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Welcome Ellie Forseter Novak ANNETTE VAN DE KAMPWRIGHT Jewish Press Editor The Jewish Federation of Omaha is excited to announce that, as of March 9, Ellie Forseter Novak has assumed the role of Senior Director of Development. Ellie was one of four women who in 2021 participated in the National Women’s P hi l anthropy ’s Emerge Leadership Program (the other three were Jess Cohn, Ally Freeman and Hillary Rubesin). The experience inspired them to secure funds through the Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation and the Staenberg Anything Grant to create intimate 30-40 person events to explore Jewish values and themes. “I’m very pleased that my personal and professional journey has led me here,” Ellie said, “and eager to serve the community that has become my home over the past ten years. My goals, particularly to start, are to meet with as many individuals as possible around the campus and in our broader community. I aim to listen and discover opportunities for the JFO to strengthen our connections. I think these last few years have been isolating for a lot of Jewish people,

Rabbi Ben Sharff’s Trip: Upon further reflection Page 5

BBYO February recap Page 7

The Kaplan Book Group looks at motherly love Page 12

creatin g an uncertainty about how to express their Jewish identity. I hope to find ways to support and engage everyone, wherever they are in their Jewish journeys. Ultimately, my charge is to ensure Omaha’s diverse Jewish community has the resources and outlets for building a strong sense of self and purpose.” Ellie grew up in White Plains, NY, which is a suburb of New York City. She attended the Solomon Schechter Hebrew Day School from nursery through 8th grade and then White Plains Public High School. Other than blessings, and words of appreciation for See Ellie Novak page 2

Joe M. Rice (1949–1951) — Unselfish Service and Unquestioned Ability REGULARS 6 9 10 11

MARTY RICKS NJHS Board Member As we continue to rediscover the early presidents of the Jewish Federation of Omaha, we return again to the archives of the Nebraska Jewish Histor-

Community, Identity, and Connection ITAY JFO Community Shaliach February was a month full of learning, celebration, and meaningful connections across the Omaha Jewish community. Through educational programs, holiday celebrations, youth leadership, and intergenerational initiatives, I had the privilege of engaging with community members of all ages and backgrounds.

Standing on Their Shoulders: Rediscovering Federation Presidents

Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life Cycles

SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND

ical Society. In old editions of the Jewish Press, in clippings from the Omaha World-Herald, and in a recorded NJHS interview conducted on June 22, 1989, a portrait emerges of a man whose life embodied steady leadership and enduring responsibility. Joe M. Rice’s story reflects the American Jewish journey of the twentieth century: immigrant roots, early hardship, entrepreneurial persistence, and unwavering commitment to community. See Joe M. Rice page 3

The month began with Tu BiShvat programming in partnership with PJ Library. Together with families and children, we explored the meaning of Tu BiShvat, the Jewish “New Year of the Trees.” We discussed why the holiday is celebrated, how it connects to the land of Israel, and the different ways it is marked in Israel compared to the United States. The children participated in a dried fruit tasting challenge, tree planting activities, and hands-on learning experiences. For me, one of the most meaningful parts of the event was sharing how Tu BiShvat is experienced in Israel. The holiday carries a special symbolism: taking a moment to appreciate the trees and fruits that grow in the soil of the land of Israel. Being able to bring that perspective to the community and share Israeli culture and tradition made the program especially memorable. Later in the month, Israel observes Family Day on Feb. 17, and I brought this tradition to Omaha through programs at Friedel Jewish Academy, local synagogues, and additional community settings. The day emphasizes gratitude, appreciation, and strengthening family bonds, highlighting the importance of the family unit in Jewish and Israeli life. During the activities, each child designed a mosaic "Hamsa" and wrote a personal message on the back for their family wishes, See Community page 2

2 | The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026

Community

S U S H I | J A PA N E S E | C H I N E S E

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EXPERIENCE ANTISEMITISM? If you experience antisemitism, there are ways to report an incident or hate crime: IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, MOVE TO A SAFE AREA AND DIAL 9-1-1 CALL the JFO’s Safety and Security Team 402-334-6446 EMAIL JCRCreporting@jewishomaha.org SCAN the QR code below to fill out the Incident Reporting Form

Continued from page 1 parents and siblings. The project created a meaningful opportunity for children to appreciate their families and the people who support them every day. Witnessing their sincerity was deeply moving for me as well. In the middle of the month, I traveled to Atlanta to staff a five-day winter camp with Tzofim, the Israeli Scouts. Tzofim is a Jewish-Israeli youth movement focused on leadership development, community responsibility, teamwork, and strengthening Jewish and Israeli identity among youth around the world. The movement provides young people with social, educational, and leadership skills while connecting them to Israeli culture and values. At camp, I met Israeli-American teenagers who actively choose to maintain and strengthen their Israeli identity, even while living far from Israel. Many of them later participate in leadership programs and gap-year experiences in Israel. I had the opportunity to lead activities, learn more deeply about the organization, and most importantly build relationships with the teens themselves. The camp included several highlight events: a large sports day where different groups competed in basketball, soccer, and other team competitions; a construction challenge in which each group built a structure from wood and ropes within two hours; and a special performance night called “Erev Tzababa,” where each group presented a three-minute performance including music, dance, costumes, and scenery. The preparation and teamwork demonstrated remarkable unity and pride within each group. One of the most meaningful moments of the month happened at the end of the camp. I arrived with no expectations, simply hoping to meet the teens and enjoy the experience. However, before I left, the group I worked with wrote me a

heartfelt letter. In such a short time, I did not expect to form such a strong connection with them. Their words were deeply moving and became a defining moment of my month. Looking ahead, I am also beginning a new initiative with Tzedek Teens that will connect youth in our community with older adults, creating opportunities for intergenerational relationships and shared experiences. I am excited to see the impact this program will have in the coming months.

This month also included a meaningful visit to the Nebraska State Capitol, where I joined JCRC in meeting with state senators. The goal of the visit was to raise awareness about the Jewish community and strengthen relationships with local leaders. It was a special experience to stand in such an important and historic building and share about our community, its values, and its activities. The conversations were thoughtful and welcoming, and I felt we truly created a meaningful impact while representing Jewish life in Nebraska.

February reminded me how powerful community life can be, when education, culture, and personal connection come together. I feel grateful for the opportunity to share Israeli traditions while also learning from the Omaha community every day.

Writing workshop We work directly with law enforcement, Secure Communities Network, and the Anti-Defamation League.

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SUMMER INTERN THE JEWISH PRESS IS LOOKING FOR A SUMMER INTERN. If you are currently a high schooler age 16 and up, or college student up to 24 years old, and want to become more involved in our community, this is your chance. If you are interested, please send your resume and cover letter to avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.

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The Jewish Press

‘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 Thursdays: March 26 and 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.

