Sponsored by the Benjamin and Anna E. Wiesman Family Endowment Fund AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA September 12, 2014 | 17 Elul 5774 | Vol. 93 | No. 52 | 3 Sections
Welcome to Omaha
A2 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Inside story (Founded in 1920) Andrew Ruback President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Jessie Wees Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Thierry Ndjike Bookkeeper
Jewish Press Board Eric Dunning, President-Elect; Sarah Edelstein, Scott Farkas, Sandy Friedman, Paul Gerber, Sarah Grossman-Lopez, Debbie Kricsfeld, David Kotok, Noah Priluck, Paul Rabinovitz, and Nancy Wolf. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish LIfe, Jewish Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www jewishoma ha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: a v a n d e k a m p @jewishomaha.org; send ads (in .TIF or .PDF format) to: rbusse@jew ishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jew ishomaha.org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be singlespaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions, but it should be printed as soon as possible to ensure timeliness. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or e-mail to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.
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Welcome to Omaha
F
irst of all, we’d like to say hello to all our out-of-town guests. Thank you for coming! The Omaha Reunion committee under the leadership of Mary Bernstein has worked tirelessly to create an entertaining program for you, and we hope you enjoy your visit. Of course, we have much more to offer in this issue, because the High Holidays are almost here, and there is more than enough to talk about. Just like our city, we offer a little bit of everything (maybe that should be our motto, rather than “We Don’t Coast,” about which the jury is still out). While we do offer some nostalgic tales about Brandeis, Central High, and of course, the Bagel neighborhood, we also want to make sure that community members who aren’t focused on the Omaha Reunion have something to enjoy. And so we’ve added recipes for Rosh Hashanah (you can’t have a Jewish holiday issue without food), stories about the holiday itself, and some history regarding the Jewish Press during past High Holidays. Sticking with the theme of “Welcome,” we included stories about people who were welcomed to Omaha from Israel and other places, as well as a short story about what it means to find a new home in Israel. We want everyone to feel part of our community while they read the paper, whether you live in California or Dundee. We’ve tried to keep our content varied, and I think we’ve come up with an issue we can be proud of. As with every special edition, we relied heavily on freelance writers as well as our colleagues around the building. I want to thank every single person who has a byline in this issue: Oliver Pollak, Gabby Blair, Sherrie Saag, Bert Lewis, Joey Hoffman, Lois Friedman, Mary Bort, Sybil and Barry Kaplan and Ron Azoulay. Without all of you, we would not have a paper to send out. And before you ask, Ozzie Nogg and the Jewish Press are not breaking up; Oz just needed a little sabbatical. She and her pen will be back with a vengeance for the Hanukkah edition. We can’t wait to see what she comes up with! Personally, I am extremely grateful to the Jewish Press staff members, who handled themselves beautifully in spite of some unique challenges these past few months. Creative Director Richard Busse, Assistant editor Lori KooperSchwarz, Sales Executive Jessie Wees and Sales Associate Hymie Gendler are the best staff any newspaper editor could possibly want. Usually, this is the time of year we make up the balance. We contemplate what the past year brought us, and we create expectations for the future. The year 5774 has brought us the first full year at the new Temple Israel, while we’ve unfortunately had to wave goodbye to Beth Israel’s Rabbi Jonathan Gross and his family. Baltimore is lucky to have them, but we do hope they’ll visit from time to time. We’ve lost Rabbi Myer Kripke, but not before he celebrated his 100th birthday; we’ve enjoyed a wonderful Shaliach, a successful Federation campaign, fabulous summer camps and more programming than we can list. We’ve had countless births, B’nai Mitzvot, engagements, weddings and funerals; it’s all part of the fabric of this community. We’ve also, of course, watched in horror as Israel once again found itself under fire from Hamas, and we continue to hope and pray for peace in 5775.
As we prepare ourselves for this New Year, we hope for not only an end to the War between Israel and Hamas, but we also hope for a severe decrease in the accompanying worldwide antiIsrael and anti-Jewish sentiment. The same goes for the very one-sided reporting we have all been subjected to. Many of us are pretty sick of being portrayed as the bad guys, and we’re equally sick of feeling as if we constantly have to defend ourselves, both in Israel and on the world stage. Now, more than ever, we need to stick together. Guests, strangers, newcomers and natives, we are family, and it is important to remember that. We may not always agree, and that’s okay, but we do need each other. We all need to make each other feel welcome, every day. When the going gets tough, we need to emphasize what a great community we have, and spend time together. If you are visiting during the High Holidays, or if you don’t belong to a synagogue, please find the Holiday schedule in this paper. Beth Israel, Beth El, Temple Israel and Chabad in Omaha will all be more than happy to welcome you; we also have B’nai Israel in Council Bluffs, and Tifereth Israel and South Street Temple in Lincoln. Contact information for each of them is included in the schedule. A big shout out to our proofreaders: Margaret Kirkeby, Jody Malashock, Deborah Platt, Sivi Roffman, Dottie Rosenblum and Suzanne Singer. We so appreciate your weekly dedication to catching the things we miss! In conclusion, I want to thank the Jewish Press Board of Directors for sharing their valuable time and input. Hardworking professionals are much more effective when dedicated lay leaders have their back, and we appreciate your support, always. I wish all of you a fabulous holiday season. May it be a wonderful and peaceful year!
Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | A3
Central High School: A short history
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rom the late 30s to the early 80s, the majority of the teenage Jewish population of Omaha attended Central High School. Many grew up in the “Bagel” neighborhood -- the residences between Underwood and Western Avenue and 57th and 69th Streets -or the surrounding areas, including Dundee and Fairacres. Living through a pivotal time in American history -including the revolutionary Civil Rights Movement, the aftermath of World War II, and the dramatic culture shifts of the 60’s and 70’s -- students of this era dedicated themselves to their schoolwork and activities, but also never neglected to have fun. Established at the site of the original state capitol overlooking the Missouri River in 1859 and remodeled 11 years later, Central High School has excellence embedded into its 15-decades-old mortar. Its student-run newspaper, The Register, started in 1886, is one of the longest-continuing high school publications in the nation, and its Latin club was the first of its kind. Principal J.G. Masters brainstormed the concept behind the countrywide organization of National Honor Society, and in 1956, Central educators implemented one of the earliest Advanced Placement curriculums. During the mid 1900s, the population of Central was most likely 20-25% Jewish. These students, like their non-Jewish peers, stored their books in wooden lockers, climbed the gender-specified staircases, consulted English Department Head Sara Vore Taylor’s revered Stylebook multiple times a day, and loosely adhered to the Purple and White Handbook for clothing guidelines. Also, like their non-Jewish classmates, they spent weekend nights at Memorial Park, Crossroads Mall, Peony Park, Paramount Theatre, or tasting clown sundaes at Cris Rexall Drugs. Yet the Jewish Eagles also often flew in a convocation of their own, frequenting the downtown JCC, BBYO dances and events, productions of secret Jewish fraternities and sororities, the Highland Country Club, and various houses in Bagel. Committed to their studies, Jewish students at Central
participated actively on the competitive Math and Debate teams, but also composed a significant proportion of the Register and O-Book staff, as well as the Drama and Road Show casts. In spite of the spectacular activities, however, Central parents, some of whom survived the Holocaust and wanted to give their prodigy the educational opportunities they never received, generally chose the school for its renowned academics. The prestigious school produced Jewish graduates as noteworthy as Edward Zorinsky, Saul Kripke, Lawrence Klein, Sam Beber and Henry Monsky, among others. In an 87-page 1999 Jewish Press tribute to Central, a number of alumni mentioned Mr. Dan Daly, a student teacher, AP English teacher and English Department Head from the early 60s to the late 90s, as one of their favorite high school educators. As he was also one of my most valued teachers when I had him for British Literature at Duchesne Academy, I asked Mr. Daly to contribute his input on what it was like to teach at Central in the late 20th Century: “I never got up in the morning without being eager to get to work. I think what really accounted for the school’s prestige was a whole generation of teachers who arrived to teach directly before and then after the war... Another factor in its academic success was its strong departmental arrangement with department heads who enforced academic rigor and required the membership to adhere to a rigorous curriculum... I remember the ‘J’ [JCC] vividly because it was just out my second-floor window and across the street. I could find Jeff Noddle or one of his pals there. I sometimes drove them home, yes, to Bagel. Jewish students stayed at Central, even as the population moved from Bagel, Fairacres, and Dundee to the west. Yes, Westside and Burke did make inroads. But many parents, especially Central Alumni, continued to send their kids downtown.” Though fewer Jewish kids of high school age attend Central nowadays, the memories and legacy of previous generations live on, and the same sense of community fostered inside and out of its halls can be rediscovered at the current locations of Temple Israel, Beth El, Beth Israel, Chabad and the JCC.
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A4 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
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Meeting my Israeli cousin by OLIVER B. POLLAK ne of the highlights of our Schwalb Center tour of Israel in May 2014 was meeting my older cousin for the first time. David Barnea is the son of my father’s sister Lena, the youngest of the siblings, Fillie, Martha, Irma, and my father, Wilhelm, Hillel, William, Willie or Bill, all born in Vienna. Our common grandfather, Adelbert Pollak, died in the mid-1920s; grandmother, Agnes Pollak, died in August 1942 two weeks after being ‘transported’ from Vienna to Theresienstadt.
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derful food, including a salad plate with at least a dozen offerings, and gracious service. We schmoozed about children, marriages, grandchildren, education, travels, and Anat’s mental health business, BioKeshev, Neurofeedback Center. They have three children, Ido, married to Ilana with three children, Dor, Gali and Liri; Ely and Shira have a son Amit; and Oded. All live in Israel. David and Anat live on kibbutz Givat Chaim Ichud, which dates from 1932, next to Beit Terezin, in the Hafer Valley near Hadera, 31 miles from Tel Aviv. David revealed the complexity of contem-
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Clockwise, from left: Karen Pollak, David Barnea, Oliver Pollak and Anat Barnea. Jews marrying Christians in Vienna was not uncommon. Developing Nazi ideology and the Anschluss, German takeover of Austria in 1938, frowned on these unions and their “mischlinge” offspring. The four Pollak siblings had at least two divorces as they extricated themselves from unions where the Christian wanted to stay in “Greater Germany,” and the Jewish Pollak fled Austria. Recall the 2003 German film Rosenstrasse. David Biberstein, born in Vienna in 1937, moved to Palestine and lived in Jerusalem before going to a kibbutz when he was six. David met our cousins Inge Halpert, Jean Pierre Schachter and Berndie Holsten. Only my sister Judy Lo and I had not met David. David and I met for the first time in May 2014. Anat, driving a 2009 four door Toyota Corolla, which they own, picked us up at the Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv. Since we did not know what the other looked like, or what we would be wearing I took a chance in the parking lot -- he had an uncanny likeness to my father who died in 1978 (perhaps that is what I wanted to see) -- and asked if he was a Pollak. Of course not. His family birth name Biberstein became Barnea. David Ben Gurion encouraged the Hebraization of names, replacing European names with Hebrew names. Thus Aubrey Solomon Eban, an Israeli Ambassador, became Abba Eban. He asked me if I was Pollak, “Of course,” I said. We hugged in the parking lot. We were cousins and immediately simpatico, or copacetic (perhaps a word with Hebrew origin). He is further left than I, and given Israeli and American politics, that was a relief. David met Anat at the Technion, Israel’s MIT; they married in 1969. My spouse, Karen, has been in touch with Anat, a psychologist, on Facebook since 2009. Anat was born on Kibbutz Yagur near Haifa, her mother was a 15th generation Israeli. Our dinner destination was Jaffa. A magical parking space led us to the newly opened Arab-owned St. George restaurant, in a beautiful 131 year old high-arched ceilinged room, renovated into a high-end eatery. Our waiter was Ali Abu Ali. Great conversation about discovering family was accompanied by won-
porary kibbutz economics and the transformation from classic communal socialist, agricultural settlement started in the early 20th century, to private ownership models. The about 270 kibbutzim are in transition. For at least ten years the kibbutz has been confronted with privatization, attempting to balance communal cooperation, private property and capitalism. About 75% have changed the system, and 25% have stayed traditional where all share in common ownership. David guessed that about two percent of the kibbutz members were not pulling their load. The inequality of individual income and contribution fostered desires for private property in homes, cars and savings. My cousin’s kibbutz, Chaim Ichud, has 1,000 residents (300 families), about 50 of whom are retired; some retired residents still work in the kibbutz. Rather than turn over all income to the kibbutz and receive housing, food, health care and education, they are shifting to paying a rent and keeping surplus capital, and having the right to bequeath the home to family, or to sell it to qualified, kibbutz-approved buyers. The Barnea kibbutz produces Prigat orange and other juices, the second largest juice manufacturer in Israel. Our hotel served Prigat products and it is exported. David, a mechanical engineer, which has taken him to Bulgaria “and all kind of places,” was involved with processing and packaging, raw material to finished product. We stayed at the religious kibbutz Lavi near Tiberias. An American who has been on the kibbutz, which has about 800 residents since 1968. gave an informative talk indicating that Lavi had retained the communal property principle, and was not considering changing. Residents have access to cars similar to zip cars and community bicycle racks. He also indicated that residents may have private bank accounts. We relished our delicious meeting and meal. Good times get interrupted by the tourist’s itinerary and jet lag and the demands of our host’s working the next day. Tired, we said our good byes with the expressions, ‘stay healthy, we’ll meet again, stay in touch.’
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | A5
Remembering Brandeis by SARA COHEN
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uring their weekend or holiday leisure t i m e , Omaha consumers of various ages frequent stores in Village Pointe, the Westroads and Oak View Malls, Regency, and even those as remote as the Nebraska Crossing Outlet location in Gretna. The preceding generation remembers the enjoyable trips to the Crossroads Mall they would make as rambunctious teenagers. Before all of this, however, the premier location for shopping and entertainment in Omaha was in the heart of the city: the downtown district. And its principal attraction, the J.L. Brandeis and Sons department store, could compare to no other store of its kind in the entire Western region of the United States. The history of the famed Brandeis Store spans a period of over 100 years, beginning with the quest of an itinerant youth with an ambitious dream: to capitalize on the prospect of the developing new territories of the West. Born in 1836 in Lieben, Austria, to a family of 12 boys, Jonas L. Brandeis left his home country at the age of 19 to make a name for himself in New York City. Trained as a tanner, Brandeis found few opportunities in the Big Apple and soon left for the Wild West, venturing into the land of the Manitowac Indians in Wisconsin. He resided there for nearly 25 years, consequentially becoming quite accustomed to the language and culture of the Native Americans. After setting up his fur trading post, which later developed into a small retail business, he met his wife, Fanny Teweles. They married in Milwaukee in 1860, later introducing four future heirs, three boys and one girl, into the world. J.L. Brandeis and his family finally moved to the city of Omaha in the early 1880’s, and shortly thereafter opened a wholesale business at the location of 1207 Farnam St. After 1000 N. 90th St., Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114
Clockwise from left: The Brandeis building, The French Room and The Fine Jewelry department.
this initial business’s failure, Brandeis established “The Fair,” a retail store on 13th and Howard. The store took off, and within a few years had to be relocated to a more accommodating building on 16th and Douglas. Now under the informal name of “The Boston Store,” J.L. Brandeis & Sons rapidly escalated in popularity. The architecture itself, executed in the Renaissance Revival Style invoked awe in all who passed the behemoth structure. Its 10 stories licensed it as a skyscraper in the early 20th Century, and each floor had its distinct class of products or amenities to offer. The Basement boasted a shoe repair kiosk and budget store; the Main Floor had as varied enterprises as a sportswear department, a flower shop, a tea room, and a bookstore, along with overhanging balconies designated for women’s and men’s separate interests; the Fourth Floor was home to a Pet Bazaar and a sewing center; a wedding consultant inhabited the Sixth
Floor; the Ninth story hosted offices; and the famous Tenth Floor held the Brandeis Auditorium, which would be transformed every winter into a Christmas Wonderland enticing eager children and enchanted toy aficionados. To visit Brandeis was a full sensory experience, to say the least. Its elaborately lit window displays embellished the street at night, and every Saturday employees would unleash a dozen balloons encasing coupons for clothing. Elevators and an underground walkway transported people throughout the store, and the restaurants and arcade would bring in families and young adults seeking a pleasurable time. Elaine Jabenis, who worked as a Fashion Merchandising Director at Brandeis for 23 years, remarked, “Brandeis was a kind of a store unlike any other. It had a magic that made everyone feel like Brandeis was their store. You went there not only to shop, but to be entertained. It was famous throughout the state and the entire Midwest for treating customers with great respect. People felt welcomed there.” J.L. Brandeis and his family contributed to the growth of the city of Omaha in more ways than one. Jonas served as a Continued on page A6
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A6 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Brandeis
Read it and eat The Holiday Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer he author traveled through the US and Canada teaching and learning to create parve desserts, her kosher baking revoluLOIS FRIEDMAN tion, “a holiday baking manifesto”, overflowing with beautiful desserts for entertaining and loaded with snacks, “contemporary
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twists” on traditional grandma goodies. The holiday chapters: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Chanukah, Purim, Passover and Sukkot. Every chapter has one-bowl, quick sweets and fancier multi-step creations. Gone from these pages are the “same old, same old” fare. Learn skills and gain confidence... each chapter is divided into sections: entertaining and snacking. Included are special diet needs, recipes are marked easy (1 step), moderate (2 steps) and multiple step (2-3 parts). Essential equipment that maximizes usefulness is listed, techniques and tips are described, suggestions for other life-cycle events such as Shiva, Bris and baby naming are given. Color coordinated graphics divide the chapters. The pages are loaded with many beautiful color photographs of
desserts. Each recipe includes chatty headnotes and detailed instructions. Sidebars are helpful and explain choices. Included for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a time to grant us a happy, healthy year, a wake-up call for repentance, desire for a sweet year, tashlich and throwing away our sins, asking for forgiveness, our capacity to change and starting the year with a clean slate, are a dozen snack recipes and nine desserts and include breakfast as well as breakfast choices. Begin with Pizza Ebraica, “the ugliest dessert you will ever love” easy recipe. PIZZA EBRAICA 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 large egg white 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup dark raisins soaked in 1 cup sweet wine for ten minutes (you can also use purple grape juice) 1 cup whole almonds, with skins 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped 1/2 cup pine nuts 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped 1/2 cup golden raisins Preheat Oven to 400 degrees F. Cover a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. Place the olive oil, egg white, flour, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or electric mixer. The mixture will look like very dry crumbs. Add the raisins and wine and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands. Add the almonds, apricots, pine nuts, cranberries, and golden raisins and mix until combined. Place the dough on the prepared jelly roll pan and shape it into a large oval or rectangle, almost the size of the cookie sheet. Pat the top down. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until well browned. Let cool. To eat, break into pieces. Store at room temperature for up to five days if it lasts that long. Lois Friedman can be reached at ReadItAndEat@ yahoo.com.
Continued from page A5 Park board member, was instrumental in the TransMississippi Expedition, and was Vice President of Temple Israel for a time. The family also helped to establish the Wise Memorial Hospital, a medical facility for Jewish residents of Omaha, and the Brandeis Theater, deemed one of the most beautiful venues in America upon its opening in 1910. Nevertheless, it was the family’s imperious status that earned them the most attention. Locals found entertainment in the fascinating Brandeis family affairs, which included the untimely demise of one The fountain in the Pompeian Room descendent, Emil, who died during a card game in the 1912 Titanic disaster. The leadership and face of Brandeis developed over the years, as J.L. passed away and left his legacy to his sons, Hugo, Arthur, and Emil, and later his nephew, George, and grandson, E. John. After reaching its zenith in the 1970’s, at which point it had 15 locations and several smaller budget stores throughout Omaha and the surrounding areas, Alan Baer, the nephew of E. John, sold the Brandeis franchise to Younkers in 1987. Although its closing came as a disappointment to customers and past employees, the building still stands as an emblem of those halcyon days during which visitors would flock in by the hundreds, some coming from neighboring towns to make their weekend rounds at Brandeis. As a 1908 excerpt from the Reform Advocate notes, “The Brandeis building is (was) a source of pride to the citizens of Omaha... a splendid example of American enterprise and pluck.”
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September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | A7
The Shul at 19th and Burt Street
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by BERT LEWIS t had a name of course. I don’t ever remember hearing it called by its proper name, which was, in fact, Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol. Actually, until the membership of the old shul was counting its last days, not many people either knew or used the name. What was it called, if not by a real name? The Litvisher Shul, naturally. That’s not to say or imply that only Jews who used the Livak pronounciation when speaking yiddish were welcome as members. No, it didn’t work that way. We must go back some distance and explore how observant Jews often followed what we called the rules. What rules? To begin, lets look at the Sabbath. Our most observant elders learned with their first words, Jews don’t ride on or in any conveyance powered by any living creature, whether a man with reins in his hands or a horse guided by the pull of the aforementioned reins. That was the rule for shabbos and/or holidays. This, of course, changed the habits of many, particularly those who lived uncomfortably long distances from shul. Little children learned early they most likely would hold mama’s hand when clean and ready for shul, and together they walked. Seems a simple rule to live by, no? Let’s go on and visit the various changes walking as opposed to riding would make in the lives of the most observant, shall we? And particularly, let’s zero in specifically on those families who dressed up in their best, and taking mama’s hand, walked to shul. Back up and let’s pay attention to the first member of the family to make their way to what we now call services. In the house and family in which I grew up, that meant my Dad, who was accompanied by my brother, once he observed his Bar Mitzvah. I don’t know who else used that rule, but that’s how it was where I grew up. That gave my mom time to see that everyone had breakfast and was dressed in their very best and out the door heading east, on the way to the huge building on the corner of 19th and Burt Street. In all fairness, it was at that point that I finally began taking a real interest in what was going to happen. First of all, the order of the day was “shhh. Don’t talk or make noise.� That was because the ladies-only area to which my mom and I had gone were busy with their prayer books. Mostly, the older ladies were already in place with their own prayer books in their hands, looking totally serious and completely unwilling to tolerate any noise or giggling or, more likely, the sudden shriek of a toddler being held tightly by Mama. Of course the toddler wanted to be released and allowed to run in a wild fashion, and certainly no mother was going to permit that! Actually, just getting to the right area and following orders to sit down and be very quiet was all that was expected. And I might add, heaven help the child who decided NOT to be quiet. My mom never spoke one forbidden word, but her look spoke volumes. All of that business was fairly routine, relatively quiet and except for the sudden little voice that might be heard to say “mama, I’m hungry,� nothing much unusual happened. That is, if you didn’t count how many times you whispered to your mom “how much longer?� By now you understood that all the above was preparation for the rest of the time when bigger kids were expected to behave perfectly, not make a sound, and demonstrate to the world at large how well behaved they were. You’ll notice I said “were expected to,� which mostly had little to do with what actually transpired. Let’s be honest. When you tell a child not to speak or make any noise, or squirm or to stop removing their shoes or to stop scratching that mosquito bite, that child finds it impossible to comply. And the mother watching for instant response to her order finds herself feeling her anger rise with her annoyance. Actually, most moms haven’t spoken a word... but there’s been a look exchanged between Mom and kid, and if the kid is smart, that look is read clearly and rapidly. But the kid isn’t
always ready to fully comply, and likely returns mom’s look by such things as rolling the eyes, or worse, crossing them in an effort to make mom lose her cool. This is the kind of thing I remember going on during shul, on a too warm day in early September... likely erev yomtov. I remember very well what the conversation would be later, on the way home after services. It seldom varied. Thinking back now, I have to wonder how I had the nerve to even think of misbehaving, knowing darn well what the lecture on the way home would be. Ok, this is all what we might have called “preface� had we known the word. Let’s jump ahead and picture ourelves older, smarter, and of course, in better control. In that brief but important pre-message, we hear our dear parent say, just above a whisper “Ok, we’re going in now. You say Good Yomtov Bubby, sit down and keep quiet.� What she doesn’t say, but what you hear anyway is “and one peep out of you...�. Oh yeah. It’s amazing how your hearing improves when only you and your mom know what she’s saying. Plus you were hoping nobody close by understood what was going on. Maybe that’s when you amused yourself by looking down to see what your dad and Zaydy were doing, and it just happened that’s when your dad looked up and saw you. You could almost feel the touch of his hand on your head and understand that Dad was silently asking the almighty to please watch over his kinderlach. Not that your dad couldn’t be tough as nails, but when he asked for a little interference to be run for the safety of his progeny, it was special enough for a little kid to understand. To tell you the truth, when I remember such scenes from my childhood, I can still feel the lump come up in my throat, with my memories of my beloved dad, sending special requests. A favorite old song I often think of reminds us that when we’re very young, “The days hurry by, to a precious few� and that’s the truth. Seems like one minute there we are with our mom and the next we’re bringing her a grandbaby for a Yomtov kiss. Where did those years go? Are they related to the days when you and your friends figured out how to slip out of shul just before the sound of the last shofar? Somehow, the days when you were the little kid expected to behave nicely in shul have disappeared. And there you are, in services today, maybe letting your memories interupt the words in your prayer book. Maybe you smile, recalling that nobody has to switch on the oven to warm the meal the family will soon enjoy, because everything is very different now. The stove is smart and follows instructions - do you think for a minute that life would be easier if kid “timers� could be set to keep them safe and happy until completely “cooked?� A joke? Yes, but so is it to sit quietly and think back many decades ago, and just remember. I only know for sure this: the bricks from that lovely old shul on 19th and Burt were razed many decades ago, but they once held together a lovely old shul where many generations of Omaha Jewish families came to worship together. The old shul is gone. There aren’t groups of of young people milling around outside, wishing each other the happiest of New Years ever! Those of us who used to herd our little ones into orderly groups are now trying to find our grandchildren. Where have the years gone? Where did the Litvisher shul go? Oh yes, I remember. It’s all gone now because that was all yesterday. And that’s ok, because that’s how it’s supposed to be. We take our turn, one generation at a time, overseeing the next new group to come along. That’s how it’s supposed to be. So let’s do as we always do..let us wish each other a healthy, happy and peaceful new year, filled maybe with a few wonderful simchas sprinkled around all families. That couldn’t hurt, could it? My most sincere wishes for every one of us, starting with good health and finishing with whatever makes us all happy.
