The 19th annual Hanukah Art Contest is open for entries. Deadline for entries is 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24. The first candle will be lit on Sunday, Dec. 6, and a photo of the winning piece of art will be published in the Dec. 3 edition of The Chronicle.
RABBI PAUL C. SILBERSHER RETIRES — On Oct. 5, Rabbi Paul C. Silbersher retired from Temple Sinai. After serving the members of Temple Sinai for three and one-half years, Rabbi Silbersher notified President Larry Gelb and the board of directors that he was retiring. After 62 years of service, as a student cantor to the present time, Rabbi Silbersher has served thousands of individuals as a cantor, rabbi and social worker. Gelb says, “The congregation was able to enjoy and find meaningful his skills and knowledge as a cantor and a rabbi.” To show how much his service to Temple Sinai was appreciated, the congregation is conferring on their spiritual leader the title of rabbi emeritus. Temple Sinai is continuing on with lay leaders, as the congregation searches for a new spiritual leader. Shabbat services are held every Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. at Colonial Church, 71st Street and Mission Road. Torah Study meets on Thursday morning at the same location at 10:30 a.m.
The premier speaker for the Interfaith Religious Literacy Center is Vanderbilt University New Testament Professor Amy-Jill Levine, who will be speaking at several venues in Kansas City about religious diversity and interfaith dialogue
The Sixth Annual Great Midwest Balloon Fest takes off at a new site this year, the Ag Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs, Kansas, on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.
ROYALS FEVER — As I write this, the Royals are still in the hunt for the American League crown. Last year South Korea’s Sung Woo was considered the Royals’ good luck charm, and a documentary about him recently aired on ESPN, “30 for 30 Shorts: #BringBackSungWoo.” Danny Parkins of 610 Sports Radio’s The Drive with Danny and CDot was featured in the documentary, which was produced by Josh Swade, who also has connections in the Kansas City Jewish community. The program can be viewed online at http://grantland.com/features/30-for-30-shorts-bringbacksungwoo/.
You can never accuse Adam Galblum of being stuck in one genre of music. The versatile and accomplished musician — with a classical music background — specializes in jazz violin and bluegrass fiddling.
Thanks to the family of the late George Lieberman, members of the community who are in mourning can now find books to help them through the grieving process in the Applebaum Synagogue at Village Shalom. The Lieberman Lending Library for Solace has been established to help those recently bereaved to begin to find solace and healing.
There are a lot of great movies about baseball. Now fans of baseball and films will not have to choose between a live baseball playoff game and a Jewish-themed movie during the next few weeks. In support of the American League Central Division Champion Kansas City Royals, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City has decided to postpone the 18th annual Kansas City Jewish Film Festival and move it to January and February 2016. The festival was to open Saturday, Oct. 10. While there is no American League Division Playoff game scheduled that day, several film festival dates conflict with possible Royals baseball games during the playoffs.
For those who enjoy Jewish films, Kansas City Jewish Film Festival Producer Shawn Edwards has three words for you: engaging, enlightening and entertaining. The festival, presented by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, The J, opens Saturday, Oct. 10, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 18.
Robert “Bobby” Epsten, a longtime supporter of the arts in greater Kansas City, has been asked to be the honorary chairman of ArtsKC — Regional Arts Council’s annual Inspiration Breakfast