Religious pluralism is a hot topic in Israel right now, and Rabbi Mark Levin of Congregation Beth Torah believes it should be a hot topic here as well. In fact, he believes this is the most critical issue facing the Jewish people today.

“I believe the future of the Jewish people depends on the State of Israel. The support of the North American Jewish community depends upon the feeling of North American Jewry that we are in fact included in the State of Israel. Under the current religious set up, where the ultra-Orthodox control most everything and the consequent exclusion, with the exception of the ultra Orthodox, from the religious decision-making process, North American Jewry is systematically being excluded from religious participation in the State of Israel and most Israeli Jews are also being systematically excluded,” Rabbi Levin said.

This issue is so important to Rabbi Levin that he organized a panel discussion on religious pluralism in Israel for the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City set for Thursday, May 1. This dialogue will address the concerns and effects of religion and religious pluralism in Israeli domestic politics. Topics will include such things as to what extent is Israel a democracy, a Jewish state, or both? How religious freedom is protected in Israeli law and is Israel today marked by increasing religious pluralism?

Panel participants include: Elana Sztokman, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Movement; Rabbi Uri Regev, president and CEO of Hiddush — For Freedom of Religion and Equality in Israel; and Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz of Kehilath Israel Synagogue. Rabbi Levin will serve as moderator.

The evening will be structured in a way that each panelist will first express his or her personal view on religious pluralism in Israel. Following the three short presentations, questions from the audience will be presented to the panelists.

Religious pluralism really doesn’t exist in Israel right now. Currently the Orthodox have control over marriage, divorce, conversion and the issue that has received the most press lately — prayer at the Western Wall.

Last week it was reported that some progress has been made toward a compromise for prayer at the Wall, which would allow women to be able to pray there. Even with a compromise in the works, last week (April 11) five women were arrested by police for wearing prayer shawls at the Wall, which JTA reports “contravenes Israeli law requiring respect for ‘local custom’ there.”

This does not sit well with Rabbi Levin.

“The head of the Jewish Agency, Natan Sharansky, had to make a visit to the chief rabbi of the Wall, who gets to make all these decisions, to make sure that women would be able to say Kaddish at the Wall,” Rabbi Levin said. “To wit women cannot carry a tallit, not wear one, into the vicinity of the Western Wall without fear of being arrested.”

The Reform rabbi believes Jews worldwide are being systematically excluded from religious participation in the Jewish state, “which I assert with other well known people in Israel is a threat to the very security of the State of Israel and that American Jewry must be a part of this solution.”

Reform and Conservative Jews are not the only ones concerned by the lack of religious pluralism in Israel.

“As an Orthodox rabbi, I feel I must be proactive to be a part of a solution that brings all Jews closer to Judaism while honoring each individual’s dignity,” said Rabbi Yanklowitz. “Many of my dear Israeli Orthodox colleagues seem to have alienated major segments of the global Jewish community. I feel we must embrace values of inclusivity and honor in how we build up the Jewish state and pull Jews closer, not push them further away.”

Rabbi Levin said American Jews should make their voices heard regarding the importance of religious pluralism in Israel. He pointed out it’s been successfully done in the past when the Israeli government was trying to define the issue of who is a Jew about 20 years ago.

“North American Jewry has stood up as one in the ‘Who’s a Jew’ question and said to the Israeli government you cannot proceed in this direction. The new policy of exclusion was not implemented. North American Jewry must stand up as one and recognize the fact that the Western Wall is symbolic, that the participation of all Jews at the Western Wall is essential and that’s just part of the general exclusion,” Rabbi Levin said.

He also pointed out that 300,000 or more Jews cannot marry in Israel — including 200,000 people who came from the Soviet Union — because there is no such thing as civil marriage there.

“Now the ultra-Orthodox rabbinate has become incredibly exclusionary about who they will accept as a Jew, reversing Orthodox conversions let alone the ceremonies or the conversions of other Jews. This current situation is not tenable and what they are doing is writing off from participation in Israel the vast majority of world Jewry. Eighty-eight percent of the Israeli public says that is not OK,” Rabbi Levin said.

Rabbi Levin continued to stress just how important he believes this issue is for the survival of the Jewish people.

“Sometimes there is an issue that people do not recognize how critical it is until it’s too late. God forbid that a next generation of Jews gets excluded from Jewish life in Israel; they will abandon the Jewish state. In other words the state can’t say, ‘We are the Jewish state. You’re not Jewish. Support us.’ That’s what they are currently saying and that’s not a tenable position and it must be reversed. There must be a pluralistic Israel or the statement will continue to be, ‘We are the Jewish state. You are not Jewish. We need your support.’ ”

Panel discussion details

The Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City, in cooperation with area congregations, will host a panel discussion on “Religious Pluralism in Israel” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at the Jewish Community Campus.

There is no charge and the community is invited to attend. For questions or further information, visit kcrabbis.org or contact Annette Fish, Rabbinical Administration administrator/program director at , 913-327-4622.

Right now there are only two ways to see the hit play “My Name is Asher Lev.” You can fly to New York or you can drive to 39th and Main in midtown to the Unicorn Theatre.

The Unicorn is under the artistic and executive leadership of Producing Artistic Director Cynthia Levin, who joined the company in 1980. Currently in her 34th season with the theater, Levin said theaters across the country are now clamoring for the rights to the hit play, but the producing rights have been “frozen” while it’s playing in New York.

