August 18, 2023

The Jewish Press

RBJH

Enhancing the Quality of Life

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

It is no secret that the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is the number one care facility in the State of Nebraska. Having said that, sometimes we forget how lucky we are, and how unique it is that this community has cre-

ated a place like the Home. Consumer demands are high. It’s time to take the next step in providing the best possible care to our community and re-establish ourselves as an innovative and industry-leading provider.

For nearly three decades, the Home has partnered with See Enhancing the Quality of Life page 3

Dance friends last forever Lehitraot, dear community

feeling told me that this is the place I want to go to.

REGULARS

Spotlight 6

Voices 8

Synagogues 10

At least once a year, Esther Katz, JCC Performing Arts Director, gives

the JCC DanceTraining Company what I affectionately call “the friendship talk.” The talk varies a bit each time, but the overarching theme is: “dance friends last forever.” As cliché as it may sound, this couldn’t be more true. Dance requires us to trust each other physically, from sharing our weight to literally lifting each other up. This trust cultivates lifelong friendships in a very short amount of time. Now, imagine dancing with the same girls since the age of three. Let me tell you, the result is some pretty amazing friends.

See Dance friends page 2

Dear Jewish community, it’s a bit surreal to say this, but, after two years of Shlichut (mission), my time with the community is over and I’m moving on to my next journey.

I will start by saying thank you. Thank you for the opportunity you have given me, the support, the acceptance, the kind words and for providing a fulfilling experience for me.

Sivan Cohen

Therefore, I interviewed with five people from the JFO at the same time (it can be a bit stressful...) and passed. So, without googling anything, simply with faith, willpower and two suitcases (which somehow have quadrupled... America) I set off. Although the journey started with a delay of more than nine hours, I made it.

My journey to a Shlichut in Omaha, Nebraska was not really what I was planning. I was sure that I would choose a different, more “familiar” community. But when, from all locations that were offered, the idea to interview with the community in Nebraska was suggested, a strong gut

It is difficult to summarize two years of activity and experience in a few words, but I will try.

I arrived in Omaha without knowing anyone, apart from a brief acquaintance with the Dreyer family. I also came without fully understanding the Shlicha rule, which is See Lehitraot page 2

Beth S. Dotan, PhD receives Sower Award Page 5

Beth El produce swap: Leave one, take one Page 7

Camp Ramah returns to Ukraine Page 12

EMILY BARNES JCC Dance Training Company Member

SIVAN COHEN JFO Community Shlicha

Dance friends last forever

Continued from page 1

a process of dynamic experimenting that is ongoing. For this reason, I started researching and learning, listening and educating myself. Then, I initiated and discovered. I grew and developed from every meeting and interaction, activity and event.

I had the privilege of working with a community and population so diverse in its ages, beliefs, customs, and lifestyles. I enjoyed the close work with organizations such as Hillel, Friedel, JCC Summer camp, RBJH, the synagogues in town, the Israeli scout movement, other non-profit organizations, local schools & local businesses and much more. I continued with managing a long-standing tradition of programs developed and managed by previous shlichim, as well as initiate new programs and activities to the community. I had the joy of celebrating the 75th anniversary of Israel with the community, being a guest lecturer at various communities across the US, and so much more.

I lived and merged with the community and the city in a way that still amazes me. Thanks to a good friend who mention it to me, I understood the magnitude of the impact. Naturally, along with all the good, there were also challenges from which I learned to grow as well.

The community in Omaha is made up of elements that give it its unique character and, of course, the nice, welcoming and warm people.

I had fun – moreover, it was entertaining to lead activities and events (by the way, thank you for that too, they were always sold out) and especially getting to know each and every one of you was a joy.

Continued from page 1

When I was given the opportunity to travel to Israel for a dance intensive this summer, the thing I looked forward to the most was experiencing it with six of my best friends. Throughout our two weeks at Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company Summer Intensive, we learned, experienced, and grew together in ways I didn’t know were possible. We spent hours taking class from some of the best teachers in the world, refining

our technique and improving our movement quality. And after long days of dancing, when our bodies were sore and our minds were foggy, we sat down together and recounted the best parts of our days. I spent two weeks traveling the most beautiful country in the world, but my favorite memories from Israel consist of sitting with my friends in our dorm, sharing a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and trying hard not to wake up our neighbors by laughing too loud.

I didn’t think I could love these six girls any more, but the time we spent together proved me wrong. We are beyond grateful to the Albert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation, the Staenberg Family Foundation and the Kiewit Companies Foundation, The Foundation Grants Committee, and the Special Donor-Advised Fund for their generosity and kindness. Thanks to you, I left Omaha with six friends and returned with six sisters.

And again, thank you for the opportunity to influence and connect.

ORGANIZATIONS

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS

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

Enhancing the Quality of Life

Continued from page 1

RehabVisions, providing knowledgeable and tenured therapists to help seniors regain their mobility and independence.

“We’re ready to take short-term rehab to the next level,” RBJH Executive Director Chris Ulven said, “with cutting edge rehab and amenities like no other.” Major updates are coming, and the Home aims for a whole new dedicated short-term rehab experience as part of its ‘Enhancing the Quality of Life’ project. Enhancements are tailored to the next generation of clients who are looking for an elevated experience, with the best possible amenities, starting with a new 2nd floor wing that is exclusively dedicated to short-term rehab. There will be a dedicated parking lot, with a separate entrance and spacious 400 square foot rooms with private bathrooms. Each room will have a zero-entry shower and private wi-fi, while a new dining room will be dedicated to short-term rehability clients. In addition, there will be a beautiful new rooftop balcony as well as cutting edge rehab equipment, including and AlterG Anti-Gravity machine.

“The RBJH short-term rehab services help people retain and restore independence,” Erica Lucoff, RBJH Director of Admissions, said. “The new addition will combine modern amenities and cutting-edge rehabilitation with the quality of care our facility is known for.”

Earlier this year, Dr. Eugene Zweiback found himself on the receiving end of the RBJH staff’s excellent care.

“I was a member here for 30 years,” he said, “and didn’t truly appreciate exactly how fantastic this facility is. That is, until I needed help after a short hospital stay. I was in a position where I couldn’t go home, and found out rapidly that the Rose

NCJW

Blumkin Jewish Home was more than I had ever thought. The level of support, the way they took care of all my rehab needs, the private room, the fact I was treated like family all contributed to an absolutely top-notch experience. I cannot say enough about how grateful I am for the level of care I received.”

