Shir Hadash Newsletter: A Special “Thank You” Edition

The dream has come true and the journey continues,

 thanks to our wonderful community !!

The last eight months have gone by in the blink of an eye.  We have achieved so much because so many in our community have stepped forward and volunteered their time.  The journey continues because of their dedication, their time, and their creativity.  This is a special newsletter that we are launching as part of an ongoing tradition to recognize volunteers,celebrating what is possible when a community brings its creativity and caring to make a difference.  And what a difference we have made in these last eight months.  Just read what our community has accomplished:

Our First Home

Almost one year ago (last October), our Building Steering Committee (headed up by Marc Fargotstein and Mehran Farahmandpour) were alerted by our long-time friend and real estate agent (Patrice Marks) about a building in Wheeling that was posted for sale.  The board assembled a task force and work began in earnest to evaluate and eventually purchase the building.  Well, we did buy the building on April 4, 2013 and the rest is (as they say) history.  But, the history was only possible because of the dedication and significant work of the volunteers (many of whom are on our board) and the great team of professionals that we assembled for this project.  Here's the run down:

Planning & Project Management:

President - Jeffrey Wallk

Rabbi - Eitan Weiner Kaplow

Treasurer - Sandi Schleicher & Lise Schleicher

BOC Chair - Marc Fargotstein

Contracts & Presentations to Village of Wheeling:
Attorney - Michael Lorge (Bronson & Kahn LLC)
Attorney - Scott Berman (& Co-Owner of SuperDawg in Wheeling)
Treasurer - Sandi Schleicher & Lise Schleicher

BOC Chair - Marc Fargotstein

President - Jeffrey Wallk

Finance, Funding & Procurement:
Treasurer - Sandi Schleicher
Partner - Randall A.Usen (SVP, First Bank & Trust)

Architecture & Construction:
Architecture - Mehran Farahmandpour (www.maemarpc.com)
Construction - Housh Khoshbin (Housh Contruction company in Lisle)

Insurance, Utilities, & Vendor Mgmt:
Treasurer - Lise Schleicher
BOC Chair - Marc Fargotstein

Interior Design:

Former SH President - Deborah Newberger
Rachel Siegel, Glenn Graff, Susan Cohen
Architecture - Mehran Farahmandpour (www.maemarpc.com)

Exterior Design:

Rachel Siegel, Stacey & Ken Lawner 

Architecture - Mehran Farahmandpour (www.maemarpc.com)

Preparation & Maintenance:
BOC Chair - Marc Fargotstein
Building Maintenance - Don Johnson (and his staff)

Please note there were many other volunteers who flowed in and out of this project, which included every member of the board, all of the staff, and many of the folks listed in the office move and dedication below.

Office/Move Volunteers

Our move in August was accomplished in record time, as we hurried to get our new building ready for its Dedication Ceremony. Volunteers packed, schlepped and unpacked truckloads of boxes, organized and stored equipment, cleaned the kitchen, and manned the phones so that our dedicated staff could get the office up and running. This enormous undertaking could never have been fulfilled without you – thank you making our transition a success!

Move Volunteers: Mickey Herbin , Dan Roiter, Ethan Zwick, Jeremy Zwick, Dasha Kopulsky, Alex Schleicher, Joel Schleicher, Mason Kimbarovsky, Katy Zwick, Deborah Newberger, Cindy Grills, Trish Spiegel, Bonnie Klein, Ellen Lazar, Nadine Estes Goldman, Mady Fern, Margie Goldberg, Phyllis Guth, Tammy Pomper, Lynne Arons, Luba Rothblatt, Peggy Sharpe, Ruth Sanders, Marilyn Soglin, Marilynn Singer.

Special thanks to: Lillian Zoloto, our amazingly dedicated Administrator, who managed the overwhelming details of the move with grace, perseverance, and unfailing good humor. She keeps the ship afloat through all the tempests that come our way! Additionally, special thanks to Education Director Emily Ascher for her leadership and hard work in organizing and moving our school. The payoff is seeing our children thriving in their new permanent school setting.

