August 28, 2020 by Jewish Press

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Pennie Z. Davis CDC Teachers who care If you are here, you matter Page 4

GABBY BLAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press ovid-19 swept into Omaha’s consciousness in mid March 2020, bringing chaos to our entire way of life that we are still trying to cope with. The Covid pandemic has brought to light many issues in the way our society works, perhaps none quite as relevant in the current moment as the very delicate relationship balance between work and school. Much of our work force is comprised of parents who rely on their children attending school or child care full time while they work. The sudden -but prudent- closure of schools and child cares this past spring left families shell-shocked and scrambling to make sense of this new reality while highlighting a very real vulnerability in our system’s viability. How can parents work to earn the income they need to support their families when they have no one to watch their children? What about essential workers who do not have the ability to work from home? How can parents Zoom for a work call while their children are trying to Zoom for school at the same time? What about younger children who need constant help and adult instruction to complete tasks? What of those who do not have adequate technology at home that would allow them to keep up with work or school? Obviously Covid has caused a lot of extra pressure on adults and parents - aside from the threat posed by the actual illness- but what about the stress on the kids whose routines have been so severely disrupted? “It was really traumatic to close like normal on a Monday and then find out that was it. Our last day for 2 1/2 months. See Pennie Z. Davis CDC page 2

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Jewish High Holiday practice at home Page 12

The Miriam Initiative

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OZZIE NOGG Are you a woman looking for a lively conversation with other women? Then mark your calendar for Thursday, Sept. 10, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. CDT and Zoom on in for Anybody Can Play A Good Hand — an out-of-the-box conversation for women hosted by Joanie Jacobson. “This program actually had its start at Temple Israel,” Jacobson explained. “Last June, out of the blue, Ellen Platt called. She and Susie Norton were co-chairs of Temple’s Rosh Chodesh programs and they asked me to speak at one. ‘About what?’ I asked. ‘Anything!’ she answered. ‘Just ‘riff ’ it.’ (Defined as a rapid, energetic, often improvised verbal outpouring, ‘riffing it’ was not for me.) But I did have an idea, one that had been sitting on my desk for years. “Ever since I left Ohio State University after two years (college was not for me, either) and transferred to the Goodman Theatre School of Drama in Chicago, life did a 180 and it’s been quite a ride. Not all smooth. I’ve been

shot — hit by a car — married, divorced and re-married to the same guy — single mom for three years — went two rounds with Bells Palsy. You get the picture. But it’s like my dad always said, ‘Anybody can play a good hand. It’s what you do with your s***

The Miriam Initiative cards that says what kind of player you are.’ Amen, Dad. “So for the last 50+ years, I’ve accumulated my very own list of -isms — lessons learned, mostly during the darkest of times, that have served me well along the way (sometimes the hard way) and continue to bring me peace, joy and laughs. I’m like the Farmers Insurance Group, ‘I know a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing See The Miriam Initiatve page 3

This is Goodbye RON LUGASY Community Shlicha, Jewish Federation of Omaha Two years in Omaha are coming to an end. Looking back on this journey brings up a lot of thoughts and emotions. Two years ago when I started my Shlichut, I came to connect the Jewish community of Omaha with Israel, as an outsider who comes to send a message. Today I’m leaving my home, my community who connected me to the Jewish and non-Jewish community in Omaha - connected me to the idea of what it means to live as a Jewish person in the diaspora - what it means to be a minority (generally and within the Jewish community). In one of our first conferences as Shlichim we had a session about community building. The session talked about how we should see ourselves as community builders and not only as Shlichim who came

to teach about Israel. This session was about three months into my Shlichut; it was a concept that was hard to understand in such an early phase of the Shlichut, but it stayed in the back of my mind, always with

Ron Lugasy

the question- how am I to become a community builder? “Our building is not a brick building, it is a building of hearts. A brick stays where you place it, a human heart always twitches, always See Ron Lugasy page 2

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Pennie Z. Davis CDC

Continued from page 1 We didn’t even get to say goodbye to our children or our families,” says Jeanine Huntoon, Executive Director of the JCC’s beloved Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center. “Our closure was in everyone’s best interest and our families have been incredibly supportive, but it really broke our hearts because we love these children and I know how much families depend on us to provide quality child care.” Lisa Cooper, Assistant Director, echoes Jeanine’s sentiments, adding: “Nationally, we are dealing with a real child care crisis- Omaha is no exception. We are fortunate to have amazingly strong support and backing from our community, The Jewish Federation of Omaha and The Jewish Community Center. Many child care providers, especially smaller independent facilities, will not be able to survive this. The ones that do will not be able to absorb the influx of children from families still seeking child care due to safety restrictions on capacity. One thing this pandemic has made clear is how essential - and generally undervaluedchild care workers and teachers are.” Another population that must be considered in this equation are the teachers with whom children often spend the majority of their week. Pennie Z. Davis’ children range from infants through

preschoolers. “I think the proper word to express the reaction of our teachers upon finding out that we were closing is grief. Our teachers were grieving- especially in our graduating preschool rooms,” explains Huntoon. “A majority of our children have grown up here for the past + years and our teachers love them and their families dearly. Our teachers were very worried about the severe disruption Covid caused to the routine of the children, isolating them from their normal daily structure and friends in a moment when they most needed reassurance.”

As teachers usually do, they adapted and came up with plans to engage students from afar in an effort to provide them with some sense of normalcy. “Our teachers really stepped up beyond what we could have ever expected. We closed on Monday at 6 p.m., had a teacher meeting Tuesday to discuss a path forward and by Wednesday our staff began sending out communications to families.” Huntoon said: “Thanks to the Staenberg Anything Grant we received in the past, each teacher has an iPad which See Pennie Z. Davis CDC page 3

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Continued from page 1 moves. This kind of a building always is in need of renewal, testing and examination, and we always need to ask if this line leads us to our vision” This quote from Berl Katznelson (author and one of the pioneers of Modern Zionist Hebrew literature) was hung on my computer screen, handwritten on a little sticky note, to remind me that I’m a part of something bigger. The Jewish community of Omaha is built out of people who grow together, changing the direction and rethinking every step. Sometimes new people who came to work in the community asked me- what worked? What was successful? And it was always hard to define, but the bottom line was always the human connection. When I brought myself and opened up, I found that people opened up to me, invited me to be part of their home and their personal life. I stopped being an outsider who came to deliver a message, and I started being part of the community, where each one of us brings our own uniqueness into the building that is how we are building something beautiful. I’ve met so many great people, learned so many new things, saw so many beautiful places, and grew a lot in the past couple of years. My Shlichut is not ending, just changing direction. I’m taking the Shlichut back home, and now my mission is to let every Israeli know that there is a magic that happens in the Jewish world in the US (and especially in Omaha!). I am hoping that I will keep on building bridges and bringing hearts together. Thank you for letting me be part of your world, for hugging me and welcoming me all the time, for creating another home across the ocean. This is not goodbye - it is LeHitraot, stay in touch. See you in Israel! RON

CORRECTION In our Aug. 21 paper, we incorrectly published the 2018-19 JFS name ad. The correct one will be included in our Sept. 4 edition. The Jewish Press staff takes full responsibility for this error.

