July 31, 2026

A N AG E N C Y O F T H E J E W I S H F E D E R AT I O N O F O M A H A

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JULY 31, 2026 | 1 7 AV 578 6 | VO L. 1 06 | NO. 39 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, JU LY 31, 8: 23 P.M.

The Power of Place day European Summer Institute for Holocaust Educators. While Nesbit has studied the Holocaust extensively, the program offered her first opportunity to stand on the historic ground she has spent years teaching about.

“Everywhere I went that was very much in the forefront of my thinking was how do I articulate this for students, for young people.” Nesbit said. “How do I process this in a way for myself but how do I process this in a way that I can then share with students?”

The immersive professional development proAlexandra Zapruder, this year’s scholar-in-residence and au- gram brought together thor of the acclaimed book, Salvaged Pages: Young Writers' educators from across the Diaries of the Holocaust, look over one of the diaries United States to visit historical sites in Lithuania, Poland and HEIDI HEILBRUNN IHE Program and Communications the Netherlands. The journey aimed to deepen their understanding of the Manager nstitute for Holocaust Education’s Holocaust, World War II, antisemitism Director of Education Jane Nesbit and past and contemporary European took time this summer to partici- Jewish life. pate in “The Power of Place,” a 12- See The Power of Place page 2

Thanks for the Memories Page 3

The Wandering Jew Page 8

I

Recent Additions to the Kripke-Veret Collection Page 12

Ride for the Living

REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues

6 9 10

SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor On June 26, despite a recordbreaking heatwave, more than 300 participants from around the world did something spectacular.

Together, they cycled from Auschwitz-Birkenau and walked from the Płaszów Concentration Camp to JCC Krakow, retracing a path from the darkness of the Holocaust to the light of the vibrant Jewish life that exists here today.

Leading the family adventure

Richard Fellman.

“The Ride for the Living was inspiring,” Ted said. “It was such a blessing to ride with my father and son and cousins. We turned our backs on the horrors of the Holocaust by riding away from Birkenau and riding towards a hopeful vision of reborn Jewish life in Krakow.”

Two Holocaust survivors joined the event: 97-year-old Auschwitz survivor Tom, Grayson, and Ted Fellman Bernard Offen, who rode the route on a was Tom Fellman with his son Ted tandem bicycle with JCC Krakow and grandson Grayson, both of CEO Jonathan Ornstein, and 88Missoula, Montana; plus, Wendy Katzman (Santa Fe), daughter of year-old Holocaust survivor Leon Nancy Rips, Tom's twin sister, and Malmed, who completed the Jon Fellman, Chicago, son of See Ride for a Living page 3

We Welcome Cantor Gil Ezring & His Family to Beth El LISA MARCUS Following the retirement of our beloved Hazzan Michael Krausman, we are pleased to welcome Cantor Gil Ezring in his new role as cantor of Beth El Synagogue.

Credit: Marcus of Omaha Fine Photography

“We will have the joy of welcoming Cantor Ezring to our community in August,” said Rabbi Abraham. “His teaching ranges from Torah-trope classes for children, teenagers and adults to Rockin’ the Tradition, his course on contemporary Jewish music.”

Cantor Ezring previously served as hazzan at Bet Torah Congregation in Mount Kisco, NY since 2020. With an extensive background and passion for music in its varying styles, he constantly strives to engage people through song and prayer.

Cantor Ezring graduated from the H.L. Miller Cantorial School at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the premier cantorial training program of the Conservative movement. Since then, he has continued to learn new and meaningful ways to express and teach our prayers and sacred texts. From choirs to bands, classical Hazzanut to rock and roll, Cantor Ezring believes that every style of music has a place within the Jewish tradition and that every generation adds their own voices to our ever-growing tradition while always remembering the voices of the past.

With that sentiment in mind, Cantor Ezring keeps his See Cantor Ezring page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026

The Power of Place

Ponar, she said, was particularly diffiContinued from page 1 Throughout the trip, participants trav- cult for her emotionally. “It’s hauntingly eled with author Alexandra Zapruder, beautiful and it witnessed one of the uglithis year’s scholar-in-residence. Za- est moments in history, what neighbor pruder’s acclaimed book, Salvaged Pages: did to neighbor, because of Lithuania’s Young Writers' Diaries of the Holocaust, collaborative history, in part due to the served as a central theme. Her research Soviet occupation.” chronicles the diaries of young people, of- Understanding What Was Lost The educators also visited Lithuania’s fering educators a personal lens through Lost Shtetl Museum, which opened in 2025 which to explore history.

Facing the "Juxtaposition of Beauty and explains the pre-war Jewish experience, helping visitors better understand the and Horror" The journey began in Vilnius, Lithuania, rich history and cultural heritage that exand included visits to local schools, syna- isted before the community was destroyed.

Nesbit said the museum powerfully ilgogues, and locations connected to the young diarists in Salvaged Pages. For Nesbit, the region's geography brought a recurring, juxtaposition of natural beauty and historical horror.

At the Ninth Fort, a mass execution site where an estimated 50,000 victims were killed between 1941 and 1944, Nesbit looked out over lush, green fields where people went about their daily lives, just steps from the depressions in the earth marking mass graves.

"It was really hard to stand there and see nature reJane tours the Lost Shtetl Museum claiming a space where such horror and such inhumanity occurred," lustrates the magnitude of what was lost.

One particularly powerful experience Nesbit said. "That was something I wrescame when the group visited two cemetled with throughout the tour."

During a subsequent stop at the Ponar teries, one Jewish and one Catholic, to Forest, known as the "killing fields of honor the former Jewish community and Ponary," one of the Holocaust's most hor- a family recognized as Righteous Among rific mass murder sites, participants were the Nations, those who risked their lives asked to spend time writing and reflect- to save Jews during the Holocaust.

For Nesbit, the museum, along with a ing in their journals. stark contrast she observed between a “I thought about the fact that these trees had borne witness to generations and beautifully kept Catholic cemetery and would continue to stand long afterward.” an empty Jewish cemetery, underscored She said the experience also prompted the erasure of entire communities. The her to think about the future of Holocaust contrast between the two cemeteries left remembrance as the number of living a lasting impression.

"The Catholic cemetery had flowers survivors continues to decline. and candles. There was no one visiting “There’s a lot of concern about what do we do with memory and how do we the Jewish cemetery," Nesbit said. "It washonor and recognize that memory,” she n't just that people were gone, it was that said. “I was thinking that these trees the Jewish community, which had been would be there long after we are all gone.” so deeply interwoven into that culture,

Cantor Ezring

Continued from page 1 grandfather, Rabbi Cantor Abraham Ezring (a founding member of the Cantors Assembly), in mind every time he leads a service and when he collaborates with his sister, Aviva, to write new Jewish music.

