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What’s
Happening at a Glance
Membership and Upcoming Events
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| The madrichim! |
- Save the Date: Town Hall meeting about the new building on Sunday, February 10
- NEW DATE: Wednesday, February 6: Next book club
- Join Shir Hadash to see The Whipping Man on February 16 or February 17
- Soup kitchen on February 17
- Limmud Chicago on February 17
- Purim Extravaganza on February 23
- Tu B'Shevat photos and more
- Purim carnival on February 24
- Upcoming school schedule
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| Our students performing at the Tu B'Shevat field trip |
- Purim carnival planning on Sunday, February 10
- National Teen Kallah
- Thank you for chaperoning!
- Friday, February 1: The Plagues and the Exodus
- Parent & Family Connection for LGBTQ Jews in Chicagoland
Membership and Upcoming Events
Save the Date: Town Hall Meeting on February 10
Please mark your calendars for Sunday, February 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. We would like to invite our members and guests to join us for a Town Hall meeting to share information about the building. The location for the meeting will be at the building (200 W. Dundee Road in Wheeling). Refreshments will be served and everyone will have a chance to tour the building. The building will be shown in its current state (no improvements or safety measures for small children); therefore, we ask that only adults and teens attend. Please remember that the building is under the seller’s ownership at this time, so we will conduct a series of tours to minimize congestion and risk to individuals and property. See the top of this page for parking instructions.
Our next book will be One More River by Mary Glickman. This novel is about race, class, and Jewish life in the American South during the 1920s and 1960s. The story revolves around a man pursuing his roots in the course of a romance. The book was chosen by Spertus for the “One Community, One Book” for this year. Book Club will be held on Wednesday, February 6, at 7:30 at the Zwicks’ home, 385 Castlewood Lane, in Deerfield. Contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com to RSVP and for more information.
Join Shir Hadash to See “The Whipping Man” on February 16 or 17
On Saturday, February 16, or Sunday, February 17, Shir Hadash will be going to the theater to see the play “The Whipping Man.” “The Whipping Man” takes place immediately after the end of the Civil War. When Caleb, a wounded Confederate soldier, returns home, he finds his family’s home in ruins and abandoned by all but two former slaves. United by their Jewish faith, the three men celebrate Passover while wrestling with a shared past they cannot escape. They unravel a tangle of secrets that threaten their family and faith. Slavery and war, they discover, warp even good men’s souls. The playwrite, Matthew Lopez, won the 2011 NY John Gassner Playwriting Award by the NY Outer Critics Circle for this play.
We will plan to have a discussion of the play about two weeks after the outing. So go see it whenever you can!
Soup Kitchen on February 17
The Social Action Committee needs your help. On Sunday, February 17, we will be preparing, cooking and serving over 90 meals to needy individuals at the St Paul’s Lutheran Church soup kitchen in Evanston. This event will require volunteers to be available from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. We need a minimum of 25 volunteers, or about 10-12 families.
Each family will be responsible for bringing an entrée that will feed 15 to 20 individuals, 1 gallon milk, 1 gallon orange juice, 1 large bag frozen mixed vegetables, 1 large bag of fruit (oranges, bananas, etc.), and dessert. If you are interested in helping, please click on the following link. Please note that we are limiting the number of volunteers for this activity to help avoid overcrowding in the kitchen and to ensure everyone has a meaningful volunteer experience. Once all slots are filled, we will not be accepting any additional volunteers. More information will be sent to all registered volunteers approximately one week before the event. The next opportunity to volunteer for a Soup Kitchen will be fall 2013. There is no age limit to volunteer, but from past experience, kids should be at least six years old to fully participate. Contact Social Action Committee Chair Mark Lenhart at (847) 478-1544 or mjlenhart@comcast.net if you have questions.
Limmud Chicago on February 17
- The Jews Who Made Chicago: This theme explores Chicago’s Jewish changemakers of yesterday and today, and the influence Jews have had on Chicago’s architecture, political system, music, art, neighborhoods, theater and more.
- Jewish Love: This theme addresses the vast landscape of Jewish love, from what text has to say about gender roles to discussions of Jewish masculinity to how to love at the end-of-life.
Shir Hadash is hosting a Purim party for all adults—singles and couples—at Rocky Vander's Cafe, 698 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Prospect Heights (immediately south of Palatine Road), from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, February 23. See friends and make new ones. The party will feature a DJ, dance floor, cash bar, and Italian dinner buffet. Potluck dessert—please bring hamantaschen (prizes given for the best homemade hamentaschen!), and other desserts. We’ll also play party games! Come as you like or as you want. Costumes are encouraged. The cost is $20/person. (Festivities start and run throughout the evening, but if you have to miss dinner, come at 9 p.m. for $10). RSVP by February 19 (we need to give the restaurant a head count!) by sending an e-mail to membership@shir-hadash.org or calling Rebecca at (847) 509-9951. Prepayment is appreciated; please send your check to the Shir Hadash office (send it ATTN: PURIM); cash or check only at the door.
