The Chanukah that was

The date for the stone setting for Rabbi Margolies is Dec. 1. His many accomplishments, as well as never forgotten memories, are deeply etched in the minds of the Kansas City Jewish community. One memorable occasion was a particular Chanukah address.

That year Chanukah came late according to the Gregorian calendar. A large crowd of worshippers attended Shacharit services at Beth Shalom Synagogue on that Sunday of Chanukah because it fell on December 25th, the birthdate of Rabbi Morris Margolies. Entering the social hall of the synagogue following the service, the large turnout knew from the pleasant smell of Mr. Koppel’s steaming eggs and the sight of bagels before they became secularized that the breakfast would sufficiently fortify them to attend to Rabbi Margolies’ address. That year he did not talk about the unending light from the small vial of sacred Shemen. Instead his opening remarks were that the desecration of the Bet HaMikdash was the first of an uncountable number of anti-Semitic attacks that the Jewish people endured for about 2,000 years.

Rabbi Margolies spoke forcefully regarding the drenching of European soil with Jewish blood. His account of the ruthless Crusaders who without reason slaughtered Jews who tenaciously held to the Torah that G-d had given them. These heroic and loyal Jews held fast to our tradition as they lost their lives at the hands of the Cross. The rabbi spoke of the pervasive influence of Pope Innocent III who declared at the Fourth Lateran Council that Jews were to be assigned to “perpetual servitude” because of their complicity in the crucifixion of Jesus. Among other crimes against the Jews that Rabbi Margolies cited were the eviction from Spain, the German ovens of the Holocaust and with particular emphasis to personify the indignities that Jews suffered each day of their lives the virulent anti-Semitism directed to the son of a French assimilist family. His face was filled with anguish when retelling the story of artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus who was an uninformed Jew and whose father had declared that baptism was the only antidote for Jewish survival. I recall vividly that the word the rabbi used for this false accusation of treason against the French people was “canard,” in this case a groundless, anti-Semitic rumor that led to the ripping of the buttons from Dreyfus’ uniform, the breaking of his sword, and confinement to prison until his eventual release and later his exoneration. For Jews, he said, the rebirth of Israel meant that its citizens could live a life of Torah without the treachery and indignities of anti-Semitism, concluding with this remark: Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.” With great applause the attendees stood and sang Happy Birthday in Hebrew.

Harris Winitz

Kansas City, Mo.

Thanks for the coverage

Thank you for the articles and photos you published recently in honor of our Centennial Celebration in Greater Kansas City on Sunday, Nov. 10. Your extensive coverage not only informed members about our event, but also educated our community about the history of our Hadassah Chapter in the past 100 years and enabled us to share our vision for the future. A special thank-you to Barbara Bayer for the well-written article she wrote about the Greater Kansas City Chapter in the Oct. 31 issue after interviewing us.

As a result of your publicity, we welcomed 143 members, guests and Associates (men who support the women of Hadassah) to our celebration. In addition to a luncheon and fashion show, attendees learned about our current Hadassah projects in the United States, Israel and around the world and we raised funds to promote our mission inspired by the values of our founder, Henrietta Szold.

Please accept our sincere thanks for helping us start our second century in such a positive way.

Marian Kaplan

President

Greater Kansas City Chapter of Hadassah

Rita Shapiro

President

Great Plains Region of Hadassah