Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA
Danielle Gordman named to Newman Supporting Foundation Board
August 23, 2013 17 Elul 5773 Vol. 93 | No. 49
This Week
From the community garden to JFS Page 6
Tifereth @ 100 Page 7
by MARY BORT Endowment Assistant, Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation The Murray H. and Sharee Newman Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) Foundation was established in 1987 with an initial gift of $100,000 from Sharee and Murray Newman. Since then, the Newman Supporting Foundation has awarded nearly $337,000 in grants for programs provided by Jewish Federation of Omaha agencies, other Jewish non-profits organizations and secular charities in the Omaha area. The Newman Supporting Foundation Board of Trustees meets annually to determine grant allocations for the upcoming year. When they meet this fall, a new member will join in their deliberations. “On behalf of the Trustees of the Murray H. and Sharee Newman Supporting Foundation, I am pleased to announce the addition of Danielle Gordman as a Trustee,” stated Jeff Kirshenbaum, president. “Danielle has been very active in the Omaha community since her arrival in Omaha. We look forward to her being a part
of the Newman Supporting Foundation Board of Trustees.” Kirshenbaum continued, “Danielle’s volunteer experience is a wonderful match for the goals set out by Murray, Sharee and the Trustees in providing grants to many of the Jewish community’s educational and social action programs sponsored by a variety of organizations and institutions.” Gordman replaces outgoing Trustee Susie Noddle. The Newman Supporting Foundation Board of Trustees now includes Kirshenbaum, Sharee Newman, Lisa Lewis, Jamie Friedland, Jay Lerner, Murray Newman and Gordman. The Newmans, Lewis and Lerner have served as trustees since the Newman Supporting Foundation was founded. Dr. Patricia Newman was a founding trustee who served until 2009, and the late Harlan Nod-
Danielle Gordman dle and David Friedland were also founding trustees. Danielle Gordman grew up on Long Island, NY. After graduating from Indiana University with a degree in political science and East Asian studies, she moved to Wash-
ington, DC and worked there for two years. Gordman lived in Israel for six months, returned to Washington, DC, and soon after met Jeff Gordman on a blind date. They eventually married and, sixteen years ago, Danielle moved here to Jeff ’s hometown of Omaha. The Gordmans have two children: eleven year old Harper and nine year old Zev. Her involvement as a volunteer for non-profit organizations heightened Gordman’s awareness of the needs in the Jewish and secular communities. This interest led her to earn an M.A. in mental health counseling from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. “Danielle’s experience and education will strengthen our board of trustees’ capability to assess grant applications and award grants to worthwhile programs that will truly make a difference for its constituents,” noted Kirshenbaum. Gordman is a member of the AntiDefamation League’s board and serves on Temple Israel’s board of trustees. She is a member of the Presenters board, the guild for Omaha Continued on page 3
Filmmaker Gail Levin Team Omaha hosts followed her passion Israeli youth Hadassa Margolese, fighter for religious tolerance Page 12
Inside Point of view Synagogues In memorium
Next Week Rosh Hashanah See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press
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by LEO ADAM BIGA sense, Levin left an impression wherIf you’re a devotee of public televi- ever she went and she leaves behind sion then chances are you saw the a body of work that will endure. “Gail was an enormous creative work of the late nonfiction filmforce as a filmmaker Gail Levin. maker and a creThe Omaha naative thinker. I tive and longtime worked on many New York City projects with her resident died July and she became a 31 in a NYC hosvery good friend pice care facility at as well, and I’m age 67 after a long very sad,” said fight with breast American Masters cancer. creator and execOutside Ken utive producer Burns and Errol Susan Lacy. “Her Morris, docufilms sort of had a mentary filmpoetic quality to makers are rarely them that is misshousehold names. ing in many docuLevin herself was Gail Levin mentaries and she little known to the general public but her award-win- had a depth in the way she told stoning films were seen by millions on ries. You could always tell a Gail film such PBS-carried series as American because she was so visual. She really understood the power of an image. Masters and Great Performances. “Most documentary filmmakers Possessing an animated personality, intense curiosity and keen visual work within a limited vocabulary, She did not want her vocabulary limited, and I really admired her.” Levin made films about many subjects but came to be best known for her documentaries about cinema greats Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. Marilyn Monroe: Still Life (2006) explored the complicity of the sex goddess and the photographers who most worked with her in creating Continued on page 2
Osher Kohen, left, Ori Waisman and Dennis Nemerovski by SHERRIE SAAG Communications Specialist, Jewish Federation of Omaha Jewish Omaha and the JCC Maccabi Team were hosts to two Israeli teens for a three day visit just prior to their departure for Orange County CA and the JCC Maccabi games. Osher Kohen, 14, resides in Acco and Dennis Nemerovski, 15, lives on Kibbutz Biethaemek, both of which are part of our Partnership2
Gether region in northern Israel. Ori Waisman accompanied the boys on their trip to Omaha and was also a chaperone for Team Omaha throughout the competition. Both Kohen and Nemerovski are high school students, avid tennis players and competed in tennis at the Games. They first heard about the Maccabi experience from their respective tennis coaches. They Continued on page 2
2 | The Jewish Press | August 23, 2013
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Gail Levin Continued from page 1 images that remain potent pop culture symbols today. Her struggles with fame and her eventual premature death forever fixed her as an alluring, beguiling figure in the collective consciousness. James Dean: Sense Memories (2005) examined the many layers of the brilliant actor who blazed a hot trail in New York and Hollywood with his quirky Method style and unconventional lifestyle. His tragic death in a car crash at age 24 forever cemented his status as a rebel symbol. Both the Monroe and Dean films earned CINE Golden Eagle Awards and were featured in Montreal’s International festival of Films on Art. Another of her well known works, Making the Misfits (2002), delved into the personal machinations that went on behind the scenes of the 1961 John Huston-directed feature film The Misfits and its cast of doomed icons Monroe, Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift. Two of her most recently telecast films were profiles of actor-musicians separated by distinct cultures and generations. In Jeff Bridges: The Dude Abides she revealed the man behind the cool enigma of signature roles in such acclaimed post-modern films as The Big Lebowski. In Cab Calloway; Sketches she celebrated the multitalented black entertainer’s impact on jazz and dance and his role in the Harlem Renaissance. For the Calloway piece, she incorporated animation by noted editorial cartoonist Steve Brodner. She previously collaborated with Brodner on the multi-platform political satire series The Naked Campaign during the 2008 presidential election. She served as a series producer on Picturing America on Screen, an online, on-air National Endowment for the Humanities and PBS collaborative focus on how American art treasures illuminate American history and lore. She was also a producer/director of host introductions and other program content for the PBS ARTS Fall Festival. Some of her favorite work came producing segments for the A&E cable network’s Revue series that variously featured conversations between artists or profiles of artists. She particularly enjoyed the programs that paired artists for freewheeling, unscripted discussions. “I did one after another with incredible people. Martin Scorsese and Stephen Frears. Tom Stoppard and Richard Dreyfuss. Francis Ford Coppola and John Singleton. Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin,” she said in an interview. “I just think this notion of giants talking to each other is a very interesting concept. I actually think they speak to each other far differently than they speak to anyone who interviews them, no matter who you are. It’s just fascinating.” Other notables she profiled included Elizabeth Taylor,