In anticipation of a community-wide campaign to benefit the RBJH, a ‘quiet campaign’ has started. Campaign Chairs are Jan Goldstein, Bruce Friedlander and Norm Sheldon. For every campaign, there is a quiet portion, where certain specific donors are approached one-on-one. Oftentimes, it’s literally done quietly, so by the time the campaign is launched community-wide, a portion of the ask is already pledged. However, for transparency’s sake, even while the campaign is still quiet, we should all be talking about the exciting plans for our Home. That means rehab, but also long-term services.

“Independence matters,” Jewish Federation of Omaha CEO Bob Goldberg said. “The next generation of Residents will value independence more than any generation before. We must tailor our services to remain relevant and to meet their needs.”

New facility upgrades include all new finishes throughout, all private rooms for Residents, increased technology options for Residents, new exterior updates at the South and Front entrances. The next generation; that means all of us—it’s important to think of the Home as not for others, but for all of us. A home away from home is something we can all take personally. With private rooms and more space for all Residents, more and better amenities: enhancing lives and meeting the community’s ever-changing needs is a top priority. Now is the time to invest in our future.

MARY BETH MUSKIN

1896-2022 ---126 years of caring and sharing, memories made and community impact felt.

You and those that came before you made a difference. Grandmothers on all sides were active members. Mothers on all sides were active members.

I am a lifetime member; additionally I benefited from NCJW professionally, applying for mini-grants as a teacher and counselor and finding that I was able to enrich the lives of my students through your support. The RAFT book became the bible of my counselors, was requested throughout the district and the envy of other states. When it came out in Spanish, I shared it with the Mexican consulate. For every one of my stories, I know that each and every one of you has tales to tell and that is what today is all about. Sharing the memories with each other and the new exhibit that will keep those memories alive for generations to come.

I want to take a moment to thank those who brought us to this specific day:

INFORMATION

ANTISEMITIC/HATE INCIDENTS

• Alice Klein, Debbie and Scott Friedman, Becki Brenner and Carol Bloch for pictures and artifacts

• NCJW Tea- Ann Moshman, Chair and the committeeRenee Corcoran, Janie Kulakofsky, and Becki Brenner

• Debbie Salomon- Behind the scenes support and key in the start of the photo album

• Putting the exhibit together- Janie Kulakofsky and Renee Coorcoran. Janie dives into the history and has a deep understanding of how we all are connected and Renee’s insight and understanding of everything from displays, artifacts and community history has made her an extremely valuable member of the team and she has truly provided what we needed to move us to the next level on this exhibit as well as all other installations.

Finally a special thanks to all of you for the many ways you have contributed to this amazing organization.

The B’nai Israel Living History Museum and Synagogue also shares a special thanks to you for trusting us with the sharing of NCJW’s impact in history.

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

JCRC and JFO DEIA Committee Join United We Walk

COREY OLDENHUIS

Tri-Faith Initiative Communications Manager

Following a successful inaugural year with more than 2,200 participants (shattering an aspirational goal of 1,000), Tri-Faith Initiative is thrilled to host the second annual United We Walk fundraiser — a 1-mile loop around the Tri-Faith Commons

cious experiment that is the Tri-Faith Commons, as they encounter Tri-Faith Initiative’s growing impact throughout Omaha, they will feel empowered to start building those kinds of uncommon yet necessary relationships in their own work and personal lives.”

In addition to the 1-mile loop, attendees can expect open

near 132nd and Pacific streets— on Sunday, Sept. 10 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Donations made at time of registration and on the day of the event will directly benefit TriFaith’s mission to cultivate inclusive environments that advance interfaith relationships and understanding.

“This is a walk to signal Omaha’s commitment to inclusion,” said Tri-Faith Initiative Vice President of Operations and Development Erik Servellon. “We were so grateful to have as many walkers as we did for last year’s effort, and I’m so excited that we’re expecting at least that many for this year’s event!”

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is a Harmony Sponsor and the DEIA Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is a sponsor of this year’s Walk. “We are inviting the Jewish community to join us at Tri-Faith Commons for this unique and meaningful event,” said Sharon Brodkey, JCRC Executive Director. “United We Walk so naturally aligns with JCRC’s mission of working together in common cause with other organizations. Building community doesn’t happen in a vacuum and the Jewish community is not an island. United We Walk gives us an opportunity to meet, learn, and celebrate the richness and strength in our diverse city” she added.

As a major late summer event in Omaha, United We Walk brings people, businesses, and nonprofit partners together on the city’s globally unique Tri-Faith Commons to build trust and understanding in an enriching way.

As a commemoration of the tragic events of 9/11, the gathering of so many different groups and viewpoints aims to send a clear message: Hatred and violence have no place in the community; Americans are always stronger together. Attendees are encouraged to form a team and bring banners, signs, t-shirts, etc. that help them proudly express the joy of their affiliations, identities, and communities.

“It’s about affirming that differences of background and belief should never keep us from realizing true community,” said Tri-Faith Initiative Executive Director Wendy Goldberg. “We believe that as the public continues to engage with the auda-

houses at Temple Israel, Countryside Community Church, American Muslim Institute, and the Tri-Faith Center. Several food trucks with halal and kosher options available; a rich array of artistic performances including River City Mixed Chorus, Omaha Street Percussion, The Omaha Symphony, the Karen Dance Group, and Flamenco Omaha Dance; an immersive youth art project on the bridge and a robust community fair boasting a wide spectrum of local organizations united by a commitment to a more inclusive Omaha.

This year, walkers have the option to register for free or pay $25 with their registration to receive a United We Walk t-shirt on the day of the event. Registration information can be found at trifaith.org/uww-2023

In honor of their multifaceted work advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in Nebraska, these five local leaders were selected as the 2023 Grand Marshals to initiate the walk: Preeta Bansal, Global Chair, United Religions Initiative and Chair, Civic Nebraska; Father Steven Boes, President, Boys Town; A.T. Miller, Ph.D., Chief Diversity Officer, University of Nebraska Omaha; Rev. Ernesto Medina, Tri-Faith Co-Founder; and Dell Nared, Senior Director of DEI & CODE, Greater Omaha Chamber. A special panel discussion with the Grand Marshals will be held at the Tri-Faith Center the week prior to the work; details to come.

United We Walk 2023 Unity Sponsors include Sherwood Foundation and the Douglas County Visitor Improvement Fund; Harmony Sponsors include Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Google Data Centers, and Omaha Steaks; Peace Sponsors include Omaha Community Foundation, Omaha Public Power District, Midwest DCM, Security National Bank, Heritage Communities, the Holland Foundation, CQuence Health Group, and Boys Town.

Chabad hosts Sklar Brothers

Chabad of Nebraska will host a night of comedy, laughter, and goodwill with The Sklar Brothers, Randy and Jason Sklar on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 at 7 p.m. at Funny Bone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68118.

