Mo will graduate from Millard North High School. Seeking an academically rigorous institution with a strong Jewish community, he has chosen Brandeis University where he has been accepted into the international business scholars program which offers undergraduates in business the opportunity to earn a Master’s degree in as little as one additional year. In addition to taking advanced placement and honors courses, Mo has been involved in Millard North Mentors, a program for upperclassman to help underclassmen navigate the new world of high school. He offered tutoring help as well as offering advice on how to transition to a new school. He was also a member of DECA and the National Honor Society.
On top of his academic accomplishments, Mo was also the 2024 & 2025 Millard North Wrestling team captain, a member of the varsity football team and named to the academic allstate team 3 times during his high school career. He was also named as an academic all-state student athlete for the 2025 winter sport season (wrestling).
One recommender shared: “Miles is nothing short of exceptional. What truly sets Miles apart is his ability to foster comradery among his peers. Whether he is helping a struggling classmate understand a difficult problem or leading a group discussion, he elevates the learning experience for everyone around him.”
Mo’s parents are Gabriella and Jason Blair.
JOE SCIOLI
Joe will graduate from Westside High School, where he has excelled both academically and personally. Impressed by its strong academics, business and entrepreneurship programs, supportive Jewish community, and school spirit, he will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Despite a demanding academic schedule, Joe has remained highly involved in school activities. He played a leading role in DECA, earning the title of Distinguished Member of the Year for Nebraska 2024–25. He placed first in that state for his Busines Growth Plan for the business he co-founded, Cornhusker Kicks. His passion for the arts is evident through his participation in the varsity show choir, where he competed at the local, regional, and national levels. Joe’s leadership skills have been consistently recognized — he served as a class officer of his junior and senior class.
One of Joe’s teachers said: “Balancing the demands of athletics with academic and entrepreneurial pursuits is a testament to his time management skills and determination. Joe is motivated and goes above and beyond in all his endeavors.”
Joe’s parents are Andee and Anthony Scioli.
JULIA BRODKEY
Julia began Creighton University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program last August and anticipates graduating in May 2027. She earned her BA in Psychology with concentration in Developmental Psychology from the University of NebraskaOmaha.
Even with challenging coursework, Julia makes time for volunteer opportunities – working with new mothers, parents, and pregnant women facing challenges at Guiding Grace and assisting clients in need at Heart Ministry’s Monen Healthcare Clinic. She also serves as a Student Ambassador at Creighton, representing her program to prospective students and is part of multiple interprofessional clubs focused on building collaboration.
One recommender said: “Julia has already distinguished herself as a promising future healthcare professional, demonstrating academic skills, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine passion for learning. She actively participates, asking thoughtful questions, and approaches challenges with determination and an open mind.” Another said: “Julia is a self-motivated young woman, who judges her work against her own moral compass, not her peer’s work. She is a natural leader and an inspiration. Her love of Judaism and her Jewish identity is obvious, and she sets a great example.”
Julia’s parents are Stacie and Jason Metz and Marc Brodkey.
LILLIAN COHEN
Lillian will begin her graduate studies in the field of SpeechLanguage Pathology at Arizona State University in the fall of 2025. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders, with an emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology, from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in December 2024. She also completed a minor in Education Studies. As part of her undergraduate experience, Lillian studied at Hebrew College’s Kivunim Institute in Jerusalem, where she broadened her academic and cultural perspective.
During her time at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lillian served as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Brain, Learning, and Behavior Lab. In this role, she contributed to various projects by managing and interpreting
data. She was recognized in this role for her ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds, consistently demonstrating empathy, patience, and professionalism.
Lillian also volunteered at the Munroe-Meyer Institute in Omaha, supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities during summer camp programs. This experience further strengthened her dedication to inclusive communication and care.
Her passion for Speech-Language Pathology is driven by a deep curiosity about how the brain processes language and the impact of medically complex conditions on communication. Lillian aspires to use her career to empower others by helping them find their voice.
