JEWISH HERITAGE DAY — This Sunday, March 25, is Jewish Heritage Day at Livestrong Park at the Legends, as Sporting Kansas City takes on Dallas. As in the past, several local rabbis will participate in a ceremonial kickoff preceding the game. Once again the Vaad will be supervising the sale of kosher hot dogs. A portion of the proceeds will benefit SASONE and the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy Sports program. Kickoff is at 6 p.m., and tickets are still available by contacting Emily Hanover at or calling 913-387-3838. The first 150 registered will receive a T-shirt. My Hebrew is rusty, but it looks to me like it will say Sporting Kansas City on the front.
OPENING AT A THEATER NEAR YOU — “In Darkness” begins its run here on Friday, March 23, at the AMC Town Center, Glenwood Red Bridge and Cinemark Palace. Nominated this year for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, “In Darkness” is based on a true story. Leopold Socha, a sewer worker and petty thief in Lvov, a Nazi-occupied city in Poland, one day encounters a group of Jews trying to escape the liquidation of the ghetto. He hides them for money in the labyrinth of the town’s sewers beneath the bustling activity of the city above. What starts out as a straightforward and cynical business arrangement turns into something very unexpected — the unlikely alliance between Socha and the Jews as the enterprise seeps deeper into Socha’s conscience. The film, directed by Agnieszka Holland of “Europa Europa,” is also an extraordinary story of survival as these men, women and children all try to outwit certain death during 14 months of ever-increasing and intense danger.
LET ALL WHO ARE HUNGRY — When you read this, Passover will be just about two weeks away and JFS is winding up its annual campaign to collect kosher-for-Passover food for those who don’t have the financial means to purchase it for themselves. Once again, JFS is partnering with Yachad — the Kosher Food Pantry, to provide enough kosher-for-Passover food for the entire week. The food drive is still in need of walnuts, gefilte fish, matzah, grape juice and sweets (such as jelly candies, macaroons and cake or brownie mix). Food items may be dropped off at any time in a barrel outside the JFS Kansas office in the Jewish Community Campus. Financial donations are also being accepted. Send checks to Jewish Family Services Holiday Project, 5801 W. 115th Street, Suite 103, Overland Park KS 66211, or call (913) 327-8250 to use your credit card. Donations can also be made on the agency’s website: www.jfskc.org/donate. JFS is also seeking volunteers to pack the Passover food packages along with delivering them. Deliveries will be made April 4-6. Contact Anna Feldman at 913-730-1452 or .
PASSOVER PHONE APP — Just in time for Passover, OU Kosher — the world’s most recognized kosher symbol — has launched a new OU Kosher phone app to search the kosher status of all OU products for Passover and year-round. The free app is available for download for iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch and Androids. To download this app, simply select “OU Kosher” from the iTunes App Store or use direct link to the app from the OU’s website at www.ou.org/apps. The direct application can be downloaded at http://itunes.apple.com/ke/app/ou-kosher/id491138771?mt=8. In addition to the ability to search for more than 600,000 products, manufactured in nearly 8,000 plants, in more than 90 countries around the world — the app provides the most up-to-date kosher alerts; new product updates; and allows easy access to ask a question or to call the OU Kosher information hotline. The app can be used in conjunction with the OU website and Passover Guide. Additionally, the OU Kosher Facebook and Twitter accounts plan to help prepare for the eight-day holiday by featuring kosher for Passover products, recipes and articles to educate and engage fans and followers.
PAREVE CAKES AT HEN HOUSE — Last week the Hen House at 117th and Roe began selling pareve cakes, much to the delight of many kosher consumers. The Vaad posted the good news on its Twitter and Facebook pages and drew lots of responses. For more local kosher information, Like the Vaad HaKashruth on Facebook, follow it on Twitter or go to its website, http://vaadkc.org.