HUMANITARIANS of the Year
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
The Jewish Federation of Omaha is delighted to announce Zoë, Carl, Margo and Steve Riekes as 2024 Humanitarians of the Year.
Zoë, Carl, Margo and Steve Riekes have filled numerous roles in our community for many, many years. “Zoë, Margo, Carl and Steve embody what it means to be truly involved in community building,”
JFO CEO Bob Goldberg said. “They not only show up as dedicated lay leaders in various roles, they show up to participate in the programming, much of which they helped build from the ground up. They are part of the very fabric of Jewish Omaha, and we are so grateful for their passion, love and dedication.”
Since the early 1970s, Steve has been passionate about Jewish education, both for himself and in matters dealing with the Jewish community. His dedication to Judaism is legendary as demonstrated by his decades of commitment and generosity, especially to educational programming. “Around 1969, 70, there were zero educational programs for adults,” he said. “No lectures, classes, programs with any educational slant whatsoever. I felt we needed community-wide adult education. I used my position as President of Cornhusker Lodge of B’nai B’rith to See Humanitarians of the Year page 3
Shalom from Memphis, part I
RABBI DEANA BEREZIN
Ed. note: In April, a group from Temple Israel traveled to Tenessee, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi for a Civil Rights trip. Below is Rabbi Berezin’s travel journal. Wednesday, April 23.
I’m so delighted to have the opportunity to share a bit about what our group is learning and experiencing on our Civil Rights Trip these next few days! We have an incredible group of folks traveling together from Temple Israel, joining together with a group
from Congregation Shalom from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As many of you know, I took our Temple teens on this trip last year, and we had all had profoundly moving experiences as we learned about the history of our country. So I was thrilled when our adult learners were interested in taking this trip. We once again partnered
Nick Newman
STEVE
RIEKES
In the spring of 1969, a major “revolution” occurred in Omaha’s Jewish Community. A representative, democratic form of governance was restored to the Jewish Federation of Omaha (JFO) - the legal and political structure by which Jewish communal interests are met.
Regardless of the original democratic intent of the founders, the JFO had collapsed into an “oligarchy.” A majority of its board consisted of older and economically successful men. Although from time to time, a woman, a rabbi, or an institutional leader would also be chosen by the board to serve as a board member, they always were a distinct minority.
While well intentioned, essentially, Jewish Omaha’s leadership was an “old boys” network. They voted for themselves and controlled the community. In 1969 this self-perpetuating leadership was completely shaken up by Calvin “Nick” Newman. Although he was only in his 40s, he was also a very successful business man and came from a prominent family.
Nick discovered the original legal documents that enabled the JFO to be a non-profit corporation recognized by the State of Nebraska and entitled to the benefits that the state law provides. These documents provided that all of Omaha’s Jews were entitled to have a voice in the determination as to the persons who would serve on the JFO’s board of directors.
with our friends from Milwaukee, and with our tour company, Tzedek America, based in Los Angeles. Today, we started with some tone setting and foundational learning here in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, is the home to the See Shalom from Memphis page 2
Nick demanded that a meeting be called of the entire Jewish community, and the community responded. On the evening of April 30, 1969, a huge crowd filled the auditorium, lobbies, and hallways of the Jewish Community Center (JCC). There were many young people in attendance. They were full of enthusiasm. They wanted a change in the way things were run. They wanted their voices to be heard.
Despite his relative youth, Nick could not be easily brushed aside. Nick had discovered the truth, and the truth prevailed.
See Nick Newman page 3
Nick Newman
Zoë, Carl, Margo and Steve Riekes
Continued from page 1
Shalom from Memphis
National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, the location where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed. The Lorraine Motel was made famous not only because of its inclusion in the Green Book (a travel guide published during the Jim Crow era to let African Americans know where they could safely stay), but because it was frequented by celebrities and musicians, including Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and many others. It is now home to the National Civil Rights Museum.
After touring the museum, we debriefed with one of our trip leaders, Pastor Rondell Eskridge, who is a Youth Pastor at a church in Los Angeles. He first connected with the founder of Tzedek America five years ago, when Avram brought a group of Jewish teens to connect with the youth of Rondell’s church. Their goal was for black teens and Jewish teens to learn from each other about their own lived experiences. Since then, Rondell has partnered with Tzedek America to join trips (including our trip last year!) to provide a personal perspective on what we are learning. Pastor Rondell is a wealth of knowledge about the history of racism and segregation in our country, and we are so incredibly fortunate to learn from him.
MLK as the hero of the Civil Rights Movement and remembers him with honor, that was not always the case. While he was living, Dr. King was a thorn in the side of the majority of elected officials. Yes, his philosophy was one of nonviolence, but as Pastor Rondell taught today, “making peace is a violent act. To make peace, you come against someone else’s status quo.” To change the status quo, you have to become an agitator, you have to demand for things to change, and that demand for change is, in and of itself, violent.
While I ruminated on Pastor Rondell’s statement, I found myself thinking about our liturgy; Oseh Shalom, specifically. Oseh comes from the word “la’asot” — “to make.” We pray to God as “the one who makes peace.” Peace, even in our liturgy, is not passive, it can’t simply just manifest itself without an exterior force
moving us towards it. And whether it is God or human beings, peace requires action — we are required to do something to make peace. Dr. King knew that. It is up to us — all of us — to be the ones who make peace.
B’nai Israel news
MURPHY SCOTT WULFGAR
On Sunday, June 8 at 1p.m., B’nai Israel Living History Museum will host an open-door celebration to unveil its newest permanent exhibit, Synagogues on the Plains: Burgeoning Jewish Life in Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa Standing over 6’ tall and 30’ long, our newest attraction offers a unique view of our region, featuring 40+ synagogues from the late 1800s to today, embodying a broader story of the migration and growth that has shaped the Jewish community for more than a century.
The display offers a unique, vibrant view of our region, centering locations and buildings — some still standing (B’nai Israel!) — within a 150-mile radius of Omaha/Council Bluffs. The early structures tell a story all their own as they would come to define a new facet of uniquely American (and Jewish) life, while the modern designs speak to a more modular, eclectic, and inclusive sensibility. Some were majestic and ornate, while others possessed a simple, understated beauty. Whether Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform, the shuls of yesterday and today reflect an ever-evolving community of dynamic individuals.
