August 29, 2025

In Memoriam: Howard Goldstein

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

Howard David Goldstein passed away on July 13, 2025, at the age of 86. After growing up in Omaha and attending Central High School, Howard attended the University of Oklahoma where he joined the Pi Lam fraternity. He remained close to his Pi Lam brothers his entire life. After leaving school, he moved to Houston, working in the busi-

ness world, raising his families, especially spending time traveling and sharing fun experiences with daughter Holly, and lovingly taking on a significant role in the life of niece Mollie. Howard remained in Houston for 40 years until he returned (as he liked to say) “home to Omaha.”

Howard loved working and never fully retired. Most of all, he loved people; he remained close to his Texas world, his family, making new friends along the way and See In Memoriam page 11

Kohen named inaugural Kripke chair

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKALINCOLN

The Norman and Bernice Harris Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln is pleased to announce that Dr. Ari Kohen has been named the inaugural Kripke Chair of Judaic Studies, beginning in the 2025—2026 academic year.

Kohen, who holds BAs in International Relations and Political Theory from Michigan State University and an MA and PhD from Duke University, came to UNL in 2007. He is Professor

of Political Science and has held the Schlesinger Professorship of Social Justice for the past 18 years. He served for eight years as Director of the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs and is beginning his sixth year as Director of the Harris Center for Judaic Studies. Dr. Kohen is the author of two books—In Defense of Human Rights and Untangling Heroism—and two dozen articles and book chapters on human rights, restorative justice, Holocaust education, and heroic behavior. He is also the co-editor of Unlikely Heroes and Antisemitism on the Rise, the first two volumes published in the Contemporary Holocaust Studies book series that Kohen co-edits for the University of Nebraska Press.

Stories worth telling

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-

WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

In 1987, Kelly Tichauer Kirk wrote a poem, grappling with the memories of the Holocaust. At 13 years old, she wrote: “From now on, we must be the teachers.” She dedicated the piece to her grandparents, Helena and Walter Tichauer, and Minia and Ben Maurer. All four were Holocaust survivors.

Years later, in 2005, Leo Adam Biga interviewed Helena for the Jewish Press. She told the painful story of how she survived and said: “I don’t wish on my worst enemy what occurred. That’s why we have to remember.” Her story can be found at www.ihene.org.

Another 20 years have passed, and this spring, granddaughter Kelly, who is also a successful licensed real estate agent at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate, is on the board of the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. She was recently appointed the Advisory Chair of the Institute of Holocaust Education and graduated with a Master of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Gratz College in Pennsylvania. How she arrived there is a story worth telling in and of itself.

The Kripke Chair was endowed by

Rabbi Myer and Dorothy Kripke (z”l), central figures in the Omaha Jewish community for many decades and major philanthropists for Jewish causes in Nebraska and across the country. Rabbi Kripke served as the rabbi of Beth El Synagogue in Omaha See Kripke Chair page 2

In 2018, Kelly, her sister Randi, and their father Fred traveled to Poland and Germany. “The trip was meant for us to piece together the puzzle of our family history,” Kelly explained. “And along the way, I did find some answers.” Fred was born in Uruguay, where his father arrived after being imprisoned in Buchenwald for a short time, and where his mother, Helena, settled after the War. In 1963, the Tichauer Family immigrated to the United States and reunited with Helena’s sister, Lola Reinglas, who had come to Omaha with her family much earlier. Kelly’s mother, Marty, was born in the Landsberg Displaced Persons Camp in Germany. At just three months old, she and her family were brought to Omaha with the help of the Federation of Jewish Services, as it was then called. See Stories Worth Telling page 3

Tzedek Teens support the greater Omaha community and beyond

HEIDI HEILBRUNN NEEDLEMAN

JFO Assistant Director of Community Education and Engagement

Omaha Jewish Teens made an indelible impact this summer dedicating their time and energy to support two local Omaha nonprofit organizations: Foodbank For The Heartland and Angels Among Us. Not only did the Tzedek Teens volunteer their time, but they also used their annual allocations from their Tzedek accounts to have a profound impact on numerous organizations, helping to better the world.

Tzedek Teens joined other volunteer groups at the Foodbank For The Heartland on Thursday, July 31. After learning about the importance and reach of the foodbank, teens suited up in aprons, gloves and hairnets to pack individual family-sized bags of frozen peas that will be available to families in need. During the twohour shift it is estimated the volunteers packed 2,400 pounds of frozen peas.

decks of cards, and squeezable squishy toys. They also created cards of encouragement for cancer patients. The kits will be given to Angels Among Us, a local organization that provides financial and emotional support to pediatric cancer families in Nebraska, for children to use as they receive treatment. Some of the encouragement cards will also be delivered to Israel Cancer Association, which will also receive additional funds gathered from a raffled prize.

Along with these two service projects, Tzedek Teens will donate close to $2,000 this calendar year to over 16 organizations. While allocations from Tzedek accounts are still being gathered through one-on-one conferences, the teens are selecting non-profit organizations that align with their values, supporting a diverse range of causes, including: humanitarian causes, local Jewish organizations, a variety of animal rescues, medical organizations, Israeli causes and Jewish camps.

The Foodbank For The Heartland serves 93 counties in Nebraska and Iowa, according to their website. Leading up to the volunteer opportunity, the teens also collected essential items through donations from the community, such as canned meats, beans, nut butters, toilet paper, paper towels and laundry detergents for the pantries at Foodbank For The Heartland and Jewish Family Service. The donation from the Jewish community to Foodbank For the Heartland was over 80 lbs. alone, not including the items donated to JFS.

Just two weeks later, the Tzedek Teens once again volunteered their time during the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Hair for Hope event. Community volunteers committed to donating at least 12 inches of hair to support Wigs for Kids, a nonprofit that provides high-quality, human hair wigs to children experiencing hair loss due to medical conditions.

During the program, held at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, Tzedek Teens led an assembly line to create fidget kits that included: worry stones, pens, journals, puzzles, games,

Writing workshop

‘Write With Us,’ our small and intimate writing workshop (no need to be nervous) continues in the fall. Upcoming workshops are scheduled for Thursdays, Oct. 30, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11 from 5-7 p.m. in the Noshery at the Staenberg Omaha JCC. Register by contacting Jessi at jtaylor@jewishomaha.org or Annette at avande kamp@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

Tzedek Teens, a program through The Jewish Federation of Omaha, empowers Jewish youth to give back to the Omaha community by donating time and money to causes important to them.

All Jewish youth are eligible for a Tzedek Account, a fund through the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. With a minimum initial deposit of $125, the funds are immediately triplematched to equal a $500 balance. Each spring, Tzedek Teens staff meet with participating teens to help them decide where to give funds. The tzedakah is then donated to any non-profit organization they choose to support.

