WHAT’S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Membership News and Upcoming Events
- Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, November 1
- Book Club, November 4
- Havdalah and Pasta Dinner Celebrating New Members, November 7
- "Live from 92nd Street Y" Returns, November 8
- Financial Planning Education Program Postponed
- Plan Ahead for Hanukkah -- with SHOP!
Creative Worship and Ritual
- Shabbat Evening Service, Friday, October 30, 7:30pm
- Next Week: Family Shabbat and Evening Services with Kitah Aleph, Bet, and Zion
The Rabbi’s Corner
- "The Willingness to Sacrifice"
- Soup Kitchen, November 15
- Shabbat Services with Kitah Sunday School, November 1
- New! Learn About Camp JRF, November 15
- Adult Ed Continues on Sunday Mornings
- Sunday Morning Specials -- Bagels, Coffee, and Bears Football!
- November Events for Ra'am BBYO
- Save the Dates for BBYO GMR Events
- BBYO International Convention -- Registration is Open
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
Shir Hadash is committed to environmental sustainability and
renewing the world around us. Our new Solar Panel System -- the largest system for a religious community in Illinois! -- will reduce our carbon
dioxide emission by nearly 110 tons a year, which is the equivalent of planting
more than 4,200 trees each year. Over the lifespan of the project, the energy
saved will be the equivalent of planting 108,976 trees or reducing automobile
use by over 4.0 million miles. Along with the solar project, the Synagogue is
also adding new LED light bulbs as well as other energy-efficient lighting.
Many thanks to our vendor Windfree, to the Building and Operations Committee and to everyone who has donated to this effort so far. If you haven't gotten involved yet, please click here to help defray the cost of buying and installing the panels. Together we make a real difference! Watch for upcoming announcements about a Solarbration to commemorate this historic enhancement to our synagogue
New! "FunRaising" Meeting, November 1
Come join your Shir Hadash friends at an open meeting of the fundraising team at 9:30am this Sunday at Shir Hadash. We'll be kicking around some new ideas of fun ways to raise Shekels for the Shul. No long-term commitment required! Let's find something fun that interests you and make it happen. Everyone is welcome.
Israeli Film Festival at Northbrook Court, November 1
We've sold all 30 of our reserved block of tickets to the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, featuring three short films at 5:30pm on this Sunday at the AMC Theater in Northbrook Court. You can still buy tickets: visit the festival website for more info. After the films, we are going to Stir Crazy at Northbrook Court for dinner, drinks, and/or dessert–your choice. It will be a great chance to eat and discuss the short films. If you plan to join us at the restaurant, email Rebecca Rice at r.rice1@comcast.net so she can add you to the table reservation.
Our next meeting will be next Wednesday, November 4, at the home of Cheryl Schultz, 1381 Sunnyside in Highland Park. We will discuss All the Light We Cannot See, a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Anthony Doerr. Please RSVP to Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com.
Havdalah and Pasta Dinner Celebrating New Members, November 7
Come celebrate our new and returning members of the past two years! Everyone is invited for a special Havdalah service and pasta dinner in honor of the growth of Shir Hadash on Saturday, November 7 at 6:00pm. We hope to have members of the Madrichim helping with the younger children, so please plan to bring them as well!
There is no cost for the dinner for our new members. We would appreciate a donation of $10 per adult and $4 per child ages 4-12 from our members of more than two years. Children 3 and under are free. Click here for more details and registration. See you on November 7!
Live from the 92nd Street Y Returns, November 8
As part of its “Live from NY’s 92nd Street Y” series, Shir Hadash Synagogue is pleased to announce that it is hosting the live broadcast of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks’s presentation Not in God’s Name – Confronting Religious Violence on Sunday, November 8 at 7:00pm. This will be an interactive experience in which attendees will have the chance to submit questions to the speaker. Click here for details about this thought-provoking presentation.
“Live from NY’s 92nd Street Y” brings lectures, interviews and readings from political figures, entertainers, news makers and authors to community organizations across America and Canada. Currently, Shir Hadash is the only synagogue in the Chicago area offering ‘92Y’ programming.