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Welcome: From Israel to Omaha by RON AZOULAY always felt a bit strange being an Israeli in the United States, even with American citizenship. On the one hand, I chose to live in the United States for both personal and professional reasons. On the other, I am a proud first sergeant in the Golani Brigade. On one hand, my work as a first grade teacher informs my passion for education, conflict resolution, and equalizing social and economic opportunities for all. On the other hand, when it comes to my country, I can be (as my catholic Jamaican grandfather says) “blindly tribal”. To complete the khamsa, I am suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from both my military days and now my experience with leukemia.
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and intentions that are often in conflict with their own. Each child brings their own conflict resolution tools with them, observed, negotiated or taught by their experiences and personal exposure to the world around them. As a classroom teacher/facilitator, it was my responsibility to orchestrate dialogue around my expectations to ensure a safe learning environment that respects the diversity of experiences, skills and abilities – including my own. Away from the sirens, the family and friends who have been called up to put on uniforms, away from the hourly news reports, the fear of the creatively destructive intentions of Hamas, and away from the rhetoric of war, I felt hypocritical sitting with friends and analyzing the situation, trying to rationalize the current escalation
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Left: Ron today, Right: Ron when he served in the IDF. In living outside of my country, I feel at odds trying to react to social media postings from family, friends and friends of friends about the war raging in Israel and Gaza. One posting sets a stream of negative responses, while the next image is of a cat playing hide and seek, and following that is a selfie. Its hard to be empathetic in this technological world. I try to maintain a critical perspective about the political leadership of Israel and the decisions it makes affecting both the citizens of Israel, and the world. I am, and was as a soldier, a supporter of a two state solution. I envisioned a business strategy uniting Egypt, Gaza, Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan, where natural resources are shared and thus benefit the economic prosperity of the region. One of the elements preventing this collaborative effort, in my opinion, has been a nihilistic vision of the future held by many religious, political, and social leaders in all those areas. I understand the addictive nature of political power and influence in the region. I can comprehend what blindly drives the religious fanatics who claim divine intervention on their flock’s behalf. I also understand the realities of fear, exploitation, and the need for tribal identification to justify militaristic assaults that are used to “teach the other side a lesson.” I get it – both sides are serious enough to jeopardize the lives of those they govern. I understand, but I vehemently disagree. In a first grade classroom, the children become exposed to diverse interests, wants
of violence. Alone, I realized that fear is what is driving the conversation, and that it is bred from trauma on both sides. I can reach as far back in history as I want, two years, five years, fifty years, two thousand years – the trauma is entrenched in the narrative, developing and encasing fear into each generation of children that is growing up nurtured on the previous trauma, conflict and excuses. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which Michael Lerner identifies as the real crisis in the region, can be easily manipulated and exploited. After all, the problem with trauma is that you have to constantly negotiate getting past the emotional, physical, and mental stress that brought it about in the first place. Most leaders on both sides have used various marketing tools to drive the conversation as far away from reason as possible, and were given free reign based on the latest rounds of military assault witnessed from here. To quote David Grossman, “[there are] people who long to live in peace and those who feed, ideologically and emotionally, on continued violence.” Dialogue, and looking to find creative solutions to the violence, requires me to mobilize and find those who long to live in peace on both sides. If I can do that in Omaha, maybe this technological world can help steer the conversation back home, too.
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Omaha neighbors: Bloomsorganic by GABBY BLAIR n an 11 acre plot just outside of Crescent, Iowa, sits The Fertile Crescent Farm, home of Bloomsorganic. In sharp contrast to the neighboring fields of perfectly spaced corn rows and pivot irrigators, this little farm gives the initial impression of a delightfully overgrown country garden. A modern farmhouse, a small orchard and a pile of mulching hay sit at the end of the narrow gravel drive. Two greenhouses, full of fragrant herbs and other tasty delights, sit staggered on the gently rolling hillside surrounded by fields of salad greens, potatoes, raspberry canes, squash, tomatoes, asparagus and countless other herbs and vegetables in a cacophony of wild growing beauty. For the past 14 years, Blooms has blossomed into a fully accredited organic farm and is a sought-after supplier of high quality organic produce in local culinary circles. Two and a half acres worth of land is lovingly farmed by owner Rebecca Bloom and Production Assistant Betsy Goodman. “Bloomsorganic follows national organic standards and is one of the very few local farms that does so,” says Rebecca Bloom. “I transitioned my land from conventional farm land to a completely chemical free organic operation. We utilize cover crops and green manures and we follow a cycle of fallow fields to comply with USDA organic standards.” Certification for organic farming, it should be noted, requires land owners to farm following USDA organic standards for a minimum of three years before becoming eligible for accreditation. Yearly inspections are performed locally by The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s (IDOLS) Organic Division, to ensure the farm is complying with the USDA standards. “Inspectors test well water for bacteria and nitrates in addition to looking through our farm house and store rooms to ensure we have no violations such as fertilizers or GMO seeds,” explains Goodman. Seeds are something of a passion for Betsy, whose experience with plant genetics and breeding provides an invaluable service to the farm, and her hard work hand-harvesting seeds has impressed IDOLS inspectors. Almost everything on the farm is grown from seed yearly, save for a handful of hard to cultivate organic starters. This passion has motivated Goodman to start the Common Soil Seed Library, a program that includes free classes for beginner to expert level gardeners or for those just curious about where their food comes from. The Common Soil Seed Library is housed at the Benson Branch of the Omaha Public Library, and is open to the public. Library card holders are encouraged to “check out” six seed packets per month from a seed catalog which contains over 112 plant varieties. “I am hoping to offer composting and rainwater catchment classes in the future and have been encouraged by the positive support and interest Common Soil has generated.” She encourages everyone to check out the program and provide feedback. It is completely paid for
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Clockwise, from top: healthy vegetables and a stunning view; owner Rebecca Bloom; a burst of color. by grants and private funding, and those who would like to support this initiative should make donations to the Omaha Public Library, Attention: Common Soil Seed Library. In addition to helping educate the public about raising food organically through its support of the Common Soil Seed Library Initiative, Bloomsorganic also supports Friedel Jewish Academy’s Annual Plant and Flower Sale. By providing an amazing supply of high quality organic herb and vegetable
starters for wholesale costs, and taking back any unsold merchandise without charge, Blooms is instrumental in helping the school have a successful Spring fundraiser. According to the Friedel PTO, the majority of patrons are repeat customers who come back year after year specifically for the unusual varieties of herbs and heirloom vegetables that are hard to find elsewhere in town. Blooms also enjoys opening their doors for hands-on educational visits for a variety of groups, including county extension educators, local garden clubs, youth organizations and groups interested in the natural healing properties of plants and herbs. Recently, the Beth El Women’s Rosh Hodesh group had the opportunity to explore and learn about the workings of the farm, plant their own starter herbs to take home, and were treated to a lovely Bloomsorganic salad bar with delicious homegrown produce. Aside from these public outreach and charitable events, Bloomorganic has provided plants to Lauritzen Gardens and is a supplier of fresh- from- the- garden produce to a number of fine dining establishments that pride themselves on serving locally sourced organic foods. Most notably, these include The Gray Plume, Kitchen Table and The Boiler Room. Additional businesses also include Paradigm Gardens and the Natural Grocer’s Market off 78th and Dodge. “Produce is sold in small bulk batches based on what is ready to harvest every given week and these buyers are very aware of the limited quantities and environmental situations, such as the recent hail storms, that can impact our supply,” explains the duo. It is worth mentioning that everything produced at the farm is cared for by Bloom and Goodman from seed to harvest. Often times you can see them working hard, but happily, in the fields, covered in soil with wide-brimmed straw hats, pulling away weeds and vines, tilling up silty soils and watering by hand. “We choose to plant what we can care for and much of the work is done by hand with minimal use of machinery,” explains Bloom, who also has a small fruit tree orchard and a number of bee boxes. “It is a ton of work, but it is something I really enjoy!” As an artist and former art teacher, Rebecca Bloom expounds on her observations of nature as an organic farmer, and sees the beauty and art in cultivating her patch of land which she describes as her canvas. “I have found this endeavor to be a process of discovery, patience and ongoing art.” Indeed, the gentle rolling hills and the soft greens of the vegetation around the farm paint an idyllic picture. This type of farming is truly an art form, working with the land not against it... and the proof is in the produce - it tastes absolutely divine! If you have questions about Bloomsorganic, The Common Soil Seed Library, or would like to visit or volunteer at the farm, please contact Betsy Goodman 402.321.1806 or Rebecca Bloom at 402.639.7365. If you would like to help support The Common Soil Seed Library, please attend Betsy’s free classes, pick up free seed packets, or make donations to The Omaha Public Library - Attention: Common Soil.
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No place like home by SCOTT LITTKY Program Director, Temple Israel ’m sure we all remember the quote from the Wizard of Oz -- “there’s no place like home!” Omaha is home to a thriving Jewish community with deep roots. Some of our families at Temple Israel have been here for over a hundred years and some
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will engage our community with a modern spiritual, educational and social Jewish experience that uplifts our lives.” We have strived through our vision -- “to be an inclusive, connected and expanding Reform Jewish community, that has lived by the values of “Torah, Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam.” There is no better way to articulate the evolution of Temple Israel than to look at
Temple Israel Confirmation Graduation 1904 for a matter of days, but each has quickly formed a bond to their Temple. Since 1871, Temple Israel has striven to be a Jewish presence in Omaha. Recent members have come to Omaha for different reasons, and have been welcomed with open arms. Our membership represents all aspects of the greater Omaha community. We continue to pride ourselves on the diversity of our membership. Members have come to us because of our excellent religious school and programming. Others for our stand on social issues and some just seeking a Jewish home. Over the course of our 143 year history, Temple Israel, has lived by its mission -- “We
during the High Holy Days. May you and your loved ones have a new year that is blessed with love, happiness, prosperity and peace!
Temple Israel Confirmation Graduation 2014
the development and involvement that we have in the Tri-Faith Initiative. Its mission speaks directly to the mission and value system of Temple Israel. “To foster and build understanding, respect and trust is a challenging and urgent task in our increasingly complex and global society. Promoting peaceful co-existence is a global priority in a world where the focus is often on fear. Accepting each other’s religious expression brings us together as a community and creates a voice for a hopeful future.” In 1971, Temple Israel published a book covering the history of the first 100 years of life at Temple Israel. In his essay for the book, Rabbi Sidney H. Brooks wrote, “Thus
From our family to yours
tomorrow is our concern. As we are grateful for our inheritance from the past, far greater is our awe to realize how directly we shape tomorrow.” It is interesting that 43 years later this statement still rings true, and we see this in the Jewish education that is offered to all ages of our community. Our religious school is thriving and our children love to be in their Temple. This com-
ing year a new curriculum is being introduced that will only improve the level of education that our children receive. Education does not stop with our children. Adults continue to be offered many opportunities to learn, from weekly Torah study to TED Talks. We also to continue to speak with our feet. We are never afraid to get dirty and continue to look for ways to experience Tikkun Olam. We are dedicated to Habitat For Humanity and to the individual caring needs of our community. As we enter the year 5775 and look back at all our community has done for each other, we all know that we are fortunate to call Omaha our home.
Welcome to Israel: Life in times of war by SYBIL and BARRY KAPLAN or those of you who read my overview in the June issue, except for the fact that Israel is engaged in a war that many in the States do not really comprehend because they do not understand the Middle East, regretably, and specifically, the Arab mentality, life here is really fairly normal. Recently, a new campaign has started for senior citizens which does sound very promising, despite it’s rather whacky name. “Tuesdays in Suspenders” offers seniors discounts on movie tickets, Toys R Us purchases and museum entrances. Except for the first week of the war when the sirens were heard in our neighborhood three times, Jerusalem has been very quiet. Unfortunately, the neighborhood where we used to live, which is only a ten-minute or so walk from here, has been the recipient of a lot of Arab anger. It comes from young teens in the nearby Arab neighborhood getting drunk late at night and having nothing to do. Our day-to-day life has not changed much. We go to town daily by bus--often striking up conversations with interesting fellow bus riders; we pick up our mail at the main post office, which gives us the opportunity to exercise by walking from the center of town or taking the light rail to the post office and walking back through town to take the bus home. Most of our food comes from Machaneh Yehudah, the outdoor Jewish produce market, where I lead my walks in English twice a week, so going there several times a week lessens the amount we carry where Barry identifies himself as my shlepper. Continued on page 12
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Out
Welcome to Omaha! Dining What’s for dinner?
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | A11
D Julio’s
Zio’s
Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob
Mai Thai
by GABBY BLAIR eciding on where to dine can be difficult when you are in a new town. Do you turn to online reviews or look for a restaurant with a full parking lot? Do you pick a familiar chain restaurant or choose something close by and hope for the best? Worry not, hungry reader! Here is a lineup of a few locally owned and operated Omaha favorites sure to delight your palate and fill your belly! Julio’s This Tex Mex hangout has been an Omaha favorite since 1977. With two locations, Downtown in the Old Market (510 S. 13th St) and in West Omaha (123rd and Center Street), Julio’s is easy to access from whatever part of town you are in. The atmosphere is second only to the amazing food, and there is something for everyone including vegetarian and gluten free options. Check out their menu and specials online and don’t forget that kids eat free on Monday night, and Wednesday boasts the best margaritas in town for half price! Check out the weekly Dealio’s and menu at http://julios.com/ Zios Pizzaria Since 1985, Zio’s Pizzeria has been turning out award winning homemade, hand stretched New York style pizza and calzones. With three locations across the Omaha metro (in the Old Market at 1109 Howard Street, in Midtown at 7834 Dodge, or in West Omaha at 12997 West Center) Zio’s is always a great option for a quick slice or a large party. For the pizza lover, Zio’s offers over 40 fresh toppings and some unique specialty pies and slices. The menu also boasts a large variety of sandwiches, pastas, salads, desserts and drinks in addition to gluten free options. See Zio’s full menu at ziospizzeria.com Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob This hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the heart of Dundee (620 N. 50th) gives new meaning to the saying “good things come in small packages!” Open until 10 p.m. on weeknights and 3 a.m. on weekends, this increasingly popular spot features approximately seven items on their menu- four of which are sandwich or salad options of homemade falafel or doner kabob (think gyro meat). Be advised that seating is very limited, but carryout is always available. Fresh vegetables, chickpeas, tabouleh, hummus and delicious homemade dressings in garlic, herb or spicy varieties on amazing toasted bread helps Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob live up to its motto of “Handmade daily, always fresh & open late!” Be sure to try their tasty, fragrant curry fries served in a paper cone! View the menu online at eatatfk.com Mai Thai Beautiful presentation and quality Thai food awaits you at Mai Thai, an Omaha favorite since 2007. The restaurant has expanded from its original west Omaha location in Harvey Oaks (14618 West Center) and has opened its second venue at the trendy Aksarben Village in midtown (2279 S. 67 St). Mai Thai’s extensive menu features traditional favorites and delicious original creations by Chef Preeda Joynoosaeng. Diners should be sure to specify their preferred level of spiciness from zero
(no spice) to 5 stars (makes you sweat). View lunch and dinner menus online at maithaiomaha.com Lastly, for those looking for some delicious baked goods, check out the following Omaha bakeries which have been serving up sweets and specialities to locals for years! Délice Located in Midtown Crossing (3201 Farnam # 6112), this European bakery and cafe offers a tasty array of breakfast pastries, muffins, croissants, turnovers, scones, coffee cakes, cinnamon rolls and tea breads. Additionally, Delicé has a
When you patronize these fine establishments, tell them you saw their ad in the Jewish Press.
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17th & Vinton | 402-449-9112 WheatFields Eatery and Bakery wide array of delectable made-fromscratch desserts in both individual and whole sizes. Find the full baked goods and brunch/lunch/dinner menus at deliceeuropeanbakery.com Lithuanian Bakery and Café Since 1962, the Lithuanian Bakery has been turning out specialty breads and Lithuanian tortes unlike any other place in Omaha. While selection is not huge, the quality is unsurpassed and items are made daily. Hearty pumpernickel, rye and sourdoughs are sure to delight bread lovers, and no trip to Omaha is complete without trying the amazing Napoleonas Torte, for which they are famous. Located at 7427 Pacific Street, the small, nondescript Lithuanian Bakery and Cafe also offers a small self described “eclectic menu based on old country recipes,” and a mail order service for their tortes. Check them out at lithuanianbakery.biz WheatFields Eatery and Bakery WheatFields offers a large assortment of tantalizing freshly baked goodies ranging from artisan breads, cakes and cookies and of course, their specialty pies of the month. Additionally, WheatFields offers a full breakfast/ lunch/dinner menu, and with three locations, it is a great choice for a meal or a snack! Visit them in the Old Market (1202 Howard), in Midtown (1224 S. 103 St) or in Papillion (7775 Olsen Dr.) Online menu at wheat fieldscatering.com. Happy eating!
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his month we gather with our family a n d friends and, together as JAY NODDLE one Jewish people, welPresident, Jewish come a new Jewish year Federation of Omaha – 5775. It has been a privilege to serve as President of our Jewish Federation for the past year. We live in an incredible Jewish community; I am reminded of this each time we talk, we meet, and every time I visit our campus. We are a community that cares, that takes care of each other, and that always strives to do the right thing. We are also a strong, pro-Israel community that passionately expresses our enthusiasm and advocacy for the Jewish state, as we did at our recent Jewish Community Rally for Israel. Hundreds in attendance reaffirmed their support for the Jewish homeland. As Jewish communities across the country rallied to help our brothers and sisters in Southern Israel, Jewish Omaha pledged its fair share commitment to the national Emergency Campaign, Stop the Sirens, and provided further humanitarian aid with gifts to our partnership region in the Western Galilee. The Matte Asher Regional Council was able to purchase protective vests and helmets for volunteer security patrols. The Akko Welfare Department installed air conditioning units in area bomb shelters and disabled adults from Sderot were able to spend time in northern Israel for care and respite through the Kivunim program. We also proudly and consistently serve a more broadly defined Jewish community; by allocating financial resources overseas, in particular in the former Soviet Union where elderly Jews survival is literally reliant upon our community’s aid and support. We should all feel pride in our collective efforts. This work would not be possible without the talented and dedicated staff on our Federation campus. They arrive to work each day intent on mak-
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ing our community the very best and they do so with a level of care and commitment unrivaled in communal work. Our lay leaders and volunteers give us their precious time and personal resources to ensure our programs and services remain available and accessible to all. I am thankful for each and every one of these talented people with whom I am fortunate to work. If you are not currently involved, I encourage you to get involved. I can assure you from personal experience that you will derive infinitely more satisfaction than your efforts require. Our community works because of the people who step up and participate. We couldn’t do it any other way. And speaking of people, what could be better than starting off a new year with old friends? Next week we will celebrate all things Jewish at the first ever Omaha Jewish Reunion! Starting Friday and going straight through to Sunday expect dozens of tours, exhibits, socializing, programs, parties and more. HavDala Gala on Saturday night, AZA’s 90th Anniversary, tours of 24th Street, the Bagel, and West Omaha, Jewish genealogy and notable and newsworthy Omahans – you won’t want to miss any of it. Registration is required so call Mary Bernstein and mark it on the calendar. The great work we do comes about because of successful Annual Campaigns and this year is no different. We are fortunate to have experienced leadership in Norm and Suzy Sheldon chairing the 2015 Annual Campaign. This year’s theme, “Together... We are Family” not only represents their wonderful children and grandchildren, Wendy and Adam Raffel and Lisa and Chuck Lucoff, but also describes our broader purpose and message. We are in this together, as a family. I hope this New Year finds our community revitalized and reinvigorated as we remind ourselves of all that we have and all that we give. Your generosity and support is appreciated and needed more than ever, locally, nationally and around the world. L’Shanah Tovah to you and your family. May the coming year bring you peace, happiness and good health.
Life in times of war Continued from page 10 The people who sign up for my weekly Shuk Walks are a combination of those who live here, those visiting their children and grandchildren, and a few tourists or those
Barry and Sybil Kaplan
Two Old Mill Omaha, NE 68154
10855 West Dodge Rd. 402-330-5480
with apartments who come frequently. Barry continues working for the American company, inputting data on his computer on his own hours. He also goes to town and sits in various cafes, having his cafe afukh (upside down coffee, otherwise known as cappuccino.) I am now editing books for a Tel Aviv selfpublishing company and enjoying the work a lot, although at times it can be challenging. I have edited several autobiographies, a few plays, a few novels, a cookbook and a tour book. I also continue my lecturing, particularly at senior citizen residences, because I feel the people are interesting and need stimulating. Our really fun experience is doing restaurant features on Jerusalem kosher restaurants for the oldest and largest website for English-speaking people. (You can assess it too! Just type in Janglo.net, click on Janglo, then go to restaurants and scroll down to restaurant features). What! You don’t know what a Janglo is? J
stands for Jerusalem; and “anglo” is anyone who comes from an English-speaking country--US, Canada, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia. I forgot to mention we are invited to numerous press conferences available to the foreign press like ourselves, and we do take advantage of ones where we think our papers will use the material. I have to close with excerpts from an article I read recently, because we are still in the war and Hamas is still shooting rockets into Israel and, well, maybe we need a touch of humor. I am over 60 and the Armed Forces thinks I’m too old to track down terrorists... Instead of sending 18-year olds off to fight, they ought to take us old guys... For starters, researchers say 18-year-olds think about sex every ten seconds. Old guys only think about sex a couple of times a month, leaving us more than 280,000 additional seconds per day to concentrate on the enemy. If captured, we couldn’t spill the beans because we’d forget where we put them. In fact, name, rank, and serial number would be a real brainteaser. Boot camp would be easier for old guys... We’re used to getting screamed and yelled at and we’re used to soft food. We’ve also developed an appreciation for guns. We’ve been using them for years as an excuse to get out of the house, away from the screaming and yelling. These are all great reasons to keep our kids at home to learn a little more about life before sending them off into harm’s way. Let us old guys track down those terrorists... The last thing an enemy would want to see is a couple million hacked off old guys with bad attitudes and automatic weapons, who know that their best years are already behind them.
