April 24, 2026

The Jewish Press

Measuring what matters in our community

LYNN BATTEN JFO Content Coordinator

The Jewish Federation of Omaha is pleased to announce that Stacy Feldman will assume the role of Chief Impact Officer beginning April 27.

As a senior executive leader and primary driver of the Federation’s impact strategy, Feldman will guide how the organization defines, measures, and delivers meaningful outcomes for the community. The position is newly created and reflects the Federation’s growing focus on intentional, accountable, and purpose driven impact.

Stacy brings more than 20 years of corporate and nonprofit leadership experience to the role. She previously served as Director of Community Impact at the Jewish Federation of the Heart of New Jersey, where she oversaw community allocations, engagement, and strategic marketing efforts.

man joined the Jewish Federation of Omaha, where she assumed increasing leadership responsibility across impact strategy and organizational learning. Most recently, as Impact Data Manager, she worked closely with agency directors and senior leadership to define impact, support data driven decision making, and lay the groundwork for a more intentional, community wide understanding of the Federation’s programs and services. Those insights, coupled with Feldman’s leadership in aligning data, strategy, and community needs, helped shape the creation of the Chief Impact Officer role.

The Jewish Federation of Omaha, with its mission to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish community while supporting Jews in Israel and around the world, supports a wide ranging ecosystem of programs and services that serve families, children, seniors, and individuals at every stage of life.

“With a scope of work this large, it’s critical that we

After moving to Nebraska with her family in 2021, Feld-

Annual meeting

REGULARS

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

See Measuring what matters 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

A voice from Israel

Continued from page 1

Earlier that evening, Riki, a single mother with cerebral palsy, said out loud: “Finally… we made this happen. We actually came together for a weekend.”

The Moment

The phones began to vibrate and scream.

Not oneall of them, at once.

Shoshi - my partner in founding and leading Collective Lavo B’tov, an energetic, powerful woman with a strong presence who stands all of 3 feet 11 inches, raised her glass and suggested a toast, in that cheerful voice of hers.

In that moment, I remembered the conversations we had before this group even existed. We spoke about creating a space for people - with and without disabilities - who truly connect, who choose one another for who they are.

And somehow, that shared disability makes it possible to feel at home.

Some were talking about the spa the next morning, some planned to attend the Torah reading upstairs.

The mothers were making plans for the pool with their children.

Everything had its place.

Everyone had their place.

If you experience antisemitism, there are ways to report an incident or hate crime:

CALL the JFO’s Safety and Security Team 402-334-6446

EMAIL JCRCreporting@jewishomaha.org

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Communities Network, and the Anti-Defamation League.

For a few hours, it felt like nothing else existed.

And yet, just outside that room, we all knew that a war with Iran was not a distant possibility.

Night

Sometime after midnight, something shifted for me. Until then, we were simply a group of friends away for the weekend.

But standing on the hotel porch, looking out at the dark sea, I suddenly saw us differently.

I realized I was the only one who could run if needed.

Everyone else - each in their own waymoving with a wheelchair, a cane, crutches, or a visible limp.

It wasn’t something we had spoken about.

It didn’t need to be.

But in that moment, it became very clear.

Without saying it out loud, I stepped into a quiet kind of responsibility.

I checked where the shelters and rooms were.

Then, almost instinctively, I went from room to room, knocking softly:

“Just so you know… if something happens…”

They reassured me, gently: “Thank you. Go to sleep.”

But something in me stayed awake.

I know what it feels like when a siren catches you unpreparedhow even a few seconds matter.

So I went to sleep dressed - just in case.

Morning

I woke up around seven.

For a moment, I thought I heard planes. I wasn’t sure.

One thing was certainthere had been no sirens. The night had passed quietly.

“This is going to be a beautiful Shabbat,” I thought. I smiledwhen I noticed I was already almost dressed.

“At least it was a quiet night.”

Outside, the sea was still theresoft and open, something I had been missing in Omaha.

There is something about the sea that brings me back to myself.

We met in the dining hall.

There was a lightness again. Plans for the day.

Breakfast. Coffee before prayers.

Zohar asked: “Did you hear the planes?”

A brief pause.

“Probably just drills,” someone said.

We moved toward breakfast.

And then-

It wasn’t a siren. We didn’t yet understand what we were hearing.

Later, everyone in Israel would learn - these were the alerts before the sirens.

But in that moment, inside the dining hall, it was simply frightening.

More than a hundred people began moving at oncetoward elevators, toward shelters no one seemed to know how to reach.

And then, almost instinctively, we all saw the same thingthe wheelchairs, the crutches, the walkers, the small children.

And we understood, almost at the same time:

this was not something we could just run through.

Not like this.

Not through a crowd like this.

Then a murmur passed through the room —

“It’s an alert.”

Phones lit up again. The message came through:

“Israel is at war with Iran.

This is the first notice.

Sirens may follow.

Find a nearby protected space now.”

We stayed by the table for a moment,

We all knew there was no way we would reach a protected space in time. Decision

Almost immediately, the mothers said:

“We’re organizing and heading home. That’s the safest option.”

“And what if there’s a siren on the way?” someone asked.

Riki, who lives about an hour and a half away, answered, steady and clear:

“Then we’ll do what everyone does.

The girls and I will lie down on the road and find whatever cover we can.”

Not surprisingly, this came from Rikia Major in the Israeli army, the highest rank a person with CP received.

Gershon added simply, in his calm tone:

“I’ve been through this before. I’m going home.”

There was a quiet clarity among us.

Bracha, for a moment, needed a bit more steadiness.

Mobility, for her, is not simple - especially in moments like this.

“I’ve never been alone in a situation like this…”

“You’re not alone,” we told her.

“You’re with us.”

Keren said:

“We have a wheelchair-accessible protected room.

We’re ten minutes away. Everyone is welcome.”

Within minutes, everything was in motion.

Uri , Shoshi’s husband, arrived soon after, clearly called in to help, and helped us pack -

bags, children, wheelchairs, walkers.

I stayed close to Bracha.

“I’m with you,” I said.

“We are at war, this is pikuach nefesh.

We’ll get to a safe place.”

We decided to go to Zohar and Keren’s home.

It felt, in a way, like a small military operation.

And just like that, we left.

Shelter

The roads were almost empty.

We reached Zohar and Keren’s homeand just as we stepped inside, the siren began.

This time, it was real.

I walked with Bracha, at her pace –feeling, through that pace, the weight of the moment.

The sound rising and falling around us.

We moved as fast as we couldthe pace of a wheelchairtoward the protected room.

When we reached it, I felt my breath return.

Zohar and Keren tried to calm threeyear-old Neta.

Neighbors joined us.

The room filled. The air shifted. I looked at Bracha.