Admission for the lecture is free for Shir Hadash members; guests will be asked to make a donation of $5 per attendee. To purchase tickets and for more information, call (847) 498-8218 or visit www.shir-hadash.org.
New! Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration, November 22
The Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council, of which Shir Hadash is a member congregation, will present an engaging and welcoming Thanksgiving event. Join clergy from local houses of worship, including our own Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow, as they share music, thoughts, and prayers of thanksgiving, blessing, and peace. The celebration will be held at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, beginning at 7:00pm. Free admission; please bring a donation of non-perishable food or paper goods for local food banks.
New! Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration, November 22
The Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council, of which Shir Hadash is a member congregation, will present an engaging and welcoming Thanksgiving event. Join clergy from local houses of worship, including our own Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow, as they share music, thoughts, and prayers of thanksgiving, blessing, and peace. The celebration will be held at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, beginning at 7:00pm. Free admission; please bring a donation of non-perishable food or paper goods for local food banks.
Plan Ahead for Hanukkah -- with SHOP Gift Cards
Hanukkah starts December 6! You know you’ll be giving out lots of gift cards in December – and when you buy them from SHOP, you help Shir Hadash without paying a penny more. Plan ahead and start SHOPping now! Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for current SHOP special bonuses.CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
This Week: Shabbat Evening Service, Friday, October 30, 7:30pm
Yes, Halloween is coming up, but at Shir Hadash the real excitement is the night before. Why? Because it's a Fifth Friday, featuring our very special Learner's Service. You can ask any question you like about the Shabbat worship service, the meaning of prayers, why we do the things we do -- just about anything in Judaism. Rabbi Eitan is ready to take your questions! Join us for this creative, live, informal, and inspiring service. Plus we'll enjoy our customary oneg, so please bring something to share. See you Friday.
Next Week: Family Shabbat at 6:15, Evening Service at 7:30
Students from our Kitah Aleph, Kitah Bet, and Kitah Zion religious school classes will help lead these services. Scroll down to the Education Announcements, below, for details.
THE RABBI’S CORNER
October
30-31, 2015 / 18 Heshvan 5776
Shabbat
Vayera
Torah
Portion: Genesis 18:1-22:24 / Haftarah Portion: II Kings 4:1-37
“The Willingness to Sacrifice”
Dear Friends,
This week’s Torah portion includes the famous story of the
binding of Isaac on the sacrificial altar. Without hesitation, Abraham sets out
to complete the task, perhaps with Isaac’s willing cooperation. Later, with Isaac bound and prepared for
sacrifice, God suddenly puts a stop to the affair and spares Isaac – we
think. You see, while the story
appears to indicate Isaac’s rescue, we never hear of him coming off the mountain. Only Abraham returns to the two servant boys
waiting with the donkey. We are not sure
what really happened to Isaac.
For Israeli and American parents of soldiers, this story is
all too real For them, the story tells
of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son’s life in order to support and
maintain ideals and principles more precious than life itself. As a parent of a soldier myself, I understand
it all too well. There is a willingness
to sacrifice a child’s very life for the sake of protecting and defending our
land and people. It is a choice that
must be made, a call that must be answered... and the worry and anxiety are
brutal. Parents know that most children
do return. That’s the plain storyline of
Isaac’s binding; he is spared. Yet some
children do not come home. That’s the
hidden meaning behind the ancient story; rescue is uncertain. Isaac apparently understood the issues at
hand and was eager to join his father in fulfilling the command. Yet, through it all, we simply do not know the
outcome. It’s a torturous waiting game.
So, the next time you see the parent of a soldier, thank
them. The next time you see the spouse,
child or sibling of a soldier, thank them. Like Abraham, they are willing to sacrifice their loved one in order to
protect our country. Likewise, the next
time you see a soldier, police officer, fire fighter or anyone involved in
public safety, offer to shake his or her hand and offer a simple ‘thank you.’ Consider giving a blessing.Yes, sharing a
Jewish blessing to a stranger in an airport or on the street can feel odd at
first. Yet, trust me, they appreciate it
and take it very seriously.From Numbers 6:24, simply say, “May God bless you
and keep you. Amen.” Like Isaac, they
are making a sacrifice of time, security, and possibly their very lives – to
protect us. Tell them how much you
appreciate their service.
