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Yahav Barnea, the new Israeli emissary (shlichah) working for the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, considers herself first and foremost an educator. Her plans while she’s here for the next year or two are to teach people a thing or two about Israel and, by doing so, garner support for the Jewish state.

Barnea, who moved here in mid-August, is the sixth emissary to work for the Jewish Federation. She takes over for Ophir Hacohen, who completed her commitment to the community in June and returned to Israel where she is now studying in Jerusalem.

“We are excited to have Yahav in the community. Since interviewing her for the position, we have been excited about her continuing the tradition of excellent shlichim (emissaries). Israel education continues to be vitally important and we are confident that knowledge about and commitment to Israel will be strengthened through Yahav’s efforts,” said Alan Edelman, Jewish Federation’s associate executive director. Kansas City is able to employ an Israeli emissary through a partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Thanks to Hacohen, Barnea is not starting from a blank slate and believes it is crucial to maintain some sort of consistency from one shaliach to another.

“I met with Ophir a few time in Israel after she came back. She wrote this amazing handbook to help me have a good start with a better understanding of the community, of the people here, and of the projects and events that she organized,” she said.

Just before the start of the High Holidays, Barnea said she planned to take it slow and get to know the community before she started planning any programs. However in the few short weeks she’s been here, she’s already visited with students at KU Hillel.

One of her goals with the student/young adult community is to cultivate relationships with those students who have returned home from a variety of Israel programs including Birthright and leadership trips.

“We want to try to help them stay connected to the community and Israel and not have that one-time experience,” she said. “They will be the kind of people who want to be involved in Israel programming because a lot of times when you have that connection to Israel you have a stronger connection to their own community. We hope when they graduate they will be leaders in the community”

Barnea, like most emissaries, will not work with just young people.

“I came here to make a dialogue with the Jewish community and the community at large,” she said. “I will have conversations about Israel with children and adults. When I am at events talking to people we will talk about what is different about the way you see Israel and the way I see it as a person who lives there and give my own unique perspective of Israel, which is what I call education.”

Growing up on a kibbutz

Barnea was born and raised in Israel and comes from a kibbutz located in the western Galilee called Shomrat. Kibbutz life, at least at Kibbutz Shomrat, has changed dramatically since Barnea was born in 1984. When she was young, it was still very communal. In fact she lived in a children’s house until she was about 7 years old, when the Gulf War started.

“Then we moved in with our parents because it was safer, and we never came back to the children’s house,” she said.

The war was not the reason the kibbutz decided to change its ways, it just sped things up a little.

“All the apartments in the kibbutz were very small. Ours had just one bedroom, small living room and a tiny kitchen because no one ate at home. Everybody ate at the communal dining room,” she explained.

“When the war started most of the kids just slept on the couch because we didn’t have rooms.”

Barnea explained that Shomrat, like most kibbutzim, started the privatization process about 15 to 20 years ago. “Now there is almost nothing communal in terms of services or community life. Everybody gets their own salary now, unlike before. Everyone does their own work, has their own home and their own little family,” she said.

Shomrat today is still an agricultural community with avocado plantations, cows and chickens. Over the years Barnea said she gained experience in all those areas.

Life after the kibbutz

Instead of joining the army immediately after high school, Barnea took a gap year and volunteered with the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement, an international Zionist Jewish youth movement started 100 years ago in Europe. Barnea was a member herself, joining the movement when she was in sixth grade and becoming a counselor when she was in high school. Through this organization, she worked with children of foreign workers in Israel —such as Philipinos, Africans, Indians and Turks — many of whom were in the country illegally — and lived in Tel Aviv.

“That was very interesting work that led me to different job decisions later on,” she said.

In the military — she completed her service a decade ago — she served as an assistant in the military law offices. During her second year she was based near Ramallah, where Palestinian prisoners, ranging from petty thieves to terrorists, were jailed.

“The work there was very interesting and very eye opening. I worked with their lawyers and read some very disturbing cases about bombings and things that happened,” Barnea said.

The proximity of Palestinian prisoners actually made her feel more secure.

“No one would bomb that base because their friends were all there.”

Following the army, Barnea worked on a kibbutz close to the Gaza Strip as a counselor of sorts to 11th- and 12th-grade  boarding-school students.

“I was their mother in some ways,” she explained. “We wouldn’t do things for them, we would do things with them … guiding them, helping them,” she said.

Before settling into college life, Barnea also traveled to Central America. She attended Kibbutzim College of Education, where she began pursuing a degree in education. Before she even graduated, which was earlier this year, she started working at a middle-school teaching history and Bible studies.

