August 16, 2013

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

Not your mother’s surgery

August 16, 2013 10 Elul 5773 Vol. 93 | No. 48

This Week

by DAVID GOLBITZ Temple Israel Staff Writer Temple Israel will honor Rabbi Aryeh Azriel with a special Shabbat service and oneg Friday, Aug. 23.

“Rabbi Azriel’s tenure has been a gift to the Congregation and the greater Omaha community for all

The wonderful visit of Oz Page 3

Sacred art at the new Temple Israel Page 8

Dr. Marie Montag

Dr. Kerry Rodabaugh

Dr. Eugene Zweiback

by JULIANNE DUNN HERZOG This is the final part in a three part series about hereditary cancer.

“BRCA 1 & 2 mutation testing allows carriers to potentially avoid early morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) through prevention; noncarriers can avoid the economic and emotional stress of a lifetime of preventive activities,” said Dr. Henry T. Lynch, M.D., Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine and the Department of Public Health and the Creighton University Hereditary Cancer Center.

Non-surgical or chemoprevention of cancer “Tamoxifen, Evista and even lowdose contraceptives have enjoyed some popularity among oncologists in preventive treatment along with other screening methods set forth in parts one and two of this series: monthly breast self-exam, annual screening

mammograms and MRIs,” said Dr. Kenneth Cowan, M.D. Ph.D., breast oncologist and director of the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “No woman needs to fear that her only option is surgical prophylaxis (organ removal) to remain cancer free,” said Dr. Cowan.

Gene Testing The woman who tests positive for the gene mutation and her physician can look at her tests, her family history and her response to preventive medication to determine the best options for her individually. The same applies to men with the mutation.

For a time there was a backlog of testing for the BRCA 1 & 2 gene mutations, perhaps due to the cost of the test which was quite high. Myriad Genetics, a commercial testing firm, held a U.S. patent on the gene and its

mutation for about 17 years. It was not the only testing service in the world, but it was the only testing service in the United States. Its cost for genetic testing for the BRCA 1 & 2 gene mutation is $4125.00, according to Carrie Snyder, genetics specialist with the Creighton Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

That patent was declared null and void by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in early 2013 which held that human genes cannot be patented. Dr. Lynch declared this a victory for medicine on many levels, including the fact that it will bring testing costs down to a competitive level.

On the day the Supreme Court decision in Myriad Genetics came down, a new company called Ambrey Genetics opened for business. Its 19panel genetic testing includes the BRCA 1 & 2 gene mutation testing.

Continued on page 2

Fiddler is coming to the JCC The intermarriage war has been lost. Now what?

Page 12

Inside Point of view Synagogues In memorium

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

Rabbi Azriel marks 25th anniversary

9 10 11

by RACHEL MARTIN Tradition is not an unfamiliar concept to the JCC Musical Theater Community Acting Group, which has established itself by performing two musicals each year since 2010.

But, on Aug. 25, the word “tradition” will take on new meaning, as auditions will be held for the upcoming show, Fiddler on the Roof Junior.

“It’s about the blending of traditional ways and new ways,” said Fran Sillau, JCC MTCAG Director.

The story takes place in a Tsarist Russian village in the early 1900s and focuses on Tevye, a milkman and father of five daughters. Tevye attempts to keep Jewish traditions alive in his family despite actions of the Tsar and opinions of his three oldest daughters - each of whom is straying farther away from their faith.

“We’re telling a story of faith and devotion, and that’s no matter if you’re Jewish or Christian or whatever faith -

- we can all identify with it,” Sillau said.

“It’s about a man who had to stand up for what he believed in. Today, it’s hard to stand up for something.”

The group has performed Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Wizard of Oz, The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, and Seussical Jr. The popularity of the shows has grown, and according to JCC Cultural Arts Director Esther Katz, “There’s a culture of people in the community waiting to hear what the

next musical is going to be.

People who aren’t necessarily in the show are hyped up about who’s going to be this or that part.”

Willy Wonka, the first production, had a cast of 25.

Since then the cast has doubled with 50 actors appearing in Seussical.

Katz said the group is ready for Fiddler.

“We avoided doing it for the first couple of years because we didn’t want to be the JCC doing the Jewish musical. Some participants aren’t Jewish, so it will open up their minds and welcome them to the Jewish world.”

Since many of the participants and audience members are from the Jewish community, they will be able to connect with the story.

“Most have Fiddler songs in their heads already,” Katz said. “I had two in my wedding!”

The cast will meet with Shani Katzman, wife of Rabbi Mendel Katzman, to ensure that Jewish life in the early 1900s is represented accurately in 2013.

The auditions will be held Sunday, Aug. 25 and are for ages 8 to 108.

Everyone who auditions will be cast in the show.

Continued on page 4

Rabbi Azriel of his 25 years,” said Phyllis Glazer, a member of the event planning committee. “He is passionate about Judaism, brimming with new ideas and a consummate teacher. For me and my family, his friendship has been unequalled and a privilege we continue to treasure.”

The service, planned by Rabbi Josh Brown and Cantor Wendy Shermet, is being kept under wraps but promises to be a warm tribute to Rabbi Azriel and his family.

“I am so grateful for the way Aryeh has shared our lives,” said Jane Rips, Chair of the planning committee. “He and his family have enriched the life of the congregation. For so many of us, he has been there for our children’s B’nai Mitzvot and also our parents’ funerals. He has been there from the first memories of life to the very last, and I am so pleased that we can celebrate this milestone.”

Rabbi Azriel will speak on, “It All Started with a Railing.” He will talk about his transition to Omaha so many years ago and the congregation’s upcoming transition to its new home at Sterling Ridge.

In addition to honoring Rabbi Azriel, Aug. 23 also marks the final Friday night Shabbat service at Temple Israel’s Cass Street building.

“We want people to come together for one last Shabbat in the sanctuary,” Jane Rips said, “to participate in this special service that will recognize these important milestones in the life of the congregation.”

“This building has been an integral part of the fabric of this congregation for so long,” Rabbi Azriel said. “How does one move Continued on page 3

2 | The Jewish Press | August 16, 2013

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Not your mother’s surgery Continued from page 1 Its cost is substantially reduced. There is some concern about Ambrey’s ability to continue to do testing because Myriad immediately filed suit to stop Ambrey. Myriad made quite a profit on its monopoly in BRCA 1 & 2 gene mutation testing, so it is not surprising that it would not take the Supreme Court decision without protest.

Genetic testing can eliminate those who are not carriers; for those who are, surgical prevention remains on the list of potential therapies. This is an easy decision to make if breast or ovarian cancer has been detected. It is not so easy if there has been no cancer diagnosis.

Breast removal for therapeutic purposes (cancer diagnosed) There is still much controversy about the efficacy of prophylactic removal of the breasts in a BRCA 1 or 2 mutationpositive woman. The extent of breast surgery in therapeutic surgery is yet another controversy which has raged in breast cancer treatment for over 100 years.

Dr. William Halsted, described by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee in the Emperor of all Maladies as the “great surgeon from Johns Hopkins,” pioneered the radical mastectomy in the 1890’s. Halsted is often called the “Father of Modern Surgery” because he took surgery out of the hands of the barbers and butchers and put it in the hands of medically trained personnel. He was a “perfection-obsessed surgeon... who chiseled away at cancer with larger and larger disfiguring surgeries, all in the hopes that cutting more would mean curing more,” according to Dr. Mukherjee.

That attitude overwhelmed breast cancer treatment for nearly 100 years. There was no thought of prophylactic mastectomy. The breast surgery that was done was done because of symptoms and physical findings such as a lump in the breast.

Halsted radical mastectomy was the gold standard into the 1970s Even into the 1970s, radical mastectomy, which involved removal of breast, skin, nipple, lymph nodes and chest wall muscle, was still the gold standard for breast cancer treatment, and was called the “Halsted radical mastectomy,” said Dr. Eugene Zweiback, Omaha general surgeon.

Dr. Zweiback graduated from Columbia Medical School and took a post-graduate residency in general surgery at Roosevelt Hospital in New York and a fellowship in cardiovascular surgery with Michael DeBakey, M.D., in Houston.

Dr. Zweiback served as chief of surgery at the U.S. Air Force Academy Hospital in Colorado Springs, CO. Upon his return to Omaha, he joined a general surgery group which completed tens of thousands of surgeries, including over 1000 breast cancer surgeries.

The practice of breast surgery evolved quite rapidly in the 1970s. Patients hated the radical mastectomy which left them disabled and disfigured. Surgeons hated it also but continued to use this technique to make sure that no leftbehind cancer cells might regrow a tumor.

Cancer research really began only in the late 1930’s, continued with the hope of finding better solutions for both patient and surgeon in breast removal.

Halsted mastectomy modified in 1970s to take less tissue and muscle As a result of intense morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) studies, in the mid-1970s surgeons began to use a “modified radical mastectomy.” In this surgery, the breast, nipple and lymph nodes were removed, but the chest wall muscle was not. This modification made breast reconstruction possible and left the woman with less disability, said Dr. Zweiback, who continued, “It was a relief to be able to offer a less aggressive surgery when research established that results were as good as the former, more invasive operation.

Unfortunately, we could not go back and correct the radical mastectomies which had been the operation of choice just a few short years before.”