The next Tzedek Teens event will take place on January 4, 2026, so sign up for more details. Families and teens can enroll in Tzedek Teens and start an account by visiting www.jewishomaha.org and navigating to Jewish Youth and Families.

Please contact Naomi Fox at nfox@jew ishomaha.org or Heidi Heilbrunn Needleman at hheilb runn@jewishomaha.org with any questions.

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 prompt.

Kohen named inaugural Kripke chair

Continued from page 1 for nearly 30 years and Dorothy was well-known as the author of a series of beloved Jewish books. In addition to the Kripke Chair of Judaic Studies at UNL, donations by the Kripkes founded the Kripke Center at Creighton University, the renovation of the Kripke Tower at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Kripke Scholarship Fund at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and the Kripke National

Jewish Book Award for Education and Jewish Identity. Kohen said, “It’s an incredible honor to be named the inaugural Kripke Chair of Judaic Studies, especially because of the important role that the Kripkes played in the Nebraska Jewish community, at Beth El Synagogue, and in the wider Jewish world. I hope that my scholarship and my work to expand Jewish life on UNL’s campus and bring more Jewish educational opportunities to the broader community reflect the Kripkes’ goals in establishing this prestigious professorship.” A community event later this year to celebrate the inaugural Kripke Chair is in the planning stages.

Stories worth telling

Continued from page 1

“Among other places, we went to Dachau, Plaszów, and Auschwitz,” Kelly said. Seeing the actual buildings, the gas chambers, the barracks, and being physically in the place where it all happened, while knowing the history of what it meant and the hell my grandparents had been through, it was like a gut punch. It all became very personal and even more real in Poland because three of my four grandparents are from there. When we arrived in Poland, it was rainy, dark, and cold; the weather matched the mood.”

Poland was the last leg of their trip, and the part for which she felt she needed the most preparation. “I have always had a very strong interest in Poland and have read and researched quite a bit about the collaboration of everyday Poles with the Nazis. I’ve read about towns like Jedwabne and Kielce, for example. I’ve also read Jan Grabowski and Barbara Engelking’s book called “Night Without End: The Fate of Jews in GermanOccupied Poland.” Books have been written and much research by historians has been done on the topic, although these days there is a movement to control the narrative about Polish complicity and involvement during the Holocaust. It’s dangerous and makes Holocaust education even more critical.

“In Krakow, we found my grandmother’s house,” she said. Seeing the house, being there, it was obviously emotional; it was very heavy. My dad was emotional too. Standing right in front of the house, knowing my grandma and her family were forcibly removed from, never to return, made me extremely angry, but at the same time, I kind of had to repress a lot of what I was feeling. Otherwise, I couldn’t have made it through that trip.”

On the plane ride home, she crumbled: “I lost it,” she said. “Everything hit me at once, and all of it came to the surface. It was a profound, life-altering moment. I’ve always been passionate about the Holocaust, and as I was growing up, I came to the realization that there is pride in survival and in being a descendant of survivors. Even in middle school, I knew we had to become teachers. My trip brought me full circle and confirmed what I had always felt in my heart, that teaching about the Holocaust and sharing my family’s history is not just what I wanted to do, it’s what I had to do. That realization led me back to school.

Classes at Gratz College included the History of Antisemitism, Comparative Genocide, Holocaust Denial and

Goodbye, for now.

NATE SHAPIRO

I wanted to take a moment to thank the Omaha Jewish Community for the last decade. My journey started about 10 years ago when I was hired by then CEO of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, Alan Potash Z”L, as the Director of Development. In that role, I got to know many of you through my work on the annual campaign, Partnership2gether, the Community Teen Trip to Israel, or Young Jewish Omaha. After a few years, I was hired at Beth Israel as their Executive Director and then I was hired to serve as Executive Director at Temple Israel for five years.

And now, I am moving on. I have been hired to serve as Executive Director of Bonai Shalom in Boulder, Colorado. While I am truly excited about this new opportunity, it means that I’m uprooting my family from this incredible and special community.

Omaha’s Jewish Community is so vibrant and welcoming. My young children have both loved their time spent in the Pennie Z Davis Early Learning Center. My daughter, Naomi, was active in the JCC Dance Program. She even loved going to Temple Israel’s Youth Learning Programs. She is currently participating in the J’s summer camp!

I am so incredibly grateful to this community for not only building a wonderful community, but for contributing funds

Abuse, Women in the Holocaust, the History of the Catholic Church during the Holocaust, Hitler’s Other Victims and many more. She graduated on May 18, the exact same day her and husband Thomas’ daughter Emily graduated from the University of Kansas. Emily has an older sister, Lauren, and a younger brother, Jacob. It will be their turn someday.

“My thesis focused specifically on third-generation Holocaust survivors and intergenerational trauma,” she said, “because it is obviously something I dealt with growing up, and many children and grandchildren of survivors continue to deal with. I remember my mother’s family wouldn’t talk about the Holocaust at all. I only heard random bits and pieces. Even my mom doesn’t know the full story. My dad’s father was quiet about his story, too, but my dad’s mother, on the other hand, was willing to talk, but mostly only after the grandchildren were born, which is common. The second generation was too close; time had to pass, and another generation needed to be old enough to hear and bear the burden of the story before many survivors could talk about what had happened.”

Kelly feels a personal responsibility to tell the story, she said.

“I am the one in my family with the passion, and I feel a personal responsibility to share our story and to teach others. Since October 7, the question of how the Holocaust happened is no longer abstract; we can see and understand it in real time, which makes telling these stories even more urgent. Anyone who studies the Holocaust can see the pattern. The years are different, and the presentation might change, but the way hatred takes root is the same. Some people don’t recognize the underlying antisemitism, the scapegoating, the hatred, or they underestimate it. But it’s also the same. Even some Jews think they are safe today if they hold certain beliefs, but safety is an illusion. That’s exactly what some Jews under Nazi rule thought, even those who collaborated, but they were murdered in the gas chambers, too. Nobody looking to harm Jews is asking about our political affiliations or personal beliefs before deciding whether to target us. Hamas didn’t ask on Oct. 7. The Nazis didn’t ask. To those who hate Jews, a Jew is a Jew. Period. And we must remember that hatred that begins with the Jews never ends with the Jews. Those who encourage antisemitism today will find themselves facing that same hatred tomorrow.”

So, what comes next?

“Ultimately, I want to share my family’s story and my story. I want to teach others. I have done a few speaking engagements and will continue to do more. I’ve also created a dedicated Facebook page about my family’s Holocaust story. Maybe I’ll write a book. Not sharing the story would be a tremendous disservice to my family’s memory. It would be irresponsible on my part,” she said. “There is so much to gain, so much to learn from personal connection. I think people are better able to understand the weight of the story when there is that personal element. Helena, Walter, Minia, and Ben-they were my grandparents first; they were real people with real lives, who at the same time had a terrible story as Holocaust survivors. We need space for both those things.”

so that my family could participate. My family received a very generous amount of scholarships so that we could participate in these programs.

On a personal note, I’ve gained so much knowledge and spiritual fulfillment from my work in the community. A perk of working at Beth Israel was talkin’ Torah and Talmud with the highly knowledgeable and approachable scholar, Rabbi Dembitzer. I found a lot of meaning in working with the volunteers of the Chevra Kadisha down at the Jewish Funeral Home. It was a highlight of my career to navigate Synagogue life under the shadow of COVID with Rabbi Stoller and Temple Israel’s then-President, Dan Gilbert. Even though I didn’t work for Beth El, I have been a subscriber and regular reader of Rabbi Abraham’s writings on his substack.

There is so much that I’ll miss about this community, and the spirit of collaboration that (generally) permeates. But what I’ll miss the most, is the people. I love you all and will miss you terribly.

Thank you for embracing me and my family. Thank you for being a shining example of what a healthy Jewish Community looks like. Thank you for making me proud to say that I’m from Omaha.

Until we meet again,

Lincoln summer picnic

CONNOR MULLIN

Members of the Lincoln Jewish community gathered on Aug. 10 at the home of Bob and Stacie Bleicher in Eagle for the annual Summer Picnic. About 50 adults and children of all ages, and several dogs, enjoyed a break from the heat and an opportunity to partake in a community-driven potluck dinner.

Host Bob Bleicher feels it is critical to build and strengthen unity within the Jewish community in Lincoln. He and his wife have hosted the picnic for the last three years, and Bob emphasizes that this is a great opportunity for members of both South Street Temple and Tifereth Israel, as well as Jews not affiliated with either congregation, to get to know each other in a relaxed, social setting. As he says, “It’s good to enjoy each other’s company!”

Long-term community member Nanci Hamicksburg also offered some thoughts on the event. Describing it as a “wonderfully relaxed gathering”, Nanci said the best parts for her included, “Seeing the young adults with their little ones--the same people I first met when they were kids!” She also enjoyed, “catching up with their parents, now grandparents, of those kids.” Not only was this a multigenerational attendance, but in several cases attendees were former Lincoln residents who had left the state and returned for a visit, providing all with a chance to catch up and reignite former friendships. Of course, Nanci also cited, “the many dogs and thus many opportunities to pet soft furry heads” as a particular benefit –one no doubt also enjoyed by those canines basking in the at-

Shalom Friends,

We Did It—Thanks to You! On behalf of our Enhancing Quality of Life (EQL) campaign co-chairs, our JFO board leadership, and our professional team, we are filled with gratitude to share wonderful news: together, we have raised the full cost of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home remodel and expansion project. This success is due to the dedicated work of our EQL campaign cabinet, led by our co-chairs, and supercharged by the matching gift opportunity made available by community champions Tom Fellman and Howard Kooper, of blessed memory, during our 100 Days of Giving campaign.

BOB GOLDBERG Chief Executive Officer, JFO

This is so huge for us. This is much more than a fundraising success, it is a testament to the collective love, strength, generosity, and compassion of our community for our community. Your contributions, whether through gifts, pledges, advocacy, or volunteer time—will now be transformed into something extraordinary: more space, greater comfort, and enhanced

care for the people who need it most.

Because of you, we can:

• Provide residents with private rooms for increased dignity, comfort, and well-being.

• Expand rehabilitation and therapy services to help residents regain independence.

• Improve common spaces where friendships and connections thrive.

We are deeply grateful to each of you who believed in this vision and made it a reality. Your commitment ensures that our neighbors, friends, and loved ones will have access to the level of exceptional care that the RBJH is known for, right here on our Staenberg Kooper Fellman campus—today and for generations to come.

Over the coming months, we will keep you updated as construction takes shape for the expansion, which we anticipate being completed around this time next year. But for now, please accept our deep gratitude and heartfelt thanks for helping us reach this remarkable moment. It is a testament to the collective strength of Jewish Omaha and for that, we are all grateful.

Camp Gan Israel: The greatest camp in the universe

MUSHKA TENENBAUM

Chabad of Nebraska

Part 5: Tefillin, Torah, and a Thursday to Remember

Thursday morning at Camp Gan Israel is usually filled with songs, snacks, and sunshine. But one recent Thursday turned into something extraordinary — a sacred, unforgettable milestone for our beloved security guard, Nicholas.

The morning began with a quiet buzz of excitement. As men gathered to help Nicholas put on tefillin for the first time, the children sat wide-eyed, taking it all in. It wasn’t just a camp moment — it was a Jewish moment. A moment of connection, tradition, and celebration.

Then came candy — lots of it — as our campers joyfully threw sweets in honor of Nicholas’s bar mitzvah. From there, Rabbi Katzman led an incredible interactive demonstration, unrolling a Torah, showing how a mezuzah is written, and trimming a real feather quill for each child. With care and awe, every camper dipped into real ink and wrote their Hebrew name — a hands-on link to our heritage they’ll never forget.

The energy was electric. The pride on Nicholas’s face when he received his aliyah to the Torah was matched only by the pride in our campers’ eyes as they watched. It wasn’t just his first aliyah — it was the camp’s too. A first for many kids to witness something so sacred up close.

“I didn’t know Torahs were written by hand,” said Ellie (9). “It makes it feel so special. Like I’m part of it now too.”

Camper Highlights:

Adam K (8): “First time at camp — better than the other camp! I’d totally come back. Best part? Slime. Best lunch? Hot dogs.”

Devorah T (3): “I loved Master Chef when we used blue for milk and red for meat. Egg salad at the sandwich bar was better than my mom’s!”

Daisy (8): “Every single activity is amazing. And my favorite lunch? French toast and tater tots!”

Camp Gan Israel makes being Jewish feel cool, joyful, and totally relevant.

So much learning happens here — about mitzvot, tradition, and values — without kids even realizing it. It’s where Jewish identity grows naturally, through friendship, fun, and meaningful experiences.

Want to help create more unforgettable Jewish memories?

Volunteer to share your story, sponsor a special experience, cook a Friday night dinner, or help with behind-the-scenes setup. Every role helps make camp magical. Reach out to Mushka to get involved — and be part of something bigger than yourself.

Ten days in Israel

Experience ten days in Israel, March 12 through 21, 2026 with an optional two-day add-on that includes Masada and the Dead Sea.

Join the Jewish Federation of Omaha on an exhilarating and meaningful ten-day mission to our Jewish homeland. Participants will explore Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, the Western Galilee and the Western Negev. You will experience Israel’s culture and traditions while connecting with our people and our story. It’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in the extraordinary beauty and hidden gems of our ancient land.

Two information sessions will be held on the following dates:

• Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Wiesman Room at the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus.

• Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. (address will be shared after registering for session)

The cost of the trip is $3,343 per person for double occupancy, and $4,997 for single occupancy. This includes a $1,000 subsidy for donors in good standing to the JFO Annual Campaign. Airfare will need to be arranged on your own; the group will meet in the Dan Panorama hotel in Tel Aviv on March 12. Whether this is your tenth time or your first, the trip will provide you with a unique experience. To register for either information session and/or the trip, please visit www.jewishomaha.org or scan the QR code to the right. For questions, please contact Jan Goldstein at jang@israeljourneys.com or call 402.319.1514.

SIP & CREATE

The recent Sip & Create event was a big success!

EAT. DRINK. LUAU.

The residents of RBJH enjoyed a lively island celebration, even if the party had to move indoors due to a tropical heatwave! Michael Pollock brought the aloha spirit with his island tunes, filling the room with music and good vibes. Meanwhile, STAR Catering treated everyone to delicious island favorites that truly tasted like a Hawaiian getaway. It was a lei’d-back afternoon full of smiles, music, and tropical cheer!

SP O TLIGHT

PHOTOS 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

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

RBJH CORNHUSKERS - ANNUAL CORN SHUCKING PARTY

Residents rolled up their sleeves and got to work at our Annual Corn Shucking Party, shucking an impressive 18 ½ dozen ears of corn from a local farmer’s market! This sweet gesture was our way of saying thank you to the amazing staff, with a heartfelt (and tasty) gift of fresh sweetcorn.

Mezuzot of Nebraska

This Mezuzah case is located at the house of Helen Epstein and Tuffy Epstein (z’l).

“We saw that mezuzah at an art gallery in Breckenridge, Colorado,” Helen said. “We immediately purchased it, because our house is blessed with music and how could we not buy it? G-d and music go together in our life, so we simply had to put that mezuzah on our doorpost!”

Are you thinking about your own case? We would love to hear from you, and see what is divinely protecting your scroll and your home. We hope you will feel inspired, and are ready to share your story with us.

For additional questions, please email Naomi Fox at nfox@jewishom aha.org, Pam Monsky at pmonsky@jewishomaha.org, Jane Nesbit at jnesbit@ihene.org or Annette van de KampWright at avandekamp@jewishomaha.org

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!

The Kris Lager Band: Conduit Series at the J

Get ready, Omaha! The Conduit Live returns bigger and better than ever with three uniquely different and unforgettable nights of music, art, and entertainment this year — Sept. 20, Nov. 8 and Dec. 6 — now hosted at a brand-new venue: The Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, located inside the Jewish Community Center at 333 South 132nd Street.

Known for its electrifying mix of talent, The Conduit Live offers “An Evening of Live Entertainment By Real, Live & Amazing Artists!” At the heart of the experience is The Assembly of Assassin, a powerhouse band handpicked by renowned musician Kris Lager, featuring some of Nebraska’s finest performers.

Doors open at 6 p.m.; the show begins at 7 p.m. Special VIP tickets include access to an exclusive VIP bar, hors d’oeuvres and drinks before the show, and a post-show meet and greet with Kris Lager. But the music is just the beginning. Each show will also feature a live painter capturing the energy in real time as well as comedy from top local talent. There is a dynamic DJ to keep the groove alive, and special musical guests will bring surprise

collaborations.

“We’ve found the perfect new home for The Conduit Live,” says organizer Kris Lager. “The Alan J. Levine Theater is an intimate and beautiful space that will only elevate the entire experience for both performers and audiences.”

The Conduit Live is an immersive evening of curated live entertainment that blends music, comedy, visual art, and interactive performances into a one-of-a-kind community event. Founded by musician Kris Lager and PSBlues Radio host Rick Galusha, the series celebrates Nebraska’s most talented and diverse live performers and artists.

A portion of the proceeds from The Kris Lager’s Conduit Live Music Series will benefit the Jewish Community Center’s Omaha Youth Summer Camps, helping support enriching and memorable experiences for local kids.

Tickets — including the limited VIP Conduit Experience — are on sale now at jccomaha.org, and with the lineup and venue change early ticket purchasing is strongly encouraged.

An exciting new project by the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and The Jewish Press

We are looking for your handwritten family recipes. Please contact Jane or Annette if you are willing to share: jrips@jewishomaha.org avandekamp@jewishomaha.org

News

New in the Kripke-Veret Collection

SHIRLY BANNER

JFO Library Specialist

Juvenile:

Ruby Finkelman by Mike King

Ruby Finkelman Finds the Real Magic is a whimsical and heartwarming Jewish picture book rooted in universal truths. Set in the charming village of Kvellville, this story follows Ruby, a spirited and strong-willed girl whose choice to skip brushing her teeth unleashes unexpected chaos across her peaceful community. As she comes face to face with the ripple effects of her actions, Ruby learns that real magic isn’t found in spells or tricks—it’s found in making good choices and doing the right thing.

Written by pediatric dentist and comedian Mike King and brought to life with vibrant illustrations by acclaimed Israeli artist Shahar Kober, this engaging story is a joyful blend of humor, heart, and cultural richness. With playful language, a glossary of Yiddish terms, and themes tied to Jewish values, it's the perfect Jewish bedtime story or Passover read-aloud for families looking to spark meaningful conversations with young readers.

Whether you’re celebrating Jewish values, teaching life lessons, or simply enjoying a funny and heartfelt story, Ruby Finkelman Finds the Real Magic shows young readers how small acts of responsibility can lead to meaningful change.

Adult:

Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino

A wronged wife goes toe to toe with her cheating husband at the polls in this hilarious and heart-lifting novel by the bestselling author of Don’t Forget to Write

manager who is less than pleased she has inserted herself into the race.

Now it’s rival against rival. She and Michael do make a great team…maybe in more ways than one. But with the election heating up, she needs to focus on one thing at a time. If Bev can convince Michael to go modern, pay attention to women’s issues, and learn how to dress himself properly, maybe she can show Larry exactly how much he has underestimated her their entire marriage and make her own dreams come true in the process.

An Inside Job by Daniel Silva

Sometimes the only way to recover a stolen masterpiece is to steal it back . . .

