Archived News

PORTION OF ‘LEST WE FORGET’ EXHIBITON EXTENDED   —  While the “Lest We Forget” exhibition at the National WWI Museum and Memorial featuring 70 portraits of Holocaust survivors closed Oct. 6, an abbreviated version of the exhibition featuring intimate portraits will remain at the museum through Sunday, Oct. 20.

The abbreviated version features seven portraits of Holocaust survivors from the Kansas City area and will be positioned in front of the main entrance to the museum. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

70 OVER 70 RECOGNITION  —  At least two members of the Jewish community — Berenice Haberman and Bert Berkley — will be recognized by the Shepherd’s Center at its 70 Over 70 fundraiser Tuesday, Oct 29. After retiring from AT&T in 2006, Haberman’s volunteer activities include National Council of Jewish Woman and Congregation Beth Shalom. Berkley, who is 96, spent his career working and managing Tension Corp. He has worked with a variety of civic organizations, including LINC, UMKC and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. The second annual event takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the KC Convention Center. For ticket information or to make a donation, visit https://sccentral.org/70over70/.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?  —  Sara Bunin Benor, a professor of contemporary Jewish studies at Hebrew Union College and the University of Southern California, and Jason Bronowitz, a rabbinical student and statistician, are studying Jewish names. The researchers have several questions: Which names do Jews and non-Jewish associate with Jews? Who has a “Starbucks name?” Who gives their children biblical names? Israeli names? Who gives their dogs names like Babka and Afikomen? Porkchop? Interested participants can take the survey at surveymonkey.com/r/JewishNames. Completion time is estimated at 10 to 12 minutes. Participants must be at least 18 to take part and participation is voluntary. For more information, contact the researchers at or 213-765-2187. 

The universal appeal of food is well known for bringing people together.

With that in mind, Congregation Beth Torah will host a daylong session in its kitchen Oct. 20 to teach attendees how to make vegetarian tamales. Participants are encouraged to then sell the tamales to raise money for $500 scholarships for students who are undocumented or who are participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. 

Village Shalom announces the election of a new board chair and the addition of four new members to the Village Shalom Board of Directors that oversees the Overland Park Continuing Care Retirement Community. Frank Lipsman will serve as the new board chair. Bruce Kershenbaum, David Spizman and Bob Gershon will continue to serve in their respective roles as vice chair, secretary, and treasurer. The outgoing board chair, Karen Glickstein will continue her term on the board. 

Thirty-five years ago, Steve Ellenberg started Bagel Works and ran a catering business out of it from the start.

Ellenberg sold Bagel Works in December 2018, but he continues running the catering business — Ellenberg Experience Catering — out of Bagel Works. The catering company provides “the vast majority” of kosher catering in the Kansas City area, he said. 

A unique exhibition by Israeli artist Rae Stern called “In Fugue” opened last week at the Belger Crane Yard Studios and continues through Jan. 4, 2020. It features porcelain portraits of Holocaust survivors, including some from the Kansas City area. The artist will return to the area to speak at this year’s community Kristallnacht Commemoration, Thursday, Nov. 7, at the studios.

It has been a month since the new school year kicked off at KU, and Chabad has hosted many successful events. From Shabbat dinners, social events, educational classes and more, many students have become engaged and active in Jewish life on campus.

As the Jewish new year approached, KU Chabad wanted to do something to ensure it was meeting the most pressing needs of the student community. With this in mind, KU Chabad has launched a brand-new initiative called ReJOYvenation 360, a multifaceted and broad initiative aiming to create a full spectrum of emotional support for Jewish students at KU.

SHOW UP FOR SHABBAT — One year after Pittsburgh, the JCRB|AJC is urging the community to gather, remember and act. 

Following the murder of 11 worshipping Jews at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue last October, millions of people of all faiths rallied around AJC’s #ShowUpForShabbat initiative, packing synagogues in what became the largest-ever expression of solidarity with the American Jewish community. The outpouring of love and support offered American Jews a glimmer of light in the darkness of that terrible week.  

On the one-year commemoration of this tragedy, AJC is again calling on all people of good conscience to Show Up For Shabbat on Oct. 25 and 26, as synagogues across the country open their doors to the entire community. The New Reform Temple, Kehilath Israel Synagogue and Temple Beth Sholom in Topeka will officially participate in the initiative, welcoming all communities to join them at services that weekend. 

