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O C TO B E R 3 1 , 2 02 5 | 9 CH E S H VA N | VO L. 1 06 | NO. 03 | CANDLELIGHTING | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 6: 01 P.M.
Standing on Their Shoulders
Seven Lessons from Arrowhead Page 4
Rediscovering Federation Presidents MORRIS LEVY (1916–1923) The Father of the Omaha JCC
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ollowing Samuel Ravitz, who helped unite Omaha’s Jewish community, Morris Levy carried that unity forward. As the next Federation president from 1916 to 1923, he dreamed of a gathering place where Jewish life could flourish. That dream became the first Omaha Jewish Community Center, built three years after his passing. When we tell the story of Jewish Omaha, we often speak of buildings, the JCCs that have stood as gathering places for generations. But before there was a campus or a cornerstone, there was a dream. And that dream belonged to Morris Levy. Morris Levy came to Omaha from the East Coast and See Standing on their Shoulders page 3
Mezuzot of Nebraska Page 5
Recent additions to the Kripke-Veret collection Page 12
REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life Cycles
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Virtual read with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
Honoring legacy through art
HEIDI HEILBRUNN NEEDLEMAN JFO Assistant Director of Engagement and Education Gather at the Jewish Federation of Omaha for a virtual “One Community Read” with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at noon in the Wiesman Reception Room as she talks about her recently-published memoir, Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi’s Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging, with Abigail Pogrebin. Born in Korea to a Jewish-American father and a Korean Buddhist mother, Rabbi Angela Buchdahl is the first Asian-American to be ordained as a rabbi. She currently serves as the
MORGAN GRONINGER IHE This November, the Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE) invites the community to honor the legacy of Holocaust survivor and artist Sofia Davidson (z”l) through two special events and a monthlong exhibition. Hosted in the Eisenberg Gallery at the Jewish Community Center, the Sofia Davidson Art Collection is presented in partnership with the Goldrich Family Foundation (GFF) and the IHE. On Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m., the Institute for Holocaust Education will present an evening with artist Suzanne Horwich, the Consulting Curator for the Goldrich Family Foundation’s Sofia Davidson Collection. The evening will offer attendees an intimate look into the creative expression of Davidson, who shared her personal stories through art after the war. Please RSVP here: https://fundraise. givesmart.com/form/WSL7Jw?v id=1m921i
Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City. In each chapter, the Rabbi and author eloquently shares pieces of her personal story, weaving thoughtful parallels between her Korean and Jewish families. With honesty and warmth, she intimately See Angela Buchdahl page 2
Jona Goldrich The following week, on Thursday, Nov. 20, IHE will continue the conversation during its Third Thursday Lunch & Learn program, featuring Suzanne Horwich alongside Helen Pankowsky, granddaughter of Sofia Davidson. Together, they will discuss Gutentag’s work and the enduring impact of Holocaust education through art. Please reach out to Scott Littky, IHE Executive Director, at slittky@ihene.org, to See Legacy through art page 2