-->

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Shir Hadash Weekly Newsletter -- Thursday, February 27, 2014

To view this blog in its entirety, go to our website.
For daily event updates, visit our calendar .

What’s Happening at a Glance

Membership News and Upcoming Events
  • Important All-Synagogue "Town Hall" Meeting, March 9
  • “Living the Chai Life” Gala: A Resounding Success!
  • Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
Creative Worship and Ritual
  • Saturday Bar Mitzvah Service: March 1, 4:30 at the Westin
  • Coming This Spring: Family and Tot Shabbat Services

Music Notes
  • Purim Online
  • Lahaka Adult Choir
Education
  • Visit the Education Director’s Blog
  • Purim Festivities, March 16
  • Yom Tikkun Olam, April 13
Teen News
  • BBYO – Bowling Party, March 1
  • NEW! Purim Carnival, March 16
  • JRF National Kallah, March 21-23
The Rabbi’s Corner
  • “Acting with Integrity and Honesty”
Adult Ed
  • Crash Course in Basic Judaism
  • Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan
  • Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes

Community Events
  • Dr. Amy-Jill Levine at OLB, April 3 & 4

SHOP Shir Hadash

Membership and Upcoming Events

Important – All-Synagogue Town Hall Meeting, March 9

The entire Shir Hadash Community is invited to a Town Hall meeting on Sunday March 9 from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at the synagogue.  The leadership will share important updates, review our accomplishments in our first year in the building, and discuss plans for the coming years that will impact all our members.  Your input and ideas are needed! Please make time in your schedule to participate in this important discussion.  For more information contact Jeff Wallk, at president@shir-hadash.org.

”Living the Chai Life” Gala a Resounding Success
On Saturday, February 22, Shir Hadash celebrated its Chai year at its “Living the Chai Life” Fundraising Gala.  Over 100 people bought tickets to the event and had a great time listening to the Not-for-Profit band while dancing, eating, mingling, and participating in the Silent Auction and Raffle.  The Silent Auction was a huge success with over 100 items purchased. Those purchases, when combined with ticket revenue, sponsorships, and raffle tickets, brought in more than $10,000 in profit for Shir Hadash, blowing away expectations! 

The event would not have been a success without the enthusiastic participation of our extended Shir Hadash Community.  Thank yous and acknowledgement for the success goes to the following groups:
  • The tireless Gala Committee, including Maggie Cain, Glenn Graff, Kathy LaMorte, Jennifer Lenhart, Carly Matt, Carrie Matt, Lise Schleicher, Peggy Sharpe, and Lynn Weingardt.
  • All the Shir Hadash members who donated items and services for the silent auction and that bought tickets and attended the Gala
  • Local businesses that donated items and services for the silent auction and the hard working Shir Hadash members that requested those donations
  • The event sponsors whose donations helped make the evening a financial success. 
A few wonderful auction items are still available for purchase! Watch for more news coming soon about these items, event photos, and much more.

Hungry Before or After Religious School (or Anytime)?
The Continental Restaurant in Buffalo Grove or Butterfields Restaurant in Northbrook permanently will donate 5% of your total bill to Shir Hadash! No flyer needed – just mention Shir Hadash when you are paying or fill out the Shir Hadash book behind the desk.  A great way to start or end Religious school!

Creative Worship and Ritual

Shabbat Saturday Service: March 1, 4:30pm.
There will be no Friday night service at the synagogue this Friday. On Saturday, our Shabbat service will be held at The Westin Hotel in Wheeling at 4:30pm, as we celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Ethan Schwartz, son of Karen Schwartz and Steven Schwartz.

Coming Soon: Tot Shabbat and Family Services!
This Spring, Shir Hadash will host several early Friday evening services, perfect for families with younger kids!  Tot Shabbat is for kids up to age 6, Family Services are geared to grades K-3.  Each service has stories, songs and special activities designed for these age groups. Invite your friends! These family services are a great way to introduce young families to Shir Hadash; all are welcome.