Ellie Novak Continued from page 1 a six-month stint in Hawaii after college, before moving to Omaha in 2015, she lived and worked in New York City. Also, she apparently makes a mean Spotify playlist. “My kids want me to mention that I have talked to both Phil Collins and David Byrne,” she said, “and I would like to add that I also saw David Bowie and Mick Jagger and many other celebrities at events at the Met Museum, among other celeb run-ins in NYC. My Sweetheart wants me to mention my love of standup comedy and a possible future fallback career (no joke).” Ellie’s mother was born in Saratoga Springs, NY, where her father’s family owned a hotel on its Broadway that served kosher food to its mostly Jewish clientele. When he passed, her family moved to Brooklyn, the place where Ellie’s father was born and raised. His father emigrated to the U.S. from Poland in 1939. After the war, her grandfather was an active leader in what was known as the Young Men’s Benevolent Association of Ottynia (his hometown), becoming president of the “society” for many years. “He employed surviving relatives and community members,” Ellie said, “at the garment factory that he owned on Houston and Broadway Streets in lower Manhattan (now occupied by Crate & Barrel) or his shirt store on Orchard Street. Much of our family’s history is chronicled in the blog that my dad writes in his retirement from his career as a journalist and editor and publisher of the retail publication Chain Store Age. My mother is a retired nurse practitioner, and specialized in both infectious diseases and in spine surgery during her career.” Ellie returned to her mother’s hometown of Saratoga Springs to attend Skidmore College, majoring in Art History with a minor in Religious Studies. She has worked at arts organizations, large and small, including Skidmore’s Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, The Honolulu Museum of Art, a nine-year tenure in the Development Office at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and nearly nine years as the Development Director at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. “Directly before coming to the JFO, I took a turn toward so-

cial services,” she said, “and held the role of Director of Foundation Relations at Boys Town.” From there, it was a small step across the street to the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus, where Ellie aims to make an impact. “For me, ‘Jewish Omaha’ means the community I’ve intentionally gained over the years,” she said, “by choosing to be involved in our Jewish organizations and to make friends and associations there. I was fortunate enough to find a home in a neighborhood alongside other Jewish families and other neighbors involved at the Jewish Community Center and Beth El, our synagogue. My children were nurtured by staff and programs at the Early Learning Center, where we met other children, parents, and grandparents, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, who shared in my kids’ first experiences of Jewish traditions of Shabbat, Havdalah, and holidays. My daughter Cecilia Jane is in fifth grade and has danced at the JCC since her pre-school days. Today, she is a member of the Jr. Training Company; my son, Leo, who is in second grade, plays basketball with the JCC Little Lions.” Both Ellie’s kids attend Friedel Jewish Academy. Her sense of community did not happen overnight, she said. “It is not simply about a transactional membership or activity registration. Its significance developed because over the years, people ASKED me to take on a larger task—a committee role, a leadership training, a singing circle (yes, it may sound hokey, but I made a lifelong friend there), a board seat, etc.—and because I said YES to those opportunities. Not every time, but enough to make a difference. I also chose to open up myself and my home to others. I have hosted Shabbat dinners, Hanukkah gatherings, Passover, and even had 25 Jewish women doing yoga in my living room!” However, she also recognizes that for her, and for all of us, Jewish Omaha exists “because of the legacy, dedication, and generosity of those before me who also made it their choice to honor and uphold Jewish Omaha for future generations,” she said. “Our culture is both special and fragile, and requires ongoing attention, effort, and care.”

The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026 | 3

Joe M. Rice

Continued from page 1 Born in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1901, Joe was the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. In his 1989 interview, he recalled that his father’s surname had been Lafinilish before it was changed to Rice at the time of his birth. The family was Orthodox, and Joe spent years studying at Talmud Torah. Jewish learning and communal responsibility were not abstract ideals in his home. They were lived expectations. In 1918, during the flu epidemic, both of Joe’s parents died within ten days of one another. He was 17 years old. College plans were set aside as he took over the family grocery store, assuming adult responsibility at an age when most young men are only beginning to imagine their futures. After several years, he sold half his interest in the store to a relative and left for Chicago to attend the University of Chicago. There he met Ruth, whom he married on December 26, 1923. The young couple soon settled in Omaha, where they would build both a family and a legacy. In addition to their son Don, now 98 years young and still active as a professional saxophone player, they had a daughter, Adrienne z’l, later Adrienne Milder. Business success did not come easily. After a decade of struggle, Joe joined his brother and a veterinarian friend in launching a poultry feed enterprise that eventually evolved into a pharmaceutical company serving the poultry industry. In his mid-60s, he helped guide the sale of the company to a public pharmaceutical firm. Long before financial stability, however, he had already committed himself to communal service. Joe recalled attending the groundbreaking of Omaha’s downtown JCC, forming friendships there and deepening his involvement in Jewish life. Leadership followed naturally. In 1944, when Hyman Ferer announced Joe as chair of the Federation Annual Campaign, he described him as a man who had “come forth to the leadership of the community on a true record of unselfish service and unquestioned ability.” Beth El Synagogue also recognized those qualities, electing him president in 1943. In 1947, he became vice president of the Federation under Milton Livingston. Then in February 1948, when the Dr. Philip Sher Home for the Aged opened on North 52nd Street, Joe was asked to serve as its first board chairman. He later reflected that he especially valued this role because he could see firsthand how much the residents benefited. Leadership, for Joe, was personal. In 1949, Joe Rice became the ninth president of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Europe was still reeling from the devastation of the Holocaust. During his tenure, the Federation resettled 197 survivors. Under Joe’s leadership, the Federation purchased a large house

behind the JCC and converted it into apartments for eighteen immigrant families. Beyond housing, the community helped these families secure employment and begin again. These were not simply administrative decisions. They were expressions of Jewish responsibility. Fundraising became one of Joe’s defining strengths. He worked tirelessly for Federation Annual Campaigns and for the State of Israel. In 1969, after the death of Milton Livingston, Federation president Elmer Gross appointed Joe to lead fundraising for what would become our current JCC facility on 132nd Street. Working alongside Dan Katzman, who led design and construction, Joe helped bring the new center to completion in 1973. That building remains a central gathering place for Omaha’s Jewish community. His service extended beyond Jewish institutions. Joe was active in the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, chaired its agricultural committee, served two terms on the board of the Community Chest, now United Way, and two terms on the board of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. Joe and Ruth did not only raise funds. They gave personally. In 1990, Federation Foundation board member Suzanne Singer noted that the Rices were the first donors to the Federation Foundation’s Pooled Income Fund. When that vehicle was later discontinued, their generosity became the Joe and Ruth Rice Scholarship Fund at the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. Since 2006, more than $34,000 has been awarded to Jewish college students from Omaha through that fund. Their commitment to education and opportunity continues to shape lives. Suzanne Singer also wrote that Ruth not only supported her husband’s many activities, but served as president of the Federation’s Women’s Division and was active in numerous women’s organizations. Their leadership was shared, even when only one name appeared in official titles. Joe Rice’s life was not marked by dramatic gestures, but by constancy. A young man who lost his parents and stepped forward. A businessman who persisted through uncertainty. A communal leader who welcomed survivors, strengthened institutions, and invested in generations he would never meet. This is how communities endure. Through steady hands. Through quiet generosity. Through men and women who answer when asked to lead. Today, as we continue to build, to give, and to plan for those who will follow us, we remember Joe and Ruth Rice. And as always, we stand on their shoulders. Series Note We thank the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society for preserving these stories and invite readers to share memories, photos, or family connections that can help us rediscover the lives of those who built our community. Standing on their shoulders, we continue their work. The Jewish Federation of Omaha past presidents series is a collaboration between The Nebraska Jewish Historical Society (NJHS) and the Jewish Press. For questions and/or more information about the NJHS, please contact executive director Jane Rips at jrips@jewishomaha.org, or visit the website at nebraskajhs.com.

