Former Kansas Citian Abe Meth, who at 103 is the oldest congregant at Temple Beth Shalom in Sun City, Arizona, read from the Megillah, the biblical story of Esther at the congregation’s Purim Celebration on March 25. Larry Gorelick, ritual coordinator is to his left. Meth also read the Megillah at Beth El Congregation’s Purim celebration on March 23. (The photo was originally published in Jewish News in Phoenix.) Photo courtesy of Marsha Gratz 

REMARKABLE AT 103 —Jackie Strauss recently visited with Abe Meth in Arizona and said, “It’s quite remarkable that Abe Meth is still the vivacious dynamo that he has been for many years.”

 

A Holocaust survivor, Meth moved to Kansas City from Hungary in 1948 and lived here until the mid-70s, when he moved to Arizona. While he lived here, Meth served in many capacities at Congregation Beth Shalom.

Strauss reports that Meth remains very active in his community, regularly reads the Torah on Shabbat, can recite Hebrew passages from memory and recently wrote and published a book entitled “From Servitude to Freedom” about his experiences during World War II.

Strauss’ friendship with Meth goes back about 60 years, beginning while she was a student at Beth Shalom. 

“It was delightful to be able to visit with him in Arizona and reminisce about shared experiences many years ago when we lived in Kansas City,” she said.  

Bill Mendel (left) and Larry Bigus recently came in fourth place in the Challenger Fleet of the 2016 Flying Scot Mid Winter Championship held in Panama City, Florida.

FEDERATION RAISING DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDS — Earlier this month Ecuador and Houston had devastating natural disasters impacting their Jewish communities.

Ecuador faced two major earthquakes leaving more than 500 people dead, 100 missing and over 4,600 people injured — 23,500 people are sleeping in shelters and facing homelessness.

Residents in Houston are cleaning up the wreckage of catastrophic flooding killing seven people, flooding more than 1,000 homes, and causing more than $5 billion in damage. The Houston area received more than 18 inches of rain in less than 24 hours, bringing life in Jewish communities to a standstill. 

The Jewish Federations of North America and overseas partner the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee are asking Jewish communities all over the world to help “repair the world.” One hundred percent of funds raised will help provide immediate assistance to those affected by these disasters. Visit the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s website, www.jewishkansascity.org, to make a donation. You may also donate via phone by contacting Derek Gale, financial resource development director, at 913-327-8123, or donate via mail by sending a check to Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, 5801 W. 115 Street, Suite 201, Overland Park, KS 66211, Attn: Disaster Relief 2016. Please specify how to apply your gift as well (Houston Flood Relief Fund, Ecuador Earthquake Relief Fund or both).