Archived News

MCHE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS  — “I feel brown shirts breathing down my neck,” said actor Henry Winkler to a crowd of almost 500 gathered at Starlight Theatre to celebrate 25 years since the founding of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. Winkler, the son of Jews who escaped Nazi Germany and moved to the U.S. in 1939, added, “It is up to us to make sure that civility and sanity stays in the world.”
Winkler’s presentation did not dwell on the shooting that killed 11 Jewish people at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue the day before nor was it the theme of speeches given by the chairs, honorary chairs, etc., but the shooting was mentioned several times during the evening. As MCHE Executive Director Jean Zeldin pointed out, one of the lessons the Holocaust teaches us that is still relevant today is “when one group is targeted, we are all at risk.”
MCHE was founded by best friends Jack Mandelbaum and Isak Federman (of blessed memory) to keep the lessons of the Holocaust alive. A letter written by Mandelbaum, who is retired and lives in Florida, was read and it said, in part, he and Isak chose to focus on education because a brick and mortar building can’t talk. As the founders intended, the organization, through its staff, programming and volunteers, works tirelessly applying the lessons of the Holocaust to counter indifference, intolerance and genocide. The two honorary co-chairs — Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of President Harry S. Truman, and Mary Jean Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower — were chosen as representatives of two great men who did so much to help the Jewish people when the camps were liberated at the end of World War II and establishing the State of Israel. MCHE has good working relationships with both the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas.
MCHE estimates fewer than 50 survivors now live in Kansas City. To those in attendance and to those who could not be there in person, Zeldin said, “You teach us, you humble us, you inspire us. Tonight we honor and celebrate you.”
Even under the unfortunate shadow of the rise of hate in our world, it was indeed a wonderful celebration showcasing an organization whose work is not done and deserves the support of the entire Kansas City community.

VOTING WORDS OF WISDOM — Our own Harry S. Truman had this to say about voting: “It’s not the hand that signs the laws that holds the destiny of America. It’s the hand that casts the ballot.” Kansans can vote now, either by mail or advance voting. All registered voters in the metro can vote beginning at 6 a.m. in Missouri and 7 a.m. in Kansas on Tuesday, Nov. 6. VOTE!

MITZVAH GARDEN HARVEST — Mitzvah Garden KC has completed its harvest for the year and its garden yielded 12,600 pounds. It truly takes a village of volunteers to produce this bounty, including Chair Ken Sonnenschein, Garden Planner Chuck Luchen, Volunteer Coordinator Gay Handler and Orchard Steward Greg Raymond for all they did to make the garden so productive this season. Some volunteers have already planted all the garlic, wheat and barley crops to get ready for next season. In addition, Morris “Moshe” Leibschutz configured the water capture system, “Project Matar,” in a way that it could be winterized without antifreeze. A tip of the sun hat to all those who spend time working on this throughout the year to make this one of the community’s jewels.

Daniel Rivin had never been to Kansas City before he moved here in late August. Rivin, who is from Holon, Israel, had visited New York City and Washington, D.C., on his Bar Mitzvah trip years ago, but didn’t know what to expect from his new Midwestern home.
Thanks to the warm welcome he’s received, the adjustment to life here has been an easy one.
“I already feel like a part of the community,” he said. “Everyone has been so kind and helpful in getting me settled.”
Rivin, 24, is here as the Israel emissary for Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City. Every one to two years, a young adult from Israel rotates into the position, which is staffed at Jewish Federation to operate an outreach program dedicated to promoting and strengthening the community’s connection to Israel.
The emissary (or shaliach) develops and implements Israel-related activities and events for all age groups, working with synagogues, preschools, religious schools, youth groups and other organizations.

The Kansas City Jewish community increased security dramatically following the 2014 shootings at the Jewish Community Campus and Village Shalom. Most buildings are now locked, the security guards at the Campus are armed, and security is visible at several congregations during special events and at Jewish schools.
After the events of 2014, the Jewish community hired a director of community security under the auspices of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City. In the aftermath of the murder of 11 Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue on Oct. 27, Community Security Director Chuck Green said on Monday our local community has had four years to prepare for a variety of scenarios.
“The Pittsburgh tragedy — and the resulting heightened alert for all Jewish communities across the U.S. — demonstrated to us that all our area Jewish organizations are better prepared,” he said. “That was evident in the quick and appropriate reactions each organization took to ensure the safety of their members or congregants.”
The evening of the shooting, local congregations started contacting their members via email to remind them of the security measures they had in place and to be especially vigilant and pay attention to their surroundings as they attended functions at Jewish sites across the community. All local congregations held weekend activities as usual following news of the shootings.