He has even worked with volunteer rock bands to create new and exciting prayer opportunities such as Rock HaShanah, a rock service he created with his father, Rabbi Murray Ezring, for Temple Israel in Charlotte, NC where he grew up.

Utilizing his background in education, Cantor Ezring helps members of the Jewish community of all ages learn new ways to connect to our vast musical tradition including teaching Torah trope classes for youths, teens, and adults to his Rockin’ the Tradition class on contemporary Jewish music. He has also mentored teenage musicians to participate in services and to be music teachers in Hebrew schools.

He enjoys being a music teacher in He-

was gone. That was incredibly jarring."

Before leaving, the group placed stones on the gravestones, a Jewish tradition of remembrance and respect that signifies the deceased have not been forgotten.

The experience reinforced a core lesson that resurfaced throughout the journey and one that the Institute for Holocaust Education emphasizes through its educational outreach: the Holocaust was not only the murder of six million Jews, but also the destruction of vibrant communities, cultures, and individual worlds.

“It was a stark reminder that it wasn’t just people who were murdered…it was their worlds.”

Bringing the Unrelatable to the Classroom The group then traveled to Poland, stopping along the way at additional sites connected to Holocaust diarists, who documented their experiences, thoughts and emotions as persecution unfolded around them.

For Nesbit, standing in the places where those individuals had lived and their writings about what was happening was profoundly meaningful.

“You can’t walk in someone’s shoes, but you can stand where their shoes were.”

The group's visit to Auschwitz came during an intense European heatwave.

The extreme temperatures and lack of shade made the experience physically exhausting as well as emotionally overwhelming. While no current visitor can fully comprehend the suffering of those imprisoned or murdered there, Nesbit found that even her physical discomfort could become a teaching tool.

"I actually appreciated that it was so hot and I was so uncomfortable, because I can articulate that to students,” Nesbit said. “I can explain my own physical reactions that they can relate to, which then I can then talk to them about the unrelatable.”

The group's final leg of the trip was the Netherlands, where they explored Amsterdam's Jewish history, visited Camp Vught, the only SS concentration camp in the occupied Netherlands that also served as a deportation site, and toured the Anne Frank House. Nesbit said the visit to the Anne Frank House was one of

the primary reasons she chose the program. As a trainer for the Traveling Anne Frank Exhibit across Nebraska and Iowa, she said experiencing the annex firsthand will strengthen how she teaches Anne Frank's story to students.

After the Power of Place program concluded, Nesbit remained in Amsterdam for additional training at the Anne Frank House, where she learned from museum educators and gained behind-the-scenes insight into the historic site.

"One thing that's really hard for students, and for me, to articulate is how big the annex was," Nesbit said. "I remember stretching my arms out to try to measure it, thinking, 'This is how big the bedrooms are.' I can see students really connecting with the fact that I was there with seven other people. In that moment, I knew that was an educational opportunity."

Bearing Witness for the Future As Nesbit reflects on visiting these sites of Holocaust history and standing where victims and survivors once stood, she is focused on how the experience will shape her teaching.

“At the end of the day we want the students to know what happened, but we also want them to do something with this history. Through my processing this experience, maybe I can help students find their voices.”

As the generation of living Holocaust survivors continues to decline, Nesbit understands the responsibility of educators to bear witness has never been more vital.

"As we wrestle with the knowledge that survivors are passing and that eventually there will be no survivors left, what do we do afterward, and how do we bear witness?" she said.

The Power of Place summer institute was planned and co-led by the Humanus Network on behalf of the JCRC. The program was supported by the Minnesota Vikings, the Tankenoff Families Foundation, and Allianz of America Corporation.

Join Jane Nesbit on Aug. 20 for IHE's Third Thursday Virtual Lunch & Learn to hear firsthand about her journey through Holocaust history and how it will shape her work as an educator. Register here: https://igfn.us/form/x1OUhg.

JCRC Community Survey Coming Soon brew schools and nursery schools and can be seen donning a dinosaur costume and becoming the “Cantorsaurus” to educate and entertain his students.

Outside of the synagogue, Cantor Ezring enjoys watching movies, playing board games, and family song & dance parties with his wife, Cantor Eryka Velazquez, and their daughter, Gabriella.

"We look forward to experiencing Cantor Ezring's talent," said Beth El President Howard K. Marcus, who also served as chair of the Cantorial Search Committee.

"His skills in composing, performing, teaching and b'nai mitzvah tutoring will add greatly to our congregational life.”

“My family and I are so excited to join the Beth El family and to get to know you all,” Cantor Ezring said. “We have loved meeting so many of you already. I am looking forward to praying, singing, laughing, crying, and everything in between with you. August can't come soon enough.”

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PAM MONSKY JCRC Assistant Director Two years ago, we conducted a community survey to better understand the ways in which you engage with the JCRC and the social justice issues determine the social justice issues that matter most to you and Omaha's Jewish community. Our world has changed since 2024, and mid-term elections are just around the corner. Now is the time to check back in with you to determine how those changes impact how you engage with the JCRC and feel about Israel, civil rights, social justice and local issues.

We expect the survey to only take 5-7 minutes to complete. Responses are anonymous and data will be collected, analyzed and summarized by New Sky Consultants.

The survey will be available in mid-August, so watch your inbox and mailbox for your chance to make

your voice heard!

The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026 | 3

Thanks for the Memories

MS WULFGAR B’nai Israel Synagogue hosts a free indoor/outdoor event on Aug. 9 celebrating Playland Park & Speedway.

Playland Park Entrance, circa 1950s. Credit: BH News Service file photo

Where the eastern landing of the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge now pours into modern day Council Bluffs, there once stood Playland Park. It was the premiere regional summertime destination of the 1950’s and 60’s. Families and friends would enjoy a myriad of exciting rides, stock car races, games and prizes, and one of the largest wooden roller coasters of its time. There was simply nothing else quite like it in the region. If you grew up locally, the park, the rides, and the atmosphere — something you might find on an east coast boardwalk — joyfully etched themselves into the minds of many (if not all) of the folks who grew up and still live in the Omaha Metro today.

