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
- Today! Meet Up Day, November 20
- Chess Club, December 4
- Meditation Group, December 6
- Dancers Wanted for Lights and Miracles Service, December 12
- Support Shir Hadash and Save with Entertainment Books
- Recap: JNF Presentation on November 16
- Save the Date: Annual Gala at Pinstripes, February 7
- Book Club
- Shir Hadash Summer Family Trip to Israel, June 2015
- Shir Hadash Sunday Schmear n’ Starbucks
Creative Worship and Ritual
- Shabbat Evening, Friday November 21 at 7:30
- Shabbat Morning and Bar Mitzvah, Saturday November 22 at 9:30
- Help Plan Our New Saturday Worship Services
Volunteer Opportunities
- SHOP Needs You
- Holiday Gift Wrap at Barnes and Noble to Support Shir Hadash
- PADS Shelter Volunteer Opportunity, December 2
The Rabbi’s Corner
- “The Worst of Times”
Teen News
- Ra’am BBYO Recruiting Event, November 26
- Ra’am Connect Event, December 7
- Ra’am Youth Board Elections
- Midwest Regional Kallah Planning Meeting, November 23
- Madrichim Notes
Adult Education
- Crash Course in Jewish History Resumes on November 23
- Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan, Tuesdays
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes
Ongoing Fundraisers
- Help Shir Hadash Earn Free Donations with iGive
- Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
- Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
SHOP Shir Hadash
Membership and Upcoming Events
Today!
Meet-Up Day, November 20
Do you work
alone and/or at home? Do you long for
some company during your work day? Then drop in at Shir Hadash for our new Meet
Up Day.
Meet Up Day
will be held on the third Thursday of every month from 10am-2:30pm. The first
Meet Up Day will be on Thursday, November 20. Bring your laptops and enjoy
working in the company of other people. Registration is not required but we would
like to have an idea of how many people are coming. If you have
any questions and/or want to let us know that you are coming, contact Melanie
Andes, fmandes@comcast.net.
Chess Club Starts December 4
Our new Shir Hadash Chess Club will meet weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-2:30pm. Our first meeting is now planned for December 4. All skill levels are welcome. Please bring your own chess set if possible. We would like to have at least four people come to play. We do need to know how many people to expect, so please RSVP to Gunther Rice at guntherrice@gmail.com.
Meditation Group, December 6
Several Shir
Hadashniks recently created a member-led meditation group. None of the group
members are trained meditation teachers, let alone a guru! Thus, the group is
intended primarily for people who already have some experience meditating and
are looking to help sustain (or perhaps restart) their practice by committing
to practice together on a regular basis.
However, "first-timers" are welcome as our group can provide
enough of an introduction to some of the basics that a first-timer will be able
to decide if they are interested in going on for more advanced learning with a
trained meditation teacher/expert.
Four of us
attended the first meeting of the group on November 15 at the synagogue. In addition to chatting about our past
experiences with meditation and what we hoped we could get out of this group,
we sat for a largely unguided mindfulness meditation on the breath for about 20
min. We agreed to meet again on Saturday, December 6 at 2:00pm at the
synagogue. We also agreed that, for those members who feel comfortable doing
so, we’ll take turns leading the group practices so that we might each learn
some new approaches to meditation. For
example, not everyone in the group has experience with walking meditation so
we’ll try to include some walking meditation at our next meeting.
We look
forward to practicing together on December 6 and invite all other Shir
Hadashniks who meditate to join us! For more information, contact Rick Zinbarg,
rzinbarg@northwestern.edu.
Dancers Wanted for Lights and Miracles
Service, December 12
It wouldn’t
be Shir Hadash without dancing! Rebecca Rice is looking for people who would
like to participate in a Hanukkah dance during the Lights and Miracles service
on December. (Students in grades K-3 are already preparing to dance at the
early service, so this would be for anyone in grade 3 or older, including
adults!) There will be a minimal number
of rehearsals, either on Sunday at our building or at a time that was good for
all interested. If you’re interested,
please contact Rebecca, r.rice1@comcast.net.
Support Shir Hadash and Save with
Entertainment Books!
