10/13/26

Between Omaha and Israel: A Home Far From Home

By Itay, Community Shaliach

When I returned to Omaha in early September after visiting Israel, something felt different. I was coming back to a place that felt familiar. Walking into the Federation, visiting our synagogues, and seeing people I knew, I realized that I felt at home.

I hadn’t expected that feeling to become so strong. Israel is my home and being far away can be difficult. But here in Omaha, I have found another kind of home. It is a home built through relationships, conversations, and people who have welcomed me into their lives. This past month, I understood more deeply what that means.

As October 7 approached, I kept thinking about how I wanted to remember that day with our community. There are many ways to honor a memory. This year, I wanted to do it through art. I learned of the Wings of Hope global art project and knew it would be a beautiful way for our community to create something special together.

The Wings of Hope project honors Livnat Kutz (Z”L) and her family, who were murdered on October 7. The original Wings of Hope were created in July 2023 by Livnat and members of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, located in southern Israel. The wings were an art installation made from old plastic toys collected by the community. They were assembled on the wall of a shelter and symbolized sustainability, creativity, optimism, and a sense of community belonging.

Following the October 7th attacks, Livnat’s remaining family and friends invited other communities to build their own version of the wings. The goal of the project is to carry forward the values that Livnat brought into this world. The project expanded into a global movement. Jewish institutions around the world began collecting used plastic toys and building their own sculptures and murals.

We started our project by asking community members to donate used or broken toys. Soon, people were stopping me to say, “I have another toy to bring you”.  The donations kept coming and I could feel how much people wanted to be involved. That meant a lot to me.

Together with Shiri Phillips, we built the wings with students from Friedel Jewish Academy, BBYO teens, and teens from our synagogues. Toys that had once been part of someone’s childhood became part of a beautiful memorial that we created as a community.

One of our building sessions with the teens took place on October 7 itself. That was a very difficult day for me.  I was there on October 7th, 2023.  I lost friends in battle. This year, I spent much of the day crying. Even from Omaha, the memories of that day felt very close.

That evening, I went to work on the Wings of Hope project with our teens. Being around them helped. Talking with them, listening to them, and working alongside them brought a smile back to my face. I was still sad, but I also felt grateful. I remember thinking how lucky I was to have these young people in my life and to be surrounded by this community. I know it is okay to grieve and to make room for difficult days. That evening reminded me how much it matters to have people beside you when you do.

For me, protecting Israel also means protecting a home for the Jewish people, wherever we live. Seeing our community in Omaha come together to remember reminded me how deeply that connection reaches across the distance. On a day that felt so personal and painful, it meant a great deal to know that I was not carrying those memories alone.

We proudly unveiled our finished Wings of Hope sculpture at the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Community Campaign Kickoff on October 12th. Soon our wings will find a permanent home on the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus. When people see them, I hope they recognize it something they helped build. Whether they donated a toy, worked on decorating the wings, or encouraged the project along the way, our community made it happen.  Most importantly, our set of wings helps Livnat’s memory live on.

When members of Livnat’s family heard about what we were doing in Omaha, they were deeply moved. They sent us a video from Israel, thanking our community. Knowing that something we made here touched their hearts means so much to me. I made sure our young people understood that too: their time and care reached a family thousands of miles away. Together, we made a difference. We did a mitzvah. For me, that is what shlichut is about: creating connections that matter to people on both sides of the ocean.

When I returned to Omaha in September, it felt like home. On October 7, surrounded by our teens, I understood why.