Dedication

On August 18, we welcomed the entire community to a special Dedication Ceremony, including the parade that carried our Torahs all the way from the Northbrook office to our new, permanent home. With hundreds of members, guests, and dignitaries in attendance, we shared in a moving ceremony followed by a fantastic Middle Eastern feast and an afternoon of dancing and fun activities. This massive event took months to plan and an army of enthusiastic volunteers to execute.

Planning Committee: Fred Andes, Melanie Andes, Scarlett Andes, Bonny Davidson, Marc Fargotstein, Cindy Grills, Bonnie Klein, Rebecca Rice, Luba Rothblatt, Sandi Schleicher, Trish Spiegel, Ethan Zwick, Katy Zwick

Flyer Preparation: Wendy Kopulsky, Alek Kopulsky, Alex Lieberman, Torie Lieberman, Joel Schleicher, Adam Weiss

Dedication Volunteers*: Meryl Abensohn, Fred Andes, Melanie Andes, Scarlett Andes, David Anes, Joy Anes, Lynne Arons, Marla Callistein, Barry Cain, Bonny Davidson, Brad Davidson, Nadine Estes-Goldman, Steve Fisher, Forouz Farahmandpour, Richard Freibrun, Gerry Freibrun, Carolyn Gessner, Harry Goldman, Glenn Graff, Marc Graff, Mia Graff, Steven Graff, Ken Green, Sarena Green, Judith Greenberg, Cindy Grills, Chris Grills, Mickey Herbin, Jerry Horwitz, Beth Klauba, Alek Kopulsky, Burton Kopulsky, Dasha Kopulsk,y Wendy Kopulsky, Ken Laner, Stacy Laner, Mark Lenhart, Jennifer Lenhart, Douglas Lieberman, George Litman, Judy Litman, Carrie Matt, Michael Matt, Emilee McArdle, Reba Meshulam, Mark Michaels, Molly Michaels, Carole Mostow, Julia Mostow, Sam Mostow, Deborah Newberger, Beth Newman, Lisa Norling, Ed Rice, Rebecca Rice, Shoshi Rice, Bob Roiter, Dan Roiter, Luba Rothblatt, Cindy Salomon, David Salomon, Burt Sharpe, Peggy Sharpe, Marilyn Singer, Margie Skora, Joel Schleicher, Lise Schleicher, Sandi Schleicher, Elizabeth Soglin, Spencer Soglin, Deborah Steidl, Doug Tashma, Lauren Tashma, Josh Wallk, Adam Weiss, Jerry Weiss, Sandy Weiss, Dan Wellisch, Julie Wellisch, Jeff Wexler, Mira Zweiban, Neil Zweiban, Ethan Zwick, Katy Zwick, Jeremy Zwick

*List compiled as of August 15, 2013 – many thanks to anyone who pitched in at the last minute as well!

Special thanks to Scott Berman, Jacob Cutts, Don Johnson, Kris Keller, Michael Lorge, Patrice Marks, Saul Pena, and Randall Usen. We are deeply grateful to you.

Special thanks as well to Committee Chair Melanie Andes for her countless hours of planning and coordinating every aspect of the Dedication. It was a day that none of us will forget!

High Holidays

This year, we celebrated the most successful High Holidays services in our synagogue’s history. As always, our holiday services were filled with creative and inspiring performances from musicians, singers, dancers and actors. Behind the scenes, volunteers kept everything running smoothly by providing technical support, setting up worship spaces, checking in members and guests, and running children’s programs. The success of their efforts was expressed in the many positive reactions received from guests:

"The services are so warm and inviting"

"Thank you for lifting me and inspiring me with your music"

"My kids loved the afternoon programming"

"What an amazing service at Shir Hadash"

Thanks are due to everyone who participated in every aspect of the services:

The Lahaka:  Meryl Abensohn, Melanie Andes, Scarlett Andes, Len Bland, Barry Cain, Maggie Cain, Mady Fern, Jeff Horwich, Jerry Horwitz, Jack Kraska, Doug Lieberman, Lisa McCulloh, Ralph Nach, Cheryl Schultz, Marilynn Singer, Isabelle Steidel, Sandy Weiss, Julie Wellisch, Alyssa Wexler, Ken Wexler, Ethan Zwick.