Cher, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Bernardo Bertolucci. Levin had two major film projects in-progress at the time of her death: a portrait of Hollywood photographer Sam Shaw and the re-creation of conversations between cinema giants Alfred Hitchcock and Francois Truffaut, whose critical analysis helped turn Hitch from popular suspense director into serious auteur. The 1965 Omaha Central High School graduate left her hometown nearly a half century ago but often got back to visit family and friends. She’s survived by her brother David Levin, Karen Levin and cousin Jerrold Neugarten. She earned an education degree at the University of WisconsinMadison and did graduate work at Wheelock College in Boston. Her first foray into filmmaking came when she enlisted children in a Boston Head Start program to participate in homemade photo-film projects borne of her curiosity about the era’s heady free cinema movement. She returned to school, this time at Boston University, for a mixed educational and filmmaking doctorate. Her path was similar to the one taken more than a decade earlier by fellow Omaha native and Central grad Joan Micklin Silver, who went East to work in theater and television before breaking into independent feature filmmaking. NYCbased-Micklin Silver still makes films today. In interviews, Levin traced her penchant for arts subjects to her growing up the only daughter of “an erudite” Nebraska Jewish family who owned a string of retail clothing stores and indulged a taste for cultural pursuits. She also spoke of having become a die-hard film buff as a teen upon seeing Italian director Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2 at her neighborhood Dundee Theater in Omaha. An internship on a Boston WBZ-TV kids show led to an associate producer’s job that turned into a senior producer slot. She then evolved into being an intrepid independent filmmaker who went wherever the stories that inspired her took her. She captured a trans-Atlantic rite-of-passage in the Emmy Award-winning The Tall Ship Lindo. She revisited the scorching Nevada desert locations of The Misfits for Making the Misfits. She also documented candid, intimate dialogues with famous figures from the worlds of sport, art, entertainment and academia. By the early 1980s Levin moved to New York to work as a TV producer-director and by the middle of the decade formed her own production company, Levson, whose name she later changed to Inscape. Her deep ties to Boston led her back there for some of her most prized projects. Levin often pursued film projects that coalesced with her passions. For example, the lifelong sports fan jumped at the Continued on page 3
Team Omaha hosts Israeli youth Continued from page 1 underwent an interview process that ultimately placed them as teammates on Omaha’s Maccabi delegation. Commenting on their first impressions of the United States, Kohen said, “It’s huge! Everything is bigger. The size of the JCC parking lot is incredible. We just don’t have parking lots that size in Israel.” Maccabi was especially appealing to Kohen because he is a huge sports fan. He plays football, soccer, basketball and loves watching American basketball on television. “The only difficult part is watching American basketball live, because the games will air in the middle of the night in Israel and my parents don’t like me staying up to watch it.” The teens were graciously hosted by Karla and David Cohen. Immediately upon arrival, the boys were taken to the Henry Doorly Zoo by Leora Azriel, BBYO Advisor, and accompanied by Jake Baron and Max Gendler, AZA Mother Chapter members. Thursday, Aug. 1, after a tour of the campus and some tennis practice, the teens spent time with JCC campers, enjoying lunch and even leading some Israeli program-
ming. Friday, they enjoyed time at the Durham Museum prior to Shabbat. Chaperone Waisman enjoyed evening dinners with hosts Jonathan and Stacey Rockman, 2014 Annual Campaign Chairs and Mark Martin, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Center and his wife Julie. Sunday, Aug. 4, Kohen and Nemerovski departed Omaha for Los Angeles with the entire Team Omaha delegation: Spencer Arnold, Brett Robinson, Will McGauvran, Aaron Noddle, Adam Folsom, Josh Polack, Adam Silverman, Jared Murray, Grant Goldstein, Cooper Clark, Jackson Clark, Zach Belgrade, Alex Belgrade, and Jake Spivack. Kohen earned a gold medal in the 14-and-under boys’ competitive tennis category while an aggravating bout of tennis elbow challenged Nemerovski during his matches. The JCC Maccabi Games is a week-long international athletic and cultural event with thousands of Jewish teen participants. Together, they experience the fun of competition, the pride of participating in an Olympic-style event and the joy of sharing Jewish values and experiences with teens from around the world.
August 23, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 3
Gail Levin
Jewish Chapel Group
The Jewish Chapel Group Offutt Air Force Base and B’nai Israel Synagogue had a special potluck picnic brunch on Sunday, Aug. 11. The event was held at Base Lake.
Danielle Gordman Continued from page 1 Performing Arts. Gordman also serves on the Regency Homeowner’s Association board and recently joined the board of the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition. In recognition of her commitment, involvement and leadership, Gordman received the 2009 Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Award. She has volunteered for the Jewish Federation of Omaha, Jewish Family Service, Friedel Jewish Academy, the 2010 Maccabi Games and other organizations. Gordman also received the 2007 Jewish Community Center Volunteer of the Year Award for her service as the committee chair for the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center. Gordman has co-chaired a number of fund-raising events in support of various programs in Omaha. Through her activities, she met Murray and Sharee Newman and learned about their supporting foundation. “Over the years, we’ve become friends with Murray and Sharee,” explained Gordman. “We were hosting an event for the symphony, and Murray pulled me aside and asked me to join the Newman Supporting Foundation. I was very surprised and truly honored. I happily accepted.” “The Newmans do incredible work in the community
with their time and financial resources,” she continued. “I’m honored to help them with their efforts.” Gordman credits her parents for showing the importance of volunteering for one’s community. “When my parents moved to St. Louis in 1989, my mom became a full time volunteer,” said Gordman. “She encouraged me to do the same when I moved here, and is a wonderful role model. Dad served on various boards, and cared deeply for his adoptive home town, having grown up in Queens, NY. My grandparents also volunteered their time to their respective communities and to their synagogues.” “Volunteerism is a way of life for me,” continued Gordman. “I feel blessed to be able to offer my time and knowledge to these organizations, and help them move forward with their missions. Donations are important, but being a good steward for the community is more rewarding for me.” The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation works closely with its supporting foundations, managing and investing funds, administering operations and making disbursements from time to time as directed by the supporting foundation boards. To learn more about establishing a supporting foundation, please contact Howard Epstein, JFO Foundation Executive Director, at 402.334.6466.
Continued from page 2 opportunity to do a film profile of Boston Celtics coaching legend Red Auerbach. Her love of arts and letters found perfect expression in her Harvard: A Video Portrait, which she made to commemorate the historic Ivy League school’s 350th anniversary. Her admiration of photography and film saw her repeatedly make artists working in those mediums her subjects. Whatever the story, Levin steeped herself in it. “I make it my business to know what I’m supposed to know about these things,” she told an interviewer. Finding a subject that engaged her and running with it was her joy. “When I discover something, it does fuel me,” she once said. “I love finding the connections and chasing them down. It’s not just about having a good idea. It’s having somehow or other the planets line up exactly the right way; and when that happens, that’s just... You have to be passionate about this stuff for that to happen.” “Gail Levin was one of the most exciting, caring, ALIVE people I’ve ever met,” posted National Public Radio host Robin Young, producer of American Masters, on the InMemoriam webpage of WNET, “Oh to be once more in her energy field when she was seized by a creative vision.” It’s some consolation to those who knew Levin that she was doing exactly what she wanted to do. “I’ve been so blessed,” Levin said in an interview. “I have had a career that I love... As hard as it is, sometimes I don’t even care. Besides, I don’t know how to do or like anything else. I’ve had hugely impassioned projects and I’ve been able to see them from the moment that little light went on in my head to the final edit.” Her colleagues mourn her death and the stark reality there won’t be a new Levin film to look forward to. “The documentary community is kind of in a state of shock, and we’re all devastated by her loss,” said Lacy. Levin’s passionate work lives on though through revival screenings and viewing platforms like Netflix. An Aug. 4 graveside service was held at Fisher Farm Cemetery in Bellevue. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center (c/o the University of Nebraska Foundation) or to Temple Israel synagogue or to a charity of choice.