However, Levin saw the play’s potential early and sought the rights to it about 18 months ago. That makes the Unicorn the first theater to do the play, other than off -roadway, anywhere in the country.

Described as powerful and moving, this story follows the journey of a young painter torn between his religious upbringing and his insatiable need to fulfill his artistic passion — against the will of his family, community and tradition. The Chronicle is one of the sponsors of this production.

A couple of things attracted Levin to the play.

“First, I always try to keep my eye out for a play that has some sort of Jewish theme. I just think that’s important and in my quest for cultural diversity that does include bringing Judaism to the midtown area, now that everybody’s left the area,” she said.

Levin had read the novel “My Name is Asher Lev” by Chaim Potok, who died in 2002. The author began his career as a novelist in 1967 with the publication of “The Chosen,” the first book from a major publisher to portray Orthodox Judaism in the United States. Throughout his writing career Potok continued to examine the conflict between secular and religious interests. Aaron Posner adapted the book, along with Potok’s widow, for the stage.

“I love the story. I love the book. I knew we had to do it here. I’ve been so excited and I’ve been waiting for years to get in rehearsal. There was no question about doing this play,” the Jewish director continued.

Levin said the play follows the book to a T.

“The only thing, of course, that happens in the play is that fewer things happen in the play. You have to condense in a 90-minute play and you have to condense this novel in theatrical terms. So we lose a lot of the background and a lot of depth that you get in the novel. But what’s great is that we can bring in all of that depth and character because we have living, breathing actors portraying this story,” she explained.

She said the play has a fascinating script.

“The dramatization of it is really exciting and interesting and very contemporary. You’re telling a story about Chasidism in the ’50s, which is pretty much based on the Lubavitch movement of Chasidism, but it’s done in such a new, vibrant, contemporary way. It’s a great mix of a story that took place 50 years ago but told in very new, modern terms,” she said.

The play takes place in what Levin explained was the height of abstract expressionism.

“We create the ’50s. We create this Jewish home. We create what an artist’s studio looks like,” she said.

As in the book, there are many passages where Asher speaks directly to the audience.

“He tells part of the story in between the dramatized scenes. He will speak as an adult, as the book does. We see Asher from age 6 to 26, so it’s very interesting and then he can step out of the character and also speak out about what he’s thinking in looking back on it and the retrospect that he has,” Levin said.

Levin said that all of the actors read the book while preparing for the production. Levin helped them research some of the themes in the play, including Chasidism and Orthodox Jewry. The actors even attended a service at BIAV.

“Plus all my ancestry is Russian, and Yiddish was spoken in my home, so I get to use everything in my religious and cultural background to bring to this play. We’ve done shows with Jewish themes before, but I’m not sure we’ve ever done a show that is this Jewish,” she said.

“It’s just so cool to be able to bring a little bit of Orthodox Jewish life to the stage and to Kansas City. It’s just not done very often.”

She praised BIAV’s Rabbi Daniel Rockoff and the assistance he has provided during the pre-production.

“Rabbi Rockoff was great. The actors got to meet with him and talk to him. Anything they needed, he’s been available,” she said.

Talk back performances, where patrons are encouraged to stay after the show and discuss the play with the actors and director, are scheduled for April 23, 28, and May 5. Rabbi Rockoff will participate in two, April 23 and April 28. These talk backs will also feature an art expert on stage with the cast, to foster the discussion of art and faith in society.

Levin hopes this play will appeal to the general community as well as the Jewish one. She said she finds it fascinating to turn people on to something that they haven’t known about before.

“I do plays about every diverse group I can think of. Whether it’s African-American or the women in Afghanistan or homosexuals or poor people, every sort of minority or disenfranchised group that we in Kansas City may not be a part of or we may not know about,” she explained.

“We hunger to know about people in our community. I have to believe that we do want to know about all of the people that make up our community. That’s important to me and I certainly know that that must be an interest to the thousands of people who come to The Unicorn because those are the kinds of shows that I do.”

Levin said a reception was recently held at the theater and those who attended got to see a scene from the play. Most of the attendees weren’t Jewish, and Levin said they were enthralled by it.

“They get to see something that they didn’t know. They get to hear a language that they didn’t know. I would stop and explain … I’m putting a glossary in the program so people can follow along. I think people will love it and I think people will be fascinated.”

‘My Name is Asher Lev’

“My Name is Asher Lev” plays on Unicorn Theatre’s Mainstage located at 3828 Main Street in Kansas City, Mo., through May 12. Previews are April 18 and 19. Opening Night is April 20.

Performances Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m.

For ticket information, call 816-531-PLAY (7529) Ext. 10, go online at www.UnicornTheatre.org or buy in person at the box office. Special discounts are available for seniors (60+), students and patrons under age 35.

After years of collaborating with different musical groups at the interfaith Martin Luther King Jr. Day service put on by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Linda Matorin Sweenie decided she’d like to bring that mix of music to the Jewish community.

The result of her efforts is “Many Voices, One God,” an April 28 concert featuring Sweenie’s band Shir Balev, the choirs of Congregation Beth Torah and the Boys and Girls Choirs of Greater Kansas City.

“Music is the great leveler. Musicians don’t see color; they just see great musicians,” Sweenie said. “That’s been a huge component of my life and my view of music.”

