November 7, 2025

Pay It Forward: Small Gifts. Big Impact.

IDAN ZACCAI JFO Foundation Intern

As a graduate student pursuing a degree in Nonprofit Administration with a focus on development, I am honored to be interning this year with the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. Through my academic journey and hands-on work, I’ve seen how strategic giving and thoughtful stewardship can sustain and strengthen Jewish life for future generations.

By combining the insights from my studies with the practical experience at JFOF, I am excited to be part of initiatives like the Pay

It Forward Endowment Fund that make giving accessible and impactful for our entire Omaha Jewish community.

Jewish tradition teaches that building a community through shared giving has lasting spiritual, cultural, and practical impact. Even modest donations help secure a future where all Jewish children can access transformative educational and social experiences. Giving to Omaha’s Jewish community does not require wealth or deep pockets, just a desire to invest in the next generation.

The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation’s “Pay It Forward Endowment Fund” was created precisely for that, whether the See Pay it Forward page 3

Omaha Grandson Hits It Out of the Park and Onto ESPN

SETH SCHUCHMAN

Baseball season in Oregon began this summer under gray skies, but for one young player with Omaha roots, the light came from something far brighter than the weather.

Twelve-year-old Ayden Roitstein of Beaverton turned his Bar Mitzvah project into an act of generosity that reached from the baseball field to the broader community. A member of

Murrayhill Little League, Ayden raised more than $5,000 for the Oregon District 4 Challenger Little League, an adaptive program for children with physical and intellectual disabilities.

“As Ayden becomes a Bar Mitzvah,” Debbie Roitstein said, “Lloyd (Poppy) and I (Bubbe) are so proud of all that he has accomplished and will continue to do so with the help and guidance of his parents, Steve and Stephanie and brother Mycah, as well as the countless others who have supported Ayden. Great-grandparents, of

Ayden Roitstein

Omaha Jewish film festival begins

MARK KIRCHHOFF

JFO Community Engagement and Education

Now’s the perfect time to make your plans to attend the 23rd Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival that opens Sunday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Jewish Federation of Omaha. There is something for everyone and everything is for you. If you haven’t checked out the lineup yet, take a look below!

Nov. 09 | Bad Shabbos Hosts: Rachel & Daniel Grossman What happens when a picture-perfect Shabbat dinner goes completely off the rails?

Nov. 10 | Swedishkayt: Yidlife Crisis in Stockholm Host: David Finkelstein Enjoy the fun in the discovery of how Yiddish became an official minor language in Sweden.

Nov. 11 | Matchmaking2 Hosts: Patty and Steve Nogg Who knew that matchmaking required all these humorous twists, turns and complications?

Nov. 12 | The Property Hosts: Mary-Beth and Bruce Muskin

A quest for the return of property in Poland becomes a much deeper, personal journey for everyone.

Showtime is 6 p.m. in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater at the Staenberg Omaha JCC. You will be treated to free popcorn and bottled water and invited to a post-film discussion.

Use the QR code in this article to view trailers and purchase passes –four-entry pass for $15; eight-entry pass for $25; single admission at the door $5. Use the passes in any combination of shows and people. You may also navigate to jewishomaha.org, select the “Our Priorities” drop-down and under “Community Engagement,” click on “Film Festival.” Direct questions to Naomi Fox at 402.334.6424 or nfox@jew ishomaha.org

Thank you to the financial supporters of the 2025 Omaha Jewish Film Festival: Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Fund, Fran and Rich Juro Endowment Fund for the Federation, Etta and Harold Epstein Security Fund, Ruth Frisch & Oscar S. See Film Festival page 2

Jewish Stories in sp rts

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

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

EMAIL JCRCreporting@jewishomaha.org

SCAN the QR code below to fill out the Incident Reporting Form

law enforcement,

Communities Network, and the Anti-Defamation League.

Continued from page 1 great-grandfather’s tallit for his Bar Mitzvah.”

The Challenger League gives kids of all abilities the chance to experience baseball as players, not spectators. Volunteers known as “buddies” join them on the field to help with batting, running, and fielding. Ayden has spent recent summers as one of those buddies, and when it came time to choose a mitzvah project, he decided to give back to the program that had given him so much perspective.

His effort began modestly but soon gathered momentum. Teammates, family, and friends contributed, and the local community rallied around his campaign. When Ayden presented his check to Challenger League president Aaron Arnold, the moment was caught by KPTV FOX 12 Oregon, which featured his story in a June broadcast. ESPN later picked up the video, sharing it with viewers across the country.

The Challenger League plans to use the funds for equipment, uniforms, and field improvements, ensuring that more players can join next season. Ayden’s own team, district champions for two straight years, continues to chase its dream of

reaching the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. But for him, the bigger victory has already taken place.

Ayden’s Bar Mitzvah will be celebrated in November. His grandparents, Debbie and Lloyd Roitstein, are active members of the local Jewish community. Friends and family here have followed his project with pride, recognizing in it the values that have long defined Jewish life in Omaha: compassion, inclusion, and the belief that community begins with individual responsibility.

