Cinema lovers in Greater Kansas City do not need to travel to Cannes, Toronto or Sundance to attend a first-class film festival. Opportunity knocks starting next weekend when local audiences can find their very own slice of film nirvana in Overland Park at the 12th annual Kansas International Film Festival (KIFF). KIFF will take place Oct. 5-11 at the Glenwood Arts Theatre located inside the Metcalf South Shopping Center.

This year’s festival will premiere more than 45 films over seven days. The lineup contains an eclectic mix of dramatic features and documentaries with many filmmakers in attendance. High profile major studio releases premiering at KIFF before their regular fall openings include “The Sessions,” “Smashed,” “Butter” and “A Late Quartet.”

Five films will have a distinctive Jewish flavor. They are “Remembrance,” “Kinderblock 66: Return to Buchenwald,” “A.K.A. Doc Pomus,” Within the Whirlwind,” and “Policeman.”

“Remembrance” is a romantic war drama spanning three decades inspired by true events. A German Jewish woman and a Polish partisan forge a passionate bond in the dark shadow of the Holocaust. After a daring escape from a Nazi death camp and surviving a treacherous journey through the woods to freedom, Hannah and Tomasz are separated during the chaos at the end of the war. Each is convinced that the other has died. The events of 1944 Poland interchange with 1976 Manhattan, where an older Hannah — now a happily married 52-year-old mother — accidentally glimpses a television interview that leads her to a stunning revelation. She is forced to confront her unresolved past. The dialogue is partially in German, Polish and Russian with English subtitles. It will be shown at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6. My rating 3 stars out of 4). [Editor’s note: This film will also be shown at the Kansas City Jewish Film Festival on Oct. 13 at the White Theatre.]

“Kinderblock 66: Return to Buchenwald” is a documentary about four men who, as young teenage boys, were imprisoned by the Nazis in the Buchenwald concentration camp. They along with other Holocaust survivors return to commemorate the 65th anniversary of their liberation on April 11, 1945. The true hero of the story is Antonin Kalina, a Czech communist who served as the block elder. He committed himself entirely to saving 1,000 Jewish children that he barely knew. At this time, Yad Vashem is still considering Righteous Among the Nations status for this courageous patriarch. Writer/director Rob Cohen has crafted a stirring history lesson of traumatic childhood memories utilizing black and white archival footage provided by Steven Spielberg’s Film and Video Archive and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Jewish actor Liev Shreiber (“Defiance”) is the narrator. The documentary is partially in Hebrew and German with English subtitles. It screens at 5:25 p.m. Monday night, Oct. 8. My rating 4 stars.

“A.K.A. Doc Pomus” is a touching and emotional biographical documentary about Brooklyn-born Jerome Solon Felder, better known as blues singer and songwriter Doc Pomus. His parents were poor Jewish immigrants. This heavyset Jewish kid contracted polio at age 6. Although confined to crutches and a wheelchair, he demonstrated a lot of chutzpah by living more during his 65 years than others could experience in several lifetimes.  He made a difference in the world as the lyricist of more than 1,000 songs, including “Save the Last Dance for Me,” “This Magic Moment,” “A Teenager in Love,” ”Suspicion,” “Can’t Get Used to Losing You” and “Viva Las Vegas.” His endearing tunes were recorded by the giants of the music industry including Elvis Presley, Ray Charles and Bob Dylan. This documentary is packed with incomparable music, rare archival footage and celebrity interviews. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. It will be shown at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon, Oct. 7. My rating 3 1/2 stars.

“Within the Whirlwind” (7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8) is a biopic based on the memoir of Eugenia Ginzburg (Emily Watson), a Jewish educator, journalist and university administrator. During Stalin’s reign of terror, she was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with deprivation of political rights and confiscation of all her personal property. She was sent to a gulag in Siberia. Having lost everything, and no longer wishing to live, she meets the camp doctor who probably saved her life by recommending her for a nursing position. The film has previously shown in Jewish film festivals in Boston, Atlanta, Barcelona and New York. My rating 2 ½ stars.

“Policeman” (5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8) is an Israeli drama about the members of the most dangerous unit in the Israeli police. They clash with a group of young radical revolutionaries, who take three billionaires hostage at a wedding reception. The slow and methodical pacing may put you to sleep. The dialogue is in Hebrew with English subtitles. The movie was nominated for seven awards by the Israeli Film Academy (equivalent of the Oscars) including best film, director, screenplay, cinematography and actor. My rating 2 ½ stars.

Full festival passes, which cover admission to all KIFF films along with special advance seating privileges, are priced at $60. Individual tickets are $6.50 before 5 p.m. and $8.50 for evening shows. Seniors 60 and over pay $6.75 anytime. Discounts are available for Film League members. Tickets may be purchased at the Glenwood Arts. For the complete schedule and more information, call 913-642-4404 or visit www.kansasfilm.com.

