Jewish Federation of Omaha

Omaha Community Holocaust Commemoration
2024-05-09 18:30 - 19:30 UTC | Temple Israel Synagogue, 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive, Omaha, NE, 68144
The documentary movie How Saba Kept Singing tells the remarkable story of how Cantor David Wisnia survived the Holocaust and his journey back to Poland with his grandson Avi, when they discover that someone else had a hand in David’s survival. The movie features music by both David Wisnia and Avi Wisnia, plus a brand-new original song composed for the film. The screening program will include a live musical performance and discussion with Avi Wisnia.

Community Conversations: Caring for Jews with Disabilities
2024-05-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Community Relations Council are excited to present an enlightening program featuring a discussion on people with disabilities in our community. The panel will be moderated by Nebraska State Senator John Fredrickson, whose day job is a mental health provider and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University teaching the next generation of Social Workers. Panel of experts include Tony Green, Nebraska DHHS Developmental Disabilities Director, Teresa Drelicharz, Jewish Family Service Executive Director, and Heather Topil, JFS Yachad Coordinator.

Mayor Stothert to recognize Jewish American Heritage Month
2024-05-29 15:30 - 16:30 | Milton Mendel and Marsha Kleinberg Jewish Heritage Center, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Each May, hundreds of organizations and Americans of all backgrounds join together to discover, explore, and celebrate the vibrant and varied American Jewish experience from the dawn of our nation to the present day.
Join Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, JCRC and the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society at the Milton Mendel and Marsha Kleinberg Jewish Heritage Center at the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus on Wednesday, May 29th, at 3:30 PM, as Mayor Stothert delivers an official proclamation recognizing the contributions Jews have made to Omaha since before Nebraska became a state!
Learn more…
Questions? Contact Pam Monsky, 402.334.6572 or pmonsky@jewishomaha.org.

2024 Awards Night & Annual Meeting
2024-06-03 18:30 - 20:30 | Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Please join us to celebrate our award recipients!Spotlight: Celebrating the 100th anniversary of BBYO!

Family Day at the Zoo
2024-06-09 09:00 - 12:00 | Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S 10th St., Omaha, NE, 68107
Join other families in Jewish Omaha for a fun day at the Zoo! If you don’t have a zoo membership: Meet at 9 A.M. at the main entrance, and PJ Library will pay for your admission! If you have your own membership, you can join us at any time.
schedule of meet-ups:
9:15 am Meet at the lion sculpture
10:45 am Friedel will provide kosher snacks at Glacier Bay Landing
Meet someone new or bring a group of friends.
This program is for families in Omaha’s Jewish community with children age 12 or younger and families with students attending Friedel Jewish Academy and the Pennie Z. Davis ELC.

Tapestry: A Celebration of Jewish Learning
2024-06-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
The Jewish Federation of Omaha is excited to share the beginning of a new annual initiative we are calling Tapestry: A Celebration of Jewish Learning. This year, Tapestry will take place Friday, May 31st – Sunday, June 9th and will feature guest scholar, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin.
Tapestry is an investment into strengthening our Omaha community’s Jewish literacy. Each year, The Jewish Federation of Omaha will bring a Jewish scholar to Omaha to collaborate with our congregations, JFO agencies, and partner organizations. Each host organization/agency will customize their own program during this ten-day period of learning. Host organizations/agencies will determine topic, mode of preferred learning experience, and setting that best serves the age group and interests of their participants. This year Rabbi Telushkin will engage in a variety of sessions, in a variety of formats, determined by our host organizations/agencies.
TAPESTRY IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY:

Jewish Federation of Omaha
Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation: Herbert Goldstein Scholarship Fund,
Ann Goldstein Education Programming Endowment Fund, and Klutznick Fund
Accommodations provided by Chabad of Nebraska

Dignity Grows Party with a Purpose
2024-06-18 12:00 - 14:00 | Swanson Towers, 8405 Indian Hills Rd, Omaha, NE, 68114
Please join us for a box lunch and “Packing Party”

