Archived News

BETH SHALOM UPGRADING FACILITIES  —  Congregation Beth Shalom is underway on a campaign for a new sacred space and upgrade of existing facilities to serve its congregation. Designed by acclaimed architect Preston Scott Cohen, the new sanctuary will create an inspiring space for congregants to pray together on the High Holidays, sing together on Shabbat mornings and dance together on Simchat Torah. The project is slated to begin in 2020 with construction complete by 2022.

DEFINITION OF ANTIFA  —  The word antifa was in the news again recently and I was stumped. I knew I was supposed to know it, but since it didn’t come to the forefront of my mind, I looked it up. JTA says antifa is an abbreviation for anti-fascist action (8-16-2017).

ADL has defined it as violent counter-protesters who believe in active, aggressive opposition to far right-wing movements. “Their ideology is rooted in the assumption that the Nazi party would never have been able to come to power in Germany if people had more aggressively fought them in the streets in the 1920s and 30s.

Most antifa come from the anarchist movement or from the far left, though since Trump’s election, some people with more mainstream political backgrounds have also joined their ranks,” according to an article on adl.org titled “Who are the Antifa?” I couldn’t find a date, but I believe the article was written following the violence in Charlottesville in August 2017.

A NEW TREE OF LIFE — A three-dimensional Tree of Life was recently installed in the Theatre Galleria of the Jewish Community Campus.

The lifelike sculpture, created by artist Tim Mispagel, was commissioned by TEVA when it opened its Overland Park building. With the company’s recent move out of the city, TEVA wanted the sculpture to find a good home.

Thanks to the efforts of longtime community member Mike Levitan, TEVA decided to donate it to the Jewish Community Center. The sculpture weighs approximately 1,100 pounds, with its highest branch reaching 13 feet high. The J member Larry Fry of Fry Wagner donated moving services for installing the Tree of Life in its new home.

WHO IS HARRY FRIEDMAN?   —  In typical “JEOPARDY!” style, the question “Who is Harry Friedman?” is the correct answer to the statement: This man is retiring on May 1, 2020, after 25 years at Sony Pictures Television. 

Friedman is the multiple award-winning longtime executive producer of “Wheel of Fortune” and “JEOPARDY!” He grew up in Omaha and lived in Kansas City for about five years. He still has relatives living in the Kansas City Jewish community. 

Over the course of his five decades in the industry, Friedman has produced more than 6,270 hours of game shows for American television audiences, and most of that tally comes from producing the two most lasting and successful syndicated programs of all time: “Wheel of Fortune” and “JEOPARDY!.” “Wheel of Fortune” is currently in production on the show’s 37thseason, while “JEOPARDY!” is taping Season 36; both premiere Monday, Sept. 9. They will be Friedman’s last at the helm of the two programs.

“We are proud to have had one of the industry’s most prolific executive producers at the helm of our flagship game shows, “Wheel of Fortune” and “JEOPARDY!,” for the past 25 years,” SPT Chairman Mike Hopkins said. “Under Harry’s direction, these iconic shows have become among the longest running and most successful game shows in television history. … Harry is truly one of a kind, and he will be greatly missed.”

Friedman is the most decorated producer of game shows in history, and he holds three Guinness World Records titles to prove it. He is a 14-time Emmy® Award winner who is the only producer to ever have won two Emmys in the same category in a tie with himself, a Peabody Award winner and an inductee into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. He also has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has been inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recently selected as part of the Class of 2020.

ANOTHER OMAHA-JEWISH KC CONNECTION  —  If you will be in or around Omaha in September, you may want to consider visiting “Witness: The Art of Samuel Bak,” which opens Tuesday, Sept. 3, in the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s School of the Arts’ Art Gallery, housed in the Weber Fine Arts Building. The collection spans five decades of Bak’s artistic journey, featuring pieces that have been shown in major museums and galleries in cities such as Tel Aviv, New York, Paris and Rome. The art will be on display through Thursday, Nov. 14. 

Bak is a renowned artist and Holocaust survivor. Thanks to the UNO Sam and Frances Fried Holocaust and Genocide Academy and the Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies, the showing and a series of related public events will be free and open to the public. The KC connection is Ed Fried, the son of Sam Fried.