Former Kansas Citian Jason Barnett is an officer in the Israel Defense Force. While his parents, Lori and Paul Barnett, were longtime supporters of Israel, it was only when Jason made aliyah that they realized their commitment needed to be deeper.

“We pray for peace, but we know that a well equipped Israeli Army is a deterrent,” said Paul Barnett.

He and his wife are not only Synagogue Ambassadors for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, but they agreed to chair the Israel Action Forum Host Committee.

“By supporting AIPAC, we are supporting Israel and our son and all the sons and daughters who are committed to Israel’s defense,” he added.

Noted Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens and Baptist minister the Rev. Dee Dee Coleman will headline the annual event from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, at B’nai Jehudah.

“We really care about the future of Israel,” Barnett added. “Our visits there gave us a feeling of belonging; each time we returned, that feeling grew stronger. My service on the Federation’s Israel and Overseas committee was born out of a desire to serve the Jewish community. But until Jason told us he was making aliyah and joining the IDF, we had no idea how much our love for Israel influenced him.”

The Barnetts attended their first AIPAC Forum in 2011. “Promoting the partnership between our native country and our ancestral homeland seemed right,” Barnett said. “AIPAC helps preserve that partnership, just as strongly as Jason is committed to protecting Israel.”

When Ari Lubowicz was asked to take on a newly created role for AIPAC here, he, too, responded: “Yes!” Lubowicz will be the new ambassador chair, overseeing volunteers who work with temples and synagogues.

“My new role fits into what has become one of my passions,” Lubowicz explained. “My wife Marlene and I had debated attending AIPAC’s policy conference in D.C. After a rewarding weekend at last year’s K.C. forum, we decided to go. More than 13,000 people with different backgrounds and experiences congregated because of their support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. I am excited (about) continuing the good work of the K.C. leadership in bringing AIPAC and its mission to more people.”

Now in its fifth year, the AIPAC Israel Action Forum has been reformatted — with two major speakers, a streamlined program and a new cadre of volunteers.

Larry Nussbaum has served as K.C. Council chair, while John Isenberg and Bonnie Siegel chaired the forum since 2009. With Siegel now heading the K.C. AIPAC Council, Nussbaum serving as advisory chair, and Isenberg taking on donor development, Debbie Graham and Carol Katzman will oversee the forum.

Their team includes political co-chairs Miriam Glueck and Steve Graham and community outreach chairs the Rev. L. Henderson Bell and Larry King. Netta Krashin chairs community liaisons; Jeff Horen, public relations; Efi Kamara, Israeli outreach; Jonas Barrish and Ariella and Roy Ben-Aharon, young adults; Nathan Lipsky, college students; Hillel Goldstein, high school students and youth groups; Stan Zeldin, community agencies; and Michal Cahlon, Hyman Brand students. Lubowicz oversees Ambassadors Vic Bergman, Howard Ellis, Barry Kaseff, Brenda Rosenthal and the Barnetts.

Chairing the Saturday night Leadership Reception are Jenny Isenberg, Ronna Nussbaum and Kathi Rosenberg; both AIPAC guest speakers will be there. (The reception is open to all AIPAC Club members; to learn more, contact AIPAC’s K.C. Area Director Brad Fahlgren in the Chicago office at 312-253-8997 or email .)

Master Sergeant Jason Barnett just completed the IDF Command Course and is a paratrooper.

“We are so proud of Jason and (yet) we are concerned,” added Barnett. “When the U.S. supports Israel with defense funding, Lori and I are less worried knowing that Jason and his compatriots are well equipped.”

For more information or to register, call Tali Jubelirer in AIPAC’s Chicago office at 312-253-8984 or email . To register online, visit www.aipac.org/KCForum2012.

The Jewish community will be greatly represented in the inaugural Prime Time Awards, sponsored by Shepherd’s Center of KC Central. The 2012 Prime Time Champions are Shirley Rose, Crosby Kemper III and the Jewish Heritage Foundation.

The Prime Time Awards salute excellence in contributions to the community by individuals who are age 60-plus and/or organizations that help this population.

Rose, at the age of 78, founded the American Stroke Association along with her daughter in 1997.

“She is a remarkable example of the ability to bring an important vision to reality after the age of 60,” said JoEllen Wurth, Shepherd’s Center executive director.

Rose said, “I am deeply honored to be selected for this award from such a worthy organization.”

Kemper is the director of the Kansas City Public Library and former CEO of UMB Financial Corporation.

“Crosby exemplifies the stellar success of an encore career and the possibilities of making a community-wide impact in life after the age of 60,” Wurth said.

The Jewish Heritage Foundation is being honored for its leadership, Wurth said, “as a recognizable beacon that has led the way to ensuring that funding supports successful aging in Kansas City.

