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Rising Together ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor he first portion of your kneading, you shall separate as a dough offering (challah)... In all your generations, give the first of your kneading as an elevated gift to G-d (Numbers 15:20-21). It’s time to mark your calendars for the upcoming Mega Challah Bake, a collaboration between Chabad of Nebraska and the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Join us Thursday March 12 at the Omaha Staenberg JCC as we come together as Jewish women to fulfill the sacred Mitzvah of separating challah. We will be taking over the entire Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue for this event. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the program starts at 7 p.m. It will be an evening of connection, joy, and spiritual renewal, where tradition comes alive through community and the mitzvah of making challah together. Learn the art of preparing, braiding, and baking challah alongside experienced women bakers, and discover the meaning, mitzvah, and sacred traditions of challah baking while making as many new friends as you can handle. It’s a meaningful and handson experience, it celebrates resilience, female strength, and the power of gathering while we braid bread and build bonds. Let’s face it: when it comes to food, is there See Rising Together page 2

Standing on Their Shoulders: Rediscovering Federation Presidents: Morris Jacobs (President 1945-1947) Page 3

JCRC Presents Fourth Annual Jewish Day of Action Page 5

JCRC Opens Applications for Rekindle

Returning Home: Part II Page 7

REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life Cycles

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HEIDI HEILBRUNN JCRC Program & Communications Manager Applications are now open for the second cohort of Rekindle – Black Jewish Dialogue in Omaha. Sup-

ported by The Jewish Community Relations Council ( JCRC), the nationwide initiative brings together members of the African American and Jewish communities. Founded in Cleveland in 2021, Rekindle has expanded to 20 chapters across the country, including Omaha. The program is designed to foster meaningful dialogue, strengthen relationships and build mutual understanding between the two historically allied communities. Through honest conversation and shared learning, selected fellows participate in five workshops facilitated See Rekindle page 2

Rabbi Ben Sharff’s Trip: The Journey Begins RABBI BENJAMIN SHARFF Temple Israel Senior Rabbi This is the first installment of daily updates from Rabbi Sharff as he travels to Israel in January 2026 I am pleased to say that I have arrived in Israel safe and sound. This is the first time I have attempted this trip since moving to Omaha. Thankfully, my travels were not impacted by the winter storm, but the extreme cold did make it challenging. When I landed in Chicago, it took us nearly an hour to reach our gate, so I had to race to make my flight to Newark. Though I have to say, it was really neat seeing Lake Michigan partially frozen over. As I sat down in my seat, the flight I raced to catch was, of course, delayed due to waiting for the ground crew. Though I want to shout out all the amazing men and women working in sub-zero temperatures to help keep things moving. After landing in Newark, I had to race across the airport to make my

flight to Tel Aviv. We were not delayed, well, until we pulled out of the gate and had to return to the gate for a two-hour repair to the computer system. They turned off the airplane and turned it back on. I am amazed that a Boeing 787 basically works the same as a Microsoft Windows computer. Once we got going, I noticed that all the announcements on the flight were in both Hebrew and English, and you could overhear many Hebrew conversations. I knew I was on my way to Eretz Yisrael. See Sharff Trip page 3