February 10, 2023 by Jewish Press

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

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ISRAEL TEEN TRIP Let’s create together Page 2

JAY KATELMAN JFO Director of Community Development n Dec. 21, 2022, I was one of five chaperones to accompany 22 Jewish Omaha teens on a journey from Omaha to Israel. We traveled from Denver to San Francisco to Tel Aviv, and after about 15 hours of flying plus a tenhour time change, we finally arrived in Israel! We enjoyed four days in Tel Aviv, participated in an archaeological dig, where we found many pieces of coal, pottery, and lots of dirt. We went to a community near Gaza, and learned from an individual living on the border what their daily life is like. It is both an interesting and scary way to live. We then visited with an Ethiopian woman who shared how she came to Israel, while we all enjoyed the feast

The Kaplan Book Group goes Broadway Page 5

she cooked for us. We also spent time at the beach and, of course, we visited the shuk. From Tel Aviv we traveled to Akko, in Omaha’s partnership region. The teens spent two nights at a host family’s house to see how they lived. They stayed up late talking, played video games together, and made special meals. The teens made new friends for life through this experience. While in the partnership region, we also visited a school for K-6 graders. If you ask many of the teens, this was the highlight of the trip. The kids flocked to our teens, and they played dodgeball, volleyball, soccer and even cooked together. As the home hospitality portion of the trip came to an end, the teens said goodbye to their host families, and we all got back on the bus and headed to our final destination, Jerusalem. See Israel Teen Trip page 2

Meet George Santos’ possible replacement: An actual Jew of color Page 12

Bob’s three minutes

REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles

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Editor’s note: Monday, Jan. 16 was Bob Goldberg’s first official day as our Jewish Federation of Omaha CEO. Over the next few months, BOB GOLDBERG you’ll regularly Chief Executive hear from him Officer, JFO in the Jewish Press, among other places. Have questions? Feel free to send them to the Jewish Press at avandekamp@jewish omaha.org and we’ll pass them on. There are many exciting things happening at the Federation, so there will be much to talk about!

Hello friends, It is good to be home. For the last ten years, I have bragged to my friends in Texas and Iowa that I am a product of the Omaha Jewish community. We have so much to be proud of and so much to be grateful for. A lot has happened here in the last ten years. The city has grown, the Staenberg Omaha JCC has had a major renovation, Friedel is adding a middle school, and pickleball is a thing. But the constants remain; the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and Jewish Family Service continue to provide premier care, the Jewish Press connects us, the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center is bringing up the next generation with love, the Jewish Community Relations Council and Institute for Holocaust Education are empowering us to be our best, our Philanthropy and Engagement team is building relationships to sustain the future, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation is the most trusted place for long term investments to support Jewish life in Omaha, and did I mention the Staenberg Omaha JCC... it’s buzzing. If you See Bob’s three minutes page 2

Phil Malcom appointed as COO whatever was needed, Phil was ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPthere. He also brought a quiet, unWRIGHT derstated sense of humor with him, Jewish Press Editor For Phil Malcolm, the year 2022 reminding us to take the work seriwas one of personal and profes- ously, but not ourselves. “Working as the sional growth, as Interim CEO prohe found himself vided an exciting in the position of opportunity for Interim Chief Exour entire team to ecutive Officer of work and grow tothe Jewish Federagether,” Phil said. tion of Omaha. “I have had a really Together with good time meetconsultants Jan Goldstein and ing many people Marty Ricks, Phil in the community. kept our organizaWhile I typically tion connected, work behind the organized and on scenes, this past track. Previously year I’ve had a Phil Malcom the Executive Dimuch closer view rector of Operations, he hit the of what all the behind-the-scenes ground running. From bringing the work means. Seeing operational imleadership team together every pact has been fun and enlightening.” week to organizing team building “During this interim year, Phil has exercises, from giving great advice, been a blessing for us,” JFO Presito teaching helpful strategies or dent Mike Siegel said. “He stepped simply providing a listening ear— See Phil Malcom page 3