Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA
The impact of our funds to Israel
August 22, 2014 26 Av 5774 Vol. 94 | No. 49
This Week
by SHERRIE SAAG Commications, Jewish Federation of Omaha At Press deadline, a ceasefire appears to be holding between Israel and Hamas. As the situation continues to evolve, the Jewish State’s military operation remains on high alert and the Jewish Federation of North America’s Stop the Sirens Emergency Campaign is continuing. On August 13, JFNA’s Emergency Response Allocations Committee for Operation Protective Edge met and allocated another $4.4 million to provide trauma support for vulnerable populations and first responders, as well as funding to help the most impacted communities bounce back and rebuild. To date, its total allocations are $16.8 million. The Jewish Federation of Omaha, together with the JFNA, and the national Federated movement, mobilized its resources to provide critical aid to the people of Israel. In mid-July each and every local Jewish
Eye on Israel Page 3
Final Film of Omaha Jewish film festival Page 4
Inside Point of view Synagogues In memoriam
Next Month Rosh Hashanah See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press
by MARGIE GUTNIK Beth El Program Director “Omaha has no elitism; it is a community that embraces people. There is a vibrancy to the community that you do not find elsewhere.” These are among just a few of the many reasons Rabbi
Wings participants prepare meals for delivery to Israeli soldiers Federation was asked to contribute their fair share towards relief efforts and the Jewish Federation of Omaha made its commitment of $23,500, funded through reserve resources. Our community’s Rally for Israel on July 16 re-affirmed our solidarity and commitment to Israel and provided information for individuals who wished to make their own dona-
tions in support of the emergency campaign. According to the JFO Development Department, to date, the Omaha response is overwhelming, with almost $30,000 donated. In those first few terrifying weeks, it became apparent that the movement of Israeli citizens out of harm’s way in the South was critical. The call Continued on page 2
Blumkin Home carnival
Beth Israel’s summer education series Page 6
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by OZZIE NOGG On Sunday, September 7th, the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home will host an old-fashioned Blumkin Carnival and Grandparent’s Day Celebration, complete with food, rides, games-of chance, prizes and once-in-a-lifetime family photo ops. The event, a joint effort of L.O.V.E. (League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly) and the RBJH Activities Department staff, runs from 1 to 3 p.m. and the entire community is invited to join the fun. “For a change of pace, we decided to shake up our annual RBJH Grandparents Day County Fair and Car Show,” said Karen Hook, Activities Director. “This year we’re going for an exciting carnival experience with a nod to the life and times of the ‘carnies’ who had sawdust in their blood and who kept the traveling carnivals up and running; plus the carnival barkers and exotic entertainment found on the midway. We
Beth El welcomes Rabbi Rosenbaum
Blumkin Home residents Joie Simon, left, and Gloria Goldberg, right, enjoy last year's RBJH County Fair. may not have fire-eaters or sword swallowers at the Blumkin Carnival, but we promise some exotic side show attractions and activities for all ages.” According to Maggie Conti, Director of Activities and Outreach Programs at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, “You don’t have to have a friend or loved one at the Home to enjoy the Blumkin Carnival and Grandparent’s Day Celebration. The games will appeal to young and old, and so will the food. I mean, who can resist balloons, face painting, a caricature artist, funnel cakes, pretzels, and popcorn? We’ll also feature
the Wax Hand Machine which I know will be a big hit with the kids and so soothing for older folks. The afternoon mixes fun with a little nostalgia, and that recipe makes everyone smile. Admission is free, so bring your family and come share the festivities.” The Blumkin Carnival is underwritten by the following funds which are administered by the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation: The Sheldon A. and Lorrie Bernstein Endowment Fund; The Betty A. Studna and Seymour T. Lee Endowment Fund; and The Chester and Phyllis Lustgarten Endowment Fund.
Rabbi Jonathan Rosenbaum Jonathan Rosenbaum feels what many of us already know -Omaha is an ideal example of everything that is right about a Jewish community. It is also why he was honored to be asked to be Beth El Scholar-in-Residence for the Omaha Jewish Reunion, the weekend of Sept. 12-14. There will be a 5 p.m. Shabbat dinner at Beth El Friday evening, Sept. 12 for registrants to the Omaha Jewish Reunion, followed by 6 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat services. After services, at approximately 7:15 p.m., Rabbi Rosenbaum will speak on the topic, Conservative Judaism at the Crossroads and the Omaha Response. A dessert reception will follow. The entire community is invited to join us for services, to hear him speak and to stay for the reception. He will also present the Dvar Torah on Saturday, Sept. 13 on Who’s in the Pew? How Omaha Fits (and Doesn’t) American Jews’ Expectations” during 9:30 a.m. Shabbat morning services. A Kiddush luncheon open to all will follow services. From 1998-2009, Rosenbaum served at the helm of Gratz College, the oldest nondenominational college of Jewish studies in North America and since 2009 has been a visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. Rosenbaum possesses a diverse scholarly background. Trained as a specialist in the ancient Near East and in Biblical studies, he has taught and published in those fields as well as in rabbinics, American Jewish history, and Jewish education. From 1995 to 1998, he served as a deputy director of the Ein Gedi Archaeological Expedition in Israel, annually Continued on page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | August 22, 2014
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August 31 at 7:05 PM | Fireworks to follow!
Young Jewish Omaha and the Omaha Storm Chasers are teaming up to give you a night out at the ball park--in style. Come enjoy a night of baseball while living the suite life in the Storm Chaser’s owner’s box. We’ll have great ballpark food and drink for you to enjoy as we cheer on the defending NATIONAL CHAMPION Omaha Storm Chasers at no cost to you! Space is limited so make sure to RSVP to reserve your spot. YJO’s mission is to offer young Jewish singles, couples and families, in their 20s and 30s, a broad range of social, educational, volunteer, philanthropic, and leadership development opportunities.
On Sunday, Aug. 17, Temple Israel hosted a Tri Faith picnic. Christians, Muslims and Jews put together a potluck lunch; in addition, the grill was lit and hot dogs and hamburgers were added to the menu. More to come next week!
Emergency Funds put to good use Continued from page 1 diers. They also spent time in Nahariya for a much needed for respite and care for those in greatest peril was heard by break with “Wingsâ€? participants from HaGalil. Jews around the world. In response, the Federation As JFNA contemplates the next phase of needs facing the announced on July 31 that three additional financial com- Israeli people, funds raised by Federations across the counmitments were being made to our Partnership region in try are expected to address the following: the Western Galilee: Immediate Recovery for Israel’s • $6000 to Kivunim to host South – support will focus on adults with disabilities from Sderot restoring normalcy to day-tofor three days of respite and care in day activities, providing trauma the Western Galilee. support and psychological coun• $6000 to the Matte Asher seling, respite for first-line Regional Council for protective responders, facilitating economvests and helmets for volunteer ic recovery to the region. security patrols. Long Term National Recovery • $10,000 to the Akko Welfare – support the planning and Department to install air condipreparation of relief efforts for tioning units in area bomb shelters. other areas of the country. The At the time, Jody Malashock, main challenges to be addressed chair of our community’s Israel are community resilience, trainOverseas Committee had this to ing of first-line responders, say: “I am so incredibly proud of emergency preparedness at the our Omaha community for their local level and ongoing trauma generosity and open hearts support. towards the people of Israel. Their The drive and determination to strong will and resolve in the face support the State of Israel conof true terror serves as an inspiratinues unabated as the tion to all of us.â€? Federation movement recog100 percent of these funds went nizes that the situation is not yet Jewish Omaha donations during Operation to necessary, life-saving and lifestabilized and there will be seriProtective Edge provided meals for Israeli soldiers. sustaining items and programs ous mid/long-term ramifications that truly made life a little bit better in the short-term. facing the Israeli people. For example, earlier this month, 10 members of You can contribute to JFNA’s Stop the Sirens Emergency Kivunim’s “Wingsâ€? program in Sderot enjoyed a respite Campaign by sending a check to the Jewish Federation of program in the Western Galilee. “Wingsâ€? provides young Omaha, Sharon Kirshenbaum, Campaign Director, 333 people with disabilities to be independent, learn critical South 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154. You can also go to employment skills, and, if possible, provide resources to www.jewishomaha.com, click on the link located on the serve Israel outside traditional Army service. Stop the Sirens banner. All contributions are tax deductible These young adults participated in a cooking workshop and 100 percent of your donation will go towards addressand afterwards delivered meals they prepared to IDF sol- ing immediate needs.
