At least one event connected with the National Day of Prayer in Kansas Thursday, May 3, in Topeka excluded Jewish people. In fact, according to a story published in the Topeka Capital-Journal, no non-Christian groups were represented at the event, held on the on the steps of the Kansas capitol and featuring Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback as master of ceremonies.

The event was organized by a group called the Capitol Commission, a national non-profit devoted to “Reaching Capitol Communities for Christ.” According to the Capital-Journal article, Brownback urged Kansans to “beseech God through prayer to help us in our time of need” through the “economic, fiscal, social and moral” crises the state faces.

Prayers were given by a variety of Christian religious leaders and legislators and students from Christian school sang songs.

Rabbi Debbie Stiel, who has served Topeka’s Temple Beth Sholom since 2006, said she wasn’t even aware of the event until a newspaper reporter called her for a comment. While researching it, she learned that the mission of the National Day of Prayer Task Force is to mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture.

According to its website, the National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. The task force is a privately funded organization.
The task force’s mission worries Rabbi Stiel.

“If you go online and look at the National Day of Prayer organization, you’ll see its vision is preserving the national Christian heritage and fostering unity within the Christian community. That is how these kinds of things so easily become very focused in a particular religious direction as opposed to open to all religions. This is why as Jews we’re so concerned about programs like this and so adamant about separation of church and state,” Rabbi Stiel said.

The separation of church and state is an issue that concerns Marvin Szneler, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee, as well as the fact that this particular event did not appear to be open and welcoming to all faiths.

“An event featuring prayer, in the best of circumstances, is non-sectarian and welcoming to all and even then is in some tension with the bedrock American principle that religion is not the business of government. When a conscious effort is not made to be non-sectarian, events like these are particularly problematic. I was not in attendance, but from reports I have heard, the atmosphere at this National Day of Prayer was Christian of a particular kind, and others were not included and felt unwelcome,” Szneler said.

The JCRB|AJC greatly values Brownback’s passionate support for the state of Israel, Szneler added. In addition he pointed out that the governor has been a strong advocate on many issues of importance to the Jewish community.

“However, we do not always agree with every elected official on every issue, and strong support for some issues does not immunize them from us sharing our concerns on other issues,” Szneler said.

“Today, prayer events are common. But when not non-sectarian, they cause particular concern regarding the separation of church and state and what the U.S. Supreme Court has labeled its most fundamental principle — that all faiths must be treated equally by government,” Szneler continued.

Rabbi Stiel also believes it is wrong for the governor to participate in these types of prayer events.

“If there’s a group that wants to go off on their own time and do that sort of thing, that’s one thing, but to say that’s representing Kansas and for the governor to be involved in it, I think that’s wrong,” she said.

Brownback is very open about his Christian beliefs. He attended, reportedly at his own expense, “The Response: A Call To Prayer for a Nation in Crisis” in Houston in August 2011 at the invitation of Texas Gov. Rick Perry. He read two passages from the Bible, Matthew 5:3-16 and 2nd Corinthians 7:13-14, and offered a prayer that day.

Once again noting that she didn’t attend the prayer event in Topeka, Rabbi Stiel pointed out that she believes there was definitely a Christian bent to it.

“It was not interfaith in who was invited and it was not inclusive in its language,” she said.

In fact, Rabbi Stiel believes that under this governor’s administration, “there is definitely an attempt to bring Christianity more and more into the state’s legislation and beliefs.”

Rabbi Stiel said she isn’t sure whether the National Day of Prayer took place at the capitol before Brownback became governor. She does believe that there was more separation of church and state under Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ administration.

“When she was inaugurated as governor, I was asked to be a part of the prayer service. I mentioned that I was a bit uncomfortable with that because I really think that prayer should be separate from government. She came up to me afterwards and said she agreed and appreciated my words. I’m sure if it did happen, it was not with the same very narrow focus that this administration has,” Rabbi Stiel said.

Rabbi Stiel pointed out that Kansas legislative sessions always open with prayer. She is asked to give that prayer “very occasionally.”

“I know in the Senate, when they do not have a special chaplain, the regular chaplain always ends the prayer in Jesus’ name. I know that he’s been asked not to, but he does. That happens sometimes in the House as well,” she said.

The governor has attended the Topeka Reform congregation’s annual blintze brunch several times. This year, Rabbi Stiel said, he asked if he could  read a proclamation in support of Israel that he was making as governor.

