On a crisp, sunny morning, high school senior Gabe Goldstein carried an armful of donuts, bagels, napkins and water up the path to Mitzvah Garden KC at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.
Goldstein, along with roughly 20 other scouts and volunteers, were building fences to keep out rabbits. The project was the culmination of months of work by Goldstein as part of earning his Eagle rank, a mark of distinction among scouts.
Soon, Goldstein will join a decades-long tradition by becoming an Eagle Scout. He is a member of Scouts BSA Troop 61, a Boy Scouts of America troop whose charter was recently renewed by Congregation Beth Shalom.
“To get here, I had to plan and fundraise a project that impacts the community,” Goldstein said. “I got a lot of ideas from helping other scouts with their Eagle projects.”
The scouting experience in Kansas City
Scouts BSA is a nationwide organization divided into districts across the country. Community organizations, like churches, typically sponsor troops, and potential scouts can choose between different troops and find which one best fits their personalities and needs.
Troop 61 was started in December of 1925 in the partially-completed Congregation Beth Shalom building at 34th and Paseo in Kansas City, Missouri. Today, after nearly 100 years, there have been thousands of scouts and hundreds of Eagle Scouts who can trace their time back to Troop 61.
Troop 61 is the oldest Scouts BSA troop in the Kansas City area affiliated with a Jewish organization. The recently recharted Cub Scout Pack 3153, geared towards elementary-aged kids, finds its home at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy.
“Scouting instills values that simply cannot be replicated anywhere else,” said Brian Bell, Troop 61 scoutmaster. He is an Eagle Scout of Troop 61, as is his son, Jake. “I have worked with hundreds of boys now, and it teaches a love of the outdoors through campouts and hikes. It instills leadership and life skills with the help of a community of adult mentors.”
There are also additional educational components of scouting with Troop 61, Bell said, such as learning about citizenship, Judaism and real-world issues like the situation in Israel.
Scouts tend to be loyal and eagerly engaged with their troops. Eighth-grader Rex Hebberd has many diverse extracurricular commitments throughout the week, including music lessons, sports practices and activities at his synagogue, but scouting is a top priority.
“He always makes time for scouting,” said his mom, Stefanie Benson-Hebberd. “I have seen so much growth in his confidence in just the past year that he has been in Scouts. I was worried that participating in scouting for the first time in seventh grade would be difficult, but it hasn’t been at all. Everyone in Troop 61 has been so welcoming and helped him move through the ranks.”
Finding a home in Troop 61
Nearly 100 years ago, when Troop 61 was established, a Jewish troop might have been a necessity. Today, it can be considered more of a choice.
“The principles of scouting are universal, but Troop 61 is uniquely based on Jewish values,” said Richard Simon, Troop 61 committee chair. “We are the only troop to hold Shabbat services while at H. Roe Bartle summer camp, and we never schedule events in the middle of Shabbat or that conflict with a scout’s bar mitzvah.”
Joining Troop 61 was a no-brainer for Life Scout Eric Fine, whose uncle is an Eagle Scout.
“When my mom researched local troops, she knew Troop 61 would be a good fit,” Fine said. “My friends are in it, and I don’t have to worry about missing their bar mitzvahs because of a camp out, and I think my parents are happy because they don’t have to worry about bacon in the food.”
While many of Troop 61’s scouts are not Jewish, they are attracted by its welcoming and encouraging members.
“My grandson Christopher Uenishi joined Troop 61 after a year with another troop,” Teri Poth said. “He loved how easy-going and friendly Troop 61 was. This past summer, he went to Philmont Scout Ranch for wilderness camping, and he would say it was a highlight of his high school experience.”
Continuing to innovate
Scout troops across the country have evolved to better reflect society’s ideals. Welcoming girls into scouting and implementing stringent safety protocols are two examples. While Troop 61 is not yet large enough to support a girls troop, many siblings of Troop 61 can be found in Troop 6792.
Troop 61 has taken another innovative path by participating in Scoutreach, a BSA program aimed at expanding scouting to youth in underserved communities. Through the work of Brian Bell, along with the Heart of America Council, Troop 61 has welcomed Kansas City, Missouri-based Troop 53 into many of its activities. In June, the two troops camped together at H. Roe Bartle summer camp, where scouts swam, worked on badge advancement and enjoyed evening campfires. The two troops continue to have meetings and campouts together.
Looking toward the future, Troop 61 has regular meetings and recruiting events where new members are welcomed.
Planning for Troop 61’s 100-year anniversary event is underway. Like with its 75th anniversary celebration, the 100-year event will bring together decades of Troop 61 alums alongside the current scouts.
More information about joining the troop or its anniversary celebration is available by contacting .