ROOFING

SIDING

GUTTERS

Tepper Foundation steps up for second year

JAMES DONAHUE Jewish Federation of Omaha In the wake of the horrific October 7 Hamas massacres and the alarming rise in global antisemitism, Jewish communities across the United States have faced urgent threats to their safety and institutions. Thanks to the pivotal support of the Tepper Foundation, which provided a $10 million Emergency Security Grant Fund, the Jewish Federation of Omaha is able to swiftly bolster security measures for vulnerable Jewish spaces while fostering critical interfaith partnerships to combat hate. For the second year in a row, the grant directly addresses heightened risks to Jewish early childhood programs—including education centers, day camps, and afterschool initiatives serving children aged 0-5—by funding six months of additional security personnel for our community. Crucially, the Jewish Federation of Omaha is able to allocate funds to area synagogues, helping provide security personnel to safeguard congregants during worship services, holidays, and community events. These investments ensure that local Jewish institutions can continue serving as safe spaces for spiritual and communal gatherings amid escalating threats. Beyond safeguarding Jewish institutions, the initiative has catalyzed a groundbreaking effort to share the Jewish community’s security expertise with other faith-based organizations. Recipient Federations have fulfilled their commitment to conduct at least two annual trainings or security assessments for local religious institutions, building bridges with allies and amplifying collective resilience against antisemitism and hate. The Tepper Foundation’s partnership has been nothing short of transformative. The grant’s impact has extended far beyond its six-month security funding window. The Jewish Federation of Omaha's security program leveraged the initiative to deepen relationships with interfaith leaders, creating frameworks for ongoing collaboration. Toolkits, webinars, and guidance provided by the Tepper Foundation support these efforts, empowering communities to sustain security upgrades and maintain partnerships forged during the grant period. The initiative also reinforces the Federation’s LiveSecure program, which has expanded critical security infrastructure and community relations work nationwide since Oct. 7. By prioritizing physical safety for synagogues, schools, and community centers—while simultaneously advancing allyship— the grant exemplifies the Jewish community’s dual commitment to protection and proactive dialogue. The Jewish Federation of Omaha would like to express profound appreciation to the Tepper Foundation for its timely and compassionate response to the crisis. From shielding our children to securing our sacred spaces, this partnership has left an indelible mark on our community. It underscored what’s possible when we invest not only in security, but in the power of unity.

ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS 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.

4 | The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026

Lo Ta’amod: Osnat barazani and stepping forward for continuity

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SETH SCHUCHMAN NJHS Board Chair Lo ta’amod al dam re’echa appears in the Torah as a prohibition against standing idly by in the face of harm. Jewish tradition has long read it as a warning against stepping away when responsibility is clear. Jewish life depends on continuity, on people who carry learning and leadership forward when circumstances demand it. This essay is part of an ongoing series examining those moments and the individuals who stepped up rather than stepped aside. I first read about Osnat Barazani a few weeks ago in the work of Melissa Steinberg Brodsky. Her writing introduced me to a figure I had not previously known and raised questions that felt closely connected to the concerns of this series. The more I read, the clearer it became that Barazani’s story belongs here. Osnat Barazani, also known as Asenath Barazani, was born around 1590 into a prominent Kurdish Jewish family in the region of Mosul, in what is now northern Iraq. Her father, Rabbi Samuel ben Nathanel Halevi Barazani, was a respected scholar who founded and led a yeshiva that served as an important center of learning. Because he had no sons, he educated his daughter extensively, teaching her Torah, Talmud, and other classical Jewish texts at a level usually reserved for male students. That education was unusual, but it did not immediately place Osnat in a public role. She married one of her father’s students, Rabbi Jacob Mizrahi. Later accounts note that the marriage was arranged with the understanding that she would be free to continue her studies. When her father died, leadership of the yeshiva passed to her husband, and Osnat appears to have played an active role in teaching and sustaining the institution during that time. After her husband’s death, Osnat was left a widow, and the future of the yeshiva was uncertain. In most similar cases, leadership would have passed to another male scholar or the school would have closed. Instead, Osnat assumed responsibility for the yeshiva herself. She taught advanced students, managed the affairs of the academy, and corresponded with rabbinic figures beyond her community. Letters that survive from this period show her writing with confidence about both teaching and the practical challenges of maintaining a center of learning. Osnat did not seek formal rabbinic ordination, nor would

that designation have carried the same meaning in her time as it does today. What the historical record supports is simpler and more concrete. She functioned as the head of a yeshiva and as a teacher of advanced students, exercising authority based on knowledge and responsibility rather than title. This is why Osnat Barazani belongs in a Lo Ta’amod series, even though her story does not involve overt persecution or physical danger. At its core, it is a story about stepping forward when continuity is at risk. The responsibility she assumed was real and consequential. When capable teachers step away, institutions falter and learning can be lost. By remaining in place, she ensured continuity at a moment when it was far from guaranteed. Osnat did not argue publicly for expanded roles for women, and she did not present herself as a reformer. What she did was accept responsibility when the work still needed to be done. By stepping forward, she preserved an institution and carried learning ahead. Much of what we know about Osnat Barazani comes from a small number of letters and later historical accounts. Over time, legends and miracle stories attached themselves to her name. Setting those aside allows the historical figure to come into clearer focus. Her significance does not rest on folklore, but on the simple fact that she took responsibility and carried it forward. Osnat Barazani’s story also calls to mind the film Yentl, which I remember watching as a child with my parents, Barbra Streisand’s portrayal of a young woman disguising herself as a man in order to study Torah. Even then, I remember feeling uneasy about the disguise and the deception it required. Yentl’s story is moving, but it rests on the idea that learning must be hidden in order to survive. Osnat Barazani’s life suggests something different. She did not disguise herself or pass as someone else. She stepped forward openly, accepted responsibility, and carried learning forward as herself. Sometimes history, when we look closely enough, turns out to be more grounded and more inspiring than the stories we tell on screen. As this series continues, we invite members of the community to share stories, documents, photographs, and artifacts that reflect how individuals confronted harm, antisemitism or stood with others when it mattered. Preserving these histories helps ensure that future generations understand not only what our community faced, but how it responded. This series is a collaboration between The Nebraska Jewish Historical Society (NJHS) and the Jewish Press. For questions and or more information about the NJHS, please contact executive director Jane Rips at jrips@jewishomaha.org, or visit nebraskajhs.com.

B’nai Israel’s living history talk: Art Zygeilbaum’s dissonance of soul MURPHY SCOTT WULFGAR B'nai Israel Living History Synagogue Executive Director On Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m., Dr. Arthur (Art) Zygielbaum will join B’nai Israel’s monthly 2nd Friday Shabbat Service to discuss his deeply personal trip to Poland to connect with his roots. Art is the son of Holocaust survivors, an Emeritus Associate Professor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) School of Natural Resources, and spent nearly 30 years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory progressing from engineer to executive and was involved with many pivotal missions to space. Traveling with his wife and son, and accompanied by Beth Dotan from the UNL Harris Center for Judaic Studies, they vis-

ited cities, towns, and villages where Art's parents and grandparents lived. They toured four concentration camps, several museums dedicated to Polish Jewish history, and were invited to the Presidential Palace to meet with the Polish Secretary of State (due to Art’s grandfather, Szmul Mordecai (Arthur) Zygielbojm being considered a national hero), and were accorded a personal tour of Chelm by the mayor of the city. Art holds a BS in Physics (University of California at Los Angeles) and a MS in Electrical Engineering-Computers (University of Southern California). In 1998, he joined the administrative faculty of UNL only to “retire” six years later to pursue a PhD in Geography/Remote Sensing (UNL). Achieving that, he joined the research faculty in December 2010 and “retired” again in 2018. Art has served on several federal oversight boards and now sits on one for-profit and many civic and non-profit boards including Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest, South Street Temple, and the American Radio Relay League.

