Day of Discovery: 2021 Virtual Event Schedule

Jessica Rockhold, Executive Director, Midwest Center for Holocaust Education

Auschwitz has become the international symbol of the Holocaust. It represents the peak of efficiency in the Nazi killing process in pursuit of what they called the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question.” It also represents the evolution of Nazi policy toward the Jews and others deemed unworthy by the Nazi state – a process that historian Raul Hilberg described as beginning with mild actions and ending in drastic measures. This session explores the topic as it is presented in the international exhibition “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away.”

Biography:

Jessica Rockhold, Executive Director of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. Jessica earned degrees in Modern European History and in Museum Studies with an emphasis in Holocaust History from the University of Kansas. She served as the research assistant to the Senior Historian of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum before joining the staff of MCHE in June 2003. At MCHE she served as the Director of Education and the Associate Director before being named Executive Director in 2020.

Rabbi Monica Kleinman, Director of Lifelong Learning, Congregation Beth Torah

In 1655 under Oliver Cromwell, Jews were once again permitted to reside in England after a 400-year absence. This decision was made only after much discussion by various stakeholders. Join Rabbi Kleinman to learn about these various interest groups and whether or not they supported the readmission of Jews to the Commonwealth.

Biography:

Rabbi Monica Kleinman has been the Director of Lifelong Learning at Congregation Beth Torah since 2017. Originally from Wisconsin, she is an alumna of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, HUC-JIR, and Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is married to Rabbi Jon Kleinman and the two are parents to Jacob.

Rukhl Schaechter, Editor, Yiddish Forward

Yiddish as it was spoken by Jews in Eastern Europe was peppered with irony and a nuanced understanding of the way people relate to each other, warts and all. Join this class to learn a number of these expressions and examples of when to use them.

Biography:

Rukhl Schaechter is the editor of the Yiddish Forward (www.forward.com/yiddish), which posts daily news briefs about Yiddish-related events, books and CDs, and also produces Yiddish cooking shows with English subtitles and the YouTube series, "Yiddish Word of the Day."

Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi, Director, Vaad HaKashurth of Kansas City

Most of our relationship with food is limited to its retail presentation. How our food is commercially manufactured, and what aspects of the manufacturing necessitate kosher oversight, will be broadly discussed. A few case studies will be presented to better understand the nature of kosher certification.

Biography:

Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi is the director of the Vaad HaKashruth of Kansas City. Together with the small staff at the Vaad, Rabbi Mizrahi works with numerous manufacturers in Kansas and Missouri, providing kosher certification services to businesses and local caterers.

Leonard Zeskind, Founder, Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights

On January 6 an insurrectionary mob invaded Congress, committed alleged crimes and held Congress in abeyance for several hours. Afterwards, the Justice Department stepped up and arrested more than 300 participants, including several from the Kansas City area. While the arrests have stymied one set of racist, anti-Semitic organizations, others have stepped up and grown more dangerous. What are the facts on the ground?

Biography:

Leonard Zeskind has been directly involved in the fight against white supremacy and anti-Semitism for more than 40 years. He has organized family farmers, helped create new organizations in Montana, Oregon and Washington State, and educated people in every State of the Union. He wrote Blood and Politics: The History of the White Nationalist Movement from the Margins to the Mainstream, and much more. Zeskind founded the Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights, www.IREHR.org, in 1983.

Lara Steinel, Music Director, Congregation Kol Ami

What better way to prepare for the High Holy Days than to begin meditating? Participate in several meditations, each with a High Holy Day theme. Experience the breath’s importance to meditation and learn why thoughts are valued, along with different meditation approaches and best practices. Beginning and experienced meditators welcome!

Biography:

Lara Steinel is the music director for Congregation Kol Ami in Kansas City, MO. She has meditated daily since October 10, 1999 and leads monthly Jewish meditation sessions at Kol Ami with a variety of focuses including gratitude, eating with kavanah, music, light, lovingkindness, the Psalms, Shabbat, the five senses and others.

Abby Magariel, Educator/Curator, Michael Klein Collection, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

Explore the beauty of objects and artwork created to mark the High Holidays. All works featured in the program are part of the Klein Collection at The Temple, Congregation B'nai Jehudah.

