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
- New! Planning Meeting for 2015 Shir Hadash Trip to Israel, May 29
- New! Dining for Dollars at Tamales, Now through June 5
- Register Now: JUF Fundraising Brunch, June 1
- Gluten-Free Cooking Class, June 11
- Save the Date: Coffee House Open Mic Night, June 14
- Building Operating Committee Update
- Book Club
- Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
- Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
Creative Worship and Ritual
- No services May 23-25
Volunteer Opportunities
- Membership Committee Projects
- Prospective Member Coffees
- Family Service Greeters Needed
- Volunteer Shoutouts
- Help the Animals – Mitzvah Project
The Rabbi’s Corner
- “Who is Missing?”
Music Notes
- Lahaka Adult Choir
Education
- Visit the Education Director’s Blog
Teen News
- Shir Hadash Ra’am BBYO Announcements: Social Events, Meetings and More
Adult Ed
- Crash Course in Basic Judaism
- Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes
Community Events
- JCFS Response Group for LGBTQ Youth and Family
Donations
Wellness Section
- This Week’s Wellness Tip
SHOP Shir Hadash
Membership and Upcoming Events
New! Planning
Meeting for 2015 Trip to Israel, May 29
Shir Hadash
is going to Israel in late June 2015! Join
Rabbi Eitan and Dawn Weiner-Kaplow on an exciting and inspiring 14-day trip. An
Informational Meeting will be held on Thursday evening, May 29th, 7:00 at Shir
Hadash. RSVP to Dawn if you are interested in joining the trip and if you can
attend the meeting (dweinerkaplow@sbcglobal.net).
New! Dining for Dollars Fundraiser at Tamales, Now through June 5
Hungry for some fabulous Mexican food? Take the family to Tamales in Highland Park anytime before June 5 and they will donate 10% of the total sale to Shir Hadash! No flyer necessary, just tell your server that you’re from Shir Hadash. Tamales is located at 493 Central Avenue, just east of St. John’s Avenue, in downtown Highland Park. Dine in or carryout – please, no coupons. Be sure to say hi to Jeff, the owner, and tell him thanks for supporting Shir Hadash!
Register Now: 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. Our guest speaker will be David Rubovits,
Senior Vice President of Planning and Allocations for the JUF/Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Chicago. Click here to register online http://www.juf.org/congregants/event_reg.aspx?eid=39,
and spend an hour with us enjoying brunch and supporting a vital part of the
Jewish community. For more information, contact Rachel Schick-Siegel,
rschicksiegel@comcast.net.
New! Greater Chicago Jewish Festival, June 8
Shir Hadash
will be hosting a booth at the Greater Chicago Jewish Festival, scheduled for
Sunday, June 8 from 11:00am to 6:00pm. This exciting outdoor celebration
highlights local and national Jewish talent, featuring continuous music and
dance on three stages plus a separate children's stage, hands-on activities for
children and adults, a juried art fair, a strictly kosher food court with
cooking demonstrations, and booths from more than 80 co-sponsoring Jewish
organizations, all reflecting the community's interests and diversity. The
Festival is held in St. Paul Woods, at the intersection of Oakton and Lehigh
Streets, in Morton Grove. If you can
sign up for a two-hour shift to help at our booth, contact Sandy Weiss,
sandy2weiss@gmail.com. Otherwise, bring the whole family and be sure to
stop by and say hello! For detailed event information, click here. http://www.jewishfestival.org/
Gluten-Free Cooking Class, June 11
Please join
us on Wednesday, June 11, at 7:00pm for a gluten-free cooking demonstration and
dinner. While you nosh on gluten-free hors d'oeuvres, Cindy Grills will
demonstrate how to make gluten-free pizza with a cauliflower crust. It's so
good, you won't believe it's cauliflower! The pizza will be served with salad.
Bring your own wine. The cost is $15 for members/$20 for nonmembers. To
register, visit our website at www.shir-hadash.org.
