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What's Happening at a Glance
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| Lights and Miracles videos! Top video: Hava Nagila Bottom Video: Rock to the Rock |
- Bake sale THIS SUNDAY!
- Mazel tov to our Maury Award winners
- Wednesday, January 9: Bulls game with MOSH
- Book club wrapup
- Lost and Found
- Help Wanted: Chanukah class parties on December 16
- Spotlight on: 5th grade
- Upcoming school schedule
Teen News
- Kallah! Midwest Regional Retreat February 15 to 17
- Lights and Miracles: A Wonderful Celebration
- Upcoming Bat Mitzvah Service
- Friday, December 21: Peacemaking Starts at Home
- Sunday, December 16: The real story of the Maccabees
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| Teacher and Board Member Lynne Arons was presented with the Maury Award for service to the synagogue |
- Genetic education and screening program for young adults
- Holiday SHOP orders of at least $400 are now payable by credit card
Membership and Upcoming Events
Bake Sale This Sunday, December 16!
HURRY IN TO GET THE BEST BAKED GOODS ON THE NORTH SHORE! We will be holding our first fundraiser bake sale of the year on Sunday, December 16, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at religious school, located at the Hellenic Academy (Pine Street & Lake Cook Road). Proceeds will help pay for the game materials and prizes for our school Purim carnival. Last year, because of your amazing response, we were able to purchase an iPad for the Hebrew Lab. Let’s see how much we can raise this year! BAKE SALE HELP WANTED:
- Bakers!
- Volunteers: You'll have fun, you'll schmooze, you'll meet your fellow Shir Hadashians.
- Consumers: Please BUY these amazing baked treats. ALL MEMBERS OF SHIR HADASH welcome; please come and support our congregation.
Mazel Tov to Our Maury Award Winners!
At the Lights and Miracles service, we presented two Maury Awards, one for this year and one for last year. The award is presented each year in memory of Maury Andes, who was a prominent member of Shir Hadash from its beginning in 1995 to his passing in 2003. The award is given to the member who best embodies Maury's traits of hard work, dedication, humility, kindness, and compassion. For 2010-2011, the award was presented to Jennifer and Mark Lenhart, in recognition of the many contributions that each has made to Shir Hadash—especially Jennifer's work in preparing the newsletter for many years, and Mark's efforts as head of the Social Action Committee and a member of the Board. For 2011-2012, the award was given to Lynne Arons, who is a founding member of Shir Hadash, and who has been a Board member for many years, a teacher in the Religious School since the school opened, a Vice-President, and a contributor to many different synagogue activities and projects. Congratulations and mazel tov to the Lenharts and to Lynne—and thank you so much for all that you do for Shir Hadash!
Bulls Game with MOSH on Wednesday, January 9
We’ve got 27 Shir Hadashniks signed up to go see the Chicago Bulls kick a bit of Milwaukee Bucks tuchas on January 9. This should be a fun and exciting night. Keep your eyes posted here for pictures and our next adventure!
Lost and Found
A very nice "tupperware" cake carrier was left at Lights and Miracles. It will be at the office.
Education Update
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| Another Lights and Miracles video: Happy Joyous Chanukah |
Thank you to volunteer "Party Parents" Molly Michaels (2nd Grade), Wendy Stein (3rd Grade), Pauline Levy (4th Grade), Dawn Allen (5th Grade), and Lauren Tashma (7th Grade). We still need help with Chanukah class parties for the K/1 and 6th grades on December 16 from 12 to 12:25 p.m. Each class party should include a couple of games and some treats. If you can help out in any capacity, please email eddirector@shir-hadash.org, or your classroom teacher. It's easy and fun!
Spotlight on: 5th Grade
This week on Education Updates, Education Director Emily Ascher shares teacher Carole Mostow’s letter to parents about what’s going on in her classroom. Take a look and see what your child is learning!
Upcoming School Schedule
- Sunday, December 16: Religious school, bake sale, class Hanukkah parties
- Sunday, December 23: No school
- Sunday, December 30: No school
- Sunday, January 6: Religious school resumes
- Sunday, January 27: Tu B'Shevat Field Trip (we walk to the event next door)
- 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
Teen News
Kallah! Midwest Regional Retreat February 15 to 17
Planning is underway for the 2013 No'ar Hadash Midwest Youth Kallah, which will be held from February 15 to 17, 2013, at a NEW location. This year, Shir Hadash 6th to 12th graders will share a great weekend with teens from other Reconstructionist congregations at the Perlman Retreat Center at Camp Beber in Wisconsin. Registration information was mailed to your home this week. If you are an adult and would like to help chaperone for the weekend, please e-mail Carole Mostow at youth@shir-hadash.org. Please contact Carole with any questions.
Creative Worship & Ritual
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| More Lights and Miracles videos--Lahaka! Top video: The Dreidle song Bottom video: S'vivon |
This year’s Lights and Miracles celebration was a fun-filled evening of music, dance, prayer, and community. After the Shabbat prayers, we launched into an exuberant hora to the music of the Mighty Shir Hadash Klezmorim. Our religious school students danced to Rock to the Rock and Happy Joyous Chanukah. Lahaka sang several lovely songs. We sang several songs together. The high point of the evening was our wonderful glow light celebration of Maot Tzur. Then we stuffed our faces with potato latkes and donuts at the oneg. Thank you to everyone who organized the event and who participated! Stay tuned for more Lights and Miracles photos in our next issue!