NextGen Kosher Wine Tasting
2024-06-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Spirit World, 6680 Center St., Omaha, NE, 68106
Wine Tasting
Tuesday, June 25th*
6:00 PM
Spirit World, 6680 Center Street
$18/person

NextGen Sips, Bites and Wild Sights!
2024-07-11 19:00 - 22:30 | NE
Join your friends and your community for “Late Night at the Zoo.” Cost will include admission to the Zoo and one drink ticket. No cost for Ben Gurion Society members.
Thursday, July 11
7-10:30 PM
We’ll meet outside the front gates at 7PM

Lunch & Learn - Dr. Carmit Gal
2024-07-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Benjamin & Anna E. Wiesman Family Reception Room, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Join us to hear from our Israeli co-chair of the academia committee from the Western Galilee partnership – Dr. Carmit Gal
Areas of interest:• Cognitive behavioral therapy for building mental resilience in times of distress• Areas of memory and procedural learning• Sleep as a promoter of health and learning• Special education• Integrating children with special needs into regular schools

Open to all community & staff, we will have light snacks and refreshments. Reserve your spot!

Happy Hour Speakers Series
2024-07-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Sonny’s in Aksarben Village, 1905 S. 67th Street, Omaha, NE, 68106, United States
Calling all young professionals! Join us for the first Happy Hour Speaker Series event on Tuesday, July 16th, 5:30-7:00 pm at Sonny’s in Aksarben Village. Scott Hazelrigg, President at NorthStar Foundation will share invaluable insights on Leadership. No RSVP is required; just show up and enjoy! Your first drink is on us! For any questions, please contact Josh Sullivan at 402.639.9095.

JBL Bagels & Business
2024-08-16 07:30 - 09:00 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Andy Ruback
CEO Flood Communications
As chief executive officer since 2018, Andy ensures the overall success of Flood Communication’s talented team of professionals and extensive network of Television, Radio, Hispanic, and Digital products. Andy manages operational, financial, marketing, cultural and legal strategies for the company. He is proven in building media brands, engaging teams, and creating ideas.
With 20 years of communications and media experience, Andy is positioning Flood Communications at the forefront of the industry evolution and creating new models for user and advertiser success.

Event Sponsor: Alex Epstein
Platinum Sponsors: Bridges Trust, Jetlinx, OMNE, Valmont

Community Conversations - An evening with author Marc Dollinger
2024-09-04 19:00 - 20:30 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Black Power, Jewish Politics – Reinventing the Alliance in the 1960s
Marc Dollinger, the author of Black Power, Jewish Politics: Reinventing the Alliance in the 1960s, will be in Omaha on September 4, 2024, to discuss the re-release of his book. The event will focus on the complex history of the Black-Jewish alliance during the civil rights era and its evolution. Dollinger, a respected scholar in Jewish Studies, offers a fresh perspective on this topic, challenging many established narratives about the relationship between these communities during the 1950s and 1960s. This event in the ongoing Community Conversations series and is part of a larger initiative, the Capstone project from the inaugural cohort of the Rekindle program, which is organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). This program focuses on fostering dialogue and understanding between Black and Jewish communities through structured conversations and collaborations.
Admission to the September 4 event at 7:00 PM at the Staenberg Omaha JCC is free, but reservations are required. Register via email: pmonsky@jewishomaha.org.
Community Conversations are also made possible thanks to the generous support from the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Foundation, Anything Grants from the Staenberg Family Foundation, Harris Center for Judaic Studies at UNL, and the Special Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. JCRC Community Conversations – Black Power, Jewish Politics

Thriving With Anxiety-Teen Workshop
2024-09-08 17:30 - 18:30 | Benjamin & Anna E. Wiesman Family Reception Room, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
For teens ages 14-18
David H. Rosmarin PhD is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, a program director at McLean Hospital, and founder of Center for Anxiety, which services over 1,000 patients/year in multiple states. He is an international expert on spirituality and mental health, whose work has been featured in Scientific American, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.
Through his work as a clinical psychologist, scientist, educator and author, Dr. Rosmarin has helped thousands of patients and organizations to live happier and more productive lives. His most recent book is Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You. He can be reached via his website www.dhrosmarin.com