Education
Update
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| At the Joyfully Jewish Table on the Tu B'Shevat field trip |
Last Sunday marked the third walking field trip our students have made to the JUF Tu B”Shevat Family Celebration. We spent the morning in study at the Hellenic Academy and then made the quick trip over to the Chicagoland Jewish High School, where the fun (and education) ensued. Please visit Education Director Emily Ascher’s blog to see many more photos of our kids on the field trip.
Purim Carnival on February 24
Get your costumes ready. The Shir Hadash Purim Carnival will be on Sunday, February 24! Nat Arons and the madrichim (teen assistants) are getting creative. We are all going to have a great time.
Upcoming School Schedule
- Sunday, February 3: Sunday School
- Sunday, February 10: Sunday School
- Monday, February 11: Havayah (High School Class)
- Friday, February 15 to Sunday, February 17: Youth Kallah (Retreat) in Wisconsin
- Sunday, February 17: No Sunday School
- Sunday, February 24: Purim Carnival 11:05
- Friday, March 1: Shabbat services will be led by grades K through 3
- Monday, April 1: Havayah (high school class)
- Sunday, April 7: 7th Graders Present: Yom Hashoah Service at Sunday School
- Sunday, April 14: Sunday School
- Monday, April 15: Havayah
- Sunday, April 21: Yom Tikkun Olam (Day to Repair the World) No school at Hellenic American Academy
- Sunday, April 28: Sunday School Open House for Prospective Members
- Monday, April 29: Last Day of Havayah BBQ
- Sunday, May 5: Last Day of Sunday School
- Friday, May 17: Shabbat services will be led by our Havayah
Teen
News
Purim Carnival Planning on Sunday, February 10
The madrichim are busy working with Nat to create an all-school Purim program on Sunday, February 24. The teens are working hard to make this a special experience for our Sunday School. Madrichim: the final planning meeting will be on Sunday, February 10, at 8:40 a.m.
National Teen Kallah
The weekend of March 22-24, 8th through 12th graders from Reconstructionist congregations across North America will have the opportunity to attend the exciting No'ar Hadash North American Teen Kallah, which will be held this year in Boston. This amazing weekend will be a great opportunity for you to meet other teens, have fun, take part in experiential Jewish learning, laugh at an improv comedy show, sing and dance, hang out, explore Boston, and be part of our exciting youth movement. Please contact info@campjrf.org or youth@shir-hadash.org for an application.
Last call: 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 has been mailed home. To register, or If you are an adult and would like to help chaperone for the weekend, please e-mail Carole Mostow at youth@shir-hadash.org.
Thank You for Chaperoning!
Thank you to our madrichim chaperones who helped watch our students at the JNF Tu B'Shevat celebration at CJHS last Sunday. The kids had a great time walking around the exhibits with the teens. We appreciate your help in supervising the students during the field trip. Kol Hakavod!
Creative
Worship & Ritual
So did the Exodus really happen? How about the plagues? Do we take the Bible literally on these issues, or not so much? At services next Friday night, February 1 (7:30 at LCHS), we look into these issues. Our Torah portions during this month are all about the plagues and the Exodus, so we'll explore what the Torah has to say, and then view a video—“The Bible's Buried Secrets”—that provides some interesting new information and perspectives. Then, of course, we'll have a wide-open dialogue. So while the Rabbi's in Israel with the Ta'am kids, come to this lay-led service, and be a part of the discussion! Plus, bring something for oneg...
Donations
Thanks to the following people for their donations:
General Fund
- Chantal Kessel, in memory of Judy Hartsman, mother of Glenn Graff
- Mark Einstein, in memory of Judy Hartsman, mother of Glenn Graff
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund
- Susan and Geoffrey Grossman, in memory of Ed Kaplow
Community
News
Is your child gay, lesbian, transgender, queer, or questioning? Do you want to talk to other Jewish families with LGBTQ children? If so, join the monthly discussions with Parent & Family Connection for LGBTQ Jews in Chicagoland. Upcoming meetings will be held on March 11, April 22, and May 20. Upcoming topics will include: transgender youth; passing--who knows, who doesn’t know; navigating a hetero-sexist world; healthy relationships and violence in the GLBTQ community; and conversation about creating inclusive communities.
With support from Keshet
(www.keshetonline.org), Response provides group support for those dealing with
any stage of the coming out process. Response helps adolescents in the Jewish and
general community develop skills in communication, decision-making and
leadership necessary to deal with life’s challenges. Response is a program of
JCFS, a partner in serving our community, supported by the Jewish United
Fund/Jewish Federation.
SHOP
Shir Hadash
SHOP for Game Day
Thanks to the following families for supporting SHOP this week:
- Callistein
- M. Graff
- Schleicher
- Idelman
- Zoloto
- Friedman
- Sabatello
