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The Jewish Press AN AGENCY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF OMAHA | WWW. JE WISHOMAHA.ORG
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riod she earned a master’s degree at UNO. HOWARD EPSTEIN When all four of her children were in school Executive Director, Jewish Federation of full-time, Bev returned to teaching. Omaha Foundation o honor the memory of his During her career Bev received numerous wife of 52 years Dick Fellman awards for teaching. The premier honor was established the Beverly Fell- the prestigious Alice Buffett Outstanding man Best French and Best He- Teacher Award which included $10,000. She brew Award Endowment donated this $10,000 prize to the Central Fund at the Jewish High School FoundaFederation of Omaha tion for the purpose of Foundation. Each helping outstanding year the fund prostudents of French vides a $500 college study the language in scholarship to a Cena French-speaking tral High School stucountry. The award dent who excels in established the Best French and plans to French Award Enstudy the language in dowment at the Cencollege and a $500 tral High School scholarship to a Foundation in 2002. Friedel Jewish AcadUpon Bev’s death emy student who exthe remaining funds cels in Hebrew. were transferred from Beverly graduated the Central High from Central High School Foundation to School in 1959 and the Jewish Federation earned a bachelor’s of Omaha Foundadegree with honors at tion. Dick added to Beverly Fellman Omaha University. She the fund and majored in French in college. After gradua- amended it by providing for the Best Hebrew tion she travelled to France, worked at the Award in addition to the existing Best American Embassy in Paris, and studied at French Award. The Best Hebrew Award is for the Alliance Francais. She returned to a Friedel Jewish Academy student who exOmaha, married Dick, and taught French at cels in Hebrew. The award winner will reCentral High. With the birth of her first ceive a $500 scholarship for a Jewish child, Bev retired from teaching to remain summer camp or peer-group Israel trip prior home with her four children. During this pe- See Fellman Endowment Fund page 3
T Turkey’s president invokes Holocaust in slamming France Page 6
On this Jewish dating site, moms get to play the yenta Page 12
ADL-CRC’s Walk Against Hate unveils first sites REGULARS
Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life cycles
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Beverly Fellman Endowment Fund Veterans Day: An opportunity for hope Page 2
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PAM MONSKY ADL-CRC Assistant Director The ADL-CRC’s Walk Against Hate begins Nov. 22 and features an amazing journey into our community’s story of civil rights. Registration is free, but if you want to make a donation, you will receive stylish Walk Against Hate gear (merchandise begins for a
minimum donation of $25). Please visit www.adlplains.com to register. Registrants can also create a team or
Against Hate™ to Omaha and transforming it from an afternoon “walk” into a week-long, COVID-safe “jour-
individual page to raise vital funds for ADL, spread the word about the walk, and actively fight hate for good. Since bringing ADL’s National Walk
ney,” there has been an incredible appetite for this positive community experience. Thanks to inspired See Walk Against Hate page 3
Two shuls, one Rabbi SARAH KELEN On Sept. 1, Lincoln’s congregation B’nai Jeshurun (URJ) and congregation Tifereth Israel (USCJ) welcomed their first jointly appointed spiritual leader: Rabbi Alex Felch. Rabbi Felch was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Conservative Seminario Ra-
Rabbi Alex Felch
binico Latinoamericano (Rabbinical Seminary of Latin America). Rabbi Felch was most recently the spiritual leader of congregation B’nai Tikvah in Deerfield, Illinois. Prior to that he served congregations in Connecticut and Puerto Rico. He has also lived in Israel and Northern Europe for extended periods. Rabbi Felch’s life experiences in five countries and his work with diverse Jewish communities position him well to initiate Lincoln’s new collaborative model of rabbinical leadership. Lincoln’s two congregations are not alone in seeking creative solutions to the challenges of being a smaller Jewish community. Rabbi David Fine of the Union for Reform Judaism consults with URJ communities considering structural or organizational transitions. Rabbi Fine observed that the decision to move forward with a shared hire “speaks to the strength in the community, the trust in the community.” The leadership and members of both congregations were able to express their “willingness to do things differently,” in service of “a vision of having a stronger Jewish community in Lincoln, Nebraska.” Mindy Gordon, Synagogue Consultant for the Central Region of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism noted that there are other USCJ-affiliated congregations involved in partnerships between Conservative and Reform communities, and that “collaboration in smaller and not so small communities is a trend that is mutually beneficial.” Rabbi Felch was drawn to this position when it was advertised, because he has “always felt passionate about the concept of k’lal Yisrael, the entire Jewish People being an am echad, one people.” As the See Two shuls, one rabbi page 2