Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA
Congregants get involved This in new Temple Israel’s art Week December 9, 2011 13 Kislev 5772 Vol. 92 | No. 13 2 Sections
Celebrating Hanukkah Starts on Page 17
Can Israel become a center for fashion? Page 16
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN been invited to reply to an online Temple Israel survey several weeks prior to the Bemis Center event. Among the Communications Coordinator questions, congregants were asked In Genesis, as the biblical Jacob to list the most meaningful tradidreamed, God said, “The land on tions they’d like to see in their new which you lie I will give to you and building. From the survey, to your descendants.” When Jacob responses included words such as awoke he said, “Surely the Lord is “warmth, community, spirituality, in this place; and I did not know it.” relationships, comfort, welcoming, “This is Jacob’s place!” exclaimed peace, serenity, belonging, shalom, Rabbi Aryeh Azriel at a new buildinviting, and awe” among others. ing focus group for members of Simon then asked the audience to Temple Israel at the Bemis Center participate in an interactive exerfor Contemporary Arts on Nov. 29. cise “much of it being emotion and “That Torah portion works very feelings,” he pointed out. well with this event,” he said. Congregants, sitting at tables of six, Referring to the land at Sterling Joi Brown, left, Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, and Deb Marburg were among the crowd of were asked to tell their Temple Ridge that Temple Israel will purnearly 70 who attended the New Building Focus Group event at the Bemis Center Israel stories to the people at their chase in a closing at a title company to discuss a shared vision for Temple Israel’s new synagogue. tables, beginning with “once upon a transaction on Dec. 8, Rabbi Azriel proclaimed, “This is the place that all the necessary infrastructure such art, colors, and the feel of the new time.” Each person then had to conas lighting is in place. Temple before experts begin work- dense his or her story to one word. will one day be a home for us.” Budget specifics remain a prime ing on the actual designs. Many of the stories were emotionThe Bemis Center is developing Temple Israel congregant Todd al. Two of them referred to Sept. 11, an art plan for the new synagogue concern as the Building Council which will assist the architects and works to identify the specifics of the Simon facilitated the focus group of 2001. A couple of stories elicited designers in making critical deci- new building. Now that the final 60 to 70 people. He explained that laughter. Janey Dann talked about sions regarding the placement of phase of fundraising is in progress, the work being done today is how when she was a child in riding a street design elements, the floor plan, and attention is turning to the environ- “we’re creating a living document” car in Omaha during World War II. Another passenger insulted Dann and various uses of the new building’s ment of the building, giving congre- that will inform the entire process. Members of the congregation had Continued on page 3 spaces. The plan will also ensure that gants a voice in the design, layout,
Pump up the volume: Music propels the way to a rededicated Jewish life by DASEE BERKOWITZ NEW YORK (JTA) -- My 3-yearold son is obsessed with showing people his room, sidling sheepishly over to guests and asking, “Can I show you my room?”
Dreidel games Page 20
One’s Own,” in Virginia Wolff ’s words. Our rooms make us feel secure and anchors us. (Just ask a teenager how important that is.) A room enables us to recharge before heading out into the world to do our
Star Deli offers a feast on the Festival of Lights by OZZIE NOGG Mark your calendars for Tuesday night, Dec. 27, when the Star Deli serves up a Special Hanukkah Brisket Dinner accompanied by traditional potato latkes
braise everything for three to four hours until the meat is fork tender and the flavor is full and rich.” Potato Latkes a la Aparo are a tweaked version of various recipes he’s been given by community
and apple sauce all for just $12.99. The entire community is invited to dine from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. RBJH Director of Food and Environmental Services, Mike Aparo, says that after working at the Home for so many years he’s developed the perfect brisket recipe. “I sear the brisket, saute celery, onions and garlic, cover the brisket with the aromatic vegetables, fill the pan with balsamic vinegar and beef stock and then
members. “Creamy on the inside, crisp on the outside,” is how he describes them. A very special aspect of the Special Hanukkah Brisket Dinner is the dessert -- Festive Fruit Blintzes -- each one made-to-order in the Auditorium, right before your eyes, on the Home’s new induction range cart. “This remarkable gift was donated to us by National Council of Jewish Women, Omaha Section, in memory of David J. Meyers,” said Josh Continued on page 2
Inside Point of view Synagogues In memoriam
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Next Month Senior Living See Front Page stories and more at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press
The Maccabeats, Yeshiva University’s a cappella group, with their 2010 YouTube sensation “Candelight” freshens up the Hanukkah story. Credit: Jewish Community Center of Paramus, N.J. My son reminds me how important our “place” is -- “A Room of
work, and contains the objects, pictures and music that entertain us, occupy and preoccupy us, and evoke memories of another time. I’ve been thinking about this room metaphor, especially as Hanukkah nears. Hanukkah means dedication. What we are celebrating is the courage of the Maccabees to rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem, the center of our Jewish lives, after it was defiled by the Assyrian Greeks in 164 BCE. They re-established the Continued on page 2