The Jewish Press
The Joy of Israel
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
It was 12 years ago when Israeli tour guide Shachar Gal met Bob Goldberg, who at the time had just started as CEO at the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth. They have been good friends ever since. The relationship between guide and tourist can be a special one; it is often much more than a temporary meeting in a far-away place. It’s especially true when that tour guide is Israeli, and when that tourist comes back to Israel again and again- as is often the case with Jewish community groups. In late February, Shachar visited a number of Jewish-American communities for a marketing trip.
“Tourism has changed since October 7 and is hurting,” he said. “For many communities it’s challenging to schedule trips, because we don’t know what the future holds. However, the relationships I’ve built as a guide over the years have real staying power. In addition to Omaha, I aim to visit friends in Iowa, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orange County, Minneapolis, New York, and Boca.”
While he planned to make all those visits in two weeks, life - again - interfered; the war with Iran began, the Omaha trip was delayed to October 2026, and Shachar See Joy of Israel page 2
A note from Jerusalem Dolls For Democracy Collection at RBJH
NANCY COREN
Six days ago, in Yerushalyim, we woke up to a message on our phones that Israel would be entering an ac-
tive period of war with Iran. It was a warning designed to make us aware that instructions from the Home Front Command could be changing at any moment. And change they did. Until this morning, we were under strict regulations to stay close to our safe rooms or near public shelters. Schools and synagogues were closed. Hospitals went into emergency mode by going underground. Only essential workers were to report to work. Since that time, sirens have alerted us when a missile or barrage of missiles has See note from Jerusalem page 3
MAGGIE CONTI
RBJH Director of Activities and Volunteer Services
Years ago, when I worked with The Young Energetic Senior group (the YES Club), many seniors participated in a beautiful educational program called Dolls for Democracy. The program left a lasting impression on me. It celebrated remarkable humanitarians whose lives embodied democracy, diversity, and tolerance. Each doll was delicately handcrafted, filled with detail and care, and unforgettable to all who encountered them.
Shane Kotok reached out to me, as we worked together at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home for years. She shared that she had a collection of Dolls for Democracy stored away and wanted them to find a meaningful home. She remembered how much I was inspired by them. It felt bashert, meant to be. At that very time, a perfect display case became available on Main Street at RBJH, waiting to showcase something
special. I felt the dolls were screaming to be seen again. I connected with the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, and Executive Director Jane Rips immediately embraced the vision and helped with the signage. Soon after, Linda Novak reached out with questions about the many dolls that were once part of our local B’nai B’rith Women’s chapter. Like us, she wondered what had become of them. We are now turning to our community for help in locating these treasured figures. Linda hopes to restart the Dolls for Democracy program so that a new generation can once again be inspired by the lives they represent.
In the 1950s, the B’nai B'rith Women’s organization in Kansas City, Missouri, created a program they called Dolls for Democracy. The idea was to create a series of dolls representing noted humanitarians to educate children about democracy, diversity, and tolerance. The Kansas City B'nai B’rith See Dolls for Democracy page 3
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Joy of Israel
Continued from page 1 was needed back home.
Nothing about this is new, and it will perhaps not be the last time a visit to Israel is delayed. However, that delay is always temporary: at some point, we all find our way back. Until that day comes, it’s important to remember why Israel keeps drawing us to her.
The answer is, of course, the people.
“People is how I built my business,” Shachar said. “I meet people as tourists, then I meet their friends, I build relationships, and those relationships carry over, and they last. My objective is always to have visitors meet real Israelis. When you only focus on the sights, amazing as they are, trips to Israel can become predictable. Meeting with actual people creates a very different experience.”
Shachar likes taking his guests for a nature hike, because there is a lot to talk about during a nice walk around the mountain. There are ceramics workshops, meeting with people in a Druze village and listening to their stories, or visiting a small and locally owned vineyard.
“I always make sure to ask: what are you into?” he said. “How do you connect? The more personal it feels, the more real your trip to Israel and the resulting relationships become.”
In addition to scheduling challenges (and wondering whether that plane will actually depart) Israel itself has changed since October 7. Typical trips to Israel are no longer the same, but have become something different. The land itself has been changed, as have the people. Every Israeli has been through trauma; there are different sites now, in addition to the Dead Sea, the Kotel, Yad Vashem. One question travelers have to ask themselves: do we visit the Nova site? Do we visit one of the kibbutzim and see the wreckage?
He has visited all the sites, of course, but admits it’s never easy. One American group came in January of 2024, brought much-needed supplies for the IDF, and was granted access to Kibbutz Be’eri to witness the aftermath of the attack.
“It was terrible,” Shachar said, “both for me as a tour guide, and for me as a person. To me, there was no added value. What we as Israelis have experienced, it is a breaking point. The State of Israel was established so this wouldn’t happen. Suddenly, our sense of safety collapsed. Standing in Be’eri, it reminded me of a shtetl in Poland-gone, destroyed forever.”
Having lived through October 7 and its aftermath, he struggled with finding the line between who he is as a tour guide, and who he is as a human:
“I had to take the story, and make it fit for tourists,” he said. “I had to break it down into talking points, and commemorate those who died in a way it could be understood by people who weren’t in Israel on October 7. I made eight or nine presentations like that to visitors, and ended up crying every time. So even if I try to draw that line, eventually I have to blur it and connect with it as a person. Perhaps that is actually a good thing.”
He struggles with the word ‘tourist,’ because Jewish travelers don’t necessarily come to Israel just to see the sights. People come to share and give a hug.
“They need to connect, and show they are part of the story, and that is ultimately a positive thing. I became a tour guide because I have always wanted to show people all of it, the whole story, including the ugly parts. As Israelis, we too feel the need to acknowledge the bad parts of our story. I remember when we finally had the funeral for the Bibas family; they announced the route, promised they would drive slow, and many Israelis took the day off to watch the car go by. Yarden Bibas sat by the car window, and slowly waved at everybody.”
Still, this is not only a sad story. It is, more than anything, a story about resilience. When Laurel and Hazzan Krausman and their children recently visited Israel for son Zev’s wedding, Shachar was asked to show Zev and his fiancée around.
“I was their guide 12 years ago,” he said, “and this time, they asked me to be a pole bearer for the chuppah. I can show you videos from the wedding, the dancing, it was sheer joy-and that is what resilience looks like.”
THE JEWISH PRESS IS LOOKING FOR A SUMMER INTERN.
If you are currently a high schooler age 16 and up, or college student up to 24 years old, and want to become more involved in our community, this is your chance.
If you are interested, please send your resume and cover letter to avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.