Save the date! Coffee House Night – Open
Mic Style, June 14
Be prepared
for another wonderful evening of talent and treats. Coffee House Night – Open
Mic Style is on the calendar for Saturday, June 14, 2014 from 7:00pm to
10:00pm. Enjoy a laid back Saturday night with low lighting, comfortable
seating, friendly conversation, a bake sale with coffee and beverages, and the
amazing talent of our friends. Attention Talent: Please remember to let Margie
know if you’re planning to perform at the Coffee House. EVERYONE is welcome to
participate: any age, any talent, member or nonmember, and of course, audience
members. Please contact Margie at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and put “Coffee House
Talent” in the subject line.
Bakers, Tech
Help, Set-up Roadie Crew -- We need to hear from you too! Please contact Margie
at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and put your area of expertise in the subject line.
A successful event depends on you – thank you!
New! Building
Operations News
We have
exciting improvements coming in this week. First, our brand new color copier
will go online Monday. It’s faster, less expensive and will cost us less money
to operate! Later this week, we will be having installed our new video phone
system that will integrate with our new high tech security system. This will
make it easier and safer for our staff and volunteers to monitor the door and
will also have camera monitoring and recording capabilities! Please feel free
to contact Marc Fargotstein with any questions: marcfargo@att.net or 847-612-6579.
Book Club
The next
Book Club will be held in July to discuss Under
the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. Time and place TBA. All are welcome –
watch for details. Questions? Contact Meryl Abensohn, abenkras@aol.com.
Scholarship Fund
We are
grateful to everyone who has contributed to 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. 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. Be part of this exciting initiative! Click here to
donate online or mail your check to made out to Shir Hadash with “Scholarship”
written in the memo line.
Don’t Forget Our Permanent Restaurant
Fundraisers!
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
No Services this Weekend
Enjoy celebrating
Shabbat with your family, and plan to join us for Friday night and Saturday
morning services next week.
Volunteer Opportunities
Membership Committee Projects
Everyone is
on the Membership Committee – yes, including you! Looking to get more involved
with a minimum time commitment? Check out this list of activities that can use
your help; some are one-time things and some are ongoing. For more information
contact Lynne Arons (Rzldzl122@aol.com), Sandy Weiss (sandy2weiss@gmail.com), or
Art German (artgerman@comcast.net)
- Meet and greet members and guests at services. (20 minutes at each service attended)
- Set-up and/or clean-up an oneg for a Shabbat service.
- Deliver gift bags to new members. (1 hour total commitment per new member visited)
- Organize and manage Rosh Chodesh group. (Ongoing, 3-4 hours/month)
- Attend Passover-in-the-Matzah-Aisle, follow-up with prospective members. (2-3 hours/year)
- In-reach phone calls to current members. ( 4 hours/month)
- Outreach phone calls or e-mails to prospective members. (2 hours/month)
- Organize prospective member open houses, at the synagogue or at members’ homes. (3-4 hours per event)
- Help organize “progressive dinner" in October. (8-10 hours)
- Work with Mitzvah Committee to coordinate board member attendance at shivas. (Along with the Mitzvah Committee)
- Coordinate two town-hall style meetings per year. ( 2-3 hours in pre-planning)
Prospective Member Coffees
Do you know
any shul shoppers? Our prospective member coffees area wonderful way for
interested individuals to learn more about why Shir Hadash is so special. If you would like to host a coffee on June 5
for your friends who are looking for a spiritual home, please let us know. The
membership committee will provide the refreshments and attend to set-up and
clean-up; you provide a venue and a guest list.
Help us spread the word about Shir Hadash! Contact
membership@shir-hadash.org for more information.
Family Service Greeters Needed, June 6
We need some
smiling faces to welcome families to our Family Shabbat service on Friday, June
6. The service starts at 6:15; volunteers are asked to arrive by 6:00pm. If you
can help, please contact Sandy Weiss at sandy2weiss@gmail.com or Lynne Arons at
Rzldzl122@aol.com.
Volunteer Shout-Outs
This section thanks volunteers who go “above
and beyond” in helping Shir Hadash. Know someone who has done something
special? Let us know at newsletter@shir-hadash.org.
At our
Annual Meeting last week, we had the pleasure of recognizing a number of
individuals who have made significant volunteer efforts to Shir Hadash over the
past year. Kol Hakavod
to:
- Marc Fargotstein, recipient of this year’s Maury Award for selfless service to the congregation, with gratitude for his countless hours of leadership on the Building Operations Committee and other essential synagogue functions.
