TURKEY DAY TIKKUN OLAM — Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for your blessings, so why not share those blessings with others. The Jewish Community Center is offering families a chance to help others from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27. Families can make fleece scarves for children served by Operation Breakthrough. Enrollments will even be accepted on the day of the event, so call the JCC at 913-327-8000 for more information. 
JUMP SEMINAR — Last week we published a press release about a Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy student who participated in the National JUMP Leadership Seminar in late October. It neglected to mention that two HBHA students — Daniel Zepeda and Cameron Burns — actually attended the seminar, along with Hillel Goldstein, NCYS’s local adviser. The seminar marked the beginning of the third annual JUMP Challenge in which HBHA will compete to create and implement four communitywide projects including a chesed event, a Torah education event, a fundraiser event and an Israel advocacy initiative. The school will have until the spring to complete these challenges, after which the school will be judged on its creativity, teamwork and the success and quality of the programs. The JUMP director, Carol Rhine, added a handwritten note to her letter to Howard Haas, HBHA’s head of school, saying, “We were so impressed with your students. You should be extremely proud of them!”
CAMPER SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE — We’ve published things about the local One Happy Camper scholarship program, but now we can tell you that PJ Library offers an opportunity for camp scholarships as well. Known as PJ Goes to Camp, the program offers incentive grants up to $1,000 to PJ Library families who wish to enroll their children in a nonprofit Jewish overnight camp for the first time. Made possible by the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s One Happy Camper program and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, this offer is available on a first-come, first-served basis to PJ Library families who might not be eligible for the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s One Happy Camper program. To find out more information and eligibility, visit http://pjlibrary.org/about-pj-library/pj-goes-to-camp.aspx. To register for a PJ Goes to Camp/One Happy Camper incentive grant visit www.onehappycamper.org and enter the PJ Library referral code PJGTC20121A at the beginning of your online application.
TIKKUN OLAM PART II — Despite the fact that the word Christmas is a part of its formal name, the Johnson County Christmas Bureau is a non-denominational agency that serves the needs of all low-income residents of Johnson County. Those clients include several members of the Russian Jewish community referred to by Jewish Family Services. Executive Director Barb McNeile notes that volunteers are still needed to help this year’s project, primarily the 2:30-6 p.m. shift Dec. 2 and for Dec 5-9. Donations are also needed, including gloves, coats and blankets; canned goods, peanut butter, flour and sugar; diapers; sleeping bags and sports balls. All items must be new with the exception of gently worn coats and books. The full Wish List, donation drop-off sites, and opportunity to sign-up online to volunteer can be found at jccb.org. You can also call 913-341-4342 for more information.
GOT GELT? — Since Matt Rissien graduated from KU this spring, we thought he may not be in this column again for a while but …. Surprise! He’s just uploaded a Chanukah video parody to You Tube. I thought it was pretty funny. It’s called “All I do is spin- Hannukah Parody (All I Do is Win)” and you can view it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTsNecJyF8E. And what do you know? He’s wearing his KU garb in the video!
OLDEST KANSAS TEMPLE — The Leavenworth Times published a story last week about a visit to Leavenworth by Jerry Klinger of Rockville, Md. He visited the site of Temple B’Nai Jeshurun, what he thinks may be the oldest Jewish place of worship in the state of Kansas. Klinger is the president of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. I was told last week that an effort is underway to preserve the site in some way, possibly by placing a historical marker there. We’ll keep you posted if the effort succeeds.