“I’ve only recently started living on my own…

I’m not quite prepared for something like this yet.”

She paused, then added quietly: “Receiving help from friends like this… it’s still new for me.”

That night, we checked on the rest of the group.

Everyone, thankfully, had made it home safely

Closing

Bracha and I stayed with Zohar and Keren for a few more days. They hosted us in a way that felt almost unreal at a time of war, an accessible home, a spacious accessable protected room, and an atmosphere filled with warmth, laughter, and meaningful long conversations.

This was never meant to be a group of helpers and receivers, but one of friends, where support moves naturally between equals.

A space where disability didn’t need to be hidden, in order to belong.

I couldn’t have imagined a more precise moment for all of us to experience what that really means.

The next day, Riki wrote:

“Despite everything, we fulfilled a dream.

And I’m already waiting for the next weekend just this time, without a war.” Epilogue

About a week later, deep into the war, one of Collective Lavo B’tov’s supporters reached out.

She wanted to help us create another retreat, this time, without interruptions. Between sirens, Shoshi and I called the group.

When we spoke with Bracha, she said:

“You’ve given me oxygen, just by talking about a plan for the summer.”

Then she added, almost playfully:

“Maybe we’ll come visit you in Omaha, Rachel?”

Somewhere between one siren and the next, a new plan began to take shape.

Measuring what matters

Continued from page 1

understand not just what we do, but how well it’s working,” said Bob Goldberg, Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. “Stacy’s leadership ensures that impact is integrated across the entire organization — informing strategy, strengthening accountability, and keeping our mission and purpose at the center of every decision.”

As Chief Impact Officer, Feldman serves as a senior organizational leader responsible for ensuring that the Federation’s work is purposeful, measurable, and connected to its broader mission—so that every program, every dollar, and every partnership reflects the Federation’s purpose of caring for and about one another, and helps individuals feel seen, supported, and connected to something bigger than themselves.

“In my new role, we’re expanding the scope to take a more holistic look at the organization,” Stacy said. “Over the past year, I’ve spent a lot of time working with campus leaders to define impact and track the success of their programs and services. Now, I plan to take a step back to move forward — looking more deeply at what our agencies do, why they do it, and who they serve. Each agency has its own unique mission and purpose, and I want to better understand their day to day work so I can help connect it to the Federation’s larger mission and goals. At its core, my role is about building the shared tools and understanding that empower leaders to take ownership of data driven impact measurement in their day to day work.”

As a member of the Federation’s senior leadership team, Feldman will work closely with executive leadership, the board, agency leadership teams, donors, and partners to identify needs, set priorities, and measure results—ensuring alignment across strategy, funding, and community impact. Feldman views data as a tool for strategic decision making across the organization. “I think of data as a puzzle,” she said. “It’s like dumping all the pieces of a 1,000 piece puzzle onto a table. My job is to put them together to create a clear picture. Having a solid understanding of our organizational data helps us make decisions based on facts rather than assumptions. It allows us to learn what’s working, what needs adjusting, and how we can better serve our community.”

Importantly, Stacy views community voice as an essential part of that picture. She notes that data and relationships go hand in hand. Understanding how people experience what the Federation has to offer — and whether they feel welcomed, valued, and connected — is essential to understanding true impact.

Annual meeting

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Omaha Community Service Award (featured in the May 8 edition of the Jewish Press)

• Asher Tipp and Elizabeth Brodkey, Robert and Ellen Gordman Jewish Teen Leadership Award (featured in the May 22 edition of the Jewish Press)

• Agency Volunteer of the Year Award recipients (featured in the April 17 edition of the Jewish Press)

B’NAI B’RITH

BREADBREAKERS

“Data isn’t only numbers,” she said. “Connecting with people about why they attend programs and utilize our services, what they take away from them, and what’s on their minds helps us understand what matters to them. It also helps members of our community feel like they belong. That insight is another piece of the puzzle.”

Stacy also sees storytelling as central to impact work.

“Insight is also storytelling, and everyone loves a good story,” she said. “It’s our responsibility to show our donors and our community why what we do matters.”

In the coming months, community members may see more opportunities to share feedback as part of the creation of this new role.

“Listening to our community is the best way to ensure our work continues to drive meaningful, lasting change,” she said. Although relatively new to Nebraska, Stacy says she feels deeply connected to the Omaha Jewish community.

“I’m incredibly excited and filled with gratitude,” she said. “This community has been so welcoming. I love the warmth of Midwest culture. I feel lucky to be part of this community — and even luckier to be able to work on its behalf.”

JEWISH PRESS READERS

If you do business with any of our advertisers, please tell them you saw their ad in the Jewish Press. It really helps us!

Please note that Louri Sullivan and David Gilinsky, recipients of the Phil & Terri Schrager Spirit of Federation Awards, will be honored at our Annual Campaign Community Event in the fall.

This event is open to the community, and we hope you’ll mark your calendars and plan to join us. Additional details, including RSVP information, will be shared soon. For more information, visit jewishomaha.org

The award-winning B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS speaker program currently meets Wednesdays via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Please watch our email for specific information concerning its thought-provoking, informative list of speakers. To be placed on the email list, contact Breadbreakers chair at gary.javitch@gmail.com ORGANIZATIONS

A Note from Jerusalem

NANCY COREN

Leyl HaSeder here in Jerusalem was preceded by a volley of missiles from Iran throughout the late afternoon and early evening. In fact, after several trips in and out of our safe room, Charlie and I decided we felt more secure walking straight to our son’s apartment past three underground shelters rather than making an additional stop at the synagogue that was in a direction opposite to his apartment.

We arrived safely. Prior to starting the seder, our son told us that two phones were strategically placed in case there was an alert and siren that required us to move into the safe room. All other phones which had been carried for safety reasons were “parked” in a side bedroom. It had been decided that even if there were an alert we would not move to the safe room unless an actual siren sounded since that would still provide us with 90 seconds to go upstairs, enter the room, and close the steel door and steel window cover. We were also assured that the room had been set up prior to our arrival so there would be chairs for us older adults and the grandkids would be on the beds.

We spoke about how last year we had an empty chair at the table in remembrance of the hostages being held in captivity in Gaza. We were thankful that all those who had been held captive, both the living and the dead, had been returned. We prayed that next year we would be able to look back at a seder at a time of war on several fronts as merely an impactful memory.

Our seder was full of readings, questions, sharing, interpretations, and of course song. There were no distractions here in Jerusalem until we were singing Chad Gadya at about 3:30 in the morning! (Yes, we were still at the seder table.) At that time a siren sounded. Ballistic missiles had been sent from Iran, and we took our haggadot upstairs with us to the safe room. What was most amazing was that we only had two verses of Chad Gadya left to sing, the one about the angel of death and the final verse about HaKadosh Baruch Hu (G-d). It felt strangely appropriate that, as a ballistic missile was being sent to try to kill us, we could end the evening in a safe room singing about the presence of G-d as the ultimate source of life in the Universe.