Ellen Kort, executive director of the Jewish Heritage Foundation, said the foundation is honored to accept the award.

“For the past six years our foundation has chosen to focus on ‘Aging in Community,’ and we see our goals mirrored in the excellent strategies employed by the Shepherd’s Center. We join the community in saluting the Shepherd’s Center Central as they continue to impact the progress of helping Kansas Citians age successfully,” Kort said.

Shepherd’s Center Central empowers mid-life and older adults to live healthy, engaged and independent lives. Founded in 1972, the Shepherd’s Center Central is a leader in the regional effort to ensure that all people can age successfully with dignity, security and respect.

The event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the InterContinental Hotel. For ticket or sponsorship information, visit www.sccentral.org or call 816-444-1121.

MORE ON ‘MEET THE PRESS’ — Last week in a blurb about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s interview aired on “Meet the Press,” (Sunday, Sept. 16), I mentioned that host David Gregory referred to Netanyahu as the “leader of the Jewish people.” However a reader has pointed out to me that later that same day Gregory clarified his earlier description of the Israeli prime minister on Twitter. He said it is better to say Netanyahu is the leader of the Jewish state.

HELZBERG PENGUIN PLAZA — For the first time ever the Kansas City Zoo will house a penguin exhibit and some of that is due to Barnett and Shirley Helzberg. A major gift was presented to the zoo in memory of the late Barnett C. Helzberg Sr. so the area will be called the Helzberg Penguin Plaza. It will open in late 2013 and will feature a 100,000 gallon cool pool for cold water penguins and a 25,000 gallon warm wet area laced with sand for warm water penguins. Zoo officials say each exhibit will provide child-friendly and magnificent views showcasing these extraordinary black and white birds in a recreated natural environment even including snow for the cold water feathered friends. The Friends of the Zoo raised $4.1 million for the project.

QUALITY HILL’S NEW SEASON — Quality Hill Playhouse opened its 2012-2013 season last week “On the Sunny Side of the Street: Music That Made the Depression Great,” a cabaret revue of high-spirited songs written to cheer up Americans during the Great Depression. Songwriters such as George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Dorothy Fields and Fats Waller helped Americans escape their reality by celebrating the brighter side of life through songs with lively rhythms, upbeat tempos and subjects of love and care-free living. Vocalists Julie O’Rourke Kaul, Kathryn Long and Ken Remmert will be joined by pianist/emcee J. Kent Barnhart, drummer Julian Goff and bassist Brian Wilson on more than two dozen “feel good” classics, including “Get Happy,” “Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries,” “I Got Rhythm,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” “Nice Work If You Can Get It” and more. “On the Sunny Side of the Street” runs through October at Quality Hill Playhouse. For tickets, call 816-421-1700 or visit www.QualityHillPlayhouse.com.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE — Know a Jewish teen who is making a real difference in the world and could put $36,000 to good use? The Helen Diller Family Foundation is expanding the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards, issuing a national call-for-nominations to identify Jewish teens whose volunteer service projects demonstrate a determined commitment to make the world a better place. Up to 10 teens, five from California and five from other communities across the country, will each be acknowledged for their visionary actions with an award of $36,000 to be used to further their philanthropic work or their education. Deadline for nominations is Jan. 6.

What started as a simple idea for Bay Area Philanthropist Helen Diller in 2007 has grown tremendously over the last six years. The Helen Diller Family Foundation has given more than 1 million dollars to 30 teens to further their vision of tikkun olam — a central precept of Judaism meaning repair of the world.

Teens can be nominated by teachers, community leaders, rabbis, or anyone who knows the value of their volunteer service and commitment. Nominations made by family members will not be accepted. However, young Jewish teens may also nominate themselves.

To enter, complete the online nomination form at 222.jewishfed.org/teenawards/process. For more information visit www.jewishfed.org/diller/teenawards; call 415-512-6437 or email .

We looked forward to this trip to Israel — where we would be joining women from all over the world — for so long. It was billed as a journey of a lifetime that would reawaken our passion and commitment for Judaism and Israel. That’s exactly what it was, and more.

The trip was organized by the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project, an organization established in 2008 with the purpose to empower Jewish women to change the world. Its mission is to create a Jewish women’s movement that inspires a renaissance of positive values that transforms women, their families and communities.

Our Kansas City contingent consisted of 20 women including our fearless leaders Esther Sokoloff and Bracha Schulgasser from the KC Kollel, who were the local sponsors of our trip. Assisting them were our amazing madrichim Amy Shapiro and Doris Mendel, who went last year as participants. Joining us were Adrianne Applebaum, Christa Balanoff, Jan Harness, Sharon Iseman, Jasmine Jacobs, Netta Krashin, Diane Margolies, Erin Nathan, Mindy Parmet, Judi Parnes, Heather Schlozman, Shari Sokol, Ellen Sommi and Erika Feingold-Velasquez.

