SIGNS, SIGNS — Remember the song “Signs” by the Five Man Electrical Band. There’s a verse in it where the guy goes to a church and sees a sign that says “Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray.” When he doesn’t have any money to put in the collection plate, he writes his own note saying, “Thank you, Lord, for thinking about me, I’m alive and doing fine.” I thought of this, and chuckled, when I saw this photo of the sign posted outside at Congregation Ohev Sholom directing members of Ohev and Temple Israel to their respective locations for worship services on Rosh Hashanah. This sign is functional and a sign of our times, physically showing how the Jewish community is beginning to cooperate and collaborate. Right on!
SHABBAT SHALOM — On Friday night, soley as a member of the Jewish community and NOT as the editor of The Chronicle, I attended erev Shabbat worship services at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. Members of Congregation Beth Torah were invited to worship that evening with B’nai Jehudah. It is Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff’s practice to invite a guest speaker every year on Shabbat Shuvah, and this year he chose to invite Rabbi Mark Levin to fill that role. I told several people in attendance that I was not reporting on the event. But, I can’t resist telling everyone who wasn’t there what a marvelous experience they missed. B’nai Jehudah’s chapel was literally busting at the seams. As a lifelong Kansas City resident, it was an experience I will never forget. g. It ended with everyone singing, arms linked together, “Henei ma tov umanaim, shevet achim gam yachad.” Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers (and sisters) to dwell together. May we continue to see more of this spirit of cooperation throughout the year 5772. Happy New Year!
ROSH HASHANAH IN THE ROCKIES — For the second time Barbara and Chuck Gorodetzky of Congregation Kol Ami joined their son David on a Rosh Hashanah Retreat led by the Adventure Rabbi Jamie Korngold. David lives in Boulder, Colo., and serves on the Leadership Council of the Adventure Rabbi. The retreat was held at Snow Mountain near Winter Park, Colo. In another Kansas City connection, Rabbi Korngold grew up in New Jersey and was trained for her Bat Mitzvah by Cantor Paul Silbersher, who lived in New Jersey at the time.
BUBBIES, ZAYDIES AND GRANDPARENTS WANTED — One of the reasons The PJ Library, a program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, is so successful is because it’s the perfect intergenerational program. Grandparents (or other special persons) are invited to two programs a year that they attend along with children ages 2 years through pre-Kindergarten. Of course grandparents can participate anytime by reading Jewish books — participants get one free in the mail every month — to their grandchildren. Up until now, grandparents have learned about these programs through their children. But now The PJ Library’s grandparents committee is putting together a data base so that these people can be emailed directly about upcoming programs. If you are a grandparent or fill the role of a grandparent and want to be included on this list, send your email address to Karen Gerson, CAJE’s director of informal education, at . If you already have a 2012 calendar handy, make sure you mark 9:30 a.m. Feb. 5 for the next event at Kehilath Israel Synagogue.
PATHS OF REPENTENCE — On Erev Rosh Hashanah, Congregation Beth Torah debuted its new hardcover contemporary machzor with inspirational sidebar readings. It’s an updated version of the contemporary version of the High Holy Days service Beth Torah, its rabbis and volunteers put together several years ago. The cover art was done by Jeffrey Owen Hanson, “a visually impaired artist born with neurofibromatosis and an optic nerve tumor, who believes every act of kindness helps create kinder communities, more compassionate nations, and a better world for all … even one painting at a time.” I’m guessing Beth Torah is the only congregation in town who has put together its own hardcover machzor. It’s beautiful, inside and out.