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Richard L. Berkley, the first Jewish mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, died on Nov. 29 at age 92.

The Kansas City Jewish community was well represented in Washington D.C. last week, with more than 50 people traveling to the nation’s capital to support and be part of the 290,000 people-strong March for Israel at the National Mall.

Community members, both current and former, were in Israel when Hamas terrorists brutally murdered and kidnapped Israeli citizens on Oct. 7.

A community-organized Havdalah service and candlelight vigil was held at Leawood City Hall last Saturday night for the more than 240 hostages – Israelis and other foreign nationals – abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7.

The Israeli flag at Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) Jewish fraternity at the University of Kansas was cut down and torn to shreds by vandals on Sunday night.

Donations to Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s Israel Emergency Fund, which was established in the wake of Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel on Oct. 7, have now exceeded $2.6 million.

The Jewish community welcomed Mika Kislanski, Kansas City’s new shalicha (Israeli emissary), last month. The Community Shalicha program is operated by the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI).

Donations to Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s Israel Emergency Fund, which was established in the wake of Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel on Oct. 7, have been matched dollar for dollar for the first $1 million raised thanks to an anonymous local family. 

Hamas had declared Oct. 13 “Global Day of Jihad” and a “Day of Rage,” but at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA), it was a day of support, love and community embrace. 

In the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas, the Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee Kansas City (JCRB|AJC) organized a special briefing on Israel featuring past AJC CEO David Harris.