What's Happening at a Glance
 |
| Unscrolling the Torah at Simchat Torah |
- Book club to meet this Thursday, October 11
- Outing to see “Defamation” play on October 20
- MOSH card night on October 24
- Soup Kitchen on November 11
- Vacancy on the Board
- Parents: Do you have these Shabbat service dates on your calendars? Friday, November 16: Shabbat services will be led by grades 4 through 7; Friday, March 1, 2013: Shabbat services will be led by grades K through 3; Friday, May 17, 2013: Shabbat services will be led by our Havayah
- Simchat Torah photos
- Friday, October 19: Shecheyanu Remixed
- Save the Date: Lights & Miracles, December 7, 2012
- The Creation of Humanity
- Genetic education and screening program for young adults
Membership and Upcoming Events
 |
| Pizza dinner at Simchat Torah |
Our next book club will be held tomorrow at 7:30 pm at the home of Rebecca Rice, Rebecca Rice, 3641 Bernay, in Northbrook. We will be discussing The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman, a historical fiction at Masada's final stand. For more information, please contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com.
October 20: Join Shir Hadash to See a Dramatic Play on Prejudice
"Defamation", a courtroom drama on prejudice, will be performed on Saturday October 20 at 7 p.m., at Holy Cross Parish, Waukegan Avenue, in Deerfield. For more information, contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com. Tickets are going quickly at only $5.
MOSH Card Night on Wednesday, October 24
Men of Shir Hadash (MOSH) Card Night will be held on October 24, from 8 to 10 p.m., at Sandi and Lise Schleicher’s house, 2384 Dehne Rd, Northbrook. RSVP to (800) 897-0533; drop-ins are OK, too! Come out and meet some other men from Shir Hadash; talk, have a drink, play some cards, eat, etc. Learn to play hearts, spades, euchre, pinochle, bridge, poker, etc. The games will change based on what everyone wants to play or learn. MOSH will be meeting the fourth Wednesday of every month from 8 to 10 p.m., so if you can’t make it this month, put us in your calendar for next month.
Soup Kitchen on November 11
The Social Action Committee needs your help. On Sunday, November 11, we will be preparing, cooking, and serving more than 80 meals to needy individuals at the St Paul's Lutheran Church soup kitchen, 1004 Greenwood Street, Evanston. This date will require volunteers to be available from 1:30 to 4 p.m. We need a minimum of 25 volunteers, that's about 10-12 families.
There is no age limit to volunteer, but from past experience, kids should be at least 6 years old to fully participate. This is a great chance to get your family involved in helping those less fortunate in our community. Mark can also be reached at (847) 478-1544 or mjlenhart@comcast.net.
Vacancy on the Board
We have a seat to fill on our Board’s Sustainability Team, and we need your skills and experience. We are looking for someone to work collaboratively on fundraising, public relations, marketing, and prospective member outreach. For more information, contact Jeff Wallk at president@shir-hadash.org
Education Update
Shir Hadash teachers want our students to be familiar with and comfortable in our Shabbat and holiday worship services. We recommend that students and their families should attend at least two worship services during the school year. We have some great opportunities for the children to participate in (and enjoy) services. We are offering several Shabbat services that will be geared specifically to—and led by—our students. Our teachers and Rabbi Eitan will prepare the students to lead portions of the service.
- Friday, November 16: Shabbat services will be led by grades 4 through 7
- Friday, March 1, 2013: Shabbat services will be led by grades K through 3
- Friday, May 17, 2013: Shabbat services will be led by our Havayah
Make sure to put these dates in your calendar, these services give our students a chance for them to "show their stuff."
Creative Worship & Ritual
 |
| Sukkot art project |
After a brief service, last Friday night our Sukkot celebrations featured an all-ages art project paying tribute to our Jewish leaders, including Abraham, Moses, and other biblical leaders. The art project will be completed by the madrichim and displayed at a later date. Then we went out to the sukkah and enjoyed a lovely oneg.
Simchat Torah Photos and More
Our Simchat Torah celebration on Sunday, October 7, was lots of fun. We started out with a pizza and salad dinner, which offered a great opportunity to catch up with friends. Next, we got ready for the big “unscrolling.” First, Rabbi Eitan passed out plush Torahs to the kids. Then, he and Education Director Emily Ascher welcomed our new religious school students by handing out their miniature Torahs. Next, the band launched into a hora as families new to Shir Hadash led the dancing. As the adults took turns carrying four Torahs, everyone swirled around the room in a spirited hora.
After much dancing, it was time to unscroll the Torah. The adults made a big circle around the room while the kids sat in the middle. As the Torah parchment stretched around the room, everyone seemed lit up with the joy and magic of the moment. Once the scroll was unrolled, Rabbi Eitan started at Genesis and recounted the highlights. He asked this year’s b’nai mitzvah students to stand near their Torah portions, a visual foreshadowing of this year’s celebrations to come. Once he reached the end of the scroll, he read the last few passages of the end of the Torah and then the first few passages at the beginning.