This newest addition to the Living History Museum, located in the connecting hall to our previous displays and rooms, physically joins those rooms, and weaves together a broader narrative contextualizing elements of Jewish life in our area spanning decades.
ORGANIZATIONS
B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS
As we debriefed, we spoke about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and he reminded us that while America largely celebrates
We ended our day with live music at Memphis’s only lasting juke joint — Wild Bill’s. We had a blast singing and dancing with the band. Tomorrow, we’re touring Memphis’ historical sites and then will end our day in Birmingham! More updates to come!
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
The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home (RBJH) is a crown jewel of our campus and it belongs to all of us. By updating our existing facility and transitioning to all private rooms, we can ensure that the RBJH remains the facility of choice for the Jewish community and that its financial viability is preserved. The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is our safety net. Let’s take care of it together.
Time! This match is available now until July 31, 2025!
Thanks to two amazing community champions, Tom Fellman and Howard Kooper, for this dollar-for-dollar matching gift opportunity!
Humanitarians of the Year
Continued from page 1
convene a meeting of all of Omaha’s rabbis and others. All agreed to try an experiment. I proposed a program in which each rabbi would give a lecture on a minor book of the Bible. As a sign of unity, each rabbi agreed to give his lecture in a synagogue that was not his own. The public would be invited free of charge. B’nai B’rith would pay for the publicity and the refreshments. Things took off from this successful experiment.”
Steve has been involved with the Philip and Ethel Klutznick Chair of Jewish Civilization at Creighton University and the Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is also a lifelong member of B’nai B’rith, which sponsors the Annual Bible Quiz and the Jewish Trivia Contest. In 1987, Steve received the Israel Bonds ‘City of Peace’ Award.
“A relationship with G-d and the practice of Judaism is at the core of my being,” Steve said. “The same could be said of my parents, Henry and Dorothy Riekes, and our ancestors for thousands of years.”
Zoë and Carl chaired the JFO Annual Campaign in 2009, 2010 and 2013 (remember “Beatlemania?”) and we have the Riekes family represented in our Milton Mendel and Marsha Kleinberg Jewish Omaha Heritage Center, for which Margo was the event co-chair together with Gloria Kaslow.
Zoë is a past JFO President and recently served as JCRC chair. She has fulfilled several roles for P2G, including as chair of our Partnership with the Western Galilee Central Area Consortium, and sat on the JFNA Israel/Overseas Board. She helped create and served as President of The American Friends of the Galilee Medical Center.
Carl has served as Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation PACE/LOJE Committee Chair and was Foundation president for four years:
“He always has our best interests in his heart and in his soul,
Nick Newman
continued from page 1
As a gesture to the “old guard,” the then president was allowed to finish his term. Five new and younger people were added to the board. Nick became vice president and subsequently was elected president. I was fortunate enough to be one of the five newest members. I and many of my contemporaries were personally thrilled by that special meeting, and Nick’s enthusiasm.
There is a curious twist to this story. The official records of the JFO contain a notice of the April 30th meeting. However, they do not contain any official record of the meeting itself. One can only deduce what actually happened by piecing together fragments of JFO’s subsequent board meetings and by the memory of those in attendance. This coverup by omission could not destroy the effect of the most momentous meeting in the history of Omaha’s Jewish Community. Nick prevailed. He opened a whole new door as to what it meant to be a Jew in Omaha, Nebraska.
Nick became very involved in Jewish affairs. He visited Israel and recognized its singular importance to the Jewish people. He immersed himself in learning about the many aspects of Judaism.
The JFO, together with all of Omaha’s synagogues and B’nai B’rith, established a community-wide program of adult Jewish learning. There were classes and lectures on various aspects of Judaism and Jewish civilization. There were classes on how to read Hebrew prayers and to converse in modern Hebrew.
Nick Newman promoted this activity and personally attended some of these classes. I can still picture Nick, a very
Writing Workshop
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
‘Write With Us,’ our small and intimate writing workshop (no need to be nervous) continues throughout the summer and fall. Upcoming workshops are scheduled for Thursdays, June 26, July 24, Aug. 28, Oct. 30, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11 from 5-7 p.m. in the Noshery at the Staenberg Omaha JCC. Please register by contacting Jessi at jtaylor @jewishomaha.org or Annette at avandekamp@ jew ishomaha.org. There is no cost to attend, although donations are always welcome.
in his words and in his deeds. It has been a pleasure working with Carl, and I know his dedication and energy will continue,” Howard Epstein said in 2017.
Margo served on the Board of Friedel Jewish Academy for many years and served as President two times. In addition, she chaired the committee that selected Beth Cohen to be the director, spent years at Beth El’s religious school and received the Sokolof Teacher award in 2009, as well as the Young Leadership Award and Spirit of Federation Award. She was president of the JCC and created the Artza teen trip to Israel; she was the founder and first chair of the JCC Dance department.
Everything that Margo Riekes has created or directed over the many years of volunteering, she said, “could not have come to fruition without the help and partnership of the Federation Board, its staff, and the boards of the different agencies and their staff. Individually, we have limited capacity, but by working together, much more can be accomplished. The awards I have received have all been meaningful, but for me, the value of achievement lies in seeing the work bring lasting results.”
There is too much this family has done for our community to write here, including Steve conceiving the idea for the 2013 Omaha Reunion, and once upon a time actually identifying the piece of land on which the JCC sits today, during a run “outside of town.” In the 1960s, it was a horse farm, but Steve saw something else.
Imagining our community without the many contributions of Zoë, Margo, Carl and Steve Riekes is difficult, if not impossible. Please join us in congratulating Zoë, Margo, Carl and Steve Riekes on being named the 2024 Humanitarians of the Year. Award presentations will be made at the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Awards Night and Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine Theater on the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus.
tall man, struggling to fit into a classroom desk ordinarily used by synagogue schools for their younger students. Nick and his wife, Racky, sponsored and participated in several Shabbatons (weekend retreats) devoted to Jewish learning and participation. Some of these were held at Camp Esther Newman, which had been named in memory of Nick’s mother Esther.
