WHAT’S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Membership News and Upcoming Events
- Sunday -- Holocaust Remembrance Program, April 15
- Prospective Member and School Open House, April 22
- Annual Meeting, May 6
- Tonight -- Domestic Abuse Education Series Continues, April 12
- Environmental Preservation Education Series, April 20
- Coffee House Concert Series presents Classical Guitarist Mitchell Green, April 28
- Israeli Film Series, May 5
- Book Club
Creative Worship and Ritual
- Shabbat Service with Special Guest Speaker, April 13, 7:30pm
- Shabbat Morning B'nai Mitzvah Service, April 14, 9:30am
- Oneg Volunteers Needed -- Sign Up Today
The Rabbi’s Corner
- “Why Keep Kosher?”
School News
- Religious School, April 15
- Holocaust Remembrance (Yom Ha’Shoah) Program, April 15
- SAC Meeting, April 15
- Bring A Friend To School Open House, April 22
Adult Education
- Lunch and Learn with the Rabbi, April 12
- Torah and Jewish Philosophy, Sundays
- Living Judaism: Introduction to Jewish Spirituality & Civilization, April 15
Social Action
- Domestic Abuse Education Series Continues, April 12
Israel Awareness
- Upcoming Events: Speaker on April 13, Israeli Movie Night on May 5
- Did You Know? Fun Facts About Israel
Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council
- Sock Drive for the Homeless Going on Now
- More Events and Programs from Interfaith Council
- Seeking an Additional Shir Hadash Rep for Interfaith Council
Donations
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
Save the Date! Religious School Bring a Friend Open House, April 22
Join us on Sunday, April 22 during Religious School for our Bring A Friend Open House event. Students and Members are encouraged to bring a friend to learn more about Shir Hadash and our Religious School. Help us share the excitement of our innovative school and our progressive Synagogue by inviting your friends to attend. For each friend you bring you will receive a raffle entry for a $50 gift card.
During the open house your friends will get to:
- Meet Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow and Education Director Geoff Prass
- Tour our warm and inviting classrooms, youth lounge, and sanctuary
- Have the option to sit in on an age appropriate class
- Have a nosh, a cup of coffee, and meet parents with children currently enrolled
Please click here to RSVP.
Annual Meeting, May 6
Join us for our Annual Meeting. Have bagels and lox while you hear from candidates for the Board of Directors and hear the reports from the President and Treasurer. We will then vote for Board Members and to approve the Annual Budget.
Domestic Abuse Education Series Continues, April 12
The second of our discussions on domestic abuse will be led by guest speaker Anita Pildes, Community Education and Outreach Coordinator for SHALVA. We will explore the different types of domestic abuse: physical, emotional, financial, sexual, spiritual, and electronic. The presentation will include the following topics:
- What is domestic abuse?
- Types of domestic abuse
- Myths about domestic abuse
- What is SHALVA and what are its services?
The discussion begins at 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 12. All are welcome and open to the public and greater community. Future workshops are scheduled for June 7, August 2, October 4 and December 6.
Holocaust Remembrance (Yom Ha’Shoah) Program, April 15
Please join us this Sunday, 10:30-11:15am, as we remember and honor the Holocaust victims. The seventh grade class will lead this program. It takes place in the sanctuary. All are welcome, both members and nonmembers.
"How does one mourn for six million people who died? How many prayers does one recite? Do we know how to remember the victims, their solitude, their helplessness? They left us without a trace, and we are their trace."
- Elie Wiesel
Environmental Preservation, April 20
We are launching a new educational series on the vital issues of environmental protection. Our first guest speaker, on Friday, April 20, will be Mary S. Allen who is the Recycling and Education Director for the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC), a not-for-profit intergovernmental agency with 23 member municipalities including the Village of Wheeling. We will provide an overview of key programs and resources that focus on waste prevention and recovery, as well as highlight sustainability initiatives. Come and learn what more you can be doing to reduce your carbon footprint to be a better steward of the Earth.
Coffee House Night - Concert Series presents Mitchell Green - Classical Guitarist, April 28, 7:30 pm
One of Shir Hadash’s own, Mitchell Green, is going to grace us with a 90 minute Classical Guitar Concert featuring works from traditional and contemporary composers. There is a link on the April Calendar if you’d like to reserve your spot, or, you can contact Margie at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and indicate how many people are in your party and whether or not you'd like to volunteer to be part of the Coffee House Night Team or contribute Baked Goods for this event. Please put “Coffee House Night - Concert” in the subject. This is going to be a real treat. Hope to see you there!