“They need good people in the system and they knew I was working on my undergrad and was getting my diploma. So they took me in,” she explained, noting that is common practice in Israel.

Coming to America

After graduation the 29-year-old emissary felt it was time once again to make a change.

“I felt like I wanted to get different kinds of professional experiences in education and to try to explore the different options in that field outside of a school, outside of a formal system. Although I learned a lot and I evolved a lot in those last two years it’s not necessarily what I want to do,” she said.

“I also truly love my country and the values of Zionism and I thought coming here would be a good way to give back to my community and spread these values through education,” she continued.

She’s excited to begin her work here, teaching us about Israel and learning about Jewish life in America. One thing she won’t have to worry about is honing her English-language skills. Barnea can thank her mother (who was born and raised in Canada and made aliyah in her early 20s) and her grandmother for that.

“We spoke Hebrew at home because my mother insisted it was a Jewish-Israeli home. But her mother came to live on the kibbutz when I was just a baby and with her we only spoke English,” she said. “My grandmother always corrected me on every single mistake I made, so thanks to her I speak English well.”

Barnea reiterates that she will take a modest approach as she begins her duties as Israeli emissary.

“I just came here,” she said. “First of all I want to get to know people and I want to learn about the community and the different things that are happening here before I start stating my opinions and my own big ideas. Who am I to say what is right for this place, for Kansas City, before I actually learn what the needs and the wants of the community are?”

As with the last couple of shlichim, Barnea has a presence on Facebook, where she posts articles and information about Israel. In mid-August she had almost 1,300 followers. You can follower her on Facebook at Yahav Shlicha Kansas. Or you can contact her at or 913-327-8124.

For the past several years, Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel, director of the Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Life, known to most simply as KU Chabad, has been working tirelessly to get kosher food served in a cafeteria for students at the University of Kansas. His wish comes true next week when a weekly kosher meal will be served at Mrs. E’s Dining Center, located at Lewis Hall on Daisy Hill. The cafeteria serves approximately 3,500 students daily. Any student with a dining plan may eat at Mrs. E’s.

The hot kosher dinners will be served when school is in session on Monday nights, beginning Sept. 16. They will be available from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Reservations are not needed. Those without a dining pass may purchase an off-campus dining plan or they may choose to pay $9.50 at the door. (Due to tax guidelines, dining hall meals are not readily available to the general public. Guests associated with the university such as prospective students, parents of students, faculty and staff may eat there.)

The Jewish student population at KU is estimated to be between 1,500 and 2,000 students. The total enrollment at the Lawrence campus is estimated to be 23,000 students.

In keeping with KU Chabad’s goal to serve as a resource for anything Jewish at KU, Rabbi Tiechtel said he is very excited about this newest venture.

“There are so many students who perhaps kept kosher at some level back home, but when in college needed to drop their level of observance due to the lack of kosher food availability. Now it has become a reality to enjoy a solid kosher dinner even while at KU. This will also serve as a great incentive for potential Jewish students who may be considering KU as an option for their college experience,” he explained, noting that it’s hard to say how many students will take advantage of this new offering until the program gets up and running.

“There are some students at KU who strictly observe kosher dietary laws and they will definitely take advantage of this. There are also many Jewish students at KU who, even if they don’t strictly observe kosher, will take advantage of the opportunity if kosher food is being offered on site,” he said.

Rabbi Tiechtel said that a broad menu of items will be offered including soups, sandwiches, salads, kosher pasta entrees, kosher beef tacos and kosher chicken dishes.

“It is important to note that all foods being served at the kosher station at Mrs. E’s will be kosher meat or pareve. There will be no dairy meals. And it will all also be gluten free,” the rabbi noted.

Over the last several years Rabbi Tiechtel has worked tirelessly to bring kosher options to KU students and KU supporters. In the winter of 2012 a kosher concession stand, open only during midweek games, opened and serves kosher hotdogs. During the 2012-13 school year the Kosher Stand opened at the Kansas Union. It sells kosher hot dogs, corned beef sandwiches and potato knishes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Monday and Tuesday.

“KU Chabad has been working on this for close to four years now. I should highlight how much we appreciate the partnership of KU Dining in making this happen. KU Dining has really shown a tremendous amount of caring and sensitivity to the individual needs of every student at KU. Their partnership in making kosher happen at KU is greatly appreciated and will go a long way for the current and future Jewhawks at KU,” Rabbi Tiechtel said this week.

