WHAT’S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Membership News and Upcoming Events
MOSH/WISH Shabbat Potluck Dinner and Game Night, September 8
Shir Hadash Info Fair, September 10
New! Introduction to Kabbalah, September 11
Gift of Membership Certificates -- Redeem by Monday, September 11
Membership Renewal Forms Past Due -- Please Complete Now!
Videographers Wanted for High Holidays
Office Volunteers Wanted
Book Club
Join the Shul Cloud Support Team
Creative Worship and Ritual
Celebrate Shabbat at our Potluck Dinner
Shabbat Morning Bar Mitzvah Service, September 9, 9:30am
Memorial Service for Ruth Kaplow, September 10, 3:30pm
“Selichot – Prayers of Forgiveness” Saturday, September 16, 7:30pm
Register Now for High Holiday Services
Special High Holiday Memberships
Oneg Volunteers Needed -- Sign Up Today
The Rabbi’s Corner
“With God’s Help”
School News
Religious School Starts Sept. 10 -- Register Now!
Madrichim Needed and Wanted
Mitzvah Project: Sports Equipment Donations Requested
Youth Activities
SHY Kickoff Event: Bowling! October 22
Adult Education
Lunch and Learn with the Rabbi, Thursdays
Social Action
Holiday Food Baskets
School Supply Drive: A Thank You Message
Israel Awareness
Join the SH Israel Committee
Interesting Reads
Ongoing Fundraisers
Don’t Forget Our Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers!
Shir Hadash Memorial Wall
Links to Fundraisers: Amazon, iGive, and More
SHOP Shir Hadash
MEMBERSHIP AND UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday! WISH/MOSH Shabbat Potluck Dinner and Game Night, September 8
Celebrate Shabbat with your friends from WISH and MOSH! We will have a casual Shabbat potluck dinner at the home of the Wellisch family, 14 Wellington Court in Buffalo Grove, beginning at 6:30pm. We will light candles, eat, and play games – Mah Jongg, Poker, and more! Games will be available for children as well. This event is open to all family members. Click here to RSVP and let us know what you will be bringing to share at the potluck.
Shir Hadash Schmooze, Nosh, and Info Fair, September 10
It’s time to bring the kids back to school, and for the adults (including members without kids in school) to get re-acquainted after a busy summer and to see what is going on at Shir Hadash! From 9:00 to 12:30 on the first day of Religious School, stick around for a gathering -- share a nosh with new and old friends and also see all the different activities going on at our Information Fair. It’s a great opportunity to learn about fun programs, events, and education and the opportunities to become more involved in the Shir Hadash community.
New! Introduction to Kabbalah, September 11
When the wisdom of Kabbalah meets people who want to get the most out of life, something magical happens. Shir Hadash will host an introductory lecture on Kabbalah on Tuesday, September 11 at 7:00pm. Find out what Authentic Kabbalah truly deals with, who it's meant for and how it's studied. But most importantly come and find out for yourself how the wisdom of Kabbalah will help you manage your life and bring it to the most successful state you've ever imagined possible.
Gift of Membership Certificates -- Redeem by THIS MONDAY, September 11
If you gave a Gift of Membership Certificate, please remind your friends or family that this must be redeemed by Monday, September 11. (Note, the certificate does not cover school fees.) Questions? Contact Lisa Settler at settlerl@comcast.net or Stuart Aizenberg at stuartaizenberg@gmail.com.
Membership Renewal Forms Past Due -- Please Complete Now!
Renew your membership for the coming year. Click here for detailed information. (If you prefer paper forms for your registration, contact our office at 847 498 8218.) If you need assistance, contact Julie Wellisch at admin@shir-hadash.org, or our Executive Director Geoff Prass at geoff@shir-hadash.org.
Videographers Wanted
We are looking for volunteers to help record our high holiday services so that we can capture our uplifting and musical services and share them with more people. This might include Facebook Live if possible. We already have an excellent sound set up, we just need to add video and plug in the sound. We hope to have multiple volunteers so that the burden is not too heavy on any one person. If you have the skills to help us, please contact Glenn Graff at nflsunday1966@gmail.com or 847-420-2505.
Office Volunteers Needed
It’s the busiest time of year in the Shir Hadash office! Now through early October, (High Holidays) Julie, our Office Administrator, needs help with answering phone calls, taking down information, filing, and various other office tasks. She welcomes volunteers during office hours everyday except Thursdays. For more info, contact Julie at admin@shir-hadash.org. Thanks for helping!
Book Club
The upcoming Book Club discussion will be on Daniel Silva's The English Assassin. This book is the first in a spy mystery trilogy revolving around the Nazis. The story involves an Israeli spy, Nazi art heists, and of course a murder. Our next meeting will be held in Deerfield in October. Exact date and details TBA. For more info, please contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com
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 Geoff or Lise Schleicher at info@shir-hadash.org as soon as possible. We hope to get the team trained and running in August.
CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
Celebrate Shabbat at our Potluck Dinner -- See Above
This week’s Shabbat evening celebration will be our festive community potluck dinner and game night. Scroll back to the top of the newsletter for details.
Shabbat Morning Bar Mitzvah Service, Saturday, September 9, 9:30am
We welcome Jack Gordon to the bima as Bar Mitzvah.
Memorial Service for Ruth Kaplow, Sunday, September 10, 3:30pm
A memorial service for Ruth Kaplow, mother of Rabbi Eitan (Dawn) Weiner-Kaplow and grandmother of Ayal and Elana Weiner-Kaplow, will be held at the synagogue. Following the service, the family will be receiving condolences at a shiva reception. Contributions in Ruth Kaplow's memory can be made to Shir Hadash Synagogue (you can do so by clicking here or by contacting the synagogue office).
“Selichot – Prayers of Forgiveness” Saturday, September 16, 7:30pm
Join us for an evening of reflection, study, and friends. Selichot is a brief Saturday evening service that prepares us for the work of the High Holidays. Its readings and melodies are meditative, reflective and stirring. Our study portion of the evening features a screening of the Academy Award nominated short documentary Joe’s Violin, an inspiring and touching film about the powerful effect of small acts of kindness and compassion. Bring a special treat to share in our dessert refreshment buffet.
Register Now for High Holiday Services
The High Holidays are fast approaching, beginning with Selichot on Saturday, September 16. Shir Hadash will be holding some services at Our Lady of the Brook Worship Center, at 3700 Dundee Road in Northbrook, with the remainder of the services at the synagogue. If you have yet to register for your tickets, please do so as soon as possible. For a complete schedule of services, information about children's programming, and registration, visit our website.
Guests Encouraged!
Shir Hadash welcomes participants in our High Holiday services who are not (yet!) full members. We consider these guests to be High Holiday Members, and encourage them to join in all our services from Selichot through Simchat Torah. We have two separate levels for returning guests and first-timers:
- High Holiday Members: For those who have come to our High Holiday services in the past, we offer a Holiday Membership for $250/person ($200 for seniors). They can register on our website.
- New High Holiday Members: Guests who have not been with us for previous High Holidays may be eligible for our special New High Holiday Membership rate of $54 per person. Invite your friends and family to take advantage of this opportunity by visiting our website.
If you are paying for your friends’ or family members’ Holiday Membership, you can do it at the same time when you register for yourself. Questions? Call the office at 847-498-8218.
Oneg Volunteers Needed for Services
Please sign up to help as an oneg volunteer for one of our upcoming services. It's easy: just click here to pick a date, bring a challah, and show up! You'll receive a reminder email the week before with more details. For more information, contact Sean Fisher-Rohde at oneg@shir-hadash.org.
THE RABBI’S CORNER
September 8-9, 2017 / 18 Elul 5777
Shabbat Ki Tavo
Torah: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 / Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22
“With God’s Help”
Dear Friends,
When we complete a good job, there comes a moment when we step back, smile, and recognize the achievement. While we are tempted to congratulate ourselves for a job well done, is there more to it?
In this week’s Torah portion, our Jewish tradition tells us to thank God for all that we have been given that has enabled us to enjoy such success. The model is the Shavuot holiday of first fruits when our ancestors were told to bring offerings of spring produce to the Temple in Jerusalem. Standing before the cohen priest, our ancestors were to repeat a formula recognizing our people’s history from wandering, to Egyptian slavery, to freedom in the Promised Land, to God’s gift of the abundant springtime produce which is now presented.
According to Rabbi Jacob J. Weinstein, “Each Israelite was religiously commanded to recall in the time of prosperity that his father was a wandering Aramean, a hobo, a sojourner, a rootless and homeless refugee. The intention of the admonition was to curb the conceit of the self-made person. He was reminded that it required more than industry, skill, ambition, and contriving to rise from poverty to affluence. It required also the help of God… True piety, philosopher Santayana said, is a sense of reverence for the sources of our being.” (The Place of Understanding).
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
SCHOOL NEWS
This Sunday! Religious School Starts September 10 -- Register Now!
The Shir Hadash Religious School is reigniting our tradition of being a creative laboratory of progressive Jewish education. Our new Education Director Geoff Prass has put together some interesting, innovative, and fun Jewish education opportunities for our students. School starts September 10! Registration forms are now open. Click here to access the forms on Shul Cloud.
Want to learn more about the Religious School programs? Contact Geoff at 847-498-8218 or Geoff@shir-hadash.org.
Madrichim Needed and Wanted!
If you have an 8th through 12th grader who is looking for a way to earn some extra spending money, to add something great to his/her college application, or to earn some community service hours, being a madrich/a is a perfect fit for them! To apply and/or register, click here.
