April 24, 2020 by Jewish Press

AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA

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Emergency Financial Assistance available Our approach to desperate times: Step 1, Nurture human wellbeing Page 2

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KAREN M. GUSTAFSON, MS, NCC, LIMHP Executive Director, Jewish Family Service ith the best professional and licensed staff, JFS is wholly focused on providing the services individuals, couples and families require when facing challenges in their lives. Financial assistance, counseling, Project Tzedakah, Project Dreidel and family life education; these are among the ways that JFS restores dignity, hope and meaning when it seems like life’s struggles appear insurmountable. This may be an uncertain and challenging time, what is certain is that, together, we will meet the challenge. Our shared values provide a roadmap for weathering this storm. While the JFO and the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation took the lead in designing a Fund Raising Campaign to meet the expected needs of the community, Jewish Family Service ( JFS), was behind the scenes developing a strategic, shortened version of our Assistance Program. Our goal is

to quickly and easily offer some financial relief to those families who have lost jobs during this crisis and are waiting on the government stimulus checks to come in the mail and for those who need groceries or help paying a portion of a bill, such as rent or utilities in order to remain stable. If you are in need of assistance, you can make your request in several different ways. Our preferred method is for you to contact us by phone. We created a process whereby a community member who has a request can call the JFS Main Office at 402.330.2024, between the hours of 9 a.m.-noon, Monday –Thursday. During this time, we have staff and volunteers dedicated to taking calls. The reason for these times, is to allow JFS to process calls each day and to ‘ideally’ finalize each days’ requests by the end of that day, with Friday designed as a catch-up day to finalize anything that was pending for the week. You can also email us at info@jfsomaha. com, and the Jewish Federation of Omaha has provided an online form with a few short See Emergency Financial Assistance page 3

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ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press Since 1991, the Jewish community of Omaha has, on six separate occasions, delivered emergency assistance to fellow Jews experiencing extreme hardship in vulnerable regions of the world. Today, the COVID-19 virus impacts all of us, and many of our neighbors have been hit with levels of adversity the likes of which we have never witnessed. “Life on the Jewish Federation of Omaha campus is not business as usual,” JFO CEO Alan Potash said. “However, the staff is hard at work. Some are able to be on campus and others are working remotely from home. The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home staff in particular is working

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around the clock to care for the residents and we are all grateful for the fantastic job they are doing.” To address immediate needs in our community, the Jewish Federation of Omaha and the JFO Foundation have launched The Jewish Federation of Omaha COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to provide emergency assistance where it’s needed most. While our Annual Campaign adequately provides vital programming and services throughout the year, the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund will fill the urgent shortfall brought on by the current crisis. We estimate

that at least $500,000 will be needed to help Omaha’s community. “As of April 15,” JFO Chief Development Officer Steve Levinger said, “73 gifts totaling $190,169 have been made by community members to the Jewish Federation of Omaha COVID19 Emergency Relief Fund!” As we collectively have met the Challenge laid out by the JFO Foundation, this figure includes the $50,000 Matching Funds generously provided by the Foundation. “We want to sincerely thank all donors who contributed to the Jewish See Thank you donors page 3

RBJH: Staying connected through music AVIVA SEGALL Music Director, Omaha Area Youth Orchestras GABBY BLAIR Staff writer, Jewish Press In the midst of COVID-19 chaos, musicians have turned to technology to inspire and perform for residents of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

OAYO musician Anna Stednitz performs on the clarinet for resident Elaine Feldman.

Aviva Segall, Music Director of Omaha Area Youth Orchestras, shares that she began brainstorming ways her students could still perform after the cancellation of their March 15 concert due to COVID-19. “Music is such an integral part of life for our dedicated students. As I was reflecting on the current inability to perform and practice together, I also began thinking how difficult this isolation must be for residents of senior homes. I then thought... what if we have a ‘symbolic concert’ and have our musicians perform a small snippet of the music they would have performed on March 15, but for residents of senior homes. Since I already knew Maggie Conti and know all of the great activities at the Blumkin Home, that was a natural first call.” Segall e-mailed her musicians with a google form to sign up and the response has been great. “When I sent the e-mail to our students, I also included two quotes about the true purpose of music education for them to consider,” shares Segall. The first, from Jose Abreu, “It is evident that music has to be recognized as an element of socialization, as an agent of social development in the highest sense, because it transmits the highest values - solidarity, harmony, mutual compassion. And it has the ability to unite an entire community and to express sublime feelings.” The second, from Shinichi Suzuki, “Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good See Staying connected page 3