105th Anniversary Section

Anniversary Section

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kcjc.com | Volume 105, Issue 11 | May 22, 2025 | 24 Iyar 5785

In this issue...

2

Jewish Bulgarian leaders visit KC

3

MCHE to host Holocaust Survivor Book Fair

10

Two’s AZA celebrates Marty Awards

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai

Shabbat times (Overland Park): Candlelighting: 8:14 p.m.

Havdalah: 9:19 p.m.

Devinki pledges $1 million to K.I. Synagogue for building preservation

The exterior of Kehilath Israel Synagogue.

By Sam Kricsfeld Editor Sam Devinki and Mary Stahl, longtime supporters of Kehilath Israel Synagogue, have pledged $1 million to establish the Kehilath Israel Devinki Building Preservation Fund. It will provide up to $50,000 for at least two decades for capital improvements to maintain the synagogue.

For Devinki, the dedication to K.I.’s future stems from more than seven decades of involvement — his family joined the congregation in 1951 and

were ardent supporters of the synagogue. Devinki has since served as vice president, president and now as honorary president-for-life. Among his many past contributions to K.I. was his involvement in the establishment of the synagogue’s current building, and he is keen for it to be kept in good condition.

“Being in the real estate business — particularly the property management business — I know what happens to

HBHA bids farewell to three pillars of its community This month, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA) marked the retirement of three people who each supported students for dozens of years — second-grade teacher Marsha Cowan, school nurse Elisa Pener and volunteer speech therapist Maxine Benson.

“Together, Cowan, Pener and Benson have embodied compassionate leadership and devoted care — qualities that have defined the HBHA experience for generations of students,” HBHA School Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen said. “Their dedication has shaped the school’s culture in ways that will ripple through classrooms and conversations for years to come.”

See page 4

Government rescinds funding for Wishna play at Spinning Tree Theatre

By Sam Kricsfeld Editor

2010

1992

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to be funded in part by the NEA, a federal government The National Endowment agency, which would reimfor the Arts (NEA) rescinded a burse $15,000 after the play reimbursement grant to fund was produced.

“First Generation,” a play comSpinning Tree Theatre, missioned by Spinning Tree founded by Andrew and MiTheatre, written by commuchael Grayman-Parkhurst (the nity member Victor Wishna latter a member of the Jewish and produced in partnership The cast of “First Generation.” (Brandon Parigo/Spinning community), works to provide with Jewish Vocational Service Tree Theatre) “opportunities for Kansas City (JVS). ugees, ran last month at the Johnson metropolitan area young artists of all “First Generation,” inspired by in- County Arts and Heritage Center and abilities,” including youth with disaterviews Wishna had with young ref- at JVS’ annual fundraiser. The play was bilities, tuition-free.

On May 2, Spinning Tree Theatre received an email from the NEA saying that it withdrew the grant. The theatre shared on social media that it See page 9

HBHA school nurse Elisa Pener and second-grade teacher Marsha Cowan holding handmade gifts at their retirement celebration.

Cowan and Pener were honored with a campus celebration attended by colleagues, families and friends.

The event recognized their decades of service and the care they have shown to generations of HBHA students, featuring speeches from colleagues and scrapbooks filled with well-wishes and photos of memorable moments. Each was gifted personalized artwork, handcrafted by HBHA staff in appreciation of their

2025

See page 8

From the publisher

By Derek Gale Vice President and COO of Jewish Federation It is with great humility and also great pride that I write this column in celebration of 105 years of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle — many of these years under the stewardship of the Rose family, and only more recently, five years under the stewardship of Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.

These last five years have been a whirlwind with many changes, including moving to publishing every other week in print, partnering to create a complete digital archive, and ramping up our digital presence with

social media content, e-newsletters and digital editions. Through it all, we have worked diligently to appreciate our loyal readers and bring you more local content, new features and to maintain The Chronicle as a true community news and information source.

When we spoke with Steve Rose about taking The Chronicle under the Federation umbrella, we assured him we had the right people on our team to do so — people with degrees and working backgrounds in journalism and business. Most of those people remain part of the Federation team today, including Assistant Editor Lacey Storer, who is integral to The Chronicle’s success, strategy and continued evolution. Meanwhile, we have one key addition to the team, who joined us part time in 2021 and full time in 2022, and who has proven his worth many times over: Chronicle

Editor & Business Manager Sam Kricsfeld.

Sam is what makes The Chronicle happen — quite literally. He interviews sources, writes articles, edits, writes headlines, designs the paper, manages subscriptions and — in partnership with Lacey — makes presentations around the community. I spent most of a decade working in journalism before my dozen years at Jewish Federation, and it is rare to find someone who not only can so capably do so much, but also who does it with the passion and dedication that Sam brings to our community.

I am privileged to work as a small part of the team that carries forward The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle brand, writing here or there, serving as a copy editor for our print editions and occasionally offering advice on ethics, budget or best serving our readership.

