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Pictured is KU student Ethan Geller, his arms laden with Shabbat to go packages being delivered to his fellow KU students to share in the joy and the spirit and provide a sense of warmth and support.

As millions around the world are impacted daily by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health effects of the coronavirus are appearing in significant ways. According to a recent report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health issues or substance use as they try to cope with the various challenges of the coronavirus.

These concerns are magnified when we are dealing with young people and college students, as the CDC findings showed an overwhelming number of college students reporting declining mental health during the coronavirus, as they struggle to focus on school and work and have difficulty adjusting to a new normal.

It is with this in mind that KU Chabad has expanded its vital program called “ReJOYvination 360,” a multifaceted and broad initiative aimed at creating a full spectrum of emotional support for Jewish students at KU. This holistic, all-encompassing effort is aimed to provide students with the support, resources and skills to achieve mental wellness and fight the stigma of mental illness.

With their parents hundreds of miles away, students turn to the Chabad House when they are in crisis. The loving presence of co-directors Rabbi Zalman and Nechama Tiechtel are an effective stopgap measure, as very often they serve as first responders when a student is in a crisis.

“Being an out-of-state student, it’s tough not having family around to help me through rough times, so it’s good to have my Chabad family to fall back on whenever I need them,” said KU senior Sami Schechter. “It’s beyond heartwarming to know that no matter what pain is going on in your life, the Tiechtels are always just happy to embrace you for who you are.”

Jewish Federation, The J begin new collaboration

Penina Hoffnung

 

 

By Lacey Storer
Contributing Writer

Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City and The J — Jewish Community Center are starting a new partnership that will expand the Jewish Experiences programming available to the community, bringing more opportunities for Jewish learning and engagement. 

“This is a new and exciting venture for us in moving our community from cooperation to collaboration,” said Dr. Helene Lotman, Jewish Federation president & CEO. “We’ll be more united and working together to offer comprehensive engagement activities to the community as a whole, rather than as separate individual organizations.”

The J and Federation will be creating a committee comprised of staff and volunteers from across the community, representing various organizations that are interested in promoting the programming and events created out of The J’s department of Jewish Experiences.

“The J was very receptive to the idea of working together to align Jewish experiences and engagement to have a greater reach,” said Samantha Hammontree, The J’s chief operating officer.

For the first time ever, Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) will present its annual General Assembly virtually. The reimagined gathering of Federation lay and professional leaders, partners and supporters, presented exclusively online this year, begins Sunday, Oct. 25, and concludes Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Another first: The event is free to all for the first time. By working with sponsors to underwrite the expense, JFNA has removed barriers to participation. As a result, registration has grown considerably, with more than 6,000 people across North America planning to take part in two plenary sessions and a variety of workshops. 

 

“We were excited when JFNA announced last November that the General Assembly would be held in Chicago in 2020, because it’s a short flight, a train ride or even a drive from Kansas City, meaning we expected to take more Jewish communal leaders to the conference,” said Federation President & CEO Helene Lotman. “By adapting to our circumstances and going virtual this year, even more Kansas City community members can take part, learning about the important work we do together not only for our local community, but for our wider Jewish community nationally and globally.”

 

The 10 KC SuperStar finalists gathered on stage during a taping of the event. Due to the pandemic KC SuperStar will be virtual this year and segments were taped in advance. To watch the event on Sunday, Oct. 18, visit kcsuperstar.org.  

The J’s largest fundraiser provides scholarships, vital programs

By Ruth Baum Bigus
Special to The Chronicle

The finals of KC SuperStar, Kansas City’s premiere high school singing competition, is happening but like a lot of events in 2020, it’s now taking place in the virtual world.

Elie Simon

 

By Lacey Storer
Contributing Writer

Earlier this year, as college students and recent grads were absorbing the disappointments of canceled internships and Birthright trips, they began wondering how they’d pass the long summer months. The answer came in the form of a question: Are you ready to be a Changemaker?

Now that the fall festival season has concluded, Congregation B’nai Jehudah’s “Shabbat Stars” returns, continuing over the coming weeks with others who have grown up at B’nai Jehudah and have agreed to return virtually and teach us.

Enjoying the lulav shake are KU freshmen Demi Fine, Ivy Greenberg, Samantha Grofsky and Madeline Abrams. Demonstrating is Yosef Meir Tiechtel (far right) along with his helper Mendel Tiechtel (far left).

This year for the first time in history, the festive holiday of Sukkot was celebrated in the age of the coronavirus. This brought along with it the constrictions and opportunities of these strange times.

Applications available for 2021 Statland Leadership Institute

Applications are now being accepted for the 2021 Dr. Harry & Alice Statland Leadership Institute (SLI). The program is open to young Jewish professionals who are looking to explore their Jewish identity, develop their leadership skills and connect with the Jewish community in a meaningful way.

Hanan Hammer

This year Hanan Hammer, Chatan Torah, and Miles Ross, Chatan Bereishit, were honored as Congregation Beth Shalom volunteers. On Friday, Oct. 9, before Shabbat, there was a tribute video shown to celebrate this year’s Congregation Beth Shalom Simchat Torah honorees. The video is available on CBS’s website at www.bethshalomkc.org.

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