As cancer treatment evolved, doctors began to use the lumpectomy with chemo and radiation, the least invasive or disfiguring of all the procedures. This option was reserved for the patients who were thought to be good candidates for this procedure.

Development of prophylactic breast surgery As breast cancer surgery techniques evolved, research revealed that prophylactic surgery on breasts and ovaries could accomplish a significant reduction in risk for those with genetic mutations on the BRCA 1 & 2 genes. However, prophylactic surgery was not used until well after the discovery of the genes and the mutations in 1994 and 1996.

After discovery of the genes, it was some time before an accurate test was developed to locate the mutations. Dr. Zweiback, who retired from active surgery in 1998, never

did a prophylactic mastectomy.

Not your mother’s or your grandmother’s surgery Now, 15 years later, they are common, said Dr. Marie Montag, plastic surgeon in Omaha, who participates in as many as two to three a month. This is not your mother’s modified radical mastectomy. It is not your grandmother’s Halsted radical mastectomy, either. Now the removal of breast tissue is much less extreme; skin and, possibly, the nipple are preserved and reconstruction begins in the operating room. The general surgeon removes the breast tissue. Dr. Montag immediately starts the reconstructive process which continues on an out-patient basis for another few months.

Here, Angelina Jolie surfaces again. Dr. Montag said that since her disclosure, many more patients have sought genetic and surgical consultations, which have dramatically increased the number of prophylactic surgeries.

Dr. Montag said that today prophylactic breast surgery is a reasonable and safe alternative for the person who is mutation-positive. Indeed, for this woman -- or man -- the prophylactic surgery reduces the risk of developing cancer by 90 to 95%. Removal takes away the worry of cancer and allows the woman or man to concentrate on family and future, said Dr. Montag.

Dr. Montag graduated from Creighton University School of Medicine and took her general surgery residency there.

After a plastic surgery fellowship in Wisconsin, she took a fellowship in pediatric and craniofacial reconstructive surgery in Utah. She has been in private practice in Omaha with Aesthetical Surgical Images since 2000 and has participated in several hundred breast reconstructive procedures for prophylactic (no cancer, gene mutation) as well as for therapeutic (cancer by signs or physical findings) purposes.

Males who have a personal or kindred history must not be overlooked in genetic testing Dr. Kerry Rodabaugh, associate professor and gynecological oncology surgeon at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Olson Center, operates on women and removes diseased uteri, fallopian tubes and ovaries when cancer is present (therapeutic removal) or non-diseased organs from the woman who is BRCA 1 & 2 mutation-positive. (prophylactic removal) She expressed several concerns about the information conveyed by the popular press in connection with the Jolie matter: • The issue of ovarian cancer was lost in the discussion of breast removal even though Ms. Jolie’s mother had ovarian cancer, and that was the impetus for her prophylactic breast surgery; • Ovarian cancer kills because it is often not discovered until it is too late; as a potential killer, it is much more dangerous than breast cancer; • Males of a family with personal or kindred history must also be tested; even if they do not have cancer; • Males can be carriers and can pass the mutation on to their daughters and sons.

Dr. Rodabaugh, who is now the principal investigator of the gynecological oncology group at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, took her medical degree and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University. She took a fellowship in gynecological oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at the Harvard Medical School.

She joined every researcher and practitioner in this threepart series on hereditary cancer in emphasizing that the future of families is at stake. Patents on human genes have set back cancer research and treatment for decades, Dr. Rodabaugh said. Now that the Myriad patent has been set aside, companies other than Ambrey Genetics have to start at ground zero to develop testing.

No facility in Omaha has yet developed a test.

Practitioners here have to depend on commercial entities in other parts of the United States or Canada, said both Dr. Rodabaugh at UNMC and Ms. Snyder at Creighton.

Creighton has an advantage in that one of its research partners, Dr. Steve Narod, in Toronto, Canada, does the BRCA 1 & 2 testing free for members of the Creighton hereditary cancer study and has done so for decades.

Dr. Cowan said that UNMC may be gearing up to develop a test, not just for BRCA 1 & 2, but for other gene panels as well.

It appears that the “Who pays?” question has not been finally resolved, although Dr. Rodabaugh said that she and her colleagues were spending a whole lot of time writing appeals on insurance denials both for testing and for surgery a decade ago.

It would be wise to check as closely on insurance benefits as on the qualifications of a geneticist, surgeon or oncologist if you are facing this challenge.

Your life may depend on it.

EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE The Jewish Press office is closed Thursday and Friday, Sept. 5 and 6, for Rosh Hashanah; the deadline for the Sept.

13 issue is Tuesday, Sept. 3, 9 a.m. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.

August 16, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 3

The wonderful visit of Oz

by BEN SALES TEL AVIV (JTA) -- Dr. Mehmet Oz sat down to talk with JTA on the Tel Aviv coast last week, but what he really wanted to do was go to the beach.

Oz, the surgeon and well-known TV personality, was in Israel for the first time and had a packed itinerary. He traversed the country from the Red Sea to the Golan, lectured Israeli physicians in a northern Israeli hospital and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

His host on this whirlwind tour was Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the author and sexpert who lives Dr. Mehmet Oz, right, and Rabbi in New Jersey. The two Shmuley Boteach visiting the met when they were Western Wall in Jerusalem, August both on an Oprah Credit: The Jewish 2, 2013.

Winfrey radio proValues Network gram. Boteach recently gave Oz an award for being a “champion of Jewish values,” and the trip was paid for by casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, another recipient of the award.

A Muslim of Turkish descent, Oz delivered a relatively conservative line on Israel in an interview, even casting doubt on the viability of the two-state solution. He also explained why he went to Hebron and Psagot, two controversial Israeli settlements deep in the West Bank.

What drove you to come to Israel and what has surprised you most about the country?

I come every summer to Istanbul and keep meeting Israeli tourists. What was most surprising was that I knew about the historical sites, I traveled the whole country, and I know now that that’s the tip of the iceberg. What’s special is the energy of this nation, which was able to build a thriving modern society out of the desert.

Israeli-Palestinian negotiations restarted recently and it’s assumed that any final deal would involve the

dismantling of Israeli West Bank settlements. Why did you decide to visit Hebron? Was it problematic for you as a Muslim?

I went there especially because I was a Muslim, to the burial place of the patriarch of my religion. Hebron meant connecting to a place that represents that connection, and to be able to see Islamic writing, Jewish writing, Christian writing and all three [religions] worshiping at the same tomb.

I went out of curiosity to see a place that is sacred to me.

There will be political discussions forever, and we should follow an inner instinct. I went with love in my heart.

In addition to practicing Western medicine, you’re a big believer in non-Western cures and you preach the importance of patients having a positive mindset. In that regard, what’s your takeaway from Israeli culture and Jewish values?

It’s difficult to understand the world if you don’t understand Israel. There’s a clear intersection of Jewish values, modern society and coping with the modern world. In a society like Israel, where there’s tremendous stress, it is important to remember those deep values. If you don’t love yourself, you can’t love your neighbor.

The most important thing in life is to have purpose. If you give your heart a reason to keep beating, it will always keep

beating. Because of their will to take on the physical forces of the desert and their neighbors, [Israelis] have a clear purpose to change the world.

What has been the most challenging part of the trip?

We were driving and I saw workers from South Asia, and I wondered, “Why are South Asians working in these fields when there are workers who live in the West Bank?” We must find a way for people to work together peacefully.

There are such wonderful opportunities to work together.

We should build a bigger pie. Israel is a microcosm for so many problems you have around the world. It’s the gold standard of conflict. If we could solve this, it’s a toolkit for solving other problems.

How has visiting Israel and the West Bank changed your perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

You learn about the fictions you create around solutions.

It would be very difficult to pass laws that intersect between people living next door to each other. It’s not as easy as being for or against it. You realize it’s much more difficult. It’s much grayer. It’s not black and white.

The ultimate solution will be driven by financial means.

Peace is an imperative for that. When people love their children so much, they’ll do whatever it takes to make their future brighter.

Rabbi Azriel Continued from page 1 on? How does one separate from something that was such a major part of people’s lives? How do you leave a place of memories, inspiration, spiritual encounters, difficult times, happy times - how do you separate from a place that functioned in that way for 60 years?”

After the Sabbath has been welcomed one last time, Moving Day will be upon the congregation. Sunday, Aug 25, the Torah scrolls will be transported from Cass Street to Sterling Ridge, and a new era in the life of Temple Israel will begin.

“I’m sure there will be difficult moments during that last weekend for all of us,” Rabbi Azriel said. “And on the other side, there will be similar challenges, walking into a new

building, a new environment. Hopefully, all of these moments will be moments that will help us grow, understand more about ourselves, be in touch with those feelings, and be a way of celebrating both a departure and a welcoming.”

The evening begins Friday with candle lighting in the lobby at 5:30 p.m., followed by the service at 6 p.m., with a special oneg afterward.

Moving Day begins at 9 a.m. Sunday morning, with a ceremony at Cass Street, followed by the Torah parade to Sterling Ridge. If you would like to participate in walking the Torah scroll from Cass Street to Sterling Ridge, contact the Temple Israel office, 402.556.6536, or register online at www.templeisraelomaha.com.