Mitzvah Project: Sports Equipment Donations Requested
For his mitzvah project, SH student Ryan Siegel is collecting new and gently used sports equipment for The Sports Shed, a Chicago organization that supplies equipment for thousands of young people in low-income neighborhoods of the city. Please support his project with donations in the collection barrel at Shir Hadash through October 1. To learn more about The Sports Shed and the types of items they need, click here.
YOUTH ACTIVITIES
SHY Youth Group Kickoff: Bowling! October 22
This year, our SHY Youth Group will include a wider range of ages, but still keep the kids separated with their similarly-aged peers. Shir Hadash Youth (SHY) kindergarten and up are invited to bowl immediately after religious school ends on October 22, 12:45-2:15pm. Lunch and bowling will take place at Bowlero, which is just minutes from Shir Hadash. Teens and young children will be in separate areas. Parents are welcome to stay, either with your children or eating lunch at the restaurant located in a separate part of the bowling alley.
Contact Lisa Burton Radzely at sac@shir-hadash.org if you have any questions.
ADULT EDUCATION
Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan Resumes Today
The Rabbi’s weekly Lunch and Learn conversations begin on Thursday, September 7. Bring your lunch and discuss the week’s Torah portion every Thursday at 1:00pm. All are welcome.
SOCIAL ACTION
High Holiday Food Baskets
Once again this year, Shir Hadash is joining with Maot Chitim of Greater Chicagoland to help pack and deliver High Holiday food boxes for Jewish families in need all over the Chicago area. There are two different ways Shir Hadash members can help:
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- Packing food boxes will take place this Sunday, September 10 from 9:30 to 10:30am at 7100 N. McCormick Blvd, Lincolnwood, IL. (Located at the Lincolnwood Town Center across the parking lot from Kohl's).
- Delivery of food packages will take place on Sunday, September 17, from 9:30 to 11:30am in the Buffalo Grove/Wheeling area. We will be delivering 105 food packages, which will be in large boxes weighing approximately 20 lbs. each. We deliver to several large complexes and use a rental truck to transport the boxes. Details on where to meet will be provided to delivery volunteers.
We need approximately 10 people for packing on September 10, and 10 - 15 people for delivery on September 17. If you are interested in helping on one or both of these dates, please email Mark Lenhart at mjlenhart@comcast.net as soon as possible.
School Supplies Drive: A Thank You from Fill A Heart 4 Kids
Shir Hadash Synagogue, your timing was perfect! Thank you for your donations!!! We had 50 additional kids who needed school supplies and you made it happen! Thank you for caring and helping homeless and foster kids!!!
ISRAEL AWARENESS
Join the Israel Committee
Reach out regarding this newsletter section to Ed Rice (e.rice1@comcast.net) or Burton Kopulsky (bkopulsk@chicagobooth.edu) of the SH Israel Committee. They appreciate your feedback, ideas, and suggestions, and encourage other members to join the committee.
Suggested Reading: Israel and Theater
For fans of live theater, it can be difficult to experience unbiased or balanced depictions of life in Israel. This link leads to an opinion piece from a British publication criticizing the British theater community for its anti-Israel bias, noting that the community produces plays only from the perspective of "victims of Israeli aggression." Meanwhile, an Israeli play recently was the subject of controversy in New York, simply because it was about an Israeli and received some of its funding from the Israeli government. More than 60 artists, including four Pulitzer Prize winners and other prominent writers, actors, directors and playwrights have signed an open letter demanding that Lincoln Center (in New York) cancel performances of this play. Fortunately, Lincoln Center politely refused.
On a more positive note, for those interested in learning more about Israeli theater, this link provides a good place to start: If you are aware of plays that deal with Israel that might be of interest in the Chicago area, please reach out to Ed or Burton. They could make for a great Shir Hadash theater outing!
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS
Don’t Forget Our Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers!
The Continental Restaurant in Buffalo Grove or 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.
Shir Hadash Memorial Wall
Having a Memorial Plaque for a loved one in Shir Hadash’s Memorial Wall ensures that Yahrzeit will be observed for them in perpetuity by our congregation.The cost for a plaque is $360. Many congregants prepay and reserve plaques.You may register for the plaque(s) through our website, or request a paper order form by calling the office (847-498-8218),
Fundraiser Information Now Available on Shul Cloud
You can help Shir Hadash at no extra cost to you by taking advantage of a variety of ongoing fundraisers, including iGive, Amazon Smile, and more. For complete details, click here.
SHOP SHIR HADASH
SHOP for Back to School!
SHOP is 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. Orders can be picked up in the Shir Hadash office. For more information, email Michelle at SHOP@shir-hadash.org. Thank you for supporting Shir Hadash with your SHOP purchases!
To view past editions of the Newsletter, please visit our website.
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