To view this blog in its entirety, go to our website.
For daily event updates, visit our calendar.
What’s Happening at a Glance
- Shir Hadash Annual Meeting, May 5
- Invitation to Join the Building Committee
- Save the Date: Synagogue Dedication, August 18
- Spread the Word with Shir Hadash T-Shirts
- Book Club
Education Update
- Upcoming School Schedule: Last Day, May 5
Teen News
- Madrichim Meeting, May 5
- High School Murder Mystery Party with JRC, May 11
- Kol Hakavod to our JUF Teen Leaders!
Creative Worship & Ritual
- Upcoming Service, May 3
Adult Education
- No Adult Ed Class on May 5
- "Stewards of the Earth"
- Free Workshop on Job Interview Skills, May 8
- Parent & Family Connection for LGBTQ Jews in Chicagoland, May 20
SHOP Shir Hadash
Membership and Upcoming Events
Annual Meeting, May 5
Just in case you had forgotten, not seen it mentioned in the
newsletter, or not received our several letters on the topic: This Sunday, May
5, is the Shir Hadash Annual Meeting.
It’s a noteworthy one: the last one that we will NOT have at our
synagogue! This year, as last
year, we will initially convene the meeting at our current Sunday School
location, Hellenic American Academy, 1085 Lake Cook Road in Deerfield. Voting will be open starting at
9:15 at that site. Starting at 10
am, we will move over to the building next door, Chicagoland Jewish High School
(CJHS), for the remainder of the meeting.
We have a full agenda for the meeting. Of course, you will be voting for
candidates for officer and Board positions, and you will be voting on the
proposed budget. And you will be
able to ask questions of the candidates and about the budget. But also, there will be a review of the
last year and of our strategic plan going forward, and - yes - an update on the
synagogue! (Remember, don’t call
it “the new building” anymore.)
Your ballot will be available at the meeting - first at
Hellenic, then at CJHS. You can, if you choose, leave after voting if you are
unable to stay for the entire meeting. In two-adult households, one adult can
obtain the ballot of, and vote for, the other adult member as well for
her/himself. So please come and
vote - we really need you to help make up a quorum! We want to see you anyway, but the quorum thing makes it
particularly important that you show up...
And one more thing: there will be coffee, tea, bagels, cream
cheese, fruit, and pastries available at CJHS during the meeting. So come, see your friends, meet the new
Board members, hear about the synagogue, and eat! What else could you want?
Please Join the Building Operations Committee or One of Its
Subcommittees!
This is an exciting time for Shir Hadash as we transition
from a “schlepping” synagogue to one that owns and operates its own building!
We are in need of members to serve on our new Building Operations Committee
(BOC) and its subcommittees. The BOC will manage projects (improvements,
repairs, and maintenance) and operational services for the building and
surrounding grounds. The subcommittees that need to be staffed include:
Architecture, Communications, Interior & Exterior Design, Landscape Design,
and Building Operations.
Please share your experiences, ideas, and passions with the
congregation by volunteering to serve on the BOC or one of its subcommittees.
We welcome your input. For more information, contact Marc Fargotstein at
marcfargo@att.net.
Save the Date: Synagogue Dedication, August 18
When making your summer plans, be sure to save the date for
the dedication of our beautiful synagogue on Sunday, August 18! Details are
still being worked out so watch future newsletters and emails for updates. If
you have any questions and/or would like to help, contact Melanie Andes
(fmandes@comcast.net) or Marc Fargotstein (marcfargo@att.net).
Spread the Word with Shir Hadash T-Shirts
Celebrate our new home – and let your friends know you love
Shir Hadash – with a “Shalom to
Our New Home” t-shirt! These white shirts have the graphic you see pictured
here on the front, and our official logo on the back. They are available in
men’s, women’s and kids’ sizes for $10. To order, contact Lisa McCulloh,
847-814-2922 or jjlisamc@gmail.com.
Book Club
The Shir Hadash Book Club met last Thursday at the home of Stacy Laner. We
discussed the role of magical realism in Everything is Illuminated. Meryl
invited a guest to attend whose grandfather happened to be from Trachimbrod!