For those who know the Roitstein family, Ayden’s story feels like a continuation of something deeply familiar. It carries forward a spirit that has sustained Omaha’s Jewish institutions for generations, where each new milestone becomes an opportunity to strengthen the bonds between people and purpose

The weather may have postponed that opening-day Challenger game, but Ayden’s gift made sure it will be played. His story is a reminder that the joy of giving can be as real as the joy of the game, and that sometimes the most meaningful plays take place long before the first pitch.

Building a Stronger Jewish Future — Together: Join Life & Legacy

"I would like my legacy to be that I did everything I could to improve the quality of life for Jewish people in general and the Jewish community of Omaha in particular."

MARK LIPPETT

A legacy is built not only through the actions we take today but through the impact we leave behind. Mark and Leigh Lippett’s commitment to Life & Legacy reflects their dedication to strengthening the Jewish community for generations to come.

By making a Life & Legacy gift, you ensure that vital programs, services, and institutions continue to thrive long after your lifetime—without affecting your financial situation today. Your participation also encourages others to consider their own legacy, helping to create a lasting culture of giving within our community.

The first step is simple: complete a Letter of Intent, which can be updated anytime to reflect your changing circumstances.

Join Mark and Leigh in making a lasting impact. Together, we can secure the future of Jewish Omaha for generations to come.

To learn more or to complete your Letter of Intent, contact Amy Bernstein Shivvers at ashivvers@jewishomaha.org

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 Nov. 13 and Dec. 11 from 57 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.

Film Festival

Continued from page 1

Belzer Endowment Fund, Special Donor-Advised Fund of the JFO Foundation, and the Klutznick Custodial Fund and the Miller Film Fund by Lindsey MillerLerman in memory of her parents Avy and Roberta Miller. Further supported by the B’nai B’rith Henry Monsky Lodge and our corporate sponsor, First National Bank of Omaha.

ORGANIZATIONS

B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS

The award-winning

Pay It Forward

Continued from page 1

gift is $10, $18, $36 or more.

Small gifts, united by a common goal, grow into powerful resources for programs that shape lives. Tzedakah is community-centered giving, sharing a “kupah” (community fund) is praised in the Talmud: it uplifts the collective and strengthens all members of the community. The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation follows this principle, offering a way for every individual, regardless of means, to be a builder of Jewish life and continuity These gifts help make sure that Jewish identity thrives, friendships blossom, and young people enjoy memories that last a lifetime.

Your gift supports:

• Federation-sponsored teen trips to Israel

• Preschool experiences at the Pennie Z. Davis Early Learning Center (ELC)

• Grants for youth group and Israel experiences

• Support for Friedel Jewish Academy

• Jewish summer camp adventures

• College scholarships and grants

New Tax Law: Give Smart, Give Easy

A recent change in tax law makes giving more accessible than ever, even for those who do not itemize deductions. Single fil-

ers can claim a charitable deduction up to $1,000, and couples filing jointly up to $2,000. Nationwide, this could mean as much as $20 billion more each year going to the causes we care about most.

Getting Started Is Easy:

• Make monthly credit or debit card payments-$10, $18, or $36 per month is welcome.

• Make a one-time gift now.

• Pledge a gift to be paid partially now and partially in the future.

• Designate the Pay It Forward Endowment Fund in your retirement plan, life insurance, will, or trust.

• Mail contributions to Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, Attn: Pay It Forward Endowment Fund, 333 South 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154, or donate online at www.jfofoundation.org

Every gift-no matter the size helps create proud alumni who remain engaged in Omaha’s Jewish life. Many who benefited from these funds as young people are now inspired to give back, demonstrating the “pay it forward” cycle in action. Omaha’s Jewish community values every member and every child. This year, join the movement. Pay it forward. Small gifts today create big opportunities for tomorrow.

Will’s Bookshelf: 52 Shabbats

Jewish Press Editor

At the Jewish Press, we regularly receive early prints of new books. We’ll try to keep our readers in the loop, and if you see anything you like, feel free to stop by the office and ask for a free book. We will happily share! Plus, some of them make for great presents.

Our Creative Director has generously offered his time and will be reviewing the books. This week, he read 52 Shabbats, written by Faith Kramer with photographs by Clara Rice. 52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen, a book by Faith Kramer invites everyone, regardless of religious background, to honor the tradition of Shabbat with a special meal on Friday evenings.

Whether you celebrate as a single, part of a couple, or with family members and or friends, each of the more than 90 modern recipes will add flavor and meaning to the table. The recipes, which have been inspired by Jewish commu-

nities around the world, add flavor and meaning to the Shabbat or holiday table, and offer a holistic scope of the Shabbat tradition for every reader, Jewish or otherwise. The book also explores holidays and symbolism of the Jewish calendar with new, seasonal recipes that explore old food ways as well as step-by-step directions for some of the fundamentals of Jewish cooking such as Friday Night Challah, Chicken Soup, and Almost Homemade Hummus.

Faith Kramer presents recipe pairings in a mix-and-match friendly format, incorporating dishes such as Pomegranate Molasses Brisket, Matzah Ball and Pozole Soup, or Sweetand-Tart Silan-Roasted Carrots with Lentils. Let’s hear what Will thinks about it:

Will this help you learn the difference between “Shabbat” and “Chabad?”

