Vol. LXXXIX No. 44 Omaha, NE
Rabbi B explores Jewish identity and authenticity by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor of the Jewish Press On Monday July 12, YJO invited Rabbi Baruch HaLevi, also known as Rabbi B, to speak to a number of Jewish Omahans. Among the topics he covered: what it means to be an authentic Jew, and how changing times ask us to develop changing attitudes. “I don’t claim to know all the answers,” HaLevi said, “but there are some very important questions we have to ask ourselves about what it means to be Jewish in this day and age.” Organizer and YJO Director Bob Goldberg introduced HaLevi, a Rabbi Baruch HaLevi former Omahan and the son of Federation Executive Director Jan Goldstein, while the crowd enjoyed dinner provided by the Blumkin Home. “We were honored to have Rabbi HaLevi return to Omaha to share his thoughts on Judaism in the 21st Century,” Goldberg said. “It’s important that we hear different views and perspectives that challenge us to think about why we are Jewish, but more importantly why it matters.” After watching the short film “The Tribe,” a 2006, 18 minute production by Tiffany Shlain that takes a fresh look at who and what Jewish life entails, the audience was treated to a speech-discussion-combo that centered around the question: what’s next? “Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska I always knew I was Jewish,” HaLevi said: “All of my parents’ friends were Jewish. We went to the Jewish country club, and spent our time at the JCC; even though we were only a small segment of the general population, it just felt as if Judaism was all around us.” As he grew older, HaLevi started to question where he really belonged. Friends exposed him to Buddhism, he learned Yoga, studied philosophy, read all the books he could get his hands on, but something was always missing: “Although my initial departure was not ideologically driven, as I was just an apathetic teenager at the time, it soon morphed into something very different. As soon as I was off on my own in college, I began to actively pursue other religions and practices which had something to say about areas in which my religion seemed all too silent.” But the more he searched, the more he found other Jews, like him, who wanted to find spiritual meaning outside of Judaism. It started to bother him that so many Jews of his generation walked away from what they grew up with. HaLevi eventually made his way to Israel, where he found a more vibrant Judaism: “I found in Israel, and later in L.A., authentic Jewish communities ecstatically praying to God, engaged in intellectual rigor as they explored holy texts while living lives committed to profound spiritual practice.” In 1997, he entered Rabbinical school in Los Angeles, and interned at L.A.’s Ohr Hatorah Synagogue under the guidance of Rabbi Mordecai Finley. He subsequently accepted a position at Tifereth Israel in Des Moines, Iowa. Since 2006, Baruch HaLevi has been the Rabbi at Congregation Shirat Hayam, the Swampscott, MA synagogue that came into being after two synagogues decided to merge. In February 2007 he received his Doctoral degree in Ministry, with an emphasis in Jewish Continued on page 2
Inside Op-Ed Page: see page 16
Celebrating 89 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
July 23, 2010
Lisa Epstein steps up as Partnership Chair by KATHY MCGAUVRAN nection between here and Israel.” Women’s Major Gifts and Missions Director Partnership with Israel (Partnership 2000 or P2K) is and ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT a program of the Jewish Agency for Israel and United Editor of the Jewish Press Jewish Communities. The communities included in the Lisa Epstein had been to Israel before, but when she Central Area Consortium are: Akron, Canton, Dayton, traveled to the Western Galilee with the Jewish Toledo, and Youngstown, Ohio; Indianapolis, Federation in 2009, someNorthwest Ind., thing was different. What and South Bend, she found was a focus on Ind.; Louisville, the Partnership with Israel, KY.; Des Moines, and the people involved Iowa; Omaha, with it. “Jan Goldstein was Neb.; and Austin, there with me, and so was Dallas, Ft. Worth, Ellie Batt,” Lisa rememand San Antonio, bers. “We went to Texas. All of these Budapest first, and then to communities are Israel, and I learned what linked with the Western Galilee, we, as a community, can do when we decide to be the northernmost hands-on.” part of Israel on the Mediterranean At that point, Lisa had coast. This area been involved with the includes the city of Partnership Committee for Akko, Matte Asher, three years; however, meeting people face to face in Welcome to Israel! Lisa Epstein, left, Sandi Cole, Mary Kay Young, and several small vilboth Budapest and the Jan Goldstein schlep their luggage across the border in May 2010 lages, and the Western Galilee gave her a chance to connect to other Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya. The Negev and Jews on a more personal level: “Going with the Galilee hold more than two-thirds of Israel's land Federation, as a member of the Omaha Jewish com- reserves, but house only 17 percent of its population. munity, there is a people-to-people connection,” Lisa The potential for development and immigration in says. “Once you have that connection, you continue to these areas remains largely untapped as a result of high build very meaningful relationships, and we see proof unemployment and weak educational infrastructure. that we truly are one people, that there is a real con- Continued on page 3
The JCC Fitness Center: friendly connections lead to success by DENISE IPOCK “It just felt right.” On the morning of June 6, in Lawrence, KS, a group Within a few years of the JCC’s expansion, Jeff had a of five Omaha JCC members achieved greatness by group of friends to run and work out with. He sugsuccessfully completing gested to friend and fela triathlon, which low JCC board memincluded a 1.2 mile lake ber Jeff Platt that they swim, a 13.1 mile run run a half marathon. and a 56 mile bike ride. They were at the “J” For members Jeff nearly every day over Kirshenbaum, Jeff lunch and running a Platt, Adam Yale, Chris few days a week. How Wilczewski, and Mack difficult could it be to Greder the JCC served run 13 miles? They as the point of connecrecruited several others tion in making this all on their mission includpossible. ing David Gilinsky, To quote Jeff David Goldberg and Kirshenbaum, who is an Bruce Goldberg. Over active JCC member and the course of several former JCC board presmonths, they enjoyed ident: “I can honestly training as a group sevsay I would have never eral times a week, meetcompeted in this event, ing at the “J”, and hitFrom left to right: Jeff Kirshenbaum, Mack Greder, Adam Yale, as well as other ting the road. Soon Chris Wilczewski, and Jeff Platt before their shared adventure. In marathons and half after they completed front: Jeff Platt’s dog Louis. marathons, if it were the Lincoln Half Maranot for the Fitness Center at the JCC.” Prior to 1999 thon, both Jeffs needed a new challenge. So Jeff K. Jeff had been happily working out and teaching spin- “coerced” Jeff Platt to join him in training for the Des ning at a local gym, as the JCC’s facilities were small Moines marathon. Jeff Platt thought they were “nuts” and antiquated compared to many of the other local but somehow they were able to complete this goal. clubs. But once renovations were complete and the Meeting at the “J” and running with friends during new Phil Sokoloff Fitness Center opened, Jeff instant- weekday lunch hours and early on weekend mornings ly knew that the “J” was where he wanted to work out: Continued on page 2
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12 Av 5770
Jerusalem the focus of 5th Annual Limmud Omaha Page 3
Coming Next Month: Back to School Blumkin Home hold first adult Bnei Mitzvah celebration Page 10
Life sciences become big business in Israel Page 15