By Kelli White

Contributing Writer

Acclaimed sports medicine physician and author Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., is coming back to his hometown for a presentation and book-signing for his newest bestseller, “The Exercise Cure.” 

Dr. Metzl attended Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy through eighth grade and is a graduate of The Barstow School. He is a nationally renowned sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery, America’s premier orthopedic hospital located in New York City. A regular on NBC’s “Today Show,” he lectures nationally and internationally on issues of health, injury prevention and fitness. He has written five books and has appeared in media outlets such as The New York Times and National Public Radio (NPR) discussing the topics of preventive health.

Eleven-year-old Bree Katz may not have known it when she was just a preschooler, but what started out as an afternoon of fun and family bonding has become something family and friends near and far enjoy, “Brianna’s Cooking Show.” 

The show stars Bree, a fifth-grader at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, and is produced by her older brother, 16-year-old Jacob, a sophomore at the Jewish day school. 

The first show was produced about seven years ago when Bree was only 4. Jacob wanted to play around with his new video camera and Bree was hungry. She wanted to make scrambled eggs. The rest, as they say, is history.

Looking back, Vicki Katz said early on the cooking show was a way for her two children to get her to cook something they wanted to eat.

“They always want me to cook and I want to get out of cooking sometimes,” Vicki said. “As time went on, whenever they wanted me to make something, they would decide to make a cooking show.”

Rabbi Rachel Cowan is passionate about aging wisely. But what is it exactly?

“It’s an agenda for a new stage of life that has never existed before in human history, which is the healthy years between age 60 and 80,” Rabbi Cowan said. She went on to explain that while some people will still suffer from dementia or other terrible illnesses, the majority of people in this country can expect to live with health and energy and alertness during that time.

Rabbi Cowan will be in town the weekend of April 25-27 discussing the issue of Aging Wisely during several events. (See below for complete schedule of events.)

The rabbi, who is senior fellow and co-founder of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, an organization that works with rabbis, cantors, educators and lay leaders to deepen the spiritual dimension of contemporary Judaism, said we no longer live in a world where “people got old and then thought of themselves as old.”

By Carol Katzman

Special to The Chronicle

Little did Miamian Tomi Revai know that when he sat next to Rabbi Ari Rockoff at a Jewish Learning Institute in Virginia, it would lead to the transfer of a Torah from Kansas City to Cancun, Mexico.

Revai told the Long Island Rabbi Rockoff — brother of Rabbi Dani Rockoff, spiritual leader of K.C.’s Congregation Beth Israel Abraham & Voliner — that his son Danny had been travelling and surfing in Central America and met some Chabad friends in Nicaragua. When a newly formed Chabad House outside the capital of Managua needed a Torah, Danny persuaded friends and family in Miami and Venezuela to donate money to have a Torah repaired and sent there. Now one of Danny’s new friends was starting another Chabad House, this time on Isla Mujeres, a small island off the coast of Cancun, frequented by Israeli backpackers and surfers, as well as Jews from America, South America and Europe.

After nearly a year on the market, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah closed the sale of its Jeannette and Jerome Cohen Retreat Center on Feb. 27, 2014. The sale price was not disclosed. 

The 91 acre property, located in Cleveland, Mo., originally was acquired by The Temple B’nai Jehudah Brotherhood Camp Corporation, with financial support from Jeannette and Jerome Cohen, in 1979. The Brotherhood Camp Corporation gifted it to the general congregation in 1984. B’nai Jehudah members enjoyed retreats, picnics, camping and outings at the Cohen Retreat Center during this time.

Barbara Bayer, Editor

ANOTHER RISSIEN PARODY — Every time I looked at Facebook Monday I saw a link to Matt Rissien’s latest YouTube video, “Let Them Go,” a Passover parody of the “Let It Go” song from the Disney movie, “Frozen,” made famous by the performance of Idina Menzel. As you may remember, Matt’s family belongs to Kehilath Israel Synagogue. He is a graduate of the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy and a KU grad who was an active participant of both KU Hillel and KU Chabad. The video was partially filmed at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, Ill., where he serves as director of youth activities. Several of its USYers co-starred in the video. You can watch it and sing or hum along at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3OO9LdcZtk.

