SMILE, YOU’RE ON CANDID CAMERA — The focus of our spring Jewish Life magazine is on teens who recently became a Bar or Bat Mitzvah here in the Kansas City area.
If your child, grandchild or favorite niece, nephew or close family friend became a Bar or Bat Mitzvah in the past year or so, we are looking for treasured photos from the happy occasion. We may not be able to print all of these photos, but we would love to see them. We’re not simply looking for party pics, although those are fun and we love them. We’re interested in all types of snapshots, including posed photos taken prior to the event because of Shabbat photo restrictions. If you have a photo you’d like us to consider, please email a high resolution or large file photo/s to . You may also call 913-951-8425 with questions. Can’t wait to see all those beautiful smiles!
NO MORE RABBI FOR TRUMP — In late December we reported that Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg, a Kansas City native, had established a Facebook group in support of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Following Trump’s second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, the rabbi decided to close the group. It is Rabbi Rosenberg’s opinion that the Trump campaign has not been responsive to him or the group and he no longer believes Trump “fully supports Israel and the Jewish people.”
CAROLE KING ON PBS — The new documentary “American Masters — Carole King: Natural Woman,” premiers nationwide at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, on KCPT. It is part of the 30th anniversary season of the American Masters series. The DVD will be available Feb. 23 via Virgil Films. Weaving previously unseen and rare performances and home movies with a new, exclusive interviews with King, the documentary delves into the singer-songwriter’s life and career. This year marks the 45th anniversary of her breakthrough album “Tapestry,” released Feb. 10, 1971. The Jewish singer-songwriter celebrated her 74th birthday Feb. 9.
JEWISH GROUPS SLAM TED NUGENT FOR ANTI-SEMITIC GUN CONTROL POST (JTA) — Right-wing rocker Ted Nugent came under fire from Jewish groups for a anti-Semitic Facebook post blaming prominent Jews for pushing gun control.
On Monday, Nugent shared a graphic featuring images of 12 Jews — including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer — branded with images of Israeli flags below the words: “So who is really behind gun control?”
Alongside the graphic, which has previously appeared on anti-Semitic websites, Nugent wrote:
“Know these punks. They hate freedom, they hate good over evil. They would deny us the basic human right to self defense & to KEEP AND BEAR ARMS while many of them have tax paid hired ARMED security! Know them well. Tell every1 you know how evil they are. Let us raise maximum hell to shut them down!”
Jewish organizations quickly condemned the post.
“Ted Nugent has a long history of being an equal opportunity offender. But his latest share on Facebook, making the outrageous suggestion that Jews are behind gun control, is nothing short of conspiratorial anti-Semitism,” said an Anti-Defamation League statement signed by CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Wiesenthal Center, said in a statement: “Ted Nugent has every right to advocate against gun control laws. However he won’t be getting a free pass for his anti-Semitic bigotry. There are Jews on both sides of the gun control controversy and Nugent knows it. He owes our community an apology. He can start by removing the offensive graphic and if he won’t we urge Facebook to do it for him.”
In the graphic on Facebook, the Jewish politicians and activists are labeled with descriptions, such as “Jew York City Mayor Mikey Bloomberg” and “Sen. Chucky boy Schumer.” Over Emanuel’s face, the text reads: “Served in Israel’s army during Gulf war.”
Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz and U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, both California Democrats, are also among those targeted.
Nugent, the voice of 1970s hits like “Stranglehold,” is an avid hunter, a board member of the National Rifle Association and a strong supporter of the Republican Party. He has a history of making inflammatory statements.
