To view this
blog in its entirety, go to our website .
For daily
event updates, visit our calendar .
What’s Happening at a Glance
News and Upcoming Events
- Planning Meeting for 2015 Shir Hadash Trip to Israel, May 29
- Register Now: JUF Fundraising Brunch, June 1
- Dining for Dollars at Tamales, Now through June 5
- Gluten-Free Cooking Class, June 11
- Coffee House Open Mic Night, June 14
- Book Club
- Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
- Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
Creative Worship and Ritual
- Shabbat Evening Service, Friday, May 30, 7:30
- Shabbat Morning Bat Mitzvah Service, Saturday, May 31, 9:30
- Next Week: Shavu’ot Services
Volunteer Opportunities
- Membership Committee Projects
- Prospective Member Coffees
- Family Service Greeters Needed
- Volunteer for SH at Greater Chicago Jewish Festival
- Help the Animals – Mitzvah Project
The Rabbi’s Corner
- “Shavu’ot – The Holiday of Thoughtfulness”
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
Wellness Section
- This Week’s Wellness Tip
SHOP Shir Hadash
Membership and Upcoming Events
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).
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,
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.
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!
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.
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.
Coffee House Night – Open Mic Style, June
14
It’s almost
time for Coffee House Night – Open Mic Style on Saturday, June 14 from 7:00 to
10:00pm.Be prepared for another wonderful evening of talent and treats. A successful event depends on you! Attention
Talent: Please remember to let Margie know if you’re planning to be talent at the Coffee House. Everyone is welcome to participate! Dancers, Actors, Musicians, Storytellers,
Magicians, Group Acts … it’s your time to come forward and hear the
applause. Bakers, Tech Help, Set-up Roadie Crew! We need to hear from you too. Just click here and use our website form to sign up to perform or help out. Questions? Please contact Margie at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and put "Coffee House Night" in the subject line.
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 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 Evening Service, May 30, 7:30pm
This week is
a Fifth Friday, when we do something different.
(Well, we often do something different, but you know what we
mean...) This Shabbat service will be
led by the students in our “Chai Mitzvah” adult education class. Over the course of the year, the students
have been learning as a class and doing independent study projects. Get ready to be inspired, as they will
present what they have learned over the year.
And come to lend your support to your friends - it's not easy to get up
there and lead! Don't miss this service - and please remember to bring
something for oneg. See you Friday!
Shabbat Morning Bat Mitzvah Service, May
31, 9:30am
On Saturday,
May 31, we will welcome Julia Kessel to the bima as bat mitzvah. Julia is collecting donations of pet food and
toys for the Humane Society as her mitzvah project; please feel free to leave
donations in the designated boxes in the Shir Hadash lobby.
Next Week: Shavu’ot Services
Shavu'ot Eve
Service and Study Evening, Tuesday, June 3 (7:30-11:00 PM)
Following
our brief Shavu'ot service, Shir Hadash members will lead a number of
presentations and discussions about Jewish wisdom and tradition. Study is one of the ways that we can continue
to grow in mentschlichkeit – thoughtfulness, kindness, and compassion.
Shavu’ot
Morning Worship and Yizkor Memorial Service, Wednesday, June 4 (10:00 AM –
Noon)
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 for SH at the Greater Chicago
Jewish Festival, June 8
Thanks to
everyone who has already signed up to staff our booth at the Jewish Festival on
June 8 (see Festival details above). We still need a few more members to join
us for shifts between 11:00am and 6:00pm, especially during the 3:00-6:00 period. If
you’re available, please contact Sandy Weiss at sandy2weiss@gmail.com.
Mitzvah Project - Help the Animals.
Julia Kessel
is collecting food and pet toys for the Humane Society as her mitzvah 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 30-31,
2014 / 2 Sivan 5774
Shabbat Naso
– Shavu’ot
Torah:
Numbers 4:21 - 7:89 / Haftarah: Judges 13:2 - 13:25
“Shavu’ot –
The Holiday of Thoughtfulness”
Dear
Friends,
You have shown even more kindness… (Ruth
3:10)
Shavu’ot is
one of the most misunderstood and overlooked of Jewish holidays. It comes next week on Tuesday evening - when
we are still recovering from Passover, when schools let out, when we are
enjoying graduation parties, and in the late spring just as summer is about to
begin. With all this excitement, it is
easy to understand how Shavu’ot, one of three biggest holidays of the Torah,
gets overlooked. This is truly a shame, because Shavu’ot represents the holiday
of mentschlichkeit – that of becoming our best selves and behaving with dignity,
kindness, compassion. On Shavu’ot we
celebrate receiving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. This is a big deal, because the ‘Ten’ form
the foundation of what it means to live in a just society. They demand that we
behave towards God, family, and our fellow human being with respect and
thoughtfulness.
The Book of
Ruth, which we read on Shavuot, highlights the righteousness of Ruth and the
kindness she performs towards her mother-in-law Naomi….
Music Notes
Lahaka (Adult Choir)
Come Join Us - We're Already
Looking Forward to High Holidays!
If you like
to sing and be part of a warm, friendly, fun-loving group, come join Lahaka,
our adult choir! Be on the lookout for information on our summer and High
Holidays rehearsal schedule. We will be preparing for a meaningful musical Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For more information contact Sandy Weiss,
sandy2weiss@gmail.com.
Education
Check Out Our Education Blog
School is
out for the summer, but Shir Hadash Education Director Emily Ascher offers news
and ideas to keep your kids “thinking Jewish” while they’re on break. Read her blog here.
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.
Adult Education
Final Session: 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.
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
Tip for the Week: Exercise at Your Desk
Don't sit
longer than 20-30 minutes without standing and stretching. A quick exercise
break at your desk reduces tension and clears your head – making you healthier and more productive! Try 10-20 squats, or 20-30 toe raises. Squeeze stress balls; 20 squeezes each hand
to reduce stress and help upper extremity blood flow. If you have a few extra
minutes, go to a vacant room and do 25-50 jumping jacks.
And of
course, take the stairs, even several times per day!
Many thanks to SH member Jennifer Dumrauf
for her wellness tips. Watch future issues for more great ideas!
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:
Exxon/Mobil – 1%
through July 4
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%.
ToysRUs -- $100
Gift Card Now Available
New: $20 Starbucks “Happy Father’s Day” cards available until June
13 or while supplies last.
GLSC Summer Hours: 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
- Idelman
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