Did you know this about your seder plate? Parsley is native to the central and eastern regions of the Mediterranean, and belongs to the same family as cumin, carrots, and celery. It takes about 24-26 hours to lay one egg. Roosters are not needed, unless you want the egg fertilized, which you don’t for your omelet-or seder plate. Supermarket eggs must be refrigerated, but farm-fresh ones can be kept on the counter for up to two weeks. It’s because the natural coating that keeps bacteria out is washed off on those eggs you buy at the store.

The Hebrew name for the shank bone is Zeroa, which literally means “arm.” While horseradish and wasabi are not the same, they are from the same family. Check the ingredients: people have been known to use horseradish mixed with food coloring and pass it off as wasabi, because the latter is difficult to cultivate. The oldest known charoset recipe comes from the Medieval Jewish philosopher Sa’adia Gadon. He scribbled it in the margins of his prayer book.

The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026 | 5

2026

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

News LOCA L | N ATION AL | WORLD

Rabbi Ben Sharff ’s Trip: Upon further reflection

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.

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UPCOMING SPECIALS AT STAR DELI Star Deli dishes up (among other delights) overstuffed corn beef, pastrami and smoked turkey sandwiches, matzah ball soup, salad platters, Dr. Brown’s Assorted Sodas, plus toothsome desserts and sometime-specials like Prime Rib, Chicken Pot Pie, Smoked Brisket and Chili with Corn Bread. We also sell delectable glatt Kosher meats by the pound. The Deli welcomes everyone in the Jewish community and the larger Omaha area community to join us for lunch. Friday March 20 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Shawarma Friday April 3 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Latke Reuben (Passover) Friday April 17 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Smoked Brisket Friday May 1 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Braised Chicken Quarters Friday May 15 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Friday June 4 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Pulled Chicken BBQ Sliders Friday June 19 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Dairy Deli (TBA) Friday July 17 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Schnitzel For more information about Star Catering or to preorder take-out from the Kosher Deli at the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, please email Jennifer Addison at jaddison@rbjh.com

RABBI BENJAMIN SHARFF Temple Israel Senior Rabbi This is the final installment of daily updates from Rabbi Sharff as he traveled to Israel in January 2026. I have now had a week to reflect upon my trip to Israel. Thankfully, I am finally starting to readjust to Central Time, but I will admit, it has been harder to readjust to the realities of what I saw, experienced, and learned during my time in Erez Yisrael. Below are some more of my reflections of my time there. I am still grappling with it all, but I am so incredibly grateful to be able to go, and that so many of you joined me along this journey. In addition, I will be planning a congregational trip. It will most likely be in another year or two, but stay tuned as more details emerge. Israelis are facing a great many challenges. They are navigating an autocratic-leaning government, though they are cautiously optimistic that the upcoming elections, assuming they are held, will help to reorient their society moving forward. They are looking for accountability, which so far has been sorely lacking. They are reckoning with the pain and trauma, both internal and external, of the past two years of war. Then there are the internal debates about what it means to be part of a larger ‘shared-society,’ whose vision feels like it is collapsing under the weight of extremism both from within and from without. And what does it mean to make Israel fulfill its promise to all of its citizens and to the Palestinians? And to those who are living in the in-between? Despite all of the challenges, we also learned that Israelis are not without hope. For as we were told, hopelessness is a privilege. I left Israel more conflicted than ever. I find myself asking the question, "Does Israel need us more, or do we need Israel more? And what does it mean to be in a relationship with a country and a people I so deeply love, and am so often frustrated by?" Through all these challenges, they are finding ways to express their hopes and dreams, their fears and frustrations, through song, poetry, humor, art, street art, and so much more. In addition, they keep living. One evening, we heard cheering coming from a local stadium as two soccer teams were playing each other to an exciting conclusion. We celebrated Shabbat with many proud Reform Jews living in Israel. Unlike in the past, most of these Reform Jews speak with an Israeli accent, not an American one. The shops and markets are open. And so many were so incredibly grateful that we came. I’ll be honest, though; the conversations were hard. When asked, what message can we bring back home to our communities, we heard over and over again: As Anna Kaslanski, CEO of the IMPJ told us, so many are working in the area of a shared society. They are working on behalf of democracy. They are working to build bonds, relationships, and understanding among the many diverse communities that exist throughout Israel. They are calling out violence and working to protect the most vulnerable. They acknowledge it is incredibly complicated and messy. There were lots of calls for us to learn and get involved, not to disengage. With that in mind, as promised, here are a few links to organizations doing sacred work to help make Israel into the country so many of us envision, with a brief description of the work they are doing. This list is by no means exhaustive but reflects some of the groups and individuals we met with during our time there. Israel Religious Action Center https://www.irac.org IRAC aims to challenge Israel’s monopolistic religious structure and the religious stranglehold of Orthodox and ultra-Or-

thodox Judaism forced on Israelis today. Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) https://reform.org.il/en/ The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism is the communal, spiritual and social Jewish movement that acts to promote the values of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state according to the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, enriches Jewish identity among the vast and diverse Israeli public, and merits to significantly influence religious, educational and public discourse in the State of Israel and in the entire Jewish world. Omdim B’Yachad – Standing Together https://www. standing- together.org/en “Standing Together is this movement. We are building a shared home for all of us. We won’t erase our differences, but rather believe in building a true partnership based on shared interests. This is the meaning of Standing Together.” Project 24 https://www.project24israel.org Born from the profound challenges of October 7th, we've created new ways for Jewish communities worldwide to support Israel - and grow stronger together. Through innovative initiatives and careful matching, we're building genuine collaboration where everyone thrives. Join us in building a more resilient Jewish future - together Purple House https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-821960 The Purple House will serve as a meeting house and a place for cooperation and open dialogue. This is Not an Ulpan https://www.thisisnotanulpan.com This is Not an Ulpan (TINAU) is an alternative language school run by a non-profit cooperative of language teachers and students. They teach and learn Arabic and Hebrew with a deep connection to history, culture, and society. They are active in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and online. Educational Bookshop https://educationalbook shop.com/ The “Educational Bookshop” (EB) was born in the year 1984 through a simple twist of fate. Today, the EB is a well established and leading bookstore focusing on Middle Eastern culture and the Arab-Israeli conflict. The books are mostly research-based and published by highly respected institutions and publishers world-wide. The book collection also includes a selection of Arabic literature, guidebooks, dictionaries, and Arabic teaching books.

Poland returns 91 Jewish objects to Greece SHIRA LI BARTOV JTA Poland returned 91 religious and ceremonial artifacts to the Greek government at a ceremony in Warsaw last week. Among them were Torah scrolls, a Torah mantle and silver finials that adorned a scroll’s wooden rollers — fragments of a rich Greek Jewish heritage that was nearly wiped out. This marks the first time Poland has repatriated cultural property held under its care that was illegally taken from another country. The Nazis stole the objects from synagogues in Thessaloniki, a port city once known as the “Jerusalem of the

Balkans.” Jews made up half of Thessaloniki’s residents in 1919. Some 59,000 Greek Jews, over 83% of the country’s Jewish population, were killed in the Holocaust. These items were seized by the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg, a Nazi agency dedicated to looting Jewish valuables, as it plundered homes, synagogues, cemeteries and cultural institutions across Greece in 1941. The objects were transferred to Nazi depots in southwestern Poland and rediscovered at a castle in Bożków after the war. In 1951, the Polish Ministry of Culture moved them to the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, where they remained until now.

6 | The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026

BETH EL Purim Carnival at Beth El Synagogue

TEMPLE ISRAEL Purim at Temple Israel

RBJH Residents of the Rose Blumkin Home had a fun and music-ﬁlled week celebrating the legendary Neil Diamond. A special thank you to the generosity of the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation of the JFO Foundation for helping make this celebration possible.

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.

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The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026 | 7

March Jewish Author event

JONNIE ROBINSON JFO Assistant Director of Community Engagement & Education There’s still time to reserve your seat for one of this spring’s most anticipated cultural events. The Jewish Federation of Omaha is proud to welcome New York Times bestselling author B.A. Shapiro on Monday, March 30 at 6 p.m. for an evening of conversation, history, and literary intrigue. Known for her masterful storytelling and meticulous research, Shapiro has captivated readers around the world with novels such as The Art Forger, The Muralist, The Collector’s Apprentice, and her newest release, The Lost Masterpiece. Her books combine suspense, art history, and emotional depth — drawing readers into stories where the past refuses to remain buried. Her latest novel, The Lost Masterpiece, is especially timely. Inspired by the real history of Nazi-looted art during World War II, the book explores enduring questions of ownership, justice, and moral responsibility. As restitution efforts continue worldwide, Shapiro’s work highlights the consequences of stolen art ripple across generations. At the heart of the novel is a long-lost painting believed to have vanished during the Nazi occupation of Europe. When it reappears decades later, it sparks a gripping battle over provenance and rightful ownership — illuminating both the devastation of wartime looting and the complexities of today’s global art world. During the Jewish Author Event, Shapiro

will share insights into her research process, the historical events that inspired the novel, and how she skillfully weaves fact with fiction to create unforgettable stories. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with one of today’s most respected voices in historical fiction. A book signing will follow the presentation, with copies of The Lost Masterpiece as well as other B.A. Shapiro novels that will be available for purchase through The Bookworm, our local independent bookstore partner for the evening. The event will include appetizers, desserts, and beverages. The cost to attend is $18, and advance registration is required. To secure your spot, scan the QR code accompanying this article or visit jewishomaha.org. For book lovers, history enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the ongoing conversation surrounding Holocaust memory and art restitution, this promises to be an evening of insight, reflection, and inspiration. For additional information, please contact Naomi Fox at nfox@jewishomaha.org or Jonnie Robinson at jonnie.robinson@jewishomaha.org or call 402.334.6475. This Jewish Author Event is generously supported by the Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation, the Milton S. & Corinne N. Livingston Foundation, and the Carl Frohm Memorial Foundation.

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BBYO February recap IDAN ZACCAI BBYO Director February was an outstanding month for Omaha BBYO, packed with unforgettable experiences and strong community spirit. The biggest highlight was International Convention (IC) in Philadelphia-one of the main events of the year. Over 3,500 teens from around the world came together to celebrate BBYO through inspiring programming, meaningful connections, and Jewish pride. Our delegation of 14 participants represented Omaha with distinction: they were respectful, deeply engaged, and carried our chapter’s name proudly. Their enthusiasm and commitment can make our community proud. IC was not the only program in February, as MZ hosted a delicious charcuterie board night, bringing members together for tasty treats and great conversations. We also ran a special Mother Chapter education session, where seasoned members shared the chapter’s history and traditions with new members. Before IC kicked off, we built excitement with a Pizza Hype Night, rallying everyone to support our delegates and feel connected to the experience. The month closed on a high note with Mamas’ Top 10 activity at Tyler Ep-

stein’s house (shoutout to the Epstein family for hosting) and MZ had a gaming night, full of laughter and friendly competition. March promises even more! We’re looking forward to baking hamantaschen with our community shaliach, Itay, hosting sleepovers featuring inductions of new members, and of course, our famous Chocolate Seder. Omaha BBYO continues to grow stronger through these meaningful programs. For more information on upcoming events or how to get involved, please reach out to izaccai@jccomaha.org or call 402.334.6404.

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Where Compassion becomes care: Honoring a life through mental health and healing

AMY BERNSTEIN SHIVVERS JFO Foundation Executive Director Some legacies live quietly — through care, connection, and the steady presence of support when it is needed most. The Mickey (Sturm) Stern Memorial Endowment Fund is one such legacy, born from love and sustained by Jewish values and human dignity. For Bob Sturm, his mother Mickey’s life was a gift. Judaism and the practice of Jewish life provided stability during difficult moments, shaping Bob’s commitment to community and care. Eight years ago, he established this endowment to ensure his mother’s values would continue to uplift others — and to inspire living Jewishly through compassion and action. Today, the fund supports mental health services through Jewish Family Service, helping cover the cost of therapists, counselors, and critical programming for those who might otherwise be unable to afford care. On average, 25 community members each year receive mental health support — care that offers dignity, stability, and hope. Teresa Drelicharz, Executive Director of Jewish Family Service shared, “Mental health services are among the most essential — and most challenging — to sustain financially.” Teresa expressed deep gratitude to Bob Stern and the Mickey (Sturm) Stern Memorial Endowment Fund for strengthening JFS’s ability to provide high-quality care, particularly for individuals and

families facing financial barriers. Over the past several years, the fund has expanded its reach to include individual therapy for children, adults, and seniors; crisis counseling

Mickey (Sturm) Stern Memorial Endowment Fund Mental Health Support in Action • 25 Jewish community members supported each year through counseling and therapy • Children, adults, and seniors receiving care across life stages • Crisis counseling provided following Oct. 7 • Group therapy and support programs at Friedel Academy and Rose Blumkin Jewish Home • Mental Health First Aid training for teens and adults • Community wellness programs addressing anxiety, grief, caregiving, and isolation Because mental health care should be accessible, compassionate, and rooted in dignity.

following October 7; therapy groups at Friedel Academy; and mindfulness, grief, and caregiver support for seniors at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Community-wide education, mental health training, and programs designed to reduce isolation and bring joy further reflect the fund’s holistic approach to wellness. “I am committed to making sure that those with mental illness can seek the help they need — without the limitations of personal finances,” Bob shared. “This is how my mother’s values continue.” As one recipient expressed anonymously, “Knowing that my community cared enough to help made it possible for me to keep going.” The Omaha Jewish community is deeply grateful to Bob Stern for endowing his mother’s legacy. Mickey’s life continues to be remembered through care that heals, supports, and strengthens our community. When you are ready to establish an endowment in memory of your loved ones, please contact me at 402.334.6466 or ashivvers@jewishomaha.org, through the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.