Fortunately, I knew what Shabbat was before reading (lapsed Catholics still learn about Sabbath!), but this was when I learned that “Chabad” referred to a wider movement in Judaism, not just a place here in Omaha.

What questions come up as you look through the recipes?

What do lentils taste like? How tricky are some of these sauces and marinades? How much of a difference would swapping kosher salt out for sea salt or Himalayan pink salt make, and why did an old housemate insist that there was no taste difference between different types of salt?

What looks the most attractive, as in, you can’t wait to try it?

Sweet-and-tart silan-roasted carrots with lentils. What would you never eat?

Anything with tree nuts. Mostly because I’d be running the risk of dying if I ate them.

For more information about the book and author, please contact: Trina Kaye | Phone: 310.963.3964 or email TrinaKaye@tkopr.com

For all other sales inquiries or questions, reach out to info@thecollectivebook.studio or visit their website.

JBL Spotlights the Glazer Brothers: A Family Legacy of Innovation

JAY KATELMAN

JFO Community Development Director

On Sept. 19, 2025, Jewish Business Leaders (JBL) was honored to host Jim and John Glazer of Elliott Equipment Company, one of Omaha’s great family-owned success stories. The Glazer brothers drew one of JBL’s largest audiences to date — more than 120 people gathered not only to hear their story but to “support the Glazer boys.” That kind of turnout speaks to decades of deep community connection.

Jim and John took the audience on a journey through Elliott’s extraordinary history, which began in the early 1970s when Glen and Eilene Elliott started the company out of their home in Fairfield, Iowa. Back then, garbage collection was a new concept for many rural towns as open dumps were being replaced with sanitary landfills. Glen spotted a unique opportunity — selling and servicing garbage trucks when almost no one else was doing it.

From those humble beginnings, the company grew steadily, moving operations to Davenport, Iowa, and later expanding across the Midwest. Today, Elliott Equipment Company operates five locations across seven states, serving municipalities and contractors from Iowa to Colorado.

At the heart of their growth is a timeless principle Glen set early on: “The customer is the number one priority. If we don’t make the customer happy, they won’t come back.” That value-driven foundation continues to define Elliott’s culture.

President and CEO Jim Glazer shared how much of Elliott’s success comes from empowering people:

“No employee here is just a number. Every employee has the chance and the opportunity to succeed and build not just a career but a life at Elliott. And we want to give as many people as possible the ability to do it.”

That focus on people — and their ability to adapt — has helped Elliott stand apart from much larger competitors. The company remains nimble and responsive, able to engineer custom solutions that meet specific customer needs. As John reflected, “We used to be the little guys at industry conferences. Now we’re the ones in the spotlight.”

Elliott’s story also reflects Omaha’s broader manufacturing spirit. The company recently reaffirmed its commitment to the city by restoring the historic Bemis bag-making plant, now easily recognized by its bright yellow roofs along I-80. The facility stands as both a symbol of innovation and a tribute to Nebraska’s industrial heritage.

Alex Epstein, Executive Vice President of OMNE Partners and Founder of Jewish Business Leaders, praised the Glazers for their enduring vision and authenticity:

“It’s truly incredible what Jim and John have built at Elliott Equipment Company. They’ve combined old-fashioned work ethic with forward-thinking innovation, all while staying grounded in their values and community. Hearing their story reminded all of us that lasting success isn’t just about growth — it’s about integrity, family, and knowing who you are. We’re deeply grateful they shared their journey with the JBL community.”

Epstein added another reflection on the evening:

“The Glazers represent what makes Omaha special — entrepreneurs who build something real, give people careers, and never lose sight of their roots. Elliott’s success proves you don’t have to be the biggest to make the biggest impact. Their story is proof that consistency, humility, and heart still win in business.”

A special thank you to our sponsors who make events like this possible. Platinum Sponsors: Bridges Trust, OMNE Partners, and CFO Systems LLC. Event Sponsors: Elliott Equipment, FNBO, and Alex Epstein.

Celebrating a Century of Community

MARK MARTIN

JCC Executive Director

As 2025 draws to a close, we reflect on a truly remarkable milestone at the Staenberg Omaha JCC—our 100th anniversary. While much has changed over the last century, our mission is the same: we strive to provide the community with social, cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities – all within one of the best facilities in Omaha. Here is a recap of the last 10 months and a peak at what next year has in store.

Planning for JCC programming never takes a break. Just two weeks after summer camp wrapped up, our team was already deep into preparations for 2026. In fact, the 2026 camp brochure will be printed and ready for distribution in early January. Last summer, hundreds of Jewish campers from kindergarten through 7th grade joined us for an unforgettable experience—and I’m happy to report that every Jewish camper was able to enroll without a waitlist.

Not only will the summer of 2026 bring a new variety of camp programs, but we will have a significant addition to the Pavilion building itself. We are hopeful the Kaiman Family Pavilion will be completed by the first week in June. This new space will allow campers of all ages to eat lunch and celebrate Shabbat together, as one J Camp community.