There were many here in Israel who spent their entire seder evening in a protected space. There were many who faced more sirens than just the one we experienced. To think that this would happen was expected. The miracle was that despite the situation we, like so many others, consciously chose to retell the story of our shared past and to end on a note of positivity about being in Jerusalem again next year!

New Biography: Nathan Straus

LAUREN CARRANE

Today, we mainly think of public health as a government responsibility. But a little more than a century ago, Nathan Straus, the co-owner of Macy’s and Abraham & Straus department stores, made it his mission to make a difference in public health — and his efforts are still resonating today.

millions. His example speaks to us today. In our COVID-shadowed time, when politics sometimes undermines public health science and investment, the book raises key questions about the roles that private citizens can and should play in advancing basic social interests like public health.

Sensational

Straus’s life and work are the focus of a new biography entitled, Nathan Straus: From Macy’s Magnate to International Humanitarian (Rutgers University Press, April 2026), by Andrew Fisher, the first comprehensive biography of this influential figure.

The book recounts not only Straus’ spectacular rise from Jewish-German immigrant to business titan, but also his other big lives. With his varied gifts and sometimes manic energy, Straus became a leader of the American Zionist movement and a mobilizer of grassroots support for securing a legally protected Jewish homeland in Mandate Palestine. He was even nominated for New York City mayor.

Yet Fisher argues that Straus’s most historic achievements lay elsewhere—in philanthropy and, most particularly, public health.

Inspired by both his Jewish values and no-nonsense pragmatism, Straus designed, funded, and oversaw four progressive philanthropic initiatives. The greatest — his self-funded direct service and advocacy campaigns for milk pasteurization — saved the lives of countless thousands of infants in New York City and, ultimately, across much of America and western Europe. Straus also founded America’s first tuberculosis preventorium for at-risk children: a model for the 45 more that followed. Partnering with Hadassah, he brought American public health innovations to Mandate Palestine. And, in the severe 1890s depression, he provided food, fuel, and housing relief for tens of thousands of New York City’s jobless. In all, Straus’s humanitarianism won the acclaim of American presidents and world leaders and the gratitude of

Writing workshop

The book has already attracted attention from scholars in a variety of disciplines, including science, philanthropy and Jewish history.

Howard Markel, author of The Secret of Life: Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick, and the Discovery of DNA's Double Helix, said, “Nathan Straus, philanthropist, public health advocate, department store magnate, and a founding father of Mandate Palestine’s public health system, has finally been memorialized in a full-length biography. Fisher has done a superb job of deftly piecing together the fabulous adventures of a remarkable man.”

And Jaclyn Granick, author of International Jewish Humanitarianism in the Age of the Great War said, “Finally, a biography of a figure whose business acumen and relentless philanthropic initiative, like a Jewish Carnegie or Rockefeller, changed the structure of the modern world and saved countless children’s lives! Fisher’s compelling and deeply researched telling of Straus’s world spans three continents, all classes of people, two wars, and Jewish and mainstream society—completing our understanding of the remarkable Straus family.”

Fisher is the retired founding executive director of the Lavelle Fund for the Blind, an international foundation based in Manhattan. A New Jersey resident, he has 35 years of experience in New York City charitable foundations and is a winner of Helen Keller International’s Humanitarian Award. This is his first book.

For more information, please contact: Lauren Carrane at Sharp Pencil Marketing, at Lauren@sharppencilmar ket ing.com or 954.554.0336 (texts or calls).

‘Write With Us,’ our small and intimate writing workshop (no need to be nervous) continues in the winter and early spring. Upcoming workshops are scheduled for the following Thursday, April 30 from 5-7 p.m. in the Noshery at the Staenberg Omaha JCC. Register by contacting Jessi at jtaylor@jewishomaha.org or Annette at avandekamp@jewishomaha.org. There is no cost to attend, although donations are always welcome.

If you have wanted to write your family’s story, that great American novel, or you have always wanted to try your hand at poetry, join us! Maybe you are already an accomplished writer, but you would benefit from being in a room with other writers. Perhaps you have convinced yourself you can’t write at all, but would love to try. Everyone, from absolute beginner to professional, is welcome to attend. We will provide the kosher snacks and the writing prompts.

Our Story: Immigration, Part 4

RABBI DEANA BEREZIN

Temple Israel

In February 2026, Temple Israel’s Rabbi Berezin took a small group of congregants on an immigration trip. Below is the final part of her account of the experience.

Dear Friends,

I am writing on my flight home to Omaha. My heart is so full of gratitude for the experiences our group had a chance to take part in over the past few days. The conversations we’ve had, the people we’ve met, and the work that is being done on the ground have inspired all of us. I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to process more of this in the weeks to come with all of you.

In the meantime, I want to share a bit about what we did in the last 36 hours of our trip. On Saturday morning, we headed to a different borderland community in Naco, Arizona. Like Arivaca, where we were on Friday, Naco is a community that straddles the border with part of its population in Mexico, and part in the United States. We visited Camp Naco and reconnected with Jeremy Fricke, formerly of the Tri Faith Initiative and currently the Executive Director of the Naco Heritage Alliance. Camp Naco is the only remaining border fort that was construction during the Mexican Revolution, and was home to the Buffalo Soldiers, whose role was really to serve as the first border patrol agents. At that time, the soldiers had to grapples with the questions of serving both as the guardians of the border as well as the first place that refugees fleeing the violence of the Mexican Revolution were received and given aid in a new country. Part of Camp Naco’s mission is to “reveal the hidden stories of human experience in the borderlands,” and Jeremy was a tremendous source of wisdom in helping us understand some foundational history of what the border historically meant, and how it has evolved. He also gave us a tour of the construction and rehabilitation work that Camp Naco is doing in an effort to preserve the history and provide education for the wider community.

a section of the cemetery that was fenced off and home to a large Jewish memorial that was piled high with the traditional stones that symbolize that someone has visited a gravesite. The memorial stands in tribute to the Jewish community that helped to build the mining town of Tombstone.