Many of us had never been to Israel before and even those who had been years ago were very excited. We shared our bus with women from Manhattan, N.Y. It didn’t take long for our bus to obtain a nickname, MANKAN, and develop a motto, “no chicas left behind.” During the many hours spent on the bus touring, we were privileged to have very knowledgeable tour guides who shared with us their love and passion for Israel.

It’s very hard to describe all of our amazing experiences into one short article. One experience worth mentioning was our visit to The Mikveh of Tsfat, a world-acclaimed mikveh and “spiritual spa” that is one of the largest and most modern facilities in the country. As a group we were fortunate to experience the inner workings of this magnificent place and to meet the “serene Mikveh women.” We learned that the mikveh offers the individual, the community and the nation of Israel the remarkable gift of purity and holiness. One of the unique facets of this mikveh is it can accommodate physically challenged women so they, too, can enjoy this facet of our heritage.

As we made our way to Jerusalem, “Hatikvah” was playing throughout the bus. The city lights brought tears to our eyes.

Part of our mission involved study at Aish HaTorah. The variety of classes, the speakers and the view, which overlooks the Kotel, were truly amazing. We were truly inspired and transformed spiritually by all of the classes.

The one word that comes to mind when thinking about our Shabbat experience in Jerusalem is “wow!” It was everything we thought it would be and much more — from the beautiful meal at Aish HaTorah to the dancing and singing at the Kotel with 175 of our “sisters.” Complete strangers — teenagers, Israeli soldiers, mothers and daughters — joined our group to dance and sing because the experience was so moving and spiritual. We wish we could have every Shabbat at the Kotel.

Another one of our favorite experiences — but also the sweatiest, dirtiest and most physically tiring — was our journey to Masada and The Dead Sea. Nothing was more invigorating than standing at the top of Masada looking at our Holy Land. Instead of climbing the snake path to the top we took the cable cars. That allowed us more time to look at the view and learn about the history while walking in the footsteps of our ancestors. At the top of Masada, the group held a naming ceremony and invited any woman to participate who had never been given a Hebrew name. Several women from KC received their Hebrew names that morning.

Visiting the Dead Sea was an amazing experience. It was so incredible to lift our legs up and float with no raft; to cover ourselves with the mud from the sea from head to toe. Then we all bravely climbed up on camels, screaming with laughter for the entire ride.

The KC contingent was privileged to visit our sister city, Ramla. We felt a little bit at home when the bus pulled up and Alan and Debbie Sosland-Edelman got on it! We were able to see first-hand what the KC Jewish community and the Jewish Federation are doing there. These programs are really making a difference and are run by very hard working, dedicated individuals. More information about all these programs can be found at www.jewishkansascity.org.

We ended our day in Ramla by picking tomatoes, which were to be given to food pantries. This was a very new and different experience for most of the women in our group. We wish we could have stayed longer and helped more.

JWRP partners with a program called “Thank Israeli Soldiers” (www.thankisraelisoldiers.org). Its mission is to educate and empower soldiers throughout their IDF service and beyond. We visited an army base comprised mostly of women soldiers whose responsibility is to help watch one of Israel’s borders. We were struck by their youth, their maturity, pride and commitment to serve. Our group gave these brave soldiers gift bags and letters written by members of B’not Lev BBG. Heartfelt sentiments were exchanged as we thanked these soldiers for what they do.

Our time in Israel went by very quickly. Our days were busy and long, we were so connected to each other and our Jewish homeland. We were welcomed and embraced everywhere we went. We all felt “at home” in the Jewish state. We believe we were changed both inside and out. It was an experience we will never forget. One that as wives, mothers and Jewish people was empowering, enlightening, insightful, humbling and provided much needed spiritual nourishment for our souls.

We are sure we speak for the group when we say we cannot wait to return. Next year in Jerusalem.

Michelle Cole and Lenna Levitch were two of 20 women from Kansas City who participated in the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project mission to Israel July 22 through Aug. 1. The local contingent was sponsored by the KC Kollel.

“World on a String,” by Karen Stark, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (2012), available through Amazon.com in paperback or on Kindle

Whether you knew Kansas City designer Charlie Stark or not, you’re in for one helluva ride with “World on a String,” a fictionalized account of his early years growing up on the streets of the squalid lower East Side of New York City in the 1920s, one of 11 people living in a two-room tenement slum.

Charlie Stark’s daughter, Karen Stark, has brought to vivid life the adversities and poverty her father overcame to build his career. While the book is fiction, Karen Stark says about 80 percent of it is absolutely true, much of it based on Charlie Stark’s memoir.

Stark, who grew up in Kansas City, Mo., said people here who knew him remember Charlie Stark for “his humor, wit, bravado, excitement, great imagination and ability to be a tremendous storyteller and schmoozer. They’ll remember some of these really beautiful places he created. But what they don’t know is the life he led before he came to Kansas City.