Concerned about the future, Nick recognized the need for Jewish day schools and other forms of in-depth Jewish education. By setting an example, Nick emphasized that to be a true Jewish leader it is necessary to understand and identify with Judaism.
In addition, Nick was well aware that a new JCC would be necessary. The original JCC was physically deteriorating, and the Jewish community was experiencing major demographic shifts as its members were moving much further west than the Memorial Park area. In spite of this need, Nick insisted on maintaining democratic principles. He argued that no new JCC should be built without the approval of the majority of the Jewish community. He did not want the decision to be the creation of just a few well-intentioned wealthy families.
Nicks leadership not only brought more democracy to the Omaha’s Jewish community but also gave the community a renewed sense of pride in its heritage and in its accomplishments.
Although sadly, Nick died in his mid-40s, only a few years after his “revolution,” his actions profoundly benefited Omaha’s Jewish community. His memory has been and will continue to be a blessing.
The Writing Workshop offers a safe space to explore your
writing without stress. During the June workshop, our writing prompts will center around travel and far-away places; sharing your work is absolutely optional.
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.We can’t wait to see you!
ToolDude8mm, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Remembering Bechor
NEORA SWED
Sensational
Bechor and I met in a sheva brachot of our good friends. We talked about what I was studying back then, plant science, which he was very interested in at the time. At the end of the night, he asked for my number. I don’t know why, but it was the first time that I gave my number away. I guess I felt it was a good choice and that he was who I was looking for. Our relationship evolved, and after 11 months, on Yom Yerushalaim, we got married. Actually, our anniversary was just now on May 8, but we celebrate the Hebrew date. We were supposed to celebrate our 12th anniversary this year. We decided to move to Shlomit after 1-1/2 years of marriage. Back then we were the 33rd family in Shlomit, a small community between Gaza (which is seven km away) and Egypt (which is 800 meters away). We loved the community, the peace and quiet we felt until October 7. It was a place for us to start our family, build our home, and put our roots in the ground.
It was far away from my parents’ house, since they live in Nof Ayalon, which is in central Israel. We felt it was important living here, settling and establishing a new place in Israel in the Negev. We know how much it’s needed, because if we won’t settle there, then inevitably the Beduin and the Arabs will, so it also came with idealism that we believe we had. For instance, living in the Shomron, Samaria, was too much for me. I was afraid that Bechor would go out in the morning and they would throw Molotov cocktails on him. And generally, I was scared to drive there because you go through Arab settlements. So then, Shlomit felt meaningful, but still safe for us.
On October 7, Bechor and I weren’t at home. We were at his parents’ house. They lived a 40-minute drive from our house. On that day, we woke up at six in the morning, basically to a war zone.
goodbye. That was 8:40 a.m. I tried calling him at 9:33 a.m. He didn’t pick up. I tried again at noon, and got his voicemail. I started calling around, but nobody knew where Bechor was. It was Monday night before we found out Bechor was dead. Those three days of waiting were horrible. I felt as though I existed between earth and sky. We were only able to bury him on Wednesday night at midnight at Har Herzel. We don’t know exactly what happened, where it happened, or who picked him up. We don’t know if he helped somebody on the way, or if he hurt or killed any terrorists. His phone was burned; I don’t have his ring. He was shot in three different places.
As a husband, Bechor wasn’t always around because of his work.
We heard bombing; we heard sirens that didn’t stop for a long time.
I took our three girls to the shelter. Even though it was Shabbat, Bechor checked his phone immediately because he was part of the Shlomit’s emergency team. He was told a missile fell in our community and ruined two houses. He understood from the team’s WhatsApp group chat that there was an intrusion in moshav Pri Gan, which is relatively close to Shlomit. A few guys went to help them. They told Bechor not to come, because he was too far away.
But he needed to do something. He was like a caged lion. Then, he received a voice message calling for help, saying they were injured. He left right away; I was barely able to hug him
He worked as a teacher of Shelach for seven years. He taught about the country, the land, values, morals, survival skills. Most of it wasn’t a normal class in school, it came with day trips, and camps, it was very informal. He believed he could help his students this way. In his free time, he worked as a carpenter. Later on, he opened his own business in gardening maintenance and building and establishing new gardens throughout the Eskol region. During shnat shmita, Bechor decided to go study landscape architecture. We believe, and it says in the torah, to not work the land, therefore he couldn’t build new gardens. He decided to study while also taking care of his clients’ gardens. Even though Bechor was working a lot, he was always there when I needed him. Whenever he had time, he was with the girls; playing with them, taking care of them, and always made time. Since we were both independent because of our businesses, he used to hop home when working, just to see how I was doing and what was going on.
He was a really good father. He was a fun one, the one that took them on rides on our ATV, the one that sat with them patiently with workbooks and sometimes with their homework. He loved building stuff with them at home or in the backyard, especially with Carmi, our oldest. Actually, on our last Friday right before Shabbat and Simchat torah on October 6, Bechor spent most of the day building the girls’ treehouse with Carmi. He would bake with them and teach them about nature, which he loved so much, about plants and animals. And somehow every night, before they went to sleep, he would go wild with them and have fun, even though it made them hyper and it drove me crazy.
In addition to being a good father, Bechor was a great husband. We weren’t perfect, but we were really good See Remembering Bechor page 6
National Skilled Nursing Care Week at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home
MAGGIE CONTI
RBJH Director of Activities and Volunteer Services
What a fun and memorable week at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home! We celebrated National Skilled Nursing Care Week with a weeklong series of exciting daily events and activities! The festivities kicked off with themed dress-up days that brought smiles and plenty of laughter, from the craziest hair and Tropical Tuesday to cozy PJ Day and wearing your neighborhood color, everyone joined in on the fun.
On Main Street, Residents and staff bonded over baby photo displays and a spirited “Guess the Feet” contest that had everyone guessing and giggling. Celebrating our rich diversity, a large world map was posted for everyone to mark their birthplace with a sticker — a visual reminder of the many places that make up our RBJH family.
