Archived News

There are few examples of how Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City and its partner agencies help Jews overseas that are as dramatic as Masha Shumyatsky’s story. If it weren’t for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), which receives support from Jewish Federation, Shumyatsky’s life in Kharkov, Ukraine, would be very different today.
“My life is a good example of what JDC does in the Ukraine and all over the world,” Shumyatsky, 27, said.
Shumyatsky’s first experience with JDC was as a girl, when her grandmother received monthly food baskets from the organization. Her second encounter came years later, at age 18, when she participated in JDC’s young leadership program.
It was an experience that changed her life.

Within 24 hours of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Judith Cohen’s cellphone was ringing incessantly with offers of help from around the world.
A psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of trauma and grief in children and adolescents, Cohen is one of the developers of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a therapeutic model that adapts the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy for victims of post-traumatic stress.
“It was not just thoughts and prayers, but practical stuff,” Cohen said of the telephone calls. “Literally within 24 hours I had tons of resources.”

The community didn’t have to wait long to welcome the first Jewish baby of 2019. Ella Victoria Myron was born Jan. 2 at 2:20 p.m. at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. She is the daughter of Lori and Scott Myron and the younger sister of David Louis Myron. The Myrons are members of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.
“Ella’s due date was Dec. 31, 2018, but she had her own plans to come in 2019 instead,” said her mother, Lori.
The first Jewish baby of 2019 measured 20.25 inches long and weighed in at 8 pounds, 5 ounces.
“I think her eyes are blue and her hair is a light brown, but it’s possible she has auburn hair,” Lori said. “It’s hard to tell on those last two just yet.”
Ella Victoria is named after four of her parents’ beloved grandparents.

A SPECIAL CDC TEACHER — Each year, The J asks its staff to participate in an internal giving campaign supporting United Way and the Jewish Federation. J President and CEO Jim Sluyter offered an incentive for 2018: If staffers raised 25 percent more than the previous year, he would spend a day working in any J department voted on by the staff.
In 2018 the staff raised more than $12,000, which exceeded the 2017 fundraising efforts by more than 25 percent. The staff voted to send Sluyter to work in the Child Development Center for an entire day. As you can see from the picture on this page, the kids seem to enjoy having him around.

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH — Reus Chaya Hersh is the January Volunteer of the Month for KC Kosher Meals on Wheels. KCKMOW is grateful for Hersh and others like her who help make the program successful.
“The most important thing to me is doing a mitzvah, and this is a very important mitzvah because it helps so many people who otherwise would not be able to eat kosher and who might also not have nutritious meals. I also enjoy the people that I volunteer with very, very much,” Hersh said.
If Kosher Meals on Wheels are needed by you or a loved one, call Esther Friedman at 913-710-1900 or visit torahkc.org/koshermeals for more information.

GREENBERG MAKES ­TORNADOES ROSTER AGAIN — The most prolific scorer in collegiate men’s basketball history in the state of Kansas, Grant Greenberg, will once again play for the Kansas City Tornadoes, the city’s minor league professional basketball team.
Greenberg’s collegiate record is 3,330 points, which he set while playing for University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth. He also is a gold medalist, playing on the Team USA’s men’s basketball team in the 20th Maccabiah Games in 2017.
Last year, his rookie season with the Tornadoes, Greenberg told the Leavenworth Times he was happy playing close to home.
“If I was overseas, I wouldn’t be able to be with family and friends, so I am definitely more comfortable and relaxed playing basketball in Kansas City. It can’t get much better than that. This is perfect right here and I am not looking back.”
The Tornadoes open the 2019 season tomorrow night (Jan. 11) at the newly renovated HyVee Arena (formerly Kemper Arena) against the Raleigh Firebirds. They will play the Firebirds again the next day. Tickets are available through the Tornadoes website, kctornadoes.com, or at the arena box office.

WHO KNOWS A JEWISH ROSIE THE RIVETER FROM KANSAS? — After the United States was plunged into World War II on Dec. 7, 1941, heroic Kansas women were among those 16 million females who answered the call to work on assembly lines, farms, in shipyards, airplane factories and other institutions in support of the military overseas.
Rosie the Riveter became the iconic image of World War II’s working women. She was the star of a campaign to recruit females to work in defense industries. The Department of Kansas American Legion Auxiliary President Karen Hasting announced an initiative to honor their service and share their stories with future generations of Americans.
“The Auxiliary wants to recognize its Kansas Rosies for their inspiring patriotism and service to Kansas and the United States,” Hasting said. “The Department of Kansas American Legion Auxiliary will honor its known Rosie the Riveters during the American Legion’s Mid-winter Forum in Dodge City, Kansas, on Feb. 1.
If you know a Kansas Rosie, living or deceased, call Auxiliary Vice-president Paula Sellens at 620-255-9339 or email .