“They don’t now the tremendous hardship he lived and survived as a little boy, … the things that motivated him, that shaped his life and shaped him into the man he became,” she said.

Although the Starks were not affiliated with any synagogue, they did observe Jewish holidays and Stark said her parents spoke to one another in Yiddish at home.

Kansas City designer

Charlie Stark came to Kansas City in 1932 at the age of 22, on his way to Hollywood to work as a set designer in the film industry. His stop here was just to visit relatives. It was the Depression, times were hard and jobs practically nil. To help his relatives, Charlie went out and found a job almost immediately designing window displays for department stores. His relatives were so impressed that, his daughter says, he thought maybe he could be a big fish in a little pond, so he stayed. Window displays grew into more design jobs, which led to creating restaurant interiors that looked like theater sets.

A club called The Castaways on Main Street was one of his designs.

“He created this whole South Sea Island ambience where an entire wall was a waterfall with beautiful tropical and exotic flowers placed strategically into the rocks of the waterfall,” Karen Stark said in a telephone interview from her home in Durham, N.C.

“Because my dad came from such a poor, impoverished background, everything had to be class.”

Another restaurant he designed was Lusco’s Lodge at about 83rd and Wornall, owned by Tudie Lusco.

“(My dad) said, ‘Tudie, I’m gonna make you this lodge that’s going to look like the Swiss Alps.’ And sure enough, he made a whole wall look like a mountainside with snow; he had a motorized ski lift going up it. … You felt like you were looking out the windows of a ski lodge,” Stark said.

Charlie was still designing restaurants into his 70s. According to Stark, in the early 1980s, one of the sons of Jasper Mirabile (of the famed Jasper’s) hired Charlie to do the interior of a new Italian restaurant called The Trattoria at 75th and Wornall.

“It doesn’t exist anymore,” Stark said. “My dad made the entire interior look like you were sitting in an Italian courtyard between two buildings. … You felt like you were in Venice.

“Up to the age of 87, he was still schmoozing and trying to convince people he was going to make something gorgeous. And I guarantee you there are probably dozens of people still in Kansas City who remember Charlie Stark coming in and saying, ‘Don’t worry. I’m gonna make you a showplace, I’m gonna make you a palace.’ ”

Trips to the Nelson

Although Charlie never had any formal training, he had a tremendous knowledge of art. Stark recalls that as a little girl, her dad would take her to the Nelson Art Gallery every Sunday where they would walk through the galleries and Charlie would scrutinize the paintings.

“He would just ramble on in his thick New York accent” about some Renaissance painting, pointing to it with his ever present cigar, explaining to his daughter how “the artist took with the tip of his brush just a drop of cadmium red and then a little cadmium yellow ochre just on the edge of this cloud to make the sunset pop out at you.”

Much of Charlie’s knowledge came from working with Alexander Chertoff, a well-known set designer in the Yiddish theater and on Broadway, who Stark says was a great inspiration to her father.

But he learned a great deal from books as well. When he was just 15, he was hired to decorate a social club. He got the idea to make it look like a New England hunting club, so he went to the New York Public Library, got photos of the English countryside and found paintings of English noblemen chasing foxes during the hunt.

“He wanted to make it perfect, he wanted to make it classy,” Stark said. “So he was really self-taught and self-motivated.”

Creating a Foundation

Stark said her father had to be his own advocate because no one else took on that role.

“When you read the book, you see that nobody was tender toward Charlie as a kid,” she said. “He had no advocates, no mentors, he was always on his own. He had to have his own inner strength to survive. Because nobody else told him he was a good kid, he had to tell himself that he was a good kid. Nobody else told him he was talented. He had to convince himself he was talented.”

Like so many other poor minorities, her dad did not have the opportunities to reach his full potential. Stark said she’s hoping a publisher will pick up the book, enabling her to sell millions of copies in order to start a foundation in her father’s name that gives scholarships to minority students who want to have careers in the visual arts.

“Had my father been properly mentored, he could have been a museum-quality painter,” she said. “I believe that minority students need more breaks. My dad was a minority slum kid who needed a break and he needed mentoring and guidance and nurturing. And kids that are poor and disadvantaged don’t get that nurturing. That’s why this will go to minority students.”

KOSHER TAILGATING — When the gates to Lot M opened bright and early at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs’ home opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 9, Isaac Gortenburg and his friends were there to fire up his kosher smoker for a kosher BBQ pre-game tailgate. Gortenburg, a graduate of the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy who now lives in Chicago, hand-carried his specially-ordered, hand-cut, glatt kosher beef brisket from the Romanian Kosher Sausage Co. of the Windy City to Kansas City particularly for this special event. He has been experimenting in kosher smoked and BBQ meats for more than two years. His sous chefs for the day included his father, Michael Gortenburg, Isaac Chopp and Ryan Amalah.