No celebration is complete without great food! Highlights included grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, the mouthwatering Frios Gourmet Pop Truck and Santiago’s Mexican Food Truck, and sweet treats throughout the week. To top it all off, staff members received cozy new RBJH sweatshirts as a thank-you for their dedication.
Games and activities kept the energy high all week, from a photo scavenger hunt and Fear Factor food challenge to Staff Bino, and the always adorable Heskin Baby Contest. Thank you to the fantastic committee members, especially Michelle Alberts, who chaired this event and planned and organized this unforgettable week. Your hard work made it a special time for everyone!
The Jewish Press Club
Remembering Bechor
Continued from page 4 together and we were always working on ourselves and our relationship. There were times when things weren’t easy, we thought differently about some things, like all married couples. Bechor always helped people, no matter what; he wasn’t home a lot, and sometimes it wasn’t easy being on the other side alone. When our second child Alma was born, there were rockets in the south. As I said earlier, we live very close to the Gaza and the Egyptian borders and when we came back from the hospital all the way home, they were sending rockets.
And the same day we came back home, he went to a protest for the way the government handled things. He couldn’t figure out what the problem was. Since we got through a tough time
with that, he told me: Why don’t we go to therapy? I was like, no, we can handle it. It’s OK. Later on, after I thought about it. I said: Why should we just be okay? Why not be great? Why don’t we learn to communicate better?
We went to therapy, and it helped us a lot. It helped us talk to each other. It helped us respect each other during a fight, how to argue without crushing the other side and that helped us so much. Our love and appreciation for each other just became deeper and stronger.
Bechor was my best friend and that was our foundation. We would talk about everything, even the hard stuff that sometimes people tuck away. We grew up together in a way, physically and mentally, and we would always cheer for each other’s wins. I always say that he pushed me to be a better version of myself when he was alive. He does even more so now.
In our small community in Shlomit, Bechor was the gardener. Even before he took that job, six years ago, he established a hill right outside of the entrance of Shlomit. When I say ‘established,’ I mean literally made it happen, built it from scratch, planned, constructed, brought hundreds of plants and trees he planted with the kids of Shlomit and with volunteers that came from the US right before Tu B’shvat. To add something extra, he welded a big Hanukkiah and on top of that he put a very large flag of Israel. Every Hanukkah we would go and light it up. Even on the first Hanukkah right after Oct. 7, we came back home from the hotel we were evacuated to. On that day only, with a few families and friends, we came to light the Hanukkiah. It was Bechor’s light that shined through.
A year earlier, he created a small forest on the other side of Shlomit. It takes time for trees to grow. He wanted to do it early on, so that in time, our kids and us together with all the families there, would enjoy it.
Bechor’s last project for the landscape architecture school was a big park he planned at the entrance, something that
Ed. note: Neora gave this speech at Beth Israel recently. To keep her voice, her speech was edited as little as possible.
We are looking for your
Please contact Jane or Annette if you are willing to share:
would continue his hill. He designed a pond, a place for birdwatching, with plants unique to the area.
Erez Israel and Am Israel were everything to Bechor. He loved the people, he loved the land. On Oct. 7, Bechor didn’t just wake up and decide to become a hero. He lived it, day after day. He made a difference in the world by doing what he believed in.
Heartbreak and Healing on the Shores of the Sea of Galilee
NAOMI NUSSBAUM
OneFamily USA Executive Director
I recently returned from a three-day retreat for bereaved parents, organized by OneFamily, at a five-star hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The hotel, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, offered sweeping views of the mountains, the serene blue waters, and the infinity pool blending into the horizon. It was a setting of breathtaking beauty — an almost cruel contrast to the depth of pain carried by the people inside.
On Shabbat evening, the dining room was filled with elegantly dressed couples. Some were smiling, some spoke softly, and some sat quietly, lost in thought. To a stranger, it might have looked like a typical weekend escape. But underneath the surface, a shattering truth: every single person there had lost a child — either in war or to acts of terror. 200 couples, gathered together in sorrow and survival.
Throughout the weekend, OneFamily provided full-day programming, offering a choice of art therapy workshops, inspiring speakers, therapeutic prayer services, musical performances, and carefully curated trips. Healing happens in layers, and at this retreat, there were opportunities to meet each person where they were.
During Friday night services, a woman sat down beside me. When she learned I worked for OneFamily, her face lit up with emotion. She told me her child was murdered 22 years ago — and that OneFamily had “saved her life.” I heard these words again and again throughout the retreat: saved my life. Words too precious to ever take lightly.
I met an artist who hadn’t touched a sketchpad since Oct. 7th, the day her son and his girlfriend were murdered. In our art class, she picked up charcoal and began to draw for the first time since that nightmare. She would draw, and cry, draw and cry — her grief pouring out in black lines and wet tears. It was painful, raw, and beautiful to witness her first tentative steps back into life.
At lunch, I sat with a former Egged bus driver whose daughter was killed when a terrorist bombed an Egged bus — his bus company, his second home. Not only did he lose his child, but his sense of safety, trust, and belonging was shattered forever. He has not worked since. Some wounds are invisible but bleed every day.
Around a roundtable, I met a group of bereaved parents who
first found each other 19 years ago. Bonded by tragedy, they now lean on each other through dark humor, long hugs, and shared understanding. They welcomed the newly bereaved, offering what few others can: a living example that survival is possible, even when the heart is shattered beyond recognition.
One father, a child of a Holocaust survivor, said grimly, "We are living through another Holocaust." Another parent offered a powerful analogy: "One day, you are a soft, perfect roll. The next, you are a bagel — there is a gaping hole in your center. It will never be filled. But you learn how to live as a bagel."
Not all the stories were from long ago. One mother I met had lost her husband and eldest son on Oct. 7th. Her three surviving children are deeply traumatized — too fragile for therapy just yet. So she comes to learn how to be their healer, how to carry her family’s brokenness with grace until they are strong enough to carry it themselves.
I saw a woman with an oxygen tank making her way slowly around the hotel. I didn’t get the chance to speak with her, but the sight of her — the unbearable double burden of illness and grief — reminded me how fragile we all are, and how much some are asked to endure.
I walked with another couple who had each lost a spouse to cancer before finding each other, only to now lose a son to terror. No one is spared; terror does not discriminate.