Lillian’s parents are Karen and Michael Cohen.
AINSLEY MEYERSON
Ainsley is currently finishing her sophomore year at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, pursuing a degree in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience. In addition to her academic pursuits, she is an active member of The Sirens, an all-female a cappella group, with whom she rehearses weekly and performs throughout the academic year.
Ainsley’s passion for music began early, sparked by her participation in the Jewish Community Center’s musical theater program. From a young age, she was captivated by the energy of the stage and the expressive power of performance. Her enthusiasm for music continued to flourish through high school, where she was involved in show choirs, vocal ensembles, and a cappella groups.
Looking ahead, Ainsley aspires to work at the intersection of music and mental health research. She is particularly interested in exploring the therapeutic applications of music and developing interventions that support mental well-being. Her academic background in psychology and neuroscience, combined with her lifelong dedication to music, uniquely equips her to contribute meaningfully to this evolving field.
One recommendation read, “Ainsley has gone above and beyond in all her roles – as student, musician, and campus leader.” And another, “Although her strong musical talent and academic excellence are immediately apparent, Ainsley truly shines as a strong leader in our community, marked by humility, enthusiasm, and infectious optimistic motivation that in turn inspires all. Consistently, she excels in ambition, integrity, and kindness.”
Ainsley’s parents are Jamie and Troy Meyerson.
ALISON SHERMAN
Ali has dedicated 23 years to teaching at McMillan Middle School, part of Omaha Public Schools and located in the heart of North Omaha. As the Head of the Art Department and Electives Team Leader, Ali teaches art to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, including an adapted art curriculum that supports students with special needs.
Within the classroom, Ali is committed to nurturing both the creative and personal growth of her students. She designs inclusive and engaging lessons that reflect a wide range of interests and abilities, encouraging each student to discover and develop their artistic voice. She is also a strong advocate for student well-being, creating a calm and supportive classroom environment, mediating peer conflicts, and helping students build confidence in themselves and their work. Many former students credit her with inspiring their paths into teaching and the arts.
Beyond her teaching responsibilities, Ali is an active contributor to both the school and the wider community. Her leadership includes coordinating support efforts for students in crisis — such as organizing assistance for a family who lost their home in a fire — and serving on multiple school committees. She has led numerous extracurricular initiatives and school-wide activities, and her dedication has been recognized through several outstanding teaching awards.
Ali has two sons, Isaac and Noah and is the daughter of Patty and Michael Sherman.
The Phil and Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit Scholarships and the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund are administered by the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. Jody Malashock chairs an otherwise anonymous committee that selects the award recipients.
The Foundation will host a reception for the award recipients and their families on May 15 at 7 p.m. in the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue at the Staenberg Omaha JCC campus. Everyone is welcome to join the celebration of these outstanding young people.
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
It’s hard to believe in coincidences
RYAN MALASHOCK
Ed. note: Ryan Malashock, a member of Harry Kay Leadership Institute’s Cohort 11 and son of Jody and Neal Malashock, reflected on his experience in Israel. HKLI is the Twin Cities flagship program for developing and training Jewish leaders.
TEL AVIV AND JERUSALEM – This epic HKLI journey through Poland and Israel has been full of what some people may view as many coincidences, but what I will call many instances of bashert-ness.
Seriously, the universe has aligned in such a bonkers manner on our trip that divine influence seems to me the most likely explanation.
Even before arriving in Israel, we saw this repeatedly in Poland – most notably for me when we stumbled upon released Gaza hostage Agam Berger deep down in the depths of an Auschwitz gas chamber and joined her group there in singing Hatikvah.
This only continued during our magical Friday and Saturday in Israel. In fact, the bashert-ness commenced before most people even woke up Friday morning. When our esteemed HKLI director, Lauren Kaplan, informed me and my HKLI brothers Daniel Chiat, Dan Stein and Ben Zack that we got selected to take a midnight flight to Tel Aviv, I initially sighed – deeply.
