The Bushman Community Endowment program, begun in 2007 by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, is celebrating its successes. BCE was established as a way to help local Jewish agencies and congregations learn ways to better cultivate planned giving, thus allowing them to build their endowments and keep their vital programs flourishing. It was originally slated to last three years, but the participating organizations were doing so well that Bushman and JCF committed to extend the program an additional two years. Now The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah has completed all five of its fundraising goals in just four years. They are the first organization to accomplish all five annual goals.

“The significance of B’nai Jehudah reaching its five-year goals in planned giving is immeasurable. Along with the BCE teams from other agencies and congregations, we can be assured that we will see security and stability in our Jewish community for years to come. Planned giving, though, is much more than a five-year program. It is just the beginning. It is our hope that everyone in our community will take the opportunity to leave a legacy,” noted Merilyn Berenbom, BCE’s chair.

BCE’s roots

BCE was founded with a grant from the Stanley J. Bushman Supporting Foundation. Since 2007 $800,000 has been invested in this signature JCF program. Diane Azorsky, assistant executive director and director of community endowments, said Bushman has invested this money in an effort “to train and motivate our organizations to secure their financial futures through planned giving.”

Since its inception, all of the participating organizations and synagogues have collectively raised an estimated $30 million from a total of 302 individual donors and families.

BCE participants were chosen by an application process. Each organization that was accepted put together teams of lay leaders and professionals who came to mandatory training sessions to learn about all the different components of a successful planned giving initiative. Azorsky explained that those facets include the art of speaking with their most loyal donors about leaving a legacy gift.

“The program began with each organization establishing its own unique participation goals,” Azorsky said. “As the goals were met, they received a $12,000 incentive grant.”

“These annual goals were based upon the number of commitments secured rather than dollar goals. Such goal setting helped reinforce the fact that anyone, no matter what their net worth, can leave a meaningful lasting gift to the organizations they love,” Azorsky continued.

Lauren Hoopes, JCF’s executive director, added that the goals established by the participating organizations were part of comprehensive deferred giving plans.

“We helped them figure out such things as how to identify the best people to talk to. What is the right way to approach these people? How many gifts can we expect to get from them? How are we going to acknowledge and thank them for these generous gifts?” Hoopes said.

“These gifts, even more than any others, are based on long-term relationships,” she added.
Another important aspect of BCE, Hoopes noted, is that it has demonstrated to community leaders just how valuable a resource JCF is.

B’nai Jehudah’s Director of Development and Endowment Debra Goldstein said she now feels like she has a “home to go to” at the Jewish Community Foundation to get the support she needs.

“I can’t tell you how vital that is,” she said. “This program has turned out to be more of a win-win then they even understand.”

BCE’s future

Because the first group of 10 organizations was so successful, four more organizations were invited to participate in the program in 2010. They are referred to as the second generation of BCE.

“These organizations have started from the beginning. They are becoming educated, have created their deferred giving plans, and established their goals. All of them met their first year goal, and have received their first $12,000 incentive grant,” Azorsky said.

BCE’s legacy

For Hoopes, the truly exciting thing is that BCE has helped to change the fundraising culture in the Kansas City Jewish community. Endowments and planned gifts are better understood as a vital permanent part of an organization’s fiscal health.

“The financial incentive that was part of structured goal making has ended for B’nai Jehudah because they’ve accomplished all of the goals associated with the incentive grants. But they aren’t finished; there really is no finish. This is just the beginning of what is going to hopefully be a permanent change in the way they approach their relationships with their congregants and the way they approach resource development for The Temple,” Hoopes said.

In fact B’nai Jehudah’s Executive Director Jeanne Adler said, “Goal setting is a very important piece of what we learned from the program.”

The program stretched from three to five years, Azorsky said, because most of the organizations involved were having success with it.

“Once they hit those three-year goals it was time to look at their plans again and create a new road map for moving forward,” Azorsky explained.

“It wasn’t because they were unsuccessful and needed more time,” Hoopes reiterated. “It was because they were successful and they have come to embrace the value of planned giving and endowments. They now understand how important it is to keep the momentum going.”

Since the fall of 2010, Congregation Beth Shalom, the city’s largest Conservative congregation with approximately 763 family units, has been making changes to strengthen its financial health. The latest change continues the restructuring of its clergy staff. The hazzan (cantor) position has been eliminated, as has the position of director of the Polsky Religious School. These positions will be replaced by what is currently being called “clergy 2.” That person will take charge of all the music and education programs at the congregation.

With this change comes the announcement that Hazzan Robert Menes’ contract will not be renewed when it expires July 31. In addition, Patti Kroll will no longer serve as director of the Polsky Religious School. The position of director of the Rose Family Early Childhood Education Center, held by Judy Jacks Berman, is not being affected by this change.