A conversation featuring Bak is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, in the Strauss Performing Arts Center, preceded by a reception beginning at 6 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public, with no tickets or registration required. Email for questions or visit unomaha.edu and search Samuel Bak. 

SPEAKING OF TREES  —  The microburst, for lack of a better word, that hit Overland Park and Leawood in the wee hours of Sunday morning caused some damage to the grounds of the Jewish Community Campus.

In particular, one fallen tree blocked the entrance to the facility by the pool and tennis courts. Campus Facilities Director Rob Bolt was there by 9 a.m. with a chain saw to clear the path. The landscaping crew was also called in Sunday to clear broken branches from the area.

On Monday morning, Bolt said all cleanup of the grounds was expected to be complete by later that day. Some fences by the pool and tennis courts were also damaged, and repair is expected to start on those soon. Removal of the tree that blocked 117th Street was the Sprint Campus’ responsibility.

BETH SHALOM UPGRADING FACILITIES  —  Congregation Beth Shalom is underway on a campaign for a new sacred space and upgrade of existing facilities to serve its congregation. Designed by acclaimed architect Preston Scott Cohen, the new sanctuary will create an inspiring space for congregants to pray together on the High Holidays, sing together on Shabbat mornings and dance together on Simchat Torah. The project is slated to begin in 2020 with construction complete by 2022.

DEFINITION OF ANTIFA  —  The word antifa was in the news again recently and I was stumped. I knew I was supposed to know it, but since it didn’t come to the forefront of my mind, I looked it up. JTA says antifa is an abbreviation for anti-fascist action (8-16-2017).

ADL has defined it as violent counter-protesters who believe in active, aggressive opposition to far right-wing movements. “Their ideology is rooted in the assumption that the Nazi party would never have been able to come to power in Germany if people had more aggressively fought them in the streets in the 1920s and 30s.

Most antifa come from the anarchist movement or from the far left, though since Trump’s election, some people with more mainstream political backgrounds have also joined their ranks,” according to an article on adl.org titled “Who are the Antifa?” I couldn’t find a date, but I believe the article was written following the violence in Charlottesville in August 2017.

A NEW TREE OF LIFE — A three-dimensional Tree of Life was recently installed in the Theatre Galleria of the Jewish Community Campus.

The lifelike sculpture, created by artist Tim Mispagel, was commissioned by TEVA when it opened its Overland Park building. With the company’s recent move out of the city, TEVA wanted the sculpture to find a good home.

Thanks to the efforts of longtime community member Mike Levitan, TEVA decided to donate it to the Jewish Community Center. The sculpture weighs approximately 1,100 pounds, with its highest branch reaching 13 feet high. The J member Larry Fry of Fry Wagner donated moving services for installing the Tree of Life in its new home.

WHO IS HARRY FRIEDMAN?   —  In typical “JEOPARDY!” style, the question “Who is Harry Friedman?” is the correct answer to the statement: This man is retiring on May 1, 2020, after 25 years at Sony Pictures Television. 

Friedman is the multiple award-winning longtime executive producer of “Wheel of Fortune” and “JEOPARDY!” He grew up in Omaha and lived in Kansas City for about five years. He still has relatives living in the Kansas City Jewish community. 

Over the course of his five decades in the industry, Friedman has produced more than 6,270 hours of game shows for American television audiences, and most of that tally comes from producing the two most lasting and successful syndicated programs of all time: “Wheel of Fortune” and “JEOPARDY!.” “Wheel of Fortune” is currently in production on the show’s 37thseason, while “JEOPARDY!” is taping Season 36; both premiere Monday, Sept. 9. They will be Friedman’s last at the helm of the two programs.

“We are proud to have had one of the industry’s most prolific executive producers at the helm of our flagship game shows, “Wheel of Fortune” and “JEOPARDY!,” for the past 25 years,” SPT Chairman Mike Hopkins said. “Under Harry’s direction, these iconic shows have become among the longest running and most successful game shows in television history. … Harry is truly one of a kind, and he will be greatly missed.”

