DESCENDANTS OF WWII JEWISH VETERANS SOUGHT —The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Mo., is undertaking a search for family descendants to properly honor the 82 Kansas City-area World War II service members who gave their lives (this is separate from the Walk of Honor bricks for World War I vets). These servicemen were honored through dedication ceremonies from 1942 through 1949. New plaques are being issued to replace aging plaques. Five of the 83 servicemen honored are Jewish and museum officials are seeking their descendants so they can be invited to attend the dedication ceremony of the replacement plaques on Veterans Day 2011. They will also be able to keep their loved one’s original plaque if they wish. If any of our readers are descendants or know of descendants of these five men, which includes children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc., please call Patrick Raymond at (816) 784-1913:
• Alvin G. Jackson, corporal in the Army, died April 1, 1942
Mother, Mrs. Frieda Jackson, KCMO
• Donald N. Blum, Army, died Jan. 4, 1945
Mother, Mrs. Lillian McGain, KCMO
• Granum Chernoff, private in the Army, died Jan. 30, 1944
Father, Morris Chernoff, KCMO
• Robert J. Rubin, Army, died June 20, 1944
Wife, Betty Rubin, and son, Milton, KCMO
Graduated from Westport High in 1935
• Harry Schultz, Army, died May 4, 1944
Mother, Bessie Schultz, KCMO
FUR BALL FUNDRAISERS — Several members of the Jewish community are on the board of directors of Wayside Waifs, Kansas City’s largest no-kill animal shelter — including Chair Pati Chasnoff and Harold Melcher, chair emeritus. They are preparing for Wayside Waifs’ Fur Ball Gala, its largest annual fundraiser scheduled to take place Saturday, May 7, at the Overland Park Convention Center. Gary Lezak is the event emcee. The event features both live and silent auctions along with a gourmet dinner. For more information, call (816) 986-4401.
SAVE THE FESTIVAL — The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival is in trouble. If it doesn’t raise $100,000 by Wednesday, May 4, this year’s production of “Macbeth,” scheduled to run from June 14 to July 3 in Southmoreland Park, will be cancelled. The festival was founded 18 years ago by Marilyn Strauss, who still serves as the board’s vice chairman. Shirley Bush Helzberg is the board chairman and Steve Chick is the president. Call (816) 531-7728 to donate over the phone.
STUDENTS ASSIST AUDIO READER — Jewish students at the University of Kansas, including many who are in the Jewish American Literature and Culture: A Service Learning Course, are volunteering for KU Audio-reader. KU Audio-Reader is a closed circuit radio station that has been serving the blind and print-disabled of Kansas and western Missouri since 1971. This includes people not only with visual disabilities, but other conditions that prevent them from reading normal printed materials. In addition to the radio, Audio-Reader has a dial-in newspaper service called Lions Telephone Reader, which has recently expanded its offerings to include The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle and The Forward. To listen to the Jewish publications on Telephone Reader, call (785) 864-7474 or (800) 335-1221, enter the demo code 5887, press 1 for newspapers, and then go to publication 5, where listeners can select 11 for The Forward and 14 for The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle. The Jewish American Literature and Culture class is taught by Cheryl Lester.
KEEPING HEALTHCARE ABOVE PAR — KU sophomore Micah Levine is the membership chairman for Phi Delta Epsilon, a pre-med fraternity that was founded at a time when there was a quota regarding how many Jews could be accepted into medical school. Today membership is open to all religions and both men and women, but Jews are still heavily involved. The son of Toby and David Levine and a graduate of the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, he informed us the fraternity is planning its first golf tournament for this summer on June 4 at the Lake Perry Country Club in Ozawkie, Kan. All proceeds will benefit the University of Kansas Hospital Nurse Academy. The entry fee is $100 and the tournament is open to all. For more information, contact Ross Miller at (913) 424-5986 or e-mail .