However, I will be forever grateful for sitting on that flight with a 4:40 a.m. arrival time. I’m also thankful for the two teenage girls who saved me from my middle seat and offered me a window seat so they could sit together. Coincidence? Oh, I think not.
accidentally walking down Ester Ha’Malka Street in Jerusalem – a street name that bears the name of my precious Grammy. Our time in Jerusalem just happened to coincide with the first few weeks of Colin and Wendy Smith’s time in their finallyfinished apartment in Jerusalem. The Smiths, pillars within our Minneapolis Jewish community, welcomed us in for drinks, snacks, tips on leadership and a moving balcony Havdalah. As our group joyfully strolled down Ben Yehuda Street on Saturday night, my smile couldn’t have gotten bigger as we walked past Chili Pizza, the tiny joint my wife, Michelle, and I ate at 12 years prior.
Just minutes later, our group stopped in at an absolutely beautiful store full of Judaica called Gabrieli. As several HKLI’ers emerged with their exquisite tallisim, they relayed the news that the store owner is a third-general tallismaker from Rehovot, our Federation’s sister city in Israel.
OK, again, dayenu. But wait, there’s more. Admittedly, this last piece of bashert-ness is quite self-centered, but it captivated me in an unexpected way.
As our plane glided on descent through the darkness of the Mediterranean Sea, the lights of Tel Aviv began to emerge. As we got closer, the goose bumps on my skin popped stronger. By the time we hovered over the mainland of Israel, the glimmering lights shining vividly bright, I felt such a deep gratitude and such a closeness to G-d.
I have taken a night flight into Las Vegas and marveled at the light of the strip, however, that was nothing like the flood of emotions I felt Friday morning as we slammed onto the ground and most passengers yelped and entered into a frenzy of applause. I will always remember that approach and landing. Dayenu. But no, there would be so much more.
A few examples before I further describe what stuck out most to me:
For the second time in as many trips to Israel, I found myself
Our group was so fortunate to attend Shabbat services Friday night at Kehilat Tzion in the German Colony, and Saturday morning at Kakhel in the Baka neighborhood.
While these two congregations differed in many ways, one presence was the same within each setting: Basketball hoops. Both congregations meet in community center gyms, making the most of their situations while providing warm, loving spaces for their congregants and visitors.
Basketball has been at the center of most of my life. I played throughout my childhood at the Jewish Community Center in Omaha and for several years in high school. I reported on high school and college basketball while at the University of Kansas and for four years professionally in Missouri and Arkansas. I coached 10 seasons of middle and high school basketball in Arkansas. I’ve also got to be the Minnesota Timberwolves’ biggest transplant fan. So, as I heard melodies of prayers both familiar and unfamiliar during these services, I couldn’t help staring at the basketball hoops and feeling like G-d put me in these settings for a reason.
Finally, dayenu. Yet I still have five days left in Israel with some of my favorite people in the world, and I can’t wait for the next bashert-ness.
October 7th widow Neora Swid
MARY SUE GROSSMAN for Beth Israel Synagogue
Since 1851, hostilities have resulted in 4,753 orphans, 1,058 widows and widowers, 6,155 siblings, and 2,346 bereaved parents in Israel. The Oct. 7 attack alone created 1,023 orphans, 257 widows and widowers, 2,053 grieving siblings, and 1,143 bereaved parents.
On Monday, May 12, Beth Israel Synagogue will have the honor of hosting one widow from the October 7th attack, Neora Swid. Ms. Swid tragically became a widow on October 7th when her husband, Bechor Swid, z’l, was killed on his way to assist friends in the horrific attack by Hamas. Bechor was just 32 years old.
