More than 230 members of the Kansas City Jewish community — mostly teen religious school students and their families — attended the Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. exhibit at Union Station last week.
Seven congregations were involved with this event: The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah; Congregation Beth Shalom; Congregation Beth Torah; Congregation Beth Israel Abraham & Voliner; The New Reform Temple; Congregation Kol Ami; and Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation.
The visit was aimed toward seventh- to 12th grade students across the greater Kansas City community, according to Rabbi Josh Leighton, Rabbinical Association liaison to the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. When the Auschwitz exhibit came to Union Station, Rabbi Leighton was invited to participate in its opening night.
“During that event, we realized that [this exhibit] is something we needed to expose our teens to,” Rabbi Leighton said. Following the opening, Rabbi Leighton (a rabbi at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah), looped in B’nai Jehudah’s director of education, Dayna Gershon, and connected with MCHE Executive Director Jessica Rockhold and MCHE Director of Education Dr. Shelly Cline. The idea was brought to meetings with area educators, and the Auschwitz exhibition teen visit was planned as a community event.
After an introduction at the event, it was acknowledged that the visit was occurring on the third anniversary of the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “It was a meaningful coincidence,” Rabbi Leighton said.
“It was abundantly clear that it was a powerful and moving experience for the students, their parents and the extended family they brought with them,” Rabbi Leighton said. “Even for those who have learned about or have visited other Holocaust museums or concentration camps, being able to come together as a community and being able to experience it together was a very powerful moment.”
Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. runs until January 2022 at Union Station.