A Grand Givers to remember Due to the pandemic Kehilath Israel’s Grand Givers was held drive-in movie style in the K.I. parking lot, featuring Neil Berg and Friends. Despite these unusual times, K.I. Synagogue’s 44th Grand Givers, held on Sunday, Oct. 18, was a great success. Co-chairs Drs. Shari and Michael Sokol donned their creative hats and designed a “Grand Givers Like Never Before.” Grand Givers is Kehilath Israel’s largest fun and fund raiser of the year with entertainment, food and prizes.
Klein Collection virtual tours expanding during pandemic Susan Leviton Faced with an ongoing pandemic, and in possession of hundreds of beautiful Judaica pieces that speak to the history, culture and art that explains and defines Judaism across centuries and around the globe, The Michael Klein Collection at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah is expanding its offering of virtual tours. The tours, which are free of charge, are available both to the public and to private groups and focus on education through the stories that lie behind each piece in the collection.
KU Chabad delivers matzah ball soup for the soul Pictured is KU Junior Daniel Wachsberg with matzah ball soup and tea bags being delivered to a KU student who is feeling sick. When a student is far from home and their parents are miles away, who do they turn to when they’re sick? A parent could console them through the phone and tell them things will be alright. Watkins Health Center could help diagnose the issue and get the student some medicine. But only a dedicated Rabbi and Rebbetzin can be there to deliver the best cure: a steaming hot bowl of fresh matzah ball soup.
Sneak peek of KU Hillel students’ stories for Rock Chalk Shabayit KU Hillel gets together for some pre-Rock Chalk Shabayit challah baking. Watch the video at kuhillel.org, featuring Kaycee Krell, KU freshman; Sarah Glaser, KU senior and Development coordinator intern; Savannah Kannberg, KU Hillel Development & Marketing director; and Suzy Sostrin, KU Hillel executive director. KU Hillel is excited to bring Rock Chalk Shabayit to living rooms across the country on Friday, Nov. 6. Their famous Rock Chalk Shabbat has adapted to its online format this year, hence the new name, combining Shabbat and “bayit,” which is Hebrew for home. Hundreds of alumni, parents, students and friends of KU Hillel plan on tuning in and opening their Shabboxes together to celebrate Jewish life at the University of Kansas.
SevenDays® announces 2021 Button Art Competition — Creating art to illustrate kindness Members of the SevenDays® 2020 Planning committee gather with several button winners to show off their great designs. WANTED — Great designs by metro area high school artists (grades nine-12) to capture the themes of SevenDays® Make a Ripple, Change the World!
Faith Always Wins Foundation to host Interfaith Panel Bill Tammeus We are living in difficult times filled with divisive conversations through this election season. Many are dealing with isolation, illness and loss of life due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
JFS offers virtual volunteer training to help older adults JFS volunteer Ron Altman makes a call to check on one of the agency’s older adult clients. At Jewish Family Services, volunteers play a key role in helping its clients meet life’s challenges, including older adults. JFS is committed to providing its volunteers with numerous opportunities to help and the best training to do so.
Donated artwork beautifies The J’s new expansion ‘Shofar’ by artist James Michael Smith; acrylic on metal. Bold, vibrant and unique artwork, valued at more than $250,000, will grace the walls and hallways of The J’s new expansion and in the existing Fitness + Sports area. More than two-thirds of the pieces came from the personal art collection of philanthropist Michael Staenberg. The J purchased the remainder of the collection, designed specifically for the facility by Sara Jo Fischer, an art curator in Denver, who assists Staenberg. In total, there are more than 75 pieces of art.
New help for the 20,000 Jewish communal professionals who lost jobs during pandemic A new program already has provided hundreds of Jewish community professionals around North America with career support and resilience building. (GeorgiNutsov / Getty Images) By Michele ChabinJTA “Blindsided.” That’s how Melissa Engelberg felt after being laid off in April due to COVID-19 cutbacks.
Jewish Federation, Polsky family working to raise $1 million for PJ Library endowment The generosity of the Polsky family inspired others to give and made the PJ Library endowment fund in Kansas City possible. Pictured from left: Ellen and Larry Polsky, Renee Polsky Silver and Larry Silver, Harold Grinspoon , PJ Library founder, and Winnie Sandler Grinspoon, president of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. By Lacey StorerContributing Writer For 12 years, PJ Library has helped families with young children in Kansas City connect to their Jewish identities, traditions and values. Now, the establishment of the Polsky Family PJ Library Endowment will ensure that the program continues to provide free books and music to Jewish children in our community for years to come.