Beth El excited to welcome Rabbi Rosenbaum back to Omaha Continued from page 1 bringing students to learn the past by literally digging into it. Rosenbaum received his B.A. degree in Near Eastern Languages and Literature from the University of Michigan (Phi Beta Kappa; summa cum laude). He earned rabbinical ordination and an M.A. at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. Over the decade that he and his wife lived in Omaha and raised their three sons here, he saw our community develop into one that sets a national standard for how a Jewish community should be run. While many refer to Omaha as “unique,� he feels the term is imprecise. In comparison to Jewish communities in other cities, he stated that we had the foresight that few do: we set a precedent by building our community campus. By locating all the services together and integrating the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home into the community, Omaha produced a brilliant system that links all ages. He conveyed that having a commitment to transgenerational opportunities is key to the strength of our community. Rosenbaum went on to say that Omaha sets a national standard, and “In my view it is the right way to have a Jewish community. Omaha doesn’t just wait for needs; the Jewish community sees opportunities and challenges and says ‘What can we do?’ Members of our community who are successful feel a commitment to giving that is not duplicat-
ed in many larger communities.� Another facet of our community that Rosenbaum admires is the communication and cooperation among the synagogues and clergy. In Omaha, we take it for granted that the rabbis of the congregations meet and dialogue with each other, but such communication is atypical nationally. That open exchange of ideas is just one more thing that Omaha does and does well. Rosenbaum spoke specifically about Beth El Synagogue and its place in the Jewish world. According to a recent Pew study, the Conservative movement is facing losses of numbers. However, he feels Beth El Synagogue is an example of a strong, active and embracing Conservative shul that is worthy of emulation. On a personal note, Rabbi Rosenbaum, his wife Susan and two of his three sons will be returning to Omaha the weekend of the reunion because it will be a chance for them to see lifelong friends. His family thinks of Omaha as home. Although they left nearly 30 years ago, his children have maintained connections and consider Omaha their “home base.� He hopes a number of people attending the reunion feel the same way. Beth El Synagogue is thrilled to welcome back to Omaha a scholar, a learned rabbi, one of our own. We hope that the entire Jewish community will be able to join us for his presentations.
August 22, 2014 | The Jewish Press | 3
Eye on Israel by MARY SUE GROSSMAN Program Coordinator, The Center for Jewish Life “You can read the newspapers and hear the radio and watch the TV, but there is nothing like hearing directly from those who are living it. War is a personal thing. Family members and friends are wounded and killed. Thank you Eliad Eliyahu Shaliach for bringing together these people who were willing to share their stories - in person and via Skype from Israel.” That was the Facebook comment by Mark Kirchhoff after attending the Aug. 12 session of Eye on Israel, led by Omaha’s Community Shaliach, Eliad Eliyahu Ben Shushan. It was an extraordinary session attended by over 50 people which included Skype discussions with two of Omaha’s former shlichim, Uri Levin and Naama Keren Guy. Both Uri and Naama were called as reservists in Operation Protective Edge. They talked about their experiences, told about the concerns of their fellow soldiers plus their take on the future. Dr. Rami Arav, a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion and the Department of History at UNO, also spoke. He is also the director of the Consortium of the Bethsaida Excavations Project headed at UNO, as well as the director of the John and Carol Merrill expedition to the Cave of Letters. Rami shared his views on the goals of Hamas and the region and what may happen moving forward. The final presenter was Omahan Henry Ginsburg. Henry, made aliyah and served in the IDF until the late spring. He talked about his experience of making aliyah, serving as a “lone soldier” and his connection to Israel. While he has returned to Omaha and is planning to attend UNO in the fall, he returned to Israel for several days immediately after the
A priceless gift beginning of the conflict. Sharing pictures of friends who were killed during the past few weeks, his talk showed the depth of emotion and support the soldiers, their families and the entire country of Israel gives to its fighting men and women.
A video of the hour-long Eye on Israel session can be viewed on the Community Shaliach page in the Center for Jewish Life section at www.jewishomaha.org. Many thanks to Henry Ginsburg for providing the tape of the presentation. The next Eye on Israel session will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at noon in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. Eye on Israel and the Community Shaliach program are programs of the Center for Jewish Life, whose mission it is to maximize involvement of Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences. For more information, please call 402.334.6463 or email mkirchhoff@jewishomaha.org.
by DR. CURTIS HUTT at UNO’s Schwalb Center. As stated by Religious Studies Professor and Special Program Schwalb Center Director Moshe Coordinator, Schwalb Center for Israel and Gershovich: “The impact of the Babylonian Jewish Studies, UNO Talmud upon Jewish religion and culture In tractate Pe’ah 1:1 of the Jerusalem cannot be over-exaggerated. For centuries Talmud it reads that Tzedakah and acts of it has provided guidelines for Jewish life as kindness are the equivawell as a working, live lent of all the mitzvot of example of the diversity of the Torah." But what if the Jewish thought and tradigift is of the Talmud itself? tions.” UNO faculty, and Surely, this must count for students, as well as comeven more. Such is the gift munity members, will made to the University of have open access to use Nebraska Foundation to new Babylonian Talmud benefit the Natan and at the Schwalb Center. Hannah Schwalb Center The volumes will also be for Israel and Jewish used in the new “Hebrew Studies by Caryl Bercovici Scriptures” class at UNO Greenberg and Judith (formerly: “Old Bercovici Tully in memoTestament”) that contains ry of their father Moses A. introductions to Mishnah Bercovici. Moses and Talmud in addition to Bercovici was a Certified Hebrew Bible. In many Moses Bercovici Public Accountant who ways, the new Talmud set was also an avid student of Judaism. He symbolizes a sea change in the way that was born in 1898 in Romania and came to Judaism is introduced to students at UNO America and Omaha when he was about who come from predominantly Christian four-years-old. He was the oldest of five backgrounds. By putting the Talmud to the siblings and was often responsible for their forefront, a window to Jewish religious life welfare and their parents' welfare. He mar- previously unknown to the non-observant ried Ann Wintroub in 1926. They became is opened wide. members of Beth El Synagogue very soon A celebratory event in honor of Moses after its inception in Omaha and were Bercovici and his daughters will be held on active, lifelong members of Beth El. Moses Sept. 5 at 3 p.m. at the Schwalb Center on Bercovici died in 1971. the UNO main campus, Arts and Science Caryl Greenberg and Judith Tully’s gift of Hall 200/202. The event is free and open to their father’s volumes of Talmud along with the public. To obtain a parking pass for the a new twenty six volume set of the Vilna event, please contact Ms. Kasey Davis at Babylonian Talmud with English transla- the Schwalb Center by phone (402-554tion and explanatory notes published by 3175) or e-mail (kaseydavis@unomaha. Soncino Press is extraordinarily welcome edu).
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What you need to know about BBYO by RACHEL MARTIN Tuesday night at 6 p.m. in the JCC youth lounge. BBYO/Teen Director Through several programming initiatives called “folds,” Hello. My name is Rachel Martin, and I am the new BBYO members are able to learn invaluable leadership BBYO/teen director. I grew up in Omaha, was a member of skills, participate in community service activities, travel, and BBG Ediar, and am passionate about providing exceptional meet friends locally, regionally, and nationally. experiences to Jewish BBYO brings Jewish teens in Omaha. My teens extraordinary involvements with the chapter programs that JCC, Temple Israel, promote brotherhood Camp Sabra, BBYO, and sisterhood, Hillel, and Birthright Judaism, creativity, Israel have provided social awareness, and, me with a multitude of of course, fun! meaningful Jewish Programs include experiences throughthemed dances; regionout my life. al conventions with I am very excited to Jewish teens from St. hold this position and I Louis, Kansas City and look forward to workMinnesota, overnight ing with BBYO parents Shabbat programs, the and teens. Our first opportunity to hold event, held Sunday, board positions, impleAug 10., was a trip to ment change and develWorlds of Fun in op leadership skills. Past and current Omaha Council BBYO members at the 2013 Backyard Kansas City. We took Each chapter has at Concert Series cupcake sale. 23 teens, and it was a least one adult volunblast! Stay tuned for more upcoming events, including the teer advisor to help teens exercise their leadership abilities Fall Regional Convention, held this year in Kansas City. At and to encourage meaningful and fun Jewish experiences. this convention, Omaha teens will connect with other BBYO BBYO welcomes all Jewish teens entering grades 9-12, and members in the Mid America Region from St. Louis, Kansas enrollment is open year-round. City and Minnesota. A one year membership is available for $75, and a four BBYO is the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. It is the year membership is available for $150. largest Jewish youth group in the world, with the first chapFor more information, contact Rachel Martin, ter originating in Omaha in 1924. Omaha hosts two AZA BBYO/Teen Director, at 402.334.6404 or by email at (Aleph Zadik Aleph) chapters for guys, and two BBG (B’nai rmartin@jccomaha.org. B’rith girls) chapters for girls. All four chapters meet every
Final film of Omaha Jewish Film Festival Direct: 402.334.7257 Cell: 402.630.8664 toni.rosen@cbshome.com
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by MARK KIRCHHOFF Administrative Assistant, The Center for Jewish Life With the number of positive comments received for the first three films of the 13th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival - Fill the Void, The Zigzag Kid, and Rue Mandar, the bar has been set very high to propose that the best has been saved for last – but that just might be the case. On Sunday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. in the JCC Theater the 13th Annual Jewish Film Festival comes to a close with the showing of Magic Men, a 2014 Israeli film written and directed by Guy Nattiv and Erez Tadmor with the screenplay collaboration of Sharon Maymon. The film tells the story of Avraham, a magician and Holocaust survivor who returns to Greece to try to find the man who sheltered him during World War II. Although he’s 78 years old, he wants to travel alone, but his family forces him to tolerate the company of his son, Yehuda, a devout Hassidic musician. Avraham is contemptuous of his son’s piety, which is in stark contrast with what appears to be his own atheism. But orthodox Yehuda is not quite as rigid as initial appearances suggest. As they begin their search, the pair receives help from a Greek prostitute, Maria, who is far more complex and engaging than one might otherwise expect. The film is applauded by critics for the writers having created “three distinctive, vivid characters.” Magic Men is also recognized for the casting of top quality actors to portray these characters. Avraham is played by Makram J. Khoury, an Israeli Arab, born May 30, 1945 in Jerusalem. He was the youngest artist and the first Arab to win the Israel Prize, the highest civic honor in Israel. (The recipients of the prize are Israeli citizens or organizations who have displayed excellence in their fields, or have contributed strongly to Israeli culture). He is one of the most accomplished and well-known Israeli Arab actors. Zohar Strauss plays the part of Yehuda. Zohar is an
Israeli theater, film and television actor. He won the Ophir Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2009 for his performance in the film Lebanon. Maria is played by Ariane Labed, a Greek-born French actress. She played in Attenberg, a Greek drama film nominated for the Golden Lion at the 67th Venice International Film Festival. Ariane was awarded the Coppa Volpi for the Best Actress for her performance. Magic Men is presented with intrigue, humor, and some tender moments. You are sure to enjoy celebrating the beauty of Greece and joining the festive singing and dancing characteristic of the country. And just beneath the surface you will feel the ever-present tension between father and son. Their mission in Greece provides the setting in which Avraham and Yehuda are forced to deal with their differences, come to learn more about each other and struggle to find common ground. The goal is easier to state than to accomplish. The appealing and adventurous Avraham can quickly be intolerant and disdainful. He can also be charming and engaging. When faced with what appears to be an insurmountable financial crisis, Avraham leads Yehuda in the ways of a street magician to meet the challenge. Ticket price for the movie is $8, payable at the door. (Israel, 2014, 100 minutes, Greek, Hebrew, English with English subtitles). The Jewish Film Festival is presented by The Center for Jewish Life as part of its mission to maximize involvement of Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences. The Film Festival is generously sponsored by the Todd and Betiana Simon Foundation and the Klutznick Fund for Jewish Civilization at Creighton University. Additional support is provided from the Henry Monsky Lodge of B’nai B’rith and the Avy L. and Roberta L. Miller Foundation by Lindsey Miller-Lerman. For more information please call 402.334.6463, or email mkirchh off@jewishomaha.org.