Randy and Jason Sklar are two hip, intellectual, Jewish identical twin brothers from the suburbs of St. Louis, who are now living in the Los Angeles area. Their dynamic comedy incorporates their twin relationship and ability to finish each other’s sentences while also competitively talking over each other. They alternate their comedy stories about popular culture while still maintaining their midwestern, Big Ten, Jewish roots.

Randy and Jason Sklar were involved with BBYO with Jewish kids from Omaha, Kansas City, and St. Louis. The Sklar Brothers attended University of Michigan. They were members of the Jewish Fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi. They have two Comedy Central Half Hour Present specials, and hosted

Battlebots on Comedy Central. They appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm Grey’s Anatomy Entourage, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Better Call Saul Chelsea Lately, Jim Rome, Cheap Seats, Dumb People Town, and host a podcast called Sklarbro Country

The Sklar Brothers have numerous comedy albums, including Hipster Ghost (2018) Sklars and Stripes: The Tour Tapes (2018), Hendersons and Daughters (2011), Sklar Maps (2007), and Poppin’ the Hood (2004), which can all be downloaded on iTunes.

Tickets are $36 and can be purchased in tables of four for $144.

Tickets are sold only prior to the show directly from Chabad of Nebraska, 1866 South 120th Street, Omaha, NE 68144, 402.330.1800 or on its website at //chabad.com/ comedy

Any questions regarding this event, please contact Asher Stoller at 402.201.3583 or flasheresq@aol.com

To learn more about The Sklar Brothers, please check out their website at https://www.supersklars.com

Sklar Brothers

Backyard Concert Series

Beth Dotan receives Sower Award

CHRIS SOMMERICH

Humanities Nebraska (HN) Executive Director

Humanities Nebraska (HN) has selected educator and historian Beth S. Dotan, PhD., to receive the 2023 Sower Award in the Humanities in recognition of her efforts to increase understanding of the Holocaust.

The Backyard Concert Series (BYCS) has returned for our late summer outdoor musical festivities. Concerts take place in the pavilion every Sunday in August, with a different band performing every week. Everyone is welcome to attend (it’s free!) and no reservations are necessary. Be sure to bring chairs and blankets! Each concert starts at 5 p.m. and lasts until 7 p.m. The Dante and Kona trucks will be back, as well as additional food trucks every week, so stay tuned for updates. And as always, the playground and gaga pits will be available for use during the concerts.

For our final Backyard Concert on Aug. 28, we welcome Omaha Beat Brigade, a funk, soul, and jam band that will bring you the sounds of Afrobeat.

In case of inclement weather, please check the JCC Facebook page/website for cancellation announcements.

The Backyard Concert Series is supported by Morgan Stanley – Andrew Robinson and Omaha Steaks.

A research assistant professor in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Harris Center for Judaic Studies, Dotan created Nebraska Stories of Humanity as part of her Ph.D. work. This digital web portal at nestoriesofhumanity. unl.edu highlights stories of Holocaust survivors and servicemen who liberated Nazi camps and settled in Nebraska after World War II.

“Beth’s programs and projects have advanced scholarship in the humanities and her advocacy of this work to the greater community has been uniquely effective,” said nominator Robert Nefsky. Nefsky is former chairman of the Nebraska Humanities Council board.

Dotan served as the founding executive director of the Institute for Holocaust Education. She also served as the director for International Department of

the Ghetto Fighters House Holocaust and Jewish Resistance Heritage Museum in Lohamei HaGeta’ot, Israel.

Dotan received her MA in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Los Angeles, and her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a particular focus on Holocaust Education and digital memory.

Dotan will be honored on Oct. 10,

2023 during the 28th Annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities at the Holland Performing Arts Center in Omaha. Titled, From Moscow to the Lincoln Highway: An Evening with Amor Towles, the free public event will begin at 7:30 p.m. following a benefit dinner to help raise funds to support HN’s statewide programming. A live-stream viewing option will also be available.

Please visit www.humanitiesnebra ska.org/governors-lecture to stay up to date on details on the Governor’s Lecture and Sower Award presentation.

Humanities Nebraska is a statewide nonprofit that is celebrating 50 years of helping people explore what connects us and makes us human. Spark your curiosity during Humanities Week Oct. 715, and all year long with special online and in-person events. HN is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, an appropriation from the Nebraska Legislature, private donations, and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, a public-private partnership with state dollars matching private dollars to benefit the arts and humanities in Nebraska.

ROSH HASHANAH 5784

Celebrating 40 Years

Beth Dotan

Omaha Beat Brigade

Above and below: Neil Diamond Tribute at RBJH Dan Reynolds performed his Neil Diamond Tribute Show called The King of Diamonds at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. The Residents were not disappointed as he sounded just like Neil Diamond. It was a high-energy show and lots of fun!

Above: NCJW was honored at B’nai Israel Synagogue. For more about this event, see the story on page 3.

SP O TLIGHT

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

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

GENEROUSLY

SUPPORTED BY

Above and above right: A lovely day for a ride.

Right: It’s Camp Sabra! Of course, the kids are back home by now, but we still get to enjoy the photos.

Below: The Jewish Federation of Omaha and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) visited NorthStar Foundation recently to learn more about their programs and volunteer needs. The mission of NorthStar is to change young men’s lives through programming that supports, challenges, inspires and instills a life rooted in education, self-discipline and service to the community. Pictured are Jessi Taylor, JFO Executive Assistant; left; Sharon Brodkey, JCRC Executive Director; Pam Monsky, JCRC Assistant Director; Scott Hazelrigg, NorthStar President; Bob Goldberg, JFO CEO; Andrea Siegel, NorthStar Volunteer Coordinator and Mike Siegel, JFO President.

Above, below and bottom: Tu B’av, the Jewish Day of Love, was celebrated in style at the Jewish Family Service event.

Beth El Produce Swap: Leave one, take one

JCRC launches Student to Student in Omaha

PAM MONSKY JCRC Assistant Director

An innovative peer-to-peer program called Student to Student is coming to Omaha! With roots in the St. Louis Jewish community for the past 31 years, Student to Student is a program of Be the Narrative, a national independent organization.

Student to Student empowers Jewish teens to speak authentically about who they are Jewishly, demystifying Judaism by giving presentations in area schools that lack a Jewish presence. Each presenting group of four teens will have a representative from the Conservative, Orthodox, and Reform branches. Across the country, Student to Student reaches thousands of non-Jewish students each year, putting a human face to Judaism.

The program very effectively fights antisemitism as well as helps create young Jewish leaders in our communities--leaders who develop tools to confront the bigotry they will encounter in college and beyond. In addition, we know that STS strengthens participants’ Jewish identities. Though their impact is significant, the time commitment for our teens is minimal. They are effectively changing the world, one classroom at a time.

