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Volume 101, Number 16 www.kcjc.com April 22, 2021 10 Iyar 5781

jewish chronicle The KANSAS

CITY

Reflections on the legacy of Ron Goldsmith By Josh Sosland Special to The Chronicle Early one morning in 2012, Ron Goldsmith and I met for coffee. Ron was about to complete his three-year term as president of the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) and asked to meet for a briefing to help me prepare to succeed him in the role. It was a sunny morning, and Ron was affable as always, quick to put me at ease. But once we sat down with our coffee and exchanged niceties, I was struck by Ron’s focus. He didn’t spend much time recounting the many accomplishments achieved during his tenure as president, including the affiliation he was instrumental in engineering between JCF and the Jewish Heritage Foundation (which then created an institution with combined assets of about $172 million, amazing for a community the size of Kansas City). Instead, Ron delivered an ordinary but infinitely valuable laundry list of issues I needed to understand regarding the Foundation, its staff and board. He affirmed my understanding the JCF was a well-run organization (it still is) and offered a few tips to keep in mind while sharing his perspective on what issues he suspected might be around the corner. When he finished, he pledged to help me in any way he could, though he cautioned that he and Susie travel much of the year, which could limit his availability.

Ron Goldsmith (right) with his daughter, Michelle (middle) and wife, Susie. (Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City) Then he added, almost as an afterthought, that he had just been diagnosed with cancer and would be starting treatment shortly, which also could affect his availability. Of course, this disclosure shocked and saddened me, but he delivered the news in a reassuring and hopeful way that was a hallmark of how Ron had always dealt with challenges. The treatment regime he was about to start was far more difficult than he shared, and the commitment and leadership Ron showed by the simple act of meeting someone for a cup coffee (given his situation) has stuck with me powerfully for many years.

I am among innumerable members of our community who have benefited directly from the wisdom and leadership of Ron Goldsmith of blessed memory. In the days since Ron’s death April 4 at the age of 76, I have thought about his legacy of leadership and community service and what it means for the rest of us. Speaking with several other community leaders who worked with Ron over the years, much is said about his remarkable skill as a board member, about his penchant for listening patiently to deliberations and then, often near a meeting’s end, to quietly interject in a

manner that made everyone around the table lean forward and listen intently to what he had to say. And more often than not, what he shared was an impactful insight, taking the discussion in unforeseen but valuable new directions. Beyond his considerable achievements as a leader — he was a past president of Congregation Beth Shalom, the Jewish Federation and JCF — it is important to note Ron became active and involved in community affairs from an early age. He was in his 30s, and it was a period when giants of their time — names like H. Paul Rosenberg, Don Tranin and Arthur Brand — were powerful and effective leaders who represented what may have been thought of as “traditionalists.” Despite this challenge, Ron was at the vanguard of a group of peers who did more than redirect deliberations at meetings. Time and again he demonstrated the vision and ability to set the large ships that are our Jewish institutions on an entirely new course or toward new ways of thinking. For example, for many years after the school’s founding, the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy was not a recipient of Jewish Federation funding. The idea was vigorously opposed by a number of longtime Federation leaders. It was while Ron, a young parent at the time, was on the Federation board that HBHA was first recognized as a community asset, not just a religious school. From a starting point of zero, See RON, PAGE 8

Community Leadership Forum builds trust among leaders of Jewish agencies By Beth Lipoff Contributing Writer Leading a Jewish agency comes with unique challenges, and a new program from the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City aims to foster cooperation among those at the top. The Community Leadership Forum held its final monthly session in March, concluding nearly a year of regular meetings among a handful of people holding top leadership posts — or about to be in those positions — in the community. The program drew from a cross-section of organizations, including The J, KU Hillel, Jewish Family Services, Village Shalom and more. “One of the goals of the program is

to provide top agency leadership with the skills and experience they need to lead their agencies,” said Andi Milens, senior director of community building for the Federation. “Equal, if not more important, was building a community of leaders and helping develop relationships between them. A lot of them knew each other but didn’t necessarily have relationships around their leadership capacities.” Slated to start last year just as the pandemic took hold, the program had to adjust quickly. Speakers conducted every session online and altered the way they addressed some topics to keep them relevant with the challenges people were encountering. “It went more smoothly than we imagined. We were still learning how

to use all features of Zoom at time,” Milens said. Despite not meeting in person, Milens thinks participants bonded by discussing common issues. “This was a place where trust could be built. They got to know each other and saw connections that they may not have seen otherwise,” she said. That was true for Shanny Morgenstern, chair of The J, who participated in the forum. “I think the most valuable part to me was just building connections with the other chairs. We had a fairly small group, and people were honest with each other. I now have a name and face with people I didn’t necessarily know before,” she said. Topics of discussion included everything from potential changes in demographics to what past heads of agencies wished they had known when they started. “I’m hopeful to see more organizations working together to create for the community, to build the community, to fill any gaps there are in what the community needs — certainly not

Shanny Morgenstern competing with each other, but identifying needs together and responding as a community,” Milens said. Morgenstern said it was interesting to see the different challenges agencies faced as a result of the pandemic. Whereas The J was concerned See PROGRAM, PAGE 8

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The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

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April 22, 2021

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First 100 days is whirlwind for new KCMO city manager Editor’s note: Brian Platt, the new city manager in Kansas City, Missouri, is Jewish, and his wife has deep ties to the local Jewish community. The Chronicle asked Platt to reflect on his early days in his new position. By Brian Platt Special to The Chronicle The official 100 day mark for me as the 16th city manager of Kansas City initially felt so far away as my wife, daughter, and I first moved to Kansas City in early December. Reflecting back on those first few months, I’m really proud of the transformational improvements we have made in delivering city services and for navigating through the $70 million budget shortfall caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We still have much more work to do but we have already made so many positive and exciting changes. Immediately after the first snowstorm I witnessed here in Kansas City on Jan. 1, we implemented a series of changes to our snow removal operation, including 24-hour residential plowing shifts, better allocation of existing resources to add 100 drivers and 50 vehicles to the operation, and more aggressive and proactive responses including our “blue” salt. As the snow began to melt, we instituted a comprehensive strategy to dramatically improve street maintenance and road pavement quality with three key components: digital analysis of pavement to create an equitable and

technology based prioritization schedule; more than doubling the funding for street resurfacing with a new goal of 100 miles of streets to be paved this year; and adopting a stricter excavation policy that requires better coordination between the city and utility companies. BOLD STEPS We are taking bold steps to build a more inclusive workplace and ensuring our workforce best reflects and supports the people we serve. We are in the final stages of hiring the city’s first chief equity officer, doubling the size of our HR team responsible for investigating complaints, and also for professional development and training. We are also making significant changes to our fire union contract to improve management and oversight of firefighters. Affordable housing and homelessness are two urgent areas of need for our city as well. Our new land bank program seeks to sell vacant and abandoned homes for $1 as long as those new owners provide homes to the unhoused and those at the lowest income levels across the city. We opened the region’s largest warming center that served hundreds of people each night, prevented any further weather-related deaths during one of the coldest periods in our history, and led to successful relocation to permanent housing for over 100 people. We have begun efforts to build hundreds of transitional housing units using quick-build tiny home structures as well as hundreds of more traditional affordable housing units on the Barney Allis Plaza site. We are also creating a standalone Housing Department

with new staff and resources focused on addressing homelessness, creation and preservation of affordable housing, and tenant advocacy, among other things. The budget has been a significant challenge for the team and one that we are particularly proud of mitigating. Facing a $70 million shortfall this year because of negative economic impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we utilized a targeted approach to closing this gap without layoffs, furloughs, or reductions in city services, while also investing in all of the priorities listed above. MANY REFORMS This has been one of the most exciting things to work through with the team particularly because it is an opportunity for us to reform our government operation for years to come and create a more fiscally prudent organization. Our list of 30-40 budget savings and revenue generating items and initiatives will provide long standing benefit to taxpayers for years to come. Beyond working for the city, we are so grateful to the Jewish community here for welcoming us so warmly and supporting us during a cross country move from New Jersey during a pandemic. We have already made great connections and future lifelong friends through the JCC and we look forward to meeting everyone in person soon. So what’s next? We are finalizing plans and initiatives related to traffic and pedestrian safety (vision zero) that includes a rapid deployment of protected bike lanes, some innovative sustainability and energy efficiency efforts, and much more. Stay tuned!

Applications now open for 2021-2022 Leaders for Tomorrow cohort 5801 W. 115th St., Ste. 201 Overland Park, KS 66211 Office hours by appointment only. Phone: 913-235-4474 Circulation phone: 913-280-8515 Website: www.kcjc.com ©2020 Jewish Federation. All rights reserved.

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Today’s high school students are tomorrow’s Jewish leaders. Unfortunately, it is also true that Jewish high school students in Kansas City encounter antisemitism on a disturbingly regular basis in their schools. Through bringing AJC’s Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) program to Kansas City, JCRB|AJC works to ensure that young Jews in Kansas City will be informed, prepared, and effective advocates for the Jewish people and for themselves. In their monthly sessions, the 202021 Kansas City LFT cohort has showcased their commitment to Jewish advocacy and leadership, and they already recognize the impact the program will have on their lives moving forward. “LFT has given me the knowledge and tools necessary to become an advocate,” said one participant. Another student said that the program has made them “feel more connected to other Jews in my community.” While sessions have been conducted virtually due to the pandemic, students participated in the same discussions and activities they would have if they were in person.

Together, the cohort discussed the definition of Zionism and what it means to be a Zionist, learned about the complexities and nuances of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and examined contemporary examples of online antisemitism. Virtual programming opened up the opportunity for students to engage with AJC’s associate director for policy and Middle East initiatives, Benjamin Rogers, during a local session and to learn about Israeli history from AJC’s director of contemporary Jewish life, Dr. Laura Shaw Frank, during a national LFT session with more than 200 LFT students across the nation. Beginning this fall, our 2021-2022 KC LFT cohort will participate in seven sessions featuring local and national experts. Local sessions, held once a month on Sundays, are facilitated by JCRB|AJC’s executive director, Gavriela Geller, and education and program associate, Sarah Markowitz. Students will discuss a variety of topics, including past and current Israeli affairs, challenges and opportunities facing global Jewry, understanding and combating antisemitism,

and strategic advocacy and coalition building. Graduates from our Kansas City cohorts stay engaged with AJC as they become part of a nationwide network and are invited to participate in special alumni programming across the country. In November, alumni of the 2019-2020 cohort had the unique opportunity to participate in an advocacy meeting with U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat, during which the teens shared their own experiences with antisemitism and advocated for AJC policy priorities. JCRB|AJC is currently accepting applications from outstanding high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are interested in Jewish advocacy for this year’s LFT program. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, however we urge interested students to apply quickly, before the cohort becomes full. Participants will be selected based on their application and a phone interview. There is no cost to participate. To apply for the 2021-2022 cohort, please visit: https://www.ajc.org/ lftinfo. For questions, please contact Markowitz at sarahm@jewishkc.org.

April 22, 2021

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

page 3

community news

B’nai Jehudah re-imagines Mitzvah Day in 2021 One of the most popular, and well attended events of the year at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, is Mitzvah Day, an annual gathering where hundreds of members volunteer in dozens of community projects. This year’s Mitzvah Day takes place May 2. In 2020, Mitzvah Day was turned into Mitzvah Moments, where hundreds of volunteer minutes were logged by members, even while they were socially distancing and staying safe during the initial months of the pandemic. “This year, we are pleased to be able to bring people together again. We will still be following strict COVID-safety guidelines, and nearly all of the projects will take place outside. The indoor projects, including our community-

wide blood drive, will also be spread out for safety,” said Rabbi Josh Leighton. While most of the projects are for B’nai Jehudah members only, the Mitzvah Day blood drive is open to anyone. Thanks to the work of volunteer member Stacy Wright, B’nai Jehudah is once again working with the Community Blood Center. Appointments run from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Jehudah, 12320 Nall Ave., Overland Park, Kansas. Donors are encouraged to make an appointment by visiting savealifenow.org/group and using Group Code: UP. For additional details, contact Logan Marney at (816) 977-7959.

