SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND C E L E B R AT I N G
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The Jewish Press AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA | WWW.JEWISHOMAHA.ORG
INSIDE
Due to the JCC closing there will be NO Jewish Press on March 27. The next paper will be the Passover issue on April 4.
MA R C H 2 0, 2 02 0 | 24 A DA R 578 0 | VO L. 1 00 | NO. 2 3 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 7:19 P.M.
JFO update
April Highlights MAGGIE CONTI Director of Activities and Volunteer Service, RBJH ommunity Concert: Award Winning Branson Entertainer Bill Chrastil on Wednesday, April 1, at 1:45 p.m. in the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Silverman Auditorium. No admission fee. Back once again by popular demand, Bill is a multi-talented entertainer who has captivated audiences for over 30 years. His high-energy performance salutes music legends Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Neil Diamond, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Tom Jones and more. This awardwinning vocalist, instrumentalist, entertainer, songwriter and producer creates a musical experience you won’t want to miss. Bring a friend. Everyone is welcome—Ice Cream Social Following the Performance. Taking Care of YOU: Suggestions on Self Care during Times of Sadness, Loss or Grief, Thursday, April 2,
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From wheat to eat: Matzo making is for everyone! Page 5
Something Beautiful Happened luncheon Pages 8 & 9
Above: Bill Chrastil and left: Jayne Gundrum
1:30 p.m. in the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Boardroom. No charge. Refreshments will be served. Presented by Jayne Gundrum from the Visiting Nurse Association. For ten years, Jayne Gundrum has served as the See Mainstreeters page 2
Community Meet & Greet How to make pastrami gravlax and impress your friends Page 16
REGULARS
Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
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GABBY BLAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press Rabbi Mendel and Shani Katzman of Nebraska Chabad are excited to announce the expansion of the Omaha Chabad family and invite the entire community for an all ages Meet & Greet with Rabbi Duni and Chaya Blotner and family on March 29, 4-6 p.m. at the JCC Noshery. This event is generously sponsored by greeters Andee and Anthony Scioli, Andi and Don Goldstein, Joanie and Richard Jacobson and Joel and Nancy Schlesinger. Light refreshments will be served.
The Blotners
The Katzmans, who were sent by the Rebbe as his emissaries 34 years ago, are thrilled to welcome the Blotners who arrived in Omaha earlier this month from New York. Shani shares that “the Blotner family will help strengthen and expand on the local Chabad’s mission of community Jewish outreach, humanitarian services and support.” Katzman continues, “Our job at Chabad is to breathe
more excitement and enthusiasm, vitality and mitzvot and Jewish identity and action into our community and help connect Jews to each other and to Hashem. Chabad is open to all. We seek to expand on our relationships to all area Jewry - affiliated or notand all local and regional synagogues and communities to empower and strengthen them. I am excited that Duni and Chaya have arrived to help further the mission and know their addition will allow Chabad to do even more in regard to mitzvot and programming, especially with our community’s youth.” Andee Scioli is thrilled about our community’s new additions and supports Omaha Chabad because “they are kind, good and caring people. They work hard to connect with as many people as possible in the community. Chabad helps us increase our Jewish education and also helps provide for the spiritual and material needs of everyone in our community. See Meet & Greet page 2
Dear Omaha Jewish Community and JCC Members, As this health crisis continues to evolve and impact communities across the globe, we are adjusting to u n p r e c e - ALAN POTASH dented re- Chief Executive strictions on Officer, JFO our daily lives. The safety of our community and staff is always at the forefront of every decision we make. Beginning at 6 p.m. today (March 16) through March 31, the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its family of agencies will amend operations to best protect our community – residents, members, and staff. All facilities and buildings will be closed to the public. The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home will continue to operate with current visitor restrictions. The JCC and the Child Development Center will be closed and their staffs will be working remotely and answering questions as needed. Jewish Family Service, ADL/CRC, IHE and other agencies will also be working remotely and available by cell phone. Whether or not the Jewish Press will be printed during this time is yet to be determined. In addition, only required staff will be permitted on campus. Other staff will work remotely as needed. The main phone line will direct callers to the specific departments. We believe this is the right action for right now. We will continue to provide updates as needed and will re-evaluate our plans daily. Additional information will be available on our websites: www.jewishomaha.org, www.jccomaha.org, www.jfsoma ha.com, and www.ihene.org. At this time, we anticipate the renovation project construction will continue. Please feel free to call any of us with questions or to email covid19update@jewishomaha.org. We are preparing an FAQ and will share that link this week. Stay well. We appreciate your patience and support during this challenging time. For additional information about closings in our community, please also visit the various Facebook pages for the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Press, the JCC, Beth El Synagogue, Beth Israel Synagogue, Chabad and Temple Israel Synagogue as well as the synagogues' websites. If you do not have internet access, please reach out to the Jewish Federation of Omaha at 402.334.6574. Alan Potash, CEO Jon Meyers, President, JFO Mark Martin, Executive Director, JCC John Glazer, JCC President