Pictured is Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel of KU Chabad joining in this transcontinental rabbinical celebration that turned into the longest Zoom meeting on record.

Each year the local Chabad rabbis from the Kansas City area lead a delegation to the world’s largest rabbinical conference — the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries. This year, with the conference conducted virtually, the local Chabad rabbis joined a virtual Zoom conference, which included workshops and discussions pertaining to the far-reaching work that Chabad does worldwide.

Hazzan Tahl Ben-Yehuda

The Sarah Peltzman Educational Series, Unit Two, begins Thursday, Jan. 7. Classes will be held 10-11 a.m. via Zoom. The cost is $15 per unit for new students who are not already participating in Peltzman classes.

KU Hillel wraps up a safe, eventful semester with weekly outdoor events, Shabboxes and meal deliveries. They are looking forward to a winter break full of exciting virtual programming.

As students in the University of Kansas Jewish community begin to head home for the semester, KU Hillel is reflecting on its first full semester since the onset of COVID-19.

In this year of COVID-19, with no possibility of an in-person event, Village Shalom has received a blessing and a challenge from a group of donors. Ronnie Baker, Irene Bettinger, Stanley Bushman, Charley Helzberg, and Frank Lipsman have come together with a $25,000 challenge grant in support of Village Shalom’s Ages of Excellence campaign. Ages benefits the one in four healthcare residents who are beneficiaries of this Financial Assistance Program.

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by Jewish people this time of year. The holiday focuses on religious freedom and generally is celebrated at home with the lighting of the Menorah each of the eight nights of the holiday. Small gifts are exchanged, traditional holiday foods (made with oil) such as potato latkes are enjoyed, and games of dreidel are played to commemorate the festival. This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown Thursday, Dec. 10.

Congregation religious school families are invited to a virtual interactive and engaging community Hanukkah educational experience from 10 to 10:50 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, in place of regular religious school morning sessions. Parents are encouraged to join in the fun and grandparents are welcome to participate!

Rabbi Mendy Wineberg with his granddaughter Menucha Perman, kindergarten; daughter Sarah Wineberg, fourth grade; and daughter Esty Perman.

By Marcia Montgomery / Associate Editor

Rabbi Mendy Wineberg of The Shul — Chabad of Leawood is over the moon about his granddaughter being the first of a third generation of students to attend Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy.

Rachel Black

By Sam Kricsfeld / 
Contributing Writer

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended virtually everything, and that includes Jewish studies, as an area cantorial student has discovered.

An Overland Park, Kansas, postal carrier provided much more than service with a smile for a Chronicle subscriber. (Credit: U.S. Postal Service)

Postal worker goes above and beyond for a Chronicle subscriber

By Mike Sherry / 
Editor

This has been a tough year for all of us, what with a raging pandemic and poisonous politics.