The next book club will meet in late June or early July. The
book will be The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolam. This true story helps to give
insight into the Palestinian-Israeli conundrum. For more info about our book
club, contact Meryl Abensohn, abenkras@aol.com.
Education Update
Upcoming Events at School
Sunday, May 5-- Last Day of Sunday School
This week is our last day of classes for the 2012-13 school
year! We will polish up our last remaining class activities and then come
together to celebrate a great year with ice cream and our traditional school
photo montage. Pick-up with be at 12:25 as usual. Thanks to all teachers,
madrichim, parents, students, volunteers – Everyone! – for a wonderful school
year.
Teen News
Madrichim
We will have just one more meeting for this school year!
Come join the teachers for a year-end appreciation breakfast sponsored
by the Education Committee. See you on Sunday, May 5th at 8:30.
Teen Event with JRC
Just a few spots left! 8th to 12th Graders: You are invited
to a MURDER MYSTERY DINNER. Will you be the witness, the victim or even the
killer?
We will join the 8th-12th graders at JRC to participate as the drama unfolds around us. We will also enjoy a feast from Pita Inn while we solve the mystery.
We will join the 8th-12th graders at JRC to participate as the drama unfolds around us. We will also enjoy a feast from Pita Inn while we solve the mystery.
Details--
Date: Saturday, May 11th
Date: Saturday, May 11th
Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Place: JRC, 303 Dodge, Evanston
R.S.V.P. required: youth@shir-hadash.org. We have a limited
number of places available, so please R.S.V.P. A.S.A.P!
Kol Hakavod!
Congratulations to David Anes, Dasha Kopuksky and Sam
Mostow, our three seniors who represented Shir Hadash on the JUF Teen
Leadership Council for the greater Chicagoland area. The teens worked all year
discussing issues relevant to Jewish teens in this pluralistic leadership
committee.The group had representatives from all branches of Judaism and the
teens learned much about how to work within a framework that respects the
traditions important to each individual. The culmination of their work was the
Teen Engagement Fair held in conjunction with Israel Solidarity Day last
weekend. The event was a huge success and we thank our teen leaders AND the
teen recruits (Alek Kopulsky, Rachel Silverman and Adam Weiss) who helped them
with their booths.
Creative Worship & Ritual
May 3 Service: “Creating Room in God’s House: Judaism and
Special Needs”
On Friday, May 3, our Shabbat service (7:30 at the
synagogue, 200 West Dundee in Wheeling) will include a program that fits
closely with Shir Hadash’s basic themes of community and caring. First, we will watch a moving (but
brief) video documentary by Ilana Trachtman, filmmaker of the stirring movie Praying with Lior (which we have watched
on Selichot). The video addresses efforts of a mosque, a church, and a synagogue
to open the worship experience to individuals and families with special needs.
Following the screening, Shir Hadash members with personal and professional
experience in the world of special needs will engage the community through a
panel discussion. We are confident that all members of the community will find
this program to be both fascinating and powerful. Don’t miss it – and don’t
forget to bring something for the oneg!
Adult Education
No Adult Ed Class on May 5
Due to the Shir Hadash Annual Meeting, there will be no
adult education session this week. See you all at the meeting!
The Rabbi’s Corner
May 3-4, 2013 / 24 Iyar 5773
Day 39 of the Omer
Shabbat Behar-Behukotai
Torah Portion:
Leviticus 25:1-27:34 / Haftarah Portion: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14
“Stewards of our Earth”
Dear Friends,
It finally feels like spring. The days are warming, the trees are in bloom, and everywhere
I look, people are spreading chemicals on their lawns… Recent flooding is
washing pollutants of all kinds into our rivers. The effects of decades of soil, water, and air pollution are
being suspected in our health and in the wellbeing of our ecosystems. Yet, as a
society, we continue to pollute.
This week’s Torah portion has a strong message to share with us.
Im bechukotai teilechu v’et mitzvotai tishmoru
If you will keep my laws and follow my commandments...
I will give you blessing, food, security, abundance, peace,
and happiness.
You will live on the land and shall not know fear...
But if you reject my laws and disobey my commandments...
Life will be bitter and you will be hungry and defeated….