These special services are at the kid-friendly times of 6:15 - 7 pm on selected Friday evenings:
  • March 7 Tot Shabbat
  • April 4 Family Service
  • May 2 Tot Shabbat
  • June 6 Family Service


We also need families to volunteer as greeters for these services, to welcome guests and let people know all about the Shir Hadash community.  If you can help with this important mitzvah, please contact Suzanne Wexler, volunteer@shir-hadash.org.

Music Notes – News and Ideas from our Music Director

Purim Online
Looking for all things Purim online? Look no further than Jacob Richman's Purim Holiday Hotsite for 2014/5774.  Educational, musical, video, and all sorts of resources from around the world.

Lahaka (Adult Choir)
Our adult choir, Lahaka is meeting regularly on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month at 7:30pm. If you like to sing and be part of a warm, friendly, fun-loving group, come join us. For more information contact Adrian Durlester at music.director@shir-hadash.org.

Education

Visit the Education Director’s Blog
Education Director Emily Ascher’s blog has loads of pictures and news about everything happening at Religious School. Click here to see it all.

Sunday School Purim Festivities, March 16
We are thrilled to announce a Shir Hadash Day of Purim Festivities! Teachers and Students are encouraged to wear costumes.
  • Schedule for the Day:
    • 9:15 a.m. -10:15 a.m Purim Studies (students go to their classrooms)
    • 10:20 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. Purim Shpiel (All Members Welcome), Costume Parade (with Prizes), and More
    • 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Shir Hadash Youth-Run Purim Carnival – see Teen News below for ticket information.

Join in with the fun! Any parents, members, or students interested in helping with any aspect of our Day of Purim Festivities, please email Education Director Emily Ascher at eddirector@shir-hadash.org or Music Director Adrian Durlester at music.director@shir-hadash.org.

Yom Tikkun Olam, April 13
The Education Committee is looking for help with our Annual Yom Tikkun Olam (Day to Repair the World), to be held on Sunday, April 13th. If you have ideas and/or would be available to lead a group that Sunday, please contact Education Director Emily Ascher at eddirector@shir-hadash.org.

Teen News

Shir Hadash Ra’am BBYO: Cosmic Bowling, March 1
Everyone is invited for an evening of Cosmic Bowling at Brunswick in Deerfield on Saturday, March 1st from 7:00 - 9:00.  $20 includes bowling, shoes, popcorn & soda. All 8th-12th graders are invited to this event. You don’t have to belong to BBYO or Shir Hadash – bring your friends! Please RSVP to raambbyo@gmail.com so we know to save a spot for you.

NEW! Purim Carnival Sponsored by Shir Hadash Ra’am BBYO, March 16
Our first Shir Hadash Ra'am BBYO-run Purim Carnival will be held from 11:30 to 1:00 on Sunday, March 16, after a shortened Sunday School day (featuring a Purim spiel and Megillah reading). We will offer a pizza lunch, bake sale, games, and prizes. Tickets will be sold in $5 increments.

Shir Hadash Ra'am BBYO Board meeting, March 6

The Ra’am BBYO Board will meet on Thursday, March 6th at 7:00pm in the Shir Hadash Board Room.  All members are welcome to attend.

JRF National Kallah
The weekend of March 21 - 23, 8th - 12th graders from Reconstructionist congregations across North America will have the opportunity to attend the exciting No'ar Hadash North American Teen Kallah -- to be held this year in Chicago! This amazing weekend will be a great opportunity for you to meet other teens, have fun, take part in experiential Jewish learning, sing and dance, hang out, explore Chicago, and be part of our exciting youth movement.

REGISTER NOW!  The cost of the weekend is only $375 for registration forms that are postmarked by March 3. Included in this amount are accommodations at the Embassy Suites Chicago - Downtown/Lakefront, meals (Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast), and all program and entry fees. Click here for registration and more info! 