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August 22, 2014 | The Jewish Press | 5
For ex-WNBA chief Donna Orender, NBA breakthrough for women a show of respect by HILLEL KUTTLER BALTIMORE (JTA) – As a former WNBA president who played in what is considered the first U.S. professional basketball league for women, Donna Orender has been eager for a trailblazing female to join the National Basketball Association in a prominent role. So she was plenty pleased last week when the world champion San Antonio Spurs hired Becky Hammon, a point guard with the WNBA’s Stars of the Texas city, as a paid assistant coach – a first in NBA history. “Becky’s a special woman, a great player, a student of the game,” Orender said last week of the veteran backcourt ace. “I always thought that the real breakthrough would be a woman coaching in the NBA because it would indicate a real level of respect. I was always waiting for it.” Waiting and helping to pave the way. Orender, an All-America guard at Queens College, was one of the few to play all three seasons of the Women’s Professional Basketball League, from 1978 to 1981. She led the Women’s NBA from 2006 to 2011, enjoying “incredible respect amongst those of us in the business,” recently retired NBA Commissioner David Stern said. Now with a nonprofit organization, Generation W, she is mentoring girls and young women, including by hosting an annual forum of experts in politics, philanthropy, business and self-improvement. The group also provides guidance on getting into college and making a difference in the world through volunteerism. Orender, 57, serves on the boards of Maccabi USA and the V Foundation for Cancer Research (established in memory of collegiate basketball coach Jim Valvano), and was cochair of the Sports for Youth committee of the UJAFederation of New York. During Orender’s eight-year tenure, Sports for Youth more than tripled its annual fundraising, to $450,000 annually, said its director, Danielle Zalaznick. “She’s an amazing leader. She has very creative ideas,” Zalaznick said. Orender puts those ideas to use now as the principal of Orender Unlimited, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based firm that con-
ducts strategic planning and marketing for companies. Sports, however, remain central to her life. It was in that arena that Orender made her professional mark, despite setting out to be a social worker or sociologist.
Donna Orender
Becky Hammon
After doing research at ABC for such sportscasters as Jim Lampley and the venerable Jim McKay, Orender worked 17 years as an executive for the PGA Tour, the main organizer of professional golf tournaments primarily for men, before taking the reins of the WNBA. Established by the NBA nearly two decades ago, the WNBA remains the most prominent female sports league in the country. It was her track record from the playing and financial sides that appealed to Stern when he hired Orender for the post. Orender, he told JTA, understood basketball “from the ground up.” “She was a great basketball player. She was an early player in a league back then and has a passion for the game,” Stern said. “She was a ranking person in the PGA who got to know everything about our sponsorship and our business, and had an understanding of production and production values.” Ann Meyers Drysdale, a longtime friend with whom she starred in the backcourt of the WBL’s New Jersey Gems, says she and Olender still talk about the WNBA and its role in further advancing women’s athletics. Meyers Drysdale, a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, is an exec-
utive with both the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. For Orender, basketball also holds importance for her family and its Jewish identity through involvement in the Maccabi movement. “I love the game,” she said. “It’s a passion of mine. It helps me stay close to youth, Judaism, and also connect with my own kids.” Orender accompanied her 17-year-old twins, Zachary and Jacob, and their Maccabi USA youth team on a nine-game, 12-day trip earlier this summer to play Maccabi and club teams in London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Their itinerary included Jewish heritage sites and a game against a Dutch team of wheelchair-using athletes, with the able-bodied Americans also using wheelchairs. Basketball was a means of “spreading good will, developing relationships and meeting some of our Maccabi brethren overseas,” said Orender, who also has two stepchildren. Last summer, the Orender twins played in Israel in the Maccabiah, a quadrennial international sports festival, just as their mother had in 1985. As they entered Jerusalem’s Teddy Kollek Stadium for the opening ceremony, her sons grabbed Orender’s hand and said, “This must be a dream for you.” “It absolutely is,” she responded. Hammon, whose 15-year WNBA career will conclude this summer, was “one of my kids’ favorite players,” Orender said, and they saw Hammon in action numerous times when Orender led the WNBA. Mother and sons often shoot baskets and break down game film. Orender concedes that “it’s very hard” to keep mum during games and let the boys’ coaches do their jobs. She’ll offer help if they ask, and they do, often seeking tips on in-game strategy, shooting and making decisions on passing in the flow of a game, Orender said. She seems to revel in the entire sports experience. Orender recalls an Indiana Fever home playoff while serving as WNBA president when she climbed to the top rows and gazed upon the sold-out arena. “It was a very proud moment that really showcased the fan passion, the ability to grow a business, the athletes,” she said.
Education Coming September
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Beth Israel’s Summer Educational Series by RABBI YAAKOV WEISS for Beth Israel Synagogue At Beth Israel, the month of August has been filled with great programs and learning thanks to Project SEED. Project SEED is a Torah “peace corps” of hundreds of yeshiva students who volunteer during the summer to spread a love of Torah in hundreds of Jewish communities throughout the world. The SEED representatives have served as guest speakers on Shabbat and offered new and exciting learning opportunities during the summer. Among the many classes that Project SEED offered was one led by Rabbi Yechiel Munk during the kickoff of Beth Israel’s new “Bagels and Beit Midrash” weekly morning learning experience. The program will take place each Sunday immediately following Shacharit at 9 a.m. Rabbi Munk expressed his appreciation to Beth Israel and said, “This was an incredible experience of meeting and teaching at Beth Israel. I especially enjoyed getting to know the members of Beth Israel over Shabbat.” Additionally during “Bagels and Beit Midrash,” teens took part in a discussion led by two of the Project SEED guests while younger children were treated to a craft activity. During the week, “Lunch & Learns” took place both at the Nebraska Medical Center and the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and SEED participants were available to learn with community members one-onone. On the heels of Project SEED, members of the St. Louis Kollel, Rabbi Yaakov Kowalsky and Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz, along with their families, will be at Beth Israel for Shabbat, Aug. 22-24. Rabbi Berkowitz is a sought-after speaker throughout St. Louis. His wife Rivka helps lead “Kulanu Yachad,” a national Jewish outreach program engaging Jews from all backgrounds to study their rich heritage. Rabbi Kowalsky helps lead the St. Louis Kollel’s Torah and Turf program which infuses the importance of Torah study with the tenacity of flag football. His wife Shoshana currently heads the “Eishes Chayil” Women’s Division of the St. Louis Kollel and has captured the hearts and
minds of many women in the community. Shabbat events will start off with a special Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat at 7:15 p.m. with spirited singing, dancing and ruach to welcome Shabbat. A traditional Shabbat dinner will follow services. The cost for the dinner is $12.50 for adults and $6 for children ages 4-12. Reservations can be made through the synagogue office by calling 402.556.6288. Shabbat morning will feature a sermon by Rabbi Berkowitz. Following Kiddush, Rabbi
Kowalsky will present a lecture on “Jewish Thought”. Shoshana Kowalsky and Rivka Berkowitz will lead a discussion for women Shabbat afternoon at 5 p.m. at the home of Kathy and Harry Weiner. Contact the synagogue for address. Before mincha, Rabbi Berkowitz will present a class entitled “A Taste of Lomdus: A Classical Methodology of Jewish Learning” at 6:40 p.m. Shabbat events will conclude with a roundtable discussion with Rabbis Berkowitz and Kowalsky at Seudah Shlishit following mincha at 7:40 p.m. Concluding the weekend events will be a discussion by Rabbi Kowalsky beginning at 10 a.m. during Sunday’s “Bagels & Beit Midrash” on the topic “10 Questions to Ponder Regarding Proper Respect for Sacred Books.” Taking place during the Hebrew month of Av, the Beth Israel’s Summer Educational Series is leading to the month of Elul. Elul is devoted to preparing for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The first blowing of the shofar, on Rosh Chodesh Elul, will take place at 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27 during Shacharit services. All events are open to the community. For more information, please call the synagogue office at 402.556.6288.