Janie Fox Kulakofsky fondly remembers her parents happily ferrying her and her two brothers, Jonathan and Danny, to the park on the way to their grandparent’s house. Mark Singer casts his mind back to the anticipation and excitement of the ride to come on the massive wooden roller coaster stretching along Broadway for three city blocks, its silhouette framing the skyline like a mountain made of crisscrossed toothpicks. Jim Fried muses on the whimsical carnival atmosphere, “I loved the bumper cars and tilt-a-whirl. YIPEE!” and Susan Krasne McKinley is transported back to her younger self riding the beautiful carousel horses with her first cousin.

Truly, everyone who reminisces about the park in its heyday gets the same youthful glint in their eyes as they speak of the magical times shared there.

Playland Park opened its gates in 1948, after renowned gangster Meyer Lansky’s short-lived dog track had closed shop five years prior due to pressure from the mayor. Brothers Abe and Louis Slusky purchased the surrounding 14-acres to build their amusement park.

Helen Epstein recounted that her husband, Tuffy, was only thirteen when the park opened. “He and his brother, Ira, had read about the opening in the newspaper. The article said free rollercoaster rides for all visitors who attended the Grand Opening. So, the pair walked all the way from 20th & Martha Street to Playland and had a great time for free!”

While Louis tended to a similar venture the brothers created in Texas, Abe partnered with local Council Bluffs businessman Harry Cohen, owner of Iowa Clothes. In

Ride for the Living

1949, they swallowed up the dog track, converting it into a dirt race track, henceforth known as: Playland Speedway. “My Dad was good friends with Abe Slusky,” recollects Rick Katelman.

“Abe would give us tickets, and my dad and I would go to the stock races all the time. It was a lot of fun. They were still driving the deuce coupes (1932 Ford)!”

The Speedway was upgraded over the next decade and would go on to become the most enduring aspect of the entire venture. By 1964, they had more than quadrupled the expanse of the park and speedway, growing from the original 12 acres to a whopping 60. Unfortunately, when the city moved to construct Interstate 480, the original rollercoaster had to be downsized to make way for the bridge, and the park shrank to 20 acres. Still eager to create a memorable experience, a new steel roller coaster was added, The Wild Mouse. It was smaller, but faster.

The Wild Mouse thrilled into the next decade. “It was one of the scariest things I have ever done!” laughed Gail Krasne Kenkel.

By 1970, the park officially closed, save 12 rides still attached to the speedway. By ’77, the speedway shuttered its doors forever. Despite the best efforts of some to keep a piece of the land intact, no trace of Playland Park & Speedway remains. And yet, judging from the reactions of those who still hold these memories dear, it is a safe bet that even as other memories may fade-the colors, the lights, the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, the taste of ice-cold lemonade on a hot summer day, or the throaty roar of the stock car engines- will not. The joy of an amusement park is a universal human experience. It fulfills a need. For community, for joy, and for excitement (yes, even when it’s a bit scary).

The view from Broadway, 1959. Credit: BH News Service file photo B’nai Israel invites one and all to ‘Memories of Summer Daze’ for fun and games inside the synagogue and outside on their east lawn. On Aug. 9 from 1-3 p.m., rain or shine, you can revel in nostalgia and delight in the memories of those unforgettable summers. Or make new ones. There will be games, food, music, and prizes for the entire family; pony rides, a bouncy house, their own version of the famous Octopus Ride, face painting and much more. The museum will also be open for tours if you’d like to explore local history or take a trip down memory lane.

Learn more or RSVP at www.cblhs.org/events.

ROOFING

SIDING

GUTTERS

Continued from page 1 entire 60-mile ride.

Other participants included U.S. Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose, Israeli Ambassador to Poland Yaakov Finkelstein, and Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the President of Poland, Minister Wojciech Kolarski.

Wendy Katzman and Tom Fellman

Ride For The Living is more than a bike ride or a walk.

It is a statement that Jewish life did not end at Auschwitz. It is a celebration of resilience, community, and hope. And it is a commitment to helping ensure that Jewish life continues to grow in Krakow, and across the globe, for generations to come.

“What the Krakow JCC is doing to nurture flourishing Jewish life in Poland and, in addition, support Ukrainian refugees, is heartwarming,” Ted added. “The Krakow JCC has helped half a million Ukrainian refugees, regardless of their religion, since the war began. The philosophy is that we need to do today what Europe failed to do for us during the Holocaust.

What an example, what an honor to participate in, and what a blessing to share the experience with family.”

To cap off the day, all riders, together with members of the local Jewish community and guests (620 people in total!), were welcomed to a Shabbat dinner.

ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m.

Please watch our email for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com.

4 | The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026

The Importance of Student to Student

BENJAMIN BRODKEY A few summers ago, while working as the coordinator of Student to Student in Des Moines, the phone in my office stopped working and we needed to have a technician come to fix the issue. Of course, it took longer than expected, but the mundane interaction became quite meaningful as our conversation continued. The tech, a young guy in his 20s, had never knowingly interacted with a Jewish person. He had all sorts of questions about Jewish life and learning, likely sparked by the books on my desk or the

Judaica in the Student to Student presentation box on the counter. We talked about the branches of Judaism, Shabbat observance, kashrut, among other topics.

The next week, he returned to replace the phone jack behind my desk, and we talked a bit more. All the questions he asked were authentic and came from a place of curiosity and desire to learn.

In a way, it felt like I was giving a Student to Student presentation from my office chair. We coincidentally discussed many of the topics covered in the presentations, and he heard about the myriad

ways to practice Judaism. These are the types of conversations our student presenters have with their peers during presentations. The teens involved as presenters showcase an authentic version of Judaism that a textbook cannot teach. Our program allows our students to share insights into Jewish life with those who may not know who we are.

Student to Student was founded by the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis after a program in which their director spoke to a high school classroom about Judaism alongside a few teens vis-

iting from Israel. Of course, the students were drawn to the stories of the Israeli teens and wanted to learn more. This director saw the interaction as an opportunity. Students began to present about Judaism and their connection to the religion and culture across many metro-area schools. About 25 years later, Student to Student was piloted in a few communities, innovating how schools and churches can teach authentically about Judaism. Student to Student is now a program of the Jewish Federations of North America and a staple in over 49 metropolitan areas across the United States and Canada, reaching more than 28,500 students. This program is essential to the Omaha community. Through this work, our community creates leaders, fights anti-Semitism, and fosters understanding between cultural differences. Our program seeks to reduce stereotypes and prejudice in the students it reaches. JCRC is currently in the process of lining up presentations for this school year in local high schools, middle schools, and churches.

Our program is open to Jewish 10th12th grade students in the Omaha area.

Presenters are trained to speak about a variety of topics surrounding Judaism, Israel, and their personal experiences. To find out more about Student to Student, or to apply to the program, please visit https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/ ZUz3SpEhEp. An orientation for new and returning presenters will take place on Monday, Aug. 10 at 3 p.m. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions! My email address is bbrodkey@jewishomaha. org.