It gives me great joy to use my graduate education and journalism training in service of our Jewish community.

My pledge to our community is that The Chronicle will continue to be a trusted brand that informs our Jewish community, tells the stories of our community and quite literally chronicles how our community moves through this era of Jewish life. Just like our work at Jewish Federation, there is never a dull moment as we gather, report and share what’s happening in our Jewish community and Jewish world.

If 105 years of The Chronicle resonates with you, and you would like to invest in the future of this community news source, please reach out to me to find out how your investment today can have lasting impact: derekg@jewishkc.org.

1920

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Victor Slone

The Chronicle is founded

Editor, 1920-1963

Victor Slone named editor President Warren G. Harding elected

1921

Temple Beth Sholom established in Topeka, Kansas

1923

1922

Henry Ford’s antisemitic rhetoric increases

Congregation Ohev Sholom established

1925

1924

Greater Kansas City AZA #2 youth group founded YMHA/YWHA (later the Jewish Community Center) established President Calvin Coolidge elected

1929

1928

1927

1926

Boy Scout Troop 61 founded Liberty Memorial, dedicated to WWI veterans, opens “The Jazz Singer” “talkie” features Jewish actor Al Jolson Antisemite Charles Lindbergh opens Municipal Airport Dr. Chaim Weizmann speaks in Kansas City President Herbert Hoover elected

1930

Wall Street Crash starts the Great Depression

This is an abridged version of an article by Victor Slone, The Chronicle’s first editor and founder, that he wrote for the 50th anniversary issue of The Chronicle (Jan. 30, 1970).

Here in Miami Beach, Florida, where my wife and I have come to spend our retirement years, the New Year of 1970 brings back memories of old, when a half-century ago I, together with two colleagues, the late Nathan Gould of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Elias Rex Jacobs of Buffalo, New York, founded The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle and were among the pioneers in the Midwest in the American Jewish newspaper field.

Gould was already publishing the Detroit Jewish Chronicle when, in 1919, he was intrigued by the promotion of a nationwide campaign by the Chamber of Commerce extolling Kansas City, “The Gateway to the West,” as an ideal community business expansion…

The thought of inaugurating a chain of Jewish newspapers was exciting, but I was frightened about venturing into so extensive an enterprise. I was soon won over, however, as I was journalistically inclined…

In the Kansas City Jewish community of which I was about to become an integral part, I found some situations deplorable. There were three distinctly separate groups — the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform, each uninterested and uncooperative with one another. There prevailed an atmosphere of fear among Jews living in large apartment buildings as to how their Gentile neighbors might react if they saw “Jewish” mail in the mailboxes. “I would like to subscribe if only you would call the paper ‘The Chronicle,’” we were told. Some families in private residences hesitated to subscribe for similar reasons.

These fears proved to be unwar-

Victor Slone ranted. The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle soon became well known throughout the community and was well received. Some non-Jews, unsolicited, became subscribers...

It was inevitable that newly developing circumstances would bring about such a change in attitudes, and to me that is the most outstanding achievement which has taken place in this past half-century.

Since neither great wealth nor worldly position was in my prospects when I chose to enter the Jewish newspaper field, I pretty well evaluated myself and my potentials as a businessman. I knew I was not the go-getter type and that it would probably be necessary to devote longer, harder hours to this business of making a living than some others who were more aggressive might require.

This I had calculated correctly.

Working with a most limited staff, too frequently my entire 12-hour day was occupied within the framework of my business requirements. Fortunately, involved was a great deal of reading, which I loved; but, nevertheless, enforced reading under pressure can become irksome.

Since my personal life was to be so inextricably woven with my business life, I could combat drudgery only by working for an ideal, a motive.

Everything that is capable of exciting or firing one with enthusiasm can usually sustain one’s energies above ordinary level. To promote better human relations would be my goal and, through our newspaper as a medium, I would strive towards this purpose and hope to be rewarded by the triumph of results.

I never lost awareness of that goal.

I loved my work, and though I admit that frequently it was drudgery, through it I found my most powerful stimulus.

Also through my work I made a host of wonderful friends and had the opportunity to meet many interesting local, national and international personalities...

When in June of 1963 I relinquished my business interest and executive responsibilities, I stated that a continuously progressive Kansas City Jewish Chronicle in a thriving, harmonious community would be my greatest reward.

1931

The Jewish Chronicle offices 1920-1944

Menorah Hospital dedicated

1932

The first issue of The Chronicle, published on Jan. 2, 1920.

304 W. 10th St., KC, MO The Western Newspaper Union Building

President Franklin D. Roosevelt elected

1944-1959 1933

913 Main St., KC, MO Demolished

1959-1964

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1934

Jewish Federation established

1003 Main St., KC, MO Demolished

Adolf Hitler, Nazis come to power in Germany Over the course of the past 105 years, The Chronicle has been headquartered in at least 10 different buildings (that we could find!). Like much of the Kansas City Jewish population, it moved south over the years, having started on 10th and Central in downtown Kansas City (pictured above) and now residing at the Jewish Community Campus in Overland Park.