For those who are unable to give blood, there will be many other projects. Mitzvah Day plans are still underway. For B’nai Jehudah members who wish to be project leaders, or who want to bring their own unique project to life, slots remain open. “We are looking for people who have a project they would like to see come to life so we can work with them to realize that goal. This year is about expanding our hearts, our minds and our creativity so we can help heal the community in any way we can. It is our honor to give back on May 2,” said Rabbi Leighton. For inquiries, or offers to lead projects, please email rabbiadmin@bnaijehudah.org and spoole@bnaijehudah. org, or call 913.663.4050.

Mitzvah Day blood drive volunteer project lead Stacy Wright and her sons (not shown) gave blood as part of their Mitzvah Moments volunteer work in 2020. (B’nai Jehudah)

Applications for Changemakers Fellowship now open The Jewish Changemakers Fellowship is a three-week online leadership experience for young Jewish leaders, ages 20 to24, who are looking for career development, networking, and o ne of the best summers of their lives. The Changemakers Fellowship pays a

$350 stipend for those who complete the program requirements (approximately 12 hours per week). Two sessions are offered: June 7-24 and July 12-29. After the summer, fellows will have access to ongoing leadership opportunities and professional mentoring.

The Changemaker curriculum covers three themes: professional development, global Jewish community, and service and advocacy. Jewish values and ideas are woven throughout the courses. Applications are now open and close on May 9. Space is limited. Visit jewishchange-

makers.org to apply or email info@jewishchangemakers.org for more information. Changemakers is made possible by Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, in partnership with Jewish Federations of North America and more than 30 leading global Jewish organizations.

KU Chabad presents ‘Inside Israel’s Iron Dome’ with Israeli rocket scientist “Fifteen years ago, this would all be science fiction. The fact that we’re doing it and don’t really even think about it anymore is astounding.” These are the sentiments expressed by Dr. Ari Sacher in reference to the Iron Dome, Israel’s mobile all-weather air defense system. Dr. Sacher is a rocket scientist with more than 20 years of experience developing missiles. He is the primary engineer behind Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense System, which is credited with saving thousands of lives during times of rocket fire from Gaza. In keeping with its efforts to promote Israel advocacy and support on campus, KU Chabad will be hosting a special Zoom event titled “Inside Israel’s Iron Dome,” where Dr. Sacher will give an explosive talk about rocket science. He will provide insight into the world of science and Torah, and help participants understand the incredible miracle of Israel’s survival

against all odds. The event will take place on April 27th at 6:00pm. Registration is required and can be done at www.VirtualKUChabad.com, where the event will be streamed as well. Dr. Sacher has worked in the design and development of missiles for more than 20 years and has briefed hundreds of U.S. congressional representatives on Israeli missile defense. He has also been a scholar in residence in numerous synagogues in the United States and Canada. “We are delighted to have Dr. Sacher spend time with our students and community, as sadly today there is so much anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses,” said Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel, co-director of KU Chabad. “Education is key, and the objective of an event like this is to provide a glimpse and better understanding into Israel’s right to defend itself and

empower the participants to become advocates for Israel on campus”. This Israel event is part of KU Chabad’s “Your Israel” program. This program offers each semester Israel awareness events and multiple learning courses designed to dig deeper than the politics on the ground, and provide real answers to today’s most pressing questions related to the holy land. Junior Dawson Miller said, “Being part of the Your Israel course has given me a whole new perspective on our connection to Israel and why it matters. I am so thankful for this opportunity so I can not only know for myself but also share with fellow students on campus and be an advocate for Israel.” This event is open to all and is free of charge, thanks to the generous support of donors. Space will be limited so registration is encouraged by visiting www.VirtualKUChabad.com.

New Chabad course explores Jewish idea of a perfect world The Shul - Chabad of Leawood is offering a new learning series sponsored by the Eugene and Marjorie Lipsky Jewish Learning Academy. The course overview is as follows: For thousands of years, the prophecies of a “messianic age” stretched the imaginations of even the most fervent believers. Not anymore. Instant media, mass social movements and a global pandemic have shown us how suddenly and radically the world can be rewired by the actions of a few. Why not for the good? Join us to demystify the Jewish idea of a perfect world and discover a practical path for reaching it in our lifetime. The six-part special course runs on Sundays from May 2 to June 13 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This course is being offered for both online and in-person attendees. Class will not be taking place on May 16 due to Shavuot.

The fee is $95 or $175 for a couple discount. More information is available by emailing RabbiMendy@ChabadKC.org or calling 913.205.9524 Here is the lesson outline: Lesson 1: Start with the Science In a society marked by chaos and discord, it’s hard to believe our world is actually better than it’s ever been. Let’s dive into the data of what’s wrong—and what’s right—with the world. Lesson 2: Who Needs a Redemption? Though it will solve every speck of ill in the world, the idea of Redemption is not a response to strife. Rather, it’s an independent and foundational tenet of Jewish belief. See where it fits into the bigger story of Creation. Lesson 3: Superhuman vs. Super Humans Waiting for a Messiah to come save humanity feels a little… un-Jewish. But what if Redemption is a natural reaction to humanity’s own cumulative action?

Discover the effect you’ve already had on the reality of the world. Lesson 4: We’re Getting There Judaism sees all of history as one connected journey toward a single desired destiny. In this lesson, we look back to identify four distinct epochs that show us how far we’ve traveled on the way to a truly good world. Lesson 5: Out of the Blues So, will we wake up one day in a glo-

rious wonderland? Or is the Redemption more of a gradual process? Let’s study the sources on the actual transition from our reality today into a world of revelation. Lesson 6: And Then… We’ve seen why the Redemption needs to happen and the human role in making it happen. Now peek into that perfect— and perfectly possible—world as the prophets and sages vividly describe it!

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page 4

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

April 22, 2021

community news

HBHA celebrates Israel

Yom HaShoah, followed by Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut are all important in the cycle of Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy’s school year. “The love our teachers share for Israel — and the lessons they teach — contribute to our students’ deep connection to the state of Israel,” said Rabbi Avi Weinstein, head of Jewish Studies. Typically, these holidays bring students together across the grades in commemoration and in celebration. Due to the pandemic and school safety rules, this year’s holiday observances looked different, in order to keep the school community safe, healthy, and on campus. HBHA’s Jewish Studies department, with leadership from Zohar Flacks, director of Jewish Life, thought out of the box so students were still able to experience the holidays in relevant ways. The holidays also gave many of HBHA’s middle- and upper-school students an opportunity to shine in the leadership roles they took throughout the holidays. Yom HaShoah | Holocaust Remembrance Day For Yom HaShoah, HBHA partnered with the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education (MCHE) and HBHA families to bring this holiday into the homes of their students. Students brought yahrzeit candles home to light in memory of those who died in the Holocaust. Each candle included the names of people who were related to members of Kansas City’s Jewish community. The names were provided by MCHE. “It was a special way to turn this extreme loss — 6 million perished in the Holocaust — into a learning opportunity that students of all ages can grasp. We so appreciated partnering with MCHE and our families to make this project possible. I hope to continue it in the future, based on this year’s success,” said Flacks.

HBHA Kindergarten students showed their Israel ruach during a school-wide Yom HaAtzmaut parade. The flag raising ceremony and parade, in honor of Israel’s Independence Day, was the first time the entire school gathered together for an in-person event since the pandemic began. Students and teachers alike enjoyed being able to come together in celebration! (HBHA) YOM HAZIKARON | ISRAEL MEMORIAL DAY Yom HaZikaron is another holiday typically observed in group settings around HBHA; with a memorial service, the sounding of the siren to call for a moment of silence (just like in Israel), and learning about those who have fallen for the state of Israel. “Since we couldn’t bring our students together indoors, instead we brought the holiday to our students via video,” said Flacks. Upper school volunteers — along with Rabbi Weinstein and Flacks — created a video memorial service for students to watch in their classrooms, which worked in tandem with other special programming for grades 6-12. YOM HAATZMAUT | ISRAEL INDEPENDENCE DAY From darkness comes light, and so is the way with Yom HaAtzmaut, which

celebrations BAR MITZVAH Samuel Hertzfield Bruce and Lori Hertzfield announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Samuel Hertzfield, at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 24, at Congregation Beth Shalom.

Samuel is the grandson of Norman and Clara Levine; the late Louis and Janice Katzberg; and the late Morris and Harriet Hertzfield. He has four siblings: Rachel, Louie, Melanie and Danny.

HAVE A STORY IDEA FOR US? Email editor Mike Sherry at mikes@jewishkc.org.

comes on the heels of Israel’s Memorial Day, making the celebration of Israel’s independence that much sweeter. “Yom HaAtzmaut 2021 held a particularly special moment for HBHA students and faculty: It was the first time that our entire student body was able to come together (safely, of course) in a group setting since March 2020. Students were thrilled to be able to gather around the flagpole in their classroom pods, and seniors led the school in a brief flag-raising ceremony,” said Rabbi Weinstein. The ceremony was followed by an outdoor, school-wide parade on the grounds of the Jewish Community Campus, and a day full of grade-level activities, which ranged from Israel Bingo to IDF Boot Camp to a game of

HBHA third grader, Sammy Katz, and his father, Jonathan Katz, lighting a yahrzeit candle on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Students were given candles at school to light in honor of those who perished in the Holocaust. In partnership with MCHE, each candle included the names of those who were related to members of Kansas City’s Jewish community. (HBHA) Gaga in the outdoor Gaga pit. “We are so appreciative of our middle and upper school STUCO students, who met the challenge of creatively and safely observing these holidays. We also recognize our Jewish Studies teachers: Michal Cohen, Michal Luger, Leah Nash, Rabbi Aron Rubin, Tami Sal, Tammy Sandler, Nira Solomon, Chanie Sosover, and Civia White. A special thanks to Zohar Flacks, for leading the way,” said Rabbi Weinstein. HBHA invites the community to visit their Youtube, Instagram and Facebook pages (@hbhakc) to view the videos and special moments that happened during all of these holidays.

Congregation Ohev Sholom to host Lag B’Omer celebration Join the Ohev Sholom family for fun at its Lag B’Omer celebration at 5:30 pm on April 30 via Zoom. Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer, is a time of joy. Celebrate outdoors with a BBQ or picnic in your own backyards. Join Rabbi Padorr as she Zooms from her backyard with a BBQ grill and

bonfire. There will be a Family Kabbalat Shabbat service following the bonfire and a time for others to share their athome celebrations. For additional information, visit ohev-sholom.com/calendar. Please RSVP to the synagogue office, 913-6426460, to join the Zoom link .

B’nai B’rith Bowling The following bowlers in the Sunday Morning Kansas City B’nai B’rith Men’s Bowling League achieved high scores at Ward Parkway Lanes on April 11. 500 SERIES: Geoffrey Gunter (172, 212, 248—632) Ron Rubin (207, 183, 228—618) Al Elbert (196, 210, 198—604) Stuart Pollack (192, 193, 193—578) Scott White (231, 173, 171—575) Jeff Kivett (211, 224, 138—573) Tiger Johnson (179, 182, 203—564) Ted Simon (194, 177, 174—545)

Morty Rock (202, 169, 172—543) Marion Potts (208, 160, 160—528) Steve Greenberg (223, 156, 146—525) Robert May (182, 190, 137—509) 170 GAME: Michael Sokol (194), Michael Altman (178) Steve Baraban (173) Bruce Singer (171) Contact Tom Balke at 913-6480326 or tombalke@everestkc.net if you are interested in bowling in a competitive, fun, social atmosphere.

