MISSION STATEMENT

The Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation builds, strengthens, and preserves Jewish identity within our local community, in Israel and around the world through tzedekah, (the act of charitable giving to create a more just and righteous world), education and cultural events.

 The MKJF works together with a network of partners, here at home and across the globe, to repair the world and put our values of compassion, generosity and responsibility into action.

We are all Federation. Together, we are a community of Jews helping others in the age-old traditions of chesed, rachmanut, and tzedakah kindness, mercy, and righteousness. Each one of us gives of ourselves because we can do no less; because as Jews, it is incumbent upon us to share our resources with those less fortunate; and because the Talmud tells us that kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh all Jews are responsible for one another. This simple connection is central to the essence of Judaism. It has enabled us to plant the seeds of a community and to harvest hundreds of ways to ease the lives of those in need. It is the key to a Jewish future.

STAFF

Director – Julie Fruhauf (jfruhauf@mkjf.org)

Technical Office Specialist – Devin Suer (dsuer@mkjf.org)

Community Outreach Coordinator – Kimarie Funschelle (kfunschelle@mkjf.org)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Federation officers include: President,Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

The Board includes members from the community at large, who serve for a term of three years. In addition, the presidents of the other local Jewish organizations, the Rabbis, all MKJF past presidents and the director of the religious school serve as ex officio members of the board, with voice and vote.

Meetings of the board are held at least five times a year.

For more information about the governance of the MKJF, contact the office.

MKJF Board of Directors 2019-2020

Officers

President: Seth Merrell

Immediate Past President: Les Padzensky

Vice President:  Jan Hoffman

Secretary: Peter Grant

Treasurer: Paula VanAndel and Lisa Klaskin

Board Members: Stephen Zacker, Sunny Levy, Doris Weller, Royce Wolff, David Eichhorn, Abbey Gleichenhaus, Jene Fisher, Howard Jacobs, Mark Levy.

Ex-Officio Board Members with voice and vote:

Past Presidents of the Federation

President & Rabbi of Congregation Emanu-El

President & Rabbi of Hebrew Congregation

Rabbi of Wichita Chabad 

President of Hadassah

Director, Joan S. Beren Jewish Community School