Beth Shalom President Kurt Kavanaugh, DDS, explained that Hazzan Menes was given the opportunity to apply for the “clergy 2” position, but declined. He also said it has not yet been determined if Kroll will remain a part of the congregation’s staff in another capacity.

Hazzan Menes came to Beth Shalom in 2006 and enjoyed serving the community.

“I’ve loved being here in Kansas City,” he said last week. “Congregation Beth Shalom has been fantastic. While I may not be happy with the process, it’s definitely my choice to find something else.”

Shoring up its finances

Kavanaugh explained that these latest announcements stem from recommendations two task forces made in late 2010 to solidify the congregation’s financial situation. Following those recommendations, the board voted to eliminate the assistant rabbi position, which was held by Rabbi Adam Stein, effective July 2011. During that time the congregation also voted to close its Wornall campus; it officially shut down in July as well.

In addition, the task force’s original report recommended that a second clergy oversee the congregation’s education.

“We’ve never had that model, but it’s one we did not create. It’s been done other places and that information and recommendation was shared with senior staff back then. The information in that report was not secret,” Kavanaugh noted.

The recommendations were put in motion, Kavanaugh explained, as contracts began expiring.

“The assistant rabbi’s contract came up last year, so that was the proper time for that. Our hazzan’s contract comes up this year,” thus the timing was ripe for that change, according to Kavanaugh.

The congregation’s president said Hazzan Menes had been aware for some time that depending on the state of the congregation’s finances this year, his contract might not be renewed.

Searching for clergy

With this newest change, Beth Shalom is searching for both a senior rabbi and a person to become “clergy 2.” Kavanaugh said the congregation hopes to hire the new senior rabbi by the end of March and “clergy 2” by the end of May.

The congregation is searching for a senior rabbi to replace Rabbi Robert Tobin, who left the congregation when his contract expired last summer. Rabbi Alan Cohen, who served as senior rabbi from 1989 to 2008, returned to lead the congregation during this interim year. The senior rabbi search committee is being led by Dr. Norman Kahn Jr. and Alan Edelman.

Two candidates have accepted invitations to visit Beth Shalom in the coming weeks. Rabbi David Glickman, currently an associate rabbi in Dallas, will visit Feb. 24-26. He has also served as a congregational rabbi in Biloxi, Miss., a student chaplain in Seattle and a program director at Camp Ramah.

Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey Haber, who has 20 years of experience in the congregational rabbinate, plans to visit Beth Shalom March 9-11. He is currently a chaplain at the Hospice of the North Shore and Greater Boston. Rabbi Haber has served as a pulpit rabbi in the Boston area, New Jersey, Calgary and Chicago.

A committee led by Jeff Goldenberg and Steve Flekier is leading the search for “clergy 2.” Kavanaugh explained that candidates for that position will have both music and educational experience.

He said music plays a huge role in the congregation, “So the ‘clergy 2’ person must have musical ability and a nice singing voice.”

“In addition, the person needs to have the organization skills and the administrative skills to oversee all the education at Beth Shalom,” Kavanaugh said.

In yet another administrative move, the congregation hired Elaine Levine as its executive director. She began serving Sept. 6.

Boris Usherenko

JOB TITLE & DUTIRES: Architectural designer; I have a contract through a recruiting agency Aerotek to work for Black & Veatch. My duties include the production of contract documents and construction administration services.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (Ukraine); a degree from Johnson County Community College; courses in Computer Aided Drafting, Architectural and Structural Drafting, and Auto CAD (2D and 3D).

SPECIAL/SPECIFIC JOB TRAINING: Architectural Design, Draftsman/3D; Building Information Modeling (BIM)

HOW JES HELPED ME GET THIS JOB: JES helped me evaluate and improve my resume and cover letter writing. The most important thing for me was the psychological, emotional part. It was the time when I felt depressed and helpless. I thought that all my efforts wouldn’t ever have any result. But my meetings with Joyce Hill (JES career counselor) and Gayl Reinsch (JES director) and the JES workshop sessions were for me like a sip of fresh water. They reinstated my motivation; I started my work search process again with more confidence and ambition.

ADVICE FOR OTHERS: Don’t give up on job hunting and keep learning new things no matter how old you are.

Jewish Employment Services is a joint program of Jewish Family Services and Jewish Vocational Service offering members of the Jewish community resources to help in the employment search. For more information call Gayl Reinsch at 913-327-8278.

