90 Years Ago
(From the Jan. 11, 1935 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)
With the installation of new officers and the naming of all committees this Sunday, K.C., Mo. , Chapter No. 2, A.Z.A, will enter the next six months with an enlarged program of activity, and the winning of the International Best Chapter Award as its goal.
Retiring Aleph Godol Dave Minkin will induct into office the news presiding officer, Aleph Godol Nate Stein. After installation of other officers, committees will be named.There will also be an increased concentration on membership, in line with the nationwide campaign of B’nai B’rith and A.Z.A. to honor Alfred M. Cohen, national President of B’nai B’rith.
A.Z.A. is co-operating with the Owl Club’s “Search for Talent” contest. Its entrants are Elaine Galamba, Ann Cotton and Alice Dorfman.
60 Years Ago
(From the Jan. 8, 1965 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)
The recent Missour-Kansas regional convention of the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, held at Kehilath Israel Synagogue from Dec. 24-29, was attended by about 300 BBYO young men and women. Many honors and awards were made to local members and chapters.
Regional AZA posts went to Joel Feder, Dag Hammarskjold AZA, song of Mr. and Mrs. Gil Feder, Vice President; and to Mike Kelne, K.C. AZA No. 2, son of Mr. and Mrs. Is Kelne, Treasurer.
Best All Around Chapter Awards were won by Saadia BBG and Harry S. Truman AZA, the latter for the third time.
30 Years Ago
(From the Jan. 6, 1995 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)
Two’s alumnus gives $1 million to Campus
Kansas City lawyer Joseph Koralchik has given a $1 million gift to the building fund of the Jewish Community Campus, the largest single monetary donation ever received by the community center project.
With the Koralchik gift as an impetus, officials of the Campus board of directors say the hope to have pledges sufficient to pay off the Campus’ $7 .48 million mortgage by February.
The Koralchik gift, and all others received by the end of the century, up to a total of $3 million, will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a challenge grant established in late 1994 by the new Jewish Heritage Fund (JHF). The JHF was established with the $29 million in proceeds from the sale of Menorah Medical Genter to the Health Midwest consortium.
In addition, Koralchik will be donating bonds worth approximately $750,000 to the Campus’ maintenance fund, to be used for large maintenance and improvement projects.
To mark the donation, the Campus’ administrative. wing will be named for Koralchik’s late wife, Betty Ann (Chasnoff) Koralchik. A ceremony marking the event is currently being planned .
In an interview this week at the law office of Lewis Rice and Fingersh, successor to the firm he cofounded 55 years ago as Brown and Koralchik, the 86-year-old Koralchik said he wanted to make a gift that would have a substantial impact on the community.
Koralchik said he had “fond memories” of the Jewish Community Center when it was located on Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo., but had been to the new Jewish Community Campus only twice, each visit lasting “not over half an hour.”
“I thought it would take care of itself,” Koralchik said. ”I was notaware they were laboring under the difficulty of a huge mortgage, and I thought this might start a drive” to pay it off.
“Joe was interested in doing something that would benefit the community,’” said Howard Potts, Koralchik’s tax attorney. “He was looking for something that would have the most long-term beneficial impact. And we thought the Campus would be the most appropriate and have the greatest impact on the community as a whole.”
Irwin Blitt, president of the Campus board of directors, said Koralchik’s gift has already had the desired ripple effect, providing “light at the end of the tunnel” of debt.
“It’s helped set a tone for us to go out and get the balance of the funds we need to pay off the mortgage,”
Blitt said. “Once the mortgage is paid off – and we’re optimistic we’re going to reach that goal – then that really takes the financial burden away from the community, so other monies will start flowing to the other agencies, hopefully.”
Blitt noted that the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City last year agreed to pick up mortgage interest payments for the Campus through 1999. Now, with the Koralchik gift and other pledges that are being sought together with the JHF challenge grant, the Federation will be able to keep more of the money it raises “to use as they see fit,” Blitt said.
Koralchik is a St. Louis native who has lived in Kansas City most of his life. He founded a law firm here with his partner, Jack Brown (a fellow Two’s AZA alumnus), in 1930. That firm later became known as Brown, Koralchik and Fingersh.
Five years ago, it merged with the St. Louis firm Lewis/Rice to become Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, one of Missouri’s largest law firms. Koralchik remains of counsel to the firm, coming in to work every weekday. He is a member of Beth Shalom Congregation.
Arthur Brand, immediate past president of the Campus board of directors, said Koralchik’s gift of approximately $750,000 to the Campus maintenance fund would also benefit the community center and extend its life. The funds will be used for major renovation projects.
“Up until now, the maintenance fund has had very little money in it,” Brand said. He explained that the Campus had placed $2,500 a month from its operating budget into the fund, but that it totaled less than $100,000.
“Now the building is getting older, and there is going to be a need for it,” added Blitt.