Sweenie said that Ah’Lee Robinson, who directs the Boys and Girls Choirs of Greater Kansas City, shares that perspective.

“We have been talking about this for years, and we have finally decided to put this together and make it happen,” Robinson said.

One of the key ideas behind the partnership is to encourage diversity.

“We wanted to put something together with our choirs to show how much we’re alike and mix up our people so they get to know each other,” Sweenie said.

Robinson’s choir, made up of 70 boys and girls, ages 8 to 18, will sing a spiritual, but they’ll also sing “Lo Yisa Goy,” a traditional Jewish tune. He’s got confidence the kids will pick up the Hebrew words without too much trouble.

“Young people, they’re like sponges. They can really soak stuff up,” Robinson said. “I want my kids to be well-rounded in everything they do. I want them to see the real world.”

Sweenie said music has constantly brought her into contact with people from a variety of cultures in a peaceful way, and this concert is one more venue for that kind of connection.

“We are all from different backgrounds, but music is the common thread that holds us together, that commonality that breaks all the barriers,” Sweenie said. “Harmony creates harmony. If you make music with somebody, you automatically connect with them, and your differences go out the window.”

Although the concert will be a collaboration, rehearsals are not. Each group is rehearsing separately, and they’ll have their only rehearsal together the day of the performance.

Some of the songs on the bill include the Grammy-winning tune “From a Distance” and “Hinei Ma Tov.”

Although the performance will be mostly choral, Sweenie said there will also be solo performances from some choir members and a selection from Shir Balev. Concertgoers can expect a contemporary vibe to the afternoon event.

“They’re going to hear spirited, uplifting songs that will create an atmosphere of camaraderie and unity,” Sweenie said.

To get a preview of a few of the concert’s tunes, community members can attend the April 19 Sermon in Song at 6:30 p.m. at Beth Torah.

Sweenie said everyone at Beth Torah is excited by the idea, and at the Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee’s annual Freedom Seder, she heard lots of positive buzz in anticipation of the concert.

“It’s an opportunity for a lot of people in our community to hear music we don’t ordinarily sing or hear in the synagogue,” Sweenie said. “(Robinson’s) kids have a great gospel style … that style of music is very uplifting.”

She noted that while the tunes will be spiritual in feeling, Robinson’s choirs will not be singing religious tunes.

The free concert will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28, in the sanctuary at Beth Torah.

Three members of the Jewish community — Ali Felman, Jessica Glueck and Slater Sousley — were among the 18 winners of the 2013 Arts Council of Johnson County Shooting Stars Scholarships. These scholarships were presented April 7 at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art and Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College.

The Shooting Stars Recognition, Scholarship & Awards Program celebrates young artists and arts educators for their artistic achievements with college scholarships, awards and honorariums. Shooting Stars is one of the few programs in the community to honor and recognize Johnson County high school seniors and their arts educators for artistic excellence in the visual, performing and literary arts. Since its creation in 1997, the Shooting Stars Program has recognized almost 1,000 students and awarded more than $200,000 in college scholarships, and almost $65,000 in teacher honorariums.

To become a Shooting Stars finalist, students must be residents of Johnson County and a high school graduating senior. Nominated by their high school arts teachers, finalists audition or submit a portfolio of work for review by independent judges in one of the following categories: literature, strings, winds and percussion, voice classical, theater performance, production and design, 2-D visual art, 3-D visual art and photography.

Using the scholarship guidelines and judging criteria, judges then select a first place ($1,400) and second place ($700) scholarship recipient. Nominating teachers of the first-place scholarship recipient receive a $350 award. The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art also exhibits one piece from each of the 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, and photography Finalists. The student exhibition is on display at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art through the end of April.

Slater Sousley is the first-place scholarship recipient from Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy in the category of two-dimensional visual art. He was nominated by Kelly Reichman, who was one of nine teachers that evening who was awarded a teacher honorarium. This is actually the third time a HBHA student has won this award under Reichman’s tutelage.

In the literature category, Jessica Glueck of Blue Valley North was the first-place scholarship recipient. Shawnee Mission East’s Ali Felman was the first place scholarship recipient in the strings category.

In January, 103 high school seniors were nominated as Shooting Stars finalists. Other students in the Jewish community who were nominated include Daria LeGrand, Barstow Upper School, theater performance; Harrison Rosenthal, Barstow Upper School, voice classical; and Emily Wolf, Olathe North, photography.

Dr. RABBI HORWITZ — Rabbi Danny Horwitz, formerly of Congregation Ohev Sholom, recently earned his doctor of Jewish studies from the Spertus Institute of Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago. Rabbi Horwitz said he was in the program for a long time but it was only after leaving K.C. in 2004 that he started working more diligently to complete it. “My doctoral project was a curriculum in Jewish mysticism, something I taught a good deal about both at Ohev and in my Melton classes both in K.C. and in Houston.” In addition to teaching Melton classes, the Conservative rabbi also works part-time at Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston and travels as a scholar in residence. The rest of the family keeps busy as well. Daughter Sarit is completing her third year of rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary and an internship at Yale Hillel; she has been hired for a congregational internship at B’nai Jeshurun on the Upper West Side for next year. Son Shaye is scheduled to graduate from the University of Houston this summer with a degree in math/computer science. Daughter Eliana is in Israel on the NATIV program this year. Tobi Cooper, Rabbi Horwitz’s wife, continues to work in her family business, Houston Pecan Co. (www.houstonpecan.com) and is chair of the local Holocaust Survivors/Descendants group.