April 22, 2021

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

page 5

community news

Ohev Sholom Sisterhood to hold annual Potluck Pushke lunch Join Ohev Sholom Sisterhood at 1:00 p.m. on April 25, for a program with Margie Miller, immediate past president of the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism and stepmother to Ohev Sholom’s own Adam Miller. She will discuss the topic, “Coping with the Challenges of Life.” Miller and her first husband, Charlie Sivin z’l, were active at the Baldwin Jewish Center in Baldwin, New York. She became the first wom-

an congregation president in her nonegalitarian synagogue. Her second husband, Joel Miller z’l, was killed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. For seven years after the events on 9/11, she was a family bereavement specialist

Margie Miller

for South Nassau Communities Hospital’s WTC Family Center. Margie coordinated family outreach and programming for the bereaved and firstresponder’s families. She now travels throughout the country speaking

about the effects of 9/11 on family members. Share your favorite potluck recipe by emailing Bev Levine at bevylev@ aol.com or mail to Bev Levine, 14924 Chadwick St., Overland Park, Kansas, 77226. Everyone attending the program will get a copy of all the recipes received. Please RSVP to Bev at 913-707-0872 to receive the Zoom link to join the program.

The Heritage Center at The J To reopen May 3 The J will reopen the Heritage Center on May 3 following a more than year-long closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person fitness, art and educational classes will resume with limited numbers, a pre-registration requirement, plus face mask and social distancing procedures. Virtual programming options will remain available. “It’s hard to believe that it’s been just over a year since programs were shut down. While we have all adapted to a virtual world, we are so excited to resume some normalcy,” said Sandra Greason, director of the Heritage Center. “It’s been way too long since we’ve seen our Heritage Center friends in person and we’re anxious to reconnect.” With all in-person Heritage Center programs, pre-registration can be done by calling the Heritage Center reception desk at (913) 327-8044. Registration will be accepted for the current week and the following week’s programs and classes except for art classes. The programs to resume in-

clude: • Fitness 4 Health classes/chair yoga (Senior HIIT class will continue virtually) • Art classes (art class registration is accepted any time for the following 12-week session) • Educational classes including Aging Well, Hot Topics and Book Club • Special events, such as happy hours and luncheons, with limited capacity and outdoors • Private card and Mahjong groups In-person dining will not resume yet. However, kosher meals-to-go are available with advanced, prepaid reservations. Menus will be posted online at TheJKC.org/heritagecenter and the Heritage Center reception desk. Additionally, bottled water and coffee service are available for in-person programs at the Heritage Center kitchen window. Face masks will be required for all members, participants and staff, and social distancing will be implement-

Seniors enjoy a group fitness class at the Heritage Center last year before the pandemic. Beginning May 3, in-person fitness classes will resume with pre-registration and safety procedures in place. (The J) ed. Additional measures include hand sanitizing stations, installation of high-level air filters in the center and sneeze guards at the reception desk, daily temperature checks, and periodic electrostatic cleaning of surfaces. Members are expected to assist with the sanitization of any personal spaces and equipment used during class. Sanitizing supplies will be provided. The Heritage Center serves seniors 65 years of age and older and is nationally accredited through the

National Council on Aging. Heritage Center membership is $70 a year. Membership is required to participate in art classes. Non-member fees apply for meals-to-go and educational programs. The Heritage Center hours of operation beginning May 3 will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit TheJKC.org/ heritagecenter or contact the Heritage Center reception desk at (913) 327-8044.

Cosentino’s Price Chopper and JFS join forces to fight food insecurity in Kansas City While things continue to slowly open up as COVID vaccinations increase, one thing that has not changed is the number of people fighting food insecurity — and that means Jewish Family Services food pantry is as busy as ever. The two locations of the pantry are serving more than 900 families and their pets, and the numbers continue to grow. Twenty-three Cosentino’s Price Chopper locations have stepped up to the plate to help the JFS food pantry in a big way with its “Buy One Give One” program, which started earlier this year. When you purchase a $5 or $10 “Buy One, Give One” card at participating stores, your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Cosentino’s. The cards are now available at check out; please ask your cashier to purchase one. “This promotion allows us and our customers to help feed families here in need,” said John Cosentino, co-owner of Cosentino’s Food Stores. “This is an innovative promotion which allows all of us — old and new customers, our employees and the Cosentino family —

• Twenty-four percent of families with children struggle to put food on the table. • Prior to the pandemic, 1 in 8 people were food insecure. Now the number is 1 in 6. The number of food insecure children has jumped from 1 in 7 to 1 in 4. • Many families do not qualify for federal assistance or their benefits are limited. • Government assistance often does not cover household and personal hygiene items.

• Food insecurity has increased more than 40% in the last year. The JFS food pantry distributes approximately 55,000 pounds monthly that includes fresh produce, shelf-stable food products, household items as well as pet food. Fifty percent of the products the pantry distributes come from food drives and donations. For more information about the Cosentino’s “Buy One, Give One” promotion including a list of participating Cosentino’s Price Chopper stores, visit www.jfskc.org.

Cosentino’s Price Chopper cashiers will help shoppers purchase “Buy One, Give One” cards at check out at 23 participating stores. (Jewish Family Services) to come together to make a significant impact in addressing the growing food crisis.” During the pandemic, the number of individuals, families and older adults seeking assistance from the JFS food pantry has doubled. In the Kansas City metro area:

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page 6

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

April 22, 2021

important dates Friday April 23 Candle-lighting time Iyar 11, 7:21 p.m. Shabbat Stars at B’nai Jehudah Rabbi Rachael Klein Miller is one of the rabbis of Temple Emanuel in Atlanta. She grew up at B’nai Jehudah and was ordained from HUC-JIR in 2018. A photographer, Zionist, and foodie, she dedicates her days to helping individuals connect to Judaism, encouraging them to ask questions and seek their own answers. Join us on Facebook or Vimeo http://facebook.com/TTCBJ or http:// vimeo.com/bnaijehduah. Service Time: 6:00 p.m. Parkinson’s Expo Join The J, the Parkinson’s Foundation, Soundscaping Source and Jewish Family Services for the Fight Back Against Parkinson’s Disease Expo in The J’s expansive Fitness + Sports + Aquatics lobby. TheJKC.org/ expo. 9 – 11 a.m.

Saturday April 24 Beth Torah’s Sichat Shabbat This Shabbat, join Congregation Beth Torah to explore Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of Our Fathers. Please email connect@beth-torah.org to request the Zoom link. 9 a.m.

Sunday April 25 Jewish Life in Poland: Part Two “Modern Polish Judaica/Mi Polin.” Seventy years after World War II, there are almost no traces left of the 3.5 million Jews who lived in Poland before the war. Along with their disappearance came the disappearance of mezuzot. Mi Polin, a Polish Judaica company, has cast the traces of mezuzot around the country to preserve and bear witness to the Jewish inhabitants of Poland. Register here us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUucCtrDMsG9C_97n6XwukB_XtYVG1iwgG. 1 p.m. SevenDays: Walk Come to The J and take a beautiful walk to show our support for one another and create our ripple of kindness in the world together. Meet in The J parking lot and walk about one mile. Free 12-1 p.m. B’nai Jehudah Religious School Take the next step in your child’s Jewish journey! Join B’nai Jehudah Religious School for Religious School Round Up, at 1pm on April 25! You can register at http:// bit.ly/rsroundup2021. Questions? Contact Dayna Gerson, education@bnaijehudah.org. 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Monday April 26 Bikur Cholim Kavod v Nichum and Neshama: The Association of Jewish Chaplains and several other groups including Jewish Family Services of Kansas City are sponsoring an innovative program about Bikur Cholim — visiting and caring for the sick and vulnerable — Renewing Bikur Cholim in the Time of COVID-19 North American Conference. Prominent teachers and rabbis from across the country provide an educational forum and a venue

for exchange of ideas and concerns, assisting providers and volunteers in providing this essential service biweekly through May 10. For information about the Bikur Cholim conference and how to register, visit: jewish-funerals.org/2021-bikur-cholim-conference/. If you are interested in becoming a spiritual care giver and would like more information about this enriching program, contact JFS Volunteer Engagement at 913730-1410 or volunteer@jfskc.org.

need of physical, emotional or spiritual healing and to pray for social causes and world peace. The focus is on spirituality and healing. At this session, Hazzan Tahl Ben-Yehuda will be the discussion leader. Contact the facilitator, Rickie Haith, at haithr1@gmail.com or 913-341-8707 for the ZOOM link, to leave a name for healing, or request further information. 11:00 a.m. 12:30 pm.

Happiness Habits The Greater Kansas City Mental Health Coalition, based at Jewish Family Services, and the Kansas City Public Library are offering a free program to make your days better. Happiness Habits is a half-hour program held on Mondays via Zoom. The focus is how to manage the uncertainty of our daily lives with simple habits fostering happiness regardless of our circumstances. Each half-hour interactive program has a theme. The program is open to anyone, but registration is required through the library’s website, kclibrary.org/events-activities-calendar. 3 p.m.

‘Judaism and Dreaming’ As part of their collaborative Jewish Experiences programming, the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City and The J will offer a three-part virtual course titled “Judaism and Dreaming” with Rabbi Howard Avruhm Addison. The series kicks off today, with subsequent dates on May 6 and May 13. The series costs $40. For more information and to register, visit TheJKC.org/ dreaming. 7-8:30 p.m.

Holocaust Commemoration Kansas holds its Holocaust Commemorative Service. Gov. Laura Kelly will present the Kansas Proclamation for the Days of Remembrance. The virtual event is available at https://www.facebook.com/ShoahKS. More information is also available at https://mchekc.org/ kansas-holocaust-commemoration/. 1 p.m.

Wednesday April 28 Kindergarten Roundup The Marion and Henry Bloch Religious School at The New Reform Temple holds a Kindergarten “Zoom” Round-Up. Parents, learn more about The New Reform Temple and our Religious School. Live presentation by members of our board, Rabbi Londy, our religious school director and our kindergarten teacher! To sign up for the Round-Up, please email the Temple at info@ thenewreformtemple.com by April 27. You will receive a Zoom invite for the event. Questions? Contact Shelley Hedrick, Religious School Director, at sehedrick@gmail. com. 6:30 p.m. B’nai Jehudah’s Torah Study Start your day by delving into this rich and insightful text! Grab a cup of coffee and join our clergy for this always exciting exploration as we study the weekly Torah portion and learn from its many faceted lessons. Dropins welcome; no experience necessary! To participate, please contact Damien Timms, rabbiadmin@bnaijehudah.org for a link and access to the Zoom meeting. 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Beth Torah’s Midweek Song Session Join Lezlie Zucker to take a deep breath and sing some songs together! Midweek Song Session is streamed on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CongregationBethTorah) and our Virtual Sanctuary (https://beth-torah.org/virtual-sanctuary. 7:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. PrayerWorks: Sponsored by Beth Shalom Sisterhood A group of dedicated men and women who believe in the power of collective prayer for those in

Thursday April 29

Lag B’Omer Picnic & Puppets Presented by The J and Chabad of Leawood, celebrate Lag B’omer with a family picnic and puppet show in The J’s parking lot. Listen to Israeli music, play games and enjoy wildlife photographer Felicia’s look at bugs as part of StoneLion Puppets Backyard Buggin’. For cost and to register, visit TheJKC.org/lagbomer. 5-7 p.m. LGBTQIA Picnic and BBQ Presented by Jewish Experiences, this new group gathering is designed to create Kehillah among the Jewish LGBTQIA community and those that support them. Picnic is at Antioch Park in Merriam and costs $12. TheJKC.org/bbq 5:30 p.m.

