Issuu

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

The Jewish Press WWW.O M A H A J E W I S H P R E SS .CO M

INSIDE

WWW. J E W I S H O M A H A .O R G

SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND

Ten days of Tapestry

New in the Kripke-Veret Collection SHIRLY BANNER JFO Library Specialist YOUNG ADULT: Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar Spanning over 500 years, Pura Belpré Award winner Ruth Behar’s epic novel tells the stories of four girls from different generations of a

Reminder: Write With Us Page 2

Enhancing the Quality of Life Page 6 Rabbi Joseph Telushkin

MARK KIRCHHOFF, Community Engagement and Education and NAOMI FOX, Assistant Director of Community Engagement and Education rom May 31 through June 9, the Jewish Federation of Omaha hosted Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. Rabbi Telushkin holds a significant place in the Jewish community due to his profound contributions as a scholar, educator, and author. His impact is multifaceted, encompassing ethical teachings, historical scholarship, and efforts to bridge understanding within and beyond the Jewish community. The word “tapestry” is a fitting metaphor to describe ten days of educational presentations discussions, and religious obser-

How the war in Gaza is changing Jewish summer camp Page 12

vances by Rabbi Telushkin, evoking a sense of rich, intricate, and interconnected narratives that come together to form a cohesive and enlightening experience. Rabbi Telushkin presented diverse themes, historical insights, moral lessons, and cultural contexts into a multifaceted Jewish educational journey. “My sense is that Rabbi Telushkin relished his time here in Omaha for several reasons,” JFO CEO Bob Goldberg said. “Rabbi Telushkin specifically mentioned he had never experienced ‘a more harmonious Jewish community.’ I think that is a product of our culture here in Omaha. Tapestry’s organization and structure involved everyone and gave each of our JFO agencies, congregations, See Ten days of Tapestry page 2

Life & Legacy 10th Anniversary

REGULARS7

Spotlight Voices Synagogues

8 10

STACIE METZ Program and Stewardship Administrator, JFO Foundation The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation is honored to celebrate our 10th year partnering with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation to promote after-lifetime giving to benefit the Omaha Jewish community. Through training, support, and incentives Life & Legacy motivates Jewish organizations to integrate legacy giving into their philanthropic culture, assuring Jewish tomorrows. In recognition of our milestone 10th Anniversary of Life & Legacy, we Ari Axelrod

are thrilled to welcome celebrated New York performer Ari Axelrod as he brings his internationally acclaimed show, A Place For Us: A Celebration of Jewish Broadway, to the Alan J Levine Performing Arts Theatre at the JCC on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. for a 90-minute performance, followed by a dessert reception.

A Place For Us is a celebration of Jewish culture, honoring the songs and stories of Jewish composers and their crucial contributions to the American musical. While there are many stories in the world about Jewish suffering, there are fewer stories about Jewish life and vitality. Ari shared, “Our history is not only about how we survived but also about how we thrived, and A Place For Us highlights this in its exploration of Jewish Broadway. What a thrill to bring this show, which is in many ways about the importance of legacy, to such an incredible celebration. I hope to give Omaha audiences a rekindled love, a fresh understanding, and a newfound appreciation of songs we’ve all loved throughout the years. When I was 20 years old, I found that I had an Arnold-Chiari Malformation, which is a malformation of the brain stem. To have all the goals, plans, and dreams threatened to be taken away at that age put the See Life & Legacy page 3

Jewish family, many of them forced to leave their country and start a new life. In 1492, during the Spanish Inquisition, Benvenida and her family are banished from Spain for being Jewish and must flee the country or be killed. They journey by foot and by sea, eventually settling in Istanbul. Over four centuries later, in 1923, shortly after the Turkish war of independence, Reina’s father disowns her for a small act of disobedience. He ships her away to live with an aunt in Cuba to be wed in an arranged marriage when she turns fifteen. In 1961, Reina’s daughter, Alegra, is proud to be a brigadista, teaching literacy in the countryside for Fidel Castro. But soon Castro’s crackdowns force her to flee to Miami all alone, leaving her parents behind. Finally, in 2003, Alegra’s daughter, Paloma, is fascinated by all the journeys that had to happen before she could be born. A keeper of memories, she’s thrilled by the opportunity to learn more about her heritage on a family trip to Spain where she makes a momentous discovery. Though many years and many seas separate these girls they are united by a love of music and poetry, a desire to belong and to matter, a passion for learning, and their longing for a home where all are welcome. And each is lucky to stand on the shoulders of their courageous ancestors. See Kripke-Veret page 3