FASHION FUNDRAISERS — Last month Natalie M. held its annual benefit fashion shows at the Overland Park Convention Center. This year three shows raised approximately $70,000 for the 35 organizations that participated, including Kehilath Israel Synagogue of which Natalie M’s Natalie Nearenberg and Myra Nearenberg are members. The shows have been sponsored by Natalie M. for the past seven years. An estimated 5,100 people attended the show that featured 700 student volunteers, modeling prom, party and special occasion dresses. The Natalie M. store, which has been in business since 1973, specializes in women’s fashions including bridal, prom, special occasions, pageant wear, foundation, sportswear and accessories in all sizes.

LANDMARK BLOGS — The National Council of Jewish Women commemorated the 39th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision last month by launching a blog contest to hear first-hand from its advocates why Roe is important to them. Ellen Portnoy, an active member of Greater Kansas City Section who currently serves as co-president along with Meg Adler and Berenice Haberman (and a contributing writer to The Chronicle), submitted an entry. She did not win, but her entry was chosen as a finalist and published in NCJW’s online journal. Here’s a portion of her entry:

“To my daughter,

My birthday is January 23, 1955. The day before I turned 18 the world changed. Roe v. Wade was adopted. For the first time, women in the United States could obtain legal abortions. I have tried to instill in you the importance of women’s rights. I told you what the world was like then and how it has changed.

… Living in Kansas, we have seen the ugly side of the abortion wars, where murder has been committed in the name of saving children. But where are the pro-life advocates when children are born and have no support? … [I believe] that every woman has the right to choose and to have a safe, clean medical procedure.”

TOMMY — If you plan to catch “Tommy” being produced by the Jewish Community Center at the White Theatre, you’ll catch a glimpse or two of Jewish actress Lyndsey Agron. She said she is thrilled to be returning to The White Theatre after appearing in “Well, Hello Gorgeous...The Music of Barbra Streisand.” Agron holds a Bachelor of Music degree with an emphasis in vocal performance from the UMKC Conservatory of Music. She has also appeared at The New Theatre, Starlight Theatre, Chestnut Fine Arts Theatre, Great Plains Theatre, Crown Uptown Dinner Theatre, Bearcreek Farms Resort, Nebraska Theatre Caravan, Wichita Children’s Theatre and Cornwell’s Dinner Theatre. Ticket information for “Tommy,” which will be produced Feb. 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24 and 26, is available at www.jcckc.org or by calling the box office at 913-327-8054.

BARN PLAYERS — K.I. member and veteran actress Irene Blend will be appearing in the musical comedy “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at the Barn Players Theatre, 6219 Martway in Mission. The show will run from Feb. 24 to March 11. For more information and reservations, call 913-432-9100.

WASHINGTON — Israel, the United States and Iran have all gone deep into mixed-signals territory.
Conversations with Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Ehud Barak, left one prominent journalist convinced that Israel will strike Iran by year’s end. Yet two weeks ago, Barak had said that any possible Israeli attack on Iran is “far off.”

Leon Panetta, the U.S. defense secretary, said in December that any military strike would only set Iran’s nuclear program back a couple years — a remark that some Israelis read as conveying a sense of resignation to the idea that if Iran really wants a nuclear weapon, eventually it will be able to get one. But in a television interview broadcast Sunday, Jan. 29, he vowed that the U.S. would take “whatever steps are necessary” to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Meanwhile, Iran is responding to international sanctions with a mix of threats to shut down the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to placate Western concerns about its nuclear program by allowing in inspectors and calling for new talks.

Two questions remain the focus of considerable speculation: Will Israel strike Iran? And will the sanctions cause Iran to bend?

The first question was the subject of a much-discussed Sunday New York Times Magazine cover story by Ronen Bergman, one of Israel’s best-connected security journalists. It featured rare and extensive on-the-record interviews with top Israeli officials, most prominently Barak.

Recent moves by the Iranians have underscored the significance of the second question.

Last week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran was ready to sit down for talks to discuss its nuclear program. On Sunday, a team of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, arrived in Tehran.

The team, according to the Associated Press, includes two weapons experts and will visit an Iranian nuclear facility near the religious city of Qom. President Obama’s revelation in 2009 of the until-then secret underground facility helped the U.S. make the case to the world community for intensified sanctions, leading to the recent international squeeze on Iran’s economy and energy sector.

The inspectors’ visit is the first since an IAEA report in November concluded that Iran was engaged in activities — particularly in the area of enhanced uranium enrichment capabilities — that could have no other discernible purpose but weaponization.

Iran continues to insist that its nuclear program has strictly civilian purposes. Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran’s foreign minister, was quoted by various media on Monday as saying that he was “optimistic” about the results of the inspectors’ three-day visit, and that it could be extended “if necessary.”