“Some will answer those questions in the affirmative,” Shachar said, “and it’s an immediate ‘yes.’ But not everyone feels ready to handle it. I myself find visiting the Nova site and the kibbutzim extremely overwhelming. It is not for everybody, and it shouldn’t be a must-see destination. Plus, there are other ways to learn, so I offer visitors people to meet, first-hand stories to hear.”
Rare Passover Food Items
Available Through Friedel’s Online Store
SARA KOHEN
Friedel Jewish Academy Director of Advancement
“Many people are familiar with the pre-Passover scramble to find something: ‘Has anyone seen where I can buy X?’” says Beth Cohen, Friedel’s Head of School.
To address that need, Friedel opened an online Passover food store featuring hard-to-find items, including meat, dairy, pantry, frozen, and deli items. “We’re not trying to compete with the local stores,” says Cohen. “These are items that you generally can’t find locally.”
Items are available as supplies last. Friedel will email information about pickup times to everyone who has ordered during the week of March 23.
Friedel’s online store is at https://friedel-jewish-academy. square.site/shop/kosher-market/LDHCMVWRXBEDJ5K 3AUJP3QV6
“We are Israelis, we choose life and look ahead to rebuilding,” Shachar continued. “And a big part of that rebuilding process is a strong tourism industry, because we can’t wait to see you here. I’ve seen how happy Israelis are when friends come. Now is the time to strengthen Israel, and Jews from all over have the power to do that by simply showing up.”
Writing Workshop
‘Write With Us,’ our small and intimate writing workshop (no need to be nervous) continues in the winter and early spring. Upcoming workshops are scheduled for the following Thursdays: March 26 and April 30 from 5-7 p.m. in the Noshery at the Staenberg Omaha JCC. Register by contacting Jessi at jtaylor@jewishomaha.org or Annette at avandekamp@jewishomaha.org. There is no cost to attend, although donations are always welcome.
If you have wanted to write your family’s story, that great American novel, or you have always wanted to try your hand at poetry, join us! Maybe you are already an accomplished writer, but you would benefit from being in a room with other writers. Perhaps you have convinced yourself you can’t write at all, but would love to try. Everyone, from absolute beginner to professional, is welcome to attend. We will provide the kosher snacks and the writing prompts.
Dolls For Democracy
Continued from page 1 program soon flourished. The Doll Ladies, as they were known, were members of B'nai B’rith chapters all over the U.S. and Canada. The Doll Ladies would take these dolls, handmade by Ruth Cecil Weeks, a B'nai B’rith member from Independence, Missouri, to schools, churches, synagogues, and scout troops. They presented biographical sketches of these inspiring, diverse figures. Rosalyn Gendler Zeffren was the original Doll Lady from the Tri City B'nai B’rith Women's chapter. Rosalyn and her young daughter, Sharon (Shane), displayed the dolls as the only mother-daughter team in the late 1950s and the early 1960s throughout western Illinois and Iowa. These 11 dolls belonged to Rosalyn and have been donated to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home by her daughters: Joan Sher, Barbara Alter, and Shane Kotok Each doll represents a life that transformed the world.
Jane Addams devoted her life to immigrants and the poor and became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Albert Einstein reshaped our understanding of the universe and helped establish the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Chaim Weizmann guided the birth of a nation as Israel’s first president.
Saint Francis of Assisi modeled humility, love for creation, and devotion to peace.
Anne Sullivan transformed education for people with disabilities through perseverance and belief.
Florence Nightingale redefined nursing and compassionate care.
Jackie Robinson broke barriers in Major League Baseball and helped change the face of American sports.
Emile Zola defended justice with his powerful words in J’accuse.
Eleanor Roosevelt championed human rights and chaired the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Marian Anderson lifted her voice against prejudice and made history at the Metropolitan Opera.
George Washington Carver advanced sustainable agriculture and education for generations.
Recently, Jane Rips reflected that the RBJH and NJHS are so fortunate to have been given a set of Dolls for Democracy! Handmade by artist Cecil Ruth Bullard Weeks, the dolls represent figures of changemakers and persons of distinction. Originally used by B’nai B’rith Women as a means to teach about heroic figures, they were used to tell powerful stories. On display at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, they are a permanent reminder of the distinction of these people.
If you know the location of additional Dolls for Democracy or would like more information about the collection, please contact Jane Rips at jrips@jewishomaha.org or Maggie Conti at mconti@rbjh.com
Together, may we honor the past by inspiring the future.
TriFaith’s Wisdom Workshop returns
The TriFaith Wisdom Workshops return with the latest installment, “The Ten Commandments: Imposing Religion or Honoring History?” featuring Rabbi David Segal, JD, of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.
Rabbi Segal was born and raised in Houston, TX and has lived in Arlington, VA; Jerusalem, Israel; New York City; and Aspen, CO. He studied Classics and Judaic Studies at Princeton University (2003) and was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York in 2010. From 2010-2017, he was the rabbi of the Aspen Jewish Congregation, serving the Roaring Fork Valley of Western Colorado. His wife, Cantor Rollin Simmons, was
his co-clergy.
You can read more about Rabbi Segal, including his blog, at his website: rabbidavidsegal.com
Sponsored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Religious Studies Department and the Brooks Lecture Fund, this free event aims to analyze the nature of the Ten Commandments as a religious text and its relation to the Establishment Clause in the U.S. Constitution.
This Wisdom Workshop takes place March 27 at 2:30 p.m. Registration is required for this event and can be completed through the website at trifaith.org, but thanks to a generous sponsorship, this event is free to attend.
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Note from Jerusalem
Continued from page 1
been launched in Iran and are heading our direction. Within five minutes of that first warning, a loud blaring siren has been alerting us that the missile is headed to our part of town. Of course, we have been entering our protected area and have then waited for the all clear to sound so we can go back to our activities.
The night before the war began, Charlie and I had hosted 25 individuals in our apartment for Kabbalat Shabbat davening (led by Benjamin Brodkey of Omaha) and sharing a potluck dinner together. I was nervous that if the war started at that point, we would need another safe room to utilize. Fortunately, a neighbor gave us a key to his apartment and the war waited until the morning to begin.
What has it been like here for us during this war? We organized a megillah reading and celebrated Purim on zoom following Home Front Command regulations. We have been staying in our apartment because of the unpredictable nature of sirens being sounded. We have been focusing on everyday activities of cooking, cleaning, contributing to tzedakah projects to help those who are less fortunate than we are, checking on the well-being of friends and family members, and helping with Zoom school for our grandchildren. We are cognizant that some families have had to be evacuated from their homes. Some have suffered the loss of family members because of the missile attacks. Many families have individuals serving the country in this very dangerous time. Our sense of gratitude for those who are protecting us is immense.
