“Topeka School” by Ben Lerner, Farrar Straus Giroux, 287 pp. $27.
Ben Lerner grew up in Topeka, Kansas, the son of two Jewish psychologists at the Menninger Clinic. In his adulthood, he has become an award-winning novelist and poet, and now teaches in Brooklyn, New York.
This novel is somewhat autobiographical. The main character, Adam Gordon, has parents who are both psychoanalysts at an institution in Topeka referred to as “The Foundation.” His mother Jane Gordon has recently become famous for a book she wrote. This book puts her fellow psychoanalysts in the shadow of her fame. And if you haven’t figured it out, Adam’s mother is based on Ben Lerner’s mother Harriet Lerner whose first book, “The Dance of Anger,” became a great success.
Adam works to be part of the in-crowd at his high school. He’s not an athlete, but he is a successful debater, and he has a beautiful girlfriend. On the opposite side is a boy named Darren who is very troubled and unable to fit in with the gang, and becomes the punching bag for the in-crowd.
Sometimes the novel jumps to Adam’s parents and how they are thinking and what they are doing. The book portrays a bumpy ride of people trying to make sense of their lives, and because Ben Lerner is a poet, the novel is also very poetically written. It is a fascinating exploration of coming of age in Kansas, dealing with a parent’s fame and facing life’s ups and downs
Andrea Kempf is a retired librarian and an award winning book reviewer.
“Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church” by Megan Phelps-Roper, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019, $27.
My first encounter with the Westboro Church was when they picketed my daughter’s graduation from KU law school. Then they picketed my synagogue, which led to our hiring a guard to be present during Shabbat services. Then my daughter and son-in-law moved to Topeka where the church picketed every service in their synagogue. They seemed to be everywhere. Now, reading Megan Phelps-Roper’s memoir, I began to understand why they were so vehemently picketing synagogues, parks and military funerals.
Rev. Fred Phelps, Megan’s grandfather, had deep biblical beliefs that he taught his family and his church. Homosexuality was a sin. Non-Christian religions were sinful. She and her family spent their childhoods picketing everything, holding signs that said “God Hates fags,” etc.
Yet in their home, their parents were warm and loving. The children were allowed to go to public schools and colleges. Megan spent a good part of her young adulthood on Twitter defending her church’s ideology to scoffers.
Then came the time when her grandfather grew old and other men took over the direction of the church. This is when Megan and her sister Grace finally decided they had to leave.
Reading her memoir explains why she left and how difficult it was to leave her family and make a new life. Her page-turning memoir captures the reader’s attention and the book is impossible to put down until the end.
Andrea Kempf is a retired librarian and an award winning book reviewer.
My mother made an astute observation about changes in the weather even as her dementia got worse. One uncommonly warm January day, we looked out her window and saw patches of green grass and birds fluttering at a bird bath. She remarked that it was strange for such warm weather during winter.
We are sensitive to wild swings in weather even though we may not live where disastrous forest fires rage or flood waters spread across communities. Many of us, however, may be unaware that a harsh reality of extreme weather is the shrinking of natural resources.
Farm crops, clean air and drinkable water are contaminated by toxins in burning wood and pollutants in flood waters. Today, as in past human history, diminishing resources have been shown to incite violent actions. Social violence includes hateful attacks on vulnerable minority groups, including the Jews.
When confronted with threats to future survival, some take drastic actions to ensure that whatever resources are available, belong to them. Individually or joining together in destructive groups, they divide everyone into inferior and superior categories by race, religion, gender and ethnicity. They are contemptuous of those they deem to have little value to share the reserves. They are driven to use deadly violence against Jews and others, falsely blaming us as the problem.
Hostility against Jews is likely based on the dreadful threat to available natural resources, among other factors. The solution is, though, within our reach. Recalling the words of the recent Rosh Hashanah Shofar service, we have the power to change our lives. With strength and determination, we can be leaders in repairing nature. We all deserve better lives on a robust planet and in an America that is free of hatred and assault.