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Voices The Jewish Press (Founded in 1920) David Finkelstein President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Will Fischer Creative Director Claire Endelman Sales Director Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Sam Kricsfeld Digital support Mary Bachteler Accounting Jewish Press Advisory Board David Finkelstein, President; Margie Gutnik, Ex-Officio; Joseph Abrahams, Helen Epstein, Andrea Erlich, Ally Freeman, Dana Gonzales, Mary Sue Grossman, Hailey Krueger, Chuck Lucoff, Sara Rips, Stewart Winograd and Bob Yaffe. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to build and sustain a strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Israel and around the world. Agencies of the JFO are: Institute for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Social Services, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www.jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For information, contact Annette van de Kamp-Wright, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org.

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Welcome to the Circus ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Jewish Press Editor West Texas’ 23rd district’s GOP primary last week had no clear winner. Neither incumbent Tony Gonzales nor his opponent Brandon Herrera reached 50% of the votes. Under normal circumstances (I don’t know if ‘normal’ is a word we can still use), it would be obvious to anyone that Gonzales hasn’t a chance. He is embroiled in scandal, the woman he allegedly had an affair with died by suicide; it’s all quite awful. Pressured to resign, Gonzales initially refused, but eventually bowed out. But why did his opponent not simply beat him, why the run-off ? Because Herrera (who pushed Gonzales to a run-off last time as well) is not your average candidate. I will bullet point it for you: • He is a YouTuber (I think that should disqualify him, don’t you?) • His screen name is “The AK Guy.” • He called a Nazi-made submachine gun “the original ghetto blaster.” • He jokes about Hitler, a lot. • He recreated Hitler’s suicide on his channel. • He’s 30 years old and has no experience in government, except for working on Trump’s 2016 campaign-but he was super young then, so that doesn’t mean much. • He used a photoshopped image of himself with the president, until Trump’s lawyers sent him a cease-and-desist letter. • He is a firearms manufacturer, and his YouTube videos mostly center on guns. I read that somewhere. Because I keep seeing him in still photos on

other news outlets with Hitler puppets, I’m too How many times have we read stories about scared to actually check his channel. I also don’t politicians who had a questionable approach to want that in my search history. Nazis? How often does news come out about bad Why is any of this relevant to us here in Ne- behavior, problematic tweets, strange choices for braska? Because with Gonzales neck-deep in scandal, this guy might actually win this. And if it can happen in Texas, it can happen here. This is not only a Texas problem. It is an America problem. Candidates like Herrera, I find it hard to take him seriously. Somehow, I still think, to run for office, you have to be a little boring. You definitely have to come across as serious, somewhat experienced, mature. Now, I know full well that any politician can appear one way, only to turn around and misbehave in the most horrible ways—many do—but I think, if you already from the getgo come across as a little unhinged, where Brandon Herrera. Credit: YouTube screenshot via JTA do things go from there? Halloween costumes? Yet, Herrera’s track record The more we see candidates like him, the more and obsession with Adolf is another level. Yet, none we’ll start thinking it’s acceptable. And I’ll say it: of this is really surprising-I’m afraid that for many recreating Hitler’s suicide? It ticks the “crazy” box. people, Hitler is no longer the quintessential bad Hitler jokes? We really don’t need that right now. guy. It’s a logical consequence of the rise in antiI try to imagine people looking at that, and think- semitism, but it also shows that feelings that were ing it’s not bad enough to cost him votes. Their once hidden have become commonplace. You can vote, to be specific. Herrera is just one man, but all almost hear the sigh of relief around the world: they the people who vote for him? That’s a mob. can despise the Jews again, they don’t have to Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know what I would worry about the backlash if they say something tell the voters in Texas’ 23rd district, if they cared hateful. Antisemitism is trending in a big way. about my opinion-and they don’t. But when voting I hope they remember that the pendulum will, becomes a choice between whatever we consider eventually, swing the other way. the lesser evil, I think we all lose.

My Jewish grandfather was known as the Nightingale of Iran. Could the country he knew be within reach? GALEET DARDASHTI JTA It wasn’t always this way. As I watch the war unfold with trepidation and hope for the land where the Purim story takes place, I keep thinking about what kind of country Iran has been and what it could be. My grandfather (whom I called Saba) Younes Dardashti, a devout Jew, became one of Iran’s most beloved singers in the 1950s and 60s. He was a national radio star known as “The Nightingale of Iran” in an era when secularism and modernization opened doors for Jews that had been shut for centuries. My Jewish Iranian father became a teen pop star on Iranian TV. Exploring these family’s stories, my sister Danielle Dardashti and I co-created an audio documentary, “The Nightingale of Iran.” One of the people we met along the way is a man named Habib Partow. We learned that Habib, a Muslim Iranian man now in his 70s and a former Iranian champion wrestler, had a close friendship with our Saba in Iran. On a Zoom call, he walked us over to his refrigerator. There, among family photos, was a picture of our Saba. He’d kept it there for decades. Habib told us that our Saba once visited his family at their vacation house. At lunch, Saba asked Habib: “I know your father loves Persian music. What’s his favorite dastgah (musical mode)?” When Habib answered, our Saba began to sing. Habib told us how his father was so moved that he wept. And on our Zoom call, almost 60 years later, Habib broke into tears telling us the story. Habib also told us that he and Saba — a religious Jew and the nephew of a prominent ayatollah — often prayed side by side, facing different directions, one toward Jerusalem, one toward Mecca. “And there was no question about it,” Habib told us. This seemed natural to both of them. Now, as their homeland is torn by war, I am deeply concerned about the innocent lives being lost across multiple countries, the legality of this war and the absence of any postwar plan. I share this story now because I keep returning to one

thing I know to be true: Iran was a very different the queen started a revolution.” country not so long ago. My heart breaks for the Iranian people right now, Ghamar Molouk Vaziri, the first famous female people who have been extraordinarily brave in singer in Iran — and the first woman to sing with- standing up to the current regime, and who have out a veil — discovered my grandfather and helped risked everything hoping for change. We have seen launch his career as the first celebrated Jewish many brave women in particular — many Vashtis. singer in the country. These stories of Muslim-Jewish friendship, of women breaking barriers and of minorities rising to national fame come from Iran’s not-sodistant past. That history, combined with this current political moment, gives me hope that things could shift again. And perhaps one day soon, my sisters and I might finally be able to travel to Iran with Farid Dardashti, Younes' son and Galeet and Danielle's father, sings in this picture taken in Iran in the 1950s. Credit: Dardashti family our father to see the country of his childhood. I don’t know what will happen in Iran. I don’t At the same time, we’ve seen in Iran and else- know if the country where my Persian Jewish anwhere in the Middle East that when one regime cestors lived for over 2,500 years will become a falls, what fills the void is often significantly worse. place where a Jew can be a national treasure again. I am not naive about what may come next. But on But many Iranians still remember that it once was. Purim, a holiday that celebrates an upside-down And I hope that Vashti’s successors are the ones unexpected turn of events against great odds, I’m who will bring it back. trying to remain optimistic. Galeet Dardashti is a musician, anthropoloGrowing up, I used to dress up on Purim not as gist, and co-creator (with her sister Danielle Esther, but as Vashti, the queen who stands up to Dardashti) of "The Nightingale of Iran," a docuthe Persian king and pays for it dearly. I called my- mentary podcast about identity, belonging, and self “Vashti Dardashti” and it always got a laugh. music, distributed by PRX in partnership with Later, as an adult studying Iran, the significance of JTA. Her album Monajat features duets with Vashti deepened for me. Vashti represents the recordings of her grandfather Younes Dardashti. essence of Purim: standing up to oppressors and The views and opinions expressed in this article are bullies, no matter the cost. I went on to write a song those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the about Vashti. The chorus came naturally: “Vashti views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

Synagogues

10 | The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026

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

B’NAI ISRAEL Monthly Speaker Series Service, Friday, Mar. 13, 7:30 p.m. with our guest speaker, Dr. Arthur (Art) Zygielbaum. 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: David Alloy, Renee Corcoran, Rick Katelman, Gail Kenkel, Janie Kulakofsky, Howard Kutler, Ann Moshman, Mary-Beth Muskin, Debbie Salomon and Sissy Silber. Handicap Accessible.