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by OZZIE NOGG L.O.V.E. (League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly) will welcome new officers and board members at a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m. in the RBJH Board Room. Josh Gurock, Director of Operations at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, will conduct the installation. Linda Cogen, Volunteer Coordinator, organized the event. Refreshments will be served and the community is invited to the ceremony. “We’re happy to have Mike Shrago and Mark Kazor as our co-presidents-elect,” said Jim Wax, current LO.V.E. president. “They’ll take office in July of 2015. We also welcome Lois Wine and Dottie Rosenblum to the board, and say thank you to Renee Kazor who leaves the board after many years of service.” Current L.O.V.E. board members are: Judy Brookstein, (past president and Gift Shop co-chair); Beth Friedman (secretary); Dora Goldstrom, Howard Kaplan, Les Kay, Mark Lippiett, Vicki Perlmeter, Jim Polock, Ricki Skog (membership chair); Shelley Stern,
Sheila Tomps and Esther Wax, (treasurer). Judy Brookstein, Jim Wax and Lois Wine, (who co-chairs the L.O.V.E. Gift Shop), served as the 2015 nominating committee.
L.O.V.E. was formed in 1971 and continues to be play a vital role at the Blumkin Home. “Current L.O.V.E. volunteers assist with many of our programs,” said Linda Cogen, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Volunteer Coordinator, “and there is always a need for additional volunteers. If you have an interest in giving the precious gift of your time, please call to schedule an appointment and visit with me to find your niche.” Linda can be reached at 402.334.6519.
August 22, 2014 | The Jewish Press | 7
Jerusalem: 3 faiths, 2 peoples, 1 city initiates 2014-2015 CJL Programs by MARK KIRCHHOFF Administrative Assistant, The Center for Jewish Life Dr. Curtis Hutt, Assistant Professor of Judaic Studies at UNO, begins the first of his three-part educational series for the Center for Jewish Life on Monday, Sept. 8 from 7-8 p.m. in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library. Subsequent classes will be held on Sept. 15 and 22. Dr. Hutt comes wellequipped to speak on a variety of topics. He received his Ph.D. in Religion and Critical Thought from Brown
University. He has two additional graduate degrees – one in Philosophy and another in the history of religion, focusing on Judaism during the Second Commonwealth Period and the earliest Christianities. He teaches courses in “Judaic Studies” and the “Methods and Phenomena in Religious Studies” at UNO. He has also taught upper level classes on Jerusalem, Christians and Israel, Apocalypticism, and Holy Land Pilgrimages. He is presently Special Projects Coordinator at UNO’s Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies. So what inspired Hutt to focus three educational sessions on Jerusalem? “I have always been intrigued by the city,” he relates. “It is one of the oldest cities of the world dating back
to King David in 1004 BCE. That’s a long time, and for me, as an historian, I can easily become immersed in all there is to discover.” But one need not go back in time to feel the importance and vibrancy of the city. Hutt chose the title “Jerusalem: 3 Faiths, 2 Peoples, 1 City” for other reasons as well. Jerusalem is considered holy to 3 major religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; 2 peoples – Israelis and Palestinians – claim Jerusalem as their capital; all this in 1 city located on a plateau in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. The status of Jerusalem remains as one of the core issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In describing the class, Hutt explained “Inscribed on the buildings and streets of Jerusalem are three thousand years of religious history. In this class, we will review the history of the city, its holy sites and people. We will conclude with a close look at Jerusalem today.” He smiled and added, “The fact that I lived in Jerusalem since 1984 and that my wife is from there might influence my choice of topics as well.” In response from those who are unable to attend daytime classes, the Center for Jewish Life is pleased to offer this evening class to the community. “We are committed to finding a number of ways to provide Jewish educational experiences to the community. A class in this time period fits the schedules of many people, and with a topic with such wide appeal, we anticipate that many will register and attend,” explained Beth Cohen, Executive Director for the Center for Jewish Life. This is the first of several educational programs that CJL is planning for 2014-2015. “We strive to provide the best programming each year and listen to the suggestions of participants in developing our programs,” said Cohen. Dr. Curtis Hutt’s class will prove to be a fitting start for this year’s offerings. Mark your calendar for Sept. 8, 15, 22 at 7 p.m. to meet in the Kripke Jewish Federation Library for this class. The fee for this series of three classes is $26 which is reduced to $21 for those in good standing with their contri-
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bution to the Annual Campaign of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Contact Mark at 402.334.6463 or mkirchhoff@jewishomaha.org to register for the class. “Jerusalem: 3 Faiths, 2 Peoples, 1 City” is presented by the Center for Jewish Life as part of its mission to maximize involvement of Omaha's Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and meaningful Jewish experiences.
Births Lauren (Paley) and Seth Topek of Houston announce the Aug. 5 birth of their son, Isadore (Izzy) Arthur. He is named for grandfathers, Rabbi Isadore Garsek and Arthur Paley, and grandmother, Helen Topek. He has two sisters, Nora and Ella. Grandparents are Susan and Dennis Paley, and Barbi and Stanley Topek of Houston. Great-grandmother is Joan Rips. Dr. David and Jessica Zalkin of Denver announce the July 4 birth of their daughter Esther Shayna. She is named for her great-grandmothers, the late Evelyn Esther Flaxer, and the late Selma Engorn. Her siblings are Shmuel Yekusiel, Emunah Menucha, and Avraham Yehuda. Grandparents are former Omahans Mark and Susan Zalkin of Denver, Harold Miller of Houston, and Nancy Eckman of Spring Grove, PA. Her great grandparents were the late Allen and Monie Zalkin of Denver and the late Dr. Carl and Evelyn Flaxer of Denver.
Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Speaker to be announced for Wednesday, Aug. 27, noon, at the Rose Blumkin Jewish 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.
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8 | The Jewish Press | August 22, 2014
Point of view
American Jewish Press Association Award Winner
Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008
Keeping our eyes wide open ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor For years, I have wondered what life was like for Jews in the 1920s and ’30s. Did they see the world around them slowly and steadily becoming more hostile, less welcoming? Did their necks itch with a sense of foreboding? And for those who left Europe in time, at what point did they decide enough was enough? How many discussions did they have about what was happening, how many seemingly isolated anti-Semitic attacks did they suffer before it became too much? It’s a difficult topic to address, because too often it leads to at least a partial blaming of the victims. As in: How did they not see this coming? Why didn’t they do anything about it? As if the ability to adequately predict the depth of hatred and depravity in others is the victims’ responsibility, and if that responsibility is ignored, then you kind of had it coming. Anti-Semites the world over have ascribed to this line of thinking for many decades, and so it is incredibly difficult for us to ask the question -- never mind answer it. Yet, as we watch the news in 2014, we have to ask ourselves: are we reaching the tipping point? If not now, when? As often as we have repeated the words “never again,” we, in the back of our minds, simultaneously have to wonder: What if? A Brooklyn Rabbi was murdered on his way to shul while on vacation in Miami; during his funeral, a mourner’s car was defaced with a swastika. A Swedish newspaper published a cartoon talking about “gassing the wrong Jews,” and then, of course, apologized profusely. A French deputy mayor refused the name change of a small village called “Mort Aux Juifs” (death to the Jews). Starbucks came out with an adamant statement that the company does not provide financial support to Israel. Flyers in Rome called for the boycott of Jewish-owned stores. In the northern Italian town
of Gorizia, someone scrawled the phrase “Judey pigs we will kill you a lot” on the wall of the synagogue. A Dutch hotelier was forced by authorities to apologize after canceling a reservation by Israeli tourists because he blames them for the war. The president of Canada’s Green Party was forced to
resign after publicly defending Israel’s right to defend itself. A Jewish school in Copenhagen no longer allows its students to wear Kippot, as a preventative measure. A New Zealand lawmaker called his opponent a “Shylock.” In Sidney, Australia, five teens were arrested for threatening Jewish students on a school bus. Perth’s only Jewish school was spray painted with the words “Zionist Scum.” South African Authorities announced they will prosecute citizens who serve in the IDF. All these incidents happened within a week of each other; on any given day, the inboxes of Jewish editors everywhere are flooded with similar stories. It never, ever ends. And still we keep using that word: incidents. When, really, they are so
much more than that. The war with Gaza is not the cause, as so many seem to think, of this latest upsurge in antiSemitism. The Anti-Zionism expressed in Facebook posts, in so-called pro-Palestinian demonstrations and fiery editorials are no more than poorly veiled anti-Semitism. These are the symptoms of a hatred that exists just beneath the surface, forever ready to pounce. In an interview with Jeffrey Goldberg for The Atlantic, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized the “enormous international reaction” against Israel, and called it “uncalled for and unfair,” especially compared to the more tepid responses to the far greater death toll in Syria and Russian aggression against Ukraine. “You can’t ever discount anti-Semitism,” she also said. “Especially with what’s going on in Europe today.” (Source: JTA) Clinton is right; the current criticism against Israel is absolutely fueled by anti-Semitism. If it weren’t, those demonstrations, proclamations and boycotts would look very different. When people outside of Israel criticize Israel’s behavior in Gaza, they don’t protest against Arab Christians, Copts, or Bedouins. They don’t protest against Arab Muslims, Christian Missionaries, Catholics, Maronites, Druze or Armenians. They are protesting against the Jews, plain and simple. And so, getting back to my original question: what did the world look like in the 1920s and ’30s? I imagine it looked much the same. With one major difference: we have a homeland. And it may not be perfect, and not everything that happens during a war is perfectly planned or executed, but that is what war is. That is what happens when you attack a country with rockets, and base your operations in civilian areas, as Hamas has done. Israel is going to continue to defend itself, because we don’t need to imagine the alternative. It is all too clear.