Our summer camp program has earned recognition from the American Camp Association as one of the top day camps in the nation. We’re one of only two camps in the entire state of Nebraska to hold this distinction, placing us among the elite 10% nationwide.

Next summer, we’re expanding our offerings with new sports camps, theater camps, premier camps, STEM experiences, and even an advanced 3D printing camp. And for our youngest members, the ELC’s Camp Shemesh continues to provide joyful, age-appropriate summer fun.

Speaking of the ELC, have you seen our totally renovated playground? The whole backyard has been leveled (no longer a hill), synthetic turf installed, and a giant 20’ x 36’

shade structure added. A new, large, multiuse play structure with five slides and ADAaccessible ramp ensures every child can join the fun. The front trike track has also been enlarged with new sidewalks, tunnels, road signs, and even a gas station!

From energetic youth to active seniors, our innovative fitness programs are designed for everyone. We offer free group exercise classes for young people—blending yoga, cardio, and stretching in a fun, engaging way. Seniors enjoy a wide range of land and aquatic classes, and our lazy river is reserved for adults from 9–11 a.m. on weekdays.

And who said pickleball is only for ‘older’ people? Not at the JCC with five professional indoor courts. On any given day, players of all ages enjoy spirited competition and camaraderie. Stop by to try it out and see why it’s America’s fastest-growing participatory sport!

If you are interested in becoming a member, we’d love to welcome you. Visit www.jccomaha.org to learn more. As we step into the next century of service, we look forward to growing with you, celebrating with you, and continuing to build a vibrant, connected community.

The Untested Cookbook

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

Andi Kavich

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl combine butter, shortening, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate and nuts. Mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls

2” apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a sheet for 2 minutes. Remove to rack and cool completely. Yields 36-48 cookies.

FRESH BLUEBERRY BATTER CAKE

Rose Schupack

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries

Juice of half a lemon

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp. margarine, softened 1 cup flour, sifted 1 tbsp. baking powder

⅛ tsp. salt

½ cup milk or rice dream 1 cup boiling water

Topping: ½ tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a well greased 8" by 8" by 2" pan with blueberries. Sprinkle it with lemon juice. In a large bowl cream sugar & margarine with an electric mixer. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder & salt. To the creamed sugar & margarine add milk alternately with flour mixture. Pour the batter over the blueberries. Mix topping ingredients. Sprinkle over batter. Pour 1 c. of boiling water over all. Bake for 1 hour. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. May use raspberries in place of blueberries. Cake can be made ahead.

“The Hebrew race has been waiting 4,000 years for Crisco.”

ADVERTISING

CAMPAIGN

Introducing new Kosher vegetable shortening 1942

Reader Survey

We want to know what you think!

Please scan the QR code and share your feedback.

TREE PLANTING

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

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, Melissa Shrago, 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

A Different Path

ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT

Jewish Press Editor

The front page of the Sept. 2, 1926 Jewish Press featured a short write-up about Los Angeles Rabbi Ernest Trattner. Why it landed on the front page, I am not quite sure, but it says something about what the Press staff assumed the readers were interested in a century ago.

“An announcement of interest to the entire Jewish community has been recently made public,” the story starts, “stating that Rabbi Ernest R. Trattner, young spiritual leader of the Temple Emanu-El, is to forsake the pulpit for an artistic career in the motion picture field. The announcement came as a complete surprise to the many Jews of Los Angeles.”

Of course, I had to do the research, but I found no evidence of a flourishing movie career. Apparently, the bright lights of Hollywood didn’t do it for him, and he went back to being a rabbi. Rabbi Trattner published several books, and was by all accounts very highly educated as well as highly decorated.

According to B’nai B’rith Messenger (nli.org.il), “Dr. Trattner is the spiritual leader of Westwood Temple, having resigned from Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills in January 1948. His new congregation expects to begin construction on the Westwood Temple sometime in the spring of 1949, at Wilshire Blvd. and Comstock.” The same publication also noted Rabbi Trattner received his degree of Doctor of Literature from Andhra University of India. He has 18 books listed on GoodReads.com, including Understanding the Talmud, Unraveling the Book of

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.

Books, and Architects of Ideas: The World’s Great Thinkers. Quite a few of his books are still in circulation. It’s entirely possible that some of you actually are really familiar with him, and I just didn’t know because I never went to rabbinical school.

I’m fascinated by Rabbi Trattner’s story. That this was relevant news to the members of his congregation, I do not doubt, but why did it end up on our front page? Was he related to anyone here? Was it so earth-shattering that a rabbi decided to change careers? And why did he sign the movie contract, only to go back to the pulpit? What happened, andby the way-why did he get his doctorate in India?

Movies, at that time, were still silent; Rabbi Trattner was by all accounts extremely wellspoken, so maybe it’s all for the best. The skill set it took to be a successful movie star in 1926, maybe it just wasn’t for him. Still, I’d love to know what happened, but the thing is: it takes a lot of sleuthing to find out anything about people who lived a century ago, unless they were extremely famous.