The morale here is good. There is a sense of unity even with all of our diversity. There is appreciation for having a society that cares about our well-being. From mental health hotlines to safety protocols to volunteers willing to help others, and opposition parties working together, Israel pulls together when pulling together is critical.
It is hard to know how much longer we’ll be hearing the loud booms of rockets overhead. It is impossible to know when this state of emergency will end. However, I know for sure that being in Israel currently feels right. May G-d watch over Am Yisrael and on a more simplistic note, may we all get a good night’s sleep tonight unhampered by sirens!
Help needed
The Lincoln Jewish community is strengthened by gathering each week after Friday services for an Oneg Shabbat, which creates an opportunity not just to nosh but to catch up with old friends, meet newer members, and welcome visitors.
The community counts on members to volunteer as Oneg hosts — hosting can be as elaborate or as simple as you want to make it. If you haven't hosted one recently, we hope you consider signing up. We have quite a few openings coming up. If you have questions about hosting, or need logistical help with hosting (assistance with shopping or set up/clean up), please contact our Events Coordinator Connor Mullin at events@southstreettemple.org
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
Pictured from left: Shane Kotok with her mother, Rosalyn Gendler Zeffren, along with Margaret Smith from Rock Island, Illinois.
Our Story: Immigration
RABBI DEANA BEREZIN
Temple Israel
In February 2026, Temple Israel’s Rabbi Berezin took a small group of congregants on an immigration trip. Below is her account of the experience.
Dear Friends, I’m writing to you from Phoenix, Arizona, after the first day of our Immigration Justice Journey with Tzedek America. Each day, I’ll share some of what we learned so that we can continue this conversation together, back in Omaha. Today, we joined with our friends from Congregation Shalom in Milwaukee, with whom we traveled last year for our Civil Rights Trip. It was wonderful to reconnect and to have the opportunity to continue building these relationships together.
We started off with stories and bearing witness. On our Tzedek America trips, we have the opportunity to meet with real people who have personal stories to share — stories you don’t hear on the news, and you don’t see on social media. At this moment in time, those stories could not be more important for us to hear.
We began our time together with Cody Blackbird, an awardwinning musician and the first Native American flutist to be featured in Rolling Stone. Given the nature of our trip, it felt especially important to ground ourselves and acknowledge the land that we are sitting on. Cody not only shared his beautiful music and taught us about the history of the Native American flute, which is one of the oldest woodwind instruments in America, but he also spoke candidly about the challenges his community faces every day.
Our next conversations were personal narratives of immigration. We met with Venezuelan refugees, who spoke about what it has meant to fight for freedom for their country from afar, while members of their families remain in Venezuela, at risk and in danger. And then we heard from an asylum seeker, who shared a heartbreaking story of the dangers her family faced in Colombia and why, even knowing the tremendous risks they would face in attempting to cross the border, they chose to try to seek a better, safer life for their family in America.
And tonight, one of our incredible educators who will be with us the entire trip, Eddie Chavez Calderon, shared his own story of migrating from a small village in Mexico as a four-
Saints & Liars
On Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m., Holocaust historian Debórah Dwork joins New York Times best-selling author and cultural commentator Elise Loehnen for a compelling conversation on rescue, morality, and the human choices that shaped history. Debórah Dwork is the founding director of the Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity at the CUNY Graduate Center. In addition, she is the recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award in Holocaust Studies from the Holocaust Educational Foundation in 2024; the Annetje Fels-Kupferschmidt Award bestowed by the Dutch Auschwitz Committee in 2022; and the International Network of Genocide Scholars Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. Saints and Liars is her most recent book, and tells the story of American aid workers who undertook rescue efforts abroad during the Nazi era.
Elise Loehnen is a writer, was the chief content editor for Goop, and currently the host of the podcast Pulling the Thread
year-old boy, crossing the desert in Nogales in treacherous conditions, and eventually making it to America with his mother as an undocumented immigrant. He became the first DACA applicant in Colorado, and his story has been presented to the Supreme Court, the Senate, and Congress.
Each of our speakers had something powerful and beautiful to offer us. Their words challenged us to question our assumptions and to think deeply about the human impact on immigration policy. At every moment today, in each conversation, I have been struck by the sheer courage and tenacity of the people we’ve met. Each spoke of hardship, of trauma, of tremendous danger, and of heartbreak. And yet, even as they live in very real fear of detention and deportation, they still choose to speak to us and to share their stories. And they do so with the hope that we, who sit with tremendous privilege, will use that power and the responsibility that it comes with, to make a difference.
As Eddie reminded us today, the Torah commands us to love the neighbors once. We are commanded to love God twice. And we are commanded to love the stranger 36 times. 36 times we are commanded to love the stranger because we were the stranger and we know the plight of the stranger.
The story of immigration is our story. We can’t look away.
Drawing from Dwork’s seminal scholarship, including Saints and Liars and Loehnen’s work examining culture, ethics, and inner life, the evening explores how stories of aid, risk, and conscience continue to resonate today. The event will take place at the Strauss Performing Arts
Center. In Conversation: Debórah Dwork and Elise Loehnen is a featured Exhibition Lecture, free and open to the public.
Upcoming events
The next Beit Midrash is scheduled for April 15, from 12-1 p.m. with Rabbi Benjamin Sharff of Temple Israel as our speaker.
All sessions are held at the Staenberg Omaha JCC. A light kosher lunch is served at each session. There is no cost to attend, but we do ask you to register at www.jewishomaha.org.
Drop in for one session, or become a regular attendee – everyone is welcome.
Beit Midrash (house of study) gives all of Jewish Omaha the opportunity to engage in spirited and challenging cross-denominational study with local rabbis and cantors. This space fosters discussion and friendly debate, allowing students and teachers to share ideas and deepen their understanding of Jewish teachings. Such a communal learning environment is essential for personal growth and the preservation of Jewish traditions.
For questions, please contact Naomi Fox, Director of Community Engagement & Education, at nfox@jewishomaha.org or 402.334.6424.
JFS Film & Friends (for community members 55+) will host its next film on Friday, April 10 at 1 p.m. We will show “James Bond No Time to Die” at the Staenberg Omaha JCC Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater. There is no cost to attend. Concessions will be available for purchase.
Live at the Levine: Sisters in Song is scheduled for Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m., with a cocktail hour beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Cost to attend is $20 per ticket, $25 on the day of the show.
What do you get when you bring together eight powerhouse, professional women singers, songwriters, musicians and musical directors from Omaha and Lincoln? You get a night to remember by Sisters In Song!
Founded in 2023, through their common professions and experiences, Sisters In Song has developed into solid friendships and a true sisterhood. Coming together to bring you an evening of some of their favorite music, with a variety of styles ranging from pop, jazz, & blues, to standards and originals, you won’t want to miss this one night only performance!
On Saturday April 25 from 1-4 p.m., Rebecca Rosen will present “Creating Heaven on Earth” at the JCC. This is an external rental and not a JCC-sponsored event. Join world-renowned spiritual medium, Rebecca Rosen, and energy healer, Jakki Leonardini, for a powerful 3-hour immersive experience designed to help you connect with Spirit, elevate your frequency, and manifest your Heaven on Earth. Register online at jccomaha.org.
Don’t miss Circle Theatre Presents: Descendants, Saturday March 28 at 7 p.m. and Sunday March 29 at 2 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater. Based on the popular Disney Channel Original Movies, Disney’s Descendants: The Musical is a brand-new musical jam-packed with comedy, adventure, Disney characters, and hit songs from the films! Imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost – home of the most infamous villains who ever lived – the teenaged children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella De Vil have never ventured off the island… until now. When the four troublemakers are sent to attend prep school alongside the children of beloved Disney heroes, they have a difficult choice to make: should they follow in their parents’ wicked footsteps or learn to be good?
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased through our website at jccomaha.org.
JONNIE ROBINSON
JFO Assistant Director of Community Engagement & Education
The Jewish Federation of Omaha welcomes New York Times bestselling author B.A. Shapiro on Monday, March 30 at 6:00 p.m. for an evening of conversation, history, and literary intrigue.
Her latest novel, The Lost Masterpiece, is inspired by the real history of Nazi-looted art during World War II. The book explores enduring questions of ownership, justice, and moral responsibility.
Shapiro will share insights into her research process, the historical events that inspired the novel, and how she weaves fact with fiction to create unforgettable stories. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with one of today’s most respected voices in historical fiction. A book signing will follow, with copies of The Lost Mas-
terpiece as well as other B.A. Shapiro novels available for purchase through The Bookworm. The event will include appetizers, desserts, and beverages. The cost to attend is $18, and advance registration is required. To secure your spot, scan the QR code accompanying this article or visit jewishomaha.org
For additional information, please contact Naomi Fox at nfox@jewishomaha.org or Jonnie Robinson at jonnie.robinson@jewishomaha.org or call 402-334-6475.
This Jewish Author Event is generously supported by the Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, the Milton S. & Corinne N. Livingston Foundation, and the Carl Frohm Memorial Foundation.
SNOWBIRDS
Please let the Jewish Press know in advance when you are leaving and when you are returning. Sometimes several papers are sent to your “old” address before we are notified by the Post Office. Every time they return a paper to us, you miss the Jewish Press and we are charged! Please call us at 402.334.6448 or email us at jpress@jewishomaha.org.
SP O TLIGHT
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
Shani and Rabbi Mendel Katzman at Chabad’s Purim luncheon. Who doesn’t love PBJ?
Lincoln’s Jewish community came together for the Megillah reading Credit: Dan Senft.
Drum roll, please…. The RBJH Purim 2026 King and Queen, Mike Platt and Nancy Epstein. Mazel Tov!
JBL Features Carl Riekes
JAY KATELMAN
JFO Director of Community Development
The next Jewish Business Leaders Breakfast will be held on April 24, from 7:30-9 a.m. We are excited to feature Carl Riekes, most recently from Ryco Packaging Corporation.
We will meet at Happy Hollow Club in the
Grand Ballroom. Breakfast will be buffet style provided by Happy Hollow. Kosher options will be provided by Star Catering, and as always, Sleepless from Seattle will be on site to provide coffee for all!
Carl Riekes has spent his entire career in the Wholesale Distribution of Rigid Packaging (glass, plastic and metal bottles, jars, cans, caps, closures and dispensing systems).
He joined the family business, S. Riekes & Sons, in 1968. In 1971 he relocated to Denver, Colorado. Four years later, the family business was sold to a large conglomerate called Alco Standard Corporation.
Carl remained with ASC and in 1977 was promoted to Western Regional President and relocated to Southern California. Eight years later, he returned to Omaha where he founded Ryco Packaging Corporation. In 22 years, Ryco grew from a startup to a company with annual revenues exceeding $150 million, with 140 employees in 14 branch lo-
cations across the country. Ryco won over a dozen packaging industry awards for design, innovation, and functionality. The company was sold in 2007 to a Chicago-based private equity firm in partnership with Goldman Sachs.
Carl was recently inducted into the National Association of Container Distributors
BBYO’s Golden Cob Awards
Hall of Fame.
Jewish Business Leaders extends a special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Bridges Trust. We also thank our Platinum Sponsors: OMNE Partners, CFO Systems LLC, Security National Bank, and Sun Valley Landscaping Our Event Sponsors are Koley Jessen, Arbor Aesthetics, Alex Epstein, and the Riekes Family. We appreciate their generous support.
If you have any questions about Jewish Business Leaders, please contact Jay Katelman at jkatelman@jewishomaha.org, or at 402.334.6461. We ask that you register for the event using the QR code.
IDAN ZACCAI BBYO Director
Omaha BBYO cordially invites you to attend our BBYO Council's awards celebration, the Golden Cob Awards, on Sunday April 12 at 6 p.m.
The night will be filled with entertainment, as we highlight the outstanding achievements, leadership, and contributions of members from our Omaha Cornbelt Council.
Celebrating our achievements is one of our longest standing traditions. We want to honor the teens who have worked hard and dedicated themselves to the goals of BBYO, and thereby, the values of K’lal Yisrael, the Global Jewish community,
And yes, there will be food-but what that is
is still a surprise as of this writing! However, we promise it will be good.
Tickets to the event are $5 for current BBYO members, and $15 for alumni and guests. To receive the registration link, please contact izaccai@jccomaha.org
Payment will be collected at the door via cash (preferred), check, or Venmo. If paying by check, please make checks payable to Omaha BBYO.
We look forward to celebrating an incredible year of BBYO together!
Joan Micklin Silver News
Join the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center on April 8-12 for a tribute to the trailblazing Nebraska director Joan Micklin Silver.
Born in Omaha, Joan Micklin Silver is best known for her pioneering efforts fighting to bring Jewish stories to light and writing and directing independent films such as Crossing Delancey (1988) and Hester Street (1975). A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, Silver butted heads with a patriarchal studio system before collaborating with United Artists on her third feature, Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979). She would go on to direct the feature films Loverboy (1989), Big Girls Don’t Cry…They Get Even (1991), Fish in the Bathtub (1998), and a number of teleplays including Bernice Bobs Her Hair (1976), Finnegan Begin Again (1985), and Hunger Point (2003).
April 8, we will show Hester Street. Micklin Silver’s remarkable feature debut is a vivid, lovingly detailed evocation of the late-nineteenth-century Jewish Lower East Side built around a luminous, Academy Award–nominated performance from Carol Kane as Gitl, a young woman from Eastern Europe who arrives in New York to join her husband Yankel (Steven Keats) who has already emigrated. While Yankel, who now goes by Jake, has quickly acclimated to life in America—and even begun an affair with a dancer—Gitl initially struggles to assimilate. As she attempts to find her place within an unfamiliar culture, Gitl must find a way to become a victor instead of a victim. This film is rated PG13.
roles),
news reporter Harry (John Heard) and photographer Abbie (Lindsay Crouse)—enjoy a positive and openminded work environment. However, it seems as though their relatively carefree days are numbered when the owner of a major publishing company buys the paper, leading to more money, but big changes.
struction of male wish-fulfillment fantasy beyond standard movie-romance tropes into something more complicated and cuttingly truthful.
The 1988 Crossing Delancey will be shown April 11. This wonderfully affectionate spin on the romantic comedy infuses the genre with a fresh, personal perspec-
On April 9, it is time for Between the Lines (rated R). Inspired by Joan Micklin Silver’s time working at New York’s storied alt weekly the “Village Voice,” this unsung gem of 1970s slice-of-life seriocomedy offers an incisive, bittersweet look at a shifting media landscape that feels as fresh and relevant as ever. At the offices of a Boston independent newspaper, the staff members—including music critic Max (Jeff Goldblum, in one of his first leading
April 10, we will present Chilly Scenes of Winter (rated PG). Joan Micklin Silver digs fearlessly into the psychology of a thorny relationship in this anti–romantic comedy, based on Ann Beattie’s best-selling novel, about lovelorn civil servant Charles (John Heard) and his married-but-separated coworker Laura (Mary Beth Hurt). Months after their affair has ended, Charles is haunted by memories as he desperately attempts to rekindle a love that perhaps never was. Switching deftly between past and present, Micklin Silver guides this piercing decon-
tive, following an unmarried Jewish woman’s search for fulfillment in New York City. Happily independent bookstore manager Izzy (a luminous Amy Irving) isn’t looking for love, but she’s forced to reevaluate her desires when she catches the eye of two very different
2026 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
The Jewish Press
men: a self-centered novelist (Jeroen Krabbé) and the mild-mannered Lower East Side pickle seller (Peter Riegert) with whom her old-fashioned Bubbie (scene-stealing Yiddishtheater star Reizl Bozyk) sets her up. A love letter to 1980s Manhattan shot in beautifully burnished, autumnal tones, Crossing Delancey gracefully captures the magic of a city where disparate cultures, generations, and traditions both clash and connect. It is rated PG.
We will conclude on April 12 with A Fish in the Bathtub. Legendary comedy duo (and reallife husband and wife) Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara star as the constantly bickering couple at the center of this sprightly comedy from writer-director Joan Micklin Silver. When Sam (Stiller) stubbornly refuses to get rid of the new pet carp he’s unleashed in their bathtub, Molly (Meara) finally decides she’s had enough and moves in with their married son Joel (a young Mark Ruffalo). Desperate to get his mother out of his hair (and house), Joel enlists his boy-crazed travelagent sister (Jane Adams) to help repair their parent’s relationship—even as he’s tempted toward infidelity by a flirtatious client (Pamela Gray).
Rated PG13.
All films start at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for members & UNL students and can be purchased through our website at theross.org
We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 22, 2026. To be included, fill out the form below or send us an email with the student’s name, parents names, high school they are attending, the college they will be attending and photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 12, 2026.
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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.
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Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Advisory Board, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.
Finding Comfort
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
It’s one of those weeks-I’ve started writing for this page a few times, and I keep deleting my words, because whatever I say, it’s been said a million times, and better. Certain days, this life feels repetitive. The news is filled with stories about antisemitism, violence, and conspiracies, which have long ago stopped being fun to mock.
Do you ever feel like that proverbial hamster on a wheel, going round and round? Sometimes doing the same thing again and again feels like a comfort, it puts rhythm and structure around us, something we can count on. Other times, it just feels boring. Why is that?
Wait; did I just admit (in print, no less) that I am bored by the news?? Down the rabbit hole we go... Perhaps ‘bored’ is the wrong word. Exhausted, more like it, or spent. Stretched, cooked, or just plain old tired. Another day, another synagogue shot at, another car ramming, another talking head blaming us for anything from the weather to the price of eggs to wars halfway across the world. Is it tornado season yet? Because we will be blamed for those, too.
I have the sneaking suspicion I am not the only one who feels this way, who has felt this way for a while now. So, what do we do about it?
I actually have a menu for these types of moods. Okay, if you insist, I’ll share.
1. Chocolate (don’t discount this, it is excellent medicine)
2. Shopping (that is self-explanatory)
3. Turning on loud music. I listen to K-Pop, and you can make fun of me all you want but A) it makes me happy, so there, and B) the Korean language doesn’t interfere with my writing in English. Much.
4. Taking a walk. Luckily, I work in a sprawling JCC with tons of hallways, so excuse me, I’ll be right back.
5. Hanging out with friends, either without a pre-determined reason, or because somebody cool organized something. Like this past week’s Mega Challah Bake, where I saw quite a few of you. I know we don’t always feel like leaving the house, but check the calendar anyway. Sometimes all we need is to see a friendly face. Or 200 friendly faces, depending on where we go.
While we do all those things, we are building and sustaining relationships. That way, even on the days we don’t feel hopeful, when all the good seems out of reach, we have each other to fall back on.
It’s always other people, friends, family, relationships we’ve built, that pull us through. And yet, we constantly need to be reminded.
And that’s where the real medicine comes in: that need for reminders is one of the reasons we show up, even if we don’t always feel like it. We attend Beit Midrash, or an author event. We go to synagogue, to attend services or to play Mahjongg, and we join friends for Shabbat dinner. We schedule lunch when we could have just as easily have that work meeting in the office, and we sign ourselves up for classes-and we care as much about what we learn, as we do about who else is there.
Comfort isn’t in knowing that war eventually will end, it’s not in opening a news app and seeing nobody died today. It’s in realizing we are not alone.
One of the biggest strengths of Judaism is unity. Sometimes it feels like that unity is under threat, because we get lost in opinions about politics. But then we remember: we are all still here, we all matter, we are all together. Unity doesn’t mean always being in agreement about every little and big thing. It means showing up, it means seeing each other, it means taking up space, and claiming that space, in our own Jewish community, and in the wider worldwide Jewish people.