Wanna kill me? Take a number
Behind the headlines CNAAN LIPHSHIZ (JTA) -- My friend Alain Azria gave me a puzzled look when I told him, with some indignation and disbelief in my voice, that I had just heard talk of killing Jews at an unauthorized anti-Israel demonstration last month in Paris. A young black man with a Parisian accent told a dozen friends loudly, but without shouting, “OK, guys. Let’s go hunt some Jews.” His friend answered, “Let’s break their heads.” To which the first speaker replied, “Catch them fast, kill them slow.” The group blended into a mass of thousands of people who were marching toward the Gare du Nord train station while shouting slogans accusing Israel of genocide. My shock stemmed from the fact that while anti-Semitic violence accounts for a fair share of my reporting here in Europe, I have personally been insulated from it -- perhaps because I live in Holland, where such occurrences are rarer, or maybe because I had lived most of my life in Israel, where one receives only a theoretical understanding of the phenomenon. But for Alain, a freelance news photographer who specializes in documenting France’s anti-Semitism problem, this was just another day at the office. Which is to say he didn’t really have time for my astonished discovery of the banal. “OK, OK, welcome to Paris. Now let’s move it along,” he said as he took us on a shortcut designed to reach the station before the procession. Over the course of the following fortnight, as Israel’s fight against Hamas in Gaza continued to fan the already considerable flames of anti-Semitic violence and incitement across
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the continent, I would come to better understand Alain’s apparent nonchalance at the hate fest he was documenting. This understanding came through frequent visits to Paris -- including the scene of one attempted pogrom -- and discussions with professed anti-Semites there. But it also grew out of observing unprecedented phenomena gripping the area around my own home in The Hague that the Dutch media have dubbed “the Sharia triangle.” Shocked by how acceptable anti-Semitism has become in France, I was glad to be back home in the Netherlands, a country where I chose to settle in part because of its strong tradition of tolerance. But in Schilderswijk, my neighborhood of The Hague where roughly half the population is Muslim, hundreds demonstrated three times since July 7 at rallies that featured flags of the ISIS terrorist group and calls to slaughter the Jews. On Sunday, the protesters were back on the street, hurling stones at police. Central to my understanding of the banalization of antiSemitic violence in Europe were the July 20 riots in Sarcelles, a northern suburb of Paris with many Muslims but with a Jewish population large enough to earn it the nickname of “little Jerusalem.” There I saw riot police fending off a predominantly Arab mob that, unable to reach the main local synagogue, had smashed the windows of Jewish and non-Jewish businesses while chanting “death to the Jews” in Arabic and French. The avenue leading to the synagogue was shrouded in a cloud of tear gas and black smoke that rose from several fires that crackled on the asphalt and tram tracks. Nearby, rioters hurled a firebomb at a synagogue, resulting in little damage. It was the ninth assault on a French synagogue since July 8, when Israel's military operation against Hamas began.
The temporary breakdown of the rule of law may seem strange to many Americans, but it is normal in France, where police often opt to contain rather than bust illegal behavior by Arabs from the suburbs of large cities -- to “let sleeping dogs lie,” as Sammy Ghozlan, a French former police commissioner and founder of the National Bureau of Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism, told me. “We call these areas ‘the lost territories’ because they are no-go areas for police, who fear the escalation of a minor incident into a repeat of the 2005 riots,” he said. “You have such areas in Israel, too,” he reminded me. More than the breakdown of public order, I was surprised by the drilled response of local Jews. Within minutes of the eruption of the riots in Sarcelles, 100 of them gathered with baseball bats and other weapons. Surrounding the besieged synagogue, they started singing the French anthem. I asked several of them when they began relying on their own strength for their defense. The older ones said it has been like this for many years. The teenagers added, “Since forever.” Stuck at the train station of Sarcelles -- the riots disrupted train traffic, and taxi drivers generally avoid the area after dark -- I overheard an Algerian man explaining to a Congolese woman that it was the Jews of Sarcelles who struck first. "Like always, first they attack or steal or kill, then they bring the media to lie about it,” said the man, who identified himself to me as Mohammed abu-Chaich, a security guard at Charles de Gaulle Airport. “I hate Jews, I’m not ashamed to say it. "They initiated the war in Algeria just to kill Arabs,” abuChaich, who is in his 40s, told me of his country’s civil war, waged by Islamists. “Hitler killed them for similar reasons,” he added loudly as others around him nodded approvingly. Continued on page 9
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August 22, 2014 | The Jewish Press | 9
Ebbing support for Israel among key groups stirring alarm
Behind the headlines RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA) Polls conducted in late July by Gallup and the Pew Research Center found that support for Israel is weaker among younger Americans and Democrats than among Americans generally. Add to that the results of a recent focus group culled from 12 congressional staffers -- a small but very influential cohort -- and pro-Israel activists are worried about the long-term sustainability of broad U.S. support for Israel in Congress. Last Friday, a select group of Jewish institutions was sent a confidential summary of the staffers discussing the recent Gaza conflict. The tone was one of alarm. “Congress is supposed to be our fortress,” wrote authors Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi and Meagan Buren, the founder and a former top aide, respectively, at The Israel Project. “While Israel faces Hamas tunnels, it appears that the negativity and lack of support among young people is tunneling its way into congressional offices, even while the congressmen and senators remain steadfast on the surface.” Among the statements the dozen congressional staffers agreed on: “Israel attacked Gaza in a wild overreaction.” “It’s Groundhog Day every 18 months, perennial conflict, doesn’t seem like anyone wants peace anymore.” [The Israeli government is] “not peace loving.” Several JTA interviews with staffers for pro-Israel lawmakers suggested that the Mizrahi report’s conclusion is on target. “On the Hill and with some people with whom I have spoken who are robust Israel supporters, people are concerned if not angry,” one of the staffers, a Democrat, told JTA. All the staffers spoke to JTA on condition of anonymity. They cited a combination of factors alienating the once solid pro-Israel base among Democrats, including the distance from Israel’s era of crises in the 1960s and 1970s, anger at how the Netanyahu government has handled its relationship with the Obama administration, weariness of a decade of U.S. involvement in wars and the plain orneriness of younger people. The Mizrahi report was distributed on the final day of a
week of pro-Israel initiatives on Capitol Hill. Late that day, 20 minutes short of 10 p.m. Friday, members of the U.S. House of Representatives headed to the floor for a roll call on $225 million in extra funding for Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system. It was the end of the session, time to head home for the August recess. Last trains had gone, flights were missed, aides were busy booking Saturday travel, but few Congress members would dare miss a critical pro-Israel tally. The appropriation passed 395-8 at 10:03 p.m. Earlier in the day, down the hall in the Senate, Democrats and Republicans set aside partisan differences and stripped away wish-list amendments from their own versions of the Iron Dome appropriation to pass it as a stand-alone. At the end of the day, the $225 million was seen as too critical to subject to the polarization that besets just about every other congressional initiative. In other pro-Israel actions last week, the Senate and House of Representatives unanimously passed non-binding resolutions condemning Hamas for firing its missiles from among civilians, and the Senate unanimously passed a resolution condemning the U.N. Human Rights Council for launching an inquiry into Israel’s conduct in the war. The measure had bipartisan backing of the Senate leadership. Meanwhile, the results of the Mizrahi focus group and recent polls suggested that support for Israel during the war was far weaker among younger Americans and Democrats. In a Pew poll conducted July 24-27, 29 percent of adults aged 18-29 held Israel more responsible for the conflict and 21 percent blamed Hamas. Liberal Democrats were evenly divided, with 30 percent each assigning blame to Israel and Hamas. For now, one Democratic staffer told JTA, the influence on Capitol Hill of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, guarantees traditional levels of support for Israel in the foreseeable future. “The way politics is played, you’re not going to see changes short and middle term,” the staffer said. “In the very long term, I fear you won’t have pro-Israel lawmakers as much as lawmakers who follow expedience.” The key, veteran Democratic pollster Mark Mellman says,
is educating younger Democrats. “We’ve seen for quite a while that young people and Democrats are less supportive,” Mellman said. “That doesn’t mean they’re anti-Israel. It means they’re less pro-Israel, less knowledgeable.” Mellman said Democrats were likelier than Republicans to recoil at the images generated by the recent Gaza fighting. “The threshold among Democrats for the use of military force is much higher,” he said. “That’s a function of general attitudes toward war, and what many Democrats think have been failed enterprises in Iraq and Afghanistan.” AIPAC’s pitch to students is more apt to include pro-Israel students from traditionally black colleges, Obama voters and feminists, said a former senior Senate aide who is familiar with the lobby’s strategies. “They know they have a problem; they’re working on it,” the former staffer said. “Go to their events for students and you’re likelier to see a female rabbi who identifies as progressive. You’ll see black pastors.” A third Democratic staffer said pro-Israel groups had to quit their centrist comfort zone when it comes to both parties. “It’s a huge mistake for the mainstream pro-Israel community to abandon outreach to progressive Democrats and libertarian Republicans,” the staffer said. “Today’s grassroots activists are tomorrow’s candidates.” The tensions between the Obama and Netanyahu governments have been counterproductive, a senior Democratic strategist added. The congressional staffers interviewed by JTA talked about several ways to increase pro-Israel sentiment among their ranks, such as recruiting young leaders for trips to Israel. One staffer noted the effectiveness of Israeli U.S. Ambassador Ron Dermer’s practice during the war of beginning meetings with congressional staffers by displaying a phone app that sounds each time an incoming rocket alarm is sounded in Israel -- and leaving it on for the duration of the meeting, during which it would sound several times. “These are staffers that grew up in an anti-war climate and are not seeing the same threats the Israeli people do every day,” the staffer said. “Hearing the red alert on his phone, that really speaks to staffers and members.”