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4 | The Jewish Press | August 16, 2013

Learn about ‘The Secrets of the Jews’

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator For years, Beth El teacher Andy Greenberg has used his adult-education classes to take his students on creative, unusual journeys into Judaism, offering them thought-provoking topics and insights. This year’s class will be no different.

Hoping his students will experience “a feeling of adventure, exploration and discovery,” Greenberg will lead “The Secrets of the Jews,” a new, monthly class at the synagogue, beginning Sunday, Aug. 25, 10 a.m.

Andy Greenberg Each session will focus on secrets and hidden messages in Jewish traditions, texts, societies, and Gematria (Hebrew numerology), Greenberg said.

“Hebrew letters, their shapes and meanings are loaded with messages and secrets... or are they?” he asked. “Why do Hebrew letters also act as numbers? Do they have secret meanings when you apply numerology, or Gematria? Why is it that the Hebrew name for Abraham adds up to his age

Can you identify me?

when he became a father... or does it?

“There have been so many movies and books about hidden secrets in other religions and cultures which are either fictional or true. What about our secrets are imaginary or real? Who created them?”

As with all of Greenberg’s past classes, no textbooks or multimedia resources are used; instead, the interactive sessions are fueled by lively discussions, with the teacher serving as moderator, making sure that everyone has the opportunity to participate.

The subject matter can be controversial, and Greenberg welcomes a variety of perspectives -- believers and naysayers alike.

“Any theory that is not proven with facts is always controversial,” he said. “Some quickly deny and others strongly believe. When there is more than one opinion there is controversy. Among Jews in a classroom, boardroom, or anywhere, there is always more than one opinion! As a class we always focus on the subject and not the person or background of that person who is presenting an opinion. We make it a point never to say someone is right or wrong.”

All adults in the Jewish community are welcome to join the class. Cost is $36 for Beth El members and $45 for nonmembers. Visit www.bethel-omaha.org for more information and to register.

Fiddler is coming to the JCC Continued from page 1 Katz produces all of the group’s shows, handling behindthe-scenes work including writing grants, deciding on scripts, sets and costumes, along with Tiffany Gray, the rehearsal director. Sillau focuses on blocking and character development. Choreographer Courtney Stein does all of the movement for the songs, and Bernadette Smith directs music.

“We don’t draw lines, we welcome anyone,” Sillau said.

“That’s what the JCC is all about. Come audition -- it’s a very open process. Be yourself, smile, and speak with the loudest

voice you can, and we’ll have a place for you.”

Adult auditions (age 18-108) are 3-4 p.m. and kids (age 817) are 4:30-5:30 p.m.

The cost to be in the show is $130 for JCC members and $165 for non-members. The program is partially made possible by a generous contribution from the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund.

For more information about the JCC Musical Theater Community Acting Group, contact Cultural Arts Director Esther Katz at 402.334.6406 or ekatz@jccomaha.org.

In the news Tippi and Steve Denenberg are opening their home for three casual piano recitals to benefit Friedel Jewish Academy.

Composer and pianist, Mark Kurtz, music director at First United Methodist Church, will dazzle with a mix of classical, jazz, and improvisation. Audience interaction is welcome. The

90-minute events are Friday, Aug. 16, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. Reservations please; guests may pay in advance or at the door. Tippi@Denenberg.com or 402.553.2977. Light refreshment and socializing. $25 for adults, $12.50 for students. Address of the event: 656 N. 56th St.

Omaha’s Girl Friday Concierge

The staff at the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society would like your help identifying the woman in this photograph. If this is someone you know, please contact Renee Corcoran at 402.334.6442 or email rcorcoran@jewishomaha. org. Keep reading the Jewish Press for more unidentified photos!

Arts+Entertainment Tate Publishing is sponsoring the national launch of Karen Sokolof Javitch’s CD for young people, titled: Karen’s Kaleidoscope of Kids’ Songs – for ages 5 to 105! Meet Karen at Cupcake Island from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17. The producer at Tate Enterprises says, “This is an album anyone of any age can enjoy! You and your children will be humming the songs after listening to them.” Karen will sign each CD personally and will give a free cupcake with a CD purchase! She also notes that teachers can use her CD in classrooms. Come and munch on a free cupcake and hear Karen’s music at Cupcake Island, 1314 S. 119th St.

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High Holidays at new Temple

by DAVID GOLBITZ Temple Israel Staff Writer Less than two weeks after Temple Israel moves into its new home, the building will be put to the test as the High Holy Days begin on Sept. 4, ushering in a New Year and a new era, for the congregation.

“I think it will be a very good year for the congregation,” Rabbi Aryeh Azriel said. “I hope we will be able to deliver that message at the beginning of the year and continue maintaining the passion and the exuberance in the life of our community.”

Following the 7:30 p.m.

Erev Rosh Hashanah service, the next day’s morning service will begin at 10:15 a.m., with the children’s service for those in kindergarten through fourth grade beginning at 10 a.m.

The children’s service will be led by Rabbi Josh Brown, Director of Lifelong Learning Debbie Massarano and Director of Youth Engagement Nikki Flatowicz. They have planned an age-appropriate worship service, with holiday-themed activities, stories and craft projects.

“This is an opportunity to engage young families in our congregation and to provide a worship service that is age-appropriate and meaningful for our younger members of the congregation,” Massarano said. “The children in kindergarten through fourth grade will have a chance to engage with the holiday in their own way and enjoy the holiday with their family.”

The children will join the main service before the last aliyah, and parents are asked to save a seat for them.

Congregants are invited back to Temple Israel after the Rosh Hashanah morning service to help with landscaping by planting trees around the new building. This will begin at 2 p.m., giving everyone plenty of time to head home and change clothes.

Refreshments will be served.

Tashlich will be observed following the Saturday, Sept. 7 morning service.

Congregants will be joined by their new neighbors from Beth Israel Synagogue at the creek behind the new Temple Israel building. Lunch will then be provided afterward at Beth Israel.

Yom Kippur will follow a similar schedule, with a children’s service beginning at 10 a.m. on Sept. 14 and the main service starting at 10:15 a.m. OTYG will perform Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for the children’s service, and the children will again join the main service before the Torah service begins.

A tot service, for preschool age children and their families, will begin at 9 a.m. on both Sept. 5 and Sept. 14, and a sitter service for children ages 18 months through five years will be available during morning and evening services for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The cost is $10 per child per session, and reservations are encouraged. There will be a late fee of $2 per child for late or no reservations.

This year, Temple Israel is partnering with Community Alliance, an organization dedicated to helping individuals with mental illness achieve their unique potential.

Following the Yom Kippur morning service, Temple Israel will host a panel discussion at 12:30 p.m. about mental health and the stigma attached to mental illness. The panel, which will be made up of congregants and mental health professionals, will also include information about local resources for those living with mental illness.

At 2:30 p.m., congregants will be given the choice of attending two different workshops. In one, Helen Bleicher, a licensed mental health professional, will help prepare congregants for the Yizkor service. She will encourage participants to share memories of loved ones no longer with us.

The second workshop, entitled, “What Do I Believe About God, Repentance and Forgiveness,” will be led by Rabbi Samuel Joseph, a professor at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati.

The Yom Kippur afternoon service, which includes Yizkor, Ne’ilah and Havdalah, will begin at 3:45 p.m.

Additional information about Temple Israel’s High Holy Days schedule can be found at the Temple website, www.templeis raelomaha.com. Questions should be directed to the Temple Israel office, 402.556.6536.

As Temple Israel ushers in the New Year in its new building, Rabbi Azriel urges his congregation to remember what is truly necessary to turn their new house of worship into a home: them.

“It’s up to the congregation and it’s up to all of us to make that building a home from the moment we walk in,” he said. “This is the challenge. The challenge will be to deliver a meaningful, inspirational, thought-provoking experience for the congregation at the new building, and while I think the grandeur, the appearance of the building will contribute to the celebration of the New Year, it will be we who must come together to create something very special. And I think we will.”

Birth Alyssa and Brent Zacharia of Santa Cruz, CA announce the March 2 birth of their son, Cy Dresner Zacharia.

He has a sister, Dahlia.

Grandparents are Terri and Dick Zacharia, and Joan Elliot and the late Rod Elliot of Santa Cruz, CA.

LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Yiddish is very much alive, with Webster’s

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Third International Dictionary listing more than 500 Yiddish words. It has been perpetuated by greeting cards, television, radio, speakers, plays and books. If you want to “jazz up” your conversation, throw in a few Yiddish words. One word in Yiddish has more meaning than a dozen words in any other language. So be a mentsh and zog a por verter, (say a few words). We meet every Thursday from 1-3 p.m., in the boardroom of the Rose Blumkin Home. For information, please call Anne Skolkin at 402.343.1638.