Purchasing
your 2015 Entertainment Book from Shir Hadash is a great way to support the
synagogue and save money at the same time!
For only $25 - a $10 discount on the list price - you’ll enjoy 50% off and
buy-one-get-one offers at hundreds of restaurants around Chicagoland like
D’Agostino’s, Walker’s Charhouse, Café La Cave, Monastero’s, Karma, Culver’s,
Buona Beef and more. You’ll save on
activities like Chicago Wolves games, Medieval Times and the Kohl Children’s
Museum as well as travel, retail, auto repair and rentals. As an Entertainment member, enjoy the
Entertainment mobile app – a wonderful way to save again and again with the
merchants you dine and shop with the most.
Entertainment Books are available for purchase before Friday evening
services, on Sundays during religious school and online here! For more
information, contact Carrie Matt by email at fundraising@shir-hadash.org or by
phone at 702-219-6584.
Recap: JNF Presentation on November 16
Last
Sunday night, at Congregation Beth Judea, about a dozen Shir Hadashniks joined
forces with members from four other northwest suburban synagogues to learn
about the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and about the current political situation
in the Middle East. The guest speaker
was Jonathan Adelman, a full professor at the University of Denver's Josef
Korbel School of International Studies, a respected author, and a former
consultant to the U.S. State Department and the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Prof. Adelman explained that for Israel, this
is both the "best of times and the worst of times." Though most of us are familiar with the
well-reported issues that make this the "worst of times" for Israel,
Prof. Adelman offered interesting insights not widely reported in the news,
which also make this the "best of times"--including Israel's
increasingly strong relationships with Russia and India. Burton Kopulsky, co-chair of the Shir Hadash
Israel Committee, took the laboring oar in coordinating our role in this
multi-congregation event with assistance from co-chair Ed Rice. Look for more Israel-related events coming
soon to Shir Hadash.
Save the Date -- Annual Gala at Pinstripes,
February 7
When you’re
planning your 2015 calendar, be sure to reserve February 7 from 7:00 to 11:00pm
for the Annual Shir Hadash Gala! This year’s celebration will be extra special
as we honor Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow on his twentieth anniversary with
our congregation. The party will include silent auction items, a “Heads or
Tails” raffle, a delicious dinner, and entertainment by Felix & Fingers
Dueling Pianos. Watch for your invitation coming in December! If you would like
to be involved in planning this exciting event, please click here for more
information.
Book Club
The next
Book Club selection will be Pictures from
the Past by Deby Eisenberg. Our meeting will be held the second week of
January. Watch future editions of the newsletter for more details.
Shir Hadash Family Summer Trip to Israel,
June 2015
If you’ve
been considering a visit to Israel, here’s the perfect opportunity! Rabbi Eitan
and Dawn Weiner-Kaplow will lead a family tour of comprehensive sightseeing
from June 16 to 26, 2015. The trip will include visits to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv,
Haifa, Galilee, and a wide range of ancient and modern sites. The package
includes airfare, hotel, motor coach transportation, excursions, and much more.
Visit our website for a detailed package flyer and itinerary,
or contact Dawn at dweinerkaplow@sbcglobal.net.
Get your Sunday Schmear and Starbucks at
Shir Hadash
What to do
while the kids are in Religious School?
Looking for fun on Sunday mornings?
Hungry while waiting for adult education to start? Come hang out with your fellow Shir
Hadashnicks and have Starbucks coffee and a bagel 'n schmear. Spend some fun time with your friends, bring
a newspaper, or just have a relaxing morning with a cup of Joe. All coffee and bagels proceeds benefit the
Synagogue.
Creative Worship and Ritual
This Week’s Services
Shabbat Evening Service, Friday, November
21, 7:30pm
Hodu
LaAdonai Ki Tov! Give Thanks to God for all the Goodness in our Lives! On this
Shabbat before Thanksgiving, we will express our thanks through prayers,
readings, songs, and the dedication of two new Torah covers. It is “Interfaith
Shabbat” across the country and we will offer a blessing for the non-Jewish
members of our community. At the service's conclusion, we will recite kaddish
for those slain in this week’s terrorist attack in Jerusalem.