Among the volunteers was a retired educator, an 80-yearold woman whose daughter survived a bus bombing and whose grandson survived a car-ramming attack, both left permanently injured. Now, she volunteers for OneFamily, giving back to the very organization she says gave her family hope. While at the retreat, she discovered that four of her former students had lost children, and together they cried.
Walking through that hotel, you knew: everyone you passed carried a weight heavier than we could bear to imagine. And yet, gratitude and hope glimmered among the broken pieces. Again and again, people came up to thank me — not for myself, but for OneFamily, and for the services that held them up when the rest of the world seemed to crumble.
One mother shared with me how her faith was tested during the excruciating three weeks her son was missing, his fate unknown. But faith, she said, is like any relationship — it waxes and wanes, but true faith endures. I had prayed for her son daily as his story made headlines. When I told her, she cried. Somehow, knowing that strangers cared enough to pray gave her strength.
OneFamily is not just an organization — it is a lifeline. We provide emotional, financial, and legal support to Israel’s victims of war and terror. Our work is not glamorous, and it is not easy. But it is essential. It saves lives.
Today, Israel faces a crisis of grief unlike any before. Thousands of new victims are entering our care. We are scaling up dramatically to meet this unprecedented need. But we cannot do it alone. Help us show these shattered families that even in their deepest pain, they are never truly alone.
To learn more about OneFamily, please visit OneFamily FundUS.org
Writer Rochel Sylvetsky at retreat
FRIEDEL JEWISH ACADEMY
Although the RBJH Residents and the 5th and 6th-grade FJA students had to cancel their March Purim project due to COVID-19, we joyfully made up for lost time with a creative Purim mask project!
RBJH
Annual Mother’s Day flowers for all the ladies at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home from LOVE.
SP O TLIGHT
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
A few more pictures from YOEL’s final session earlier this month
YOEL
Voices
The Jewish Press
(Founded in 1920)
David Finkelstein
President
Annette van de Kamp-Wright
Editor
Will Fischer
Creative Director
Claire Endelman
Sales Director
Lori Kooper-Schwarz
Assistant Editor
Sam Kricsfeld
Digital support
Mary Bachteler
Accounting
Jewish Press Board
David Finkelstein, President; Margie Gutnik, Ex-Officio; Helen Epstein, Andrea Erlich, Ally Freeman, Dana Gonzales, Mary Sue Grossman, Hailey Krueger, Chuck Lucoff, Larry Ring, Melissa Shrago, Suzy Sheldon and Stewart Winograd.
The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Press Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.
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Littering
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
Flyers calling the Talmud “satanic” were thrown out of a moving car in Pittsburgh recently; they are suspected to come from the Goyim Defense League.
“A recent report from the Anti-Defamation League,” Grace Gilson wrote for the JRA, “found that the GDL was one of three white supremacist groups that were collectively responsible for 94% of all antisemitic propaganda in 2024.”
Most of us have heard the name before, but who are they, really? And what do they want?
Key points, according to the ADL’s website, are:
• It’s a loose network of individuals connected by virulent antisemitism. The group includes five or six primary organizers/public figures, dozens of supporters and thousands of online followers.
• It operates GoyimTV, a video platform that streams antisemitic content.
• It espouses vitriolic antisemitism and white supremacist themes via the internet, through propaganda distributions and in street actions.
• It engages in antisemitic stunts and schemes to troll or otherwise harass Jews.
• GDL’s most zealous and visible actors are in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New York, South Carolina and Texas.
The GDL was founded in 2018 by Jon Eugene Minadeo II. He currently resides in Arkansas. He also has a nickname: “Handsome Truth.” His wiki page identifies him as an “American antisemitic conspiracy theorist, neo-Nazi, white supremacist, and former rapper.” According to the same article, “Minadeo pro-
Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole.
duced two rap albums, American Man Whore in 2013 and Whore Moans in 2015, under the rapper name Shoobie Da Wop where he rapped about sexual escapades, alcohol and drug use. Prior to that, he appeared in a few independent and short films.”
I swear, I’m not making any of this up. Remember that banner in LA that stated Kanye was “right about the Jews?” Yeah, that was him, too. From time to time, he lands in jail, but mostly for littering. In 2022, he did end up arrested for hate speech by Polish authorities when he protested in front of Auschwitz; unfortunately, they didn’t keep him. In the US, his words are protected as free speech.
Credit: Reneman, licensed under the Creative Commons AttributionShare Alike 4.0 International license.
teurs,” count on that. They spread their fliers, run their broadcasts; they wield language as a weapon in the hope that someone else hears the hint and commits the actual violence. Minadeo himself keeps his hands reasonably clean, and only goes to prison for a few weeks here and there. It’s strange, the psychology of a man who has this much hate, but focuses on using that hate to inspire others to act.
It’s unfortunate that we need to know about people like him, with all their strange beliefs and even stranger nicknames (one of his affiliates, Robert Wilson, calls himself “Aryan Bacon.”) But we do, and if you need convincing about why, those recent flyers were distributed in the neighborhood of Squirrel Hill. That is the same area where the Tree of Life Synagogue stands.
People like Minadeo have almost unlimited access to followers. No matter how many agencies attempt to take down and counter the vitriol they spread online, they can’t be stopped. Like a hydra head, when one disappears, several new ones pop up. And all it takes is one follower who decides that words are not enough, and it’s time to take action.
People like Minadeo, often referred to as “provoca-
According to the GDL’s (and yes, that name and their logo are a play on the ADL) mission, the end goal is to remove all Jews from the United States. And that, too, seems bizarre; certainly they are aware their goal is unattainable. If it weren’t and we’d actually see an America without a single Jewish inhabitant, what then? Will life become magically better for these individuals? Of course not.
In 2022, Rob Eshman wrote about the GDL for the Forward, asking whether media is unwittingly helping people like Jon Minadeo spread his hateful message. It’s a valid question, but it’s also a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. We have to pay attention, because if we don’t, even if we choose to stay silent because we don’t want to give organizations like the GDL more oxygen, there will be others who do pay attention. It’s not Jon Minadeo and his cronies I worry about. It’s the quiet ones in their audience, the ones who aren’t in the news, the anonymous ones, who listen and take the hate to heart.
