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A Hidden Gem: Kansas City Automotive Museum

5 Nov

The current home of the Kansas City Automotive Museum is a little bit hidden away in Olathe, Kansas.  This 10,000 square-foot museum is PACKED with all sorts of cars and information. Much more than I anticipated.  Founded and opened in 2014, the Automotive Museum houses many cars and other objects that are on loan from their owners, where they are safe but also provide a place for others to share in the joy of their uniqueness.

There are race cars, turquoise-colored cars from the 1950s, an original Model T, 1912 Ford Model T, Packard Roadster, Studebacker, Bentley, Jaguar, Chevrolet Sport Phaeton, a bubble car, children’s go-carts, and so much more.  I am not a car enthusiast, but I definitely enjoyed this experience.

We went with friends in October and were delighted to have a docent go through the entire museum with us.  He was fantastic in explaining the different cars and what made them special; the special exhibits; the history of cars in Kansas City, and answered all of our questions, even the naïve ones.

Along the walls was information about the Kansas City automotive industry.  I knew we have factories here, but I had no idea how long cars have been made in the area.  I also did not realize that in the early years there were many small car companies that made perhaps dozens of cars before they closed.  But that makes sense as all cars were originally made by hand.  It wasn’t until Ford came up with the assembly line that car making became quicker and cheaper. 

I was also amazed about how streets were developed. There was not always all the pavedc roads everywhere. They had to be built. One fun fact I learned was the origins of  the term Jaywalking. It was a term for people who crossed the street in front of cars, making them seem not very smart..  Unlike now when motorists is blamed if they go too quickly and hurt someone, then they turned it around and blamed the pedestrian if they went in front of a car or were hit by a car!!!!

The Homer B. Roberts Gallery is in honor of the first African American car salesman in the Kansas City area. In the early 1900s he had an office at 14th and Vine where he sold cars to the African American community.  I had not thought of that before, white salespeople did not sell to African Americans, but in order to make more money they needed a salesperson.  Enter Homer B. Roberts and Roberts Motor Mart.

There is so much information in the permanent displays of the museum, a car enthusiast could spend hours looking at cars and listening to the stories.  But there is also an exhibit room for special displays. When we went there were motor homes/campers from the early 1970s.  Some were all in one, others were ones that were pulled by a car.  I enjoyed seeing those as well.

The Kansas City Automotive Museum is building a new home in Kansas City, Missouri, on the north side of 31 street between Broadway Boulevard and Southwest Trafficway.  It will be much bigger, 40,000 square feet, and able to display many more of the community’s antique and special cars.

This is a fun and informative museum, a hidden history gem, in Olathe.  But when it moves to Kansas City, Missouri, set to open in 2027, I believe it will be even more impressive.  I look forward to visiting the new museum then. For more information go to the website, https://kansascityautomuseum.com/

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A KC BBQ Adventure

3 Sep

An adventure to Crown Center in Kansas City brought my friends and me to the Museum of BBQ, which opened just this April. I learned more about barbecue then I realized I needed to know!  First, I learned about the history of BBQ, or should I say ‘barbacoa” and how this style of cooking was brought to Europe from explorers who went to Africa and the Americas.

Different sauces in different states.

Barbecue: You can make it spicy, or sweet, or very tart.  It can be made with dry rubs or wet rubs.  People in different states like it in different ways.  And if you live in North Carolina, the state is divided about how you should eat it.  The east side wants it heavy on the vinegar; the west side wants mustard. (Personally, I do not want either!! Sorry) There is also debates which is better, BBQ pork or BBQ beef.  They don’t even mention chicken!!

Hiding in the beans is my husband.
Toss a ring on a steer head. One of us did it!

At the museum there are activities like playing in a pool of baked bean-colored balls.  Or wearing a belt that indicates you are a BBQ master.  You can try to hang a ring from the horns of a steer! My friend’s husband actually succeeded in this challenge. The rest of us failed!!

You can find out all about BBQ and baked beans, because what is BBQ without beans!  And you need to learn about the history of Bush’s Baked Beans. The last set of displays focuses on Kansas City and the American Royal BBQ competition.  Also, how KC BBQ went global when KC Masterpiece’s sauce was purchased and distributed nationwide.

For me the best part was learning about the different types of BBQ sauces and realizing why I love Kansas City Barbecue.  I now know why.  I love the sweet molasses or brown sugar concoctions that Kansas City Barbeque offers the palate.  For me KC BBQ brisket or chicken is the best.  To taste some of these other sauces, just check out the gift shop, which has BBQ sauces from all the country!

I also learned that fat, or marbling makes BBQ more delicious.  And for some the most delicious of all are the fatty burnt ends of a brisket.  My husband loves burnt ends, a delicacy. 

