SHAKE IT WITH FEDERATION — If you are a regular reader of this column, you know I like Matt Rissien’s videos. While I expect he will release his Hanukkah video soon (hint, hint Matt!), he’s got one out right now that is just fabulous! The Jewish Federation teamed up with him for a fantastic parody of Taylor Swift’s latest hit, “Shake It Off” as a way to put some energy into the remaining days of its annual campaign. Rissien wrote lyrics and sang them, while members of the community, Jewish Federation staffers and leaders you will recognize grooved to the beat. I love it and I can’t get the song out of my head!
As the 2014 annual campaign draws to a close, don’t forget as the song says …
“The Federation,
We help out the Jewish nation,
Helping out every age yeah,
From young to old,
And there’s something you should know,
The federation needs to grow grow grow, grow
And donations are great so so so so so so
There’s a campaign so just go go go go
And donate now, donate now!”
If you haven’t already donated, to the campaign, which supports the Jewish Federation’s efforts to sustain and enhance Jewish life at home in Kansas City and around the world, visit www. Jewishkansascity.org/donatenow. You can catch the entire video there as well.
SHAKE IT HANNUKAH — Hanukkah videos are already becoming popular and Adam Karol did a great parody also using Swift’s “Shake It Off.” Karol is a New York City-based singer/songwriter whose sound is a unique blend of influences from folk-rock to hip-hop. The son of K.C. native Rabbi Larry Karol, Adam was born and raised in Topeka while his father served as rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom. Here’s a little snippet of this parody, which focuses on the Hanukkah story:
“Instead it burned for eight, eight, eight, eight, eight
So we celebrate, brate, brate, brate, brate
Light the menorah and we pray, pray, pray, pray, pray
On Hanukkah, Hanukkah
Dreidel we will play, play, play, play, play
Roll a gimmel or a hay, hay. hay, hay, hay
Chocolate gelt is what we pay, pay, pay, pay, pay
On Hanukkah, Hanukkah
View it all by going to YouTube and searching Adam Karol.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO SAVE THE WORLD — Just a few days after the tragic murders of four men who were praying in the synagogue of Har Nof in Israel, KC Kollel rebbitzen Gevura Davis organized a bake sale where she hoped to raise some funds for the widows of these men. Several of her friends gathered to help bake brownies and challah and proceeds from the sale of those goodies, as well as simple donations, amounted to a grand total of $1,594. The money was sent to a matching fund for the victims, which meant it magically doubled to $3,188. Davis shared the news, quoting Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” In her own words, she concluded that while it’s easy to be discouraged by all of the darkness, it’s also important to focus on the goodness surrounding us.
KU PRESENTS HOLOCAUST-THEMED PLAY — “The Last Cyclist,” by Karel Svenk, adapted by Naomi Patz will be presented by KU Theatre in Murphy Hall. It is a comedy written and rehearsed inside the Terezin Concentration Camp near Prague. The play was not performed after the final dress rehearsal, as it was feared that its clever satire of the treatment of Jews and others by the Nazis would bring fatal consequences. It will be presented Dec. 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 7 at 2:30 p.m. For ticket information, visit www.kutheatre.com.