Gabriel Allon has been awarded a commission to restore one of the most important paintings in Venice. But when he discovers the body of a mysterious woman floating in the waters of the Venetian Lagoon, he finds himself in a desperate race to recover a lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.

Lincoln Federation Shabbat

CONNOR MULLIN

Every year the Jewish Federation of Lincoln holds an annual Federation Shabbat at Antelope Park, and 2025 was no exception. In a thankfully-air-conditioned shelter, members of both of Lincoln’s Jewish congregations came together for a Friday evening service led by community member Sarah Kelen.

Jessica Elsener summed up her views on the event. “It’s so nice to be a member of the Federation. Every year we look forward to this, and it’s magical.” She also referenced being “glad to be part of one of the longest-running charities in American history” through her association with the Jewish Federation

It’s a doozy of a bad day for Beverly Diamond when she catches her husband, Larry, in a compromising position with his secretary. What’s a DC suburban wife to do with a soonto-be ex, two young kids, and no degree or financial support in 1962? Beat the louse at his own game, that’s what. Larry runs the Maryland senatorial campaign for the incumbent candidate projected to win against his younger underdog opponent, Michael Landau. But Beverly has the pluck, political savvy, and sheer drive to push Landau’s campaign in a successful new direction, even if he already has a campaign

The painting, a portrait of a beautiful young girl, has been gathering dust in a storeroom at the Vatican Museums for more than a century, misattributed and hidden beneath a worthless picture by an unknown artist. Because no one knows that the Leonardo is there, no one notices when it disappears one night during a suspicious power outage. No one but the ruthless mobsters and moneymen behind the theft -- and the mysterious woman whom Gabriel found in a watery grave in Venice. A woman without a name. A woman without a face.

The action moves at breakneck speed from the galleries and auction houses of London to an enclave of unimaginable wealth on the French Riviera -- and, finally, to a shocking climax in St. Peter's Square, where the life of a pope hangs in the balance. An elegant and stylish journey through the dark side of the art world and the Vatican's murky finances, An Inside Job proves once again that Daniel Silva is the reigning master of international intrigue and suspense.

US Postal Service honors Elie Wiesel

GRAVE GILSON

JTA

The United States Postal Service announced a new series of stamps honoring Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

Wiesel, who died in 2016 at the age of 87, is the 18th person to be honored in the USPS’ Distinguished Americans stamp series.

“The 18th stamp in the Distinguished Americans series honors humanitarian Elie Wiesel (1928-2016), a survivor of

Nazi concentration camps whose dozens of works bore witness to the Holocaust and whose resilience and compassion continue to be a source of inspiration,” a description for the stamp on the USPS website reads.

The Wiesel stamp, which is set to be released on Sept. 17, features a 1999 black-and-white photo of Wiesel by Sergey Bermeniev along with his name and the word “Humanitarian.” It will be used for a less common category of mail, two-ounce mail, and will always be valid for the rate printed on it, according to USPS.

Barb Strauss described the event as a “Great opportunity for fellowship and fun, and to see kids.”

Beware of Fakers

The following story is reprinted from the Sept. 3, 1925 Jewish Press Sports Column:

The other day, we noticed an advertisement in an EnglishJewish publication of San Francisco, announcing a wrestling bout between Abe Kaplan, designated as the “only Jewish heavy-weight wrestler” in the world and Farmer McLeod. No objection thus far, but the title of the only Jewish heavyweight in the world is a trifle exaggerated. Europe boasts of quite a number, including the German Jew, Grunbaum, considered as one of the best of them.

But then the ad, probably written by an expert copyman, goes on: “Be sure to see the man who defeated Vladeck Zbysko, won from Strangler Lewis in a handicap; Joseph Kaplan defeated the Jewish strong man, Joseph Breitbart.”

These lines are placed under Abe Kaplan’s picture; therefore “the man” must refer to him. We challenge Kaplan to prove that he defeated Vladeck Zbysko, the mighty Pole. We also call his attention to the fact that there is no Joseph Breitbart. The name of the Jewish strong man is Samson Breitbart. There is a fourth-rate wrestler, Joseph Breitbart, who has tried, since Breitbart visited this country, to capitalize on the similarity in names, and to exploit the really-deserved Breitbart reputation.

Now, a victory over Joseph Breitbart means nothing. A victory over Samson Breitbart, would catch the imagination of the Jewish public. The whole Kaplan boom is very distasteful to us. It is quite closely related to an outright fake.

We have never seen Kaplan wrestle. He might be a second Frank Gotch; on the other hand, he might be a false alarm. But we would like to tell him:

“Young man, you are on the wrong path. This kind of bluff leads nowhere. Cut it out, and if you have the ability, the Jewish public will be only too happy to accept you as their champion-strictly on the talents you show on the mat, not in a very distasteful newspaper advertisement.

Abe, take notice, or there will be trouble!

Editor’s note: There is little evidence online that Abe Kaplan ever was very successful- a few stories mention losses, but that’s about it. I did find the Polish strongman Breitbart, but his first name is given as Siegmund, or Zishe, not Samson. According to his biography, he was a Polish-born circus performer, vaudeville strongman and Jewish folklore hero. He was known as the "Strongest Man in the World" and Eisenkönig ("Ironking") during the 1920s, and born into an observant Jewish family of blacksmiths in Lodz, Poland. Perhaps he used ‘Samson’ as a stagename, which would make sense.

Breitbart died from blood poisoning eight weeks after he accidentally injured himself during a strongman demonstration in Radom, Poland. He stabbed himself in the knee with a spike he drove through five 1-inch-thick (25 mm) oak boards using only his bare hands.

Voices

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Questions on a random Tuesday

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor

As I was reading the news, I almost skipped over the story about a “Massachusetts man who was sentenced to over two years in prison for threatening to bomb two local synagogues and to kill Jewish children.”

I can’t click on every headline, there aren’t enough hours in the day, but why did I initially move past it? Am I bored? Are there so many stories like this that it doesn’t stand out anymore, that they have become commonplace? What is going on?

I know for a fact that ten years ago, I would have totally zoned in on this and probably written an editorial warning people to read the writing on the wall. “Antisemitism isn’t gone,” I would have said, “It’s just hiding!”

Of course, I had no idea what was about to happen. Nobody could have predicted Oct. 7 and its aftermath. Yet, all of us knew. It’s strange, to hold both these truths simultaneously. Glossing over that headline reminded me that most of the time I am both terrified and underwhelmed.

That Massachusetts man in the story made more than 100 threatening phone calls to various synagogues and the Israeli consulate, saying angry things about furnaces and wiping the Jews off the face of the earth and so forth and so on. And he didn’t even have to leave his house. Whether he had the means to make good on his threats, the story didn’t say. I’m guessing that’s a no.