“One shouldn’t get too carried away, but I assume they have something to offer or they would not agree to schedule this visit,” said Barbara Slavin, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council who has written a book on U.S.-Iran relations titled “Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies.”

But Michael Adler, an Iran expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, noted that the Iranians resisted setting a formal agenda for the inspectors’ visit, which suggested a lack of seriousness by the Iranians.

“Iran has a history of offering to talk when it is under pressure, and then stalling so that the talks delay punitive measures against it,” Adler said.

Iran is also sending mixed messages to the United States in the region. In addition to its threat to shut the Strait of Hormuz in response to mounting sanctions, Iran’s army chief warned a U.S. aircraft carrier not to return to the Persian Gulf. But other Iranian officials later seemed to backtrack, calling the entry of another U.S. carrier into the gulf a routine event. Also this month, Iran test-fired cruise missiles that could be used against U.S. ships.

Israel’s plans, meanwhile, also have been the subject of speculation.

Bergman in his New York Times Magazine article concluded that an Israeli strike before year’s end was all but inevitable.

“I have come to believe that Israel will indeed strike Iran in 2012,” he wrote. “Perhaps in the small and ever-diminishing window that is left, the United States will choose to intervene after all, but here, from the Israeli perspective, there is not much hope for that.”

A number of Iran experts questioned his conclusions, noting that his article included a wealth of Israelis warning against such a strike — and even referred to Barak’s Jan. 18 statement that any decision to strike was “very far off.”

“It was a very odd article considering all the people he quoted who said that a strike was a bad idea,” Slavin said.

In part, Bergman argues, the feeling that Israel will need to strike Iran stems from what he suggests is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s belief that the U.S. will not attack in its stead should Iran be on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.

U.S. officials, including Panetta, have tried in recent weeks to emphasize their commitment to stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. In an interview broadcast Sunday, Panetta told the CBS newsmagazine “60 Minutes” that the United States would take “whatever steps are necessary” to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, calling it a “red line” for both Israelis and the United States.

Asked about the possibility of military action, Panetta responded that “there are no options that are off the table.”
Panetta also stressed the urgency of the situation, suggesting that Iran would be able to develop a nuclear weapon in approximately a year.

“The consensus is that if they decided to do it, it would probably take them about a year to be able to produce a bomb and then possibly another one to two years in order to put it on a deliverable vehicle of some sort in order to deliver that weapon,” Panetta said.

In articulating the notion that Iran could be able to develop a nuclear weapon in fairly short order, Panetta seems to be on the same page as Israeli officials.

In a statement Monday after returning from the annual economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, Barak again sounded a note of concern.

“Over the course of the various meetings” with other leaders at the forum, Barak said, “we repeatedly emphasized our stance that we must urgently intensify and broaden the sanctions against Iran. The determination of world leaders is critical in order to prevent the Iranians from advancing their military nuclear program.

“We must not waste time on this matter; the Iranians continue to advance [toward nuclear weapons], identifying every crack and squeezing through. Time is urgently running out.”

“We are about building strong families.”

That’s the motto Jacob Schreiber lives with as executive director of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. Schreiber came to Kansas City in August 2009 when the JCC, and other Jewish agencies, were facing very difficult economic times. Since that time he has discovered that if the JCC is going to survive and thrive, it needs to strengthen its commitment to engaging more young families — and to building a vibrant Jewish future. So the JCC is doing just that.

In December the JCC announced that it was expanding its Child Development Center preschool and taking over the library space in the Jewish Community Campus previously occupied by the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy.

“Expanding the CDC to meet demand underscores the JCC’s ongoing efforts to create a lifelong destination spot for families and individuals. It’s commitment to quality care, learning and the environment will be integrated into the new Pre-K suite and updates to the current space,” explained JCC Vice President Robin Sterneck, who has been spearheading the efforts to upgrade family programming.

Construction on the new Pre-K suite is expected to begin in March and will be complete by Aug. 1, just in time for the 2012-13 school year to begin. This phase of the expansion is expected to cost $505,000. The expansion was designed by RDG, an international architecture and design firm, whose projects are funded by the Bill Gates and Warren Buffet foundations.

When the funds are available, another $182,000 will be spent on enhancing the current CDC space. Plans include refurbishing and refreshing all existing CDC classrooms; redesigning and “greening” the playground — including new landscaping and equipment to be in line with current industry trends and parent expectations; and updating existing CDC teacher and office spaces to be more functional and teacher- and parent-friendly.

Schreiber believes the renovation is necessary to keep the facility competitive with other child care and preschool facilities in the area.