Jewish anti-Zionism? Not in our name
Focus on issues BEN COHEN (JNS.org) I recently journeyed to Columbus Circle in Manhattan to savor the atmosphere at two rival demonstrations over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. On one side, by the entrance to Central Park, and adjacent to the hot dog stands and “I Love NYC” souvenir outlets, I found about 60 or so pro-Israel demonstrators. The sky was gray and leaden, the humidity threatened a thunderstorm, and the news coming out of Israel was pretty bleak, but their mood veered in the joyous direction. They danced and sang, they recited prayers for the IDF’s fallen soldiers, and they held signs that were -- dare I say it -- almost kumbaya-like in their tone. There was no anger and no hate, but rather a series of appeals to behave rationally and with humanity. “For Real Peace, Gaza Needs Good Education, Not Bombs,” read one message. “Israel Left Gaza For Peace,” declared another, almost imploringly. As I read these and similar signs, I imagined the response these demonstrators would encounter outside the 59th St. subway station, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators were now gathering. The word “naive” would be the least of it, I reflected. As if on cue, a car whizzed around Columbus Circle, with one of the passengers brandishing a Palestinian flag out of the window. Over the din of the traffic and the songs and chants of the pro-Israel demonstrators, I heard a voice from inside the car boom in our direction, “F**k YOU!” As the afternoon wore into the evening, I crossed the street to see what was happening on the Palestinian side. The turnout was smaller than I’d expected -- 600 at most -- but there was a tangible feeling of anger. Someone was yelling “Allahu Akhbar!” into a megaphone and plenty of banners with slogans like “End Aid to the RACIST State of Israel” and “Israel is an Apartheid State” were on display. For a few minutes, I spoke to a man holding a sign reading, “Zionism threatens us all.” He was polite and cordial but predictable, his remarks to me peppered with catchphrases like “wealthy Jews” and claims such as “9/11 was chiefly an attack on U.S. support for Israel.” I surveyed this crowd and saw Arab and south Asian Muslims, solemn-looking Quakers, and younger hipsters wearing what can only be described as terror chic -- faces covered with keffiyehs and t-shirts emblazoned with ultra-radical declarations. But most of all I saw my own people. The Jews. These Jews, I hasten to add, were “good” Jews, unlike me and probably you. That was apparent from their Jewish
Voice for Peace stickers and from their signs such as “No war on Palestinians, NOT IN OUR NAME.” In terms of age, they were much older than I’d expected, baby boomers still nostalgic for the days of hippiedom. Once they had Vietnam, I thought to myself. Now they have “Palestine.” Although I’ve been writing about Jewish anti-Zionism for
A recent pro-Israel demonstration in Manhattan's Columbus Circle which went up against an adjacent anti-Israel demonstration. Credit: Ben Cohen years, there is always something disturbing about encountering it in the flesh. Palestine differs from Vietnam, in the sense that it’s an issue these folks feel a connection to by dint of rejecting the Jewish state as Jews. Indeed, they’ve built an identity around it -- their Judaism is expressed in a manner in which they separate themselves from other Jews. It’s also important to understand that these demonstrators are not affiliated with J Street or with American Friends of Peace Now or similar groups. Many of them would probably find Peter Beinart, the American Jewish columnist who has reinvented himself as (he thinks) the voice of the decent Jewish conscience, a little too vanilla. What they have embraced is the non-violent (they think) route to ridding the world of its only Jewish state: boycotts, Passover seders dedicated to the Palestinian struggle, endless rhetorical condemnations of Zionism. It is, one might argue, a little like a cult. And like many of the cults that come and eventually go, this one is apparently in a growth phase. At least that’s what Rebecca Vilkomerson, the head of Jewish Voice for Peace, told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz in a recent interview. We may find that the “pro-Israel, pro-peace” Jewish left, which was all the rage five years ago, is eclipsed and ren-
dered irrelevant. More American Jews are understanding that every time Israel is compelled to defend its own citizens, the cries of “genocide!” will surely follow -- and that is a cry they reject decisively. Equally, a smaller but still visible number will continue to organize themselves as the Jewish section of the movement to abolish the Jewish state. Any debate over how to regard these organizations shouldn’t encourage comparisons with J Street. For all my strong disagreements with J Street, I believe they are committed to a two-state solution. I cannot say the same about Jewish Voice for Peace and those of the same ilk. They are, quite simply, the enemy, and we must guard against them. They have embraced anti-Zionist eliminationism in the name of Judaism. For that reason, while I still -- just about -- believe that peace between Israel and the Palestinians is possible, I cannot envisage making peace with the Jewish haters of Israel. Why do I say that? Because betrayal by a brother always hurts more than the venom of a declared enemy. Whenever they shout “NOT IN OUR NAME,” we should remind them that their name is not our name. Not anymore. Ben Cohen is the Shillman Analyst for JNS.org and a contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Commentary, Haaretz, and other publications. His book, Some Of My Best Friends: A Journey Through Twenty-First Century Antisemitism (Edition Critic, 2014), is now available through Amazon.
Wanna kill me? Continued from page 8 Feeling sad from my conversation with abu-Chaich (I didn’t tell him I was Jewish), I went into a Cameroonian restaurant for dinner. It wasn’t long before I ended up chatting with some of the patrons about Africa -- a continent where I have worked and which I love. Ten minutes into the conversation, two of my interlocutors invited me to stay with them during my next visit to Yaounde. I was feeling tipsy from the cheap banana beer and happy to have my new Cameroonian friends restore my faith in mankind when one of them began speaking hopefully of the bright future that lay ahead for his country when it finally taps its massive reserves of liquid gas. “It will be heaven,” he said. “I just hope the Jews don’t take it away from us like they did in Germany before Hitler used that gas to kill them.”
10 | The Jewish Press | August 22, 2014
Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 |712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com Looking for something different? Join us for our High Holiday services. We welcome back Jeffrey Taxman to lead our services. Our speakers for the High Holidays are Dr. Rami Arav on Erev Rosh Hashanah, Dr. Oliver Pollak on Rosh Hashanah morning, Dr. Leonard Greenspoon on Kol Nidre and Marti Nerenston on Yom Kippur. You’re always welcome at B’nai Israel!