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P U B L I S H E R Margaret Block Jack Cohen Marci Cohen Cheryl & Ron Cooper Tippi & Steve Denenberg Mimi Rogers & Scott Farkas Amy & Sandy Friedman Ellie and Leonard Greenspoon Rich and Fran Juro Gloria & Howard Kaslow Sarah & David Lopez Jody & Neal Malashock

Robbin Mashbein Victor Mashbein Patty & Steve Nogg Iris & Marty Ricks Teresa & Andy Ruback Howard Silber Memorial Mimi & Mike Silverman Joodi & Norm Veitzer Susan Witkowski Phil & Nancy Wolf Jeremy Wright

E D I TO R Phyllis Aronson Frances Blumkin Julee Katzman Kevee Kirshenbaum Maxine & Joe Kirshenbaum

Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Dr. Leonard Greenspoon will present a talk titled “Another Year; Another Smear?

How Israel is Faring on college campuses” on Wednesday, Aug. 21, noon, at the Blumkin Home. An optional buffet lunch costs $11; beverage service only is $3. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha. org.

SEWING CENTERS

Amy & Paul Rabinovitz Mike & Andrea Siegel Howard Silber Memorial Carita Sommer

R E P O RT E R Marcia Arch Beth Cohen/Harry Berman Larry Blass Marcia Cohen Eric Dunning Sharon & Howard Epstein Liz Feldstern Joanne & Jerry Freeman Lois N. Friedman Jordana Glazer Alan Goodman

Myrna Grumer Ilse & Marcel Kahn Sara & Ari Kohen Abigail & Adam Kutler Bonnie & Steve Levinger Sarah Nogg Debbie & Lloyd Roitstein Rose Rosenberg Marcy Ruback Howard Silber Memorial Coke & Jack Tillman

6 | The Jewish Press | August 16, 2013

August 16, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 7

Rabbi Hillel said

“If I am not for myself, who will be? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”

These words remind us that though self-interest is our right, we also have a duty to care for others. Today.

For over a century, Jewish Family Service of Omaha has focused on providing crucial aid to individuals, couples and families facing challenges in their lives.

Between July, 2012 and June, 2013, our efforts have been sustained by the following contributors who chose to balance their own needs with the needs of others.

Grants

Endowments

In Kind Donations

Contributions & Tribute Cards

Project Tzedakah

Members of our community deserve to live with dignity. These grants provide financial assistance, counseling services, YACHAD activities and other critical programs that strengthen Jewish family life.

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging (ENOA) Herbert Goldsten Trust The Milton S. and Corrine N. Livingston Foundation, Inc. Phillip & Terri Schrager Supporting Foundation Lazier L. Singer Memorial Fund for Youth Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation Special Donor-Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation

Paul Alperson Endowment Fund Paul and Joy Grossman Family Endowment Fund Pennie Z. Davis Family Life Education Fund Pitlor Family Transplant Support Endowment Fund Richard “Pete” Lee Memorial Endowment Fund Rosalie and Milton Saylan Endowment Fund for JFS Ruth and Bernard Raskin Endowment Fund Ruth and Otmar Liebenstein JFS Financial Assistance Endowment Fund Samuel & Delma Goodman Youth Fund Steven Bloch President’s Fund Yachad Endowment Fund

Suzanne Singer Annette Van de Kamp Jeremy Wright

Jean Neff Nancy Noddle Allan Noddle Steve and Patty Nogg Alan and Sandy Nogg Alan and Carol Parsow Margo Parsow Alexandra Pichik Oliver and Karen Pollak Marty and Iris Ricks Gary and Caryn Rifkin Helen Rifkin Dr. Blaine and Judy Roffman Debbie Salomon Ed and Carol Schneider Jerome and Stacy Schneider Chad Schulewitz Larry and Sherry Shapiro Rabbi Maximo and Jeanne Shechet Marc and Claudia Sherman Michael and Patricia Sherman Michael and Sally Shiff Tyler Siegel James and Susan Silverman Suzanne Singer Lomir Redn Yiddish Group Jacob Spivack Chester and Virginia Stefanski Judith Stern Barbara Taxman Andi Willensky Stanley and Barbara Wolpa Richard and Terri Zacharia Rachel Zetzman

Danielle Gordman Debbi Josephson Nanci Kavich Kate Kirshenbaum Nikki Kirshenbaum Gary Kudym Cheryl Lerner Wendy Manvitz Bruce Meyers Ann Moshman Ellen Platt Susan Rothholtz Rabbi Maximo and Jeanne Shechet Dorothy Spizman Steven and Joyce Wees Nora Zoob

In Kind Donations Endowments Tikkun Olam -- repairing the world -is a moral obligation. Through these endowments, JFS continues to help people build lives of hope and joy.

Edith and Paul Goldstein Endowment Fund Glazer Family Endowment Fund Harris Family Endowment Fund Harry and Fannie Stock Rothkop/ Theodore Rothkop Fund Ike Friedman JFS Financial Assistance Fund Jake and Mary Wine Fund Jerome J. and Frances O. Milder Endowment Fund JFS Discretionary Fund Kutler Dental Custodial Fund Leo and Frances Rodick Memorial Endowment Fund Louis Friedman Fund for New Americans Mark and Sophie Sturm Immigrant Education Fund Nancy Noddle JFS Financial Assistance Fund Nathan and Rose Lillian Fine JFS Tzedakah Endowment Fund Parsow & Simons Families Special Needs Community Fund

The Talmud says, “A good friend is a tower of strength. To find one is to find a treasure.” Friends of JFS help families in crisis receive guidance to put their lives back in order.

39 Forever Beth El Synagogue Temple Israel 2nd Grade Rabbi Steve, Shira and Naama Abraham Chris Blumkin Mike and Dani Christiansen Sandy and Paul Epstein Jim and Jordana Glazer Josh and Amanda Gurock Karen Gustafson Debbie Josephson Debbie Kronick Lomir Redn Yiddish Group Neal and Jody Malashock Dan Marburg Bruce Meyers Maxine Noodell Alexandra Pichik Doniven Polivka Marty and Iris Ricks Dottie Rosenblum Dottie Shapiro Diana Senik Mike and Mimi Silverman

Contributions & Tribute Cards Donations in honor and in remembrance of family and friends help meet the emotional and financial needs that accompany unexpected medical problems or the loss of employment.

David Keiser and Lillian Stoms Foundation Howard & Judy Vann Family Education Fund Philip Schwartz and Lee G. Schwartz Philanthropic Foundation Sokolof/Javitch Family Phyllis Aron Beth El Synagogue Barry Carnine Zachary Bram CDC/Miss Barb’s 4 year old preschoolers Gilbert and Rachel Dysico Audrey Epstein Joe and Ruth Erman John and Hillary Fletcher Howard and Sandy Friedman Barbara Frohman Gallup Organization Nathan Gendler Milton Glazer Gerry and Cathy Goldman Don Goldstein Robert and Barbara Goodman David and Shirley Goodman Mace Hack and Rosie Zweiback Henry Monsky Lodge/B’nai B’rith Nancy Hornstein Larry and Debbi Josephson Marc and Kimberly Kahn Gary and Lorrie Katelman Joe and Maxine Kirshenbaum Jerry and Gail Kohll Max and Sissi Lapides Cliff Levitan Steven and Gail Machov Sidney and Lynda Mirvish Alan and Linda Muskin

Project Tzedakah Each year, during Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah and Passover, JFS supports the less fortunate with holiday food baskets. Giving to others is an act of social justice.

Beth El Sisterhood Joanie Bernstein Nancy Burkhardt and class Cathy Christensen Tuffy Epstein Judy Farber Jan Fischer David Goldberg

Project Dreidel At Hanukkah, JFS volunteers bring toys to children. Through this active intervention, the fundamental human needs of others are met.

Beth El Synagogue B’nai B’rith Al Bloch Jason and Laurie Epstein and family Paul and Sandy Epstein Ted and Jamie Friedland and family Kip and Bridget Gordman and family Scott Haber Jeff and Sharon Kirshenbaum and family Howard and Sharon Kooper Joe and Tina Meyers Sue Meyers Alan and Linda Muskin Nancy Noddle Steve and Patty Nogg Mike and Susie Norton and family Fefe Passer Larry* and Sylvia Roffman Rabbi Maximo and Jeanne Shechet Jack and Helene Shrago Steven and Joyce Wees Ted and Amee Zetzman and family

Friends Campaign Friend for Life Friedland Family Foundation

Friend for Life Nancy Noddle Fred and Eve Simon Benefactor The Todd & Betiana Simon Foundation Howard and Gloria Kaslow Murray and Sharee Newman Cynthia Schneider Jeffrey and Sandra Passer Angel Anonymous (1) Paul and Sandy Epstein Dick and Bev Fellman Sandy and Amy Friedman Richard and Joanie Jacobson Larry and Debbi Josephson Allan Noddle Alan and Sandra Nogg Steve and Patty Nogg Champion Anonymous (1) Scott Burger Milton and Marsha Kleinberg Betty Rubin Patron Anonymous (2) Steven and Carol Bloch Ron and Cheryl Cooper Howard and Sharon Epstein Toby Fellman Donald Goldstein Shirley Goldstein Rosalie Greenspan Karen Gustafson Gary and Sally Kaplan Sissy Katelman Silber Harold and Alice Kosowsky Bert Lewis Dennis and Lisa Lewis Neal and Jody Malashock Gordon and Ann Moshman Marty and Iris Ricks Jonathan and Stacey Rockman Marcy Ruback Edward Schneider Michael and Mimi Silverman