QUALITY HILL CELEBRATES MUSIC OF CAROLE KING — Quality Hill Playhouse embraces the music of the Baby Boomer era with its latest production, “You’ve Got a Friend,” opening April 19. The title song of the concert-style revue, written by Carole King, was a hit for both King and James Taylor on their respective 1971 albums “Tapestry” and “Mud Slide Slim.” It is fitting that the revue prominently features music by both artists, with nearly half of the first act devoted to Taylor (“Fire and Rain,” “Sweet Baby James,” “Carolina In My Mind,” “Shower the People”) and more than half of the second act devoted to King (“Up on the Roof,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “It’s Too Late,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”). Additional hits from the singer-songwriter era included in the production are “Blowin’ in the Wind” (Bob Dylan), “American Pie” (Don McLean) and “Puff the Magic Dragon” (Peter, Paul and Mary). “You’ve Got a Friend: Music That Raised the Baby Boomers” runs through May 19 at Quality Hill Playhouse, 303 W. 10th Street, Kansas City, Mo. For tickets, call 816-421-1700. To purchase tickets online or for more information, visit www.QualityHillPlayhouse.com.

MFM MARCH — Those of you who get a bad taste in your mouth every time you hear the names Fred Phelps or the Westboro Baptist Church come up may be interested in learning about the sixth annual Million “Fag” March. The rally will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Gage Park Amphitheater in Topeka. The event will take place just blocks from the home of Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. According to organizer Chris Love, the primary goal of the march is to “turn the tables, using the very same rights and laws as the WBC.” Love says the event expresses a message of tolerance and acceptance of all people; a message that the group hopes will spread beyond Topeka. “We won’t just be there for the WBC,” Love added. “In fact, it tends to be as much about community and fun as it is about the church.” Details can be found at http://www.themfm.com.

HAPPY VOLUNTEER MONTH! — Next week, April 21-27, is National Volunteer Week. Our Jewish community is blessed to have a load of wonderful volunteers, many of whom have been busy working on events just these past two weeks. National Volunteer Week  is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s also about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. So next week don’t forget to take a minute to thank all the volunteers you know for the hard work they do!

Screenwriter Dode Levenson does a lot of different things trying to keep his life interesting. He’ll be here Saturday, April 13, to showcase his latest project, the 2012 romantic comedy “One Small Hitch.” The movie is screening at the Kansas City FilmFest at the Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet Theater twice this weekend.

So far the movie has done well at film festivals, winning praise at five festivals already. The awards include Best Picture Comedy nods at the California Independent Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival and Cinequest Film Festival; Best Production Design recognition at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival and was voted as Best Feature Film at the Omaha Film Festival.

Here’s the synopsis:

“On a flight home to Chicago for a family wedding, childhood friends Josh and Molly innocently agree to fake a wedding engagement to make Josh’s dying father happy. Things quickly get out of hand with their two boisterous families, and a series of events causes them to pretend to be a couple and start planning a phony wedding. When the playacting begins to foster real feelings, the two must make some serious decisions: split up and return to their lives in Los Angeles, or make a life as a couple back in Chicago.”

Levenson wrote the first draft of this screenplay about five years ago. At the time he was engaged and going through his own wedding preparations. Nothing in his entire life prepared him for that process.

“You meet somebody. You fall in love. You want to spend the rest of our life with them. And then all of this other activity comes up, the caterers, where are you going to get married, where are you going to honeymoon. Everybody wants all the details and it’s just this incredible wave of love and good will, but it can be a little overwhelming,” he said.

So the creative juices in his head started flowing as he wondered, would watching the process of getting married be enough to push people who weren’t really in love to get to the point to actually decide to tie the knot?

“It’s an incredibly powerful experience to go through the planning of a wedding, of everybody’s agenda. I thought it would be interesting to think about that experience. But then I came up with how do you fake it?” Levenson explained.

With a fake engagement plot line in mind, Levenson tried to figure out what circumstances would warrant a couple to decide to fake a wedding.

“That’s how I backed into the plot of ‘One Small Hitch,’” he said.

He then incorporated a second thought. What happens if the man or the woman, for one reason or another, couldn’t have one or both of their parents attend this special moment in their lives?

“So the plot of ‘One Small Hitch,’ is two old friends who grew up together and one finds out the dad is dying. The dad is completely accepting of it. He said, ‘Look, don’t be sad for me. I’ve traveled the world, I’ve raised a family, I had a business. My one regret is I’m not going to meet the woman who will one day become your wife.’ In a weak moment the son says, ‘What if I told you that you already have.’ And he pawns off his best friend’s kid sister as his fiancé in order to make his dying father happy. I thought that was sweet,” Levenson said.

“It’s combustible,” he added.

Originally both of the lead characters were Jewish. He changed his mind, making the male Jewish and female Irish Catholic.

“I think people can relate to the intermarriage challenges everyone faces in the modern world. I just thought it would also add to the pressure on the two of them and (help them) find out how they really feel about each other,” he said from his home in California.

He’s had several films produced. He said this one is the closest to what he actually wrote.

“I credit John Burgess, the director and producer, for being faithful to the material and for making it the film we will see Saturday,” he said.