To make our day complete, we had lunch at the Burnt Ends BBQ restaurant in Crown Center.  The husbands had burnt ends. My friend and I had BBQ brisket. It was deliciously cooked in the KC BBQ manner. 

Kansas City has many wonderful BBQ restaurants.  And everyone in the Kansas City metro has their favorite.  My favorites are Jack Stack and Brobecks.  I never argue with those who like other restaurants because it is a no lose situation. Every restaurant is great including, Joe’s KC BBQ, Gates Bar-B-Q, Q39, Burnt Ends, Taste of KC, and Arthur Bryants.

If you visit Kansas City be ready to try BBQ, it is a must.  If you want to learn more about BBQ, check out the Museum of BBQ. 

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The Vaile Mansion, A Gem in Independence, MO

2 Jul

I love old homes that have been turned into museums.  So when I read about the Harvey M. Vaile Mansion in Independence, I knew it had to be part of one of our local excursions.  When I discovered it, the mansion was not open to the public.  It is only open from April 1 through October 31 on Thursdays through Sunday for regular tours, although it does have a holiday season in December. 

We planned our visit to the Vaile Mansion for May and took a short trip over to Independence to check it out. It was worth the trip!  The mansion is lovely.  It was built in 1881, the mansion has 31 rooms.  But what surprised me is that only two of the rooms were bedrooms!  There were not many people who lived there, but they had plenty of places to use to stay away from each other!! The brick hoe also has nine lovely marble fireplaces of different colors.  Important to keep warm with in the 1880s.

The house was designed by a local Kansas City architect, Asa Beebe Cross. It was the height of modern technology for its time.  It has flushing toilets, fueled by a 6000-gallon water tank.  Copper bathtubs were installed in the bathrooms.  The room where the tank was later used as an informal dining area. The kitchen had hot and cold water!!!

Unfortunately, Harvey Vaile and his wife, Sophia, did not enjoy the mansion for long.  Sophia, who had stomach cancer, died in 1883.  Vaile continued to live there, but he died in 1894.  They did not have any children.  But Harvey Vaile did have nieces and nephews that contested his will which led to a legal battle and their being unable to pay the attorney, who then acquired the mansion!

Over the years it was used as a sanatorium and a nursing home and owned by the attorney Carey May Carroll.  After she died and it was to be demolished a local couple, Roger and Mary Mildred DeWitt, purchased the mansion and began making repairs and restoring it. Mrs. DeWitt donated it to the City of Independence in 1983.

I loved it. The building looks like a mansion should look.  It has a gothic air of mystery!  In fact, my husband commented that it looked a lot like the house in a lithograph I have made by a local artist (Randal Spangler, see link below.)  about a spooky Halloween house!  We are sure it is the inspiration! In fact, in October they do hold Spooky Tours, and supposedly the house has a resident ghost!

I loved the massive wooden entrance door, and the beautiful leaded glass throughout the house.  The staircase that goes up three stories and ends in a skylight at the top is wonderful.  All the carved wood bookcases and cabinets, along with the painted ceilings, which were part of the original house, makes it truly a gem. The bathrooms, with the cooper tubs and toilets are so unusual for the time! Colonel Vaile was forward thinking!

The furniture is all from the period, but none of it was original to the house. But there are many lovely pieces included an organ, piano and music box.  Throughout the house there are little pieces of history to experience. The best part is that a docent takes you on a tour of the house to point out special objects and to answer questions.

The grounds of the house are also lovely.  In early spring a Strawberry Festival is held there. Local couples can rent the house and its grounds for weddings.  It would be a great place to be married.

In all you just need about an hour or so to go through the house.  The day we went we were the only people at that time. As we were leaving more guests were arriving.  It is very close to the Independence Square, so we headed over to complete our day by eating lunch at the Court House Exchange.

https://www.vailemansion.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaile_Mansion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa_Beebe_Cross

Trick or Treat House: https://www.randalspangler.com/store-2-1/p/sanctuary-of-knowledge-tplyf-j8pyx-mmn56-8et9k-k4tkm-cshzd-b6res-r9t4e-3fes4-23a3n-59ghm

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Big Black PickUp Trucks and SUVs Cause Me Angst

29 Dec

I think I have been reading too many murder mysteries about people being run off a winding narrow road high in the mountains of Colorado or Tennessee or Kentucky or California.  In these mysteries the offending car is always black and big.  Usually, it is a black pickup truck or some gigantic SUV.

Sometimes it is the victim being killed at the start of the novel.  Then later in the novel that same black car starts following the detective or other person who is starting to connect the dots and soon will identify the murderer.  The same car attempts to force them off the road as well.  But this time, the person is prepared and although the car might be pushed off the road, the hero/heroine survives.