HBHA BEIT DIN — As we told you last month, HBHA hosted students and teachers from all over North American the last weekend in March for the RAVSAK annual Beit Moot Din competition. HBHA’s team of Jacob Katz (10), Lindsey Paul (10), Hannah Pinson (10) and Ezra Smith (11) repeated their excellent result from last year and won second place in their division! A hearty mazel tov to all!

NOMINATE A TEEN INTERN — Stand With Us, an organization that describes itself as “an advocacy organization that promotes education and understanding that will bring a secure future for Israel and her neighbors, is accepting nominations for the MZ Teen Internship. Nominations are due April 13. The MZ Teens program is a high school leadership program that prepares students for the challenges they may face regarding Israel in college and in their communities. Students participate in a yearlong program that includes two national conferences, ongoing educational online workshops, and they receive guidance and funding to run programming in their high schools and youth groups. Students are encouraged to participate in positive campaigns that inspire their peers and educate people about Israel. The MZ program staff is comprised of former StandWithUs Emerson Fellows and youth professionals. Two were chosen from the Kansas City area last year: Rachel Kennelly from Pembroke Hill School and Morgan Krakow from Shawnee Mission East. Learn more and find applications at http://www.standwithus.com/aboutus/mzteens/?wc=6. 

Consumer alert

The Vaad HaKashruth sent out an alert on Monday advising Jewish consumers that expired cans of Manischewitz Gefilte Fish (28 pieces, 7 pounds) have been sold in at least three local grocery stores.

If you purchased a product that matches that description, you should check for two identifying codes: UPC code 072700007306 (the bar code) and the four-digit code stamped on either the top or bottom of the can. It decodes as follows — the first three digits represent the day of the year and the fourth digit represents the year of expiration.

For example: 1883 means the product expired on the 188th day of 2013, or July 7, 2013.

The Chronicle checked with both Manischewitz and the distributor, KeHE distributors. Both companies stated that the expired product was shipped in error and has been removed from grocery shelves locally and throughout the country.

Manischewitz encourages consumers not to eat any of its products past their expiration date and to return the products to the store for a full refund.

Vice President of Sales Kevin O’Brien said Manischewitz is no longer using that coding system. All Manischewitz products manufactured today are now “open coded,” meaning they are clearly marked with the date of expiration.

O’Brien invites any consumer who has questions to contact the company’s consumer affairs department directly at 201-553-1100, ext. 2505. Questions may also be addressed via email at .

By Kelli White, Contributing Writer

Study abroad. That’s something many college students dream of — especially those studying different languages and cultures. But for University of Kansas students in the Jewish Studies Program, studying in Israel was not supported by the university for more than a decade. Now, that has changed. 

When Professor John Younger became director of Jewish Studies on Jan. 1, 2013, he immediately set out to do two things: organize faculty meetings and start a study abroad program to Israel. 

“Since 2002, KU had not been supporting students going to Israel. Israel had been on a travel advisory warning and KU felt it could not officially support student travel there. They would have to un-enroll, go study, then re-enroll at the University,” Younger said.

Younger, along with Director of the Study Abroad Office Angela Perryman, formed a united front and approached the University Council Office to change things.

“We have a large Jewish student population — an estimated 1,600 to 2,000 students,” Younger said. “With that number, the university not sponsoring students to study in the core country was ridiculous. In other cultural departments, there is the assumption to study in the target country to learn the language and culture. For Jewish students in America, it seems obvious to go to Israel to immerse in the culture. Why have a Jewish Studies Program if they can’t go to Israel?”

In 2013, the University Council Office reconsidered University support for a study abroad program to Israel and created a review committee and petition process that allows students to travel to countries with warnings. 

“Juggling the safety, personal passions and need for study is always the challenge from the perspective of the Study Abroad Office,” Perryman said. “But now having Israel as an option is really beneficial for students and makes sense for academic progress. And given the limited time we’ve had this option — less than one year — student interest has been high.”

Last summer, Perryman and Justine Hamilton with the Study Abroad Office connected with representatives from four Israeli universities to partner with KU and offer courses that satisfy KU credits. Younger hopes to expand those offerings as the program develops.

While the current Jewish Studies Program does not offer a major, the program has grown with more faculty, more courses and more students declaring minors. 

In the fall semester last year, KU officially supported students by offering an Innovation and Entrepreneurship trip to Israel that took place over winter break.

Professor Wally Meyer, director of entrepreneurship programs in KU’s School of Business, organized and led this learning adventure in which 21 students from all areas of study participated. 