“The CDC facility has not been adequately updated in 20 years, and this lack of delayed maintenance may soon catch,” Schreiber said. “While our program is second-to-none, newly built and renovated facilities with updated designs and decor pose a competitive challenge to our program. Today’s parents expect something new and better each year, and we need to begin delivering or face the inevitable consequences.”

Fundraising efforts for the expansion have begun. Schreiber said the JCC will ensure that expansion and renovation of the current CDC “public square” will be completed on schedule even if the fundraising campaign is not totally complete. But as stated above, renovation on current CDC classrooms and the playground will not begin until funds have been raised to cover the cost of these elements.

As reported previously, the CDC expansion will make it possible for the CDC to expand its enrollment from about 176 students to 226 students. That should increase the agency’s bottom line by more than $100,000 per year. But the expansion has a much bigger effect than just enhancing the budget.

“The JCC’s lifeline is young families, and the CDC is our best pipeline,” said Schreiber.

“Each new child and family added through the CDC creates a multiplier effect in participation and income via other JCC services, such as memberships, day camp, child enrichment programs, Jewish family programs, fitness classes, theatre patrons and much more,” he continued.

The JCC is currently in the process of contacting all families on the CDC waiting list to inform them of next year’s opening. The official CDC enrollment process will begin soon.

“This is a rare opportunity for families to join this premiere Jewish preschool that has had a waiting list for 20 years,” Schreiber said.

Besides the JCC, Schreiber believes HBHA could also benefit from the CDC growth.

“Currently 25 to 33 percent of HBHA’s kindergarten classes are comprised of CDC graduates,” he said, noting that if there are more CDC Pre-K students, more Pre-K students could enroll at HBHA.

While the JCC is investing in families, that doesn’t mean it’s abandoning its programming or commitments in other areas.

“The JCC is very committed to families and to supporting each member, young and older, through the cycle of life. There are few places in our society that offer care, guidance, holistic nurturing and community from your toddler years through your golden years, but the JCC is one of them,” Sterneck pointed out.

Investing on other levels

The CDC expansion may be the most visible change the JCC is making to show its focus on families. But it’s not the first. It began more than a year ago when it revamped its Chanukah celebration and renamed it Maccabee Town. The new celebration was deemed a huge success, and attracted several hundred families in both 2010 and 2011.

Older children are also benefitting from expansion in the JCC camp programs. Sterneck explained that the JCC, and its “valued donors,” have been proactively investing in its long-standing day camps for the past 18 months or so.

“Both the preschool and the day camps work with children and families to offer values-based learning, fun and care during critical developmental years. Thanks to the combination of time-honored traditions and caring and qualified staff, with new activities and updated facilities, the CDC and our Jewish day camps remain vibrant and important aspects of the JCC and its family focus,” she said.

Prior to last year’s camp season and continuing through the upcoming summer, Schreiber said the JCC has invested more than $90,000 in improving its camps. Last year Bridey Stangler was named interim camp director and was retained as its permanent director for this year. Schreiber said it is the first time the JCC has employed a person whose sole responsibility is camp.

“We’ve added more specialists. We’ve added different camps. We’ve added half-day options. As a result, camp grew 12 percent last year,” Schreiber said.

Camp enrollment officially begins Feb. 12, with early enrollment beginning Feb. 10 for families with children enrolled in CDC, Kids Konnection or who are Grand Members. As was the case last year, non-members may enroll in some part-time camps. For the very first time, parents can complete camp enrollment online.

Those who frequent the Jewish Community Campus will notice a new construction project on the outside as well beginning in March. A new outdoor camp program pavilion, named after Phillip A. and Dorothy Byer, and made possible by Michael Kahn, the Byer Foundation’s trustee, is being added to the camp landscape to enhance outdoor activities. Construction begins in March and the pavilion is scheduled to be dedicated June 15, the first Shabbat of the summer camp season.

More enrichment, sports programs

Schreiber believes the JCC has also lagged behind a bit in what it offers in the way of enrichment programs for children. A new suite in the expanded CDC will result in more enrichment programming for that age group. Research is ongoing to expand enrichment programs for elementary-age school children as well.

The JCC’s youth sports department, under the direction of Bob Hennecke, has already taken steps to change the focus of its programming.

Now, Schreiber said, it is concentrating on skill building programs for young athletes.

“This is more convenient for parents than leagues,” he said. “In one year, thanks to Bob, we’ve nearly doubled our participation.”

As Bob Dylan said, and Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff reminded the congregants of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah on Rosh Hashanah, “the times, they are a’changin.”

“As a society there is no looking back, we are always looking forward,” Rabbi Nemitoff explained.

Why are they changing? More and more people need a reason to stay connected to their congregation and to their Judaism.