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Pennie Z. Davis CDC

Continued from page 2 they were allowed to take home in order to keep in touch with families. Thankfully, we already had our Kaymbu app in place - which is how we regularly share photos, reminders and communications- so we were able to use this for story time and other activities immediately. We set basic expectations to stay in regular contact with families, but the teachers ran with it, coming up with fun and interactive activities to stay in touch and keep children engaged. This also allowed us to work with students individually, provide progress reports and track work.” Carrie Fingold, the CDC’s long time Shabbat leader broadcast live from her kitchen leading weekly Family Shabbats; she also created a super Passover experience. “While not ideal, we were still able to pull off as high a quality programming as possible, a real testament to the dedication of our teachers,” shares Lisa Cooper. “I met regularly with Jennie Gates Beckman, JFO Director of Community Engagement and Education, to ensure the entire CDC schedule was coordinated with all local synagogues to avoid overlapping activity schedules.” She went on to say, “One thing teachers rarely have is extra time. All of a sudden, we had lots of extra time where we didn’t have to be directly supervising children and the staff was really innovative and made the most of it...running show and tells, virtual scavenger hunts, even taking the initiative to offer Shabbat programing for their own individual classes; something that kind of surprised us and made us especially proud since not all our teachers are Jewish, themselves. This was a very heartwarming and respectful action and the kids and families loved it.” Teachers also took the time to do in-depth assessments of their classrooms, closets and supplies. They cleaned, organized and figured out how to improve classrooms for an eventual reopening. “One thing our teachers are especially blessed with is that unlike so many others, they do not have to buy their own supplies. Our center provides many things often included on teacher wish lists- like cleaning products, tissues and shared classroom items. Anything they need, we do our very best to supply.” Of course another stressor posed by the sudden closure was the uncertainty of employment. Unlike professionals who teach in K-12 schools, young child educators do not usually have contacts guaranteeing their wages for the year. Cooper and Huntoon explain: “When our doors closed March 16, we initially announced a two week paid closure as we tried to get a grasp on the situation. As the local school districts began closing it quickly became clear we would not be returning to business as usual. Mark Martin, Executive Director of the JCC, was adamant that no teacher would lose their job and he worked hard finding spots they could fill elsewhere at the JCC. While some chose to use their accrued time off to stay home or took voluntary layoffs, others took him up on his offer. Open spots were left unfilled and thankfully the JCC was able to get approved for a relief SBA loan which also helped. Anyone who wanted to stay employed with us was able to do so in some capacity or another which was a real blessing in such a tumultuous time.” Immediately after the closure was announced, The Child Development Center sent families surveys to help them assess a path forward. “Many conversations were held about staying open for children of medical professionals and essential personnel,” shares Huntoon. “Of around 200 children, we had maybe a dozen who indicated interest in this option with an overwhelming majority of families supporting our closure, which ultimately helped us make the decision.” As the months stretched on, leadership from the CDC and

JCC worked on many contingency plans focused on what an eventual reopening would look like taking seriously the directed health measures for Douglas County and guidance from UNMC and the Centers for Disease Control. “Our facility has always been very warm, and open to families. We enjoy many school wide activities, enrichment offerings and regular celebrations, like our Friday Family Shabbat service. Obviously, things are not back to pre-Covid normal and will look and feel very different,” explains Huntoon. Cooper continues. “All our staff will be masked. Classes will not mix. Teachers will hold individual classroom Shabbat and Havdalah. We may or may not be taking kids swimming, although we do have exclusive use of the splash pad in the mornings which we can cycle through without mixing groups. One class at a time will be allowed on the playground and we will not be offering our additional enrichment classes to prevent the mixing of cohorts. We are working very closely with other JCC departments to determine the safest way to hold dance classes, sports classes, and other special activities that are such a valued part of the CDC experience. Parents and non-staff adults will not be permitted into the building rather they will drop children off in the car line and we will have dedicated staff screen children before they are checked in and then transport them to their classrooms. Each child will have individual totes full of their own dedicated cache to prevent the sharing of things like art supplies etc. It goes without saying that everything in the classroom will be sanitized more often. We are asking an awful lot of our staff- they will definitely be doing more than ever before and we do expect drop off and pick up to be a little more hectic than usual. Our parents are aware and have been asked to plan accordingly and we appreciate the input and support they have given us.” The CDC has done a trial run of this new working model, welcoming back just 30 students in June. That number expanded to around 70 in July. On Aug. 17, classes resumed for approximately 150 children, with CDC staff working to ensure best practice ratios throughout the building. “Children who were enrolled before our closure have spots guaranteed, and we were only able to accommodate a handful from our ever growing waiting list to maintain our low numbers. Nothing in our reopening is being taken lightly. Our staff knows that each decision they make during their personal time could impact whether or not we stay open and we are all committed to doing what we can to maintain viability. I know there are some people who do not agree with schools or child care centers reopening at this time and their concerns are valid; however, the need for working families to have child care so they can continue to earn income is very real. It is a need, not a want.” She continues. “Furthermore, children also have needs beyond curriculum- social, emotional, and mental health are not issues exclusive to adults. We have included our CDC families in helping guide our reopening and are committed to doing so as safely as possible for the sake of our children, our families and our staff. I know regardless of what decision we make- to open or to remain closed- we will let some people down and that is really hard.” On a bright note, the CDC held a drive-through graduation for their soon to be kindergarteners this summer with all 50 teachers attending. “Everyone lined the drive with signs - I am not sure who was more excited- the teachers or the kids. Everyone was laughing and cheering and crying. It was a joyful and exciting experience and provided everyone with some closure to their school year. We are thinking to adopt this tradition in the future, hopefully because it is a fun way to celebrate and not because of Covid.

