WHAT A MENSCH! — We’ve heard a lot of heart-warming stories the past couple of weeks how people have helped others weather the storms. We’re happy to share a story about someone many of us know in the Jewish community — Mike Boresow. On Friday morning March 1 he was driving on I-435 heading north toward 95th Street when he saw a car spin out of control, flip over and go down a hill. Boresow pulled over onto the shoulder of the road and trudged down the hill through the snow drifts to see if he could help. “When I got to the car I saw a young woman very upset and worried about her 1-year-old baby in the back seat. I checked out the baby and she seemed fine but immediately called 911,” Boresow said. “It was very scary … Luckily they both had their seat belts on because the car was demolished and the side window completely broken out.” Mother and daughter are fine and apparently this isn’t the first time Boresow has done this type of thing. While some call him a hero, he heaps praise on the emergency personnel. In my book, they are all heroes!

A NEW PLACE TO HANG HIS HAT — Regulars at Hen House’s kosher deli may have noticed this week they didn’t see Binyomin Mazer on the job. That’s because he joined the staff of Village Shalom, effective Friday, March 1, as full-time mashgiach. In that capacity, he will supervise the kitchen in Rachel’s Cafe, the only full-time kosher restaurant in the Kansas City area. He also will oversee meal service for Village Shalom residents who observe kashrut.

“This is a new position for Village Shalom,” said Tami Middleton, director of human resources, “and we’re very excited to have him on staff. It’s something the community has been requesting for a long time.”

Having a full-time, dedicated mashgiach on staff represents an expansion of the role at Village Shalom. It includes increased supervision of the kosher kitchen, menu development, cooking and staff training, as well as family and resident education on Jewish dietary laws. This structure gives the mashgiach the authority and opportunity to make a meaningful impact for residents and the entire community.

While Village Shalom has continually had mashgichim on site to oversee kosher food preparation, those individuals have been employed by the Vaad HaKashruth of Kansas City. As a Village Shalom employee, Mazer will continue to collaborate with the Vaad, and will also work directly with the organization’s food services staff, comprised of contract employees of Aramark, a provider of food services staffing and support.

TOP COOKBOOK —  The IACP: The International Association of Culinary Professionals has announced its 2013 finalists for best cookbooks and the “Back in the Swing: Recipes for Eating and Living Well Every Day After Breast Cancer” is one of them! Written by Barbara Unell and Judith Fertig and published by Andrews McMeel Publishing in August 2012, this life-affirming book is full of 150 feel-good recipes that are specifically designed to help breast cancer survivors get back in the swing of joyful, healthy living. Proceeds benefit Back in the Swing!