Congregation Beth Torah President Linda Zappulla announced to members late last week that due to budgetary considerations the Reform congregation will eliminate the position of rabbi educator when Rabbi Rebecca Reice’s four-year contract expires on June 30, 2016.
Tamir Movshovitz is brave. The Israeli soldier who was wounded in March unquestionably exhibits both courage and courageous endurance, traits he has shown on more than one occasion. Most recently he returned to the front lines to serve with his fellow soldiers and buddies during Operation Protective Edge this summer before the wounds he suffered months earlier had healed. He came to Kansas City last month to continue the healing process and receive treatment from a world-renown local Jewish doctor who happens to be a family friend.
The Kinnor Philharmonic Orchestra will be partnering with Jewish Family Services to warm both body and the soul this New Year’s Day. The annual Kinnor New Year’s concert will be held at 3 p.m. on Jan. 1 at Congregation Beth Torah. All participants are encouraged to bring cans of soup to be donated to the JFS Food Pantry, so those in need in our community can have a warm meal this winter.
STOP. DROP. SPIN. — On Sunday, in celebration of the Jewish Community Center’s 100th birthday and in anticipation of Hanukkah, The J set out to break the world record for spinning the most dreidels simultaneously. The old record was 749 dreidels set by Binghamton University’s Chabad. In what The J officials chose to call Guinness “Berg” style, they estimate approximately 850 people in various rooms at the Jewish Community Campus as well as nearby Village Shalom decided to stop, drop and spin at 6 p.m. Regardless of whether or not a new world’s record was set, people of all ages took part in carnival games, fitness and sports activities and art projects before the big event. People also enjoy schmoozing with old and new friends. It was easy to see a fun time was had by all!
As a native New Yorker — where there are Jews and Judaism everywhere you turn — Ellen Kort wasn’t much interested in Jewish community. After the Lawrence Jewish Community Center welcomed her with open arms in 1976, her eyes were opened to just how important such a community really is.
It’s been a dark year for Kansas Jews in more ways than one, and Chabad wants to bring a little light into it. As has been its custom over the past several years, Chabad of Kansas will bring the Festival of Lights to the people of the state of Kansas and this year, for the second year in a row, the event will take place in the Rotunda at the Kansas State Capitol. It happens on the first night of Hanukkah, Tuesday, Dec. 16.
On one side of the room Jack Nicholson is talking to Warren Beatty. On the other side Steven McQueen shares a secret with Ali McGraw while Woody Allen has a sneezing fit. This is an “A List” party, filled with Hollywood’s rich and powerful. Now the Unicorn Theatre is inviting the Kansas City community to an intimate view of one of these parties, thanks to its new show “I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers.”
“Gluten Free Around the World” by Aviva Kanoff. (Brio Books, November 2014)
Aviva Kanoff has been described as “the Indiana Jones of cooking,” and the subtitle of this book is “a journey of food, travel and extraordinary adventure.” She is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and has worked as a chef, painter, and photographer.
FIGHTING CANCER ONE BEARD AT A TIME — HBHA senior Joel Gutovitz has launched a novel way to collect money to fund research for several different kinds of cancers. He feels “personally obligated to eliminate” cancer for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that both of his grandfathers died from cancer. His zayde, Abe Gutovitz, fought lung cancer, while just last year his maternal grandpa, Sylvester Sher, battled colon cancer.
Local author, former teacher and businessman John Shuchart has found success in many areas of his life, but amid the high points has been a deep, underlying sadness. Shuchart has suffered from depression for most of his lifetime but has found a way to cope by focusing on the lighter side of everything that weighs him down. Humor and laughter have become his rescuers.