To read the rest of The Rabbi’s Corner, click here to visit our website.
Donations
Gifts to the General Fund:
Corinne Goldman, in memory of Florine Lesht, mother of
Carole Mostow
Cheryl & Jim Schultz:
- In memory of Ed Kaplow, father of Rabbi Eitan
- In memory of Florine Lesht, mother of Carole Mostow
- Refuah Shleimah for Geoffrey Grossman
- Refuah Shleimah and appreciation of Lillian Zoloto
- In appreciation of Marcy Nach
- With good luck wishes for Bob Roiter and Family while settling in at home.
Lois and Les Fishman, in memory of Florine
Lesht
Amy Corday and Adam Klingher, in memory of
Florine Lesht
Terry Bernsohn, in memory of Florine Lesht
Community News
Free Employment Workshop: “How to Shine During the Interview
Process”
The ARK and Jewish Business to Business (JB2B) invite all
job seekers from the Jewish Northwest/Northshore communities to a free
employment clinic on how to shine during the interview process. The two-hour
interactive session will be led by employment professionals, and will take
place on Wednesday, May 8, from 7:00 to 9:00pm at The ARK Northwest, 3100
Dundee Road, Suite 204, Northbrook. There are no prerequisites regarding income
or employment status, and affiliation with The ARK or JB2B is not required.
Registration is limited to 20 participants; click here to register online.
Parent & Family Connection for LGBTQ Jews
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 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, 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 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. Purchasing
SHOP gift cards helps the shul raise much needed funds without spending any
more money than you already do for your regular expenses. Orders can be picked
up at Sunday school or the Shir Hadash office.
Don't Toss That Card! Reload it.
Reloading allows you to add funds to many plastic gift cards
you previously purchased on ShopWithScrip® with ease and speed. In fact, if you
pay for your Reload order with PrestoPay™, our online payment method, before
3:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, the funds will be added to your card
overnight! For a growing number of retailers, you can add funds to your gift
card in minutes with ReloadNow™! Please remember, if you pay by check, your
reload purchase will be processed after the order is released by your
coordinator.
Remember, using ScripNow is simple: To order, visit any of
the brand pages on ShopWithScrip.com and select the ScripNow product choice.
•Order your ScripNow .
•Pay with PrestoPay™ to print your ScripNow in minutes.
•Or, pay by check to have your coordinator release your
order.
•Receive an email when your eCard is available on your
ShopWithScrip.com account.
•Click on View ScripNow from your Family Home page to view
and print your eCard.
Special Offers:
Now through May 24 (or while supplies last), a limited run
of the following plastic gift cards will be available:
* Barnes & Noble $5 Gift Card
* Target $10 GiftCard
* Panera Bread $5 Gift Card
Walmart® is offering a savings of 10 cents a gallon on gas
purchases made when using a Walmart Gift Card, effective through July 7, 2013.
We receive an extra 5% bonus contribution on Bath & Body
Works Gift Cards until May 3rd.
New Bonus Contributions Starting May 4:
- Restaurant.com® 10% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- Belk® 2% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- L.L.Bean® 1% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- SUBWAY® restaurants 1% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- T.G.I. Friday's® 1% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- Petco® 1% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- iTunes® 5% bonus 5/4 - 5/24
- Marriot® 2% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- SpaFinder Wellness® 2% bonus 5/4 - 5/31
- Boston Market® 2% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- Boscov's® 2% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- Bon-Ton® 2% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- Buca di Beppo® 2% bonus 5/4 - 5/17
- Also, The Home Depot® 1% bonus has been extended through 5/3.
- Saturday, May 4 through Friday, June 28, you can get a FREE $5 T.G.I. Friday's® Bonus Bites electronic coupon simply by ordering T.G.I. Friday's® products on ShopWithScrip.com. These coupons can be redeemed between July 1 and August 31.
Thanks to the following families for participating in Shop
this week:
- Elfant
- Zinbarg
- Schleicher
- Arons
- Friedman
- Schmit
- Mostow
- Idelman
- Allen
- Callistein
- Edler
- Farahmandpour
- Fargotstein
- M. Graff
- Grills
- Singer
- Wexler
- Zwick
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