Thriving With Anxiety-Community Event
2024-09-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
“Transform Your Anxiety from a Burden to a Benefit”
David H. Rosmarin PhD is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, a program director at McLean Hospital, and founder of Center for Anxiety, which services over 1,000 patients/year in multiple states. He is an international expert on spirituality and mental health, whose work has been featured in Scientific American, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.
Through his work as a clinical psychologist, scientist, educator and author, Dr. Rosmarin has helped thousands of patients and organizations to live happier and more productive lives. His most recent book is Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You. He can be reached via his website www.dhrosmarin.com

Thriving With Anxiety-Parent Event
2024-09-09 08:30 - 09:30 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Open to all community parents of children ages 0-18 *Feel free to leave as needed for work and other responsibilities
8:00-8:30 AM…..Breakfast
8:30-9:00 AM…..Dr. Rosmarin speaks
9:00-9:30 AM…..Q&A
Dr. Rosmarin will be spending the rest of his time in Omaha with middle grade students at Friedel Jewish Academy during the school day.
David H. Rosmarin PhD is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, a program director at McLean Hospital, and founder of Center for Anxiety, which services over 1,000 patients/year in multiple states. He is an international expert on spirituality and mental health, whose work has been featured in Scientific American, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.
Through his work as a clinical psychologist, scientist, educator and author, Dr. Rosmarin has helped thousands of patients and organizations to live happier and more productive lives. His most recent book is Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You. He can be reached via his website www.dhrosmarin.com

Life & Legacy 10th Anniversary Celebration
2024-09-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Join us for our VIP Meet and Greet with Ari at 6:15 by completing a Life & Legacy Letter of Intent.
Click here to view the form: https://conta.cc/4cHRzTb
Dessert Reception to follow
Questions? Contact Stacie Metz at 402.334.6485 or smetz@jewishomaha.org.

JCRC hosts Rebecca Clarren
2024-09-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
The Jewish Community Relations Council is proud to announce that journalist and award-winning author Rebecca Clarren is coming to Omaha for two programs on September 18 and 19, 2024. The Community Conversation portion of the program on Wednesday, September 18 at 7pm will focus on a conversation surrounding her latest book, The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota and an American Inheritance.

A blend of history, journalism and memoir, The Cost of Free Land investigates how 20th-century federal policies that gave her ancestors – Jews fleeing oppression in Russia – free land on the South Dakota prairie and a pathway to the middle class, came at great cost to their Lakota neighbors. The book not only retells this entangled history but grapples with what can be done to reconcile the past.

“Memorable… Fascinating… A deft mix of personal and social history that recounts the transfer of Native American lands to non-Indigenous settlers, including Jews fleeing antisemitic violence. . . [The Cost of Free Land], troubling and inspiring, seeks a humane path toward restitution.”—Kirkus (*starred review*)

The following day, September 19 at 10 am in the Wiesman Reception Room at the JCC, Rebecca will hold a Torah study and workshop focusing on the Jewish community in Omaha and the relationship with Native tribes.
Rebecca Clarren’s book, The Cost of Free Land is available from the Kripke-Veret Library and local book stores.
Both events will be held on the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus, 333 S 132nd Street, and open to the entire community.
Contact Pam Monsky at pmonsky@jewishomaha.org for more information.