Here are my questions. The story says this man is 60 years old, add 26 months in jail plus a little pro-

Jew vs. Jew rhetoric

ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL JTA

After weeks of mounting pressure on Israel to address reports of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with longtime allies lining up to condemn the government or recognize a Palestinian state, the largest Jewish federation in the United States took a newsmaking step.

UJA-Federation of New York said it would allocate $1 million to IsraAID, a humanitarian organization in Israel that would provide clean water, medicine and food to be delivered to those hungry in Gaza. “Understanding that Hamas bears ultimate responsibility for this conflict does not negate that civilians in Gaza are facing desperate conditions,” UJA CEO Eric Goldstein wrote in a letter Aug. 8 announcing the allocation.

Jewish federations aren’t in the habit of donating to Palestinians, especially in wartime, and blowback from some givers and critics was inevitable. “Not everyone agrees on what should be done, or how,” Goldstein wrote.

That may have been an understatement. In the Facebook comments accompanying the announcement, the conversation turned vitriolic.

“Can you imagine Jews in WWII starting a campaign for Germans, in the midst of a war? This is obscene.”

“Not one more dime for you UJA-Federation of New York. What about our hostages?????”

Nearly two years into the war launched on Oct. 7, 2023, by the Hamas attacks on southern Israel, the Jewish conversation has shifted. Jews who have taken to social media to condemn Hamas, anti-Israel protesters and the colleges and politicians they say have enabled antisemitism are now turning on fellow Jews — and not just anti-Zionist Jews, who if anything united the mainstream in a common disdain.

The current conversation pits fierce defenders of Israel and the war in Gaza against what Rabbi Donniel Hartman, the president of the Shalom Hartman Institute, calls the “troubled committed”: Jews who support Israel and have defended the war to rout Hamas and bring home the hostages, but are deeply troubled by the reports of hunger, the extent of the destruction in Gaza and the enormous death

bation, he could still be “out there” for quite a few years. Jailtime will not make him feel better about us. If anything, he will come out hating the Jews more. So, then what? Is he going to go back to making empty threats, or is this going to give him the opportunity to think it through and come up with an actual plan? I visualize an angry little troll in a jailcell rubbing his hands together, plotting destruction to us all. Perhaps a villainous cackle will accompany it. Will he have the funds to buy weapons? Or will he use his time in jail to infect others? I doubt he will be isolated while inside the big house. Also, does he have family? Children, nephews and nieces who could take up the task of coming after us? See; this is why it’s sometimes better not to click on these headlines. The article doesn’t give enough details, just enough to make us worry. And worrying is something we’re already really good at.

I counter it by making jokes. Especially about sad people who, I imagine, have no social life to speak of, and nothing better to do with their time than making scary calls. So now, rather than letting him frighten me, I give him the power to turn me into a slightly less kind, less friendly, more sarcastic person. Because there are no positive feelings with which I normally respond to this hate. I can mock it, I can get angry, I can be scared and I can reply by hating him right back.

Turns out, the only way he doesn’t win is if I don’t pay attention at all. Which means my initial instinct to skip this story might have been correct.

toll among non-combatants there.

The acrimony between the two camps is seen on social media and in everyday conversations, where calls for showing compassion to the Gazans are met with accusations of naivete, hypocrisy and shirking responsibilities to fellow Jews. The discourse is fraying a community already feeling demoralized by rising antisemitism and what two Boston-area trauma therapists — Miri BarHalpern and Jaclyn Wolfman — call “traumatic invalidation”: when outsiders deny Jews’ emotional pain and even their right to express it.

“We are caught up in these rigid political and ideological camps that define and segregate us from one another as if we’ve shattered into multiple tribes again,” wrote Alana Zeitchik, who advocates for Jewish peoplehood as executive director of The Narrow Bridge Project, in a recent JTA op-ed. “I find myself calling out: Don’t you get that we are at war with ourselves? And we have to find a way to put the pieces back, perhaps to create something new, or we will not survive.”

people, chosen people.”

Sentiments like hers suggest that the current Jewish disagreements are not just political, but deeply tied up in what it means to be Jewish.

Those calling for compassion and ending the war commonly express themselves in religious terms. A letter signed by 1,000 rabbis and other Jewish

Tension between the two committed camps — the troubled and the untroubled — played out last Sunday in London at a rally in support of the Israeli hostages in Gaza. Two rabbis, representing Great Britain’s version of the Reform movement, were jeered off the stage after they condemned both Hamas and Israeli politicians.

Such schisms have some in despair over the war’s toll on Judaism itself.

“My connection to Judaism is almost gone. Even though I’ve been living in Israel almost my entire adult life. Even though I’ve dedicated all my studying and all my professional work to Jewish education and activism and thought,” wrote Elana Sztockman, a Jewish feminist author and educator in Israel. “I’ve done all that. My entire life. And today, I have zero interest in being connected Jewishly. I feel like we have lost our moral core. Lost our ability to claim that we are some kind of good

leaders, urging Israel to allow extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza, called on Netanyahu “in the name of the sanctity of life, of the core Torah values that every person is created in God’s image, that we are commanded to treat every human being justly, and that, wherever possible, we are required to exercise mercy and compassion.”

The letter warned that the current course of the war risks “the moral reputation not just of Israel, but of Judaism itself, the Judaism to which our lives are devoted.”

Critics of such calls for mercy also invoke Judaism and tradition, and suggest that in order to protect Jews from further attacks and free the hostages, Jewish security trumps compassion.

“Jewish history, with its long memory of persecution, demands recognition of the necessity of selfdefense,” Mitch Danzig, an attorney and past president of the pro-Israel group Stand With Us in San Diego, wrote. “Judaism is not a pacifist faith — it understands the concept of a ‘just war.’”

This article was edited for length. Read the full op-ed at www.omahajewishpress.com

Synagogues

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

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, Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker. 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 other board members: Renee Corcoran, Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Carole and Wayne Lainof, Ann Moshman, MaryBeth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. 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: Kabbalat Shabbat Services 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services and Bat Mitzvah of Yael Frey 10 a.m. at Beth El and Live Stream; Havdalah, 8:35 p.m. Zoom Only

SUNDAY: Morning Minyan, 9 a.m. Zoom Only.

MONDAY: Shacharit 9 a.m. Zoom Only; Beth El Office Closed

WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m.

FRIDAY-Sept. 5: Pre-Neg and Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Six String Shabbat 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream with Rabbi Paul Drazen Administrative Wing dedication following services; Our Shabbat Tables at Beth El following dedication.