He said the two work together well.

“It made us both laugh and grow close together as we collaborated and made this script into this tangible film experience that seems to make a lot of people happy,” he said.

Levenson said he hopes to work with him again in the future.

“I’d love to do another romantic comedy because he’s got that touch,” he said.

Ties that bind

Levenson’s ties to Kansas City run deep. The son of Rabbi Paul Levenson and Marlyn Katz Levenson, he moved here as a small child in the early 1970s when his father became the assistant rabbi at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. He still stays in contact with many of the friends he made while attending the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, Meadowbrook Junior High and Shawnee Mission East High School. He also still keeps in touch with his sixth-grade teacher, the 101-year-old Stella Jacoby and others he met while an active member of BBYO (he was president of Hatikvah AZA) and USY.

Levenson’s father, who became the first rabbi at the now defunct Temple Beth El after leaving B’nai Jehudah, will join Dode Levenson here Saturday night for the screening. He is now rabbi emeritus of Temple Chayai Shalom in Easton, Mass., and serves as a chaplain for several Boston hospitals.

Dode Levenson is also still close with the Gershon family — Paul and Susie and their children Andy and Amy. Levenson and Andy Gershon, now a well-known music executive in New York, were best friends growing up. Wanting to stay in the area and graduate high school after his father the rabbi took a new position in Massachusetts, Levenson said he begged his parents to let him stay with the Gershons.

“I ended up having the best senior year a kid could have,” he said.

Following his graduation in 1982, he attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and studied communications and journalism. While there he wrote two books, “Jewish Trivia” along with Jane Lenarsky and Barbara Wachman (1985) and “So You Think You’re Jewish,” with Jackson Katz (1988).

After college, he traveled extensively and even moved to Jerusalem, where he worked for the Jerusalem Post. He loved the life of a journalist and living in Jerusalem, but, he said, “I wanted to color outside the lines. I wanted to make things up.”

Since that’s frowned upon in journalism, his first thought was to become a novelist. But then he read that you could make money in Hollywood as a screenwriter, even if a movie never gets made from the script.

“So very naively I thought I would move out to Los Angeles, sell a couple of movies because it didn’t seem that hard, and use that money to finance my novel-writing career,” he said with a laugh.

He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s.

“I learned very quickly that the craft of screenwriting is a very serious one and once I got into it I just thought it was the most fun. I got a break early on with Roger Corman’s company, who made genre pictures and started the careers of Jack Nicholson and Martin Scorsese making low-budget films,” he said.

Of course he wanted to work on big-budget films, but discovered the best way to learn the craft and elevate it was with low-budget ones.

“That was exactly my path. I did a Stephen King film, I did a neurotic thriller. I became really versatile because I just wanted to work,” he said.

His first real spec script was “a big, high concept family comedy’ written for Will Smith and Martin Lawrence called “Homeboy.”

“That’s the one that really launched my career in earnest with the studios.”

He’s also sold multiple shows to MTV and partnered with animation giant Film Roman (“The Simpsons,” “King of the Hill”) on the post apocalyptic comedy series “Doomsday,” which is executive produced by Howard Stern. Right now he’s in active development on a hip-hop bowling feature called “Rolling Thunder” for Universal/Republic pictures.

But the project he has enjoyed the most so far is “One Small Hitch.”

“I haven’t loved the other films I’ve done as much as I love this one,” he said.

Screening details

“One Small Hitch” screens at 6:10 p.m. Saturday, April 13, and at noon Sunday, April 14, at the Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet Theater in the Power & Light District as part of the Kansas City FilmFest. Visit www.kcfilmfest.org to learn more about the films and http://drafthouse.com/kansas_city/mainstreet to purchase tickets. The FilmFest concludes Sunday, April 14.

If you are a sports fan who often wonders if this player or that player is Jewish, read on. You’ll want to add Sporting Kansas City’s Benny Feilhaber to the list of who’s who among Jewish athletes. Feilhaber, a midfielder, joined the soccer team in the offseason and has helped the team to a 3-1-2 start this season and second place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference standings. You can see him and all the other Sporting KC stars play at Sporting Kansas City’s fourth annual Jewish Heritage Day at Sporting Park on Sunday, May 5.

The 28-year-old Feilhaber was acquired by Sporting KC in December 2012 in a trade from the New England Revolution. Prior to Wednesday’s game (April 10) versus New York Red Bulls in New York, he had played in all six games this season. He is among the team leaders in several statistical categories, including leading the team with two assists (tied with Graham Zusi) on the season. He’s also fourth on the team in shots with nine and tied for fourth, with Paula Nagamura, on the team with shots on goal.

The 5-feet-9-inches, 160-pound midfielder describes his job on the field as being “a little more attack minded.” While it’s difficult to compare his position on the soccer field to any other in sports, if he had to do it, he’d describe it as similar to a basketball point guard who sets up other players to score.

“I’m an offensive midfielder. Most of my job is to create scoring opportunities. When I get the ball I’m looking to either find passes to the forwards where they can get shots on goal or to create shots for myself to score goals,” he said.

Feilhaber, who started playing soccer when he was about 4 years old, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but his father’s job took the family to the United States when he was 6. His family lived in Scarsdale, N.Y., while his father commuted to work in New York City.