Friday April 30 Candle-lighting time Iyar 18, 7:28 p.m. Beth Torah’s Ask the Rabbi Join Rabbi Monica Kleinman to learn about marking Jewish time, from Rosh Hashanah through Tu B’Av and birth until death. Please email connect@beth-torah.org to request the Zoom link. 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Saturday May 1 Beth Torah’s Sichat Shabbat This Shabbat, join Congregation Beth Torah to explore halacha (Jewish Law) of childhood and coming of age under the larger theme of Halacha of Life Cycle Events. Please email connect@beth-torah.org to request the Zoom link. 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Sunday May 2 Mount Carmel Cemetery Volunteer Day Join Beth Shalom to paint, clean, weed, rake and more at Mount Carmel Cemetery, 5529 Ditzler Road. Spend the day beautifying the cemetery. This would be a good opportunity for groups or individuals to earn community service credits. Masks will be required during the pandemic. For more information or to sign up, contact Bruce Luchen at 913-220-7518 or

bluchen0731@gmail.com. Noon-2 p.m. Get ready to ride and raise money for the Greater Kansas Community Foundation’s Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund. The J will arrange the spin bikes on the pool deck. Reserve a bike for an hour or join for the whole time. Cost is $18. TheJKC.org/cycleforgood. 8:15-11 a.m.

Monday May 3 Happiness Habits The Greater Kansas City Mental Health Coalition, based at Jewish Family Services, and the Kansas City Public Library are offering a free program to make your days better. Happiness Habits is a half-hour program held on Mondays via Zoom. The focus is how to manage the uncertainty of our daily lives with simple habits fostering happiness regardless of our circumstances. Each half-hour interactive program has a theme. The program is open to anyone, but registration is required through the library’s website, kclibrary.org/events-activities-calendar. 3 p.m.

Wednesday May 5 JFS Jewish Grief Support Group Continues The Grief and Loss Support Group meets virtually the first and third Wednesday of each month. The group provides the opportunity to address issues of loss and grief within a Jewish spiritual context. Anyone is welcome to join. JFS and The Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City co-sponsor the group which is the only Jewish-based grief support group in the area. It is co-facilitated by Rabbi Mark Levin and JFS therapist Lauren Glass, LCSW. There is no charge to attend; however, if you wish to participate or would like additional information, contact Molly McGurk, JFS director of Mental Health Services at mmcgurk@jfskc.org or 913-327-8298. 11:30 a.m. B’nai Jehudah’s Torah Study Start your day by delving into this rich and insightful text! Grab a cup of coffee and join our clergy for this always exciting exploration as we study the weekly Torah portion and learn from its many faceted lessons. Dropins welcome; no experience necessary! To participate, please contact Damien Timms, rabbiadmin@bnaijehudah.org for a link and access to the Zoom meeting. 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Friday May 7 Candle-lighting time Iyar 25, 7:36 p.m. B’nai Jehudah Share Shabbat In partnership with The J, Jewish Federation & PJ Library, join B’nai Jehudah at Shabbat every month on first Friday! Each month will feature a new theme, a story, an activity, and a family-friendly service with song. Free and open to the community. Participate via http://facebook.com/TTCBJ. 5:00 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service at B’nai Jehudah. Join us on Facebook or Vimeo http://facebook.com/ TTCBJ or http://vimeo.com/bnaijehduah. 6:00 p.m.

Outside the Kansas City area:

April 22, 2021

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

page 7

spotlight BELOW: Scouts of Troop 48 celebrated their troop induction ceremony at Congregation Beth Torah on April 5. Beth Torah is proud to be the charter organization for this new troop. The Jewish War Veterans are a co-sponsor. The leadership for Troop 48 includes Scoutmaster Bruce Hertzfield and Committee Chair Amanda Saathoff. If you are interested in learning more about this troop, email Bruce Hertzfield at: bruce@4pawsfence.com. In addition to learning scouting skills, Troop 48’s objectives include becoming better citizens, building a team, and furthering their religious understanding.

Rubber chickens?

Becoming Scouts

O TLIGHT SPO PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

ABOVE: fter a year of virtual-only learning, B’nai Jehudah Religious School is slowly opening the building for grade-level, in-person learning experiences, with many COVID safety practices in place. Sixth graders recently learned about the women in the Tanakh with teacher Emily Williams, who is also the assistant director of formal and informal education at B’nai Jehudah. Since it was a beautiful day, students also had the chance to socialize (and blow off a little steam) in a classic endeavor of athleticism ... (rubber) chicken chucking! It was a great day for all involved.

SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to mikes@jewishkc.org Please write spotlight photo in the subject line. BELOW: SevenDays Make a Ripple Change the World kicked off its annual kindness experience with LOVE DAY, dedicated to a focus on our youth. As part of the virtual event, Encore at The J Competition Team performed “Carry You” with choreography by Maggie Osgood Nichols. Members of the dance team include Sophia Gupta, Noa Levine, Izzy Romero, Marin Smith, Sophie Stang, EvaMarin Tuttle, Rose Wasserman and Sophie Yagan. The evening also cast the spotlight on SevenDays button design winners, Act of Kindness essay winners and presentation of the first Ripple of Kindness Award to former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green. LOVE DAY can be seen on SevenDays YouTube channel. The community is invited to join SevenDays virtual walk on April 25. More information is available at www.GiveSevenDays.org.

Kindness dance

Beautifying The J ABOVE: The J recently installed ribbon artwork in the lobby of the new Fitness + Sports + Aquatics entrance. As part of The J’s expansion project, bold, vibrant and unique artwork was added to the walls and hallways of The J’s new space, the existing fitness area and the Jewish Community Campus hallways. The J invites you to come back to your “home away from home” when you are ready. Learn more at TheJKC.org/Community. BELOW: The Wolfe Automotive Group recently donated a vehicle that the Jewish Community Campus is using for security. The vehicle was outfitted with emergency equipment by Multiplicity, LLC, which is owned by the Schifman family. Adam Schifman is pictured in the photo with Ty Fernandez.

New wheels

page 8

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

April 22, 2021

local news

Ron Goldsmith remembered for calm, effective leadership

from page 1

the school over only a few years became a major recipient of Federation funding, support that continues a generation later. Ron’s effectiveness as a leader reflected his involvement not only during board meetings but also behind the scenes as a problem solver. He had a reputation as a skilled poker player, and Ron was able to parlay this talent into negotiations that helped bring success both to his business and community work. He was persistent, with an attitude of “I’m sure there’s a solution, we just haven’t found it,” or,

“There is a solution, but people aren’t ready to come around to it.” He brought to discussions, even on contentious subjects, a calm, friendly and disarming quality that engendered trust. Ron was a master of disagreeing without being disagreeable. It’s an approach many of us who worked with him have tried to emulate. It’s tougher than it looks. Ultimately, it was with his heart that Ron leaves the greatest legacy in the community. He cared deeply about his family. He wasn’t just a donor and board member at Beth Shalom, he attended services regularly, sitting in the pews for many

years with his mother Alice, who died in 2000 at the age of 91. Just as he was hitting the apex of his career, he supported his wife’s decision to become executive director of the Jewish Community Foundation. He was a loving father. His omission at our 2012 coffee of his accomplishments at the JCF was par for the course for Ron. He never was one to direct attention to his achievements. And even if you didn’t agree with him, you never doubted Ron’s heart was anywhere but the right place. Ron leaves behind a rich legacy, but if I had to identify a single lesson to be gleaned by younger members of the

Jewish community, it is to get involved and from an early age. We don’t know how many years G-d will give us in this world, and Ron demonstrated how much can be accomplished if you start when you are young and you persist. Most of us don’t have Ron’s skills at poker or negotiations. Nor his genius at finding solutions to thorny problems. But we all have talents, and there is no better way to honor the legacy of Ron Goldsmith than to recommit ourselves, whatever our age, to finding a way to selflessly share our abilities in a way that makes our community a better place.

Program strengthens relationships among leaders of Jewish agencies from page 1 with finances, JFS had an abundance of donations but had to figure out how to provide service for the surging need. She also was fascinated with the various guest speakers. “We had a guest speaker who was black and another guest speaker who

was identified not as male or female. We as Jewish people like to think we’re not prejudiced, but in fact we are, and it’s something that is imperative that we address and work on,” she said. “That part of the conversation was eye-opening. There is prejudice in our community. There are people not treated fairly for no particular reason of anything they’ve done, just because of the group

they identify with.” Milens hopes the relationships built in the program will continue as these leaders go forward in their work for various Jewish institutions. She anticipates the leadership forum to be an ongoing initiative, though turnover among agency leadership will determine the frequency of the program. “All of our institutions have a role

to play in our community from Jewish Family Services to JCRB/AJC, from New Reform Temple to Beth Shalom. If we see this community as a community of the whole and work together, we are serving the community better,” Milens said. “None of them have to be in this alone. It can be a lonely thing to be a leader of an agency, and they’re not alone.”

Jewish war veterans post announces scholarships Jewish War Veterans (JWV) MOKAN Post 605 is seeking applications for college scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year. The Gertrude Pasmanik Scholarship is administered by Post 605 according to the will of Sam Pasmanik, which directs that the funds shall be “used to initiate or further the education of needy or worthy students.” The scholarships are awarded annually to students who are in or enter-

ing college. High school seniors, college students at any level (including graduate school) may apply. The primary requirement is that the applicant be related to a current or deceased member of Jewish War Veterans MO-Kan Post 605. Any applicant should be prepared to offer documentation that he/she is related to a current or deceased member of the post, if requested by the post scholarship committee.

Interested and eligible applicants should contact Dr. William Adelman, post scholarship chairperson, at billadelman@aol.com for an application. Applications must be submitted to Dr. Adelman no later than June 30. JWV MO-Kan Post 605 is active in community service in the Kansas CityLeavenworth area. Some of its community service programs include providing holiday gifts to hospitalized veterans, special

awards to local Boy Scouts troops, assisting local active-duty military personnel and their families, and providing honor guards at local ceremonies. Jewish veterans and interested nonveteran patrons are encouraged to find out more about joining post 605. Contact William Greenberg, post commander, at greenbergwilliam@hotmail. com for further information. Check us out on Facebook — search JWV 605 on Facebook and like our page!

B’nai Jehudah Sisterhood offers cheesecake for Shavuot Get your forks out, everyone! B’nai Jehudah Sisterhood is offering New York-style, plain cheesecake, with optional strawberry topping or a flavored, variety pack of squares for purchase just in time for the festival of Shavuot. The order deadline is May 7, and Sisterhood will notify people of pickup prior to Shavuot, which begins the evening of May 16. The idea was sparked about seven months ago, when B’nai Jehudah member Tricia Uhlmann mentioned a very successful sisterhood fundraiser at her cousin’s synagogue. That synagogue had offered the famous New York Carnegie Deli cheesecakes to members during the winter holidays for more than 10 years. “The cheesecake fundraiser not only raised money for their sisterhood, but it also provided a tasty way to celebrate the holiday, so we decided

B’nai Jehudah Sisterhood will sell cheesecakes for the Shavuot holiday as a fundraiser. (B’nai Jehudah) to test the waters,” said Sisterhood’s vice president of fundraising, Amanda Bachmuth.