SATURDAY-Sept 6: Shabbatsana Yoga, 9 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m. at Beth El and Live Stream; Friends Shabbat (Grades 3-7), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:25 p.m. Zoom Only Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

FRIDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:44 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9

a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45

a.m.; Soulful Torah, 6:45 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha 7:30 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos 8 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:45 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:40 p.m.

MONDAY: Office closed for Labor Day; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:40 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 7:40 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7

a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:40 p.m.

THURSDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 9:30 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 7:40 p.m.

FRIDAY-Sept. 5: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit,

7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Candlelighting, 7:33 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept 6: Bar Mitzvah of Joseph Stein; Shabbat Kollel, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 6:35 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha 7:20 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos 7:50 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:32 p.m.

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

CHABAD HOUSE

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, 7:43 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:42 p.m.

SUNDAY: Sunday Morning Wraps, 9 a.m.

MONDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Personal Parsha, 9:30 a.m. with Shani Katzman; 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; Translating Words of Prayer, 11 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.; Mystical Thinking (Tanya) 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; 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.; Advanced Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 11 a.m. with David Cohen; Talmud Study, noon-1 p.m.; Introduction to Alphabet, Vowels & Reading Hebrew, 6 p.m. with David Cohen; Code of Jewish Law Class, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY-Sept. 5: Shacharit 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 5:30 p.m., go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Young Professionals’ Shabbat Dinner, RSVP at ochabad. com/CYP; Candlelighting, 7:31 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept 6: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:29 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: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:30-7:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:45 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Service , 9:30-11 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study noon on Parashat Shoftim; Havdalah, 8:44 p.m.

SUNDAY: SST Gardening, 8:30–10 a.m. at SST; No LJCS Classes this week; Men’s Bike/Coffee Group,

10:30 a.m. at The Mill Coffee & Bistro, 2021 Transformation Dr #1350, Lincoln. For more information or questions please email Al Weiss at albertw801@ gmail.com

MONDAY: Synagogue Offices Closed

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; LJCS Hebrew School, 4:30-6 p.m. at TI

FRIDAY-Sept. 5: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:307:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:33 p.m.

SATURDAY-Sept 6: Shabbat Service , 9:30-11 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, noon on Parashat Ki Teitzei; Havdalah, 8:25 p.m.

OFFUTT

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; Village Walking Group, 10 a.m. In-Person; Shabbat B’yachad Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom

SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

SUNDAY: Fifth Sunday Breakfast Service, 9 a.m. at Stephen Center.

TUESDAY: Kol Rina Rehearsal 6 p.m. In-Person.

WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person; Grades 36, 4:30 p.m.; Hebrew Chai: Grades 8-12, 6 p.m.

THURSDAY: The Zohar: Thursday Morning Class, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Sharff — In-Person & Zoom; Torah Cantillation Class, 7:15 p.m. wtih Cantor Alexander — In-Person

FRIDAY-Sept. 5: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9 a.m. In-Person; Village Walking Group, 10 a.m. In-Person; Shabbat Shira Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom

SATURDAY-Sept 6: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service and Bar Mitzvah of Alexander Campos, 10:30 a.m. In-Person & Zoom.

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

UPDATED OBITUARY CHANGES

As of July 1, 2025, Obituaries in the Jewish Press are free of charge.

For questions, please email avandekamp@ jewishomaha.org. Obituaries in the Jewish Press are included in our print edition as well as our website at www.omahajewishpress.com

Mourning on yahrzeit for six murdered hostages

PHILISSA CRAMER

JTA

Jews around the world marked a grim date on Aug. 19: the first anniversary on the Jewish calendar of when six hostages were murdered by Hamas in captivity, shortly after the collapse of negotiations that would have freed at least some of them.

The family of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the American-Israeli who became an international symbol of the hostages because of the tireless advocacy of his parents, is asking supporters to take action in his memory and that of the others who were killed alongside him in a Hamas tunnel in Rafah in Gaza.

“Please do something during those 24 hours to make our complicated world a bit better. It can be something big or small, quiet or loud, private or public,” the family’s Instagram account posted. “Do it in memory of the Beautiful Six, including our Hersh. May his memory be a revolution … for goodness.”

The other captives killed with Goldberg-Polin were Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Alex Lubanov, Almog Sarusi and Eden Yerushalmi.

Their yahrzeit, or Jewish death anniversary, comes amid continued uncertainty over the

prospects for release of the remaining 50 Israeli hostages in Gaza, of whom 20 are thought to remain alive. All but one were abducted when Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The grave of slain Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg Polin at Har HaMenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem, July 28, 2025. Credit: Chaim Goldberg/ Flash90

The Israeli government has announced plans to invade Gaza City, a final remaining Hamas stronghold and where the remaining captives are thought

to be held, despite concerns from the military and hostage families that doing so would risk hostages’ lives. The six captives killed last year were executed as military forces neared their tunnel.

Hamas has reportedly now accepted a deal that it declined last month to cease fighting and release some of the hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and other concessions.

Polls show that 80% of Israelis say they support a deal that would end the war and win the hostages’ freedom, and many demonstrated this week in mass protests to press the case.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is no longer willing to consider partial deals and will only agree to cease fighting if Hamas surrenders or is defeated as a military force. He appeared dismissive of the new reports of Hamas’ willingness to make a deal, saying only that they showed that the Gaza City plan had placed Hamas “under immense pressure.” His far-right coalition partners have said they would not support any deal.

Life cycles

HOWARD GOLDSTEIN

Continued from page 1

enjoying the next phase of his life.

Howard’s wife Jan believes “the most important gift Howard gave us was to teach us not to take life, or ourselves, too seriously, and the other lesson is to enjoy life, face life with strength, to have confidence in trying new things, as long as you know what you’re getting into.”

Jan never expected Howard to come into her life when he did. “I was busy taking on the new responsibilities of my own career and extremely serious and focused at the time.”

“Truth be told,” she said, “he didn’t really want to call me then either, and when his brother Gary told him to, Howard was not interested in long distance relationships. He’d been in Houston since graduating college, and although he would come to Omaha to visit the family, dating a lady in Omaha was not his thing. However, he called anyway, I wasn’t home, he left a message saying he’d call back- and didn’t. Next, he received a call from his aunt Shirley, and as the story goes, she demanded to know “ Why didn’t you call Jan Perelman back? ‘OK, Aunt Shirley,’ he told her, ‘I will, Aunt Shirley.’