From Naco, we drove into downtown Bisbee, which was a beautiful area full of restaurants, coffee shops, and so much artwork. Many of us took a tour of the Queen Copper Mine, which was one of the world’s most productive copper mines. After, we drove to Tombstone, Arizona. While we were too late in the day to see the reenactments of the cowboy shootout that happens there daily, we were just in time to visit Boothill Cemetery and Jewish Memorial. We were all shocked to find

Today, our final day of the trip, was spent in Phoenix. We had the opportunity to visit the Borderlands Resource Initiative and learn from Beth Strano, the co-founder and Executive Director. It was an absolute honor to learn from Beth. Not only is she an incredible source of knowledge about the issues surrounding immigration in this moment, but she is also an activist who has boots on the ground and is doing the work in real time to serve and protect the rights and welfare of migrants and asylum seekers. Previously, Beth founded the first asylum seeker emergency shelter in Phoenix, known as the Welcome Center. Beth has touched the lives of over 100,000 people navigating the complexities of the immigration system and has been called upon to testify in front of the US Senate on these issues. Beth was able to help bring all of what we had seen and heard during our last few days together for us, by providing us with information about what she and her partners are doing right now, in this moment, to help, and gave us ideas on what we can do in our own communities to make a difference. To wrap up our time there, our group put together 600 bags for individuals who have been trained to serve as legal observers of ICE interactions. As we conclude our trip, I am still left with more questions than answers (and really, what could be more Jewish than that?) But I am also leaving with inspiration and with knowledge. Many people have asked us why we chose to have this experience. There are so many issues and so much work to be done in our home communities. And each time, we go back to the words of Bryan Stevenson, which remind us that being proximate to the suffering matters. Seeing and hearing from the people who have lived experience to share matters. Hearing from people who have different perspectives than what we might normally hear matters. Being uncomfortable and uncertain matters. For only then can we begin to do the hard work to figure out how to move forward.

I’m beyond grateful for this experience. I know there will be more to share as we continue to process this journey and more to discuss in terms of what we, as a community, want to do moving forward. For as Pirkei Avot reminds us – “we are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are we free to desist from it.”

More than 200 women came together in the Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Community Engagement Venue to participate in the Chabad and JFO Mega Challah Bake.

SP O TLIGHT MEGA CHALLAH BAKE

FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org

Antisemitic attacks in 2025

GRACE GILSON

JTA

The number of fatalities from antisemitic attacks reached their highest level in 2025 in over three decades, with 20 people killed in four attacks over three continents, according to a new analysis from Tel Aviv University.

The fatal attacks included those in Sydney; Washington, D.C.; Boulder, Colorado; and Manchester, England.

They marked the highest number of deadly attacks since the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people.

The study compiled reports from police, governments and local Jewish communities and found that vandalism and verbal harassment fell in many countries — but violent attacks against Jews, including beatings and stone-throwing, increased in some places.

attacks are perpetrated by “lone wolves” and are therefore hard to prevent.

“Offenders align with two main ideological orientations,” the study’s authors wrote.

“They are predominantly Christian white supremacists or Muslims who apply antisemitism as a response to grievances about Middle Eastern political developments.”

Overall, the total number of antisemitic incidents increased from 1,727 in 2024 to 1,750 in 2025, compared to 1,200 incidents in 2023 and 472 in 2022.

“The data raise concern that a high level of antisemitic incidents is becoming a normalized reality,” Uriya Shavit, the study’s editorin-chief, said in a statement. “The peak in the number of incidents was recorded in the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attack, after which we began to see a downward trend — but unfortunately, that trend did not continue in 2025.”

Tel Aviv University releases the analysis every year in conjunction with Yom HaShoah, the Jewish Holocaust memorial day.

The report also included a separate study profiling those indicted for antisemitic offenses from 2020 to 2025, finding that many

The study’s authors wrote that the “most worrying phenomenon” of the past year had been the “normalization of antisemitic rhetoric in American political discourse,” writing that President Donald Trump had “tolerated, as no contemporary president has, deepseated, loathsome antisemites within his camp, and continues to do so for cynical political reasons.”

The presence of antisemitic rhetoric within Trump’s Republican Party has been a source of tension within the party for months. Trump has indicated displeasure with those promoting the rhetoric, particular as a chief purveyor, the media personality Tucker Carlson, opposed Trump’s decision to go to war against Iran. But his vice president, JD Vance, has declined to draw a line against the rise of antisemitic figures in the party.

This article was edited for length.

2026

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Gene Kowel to speak at B’nai Israel

On May 8, from 7:30-9:30 p.m., B’nai Israel Synagogue will host Eugene Kowel as the featured speaker. The entire community is welcome to our monthly second Friday Shabbat service and oneg.

Kowel serves as the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Omaha Field Office. Appointed to the role in October 2020, Mr. Kowel oversees all FBI personnel, operations, and criminal, national security, and cyber investigations across Nebraska and Iowa

He joined the FBI as a special agent in 2005 and was assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force in the New York Field Office, where he led counterterrorism investigations and criminal cases. Mr. Kowel completed deployments to Iraq in 2008 and Afghanistan in 2009.

southeast Georgia.

He was promoted to supervisory special agent in 2010 in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters and subsequently selected as a Unit Chief.

In 2013, Mr. Kowel was named the supervisor of the Savannah Resident Agency. He oversaw all FBI criminal and counterterrorism investigations and led four task forces in

Kowel was promoted in 2016 as an assistant special agent in charge in the Los Angeles Field Office. He led the violent gang, organized crime, violent crime, and drug trafficking investigative programs in Los Angeles. In 2019 he was selected as the chief of staff and section chief in the Intelligence Branch in Washington, DC. He graduated from the University of Virginia and earned his law degree from the New York University School of Law and served as an assistant district attorney in New York City before joining the FBI. He currently also serves as an adjunct professor at Creighton University School of Law.

Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and continuously active since 1904, B'nai Israel is one of the region's oldest. In addition to hosting monthly services, arts events, and group activities, the synagogue preserves the legacy of Jewish life in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

For more information, please visit their website.

PARENTS & SENIORS

We will be publishing our annual High School Graduation Class pages on May 22, 2026. To be included, fill out the form below or send us an email with the student’s name, parents names, high school they are attending, the college they will be attending and photo to: jpress@jewishomaha.org by May 12, 2026.

Pesach Sheni

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

Although we’re all eating bread again, we are not actually done with the Matzah. May 1 (14 Iyar) marks Pesach Sheni, also known as “Second Passover.” That’s right, we’re doing this again-albeit not as long as the first time. In the Mishnah, it is referred to as Pesach Katan, or “minor Passover.” Pesach Sheni is a day we mark by eating Matzah.

When the Israelites were in the desert, they made a passover offering (probably lamb), which was then roasted over a fire with maror and matzah and eaten, but some could not participate because they were ritually impure.

That impurity was caused by the fact they had come in contact with a dead body. Of course, they complained about this to Moses and Aaron, because someone had to take care of the dead-the impurity was not technically their fault. And so Pesach Sheni came into existence.

to make up for a missed opportunity, and a way to remind ourselves it is never too late. Passover marks the birth of the Jewish nation, which is where we should always return.

We don’t have “make-up” days for any other holidays; and that is because “from a practical standpoint, Passover is the only holiday whose central observance can be easily missed due to circumstances beyond one’s control,” Rabbi Yehuda Shurpin writes.