Today, we have not only become accustomed to knowing every detail about others, we’ve also become used to sharing the most mundane facts about ourselves. In 1926, without social media, without the demand for instant gratification, there remained some mystery.

Rabbi Trattner left behind his sermons, his books, but did not share what he had for breakfast or where he went for groceries. We find out nothing about his dating life, or where his favorite restaurant was. Did he have hobbies? Did he own pets, did he drive a car? We don’t know. The photo on this page is one of only two I found; there are no snapshots of Rabbi Trattner fishing, or dancing, or just walking down the street.

It's nice, actually. I imagine, were we able to ask him, he’d tell us he liked it that way. Because the words he left behind were deliberate and carefully chosen. If it weren’t for that one pesky news article about his short-lived movie dreams, we would never even know that there was, for just a fleeting moment, a different path in front of him.

In the tunnels of Gaza, hostage Eli Sharabi found a way to be a blessing

RABBA SARA HURWITZ

JTA

In synagogue this past Yom Kippur, someone handed me a machzor with a bookplate that read: “Dedicated by [X] in memory of Rabba Sara Hurwitz and Josh Abraham on the birth of Natan.”

Thank God, my husband Josh and I are very much alive. Somehow “in honor of” was replaced by “in memory of.” But my son, Natan, has just turned 9 years old — so what better reminder could there be to pause and examine my life? To ask the big questions that Shmuel in the Gemara (Yoma 87b) insists that we ask in the waning hours of Yom Kippur during Neilah: Mah anu, what are we? Meh chayeinu, what are our lives?

These questions don’t end with Yom Kippur. They echo back to the very beginning of our story as a people, when God calls Avram in Genesis 12:2, to leave his home with the divine promise: “I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.”

The structure of this verse, which will be read in most synagogues this Shabbat, is striking. God doesn’t say “I will bless you” (that comes in the previous verse). Here, God says something different: “You shall be a blessing.” Avrahram is not a passive recipient but an active agent. His very existence, his life itself, will be a source of blessing to others. This is God’s answer to Shmuel’s questions: What are we? We are blessings. What are our lives? Our lives are meant to be a source of blessing to the world. How do we live lives that fulfill this divine mandate?

This year, I hold these questions alongside the words of Eli Sharabi, the first hostage to publish his account of captivity. To call his book “Hostage” merely an autobiography misses its essence. It is a sacred text about what it means to live in darkness and fear and still choose life, still choose to be a blessing. In the tunnels of Gaza, stripped of everything, Eli was forced to answer Shmuel’s questions in the starkest terms imaginable: What am I? What is my life? You would expect the answer to be: I am nothing. My life is nothing. But instead, his answer reverberates with a fierce, almost defiant vitality: “I don’t want to survive just for them [his family]. I don’t want to live just for them. I want to live for myself too. For me, Eli Sharabi. I want to live. I love life. I crave it.”

If Eli, who lived for 491 days in constant hunger,

dealing with the brutality of his captors, living in the filth of the tunnels, without knowing if his beloved family were alive or dead — if he can still crave life against all odds, then I too, even when I feel shrouded in darkness and fear will not take what I have for granted, and I will embrace life.

To be a blessing begins with recognizing the gift of simply being alive, of breathing freely, off walking down the street. When we crave life itself, we become capable of blessing others. Eli writes: “I want

to breathe life, to walk free, to return to the open skies, to go back home, to work, to purpose…. To return to the roads, to driving, to walking down the street, to my simple regular worry-free day-to-day.”

Sadly, Eli was released to learn that his wife Lianne and daughters Noiya and Yahel were murdered on Oct. 7 and that his brother Yossi, too, had been abducted and then killed in captivity. This week, we watched as Eli and his family buried Yossi in Israel, at long last.

Still, Eli’s testimony offers something even more profound about what it means to fulfill “and you shall be a blessing.” In absolute darkness, starving, and humiliated, he and his fellow hostages created a daily ritual to think of good things that happened to them each day and express gratitude — from sweet tea to a day without humiliation. In hell, they chose to find gratitude and see the tiny miniscule blessings in their lives. And in doing so, they became blessings to each other.

Hope was the hostages’ spiritual practice. Grati-

tude became resistance. Searching for good was an act of defiance against fear, and a way of being a blessing to those around them. In the tunnels of Gaza, Eli wasn’t just surviving, he was creating a practice of blessing. This is what God means when telling Avraham “and you shall be a blessing.” You don’t need to wait for perfect conditions. You don’t need to be free, comfortable, or secure.

As we move forward into a new year, Shmuel’s questions travel with me, now illuminated by God’s command to Avraham: Mah anu. What are we? We are called to be blessings. Like Eli, can we search for good even in difficulty? Can we be sources of hope and light for those around us, even when we ourselves are struggling?

Meh chayeinu. What are our lives? God tells Avraham that his life will be a blessing. What about ours? Do we only celebrate the extraordinary moments, or can we embrace the mundane — like walking down the street, breathing, being free to be at home with our loved ones? This is the wisdom of someone who faced death and chose, deliberately, consciously, to love life and to be a blessing, not despite the darkness, but in the darkness.

