katelman. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

Larry Blass will officiate the Speaker Series Service.

For information on our historic synagogue, or to arrange a visit, please contact any of our board members: Mark Eveloff, Rick Katelman, Carole Lainof, Marty Ricks, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf and Phil Wolf. Tribute cards for any occasion are available. Contact Sissy at 311 Oakridge Ct., Bellevue, NE 68005 or 402.292.8062.

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

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m.; Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m. led by Shira Abraham followed by dinner.

SATURDAY: Morning Service/Minyan in the Round, 9:30 a.m. followed by “Decades of Birthdays” Kiddush Lunch; Junior Congregation, 10 a.m.; Mini-Minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:30 p.m.

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

SUNDAY: BESTT Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Babies, Bigger Kids & Bagles, 9:45 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Learn to Read Hebrew with the Hazzan, 10 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class, 11 a.m.; Kadima goes to Nebraska Humane Society, 12:15 p.m.; USY Tie, Thai & Tye, 12:15 p.m.

TUESDAY: Lunch and Learn with Eliad Eliyahu, “The Real Reality -- Israel’s Diversity, noon.

WEDNESDAY: BESTT Classes, 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12) go to Blumkin Home, 6 p.m.; Minyan & More, 6:15 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham.

THURSDAY: Shanghai, 1 p.m.; Keshet Meeting, 7 p.m.

Shabbat’s Cool (Grades 3-7), Saturday, April 16, 10 a.m. followed by lunch.

BESTT Kevah (Grades 1-2), Sunday, April 17, 9:45 a.m.

Lunch & Learn with Eliad Eliyahu, “The Real Reality-Israel’s Diversity”, Tuesday, April 19, noon.

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

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha, NE. 68154 | 402.556.6288 www.orthodoxomaha.org Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv & Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Torah Parade and Kids Classes, 9:45 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Portion, 6:40 p.m.; Mincha/ Seudah Shlishit, 7:25 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:42 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels and Beit Medrash, 9:45 a.m.; Kids Craft -- Pesach Preparation, noon; Shavua Tov Israel, 1 p.m.; Caffe Ivrit, 2:30 p.m.

WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.

THURSDAY: Women’s Class, 9:30 a.m.; Scholar’s Club for 6th Grade, 3:30 p.m.; Avot U-Banim, 7 p.m.; Talmud Learning, 8 p.m.

Friday Night Shabbat Ha-Gadol Dinner, Friday, April 15, 8 p.m. Adult - $12; children, ages 4-12 - $6; Ages 3 and under – free. Menu: Kiddush, Challah, Soup, Baked Chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and dessert.

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

FRIDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m SATURDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m.

SUNDAY: Minyan, 8:30 a.m.

WEEKDAYS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m.

TUESDAY: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with

practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office.

WEDNESDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. In memory of Forrest Krutter -- Efrayim Menachem Ben Avraham Yitzchak.

THURSDAY: Women’s Study at UNMC with Shani Katzman, noon. RSVP by emailing Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@unmc.edu.

All programs are open to the entire community.

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN South Street Temple | Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street | Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 | 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis.

FRIDAY: Pre-neg 6 p.m. hosted by Marc Shkolnick; Shabbat Evening Service, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Farming & Faith: Holistic Responses to Climate Change, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Sheridan Lutheran Church and hosted by Nebraska Interfaith Power & Light; Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Tazria.

SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel. Parents of children in grades 3-7 please pick up your children at Wyuka Cemetery at 11:45 a.m.

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

THURSDAY: Abrahamic Faiths Dinner, 6 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2110 Sheridan Boulevard Rabbi Brian Stoller will be speaking about “Ethics of War and Peace (A Jewish Perspective). Please RSVP at http://goo.gl/forms/lKLF8aSj4S or by emailing nebraska@ niagarafoundation.org.

Annual Passover Community Second Seder, Saturday, April 23, 6 p.m. Please RSVP by Monday, April 18! Late RSVP’s are not guaranteed food. RSVP to 402.435.8004 or to office@southstreettemple.org. The cost is Adults (13 and up) are $18, Children (ages 5 – 12) are $9, Children 4 and under are free and Full Time College Students are free.