Two writers offer strikingly different views
ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL
JTA
Last month, the author and podcaster Dan Senor told an enthusiastic crowd at New York’s 92nd Street Y that despite a rising tide of antisemitism and a backlash against Israel’s war in Gaza that has left Jews feeling isolated and vulnerable, the Jewish community had within its power to “create nothing short of a Jewish renaissance.”
If philanthropists and communities double down on supporting Jewish day schools, summer camps, adult Jewish education and gap years in Israel, “I’m optimistic about the Jewish future in the Diaspora, not because the challenges aren’t real, they are, but because we really do have the tools to rebuild American Jewish life,” said Senor, delivering 92NY’s annual “The State of World Jewry” speech.
One week earlier, The New Republic published a long article by the journalist and academic Eric Alterman, titled “The Coming Jewish Civil War Over Donald Trump.” It too surveyed the state of world Jewry, but with a markedly different analysis. Alterman sees a Jewish community divided between an influential, politically conservative minority that unconditionally defends Israel and a majority that votes Democratic and prioritizes defending democracy in both Israel and the United States. On the extremes, meanwhile, is a far right that promotes Israel’s annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, and a far left that is non- or anti-Zionist.
For Alterman, the Jewish challenge won’t be resolved by funding Jewish identity programs but confronting, as one liberal Jewish leader tells him, “who gets to define what it means to be Jewish in the U.S.” Does being Jewish mean supporting a hard-right Israeli government and an illiberal Trump administration because it has vowed to fight antisemitism? Or does it mean, as Alterman writes, defending “educational and democratic institutions that have allowed [Jews] to become the safest, most secure, and most economically successful Jewish population to exist anywhere, anytime, ever”?
With the war in Gaza still raging, after 19 months that altered Jewish self-perceptions and perhaps their status in the United States, the two laid out visions of the present and future that are both diametrically opposed and in some ways complementary.
Senor, the co-author of the influential book Startup Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle and host of the pro-Israel Call Me Back podcast, focused on the resilience of Israel and the rise of antisemitism in the United States. He acknowledged Israel’s “internal fractures,” but also said it has emerged from the war in a better military situation than when it started, having neutralized Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran.
Unlike Alterman, he barely mentioned divisions within the Jewish community, instead insisting that the Oct. 7 attacks, the subsequent hostage crisis and anti-Israel backlash have increased Jewish engagement, unity and support for Israel.
The anti-Israel and antisemitic backlash led to “a crack in consciousness,” he said, reminding Jews of other eras in which their safety and security proved fleeting. And while many Jews are itching to fight back against antisemitism and anti-Israel bias in the media, on campus and in international courts, Senor urged a prescription for antisemitism previously offered by a number of prominent Jewish writers, including Dara Horn, Bari Weiss and Sarah Hurwitz: Invest instead in Jewish living and learning, “the one thing we can control.”
Senor sang the praises of Jewish day schools and camps, and of universities — he mentioned Vanderbilt University and Washington University in St. Louis, whose presidents jointly placed a Wall Street Journal ad in March — that he said “push back against the dual erosion of academic excellence and ideological diversity in higher education,” echoing a conservative critique of academia that has gained popularity among Jews stung by the campus upheavals over Israel.
Senor barely addressed the political diversity or schisms of the Jewish community he was describing. It felt like a “legacy” speech, to borrow Alterman’s taxonomy, reflecting a presumed communal consensus represented by the large, influential Jewish institutions like the Anti-Defamation League, the federations and AIPAC.
Alterman sees a Jewish community whose divides have been widened by the war in Gaza and the election of Donald Trump. He sees the “legacy” organizations battling with the “Next Generation” — something of a misnomer when describing
some fairly venerable groups like J Street and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs — who are often critical of Israel and want Jews to reclaim their liberal advocacy role in domestic politics. This “Next Generation” wants to prioritize resistance to the Trump administration, and to a Netanyahu government that “is in the process of attempting to destroy the nation’s democracy from within.”
Senor is worried about young Jews, wondering if they will be able to afford the day schools, camps and gap years in Israel that he says can serve “as a foundation for living a Jewish life.” Alterman is also worried about young Jews, warning they will only become more distanced from Israel as it digs in on the right. They diverge again when they write about the antiIsrael street protests. Senor compares keffiyeh-wearing pro-Palestinian activists to the neo-Nazis who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Alterman warns, however, that “whatever antisemitism may or may not be, it obviously is not manifested in every single student demonstration for Palestinian rights.” Where Senor sees the anti-Israel backlash as another chapter in an age-old story of antisemitism, Alterman quotes Jewish leaders who worry that Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank are creating the conditions that put Jews around the world at risk.
It’s probably too early to say anything definite about “the state of world Jewry” in the wake of Oct. 7, although a number of people have tried.
While the big books are waiting to be written, Senor and Alterman serve as helpful guides to what Jews today are thinking and saying. Both writers are deeply invested in the state of the Jews and the state of Israel. In 2023, Alterman wrote a book, We Are Not One, in which he lamented how “legacy” organizations sought to limit what was permissible when Jews talk about Israel. With Start-Up Nation, Senor cemented an image of Israel as a high-tech innovator and coined an enduringly popular nickname for the country.
The temptation is to view the two as adversaries, whose arguments and prescriptions are incompatible. Perhaps they are.
Read more at www.omahajewishpress.com
Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor at large of the New York Jewish Week and managing editor for Ideas for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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, June 10, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker. Our service leader is Jim Fried. 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: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Ann Moshman, MaryBeth 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: Kamp Kef, 9 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Services 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El and Live Stream
SUNDAY: Morning Minyan, 9 a.m. Zoom Only; Tikkun Leil Shavuout, 6 p.m. with guest speaker Aimee Ginsburg Bikel.
MONDAY: Office Closed; Kamp Kef, 9 a.m.; Shavuout Morning Service 10 a.m. followed by a dairy lunch.
TUESDAY: Office Closed; Kamp Kef, 9 a.m.; Shavuout Morning Service with Yizkor 10 a.m. with guest speaker Wendy Hill followed by a dairy lunch.