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4 | The Jewish Press | August 23, 2013
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September Community Calendar FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Beth El Synagogue Brings Shabbat to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m. SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 Beth El/Red Cross Blood Drive, 8 a.m. at Beth El BESTT Opening Day and Waffle Welcome Breakfast, 9:45 a.m. Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Temple Israel Walking the Torahs to Sterling Ridge Drive, 10 a.m. BESSTT Kibbutz Chaverin Lunch and Swimming, 12:15 p.m. at the JCC Mainstreeters Summer Picnic, 1 p.m. at Chalco Hills Recreation Area Muscial Theater Auditions, 3 p.m. 12th Annual Jewish Omaha Film Festival, 7 p.m. MONDAY, AUGUST 26 Daf Yomi: Week in Review, 7:45 a.m. at Beth Israel TUESDAY, AUGUST 27 Rabbi Abraham Weekly class, 10 a.m. at Beth El BBYO Night, 6 p.m. Board of Directors Mtg, 7 p.m. at Beth El WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28 BESTT Opening Weekday of Classes, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El Rabbi Weiss’ Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m. at Beth Israel
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Men’s Club Sukkah Building, 8 a.m. at Beth El Eddie Belgrade Memorial 3 on 3 Tournament, 9 a.m. Talmud Torah Classes, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Memorial Service, 11 a.m. at Beth El Cemetery Merit Scholarship Informational Mtg, 12:30 p.m. at Beth El MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 Daf Yomi: Week in Review, 7:45 a.m. at Beth Israel TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 Rabbi Abraham Weekly class, 10 a.m. at Beth El Jewish Medical Ethics, noon at the Med Center BBYO Night, 6 p.m. JCC Board Meeting, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 BESTT Classes, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El BESTT Hebrew High Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth El Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Beth Israel Tools to Engage in Conversation about Israel as an American Jew, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6 p.m. at Beth El Rabbi Weiss’ Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m. at Beth Israel THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Sacred Grounds, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29 Sacred Grounds, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH Erev Yom Kippur - JCC Closes at 6 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 Star Deli, 11:30 a.m. at RBJH
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 Yom Kippur Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 Erev Rosh Hashanah Friedel No School THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 First Day Rosh Hashanah - JCC Closed FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 Second Day of Rosh Hashanah JCC Closed First Friday Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel Congregational Dinner, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 Men’s Club Sukkah Building, 8 a.m. at Beth El Talmud Torah Classes, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Torah Tots, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El Friedel – Sukkah Decorating, 11:30 a.m. NJHS Genealogy Club Meeting, 1 p.m. BILU USY and Kadima Interfaith Program, 5 p.m. at Beth El MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Daf Yomi: Week in Review, 7:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Friedel Executive Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Rabbi Abraham Weekly class, 10 a.m. at Beth El The Ethics of Our Fathers, 2 p.m. at Remington Heights BBYO Night, 6 p.m. BESTT Board Meeting, 7 p.m. at Beth El Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Erev Sukkot - JCC Closes at 6 p.m. Tools to Engage in Conversation about Israel as an American Jew, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Sukkot - JCC Closed FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Friedel: No school SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Junior Congregation, 10 a.m. at Beth El JCC Youth Department Overnight, 6 p.m. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Talmud Torah Classes, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Adult Ed Class: The Secrests of the Jews, 10 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Beth El/Beth Israel/Temple Israel Sukkah Hop, 12:15 p.m. Backyard Concert, 6 p.m. Women’s Soup in the Sukkah Celebration, 6 p.m. at Chabad MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Daf Yomi: Week in Review, 7:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Sukkot Live, 5:30 p.m. at Chabad Tai Chi Class taught by Beth Staenberg, 6:30 p.m. at Beth El Friedel Board Meeting, 7 p.m. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Rabbi Abraham Weekly class, 10 a.m. at Beth El BBYO Night, 6 p.m. Star Deli Sukkot Dinner, 5:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Friedel Simchat Torah Celebration, 10 a.m. Tools to Engage in Conversation about Israel as an American Jew, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel BESTT Hebrew High, 6 p.m. at Beth El Rabbi Weiss’ Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m. at Beth Israel THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 Shemini Atzeret FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 Friedel No School SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Shul-in Overnight (Grades 3-7), 1 p.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 Blessing of the Animals, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Talmud Torah Classes, 9:45 a.m. at Beth El Weekly Torah Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Torah Tots, 10:45 a.m. at Beth El Grandparents Day Celebration, 12:30 p.m. Teacher In-Service with Eliad Eliyahu, 12:30 p.m. Backyard Concert, 6 p.m. Temple Israel The Lauter Tun Series with Cantor Shermet, 7 p.m. at Lauter Tun Bar MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 Daf Yomi: Week in Review, 7:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Tai Chi Class taught by Beth Staenberg, 6:30 p.m. at Beth El
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All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Pat Anson at 402.334.8200. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the above events.
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Beth El Talmud Torah by JILL BELMONT During the final trimester (April 23 to May 18), core Beth El Publicity classes will continue, and Sundays mornings will also feature This Sunday, the halls of Beth El Synagogue’s Talmud “Eye on Israel,” an experiential way of learning about Israel Torah will be buzzing with activity as the religious school through fine art projects, cooking, art, dance and music. kicks off its new school year. At 9:45 a.m., families will be The school year will also be highlighted by ‘shul-in’ treated to a BESTT Welcome Back Waffle Breakfast, spon- overnights, Shabbat’s Cool programs, the annual spring sored by the synagogue’s Men’s Club. An all-school assembly Shabbaton at the 4-H Camp in Gretna, and ongoing Kibbutz will follow, and classes begin at 10:45 a.m. Chaverim activities for 2nd – 7th graders. (Kibbutz For Eadie Tsabari, the Chaverim kids will enjoy a synagogue’s Director of swimming party at the Congregational Learning JCC after classes this and Principal of BESTT, it’s Sunday.) In addition, a all about developing special Family Shabbaton, Jewish identity, learning, geared to families with growing, and building a children in seventh grade sense of community. and younger, is planned “By providing a loving from Nov. 15-17, at the and supportive atmosLied Lodge and phere in which our chilConvention Center in dren can study about their Nebraska City. heritage, we hope to instill Engaging educational in our students a sense of activities are also planned pride in who they are and a for the congregation’s prefeeling of responsibility kindergarten set and their Eadie Tsabari (seen here leading a sing-along during the first day and caring for the continuparents, through the of the 2012 BESTT school year), will greet students at religious ity of the Jewish people,” twice-monthly Torah Tots school this Sunday morning during a welcome-back breakfast and Tsabari said. programs, led by Naomi family assembly. “This year, BESTT is Gaca and Sindie Katskee. going to be even BETTER!” she continued. “I’m excited for Through Torah Tots, children ages three to five and their new teachers, programs and just to be back together. I look parents are introduced to Beth El’s Talmud Torah program, forward to meeting our newest students in Kitah Gimmel and begin to develop a basic understanding of holidays, cus[2nd and 3rd grades], and welcoming all of the new families toms, ceremonies, Bible stories and key Hebrew vocabulary. who are joining our school this year. We have a full calendar Story time, music and a variety of age-appropriate activities of activities and hope to see our students at Beth El for all of highlight these sessions. the fun. At last year’s Shabbaton, we emphasized how ‘It’s The school’s main priority is “to build as much communicool to be a Jew,’ and this year we are going to prove it!” ty as we can build,” Tsabari said, noting that parents are The school year is divided into trimesters, allowing more always invited to join their children during classes and classes to be offered and more faculty members utilized, school assemblies. Tsabari said. Classes are held on Wednesday afternoons and “Our parents are given the opportunity to participate in Sunday mornings. many facets of their children’s Jewish education,” she said. The first trimester (Aug. 25 to Dec. 18), will focus solely on “Through family education programs and congregational learning Hebrew, which will build a solid foundation for stu- celebrations, we can all work together to become partners in dents’ future classes and participation in religious services. the important task of passing along our heritage to our chil“We’ll use this time to really get our Hebrew under our dren. We want our children to cherish their Judaism, and belts, learn our prayers and utilize them throughout the discover all that is sacred and wonderful in Jewish life.” year,” she said. For more information about BESTT, contact Tsabari at The second trimester (Jan. 5 to April 9), will continue 402.492.8550, or etsabari@bethel-omaha.org. To check out with Hebrew lessons, but will also offer core classes explor- the entire BESTT Family Information Handbook, visit ing history and ethics, “the core things we need to know to www.bethel-omaha.org. be good Jews,” Tsabari said.