However, even if you don’t have a reasonable excuse, you can participate in this festival, and fullfil the commandment. It also applies if you become an adult in-between Pesach, and Pesach Sheni, or if you convert during that period-not because you are lacking (you weren’t Jewish yet) but because it is an opportunity. Pesach Sheni signifies a “second chance,” a way

JEWISH PRESS READERS

“For example, with enough effort, one can almost always make sure to have access to a shofar for Rosh Hashanah, a lulav and etrog for Sukkot, etc.

“On the other hand, in Temple Times, the centerpiece of Passover was eating the korban Pesach (Passover offering) with the matzah and the bitter herbs. In fact, the very name of the holiday, “Pesach” (translated as Passover), comes from the Passover offering.”

You might wonder, do we have to clean the house again?

“The Second Passover only concerned the sacrificing of the Paschal Lamb,” Rabbi Menachem Posner writes. “There was no obligation, however, to purge one’s home from chametz Another difference between the two Passovers was that Psalms of Praise (Hallel) were said during the consumption of the first Passover offering (as we do today during the Seder) but not while eating the lamb on Pesach Sheni.”

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YOUR GRADUATE

ISA WRIGHT

Chabad of Nebraska

On Friday May 22, Chabad of Nebraska will celebrate the beauty of the Torah with a garden party to remind us of the greenery that Hashem used to cover the humble Mount Sinai.

When I was little, my mom would make a paper chain to count down the days to Hanukkah. Each night we’d remove one link and watch the chain get shorter, which meant the excitement of the holiday included the few weeks leading up to it. It gave us time to prepare and served as a reminder to look forward to what was coming.

While counting the Omer, we consider the same things. This is the time of year we spiritually take ourselves from exodus to receiving the Torah, taking each day to reflect, set new goals, and grow. We’re also reminding ourselves that even if dayeinu, we have G–d’s greatest gift to look forward to in just seven weeks.

What happened at Sinai 50 days after our exodus from Egypt is something the Jews haven’t seen before or since. When Moshe presented us with the tablets, Hashem told us the ten commandments in His own voice, an experience synagogues around the world try to embody on Shavuos by reading them out from the Torah. Sinai wasn’t about being given a list of rules, it was a marriage contract between G–d and the people who chose Him. Like renewed wedding vows, hearing the commandments reminds us not just of our love for the Torah, but of the wonderful responsibility we were given with it.

Listening to the commandments on Shavuos, whether you understand the language, feel it in your neshama, or feel nothing at all, is how we connect to the people we were at Sinai.

There will be multiple readings of the ten commandments throughout the day as well as a dairy luncheon. We would love to celebrate this simcha with you - you can find more information/register at ochabad.com/gardenparty

We are so proud of your achievements –membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from the Band.

Love, Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters

The annual Graduation Issue will publish this year on May 22, 2026. Senior photos will run in that issue and we know you’ll want to highlight the achievements of your high school graduate! Congratulatory ads are available in two sizes. Limit of 25 words.

We are so proud of your achievements – membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from B.E.S.T.T. Photohere

Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters and grandparents

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Keyboard Warriors

ANNETTE

VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

It appears we’ve been busy.

The name kind of sounds like a new anti-depression medication: “AZAPAC.” (Side effects may include dizziness, rash, shortness of breath). Or it could be the villain in a new Disney film. The kind that lends itself well to merchandise. However, this is a new organization with a sole purpose: to vilify Jews.

“With a stated aim to “de-Zionize” the American government,” Joseph Strauss wrote for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, “and end military aid to Israel, AZAPAC is unlike the other PACs that have recently popped up as a counterweight to AIPAC”

Talking points are the usual: we caused 9/11, Oct. 7 was a “false flag,” and we secretly control the US government. We are the “synagogue of Satan” and we also killed Charlie Kirk.

It appears we’ve been busy?

The founder of AZAPAC is Michael Rectenwald. The list of candidates he endorses is long and includes both Democrats and Republicans. In response to Justice Department’s Leo Terell tweeting “We will eliminate antisemitism,” Rectenwald said “Antisemitism is free speech.”

So, who is this guy?

According to his Wikipedia page, he was a former Professor of Liberal and Global Liberal Studies at New York University for more than ten years before “retiring” in January 2019. Hot take: he didn’t really retire voluntarily. He then apparently tried to run for president in 2023 as the Libertarian candidate, but did not win the nomination. He’s pub-

lished a series of books, the latest one, in 2025, titled The Cabal Question. You can guess what that one’s about. While reading up on him, I even learned a new word: “Ziocracy.”

But that’s not all the news. There seems to be a never-ending supply of questionable characters in the antisemitism arena, the latest one being Dan Bilzerian.

Bilzerian is a mega-influencer who’s spread conspiracy theories about Jews and said he wants to “kill Israelis.” He also happens to be running for Congress.

Bilzerian registered last week to run in the Republican primary against the Jewish far-right firebrand Rep. Randy Fine in Florida’s sixth district. Bilzerian initially gained fame for his Instagram photos alongside bikini-clad women (and machine guns) but has since become a vocal critic of Israel and Jews — and has repeatedly called Fine a “fat Jew” in the lead-up to his campaign launch. (source: The Forward)

It becomes a bigger problem when these people start to run for office, even when the majority of them don’t really end up anywhere important. Be-

cause the more of these clowns we see, the more likely it is that some of them will eventually swear into some type of position (on the bible, of course). Meanwhile, their reach gets ever bigger, the audience keeps growing.

Does anyone else feel like we’re back in clandays? I mean, they should just all wear pointy white hats and take the guesswork out of the whole thing.

Sometimes I think this is becoming a popularity contest for people in dire need of attention. Antisemitism? It’s trending big time. If you want a huge following on social media, you don’t care who you hurt, and you hate Jews anyway, this is how you get followers. Your life may be sad, but now you have people who click on your content, falsely inflating your ego. Sad-Life-Problem solved!

The thing is, even sad clowns can do real damage. A bullet is a bullet, no matter who points the gun. And if one has a million followers, it’s highly likely not every single one of them is an unemployed 27-year-old eating cold pizza in his parents’ basement. Some of them work at your bank, at your pet store, some of them ring up your groceries. Some might even teach at your kids’ high school. We may know who’s doing the talking, but we can’t know everyone who is listening.

And that is a chilling thought.

Congregation seder with strong roots and new growth

On Thursday, April 2, Temple Israel hosted a congregation-wide seder. I was lucky enough to be there. The entire social hall was filled with well over 200 people including more than 30 kids that appeared to be under age 12. The feeling in the room was vibrant, excited, and hopeful.

In my 18 years of living here and serving in a variety of roles, including as president of Temple’s Board of Trustees, I have met many people in this community. When I looked at the crowd at the seder, I didn’t know or even recognize the vast majority of people in the room.