The pandemic has pushed B’nai Jehudah Sisterhood — and many other nonprofits — to get even more creative with their events and fundraisers. Sisterhood has found that pick-upand-go food items have proved to be a very popular and convenient way to raise funds this past year. The group held a highly successful latke fundraiser in December, where more than 1,200 latkes were made, boxed and sold to members. People also had the opportunity to purchase extra latkes, which were donated to the JFS food pantry. “We have been amazed by the generosity of the Jewish community, and we were so pleased to have been able to donate latkes to those in our community who might not otherwise have been able to enjoy them. Due to the overwhelming response from our latkes event, we are offering the same food

pantry donation option for the cheesecakes,” said Bachmuth. The cheesecakes are baked by local kosher caterer, Cathy Levin of Kosher Connection. Ordering options include: • A whole New York style plain eight-inch round cheesecake, which serves between 8 and 10 people • A variety pack of six cheesecake squares with New York plain, strawberry swirl and chocolate swirl flavors • Strawberry sauce to pour over the cheesecake Sisterhood invites everyone in the community to do a double mitzvah: celebrate the harvest festival, in which it is customary to eat dairy foods like cheesecake, and support Jewish Family Services in their efforts to spread joy to others this Shavuot. The order deadline is May 7. To order, go to https://conta.cc/3mIL09P

April 22, 2021

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

page 9

national news

In J Street address, Abbas urges repeal of laws that impede US-Palestinian ties By Dmitriy Shapiro JNS Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas spoke on Sunday about strengthening ties with the United States during a pre-recorded video address at a virtual annual national conference of the lobbying group J Street. Abbas said that ties between the P.A. and the United States were severed during former President Donald Trump’s administration after recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017 and the moving of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem six months later, in May 2018, followed by the cutting off of aid to the Palestinians. Abbas asked for the organization’s assistance to “repeal all laws that block the road toward enhancing PalestinianU.S. relations.” The most important sticking point, according to Abbas, was the inclusion of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and its affiliates in the 1987 AntiTerrorism Act, deeming them terrorist groups. He said the designation was no longer relevant as the PLO was recognized by Israel as a legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in the 1993 Oslo Accords. He also promised to re-

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Sept. 3, 2020. (Flash90) move obstacles on the Palestinian side but was not specific about which ones. The P.A. has long been criticized for incentivizing terrorism by paying stipends to families of Palestinians imprisoned or killed while committing terrorist acts against Israelis. The Taylor Force Act makes it illegal for the U.S. to provide aid, with some humanitarian exceptions, to the Palestinian Authority if they continue to provide these terror stipends.

Abbas reaffirmed his support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict based on pre-1967 borders, with eastern Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. This capital, he said, would be “an open city for all believers and followers of the three monotheistic religions.” “Only then will the states of Palestine and Israel be able to prosper and live side by side in peace and security,” he added. Abbas’s message was reiterated by J Street in a tweet sent that day. The platform given to Abbas during the conference was criticized by Republican Jewish Coalition executive director Matt Brooks in an email to donors on Monday, calling Abbas a Holocaust denier and funder of terrorism. “This wasn’t a huge surprise, as we have always known that J Street is antiIsrael,” Brooks said in the email. “What was also unsurprising was the number of participating Democrats who refused to call Abbas out for his extremism and his incitement of violence towards Israeli and American Jews.” Brooks noted that prominent Democrats, such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), spoke at the

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online conference. Jewish Democratic Council of America CEO Halie Soifer also attended. “Recently, [U.S.] President [Joe] Biden caved to Abbas and resumed aid to the Palestinian Authority, freeing up more funds for Abbas to spend on terrorism. So it wasn’t surprising to see so many Democrats choosing to share a stage with Abbas,” wrote Brooks. “They’re too scared of their base, and frankly, it isn’t clear that they have any problem with what Abbas stands for.” J Street has also recently indicated support for a newly introduced bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, which if passed would condition U.S. aid to Israel on ensuring that no tax dollars contribute to alleged civil-rights and human-rights abuses against Palestinians. The bill titled “Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act,” was introduced by U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (R-Minn.) on April 15. In a series of tweets, the AIPAC expressed opposition to the bill, calling it “unnecessary and redundant,” as fiscal aid for Israel already can only be used for legitimate self-defense and internal security purposes.

page 10

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

April 22, 2021

national news

Future in question for Chicago Loop Synagogue and its monumental stained-glass window

By Alanna E. Cooper JTA Just three stories high and hemmed into a small 5,000-square-foot lot, the building at 16 S. Clark St. is a small jewel box situated amid this city’s dense urban fabric. Exuding an aura of cool simplicity, the structure’s facade is composed of glass, metal and concrete planes. Its name is etched in delicate gold lettering: Chicago Loop Synagogue. Perched above the synagogue’s front door, a two-ton sculpture extends over the sidewalk. Created by Henri Azaz in 1963, the work consists of bold letters tumbling over each other spelling the priestly benediction. A pair of massive hands emerges from the words, sloping downward as though placing a blessing on the heads of all those who enter. The brass and bronze has since weathered and turned a tarnished green. Streaked with corrosive lines, the heavy hands now look weary. Chicago Loop Synagogue has fallen on hard times, and its future is precarious. LONG HISTORY The only consistently operating Jewish house of worship in Chicago’s Loop, the 1.5-square-mile area touted as the second largest business district in North America, the Loop Synagogue has been unusual since it was conceived in 1929. Few members live anywhere nearby. Before the pandemic, most popped in for lunch or a prayer service during the workday while spending Shabbat at their home synagogues in the suburbs. In recognition of that unusual arrangement, dues top out at $180 — meaning that the congregation’s 400 members generate far too little revenue to keep operations afloat. The pandemic abruptly halted the flow of commuters, severing ties that for many Loop members were only tenuous in the first place. But keeping the building closed also cut expenses necessary for operating the synagogue’s outdated and inefficient systems, buying the congregation’s leaders time to ponder the possibility of relocating to a less expensive space. BIG QUESTION One pressing question: What will happen to the historic stained-glass panels that are perhaps the Loop Synagogue’s most defining feature? The congregation’s president, Lee Zoldan, reports that the synagogue has enough cash assets in the bank to continue running comfortably for another year and a half. “Then we are headed for the red,” she said. “The time to panic is now.” Chicago Loop Synagogue was initiated by a gift from the Midwest Branch of The United Synagogue of America (today the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism). The goal was to serve commuters seeking kosher food and a place to pray during the workday. It remains the only Loop venue to offer both services.

The expansive interior of the Chicago Loop Synagogue includes its famous stained-glass window. Synagogue leadership hopes to turn the congregation, which has fallen on hard times, into a showcase for similar congregation windows. (Paul Harding/FAIA) The institution quickly gained national recognition. By 1934, the prayer space was renovated to accommodate more worshippers, and was featured in the Chicago Tribune for installing air conditioning. Situated just a few blocks from the site of the 1933-34 Chicago World’s Fair, the synagogue also boasted wall paintings designed by A. Raymond Katz, official muralist for the “Century of Progress.” Today the Chicago Loop Synagogue holds fast to its identity. “We are not a neighborhood synagogue,” administrator Mary Lynn Pross said. “We have always been a synagogue for the world.” Now, as in its early years, synagogue members include commuters from Chicago’s nearby suburbs. DEDICATED CONGREGANT Les Blau is among them. Each weekday morning prior to the pandemic, Blau attended services at Central Avenue Synagogue, a Chabad-affiliated house of worship near his home in Highland Park, then hopped on the train for a 45-minute ride to his law office in the Loop. In the afternoons, Blau took a quick jaunt from his office to the Loop Synagogue to attend mincha, the afternoon service. “It’s the only institution like it in the Loop – the only synagogue in the area that holds afternoon services every weekday all year round,” he said. Other commuters come from New York, Los Angeles and internationally. “We’ve got members who regularly fly in on business,” Pross said. “Whenever they are in town, they head here for daily services.” The downside of serving as a destination synagogue is a weak sense of community. Nearly every member also belongs to a home synagogue closer to where they live. “We are really three – or even four – different congregations,” Zoldan said. TIGHT KNIT GROUPS Strong ties bind members who saw each other every day at shacharit, the morning service. So, too, for those who regularly attended mincha, like Blau. But the two groups generally didn’t overlap. Nor did they intersect with the

30 to 40 members who live in the Loop’s immediate outskirts and regularly attended services on Saturdays. Decline began long before the synagogue shut its doors in response to COVID-19. Between 1992 and today, membership numbers dropped from 1,400 to 416. Zoldan offers a conjecture to explain why: “As our regulars retired and stopped attending, they were not replenished with newcomers.” That appears unlikely to change. Some of those who attended services regularly before COVID-19 are being vaccinated and looking forward to returning to their luminous prayer space once the pandemic is under control. But pre-pandemic commuting patterns seem unlikely to resume. Meanwhile, new options are emerging to serve younger Jews who are moving to the West Loop, an adjacent and up-andcoming neighborhood. That has put intense pressure on the Loop Synagogue, where leaders fear losing people if they raise dues significantly beyond $180 a year, a fraction of what full-service suburban synagogues charge members. “We are in dire straits,” Pross said. Overall, operating expenses for the building run approximately $400,000 a year, and the synagogue has no endowment or large donors. SAVING THE WINDOW Letting go of their mid-century modern structure, however, is hardly the ideal answer. Never mind that it is an architectural gem or that the congregation’s most significant asset – its property located just blocks west of Millennium Park – is worth millions. Relinquishing the building would also doom the fate of Chicago Loop Synagogue’s monumental stained-glass window. Designed by the renowned New Yorkbased artist Abraham Rattner especially for the synagogue, the work was the subject of a 1976 exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and a 1978 exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Insured for $1.5 million, the spellbinding window is simply too large to fit anywhere except where it sits now: inside the prayer space for which it was created. To create the work, Rattner drew inspiration from the opening passages of Genesis, honing in on the hidden meanings of the words “… and there was light” to channel cosmic creative energies of the Divine. After two years working on conceptual and design schemes, Rattner spent another year engaged in the window’s fabrication in the Paris studio of stained-glass artist Jean Barillet (where other American synagogue stained glass has also been fabricated). The scale was expansive. At 40 feet wide and three stories high, it was devised to fill the entire eastern wall of the synagogue. Jutting into the prayer space from the far-left corner of the window, Rattner incorporated the ark that would house the Torah scrolls. He

surrounded it with flames – integrated into the glass – leaping up and out, drawing attention to the presence of God in the very heart of the sanctuary. Rattner once wrote that he wanted Chicago Loop Synagogue worshippers to experience “renewed faith in a higher elevation of being.” “Rattner was a deeply spiritual artist, imbued with a powerful moral connection to his own Jewishness,” said Samantha Baskind, a historian of Jewish art at Cleveland State University. “AWESTRUCK” Today the synagogue’s vast space, cathedral-like in its openness, is dominated by the window. A kaleidoscope of blues and purples pierced by electric shades of yellow take on the forms of planets, trees, Hebrew letters and the Israelite tribes hovering and extending toward one another. Those who enter are “awestruck,” Blau said. And Pross, who herself is not Jewish, recalls people dropping into the building before COVID-19. “They came just to sit in the sanctuary. It’s hard to explain to someone who has not been here,” she said. “You have to be in that room, with the light streaming through that window … the experience transcends religious identity.” In addition to these occasional visitors, over 2,000 people visit the space each year as part of the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s annual Open House tour. Groups from the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Historical Society also regularly tour the building to study the architecture and behold the window. STAINED GLASS SANCTUARY Zoldan has convened a task force charged with imagining a new future for the congregation and its building: one that will generate revenue while allowing them to preserve the Rattner window intact and continue meeting in their space. Possibilities include identifying an organization to co-locate in the building, such as an education center, a theater or an event space. The most desirable of the options on the table: create a national sanctuary for synagogue stained-glass. Envisioned in part as a light-and-color experience and in part as a museum, this “stained-glass sanctuary” would provide dissolving synagogues across the county safe haven at Chicago Loop Synagogue for their own colorful windows. This idea is favored by task force member Michael Landau, an architect who has worked on over 75 U.S. synagogues and is known for his creative reuse of historic sacred materials. Landau takes windows, Torah arks, eternal lights and other treasured ritual objects that hold synagogues’ histories and incorporates them into new contemporary design schemes. His goal with the objects is “honoring their history by giving them new life and provoking interest in their past.”