A bris between missile alerts was the ultimate show of Jewish defiance against a tyrannical enemy
RABBI HAYIM LEITER
JTA
“I’m not doing this!” the mother screamed. “Tell everyone they can go home — I won’t hold my baby’s Bris while rockets are on the way.” It’s not every day a mohel has to balance such tensions, but when war breaks out, the eighth day waits for no one.
The event was scheduled for Shabbat morning, south of Jerusalem, an hour’s walk from my hometown. My plan was simple: attend an early morning minyan near home, grab a bite to eat, and head to the bris. At the time, I had no idea what was on the horizon.
As we finished Parashat Zachor — the command to both remember and eradicate our biblical arch nemesis Amalek — the cantor ascended the bimah. When he uttered the final line of the Prayer for the State of Israel, the first siren rang out. Everyone scattered, running for their homes and bomb shelters.
It turned out to be a different warning, one intended to alert the country that Israel’s strike on Iran had begun and retaliations were imminent. It wasn’t a question of if, only when.
This was not the first time I had to perform a brit milah under rocket fire. During the previous instance, I succeeded in “dancing between the raindrops,” arriving home just before the worst hit. But that was a weekday event; now I would be on foot. I hesitated to go, but chose a route that hugged the red-roofed houses of our area, ensuring a doorway was always within reach should I need to dive for cover. I prayed my timing would work out again, but it was not to be.
The walk there was eerily quiet. Each step felt as if a siren was afoot. I arrived at the synagogue before any warnings were sounded and began to arrange my tools. In a community without cell phone access, Home Front Command instructions trickle out by word of mouth.
As the prayer service concluded and the time came for the circumcision, the first alarm sounded. Now a new dilemma arose — try to carry out the
Bris before the barrage arrived or wait until things quieted down? The mother was adamant — her son’s circumcision would not be conducted in a rushed, unsafe fashion. I agreed it was wiser to wait until this wave had passed.
But word quickly spread that the barrage wasn’t coming directly toward us.
Someone with a cell phone for emergencies such as these read that the rockets were headed north. I encouraged the mother that things were safe, but only for now. We should take advantage of the space between the raindrops and hold the brit milah before the next storm develops. She reluctantly agreed, and it turned out to be providential.
But the current clash feels different. Even as tragedy strikes with each passing barrage, there is hope in the air — a feeling that maybe this time it really will be true that we’re fighting so that the
The brit milah carried a different kind of weight. Celebrating life during liminal moments always intensifies emotions. Just as the happy occasion came to a close, a new series of sirens began — and this one was for our location. Most of the community quickly grabbed food from the celebratory kiddush (also part of the mitzvah of brit milah) and filed into the adjacent bomb shelter.
After sheltering the requisite time, we made our way back to the synagogue to clean up. The father of the baby mentioned that his own bris had been during the Gulf War. My friend replied, “Maaseh Avot, Siman L’Banim (the actions of our forefathers are a sign for their children).” It’s the Jewish way of saying, like father, like son.
As I readied for the return home, the father mentioned that he may not be around the following day when I planned to check the baby. He had already been called up for reserve duty. As challenging as I’m sure this is for the mother of the baby, it has always been our reality in Israel. Our commitment to the state is unwavering.
baby doesn’t have to. There is a sense that toppling the Iranian regime could fundamentally reshape the region and alter the trajectory of the conflict.
For now, as Purim approached, as we once again are embroiled in an existential battle with the descendants of Haman, the brit milah felt like the ultimate defiance of those who wish to eradicate the Jewish people.
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.
TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at www.omahajewish press.com/site/forms/. Deadlines are normally nine days prior to publication, on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.
Rabbi Hayim Leiter cradles a baby during a bris in the West Bank. Credit: Tzvety Friedman
Synagogues
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
Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, Apr. 10, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!
For information about our historic synagogue, please visit our website at www.cblhs.org or contact any of our other board members: David Alloy, Renee Corcoran, Rick Katelman, Gail Kenkel, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Ann Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.
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; Presidential Forum with Marty Shukert following services; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:10 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom.
SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 9:30 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman.
MONDAY: The Bible With and WIthout Jesus 6 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham and Pastor Johnson at St. Luke.
TUESDAY: Sefer HaMiddot, 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham.
WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m.
THURSDAY: The Bible With and WIthout Jesus 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham and Pastor Johnson at St. Luke; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. Zoom Only.
FRIDAY-Mar. 27: Nebraska AIDS Project Lunch, 11:30 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El and Live Stream.
SATURDAY-Mar. 28: Shabbat Hagadol Zimra, 10 a.m at Beth El and Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12) 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:20 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom.
Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
FRIDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 7:18 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, 6:25 p.m.; Mincha, 7:10 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos, 7:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:19 p.m.
SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:20 p.m.
MONDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Monday Mind Builders/Kids Matzah Bake, 4 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:20 p.m.
TUESDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit,
7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:20 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 1:30 p.m.; Board of Directors Meeting 6 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:20 p.m.
THURSDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:20 p.m.
FRIDAY-Mar. 27: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 7:26 p.m.
SATURDAY-Mar. 28: Shabbos Café, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 6:35 p.m.; Mincha, 7:20 p.m.; Kids Activity/ Laws of Shabbos 7:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:27 p.m.
Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
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, 7:18 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shacharit 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:18 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; Women's Luncheon with Mrs. Raizy Metzger, noon at Chabad, Contact Mushka at mushka@ochabad.com for more details; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with David Cohen; Translating Words of Prayer, 7 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-Mar. 27: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 5:30 p.m., go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Candlelighting, 7:26 p.m.
SATURDAY-Mar. 28: Shacharit 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:26 p.m.
LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:
B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL
Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.
FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:30-7:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST followed by an Oneg; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:21 p.m.
This Day in Jewish History
Looking through the history books is, at best, a mixed bag when you’re looking for Jewish stories. Corresponding to 2 Nissan, on that day Moshe performed the first para aduma rite. That means Moses prepared the very first Red Heifer. For the heifer itself, this was not necessarily good news, as “prepared” in this context means “sacrificed.”
In 1283, the Jews of Mayence, Germany, were massacred, and King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella signed a decree expelling Jews from Spain, on this day in 1492.
In 1881, Anti-Jewish riots broke out in Jerusalem. But it wasn’t all bad: in 1475, the first printed edition of Rashi’s commentary on the Torah was produced in Reggio di Calabria, Italy.
In 1959, the Israeli Knesset passed a law establishing a national Holocaust Memorial Day (Yom HaShoah).
Ok, so maybe it was mostly bad: in 1911, following the discovery of a murdered boy, Russian authorities launched a vicious anti-Jewish blood libel campaign in Kiev.