The Miriam Initiative Continued from page 1 or two,’ and if what I know saves a couple people some time and trouble, then it’s worth an hour. “Here’s what we’re not going to talk about on Sept. 10,” Jacobson noted. “Covid 19, Donald Trump, Congress, and CNN, MSNBC and FOX NEWS. We’re going to do what women do so well — talk amongst ourselves. About what? Managing your life instead of it managing you. How do we do that? By making wise decisions, keeping the lid on the pot and taking back our power. “Bringing women together to exchange thoughts and ideas is one of my very favorite things to do. It’s refreshing.

And fun. There’s always a take-home. I look forward to sharing my story on Sept. 10 (complete with -isms) and listening to other women share theirs.” To register for Anybody Can Play A Good Hand, contact Robby Erlich, Beth El Synagogue Engagement Coordinator, at 402.492.8550, or email Robby at rerlich@bethelomaha.org. Your Zoom invitation will follow. The Miriam Initiative is an ongoing series of projects and programs created and implemented by Beth El women. The Initiative welcomes all women who want to participate at any level from leadership to fellowship.

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SAM KRICSFELD My great-grandfather, Bernie Weiss, told his children and grandchildren very little about his time in the Navy. One of his only stories was that he was on the Pacific front in WWII when his landing craft was torpedoed. He said that it split in two, and he was lucky enough to choose the side that didn’t sink. Of course, we believed him – he had no reason to lie. But he’s not around anymore to ask, and we didn’t have evidence. I was digging through the Omaha World Herald digital archives for any mentions of my family when I came across an August 1944 blurb that said that Bernard Weiss was on leave after his boat was torpedoed in the South Pacific. I then searched naval history websites for a long time until I found the only boat that was in the area at that time that was sunk. USS LCI(L)-468 was sunk by a Japanese torpedo aircraft east of Guam, and my great-grandfather’s name was on the list of sailors. There was even a photo of the damaged boat. I’ll be honest – it is a pain in the neck to find this stuff. As my family’s unofficial historian, converting 8mm film, projector slides and negatives, as well as spelunking through dozens of pages of old newspapers, is a very arduous and difficult process. But it is extremely rewarding. It is necessary. I really wish they had kept the newspaper articles, labeled the pictures and recorded their stories. Finding them through research, while thrilling, is much harder than if they would’ve just written it down. And I bet you that all that I’ve found is only a fraction of what used to be out there. They are such small parts of their lives. So much history disappears. This article is a plea to people of all ages. My plea comes in two parts: one for potential storytellers, and one for potential recorders. To those who have experience: People, old and young alike, must make a record. Write down or tell your greatest moments and what you know about your family’s history. Make a

body of work that can be looked back upon and reflect your personality. You need to record your stories. You must. Write stuff down, record yourself talking about your life, label your pictures. “Nobody cares what I have to say.” This is untrue. This is the worst misconception you can have. Your children may not care. Your grandchildren may not care. But someone down the line will. “It’s too much work.” I admit, it will be a lot of work. You will have to search deep into your memories to find what your parents did for work, when you fought overseas, the feelings on your wedding day 50 years ago, or the first time you saw your child. But isn’t that important to you? Don’t you want to share that? It can be cathartic, remembering the joy and pain, the smiles and tears that are part of you. You will not regret it. “It’s too painful.” It will sting. Your parents may have died young, you may have gone through a nasty divorce, or you may have lost a dear friend. But again, this is part of you. You are human – you experience a wide range of moments that hurt like hell. Share that and how you dealt with it – it may just help someone else who is going through the same thing. Don’t you wish you knew more about your predecessors? Don’t you wish you knew what little shtetl in Poland your family came from? Don’t make your descendants wish for something that you never had but can provide. To those whose duty it is to record: If you have a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent still alive, they may not want to talk with you. They may give one of the excuses I listed above and use it as reasoning to not preserve history. If so, it is your job – your duty – to extract these stories from them. “Nobody cares what they have to say.” If you say this and truly mean it, you are deserving of being forgotten yourself. See You matter page 5

MEDICARE: Why is the information so confusing? Whether you are turning 65, anticipating retirement or are looking for a way to control your healthcare costs, the best thing you can do for yourself is to understand how your healthcare is structured with Medicare. I am sure you get bombarded with marketing material for Medicare. Medicare advertising has expanded to social media, robo text messages, TV, and newspaper. Ads on TV for Medicare (yes, the ones featuring a well-known NFL quarterback) say a lot about Medicare Advantage but do not explain how Original Medicare works and how Advantage Plans or “free standing” Supplements work alongside Original Medicare. I admit it is all very confusing. This is where I become a valuable resource for you Ultimately, Medicare is or will become your healthcare (with a few exceptions). It is important that you understand the relationship between Social Security benefits and Medicare benefits. I sit with you personally and teach you how Medicare is designed and what Part A and Part B, Part D and Part C mean in the everyday world. In addition, I explain the “Sup-

plement to Medicare” concept in a way that is clear and easy to understand. I am licensed and certified with all Medicare Advantage Plans in your area. (UHC, Aetna, BCBS and Humana) as well as with many companies that offer “freestanding” Medicare Supplements. My goal is to help you make sense of Medicare as your healthcare. My value to you is that I take confusing information (from the government) about the type of insurance you have and/or you have been considering and make it easy for you to understand. We evaluate what insurance you already have, how it all fits together and if you can put yourself in a better position. I answer your questions and you decide what is in YOUR best interest regarding coverage and cost. Consultations are confidential, require no commitment and are at no cost. Contact Jenne Vandeveer at American Senior Benefits, 402.290.1415 or jvandeveer@americ anseniorbenefits.com.

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Hebrew reading crash course in time for the New Year GABBY BLAIR Staff writer, Jewish Press Chabad of Nebraska invites community members to brush up on their Hebrew reading skills leading up to Rosh Hashana. Whether you will be at shul or at home, this is a great time to gain fluency and comfort with the prayers. Dr. David Cohen, who has been teaching Hebrew reading and conversation successfully, will be leading interactive classes via Zoom on the following Sundays: Aug. 23, 30, and Sept. 6, 13. Classes will last one hour and will begin at 2 p.m.

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“If we have a lot of interest, we can offer multiple class times in order to maintain small Zoom class sizes so that each participant can get the attention they need. Participants should know the aleph-bet and have basic reading skills. The goal is to boost their confidence in reading,” said Cohen. “The pages we will be reading from the prayerbook as well as any handouts will be made available as PDF files that will be emailed to those who wish to attend.” Classes are free, and can be accessed via the Chabad website; registration is required. Please contact David Cohen at Dmcohen234@cox.net with any questions and visit Ochabad.com/academy for more information or to register today!

