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MAY 2 8, 2 02 1 | 1 7 S IVA N 578 1 | VO L. 1 01 | NO. 32 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, MAY 28, 8: 30 P.M.
Humanitarian of the Year
In memoriam: Larry Rawlings Page 5
ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor he Jewish Federation of Omaha is delighted to announce Marty Ricks as the 2020 Humanitarian of the Year. This award is given to an individual who has performed an outstanding service to humanity. Marty will be honored at the JFO Awards Night and Annual Meeting, which will be held June 7 at 7 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater. For those not able to join, a recording of the event will be available. For 14 years, Marty Ricks served the Omaha Jewish Community with dedication, expertise and excellence as the Executive Director of the JFO Foundation, and then for four years as the Chief Development Officer of the JFO. Under his leadership, the Foundation and Federation flourished. Marty provided sound guidance and direction through uncertain economic times, and he always maintained a strong network on a national level, continually expanding his
Death and Mourning in Judaism Page 12
REGULARS
Voices Synagogues Life cycles
Marty Ricks
knowledge and proficiency in the field of financial resource development. Marty was raised in Missouri Valley, IA, one of only two Jewish families in town. His See Humanitarian of the Year page 2
Sokolof Merit Scholarships
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LINDA POLLARD JFO Foundation Endowment Assistant/Staff Writer The 2021 recipients of the Phil and Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit Scholarship have excelled in their academics and community engagement despite the challenges of 2020. These six exceptional students stood out among their peers, persevered through a difficult and unusual year and were still able to attain impressive levels of achievement. Two high school students and two health care students have received the $10,000 Phil and Ruth Sokolof Honor Roll Merit Scholarships, and two music students received $10,000 from the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Fund. None of these scholarships are needbased, but rather awarded on the late Phil Sokolof ’s criteria of personal achievement, scholastic performance, community service and overall
Council Bluffs Cemetery Project ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor A Staenberg Family Anything Grant was awarded to the Ted Seldin Cemetery Grounds Enhancement Project, an initiative of Oak Hill/Bikhor Cholim Cemetery. Longtime board member Ted Seldin, of blessed memory, was a great supporter of the Jewish cemetery in Council Bluffs and continually encouraged the board to replace old or weather-damaged trees and shrubs to keep the grounds looking nice.
T Spotlight: Photos from recent Jewish Community events Page 7
SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND
Laura Kirshenbaum
Daniel Stein
Aviva Atri Schuller
Sophie Cemaj
Benjamin Brodkey
Ilana McNamara
good character. This year’s winners for their freshman year in college are Laura Kirshenbaum and Daniel Stein; the health care winners are Aviva Atri Schuller and Sophie Cemaj, with Benjamin Brodkey and Ilana McNamara winners in the music category. A community reception is planned for June 15 at 6 p.m. The reception will be held in the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family
Reception Room at the Staenberg Fellman Kooper Campus. LAURA KIRSHENBAUM Laura will graduate with honors from Burke High School this spring. She plans to attend the University of Nebraska at Lincoln this fall. Laura hopes to become a genetic researcher. Laura was a National Merit Semifinalist in 2020, an AP Scholar with See Sokolof Scholarships page 3
“Our plans were put on hold in the spring of 2020, due to the Covid pandemic,” said board president Patty Nogg. “We are eager to move forward now, and thanks to the generosity of Michael Staenberg we will be able to do twice as much! Ted Seldin cared so much about the cemetery, so it was natural to honor his many years of dedicated service with this project.” Established in 1857, the Council Bluffs cemetery was originally divided into two sections: one for Reform and the other for Orthodox Jewish families. In 2003, the Reform and Orthodox cemetery boards merged and combined their Perpetual Care funds as well. The Jewish population had greatly diminished - families had moved to Omaha and beyond. Because very few families live in Council Bluffs today, there are only a few burials each year and occasionally a burial plot is sold. The goal of the current board is to ensure that the grounds will continue to be well-maintained as well as to assist those who wish to purchase plots or find family graves. Oak Hill/Bikhor Cholim Cemetery, 1350 East Pierce Street, Council Bluffs will host a Memorial Day Service Sunday, May 30 at 11 a.m. Beth Seldin Dotan will speak about her father and her memories of his devotion to the cemetery. The community is invited. For directions and for additional information, please contact Patty Nogg at 402.493.3479.