JCRC is currently accepting nominations from the community of students in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades who are interested in participating in Student to Student. A training session for selected students is being planned for the fall. For more information, and to nominate a student, please contact Pam Monsky, JCRC Assistant Director, at 402.334.6572 or email pmonsky@jewishomaha.org

CAROLE LAINOF

Beth

El Synagogue Volunteer

How did your garden grow? Were you overrun with more tomatoes than you can possibly eat? Did your cucumber haul disappoint? Wishing you had planted oregano or basil? No worries, Beth El has the solution! On Sunday morning, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon Beth El invites you to our end-ofsummer produce swap. Join us in Beth El’s backyard at ‘The Garden of Eadie‘ and bring your extra home-grown fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers to share. Attendees will also be able to select goodies from the bounty to take home with them. It is also an opportunity to exchange gardening tips or just to chat with fellow gardeners.

Not a gardener? Nothing to exchange? No problem! Stop by and help yourself to the bounty of others and feel free to take some home-grown goodies with you. While there is no charge to participate, a donation to The Garden of Eadie is always appreciated.

We do ask that all gardeners bringing produce please register online at www.bethel-omaha.org by Aug. 21 so we have a good indication of what we will have. If you have any questions, email Robby at rerlich@bethel-omaha.org or call him at 402.492.8550.

Hope to see you in Beth El’s Backyard on Aug. 27! PS... Enjoy some delicious coffee with “Jo-on the Go” (sponsored by the Kowel Family) as you drop off your kids for the first day of BESTT and then join us for the Produce Swap.

Trade scholarships available for the 202324 academic year

An anonymous donor in our community has created two trade school and/or cosmetology school scholarship opportunities, up to $5,000 each, to go towards the 2023-24 academic year.

Not every student who advances into higher education signs up for a four-year curriculum. Some high school graduates seek job training that lasts a year or two and then places them in the workforce. Such opportunities include, but are not restricted to: Information Technology, Construction, Industrial, Transportation and Horticulture. It is not too late to apply for this upcoming school year!

Qualified students who have unmet needs regarding tuition for either a two-year trade school program or a trade certificate program can contact the Jewish Press at avande kamp@jewishomaha.org or jpress@jewishomaha. org for more information.

Did you know...

In its Aug. 18, 1921, edition, the Jewish Press announced it joined the National Jewish Press Association “for the purpose of giving the entire Jewish Press a reliable news service and generally bringing those connected with Jewish publications closer together. The new organization, which has its offices in New York, is the result of many leading Jewish newspapermen who have long been planning some institution which should serve the whole Jewish Press and enable those interested in Jewish publications to cooperate in all those directions in which cooperation is possible.”

Interested in our history? Visit www.omahajewishpress. com. and read issues dating back to December 1920.

Voices

The Jewish Press

(Founded in 1920)

Margie Gutnik

President

Annette van de Kamp-Wright

Editor Richard Busse

Creative Director

Howard Kutler

Advertising Executive

Lori Kooper-Schwarz

Assistant Editor

Gabby Blair

Staff Writer

Ashton Kay

Intern

Sam Kricsfeld

Digital support

Mary Bachteler

Accounting

Jewish Press Board

Margie Gutnik, President; Abigail Kutler, Ex-Officio; Helen Epstein; Seth Feldman; David Finkelstein; Ally Freeman; Mary Sue Grossman; Chuck Lucoff; Patricia Newman; Joseph Pinson and Larry Ring.

The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Press Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.

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The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.”

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

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Adolf Fries

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

You know that feeling of sitting down in a restaurant, grabbing the menu, not knowing what to order? You look over the menu items, trying to decide what you feel like; something salty, something spicy, or something old and familiar. Maybe today is the day you try something new, a dish you have never tasted before. Who knows, it may become your new favorite.

How about an Anne Frank Burger, or Adolf Fries? No, I didn’t think so. You’d lose your appetite pretty quickly.

Operators of a fast-food restaurant in Rafaela, Argentina, apologized after putting these exact items on their menu. Apparently, the apology was slow; after complaining about it for months, local Jewish organizations finally sued. The fries, which came with cheddar, bacon (of course) and green onions, were taken off the menu; the burger was renamed the ‘Anne Boleyn Burger,’ which is better but only slightly so. The apology that followed stated: “From our gastronomic venture, we apologize for the offense and the lack of sense of responsibility for the misuse of names that refer to open wounds in Humanity as a whole.”

You know they are very sorry because they used a lot of words.

At what point, I wonder, does someone decide it is a good idea to market food this way? I understand how confusion sometimes leads to awkward mistakes (Hanukkah-themed Christmas ornaments, the famous Ham-on-sale-for-Jewish-Holidays-meme, wishing someone a Happy Yom Kippur), but this is

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.

not that. It’s not a case where people were careless, or mixed up their multi-culti lore. It’s a genuine stretch, to name your fries after Hitler. Adding bacon to the fries makes it extra bizarre, and to name any food after Anne Frank is a surreal decision. I think it also serves as a reminder that when we talk about Holocaust education, we need to cast a much wider net. And if you think, oh, this is Argentina, far away, it couldn’t happen here, you’re mistaken.

So what do we do with this? Should it upset us, should it make us angry? Are we allowed to make fun of it? I mean, come on, ‘Adolf Fries?’

“Some artists argue that making light of prejudice, or turning purveyors of it into absurdities, robs hatred of power,”

Jason Zinoman wrote for the New York Times. “I’ve been persuaded by that idea, and like many secular types, a Jewish sense of humor is more integral to my identity than any religious observance. It’s also a source of pride. A resilient comic sensibility that finds joy in dark places is one of the greatest Jewish legacies — as is an ability to laugh at ourselves.”

Although Zinoman casually makes an interesting either-or statement about his Jewish identity, he’s right about one thing: laughing through our pain is allowed. When and where (or why) is a different mat-

ter. It’s not always possible to explain when we can laugh at hate, when it is better for our mental health or when it’s simply so ridiculous there is no room for anger. We’re also all a little tired, aren’t we? I mean, who has the energy to get upset every single time? ‘Finding joy in dark places,’ maybe we should put that on a T-shirt. But then, Zinoman also wrote:

“Only recently have I questioned the downside of not lingering on these events. Has a coping mechanism prevented me from seeing the world clearly? Of course, one reason some Jews don’t make a bigger fuss about discrimination, one reason they feel comfortable laughing at it, is that they — we — feel safe. It’s easier to laugh at antisemitism when it happens in an unthreatening place. The feeling is: There are worse problems in the world.”