The rabbi said KU Chabad is open for ideas and input from the broader community in regard to the kosher program. Anyone who would like to share a suggestion on how to make kosher an even greater reality at KU is invited to contact Rabbi Tiechtel at .

With the start of the Jewish New Year, it’s time once again to make sure the shelves are fully stocked in the Jewish Community Food Panty operated by Jewish Family Services.

Last year, JFS kicked-off the opening of its food pantry with a High Holiday Food Drive throughout the month of September to stock the shelves. More than 11,000 pounds of food donations came in, and JFS hopes to surpass that amount this year.

Since the food pantry’s opening last year, the number of households it serves has nearly doubled; the agency gives out more than 7,000 pounds of food monthly. The JFS Food Pantry provides non-perishable staples as well as grains, dairy, protein, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Both Vaad-supervised kosher and non-kosher food options are available, as are personal care and household items.

Recipients come in and “shop” on a monthly basis using a check list to assure they are getting healthy foods for a balanced, nutritional diet with some choice. Donations may be dropped off at the JFS office at the Jewish Community Campus, 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park or at any Jewish congregation in the area throughout the month of September.

The following items are needed to restock the pantry:

Food Items

Canned Fruit

Canned Vegetables (sauerkraut, beets, mushrooms, spinach & olives)

Canned Tuna, Salmon & Chicken

Canned Beans

Coffee/Tea/Juice

Condiments (i.e., salad dressings, ketchup, bbq sauce, jelly)

Meals (boxes/cans such as Hamburger Helper or ravioli)

Pasta & Rice

Pasta Sauce & Canned Tomatoes

Peanut Butter

Soup

Sugar & Flour

Personal Care Items

Bar Soap

Shampoo & Conditioner

Deodorant

Lotion/Facial Moisturizer

Toothpaste

Cleaning Products

Bath & Kitchen Cleaners

Dish Soap

Laundry Detergent

Paper Goods

Diapers

Paper Towels

Tissue

The JFS Food Pantry serves any individual or household who lacks the resources to feed their family, regardless of religious affiliation or ethnic background. To become a food pantry recipient or donor, call JFS at (913) 327-8250.

Volunteers are also needed to help with the food pantry. Volunteers can help sort food donations, pick up donations from food drives and local grocery stores, organize and staff the pantry, make food deliveries to homebound clients, and assist clients who come to shop in our pantry. Extra volunteer shifts will be available the first week of October to sort and stock the pantry shelves with the High Holiday Food Drive donations. Call 913-730-1410 or email to sign up for the following shifts:

Tuesday, Oct. 1 — 10 a.m. to noon or 3:30 to 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 2 — 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. or 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 3 — 10 a.m. to noon or 3:30 to 6 p.m.

ALASKAN ADVENTURE — Two weeks before Laurel and Mike Rogovein were to take a trip to Alaska, they saw a small article from JTA in The Chronicle about the new Alaska Jewish Museum & Cultural Center. When they arrived in Anchorage they delivered their copy of The Chronicle to Leslie Fried, curator at the museum. “She was delighted … and quickly took us a few steps away to the campus office, where we met Rabbi Joseph Greenberg, the director of the cultural center. He also was delighted to see that they were getting coverage so far away. After a bit we returned to the museum to view a very informative exhibit about Alaska’s contribution to Operation Flying Carpet, which flew Yemenite Jews to Israel,” Laurel wrote to us in an email.

REPENTING HIS SINS — Last weekend I saw a report that Milwaukee Brewers outfield Ryan Braun, who was suspended for 65 games by major League Baseball for breaking its performance-enhancing drugs policies, was calling Brewers season ticket holders and apologizing for his indiscretions. Remembering he was nicknamed the “Hebrew Hammer,” my first thought was this seems like he’s trying to make things right with everyone before Yom Kippur. Then I dug a little deeper. JTA reported in July that while it’s been reported that the baseball player is Jewish, Braun doesn’t consider himself to be Jewish. In fact according to that JTA story, USA Today reported about the matter on Aug. 28, 2007:

“Joe Braun was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and came to the U.S.A. at age 7. Diane was raised Catholic in Van Nuys, Calif. Ryan was not raised Jewish and never had a Bar Mitzvah …”

“ ‘He’s totally not Jewish,’ Diane says. ‘I heard some organization started called him ‘The Hebrew Hammer.’ I said, ‘Oh no.’ My mother would be rolling over in her grave if she heard that.’ ”

Braun’s Wikipedia bio (I know, are we supposed to trust that source?) has Braun saying he is Jewish and “I’m extremely proud to be a role model for young Jewish kids.” So it’s refreshing that a role model of any sort, no matter what his real religion is, is owning up to his mistakes and publically apologizing. It’s food for thought anyway.