April 22, 2021

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

page 11

national news

Arizona Holocaust-education bill stalls over IHRA anti-Semitism amendment

By Sean Savage JNS In Arizona, the issue of Holocaust education and the debate over how to combat modern versions of anti-Semitism have suddenly collided with the state’s legislature. Earlier this year, a bill to require education on the Holocaust and other genocides was introduced and passed by the Arizona State House unanimously. However, the bill has hit a snag in the Arizona Senate, where there is a push to include an amendment that contains the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism. Arizona State Sen. Paul Boyer, a Republican, told JNS that the goal of the Holocaust education bill is not only to teach about the past but to prevent future injustices. “The purpose of this bill is not simply to mandate a fact-of-the-matter, look back in history for our children,” he said. “It is ultimately about our forward-facing goal of improving our future as a society by reflecting upon outstanding tragedies and injustices of the past from which key lessons must be learned.”

As such, Boyer said that the IHRA definition must be included to provide a safeguard against other forms of anti-Semitism. “We have to make sure we include the International Holocaust Remembrance Association definition in any Holocaust education legislation that we put into state law in order to prevent Holocaust Inversion,” he emphasized, referring to which is a term used to describe the false portrayal of Jews and Israel as Nazis or oppressors. In particular, the IHRA definition responds to the accusation and includes the act of “drawing comparison of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.” Indeed, the legislative hold-up of the bill and dispute over the IHRA amendment comes as left-wing and progressive academics and activists are pushing back against the IHRA definition by offering alternatives that leave open criticism of Israel, its government and its policies. This deliberation seems to have crept into Arizona politics as well. Last year, Arizona House Bill 2683, which would incorporate the IHRA definition into Arizona law to help

law enforcement, was on the fast track towards passage, garnering the most co-sponsors in Arizona state history. It was eventually stalled in the state Senate after dozens of liberal and progressive groups spoke out against it, saying that it would criminalize free speech. The bill eventually died all together when the Arizona legislative session adjourned due to the coronavirus pandemic. A key backer of both the IHRA and Holocaust bill last year was State House Rep. Alma Hernandez, a Mexican-American Jewish Democrat. In a letter she wrote last year, along with Arizona Senate president Karen Fann, a Republican, to her colleagues in the Arizona Senate, they spoke out forcefully against concerns over the IHRA legislation that could harm free speech. “The IHRA Definition of Antisemitism that this legislation would implement already serves as the consensus standard among dozens of developed nations with Jewish populations. This same definition is embraced by our federal government and is utilized by the U.S. Departments of Education, Justice and State,” they wrote.

“Rejecting this consensus definition of contemporary anti-Semitism, particularly by suggesting that Jews ought to only be protected as a religion, would represent a harmful undermining of equal protection for victims of anti-Semitism and would effectively remove material legal protections that Democrats and Republicans have already agreed applies to Jews.” This legislation “is about protecting Jewish citizens from crime and discrimination at home,” they wrote. Earlier this year, Hernandez reintroduced the Holocaust education bill after the legislation was stalled due to COVID-19 and its resulting lockdowns and gathering restrictions (it passed the House in 2020 and was expected to pass the Senate and be signed by the governor until the pandemic hit). Hernandez, however, said that she would not be reintroducing the IHRA bill because it was “too much drama.” The Holocaust bill eventually cleared the House with unanimous approval in a 59-0 vote and is now in the Senate. Any changes to the bill would require it to be passed by the House again before the governor could sign it.

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page 12

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

April 22, 2021

global news

Feds charge extremist Orthodox sect Lev Tahor with exploiting, kidnapping children By Shira Hanau JTA Federal authorities filed child exploitation and child abduction charges against leaders of an extremist haredi Orthodox sect that has been accused of forcing girls as young as 12 years old into marriages with much older men within the sect. Five leaders of the Lev Tahor group were charged by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and FBI Monday with crimes related to an alleged forced marriage in 2017 and a 2018 kidnapping. The charges include conspiring to transport a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and conspiring to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The first charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and maximum of lifetime in prison; the second carries a maximum of 30 years in prison. Nachman Helbrans, one of the men charged Monday, arranged a marriage in 2017 between his 12-yearold niece and an 18-year-old man,

according to the filing. They were married in 2018 and began a sexual relationship. According to the Justice Department press release, young brides in the community were expected “to have sex with their husbands, to tell people outside Lev Tahor that they were not married, to pretend to be older, and to deliver babies inside their homes instead of at a hospital, partially to conceal from the public the mothers’ young ages.” Later that year, the girl’s mother escaped from the group and fled to the United States with the girl and the girl’s younger brother, arriving in New York in November 2018. According to the Justice Department, in December 2018, the five men charged Monday kidnapped the girl, then 14 years old, and her brother in the middle of the night and brought them back to her husband, then 20 years old, in Mexico. The children were returned to New York several weeks later by law enforcement but the group tried to kidnap them again two more times. Nachman Helbrans is the son of Rabbi Shlomo Helbrans, who founded Lev Tahor in the 1980s, and be-

came the group’s leader in 2017 after the death of his father. The other men charged are Mayer Rosner, Yakov Weingarten, Shmiel Weingarten and Yoel Weingarten. Yakov Weingarten was arrested last month in Guatemala on the first day of Passover. The group had fled Canada to Guatemala in 2014 after coming under intense scrutiny by Canadian authorities for alleged child abuse and marrying off children. The group was founded in Jerusalem before fleeing abroad. William F. Sweeney Jr., the FBI’s assistant director, thanked Guatemalan law enforcement for their assistance in the Lev Tahor case. “International borders will not stop the FBI from pursuing justice and enforcing violations of our laws, especially when you target children. The behavior alleged today is outrageous, and there is no justification for it whatsoever,” Sweeney said. The group has been described as a cult and as the “Jewish Taliban,” as women and girls older than 3 are required to dress in long black robes covering their entire body, leaving only their faces exposed. The men spend most of their days in prayer

and studying only specific Torah portions. Lev Tahor subscribes to a strict, idiosyncratic version of kosher laws. Members believe that genetic engineering has rendered modernday chickens non-kosher. Marriages between teenagers and older members are common. According to the Justice Department’s announcement of the charges, Nachman Helbrans and his team “embraced several extreme practices, including strict, invasive monitoring of members, frequent beatings, and forced marriages of minors to adult members. Children in Lev Tahor are often subject to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.” Leaders of the group have been charged with kidnapping before, including in the case authorities charged Helbrans and the others for Monday. In 2019, four group leaders were indicted for the 2018 kidnapping. Guatemalan authorities have been monitoring leaders of Lev Tahor, which is now based in the country, in recent years. Members of the group, which is anti-Zionist, have applied for political asylum in Iran.

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April 22, 2021

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

page 13

global news

Jewish psychedelics movement gets a boost from a laid-off rabbi and a first-ever conference

By David A.M. Wilensky JTA

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, while some people were dabbling with new hobbies, Rabbi Zac Kamenetz was going all in on a lifelong fantasy. Kamenetz has a vision. He dreams of a world in which the trauma of the Jewish past can be healed through psychedelic experiences, a world in which chemically assisted mystical encounters are a normative part of Jewish spirituality. “Someday I see a space, maybe in the East Bay, where people can have safe and supported psychedelic experiences individually, and then integrate those experiences in a community that is invested in the application of mystical experiences with other people,” he told J. the Jewish News of Northern California, in 2019. “This is total science fiction because it doesn’t exist.” It does now. After losing his job as the director of Jewish learning and living at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco during a round of pandemic layoffs, Kamenetz decided to go for it. He founded Shefa, which means “flow” in Hebrew; the organization’s tagline is “Connect With Divine Flow.” In less than a year, Kamenetz has secured funding from Jewish donors, as well as Dr. Bronner’s Family Foundation (as in Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, the earthy brand with fine print all over the bottle) and the Riverstyx Foundation, which funds a number of “psychospiritual” projects. He also has begun to hold regular “integration circles,” support grouplike gatherings in which fellow travelers discuss and come to terms with their psychedelic experiences. Later this spring Kamenetz is staging a two-day event that promises to put Shefa on the map — the first-ever Jewish Psychedelic Summit. It’s a collaboration among Kamenetz; Madison Margolin, editor of the psychedelics

Rabbi Zac Kamenetz is one of the organizers of the landmark Jewish Psychedelic Summit. (J. the Jewish News of Northern California; background courtesy of Shefa/Shannon Levin) magazine DoubleBlind; and Natalie Lyla Ginsberg, director of policy and advocacy at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. Ginsberg’s group, MAPS, has deep Jewish roots. Its founder, Rick Doblin, was inspired by a dream about surviving the Nazis to devote his life to promoting psychedelics as a cure for human ills and an insurance policy against another Holocaust. The organization has supported research and policy to advance psychedelics as a therapeutic tool. Shefa’s summit will zoom in on uniquely Jewish questions related to psychedelics. To be held virtually with four sessions each on May 2-3, the summit will bring together dozens of rabbis, scholars, artists and more for panels with topics such as “Did Psychedelics Play a Role in Ancient Jewish Practice?” “What Draws so Many Jews to India?” and “Jewish Trauma and Psychedelic Therapy: What Is Culturally Informed Care?” Psychedelic substances — whether organic, such as psilocybin (magic mushrooms) or synthetic (such as LSD) — are illegal virtually everywhere in the country, although some have been decriminalized to varying degrees in

Oakland and Santa Cruz, California; Denver, Colorado; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and the state of Oregon. But that hasn’t stopped researchers and other practitioners — some funded by MAPS — from beginning to delve into the medical applications of these substances, such as treating PTSD, anxiety, depression and other conditions. Kamenetz has had two experiences with psilocybin, and both were done legally as part of a Johns Hopkins University study of psychedelic experiences in clergy of various religions. Those experiences were among the most powerful of his life, he said, and convinced him of the need for psychedelic-assisted healing in the Jewish community. “I’m one of the very few people who can say they’ve had a legal experience with psychedelics in this country,” Kamenetz said. “To be able to speak freely about it without the stigma — because it’s not just people talking about doing illegal things — it’s allowed people to start having a more open conversation about it. When there’s the opportunity to hear from someone who did this in a legal environment, people will listen more.” And for Jews who have already been working with or using psychedelics,

Kamenetz is proud to be creating a platform where they can talk about it more openly. “I think we’ve gotten ahead of the market,” he said. “If it wasn’t me, it would’ve been someone else.” Ben, a 34-year-old graduate student who didn’t want to use his full name, is one of the many Jews who have used psychedelic substances. He’s attended two Shefa integration circles, 90-minute affairs that can include some Jewish chanting, brief text study and discussion of personal psychedelic experiences. He appreciates the open, nonhierarchical vibe. “People are encouraged to share about their experiences, ask questions, receive feedback,” Ben said. “I have a significant and long-standing psychedelic background. I have had a lot of conversations about it with similarly inclined Jews.” Ben first heard about Shefa when Kamenetz was interviewed on the Judaism Unbound podcast. “I knew right away this is a conversation I want to be part of,” he said. “And I sort of got the same sense from a lot of other people, a shared sense that it was important to talk about and do and explore this, to create spaces where we can talk about it.” When the Jewish Psychedelic Summit was announced, Ben didn’t even bother looking at the list of speakers. “I just saw the name [of the conference] and said sign me up,” he said, though he admits he’s excited about hearing from Rodger Kamenetz, the poet and author of “The Jew in The Lotus.” Rabbi Kamenetz (no relation) is excited, too. “We’ve got this big Jewish family of psychedelic enthusiasts who are coming and contributing to making this thing happen,” he said. “That’s why it feels so significant to me. I’ve never been part of something that really felt like a movement.”

