Shir Hadash Weekly Newsletter -- September 3, 2015

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WHAT’S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE

Membership News and Upcoming Events

• High Holidays are Coming -- Register and Help!
• Book of Life Submissions
• Sunday School Kickoff -- A Message from Rabbi Seeg
• Membership Renewal Forms Now Open
• Solar Panels Have Arrived!
• Book Club -- Recap and New Selection
• Sunday Morning Specials -- Bagels, Coffee, and Bears Football!

Creative Worship and Ritual

• This Week's Services:
• Shabbat Evening, Sept. 4, 7:30pm
• Shabbat Morning and Bar Mitzvah, Sept. 5, 9:30am
• Selichot Evening Service, Sept 5, 7:30pm

Volunteer Opportunities

• Help Needed with Audio Set-Up for High Holidays
• Join the Shul Cloud Support Team
• Building Operations Committee Seeks New Members

The Rabbi’s Corner

• "A New Beginning Awaits"

Ongoing Fundraisers

• Help Shir Hadash Earn Free Donations with iGive
• Fundraising Opportunity with Amazon Smile
• Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
• Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s

SHOP Shir Hadash

MEMBERSHIP AND UPCOMING EVENTS  

High Holidays – Don't Forget to Sign in and Register on Shul Cloud!

The High Holidays are just around the corner - only 3 weeks away!  If you have not yet registered to attend, please do so now.  It really helps us to know how many people are coming.  (Plus, to be admitted into services, you need to be registered - our ushers are pretty strict.)  Just as a reminder: The easiest way to get in and do your registration is to click here for the Shul Cloud page. Once you get there, you will need to be signed in in order to register.  Look up at the upper right-hand corner of the page, and it will show your name if you are signed in.  If it doesn't show your name, then you need to sign in.  Once you do that, you should be able to register.  Just go to where it says: "Click here to register for our 2015 High Holiday services!"

As always, if you have any questions about the Holidays, just send a note to cwr@shir-hadash.org. We will look forward to seeing you all soon!

Book of Life Registration

When you register for the High Holidays on Shul Cloud, please remember to add the names of your departed loved ones to our Book of Life, which will be printed and distributed on Yom Kippur for the Yizkor service.  If you have already registered for the Holidays, but forgotten to go onto the Book of Life page to include your names, just click here. If you have any questions, please send a note to cwr@shir-hadash.org.

School Kick-Off: A Message from Rabbi Seeg

Kef Gadol Hiyah Po (Big Fun Happened Here)! This past Sunday (August 30), students, teachers, families, and all manner of interested parties gathered for our Sunday School Kick-Off event. Now I could use this space to talk about the specifics: how students and parents had an opportunity to meet and spend time with teachers and madrichim (teaching assistants), how everyone had the opportunity to experience our chugim (electives), how parents got a taste of our adult education program, or how the students participated in an epic rock-paper-scissors competition. 

But rather than do that, I want to focus on what I think were the best, and most important, aspects to the day: energy and enthusiasm.  Both of these were present in a way that almost felt tangible, as if a current of electricity was running through the congregation.  I already knew that we have great teachers, wonderful madrichim and a fabulous rabbi.  What I did not know until Sunday was the kind of ruach (spirit) that the congregation was capable of.  Now that I have experienced it firsthand, I am more convinced than ever before that we are poised to achieve great things this year as a school and a congregation. 

This past Sunday was a great start to our year and I look forward to bringing the same level of energy and enthusiasm to each and every Sunday moving forward.  I encourage the entire community to come out and share in the excitement as we move in to 5776, whether you are a parent, grandparent or just interested in being a part of the experience.  Everyone is most welcome to participate in the joy, the excitement and the learning that will be happening on Sundays throughout the year. 

Membership Renewal Forms Now Open

It's time once again to renew your membership to Shir Hadash. All the forms you need for membership, school registration, and more are available online here. Please be sure to complete your renewal promptly. If you have any questions, contact info@shir-hadash.org.

Update! Solar Panels Have Arrived!

The Dream To Be Green is closer to coming true! The first shipments of our solar polar equipment arrived this week. The panels should be installed and the system operating in October.  But we can still use your help on the solar capital campaign. Help us achieve our Dream To Be Green by contributing -- just click here to learn more.  If you have any questions about the Solar Capital Campaign, please contact Art German at artgerman@comcast.net.

