$1.00 Volume 100, Number 3 www.kcjc.com January 16, 2020
jewish chronicle The KANSAS
CITY
Be prepared Security expert advises see something, say something, do something By Barbara Bayer Editor After the tragedy in the Kansas City Jewish community in April 2014 when three people were murdered on Jewish sites by a convicted neo-Nazi, the community learned the catch phrase “see something, say something.” Last week Bradley W. Orsini, senior national security adviser for the Secure Community Network (SCN), took that a step further when he added two more words: do something. Orsini, the featured speaker at the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s Annual Meeting on Jan. 8, has been a security expert in the Jewish community for three years. After serving as the director of community security for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, where the worst anti-Semitic attack in the United States took place on Oct. 27, 2018, he knows one thing for sure: being prepared saves lives. One of the first ways to be prepared, he said in an interview with The Chronicle, is to take every threat seriously. When he first tackled the security job in the Pittsburgh Jewish community, he visited with synagogue and agency executives. One of his questions: Do you ever get hate mail? In many cases the answer was see See Security, page 18
The newest member of the Mayer family, Nathan Benjamin, arrived on Saturday, Jan. 4. Also in this family portrait are big brother Mason Alexander and parents Brian and Tiferet Mayer. (Melissa Rieke photo)
Community cheers first Jewish baby born Jan. 4 By Barbara Bayer Editor Tiferet and Brian Mayer welcomed the community’s first bundle of joy, and their second son, on Saturday, Jan. 4, at Overland Park Regional Medical Cen-
ter. He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 21 inches long. He has light brown hair and blue-gray eyes. The proud papa told The Chronicle, “We’re super happy and blessed that he’s happy and healthy and we’re excited he’s the first baby of the new year.” The couple, who have known each other eight years and have been married for six, chose to name their young son Nathan Benjamin. He was given his Hebrew name, Nachum Berel, at the bris last Sunday. The name Nathan was chosen after Tiferet’s beloved grandfather, of blessed memory, who passed away almost exactly a year before Nathan was born.
Tiferet was very close to her grandfather and naming her son after him is very meaningful to her. She said her grandfather was an amazing human being with the biggest heart you could ever imagine. “He was the most genuine and caring person who left a lasting impression on everyone he met,” Tiferet said. “He would be so proud of this beautiful little boy we brought into the world. I know this little guy will follow in his footsteps and be just as caring, loving and kindhearted as Grandpa Nathan.” see See First, page 17