Friedman is the most decorated producer of game shows in history, and he holds three Guinness World Records titles to prove it. He is a 14-time Emmy® Award winner who is the only producer to ever have won two Emmys in the same category in a tie with himself, a Peabody Award winner and an inductee into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. He also has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has been inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recently selected as part of the Class of 2020.

ANOTHER OMAHA-JEWISH KC CONNECTION  —  If you will be in or around Omaha in September, you may want to consider visiting “Witness: The Art of Samuel Bak,” which opens Tuesday, Sept. 3, in the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s School of the Arts’ Art Gallery, housed in the Weber Fine Arts Building. The collection spans five decades of Bak’s artistic journey, featuring pieces that have been shown in major museums and galleries in cities such as Tel Aviv, New York, Paris and Rome. The art will be on display through Thursday, Nov. 14. 

Bak is a renowned artist and Holocaust survivor. Thanks to the UNO Sam and Frances Fried Holocaust and Genocide Academy and the Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies, the showing and a series of related public events will be free and open to the public. The KC connection is Ed Fried, the son of Sam Fried.

A conversation featuring Bak is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, in the Strauss Performing Arts Center, preceded by a reception beginning at 6 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public, with no tickets or registration required. Email for questions or visit unomaha.edu and search Samuel Bak. 

SPEAKING OF TREES  —  The microburst, for lack of a better word, that hit Overland Park and Leawood in the wee hours of Sunday morning caused some damage to the grounds of the Jewish Community Campus.

In particular, one fallen tree blocked the entrance to the facility by the pool and tennis courts. Campus Facilities Director Rob Bolt was there by 9 a.m. with a chain saw to clear the path. The landscaping crew was also called in Sunday to clear broken branches from the area.

On Monday morning, Bolt said all cleanup of the grounds was expected to be complete by later that day. Some fences by the pool and tennis courts were also damaged, and repair is expected to start on those soon. Removal of the tree that blocked 117th Street was the Sprint Campus’ responsibility.

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City is nearing its $11.5 million goal for a major expansion of its facilities. To date, $10.35 million has been raised, which includes a matching gift from Michael Staenberg, a St. Louis philanthropist and J advocate. Staenberg initially gave $1.8 million to the Kansas City J’s capital campaign with the promise to donate an additional $1.2 million, once $9.3 million had been raised from the community.

“We are much further along with our campaign than we expected to be at this point and we are thrilled to be so close to qualifying for this important milestone match,” said The J’s President and CEO Jim Sluyter.

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle is making internal changes regarding the weekly newspaper’s production schedule, requiring us to change our deadlines.

The new deadline for articles, calendar items and snapshots from communal organizations, congregations and readers is now Tuesday at 5 p.m. Articles submitted by that time will publish in The Chronicle nine days later. For example, an article to be published in the Sept. 5 edition must be received by The Chronicle staff no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Please note The Chronicle will not be able to promise publication in the following week’s issue for anything that arrives past that deadline.

The new deadlines become effective on Tuesday, Aug. 27, for the Sept. 5 edition. 

In addition, any obituary to be published in a particular week’s issue must be received no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, the week of publication.

Sometimes Jewish or secular holidays require additional deadline adjustments. Watch the pages of The Chronicle for holiday deadline announcements.

Contact Editor Barbara Bayer at 913-951-8425 or with questions.

Ask The J’s Board Chair Andrew Kaplan about KC SuperStar and he’ll tell you two things: It’s all about the kids and it’s a big event.

This is the 10th anniversary for SuperStar, an “American Idol” style competition that awards $22,000 in scholarships to the most talented high school singers in Kansas City. It regularly attracts more than 200 local teens, each vying for the $10,000 first place Edward and Ellen Rose Scholarship.

Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s Leadership Tomorrow program recently wrapped up its sixth year. Eleven Jewish college students spent the summer working with nonprofit organizations across Kansas City, gaining real-world work experience, personal and professional development, and valuable mentorship and networking.

Growing up in Iran, there were parts of Dr. Sima Goel’s childhood that were idyllic. She remembers making wine with her family, helping her mother and siblings prepare for Shabbat and the large celebrations held in their garden.