Supporter Ray and Suzie Somberg Irv and Gail Veitzer Joodi and Norman Veitzer Andi Willensky Philip and Nancy Wolf Jim and Sally Zipursky Speedy and Debbi Zweiback Ron and Beth Brodkey Harry Berman and Beth Cohen Judith Cooper Lois Friedman Ron and Kaye Giller Bucky and Caryl Greenberg Janice Harris Adam and Nikki Kirshenbaum Scott and Jenny Meyerson Helen Rifkin Nancy Rips Dr. Blaine and Judy Roffman Michael and Patty Sherman Michael and Andrea Siegel Michael Sigmond Dr. Larry and Judi Yampolsky Sponsor Anonymous (3) Brett and Stacey Atlas Aryeh and Elyce Azriel Mary Berman Ida Berman-Cohoon Peter Brodkey Rose Davis Harold and Maneva Edelman Judith Feigin Rick and Shelly Fox Tiffany Franklin Scott and Debbie Friedman Alex and Mary Sue Grossman Mark and Kimberly Kahn Bea Karp Robert and Esther Katleman Rabbi and Shani Katzman Don and Dolores Klein David and Shane Kotok Van and Judy Marcus Babe Nogg Phil and Helga Patterson Harvey and Ann Pickel Susan Rothholz

Sponsor Phyllis Schwartz Lourdes Secola Larry and Sherry Shapiro Yakov and Raisa Shats Circle of Friends Anonymous (8) Harry and Doris Alloy Ann Belmont Larry and Judy Brookstein Richard Diamond and Cheryl Kricsfeld Tuffy and Helen Epstein Sam Fedman Hersz Flatowicz Paulette Flatowicz Donald Gerber Alan Goodman David and Julie Herzog Gloria Jones Franklin Kaiman Joseph and Leah Kosinovsky Leslie Kully Barbara and Marshall Kushner Lina Lander Dr. Michael Levine Boris May Stan and Evie Mitchell Leonid and Bella Nakhimovich Linda Novak Mark Ocheretyanskiy Rose Pitlor Dr. Ira and Sheila Priluck Sheila Rosen Errol and Lynne Saltzman Esther Silver Susan Silverman Dorothy Spizman Dick Rochman and Rocky Stern Steve and Marilyn Tipp Helen Weber Leon and Sally Wintroub Michael Zinkov

* Of Blessed Memory

Jewish Family Service is able to do its work because members of this remarkable community genuinely care about one another. Thank you for your generous support.

All contributions are as of June 30, 2013. We apologize if your name was omitted from this list. Please call JFS at 402-330-2024.

8 | The Jewish Press | August 16, 2013

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by DAVID GOLBITZ ritual throughout the holiday cycle.”

Temple Israel Staf Writer In creating the ark curtain, or “parochet,” Rosenfeld When the new Temple Israel was being designed, one of worked with materials she had never used before. the things committee members knew they wanted was to Because of the color specificity and the need for a certain have the commissioned artwork be integral to the building, type of fabric, the fabrics were a special order and this was a not simply as decoration, but as vital components to the great challenge which took quite a lot of time,” she said. day-to-day use of the building.

Once the special fabrics arrived in Israel, they were laser cut With the new building and hand assembled into nearing completion, many the modular curtain design. of the sacred art pieces will The curtain will be made be installed soon, includof two separate curtains, ing the eternal lights in both adorned with symboth the sanctuary and bols of six important chapel, the sanctuary ark Jewish holidays and covering and the clerestory Shabbat. The symbols are windows that wrap around digitally printed on voile the top of the sanctuary. fabric for the inner curLynne Avadenka, the tain. When the curtains artist who designed the are arranged just right text for the clerestory winthey form an opening in dows, created several the shape of a Magen sketches and mock-up David, or Star of David. designs of what the win- As construction continues at the new Temple Israel, the eternal “The choice of the seven dows could look like light will be installed Aug. 12 and the clerestory window text will holidays, including before satisfying the be installed the week of Aug. 19. Pews and the reading table will Shabbat, was a reflection desires of the committee. arrive later that week. of the artwork on the The text, which includes wooden ark enclosure in certain passages from the Hebrew blessing Hashkiveinu, will Temple Israel’s previous building,” Rosenfeld said. wrap around both the inside and the outside of the sanctuOne of the highlights for Rosenfeld during this process ary windows, so that different words and phrases can be was meeting Rabbi Aryeh Azriel last year in Tel Aviv and read depending on whether you’re inside or outside. discussing the project. They talked about how elements of Avadenka, whose work has been shown in museums the curtain’s design “can actually serve as teaching points.” around the world, felt a deep sense of responsibility in tak“In other words, valuable information can be ‘embedded’ ing on the creation of the text. into the design,” Rosenfeld said. “And this information “What I am doing is for the Temple, for the congregants,” about rituals, traditions, practices can then be conveyed furAvadenka said. “I’m also working to fulfill the expectations ther to guests to the Temple and in various teaching situaof the architect. It has been an interesting and challenging tions with the congregation.” collaboration, to make sure that what I am doing is satisfyRosenfeld, whose work, like Avadenka, is exhibited in ing the members of the Temple and their sense of what their museums around the world, was deeply touched to work on sanctuary should be, along with the aesthetic sensibility of this project for Temple Israel. the architect.”

“I find it very meaningful to participate in the project and The ark curtain, created by Israeli artist Galya Rosenfeld, find it most exciting to work on a project where the artwork will be a bright splash of color in the otherwise achromatic will be enjoyed on a daily basis by a community,” she said. sanctuary.

“The functional aspect of the piece, allowing its incorpora“The idea behind the color choice was the seven species,” tion in ritual practice, makes it different from the gallery or Rosenfeld said, referring to the seven agricultural products museum setting that I am also familiar with.” listed in the Torah as being special products of Israel.

Rosenfeld had planned on coming to Omaha with her ark The seven species, two grains and five fruits, are wheat, curtain to oversee its installation, but will be unable to make barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. it before next year. The curtain, on the other hand, will be “I wanted the colors to be vibrant and bright, yet not arti- installed before the High Holy Days. ficial in their feel and atmosphere,” Rosenfeld said. “Colors Kansas City artist James Woodfill, however, who created from nature that we can relate to foods eaten today as they the eternal lights for both the sanctuary and the chapel, is were eaten in ancient biblical times in Israel. Foods that we planning to come to Omaha to help with installation of his traditionally eat and wine that we consume, for example, in work.

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The kosher cheeseburger

by TALIA LEVIN kosher, parve cultured beef. The tissue samples would have NEW YORK (JTA) -- When the world’s first lab-grown to come from an animal that had been slaughtered accordburger was introduced and taste-tested on Monday, the ing to kosher rules, not from a biopsy from a live animal, event seemed full of promise for environmentalists, animal Genack said. The principle underlying this theory is much lovers and vegetarians. like the status of gelatin in Jewish law: Though it is derived Another group that had good reason to be excited? Kosher from an animal, it is not meat (the OU certifies some consumers. bovine-derived gelatin as parve).

The burger was created by Genack noted another source for harvesting stem cells from a viewing cultured meat as parve: a 19th portion of cow shoulder century Vilna-born scholar known as muscle that were multiplied the Heshek Shlomo wrote that the in petri dishes to form tiny meat of an animal conjured up in a strips of muscle fiber. magical incantation could be considAbout 20,000 of the strips ered parve. It may not be too much of were needed to create the a stretch, then, to apply the same logic five-ounce burger, which to modern genetic wizardry. was financed partially by But kosher chefs aren’t heating up Google founder Sergey Brin the parve griddles just yet. The laband unveiled by Mark Post born burger, which cost $325,000 and The world’s first lab-grown burger could be parve and of Maastricht University in took two years to make, is still a long thus paired with dairy products. the Netherlands. way from market viability, kosher or Credit: David Parry/PA Wire PETA hailed the event as otherwise. If mass produced, it could a “first step” toward humanely producing meat products. A still cost $30 per pound, researchers said.

University of Amsterdam study shows that lab-grown meat “I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Jeff Nathan, the executive could significantly reduce the environmental impact of beef chef at Abigael’s on Broadway, a kosher restaurant in production.

Manhattan. “Until it’s in my hands and I can touch it, smell For kosher-observant Jews, the “cultured” burgers could it and taste it, I don’t believe it.” open the door to radical dietary changes -- namely, the birth of Even if cultured beef became commonplace, consumers the kosher cheeseburger. That’s because meat produced still might not be interested, said Elie Rosenfeld, a through this process could be considered parve – neither meat spokesman for Empire Kosher, the nation’s largest kosher nor dairy -- according to Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of poultry producer. the Orthodox Union’s kosher division. Thus, under tradition“Parve burgers made of tofu and vegetables have been on the al Jewish law, the burger could be paired with dairy products. market for years,” Rosenfeld said. “But customers are still lookSeveral key conditions would have to be met to create ing for the real deal, a product that’s wholesome and genuine.”

August 16, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 9

Point of view

American Jewish Press Association Award Winner

Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008

Scapegoat

by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Last week, I received an email from the organization Gdcast: “Want to atone for your sins with the help of a goat?”

It asked.

“There’s an app for that!”

Of course there is.

