WHAT’S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Membership News and Upcoming
Events
Deadline Extended! New Member Dinner, January 27
Last Chance to Sign Up! Ga-ga for GaGa Youth
Event, January 21
Coffee
House Night– Open Mic Style, February 3
Save the Date! Purim Carnival, February
25
Volunteers
Needed for Purim
Creative Worship and Ritual
Shabbat
Evening Service, Friday January 19
Oneg
Volunteers Needed -- Sign Up Today
The Rabbi’s Corner
“Together”
School News
Religious
School, January 21
Info
Session for Camp Havaya, January 21
Bagel
Bar Help Needed
Youth Activities
Register Today! Ga-Ga for GaGa Event”,
January 21
Adult Education
New! Judaism - Believe It or Not with
OSRUI’s Jerry Kaye, February 4
Torah
and Jewish Philosophy Class, January 21
Living
Judaism Sunday Class, January 21
No
Lunch and Learn this Week
Social Action
Educational
Series on Domestic Abuse and Violence, February 1
Soup
Kitchen, February 18
Israel Awareness
Israeli Movie Night, February 10
Did You Know? Fun Facts About Israel
Ongoing
Fundraisers
Simcha Tree Leaves
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
New Member Dinner, January 27
Registration Deadline Extended to
January 23
Join us to celebrate the growth of Shir
Hadash at this casual dinner with our community. There is no cost for our new
members. We’d appreciate a donation of
$10 per adult and $4 per child ages 4-12 for our members of more than one
year. Children age three and under are
free.
Please register here by January 23, so we can finalize the
numbers and have the right amount of food. Let us know how many will be
attending and if you prefer a gluten free or dairy free meal. We hope to have
members of the Madrichim helping with the younger children, so please plan to
bring them as well.
Save
the Date! Coffee House Night– Open Mic Style, February 3
You don’t have to be a performer to enjoy live local
talent at our Coffee House Night events! Our Coffee House Nights are open to
the community. Doors will open at 6:30pm, and performances will run from 7:00pm
to 10:30pm or so. Enjoy our cozy atmosphere, comfortable seating, hot beverages,
goodies, and the amazing talent of our friends. Remember, everyone is welcome
to participate!
●
Got talent? Whether you’ve made an advance
reservation or not, we want you to have your time in the spotlight. Any talent
is welcome -- Dancers, Actors, Musicians, Storytellers, Group Acts -- you name
it. Please click here or go to the Shir
Hadash website and click on the Coffee House link so we know who you are and
can plan properly. Talent will have about 10-12 minutes on stage or up to two
tunes depending on length.
●
Want to be part of the Coffee House Night Team?
Contact Margie at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and put “Talent,” “Baker,” or “House”
in the subject line.
Can’t wait to see you all there on
Saturday, February 3!
Last Chance to Sign Up! Ga-ga for
GaGa Youth Event, January 21
Our exciting youth group GaGa event is
this Sunday after Religious School. (Scroll down to our Youth Activities
section for complete details.) We need to have everyone registered by today, January 18, in order to plan
appropriately. Click here to sign up.
Save
the Date! Purim Carnival, February 25
Come one, come all to see what’s new and exciting at our
annual Purim Carnival! Enjoy food, photo booths, face painting, balloon
sculptures, unlimited games, a silent auction, and fun for the whole family
from 11:30 to 1:30. Tickets are $10 pre-ordered, $12 at the door. Click here for more
info.
Volunteers Needed
for the Purim Carnival
Let’s make this the best Purim Carnival ever for our kids!
We need help setting up on Saturday, Feb 24 starting at 3:30pm. If you can’t
make it then, Sunday at 9:00am to finish set-up or 11:30-1:30 to help run a
game during the carnival or after carnival at 1:30 for clean up. We also can use help with
getting silent auction donations from local businesses. Just ask anywhere you
shop; click here for the
donation request form. Or you may donate a service or item from your business,
work or yourself. Many opportunities to help! Please contact Cindy Grills at
homes@cindygrills.com or (847) 409-3707.
Book Club - New
Selection
The next book for Book Club will be The Two Family House by Linda Cohen Loigman. This book is a
multigenerational tale involving gender expectations. The Book Club meeting
will be in March and the date and place TBA. Contact Meryl Abensohn at
abenkras@ aol.com for more information.
CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
Shabbat
Evening Service, Friday January 19, 7:30pm
This Friday, we celebrate the birthday of
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And, we consider this week's Torah
portion, which is about Moses and his leadership of the people as they prepare
to leave Egypt. So, our Shabbat service will focus on these two men -
great leaders and champions for freedom. Let's hear the messages that
they sent us, and receive their call - to continue the holy work of pursuing
freedom and justice for all. Please remember to bring a treat to share
during the oneg.