1964-1969 7925 State Line Rd., KC, MO Now a CVS Pharmacy

1969-1974 5600 W 95th St., KC, MO The Bel Air Building

1974-2007 7373/5 W. 107th St., OP, KS Now the Sunlighten Building

2007-2010 4370 W. 109th St., OP, KS Now Penn National

2010-2020 4210 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Fairway, KS Demolished

2020 10650 Roe Ave., OP, KS Now an ecafé

2020-Today 5801 W. 115th St., OP, KS Jewish Community Campus

Nuremberg Laws passed in Germany

1935

A gathering place for the community

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Nuremberg Laws passed in Germany

1937

Nazi Germany hosts Olympics

1936

Nazi Germany hosts Olympics

1938

Rabbinical Association formed

1939

Kristallnacht Kristallnacht

Germany invades Poland

for more than a century. Since the Jewish Community Center’s founding as the Young Men’s/Women’s Hebrew Association in 1924, The Chronicle

has consistently shared about its news and events, from its events to its amenities to its youth activities and more.

Nazis begin mass murders of Jews Nazis begin mass murders of Jews

Supporting Israel from the start

1942

Attacks on Pearl Harbor; U.S. enters World War II

1941

The Jewish Community Center (and now the Jewish Community Campus as a whole) has been Kansas City Jewry’s main venue for gatherings

1940

Pictured from The Chronicle archives are (top left) an image of the Young Men’s/Women’s Hebrew Association building from July 11, 1924; (above right) the announcement of the celebration of the Jewish Community Center’s relocation to 82nd and Troost on May 26, 1961; and (above left) the celebration of the opening of the Jewish Community Campus from Nov. 4, 1988.

1943

Warsaw Warsaw Ghetto Ghetto uprising uprising

1944 Jewish Community Relations Bureau established

1947

Germany surrenders, followed by Japan after nuclear bombing, ending World War II

1946

Japan surrenders; V-J Day

1945

President Harry S. Truman assumes office after death of FDR

Jewish War Veterans Mo/Kan Post 605 formed

Chronicle. Multiple Chronicle editors frequently traveled to Israel to report, and there were even Israeli correspondents who wrote specifically for The Chronicle (most prolifically, Sybil Kaplan).

Since the advent of 24-hour news and the internet, The Chronicle has pivoted towards reporting on the Kansas City community’s relationship with Israel more than its politics and wars.

Jewish War Veterans Mo/Kan Post 605 formed State of Israel established

Jewish Vocational Service established Jewish Vocational Service established

1950

below that, the entirety of the Israeli Declaration of Independence was printed.

Throughout the May 14 issue were announcements of celebrations and prayer services held by synagogues and community organizations (including multiple organizations specifically dedicated to Zionism).

For years, especially under Milton Firestone’s editorship, Israeli politics and wars were frequent topics in The

1949

The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle has been unreservedly Zionist since its founding. Up to and since the establishment of the State of Israel, The Chronicle has been steadfast in its support of Jewish self-determination.

Upon the announcement of Israeli independence on May 14, 1948, The Chronicle printed the Shehecheyanu prayer in Hebrew, blessing G-d, “who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this season.” Right

1948

The front page of the May 14, 1948, issue of The Chronicle heralding the establishment of the State of Israel included the Shehecheyanu prayer in Hebrew and the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

Korean War begins

1951

1950

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1952

Great Flood of 1951

Great Flood of 1951

Brown v. Board of Education decision rules segregation unconstitutional Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation established

Suez Crisis Ruskin Heights F5 tornado kills 44 people

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President Dwight D. Eisenhower elected

Neo-Nazis detonate bombs at Kehilath Israel Synagogue, breaking 51 windows but harming no one

Editor, 1963-1983

For 20 years, from 1963-1983, Milton Firestone was the dedicated steward of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, elevating its status to rival Jewish publications across the nation. Due to his unexpected death at age 55, he was never able to pen a retrospective on his career. Therefore, the following biography is assembled from the obituaries and memorials published in The Chronicle after his death.

Upon becoming The Chronicle’s editor and partial owner in 1963, Milton Firestone wrote that The Chronicle should “continue to be a unifying influence in our Jewish community, thereby helping to counteract the centrifugal forces that tend to divide us.”

Firestone also was responsible for some of the region’s best Israel reporting — in 1967, shortly before the Six-Day War, he and his wife, Bea, traveled to Israel on a reporting trip. Firestone returned five more times, accompanying Israeli troops to Beirut, Lebanon, during Israel’s invasion.

In addition to his dedication to reporting, Firestone was deeply engaged with the paper’s production, involving himself in layout and copy editing.

Born in New York City in 1927, Firestone and his family moved to Kansas City the following year. His dedication to Judaism was cemented in his youth; he was involved in Congregation Beth Shalom’s religious school, and while at the University of Kansas, he served as president of the Jewish Student Union.