This year, I will hold Eli’s courage and search for good even when it’s hard to find. I will strive to make hope and gratitude a daily practice. I will try to fulfill “and you shall be a blessing” — to raise up those around me, in big ways and small.

Rabba Sara Hurwitz is the co-founder and president of Yeshivat Maharat, and serves on the rabbinic staff at The Bayit – The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media

TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press at jpress@jewishomaha.org; or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. Readers can also submit announcements -- births, b’nai mitzvahs, engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at www.omahajewishpress.com/site/forms/. Deadlines are normally nine days prior to publication, on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Please check the Jewish Press, for notices of early deadlines.

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, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker, Dr. Beth Dotan. 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.

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: Pre-Neg & Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat 6 p.m. at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY: Bar Mitzvah of Ben Cohn, 10 a.m. at Beth El and Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K12), 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 5:45 p.m. Zoom Only.

SUNDAY: BESTT (Grades K-7), 9:30 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 9:30 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; Ruach Group Brainstorming Session, 1 p.m.

MONDAY: Beth El Baking Day, 10 a.m.

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

WEDNESDAY: BESTT (Grades 3-7), 4 p.m.; Hebrew High (Grades 8-12), 6 p.m.; USY Lounge Night, 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Tai Chi, 1:30 p.m. with Beth Staenberg.

FRIDAY-Nov. 14: L’Dor V’Dor Shabbat Pre-Neg & Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat 6 p.m. with Dr. Stephen Arnoff at Beth El & Live Stream.

SATURDAY-Nov. 15: Shabbatsana Yoga, 9 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10 a.m. with Dr. Stephen Arnoff at Beth El and Live Stream; Jr. Congregation (Grades K-12), 10 a.m.; Lunch & Learn with Dr. Stephen Arnoff following morning services; Havdalah, 5:40 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/Candlelighting, 4:53 p.m.

SATURDAY: Shabbos Cafe, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 3:55 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha, 4:40 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos, 5:10 p.m.; Shabbat Ends, 5:54 p.m.

SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Tomer Devorah & Kabbalah: Living the 13 Attributes of Mercy, 3 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha/Ma’ariv 4:55 p.m.

MONDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Monday Mind Builders, 4 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 4:55 p.m.; Women’s Chaburah Class 8 p.m.

TUESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 4:55 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:55 p.m.

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

a.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv 4:55 p.m.

FRIDAY-Nov. 14: Nach Yomi, 6:45 a.m.; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Candlelighting, 4:46 p.m.

SATURDAY-Nov. 15: Shabbos Cafe, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit 9 a.m.; Tot Shabbat 10:30 a.m.; Youth Class 10:45 a.m.; Soulful Torah, 3:55 p.m. with Rabbi Geiger; Mincha, 4:40 p.m.; Kids Activity/Laws of Shabbos 5:10 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:49 p.m. Please visit orthodoxomaha.org for additional information and Zoom service links.

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

FRIDAY: Pegisha at Crown Heights, NY, contact Mushka at mushka@ochabad.com for more info; Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 4:30 p.m., go to ocha bad.com/ lechayim to join; Candlelighting, 4:54 p.m.

SATURDAY: Pegisha at Crown Heights, NY; Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 5:54 p.m.

SUNDAY: Pegisha at Crown Heights, NY; 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.; 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-Nov. 14: Shacharit, 8 a.m.; Lechayim, 4:30 p.m., go to ochabad.com/lechayim to join; Candlelighting, 4:47 p.m.

SATURDAY-Nov. 15: Shacharit, 10 a.m. followed by Kiddush and Cholent; Shabbat Ends, 5:48 p.m.

a.m.-noon with Rabbi Alex at TI; Adult Ed: Feeling at Home in Synagogue Services: The Hows, Whys and Whens, noon with Rabbi Alex at TI.

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-Nov. 14: Shabbat Candlelighting, 4:51 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:30-7:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST.

SATURDAY-Nov. 15: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study noon on Parashat Chayei Sarah via Zoom; Havdalah, 5:52 p.m.; Potluck Dinner and Family Game Night, 6 p.m at SST. Please bring a dish to share for Potluck. Games are available to play, but feel free to bring one of your favorites.

LINCOLN JEWISH COMMUNITY: B’NAI JESHURUN & TIFERETH ISRAEL OFFUTT

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

FRIDAY: Shabbat Candlelighting, 4:58 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:30-7:30 p.m. led by Rabbi Alex at SST.

SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. led by Rabbi Alex at TI; Torah Study noon on Parashat Vayera via Zoom; Havdalah, 5:57 p.m.

SUNDAY: LJCS Classes, 9:30 a.m. at TI; 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 al bertw801@gmail.com; LJCS Family Education, 11

US downplays ‘little skirmishes’

PHILISSA CRAMER

JTA

Israel carried out a bombing campaign in Gaza on Tuesday in response to what it said was violations of the two-week-old ceasefire by Hamas.

Hamas, meanwhile, rejected the claim that it was behind a deadly attack on Israeli soldiers and said Israel’s bombing was the ceasefire violation.

