Day of Discovery is a unique opportunity for the entire Jewish community to discover and explore the richness, diversity, and joy of Jewish learning in Kansas City.
This program is a partnership of Jewish Experiences, a Collaboration of Jewish Federation and The J, and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City. This program is generously funded in part by Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.
Early Bird registration will close on Friday, August 9 at 11:59pm. They will have a limited number of spots open for walk-ins the day of the event.
Session I: 9:30am-10:45am
Examining Jewish Undergraduate Student Sense of Belonging in U.S. Higher Education
Presented by: Kim Kushner, UMKC Doctoral Student
Exploring Reform Responsa
Presented by: Rabbi Caitlin Brazner, Assistant Rabbi, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
Jewish Heretics
Presented by: Dan Margolies, Retired Journalist
Protecting Democracy: Lessons from Nazi Germany
Presented by: Dr. Shelly Cline, Historian/Director of Education, Midwest Center for Holocaust Education
Shalom Bayit (Peaceful Home): Building Authentic Relationships in Interfaith Families
Presented by: Andi Kahclamat, Marketing & Communications Director, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Taking Miracles Seriously: A Journey to Everyday Spirituality
Presented by: Rabbi Michael Zedek, Rabbi Emeritus, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
The Jewish Silver Artisans of Yemen
Presented by: Abby Magariel, Educator/Curator, The Michael Klein Collection at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
Session II: 11:00am – 12:15pm
From Psalms to Chagal: Classic Jewish Imagery in the Poetry of Dahlia Ravikovitch, 1998 Israel Prize Winn
Presented by: Rabbi Talia Kaplan, Congregation Beth Shalom
Kansas City is a Thriving Jewish Community: A Perspective and a Dialogue
Presented by: Jay Lewis, President and CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
Making a Living, Not a Killing: Food Sanctity & Safety
Presented by: Rabbi Edward AlterShmuel Shapiro, Executive Director, Vaad HaKashruth of Kansas City
The Popes’ and the Jews’ Love/Hate Relationship
Presented by: Rabbi Herbert Mandl, Ph.D., Rabbi Emeritus, Kehilath Israel Synagogue
Understanding Antisemitism in this Current Moment
Presented by: Sarah Markowitz Schreiber, Director of Education and Programs, JCRB|AJC
Neta Meltzer, Director of Community and Government Relations, JCRB|AJC
When the Rabbis Wrote The Life of Brian: Counter-Christian Polemics in the Talmud
Presented by: Rabbi Mark Glass, Congregation BIAV
The War in Gaza: A Strategic/Military Perspective
Presented by: Bill Greenberg, US Army, Retired
Session III: 1:15pm-2:30pm
A Convert’s Journey Into Judaism
Presented by: Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney Cohen, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy
“Nation Builds a Military That Builds a Nation:” A Look Into The Connections Between the IDF and Israeli Society
Presented by: Mika Kislanski, Kansas City Community Shalicha
October 7, 2023 – Triggers, Underlying Causes, Context, and What Is Next
Presented by: Prof. Rami Zeedan, Jewish Studies Program, the University of Kansas
Inclusion in Jewish Tradition: From Sacred Texts to Today
Presented by: Rabbi Monica Kleinman, Assistant Director of Programs (North America), Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
Lindsey Lipsky, Director, Sasone, Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
More than a Century of Community Coverage — How The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle Reported History
Presented by: Sam Kricsfeld, Editor and Business Manager, The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle
Lacey Storer, Assistant Editor, The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle and Marketing Manager, Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
What Should We Be Teaching Our Religious School Students, And What Should a Bar or Bat Mitzvah Look Like?
Presented by: Hazzan Tahl Ben-Yehuda, Congregation Beth Shalom
The Talmud of Kosher Trader Joes: Jewish Life in an Online World
Presented by: Ethan Helfand, Executive Director, KU Hillel
Please, contact Megan Pener, Manager of Jewish Experiences, 913-327-8163 or meganp@thejkc.org.