In 1920, Rabbi Sholom DovBer, the fifth Lubav-
itcher Rebbe, passed away in Rostov.
In 1933, the Jewish community of Vilna, Poland, announced a boycott of German products in response to the rise of the Nazis. That boycott spread nationwide.
The month of March brought more grief throughout the centuries. On March 19, 1497 in Portugal (the first day of Passover), Jewish parents were ordered to take their children between the ages of four and fourteen to Lisbon. Upon arrival, the parents were informed that their children were going to be taken away from them and were to be given to Catholic families to be raised as good Catholics. Children were literally torn from their parents, and others were smothered; some parents chose to kill themselves and their kids rather than be separated. After a while, some parents agreed to be baptized, along with their children, while others succumbed and handed over their babies.
On Saturday morning, March 18, 1922, twelveyear old Judith Kaplan, the daughter of Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan, stepped forward and stood just below the bimah at her father’s synagogue - the
SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, 12:30 p.m. on Parashat Vayikra via Zoom; Family Potluck and Game Night, 6 p.m. at SST. Bring a dish to share for the potluck beginning at 6 p.m. Games are available to play, but feel free to bring one of your favorites! Games begin at 7 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:21 p.m.
SUNDAY: LJCS Class, 9:30 a.m.; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group, 10:30 a.m. at Rock 'N' Joe Coffee, 5025 Lindberg St, Lincoln. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw 801@gmail.com; Muriello Marriage Vow Renewal, noon
WEDNESDAY: Ladies' Lunch, 12:30–1:30 p.m. at Ollie & Hobbes Craft Kitchen-Lincoln, 2940 Pine Lake Rd STE A, Lincoln, NE. Locations are decided upon at each lunch for the following month. For more information, please email Barbara Barron at oohhmmm. barb@gmail.com; LJCS Hebrew School, 4:30-6 p.m.
FRIDAY-Mar. 27: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:307:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST followed by an Oneg; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:28 p.m.
SATURDAY-Mar. 28: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study 12:30 p.m. on Parashat Tzav via Zoom; Havdalah, 8:29 p.m.
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.
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.; Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.m. RSVP Required — In-Person; Classic Shabbat 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; Pizza and Prosecco with TISH, 6 p.m. RSVP Required — In-Person.
SUNDAY: Grades PreK-7, 9:30 a.m. In-Person
TUESDAY: Exploring Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Bienstock — In-Person & Zoom; Mah Jongg Made Easy, 1:30 p.m. In-Person.
WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person; Grades 36, 4:30 p.m. In-Person; Mah Jongg Made Easy, 5:45 p.m. In-Person; Hebrew Chai: Grades 8-12, 6 p.m. InPerson.
THURSDAY: The Zohar: Thursday Morning Class, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Sharff — In-Person & Zoom.
FRIDAY-Mar. 27: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9 a.m.; Shabbat b’Yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.
SATURDAY-Mar. 28: 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.
Society for the Advancement of Judaism in New York City. With the Torah scroll covered but in sight, Judith recited the preliminary blessing, read a portion of the Torah in Hebrew and English from her personal Chumash and then intoned the closing blessing. That, ladies and gentlemen, went into the books as the first-ever bat mitzvah on American soil.
The earliest American bat mitzvahs were, ritually, not quite the same as bar mitzvahs. They were usually held on Friday nights, when the Torah is not read or, if held on Saturday morning like Judith Kaplan’s, the bat mitzvah girl would read from a printed Chumash, or book containing the Bible, rather than from the Torah scroll itself.
Finally, on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary. Harry Houdini was born as Ehrich Weiss. Together with his family, he immigrated to the US, Wisconsin to be precise, where his father became a rabbi. Ehrich changed his name at the age of 17. His first trick? The vanishing quarter.
(sources: Jewish Virtual Library, Chabad, and OU)
B’NAI ISRAEL
BETH EL
BETH ISRAEL
CHABAD HOUSE
Life Cycles
IRA COTTON
Dr. Ira W. Cotton, husband, father, and brother, passed away on March 6, 2026, from pancreatic cancer at age 80 in Naples, Florida. A funeral service was held on March 8, 2026, at Temple Shalom in Naples, Florida.
He is survived by his wife Marcy; daughters, Anna and Amy (Margot Friedman) Cotton; sister, Candace (Michael Saft) Cotton; brother, Jon Cotton; and extended family and friends.
Born to Arnold and Evelyn Cotton in New York City, NY, he earned his BA in 1967 from Brown University; his masters in 1970 from the University of Pennsylvania; and a doctorate in business administration in 1979 from The George Washington University. He married Marcy A. Justa in 1973. They raised two children together in Rockville, Maryland, until 1995, when they moved to Omaha, Nebraska. In 2013, Ira sold his snowblower and the family moved to Naples, FL.
Ira served at the National Bureau of Standards, later moving into the private sector. He worked as a business management and information technology consultant at Booze Allen Hamilton and Martin Marietta. He then held leadership roles at First Data Resources, Inc. and IBM.
Ira was an avid outdoorsman. He most loved being on the water with a fishing rod in hand. He also enjoyed stamp collecting and was a life member of the American Philatelic Society. In recent years, Ira focused this passion on fish and game stamps and licenses, authoring several handbooks and valuation guides about them. He also served more than three terms as President of the National Duck Stamp Collectors Society.
Ira is remembered as a man of integrity who had a good sense of humor. He was preceded in death by his parents and infant brother, Lawrence.
Memorials may be made in Ira’s memory to Temple Shalom of Naples, FL (www.naplestemple.org), the Conservancy of Southwest Florida (conservancy.org), Avow Hospice (avowcares. org), or our walk team page for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, (https://bit.ly/PanCanDC).
RAMON F. PRED
Ramon F. Pred passed away on Feb. 21. 2026, in Overland Park, Kansas. Services were held on Feb. 24, 2026, at Beth El Cemetery and were officiated by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Michael and Annette Pred; brothers, Gordan Pred and Norman Pred
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Gwen Pred; sons, Mark Pred (Devon Coffey) and Marshall Pred (Gayla Brockman); granddaughters: Gabby Pred (Mike Galyardt), Hannah Pred; and many nieces and nephews and seven grand dogs.
Ray was an all-conference football player for Lyons High School. He served in the army during the Korean War. Ray spent his career working in the fine men's clothing business owning both Ray Pred's Menswear and then The Wardrobe for Men in Omaha.
Memorials may be made to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, Omaha (https://rbjh.com/.)
Elevated, complex threat environment
JOSEPH STRAUSS AND JACKIE HAJDENBERG
JTA
A string of recent synagogue attacks across North America and Europe has left security officials sounding the alarm bells.
