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
- Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
- Community Passover Seder, April 15
- News from the Building Operations Committee
- “Israel in a Shifting Middle East” AIPAC Presentation, April 29
- Save the Date: Annual Meeting, May 18
- Book Club, May 1 (Note New Date)
- New: Save the Date: JUF Fundraising Brunch, June 1
- Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
Creative Worship and Ritual
- No Shabbat Services this Week
- Upcoming Services
Volunteer Opportunities
- New: Book Drive for Tikkun Olam, April 13
- “Passover in the Matzah Aisle”, April 13
- New: Evanston Soup Kitchen, April 27
The Rabbi’s Corner
- “If It’s Gonna Be”
Music Notes
- Online Resources for Passover
- Lahaka Adult Choir
- Need Seder Ideas?
Education
- Visit the Education Director’s Blog
- Yom Tikkun Olam, April 13
Teen News
- Shir Hadash Ra’am BBYO Announcements
Adult Ed
- Crash Course in Basic Judaism
- Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes
Wellness Section
- This Week’s Wellness Tip
Community Events
- “This Cup is for All of Us” Interfaith Seder, April 10
SHOP Shir Hadash
Membership and Upcoming Events
Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
We are
thrilled to announce the creation of the Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund, a
need-based fund for children whose families cannot afford to pay for their
Jewish education at Shir Hadash.
Our
congregation strongly believes that all of our children should be able to
attend our religious school and become Bar or Bat Mitzvah, even when financial
circumstances make it difficult for their families to afford religious school
tuition. Melanie and Fred Andes have created this fund in memory of Fred’s
great-uncle Samuel I. Andes, who was a staunch advocate of education, both
religious and secular, and have graciously offered to match all donations to
the fund up to $11,000.00.
Please help
your Shir Hadash community reach this fantastic goal by making as generous a
donation to this fund as you can. You
can donate online by clicking here ,
or by mailing a check to Shir Hadash, 200 West Dundee Road, Wheeling, IL 60090.
(Make out checks to Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue and write
“Scholarship” on the memo line.)
Many thanks
to Melanie and Fred for creating this wonderful tribute, and to all of you who
support this effort!
Community Passover Seder, April 15
Join the
entire Shir Hadash community for our first Passover seder in our synagogue! We
will gather on the second night of Passover, April 15, from 6:00 to 10:00pm.
Rabbi Eitan will lead our seder, to be followed by a delicious potluck dinner.
Please plan
to bring veggie/dairy dishes using Kosher for Passover ingredients. Fish is
welcome, as are recipes from Ashkenazi and Sephardic tradition. Visit the website for detailed guidelines on what to bring and how to label ingredients.
Space is
limited, so please click here to register as soon as possible. The final deadline is April
11. Admission is $18 for adult members, $25 for adult non-members, and $10 for
children ages 4 to 12; children ages three and under are free.
We also will
need volunteers to bring supplies for seder plates and help with set-up. Visit the website for details, or contact Melanie Andes at fmandes@comcast.net to
volunteer. We are looking forward to a wonderful celebration on April 15!
News from the Building Operations Committee
We are in
the process of implementing a grant for security upgrades for our synagogue. We
have recently completed the first phase of the project, which was having all of
our windows covered on the inside with a clear multilayer polymer film that
helps prevent against flying glass shards if glass is broken by high winds or
intentional damage. Please be aware that the manufacturer has specified that no form of tape or adhesives may be placed
on any of the windows or doors from now on.
We are also
in the final phase of selecting the replacement for our existing security
system. The new system will have video recording capability and improved
lighting around the perimeter of the synagogue. Our goal is to have this phase
completed and operational by this summer. If you have questions regarding these
or any other building related issues, please feel free to contact Marc
Fargotstein at marcfargo@att.net or 847 612-6579.
