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
- Annual Meeting, May 17
- New! SH Hires Director of Lifelong Learning
- Yoga, May 13
- SH Baseball Outing to Schaumburg Boomers, June 7
- Save the Date and Sign Up to Help! Rummage Sale, July 31 and August 2
- Sitter Directory on Shul Cloud
- Book Club, May 11
Creative Worship and Ritual
- This Week: Speaker Series Presents Aaron Freeman
- Shavuot Overnight Study Session, May 23-24
- Shir Hadash Receives Gift of Jerusalem Photography
Volunteer Opportunities
- New! Summer Supper for the Homeless, May 18 – Sign Up By May 8
- Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, May 9
- Save the Date! Interfaith Council 5K to Fight Community Hunger, June 28
The Rabbi’s Corner
- “And I Will Be Sanctified" (Leviticus 22:32)
Education
- No School on May 10 -- Happy Mother's Day!
- End of School Pancake Breakfast and Sports Event, May 31
- Education Director's Blog
- Tefillin Needed
- Madrichim: No School May 10
- Upcoming Ra’am BBYO Events
Adult Education
- Lunch and Learn with the Rabbi, Tuesdays
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Class
Donations
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
Annual Meeting, May 17
On Sunday, May 17 at 9:30am, we will have our Shir Hadash
Annual Meeting. At the meeting, you can vote on the election of new Board
members and the approval of the annual budget. You will hear reports on
synagogue activities and plans, and you can ask questions and participate in
the discussion. Please come – we need a quorum!
The open positions and candidates are:
- President: Glenn Graff, Deborah Newberger/Cindy Salomon (co-Presidents)
- Executive VP: Fred Andes
- Secretary: Dawn Allen, Sandi Schleicher
- Treasurer: Mehran Farahmandpour
- VP Programming: Joanne Litman, Carrie Matt
- At Large Member (four positions) - Melanie Andes, Nat Arons, Alan Bernover, Rhonda Carpenter, Arthur German, Lisa Settler
New! Shir
Hadash Hires Director of Lifelong Learning
With great excitement, we announce that Rabbi Scott Segal has agreed to
become Shir Hadash’s Director of Lifelong Learning starting on July 1. Scott brings enormous energy, creativity,
music, a love of Judaism and teaching and a willingness to try new things. We believe that our children and parents will
form an instant connection with him and that he will be a remarkable addition
to the leadership of our Synagogue. In
addition to a rabbinic ordination and experience, Scott brings significant
experience both as a teacher and curriculum designer, a youth director and as a
summer camp instructor. He also has a
master’s degree in Jewish Law and Ethics. In the newly created position as
Director of Lifelong Learning, Rabbi Scott will take over leadership of our
Religious School, Youth Programming and Adult Education. To read more about
Scott and this important new role, click
here.
Yoga, May 13
Yoga at Shir Hadash has moved to Wednesdays! We have a fabulous certified
yoga instructor who modifies the class for all levels, from yoga first-timers
to advanced. Everyone over 12 years of age is welcome: men and women, members
and non-members. Please bring a yoga mat. Weekly classes will continue on
Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00pm. For more information, contact Joanne Litman at
jolitman@gmail.com
SH Baseball Outing to Schaumburg
Boomers, June 7—Sign Up Today!
June 7 will be Shir Hadash Day at the Schaumburg Boomers! Beginning at
1:00pm, friends and family of all ages are welcome for a day of fun at the
Schaumburg Boomers minor league baseball stadium. Click
here for registration and direct payment on Shul Cloud. A group discount will be available if we get
20 registrants by today, May 7.
Save the Date and Sign Up to Help! Rummage Sale, July 31 and August 2
The Rummage Sale is back, bigger and better! This year, we are going to try to do a tw-
day sale on Friday, July 31 and Sunday, August 2. To
make this a success, we need 100% participation from our members. We are asking for two hours from every
household over the course of this project – that is on any of the seven different
sorting, set up, or sale days. Last
year we raised almost $2500 in one day with one-third of our membership
actively participating, and we want to beat that this year.
Remember, fundraising like this helps us keep our dues down and provide
more programming for everyone! Of course, we also need good quality rummage –click here to see a list
of what we are looking for and a form to sign up for a work shift here.
Questions? Contact Lise Schleicher at info@shir-hadash.org.
Sitter Directory on Shul Cloud
We are creating a new member-to-member directory for baby sitters, pet
sitters, and house sitters. This list will only be available to logged-in
members, so your information will be secure. To be part of the listings, click
here to visit the Shir
Hadash Shul Cloud page, log in, and enter your information.
Book Club, May 11
Our next meeting will be on Thursday, May 11 at the home of Sandy Weiss,
2144 Walters Avenue in Northbrook. We will be discussing What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan
Englander. For more information, contact Meryl Abensohn, abenkras@aol.com.