The Kansas City Repertory Theatre will present the first regional production of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel’s “Indecent” from Jan. 18 through Feb. 10 at Spencer Theatre at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
“Indecent” chronicles the history of Jewish author Sholem Asch’s controversial Yiddish drama “God of Vengeance,” which made its Broadway debut in 1923 and included the first lesbian kiss in a Broadway play.
“Indecent” explores “censorship, immigration, anti-Semitism and the behind-the-scenes artists who risked their careers and their lives by staging (‘God of Vengeance’),” according to a news release from the KC Rep, which is co-producing “Indecent” with Arena Stage and Baltimore Center Stage. The play’s choreography is by Erika Chong Shuch, and its music direction and original music are by Alexander Sovronsky. It features traditional Yiddish folk music of the early 20th century, including Klezmer.

Eric Rosen, whose final day as the KC Rep’s artistic director was Aug. 31, 2018, is directing “Indecent.” Rosen said in the release that he had become familiar with “God of Vengeance” more than 20 years ago and lauded its “extraordinary place” in the history of both Jewish and LGBT theater.

CALLING LOCAL JEWISH SONGWRITERS — Once again Congregation Beth Torah will host Spring Session, a concert featuring 100-percent-original Jewish songs written by local composers. The fourth annual Spring Session will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 7. For the second year this concert is funded in part by a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.
Beth Torah Music Director Emily Tummons is currently seeking submission for this year’s concert. Composers from the Kansas City area are invited to submit original Jewish songs to be considered for inclusion. In the context of this concert series, a “Jewish song” is defined as “written for a Jewish purpose.” There is no limit to the number of songs each composer may submit for consideration.
Song submissions, and any questions about the Spring Session, may be sent by email to Tummons at . The deadline for submissions is noon Friday, Feb. 8.
All submissions should include at minimum a lyric sheet and a demo recording for reference. The recording does not have to be professional quality. Sheet music is helpful but not required. Reviewing videos of past concerts is recommended before preparing submissions. A playlist from the 2018 Spring Session can be found on Beth Torah’s YouTube page (https://bit.ly/2AjxfqS).
Past themes have included the following: Shabbat liturgy; original poetry; Hanukkah, Pesach, yizkor and other holy seasons, days and moments in the Jewish calendar; new niggunim, prayers for healing, Jewish songs for children and original melodies for modern Israeli poets; Talmudic texts; and other Jewish prayers, blessings and stories.
In the three previous concerts, 63 original songs have been featured by these 23 composers: Jim Abel, Jim Appelbaum, Rachel Black, Michelle Cox, Carmen Dieker, Coleen Dieker, Jill Fine, Mike Fine, Kris Gray, Steve Greenberg, Howard Iceberg, Tim Intfen, Cantor Sharon Kohn, Stu Lewis, Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick, Linda Salvay, Steve Shapiro, Rabbi Jeffrey Shron, Warren Sickel, Roberta Solomon, Emily Tummons, Rabbi Scott White and Lezlie Zucker.
If you aren’t a composer but enjoy beautiful Jewish music, mark April 7 on your calendar. It’s a lovely afternoon!

KANSAS RESTAURANT IN ­ISRAEL — Former BIAV administrator Barry Rubin sent us this photo last week of the menu from a new restaurant called Kansas in Beersheva. Menu illustrations include a cowboy hat and pistols. They serve burgers with specials such as Lucky Luke, Jango, the Hot Saddle and Clint Eastwood. Rubin ordered a vegan burger and said he wasn’t impressed. Rubin did ask why the restaurant is called Kansas, but the owner was not there and no one on site knew the answer. He was hoping if he flashed his old Kansas driver’s license, he might get a discount, but alas no such luck. So if you are in Beersheva on your next visit to Israel, maybe stop by for a photo?

FIRST JEWISH BABY? — Loyal readers, the holidays fell at a funny time of the week for our production schedule, so as I write this, it’s still December. That means I don’t know if we have a Jewish baby yet. Just in case we don’t, here’s a reminder what to do if you think you know the first Jewish baby of 2019:
Contact Chronicle Editor Barbara Bayer at 913-951-8425 or . Be prepared to offer the following information about the baby and his/her family: Is one or both parents Jewish and will the child be raised Jewish? What date and time was the baby born? Do the parent/s understand he/she/they will be interviewed, and the baby photographed for publication in the newspaper? A winner may not be declared immediately and could take as long as 24 hours after the initial conversation with The Chronicle.
We can’t wait to introduce the first Jewish baby to the community!