A September 2024 article by the Times of Israel talked about the family, who had been spending Sukkot with family in Shuva. When Bechor heard of the Hamas infiltration in the neighboring town of Pri Gan, next to Shlomit, he left to help his friends in battle. On the way, he encountered a terrorist cell and opened fire but he was tragically killed in the gun battle. As a member of Shlomit’s local security team, he was posthumously recognized as a fallen soldier with the rank of master sergeant in the reserves.
The May 12 event, which begins at 6:30 p.m., at Beth Israel, is open to the entire community. It will feature the traditional Yom HaZikaron remembrances with prayers, a one minute of silence, and readings by IDF veterans after which Neora will share her story.
The couple met at a sheva brachot of mutual friends. First living in Ashdod, they then moved to Shlomit where Bechor built their home himself, which he was just finishing when he was killed.
In the TOI article, Neora wrote, [It has been 11 months] “without hearing the click of your keys in the door, without
your popping into the house in the middle of the day, without taking the girls to mincha and maariv [prayers], without the flowers you bought or the roses you clipped from the garden every Friday, without your laughter with the girls, without you throwing them up in the air and making us smoothies.”
Rabbi Eitan Ziv, who served as a combat fighter in the IDF’s Galoni unit, is organizing the Beth Israel event. “All Israelis have such a deep connection to the fallen of our country. After being part of Omaha’s Jewish community for nearly two years, I know that deep connection is also found here. The program with Neora will be an important opportunity to make a stronger connection and I hope many, many people will attend.”
Yom HaZikaron is generously sponsored by Mr. Agast Mishra, “a true friend of Israel.” For additional information, please check the weekly Beth Israel email or the synagogue website at orthodoxomaha.org or call the office at 402.556.6288.
Not Quite Kosher
SHIRLY BANNER
JFO Library Specialist
On May 15 at 1 p.m. the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group will gather for their monthly meeting. Group members have the choice of meeting either in person in Conference Room A in the Staenberg Jewish Community Center or via Zoom. This month they will be discussing Not Quite Kosher by Stuart Kaminsky.
If it were not for bad luck, some people would not have any luck at all. Kaminsky’s mystery novel opens with Wychovski and Pryor, two petty thieves, going back to rob a small jewelry store which they had robbed one year ago to the day. On their way out, Pryor trips and fatally shoots the owner. After making their getaway, they stop at a hot dog place and once again bad luck strikes as gun-happy Pryor shoots and kills a young police officer. In the ensuing escape, Pryor is fatally shot leaving Wychovski to continue evading capture after dumping Pryor’s body in one of the Chicago lakes. Alone now, Wychovski puzzles over how to fence the stolen jewels and gold figurines and escape capture.
Meanwhile, lapsed Jew Arnold Sokol goes to the rabbi at Temple Mir Shavot to confess killing a young man who attempted to rob him. He mistakenly confesses it all to Detective Sergeant Abe Lieberman who just happens to be at temple for synagogue business. Lieberman and his partner Bill Hanrahan take a confused Sokol to the hospital where Melvin “Z” Zembinsky, the supposedly dead man, is suffering
from only a concussion and a laceration to his head. After having the two “victims” confront each other, they reach an agreement of no retaliation against their aggressor.
Will Wychovski manage to escape being captured by Chicago’s finest? Were “Z” or his buddies who attempted to rob Sokol responsible for his murder the next day? Both of these cases keep our detectives busy investigating and bringing the guilty parties to justice.
Along with solving both of their cases, Lieberman is busy planning the Bar Mitzvah of his grandson who lives with him and his wife.
Hanrahan is planning to quietly marry his girlfriend before the end of the year. His girlfriend is the object of affection for Laio Woo, one of the kingpins of the Asian crime syndicate in Chicago. Just a typical quiet few days for our hangdog detective and his partner.
Come join us in unraveling the who in the “who-done-it” of Kaminsky’s seventh offering in the Abe Lieberman mystery series.