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | A13
Home is where The alphabet soup of Jewish engagement in Omaha the heart is by MARY SUE GROSSMAN in North America. Eliad Eliyahu Ben Shushan is our comThe Center for Jewish Life munity Shaliach, serving August 2013 through July 2015. owever you remember us from PJ Library is a Jewish family engagement program mailing years’ past – BJE, JELS or CJE – high-quality Jewish children’s literature and music for free to the agency focusing on Jewish families on a monthly basis. Children in hundreds of comengagement in Omaha is known munities across the United States are able to explore the as the CJL, the Center for Jewish timeless core values of Judaism through books and music. Life. Taking the best of the past, All families raising Jewish children from age six months of from the Bureau of Jewish age through eight years are eligible to enroll. Education, Jewish Education Shalom Baby welcomes Omaha’s youngest community and Library Services, and the members with a variety of gifts provided by Omaha’s Jewish Center for Jewish Education, the organizations. CJL strives to fulfill the mission to maximize involvement of Scholarship and Grant Opportunities, administered by Omaha’s Jewish community in imaginative, compelling and CJL, are available to Omaha’s Jewish families to provide meaningful Jewish experiences. Meeting the mission is done through a wide array of programming that provides opportunities for community members of all ages. Center for Jewish Life offers a variety of classes and innovative adult education opportunities including the Friday Learning Series, the Global Day of Jewish Learning, the Klutznick Learning Series, Hebrew classes, teacher training, Special Needs education, the Jewish Omaha Film Festival, Jewish Book Month events and more. In addition to adult education, our core areas of programming include: Partnership2GETHER is a pro- Eliad Eliyahu Ben Shushan, left, Shirly Banner, Mary Sue Grossman, Beth Cohen and gram promoting people-to-peo- Mark Kirchhoff. ple relationships between Israel and communities through- financial assistance for children to attend the Pennie Z. out the world. Omaha is one of 12 cities in the U.S. partner- Davis Child Development Center, Jewish summer camps, ing with the city of Akko and the Matte Asher region in Israel trips, youth group activities, Friedel Jewish Academy, northern Israel, and Budapest, Hungary, to share cultural, undergraduate and graduate studies and adult education. social, medical, educational and economic programs. Funding is provided from over 40 sources including endowThe Kripke Jewish Federation Library houses one of the ments, foundations and allocations from the Jewish largest collections of Judaic material in the Midwest. The Federation of Omaha’s Annual Campaign. collection of over 40,000 volumes includes books, film, The agency also collaborates on events with the Natan and music, journals and magazines, and one of the largest col- Hannah Schwalb Center for Israeli and Jewish Studies at the lections of Russian materials outside the East Coast. University of Nebraska Omaha and the Klutznick Chair in A Community Shaliach is an Israeli educator who pro- Jewish Civilizations at Creighton University. vides a living bridge to Israel, engaging Omaha with Israeli The CJL Board is charged with setting the vision and goals life, society, politics and culture, and strengthening the of the agency, establishing and reviewing policies, and brainunique and multi-faceted significance of Israel in an storming ideas for engaging the community. Board American Jewish community. There are over 300 shlichim Continued on page 14
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by SCOTT LITTKY Program Director, Temple Israel o as Program Director at Temple Israel, it is my responsibility to prepare articles each week for the Jewish Press. This past week I asked those who I work with what they thought I should write about. Rabbi Joshua Brown suggested that I write about my personal journey back to Omaha. At first I was not going to write about this because I did not want to appear egotistical, as though I’m a gift to Omaha, which of course is not the case, and even more so Omaha is a gift to me. So here we go. From 1988 until 2001 I lived in Omaha. I met my wife Felicia two weeks after moving to Omaha. I first served the then Bureau of Jewish Education as a Community Teacher and then spent my last four years as the Education Director at Beth El Synagogue. In the late spring of 2001 an opportunity came my way to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, a city I had always wanted to live in, to work as the Education Director at a synagogue there. My family then spent the next three years there. During the winter of 2004 we decided to spread our wings again and moved to Alexandria, VA; again I went to work for a synagogue as an Education Director. Now my family and I loved being in the Washington D.C. area, with all that it offers, but as we all know that once you live anywhere for a while you do not go and do things. We did become regulars at Washington Capitol’s hockey games and Washington National’s baseball games, though. However, after eight years of D.C. traffic we said enough! It was now time to come back home to Omaha. We sat down next and made a plan. We gave ourselves two years, allowing our son to graduate high school. Our Continued on page 14
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A14 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Omaha Jewish history snapshot: Wise Memorial Hospital
by GABBY BLAIR OMAHA, 1899 rs. Fannie Brandeis recognized a dire need for better quality health care for under-served indigent Jewish families in the Omaha Community. To address this issue, she led Jewish community leaders, including Mrs. C. Schlank, Mrs. J. Sonneberg, Edward Rosewater, Guy C. Parton and her husband, J.L. Brandeis, in raising the capital to develop an Omaha Jewish Hospital. 1901 The Wise Memorial Hospital was dedicated in November 1901 at 3208 Sherman Ave (now N. 16th St.). Named for Rabbi Isaac M. Wise, founder of American Reform Judaism, the hospital had four units that housed 24 beds, six private rooms, one operating room and a reception area. The hospital was unique in that it was strictly non-sectarian and patients were not turned away because of an inability to pay for treatment. 1902 After just one year of operation, Wise Memorial relocated the staff of 11 doctors and eight nurses to 2225 Sherman Street to better fit the needs of the facility and the community. 1904 Abraham Slimmer, a wealthy Iowa businessman, endowed Wise Memorial with $15,000.00 after the leadership agreed to the following three stipulations: Wise would continue to accommodate charity patients, the hospital would remain a non-sectarian organization, and the Omaha Jewish Community would raise an additional $40,000.00 for the hospital. The first two stipulations were already part of Wise Memorial’s mission and the remaining required funds were donated by the Brandeis, Rosewater, and Parton families.
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1908-1930 With the infusion of endowment funds, Wise Memorial Hospital was able to construct a new building at 24th and Harney where it remained in operation until 1930. During its heyday, Wise Memorial was able to compete with major hospitals such as Methodist, Evangelical, and The University of Nebraska. The staff was highly regarded and the hospital was one of a handful in the state accredited by the National College of Surgeons. Wise Memorial Hospital relied heavily upon donations to make ends meet as the majority of patients were unable to pay the full cost of heath care fees. Eventually the shortfall of revenues combined with the greater degree of assimilation of the 10,000 Jews into the greater Omaha Community led to the decreased need of a Jewish Hospital. Omaha’s Jewish physicians and population were afforded more opportunities for care and employment that was above the norm for Jews in the United States at that time. After a last appeal for donations in the March 7, 1930 issue of The Jewish Press, Wise Memorial shut its doors. 1931-2003 After Wise Memorial Hospital ceased operations, Lutheran General Hospital began using the facility to treat psychiatric patients under the direction of Dr. Alexander Young. In 1946, his son, Dr. Richard H. Young, succeeded him as chair of the Department of Neuropsychiatry and was instrumental in developing new approaches in dealing with mental illness. In 1981, the Wise Memorial Hospital building was razed and from it grew the Richard Young Center, the state’s only freestanding mental health facility until its closure in 2003. Today, the site of Omaha’s first and only Jewish Hospital is now home to Alegent-Creighton’s Lasting Hope Recovery Center. Ironically enough, even though no trace of Wise Memorial Hospital occupies the site, the original mission
Jewish engagement in Omaha Continued from page 13 members include Bonnie Bloch (President), Karla Cohen, Dusty Friedman, Ron Giller, Andrea Hamburg, Shane Kotok, Patty Nogg, Matt Ray (Treasurer), Debbie Roitstein, Matt Shapiro, Rachel Shyken and Dorothy Spizman. The agency’s staff is led by executive director Beth Cohen. Beth has been working in Omaha’s Jewish community since 1991 when she moved to Omaha to serve as the BBYO Regional Director. Following that appointment, she worked six years as the JCC Youth and Camping Director and twelve years as the Executive Director at Beth Israel Synagogue. She has been with the CJL since 2012. Mary Sue Grossman, CJL’s program coordinator, has been with the agency since 2004. She brought with her experience from working in banking, at WOWT Channel 6, and as an independent contractor working with local non-profit organizations. CJL’s staff also includes Mark Kirchhoff, Administrative Assistant; Shirly Banner, Library Specialist; and Eileen Clignett, Special Needs Teacher. CJL looks forward to continuing to enhance and expand its offerings for the Omaha Jewish community and providing a never-ending list of Jewish experiences. Check out the many activities on the agency pages at www.jewishomaha.org.
Home is where the heart is Continued from page 13 daughter lives in Israel so she was not involved in the return to Omaha. Next we had to consider what we would do professionally. For my wife this was the easy step, she works for a professional organization in D.C. that has a number of employees who work off site. So she was fortunate to be allowed to telecommute! For me this was a greater challenge, I have been a Jewish professional for 29 years. It is really all I know how to do. Fortunately after four months of looking and hitting a wall the position of program director at Temple Israel opened up and I applied and am grateful to have been offered the position! So now we are back where we started in Omaha. Having been back now about six weeks I have realized the following: 1. Family is really important and it is amazing to be back with ours! – No kidding. 2. Omaha is really special, people are generally very nice, there are a lot of fun things to do and traffic is no big deal. 3. Our Jewish community is like no other place in the country, we do care about each other, we do for each other and we are there for each other. I’m sure that these things have always been here in Omaha but maybe it took leaving and then returning home to realize how special our Omaha is! It’s great to be home.
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This makes me sad, but what can I do? by Harold Mann During the Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur Holidays I look at the congregation What do I see? I see friends who are no longer with us I see friends who may not be here next year This makes me sad, but what can I do? I watch the elderly gaze at the rabbi They decide how much they should pray Their days are numbered and they know They want to be happy in eternity This makes me sad, but what can I do? I watch middle-aged friends and acquaintances Some talk to their friends throughout the services Other’s pray mightily, wondering if this could be their year If they pray and pay attention, surely G-D will reward them This makes me sad, but what can I do? I watch the rabbi give his sermon His eyes watch the congregation He seems sad at what he sees Congregants converging with friends Congregants bored, some sleeping, some texting Congregants who will not be here next year Those devouring every word he says This makes me sad, but what can I do? The bored wonder why they are there They continue to look at their watches They will not leave, fearing something bad This makes me sad, but what can I do? I hope things will turn out well for everyone I know they will not I want to cry This makes me sad, but what can I do?
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We came home to TI@100 by BRENDA F. INGRAHAM Current President Tifereth Israel/Lincoln n recent weeks, as 5774 began to draw to a close, the Jewish community of Omaha celebrated with great flourish their first one hundred years of existence. It was but one year earlier that we of Lincoln’s Tifereth Israel gathered as one to commemorate our own Centennial anniversary. On 26-27 Av, 5773, almost 150 congregants and former congregants from all over America, along with three former Rabbis and two Chazzanim... all joined together to observe our One Hundredth birthday with a gala Homecoming. Those attending greeted Rabbi Mark and Fredda Bisman of Arizona, Rabbi Ian and Suri Jacknis of New York, and Rabbi Stanley Rosenbaum of Iowa. We were uplifted by the chanting of native sons, Cantor Mark Kushner of Pennsylvania and Daniel Neiden of New York. As we laughed and cried, we shared reminiscences, Shabbat services, festive meals, Havdalah, and great joy together. Chairs Marcia Kushner, Joyce Davidson, and Jennifer Rosenblatt, along with their stellar committee of supporters, planned a Homecoming weekend for us all to remember. The highlight of the weekend was surely the shared stories and memories of our beloved Congregation, one with an impressive past,as well as a shared vision for a strong future. For its size, Lincoln’s Tifereth Israel has produced an amazing number of notable men and women. Out of our rela-
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tively small shul, we have produced many congregants who have achieved on a national scale. Their numbers have included four Rabbis, two Cantors, a former Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court, a President of the University of Nebraska, numerous renowned professors and department chairs, decorated World War Two veterans, and distinguished civic leaders.
402-392-1818 Today, we at Tifereth Israel continue the work of our forbears with dedication and strength. We help support and maintain a local Jewish community school for our children. We offer study and other programming opportunities for children, youth, and adult members. But most of all, we continue to turn to our small shul because it is within these walls that each individual can still seek meaningful relationships and a deeper sense of spiritual purpose. It is where we can both engage one another socially and where the individual spirit can still search for the ineffable. In short, it is among the places where most of us feel at home. The Board and members of Lincoln’s Tifereth Israel offer a most hearty ‘Mazel tov’ to our larger sister-community ‘down the road’. May the Jewish communities of Omaha and Lincoln continue to grow from strength to strength... and rise again in joyous celebration in another 100 years! Shanah tovah!
A16 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
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September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | B1
Memories of “Bagel” by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press here Sunset Trail meets Glenwood Road, there is a little hole. It is, according to Sue Millward, the hole of the bagel, and that’s where the neighborhood’s name came from. “North of Underwood Avenue and Cass Street, and south of Western Avenue, between fifty-seventh and sixty-ninth streets. Developed in the 1950s, with one- and two-story ranch houses, large driveways, and spacious lawns, Bagel thrummed with ambition and pretense. Its wide streets were suited to teenagers who cruised in Detroit-made “muscle” cars, as well as to so-called street parties, in which dozens of teens parked at curbside, usually along Glenwood Road, and practiced the timeless art of hanging out.” (From: Steve Marantz, The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central) For someone like me, who has only been in Omaha since 1999 and didn’t grow up anywhere near Bagel, it is not so easy to create a complete picture of what the neighborhood was like. Hundreds of you grew up there, had a life and a community, and can’t drive its streets without an avalanche of memories. I made the decision to interview a select number of former Bagel inhabitants, and then I asked three charming tour guides to show me around. Alan Cohen, Richard Jacobson and Marty Ricks graciously obliged, and for two-and-a-half hours, camera in hand, we walked Bagel. I even dragged my husband along, because I figured this was a chance for both of us to experience something unique about our adopted city. I learned that if you really want to know about a place, you have to be willing to take on some voyeuristic tendencies. Hearing Alan, Richard and Marty talk about who lived where, who dated whom, what the layout of so-and-so’s living room was and who drove what, gave me a
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My tour guides: Alan, Marty and Richard. sense of life in these streets. There were shortcuts, there were parties, there were pretty girls -and they still remember where each of them lived. From the sound of it, Marty dated them all. But that may be an exaggeration; I’m not sure. Time has passed since Bagel’s heydays, and created distance; nostalgia can sometimes make you look at things through rose-colored glasses. Yet, in the case of Bagel, I somehow doubt that. From everything I’ve heard, this was the neighborhood that cemented a large part of our community. Where you could make it to your friends’ houses without having to beg your older brother for a ride, because everything was within walking distance. Where families shared their lives, and really knew each other, where kids grew up together, went to school together (Western Hills, Lewis and Clark, Central High)
and used the entire neighborhood as their playground, and everyone knew everyone. Where you were just as likely to be reprimanded by your friend’s mother three blocks away as by your own; where if you disappeared for a few hours, nobody was concerned because they knew someone else was always keeping an eye out. And I’ve heard this story repeated in so many variations, that I do not doubt Bagel really was that good. Feeling nostalgic? Join the Bagels in Bagel bus tour on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The tour meets at the front entrance to the JCC. Participants will enjoy box lunches from the Bagel Bin as they cruise the streets of Bagel on a trip down memory lane. Buzz Malashock and Tom Friedman will be guiding the tour. Continued on page B2
TOGETHER
Let us join as one people—for a truly sweet new year.
WE ARE FAMILY
HAPPY NEW YEAR Shana tova from our family at the Jewish Federation of Omaha to you and yours.
TOGETHER 2015 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN
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B2 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Memories of “Bagel” Continued from page B1 EUNIE DENENBERG n Bagel, we lived like Kings and Queens, compared to the generation before us,” Eunie Denenberg says. She and her husband Norm still live in their original Bagel home on Dillon Drive. It’s immediately recognizable, with that wonderful purple giraffe in the front yard. “Back then I knew everybody. When Jody Rice (Malashock) was 16 years old, she was a “big kid” to my children. It was a free and open time, a wonderful time. We lived right on the very edge of the neighborhood, and Jody’s sister Lindy would walk over to our mailbox every day and write her name in the dust.” “I could tell my children goodbye, and Larry and Steve would just walk out the door, pick up their friends at their various homes and go to school on their own. When the older kids had their parties, there would be cars parked up and down Glenwood Road. Kids would be sitting on the curb, hang out together. Of course, not everyone owned a car.” “If you needed to find your kids, you’d call someone a few streets down and ask them to send your kids home. We all knew each other, we all knew each other’s kids, and we all looked out for one another.” “Bagel” Memories by JANET LIPSEY have some vague recollection that a schoolmate referred to our neighborhood as “Bagel,” because of all the Jewish families that lived there. We thought that was hilarious and the name stuck. Our family lived on the corner of 63rd Street and Glenwood Road, which became the heart of “Bagel.” Here are the few memories I have stored up, not in any particular order. They are mostly snippets of the constantly moving panorama that streamed through the neighborhood. I remember being able to ride my tricycle up and down the sidewalk in front of our house. As soon as I learned to cross the street, I could join the other tricyclists and soon there would be a bunch of us zooming up and down the long stretch of sidewalk on the opposite side. As the years went on, those tricycles turned into bicycles and I can remember seeing a whole row of them blocking the sidewalk in front of Bernsteins’ house. Eventually they turned into cars lining a good chunk of the block on that same stretch of Glenwood Road. I remember that Fairacres Road was kind of a lovers’ lane, and kids would bike up there on the cobblestone street under the shade of the elm trees. Memorial Park would sometimes serve in the same capacity as long as you didn’t
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
mistakenly roll around in some poison ivy. I remember that different driveways had their own specific usefulness. Kirshenbaum’s and Bernstein’s flat surfaces were particularly good for foursquare. Cohn’s was good for handball and practicing tennis. Ours was good for gaining a
Clockwise from left: Eunie’s Denenberg’s giraffe, the Denenberg house, Western Hills Elementary little speed on a bike because it had a little slope. In the winter, basements replaced driveways. Eisenstatt’s was good for a game called “Gorilla” and for Spin the Bottle. Lewis’s was great for hide and seek in the dark because it didn’t have any windows. We called the game “Mr. Dark.” Fox’s basement was great for hanging out and listening to music. I remember how high the snow drifted in the wintertime. Snowplows would create huge mountains of snow on the sidewalks and we could make paths and caves in them. Snow days were the best! We stayed home from school, a cause of great celebration. I couldn’t understand why my mother didn’t seem as thrilled as I was. I remember looking out of the front window during the school year and watching an army of kids trooping to Western Hills Elementary. I’d leave my house and join the parade. The island crosswalk in the intersection of Glenwood and 62nd was just dirt for a few years and in the spring it would be a muddy mess. If you weren’t careful your boots would stick as though in a suction cup while the rest of you
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would keep going, hopefully not being propelled facedown into the muck. Someone had the good sense to pave it at some point, saving us from further torture and humiliation. I remember Western Hills Elementary School vividly; the long shiny halls, metal lockers, wooden cabinetry in the classrooms and the smells of wax and polish. The building seemed immense to me. Someone was always barfing in the halls and Mrs. Pollack, one of the custodians, would throw sawdust on the offensive evidence. Who could forget our principal, Miss Faulk -- the Nurse Ratchet of Western Hills? I can see her clanging a fork against a glass in the cafeteria to get everyone’s attention, because someone had stuffed his or her peas in a milk carton. Years later I revisited the school and marveled at how Lilliputian it all seemed. I remember all the dogs in the neighborhood. Greenberg’s Stud would greet everyone going to and from school. There was a rumor circulating that someone had found a five-dollar bill under his paw. The Cohns had Folly, Nikki belonged to the Kirshenbaums, Wilhelm to the Steinbergs. The beagle Farfel was the Weinsteins’ and Lewis’ had a black standard poodle named Gigi. The other Lewises, the corner ones, had three yelping poodles (Fifi, Cici and Didi? Something like that). The Foxes had an English sheepdog, what was its name? We had our darling Schatzie. I’m sure there were others. Maybe we could have a contest to see who remembers the largest number of dogs. I remember Marilyn Cohn watering her lawn and spraying speeding cars. I remember Mrs. Polanski calling out to Sonia not to forget her lunch money. I remember Beth Elkon and Joanie Bernstein bounding out of their houses yelling “Joanieee!” and “Bethieeee!” I remember Ivory, that lovely man who came around and mowed the lawns in the summertime. He would always wave hello, or stop to chat. Perhaps we thought we were doing him a favor, but I believe we were the greater beneficiaries of the exchange with that gentle soul. Once, while returning as an adult, I saw him STILL there, wide brimmed hat and all, wiping the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. I hugged him. Same sweet man, and our guardian angel. For the longest time, I thought everyone had a childhood like mine and a community like ours. The families and the children in my neighborhood were the same ones I saw in our schools, synagogues and grocery stores. I lived in the same house forever, and still know folks I knew in Kindergarten. It’s hard to find that anymore, and almost impossible in Marin County, California. We have to work hard to create our own communities -- they are no longer ready-made like ours was. I know it’s not the case for everyone in Bagel, but it was an idyllic time for me. It filled me with a sense of safety and abundance and the importance of family, friends, and tribal bonds. Continued on page B3
Snowbirds The Belgrade Family
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September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | B3
Memories of “Bagel”
Continued from page B2 JODY (RICE) MALASHOCK ody (Rice) Malashock remembers growing up on Dillon Drive like it was yesterday. Marty Ricks lived on Parkwood Lane. Her husband Neal lived on Sunset Trail. Kevee Kirshenbaum lived on Glenwood Road, as did Rick Fox. In the neighborhood, there were the Lipseys, the Noddles, the Endelmans and a family named Blacker. Bert Lewis raised her family next door to the Goldbergs. Eisenstatt, Sherman, Liberman, Rubin, Slosburg, and so on and so forth; the list reads like a virtual who’s who of Jewish Omaha. “When I was growing up,” Jody says, “all our friends were Jewish. Especially in elementary school. There were simply so many Jewish kids around; you could always walk outside and find other Jewish kids to play with. Besides, many of our parents were friends as well.” “Summers were particularly fun. Everyone was outside, and we all wanted to congregate at Glenwood. We played foursquare in Kevee’s driveway.” “Stan Lipsey’s daughter Janet was one of my best friends. I remember walking over to her house with my Barbie case in hand. There are many, many good memories from that time. Nobody was driven to school by parents, we all walked and met each other along the way. When practically everyone you know is Jewish, you end up with a community; it was a town within a town. It’s the growing up together, in that kind of environment, that makes for such fabulous memories.” KEVEE KIRSHENBAUM evee Kirshenbaum moved into his house on Glenwood Road in 1954, when the house was one year old. He chose it because many of his friends had already moved to the neighborhood, and he was looking for a place to settle down. “I only paid $22,500,” he said. “None of the houses were more than $40k, which made the average mortgage $118 per month including taxes. I earned $400 per month at the time, so this was a good house for us to buy.” “The first two houses on Glenwood were Catholic. Then, from that first Catholic house on our side of the street, we had 16 Jewish neighbors. Everybody knew everybody, which made it a great place to raise kids. We got along, but never interfered with each other’s lives. Nick Newman lived close by, so did Sheila and Jerry Rosen, the Reinglases and the Milders. The list is endless.” “I think it is noteworthy how all the kids who grew up there have done remarkably well. They all went to college. I saw one son go to Harvard, and my daughter to Northwestern University. They’ve really done well for themselves. The former mayor, Johnny Rosenblatt, lived in Bagel. So did former mayor and congressman Glenn Cunningham, and Mayor Alexander V. Sorensen. You know the Sorensen Parkway? Yes, him. By the way, Renee Corcoran’s mother lived right across the street from us.” “Religion never really entered our discussions. It didn’t matter if you were orthodox or reform or anything else, that was never an issue. And I don’t think people stayed away because it was such a predominantly Jewish neighborhood.” “Eventually, people started moving out west. The kids had been raised. The unfortunate thing is that we have many widows from that period, but not many of the men.” “I remember Jody and Buzz Malashock’s wedding very well. Jody of course was a neighbor, Buzz lived nearby as well. I can’t think of any other Bagel wedding off the top of my head.” “My favorite memories all have to do with raising the kids. They all went to the same school; it was the togetherness that was great. There was never any vandalism or derogatory remarks about the neighborhood. And to see how they do today, that makes me really proud.” SHARON (BERNSTEIN) KOOPER nce upon a time in Bagel, a boy named Richard Jacobson allegedly broke the collarbone of a girl named Sharon Bernstein. He did this right before she was supposed to go off to summer camp. He didn’t mean to; it was an accident. “We were playing statue maker,” she says. Sharon, now Sharon Kooper, demonstrates: “You grab someone by the
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From left: The “Bagel” neighborhood, Kevee Kirshenbaum’s house, and Richard Jacobson. hand, twirl them around, and then you suddenly let him or her go. They have to remain in the position they fall in, like a statue. Hence: statue maker.” Sharon lived on 1018 North 63rd Street; to her, Bagel was more than a neighborhood. “It was a way of life. There will never be anything like it again. If I had to pick my favorite memory, I don’t think I could. The community seemed smaller, because you knew everybody. Morley Zipursky lived across the street from us, and their oldest daughter and my younger sister Sue grew up together.” “I was born on 48th and Cuming, in Dundee, and was in first grade, six or seven years old, when we moved to Bagel. I loved growing up there. Bagel was a character in and of
itself, a player, a way of life. Weekends were street parties; my mother was really strict about us dating anyone who wasn’t Jewish, so having these large parties with all the Jewish kids was a great way to avoid that kind of trouble. We’d congregate at Sunset Trail, at Richie Jacobsen’s house, or at Jerry Slusky’s -- that’s where everyone gathered often as well.” “I went to school in Oklahoma, and that was the first time I actually met a lot of non-Jewish people, once I was out of the neighborhood. I miss the hometown flavor of Bagel, because it was so close-knit. Jewish Omaha is not like that anymore; we are much more spread out these days. When I married Howard, we didn’t end up living in Bagel. We went to Regency instead. With the exception of my time in college, I’ve never lived anywhere else but Omaha. The kids are here, the grandkids are here, and our life is here.” Continued on page B4
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by MARY BORT Foundation. All Omaha synagogues, the Federation and its Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation agencies, Anti-Defamation League/Community Relations he Jewish Federation of Omaha Committee, Friedel Jewish Academy, Nebraska Jewish Foundation’s mission is, “to help ensure Historical Society, Chabad, and Institute for Holocaust the stability and continuity of Jewish Education have partnered with the Foundation in this coorlife and to support communal services dinated initiative to obtain legacy gift commitments from in the Omaha area by establishing and accumulating enduring assets for permanent funding resources.” “The mission is paramount,” stated Howard Epstein, Foundation Executive Director. “We work with donors to achieve their philanthropic goals. We align the donor’s goals and funding arrangements, then invest and administer the fund in accordance with the donor’s wishes. We abide by the terms of the fund agreement to ensure that the charitable organizations and programs designated by the donor will receive maximum benefit from the income generated by the The Foundation staff includes: Laurie Peatrowsky, Endowment Associate; left; Janet invested funds.” Henthorn, Office Manager; Mary Bort, Endowment Assistant/Staff Writer; Howard The Foundation was established by Epstein, Foundation Executive Director; and Margo Parsow, LIFE & LEGACY the Jewish Federation of Omaha Coordinator. approximately 40 years ago to manage the Federation’s endowments, thus separating the perma- Omaha’s Jewish community. The program is underway and nent funds from the Federation’s day-to-day operating the community response has been tremendous. funds. In 1983, the Foundation became a separate legal enti“The annual income generated by funds established at the ty; a non-profit corporation classified by the IRS as a sup- Foundation enables us to make great things happen in porting foundation of the Federation. Omaha,” explained Epstein. “Last year, the Foundation disToday, the Foundation manages over $78 million in assets. tributed nearly $6 million to hundreds of worthy causes. We It administers and manages over 100 donor-advised funds, are so grateful to our donors for their support.” 260 endowments, 3 supporting foundations, and 55 teen In addition to Epstein, the Foundation staff includes: Janet donor-advised funds. These funds support the Federation’s Henthorn, Office Manager; Laurie Peatrowsky, Endowment annual campaign; programming offered by the Federation Associate; Margo Parsow, LIFE & LEGACY Coordinator; agencies; scholarships for college, camp, day school and pre- and Mary Bort, Endowment Assistant/Staff Writer. school; programming and projects offered by synagogues The Foundation is located in a garden-level office beneath and other Jewish organizations; and more. the northwest wing of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Stop The Foundation also coordinates the new LIFE & LEGA- by for a visit, visit the Foundation website at www.jfofound CY™ Program as a joint effort with the Harold Grinspoon ation.org, or call 402.334.6466.