Congregations and organizations all over the country are searching for ways to keep, and hopefully even expand, their membership.

Rabbi Nemitoff and the Reform congregation’s leaders hope they can strengthen what is already the largest congregation in the city’s membership through what they have called the Tefillah Team. The Tefillah Team will find ways that members can become more strongly connected to the congregation through prayer and music.

“As cherished as our prayer books and melodies are, we hear from many how they struggle with spirituality,” Rabbi Nemitoff said in his sermon. “They are not moved by the words of our prayers, by the music we sing, or by the lessons we teach. There is a yearning, a longing for meaning, connection and continuity. We believe it can be found in prayer ... words, music and meditation … here at B’nai Jehudah.”

Rabbi Nemitoff said this is a pretty “radical process” and to the best of his knowledge no other congregation in the country is attempting to do anything like this.

“We’re inviting anybody in the congregation that wants to do this to be a part of this,” he said.

This is a continuation of the shared vision process B’nai Jehudah conducted several years ago, which resulted in a published version of the congregations vision, purpose and goals. Its core purpose: “To Nurture Jewish meaning, connection, continuity.”

Its core values: “Open hearts, kedusha (holiness), derech eretz (common decency).” Its BHAG (Big Holy Awesome Goals):

“Every congregant pursues an individualized Jewish path. In so doing, the individual, the community and the world become better.”

The process of change

The process of searching for what is meaningful to the congregants began a few months ago and will continue through April.
Rabbi Nemitoff said the data collected by the Tefillah Team participants, as well as related ongoing conversations, “will shape how we will nurture our congregation’s spirituality in the decade to come.”

Those who chose to become a part of the Tefillah Team were asked to make the following commitments:

• Participate in two learning sessions, understanding traditional views of prayer and music as well as its purpose, philosophy and practice;

• Watch five 10-minute on-line videos (or DVD), where scholars explore modern expressions of Jewish prayer, meditation, music, and spirituality;

• Attend 10 erev Shabbat services between November and April;

• Complete an online (or written) and anonymous “reflection response” after each service attended.

Since the original components were put together, B’nai Jehudah’s leadership determined that anyone who attended a Shabbat service, not just official Tefillah Team participants, was welcome and encouraged to complete the “reflection response” regarding the service. All these responses, regardless of whether or not the responder is an official member of the Tefillah Team, will share how the person felt before coming to services, what their experiences were during services, how have they changed and what their experiences were as they left.

One of the most important parts of the response, Rabbi Nemitoff explained, was learning “what moved them and what didn’t move them.”

“The goal here is giving anyone who wants to the opportunity to craft and re-imagine what prayer will look like in the next decade or two at B’nai Jehudah,” Rabbi Nemitoff said.

More than 120 members originally signed up for the Tefillah Team, and about 100 of them are actually following through with the commitment.

The data analysis

Another committee, led by Rabbi Neal Schuster, formerly an assistant rabbi at B’nai Jehudah who is now the senior Jewish educater with KU Hillel, and Howard Mayer, the board’s immediate past president, will tally the data.
“The analysis team will then offer reflections on the data to the clergy. Then it’s up to the clergy to begin to re-imagine prayer, in all it’s different aspects, reflecting back to what the congregation has told us,” Rabbi Nemitoff said.

Making changes

Change is never easy, but Rabbi Nemitoff said what is most amazing about this process is that all three members of the clergy are open to change.

“Whatever it is that we hear, we will do our very best to respond to it in an authentic, Jewish way,” he said.
This is not, Rabbi Nemitoff reiterated, about any member of the clergy team. It is about prayer.

“It’s about the experience,” he said. “People can respond to what we say, what we sing or what we do, but not who we are.”

To help people figure out what they like and don’t like, Rabbi Nemitoff said the clergy has taken the opportunity to experiment with prayer during this time.

“One of the things that we’ve done is engage this wonderful musician, Noah Aronson, to come in four times during the year. He came in once already and he is coming in again in February, April and May. During those times he is helping us extend what we do and take what we do and put a new flavor on to it,” Rabbi Nemitoff said. Other cantors and musicians will make special appearance as well.

“Our goal here is to find out what our style is going to look like, what it is that resonates most with people. We’re going to figure that out,” he said.

Different types of services are being experimented with as well, such as the amcha (Hebrew for people) service which was held last week.

“We will try to lead a service that’s not led by the clergy,” he said last week. “We want to all pray together and sing together and all do things in a non-leadered way. … We will just see what this feels like. … We don’t know what we will choose.”

As the son of a Reform cantor, Noah Aronson grew up around the synagogue and listening to his father sing. He loved music, but he never thought he would make Jewish music a career. That happened quite by accident.