Please feel free to join us on May 15 at 1 p.m. in person or via Zoom when we are discussing Not Quite Kosher. The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group meets on the third Thursday of every month at 1 p.m. New members are always welcome.
The Group receives administrative support from the Community Engagement & Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For information about the group and to join in the discussion, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sbanner @jewishomaha.org
Passport to Israel: An investment for your child
MARK KIRCHHOFF
JFO Community Engagement and Education
The Jewish Federation of Omaha, in partnership with local synagogues, have collaborated to make Israeli travel more accessible and affordable for Omaha youth through The Passport to Israel program.
By establishing a bank account in a child’s name, beginning as early as kindergarten until eighth grade, annual deposits can be made to a maximum of $2,000. The money will be matched by the JFO and the child’s synagogue, once travel is scheduled, easily turning $2,000 into $6,000.
“It gave our daughters an opportunity to go on Israel trips through BBYO and USY without our having to incur the entire costs of the trips,” said Lori Kooper-Schwarz, who recently used the funds her family had set aside.
The Finkelstein family were also regular depositors for their boys. “Becca and I opened up Passport to Israel accounts for each of our children when they entered kindergarten at Beth El Talmud Torah (BESTT),” said David Finkelstein, who wholeheartedly endorses Passport to Israel.
Families that participate can make contributions through
their child's sophomore year of high school. and the funds must be used by the time the participant is 23 years old.
“Trips that our oldest children took, using the funds and matching funds in their Passport accounts, helped them to establish a connection with, and a love for Israel that might not have happened without it. We feel that it is one of the best gifts that we were able to provide our children,” David and Becca Finkelstein added.
To learn more about the program requirements and operation you may do so in one of three ways: (1) use the QR code to the JFO website (2) navigate to the jewishomaha.org website and select “Our Priorities >Scholarships and Grants > Additional Scholarship & Financial Opportunities;” or (3) contact Mark Kirchhoff by email mkirchhoff@jewish omaha.org or call 402.334.6463.
SNOWBIRDS
P2G Updates
TAMARA LAWSON SCHUSTER
In the midst of observing the Yoms (HaShoah, HaZikaron, HaAtzmaut), P2G Western Galilee delegations headed to communities! Members of Akko’s Hashayara band visited Peoria, Dayton, and Fort Worth for performances. The Speakers Delegation visited five Consortium communities: NW Indiana, South Bend, Des Moines, Canton, and Toledo.
On Sunday, April 6, members of the Budapest P2G Young Adults community visited the Budapest Jewish cemetery with Youngstown native, Katie Pataki, who is currently residing in the Netherlands and traveled to see the graves of her ancestors discovered in the R2R process.
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.
More information is coming soon about the P2G WG HaTikva Israel Summit 2025! It will take place from Oct. 2830, with a preSummit for those new to P2G and the WG region, from Oct. 26-28 and a post-Summit add-on on Oct. 31. There is also a Young Adults Seminar (addon to Summit or on its own) from Oct. 30Nov. 2.
Guest author Emuna Elon will be there during the next session of P2G Book Club. Don’t miss this opportunity to discuss House on Endless Waters, with the book’s Israeli author! Sunday, May 18, noon | 1 p.m. E | 7 p.m.
BU | 8 p.m. IL
The Pataki family of Youngstown, OH engaged in the Routes2Roots (R2R) Hungarian ancestry project of our P2G Budapest community, led by passionate R2R founder, champion, and volunteer researcher János Marosi.
The emotional and touching cemetery visit was enriched by the Hungarian P2G volunteers sharing memorials of some famous Hungarian Jewish celebrities.
R2R was glad to make a meaningful experience for Katie and her family and promises to keep the legacy and the memory of her great great-greatgrandfather as the Partnership's own.
Our Partnership family is fortunate for the opportunity of connecting people to their roots and to greater community through the core mission of Routes2Roots.