- Recipients of Kehilla Community Builders Award: Fred Andes, Melanie Andes, Nadine Estes-Goldman, Carolyn Gessner, Glenn Graff, Cindy Grills, Mickey Herbin, Carrie Matt, Lise Schleicher, Sandi Schleicher, Rachel Schick Siegel, Jeff Wallk, and Ruth Wallk.
Mitzvah Project - Help the Animals.
Julia Kessel
is collecting food and pet toys for the Humane Society as a project
for her May 31 Bat Mitzvah. She is collecting for cats and dogs, and any food
or toys would be a big help. If you can
contribute food or toys, please put them in box in the synagogue lobby. Thank
you!
The Rabbi’s Corner
May 23-24, 2014 / 24 Iyar 5774
Shabbat Bamidbar
Torah: Numbers 1:1 - 4:20 / Haftarah: Hosea 2:1 - 2:22
“Who is
Missing?”
Dear
Friends,
Anyone who
has traveled to Israel on a tour knows how important it is to count who is on
the bus. Every trip has an elaborate way
of doing this. Sometimes the leader
walks up and down the aisle counting heads.
Sometimes a roll is called.
Sometimes everyone has a number and ‘counts off.’ It is important. Before moving on, we need to know if everyone
is with us and if not, who is missing.
As a new Book of the Torah begins this Shabbat, Moses takes a census of
all those who are present on the journey to the Promised Land. The Sea of Reeds
has been crossed and the Ten Commandments have been given on Mount Sinai. Now the journey continues and it is important
to check and see who is still with us and who is missing.
This week,
as we take our count of the world, we know that more than 200 Nigerian
schoolgirls are still missing. They were
kidnapped weeks ago from their school by Boko Haram (which means “Western
education is sinful”) terrorists and are being forcibly converted to Islam. In
a recent video, the leader of Boko Haram expressed his plan to either sell the
girls or exchange them for jailed terrorists, which the Nigerian government has
refused to do.
At last
week’s Shabbat service, Rick Hirschhaut delivered a powerful and moving message
to us based on his service as founding director of Illinois Holocaust Museum
and Education Center and his recent work with Kwibuka 20 – the commemoration of
the 20th anniversary of the Rwanda Massacres.
Rick’s message: It is a core Jewish value to see to it that all people
live in health, happiness, peace and freedom.
It is a central Jewish obligation that we reach out in aid to all those
oppressed and in fear for their lives….
To read the
rest of the Rabbi’s Corner on our website, click here.
Music Notes
Lahaka (Adult Choir)
Come Join Us - We're Already
Looking Forward to High Holidays!
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! Be on the lookout for information on our summer and High
Holidays rehearsal schedule. We are starting to learn new and review old
repertoire for High Holidays, 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 Sandy Weiss, sandy2weiss@gmail.com.
Education
Visit the Education Director’s Blog
Education
Director Emily Ascher’s blog has news about everything happening at Shir Hadash
Religious School. Click here to see it.
Teen News
Ra’am BBYO Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars for all these
June events:
- Board Meeting: Thursday, June 5 from 7:00 - 8:30pm at Shir Hadash - All members are encouraged to attend.
- Fall Term Elections: Sunday, June 8 from 11:00am - 1:00pm at Shir Hadash. If you are interested in running for the Board, please contact Alyssa or Carole. We need all members to come vote for the fall term Board - bagels & sweets will be served.
- End of Year PARTY! June 12 from 7:00 – 9:00pm at Shir Hadash. Includes induction for members & Senior Life presentation by our graduating seniors .
Volunteer Opportunity! Chicago Jewish Festival, June 8
Calling all teens & college
students: Join us for a fun volunteer opportunity at the Greater Chicago
Jewish Festival on Sunday, June 8. The festival runs from 11:00am to 6:00pm,
and we can use volunteers at the Shir Hadash booth during the following time
slots: 11:00 - 1:00, 1:00 - 3:00 and 3:00-6:00. Come hang out, help out,
and enjoy some great food, music and crafts. Contact Carole at youth@shir-hadash.org for more information.