Aronson is described as an energetic and soulful composer and performer whose unique musical style propels his music into communities across the country and in Israel. One of those communities is right here at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. He is helping the Reform congregation redefine its music as part of the Tefillah Team project. He will sing at B’nai Jehudah for the second time as part of the Tefillah Team, and the third time since this summer, at Shabbat Chadash on Friday evening, Feb. 17. Erev Shabbat services begin at 6 p.m. in the chapel.

Aronson was raised in South Orange, N.J. His career in Jewish music began while he was studying piano and jazz composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2004. He started teaching music at Sunday school at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, Mass., for extra money.

The cantor at Beth Elohim knew Aronson’s father, Cantor Ted Aronson, (who is retiring after 45 years at the same congregation, Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, this year). So he decided to approach the younger Aronson about writing some music for Beth Elohim. That was something he had never really done before.

“In fact I had never really listened to much Jewish music. I didn’t get much enjoyment out of listening to Jewish music. I enjoyed singing in my choir in high school and enjoyed it when my father sang in synagogue and in camp, but I don’t think I ever bought a CD of Jewish music and listened to it on my own,” Noah Aronson said.

He took on the challenge, saying when he wrote the music for the synagogue, he didn’t pull from any Jewish influences.

“I pulled from many different popular American influences,” he explained.

One thing led to another and he eventually created a whole musical service for Beth Elohim, which the congregation uses today. He continues to serve the congregation as its artist-in-residence.

He enjoyed the process and today teaches and composes a wide-array of new liturgical works, “spreading the music out to cantors’ conferences and other national conferences as well as the cantorial school at Hebrew Union College.

Aronson released his first entirely Jewish solo album in May 2011 and the title song, “Am I Awake,” was a winner in the New Voices Song Competition. He is a founding member of the Jewish artist’s collective NuRootz as well as a member of the highly acclaimed Jewish A Capella group Six13.

In addition to his Jewish music, Aronson is a singer/songwriter and musical theatre composer. Currently enrolled in the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, he is in the midst of composing an original musical entitled “The Playhouse” with collaborator George Merrick and is developing a musical Web series entitled “Connections” with Patrick Gallagher.

Working with B’nai Jehudah

Aronson connected with Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff and Congregation B’nai Jehudah about six months ago. He came here last summer and conducted a camp-style Shabbat for the Reform congregation. He and Rabbi Nemitoff also discussed Aronson’s ideas about where Reform Jewish worship was going and, in particular, what Aronson was doing.

“Rabbi Nemitoff was attracted to the idea that a synagogue under the leadership of one person, like me, could actually develop a unique voice, a unique sound, so that whenever you walk into that place you instantly know you are in that place,” Aronson said.

As Rabbi Nemitoff developed the Tefillah Team idea for B’nai Jehudah, Aronson came on board to breathe life into the texts that have been used for thousands of years and give them modern relevance. His innovations are among other ideas being introduced to the congregation during the Tefillah Team project where members can get a sense, and have a say, in what they envision prayer to be at B’nai Jehudah.

Over the past 10 years or so, Aronson believes the Reform movement has leaned heavily toward turning all prayers into songs. He said that has the potential to be very beautiful, but he doesn’t necessarily agree with that trend.

“I strive to try to keep one cohesive flow and remind people that even though these are beautiful songs, more importantly they are prayers and weave into one another as we ostensibly try to elevate the congregation.”

“My intention when I write is the individual prayers themselves are lovely, but each one is supposed to lift you closer and closer (to God). That is my personal stamp on what I am trying to do,” he said.

Aronson has enjoyed working with Rabbi Nemitoff.

“He is probably one of the most innovative rabbis I’ve worked with. His constant insistence in doing what he thinks and what he knows is best for his community is truly something to be admired,” Aronson said.

Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff enjoys working with Aronson as well, as do clergy at congregations he has assisted in one way or another. Popular Jewish musicians such as Craig Taubman and Dan Nichols have nice things to say about Aronson’s work as well.

“Noah Aronson is writing some of the most sensitive, sophisticated, and welcoming Jewish music I have heard in a long time. I feel strongly that Noah’s creative voice will resonate for years to come throughout the liberal Jewish world,” Nichols said.

When it’s fashion week in New York, it’s also fashion week at Her Majesty’s Closet, a couture consignment shop for women owned and operated by Barb Bloch.

Fashion Week kicks off Feb. 9 in both places. Her Majesty’s Closet will celebrate that night with a fashion show beginning at 6 p.m. featuring spring clothing and accessories. It will take place in the brand new space the store moved into last month, directly next door to its original shop on the south side of 83rd Street in Corinth Square near First Watch.