The evil seems to be the car and not the driver inside, even though I know that the car has no soul. I have become highly suspicious of large black pickup trucks and SUVs, especially Ford F-150s, Dodge RAMs and Cadillac Escalades.  Nothing against any of these car companies. But to be honest these trucks are big and scary, making me a bit paranoid when I see them.

Lately I have been noticing big black pickup trucks and SUVs everywhere. At the grocery store, in Costco parking lot, roaming the streets.  In my area, there are many, many black Ford 150 Pickup trucks. I am not imagining it.  There is a Ford plant in the Kansas City area that manufactures regular F-150s, as well as a larger commercial size F 150.  So, I do not think it is my imagination that these cars are everywhere around town.  Alongside them, the RAMs and Escalades also populate our streets.

My problem deals with my new obsessive behavior when I see one.  With my heightened feelings of angst with the war waging in Israel and the unprecedented rise in antisemitism, I get a feeling of dread whenever I see one of these ultra-gigantic trucks entering the driveway of my synagogue or the Jewish Community Center, or any of the other Jewish community buildings.

I think I transferred my fear of those who hate and commit acts of terror onto these black vehicles!

In my mind I hear the police officer who came to teach us about safety saying “If you see something, say something.”  Is seeing a large, black truck a reasonable reason to call the police or even to say anything? Last week one entered the synagogue parking lot as I left.  No, I did not call the police, but I did have a little twitch in my heart.

There are probably thousands of these vehicles in the metro area.  Heck, I even know people who own these mammoth. Honestly, I do realize this is a ridiculous fear …  I hope.

I am trying, when I see one, to lower my angst level.  I say to myself.: “Hey this is not a murder mystery or a thriller.  Lots of people own these. Calm down.”

No one is going to chase me down a mountain here!  Because we do not have winding, narrow mountainous roads in the Kansas City metro. I actually can only think of one such road along the river bluffs on the Missouri side, Cliff Drive.  It is closed to car traffic.  So I think I am safe.

What it really indicates to me is that the intense social media attacks on Jewish and Israeli people, Jew hatred apparent and emerging, as well as the media reports of these happenings, is causing me, among the many of the people I know, to have a bit more angst and fears, which leads me to look at things that use to be routine differently. I am constantly trying to determine if something is or is not a truly a threat. Hence the obsession with big black trucks.

Ten years ago a crazy hater drove to the Jewish community center and the Jewish elder care facility and shot and killed three people.  The irony is that in his effort to kill Jewish people, not one of the three people he murdered was Jewish. They were all Christian.  It was a tragedy that those who are Jewish and live in KC area will never forget.   So my fear is not without reason.  I will admit though, he was not driving a black truck. 

But you know, years ago, after the Oklahoma City bombing, I was afraid of yellow Ryder trucks.  I do not think I am the only one.  There are no longer any yellow Ryder trucks. The company was sold, and the name and color were changed.  In my mind, the bombing created the need for the change.

I do not think we will rid the world of black trucks.  People like them.  Murder mystery and spy novelists like them.  I am probably the only person who views them askance. But I do need to rid myself of the fear of big black trucks.  It is not the car who does the evil, it is the person inside the truck. 

What I need to do is to help to rid the world of hatred. That is the more important goal. We should not have to have the police guarding the buildings of the Jewish communities throughout the world.  We should not have to deal with swatting attacks on synagogues during Shabbat. We should not have to see people on the streets chanting for the elimination of the Jews on our city streets. We should not have the UN stay silent against the acts of Hamas and the rape of both women and men. 

I have hope.  If Kayne West, now known as Ye, can apologize in Hebrew on Instagram, maybe the tide is turning.  Perhaps in a few months I will be able to once again ignore large black vehicles driving alongside me.  Maybe my angst will dissipate. That would be a blessing.

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Money Museum, A Numismatic Joy

3 May

With all the talk about the Federal Reserve Bank, money and finance lately, we just had to see the Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.  Both of our children visited it when they were in school.  I remember them bringing home a small bag filled with shredded money, which gave them pure joy, even though they could not use it.

I don’t know why we never went. My husband was once a big coin collector. His search for numismatic oddities was a fun pursuit.  We found almost 900 silver coins hidden in my grandparent’s home after they died.  They owned a bakery, and my grandmother would squirrel away all the silver coins that people paid with, replacing them in the till with regular coins. The coins were split between my mother and her brother.  But my parents let my husband search through all their coins to get the largest variety of dates and coins before dividing my mother’s share with my siblings and me. We got to take the coins he needed for his collection as part of  share. 

In fact, in our tzedakah (charity) box, where we collected coins each week for years, we always had the children search through the coins to find ones we did not have before donating all the money saved each year to charity.

Even though this obsession with coins faded, I still cannot understand why we never went to see the Money Museum. My husband often passed the Federal Reserve building on the way to work and would consider going in. But it never happened.  Until this March for our annual anniversary museum event.

It is not a very large museum.  It takes about an hour to go through the displays, watch the movie and try some activities.  They really made it family friendly, with activities for children and adults. The museum is free and during the summer there are free 30 minute tours at 10 am and 1 pm that you can join when you are there.

The first exhibit is the giant wall of coins that used to be at the Harry S Truman Presidential Library.   The Truman Coin collection has over 450 coins all lined up by year and denomination from the beginning of the United States.  This is a replacement collection that was donated by over 170 coin collectors after the original coins were stolen from the Truman Library in March 1962.

 In fact, the day we went to the museum was the 61st anniversary of this infamous heist.   The replacement coins were donated on May 6, 1967.  Hence why I decided to write this blog now! It seemed apropos to visited on March 24 and then write the blog for May 6. But I digress. Back to the coins.

The coins were on display at the Truman Library for over 35 years. But now they make their home at the Money Museum.  A perfect location for them. It is fun to see how coins we use every day have changed over the years.

Walking along the coin wall leads you straight to the museum.  There were little stations set up for the guests to learn fun facts about money, finance and how the federal reserve system works.  One display had counterfeit money and explained the safety mechanisms to check to see if bills are real.  Another explains the history of piggy banks.  There are fun facts on boards called “Jay’s Journal” directed toward children.

A favorite display for everyone when we went was the gold bar that you could try to lift.  The only one we saw who could actually lift it was a young woman.  She was STRONG.  I could not get it to budge.

You should watch the movie, although some smaller children will not enjoy it. It is in the back of the museum, so you see almost all the displays first. We also enjoyed all the interactive displays along the wall in the hallway that leads to the vault.  There were even two displays where you could take photos to send to your email.

When we finally reached the entrance to the area with the vault, I realized that the vault was enormous, much bigger than I imagined.  NO photos are allowed in this area.  We also got to see them shredding old paper money.  When exiting the museum at the end, everyone can take home a small bag of the shredded money. 

The Money Museum is not far from the restaurants at Crown Center.  So we made a day of our museum adventure and ate lunch at Crown Center and walked around the shops as well.

It was another great Kansas City staycation trip.

https://www.kansascityfed.org/moneymuseum/

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Wonderful Changes at Truman Presidential Library

26 Oct

Living on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, my husband and I do not often venture to the Missouri side.  But recently we made the trip to Independence, Missouri, home of the Truman Presidential Library.

Truman statute outside the Courthouse in Independence.

Before heading to the Library, we met a friend on the ‘Square’ in Independence for lunch.  But first we walked around the outside of the Court House where Harry S. Truman had served as a judge for many years.  We admired his statute which stands in front of the Courthouse.

After lunch we went to the Truman Library.  Since it reopened in June 2021, we have been wanting to see the changes. But as COVID ebbed and waned, the museum closed, then reopened, then required timed tickets.  Now It is back to normal scheduling.

Truman greets you!
The new entrance

The changes are wonderful!  First you arrive at a new entrance, which is located on the side of the parking lots, making it much easier to enter.  It is so much better than walking up all those stairs and entering right into the room where the wonderful Thomas Hart Benton mural is on display.  The new area has room for groups to meet up, bathroom facilities, a lovely gift store and the entrance to a room with a short movie about Truman.

Each exhibit room in the museum has been repurposed and reinvented.  There are movies and interactive activities throughout.  Some of the movies are in little alcoves, others are in bigger areas.  All have a bit of seating and standing room.  But you have the choice of how much time you want to take in each area, depending on how many activities you want to do.

This came off one of the bombs before it was dropped.

I loved the exhibit about the atomic bomb and Japan. The important documents are highlighted and much easier to read and see. I still cannot believe that Vice President Truman knew nothing about the atomic bomb.  The letter to President Truman requesting a meeting to discuss a “highly secret matter” to me is chilling.  Another chilling moment in this exhibit is the two videos about the actual bombing.  Seeing the movie about the aftermath is emotional.

Recognized Israel

For me the exhibit and movie about Truman’s recognition of Israel as a state also was moving. Once again, the relevant letter was highlighted better than in the old version of the library.  I also enjoyed watching the movie about this important moment. Although Truman lived in a time when antiSemitism and the Holocaust had decimated the Jewish people, he felt that they deserved a homeland, a safe haven. But the antiSemitism of the world colored his staff as well. Finally, Truman made the decision to recognize Israel despite what some of his staff wanted and due to the intervention of his close Jewish friend. An antiSemitism that is once again rising, I hope we can find leaders like Truman who will push away the words of those who hate, to work for a peaceful world for all.