Each day,
the headlines usher in serious and unprecedented challenges that affect
Israel’s security and U.S. interests – from Iran’s nuclear ambitions to the upheaval
in Egypt, Syria, and beyond. Join us for a discussion on a region in turmoil,
action on Capitol Hill aimed at addressing these issues, and why the United
States and Israel are safer, stronger and better together. AIPAC's Midwest Synagogue Initiative
Director will be coming to Shir Hadash to address these key issues and answer
questions. The program begins at 7:00
PM. Contact Burton Kopulsky at (847)
291-7846 or oct13@ameritech.net for more information. Please plan on coming to this timely and
informative session.
Save the Date: Annual Meeting, May 18
The Shir
Hadash 2014 annual meeting will be held on Sunday, May 18 at 9:3- to 11:30, in
the synagogue sanctuary. (Since that is also the last day of Religious School
for the year, the meeting will be followed at 11:30 by the annual School
Assembly.) We will have a very full
agenda, including:
- Budget & Two-Year Plan Updates
- Land Sale Update
- Plans & Goals for Next Year
- Board Nominees’ Presentations
- Voting on Board Positions & Budget
Please plan
to attend this important meeting of our entire community.
New:
Save the Date: JUF Fundraising Brunch, June 1
Shir Hadash
will be hosting our first ever JUF fundraising event on Sunday, June 1, at 10
am .The JUF funds a vital network of agencies that do the important work of
caring for people in need around the world and here in Chicagoland, and also of
nurturing the Jewish community. Now that we finally have a home of our own, it
is time for us to take our place in the Chicagoland synagogue community and
help support the JUF. Our guest speaker will be David Rubovits, Senior Vice
President of Planning and Allocations for the JUF/Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Chicago. Please mark your calendars and spend an hour with us
eating brunch and enjoying being a part of the Jewish community. For more
information, contact Rachel Schick-Siegel, rschicksiegel@comcast.net
Book Club, May 1 (Note New Date)
Our next
book will be Unorthodox: The Scandalous
Rejection of my Hasidic Roots, by Deborah Feldman. Our meeting date has been changed to May 1. Everyone is invited to join
us at the Zwick family home, 385 Castlewood Lane in Deerfield. For more
information, contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com.
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
No Services this Week
There will
be no Friday night services on April 11. Enjoy celebrating Shabbat with your
family!
Upcoming Services
Mark your
calendar for these special services and events!
Tuesday,
April 15, 6:00pm
Second Night
Community Passover Seder
Friday,
April 18, 7:30pm
Shabbat Hol
HaMo’ed Pesach
"Living
in Two Civilizations – What does Paul Revere’s Ride have to do with the Exodus?
Friday,
April 25, 7:30pm
“Pausing in
the Wilderness: Relive the Trek from Egypt to Mount Sinai… and Along the Way,
Discover Your Jewish Identity”: An
interactive and experiential service for all ages. Don't miss this exciting event! Please bring
wilderness-style dessert treats for our oneg refreshment feast.
Saturday,
April 26, 9:30am
Shabbat
Morning Service
We will
celebrate the B’nai Mitzvah of Sari & Justin Stark, children of Randi &
Steven Stark
Volunteer Opportunities
New:
Book Drive for Yom Tikkun Olam
Please bring
gently used kids’ books this Sunday morning for Yom Tikkun Olam. We will be
sorting books to donate to Chicago Public Schools to make classroom libraries. We
can use picture books for pre-schoolers through young adult novels, and
everything in between! Please, no textbooks or religious books.
“Passover in the Matzah Aisle”
Last week a
group of enthusiastic Shir Hadashniks brought samples of charoset, chocolate matzah
and other Passover treats, as well as recipe cards and information about Shir
Hadash, to the Northbrook Garden Fresh for the first day of our “Passover in
the Matzah Aisle” outreach program. We’re doing it again this Sunday:
- Buffalo Grove Garden Fresh Market at Dundee and Buffalo Grove Roads, April 13 from 11:00am to 3:00pm.
Volunteers
will set up the table with food samples, collect contact information, and be
friendly! Contact Lynne Arons 847-732-7001, Rzldzl122@aol.com for more
information or to volunteer.