“The importance of the trip was to help understand why Israel is so accomplished in entrepreneurship and technology innovation as evidenced by its standing as second in the world (behind only Silicon Valley) in the number of technology startups created each year,” Meyer said.

This trip was important for KU students interested in entrepreneurship, but also for the Jewish Studies Program in particular because it was the first University-supported excursion to Israel in such a long time. 

And it was a huge success. So much so, that another Innovation and Entrepreneurship trip is planned for January 2015. To sign up, students can contact Professor Meyer or the Study Abroad Office.

“The trip’s itinerary includes studying at The Technion Institute, visiting a dozen or more start-up companies and touring key historic sites,” Meyer said. 

In the post-trip analysis, all students were asked if they felt unsafe at any time and their response was “absolutely not.” 

“The most common conclusion from the students in their reflection papers was ‘it was a life-changing experience,’ ” Meyer said.

Everyone involved in supporting students going to Israel is happy that this is the first of many life-changing experiences for students. Including Rabbi Neal Schuster, KU Hillel’s senior Jewish educator, who was also involved in pushing the study-in-Israel opportunity forward.

“This is huge for the Jewish community,” Rabbi Schuster said. 

He explained the number of students studying in Israel in the past had dropped dramatically. Because the university didn’t financially support it and didn’t allow credits to transfer, students had to go to places like Florence or Barcelona when studying in Israel made more sense for their academic program.

“Now, when parents and students ask about studying in Israel, we can say, ‘yes, through KU you can.’ It’s refreshing to say that,” Rabbi Schuster said. “Now there is a significant upswing in students interested in choosing Israel.”

But as with any revisited idea, it takes time to catch on.

“For 11 years, all people said was ‘no, you can’t go there.’ It will take time for perceptions to change,” Younger said. 

Younger, who is an archaeologist and has excavated in Israel, is a member of the University’s advisory board and wants to develop the Jewish Studies Program to be like any other cultural or language program at KU. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship trip jump-started studying in Israel and he hopes to continue building interest with an archaeological tour this summer that will count for KU credit.

To make the tour cost effective, 15 students need to sign up. Right now, only four have submitted applications. But Younger isn’t worried yet.

“We are still getting the word out about this study abroad opportunity. This tour will be a great opportunity to introduce students [in the Jewish Studies program] to the idea that, yes, you can go to Israel!” Younger said.

 An Archaeological Tour of Ancient Israel May 20-June 13

The 2014 trip to Israel is a three-credit-hour course taught by John Younger, professor of classics and the academic director of the Jewish Studies Program at the University of Kansas. Younger is internationally known as an archaeologist and art historian; he has traveled widely in the Mediterranean and has excavated at numerous sites in Greece, Italy and Israel. 

The program will focus on the cultures in Israel from Neolithic to Medieval, concentrating on Jerusalem and the archaeological sites of northern and central Israel. Study will include the development of the Prehistoric, Iron Age, Classical, Roman, Byzantine, early Arabian and Crusader cultures in Israel. Contact with the art, architecture, and archaeology will strengthen student appreciation of our Israeli heritage. 

Students will visit Jerusalem, Haifa, Nazareth and Tiberias. By the end of the program, students will have visited most of the important museums and sites in northern and central Israel.

For more information on this course and the exciting opportunity to study in Israel, visit jewishstudies.ku.edu/study-abroad.

By Barbara Bayer, Editor

As the editor of a Jewish newspaper you would think it’s simply impossible that Passover would sneak up on me, but it did. It’s less than two weeks before the first Seder and I don’t know how many people are coming to our home or what we’ll be serving. We rarely change up the menu for the Seder, but there are a few things in each of these cookbooks I’d seriously like to try this year, if not for Seder then for another meal.

I only heard about two new cookbooks this year and “A Taste of Pesach,” (ArtScroll/Shaar Press/March 2014) immediately caught my attention. The cover is simple but inside is full of beautiful photos of recipes — each recipe includes a photo — that are almost all five steps or less. Some are complicated, such as the Meringue Layer Cake that looks like it’s best saved for a more accomplished cook than I, but it still looks yummy. 

It was put together by a group of women who got together for the first time six years ago to brainstorm fundraising ideas for Yeshiva Me’on HaTorah, a Jewish high school. The result of this meeting was “A Taste of Pesach,” a recipe pamphlet series that became popular with tens of thousands of cooks. So they put together the best of this series and added new recipes to compile this beautiful book.

“A Taste of Pesach” presents an amazingly diverse set of recipes, from elegant starters like Chicken-Wrapped Asparagus Spears to kid-friendly favorites such as Chicken Nuggets. Featuring everything from traditional recipes like Gefilte Fish and Matzah Balls to modern dishes such as Seared Tuna and Chocolate Molten Cake, “A Taste of Pesach” has the recipe to fit every cook’s needs, including more than 140 gluten-free recipes. It also has a spectacular cross-referenced index to help you find your favorite recipes.

The other cookbook that came across my desk this year was “Let My Children Cook! The Passover Cookbook for Kids,” by Tamar Ansh (February 2014, Judaica Press). It’s billed as a Passover hit for ages 8 to 108, and I have to say I love the simplicity of it. It’s filled with more than 80 imaginative recipes such as Matzah Marshmallow Melts, Crunchy Chicken Crisps and Stuffed Matzah Balls. “Let My Children Cook!” includes cooking and safety guidelines, and explains general dietary laws and those specific to Passover — all especially catered to new, young chefs. The one thing that disappoints me a little about this book is that it is illustrated with drawings, not real photos of the actual food. 

The illustrations are well done, they just don’t make any of the recipes appeal to me. But I do think mothers and grandparents — anyone who cooks with kids — will enjoy the recipes and simplicity of them. I plan to give several try.

Ansh, the author, lives in Jerusalem and is a bestselling cookbook author with hits such as “A Taste of Challah,” “Pesach — Anything’s Possible” and “A Taste of Tradition.” She has published children’s books and adult books, is a food columnist and gives live cooking and challah shows around the world.

Here’s a sampling of recipes from these cookbooks for you to try in your kitchen:

SWEET POTATO CRISPS SALAD

Pareve

Yields 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 large sweet potato

¾ cup oil for frying

salad

1 (8-ounce) bag Romaine lettuce

½ red pepper, sliced into strips

½ yellow pepper, sliced into strips

1 (8-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained

1 small red onion, diced

dressing

½ cup olive oil

1/3 cup vinegar

½ cup sugar

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon imitation mustard

1. Prepare sweet potato crisps: Peel sweet potato. Using a vegetable peeler, continue to peel wide paper-thin strips of sweet potato.

2. Heat oil in a deep skillet. When oil is hot, add sweet potato strips a few at a time. When golden and crispy (about 5-7 minutes) remove with a slotted spoon. Can be made a few days in advance; store in an airtight container at room temperature.

3. Prepare the dressing: Place dressing ingredients in a small container. Shake to combine.

4. Assemble salad: Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Place sweet potatoes on top right before serving.

Recipe from “A Taste of Pesach.” Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/Products/TPEH.html

PULLED BRISKET

Meat

Yields 6-8 servings

 INGREDIENTS:

1 (3-4 pound) second cut brisket

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon imitation mustard

½-1cup ketchup, to taste

1 cup water

2 teaspoon garlic, chopped

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup vinegar

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a 4-quart saucepan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Place brisket into a roasting pan; pour sauce over meat in pan. Cover and seal pan tightly. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F. Bake overnight or at least 6 hours. Remove pan from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Wearing disposable gloves if desired, remove fat from meat and discard. 

5. Use two forks to shred the meat. Rewarm in sauce.

Recipe from “A Taste of Pesach.” Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/Products/TPEH.html

BLONDIES

I got this recipe from my sister’s friend, Tova Wechsler. (author Tamar Ansh)

Let’s get to it!

4 eggs

1½ cups sugar

1 cup oil

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup potato starch

3 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup ground almonds

1 cup chocolate chips

And here’s how you do it!

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Mix the eggs, sugar and oil.

3. Add the vanilla extract, potato starch, baking powder and ground nuts.

4. Pour this batter into a lined 9x13-inch baking pan.

5. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips. Push them down part way into the batter.

6. Bake for 45 minutes until it is done in the center.

7. Cut into squares when cool.

You can also sprinkle it with powdered sugar before serving for a nice effect.

Pareve

Serves 10–12

Recipe excerpted from “Let My Children Cook! A Passover Cookbook for Kids,” by Tamar Ansh, Judaica Press

EASY SAUCE CHICKEN

Let’s get to it!