Partnership2Gether (P2G) is a program of The Jewish Agency and The Jewish Federations of North America, promoting people-topeople relationships through cultural, social, medical, educational, and economic programs.
The Western Galilee Partnership connects 17 U.S. communities of the US Central Area Consortium, Israel’s Western Galilee and Budapest, Hungary. You can find more information about any of these programs, and about P2G in general at WesternGalilee.org.il
Monthly B’nai Israel Speaker
On May 9, B’nai Israel Synagogue will welcome Steve Suvalsky as their speaker. The entire community is welcome to our monthly second Friday Shabbat service and oneg. Steve lived in Council Bluffs from 1953 until 1981, when he moved to Connecticut to further his education. As part of our Friday night service, he will share what it means to him to be Jewish, and how the Jewish Community of Council Bluffs shaped his life then and continues to be significant to him today, now that he is a Zaydie.
Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and continuously active since 1904, B’nai Israel is one of the region's oldest. In addition to hosting monthly services, arts events, and group activities, we preserve the legacy of Jewish life in Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa. For more information, please visit cblhs.org.
The P2G Routes2Roots cemetery visit to the Budapest Jewish cemetery
Suvalsky Family circa 1961 Roberts Park, Co. Bluffs, Iowa
Steve Suvalsky
Voices
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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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ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT
Jewish Press Editor
The following tidbit landed in my inbox this past week; it’s a paragraph from an Anti-Defamation League update titled “The Costs of Protests.”
A new report from the Middle East Forum (MEF) estimates that anti-Israel protests following Hamas’ 10/7 attack have cost the U.S. economy over $1.5 billion. The study, released April 14, calculates prolonged disruptions in areas such as lost business revenue ($1.19B), law enforcement costs ($97.3M) and property damage ($33.1M). The authors say this is the first direct analysis of the economic toll of antiIsrael activism.
This is not surprising at all. And I’m sorry to say that many of those protesters probably would cheer if they read this report.
There is something uniquely irritating about the vandalism segment of the protests. The red paint dumped on statues, the graffiti on buildings, the random stickering and defacing of Jewish spaces reminds me of toddlers who don’t know how to clean up after themselves. If you believe in a cause, does it follow that you have to make such a mess? This is not like breaking down the Berlin Wall, where the very act of destruction is an integral part of the changing political climate. It’s simply breaking stuff for the sake of breaking stuff. Those babies you claim to care about? They don’t actually eat more when you destroy property halfway across the world.
We have all experienced different forms of anger since Oct. 7. The harsh and powerless anger when
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.
faced with images of the massacre, the sad anger when thinking of the hostages, the despondent anger when yet another politician simply doesn’t get it. The pissy-ness (that may not actually be a word) when confronted with keyboard warriors who simply must leave a Palestinian flag emoji on everything. For the protesters, our anger is mostly the tired kind, I think. The enough-already, pleaseget-a different-hobby, don’t-you-have-anything-better-to-do kind of anger. Do these people even have a dog in this fight? And yes, these protests are antisemitic. If you think they are not, show me the protests for Yemen, for Sudan, for Syria. Explain to me why you are not upset by human rights violations in Turkey that have been going on for decades.
I have imaginary conversations with the anti-Israel crowd. They never end well, because even there, I cannot imagine them actually getting it. And that is a problem, because these protests don’t seem to be going away. Over a year-and-a-half since Oct. 7, and they still stand on Dodge. Why is it that even in Omaha, Nebraska, my daughter finds herself skipping certain UNO events because the coffee shop (where she has held many a reading) is now plastered with free Palestine stickers? And rather than fighting it, she chooses to stay home.
I don’t blame her, because we can’t fight all the time, and we can’t afford to be angry all the time. It’s exhausting. The best choice we can make is to double down and find the joy. What the protesters don’t get is that for many Jews, this is not just about politics. It’s about so much more than that.