Organizations B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Dr. Paul Landow has recently returned from a visit to war-torn Afghanistan on behalf of UNO. He will discuss the university’s program there and give his observations on Wednesday, Aug. 28, noon, at the Blumkin Home. An optional buffet lunch costs $11; beverage service only is $3. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Yiddish was once thought to be a dying language, is now very much alive, with Webster’s Third International
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Dictionary listing more than 500 Yiddish words. It has been perpetuated by greeting cards, television, radio, speakers, plays and books. It is now presented in transliterated form using the Roman alphabet, so that everyone can become a maven instantly. If you want to “jazz up” your conversation, throw in a few Yiddish words. One word in Yiddish has more meaning than a dozen words in any other language. So be a mentsh and zog a por verter, (say a few words). We meet every Thursday from 1-3 p.m., in the boardroom of the Rose Blumkin Home. For information, please call Anne Skolkin at 402.343.1638.
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P U B L I S H E R Margaret Block Jack Cohen Marci Cohen Cheryl & Ron Cooper Tippi & Steve Denenberg Mimi Rogers & Scott Farkas Amy & Sandy Friedman Ellie & Leonard Greenspoon Rich & Fran Juro Gloria & Howard Kaslow Sarah & David Lopez Jody & Neal Malashock
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begin at 9 a.m. Along with the new year comes new High Holy Days celebrations for the congregation’s children. “Mini Minyannaires,” a funfilled tot program for children kindergarten age and younger, will take place from 11 a.m. to noon on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur. Led by Shira Abraham (Rosh Hashanah) and Patty Nogg (Yom Kippur), these programs are free of charge; all youngsters must be accompanied by an adult. A new youth service for children in grades one through seven will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon on both days of Rosh Hashanah, as well as on Yom Kippur. Eadie Tsabari, Beth El’s Director of Congregational Learning, will lead the service, along with some of the congregation’s teenagers. Any teens interested in helping are encouraged to contact Tsabari in the synagogue office, 402.492.8550, or at etsabari@bethel-omaha. org. Babysitting will be available during High Holidays services for children ages three months to five years old during all Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Registration is required; cost is $3.50 per child for each session, with a maximum of $25 per family. Children must be pre-registered to use this service: registration deadline is Wednesday, Aug. 28; after that date, the fee will be $7 per child, and the $25 family charge will no longer be available. Register online at www.bethel-omaha.org. The congregation’s observance of Yom Kippur begins with Kol Nidre at 7:15 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13. The next morning, services will be held at 9 a.m., and at 5:30 p.m., a special study session will be offered. Mincha-Ne’ilah begins at 6 p.m., and the children’s processional will begin at 8:10 p.m. At the conclusion of Ne’ilah (around 8:20 p.m.), all congregants are invited to take part in a group sounding of shofarim.
In the news
E D I TO R Phyllis Aronson Frances Blumkin Beverly & Richard Fellman Julee Katzman Kevee Kirshenbaum Maxine & Joe Kirshenbaum
by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Every fall, the High Holy Days offer families throughout the community a great opportunity to celebrate together at Beth El. The synagogue’s doors are always open to newcomers and visitors, and all members of the Jewish community are invited to welcome a sweet new year with the entire Beth El family. On Saturday, Aug. 31, beginning at 9 p.m., the synagogue will offer a unique twist to the traditional Selichot celebration with a special “Build a Prayer” workshop, offering attendees the opportunity to create their own personal new-year prayers. Hazzan Michael Krausman will lead the program, sharing traditional prayers as examples of the process liturgical poets employ. He will also examine salient themes and various sources that are used in prayer composition. “This workshop will be a unique opportunity to have a hands-on, individualized, innovative prayer experience in the context of an age-old tradition, while at the same time gaining insight into the process and history of our sacred liturgy,” Hazzan Krausman said. A sampling of the prayers that are created during the workshop will be read from the pulpit during the formal Selichot service at 9:45 p.m., as well as throughout the High Holidays; they will also be incorporated into regular worship services. Following the service at a dessert reception, Rabbi Abraham will be honored as Beth El’s new congregational rabbi, and Hazzan Krausman’s first-year anniversary as the congregation’s cantor will also be celebrated. The synagogue’s Rosh Hashanah celebration begins Wednesday, Sept. 4, with a 6 p.m. Ma’ariv service. On Thursday, Sept. 5, services will be held at 9 a.m.; Tashlich will take place at 4:45 p.m., and Minha/Ma’ariv will follow at 6 p.m. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Friday, Sept. 6, services
Ilse & Marcel Kahn Sara & Ari Kohen Abigail & Adam Kutler Bonnie & Steve Levinger Evie & Stan Mitchell Sarah Nogg Debbie & Lloyd Roitstein Rose Rosenberg Marcy Ruback Howard Silber Memorial Coke & Jack Tillman
Talya Greenspoon has been promoted to Director of Networks and Engagement for the Entwine Program of the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). JDC Entwine is a movement for young Jewish leaders who seek to make a meaningful impact on global Jewish needs and international humanitarian issues. After six years at JDC, and as a founding staff member of Entwine, Talya moves from managing college partnerships to overseeing all of JDC’s Learning Networks programming in nine cities (New York City, Washington, DC, Boston, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and London). In this role Talya oversees the regional staff and programming for all Network areas, working to engage program alumni while simultaneously building entry points for new people. Talya
is a graduate of New York University and the Teva Learning Program; at present, she is earning a certificate in Experiential Education from Yeshiva University.
Birth Lauren and Jonathan Zoob Foster City, CA announce the July 26 birth of their son, Jordan Ryder. He was named for his paternal greatgrandfather Joseph Rogoff and his paternal great-grandmother Roslyn Zoob and his maternal great-grandmother, Rachel Levy. He has a sister, Zoey Madison. Grandparents are Nora and Barry Zoob, and Terye and Jacob Levy of Foster City, CA. Great-grandmother is Marilyn Baruh.
August 23, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 7
Campaign Team 2014
Tifereth @ 100
by SHERRIE SAAG Communications Specialist, Jewish Federation of Omaha Justin Zachary “Zach” Spooner recently joined the Federation Campaign team as a Development Associate. Spooner will assist Sharon Kirshenbaum, Campaign Chair and Marty Ricks, Chief Development Officer in the 2014 Annual Campaign.
Marty Ricks, left; Zach Spooner, and Sharon Kirshenbaum.
Top row from left: Gary Hill, Brenda Friedman, Nava Halpern, Joyce Davidson, Seth Harris; Kathy and Herb Friedman; Elaine and Everett Evnen; middle row: Marcia Kushner; Gail Wishnow and Max Neiden; Freda Bisman and Eve Hoffman; Julie and David Brockman; bottom row: Lori and Howard Feldman, and Rabbi Rosenbaum; Noah
Weiss in red yarmulke, back from Evanston, IL. “It was a wildly successful and joyous Homecoming gathering,” according to Tifereth President Brenda Ingraham, “with almost 200 members, former members, along with former Rabbis and Cantors coming to Lincoln.”