If you’re in an interfaith relationship and want some help to make it stronger, Jewish Family Services might have just the thing for you. The organization is offering a workshop Nov. 12 aimed at keeping these relationships strong and providing tools for better communication.
“I know it will be an opportunity to connect with other couples, and it will be interactive,” said facilitator Debra Grayson. “I might give couples some scenarios, and we might have some skill building exercises.”
Grayson is a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist with JFS who has spent more than 30 years working with couples and families. Her efforts help to educate, support and strengthen family, marital, personal and organizational relationships.
The program will take a general look at how to manage difference and improve communication skills, but other issues may come up, depending on what couples who attend want to discuss.
“If there are other needs, then this would be an opportunity for those needs to come up and (for us to) learn what other needs there may be,” Grayson said.
Grayson said she’s heard from many people in their 20s and 30s who are interested in having more interfaith family and couples programming in the community.
The workshop isn’t just for married couples or young couples. People at any stage of their relationship and who may not have even considered marriage yet, may attend.
Although its counseling services are always available to interfaith couples, it’s been a few years since JFS has offered programs focused on interfaith relationships. In 2011, the organization worked with the Jewish Community Center on a program that presented a panel of people from the community sharing their stories of interfaith families.
“I think congregations are doing a much more proactive job of reaching out and making sure congregants are welcoming (these couples),” said Susie Hurst, director of family life education for JFS.
There are also more resources available online than there were in previous years. Recently, JFS has gotten several requests to put on more programs about interfaith relationships.
“When you have two individuals who are coming from different families of origin, trying to blend different styles and rituals,” there are challenges, Hurst said. “…With interfaith relationships, you’re trying to see how you can blend the needs of both families.”
Two of the biggest issues interfaith couples face is deciding how to raise children and how to handle the demands of extended family, she said.
“I think in general, Debra really focuses on building healthy relationships. The reality is that I think a lot of times couples are trying to figure what role Judaism will play in their future and how to engage with the Jewish community and how to have a successful relationship,” Hurst said.
JFS doesn’t plan its programming a year in advance, and that allows the organization to respond to community needs more quickly.
“The overall goal of family life education is to really respond to the community, rather than coming up with programming and throwing it out there and hoping people show up,” Hurst said. “We want to listen to the community and what their needs are. We have the unique ability to respond to people’s needs and interests.”
Workshop for Interfaith Couples: Supporting Healthy Relationships will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, at JFS Brookside East, 425 E. 63rd St. Entrance is $20 per couple, and financial assistance is available. To register, call 913-327-8259. JFS requests that couples register by Nov. 5.
For registration or questions, contact Family Life Education Director Susie Hurst at 913-327-8259 or email her at .

VOTE FOR HBHA STUDENT IN UNCLE BEN’S BEGINNERS™ CONTEST — Annie Fingersh, an eighth-grader at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, loves applying her creativity in the kitchen. She’s been baking and cooking since she was a young girl. Her hobby took an exciting turn when she was named a finalist in the Uncle Ben’s Beginners™ Contest. Big prizes are on the line, as five grand prize winners will claim $15,000 cash and a $30,000 cafeteria makeover for their school.
The contest is sponsored by Uncle Ben’s to inspire healthy lifelong eating habits by getting children interested in cooking. This is the seventh year of the contest for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade.
For Annie, inspiration and cooking for the contest came naturally.
“Everyone in my family loves to cook and eat, so food and meals are a big part of our time together.”
Annie’s entry was a Spanish rice with peppers and breadcrumb-encrusted cod. She added broccoli and Thai sticky rice for dessert.
“I came up with the menu and found the recipes online. My dad helped me a little with the cod, which the contest actually encouraged,” said Annie, the daughter of Paul Fingersh and Brenda Althouse.
“I’ve watched a lot of cooking shows, so I took extra time with presentation and plating the food.”
Twenty-five finalists were selected from the initial entries, at which point a public voting phase began online. From now to Nov. 11, the public casts votes for their favorite entry at beginners.unclebens.com. Individuals can vote once per photo/entry, per 24 hours. Photos of Annie with her mom and dad appear on the gallery page. Her entry is “Spanish Rice with Breadcrumb Encrusted Cod.”
“The public vote counts for 20 percent in the final judging, so vote as often as possible,” Annie’s mom said. “I set an alarm on my phone to remind me each morning.”
Althouse is spreading the word on social media, too, and appreciates anyone willing to share her Facebook post with their friends or networks.
The final winners will be judged on creativity, presentation, appetite appeal, reflection of Ben’s Beginners goal of bringing families together to cook, and the votes received during the public voting phase. Winners will be announced Dec. 14.
On the prospect of winning, Annie said, “It would be really cool to win $30,000 for HBHA. Our cafeteria is actually a community café run entirely by parents and volunteers. It could really use a makeover!”
Read more about the Uncle Ben’s Beginner’s Contest at https://beginners.unclebens.com

70 OVER 70 HONOREES — ­Several Jewish Kansas Citians are among the inaugural honorees in the 70 Over 70 Awards, a celebration recognizing 70 individuals from a variety of backgrounds who inspire others and improve our community. They were chosen from more than 150 nominations and will be recognized at a benefit luncheon for the Shepherd’s Center on Oct. 30. For more information, visit sccentral.org/70over70/. Mazel tov to the following list of nominees (if you know anyone we may have missed, let us know): Erwin Abrams, Donna Gould-Cohen, SuEllen Fried, Barb Friedmann, Barbara Sloman Holzmark, Carol Mayer Meyers, Carol Sader, Debbie Shearer, Judy Sherry, Ann Stern, Phyllis Stevens and Mickey and Bonnie Swade.

