SHALOM CHAVER — This is the last issue for our friend and Community Editor Marcia Montgomery. After working here more than 10 years — editing everything from obituaries to Bar Mitzvah announcements to B’nai B’rith Bowling scores, and this column, every week — she has decided it’s time to retire. We wish her lots and lots of mazel as she begins this new chapter in her life!
{mprestriction ids="1"}CROWD FUNDING POETRY AND ART — After having undergone open-heart surgery earlier this year, local ecstatic poet Paul Goldman has set out to change the world as we know it, one heart at a time. Goldman is collaborating with a local visionary artist, Natosha Keefer, to publish two collections of ecstatic poetry, “Upon Your Canvas,” and “They Left the Door Open.” He said both works will include the “Keefer’s elegant intuitive paintings.” With more than 50,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter, Goldman is recognized as an ecstatic poet whose poems are reminiscent of the 13th century Persian mystic Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi.
Goldman has previously produced the spoken word ecstatic CD “Wild Joy Released,” and published two collections of ecstatic poetry: “Wild Joy: Ruminations,” and “Journey into Oneness.” He has also been the Host of Journey into Oneness on Co-Creator Radio Network.
Rather than pursue the traditional publishing path, Goldman and Keefer have chosen to engage the community in supporting their TWOFER Project. They have established a crowd funding campaign at http://www.gofundme.com/cb1c9s and engaged the services of River Sanctuary Publishing in Santa Cruz, Calif., to publish two inspirational books of ecstatic poetry and visionary art to engage the reader and open hearts around the world. He hopes the campaign will conclude in a couple of weeks. For more information, visit his website at www.ecstaticpoet.com.
A CONVERSATION WITH AYAD AKHTAR — Kansas City Rep, in cooperation with Rainy Day Books presents an exclusive event with Pulitzer –Prize winning author and playwright Ayad Akhtar. KC Rep Artistic Director Eric Rosen and Vivien Jennings of Rainy Day Books will moderate the discussion. Akhtar’s latest play, “The Who & The What,” will have its Kansas City premiere at KC Rep’s Copaken Stage Oct. 17 and runs through Nov. 16. Akhtar will be available following the event to sign copies of his books. Copies of “American Dervish” and “The Who & The What” will be available for purchase at the event. All this takes place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, in Room 119 inside James C. Olson Performing Arts Center at UMKC, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo. The event is free; donations will be accepted. RSVP by calling the box office at 816-235-2700.
Correction
An article published in the Sept. 25 edition regarding Beth Shalom Sisterhood incorrectly included the wrong person’s name and contact. For more information about Beth Shalom Sisterhood’s programming, contact President Beverly Newman at .
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