LADIES THAT LUNCH — We got a call the other day from Beverly Friedman, who wanted to tell us about a group of Kansas City women who have been friends for more than 70 years. These long-time friends, who came together as members of the Zeta Kappa Sorority, met recently to celebrate 73 years of friendship. The sorority started in 1938 as the young women prepared to begin their freshman year in high school. Attending the luncheon were Esther (Levine) Gallas (front row, from left), Lorraine (Rudnick) Roth and Esther (Cohen) Levens. The back row includes Selma (Walker) Dreiseszun, Esther (Polsky) Horowitz, Irene (Friedman) Dreiseszun and Beverly (Goldberg) Friedman. Three members of the group were unable to attend: Shirley (Bressel) Bitner, Marilyn (Drew) Mendelson of Sacramento, Calif., and Betty (Stein) Miller of Scottsdale, Ariz.
MEET THE CONSUL GENERAL — Our friends at the JCRB|AJC know that people in the Jewish community are concerned about actions the United Nations may take this fall regarding the potential Palestinian unilateral declaration of independence. So JCRB|AJC will host the Consul General of Israel to the Midwest, The Honorable Orli Gil, at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29. Gill will discuss “Israel and the United Nations: Consequences of Unilateral Declaration of Independence” at the Jewish Community Campus. The community is invited to attend at no charge. Reservations are not necessary, but welcome. To RSVP, or to learn more about this or related issues, e-mail .
GOODBYE AND HELLO — After one year of serving Temple Adath Joseph in St. Joseph, Mo., Rabbi Linda Steigman and the congregation have parted ways. Aaron Neilsenshultz is now making the trip along I-29 to St. Joseph to serve the congregation on a part-time basis. Neilsenshultz is a member of Congregation Beth Torah who has received para-rabbinic training from the Union of Reform Judaism.
ALL STARS — Next week Major League Baseball will hold its All-Star Game in Phoenix. Proud Kansas City grandfather Mel Prezant points out that he has two all-stars in his family as well, Wren and Xan Cohen. The Cohen brothers, the sons of Danielle Prezant and Yoni Cohen, are honor roll students at their schools — Indian Woods Middle School for Wren and John Diemer Elementary for Xan (my alma maters as well). Both also were named to their Nall Hills All Star baseball teams. In addition, Wren’s team won the league championship in the varsity division. The boys also make time to play competitive football and basketball.