Wait a minute: does antisemitism ever happen in an unthreatening place? Isn’t any antisemitism by definition a threat? Just because someone uses words, rather than a gun, do we feel less violated? When hate is ridiculous, is it then automatically harmless?

As is so often the case, this might be one of those situations where we have to do both. Laughing does not always mean laughing it off; we can laugh, and be angry at the same time.

and Jewish

RACHEL GORDIN BARNETT AND LYSSA

KLIGMAN HARVEY

JTA

We grew up in South Carolina in the late 1960s and ’70s, one of us from the capital city, Columbia, and the other from the small town of Summerton. The foods served on our respective tables were a blend of Southern and Jewish, menus long ago established by our immigrant grandmothers and the African-American women who cooked for their families. Kashrut was observed in our grandmothers’ kitchens, and Southern recipes recrafted for a kosher table mingled quite comfortably with the stuffed cabbage and tzimmes. Favorite family recipes were handed down from generation to generation — l’dor v’dor.

Our Southern Jewish table — where crispy fried chicken sat next to a sweet and sour brisket, where chopped liver was served during the cocktail hour, and where bowls of steaming hot rice and fresh vegetables graced our table — is a part of our collective lived experience.

As women pulled by the force of both our region and our religion, we recognize the expressive power of food. In researching and writing our new book Kugels & Collards, we have grown far more aware of nuances in Southern Jewish foods and connections spanning cultures, races, pantries and people.

And we have discovered the presence of boundaries — cultural, dietary and physical — that have existed historically and, in some instances, remain today. As Marcie Cohen Ferris writes in the book’s foreword, “Southern Jews revealed who they were and what they believed through the foods they ate — and did not eat — in a region where treyfe (nonkosher) pork, shellfish and wild game were at the center of local cuisine.”

In one of the stories in our book, Aaron and Eli Hyman, owners of the acclaimed seafood restaurant Hyman’s in Charleston, share their memory of catching blue crabs on Sullivan’s Island as young children with their grandfather. Aaron recalls, “We were not allowed to bring the crabs in the beach house, which had a kosher kitchen, but we steamed

them and ate them outside on newspaper out of respect for our great grandmother.”

The diversity of ingredients found in our favorite meals reflects the contributions of individuals underrepresented in or absent from earlier accounts of Southern Jewish cuisine. What we consider “typical Southern fare” reveals the culinary legacy of Africans brought against their will to the American South centuries ago.

On many Southern Jewish tables, it is not unusual to have African-American staples such as collard greens, black-eyed peas and rice alongside European Jewish dishes like brisket, tzimmes and kugel. The aromas, textures and tastes of these meals made their way into the homes of our immigrant grandparents through generations of Black South Carolinians working in traditional Jewish kitchens.

One of these women is Charlestonian Annie Gailliard, whose recipe for okra gumbo we share in Kugels & Collards. Like many great cooks, Annie cooked by taste and passed her recipe verbally down to her employers, the Firetags, Lyssa’s grandparents. Annie and her husband, Walter Gailliard, and their children shared a backyard in Charleston with the Firetags, for whom she began working in 1933. Aside from the requirement that she cook kosher, Annie controlled the kitchen, cooking three meals a day.

For the Firetag family, she made the okra dish kosher, which meant no bacon or bacon grease. Although traditional gumbos have a roux base, Annie’s recipe is more like a succotash. Lyssa in turn has given the recipe a Jewish touch, with a dollop of shmaltz and olive oil, served with the Jewish grain dish called kasha varnishkes rather than white rice.

Annie died in 2003 at the age of 99, and Lyssa at-

tended her funeral with her mother and other family members. Annie’s is one of many beloved “family” recipes created by — and appropriated from — skilled Black cooks.

On the Southern Jewish table many cultures are savored. Food is a vital part of the South’s Jewish

geography and foodways stretching across state lines to shape Southern culture.

In our own Southern homes, and certainly through the process of writing Kugels & Collards, we have come to appreciate how food marks time and place, season and generation, tragedy and trauma, milestones and memory.

Rachel Gordon Barnett is a past president and current executive director of the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina.

Lyssa Kligman Harvey is a past chair of the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina’s Jewish Cultural Arts committee and the past chair of the Columbia Holocaust Education Commission. She and Rachel Gordin Barnett are the authors of Kugels & Collards: Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina, on sale Aug. 30.

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

Our Southern kitchens are where Black

traditions come together

A Southern spread featuring a blintz casserole, Hoppin’ John and a “kosher” okra gumbo combines histories of Eastern Europe, the American South and the continent of Africa. Credit: Forrest Clonts

An “Anne Frank” burger and “Adolf” fries were on the menu at an Argentine fast food restaurant until Aug. 2. Credit: Getty

A novel of Sephardic life revives the Jewish family saga

ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL JTA

The very first Jewish book was a multigenerational Jewish family saga. But while the Bible went on to achieve some commercial and critical success, the genre doesn’t always get much love.

Consider the big bestselling books of the last century. Critics may debate the literary merits of bestsellers like Exodus by Leon Uris, The Source by James Michener and The Chosen by Chaim Potok, but cultural historians generally agree that each was an important indicator of Jewish tastes and preoccupations post-World War II.

But two other popular books of the era, both multigenerational Jewish family sagas, are rarely mentioned these days.

Belva Plain’s novel, “Evergreen,” published in 1978, is a ragsto-riches story about a Polish-Jewish immigrant and her offspring. It spent 41 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list in hardcover and another 20 in paperback, and was made into a miniseries by NBC in 1985. Gloria Goldreich’s novel, “Leah’s Journey,” also published in 1978, is also about an Ashkenazi family that experiences most of the upheavals of the previous 100 years.

Although Leah’s Journey won the National Jewish Book Award in 1979, I’ve never seen it nor “Evergreen” on a list of the century’s best or “most essential” Jewish novels.

And in truth, the qualities that make a book wildly popular aren’t always the ones that make it literary. A New York Times reviewer once described Plain’s books as “easy, consoling works of generous spirit, fat with plot and sentiment, thin in nearly every other way and almost invisible in character development.”

I brought all this baggage to my review copy of Kantika, Elizabeth Graver’s 2023 novel, described by its publisher as a “dazzling Sephardic multigenerational saga.” It’s about a wealthy Turkish Jewish family whose fortunes are reversed by the First World War and whose members are dispersed to Barcelona, Cuba and finally New York. And yet while it has all the drama one might expect from such journeys and the novels about them, it remains both lyrical and literary, and likely, if there is any justice, to stand the test of time.

How Graver pulled it off is something she and I talked about last week, when I reached her in Cape Cod. (Graver, the author of five previous books of fiction, teaches creative and nonfiction writing at Boston College.)