“When the company wanted to move him back to Brazil, my father got another job with another oil company,” Feilhaber said.

Over the years the Feilhaber family moved to Houston and Connecticut before settling in California when he was 14.

Before he attended college, Feilhaber’s really didn’t dream of becoming a professional soccer player. He had some opportunities for soccer scholarships on the “other side of the country,” but decided he would rather stay close to home. The University of California-Los Angeles had the academics he wanted and a good soccer team, so he chose to join the team as a walk-on.

“That allowed me to stay somewhat close to home but not really in my backyard,” said Feilhaber, whose family lives in Orange County, Calif., which is located about an hour south of Los Angeles. “It became a pretty easy choice for me.”

He said the mindset of the soccer players at UCLA helped change his attitude toward professional soccer as well.

“The attitude there with all the soccer players was everybody really wanted to go pro,” he said. “I strove to get back better and I think what I did in those two years of college really helped me become a professional soccer player.”

He played well enough as a freshman to earn a small scholarship the following year. As a sophomore year he played in every game and became a starter.

After just two years in college, he was invited to join the U.S. Under-20 National Team, which Feilhaber explained is a group of players made up of some professional and some college players. The team played in the 2005 World Cup in Holland.

“I played really well in that tournament, which is an international tournament where all kinds of coaches from all over the world are watching. That’s how I got a chance to go play in Germany,” said Feilhaber, who has played in 39 games with the U.S. National Team during his career. He was on the rosters of the U.S. 2010 FIFA World Cup squad and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, as well as the 2011 Gold Cup. He’s also been invited to attend the 2013 USMNT January Camp.

Feilhaber began his pro career in Germany. He played there for two seasons, next in Darby County in England for one season and three seasons in Denmark before returning to the States.

He played his first two seasons in the MISL for the New England Revolution before joining Sporting KC. He is enjoying his time with this team.

“I really love it here. The team is extremely competitive. It’s a team that’s made up of really quality players,” he said.

One of the things he likes is Coach Peter Vermes, who was an assistant coach on the Under-20 National Team on which he played.

“He knows me from a really long time ago and I know him. It’s nice to be working with him again. I really like his style of coaching so that helps me be a better player out there on the field,” he said.

Feilhaber also likes Sporting Park, which opened in 2011 and seats 18,467 for soccer.

“The stadium and the fans are really second to none in the MLS. It’s unbelievable to play at home and have that support. I’m just really glad to be in this kind of position to play at my best and compete for a national title,” he said.

Feilhaber, who holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the United States, said he enjoys playing on a team with men from so many different countries. Within the starting 11, there are only five players who were born in America. The roster is filled with players who hail from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Haiti, Kenya and Spain.

“I think once you are on the field it kind of evolves into one thing, which is soccer,” he said. “I think it’s nice to have a lot of different cultures and styles and ethnic mixes on the field and it helps us a little bit.”

As for his Jewishness, he doesn’t consider himself too religious.

“I consider myself more Jewish by tradition and as a people,” said Feilhaber, who did become a Bar Mitzvah when he was 13.

The team plays in Kansas City, Kan., trains at Swope Park in Kansas City, Mo., and he lives in the Westport area. He likes being here and being a part of the team.

“The team is doing really well this year. We actually had a slow start the first three games and now things are starting to fall into place,” he said. “We feel like our team is definitely strong enough to compete for an MLS cup and I think that’s everybody’s goal on the team.”

Things are rockin’ for the University of Missouri’s Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity in more ways than one. The chapter is the largest it’s been in years and its members are doing well academically. On top of that, the brothers are hoping the fraternity’s biennial philanthropy event to raise money for the fight against cancer, scheduled later this month, is the biggest and best ever.

AEPi’s Rock-A-Thon begins at 7 am. Thursday, April 25, and concludes at 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. During that time senior Brendan Lyss of St. Louis will rock for 63 consecutive hours in a chair located on a stage in downtown Columbia, Mo.

The 2011 event raised $80,000. AEPi president Zach Mallin said the fraternity hopes to top $100,000 this year.

“It’s the largest single philanthropy event held by one chapter in the Greek community in the entire country,” noted senior Alex Silverman, the event’s public relations chairman.

While Liss rocks, AEPi members will solicit donations in Columbia, the surrounding mid-Missouri area and, for the first time, travel to both Kansas City and St. Louis.

“That’s how we bring in the bulk of our revenue,” said Silverman, a senior from Long Island, N.Y.

Support for the event is also garnered through both corporate sponsorships and personal donations.

The Rock-A-Thon began more than 40 years ago in 1969. According to co-chairmen Andrew Weil of Eagan, Minn., and Galen Hoft from St. Louis, it gives the “brothers a chance to connect with the worldwide push to eradicate cancer.”

“This year, this connection is even stronger as 2013 is not only the centennial celebration for AEPi as a whole, but it’s also the centennial for the American Cancer Society,” they note in the Rock-A-Thon newsletter.

Silverman explained that the event always supports the American Cancer Society, but each time it takes place it targets a different type of cancer.

“We try to pick one particular type of cancer to raise awareness about each time. This year we are focused on lung cancer. In 2011 we worked to fight leukemia,” Silverman said. “Lung cancer is the most deadly form of cancer in the United States.”

Being chosen as the rocker is considered the chapter’s highest honor. Lyss said cancer is something that has surrounded him his entire life. His father and brother are both cancer survivors. His father is also an oncologist.

