thejewishpress AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA
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In Memoriam: Larry Kavich
AU G U ST 1 6 , 2 0 1 9 | 1 5 AV 5 7 7 9 | V O L. 9 9 | NO . 4 3 | 2 SECT IO NS | C a nd LeLi g h Ti ng | FRID AY , AU G U ST 1 6 , 8 : 0 4 P. M.
JFO Campaign Chairs
Larry Kavich,74, died Aug. 5 surrounded by family at his Arizona home after a brief and severe battle with pancreatic cancer.
Annual Food special Section 2
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Bruce Friedlander and Sharon Kirshenbaum
anneTTe van de Kamp-wRighT Editor, Jewish Press t’s neither Sharon Kirshenbaum’s, nor Bruce Friedlander’s first rodeo. They’ve been here before, ready to share their enthusiasm for the Jewish Federation of Omaha with the community. We are happy to announce they will be the 2020 Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Annual Campaign co-Chairs. The theme
Kids depressed because they’re back from camp? page a8
this year is ‘We grow stronger together,’ a concept both Sharon and Bruce are eager to share with the community. “I immediately said yes when I was asked to co-Chair the Campaign,” Sharon said, “because I feel it is my responsibility to leave our Jewish community in a better place than I found it. One way I can do that is to help ensure we have the funds necessary to See JFo Campaign page a3
Tri-Faith congregations to launch weekly adult learning classes
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inside Spotlight Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles
Larry Kavich
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RaBBi BRian SToLLeR Temple Israel On Tuesday evening Sept. 3 at 6:30 p.m., the partner congregations of Omaha’s groundbreaking Tri-Faith Initiative will launch an exciting new weekly adult learning class co-taught by the clergy of Temple Israel, Countryside Community Church and the American Muslim Institute (AMI). The class, entitled More Than a Joke – A Tri-Faith Symposium, will consist of weekly lunch-and-learn sessions on Wednesdays from noon-1 p.m. and monthly Tuesday evening panel discussions on a variety of theological, cultural and social-justice topics.
Credit: Apricity Open to all members of the Jewish community and beyond, this symposium will give people of any faith or no faith the opportunity to learn together, build relationships, and discover new insights through meaningful encounters with the teachings and people of the three Abrahamic traditions. Running from September-March, the Tri-Faith Symposium will consist
of six four-part mini-series. Each mini-series will have three Wednesday lunch-and-learn sessions – one led by a rabbi or cantor, one led by a Christian minister and one led by a Muslim imam – and one Tuesday evening panel discussion featuring Jewish, Christian and Muslim clergy together. Participants will not only enjoy the chance to learn with clergy See Tri-Faith page a2
An Omaha businessman for more than four decades, Kavich was the third generation of his family to own and operate All Makes Office Equipment. Among his business accomplishments, Larry expanded All Makes to include high-end contract furniture and grew the company to include two additional locations: Lincoln and Des Moines. He was actively involved in all aspects of the business – from interacting with clients and providing input on projects, to starring in the company’s television commercials. In his 42 years of work at All Makes, Larry had the unique opportunity to work alongside both his father and his children (the fourth generation of All Makes), Jeff Kavich and Amee Zetzman. His proudest moment came in 2004, when he turned over the top daily decision-making duties to his children. Larry and his wife, Andi, met when they were both in college at the University of Oklahoma. They retired as snowbirds to Scottsdale, Arizona, spending the remainder of the year at their home in Omaha, where they remained actively involved in the community. All Makes celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018, an accomplishment most family businesses never see. The Greater Omaha Chamber recognized three generations of the Kavich family in April of this year, as Lazier, Larry, Jeff and Amee were inducted to the Omaha Business Hall of Fame. “We were so honored and humbled to receive the Business Hall of Fame recognition and are glad Larry was here for that experience,” Jeff said. “That honor wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of the three generations before us. Having Amee and I both watch and observe Larry and our grandfather Lazier over the years taught us how to run this business.” “Larry lived by and taught us great values, including honesty in everything we do – whether that’s dealing with a client or dealing with a co-worker,” Amee said. “Our father taught us if you always tell the truth, you don’t need to remember what you’ve told someone. Those are words that have stayed with us through our four generations and 100 years being in business.” See Larry Kavich page B7