TALK TO ME

 

TALK TO ME.  Oh how I wish you could talk to me. I stand among the graves and marvel at their majesty softly speaking the names of those buried. When you enter the gates of Elmwood, I honestly believe you can hear its residents beg for the opportunity to tell their story and once again engage in meaningful dialogue. With material possessions no longer holding any value, all that remains are memories and the desire to share them with future generations. It's these stories and shared experiences that defined their generations and helped shape ours.

Is the tranquility of a cemetery a blessing or curse? Do we maintain the serenity of its borders out of respect for its current residents or have we simply casted-off its inhabitants with each passing generation as their stories are forgotten and marginalized with the passing of time? Jewish tradition teaches us to name our children for those that come before us so that their memories, personalities and character might be passed to future generations. We perform this tradition with great fanfare, however we forget to chronicle their story, their great loves, lessons learned and hardships and triumphs that so defined their very character.

As I scan the landscape of the small tract of land tucked in the corner of this cemetery long since forgotten by all but a few, you cannot help but notice the uniqueness of the various monuments, obelisks and headstones. So many of these names are familiar that I wonder how many are related to friends and acquaintances? As the generations pass and memories are only maintained on the higher branches of family trees, I wonder how we metaphorically resurrect the dead and reconnect with relatives and friends who have long since been forgotten.

We oftentimes take past generations for granted assuming their lives and stories are somehow less colorful or glamorous. Surely their narrative cannot possibly live up to today's expectations? However is a first love, an unexpected kiss or asking for your one's hand in marriage any different today compared to yesterday?

History has an odd way of repeating itself and I wonder how often we could change the course of history if we had the benefit of hindsight and the wisdom of those who have already taken the road we thought was never traveled? In my particular case, I find myself always standing in front of the graves of the founders and initial past Presidents of our congregation and asking for the help and wondering if they would share with me the stories of their lives and that of B'nai Jehudah. They're all here Feineman, Hammerslough, Oppenheimer, Strouse, Block just to name a few.

Oh how I would love to compare notes, but more importantly just listen to their stories. The lessons they could teach, the stories they could tell, but most importantly the mistakes they could help me avoid. I truly believe the words of Machiavelli who said, "Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."

I wonder if they could imagine that the congregation they started would survive and thrive over 140-years later, increasing in membership for its original 25-person membership to well over 1,000 families. Could they ever imagine that the congregation would survive a great depression, world wars, become a leading advocate for social justice and be directly involved in the creation of the State of Israel. Not bad work for a group of committed merchants with little in the way of capital and experience in the ways of the West.

Certainly the residents of Elmwood are worthy of our appreciation and more importantly a portion of our time, attention and gratitude. Oh how I wish I could sit down on a bench and listen to their stories, attempt to understand the hardships they endured, marvel at the accomplishments they achieved, but most importantly just make a new friend that I could visit every time I entered the majestic gates of the place they now call home. Elmwood!

THE 3RD ANNUAL

ELMWOOD FAMILY PICNIC

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ELMWOOD IS HONORED 

BY A VISIT FROM DOCENTS OF

ON SEPTEMBER 23 Elmwood Cemetery was privileged to host a visit of a large group of docents from the Chicago Architectural Foundation.  The group had traveled to Elmwood to tour the grounds, inspect the beautiful Armour Memorial Chapel, and pay their respects at the gravesite of noted architect Walter Clarke Root.

Walter Clarke Root had come to Kansas City in 1886 with the Chicago architectural firm of Burnham and Root.  He stayed in Kansas City for the rest of his life.  While here he designed the old Board of Trade Building, other Kansas City office buildings, the museum at the University of Kansas, several buildings at St. Mary's College, the first unit of the Santa Fe offices at Topeka, and many homes in Kansas City.

The Armour Memorial Chapel, built between 1902-1904, was designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Marshall & Fox, (Benjamin H. Marshall & Charles E. Fox, principles) with George Mathews serving as the local architect, and an addition designed by Wight & Wight in 1917.

WHERE  DID  I  COME  FROM?

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