Update from Bob Goldberg

Hello friends,

I hope you have had a wonderful week and that you are finding opportunities to get outside as the weather starts to warm up. Here are some of the ways in which we are engaging with the community this spring.

It’s the “Yoms” time of year, when we commemorate Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), observe Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day), and celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence Day). This year’s community Yom HaShoah commemoration was an impactful experience organized by the Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE). The Alan J. Levine Theater filled up with more than 250 guests to experience the traditional candle lighting service and the powerful play “When We Go Away.” Thank you to Scott Littky and Jane Nesbit of the IHE, and our volunteers, for their efforts to bring this program to the community.

Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut are on back-to-back days, which is an emotional swing going from the sadness of remembering those who have given their lives defending Israel, to the joy and celebration of independence. This year’s Yom HaAtzmaut Family Celebration packed the Staenberg Omaha JCC gym in honor of Israel’s 75th anniversary. Thank you to our volunteers, event sponsors, and staff for making all the fun possible.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 10 as we host Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Eric will have recently returned from the JFNA General Assembly that took place in Tel Aviv. The community is invited to meet Eric and hear from him May 10 at 6pm at the Happy Hollow Country Club. Amy & Sandy Friedman and Candice & Dusty Friedman chair this special event. For information and to register click here.

The Nebraska Jewish Historical Society (NJHS) was founded in 1982 by Mary Arbitman Fellman and Oliver Pollak to collect, publish and display materials which pertain to the family, business and social histories of the Jewish Community of Nebraska and Council Bluffs. After more than 40 years of operating as an independent organization, the NJHS and the JFO have agreed to merge NJHS into the JFO as a new agency. I want to thank the leadership of the NJHS and our JFO team who have worked diligently to make this merger a reality. Both boards have approved the merger agreement and it will now be presented to the membership for ratification at the JFO Annual Meeting on June 5. We are excited to welcome the NJHS into the JFO family and are eager to promote and strengthen the mission to preserve the histories of the Jewish families who settled in Nebraska and Council Bluffs, and to build on its success by promoting acquisitions, fostering research, and promoting projects and educational and cultural activities.

Finally, remember to join us on June 5 at the 120th Awards Night and Annual Meeting of the Jewish Federation of Omaha as we celebrate YOU, our amazing community. We will be highlighting the 40th anniversary of the JFO Foundation and the incredible impact its work has had in propelling our community forward. We hope to see you there.

Have a great day and Shabbat Shalom.

Bob Goldberg
CEO

10/14/25

Today is a day of hope and, we pray, the beginning of healing for the hostages, their families and all of Israel.
Read More

Update from Mike Siegel

Spring has sprung, and it’s a great time to be living in Omaha! The flowers are blooming, garden beds are being mulched, and we are leisurely walking to our cars after an errand. As we welcome our snowbirds back to town, I would like to highlight some great programs that are inspiring younger members in our Jewish community.

Young Omaha Emerging Leaders (YOEL) is finishing up its inaugural session. They have been learning about the community from our seasoned leaders through a variety of panel discussions. YOEL participants are fully engaged, asking thoughtful questions, and building skills to be future leaders in our community. This group will have the amazing opportunity to meet with the JFNA CEO, Eric Fingerhut, when he visits Omaha in May. Their training and hard work will culminate with a celebratory “graduation.” You can look for these graduates to be joining committees and boards across Jewish Omaha in the near future. I am confident these young leaders will positively impact many organizations. A huge thank you to Stacy Feldman for spearheading this program.

Earlier this year, your Federation started a pilot program for one-on-one mentoring. The program currently has five pairs of mentors and mentees. The goal is to inspire younger members of the community to become more involved in Jewish Omaha. The pairs meet every few weeks to discuss their volunteer experiences, learn about JFO agencies, and discuss their vision moving forward. Giving future leaders a point of contact strengthens intergenerational relationships. As with any pilot program, there is open dialogue between participants and JFO staff so improvements can be made moving forward.

The number of teens participating in Omaha’s B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO) has been growing over the last few years. In February, 17 local teenagers traveled to the BBYO International Conference in Dallas, TX. BBYO teens meet weekly to plan events, discuss current Jewish issues, understand their Jewish identity, and brainstorm ways to get more of their peers involved in Jewish life. This past week BBYO held their annual Chocolate Passover where they gathered for a Seder. Thank you to Jacob Geltzer, BBYO/Teen Director and generous volunteers who work with our BBYO teens to ensure the program continues to thrive.

The JFO Board understands the importance of developing our future generations into community leaders. I speak from experience as I am a product of an earlier training model, Jewish Omaha Leadership Training (JOLT). YOEL, BBYO and the pilot mentoring program help ensure the sustainability of our Jewish life in Omaha. With so many volunteer and leadership opportunities available in our broader community, it is incumbent upon us to be proactive in attracting young people to engage in Jewish Omaha.

Shabbat Shalom,

Mike Siegel
JFO President

10/14/25

Today is a day of hope and, we pray, the beginning of healing for the hostages, their families and all of Israel.
Read More

Update from Phil Malcom

Please pardon our dust!

If you’ve been around the campus recently, you’ve likely noticed that we have a number of projects moving forward. These projects represent the next phase of our community’s growth, and I’d love to share some updates with you regarding them.

Several months ago, I mentioned that we were working on a new museum to tell the history of our community. This space will showcase the ways the Jewish community has made an impact in Omaha, the surrounding region, and throughout the country. I am pleased to say that this week we began construction on this facility, and we are planning an August opening. The Milton Mendel and Marsha Kleinberg Jewish Omaha Heritage Center will be the beating heart of our campus and will be a fantastic place to bring your family and friends to help them learn more about the community’s long history here. We are so thankful for our partners at the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society who are helping us bring this vision to reality. See the video below for a sneak peek!

You’ve also likely noticed the two projects happening right now on the south side of the property. Friedel Jewish Academy’s middle school expansion is well underway, and they plan to open for a new seventh grade class in August. Our thriving Jewish day school is vital to both our present and future community. Similarly, our new pickleball facility is under construction in the location of the old outdoor pool and will be a key part of our plans to engage more seniors and families. Look for a grand opening of this facility in fall as well.

Finally, shortly after wrapping up these projects, we plan to begin a renovation of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home and an expansion to accommodate the growing short-term therapy needs of our community. This project is aimed at enhancing the quality of life for our seniors and ensuring our services are tailored to the next generation of residents at RBJH.

This is a time of exciting change. Our community is thriving, and that is because of the hard work you all do every day to show up, to engage, to contribute, and to participate. THANK YOU, and let’s get ready for the next phase of our community’s development!

Shabbat Shalom & Chag Pesach sameach!
Phillip Malcom
JFO COO

10/14/25

Today is a day of hope and, we pray, the beginning of healing for the hostages, their families and all of Israel.
Read More