4 chicken legs, each cut in half so you have 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks

1 onion, sliced

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup apricot jam

3 tablespoons onion soup mix

1 cup ketchup

Paprika

And here’s how you do it!

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Place the chicken pieces into the roasting pan. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Throw out the paper towel when you are done.

3. In a bowl, mix the mayo, apricot jam, onion soup mix and ketchup.

Smear this mix underneath the skin of all the chicken pieces; smear the top of each piece with the remaining mixture.

4. Sprinkle paprika on each piece of chicken.

Lay the onion slices on top of all the pieces of chicken.

5. Cover the pan with parchment paper and then foil. Slide it into the hot oven and bake it for 45 minutes.

6. Uncover the chicken and baste it a bit. Return it to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes, uncovered.

7. Remove from the oven right away so it won’t dry out.

Recipe excerpted from “Let My Children Cook! A Passover Cookbook for Kids,” by Tamar Ansh, Judaica Press

By Barbara Bayer, Editor

BATTER UP — A loyal reader and Royals fan informed me late last week that the Royals have a Jewish player on the roster this season. Hopefully we’ll get a more up close and personal view of him soon. According to our news partner JTA, Danny Valencia, is in his fifth season in the majors and plays third base/designated hitter. Playing last season for the Baltimore Orioles, Valencia provided an able bat — nearly half his hits went for extra bases on the way to a .304 batting average — especially during the team’s ultimately unsuccessful playoff drive. After returning from the minor leagues, Valencia contributed primarily as a DH against left-handed pitchers. Playing for the Minnesota Twins in 2011, he cranked out 15 homers and knocked in 72 runs, by far his career highs. The Royals lost their season opener in Detroit on Monday. The first home stand of the 2014 season is this weekend versus the Chicago White Sox.

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SCHOOL OF BUSINESS — Rockhurst’s Helzberg School of Management, named after Barnett Helzberg Jr., has moved up in the national rankings. U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 Best Graduate Schools List, published late last month, ranks the Helzberg Management MBA No. 20 in the nation, making it the only program in Kansas City to rank in the top 20. 

REMINDER — Alex Bigus will make his professional directorial debut at the Leawood Stage Company’s production of “Watch on the Rhine.” The play, by Lillian Hellman, is about an idealistic German who, with his American wife and two children, flees Hitler’s Germany in 1940 to find sanctuary with his wife’s family in the United States. He hopes for a respite from the dangerous work he has involved himself with, but his desire for personal safety soon comes into conflict with the deeply held beliefs that have made him an active anti-Nazi. It will be presented April 4-6 in the Oak Room at Leawood City Hall. Tickets will be sold at the door. For more information contact April Bishop at 913-339-6700, ext. 157.

POLL: ISRAELI JEWS FAVOR PLURALISM — Last week we published a story featuring local rabbis’ thoughts about pluralism in Israel. This week I came upon a JTA report on the topic, so I thought I’d pass it along. Here it is: Nearly half of Israelis surveyed said Israel’s Chief Rabbinate should officially recognize Reform and Conservative Judaism.

In the survey of 500 adults, 49 percent “strongly feel that the Chief Rabbinate should officially recognize the Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism,” Walla.com reported, because this “will in turn strengthen the connection with American Jews.”

The poll, published March 27, was commissioned by the Ruderman Family Foundation and conducted by Teleseker polling. It focused on how Israelis perceive the relationship between their countrymen and state institutions and U.S. Jews.

Asked about whether the views of American Jews on the peace process should be taken into account, 30 percent of respondents said “to some extent,” 22 percent said “to a great extent” and 18 percent said “not at all.”

Thirty-one percent of respondents said that Diaspora Jews should not be represented in the Knesset while 29 percent said Diaspora Jews should be represented “to some extent.”

WRECKING BALL PARODY — The world has certainly seen its share of Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball parody songs, but I never thought I would see one of a Chassidic man swinging on a matzah ball in a miniature set made of real pieces of matzah. To complement the video, a mock fan site was created to showcase the virtues of the “real star” of the film, the matzah ball itself, which is portrayed as a living entity “with a soul.”

“We had the idea for this film months ago, when the Cyrus film first came out,” says Shalom Shore, one of the project’s creators along with Jacob Ross, and Chaya Pittleman. “But we felt that the setting best fit the Passover spirit and decided to release it closer to the holiday.” To film the short video, its three creators constructed a miniature set out of matzah and strung a matzah ball onto the chain of a bathtub plug. A bearded Playmobile man with a tire on his head was used to portray the Chassid. 