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Memories of “Bagel” Continued from page B3 meet more kids from outside our neighborhood.” SUE (FRIEDMAN) MILLWARD “Fairacres (from Dodge all the way to 68th Street) was a ue Millward’s father Willard Friedman built the family’s neighborhood where Jews were not welcome. At least, that’s Bagel house in 1955. He was a homebuilder, and theirs what my dad told me. Some Jewish families lived on the very was among the first homes in the neighborhood. When the edge of it, but not many.” family moved in, they only had neighbors on one side. “Some of my favorite memories have to do with walking “In the 1940s,” Sue says, “when people were coming back to school with my sister Ann (Shackman). We’d come out of from World War II, everyone wanted tract housing. It was everyone’s dream to be a homeowner. But the men of my father’s generation, they wanted to move out of the midtown duplexes, and have a private home instead.” “Little by little, more homes were built. Mort Fisher moved in, then Nick and Racky Newman; the street I lived on had approximately 13 Jewish families. There were the Foxes, Adlers, Cohens, Hobermans, Muskins, Lippitts and Hornsteins, and that was just our own street. Go one street over, and there were many more.” “The neighborhood was unique, because of that large Jewish population. We just all grew up together. It didn’t matter one bit what synagogue you belonged to; we were a tight community. Beth Above left: Sue Millward and right: In front of the Friedman house on Hillcrest Drive. Tom Israel was still in its old loca- Newman, left, Tom Friedman, Peter Newman, Howie Friedman, and Teddy Newman. About 1958. tion, and was within walking distance. Maybe it was not a our house, cut through the Fox’s and Elkon’s yards, pick up super short walk, but it was doable nonetheless. Jeff and Pam Fox and Beth and Marsha Elkon, then cross the “As a kid, you had relatives everywhere: your aunts, street to get Janet Lipsey. Then we’d walk to the Cohn resiuncles, cousins, grandparents; in addition, you knew every- dence and pick up Jo, Doe and Betsy. We’d take a shortcut to one, and everyone knew you -- whether you were related or Western Hills. We’d also often walk with Gail Goldstein, not. It affected our Judaism with a sense of community, and who later married Phil Raznick, another Bagel native.” a lot of closeness we still feel today comes from that shared “I was a tomboy, and there were many opportunities to get experience growing up in the neighborhood. We hung out outside, so many kids to play with. All you had to do was together, went to school together, and dated amongt each walk outside. It was a wonderful time, and a wonderful place other. It wasn’t until we became teenagers that we started to to grow up.”
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September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | B5
Welcome to Friedel
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by GABBY BLAIR remember the angst I felt as my eldest child was set to begin school. We had just moved to the Seattle area and the public schools were lacking. We ended up settling on Mercer Island, whose district had a much better reputation, but this drew an influx of young families and resulted in overcrowding, large class sizes and extensive rows of “portable classrooms�, resembling kid-themed FEMA trailers. Due to the Washington State budget, public kindergartens were only required to provide free half day programs, although a limited number of full day programs were available by lottery draw. If you were lucky enough to “win� a full day spot, it came with a price tag of $4000 per year, for public school. The same amount of educational material was covered in both full and half day kindergartens; however, half day kids missed out on recess, art, music, PE, library, lunch and other important social and enrichment experiences. Faced with this less than ideal situation, we began to research nearby Jewish day schools. After all, our kids had attended Jewish preschools with which we were satisfied and considering the cost for public school, it was worth a look. I can attest that this was one of the best educational decisions we have made and we have not looked back. Upon our return to Omaha, we were again faced with the school dilemma. We now had an incoming 2nd grader and a kindergartener. Moving back to a place where one
has lived before allows for highly informed decisions regarding education. Being intimately familiar with the school districts in the area, all of which out performed our west coast public school options, in addition to having knowledge about individual schools within those districts, our choices were plentiful. We decided to move into the Millard school district but felt hesitant to leave the vibrant close knit community feel afforded to us by our positive day school experience. Before our move to Seattle, we had toured Friedel Jewish Academy, and had been impressed. Upon our decision to move back, we began a dialog with Friedel’s administration and The Center for Jewish Life, through which scholarships for tuition are made, and decided that
even though Omaha boasts wonderful and free public schools, Friedel was the best fit for our family. Friedel is a gem of a school that deserves more exposure in our community than I feel it currently receives. When I say OUR community, I refer to the entirety of the Jewish Community of Omaha. Friedel is unique in that it truly is a Jewish community school and as such, it is proud to be inclusive to all Jewish families regardless of observancy level or synagogue affiliation. Through its inclusive nature, Friedel is more than just a school; it is a community network builder that brings families together. Children of Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and unaffiliated Jewish families from many different backgrounds
and countries learn, play and pray together in an ever important show of overall Jewish unity. Friedel Jewish Academy is located on the JCC Campus and students enjoy being able to use the facility for P.E., swimming, recess, library and performances, for which we, as parents, are grateful. The school is modern, classes are small, and all students have the option to take musical instrument instruction. Curriculum includes a strong general studies program and parents of Friedel graduates overwhelmingly report that their children excel upon entering middle school in the 7th grade. The Judaic studies portion of the curriculum ensures an understanding of our traditions, Continued on page B6
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B6 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Welcome to Omaha, Estella
San Diego, California by SARA COHEN stella Fox has a connection to the Jewish Community of Omaha that differs from most of her peers’. A self-described “humblest-personyou-will-ever-meet” senior at Westside High School with a characteristically dry sense of humor, she participates in several activities related to journalism, including her positions as Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper and Copy Editor of Westside’s Craze magazine, and she has also done freelance writing for The Jewish Press. Additionally, Estella has displayed her commitment to the congregation of Temple Israel, spending the summer of 2013 packing materials in preparation for the synagogue’s move to West Omaha. Yet the key variance that sets Estella apart from other local Jewish teenagers is that she remembers the experience of moving with her family from San Diego to Omaha in 2008. She recounts with precision the first conversation she had with her parents, both renowned scientists now established at UNMC, and brothers, Julian and Gabe, about the move. “They said, ‘Hey, there’s a 50% chance we’re moving to Omaha, Nebraska...’” Estella reacted to the news in a way with which many Omaha natives are all too familiar: “I think I threw a tantrum sort of thing, and a lot of things came to my mind. I was like: okay, there’s only going to be one school that all the grades are going to attend, and there will be no paved roads, a lot of saloons, horses, and dirt. Just dirt everywhere; that’s all I could think about.” Even after she began to accept the fact that she was leaving behind her home, school, friends, and synagogue in the coastal city, she had trouble imagining that she would find adequate replacements in Omaha. She explained, “I was
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mainly really upset that I was leaving California. I didn’t expect anything of Omaha; I thought there was going to be nothing there, nothing to do, and that no one would be nice. But I was pleasantly surprised.” Another one of her premature beliefs that would soon be repudiated was of the nonexistence of a Jewish presence in Omaha. Involved in a number of activities at her Conservative San Diego synagogue, Estella did not expect that she would soon become active in a similar community here. “In San Diego, there were several Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox congregations. I knew the limited amount of people who were in my synagogue, but not a lot of the other Jewish people. But here there are only three synagogues, so you kind of have to know everybody. I feel like I know the Jewish community better here, and they’re very welcoming, and there’s a lot of connectivity.” Estella has since grown to find her own place in Omaha’s Jewish scene. “Through the Omaha community, I’ve realized what I like about the Jewish faith, how I want to participate in it, and also how I want to carry on the traditions... I love the Jewish faith, and especially, Omaha has taught me that being involved in the Jewish community gives you a lot of connections, a lot of friends, and gets you involved in a lot of activities. I really like that, and I want my kids to be involved in the Jewish community, too.” When asked to provide a piece of guidance for other Jews looking to make Omaha their home, Estella replied, “The best advice, I’d say, is: get involved. You can go to the regular (religious) classes if you want, or you don’t have to. There are a lot of events going on for Jewish people in Omaha, and you really build a lot of relationships, a lot of friendships, and you can have a lot of fun, too.”
Friedel for all! Continued from page B5 Jewish history, Israel and the Hebrew language, in which students are fluent by the time they graduate in 6th grade. Parents have expressed how much easier B’nai Mitzvah preparations are thanks to their children’s linguistic ability on the big day. Unlike their public school counterparts, Friedel students enjoy learning about and celebrating Jewish holidays in school. They welcome Shabbat on Fridays and wish each other a good week at Havdalah on Mondays. They make round challah for Rosh Hashana and visit Standing Bear Lake for Tashlich and to clean up the park as a service to the community. They eat lunch in the school sukkah and celebrate Simchat Torah. They enjoy preparing latkes and performing in the Hanukkah play. They have a Purim carnival and parade to the Blumkin home to bring cheer and handmade cards to the residents. They remember our Exodus during their Passover seder and remember the six million on Yom Ha’Shoah. These are important experiences that help define us, and I am so glad that I have help from my school in teaching my children who they are. I have been asked many times since coming home to Omaha why we would choose to pay for private school since the public schools are very good here, and my response is this: Academically, Friedel students are above average in every way. A high percentage of our students have earned presidential academic awards on a yearly basis, they consistently place locally and nationally in reading, speech and math competitions and become fluent in a second language. As a Jewish community school, Friedel helps us to instill the values of our faith, such as giving to charity, the importance of acting with kindness and doing good deeds, that are the basis of our religion regardless of where and how you choose to worship. Day school helps us shape our children’s positive Jewish identity every day, which I would argue is more important today than ever before given the world’s current events and the alarming increase in anti-semitism around the globe. I know that when my children eventually do enter public schools, even if they are the only Jew in their class, they will be proud and confident about who they are, and G-d willing, be an ambassador for our people to their peers. When my kids attend synagogue, they know the blessings and songs, and when they are are older, they will know what to do when they are called to the bimah. They always have a friend from school at any synagogue they visit in town, and their sense of community is again strengthened. It is important for kids to feel they belong and Friedel helps families to build a strong foundation for both their children and for tomorrow’s Jewish leaders. If you have a child in K-6 and are interested in visiting Friedel or, better yet, becoming part of our close-knit and vibrant Jewish community school, please feel free to contact the office at 402.334.0517, visit us online at http://friedeljewishacademy.com/ or check out our Facebook page.
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September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | B7
From my kosher kitchen
by SYBIL KAPLAN couple of years ago, I discovered clafoutis -- the baked French dessert of fruit, covered with a batter and baked and served warm. What I loved most was that it was good year around, it could be made pareve and it looked elegant. I make mine in a blender. This is a great dessert for the High Holidays. MASTER CLAFOUTI Ingredients: 1 cup non-dairy creamer or pareve whipping cream (preferably without sugar) 1/3 cup sugar or diabetic sugar substitute 4 large eggs 1 tbsp. vanilla 1/2 cup flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a baking dish or deep glass pie plate. Place non-dairy creamer or whipping cream, sugar or sugar substitute, eggs, vanilla and flour in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Place fruit overlapping in bottom of baking dish. Pour batter on top. Bake 30-40 minutes.
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Serve warm or at room temperature. Depending on the season, this works for peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, pumpkin, pears and apples. 6-8 servings. VARIATION ON CLAFOUTI WITH PEACHES Ingredients: 6 large sliced peaches 2 1/4 cups non-dairy creamer or whipping cream 3 eggs 3 egg yolks 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 6 tbsp. sugar or sugar substitute cinnamon Grease baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place peach slices on bottom of baking dish. Whisk together non-dairy creamer or whipping cream, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and sugar. Pour over peaches. Sprinkle on cinnamon. Bake 30-40 minutes until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 6 servings.
Roots above ground by JOEY HOFFMAN m a New York snob. Google Jewish-Roumanian cartoonist Saul Steinberg’s iconic New Yorker cover in which the city stars as center of the universe, my worldview in ink. During my childhood, my body was in the ‘burbs but my heart? In the city. My Manhattan-centric mother, an actress with her own dreams of living in the concrete chaos, would take me to countless Broadway shows - Annie, A Chorus Line, The King and I - after which we’d lunch at nearby Sardi’s, a dimly-lit haunt where Hollywood and Broadway legends dined and remain immortalized in framed caricatures lining the crimson walls. Sipping Shirley Temples, eating cannelloni, spotting a star... it was grandeur by proxy and I was hooked. But not nearly as hooked as I was on sleepovers at Mama Paula’s, my yoga posing, French-fluent grandmother who had a flair for making our cottage cheese on toast breakfasts a raison d’être. Mama Paula grew up on the Lower East Side and swore she’d never leave the city. She lived on the 14th-floor of a gilded, prewar high-rise in midtown where I’d press my face against her giant, arched living room window, lulled by muffled honks as I counted the yellow taxis below. I’d ransack her lucite candy dish (oh those teeny nonpareils), then her jammed walk-in closet where I’d cloak myself in Pucci scarves, terrycloth turbans and always, Chloé, her signature scent, the essence of which still lingers on her jewelry though she’s
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been gone for over a decade. Like the city itself, Mama Paula and Chloé are forever in my DNA. Once downstairs, I’d sneak past the (wink, wink) unsuspecting doormen and onto the buzzy sidewalk, u-turn, then re-
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Joey and Daisy Hoffman enter to announce my presence to Peter at the front desk. “Oh yes, I’m here to see Mrs. Joseph B. Hoffman please.” Fooled them all. All the clichés, I adore: the cuisine, the characters, the spark of possibility. I dreamed a dream and it came true, to be a writer and live in the city which was my beat for ten years. I’d ricochet around town giddily covering new restaurants, neighborhoods and the best of... (fill in the blank). As Continued on page 8
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Read it and eat Balaboosta by Einat Admony very now and then, a really terrific cookbook comes along. For me this is one of the special combinations of descripLOIS FRIEDMAN tions, recipes and graphics with temptations on every page. Opening this cookbook is like looking into Admony’s window of passion, cooking from the gut, love and more. Turn the pages to experience her twenty-first century take on the courageous risk taking adventurous balaboosta of today.
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Growing up at her mother Ziona’s knee, working years as mom’s slave labor, built great confidence in her heritage and “trust-your-gut” balaboosta style (ba-la-boo’-sta (n.)-a perfect housewife from the Yiddish expression baal habayit- “owner of the house”), living life with gusto and emotion expressed through food. Wander with her as she recalls life/food events... beginning with the unbelievable soothing bowl of Ahsh (Iranian soup) to Za’atar (a spice blend of dry sumac, sesame seeds and salt). In this, her first cookbook, Einat, who began her career as a chef in Israel, shares her Israeli heritage, her passion for cooking to give and receive love -- “the linchpin of every relationship,” her experiences at her three NYC restaurants, and 140 Mediterranean recipes, including many she attributes to her mother or father. Such an array... Labne, Noodle Kugel, Honey Cake, Apple Challah, Shakshuka, Bourekas, Moroccan Carrots, Ptitim and more. Headnotes describe her comfortable take on the recipe and offer helpful information. The instructions are brief and cover all the details you need. Serving sizes are from two to many. Delicious color photographs catch your attention; actually, they’re mouthwatering! The chapters, which begin with her spunky descriptions are: The Grown-Up Table/Casual Dinner Party Dishes, Kidding Around/Recipes to Feed Your Kids, Hurry, Hurry, Hurry/Quick and Easy Meals, The First Cut is the Deepest/ Foods That Comfort, Just the Two of Us/Romantic Dishes, The Backyard Barbecue/Recipes Best Enjoyed Outdoors,
Fat Like Me/Healthier Options, When Dinner Can Wait/ Slow Cooked Recipes, Thinking About Home/Mostly Israeli Recipes, Fancy Schmancy/Restaurant-Worthy dishes and Can’t Live Without/Basics for Everyday Use and cover feeding the kids, family and friends, romantic meals for two and the joys of sharing. Many of the Mediterranean choices for your Rosh Hashona celebration could include this recipe: MOM’S CHICKEN WITH POMEGRANATE AND WALNUTS 2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground turmeric 3 tbsp. canola oil 1 1/4 cups Pomegranate Confiture (recipe follows) 3 cups toasted walnuts pinch of saffron threads (optional) Place a large pot over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. While the pot is heating, pat the chicken dry and season with the salt, pepper, cumin and turmeric. Add the oil to the pot and add the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides. Overcrowding the pot will steam the chicken instead of searing it. Add the pomegranate confiture and stir in the walnuts and the saffron. Place a lid on the pot and bring to a boil then lower the heat to simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and take the pot straight to the table for a family-style meal. Serves 4 to 6. POMEGRANATE CONFITURE 6 cups pomegranate seeds (from about 10 medium pomegranates) 6 cups sugar 1/4 cup water Place the seeds, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook until thick, like syrup, about 35 minutes. Stir the mixture regularly to prevent the bottom from burning. Remove from the heat and, using a china cup or a ladle, strain and discard any excess seeds. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one year. Not only is the confiture great on slices of toast and sandwiches, it does wonders with so many delicious chicken dishes, like Mom’s Chicken with Pomegranate and Walnuts. (Suggested is removing the seeds in your best Ringo Starr imitation: banging the living daylights out of a pomegranate cut in half held upside-down over a bowl.) Note: “If, for some crazy reason, you manage to live without pomegranate confiture, you can replace it by whisking together 1/2 cup pomegranate juice and 1/4 cup honey.” Makes about 2 cups. Lois Friedman can be reached at ReadItAndEat@ yahoo.com.
Roots above ground Continued from page 7 Mama Paula would say, “I’m going to push my braaaging button:” My byline was becoming known. I swore I’d never leave the island of Manhattan. But the best was yet to come. Daisy. My daughter and Mama Paula’s clone. In Olde English her name means, “the day’s eye,” the sun. Exactly her nature. In utero, Daisy had Gastroschisis, an intestinal anomaly that required a seven-month stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. At three-years-old, after our G.I. team faltered again - but New York has the best medical care, I believed - I found the University of Nebraska Medical Center where we scheduled an evaluation. We’d return home with a treatment plan in one week, a few months at most. Before we left, our neighbor bound through our front door and said, “You’re moving to Oklahoma?” Indeed, I did not know where Omaha was until months later when I looked on a map. The day after we landed, members of Temple’s Caring Committee arrived at our hospital room with toys and gifts and unbridled compassion. Now, I was a twice-a-year Jew whose memories of temple included stockings (too tight), belly (too growly) and sermons (too long). Oh, and our J.F.K. Jr. look-alike rabbi, but I digress... Within three months, Daisy’s cirrhotic liver failed and she was listed for a small bowel, liver, pancreas transplant which she received on July 20th, her re-birthday. One day near our home in Dundee, I was walking Sadie, our broccoli-obsessed Shepherd-Husky, when a teen boy, casually slumped at the wheel of a black muffler-free Trans Am blew past us. I was sure he’d flip me the bird. He smiled. And waved. Was I on Candid Camera? Soon after, a Target check-out woman asked, “Did you find everything you need? Do you need help
to your car?” What did these people want from me? For years, those who knew our story would ask incredulously, “You moved from New York to Omaha? Was that a culture shock?” But it wasn’t, yet. I was so focused on Daisy’s care that we could have been in Guam, which of course now sounds slightly delusional. Here, I have grown to appreciate the clichés: a great place to raise kids, easy to get around and the cost of living. I seemingly bought our first house with Monopoly money. Joseph Campbell, the American mythologist, writer and lecturer touted the true path to peace: Follow your bliss. Recently, Renée Corcoran, Executive Director at the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, hired me to write a book about the elders and their families who grew up in Council Bluffs, a dream project which provides a space for my subjects and myself to feel enlivened, entertained and -- best of all -- it highlights our shared humanity, which I realize is my calling. I have the privilege of listening to people’s stories, which after all, give life meaning. As if on cue, outside of Walgreen’s this morning I saw a disheveled young man rummage through the garbage. He smiled, “Sorry, habit.” “I’m from New York,” I smiled. “Nothing bothers me.” Er, almost nothing. Yes, I call downtown, The Building, bemoan winter and summer. And fall. I refuse to say pop and stand firm that a crick is something you get in your neck. Sure, there were more Jews in my downtown NYC apartment building than there are in Nebraska, which would make Mama Paula cringe, but she’d also be grateful that Daisy and I are growing and healing and cackle so hard together our abs ache. And she’d realize, as I have, that a city girl can thrive outside her natural habitat, as long as she’s got love.