Oneg
Volunteers Needed for Services
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
January 19-20, 2018 / 4 Shevat 5778
Shabbat Bo
Torah - Exodus 10:1-13:16 / Haftarah -
Jeremiah 46:13-28
“Together”
Dear Friends,
In this week’s Torah portion, the plagues are
raging against Egypt and Pharaoh is weakening.
He offers to let the men of Israel leave to worship God out in the desert. Moses insists that the Hebrews will go “with
our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our
flocks and with our herds.” In other
words, the Children of Israel are in this together. We have been enslaved together and we will
leave together. With that, our ancestors left Egypt, traveled through the
wilderness, received the Torah at Mount Sinai and entered the Promised Land -
together.
This principle has guided the Jewish people
from that moment until this very day. We
are one community. We have no tradition
of asceticism, of living in isolation.
On the contrary, our sages have taught us “do not separate yourself from
the community (Pirkei Avot).” We go through life together.
In our families, communities, at Shir Hadash,
and within the Jewish community worldwide, the same applies. Amongst our seven core values of Shir Hadash
are ‘Community’ and ‘Love for the Jewish people.’ For us the value of ‘Community’ means that we
connect all Shir Hadash members together in a caring and sharing extended
Jewish ‘family;’ we joyfully volunteer our time, talents and resources to
supporting and leading our Shir Hadash community, its activities and projects.
The lesson is clear. We are one people
and we stick together.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
To enjoy
past entries of the Rabbi's Corner, please visit our website.
SCHOOL NEWS
Religious School, January 21
We’re
looking forward to seeing our students ready to go at 9:15 this Sunday.
Info Session for Camp Havaya
(Formerly Camp JRF), January 21
On
January 21, Rabbi Isaac Saposnik, Executive Director of Camp Havaya (formerly
Camp JRF) from the Reconstructionist Movement camp, will be at Shir Hadash to give a presentation
about the camp for our students and hold a special meeting just for
parents. This is a great chance to find
out about a fantastic camp and to have answered any questions you may have. Specific times for the presentation will be
given when we get back from break.
Please plan to come to hear about this awesome opportunity for our
students. To see the camp video, click here.
Sunday Morning Bagel Bar Help
Needed
We
all enjoy the delicious bagels at Sunday school, graciously donated by Tammy
Pomper. Now we need some volunteers to pitch in with set-up and clean-up.
Helpers would need to arrive around 8:15am to make coffee and set out bagels. If we get lots of helpers, it won't be much of a time commitment for
anyone. Please contact Glenn Graff, nflsunday1966@gmail.com, or Tammy Pomper, tammy.g.pomper@gmail.com,
to learn more.
YOUTH ACTIVITIES
Ga-Ga
for Gaga! Youth Group Event, January 21
Last Day to Register!
Kindergarteners through teens, we heard your
request for extra time in Shir Hadash's new indoor gaga pit, so we are making
it the next youth group event. On
Sunday, January 21, 12:30-2:30 we will eat lunch and then Coach Cliff Silverman
will lead us in traditional gaga games as well as fun variations. The different age groups will have separate
gaga pits.
Gaga ball is an Israeli game that is enjoyed
by all ages and athletic abilities. No
experience necessary; it can be learned in a couple of minutes. More information on gaga ball and Coach Cliff
Silverman can be found here.
$10 SHY youth group members/ $12 non-SHY youth
group members. Register by Thursday,
January 18, by clicking
here. Ask Lisa Burton Radzely any questions at
sac@shir-hadash.org.
ADULT EDUCATION
New! “Judaism: Believe It or
Not” with Jerry Kaye, February 4
Our new First Sunday Bagel Breakfast Speaker
Series continues on February 4 at 11:00am. Jerry Kaye, Director Emeritus of the
URJ Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, will present
“People of the Scribe: Stories Humorous and Sincere,” illustrating Jewish
tradition, history, and humor. No RSVP required; $5 donation to cover food.
Torah
and Jewish Philosophy Class, January 21
Instructor: Fred Andes
Dig deep into the weekly Torah portion and
take a look at modern Jewish philosophy.
Living Judaism:
Introduction to Jewish Spirituality & Civilization, January 21
Sundays, 11:15 am to
12:25 pm on Jan 21, and 28; Feb 11; March 11 and 18; April
15, 22, and 29, 2018.
Instructor: Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
A survey of essential and fundamental concepts of Judaism
- its roots, history, sacred texts, holidays, and life cycle celebration. This class offers a great opportunity to
learn what Judaism offers us to live, learn, celebrate and relate to life’s
challenges in a Jewish way, today! This
class is for everyone – from those with no Jewish background to those with a
strong Jewish background, and all in between.