WEDNESDAY: Kamp Kef, 9 a.m.
THURSDAY: Kamp Kef, 9 a.m.
FRIDAY-June 6: Kamp Kef, 9 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Services 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.
SATURDAY-June 7: Shabbat Morning Services and B’nai Mitzvah of Molly Epstein and Sammie Ray, 10 a.m. at Beth El and Live Stream Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.
FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:31 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9
a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 7:35 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha, 8:20 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos, 8:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:41 p.m.
SUNDAY: Erev Shavuot; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Candlelighting, 8:33 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m.
MONDAY: Office Closed for Shavuot; Shacharit 9
a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 9:34 p.m.
TUESDAY: Office Closed for Shavuot; Shacharit, 9
a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 8:40 p.m.; Havdalah 9:43 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7
a.m.; Mincha/Ma ariv, 8:40 p.m.
THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/
Ma’ariv, 8:40 p.m.
FRIDAY-June 6: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:36 p.m.
SATURDAY-June 7: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 7:45 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha, 8:30 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos 9 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:46 p.m.
Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.
All services are in-person. All classes are being offered in-person and via Zoom (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, 8:31 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shacharit 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:40 p.m.
SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps, 9 a.m.; Sunday Pod: Shavuot Edition, 9:30 a.m. RSVP by texting ‘Sunday Pod’ to 402.215.5240.
MONDAY: Shacharit 10 a.m.; Shavuot: 10 Commandments and Lavish Garden Party, 11 a.m. at Chabad, RSVP at ochabad.com/rsvp; Shavuot: Dinner and 10 Commandments for families at teh Tenenbaums, 5:30 p.m. contact Mushka at mushka@ocha bad.com for more information.
TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.
WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya) 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen.
THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 10 a.m.; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with Prof. David Cohen; Talmud Study, noon-1 p.m.; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m.; Code of Jewish Law Class, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY-June 6: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 5:30 p.m., go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Young Professionals’ Shabbat Dinner, RSVP at ochabad. com/CYP; Candlelighting, 8:36 p.m.
SATURDAY-June 7: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:46 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: Final Friday Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex followed by dinner hosted by Bob and Stacie Bleicher at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:32 p.m.
SATURDAY: Shabbat Service , 9:30-11 a.m. led by
Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study noon on Parashat Bamidbar via Zoom; Havdalah, 9:41 p.m.
SUNDAY: Men’s Bike/Coffee Group, 10:30 a.m. at The Mill on the Innovation Campus. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Shavuot, 6:30 p.m. at SST with a dairy oneg Tikun Leyl Shavuot study night honoring The giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai; Candlelighting, 8:34 p.m.
MONDAY: Offices Closed for Shavuot; Candlighting, 9:43 p.m.
TUESDAY: Offices Closed; Shavuot Service with Yizkor, 9:30 a.m. at TI; Havdalah, 9:43 p.m.
FRIDAY-June 6: Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Bar Mitzvah of Isaac Weisser, 6:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:37 p.m.
SATURDAY-June 7: Shabbat Service and Bar Mitzvah of Isaac Weisser, 9:30-11 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST; No Torah Study this week; Havdalah, 9:46 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. In-Person; Village Walking Group, 10 a.m. 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.
SUNDAY: Tikkun Leil Shavuout (Evening of Study), 6 p.m. at Beth El.
MONDAY: Shavuout Service with Yizkor 10:30 a.m.
WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person.
FRIDAY-June 6: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9 a.m. In-Person; Village Walking Group, 10 a.m. In-Person; Pop Up Shabbat, 5:30 p.m. at First Friday in Benson — InPerson; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom
SATURDAY-June 7: 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.
OBITUARY CHANGES
As of January 1, 2025, the Jewish Press will charge $180 for the inclusion of standard obituaries, up to 400 words. Photos may be included if the family so wishes. For many years, we have held off on making this decision. However, it is no longer financially responsible for us to include obituaries at no charge. For questions, please email avandekamp@ jewishomaha.org. Obituaries in the Jewish Press are included in our print edition as well as our website at www.omahajewishpress.com
From the Archives: First Sabbath Services in New Temple Israel
The following article is reprinted from the front page of the June 4, 1954 edition of the Jewish Press.
Temple Israel, the oldest Jewish congregation in Omaha, will hold its first Sabbath services tonight in the new Temple, including a special ritual of placing the Torahs in the new Ark.
Alfred S. Mayer, Milton S. Livingston, Richard H. Hiller and Morris Levey, officers of the congregation, will assist Rabbi Sidney H. Brooks, spiritual leader of the Temple, in the ceremony. The Temple Choir, under the direction of Miss Ida Gitlin, has prepared liturgical music for this historic event.
The first Temple building at 24th and Harney Streets was dedicated in 1883 and was a small frame structure which cost $4,400. The president of the congregation at that time was Mr. E. Simon, who first kept permanent records of the new institution. In this first small edifice, pews were assigned to each member and his family, and rental was paid for these pews.
Six years later, in 1889, Rabbi William Rosenau was named leader of the congregation. He was the first American-trained rabbi of the congregation, a graduate of the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. He served the congregation until he became
head of Oheb Shalom Congregation of Baltimore, Maryland. It was at this same time that Temple Israel affiliated itself with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the national body of American reform or Liberal Judaism. The congregation is still an active affiliate of the group.
In 1904, the Temple Sisterhood was organized by Mrs. Abram Simon, wife of the rabbi at that time.
Under the leadership of Rabbi Frederick Cohn, who served the congregation for 36 years until his death in 1940, the beautiful Temple at Park Avenue and Jackson Street was dedicated in 1908.
Just one year ago, this building was delivered over to the present owners, the St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church and the congregation of Temple Israel has been housed temporarily at the Jewish Community Center.
Milton S. Livingston is chairman of the building committee responsible for the new edifice.
The new $500,000 structure is contemporary in design and is comprised of three major sections.
The sanctuary will seat 300 persons and opens into the Social Hall with seating accommodations for an additional 350 persons.
The school wing of the building is on two levels,
with seven classrooms on the sanctuary level and a kindergarten, nursery, clubroom and four additional classrooms on the grade level at the rear of the structure.