As Jews, we have a special obligation to serve as a ‘light
to the nations’ - a source of spiritual strength and ethical awareness. Therefore, let us understand what all those
who protect our country are sacrificing. Let us better understand their families’ sacrifices, too. Let us express
our appreciation for all that they do for us. Let us offer our blessings so that our prayers may go forth with them.
Shabbat shalom.
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Soup Kitchen Help Needed, November 15
On Sunday, November 15, Shir Hadash will be preparing, cooking, and serving over 90 meals for needy individuals at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church soup kitchen in Evanston. This event will require volunteers to be available from 1:30 to 4:30pm. We need a minimum of 25 volunteers (about 10-12 families). There is no age limit to volunteer, but from past experience kids should be at least six years old to participate.
Each family will be responsible for bringing an entrée that will feed 10 to 15 people; one gallon of milk; one large bag of frozen mixed vegetables; one large bag of fruit (oranges, bananas, apples, etc) and dessert.
If you are interested, please email Mark Lenhart at mjlenhart@comcast.net by November 1. More information will be sent to volunteers about one week before the event. Thanks for supporting this much needed and appreciated effort!
EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
We're looking forward to seeing all our students and parents at 9:00am for a great day of learning. It's the first morning after Daylight Savings Time, so fall back and enjoy an extra hour of sleep before school!
Kitah Aleph (K-1), Kitah Bet (2nd grade) and Kitah Zion (7th grade): Upcoming Services November 6
On Friday, November 6, Kitah Aleph and Kitah Bet students will be helping Rabbi Eitan and Rabbi Seeg to lead the Family Service at 6:15pm. And this is not just any service: it is Pajama Shabbat! Arrive about 5:45pm, with kids in their favorite pajamas, so that we can bake cookies. We will then enjoy a service with Rabbi Seeg, Kitah Aleph, Kitah Bet, and Rabbi Eitan. After our service, we will then get to enjoy our cookies with some milk (a must), and a story or two to complete the night. Stuffed animals, dolls or other sleep friends are of course invited as well.
Kitah Zion, we didn’t want you to feel left out! You get to help Rabbi Eitan lead the regular service that same night (Friday, November 6) at 7:30pm. And this is not just any service either: it is Shabbat Chayei Sara! This is the week we learn that the first time Rebecca saw Isaac (to whom she was sold/promised for marriage), she fell off of her camel. Ah, biblical love at first sight.
Parents, if you have any questions about either service, please contact Rabbi Seeg at learniing@shir-hadash.org.
New! Learn About Camp JRF, November 15
On November 15, a representative from the camp will be at
Shir Hadash to give a presentation about the camp for our students and then
will hold a special meeting just for parents.
The general presentation will be from 11:30-11:55 and then the parent
meeting will be from Noon-12:30. This is
a great chance to find out about a fantastic camp and to have answered any
questions you may have. Please plan to
come to hear about this awesome opportunity for our students.
Adult Education Classes on Sunday
Adult Ed is back on Sunday mornings at Shir Hadash! This year we have two of the regular favorites and then a new class especially for parents. The schedule for the day looks like this:
9:30-10:30 Torah Study/Modern Jewish Philosophy with Fred Andes
10:30-11:15 Adult Hebrew Reading with Steve Lewin
11:15-12:25 Jewish Spiritual Parenting: Raising a Mentsch with Rabbi Seeg and Rabbi Eitan
.
.
For more info about any of these adult ed programs, contact Rabbi Seeg at learning@shir-hadash.org.
Bagels and Coffee on Sunday Mornings
Each Sunday that we have Religious School, coffee and bagels are available in the lobby for purchase. President Glenn Graff and some Board members are usually around to discuss all things Shir Hadash. Stop in and sit and chat with your fellow Shir Hadashniks and enjoy the mornings!
Football Games on TV before Religious School Pickup
The Bears are turning things around! When you're picking up the kids from Sunday School, come into our multipurpose room and watch the first 25 minutes of the Bears game each Sunday.
