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Rediscovering Federation Presidents Dr. Philip Sher (192324; 1929-30)

Talia and Menachem Manevich - A beshert moment for Beth Israel Page 3

Donna and Spencer Gilbert Global Justice and Human Rights Center Page 7

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MARTY RICKS NJHS Advisory Board Member When Omaha’s young Jewish Federation faced one of its first great tests, a quiet, steady physician stepped forward to lead. Dr. Philip Sher finished the term of the late Morris Levy in 1923 and returned to the presidency six years later. He guided the community through years of change with the same compassion and discipline that defined his medical career. Born in Pumpian, Lithuania, in 1875, Sher studied in the famed Seminary of Telz and was ordained a rabbi at eighteen. Yet even then, his calling was medicine. He came to America to join his family in Pennsylvania and entered Jefferson Medical School before transferring to Baltimore University Medical

College, where he earned his degree in 1902. When his father offered him a business salary to stay in Philadelphia, Sher declined, saying he had studied medicine “not for the purpose of making money but to render service to humanity.” That conviction shaped the rest of his life. In 1903 he arrived in Omaha for reasons no one ever quite recorded and opened a modest practice that soon became a fixture of the city’s medical community. He joined the staff of Wise Memorial Hospital, the Federation supported institution that would later become part of the backbone of Jewish healthcare in Omaha, and eventually served as its president. His practice reflected his values: the wealthy paid full price, See Federation presidents page 2

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MS WULFGAR Growing up in 1960’s Omaha, if you told your folks you were going “up to Bagel” they knew exactly where you’d be. They knew the kids you’d likely be hanging out with from JE George Blvd to 69th Street. They knew precisely which houses to call between Western & Underwood Avenues—gravel roads back then—to get a GPS-exact location on you. For the kids who grew up there, this chapter of their history left an indelible mark. A mark so powerful that later in life, after havBagel Boys Band

ing moved away, after lives lived, friends lost, and families raised, they would reconnect and slowly (and unconsciously) resurrected that soulful, little patch of 1960’s geography in the form of a rock band: The Bagel Boys. If you’ve seen them play, you know the vibe. They aren’t a mere cover band. They don’t have a gimmick. They just have each other. When they

assemble behind their respective instruments (a lot of guitars!), they become the living embodiment of a bustling, joyful Jewish neighborhood from a simpler time when the world was smaller and the neighborhoods tighter. Listening to them strum and plunk The Beatles or Jackson Browne or Santana or Billy Joel (keyboard!), See Bagel Boys page 3

Shining brighter than ever: Hanukkah in Omaha There is something magical about seeing a huge Menorah glowing against the winter sky. It feels ancient and modern at the same time, rooted in Jewish history but completely alive in the world we live in today. Public Menorah lightings were not always part of the landscape. In the 1970s the Rebbe began teaching that Hanukkah carries a universal message. Light does not belong indoors. It is meant to shine outward. The miracle of the oil is not just a Jewish story. It is a human story about hope, goodness and the power of one tiny flame to push away a whole room of darkness. The Rebbe reminded us that a little light can change an entire environment. So why hide it? Why not take the Menorah into the heart of our cities, universities, state capitols, parks and public squares? And so began the modern movement of public Menorah lightings. Today they take place in more than one hundred countries, from busy plazas in New York City to quiet corners of small towns in the Midwest. The message is always the same. Light belongs to everyone. And each of us has the ability to add more of it. This year in Omaha we are not just adding light, we are starting traditions, celebrating as a community and inviting every person, young and old, Jewish and not Jewish, to be part of the glow. Hanukkah 5786 is going to be unforgettable. Here is what is coming your way. Sunday Night, Dec. 14 at 5 p.m.: Hanukkah Kickoff at Stinson Park The annual celebration returns, bigger and brighter. This year’s special feature will be a full balloon Menorah that will rise as the sun sets. We will have balloon artists twisting creations for the kids, a bubble machine filling the plaza with magic, and our famous latke truck rolling in hot and ready. Music, menorah, community and pure joy. It is the perfect way to launch the Festival of Lights. Tuesday, Dec. 16, 4 to 8 p.m.: Hanukkah Skate Night at Heartwood Preserve Welcome to what will quickly become another Omaha tradition. We are taking over the Heartwood pop up winter rink for a full four hour Hanukkah party. To reserve your skating time just email the rink at See Hanukkah in Omaha page 2