As she got older, political unrest began to take its toll on Iran. At age 13, Goel was protesting in the streets against the Shah’s oppressive rule. After he fled the country, the new Ayatollah Khomeini regime took control and quickly proved to be much more oppressive and dangerous.

In 1979, the regime passed a law requiring every female to wear a hijab. The head-to-toe coverings were hot and hard to move in. Stories circulated of men on motorcycles who would throw acid on the face of anyone not wearing the hijab properly.

Life in Iran became harder and harder for Goel. She was blacklisted by her school and lost access to education, and eventually was forced to go into hiding. Goel’s mother, seeing that life was not going to get better for her daughter, encouraged her to flee and connected her with smugglers who could get her out of Iran.

It was a harrowing journey across the deserts of Iran and Pakistan, walking for miles through calf-high sand, hiding from thieves and rapists and constantly fearing for her life. She eventually made it to Canada, arriving penniless, unable to speak English or French and not knowing anyone other than her two sisters who had fled Iran with her.

Goel will share her experiences at the Jewish Federation Women’s Philanthropy annual meeting, Wednesday, Aug. 28, in the Jewish Community Campus Social Hall.

“Sima’s story is a powerful one, and very inspiring,” said Heidi Atlas, who is co-chairing the event along with Taly Friedman and Joyce Hess. “It will make you appreciate all the freedoms we often take for granted.”

“We’re so happy that Jewish Federation has the opportunity to bring the women in our community together to hear Sima’s message,” added Laurie Goldstein, director of Women’s Philanthropy. “As Jewish women, we can all identify with her story of strength and resilience.”

While crossing the dessert, Goel promised herself that — if she survived — she would write her story. Her memoir, “Fleeing the Hijab: A Jewish Woman’s Escape from Iran,” was published in 2015.

Annual meeting attendees will receive a signed copy of the book and have the opportunity to get a personalized message from Goel after the program. In addition to her presentation, the evening includes a Vaad-supervised dessert reception and will honor incoming and outgoing Women’s Philanthropy board members.

The Women’s Philanthropy annual meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, in the Jewish Community Campus Social Hall. It is open to the entire Jewish community. Tickets are $36. To guarantee you receive your signed book at the event, reservations need to be made as early as possible. Registration closes Aug. 23. You can register at jewishkansascity.org/women19 or by calling 913-327-8107.

It’s done!

The expansion of the Child Development Center’s outdoor playground at the Jewish Community Center has been completed, and the children love every inch of it.

The playground renovation was part of several enhancements to the center, which is the daytime home to 200-plus children attending the early childhood program. The playground includes new, natural green-space encouraging children to explore outside of the formal classroom.

Research has shown that children learn best through play and the CDC is committed to providing children with an environment that fosters play, free thinking, imagination and developmentally appropriate growth.

The project also included the addition of a front desk and receptionist area within the CDC’s main entrance off of the front lobby of the Jewish Community Campus. This is now the only outside entrance to the CDC, with friendly staff to greet both preschool families and visitors. It also enhances security for the preschool. The additional parking spots and added sidewalk space will create a safer environment for children and families to enter The J.

There are also more parking spaces available for those who use the CDC.

With the “official” start of preschool this month, the CDC still has a limited number of full- and part-time spaces available in its 3-year-old and pre-kindergarten classes for this fall. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the CDC provides an inclusive environment that helps children develop in a loving and caring environment.

For more information about the CDC, call Director Machaela Whelan at 913-327-8051 or email her at . Information can also be found on The J’s website, thejkc.org/cdc.

IF YOU’LL BE IN OR AROUND OMAHA SOON  —  A new exhibit in Omaha focusing on immigration rights has a Kansas City connection. The Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Center for Human Rights is sponsoring a multimedia exhibit at the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Criss Library highlighting the impact of Shirley Goldstein’s and the Omaha Jewish community’s activist work on behalf of Soviet Jewish emigres from the 1970s through the 1990s. Martha Gershun is the niece of Shirley Goldstein, who passed away in 2017.