Years ago people didn’t say the word pregnant, or talk about people with cancer or AIDS. That’s all different now. But people are still afraid to talk about mental illness. The Jewish Community Mental Health Coalition wants to change that.

The Jewish Community Mental Health Coalition — which is comprised of approximately 30 volunteers and coordinated by Jewish Family Services in partnership with the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City — is launching an Anti-Stigma Campaign at the High Holidays. The key message of the effort is: “Mental Illness: It’s real. It’s common. It’s treatable. And it’s OK to talk about it.”

The campaign will consist of post cards, posters, videos, a website (itsOK.us) and communitywide education aimed at reducing the stigma associated with mental illness. The campaign kicks off with post cards that should reach homes in the Jewish community on or around Rosh Hashanah.

Rabbi Scott White of Congregation Ohev Sholom, president of the Rabbinical Association, explained that this effort to reduce the stigma related to mental health issues comes from the simple fact that “the Jewish community is like every other community, not all people are in perfect mental health. Some people’s mental health and circumstances push them to contemplate and even commit tragic acts. We want to be able to maximize our community resources to prevent that.”

The coalition was formed about three years ago by some concerned members of the community who in one way or another had personally dealt with the impact of mental illness.

“They came to JFS with the concern that they weren’t really getting the kind of support they wanted and needed from the Jewish community,” explained Celeste Aronoff, JFS’s communications director.

“In a time of real loss, in a time of real struggle they felt isolated. They felt like there was no real compassionate help in the way they were expecting, and they wanted something to change,” she continued.

Aronoff said this campaign will give clear insight and direction on how to start and continue the conversation, even when it’s awkward or uncomfortable, and to open the discussion beyond stereotypes.

“The day-to-day reality for most people with a mental illness is that it’s real, it’s common and it’s treatable. Since thoughts and feelings are invisible, we may not be able to see when others are struggling. But acknowledging that struggle creates conversation with human dignity, kvod habriot, which is central to Jewish thought and ethics. By placing dignity at the center of the conversation around mental illness, we can only improve our lives and our community.”

Since the Jewish Community Mental Health Coalition was created, the individuals involved have tried to determine the best ways to address this issue. The coalition now has three main goals:

•  Reduce the stigma of mental illness in the Jewish Community.

• Provide better access to resources prevent suicide.

•  Provide a place for people to go in the Jewish community for grief support that includes spiritual support.

Goal No. 3, reducing the stigma around mental illness, is the genesis of this new campaign.

“In an emotionally charged way a lot of people had experienced that their friends just didn’t know what to say them, they didn’t know how to talk about it, they didn’t know how to offer support,” Aronoff said.

She pointed out that statistics show that mental illness is prevalent in America. In fact the U.S. Surgeon General reports that one in four people are diagnosed with a mental disorder of some kind each year. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, “Mental illnesses are very common; in fact, they are more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease.”

Rabbi White said this effort is important to the rabbinical community because part of the answer is to identify the elephant in the room.

“Our job as congregational leaders is to open the subject in the congregation and make people feel comfortable in participating in a situation that they might otherwise not know how to handle or know if it is appropriate,” Rabbi White explained.

In fact Rabbi White will discuss this topic during the High Holidays and he hopes his colleagues will do the same.”

It took a while to get this campaign rolling, JFS Executive Director and CEO Don Goldman noted, partly because they “expected to go out and find something like this and make slight changes so we could roll it out to our community. But that didn’t exist.”

Aronoff said there is plenty of information out there about mental health issues and much of it is now included on the itsOK.us website. However there was nothing already designed that could be distributed throughout the community or connected with specific educational components.

“We’re creating an entire educational piece around this,” Aronoff said. The educational campaign will be launched soon after the holidays with a big event. After that smaller events will be scheduled on a regular basis.

The post cards and website

The postcards being mailed to members of the community each begin, Aronoff said, with what they hope is a captivating image and an intriguing message.

One such message appearing on the post card’s front side is “Talking about it can save a life. Possibly your own.” The flip side contains a more expanded message such as “Mental illness. It’s real. It’s treatable. It’s more common than you think.” All the messages end with “It’s OK to start the conversation.”

That is followed by the logos of the partnering agencies and the website.

Goldman said the whole point of the postcards is to redirect interested parties to the website.

“The message is to raise the awareness itself by the message and then the second point is to direct you to the website where you can get more involved and learn a little about what it really means to start the conversation, how you do that and how you deal with things that people think of as awkward,” he said.

Aronoff said the website also gives people access to a variety of resources.

“It’s OK that it’s awkward and uncomfortable and you don’t necessarily know what to say. But if you care you can start the conversation,” she said. “These suggestions don’t magically fix the problem or take away anything that the individual is dealing with, but it opens up a conversation and creates a bridge between people. It helps just being able to access the normal support of friends and family.”

The website will eventually include digital interviews from local community members who have agreed to discuss their experiences. The interviews will also offer such helpful information as what these people wish others would have said to them when they were in the middle of these situations.

Goldman and Aronoff point out it’s very important to note that the website is not for people in crisis.

“It is a start the conversation website. People in crisis or threatening suicide need to contact the suicide prevention hotline or be taken to an emergency room. This is not a substitute for seeking professional help for mental health issues in any way,” Aronoff said.

Locally designed

The campaign was designed locally with the help of JFS summer intern Rabbi Josh Dredze MSW from Yeshiva University. Goldman said the message being disseminated through this campaign was gathered through surveys as well as meetings with mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, research professionals and volunteers.

This campaign would not be possible without the help of Bernstein-Rein, an independent marketing and communications firm that donated all its services to turn the message into a media campaign with marketing pieces for print, video and the website.

Aronoff explained the campaign was designed with modular components so that it would be easy to add additional partners down the road, noting that several organizations in the community have already expressed an interest in joining the coalition. This way it is also easy to share the campaign with other organizations who may want to tailor it to their needs.

The lighthouse logo the coalition uses specifically doesn’t incorporate anything from JFS or the Rabbinical Association. Aronoff said that is because organizers wanted the campaign to stand alone as its own entity.

“A lighthouse offers guidance and hope,” Aronoff said. Because those facing issues related to mental illness often feel like they are in darkness or navigating rough waters, “the message of this campaign is a beacon of light and hope in the middle of that.”

For more information on the Anti-Stigma Campaign and the work of the Jewish Community Mental Health Coalition, contact Aronoff at 913-327-8250.

It was standing room only two years ago when Congregation Beth Torah’s Rabbi Mark Levin gave the sermon on Shabbat Shuvah at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. It marked the first time ever the two largest Reform congregations in the area gathered to pray together.

This week on Friday, Sept. 6, Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff, B’nai Jehudah’s senior rabbi, will be the guest speaker for erev Shabbat worship at 6:30 p.m. on Shabbat Shuvah, the Sabbath of Repentance, at Beth Torah. Once again the two congregations will combine for Shabbat services. Rabbi Nemitoff will speak on the subject “Coming Home: The Call of Teshuvah.”

The two rabbis had considered collaborating for a while before they were spurred to action in 2011 by a speech given by Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman at the communitywide Shavuot program that spring. That summer the board of directors of the two congregations met and the youth groups began getting together for some programs. Rabbi Levin said the two youth groups continue to work together.

When Rabbi Levin spoke to the overflow crowd two years ago, Rabbi Nemitoff said the “mood was electric.”

“Rabbi Levin’s comments were heartfelt and remarkable. It was the first time in 25 years that he had returned and spoken from B’nai Jehudah’s pulpit.”

Rabbi Levin began his rabbinical career as assistant rabbi of B’nai Jehudah in 1976. In 1988 he left B’nai Jehudah and became the spiritual leader at Congregation Beth Torah, a congregation he helped start and where he has served ever since. He is planning to retire as the pulpit rabbi in June and take on a new role at the congregation that is continuing to be defined.

When Rabbi Nemitoff speaks Friday night, it will also be a historic first. Never before in Beth Torah’s history has a rabbi from B’nai Jehudah been invited to speak. When Rabbi Nemitoff, who grew up at B’nai Jehudah, returned to the congregation to lead it in 2003, he said it had been incredibly important to him to find ways for the two congregations to collaborate.

“This is our third opportunity for the congregations to work closely together, including a combined board meeting,” noted Rabbi Levin. “I look forward to Rabbi Nemitoff’s sermon, both for its message and for the symbolism of closer future cooperation between Beth Torah and B’nai Jehudah.”

A sculpture of the family that has given so much to the University of Missouri-Kansas City is now installed between the Bloch Heritage Hall and Bloch Executive Hall.

The eight-foot tall, larger-than-life Henry W. and Marion Bloch sculpture was officially unveiled at the Bloch School of Management on Aug. 27. Created by Eugene Daub, a nationally celebrated sculptor, the work of art is larger than normal — called “life and a half” — to match the scale of the outdoor space where it was installed.