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Zach will assist with young adult donor engagement: “The goal is to get and keep my age group active and engaged in our community; whether they live away, yet have strong familial ties to Omaha or are like me and have returned after college to make Omaha home.” Zach will also be working closely with the Federation’s Young Jewish Omaha program. Spooner was born and raised in Omaha and is eager to utilize his knowledge of Jewish Omaha and his lifelong connections to support the mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Zach is the son of Gayle Milder and Jim Spooner, and the grandson of Fran and Jerry Milder. He grew up in the Leawood neighborhood and hung out after school at Kids Inn and the JCC game room. He remembers being a CDC student when it was located where Jewish Family Service is today and being in the daycare rooms where the Jewish Press offices are now. Spooner graduated from Burke High School in 2009 and the University of Nebraska Lincoln in 2013 with a double major in political science and history. He was heavily Continued on page 8
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New Shaliach headlines first OJC Program of the School Year by BETH COHEN Executive Director, the Center for Jewish Life Omaha Jewish Connections (OJC) is a collaboration involving all Jewish Omaha youth groups. This year, the synagogue youth groups and BBYO will jointly offer programs under the name of the OJC, providing the venue for all Jewish Omaha teens to come together as a community to learn, create and explore. The first event for the school year will be on Saturday, Aug. 31, and will be a concert featuring dynamic Israeli musician Eliad Eliyahu. The concert will run from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m., and will be held at Beth Israel Synagogue, 12604 Pacific Street. The concert is being held the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, when Jews around the world recognize the start of the “High Holiday Season” with Selichot, the late night service that serves as the kick-off. Selichot are prayers of forgiveness, and a Selichot concert sets the perfect tone in preparation for the upcoming holidays. Omaha is lucky that Eliad Eliyahu Ben-Shushan, the featured performer, now calls Omaha his home. He just started
work as the new Community Shaliach, or Israeli Emissary, at the Center for Jewish Life. As a Shaliach, he will work to strengthen the unique and multi-faceted significance of Israel in our community. Eliad Eliyahu, as he is musically known, saw his first CD, Shirat Hael, reach the top of the charts in Israel. As an energetic educator, Eliad BenShushan has worked as a trustee in Youth Futures, a program mentoring at-risk kids, and as the Education Coordinator of Partnership2 Gether in the Western Galilee. Omaha is one of twelve stateside cities partnering with the Western Galilee communities of Akko and Matte Asher. Eliad was born and raised in Akko. He has a BA in Political Science and a MA in Public and Political Communication from Bar Ilan University. In the army he served as singer of the Northern entertainment group. He moved to Omaha with his wife Sara and their three children. The OJC is open to all Jewish teenagers in Omaha. For more information, contact your synagogue or Beth Cohen at the Center for Jewish Life, 402.334.6446.
Beth El’s High School of Jewish Studies by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity It’s back to school for teens attending Beth El Synagogue Talmud Torah’s High School of Jewish Studies. Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 11, students will begin their journey through “an exciting array of courses with a group of terrific teachers,” said Eadie Tsabari, Beth El’s Director of Congregational Learning. The first evening of classes will begin with a special welcome-back dinner at 6 p.m., with classes following from 6:45 – 8:30 p.m. During the year, students will be treated to monthly dinners and special presentations prior to the beginning of classes. The school follows a trimester schedule: Trimester 1 runs from Sept. 11 to Dec. 18, and will feature classes including “Rethink Israel: Jewish and Israeli Culture and Art,” taught by Anat Gilboa; “The Dating Secrets of the Ten Commandments,” led by Andy Greenberg; “Torah Trades: The Success of Jewish Business People in Omaha and the Torah,” taught by Rick Canfield; and preparation for the 28th Annual B’nai B’rith Bible Quiz, led by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Tsabari.
The second trimester, Jan. 8 to March 26, will offer the following courses: “Nine Questions People Ask about Judaism,” led by Susan Paley; “Holocaust Studies” (teacher to be announced); and “The Dysfunctional Family – But It’s Ours!” taught by Daniel Christensen. Finally, the third trimester, from April 2 to May 14, will be all about Israel, with classes including “The Israeli Artist,” “The Israeli World,” “The Israeli Musician,” “The Israeli Palate,” and “Israel Today.” A variety of teachers will lead each session. In addition to their regular BESTT classes, students will join teens from throughout the local Jewish community to participate in monthly community programs. Classes for BESTT eighth graders are held at the same time as the high school; the year’s focus will include indepth Holocaust studies, and Middot, guidance in making appropriate choices in life, based on Jewish values. Beth El’s high school is open to all teenagers in the Jewish community. For more information about the school and its programs, contact Tsabari in the BESTT office, 402.492.8550, or etsabari@bethel-omaha.org. Information may also be found at www.bethel-omaha.org.
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by SHERRIE SAAG Communications, Jewish Federation of Omaha Margie Utesch, a 10-year veteran on the Federation campus, was named Director of Marketing and Communications. In the expanded position, Utesch will increase her involvement in marketing, planning, and strategy. A native of Wahoo, NE, Utesch is one of seven children, with three older and three younger siblings. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts, Visual Communication and Design from the University of Nebraska, Kearney (UNK). While a student in 1997, Utesch spent four months interning at the Prague Post in Prague, Czech Republic. “The Margie Utesch editor at the time was Jewish, and he introduced me to the Jewish religion and culture. Looking back, I realize it was rather unique to learn about Judaism in Europe and then find myself several years later working for the community as a young professional,” Utesch recalled. Graduation requirements included a senior show and Utesch chose Auschwitz as her show’s subject matter, based on her experiences traveling in Poland. After earning her degree, she worked for a short time at Boys Town before joining the Jewish Community Center as Publicity Director in 2003. In her initial position, Utesch was charged with improving the level of design and production of all JCC marketing materials. Several years later, The One Campus, One Community initiative positioned the marketing staff as a department whose professional services were made available to the entire campus. Since then, it has provided design and production services for print, direct mail and electronic communications. Utesch was involved in the marketing of the 2013 Annual Campaign and its theme, “Come Together...Right Now” and helped develop the “I AM” 2014 Annual Campaign theme. CEO Mike Silverman said of her appointment, “Utesch will be more involved in strategic thinking and will help position our Federation, its agencies and the entire campus for continued success.” Utesch is married to Brad and they have two children, Ed, nine and Julie, four. They attended the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center and Utesch reports that Ed can still recite the Shabbat prayers and the kids have their CDC Shabbat boxes on their bedroom bookshelves!
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Continued from page 7 involved in BBYO holding both chapter and regional leadership positions. In the spring of 2011, he was a student at George Washington University while interning for Senator Ben Nelson in Washington D.C. He believes regardless of where his career takes him, pub-
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lic service will be at the forefront. “I want to be in a position to help the people of Nebraska and my community.” According to Ricks, in Zach’s cover letter, he wrote, “I can imagine no better way to continue building my Jewish identity than to give back to the community that raised me.” We can’t imagine a better way, either.
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The Jewish Press office is closed Thursday and Friday, Sept. 5 and 6, for Rosh Hashanah; the deadline for the Sept. 13 issue is Tuesday, Sept. 3, 9 a.m. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.
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August 23, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 9
Point of view
American Jewish Press Association Award Winner
Nebraska Press National Newspaper Association Association Award winner 2008
Spinning yarn by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor When I was little, my grandmother used to tell the following story. When the Germans first invaded Holland, the Nazis would walk into random homes and take all the food. One day, a soldier barged in and demanded to eat. My grandparents said they had nothing. He yelled at them, until my grandfather had had enough, grabbed the man’s head and shoved it into the refrigerator. “See?” He said, “no food!” I made her tell me the story again and again because A) It made my sweet, mild-mannered grandfather sound extremely brave, and B) I was fascinated by the idea of my grandparents as young people, the way I would never know them. Until I was about ten or eleven years old and developed a smart mouth. “You know, grandma,” I said, “there were no refrigerators in 1940.” At which she rolled her eyes and said: “Hello, I know that. It was an icebox. Same thing.” She knew what I didn’t: it’s not about getting all the details right. It’s about the essence of the story. We all have stories to tell, and we don’t always get the details right. We embellish a little here and there, or we leave something out; quite often we make ourselves look a little bit better than we deserve, and that’s okay. Ultimately, it’s those combined stories we share that make us a community. And in the telling of those stories, we remind ourselves where we belong. Good stories are the backbone of any self-respecting publication. They can be told with words, in big headlines, placement and photographs; sometimes the story everyone is talking about is the one that wasn’t published. Sometimes stories are urgent, other times they have to mature like a good barrel of wine. That’s true from the smallest community publication to the biggest international news channel. Next week, we publish our annual Rosh Hashanah issue, and soon after we’ll start working on the 2014 Passover edition. But there’s more: our education issue comes out Sept.