Get In The Game!
2024-09-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Alan J. Levine Athletic Facility, 333 S. 132nd Street, Omaha, NE, 68154
2025 Annual Campaign Community Kickoff Event
Get In The Game!
Featuring: Linda Cohn – ESPN Sportscenter & Ken Rosenthal – The Athletic, MLB on Fox

5:00 PM: Meet & Greet with keynote speakers, yard games, cocktails, and music by The Bagel Boys Band
6:00 PM: Buffet dinner provided by Star Catering
6:30 PM: Program and Awards
7:30 PM: Desserts from Kona Ice and Star Catering

Reservations due by September 12th
Casual Attire (Sneakers encouraged!)
RSVP NOW

Virtual Community One Read
2024-09-24 12:00 - 13:30 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Join the Jewish Federation of Omaha as we will zoom together The Jewish Book Council’s virtual Community One Read on Tuesday, September 24 in the Goldstein Community Engagement Center. The program will honor Dr. Ruth’s final book, “The Joy of Connections,” which is considered a guidebook to overcoming loneliness and fostering connections. Co-author of the book Allison Gilbert, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and speaker who focuses on managing grief and loss, will join psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author Lori Gottlieb for a heartfelt conversation.

No reservations are required for this FREE event and light refreshments will be served.

PJ Library: On the Farm
2024-09-29 14:00 - 17:00 | Nelson Produce Farm, 10505 N 234th St, Valley, NE, 68064
Taste of Jewish Omaha Series Kickoff
PJ Library enrolled families will gather at the farm to socialize, pick fresh produce, go on a scavenger hunt and learn more about the upcoming series Taste Of Jewish Omaha, sponsored by the PJ Library Engagement Grant for Implementing Partners. Please register, so we know to look for you!

Documentary - A Life Well Lived: An Account of David Kaufmann
2024-10-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
UNO’s College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media in conjunction with the Institute for Holocaust Education, B’nai B’rith Monsky Lodge, and the UNO Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies, present a screening of “A Life Well Lived: An Account of David Kaufmann.” This documentary tells the remarkable true story of David Kaufmann, a central Nebraska businessman, community leader, and philanthropist, whose actions impacted countless lives.
A Life Well Lived: An Account of David Kaufmann
Documentary Film – Free Admission
No Registration Required.
Sunday, October 6 | 7:00 pm
Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater- 333 S. 132nd Street, Omaha, NE 68154
The movie tells the remarkable true story of David Kaufmann, a central Nebraska businessman, community leader, and philanthropist, whose actions impacted countless lives.
David Kaufmann emigrated from Germany and settled in Grand Island in 1903. His contributions to his adopted hometown of Grand Island and other communities he conducted business in, including Kearney and North Platte, were extensive. Kaufmann believed one person could make a difference in the lives of others and sought to inspire others to do good where they could. Kaufmann’s most significant, and least known, act of service was his quiet sponsorship of Jewish families fleeing the Nazi regime. Included in those saved were Marcel Kahn and his family. Despite his selfless actions that saved many lives, Kaufmann never sought recognition for his humanitarian efforts.
The documentary features interviews with descendants of individuals Kaufmann helped leave Germany, historians, community leaders, and individuals who remembered him. Reenacted scenes were filmed in Grand Island, using local talent and support from the community. The project has also received generous support from various organizations, including History Nebraska, Humanities Nebraska, Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, Stuhr Museum, Buffalo County Historical Society, and the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Stories of the October 7th Attacks
2024-10-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Tuesday, October 8th
7:00 pm – #NOVA Documentary
8:00 pm – Q&A with survivor Ofri Avigdor Betser

Alan J Levine Performing Arts Theater
333 S. 132nd Street • Omaha, NE

Registration is required.
Click here to REGISTER for the DOCUMENTARY

LOL presents Carl Guerra
2024-10-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
HE MAKES COMEDY. HE MAKES MUSIC.
HE’LL MAKE YOUR SUNDAY AFTERNOON!
Carl Guerra makes laughter for a living!
Sunday, October 27, 2024 / 2ish–4ish
Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue
Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus • 333 South 132nd Street
Carl’s been making people laugh since he graduated from Cornell—which made his parents cry. He’s performed at New York City’s Dangerfield’s, The Comic Strip and The Improv. As well as appearances on Star Search and Evening at the Improv. Now, he’s landing in the middle of America to grace the LOL stage.
The laughs are FREE. And so are the after-show refreshments!
Sponsored by THE MEYERS FAMILY LEGACY OF LAUGHTER ENDOWMENT FUND of The Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation
MeyersFamilyLOL.org

