REMEMBERING SHIMON PERES — Following the death of former Israeli prime minister, president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres, people all over the world began sharing their fond memories of the man. Locally, John Shuchart is proud that Peres actually provided the forward to his book, “Israeli Kids’ Letters to Terrorists.”
Here is Shuchart’s story:
“After the terror attacks of 9-11, I worked with middle school students in Shawnee Mission to create their own curriculum course on terrorism. When I visited Israel in 2010, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) approached me and asked if I would agree to work with Israeli high school students to do the same (create a course in terrorism).
“I went to Israel in 2011 and worked with 10 high school students who were brought from various cities to Ramle for several days to create the course. The course was then put into the high schools and more than 1,000 students took it. At the end of the course, the students each wrote a letter to a terrorist. From the course came a great book, ‘Israeli Kids’ Letters to Terrorists.’
“As I was told, Shimon Peres ate breakfast every Friday with a certain gentleman who just happened to be given a few of the letters the students had written. He showed them to Peres, who supposedly read them and said, ‘tell Mr. Shuchart I’m writing the foreword to his book.’
“And ... he did! The book has been sold in America and Israel and is only available by contacting me as I donate 30 percent of the proceeds to nonprofits: I don’t allow resellers such as Amazon to sell it, although it is listed as people owning the book sometimes resell it.”
WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP — As The Chronicle reported earlier this year, National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Kansas City Section and Jackson County (Missouri) CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) recently began collaborating to help teens who are transitioning from the foster care system to living on their own as adults. CASA has a young woman in its Older Youth Transitions program who is finishing school soon and who just moved into her first apartment. Last week NCJW provided the young woman with a “Suitcase to Start” filled with household necessities. As an extra housewarming gift, the Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Shalom knitted squares and assembled a warm afghan for her. What a way for our Jewish organizations to start the new year, by helping these teens who need that extra boost to begin their journeys to successful, independent adulthood!
KC REP PREMIER’S ‘THE INVISIBLE HAND’ — Kansas City Repertory Theatre continues its 2016-2017 season with “The Invisible Hand” by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar, directed by KC Rep’s Producing Director Jerry Genochio. KC Rep audiences that last saw Akhtar’s acclaimed Kansas City Repertory Theatre comedy “The Who and The What in 2014” will now experience Akhtar’s internationally lauded political thriller beginning Oct. 14 at the Copaken Stage, located in downtown Kansas City, in the Power & Light District.
In “The Invisible Hand,” an American banker is taken hostage in Pakistan by captors seeking a ransom — but instead of capturing a high level executive, they mistakenly take Nick Bright, a mid-level trader for whom his country and company will not negotiate. The three captors and their hostage strike a deal: Nick can save his own life if he can earn his ransom through stock market trades. This intense thriller reveals the complicated truth behind our simple perceptions of good versus evil and East vs. West, as we discover that the invisible hand that moves the global market is more easily manipulated than Nick’s captors believe.
Artistic Director Eric Rosen said: “We are so pleased to continue our record-breaking season with Akhtar’s intense, brilliant play. Like the record breaking smash hit ‘Evita,’ I chose this play to illuminate issues that are at the forefront of minds during this turbulent election cycle. Where ‘Evita’ looks at 1940s Argentina to illuminate the current political cycle, Akhtar’s ‘The Invisible Hand’ sets us in faraway Pakistan to examine our nation’s interconnectedness with the countries and people we vilify through their economies. Akhtar is one of the most deservedly celebrated, entertaining and brilliant writers of our time, and there could not be a better time to share his latest story with our audience.”
The play runs through Nov. 13. For ticket information, contact the box office at 816-235-2700 or visit www.KCRep.org.