NETANYAHU ON ‘MEET THE PRESS’ — I was busy cooking Sunday morning but took a short break to watch Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on “Meet the Press.” I was personally struck by a couple of different things. Netanyahu kept repeating that Iran is in the “red zone,” meaning the country is very close to getting what it needs to produce a nuclear bomb. The red zone is football technology, cleverly used on a football Sunday in the United States, when a team is getting close to scoring a touchdown. During the interview the Israeli prime minister was clear it wasn’t his place to talk presidential politics. I completely stopped what I was doing when I heard Gregory call Netanyahu “the leader of the Jewish people.” I never knew the elected leader of the state of Israel was thought of by others as the leader of the Jewish people.

LOCAL DOC QUOTED IN WASHINGTON POST — Jay M. Portnoy, M.D., was quoted in an article in the Sept. 15 issue of the Washington Post, “Weather pushes allergy and asthma miseries to new level.” Dr. Portnoy, who is chief of Children’s Mercy Hospital’s allergy, asthma and immunology section, commented on what allergists here in the Midwest are seeing following this very hot summer and resulting drought. He’s quoted several times, including this comment: “My guess is probably it was a worse year than other years . . . because it was a perfect storm of hot, dry, low humidity.” Dr. Portnoy served as president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology from 2007 to 2008 and is a member of Kehilath Israel Synagogue. To read the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/weather-pushes-allergy-and-asthma-miseries-to-new-level/2012/09/15/ad2d46be-fd03-11e1-a31e-804fccb658f9_story.html?wprss=rss_national.

WALK FOR ALS — Several members of the Jewish community are involved in the effort to raise money to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The Kansas City Walk to Defeat ALS will be Sept. 29 at Berkley Riverfront Park. It is a family-friendly event designed to celebrate the lives of those living with ALS and the memory of those who have passed away but are not forgotten. The event begins at 9 a.m. and will include activities for the kids, fellowship and friendship for the adults, and coffee, bagels and other snacks. The walk itself begins at 10:30 a.m. and is a 1-mile stroll through Berkley Park. The Walk to Defeat ALS is the ALS Association’s biggest annual event, which raises funds to sustain patient care and support research for much of the following year. For more information call Nellie Feehan at 913-648-2062.

JDC FACEBOOK APP — The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) has launched its first ever Facebook App — https://www.facebook.com/TheJDC/app_235031903285313 — allowing you to send e-Recipe cards to family and friends. Connecting you to Jewish communities far and wide, you can share JDC global holiday recipes — from leek fritatas from Turkey or cornflour-coconut halava from India — and your own holiday favorites. You can also become a fan of JDC’s Facebook page and show your support for JDC in its historic and ongoing mission of caring for Jews and Jewish communities overseas. Become part of our movement of global Jewish responsibility and say Shanah Tovah to millions of Jews in the more than 70 countries, including Israel, where JDC works. You can also channel your inner Joan Nathan or Claudia Rodin and download JDC recipe cards-spanning the organization’s global reach from Argentina to Tunisia-at: http://www.jdc.org/recipes2012.

For some, the U.S. economy has improved slightly. Yet there are others in our midst who continue to struggle. These people are faced with chronic need — the elderly, those on long-term disability and fixed-incomes, etc. They are our neighbors and family members, fellow congregants or classmates whose circumstances are unlikely to change in the near future. And they need our help.

Thankfully, the Chesed Fund was started five years ago by the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City to provide support for those who find themselves in challenging financial circumstances on an on-going basis. The fund helps Jewish residents living in the five counties in Greater Kansas City whose situation is unlikely to change or will not improve with one-time emergency assistance.

“The Federation established The Chesed Fund in 2007 because even then we saw a rising need among people with chronic financial challenges,” said Shari Stimetz, Federation assistant executive director. “Chesed was launched with a $50,000 grant from the Menorah Legacy Foundation and has received generous support from funds at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, including the Legacy Fund.”

Jewish Family Services works in partnership with the Federation to administer The Chesed Fund.

In its first year, The Chesed Fund helped 11 people disbursing a total of $7,196. In contrast, during the first six months of 2012, The Chesed Fund has distributed $113,330 to 107 individuals/families and will surpass 2011 in both the number of people helped and dollars allocated.

“People are not finding jobs as  quickly and the need for financial assistance is needed for a longer period of time,” Stimetz said. “There are unexpected situations that come into one’s life that eat up savings and can devastate a family — like a prolonged illness.”

More financial donations are needed to replenish the Chesed Fund.

“We never know from year to year what the fund will need, but from our experience and the stats, we need to raise more money,” Stimetz said. “We don’t turn away anyone whose need is validated even if we don’t have the money in the fund. The Federation advances it and is paid back as we raise the funds.”