“We are in the midst of the most elevated and complex threat environment the Jewish community and this country has seen in modern history,” said Kerry Sleeper, chief of threat management and information sharing for the Secure Community Network, a Jewish security organization.
Sleeper’s comment came during an SCN webinar on Friday March 13, held in response to the previous day’s attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, where an assailant rammed into the synagogue armed with rifles and smoke bombs.
Though the attack was successfully thwarted by existing security measures, Mitchell Silber, executive director of the Community Security Initiative, said in an interview that Jewish institutions may now need additional layers of protection.
“This might be a bit of a tipping point where we’ve gone to a new level, where really what’s required to secure a Jewish institution in the U.S. starts to look like almost a Europeanization of security,” Silber said.
That would include posting multiple armed guards outside entrances and requiring increased screening before entry, he said. Many European synagogues also require attendees to go through security screening at some distance from the building, rather than at their doors.
“Unfortunately that seems to be where we are right now — the Jewish community has to up its game in terms of the external security of its locations,” he said.
Currently, a shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security since Feb. 14 is halting the review of millions of dollars in security funding for nonprofits, constraining the ability of Jewish institutions and other vulnerable groups to upgrade their security infrastructure.
The Temple Israel attack came within two weeks of attacks in Austin, Texas, and at Old Dominion University in Virginia. Those other attacks were not on Jewish institutions, but Sleeper, a former FBI assistant director, said the “various motivations of the attackers appear to be affiliated with the war between the U.S., Israel and Iran.”
He added that the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran, and President Donald Trump’s stated desire to facilitate a regime change, have “contributed to the extremely high threat environment.”
Meanwhile, things have escalated outside the United States. Three Toronto-area synagogues were hit with gunfire over the last couple of weeks, and a synagogue in Rotterdam was targeted by an arson attack early Friday morning, allegedly by a group that has also claimed credit for an explosion at a synagogue in Belgium. (There was a subsequent attack at the cheider, a Jewish school in Amsterdam, during the night of Shabbat, March 14, followed by another explosion at the New York Mellon Bank, also in Amsterdam. These explosions, as well as the attack in Rotterdam, were claimed by the organization Harakat Ashab Al Yamin Al Islamiyya, ed.)
The flurry of attacks has the entire Jewish world on edge — and some watchdogs say things could soon get worse.
“It is not entirely shocking to those of us who’ve watched this space for a long time,” said Mike Jacobson, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who served in the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau.
“I would think things would continue to ratchet up again, at least in the short term.”
He pointed to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ activation of sleeper cells — their agents lying in wait until called to action to commit an attack — across the West, as a danger to vulnerable targets, which includes Jewish communities.
Another source of danger, Jacobson said, comes from copycat attacks.
“There’s also this mix that makes it really hard to sort out in the initial stages, where you’ve got people, not only who may be directly tied to Iran, but people who are so-called ‘inspired’ by this,” Jacobson said. “Those are often really hard for law enforcement to get advance notice on.”
Not always does the threat come from direct orders from Iran, he said. “It’s often difficult to tell: Is this something that is directly tied to the organization, or is this something that is more by someone inspired [by the IRGC]?”
He added, “They are trying to inflict pain in as many directions as they can.”
As security organizations encourage increased caution and awareness of suspicious activity, they are also emphasizing that those measures shouldn’t come at the expense of gathering in communal Jewish spaces.
“We’re not going to let the terrorists take away our confidence or the ability to embrace our religion,” said Michael Masters, SCN’s national director, during the Zoom webinar. Masters’ sentiment is also shared by congregational leaders like Rabbi Adam Roffman, of Congregation Shearith Israel in Dallas.
“Sure, security is something we think a lot about, and we’ve done our best to protect ourselves,” Roffman said. “And at the same time, the life of this community goes on.”
At Temple Israel, Shabbat services were being streamed from the nearby country club that served as a reunification center for families after the attack. On Friday March 13, the synagogue wrote on Facebook: “We’re so glad you’re joining us tonight as our community comes together to welcome this much needed Sabbath.”
In the March 13, 2026 edition of the Jewish Press, the name of Bob Sturm was incorrectly given as ‘Stern’ in the Page 8 article. The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation and the Jewish Press regret the error.
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Recent additions to the Kripke-Veret Collection News
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JFO Library Specialist
Adult:
Loaves of Torah:
Exploring the Jewish Year through Challah by Rabbi Vanessa M. Harper
Braided and spiral loaves of challah have long been a delicious centerpiece of the Jewish table, but with a few extra twists, the beloved Shabbat bread can become a work of art that teaches Torah. In Loaves of Torah, Rabbi Vanessa M. Harper - creator of the hit Instagram account @lechlechallah - shapes interpretive challot for each weekly Torah portion and Jewish holiday. A creative journey through the Jewish year, the book pairs gorgeous color photographs with insightful commentary, in-depth questions for reflection and discussion, as well as beautiful kavanot. Rabbi Harper also includes blessings, recipes, and tips for creating your own interpretive challot. A fresh, contemporary commentary on our holiest text, Loaves of Torah will inspire you to think outside the braid and take Torah into your own hands.
Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon: New Jewish Stories A
Wooden Spoon invites readers on a magical, mystical journey. With settings both traditional and contemporary, the stories each highlight an essential aspect of living a meaningful Jewish life. Appropriate for all ages, the many tales include Time Palace, a legend of how the Jewish people created Shabbat; Yofiel, the story of an angel who keeps revealing the secrets of Torah; Shalom Bayit, imagining the chuppah as a metaphor for powerful social change; and Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon, which reframes these traditional Passover objects as tools for intergenerational healing. Whether you're a rabbi, cantor, or educator-the storytellers of our community-or just a lover of stories, this book
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is sure to stir your heart and inspire your spirit.
This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman Was this just a brief skirmish, or the beginning of a thirtyyear feud? In the Rubinstein family, it could go either way. When their beloved sister passes away, Sylvia and Helen Rubinstein are unmoored. A misunderstanding about apple cake turns into a decade of stubborn silence. Busy with their own lives—divorces, dating, career setbacks, college applications, bat mitzvahs and ballet recitals — their children do not want to get involved. As for their grandchildren? Impossible.
With This Is Not About Us, master storyteller Allegra Goodman — whose prior collection was heralded as “one of the most astute and engaging books about American family life” (The Boston Globe) — returns to the form and subject that endeared her to legions of readers. Sharply observed and laced with humor, This Is Not About Us is a story of growing up and growing old, the weight of parental expectations, and the complex connection between sisters — a big-hearted book about the love that binds a family across generations.
collection of original stories by acclaimed author Rabbi Zoe Klein