I was disappointed to read about the plots of the so-called Hanukkah-themed movies airing on Hallmark Channel as reported in the Jewish Chronicle.
The first film, “Holiday Date,” is about a woman who recently breaks up with her boyfriend, and ends up bringing a Jewish man to her family Christmas celebration to pose as her boyfriend. Having a Jewish character at a family Christmas celebration is hardly Hanukkah-themed.
The second film, “Double Holiday,” is about a Jewish woman who has to plan a holiday party for her office with her office rival. Sounds like another movie meshing Christmas and Hanukkah together.
I hope in the future Hallmark, and other channels, can find Jewish consultants who know something about Judaism to advise them on their movie plots.
There have been a variety of letters to the editor published in The Chronicle recently by writers who claim they know how they can bring lasting peace to Israel. Isn’t it really presumptuous for American Jews to be telling Israel what they should accept, change, destroy and move?
We live out our idyllic lives in Kansas, Missouri, Vermont, etc. with no intentions to make Aliyah, and then we all seem to know what is best for Israel. We can only imagine what it is like to live in fear of terrorism. We don’t have the need for mandatory conscription of our young people to ensure the survival of our country. We are not under the global economic threats of BDS.
When Israel’s leaders speak about threats to their national security, it’s for real.
I would like to add my voice to the constant stream of invective toward Trump that constantly appears in letters to The Chronicle. These writers are absolutely correct. Trump must be impeached and convicted, and the sooner the better. All one needs do is catalogue the terrible things he has done to this country:
1. The stock market and the economy are at record highs. Unemployment is at record lows. Wages are up, taxes are down. Get rid of him!
2. Five hundred thousand new manufacturing jobs have been created. Impeach him!
3. America has been made energy independent. That evil man must go!
4. He has renegotiated tariffs to America’s huge advantage. The nerve of the man!
5. He has fully funded the military so our tanks, planes and ships are no longer idle due to lack of money for maintenance. Unconscionable!
6. He has totally wiped out the ISIS caliphate. He is a war criminal!
7. He has compelled the NATO countries to pay their fair share of their own defense. What can he possibly be thinking?
8. He has secured the cooperation of Mexico in securing the southern border, choking off the flow of illegal aliens. Unspeakable!
9. He has reorganized the Veterans’ Administration, making it possible for veterans to receive timely, positive services. Just who does he think he is?
10. And Israel. He has moved the American embassy to Jerusalem. He has recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. He has verified that Israel’s West Bank settlements are legal under international law. Convict him!
I could list dozens more of his atrocities, but you get the idea. I can hardly wait until next November gets here, when even if he is not impeached and convicted we will still be rid of him. On that blessed day we will wipe out every single one of these abominations and return to those glorious days when Obama was president.
The best way to support Israel is to help bring the Palestinians to the negotiating table. Once they recognize Israel’s right to exist, Israel should then remove Jerusalem as the capital city, give them an assurance that Israel will not build more settlements in the West Bank and will demolish those that exist, and give them the assurance there will be two states living securely and peacefully side by side. If we do that, there would be no need to withhold a portion of the military aid funding.
Unfortunately, there are many Orthodox Jews in Israel who are opposed to returning the West Bank to the Palestinians and up until now, those Jews have been necessary to form a coalition government. As you well know, it’s possible to be against the current Israeli government’s policies and still have a love for Israel. To characterize Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders as being anti-Israel is ridiculous and just not true.
Shanny Morgernstern enjoyed having family attend The J annual meeting. Family members included (from left) Paul Rabinovitz, Jarrod Morgenstern, Jaime Morgenstern, Susan Rabinovitz, Eric Morgenstern, Shanny Morgenstern and her grandson Cy Morgenstern, Mark Rabinovitz, Avi Morgenstern, Joel Rabinovitz, Judy Deutch and Larry Deutch.
“How goodly are your tents oh Jacob, your dwelling places oh Israel.” These are the words that Jewish people from all over the world say to prepare to pray.