A Chronicle reader posed a two-part question to outgoing Kansas State Rep. Joy Koesten, a member of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah: Will there be any Jewish representatives or senators in the Kansas Legislature this session and, if not, is that a concern that we are not represented?
Koesten does not believe there will be any Jewish representatives or senators in the Kansas Legislature in 2019. In addition, she said she was unaware of any Muslim or Sheik reps or reps of any religion other than Christianity.
That lack of diversity shows up in a variety of ways, she said. One example is the faith-based adoption bill that was signed into law in 2018. The law, according to the Wichita Eagle, “allows agencies to refuse placement of children ‘for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement of such child would violate such agency’s sincerely held religious beliefs.’ ”
Koesten voted against it and voiced her concerns during debate on the House floor.
“I said, ‘You don’t get it. This bill doesn’t just discriminate against gay couples. It will discriminate against Muslim couples, against Jewish couples, against any couple that doesn’t sign off that they accept Christianity,’ ” she explained.
Even as she believes her stand on this bill eventually contributed to her defeat (there is a large Catholic parish in her district), she said there were “real dangers when a governing body doesn’t at least attend to the variety of faiths that form our community.”
She believes it is important to have Jewish representation in the legislature as well as representatives from other religions.
“I (also) think we need to have leadership who is at least attentive to different faith points of view. And that certainly doesn’t happen.”
But, she thinks Gov.-elect Laura Kelly will be more attuned to that than either of the state’s two previous governors — Gov. Brownback and Gov. Colyer.
“I think Laura Kelly will bring a different tenor to those proceedings,” Koesten said. “The Interfaith Action Alliance is certainly on her radar. I think she will be much more a champion of inclusiveness of all faiths.”
She thinks that inclusiveness is not just important because she’s Jewish, but because her district, and the area the Blue Valley School District encompasses, is very diverse.
“I have four synagogues in and around my district and a large Muslim community,” she said. “I have large minority populations in my schools. There are 40 nations represented in one school alone. Sixty-five languages are spoken in Blue Valley School District. These kids’ parents come from all over the world to work at Garmin and Sprint and all of our big companies, and they expect high-quality schools and inclusive neighborhoods. It’s different than most other communities in our state.”
Koesten hopes the legislature will be a lot more open to different faith points of view in the coming years. She also noted it’s a challenge “being the only Jew in the place.”
“A lot of people have just never met anybody who isn’t exactly like them, who don’t have the same religious framework,” she said. “I didn’t expose it a lot unless it was in a context where it needed to be exposed.”
There were times in her two years as a state representative that Koesten was uncomfortable with the legislature’s embrace of Christianity.
“The thing that is most disturbing to me is every single day in the House we start with a prayer,” she explained. “The prayer always ended ‘in Jesus’ name we pray.’ ”
The prayers were most often presented by the legislature’s chaplain.
“I loved her prayers,” Koesten said. “They were incredibly well thought out. They were timely. They were humorous. They were compelling. They were really good and then she would end them ‘in Jesus Christ’s name we pray.’ ”
So Koesten decided to discuss her thoughts with the chaplain.
“I told her how much I appreciated her thoughts … and then I said, ‘You end it in Jesus Christ’s name we pray, and I can’t say amen and I feel so excluded at that point. Is there any way that you could just alter your closing so that everybody in the chamber can feel a part of your thoughts?’ ”
The chaplain did change things for a while, Koesten said, and she gives the chaplain a lot of credit for those actions.
“(But) we had visiting clergy on occasion who came and gave terribly inappropriate prayers,” Koesten said. “They are not supposed to. But there is just this tacit acquiescence, and there is a pretty strong group of people, who are now in leadership, who will push that far-right Christian agenda as much as they can. I think for me that was incredibly uncomfortable.”

“You’ve got three choices in life: Give up, give in or give it all you’ve got.
“ I chose to give it all I’ve got.”

Dr. Joy Koesten credits this favorite quote to her mother and used it in the final newsletter she sent to constituents as she was wrapping up her two-year term as Kansas state representative for District 28. While she lost her bid for re-election in August, many of her constituents agree that although her tenure was short, she gave it all she’s got.
Koesten’s political career has been brief. She was swept into office as a Kansas state representative for District 28 in 2016 along with a wave of moderates — both Republicans and Democrats. After only two years, she was defeated in her bid for re-election precisely because she was a moderate Republican.
As one chapter of her life ends — her term officially ends when new state representatives are sworn in Jan. 14 — another chapter, this one as a Democrat, is just beginning. As a private citizen she has vowed to continue fighting to get the state of Kansas back on track and in that vein plans to give her full support to Gov.-elect Laura Kelly.

Rumors have been swirling the last couple of weeks about Bagel Works, but The Chronicle got the real story this week from its founder, Steve Ellenberg.
Ellenberg sold Bagel Works but said he will stay on and work for the new owners. He decided to sell the business after his former partner retired due to health problems. The operation of the bakery and deli will not change and will remain kosher under Vaad supervision.
“This was a good thing for me because I can’t do the business alone, so I’m staying on doing all the creating and making sure the quality is there — still controlling the bakery,” he said.
While the ownership is different, everything else is the same, including the staff.

Serving over 11,000 meals a year, Kansas City Kosher Meals on Wheels (KCKMOW) celebrated its 5th anniversary this year. It began in April 2013 with just seven recipients.

Last year KCKMOW served about 65 people; this year it was over 70 and it’s continuing to expand.

Esther Friedman, who oversees the Torah Learning Center program, said the plan is to build up to serving 13,000 meals in 2019. Although the Jewish population in the greater Kansas City area is small, 18,000 to 20,000, she sees a definite need.