The two developments, plus Hamas’ continued holding of 13 hostages’ remains, represented the biggest threats yet to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the two-year-long Gaza war. But U.S. Vice President JD Vance said he remained unconcerned.

“The ceasefire is holding,” Vance told reporters in Washington. “That doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be little skirmishes here and there.”

Vance traveled to Israel last week as part of a U.S. pressure campaign to preserve the truce and set the region on a path toward a deeper peace. Both Israel and Hamas have tested the terms of the ceasefire while saying they remain committed to it.

Hamas has not released the remains of all of

hostages as required by the ceasefire and on Monday night returned remains belonging to a murdered Israeli whose body had previously been returned to Israel. Video footage from Gaza appeared to show

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Credit: Nathan Howard-Pool/Getty Images

Hamas placing the remains underground before retrieving them to hand to the Red Cross for transport to Israel — a charade that the Red Cross denounced as “unacceptable” in a statement.

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; Tot Shabbat, 5:45 p.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: Second Sunday Breakfast Service, 9 a.m. at Stephen Center; Grades PreK-7, 9:30 a.m. In-Person; Grade 6 Parent Meeting, 10:15 a.m. In-Person.

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

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

FRIDAY-Nov. 14: 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-Nov. 15: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m. In-Person & Zoom; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. InPerson & Zoom; Grade 5 and 6 Lunch and Learn, 11:30 a.m. In-Person.

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

Hamas said it would halt the planned release of another hostage’s remains on Tuesday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he ordered “immediate and powerful strikes in Gaza” following a meeting of his security advisors. The strikes followed an attack on Israeli soldiers in Rafah, a portion of Gaza that remains under Israeli military control. One soldier was killed in the attack, which Hamas said it did not carry out.

Hamas said it did not carry out the attack and that the airstrikes, which it said killed dozens of people in Gaza, represented a violation of the ceasefire. But it said it remained committed to the truce, which has so far allowed it to reassert control within Gaza. A second phase, required once all hostages are released, calls for Hamas’ disarmament. Vance said he understood that an Israeli soldier had been attacked. “We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the president’s peace is going to hold despite that,” he said. And Trump said, as he has before, that Hamas would face steep consequences if it did not comply with the truce’s terms.

Life Cycles

IN MEMORIAM

NAOMI “NONI” KITNER

Naomi “Noni” Kitner passed away on Oct. 20, 2025 in Orlando, FL. Services were held on Oct. 27, 2025 in Miami, FL.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Murray and Charlotte Kitner and her grandparents, Jake and Lillian Brookstein.

She is survived by brothers and sisters-in-law, Michael (Helen) Kitner and Bart (Bonnie) Kitner; nieces and nephews, Erica, Ryan (Emilie), Nikki (James), Mariah and Portia; and by many cousins, family and friends.

Naomi graduated from McGill University, studied at Stanford University, and received her master’s in clinical psychology from the University of Central Florida. She launched her career as a

Remains of Omer Neutra returned to Israel

PHILISSA CRAMER

JTA

Hamas has returned remains belonging to Omer Neutra, an Israeli-American who was killed while serving in the IDF on Oct. 7, to Israel. Neutra was one of two IsraeliAmerican soldiers killed that day, along with Itay Chen, whose bodies were still being held by Hamas weeks after the start of a ceasefire under which the group was required to release all hostages. Hamas has released deceased hostages intermittently and with snafus that have tested the truce.

On Nov. 2, Hamas transferred remains that it said came from three deceased hostages, which if confirmed would reduce the number of Israeli hostages in Gaza to eight. Neutra was the first to be positively identified.

Neutra, who was 21 when he was killed, was the son of Israeli parents who grew up on Long Island. Following graduation, he moved to Israel and enlisted in the military. He was serving as a tank commander on Oct. 7.

“They will now be able to bury Omer with the dignity he deserves,” the family’s statement said. ““Omer has returned to the land he loved and served. His parents’ and brother’s courage and resolve have touched the hearts of countless people around the world.”

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 November 7 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Shawarma

Friday November 21 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Chicken schnitzel

Friday December 5 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

BBQ ribs

Friday December 19 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Latke Reuben

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

mental health counselor at Osceola Mental Health. Following her passion for helping people through her work as a licensed mental health counselor she devoted herself to her clients for over 25 years in private practice in Orlando. She was a very loving, kind, gentle and empathetic person who cared deeply for others. She will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her and will be in our hearts forever.

Memorials may be made to honor the memory of her grandparents to the Jacob and Lillian Brookstein Endowment Fund for the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home or the Jewish Press.

ANNOUNCEMENT

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING works! Place your 25 word ad into thousands of Nebraska homes for $225. Contact the Jewish Press or call 1-800-369-2850.

HELLO NEBRASKA! Introducing www.nepublicnotices.com, a new public notice website presented as a public service by all Nebraska newspapers. Free access, fully searchable – because democracy depends upon open government and your right to know.

BANKRUPTCY RELIEF! Help stop Creditor Harassment, Collection Calls, Repossession and Legal Actions! Speak to a Professional Attorney and Get the Help You NEED! Call NOW 844-215-3629

AFFORDABLE PRESS Release service. Send your message to 155 newspapers across Nebraska for one low price! Call 1-800369-2850 or www.nebpress.com for more details.