While at first disorienting, I am firmly convinced this is an encouraging, positive sign for Omaha’s Jewish community in the present and the future. Among the handful of familiar faces, I saw a few people I knew from the multigenerational families that have anchored our Omaha Jewish community for so long. A key lesson I have learned from those of you who have been here much longer than I is that being part of this community is not a transactional experience, it is a relational one built over generations. For more than 155 years, we have had families show a generosity of spirit, treasure, and time that is woven deeply into everything Temple Israel does.

What I saw at the Temple seder wasn't transactional. I didn’t have the feeling that anyone there was asking, “What's in it for me?” It was a deeply relational experience, people showing up because being in community itself is the point.

I might be at Temple Israel less often, I might see fewer people I know, but I am proud to support this institution because I feel so strongly that anyone who wants to participate in Jewish life here should be able to find their place.

It took me a few minutes to realize that while I

have some experience as an insider on some levels, I am not immune to feeling like an outsider. It can feel like a slide to go from insider to outsider. In some situations it’s disconcerting, but at a Passover seder it’s uplifting because it is a very clear reminder that communal life is bigger than me and extends for longer than the present.

I talked with some people I had never met before that night. They have all kinds of stories about how they ended up at our seder and all kinds of hopes about building Jewish lives for their families. Most of these hopes sounded familiar, just executed differently than what my family and I have done.

A key thing about Jewish communities everywhere is that we don't thrive by staying the same. We thrive by finding new people, new rhythms, and new reasons while holding onto an essential system of values at our core.

side find the paths that integrate our individual histories with the combined hopes of this ever-changing community.

Omaha's Jewish community looks different than it did 18 years ago when I first arrived. I am certain

Creating the spirit and maintaining that infrastructure takes money and commitment. Even though my own relationship with the institution is different, events like the seder inspire my family (and I hope others, too) to respond to asks and make meaningful gifts to the congregation.

Our community and our institutions will certainly survive if we maintain doing the same things with the same people. As a whole though, we will thrive when those of us who have been on the in-

it looks different than it did 52 years ago when I was born and certainly different from the 1871 when Temple Israel was founded. I find the mix of timeless values with new people invigorating like the new growth of the spring season that Passover marks.

And like the trees we see blooming around our city, the new growth is possible because of the strong roots fed by the combined caring of congregants over so many generations.

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

Synagogues

618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766

712.322.4705 www.cblhs.org

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE

Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org

BETH ISRAEL

SYNAGOGUE

Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154

402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

CHABAD HOUSE

An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646

402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:

B’NAI JESHURUN

South Street Temple

Union for Reform Judaism

2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502-2797

402.435.8004 www.southstreettemple.org

OFFUTT AIR

FORCE BASE

Capehart Chapel 2500 Capehart Road Offutt AFB, NE 68123

402.294.6244 email: oafbjsll@icloud.com

TEMPLE ISRAEL

Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206

402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:

TIFERETH ISRAEL

Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Boulevard Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 402.423.8569 tiferethisraellincoln.org

Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, May 8, 7:30 p.m. with Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Omaha Field Office. Our service leader is Larry Blass. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel!

For information about our historic synagogue, please visit our website at www.cblhs.org or contact any of our board members: David Alloy, Renee Corcoran, Rick Katelman, Gail Kenkel, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Ann Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon, Sissy Silber and Jenn Tompkins.

Handicap Accessible.

Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman.

IN-PERSON AND ZOOM MINYAN SCHEDULE: Mornings on Sundays, 9:30 a.m.; Mondays and Thursdays 7 a.m.; Evenings on Sunday-Thursday 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: Nebraska AIDS Project Lunch 11:30 a.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El and Live Stream.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m at Beth El and Live Stream; Havdalah, 8:55 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom.

SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 9:30 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; Sips & Sushi, 6 p.m.

MONDAY: The Bible With And Without Jesus 6 p.m. led by Rabbi Abraham & Pastor Johnson at St. Luke.

TUESDAY: Sefer HaMiddot, 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham.

WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m.; Exploring Torah, 6:30 p.m. with Rabbi Abi Taylor-Abt; USY Lounge Night, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY: The Bible With And Without Jesus 10:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Abraham & Pastor Johnson at St. Luke; Firearm Safety Course, 5:30 p.m. at Marksman Shooting Range; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. Zoom Only; Gesher Lounge Night, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY-May 1: Tot Shabbat 6 p.m. with Dinner; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El and Live Stream.

SATURDAY-May 2: Adult B’nai Mitzvah Shabbat, 10 a.m at Beth El and Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.

Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

FRIDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:56 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbos Café, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 7:05 p.m.; Mincha, 7:50 p.m.; Kids Activity/ Laws of Shabbos 8:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 8 p.m.

MONDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Monday Mind Builders, 4 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.; Smichat Chaver Men’s Class 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 1:30 p.m.; Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 8 p.m.

FRIDAY-May 1: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 8:04 p.m.

SATURDAY-May 2: Shabbos Café, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah 7:05 p.m.; Mincha 7:50 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos, 8:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 9:08 p.m.

Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

Join classes via Zoom. Go to ochabad.com/academy. For more information or to request help, please visit www.ochabad.com or call the office at 402.330.1800.

FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 5:30 p.m., go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Candlelighting, 7:56 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:59 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps, 9 a.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha 9:30 a.m. with Shani; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 6 p.m. with David Cohen; Translating Words of Prayer, 7 p.m. with David Cohen.

TUESDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Aramaic Grammar, 10 a.m. with David Cohen; Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 6 p.m. with David Cohen; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 7 p.m. with David Cohen.

WEDNESDAY: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. with David Cohen; Parsha Reading, 11:30 a.m. with David Cohen.

THURSDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Introductory Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10 a.m. with David Cohen; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with David Cohen; Talmud Study, noon; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with David Cohen; Code of Jewish Law Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-May 1: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 5:30 p.m., go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Inspirational Shabbat at Omaha, 7 p.m., ochabad.com/ brk26; Candlelighting, 8:03 p.m.

SATURDAY-May 2: Inspirational Shabbat at Omaha, all day until 9 p.m., ochabad.com/brk26; Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 9:08 p.m.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY:

B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL

Services facilitated by Rabbi Alex Felch. All services offered in-person with live-stream or teleconferencing options.

FRIDAY: Micah Muriello Bar Mitzvah and Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:30-7:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST followed by an Oneg; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:57 p.m.

SATURDAY: Micah Muriello Bar Mitzvah and Shab-

bat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, 12:30 p.m. on Parashat Achrei MotKedoshim via Zoom; Havdalah, 9:01 p.m.