The space was carefully selected by the sculptor, the design team and the Bloch family to not just bridge the old and new buildings, but create a natural gathering place for students. The strategically placed opening between Henry and Marion allows a glimpse of the surrounding community and illustrates the Blochs’ love and dedication to both the university and the community.

Daub was selected because of the Lewis and Clark statue he previously constructed, which is located in downtown Kansas City. He later created the Corps of Discovery statue that also is in downtown Kansas City.

The Bloch sculpture was commissioned approximately one year ago by the Bloch children to surprise their father on his 90th birthday and to commemorate their parents’ commitment to the Bloch School and to the city.

With the aid of numerous photographs of the couple and strict instructions throughout from the Bloch children, Daub captured Henry and Marion in their 60s as they were seen by their children — “in a love story, always touching each other.”

The work was constructed in sections and then assembled at the foundry where a wax mold was made. Once approved, the final product was created in bronze.

The limestone base was designed by BNIM, and the inscription reads:

Marion and Henry Bloch

Whose Leadership, Devotion and Generosity Inspired and Transformed Kansas City With Deep Love and Gratitude,

Your Children

2013

“Dad, please know your children and grandchildren for generations will be able to walk past that statue and be reminded of our love for you and Mom and all that you’ve represented and done for Kansas City, UMKC and the Bloch School,” said Tom Bloch. He spoke on behalf of his brother and sisters on the evening of the unveiling.

RECOVERY GOING WELL — David Seldner received his donor kidney on Aug. 14. He is recuperating well according to the CaringBridge blog written by Seldner and his wife Jeanne. He said he is feeling stronger but continues to sleep a lot as his body and new kidney learn from each other that they are a single system and work together. In the photo he is shown holding a “souvenir” pillow from his Feb. 4 quintuple bypass surgery and a new “souvenir” kidney pillow from the Aug. 14 live kidney transplant from his honorary sibling and donor Ellen.

SUNDAY AT THE SYMPHONY — Kudos to the folks at the Kansas City Symphony who checked the calendar and decided not to schedule a Friday Pops concert on Kol Nidre. Mindful that many of its Friday Pops patrons would not be able to attend the show that evening, the Symphony scheduled the ’80s show with Sam Harris and Sheena Easton for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15, instead. Subscribers who normally receive Friday evening tickets were given Sunday night tickets for that concert. Tickets for Sunday are still available and information may be found at https://www.kcsymphony.org/StaticCtl/PopsAnnounAct.

MORE HYMAN BRAND — I heard from a few readers following last week’s column prominently showing the photo of Liam Harris standing under his great-grandfather Hyman Brand’s portrait in the office of the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy. It turns out that the portrait’s artist, Marilyn Hoffman, still lives in the area. She explained that many years ago Carl Puritz asked her to do an oil painting of Hyman Brand to hang in the school’s office, as a surprise to Brand. She used a photo of Brand as a model.

Some people wanted more information about the young kindergarten student’s relationship to his great-grandfather. Liam Harris is the son of Jessica Harris. Jessica’s father is Joel Levitch, who is the son of Francis Levitch, the daughter of Hyman Brand. As Paul Harvey would say, now you have the rest of the story!

JAF NEEDS MORE VOLUNTEERS! — It’s hard to believe the Jewish Arts Festival, chaired once again by Carol Jerwick and Greg Azorsky, is just one month away. It takes place on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center. The festival typically draws more than 7,000 people and it takes nearly 600 volunteers to make the event happen.  JAF is still in the process of recruiting volunteers. For their time and effort volunteers get a cool T-shirt! To learn more about volunteering, visit jcckc.org/jaf or call the JCC front desk at 913-327-8000. Applications are also available at the JCC’s reception desk. Advance tickets go on sale Monday, Sept. 9.

SHORT TERM 12 OPENING AT TIVOLI — “Short Term 12,” the winner of the South by Southwest film Festival (SXSW) opens at the Tivoli Cinema in Westport on Sept. 13. It is produced by David Kaplan, the grandson of Sunie and Lee Levin who got his start working as an intern for Ron Howard. The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who expanded his 2008 short of the same name into a feature film. “Short Term 12” is set in a group home for damaged adolescents where staff members face many of the same challenges as their young charges. The Washington Post gave it a glowing review, saying “Short Term 12” is that rare movie gutsy enough to tell the truth about love: that it’s not a poetic longing or a magical-thinking happy ending, but a skill. And, the film suggests, we all have the capacity to learn it.” Movieline reviewer Pete Hammond calls it a masterpiece. Grandmother Levin said it’s being listed as one of five best movies in 2013. For showtimes and more information, call the Tivoli information line at 913-383-7756 or visit www.tivolikc.com

OBAMA TALKS TO RABBIS — (JTA) At least three local rabbis — Arthur Nemitoff, Alexandria Shuval-Weiner and Moti Rieber — were on the conference call last week when President Obama offered New Year’s greetings with nearly 1,000 rabbis.