Payment in advance is requested to facilitate planning and ensure that we’ve got food for everyone. Watch for instructions on how to register and pay online, or mail your payment to the Temple office. If you need assistance paying for dinner, please contact Rabbi Lewis, and confidential arrangements will be made.

Lincoln Jewish Community School CAMP ISRAEL, July 11–July 22, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Kosher lunch and snack provided. LJCS enrolled students entering Kindergarten through 7th grade are eligible to attend Camp Israel. Those in 8th grade and up can participate as Counselors in Training. Contact Andrea Halpern or Tracy Gordon if you are interested!

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road | Offutt AFB, NE 68123 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 SATURDAY: Services, 9:15 a.m.

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

TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive | Omaha, NE 68144-1206 | 402.556.6536 http://templeisraelomaha.com FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to You at Remington Heights, 4 p.m. led by Rabbi Azriel; Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Brown and Cantor Shermet along with third grade.

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

SUNDAY: Grades K-6, 10 a.m.

WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; Chapel for School Service, 4:30 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Israel Through the Eyes of the Shalom Hartman Institute, 6:30 p.m. with Scott Littky.

THURSDAY: The Writings of Maimonides, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel.

Scholar-in-Residence Danny Maseng, Friday, April 15 Sunday, April 17. Please see the temple calender for more information about our Danny Maseng and the schedule of events.

Temple Israel Blood Drive, Sunday, April 17, 8:30 a.m.–2

Candlelighting Friday, April 8, 7:40 p.m. p.m. To schedule an appointment, please contact Temple Israel, 402.556.6536, or visit the American Red Cross website, sponsor code: TempleIsrael Passover Family Seder: Let Us Make the Seder for You!, Saturday, April 23, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Join us for our family friendly Passover Seder. Reservations are a must! Please contact the Temple Israel office, 402.556.6536 or RSVP@tem pleisraelomaha.com, by Wednesday, April 13 to reserve your seats. Cost of the dinner is: $25 for adults, $12 for children ages 6 - 12, and no charge for children ages five and under.

Conversation on Senior Rabbinic Search, Wednesday, April 27, 6:30 p.m. Please join us at Temple Israel for a community conversation to share your voice. Desserts and drinks will be served, we hope you are able to join us.

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

FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m.

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

SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel. Parents of children in grades 3-7 please pick up your children at Wyuka Cemetery at 11:45 a.m.

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

LJCS Summer Camp Israel, July 11-July 22, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Kosher lunch and snack provided. Cost is $75 per week, per child. LJCS enrolled students entering Kindergarten through 7th grade are eligible to attend Camp Israel. Contact Andrea Halpern or Tracy Gordon if you are interested!

Join us for a Communal Seder at Tifereth Israel with two options to chose from on Friday evening, April 22 for A Passover Seder for all ages or on Saturday evening, April 23 for An Experiential Seder geared for extended families with children ages 0-13. Reserve a Place Now for yourself and your family! This event is free to all but donations to help defray expenses may be contributed to the Lay-leader Discretionary Fund. RSVP to the office at 402.423.8569 or or e-mail ncoren@tiferethisraellincoln.org by April 1.

UN censors exhibit on Israel

by JTA NEWS STAFF (JTA) -- The United Nations has censored an exhibition about Israel set to go on display at the organization’s headquarters in New York.

Three of the 13 panels in the exhibition Israel Matters, which is set to open Monday, will be deleted, the U.N. decided over the weekend. The censored panels deemed “inappropriate” are on the subjects of Zionism, Jerusalem and Arab-Israelis.

The exhibit was created by Israel’s permanent mission to the United Nations with the organization StandWithUs. Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, has called on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to reverse what he called the “scandalous” decision and allow the panels to be displayed.

“By disqualifying an exhibition about Zionism, the U.N. is undermining the very existence of the State of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people,” Danon said in a statement. “We will not allow the U.N. to censor the fact that Jerusalem is Israel’s eternal capital.”

He added: “The U.N. must reverse this outrageous decision and apologize to the Jewish people. Zionism and Jerusalem are the foundation stones and the moral basis upon which the State of Israel was founded.”

The Jerusalem panel describes the Jewish people as “indigenous to Israel” and states that “Jerusalem has been the center and focus of Jewish life and religion for more than three millennia and is holy to Christians and Muslims as well.”