“Nobody ever said ‘no’ to Shirley Goldstein.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

Life with Howard was exciting, and even the stories from before his marriage to Jan were amazing. From having driven the Beatles around the streets of Houston, to saving his family in a snowstorm in the Rockies, or surviving a flooded bayou with his daughter. Howard lived life to the fullest. And when Howard settled into Omaha, he enjoyed making new, wonderful friends and spending special time especially with his nieces Blair, Gayle and nephew Grant Goldstein.

“For Howard, nothing was ever a big deal,” Jan said. “Driving his boats or camper, or skiing the slopes of Europe or around the U.S, whatever it was, he went after it with incredible energy and

zest in a way that made people live through the stories, and I loved him for it.”

“Howard wasn’t a man who talked about principles,” Howard’s stepson Baruch commented, “He never sat me down to give me sage advice. He didn’t need to, because he lived them.” Howard, according to Baruch, was a stand-up man, literally and figuratively, and it had nothing to do with height. If you needed help with a project, something fixed, or just needed someone to show up, Howard stood up and showed up.

“His energy infused our family,” Baruch added. ”He took us up mountains and ski slopes, out of our limited vacation bubble and activity range. He lived life out loud, with a raw, real and joyful appreciation for experience, movement and fun.”

And he passed this joy onto the next generation. He didn’t step in as a step-grandfather, either, but was the real deal:

“He was Grandpa to the seven grandkids ,” Baruch said. “He was Saba. He was ‘Squatty’ - why that name, no one knows, but ‘Squatty’ showed up, always. He showed up for B’nai Mitzvah, birthdays, big moments and everyday ones. He got down on the floor and wrestled with his grandkids; he let the girls win, of course, because that was Howie: chivalry was not dead while he was in the world.”

Howard was preceded in death by parents Paul and Edith Goldstein, brothers, Gary Goldstein and Bruce Goldstein.

Howard is survived by his beloved wife of 23 years, Jan Goldstein; children Holly Goldstein, Andy Osborn (Marsha), Baruch HaLevi (Ariela), Rebecca Rosen Hageseth (Christain), Zachary Perelman; grandchildren Yehuda HaLevi, Maya HaLevi, Shoshana HaLevi, Aviv HaLevi, Jacob Rosen, Samuel Rosen, Haven Hageseth; sister-in-law Barbara Goldstein; and many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

How grateful we are that Howard came into our lives. Memorials may be sent to the Enhancing Quality of Life Campaign for the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home.

Israel opens new embassy in Zambia, once home to a historic Jewish community

GRACE GILSON

JTA

Israel has opened an embassy in Zambia, more than half a century after it was shuttered following the Yom Kippur war and as the African nation’s Jewish population has dwindled to near zero.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Zambian Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe opened the embassy together on Wednesday.

“It’s an honor to be in Lusaka for the opening of Israel’s embassy,” Sa’ar tweeted, adding that the two countries were “enhancing our partnership in agriculture, health and much more.”

Zambia and Israel first established diplomatic ties in 1966, but Zambia severed its ties with Israel in 1973 following the Yom Kippur War at the urging of the Organization of African Unity.

The two countries reestablished diplomatic ties in 1991, and in 2015, Zambia opened an embassy in Tel Aviv. The new embassy comes as Israel looks to strengthen ties across Africa as its alliances elsewhere in the world have frayed.

As of last year, Zambia was home to just 11 Jews, but throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, hundreds settled there after fleeing persecution in Europe. The community shrank sharply after Zambia

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Javier Milei will use Genesis Prize for ‘Isaac Accords’ News

JUAN MELAMED

TA

The Genesis Prize Foundation, dubbed the “Jewish Nobel,” announced Monday Aug. 18 that its $1 million award to Argentinian President Javier Milei will support a new initiative aimed at deepening ties between Israel and Latin America.

Conceived by Milei, “American Friends of the Isaac Accords” takes its name and inspiration from the Abraham Accords, the series of normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations.

Milei was the first non-Jew and first head of state to receive the prize in January for his staunch support for Israel and efforts to improve Argentine-Israeli relations. At the time, he said he would donate his winnings to “causes that support freedom and the fight against antisemitism.”

“I hold deep admiration for Israel — its history, its people, and its unwavering spirit,” said Milei during his acceptance speech for the Genesis Prize. “I am honored that the Genesis Prize Foundation has chosen to recognize our country’s strong relationship with Israel.”

The “Isaac Accords” aim to improve “diplomatic, economic and cultural cooperation” between Israel and Latin American countries, according to the Genesis Prize.

The initiative comes as some Latin American countries, including Colombia, Bolivia and Chile, have downgraded their diplomatic ties with Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza. Milei’s staunch support for Israel has positioned him as a rare bridge on a continent with scarce diplomatic backing for Israel.

“The creation of AFOIA was inspired by President Milei, who received the Genesis Prize for his steadfast support of Israel during one of the most challenging periods in its history,” said Stan Polovets, the co-founder and chairman of the Genesis Prize Foundation, in a statement. “AFOIA is a vehicle to promote Milei’s bold vision and encourage other Latin Amer-

ican leaders to stand with Israel, confront antisemitism, and reject the ideologies of terror that threaten our shared values and freedoms.”

The Genesis Prize, founded in 2012 with an endowment from five Russian Jewish businessmen, has been bestowed on a diverse range of recipients,including Barbra Streisand, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, the actor

Michael Douglas and the Israeli politician and human rights activist Natan Sharansky.

In 2018, prize recipient Natalie Portman refused to attend the award ceremony in Israel, saying at the time that she did not want “to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony.”

In announcing his selection in January, the prize said Milei “unequivocally supported the Jewish people and their state.” Milei was raised Catholic but has said he is drawn to Judaism, at one point saying he intends to convert once he leaves office.

The new NGO is set to launch projects aimed at improving

relations with Israel first in Uruguay, Panama, and Costa Rica, and will expand its efforts in 2026 to Brazil, Colombia, and Chile.

Initial grant recipients of AFOIA include a host of pro-Israel nonprofits and advocacy groups already established in Latin America, including the ILAN Israel Innovation Network, StandWithUs, Israel Allies Foundation, Rambam Health Care Campus, The Philos Project and Yalla Israel.

AFOIA will also aim to strengthen Israel’s standing within the United Nations, where some European countries have announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood this fall.

The NGO will aim to “encourage” the governments of Costa Rica, Panama and Uruguay to relocate their embassies in Israel to Jerusalem, designate Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations, and “reverse decades-old records of anti-Israel votes in the UN,” according to the Genesis Prize.

“Given the hostility toward the Jewish state from some nations in the region, support of Israel by Latin American countries which are now on the sidelines is very important,” said Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, in a statement.

“President Milei’s vision for Isaac Accords is highly admirable, as is the practical support provided by The Genesis Prize Foundation and AFOIA.”

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