At the center of the novel is Rebecca, a privileged daughter of a Jewish factory owner in Constantinople who must constantly reinvent herself as a daughter, wife, mother, immigrant and businesswoman. The character is based on Graver’s own grandmother, and the story Graver tells is rich in details about the Sephardic heritage of her mother’s side of the family. There are snatches of Ladino dialogue and song lyrics, and organic depictions of Ladino folk and religious culture.

“I had interviewed my grandmother telling stories when I was 21,” said Graver, who is 59. “And I’ve been sort of haunted by but a little scared of telling the story.” Between research and trips to Turkey, Spain and Cuba, the book took her a decade to write.

She decided against a nonfiction version of her grandmother’s life, thinking the story would contain too many holes and force her to insert herself into what would then become a sort of literary memoir. Instead, the book is fiction stretched over a real-life scaffolding: Each chapter begins with a photograph of the relatives who inspired the book’s characters.

One of the key relationships in the book is between Rebecca and her stepdaughter, Luna, a willful, intelligent girl with a disability that affects her speech and movement. Rebecca dedicates herself to Luna’s education and what we would now call physical therapy, a set-up for shmaltz (or its Sephardic equivalent) if there ever was one. But just when you expect her to cue the string section, Graver often veers to show you how complicated and difficult people — even admirable people — can be.

“Rebecca is beautiful, and has that power and strength but is a bit narcissistic. She kind of relies on surfaces but is really good at passing,” Graver explained. “And then she has this child whose body doesn’t allow her to do any of that, but who is also fiercely determined and passionate and smart. In the interplay, they reveal each other through their different points of view.”

The book arrives at a time of renewed interest in Sephardic culture, and part of its appeal is that it is telling what to many American Jewish readers, fed a steady diet of the Ashkenazi experience, is a fresh story.

Kantika is also a migration story, another genre that is very much of the moment. Graver herself teaches the genre, which includes works by Korean-American author Min Jee Lee, Haitian-American Edwidge Danticat and Vietnamese-American

Viet Thanh Nguyen.

I asked Graver if she was conscious of genre when she was writing the book, and wary of the way a sprawling family novel like hers might be received.

“I don’t even like the term ‘family saga,’” said Graver, who, when I asked, wasn’t familiar with Plain or Goldreich. “It makes me wince, even though I suppose I have written one and I’m

RABBI AVI SHAFRAN JTA

The Orthodox Jewish community boasts a wide array of creative services providers. And, in keeping with the Jewish religious tradition over millennia, those vendors cannot, in good conscience, buy into elements of “progressive” social developments. They do not accept, for instance, that it is proper to identify as a different sex from one’s biological one, or that a same-sex union is proper.

That is why my organization took a particular interest in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, in which the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Lorie Smith, a Christian web designer who refused to create wedding announcements for same-sex couples.

Ms. Smith feared that Colorado’s anti-discrimination law might compel her to create webpages celebrating same-sex unions, something that goes against her conscience.

The 303 Creative decision seems to be widely misunderstood and misrepresented.

Not long after the Supreme Court handed down their decision, a small town hair salon owner said she would refuse service to clients who use pronouns different from their biological sex.

“If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman, please seek services at a local pet groomer,” the hairdresser, Christine Geiger, posted on Facebook. “You are not welcome at this salon. Period.”

There ensued much “We told you so,” tying the hairdresser’s policy and comments to the 303 Creative decision.

The hairdresser may have been emboldened to offer her boorish words by the Supreme Court decision, but the plain meaning of the decision’s wording — as confirmed by scholars of the law — does not support her refusal of service.

Likewise, critics of the decision conjured a host of dire scenarios, like a devout Christian who believes that Jews killed Jesus refusing to sell wedding dresses to brides unless they accept Christianity, or a white supremacist baker who won’t sell his cakes and cookies to blacks or Asians.

None of these scenarios could conceivably emerge from the Supreme Court’s web designer decision, or be sustained if they did. The ruling does not sanction bigotry. It protects free speech.

We usually think of the First Amendment’s guarantee of a

right of free expression in its simplest sense, that Americans are allowed to express their feelings as they wish without government interference.

But included in that Constitutional right is a protection against government coercion of a citizen to express a particular point of view.

indebted to them in various ways. But I want the characters to be flawed and complex and for the turns that they take to come out of their intersections with both history and their own very particular circumstances. I think about big novels where there is a big social canvas and it’s not a story of triumph.”

Indeed, Kantika, unlike many novels of Jewish migration, is actually a story about a family’s economic decline. Ultimately, said Graver, she wanted to capture the story of her Sephardic family’s journey in all its complexity.

“I have a deep anxiety about being overly sentimental and wrapping things up too much,” said Graver. “I love fiction that gestures towards the complexity of real life.”

Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor at large of the New York Jewish Week and managing editor for Ideas for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

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

faced with a request to create a website that expressed celebration of same-sex marriages, she feared being compelled by the state to employ her creativity in the service of something that violates her religious conscience.

The Supreme Court ruled in line with its predecessor Court’s 1943 interpretation of the First Amendment, that no American should have to fear being punished for her unwillingness to express something that violates her conscience.

So now, some truly plausible scenarios that could be born of the decision:

A web designer, in this case, someone deeply dedicated to LGBTQ causes, is asked to design a webpage for an anti-gay activist, graphically promoting the potential client’s point of view. Or a Jewish cake artist is asked by a neo-Nazi group to design a swastika-shaped cake with frosting in the likeness of Adolf Hitler.

Thanks to the 303 Creative decision’s affirmation of the compelled speech doctrine, the designer and baker will have the right to ask the client to go elsewhere to be serviced.

That “compelled speech doctrine” dates back to a 1943 Supreme Court decision, West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, where the Court ruled that a state cannot force children to stand, salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance if doing so violates their religious consciences.

Justice Robert H. Jackson famously asserted, “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”

Lorie Smith is not a computer salesperson. Were she one, Colorado’s anti-discrimination law would legitimately require her to sell a computer to anyone, even someone whose lifestyle violates her sensibilities. Even as a web designer, she had and has no right, under her state’s law, to refuse service to a same-sex couple that wishes the site to promote their widget company.

In fact, a filing in the case stated clearly that she was “willing to work with all people regardless of classifications such as race, creed, sexual orientation, and gender.” And that she “will gladly create custom graphics and websites” for clients of any sexual orientation.

So what was Ms. Smith’s objection? Something simple: If

And, now, in a case where a client asks an observant Jew to enlist his or her talents in promoting what halacha (Jewish law) considers objectionable, he or she will be able to politely decline and suggest an alternative service. The “politely” is vital. Deeply held beliefs might be hurtful to others, but living one’s values sometimes means making decisions that inadvertently cause pain. Rudeness, though, is never in order.