The Rabbi’s Corner

February 28-March 1, 2014 / 29 Adar I 5774
Shabbat Pikudei

Torah: Exodus 38:21 - 40:38
Maftir: Exodus 30:11 - 30:16 | Shabbat Shekalim
Haftarah: II Kings 12:1 - 12:17 | Shabbat Shekalim

“Acting with Integrity and Honesty”

Dear Friends,
‘Tax season’ is upon us.  It is time to collect our records from 2013 and either submit them to qualified accountants or sit down and fill out the paperwork at home.  Hopefully everyone is working on this important project now and not waiting until the last stressful minute. I do all my record keeping on the computer, updating from week to week throughout the whole year.  That way, I can generate reports each month and keep files with receipts clipped and arranged chronologically from January to December.  So, when it comes to tax preparation, everything is ready to go with a few mouse clicks.

This week’s Torah portion, Pikudei, describes how Moses kept track of all the donations that came from the Children of Israel towards the construction of the mishkan - the portable desert tent of worship.... 

Click here to read the rest of The Rabbi’s Corner on the Shir Hadash website. 

Adult Education

NEW! Crash Course in Basic Judaism
  • Five Monday evenings  (2/4, 3/31. 4/28, 5/26, and 6/9), 8 to 9:30 p.m., led by Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

In this free, five-part crash course, Rabbi Weiner-Kaplow will explore: Belief in God, Prayer, The Shabbat, Jewish Observance and Sexuality. Participants will learn the basics of Judaism and receive a free copy of the Companion Guide chock-full of thought-provoking, extra-curricular reading to enhance their understanding and appreciation of the depth and breadth of Judaism. This program is presented in conjunction with the National Jewish Outreach Project. All are welcome: members and non-members, Jews and non-Jews, family and friends. Click here to view the program flyer.

Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Join Shir Hadash members and friends for a refreshing and contemporary exploration of the weekly Torah portion.  This informal group meets on Thursdays from noon to 1:00 in the Shir Hadash Kitchen/Café. All are welcome.

Sunday Morning Adult Ed
We hope you will join us for Torah and Philosophy at 9:45 with Fred Andes, followed by Hebrew Reading at 10:45 with Steve Lewin. For more information, contact Fred Andes, frederic.andes@btlaw.com.

Community Events

Dr. Amy-Jill Levine at OLB, April 3 & 4
Our Lady of the Brook parish invites Shir Hadash members for a special “scholar in residence” program featuring Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and author of The Misunderstood Jew – The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus. Dr. Levine will speak on Thursday evening, April 3, and Friday morning, April 4, at OLB, 3300 Dundee Road in Northbrook. More details on times will be coming soon. Her presentations are free of charge and open to all. For more information, contact Deacon Peery Duderstadt, peery@olb.org.

SHOP Shir Hadash

SHOP is our congregation’s ongoing fundraiser – and the easiest way to support the shul without spending an extra dime! Purchase gift cards through SHOP and the vendors pay a percentage back to Shir Hadash. SHOP orders of at least $400 are now payable by credit card, as well as annual SHOP orders. Orders can be picked up at the synagogue office or at Sunday school. For more information, visit our SHOP page  on the website.

Brookstone® is pleased to offer a 2% bonus contribution through Friday, February 28. Customers who purchase Brookstone ScripNow® eCards will receive a 14% contribution instead of the standard 12%.

TGI Friday’s Bonus Bites: Get a FREE $5 TGI Fridays Bonus Bites electronic coupon simply by order TGI Fridays products on ShopWithScript.com redeemable between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, 2014.

Bass Pro Shops® is excited to announce a 4% bonus contribution starting Saturday, March 1 and running through Friday, March 14.

Thanks to the following families for participating in SHOP this week:   
  • Zinbarg
  • Schleicher
  • Fisher-Rohde
  • Fargotstein
  • G. Graff
  • Idelman
  • Andes
  • Friedman
  • Wexler

No comments:

Post a Comment