Community News

Mark your calendar and save the date for this year’s annual community Selichot service on August 28 at Congregation Beth Torah. The program will be offered in-person and available to view virtually.

Today’s high school students are tomorrow’s Jewish leaders. Unfortunately, it is also true that Jewish high school students in Kansas City encounter antisemitism on a disturbingly regular basis in their schools. By bringing AJC’s Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) program to Kansas City, JCRB|AJC works to ensure that young Jews in Kansas City will be informed, prepared, and effective advocates for the Jewish people and for themselves.

Registration will begin at the end of July for this year’s Day of Discovery. The event is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. August 22.

TEACHER RECOGNITION

When Shawnee, Kansas, Mayor Michelle Distler put out a call for residents to nominate teachers who stood out during this pandemic year, parents gave a big thumbs up to Vicki Widman, a member of the local Jewish community.

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City (“The J”) is excited to partner with the Kansas City Royals to present Jewish Community Night at Kauffman Stadium on July 28. The game begins at 7:10 pm versus the Chicago White Sox.

It can be unsettling to think that the person sitting next to you in the classroom is doing so on an empty stomach – not because they chose to skip breakfast or lunch, but because they simply didn’t have enough food to eat.

Do you know someone considering conversion to Judaism and seeking a comfortable forum to learn more about the fundamentals of Jewish thought and practice? Interested candidates are asked to contact the Rabbinical Association to learn how they can register to participate in this year’s community-wide course, “Judaism for Conversion Candidates” which begins August 19.

The Jewish Community Foundation recently brought together community leaders for “A New Take on the Positivity Rate,” the latest installment of its Parking Lot Lunch series. Professionals from local Jewish community organizations were invited to reconnect, network, and share positive personal and professional outcomes of the pandemic. The event, which took place outside in the Dan Fingersh Memorial Garden of Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, was the Foundation’s first in-person program since March of 2020.

Four years at KU Hillel wasn’t enough for Ally Fabes. When she was hired last year as an Engagement Associate, she found it incredibly fulfilling to come back to the nest. Now, Fabes takes on a new role at KU Hillel: Program Director.

This year’s community Tisha B’Av observances will include a virtual discussion at 4 p.m., July 18 titled From Destruction to Redemption: Personal Stories of Addiction and Recovery. It will be hosted by the Rabbinical Association and Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City.