WHAT’S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Membership News and Upcoming Events
- Simchat Torah, Shir Hadash Style
- Sukkah-Palooza Success
- Financial Services Education Series
- Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, November 1
- Book Club, November 4
- New! Havdalah and Pasta Dinner Celebrating New Members, November 7
- New! Meditation Group
- Lost: Tallis Bag
- Sunday Morning Specials -- Bagels, Coffee, and Bears Football
Creative Worship and Ritual
- No Shabbat Services on October 9-10
- Next Week: "Noah's Ark" Shabbat Morning with Blessing of Animal Pets, October 17, 10:00am
The Rabbi’s Corner
- "How Magnificent is All Creation"
- Sunday School, October 11-- 6th Grade Parents' Meeting
- Ra'am Connect Event: Police Department Tour, October 17
- Ra'am Event: Candy Sushi, October 19
- GMR Regional Event: Bro/Sis Convention, October 23-25
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
We had a spectacular turnout for our Simchat Torah Dinner and Service on Sunday. It was a singular opportunity to socialize, celebrate, and learn together as our Torah scroll was unrolled. Many thanks to our Membership Committee for making our pre-service dinner a success.
Sukkah-Palooza Success
Our spacious Sukkah was the place to be after Sunday School on September 27! We sang, enjoyed delicious Israeli-style food, and created art to decorate the Sukkah. Todah rabah --thank you -- to everyone who made it possible. See you next year!
Financial Services Education Series
- Long Term Care Planning: Please note that this event, scheduled for October 8, is being postponed to early November. Click here for program details.
- Maximizing Social Security: Tuesday, October 13, at Carlucci in Rosemont from 6:00 - 7:30pm. Click here for program details. Space is limited for this private event, made available to you as members and guests of Shir Hadash. You must RSVP to be added to the guest list; see email address below.
- College Funding: Thursday, October 22 at Shir Hadash from 7:00 - 8:30pm. Click here for program details.
To RSVP or ask questions, contact Joanne Litman at jlitman@ft.newyorklife.com.
Tickets are going fast! Join Shir Hadash at the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, featuring three short films at 5:30 on Sunday, November 1 at the AMC Theater in Northbrook Court:
- Aya: What if you were waiting for someone at the airport, and instead picked up a stranger? Funny, charming and bubbling below the surface with the excitement that comes of unexpected possibilities.
- Dear God: In this sweet, romantic homage to Jerusalem and to love, a security guard at the Western Wall watches a beautiful woman leaving notes between the stones. Taking the idea of doing God’s work to heart, he decides to read her notes and fulfill her wishes
- Welcome and Our Condolences: It’s 1991 in this hilariously clever mocumentary. Twelve-year-old Misha and his family are part of a massive Jewish immigration from the USSR to Israel, and he’s filming the whole thing—including the bureaucratic nightmare that unfolds when his great aunt dies right before they deplane.
After the films, we are “going Dutch” 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.
We have already sold out our first block of 20 tickets and are now filling our second block of 10. Please click here to sign up through the Shir Hadash website. Tickets are $12 a person. Act now so you don't miss out!
Book Club, November 4
Our next meeting will be 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.
New! Havdalah and Pasta Dinner Celebrating New Members, November 7
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!
New! Mindfulness Meditation Group
Our next meeting will be 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.
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!
New! Mindfulness Meditation Group
Would you
like to practice being as fully present in the moment as possible? Would you like to cultivate compassion (both
for yourself and others? Mindfulness is
about living in the moment with compassionate acceptance. Mindfulness meditation consists of exercises
in which we practice being fully present in the moment, compassion, and
returning to our intention (teshuvah). Whether this will be your introduction
to meditation or you have meditated before and are looking to help sustain (or
perhaps restart) your practice, all Shir-Hadashniks are welcome to join our
member-led mindfulness meditation group. A number of us practiced together on
several occasions last year and everyone who did seemed to enjoy it and get
something helpful out of it. We will set a group schedule based on interest and availability. Interested? Please contact Rick Zinbarg,
rickzinbarg@gmail.com.
Lost: Tallis Bag
Lost: Tallis Bag
A member
has been looking for a hand-made tallis bag, featuring a needlepoint sailboat
with a Star of David. Inside is one great-grandfather's tallis, and the other
great-grandfather's tefillin, along a small shofar. It was last seen at Our
Lady of the Brook at Rosh Hashanah. If you have seen it or know where it is, please
contact Lynne Arons, Lynne.Lyongroup@comcast.net.
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 Hadashnicks and enjoy the mornings!
Football Games on TV before Religious School Pickup
The Bears are turning things around! 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
No Shabbat Services October 9-10
Enjoy celebrating Shabbat with your family.
Services Next Week:
- Shabbat Evening Service, Friday, October 16, 7:30pm
- “Noah and the Ark”: Outdoor Shabbat Morning Service and Blessing of Animal Pets, Saturday, October 17, 10:00am
- Join Rabbi Eitan and Rabbi Seeg in celebrating our love and care of our pets on the Shabbat when we read in the Torah about Noah and the Ark. Our out-of-doors one-hour service will include a ceremony to welcome our beloved animal pets into our Shir Hadash community and offer them special blessings. Dress for fall weather and make sure your pets are properly leashed, caged, etc. If rain is forecast, the service will be postponed. Please check the website for details. Please bring animal toys, treats, bedding and other animal care supplies to donate to area animal shelters. Tasty refreshments (for the humans, not the pets) will be provided following the service.