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: Lunch at the NE AIDS Project, 11:30 a.m.; Beth El brings Shabbat to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Services, 9:30 a.m.; Mini-minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m. followed by BESTT Havdalah and Icre Cream Blowout. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m.; The Strange Customs of Modern Day Jews, 10 a.m. with Andy Greenberg. TUESDAY: Women’s Rosh Hodesh Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at It’s Your Pottery, 2518 S. 132nd St. WEDNESDAY: Choir Practice, 7:30 p.m. USY Camping, Sunday, Aug. 31, 3 p.m. at Platte State Park. Cooking/Serving Dinner, Sunday, Aug. 31, 5:30 p.m. at the Stephens Center. 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. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv/Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:15 p.m. followed by Friday Night Dinner. SATURDAY: Saint Louis Kollel visits Omaha; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Shabbat morning sermon by Rabbi Berkowitz; Shabbat morning lecture after Kiddush by Rabbi Kowalsky; Women’s class by Shoshana Kowalsky and Rivka Berkowitz, 5 p.m. at the home of Kathy and Harry Weiner; A Taste of Lomdus: A Classical Methodology of Jewish learning, 6:40 p.m. by Rabbi Berkowitz; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:40 p.m. with a round table discussion with Rabbis Berkowitz and Kowalsky; Ma’ariv/Havdalah, 8:55 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Bagels and Beit Medrash with Rabbi Kowalsky: 10 questions to ponder about sacred books, 10 a.m.; Sunday Night Dinner BBQ, 6 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.
TUESDAY: Shacharit/Rosh Chodesh, 6:45 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Shacharit/Rosh Chodesh Elul: First Shofar blowing - preparing for Rosh Hashanah, 6:45 a.m. THURSDAY: UNMC Chaburah with SEED, 1 p.m.
CHABAD HOUSE An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street | Omaha, NE 68144-1646 | 402.330.1800 www.OChabad.com | email: chabad@aol.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m SATURDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m. SUNDAY: Minyan, 8:30 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m. TUESDAY: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office. WEDNESDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. In memory of Forrest Krutter -- Efrayim Menachem Ben Avraham Yitzchak. THURSDAY: Women’s Study at UNMC with Shani Katzman, noon. RSVP by emailing Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@unmc.edu. All programs are open to the entire community.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN South Street Temple | Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street | Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 | 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. with oneg following hosted by Stacy Balter. SATURDAY: Breakfast hosted by the GrossbartHenkelmann family and Family Shabbat Service, 9:30 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Re’eh SUNDAY: Meet Your Neighbor Class, 4 p.m. Free of charge. Please sign up by calling the South Street Temple office at 402.435.8004 or email office@southstreettemple. org; Cantillation Class, 6 p.m. TUESDAY: Star City Kochavim Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY: High Holiday Choir Rehearsal, 7:30-9 p.m. As part of the Temple’s 130th anniversary celebration, we want to reach as many former members and clergy as possible. Are you in touch with someone who used to attend? With kids who grew up and moved away? With friends or family with Temple connections? If so, please give their contact information to Barb Straus at barbstraus@gmail.com.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road | Offutt AFB, NE 68123 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
Candlelighting Friday, August 22, 7:55 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m. led by Beth El. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m. led by Andy Greenberg. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.
TEMPLE ISRAEL Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive | Omaha, NE 68144-1206 | 402.556.6536 http://templeisraelomaha.com FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Azriel and Cantor Shermet. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. Zachary Arnold, son of Brenda and Barton Arnold, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah; OTYG Rush Picnic and Zoo Scavenger Hunt, 12:45 p.m. Meet in the Temple Israel parking lot at 12:45 a.m. The bus will be leaving at noon and heading to the Henry Doorly Zoo. We will return to Temple Israel at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $15 and includes bus ride, admission, lunch & snacks. You may want to bring spending money if you want souvenirs or other snacks. Please RSVP to Nikki Flatowicz, nflatowicz@templeisraelomaha.com or 402.312.9822. SUNDAY: First Day of Religious School: Bagel Breakfast for everyone, 9:30 a.m.; Open Assembly, 10 a.m.; Parents and students meet the teachers, 10:20 a.m.; Parents head to Parent Orientation in the Social Hall, 10:45 a.m.; Parent Orientation meeting, 11 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6 p.m.; Family Night, 6 p.m.; Re-Jew Vination with Stephanie Grossman, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Adult Study with the clergy Elul, 10 a.m. with Cantor Shermet.
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: Fifth Annual new Member Dinner and Shabbat, 6:15 p.m. A hotdog dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. with Kabbalat Shabbat services beginning at 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a Kiddush luncheon. SUNDAY: Open Board Meeting, 4 p.m. with special guest, Alan Potash, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League-Plain States Region. He will speak about our OWN security needs at Tifereth Israel during these troubled times. Childcare will be provided. Jewish Book Club, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2 p.m. at South Street Temple and will discuss The Fortunateteller’s Kiss by Brenda Seratte. Please contact Stephanie Dohner with any questions.
The Left urges peace by EDGAR ASHER Several thousand left-wing Israelis attended a rally in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv this evening to urge the government to resume peace talks with the Palestinian unity government. The Palestinian unity government includes representatives from Hamas. The left-wing Meretz party leader Zehava Gal-On told the crowd that she thinks that (Prime Minister Binyamin) Netanyahu should quit because he has failed to bring peace to the south of the country. She also said that in her view Israel should end the occupation of the West Bank and lift the blockade of Gaza. The author David Grossman, also an avowed left wing activist, told the crowd that Israel will be unable to have a military solution to the struggle with Hamas. The majority of Israelis look upon the extreme left as being completely out of touch with reality. In fact this rally was scheduled to have been held last week but had to be postponed because of threats from Hamas that they would fire rockets onto Tel Aviv. Several centrist and right-wing organizations that support the government’s handling of the present crises regarded the rally as a ‘colossal failure’. They say that the fact that over ten different left-wing organizations sponsored the rally, the turnout was not so impressive. The real concern is that any substantial number of Israeli left-wing activists called for
The left-wing peace rally in Tel Aviv on August 16 such a rally at a time when Hamas threatens to resume rocket attacks on Israel in a matter of days unless their demands are met. Hamas among other things are demanding the opening of a seaport and airport and for the free flow of goods into the strip. None of these demands could be accepted by Israel under the present situation. Another point is that the Israeli left will not acknowledge the fact that their ‘peace initiatives’ encourages the critics of Israel abroad to adopt their one-sided irrational condemna-
Credit: Edgar Asher tion of Israeli actions in Gaza, as well as encouraging organizations, such as the United Nations, to initiate their absurd myopic investigations into Israel’s actions into Gaza. These investigations are in part in place of asking UNWRA why their premises were being used for the storage and firing of rockets? It may never occurred to the Israeli left-wing that also right-wing and centrists might also have a desire for a long-term peace, but without giving in to blatant terrorism.
Pulverente MONUMENT CO.
August 22, 2014 | The Jewish Press | 11
In memoriam ISSAC “MARK” KLEIN Former Omahan Isaac “Mark” Klein passed away on Aug. 9 at age 64 in Merriam, KS. Services were held on Aug. 11 at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. He is survived by his nephew Aaron Klein and fianceé Joy Krogtorp; many great friends who loved and cared for him. He was a member of B’nai B’rith. Memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation.
Where Jews of color go to ‘feel normal’ at summer camp by REBECCA SPENCE PETALUMA, Calif. (JTA) -- On a cool Sunday evening, Jewish campers with nervous smiles took to the stage one by one to perform poems they had composed on the theme of identity. One girl riffed on being taunted for having “fuzzy eyebrows” and “bushy hair.” Another rhymed about being told “You don’t look Jewish” too many times to count. If this doesn’t sound like your typical summer camp fare, it’s because Camp Be’chol Lashon has a markedly different mandate than most Jewish camps. Nestled in the misty hills of Marin County, the northern California camp is the country’s only Jewish sleepaway camp geared to Jews of color. “Part of the goal is to make these kids feel normal in a Jewish context,” said Diane Tobin, the founder and executive director of the camp’s parent organization, the San Francisco-based nonprofit Be’chol Lashon, which promotes racial, ethnic and cultural diversity in Jewish life. Tobin, 61, and her late husband, the eminent Jewish demographer Gary Tobin, founded the nonprofit in 2000, three years after adopting an African-American son. Now entering its sixth season, the organization’s camp integrates traditional Jewish practice with educational activities that speak to the diversity of Jewish life around the globe. Each morning, after the more typical fare of Wiffle ball and field sports, campers gather clues about the country they will “travel” to that day before going through “Customs” and having their makeshift passports stamped. Throughout the day, between kayaking and swimming in the pond, campers make food and crafts inspired by the particular country they are “visiting.” During a JTA visit to the camp, campers spent an afternoon writing poems in an art room decorated with cultural items they had made, including woven baskets from Mexico and feathered raffia masks from Colombia. Aaron Levy Samuels, a New York-based black-Jewish performance poet, had flown in for the day to facilitate the poetry workshop. Samuels, 25, whose first poetry collection, “Yarmulkes & Fitted Caps,” was published last fall by Write Bloody Publishing, said that growing up in Rhode Island, he and his brother were the only two black kids at their local synagogue. The son of an African-American, Samuels said he identified with the struggles that Be’chol Lashon campers were going through and wished he could have attended such a camp. Maia Campbell, 14, of San Francisco, who has attended Be’chol Lashon since its founding, echoed that sentiment. “It’s been really cool because my synagogue is basically all white people,” said Campbell, whose mother is AfricanAmerican. “So I saw that there are other people like me.” The camp is not just for Jews of color, as evinced by one white camper’s poem about her identity as a “nerdy Jewish girl.” It’s also very much a family affair. Tobin’s son, Jonah, is a junior counselor and her daughter, Sarah Spencer, serves as the camp’s co-director. “The kids all come with very different stories about who they are and where they’ve come to be,” said Spencer, 38, a marriage and family therapist who is also the mother of two biracial children. “Here they get to practice explaining who they are to one another and we help them to feel good about whatever that is.” Savannah Henry, a 21-year-old counselor whose father is African-American, said that before her rabbi at Congregation Shir Hadash in Los Gatos, Calif., told her about Be’chol Lashon, she had spent a miserable summer at a more mainstream Jewish camp. “I was the only Jew of color,” she said of her experience at a Reform Jewish summer camp in Santa Rosa. “I just didn’t connect that well.” When she discovered Be’chol Lashon four years ago, Henry’s outlook changed completely. “If I had been a camper here, I would have fit in perfectly,” she said. “It’s definitely made me more of a proud Jew.”