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Continued from page 4 “It’s too much work.” Yeah, it’s pretty overwhelming. I’m in the process of digitizing old family photos from the 1940s and 1950s. There are hundreds of them, and my little scanner can only scan so many at once. Then there are photos from the ‘60s. Then the ‘70s. Then the ‘80s. It is a project to preserve. And I haven’t even recorded any stories from my family. It may take years, on and off. But don’t you want the exhilaration I felt when I saw my greatgreat-grandfather walking around on Super8 film? Don’t you want to see your great-grandmother’s kindergarten class? Your grandfather’s photos from Vietnam? Don’t you want to hear how your grandparents fell in love? What it was like raising your parents? “It’ll be too painful for them, and too painful to see them relive it.” This will be tough. You may touch upon something that’ll make your grandmother cry or your grandfather bristle. It’s very difficult to see them like this, but you must remember that they are human too. They feel the same things that you do, and it will be very therapeutic to have them tell their stories and cry along with you. Mister Rogers once said, “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.” A great resource for recording (and recorded) history is the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. The NJHS preserves the histories of Jewish families in Nebraska and Council Bluffs, IA. Its extensive archives fill shelves and boxes with photos, papers, historical records and artifacts that all add up to our community’s history. They have so much, but also not nearly enough. The NJHS would love to help with oral histories and archiving. I talked with Renee Corcoran of the NJHS, and we both felt strongly that histories must be kept, preserved and maintained. The archives come up to current day – you can even

find some of my articles in there. You don’t need to be a “big macher” in this community to matter. If you are here, you matter. My message extends far beyond Nebraska Jewry. You don’t need to be the president, a rock star or a war hero to deserve to be remembered. You just have to be. If I have not convinced you to either record your history or your predecessors’ history, I hope you are able to keep a connection through the generations. My great-great-grandfather never wrote anything down, and I can’t relate to him at all. I can only see pictures. If he had written something down, I bet I’d feel differently. I am very fortunate to have known four of my great-grandparents, but unfortunate that I lost them when I was too young to want to know about their histories. I will not make that mistake again. I’d feel such guilt. Do what you can to save history. Your history matters, as does your parents’, your grandparents’, etc. If you don’t, who will? Don’t forget, and don’t be forgotten.

ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Due to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home temporarily being closed to the public, B’nai B’rith Breadbreakers will not meet until further notice. For specific speaker information, please email Gary.Javitch@Gmail.com, Breadbreakers chairman. For more information or to be placed on the email list call 402.334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.

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Join Beth Israel for “High Holidays on the Green” RABBI ARI DEMBITZER AND MARY SUE GROSSMAN “Having faith means finding the silver lining in every dark cloud. This year, because of the global pandemic we are all experiencing together, Beth Israel’s High Holiday services and davening will be different than usual” shares Rabbi Ari Dembitzer of Beth Israel Synagogue. “In an effort to reduce risk and exposure we will be davening outside, in the synagogue’s beautiful great space.” As summer moved along, discussion on how to handle services has been an ongoing discussion. Beth Israel returned to in-person davening for Shavuot with morning, evening, Shabbat, and holiday services held in the sukkah. Social distancing is maintained with chairs positioned on carefully measured marks. Masks are required. Attendees are asked to bring siddurim, tallism, and kippot. Although weather has provided some challenges, services have been possible the majority of days. During an Aug. 12 meeting, the Beth Israel Board of Directors discussed the pros and cons of the High Holiday proposal and voted to proceed with the “High Holidays on the Green” plan. Services will be held Friday evening, Sept. 18 through Sunday evening, Sept. 20. Abridged, socially distancing programming for children of all ages will be provided.

“This may seem strange to some and exciting for others. Hopefully, if the weather is nice (please pray!), this may be the most uplifting services we have experienced. We will be able to connect to ourselves, each other, and nature. During Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we celebrate the renewal of the world. There is no better way than being in nature to experience that process.” Rabbi Ari shared the logistics of the chagim services which will include the rental of two large tents. Chairs will be spaced appropriately. Hand sanitizer will be abundantly available and chairs will be wiped down after each service. “Attendees will be spaced in a safe way and masks will be required” he added. “The actual davening (services) will contain only the parts that are required for a minyan and as such, services will be shorter than a usual.” If you are interested in attending please contact Beth Israel as soon as possible at 402.556.6288 or bethisrael@ortho doxomaha.org to allow proper planning. “Specific times and additional details will be shared soon,” ended Rabbi Ari. “Everyone is welcome to be a part of this exciting new experience of “High Holidays on the Green. Please join me and the Beth Israel family for a unique and meaningful start to the new year.”

YJO & Chabad present DIY Shofar making GABBY BLAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press The Jewish Federation of Omaha and Chabad are pleased to invite all young Jewish Professionals to a pre High Holiday social at Thunderhead Brewery’s outdoor patio (13304 W Center Rd #126, Omaha, NE 68144) on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7:45 p.m. Cost to attend is $18 per person. Open to our community’s 20- and 30- somethings, this social event will feature DIY shofar making, scrumptious hors d'oeuvres and some of Omaha's finest craft beers. Come meet or reconnect with others in our community in a fun and safe environment. Masks and social distancing will be strictly adhered to. Please register for this event at //Tinyurl.com/Shofar making. Direct questions to Chabad’s Rabbi Blotner at Rabbi Blot

ADL-CRC Voter’s Corner

ELLIE BATT, CAROL BLOCH AND PAM MONSKY Each week, from now until the election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the ADL-CRC Plains States Region will provide the essentials on the upcoming election regarding voter registration, mail-in ballots, etc. We will be providing information and tips just like this to help you cast your ballot securely and with confidence. If you have any questions, please contact Pam Monsky, pmonsky@adl.org or 402.334.6572 or Gary Nachman, Regional Director, gnachman@adl.org. Essential Voter Registration Deadlines for Douglas County: Online--Friday, Oct. 16, 2020 By Mail—Friday, Oct. 16, 2020 In Person--Friday, Oct. 23 There are nine Drop Box Locations in Douglas County. The election commission is installing four more Drop Boxes and those locations will be available Sept. 1, 2020. • City/County Building: Located: Between 18th & 19th on Farnam near sidewalk, 1819 Farnam Street, Omaha. • South Omaha Library: Relocated: East side parking lot, 2808 Q Street, Omaha. • Charles B. Washington Branch Library: Located: Southwest corner of building, 2868 Ames Avenue, Omaha. • Ralston Police Department: Located: Southwest corner of building, 7400 Main Street, Ralston. • Milton R. Abrahams Branch Library: Located: South of main entrance, 5111 N 90th Street, Omaha. • Douglas County Election Commission: Located: North of Center in Bel Air Plaza, 12220 W Center Road, Omaha. • Douglas County Engineer’s Office: Located: Near sidewalk by parking stalls, 15505 W Maple Road, Omaha. • Millard Public Schools Foundation: Located: Northwest corner of building, 5225 South 159th Avenue, Omaha. • Bess Johnson Elkhorn Branch Library: Located: Northeast corner of building, 2100 Reading Plaza, Elkhorn.

TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

ner@OChabad.com or to JFO Director of Development, Jamie Skog-Burke at jskog-burke@jewish omaha.org.

Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewishomaha.org or online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.omahajewishpress.com. Go to Submission Forms or mail to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 (with photos we will scan and return). Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, or by e-mailing: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

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The Jewish Press | August 28, 2020 | 7

Above and below: Chabad offered a scaled-down, but nonetheless beloved, Camp Gan Izzy before kids went back to school.

Above: The Jewish Press staff said a temporary goodbye to Intern Sam Kricsfeld. We are grateful to the Murray H. and Sharee C. Newman Supporting Foundation for their generosity, which allows us to continue this program every summer.

SP O TLIGHT

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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.

Below left and right: Sam and Henry Kutler, sons of Abby and Adam Kutler, having fun feeding goats.

Above: What Beth Israel’s minyan looks like in 2020.

Above, below and bottom: It’s Shucking Corn Time! Residents at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home shucked 108 ears of corn for their dinner and got to try some homegrown garden tomatoes. Pictured are Ethel Lerner, Christina Caniglia-Nelson with Alex Gutis and Annette Fettman working hard.

8 | The Jewish Press | August 28, 2020

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Abby Kutler President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer Michael Ivey Accounting Jewish Press Board Abby Kutler, President; Eric Dunning, Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen, David Finkelstein, Candice Friedman, Bracha Goldsweig, Margie Gutnik, Natasha Kraft, Chuck Lucoff, Eric Shapiro, Andy Shefsky, Shoshy Susman and Amy Tipp. 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 Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Life, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: wwwjewishomaha. 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. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha. org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

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False neutrality matter of whether parents have ‘different beliefs,’ ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT whether they have diverse opinions; whether the Jewish Press Editor Back in 2019, Spanish River Community High Holocaust did or did not happen is not up for deprincipal William Latson was fired after a four- bate. Holocaust denial is not something we can simply consider a disagreement, it is rabid antimonth suspension. Latson was let go because he told a parent “not Semitism and hate-speech. everyone believes the Holocaust happened.” The parent had inquired about Holocaust education, which is a state requirement in Florida, and Latson allegedly wrote: “I can’t say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in the position to do so as a school district employee. You have your thoughts, but we are a public school and not all of our parents have the same beliefs so they will react differ- A view of barracks from Auschwitz-Birkenau in the U.S. Holocaust Museum's permanent exhibition. Credit: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum ently...I am a public serFurthermore, to say that principal Latson ‘made vant. I have the role to be politically neutral but unfortunate choices’ is just another way to dimiss support all groups in the school. I do the same with his words as not that serious. information about slavery. I don’t take a position.” What are we to make of this? A Florida State administrative judge, Robert The notion that the Holocaust is a matter of Cohen, recently ruled Latson was fired in error and opinion is not a new one. stated he should have been reprimanded or reasIn 2014, a California school district drew consigned, rather than fired outright. demnation from Jewish rights groups over a writ“Latson made some unfortunate choices in exing assignment asking eighth graders to argue pressing his thoughts,” the judge said, according to whether the Holocaust happened. JTA.org. That ruling meant Latson’s neutrality “Students in the Rialto Unified School District claim was back in the headlines. near Los Angeles were asked to write an essay on The key problem with Latson’s comments is the whether the Holocaust was ‘merely a political use of the word ‘beliefs.’ scheme created to influence public emotion and The Holocaust is a fact, not a belief. It’s not a

gain,’ the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group, said.” (Reuters) Michael Gerson wrote for the Washington Post “the assertion of two-sidedness is a victory for one side,” when he discussed that assignment in Rialto. The same can be said for principal Latson’s words. When you claim that, when teaching the Holocaust, educators have to remain neutral because some parents may not ‘believe,’ you equate Holocaust denial with knowledge of the facts. That is a very dangerous road to step on. Not all opinions are created equal, not all opinions are meant to further or even maintain equality. And while we should certainly all aim to listen to each other more, learn to be more patient and respectful of different optinions, that doesn’t apply here. People who don’t ‘believe’ the Holocaust happened are just plain wrong, end of story. Frankly, it makes me angry to see that after all these years, there are still people who claim the Holocaust is a matter of opinion. Saying it didn’t happen, very often, goes hand-in-hand with saying Hitler should have ‘finished the job.’ Claiming to stay neutral is not much better than outright denial. We live in a polarized world, but simultaneously, we’ve created many grey areas. Sometimes that is a good thing; having doubt can urge us to find different, better answers. It can help us listen and grow, it can create the necessary space in which to learn from those around us. There is relief in admitting we don’t know everything. How else are we to become better people? However, when it comes to the Holocaust, there can be no grey areas. There is no room for doubt, no room for debate about its veracity, no space for wavering. It happened. It was horrendous. Those are facts, not beliefs. Claiming anything less than that will practically ensure future generations learn nothing.

Do words really matter? Do words really matter? Are we really listening to each other these days? I had an experience a few weeks ago that caused me to reflect on the words we choose. I know this is a trying time for all of us. Our country has become polarized into an us-against- SCOTT LITTKY them way of thinking. I find Executive Director, this troubling and am con- IHE cerned that we are losing our ability to have empathy and understanding for one another. Let me explain. I was doing my mother’s grocery shopping a couple of weeks ago. As I entered, I was wearing my Washington Capitals’ hockey team mask. It is red, white and blue and has an American eagle on it. An older man was walking out and had his mask in his hand. He then said to me, “They’re being Nazis.” (I assume he was speaking about the mask policy) I stopped and turned and said, “Excuse me, but I work for a Holocaust education organization and the use of that term is very offensive.” I’m pretty sure I caught him off guard and am not sure if he thought my mask was somehow tied to a political statement. He did not say anything back. I felt I could not just ignore what he said and that I had a responsibility to say something. In educational circles, it is called a “teachable moment.” The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in very clear about how to approach what they call

