Congregation Beth Torah’s tenth grade confirmation class was supposed to go on a confirmation trip to Washington D.C. in January.
The group would have had the opportunity to research and talk to elected officials about a topic of their choosing. Due to COVID, their trip was canceled, but their Rabbi, Monica Kleinman, made sure that her students would still get an opportunity to make an impact.
On March 28, confirmands met with the Alliance For A Healthy Kansas to talk about healthcare expansion and planning a trip to Topeka. For them, it was an opportunity to learn about the healthcare system and go to the Kansas State Capitol.
The class and Rabbi Kleinman agreed that it was important that they do something that would impact the community while enhancing learning. Working with the Alliance allowed the confirmands to learn about the healthcare system and its problems, and they got to lobby alongside adults and an organization that can make a difference.
Jewish teachings put a lot of emphasis on taking care of the community. While talking to Dinah Sykes, Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate, student Arlo Hennecke, age 16, said, “Jewish teaching states that to save one life is to save the whole world, and that's why this is important to us as Jews.”
During the meeting with Senator Sykes, she mentioned how youth are the future. She explained how officials have to pay attention because the young people who are watching are going to be their voters one day, and if they don’t pay attention to their future constituents, they won’t get their votes.
“As someone who wants to be a nurse and work in healthcare, I want to help people — not manage a waiting room of people who I could be helping if they had access to healthcare,” said student Bella Stowe, 16. “If I can’t do that in Kansas, then I won’t stay.”
Because of the Alliance, the group was able to pose for a picture with Governor Laura Kelly. This was an opportunity to show the highest official in Kansas that Jewish young adults care about the health and future of Kansas citizens.
The class ended their trip with a private tour of the Kansas Supreme Court with Justice (and Congregation Beth Torah member) Melissa Standridge. She spoke about the role the Kansas Supreme Court plays in enforcing and upholding the laws that the legislative arm of government plays. In the course of a day, the class met with representatives from all three branches of government — not something they could have done during their trip to Washington D.C.
“We are more educated Jews and Kansans thanks to this experience,” Stowe said.
Congregation Beth Torah will celebrate Confirmation on Saturday, June 4, at its Erev Shavuot service at 6:30 p.m. The community is invited to celebrate this occasion in person or virtually on the congregation’s website or Facebook page.
By Bella Stowe, confirmand