Balaam, a pagan prophet, said these words when he was hired to curse the Israelites. However, when he looked across at their encampment, he blessed them instead.
Balaam didn’t say that the dwellings were beautiful — he said that they were goodly — which is a very different and much more important description.
Beautiful is pleasing to the sight.
Goodly is pleasing to the soul.
When Balaam saw how the Israelites treated each other, he realized that they were a good people dedicated to making the world a better place for all of us.
When we focus on what is truly important — building personal connections and helping one another — we turn our dwellings from just being shelters to being goodly places.
In goodly places people gather to schmooze, learn, grow, study and connect with others. They are places where people gather to repair the world.
Just like The J.
I’m so proud to be associated with The J. We are making the world a better place every day.
Thousands of different people walk through The J’s doors each week. They are young and old and every age in between. They are Jews, Christians, Muslims, atheists and many other faiths and beliefs. Newcomers to our community, and lifelong members. Republicans and Democrats. KU fans, K-State fans and Mizzou fans. Together we make The J a goodly place.
Our community has forged a strong, vibrant and inclusive community. We are building and expanding on the incredible foundation that our predecessors passed down to us.
Kol hakavod to everyone who has helped make our J one of the best in the country.
To some of you, The J is your home away from home. To others, The J is just one part of our broader Jewish community.
I want to hear from everyone in the community. Please let me know:
• What is The J doing well?
• What is The J doing not so well?
• What should The J be doing, that we currently aren’t?
I promise to listen to each one of you. We are stronger together. Please email me at or I would be happy to talk with you.
Send me your ideas, comments and, yes, especially your complaints. Really. Despite my size I can handle it. Thanks to my yoga classes at The J, I’m stronger than I appear.
The J is in great shape. The staff is filled with dedicated and caring people focused on bringing The J values to life. They do an exemplary job of managing the budget and delivering excellent programs. There are more members and participants than we have ever had before.
But we can always do better. We can help more people. We can do more good. Help us make the world a better place. This is the best way for all of us to fight back against those who hate.
Balaam’s words were high praise — but they were also a charge to each of us to build goodly communities.
At The J, we fulfill that charge by bringing The J values to life.
L’chaim!
Bringing the J Values to Life
When we are welcoming, inclusive and nurturing, we make the world a better place.
When we work to strengthen our community, we make the world a better place.
When we enrich people’s minds, bodies and souls, we make the world a better place.
When we celebrate and pass on Jewish values and culture, we make the world a better place.
When we treat everyone with respect, dignity and loving kindness, we make the world a better place.
Shanny Morgenstern is chair of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City (The J). This column is based on remarks she made at The J’s annual meeting and installation on Oct. 20.
You and some other Democrats vying to become the party’s candidate for president have made statements about using leverage of U.S. military aid to Israel. Why? Are all of you so ill informed about the continuing past and current strife between Palestinians and Israelis? You, Sen. Warren, and Sen. Bernie Sanders are quick to criticize Israel for “overreacting” to terrorist activities and threats that face Israel daily. You have not criticized Palestinians who have rejected all peace proposals that began with non-acceptance of a divided Palestine and continue to this day.
Funds given to Gaza have been used to enrich a few prominent Palestinians and to dig tunnels that were built to terrorize. Terrorists that have killed Israelis are being awarded with monthly payments for life. If you really feel for the Gazans, help them relinquish acts of terror and destruction and come to the negotiating table. Please remember the Israelis vacated Gaza and in return Gaza sends missiles and incendiary balloons into Israeli territory.
Have you not noticed that the onus is always on Israel? You need not be reminded that Israel is threatened in a hostile environment and by those seeking its destruction. Israel needs your continuing support. And we need Israel!
Prediction: The impeachment process will be defeated in the U.S. Senate, Donald Trump will lose the 2020 election and will be prosecuted as a private citizen for tax evasion, as was Al Capone, and will be on his way to prison unless he is pardoned by the next Democratic president.