Minyan, movement, meditation & mindfulness with Beth Staenberg

Chevra Kadisha members thanked at appreciation event

STACIE METZ Beth El Engagement Coordinator As part of The Miriam Initiative, Beth El invites you to take a break from the busyness of everyday life and join us for a peaceful and restorative experience designed to nourish both body and mind.

Minyan begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Movement, Meditation, and Mindfulness class at 6 p.m. While we encourage everyone to begin the evening with minyan, participation in the worship service is not required to attend the class.

Whether you join us for minyan or come just for the meditation and mindfulness experience, you are warmly welcome.

Led by Beth Staenberg, this 45-minute class includes gentle, chair-based yoga that is accessible to everyone, from experienced yoga practitioners to those who have never taken a yoga class. The session focuses on slow, intentional movement of the shoulders, neck, hips, legs, and torso, with each movement designed to bring comfort, ease, and renewed energy to the body.

The class begins with a guided body awareness practice, helping participants connect with the present moment before moving into gentle movement. Following the yoga portion, Beth will lead a guided meditation, offering time to cultivate inner quiet, stillness, and a sense of centeredness.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of paying at-

MARY SUE GROSSMAN Members of the Chevra Kadisha and the Jewish Funeral Home shomrim were thanked at a recent appreciation event at Beth Israel Synagogue. A light dinner, prepared by Ayelet Geiger, good conversation, words of thanks from Rabbi Mordechai Geiger, highlighted the evening. Each Chevra member and shomer also received a gift.

Members of the Chevrah Kadisha, which literally means “Holy Society,” are volunteers who perform the final rites for the Jewish deceased, which is considered a sacred duty. The volunteers perform the “tahara” that includes the washing of the body with water and clothing it in a plain white shroud, during which prayers for the deceased are read. The volunteers treat the body with the highest respect, uncovering the body only as necessary.

Only women perform the tahara on women and men for men. The tahara takes approximately one hour to complete. The Chevrah Kadisha women’s and men’s group each has a coordinator who contacts the group members to schedule the tahara.

“The absolute dedication that everyone has to do everything in the way that is the most respectful, continues to im-

tention to the present moment with openness and without judgment. It invites us to become aware of our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations while gently returning our attention to the here and now. Through practices such as meditation and mindful movement, mindfulness can help reduce stress, increase well-being, and foster a greater sense of calm and balance.

Together, we'll begin with the opportunity to gather for minyan and then take time to care for ourselves through movement, meditation, and mindfulness, nurturing the body, mind, and spirit. The intention of this program is to offer a meaningful practice that supports overall well-being and provides a welcome respite from the demands of daily life.

There is no cost to attend, but registration is appreciated. Please register at bethel-omaha.org or contact Stacie Metz at 402.492.8550 with any questions.

press me,” shared Rabbi Geiger. “The kindness shown to the deceased and the questions that I get and comments that

I receive from the Chevra members and shomrim show how thoughtful and caring that each person has to this sacred duty. Our community truly owes each person our deep gratitude for their involvement.”

These positions are critical to the Omaha Jewish community and new members are needed. Everyone reading this article is invited to become a member of one, or both, of these groups and provide the dignity and respect for the deceased of Omaha’s Jewish families. For additional information, please contact Mary Sue Grossman at mgrossman @orthodoxomaha.org or 402.556.6288.

The Jewish Funeral Home, which is managed by Beth Israel Synagogue, is located at 4415 Cuming Street.

The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026 | 5

Responding to Antisemitism on August 11 PAM MONSKY JCRC Assistant Director As our Jewish students prepare to head back to college, several organizations are coming together under the Jewish Community Relations Council ( JCRC) to provide support, resources, and a strong sense of community through Campus Connections.

The event will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 4 to 6 p.m, in the Goldstein Community Engagement Venue at the Staenberg JCC, and offers students a chance to connect before the 2026–2027 school year begins.

Designed to address rising concerns about antisemitism on college campuses, Campus Connections offers an afternoon of shared stories, practical tools, and guidance to help students feel more confident and prepared.

In addition to the conversation and kosher snacks, participants will leave with an awesome back-to-school swag bag and new connections to local leaders and fellow students.

The event is proudly co-sponsored by Beth El Synagogue, Beth Israel Synagogue, Temple Israel, Chabad of Nebraska, and JCRC Omaha. Funding is provided by the Lazier L. & Harriet B. Singer Memorial Fund for Youth.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions to Benjamin Brodkey, JCRC Student Program Coordinator at 402.334.6481 or bbrodkey@jewishomaha.org.

Registration is required and available here: igfn.us/form/ VJrnkg.

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JCRC Community Conversation: Elections, Behind the Scenes

HEIDI HEILBRUNN JCRC Program and Communications Manager Ever wonder how Nebraska elections work behind the scenes?

To find out, join the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) for an informal Community Conversation on Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Staenberg Omaha JCC. The event features Douglas County Election Commissioner Danielle Jensen, Chief Deputy Commissioner Christopher Carithers, and representatives from Sarpy County.

During the presentation, the commissioners will discuss how our local votes are kept safe, the latest issues facing voters and what it is like to serve as a poll worker.

When voters head to the polls for the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, thousands of trained poll workers are needed to ensure the process runs smoothly. In Douglas County alone, up to 3,000 citizens are called to action for every single election.

Attendees will also learn about the fascinating and unique drafting system used in Douglas and Sarpy counties. Since thousands of poll workers are required for each election, some registered voters may unexpectedly receive an official letter from the county requesting their service at the polls. Learning how this works helps take the mystery out of a very important local election process.

Whether you are a volunteer or drafted, serving at the polls does more than just facilitate voting. They strengthen public confidence in the electoral process and support the mission of organizations like the JCRC that work daily to preserve democratic values, defend religious freedom and advance social justice.

The JCRC is proud to receive the Jewish Partnership for Democracy Ignition Grant to help fund this important Community Conversation. Everyone is warmly encouraged to attend and registration is required.

Register with the QR code (right).

6 | The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026

BETH ISRAEL Beth Israel’s Rosh Chodesh Av

Pam Monsky, JCRC and Shelly Fox, JSO made a presentation for 45 hospice nurses about the Omaha Jewish community and how Judaism views end of life care.

A big portion of our campus’ remaining parking lot was poured recently. Making so much progress!

SP O TLIGHT

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

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

RBJH

RBJH had a fantastic visit from Temple Israel with the two twin Benjamins: Rabbi Sharff and Cantor-in-training Benjamin Brodkey.