Congregation Beth Shalom will be seeing a summer of changes in its clergy. In addition to getting a new rabbi, Hazzan Robert Menes will be leaving for a new job in Las Vegas.

Hazzan Menes has been with the congregation for the last six years. Before coming here, he was an agricultural engineer in Victoria, British Columbia, then studied at the Jewish Theological Seminary and became a part-time cantor in the New York City area.

“I’m the luckiest person I know, because when I saw my calling as being an agricultural engineer, I thought, ‘This is it.’ In Victoria, I got involved in the synagogue. I got tired of my job, and it was twice in my life I found careers that were my calling,” he said.

He will be moving to Temple Beth Sholom in Summerlin, a suburb of Las Vegas, in July. The Conservative congregation is the oldest in the state of Nevada.

“I see tremendous opportunity in Las Vegas. It’s actually very similar to Beth Shalom here,” he said. “The rabbi is committed to engaging people any way we can.”

One of the focuses on his new position will be to integrate more instrumental music into religious services.

“I’m not averse to using electric guitar — maybe some people will hook into that. I want to get out of (using) elevator music,” he said.

He will also be working with a youth choir and work to some extent with the supplemental Hebrew school.

“Music links that emotional side to the intellectual side of Judaism. I don’t think Judaism would have this kind of pull without music. Music without the thought is not as fulfilling — I need both,” he said. “I try to show that a cantor is more than a singer, not just someone who uses music in the service. That’s the smallest part of what I do.”

Hazzan Menes said he will miss his friends, students and others in the Kansas City Jewish community when he leaves.

“There are a few Bar and Bat Mitzvahs that stick out in my mind, where the student made a unique effort to do something special and succeeded. I will remember my lunch and learn class — we’ve had so many great discussions over the last few years. It’s been tremendously rewarding,” he said.

The congregation will also miss him.

“The cantorial skill that he brings to leading the services, his enthusiasm for what he does — that’s a very infectious type of enthusiasm. His skills in the traditional cantorial fields are evident to everyone and anyone who attends any of the services he leads,” said Rabbi Alan Cohen. “He is a mensch. He’s been a good person to work with.”

The congregation recently decided to redefine the role and responsibilities of the hazzan.

“Because that person is being asked to have a skill set that will allow that person to develop and oversee the educational programs, we might have to relinquish a bit the quality of the voice he has (when hiring a new person),” Rabbi Cohen said.

Overall, Hazzan Menes has enjoyed his time in Kansas City and is proud of the work he’s done making more Torah study accessible to the community online. He will leave his sound files of such work accessible to the Jewish community after he leaves.

“It’s been a good experience. It hasn’t been without ups and downs, but what I take away is what I learned from the people,” he said.

MOTHER’S DAY COMEDY — “The Union,” a sketch comedy show featuring real-life married couple Corey Rittmaster and Monique Madrid is on tap for 7:30 p.m. Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 13) at ComedyCity, located at the Westport Flea Market, 817 Westport Road on the Missouri side. Rittmaster grew up in Overland Park. Based in Chicago, the actor/improvisers and veterans of KC ComedyCity most recently toured with The Second City on board Norwegian Cruise Lines. They’ve written a new sketch comedy show that they’ll perform here. Madrid will also preview her new one-woman show that will make its debut next month at the Women’s Funny Festival, an event run by the same producers of the Chicago Sketch Fest. Be advised that the show is intended for those 16 and older as there may be some adult themes and language. Hey, with improv you just never know! For ticket information, contact ComedyCity at 816-842-2744 or visit www.comedycity.cc.

RUN BENEFITS JAZZ FEST — Alan Gaylin’s BRGR Kitchen + Bar is once again sponsoring the “BRGR LUV 4 JAZZ 5K” run to support the Prairie Village Jazz Festival, also presented by BRGR Kitchen + Bar in partnership with the Prairie Village Municipal Foundation and the City of Prairie Village. The run takes place Saturday, May 19, beginning and ending at BRGR Kitchen + Bar in the Corinth Square Shopping Center in Prairie Village. The beneficiary of the run, the Prairie Village Jazz Festival, takes place Saturday, Sept, 8, at Harmon Park. In its third year, the festival boasts an impressive lineup of musicians. Already booked is multiple Grammy-nominated singer and pianist Karrin Allyson, who will headline. A portion of the Prairie Village Jazz Festival proceeds will go to Heartland Habitat for Humanity, celebrating its 25-year anniversary this year. Those interested in participating in the BRGR LUV 4 JAZZ 5K can pick up registration materials at BRGR Kitchen + Bar or find information online at brgrkitchen.com or prairievillagejazz.org.