BETH EL 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: Knish Making & Stuffed Brisket Challah Knots Class with Mandylicious, 10 a.m.; Baby Babka Baking Class with Mandylicious, 4 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El and Live Stream. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m with D’var Torah by Mandylicious at Beth El and Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Lunch & Learn with Mandylicious following Services featuring Stuffed Brisket Challah Knots; Havdalah, 6:50 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom Only. SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 9:30 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; Torah Tots, 10:30 a.m. MONDAY: The Bible With and WIthout Jesus, 6 p.m. with Rabbi Abraham and Pastor Johnson at St. Luke. TUESDAY: Sefer HaMiddot, 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham; Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m. THURSDAY: The Bible With and WIthout Jesus, 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Abraham and Pastor Johnson at St. Luke; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 5:30 p.m. Zoom Only; NCAA March Madness Watch Party, TIME TBA FRIDAY-Mar. 20: Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El and Live Stream. SATURDAY-Mar. 21: Shabbat Morning Services, 10 a.m at Beth El and Live Stream; Presidential Forum with Marty Shukert following services; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8:10 p.m. at Beth El & Zoom. Please visit bethel-omaha.org for additional information and service links.

BETH ISRAEL FRIDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 7:11 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, 6:15 p.m.; Mincha, 7 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos, 7:30 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:11 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Rabbi Geiger’s Pre-Pesach Class; Mind Body Soul, 10:45 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 7:20 p.m.

MONDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:20 p.m. TUESDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:20 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Character Development, 1:30 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:20 p.m. THURSDAY: Torah from Omaha, 6:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 6:45 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 7:20 p.m. FRIDAY-Mar. 20: Torah from Omaha, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 7:18 p.m. SATURDAY-Mar. 21: Shabbos Café, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class, 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 6:25 p.m.; Mincha, 7:10 p.m.; Kids Activity/ Laws of Shabbos, 7:40 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:19 p.m.

CHABAD HOUSE 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 p.m., go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Candlelighting, 7:10 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:10 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-Mar. 20: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 5 p.m., go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Candlelighting, 7:18 p.m. SATURDAY-Mar. 21: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 8:18 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, 7:13 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.

led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, 12:30 p.m. on Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei via Zoom; Havdalah, 8:13 p.m. SUNDAY: LJCS Class, 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 albertw 801@gmail.com; We can do this - Feed the Children, 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m. at Belmont Community Center. Questions? Susie at 402.570.4922 or Aimee Hyten (SST Lead) 240.475.0747; LJCS Teacaher Meeting, noon; JIA Annual Meeting, 3–5 p.m. at SST. 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. FRIDAY-Mar. 20: Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:307:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST; Shabbat Candlelighting, 7:21 p.m. SATURDAY-Mar. 21: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study, 12:30 p.m. on Parashat Vayikra via Zoom; Family Potluck and Game Night, 6 p.m. at SST. Bring a dish to share for the potluck beginning at 6 p.m. Games are available to play, but feel free to bring one of your favorites! Games begin at 7 p.m.; Havdalah, 8:21 p.m.

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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.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

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.; Rock Shabbat 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; Let’s Get Crafty with Atid, 6 p.m. In-Person SUNDAY: No Youth Learning Program this week. TUESDAY: Exploring Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Bienstock — In-Person & Zoom; Mah Jongg Made Easy, 1:30 p.m. In-Person. WEDNESDAY: Yarn It, 9 a.m. In-Person; No Youth Learning Program this week. THURSDAY: The Zohar: Thursday Morning Class, 11 a.m. with Rabbi Sharff — In-Person & Zoom. FRIDAY-Mar. 20: Drop-In Mah Jongg, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.m. RSVP Required — In-Person; Classic Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. In-Person & Zoom. SATURDAY-Mar. 21: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. InPerson & Zoom; Pizza and Prosecco with TISH, 6 p.m. RSVP Required — In-Person. Please visit templeisraelomaha.com for additional information and Zoom service links.

Today in Jewish Omaha History During the 1926 Annual Meeting, Harry H. Lapidus was re-elected as president of the JCC. A large segment of the front page was dedicated to his Annual Meeting report, which included the following gem: “I want to say to you members here tonight that the board of trustees and the board of directors realize and appreciate that we have been cussed and discussed, abused and misused, and everything else heaped upon us but we have stood by the efforts of this administration.” The comment was in response to the JCC lay leaders threatening to sue people in the community for unpaid pledges. Letters went out to everyone who had pledged, but not paid up, stating that if they didn’t pay within the next three days, they would be taken to court. In the accompanying photo, Lapidus looks serious, like he means it. The story goes on to say that because of this “drastic action,” they collected $50,000 in past due pledges. There was, of course, also lighter news that week.

Mr. H. Mike Korbholz, of St. Joseph. Missouri, arrived to visit with his fiancee, Miss Bess Handler. And Mrs. Henry Shampanier, who hailed from Patterson, New Jersey, was the guest of Mrs. S. Handler, and of Mesdames A. M. Krupp and J. Verbin, of Fremont: “She has been visiting here for the past several weeks and while here will attend the Korbholz-Handler wedding to take place Sunday, March 14.” We are also told Mr. Carl Katleman is convalescing at the Nicholas Senn Hospital, and that “Mr. and Mrs. A Herzberg have as their guest their daughter, Mrs. Dave Goldman, of St. Louis, Mo.”