After his service in the Korean War, he married Bea Blumenthal

Milton Firestone, editor from 1963 to 1983, pictured in 1978.

Bea Firestone, wife of editor Milton Fireston, pictured working at The Chronicle.

and worked at Columbia Glass and Window Co. until he purchased The Chronicle in 1963. Upon his purchase, he also became editor.

In 1966, he and Bea helped establish what would become Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, serving on its boards and using The Chronicle to garner support.

In addition to his leadership at HBHA, he was involved with the American Jewish Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists, Congregation Beth Shalom, B’nai B’rith Lodge, the NAACP and more.

Congregation Beth Shalom’s Rabbi Morris Margolies wrote in The Chronicle upon Firestone’s death that “he [revived the paper] by publishing the most significant Jewish news on the world scene. He did it by supporting every constructive Jewish enterprise in our community. He did it with an editorial fearlessness… for Israel no American Jew has had greater love.”

Stan Rose, then publisher of The

Chronicle, wrote that Firestone “was The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle.

Milton lived and breathed it, and next to his family, The Chronicle was the most important thing in his life… No one will ever surpass his dedication and skill in interpreting Kansas City Jewish life and the events and values that are so important to our community.”

Upon his untimely death at age 55 from a heart attack, his wife, Bea, essentially became the acting editor of The Chronicle until Stan and Steve Rose’s Sun Publications bought the paper and Firestone’s successor, Diane Wolkow, was named managing editor.

Firestone’s dedication to the paper and deep involvement in Jewish journalism and the Kansas City Jewish community makes him one of the community’s best-remembered leaders of his era. For years after his death, Firestone was still listed among the staff of The Chronicle in memoriam.

President John F. Kennedy elected

Relics of the past

Jewish Community Foundation established

For better or worse, here are some examples from past Chronicles of content that didn’t age well.

Trial of Nazi Adolf Eichmann ends with death sentence in Israel

1963

1962

1961

Synagogues merge to become Congregation Beth Israel Abraham and Voliner

Milton Firestone

We no longer recommend asbestos tiles like the ones in this ad from July 14, 1967.

Milton Firestone named editor, heads corp. to buy The Chronicle

1965

1964

President Kennedy assassinated; President Lyndon B. Johnson assumes office K.I. Synagogue completes its final merger Stan Rose, Milton Firestone become sole owners of The Chronicle U.S. ground operations begin in Vietnam War

In March of 1930, shortly after the then-unnamed Pluto was discovered, The Chronicle reported that it was nearly the size of Earth. (It isn’t.)

Being courteous with your telephone party line was recommended in this Sept. 26, 1946, ad.

AMC cars, including the much maligned Gremlin and Pacer in this ad from 1977, have largely disappeared from the roads.

5B

The New Reform Temple established Six-Day War

1967 1968

Pictured are (left) the announcement of the founding of the Hebrew Academy in 1966, most likely penned

by Editor Milton Firestone; (bottom left) the first graduating high school class of the Hebrew Academy in 1976; and (below) the 1978 HBHA graduates.

Classes begin at the Hebrew Academy of Greater Kansas City

1966

The creation of the Hebrew Academy of Greater Kansas City, now Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA), was explicitly endorsed by Chronicle Editor Milton Firestone — he was involved with the school outside of his editorial duties as well. Many editorials by Firestone championed its importance and necessity for furthering Jewish education in Kansas City.

Since 1966, HBHA has been mentioned in The Chronicle more than 5,000 times. Its students, faculty, events, campaigns and more have been regularly covered by The Chronicle, and the strong relationship between The Chronicle and HBHA continues to this day.

1965

Supporting Jewish education

Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinated; riots break out in K.C. President Richard Nixon elected

Kent State shootings

President Gerald Ford assumes office after President Nixon resigns

1975 Israeli commandos rescue hostages in Entebbe raid after terrorists hijack a civilian plane

1976

President Jimmy Carter elected

1977

Richard Berkley elected mayor 1977 Kansas City Plaza Flood kills 25 people, including Jewish family

1978

Camp David Accords commence Richard Berkley elected mayor

1979 1980

For 56 years, the Rose later Rose Publications, family were instrumental stewarded The Chronicle in the continued survival until 2020. and success of The Kansas In 2020, Steve Rose City Jewish Chronicle. passed the reins of The Stanley J. and Shirley Chronicle to Jewish FederaRose and their son Steve tion of Greater Kansas City.

Rose led The Chronicle “The history of The in various capacities Chronicle is intimately tied between 1964 and 2020, to those of my family’s,” holding positions such he wrote in the Sept. 10, as president, executive 2020, issue of The Chroneditor and publisher. icle. “Handing over the Stan Rose and editor reins stirs deep emotions Shirley and Stanley J. Rose; and Steve Rose Milton Firestone became and brings tremendous co-owners of The Chronicle in 1964. Publications until his death in 1997. nostalgia, as well as appreciation for When Firestone died in 1983, the His wife, Shirley, who also held everything we have shared with the Rose family’s business, Sun Publica- many roles at the company, died in community we cherish. tions, acquired The Chronicle. Both 2022.