Then it was time for taffy apples, dessert, and a visit to the Sukkah! A sincere thank you goes to Melanie Andes and Marc Fargotstein for planning the event, along with the many people who helped with meal set up and clean up, or otherwise assisted at the event. A special shout out to the Edler family for the jammin' horas. Also, as Sukkot draws to a close, thanks to everyone who helped set up, take down, and transport the sukkah at LCHS and religious school, including Hugh Zwick, Steve Lewin, and Marc Fargotstein.
Friday, October 19: Shecheyanu Remixed and More
Here’s a sneak peek at what we have planned for shabbat services on Friday, October 19. First, we will have the induction of the new members of our Board. Then, we will hear the world premiere of a new version of Shecheyanu, performed by our member Jeff Justman. Stay tuned for more details.
Think Simchat Torah was special? Wait until you see what we have planned for Lights & Miracles this year. Singers and instrumentalists interested in joining the musical celebration can contact Sandy Weiss at sandy2weiss@gmail.com. Stay tuned for more details.
Adult Education
This week we are offering the following adult education classes:
- Lunch and Learn with the Rabbi: Thursday, October 11, noon to 1 p.m., Shir Hadash office
- Torah Class: Sunday, October 14, 9:30 to 10:20, Hellenic American Academy. This week we are studying the very beginning of the Torah, where God creates everything!
 |
| Simchat Torah continued... |
The Rabbi's Corner
October 12-13, 2012, 27 Tishrei 5773
Shabbat Bereisheet
Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8
Haftarah Portion: Isaiah 42:5-43:10
“The Creation of Humanity”
Dear Friends,
In this week’s Torah portion we learn of the creation of the world and all life, especially people. The Torah makes it seem so simple. God created human beings in the God’s image, gave them instructions for living in the Garden of Eden and that was that. But when it comes to the creation of people, the rabbinic sages suggest that perhaps it wasn’t so simple. The rabbis imagined an argument between the angels in heaven... and it went something like this:
“Rabbi Shimon said: when the Holy One came to create people, the angels divided themselves into two parties. One group said, “Let people be created,” while the other group argued, “Don’t create people.”…
To read the rest of Rabbi Eitan’s blog, visit The Rabbi's Corner.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Community Announcements
Genetic Education and Screening Program for Young Adults
Registration is now open for the Center for Jewish Genetics’ carrier screening programs for young Jewish adults. The Center offers an expanded panel of 18 disorders, including Tay-Sachs disease, Gaucher disease, and Cystic Fibrosis. Join the Center in October or December for a subsidized screening program ($180 per person), which includes an educational presentation, dinner, and screening. These tests usually cost more than $3,000! Pre-registration is required. Please contact Taryn Brickman at TarynBrickman@juf.org or visit www.jewishgenetics.org to learn more.
Thanks for Helping at the High Holidays
- CW&R High Holiday Planning Committee: Fred Andes, Rebecca Rice, Melanie Andes, Lise Schleicher, Jim Schultz, Meryl Abensohn, Caryn McArdle, Hugh Zwick
- Head ushers: Lise Schleicher and Jim Schultz
- Ushering and Oneg preparation and cleanup: Ira Kalina, Steve Friedman, Steve Varon, Mark Lenhart, Lynne Arons, Stuart Aizenberg, Don Mided, Vicki Schwartz-Mided, Mia Graff, Dan Wellisch, Marilyn Soglin, Brad and Bonnie Davidson, Marcie and Ralph Nach, Deborah Newberger, Bob Roiter, Burton and Wendy Kopulsky, Rick Zinbarg, Geoff and Susan Grossman, Ed Rice, Marla and Dan Callistein, Nadine and Harry Goldman, Wendy Stein, Jerry Weiss, Brent Carpenter, Burt Sharpe, Glenn Graff, Mark Michaels, Art German, Stacey and Ken Laner, Reba Meshulam, Bonnie Davidson, Mickey Herbin. Also, a large thank you to our wonderful teens, who helped out in the kitchen for each oneg.
- Sound: Joe McArdle, Joel Schleicher, Josh Wallk
- Setup/Logistics: Steve Lewin, Hugh Zwick, Caryn McArdle
- Lahaka: Melanie Andes, Meryl Abensohn, Maggie Cain, Rhonda Carpenter, Cheryl Schultz, Emilee McArdle, Hillary Levine, Mady Fern, Marilynn Singer, Barry Cain, Jeff Horwich, Len Bland, Ken Wexler, Ethan Zwick, Jeff Siegfried, Sandy Weiss. (Special thanks to Cheryl Schultz for hosting rehearsals in the Schultz home.)