ISRAELI ATHLETE SINGS, TOO — A loyal reader sent me this little gem over the weekend by way of www.mideasttruth.com. JTA also provided this report:

Moran Samuel, a wheelchair-bound Israeli athlete, has another talent: singing. On Sunday, April 29, Samuel won the gold medal in rowing at the International Adaptive Regatta in Gavirate, Italy. But organizers had failed to secure a recording of “Hatikvah.” No anthem? No prob. On the podium, Moran took the mic and belted a dazzling a cappella rendition of the Israeli national anthem. From choppy waters to vocal chops, this athlete’s got what it takes. Hear her rendition of “Hatikvah” at http://www.mideasttruth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10911.

Rachael Klein and Elana Nemitoff, both members of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, have been accepted to Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion rabbinical school. As required, both young women will spend their first year studying in Jerusalem.

Klein is the daughter of Deb and Jeff Klein. Nemitoff is the daughter of Rabbi Arthur and Leslie Nemitoff.

Rabbi Nemitoff believes this is the second time the Reform congregation has had two children accepted to rabbinical school at the same time. The last time was 36 years ago.

“Those two young men were Larry Karol and me. Five years later, Larry and I were ordained and became, if my memory serves me correctly, the ninth and 10th B’nai Jehudah children to become Reform rabbis,” Rabbi Nemitoff said.

Is his weekly email message to the congregation in late March, Rabbi Nemitoff noted that Klein “has wanted to be a rabbi for a number of years, and she has pursued her dream with determination.”

Klein, 21, will graduate from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles on May 20 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jewish studies. She has also received the honor of being the speaker for her graduating class, and will deliver her final words during the ceremony.

Klein said she’s been really passionate about Judaism since she was a young child.

“Throughout my life everything has fallen into place to do this. I love helping people, but more than that, I love helping Jews connect with their community. I want to work in the Jewish community and be a part of not only the educational side, but the life-cycle side of people’s lives as well,” Klein said.

The 22-year-old Nemitoff plans to graduate May 18 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and minors in technical theater and Jewish studies from Washington University in St. Louis. Rabbi Nemitoff explained that his daughter’s path to rabbinical school “has been more circuitous but no less determined” than Klein’s.

Elana Nemitoff said that stems from the fact that she’s always had a variety of loves, including working with children, Judaism, helping people and doing good to help make change in the world.

“I had no idea how I was going to put all those things together. I struggled for a very long time thinking about it … one day I was talking to my dad and he said think about it. You love theater, you love kids, you love Judaism, you love teaching. What’s a way to put it all together. I thought about it and it came to me: rabbinical school,” Elana Nemitoff said.

Now that she’s made the decision to become a rabbi, she quite frankly doesn’t know what else she would do. Being a rabbi, she believes, will give her a chance to affect change in the Jewish community.

“It’s a place that I have gotten so much from,” she said.

“I would like to help give back and help bring the next generation of Jews into the community so the next generation of Jews continues to prosper and grow. It seems like being a rabbi is the best way to do that and make that change,” she said.
Nemitoff leaves for Israel May 31. Klein doesn’t yet know when she will leave for Israel.

The HUC-JIR Rabbinical School offers a five-year program of full-time graduate study leading to a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters degree and ordination. Upon successful completion of that first year in Israel, students return to one of the three American campuses — Cincinnati, Los Angeles or New York.

Nemitoff is hoping to continue her studies on the Cincinnati campus because she is considering a concentration in medical chaplaincy and “Cincinnati has the best program for that,” she said.

One reason Nemitoff is interested in chaplaincy is because she’s been interested in medicine since she was a child. She’s also seen how much chaplains can impact and help people.

“If I can ease just a little bit of pain, it would ease some of the burden in the world and that’s something that I would be incredibly grateful for,” Nemitoff said.

Klein hopes to continue her studies at the Los Angeles campus, because she already feels connected to the Jewish community there. One relationship is with Camp Hess Kramer in Malibu and the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, which owns the camp.

“The senior staff liked me as a counselor and the synagogue later hired me as a sixth-grade religious school teacher. I am also a part of Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s teen programming and I staff miscellaneous events like religious school retreats,” Klein said.

