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
- Save the Date: Passover Second Night Seder, April 15
- Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
Creative Worship and Ritual
- Tot Shabbat and Family Services –Beginning this Week
- Shabbat Evening Service, March 7
- Upcoming: Shabbat Service with Special Guest Speaker, March 21
Music Notes
- Purim Online
- Lahaka Adult Choir
Education
- Visit the Education Director’s Blog
- Purim Festivities, March 16
- Purim Bake Sale
- Yom Tikkun Olam, April 13
Teen News
- Purim Carnival, March 16
- Shir Hadash Ra'am BBYO Board meeting, March 6
- Bowling Night Recap
- Junior High “Late Night” at Skokie JCC
- JRF National Kallah, March 21-23
The Rabbi’s Corner
- “Modern Sacrifices Make Life Holy”
Adult Ed
- Crash Course in Basic Judaism
- Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes
NEW: Welcome to the SH Wellness Section
- An Introduction from the SH President
- This Month’s Wellness Tip
Community Events
- Congregation Or Chadash Explores “Judaism with a Queer Perspective”
- Dr. Amy-Jill Levine at OLB, April 3 & 4
SHOP Shir Hadash
Membership and Upcoming Events
Important – All-Synagogue Town Hall
Meeting, This Sunday, 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.
Save the Date: Passover Community Second
Seder, April 15
Everyone is
invited to share in the annual Shir Hadash Community Second Seder, to be held
at the synagogue on Tuesday, April 15 beginning at 6:00pm. Watch your emails
and future newsletters for more details. Questions? Contact Melanie Andes,
fmandes@comcast.net.
Hungry Before or After Religious School (or
Anytime)?
The
Continental Restaurant in Buffalo Grove or Butterfield's 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
Tot Shabbat and Family Services
First
Tot Shabbat of the Spring is this Friday!
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.
Shabbat Evening Service, March 7, 7:30
Following
the Tot Shabbat service, our regular Shabbat service begins at 7:30. The theme
is: "Uncovering the Book of Esther: It's Not a Children's
Story." Join Rabbi Eitan as he
reveals some of the lesser known parts of the Book of Esther: intrigue, sex,
violence, and a cliffhanger ending - all the elements of a great Hollywood blockbuster.
Remember to bring along a treat to share at the pot luck oneg.
Upcoming: Special Guest Speaker for
Shabbat, March 21
On March 21,
Shir Hadash welcomes a very special guest speaker for our Friday evening Shabbat
service. Matt Rothschild is the Publisher and Senior Editor of The Progressive magazine (and web site -
http://www.progressive.org). The
Progressive is a prominent liberal publication that has been around for more
than a hundred years, speaking out on many critical issues. Matt happens to be the brother of our member
Katy Zwick, and he has agreed to come and talk with us about a very current subject: "Our Vanishing Civil Liberties." What better topic as we approach Passover,
our festival of freedom? Bring a friend
to hear what Matt has to say!
Music Notes – News and Ideas from our Music Director
More Purim Online
One of my
favorite Jewish performers, Shira Kline, aka ShirLaLa, has a blog called
"Blog Sameach" on which she features all sorts of holiday ideas
especially for parents and teachers of young children. Her assortment of blog
posts and projects for this year is wonderful. Check them out! Visit her
homepage, or go directly to her pages for Purim,
including costumes and cutouts and noisemaker projects. Purim can
sometimes be a difficult holiday to talk about with children, so Shira has some
great advice on dealing with this problem in her post To Boo or Not to Boo:Purim M’gillah Talking Points For Your Youngest Children. Be sure to check out Shira's music too.
Akhla's Purim site is another great place to explore Purim with young children:
Finally, as
I've mentioned before, if you're looking for all things Purim online, then don’t
miss Jacob Richman's Purim Holiday Hotsite for 2014/5774, filled with educational,
musical, video, and all sorts of resources from around the world.
Lahaka (Adult Choir)
Our adult
choir, Lahaka is meeting regularly on the first and third 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
Purim Bake Sale
As part of
our celebration on March 16, we will have a bake sale to benefit our education
programs! If you’re interested in
donating your favorite treat, please
contact Katy Zwick at (text or call) 847-606-7432 or (email)
katyzwick@gmail.com.
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
Purim Carnival Sponsored by Shir Hadash Ra’am
BBYO, March 16
Our first Shir
Hadash 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.
Bowling Party Recap
40 teens
from Shir Hadash and two other BBYO chapters braved the snow storm last
Saturday night to make Shir Hadash Ra'am's Bowling Night a huge success. The
kids had a great time socializing, bowling, and snacking. Our first
"social" turned out to be so much fun the kids are already adding
more programs into the schedule. Watch for details for our next event, coming
soon!
6th-8th Graders--This is for You!
On Saturday,
March 8, from 7-10pm, Jewish students in grades 6-8 are invited to take part in
laser tag, swimming, and cupcake decorating, and more at the Skokie JCC. Other activities will include a game room
(card and board games) and basketball. You can come anytime during the evening
and leave whenever. You can also participate in any program for as long as you
want -- you can play laser tag for three hours with no rest! Cupcakes and soda
will be provided. If you plan on swimming, please provide a towel. Admission is
$25; sign up by March 8. Click here for more information. Sponsored by Great Midwest BBYO.