During the call Aug. 30, President Obama extended the greetings on behalf of himself and the first lady for a sweet, happy and healthy New Year. He noted that the Jewish High Holidays provide an opportunity for Jews to reflect on the past year and recommit themselves to core values.

With the United States marking the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, Obama noted the important role played by American Jews in the civil rights movement.

The president also discussed the upcoming enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act and the renewed Israel-Palestinian peace talks.

Four major rabbinical organizations hosted the call: the Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform); the Rabbinical Assembly (Conservative); the Rabbinical Council of America (Orthodox); and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association.

What a difference five years have made for Village Shalom.

It was just a handful of years ago that Village Shalom was struggling under a capital debt of about $39 million. But thanks to a multifaceted strategy, a broad-based commitment to action and a measure of serendipity, the continuing-care retirement community recently refinanced its existing debt of $12.1 million at a remarkably low 3.27 percent interest rate. The transaction closed in late May 2013.

“Our debt level is now at a size that we can afford,” said Matthew Lewis, president and CEO. “We are now living within our means.”

The $39 million remained from the original $47 million debt on Village Shalom’s 26-acre Overland Park campus, which opened in 2000. Efforts since that time to reduce the outstanding balance to a manageable level had not progressed as hoped. Interest expense, rising health care costs and reductions in Medicare/Medicaid funding led to annual losses that eroded the organization’s reserves.

In 2008, a special committee of the Village Shalom board of directors initiated an intricate, four-pronged strategy to reduce the organization’s debt. This strategy involved interdependent participation by the organization’s major creditor (a global bank), Kansas City’s Jewish funding organizations (the Jewish Heritage and Menorah Legacy foundations) and individual donors, along with a plan to retire bonds purchased by private investors in 1998 to help fund the new Village Shalom campus.

By late 2011, a large portion of that debt-reduction campaign effort had come to fruition. The bank agreed to write down its portion of the debt by approximately $6 million — a discount of 31 percent. This transaction enabled the release of $1.5 million in debt-service reserve funds to further pay down debt. The Jewish Heritage and Menorah Legacy foundations collectively committed $8 million in matching funds, dependent upon a similar amount raised from private donors. Ultimately, private contributions topped $10 million, due in large part to an extraordinary effort led by longtime Village Shalom supporter Stan Bushman.

Concurrent with these events, Village Shalom continued to make principal payments amounting to $1.4 million, thereby reducing the debt even further.

With privately held bonds still outstanding, however, work remained to be done. This last portion of debt — the “fourth prong” of the debt-reduction strategy — “was always the most perplexing and challenging of the four areas to address,” explained James Klein, a member and past chairman of the Village Shalom board and a leader of the debt-reduction committee.

“We had a disparate group of investors who owned bonds that we couldn’t identify because of the nature of bond issuance. We did our best to buy back as many of those bonds as we could,” he commented.

However, as interest rates continued their downward trend in 2012-13, so did bondholders’ willingness to sell. “It was a two-edged sword,” Klein said. “While bonds were more difficult to buy back, banks were sitting on a lot of cash earning nothing. Fortunately for us, they had an appetite to put it to work.”

In this advantageous economic environment, Village Shalom made the decision to call the remaining bonds and refinance the debt, which had previously carried a 5.75 percent interest rate. Calling the bonds enabled the release of $1.7 million in bond-reserve funds, resulting in additional operating liquidity for Village Shalom. The refinanced loan — reduced through the above-mentioned chain of events to $12.1 million — took the form of a private-placement bond issue with four participating banks. The new loan is amortized at 3.27 percent fixed-rate interest over 15 years.

“We never could have imagined that the decline in interest rates would give us the opportunity to refinance our remaining debt directly at an interest rate normally reserved for the highest-credit issuers — not a non-rated, senior-living health-care organization,” remarked Klein.

“This [interest rate] essentially saves us $500,000 per year, and $7-8 million over the entire 15-year term,” said Lewis. “This was the best thing we could have done. It had the greatest favorable impact of any possible option, and it positions us well for the future.

“Now,” he added, “we can focus on the strategic position of the organization. We’re looking at different residential-living options, and home- and community-based services and programs” that would not have been feasible prior to the debt-reduction campaign and refinance.