Klein also works for the Stephen S. Weiss Temple, staffing events.

“I originally began my college journey as a Division 1 soccer player at Drake University, so I found time to give back to the soccer community by volunteering with the fourth- through sixth-grade girls’ soccer team at Stephen S. Wise’s Day School,” Klein added.

Nemitoff said the fact that she is the daughter of a rabbi absolutely affected her decision to choose the rabbinate as her career path.

“Watching my dad as I grew up, I saw the positive and negative of what it meant to be a rabbi. I experienced the business, I experienced the pain, I experienced all of it. But I also saw the wonderful community that I could be a part of creating and I realized that I was my father’s daughter,” she said.

She believes being the daughter of a rabbi impacted her in a positive way.

“I know what it means to be a rabbi. I know what that commitment is. I’m doing it despite the fact that I know that and because of it. Honestly, I’m so grateful for the experience I got growing up and the fact I grew up in such a Jewish-filled household. It gives me such a stronger foundation from which I can build my life, which I will take with me,” Nemitoff said.

Klein is looking forward to being roommates with Nemitoff and spending a year in Jerusalem. This will be her second trip to Israel, the first being a 10-day Birthright Israel trip where she said she had a “little taste” of the Jewish state.

“I’m really excited to live abroad in Jerusalem and meet my future classmates,” Klein said.

As a rabbi and a parent, Rabbi Nemitoff is thrilled to see the two girls go off to Jerusalem and HUC-JIR representing B’nai Jehudah.

“It is with particular joy to know that two young women of B’nai Jehudah are following in the footsteps of two young men of the congregation — 36 years apart — in becoming leaders of Judaism for the 21st century,” he said.

“I am proud whenever a child of B’nai Jehudah excels and joins the ranks of those who make a difference in our world. There is a particular joy and pride when a student of mine chooses to accept the mantle of leadership for the Jewish people. And my heart swells knowing that one of my students is my own daughter,” he continued.

“We congratulate Rachael and Elana ... and look forward to their visits in the future, as we see them develop their rabbinic and leadership skills. To both of them, we say: mazel tov!”

If you think blogging is one of those social-media activities limited to the tech-savvy, under-30 crowd, guess again. Residents of Village Shalom have plenty to say, and the continuing-care retirement community’s new web log, VSLifeAsIKnowIt.wordpress.com, is giving them a whole new forum for sharing their stories with the world.

Perhaps the only retirement community-sponsored blog in the Kansas City area, VSLifeAsIKnowIt originated with Village Shalom Marketing Manager Sean Roark. He taught a course on social media for residents who participated in last fall’s inaugural “semester” of Village Shalom University. While computers, the Internet and online social networking were relatively unfamiliar territory for many seniors, Roark said, “I thought a blog would be a good outlet for residents” to chronicle their stories and viewpoints as they learn more about the technology that younger generations have embraced.

“When I introduced this, most residents didn’t even know what a blog was,” Roark recalled. “But once the option was there, they started to contribute a lot.”

Three or four residents were quick to dive into the mysterious new environment of the blogosphere. Several others got involved after seeing the posts and getting a feel for what a blog actually looks like.

Ida Rose “Skipper” Feingold was the first Village Shalom resident to take the blogging plunge. Her post went live in March.

“It was totally new to me,” she said. “I had seen the word ‘blog’ before, but I had never given it any thought,” she confessed. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to take inventory of my life — after all, I’m almost 93, and there is so much living in those 93 years. It’s an opportunity to see what I made of my life.”

Feingold said she loves to write, and has had much experience journaling about cruises and trips, or communicating with the parents of her young charges during the 40-some years she worked as a camp counselor and teacher. She even recalled that “when I first started dating, I’d come home and write about my date.”

“The blog was different,” she said, “because I was writing about myself and my experiences. It’s a good exercise, to sum up your life. My kids loved it. They came over to help me with the computer, since I’m not really ‘computer friendly.’ And so many people have come up to me to say they read my blog. I hope they enjoy reading what I have to say.”

“Skipper got really excited when she saw her post go live,” Roark said.

Just three weeks after that first post, the site had already received more than 1,000 “hits” and numerous comments and notes of encouragement from readers, most of whom are Village Shalom family members and staff. Roark hopes that over time, readership will grow as people subscribe and share the link via their social media pages and email.