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! 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
March 7-8, 2014 / 6 Adar II 5774
Shabbat Vayikra
Torah: Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26 / Haftarah: Isaiah 43:21 - 44:23
“Modern
Sacrifices Make Life Holy”
Dear
Friends,
I am
attending the AIPAC (America-Israel Public Affairs Committee) Policy Conference
in Washington DC. The first two days
offer a series large event and small workshop sessions about the Land and
people of Israel and the fostering of a strong connection between Israel and
the United States. On the third day, the
more than five thousand delegates will head to Capital Hill to meet with
members of Congress to discuss our views on how important it is that the United
States stand with Israel through both the best and the most challenging of
times.
People come
to AIPAC from all over the United States.
Delegates include Jews and Christians, White and African-American
leaders, and even university student
leaders. We come together from
the political right and left, Democrat and Republican. We are united in our love of Israel and our
desire to see her succeed amongst the family of nations and to see the bond
between the United States and Israel grow ever stronger and closer….
Click here
to read the rest of The Rabbi’s Corner on the Shir Hadash website.
Adult Education
NEW! Crash Course in Basic Judaism
Monday
evenings (3/31. 4/28, 5/26, and
6/9), 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Taught 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.Our next class will be March 31. Click here to
view our 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.
NEW: Welcome to the SH Wellness Section
An Introduction from the SH President
Hello
members and friends of SH who read this wonderful newsletter. We know how
important food is to our Jewish traditions and everyday life, within the
synagogue and outside. Our congregation has grown over the last few years and
we are seeing an increasing need to ensure our spiritual, physical, and
emotional well-being. To address our physical (and nutritional) well-being, we
will begin posting information “bites” about nutrition for kids, young adults,
and families. We’ll post recipes that conform to healthy and safe nutrition
needs as that actually taste good. We’ll still offer chicken soup for the soul,
but we’re also going to provide nutrition and wellness advice and guidance to
ensure a long and healthy life for yourself and your families.
This Week’s Wellness Tip -- Walk Every Day
You don’t need
to buy a gym membership, a set of weights, or expensive DVD sets. Just get out
and walk. Walking strengthens the legs, improves cardiovascular circulation
(blood flow to heart from the extremities), reduces stress, burns calories,
improves digestion, enhances immune function, and gives you an opportunity to
get outdoors. The warm weather is coming to actually walk outside!
Delicious Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup rolled
oats
1 ¼ cup flour
½ tsp baking
soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup
extra-light olive oil
3 T unsalted
butter, room temp.
½ cup sugar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 ½ tsp
vanilla extract
½ cup mini
semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread oats on baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Remove and turn oven off.
2. Mix flour baking soda, salt. Set
aside. In large bowl, beat together oil, butter, sugars. Add egg, egg white,
and vanilla; beating until well combined. Fold in oats, flour mixture and
chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
3. Reheat oven to 350 degrees. Place
heaping teaspoon of dough 2 inches apart on 2-layered parchment-lined baking
sheets. Bake, rotating sheets ½ way through, for 10-12 minutes until cookies
are set and golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on sheets and transfer to wire
rack to cool completely.
Makes 32
cookies. Can substitute ½ of the oil with applesauce to reduce fat by 1 gram
per serving (the cookies will be more dense and cake-like). Splenda instead of
sugar is not recommended; only saves you 1-2g carb per cookie and does not
taste as sweet.
Many thanks to SH member Jennifer Dumrauf for this wellness tip. Watch future issues for more great ideas!
Community Events
Congregation Or Chadash Explores “Judaism
with a Queer Perspective”
Congregation
Or Chadash will present a free seven-session course, “Hidur Keshet:
Strengthening the Rainbow-Judaism with a Queer Perspective,” beginning March
20, at 5959 N. Sheridan Road in Chicago. The presentations will run on Thursday
evenings from 7:00 to 9:00pm from March 20 to May 8 (excluding April 17, the
week of Passover). The course will create an affirming space for students to
discover, celebrate, and intertwine Queer and Jewish identities. It is open to
anyone, regardless of religious affiliation, interested in exploring the topic
of Queer Jewish thought and practice. Registration is due by March 18. For more
information, click here.
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.
Bonus Contributions:
Bass Pro Shops® is excited to announce a 4% bonus contribution
starting Saturday, March 1 and running through Friday, March 14.
Beginning March
8:
- Applebee’s—2% through March 21
- Bed Bath & Beyond—1% through March 21
- Cabela’s—1% through March 21
- Lowe’s—1% through March 14
Thanks to the
following families for participating in SHOP this week:
- Zinbarg
- Schleicher
- Fisher-Rohde
- Fargotstein
- G. Graff
- Idelman
- Andes
- Anes
- Newman
- Weiss
- Herbin
- Callistein
- Farahmandpour
- M. Graff
- Allen
- Mostow
- Singer
- Chesler
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