HELP CAMP RAINBOW — Congregation Beth Torah member Daniel Hakan, a member of the BTTY youth group and a counselor at Camp Rainbow, is raking leaves to raise money for the camp. Camp Rainbow is a summer camp for children in the St. Louis area with cancer and blood related diseases. He will rake and bag your leaves and donate all the money to Camp Rainbow. His schedule is flexible; email him at if you are interested. You’ll write your check to Camp Rainbow, making this a tax deductible contribution! While he’s raking, you might want to ask him to tell you about all the wonderful benefits of Camp Rainbow!
A DAY OF THANKS-DOING — Congregation Beth Shalom’s Rabbi David Glickman made an interesting suggestion to members in the synagogue’s monthly newsletter. “As you are preparing your own Thanksgiving dinners, I would like to request that you pick up extra cranberry sauce, extra pumpkin pie filling, as well as more nutritious non-perishables and bring them to the new JFS Food Pantry so Thanksgiving can become a day of Thanks-doing.” For more information on the food pantry, click on www.jfskc.org. I would like to add that Yachad-The Kosher Food Pantry could use your help as well. For more information about Yachad, email .
BOOK SIGNING — Those of you with young children or grandchildren may want to check out this new book, “The Pillow Fairy,” written by Marcia Gale Riley, a Lawrence resident who graduated from Shawnee Mission South and attended The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah as a youth. The first-time author shares the joy of imagination and wonder that her sons, Justin and Matt, experienced as they faced one of life’s first challenges — sleeping in their own beds all by themselves. She will appear at a book signing at Barnes & Noble’s Oak Park Mall location from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17. For more information visit www.thepillowfairy.net.
NOVEL DISCUSSION — Another local author, Beth Lyon Barnett, is showcasing her work. The author of “Jazz Town,” will discuss her novel at the Sulgrave Regency Ballroom, 200 W. 49th St., in Kansas City, Mo., from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17.
Barnett will discuss “Jazz Town” again in a special event that begins at 5 p.m. at the American Jazz Museum, 1616 E. 18th, in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, Nov. 30. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the museum. “Jazz Town,” is the story of the free-and-easy days of prohibition, sex, the birth of the jazz age and how Jews assimilated into Midwestern culture. Readers will recognize famous people like Jelly Roll Morton, Count Basie, Sigmund Harzfeld and Rabbi Samuel Mayerberg, all of whom add to the true-to-life plot. “What really happened in Kansas City was just too good a story not to be told,” Barnett said.
For more information visit www.bethlyonbarnett.com.