KIDNEY SISTERS UPDATE — Since December 2017 when The Chronicle reported Debra Porter Gill was searching for a living kidney donor, we have been following her progress. In August we reported Martha Gershun was a tissue type match for Gill, and Gershun would be donating one of her healthy kidneys to Gill. A medical issue caused the original transplant surgery to be delayed.
The surgery did take place in late September, was successful and both women are recovering nicely. You may have already seen Gershun out and about in the community and Gill was doing so well her team at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, sent her back to her home in Florida a week early. Best wishes for a refuah shlema (full recovery) to both
women.

Like father, like son.
On Saturday, Nov. 3, Rabbi Moshe Grussgott will be installed as senior rabbi of Kehilath Israel Synagogue by his father, Rabbi Ira Grussgott.
The younger Rabbi Grussgott, who came on board at K.I. on Aug. 1, jokes he had a glamourous view of the rabbinate when he was a child.
“When I was a kid, probably like a lot of little boys, I wanted to do what my father did. At home we actually have a kindergarten project I did where we were asked, ‘What does your father do?’ and I wrote, ‘My father goes to Mincha and makes money,’ ” he told The Chronicle in a recent interview.

This year’s community-wide Kristallnacht commemoration will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at Congregation Ohev Sholom. It will feature a panel of Holocaust survivors who will share their recollections as witnesses to the events of Kristallnacht. The panel consists of Esther Bergh,Tom Lewinsohn, Erwin Stern and Peter Newman. Complimentary reservations are available by calling 913-327-8196 or emailing .

This November, local singer-songwriter Rachel Black releases the commercial CD of her much talked-about original song, “Edyka,” and launches her new independent label, Harmony Hope Records. “Edyka” tells the story of her grandmother’s harrowing escape from a Nazi boxcar destined for the Treblinka death camp, sung from the perspective of Black’s great-grandmother, who pushed her daughter out of a vent at the top of the moving boxcar.

It’s tough to pin down just one title for Edwin Black — he considers himself to be a historian, a researcher, an investigative reporter and a supporter of the Jewish community.
Black will be a scholar-in-residence for a series of programs at Congregation Ohev Sholom at the beginning of November.
“The topics that I write about, that I speak about, no one else speaks about these topics. If there was someone else who could describe how IBM and General Motors collaborated with the Third Reich, they could get them,” Black said.

HONORING OUR VETS — On Wednesday, Oct. 10, Korean War vet Lee Levin and his daughter Terry Levine flew from Kansas City to Washington, D.C., as part of Honor Flight. Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization that transports American veterans to visit memorials dedicated in the nation’s capital to honor the service and sacrifices of themselves and their friends. Top priority is given to the senior veterans.
The vets flew on a chartered jet and the oldest veteran on his flight was a 97-year-old Marine, Levin said.
“Over half were in wheelchairs, but not a single one failed to make it through the entire day,” Levin reported.
He said former Sen. Bob Dole, now 96 and in a wheelchair himself, greeted the group at the World War II Memorial “with his usual dry humor.”
“It was absolutely amazing how many — and there were literally hundreds of people — shook our hands and thanked us for our service,” Levin said. “Even more amazing are the people who make up the Honor Flight Network. Everyone is a volunteer, and they do everything imaginable to make the day memorable, including arranging for the veterans not to have to go through security, and arranging for a police escort in Washington, D.C., so that the buses can run red lights and break through rush-hour traffic. They get up around 3 a.m. and are utterly devoted to the project, arranging for everything and including a few surprises that are jaw-droppingly stunning in their impact. I would certainly recommend the Honor Flight to any veteran, even if they have already seen the Washington, D.C., memorials. I can guarantee they will never forget the experience.”

HURRICANE RELIEF — Once again, Jewish Federation is poised and ready to help those hit hard by the latest U.S. hurricane this year, Hurricane Michael. In the aftermath of hurricanes Florence and now Michael, which slammed the Florida Panhandle last week, the Jewish Federation network is working to support immediate needs in the form of funding for urgently needed basics, as well as the long-term needs as those affected rebuild their homes, schools and their lives.
One hundred percent of donations given to Jewish Federation’s 2018 Hurricane Relief fund goes to hurricane relief efforts. You can give online at jewishkansascity.org or send a check to Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, 5801 W. 115 Street, Suite 201, Overland Park, KS 66211, Attn: 2018 Hurricane Relief Fund. Contact Danita Hill at 913-327-8107 with questions.

OPRAH, AGAIN — Not one but two readers pointed out after last week’s mention of Julie Fingersh’s article in the October Oprah Magazine that she is also published in the November edition. This time she writes about sprained ankles, adventures and friendships. Check it out.