kcjc.com | Volume 103, Issue 25 | December 7, 2023 | 24 Kislev 5784
Antisemitic incidents, anti-Israel student protests ongoing at KU, MU partnered with Al-Hadaf KC for a “Week of Palestinian Pride” in solidarity Antisemitism on college with “those who have been campuses has drastically targets of Zionist violence” increased since the outstarting on Nov. 27. break of the ongoing IsA sit-in protest followed rael-Hamas war, and the the second walkout as KU University of Kansas and did not meet MSA’s dethe University of Missouri mands, and additional are no exceptions. Stuprotests are expected. dent-led anti-Israel walkVideos provided to The outs with antisemitic signs Chronicle by Jewish KU and chants are occurring students show people at at the University of Kansas, the Nov. 27 protest repeatAnti-Israel protestors gather in Strong Hall at the University of and an empty table set up to ing the antisemitic chant Kansas in front of two large banners on Nov. 27. bring attention to the Israe“From the river to the sea, li hostages was destroyed at the Uni- (MSA), are being held to demand that Palestine will be free.” Two two-stoversity of Missouri. KU Chancellor Douglas Girod issue a ry banners were also hung from the statement on behalf of the universi- balcony of Strong Hall; one read Antisemitism at KU ty in solidarity with Palestinian and “Glory to the Martyred,” followed by As of publication, two anti-Isra- Muslim students. a list of names of Palestinians who el student walkouts have occurred After an initial walkout on Nov. 20, were killed, and the other read “Stop on the KU campus, with dozens of a second was held on Nov. 27 because the Palestine Genocide; Free Gaza.” student protestors engaged in anti- the demands hadn’t been met. Both Protestors chanted “Ceasefire semitic chants while carrying signs walkouts began on the lawn of Allen now,” despite the fact that there was and posters. The walkouts, organized Fieldhouse and ended in the center See page 9 by KU’s Muslim Student Association of campus in Strong Hall. MSA also By Sam Kricsfeld Editor
Sam Devinki travels with Holocaust memorial museum for meeting with Pope Francis By Lacey Storer Assistant Editor Community member Sam Devinki recently had a rare opportunity, one that most people never experience: He had a face-to-face meeting with Pope Francis. Devinki was one of nine former and current council members of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) who was asked
to participate in a special trip to Italy. Though the itinerary included stops in Venice and Milan, the purpose of the trip was to visit the Vatican in Rome to thank the pope for releasing the personal papers of Pope Pius XII from World War II. “He’s the first pope to do that,” Devinki said. See page 8
Community member and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum council member Sam Devinki shakes hand with Pope Francis in Vatican City.
Head of JFNA addresses KC Jewish community
Eric Fingerhut speaking at Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s annual meeting on Nov. 30.
By Lacey Storer Assistant Editor Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), visited and spoke to the Kansas City Jewish community last week. Fingerhut was the keynote speaker at Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s annual meeting, held on Nov. 30 at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at Johnson County Community College. Since the outbreak of the war, Fingerhut has led JFNA in directing and distributing funds and donations to Israelis in need. He was also instrumental in organizing the Nov. 14 March for Israel at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and was coincidentally in Israel on Oct. 7. He has traveled back to Israel multiple times since the war began. Israel and the Jewish community’s response was the main focus of Fingerhut’s speech. He likened the Oct. 7 attack on Israel to a five-alarm fire, and the 145 Federations across North America and their respective communities to fire departments working to rebuild and fix the damage after the fire. “When there’s a five-alarm fire in See page 10