Happy 95th Birthday, Marge!

The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026 | 7

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8 | The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026

The Wandering Jew, Part III: Rome

CANTOR JOANNA ALEXANDER Temple Israel By the time you read this I'll already be in Jerusalem, but I wanted to share about my three days in Rome.

I arrived in Rome this past Thursday evening. My train ran two hours late. However, in Italy, they reimburse you 50% of your ticket for a delay like this. It made me wonder; what would happen if our transport services had to do that?

After checking in to my hotel, I participated in a very classical Roman experience: I took a pasta making class! While I cannot say it was my best meal in Italy, it was fun, I've never made pasta before, by hand or by machine, so that was very fun, and I hope it is a skill I will use again. I have a feeling making pasta for one versus making pasta for five will take a bit of a different skill set!

I spent my Friday exploring Jewish Rome.

This included a visit to the Jewish Museum in the bottom of the Scole Majorie (Major Synagogue). The history of the Jewish community is one of our longest in the modern era. Jews have been in Rome since about 200 BCE, and while more were brought back as slaves following the destruction of Jerusalem, there has been a continuous community in Rome for over 2,000 years. Until the 16th century Jews lived as Romans, separate and together, integrated into the community. They tended to live in similar neighborhoods, for the purpose of community, synagogue and kosher food, but there were no restrictions.

When other Jews moved to Rome, they would open a Scole (synagogue) following their "Rite" (Minhag or tradition). This meant Jews who immigrated from Spain during the inquisition, opened the Scole Spangola (which had Castilian and Catalonian distinctive rites). Then, Jews who moved from Northern Italy or Southern Italy brought other rites, each maintaining separate communities while recognizing their commonality as Hebrews, Jews and Israelites. It was only in the 16th Century, with the papal bull of "absurdum," that Jews were forced to live only in a small area, eventually called the Ghetto.

It was during this time that Jews were forbidden to own property, limited in their work, and suffered humiliation and forced Christianizing sermonizing. One of the main professions Jews of Rome were permitted to have was the sale of secondhand items, including rags. I had read about this, and heard from Omaha community members that the Roman Synagogue has a collection of Torah covers and other decorations created by these "rags" for each of the Roman families. Knowing this did not prepare me for what I saw.

I read the word rag, and understood second-hand, I expected dingy and decayed, especially the items which were crafted hundreds of years ago. However, these items are amazing. Often made of many fabrics, some with similar pattern or coloring, but what makes them magnificent art is the embroidery. There are intricate patterns, flowers, fruits, buildings created out of embroidery. Families would have a crest and embroider it onto their color. Some are more obvious from far away, some you really must have a close-up perspective to understand the quality you are looking at, the intricacy of the stitches, and the amazing talent of these "rag stellar" artisans.

One of the unique things I saw, first in Venice, and also in Rome, is the Torah service.

The Torah is wrapped as we do with a cover and crowns, but the tradition here is to have Rimini (a crown for each of the wood eitz Chayim) plus an additional circular crown which goes around that (I cannot imagine the weight). Then upon un-robing the Torah, you see the scroll itself is covered in a cloth, called a mappa. The mappa in Rome are all also made by the family, and are part of the Torah cover set. During the Torah reading service, they open the scroll and attach a silver bar which holds it open,

put on new smaller rimonim, and then have two people hold up the Torah for all to see.

On the back side you see the beautifully decorated mappa, and then, as the Torah is turned around, you see the mappa continues as it is wrapped into the scroll. While reading from the Torah, you don't even touch the back of the parchment accidentally. I couldn't take pictures of this process during services in Venice, but in Rome they show a video of this in the museum. I cannot figure out how they actually rolled the mappa into the scroll. Nor how they adjust it so the prominent design element shows, and how do they shift it week to week? But I guess that just means there's more to learn the next time.

Friday night I went to services at the Scole Spangiole, the Spanish synagogue in the lower level of the main synagogue. I had heard from multiple people in Omaha that the Italian Rite at the main synagogue is not an easy experience, it's very hard to hear, to understand and to follow, even as expert Jews. Additionally, the main Synagogue doesn't have air conditioning. Having visited on my tour in the morning, I can attest it is beautiful and very hot. The women's section was also far to the side, with no sight lines to the bima. For those reasons I chose to go to the Spanish rite community, and I'm really glad I did.

The synagogue is much smaller, has air conditioning, and because of its size and seating orientation, you can hear and see quite well. While the melodies were unfamiliar, there were obvious places to join in.

Many community members, including the women, sang in the congregational sections.

As an example, L'cha dodi did not function as a chorus with 9 verses but functioned as a phrase-by-phrase call and response. For example, the leader sang "L'cha dodi likrat kallah" and the community sang "p'nai shabbat n'kab'lah.” We continued phrase by phrase, taking turns. I loved being able to sing along and not feel that anyone found it strange or inappropriate (as can happen in a women's section). At the chanting of v'ahavta they used their trope melody. While I did not attend the Torah service this week, I was able to hear their cantillation which was both interesting and beautiful. I hope I can find some recordings of this cantillation as I'd love to learn more about it.

The whole day was filled with learning about Roman Jewish community, and it was both beautiful and interesting.

Here is a list of books I read to prepare for my time here in Italy. If you would like to learn more I recommend starting here: Guide to the Jewish Ghetto in Rome by Paul Den Arend (self-published) The Most Tenacious of Minorities: The Jews of Italy by Sara Reguer, published by Academic Studies Press Eternal by Lisa Scottoline, published by Putman's Sons – a novel about Rome under Fascism The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich, published by Simon and Schuster, a novel about 16th Century Venice Ghetto The Golden Age of Italian Jews 1848-1938 by Gino Segre, published by Paul Dry Books Resisting Conversion: Pacifica Di Castro Roman Jew of the XVII Century by Susanna Limentani (self-published, sold at the Jewish Museum in Rome) Now I am off to Jerusalem where I'll be studying for the next two-plus weeks, with Shalom Hartman, HUC's Rabbi Ellenson z”l conference, and Truah. Following this, I will be traveling to the central Galilee to meet up with our friends at Spirit of Galilee.

Editor's note: This is Part III of Cantor Alexander's Sabbatical travel journal. Part I and II were published in the July 17 and 24 editions, and can be accessed online at www.omahajewishpress.com.

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Looking Ahead ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor Is it too early to think about the 2028 Presidential elections? Not according to the various commentators online, who have started to buzz about Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff.

