Kansas City Chabad Turns 40

When Rabbi Sholom and Blumah Wineberg were dispatched to Kansas City by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1970, this was the Wild West for Chasidim. Just the eighth Chabad-Lubavitch regional center, Los Angeles was the only permanent outpost further west.

Now, as Chabad House of Kansas City prepares to mark its 40th anniversary with a celebration Oct. 17, (See below for details) it is one of more than 1,000 Chabad centers throughout the United States.

“Nowadays, when people go out on schluchos, (Ed. note: as emissaries) the pattern is well established,” said Rabbi Mendy Wineberg, who is today the program director of the Chabad House. “Back when my parents came here, it wasn’t that way.”

The dynamic growth of the Lubavitch movement is reflected locally, as well. The Winebergs have sanctioned two “branch offices,” as it were. In 2006 in Lawrence, Kan., Rabbi Zalman and Nechama Tiechtel opened Chabad at KU (jewishku.com). And in 2009, Chabad on the Plaza, serving Midtown and Downtown KCMO (plazachabad.com) was established by Rabbi Yitzhak and Chana Itkin.

Rabbi Mendy Wineberg and his wife, Devory, who runs the preschool, have taken over many of the day-to-day aspects of running the Overland Park Chabad House from his parents. However, the younger Rabbi Wineberg says his parents are both still intimately involved in various aspects of the work.

“He still does classes; lots of one-on-one study,” said Rabbi Mendy Wineberg. “And then there is fundraising … leading Shabbos services; whatever is needed. My mom runs Neshei Chabad,” which is the women’s group.

Joyful Judaism

“Whatever is needed” might be the Chabad House’s motto. Instead, it’s “Judaism done joyfully” said Rabbi Mendy Wineberg.

That means “making Judaism available; not waiting for people to come to us,” he said. “So we do the Sukkah Mobile, the Chanukah menorah on the street corner — all these public displays that raise awareness. … It’s not about a building; it’s about increasing Jewish awareness.”

The rabbi said the goal of a Chabad House is to increase the number of mitzvot — which is to say the good deeds or observance of commandments — practiced by Jews within its sphere of influence.

“We meet people at the level they’re comfortable with,” said Rabbi Mendy Wineberg. “It’s often said that Chabad is not looking to increase the number of Chabadniks; it’s looking to increase your Judaism.”

The younger Rabbi Wineberg said he can see the influence of Chabad throughout the Kansas City Jewish community.

“I remember as a kid we would do Purim at Center High School, across from the old Chabad House on Holmes, and 1,000 people would come because it was the only real bash there was back then,” said Rabbi Mendy Wineberg. “Chabad said ‘We’ve got to take it up a notch.’ Now we have fewer people — probably 600 for Purim — but that is because every synagogue has a big Purim celebration. So that is a success, in terms of raising Jewish awareness across the board.”

Neil Sosland, the publisher and philanthropist who has been chairman of the board of the local Chabad House since its inception, agrees.

“There is a story — perhaps legend; perhaps real — that some 40 years ago, the city was temporarily without a mohel, and some of the older rabbis were, in a sense, bawling me out that the Jewish leadership was allowing this to continue and that doctors were doing it,” Sosland said. “Some of these young men used to come out here from Chabad and try to sell us books and try to collect some money. They met with me at about the same time, and I complained to them; ‘We can’t even come up with a mohel; what are you going to do about it?’ We subsequently found a mohel, but not too long after that Rabbi Wineberg shows up on the scene. So whether I contributed to his coming, or whether the Rebbe saw that we had a need, I developed a friendship with him.”

Sosland and the senior Rabbi Wineberg have studied together privately for all those years.

“I don’t go to services there,” Sosland said. “I go to Beth Shalom. On the other hand … I spend summers at Cape Cod, where I do attend services at Chabad … and also in the Caribbean, down in St. Thomas.”

Each Chabad House is financially independent, neither receiving money from the New York headquarters, nor sending any of the donations it solicits to Brooklyn. Chabad Houses charge no dues and do not have formal memberships.

Sosland said he has supported Chabad House financially because he supports its mission.

“It was important to have something like this,” he said. “They were attempting to provide a service that was not available elsewhere, and here there was a need for it. We didn’t always agree 100 percent on what the need was. It has evolved over the years, and it is now a very important contributor to the religious life of the community. It lends great support, and for that reason I have supported it.”

Chabad KC will honor Neil Sosland and its longtime president, Dr. Stanley Brand, at the anniversary bash Oct. 17.

“We’re celebrating 40 years of accomplishment and growth, and we’re not done yet,” said Rabbi Mendy Wineberg. “We’re looking forward to future expansion and growth.

“Our mission, our work, is guided by the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s teaching to us about the love of every Jew,” he said. “It’s what gives us inspiration.”

New library marks anniversary

In honor of its 40th anniversary, Chabad of Kansas City has announced the opening of a new Judaic library. The focus of the library will be Jewish mysticism, practical Kabbalah, Jewish history and mitzvot. It will be available both for research and study. In addition to the lending library on diverse topics in Judaism, books will also be available for purchase through the Neshei Chabad gift shop. A children’s section is also included.

The goal of establishing the library is to offer an opportunity for those with an interest in Jewish mysticism to broaden their horizons and to help them in their personal spiritual journeys.

The library is being established in memory of Rebbetzin Esther Alpern, the late sister of Blumah Wineberg, who, with her husband, Rabbi Sholom Wineberg, founded the local Chabad House in 1970.

“My sister Esther was extremely well versed in both the revealed and esoteric Torah,” said Blumah Wineberg. “She served as an emissary par excellence of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in Brazil for 41 years. Her yahrzeit on the 5th of Av, corresponds to the day of passing of the Arizal, who was the first one to express the importance to teach Kabbalah to the masses. It is an honor and privilege to share her vision through the new Mina Esther Judaic Library with our community,” said Blumah Wineberg.

New classes have started up in conjunction with the library’s opening, including “Through the Eyes of a Woman — Living with Torah Each Week,” led by Sherill Parkhurst; and “Kabbalah for Life — Kabbalah Coaching,” led by Rabbi Michoel Zev Wineberg.

For more information, contact (913) 940-1113 or nesheiChabad@kc.rr.com .

Chabad celebrates on Oct. 17

A gala 40th anniversary celebration for Chabad House of Kansas City is set for Sunday, Oct. 17, in the Muehlebach Suite at the Boulevard Brewing Co., 2501 Southwest Blvd. A cocktail reception begins at 5:30 p.m., while the dinner itself starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $180 a person.

The event is co-chaired by Randy and Meg Adler. It will honor longtime board Chairman Neil N. Sosland and President Dr. Stanley Brand.

To make a reservation for the dinner, visit www.ChabadKC.org/40years and complete the form there.

In addition to kosher dining, the event will feature a performance by Ethan Bortnick, the child prodigy pianist who has been seen on such television shows as “The Tonight Show,” “Oprah” and “Good Morning America.”

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By Rick Helman for the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle