Jewish Family Services

Supporting and strengthening lives throughout Greater Kansas City.

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Meet Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick!

Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick is JFS’s Community Chaplain.

Jonathan Rudnick’s background in Jewish communal work as well as his activity in the professional realm of pastoral care (chaplaincy), have prepared him well for serving as a Jewish community chaplain in Kansas City.

Jonathan grew up in Kansas City, very connected to and involved with a wide variety of Jewish communal institutions. He attended the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy through 8th grade and is a graduate of The Barstow School. His undergraduate degree is from Claremont McKenna College. As a young adult, having returned from a year of public service following college, Jonathan joined the staff of Jewish Family and Children’s Services as a resettlement specialist, working on behalf of the Jewish community with new immigrants from the Former Soviet Union and Iran. 

While studying in rabbinical school (ordained by The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem), Jonathan was introduced to the existence of the field of chaplaincy outside of Israel and became determined to explore the potential of this professional field of spiritual care to become part of healthcare in Israel (where it hardly exists). As a fellow in the RIKMA Program for spiritual community leadership development, he began to focus on the area of spiritual care (chaplaincy) as a niche for spiritual community development. Following a training course in pastoral care (Clinical Pastoral Education) in Kansas City, Jonathan returned to Israel to begin to implement his vision of spiritual care in the Israeli healthcare system, as part of his broader vision of communal life. After volunteering as the chaplain in the Oncology Department of Shaare Zedek Medical Center for more than a year, Jonathan officially started (with the generous support of the UJA – NY Federation) B’Ruach, a new program in spiritual care and training in Israel. He was the first professional spiritual caregiver (chaplain) to take on such a role in an Israeli hospital, and this pioneering program has been very well received over the years. Board-certified by NAJC, Jonathan is an ACPE Supervisory Candidate.

Jonathan has brought his love of music and song to his work as a spiritual caregiver, with experience in creating and facilitating healing prayer services. He has been mentored invaluably by Rabbi Simkha Weintraub (of the National Center for Jewish Healing in NY), including learning about the model of spiritual support groups, as well as by Reverend James Harper III (of Research Medical Center in KC, HCA). In his role as community chaplain, he interfaces with the healthcare community throughout the Greater Kansas City area.

Jonathan moved to Israel in 1994, living in Jerusalem and building a family. In 2006 personal family reasons brought them back to Kansas City, where Jonathan has the privilege of serving as a Jewish community chaplain, based at Jewish Family Services. He is the blessed father of Sagi, Shirel, and Shefer.

 

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Upcoming Events

Oct
5
Thu
10:30 am KesherKC Mobile at The Heritage ... @ The Heritage Center - The J
KesherKC Mobile at The Heritage ... @ The Heritage Center - The J
Oct 5 @ 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
KesherKC Mobile at The Heritage Center @ The Heritage Center - The J
Oct
9
Mon
11:30 am Mindful Monday @ Virtual
Mindful Monday @ Virtual
Oct 9 @ 11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Mindful Monday @ Virtual
JFSKC’s Mental Health Programs Team is pleased to announce that it will continue to offer the free virtual Mindful Mondays program from 11:30 AM to Noon.  Julia Billquist, LMLP, JFS Therapist will lead our Mindful[...]
Oct
10
Tue
6:30 pm Peer Led Support Group – Support... @ Jewish Community Campus
Peer Led Support Group – Support... @ Jewish Community Campus
Oct 10 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Peer Led Support Group - Support Community for Caregivers of Aging Parents and Older Adults @ Jewish Community Campus
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7:00 pm Peer Led Support Group – A Trans... @ Jewish Community Center
Peer Led Support Group – A Trans... @ Jewish Community Center
Oct 10 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Peer Led Support Group - A Transition for Everybody: A Support Group for Jewish Parents/Caregivers of Trans and Nonbinary Children @ Jewish Community Center
A Support Group for Jewish Parents/Caregivers of Trans and Nonbinary Children​ Meets every 2nd Tuesday of the Month    Parents/Caregivers of Trans and Nonbinary children – of any age – face many transition themselves. This[...]
7:00 pm Peer Led Support Group – Special... @ Jewish Community Campus, 3rd Floor JFS Meeting Room
Peer Led Support Group – Special... @ Jewish Community Campus, 3rd Floor JFS Meeting Room
Oct 10 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Peer Led Support Group - Special Needs Parenting @ Jewish Community Campus, 3rd Floor JFS Meeting Room
You’re invited to join JFS staff for an important Peer Led Support Group  
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5801 W. 115th St., Suite 103 | Overland Park, KS 66211
913.327.8250 · info@jfskc.org

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