SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION RESULTS — In case you missed the results from last week’s election for seats on the Kansas City (Missouri) Public Schools Board of Education, both Jewish candidates won their races and were expected to be sworn in yesterday (April 10). Rita Marie Cortés, executive director of the Menorah Heritage Foundation, will represent Sub-District 1. Mark Wasserstrom will represent Sub-District 5. Wasserstrom is a retired attorney and very active in B’nai B’rith Lodge #184.
VOTE NOW FOR SHOW UP FOR SHABBAT — Five months ago, AJC’s Show Up For Shabbat campaign inspired countless people of all faiths to flock to synagogues here in Kansas City, across America and around the world in the wake of the horrific attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. It was the largest expression of solidarity with the Jewish community in American history.
#ShowUpForShabbat united millions of people to honor the victims of the attack and to send a powerful message: hate will not prevail. #ShowUpForShabbat has been named an official nominee for the 23rd Webby Awards, known as “the Oscars of the Internet.” #ShowUpForShabbat was viewed over a quarter of a billion times on social media and caught the attention of world leaders, Hollywood celebrities, elected officials and diplomats and clergy, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, then-Speaker Paul Ryan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and actress Mayim Bialik.
Voting is open through Thursday, April 18, at 11:59 p.m. PST. To vote, visit vote.webbyawards.com and then search for AJC. It’s easy to register and follow the instructions to vote. I did it!
SONGS FROM JEWBELONG — I recently came across the website JewBelong.com. Its mission is to welcome people to Judaism with Jewish readings and rituals that many people can relate to and has been up and running since 2016. I enjoyed its explanation of Passover:
“Passover offers countless ways to celebrate freedom and think about the future ... and it’s observed at home. No wonder it’s the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday! First, let’s get the terms straight ... Passover is the name of the eight-day holiday. The seder is like a fantastic dinner party, with delicious food and thought-provoking conversation built in (not to mention plenty of singing and wine). The Haggadah is the guidebook, kind of like a script, for the seder.”
I found myself singing some of the Passover songs I found on the website out loud. Check this one out:
“There’s No Seder Like Our Seder” (To the tune of “There’s No Business Like Show Business”)
There’s no seder like our seder,
Like no seder I know.
Everything about it is halachic.
Nothing that the Torah won’t allow.
Listen how we read the whole
haggadah.
It’s all in Hebrew ’cause we
know how.
There’s no seder like our seder,
We tell a tale that is swell;
Moses took the people out into
the heat.
They baked the matzah
While on their feet.
Now isn’t that a story
That just can’t be beat?
Let’s go on with the show!
— Author Unknown