The fact that he’s been adamant about not running doesn’t matter. Once that particular cat is out of the bag, people will keep talking about it, even if he still has to win an election for his current seat come November. We need something to distract us, now that the World Cup has ended. And before you ask, this is not an endorsement.

So, besides a senator from Georgia, who is Jon Ossoff ?

“Ossoff has positioned himself as an Israel supporter who opposes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government,” according to Joseph Strauss. “Just over a month after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, he referred to himself as a ‘pro-Israel Jewish American’ in an address.’”

Ossoff has been open about growing up with family that included Holocaust survivors, and an awareness of what that means. He doesn’t like Bibi, but he supports Israel’s right to exist.

In 2024, he voted with Bernie Sanders to block US military aid, but in 2025, he voted against resolutions to withhold billions in of-

fensive weapons sales and additional military aid. I guess we can conclude he can change his mind? Reading only what others write and say about him, it’s difficult to interpret where he really stands.

Born in 1987, he is the youngest incumbent as well as the youngest senior US senator. That would make him the youngest president ever. Previous jobs include na- Sen. Jon Ossoff arrives in security the U.S. Capitol for a vote, tional staffer and legisla- Jan. 7, 2026. Credit: Bill tive assistant for Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Hank Johnson. His Getty Images mother is not Jewish; Ossoff formally converted right before his bar mitzvah.

In high school, he interned for John Lewis; at Georgetown University, he counted Madeleine Albright and Michael Oren among his professors.

He ran for Congress in 2017 and lost; in 2021, he won the runoff for senate, becoming the first Jewish senator from Georgia. He’s ranked in the top three for bipartisanship.

What all that means for a potential Democratic nomination in the current climate, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking to

have a Jewish president. Or perhaps, the idea that anyone Jewish could even run for the highest office without backlash and boycotts is the truly wishful part.

Jews are being ostracized in many segments of society. From film festivals to the literary world, from universities to restaurants, we encounter more and more spaces where we are not welcome. And while those spaces may still be in the minority, while we can still live our daily lives as we always have, for now, how easy is it to imagine things getting worse? A Jewish president; I have to say, I don’t hate the idea.

“If America ever needed a Jewish president, it’s now,” Michael Golden wrote last year for FutureofJewish.com. He continued: “When a member of a minority group gets elected to office, there are two immediate benefits: members of the group feel a sense of pride and of being seen, and members of the group know that they have a voice to represent the priorities of their community, and that such a voice will at least be heard.”

Granted, Golden wrote this about Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, but the sentiment could apply to any Jewish candidate.

Perhaps it sounds overly hopeful, but in this moment, it also sounds kind of nice.

What Tisha B’Av Taught Me About the Silencing and Creative Defiance WILLIAM KOLBRENER

From Mount Scopus, Rabbi Akiva, with three other sages, gazes down at the destroyed Second Temple. A fox, fulfilling Jeremiah’s dismal prophecy, pokes its head from the ruins. Jewish history has reached its end.

Akiva laughs. According to the Babylonian Talmud, the other sages stare at him, incredulous: History has testified to the obsolescence of the Jewish people. Their story is sealed; the book is closed.

But Akiva sees a different ending to the story: Just as the prophecy of a destroyed temple came true, the prophecy of a restored Jerusalem would also be fulfilled to the letter.

Akiva laughed amidst the ruins because he knew the story wasn’t over.

Two thousand years later, and days before the Tisha B’Av fast that marks the destruction of the Second Temple and other historical calamities facing the Jewish people, we understand Akiva’s laughter — not a light-hearted “ha-ha,” but anguish and defiance in a single breath.

I feel this acutely as a purveyor of Jewish stories that continue the saga the destruction of the temple failed to end. Like so many others, I was distressed when, last week, the president of PEN America, Dinaw Mengestu, resigned — not over a censored book or a jailed writer, but in protest of his organization’s report on the exclusion of Jewish and Israeli writers and artists. In a blog post earlier this month, the organization described events cancelled, invitations withdrawn — an unofficial, but wellorchestrated, international ghosting.

Those stories didn’t appear to move Mengestu. Instead, he rebuked PEN America for not standing with those who would boycott Israel. Boycott, said the head of an organization founded to fight boycotts, “is a form of dialogue.”

Novelists rushed to applaud him. One called the report “one of those fake anti-semitism pieces.”

Here on the ground in Israel, PEN America’s report was greeted as validation: An institution founded “to oppose any form of suppression of freedom of expression” testified to the exclusion we have been living with for almost three years. As Meg Keene reported in these pages, book deals with Jewish or Israeli authors have fallen more than 80% since 2023.

She also cites the pernicious influence example of “Is your fav author a zionist???” — a color-coded blacklist of Jewish writers.

Credit: Deagreez/Getty Images

PEN’s report also cited Writing on the Wall, the non-profit we founded after Oct. 7, among the “new outlets for Jewish writers” attempting to break the publishing chokehold. It also named my co-founder, Ronit Eitan, a novelist forced to hold back her own manuscript because, as she said, “nobody wants to hear my voice.”

In the first weeks of the war that followed the Oct. 7 attacks, there were no classes at BarIlan University, where I teach. But my students kept showing up — writing for a future that seemed impossible. In the impromptu workshops that I ran, they chose creativity over despair. Those sessions became Writing on the Wall. Writing on the Wall created the magazine, BALAGAN – Hebrew for a kind of controlled chaos, because that is the name for what we are living through. We published artists and voices while others were being told to disappear. We did not know, at the time,

that this was what we were doing. It was only when PEN America named us that we understood we had been part of the story all along.

Amidst the ruins, Akiva rereads the book the sages had declared closed and in doing so, remakes it for the future. In his rereading, the destruction is the guarantee of the return. The Temple in ruins, what they see in front of their eyes, is just part of a continuing story: a future redemption remains on the horizon. This future requires understanding paradox: we are without consolation, exiled, lost; nevertheless, we are God’s chosen people, courageous, still here.

So we begin where Akiva began: not only by answering our enemies — Rome then, the writers and publishers applauding our exclusion now — but by refusing to be silenced.

A people is carried through history not only by its armies but by its songs and its arguments.

David was Israel’s greatest warrior and poet.

Our writers and artists create out of the conviction that we must do justice to our suffering, to our losses. That we must create a future for which we have already sacrificed so much.

We make that future not by waiting for the cultural gatekeepers to readmit us, but by refusing to let them hold the pen. When the international community attempts to close the book on us, our defiance is to author our own reality.

Today, we are all Rabbi Akiva, laughing not because we have found the bright side, but because, like Akiva, we refuse to let the story end.

