WHAT’S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Membership News and Upcoming
Events
Sunday! Renee Rosen, Author of Windy
City Blues, April 8
Domestic Abuse Education Series Continues, April
12
New Environmental
Preservation Education Series, April 20
Prospective Member Open
House, April 22
Coffee House Concert Series
presents Classical Guitarist Mitchell Green, April 28
Israeli Film Series, May 5
Family Retreat Weekend
Book Club - New Selection
Creative Worship and Ritual
Three Services on Friday, April
6
- Pesach – Seventh/Last Day with Yizkor
Memorial Service, 10:00am
- Family Shabbat and Dinner, 5:30pm
- Shabbat Service, 7:30pm
Next Week - Shabbat
Service with Special Guest Speaker, April 13
Oneg Volunteers Needed -- Sign
Up Today
The Rabbi’s Corner
“Into the Desert”
School News
Religious School Resumes April
8
SAC Meeting, April 15
Bring A Friend To School Open
House, April 22
Adult Education
Lunch and Learn with the Rabbi,
April 5
Bagel Breakfast and Speaker
Series with Renee Rosen, April 8
Social Action
Domestic Abuse Education Series Continues, April
12
Israel Awareness
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
Shir Hadash Welcomes Author
Renee Rosen, April 8
Don’t miss a unique
discussion when Renee Rosen, author of Windy City Blues, visits our
Bagel Breakfast and Speaker Series this Sunday! Scroll down to the Adult
Education section for complete details, and plan to join us at 11:00am for this
engaging and enlightening event.
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.
New Series! 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.
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
Coffee House Night - Concert
Series presents Mitchell Green - Classical Guitarist, April 28
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
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.
Family Retreat Weekend
Rabbi Eitan would like for
Shir Hadash to hold a Famiiy Retreat Weekend at a summer camp sometime next
fall or winter. Anyone interested in helping with the planning and
organization, please contact Rabbi Eitan at the Shir Hadash office: 847 498
8218.
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. We are seeking a host for our
meeting, which will be held in May. Please contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com.
CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
Services on Friday, April 6
With the end of Pesach and the arrival of
Shabbat, we will have three unique observances tomorrow, Friday April 6:
Pesach – Seventh/Last Day with Yizkor Memorial
Service, 10:00am
Shir Hadash welcomes our members and congregants
from Congregation Beth Am in Buffalo Grove for a Community Yizkor Service.
Family Service with Rabbi Eitan, 5:30pm
“Matzah Pizza” – Passover 8th Day
Our first service this Friday is intended for
families with young children through third grade. Come at 5:30 for a light
dinner. Our 6:00pm service will be led by Rabbi Eitan. It’s an
interactive Shabbat experience not to be missed! Following the service, we will
join for refreshments and a Shabbat activity. Bring treats to share at the oneg
refreshments.
Shabbat Evening Service/Passover 8th Day, 7:30pm
“Everything You Wanted to Know About Counting
the Omer, But Were Afraid to Ask.”
The Jewish mystical kabbalists saw the counting
of 49 days of the Omer from Passover to Shavu’ot as a spiritual preparation for
the revelation of the Torah at Sinai. Come learn how we as contemporary liberal
Jews can tap into this ancient and powerful tradition in deeply meaningful and
enriching ways.
Our Lahaka Adult Choir will
sing and Jeff Justman will play two guitar solos during our evening worship.
Next Week! Shabbat Service and Israel Speaker Series,
April 13
As part of our Shabbat
observance next week, join us in welcoming Keren 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.
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
April 6-7, 2018 / 22 Nisan 5778
Shabbat Pesach Day 8
Omer: Day 7
“Into the Desert”
Dear Friends,
What did our ancestors, the Children of Israel,
really face in leaving Egypt? As we conclude our week-long Passover
celebration and the telling of our ancestors’ miraculous deliverance from
bondage, reality starts to set in. The new normal becomes apparent.
With the crossing of the Sea of Reeds, our
ancestors confronted a whole new existence – desert dwelling. Remember that
they were village and city people. They were farmers and craftsmen living in
one of the most fertile regions of the world, the Nile River delta. What did
they know of deserts? What did they know of camping? What did they know of the
nomadic life? Nothing. This was a whole new existence – exhilarating and
frightening, exciting and challenging in ways no one could possibly imagine.
Soon our ancestors would receive the Torah at Mount Sinai and then they
would move on to the Promised Land. Through forty years of wandering they would
emerge as free men and women.
The Talmud asks why it was necessary for the
Israelites to endure such a difficult experience. One answer describes how a
crucible of ore must endure the blast furnace in order to produce pure gold.
As we leave Passover behind and set off for the
Promised Land, remember that the way of growth is hard and that change is never
easy. Remember that the path to maturity, identity, confidence, and pride is
rarely smooth, but it is worth it in every way. Our Jewish tradition teaches
that we must go into the desert in order to reach the Promised Land.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
SCHOOL NEWS
Religious School Resumes April
8
Welcome back! 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
Bagel Breakfast and Speaker Series, Sunday April
8, 11am - 12:30 pm
Featuring Renee Rosen, Author of Windy City
Blues
Renée Rosen's latest novel, Windy City Blues,
beautifully captures the trials and tribulations of a love affair between a
white Orthodox Jewish woman and black bluesman in segregated Chicago during the
1950s and 1960s. The presentation will include video and sound recordings.
$5 to cover cost of breakfast.
Torah and Jewish Philosophy Class, Resumes April
8
Instructor: Fred Andes
Join us 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 5
Join Rabbi Eitan and Shir Hadash members and
friends for refreshing and contemporary Jewish learning. We are currently
studying Talmud, specifically the Mishna Trachtate Berachot. 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: Guest Speaker on April 8, Israeli Film Night on May 5
Scroll
up to the Member Events and Worship and Ritual sections to read about exciting
programs planned for the coming weeks from the Israel Awareness Committee.
Did You Know? Fun Facts About
Israel
- Although the
average Israeli seder is long (sometimes up to six hours), only one seder
is required in Israel, compared to two outside of Israel.
- Many
restaurants and cafes in Israel serve potato bread over Passover, which is
kosher.
- If you have
your seder in Jerusalem, instead of saying “next year in Jerusalem” at the
end of the seder, you say “next year in a built Jerusalem.” This reminds
us that even if you are in Jerusalem for Passover, there is still a ways
to go until we are actually free from everyday things that make us less
free.
- Ben &
Jerry's sells Charoset flavored ice cream in Israel for Passover.
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, click here.
- 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
Thank you to Beth and Neil Hirshman for your recent donation to
the General Fund.
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 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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