20, we plan to mark Temple Israel’s move to Sterling Ridge in our Oct. 4 issue (call Jessie Wees at 402.334.6559 to wish Temple well) and we have a camping issue scheduled for Oct. 11th. Later in November, there will be a sports issue, and in November there’s the business guide, shopping guide, and Hanukkah. We finish the special issue list with the Senior Living issue on Dec. 20. The reason I am giving you,
our readers, such a detailed list is we are hoping one of these topics will trigger a story idea for one of you. I am currently working on one such story, that of Bernie Meyers, who went to Israel recently for a very special reason. If you want to know what that reason is, you’ll have to read it here in a few weeks. I thought this might be a good opportunity to give you all a little glimpse behind the curtain. Where do stories come from, and how do they make it into the Jewish Press? There are several ways for us to select stories. Sometimes synagogues or agencies and organizations in the community send them to us. Sometimes we commission or buy stories, if we can match the right freelancer with the right topic, as was the case with the recent stories Julianne Herzog wrote about the BRCA 1 and 2 gene mutations. We receive stories
Anti-Gay bigotry and harassment in Russia
Behind the headlines New York, NY, August 16, 2013 … In response to a new national law in Russia prohibiting “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations,” and fallout from the law’s passage that has brought about an upsurge in violence targeting gays and lesbians, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called on the United States to impose penalties if the Russian government does not “step backward on this issue of basic human rights.” In a blog published in The Huffington Post, Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, likened the demonization of Russia’s LGBT community to that of Jews in the former Soviet Union, saying that “bold action” was necessary to protect the security and dignity of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people living in Russia. In welcoming President Obama’s recent public criticism of the Russian law, Foxman said formal government action was also necessary and a logical next step. He called for the imposition of “a new Jackson-Vanik,” the 1974 legislation linking favorable trade status to the right of Soviet Jews to emigrate. “It will take more than just words,” said Foxman, a longtime civil rights leader and veteran of the lobbying efforts on behalf of Soviet Jewry. “We need a new Jackson-Vanik to
(Founded in 1920) Andrew Ruback President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Jessie Wees Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Barbara Kirkpatrick Bookkeeper
Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, Caryn Scheer, Bobbi Leibowitz, Past President; Phyllis Brown; Daniel Christensen; Mel Epstein; Scott Farkas; Sandy Friedman; Noah Priluck; Paul Rabinowitz; Mark Senal; Nancy Wolf. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish LIfe, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www jewishoma
convince Russia that steps backward on this issue of basic human rights will be met with strong repercussions from the United States.... Jackson-Vanik focused on one set of rights for one group, and yet it was one of this country’s most important and successful human rights initiatives.” Foxman also pointed to the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, adopted in December 2012, as another similarly effective action taken by Congress to impose sanctions on Russian officials for gross human rights violations such as the wrongful imprisonment and death of a Russian lawyer for an American investment company. “A similar approach could be taken against those Russian officials responsible for persecuting LGBT individuals and advocates for their rights,” Foxman wrote. “While having limited practical impact, the Magnitsky law hit politically sensitive areas and named and shamed specific individuals.” Foxman went on to suggest that the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, which will showcase today’s Russia to a global audience, would provide an opportunity to show solidarity with the LGBT community and to protest anti-gay discrimination in Russia. But Foxman concluded that a boycott of the games would be a mistake -- depriving American athletes of their chance to compete for Olympic gold. The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry. ha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial
material and photos to: avandekamp @jewishomaha.org; send ads (in .TIF or .PDF format) to: rbusse@jew ishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines 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@jew ishomaha.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
from the news wire, such as the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and the Jewish News Service. We have columnists who query us with the materials they write, sometimes we say yes, and other times we say no; Teddy Weinberger is one such example. Then there are the stories that are possibly the most valuable of all: when a community member calls and wants to share something. I like doing these myself, if I can find the time. They usually take longer to produce because time to write, believe it or not, is not really built into my daily schedule (what do I do all day? That’s a topic for a different editorial; stay tuned). The reason I like doing some of these stories is it allows me to get to know the community better. When you sit face to face with someone, and they tell you their story, you learn a little bit more about how the community operates. And so, story-by-story, I discover the many layers in the world around me. Just like my grandmother’s story taught me something about my grandfather that I would have never learned on my own, the stories I am privileged to hear teach me about you. Stories are more than just words on a page. They require someone willing to share, take a risk, talk to this editor and hope she does the story justice. Sometimes I’m not confident I do; if it happens, the credit goes to the subject, for without a good subject, a writer doesn’t get very far. Keep telling me your stories, keep sharing, keep teaching me—please. Be patient with me when I take my time; after all, a good story does not spoil.
Letter TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor: I am writing this letter in response to Ron Kampeas’ oped in the 8/2/2013 issue. Mr. Kampeas praises people who promote dialogue with Iran’s new President (Hassan Rouhani) on Iran’s Nuclear Program. He also blasts friends of Israel who argue (with ample justification) that Iran has been given more than enough time to cooperate. Kampeas’s position is not merely wrong – it is fundamentally dishonest. He pretends as if a “President” of Iran – be it Rouhani or anyone else – has any say in Iran’s nuclear program. A “President” of Iran is a largely ceremonial role with minor domestic administrative privileges. A “President” of Iran serves at the pleasure of the Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei). The Supreme Leader can order the removal (and imprisonment) of the “President” as casually as he orders his breakfast coffee. No “President” of Iran – be he a “moderate” (like Khatami) or “hawk” (like Ahmadinejad) had even a consultative (much less decisive) role in Iran’s Nuclear program. This fact applies not only to the development of nuclear weapons. Iran’s “President” will be equally out of the loop on the decision of whether and when to use the nuclear bomb for the ultimate Final Solution. Anyone who urges goodwill towards the new President of Iran is doing nothing more than aiding Iran in obtaining the ultimate weapon of the next Jewish Holocaust. I read plenty of articles in every possible forum that urge forbearance towards Iran and its horrific quest. I never expected the Jewish paper from the city of my youth to be one such forum. Gregory Kosinovsky Cupertino, CA
Visit the Jewish Press online at jewishomaha.org and space restrictions, but it should be printed as soon as possible to ensure timeliness. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. 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. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid per-
sonal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.
10 | The Jewish Press | August 23, 2013
Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 | 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com For information on our historic synagogue – dates and times for Friday night services, call 712.323.8885.
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha, NE. 68154 | 402.556.6288 www.BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv and Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Children’s Classes begin with Torah Parade, 9:45 a.m.; Mincha, 7:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:54 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Daf Yomi: Week in Review with Rabbi Gross, 7:45 a.m. TUESDAY: Women’s Study Group, 6:30 p.m. at the home of Kathy Weiner. WEDNESDAY: Coffee and Your Jewish News with Rabbi Gross, 7:45 a.m.; Rabbi Weiss’s Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m. THURSDAY: Sacred Grounds with Rabbi Gross, 9:30 a.m.