Many of the entries are personal recollections and experiences. But, noted Roark, they also include commentary on residents’ various areas of interest. For example, Mary Anne Reardon, who has traveled extensively throughout her life, has offered several travelogue talks to her fellow Village Shalom residents. She captured some of those recollections and photos in written form for the blog. An avid reader and patron of the Olathe Public Library, Reardon is also making sure that her blog entries will be shared on the library’s Facebook page.

Another blogger, Maarten van Swaay, has utilized the online forum to share his experiences and observations on a multitude of topics. The retired Kansas State University professor has already posted blog entries as diverse as the story of his first boat as a boy in his native Netherlands to how he met his wife, and a personal commentary on society’s “taboo” on discussing highly opinionated topics like politics and economic policy.

“I have a habit of writing things up to find out if my thoughts make sense,” van Swaay commented. While he is quite comfortable with computers and keyboards, he said, “I still write with a fountain pen.”

Roark said even residents with little or no computer experience can share their ideas on the blog.

“We wanted to make it accessible to residents who aren’t comfortable on the computer,” he explained. “We’ve gotten volunteers involved to help them with typing. The residents can edit as much as they want to make sure it’s exactly what they want to post.

“Everything is written from the residents’ point of view, and in their voice. It’s really something that can be passed along in their family. It has the potential to be posted for a long time. We don’t plan to ever take the posts down.”

Even audio and video posts are a possibility in the future. While none have been submitted yet, they present the potential for the blog to serve as a multi-media archive of residents’ lives, ideas and comments, available online for posterity.

“I just want to be sure the blog continues,” Roark added. “I can see some residents potentially running it themselves as a sort of online newspaper. It’s all just a matter of social media — friends sharing it with friends. It takes time, and it is very grassroots, but blogs are definitely here to stay.”

Referring not only to the blog, but to life itself, Roark said, “Our residents still have a lot to contribute. This is just another way for them to do it.”

Take a look around Taste of Europe and you will see some of the foods that Gene “Geno” Basov enjoyed while growing up in Ukraine. In one corner of the 2,200-square-foot store are candies from Russia and Ukraine. Keep walking and you will see the soft drinks and lemonade he liked as a child. And then there’s the canned fish and meats that Basov and other Europeans are familiar with from their youth and homeland.

Taste of Europe, a specialty grocery store at 13378 Metcalf Ave. in south Overland Park, brings European foods and delicacies to the Kansas City area. Basov and his business partner, Marat Tsitolovsky, opened the store in mid-November and have been adding products ever since.

Customers have been coming in and requesting certain foods, and Basov doesn’t give up until he finds what his customers want. English tea, crackers and cheese? Taste of Europe now carries those. Sausage and candy from Poland? Yes, the store has those, too. Duck fat, truffle oil and truffle salt for French cooking? Check; you can find them at Taste of Europe.

These specialty items are in addition to everything else at Taste of Europe: meat products (Jewish salami, sausages and franks, for example), dairy products (a variety of cheeses and sour cream), fish (smoked fish and herring, to name a few), over 70 varieties of teas and coffees, jams and preserves (including Israeli jams), spices, sauces, ready-to-cook products, kosher juices, baked goods and pastries, breads, crackers, cookies, pickled vegetables, canned goods and more.

Taste of Europe carries items from Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Poland, Germany, France and other European countries. It also sells some kosher products, but Taste of Europe will stock more as people request them. The store uses three different slicers — one for meat, one for cheese and one for fish — and different knives are used for meat, cheese and fish as well.

The store is perfect for people who are looking for the European foods and delicacies that their parents and grandparents served them growing up.

“I enjoy dealing with people and taking them back to their childhood … down memory lane,” Basov said.

Customers can buy European food not found in a traditional grocery store at Taste of Europe. The store also appeals to customers who want to try new foods or to vegetarians looking for different meat-free options.

Before Taste of Europe, people would have to travel to the East or West coasts of the United States, Chicago or Europe to find many of these foods and delicacies. Basov said “it was like a calling” to bring these types of products to the Kansas City area and open a store like Taste of Europe.

Basov and Tsitolovsky were friends as teenagers in Ukraine and both eventually came to the United States and settled in Kansas City. Basov immigrated to the United States in 1980 when he was 18 years old, and he worked as an assistant manager of a large grocery store in New York for a while. Tsitolovsky emigrated from Ukraine in 1990.

