Two days before Thanksgiving Hannah Gortenburg baked turkey challah rolls in the kitchen at the Jewish Community Campus.

Growing up in Leawood, much of Hannah Gortenburg’s creativity went into arts and crafts. Then at age 20 she fell in love with challah and realized baking could be creative as well.

Morton I. Sosland

The Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee announces that Morton I. Sosland, leader in Kansas City’s civic community, will be the keynote speaker at the 2015 Henry W. Bloch Human Relations Award Dinner. The gala dinner on Dec. 13 at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center will honor Mark R. Jorgenson with the award.

Judy Hellman (right) was recently honored at the University of Missouri. She is shown here with Marjorie Sable, DrPH, MSW, professor and director of the School of Social Work (left) and Alexandria Bagby, president of the Phi Alpha National Honor Society at MU.

A SPECIAL HONOR FOR JUDY HELLMAN — Judy Hellman has received several honors over the years because of her tireless efforts to improve interfaith and racial relations as part of her service with the Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee. Through the efforts of her granddaughter, Sarah Hellman, a junior at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and in honor of her 80th birthday, Hellman was recently inducted as an honorary initiate into the Chi Delta chapter of the Phi Alpha National Honor Society at the University of Missouri. She was also presented a medal, which is traditionally given to active lifetime members for service to the community. Hellman still works on behalf of JCRB|AJC, where she holds the title of special projects director. 

Zoe Stein

Even if you’ve already seen “The Nutcracker,” this year’s production is a must see! The Kansas City Ballet is presenting the world premiere of “The Nutcracker,” with new choreography, sets, costumes and lighting under the artistic direction of Devon Carney.

David Robinow, a 2015 graduate of the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, was a classmate of Ezra Schwartz, the 18-year-old American yeshiva student killed by a terrorist on Nov. 19 as he was volunteering in the Etzion settlement bloc in the West Bank. Robinow is on a gap year program at Yeshivat Ashreinu in the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, which combines Torah study with volunteering and hikes. Robinow was also supposed to be volunteering with Schwartz but was behind schedule due to studying later than normal that day according to his mother, Margie Robinow.

Mark R. Jorgenson

Community leader Mark R. Jorgenson will receive the prestigious Henry W. Bloch Human Relations Award at the Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee 2015 Human Relations Dinner. The gala dinner will be held on Sunday evening, Dec. 13, at the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center.

Several men who were members of AZA 2 from 1946 to 1950 recently met and hope to continue meeting in the future. Shown here are Seymour Weiner (from left), Mitch Kranitz, Al Carr, Gene Liebson, Jack Sokolov and Richard Rubins, who organized the meeting. Not shown are David Burnstein and Marvin Romer, who were unable to attend. It should be noted that Sokolov recently celebrated his 100th birthday and while he is a former member of AZA, he was not a member during 1945 to 1950. 2’s is the second AZA chapter started in the country in 1924. Men interested in attending future gatherings should contact Richard Rubins at 913-897-3944 or email to .

COMMUNITY HANUKKAH CONCERT PLANNED — The community is invited to a Hanukkah concert on Saturday night, Dec. 12, at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. The concert features Rabbi Esteban Gottfried and Beit Tefilah Israeli.

Rabbi Daniel Gordis

Most American Jewish organizations — from the American Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform national groups — were critical of last summer’s deal with Iran that continues that country’s support of terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, restores more than $150 billion in frozen assets, and does not prevent Iran from developing long-range missiles that could potentially carry nuclear warheads.

Rita Blitt’s ‘Sending Love’ sculpture now graces the Skywalk Memorial Plaza.

Last week I attended two events on the same day, each with different purposes but with one thing in common. They were highly emotional. In each event you could plainly see the blood, sweat and tears that were an integral part of the each event.