Todd Stettner’s interest in the Civil War began when he was a teenager, after reading historian Bruce Catton’s trilogy on the conflict. Decades later, that interest has led him to battlefields across the country and to a presentation exploring the experiences of Jews who served during the Civil War.
In recognition of Veterans Day, Stettner will present “Soldiers, Sailors and Spies in Blue and Gray” on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in Room A at the Olathe Community Center. The event is hosted by Chabad of Olathe.
Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with cocktails and light refreshments served, and the presentation begins at 7:15 p.m. Registration is available at jewisholathe.org/presentation.
The presentation will explore the stories of individual Jewish soldiers, sailors and spies who served on both sides of the conflict, including why they fought, where they served and the sacrifices they made.
Stettner joined the Civil War Roundtable of Kansas City several years ago and currently serves on its board. His interest in the role of Jews during the Civil War began in 2013, when he was asked to give a presentation at a Jewish Community Center event titled “Jews and the Civil War.”
Research for that presentation led Stettner to explore lesser-known stories from the period, including that of Judah P. Benjamin, a Jewish politician who served as Secretary of State of the Confederacy. His research also prompted a new interest in Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and General Order No. 11, which expelled Jews as a class from parts of Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky during the Civil War. Stettner is currently preparing a presentation on the subject.
Stettner was president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Kansas City from 1999 to 2016, when he retired from Frederation and became a consultant to nonprofit organizations.
Stettner currently serves on the board of Village Shalom and is a mentor and coach in the Master of Arts program at Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, a role he began in 2019.