Book Club -- Recap and Next Selection
On August 25, 13 people joined our Book Club discussion of Invisible City, a tale of a murder within the Hasidic Community. There were many opinions expressed about the insular Hasidic Movement in Brooklyn and their own code of living. Many thanks to Gerry Freibrun for hosting our meeting.

The next book will be All the Light We Cannot See, a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Anthony Doerr. Our meeting will be at the end of October; watch for announcements of details coming soon.

Bagels and Coffee on Sunday Mornings 

Each Sunday that we have Religious School, coffee and bagels are available in the lobby for purchase.  Stop in and sit and chat with your fellow Shir Hadashnicks and enjoy the mornings.  President Glenn Graff and some Board members are usually around to discuss all things Shir Hadash. 

Coffee and Bagel Sponsor

We want to say a  hearty thank you to the Pomper Family who have stepped forward and sponsoring the Coffee and Bagel Bar for the next few months.  Thank you Pompers!

Football Games on TV before Religious School Pickup

The TV in the multipurpose room will be on prior to Religious School pickup.  Rather than wait in your car, come on in and watch the first 25 minutes of the Bears game each Sunday.

CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL

This Week's Services: Get Ready for the Holidays!

The High Holidays are less than two weeks away - but really, the Holiday time period starts this weekend, with two powerful services (as well as a Saturday morning Bar Mitzvah). 

Shabbat Evening: Friday, September 4, 7:30pm

First, on Friday night, we have a Shabbat service with a special theme: preparation for the Holidays. We will explore key prayers and unique aspects of the High Holiday services, and Rabbi Eitan will teach us some of the melodies that we sing only on the Holidays. Plus, members will talk about (and we can discuss) the prayers and themes that bring them meaning, transformation, and enthusiasm throughout the Holidays.  And, of course, please bring something for the pot-luck oneg!
 

Shabbat Morning Bar Mitzvah: Saturday,, September 5, 9:30am
We will welcome Ben Reznik to the bima as Bar Mitzvah. All are welcome to participate in the service.

Selichot Service: Saturday, September 5, 7;30pm

On Saturday night is our Selichot service.  On Selichot we study, to prepare us for the reflection that we do on the Holidays.  We will have a brief service, and then (as we often do at Shir Hadash) we will study, by watching a film that relates to the Selichot theme.  This year, our film will be “Crimes and Misdemeanors," by Woody Allen.  This movie allows us to explore the issues of transgression and retribution, in a universe that may or may not bring moral offenders to justice. This movie allows us to ask ourselves (and discuss) key questions: What would you do in the same situation? How far would you go to protect your happiness and reputation? How selfish would you be? How do you measure the worth of another person’s life, and when is your own comfort and security worth more?  It is a powerful way to bring us into the time period for reflection and self-evaluation that is the Holidays.  Please join us, and don't forget to bring something for the oneg.  See you then!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Help Set Up Audio Equipment for the Holidays
To prepare for the High Holidays, we need some volunteers to help set up audio equipment for our services at Our Lady of the Brook, 3700 Dundee Road in Northbrook. We need one to three people on the following dates:

• Sunday, September 9 – 6:00pm
• Sunday, September 20 – 4:00pm

Set up should take about two to four hours. If you have experience with audio equipment, that is a definite plus! Please contact Joe McArdle at 847 322 1531 if you are free on either (or both!) of these dates. The more people we have, the faster it will go. Thanks for your help!

Join the Shul Cloud Support Team
Want to help out, but hate going to meetings? Read on! We are looking for a few good people to help on the Shul Cloud team. If you have been looking for a way to get involved with helping the synagogue and have some knowledge in technology -- we want you! We are looking for people who:

• Enjoy teaching and coaching
• Have experience with computers other than word processing
• Have experience with web or graphic design

After initial training, there are no regular meetings. You get to help out the shul in a very needed way, and everything can be done from home! Everything thing we do is task based -- assuming we have a full team, we will be able to flex the work around different schedules and skill sets easily.
Interested? Please contact Lise Schleicher at info@shir-hadash.org as soon as possible. We hope to get the team trained and running in early August.