“This is tempered by the knowlSteve and Stan Rose held the posiIn 1998, Steve Rose sold the com- edge that The Chronicle will be in tions of executive editor and co-pub- pany’s publications but remained in- safe, caring hands,” he continued. lisher throughout the late 1980s, volved with The Chronicle through “Thank you, Kansas City Jewish with Steve Rose eventually assuming various leadership roles. He bought community, for everything. It has full leadership.

The Chronicle back in 2010, and two truly been a pleasure serving you for Stan Rose was involved in Sun companies he led, MetroMedia and so many years.”

Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War

1974

The Rose family leadership

Munich Olympics Massacre

1973

-Bobbi Arenson (75+ years)

“Among the first things we did after our marriage in 1959 was to subscribe to The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle.

We did so in order to receive world, national and local news about the Jewish community. No internet or Facebook then. Today, we look forward to receiving The Chronicle both by mail and digitally. Keep up your good work.”

-Kathy and Bob DeWitt (66+ years)

1972

“The Chronicle has been a fixture in my household for over 75 years as my parents also took this paper. The Chronicle has kept me and my family updated in all aspects of KC Jewish community life and beyond.

To another 105 years!”

Chabad House Center established

1971

Messages from long-time readers

1970

Man lands on moon

1969

The Chronicle gets a seven digit phone number

Richard Berkley elected mayor of Kansas City

1980

Hyatt Regency collapse

1983

1982

President Ronald Reagan elected

1981

6B

Israel annexes Golan Heights 1982 Lebanon War begins Milton Firestone dies, wife Bea Firestone becomes acting editor Stan Rose/Sun Publications becomes full owner of The Chronicle Diane Wolkow named managing editor

Operation Moses flies thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel

1986

1985

1984

KU Hillel established

Space Shuttle Challenger explodes after liftoff

1987

Chernobyl nuclear disaster Ruth Baum Bigus named managing editor

1988

First Intifada begins Congregation Beth Torah established

President George H. W. Bush elected Soviet Union begins collapsing; emigrants arrive

1993

1992

1991

1990

1989

Jewish Community Campus opens at current location

Gulf War begins JCRB merges with local American Jewish Committee chapter to become JCRB|AJC

Ruth Baum Bigus Editor, 1987-1993

It’s hard to believe that The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle is celebrating its 105th birthday of keeping our community informed. So many stories, events, activities and simchas have been shared, along with all the people behind them.

I became managing editor in 1987 at the invitation of then-publisher Steve Rose, who needed someone to take the helm when my predecessor, Diane Wolkow, made Aliyah. Steve snatched me away from the world of broadcast journalism, guiding us into a new area of wide community coverage of all things Jewish and beyond. With the largest staff in its history, our team of six covered congregational news, community comings and goings, as well as simchas and deaths. A tremendous note of thanks to that team, which included Barbara Bayer, Rick Hellman, Mark Belingloph, Irene Goldstein, the late Bea Firestone and Sybil Kaplan. In fact, both Barb and Rick would go on to become editors of The Chronicle in later years.

Yet, we expanded our reach by writing stories about Jewish individuals and their impact within the broader Kansas City community. We explored business, cultural arts, food, books, health and more. We had two regular opinion columnists: Rabbi Morris Margolies and Hugh “Pat” Uhlmann, who brought varying perspectives on the most pressing issues facing our community.

Our weekly issues averaged 28 to 32 pages packed with news — local, national and international news from wire services and national columnists. For the holidays, those issues blossomed, with one Passover publication reaching 72 pages, thanks in part to the crackerjack advertising department. Hours were put into each issue, and we tried our best to

Ruth Baum Bigus be informative and creative.

My tenure was also marked by active involvement with the American Jewish Press Association, where I served as the paper’s representative and was fortunate to attend several meetings and travel to Israel. The paper won several awards from AJPA — thanks to our great team.

World events impacted our paper, two of which stand out in my mind.

During the first Gulf War, when Iran fired scud missiles into Israel, we stopped the presses as Rick Hellman and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning redesigning our front page to ensure it was as up-to-date as possible. Freed Soviet Jewish Refuseniks came to Kansas City to visit the congregation that had supported them for so long during their battle for religious freedom — it was a touching moment for so many in the community.

Locally, during my tenure, we worked on a special issue on the opening of the Jewish Community Campus, which has become a fixture of Kansas City’s Jewish community.

We also shared the news about the establishment of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. Additionally, there was significant news in the

congregational arena when Congregation Beth Torah opened its doors.