We do what Jews have done since Rabbi Akiva: After destruction, we create.

William Kolbrener is a professor at BarIlan University and co-founder of Writing on the Wall and its magazine BALAGAN. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

Synagogues

10 | The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 www.cblhs.org

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

CHABAD HOUSE

An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123 402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com

TEMPLE ISRAEL

Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

B’NAI ISRAEL Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, Aug. 14, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026 will become a day to remember at B’nai Israel Living History Museum and Synagogue in Council Bluffs. from 1-3 p.m. at 617 Mynster St. The synagogue and grounds will be turned into a celebration honoring Council Bluffs Playland Park and Speedway. This event will take place rain or shine. Additional information at: www.cblhs.org.

For information about our historic synagogue, please visit our website at www.cblhs.org or contact any of our board members: David Alloy, Renee Corcoran, Rick Katelman, Gail Kenkel, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Ann Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon, Sissy Silber and Jenn Tompkins.

Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

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

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

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El and Live Stream; Havdalah, 9:20 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: Morning Minyan, 9 a.m. Zoom Only — Summer Schedule.

THURSDAY: Movement, Meditation & Mindfulness, 6 p.m. led by Beth Staenberg; Fruitful Healing Grief Group, 6 p.m. with Wendy Hill.

FRIDAY-Aug. 7: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El and Live Stream.

SATURDAY-Aug. 8: Shabbat Morning Services and Bar Mitzvah of Dayton Abramson, 10 a.m. at Beth El and Live Stream; Havdalah, 9:10 p.m. Zoom Only.

Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL FRIDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; 2026 Camp JYE BI, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:24 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbos Café, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 7:25 p.m.; Mincha, 8:10 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos, 8:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:29 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

MONDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

TUESDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Smichat Chaver Men's Class, 7:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 1:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 7: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:16 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 8: Shabbos Café, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 7:15 p.m.; Mincha, 8 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos, 8:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:19 p.m.

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

CHABAD HOUSE Join classes via Zoom. Go to ochabad.com/academy. For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 5:30 p.m. go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Candlelighting, 8:24 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:27 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps, 9 a.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m. with Shani; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 6-8 p.m. with David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Aramaic Grammar, 10 a.m. with David Cohen; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 6 p.m. with David Cohen; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 7 p.m. with David Cohen.

WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with David Cohen.

THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10 a.m. with David Cohen; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with David Cohen; Talmud Study, noon; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with David Cohen; Code of Jewish Law Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Aug. 7: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 5:30 p.m. go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; CYP First Friday Shabbat Dinner, 7 p.m., ochabad.com/ff; Candlelighting, 8:15 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 8: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:18 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL Services led by Rabbi Benjamin Sendrow.

All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.

FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. led

by Rabbi Sendrow at SST followed by Final Friday Chinese Takeout Dinner, 7:15 p.m., hosted by Lincoln’s Young Jewish Initiative. RSVPs requested to events@ southstreettemple.org.; Shabbat Candlelighting,

8:25 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI followed by a Kiddush Lunch; Torah Study, 12:15 p.m. on Parashat Eikev led by Rabbi Sendrow at TI; Havdalah, 9:28 p.m.

SUNDAY: Men's Bike and Coffee Club, 10:45 a.m.

The Mill Coffee & Bistro at Nebraska Innovation Campus, 2021 Transformation Dr #1350, Lincoln. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at alb ertw801@gmail.com; Teacher Training, 10 a.m. with James Donahue; Lincoln Jewish Community Summer Picnic, 1-5 p.m. Email events@southstreettemple. org for location information.

WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group, 12:15 p.m. at Horisun Hospice, 8055 O St #300, Lincoln. We meet in the conference room. Bring your own lunch and beverage. For more information, contact Albert Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com.

FRIDAY-Aug. 7: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:307:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Sendrow at SST followed by an Oneg; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:17 p.m.

SATURDAY-Aug. 8: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. at TI followed by a Kiddush Lunch; Torah Study, 12:15 p.m. on Parashat Re’eh led by Rabbi Sendrow at TI; Havdalah, 9:19 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE

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

TEMPLE ISRAEL

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

FRIDAY: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9 a.m. In-Person; Village Walking Group, 9 a.m.; Shabbat Shira Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

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

TUESDAY: Life and Philosophy of Abraham Joshua Heschel, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Bienstock; Mah Jongg Made Easy, 1:30 p.m. In-Person.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person.

THURSDAY: Moses Maimondies Class., 7 p.m. with Rabbi Sharff.

FRIDAY-Aug. 7: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9 a.m. In-Person; Village Walking Group, 9 a.m.; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY-Aug. 8: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. InPerson & Zoom.

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

Sip. Create. Connect. Finding the Spark, Sharing the Flame JONNIE ROBINSON JFO Community Engagement and Education Assistant Director Join us for a special afternoon of creativity, community, and inspiration at Sip. Create. Connect Finding the Spark, Sharing the Flame on Sunday, Aug. 16, from 3:30–5 p.m. in the Goldstein (South) at the Jewish Community Center. This event is specifically geared towards community members in their 30’s and 40’s.

Designed for adults, this unique gathering invites participants to create beautiful Shabbat candle votives using the art of decoupage, transforming everyday treasures into meaningful works of art. Guests are encouraged to bring a few small keepsakes—such as buttons, earrings, seashells, tiny stones, cufflinks, or other miniature mementos—to personalize their creations. Prefer to come empty-handed?

We'll have plenty of beautiful embellishments available to inspire your design.

The guided art experience will be led by Annette van de Kamp-Wright, and Jonnie Robin-

son. Rabbi Mordechai Geiger will offer Jewish learning and reflections on the theme of light, Shabbat, and the ways creativity can help us discover and share the divine spark within ourselves and our community.

Enjoy drinks, light refreshments, meaningful conversation, and a welcoming atmosphere as we create, connect, and celebrate together.

Babysitting and dinner for children will be provided, making it easy for parents to enjoy the afternoon together.

Keep the Fun Going!

After Sip. Create. Connect. We encourage everyone to stay and enjoy the Backyard Concert Series featuring Omaha Broadway Bar on Sunday, Aug. 16, 5–7 p.m. at the Howard Kaiman Pavilion Open to JCC members and non-members, this free outdoor concert takes place on the east side of the newly renovated Kaiman Fam-

ily Pavilion. Just bring a lawn chair or blanket, relax, and enjoy the music. Food trucks will be on campus with delicious dinner options available for purchase.

We look forward to sharing this inspiring afternoon— and evening — with our community as we create, connect, and celebrate the light we each bring to the world.