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 Nebraska AIDS Project, 11:30 a.m. Help prepare and serve lunch at the center. For more information or to volunteer and/or provide baked goods for dessert, contact Joan Marcus at hmarcom@juno.com; Shabbat at Rose Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Services, 9:30 a.m.; Bat Mitzvah of Catherine Cox, daughter of Penny and Michael Cox; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Red Cross Blood Drive, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the synagogue. Contact Marcy Noodell at 402.630.0381, to schedule your appointment; Torah Study Group, 10 a.m.; The Secrets of the Jews, a new, monthly, adult-education class led by Andy Greenberg, 10 a.m. Cost is $36 for members, $45 for non-members. Register online at www.bethelomaha.org; BESTT Classes begin. Come for a WelcomeBack Waffle Breakfast from 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.; afterward, an assembly for students and parents will take place, followed by classes at 10:45 a.m.; Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m.noon. Fun-filled class for preschoolers and their parents, led by Naomi Gaca. (Torah Tots families are also invited to BESTT Welcome-Back Waffle Breakfast at 9:45 a.m.); Kibbutz Chaverim, 12:15 p.m.–3 p.m., our youth group for children in grades 2-7 will eat lunch at Beth El and then enjoy swimming at the JCC. Cost is $10. For more information, contact Jeanne at bestt@bethel-omaha.org. TUESDAY: Wrestling with the Rabbis of the Talmud, 10 a.m. weekly adult-education class led by Rabbi Abraham. No charge to attend; everyone is welcome. WEDNESDAY: BESTT Weekday classes, 4:15 p.m.; Choir Rehearsal, 7:30 p.m. in the chapel. THURSDAY: High Holy Days University Mini-course, 7 p.m. led by Rabbi Abraham and Hazzan Krausman to help people better understand the High Holy Days liturgy. USY Leadership Training Institute, Aug. 23–25 in Minneapolis. Selichot, Saturday, Aug. 31, 9 p.m., come to Beth El to participate in our “Build a Prayer” workshop. The Selichot service follows at 9:45 p.m., and the evening concludes with a dessert reception. Torah Honors 101, Sunday, Sept. 1, 10 a.m., Rabbi Abraham and Hazzan Krausman will teach the basics of aliyah-taking. Class is for first-timers and those wishing to brush up on their skills. No charge to attend. Bowling party for USY and Kadima, Sunday, Sept. 1, 5-7 p.m., at Maplewood Lanes. Early-bird price, until August 25, is $12; after that date, cost is $15. (Fee includes dinner, bowling and shoe rental.) RSVP by calling or texting Betsy Goodman, 402.321.1806. All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.
Bat Mitzvah Zoey Newman, daughter of Karli and Jody Newman, will become a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Temple Israel. Zoey is an eighth-grade student at Beveridge Magnet School. Her interests include acting, singing, dancing, horses, baking and eating desserts. For her mitzvah project, Zoey volunteered over 40 hours at the Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy (HETRA) assisting summer campers with activities, grooming horses and working as an equipment assistant during therapeutic riding sessions. She has a sister, Bailey, and a brother, Spencer. Grandparents are Audrey Newman and Howard Wallenstein of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
CHABAD CENTER An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street | Omaha, NE 68144-1646 | 402.330.1800 www.OChabad.com | email: chabad@aol.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush lunch is sponsored in honor of the anniversary of Estie and Leibel Baumgerten. SUNDAY: Minyan, 8:30 a.m.; Breakfast Bonanza, 9:30 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m. TUESDAY: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office. WEDNESDAY: Personal Parsha class, 10 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. THURSDAY: Women’s Study at UNMC with Shani Katzman, noon. RSVP by emailing Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@unmc.edu. All programs are open to the entire community.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN South Street Temple | Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street | Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 | 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. with oneg following hosted by Shannon and Michael Boekstal. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Ki Tavo; Lincoln Temple Youth Group Kick-off and Welcome Back (Grades 9-12), TBA; Note: Southview Christian Church will be using the Temple parking lot between 5-7 p.m. for overflow parking for a large wedding. THURSDAY: High Holiday Day Choir Rehearsal, 7:30-9 p.m. The Lincoln Jewish Community School needs two bookcases, one with four shelves for the Gan classroom and one with five shelves for the rest of the LJCS books. If you have one you could donate, or if you would like to donate money to purchase one or both, contact Andrea Halpern through the Tifereth Israel office at 402.423.8569. Todah in advance from LJCS! Help is still needed to water the Temple grounds during the weeks of Sept. 9, and Sept. 16 (Monday through the following Sunday each week). Our days to water (at our
Candlelighting Friday, August 23, 7:53 p.m.
odd numbered address) are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Please contact Ellin at ellin7@aol.com if you can help or if you have questions. Thank you!
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway | Offutt AFB, NE 68113 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to RBJH, 2:30 p.m. with 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) 7023 Cass Street | Omaha, NE 68132-2651 | 402.556.6536 http://templeisraelomaha.com FRIDAY: Celebrate Rabbi Azriel’s 25 years at Temple Israel, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Azriel, Rabbi Brown and Cantor Shermet. Join us as we mark two historic moments in the life of Temple Israel: the last Shabbat service at our Cass Street building and a celebration of Rabbi Azriel’s 25 years at Temple Israel. Rabbi Azriel will be telling his story, It All Started with a Railing. An oneg will follow the service. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. Zoey Newman, daguhter of Karli and Jody Newman, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah. SUNDAY: Torah Procession from 7023 Cass St. to 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive, 9 a.m. Join us in celebrating our past, present and future by honoring all who have helped make the dream of the New Building Capital and Endowment Campaign a success. All ages are encouraged to come and participate in this once-in-a-generation event. Interested in joining a walking team to help carry the Torah? Each team will cover a half-mile stretch of the procession route. Contact Temple Israel or register online. Ceremony to remove the mezuzah and Torah scrolls, 9 a.m. and Mezuzah hanging, cornerstone dedication and procession of Torah scrolls at Sterling Ridge, noon. Lunch will be provided free of charge. Religious School students and their parents will have an opportunity to meet their teachers and see their classrooms. Casual Dress. Shofar rehearsal will be immediately following the ceremony; The Lauter Tun Series with Cantor Shermet, 7 p.m. at Lauter Tun Bar, 3309 Oak View Dr #102. TUESDAY: Kol Rina and Quintet Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. Havdalah & S’lichot, Saturday, Aug. 31, 7 p.m. We invite our congregants to join us on a spiritual walk through the new sacred spaces as we celebrate our new home. There will be a teaching during the service about forgiveness and repentance. We will also be changing the Torah covers for the High Holidays. A chocolate oneg will follow the service. OJC pre-Slichot Program at Beth Israel, Sunday, Aug. 31, 9:30 p.m.–11:30 p.m.
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: Tifereth Israel’s Fourth Annual Shabbat on the Green/New Member dinner, 6:30 p.m. followed by a short Shabbat service. SATURDAY: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a Kiddush luncheon. TUESDAY: Yahrzeit Minyan in memory of Sheldon Kushner, 6:45 p.m.
U.S. nixes Egypt drill by JTA NEWS STAFF (JTA) -- Israel and the United States concluded a joint military naval exercise as President Obama canceled a U.S.-Egyptian drill due to civilian deaths in Cairo demonstrations. Obama told reporters on Aug. 15 that aid cuts could be coming if Egypt’s military government does not stop its bloody crackdown on protesters and move quickly to new elections, USA Today reported. His statements on Egypt came as Israeli and American vessels were wrapping up their Reliant Mermaid 103 exercise, which combines 10 days of training in the Mediterranean Sea on search and rescue capabilities, according to a statement by the Israel Defense Forces. The exercise included a guided-missile destroyer from the
U.S. 6th Fleet, as well as missile boats from the Israeli Navy. Referring to Egypt, Obama told reporters that his government “strongly condemns” the violence there but added that continued U.S. “engagement” with the interim government in Cairo will help it transition back to democracy. “But while we want to sustain our relationship with Egypt, our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed in the streets and rights are being rolled back,” Obama said from his vacation home at Martha’s Vineyard. The death toll stood at at least 600, with dozens of fatalities reported Friday in Tahrir Square in Cairo and beyond. The U.S. provides Egypt with about $1.3 billion in aid per year.
Pulverente MONUMENT CO.