You can still see the re-creation of Truman’s oval office setting, as well as the office he used when he was retired in Independence.  It was intriguing to me that Truman never had a college education. But he was a lover of books and reading. His library is still filled with his books.

A sign outside the office says, “Readers of good books, particularly books of biography and history, are preparing themselves for leadership. Not all readers become leaders, but all leaders much be readers.” A statement that is extremely important as we look to elect good leaders now! Reading and the ability to understand complex issues made Truman a great president.

When you walk over to this office, you also can pay your respects to the graves of Bess and Harry Truman, along with the daughter and son in law, Clifton and Margaret Daniel.

There is much more to see at the Truman Library and special exhibits.  When we were there the new exhibit, “Portraits of Courage” with paintings by President George W. Bush, was not yet open.  It will be there through December 31, 2022.

I do need to say that Truman was my Dad’s favorite president. When he would come to visit we would do Truman trips: Lamar, Missouri, for Truman’s birthplace and to the Truman home in Independence. I brought my parents to the Truman Library at least two times! Dad would have loved the changes.

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/

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Our Anniversary Museum Adventure

5 Apr

I just love museums!   In fact for our wedding anniversary, my husband agreed to a museum crawl. He took the day off from work for this adventure.  I did think of him when I planned our visits.  First, none of these museum took more than 60-90 minutes to visit.  Second, two of the three were a quick drive from our home. Third, they all were either new, newly renovated, and he had not visited. Finally, they had exhibits that I knew would interest, inform and entertain.

First was the new “Medicine’s Hall of Fame and Museum” in Shawnee, Kansas.  This museum was founded by Bruce Hodges, MD, with items he has collected over the years both medical and from his trips to Africa where he provided medical care.

Asthma and allergy remedies.

I knew this building well because for many years it housed the Johnson County Museum. It was exciting to see that it had been repurposed into a new museum.  I was sure my husband would enjoy it, as he is a physician.  And I was right.  My first choice was a pleasant surprise for both of us.  Included in the displays were many old remedies for allergies and asthma.  Perfect for my husband as he is a pediatric allergist, who treats asthma as well.

Other items we enjoyed were the two Iron Lung machines that treated patients with polio.  I had seen one for an adult before, but the one for a child surprised me.  But of course, children needed them as well.  We enjoyed the room set up as an early pharmacy with the original desk and many bottles and boxes displaying old medicines.  Military filed kits, Native American medicine bags and lots of items that were used by quack doctors over the years. 

It provided us with a fun hour of information. 

From there we drove to Overland Park, Kansas, where the Johnson County Musuem moved in 2016.  I still remember when they moved the first ‘electric house’ in Kansas to the museum, closing down roads and moving power lines.  The house is actually enclosed in the museum.  Although I had been to this museum many times since its move, my husband has not been to it since the move.  As, I said, I planned this day with him in my mind.

I also wanted to go because there was an exhibit on redlining, which was the way realtors kept people to separate areas enforcing segregation in a way that people did not realize. I was shocked.  The realtors not only redlined, they earmarked some areas blue and green for white Christians.  Yellow areas were for Jews, Italians, people of middle eastern descent and others.  While Redlined areas were for Blacks and Hispanics.  If you went to a realtor, they would only show you a house in an area that you FIT.  Horrible.  And worse is that it basically became federal policy as well during the Great Depression. 

The realtors also would add to fear and distress in a neighborhood if a black couple or someone different moved in, leading to white people fleeing neighborhoods.  My husband experienced this in St. Louis when he was a child.  He grew up in University City area, which was mainly Jewish.  Then as black families moved in, he remembers a realtor telling his parents that they should sell and move out.

“Redlined: Cities, Suburbs, Segregation” will be at the museum until January 2023.

Corinthian Hall!

Our final museum visit occurred a few days later.   We traveled to Kansas City, Missouri to visit the newly renovated Kansas City Museum in Corinthian Hall.  When our children were young, it was the Science and Natural History Museum.  I remember the dioramas in the back building as my children loved them. The museum is totally different now, although the lovely stained glass windows are still visible.

The ice cream parlor!

The museum now displays exhibits about the history of Kansas City on the top floor, also talking about Redlining!  While on the main floor several rooms of this 112-year-old mansion have been renovated to look back into the past when it was a home. I am glad that when they did the renovations, one important room remained, my children’s favorite from years ago, the ice cream parlor, which will be open this summer.  YUM!

