Opinions

Over the years on more than one occasion my family and I had the great privilege of visiting the Beit Halochem Center in

Irresponsible comparison to Holocaust

On Saturday, Aug. 23, the New York Times published an ad signed by about 300 Holocaust survivors, their direct

Interfaith Council needs

to despise anti-Semitism

In response to the letter written by Sheila Sonnenschein and Rev. Mary McCoy of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council (Aug. 14), I wonder if it has also come to their attention that pogroms against Jews are

For decades, structures have existed that created and sustained Ferguson, Missouri’s, damaged relationship with its police. They have quietly worked their magic, and brought about the shooting of Michael Brown.

Israel is the victim

I can’t help but find a correlation between Muslim migration into Europe and other non-Muslim countries and the rising clamor of anti-Semitism in those countries. Hamas instigated violence in Gaza, knowingly using civilians as shields for their missiles, and there has been an outcry from around the world condemning Israel for protecting itself. It seems to me to be a well-orchestrated sequence of events where Hamas’ action and Israel’s reaction has resulted in certain sections of the world immediately pouncing on Israel rather than on the perpetrators. As Muslims get stronger in traditionally non-Muslim countries, I am very afraid that things will get worse, not just for Israel, but for Jews everywhere. Israel and Jewish communities around the world need to go on a massive public relations offensive to remind the world that Israel is the victim and not the world’s greatest enemy.

Shel Roufa

Leawood, Kan. 

Interfaith Council deplores anti-Muslim sentiment

It has come to the attention of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council that an official of the Kansas Republican 3rd Congressional District Committee recently issued a highly-prejudicial and inflammatory anti-Muslim statement on Twitter. As shocking as the tweet itself, the Kansas Republican Party has disavowed any responsibility for “public statements of private citizens” and has refused to issue an apology for the since-deleted tweet or to remove the official from his post, although the official himself has since resigned.

In these days of shootings and tension, both locally and internationally, there is no excuse for such irresponsible language and incitement, in particular from officials of civic and political organizations. Interfaith dialogue is important for the purpose of learning and healing. No “conversation” or communication against any religion is acceptable, as its only purpose is to spread hatred and misunderstanding.

The Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council deplores bigotry in all forms and calls on all citizens to always keep in mind how thoughtless language can lead to reckless behavior and to act with compassion in all communications and endeavors.

Sheila Sonnenschein, convener

Rev. Mary McCoy, co-convener

Greater Kansas City

 Interfaith Council

We had only been in Israel for eight hours, but I knew I was home.

We need to combat hate

Anti-Semitism is a worldwide problem that is getting worse, especially overseas. Our best protection is education, making living conditions better for others and swift eradication of extremist Islamic factions. We can

Are Jews the canary in Western Civilization’s cultural mine?

During my journey through life, as the years have rolled on, I have discovered that time flies even when you’re not having fun — and suddenly even a watershed event can sneak up on one, as it did me.

Why can’t Jews speak Hebrew?

How come so few Jews in North America know how to speak Hebrew?

Sure a lot of them know how to read Hebrew from Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and there is a flowery English translation in the prayer books. So why can’t Jews speak modern Hebrew?

Did the rabbis, who for years spend so much time repeating the same prayers over and over again, ever sit us down and explain to us the simple three consonant verb root system and the pattern of tenses? It can be done in 15 minutes! I had to learn it in a kibbutz ulpan.

Now the World Zionist Organization in cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Education is starting a program to get all the North American Jews to speak modern Hebrew. People cynically say “Good luck!”

It is said that the Jewish diaspora is weakening in a number of ways. There are a number of systems to learn Hebrew. “Repetition is the mother of learning.”

Hebrew is the glue that holds us together.

Probably more Arabs than North American Jews can speak Hebrew!

So, if the Jews are supposed to be so smart, how come we can’t speak our own language?

Joe Karbank

Overland Park, Kan.

Thank you from SAFEHOME

Thank you to the Flo Harris Foundation for continued funding of SAFEHOME’s Jewish Outreach Program for 2014-2015. SAFEHOME hired me 14 years ago as the Jewish Outreach program coordinator and volunteer manager. I am happy to say that providing Jewish outreach is still an important part of my SAFEHOME responsibility. Over these 14 years, a major shift occurred among our Jewish clergy in recognizing that domestic abuse can happen in their congregational families. It’s a positive change.

Never underestimate the power of knowledge. Emergency cards about our services appear in bathrooms throughout the Jewish Community Campus and in most of our community’s synagogues and temples thanks to dedicated volunteers. Several temples and shuls send groups to volunteer at SAFEHOME; these “mitzvah projects” always start with an informational talk before the actual volunteering.

Whether it’s speaking to a mitzvah group, or at a community function, it’s not uncommon for someone to pull me aside asking a “hypothetical question,” or to share a story of her (or his) own history with domestic violence. It still takes my breath away. Usually the person tells me about abuse that happened years ago, but never told anyone because of the fear of not being believed. That person knows I will, and I am grateful to represent SAFEHOME and be able to offer empathy, and resources when necessary. These stories are always hard to hear, but need to be shared; unfortunately this problem affects our community. Jewish tenets such as shalom bayit sometimes keep victims from seeking help. One ever-present goal is to remind individuals that it is the responsibility of each person in a relationship to create that “peace.”

Again, thank you to the Flo Harris Foundation for allowing SAFEHOME to sustain this education and connection to resources. Even after the “actual volunteering,” junior volunteers from the Jewish community who performed in “The Outrage” still give back by spreading their knowledge regarding healthy relationships and dating violence. The bottom line is, you just never know when the knowledge you share will help someone else — perhaps even save a life — and as written in Talmud, “… whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.” 

SAFEHOME remains dedicated to serving victims of domestic violence in the Jewish Community through outreach counseling, legal assistance, advocacy and shelter (kosher food upon request). All services are free and confidential; call the hotline for any question or concern, 913-262-2868. If you’re interested in volunteering for this program, contact me at 913-378-1518 or .

Susan Lebovitz

SAFEHOME

Jewish Outreach Program Coordinator

Be an informed voter

Are you concerned that Kansas schools have been underfunded? Are you upset that the Overland Park City Council (and other cities) had to repeal its ban on the open carry of guns in the city because of laws passed in Topeka? Do you want the legislature to try to pass another version of the discrimination bill that would have allowed people (including police and protective services, etc.) to refuse to provide services if it would be contrary to their sincerely held religious beliefs (e.g. to someone who was gay)? These are only a few of the issues at stake in the Aug. 5 primary and Nov. 4 general election.

First, go to jocoelection.org to lookup your elected officials. Look at the sample ballot for the Aug. 5 primary. Then go to the non-partisan site votesmart.org to see the key votes of YOUR Kansas representative. Did (s)he support HB 2453 (discrimination)? HB 2473 (guns)? HB 2506 (school funding bill that did not restore all the funding lost to public schools in recent years, just shifted it around but DID give corporations tax breaks for contributions to private school scholarship funds and removed teachers’ due process rights.).

Be an informed voter! Don’t sit out the primary or the general election because YOUR VOTE MATTERS. Kansas is at risk if “good people do nothing.”

Alice J. Capson

Overland Park, Kan.