In an effort to connect its Jewish students with the broader Jewish community, KU Chabad organized a tour of Jewish Kansas City aimed to provide students a glimpse into post-college Jewish life.
The tour was specially tailored for members of the KU Chabad Sinai Scholars Society, a program created to foster intellectual Jewish exploration and discourse among Jewish students.
The trip began with a visit to the Michael Klein Collection at the Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, one of the largest and most diverse Judaica collections in the United States. Led by local philanthropist Michael Klein, the students explored the collection’s items from Jewish communities across centuries and continents. Objects related to holidays, rituals and life cycle events were highlighted by Klein.
Abby Magariel, the curator of the collection, emphasized its unique role in bringing Jewish history and traditions to life.
“College students are great contributors to an ongoing conversation about the Jewish cultures represented in the Klein Collection,” Magariel said. “We are excited to continue learning alongside them.”
After the visit, KU junior Robbie Metz praised the dedication to preserving Jewish culture.
“I was extremely impressed by the level of dedication for the Judaica collection,” Metz said. “The collection captured the epitome of maintaining our culture's rich history and demonstrated the diversity of the Jewish people. It gave me the motivation to continue educating myself further in Judaism.”
Students then embarked on a Kosher product scavenger hunt at the Hen House Market kosher deli. KU Chabad’s goal was to teach the students that it is easy to shop with kashrut in mind, saying that more than 70% of the products on the shelves in the grocery store are now kosher.
Following the scavenger hunt, students attended a hands-on scribal arts workshop led by Rabbi Berel Sosover, who offered insights into Torah scroll and mezuzah writing and allowed students to craft their own mezuzah cases.
Josie Safir, a KU senior, shared that a highlight of the trip was getting her Hebrew name written by the scribe.
“It was really interesting to see firsthand how a scribe writes and the rules behind it,” Safir said. “Seeing how Rabbi Sosover wrote our names gave me a greater appreciation for how much dedication, hard work and talent goes into writing the text for a mezuzah and a Torah. It was a special experience to see and learn from the only certified scribe in Kansas.”
The day concluded with a discussion on the Jewish perspective on love and intimacy led by KU Chabad Co-Director Nechama Tiechtel and a tour of Mikvah Chana at the Chabad House in Overland Park.
The tour also included a visit to the Kansas Jewish Preschool with the intent of showing students the benefits of Jewish education for children. The day concluded with a kosher dinner and discussion.
“It was so enjoyable to be able to learn about the different aspects of Judaism and see Jewish life in Kansas City,” KU junior Aidan Charlip said. “The trip was enriching, being able to see the Judaica collection, and I got to see a mikvah that is used on a regular basis. The trip as a whole was something that I would not be able to get by doing any other Jewish learning program.”
The semester-long Sinai Scholars program, comprising eight classes, focuses on foundational principles of Jewish faith and human civilization from the perspective of Jewish teachings. Through weekly discussions, a field trip, Shabbat experiences and paper writing, students engage with topics ranging from faith and family to medical ethics and business principles.
More information about the Sinai Scholars program is available at sinaischolars.com and jewishku.com/portfolio-item/sinai-scholars. More information about KU Chabad is available at jewishku.com.