Building Operations Committee Seeks New Members

The Building Operations Committee is looking for new committee members. Specifically, the committee needs a person with interior/exterior experience and someone with general building supervisory experience. The BOC meets once a month on the third Wednesday of the month. We are also looking for people with project management skills to work on some specific projects. Please contact Marc Fargotstein at 847-612-6579.

THE RABBI’S CORNER

September 4-5, 2014 / 21 Elul 5775

Shabbat Ki Tavo

Torah: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 / Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22

“A New Beginning Awaits”

Dear Friends,

This week’s Torah portion begins with the words, ‘Ki tavo,’ which is often translated as ‘when you come in’ or ‘when you arrive.’  It refers to the entrance of our Israelite ancestors into the Promised Land.  But, my translation is, ‘when you begin a new phase of your life.’  You see, when the Children of Israel entered the Promised Land, we may think that they have completed the journey that began with the Exodus from Egypt.  We imagine that once they have arrived they lived happily ever after.  End of story.  Yet we know from the Bible text that, while entering the Promised Land closed one chapter in our history, a whole new chapter began.  The story did not end.  A new stage began.  ‘Ki Tavo – when you begin a new phase of your life.’

The High Holidays provide the moment of ‘new beginning’ for each of us.  You see, now, during the days of the Jewish month of Elul, we are supposed to look back, evaluate our lives, make amends, and finish old business. Soon, when we reach the High Holidays, we will not be at the end of the story.  Rather, we will look forward and start a new chapter in a new year.  ‘Ki Tavo - when we begin the next phase of our lives.’

So take some time now to look back on the past year.  What can you learn about yourself?  What needs correction and who needs an apology?  What changes need to be made? When? How do you envision the next phase of your life that will begin in a few short weeks?  What adventures and new experiences await us in the new year, the next chapter of our lives?

L’shana tova – I wish you all a healthy, happy, blessed, and abundant New Year.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

To read the rest of The Rabbi's Corner, or past entries of the Rabbi's blog, please visit our website.

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.

Amazon Smile Fundraising Option

Shir Hadash is now registered with the Amazon Smile fundraising program. Just go to smile.amazon.com, search for Shir Hadash (be sure to select the one in Wheeling), and from then on 0.5% of your purchases will automatically be donated to Shir Hadash at no cost to you! Note that this works in conjunction with iGive (see below) and allows for double-dipping: if you go to Amazon through iGive.com or the iGive button, SH will get money from both Amazon and iGive. And to triple-dip, just pay for your purchases with a SHOP Amazon gift card! Happy Shopping!

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. 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 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 ScripNow Retailer - Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Cruise Lines ScripNow eCards are now 

Six Flags Tickets Available

Please note, Six Flags® tickets are once again available to order. Tickets cost $44.25 and award a 7% rebate. Tickets ordered now are valid through the 2015 season only, expiring on 12/31/15.

Now Available: $25 spa and wellness gift cards by Spa Week.

Summer hours for Customer Support at Great Lakes Scrip, one of our Shop vendors: 8:00am - 4:00pm Eastern Monday through Thursday, and 8:00am - 12:00pm Eastern on Fridays. They will resume their normal schedule on Tuesday, September 8.

Current Bonus Offers:

American Express -- 1% August 29 to September 4
Athleta -- 2% August 29 to September 4
Banana Republic -- 2% August 29 to September 4
Gap -- 2% August 29 to September 4
Old Navy -- 2% August 29 to September 4

Ship FREE When You Shop Bath & Body Works When your organization orders Bath & Body Works gift cards, ScripNow®, or ReloadNow®! From August 29 - September 4, if your organization order includes at least $150 combined in Bath & Body Works physical cards, ScripNow, or ReloadNow* 

New ScripNow Retailer - eBay eBay ScripNow eCards are now available in increments of $10, from $10 - $500, with a 3% rebate. With ScripNow you can print out electronic gift cards and redeem them in stores, or online. You can even order and redeem eCards fromMyScripWallet™ on your phone, so your ScripNow is always with you. Plus, when you pay for your order with PrestoPay™, your ScripNow is delivered to your account in minutes - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Thanks to the following families for participating in SHOP this week!
Zinbarg
Schleicher
Edler