New:
Evanston Soup Kitchen, April 27
On Sunday,
April 27th, 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 (about 10-12 families). There is no age limit to volunteer,
but from past experience, kids should be at least 6 years old to fully
participate. Each family will be responsible for bringing an entrée that will
feed 15 to 20 individuals, one gallon milk, one gallon orange juice, one large
bag frozen mixed vegetables, one large bag of fruit (oranges, bananas, etc.)
and dessert.
If you are
interested in helping, please contact Mark Lenhart at mjlenhart@comcast.net before April 18. Thanks!
The Rabbi’s Corner
April 12-13,
2014 / 12 Nisan 5774
Shabbat
Aharei Mot
Torah:
Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30
Haftarah:
Malachi 3:4 - 3:24 | Shabbat HaGadol
“If It’s Gonna Be...”
Dear
Friends,
This week’s
Torah portion, Aharei Mot, describes the ancient Hebrew ritual of sending a
goat out to the wilderness to carry away the sins of the people of Israel. This was a ceremony first led by Aaron, the High
Priest and became a centerpiece of the Yom Kippur worship in ancient
times. English Bible translator, William
Tyndale, coined the term ‘scapegoat’ to describe the unique role played by the
ram. Obviously, the term is still well
known to us all.
Yes, there
are many times in my life and work, when I wish that I could have a scapegoat
to take away my mistakes and wrongdoings.
I wish that I could blame the cellphone connection, traffic on the
Edens, weather, the coffeemaker, the news and a host of other convenient
excuses for things that I could have done better. Sometimes, I wish that I could blame away all
kinds of matters and situations so that I can appear spotless and
irreproachable when things go wrong. But
I can’t, because this weekend is also Shabbat HaGadol – the Great Shabbat,
which ushers in the start of the Passover season with its special message of
responsibility, self-reliance and resourcefulness….
To read the
rest of the Rabbi’s Corner on our website, click here.
Music Notes – News and Ideas from our Music Director
Online Resources for Passover & Music
Suggestions for Your Seder
Looking for
ideas and information to enhance your Pesach celebration? Click here for a
collection of outstanding resources. For links to lots of fun musical and educational videos available on YouTube
and elsewhere, click here. Need
advice for music to include at your Seder? Please feel free to contact me for
suggestions for music suitable for a wide range of ages from 1 to 120! I'm happy to assist you in making your Seder
special and unique. Contact me at music.director@shir-hadash.org
Lahaka (Adult Choir)
Come Join Us - We're Already
Looking Forward to High Holidays!
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.Be on the lookpout for information on our summer and High
Holidays rehearsal schedule. We will be starting to learn new and review old
repertoire for High Holidays right after Passover, so come join us in May as we
begin our work to prepare for a meaningful musical Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur. For more information contact Adrian Durlester,
music.director@shir-hadash.org
No Pyramids Please
This is my
annual plea and reminder to all to avoid references to, or materials that depict, the Israelities engaged in building pyramids. By the time
we were slaves in Egypt, the pyramids were 100 years old! The Israelite slaves
were engaged in building granaries and storehouses.
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 http://sh-org-education.blogspot.com/2014/03/open-house-and-family-service-day-info.html
Yom Tikkun Olam--Sunday, April 13th
Registration
is now open for service activities on Shir Hadash’s Annual Day to Repair the
World (Yom Tikkun Olam). Sunday, April 13 will be our day to give back and make
a difference in the world. Our religious school students and their families,
along with members of the congregation will participate in activities that will
inspire all of us to continue to make a difference. Be sure to join us, and bring your friends!
The day
kicks off with a “Community Kick-off” led by Rabbi Eitan at Shir Hadash. After
that, we split into service project groups, some at the synagogue and some
off-site. Click here to review the options and register for
your favorite activities! We encourage families to choose one activity to do
together. We also encourage extended
families and friends who may not be members to participate as well. The cost of the program is $18 for each immediate
family (for example, if grandparents are also attending, please register for
two families for a total of $36). For more information, contact Education
Director Emily Ascher, eddirector@shir-hadash.org.
Teen News
Shir Hadash Ra’am BBYO Announcements
Four things
to note on your calendar, BBYO members and friends:
- BBYO Spring Convention for Great Midwest Region: April 25-27 at the Westin in Wheeling. Register on-line.: http://b-linked.bbyo.org/event/72126. Apply before 4/1: $260 after 4/1 the fee increases to $290. Scholarships are available - apply directly to gmr@bbyo.org.
- Important!! Our Board meeting has been rescheduled to April 10 at 7:00pm. If you are in charge of an April event, please be sure to submit your outline at least three weeks prior to the event date.
- Save the Date, Part I – Yom Tikkun Olam event with 5th-8th graders, April 13. We’ll be doing some baking for Passover. Parents are welcome to either drop off kids or join in! Watch for more details to come.
- Save the Date, Part II – Ra’am BBYO Teen Seder, April 17. Again, details coming soon!
Adult Education
NEW! Crash Course in Basic Judaism
Monday evenings (4/28, 5/26, and 6/9), 8:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Taught by
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
There are
three sessions still to come in the Rabbi’s crash course, exploring topics like
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 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
Sunday
morning classes will be on break March 23 and 30, along with the rest of the
Religious School. We hope you will join us in April 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.
Wellness Section
This Week’s Wellness Tip – Make Fitness a
Lifestyle Choice, Not a Short-Term Fix.
Fitness is
not something that you accomplish in a short period of time. Instead, fitness
is a lifestyle. Short-term fad diets or extreme exercise programs intent on
short-term goals will not work in the long run. Make small changes that are
realistic and enjoyable.
Many thanks to SH member Jennifer Dumrauf
for her wellness tips. Watch future issues for more great ideas!
Community Events
New:
“This Cup is for All of Us” Interfaith
Seder, April 10
Friend of
Shir Hadash Amram Abraham will once
again be holding his interfaith Pre-Passover Freedom Seder, celebrating the
connections between the Jewish Community, the Black Community and the Black
Jewish Community on Thursday April 10. Our own Rabbi Eitan will be leading the
service, and the Israeli Consul to the Midwest will be there with his family.
Everyone is invited! We will meet at Shir Hadash at 4:30 and car pool to Martin
Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, 6930 S. Cottage Grove in Chicago. For more
information and to RSVP, contact Lynne Arons, rzldzl122@aol.com.
SHOP Shir Hadash
Spring into SHOP!
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.
Now available for
Reload – Jiffy Lube
New ScripNow Retailers – Papa
John’s and Caribou Coffee
Bonus
Contributions Now Available:
- The Children’s Place – 1% through April 18
Bonuses Starting
April 12:
- 1-800 Flowers – 3% through May 2
- American Eagle Outfitters – 2% through April 25
- Bath & Body Works – 5% through May 2
- Build-a-Bear – 2% through April 25
- Burlington – 1% through April 25
- Express – 2% through April 25
- Hallmark – 2% through April 25
MyScripWallet
launches soon. It will enable you to
easily order ScripNow® eCards, reload existing plastic cards, pay for these
products using your PrestoPay® account, and redeem your scrip directly from a
mobile device for retailers that allow it. MyScripWallet will make it easier
than ever to participate on the go, manage your ScripNow and Reload cards, and
earn rebates on even more of your planned and unplanned purchases. With more than 250 brands available in ScripNow
eCards, and over 75 brands that can be reloaded, MyScripWallet will have the
widest selection of electronically delivered products available anywhere. All
of your orders will be tracked on your ShopWithScrip account and work on any
mobile device (Apple, Android, Windows, etc.), regardless of the operating
system. It will only support PrestoPay
payments at launch, so sign up today if you haven't already.
Great Lakes Scrip
Center will be closed from Monday, April 7 through Friday, April 11. ScripNow®, Reload, and ReloadNow® orders will
process as usual while the center is closed. They’ll be back to work on April
14!
Thanks to the
following families for participating in SHOP this week:
- Zinbarg
- Schleicher
- Herbin
- Allen
- Farahmandpour
- Fargotstein
- G. Graff
- M. Graff
- Mostow
- Singer
- Callistein
- Weiner-Kaplow
- Newman
- Weiss
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