SUNDAY: Temple Gardening, 8:30-10 a.m.; LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m.; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group, 10:30 a.m. at Rock 'N' Joe Coffee, 5025 Lindberg St, Lincoln. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@gmail. com; Yom Ha'Atzmaut Picnic

WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group, 12:15 p.m. at Horisun Hospice, 8055 O St #300, Lincoln. We meet in the conference room. Bring your own lunch and beverage. For more information, contact Albert Weiss at albertw801@gmail.com; Ladies' Lunch, 12:30–1:30 p.m. at Ollie & Hobbes Craft Kitchen, 2940 Pine Lake Rd STE A, Lincoln. Locations are decided upon at each lunch for the following month. For more information, please email Barbara Barron at oohhmmm. barb@gmail.com; LJCS Hebrew School, 4:30-6 p.m.

THURSDAY: Offices Closed.

FRIDAY-May 1: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:307:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST followed by an Oneg; Shabbat Candlelighting, 8:05 p.m.

SATURDAY-May 2: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study 12:30 p.m. on Parashat Emor via Zoom; Havdalah, 9:09 p.m.

FRIDAYS: Virtual Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month at Capehart Chapel. Contact TSgt Jason Rife at OAFBJSLL@icloud.com for more information.

In-person and virtual services conducted by Rabbi Benjamin Sharff, Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin, and Cantor Joanna Alexander.

FRIDAY: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9 a.m. In-Person; Tot Shabbat with Scholar-in-Residence, 5:45 p.m. RSVP Required — In-Person; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY: Torah Study: Kedoshim Papercutting Workshop, 9:15 a.m. RSVP Required — In-Person; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Make Your Own Golem, 6:15 p.m. RSVP Required — In-Person.

SUNDAY: Grades PreK=7, 9:30 a.m. In-Person; Fingerprint Mosaic Tallit with YLP, 9:30 a.m. In-Person.

TUESDAY: Mah Jongg Made Easy, 1:30 p.m. In-Person.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m.; Grades 3-6, 4:30 p.m. In-Person; Hebrew CHAI: Grades 8-12 6 p.m. Offsite.

THURSDAY: The Zohar: Thursday Morning Class, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Sharff — In-Person & Zoom.

FRIDAY-May 1: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9 a.m. In-Person; Shabbat Shira Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SATURDAY-May 2: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. InPerson & Zoom; Grade 5 and 6 Lunch and Learn 11:30 a.m. In-Person; Grade PreK Havdalah 4 p.m. In-Person.

Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

Mazal tov to the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center

MARK MARTIN

JCC Executive Director

Staff at the Omaha Staenberg Jewish Community Center received the following notification from NAEYC leadership.

Dear Program Administrator, Congratulations! Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center has passed the Early Learning Program Accreditation renewal application of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Please congratulate your administration, teaching staff, and families for achieving this mark of quality. Take a moment to celebrate!

A little information and history here --NAEYC stands for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. It is a professional membership organization that sets high-quality standards for early childhood education (birth to age eight), accredits pro-

grams, and advances researchbased teaching practices to ensure all young children thrive and learn.

Why is this important? We are evaluated on several criteria from record keeping, classroom child/teacher interactions, teacher training we provide, ratios, parent interviews, and many more items.

How high did we score? We scored a 91.9% and the previous 5 years we were at a 92%.

Is this normal for a preschool? Less than 10% of all preschools in North America receive this accreditation, let alone score this high of

a percentage number. How often are we evaluated? This is our third consecutive (5-year) accreditation period going forward. A record for the Staenberg Omaha JCC. Many JCC’s do not have the NAEYC accreditation.

If you have an opportunity, please give the ELC staff congratulations, as we continue the great work at the Pennie Z Davis Early Learning Center.

Life Cycles

NANCY JO GREENBERG

Nancy Jo Greenberg passed away on April 19, 2026. Services were held on April 21 at Beth El cemetery, 84th & L Streets.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Morton and Sylvia Friedlander.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 64 years, Don Greenberg; her children, Robert and Joy Greenberg, and Wendy and David Goldberg; her grandchildren: Joe Goldberg (Danielle Rice), Molly Goldberg (Tony Juritsch), Hallie Greenberg (Ethan Fitzgerald), Sophie Goldberg, and Holden Greenberg (Nicki Polyakov); and her great-granddaughter, Rosie Juritsch; her brother, Bruce (Pam) Friedlander; her nieces and nephews, Andee Scioli (Anthony) and Jimmy Friedlander (Sophie Ambrose); and many more dear family and friends.

The family extends deep gratitude to her extraordinary care team—Sara, Becky, Samantha, Stephany, Jill, Becca, Mae, Ashley, Kaylee, Allison, Anna, Maria, Natalie, Mikayla, Maddie, Katrina, and Joanna—whose compassion and presence meant more than words can express.

Memorials may be made in Nancy’s honor to the Nebraska Methodist Health System Foundation in support of nursing education. (please note the designation to nursing education)

RETHA

GAIL HERMAN

Retha Gail Herman of Rio Verde, Arizona passed away on March 27, 2026. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.

She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Larry Gene Herman also of Rio Verde; son, Michael Herman (Linda Kroeger) of Lincoln, Nebraska; daughter, Laurie Patania (Rick Patania, deceased) of Mesa, Arizona; grandchildren: Jacob Herman (Jessica Holloway) of Denver, Colorado and Philip Herman of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Valerie Patania of Mesa, Arizona; and great-grandson, Ezekiel Herman of Denver, Colorado; older brother, Michael Goldman, Shawnee Mission, Kansas and sister-in-law, Susan Nelsen (Michael) of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

She was born on Nov. 17, 1942, in Kansas City, Missouri, to William Goldman and Esther Goldman (Rainen).

Along with her grandmother Doris Rainen, mother Esther, and daughter Laurie, she was part of four generations of women that were proud lifetime members of Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America.

Larry and Retha raised their family in Omaha, Nebraska and they moved to Rio Verde in 2007. She was a devoted wife and mother who always made certain everyone was well fed and happy. She took pride in her cooking and baking and was especially known for her cheesecake, Hanukkah poppy seed cookies, and banana bread, that she shared generously with friends and family alike.

She graduated with a BA in Social Work from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 1984, ironically on the same day Michael graduated from the University of Iowa and Laurie from Westside High School. While she was not a practicing social worker, she worked in many roles during her lifetime, including as special education assistant in the Westside Community School District and B’nai Brith Youth Organization Director.

Many would agree that Retha had the gift of gab, which served her well as a telemarketer and saleswoman. To talk to Retha even

for a few minutes you would soon become her close friend and receive a loaf of banana bread. Retha made beautiful jewelry, especially earings, and enjoyed sharing them with family and at art shows in the area.

She and Larry enjoyed attending jazz concerts throughout the valley and were regular patrons of several local venues, including the Nash Jazz Club where they were sustaining members.