Creative Worship and Ritual
This Week’s Services
Shabbat Evening Service and Guest
Speaker, May 8 at 7:30pm
Our “Second
Shabbat” speaker series continues with a truly unique presentation. We are
delighted to welcome a speaker that many of you know, have seen perform, or
have heard about: Aaron Freeman. Aaron,
who is a long-time friend of Shir Hadash, is known throughout the Chicago area
as a journalist, stand-up comedian, author, cartoonist, and blogger. His Wikipedia entry shows some of his diverse talents and
activities, many of which touch upon his strong connections within the Jewish
community. Aaron’s topic for Friday
night: "The Intersection of Comedy, Neuroscience, and Judaism." Definitely not something that you have heard
before, right? Don't miss it - and don't
forget to bring treats for the oneg.
Shabbat Morning Service and Bar
Mitzvah, May 9 at 9:30am
We will celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Will Kulesza. All are welcome to
participate in the service.
Shavuot Overnight Study, May
23-24
It is traditional on Shavuot to stay up all night and study in
preparation for receiving the Torah the next day. To honor that tradition, we
have planned a full and varied schedule of presentations and activites, starting
with a service at 7:30pm Saturday and finishing with a catered breakfast at
7:00am Sunday. A highlight of our night’s programs will be a visit from a very
special guest, Rachman Nachman, a young man from the Ugandan Jewish Community. The
whole evening is offered free of charge, but please register to help us plan
adequate food for everyone. For details about other activities and
registration, visit the Shir
Hadash Calendar, go to May 23, and click “go to event” for complete
information.
Shir Hadash Receives Beautiful
Jerusalem Picture
During Friday evening services on May 1, Dick and Gerry Freibrun
presented Shir Hadash with a beautiful picture called The Copper Kotel by
renowned photographer Eliyahu Alpern. The picture is a 360 degree image of the
Western Wall in Jerusalem, known as the Kotel in Hebrew. The Kotel is part of
the remnant of the retaining wall of the Temple Mount, on which stood the Holy
Temples of the Children of Israel. The Freibruns made this wonderful donation
in recognition of Rabbi Eitan’s 20 years of service to Shir Hadash. Thank you,
Gerry and Dick!
Volunteer Opportunities
New! Summer Supper for the Homeless, May 18 – Sign Up By May 8
Kingswood United Methodist church
in Buffalo Grove is hosting Summer Suppers for the homeless once a month from
May through September, and they have invited Shir Hadash to participate with
them on Monday, May 18. There are five on-site Dinner Shift opportunities, as
well as food that needs to be dropped off at Kingswood Church, 401 West Dundee
Road, Buffalo Grove.
- Dinner Staff (5:45 to 8:30): Five volunteers needed. There will be a dinner coordinator who will lead a training session for 15 minutes at 5:45. All volunteers must be at least 16 years old and all hair should be pulled back.
- Food Donations: All food needs to be dropped off, ready to eat, by 6:00pm. Non-perishables may be dropped off earlier in the day or the day before. Needs include:
- Five Main Dishes (each feeding 15-20 adults). Suggestions include lasagna, meatloaf, chicken, fish, pork chops, spaghetti and meatballs, brisket. All food should be delivered hot, cut in serving size pieces, in disposable containers.
- Five Vegetable Dishes (each feeding 15-20 adults). Food should be brought in hot, in disposable containers, ready to eat.
- Five Salads (each feeding 15-20 adults) Food should be brought in disposable containers, ready to eat.
- Two Desserts (15-20 adults) cookies, brownies, cake, pie. Cakes or pies can be cut by our volunteers.
- Two Gallons of Lemonade or Iced Tea
- Half-Gallon of 1% Milk
- 25 Pieces of Fruit
Please RSVP to Suzanne Wexler, volunteer@shir-hadash.org, no later than
May 8. Thank you for participating!
“Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive, May 9 – This Saturday
Have you received a post card from
your letter carrier about the Postal Service’s “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive on
May 9? The Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council, which includes Shir Hadash,
will be distributing the food collected in Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Wheeling,
Lincolnshire, Northbrook, Highwood, and Skokie to local food pantries. Please
support this effort by leaving non-perishable food donations in your mailbox on
May 9 for your letter carrier to pick up. For more information about Interfaith
Council community programs, contact Marla Callistein at marlandan@yahoo.com.
Save the Date! Interfaith Council 5K to Fight Community Hunger, June 28
The Northwest Suburban Interfaith
Council will hold “iWalk” on June 28, a 5K fundraiser to fight hunger in our
local communities. Participants will walk from St. Mary’s Parish in Buffalo
Grove to Hope Lutheran Church, enjoy refreshments, and then walk back. No entry
fees required – donations will be accepted to help stock local food pantries.
Walk registration begins at 1:15, and the actual event starts at 2:15. For more
information, contact nwsuburbaninterfaith@gmail.com or talk to Shir Hadash’s
council representative, Marla Callistein, at marlandan@yahoo.com.