‘comparisons of pain.’ In their standards of how to teach about the Holocaust, they state: “Avoid Comparisons of Pain.” A study of the Holocaust should always highlight the different policies carried out by the Nazi regime toward various groups of people; however, these distinctions should not be presented as a basis for comparison of the level of suffering between those groups during the Holocaust. One cannot presume that the horror of an individual, family, or community destroyed by the Nazis was any greater than that experienced by victims of other genocides. Avoid generalizations that suggest otherwise. Similarly, students may gravitate toward comparisons between aspects of the Holocaust and other historical or contemporary events. Historical events, policies, and human behaviors can and should be carefully analyzed for areas where there may be similarities and differences, but this should be done always with careful consideration of evidence and contextual factors, differentiating between fact, opinion, and belief. Unfortunately, we are not seeing this happen in

our everyday life right now. In the example I presented, I do believe that the person using the term ‘Nazi’ wanted and believed that being required to wear a mask was akin to Nazism. Please understand that I’m not trying to be naïve or ignore that both antisemitism and hatred of others is on a rise in this country. As a Holocaust educator I feel that it is very important to learn the lessons from the Righteous Gentiles, those non-

Jews who chose to assist in saving Jews during the Holocaust, risking their own well-being and safety. Please, if you hear people using comparisons such as the one I did, speak up and help educate and help change the current state of our country. If we all take this example to heart and stop the name calling and false comparisons, maybe we could then work together to end the threat of COVID-19.

TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at www.omahajewishpress.com/site/forms/. Deadlines are normally nine days prior to publication, on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.

The Jewish Press | August 28, 2020 | 9

We can’t kvell over Kamala Harris’ Jewish husband while we demonize interfaith marriage ALICIA CHANDLER BIRMINGHAM, MICH. | JTA Around the country, you hear the bubbies kvelling: Did you know Kamala Harris’ husband is Jewish? Did you know her step kids call her mamele? Did you see the video with her doing the cute impression of her Jewish mother-in-law? Did you hear that he broke a glass at their wedding? It is not surprising that the Jewish community is excited to be represented on the Biden-Harris ticket. Political leanings of the community aside, Kamala Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, is a member of the tribe, and two of Joe Biden’s children are married to someone who is Jewish. But sadly, the Jewish community is a bit selective in celebrating interfaith marriage. If it brings us a Jewish second gentleman, we will cheer. But interfaith marriage is still taboo to many, and an Orthodox or Conservative rabbi would not have been allowed to preside over the Harris and Emhoff wedding. American Jews want to celebrate the Jewish ties of any famous person while still discriminating against the relationships that tie these individuals to the Jewish community. One Jewish parent will likely get you placed on a list of Jewish celebrities (Zoe Kravitz, Michael Douglas, Maya Rudolph), but without awards lining your mantle, your Jewish lineage may be questioned or denied. Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff married in March 2014 at a courthouse ceremony officiated by her sister, Maya. Could they have been married in your synagogue, or join as members afterwards? If Doug’s children were younger, would Kamala be allowed on the bimah during a b’nai mitzvah? After both of them, God-willing, live to 120, could they be buried together in your local Jewish cemetery? As a Jewish woman married to a Catholic man, I am often heartbroken as committed Jews who married outside the faith share their stories of rejection by the community. One Jewish mother, whose children are enrolled at our local day school, spoke to me about how angry it makes her that, if her husband was the Jewish parent instead of her, there would be no day school options available to her children.

How many Jews of patrilineal descent are denied educa- This person is now lost to the community forever. tional opportunities because of the gender of their Jewish parIt is time for full inclusion of all interfaith families in the Jewent? Other conversations about interfaith families are ish community, not just vice presidential nominees and frequently about the difficulties of getting married — from celebrities. In 2013, 44% of all Jews were married to a non-Jew; outright refusals to officiate to interrogations on how the cou- 58% percent of those married since 2005, and the trend is ple plans on keeping their home and raising their children. seemingly on the rise. While I cannot speak from experience, having never marDoug and Kamala are not a rare exception — they represent ried another Jewish person, I cannot imagine that Jewish couples are subjected to such a gauntlet. Thinking back to my own youth, I remember youth group discussions about whether intermarriage was doing what Hitler could not — and I fear that my own children would be exposed to similar programs sanctioned by Jewish institutions that would compare their own parents’ love to the Third Reich that murdered their ancestors. I hear community members discussing whether people “look” Jewish and cringe that this false notion could be used to make my blonde-haired blue-eyed children feel like their Jewish lineage is incomplete. But more than the countless conversations I have, I am worried about the people that Sen. Kamala Harris waves to supporters with her husband, Douglas Emhoff and have just left. The couple who had a rabbi re- her niece, Amara Ajagu, 2, during her presidential campaign launch rally in Oakland, Jan. 27, 2019. Credit: Mason Trinca/Getty Images fuse to officiate at their wedding, and never walked into a synagogue again. I worry about the young pro- much of the American Jewish community today. We should fessional who went to his first Jewish conference, heard a make a greater effort to make families like them feel just as speaker say that marrying someone of another faith meant included and celebrated. leaving the community, and decided to leave the organization. Alicia Chandler is a sociology graduate student at I worry about the college student considering a future in the Wayne State University and a writer, speaker and consultrabbinate who learns that she will have to choose between ant working on the issue of inclusion of intermarried coumarrying the person she wants and becoming a Rabbi in her ples and interfaith families in Jewish spaces. She is the denomination. The family who cannot find a mohel to per- founder of Multifaith Life, LLC, a consulting firm that exform a bris, and never ends up educating their child in Ju- ists to help Jewish institutions and the Jewish community daism. adapt to the increase in interfaith families. The part that breaks my heart is when I meet a non-Jew The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of who shares with me that their mom or dad was Jewish, but the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its their parent was forced to choose between love and religion. parent company, 70 Faces Media.