The exhibit, titled “Shirley Goldstein’s Immigration Rights Legacy: Operation Exodus in Omaha,” includes a selection from Goldstein’s archival papers as well as oral histories collected from Soviet Jewish emigres who settled in Omaha and community members who participated in Operation Exodus. The exhibit runs through Nov. 10.

LEADERSHIP TOMORROW  —  I had the pleasure of attending the Leadership Tomorrow closing luncheon recently. During that time, the 11 Leadership Tomorrow interns presented grant proposals for funding special projects at three nonprofits: SAFEHOME, Farmer’s House and The Grooming Project. I was very impressed by the professionalism of the presentations. The 11 Leadership Tomorrow interns worked for several nonprofits, including a few in the Jewish community: The J, JFS, JVS and Menorah Heritage Foundation. In the past, The Chronicle has even featured the athletic prowess of one intern and the artistic talent of another who was a Hanukkah Art Contest winner! This is a program coordinated by Jewish Federation. If you know college students who may be interested in such an internship, check in with Jewish Federation in November. To learn more about what they did this summer, see page 4.

EL PASO STRONG  —  I remember being surprised at the number of cards and letters sent to the Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom following the April 2014 tragedy. I heard of a way this week where members of our Jewish community can pay that kindness forward. Two teachers in El Paso, Texas, are suggesting people mail postcards to them to help their students understand there are plenty of good people in the world. In a Facebook post they write, “As teachers, we may only be able to say so much. We think concrete messages of support would help us calm some fears.” Send these cards to E. Flores, Hillside Elementary, 4500 Clifton Ave., El Paso, TX 79903 and Teresa Garrett, Tom Lea Elementary, 4851 Marcus Uribe Dr., El Paso, TX 79934. #ElPasoStrong.

MIZZOU SAMMY FINAL REUNION SET  —  If you’re a Sammy alumnus of Mizzou’s Sigma Rho Chapter, you won’t want to miss out on the chapter’s final reunion planned for Oct. 11, to be held in Jack Fingersh’s backyard in Prairie Village. The fun starts at 6 p.m. Marv Fremerman tells us there’ll be free food and libations. Wives or significant others are welcome. Contact Fremerman to make reservations at .

SAM MATIER ELECTION UPDATE  —  Sam Matier was defeated in his bid to seek a seat representing Ward 4 on the City of Merriam’s City Council in the April 6 primary election. He finished in third place behind incumbent Bob Pape and challenger Staci Chivetta, making him ineligible to move on to the general election.

JCRB|AJC AMONG ORGANIZATIONS CALLING ON U.S. GOVERNMENT TO MEET REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT GOALS (JTA)  —  Some 167 national, state and local Jewish organizations have called on the U.S. government to meet the refugee resettlement admissions goal for this year.

The goal for fiscal year 2019 is 30,000, a historically low figure.

A letter signed by the organizations was delivered to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Aug. 7. The signers cross the religious and political spectrum.

“The United States has historically distinguished itself as a beacon of hope and as a safe haven for those who most need it,” the letter says, noting that the global refugee population reached a record 25.9 million in 2018.

It points out that for nearly 40 years, the refugee admissions target averaged 95,000 per year, with actual admissions averaging about 80,000. The Trump administration set the 30,000 ceiling for 2019.

“Resettling zero refugees in the U.S. in FY2020 would effectively gut the refugee resettlement program, violate our values as Jews and Americans, and abdicate the American promise of freedom and opportunity,” the letter also says, calling for the previous refugee target of 95,000 to be restored.

“As Jews, we know all too well what happens when people fleeing for their lives have nowhere to turn. Our parents or grandparents, neighbors or community members once faced a similarly callous and unwelcoming world, with fatal consequences.”

In a Facebook post Aug. 8, JCRB|AJC wrote it was “proud” to be among the organizations to sign the letter. In Kansas, the Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation also signed. No local organizations from the Missouri side of our community signed the letter. Go to jewishpublicaffairs.org to see the entire letter and the national and local organizations that signed it.

Kehilath Israel Synagogue has announced Hazzan Aron Hayoun will soon join the clergy staff as the Traditional congregation’s full-time cantor.

K.I. President Marty Gorin said the congregation was impressed with everything about Cantor Hayoun when he visited late last spring.