The Rabbi’s Corner
May 8-9, 2015 / 20 Iyar 5775
Shabbat Emor
Torah: Leviticus 21:1-24:23 / Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31
“And I Will Be Sanctified" (Leviticus 22:32)
Dear Friends,
Two weeks ago, Nepal suffered a massive earthquake that
killed more than seven thousand, injured more than twice that number, and
devastated an entire country. Nations around the world sent aid with Israel
leading the way. As Jews, this
incredible act of chessed (kindness) should fill us with enormous pride. The
tiny country of Israel was ready in a matter of hours to send two hundred and
fifty soldiers to build a field hospital and begin searching for survivors in
the wreckage. Israel’s chessed should spur us to follow suit.
Thus, it has been with great pride that my wife Dawn and I
have been following our son Ayal and the relief work that he is performing with
Israeli and Jewish relief organizations in Kathmandu and soon some of the
surrounding villages. The photos and
stories that he is sending back about the many contributions to Nepali
earthquake relief from Israel and many other fine international Jewish
organizations is inspiring.
How can we explain the scale, scope and speed of response
from Israel and the Jewish world? As Jews, we act because we can. And so we
must….
To read the rest of the Rabbi’s blog or view past
installments, please visit our website.
Recommendations for
Nepal Relief Donations
I encourage you to make contributions to Nepali Earthquake
Relief through the following organizations:
Education
No Religious School on May 10-- Happy Mother's Day!
We’re looking forward to seeing
all our students ready to learn at 9:15am on May 17.
End of School
Parent-Child Pancake Sports Breakfast
Save the date for a special celebration to end the Shir
Hadash school year! We will come together for a delicious pancake breakfast,
followed by a presentation with former Illini basketball star and current UIC
Assistant Coach Deon Thomas. He will speak about his career as a professional
basketball player, including time in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv, and will
sign autographs and take photos with students. More details coming soon!
Education Director's Blog
Click here to read this week's blog, including a special tribute to our school's Senior Madrichim as they prepare to go off to college.
Education Director's Blog
Click here to read this week's blog, including a special tribute to our school's Senior Madrichim as they prepare to go off to college.
Tefillin Needed
Rabbi Eitan is collecting sets of tefillin for his teaching
of traditional Judaism to our students. If you have an unused and
unwanted set to donate, please contact him at rabbi@shir-hadash.org or call the
office.
Teen News
Madrichim
Remember, there’s
no Sunday School on May 10. This is a perfect opportunity to serve your mom
breakfast in bed! We’ll see you on May 17. Please remember to let Emily or
Carole know if you will be absent.
Ra’am BBYO Events – Mark Your
Calendars!
Board Meeting, May 18
Fall Term Elections, June 4
Chapter Sleepover, June 11-12 – More details coming soon!
Please sign
up for Ra’am’s Remind 101 group! It’s a super easy way for you to get quick
updates about chapter events. All you have to do is text @raambbyo to 81010 and
you’re good!
Adult Education
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
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.
Donations
To the Samuel Andes Scholarship Fund
- Bev and Doug Lieberman
To the General Fund
in memory of Bernice Fargotstein, mother of Marc Fargotstein
in memory of Bernice Fargotstein, mother of Marc Fargotstein
- Susan and William Sikov
- Geri and Arnold Friedman
To the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund
- Marla Tucker, in memory of her father Dr. Meyer Lipner
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. 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
SHOP for Spring!
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.
Low Denomination Gift Cards are Back!
We have a limited number of special small
denomination gift cards available, perfect for teacher gifts and graduation
parties! The following cards will be
available:
• Albertsons
and Supervalu $10
• Amazon.com
Gift Cards $10
• AMC
Theatres® $10
• Applebee's
$10
• CVS/pharmacy
$10
• Groupon
$10
• IHOP
$10
• Meijer
$10
• Outback
$10
• Panera
Bread® $5
• Pizza
Hut $5
• Regal
Entertainment Group $10
• Starbucks
$5 Teacher Card
• Target
$10
Current Bonus Offers:
- Boston Market – 2% until May 15
- Dell – 2% until May 15
- Lane Bryant – 1% until May 8
- Restaurant.com – 5% until May 8
- Bed Bath & Beyond – 1% until May 8
- Buca di Beppo – 2% until May 8
- SpaFinder – 2% until May 8
Bonus Offers Starting May 9:
- Albertson’s – 2% May 9 to 22
- Shutterfly – 2% May 9 to 22
- Joann Fabrics and Crafts – 2% May 9 to 22
- Caribou – 1% on physical cards, May 9 to 22
Thanks to the following families for participating in SHOP this
week:
- Zinbarg
- Schleicher
- G. Graff
- Estes-Goldman
- Sharpe
- Singer
- M. Farahmandpour
- Fargotstein
- M. Graff
- Mostow
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