There were dozens of stories that it was my pleasure to share with our Jewish community. I will never forget seeing the blue numbers on a local Holocaust survivor’s arm as she recounted her personal story of tragedy and triumph. Writing about my first journey to Israel allowed me to share my thoughts and experiences of the Jewish homeland. I had the privilege of seeing then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in his office at the Knesset, as well as welcoming new immigrants arriving at Ben Gurion Airport in the early hours of the morning to their new, free homeland. I conducted interviews with government officials, celebrities and community leaders. I talked with young Jewish schoolchildren at the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy and with seniors living at Shalom Geriatric Center. There were so many stories to share.

I credit my years at The Chronicle with helping me grow in numerous ways. I attribute my time at The Chronicle to increasing my understanding of a vibrant faith and culture. I learned to bake challah for the first time with a local rabbi’s wife and studied Torah with my colleagues. On a personal note, our daughter Elizabeth was born during my tenure, and I learned to balance a demanding job with parenting young children. I worked alongside my sister, Barb, who was part of the advertising staff, and my mother, Dorothy Baum, worked nearby as the vice president of sales for Sun Newspapers, which owned the paper.

A big thank you to the Jewish community for embracing the paper and our team by sharing the rich stories of our time. Wishing The Chronicle another 105 years of sharing the news of our Jewish community!

Touching on controversial topics

President Bill Clinton elected

Left and above: An announcement from The Chronicle staff in October of 1964 about the nationwide reaction to it evaluating its policy to not report interfaith marriages.

Great Flood of 1993 Midwest Center for Holocaust Education established

An article from Feb. 28, 1986, on whether patrilineal Jews are considered Jewish.

1994

Steve Rose named executive editor; Barbara Bayer named managing editor Rick Hellman named managing editor

An article from Jan. 13, 1995, about how local Jewish institutions treated LGBTQ+ people differently.

1995

First Jewish Arts Festival held in Kansas City

A Dec. 11, 1925, editorial regarding the Scopes Monkey Trial focused on whether to teach evolution in schools.

An article from Jan. 5, 1996, about Jewish opinions regarding tattoos.

Editor, 1994-2000, 2000-2010

Torah Learning Center established The Chronicle launches website Sun Publications sold by Rose family; Steve Rose retains management of The Chronicle

1999

World prepares for Y2K computer bug Christopher Goldman named managing editor

2000

Mayaan Pase named managing editor Village Shalom opens Second Intifada Begins Deborah Ducrocq named managing editor President George W. Bush elected Rick Hellman returns as managing editor Mitzvah Garden KC launches with Tu B’Shvat seder

2002

9/11 terror attacks; War in Afghanistan begins

2001

Central Plains ice storm paralyzes KC Iraq War begins

2005

Sun Publications purchased by New Press and Gazette Company

2004

Congregation Congregation KolKol Ami Ami established established

2003

Entering the digital age

Menorah Medical Center opens at 119th and Nall in Overland Park

1998

the hundreds of local artists, business people, civic leaders and others who let me into their lives and trusted me to tell their stories to and for the community. I think fondly of getting to know Lester Goldman, Norman and Elaine Polsky, Cynthia Levin, Allan Winkler, Sybil Kahn, Gail Lozoff, Barnett and Shirley Helzberg, Bert Berkley, Mark Edelman, Dan Jaffe, Stan Plesser, Abe Kopec, Sam Gould and Jan Fichman.

Once, for a story, I spent a night hanging out at the Louis Memorial funeral home with a dead body and a live member of the Chevra Kadisha.

Another night I rode dog watch in the inner city with a Jewish KCMO cop.

I got to interview figures who helped the world understand the Holocaust — Nuremberg prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz and psychologist of political violence Robert Jay Lifton. I thank those who later became Kansas Citians and who helped me to understand their experiences at that world-shattering time, including Walter Stras, Geniek Mittelman, Lou Frydman, Frank Szasz, Judy Jacobs and, of course, Big Sonia Warshawski. The Chronicle covered the effort to preserve their stories and those of other survivors through the

Richard Berkley elected mayor

1997

Rick Hellman

establishment of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education.

We chronicled the Soviet Jewish freedom movement and the emigres’ resettlement in greater Kansas City.

And I got to tell stories of the connections between KC and the Jewish State. I went on two Israel Ministry of Tourism-sponsored junkets: the first in 1996, following riots over the opening of an archaeological tunnel running along the Western Wall in Jerusalem, and the second after the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000. I also went on a Federation-sponsored community support mission the following year. I visited KC’s partner city, Kibbutz Gezer, and nearby Ramla with my guide, kibbutznik David Leichman. I interviewed visiting Israeli diplomats and historical figures and spoke in defense of Zionism at a local meeting of the pro-Arab Christian group Sabeel.

There was momentous technological change during my years at The Chronicle, some of it exciting, like establishing the kcjc.com website, and some of it challenging, as we were forced to learn new methods in order to do more with less money.