It was great to see this building coming back to life.   I also understand that they plan to renovate the other buildings on the property as well.  It has a magnificent view of the city. 

While there we saw our first of the 100 hearts that were designed by artists and placed throughout the metro.  I have now seen two of the hearts, and I hope to see many more!

https://www.medicineshalloffame.com/

https://jcprd.com/330/Museum

https://kansascitymuseum.org/

https://theparadeofhearts.com/hearts/

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Bittersweet Return After A Pandemic Year

12 Mar

One year and five days have passed between my visits to the elder care facility where I am a Spiritual Care Volunteer.   I last went on March 4, 2020.  I returned on March 10, 2021.  In between there was a pandemic.  Most of the year, I was not allowed to visit.  For a short period I could see people outside, and I did met with one of my people.  But I could not meet with my group.

On March 9, I was two weeks past my second Pfizer vaccine.  This means life changed for me.  As soon as I could I returned.

It has been a most stressful year for so many.   But I think the elderly took the brunt of the stress.  Many were kept isolated, away from their family and friends.  This isolation took its toll.  So many died, so many advanced in dementia, so many suffered from loneliness.  I cannot comment on my people. But I will just say that they faced the same challenges as others.

For me, personally, it was difficult not to visit.  I had been seeing them once a week for over a year.  We had formed connections and friendships.   They even surprised me with a birthday party when I turned 65.  At which time, these friends of mine, in their 80s and 90s, told me how young I was.  They told me I was Just a kid.   Which made me feel better about turning 65, if only I could be as independent as so many of my people.

Six weeks later I was no longer young: in the pandemic announcements it stated that elderly people over the age of 65 should stay inside, be careful because their lives were at higher risk.  In a short time I went from being a young 65 to an elderly person. 

I thought back to my aunt over 50 years ago.   It was summer in the Catskills.  I had run into her bungalow to see my grandma.  My aunt was reading the newspaper.  She turned to me and said, “I went to bed last night, a young woman, I woke this morning, elderly.“ 


What was she talking about?  She showed the newspaper, The New York Daily News.  An article stated that an elderly man, aged 59, had died on a tragic accident.   I looked at her and laughed.  I knew her age.  But I also knew the age she said she was.  “Aunt Leona, don’t worry.  To me you are always 39!”

But I now really knew what she meant.  I went to bed on March 11, 2020, a young 65.  I woke on March 12, 2020, an old, elderly 65.  It was a shock.

My life changed as did everyone.  But I had an added concern.  How would I keep in touch with my people who were so important to me.   I was not allowed to see them.  But I could write.  I started writing letters and notes.  I started sending goodie bags about every six weeks.  Two of my people emailed me.  One sent me everyone’s phone numbers.  I tried calling about once a month.  Some months I reached everyone. Others I only reached a few.  But I kept in touch.

The organization I volunteered for originally told the Spiritual Care Volunteers to not give out our phone number. That was now obsolete.  I gave my number to whoever wanted it.  I put them in my phone list and answered them whenever they called. They needed me. And I needed to know I was helping them in any way I could.

Over the year, some of my people did pass away.  Others moved into more skilled nursing.  At least one had Covid  and survived. I kept in touch the best I could.

Then came the vaccine. My people were among the first vaccinated in Kansas. It was so exciting. I was so glad to know they were safe and their quarantine was beginning to ease up.  I could go see them once I was vaccinated.

But for me it was difficult at first to get a vaccine.  I also have an autoimmune disease, so I was being oh so careful.   I found a spot that was providing vaccine to those who volunteer and worked with the elderly.  That was me.  I signed up on their list and soon was accepted.  I got my first vaccine in early February.  My second on February 21.  As soon as my two weeks was up I knew where I wanted to be…with my people.

I emailed the elder care facility and got permission to visit.  We set the date at my usual time, Wednesday at 2 pm, two weeks and one day past my second vaccine.   Because of my volunteer work I got my vaccine early.  So I intended to make sure I would be with my people.

I now needed permission from my volunteer agency.  I sent my Covid vaccine record.  But I did not hear back.   It was getting close.  To be honest I planned to go no matter what.  The elder care facility said yes, my people were expecting me.  I had to go!

Early in the morning on March 10, I got my approval from the agency.  I was told that I was the first Spiritual Care Volunteer returning to their facility. I was eager to go! Two in the afternoon I was with my people.  Six were there.  I was so happy to see them.

