Scheduled to take place in person on Sunday, Aug. 18, the annual Day of Discovery will bring new and returning presenters who will offer courses that cover a variety of topics.
Registration is now open at dayofdiscoverykc.org, and those interested can learn about this year’s sessions and presenters online.
Day of Discovery provides the unique opportunity for Jewish community members to discover the richness and diversity of Jewish learning in Kansas City.
This year’s event is being organized by Jewish Experiences, a collaboration of Jewish Federation and The J, and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City.
“Jewish Experiences is thrilled to present a diverse line up of sessions at this year’s Day of Discovery,” said Megan Pener, manager of Jewish Experiences. “Sessions are filling quickly, and we encourage interested participants to register today to enjoy a variety of topics presented by community leaders, rabbis and subject matter experts.”
Rabbi Michael Zedek, rabbi emeritus at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, is looking forward to presenting at Day of Discovery for the third time. His session, “Taking Miracles Seriously: A Journey to Everyday Spirituality,” expands on his recent book of the same name. Rabbi Zedek hopes to focus on two different items during the session.
“First, why is it that whenever a so-called miracle occurs in the biblical narrative, it never seems to produce what we would presume to be the obvious lesson or lessons that all will turn out well, that Moses and/or deity have everything under control? There must be some deeper meaning in this pattern,” he said. “Second, what possible meaning may that recognition have to enrich our lives?”
Rabbi Talia Kaplan, the newest addition to Congregation Beth Shalom’s clergy, is presenting at Day of Discovery for the first time and looks forward to connecting with others.
“I love learning with and from my students and strive to create a participatory environment in which we try to learn from rather than convince one another of our opinions,” Rabbi Kaplan said. “It is my hope that this session will be a comfortable place for any adult learner regardless of the nature of their relationship to Israel, Jewish observance and poetry.”
Rabbi Kaplan’s session, “From Psalms to Chagall: Classic Jewish Imagery in the Poetry of Dahlia Ravikovitch, 1998 Israel Prize Winn,” will focus on Ravikovitch’s work in translation, with Hebrew available.
“This session will feature a discussion of how the poet draws upon Jewish imagery, from the language of Biblical psalms to famous painters,” she said. “Participants can expect, regardless of familiarity with Hebrew or opinions about Israeli politics, to develop a deeper understanding both of Ravikovitch’s experience of Israeli society and of the place of contemporary poetry in the Jewish canon.”
Rabbi Zedek and Rabbi Kaplan are looking forward to presenting to connect with others in the community.
“It’s a joy to be part of the community, especially as we gather to celebrate the life of the mind, which happens to be a distinctive part of Jewish life,” Rabbi Zedek said.
“It is a privilege to get to support cross-communal endeavors and to teach people with various backgrounds and relationships to Judaism,” Rabbi Kaplan added.
The deadline to register for this year’s Day of Discovery is Friday, Aug. 9, and participants are asked to register early, as some classes have limited space available. Registration fees increase after Aug. 9.
Lunch will be available for purchase at a lower price if ordered before Aug. 9, or a higher price on the day of, with limited quantity available. The Vaad-supervised meals will be made by Kim’s Kreations.
This program is funded in part by the Federation.
More information is available at dayofdiscovery.org or by contacting Megan Pener at or (913) 327-8163.
Editor’s note: Chronicle staff will be teaching “More than a Century of Community Coverage — How The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle Reported History” during the third session, 1:15 to 2:30 p.m.
Session 1
9:30 to 10:45 a.m.
- Examining Jewish Undergraduate Student Sense of Belonging in U.S. Higher Education
- Presented by: Kim Kushner, UMKC Doctoral Student
- Exploring Reform Responsa
- Presented by: Rabbi Caitlin Brazner, Assistant Rabbi, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
- Jewish Heretics
- Presented by: Dan Margolies, Retired Journalist
- Protecting Democracy: Lessons from Nazi Germany
- Presented by: Dr. Shelly Cline, Historian/Director of Education, Midwest Center for Holocaust Education
- Shalom Bayit (Peaceful Home): Building Authentic Relationships in Interfaith Families
- Presented by: Andi Kahclamat, Marketing & Communications Director, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
- Taking Miracles Seriously: A Journey to Everyday Spirituality
- Presented by: Rabbi Michael Zedek, Rabbi Emeritus, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
- The Jewish Silver Artisans of Yemen
- Presented by: Abby Magariel, Educator/Curator, The Michael Klein Collection at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
Session 2
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- From Psalms to Chagall: Classic Jewish Imagery in the Poetry of Dahlia Ravikovitch, 1998 Israel Prize Winn
- Presented by: Rabbi Talia Kaplan, Congregation Beth Shalom
- Kansas City is a Thriving Jewish Community: A Perspective and a Dialogue
- Presented by: Jay Lewis, President and CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
- Making a Living, Not a Killing: Food Sanctity & Safety
- Presented by: Rabbi Edward AlterShmuel Shapiro, Executive Director, Vaad HaKashruth of Kansas City
- The Popes’ and the Jews’ Love/Hate Relationship
- Presented by: Rabbi Herbert Mandl, Ph.D., Rabbi Emeritus, Kehilath Israel Synagogue
- Understanding Antisemitism in this Current Moment
- Presented by: Sarah Markowitz Schreiber, Director of Education and Programs, JCRB|AJC
- Neta Meltzer, Director of Community and Government Relations, JCRB|AJC
- When the Rabbis Wrote The Life of Brian: Counter-Christian Polemics in the Talmud
- Presented by: Rabbi Mark Glass, Congregation BIAV
- The War in Gaza: A Strategic/Military Perspective
- Presented by: Bill Greenberg, US Army, Retired
Session 3
1:15 to 2:30 p.m.
- A Convert’s Journey Into Judaism
- Presented by: Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney Cohen, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy
- "Nation Builds a Military That Builds a Nation:" A Look Into The Connections Between the IDF and Israeli Society
- Presented by: Mika Kislanski, Kansas City Community Shalicha
- October 7, 2023 – Triggers, Underlying Causes, Context, and What Is Next
- Presented by: Prof. Rami Zeedan, Jewish Studies Program, the University of Kansas
- Inclusion in Jewish Tradition: From Sacred Texts to Today
- Presented by: Rabbi Monica Kleinman, Assistant Director of Programs (North America), Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
- Lindsey Lipsky, Director, Sasone, Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
- More than a Century of Community Coverage — How The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle Reported History
- Presented by: Sam Kricsfeld, Editor and Business Manager, The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle
- Lacey Storer, Assistant Editor, The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle and Marketing Manager, Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
- What Should We Be Teaching Our Religious School Students, And What Should a Bar or Bat Mitzvah Look Like?
- Presented by: Hazzan Tahl Ben-Yehuda, Congregation Beth Shalom
- The Talmud of Kosher Trader Joes: Jewish Life in an Online World
- Presented by: Ethan Helfand, Executive Director, KU Hillel
