The meeting, which featured Jewish Federations of North America President Eric Fingerhut, celebrated and honored the achievements of the Kansas City Jewish community while also addressing the ongoing crisis and war in Israel.
Jewish Federation also recognized the milestone of reaching its 90th year in operation in Kansas City.
Co-chaired by brothers Barry, David and Eric Kaseff, the meeting began with a pre-recorded d’var Torah by Rabbi Steve Burnstein. Rabbi Burnstein grew up in the Kansas City Jewish community and currently is the rabbi of Kehilat Birkat Shalom at Kibbutz Gezer, in Jewish Federation’s partnership region of Gezer in Israel.
Moshit Snir, a social worker at Jewish Family Services and leader in the Kansas City Israeli community, lit a yahrzeit candle in memory of those lost since the Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas in Israel.
This year’s annual meeting was Federation President and CEO Jay Lewis’ first, and he emphasized how much the community and Federation impact means to him.
“I love the Kansas City Jewish community. I owe everything I have…my family, my career, everything to this Jewish community and am so lucky I get to wake up every day and get to work to make this city and this Jewish community a better place to live and raise a Jewish family,” Lewis said.
Lewis addressed the successes of Federation and the community over the past year, including raising more than $3.2 million for aid to Israel since Oct. 7. He also addressed Federation’s responses to the 2021 Jewish community study, which showed that nearly half of Jews in Kansas City do not feel a part of the organized Jewish community and do not feel that it is relevant to them.
“Regardless of what part of town you live in; whether you grew up in Kansas City or not; who you are married to or partnered with; what your pronouns or gender identification are; whether you believe in God; whether you have been to Israel; whether you keep kosher… everyone belongs in this community,” Lewis said. “That’s it. Hard stop. We need every person and organization to spread the message that ‘You Belong in This Community.’”
Other Federation initiatives, such as its “Just Because” microgrants and SeeKC, were also highlighted.
Additional speakers included Greyson Rubin, chair of Federation’s Young Adult Division; and Peter Mallouk, president and CEO of Creative Planning, who spoke on philanthropy and wealth management.
Awards and elections
Community Program of the Year was awarded to KC USY’s Gesher Kinnus, an annual USY convention to strengthen the local and regional connections of Jewish teens. Ben Novorr and teens at Congregation Beth Shalom planned all programming.
Jewish Federation Educator of the Year Award for 2022-2023 was presented to Judy Jacks Berman, director of the Rose Family Early Childhood Education Center at Congregation Beth Shalom.
The Dan Fingersh Young Leadership Award was presented by Pella Fingersh to Lindsey Fineman for continuing the legacy of Dan Fingersh (z”l) in being a community leader and changemaker.
New members of the Federation board are Sarah Beren, Neil Miller and Louis Stein. Erin Berger was reelected for an additional two-year term.
Officers on the board include:
- Board Chair Beth Liss
- Board Chair-Elect and 2024 Financial Resource Development Chair Sondra Friedman (newly elected)
- Vice-Chair at Large Amanda Palan
- Vice-Chair of Israel and Overseas Barry Kaseff (newly elected)
- Vice-Chair of Allocations Jeremy Antes
- Secretary Barb Bloch
- Treasurer Michael Fineman
- Immediate Past Chair Amanda Morgan
All nominations and elections faced no objections.