The Bears are turning things around! When you're picking up the kids from Sunday School, come into our multipurpose room and watch the first 25 minutes of the Bears game each Sunday.
TEEN NEWS
November Events for
Ra’am BBYO
Monday, November 2: Business Meeting and Tie
Dye program at Shir Hadash, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
All 8th -12th
graders welcome to attend! Come check
out what Ra'am BBYO is all about and tie dye some cool stuff, too. RSVP to raambbyo@gmail.com
Monday, November 16: Feed My Starving
Children
Save the
date for this amazing experience. Sign
up information to follow.
Monday, November 30- Chapter Dinner @ Shir
Hadash
Put these dates in your calendar for upcoming regional programs!
Friday, November 6: A Shabbat to Remember at the Illinois Holocaust Museum
Join BBYO Great Midwest Region for an evening at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. BBYO is celebrating a Shabbat Experience at the Museum alongside teens, family members, Holocaust survivors and the Chicagoland Jewish community. Teens and families will have a private guided tour of the Museum, moments with survivors, dinner and a Shabbat experience led by BBYO teen leaders. The event is open to the community on November 6, 2015 from 6:00-9:00pm. Cost is $18 and registration is available here.
Wednesday, November 18: Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Movie at Northbrook Court
A sneak preview of the exciting conclusion to the Hunger Games Saga! Open to all Jewish teens in grades 6-12. Doors open at 6:00pm, movie starts at 7:00. Click here to register for tickets.
Friday, November 6: A Shabbat to Remember at the Illinois Holocaust Museum
Join BBYO Great Midwest Region for an evening at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. BBYO is celebrating a Shabbat Experience at the Museum alongside teens, family members, Holocaust survivors and the Chicagoland Jewish community. Teens and families will have a private guided tour of the Museum, moments with survivors, dinner and a Shabbat experience led by BBYO teen leaders. The event is open to the community on November 6, 2015 from 6:00-9:00pm. Cost is $18 and registration is available here.
Wednesday, November 18: Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Movie at Northbrook Court
A sneak preview of the exciting conclusion to the Hunger Games Saga! Open to all Jewish teens in grades 6-12. Doors open at 6:00pm, movie starts at 7:00. Click here to register for tickets.
BBYO International Convention – Registration is Open Now
BBYO’s International Convention Registration has opened and over 2,400 teens are currently registered including 80+ from GMR! The dates are February 10-15, 2016. If you registered for IC, more information will be coming out shortly about the waitlist and other details. If you haven’t registered yet and want to join us in Baltimore, visit www.bbyo.org/azabbgic for more info!DONATIONS
To the Samuel I. Andes Scholarship Fund
Chana Sulpar, in memory of her father-in-law Sidney Sulpar. "We love and miss you, Papa!"
To the Music Fund
Marilynn Singer, in honor of Evelyn Schleicher's 80th birthday.
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS
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! Remember, 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
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.
Bonuses Now Available
Journeys -- 3% Bonus October 31 to November 13
Restaurant.com -- 15% Bonus October 31 to November 20
Journeys -- 3% Bonus October 31 to November 13
Restaurant.com -- 15% Bonus October 31 to November 20
New ScripNow Products:
- XBox
- Playstation Store and Playstation Plus
- Harry & David (Replacing Physical Cards)
- Spafinder Wellness 365 -- $100 ScripNow Now Available
Low Denomination Gift Cards are Coming Back Soon! Starting
Saturday, October 31, we will have a limited number of special small
denomination gift cards available, perfect for holiday gift-giving! These cards
will only be available while supplies last, so don't wait to place your orders.
The following cards will be available:
- Amazon.com Gift Cards $10
- AMC Theatres® $10
- Applebee's $10
- Barnes & Noble $5
- CVS/pharmacy $10
- Groupon $10
- IHOP $10
- Outback $10
- Panera Bread® $5
- Regal Entertainment Group $10
- Starbucks $5
- Target $10
- Walmart $10
Thanks to the following families for participating in Shop
this week:
- Zinbarg
- Schleicher
- Simon
- Sulpar
- Idelman
- Sultan
- Fargotstein
- Friedman
- Lewin
- Callistein