The sales pitch continued: Tech-savvy people looking for an on-the-go way to clean their slates of sin and to learn about Judaism now have a web app to help them -- The Atonement App. Created by San Francisco-based Jewish nonprofit G-dcast, The Atonement App allows users to anonymously share their sins with the help of a goat via a fun, animated website and to see those of their friends.

Users will also have opportunities to encourage friends to share their sins, and those in the San Francisco Bay Area can attend in-person events where they can pet live goats and receive giveaways.

You can also enter your sins online by visiting www.escgoat.com; atoning has never been this easy.

I simply had to try it. I anonymously atoned in under a minute for something sort-of-horrible I did over the past year. And the High Holidays aren’t even here yet!

All joking aside, the scapegoat concept is an interesting one.

Traditionally, the scapegoat cast out into the desert during Yom Kippur is sent to Azazel. Some think ‘Azazel’ refers to a place in the wilderness, some think it’s actually a person.

Azazel is mentioned three times in the Bible; the literal meaning is “Who God strengthens.” The name shows up in the Dead Sea Scrolls, as one of the fallen angels. In the Book

of Enoch, Azazel is responsible for teaching men the art of war, and women the art of deception. He also revealed the secrets of witchcraft and corrupted humanity, until he was bound by the angel Raphael, and made to wait until the end of days when he will be cast into the fire.

The medieval mystic Nachmanides identified Azazel as a demon. According to him, people’s sins, by being transferred to the demon by way of goat, ended up back where they belonged.

At a Muslim-Jewish conference, dialogue and hope

Maimonides disagreed, but then the Rambam was a big believer in personal responsibility. Sins cannot be transferred, he stated, we have to own them. And so, he said, the ritual has to be symbolic.

I tend to agree with Maimonides (I often find that it’s best to do so). The scapegoat doesn’t actually get rid of our sins for us. The scapegoat becomes a symbol of the distance we are supposed to put between our sins and us.

And before we can have that distance, we have to take responsibility for whatever we have done. In other words, we still have to do the work.

One obstacle: most of us no longer believe in demons; we aren’t afraid of anything or anyone. Azazel has been downsized to the stuff of fairy tales. Azazel may be a redskinned adversary of Professor X, or a misunderstood fallen angel, the romantic anti-hero in a novel full of teen angst. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost the connection to the mysterious, the miraculous; we have become scientific and overly practical and no longer wonder about angels and demons. I’m not advocating we all start living inside a supernatural novel. But at the same time I look at that online cartoon goat, and I can’t help but wonder at how much we’ve left the mystical behind.

When Yom Kippur gets here, I want to do much more than plug the past year’s errors into an app. I don’t need the obligatory confirmation email, I need to stand in awe and feel the shivers run down my spine during the Kol Nidre. I want to know that the prayers I am repeating have been repeated thousands of times before me, and feel part of something bigger, something mysterious, something I maybe don’t completely understand. There is a gravitas to Yom Kippur we can’t lose sight of.

Letter TO THE EDITOR

Behind the headlines ITAI REUVENI SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (JTA) -- Sarajevo is a city with a rich multicultural past, but it also bears the scars of war. Take a short walk through the capital of BosniaHerzegovina and you will see the many cemeteries and bullet-riddled walls. They lie side by side with magnificent churches, mosques and synagogues. For this reason, 100 Jews and Muslims from 39 countries gathered there last month to listen and learn from one another at an interfaith dialogue conference organized by the Muslim-Jewish Conference.

I was uneasy about participating. I was concerned that as an Israeli, a secular Jew, a combat soldier in the reserves and a Zionist activist, I would be surrounded by political activists whose sole purpose is to vilify Israel. From my experience, many dialogue initiatives have been hijacked by radicals, who silence any voice that is different.

On the very first day, however, my concerns were allayed.

I found myself sitting and talking with young men and women from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Egypt, European Muslims, along with Jews from all over the world, each voicing their unique perspectives on conflicts, hate speech, gender relations and religious practice.

Miraculously, despite the Arab-Israeli conflict, the different sides succeeded in overcoming the stereotypes, biases and ignorance we all have.

On the interpersonal level, it was a great success: a diverse group of Jews and Muslims who set aside their cynicism and mistrust and engaged in friendly conversation for a week.

Many questions were asked, some of them difficult and pointed, but there was room for answering, explaining and listening, an attempt to bridge the gaps that for many Israelis

(Founded in 1920) Andrew Ruback President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Jessie Wees Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Barbara Kirkpatrick Bookkeeper

Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, Caryn Scheer, Bobbi Leibowitz, Past President; Phyllis Brown; Daniel Christensen; Mel Epstein; Scott Farkas; Sandy Friedman; Noah Priluck; Paul Rabinowitz; Mark Senal; Nancy Wolf.

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, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish LIfe, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press.

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often seem unbridgeable.

It was not all rosy. Disagreements and tensions were present, and groups opposing interreligious dialogue accused the organizers of promoting certain political agendas. We may have been successful in overcoming our personal differences and finding common ground, but hatred, the foundation of violence, is still rife in many parts of the Muslim and Western worlds.

The MJC has become a platform for coexistence and peace, which allowed me to present the Jewish-Zionist perspective to young Muslims. For this reason, Zionist activists -- from the political left and right -- must be more involved in initiatives promoting dialogue, and not leave them to groups and individuals who are more interested in feeding the conflict.

It is still possible to learn from initiatives that have not been infected with a radical agenda, to try to bring people closer together, and to stop fanning the flames of hatred and alienation inside Israel, and between Israel and its neighbors.

The conference in Sarajevo proves that it can be done. An Israeli talking to a Pakistani, a Shiite listening to an American Jew, Jewish participants (religious and secular) saying the Kaddish over the graves of those murdered at Srebrenica in 1995 (where more than 8,000 Muslims were murdered while U.N. soldiers stood by). When people are willing to hear criticism, talk about it and initiate practical measures for cooperation, there is still hope for dialogue.

One Friday, we visited a mosque to experience the day's prayers there and then to the synagogue for Sabbath services. At the end of the prayers, I found myself calling across the room to my Pakistani friend, “Osama! Shabbat Shalom!” a phrase that in any other context would be impossible.

Itai Reuveni, a researcher at NGO Monitor in Jerusalem, participated in the Muslim-Jewish Conference in Sarajevo.

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.

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Let’s talk about tradition, memories, and Mitzvah; let’s talk about the Council Bluffs synagogue.

The Katelman family settled in the Bluffs in the 1890s. My father was the eldest of ten, born in 1895. Like many other Jewish families, they established businesses, raised and educated their kids, served their country and community, and observed their religion.

There was little time for social life, but families formed lasting bonds through the shul. The shul was their life.

There was always a daily minyan, services, b’nai mitzvah, high holiday services and usually a rabbi in residence.

Unfortunately, that generation is now “resting on the hill.”

And to honor their legacy and all their sweat and tears, it is up to us to perpetuate what they held so dear.

At the present time, the building needs repairs. Our membership is small, and our needs are great. In order to preserve our heritage, we need help.

This is not a fundraising event, but a plea for any and all who ever had a relative from the Bluffs, who grew up here, who would like to become a member, who treasure history and tradition, or who could assist in some needed project to please answer this call.

With the holidays approaching, there is no greater mitzvah than aiding a neighbor. Please consider a donation and come enjoy our holiday services led by Jeff Taxman. For more information and to find out how you can help, please call B’nai Israel at 712.322.4705 or email CBsynagogue@ hotmail.com Thank you for your kind attention, and a Happy New Year to all.

Sissy Katelman Silber

Visit the Jewish Press online at jewishomaha.org and space restrictions, but it should be printed as soon as possible to ensure timeliness. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view.

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10 | The Jewish Press | August 16, 2013

Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 | 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com For information on our historic synagogue – dates and times for Friday night services, call 712.323.8885.

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

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Services, 9:30 a.m.; Bat Mitzvah of Lauren Dietrich, daughter of Sheri and Greg Dietrich; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:15 p.m.

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

SUNDAY: Torah Study Group, 10 a.m.; USY, 5 p.m., all high schoolers are welcome to attend Sushi Night at the synagogue. RSVP to Betsy Goodman at youthdir@bethelomaha.org. Cost is $5.

TUESDAY: Wrestling with the Rabbis of the Talmud, 10 a.m. weekly adult-education class led by Rabbi Abraham.

No charge to attend; everyone is welcome.

WEDNESDAY: Choir Rehearsal, 7:30 p.m. in the chapel.

THURSDAY: Dames ‘n’ Drinks, 7 p.m. Join us for wine, cheese and chocolates. Co-chairwomen are Sara Kohen and Shannon Jo Hamilton.

Lunch at Nebraska AIDS Project, Friday, Aug. 23, 11:30 a.m. Help prepare and serve lunch at the center. For more information or to volunteer and/or provide baked goods for dessert, contact Joan Marcus at hmarcom@juno.com.

Shabbat at Rose Blumkin Home, Friday, Aug. 23, 2:30 p.m.

Red Cross Blood Drive, Sunday, Aug. 25, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the synagogue. Contact Marcy Noodell at 402.630.0381, to schedule your appointment.