Basov has owned Geno’s State Line Shoe Repair (now located at 1164 W. 103rd St. in Kansas City, Mo.) for 24 years. And he and his wife, Helen, own Uniforms & More at 1156 W. 103rd St. and are members of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.

“I don’t think it’s hard work,” said Gene Basov, of owning Taste of Europe along with his other business endeavors. “It’s making your childhood dream come true.”

For more information about the grocery store, call 913-402-8500. You can also find Taste of Europe on Facebook. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

JEWISH HERITAGE MONTH — Did you know that May is Jewish Heritage Month? I had no idea but I can thank Manischewitz for enlightening me. Along with thousands (millions?) of others, I purchased the 5-pound box of matzah for Passover and there was a different fact about our Jewish heritage on each of the five boxes I opened. It turns out that Manischewitz is “proud to be the founding corporate sponsor of Jewish American Heritage Month. To learn more, visit www.jahm.us.

KUDOS FOR JOBS WELL DONE — Last week was a busy week, beginning with the annual Yom HaShoah commemoration, followed by Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut. The three organizations that produce Yom HaShoah — Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee and Jewish Community Center — have been doing it beautifully and flawlessly for years, as they did this year.

The Jewish Federation, however, faced a big challenge for Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s memorial day) and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day), when emissary Lilach Nissim returned to Israel to take care of health issues. Zohar Flacks, Omaha’s former emissary, moved to Kansas City a couple of years ago and agreed to lead the effort for those two events and Lag b’Omer, which will take place May 10 at Gezer Park in Leawood. Flacks, the Federation staff and a host of dedicated volunteers pulled everything together and planned the two big events taking place only a day apart — one very moving and one very lively. We tip our hats to all!

LILACH UPDATE — For those of you who are wondering, Lilach Nissim is now on the mend at home in Israel. Doctors there finally got to the root of her health issues, and she is feeling much better, though still suffering from some amount of pain. She is looking for her next job, but wants to make sure it is a role where she can continue to help others less fortunate than herself. She has been deeply missed in Kansas City.

THE FANTASTICS — “The Fantastics,” a show that has been described as romantic and nostalgic and laugh out loud funny, is being produced by Spinning Tree Theatre. It runs May 10-27 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at Crown Center Off Center Theatre. Directed by Michael Grayman (who is Jewish) and Andy Parkhurst, the world’s longest running production of any kind features a local cast and songs such as “Try to Remember,” “They Were You,” “Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” and much more. For tickets and information, call 816-842-9999     or visit www.spinningtreetheatre.com.

“Huddled amidst a crowd of sorrows, the solemness of sending a soul on its journey deserves the utmost respect.”
— Anonymous

For more than 100 years, Sheffield Cemetery has remained steadfast. Nearly 6,000 people are buried on the property dating from 1901; making it one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Kansas City. But by 2003, visits to the cemetery revealed Sheffield was a shadow of its former self, crumbling in disrepair, including no formal chapel and, in its entirety, grounds in dire need of restoration. It was apparent that the monetary commitment for perpetual care of the grounds and chapel was not enough to maintain the cemetery with today’s struggling economy.

In response, a dedicated group of community volunteers culled from several congregations came together in 2003 to form the Friends of Sheffield. Together, they recognized that the souls buried there deserved a dignified resting place and pledged to restore, beautify and maintain the property.

Rickie Haith, president of Friends of Sheffield Cemetery, said the organization’s mission encompasses maintaining the property in a manner aligned with Jewish ethics and pride.

“Therefore, a capital campaign fund initiated in 2003, governed by a seven-member executive committee and board of directors, decided to seek $1.25 million in support. This community endeavor established a restricted fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City to receive and distribute monies specifically for this purpose,” Haith said.

The plan to raise funds and beautify the cemetery is divided into three phases: $250,000 for restoration of the cemetery grounds; $500,000 beautification, including renovation of the chapel; and $500,000 for perpetual maintenance of the entire cemetery grounds and chapel.

“Pledges have been received and we have made major changes in preserving and restoring the cemetery grounds, but we have not met our goal to renovate the historic chapel. The chapel has not been in use for 20 years,” Haith said.

To date, Friends of Sheffield have greatly improved the grounds with the engagement of a professional lawn company, new landscaping, updated irrigation system, trees trimmed, World War II Memorial restored, debris and refuse cleared for additional burial sites, new cement walks and stairs replaced the broken ones that were a safety hazard, gravestones aligned, restored wrought iron gates, and additional new hand railings to make the cemetery more accessible.