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Synagogues

10 | The Jewish Press | August 28, 2020

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

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

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN

South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org

B’NAI ISRAEL We will not be holding services on Friday, Sept. 11. For information on our historic synagogue, please contact Howard Kutler at hkutler@hotmail.com or any of our other board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Mary-Beth Muskin and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. VIRTUAL MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9 a.m. and Mondays and Thursdays, 8 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Kosher Food Orders Due; Roasted Chickens To-Go Pick Up, 10 a.m.-noon; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Courtney and Sabrina Schwarz B’not Mitzvah; Havdallah, 8:51 p.m. SUNDAY: Torah Study, 10 a.m.; BESTT Supply Pick Up, 3:30 p.m.; Torah Tots, 4 p.m.; USY Film Club, 7 p.m. MONDAY: Women’s Book Group, 6:30 p.m.; Joshua Ben Nun with Dr. Leonard Greenspoon, 8 p.m. TUESDAY: BESTT Committee Meeting, 7:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4:30 p.m.; USY Check-In, 5:15 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Teen Book Club, 4:30 p.m.; Shul Music with Hazzan Krausman, 7 p.m. FRIDAY-Sept. 4: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY-Sept. 5: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m.; Havdallah, 8:39 p.m. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

BETH ISRAEL

Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp). TUESDAY: Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp). WEDNESDAY: Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp). THURSDAY: Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Middot with Rabbi Ari, 9:30 a.m. (Zoom); Parsha Inspiration with Rabbi Ari, 4:30 p.m. (Facebook Live). FRIDAY-Sept. 4: Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Candlelighting, 7:33 p.m. SATURDAY-Sept. 5: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:32 p.m. (Zoom). Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

CHABAD HOUSE Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Due to Coronavirus, all services and classes have moved online. For schedules and more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.org or call the office at 402.330.1800 FRIDAY: Candlelighting, 7:44 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Ends, 8:43 p.m. MONDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani; Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introduction to Reading Hebrew, 10:30 a.m. THURSDAY: Intermediate Hebrew Reading and Prayer, 11 a.m.; Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman. FRIDAY-Sept. 4: Candlelighting, 7:33 p.m. SATURDAY-Sept. 5: Shabbat Ends, 8:31 p.m.

B’NAI JESHURUN The Temple office is on reduced hours until further notice and all services and activities are being offered via livestream or teleconferencing. Please call 402.435.8004 or email office@southstreettemple. org for further information or to make an appointment for a visit, if necessary. You may also email board president Nicholette Seigfreid at president@south streettemple.org. South Street Temple’s events can be found at https://south streettemple.org/calendar/. FRIDAY: Erev Shabbat Service, 6:30 p.m. service leaders/music: Elaine Monnier; Candlelighting, 7:45 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, service leaders/music: TBD, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:45 a.m.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer. Classes, Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah on Zoom, Whatsapp or Facebook Live. On site services held outside in Sukkah, weather permitting. Physical distancing and masks required. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m.; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Ari (WhatsApp); Candlelighting, 7:44 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:44 p.m. (Zoom) SUNDAY: Rambam: Rabbi Moshe, 9:45 a.m. (Zoom) MONDAY: Shacharit, 7 am.; Deepening Prayer, 7:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Laws of Shabbos, 8 a.m. with

TEMPLE ISRAEL

One Family’s Path: A Story of Survival

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

323 South 132 Street Omaha, NE 68154

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

TIFERETH ISRAEL

Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

KAREN M. GUSTAFSON, MS, NCC, LIMHP Jewish Family Service Jewish Family Service presents one family’s story of survival from suicide ideations, the helpful actions of each family member, and ultimately a positive outcome. On Monday, Sept. 14, from 7-8:30 p.m., Lee Kerniskey, a retired Sergeant with the Omaha Police Department will share his story of struggle and how help from professionals, his wife Kate, and his in-laws Joe and Chris played an integral part in helping to save his life. Today, Lee is studying to be a Mental Health Practitioner in order to provide services to the First Responder community from which he identifies. This program is FREE and will be presented virtually, with a Zoom link offered upon registration. Go to, or call 402.330.2024, to register for the event. This presentation is brought to you thanks to a Grant from the Dennis Schuman Charitable Foundation which JFS received in October, 2018. Throughout 2019, JFS delivered 12 unique, age-specific programs on Suicide Prevention Education throughout the Jewish community and to the First Annual Female First Re-

sponder Conference. Our planned programming throughout 2020 has had to be re-imagined and rescheduled. We are working to create future suicide prevention programs appropriate to deliver through a virtual format due to its sensitive subject matter.

on Parashat Ki Teitzei led by Rick Kohn; Havdalah (72 minutes), 9:24 p.m. TUESDAY: Tea & Coffee Time with Temple Friends, 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. FRIDAY-Sept. 4: Erev Shabbat Service, service leaders/music: TBD, 6:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:37 p.m. SATURDAY-Sept. 5: Shabbat Morning Service, service leaders/music: TBD, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:45 a.m. on Parashat Ki Tavo led by Elaine Monnier; Havdalah (72 minutes), 8:36 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE All services canceled until further notice.

ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME

The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is currently closed to visitors.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

Virtual services conducted by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin and Cantor Joanna Alexander. DAILY VIRTUAL MINYAN: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. SUNDAY: Fifth Sunday Breakfast at Stephen Center, 8:30 a.m. MONDAY: Jewish Law & the Quest for Meaning, 11 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Mindful Meditation with Margot, 9 a.m. THURSDAY: Challah at Home with Rabbi Berezin: Rosh Hashanah Edition “Raisins in the Round”, 8 p.m. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

TIFERETH ISRAEL FRIDAY: Zoom Evening Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:30 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:45 p.m. SATURDAY: Zoom Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 8:44 p.m. FRIDAY-Sept. 4: Zoom Evening Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:30 p.m. Candlelighting, 7:35 p.m. SATURDAY-Sept. 5: Zoom Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m.; Havdalah (72 minutes), 8:34 p.m. Please visit tiferethisraellincoln.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. During these unusual times for people who may feel more isolated, for kids who are disconnected from their friends and for everyday people who struggle with feelings of depression and hopelessness... reach out.

The Jewish Press | August 28, 2020 | 11

Life cycles IN MEMORIAM DANIEL (DAN) ABRAMSON Daniel (Dan) Abramson was born in Omaha, NE on Aug. 31, 1941 and passed away on Aug. 14, 2020 in Las Vegas, NV. Memorial service to be held at a later date. He was preceded in death by his parents, Einer and Dale, brother Benjamin and ex-wife, Judi. He is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Jack Donnelly of Allison Park, PA, and son, Jeffrey Abramson of Council Bluffs, IA; grandchildren: Lauren and Andrew; sister, Rosemary Lee of Las Vegas, NV; cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends. Memorials may be made to Three Square, 4190 N. Pecos Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89115, The Animal Foundation, 655 N. Mojave Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89101, and American Cancer Society, 6165 S. Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89118.