“So many American Jews felt their sense of safety shattered after this horrific anti-Semitic attack,” said Gavriela Geller, JCRB|AJC’s executive director. “Yet the Show Up For Shabbat campaign managed to create hope, community and solidarity amidst a terrible moment in history. We will gather this year to mourn together, but also to feel supported and proud in our Jewish identities. We honor their memories by refusing to give in to fear and terror.”

JCRB|AJC, The New Reform Temple, Kehilath Israel Synagogue and Temple Beth Sholom invite members of the Jewish community, along with friends and allies from all faiths, to join them at synagogue to reaffirm our commitment to unity in the face of hate. 

ISRAEL’S POPULATION HITS 9 MILLION (JTA) — There are now 9.092 million people living in Israel.

The country’s Central Bureau of Statistics released the number last week in its annual report ahead of the Jewish new year.

The total represents an increase of 184,00 people, or 2.1 percent, since last Rosh Hashanah. That growth is similar to that of previous years, the report said.

The current total population includes 6.744 million Jews, 1.907 million Arabs and 441,000 people who identify with neither group.

This Jewish year, 196,000 babies were born and 50,000 people died. Thirty-eight thousand people immigrated to the country, including 35,000 people who were new immigrants under the Law of Return, which guarantees Israeli citizens to those with at least one Jewish grandparents, converts or people married to Jews.

Israel’s population is expected to grow to 10 million people by 2024, according to the report.

The following is a statement from Jewish Vocational Service released after the announcement last week that the United States will allow 18,000 refugees to resettle in Fiscal Year 2020.

Refugee resettlement in the United States was dealt a tremendous blow with the news on Thursday, Sept. 26, that the White House intends to admit only 18,000 refugees in the coming fiscal year, the lowest ceiling in U.S. history. Last year, the president set the number at 30,000, Historically, the program has averaged an admissions ceiling of 95,000. 

To slam the door on persecuted people while the number of refugees displaced globally continues to rise to historic levels upends decades of bipartisan tradition. It also abandons thousands of families in need of resettlement, leaving them in precarious, often life-threatening situations. Refugee resettlement assures that at least some of those forced to flee their homes have a safe and legal pathway to refuge in the United States. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is a crucial element of our nation’s humanitarian, foreign policy and national security strategies and reflects American history and values.

Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) has a proud 70-year history of welcoming refugees to Kansas City, starting with supporting Holocaust survivors in the aftermath of World War II and continuing to its work today helping families from across the globe who are fleeing persecution and are seeking a safe haven through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. 

In our work across the Kansas City metropolitan area, we see strong support for refugee resettlement among community volunteers, local employers, faith-based partners and civic institutions. Refugees strengthen our communities and our country socially, culturally, and economically. Despite these lower numbers, JVS will continue to help resettled refugees rebuild their lives, and our community will continue to reap the tremendous benefits of being a place of welcome.

We oppose the White House’s plan to drastically lower refugee admissions because it condemns so many to endless suffering. In the coming weeks, the president will consult Congress before making a final determination of the refugee ceiling. Join us to urge our leaders to return to traditional refugee admissions levels. With your help, JVS will continue to educate policymakers and the public about the economic, moral and cultural contribution we gain by providing support and welcome so every member of our society can thrive.   

Andrew Kaplan, board chair of the Jewish Community Center (The J), opened last week’s groundbreaking ceremony by thanking the invited guests for “investing in the next phase of our future.” He was talking about the fundraising campaign for the Staenberg Family Recreation Complex, which so far has raised “more than $11 million to bring our dreams to reality.” 

It’s been 19 years since Rabbi Morey Schwartz stood on Congregation BIAV’s bimah as its spiritual leader. 

He’ll be back for the High Holidays this year, leading services as the hazzan. The High Holidays isn’t the only time Rabbi Schwartz will be in Kansas City. The international director of the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning will be a special guest, along with Rabbi Amy Wallk Katz, at the Friends of MeltonKC Kosher BBQ & Beer event Sunday, Nov. 3, at Kehilath Israel Synagogue. He’ll remain here for the International Melton Kallah, “The Spirit of the Israel-America Relationship” Nov. 4 through Nov. 6. This event draws students, graduates and Melton staff from Melton Schools worldwide.