We also will
honor Asher Horwitz who will be called to the bima as Bar Mitzvah on Saturday
morning. No pot luck oneg this week; following the service, all congregants are
invited to share in a celebratory oneg hosted by Asher's grandparents.
Shabbat Morning Service and Bar Mitzvah,
Saturday, November 22, 9:30am
We will
celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Asher Horwitz. All are welcome.
Help Plan Our New Saturday Worship Services
Based on
interest expressed by a number of members, Shir Hadash’s Creative Worship and
Ritual Committee is working on a plan to hold regular Saturday morning services
(in addition, of course, to our Friday night services). We have a few dates in mind for the initial
services, starting in January. Before
then, we want to get a group together to discuss and plan those services. We hope to have an initial meeting in the
next few weeks, on a Monday evening. If
you are interested in participating, please email the committee at
cwr@shir-hadash.org. And, if you have any questions, please include those in
your email as well. Thanks for participating!
Volunteer Opportunities
SHOP Needs You!
Our ongoing,
and vital, SHOP Shir Hadash fundraiser needs volunteers to staff our table at
Sunday School. It’s an easy job and a great chance to schmooze with other Shir
Hadashniks! Can you spare one Sunday morning to help – just one – from 9:00 to
12:30? Click here to sign up for a day of your choice on Shul Cloud, or contact
Gina Zinbarg, gzinbarg@sbcglobal.net, for more info.
PADS Homeless Shelter Volunteers Needed,
December 2
We have
another opportunity to help our homeless neighbors in need on Tuesday, December
2. We are looking for seven people to
work the Dinner Shift at the PADS shelter at Kingwoood Methodist Church, 401
West Dundee Road in Buffalo Grove. From 6:30 to 9:00pm, volunteers will set-up,
serve, and clean up after the meal, and also be able to interact with the
guests over dinner. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old.
In addition,
we are looking for the following food donations to be dropped off at the
church’s PADS location:
- Main Dish (Serving 12-15)
- Vegetable (Serving 12-15)
- Salad (Serving 12-15)
- Dessert (Serving 12-15)
- Two Gallons of Milk
- Two Gallons of Juice
- 15 Pieces of Fresh Fruit
- Two Pounds of Sliced Deli Meat
- Two Pounds of Sliced Cheese
If you would
like to sign up, or have any questions, please contact Suzanne Wexler, skwexler@yahoo.com
or 847 769 8257.
Holiday Gift Wrapping at Barnes & Noble
Deerfield Square and Old Orchard – Supports Shir Hadash
Does the
mere mention of "Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel" or "Chestnuts
roasting on an open fire" make you tingle with excitement, yearning to
beat a path to the nearest mall? Here’s
a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the merry madness of the season and do a
mitzvah as well: Help raise funds for
Shir Hadash by wrapping gift purchases at Barnes and Noble's Deerfield Square
and Old Orchard locations.
We'll be
wrapping at two Barnes & Noble locations:
- Deerfield Square, 728 North Waukegan Road in Deerfield
- Sunday, November 30, 3:00 – 8:00pm (volunteers sign up for 3:00-5:30 or 5:30-8:00pm)
- Sunday, December 14, 3:00 -- 8:00pm (same shifts)
- Old Orchard, 55 Old Orchard Center in Skokie
- Sunday, November 30, 9:00am – 3:30pm (shifts from 9:00am-12:15pm or 12:15 – 3:30pm)
- Sunday, December 7, 9:00am – 3:30pm (same shifts)
- Sunday, December 14, 9:00am -- 3:30pm (same shifts)
- Tuesday, December 23, 3:30 – 10:00pm (shifts from 3:30 – 6:45 or 6:45 – 10:00pm)
This is a
great way to get in the spirit of the season and raise funds for Shir
Hadash! Please sign-up for a shift (or
two or more) by clicking here. Questions? Contact Carrie Matt by phone at 702-219-6584 or by email at
fundraising@shir-hadash.org .