It’s about your grandmother’s stories you tell to your children. It’s about the handed-down seder plates, and about the memories of Hanukkahs past. It’s about Bat and Bar Mitzvahs and wedding albums and about that nice photo of your brother that sits on the dresser. It’s about shared meals, shared Yahrzeits, shared blessings and shared sorrows. It’s about your rabbi and that silly Rosh Hashana plate your child made in pre-school. You know the one, with the paint peeling off the apple after so many years of using it. It’s about finding a kippah in the back of the drawer and having a little cry because it doesn’t fit your son’s head anymore. It’s carnivals, and Purim costumes, dreidels that still live in the bottom of your purse in April and summer camp letters sent years ago. And yes, it’s about that first trip to Israel we ever took, when we stepped out of the plane at Ben Gurion and came home. But the thing is, even if you’ve never seen Israel for yourself, we all have much to treasure every day. And ultimately, it’s about whatever Hashem has planned for us.
Being Jewish has so many different facets, we will never be able to explain how much it means, how it is present in every aspect of our lives. So I tell myself that when I see the protests: “We have this.” And I am grateful with each watermelon emoji and flag sticker I see because they remind me more of who we are, than of who of they are. Proud Jews, with amazing friends, family, community and experiences. Scream those slogans, wear that keffiyeh all you want: we are not going anywhere. We have too much to live for.
I’m half-Jewish, but my Jewish life is as full as it gets
DANIELLE WOLPERT
JTA
This article was produced as part of JTA’s Teen Journalism Fellowship, a program that works with Jewish teens around the world to report on issues that affect their lives.
When I finished a training conference at a BBYO leadership summer camp last summer in Pennsylvania, I couldn’t wait to tell my family in Canada. Most family members wished me mazel tov and told me they were proud of me.
But not everyone was so positive. A close family friend asked me if I was going to convert because “you’re not actually Jewish.”
Hearing this, I was so confused. I was a member of my school’s Jewish Student Union and attended events for both BBYO and NFTY Jewish youth groups. But I grew up with a Jewish dad and a nonJewish mom. For those who hold the traditional view that Jewishness is inherited through the mother, nothing I do will be enough.
My parents immigrated to the United States, separating me from both my Swedish family and my Canadian family, including the Jewish side in Toronto. My parents never went out of their way to make me follow a religion because they wanted me to make the choice on my own. It wasn’t until eighth grade when, sparked by a BBYO convention, I really got active in Judaism. It became my favorite part of my identity.
As I gained leadership roles within the organization, my passion for religion increased. Though I was half-Jewish, the youth group members just knew me as Dani, another Jewish teenager within the movement.
At the BBYO camp I recited Torah verses and strengthened my bond to Jewish culture. But it was so much more than that to me: This was me finding a home in community, religion and friendships. Having grown up without much by way of Jewish culture, there were some missing pieces within my Judaism, including my lack of a Hebrew name. At camp I started a text chain with my mom and my paternal grandmother about a Hebrew name. While my mom isn’t Jewish she has supported each step I’ve taken. She Googled “Jewish names” and texted a few that she thought suited me well.
Knowing my personality and passions, my mom was able to use this information to give me my Hebrew name, Shiri.
Shiri, or “my song.” Living to the beat of my own tune, writing my own lyrics and religious path.
With the support of both of my parents I am now preparing for my bat mitzvah. At the age of 15, I am two to three years older than the usual bat mitzvah, but this isn’t about me wanting a bat mitzvah party or wanting to prove I am actually Jewish. It will be part of a journey that makes my story. I’m changing my future.
As I was doing some research for this article, I came upon a piece George Altshuler wrote about having a non-Jewish mom and a Jewish father.
we are irregular, but our stories and our passion make us unique. We chose our paths and stayed both passionate and persistent. Once you find something you care about so deeply, your motivation has to fuel you without letting comments along the journey push you down. If you want to be a part of something, be something. Not to prove anyone wrong, but to do it for yourself, because you wanted to.
