Each attendee of this year’s Jewish Culture Festival in Overland Park was greeted with a post card and button reading, “You belong in this community.”
Jay Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, explained that after such a tragic week it was important that everyone entering the event felt welcomed.
“This was exactly what we needed in a time of crisis,” Lewis said, “the biggest thing you can do is simply come together.”
‘Loudly and proudly Jewish’
Several thousand people gathered in the parking lot of the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park Sunday for the annual celebration of Jewish culture in the Kansas City metro.
But this year’s event carried more resonance and immediacy than usual, held eight days after Hamas militants carried out an attack on Israel, leaving more than 1,300 Israelis dead and precipitating a war now centered on the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
Planning for this year’s festival began 18 months ago, but the events in Israel this past week gave new meaning to the event, said organizers.
“I think that it was just fortuitous that this day just happened to be planned for this week,” said Allison Berey, a board member of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau| AJC.
Gavriela Geller serves as the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau|AJC and ran a booth alongside Berey.
“It’s really important for our community to remember that in the face of all this antisemitism we have to stand more tall, we have to stand more proudly, we have to be more loudly and publicly Jewish. And remember all the ways our identity and our community brings us joy and comfort,” said Geller.
At the JCRP|AJC’s booth on Sunday, festival goers were invited to pose for a photograph, then place it on the board alongside reasons they were proud to be Jewish.
‘Stand with Israel’ rally punctuated the event
That theme of connection and community was common throughout the festival.
After attending the Jewish Culture Fest in previous years, Cindy Berry was happy to return this year as a vendor. Although not Jewish herself, she noticed and admired the sense of camaraderie among attendants.
“I love seeing how everyone’s enjoying seeing each other,” she said, “it’s like one big family.”
At 6 p.m. Sunday at the conclusion of the festival, the crowd gathered around a stage to show support for Israel.
Rabbi David Glickman began the rally by acknowledging the attacks on Israel and how the pain of the community there impacts the Jewish community here.
He asked that any Israelis in the crowd stand, then anyone with family members in Israel stand, then anyone with friends in Israel stand and so on until everyone in crowd was standing.
“Our job is to live,” said Glickman, “Our job is to do for our brothers and sisters what they can’t do for themselves. There are soldiers who want to be in synagogue and can’t be. There are soldiers who want to be with their families and can’t be. There are soldiers who want to be in community and can’t be.”
Rabbi Glickman encouraged the crowd to use their own talents to support Israel.
“Each of us has a specific role to do and what we can’t do is sit by the sidelines,” he said.
Jewish Federation is seeking donations for Israel
Following Glickman’s remarks Mika Kislanski spoke. She is Kansas City’s Shaliach, or Israeli emissary.
“This is a time for action, even the smallest symbol of support counts,” Kislanski told the crowd. “We have a long way to go before these horrific events will be behind us, and yet hope can not be taken away from us.”
Lewis with the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City also announced that the federation’s Israel Emergency Fund has set a goal of $500 million to send to Israel to help with urgent humanitarian needs.
He encouraged festival goers to donate to the fund or visit JewishKansasCity.org to learn more.
“We look back at those who stepped up in the aftermath of the Holocaust, those who stepped up in 1948, 1967, 1973 and so many other times in Israel’s history,” Lewis said,” Ladies and gentlemen this is our moment.”
Here are some images from this year’s Jewish Culture Fest:
