BBB Project

The mission of the Banishing Bullying Behavior project is to motivate, educate and train volunteer members to help break the cycle of bullying abuse. Our tools and strategies will be based on the book “Banishing Bullying Behavior: Transforming the Culture of Peer Abuse“, co-authored by Dr. Blanche Sosland and SuEllen Fried, nationally recognized anti-bullying authorities. Our goal is to have presenters reaching audiences of both adults and children, in the Jewish and general community.

For more information and to participate please contact:

Blanche E. Sosland, Ph.D. – 913-488-1116


Using cartoons and role playing, several 3rd thru 6th grade children participate in some fun, interactive and meaningful, activities dealing with the topic of bullying and what kids can do about it. Carol Yarmo, sponsored by the Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Shalom, leads a lively session, entitled “Peer Power” with some of CBS’s Atid and Gesher Youth group members sponsored by Stephanie Williams.


Using cartoons, role playing and 3 volunteers from Congregation Beth Shalom Synagogue’s Atid and Gesher Youth Group of 3rd thru 6th graders, Carol Yarmo helps the children demonstrate how bulliers are like “self concept vampires” and the children role play how to effectively deal with such behavior. This presentation entitled “Peer Power” is part of the BANISHING BULLYING BEHAVIOR Project sponsored by the Sisterhood of CBS which emphasizes the importance of partnering with kids to help solve this society problem.


Seven lively participants from Congregation Beth Shalom’s Atid and Gesher Youth Group made up of 3rd thru 6th graders use cartoons and role playing to perform different situations dealing with the topic of bullying and how to deal with it effectively. Carol Yarmo, sponsored by CBS’s Sisterhood leads a discussion demonstrating tools and strategies that students can actually use as they “flex” their brains and use their “peer power” to be a big part of the solution to this major problem in today’s society.

Banishing Bullying Behavior Program Prepared to Present

Rarin’ To Go! Sandra Rozen’s reading (on right) brought excited responses from (l to r) Gerre Minkin, Marlene Katz, and Sylvia LaVine, all members of Beth Shalom’s Banishing Bullying Behavior Program. They have been practicing and polishing their public presentations and are now accepting reservations from groups needing speakers. Their message is an eye-opening view of a very timely topic and is customized for audiences from children to adults. For more information: Blanche Sosland @ 913-488-1116.

Sioux City Journal Editorial on Bullying

This outstanding editorial in the Sioux City press was the ‘call to action” for members of Kansas City’s Congregation Beth Shalom Sisterhood. I urge you to read it to the end and then respond in any way you are able to combat the bullying epidemic.

Siouxland lost a young life to a senseless, shameful tragedy last week. By all accounts, Kenneth Weishuhn was a kind-hearted, fun-loving teenage boy, always looking to make others smile. But when the South O’Brien High School 14-year-old told friends he was gay, the harassment and bullying began. It didn’t let up until he took his own life.

Sadly, Kenneth’s story is far from unique. Boys and girls across Iowa and beyond are targeted every day. In this case sexual orientation appears to have played a role, but we have learned a bully needs no reason to strike. No sense can be made of these actions.

Now our community and region must face this stark reality: We are all to blame. We have not done enough. Not nearly enough.

This is not a failure of one group of kids, one school, one town, one county or one geographic area. Rather, it exposes a fundamental flaw in our society, one that has deep-seated roots. Until now, it has been too difficult, inconvenient — maybe even painful — to address. But we can’t keep looking away.

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Blanche Sosland holding the Second Edition at Sisterhood BBB Project Training Session. Looking on Carol Yarmo.