As an incentive, Frances O. Brown recently made a generous challenge grant gift to the Chesed Fund through the Jacob and Frances O. Brown Family Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation. The challenge grant, in the amount of $5,000, was put in place in early August to motivate other potential givers and has already proved fruitful.

Jewish Community Foundation staff is happy to help in situations like these: “Because the Jewish Community Foundation works with all of the Jewish community’s major funders, we are able to match up individual donors with causes that speak to them,” said Lauren Hoopes, JCF executive director. “In this case, we let Frances know about the need and helped her come up with a creative way to leverage her donation.

“Anyone can make a challenge grant to the Chesed program, or any other community funded program. All they need to do is contact us and we can help them make it happen.”

To donate directly to the Chesed Fund, contact Shari Stimetz at 913-327-8102 or , or donate online at www.jewishkansascity.org. If you are interested in creating a new Chesed challenge grant, or making a donation from your JCF donor advised fund, contact Beatrice Fine, director of funder services and education, at 913-327-4618 or .

The Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Lawrence has launched a live Sunday Jewish Radio show, “The Schmooze” on KLWN News Talk 1320 AM. The first show aired Sunday, Aug. 26.

“This is the first time in Lawrence history that a Jewish radio show is on the air,” said Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel, director of Chabad at KU.

Each week the show, which airs Sunday at 8 a.m., covers a question of the week pertaining to Jewish culture and traditions as well as an upcoming holiday or the weekly Torah portion. The 30-minute show also features a Jewish joke of the week, a new Yiddish phrase and special guests and content. Listeners are encouraged to call in and share their insight and join the conversation.

“After all that’s what schmoozing is all about,” Rabbi Tiechtel said.

Rabbi Tiechtel said the show will expose the depth and meaning of the Jewish traditions to many people who may not have direct access to learn more about Judaism. “There are many myths about the Jewish religion and its lifestyle, and the goal of this show is to bring the joys of Judaism and its rich heritage to all,” he said.

The Lawrence rabbi said the idea of a radio show has been brewing for a while now.

“At Chabad we are always seeking ways to bring Judaism to every Jew. Sometimes you cannot wait till someone steps through the door, you need to bring the joys of Judaism into their home or to their kitchen table on a Sunday morning. That was the inspiration behind the idea,” he said.

Rabbi Tiechtel said that since the media is such an enormously powerful force, the new radio show is a great way to reach the heart and soul of many people.

“With the Jewish population at KU and in Lawrence growing in rapid strides, now is a great time to get this show going. There is no better way to start off our week in a reJEWvinating fashion, then a Sunday morning Schmooze.”

Rabbi Tiechtel said he approached the general manager of Great Plains Media Jay Wachs, the parent company of KLWN, “who is a fellow Jew and a wonderful person,” about his idea.

“He loved the idea,” Rabbi Tiechtel said. “He was excited about the idea and was even willing to lend his support by having the station sponsor some of the shows. The remaining shows are being sponsored by local businesses, among them At Home Care Inc. and Dr. Dave Computer Repair. More sponsors are joining in as well for the future.”

KLWN’s Wachs said the station had been thinking about diversifying its Sunday line-up and was open to the idea because it had heavily focused on Christianity. No stranger to Jewish-themed radio, Wachs hosted a Sunday morning radio show based on Jewish religion, history and culture when he was president of the Jewish Federation in Greenville, S.C.

Wachs pointed out that there are three Jewish men currently working at KLWN and its sister station KISS 105.9 FM — Sean Levine hosts Rock Chalk Sports Talk on AM from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays and Craig Hoffman, known as KJ, hosts the 3 to7 p.m. afternoon show on the FM side.

“The Schmooze” is co-hosted by Michael Lebovitz, a junior at KU who hails from the Kansas City area and is majoring in linguistics. Lebovitz actively participates in Chabad programming on campus.

“I have always been impressed with his skills in communicating ideas and also his great sense of humor. When I was thinking of having someone join me each week to spice up the show, I thought Michael would be a great addition,” Rabbi Tiechtel said.

“It is also so important for people to get inspired by the youth as it is these young men and women who will be the future leaders in the Jewish community,” the rabbi added.

This is Lebovitz’s first time on the radio and he’s enjoying it.

“I have a lot of friends in radio at the university radio station KJHK and I’ve been in the studio with them and helped them run their show, ‘Jazz in the Morning,’ and I’ve spoken once. It was really cool and now I get to do it myself and it’s a lot of fun,” Lebovitz said.

Rabbi Tiechtel said the first three shows have been very well received. The very first show focused on the call of the shofar, and the shofar was actually blown on air for all to hear.

After each show, podcasts are posted on the Chabad at KU website, www.JewishKU.com. For more information call Chabad at 785-832-8672 or email .