The film’s creators hope to add a new twist to both the long line of Miley Cyrus parodies, as well as add a creative spin to the many Passover videos that surface before the holiday.

To view the film and accompanying website visit these links: http://youtu.be/pnPFsZ0vig8 or http://www.matzahball.shalomshore.com.

By Barbara Bayer

Editor

Religious pluralism is a phrase that’s being tossed around a lot these days. What exactly does it mean and why does the local rabbinical community, or the Jewish community at large, even care? These are some of the questions we asked several local rabbis recently, following a recent visit to Kansas City from Jewish Federations of North America President and CEO Jerry Silverman.

Silverman came to Kansas City in response to a letter sent to the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City urging the agency to advocate a variety of religious pluralism issues in Israel. The letter was signed by 14 local members of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City, most of whom represent the Conservative, Reform or Reconstructionist movements. 

What is religious pluralism, specifically when it comes to the State of Israel? A simple explanation would be equality for all Jewish viewpoints. The rabbis’ letter explained it this way:

“We pursue our most deeply held Jewish values in the spirit of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook — the chief rabbi of Israel pre-dating the declaration of our Jewish democratic homeland. It was Rav Kook who, interpreting the words of our Sages in the Talmud, defined true peace not as a sharing of common viewpoints wherein all Jews think the same, but rather when we accommodate all views. Rav Kook articulated the need for the Shaleim of completeness — a pluralistic vision of Judaism and our Jewish homeland that will lead us to the shalom of peace.”

This issue has been brought to the attention of our Jewish community several times during the past year. Women of the Wall Chair Anat Hoffman, who is also executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center, was here last May at the invitation of The New Reform Temple. In early January Ronit Peskin, founder of Women For the Wall, spoke at the invitation of Congregation Beth Israel, Abraham and Voliner. (Women of the Wall supports the rights of women to pray at the Wall. Women for the Wall focuses on preserving Jewish tradition at the Wall.) 

Why has this issue suddenly come to the front burner? Rabbi Scott White, president of the Rabbinical Association and rabbi of Conservative Congregation Ohev Sholom, said one reason is because recent developments — including the issues of who can pray at the Wall, who should be drafted to serve in the Israeli army and who can have a religious wedding ceremony in Israel — have focused the light on the issue.

Following the letter, and Silverman’s visit, the rabbis hope to keep the issue of religious pluralism in Israel on the front burner. One way of doing this is by meeting with several representatives from the Jewish Federation on a regular basis to discuss them.

“We’re getting ready to plan our first meeting, which we hope will happen relatively soon,” Rabbi White said. “It’s not an emergency situation but it’s a pretty urgent one.”

Why is this important to KC Jews?

“You cannot say to people we want the support of the entire Jewish community, and oh by the way you are not Jewish,” said Congregation Beth Torah’s Rabbi Mark Levin when asked why this issue is important. 

“By the ultra-Orthodox definition of who is a Jew, the majority of young people in Kansas City cannot marry in the State of Israel. I think that’s a very important fact,” said the Reform rabbi, who supported the Rabbinical Association’s letter to the Jewish Federation.

Just one of the reasons this is true, he explained, is because many conversions performed in the United States are not accepted by the Orthodox rabbis in Israel.

“I cannot prove to you that it’s a majority but I will bet you it’s upwards of 50 percent, even as high as two-thirds,” Rabbi Levin said.

Rabbi Beryl Padorr says it’s also about feeling welcome when we visit the Jewish state, comparing it to not wanting to visit a relative’s home if it’s uncomfortable and unwelcoming.

“You don’t want to feel because you practice Judaism one way and somebody else practices Judaism another way that you aren’t welcome there,” said Rabbi Padorr, a Conservative rabbi who was ordained by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies from American Jewish University in 2006. She is a full-time chaplain resident at Research Medical Center, works part-time at Children’s Mercy Hospital and teaches Melton classes.

As a rabbinical student, Rabbi Padorr lived in Israel for 10 months. In addition to feeling welcome, she said pluralism is about safety as well.

“What’s going to happen to me if I go to the wall and I put on my tallit and my tefillin and pray in a way that I would normally pray?” she asked. 

Rabbi Levin believes the argument over The Wall is really a symbolic one of inclusion.

