JCRB|AJC Kansas City applauds Moran for NO HATE Act
In a recent email statement, JCRB|AJC Kansas City said it was “thrilled” by the U.S. Senate’s passage of the NO HATE Act, as an amendment of the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act. The bill was co-sponsored by Kansas Senator Jerry Moran.
“Collecting information on hate crimes across the country will help us better understand the daily threats facing racial, religious and ethnic communities in the U.S.,” Moran said in his remarks on the Senate floor. “Hate crimes are unacceptable, and it’s important that state law enforcement officials have the resources to report hate crimes to the FBI to help end the senseless and targeted violence aimed at minority communities. I appreciate my colleagues who have worked diligently to bring this to the floor and for quickly passing our legislation.”
JCRB|AJC also expressed gratitude to Missouri Senator Roy Blunt and Kansas Senator Roger Marshall for their support of the NO HATE act. JCRB|AJC and its Muslim Jewish Advisory Council have been working to advocate for the bill.
Jewish Experiences Collaborative Seeking New Director
Representatives of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City and The J said they remain “very committed” to their Jewish Experiences collaborative on the heels of what they termed a mutual parting of the ways with director Penina Hoffnung.
The comments came in an April 15 email to members of the Jewish Experiences advisory committee. The email came from Samantha Hammontree, chief operating officer of The J, and Annie Glickman, development and philanthropic engagement officer with the Federation.
The collaboration began in the fall, billed as a way to broaden Jewish engagement programming. One key focus is reaching underserved segments of the local Jewish community, including the LGBTQIA community.
Hoffnung came to Kansas City after spending three years as the senior manager of community engagement for Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Hammontree and Glickman said a search for a new director will begin immediately.
Mazel Tov to Rabbi Stephanie Kramer
Rabbi Kramer was named to the board of directors for the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) earlier this year. She was selected from more than 2,000 rabbis for the position.
The CCAR is the professional group for Reform Rabbis. According to the CCAR website, “members lead the Reform Movement on important spiritual, social, cultural and human rights issues...”
Kramer will begin her new role as The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah’s senior rabbi this summer, upon the retirement of Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff.
JCC Shooter Asks For Appeal
Frazier Glenn Cross, the man who killed three people in attacks on the Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom in 2014, has appealed to the Kansas State Supreme Court to overturn his death sentence. His attornies appealed on the basis that Cross should not have been allowed to represent himself during his original trial, and that the death penalty is unconstitutional.
Cross, who is also known as Fraizer Glenn Miller, is an avowed anti-Semite who said he shot his victims because he wanted to kill Jews. His three victims — William Corporon, Corporon’s grandson Reat Underwood, and Teresa LaManno — were all Christians.
A Nutcracker By Any Other Name
The J - Jewish Community Center and the White Theatre are planning to debut a Jewish version of the classic ballet The Nutcracker this December.
A poll was put up on The J’s Facebook page asking the community to vote on the name of the new production. Choices included: The Meshuggah Nutcracker, The Latke Maker, The Dreidel Ballet and The Nutcracker Menshe.
In the end, tradition (if not originality) won out and the winning name is... The Jewish Nutcracker.
Tickets On Sale For Auschwitz Exhibition
General admission tickets are now on sale for the “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.” exhibition that’s opening at Union Station this June. According to Union Station, nearly 30,000 tickets have already been sold to people from 38 states (advanced VIP tickets have been on sale since last year).
The exhibition will include more than 700 original objects — including hundreds of personal items — and 400 photographs from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. Kansas City is one of only two U.S. locations to receive the exhibition.
The Midwest Center for Holocaust Education is the official educational partner for the exhibition and will be setting up speaker events, providing docent training, and writing educational materials and conducting courses for teachers.
“Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.” will run through January 2022. To purchase tickets, visit www.bit.ly/NotLongAgoTickets.
