Last month, I was honored to travel on a mission with nine other Kansas City Jewish Federation Israel & Overseas Committee members and leaders to Eastern Europe. It was an unforgettable journey, where we saw some of the projects that our Federation funds in partnership with the JDC (American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee) and JAFI (The Jewish Agency for Israel). We also experienced a Jewish renaissance in two former communist countries that were also devastated by the Holocaust. Along the way we did a little sightseeing and viewed some of the most beautiful synagogues in the world. This trip was a very emotional and eye-opening experience.
We arrived in the beautiful city of Budapest, Hungary, on June 8. Many were tired from traveling overnight, but excited to start our journey into Eastern European Jewish life. The first event was a special outdoor happening called Judafest. It is a major gathering of the local Jewish community held in the area that was Budapest’s Jewish Ghetto during World War II. Judafest- is a colorful street fair with children’s activities, artists, musicians and of course, great food.
The history of Jewish Budapest is a very sad one. There were approximately 1 million Jews living in Hungary before the Second World War and 60 to 70 percent were murdered in less than a year. During the next 45 years, the Jews were under a repressive communist rule, where they could not practice their religion. This made the Judafest experience, something that we in Kansas City take for granted, a most impressive program, attracting over 9,000 people, many of whom were not Jewish!
The Budapest Jewish community has many stories to be told; most important were those of Holocaust survivors. After World War II, many survivors left for Israel, the United States or other countries. But most of the Hungarian Jews stayed in Hungary. It wasn’t until end of communist rule that the Jews finally came out of hiding.
So many of the young people we met never even knew they were Jewish until they were in their teens. Many discovered their religious identity by chance or when the family decided to share their history. Some who attended the Lauder/JDC Szarvas summer camp wondered why they were sent to a “Jewish” camp. Everyone’s story is different but in other ways very similar. Many of the youth that went to Jewish camps, returned home with such excitement that they asked their parents to connect with the Jewish community. Many of them are now the leaders of the Jewish community!
After two full days in Budapest, we headed for Bucharest, Romania, to see projects that our Jewish Federation funds and meet the people who help run these programs. It was very special to experience Jewish life in Romania and thrilling to see how our money is being used to strengthen the Jewish community.
Probably most exciting is the Jewish Community Center, which the Kansas City Jewish Federation has been supporting over the years, helping to make this center a reality. Opened in 2007, JCC Bucharest has become the center of Jewish life. Once we entered the JCC, we were amazed at the vibrant atmosphere. We enjoyed a talent show featuring children and adults, saw large groups of the seniors having a variety of activities and young girls being interviewed about a book they helped to write at the JCC’s radio station. The visit was capped off with a fun night of entertainment called the Hamsa Festival. During this festival, local talent presented musical and dance numbers to a standing-room only crowd. It was lively from start to finish. Jessica Rudnick Kaseff, chairperson of the Jewish Federation’s Israel & Overseas Committee, was presented with a plaque expressing appreciation for Kansas City’s support of the Romanian Jewish community. Adi Gueron, JCC director, and his staff have done a spectacular job of organizing and running the Center.
Another special experience was Dalia Golda’s Gan Eden kindergarten. It had been a dream of Dalia’s to establish a Jewish preschool. No one believed that there were enough children to fill a class. So she invested her own money and we witnessed another dream come true as 40 enthusiastic children greeted us. They danced, sang and played with us. Gan Eden has been so successful that it has to move into a bigger building next year!
Our next stop was the Medicina de Familie, another project that is very important to our Federation. This clinic treats Jewish patients who cannot afford basic medical care. Our Federation provides the funds for children’s medicine. The clinic also oversees the Rosen Old Age Home as well as homebound elderly. We toured the clinic and made home visits to meet some of the elderly patients as well as families in need.
During our visit, we had the great honor of meeting with the Israeli Ambassador to Romania Dan Ben-Eliezer. The ambassador is a gracious man who has a long list of accomplishments.
After meeting Ambassador Ben-Eliezer, we headed to the Rosen Old Age Home. This was one place that we had heard about before our trip and were looking forward to our visit. The Federation has been supporting the facility for many years, including remodeling a very outdated kitchen in 2001. We were also very impressed with a major renovation of the third floor that is costing nearly $1 million, much of it provided by a grant from the European Union, due to the excellent reputation of the facility. Walking around and meeting the residents was a highlight for most of us. Touching these people’s lives, even for just a few minutes, was very special for them and us. The stories they told us brightened our day and we in turn brightened theirs with hugs, kisses and just holding their hands.
One of the women we met now has a history with the KC Jewish Community and The Jewish Chronicle. We met Sybil Sylvian, whose picture was featured on the cover of The Chronicle in January as part of a story about the KU Hillel European Leadership Mission. That article recounted that when Stephanie Pollack was walking through the facility, Sybil approached her and said that she looked just like her granddaughter in America. Following a lengthy conversation, Stephanie and Sybil have begun a wonderful friendship. Sybil now not only has a special relationship with a KU graduate (Stephanie), she also feels connected to the entire Kansas City Jewish community!
The last leg of our journey took us to the city of Brasov, which is in the mountainous area of Romania, three hours from Bucharest. There is a small but active Jewish community in Brasov with a beautiful synagogue. We spent Shabbat with the people of Brasov, who welcomed us with open arms.
Our Mission was an amazing experience. We met the people, bonded with them and saw what great things they are doing to rebuild their communities. It was an important reminder that the money we donate to the Jewish Federation not only sustains the Jewish community in Kansas City, but also helps emerging Jewish communities throughout the world. Our special relationship with Romania gives us a unique view of what is happening in Eastern Europe, and we should all be proud that we are playing a role in this miraculous renaissance. Your Jewish Federation and the JDC are doing great things and I hope that this article helps you understand why so many of us are so passionate about the work of the Jewish Federation. But mostly, I hope I opened your eyes to what we are doing in our partner communities. I know my eyes have been opened even wider and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.