Instrumentalists:  Mitchell Green, Alek Kopulsky, Lisa Norling, Margie Skora, Ken Wexler, Mollie Zweiban

Dancers:  Melanie Andes, Marissa Edler, Nicki Padron-Glass, Rebecca Rice

Sound system:  Joel Schleicher, Sandi Schleicher, Spencer Soglin, Jeff Wexler, Ken Wexler, Josh Wallk, and Adam Weiss; Guidance by Joe McArdle

Dramatists: Brad Davidson, Bonny Davidson, Abby Edler, David Edler, Jeff Gusfield

High Holidays Music Director: Benjamin Rivera

CWR High Holidays Planning Committee:  Fred Andes, Lise Schleicher, Jim Schultz, Melanie Andes, Rebecca Rice, Steve Lewin, Mickey Herbin, Margie Goldberg, Luba Rothblatt, Hugh Zwick, Nat Arons, Lynne Arons, Sandy Weiss

Torah Readers: Sandi Schleicher, Joel Schleicher, Alex Schleicher, Evelyn Schleicher, Ally Blumstein, Dawn Weiner-Kaplow, Harry Goldman, Shoshana Lewin Fischer, Fred Andes, Lynne Arons, Steve Lewin, Ronna Steinback, Ethan Zwick, Alyssa Wexler, Len Bland, Alek Kopulsky, Ed Rice, Scarlett Andes

Bimah Sitters: Sandi Schleicher, Steve Lewin, Harry Goldman, Lynne Arons, Fred Andes

High Holidays Volunteers (Ushers, Oneg, and Front Room Teams): Lise Schleicher and Jim Schultz (Head ushers); John Aber, Stuart Aizenberg, Lynne Arons, Dan & Marla Callistein, Brad Davidson, Steve Friedman, Mehran Farahmandpour, Marc Fargotstein, Nadine & Harry Goldman, Mia Graff, Cindy Grills, Sue Grossman, Mickey Herbin, Burton & Wendy Kopulsky, Ken & Stacy Laner, Mark & Jennifer Lenhart, Steve Lewin, Larry and Jody Marvet, Mark Michaels, Don Mided, Vicky Schwartz-Mided, Carole Mostow, Deborah Newberger, Simone Padron, Ed Rice, Rick Rosenfeld, Luba Rothblatt, Burt Sharpe, Barbara Spielman, Wendy Stein, Steve Varon, Helene Weiner, Adam Weiss, Jerry Weiss, Rick Zinbarg, Neil and Mira Zweiban

Family Service Volunteers: Lauren Tashma, Nadine Goldman, Alek Kopulsky, Wendy Kopulsky, Katy Zwick, Ethan Zwick, Susan and Ira Kalina, Mickey Herbin

Special thanks to:  Fred Andes, the tireless head of our Creative Worship and Ritual Committee, whose leadership makes all our services unique and meaningful.

And finally, many thanks to those whose names we’ve missed. Those who participated in readings, set up or took down chairs, schlepped equipment back and forth between locations, built the Sukkah, and helped in a myriad of other ways – your contributions are so very much appreciated. It's a testament to the strength and depth of our community that we come together in such numbers to achieve great things!

Without our volunteers, we would not have achieved all that we have in the last eight months.  We are ever grateful and appreciative of our wonderful community who have come together with their creativity and caring to help make this dream a reality for our current and future generations.  Our High Holy Day services were just amazing and the family services were warm and welcoming for our members and many new members and guests (the response has been overwhelming).  On behalf of Shir Hadash and the communities we serve, we thank each of these volunteers for their contributions and for being part of our Shir Hadash community.

Board of Directors		Staff
	Jeffrey Wallk		Rabbi Eitan Weiner Kaplow
	Glenn Graff		Emily Ascher
	Sandi & Lise Schleicher		Carole Mostow
	Rebecca Rice		Lillian Zoloto
	Melanie Andes		Adrian Durlester
	Marc Fargotstein
	Marilynn Singer
	Rachel Siegel
	Fred Andes
	Lynne Arons
	Sandy Weiss
	Art German
	Mark Lenhart
	Steve Fisher