The paper reported on a Tea at the Blackstone Hotel: “More than 200 women representing the sixteen Jewish Women’s organizations in this city attended the social get-together tea Tuesday afternoon, March 2 at the Blackstone Hotel. This was the second annual event sponsored by the Jewish Women’s Welfare Organization. Affairs of this nature will be given annually for the purpose of working out ways and means in order to better the work of each organization. The presidents of each organization gave the report of the work that was done by her club during the year 1925.” Source: Jewish Press, March 4, 1926

Life Cycles

The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026 | 11

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IN MEMORIAM

NITA GAYLE GREEN Nita Green was 89 when she passed away on Feb. 25, 2026 in Omaha. Services were held on Feb. 27, 2026 at Beth El Cemetery in Omaha. She was preceded in death by her parents, Evelyn and Harry Green. She is survived by her daughter, Martye Jo Sims; son, Jack Harold Falk (Theresa); brother, Gary Green (Sherri); grandchildren: Danette Sims and Sara Sims (Daniel Zamudio); greatgrandchildren: Tierney Brown, Daniel “Gremly” Zamudio, and Alwin Zamudio; niece, Cari Hagemoser (Kevin); nephew, Corey Green; great-nephew Parker Hagemoser; and many friends. Nita graduated from Central High School and worked at World Insurance as an administrator for 35 years. Nita was deeply proud of her Jewish faith and found great peace and joy in carrying on its traditions with both her immediate and extended family. Nita had a huge love of family and friends; she always talked about all of the kids and enjoyed very much the comfort of dogs

sitting on her lap. She had a gift for knitting, needlepointing, and crafts of all kind. She enjoyed playing Mahjong, bingo and cards, loved being around people to talk with or just to watch and enjoyed when she got to go, even as she got older, to the Zoo, Pumpkin Patch, dinners or going to see firework displays with her family. She always enjoyed being active. She loved family holiday dinners and leftovers. She was a trooper. To her grandchildren, she was simply “Nonny” – and Nonny had a way of making even the smallest moments feel like something special. Each night, after making her way safely into her apartment, she would flash her porch lights – her sign that all was well. It became a beloved ritual tenderly know by her family as her “Nonny thing”. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the caring staff of Bailey Point Assisted Living and Endless Journey hospice. Memorials made to Beth El Synagogue or the organization of your choice. May her memory be a blessing.

JEWISH PRESS READERS

68% of American Jews support the US-Israel war against Iran The JPPI survey finds that American Jews are more like IsPHILISSA CRAMER raeli Jews than like U.S. voters overall. An Israel Democracy JTA About two-thirds of “connected” American Jews support the Institute poll taken last week found that 93% of Jewish Israelis U.S.-Israel war against Iran, a new survey has found, even as supported the military operations against Iran. Iran has long waged a campaign against both Israel and the they are concerned that it could exacerbate antisemitism and United States, but while it has struck at U.S. targets around anti-Israel sentiment in the United States. the world, Israel is geoThe results of the survey, graphically in its crosshairs. taken last week by Israel’s Its missiles killed dozens of Jewish People Policy InstiIsraelis during a 12-day war tute, suggest that American last year and have killed Jews are more supportive of more than a dozen already the war than Americans during the current war, overall. Multiple surveys which has expanded to last week found that about much of the Middle East. 60% of American voters opPresident Donald Trump posed the military action, and Israeli Prime Minister with support significantly Benjamin Netanyahu have lower among Democrats, indicated that in addition historically the party of Iranian Americans wave flags and chant during a gathering of Iranian to ending Iran’s nuclear ammost Jewish voters. A partisan shift was ap- community members in Los Angeles. Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via bitions and demolishing its military infrastructure, they parent in the JPPI survey, Getty Images with near-total support for the war from those who describe want the nearly 50-year-old Islamic Republic regime to fall. themselves as politically conservative. Still, 57% of “leaning The JPPI poll found that only a quarter of U.S. Jews say regime liberal” Jews said they support the war. Self-identified “strong change should be a primary goal of the war, compared with liberals” were the only group of U.S. Jews to say they oppose 58% who say the war should seek to “eliminate nuclear program, ballistic missile capabilities, and support of terror.” the war, with only 28% backing it. American Jews polled by JPPI also said they expected the The survey of 692 American Jews drew from a panel maintained by JPPI that aims to reflect the denominational distri- war to increase both antisemitism (52%) and anti-Israel senbution of U.S. Jews. The institute says its polls reflect the timent (45%) in the United States. Already, the war has sentiments of “connected” Jews because its panel includes sparked debate over whether Trump was forced into the confewer intermarried Jews, more Jews who are affiliated with de- flict by Netanyahu — a narrative they both have rejected. The nominations and more Jews who have lived in Israel than de- survey found that 72% of American Jews believe Trump mographic data would suggest is representative of U.S Jewry needed no convincing, while only 14% believe Netanyahu was the primary driver of military action against Iran. overall.

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12 | The Jewish Press | March 13, 2026

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The Kaplan Book Group looks at motherly love

SHIRLY BANNER JFO Library Specialist An examination of a mother’s love is central to the Kaplan Book Group’s discussion this month. Join the Kaplan Book Group on March 19 at 1 p.m. when we will meet to discuss Kristin Harmel’s The Paris Daughter which looks at the heartbreaking and difficult decisions mothers are forced to face during trying times, especially during war times. Harmel poses the question of how far a mother is willing to go to ensure the safety of her children. Is she willing to send them away to ensure their survival when circumstances present themselves? The reader is confronted with deciding who is a good mother and what ultimately she is willing to do to protect her children. Harmel’s historical novel centers around two nonJewish families living in France in late 1939, the LeClairs and the Foulons. Elise LeClair and Juliette Foulon are both Americans married to French men who meet quite by accident.

They soon become fast friends, especially after the impending births of daughters, Lucie Foulon and Mathilde LeClair. Oliver, Elise’s husband, is a painter of some renown but also very politically involved with Communist philosophical ideology. Paul Foulon and Juliette who already have two sons run a family bookshop called Librairie des Rêves that caters to both French and American readers. As the invasion by Germany intensifies in France, Oliver’s secret Communist activities increase, endangering the safety and well being of the LeClair family. When Oliver is arrested and killed, he claimed that Elise was involved in his political activities. Elise makes the difficult decision to go into hiding and leaves her infant daughter Mathilde with the Foulon family for safekeeping. The children who were always close become even closer and Mathilde is accepted as one of the family. A tragic errant bomb lands on the Foulon’s Librairie des Rêves destroying the bookshop and killing Paul, his sons, and Mathilde; Juliette is badly wounded but she and Lucie survive the bombing. Elise survives the War and returns a year later hoping to reunite with the Mathilde and the Foulons but finds only the

rubble of Librairie des Rêves and no idea where the Foulons are or what happened to them. Eventually she learns that the Foulon family except for Julliette and Lucie were killed but nothing further about their whereabouts. As Elise tries to find out about the last days of Mathilde and rebuild her life, she returns to her former life of painting and wood carving in hopes of earning money to survive. Elise also reunites with the two children of Ruth Levy, a Jewish widow that Juliette and Elise knew from the bookshop. Ruth sent her children into hiding in hopes of ensuring their survival from the German led persecution of Jews in Paris. Julliette survives the destruction of the bookshop but is a damaged mother who still mourns her husband and sons’ deaths and eventually moves back to America and marries a rich older man who provides her with the necessary funds to rebuild an exact replica of Librairie des Rêves. The relationship between Juliette and Lucie is a strained one where Juliette continues to treat Lucie as a child even as she becomes a young woman. Who does Juliette blame for her family’s tragic loss and why is she so determined to live only in the past? In the end, all is revealed. Join us on March 19 at 1 p.m., as the Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group gathers for their monthly meeting in person in Conference Room A of the Staenberg Omaha Jewish Community Center or via Zoom for this month’s discussion of Kristin Harmel’s The Paris Daughter. The Dorothy Kaplan Book Discussion Group meets on the third Thursday of every month at 1 pm. New members are always welcome. The Group receives administrative support from the Community Engagement & Education arm of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. For information about the group and to join in the discussion, contact Shirly Banner at 402.334.6462 or sbanner@jewishomaha.org.