The nursery features a kitchenette wing and is in direct access to the play courtyard to the south of the building. The Temple Nursery School, which will open in September, will use these facilities.
In addition to the sanctuary and social hall, there is a parlor or chapel to the east, the administrative offices, kitchens, storage rooms, stage and dressing rooms, and check rooms on the front grade level. The chapel and offices are air-conditioned.
The overall height of the building is 27 feet with a pylon displaying a carved menorah which rises atop the structure and will be illuminated at night. Three scultpured panels symbolizing the Torah, Peace and Truth form a part of the curved front wall of the Temple. Mrs. Esther Samolar, prominent sculptress, created the panels. Another feature of the structure is is an open court, reminiscent of the Temple in the time of King Solomon.
Plans are not yet completed for the formal dedication services to be held in the fall of this year.
B’NAI ISRAEL
BETH EL
BETH ISRAEL
CHABAD HOUSE
Life cycles
MOLLY DANIELLE EPSTEIN
Molly Danielle Epstein, daughter of Laurie and Jason Epstein, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at Beth El.
Molly is a seventh grade Superior Honor Roll student at Kiewit Middle School.
She loves playing basketball year round for her club team, middle school, and anywhere else she can find a hoop. Her favorite place in the world is Herzl Camp.
For her mitzvah projects, Molly volunteered at the Omaha Food Bank.
She has two brothers, Tyler (17) and Lucas (10), and her dog Leia.
Grandparents are Robert and Donna Nathan of Memphis, TN Howard and Sharon Epstein of Omaha.
SAMANTHA RAY
Samantha Ray, daughter of Emily and Nick Ray, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at Beth El.
Samantha is a seventh grade honor roll student at Kiewit Middle School.
She plays basketball for Nebraska Flight, is a member of the Kiewit band and competes in Quiz Bowl. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, and attends Herzl Camp in Webster, WI, every summer.
For her mitzvah project, Sammie volunteered at the Food Bank for the Heartland, where she sorted and packed food to combat hunger in the community.
She has a brother, Evan (10).
Grandparents are Sharon and Howard Epstein of Omaha and Elizabeth and Tony Ray of Waukee, IA.
The Magic of Theo Bikel: A Centennial Celebration!
Beth El Engagement Coordinator
Join us at Beth El Synagogue as we celebrate Tikkun Leil Shavuot with Temple Israel on Sunday, June 1at 6 p.m. Aimee Ginsburg Bikel, the widow of the legendary actor, singer, and tikkun Olam activist Theodore Bikel z"l-, will be our special guest. We’ll celebrate with nosh, blintzes, cheesecakes and more.
Aimee will share special stories and lessons from the life and legacy of this giant of Jewish culture who cared about nothing more than making this world a better place.
Although Theodore Bikel has been gone for almost 10 years, his remarkable life and legacy, his contributions in the fields of music, drama, yiddishkeit and tikkun olam continue to influence and move us.
Theo Bikel’s contributions to music, film, television and literature are astounding; he has worked tirelessly for the preservation and revival of our Yiddish culture. Even more important to him are his efforts and achievements for Tikkun Olam, as an activist for peace in Israel and in the world, for Jewish causes, for human rights and for the dignity of workers and the poor.
As a stage actor, he was best known for as Tevye (he played the role over 2,000 times), and for creating the role of Captain von Trapp on Broadway in the Sound of Music (the song Edelweiss was written for him personally). Theo was also a distinguished, Oscar nominated film actor, in such films as My Fair Lady, The African Queen, The Russians Are coming, and the Defiant Ones. He has acted in over 30 major films. His last film, the documentary In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem, was made only a few years before he passed, and was his tour de force. Theo had a wonderful career as a TV actor, as well; His roles cover an amazing range of characterizations: from a Scottish policeman in Alfred Hitchcock Presents to Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, to Henry Kissinger in The Final Days and the role which earned him his Emmy Award in 1988 for his role as the 82-year old Harris Newmark, the first Jew to settle in LA. He has also starred in All In The Family, Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, and countless more.
But Theo was perhaps best loved for his musical career. Cofounder of the Newport Folk Festival, he recorded 37 al-
bums—over 20 on the Elektra label. Considered one of the founding fathers of American folk music he has sung with Pete Seeger and the Weavers and was responsible for the establishment of world folk music, singing and recording songs in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino and Russian- bringing the love of Yiddish and Israeli songs into the vogue with American listeners. Theo always believed that music could create a bridge to Peace and dedicated his own music towards that goal.
Besides his career as a performer, Theo Bikel was a tireless activist for Human rights, for justice, and for peace, deeply involved in both Jewish issues as well as the betterment of the live of fellow workers and fellow citizens. Theo marched in the fight for civil rights. He was president of Actors Equity, Senior VP of the American Jewish Congress (where he made real and tangible gains for Jewish orthodox poor), a Board Member of Amnesty International and a member of the National Council on the Arts. Theo’s inspiration continues to instill a love of justice, Judaism, music and the arts in us all.
Howard K. and Lisa Marcus are thrilled to serve as co-chairs for the event. Howard shared, “We are excited to chair this program that honors the legendary Theodore Bikel, as we greatly admire his work — both as an actor and an activist. His iconic role as Tevya is especially meaningful to us.” Lisa added, “Fiddler on the Roof was the first show we performed in together and in fact, our engagement was announced at the Saturday night performance of the show. We hope you’ll join
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$56,000 in grant funding is being awarded to the following Omaha, Lincoln, and
Beth El Synagogue
Beth Israel Synagogue
B’nai Israel Synagogue & Living History Museum
Central High School Foundation
Circle Theatre Inc
Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center
Institute for Holocaust Education
Jewish Community Center
to the Staenberg Family Foundation
Jewish Community Relations Council
Jewish Family Service
Jewish Federation of Omaha
Jewish Press
Lincoln Community Jewish School
Rose Blumkin Jewish Home
Rose Theater
Temple Israel
Tifereth Israel Synagogue
Brad Abramson
Claire Endelman, Chair
Michael Endelman
Adam Folsom
Harley Gordman
Ellie Simon
Beth Staenberg