Longtime community leader Patricia Uhlmann will be installed as chair of the board for The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City during its upcoming 80th Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting, including a Vaad-supervised dessert reception, will be held at Oakwood County Club, 9800 Grandview Road in Kansas City, Mo. The entire community is invited to attend.
Uhlmann has been involved in helping people near and far through her work with the Jewish Federation. Her past leadership roles include chairing the Federation’s Allocations Committee, serving as campaign co-chair and as Women’s Division (now Women’s Philanthropy) president. She has also been extremely active on the national and international level with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, known more commonly as JDC. Uhlmann is currently a member of the JDC’s executive committee and is vice chair of the 100th Anniversary JDC “Shabbat Around the World.” She’s also been chair of JDC’s Europe Committee and its International Development Program.
Keynote Speaker: Will Recant
Because of Uhlmann’s close association with JDC, the organization’s Assistant Executive Vice-President for the International Development Program Will Recant will deliver the keynote address at the Annual Meeting. Recant will share insights from his work on “Rescue, Relief and Jewish Renewal: What that Means in 2013.”
Recant serves as the senior staffer for all of JDC’s non-sectarian and disaster relief programs. He coordinates projects relating to the rescue, relief and renewal of Jewish communities worldwide and develops non-sectarian programs. Through Recant’s work, he has helped provide relief assistance to disaster-affected countries, including India, Sri-Lanka, Kosovo, Rwanda and Haiti.
In addition to the installation of officers, a number of awards will be presented during the Annual Meeting to individuals and groups that have had a positive impact on Kansas City’s Jewish community. These include:
• The Community Program of the Year Awards
• Tracy Shafton, Dan Fingersh Young Leadership Award
• Denise Ellenberg, CAJE Jewish Educator of the Year
In addition to the installation of Uhlmann, Miriam Scharf will become immediate past board chair, completing her two-year term in office. Other Federation officers coming on board include: Stacey Belzer, Sarah Z. Beren, John Isenberg, Trudy Jacobson, Polly Kramer, Amanda K. Morgan, Shanny Morgenstern and Daniel L. Scharf, M.D. Incoming board members include: Herb Buchbinder, Bill Carr, Howard D. Ellis, M.D., Seth Freiden, Michelle Goldsmith, Paul Himmelstein, Beth Kaplan Liss, Peter Loftspring, Linda Lyon, Karen D. Pack, Robert Palan, Sandy Passer, Steve Ruben, Jessica Rudnick-Kaseff, Tracy Shafton, Joshua Sosland and Ira Stolzer.
The cost to attend the Annual Meeting is $18 per person and reservations are required. Please make reservations online by Tuesday, Sept.3, at www.jewishkc.org.
The Jewish Federation’s mission is to sustain and enhance Jewish life at home and around the world. Through our network of partners, we help feed, clothe, comfort and inspire people here at home and around the world through the more than 75 programs we support.