BBYO Summer Experiences
Did you know
that BBYO offers a variety of summer leadership, service, and travel programs
for Jewish teens throughout the summer? Our region offers several scholarships
for summer programs, and there is a great variety of experiences available.
Click here for more information regarding BBYO summer experiences.
Adult Education
Crash Course in Basic Judaism
Monday June
9, 8:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Taught by
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Join the
Rabbi for the final session of his crash course on June 9, when the topic will
be “Judaism, Sex 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. 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
School’s out
for the kids, but Adult Ed goes on! 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.
Donations
To the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
- Sharon Greenspan, for Refuah Shleimah to Dr. Robert Greendale
To the General Fund
- Elise Varon, in honor of the bar mitzvah of her grandson David Varon
To the Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
- Peggy and Burt Sharpe, in honor of Gerri Freibrun
Community Events
JCYS Response Groups – “Alliance” begins
June 24
Response, an
agency of JCFS, offers programs for LGBTQ teens and their families. All
programs are located at the Response office, 9304 N. Skokie Blvd in Skokie. This
summer, Response will be running a new group called Alliance for LGBTQ high
school students and allies. The program is free and drop-ins are welcome
throughout summer. For more info or to RSVP, click here or email RachelMarro@jcfs.org or call (224) 625-2946.
Wellness Section
Wellness Tip of the Week: Hand Washing vs.
Hand Gel
According to
the CDC, "Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the
number of germs on them." Frequent hand washing is the best way to keep
yourself healthy and to prevent the spread of illness. However, alcohol-based
hand sanitizers can also be very effective in cleaning the hands if the hands
are not visibly dirty.
Many thanks to SH member Jennifer Dumrauf
for her wellness tips.
SHOP Shir Hadash
SHOP Over the Summer!
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.
Bonus Contributions Now Available:
- Albertson’s – 1% through May 23
- Belk – 2% through May 23
- Caribou – 1% through May 23
- Exxon/Mobil – 1% through July 4
- Joann – 2% through May 23
- Lowe’s – 2% through May 23
- Restaurant.com – 15% through May 23
- Shutterfly – 2% through May 23
Bass Pro Shops®
is excited to announce a 4% bonus contribution starting Saturday, May 24 and
running through Friday, June 6. During this time, all denominations of Bass Pro
Shops® gift cards and ScripNow® purchases will award a 13% contribution instead
of the standard 9%.
Red Robin 2%
Bonus Contribution through Friday, May 30. During this time, purchases of Red
Robin gift cards and ScripNow® eCards will award an 11% contribution instead of
the standard 9%.
Register
Albertsons/SuperValu Gift Cards for a Chance to Win $100! Through May 23, register an Albertsons®/SuperValu® gift card for
ReloadNow®, or reload an existing Albertsons/SuperValu card on ShopWithScrip®,
and you'll be automatically entered for a chance to win your share of $1000 in
prizes*. Ten families will win $100 dollars loaded onto their registered card!
New Small Denomination Cards – Ends Tomorrow, May 23!
Through May 23,
or while supplies last, the following plastic gift cards will be available:
- AMC Theatres® $10
- Amazon.com Gift Card $10
- Barnes & Noble $5
- CVS/pharmacy $10
- Pizza Hut $5
- Panera Bread® $5
- Regal Entertainment Group $10
- Target $10
- Starbucks $5 Teacher Card
- Walmart $10
GLSC Closed for Memorial Day & Summer Hours: GLSC will be
closed on Monday, May 26. ScripNow® and ReloadNow® orders will process as usual
while our office is closed. Overnight Reload orders will not process the
evening of May 26. Also, GLSC summer schedule for Customer Support begins on
Friday, May 30. Our office hours will be 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m Eastern Monday
through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Eastern on Fridays. GLSC will resume normal schedule on Tuesday,
September 2.
Thanks to the
following families for participating in SHOP this week:
- Zinbarg
- Schleicher
- Herbin
- Farahmandpour
- Idelman
- Grills
- Callistein
- Estes-Goldman
- Sharpe
- Schmidt
- Anes
- Wexler
- Weiner-Kaplow
- Andes
- Rice
- Zwick
- Seigel
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