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Measuring what matters in our community

New Biography: Nathan Straus Page 4

Our Story: Immigration, Part 4 Page 5

Recent additions to the Kripke-Veret Collection Page 12

Annual meeting

REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life Cycles

man joined the Jewish Federation of Omaha, where she asLYNN BATTEN sumed increasing leadership responsibility across impact JFO Content Coordinator he Jewish Federation of Omaha is pleased to strategy and organizational learning. Most recently, as Imannounce that Stacy Feldman will assume pact Data Manager, she worked closely with agency directhe role of Chief Impact Officer beginning tors and senior leadership to define impact, support data April 27. driven decision making, As a senand lay the groundwork ior executive leader and for a more intentional, primary driver of the community wide underFederation’s impact standing of the Federastrategy, Feldman will tion’s programs and guide how the organizaservices. Those insights, coupled with Feldman’s tion defines, measures, leadership in aligning and delivers meaningful data, strategy, and comoutcomes for the community needs, helped munity. The position is shape the creation of newly created and rethe Chief Impact Officer flects the Federation’s role. growing focus on intenThe Jewish Federation tional, accountable, and of Omaha, with its mispurpose driven impact. sion to build and sustain Stacy brings more a strong and vibrant than 20 years of corporate and nonprofit leadOmaha Jewish commuStacy Feldman, front, leading the 2022 Momentum trip to Israel. nity while supporting ership experience to the role. She previously served as Director of Community Im- Jews in Israel and around the world, supports a wide rangpact at the Jewish Federation of the Heart of New Jersey, ing ecosystem of programs and services that serve families, where she oversaw community allocations, engagement, children, seniors, and individuals at every stage of life. “With a scope of work this large, it’s critical that we and strategic marketing efforts. After moving to Nebraska with her family in 2021, Feld- See Measuring what matters page 3

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Please join us for the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Awards Night & Annual Meeting on Monday, June 4, from 6:30–8 p.m. We will gather in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater for an evening of celebration, reflection, and community connection. Together, we will honor outstanding community volunteers, commemorate the Institute for Holocaust Education’s 25th anniversary, and hear remarks from the Federation’s Governing Board Chair and CEO. The evening will also feature a virtual rib-

bon cutting for the new Kaiman Family Pavilion and a message from this year’s Tapestry scholar-in-residence, Dr. Erica Brown. 2025 Award Recipients include: • Maxine and Joe Kirshenbaum and Sharon and Jeff Kirshenbaum, JFO Humanitarians of the Year ( featured in the May 29 edition of the Jewish Press) • Dr. Carlos Gomez, Bruce Fellman Memorial Young Leadership Award ( featured in the May 15 edition of the Jewish Press) • Leora Werner, Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Award ( featured in the May 15 edition of the Jewish Press) • Mark Martin, Jody and Neal Malashock Award for Professional Excellence ( featured in the May 1 edition of the Jewish Press) • Spread Cream Cheese, Not Hate ( JCRC), Jewish Federation of See Annual meeting page 3

A voice from Israel

RACHEL KOLETTE WHEELER Co-Founding Director Collective Lavo-B’tov There are times in Israel when plans are made with the quiet understanding that everything might change. February 2026 was one of them. When my trip to Israel was set for mid-February, it felt like the right time for all of us to finally go away together for a Shabbat weekend we had been talking about for a while. If you had walked into the hotel dining room on Friday night, you would have seen something simple. A small group, sitting together for

a Shabbat dinner. Laughter. Conversations stretching across the table. The hotel sat right by the sea, on Israel’s coastal plain -yet it felt like a distant resort, as if we had stepped out of everything for a moment. At some point, Gershon - a warm, kind man who works in IT and lives with Cmt disease stood up, leaning on his walker, and surprised us by making Kiddush and saying the blessing over the challah, something he chose to do to honor those among us who are more observant. See A Voice from Israel page 2