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Thursday, August 28, 2014

Shir Hadash Weekly Newsletter -- August 28, 2014

To view this blog in its entirety, go to our website.
For daily event updates, visit our calendar.
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What’s Happening at a Glance


Membership News and Upcoming Events
  • Thanks for Making Our Rummage Sale a Success!
  • Shir Hadash Honey Available Now
  • Fundraising Night at Chico’s of Lincolnshire, Sept. 4
  • Membership Renewals are Past Due
  • Help Shir Hadash Earn Free Donations with iGive
  • Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
  • Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s

Creative Worship and Ritual
  • No Friday Night Service August 28
  • Shabbat Morning Service and Bat Mitzvah, Saturday, August 29
  • High Holidays Registration
  • Special Offer for High Holidays Guests – “High Holiday Memberships”
  • Shabbat Bike Ride Recap

Volunteer Opportunities
  • High Holidays Ushers and Oneg Help Needed
  • High Holiday Food Baskets

The Rabbi’s Corner

  • "The Month of Elul"
Music Notes
  • Join the Lahaka for High Holidays
Teen News
  • BBYO Regional Kickoff, Sept. 7
  • New: Havdalah and Movie Night, September 13
  • Ra’am BBYO Upcoming Meetings

Adult Ed
  • Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan
  • Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes

SHOP Shir Hadash

Membership and Upcoming Events


Rummage Sale Recap
Our massive Rummage Sale last Sunday brought in mountains of donations, loads of shoppers, and a net benefit to Shir Hadash of approximately $2000! Our heartfelt thanks go out to Lise Schleicher and the hardworking fundraising team, the volunteers who helped sort, set up, and sell, and the donors who provided the wide array of merchandise.

A Sweet New Year Begins with Shir Hadash's Honey Sale
Guarantee a sweet start to your New Year by purchasing a bottle of honey (or two, three or more) during Shir Hadash's Honey Sale.  The fundraising team is very happy to offer a giftable eight-ounce bottle of USDA Grade A kosher honey at better than last year's prices!  Purchase one bottle at $8 each or 3 for $20.  That's less money, honey!! 

Honey will be available for purchase at this Sunday’s Rummage Sale, before Shabbat services on September 5th and 19th, and every Sunday morning beginning September 7th once Sunday School is back in session, through Rosh Hashanah.  Be sure to pick some up for yourself and to share with friends and family!  For more information, contact Carrie Matt by email at carriematt0921@gmail.com or by phone at 702-219-6584.  Make your New Year a little sweeter and help support Shir Hadash!

Fashionably Philanthropic:  Shir Hadash Shopping Night at Chico's in Lincolnshire, September 4
Looking for those perfect outfits for the High Holidays?  Maybe some new pieces for work or play?   Shir Hadash Shopping Night at Chico's in Lincolnshire Commons (970 Milwaukee Avenue, Suite H, in Lincolnshire) is a fun and fashion-forward way to support the synagogue!  Join your friends on Thursday, September 4th, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm, and purchase selections from Chico's beautiful fall line (as well as already-reduced gems from the Summer line).  Chico's will generously contribute 10% of purchases to Shir Hadash!  Have a coupon or other special offer from Chico's?  No problem!  You reap the savings and Shir Hadash still earns 10%!  Is September 4th a good date, but the time slot is all wrong?  The Chico's Lincolnshire team will graciously contribute 10% of purchases made before 6:00pm - just remember to mention "Shir Hadash" when you check-out.

Shop at Chico's and support Shir Hadash!  Doing a mitzvah never looked so good!

Membership Renewals are Past Due
Membership renewals were due by July 31. The timely collection of membership dues is vital to the daily operation of the shul. If you have missed the deadline, please follow the links on www.shir-hadash.org to renew your membership right away.  If you have any questions about the renewal process, contact Lise Schleicher at info@shir-hadash.org.

Book Club
Our next book will be My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit. The meeting will most likely be in the last half of October, following the holidays. Details for time and place will be announced soon. All are welcome to our book club meetings. If you have questions, please contact Meryl Abensohn, abenkras@aol.com.

Help Shir Hadash Earn Free Donations with iGive
You can help Shir Hadash every time you shop online – the iGive Button makes it simple! iGive is a free and easy way to support the shul.  Average shoppers using iGive raise between $30 and $100 a year for their causes. There are 1480 online retailers helping to make donations happen through iGive.