“I feel like everyone has their experience and their connection with cancer and that’s why this is such an important thing for us to be doing. It’s an incredible honor to be chosen this year’s rocker,” Lyss said.

Mallin, the son of Sharon and Jeff Mallin and a member of Congregation Beth Shalom, said the AEPi brothers have been working very hard on this event for more than a year now.

“We are really looking for a lot of support,” he said.

Two things have been added to Rock-A-Thon 2013. The first is the “Who Do You Rock For?” campaign. This program gives donors a chance to honor friends and loved ones personally affected by cancer, as well as those in their support systems. To take part, submit the name(s) on the donation form of the people who you rock for. Once the name submissions are received, brothers will complete a handwritten “Who Do You Rock For?” card, which will be displayed at the Rock-A-thon stage.

The newest activity of the event is AEPi’s inaugural Rock-A-Thon Golf Classic. It will take place Saturday, April 20, at the Forest Park Golf Course in St. Louis.

The continued success of Rock-A-Thon can be attributed in part to the growth the fraternity has experienced over the past few years. When he was a freshman in 2009, Silverman points out the fraternity had about 60 members. The chapter has more than doubled in size since then, now boasting 130 members.

Mallin said this year has been a very impressive one for the chapter. It won first place in Mizzou’s 2012 Homecoming — a competition that includes a variety of components such as community service, house decorations, building a float for the parade and writing and performing a skit. AEPi was paired with Chi Omega sorority for this contest.

“It’s a huge competition with a lot of things involved,” Mallin said.

“This accomplishment, paired with having one of the highest overall fraternity GPAs on campus, shows our brotherhood is indeed increasing in quantity and quality,” he continued.

Silverman encourages those in the Columbia area to stop by the Rock-A-Thon during the 63-hour marathon.

“The last few hours are always a big spectacle. Everyone gathers around the stage trying to can (raise money) for last-minute donations. There’ll be music. It’s a pretty big scene and a good amount of spectators come to see it all,” Silverman said.

For more information regarding any of these events, or to make a donation, visit www.rockathonaepi.com.

A MOVING TRIBUTE — There were a few tears in the audience more than once Sunday during the community’s annual Yom HaShoah Holocaust Memorial Service at the Lewis and Shirley White Theatre. This year’s event, chaired by Sharon Mandelbaum Barber, the daughter of the late Shirley Mandelbaum and survivor and MCHE co-founder Jack Mandelbaum, commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Memorial to the Six Million, which now sits on the grounds of the Jewish Community Campus. Rabbi David Glickman of Congregation Beth Shalom reminded the full house of more than 500 people that commemorations like Sunday’s are more important today as we move further away from the actual events of the Shoah. Barber noted that those survivors who settled here believed the United States was a land of freedom and opportunity. “They didn’t ask for sympathy or charity. They rolled up their sleeves and worked hard.” She continued to note that it is now the responsibility of the children and grandchildren of these survivors to carry on their legacy, always being mindful of the blessings and responsibilities of freedom.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — “Last year’s drought seriously damaged agricultural production around Kansas, but in Lawrence, the tree of Judaism has been well nourished and is bearing marvelous fruit” — Jonathan Paretsky, president of the Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation in the April newsletter.

HOORAY FOR BASEBALL SEASON — Hallelujah, the Royals won their home opener this week! According to The Forward, there are four Jewish baseball players in the major leagues this year. Only one, however, is in the American League and will find his way to Kauffman Stadium this year. Kevin Youkilis signed with the New York Yankees in December and is slated to be here with the team May 10, 11 and 12. The other three players in the National League are Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, the first Jewish player to be named Most Valuable Player since Sandy Koufax in 1963, Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets first baseman Ike Davis.

YOM HAZIKARON — This year’s community Yom HaZikaron Memorial Service will feature Yoona Kolfina, a lone IDF soldier from Belgorod, Russia. It is taking place at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at the Jewish Community Campus. Kolfina joined the IDF Karakal unit and served as a combat lone soldier, as well as a paramedic during her army service. Her speech, along with a moving memorial service, will be an unforgettable experience.

This is a big year for State of Israel as it celebrates the 65th anniversary of its birth. The Kansas City Jewish community will celebrate it not once, not twice, but three times during the month of April.

Why schedule three events so close together in one month, you might ask. Israel Shlicha (Emissary) Ophir Hacohen explained that ever since the State of Israel was founded, the memorial day commemoration and the independence day celebration have been linked together.

“Some people say that’s strange. But it’s part of the idea that the way we established the state cost a very high price, and still does to this day, and we have to remember that. So where there’s happiness there’s also sorrow for those who lost their lives for our country,” explained Hacohen, who has now been serving the Jewish community of Kansas City about eight months.

The third event, Lag b’Omer, just happens to fall close to Israel Independence Day events. Hacohen said attending one, two or even all three of these events is a wonderful way to show support for the Jewish state.

“People often ask me how they can show support for Israel when they live all the way here,” Hacohen said. In addition to donating money, “this is a great way to honor and celebrate with Israel.”

Planning three events celebrating Israel is a lot of work, but Hacohen thinks it will be worth it.

“It’s amazing that the community goes to so much effort to honor Israel during this month. We have so many events but they keep going strong because people come to them and people look forward to them,” she said.