Brian Gersh is a student at The Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel. Since last spring he has been raising funds to help two fellow students, who are Sudanese refugees, complete their studies at IDC as well.

Gersh, 29, first learned about the problem facing African refugees when he arrived in Israel in 2008 and participated in a Masa program in Tel Aviv called Tikkun Olam. He was reintroduced to the issue last spring while on active reserve duty for the Israeli Defense Forces (he completed his army service in July 2011 as a staff sergeant in a combat unit).

“My unit was transferred to the unfenced area of the Egyptian border to give support to the unusually high number of Africans crossing over from Egypt,” said Gersh, who grew up in Overland Park as a member of Congregation Beth Shalom and graduated in 2001 from Blue

Valley Northwest High School.

Since 2005, Gersh explained, more than 60,000 Africans from a variety of different countries including Eritrea, Darfur and Sudan, have illegally crossed the Egyptian border into Israel.

“Many of them had stopped in Egypt where they were enslaved. There was a harsh crackdown by the Egyptian police where many of the asylum seekers were being murdered, so they crossed into Israel to seek refuge,” Gersh said.

Gersh studies along with Gabriel Thon and William Akon Deng at IDC in the International Government Program. Both entered the country illegally, served time in Israeli internment camps and are now full-time students. The two, and their families, were supposed to be deported this summer along with 2,000 other Africans.

According to a Washington Post article published June 15, 2012, the decision to expel Israel’s South Sudanese migrants first surfaced in early April, when the Interior Ministry issued a deportation order based on the idea that South Sudan’s independence in July 2011 had eased risks for the refugees. The Washington Post noted that human rights groups in Israel petitioned the order, citing the enduring armed conflict between Khartoum and South Sudan as evidence that the refugees would be at risk of death if deported. But the Jerusalem district court ruled that the rights groups were not successful in proving that the refugees would face imminent danger.

In his bio, Deng said he was very hurt when he heard the deportation news. He explained it took him many years to be able to go to school and after he finally started, the deportation order “seemed like a bad dream.”

A group of students, including Gersh, did successfully petition the Interior Ministry to get special exemptions for Thon and Deng, along with another four students attending Tel Aviv University and one in Beersheba. All students are studying either government or business.

However, none of the students were given working visas that would allow them to get jobs to pay for living expenses. That’s why Gersh began the fundraising campaign.

“Because of the huge influx of asylum seekers from Africa, any employers caught employing Africans will go to jail or get fined,” Gersh said.

Thon is grateful for the help he has been getting from Gersh and his friends.

“If it had not been for the generosity of friends, I would have not completed the last semester … I have to thank the school administration and the students for standing against our deportation. Brian being our friend and our classmate encourages us …,” Thon said.

Educating and taking care of these Sudanese refugees is important to Gersh for humanitarian reasons as well as Israel’s future.

“I believe this is a great chance for Israel and the South Sudan, a brand new Christian government, to start building diplomatic and economic relations,” Gersh said. “I believe to have a brand new Christian-based government in your neighborhood, especially in Africa, is a huge opportunity for Israel.”

Gersh points out that according to statistics provided by the World Bank, South Sudan is one of the world’s poorest and most underdeveloped countries. He said three out of four heads of household have no formal education whatsoever, and illiteracy and child mortality rates in the country are among the highest in the world.

Gersh said Thon and Deng definitely want to return to South Sudan once their studies are complete.

“They want to go back to South Sudan, but they need logistical and economic help in order to do that. They need two more years to finish their BA degrees in international government,” said Gersh, who is on track to also earn his undergraduate degree in the spring of 2014. He hopes to continue studying for an advanced degree in the future.

Local rabbis have agreed to help Gersh as have friends and family in Kansas City. Gersh, who returned to Israel late last week, also contacted some churches and priests while he was in the area. The African Refugee Development Center in Tel Aviv is assisting as well.

He emphasized that his fundraising campaign and support of these refugees is not a criticism of the Israeli government.

“What is going on there is a reaction to a problem that has been brewing,” he said. “There is crime in Tel Aviv, but the crime is coming because they are not giving working visas and one has to do what one has to do to survive, unfortunately.

“I criticize because I care. I love Israel. I’m a huge Zionist. I honestly believe that relations between these countries is what Israel needs and the best way to establish relations is by educating students who in time will rule their country.”

Eventually Gersh would like to establish a foundation where South Sudanese can be brought to Israel explicitly for education and then will return to their country to share what they have learned.

“I believe that’s a really good foundation for nation building.”

Help Sudanese students

Brian Gersh, through the New Israel Fund, is raising funds to help two students from South Sudan pay for living expenses while they attend college in Herzliya. To make a donation, send a check to New Israel Fund, 703 Market Street, Suite 1503, San Francisco, CA 94103. Make sure to write Gabriel and William on the memo line. For more information call 415-543-5055 or email . Questions may also be addressed to Gersh at .