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FBI tweeted link to files on ‘Protocols of Elders of Zion’ MARCY OSTER JTA The FBI explained why it tweeted a link to a 139-page selection of the bureau’s files on anti-Semitic text from the early 20th century “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.” Hours after the FBI Records Vault sent the tweet on Wednesday without context, here’s what the FBI tweeted: “Earlier today FOIA materials were posted to the FBI’s Vault and FOIA Twitter account via an automated process without further outlining the context of the documents. We regret that this release may have inadvertently caused distress among the communities we serve. “The FBI often receives information from members of the public, which is captured in our permanent files and released under FOIA law. The FBI must process historical files that were collected in the past, some of which may be considered offensive,” the thread continued. Some Twitter users took the original tweet as a promotion of the message in the “Protocols.” However, the Twitter account regularly tweets declassified archival FBI documents. The original tweet spurred thousands of responses: Some Twitter users cheered it, while others condemned it. Many responses to the “context” tweet called on the FBI to delete the “Protocols” link and others called for an explanation to be included with the original tweet of the document. Marianne Williamson, a Jewish former candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, responded: “This isn’t about needing more ‘context!’ And it’s not about ‘causing distress.’ It’s about the most vicious anti-Semitic propaganda ever created, which has caused persecution and murder on a vast scale at times and in places throughout the world. TAKE IT DOWN!!!!” The Auschwitz Memorial and Museum in its response to the original tweet responded: “The context of the antisemitic hoax is there, deep inside the documents. Context REALLY matters.”

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Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog, left, and President Reuven Rivlin meet at a Jerusalem ulpan, Aug. 16, 2020. Credit: Mark Neyman/GPO

MARCY OSTER JERUSALEM | JTA Some 250,000 new immigrants to Israel will arrive over the next five years, the Jewish Agency estimates. The estimate is part of a Jewish Agency report with figures on immigration to Israel since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and projections for the future. The nonprofit organization’s chairman, Isaac Herzog, presented the report to President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday. According to the report, some 8,500 immigrants arrived in Israel from dozens of countries during the first half of 2020, half the number that came during the same period the previous year. The decrease likely is due to the coronavirus crisis. But there was a dramatic rise in the number of people who inquired about immigration to Israel this year, with 90,000 calls from around the world. In addition, some 25,000 new immigration files were opened, a 91% increase in Western countries and 400% in North America. The report found that there are 10,000 to 14,000 Jews waiting to emigrate from Ethiopia, and their arrival will be spread over several years. On Sunday, Rivlin visited Ulpan Etzion, a Hebrew-language school in Jerusalem run by the Jewish Agency, and met with several new immigrants studying there. “You chose to make aliyah to Israel at this challenging time, the time of coronavirus,” he said. “The challenges you are facing will become the stories you tell your children and grandchildren.”

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12 | The Jewish Press | August 28, 2020

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

Jewish High Holiday practice at home SHIRA HANAU JTA In Montreal, the boxes will include apple or honey cake mix. In New Hampshire, they’ll include bird seed. And many synagogues will distribute apples and honey, the snack that symbolizes a sweet New Year. The packages are among many that will start to land soon on the front steps of Jewish homes: deliveries of prayer books, art supplies and gifts meant to make a High Holiday season spent at home a little less lonely and a little more spiritually fulfilling. “What we’ve learned over these months is that to create an online program is not just to take an in-person program and just to put it online, it’s a new field of engagement,” said Rabba Rachel Kohl Finegold of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Montreal. “You need something tangible.” The High Holiday boxes reflect a dawning awareness that with most synagogues closed or at least curtailed, homes are now the center of the Jewish experience. As the coronavirus pandemic extends into the second half of its first year, synagogues and other Jewish organizations are taking new steps to make home practice easier to access. To some, the shift in focus from synagogues to homes as the center of Jewish life is a healthy recalibration for a culture in which synagogues had become too central. “We’ve sharply differentiated home from synagogue... and we’ve put all our energy into the synagogue,” said Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, a professor at Hebrew Union College who researches synagogues, liturgy and ritual. “Instead of two separate entities, we now have the opportunity to share from one home to another.” Hoffman himself has found that the pandemic has changed the way he observes Shabbat. When the pandemic first started, he started singing Shabbat songs on Friday afternoon with his children and grandchildren over Zoom. Eventually the gather-

ings became a weekly ritual and incorporated songs, candle lighting and a full Shabbat dinner conducted over Zoom.

Preschool-age children participate in a morning gratitude session with Rabba Rachel Kohl Finegold at home. Credit: Rabba Rachel Kohl Finegold

Kohl Finegold and others in her position are traversing uncharted territory, according to Vanessa Ochs, a professor of Jewish studies at the University of Virginia. She said this year’s Passover had effectively been a “Jewish boot camp,” as people who might normally attend a family or communal Seder had to figure out how to make one themselves, and now the lessons are being applied to the High Holidays. “How do you do Rosh Hashanah on your own? Our community hasn’t invented that yet,” she said.That invention is underway. A website that sells Passover haggadahs — and allows users to compile resources to create their own — has launched HighHolidays@Home, which invites users to “download a simple Rosh Hashanah Seder & Yom Kippur Guidebook or mix and match to create your own holiday gathering.” Support is also coming from the synagogues that congregants cannot enter this year. In addition to making sure they have easy-to-access Zoom setups and prayer books to follow

along with at home, many congregations are distributing supplies aimed at enriching the holiday experience. At Temple Beth Jacob in Concord, New Hampshire, Rabbi Robin Nafshi is planning to send congregants a package of materials for tashlich, the ritual in which Jews throw bread crumbs into water to symbolize the casting away of sins. With the day when tashlich would be performed falling on an early-fall Sunday this year, Nafshi was concerned about trying to assemble the congregation with proper social distancing at potentially crowded local bodies of water. So congregants at the Reform synagogue will get packets of bird seed in their holiday boxes, which volunteers will hand deliver throughout the region. (The synagogue has used bird seed in place of the traditional bread, which can be harmful to birds and fish, for years.) “Like everyone, we’re trying to figure out this online world where we’re trying to find ways to make this more personal,” said Nafshi. She said she hopes the packages will “remind them that our clergy and board and staff are thinking of them.” At Kohl Feingold’s synagogue, where she is director of education and spiritual enrichment, families will get a box before Rosh Hashanah that will include chocolate bars for the kids and conversation starters to fuel meaningful conversation during holiday meals. Families will also get a glass jar filled with premixed dry ingredients for a honey or apple cake. The idea is for families to bake together for the holiday, then use the container to keep notes marking things to be grateful for or good deeds to bring the lessons of Rosh Hashanah into the rest of the year. Kohl Finegold plans to use the box model in the synagogue’s religious school this year, creating kits for each of the school’s four- or five-week-long units. “It’s opening up a world of possibility that brings us into the children’s homes in ways that I think just weren’t as easy to do before,” she said.