One of Shir Hadash’s own, Mitchell Green, is going to grace us with a 90 minute Classical Guitar Concert featuring works from traditional and contemporary composers. There is a link on the April Calendar if you’d like to reserve your spot, or, you can contact Margie at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and indicate how many people are in your party and whether or not you'd like to volunteer to be part of the Coffee House Night Team or contribute Baked Goods for this event. Please put “Coffee House Night - Concert” in the subject. This is going to be a real treat. Hope to see you there!
Save the Date! Israeli Film Series, May 5 - 7:30 pm
We have an exciting and unusual movie planned for the evening of May 5. We will be showing The Ballad of the Weeping Spring. This award winning and very musical film is an homage to The Magnificent Seven. Admission is free and snacks will be available for purchase.
Book Club
The Book Club’s next selection will be The Bridal Chair by Gloria Goldreich, a work of a historical fiction about Marc Chagall’s daughter. Our meeting will be in mid-May at the home of Rebecca Rice, 3641 Bernay Drive in Northbrook. Specific date and time will be announced soon. For more information, contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com.
CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
Shabbat Service and Israel Speaker Series, April 13, 7:30pm
As part of our Shabbat observance this week, join us in welcoming Kerin Fraiman, Spertus Institute's Dean and Chief Academic Officer, who will lead an interactive session on Israel as a Jewish and Democratic State. She has a diverse background that includes Israel Education, a PhD in International Relations from MIT, extensive research, and service as an officer in the IDF. This unique and fascinating session is open to the general public. Please come, and encourage friends and family to come as well.
Shabbat Morning B’nai Mitzvah Service, April 14, 9:30am
We welcome Danny and Sam Simon to the bima.
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 atoneg@shir-hadash.org.
THE RABBI’S CORNER
April 13-14, 2018 / 29 Nisan 5778 / Shabbat Shemini
Torah: Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47
Haftarah: I Samuel 20:18 - 20:42 | Shabbat Machar Chodesh
Omer: Day 14
“Why Keep Kosher?”
Dear Friends,
Why keep kosher? This week’s Torah portion goes into the rules and regulations of the Jewish dietary laws. But it does not explain why. Over the centuries, many rabbis have tried to explain the reason for this Jewish tradition. Some said that we should keep kosher simply because God said so. Others argued that keeping kosher is all about eating healthy and avoiding diseases that might be carried in the flesh of predators and carnivorous animals. Still others advocated for the spiritual elevation that eating brings when we observe God’s commandments.
Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the founder of Reconstructionism, taught that the reason Jews keep kashrut is to make “the people of Israel aware of its dedication to God as a priestly or holy people.” Thus, eating in a Jewish way has “contributed to the perpetuation of the Jewish people and the retention of its way of life.” So, according to Kaplan, kashrut is a key way of preserving Jewish identity.
Kaplan adds that keeping kosher “is particularly effective in lending Jewish atmosphere to the home, which, in the Diaspora, is our last-ditch-defense against the inroads of assimilation.” So, for Kaplan, keeping kosher is a powerful folkway – an age-old Jewish tradition that is not necessarily about health or holiness or spirituality. Rather, it is all about Jewish consciousness, identity, and community. It is all about magnifying how we live a Jewish life.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
To enjoy past entries of the Rabbi's Corner, please visit our website.
SCHOOL NEWS
Religious School, April 15
We’re looking forward to seeing all our teachers and students ready to go at 9:15 this Sunday.
SAC Meeting, April 15
It’s never too late in the school year to get involved! Join other religious school parents to hear what’s going on the remainder of this year, and some thoughts about next year. The School Advisory Committee (SAC) will meet in the annex conference room on April 15 starting at 9:30am. All parents are welcome.
Bring A Friend To School Open House, April 22
On April 22, have a friend join you at religious school and show them how amazing our Sunday School is! You will receive a raffle ticket for each friend you bring, with an opportunity to win a $50 gift card. Scroll back to the top of the newsletter or click here for details!
ADULT EDUCATION
Torah and Jewish Philosophy Class, Sundays
Instructor: Fred Andes
Join us at 9:30am to dig deep into the weekly Torah portion and take a look at modern Jewish philosophy.
Living Judaism: Introduction to Jewish Spirituality & Civilization, Resumes April 15
Sundays, 11:15 am to 12:25 pm on 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.