Click here to learn more and join iGive.  If you have questions, contact Sandi Schleicher, finance@shir-hadash.org.

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 and have graciously offered to match all donations to the fund up to $11,000.00.  Click here to donate online or mail in your check made out to Shir Hadash with “Scholarship” written in the memo line. Thank you!

Don’t Forget Our Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers!
The Continental Restaurant in Buffalo Grove and Butterfield’s Restaurant in Northbrook 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. 

Creative Worship and Ritual


High Holidays Registration
High Holidays are coming soon - Selichot, which starts the holiday season, is on Saturday, September 20.  So, it's time to register!  This year, we are doing that on-line, using the ShulCloud system

Members: Please keep in mind, although you do not have pay for tickets to High Holidays services, you do need to go through the online service registration. This allows us to plan for seating, food, and other contingencies. Also, note that members must up-to-date in their annual dues payments in order to be admitted to services.

All questions regarding services, registration, etc. should be directed to cwr@shir-hadash.org. We look forward to see you all on the High Holidays!

Children’s Programs for High Holidays
Just a reminder: if you plan to have your children participate in our excellent special programs during Rosh Hashanah morning and Yom Kippur morning services, please be sure to sign them up via our website. This allows us to plan for materials, seating, and other logistics. Thanks for your response!

Special Offer for New High Holidays Guests – “High Holiday Memberships”
We are not selling tickets for High Holiday services this year -- we are offering High Holiday Memberships! This new concept covers everything we do at Shir Hadash between Slichot and Simchat Torah/Shmini Atzeret, including of course Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This is a perfect time for your friends that have been on the fence about us to try us out! Come to Lunch and Learn on Thursdays with the Rabbi, try out an adult ed class on Sunday mornings, Try out a Saturday morning Shabbat and see our one of a kind B'nai Mitzvah's.

For anyone who has never been with us for High Holidays, there are 108 memberships available for $54 each. For those guests who have been with us before, a High Holiday Membership is the same as the ticket-only price of $250. Click here for details, or tell your friends to visit our website to register. Shir Hadash:  Not what you expect, but what you've been looking for.

Shabbat Bike Ride Recap

Thanks to all the intrepid Shir Hadash members who came out for last Saturday’s torah discussion and bike ride. It’s always great to celebrate Shabbat outdoors, even if the weather isn’t perfect! Watch the newsletter for future SH community bike events.



Volunteer Opportunities


Volunteers Needed for High Holidays
The High Holidays are just around the corner, and we’re looking for volunteers to help our observance a pleasure for everyone. With a minimal time commitment, you can help make our services welcoming and accommodating. New members are especially welcome – this is a great opportunity to make new friends in the community!

Volunteers are needed in the following roles:
  • Ushers for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: Contact Ken Laner, klaner@6ideas.com
  • Oneg Organizers for Rosh Hashanah: Contact Mia Graff, graffme379@yahoo.com
There’s no need to set a time commitment now – just email Ken or Mia to let them know you’re interested or to ask questions. Thanks for your participation!

High Holiday Food Baskets
Once again this year, Shir Hadash will be joining with Maot Chitim of Greater Chicagoland to help them pack and deliver High Holiday food baskets to needy Jewish families all over the Chicago area.  There are two different ways you can help, either packing food boxes or delivering them. 
  • Packing will take place on Sunday, September 14 from 9:30 to 10:15 am.  The address for the packing is 3411 Woodhead Drive, in Northbrook.
  • Delivery of food packages will take place on Sunday, September 21, from 9:30 to 11:30am in the Buffalo Grove/Wheeling area.  We will be delivering 105 food packages, which will be in large boxes weighing approximately 20 lbs. each.  We deliver to several large complexes and use a rental truck to transport the boxes. 
To make this a smooth operation, we need approximately 8-10 people for packing on September 14th and about 10-15 people for delivery on the September 21st. 

If you are interested in helping on one or both of these dates, please contact Mark Lenhart, mjlenhart@comcast.net, as soon as possible. Mark will be able to provide volunteers with more details a few weeks before each date.

The Rabbi’s Corner

August 29-30, 2014 / 4 Elul 5774
Shabbat Shofteem
Torah: Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9 / Haftarah: Isaiah 51:12 - 52:12

“The Month of Elul”

[Note:  The Jewish month of Elul began on Tuesday evening. The great rabbis of Jewish tradition have taught that because this month precedes the High Holidays, it should be observed with meditation, introspection and preparation for the New Year.  Thus, it has become a custom to study the teaching stories of the Midrash for special insight and inspiration.]