BESTT Classes begin on Sunday, Aug. 25. Come for a Welcome-Back Waffle Breakfast from 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.; afterward, an assembly for students and parents will take place, followed by classes at 10:45 a.m. Weekday classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 28, 4 p.m.

Torah Tots, Sunday, Aug. 25, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Fun-filled class for preschoolers and their parents, led by Naomi Gaca.

(Torah Tots families are also invited to BESTT WelcomeBack Waffle Breakfast at 9:45 a.m.)

The Secrets of the Jews, a new, monthly, adult-education class led by Andy Greenberg, beginning Sunday, Aug. 25,

B’nai Mitzvah Catherine Cox, daughter of Penny and Michael Cox, will become a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Beth El. Catherine is an eighth-grade Honors student at Westside Middle School.

Her interests include swimming, scuba diving, canoeing, reading, traveling and advanced mathematics.

She has a sister, Elizabeth.

Grandparents are Bonnie (Spiegal) Hines, and Laura Cox and the late John Cox. Great-grandparents are Ruth Taylor and the late Hilbert Fruewald, and the late Bertha (Billie) and Richard Spiegal.

Harrison Stoneking, son of Cindy and Brian Stoneking, will become a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 17, at Temple Israel.

Harrison is an eighth-grade Honor Roll student at Kiewit Middle School.

His interests include baseball and boy scouts.

For his mitzvah project, Harrison volunteered with Alzheimer’s residents at Edgewood Vista memory care assisted living. He spent time with the residents doing activities, serving snacks and spending time interacting with residents.

He has a sister, Rachel.

Grandparents are Linda Redler, Ron Simons, and Jean Stoneking and the late Ralph Stoneking.

Great-grandparents are Sylvia Davis and the late Harry Siref, Irving David, and Lennea and Amos Meeks.

10 a.m. Cost is $36 for members, $45 for non-members.

Register online at www.bethel-omaha.org.

Adult B’nai Mitzvah class, Sunday, Aug. 25, 11 a.m.–noon, led by Hazzan Michael Krausman.

Kibbutz Chaverim, Sunday, Aug. 25, 12:15 p.m.–3 p.m., our youth group for children in grades 2-7 will eat lunch at Beth El and then enjoy swimming at the JCC. Cost is $10.

RSVP by Aug. 18, by emailing Jeanne at bestt@bethelomaha.org.

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

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha, NE. 68154 | 402.556.6288 www.BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha, 5:45 p.m.; Orthodox Women Rabbis?, 6 p.m. with Rabbi Broyde; Ma’ariv and Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Dinner: International Shabbat Cuisine, 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Children’s Classes begin with Torah Parade, 9:45 a.m.; Kiddush lunch, noon followed by lecture: Women of the Wall and Religious Freedom in the Jewish State; Seuda Shlishit and Arm Chair Conversation, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Broyde and Steve Riekes; Mincha, 7:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:05 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.

WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.

MONDAY: Daf Yomi: Week in Review with Rabbi Gross, 7:45 a.m.

TUESDAY: Women’s Study Group, 6:30 p.m. at the home of Kathy Weiner.

WEDNESDAY: Coffee and Your Jewish News with Rabbi Gross, 7:45 a.m.; Rabbi Weiss’s Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m.

THURSDAY: Sacred Grounds with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m.

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

FRIDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m.

SATURDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush lunch is sponsored in honor of the anniversary of Estie and Leibel Baumgerten.

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

WEEKDAYS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m.

MONDAY: Agents of Light Reception, 6 p.m. followed by a buffet dinner at Chabad, 1866 S. 120 St. Help us recognize those who serve our community with goodness and kindness and say thank you to volunteers, their families and friends. RSVP at rsvp@ochabad.com or call Anna Mosenkis at 402.968.9057.

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, 10 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.

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: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. with oneg following hosted by Marc Shkolnick.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Ki Tetze; Game Night/Potluck, 6 p.m. All ages welcome.

SUNDAY: Jr. Youth Group Miniature Golf, 4 p.m.

TUESDAY: Ladies Lunch Group, noon at LeQuartier, 6900 “O” Street. Park in front of Elegant Optics to avoid stairs.

Please contact Stephanie Dohner with any questions.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Teachers, 6:30 p.m. meet at Tifereth Israel.

THURSDAY: High Holiday Day Choir Rehearsal, 7:30-9

Candlelighting Friday, August 16, 8:04 p.m.

p.m.

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

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 FRIDAY: Chef ’s Demo, 1:30 p.m. with Chabad.

SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Alan Shulewitz.

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

TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street | Omaha, NE 68132-2651 | 402.556.6536 http://templeisraelomaha.com FRIDAY: Shabbat Service, 6 p.m.; Summer Speaker: Annette van de Kamp-Wright “Cultural Transition and Language.”

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. Harrison Stoneking, son of Cynthia and Brian Stoneking, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah.

SUNDAY: BBQ and Information Session for grades 11 & 12, 6-7:30 p.m. at Rabbi Josh and Carrie Brown’s home, 1464 N. 96th St. This is a wonderful informal opportunity to get to know your classmates, meet our new educator Debbie Massarano and hang out with your clergy. Please contact Temple Israel to let us know if you can come, RSVP@templeisraelomaha.com or 402.556.6536.

TUESDAY: Kol Rina and New Singers, 6:30 p.m.

Celebrate Rabbi Azriel’s 25 years at Temple Israel, Friday, Aug. 23, 6 p.m. Join us as we mark two historic moments in the life of Temple Israel: the last Shabbat service at our Cass Street building and a celebration of Rabbi Azriel’s 25 years at Temple Israel. A oneg will follow the service to honor Rabbi Azriel.

Torah Procession from 7023 Cass St. to 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive, Sunday, Aug. 25, 9 a.m. Join us in celebrating our past, present and future by honoring all who have helped make the dream of the New Building Capital and Endowment Campaign a success. All ages are encouraged to come and participate in this once-in-a-generation event.

Interested in joining a walking team to help carry the Torah? Each team will cover a half-mile stretch of the procession route. Contact Temple Israel or register online.

Havdalah & S’lichot, Saturday, Aug. 31, 7 p.m. We invite our congregants to join us on a spiritual walk through the new sacred spaces as we celebrate our new home as a place to laugh and to cry, and to heal. There will be a teaching during the service about forgiveness and repentance. We will also be changing the Torah covers for the High Holidays. A chocolate oneg will follow the service.

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: Shabbat Services, 7:45 p.m. followed by a discussion of timely news topics pertaining to the Jewish world.

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

TUESDAY: Ladies Lunch Group, noon at LeQuartier, 6900 “O” Street. Park in front of Elegant Optics to avoid stairs.

Please contact Stephanie Dohner with any questions.

Tifereth Israel’s Fourth Annual Shabbat on the Green/New Member dinner, Friday, August 23, 6:30 p.m. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy a hot dog meal. More information is coming soon. Please RSVP to Nava in the office by Aug. 16.

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

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

Submit other announcements -- births engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at the Federation website: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press,’ scroll down to ‘Submit Announcements, complete form and click on “submit.”

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August 16, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 11

Out of Exile

In memoriam GAIL RUTH LEVIN

Sparks from the word RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parsha Ki TeiTzei Our Sidrah is one of the most exciting and joyous parts of Deuteronomy, indeed, the whole Pentateuch.

Deutero-Isaiah, one of the world’s greatest poets in human literature, offers his compatriots an exciting picture of what will happen when they return to Israel after the years of Babylonian exile.

Like the Prophets who came before him, the poet may be overexcited. The return of the exiles found much less joy than the Prophet promised. There were all sorts of difficulties in trying to establish a new commonwealth.

But one is obliged to try to understand what might have happened. If the people had not had all this exciting reassurance, they might have given up in the face of difficulty, when so much had been destroyed.

The reassurance they received from the Prophets was stimulating and exciting; they did not hesitate to make their way back to Israel.

More important than anything is the assurance of the Prophets that among those who welcomed the people back was the Lord Himself. Furthermore, as some commentators have suggested, at the center of this new world is not only hope for Israel, but for all of humanity.

One more remark: the reader of these hopeful thoughts should not neglect the haftarot of Sidrah KiTeitzei and the following weeks. They capture the excited hope of the Prophets very well.

Rabbi Daniel Fellman joins Syracuse Hillel Hillel at Syracuse University has hired Rabbi Daniel Fellman as the Hillel campus rabbi and the Jewish chaplain of Syracuse University. He will officially start his position this month. Fellman is the first campus rabbi at Hillel at Syracuse in seven years.

As chaplain, he will respond to campus emergencies, organize interfaith programming and represent Hillel at official campus Rabbi Daniel Fellman events. In addition, he will remain the head rabbi at Temple Concord, where he has worked for four years.

Rabbi Daniel Fellman was raised in Omaha, and is the son of Beverly and Richard Fellman.

Volunteers needed for B’nai B’rith Sukkah Building

by DEB MARBURG B’nai B’rith, Henry Monsky Lodge In preparation for Sukkot, the members of Henry Monsky Lodge #3306 B’nai B’rith, together with the members of the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO), will build and decorate sukkahs at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, the Child Development Center and Friedel Academy. The annual event will take place on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m.