Bloch explained the Prairie Village shop was inspired by pop-up designer shops and boutiques popular on both coasts. Her Majesty’s Closet specializes in designer labels. More than 40 famous names can be found there including Bill Blass, Geoffrey Beene, Nina Ricci, Paulene Triggere, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Prada, Minolo Blahnik, Gucci and Louboutin.

“You will only find designer labels here and it’s all real,” Bloch said. “You will find all the high-end brands and we have a lot of vintage also. We’ve got anywhere from the ‘40s to current styles. We also stock some vintage jewelry and handbags.”

Bloch said Her Majesty’s Closet is very well known for its shoes, furs, handbags and cocktail wear, all of which are “in excellent condition.” The store is also known for its large St. John knits department. The store carries a variety of sizes as well as price ranges.

“I’ve got Chanel jackets that would cost $4,000 or $5,000 new and we have them for $950. It’s not cheap, but for someone who wants Chanel and wants the look, it’s affordable because it’s a fraction of the regular price,” Bloch said.

The store gets its merchandise from estates as well as individuals.
“Often these women buy something and are on the fashion cycle so once they wear it they don’t want to wear it again,” Bloch said.

Her Majesty’s Closet is not the first store of its kind in the area. But Bloch believes what sets this store apart from others is that others don’t carry the quantity of couture available at Her Majesty’s Closet.

“A lot of consignment stores will tell you they have a particular label just to lure you in the store. Then they don’t have it or they just have one piece,” she explained. “We have lots of Oscar de la Renta, lots of Chanel, lots of Armani Black Label, lots of Geoffrey Beene …,” she continued.

Who shops at Her Majesty’s Closet? Bloch said they are people who appreciate couture as well as quality fabrics, construction and design. Customers come in all sizes and ages, from young women to senior citizens.

“Some appreciate fashion but can’t afford these pieces new,” she said. “We also have people who love vintage and who buy into the recycling.”

While she’s only owned Her Majesty’s Closet for two and a half years, Bloch said she grew up in the garment industry. Her family manufactured ladies coats and suits. Professionally she worked as a recruiter for the Carlisle Collection, a clothing line sold by personal consultants, where she learned all about wardrobe building.

Bloch has also served two terms as regional director for the Fashion Group here in Kansas City. In addition she collaborated with Sybil Kahn on a book about the history of the garment industry.

Next week’s fashion show — which got its start when the store first opened as a way to attract customers — will feature 11 models, all customers, showing almost 80 different outfits.

“Every outfit, shoes, jewelry, handbag, coat … worn on that runway is put together with pieces that have come in on consignment and are new in the store for spring,” Bloch explained.

The show is free; reservations are not required but are recommended. The evening also features music, wine and appetizers. The store will be open for shopping as well.

“It’s really a fun, fun evening,” she said. “It’s grown from the 75 people who attended the first show to more than 100 that came in the fall. I’m hoping for about 150 people this time, and it will be recorded and placed on the website,” Bloch said.

Her Majesty’s website has grown along with the actual store. Now customers can purchase clothes directly from the website.

Bloch loves the consignment couture concept and often wears clothes from the store. So do her employees.

“Almost everybody who works here was a customer before they started working here,” she said. “I think we are a very warm and friendly environment and we’re not high pressure. I think we give our customers a great shopping experience.”

Her Majesty’s Closet

The couture consignment shop is located at 4107 W. 83rd St., Prairie Village, Kan. Store hours are Monday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 913-341-7774 or visit www. hermajestysclosetldt.com.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s Israel shlichah (emissary) has returned to Israel. Lilach Nissim, who arrived here in October of 2010, is experiencing health problems that prompted her decision to return to Israel. There she will continue to seek further medical treatment while having the support of her family nearby. A Jewish Federation emissary typically stays in the community for two years.

Nissim is a native of Jerusalem and was the Jewish Federation’s fourth emissary. She came here from missile-torn Sderot, where she worked as a youth coordinator and manager of a youth center for children at risk. Nissim was responsible for spreading the word about Israel in both the Jewish and general communities. She organized such events as Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s memorial day), Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence Day) and Israeli movie nights.

Nissim also wrote a monthly column for The Chronicle.

“Lilach Nissim brought her special brand of Israel and Zionist education to every corner of the community from preschools to adult education classes. She was passionate about her work. We have received a number of emails in response to her early departure, which praised her work and extended wishes for a speedy recovery,” said Alan Edelman, Jewish Federation’s associate executive director.

Edelman said the Jewish Federation plans to continue the emissary program in the future. He will begin the process of searching for a new emissary within the next few months and expects one to be on board by September of this year.