FOR SALE - INSURANCE

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insuranceNOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your

FOR

SALE - INSURANCE

FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-855-490-4149 www.dental50plus.com/81 #6258

GET DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-877-688-4784

HOME SERVICES

DOES YOUR basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundations, sinking concrete and nasty crawl spaces. FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate. $250 off ANY project with code GET250. Call 1-844-958-3431

THE BATHROOM of your dreams in as little as 1 day. Limited Time Offer - $1000 off or No Payments and No Interest for 18 months for customers who qualify. BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Call Today! 1-855-451-2244

SERVICES - PUBLISHING

BECOME A Published Author. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance Publishing-Trusted by Authors Since 1920 Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution Call for Your Free Author`s Guide 1-877-858-2822 or visit dorranceinfo.com/Nebraska

WANTED TO BUY

WE BUY 8,000 cars a week. Sell your old, busted or junk car with no hoops, haggles or headaches. Sell your car to Peddle. Easy three step process. Instant offer.

War battered their Berlin hummus bar. News

SHIRA LI BARTIV

BERLIN | JTA

At a hummus restaurant in Berlin’s leafy neighborhood of Prenzlauer Berg, war has come knocking many times over the last two years. Recently, it came with the threat of closure. Jalil Dabit, a Palestinian, and Oz Ben David, an Israeli, have run the business together for 10 years.

Dabit and Ben David named their restaurant Kanaan — a Hebrew and Arabic word for the ancient land they both call home, before it was known as Israel or Palestine.

They have a mission beyond bringing the best hummus to Berlin. They turned Kanaan into a local symbol of IsraeliPalestinian dialogue, organizing free programs that teach about cooking and prejudice. One project joined Palestinian refugees who fled Gaza during the war together with members of Berlin’s Israeli community to cook under one roof. A rainbow sign outside the restaurant reads, “Make hummus not war.”

But in August, the partners issued an emergency plea.

“Kanaan is facing closure,” they announced to customers.

Dabit and Ben David have continuously fended off the Gaza war’s encroachment on their business. On Oct. 7, 2023, they closed for six days. Ben David said he felt driven to quit after his friend was killed and his family members hid in their safe room from the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Be’eri. Dabit coaxed him back from despair.

The unlikely duo supported each other even as their message cost them Israeli and Palestinian friends from home. Ben David grew up in Ariel, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank; Dabit comes from Ramle, a mixed city in central Israel where his family has lived for hundreds of years. He had 16 family members in Gaza when the war broke out, all of whom since escaped to Australia. In Berlin, their restaurant has been tested by tensions over the war. Both far-right and far-left fac-

tions have protested the “normalization” of an Israeli and a Palestinian working together.

In July 2024, Kanaan was vandalized after hosting a JewishMuslim brunch. The attackers shattered wine glasses, destroyed furniture, spread excrement and left hate messages throughout the restaurant. Months later, an Israeli woman

was assaulted by four people while wearing Kanaan’s signature pin, which depicts a heart divided between the Israeli and Palestinian flag. One of the attackers shouted “Israel muss weg,” or “Israel must go,” while they knocked the woman to the ground and kicked her.

More recently, Ben David said they faced a downturn in revenue. Their customers were dwindling and they struggled to keep up with rising costs and high rent. He reached out to an email list of previously loyal customers, asking for feedback about why they weren’t returning. The responses weren’t about the food.

One answer came back clearly: People couldn’t figure out how to place Kanaan’s message of dialogue and coexistence.

“‘We don’t understand if you are pro-Israel or pro-Palestine.’ That’s something that we heard a lot,” said Ben David. Another response came down to fatigue with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After reading and watching news about the war for two years, when they finally had a break, many customers said they’d rather go out for sushi or Italian food.

Two weeks from bankruptcy, Ben David and Dabit tried to explain the restaurant’s significance to their community. “Kanaan was never just a restaurant,” they wrote on social media. “It’s a place where Israelis and Palestinians work together, where all guests eat together, where food is more than just enjoyment. … It’s a bridge between people.”

The following weeks saw a stunning change in fortune. Kanaan filled up again with a 300% increase in diners. Catering orders poured in, while many customers bought vouchers for the future. The support wasn’t just financial, said Dabit.

“When people react to our call, they give me — not just Kanaan, but also Oz and me — they give us the energy to continue,” he said. “They show us that we’re doing something right, even though it’s a really bad situation, but we’re doing something right.”

For now, the restaurant can keep going. Back home, the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas saw the last 20 surviving Israeli hostages returned in exchange for 1,968 Palestinian prisoners on Monday, as scenes of ecstatic reunions and continued grief washed over Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

Dabit and Ben David said they were filled with joy and relief, mixed with yearning for a lasting peace and reconciliation.

“The ceasefire feels like a breath of fresh air after so much suffering,” said Dabit. “It’s bittersweet, but it’s an opportunity for change. This is our chance to write a new narrative for our future.”

Read more at www.omahajewishpress.com