Volunteers will meet at the Youth Lounge in the Jewish Community Center. Monsky Lodge will supply the building materials and decorations for the sukkahs and will also provide a pizza lunch for all volunteers. “Everyone is welcome to join us as we prepare for this festival by coming out on Sunday the 15th. It’s a great chance to have fun, do a mitzvah, meet some new people and you even get lunch,� says Monsky Lodge President Ari Riekes.

Since volunteers will be handling tree branches as they build sukkahs, they are encouraged to bring a pair of gloves to wear. For more information about the event or to volunteer, please call the B’nai B’rith Office, 402.334.6443 or Leora Azriel at 402.334.6404, or email bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

Gail Levin passed away in New York City on July 31st at the age of 67. Services were held Aug. 4 at Fisher Farms Cemetery.

She was preceded in death by parents Jack and Sallye Levin.

She is survived by her brother, David Levin; Karen Levin; and cousin, Jerrold Neugarten of Chicago.

She was born June 20, 1946, in Chicago.

Memorials may be sent to the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center c/o The University of Nebraska Foundation, Temple Israel or charity of choice.

Anti-Semitic bullying

by JTA NEWS STAFF (JTA) -- The parents of a 13-year-old boy are suing their Massachusetts school district for ignoring verbal and physical attacks on their son by other students for being Jewish.

Jennyfer Sordillo and Robert Groezinger filed the lawsuit late last month against the Carver public schools in U.S. District Court in Boston. It was first reported in the Boston Globe over the weekend.

They claim their son was subjected to daily antiSemitic attacks by a group of boys at his school. The abuse included religious slurs and Nazi salutes, having pennies thrown at him, and being punched and kicked.

Most recently, the abusers drew a swastika in chalk outside the family home, the Boston Globe reported.

The lawsuit claims the abuse has been occurring for two years and school officials “have done nothing to stop it,� according to the newspaper.

An attorney for the school district, which is approximately 50 miles from Boston, told the newspaper it would respond to the charges in court.

According to the lawsuit, which was brought under the Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law, the boy was called names such as “stingy Jew,� “dirty Jew,� and “Jew boy� and was told after being saluted with the Hitler salute that he needed to “get in the oven.�

The parents, according to reports, complained repeatedly about the school bullying.

There is only one other Jewish student in the class of 155, according to the lawsuit.

Refusal to play on Yom Kippur costs Israeli Davis Cup team

by JTA NEWS STAFF JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The Israel Tennis Association will have to pay more than $13,000 for refusing to play a Davis Cup match on Yom Kippur.

The Israeli national tennis team had been scheduled to face Belgium in Antwerp on Sept. 14, which is Yom Kippur, in the international tournament.

The Belgian Tennis Association turned down Israel’s request to postpone the match, but the International Tennis Federation, which sponsors the Davis Cup, intervened and changed the date to Sept. 15.

However, the International Tennis Federation ordered the Israeli national team to pay the Belgian team for the costs incurred by adding a day to the tournament, the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot reported.

Yom Kippur is considered the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. “The Israel Tennis Association is a non-profit organization, which designates all of its funds to promote tennis in Israel and develop Israeli tennis players,� Israel Tennis Association Chairman Asi Touchmair said in a statement on the association’s website. “As a result, the high fine is a detrimental blow for the budget of the professional program for the Israeli tennis teams and to Israeli tennis in general.�

Though Touchmair called it a fine, the International Tennis Federation said in a statement sent to JTA that it is compensation. The statement said the Israel Tennis Association “has agreed to compensate the Belgian Tennis Federation for any costs that may be incurred as a result of changing the schedule and days of play for their forthcoming Davis Cup play-off tie.�

In the Israel Tennis Association statement, Touchmair also said, “As an institution that represents the State of Israel and its values, we in the Israeli Tennis Association stand proud, before all those who refuse to recognize the importance of the Jewish tradition, on behalf of Israel and Jews world over.�

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LABORATORY SUPERVISOR position: Due to a retirement, the Laboratory Supervisor position will be available at the Cherry County Hospital. Individual must have good interpersonal skills and able to function as part of a team. Benefit package includes health, disability, dental/vision insurance, and pension. Individuals interested should send resumes to or pick up applications at the Cherry County Hospital, PO Box 410, Valentine, NE 69201.

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HELP WANTED: Electronic technician/sales position available. Grosshans International, Inc., is hiring a full-time electronic technician/sales position for Trimble Auto Guidance System. Applicant must have strong computer, people and organizational skills. Extensive training is required to become certified and some travel for education is required. Position includes excellent benefits for the right person as part of a growing team. Please send resume to: Grosshans International, Inc., PO Box 168, Aurora, NE 68818. Attention: Alan Anderson. Or call 402-6942121.

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12 | The Jewish Press | August 16, 2013

The war over intermarriage has been lost. Now what?

by URIEL HEILMAN NEW YORK (JTA) -- When the nation’s largest Jewish federation convened its first-ever conference recently on engaging interfaith families, perhaps the most notable thing about it was the utter lack of controversy that greeted the event.

There was a time when the stereotypical Jewish approach to intermarriage was to shun the offender and sit shiva.

A generation ago, the publication of the 1990 National Jewish Population Survey showing intermarriage at the alarmingly high rate of 52 percent turned into a rallying cry.

No matter that subsequent scholarship revised the figure down to 43 percent, interfaith marriage was seen as the core of the problem of Jewish assimilation in America. Jewish institutions poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Jewish identity building with an eye toward stemming intermarriage.

Fast forward two decades and the question is no longer how to fight intermarriage, but how Jewish institutions can be as welcoming as possible to intermarried Jews and the gentiles who love them.

“Clearly, Jewish communal attitudes have changed,” said David Mallach, managing director of the Commission on the Jewish People at UJA-Federation of New York, which hosted the one-day interfaith conference in June.

“One of the results of the whole process begun with the 1990 study was that in a free America we’re all Jews by choice.

That’s been a profound insight that has permeated a lot of the work of the Jewish community in the last 20-plus years,” Mallach said. “It shifted the discussion from the classic stereotypical sitting shiva and never talking to a person again to saying that if we’re all Jews by choice, let’s also sit with this segment of the community and offer them that choice.”

In 1973, the Reform movement’s rabbinical arm, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, issued a nonbinding resolution opposing officiating at intermarriages. Today, more than half the movement’s rabbis perform interfaith weddings.

In 2010, a task force at the CCAR recommended shifting away from focus on preventing intermarriage to reaching out to intermarried families and adapting rituals to include non-Jewish family members. Now the movement is considering a further step.

Rabbi Aaron Panken, the new president of the rabbinical seminary of the Reform movement, Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion, told JTA last week that HUC is

Jewish communal attitudes toward interfaith marriages, like the wedding between Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan in 2012, have shifted considerably since 1990.

Credit: Allyson Magda/Facebook planning to take a “very serious look” at whether to end the school’s longstanding policy against admitting intermarried rabbinical school students.

In the Conservative movement, it’s no longer uncommon to see non-Jews on the bimah during a bar mitzvah service.

Officially, the movement’s only rules on the subject are that rabbis must neither perform nor attend interfaith weddings.

But the latter regulation often is ignored.

“First someone has to make a complaint, and nobody has ever brought a complaint against a colleague for having attended an intermarriage,” said Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the movement’s Rabbinical Assembly. “It would be hard to imagine that someone would be punished for it.”

Even in the Orthodox movement, the idea of shunning the intermarried is passé, seen as counterproductive to the ultimate goal of getting unaffiliated Jews to embrace their Jewish identity.

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“The preponderance of intermarriage has made it usually pointless to shun those who have married out,” said Avi Shafran, director of public affairs for the haredi Orthodox Agudath Israel of America. “Once upon a time, intermarriage was a sign that the Jewish partner was rejecting his or her Jewish heritage. That is no longer the case.”

While there have been no national studies of Jewish intermarriage rates since 2001, general population surveys suggest intermarriage is on the rise.

A landmark 2008 study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that one-third of all marriages in the United States are now interfaith, and Jews are the most intermarrying ethnic group of all (Mormons are the least).

“What was once seen as abnormal and socially taboo has become socially acceptable,” Erika Seamon, author of Interfaith Marriage in America: The Transformation of Religion and Christianity, said at the UJA-Federation conference in June. “This is a huge shift.”

Today, the very notion of fighting a battle against intermarriage in America seems as likely to succeed as a war against rain: It’s going to happen, like it or not. The question is how to react.

Given that the children of intermarriages are only onethird as likely as the children of inmarried couples to be raised as Jews, the overall strategy appears to be the same across the denominations: Engage with the intermarried in an effort to have them embrace Judaism.

That’s true from the Reform movement to Chabad, with the exception of some haredi Orthodox. Where the denominations differ is how far one may go in that embrace, and how strongly -- if at all -- to push for conversion of the nonJewish spouse.

Perhaps more than anything, the shift in attitudes has changed the conventional view of intermarriage as a net loss to the Jewish community, in the form of the out-marrying Jew, to a potential gain, in the form of the non-Jewish spouse or children who may convert.

“Once you’ve intermarried, it doesn’t mean you’ve left the Jewish faith,” said Rabbi Menachem Penner, acting dean at Yeshiva University’s rabbinical school, the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary.

“As times go on, we have to constantly evaluate what is the best response,” he said.

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