Above all, serving as Chronicle editor allowed me to form an adult relationship with the man responsible more than anyone else — apart from my immediate family — for forging my Jewish identity, even if I never belonged to his synagogue — Rabbi Morris Margolies. I grew up as a member of Boy Scout Troop 61 and KC United Synagogue Youth, both housed at his Congregation Beth Shalom, and I went on the eight-week 1975 Kansas City Youth Pilgrimage to Israel — a program he established. It was a pleasure to pick up his hand-written columns each week and type them up for Chronicle readers.

Thanks for the memories!

1996

Not only was it an honor to be The Jewish Chronicle’s editor, it was a great, fun job.

It was a license to run around town and stick my nose in people’s business. I started in 1988 as The Chronicle’s Business and Arts pages reporter, taking over as editor in 1994. That allowed me to rub shoulders with such eminent 20th century Jewish personalities as Elie Wiesel, Abba Eban and Henry Kissinger. I interviewed Sheldon Harnick, lyricist of “Fiddler on the Roof;” Chaim Topol, who starred as Tevye at Starlight Theatre; Howard Cosell, who spoke at the JCC’s Sportsnite fundraiser; and Kinky Friedman, satirical country singer turned satirical detective novelist.

Local boys who made it big in New York or Hollywood — Ed Asner, Calvin Trillin and Larry “Fats” Goldberg — were generous with their time.

I interviewed the men who created the most iconic Kansas City buildings: Kaufmann Center designer Moshe Safdie and the dean of local architects, and Clarence Kivett, whose Mid-Continent International Airport and Truman Sports Complex defined Mid-Century Modern hereabouts.

Whether it was my late Sun Newspapers colleague, Charles Ferruzza, sending me on movie junkets or performances in Kansas City, I got to interview such Jewish superstars as Woody Allen, Jerry Lewis, Milton Berle, Don Rickles and the Coen Brothers.

I remember hanging out one day at my West Plaza bachelor pad with visiting sculptor Donald Lipski, and another afternoon when I took two Russian Jewish emigre artists the Jewish Federation had brought to town out to a Kansas City Royals game. (They were bored and hated it!)

Far outnumbering the stars were

Oklahoma City bombing

1995

Rick Hellman

7B

Israel disengages from Gaza

First kosher food festival held in KC: KosherFest 2007

2008

Steve Rose returns to head Sun Publications with David Small

2007

Israel-Hezbollah War

2006

KU Chabad established

President Barack Obama elected

Top: The article announcing the launch of kcjc.com, published on Sept. 11, 1998.

Above: The earliest available screenshots of kcjc.com, from August 2006 and November 2007.

The Chronicle starts a Facebook page Chabad on the Plaza established

2010 2010

In 1998, The Chronicle established its website, kcjc.com. To this day, it remains an additional and convenient way to read about community news.

2009

Gaza War

2010

8B

Barbara Bayer

Steve Rose, David Small buy The Chronicle under MetroMedia, Inc.

Editor, 1993-1994, 2010-2020

2011

Barbara Bayer returns as editor Tornado destroys much of Joplin, Missouri

Jewish Family Services’ food pantry opens 2012 Gaza War

2013

2012

Kauffman Center and its Helzberg Hall open

2014

Chabad of Leawood established 2014 Gaza War jewish chronicle The KANSAS

$1.00 Volume 94, Number 16 www.kcjc.com April 17, 2014

CITY

To share this week’s special edition of the newspaper with family and friends, visit www.kcjc.com

2017

2016

2015

Shocked, saddened and alarmed Shootings at Campus, Village Shalom concern community

By Barbara Bayer Editor

Shootings at Jewish Community Campus and Village Shalom

Senseless. Tragic. Speechless.

These are just a few of the sentiments voiced by the greater Kansas City community Sunday immediately following three murders at the Jewish Community Campus and Village Shalom.

While the community has had a few days to digest the events of Sunday, April 13, members of the Jewish community are still rattled and unsettled by the tragedy.

By Tuesday the facts were beginning to become clearer to investigators.

The alleged shooter shot two people, a grandfather and his grandson, at approximately 1 p.m. in the parking lot outside the Lewis and Shirley White Theatre entrance at the Jewish Community Campus. Overland Park Police Chief John Douglass reports that dispatchers received the first 911 call at 1:01 p.m.

Within minutes of the first shooting, the shooter traveled to Village Shalom, approximately 1.5 miles to the south of the Campus, where he shot a female visitor in the parking lot.

Dispatchers received a total of 28 911 calls until the suspect, Frazier Glenn Cross, Jr. also known as Frazier Glenn Miller, 73, of Aurora, Mo., was apprehended within 30 minutes of the original 911 call just a couple of blocks from Village Shalom at Valley Park Elementary School. (For more about Cross, see Page 3) Chief Douglass said the calls to 911

were instrumental in apprehending the suspect so quickly, as they provided a critical description of the vehicle he was driving.

Others were shot at in the parking lot at the Campus, but two males actually were hit.