News One of Our Own Needs Us Chabad of Nebraska Many in our Omaha community know Rabbi Zecharia "Zack" Gonsher. Raised in Omaha, Zack was a proud student of Chabad's Little Scholars before dedicating his life to helping others. Today, he and his family live in Israel, where he has devoted himself to strengthening Jewish life and supporting those around him with unwavering kindness, warmth, and faith.

Recently, Rabbi Zack's life changed in an instant.

Following a devastating accident, he is now undergoing an intensive and challenging rehabilitation. While his determination and spirit continue to inspire everyone around him, the road to recovery will be long. Alongside the physical and emotional challenges, his family is facing significant financial burdens, including medical expenses, lost income, ongoing rehabilitation costs,

travel, and essential needs at home.

As a community, we have always stood by one another in times of need. Now is our opportunity to stand with one of our own.

We invite you to read Rabbi Zack's story, learn more about his journey, and, if you are able, help support his recovery. Every contribution — large or small — as well as every prayer and every act of kindness, brings hope and reminds the Gonsher family that they are embraced by a caring community.

To read Rabbi Zack's story and contribute to his recovery, please visit: www.ochabad.com/rabbizack May Hashem grant Rabbi Zack a complete and speedy recovery — a refuah sheleimah — and bless his family with strength, comfort, and brighter days ahead.

The Jewish Press | July 31, 2026 | 11

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Hitler’s Birthplace Becomes Police Station Recently, he helped design an exhibit in another former TOBY AXELROD Hitler dwelling that became a police station: a nine-room JTA How do you stop neo-Nazis from meeting up at Adolf apartment on Prinzregentenplatz in Munich. The exhibit, Hitler’s birthplace? Station officers there around the clock, which spanned 100 years of history, included the years in which Hitler’s popularity of course. grew after the Beer Hall That is just what the Putsch, his attempted small town of Braunau in coup in 1923.

Austria has done — but California attorney Cary the officers are not proLowe, who was born in viding surveillance. InBraunau to Holocaust stead, they will be on site survivors, was disapas part of their regular dupointed.. He was origities, because Hitler’s first nally in favor of turning home has become a pothe Braunau site into a lice station.

“House of Responsibility.”

After years of discusThat plan is still alive, sion, planning and conwith another local site in struction, the new police mind. The city did “their station on a corner near Braunau’s mayor, Johannes Waidbacher, stands outside the best to come up with a reBraunau’s town square renovated police station in Hitler’s birthplace, July 16, 2026. sult that’s acceptable to opened July 22, in the everybody,” he said. “And house where the future Credit: Kerstin Joensson / AFP via Getty Images Nazi dictator was born in 1889 and spent the first few now it’s a done deal, so I think we just have to move on.”

The building where Hitler was born dates back to the months of his life.

The building looks different, and there will now be sur- early to mid-19th century and sits, along with some other veillance cameras out front. The city’s aim was “to prevent structures, on about three quarters of an acre. It has been any association with Adolf Hitler, so as to strip it of that privately owned, and over the years has housed a school mystique,” the head of the Austrian interior ministry’s his- and a branch of a disability support organization.

In 1989, a memorial stone taken from the quarry at the tory department, Stephan Mlczoch, told reporters on a Mauthausen concentration camp was erected in front of recent tour.

At the opening ceremony, Austrian Interior Minister the house, and inscribed with a warning “Never again fasGerhard Karner emphasized that today’s police are “the cism.” Noticeable visits by neo-Nazis declined since then, exact opposite of the symbolism tied to this place. Our Cary Lowe told JTA. police stand … for democracy and the rule of law,” The Associated Press reported.

Some 50 local and district police officers will be stationed at the new site. And there will also reportedly be a police training program on issues related to human rights.

“They will probably also do antisemitism training. And I think that’s a good thing,” Hannah Lessing, who was on the expert commission to decide what should be done with the property, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in an interview. Lessing, who co-chairs the Austrian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, was opposed to tearing down the building: “I don’t like historical cancellation. But we should use it for something,” she said. “A museum was for me not a good idea, because it would attract automatically people who are probably Hitler fans.”

Thomas Ulmer is a retired officer with the Stuttgart police who fought to turn a former Gestapo headquarters in his German city into a place of remembrance. He said the new site could benefit the officers who are stationed there.

“It’s very important to convey the memory and the history to young people, to young police trainees,” he said.

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News LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D

Recent Additions to the Kripke-Veret Collection SHIRLY BANNER JFO Library Specialist Juvenile: Murray Goes to the Playground by Margot Tohn Murray Goes to the Playground follows the charming adventures of Murray, a confident and lovable Sheepadoodle with a heart full of curiosity.

When Murray and his beloved Lady set out to explore a bustling dog park in New York City, he learns all about friendship, bravery, and the importance of not giving up.

Through delightful encounters with playful pups of all shapes and sizes, Murray learns an important lesson: while not everyone may want to be your friend, there’s always someone out there who does.

With vibrant storytelling and heartfelt lessons, this tale is a joyful celebration of perseverance and kindness, perfect for little readers who are learning to navigate the world of friendships.

Adult: Homebound by Portia Elan 1983. Becks is nineteen, blasting her Walkman, and hiding from the fact that her beloved uncle, and the only person who understood her, is dead. Luckily, he left her a half-finished video game to complete — one last col-

laboration to find her way out of loneliness.

2078. Dr. Portman works at the intersection of artificial intelligence and robotics, wrestling with her responsibility to Earth's precarious future. But increasingly, it seems an exceptional project may transcend everything she believed to be possible...

2586. After decades of life on the sea, Yesiko knows a scavenger's work is rife with moral compromise. Yet when a long-lost piece of technology walks aboard her ship, she is set on a path toward a sacrifice even she may be unwilling to make.

Linking these women across the centuries is a chain

reaction of love, longing, and creativity that reveals our deep interconnectedness. Clear-eyed and hopeful, Homebound imagines how future generations will find meaning in the things we leave behind.

Morality: Restoring the Common Goods in Divided Times by Jonathan Sacks With liberal democracy embattled, our public discourse growing increasingly toxic, family life breaking down, and drug abuse and depression on the rise, many fear what the future holds. In Morality, respected faith leader and public intellectual Jonathan Sacks traces today's crisis to our loss of a strong, shared moral code and our elevation of self-interest over the common good. Sacks leads readers from ancient Greece to the Enlightenment to the present day to show that there is no liberty without morality and no freedom without responsibility, arguing that we all must play our part in rebuilding a common moral foundation.

A major work of philosophy, this is an inspiring vision of a world in which we can all find our place and face the future without fear.

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