I want to express my appreciation for your article, “Where Arks Once Stood.” Your writing stirred many meaningful memories from my years growing up in Kansas City.
My family lived at 3220 Woodland, next door to Mrs. Bratt, grandmother of Rickie Haith (Bratt), who was a devoted supporter of the Voliner Shul. I also remember my bar mitzvah at the Beth HaMidrash HaGadol Synagogue on Linwood Blvd. and Highland St. across from Linwood Elementary School and just a block from the JCC. Both buildings no longer exist except in memory. These landmarks shaped my early life, and your article captured their spirit beautifully.
In addition, it’s important to remember other Jews who made a difference: Rabbi Yehudah Braver was invited to become chief rabbi of the United Orthodox Synagogues of Kansas City, Missouri, a confederation of nine shuls. He revitalized the Mizrachi Organization, and in 1935 he founded the Midwest Yehivah–Yeshivah Toras Moshe, located on 34th and Paseo across from Congregation Beth Shalom. I was a student there. I remember many of these early pioneers: Saul Kleinman, Mr. Beiderman (shamash at Beth HaMidrash HaGadol) and Irving Levitas, who taught many of the young Jews of the neighborhood. Although based at B’nai Jehudah, he taught classes at Teferes Israel at 35th Street.
As a side note, B’nai Jehudah was known locally as the “German Temple.” Rabbi Tibor Stern was another giant in the Jewish community.
Your article brought that entire world back to me and your article captured their spirit beautifully. Thank you again for writing this thoughtful work and for helping preserve the memories of a special place and time.
Dr. Harold Koch grew up in Kansas City and now lives in Denver, Colorado.