So I just finished watching the Chiefs come out victorious over the Bills — arguably as exciting a sporting event as you would ever watch. I mention this not because I am looking to start a sports blog, although I was raised on sports and am still an avid fan.
I mention the game because it is nice to have the distraction from all the surrounding challenges and acrimony that we face in our world these days. It is nice to expend some ... Click here to read the rest of Rabbi Doug's blog post.
This Week's Torah Portion
This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Mishpatim (Shemot/Exodus 21:1-24:18). After last week’s chanting of the Aseret HaDibrot, the Ten Commandments, we get many more commandments in this week’s Parashah. This week, the commandments cover all manner of civil and criminal law, and how we build communities in which the greater good is sought over selfish individualism. Worship Events of the Week
Let’s make Shabbos together at 6:45 p.m. Friday, January 28, on Zoom as we gather virtually for Shabbat blessings and a little bit of Torah. It is wonderful to get our Shabbat started with Oneg Shabbat, Shabbat joy, and Shabbat Menuchah, Shabbat rest. Click here.
Every day is an opportunity to connect for a short morning service and a little study time together, Monday-Friday, 8-8:15 a.m. Click here.
Weekly Feature
Ways to Observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day — January 27 By Ellen Karp
"The International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust is a time to mourn those who disappeared and to reflect upon the choice of the individuals and governments that allowed this genocide to unfold. It is also a call for vigilance and for action, to address the root causes of hatred and prevent future atrocities from happening." — Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), on the occasion of International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
How you can personally mark the occasion: • Visit “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away” at Union Station. The exhibit runs through March 20. Click here. • Donate to the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education here.
Kol Ami Event Decode Hebrew in 6 Weeks Brendan Howard teaches Hebrew basics in an upcoming six-week Hebrew class. Commit to 30 minutes online, 6:30-7 p.m. Wednesdays on the following dates — 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3/2, 3/9. Thanks to generous support from Congregation Kol Ami, this six-week course is free.
The first step is learning — and practicing — the sounds that the Hebrew letters and vowels make. Register here now, and when it's class time, you'll receive a link to the online practice text as well as links to my recordings for practicing and comparing between sessions. (Students may continue in private paid lessons with Brendan after this free course.) Don't put this off for another year. Read a little Hebrew next Shabbat or Pesach! Community Event Acclaimed Author Series — Virtual Event February 9 Jewish Experiences, a collaboration of Jewish Federation and The J, presents Golem Girl: A Memoir, by Riva Lehrer, online at7 p.m. Wednesday, February 9, moderated by Rabbi Doug Alpert, with assistance from Kol Ami book-club coordinator Lee Merrill. Co-presenting this event are Kol Ami, the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City and the Jewish Book Council.
Lehrer, born with spina bifida, tells a story of parents, family members and doctors who are determined to “fix” her. Enduring countless surgeries and interventions, Lehrer eventually joins a group of artists, writers and performers who build the disability culture. This illustrated memoir of an artist born with disabilities shines a light on physical identity and the socially challenged body.
Registration is free for Kol Ami community members — click here. Those who register in advance will receive a Zoom link prior to the event.
