Stacey Abrams is making a name for herself as one of the most influential politicians in Biden’s presidential victory last month. This crucial influence came from her fight against voter suppression in the traditionally red state of Georgia, actively turning it into a purple swing state.
The Jewish Community Relations Bureau|AJC and Southern Christian Leadership Conference will hold their annual Martin Luther King Jr. interfaith service on 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10. It is a virtual event that will be streamed on the JCRB|AJC Facebook page.
In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, The Midwest Center for Holocaust Education presents a Zoom program by Professor Oren Stier, a religious studies scholar. The event is scheduled for Wednesday Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. Visit (mchekc.org/ihrd/) to register for the Zoom presentation
Skip the grocery shopping and the cooking and reserve a catered Shabbat dinner. Curb side pickup offers a convenient way to obtain a “take and warm” kosher meal so that you can enjoy a relaxing Shabbat. Kosher Shabbat curbside “Meals-to-Go” will be available for purchase on Fridays, Jan. 15 and Feb. 19
JFS staff and volunteers ready food pantry packages for volunteer drivers who deliver to clients. (File photo)
By Stewart Ain JTA
The struggles of the newly poor come in all shapes and sizes: Jewish families turning to Jewish social service agencies for help paying electricity and mortgage bills. Isolated Jewish seniors on fixed incomes who, for the first time in their lives, are facing food insecurity and mental health issues exacerbated by social isolation.
As Helene Lotman was settling into her role as head of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, he was the one who came to her office on Day One with an orchid and who showed up on her first shabbat in town with housewarming gifts of challah, kosher salt and candles.
In a Hanukkah story, the Religion News Service highlighted the 9-foot tall menorah the New Reform Temple erected on its grounds. The story discussed several efforts around the country to safely celebrate Hanukkah during the pandemic with outside celebrations. “The idea of publicizing the miracle has always been important to us, but we’ve never really done it,” Rabbi Alan David Londy of the New Reform Temple told the news service. Not to be outdone, KCUR also featured the menorah in its own version of how faith organizations were getting creative during the pandemic holiday season.
By Lauren Mattleman Hoopes Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City
This has been a year like no other. For many, if not most of us, we are experiencing a once in a lifetime crisis. The coronavirus has disrupted everything about our lives, causing illness and economic hardship, and has physically separated us from our loved ones and our professional colleagues. It would be easy to become overwhelmed by the sense of loss. And yet …
The holidays looked quite different this year – thanks to COVID-19, but that didn’t stop the Women of KI (WoKIs) from celebrating the Hanukkah season with Eight Crazy Nights of COVID-friendly fun! Instead of their traditional Hanukkah dinner get together, the WoKIs ZOOMed their annual celebration. A holiday gift bag holding all the supplies needed to celebrate was assembled and delivered by Chanukah Harriet before the candle was lit.