“We want to expend more effort in diversifying our revenue streams so we’re not so susceptible to cuts in Medicare/Medicaid or dips in occupancy rates,” Lewis said, hastening to add that “none of this can work without the continued support of the Jewish funding organizations or our fundraising efforts within the community. Those are necessary ingredients in our success.”

The entire process has been significant not only for Village Shalom, but for the community that has supported it throughout its 100-year history.

“Because of the enormity of the need, there was a spirit of shared sacrifice,” noted Klein. “No one could or even should have been responsible to take on the entire burden, but the idea that support would come from multiple sources gave each the reinforcement that others cared deeply and felt a responsibility to save Village Shalom. This last step in the restructuring process should give the local funders — the Jewish Heritage and Menorah Legacy foundations — and the small group of significant donors great satisfaction that their contributions have now been leveraged by the successful refinancing of our remaining debt.”

Chabad House Center of Kansas City is opening a new satellite location, this one in Leawood. On Monday Rabbi Mendy Wineberg, program director, said Chabad is renting a storefront in Parkway Plaza — located on the north side of 135th Street between Nall and Roe avenues. — at 4800 W. 135th St., Suite 230. The lease for the 2,100 square-feet space was signed on Monday. Chabad should take possession on Sept. 1. That gives them only a few days to prepare for Rosh Hashanah, which is expected to be the first service to take place in the new space.

Rabbi Wineberg said the satellite, to be known as Chabad of Leawood, is in very good shape and won’t need much work to ready it for the High Holidays.

“For now all we have to do is some painting and cosmetic touch ups. Once the holidays are over we’ll look at modifying some of the back area to better fit our diverse needs,” said Rabbi Wineberg, who along with his wife Devory will serve as co-directors of the new location.

(The Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur schedule for Chabad of Leawood may be found on page 19. All other congregations’ holiday schedules are included in the special Rosh Hashanah magazine, expected to be in subscribers’ mailboxes today, Aug. 29.)

Rabbi Wineberg said Chabad is opening this satellite because its mission is to try to reach every Jew as well as to raise Jewish awareness, pride and identity.

“To do that you have to be where the Jews are and the largest concentration of Jews are in that area, south of I-435 going all the way now to 160th and beyond. So we were looking for a place that was somewhat central, which 135th seems to be right in the middle, and we found this to be a perfect location,” Rabbi Wineberg said.

The Chabad rabbi said he has heard from many people in the past that they didn’t go to shul, especially on the High Holidays, because there wasn’t one within convenient walking distance for them.

“This new location is going to give more people the ability to attend services,” he said, noting that there is never a charge to attend services at Chabad.

This satellite location may be new, but Chabad has been testing the viability of a Leawood satellite for the past year or so, holding classes in a rented conference room in the area.

“There were times we had too many people for that conference room,” he said.

Chabad will offer a variety of classes in Leawood including Jewish Learning Institute courses as well as adult education and some services.

“We do a TGI Shabbos in Overland Park and we will do that once a month in Leawood as well,” said Rabbi Wineberg, who expects to build up the number of times per months services are held in Leawood gradually.

Classes and services will continue to be offered at the Overland Park Chabad House.

“We’re not stopping the Overland Park location. We’ve got a great building there and lots of activities going on including the Gan Chabad Preschool,” he said.

In the past two years enrollment has increased to 40 children and last year a $50,000 playground was installed.

This is not the first time Chabad House has been on the move. Established here in 1970, it moved its headquarters from Kansas City, Mo., to the current Overland Park location about 25 years ago. Three other locations under the auspices of Chabad-Lubavitch Headquarters of Kansas and Missouri have opened in the last eight years including Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Life, more often known simply as KU Chabad, Chabad on the Plaza and Chabad of MU and Mid-Missouri.

“At one point there will be a Chabad at 190th street if that’s where the Jews are. We’re going to be where the Jews are where we can fill the needs,” Rabbi Wineberg said.

The rabbi and his family moved south of I-435 about a year ago as well. On Shabbos and holidays he walks eight miles round trip to the Overland Park shul located at 6201 Indian Creek Drive. He has had a lot of interesting Jewish encounters along the way.

“I inevitably pass by a runner or a walker or a biker or sometimes even someone in a car that wishes me a good Shabbos as we’re walking. It’s just incredible this feeling of connection that you get with other Jewish people … they are wishing us good Shabbos and we’re wishing them a good Shabbos and it’s almost the same as putting up a menorah or anything else to raise awareness to say hey, it’s Shabbos. It’s really been incredible.”