A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON FOR FUNDRAISING — The Royals are the world champions for only the second time in franchise history. The Chiefs won their first playoff game in 22 years. Jewish Federation also had a milestone championship season in 2015, raising more than $5 million for the first time since economic hard times hit in 2007. In fact, this is the second year in a row that the community campaign has grown by more than $500,000.
Our friends at Jewish Federation say this money has a tremendous impact on people’s lives. The heart of the Kansas City Jewish community, Jewish Federation builds community by bringing people together, strengthening Jewish identity, developing leaders and inspiring generosity in order to fulfill its mission of sustaining and enhancing Jewish life at home and around the world. Jewish Federation works to ensure a healthy, vibrant Jewish community today and into the future. Approximately 1,900 donors contribute to Jewish Federation’s annual campaign. The organization in turn provides millions of dollars in program funding to 14 local agency partners and 14 partners in Israel or overseas, as well as allocations to nine national partner organizations.
As they say, “from children to seniors, and from education to help at home, we can all feel good about who we help and how we help.” Last year was great, let’s make 2016 even better!
GET OUT THE VOTE — Barbara Holzmark, the legislative chair of National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Kansas City Section, is working with a variety of organizations — including League of Women Voters, JoCo MoveOn and True Blue Women — to organize volunteers who will register new voters for the upcoming primaries and the Nov. 8 general election. They will be working at a variety of voter registration sites this week and next week including grocery stores, senior citizen facilities, libraries and community centers. Volunteers can be trained on site. Interested volunteers may email Holzmark at .
BUY A TREE, IT’S TU B’SHEVAT — When I was a child attending religious school every Sunday, we bought trees for Israel from Jewish National Fund every year in honor of Tu b’Shevat. I was so thrilled to get that certificate signifying I had bought a tree to help Israel! This year, if you buy a tree for Tu b’Shevat through JNF, which this year is celebrated on Monday, Jan. 25, you have the opportunity to win a trip to Israel. You need to purchase the tree through www.jnf.org between now and Jan. 25 before 10:59:59 p.m. central time, and you will be entered to win the grand prize of a free round trip ticket to Israel, courtesy of EL AL Airlines, with a free two-night stay at the Carlton Tel Aviv. Ten runners up will win a free JNF EZ Tree account of 10 trees. You may also enter the contest by calling 800-542-8733.
There is no purchase necessary to take part in the “JNF Tu Bishvat Sweepstakes.” You may enter by filling out a downloadable PDF at jnf.org/tbscontest and mailing your entry to: “JNF Tu Bishvat Sweepstakes,” c/o Jewish National Fund, Attn: Isaac Heger, 42 E. 69th St., New York, NY 10021. Online and telephone entries must be received by 10:59:59 CST on Jan. 25, 2016, and mail-in entries must be postmarked by Jan. 25, 2016, and received by end of business day on Jan. 29, 2016. Limit one entry per mailing envelope. Drawing will take place on or about Feb. 4.
QUALITY HILL PLAYHOUSE SALUTES THE BIG BAND ERA WITH ‘IN THE MOOD’ — Quality Hill will once again feature popular music from Jewish musicians in its upcoming production of “In the Mood.” This cabaret revue, which opens Jan. 22, features songs made famous by the big bands of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw and others. Audiences will enjoy intricate four-part harmony arrangements of such classics as “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “Tuxedo Junction,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Route 66,” and “In the Mood,” as well as solo performances of “Star Dust,” “I’ll Never Smile Again,” “Serenade in Blue,” “Moonglow” and more.
I did a little research and learned that Benny Goodman was the son of Jewish immigrants. When Benny was 10, his father enrolled him and two of his older brothers in music lessons at the Kehelah Jacob Synagogue in Chicago, where he was born and raised.
“In the Mood” runs through Feb. 21 at Quality Hill Playhouse. For tickets, call 816-421-1700. To purchase tickets online or for more information, visit www.QualityHillPlayhouse.com.