- Instrumentalists: Bob Levine, Ken Wexler, Alek Kopulsky, Abby Edler, Jeffrey Siegfried, Mitchell Green, and Lisa Norling
- Erev RH Dancers Rebecca Rice, Melanie Andes, Marisa Edler, and Grace Blumenfeld.
- Interim Music Director Benjamin Rivera and accompanist Julie DeBoer
- Torah readers: Sandi Schleicher, Maddie Kahn, Len Bland, Ally Blumstein, Alek Kopulsky, Fred Andes, Steve Lewin, Shoshana Lewin Fischer, Harry Goldman, Ronna Steinback, Breya Whitefield, Julie Gartner, Joel Schleicher, Emilee McArdle, Lynne Arons, Ed Rice, Dawn Weiner-Kaplow
- Service participants: Thanks to all of our Haftorah readers, prayer readers, ark openers, candle lighters, and other participants for making the service a richer and more meaningful experience.
- Book of Life: Marilyn Kaplow and Caryn McArdle
- Pledge cards: Brian Tanenbaum
- Bimah managers: Steve Lewin, Harry Goldman, Sandi Schleicher
- Board bimah greeters: Ed & Rebecca Rice, Marc Fargotstein, and other board members
- Reading part callers: Margie Goldberg, Mickey Herbin, Beth Martin
- Front table managers: Ken Green, Brad Steinback, Emily Ascher, Lillian Zoloto, Lise Schleicher, Marc Fargotstein, Rachel Siegel, Rebecca Rice, Steve Lewin
- Storahtelling actors: Bev Berneman, Barry Stein, Brandon Stein, Tory Lieberman
- Florist, Hlavacek Florist, Glenview
- RH and Nilah teen assistants organizer: Wendy Kopulsky
- Food drive: Mark Lenhart
- Food drive sorters: Adam Weiss, Dylan Callistein, Dylan Fisher, Jessica Fisher, David Anes, Sam and Danny Mostow, Griffin Elfant, Maddie Kahn, Claire Callistein, Jeremy Zwick, and the other teens who pitched in to help out.
- YK afternoon discussion leaders: Ed Rice, Jeff Wallk
- Family service support: Steve Lewin, Rachel Siegel, Jeff Wallk, Lynne Arons
- Kids programming: Lauren Tashma, Danny Mostow, Sam Mostow, Dasha Kopulsky, Alek Kopulsky, Joshua Tashma, Eliana Kharasch, MacKenzie Michaels
Donations
Thank you for the following donations:
General Fund
- Kaye and Izzy Kharasch in memory of Bernice Shipley, aunt of Dawn and Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
- Debbie and Jeff Brody in memory of Bernice Shipley
- Susan E. Cohen and Jerrold Carl, in memory of Shale Baskin, father of Brad Baskin
- Mickey Herbin in memory of Bernice Shipley, sister of Eleanor Weiner and aunt of Dawn Weiner-Kaplow
- Debbie and Jeff Brody in memory of Bernice Shipley, sister of Eleanor Weiner and aunt of Dawn Weiner-Kaplow
- Susan E. Cohen and Jerrold Carl, in memory of Michael Izbicky
- Jerry and Sandra Weiss
- Beth Klauba, in honor of Bob Roiter, Sandi Schleicher, Rabbi Eitan, and the Berliant family for rescuing and caring for her dog
- Jerry and Sandra Weiss
SHOP Shir Hadash
SHOP for fall fun at Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Caputo’s, Dominick’s, Fanny May, Jewel, Garden Fresh, Mariano’s, Sunset, Target, Walmart/Sam’s, and Whole Foods.
Annual SHOP Orders Are Now Payable By Credit Card
If every family purchases $400 a month in grocery, gas, or other cards, we can earn over $15,000. Shir Hadash believes that an inability to pay should never be a barrier to membership or education. Special consideration is given to our members when circumstances prevent them from meeting any part of their financial commitment. To offset this consideration and to make up the budgetary deficit, the Board is asking that all members consider making a monthly commitment to using shop gift cards. Purchasing SHOP gift cards helps the shul raise much needed funds without spending any more money than you already do for your regular expenses. A complete list of the many gift cards available through this program, along with the percentage the shul earns is available on our website. Orders can be picked up at Sunday school or the Shir Hadash office.
Thanks to the following families for supporting SHOP this week:
- Sharpe
- Edler
- Farkas
- Zwick
- Mostow
- Fargotstein
- Weiner-Kaplow
- Idelman
- Singer
- Rice
- F. and K. F. Farahmandpoor
- G. Graff
- M. Graff
- Michaels
- Soglin
- Mesirow
Special offers:
- Walmart is offering a savings of 10 cents a gallon on gas purchases made when using a Walmart Gift Card, starting August 31, 2012, until December 23, 2012.
- Boston Market
New to Reload:
- DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse
No comments:
Post a Comment