Macron asks for change in law after French court won’t prosecute Halimi’s killer (JNS) France’s President Emmanuel Macron urged an immediate change to French law after a court ruled that a man who murdered a Jewish woman in 2017 was not responsible for his actions because he was high on cannabis at the time of the crime. “Deciding to take narcotics and then ‘going mad’ should, not in my view, remove your criminal responsibility,” Macron said to Le Figaro in an interview. “I would like Justice Minister (Eric Dupond-Moretti) to present a change in the

law as soon as possible.” The Court of Cassation’s Supreme Court of Appeals—France’s highest court—ruled April 14 that Kobili Traore was too overcome by marijuana to be held criminally responsible for the 2017 murder of his neighbor Sarah Halimi, a 65-year-old Orthodox Jewish woman. The court said he committed the crime after succumbing to a “delirious fit” brought on by his use of cannabis. The verdict means Traore will not face any trial.

Halimi died after Traore, who was 27 at the time, pushed her out of the window of her Paris apartment while he shouted in Arabic “Allahu Akbar” (“God is great”). Traore, a heavy marijuana smoker, admitted to the killing and has been in psychiatric care since Halimi’s death. He remains there following Wednesday’s ruling, according to AFP. Macron told Le Figaro, “It is not for me to comment on a court decision. But I want to assure the family, relatives of

the victim and all fellow citizens of Jewish faith who were awaiting this trial of my warm support and the determination of the Republic to protect them.” In January 2020, Macron criticized a lower court’s insanity ruling in the case, saying there was “a need for a trial” even if the judge decided that Traore held no criminal responsibility. Lawyers representing the Halimi family said they plan on referring the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Israel signs additional agreement with Pfizer for millions of vaccines in 2022 (JNS) Israel has signed an additional agreement with Pfizer-BioNTech for the supply of millions of vaccines for the year 2022, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday.

The PMO said the signing followed “major efforts” by Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein. Israel and Pfizer also agreed on an option to acquire an additional quantity of millions of vaccine doses.

“The supplement that was signed will ensure the continuation of Israel’s ability to deal with the coronavirus in an optimal manner at least until the end of 2022,” the PMO said in a statement.

The signing of the latest agreement had been delayed due to political disagreements between Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz over the appointment of a justice minister in the transitional government.

page 14

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

April 22, 2021

commentary

It’s time to expand Medicaid in Kansas By Don Goldman Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City

Like many of you, I don’t typically make healthcare decisions based on the cost of services. Sadly, this is not the case for many of our clients, who earn too much to qualify for the current Medicaid program in Kansas, but do not make enough money to afford quality health insurance elsewhere. When the Affordable Care Act was enacted more than 10 years ago, Medicaid expansion was a key part of the safety net. However, Kansas legislators have continually passed up the opportunity to join 37 states that have already adopted and implemented the expansion of Medicaid coverage to individuals earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Medicaid expansion would provide coverage for 165,000 Kansans, including many of our clients. In the meantime, people continue to be uninsured and forced to choose whether they can pay for critical care or make next month’s rent payment. Social workers at JFS regularly work with individuals in

the Medicaid coverage gap to find resources to cover medical expenses they need to continue working and remain as healthy as possible. These resources are often limited or simply only provide short-term solutions. People in the coverage gap often have mental health needs. Last year, JFS provided mental health counseling to 369 individuals. In Kansas, almost one-third of people who would qualify for coverage under Medicaid expansion experience mental illness or substance use disorder, with less than 14% receiving treatment. Coverage through Medicaid would ensure more people would be likely to receive necessary services. Through Medicaid expansion, JFS and other providers of mental health services in Kansas could serve thousands more in need, providing an avenue for individuals to navigate the challenges in their lives more easily — not to mention building healthier families and communities. Opponents in the Kansas Legislature cite budget shortages as a major reason for denying this coverage to their constituents, even though the overall budget impact of Medicaid expansion would be offset by savings to existing health programs and increased funding from the federal government. This would in-

clude additional federal incentives under the American Rescue Plan. In fact, if Kansas had expanded Medicaid earlier, Kansas hospitals and other healthcare providers would have seen an infusion of hundreds of millions of dollars to support healthcare in the state. Instead, families most in need have forgone treatment, and Kansas healthcare institutions are financially weaker today than they otherwise would have been. It’s a lose-lose situation for Kansas. It’s time to make it a win-win. For an agency like JFS working to support and strengthen lives in greater Kansas City, the choice is clear: Kansas legislators should once and for all pass Medicaid expansion. And you can make a difference. First, follow Medicaid expansion efforts and learn more about its importance through the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas at expandkancare.com. Second, tell your legislators you support expansion and remind them this should be an immediate priority by the end of this legislative session. Too many of our clients and other Kansans have gone without adequate care for too long. Together, we can help change their lives for the better. Don Goldman is executive director and CEO of Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City

book review

New book focuses on kidney match prompted by Chronicle story On December 28, 2017, Martha Gershun read an article in The Chronicle about a woman who needed a kidney. Nine months later, she donated one of hers to Deb Porter Gill at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Gershun writes about that journey in a new book, “Kidney to Share,” that she co-authored with pediatrician and bioethicist Dr. John Lantos. Lantos is director of the Bioethics Center at Children’s Mercy Hospital. The book was just released by Cornell University Press. In ”Kidney to Share,” Gershun tells the story of her decision to donate a kidney to a complete stranger. She takes readers through the complex vetting process that ensures donors are physically and psychologically fit to take the risk of a major operation. Lantos, who Gershun got to know when they were in a chavurah together at Congregation Beth Torah, places her story in the larger context of the history of kidney transplantation and the ethical controversies that surround living donors. Together, they help readers understand the discoveries that made transplantation relatively safe and effective as well as the legal, ethical, and economic policies that make it feasible. “Kidney to Share” is a remarkably fascinating work, a mix of personal narrative and medical history and ethics which brilliantly teases out the complexities of modern medicine at its most scientifically and ethically complex,” according to Perri Klass, Professor of Journalism and Pediatrics at New York University and Co-Director of NYU Florence. “The book, with its overlapping voices, contributing to a medically suspenseful organ transplant story, is at once intimate and educational, clear-eyed, heart-

Martha Gershun (left) with Deb Porter Gill (Martha Gershun) felt, and profoundly moving.” Gershun and Lantos explore the steps involved in recovering and allocating organs. They analyze the differences that arise depending on whether the organ comes from a living donor or one who has died. They observe the expertise — and the shortcomings — of doctors, nurses, and other professionals and describe the burdens that we place on donors. “We wanted to push readers to consider just how

far society should go in using one person’s healthy body parts in order to save another person,” according to Lantos. “Kidney to Share” provides an account of organ donation that is both personal and analytical. Gershun and Lantos pull back the curtain to offer readers a more transparent view of the fascinating world of organ donation. More than two years after their transplant operations, both Gershun and Gill are healthy and well. “Donating a kidney to Deb was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life,” Gershun said. “We hope this book will add to the body of knowledge about living organ donation, so more people have the information, inspiration, and support to participate in this medical miracle.” Left Bank Books in St. Louis will host a virtual book release event for “Kidney to Share” at 5:30 p.m. on May 18 on their online platform (https:// www.left-bank.com/event/martha-gershun-john-dlantos-kidney-share). Gershun and Lantos will be joined by moderator Dr. Jeffrey P. Bishop, Tenet Endowed Chair in Bioethics at Saint Louis University. The Kansas City Public Library will also host a virtual author event from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on May 26 moderated by Terry Rosell, Rosemary Flanigan Chair at the Center for Practical Bioethics. The RSVP link will be posted soon on the library website at https://kclibrary.org/signature-events. Gershun will also participate in a panel on “Saving a Life: Judaism’s View of Organ Donation” with Dr. Ron Wolfson and Rabbi Elliot Dorff as part of B’Yachad Together: Spirited by American Jewish University (AJU) at 8 p.m. on June 1. Free registration for the event is available through the AJU website: https://bit.ly/3e57U7q

reader’s forum APPRECIATION FOR MCHE YOM HASHOAH SERVICE Watching the Yom Hashoah service that was held on April 11, 2021, hosted by the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education was a very special experi-

ence for me as my cousin Ida Kolkin was the keynote speaker. Her excellent presentation furnished me with information about her parents, Maria and Fred, that I was not aware of. I hope there will be many more such speakers that will investigate their

Holocaust parents background. I was also touched by the fact that Rabbi Moshe Grussgott is the grandson of those who were in the Shoah; his parents are my very dear and close friends. I hope everyone noticed the list of survivors that was shown on

YouTube, which included my parents, Jacob and Rachel Rosenberg, and those of the Holocaust community I so dearly loved. Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg Edison, New Jersey

April 22, 2021

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

page 15

obituaries BARBARA LYNN FREIDBERG Barbara Lynn Freidberg, 80, of Overland Park, loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, greatgrandmother, and friend, passed away at home on April 14. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care or a charity meaningful to you and your family. Barbara was born on April 3, 1941 to the late David Minkin and Jean Goldberg Minkin in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Southwest High School in 1959, then attended the University of Oklahoma for two years before marrying the love of her life in 1961. She was a lifelong resident of Kansas City and Overland Park. Barbara worked in real estate, bookkeeping and retail most of her life. She spent the last 20 years at Chico’s helping women feel well-dressed and confident. She loved the job and had many loyal customers, many of whom became friends. She loved to read, shop, and talk for hours with her many friends. She was fiercely passionate about her family and their go-to for advice, conversation, consolation, and a good laugh. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Jerry Freidberg, son Scott Freidberg of San Diego, CA, and daughter and son-in-law Mindy Freidberg Gray and Jeff Gray of Chicago, IL. She is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law Susan and Bill Berk; grandchildren Greer Gaddie, Drew Gaddie, and Avery Gray; and dear family members Lance, Lissa, Monica, and Reece Melber. Barbara was recently blessed to be able to meet her great-grandchildren, Blake and Braeden Murphy. Private family services were held. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.louismemorialchapel.com (Arrangements entrusted to The Louis Memorial Chapel, 816-361-5211) BARNEY BOBROW Barney Bobrow, 91, passed away from natural causes in his home in Overland Park, Kansas on April 14, 2021. He came to the Kansas City area 1948, from Ha-

vana, Cuba, where he grew up. He had extended family in Kansas City and soon learned English and began living the American dream. In 1950, he married Sara, his high school sweetheart in Cuba, and they started their married life back in Kansas City. Barney had a successful long career in the insurance industry, and he survived several significant health issues, starting in his 40s. Outside of work and family, he enjoyed years of playing weekly poker games with his group, keeping track of the Royals (and before that the A’s), and post-retirement investing. He was preceded in death by his parents, his loving sister, Anita Kellmer, his beloved wife, Sara, and his youngest son, Michael. His memory lives on through his daughter, Arlene, and her husband Charles, his son Richard, and his wife Beth, and his six grandchildren, Mark, Kevin, Brian, Jill, Sara and Rachel and spouses, and his eight great grandchildren, Faith, Kate, Luke, Asher, Judah, Ezra, Carolina and Nathan. He will be missed dearly. The family would also like to acknowledge the great comfort and friendship provided by his closest friend, Cecilia, who was a significant part of his life through most of his retirement years. And we would also like to thank the nurses and other staff at The Atriums Assisted Living for the great care they always provided Barney. Individuals desiring to contribute in memory of Barney should do so to the organization of their choice. A private graveside service was held on April 18, 2021 at Kehilath Israel Cemetery in Independence, MO. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.louismemorialchapel.com (Arrangements entrusted to The Louis Memorial Chapel, 816-361-5211) THOMAS L DAVIDSON Thomas L Davidson was born in Des Moines, Iowa on July 15, 1931, to Rosiland and Hy Davidson. He was known

as Tom, Tommy, TD, Dad, Pop Pop and Poppa Tom. He was fond of saying, “Call me anything but late for dinner.” Tom was a devoted husband to his wife of 65 years, Lois. He always told everyone that the most important sale he ever made was convincing her, when she was 19 years old, to marry him and leave Beverly Hills to move to Kansas City. He loved his family, appreciated traveling/cruising around the world, and enjoyed spending winters in Palm Springs. He was passionate about playing golf and was an avid reader who often read two or three books at a time. He loved to tell a good story and enjoyed sharing a drink and a meal with family and friends. He was a runner in the 1960’s before it became a popular fitness craze, and was an active tennis player for 40 years. He had a regular lunch group every day of the week except Wednesday for over 30 years. If you wanted on his calendar, you knew to schedule on a Wednesday. His family moved to Kansas City in 1935 to help run Davidson’s Furniture on 12th and Grand Avenue. Tom graduated from Southwest High School in 1948 and from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania in 1952, where he was a member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. Tom eventually purchased Enterprise Wholesale Furniture Company, which transitioned into Davidson Furniture and Interiors. His final business venture was Davidson Archives. He conceived this idea and developed the business from the ground up in his furniture warehouse. He eventually built the company into a thriving archival storage facility, which Iron Mountain purchased from him in 2002. Tom never met a stranger, loved the art of selling and truly enjoyed people and being a part of the community in which he lived. He served on the boards of Bacchus Foundation, Central Industrial District of Kansas City, Civic National Bank, The Community Blood

