TELL YOUR STORY – Kansas City native Barbara Devinki stopped in to see me on a recent visit to the metro area. She lives in Rancho Mirage, Calif., now and runs her own company called Desert Family Video. She learned how to guide people through the story-telling process while working with Holocaust survivors as a volunteer for 15 years for Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. Barbara said when people sit down and tell their stories through these professionally edited video recordings, it is “a tremendous gift to their family. I think the greatest gift you can give is the gift of oneself. I know I really wish I had videos of all my grandparents’ stories.” Most of her work takes place in California, where many Kansas Citians spend their winters. She also travels here to see family several times per year and may be able to set up a Desert Family Video memory for your family during one of those frequent visits. She’ll sit down with you and do a pre-interview to make sure you are telling the stories you want to tell before the actual taping session takes place. To learn more about what she can do for you, contact her at 760-328-9921, her mobile phone 913-208-4949 or visit her website, desertfamilyvideo.com. She wants to help you make sure you, your story and your photos will live forever in the eyes and ears of your loved ones!
HBHA BATTLE OF THE BRAINS UPDATE — The HBHA students had a great time at the Burns & McDonnell Battle of the Brains awards ceremony last week. HBHA’s One World One Well team — already a top-10 elementary level finalist — was one of eight elementary school runners-up, earning $2,500 for HBHA STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs. Social media helped HBHA garner votes from friends and supporters from all over the community, country and the world. Mazel tov!
THE GREAT LATKE HAMANTASH DEBATE — First Congregation Ohev Sholom brought us KosherFest and now they are bringing us Kansas City’s first ever Great Latke Hamantash Debate. It will take will take place in Ohev’s Asner Social Hall from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. Chanukah will be over, so hopefully you won’t be sick of latkes by then. Kansas City Debaters Hazzan Tahl Ben-Yehuda, Izzy Cernea and Bobbi Daren comprise Team Latke and will make their case extolling the merits of the latke, the delectable potato pancake eaten during the Chanukah holiday. Debaters Rabbi Beryl Padorr, Mike Kolb and Rabbi Herbert Mandl will make their case extolling the virtues of the hamantash, the delicious three-cornered pastry eaten during the Purim holiday. Ohev’s Rabbi Scott White will serve as the moderator and Maureen Kelts will preside as the judge.
Melanie Allmayer, Ohev Sholom congregant and chair of the event was inspired to bring this witty program to Kansas City to honor the memory of her beloved aunt, Dr. Ruth Fredman Cernea. Dr. Cernea, a cultural anthropologist, edited “The Great Latke Hamantash Debate,” a compilation of University of Chicago professors’ debate essays published in 2006. She also wrote “The Passover Seder: Afikomen in Exile, Almost Englishmen: Baghdadi Jews in British Burma” along with other scholarly articles. Reservations are requested and there is an admittance charge. For more information, call 913-642-6460 or email . To catch a glimpse of some past Great Debates, type in youtube great latke hamantash debate. It goes without saying that latkes and hamantaschen will be served to help you decide!