One, Dr. William Lewis Corporon, 69, of Overland Park, died at the scene. His 14-yearold grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, was taken to Overland Park Regional Medical amie Squire/Getty imaGeS Center where he died from his in- A police car is seen at the entrance of the Jewish Community Campus in Overland Park after deadly shootings there juries. The family attends United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood.

“Our pastors and members have been gathering around the family to do whatever we can to support and care for them,” said Cathy Bien, director of communications at Church of the Resurrection.

Jewish Community Center President nervous about what was going on when

By Barbara Bayer and CEO Jacob Schreiber said the famly we could hear sirens. Lots and lots of siEditor was involved with the JCC, and were rens. My children attended the elemengood friends and participants of the I am not afraid. tary school, just down the road from Yes I was con- Village Shalom and my home, where the see Shootings, page 11 cerned and worried suspect was apprehended. on Sunday. I knew a But I am not afraid. lot of people inside I will not be anxious the next time I the JCC. My husband go to the Jewish Community Campus or had just been there the Jewish Community Center. I drive hours earlier.

by Village Shalom EVERY SINGLE DAY. I was anxious about my friends and relatives who live at Village Shalom. see Personal, page 2 This is my neighborhood, so I was

KU issues first bachelor’s degree in Jewish studies

President Donald Trump elected

as I see it

I am not afraid, you shouldn’t be either

“Big Sonia” film about local Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski debuts to global acclaim

2018

04.17.14 original v.4.indd 1

4/15/2014 9:25:48 PM

Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh

2020

2019

Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh Poway Synagogue shooting

Steve Rose’s Rose Publications becomes owner of The Chronicle Meryl Feld named editor COVID-19 shutdowns begin Jewish Federation becomes owner of The Chronicle during its 100th year

2023

2022

2021

Mike Sherry named editor President Joe Biden elected U.S. Capitol attacked by mob Sam Kricsfeld named editor Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis in Texas Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Israel-Hamas War begins

2025

2024

October 7 attacks on Israel

Beit Echad established in St. Joseph, Missouri President Donald Trump elected The Chronicle celebrates its 105th year

I fell in love with the Jewish Chronicle while I was in high school in the 1970s. I was an active member of BBYO, and when the paper arrived each Friday, I would check to see what was printed in the AZA/BBG news column. I became a subscriber, which I’ve been ever since, when I started college at the University of Kansas.

The Chronicle had a job opening when I was a new college graduate.

However, then-editor Milton Firestone didn’t think my college experience in broadcast news and being a high school journalist matched what he needed in a reporter. Luckily for me it paid to keep up friendships and network, as a high school friend — Ruth Baum Bigus — was the paper’s editor a decade later when I was searching for employment. This time, Ruth and Publisher Steve Rose decided to take a chance on me.

In a career that began in 1988 and spanned almost 35 years in either full-time or freelance roles, I served in a variety of capacities for the newspaper, its magazine and special projects including two stints as the paper’s editor.

A lot changed in the publishing world in my career as a Jewish journalist. In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, using computers was just becoming the norm, and email for everyday use was mostly nonexistent. People who wanted to submit items to The Chronicle either hand-delivered them to our office or sent them through traditional mail.

The popularity and ease of using

Barbara Bayer the internet, email and 24-hour news channels changed the way we saw, and reported, the news. Our readers no longer depended on The Chronicle to tell them what was happening in Israel, or Jewish communities across the country. In the 2010s, we moved to more opinion-based stories about national and international events since the actual news quickly became old.

Locally, The Chronicle was still the major source of Jewish news happening in our congregations and our organizations, as well as the best way to celebrate our simchas and mourn our losses. All the while — and some undoubtedly would disagree — we did our best to be mindful of our Jewish values when we reported what was happening around us. It was my job to make sure what we chose to write about — and how we wrote about it — was fair, honest, respectful and trustworthy. Tough, and sometimes not popular, choices were occasionally made. Other

times, I felt we weren’t getting close to the real story no matter how hard we tried.

By far the most difficult story I had to report during all my tenures at The Chronicle was the shootings at the Jewish Community Campus and Village Shalom just days before Passover in 2014. It was a national story that literally happened in my backyard. I was able to depend on professional members of the Jewish community, who were also my friends, to help guide me as I determined how to cover this story in our newspaper.

At home, my family also lent helping hands so I was able to host a Passover Seder a little more than 24 hours after the tragedy.

I became a bat mitzvah and was confirmed in my youth, but my real Jewish education came as an employee of The Chronicle. I liked learning about my religion and covering Jewish news in Kansas City. What I enjoyed the most was meeting people from the various sub-communities of the Jewish community — from Chabad to Orthodox to Conservative to Reform to those who “just identify as Jewish.” On the other hand, meeting those people could be the most frustrating thing about working for the Jewish Chronicle, as it was often difficult to rush through Hen House on a Friday afternoon without being stopped by someone who wanted to give me a story idea!

One thing is for certain. The friendships I made during my association with The Chronicle are what I cherish most about those times in my life.