No
Lunch & Learn Today
Due to a funeral, there will be no Lunch &
Learn session with the Rabbi on January 18. Next week, join the Rabbi and Shir
Hadash friends for a refreshing and contemporary exploration of the weekly
Torah portion, a selected book of the Bible, or a contemporary work of Jewish
wisdom. All are welcome.
SOCIAL ACTION
Educational
Series on Domestic Abuse, February 1
The SH Social Action Committee announces a new
six-part series on the sensitive subject of domestic violence. Beginning
February 1 and running every other month, the series will welcome a variety of
experts to lead thoughtful explorations of crucial topics.
For the first session on February 1 at 7:00pm,
our guest presenter Margret Younis will address essential questions about
patterns of control in domestic violence situations. Margret has a Bachelor’s
Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology. She
helps women overcome mental, financial, and social barriers, and provides
counseling to help them pursue higher education, find jobs, and start
successful businesses.
For more information, contact Jeff Wallk, jeffrey.wallk@gmail.com.
Soup Kitchen, February 18
On Sunday, February 18, Shir Hadash will be serving
over 90 meals at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church interfaith soup kitchen in
Evanston. We need six to eight families (20-25 people total) who are able to
prepare, cook and serve food from 2:00 to 4:00pm.
Each family will be responsible for bringing a
precooked meat or pasta entrée (non-vegetarian, in a disposable dish), a large
bag of frozen mixed vegetables, a bag of fresh fruit, and a dessert to feed
approximately 15 people. Feel free to partner with another family to fill these
needs.This is a great family event because there is no age limit to volunteer,
but from past experience, kids should be at least six years old to participate.
If you are interested in helping, please contact
Mark Lenhart, mjlenhart@comcast.net.
These Grins, and Many More, are
Thanks to our Holiday Gift Drive Donors
A
photo says a thousand words, and these pictures depict the joy that our gift
drive donors brought to children this holiday season.
In
addition to making the holidays brighter for dozens of low-income children who
work with Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS) as well as eight foster
children connected with Fill A Heart 4 Kids, we also surprised and delighted a
refugee family. When reaching out to the Syrian Community Network, we learned
that parents asked for winter clothing for their children and did not want to
make any more requests. Likewise, the Syrian Community Network appreciated all
of the warm clothing that had been donated and didn't want to ask its donors
for anything else. However, when Shir Hadash offered to donate toys and other
gifts, they paired us with a family. We gave each child two gifts, as well as
presents to the parents because everyone deserves a gift at holiday time. The
toys, doll, art supplies, games, and science kits were a pleasant surprise for
the children, and for the parents who did not think their children would be
receiving anything but warm weather clothing, outerwear, and boots. The parents
were delighted to receive gift cards, but most of all they were thrilled to see
their children's joy and to know they would have fun things to do at home
throughout the year.
Thank
you to Shir Hadash for helping this refugee family have a wonderful holiday and
giving them things they will enjoy greatly for years to come! It means so much to them that people went out
of their way to help them. Pictured above is the family and their main contact
at the Syrian Community Network.
ISRAEL
AWARENESS
Save
the Date! Film on February 10
We are still finalizing licensing rights, but
we are planning on showing a Jewish film from the UK in lieu of the planned
Israeli film. The Women of Shir Hadash will sponsor this showing. The Israel
Committee will follow-up on this showing with our next Israeli film in spring.
Did You
Know? Fun Facts about Israel
Tel Aviv enjoys 300 annual days of sunshine.
Tel Aviv has 13 official beaches which stretch
over 8.7 miles. National Geographic has deemed Tel Aviv the ninth best beach
city in the world.
The Italian government awarded Tel Aviv's
Pronto the title of "Best Italian Restaurant Outside of Italy."
Tel Aviv University is the country's largest
university and is ranked among the world's top 100 universities. Recently,
researchers at the university developed a therapy that may treat mantle cell
lymphoma, the most aggressive form of blood cancer.
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS
Simcha Tree Leaves Available for Purchase
Our Tree of Joy—a Simcha Tree—is situated in our Community
Room to remind us of all the joys of our lives. The leaves come in copper,
silver, and gold. Each leaf marks a lasting memory of a joyous simcha in the lives of members of Shir
Hadash. We invite you to add your loved
ones’ simchas to our Tree and share your nachas
with our congregation or just add your loved ones’ names out of love. Leaves
can be purchased to mark your special family or individual
accomplishments. Click here to see additional information and make your purchase.
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 the Winter
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.