Dear Friends,

In his marvelous book The Days of Awe, the great Jewish writer Shai Agnon told of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of Sanz, Poland, the founder of the Sanz Chassidim.  Rabbi Chaim used to tell this story:

A man had been wandering in a forest for days and days.  Though he tried and tried, he could not found the way out.  One day he entered a clearing and was thrilled to see another man approaching him for a long way off.  He ran towards the man certain that he would know the way out of the forest.  When they met, he said, “Friend, I have been wandering in this forest for many days.  Can you show me the way out?”

The other replied, “I too am lost and have been wandering for many days.  This I can tell you, do not go the way that I have been following, for it will surely lead you off course.  Therefore, let’s join as one and look for the way together.”

Rabbi Chaim added: “And so it is with us.  One thing we can each tell the other: the way that we have been following until now is not the way.  Come, let us join hands and look for the way together.”


As the month of Elul begins we are called to examine our lives in honesty and truth.  And if each one of us would be so honest, then we might see ourselves as characters in the parable….

To read the rest of The Rabbi’s Corner, please click here

Music Notes


Join Lahaka for the High Holidays
If you’ve been thinking about joining Lahaka, now is the perfect time: rehearsals for our High Holidays services are now underway! Vocalists and instrumentalists are all welcome. We are looking forward to providing beautiful, meaningful music for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For more information contact Sandy Weiss, sandy2weiss@gmail.com.

Education

Religious School Starts Soon!
Shir Hadash’s wonderful religious school starts a new year on Sunday, September 7. Click here to read important information in Education Director Emily Ascher’s blog.




Teen News


BBYO Regional Kickoff Concert, September 7
BBYO’s Great Midwest Region wants you to “Light Up the New Year” with a spectacular Kickoff Concert on September 7! The band Radical Something will perform at Metro Chicago  from 7:00 – 9:00pm in a show that’s open to all Jewish teens in 8th-12th grade. Transportation will be available from the Weinger JCC in Northbrook, the Duman JCC in Buffalo Grove, and the Kaplan JCC in Skokie.

Tickets are $39 for GMR members, $49 for non-members. Hurry, registration will close on September 3. Click here for more info and to buy tickets.

New: Havdalah and Movie Night, September 13
Save the date for a Havdalah service followed by a movie night with your friends! Watch the newsletter for details, coming soon.

Ra’am BBYO Upcoming Meetings
  • Board Meeting on September 8
  • Business Meeting on September 15 (all chapter members are encouraged to attend).


Adult Ed


Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Join Shir Hadash members and friends for a refreshing and contemporary exploration of the weekly Torah portion.  Upcoming summer sessions for this informal group will meet on August 21 and August 28, beginning at noon, in the Shir Hadash Kitchen/Café. All are welcome.

Sunday Morning Adult Ed
School’s out for the kids, but Adult Ed goes on! Check the website calendar http://shir-hadash.org/calendar for upcoming Sunday morning classes with Fred Andes.

Donations


To the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund:
Doug Lieberman, to thank Rabbi Eitan for cheering up his mother in the hospital
Tammy and Bruce Pomper

Samuel Andes School Scholarship Fund:
Abby and David Edler
Tammy and Bruce Pomper

To the General Fund, Camp Scholarship Fund, School Wish List, Music Wish List, and Youth Group Fund:

Tammy and Bruce 

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.

New! Starbucks is available for ReloadNow!

Bonus Contributions Now Available:
  • The Children’s Place – 1% til Aug 29
  • Smart & Final – 2% til Sept 26
  • JC Penney – 2% til Sept 12
  • BonTon – 2% on ecards only til Sept 12
  • Kohl’s – 1% til Aug 29
  • TGI Friday’s – 3% til Sept 5
  • Red Robin – 2% til Sept 5
Bonuses Starting August 30:
  • Boston Market – 2% Aug 30 til Sept 12
  • Staples – 5% Aug 30 til Sept 12
Walmart® is offering a savings of 10 cents a gallon on gas purchases made when using a Walmart Gift Card, effective through September 8, 2014.

GLSC Summer Hours:  GLSC, a giftcard vendor, has special summer hours for customer service from now until September 2: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m Eastern Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Eastern on Fridays. 

Thanks to the following families for participating in SHOP this week:   
  • Zinbarg
  • Schleicher
  • Arons
  • Herbin




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