Biography:

Abby Magariel is a Kansas City area native and has worked in museum education since 2007. She joined B’nai Jehudah in July 2019 as Educator/Curator of the Klein Collection, where she incorporates the collection into life and learning at the synagogue. Abby lives in Prairie Village with her husband David and two sons, Ari and Ezra.

Sondra Wallace, MSEd JFS Mental Health Coalition & YouBeYou Coordinator

The single most important factor in promoting mental, emotional and behavioral well-being in children is having a safe, stable and nurturing relationship with a mother, father, or primary caregiver. Join us to learn more about how preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can help all children and their families reach their full potential.

Biography:

Sondra Wallace is the Greater KC Mental Health Coalition and YouBeYou Youth Programming Coordinator for Jewish Family Services. Prior to joining the JFS team, Sondra had 20 years of experience in the educational community throughout Kansas City and is currently the Chair for the Johnson County Suicide Prevention Coalition.

Rabbi Mark H. Levin, DHL, Founding Rabbi, Congregation Beth Torah

The Haggadah gives us what many Jews find is the most meaningful service of the Jewish year. Because it is a home ceremony, it is also the most open, celebrated and varied. Ninety percent of American Jews have some sort of Seder. Despite the fact that the Haggadah developed over many centuries, it has an intelligible order that adds to its meaning. In addition, it is the greatest source of Jewish art through the centuries. We will examine the Seder’s meaning and some of its most beautiful medieval art.

Biography:

Rabbi Mark H. Levin is the Founding Rabbi of Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park. He was ordained in 1976 by the Hebrew Union College (Cincinnati) and holds a doctorate in Jewish liturgy and rabbinics (HUC-JIR, New York, 2001). He has served as a congregational rabbi in greater Kansas City for 45 years. He is the author of Praying the Bible, Jewish Lights, 2015.

Cancelled

Rabbi Sarah Smiley, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

June 2022 will be the 50-year celebration of the ordination of Rabbi Sally Priesand, the first woman to be ordained a rabbi in the United States. Looking at important women in our textual tradition and the history of women in the rabbinate, we will examine how having women's voices in our midst has impacted our Jewish community.

Biography:

Rabbi Sarah Smiley was ordained from the Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2010. She spent the first year of her rabbinate serving as the Director of Religious Life at The Ohio State University Hillel. In 2011 Rabbi Smiley moved to New Jersey to serve Temple Emanu-El of Westfield. There she was a rabbi-educator, director of youth engagement and associate rabbi. In 2018 Rabbi Smiley joined The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah in Overland Park, KS as a congregational rabbi. Rabbi Smiley and her husband Rabbi Josh Leighton live in Overland Park with their daughter Eliana.

Dr. Shelly Cline, Historian and Director of Education, Midwest Center for Holocaust Education

Holocaust history raises important questions about what Europeans could have done to stop the rise of Nazism in Germany and its assault on Europe’s Jews. Questions must also be asked about the responsibility of the international community, including the U.S. What did the American people know about the treatment and fate of Europe’s Jews? What responses were possible? This talk will also discuss the priorities for Americans during the 1930s and 1940s and the U.S. role in the liberation of Europe.

Biography:

Dr. Shelly Cline is the Historian and Director of Education at the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. Her research focuses on the SS Aufseherinnen in the concentration camp system and the gendered perpetration of the Holocaust. Her research has been supported by grants from the University of Kansas and Universität Hamburg. Cline has been an instructor in the KU Humanities Program and Jewish Studies Program. She also served on the faculties of the Kansas City Art Institute and University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Rabbi Mark Glass, Congregation Beth Israel Abraham Volineer

Ever since the polio vaccine, rabbinic literature has discussed whether or not there is an obligation to get vaccines. This session will apply that literature to the COVID vaccine and explore how Jewish law reflects a fundamentally different vision of society than the Western world.

Biography:

Rabbi Mark Glass, a native of Manchester, England, is the Rabbi of Congregation BIAV.

He received his BA in Philosophy, MA in Jewish Philosophy, and Semikhah at Yeshiva University and spent over two years learning in Yeshivat Hakotel in Jerusalem. He was the rabbi of the Adams Street Shul in Newton, MA, from 2017–2020, and was a Judaic Studies teacher at Maimonides School.