August 23, 2013 | The Jewish Press | 11
Gratitude
In memoriam BILLIE PEPPER TRACHTENBARG
Sparks from the word RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parsha Ki Tavo Our Sidrah opens with instruction to the Hebrews (who were about to enter Canaan) to remember that this land is the Lord’s gift to them. They were to show their gratitude by making an (annual?) acknowledgement, formal and solemn, at the Temple and in the presence of the Priest, that this land is God’s gift: “Here are the first fruits of the soil. We acknowledge that this good produce is His, and we thank Him for it.” This offering, in time, became the Shavuot offering of First Fruits. It was an annual time of joy and festivity, and a solemn and happy display of gratitude for the good things of the earth. It requires no great mental or spiritual leap to see that gratitude is also the thrust of the harvest festival of Sukkot and the freedom festival of Pesach. Gratitude is a basic expression of the human spirit; and, in Judaism, it is a basic religious requirement as well. Life itself is the greatest gift. The self-conscious human being never forgets this, never denies it, never allows it to escape his thought process. “When you come into the land...” our Sidrah says, don’t forget how you got there and why. Don’t forget Who it was who brought you there. Make solemn affirmation of your gratitude.”
Former Omahan Billie Pepper Trachtenbarg passed away on July 18 in Stillwater, OK. Services were held on July 21 in Stillwater . She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Florence Pepper, her husband Malcolm (Mac); cousin, Dr. Maurice Pepper; sisters, Jean Horen and Lois Pepper Priesman. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Cheryl and Glen Gebhart of Stillwater; son and daughter-in-law, Charles Trachtenbarg and Pat Pashang of Mission Viejo, CA; grandchildren: Brian and Jessica Gebhart of Minneapolis; nieces, Linda Priesman Smith of Sun City, AZ and Judy Van Patter of Boca Raton, FL; nephews, Steve Priesman and Jeff Horen of Leawood, KS. Memorials can be made to an organization of choice.
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Get ready for the holidays by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity With Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur just around the corner, Beth El’s Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman want congregants to get the most of their holiday observances at the synagogue. With that in mind, the two clergy members are presenting “High Holy Days University,” featuring two special classes at the s y n ago g u e that will encourage understand- Rabbi Steven Abraham, left, and Hazzan ing of, and Michael Krausman participation in, upcoming services. On Thursday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m., Rabbi Abraham and Hazzan Krausman will familiarize attendees with the High Holy Days liturgy, as well as with the Lev Shalem machzor (the prayer book used during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services). During the session, the meaning and wisdom of the prayers and readings will be explored, Rabbi Abraham said, and an explanation of Lev Shalem – including ways it differs from its predecessor, the Harlow machzor – will be presented. Then on Sunday, Sept. 1, 10 a.m., during “Torah Honors 101,” the rabbi and hazzan will teach the basics of aliyahtaking - bimah etiquette and the prayers chanted. This class is geared to both first-timers and those wishing to brush up on their skills, Hazzan Krausman said, adding that everyone in the congregation is welcome to attend. There is no charge to participate; for more information, contact the synagogue office at 402.492.8550.
1439 So. 13th 402-341-2452
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Nebraska The staff at the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society would like your help identifying the two women in this photograph. If this is someone you know, please contact Renee Corcoran at 402.334.6442 or email rcorcoran@jewishomaha. org. Keep reading the Jewish Press for more unidentified photos!
To submit announcements: Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai b’rith mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements. Deadlines are normally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.
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12 | The Jewish Press | August 23, 2013
Hadassa Margolese, fighter for religious tolerance by BEN SALES other hand, being a public figure isn’t so simple,” she said. TEL AVIV (JTA) -- Two years ago, Hadassa Margolese “Really the only way to change things is by being public. If became a symbol of resistance to haredi Orthodox domina- you’re not public, nobody cares what you have to say.” tion after she allowed her eight-year-old daughter to tell an Born in Los Angeles, Margolese came to Israel at two. A Israeli reporter how religious men had spit on her as she self-identified feminist, Margolese says inequalities between walked to school. The report made headlines around the world and cast Margolese into the spotlight as a defender of the rights and values of the Modern Orthodox community in Beit Shemesh, a city of approximately 75,000 just off the main highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with a growing haredi population. Now Margolese has departed Beit Shemesh -driven out not by the haredi Orthodox with whom she once clashed but by members of her own Modern Orthodox community. In May, Margolese published a column on the website of the Israeli daily Maariv detailing the degrading treatment she had endured during her monthly visits to a public mikvah, or ritual bath, a practice required by religious laws on marital intiHadassa Margolese walking her daughter Naama to school in Beit macy. But rather than rally around her as it did in Shemesh a few days after Naama was harassed by haredi Orthodox 2011, some in the Modern Orthodox community men, December 2011. Credit: Kobi Gideon/Flash90/JTA turned on Margolese, subjecting her to a steady stream of online vitriol. men and women in Judaism have bothered her since she was “I was airing our own dirty laundry as opposed to before, a child, when she began to question why Orthodox men when I was airing another community’s dirty laundry,” she bless God each morning for not making them women. said. “I hear from so many women about their negative Now she is living a more tranquil life in a town of secular experiences [at the mikvah]. I thought people would say, and Modern Orthodox families she prefers not to name. ‘Yes, let’s change this.’” Margolese plans to continue to be active on the mikvah Margolese, 32, is something of a reluctant activist. Unlike issue, though in a more circumscribed way, conducting lowmany Israeli social reformers, who aggressively seek media key meetings with activists and politicians, and confining attention and speak in confident tones, Margolese is quiet her writing to her blog. and unassuming, cautious of offending friends and guarded “I’d like to be a social activist,” she said. “I don’t think I when it comes to her personal life. have a thick enough skin to be a politician.” She assumed the protest mantle two years ago, she says, In her mikvah column, Margolese described the way mikvah mainly out of necessity. And from the time that conflict died supervisors would question her Jewish observance and stare at down until the mikvah column, she largely retreated into her as she entered and left the water naked. An attendant private life, visiting Beit Shemesh’s haredi neighborhoods would interrogate her about how thoroughly she cleaned heronly when necessary. self and demand that she return to the sink for another wash. “I really have very mixed feelings about it because I want “I’m supposed to feel clean after the mikvah,” Margolese to make whatever changes I can possibly make, but on the wrote, “but instead I feel degraded and dirty.”
Soon after the column was published, Margolese was at a meeting of the Knesset Caucus for the Advancement of Women. She planned to stay afterward to meet politicians sympathetic to her cause, but shaken by a stream of negative comments being posted to her Facebook wall -- some of them by friends -- she left early. “The humiliation I felt from these individuals was worse than all of my negative mikvah experiences put together,” Margolese wrote on her blog. “I knew about the gossip going on around me. I cried for days. I couldn’t breathe. I stopped leaving my house other than to go to work. I decided that it is time to move.” Margolese’s departure comes as tensions between the Modern Orthodox and haredi residents in Beit Shemesh continues to flare. Last month, a group of haredi men reportedly smashed the windows of a bus after a women refused to give up her seat and sit in the back. This week, police arrested 14 haredi rioters who blocked a major street and set trash bins on fire to protest construction at a Beit Shemesh site that once may have been a burial ground. Such clashes are not the cause of Margolese’s departure, but they have led other families to ditch Beit Shemesh in recent years, according to City Councilman Shalom Lerner. “I’m sorry she’s leaving, but it’s her right if she feels better elsewhere,” Lerner said. “Hadassa isn’t the first one to leave and is not the only one thinking about leaving. The past five years haven’t been good.” And they aren’t necessarily going to get better. Though a number of initiatives aimed at promoting coexistence in Beit Shemesh were launched in the wake of the incident with Margolese’s daughter, the city is still wrestling with its identity. An acrimonious mayoral campaign is underway, pitting the haredi incumbent against a Modern Orthodox opponent. Activists say the result will determine the city’s future. But whatever the outcome, Margolese will be watching from the sidelines, not the trenches. “If I still lived in Beit Shemesh, I would still be trying to change things in Beit Shemesh, like the separate sidewalks [for men and women] and the signs saying to dress modestly,” she said. “But I don’t live in Beit Shemesh anymore, and there are no issues like that in the place where I live.”
Happy 69th Wedding Anniversary
Norma & Stanley Silverman
We love you! Jeff & Mary Kay and your loving Grandchildren & Great-Grandchildren