“Being Jewish but not having a Jewish mother can be a symbol of a Judaism that is more desirable than a Jewish identity that insists on matrilineal Jewish inheritance or halachic conversion,” he wrote in 2016. “The Judaism I favor is a Judaism that is not built on being born into an ethnicity, but instead on choosing to live up to the Jewish covenant and choosing to belong to the Jewish people.”
Altshuler is now a rabbi at Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco. When I reached out to him, he told me that even as a rabbi he can’t get away from those who question his identity.
“I have encountered folks who doubt my identity both as a rabbi and as a Jew over the course of my life,” he said. “Sometimes people have said ridiculous things that I’ve just dismissed.” Rabbi Altshuler and I have both been treated like
My bat mitzvah is about finding a community and wanting to be a part of something truly unique. So while I may not fit others’ ideas of a Jewish teen born to Jewish parents, I will not let their comments affect my journey.
At first the name “Shiri” signified my love for singing, but its meaning deepened as my love for Judaism did. From singing along to Shabbat prayers to screaming the lyrics of Israeli pop star Omer Adam, I continue to sing my song on my journey to finding my identity.
My birth name will always be Danielle, and I may always be referred to as Dani. But in my heart I will always be Shiri. I sing what others can’t. I sing for those who can’t. Most of all I sing to share my story.
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.
Danielle Wolpert, center, at the Torah reading held at a BBYO leadership summer camp in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, June 23, 2024. Credit: Courtesy
Y-Studs A Cappella at Beth El
STACIE METZ
Beth-El Engagement coordinator
Get ready for a night of harmony, heart, and high-energy Jewish music! On Sunday, May 18, Beth El Synagogue in Omaha will host a live concert by YStuds A Cappella, one of the world’s most dynamic and beloved professional Jewish vocal groups. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Seth Rich Memorial Camp Scholarship Fund, supporting local children in attending Jewish summer camp.
Hazzan Krausman shared, “I’ve been a fan of their music for a long time. I really appreciate their talents and sensitivity to Jewish music. I’m overjoyed to share them with our Beth El and Omaha community!” Y-Studs — short for Yeshiva Students — began in 2010 as a student-run club at Yeshiva University. What started on a campus stage has since grown into a globally recognized Jewish music act, performing in venues across the U.S., South America, Europe, and Canada. Today, they appear at concerts, bar mitzvahs, communal events, and even major institutions like the White House, where they’ve performed at the
Hanukkah celebration — twice.
With over 10 million views on social media and more than 36,000 YouTube subscribers, Y-Studs is perhaps best known for viral hits like Evolution of Jewish Music, a sweeping medley
depth and are extremely deliberate about the songs we choose — ensuring each one carries both uniquely Jewish undertones and a universally resonant message.”
that captures centuries of Jewish musical tradition in just minutes. Their soulful cover of Hashem Melech and uplifting Don’t Stop We’re Leavin’ continue to win over audiences around the world with their passion and creativity.
While their reach is global, their mission remains grounded.
“Before anything else, we’re a group of college students and young professionals who love making music together,” the group says. “We pride ourselves on both our energy and our
The Y-Studs’ commitment to community engagement is evident not just in their music, but in how they connect with fans. They're active on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, and welcome interaction from supporters, including questions, ideas, and messages from across the Jewish world.
The Omaha community will be treated to a powerhouse lineup, including David Abramowitz, Zach Sterman, Sammy Henkin, Jordan Jesin, Matthew Sacher, Josh Shapiro, Jacob Siegel, Adam Spiegel. The concert is presented by KZYS Productions, led by Eitan Rubin and Jordan B. “Gorf” Gorfinkel.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see the Y-Studs live and support a vital cause. Join us at Beth El Synagogue in Omaha on Sunday, May 18 at 4 p.m. for an afternoon of music, meaning, and connection that celebrates the joy of Jewish life.
Visit www.bethel-omaha.org for ticket information.