Lunch and Learn at Shir Hadash, April 12
Join Rabbi Eitan and Shir Hadash members and friends for refreshing and contemporary Jewish learning. We are studying the books of Joshua and Judges, which cover the fascinating period of Jewish history from the crossing of the Jordan River until the first kings of Israel. Everyone is welcome. No prior study, expertise, or background required. Feel free to bring your lunch.
SOCIAL ACTION
Domestic Abuse Education Series Continues, April 12
See details about this educational community event at the top of the newsletter.
The second of our discussions on domestic abuse will be led by guest speaker Anita Pildes, Community Education and Outreach Coordinator for SHALVA. We will explore the different types of domestic abuse: physical, emotional, financial, sexual, spiritual, and electronic. The presentation will include the following topics:
- What is domestic abuse?
- Types of domestic abuse
- Myths about domestic abuse
- What is SHALVA and what are its services?
The discussion begins at 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 12. All are welcome and open to the public and greater community. Future workshops are scheduled for June 7, August 2, October 4 and December 6.
ISRAEL AWARENESS
Upcoming Events:
- Tomorrow: Guest Speaker at Shabbat Service, April 13
- Save the Date: Israeli Film Night on May 5
Scroll up to the Member Events and Worship & Ritual sections to read about exciting programs planned for the coming weeks from the Israel Awareness Committee.
Did You Know? Fun Facts About Israel
- Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees.
- Israeli company HomeBioGas has developed anaerobic biodigesters that can turn food scraps and animal manure into clean biogas for cooking, heating and lighting.
- An Israeli inventor has developed the world’s first cardboard bicycle from recycled materials. The bike is resistant to rain and sun, and costs around $9.
- An Israeli company was the first to develop and install a large-scale solar-powered and fully functional electricity generating plant, in southern California’s Mojave desert.
NORTHWEST SUBURBAN INTERFAITH COUNCIL
Sock Drive Going on Now
Interfaith Council’s annual Knock Your Socks Off collection for mens’, womens’, and childrens’ new socks is going on now. Please bring new socks to help fill the box near in the Shir Hadash lobby during April and May. Donations will be distributed to our homeless neighbors in the Northwest Suburbs.
Other Events and Projects from the Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council
Shir Hadash is an active member of the Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council. We look forward to the spring and summer with the following upcoming programs:
- Stamp Out Hunger, May 12, sponsored by the US Postal mail carriers: You place non-perishable food in your mailbox and the mail carriers will collect it. The Interfaith Council will then pick up the food and distribute it to our pantries that serve our community.
- 5th Annual i-Walk Against Hunger, June 24: A family walk from St. Mary Parish to Hope Lutheran Church and back. All donations collected go to assist our food pantries. We need walkers, sponsors and volunteers.
- 5th annual service trip to Detroit on August 1-5: Volunteers will work with Cass Community Social Services to repair, maintain and build facilities to benefit the hungry, homeless, and unemployed. For more information and to register, clickhere.
- Interfaith Trip to Israel, summer 2018: details forthcoming.
- Food Donations: Please remember those less fortunate. Donations of canned goods are accepted throughout the year at our food pantries located at Congregation Beth Am (1370 Abbott Court, Buffalo Grove), Kingswood Methodist Church (401 W. Dundee, Buffalo Grove) and St. Mary Parish (10 North Buffalo Grove Road.)
We are discussing ideas for further educational programming. Our last panels covered questions on Christianity and Judaism. If you have any suggested topics, please contact Suzanne Wexler at skwexler@yahoo.com or 847-769-8257.
Seeking Shir Hadash Representative for Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council
Please consider joining Suzanne Wexler in representing SH at the Interfaith Council, a group of 10 congregations from synagogues and churches in Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Prospect Heights and Long Grove. We are dedicated to building a stronger faith community and understanding of our neighbors and friends. Our programs include the yearly Thanksgiving Celebration (attended by 800-1000 people), iWalk 5K for Hunger, educational evenings, Stamp Out Hunger (USPS food drive), and much more.
The council members meet on the first Monday of each month from 7:30-9:00pm. We share ideas from our congregations as well as plan and execute community-wide programs to serve our communities, including our neighbors in need. Please contact Suzanne Wexler if you are interested in hearing more: skwexler@yahoo.com or (847) 769-8257.
DONATIONS
Many thanks to the following for their generous donations to Shir Hadash:
- Glenn and Chantal Graff
- Sharon Greenspan
- Ralph and Marci Nach
- Sandi and Lise Schleicher
- Stuart Aizenberg and Sandy Simon
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 … Spring?
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 atSHOP@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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