Memorials may be made to one of following organizations: The Nash Jazz Club (https://thenash.org/ways-to-give/donatenow/), Planned Parenthood of America (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/get-involved/other-ways-give) or The American Civil Liberties Union (https://action.aclu.org/give/now).

ALVIN MILDER

Alvin Sherman Milder (b. June 26, 1932) passed away peacefully at home on April 6, 2026, with Sharon, his beloved wife of 67 years, by his side.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jeanette and Leo Milder; and his sisters, Rita Milder and Sara Jones.

He is survived by his wife Sharon Milder; brother, Jay Milder; sons, Jonathan and Andrew Milder; and cherished granddaughter, Amanda Milder.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to his caregivers: Joy, Edward and Barbara.

Alvin was an extraordinary man, extremely intelligent, selfless, and unwavering in his commitment to others. His generosity was inspiring.

Aman of remarkable discipline and accomplishment, Alvin was a proud graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and served as a second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He then went on to a more “pugnacious profession,” and earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. He built a distinguished career as a corporate attorney in Los Angeles.

Alvin was a lifelong learner and avid reader. He was a Jeopardy wiz and amazed everyone with his bank of knowledge. His curiosity about the world led him to travel to all seven continents with his wife, experiencing culture and natural wonders. Above all, Alvin was devoted to his family and friends.

Alvin’s legacy is one of generosity, honor, and enduring love. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him. To plant a tree in Alvin’s memory, please visit legacy.com.

ESTHER SILVER

Esther Silver passed away on April 11, 2026. Services were held on April 15, 2026, at Beth Israel Synagogue, 12604 Pacific Street, followed by internment at Golden Hill Cemetery, 5025 North 42nd Street.

Esther, a Holocaust survivor, she was preceded in death by her husband, Norman Silver, and son, Michael Silver.

She is survived by her son Edward Silver (Dorothy); grandchildren Sabina Shapiro (Evan), Joe (Meghan), Jay Silver, and Robin Silver, and great grandchildren Gabby and Alec Shapiro and Sammy, Jonah, and Eli Silver.

Memorials may be made to Beth Israel Synagogue or the Institute for Holocaust Education.

May her memory be for a blessing.

JCRC to host Election-Year Forums

HEIDI HEILBRUN

JCRC Program and Communications Manager

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Omaha, in partnership with The Jewish Press and Henry Monsky Lodge Breadbreakers, are winding down the series of election-year luncheons featuring candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

These lunch-hour forums, held at the Staenberg Omaha JCC, provide an opportunity for community members to hear directly from candidates regarding their platforms and stances on critical issues. The community is invited to join in-person with a virtual attendance option available to ensure accessibility.

Since February, more than 120 community members have participated across five electionyear forums, both in person and via Zoom.

With Rep. Don Bacon not seeking reelection to Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District and Sen. Pete Ricketts’ seat also on the ballot, the forums have been instrumental in allowing candidates to share their stances on a wide range of issues and

address direct questions from constituents.

The first forum was held on April 22, before this paper’s publication date, but the final forums in the series will take place at the Staenberg Omaha JCC, beginning promptly at 12:00 p.m. Attendees have the option to purchase a kosher lunch.

• Wednesday, April 29: Denise Powell, District 2 Congressional Candidate (To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/yD0dviySQYCbZ8J2SpTRXw)

• Wednesday, May 6: Daniel Osborn, Independent Candidate for U.S. Senate (To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/pgsDQJySRjWQSpdMg88BhA)

In addition to the forums, the JCRC invited candidates to complete a questionnaire addressing issues of importance to the Jewish community, including antisemitism, civil rights, Israel, democracy, food insecurity, the cost of living, and Nebraska’s future.

Candidate responses will be posted on the Jewish Community Relations Council website ahead of the May 12 primary election.

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ANNOUNCEMENT - POLITICAL

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Recent additions to the Kripke-Veret Collection News

SHIRLY BANNER

JFO Library Specialist

Juvenile:

Listen With Your Heart by Raizy Metzger

How can we hear someone who isn't able to speak?

“This book will help young readers gain confidence in knowing how to best respond when they come across someone who isn’t able to respond with words. It’s a book everyone should read. Teachers, parents, professionals, friends, family members, and those with disabilities can all benefit from the lessons in this story,” said Julie Sando, autism professional and founder of Autistically Inclined “The story reminds us that when we take the time to listen with our heart and connect with one another, we all grow from the experience.” -Bassie Shemtov, founder and director of Friendship Circle International

Adult:

Never Mind the Happy by Marc Shaiman

From the award-winning composer/co-lyricist behind such iconic projects as Hairspray, Sister Act, Mary Poppins Returns, and Smash comes a wickedly funny, no-holds-barred memoir.

In Never Mind the Happy, musical dynamo Marc Shaiman looks back on five decades of Broadway triumphs, Hollywood hijinks, and unforgettable collaborations. Along the way, he charts the personal highs and heartbreaks that have shaped him—spending his teenage years in community theater, starting a decades-long collaboration with Bette Midler in the'70s, surviving the AIDS crisis of the '80s, his award-winning film music career in the Hollywood of the '90s, right up to the highs (and lows) of creating Broadway musicals from 2000 on.

Candid, hilarious, and deeply human, Shaiman's story is a tribute to the power of music, the pull of the spotlight, and the beat that never stops.

Part showbiz tell-all, part love letter to the melancholy that fuels creativity, told in perfect comic timing—along with a few wrong notes, and plenty of standing ovations.

The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Life by Susan Morrison

Over the fifty years that Lorne Michaels has been at the helm of Saturday Night Live, he has become a revered and inimitable

presence in the entertainment world. He’s a tastemaker, a mogul, a withholding father figure, a genius spotter of talent, a shrewd businessman, a name-dropper, a raconteur, the inspiration for Dr. Evil, the winner of more than a hundred Emmys—and, essentially, a mystery. Generations of writers and performers have spent their lives trying to figure him out, by turns demonizing and lionizing him. He’s “Obi-Wan Kenobi” (Tracy Morgan), the “great and powerful Oz” (Kate McKinnon), “some kind of very distant, strange comedy god” (Bob Odenkirk).

Lorne will introduce you to him, in full, for the first time. With unprecedented access to Michaels and the entire SNL apparatus, Susan Morrison takes readers behind the curtain for the lively, up-and-down, definitive story of how Michaels created and maintained the institution that changed comedy forever.

Drawn from hundreds of interviews—with Michaels, his friends, and SNL’s iconic stars and writers, from Will Ferrell to Tina Fey to John Mulaney to Chris Rock to Dan Aykroyd— Lorne is a deeply reported, wildly entertaining account of a man singularly obsessed with the show that would define his life and have a profound impact on American culture.