Ancestors in Kishinev? Fran and Rich Juro will be visiting Chisinau, Moldova, formerly known as Kishinev, on Sept. 5-7. The city not only is the capital of Moldova, but had a huge Jewish population. There is a large Jewish cemetery there, and there is supposed to be a person there that can direct a visitor to certain graves. So if you have an ancestor buried there, please e-mail Rich Juro at nofrillsr@aol.com with the full name, and he will try to locate the grave, take a picture of it, and e-mail it back to you.
Lauren Bacall dies at 89 by JTA NEWS STAFF NEW YORK (JTA) — Lauren Bacall, a film legend best known for her sultry onscreen presence and her Hollywood romance with actor Humphrey Bogart, has died. Bacall, the daughter of Jewish immigrants from Poland and Romania, died Aug. 12 in New York. She suffered a massive stroke in her apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, TMZ.com reported, citing sources in Bacall’s family. Bacall was 89.
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Born Betty Joan Perske in the Bronx, Bacall was a relative of former Israeli President Shimon Peres (nee Szymon Perski), although they did not meet until they were both famous adults. After her parents’ divorce, she took the second half of her mother’s maiden name, Bacal, later adding an “l.” Her big break was a role, at age 19, in the film To Have and Have Not, where she played opposite Bogart. The two married in 1945. Bacall went on to perform in more than 40 films, including The Big Sleep and How to Marry a Millionaire. She also performed on stage, winning Tony Awards for her starring roles in the musicals Applause and Woman of the Year. According to her New York Times obituary, Bacall wrote that she felt “totally Jewish and always would.” However, she wrote that she and Bogart, an Episcopalian, had their two children christened in an Episcopal church in deference to Bogart’s concern that “with discrimination still rampant in the world, it would give them one less hurdle to jump in life’s Olympics.” The Times reported that during her romance with Bogart, Bacall asked him if it mattered to him that she was Jewish. His answer, she wrote, was “Hell, no -- what mattered to him was me, how I thought, how I felt, what kind of person I was, not my religion, he couldn’t care less -- why did I even ask?” Bogart died in 1957. Bacall later married actor Jason Robards, with whom she had a son.
Sylvia Hassenfeld dies at 93 by JTA NEWS STAFF NEW YORK (JTA) — Sylvia Hassenfeld, a major Jewish philanthropist and the first female president of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, has died. Hassenfeld, of Palm Beach, Fla., died Friday. She was 93. She served as the JDC chair from 1988 to 1992, representing the organization in the then newly disbanded Soviet Union, and overseeing significant Jewish outreach in Central and Eastern Europe. Hassenfeld also presided over significant JDC operations in Africa. Hassenfeld led the Hassenfeld Foundation, which supported Jewish and non-Jewish causes around the world. Her philanthropy was directed at the United Jewish Appeal, Brandeis University, the Jewish Agency for Israel and other Jewish and non-Jewish organizations.“Sylvia Hassenfeld was a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to improving the human condition by protecting the rights of all and promoting religious freedom,” Brandeis President Frederick Lawrence said. Hassenfeld’s Jewish activism was inspired by the family involvement of her husband, Merrill, the chairman of the Hasbro company before his death in 1980, in the religious and Jewish communal life of Providence, R.I. She would go on to lead the Providence Jewish Federation.
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12 | The Jewish Press | August 22, 2014
For ‘hardcore’ Jews displaced by Ukrainian fighting, Israel beckons by CNAAN LIPHSHIZ may remain, so people who never even “My sense is that 80 to 90 percent of the (JTA) -- Each time he dispatches a car into thought about making aliyah are going ahead Jewish population of Donetsk already empLugansk, Rabbi Shalom Gopin readies him- with it. The city, my home, is emptying of Jews tied out of the city, including my own famiself for hours of anxious anticipation. as it slowly consumes itself out of existence.” ly,” said Sasha Ivashchenko, who fled the city The scene of brutal last month and is waiting to urban warfare between make aliyah with his wife. Ukrainian troops and proThe couple married recently Russian separatists, this in a ceremony in Donetsk eastern Ukrainian city held with the background now has no regular power noise of bombardments by supply, running water or Ukrainian warplanes. cell phone reception. In Zhytomyr, Alexander, a Mortar rounds can fall refugee in his 50s who asked without warning. Much of to be identified only by his the population, once first name, fled Lugansk after 450,000, has fled. three men with rifles entered But despite the risks, his small packing factory in Gopin, the city’s exiled the city’s industrial zone and chief rabbi, has dispatched informed him it had been over a dozen cars to “commandeered for the city’s Lugansk, each one intenddefense.” One of the men, ed to quietly ferry Jews to a who Alexander believes were camp he runs for the interpro-Russian separatists, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and nally displaced in asked him to leave. Jews, meeting with Jews who fled eastern Ukraine, July 2014. Zhytomyr, near Kiev. More “So now even if the fightCredit: Olivier Fitouss than 117,000 people are ing stops, I expect there will internally displaced within Ukraine, the The Jewish Agency for Israel, the quasi- be very little for me to come back to,” United Nations reported earlier this month. governmental agency responsible for facili- Alexander said. “I stayed here because this Over the weekend, Gopin welcomed sev- tating immigration to Israel, is expecting was my place, my business. Now there’s no eral cars to Zhytomyr carrying a total of 13 more than 3,000 arrivals from Ukraine this point.” passengers. For Gopin, each arrival brings year -- a 33 percent increase over the 1,982 When Alexander left the city late last relief, but also sadness over the disintegra- Jews who immigrated in 2013. More than month, public transportation was still opertion of a community he has spent 15 years 1,550 individuals have immigrated from ating. But rail traffic ground to a halt on July building. Ukraine in the first five months of 2014 26 following the shelling of the train station, Initially intended to provide temporary alone, more than double the 693 who arrived effectively trapping much of the population shelter for Jews fleeing the fighting in the in the corresponding period last year. -- including hundreds of elderly Jews -- in a east, the facility, which functions mainly as a Hundreds of the new immigrants hail city that many warn is the site of a looming summer camp, is now home to 250 dis- from Lugansk, a city of 7,000 Jews. Many humanitarian catastrophe. placed Ukrainians. Gopin says more than others come from Donetsk, a rebel-held city Currently there are 47 urgent cases of Jews half have no plans to return. with more than 10,000 Jews that is under in need of rescue, according to Eleonora “It’s a sad reality,” Gopin told JTA. “Many constant shelling as government forces pre- Groisman, the founder of a nonprofit that people are now realizing the bad situation pare to storm it. maintains a database of Jews seeking rescue.
Among them is a woman in her 80s trapped inside her Lugansk apartment. Getting such people out is a complex and risky operation that requires traversing a circuitous route through Russian territory and greasing the palms of forces encountered along the way. Using his contacts with rebel leaders, Gopin has established an escape route in which a driver picks up the evacuees in Lugansk, crosses the border into Russia and then returns to Ukraine farther north in an area not held by separatists. “You have to understand, the rebel-held area and its surroundings are totally lawless,” Gopin told JTA. “So the car could get stopped and detained or turned back by rebels, suspicious government forces or even thieves preying on the helpless -- complications that increase exponentially what is already a serious risk.” To deal with such possibilities, Gopin provides his drivers with an envelope full of cash for bribes. “Luckily, we’re talking about bribes at around the $50 or $70, so that’s still affordable,” said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the Jerusalem-based organization that has spent millions providing relief to Jews in Ukraine. To outsiders -- and even to some Ukrainians -- the decision by thousands of Jews to remain in a war zone seems incomprehensible. But it’s no mystery to Natan Sharansky, the Jewish Agency’s chairman, who was born in Donetsk. “The Jews that stayed, they are the hardcore,” Sharansky told JTA. “They’ve watched friends and family leave throughout the 1990s and after, choosing every time to stay. But there comes a time when reality trumps even the hardcore.”