Dan Margolies, Senior Reporter and Editor, KCUR-FM Public Radio

It has been 260 years since the death of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hassidism, which had a major impact on the trajectory of Jewish history. Who was the Baal Shem Tov and what did he preach? What were the historical circumstances that led to his rise? And how was he able to exert such a powerful and lasting influence on the followers of Hassidism?

Biography:

Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR-FM, a Kansas City public radio station. Before that, he was a reporter with the Kansas City Business Journal, The Kansas City Star and Reuters.

Mark Nanos, Ph.D. (University of St. Andrews) Lund University, Sweden

Christian theologians traditionally use evidence from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians to develop perspectives on Jews and Judaism. Their deductions, often negative, generally fail to take into account the language’s contextual nature. Re-reading Paul's polemical accusations within the fascinating ‘evil eye’ culture of his time (ours too) challenges several of those interpretations and provides more historically probable and inter-communally respectful possibilities.

Biography:

Affiliated with Lund University, Sweden (PhD, University of St. Andrews, Scotland), Mark Nanos won the National Jewish Book Award in 1996 for his first book, The Mystery of Romans. His research is at the forefront of a scholarly movement to re-evaluate "Paul within Judaism." See marknanos.com for more information, including lists of books, essays, and academic activities.

Rabbi Stephanie Kramer, Senior Rabbi, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, and Marilyn Nagel, Expert in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

How can we build on the current momentum of the last year and create the inclusive community we all desire? Come together to discuss ways to advocate for a more Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable community and become better allies for under-represented populations. We will share best practices along with tips to create authentic self/institutional reflection.

Biography:

Rabbi Stephanie Kramer is the new Senior Rabbi at the Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. She recently moved here from Congregation Shomrei Torah in Santa Rosa where she served for the last 10 years. Rabbi Kramer was ordained from HUC-JIR LA in 2011 and is also a Senior Rabbinic Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem.

Marilyn Nagel is a well-known expert in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion who has been working with corporations and nonprofit organizations over the past 18 years to create more inclusive cultures. Marilyn is widely recognized as a thought leader in DE&I globally.

Jason Barnett, Owner/Brewer, Lodestone Beer, Tel Aviv, Israel

In this session I will tell the story of my time in the IDF and how I went from a lonely Jew growing up in Shawnee, Kansas to a commander in the IDF's 101st Airborne. You will hear about my struggles with morality and personal strength, which resulted from my active service and ongoing reserve service.

Biography:

Jason Barnett is the owner/brewer of Lodestone Beer, based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Originally from Shawnee, Kansas, he completed his BA in Judaic Studies at UC before making Aliyah in 2010. Jason served as a commander in the 101st Airborne Unit of the IDF's 35th Paratroopers Brigade and continues to serve as a reserve specialist in the famed 55th Paratroopers Brigade.

Rabbi Javier E. Cattapan, Congregation Beth Torah

Born in Venice in 1571, Leon Modena was a community leader, dance teacher, poet, writer, philosopher, and singer. Often considered the first "Modern" rabbi, Modena is credited with the introduction of choral singing into the synagogue service. More than any other late medieval figure, he forged the aesthetics of synagogue life in the West. His autobiography is considered the first example of the genre anywhere in Europe. We will discuss some of his writings. Some knowledge of Hebrew is desirable.

Biography:

Rabbi Javier E. Cattapan serves as the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, KS. A native of Argentina, his education included the Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano (Conservative) and the University of Buenos Aires, where he studied Ancient and Medieval Philosophy. Rabbi Cattapan received his M. A. in Hebrew Letters, and was ordained as a rabbi at the HUC-JIR in Cincinnati. In 2004, Rabbi Cattapan earned his M. Phil. in Hebraic and Cognate Studies. Before coming to Beth Torah in 2016, Rabbi Cattapan served synagogues in Indiana and Ohio. He is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the board of Kansas City Hospice, and the current president of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City.

Rabbi Josh Leighton, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

For thousands of years, humanity has looked up to the stars and wondered ...
Jews are not different. In this session we will explore some of the ways that Jewish tradition has explained, observed, related to, and derived teachings from the lights in the sky.