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | B9
Living in “Bagel”
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by BERT LEWIS think it’s fair to say that one of the first things we teach our little ones, as soon as they can talk, might be how to answer when asked their name, and even maybe more important, when they’re asked their address. We needn’t go into a long and boring explanation of the importance of those two questions -if you’re a parent, you already know. And why bring up the obvious? Well, I heard somebody recently say, “oh yeah, that was back in the 50’s, when we lived in “Bagel”. I think I rolled my eyes, even though I was reacting to something that hadn’t been said to me, but the person speaking was near enough for me to think her remark was for me. I probably heaved a big sigh, and kept going, thinking to myself I needed to mind my own business. But as the day went on, I realized that would be easier said than done. Hours later, back home as I was having a look at the evening newspaper, a Real Estate ad caught my eye. An attractive house was pictured, along with the details of all its desirable high points, plus, in smaller print, the address where one could have a drive by and a look in person. For no particular reason, I read for a second time, all about the house, and realized the address was in a neighborhood more than a little familiar to me. I smiled to myself when I realized it looked familiar because we used to live across the street from that house. When I realized I saw that house every morning when I
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opened the drapes on our living room windows, I was a little horrified at myself for not recognizing it the very second I saw the picture -- good
heavens, we lived across the street from each other for umpteen years! We were part of a new neighborhood that became fairly well known immediately following WWII. Many of the families were still getting accustomed to having their men back, thankfully in civilian clothes after having served their country in one of the branches of the military. And many, if not most, were looking for housing for those reunited families. I know about that, since my little family was part of a “new neighborhood” getting so much attention from anyone who happened to be house hunting. My recent GI had finished his service, gone back to school, and was in civilian clothes, working in the
family business. Yes, he also had a brand new Law Degree, but so did many, many others, and my guy and I had started our family and we needed to face the reality of parenthood. Fast forward a few years, and there we were, outgrowing our too small rental place and thinking about how we should handle the problem of bigger living quarters. I can’t remember exactly how we came to the conclusion that buying a house was a good idea. We didn’t have any of the usual necessary requirements when buying a house began to be a good idea, but bless them, we had two dads, one each, and you can probably guess the rest. You can figure out the rest of the part I’m leaving out, but that’s how we came to build a small house in the new neighborhood that everyone was talking about. We also, given a few years, made it seem even smaller as we increased the numbers in our family. Most of our neighbors were doing the same thing, growing a family in a new house. Consequently, as our kids grew, so did all the neighbor kids, and happily, there was seldom any reason to hear a kid say he or she had nobody to play with. Adding to that joy was the fact that here we were, producing what was to be called “the baby boomer generation”. The oldest of those kids we filled the neighborhood up with are now 60 plus years old and know all about Social Security and other rewards of making it from Way Back Then until Up To Now. I suppose to some that’s a dubious honor, but as the parent of
some, well let’s just say they grew up to be a great bunch of citizens and we’re all very, very proud of them. If you weren’t around in the early 1950’s and 60’s, you wouldn’t necessarily know that the neighborhood I refer to in the preceding paragraphs somehow became known in those years, as an area where many Omaha Jewish families happily bought or built homes. We did become, without thinking a lot about it, an area which for different reasons, attracted numbers of our people. Perhaps the fact that we had (ultimately) both the “new” Beth Israel synagogue and Temple Israel within our “borders;” we had a new, large shopping center, we had brand new schools to receive all the kids... we seemed to have just about everythng anybody would think they wanted in a nice, new neighborhood. Businesses recognized the value of that part of the city and were happy to build and be a part of the neighborhood. Of course after all these years, who knows who first started referring to this part of Omaha, so densely populated with Jews, as “BAGEL”? Well, why not? We’ve always been known as a people who can make fun of ourselves. It wasn’t just a matter of a name or numbers of Jews or nonJews. I’m not sure I can explain it, so many years have now slipped away. No, the kids who grew up together in that area which included Crossroads, the businesses in the 50th and Underwood area, the schools that provided for this new segment of the Continued on page B10
B10 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Living in “Bagel� Continued from page B9 population, such as Western Hills, Lewis and Clark Jr. High, Creighton Prep and to the South, what was formerly known as Omaha University and now called UNO, to name some. Whatever kept Jewish families living in the Glenwood Road part of town known as “Bagel�, didn’t lose its magnetism. One of my former neighbors after all this time is still there, in the original house they built way back then. It was a wonderful place to live and to raise a family. I didn’t worry about my kids and their safety when they announced they were “going outside�. If asked, they could tell me exactly whose house they were headed for and where they expected to be. Every kid knew every mother, whether or not her kids were friends. And mothers in general would always pay attention to what the kids were doing. Most Moms knew most kids by name and, if a particular kids had a reputation for questionable behavior, every mother knew about it. Of course, so did every other kid. They played in groups, they grew together, they went from grammer school to junior high then, mostly, on to Central High together. They all knew each other, and they knew most of us moms, too. I could tell stories that would have anyone who once lived in that area convulsed and horrified, all at the same time! Only a few years ago did I happen to hear a tale that somehow I’d never heard before. Because the kid who was the “star� of the tale is a well known and respected adult today, I’ll spare him identification. It happened on a hot summer day, when this kid and one of his friends ran out of things to do. They discussed many options and ultimately, one of them said, “Want to take a ride up to Baum’s?� Baum’s was a drugstore on 50th and Underwood, and these kids were on approximately 6300 west on Glenwood Road. They were about maybe 10 or 12, if that much, and the one who had suggested the trip was, I’m sure, barely big enough to sit at the wheel of a car and see out. But he knew the car was in the garage, and he also knew his mom was next door or across the street or some place that close. The kids thought it was a pretty good idea, got into the car, and somehow, because maybe it’s true that little kids have who knows what or who looking out for them made it down Glenwood Road to Underwood Avenue, negotiated a left turn and drove up the hill all the way to Baum’s, at 50th. I wish I had the details of what happened when they arrived, but I do know that the adults were quickly drawn into the situation and the ride home was negotiated by adults. I wish I knew what was said to any of those kids, and who said it, but unless some of them decided to call and tell me, it’s their secret. But I have to admit, especially since none of my little bandits were involved, I’d give a lot to know more of the details of that one. I also know (first hand) about a car being driven too fast down the same Glenwood Road, causing a mishap with a telephone pole which somehow moved into the way of the car. One of the infamous moms saw it and today the kids would say “ratted him out�. I know about that one, because the car and the kid were both mine. A lot of damage to what
was a lovely car, but thankfully, no harm otherwise was done. (That sound was me, sighing) I remember too, the morning two of my neighbors had a weird incident. They lived directly across the street from each other, and it seems one morning, both men were backing out of their driveways and somehow didn’t notice each other. They did, however, hear a loud sound of metal meeting metal, and discovered they had backed directly into each other. Such things happen... believe me. All sorts of crazy and frightening and hystericallly funny things, plus way more I’ll never tell about. Including one boring day when the only thing a kid could think to do for his entertainment, was to take the hose connected to his house, turn it on, then drag it next door and aim it into the basement window of the neighbor who lived there. There are countless stories like some of these awful things I’m remembering. If I had somebody here, next to me, who also lived in the old neighborhood, I could probably tell what she remembers, but I don’t. Just as well, huh kids? I don’t know of anything really horrific, but that’s just as well. For the most part, the kids were reasonably decent through growing up years. And truthfully, if I had a roster of some sort, of the kids who grew up in the area that was called Bagel, I’ll bet many would be more than surprised at what went on with some of those lovely people they know today. I wasn’t going to look for any more of these weird stories, but now I remember one of our neighbors had a cat who lost a tail to an angry garage door - and one of the kids who lived in that house. Whew... that was an ugly story, and like many others, the principals shall remain nameless. You want to know the fun part of all this? These people I’ve told stories on, as I mentioned before, are of course all grown and mostly getting Social Security by now, but that’s not the point. They are, the whole tribe of them, a wonderful bunch of citizens of whatever community in which they live. They represent every group you can think of, they’ve won prestigious prizes, they’ve been praised and decorated and written about and distinguished themselves in more ways than I can think of, as I sit here and try to remember. They were a wonderful bunch of kids and all of us who raised them couldn’t be prouder. Yes, “Bagel� was quite a neighborhood. I never liked the name, but I was always proud of the kids who grew up there, and to this day when I happen to see any of them, I tend to think of them as one of “my kids�... By that, I always explain, I mean one of the kids who did a little growing up in my house. Back in those days, I often would look around the block, checking out which kid was doing what, making sure none of mine was into something he shouldn’t have been, and more than once I wondered if this was kind of what living in a really small town was like. Well, I still don’t know, but I do know this for certain: my kids and all the rest of them who grew up in that neighborhood which had once been cornfields Continued on page B11
It’s the way we do business...
LIFE & LEGACY™ for the New Year by MARY BORT Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation uring Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we reflect on the past and plan for a brighter future. What are your hopes and dreams for the New Year? What will your legacy be? LIFE & LEGACY™ has come to Omaha and it is the means through which you can express your passion, purpose and commitment to the future of Omaha’s Jewish community and the organizations that you value.
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Carl Riekes, Foundation President; left; Arlene Schiff, LIFE & LEGACY National Director; and Howard Epstein, foundation Executive Director. The new LIFE & LEGACY Program is a joint effort of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation (JFO Foundation) and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) that promotes after-lifetime giving to benefit the Omaha Jewish community. Through training, support and incentives, LIFE & LEGACY is motivating Omaha’s Jewish organizations to integrate legacy giving into their philanthropic culture, thus assuring Jewish tomorrows in Omaha. All three Omaha area synagogues, the Federation and its agencies, Anti-Defamation League/Community Relations Committee, Chabad, Friedel Jewish Academy, Institute for Holocaust Education, the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its agencies, and Nebraska Jewish Historical Society have partnered with the JFO Foundation in this coordinated initiative to build a solid financial future for Omaha’s Jewish community. Staff and volunteers from these participating organizations received training from LIFE & LEGACY National Director Arlene Schiff. “The trainings and meetings that we have had with Arlene have been successful and very well-attended,� stated Margo Parsow, the JFO Foundation’s LIFE & LEGACY Coordinator. “All of the participants have come away with a spirit of enthusiasm for the difference this program will Continued on page B11
WISHING YOU A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR
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September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | B11
Love for Jewish books is the candle my father lit for me Editor’s note: Howard Freedman is the director of the Jewish Community Library in San Francisco. His father, Marvin Freedman and his mother, Nancy Richards Freedman, both grew up in Omaha and later moved to Los Angeles. Many longtime Omahans remember Marv’s parents, Irv and Ruth Freedman, and their Blackstone Pharmacy on 36th and HOWARD Farnam. Howard’s aunt, Suzanne FREEDMAN Singer, still resides here. This column originally appeared in J., the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, for which Howard writes a monthly column on Jewish books. The story was reprinted here with Howard Fredman’s permission. nstead of my normal column about new titles at the Jewish Community Library, I’d like to offer a remembrance of my beloved father, whose recent death I am mourning, and how he helped nurture my love of Jewish books. My father was not particularly happy that I took up my line of work. Tethered to the downward trajectory of both physical books and Jewish demographics, my career path in Jewish librarianship worried him to no end. And he wasn’t shy in letting me know it. And yet part of this disapproval was perhaps entwined with guilt stemming from his recognition that what I had chosen to do with my life reflected the very values that he had instilled in me. It was my father who, above anyone else, got me hooked on Judaism and Jewish books. Perhaps it came to him through my great-grandfather, a learned rabbi who eked out a living as a sofer (ritual scribe) and Jewish bookseller in America. Or through my grandfather, who, far from his Jerusalem upbringing, was a pillar of ritual life in Omaha. But my father’s embrace of Judaism and Jewish ideas was a fundamental part of his being. There were bookshelves in most of the rooms of the house
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LIFE & LEGACY™ Continued from page B10 have in our community, now and for future generations. I enjoy working with all of the partner organizations as we strive to fulfill a spiritual ideal of leaving a legacy in Omaha’s Jewish community – an ideal that realizes our passions and dreams, and also carries on the legacy of those who came before us.” “Regardless of age, wealth or affiliation, everyone has the ability to leave a legacy,” explained Parsow. “A donor expresses his or her wishes by completing a LIFE & LEGACY Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent identifies the way in which a legacy gift will be made, such as a bequest, a gift of life insurance or other assets.” By making your legacy commitment now, you can convey your commitment to being Jewish, express your values, perpetuate the Jewish traditions you cherish, and preserve the programs and organizations that support the Omaha Jewish community. “We hope that you will contact the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation to assist you in finding a way to create your legacy,” said Parsow. “We wish you a very happy and healthy New Year. L’Shanah Tovah!” Contact Margo Parsow at 402.334.6432 or mparsow@jewishomaha.org.
Living in “Bagel” Continued from page B10 and a lot of open space, were lucky. We Moms could say ok when one of them would head out the front door and casually announce whose house they were headed for. We didn’t worry about anything happening to them before they got to their destination. Things are not so secure these days as they were 60 years ago. I hope that old neighborhood is still safe... I hope kids can still go out after dinner and play until it gets dark, like they once did. I wonder if my kids remember my whistle? It was like one used by Phys. Ed. teachers or coaches. When it was more than time for my kids to stop whatever they were doing and head straight for home, I’d step outside the door and blow that whistle. I don’t remember any of them ignoring that sound, but in addition to that, just finding it took me way back. Those days were filled with enough stories to fill many books! They weren’t all funny nor were they all tinged with bad memories, but they were honest, growing up years. I know a few people who still live in that area once called Bagel. I hope their families turn out fine and healthy, and make their parents proud, as they did in my day.
in which I grew up in Los Angeles, and the floor-to-ceiling shelves lining the walls of our family room featured an ample Jewish section. These books did not speak to me as a kid (except The Jew in American Sports, which captivated me in spite of offering a history calcified in the 1950s), but they implanted themselves in my visual memory. I used to accompany my father on excursions to J. Roth’s bookshop in Los Angeles’ Pico-Robertson district. This was a veritable temple of Jewish books in its heyday in the 1970s and ’80s, eventually done in by both the rise of chain bookstores and shifts in ideology and taste among Los Angeles Jews. As we exited the doors of J. Roth one time during my late teens, my father said to me, “Howard, if there’s ever a Jewish book you see and want, I want you to buy it and I’ll reimburse you for it.” This was not an offer he made for other things. Just Jewish books. I didn’t take him up on his offer because, as a teenager, I wasn’t interested in buying Jewish books. But, gradually, I became so. And when I moved to San Francisco in 1989, a year after college, I frequented a shabby outlet of discontinued stock that Books Inc. used to run downtown on Powell Street opposite its flagship store. The outlet featured a huge number of titles -- Agnon, Kafka, Gershom Scholem, and many more -- from the esteemed Jewish publisher Schocken (leftover copies after the publisher was acquired by Random House) at very low prices. I bought and read many of them. But I didn’t take my father up on the offer of reimbursement. Although I had little money, buying these books now reflected my own interests and values. A while back, I mentioned this offer to my father, and he had no memory of it. But it made a big impact on me as a statement of values. And eventually, it was those values that led me to working at the Jewish Community Library and writing this column, perhaps leading others to make these
books a greater part of their lives. My father died during the intermediate days of Passover, and it gives me some comfort that his yahrzeit will be forever bound up with the holiday. The seder, with its emphasis on family, sharing stories, engaging with text, asking questions, and food (he loved eating even more than reading), was a true expression of his values. The rationale behind the seder is to fulfill the biblical commandment, “And you shall tell your children.” My dad took it seriously. With my commitment to libraries, I’m hardly a disinterested party when it comes to the merits of physical books. But a concern I would have in any case relates to some of the subtler impacts of the turn toward reading on electronic devices. The books that sat on my father’s shelves, the books he gave me, the books I gave him, the books I noticed him reading, and the copy of Middlemarch that sat beside his bed for years are all part of how I recall him, and they played a role in how we communicated our identity and values. I think back to an episode several years ago when, while walking in San Francisco, I was lured into a Victorian flat by an “estate sale” sign. Scanning the bookshelves, I was surprised to find for sale a plethora of Jewish books and CDs, with a particular focus on Jewish music. Upon noticing further the large number of French titles and books on Polish Jewry, I realized that this had to be the collection of a wonderful woman I’d known for years, who had died two years earlier. It was a poignant realization that many of us could be identified simply by the books on our shelves. And it saddened me terribly that, by the end of the estate sale, this evocation of her would be gone. I write this as I sit late at night alongside a flickering candle in the family room of my childhood home, staring at the Jewish books that stared at me as I grew up. Some may be gone soon. But in this moment, they’re a beautiful reminder of how lucky I am to have had such a father.
B12 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
It’s more than a donation.
t’s your legacy.
L’SHANAH TOVAH! From the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation Board of Directors and staff: BOARD OF DIRECTORS Carl Riekes -President Donald Goldstein -Vice President Andrew Robinson -Treasurer Steven Bloch Paul Epstein
Michael M. Erman Ted Friedland David Gilinsky Gloria Kaslow Joseph Kirshenbaum Jody Malashock Murray H. Newman Steve Nogg Harley D. Schrager
Ted M. Seldin -Emeritus Frederick J. Simon Norman Veitzer Adam Yale
STAFF Howard N. Epstein Janet Henthorn Laurie Peatrowsky Margo Parsow Mary Bort
EX-OFFICIO Bruce Friedlander Jay Noddle
The Foundation secures the future of Omaha’s Jewish community through endowment funds, donor-advised funds and the new LIFE & LEGACY™ initiative. LIFE & LEGACY is a collaboration between the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, and our local partner organizations: The Jewish Federation of Omaha and its Agencies: Center for Jewish Life Jewish Community Center Jewish Press Jewish Social Services -Jewish Family Service -Jewish Senior Outreach -Rose Blumkin Jewish Home
Beth El Synagogue Beth Israel Synagogue Temple Israel Chabad House
Anti-Defamation League Friedel Jewish Academy Institute for Holocaust Education Nebraska Jewish Historical Society
This is the year to establish your Legacy. Contact the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation today!
Howard N. Epstein Executive Director 402-334-6466 hepstein@jewishomaha.org
Margo Parsow LIFE & LEGACY Coordinator 402-334-6432 mparsow@jewishomaha.org
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | C1
From Generation to Generation Jewish Social Services, an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, meets the social, health and mental wellness needs of the Jewish community and the community at large through every stage of life.
We wish all of you a sweet, healthy New Year. Jewish Social Services JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | JEWISH SENIOR OUTREACH
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C2 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Should young families have to pay to pray? by ADINA KAY-GROSS NEW YORK (Kveller.com) ave you heard the one about the young Jewish couple who have a kid while living in a big city and find themselves searching for community around the High Holidays? You know, the couple who decide to pony up for synagogue membership at a large congregation in their city neighborhood and then subsequently become involved through the synagogue preschool, the young sisterhood and various holiday events? This couple basks in the warm glow of baking challah and attending Tot Shabbat services. They introduce their kids -- first the one kid, then two -- to more Judaism in five years than either of them had been exposed to in over 25. And they enjoy it! Never before had they yearned for Jewish connection and yet here they are, singing the prayers, making Jewish friends, teaching their kids Hebrew. Then, as the creep of kindergarten approaches, said couple feels the need to find a new home in the suburbs. As a consequence, they leave their big warm city shul and head east (or in this case, north). Do you know what happens next in this all-too-familiar-tale? The couple, with their two tots in tow, feels lonely around the Jewish holidays. So they call up their old friends at the big warm city synagogue and inquire about tickets for holiday services. But this young, participatory, involved family is told that alas, because they are no longer dues-paying members, there
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are no seats for them this year. We have no room for you to join us for Rosh Hashanah services, they are told. Shanah Tovah. And so, we are left to assume that this formerly engaged young family of four will spend Rosh Hashanah not at syn-
agogue with their community but at home, alone, or maybe even at McDonald’s. Who knows? If you haven’t heard this story, you most likely know other stories similar. Stories where monetary, proprietary, yucketary issues got in the way of what Judaism and holiday worship is all about -- community. Sure, I’m being melodramatic. And yes, the family I mention above could easily seek out a congregation near where they now live and go knocking on doors, and possibly pay a few hundred dollars to sit with a community they don’t yet know. But chances are this family won’t. Chances are very high that this experience will sour the family on synagogue worship for quite some time and truthfully, who could blame them? The notion of paying for High Holidays tickets is an old
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practice and yes, in many ways, necessary for a synagogue to keep its lights on (MyJewishLearning can explain why here). In short, if you are not a member of a synagogue and you want to attend services, and there’s a rabbi and cantor who need to be paid, and a building that needs to be heated and cooled, and booklets to print up and Kiddush wine to order and, you get the idea -- then this sort of tithe, if you will, is necessary. Yes, many synagogues have sliding scales for ticket prices or will offer special community services -- held at off-hour times during the holidays -- for those who don’t want to pay but do want to pray. And yet I’m here to argue -- looking at you again, machers -- that our community isn’t doing enough to welcome in the young and exhausted, who are just trying to connect, without strings attached. Turning a young family away, when they want to come to synagogue and worship with a community? Wrong. And at the risk of sounding histrionic, the stuff that total assimilation is made of. There are five words that the Jewish establishment must remember when thinking about how to engage young people: Meet Them Where They Are. To wit: I recently took my kids to a PJ Library event at a local synagogue in our new town. While a friend who happens to be closely connected to this particular congregation invited me, PJ Library events (Jewish-themed activities for young kids based around a PJ Library storybook) are open to the community. So off we went on a Friday afternoon, my twin toddlers and I, to read a story, do an art project, bake challah. The girls had fun. The challah they “baked” actually tasted good. Everyone was incredibly friendly, hands were outstretched, introductions were made, the young rabbi of the congregation came to visit, took photos, made introductions, helped his own kid color on a challah cover. We enjoyed. Fast forward not even a week. I’m at home. My kids are upstairs napping. The mail arrives. I run to catch the carrier before he slams our mailbox cover, setting off a domino effect of barking dog and kids awakened too soon. Top of the mail pile? Envelope addressed to my children. Not in the handwriting of their grandmothers. Who else sends them mail? I check the return address: It was from the shul we had just visited for the challah-baking extravaganza. I open the envelope. Inside is a letter to my kids thanking them for coming to the PJ Library event and two High Holidays tickets, one for me and one for my husband, along with an invitation to join the congregation at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services as guests of the synagogue. No fee required, no RSVP necessary, no literature on synagogue membership. No “pay for pray.” Just a warm and welcoming gesture from an established community to a new family in town. It was so simple, so menschy and so right. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have a lot of time on my hands these days. Raising my kids has sapped me and my husband of basically all the juice we might have otherwise put toward community building. We feel around in the dark for old friends, make tentative plans, frequent neighborhood parks, try and catch a PJ Library event when we can. But honestly, we’re mostly focused on keeping it together. “These are the lost years,” a veteran parent told me not long ago, as she spied me chasing my girls down the hall of the local JCC. I’d rather not think of them as lost, but yes, these are not easy years, though I know they are precious and will pass by too quickly. In my heart I want to be building a Jewish presence in my kids’ lives. In my reality, I’m lucky if I can bathe them regularly without passing out from exhaustion. The Talmud teaches kol yisrael arevim zeh le zeh, which basically translates as “all of Israel is responsible for one another.” This synagogue took responsibility for my family. And it didn’t take much. They sent a note in the mail. They made it easy for us. They let us know they wanted us around. Temple trustees, board members, presidents and staff: During this High Holidays season, if you find yourself in a position to open your doors to the young and unmoored, do so! Worry not about hosting poker nights or golf club extravaganzas. Don’t send bulletin after bulletin to a ream of addresses that mean nothing but wasted paper. Identify a family; throw two tickets in the mail. Include a schedule of child-care hours at the temple. Make it easy. They will come. And it will be sweet. Shanah Tovah! Adina Kay-Gross, a contributing editor for Kveller, also works as a writing consultant at Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute for Religion and teaches writing and literature at Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women. She has been published in a number of literary magazines as well as in Tablet Magazine, The Jerusalem Post, The New York Jewish Week and The Forward. (Visit Kveller.com for more articles about Jewish parenting.)
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | C3
Welcome home, from your Jewish Family Service by KAREN M. GUSTAFSON JFS Executive Director ome of you may have moved away just a few years ago and others many years ago, but you’re all still Omahans and we are still your Jewish Family Service -- JFS. In 2011, JFS celebrated its 100th anniversary. The agency was first introduced to the Omaha community in 1911 as the Jewish Welfare Federation. At that time, JFS provided assistance to families, the unemployed and to transients. As the Jewish community changed, so did the agency’s responsibilities. In 1927, the agency professionals recognized that social work covered additional areas -adoption, foster home care, and care for juvenile delinquency, as well as psychiatric cases confined to state institutions. As the problems of poverty became less serious over the years, greater attention was paid to social problems. Eventually the agency became affiliated with the Community Chest -- a predecessor to United Way of the Midlands -- and began receiving additional funds. In 1931, the Jewish Welfare Federation, the Jewish Community Center and Jewish Philanthropies merged. These organizations became the basis of our present Jewish Federation of Omaha. In 1951, the structure of Jewish Family Service became what it is today. Our mission as a human service agency is to strengthen and preserve life in the Jewish community and the community at large through every stage of the life cycle Today, in the 21st Century, Jewish Family Service offers a comprehensive therapy program that provides family, individual and marital counseling. We work with couples adjusting to life events; individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, grief or a multitude of other symptoms. For young children, who are often not as adept as adults at verbalizing their feelings, we offer our Play Therapy program. Our youngest client was three years old, and our oldest client, eighty-nine.
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Our mission has continued throughout the years: to serve the Jewish community with the highest quality staff and services available in the Omaha Metropolitan area. Locally, JFS is probably best known for the tzedakah services offered through our Financial Assistance Program. Our Project Tzedakah provides individuals, couples and families in need with food baskets appropriate for each Jewish festival. We also stock and maintain a Food Pantry that provides canned goods, household items and personal hygiene products. During Hanukkah, our Project Dreidel matches donors with needy families in order to provide their children with holiday gifts. Jewish Family Service has become “the” agency in Omaha, known for our facilitation of Parenting the Love and Logic Way. We also offer community presentations on topics such as bullying, anxiety, chemical dependency, and other topics pertaining to general mental health. Every two years, JFS sponsors an Ethics Workshop for community health professionals that helps them meet their required standards for license renewal. We continue to offer services in the area of adoption by contracting with families to facilitate adoption home studies -- domestic or international -- prior to the placement of the child. And in the area of adult special needs, our Yachad group serves individuals with developmental disabilities through a variety of spiritual, social and creative events that help every Yachad member obtain personal and individualized goals. At Jewish Family Service, we are very proud of the work we do, and we plan to continue serving our community for the next hundred years. Again, welcome home. We hope you enjoy your visit. If we can be of assistance to you or a family member, please don’t hesitate to email me at kgustafson@jfsomaha.com or call the JFS office at 402.330.2024. For more information please visit our website: http://jfsomaha.com/.
