Celebrations

Brian and Christa Balanoff announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Simon Joseph, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at Congregation Beth Torah.

Simon is the grandson of Arnold and Diane Balanoff, Leawood, and Charles and Sylvia Ruble, Umatilla, Florida. He has a sister, Olivia.

Relatives and friends are invited to worship with the family and to attend the Kiddush luncheon following the service.

Simon loves computer programming and gaming, art, music and spending time with friends. He is active in Boy Scout Troop 61 and loves being outdoors, camping and learning. He also loves skateboarding and has combined his love of skating with his Mitzvah project. He will be collecting items for donations to Skate for Change, an organization of volunteers who travel the city on skateboards distributing care packages to those who need them.

Jane and Joseph Martin announce the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Leah Dafna, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.

Leah is the granddaughter of Michael and Sharon Blumenthal and Linda Martin and the late H. Nelson Martin, Leavenworth, Kansas. She has one brother, Daniel.

Relatives and friends are invited to worship with the family and to attend the Kiddush luncheon following the service.

Leah is a high green belt in karate, plays guitar and volleyball, and enjoys cooking, crafting and spending time with friends. Her community service project included raising money from a bake sale for the Leavenworth Interfaith Community of Hope homeless shelter, and volunteering her time to organize the shelter’s storage area.

Janna and Daniel Rosenthal announce the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Emma Rebecca Rosenthal, at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at Congregation Beth Shalom.

Emma is the granddaughter of Susan and Ernest Rosenthal of Overland Park, Kansas, Susan and Kenneth Cohn of Arlington, Virginia, and Theresa and William Schuster of Aiken, South Carolina. Emma has one younger brother, Benjamin. 

She enjoys playing soccer, basketball, traveling, babysitting and spending her summers at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. Emma’s Bat Mitzvah project involved raising money and preparing meals and snack bags for the Ronald McDonald House of Kansas City. 

Relatives and friends are invited to worship with the family and attend the Kiddush luncheon following the service.

Tamara and Maxwell Lemieux of Wichita announce the birth Nov. 16, 2018, of Sydney Lavon Lemieux. Grandparents are Marcy Gaynes, Stuart and Kelly Gaynes, and Steven and Cheri Lemieux all of Overland Park. Great-grandparents are Stephen and Marianne Gaynes of Boynton Beach, Florida, Al and Ann Lemieux of Overland Park and Sue Stonefield (of blessed memory).

Vicki and Andrew Widman announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Reece Henry Widman, at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at Congregation Beth Shalom.
Reece is the grandson of Sharon and Mike Milens, and Sherry Widman and Marshall Widman. He has a brother, Will.
Reece plays the clarinet, does gymnastics and enjoys art and hanging out with friends. For his mitzvah project he collected money to make 227 snack bags for the Ronald McDonald family room at Children’s Mercy Hospital. He also made freezer meals and snacks for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.
Reece is excited to be having a B’nai Mitzvah with his dad, Andrew Widman.

Scott Steffens and Grace Slosburg announce the birth Jan. 7 of a daughter, Mollie Elizabeth Steffens.
Grandparents are Carolyn and Steve Steffens of Overland Park and Patti and Danny Slosburg of Mission Hills. Mollie’s great-grandmother is Vida Prince of Clayton, Missouri.

Alix and Richard Jacobson announce the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Jaden Rachel Jacobson, at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at Kehilath Israel Synagogue.
Jaden is the granddaughter of Howard and Rosalyn Jacobson. She has a brother, Jackson.
Jaden enjoys basketball, volleyball and the Royals.
Relatives and friends are invited to worship with the family and to attend the Kiddush following the service.

Lori and Scott Myron announce the birth Jan. 2 of a daughter, Ella Victoria. Ella is the sister of David Louis Myron.
She is the granddaughter of Linda and Steve Gooen of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and Zahava and Steve Myron of Seymour, Indiana.

John and Beth O’Bryan announce the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Hallie Michelle O’Bryan, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at The New Reform Temple.
Hallie is the granddaughter of Sherry Abramowitz of Overland Park, Kansas, and Clifford and Kathleen O’Bryan of Mission, Kansas. She has a sister, Sarah.
Hallie loves figure skating, diving, running and arts and crafts. She loves to bake and has donated her baked goods to “No Kid Hungry.” Hallie serves on the Junior Board at Indian Hills Middle School.

Rachel Zoller and Jacob Lipsman of New Orleans announce the birth Nov. 9, 2018, of their son, Murray Joshua Lipsman. Grandparents are Janet Mark and Frank Lipsman of Kansas City, Missouri, and Debbie and Leon Zoller of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Great-grandmothers are Lorraine Siegel of New York City and Mildred Zoller of Scottsdale, Arizona.