The High Court decision was not about discrimination or about religion, though. And attempts to characterize it as such, or as license to show bias against people because of their race, religion or sexual orientation are disingenuous.

In the words of the majority opinion: “The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands.”

The decision, in other words, was about the Constitution’s protection of citizens’ rights.

About freedom.

Rabbi Avi Shafran serves as Director of Public Affairs for Agudath Israel of America.

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

Author Elizabeth Graver tells the story of her mother's Turkish Jewish family, above, in her novel “Kantika.” Her grandmother, Rebecca Baruch, who inspired the novel's main character, is seated front row, fourth from right.

Credit: The author.

Why an Orthodox group supports the Supreme Court ruling on not serving same-sex couples

Credit: Getty Images

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

618 Mynster Street

Synagogues

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email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

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BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

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CHABAD HOUSE

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TEMPLE ISRAEL

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LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL

Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

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402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

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

For information on COVID-related closures and about our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Ann Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.

B’NAI ISRAEL BETH EL

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

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

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY: Bar Mitzvah of Jason Dubrow; Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Slide Back to BESTT, 6 p.m.

THURSDAY: Vegetarian Cooking, 7 p.m. with Aveva Shukert via Zoom.

FRIDAY-Aug. 25: Nebraska AIDS Project, 11:30 a.m.; Pre-Neg & Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY-Aug. 26: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:40 p.m. Zoom Only. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL

FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:01 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:45 a.m.; Teen Class 7 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:50 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/Kids Activity 8:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:02 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 25: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.; Candle-

SATURDAY-Aug. 26: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:45 a.m.; Teen Class, 7 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:40 p.m.; Laws of Shabbos/ Kids Activity, 8:10 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:51 p.m.

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

CHABAD HOUSE

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

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ochabad.com/ Lechayim; Candlelighting, 8:01 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:01 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps: Video Presentation 9-9:30 a.m. and Breakfast, 9:45 a.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introduction to Writing Hebrew Script and Vocabulary Practice, 5 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 7 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen.

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

THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Parsha Reading, 10 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study (Sanhedrin 34), noon; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 25: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Inspirational Lechayim, 5:45 p.m. with Rabbi and friends: ocha bad.com/Lechayim; Candlelighting, 7:50 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 26: Shacharit 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:49 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL

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

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Rabbi Alex and music by Nathaniel and Steve Kaup, 6:30 p.m. at SST; Oneg Host: TBD; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:02 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.

York gets its first Rabbi in 800 years

JACKIE HAJDENBERG

JTA

For the first time in 800 years, the British city of York, whose Jewish population was decimated in a medieval pogrom, will be home to a rabbi.

Rabbi Elisheva Salamo arrived in York from California last week after decades of pulpit work in the United States, Switzerland and South Africa. She will take a part-time pulpit at the York Liberal Jewish Community, which is affiliated with a denomination akin to the American Reform movement. The congregation was founded in 2014 and now has about 100 members.

Her hiring is a milestone for York, a city in northern England whose medieval Jewish community was wiped out in a pogrom in March 1190, on the Shabbat before Passover. Seeking protection from antisemitic rioters who intended to either forcibly convert the Jews to Christianity or kill them, York’s Jews sought refuge in a tower in the king’s castle. Realizing they would not make it out of the tower alive as troops amassed outside, they chose to kill themselves rather than convert — a choice also made by other European Jewish communities facing antisemitic armies during the Crusades. Approximately 150 people are estimated to have died in the York pogrom. A century later, the Jews were expelled from England entirely; they were permit-

ted to return only in 1656.

“Helping to rebuild what was once one of England’s most vibrant Jewish communities is an honor and a privilege,” Salamo told The Guardian York is not the only British town with a history of medieval antisemitism where Jewish life is being reestablished. The British town of Norwich, where the first known instance of the antisemitic blood libel took place in 1144, and which was the site of another 1190 pogrom, may become home to a Jewish heritage center.

Salamo was ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and attended Reed College and Yale University, where she studied biology and cellular and molecular biology. According to her website, she is also an experienced equestrian.

She will be joining a community that has been led by volunteers in the nearly 10 years since it was founded. Salamo’s first formal role will be to lead High Holiday services in September. The community hopes to fundraise in order to hire her full time, according to the Jewish Chronicle

with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Shoftim; Havdalah, 9:03 p.m.

SUNDAY: LJCS Sunday School Begins, 9:30 am.; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group meet, 10:45 a.m. at The Mill on the Innovation Campus. We sit outside, facing east. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Jewish Book Club, 1:30 p.m. and will discuss The Thread Collectors: A Novel by Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman via Zoom; Pickleball, 3-5 p.m. at TI. Everyone is welcome.

WEDNESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School Begins, 4:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: High Holy Days Choir Rehearsal, 7 p.m. at SST. If you are interested in choir, please contact our music director, Steven Kaup, via email at: Mus icDirector@southstreettemple.org

FRIDAY-Aug. 25: Federation Pizza-in-the-Park Shabbat, 6 p.m. Antelope Park; Oneg Host: TBD; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:52 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 26: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Ki Teitzei; Havdalah 8:51 p.m.

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

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

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

TEMPLE ISRAEL

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

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

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

SUNDAY: Grades PreK-7 9:30 a.m.; Rosh Chodesh Event, 2 p.m. RSVP Required.

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

THURSDAY: Thursday Morning Class, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel via Zoom

FRIDAY-Aug. 25: Drop in Mah Jongg, 9-11 a.m. InPerson; Classic Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY-Aug. 26: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom

Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

“With York’s unique history, this is a very significant moment not just for local Jews but nationally and internationally,” Ben Rich, co-founder of the York Liberal Jewish Community, told the Jewish

Chronicle.

He added, “I hope that the whole Jewish community and its allies across the globe will want to help us on the next step of this incredible journey to bring Judaism back to this ancient and most beautiful of cities.”

Clifford's Tower, the site of the massacre of the Jews of York took place in 1190. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Jewish groups launch relief effort for Maui as island’s Jews are among the evacuated

RON KAMPEAS

JTA

Jewish groups in the United States and in Hawaii are launching relief efforts following the devastation caused by wildfires that have killed more than 50 people so far.

The wildfires have all but destroyed the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui, which Hawaii’s Jewish governor, Josh Green, toured on Thursday with Brian Schatz, the state’s Jewish senator.

“What we saw today was likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history,” Green said in a statement.

The fires have had consequences for Hawaiians well beyond the fire zone.

“It’s with much gratitude and humility to share that the Jewish Congregation of Maui and its grounds are safe,” the nondenominational synagogue wrote on its website. “However, many in our community have lost their homes, businesses and also a loved one from the devastation of the fires.”