“There’s significantly more to be accomplished,” Haith said.

Responses to the cause have elicited deep emotion.

“My father and mother both passed during wintertime. Each service had to be held outside in the bitter cold as the chapel at Sheffield was unusable. It’s important to have the chapel restored so everyone has a place to gather for services,” says board member Shirley Unell.

Jackie Kraft, another member of the Friends of Sheffield board, often thinks of the phrase “thy people shall be my people; thy God, my God ....” when she visits the cemetery.

“My late husband Jacob Paul Kraft’s grandparents, Genashe and Yakov Kravchenko, both of blessed memory, had been the caretakers from about 1910 to 1914 — undeniably, this cemetery holds a very tender and special place in my heart, as it does for so many.”

Chapel to benefit from one-man show

To adequately address the cause of renovating the chapel, a benefit is planned featuring Kansas City, Kan., native and acclaimed film and TV actor Ed Asner.

Asner is taking a particular interest in this benefit because members of his family, including his beloved parents, are buried in Sheffield.

“Sheffield is our family plot. It is really the only cemetery that comes to mind when I think of the past and those who were near and dear to me. I am truly honored to be doing my one-man show of FDR to raise necessary funds for the restoration of Sheffield. Hopefully, this benefit will help restore Sheffield respectfully and honor it in a manner it deserves,” Asner said.

Over the past few years, Asner has been traversing the country garnering rave reviews with his poignant and often humorous portrayal of the heroic war-time president.

The 82-year old Emmy award and Golden Globe award-winning actor’s career spans six decades. He is perhaps best known as the loveable curmudgeon on television shows “Mary Tyler Moore” and its spin-off “Lou Grant.” Young and old alike may recognize his voice as that of Carl Fredricksen in the Academy Award-winning 2009 Pixar animated film “Up.”

Asner’s one-man show ‘FDR’ set for June 17

Ed Asner’s one-man performance of “FDR” is set for 7 p.m. Sunday, June 17, at the White Theatre on the Jewish Community Campus.

General admission tickets are being sold for $36 a seat. Those who make donations of $360 or more will be invited to attend a gala reception which Asner will attend following the performance.

Checks should be made payable to Friends of Sheffield, JCF. The memo line note should read Asner Benefit. [The organization is a 501 (c)(3) fund.] Mail checks to: Ed Asner Benefit, c/o Barbara Cosner, 9839 Briar Street, Overland Park, KS 66207.

Donations to the Restoring Honor Campaign are also being accepted. To learn more how you can make a difference, contact Friends of Sheffield President Rickie Haith at .

Asner flexes his considerable range when he portrays Franklin Delano Roosevelt, recounting the story of the former president’s life relayed through a series of personal anecdotes. Based on Dore Schary’s Broadway play “Sunrise at Campobello,” “FDR” is a show that reflects on the iconic president’s years in office.

The script tackles FDR’s heroics and consequences of his battle with polio, journey to the presidency, controversial packing of the Supreme Court, his marriage to Eleanor and his affair with Lucy Mercer. The play also examines Roosevelt’s manipulation of Congress to acquire the draft, breaking the Neutrality Act and controversy surrounding Pearl Harbor.

“FDR” is the ideal role for Asner who jokingly refers to himself as “Hollywood’s resident communist.” The actor actively champions for such causes as wildlife conservation, autism awareness and Racism Watch.

“We are proud to host Ed Asner. He honors not only his own family but countless members of the Jewish community who treasure this sacred landmark. By attending the performance and pledging a donation, you honor everyone with one of the highest values in the Jewish tradition, Kavod Ha’Met, honoring the deceased. That is truly a mitzvah,” Haith said.

The words “toddler” and “retirement community” don’t often appear in the same sentence. But it was one small child’s good fortune to be visiting the Village Shalom retirement community with his grandmother on a recent afternoon. That, in combination with numerous other coincidences, may have helped to save his life.

Fifteen-month-old Garett Van Buskirk accompanied his grandmother, Bunni Glasberg, on a recent visit to Village Shalom. Glasberg had come for a meeting to plan details of an upcoming art opening at Village Shalom’s Epsten Gallery. She often babysits for her grandson, and was certain he would play quietly while the brief meeting took place.