Center of KC, The Jewish Community Center, The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, The Menorah Medical Center, The Merchants Bank, The Mercury Club, Oakwood Country Club, The Prairie Village Art Commission, The National Wholesale Furniture Association, Rockhurst College (Honorary Board Member), The Rotary Club of Downtown Kansas City, the Teel Institute, and the Truman Medical Center Behavioral Health Recovery Services. He was proud to have established the Davidson Interior Design Award, which honored an outstanding designer each year and funded an interior design course at the KCAI. He helped establish and then chaired the Prairie Village Art Fair for several years. And he was the board chairman of the Teel Institute, which focused on guiding educators in the area of teaching self-esteem. He was an active member of The International Wine and Food Society, The Kansas City Club, The Mercury Club, The New Reform Temple, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Society of Fellows, Oakwood Country Club, and The Rotary Club of Downtown Kansas City, and Tamarisk Country Club in Palm Springs, California. He leaves behind his loving wife Lois and his children Gregg Davidson (Sirenna), Andie Weisz (Keith) and Joy Davidson, and his grandchildren Annie Davidson, Ben Davidson, Allison Kipke and David Kipke. The family thanks everyone at Claridge Court Skilled Nursing for their outstanding care. Their devotion to Tom has meant a great deal to us. A private service will be held graveside but you can watch by requesting a link at this email address, zoom1@ louismemorial.com. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to The Rotary Youth Camp for the Disadvantaged and Disabled online at rotaryyouthcamp. org or by mailing a check to 22310 NE Colbern Road, Lee’s Summit, MO 64086, or any charity of your choice. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.louismemorialchapel.com. (Arr: The Louis Memorial Chapel 816-361-5211)

See ESTELLE, PAGE 16

Alberto Sonsol, 63, legendary Uruguayan sportscaster who once said ‘baruch Hashem’ on the air BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — Alberto Sonsol Cohen was one of the most popular sports commentators in Uruguay. For four decades he covered baseball games and soccer matches for some of the largest media outlets in the country, including the national broadcaster TNU. In 2018, Jews across the border in Argentina were disappointed during a soccer match when their country’s San Lorenzo squad nearly scored against the Uruguayan team Nacional — but likely got a kick from Sonsol’s call in Hebrew. “Nacional is spared, baruch Hashem ata adonai eloheinu melech haolam,” Sonsol screamed. “Ay, ay, we just passed Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. You can say it anyway you want to … Nacional is spared, baruch Hashem!” Sonsol, who died of COVID-19 on March 25 at the age of 63, was born in Montevideo in 1957 and educated at the Jewish Yavneh school. At 18 he spent a year in Israel on a Jewish identity-build-

ing program for future community leaders. Ten years later he returned to Israel and worked at the Argentine embassy in Tel Aviv and at a popular Argentine steakhouse before returning to Uruguay to launch his journalism career. In 2012, he anchored a soccer match in which his son Diego was playing. Sonsol was both loved and loathed for offering not just sports coverage but opinions. He also appeared on two popular television comedies that aired from a bar and a barber shop — local versions of Argentine shows created by the Jewish television producer Gerardo Sofovich. “I have worked with him since I was 15 years old … until now,” journalist Diego Jokas told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “He was a great journalist and a loyal friend, polemical, passionate and funny. Alberto always spoke with pride about Judaism, his experiences in Israel, even the day when he was working as a waiter and decided to be a sports announcer.”

Sonsol’s funeral procession on April 2 began at the Atenas Club, where Sonsol played basketball as a kid, and traveled past the stadium where the soccer giant Nacional de Montevideo played, before arriving for burial at the Jewish cemetery. The procession was carried live on television. Tributes to Sonsol were aired by two of the media outlets where he had worked,

the sports channel Tenfield and Channel 10, and a Zoom tribute was organized by the Macabi Tzair Zionist movement. A Montevideo bus line also placed one of his mottos during the pandemic, “people just want to live,” on signs in the buses as a tribute. Sonsol is survived by his wife, Patricia Datz, and sons Diego, Alejandro and Micaela.

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The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

April 22, 2021

obituaries ESTELLE GLATT SOSLAND Estelle Glatt Sosland died April 16, 2021, at the age of 95. She was born in Kansas City, MO on May 16, 1925, to the late Meyer and Bertha Glatt. Estelle graduated from Notre Dame de Sion in 1942 and then attended Smith College, where she graduated in 1946. Between her final exams and graduation, she married her lifelong love, Morton I. Sosland. They were married for nearly 73 years, until Morton’s passing in

2019. Estelle cared deeply about her community and gave her time to many charitable institutions. In the late 50’s and early 60’s she gave her time to what was then the Sales and Rental Department of The NelsonAtkins Museum of Art. The Sales and Rental allowed people to bring artworks into their homes for a small fee. This helped to support the museum and give the public access to enjoying works of art. Later she became a university trustee of the Nelson-Atkins and then became its first female chairman, serving proudly during the major renovation, which included the construction of the Bloch building. She and Morton were major benefactors of the museum, donating a

collection of their Native American art. In 2019, in honor of their dedication to the museum, the Hall Family Foundation commissioned the Andy Goldsworthy “Walking Wall.” Estelle served on the local board of Young Audiences and was then invited to become a member of its national board, where she also served for a number of years. She was also on the boards of the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Art Institute, the American Crafts Council, Menorah Medical Center, Sosland Family Foundation, the Oppenstein Brothers Foundation Disbursement Committee and the board of Sunset Hill School. In 2014, Mayor Sly James proclaimed September 19 Morton and Estelle Sosland day for their contributions to Kansas City.

Estelle was known for her kind, thoughtful and generous nature by many who knew her. She will be remembered as the loving mother of Amy Sosland Brown (1948-2019), Elizabeth J. Sosland and Charles S. Sosland (Jeanne) and the adoring grandmother of Andrew Russell Brown (Kate), Meyer Joseph (Mindy), Sarah (Benton), and Sophie Ann (Ryan) and seven great grandchildren. The family requests no flowers. Donations may be made to Young Audiences or the Kansas City Symphony. Private family services will be held at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. To watch graveside services please email zoom2@louismemorial.com for Zoom information. (Arr: The Louis Memorial Chapel 816-361-5211)

Is your name on this list? Your Jewish roots might be in Cairo, Baghdad or nearby

curiosity, and some research, I had finally made a genealogical breakthrough. Rosen-Koenigsbuch started on In the late 1800s, the Ottoman Emthe surnames project while doing pire was looking to conscript men into his own genealogical research. But its army, including the several thousand his family is not from the Middle young Jewish ones who were living in the East; they’re from Poland. city of Baghdad. “My parents were Holocaust The Jewish community didn’t like the survivors,” he said. “And they idea of the imperial forces taking away its didn’t speak. My father was comyoung men, so it arranged to pay authorities for exemptions. Rabbi Shlomo Bekpletely silent.” To learn anything about his hor Husin of Baghdad documented the family’s past, he had to dig. exemptions, carefully jotting each down He discovered elaborate family name in medieval Rashi script. connections and eventually gave In the following decades, many of those lectures on his findings. Audience names vanished or morphed as the Jews members with Mizrahi heritage living there dispersed across the globe. would approach him and they But the lists survived and now are housed tended to have a certain reaction. at the National Library of Israel in Jeru“I would hear this mantra,” he salem — if you’re willing to deal with the said. “We don’t know anything microfilm format on which they are preabout our families because we left served. Egypt or Syria or Iraq in a hurry. Retired Israeli diplomat and indepenWe left everything behind and the dent researcher Jacob Rosen-Koenigsarchives are closed. We came out buch has squinted to read and translate alive from those countries, but the every single one of the nearly 3,500 names documents are not with us. In Euon Husin’s lists. And the lists are just one of the dozens of idiosyncratic sources rope, most of the Jews were annithat Rosen-Koenigsbuch has consulted in A scanned page of the list of Baghdadi Jewish men exempt from Ottoman military service hilated but the archives are open.’” his years-long hunt for lost Jewish family published by Rabbi Shlomo Bekhor Husin in 1892 and archived at the National Library of Israel Rosen-Koenigsbuch, who names. served as Israel’s ambassador to in Jerusalem. (Jacob Rosen-Koenigsbuch) Rosen-Koenigsbuch, 73, has published Jordan from 2006 to 2009, had the the world’s most complete lists of Jewish sur- Koenigsbuch’s list. But I did find a “Shellu,” and it geographic interest and some of the linguistic names from the cities of Baghdad, Damascus, Cai- felt close enough. Maybe, I thought, that was just knowledge to find out what kind of information how he had transliterated a name that could be might still exist despite the lacunae. ro and — as of this week — Alexandria. He decided to focus on surnames and found (Next up are probably Basra, Mosul and Erbil, spelled out any number of ways. “One of the biggest problems in this work thousands of them in historic newspapers, busihe said.) The four lists have been combined by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency into this searchable is transliteration,” Rosen-Koenigsbuch said on ness directories, a circumcision registry, court redatabase. (If you know your name belongs but phone from Jerusalem as he began to confirm my cords, previously published research and through isn’t there, email Rosen-Koenigsbuch, who’s al- inkling. “There are different ways to pronounce the help of social media groups dedicated to the the names and different ways to spell them.” various Jewish diasporas. ways making additions and corrections.) I asked him where he had found “Shellu.” He None of these sources are comprehensive. Your Before I spotted Rosen-Koenigsbuch’s research on the internet, I had only once ever seen a writ- pulled up his sources and quickly told me that family was more likely to be mentioned someten reference to my family’s original Baghdadi the name appeared three times. First, he told me where, for example, if you donated money or if last name. The generically Israeli sounding “Sha- about Husin’s Ottoman exemptions, and among you sent your kids to Jewish schools. “There are many limitations, but we have to try lev” was “Shaloo” until my grandfather changed them was a young lad with the name spelled “shinit upon moving from Iraq to Israel in 1951. An act lamed-vav.” Shellu. Shaloo. Shalev. Bingo. This to gather the history because we still have among us people in their 70s, early 80s and in 10 years of assimilation, the switch was easy because “Sha- could be a forgotten ancestor. Then, he said the name appeared twice in a 1950 there will be no one to talk to,” Rosen-Koenigsbulev” and “Shaloo” are spelled the same in Hebrew script: shin-lamed-vav. The letter “vav” is capable registry from Iraq. This was a list of people whose ch said. “If we will not hurry they will be gone. It’s citizenship was revoked during the Iraqi Jewish a very important message to encourage people to of making both an “oo” sound and a “v” sound. I searched and found no “Shaloo” on Rosen- exodus — definitely my ancestors. After years of start thinking about this.” By Asaf Shalev JTA