“It’s not the idolatry of The Wall as one person said to me, rather it is the symbol of God’s connection to the Jewish people and has been for 3,000 years,” he said. 

As Rabbi Padorr simply states, in Genesis, God created everybody, and to her that is why pluralism is important.

“God didn’t just create you, me, a group; it doesn’t even say Jewish. God created people. God created humanity. I think it’s an obligation to respect each other as godly beings, made in God’s image, all of us,” she continued.

Israel is our homeland

Rabbi Daniel Rockoff, as the rabbi of Orthodox Congregation Beth Israel Abraham and Voliner, said as Kansas City Jews we are interested in the issue of pluralism because Israel is our homeland.

“In my community, many of our members and children and grandchildren value moving to Israel. Aliyah is a very important value for ourselves and if we’re not in Israel, than we value not just visiting but the relatives that we have there and the fact that it is our Jewish homeland. Not only do we value its existence and strength, but we also each interact with it on a regular basis.”

To some degree, Rabbi Rockoff said he faces the issues of marriage and conversion that his other colleagues face. 

“I think there is a recognition, I think on the Israeli front also, that there does need to be some development, specifically with the Chief Rabbinate, to be more open and welcoming and reaching out to Jews as opposed to closing them off. I don’t know how that’s going to work. I’m not sure that the solutions that have been proposed to this point have been satisfactory and I don’t have the answer right now, nor do I think anything has been proposed that’s perfect.”

It is here that Rabbi Rockoff points out that while Israel is a democracy, it is still a relatively young nation and it is most definitely not the same democracy as the United States.

“Israel’s mandate is to be the homeland for the Jews and has always done that for immigrants from every land, from every stream. It has not discriminated in that. At the same time, Israel is still a developing society, and developing in every which way,” Rabbi Rockoff said.

“Certain things that were set up at the beginning of the state have changed in ways that Israel’s founders could not have anticipated. So for example the exemption of yeshiva students from the army was something that the founders of the state couldn’t see becoming a major societal issue because it wasn’t (an issue) when there were just a couple of hundred or a couple of thousand students.”

With all these issues, Rabbi Rockoff believes American Jews will have to understand that Israel works very differently than democracy works in the United States.

“Hopefully we can come to a productive resolution where Israel and the Diaspora communities can function with ever increasing harmony,” said Rabbi Rockoff, who did not sign the letter from the rabbis to the Jewish Federation but hopes to be a member of the joint committee established between the two to discuss these issues.

He believes American Jews definitely need to have faith in Israel, and support the Jewish state no matter what.

“It’s not our job to say we’re only going to support an Israel that does X or Y. We support Israel. They have to make their own decisions and we support them no matter what. Now we want to have influence and we want things that we believe strongly in and we’d like to share. There’s a lot that I think Israel can learn from American communities. However just as we need to have faith in them, Israel does need to look to us for guidance on certain issues. Certainly to the ones that relate to the Diaspora. Israel can’t start deciding how everything is going to work in America, too. There is going to need to be autonomy of Diaspora communities. And, by the way, there is an increasing recognition of that in some of the newer legislation and practices that are coming to the fore right now,” Rabbi Rockoff added.

Working together

Rabbi Rockoff points to the Kansas City Jewish community as a wonderful example of a community that has succeeded in working together with the various streams of Judaism.

“I hope that it can indeed be a shining example for other communities and for Israel as well,” he said. 

Rabbi Levin said he believes, as do the “vast majority of the rabbis in this city,” that the Jewish Federation, its Israel and Overseas committee, and the Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee need to work toward an inclusive Israel.

“Now many people, like Peter Beinert, are saying if we don’t do that, the next generation is lost. I don’t want to go there. I want to say the State of Israel was founded for worldwide Jewry. We absolutely must be included in the definition, not just of who is a Jew civilly, but be able to marry, be able to be buried. But the big thing right now is marriage. And to be able to live Jewish lives in the Jewish state,” Rabbi Levin said.

He wants to credit the Jewish Federation and its Executive Director and CEO Todd Stettner and JFNA’s Silverman for understanding the issue is an important one.

“But having said that, we are not yet anywhere near the goal and Israel needs to understand that if it expects the support of North American Jewry, then they have to include North American Jewry in Jewish expression in the Jewish state. So we will marry as Jews in Israel if we choose,” Rabbi Levin said.