Herb Buchbinder has helped the Jewish Community Center raise millions of dollars working on fundraisers such as KC SuperStar. This photo was captured at the 2018 KC SuperStar. Shown are (from left) Jennifer Schwartz, Mitzi Kane, Herb Buchbinder, host Megan Hilty, Bonnie Buchbinder and Terry Kane. (Blake Sidebottom)KC SUPERSTAR SHINES AS A FUNDRAISER — Last month, Independent Magazine named KC SuperStar as one of its top 10 events in KC, ranking it No. 9. According to the magazine, it raised $892,379 for the Jewish Community Center in 2018. Auditions have already been held for the 2019 version, the 10th anniversary of the singing competition, and 25 high school students from the across the metro have been selected as semifinalists. This year’s event will be hosted by “Hamilton” musical star Phillipa Soo. Bill and Doris Mendel are serving as chairs; Michael and Beth Liss are vice chairs. The final event will take place Sunday evening, Aug. 25, in Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College.KC JOINS GOOD DEEDS DAY — This year, TribeKC, Jewish Family Services and our Israeli Emissary Daniel Rivin have decided to take part in Good Deeds Day.According to Rivin, Good Deeds Day is an initiative, started in 2007, in which hundreds of thousands of Israelis volunteer for different organizations. (Sounds to me like a countrywide mitzvah day.) The idea is simple: Every single person can do something good, be it large or small, to improve the lives of others and positively change the world.Here in Kansas City, young adults will gather on April 7 to make emergency grocery bags for walk-in JFS Food Pantry clients who need immediate assistance. Visit Rivin’s Facebook page (Daniel Rivin KC Shaliach) or TribeKC Good Deeds Day on Facebook if you know a young adult who may be interested in more information. And if you think it would be a good idea to organize something for Good Deeds Day 2020, remember it’s set for March 29.UNICORN ANNOUNCES 2019-2020 SEASON — Earlier this week, Unicorn Theatre, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Cynthia Levin, announced the 46th season of thought-provoking new plays that will delve into today’s most pressing social issues and reflect on our history through a modern lens. This season will include a new musical, a world premiere and two new comedies. The new season will open Sept. 4.Levin will direct two of the seven productions: “Bernhardt/Hamlet” by Theresa Rebeck (Dec. 4-Dec. 29) and “Admissions” by Josh Harmon (June 3, 2020-June 28, 2020). Harmon also penned “Bad Jews.”Unicorn also plans to present a world premiere production, title to be announced, in early 2020.For more information about subscriptions and memberships, visit unicorntheatre.org.WANT TO SEE THE SUNRISE FROM SPACE? (JERUSALEM, JTA) — The Israeli spacecraft Beresheet has sent home a video of a sunrise from the spacecraft’s point of view before it enters the moon’s orbit.The Beresheet camera also caught some selfie images with earth from 81,400 miles and nearly 165,000 miles away. It also sent back a short selfie video.The spacecraft is in its largest elliptical orbit around the earth and is scheduled to intersect the moon’s orbit and be captured in it on April 4 at 251,655 miles from earth.The lunar lander is expected to land on the moon’s surface on April 11. The landing site has been identified as the northeastern part of Mare Serenitatis, or the Sea of Serenity, a flat area on the moon’s surface.The Beresheet spacecraft is a joint venture between private companies SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries and continues to communicate with the Israel Aerospace Industries and SpaceIL control room in Yehud in central Israel. To see more, visit YouTube and search Israeli spacecraft to the moon.