I knew what we had to do. We had to bench Gomel.  I read them an essay written by Rabbi Neal Gold that I got from a website. I read it to them.  In his essay, Rabbi Gold said, “In our time, the spirit of this prayer has expanded to all sorts of other life-and-death situations, such as surviving a car accident, recovering from major surgery, or enduring childbirth…..It is not designed for people ‘who merely with headaches or stomachaches who are not confined to bed.’ Rather, it is only for those brushes with mortality that leave us shaken — and profoundly grateful for our survival.”

 I think surviving the COVID pandemic counts!

So we benched Gomel, even without a Torah, thanking God for the goodness he sent to use to allow us to survive.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the world, who rewards the undeserving with goodness, and who has rewarded me with goodness.” We did the response as well.

We then talked about what happened to each of my people during this time.  The one who spent two months in the hospital with Covid. The one that was lucky because she lived on the first floor with her own entrance and could see her daughter.  We remembered the three that died. We thought of those who have moved into more skilled nursing.  We delighted in being together.

It was definitely a wonderful and joyful event for me, and I believe for my people as well. 

A pandemic year is a year I will never forget.  But the joy of reuniting with others, although bittersweet, is definitely a gift!

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Rediscovering My Master’s Thesis On The Jewish Press

22 Jun

As journalists and media outlets are facing some of their most difficult times with the loss of large newspapers and 24 hour entertainment/news, and the attack on the journalists in the USA, I found my latest move-related discovery: a box filled with papers included a red folder containing the survey responses from a 78 Jewish publications in the late 1970s, who responded to my master’s thesis request.

I worked on and wrote, “The Jewish Press: Journalism Versus Religion,” in 1979. Starting in the fall semester of 1978, I f finished with my defense and publication in December 1979.   I remember my advisor being happily surprised that so many responded to my survey.  I took the information and diligently typed this information on to computer punch cards.  Then reserved my time on the University of Missouri’s mainframe computer where, my cards zapped through the machine and presented me with the results. 

I have to laugh.  It took three tries. The first I dropped the cards, and I did not have them all numbered. This was a disaster in those days, because certain cards told the computer what to do.  You do that once, and never again!  The second time, a one card had a typo.  Finally, on the third try, it went perfectly.  Of course, four responses came after the computer work, so I had to mentally add them to the statistics.  The computer took up an entire room. You do have to laugh when you think about computers today and then 41 years ago. Sigh.

Back to my surveys. I sent my survey to magazines, newspapers, English and Yiddish publications. Any publications that identified as part of the Jewish press. Some of the editors/publishers just answered the questions with as few words as possible, others sent me paragraph upon paragraph of information about their publications and their thoughts. 

One person’s help stood out.  He wrote me a letter along with returning the survey.  In his letter, Bernard Postal offered as much help as possible in my project. My most vivid memory of working on my thesis was his wonderful help and advice! 

Mr. Postal had been an associate editor of The Jewish Week from 1971 until his death in 1981.  In the 1920s and 30s he worked at many publications including the New York Globe, the New York Times, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and the Jersey City Jewish Standard.  He was the editor of the monthly magazine, The Jewish Digest from 1955 till he passed away. He wrote books and he was honored by the JWB’s Jewish Book Council for his contributions to American Jewish History.

For me he was a godsend.  He had written an unpublished article in 1976 entitled, The American Jewish Press after 150 Years. He was interested in my master’s thesis and wanted to help. He wrote to me about my research. He spoke to me on the phone.  Finally, when I was in New Jersey during a break, I took the train to Long Island, where he met me at the train station and took me back to his home. We spent hours going through his personal archives.  He sent me away with a load of articles, information and a wonderful interview which took place on March 29, 1979. This interview is footnoted in my thesis.

We kept in touch.  I even invited him to my wedding, which took place a year after our day together.  He did not come.  And then, less than two years after my thesis was published by the university, he died.  I was devastated.   He was my mentor.  I was 26 and he was 75. I felt terrible that I had not gone to see him with the bound copy of my thesis.  However, his name and  memory has stayed with me throughout the years. 

Finding these papers, brought me back to the memory of my day in his home. Because of my thesis and my time with Bernard Postal, I always had a positive imagine of the Jewish press. I have had articles published in three different national Jewish publications, of which only one is still published today.

For many years, I have freelanced for the local Kansas City Jewish newspaper.  I will admit, that one of the people who responded to my thesis survey was the then editor of the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, Milton Firestone.   He was one that answered with just a few words. I never worked for Milton.   I started freelancing for the Chronicle in 1985, when I was pregnant with my daughter, 35 years ago.  He had died suddenly two years before, when he was quite young, 55.  I never had the chance to discuss my thesis with him.  However, I still write an occasional article or commentary for the paper. 