Break-fast pickle? Try cucumber salad and your own cream cheese (MyJewishLearning.com) asting on Yom Kippur is one of my least favorite parts of being Jewish. I recognize the value of reflective fasting, and I know some people even enjoy the fast day, but for me it is a torturous 25 hours until I can break into the SHANNON SARNA bagels and kugel. The last thing anyone wants to do after fasting and sitting in synagogue is to start cooking and prepping a complicated or heavy meal. The dishes I like to serve for Yom Kippur can all be made in advance -- in fact, they are better when prepared well ahead of time. And not just for the sake of your sanity. A quick pickled cucumber salad is a standard in my home and a dish I learned to make from my grandmother. It’s slightly sweet, just a tad spicy, and the crunch of the cucumber is really satisfying next to a bagel schmeared with cream cheese. You need to make this recipe ahead of time to properly allow the cucumber to absorb the flavors. Anyone can break open a tub of cream cheese for a break-fast. But if you make your own custom cream cheese flavor -- like the Chipotle Cream Cheese Spread -your family and guests will think you spent hours and hours in the kitchen. Making your own cream cheese is very easy and a fun way to take the spread up a notch. If butternut squash kugel and a coffee cake had a baby, the Cakey Crunch Sweet Potato Kugel would be the result. It is absolutely delicious, but I make sure to warn people: It’s highly addictive, you won’t be able to eat just one portion. It is also the perfect dish to make ahead and reheat once the fast is over. Continued on page C4
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From my family to yours, we wish you a peaceful and prosperous new year.
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C4 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
A new way to prepare for the High Holidays by TSAFI LEV (MyJewishLearning.com) m advocating a new angle on Heshbon Nefesh, “soul’s accounting,” that we do in preparation to the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This soul work begins with the ancient Greek dictum “know thyself ” Or, to put it more rabbinically, “Know before whom you stand.” I ask myself: What am I afraid of? Deep down, what are my real hopes? An investment of time and focus in anticipation of the holidays elevates the experience. Without the prep work, is there any doubt that five-hour services could be a drag? It’s like showing up to the Olympic marathon having not stretched, not worked out, and perhaps not having run in an entire year (or more). The results won’t be good. I base my approach on practices of the Penn Resiliency Project of Positive Psychology – this soul’s accounting tackles our fears and hopes for the coming year head-on and in a practical way. Here are the steps: For each of the categories of your life (friends, relation-
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ships with each family member, work, personal health, etc.), do the following: 1. List three things that you are most afraid will happen in the coming year. (I encourage you to be honest with your fears – just get the realistic and unfounded flow out of you). 2. List three things that you deeply hope will happen in the coming year. 3. List three things that are most likely to happen this year. You’ve just put pen to paper about your worries and your
hopes as well as what is most realistically going to happen – Reality is most often found in that middle ground between worst and best. Now, list steps to take: A. For each of your fears listed, give yourself three simple steps to take to prevent the worst from happening. B. For each of the things you hope will happen this year, give yourself three simple steps that would help make that happen. Having the opportunity to be honest about our hopes and fears, and creating realistic steps about how to prevent or coax them along, has a tremendous empowering effect on our spiritual preparation for the New Year. It leads to greater joy and to greater optimism. Rabbi Tsafi Lev is a CLAL Rabbis Without Borders Fellow. He is the rabbinic director of New Community Jewish High School in West Hills, Calif., and a lecturer for the Fingerhut School of Education Master of Arts in Education program at the American Jewish University. (This story originally appeared on the Rabbis Without Borders blog on MyJewishLearning.com.)
Break-fast pickle? Continued from page C3 QUICK PICKLED CUCUMBER SALAD Ingredients: 1 large seedless English cucumber 1 onion, thinly sliced 6 tbsp. white wine vinegar 3 tbsp. water 2 or 3 tbsp. chopped fresh dill 2 tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Pinch crushed red pepper (optional) Preparation: Slice cucumber 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and dill. Add thinly sliced cucumbers and onions to bowl and mix until liquid coats all the cucumbers and onions. Place salad into container and allow to chill several hours or overnight. Yield: 14 servings. CHIPOTLE CREAM CHEESE Ingredients: 2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature 1 to 2 tbsp. chipotle in adobe (depending on your tastes), minced 1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Preparation: In a mixing bowl, combine minced chipotle and liquid, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add softened cream cheese and mix until combined thoroughly. Serve with fresh bagels and sliced avocado. Yield: 12-14 servings CAKEY CRUNCH SWEET POTATO KUGEL Ingredients: 8 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 3-4 heaping tbsp. brown sugar 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 cup orange juice or orange-flavored liqueur 8 ounces mini marshmallows 1 box yellow cake mix 2 sticks margarine or butter, melted Preparation: Boil sweet potatoes in large pot of water until tender, around 20-25 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the sweet potatoes and mash in a large bowl. Add vanilla, brown sugar, nutmeg, salt and orange juice or orange-flavored liqueur and mix well. Grease a 9-by-11 baking dish. Layer half of the sweet pota-
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One warning on the Cakey Crunch Sweet Potato Kugel: It’s Credit: Shannon Sarna addictive. to mixture evenly in the baking dish. Sprinkle marshmallows over the top. Add remaining sweet potato mixture on top of marshmallows and spread evenly using an off-set spatula or knife. Sprinkle yellow cake mix evenly over the top of sweet potato mixture. Pour melted butter or margarine evenly over the top of the cake mix. Bake for 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 16 servings. Shannon Sarna is editor of The Nosher blog on MyJewishLearning.com, where these recipes originally appeared.
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September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | C5
Beyond the synagogue, a shofar’s call makes connections
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by EDMON J. RODMAN LOS ANGELES (JTA) n preparation for the High Holidays last year, my community sent its shofar blower on the road. During the month of Elul, in the run-up to Rosh Hashanah, we are supposed to hear the shofar blown every day except Shabbat. Traditionally, this is done in shul. But our small, lay-led congregation does not meet on weekdays. So my wife, Brenda, who blows the shofar for the Movable Minyan, as our congregation is called, offered to visit members’ homes to perform the ritual there.
At a traveling shofar stop by Brenda Rodman, an unexpected light show at the home of neon artist Credit: Edmon J. Rodman Stuart Ziff. “It will be more personal,” I remember her saying. Wanting to see how personal, I offered to be the chauffeur, scheduler and emcee. Once the show went on the road to our approximately 20 households spread throughout Los Angeles, I called ahead to work out the times. Even though we had announced the shofar calls would be on Sundays, I still received a few incredulous “you’re coming to do what?” kind of responses. Undaunted, we hit our first location in the Hollywood hills. We were welcomed in and escorted to a back outdoor deck overlooking an oak and chaparral-filled canyon. In front of the family group that had gathered, I tried out my explanation as Brenda readied the small shofar she had been using for several years. “The shofar is blown to remind us that the High Holy Days are approaching and that we should start thinking about repentance and spiritual repair,” I said, suddenly aware of how personal this all was. “Elul can be seen as an acronym for ‘ani l’dodi v’dodi li’ -- ‘I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me,’” I said, cribbing from something I had studied. “During the year, God may call to us, but during Elul we must call to him -- or her.” Then Brenda, who had learned to blow the shofar as the result of playing trumpet in junior high school, recited the blessing and blew. Hearing the shofar in their homes struck people in different ways. One woman, with her cat following, took us out to her back balcony to make sure her neighbors, some of whom were Orthodox, also would hear the sound. At another home, a seven-year-old proudly brought out
a full Yemenite shofar and blew it along with Brenda, much to the delight of his father. At several homes, neighbors, as well as their children, extended family, and even a boyfriend had been invited over to hear the call. One woman placed small figurines that she had inherited from her grandparents around the living room in hopes that the sound would reach across the generations. A member in her 90s smiled and showed her appreciation by handing us a donation for the minyan. At the home of a rabbi, it seemed the sound of the shofar was a kind of alarm, alerting her to the time she had remaining to complete writing those services outlines and sermons for the nearing High Holidays. At a condo not far from the ocean, Brenda demonstrated the shofar’s sounds and I explained what they were: Tekiah, “the longest sound, calling us together,” I said. The Shevarim: “three broken sounds resembling sighing.” And the Teruah: “nine rapid sounds that can be thought of as a kind of wailing.” On the way out, the man of the house, perhaps thinking that the mobile shofar blower needed to get around in better style, showed us his classic car and hinted that it was for sale. When we visited his home, Stuart Ziff, a neon artist, asked Brenda if she wanted to blow the shofar in front of one of his works. The spiraled glass contraption, looking like something from an old Buck Rogers movie, had at its core a Jacob’s Ladder, a device that sends a crackling high voltage arc traveling upward between two wires. As Brenda blew the shofar, Ziff joined in by pushing the “on” button, enveloping the room in a soft pink glow. Savoring the moment, he invited us to sit down for a bowl of homemade ice cream. There were other surprises. Driving up to one location, we couldn’t believe how close it was to our home; it was like finding a new neighbor. Then there was the unexpected audience. After sounding the shofar at a downtown condo and walking back to the car, we spotted a beautiful, long, curvy shofar in a music store window. On an impulse we walked in. With me egging her on, Brenda asked to try it out, and to the amazement of the store’s mostly Latino customers and personnel who had gathered around, blew a long beautiful Tekiah. “I can give you a very good price on the shofar,” the salesman said. As we walked down the street, recounting the ways her shofar had reconnected our community, she explained why she didn’t go for the one in the store. “I don’t need it,” she said. “This one works fine.” Edmon J. Rodman is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish life from Los Angeles. Contact him at edmojace@gmail.com.
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An imperfect game ne of my friends is a very accomplished psychoanalyst. He has helped many toward greater maturity. He has, of course, been through a complete analysis himself. As we spoke recently, in the candor of friendship, he acknowledged his gnawing moments, his lingering crisis of self-confidence, moments when he doubts the adequacy of his powers, of the significance of his RABBI ARYEH life. My friend reminded me that those AZRIEL moments go with the human territory, Temple Israel with self-awareness, even after psychoanalysis, even if you are a psychoanalyst. Freud himself once said the purpose of therapy is to transform neurotic misery into normal unhappiness. What about religion? Can religious faith free us from the residue of immaturity, from our hang-ups, from the gap of how we would like to be and the way we are? I would like to be able to tell you, yes. I know people who say their religious faith gives them perfect peace, total fulfillment. My own faith does not. I regard myself as a religious person, but my faith does not spare me from periods of anxiety, lapses of confidence and a painful sense that in attitude and deed, I am very far from my vision of perfect maturity or wholeness. When I get depressed by that fact, as I sometimes do, and I wonder about the adequacy of my faith, I remember that wonderful story the rabbis tell of Moses. He was certainly a man of faith. The rabbis tell of the days before Moses’ death, Joshua has succeeded him. Moses says to God: Lord, let me live a little. I don’t mind
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Joshua being in control. I am not jealous of my successor. I know it is time for me to retire, but let me just go over to the Promised Land and observe from the sidelines. God tests Moses and lets him follow Joshua around for a day with Joshua as the leader. He is terribly jealous. Moses turns to God and says: “There are times when death is sweeter than life. I’m ready, God, take me.” For all his religious faith and closeness to God, not even Moses was fully liberated from the human condition. Not even he was a spiritually fulfilled, perfectly mature man. That is a Jewish perspective. Not even religion perfectly heals or matures us, or makes our life all we might dream. Religious faith does give us the power to move toward wholeness and the wisdom to know we are not yet there. Religious faith does give us the strength for those darker moments in our lives and the courage to hope, although the world is not yet redeemed. And so, at this High Holy Day season of judgment and penitence, the season that would end with a day of fasting, the season that highlights our lows and shortcomings and unfulfilled visions, the season which bids us to become better than we are, Nehemiah tells us, as he told our ancestors: Don’t weep, don’t despair, don’t put on sack cloth as you recite the litany of your shortcomings. Dress up; take care of yourselves and those who have less. Strive to grow and move toward spiritual wholeness. You can make significant strides, but keep perspective. Don’t expect to burst the bonds of this imperfect world. God respects the rough edges of our life. God does not expect us to play a perfect game. Neither should we. Let the solemnity and sadness of this season of judgment be tempered by the joy of a very precious awareness of God’s delight in our humanness that is our strength.
Community matters have heard the joke many times that in order to be a true Omahan you have to have lived here for 30 years. While my family has only been here for just over three years, we nonetheless have been welcomed and accepted with open arms. It is in that vein that I am thrilled to be able to take part in the Omaha Jewish Reunion, an event designed to highlight RABBI STEVEN our amazing Jewish community. It is fitting that the Omaha Jewish ABRAHAM Reunion is happening just weeks before Beth El Synagogue the High Holidays, for at its core the Yamin Noraim (Days of Awe) are all about community. We come together as a holy community to mark the holiness of time, to look back and give thanks for the past year and pray for the year
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upcoming. As a community, not as individuals, we rise for the Viddui (the confessional) and strike our chests, not because we individually committed each and every transgression; rather we take responsibility for our entire community. Every year at this time we are asked to take stock of our lives, to perform a cheshbon ha’nefesh (an accounting of our souls). We are told to look back and take note of those instances or actions we can improve for the year ahead. This year we have been granted the special gift of being able to take a look back at our communal history and an account for the changes that have taken place, through the events of the Omaha Jewish Reunion. I am so proud to be a part of the Omaha Jewish Community today and look forward to our bright future. I am grateful for the opportunity to take pause and realize that the strength of our community lies in its strong foundation and rich history. I hope that you join me at the Omaha Jewish Reunion Sept. 12-14, 2014.
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | C7
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The shofar’s call n Israeli taxi driver takes his car to the mechanic to repair the brakes. The mechanic gives the brake system serious scrutiny and informs the taxi driver that he has bad news. “Your brakes are in serious disrepair. RABBI MENDEL M. It’s going to cost you KATZMAN 6,000 shekels.” Says Chabad Center taxi driver to mechanic, “Forget the brakes. Just fix my horn!” The central, Biblical mitzvah of Rosh Hashana revolves around the Shofar, the ram’s horn. The requirement is not to sound the Shofar; rather to HEAR it. Indeed the blessing ‘Lishmoa kol Shofar’ to HEAR the Shofar’s sound is recited at Shofar time. Of course in order to HEAR the Shofar, someone has to BLOW it. Perhaps that is why it is colloquially referred to as Shofar Blowing. ‘Do you HEAR me’? A parent may ask their offspring. ‘Yes, I hear you’ replies a distracted youth. And even if the child has heard the words, has he heard the message? Has she comprehended, absorbed, taken to heart its meaning? ‘Shema Yisrael’, Hear Oh Israel. From the cradle to the grave, at least twice daily, we Jews affirm G-d’s involvement in our lives with these words. As we hear, listen and contemplate these words, we are empowered to see beyond the confusion and mirage of duality that the world portrays. We are liberated to live according to the Divine code. The sound of the Shofar, reminiscent of trumpets sounded at a King’s inaugural ceremony,
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little over a year ago, Tifereth Israel in Lincoln held a homecoming celebration in honor of its 100th anniversary. Long before Tifereth Israel decided to talk about “coming home,” Judaism took up that NANCY COREN very same theme when Spiritual Lay Leader, it began talking about Congregation doing “teshuvah.” Tifereth Israel Teshuvah is the process by which we break down the barriers between our truest selves and G-d. Teshuvah isn’t really about turning to something new; it is about returning to the old. In many ways, teshuvah is reminiscent of the words we state in our service of returning the Torah to the Ark. “Hashivaynu adoshem aylecha v’nashuvah, chadaysh yameinu k’kedem. Turn us toward you, Adonai, and we will return to you; renew our days as of old.” Returning to the old is a metaphor for rediscovering the good that has always been within us; about reconnecting with G-d and with one
implores us to HEAR that G-d is the Master of the universe, whose sovereignty we accept on this day. The sound of the Rosh Hashana Shofar simulates the Shofar blasts which accompanied the Giving of the Torah at Sinai. The sound reminds us to HEAR that G-dly communication via the life giving lessons of Torah and Mitzvot. The sound of the Shofar, similar to the plaintive wail of a child who calls out for a parent, exhorts us to be attentive to the needs of others. Perhaps most poignant, is the Shofar’s reminder to each of us of the inaudible cry of our own souls which call out with great intensity to our Father in Heaven. Deep down, the “pinteleh Yid”, the Jewish spark cries for our Father in Heaven. It yearns for G-d’s closeness. It yearns for parental comfort. We need but to listen carefully and we will discover that G-d is truly to be found with us. We can reach out to Him in the most profound manner through the simplest mitzvah ritual. Mezuzah. Tefillin. Shabbat and Holiday candles. A coin in the Tzedaka box. And we will feel His embrace. On Rosh Hashana we commemorate the creation of humankind. The birthday of humanity is time fit for pause from the distractions of our lives. Turn down the volume of the noise of mundanity. LISTEN and HEAR the above-mentioned Divine messages of timeless relevance. May the sound of the Shofar so permeate our beings that we continue to HEAR its message every day of this coming year. May it be a year of joy, gladness, peace of mind, and peace the world over, especially in Israel, abundant blessing for all. Shana Tova Umetukah.
another. It is about rediscovering our potential to bring good into the world and focusing on bringing holiness into our lives. Isn’t it good to be part of a world view that says if something is broken you can fix it? Isn’t it uplifting to know that if you have gotten off track in your life that you need not remain off track? The message of the Yamim Noraim, Days of Awe, is about growth and renewal through discovering where we have gone astray and returning to the path of Torah that gives us life. As we talk about “coming home,” let us think about it not only in the physical sense, but in the spiritual sense of reconnecting with our innerselves, each other, and with the Divine. Let’s make the commitment to help one another in our times of need, to celebrate with one another in our seasons of joy, to study and learn together about the aspects of Judaism that still evade us, and to continue our commitment to ensuring that not only we remain faithful to Judaism, but that we teach the children in our midst the path of Torah as well. I wish you all a meaningful New Year. May it be filled with sweetness. L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu.
You’re always welcome at B’nai Israel by MARK EVELOFF, RICK KATELMAN, NANCY WOLF, SISSY SILBER AND PHIL WOLF B’nai Israel Board s we come to the conclusion of one year and prepare for the New Year, we are bound to reflect on what we have done and what we plan to do going forward. It is in this context that we prepare this message from
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the members of the Board at B’nai Israel Synagogue in Council Bluffs, to the Omaha/ Council Bluffs area Jewish community. This past year has seen some changes in leadership involvement at B’nai Israel. After devoting many years, and countless hours to the synagogue, Allen and Sandra Kurland have stepped down from their Board roles, as well as Continued on page C8
Wishing the Omaha community
L’Shana Tova from
Karoline S. Anderson | Marie Belin | Thomas M. Byrne Michael D. Cohen | Kurt A. Davey | Mary C. Dek | Patrick J. Steinauer 18018 Burke Street | Omaha, NE 68022 | Corner of 180th and Burke | 402.573.7337
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Messages
B’nai Israel
Past, present and future ne of the lessons from Rosh Hashanah calls to mind the great Groucho Marx line about verb tense. “We’re way past tense (tents),” he said. “We’re living in bungalows now.” According to a midrash, God, too, is beyond tense, for God’s ineffable name is a combination of past, present, and future (hayah, hoveh, and yihyeh). In each New Year we consider our own relationship to RABBI CRAIG all three tenses of being. In doing so, we LEWIS humble ourselves and recognize our roles Congregation as caretakers for the World. It does not B’nai Jeshurun really belong to us. The World is a legacy passed to us by previous generations and which we must share with the generations to follow. This is why our Teshuvah in this season is essential. We reflect on self-serving behaviors and commit ourselves to thinking beyond our own interests. Whatever has been destroyed, in our relationships or in our physical world, we actively work to mend so that we may truly participate in the ongoing care for Creation and all who dwell in it. In doing so, we show our reverence to the Creator, and those who previously held the sacred trust. We also show our love for future generations by hand-
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ing them a world in its best possible condition. We are links in a chain, letting go of ego, in the here and now, in favor of gratitude for the past and shared purpose for the future. As we enter the year 5775, may we renew our commitment to give our children a world free from ego, greed, and conflict. Let our Teshuvah set us on a path to healing, completeness, and peace. Along these lines, I also wish to share that this is a monumental year for the Jewish community of Nebraska. We will celebrate 130 years of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun serving the Jews of Lincoln and surrounding areas. It will also mark our 90th year in our beautiful and historic South Street Temple building. Taking note of these numbers is as exciting as it is humbling. They instill us with great pride of our inheritance which has been handed to us through the work and sweat of previous generations. They also remind us of our sacred responsibility to preserve this legacy and to pass it to future generations. We stand with gratitude, in awe of these gifts which are ours, and we remember that we are but caretakers charged with the mission of sharing these gifts with the next generation. We hope that you will all find time to visit us during this celebration year and share in our great simcha as we carry Nebraska Judaism ledor vador, from generation to generation. To a sweet and happy New Year.
A New Year, a new venture by JOSH GUROCK President of Beth Israel Synagogue he beginning of a year always comes with the promise and excitement of new things to come, but it is important to have an idea of where these new ventures might take us. This coming New Year is no different, and we are fortunate that Judaism provides such a strong outline of how best to move forward. Beth Israel Synagogue is embarking on a venture of its own. With the recent departure of one rabbi and a search currently underway for a new spiritual leader, we are grateful that so many members of Beth Israel have stepped forward to assist with congregational needs. The Synagogue’s board members, educators,
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administrative staff, Rabbi Yaakov Weiss, and our long-time High Holiday chazzan, Rabbi Ari Dembitzer, continue to work together to strengthen and preserve the legacy of Beth Israel. In looking ahead at the future of Beth Israel and this exciting new chapter, it is a comfort that, like our Jewish year, there is an outline readily available for the Synagogue, and one only has to look as far as our mission statement: “Beth Israel Synagogue strives to perpetuate the legacy of Torah Judaism in the modern world. Beth Israel welcomes all persons of the Jewish faith to join and accepts the diversity of practice and thought among its members.” Continued on page C9
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Continued from page C7 from performing some of the most significant responsibilities necessary in sustaining B’nai Israel among the institutions that are the foundation of the area Jewish community. We, the current Board of the synagogue, are working to meet the underlying needs to maintain the institution of B’nai Israel, as well as to continue to uphold what are some of the particularly endearing, and possibly unique, aspects of what the synagogue offers to our Jewish community. Throughout its history (since 1904) B’nai Israel has been an anchor of Jewish life in the Council Bluffs/Omaha Jewish area; indeed, “a last outpost of organized Judaism in southwest Iowa”. As such, it remains a living house of worship and is an important repository of considerable interest for local Jewish community history including a designation on the National Register of Historic Places. Just looking at the memorial plaques in the synagogue, one sees the familiar names of area families, too numerous to name. Because of the evolution of the Jewish community and its increasingly westward movement in the metropolitan area, B’nai Israel has also been a congregation whose survival has come to depend on the ideas and efforts of a small but caring and interested group of lay community members and participants who have helped to maintain it as a place of worship and physical institution in Council Bluffs. This infused B’nai Israel with a bit different character from the usual synagogue as there is no rabbi or cantor who regularly serve the congregation. B’nai Israel survives because of the efforts of lay leadership and involvement from the local Jewish community -- members and supporters. It has been this way for a number of years. It is a part of the local community that provides a special avenue for Jewish involvement and expression. Our High Holidays services are conducted by local lay leadership and include the participation of many of the attendees. There will also be individual speakers at each of the main services who will share perspectives that generate additional thought beyond the core service narrative. The community is invited to attend. We join the Jewish community institutions of the entire area in wishing everyone a happy New Year. And, so, we move forward looking to help fulfill our responsibility to do our part to sustain Jewish life. L’Shanah Tova Am Yisrael Chai
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Messages Where we love is home Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. -Oliver Wendell Holmes ears ago I visited an old friend of my family. She lived on the other side of town and perhaps because her children were grown when I was young, she always made the trip to us when I would see her. As I walked over the threshold, we hugged, said our hellos and then my foot RABBI JOSHUA found its way to my mouth as I shared what BROWN Temple Israel I thought was an innocent comment. “You have a beautiful house.” She lived in a modest post-war Victorian with a vibrant purple exterior facing a large urban park. A few trees provided shade to the front porch and inside the door was an eclectic collection of folk art. “This is not my house... it is my home” she corrected me. And I recalled that she was in fact my parents’ peer, still able to teach me what to say and how to speak. I find that there are often two ways people discuss Omaha. There is the Omaha that is our house. This is the Omaha we discuss in terms of numbers. This Omaha is valued by the cost of Berkshire-Hathaway stock and the score of the Husker games. We discuss this Omaha by its geography; “in the middle of everything, but close to nothing” someone once told me. We talk about this Omaha when we use terms like miles or minutes, rising degrees of heat or dropping in temperature. It is perhaps an Omaha that is easy to describe because it is simple, straightforward and comprehensible to those who have not lived here.
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But what Omaha remains, for those who have lived here every day of their life and for those who left when they were children, is not at all a house and every bit a home. This past year I officiated at the funeral of a woman who had not lived in Omaha for almost seventy years. Her children only knew Omaha as the “old country” where their family name was on a storefront. She never worked here and had lost touch with her childhood friends. Yet, in her last wishes she was clear that this was home. The house of Omaha can be measured. It is easy to describe and impossible to refute. The place we call home is far more complex and near impossible to explain. It cannot be measured or justified. It is void of judgment, for after all, how does one judge the feeling of being present in people’s lives? How can one measure the worth of their community or the value of their experience meeting a spouse, starting a family or the more difficult moments like losing a loved one? This is the immeasurable, indescribable Omaha. It is different for each of us, and yet, there is something about this place that is conducive to making it more of a home than a house. In his book Taking Hold of Torah, Arnie Eisen writes that “Without community, love could not develop and the spirit could not soar. Inside community, however, the lines of relation have the chance of reaching all the way from one point on the circle to another, and when ‘extended’ of meeting [God].” As we enter into a new year, whether we sit in a sanctuary in Omaha or New York or Jerusalem, let us remember our home with fondness as we recommit ourselves to our community. Let us recall not the numbers or degrees of this place, but the faces and memories. Most importantly, let us take account of how lucky we are to not only have a place for our feet, but a home for our hearts.
A New Year, a new venture Continued from page C8 In this statement, we can find words that are critical to understanding both the history and future of the Synagogue, as well as words that truly and simply define the goals of our congregation: Legacy. When considering the concept of a “legacy,” there are specific words that immediately come to mind, including “future,” “security,” “children,” and “tradition.” Each of these words helps to solidify Beth Israel’s commitment to honor our history and to serve today’s congregation and that of future generations. Torah. The Torah is our heritage -- our connection with G-d. The Torah details the beauty of our customs while providing a structure of daily life, lifecycle events and holidays. This collection of Jewish teachings has withstood centuries and is an intensely powerful bond between generations past, present and future. Judaism. The practices and traditions of our religion in addition to the knowledge and insights offered in the Torah is what defines us. Beth Israel strives to provide opportunities to fulfill the various levels of practice while maintaining a strong educational foundation. Modern world. The world in which we live is one where we constantly balance and blend the day-to-day demands of work, family, friends, and tradition. Doing this can be a challenge, but it is so very important in defining how we bring Judaism and the Torah
into the many aspects of our lives. Home. Home is warmth. It is belonging, and it is comforting. The mission of Beth Israel tells us that we must strive to create an environment where everyone is welcomed and accepted -- just like a home. And, like the members of our families, the members of Beth Israel are tremendously diverse. This variety is what makes our “home” so special. These few words give us structure and strength as we embark on this venture over the coming months. By remembering our legacy and using the Torah as our guide... By embracing our “Jewishness” and balancing tradition with our modern lives... And by opening our homes and hearts, this New Year is certain to be wonderful and rewarding for all. Ask yourself what you would like Beth Israel to be for you, and then please join us in celebrating, practicing, learning, and experiencing what the New Year has in store. We will continue to provide a wide variety of opportunities for everyone to move forward with his or her spiritual journey. On behalf of the board, staff, and congregation of Beth Israel Synagogue, we wish everyone in the community a New Year filled with health and happiness. Shana Tova!
New children’s books: A tale from Spain, easing a young girl’s pain by PENNY SCHWARTZ BOSTON (JTA) ourteen years ago, sitting in her synagogue during Saturday morning services, Jacqueline Jules was browsing some Torah commentary when a story about a medieval poet struck an inspirational chord. “It was an ‘aha’ moment. This will be my next writing project, my next children’s book,” recalled Jules, an award-winning children’s writer who at the time was also working as a school librarian. The historical note that captured her imagination was a reference to Samuel HaNagid, a Jewish Talmudic scholar who in the early 11th century served as vizier, the highest adviser, to the Muslim royal court in Granada. According to the legend, HaNagid is said to have made friends with a man who cursed him “by tearing out his angry tongue and giving him a kind one.” “I was smitten by the story,” said Jules, adding that she saw the tale as a powerful metaphor for turning a violent act into an act of kindness.
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Over the next dozen years, Jules discovered that turning the tale into a story for children was challenging. The author of What a Way to Start a New Year!, about Rosh Hashanah, and The Hardest Word: a Yom Kippur Story told JTA that she wrote as many as 20 versions of the tale. In Never Say a Mean Word Again, A Tale from Medieval Spain (Wisdom Tales, 32 pp, $16.95, ages 4-8), illustrated by Durga Yael Bernhard, Jules has reimagined the tale into one about two young boys. It is among several new children’s books available for the High Holidays season. The themes in the Jules book of forgiveness and starting anew resonate with those emphasized during Rosh Hashanah, the two-day Jewish New Year that begins this year at sundown on Sept. 24, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which starts at sundown on Oct. 3. Never Say a Mean Word is a simple yet lyrically -- told story that has garnered a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. In the opening pages of the book, set in medieval Spain, the young Samuel, an innocent, head-in-the-clouds fellow who is the son of the vizier, has one accidental encounter after another with Hamza, the tax collector’s quick-witted son. Hamza refuses to accept Samuel’s apologies and taunts him with cruel names like “Donkey brain! and Stupid!” Samuel’s father refuses to punish Hamza. Instead, he gives Continued on page C11
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Leor Ezra, son of Shira and Rabbi Steven Abraham; Benjamin Myles, son of Lisa and Ian Abramson; Robert Mason (Bobby), son of Jaclyn and Tom Aronson; Amaris Claire, daughter of Nina Simon and Alex Bloom; Addison Frances, daughter of Amanda and Ryan Blumkin; Brody James, son of Aly and Alex Bollinger; Ellen Lynn, daughter of Jessica and Shane Cohn; Henry Lewis, son of Lisa and Ryan Cooper; Nadiv Eytan, son of Florina and Oren Dekalo; Macklin Lee, son of Tamara and Jared Draeger; Megan Bella, daughter of Kathleen and Sam Dubrow; Lucas Ethan, son of Laurie and Jason Epstein; Price Leona, daughter of Jordan and Joshua Eveloff; Asa Feinstein, son of PJ and Jordan Feinstein; Elizabeth Hannah (Elisheva Chana), daughter of Melissa and Rabbi Daniel Fellman; Scarlett Alayna, daughter of Lindsay and Michael Fineman; Harrison Everitt, son of Jill and Jeffrey Fredricks; William Perry, son of Sophie and Jimmy Friedlander; Laney Victoria Ruth, daughter of Brooke and Ben Gordon; Judah Mason, son of Bethami and Lenny Grossman; Aaron Wallace, son of Amy and David Hersch; Elliott Jayne, daughter of Erin and Joe Hornstein; Zane David, son of Natalie and Ben Jacobson; Dylan Oz, son of Tally and Zach Jacobson; Thomas Gregory, son of Candice and Erik Johnson; Elianna Robin, daughter of Esther and Philip Katz; Sophie Brynn, daughter of Michelle and Stuart Kazor; Micah Zalman, son of Sara and Ari Kohen; Bat-Sheva Esther, daughter of Sarah and David Simon Kotlyar;
Bennett Zephyr, son of Kattie and Seth Kotok; Ari Gabriel Fisher Leiserowitz, son of Naomi and Amanda Fisher Leiserowitz; Mason Allen Newton, son of Rachel Flatowicz and Allen Newton; Ozzie Avram, son of Sarah and Kyle Odem; Dylan Matilda, daughter of Carin Riekes Parcel and Andrew Parcel; Jace Ryan, son of Mari Malcom and Eric Parker; Oscar Dean, son of Mindy Merrill and David Pitlor; Nathan Phillip and Natalie Vanessa, twins of Lauren and Jason Rubin; Fletcher Michael, son of Courtneay and David Saylan; Blair Elise, daughter of Brittany and Michael Schackman; Ruth Maura, daughter of Heather and Meyer Schwartz; Yehonatan Shapiro, son of Ayala and Ezra Shapiro; Natalie Bess, daughter of Paige and Jeff Shyken; Nava Shyken, daughter of Rachel and Joe Shyken; Henry Sigmond, son of Stephanie and Michael Sigmond; Ezekiel Gurewitz, son of Margaret and Zachary Smith; Aria Rose, daughter of Jessica and Cliff Smolinsky; Calvin Baker, son of Kristen and Ben Spohn; Hannah Stein, daughter of Dasha and Jeff Stein; Lola Mae, daughter of Sara and Asher Stoller; Benjamin Edward, son of Jill and Todd Strite; Isadore (Izzy) Arthur, son of Lauren and Seth Topek; Ari Alexander, son of Amanda and Adam Waldbaum; Charlotte Blake, daughter of Michelle and Chad Whyte; Adira Shoshana, daughter of Rabbi Yaakov and Ilana Weiss; Esther Shayna, daughter of Jessica and Dr. David Zalkin
B’nai Mitzvahs BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Grant Jabenis, son of Dacia Jabenis and Jon Jabenis; Lauren Kirk, daughter of Kelly and Thomas Kirk; Emma Klein, daughter of Janet and Harry Klein; Zacharia Matan Krausman, son of Laurel and Hazzan Michael Krausman; Emily Faye Kutler, daughter of Pam and Bruce Kutler; Hannah Leff, daughter of Cait and Joe Leff; Sarah Schop, daughter of Melissa and Michael Schop; Amanda Simon, daughter of Jill and Scott Simon; Gabrielle Witkowski, daughter of Susan and Issac Witkowski BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Eleanor Dunning, daughter of Toba CohenDunning and Eric Dunning; Zoe Berman, daughter of Beth Cohen and Harry Berman; Isaac Kurtzman, son of Jordana Kurtzman; Sarah Aoki and Rachel Aoki, daughters of Mona Aoki TEMPLE ISRAEL Zachary John, son of Brenda and Barton Arnold;
Charles Parker, son of Marla and Robert Cohen; Carter Benjamin, son of Leslie and Brian Eades; Adam Jay and Alec Davis Folsom, sons of James Folsom; Lilly Bleu, daughter of Patty and Kevin Gilinsky; Simon Stirling and Gabriel Timothy, sons of Patty and Kevin Gilinsky; Shelby Hale, daughter of Jennifer and Scott Goodman; Caleb Robert, son of Angela and Paul Horner; Cameron William, son of Denese and Timothy Kully; Elijah Levi, son of Debra Marburg and Dan Marburg; Samantha Lee, daughter of Stacie Spies-Matz and Jay Matz; Aaron Louis and Leo Thomas, sons of Susie and Michael Norton; Robert Joseph, son of Ann and Donald Osborne; Madeleine Grace Rauhauser, daughter of Nancy Nogg; Isabella Rose, daughter of Tanya and Craig Seina; Jack Harrison, son of Tonya and Rob Simons; Heather Havah, daughter of Beth and Mitchell Slovut; Brooke Elisabeth, daughter of Allyson and Chris Wilczewski
In memoriam Dinah Abramhamson, Charlotte “Sis” Adler, Harry Allen, Perry Ambrose, David Aresty, William “Bill” Ashley, Rabbi Haim Asa, Eddie H. Bailen, Mikhail Basov, Bess Bergman, Ilona Berk. Marsha Bessinger, Rhoda Blatt, Dr. Bernard Bloom, Bernard “Bernie” Bogdanoff, Joe Boin, Lila Brand, Jane H. Brooks, Dr. Lloyd Stephen “Steve” Brookstein, Freda Bucheister, Mary C. Burrell, David Louis Byer, Jane Ann Cohen, Rita Swartz Cooper, Pauline Carp Cowdery, Myrna Diamond, Denise Murow Digate, Ronna Dienstfrey, Aryeh Dotan, Rosemary Dunn, Klara Elkin, Sam Fedman, Raymond “Lee” Field, Harold Fox, Sally G. Fox, Marvin Stuart Freedman, Gloria Friedman, Merriam Friedman, Beatrice Lindheimer Freund, Gail Shrier Ginsburg, Natalie Giventer, Leopold Goldberg, Rosalynd Goldberg, June Goodbinder, Annette R. Gordon, Coleman Greenberg, Betty J. (Simon) Grossman, Lawrence Grossman, Milton Guss, Ida Halperin, Roberta Gail Holmes, Edward Alan Horowitz, M.D., Evan Juro, Herbert H. Kaiman, Muriel Kamp, Sarah Kaplan, Edythe Blackberg Kass, Max Kirshenbaum, Isaac “Mark” Klein, Zalman Kohen, Rabbi Myer S. Kripke, Forrest N. Krutter, Reba Magid Kuklin, Geraldine Lapierre, Martin
J. Lehr, Joel Lelchook, Roland Lewis, Stephen Lintzman, Steven J. Lustgarten, Silvert Mawrence, Esther Meiches, Maurice S. “Maurie” Meiches, Kathleen Lee (Vann) Meyerson, Gerald (Buddy) Mokofsky, Blanche Morris, Leonid Nakhimovich, Phyllis Neuswanger, Gertrude Weiss Nieder, Alvin Nogg, Arthur I. Novak, Leonore Marx Paasch, Nancy Pearlman, Mary Catherine Pichik, Manfred (Fred) Pieck, Betty (Rosenberg) Polsky, Hyman Polsky, Dr. Ira A. Priluck, Abram Rabkin, William Ratner, Lorraine Reiss, Penny Robby, Stuart Richard “Dick” Rochman, Linda Rose, Susan Rosenberg, Henry Ross, Mort Ross, Paul Ruback, Robert Ruetsch, Molly Koufer Sandler, Betty C. Sanford, Marilyn (Breslow) Schneider, Julius S. Schreiber, Stephen L. Siegel, Debra D. Slutzky-Chasen, Charlie I. Scudder, Jr., Vivian Karen Schwarz, Sue R. Serlin, George Jacob Shafer, Kara Lynn Shainholtz, Elaine Shapiro, Michael Silver, Jonathan Sobel, Carita (Cari) Brown Sommer, Sam Sommer, Harvey Stern, Dorothy Blau Strauss, Maynard Tatelman, Dr. Melvin Tatelman, Billie Pepper Trachtenbarg, Alice (Litzie) Trustin, Marjorie Weiss, Lee C. White, Linda Gelfand Wildstein, Thelma Witkowski, Joseph Hyman Zusman
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | C11
New children’s books Continued from page C9 his son a broad directive: “Make sure Hamza never says a mean word to you again.” As Samuel tries to exact a stern lesson on Hamza, the story takes a surprising turn and misunderstandings give way to an emerging friendship. Bernhard’s simple yet expressive illustrations evoke the colors, landscape, architecture and patterns of the era. One fullpage illustration depicts Samuel’s imagined scheme of a monkey perched on a stone wall while clamping Hamza’s lips. The book explores tough questions, Jules says, such as what constitutes fair punishment and how do you get someone to stop calling you names. “I hope the book gives young readers and the adults in their lives much to think about and discuss,” she wrote in an email. Here are some other new High Holidays titles for children: Apple Days: A Rosh Hashanah Story by Allison Sarnoff Soffer, illustrated by Bob McMahon, Kar-Ben, 32 pp ($17.95 hardcover; $7.95 paper; $6.95 eBook); ages 2-7 Katy, an eager, bubbly young girl, is counting down the days until she goes apple picking with her mother -- a yearly family tradition at Rosh Hashanah. They will peel, chop and cook the apples with cinnamon and sugar to make applesauce for her favorite holiday. This year Katy is especially excited, she tells her classmates, because she is also expecting a new baby cousin. She also spreads the word to other friends, as well as her neighbors, shopkeepers and rabbi. But when the new baby arrives early and Katy’s mom has to leave town, the girl’s disappointment is palpable. With the help of her dad and a surprise from her friends, teachers and rabbi, Katy rises to the challenge. Soffer’s first children’s book is an entertaining read that will delight young children who will share Katy’s enthusiasm. McMahon’s colorful, cartoon-like illustrations radiate high spirit and energy.
Shira at the Temple: a Yom Kippur Story by Galia Sabbag, illustrated by Erin Taylor, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, 24 pp ($9.99 paper; $5.99 Kindle); ages 4-9 Shira is a spirited young girl who wants to participate in Yom Kippur, a day she learns is the holiest of the Jewish year. But Shira is not content to sit back and observe the grownups as they pray, mostly in Hebrew, through the long religious service. She wants to have her prayers count, but she worries that she does not know how to read Hebrew. At the blowing of the shofar, Shira becomes inspired to do something, surprising the rabbi and the congregation with her own heartfelt prayer. Taylor’s cartoon-like illustrations are colorful and animated. This is one of a series of Shira books written by Sabbag, who was born and raised in Israel but now lives in Atlanta, where she’s been a teacher at a Jewish day school. The Shira character, Sabbag writes on her website, is a composite of many of her students over the years and reflects her desire to convey the joy children experience in Jewish ritual and spirituality. I Live With My Mommy by Tzvia Ehrlich-Klein, illustrations by Dena Ackerman, Menucha Publishers, 32 pp ($12.99); ages 4-9 This sensitive story is told from the perspective of Rochel, a five-year-old girl from a haredi Orthodox family whose parents are divorced. She and her younger brother live with
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their mother; their father lives in a different house. The story traces the challenges facing Rochel as her family celebrates Shabbat and holidays, including Sukkot. Rochel is a believable, authentic character whose emotions, including sadness and anxiety, are universal. She is reassured by her mother’s message that the divorce is not her fault, and God, referred to as Hashem, loves all children. Klein deserves high marks for writing honestly and authentically about a subject not often dealt with in children’s books for haredi Orthodox families.
Life cycles Marriages Adrianna Eide and Jay Benton; Susan Bos and Jacob Bleicher; Naomi Fox and Andrew Boehm; Amanda Mullins and David Chait; Mikal Brotnov and Mark Eckstrom; Rachel Shira Katzman and Elliott Marc Fliegelman; Candice Wong and Dustin Friedman; Amy Durmaskin and Kyle Heuton; Alonit Cohen and Jacob Katzman; Michelle Gelman and Brad Lerner; Regina Devora Ostrovski and Raphael (Robert) Mosenkis; Kym Pitlor and James O’Meara; Laini Wolman and Richard Reinhart; Melissa Stern and Michael Shrago; Marissa Dayle Epstein and Robert Michael Solls; Elisa Gerber and Steve Speer; Shoshy Shrago and Scott Susman; Brianna Frank and Garrett Taub; April Lee and David Tipp; Amanda Pennington and Adam Waldbaum; Audrey Gerber and Daniel Walz; Leora Azriel and Matthew Werner
Health. Peace. Happiness. Prosperity. May the New Year bring you this and much more. Happy Rosh Hashanah.
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C12 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Boards
Synagogues
Jewish Federation of Omaha JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA Interim CEO, Alan Potash; President, Jay Noddle; Bob Belgrade, Bonnie Bloch, Toba CohenDunning, Bruce Friedlander, Richard Jacobson, Jody Malashock, Jon Meyers, Andy Ruback and Mike Siegel; ADL/CRC representative, Rich Juro. ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE/ COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL Co-Presidents, Jeff Gordman and Rich Juro; Ellie Batt, Bob Bleicher, Carol Bloch, Shirley Cemaj, Mel Clancy, Laura Crosby, Richard Evnen, Katherine Finnegan, Ted Friedland, Herb Friedman, David Gilinsky, Bruce Goldberg, Danielle Gordman, Patrick Jensen, Jeff Kirshenbaum, Michael Levine, Gary Nachman, Bob Nefsky, Brian Nogg, Alan Parsow, David Phillips, David Radler, Jan Schneiderman, Tom Vann, Aaron Weiner and Nancy Wolf. THE CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE Executive Director, Beth Cohen; Bonnie Bloch, Karla Cohen, Dusty Friedman, Ron Giller, Shane Kotok, Patty Nogg, Matt Ray, Debbie Roitstein, Matt Shapiro, Rachel Shyken and Dorothy Spizman JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER Executive Director, Mark Martin; President, Michael Siegel; Stacey Atlas, Penny Endelman, Dan Epstein, Jason Epstein, Scott Farkas, John
Glazer, Mark Kelln, Steve Levinger, Chuck Lucoff, Jamie Meyerson, Scott Meyerson, Wendy Raffel, Ari Riekes, Scott Simon and Dorothy Spizman. JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA FOUNDATION Executive Director, Howard Epstein; President, Carl Riekes; Steve Bloch, Paul Epstein, Michael M. Erman, Ted Friedland, Bruce Friedlander, David Gilinsky, Don Goldstein, Gloria Kaslow, Joseph Kirshenbaum, Jody Malashock, Murray Newman, Jay Noddle, Steve Nogg, Deb Righter, Andrew Robinson, Harley D. Schrager, Ted M. Seldin, Fred Simon, Norman Veitzer and Adam Yale JEWISH PRESS Editor, Annette van de Kamp-Wright; President, Andy Ruback; President-Elect, Eric Dunning; Sandy Friedman, Paul Gerber, Sarah GrossmanLopez, David Kotok, Debbie Kricsfeld, Bobbi Leibowitz, Noah Priluck and Nancy Wolf. JEWISH SOCIAL SERVICES Executive Director JSS/JSO, Mike Silverman; Executive Director JFS, Karen Gustafson; Presidents, Richard Jacobson and Steve Nogg; Joanie Bernstein, Toba Cohen-Dunning, James A. Farber, Debbi Josephson, Jeff Kirshenbaum, Nancy Noddle, Susan Norton, James Polack; Dorothy Spizman, Sally Zipursky.
JEWISH PRESS NOTICE The Jewish Press will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 25 and 26 for Rosh Hashanah. The deadline for all articles and photos for the Oct. 3 issue is Monday, Sept. 22, 9 p.m. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.
B’NAI ISRAEL Vice President, Mark Eveloff; Treasurer, Rick Katelman; Secretary, Nancy Wolf; Board Members: Sissy Silber and Phil Wolf. BETH EL President, Joel Rich; Vice Presidents, Jon Jabenis, Ari Riekes, Jim Zipursky; Treasurer, Jay Gordman; Secretary, Caryn Scheer; BESTT Chair, Lisa Lieb; Past President, Lloyd Roitstein; Board Members: Karla Cohen, Beth Dworkin, Glen Fineman, David Finkelstein, Jeremy Friedman, Miriam Gottlieb, Andy Greenberg, M’Lee Hasslinger, David Kotok, Bruce Kutler, Kevin Saltzman, Caryn Scheer, Howard Shandell, Ben Shapiro, Aveva Shukert, Jim Wax, David Weil. Men’s Club: President, Jason Blair Sisterhood: President, Heather Kelln USY: President, Elissa Wiener BETH ISRAEL President, Josh Gurock; VP of Administration, Liat Shyken; VP of Membership, Harry Berman; VP of Finances, Bruce Goldberg; Treasurer, Jake Besser; Secretary, Aryeh Epstein; Board Members: Joel Alperson, Toba Cohen-Dunning, Mary Sue Grossman, Julee Katzman, Jeff Kirshenbaum, Stacey Rockman, Lynne Saltzman, Michael Shrago, Sherry Taxman and all Past Presidents. CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN/ THE SOUTH STREET TEMPLE President, Eleanor J. Shirley; Vice-President, David Weisser; Co-Treasurers, Leslie Delserone and Peter Mullin; Secretary, Julie Moore; Board Members: Stacy Balter, Michael Boekstal, Karin Coulter, Pam Ganz, Nathaniel Kaup, John Mosow and Anne Rickover. TEMPLE ISRAEL President, Mike
Halsted;
Presidential
Appointees: Alan Fredricks and Todd Hutton; President-Elect, Rosie Zweiback; Vice Presidents, Andie Gordman and Mike Norton; Treasurer, Jeff Schweid; Secretary, Paul Rabinovitz; Past President, Sally Kaplan; Board Members: Ron Beach, Stacie Brodkey, Sharon Comisar-Langdon, Justin Cooper, Marlen Frost, Dan Gilbert, Dana Gonzales, Scott Goodman, Danielle Gordman, Abby Hack, Gary Kaplan, Cat King, Dan Marburg, Troy Meyerson, Paul Miller, Susie Norton, Jane Rips, Susan Rothholz and Louri Sullivan. Omaha Temple Youth Group: President, Abby Hack; Programming Vice President, Sophie Budwig: Social Action Vice Presidents: Lindsay Osborne and Bella Radler; Religious/Cultural Vice President, Benjamin Brodkey; Membership Vice President, Maddie Miller; Communications and Visual Vice President, Mikayla Langdon; Special Projects Coordinator, Aleia Budwig; Future Leader–MVP, Maddee Rauhauser; Future Leaders, Ellie Reiss and Kathleen Kirshenbaum. Women of Reform Judaism-Omaha: Presidents, Stacie Brodkey and Dana Gonzales. Men of Reform Judaism-Omaha: President, Dan Marburg. TIFERETH ISRAEL President, Brenda F. Ingraham; Vice President, Jennifer Rosenblatt; Treasurer, Howard Feldman; Secretary, Daniel Freidman; Immediate Past-President, Lou Halperin; Senior Trustee, Marlon Weis; Trustees: Seth Harris and Aaron Bowers; Emeritus, Max Neiden; Lay Spiritual Leader, Nancy Coren; Administrator, Nava Halpern; Fair Shares Dues: Everett Evnen and David Brockman; Membership: Jeffrey Payne and Jodie Stein; Ritual, David Scherba; Legal, Robert Evnen; Fundraising, Marcia Kushner; Nominating, Cindi Weiss; By-Laws, Joyce Davidson; and Kitchen, Nanci Hamicksburg.