Omaha Jewish Film Festival | Shared Legacies: The African-American Jewish Civil Rights Alliance
2024-10-27 18:00 - 21:00 | Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Whether you’re a film enthusiast or someone who enjoys viewing some of the latest and best Jewish-themed films, the Omaha Jewish Film Festival promises to provide you with a fulfilling cinematic experience. You can always count on a reasonable ticket price and a little nosh for the night.
Each night will be hosted by a different community member with a special interest in that evening’s film. In addition to introducing the film, your host invites you to join a short discussion and socialization after the film.
Host: Marty Shukert
Learn more and purchase ticket passes: www.jewishomaha.org/community-engagement/film-festival

Omaha Jewish Film Festival | Our (Almost Completely True) Love Story
2024-10-28 18:00 - 21:00 | Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Whether you’re a film enthusiast or someone who enjoys viewing some of the latest and best Jewish-themed films, the Omaha Jewish Film Festival promises to provide you with a fulfilling cinematic experience. You can always count on a reasonable ticket price and a little nosh for the night.
Each night will be hosted by a different community member with a special interest in that evening’s film. In addition to introducing the film, your host invites you to join a short discussion and socialization after the film.
Host: Sarah Abrahamson
Learn more and purchase ticket passes: www.jewishomaha.org/community-engagement/film-festival

Omaha Jewish Film Festival | Running on Sand
2024-10-29 18:00 - 21:00 | Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Whether you’re a film enthusiast or someone who enjoys viewing some of the latest and best Jewish-themed films, the Omaha Jewish Film Festival promises to provide you with a fulfilling cinematic experience. You can always count on a reasonable ticket price and a little nosh for the night.
Each night will be hosted by a different community member with a special interest in that evening’s film. In addition to introducing the film, your host invites you to join a short discussion and socialization after the film.
Hosts: Ilana Linthicum and Francisco Guzman Jimenez
Learn more and purchase ticket passes: www.jewishomaha.org/community-engagement/film-festival

Omaha Jewish Film Festival | Avenue of the Giants
2024-10-30 18:00 - 21:00 | Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Whether you’re a film enthusiast or someone who enjoys viewing some of the latest and best Jewish-themed films, the Omaha Jewish Film Festival promises to provide you with a fulfilling cinematic experience. You can always count on a reasonable ticket price and a little nosh for the night.
Each night will be hosted by a different community member with a special interest in that evening’s film. In addition to introducing the film, your host invites you to join a short discussion and socialization after the film.
Host: Gloria Kaslow
Learn more and purchase ticket passes: www.jewishomaha.org/community-engagement/film-festival

JFS Book Club Discussion
2024-11-03 11:00 - 2024-11-24 12:00 | Jewish Federation of Omaha, 333 S 132nd Street, Omaha, NE, 68154, United States
Jewish Family Service hosts Book Club Discussion
Sundays | 11:00 am-12:00 pm
November 3, 10, 17 & 24
Jewish Federation of Omaha, Conference Room A – 333 S. 132nd St.
The community is invited to join Rabbi Mordechai Geiger of Beth Israel Synagogue and Jewish Family staff Teresa Drelicharz and Annie Rifkin for a 4-part book club discussion on Thriving With Anxiety by David H. Rosmarin.
Register Here

Period Product Packing Party
2024-11-11 17:30 - 19:30 | Shirley & Leonard Goldstein Community Engagement Venue, 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha, NE, 68154
Tzedek Teens Volunteer Project with Access Period
Monday, November 11th in the Goldstein Community Engagement Venue at the JCC
All Jewish girls ages 12-18 are invited to combat period poverty with Access Period.
We will be creating period supply kits together for people in the Omaha and the surrounding community.
You can also earn volunteer hours for school requirements.
Dinner will be provided at 5:30 p.m.
Tzedek Project fro m 6:00-7:30 p.m.