The Rabbi’s Corner
November 18,
2014 / 25 Cheshvan 5775
Dear
Friends,
"It was the
best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the
age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of
incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was
the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…"
With these
words Charles Dickens opened A Tale of Two Cities. And with these words Professor Jeffrey
Adelman began his address to the Jewish Nation Fund gathering this past Sunday
evening. He spoke about the ‘best of times’
- Israel’s amazing successes and wonderful developments of the past 66 years
that draw great celebration and admiration.
And he spoke about the ‘worst of times’ – the many challenges and
threats that Israel faces on a daily basis.
On this
Tuesday, the worst of times came to a synagogue in the Jerusalem neighborhood
of Har Nof. As many of you know, two Palestinian terrorists armed with guns,
knives, and cleavers murdered four worshippers - Aryeh Kupinsky, Rabbi Avraham
Shmuel Goldberg, Rabbi Kalman Levine, and Rabbi Moshe Twersky. A fifth victim,
Police officer Zidan Saif, a member of Israel’s Druze community, died of his
wounds shortly after. There are five new
widows and twenty-five newly orphaned children in the Land of Israel.
Our hearts
go out to the families of the slain. Our
blessings of healing go to the many injured victims of this senseless violence
and their families. Our wishes of support and strength go to those dwelling
throughout the Land the Israel and to the entire Jewish world at this time of
mourning.
May the time
come soon when we can emerge from this time of darkness to the light – when the
words of the prophet Isaiah will be fulfilled, “Nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”
May the
Eternal One bless the Jewish people with strength. May the Eternal One bless us
and all who dwell on earth with peace.
May the time
come soon when we can emerge once again from the worst of times, to best of
times - time of understanding,
acceptance, cooperation, coexistence, and peace.
Amen.
L’Shalom (In
Peace),
Rabbi Eitan
Weiner-Kaplow
Education
Religious School
There are
lots of exciting developments happening in Shir Hadash’s religious school.
Click here to read Education Director Emily Ascher’s blog “Drash Hadash.”
Teen News
Ra’am BBYO Recruiting Event, November 26
In town for
Thanksgiving? All 8th through 12th graders are invited to
share some food and fun with Ra’am! Time and location TBA – check next week’s
newsletter for details.
Ra’am Connect Event, December 7
6th-8th
graders: Watch for details on our
Hannukah party for you! December 7 after
Sunday school. Details to follow.
Ra’am Youth Board Elections
Interested
in serving on the next Ra'am BBYO Youth Board?
Watch your e-mail for the packet of information for our upcoming
elections.
Midwest
Regional Kallah Planning Meeting, November 23
Kallah is
the best, because you make it that way! All 9th-12th graders interested in
planning the weekend of fun should contact Carole (youth@shir-hadash.org) with
your phone/e-mail before our first planning session on Sunday, November 23.
J-Serve Chicago “Freedom Fest,” December 14
Each year, J-Serve Chicago marks an official day of Jewish youth
service. On Sunday, December 14, hundreds of Jewish teens will come together in
a day of advocacy against discrimination at J-Serve Chicago’s Freedom Fest!
This J-Serve event will take place at the Mayer Kaplan JCC, 5050 Church Street
in Skokie, from 1:30 to 4:30pm. The afternoon will include a social media
campaign, an advocacy walk, and a song session. J-Serve is open to students in
grades 7-12. Click here for more event information and registration.
Madrichim Notes
We will not have a Madrichim meeting in December. Please try to attend
the Lights and Miracles service on December 12.
Adult Education
Crash Course in Jewish History
Sundays this
fall, 11:15 a.m.-12:25 p.m.
November 23
December 7
and 14
Topic for November 23 – Medieval Period: The
Khazars – The Lost Kingdom of the Jews
Join Rabbi
Eitan Weiner-Kaplow and Dr. David Liebling for a journey through four thousand
years of Jewish history in our free, eight part lecture series. Crash Course in
Jewish History participants receive a free Companion Guide to Jewish History
and timelines to help them follow the key dates and events that have shaped
both Jewish and world history. This survey course enables participants to
develop an appreciation for the richness of their Jewish heritage throughout
the millennia, and will inspire interest in further exploration of their own
Jewish experience. This program is presented in conjunction with the National
Jewish Outreach Project. Click here for details.
Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Eitan
Weiner-Kaplow
All are
invited to join Shir Hadash members and friends for a refreshing and
contemporary exploration of the weekly Torah portion. We now meet at noon on Tuesdays in the
conference room.
Sunday Morning Adult Ed
Each Sunday
when Religious School is in session, Fred Andes leads a casual group as we meet
at the synagogue from 9:45 to 10:45 for coffee and engaging discussion topics.
All are welcome.
Ongoing Fundraisers
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. http://www.igive.com/vg1Hzlb If you have
questions, contact Sandi Schleicher, finance@shir-hadash.org.
Scholarship Fund
To help
families in financial need pay for their children’s Jewish education at Shir
Hadash, Melanie and Fred Andes created the Samuel I Andes Scholarship Fund in
memory of Fred’s great-uncle 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.
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.
SHOP Shir Hadash
Fall 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.
SHOP
Needs Your Help!
Please sign up to staff the
SHOP table for a Sunday morning. Full details in the “Volunteer Opportunities” section above.
Get Low Denomination Gift
Cards While They Last! We have a limited number of the following, special,
small denomination gift cards available, just in time for the holidays!
- Amazon.com Gift Cards $10
- AMC Theatres® $10
- Barnes & Noble $5
- CVS/pharmacy $10
- Groupon $10
- Meijer $10
- Outback $10
- Panera Bread® $5
- Pizza Hut $5
- Regal Entertainment Group $10
- Target $10
- Starbucks $5
- Walmart $5
Bonuses
Available Now:
- Meijer – 1% til November 28
- Restaurant.com – 15% til November 28
- Bath and Body Works – 5% til November 21
- Bon Ton – 2% til November 21
- Boston Market – 2% til November 21
- Cabela’s – 3% til November 21
- Hallmark – 2% til November 21
- Payless – 1% til November 21
- Walgreen’s – 2% November 15 – 28
- Shutterfly – 2% November 15 – December 5
TJX
Sweepstakes This Week
From November 15 to 21, place
an order including at least $50 in TJX Gift Cards or ScripNow eCards and you’ll
be entered to win! Ten winning families will receive a $500 TJX Gift Card. Out
of those ten, five families will receive free shipping for a year for their
organization! Call our Customer Support Team at 800 727 4715 option 3 if you
have any questions.
Aeropostale® is increasing their
standard non-profit contribution on $25 gift cards, ScripNow, and Reload to
10%.
Gift
Card Holiday Wrappers Back in Stock
We have a colorful collection
of gift card holiday wrappers back in stock and available for ordering. These
colorful pre-cut glossy wrappers fold up to wrap your gift card in a fun,
festive package. It even gives you space to leave a name, gift card amount, and
a little note!
Thank-Scriping-ing
Day!
On November 27, from 12am to
11:59pm EST, partake in the highest rebate offers on popular ScripNow products
and get your electronic gift cards delivered to your ShopWithScrip account in
minutes – just in time for the biggest shopping day of the year!
To participate, make sure
that you are able to login to your ShopWithScrip account and place online
orders. Additionally, if you sign up for PrestoPay, ShopWith Scrip’s online
payment system, your ScripNow eCards will be available to print out within
minutes. Or go mobile this Thank-Scrip-ing season and access your eCards
through MyScripWallet on the go! You can, of course, still pay by check during
the 24-hour event – you just won’t receive your ScripNow until your coordinator
releases the order
As a Thank-Scrip-ing day
tradition, the list of retailers will be released when the clock strikes 12 on
Thursday, November 27, so you’ll have to wait until then to find out
who’s participating! If you have any questions, please give one of our gift
card venders’ Customer Support Team a call at 800 727 4715 option 3, or send an
email to ShopWithScrip@glscrip.com.
Thanks
to the following families for participating in SHOP this week:
- Zinbarg
- Schleicher
- Idelman
- Rice
- Callistein
- Ascher
- Herbin
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