“I think people are looking for more and more ways to support Israel. We have a lot of organizations working on these events and I think this is a wonderful way to unite and support Israel.”

Yom HaZikaron

Israel’s Memorial Day

Hacohen explained that Yom HaZikaron, which will be commemorated here on Sunday, April 14, is Israel’s Memorial Day dedicated to fallen soldiers and victims of terror.

“It’s the day that foremost honors those who have lost their lives and in Israel, unfortunately, we have many victims of terror attacks.”

This year’s event will be held on the same day that Israelis will hold memorials.

“It’s really wonderful and very meaningful that we hold the ceremony the same day that it is in Israel,” Hacohen said. Sunday is memorial day eve and Monday is the actual day in Israel.

The Yom HaZikaron ceremony will be held in the Social Hall at the Jewish Community Campus beginning at 7 p.m. The event, which is slated to last an hour, will include Israeli music provided by Emily Tummons, Leslie Zucker and Sophia Porter, a student at the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy.

In years’ past the Israeli army officer stationed at the officer’s training school at Fort Leavenworth has attended this event. This year, however, the officer, Uzi Kliger, will be in Washington, D.C. that evening and won’t be able to attend.

But the Israeli Defense Forces will still be represented this year in the form of guest speaker and former lone soldier Yoona Kolfina. Her presentation will be about the life a lone soldier. The local Jewish community boasts eight lone soldiers in the IDF — Sam Mendel, Sam Kohn, Rachel Kaplan, Alana Gaffen, Jason Barnett, Tomer Bar Lavi, Aviv Bonomo and Mai Bonomo.

Kolfina immigrated to Israel from Belgorod, Russia, in 2006 through the Na’aleh program. She was active in the Jewish community in her town and participated in the Jewish Agency’s summer camps. She studied at a boarding school in Herzliya and finished high school there. She joined the IDF Karakal unit following high school and served as a combat lone soldier, also serving as a paramedic during her army service. After her army service, she finished a course as fitness instructor at Wingate institute and worked in her field. She also works as a paramedic at a support center for drug addicts.

Yom HaAtzmaut

Israel Independence Day

Two days after Yom HaZikaron, on Tuesday, April 16, the community will celebrate Israel Independence Day. Hacohen said three things will happen that evening.

The celebration will begin with a walk for Israel called Walk the Land 65. The Afikim Foundation, in conjunction with the World Zionist Organization and the Israel Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs, is organizing this global walk. Locally it is being sponsored by the Jewish Federation, the Rabbinical Association, Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee, Hadassah and Village Shalom. The first Walk the Land celebrated Israel’s 60th anniversary and drew nearly 100,000 participants in 100 community-wide walks worldwide, including here. The walk is a show of pride and solidarity with Israel, celebrating Israel’s contributions to the world and highlighting Israel’s emphasis on life.

Walk participants are asked to gather at Village Shalom between 5:15 and 5:45 p.m. Shuttles will be available at the Campus to take people to Village Shalom. Walkers will begin walking to the Campus at 5:45 p.m. The walk itself should take between 15 and 20 minutes.

The first 100 people to arrive at Village Shalom will be given a free T-shirt commemorating the event. In addition the first 200 people will get a packet of seeds from Israel to take home and plant.

A free open house at the Jewish Community Center begins at 6 p.m. Music will be provided by Shir Balev, Israeli food will be available for purchase, a children’s area will be available and a photo booth will be set up for families to have their photos taken by the Child Development Center’s Western Wall replica. This celebration is sponsored by the Israel Committee of the Jewish Federation and the Jewish Federation.

“People can socialize and have fun and do different activities related to Israel,” Hacohen said.

The celebration will conclude with the Israeli movie “A Matter of Size,” which will be screened outdoors at 8 p.m. by the Jewish Community Center’s Fitness & Sports entrance. In case of inclement weather, the movie will be shown in the White Theatre. This movie features the community’s sister city of Ramla, Israel. Moviegoers are encouraged to bring a blanket or a lawn chair for the evening. Popcorn will be sold during the movie.

“The movie is a very successful comedy about four overweight guys that decided to put together a sumo wrestling group in Ramla,” Hacohen said.

Volunteers are still needed for Yom HaAtzmaut events.

“We would love some more volunteers, most of which are needed to help with the food,” she said. Volunteers will be needed late afternoon to help put things together and to sell food. Those interested in volunteering should contact Hacohen at 913-327-8124.

Lag b’Omer

A joyous holiday

This is the second year the community will sponsor a Lag b’Omer picnic celebration. It will be held from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28, at Gezer Park.

“Lag b’Omer marks the time between Passover and Shavuot in Jewish tradition. In Israel it is usually celebrated with great big bonfires. This year Jewish Federation is working again with the city of Leawood and the Torah Learning Center to plan the event,” Hacohen said.

Events that day will include storytelling with Rabbi Simcha Morgenstern. Bridey Stangler, the director of the Jewish Community Center’s camp, will lead children’s activities as well. Participants are encouraged to bring their own picnics or purchase hot dogs, chips, potatoes and drinks. All food served will be kosher. S ’mores will be provided for free.

Hacohen said Lag b’Omer celebrations in Israel are usually at night. However the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy Civic Service Award Dinner is that evening, so organizers felt hosting the picnic earlier in the day would be appropriate.