Instead, Garett was a bit fussy and wanted his grandmother to hold him the entire time, Glasberg recalled. When the meeting ended, she headed for the main entrance, still holding Garett. She stopped briefly at the reception desk to chat with a friend who had just entered the building. “If I hadn’t stopped to talk to her,” recounted Glasberg, “I would already have been in my car. Garett would have been in his car seat behind me — facing backwards — and I never would have known what happened.”

As Glasberg stood in Village Shalom’s lobby cradling Garett in her arms, the baby had a seizure that caused him to lose consciousness, start twitching and then stop breathing. While he had been running a low-grade fever earlier in the day, his mother, Melisa Van Buskirk, and Glasberg (Van Buskirk’s mother) both attributed it to teething. They later learned it was the beginning of a double ear infection, and the seizure resulted from a sudden spike in the baby’s fever.

At that same time in nearby Rachel’s Café, a balance class for Village Shalom residents was under way. Rachel’s Café is not normally a venue for fitness-related activities, but on this particular day the all-kosher restaurant was still closed to the public following the Passover holiday. The balance class was using the space temporarily because of unwelcome paint odors from repairs to the pool in the Spa & Wellness Center where the class typically meets. Spa & Wellness Center staff member Daniel Stoner, the balance-class instructor, had made a spur-of-the-moment decision to relocate the class.

Being within direct sight of the lobby during the class, Stoner noticed the emergency situation the instant it happened. And because he is certified in all modalities of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and lifesaving, he approached the panicked grandmother at once to offer help. “I looked her in the eye and asked her, ‘May I have the baby?’” Stoner said. Apparently reassured by his calm request, she complied. “When I took him, he started having convulsions. I put him down on the floor, and he stopped breathing at that point. I started CPR.”

Simultaneously, Village Shalom’s receptionist, Beth Miller, dialed 911. She also signaled a couple of nurse’s aides to alert another employee, Redempta Kimani, a registered nurse, who was on duty in a nearby assisted-living area. Kimani quickly appeared and began to assist Stoner in administering CPR to the baby. “I continued the breathing,” said Stoner, “while she did the chest compressions. We continued that until the EMS (emergency medical services) got there.”

Besides being trained in CPR, Stoner said, he also happens to be a chaplain. He sensed the grandmother’s intense distress in the situation, and asked her what the baby’s name was. “I reminded her that hers is the only voice here that he recognizes, and if she would say his name, he would hear her and it would calm him.” Stoner knew it would calm Glasberg as well.

Shortly thereafter, Garett was taken by ambulance to the emergency room at nearby Children’s Mercy Hospital South. “The ER is only six months old,” Glasberg later noted, citing another serendipitous circumstance boding well for Garett. She met up with her daughter at the hospital, where they learned that Garett was already recovering and would have no ill after-effects from the incident.

Two days later, a healthier and much happier Garett returned to Village Shalom with his mom, grandma and a cake decorated with Garett’s picture — a small token of thanks to Village Shalom’s employees for their calm and quick actions in an emergency.

“It was by the grace of God that I was here at Village Shalom when it all happened,” Glasberg said. “Everyone was so caring and kind.”

Stoner shared Glasberg’s sentiments, adding his gratitude for his fellow employees. “We work as a team,” he commented. “When the EMS left, Redempta and I hugged each other. It all ended happily. And there’s even a cake!”

Congregation Kol Ami has put its building up for sale. The listing price for the 16,000 square-foot building located at 7501 Belinder Avenue in Prairie Village is $1.4 million. The Reform congregation purchased the building in the summer of 2005 from Zion Lutheran Church for $1.1 million.

Nadine Gordon, president of the 90-member congregation, said the board of directors decided to put the building up for sale because “it no longer meets our needs.” She declined to make any further comments regarding the sale or the congregation’s future.

Kol Ami is being represented by David Block and Max Kosoglad of Block & Company, Inc., the exclusive agent for the building and property. It sits on 3.49 acres and features five creative classrooms, a large social hall, worship space, kitchen and an outdoor playground.

The congregation currently leases space in the building to three tenants — Mercy Church, Kansas City Autism Training Center and a Montessori school. Gordon said the congregation has leased space to tenants for at least three years.

Kol Ami began holding worship services and programs in the building in the late summer of 2005 after minor repairs were completed following its purchase. The congregation was established in 2003 and met in a variety of locations before establishing its permanent home in Prairie Village.