Biography:

Rabbi Josh Leighton serves as one of the rabbis at The Temple, Congregation B'nai Jehudah. Prior to moving to Kansas City, Rabbi Leighton was the rabbi for the Jewish Congregation of Kinnelon and served in several other roles in various congregations and organizations in the New Jersey area. Rabbi Leighton lives in Overland Park, KS, with his wife, Rabbi Sarah Smiley, and their daughter Eliana.

William L Greenberg, Retired Army Officer and Teacher, Ft. Leavenworth, KS

This session will describe the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt, led by Moses, in a geo-political context. Join this class to better understand how the Exodus fit into the World events occurring around the Mediterranean region.

Biography:

William Greenberg is a retired Army officer who served extensively in the Middle East. He continued to teach within the Army as a Seminar Leader at the University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Rabbi Aron Rubin, Kansas City Kollel

The topic of civilian casualties or collateral damage in war is a pressing moral issue. Join us as we explore this complex topic from the perspective of Jewish Law and see what Jewish sources have to say about it.

Biography:

Rabbi Aron Rubin is originally from Melbourne, Australia. He studied for two years at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel and returned to Melbourne, where he completed a double bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Chemical Engineering. After completing his degree, Rabbi Rubin moved to New York where he studied for Rabbinic Ordination at Yeshiva University. In August 2019, Rabbi Rubin and his family moved to Kansas City from Washington Heights, New York. Rabbi Rubin heads the Kansas City Kollel and teaches at the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy.

Rabbi Amy Wallk Katz, Temple Beth El, Springfield, MA

In this session we will explore several ways we can prepare for the High Holy Days. Besides preparing our holiday meals, there are important ways each of us can ready ourselves. So often we forget to spend time considering what we must do to make the new year different. If you attend this session, there is a good chance that won't happen this year!

Biography:

Rabbi Amy Wallk Katz is the Rabbi of Temple Beth El in Springfield, MA. Prior to moving to Massachusetts in 2008, she lived and worked in Kansas City. In addition to her work at Temple Beth El, Rabbi Katz serves on Chancellor Arnold Eisen’s Rabbinic Leadership Cabinet, the Rabbinic Cabinet for the Masorti Foundation and the Rabbinic Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of North America. She has a column in Moment Magazine, teaches classes at the Jewish Theological Seminary in the Davidson School of Education, and is on the editorial committee for Siddur Lev Shalem, the new prayer book for the Conservative Movement.

Rabbi Moshe Grussgott, Kehilath Israel Synagogue

Leading Orthodox authorities of halacha (Jewish Law) range in their response to issues of ceding land for peace, waging war, and the special status of Jerusalem. We will examine views ranging from vehement opposition to support for the Israeli/Arab peace process.

Biography:

Moshe Grussgott is senior rabbi of Kehilath Israel Synagogue in Overland Park, KS. A Modern Orthodox rabbi who came to Kansas by way of the East Coast, he was trained for 8 years at Yeshiva University (undergrad and rabbinical school). He takes special interest in the intersection between Judaism and Zionism.

*This session will take place in person at the Jewish Community Campus and is limited to 25 vaccinated participants.

Dr. Jacob A. Stoil, Asst. Professor of Military History, U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies, Ft. Leavenworth and Fellow of the West Point Modern War Institute

While no year is quiet in the Middle East, 2020 and the first half of 2021 have been exceptional. Events like the Abraham Accords and the recent fighting in the Gaza have the potential to shake old patterns. Meanwhile, the increasing U.S. withdrawal from the region may make opportunities for other actors. This talk will give a basic overview of the current strategic landscape in the Middle East. Join us to go beyond the headlines and understand the current context.

Biography:

Dr. Jacob Stoil is an Assistant Professor of Military History at the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) and Fellow of the West Point Modern War Institute (MWI). He received his doctorate in history from the University of Oxford. Dr. Stoil is a member of the International Working Group on Subterranean Warfare and the Second World War Research Group (North America). His articles have been published by outlets such as Vingtième Siècle, Marine Corps University Journal, Balloons to Drones, Modern War Institute, Times of Israel, War on the Rocks, and the Journal of Military Operations. Jacob’s work has been cited in popular media such as the Washington Post and Texas Tribune.

Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick, Community Chaplain, Jewish Family Services

In this session we will explore how to wake up to self-awareness and grapple with our issues to become more able. Jacob’s transition and transformation are a Jewish model of becoming more fully human. We'll discuss Jacob’s ladder dream as a bigger group, then break into pairs to study both the disabling and enabling all-night wrestling match.

Biography:

Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick serves as the JFS community chaplain, where he interfaces with the healthcare community throughout the Greater Kansas City area. Early in his career, as a fellow in the RIKMA Program for spiritual community leadership development, he began to focus on the area of spiritual care (chaplaincy) as a niche for spiritual community development. Jonathan officially started B’Ruach, a pioneering program in spiritual care and training in Israel, after volunteering as the chaplain in the Oncology Department of Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Board certified by NAJC, Jonathan has been involved with ACPE training for almost 20 years. He is the blessed father of Sagi, Shir-el, and Shefer.

*This session will take place in person at the Jewish Community Campus and is limited to 25 vaccinated participants.

Hazzan Tal Ben Yehuda, Director of Congregational Learning, Congregation Beth Shalom

Hazzan Ben-Yehuda will lead participants on a journey of nourishing the body and soul in preparation for the High Holy Days. Listen to Israeli/Hebrew holiday music playing in the background and be immersed in a contemplative space for the upcoming holiday season as Hazzan Ben Yehuda prepares a special surprise holiday dish.

Biography

Hazzan Ben-Yehuda leads the Polsky Religious School at Congregation Beth Shalom in Overland Park, KS. As Director of Congregational Learning, Hazzan Ben-Yehuda partners with Rabbi David Glickman to envision and oversee educational programming at the Synagogue. She also partners with lay leadership in leading Shabbat and Holiday services, works with daveners to help them expand their skills, and helps congregants learn to lead services and chant Torah. She studies with and helps train B’nai Mitzvah students and works closely with Rabbi Glickman to make Jewish Learning relevant, engaging, and a source of congregational community and pride.

Cancelled

Damien Timms, Rabbinic Administrative Assistant, The Temple, Congregation B'nai Jehudah

We can all continue the mission of Tikkun Olam (Repair the World) in our congregations by expanding our language, redistributing our programs, and designing and delivering new programs for our LGBT members. Join us to discuss.

Biography:

Damien Timms is the Rabbinic Administrative Assistant at Congregation B'nai Jehudah in Overland Park, KS. Previously, Damien was an educator, leader, and project manager in the LGBT community and health sectors.

Cancelled

Lezlie Zucker, Music Coordinator, Congregation Beth Torah

Lezlie Zucker shares tips, tricks, and the surprising paradoxes of creating sacred drama within a religious context. We will look at enhancing services with creative elements like poetry, readings, meditation, and music that elevate what we already do on an artistic and/or emotional level. Come hear about the little things that can make big differences in our services and programs.

Biography:

Lezlie Zucker is the Music Coordinator at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, KS. She pulls from her background in songwriting, poetry, and playwriting to weave together a variety of creative elements to build dramatic/theatrical/creative moments within the context of a service or program.

Sarah Aptilon, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Johnson County Community College, and
Inas Younis, Independent Journalist and Commentator

In this presentation, Muslim and Jewish writers and educators Inas Younis and Sarah Aptilon will each introduce the other’s tradition, explaining both the similarities between them and the important ways in which they diverge. This conversation will highlight what makes Jews and Muslims cousins not only in historical terms but also in spirit. Each presenter will speak for the other’s faith, with a focus not on politics but on conceptions of God, the meaning of prayer, and understandings of truth that transcend fact.

Biography:

Sarah Aptilon and Inas Younis are co-hosts of the forthcoming podcast The Religionist, featuring personal conversations about religious experience and explorations of various traditions.

Sarah Aptilon is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, KS, where she teaches courses on world religions and Japanese culture. She attended Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, and earned a B.A. in East Asian studies from Yale University and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Stanford University.

Inas Younis was born in Mosul, Iraq and emigrated to the United States as a child in 1982. She is an independent journalist and commentator whose work has been widely published, including in The Kansas City Star and The Washington Post. She is also co-author of three forthcoming children's books.