Experts say that higher temperatures and reduced rain as the result of climate change have made Hawaii more vulnerable to wildfires, while changes to agriculture in the state have contributed fuel. The state is the site of the country’s second youth-led climate change lawsuit; brought by 14 teens, mostly Native Hawaiians, the suit against the state’s transportation department got a trial date just days before the fires erupted.

There are 2,000 to 3,000 Jews in Maui, eJewishPhilanthropy reported, with two synagogues: the Jewish Congregation of Maui, which was not in the evacuation zone, and Chabad of Maui, which was.

The rabbis of both synagogues told eJewishPhilanthropy and the Forward that congregants are among those evacuated.

Rabbi Mendy Krasnjansky, the Chabad rabbi, told the Forward that volunteers were standing by to reach the synagogue and rescue Torah scrolls, if needed.

The Jewish Federations of North America on Thursday launched a Hawaii Wildfire Fund to bring to the evacuees toiletries, first-aid kits, non-perishable foods, baby supplies and other supplies.

“Not only is support needed in Maui, but people are fleeing to Honolulu where Jewish communal organizations will be working to support those in need,” Alisa Bodner, the JFNA spokeswoman, said in an email.

Rabbi David Kosak of Portland, Oregon’s Congregation Neveh Shalom was vacationing in Maui, in a safe zone. He told his hometown TV news outlet, KGW8, that he had connected Portland’s Jewish community with Maui’s to accelerate assistance to the evacuees.

Portland’s Jewish Federation was already on the job, its community relations director, Bob Horenstein, told KGW8, as part of the JFNA’s national effort. Horenstein noted that Oregon had suffered its own share of wildfires recently. “We can empathize with the people of Maui and the big island and we could be supportive of what their needs are. It’s really important that we respond just from a humanitarian point of view,” he said.

Schatz filed reports from Lahaina, where he was with Green, on social media.

“Lahaina Town has been reduced to ashes,” he said of the historic area. “It’s absolutely heartbreaking. The recovery process will be long, but we’re committed to these families and communities.”

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An aerial image shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii, Aug. 10, 2023. Credit: Patrick T. Fallon AFP via Getty Images

Camp Ramah returns to Ukraine

SHIRA LI BARTOV JTA

Ramah Yachad, a Ukrainian Jewish summer camp, celebrated its 30th anniversary last year in exile, having relocated to Romania following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that February.

This year, the camp is back in its longtime home in the Chernivtsi region of western Ukraine — a move that camp leaders said was both pragmatic and symbolic.

“In the beginning of the war, we were so scared to do it even in the safe areas of Ukraine,” Rabbi Irina Gritsevskaya, the camp’s director, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “But this year, we decided to come back because many kids couldn’t get out of Ukraine. Not all the kids have passports.”

Returning to Ukrainian soil has also strengthened the camp’s sense of purpose, according to counselor Lena Grebelnaya.

“This year, it is more special because we are still here in Ukraine with the kids,” Grebelnaya told the JTA. “We have some challenges here because there are [air raid] alarms, but apart from that, we try to make this period joyful for the kids. It’s important for them to know that there’s still joy in life.”

Among those who made the trek to Ramah Yachad is 16-year-old Daniel Prichodko. Before the war, he saw friends every day at his Jewish school in Kharkiv. Then his city, about 25 miles from the Russian border, came under brutal and unceasing bombardment. Now his friends have left Kharkiv, his family is battling

an economic crisis and Prichodko’s school meets only on Zoom.

On July 28, he joined 122 other children between the ages of 8 and 17 at Ramah Yachad, operated as part of the Masorti movement’s activities in Ukraine. There, the campers whose childhood has been robbed by war are spending 12 days playing, studying and celebrating Jewish traditions together.

Their days start with a “boker tov” along with singing and dancing, followed by morning prayers, then “peulah” (learning activities) and “chugim” (recreational activities such as arts, sports, cooking and dance classes).

Prichodko said being surrounded by Jewish peers and teachers again feels like “being at home.” “Since I study in the Jewish day school, before the war we had morning prayers, holidays, Hebrew classes,” he said. “Since the war started, we are learning online. Celebrations are more difficult and sometimes impossible. The level of education is not the same.”

Inevitably, there are some changes at Ramah Yachad this year too. Although it is held near Chernivtsi, a city spared from the missiles razing Ukraine’s eastern, central and southern regions, the camp is ready for airraid sirens. A staff psychologist works constantly with the campers, who struggle with fear and stress.

The past 18 months have ruptured every aspect of Ukrainian children’s lives. Along with the loss, violence and terror of war, many have lived through economic devastation. The pro-

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portion of children living in poverty has nearly doubled from 43% to 82%, many of them among the 5.9 million people displaced within Ukraine, according to UNICEF. Shelling and airstrikes have disrupted their access to electricity, water and basic health services. Their education has also suffered, compounding two years of schooling interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and over eight years of turmoil for children in eastern Ukraine.

sounds and sometimes I am scared to be outside. In the midst of the war I decided to pray every morning, and to light Shabbat candles.”

This is Prizcher’s first year at camp, and she has already made new friends. “I love the dancing in Ramah Yachad, the activities and ‘laila tov’ [‘good night’], ending the day together with my group,” she said.

Getting to camp was not simple for everyone. Some children, like Prichodko, traveled from dangerous areas such as Kharkiv. Without the possibility of airplane travel, the train journey from Kharkiv can take two days.

But their country’s instability did not deter the campers. Instead, after serving just 80 campers in Romania last year, Ramah Yachad saw heightened demand this summer. The campers have always received varying degrees of financial aid — in a normal year, most families could cover about 25% of attendance costs, Gritsevskaya said — but since the war broke out, they rely almost entirely on stipends provided through donations.

“We had a long waitlist,” said Gritsevskaya.

These broad threats to their wellbeing have culminated in a mental health crisis, with UNICEF estimating that 1.5 million children in Ukraine are at risk of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological issues.

“The war changed me drastically,” said Hannah Prizcher, a 15-year-old Ramah Yachad camper from Kyiv. “I started to fear loud

As the director of Midreshet Schechter, an initiative of the Schechter Institutes in Jerusalem, she has traveled from her home in Israel into Ukraine several times since the war’s start to facilitate Jewish observance and experiences.

“In times of trouble, people care about being together and they realize how important it is,” she added. “For many of those kids, it’s really two weeks to breathe freely.”

Read more at www.omahajewishpress.com.

Campers at Ramah Ukraine greet each other after returning to camp for the first session in the country during wartime. Credit: Midreshet Schechter