THE RABBI’S CORNER
October 9,
2015 / 27 Tishrei 5776
Shabbat
Bereisheet
Torah
Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8 / Haftarah Portion: Isaiah 42:5-43:10
“How Magnificent is All Creation”
Dear Friends,
On a recent early morning bike ride through the forest
preserves, I was moved by the intense beauty all around me. The sun filtering through the canopy gave the
leaves a remarkable green color. Bright
yellow goldfinches darted by in their swooping flight paths. Deer nibbled in
the underbrush. Cicadas sang their raspy
wail. The moss smelled fresh and
moist. The air felt cool and misty. I stopped to take in all this beauty and said
a prayer – “You are praised, Wellspring of Life, for doing wondrous works of
creation.” Then I thought of Psalm 104:
Ma rabu ma’asecha Adonai – How magnificent are all Your creations, Eternal One;
You have made them all with wisdom. The
earth is full of your creations. May the
glory of God endure forever.”
I pedaled in this reverie until I emerged at the Edens
Expressway. Thousands of cars raced
by. Lights, buildings, concrete and
blacktop brought me back to reality.
“How magnificent,” indeed. It
seems that development is everywhere.
New strip malls are being built while so many older ones remain empty
and vacant. Open space is disappearing.
New hydraulic fracking technology may be polluting our groundwater as it
extracts gas and oil in the heartland. What are we doing to God’s magnificent
creation? Will we ever stop our
destruction? Have we truly paved paradise
to up our parking lots?
EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday School, October 11
We are back on our regular Sunday morning school schedule this week. See you all at 9:00am for a great day of learning.
6th Grade Parents' Meeting, October 11
On Sunday, October 11 at 9:30am, there will be a meeting for
parents of 6th graders with Rabbi Eitan, Rabbi Seeg, and Ruth Wallk to talk
about b’nei mitzvah. This is a very
important meeting at which you will receive many of the materials that both you
and your son or daughter will need going forward. It will also be an opportunity to ask
questions, raise concerns, and generally try to garner as much knowledge and
information as possible about the fabulous mitzvah journey on which you are
about to embark (or re-embark). If you
have questions about this or will not be able to attend, please get in touch
with Rabbi Seeg at learning@shir-hadash.org.
Adult Education
Classes Begin on Sunday
It is not just the kids who can get their learn on each and
every Sunday. Starting this week, Adult Ed is back at Shir Hadash! This year we
have two of the regular favorites and then a new class especially for parental
folk like you. 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
- Parenting has never been easy—but in a culture that encourages more screen time than face time, how can you make sure that your kids stay connected to what really matters in life? This class will reveal the Jewish spiritual wisdom that can help you shape your sons and daughters as individuals and your families as a whole. Together, we will explore spiritually nourishing approaches to help you foster essential Jewish values like gratitude, joy and honesty in your kids. Part lecture, text study, and discussion, the class will explore many timeless teachings and spirit-filled activities, rituals and prayers that will help you cultivate strong Jewish values and cherished spiritual memories in your own family.
- Instructors: Rabbis Eitan Weiner-Kaplow & Scott Segal, and guests
- Fee: $36 per household (includes text book and materials)
- `Text Book: Jewish Spiritual Parenting: Wisdom, Activities, Rituals and Prayers for Raising Children with Spiritual Balance and Emotional Wholeness by Rabbi Paul Kipnes and Michelle November, MSSW.
For more info about any of these adult
ed programs, contact Rabbi Seeg at learning@shir-hadash.org.
TEEN NEWS
Ra'am Connect Event: Police Department Tour, October 17
On Saturday , October 17 at 7:00pm, Ra'am will be getting a special tour of the Northfield Police Department followed by a Q&A session with a real police sergeant! (Crazy, right?) This is a Connect event so make sure you bring all of your middle school Jewish friends and family. Program is open to grades 6-8; all Ra'am Chapter members are encouraged to come too! For more info and to RSVP, contact raambbyo@gmail.com.
Ra'am Event: Candy Sushi at Shir Hadash, October 19
Everyone in grades 8-12 invited; you don't have to be a chapter member, so bring your friends! We'll be making super yummy candy sushi while talking about kosher laws and what they actually mean. Meet up at Shir Hadash at 7:00pm. Please RSVP to raambbyo@gmail.com.
GMR Regional Event: Bro/Sis Convention, October 23-25
Sign up now for this fun BBYO regional weekend of brotherhood, sisterhood, and more at Beber Camp in Mukwonago, Wisconsin! Click here for details and online registration. Hurry: space is limited and registration must close October 16!
DONATIONS
To the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund:
- Diane and Art German, in appreciation for the wonderful High Holiday services
- Catherine and Gene Reznik, in honor of Ben's Bar Mitzvah and Rabbi Eitan
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! 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
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
Hallmark Gold Crown -- 2% until October 9
Bed Bath & Beyond -- 1% until October 16
Cabela's -- 3% until October 16
Bonuses Starting October 10
Aeropostale -- 2% October 10-23
L.L. Bean -- 2% October 10-16
Bed Bath & Beyond -- 1% until October 16
Cabela's -- 3% until October 16
Bonuses Starting October 10
Aeropostale -- 2% October 10-23
L.L. Bean -- 2% October 10-16
Macy's $250 ScripNow e-cards available now.
New on ReloadNow: Taco Bell gift cards are now available for ReloadNow with the same great 5% rebate.
New on ReloadNow: Taco Bell gift cards are now available for ReloadNow with the same great 5% rebate.
Thanks to the following families for participating in SHOP this week:
Zinbarg
Schleicher
Andes
Silton
Fields
Singer
Farahmandpour
Fargotstein
G. Graff
M. Graff
Andes
Silton
Fields
Singer
Farahmandpour
Fargotstein
G. Graff
M. Graff
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