Happy 92nd Birthday Stanley Silverman
September 16, 1922
#1 Dad, Grandpa & Great-Grandpa With Love, Jeff, Mary Kay, Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | C13
Boards Jewish Organizations B’NAI B’RITH HENRY MONSKY LODGE President, Ari Riekes; President Emeritus, Gary Javitch; Board Members: Alvin Abramson, Mike Abramson, Gerald Meyer, Marty Ricks, Steve Riekes, Howard Shandell and Aaron Weiner. FRIEDEL JEWISH ACADEMY Interim Principal, Ron Giller; Board Members: Rabbi Steven Abraham, Joel Alperson, Ron Azoulay, Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, Harry Berman, Gabby Blair, Sharon Comisar-Langdon, Pam Epstein, Jerry Gordman, Joanie Jacobson, Alan Kohll, David Kutler, Laurel Krausman, Rebecca Ruetsch-Finkelstein, Helene Shrago and Jeff Zacharia. LOVE (LEAGUE OFFERING VOLUNTEERS FOR THE ELDERLY) President, Jim Wax; Incoming Co-Presidents, Mark Kazor and Michael Shrago; Treasurer, Esther Wax; Secretary, Beth Dworkin; Membership, Ricki Skog; Historian, Michael Shrago; Past President/Advisor, Judy Brookstein; Board Members: Dora Goldstrom, Howard Kaplan, Les Kay, Mark Lippett, Jim Polack, Vicki Perlmeter, Dottie Rosenblum, Shelley Stern, Sheila Tomps, Lois Wine; and Staff, Linda Cogen. MAINSTREETERS Advisor, Harry Alloy; Luncheon Co-Chairs, Linda Abrams-Tederman, Shelley Stern; Menu Chair, Tootie Simon; Recording Secretary, Dottie Rosenblum; Communications, Jim Wax; Education, Rocky Stern; and Staff Director, Maggie Conti. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN OMAHA SECTION President, Holly Weill; Vice President of Community Service, Sonia Tipp; Vice President of Fundraising, Roxanne Kahn; Vice President of Public Affairs and Education, Becki Brenner; Vice President of Public Relations, Alice Klein; Treasurer, Beth Dworkin; Corresponding Secretary, Angela Friedman; Financial Secretary, Patty Nogg; Recording Secretary, Cheryl Lerner; Parliamentarian, Lisa Lewis; Directors, Kelly Kirk, Julie Martin, Lori Kooper-Schwarz, Tina Meyers, Jill Simon and Sarah Spooner; and Nominating Chair, Debbie Friedman. NEBRASKA JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY Executive Director, Renee Corcoran; Board Members: Louise Abrahamson, Ellie Batt, Bob Belgrade, Jill Belmont, Joanie Bernstein, Midge Bowers, Judy Brookstein, Helen Epstein, Lois Friedman, Norma Fried, Michael Gendler, Doug Hartman, Debbi Josephson, Lorri Katelman, Nan Katz, Janie Kulakofsky, Rocky Lewis, Sue Millward, Ira Nathan, Max Neiden, Vicki Perlmeter, Oliver Pollak, Helen Rifkin, Beth Staenberg and Rocky Stern.
ONE DAY ONLY! Saturday, SEPT. 13th 9 am- 3 pm LOTS AND LOTS OF MERCHANDISE! • scratch & dent items • overstock merchandise • over 20 different closeout lines • specials inside the store • more markdowns throughout the week
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C O X A C T I V I T Y C E N T E R AT N O R T H E A S T C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E
Friday, Sept. 12 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Give up the guilt: A proposal for the New Year by RUTH ABUSCH MAGDER SAN FRANCISCO (MyJewishLearning.com) ere is a radical proposal for the New Year: Forget the guilt and instead lean into what you love to become the best possible version of yourself. The liturgy for the Jewish New Year has us taking a long hard look at all the mistakes we have made over the previous 12 months. Soul searching is good, but for the most part if we are honest, we already know where our faults lie and, if we were able to change them with ease, we would have already done so. This is not to say that we should forgo striving to be our best selves. On the Jewish calendar, the month leading up to
H
Rosh Hashanah is called Elul. One rabbinic interpretation of this name is that it is an acronym for the Hebrew Ani L’Dodi v’Dodi Li, “I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me.” A lovely romantic notion, the rabbis also take it to be a tribute to God’s love for us. It is not accidental that the month leading up to the New Year is one that takes love as a main theme. Love can be a powerful force for change, easier to embrace and more satisfying than guilt. There are many ways to use love as a means of encouraging yourself to its best self. Love exists on many planes; elevating any one of them improves the world. Here are three concrete suggestions Continued on page C14
L’Shanah Tovah
Oak Hills/Bikhor Cholim Cemetery 1350 East Pierce Street, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Memorial Service Sept. 28 11 a.m. For directions, call Marty Ricks, 402/334-6440 Cemetery Manager John O’Connor, 670-8913 New Year’s Greetings from the Board of Directors: Bob Kully, President; Patty Nogg,V.P. ; Sissy Silber, Secretary; Marty Ricks,Treasurer; Harold Bernstein, Mark Eveloff, Joel Finkel, Elyce Gallner, Mike Gallner, Dave Goodman, John Goldner, John Katelman, Rick Katelman, Gail Krasne Kenkel, and Ted Seldin
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McGrath North Mullin & Kratz, PC LLO½ 1601 Dodge Street , Suite 3700½ Omaha, NE ½ 402.341.3070 ½ www.mcgrathnorth.com
C14 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Synagogues B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 618 Mynster Street | Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 |712.322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com Looking for something different? Join us for our High Holiday services. We welcome back Jeffrey Taxman to lead our services. Our speakers for the High Holidays are Dr. Rami Arav on Erev Rosh Hashanah, Dr. Oliver Pollak on Rosh Hashanah morning, Dr. Leonard Greenspoon on Kol Nidre and Marti Nerenston on Yom Kippur. You’re always welcome at B’nai Israel!
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California | Omaha, NE 68154-1980 | 402.492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. with guest speaker Scholar-in-Residence, Rabbi Jonathan Rosenbaum; Dessert reception following services approximately at 7:30 p.m.; Shabbat dinner following talk for registered participants of the Omaha Jewish Reunion at approximately 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Services, 9:30 a.m. with guest speaker Scholar-in-Residence, Rabbi Jonathan Rosenbaum; Junior Congregation, 10 a.m.; Mini-minyannaires, 10:45 a.m.; Kiddush lunch following services; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:30 p.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Religious School, 9:45 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; Beth El Cemetery Ground Breaking, 11 a.m.; Kadima/USY Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser, 12:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Religious School, 4:15 p.m.; Hebrew High School, 6:45 p.m.; Choir Practice, 7:30 p.m. Scholar-in-Residence, Danny Siegel, Friday-Saturday, Sept. 19 and 20. All classes and programs are open to everyone in the Jewish community.
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha, NE. 68154 | 402.556.6288 www.BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Scholar-in-Resident: Dr. Richard Freund lecture following welcome home Kiddush; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 7:05 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:19 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m. followed by Bagels and Beit Medrash. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. TUESDAY: Rabbi Weiss’s Weekly Class, 7:45 p.m. THURSDAY: Sacred Grounds, 9:30 a.m.; UNMC Chaburah, 1 p.m.; Scholar’s Club for grades 4-6, 3:30 p.m. at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.
CHABAD HOUSE An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street | Omaha, NE 68144-1646 | 402.330.1800 www.OChabad.com | email: chabad@aol.com Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m SATURDAY: Minyan and Meditation, 9:30 a.m. SUNDAY: Minyan, 8:30 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Minyan and Meditation, 7 a.m. TUESDAY: Dynamic Discovery with Shani Katzman, 10:15 a.m. A class for women based on traditional texts with practical insights and application. RSVP by calling the office. WEDNESDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Rochi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office; The Development of the Oral Tradition, 7 p.m. with Rabbi Katzman. RSVP by calling the office. In memory of Forrest Krutter -- Efrayim Menachem Ben Avraham Yitzchak. THURSDAY: Women’s Study at UNMC with Shani
Check out our NEW Junk-Inspired Vendor’s Flea Market:
All Rummage Sale proceeds & Rummage Junktion booth rental fees benefit Memorial Community Hospital & Health System in Blair, Nebraska.
Washington County Fairgrounds in Arlington, NE
Candlelighting Friday, September 12, 7:21 p.m.
Katzman, noon. RSVP by emailing Marlene Cohen at mzcohen@unmc.edu. All programs are open to the entire community.
Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive | Omaha, NE 68144-1206 | 402.556.6536 http://templeisraelomaha.com FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to you at Remington Heights, 4 p.m. led by Rabbi Brown; Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Azriel, Rabbi Brown and Cantor Shermet. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. Aaron and Leo Norton, sons of Susie and Michael Norton, will celebrate their B’nai Mitzvah. SUNDAY: Grades K-6, 10 a.m.; Beginning Prayer Study with Elyce Azriel, 11 a.m. - noon. If you have no clue what the prayers in our service mean or if you struggle to keep up with the congregation singing and reciting these prayers, then this class is for you; Religious School Steering Committee Meeting, noon; OTYG Rosh Hashanah Rehearsal, noon; Kol Rina Rehearsal, 1 p.m. TUESDAY: Executive Meeting, 6 p.m.; Kol Rina Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m.; Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4 p.m.; School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Grades 7-12, 6 p.m.; Family Night, 6 p.m.; Re-Jew Vination with Stephanie Grossman, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Adult Study with the clergy Elul, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Azriel.
TEMPLE ISRAEL South Street Temple | Union for Reform Judaism 2061 South 20th Street | Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 | 402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org Services conducted by Rabbi Craig Lewis. FRIDAY: Family Dinner and Early Family Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. hosted by the Grossbart-Henkelmann family, with dessert by the Kelen-Bloom family; Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. with oneg following hosted by Megan Hoover. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Ki Tavo; Game Night/Potluck, 6:30 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; LJCS Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Hallah High Lite, 9:45 a.m.-noon at South Street Temple; Confirmation Class, 10:15 a.m. at South Street Temple; Cantillation Class, 6 p.m. TUESDAY: Ladies Lunch Group, noon at Cheri O’s, 1401 Silver Street in Ashland. Please contact Stephanie Dohner for required RSVP and carpool details; Star City Kochavim Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY: LJCS grades 3-7, 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. THURSDAY: High Holiday Choir Rehearsal, 7:30-9 p.m. As part of the Temple’s 130th anniversary celebration, we want to reach as many former members and clergy as possible. Are you in touch with someone who used to attend? With kids who grew up and moved away? With friends or family with Temple connections? If so, please give their contact information to Barb Straus at barbstraus@gmail.com.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road | Offutt AFB, NE 68123 | 402.294.6244 FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME 323 South 132 Street | Omaha, NE 68154 FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m. led by 39 Forever. SATURDAY: Services, 9:15 a.m.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard | Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 | 402.423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning service, 10 a.m. followed by a Kiddush luncheon. SUNDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; LJCS Hallah High, 9:45 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Hallah High Lite, 9:45 a.m.-noon at South Street Temple; Confirmation Class, 10:15 a.m. at South Street Temple; Board Meeting, 2 p.m. TUESDAY: Ladies Lunch Group, noon at Cheri O’s, 1401 Silver Street in Ashland. Please contact Stephanie Dohner with any questions. WEDNESDAY: LJCS grades 3-7, 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. Tot Shabbat with Ms. Jennifer, Friday, Sept. 19, 5:45 p.m.
Give up the guilt Continued from page C13 that focus on love of self, love in relationships and love as an element of community. Make a list of the things you love about yourself. The list should contain no less than five significant things. Take time to think about each of these attributes. Why do you love this about yourself? Generosity? Creativity? Silliness? Ambition? Consider how each of these qualities helps you be a positive presence in the world. Think back to a time in your life when those elements of yourself were being fully expressed. Are you making the most of these gifts right now? Ask yourself what you might do to expand the impact of that strength in the world. If you are struggling to make a list, then ask for help from those around you. Part of the process of preparing for the New Year is repairing relationships. While I believe that apologies are important, taking time to focus on what works in relationships is important as well. Set aside time with those with whom you are close. Tell them what you love and appreciate about them. Give them examples of how this strength inspires you or affirms something about the world. The more concrete the better. Knowing they are appreciated and truly seen for who they are will help them start the year in a better place and strengthen your relationship. If there is repairing to be done,
8th Annual Greeley Irish Festival
September 20, 2014
Live Irish Music www.greeleyirishfestival.com
Food, Drink, Irish Product Vendors Sacred Heart Church Grounds
Greeley, NE
spelling out the love first will set the stage for positive engagement. What do you love to do? Lean into your talents to make a difference in the community around you. Volunteering can be about need, but it can also be about sharing a passion and capacity. Play sports? Then offer to coach Little League. Bake? Then bring cookies to firefighters, bread to shut-ins. Sing? Take your talent to the local hospital. Sure, any of this takes time, but if you volunteer to do what you love, you will get a great bang for your buck. The parts of you that you love will have a chance to shine and your passion will inspire others. Studies show those who give feel great. And the world will be a better place. When love takes center stage, we poise ourselves for success. When we feel strong about ourselves, we are more capable of hearing the criticism that will undoubtedly come. When we know we are loveable, loved and capable of sharing love, then we can work toward making the New Year that Rosh Hashanah ushers in one of light, goodness and change. Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder PhD. is the rabbi-in-residence at Be’chol Lashon and the editor of the blog Jewish&. A culinary historian and mother of two, she lives and meditates in San Francisco. Follow her on Twitter @rabbiruth. (This story originally appeared on the Rabbis Without Borders blog on MyJewishLearning.com.)
FOR SALE: HIGH WATER LODGE CONDOMINIUM For sale by owner/developer: Remaining 3 units of a 5 unit condo complex, located just off the Missouri Recreational River, 10 miles upstream from Niobrara, NE. One bedroom units with lofts, above 30x32 ft open span garages. Each unit has 2 private decks, all electric utilities and internet access. Complex has a large common deck above a 1st floor all concrete storm room; Fish cleaning shelter and ample overflow parking. Property has paved road access, and is near the public “Verdel Landing” boat ramp (1/8 mile). Deeded unit ownership, all owners on management board. Primed drywall, ready for your finish choices. Great views.
Asking Low $200’s*
Call Bruce at 402.649.5978
*subject to finish cost
September 12, 2014 | The Jewish Press | C15
$1,500 Sign-On! Heavy Equipment Operator needed to join the Waste Connections team at the Butler County Landfill in David City. Requirements: 1 year related experience • Landfill Compactor experience is a HUGE PLUS! Benefits include medical, dental, vision, flexible spending account, long term disability, life insurance, 401(k), $1,500 Sign-On Bonus Please apply online at www.wasteconnections.com. Questions? Please call 303.867.5516 Waste Connections is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer (Minority/Female/Disabled/Veterans)
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BANKRUPTCY: FREE initial consultation. Fast relief from creditors. Low rates. Statewide filing. No office appointment necessary. Call Steffens Law Office, 308872-8327. steffensbankruptcylaw.com. We are a debt relief agency, which helps people file bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code.
SPORTS EDITOR needed at Holdrege Daily Citizen. FAX resume to Bob King at 308-995-5992, email to holdregecitizennews@gmail.com, or write to PO Box 344, Holdrege, NE 68949.
AFFORDABLE PRESS Release service. Send your message to 175 newspapers across Nebraska for one low price! Call 1-800-369-2850 or www.nebpress.com for more details. 9TH ANNUAL US 36 Highway Treasure Hunt, Sept. 1920-21 - 400 mile Antique & Garage Sales across Kansas www.ushwy36.com.
BUTLER TRANSPORT Your Partner in Excellence. Drivers Needed. Great hometime. $650.00 sign on bonus! All miles paid. 1-800-528-7825 or www.butlertransport.com. EXPERIENCED OTR Driver residing East of US281, long hoods, paper logs, small carrier, South and Southeast, out and back, high % drop and hook, 3000 mi/wk, Dedicated Transportation Services 402-699-3465.
West Point Dairy Products is a state-of-the-art butter manufacturing facility located 2 miles south of West Point, NE. All positions require the ability to speak, read and write English and a high school diploma or equivalent. Will train. Top entry wages, full benefits package, equal opportunity employer. Apply in person at: & 3PBE t 8FTU 1PJOU /& or apply online at: www.westpointdairy.com No Phone Calls Please
STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISE STATEWIDE for $225/25 word classified ad. Over 170 newspapers with circulation of more than 365,000. Contact the Jewish Press at 402-334-6449 or call 1-800-369-2850.
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GROSSHANS INTERNATIONAL Inc. has an opening for an experienced CaseIH Parts Manager or parts counter person ready to advance. DIS, PFW or JDIS necessary. Be a leader with our award winning Pinnacle parts department. All inquiries held in confidence. Please send resume to Alan Anderson at Grosshans International Inc., PO Box 168, Aurora, Nebraska or call 1-800-742-7423.
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OWNER OPERATORS needed to pull tank trailers. $176,000 & 92,000 mile average in 2013. Call Brian, MF, 8-5 at 800-728-2675. Apply online at www.itl tanklines.com.
why not work when you want, where you want and work for a company that cares about you. Top weekly pay Flexible schedule Benefits and more
Advertising index Advertiser Page A Permanent Solution ........................................... A3 Abrahams, Kaslow & Cassman LLP ............................ A9 All Makes Office Equipment Co. .................................. B3 Allens ........................................................................... A7 American National Bank ............................................ B10 Anti-Defamation League ............................................ C16 Arnold Weitz & Co. ....................................................... A4 B’nai B’rith Henry Monsky Lodge .............................. C16 B’nai B’rith Youth Organization .................................. A16 B’nai Israel Synagogue .............................................. C16 B’nai Jeshurun Synagogue ......................................... C2 Badger Body ............................................................... A7 Bag ’N Save ............................................................... A14 Bagel Bin ..................................................................... B8 Belgrade Family ........................................................... B2 Bergman Incentives ..................................................... A3 Bergman Jewelry ......................................................... A3 Bernina Sewing Centers ............................................. A12 Beth El BILU USY ....................................................... A16 Beth El Synagogue .................................................... C16 Beth Israel NCSY ....................................................... A16 Beth Israel Sisterhood ............................................... C16 Beth Israel Synagogue .............................................. C16 Boys Town ................................................................... A6 Boys Town National Research Hospital ...................... C15 Broadmoor .................................................................. B7 CB Richard Ellis/MEGA ............................................... B2 CBSHOME-Toni Rosen ................................................ A3 The Center for Jewish Life ......................................... C16 Chabad ..................................................................... C16 Charleston’s ............................................................ CA11 Countryside Village ...................................................... C6 Creighton University ................................................... A10 Enterprise Bank ........................................................... B7 Frankel, Zacharia .............................................................. B4 Fraser Stryker Law Firm ............................................... C2 Friedel Jewish Academy ............................................... A7 Gallagher Grace/Mayer .............................................. A9 Gordmans ................................................................... B9 Green Spot .................................................................. B8
Advertiser Page Hiller Electric ............................................................... B3 Hockenbergs ............................................................. A15 I-Go Van & Storage ...................................................... C9 Ideal Pure Water & Coffee .......................................... C10 Institute for Holocaust Education .............................. C16 Interim Homestyle Services ....................................... A15 Javitch, Gary & Karen .................................................. B8 Jewish Community Center .......................................... C8 Jewish Federation of Lincoln ....................................... C5 Jewish Federation of Omaha ....................................... B1 Jewish Federation of Omaha Backyard Concert Series .............................................................................. B11 Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation .................. B12 Jewish Press ................................................ A16, B7, C10 Jewish Social Services ................................................. C1 Jewish War Veterans ................................................. C16 John A. Gentleman Mortuaries .................................. B11 Julio’s .......................................................................... C9 Kohll’s Pharmacy & Homecare .................................. A12 League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly ................. C16 Lerner Company ........................................................ A12 Louie M’s Burger Lust ................................................ A11 Magpie ...................................................................... C11 Malashock Jewelry .................................................... A13 Malbar Vision Centers ................................................. B6 Marathon Real Estate .................................................. A8 Mark Sanford Group .................................................... B4 Marks Clare & Richards ............................................. B10 McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp, PC, LLO. ............ A4 McGrath North .......................................................... C13 Mid Con Systems Inc. .................................................. A7 Mid-City Jewelry & Loan .............................................. A8 " N. Pitlor & Son, Inc. ................................................... A15 Nan C .......................................................................... A8 Natan & Hannah Schwalb Center for Israel & Jewish Studies ................................................................. C16 National Council of Jewish Women-Omaha Section .. C16 National Siding & Windows ......................................... A9 Nebraska Furniture Mart ............................................. C4 Nebraska Jewish Historical Society ........................... C16
Work when YOU want
Advertiser Page Nebraska Press Statewide Classifieds ....................... C15 No Frills ...................................................................... A14 Noddle Companies ..................................................... C5 Oak Hills/Bikhor Cholim Cemetery ........................... C13 Omaha Area Youth Orchestra ...................................... C9 Omaha Compound Company ................................... C10 Omaha Steaks ........................................................... A13 Omaha Surgical Center ............................................... C4 Omaha Temple Youth Group ...................................... A16 Parsow’s ...................................................................... A4 Pasta Amore .............................................................. C11 Peterson Brothers Realty Co. ...................................... A14 Pulverente Monument Co. .......................................... B4 Remington Heights ...................................................... A8 Ricks Family ............................................................... A14 Rockbrook Village ...................................................... C11 Russell’s ...................................................................... C6 St. Joseph Villa ............................................................ B6 Schwalb Realty ........................................................... B4 Security Equipment, Inc. ............................................. A3 Seldin Company ........................................................ C10 Silverman, Stanley Birthday ....................................... C12 Sol’s Jewelry & Loan ................................................... C9 Sonny Gerber Auto Sales ............................................. A5 ' Mayor Jean ' ................................................... ' ' ' C3 Stothert, Suburban Newspapers Inc. ......................................... B8 Swartzbaugh Farber .................................................. A13 Temple Israel ............................................................. C16 Tifereth Israel Synagogue ............................................ C2 Tritz Plumbing Inc. ....................................................... C6 Valentino’s ................................................................. A11 " " " van de Kamp-Wright Family" ......................................... C6 Vann Realty ................................................................. C6" " " " Village Pointe ............................................................... B5 Village Pointe Pediatrics ............................................... C7 Visiting Nurse Association ............................................ A5 Wiesman Development ................................................ A5 The Winery ................................................................. A11 Wolf Bros. Western Store ............................................. C6 Zio’s Pizzeria ................................................................ C5
Apply Online TODAY at www.tristatenursing.com Start your new career TODAY!
“Professionals with Pride”
800-727-1912
Valmont Newmark in Columbus, NE is now hiring. We recognize that #our employees#are the cornerstone of our accomplishments.
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Shift Supervisor: 2nd Shift ' ' ' ' Fitter' Welders: 2nd' & 3rd Shift' Openings; $1 Shift Differential Mechanical Maintenance: 2nd Shift; $1 Shift Differential include" Medical," Dental," Vision, " Benefits " " "Paid Vacation, " Paid Holidays, Company Match on 401(k) " " " " Apply online at www.valmont.com
No Computer? See us at 1600 E. 29th Ave., Columbus, NE or Workforce Development All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protect veteran status.
C16 | The Jewish Press | September 12, 2014
Have a sweet New Year! League Offering Volunteers for the Elderly
L’Shana Tovah
Sincere wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year
The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Auxiliary
Shana Tovah! From the Board Members and Staff of the Center for Jewish Life
A Peaceful and Prosperous
Rosh Hashanah to the Community With Your Help We’ll Have A Great Past Ahead Of Us
A beneficiary of the Annual Campaign of the Jewish Federation of Omaha
Happy & Healthy New Year Benefactor $1,000 • Platinum $500 Gold $250 • Patron-1 Year $100 Sponsor $50 • Regular $25
B’nai Israel Synagogue A Century of Tradition The Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies at the University of Nebraska-Omaha wishes all our Friends and supporters a
Happy New Year
618 Mynster Street, Council Bluffs 51503 Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year!
You’re always welcome at B’nai Israel! National Register of Historic Places
JEWISH WAR VETERANS of AMERICA Epstein Morgan Post 260
Best wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful Rosh Hashanah. FREE membership to all active-duty personnel Contact: Jay Benton, Commander 402-250-6133 We welcome any and all new members
BETH ISRAEL SISTERHOOD
Best Wishes for a Happy New Year
Henry Monsky Lodge B’nai B’rith
National Council of Jewish Women Omaha Section
NCJW extends its warmest wishes to the Jewish community for a Joyous New Year.
Best wishes to our wonderful community for a sweet, healthy, happy year. May this year bring the fulfillment of our most fervent wishes and dreams. Rabbi Mendel and Shani Katzman and Family Chabad Board Members and Volunteers