The panel on Arab-Israelis calls them “the largest minority in Israel, making up 20 percent of Israel’s population” and says they are “equal citizens under the law in Israel.”

The Zionism panel calls it “the liberation movement of the Jewish people, who sought to overcome 1,900 years of oppression and regain self-determination in their indigenous homeland.”

Pulverent e

April 8, 2016 | The Jewish Press | 11

In memoriam RHODA MILDER Rhoda Milder passed away April 2 at age 94. Services were held on April 5 at Golden Hill Cemetery, 5025 North 42nd Street.

She is survived by husband, Pete (Carl) Milder, daughters and sons-in-law, Vickie and David Rosenthal, Georgine and Larry Koom, and son, Tom Milder; sister-in-law, Phylis Weinberg; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

She was born on July 7, 1921.

Memorials may be made to Temple Israel or the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

JERRY ROSINSKY Jerry Rosinsky passed away March 31 at age 85 in Omaha.

Services were held on April 3 at Beth El Cemetery.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Fanny, his first wife of 38 years, Janice Ringle Rosinsky, his son Michael Rosinsky, and his siblings, Saul Rosinsky, Richard

Rosinsky, and Ruth Rosinsky Sokolof.

He is survived by his caring wife, Charney Rosinsky; his son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Sara Rosinsky, and daughter and son-in-law, Janey and Neil Joachim; three grandchildren: Emily and Max Joachim and Helen Rosinsky; sisters-in-law, cousins; and many nephews and nieces.

He was born in 1930 in Omaha. Jerry served his nation honorably as a lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He married Janice Ringle Rosinsky in 1954 and together they raised three children. Jerry and his brothers Saul and Richard owned and operated the Red Lion Night Club from the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s. Then Jerry became the “Chopped Liver King!”

Jerry loved Nebraska football and old movies. When he retired, he volunteered for several local nonprofits, became an avid watercolor painter, joined a bicycle club, and traveled the world with his wife, Charney.

Memorials may be made to The Rose Blumkin Home, Temple Israel or the organizations of your choice.

Operator of Belgium terror hotline fired for telling caller Israel doesn’t exist

by JTA NEWS STAFF (JTA) -- An operator in Belgium’s federal hotline on the terrorist attacks in Brussels was fired for telling a Jewish caller that Israel does not exist and is in fact called Palestine.

The call Thursday to the Belgian Interior Ministry’s hotline was recorded and the audio file posted on the website of Joods Actueel, a Belgian Jewish monthly.

Following the publication, the European call center group IPG fired the employee, whom they put to work at the call center in the framework of their contract with the ministry, Joods Actueel reported.

"We wish to apologize to all members of the Jewish community and to the victims and their families in Israel," said Jac Vermeer, CEO of IPG. In the recording, a man who presented himself as a volunteer for Antwerp’s Jewish Coordination Committee told the operator in Flemish that he was calling on behalf of two people who were injured in the March 22 attacks in Brussels and wish to be discharged as they are “being prepared to be transported to Israel.” The caller asked about the procedure for discharging them.

At least 32 people died in a series of suicide bombings last week at Zaventem Airport near Brussels and at a central metro station, which the Islamic State terrorist group said it planned and executed. The federal government opened a call center immediately after the attack to handle requests by callers seeking information on questions pertaining to personal safety, recommended behavior in emergencies and by people seeking information on the victims.

In the conversation with the Jewish volunteer, the operator can be heard: “That’s actually... See... Back to Palestine.”

The Jewish caller insisted: “Not Palestine, Israel,” prompting another correction by the operator, who retorted: “Yes, but that was before Palestine, of course." He also said about Israel: "It's called Palestine, sir."

Asked for his first name, the operator said it was Zakharia but refused to state his last name.

Challenged over his remarks over Israel, the operator told the caller: “I know the Jews went to there, that Palestine received them and that there is a war between Israel and

Palestine, of course. And the occupation... that’s what's on the news of course.” Asked whether he would be able to help with the patients’ discharge regardless, the operator replied: “Yes, of course.”