When Milton Firestoen responded to my survey, he mentioned concern to the question about “the possible demise of your publication.”  His answer: there is “little new talent interested in producing a publication. Also, young people may not want to read it.”  I think he would be happy to know that it just celebrated its 100th anniversary.  Although, I am sure there is still concern about the future of the publication, just as there is for all newspapers throughout the world.

Rereading some of the survey questionnaires has brought me back to a different time. So many of these publications are no longer published, or if they are, in a much smaller format.  I think everyone who responded is no longer alive.  I am actually feeling so glad that I held on to this tiny bit of Jewish history.

I am still looking to see if I saved the letters and the notes from my interview with Mr. Postal.  So far, I have not found them.  But what I did find has given me a bit of joy.

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Pandemic Packing And Moving

7 Apr

Pandemic moving is more than mildly stressful. As I wrote in two earlier blogs (see below), my husband and I purchased a new home on March 2. Although it was new to us, it is almost 30 years old. So it needed some love and attention.

I decided that we should get all the major changes completed before we moved. So I met with people, signed contracts and prepared for the closing, when everything would start. And it did…right on time.

Old carpeting was ripped out, hardwood floors went in. Three old alarm systems and intercom system were removed. Nails and holes in the walls were patched. And the faded gold, brown and green/brown walls became Misty grey, Atmospheric blue, and Rain teal.

Three unsteady ceiling fans were replaced with more modern versions. The one good one went into the guest bedroom with a new light attached. A dining room became a piano room, so the chandelier that was placed at table level came out, and a more suitable one for our plans went in.

Repairs from the list found during the mechanical inspection were made. Electrician, plumber, roofer, gardener, all came to fix more major issues. Since our new laundry was internally located and had a dryer vent that went for 12 feet under the kitchen, I decided to have it checked. Good thing. It had not been cleaned for years and had disconnected in the basement ceiling spreading inches of lint in the space. Luckily it was a drop ceiling below so it could all be fixed.

Some of the lint from the dryer vent

The master bathroom was getting an overhaul. The shower stall head was placed at 5’6”. Great for me, but not for my over six-foot husband. There were broken tiles and mold. So a remodeled was called for. It was supposed to be done before we moved in. As was the remodel of the island in the kitchen.

But about 12 days into the remodel life changed. We went to social distancing as the pandemic force of Covid 19 drove people indoors. In the Kansas City area, the mayors from cities in both states closed things down! Then our wonderful Kansas governor closed schools and put out new regulations for social distancing. So far they seem to be helping.

But what does that do for a move? Well the remodeling continues. Usually one person at a time. If more than one is here, they work in different rooms. I stay away while they are there, and go back in the late afternoon to check progress. I have a big container of Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer throughout. I have a mask. Everyone is aware of the issues. I no longer have to touch an I pad to sign. Bills are emailed to me then I pay. If I do have to give a credit card I immediately clean it with a wipe.

Home buying, remodeling and moving are deemed essential jobs, so work can continue. The house is almost done. However some is at a slower pace. The master bath has a holdup as some of the tile is in lockdown at a store that is closed. The kitchen island will also be completed after we move.

Then there is the move itself. It is supposed to be this week. But with this virus surrounding us, my husband and I are more vigilant. We have moved hundreds of boxes by ourselves. Our personal items, books, dishes, linens have only been touched by us. I have packed everything for the last month, as we did not want to exposed ourselves to more risks than necessary.

Luckily our new abode is just two miles from our current home. So taking several trips a day has been somewhat easy. Ok I lie, we are exhausted. If it was any other time I would have had friends helping me. But instead I am often on my own, as my husband is busy at work. I am working from home as my school is closed. So I do have more time to pack.

This week is stressful for so many reasons but also because if the holidays. For us there will be no Seder. My friend, whose house we were going to, is dropping off food for us. Most of my dishes are at the new house. For the second night we are doing a Zoom Seder with my family. People will be joining us from Canada, Israel, New Jersey, New York and DC. I can’t wait. Easter will also be different as many churches are closed or having outdoor services. I will not comment about Those that are staying open.

After this week and the move, we have to then sell our home of 35 years. But who knows how long this isolation will continue? Homes are still selling in our area. But as people continue to lose their jobs and the economy slows, we just don’t know. It causes some anxiety! The main concern, however, is loss of life. Already the death toll is over 10,000. New York is being ravaged. Globally 75,000 have died. Here it is not as bad. We might have flatten the pandemic’s curve. I am praying that is so.

With all that is happening I have some advice, DO NOT purchase a new home on the precipice of a pandemic. The stress and anxiety as we see what is happening all around us makes celebrating this change in our lives almost impossible.

Buying a Home In The Midst of A Pandemic

Downsizing After 35 Years

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