Upcoming Bat Mitzvah Service
- Saturday, December 15, Shabbat Morning Service. We will celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of Claire Callistein, daughter of Marla & Daniel Callistein, 9:45 a.m., Highland Park Country Club
Friday, December 21: Peacemaking Starts at Home
When Joseph’s brother Judah apologized for having sold Joseph into slavery, at last peace was restored amongst the sons of Israel. How can this story enlighten our thinking? We will begin our service with a heimish and musical kabbalat Shabbat service and continue with an open discussion. This will be an open forum for sharing our thoughts on the news and our ideas on what it will take to make peace in the world, especially between Israel and her Palestinian neighbors. Services will be held at 7:30 p.m. at LCHS.
Adult Education
Since we are in the middle of Chanukah, our Torah study class (9:30 on Sunday at Hellenic) will pause from its Torah study to learn about the Maccabees, even though the story of the Maccabees is not in the Torah. What, not in the Torah? Nope—it's not in the Torah, or Prophets, or the other writings that make up the Tanach, or the Jewish Bible. But the books of the Maccabees ARE in the Christian Bible. Wonder why they're in one and not the other? Well, to find out, come to class on Sunday morning, and hear the REAL story of the Maccabees. Oh, and the miracle of the lights burning for eight days—well, we'll talk about that Sunday too. Don't miss it!
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.
Donations
Thanks to the following people for their donations:
- Herb and Barbara Kanter, In honor of the b'nai mitzvah of their grandchildren, Charlie and Isabel Kanter
- The Brand Family, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Bev and Doug Lieberman, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Jeannine Lascola, in memory of Bernice Shipley, sister of Eleanor Weiner and aunt of Dawn Weiner-Kaplow
- Lauren and Doug Tashma, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Gerry and Richard Freibrun, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Ronna and Brad Steinback, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Gloria Kaplan, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- The Mostow Family, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Diane and Art German, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Beth Klauba, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Marcie and Ralph Nach, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Emily Ascher, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- Lillian Zoloto, in memory of Ed Kaplow
- The Kharasch Family, in memory of Ed Kaplow
SHOP Shir Hadash
Holiday SHOP orders of at least $400 are now payable by credit card. Annual SHOP orders are also payable by credit card. If every family purchases $400 a month in grocery, gas, or other cards, we can earn more than $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.
- G. Graff
- Zinbarg
- Zwick
- Idelman
- Gordon
- Weiss
- Callistein
- Grills
- Mostow
- Zwick
- Kharasch
- Fisher-Rohde
- Gisby
- Tashma
- Stein
New Retailer and Product Updates
- 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.
- Place an order on ShopWithScrip® from 12/1 to 12/7/2012 that contains at least $100 total in any Gap brand purchase* and your order will be entered in a drawing to be held at the conclusion of the promotion for some pretty incredible prizes. Grand Prize: Gap Inc. will reimburse the grand prize winning family for the cost of their ShopWithScrip order, up to $1,000. In addition, the organization the order is placed through will receive free shipping for an entire year and $5,000 in Gap/Banana Republic/Old Navy Options GiftCards to use however they see fit! First Prize: Gap Inc. will reimburse the first prize winning family for the cost of their ShopWithScrip order, up to $1,000. If that isn't enough, the organization the order is placed through will receive free shipping for a year and $1,000 in Gap/Banana Republic/Old Navy Options GiftCards to use as they like! Second Place Prizes: Five lucky second place winners, Gap Inc. will reimburse the family for the cost of their ShopWithScrip order, up to $1,000.
- Holiday Gift Card Wrappers (10-pack) include ten different designs and are available for $2.00 with a 10% non-profit contribution.
- Check out the bonuses listed at http://bit.ly/10Yon0E to take advantage of the extra special "Specials".
- The Bloomin' Brands, Inc.™ family of restaurants is offering a 2% holiday bonus from Saturday, December 15, 2012, through Friday, December 21, 2012. During this bonus period you'll be able to purchase the popular $25 Outback Steakhouse® Gift Cards with a 10% non-profit contribution instead of the standard 8%. The gift cards are redeemable at Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill®, Carrabba's Italian Grill®, Fleming's® Prime Steakhouse and Roy's®. If your organization's order includes $100 or more in Outback Gift Cards, it will be shipped for FREE!
- Macy's - New ScripNow Retailer
Changes to Reload Schedule over the Holidays
Christmas:- No reloads from Monday, December 24, 2012, through Wednesday, December 26, 2012.
- Reload orders placed and paid for after 3:30 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time) on Friday, December 21, 2012, until 3:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, December 27, 2012, will be available for use the morning of Friday, December 28, 2012.
- No reloads on Tuesday, January 1, 2013.
- Reload orders placed and paid for after 3:30 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time) on Monday, December 31, 2012, will be available for use the morning of Thursday, January 3, 2013.
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