Michael Freilich, the editor in chief of Joods Actueel, said it “defies imagination” that a Belgian state employee would display the anti-Israel behavior that is commonplace in Arab countries. He also called for punishing the operator instead of issuing the “standard apology.”

A spokesperson for the crisis center told Joods Actueel it deeply deplores the “isolated case” and will take “necessary actions” against the staffer in question, which the center said was not a civil servant but a call center employee.

The recording’s release follows at least four recorded cases in which people who either spoke Arabic or wore Muslim traditional garb destroyed, concealed or removed Israeli flags at an impromptu memorial space set up for the attacks' victims at Place de la Bourse in Brussels. It features many flags, including those of Arab countries and the Palestinian Authority.

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emerging voices

12 | The Jewish Press | April 8, 2016

Welcome to the Revolution

Are you ready for a political revolution?

It can be difficult to find the words American and Revolution together anywhere outside of a history book. The American political system tends to selfinsulate against any sort of radical change. Yet, when the 2016 elections posed the question of revolution to our country, millions of Americans answered loudly in the affirmative, with their ballots and with their feet.

It can be tempting to think that “political revolution” in 2016 is nothing but a shallow catchphrase, a slogan arising from Democratic contender Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign. However, politics is just one arena for the battle being fought in American society. Americans’ thirst for change reaches far deeper than the ballot box. The millions of voters drawn to Bernie Sanders - or, for that matter, to his Republican “counterpart” Donald Trump - are not propelled by either candidates’ charisma or their own desire to be edgy or controversial. Rather, a lot of people feel the social ground persistently crumbling under their feet. Tensions in the streets, the workplace and the family are being sharpened to a needle’s point. It is not absurd for one to predict that at the rate things are going, any semblance of civilization as we know it will disintegrate into nothing but air.

Some may be thinking, “This is but a game with rhetoric! Exaggeration! Melodrama!” But if our

national sentiment of uncertainty is melodrama, it is but a shadowy reflection of the melodrama provided by everyday life. Although labor productivity has soared upward by 74.4% since the seventies, the average middlewage American (50th perJOSIE SLOVUT centile) has seen her and his wages flatline, beginning in 1979. Low-wage workers (bottom 10%) have actually seen their wages decrease by 5% since the late seventies. The so-called silver lining in this trend goes only to Americans who are in the top five per cent of wage earners. Over the last 30 years, their

The old individualist adage of “self-liberation through hard work and discipline” is failing to materialize.

So, what of revolution? Bernie Sanders’ candidacy, which carries the banner of “political revolution”, is a very visible expression of popular disaffection with the way our country is going. But what is a revolution? Not a clenched fist, not a cry of rage, not even a solemn vow not to go quietly into the night.

No. A revolution is something more. The prelude of revolution is when the people find a voice and make sure that they are heard. Revolution’s opening notes can be heard in the recent wave of Fight for 15 protests, the Black Lives Matter movement, and in the millions of ballots being cast for Bernie Sanders.

The symphony of revolution comes into full force at the point when anger becomes action. Revolution is when people are angry enough to seize the political and economic power of their society, and then reorient it to prioritize equality and human well-being. It’s when we once and for all cast aside the old categories of Capital and Labor, of haves and have nots, and instead work together to make a better life for everyone in society. Revolution is not political, but social. But, the use of the word “revolution” as a slogan in mainstream politics is a sign that, as a society, we are increasingly ready for the process of social transformation.

Welcome to the revolution.

Josie Slovut is a Junior at Millard North High School and a member of Temple Israel. She shares her story as Painting by Egidius Karel Gustaaf, 1834 part of the Emerging Voices series. real wages have increased by 41%. We’ve all heard Emerging Voices invites Jewish writers between these figures, repeated countless times by politi- the ages of 13 and 25 to share their thoughts and cians, news anchors - and by the realities in our own opinions about any topic they choose. If you are lives. Americans have been working harder than interested in writing for this series, please email the ever, but for a decreasing amount of compensation. editor at avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.

Mother’s Day Coming in April

Publishing Date | 04.29.16 Space Reservation | 04.20.16 Camera Ready Deadline | 04.22.16

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Contact our advertising executive to advertise in this very special edition.

Susan Bernard | 402.334.6559 | sbernard@jewishomaha.org