WHAT’S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
- Shabbat Evening - Second Friday SHED Talks, April 12, 7:30pm
- RSVP Today! Community Seder, April 20, 6:00pm
- Sponsor an Oneg
- Religious School, April 14
- Adult Education Programs
- Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan, Thursdays
- Spread the Word! School Open House, May 5
- Volunteers Needed for Voluntary Contribution Task Force
- Today! Mussar Study Group, April 11, 7:30pm
- Saturday! Family Game Night, April 13, 6:30pm
- Coffee House Night Concert Series Presents Scarlett Andes, May 4, 7:30pm
- Annual Meeting May 19, 9:15am
- SHED Talk Hats and Shirts Still Available
- Notes from Nancy
- Volunteers Needed! Deliver Passover Food Boxes, April 14
- New! Play Bingo with Seniors, April 28
- Tzedakah for the Muslim Community and New Zealand
- Sock Drive Continues
Israel Awareness
- Israeli Film Series
- Did You Know? Facts About Israel - Land Edition
Jewish Community Events
- Northwest Synagogues Yom HaShoah Service, May 1
- Jewish National Fund Yom Ha'atzmaut Community Celebration, May 9
- JUF Dinner Honoring Dr. Steven B. Nasatir, May 29
- Reconstructing Judaism Summer Camps
- SHOP Shir Hadash
- Simcha Tree Leaves
- Don’t Forget Our Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers!
- Shir Hadash Memorial Wall
- Links to Fundraisers: Amazon, iGive, and More
Shabbat Evening Service, April 12, 7:30: “SHED TALKS – Shir Hadash’s version of TED Talks” – We begin with a brief Kabbalah Shabbat to welcome the Shabbat with song and story. Then, Shir Hadash members offer personal reflections on life, living, and Judaism. Oneg refreshments to follow
1. Suzanne Sabransky - "Transgender and Jewish: How Do We Fit In?" -- I will explain in easy terms why/how someone is transgender, speak about my own experience with Judaism and transitioning, and talk about what various Jewish denominations think about us. I promise you'll learn something new, and have new questions as well!
2. Johannah Simon - “A Sense of Lost” - An exploration of the Jewish perspective regarding miscarriage, including how my faith both comforted and isolated me. I will also share how I have been able to find strength in my struggle and the empowering insights I have gained in the process of healing.
RSVP Today! Community Seder, April 20, 6:00 - 9:00 pm - Join us for a Second Night Community Seder led by Rabbi Eitan, where Passover is honored and reconstructed for the 21st Century. A service that is familiar but lively and involving. The Seder is followed by a pot luck meal. Click here for information on what to bring and to register.
Sponsor an Oneg! Having a birthday, anniversary or remembrance? You can sponsor an oneg to celebrate. A dessert oneg is $136 and everybody appreciates and enjoys your hospitality. The donation covers all food, including a special celebration cake. Please contact Nancy Kekst at the synagogue office to make arrangements.
April 12-13, 2019 / 8 Nisan 5779 / Shabbat Metzora/Hagadol
Torah: Leviticus 14:1 - 15:33
Haftarah: Malachi 3:4 - 3:24 | Shabbat HaGadol
“The Great Shabbat”
Dear Friends,
Passover is coming! Soon we will be seated at our seder tables to recount the story of our people’s flight from slavery to freedom. The Shabbat before Passover is called “Shabbat Hagadol,” the great Shabbat. Its name derives from the haftarah from the book of Malachi, in which he foresees a “great day” when Elijah the Prophet will come and announce the redemption of the world – a time when all will live in peace.
The message for me is that the Exodus is the beginning of the journey towards redemption. To complete the process we must partner with God and do arts of righteousness and lovingkindness in order to bring justice and peace to a broken world. As we sit and tell the story of Passover, let us renew our sense of Jewish identity. Let us renew our commitment to Jewish values and teachings. Let us join together in doing what we can to make the world a better place for everyone.
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Religious School, April 14 -- We are looking forward to seeing all our students and families at Shir Hadash on Sunday morning.
Adult Education Programs -- All three adult ed classes will resume at Shir Hadash on April 14. To see the regular class times for future weeks, visit the Shir Hadash calendar.
Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan -- Each Thursday, join the Rabbi and Shir Hadash members and friends for an exploration of the weekly Torah portion from 1:00 to 2:00pm.
Spread the Word! School Open House, May 5 -- Spread the Word and Get $25 Gift Card! SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE, May 5 -- We need your help! Please get the word out about our upcoming Religious School Open House Tell your friends, neighbors and long lost relatives about their chance to come in, meet Rabbi Eitan and Rabbi Marcey and have their child spend the morning in an actual class. Members who refer a family will receive a $25 Starbucks, Lettuce Entertain You or other gift card for each new family that attends the Open House! Interested member families can share the School Open House page at https://www.shir-hadash.org/openhouse.
Volunteers Needed for Task Force on Voluntary Commitment to Replace Traditional Dues -- Volunteers are needed to develop policies and implement the process. Want to learn more about it? Click here to watch the recording of our Town Hall Meeting. For more information or to join the discussion, please contact the Membership Committee, committee.membership@shir-hadash.org.
Dedication of Twelve Tribes Bimah Panels -- On April 5, we dedicated our Twelve Tribes Bimah Artwork Panels during our “Pausing in the Wilderness” service. Celebrating our fifth anniversary in our building, the art panels are a combined creation of artists Maureen Fisher Schweit and Abe Schor, who worked together on concept, design and colors.
You are invited to participate in this fundraising historic project by dedicating all or part of a panel. Three panels have been dedicated and three more are under consideration--Each panel dedication is $1,800; panels may be dedicated by more than one person and families may pool resources to dedicate one panel (e.g, $180 each by 10 people). Donors will be acknowledged on our new donor wall next to the Simcha Tree.
To learn more about the Bimah Panels, click here. For questions, panel reservation, choice and payment options, contact Executive Director Nancy Kleine Kekst at (216) 789-2452 (mobile) or email execdir@shir-hadash.org.
Tonight! Mussar Study Group, April 11 -- Our discussion of Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar concludes on Thursday with the theme of Trust. There is no charge for participation in the Mussar Study Group and all are welcome. Click here for an informative overview of Mussar. Please email Lynn Liebling, lliebling@sbcglobal.net if you have any questions.
Sunday! MOSH Family Game Night, April 13, 6:30pm --MOSH is sponsoring a Family Game Night at the home of Chantal and Glenn Graff, 473 Thorndale Drive in Buffalo Grove. Whether you are an adult or a kid, come and have some fun playing a variety of board or card games. If you have a favorite game, bring it along. We hope to have multiple games going at once allowing choices for different ages and game tastes. Click here for registration.
Coffee House Night - Concert Series Presents Scarlett Andes, May 4, 7:30pm -- We are thrilled to present one of our own, Scarlett Andes, accompanied by pianist Gail Mangurten of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. Her 90-minute Solo Concert will span centuries of repertoire drawn from genres including Musical Theatre, Yiddish Theatre, Opera, and Contemporary Music. Reservations are now open; space will fill up quickly, so click here now to save your spot. A free will donation is welcomed.
If you'd like to be help out on the day of the event, or to contribute a baked good or item for our Treat Table, please contact Margie at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and indicate your interest in joining the Coffee House Night Team. Thank you in advance for volunteering!
Annual Meeting May 19 -- The Shir Hadash 2019 annual meeting will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2019, at 9:15 a.m., at the synagogue. At the meeting, we will share important information, vote on nominees for open positions on the Board of Directors, and approve the Shir Hadash budget for 2019-2020.
Tee Shirts and Hats Still Available: If you missed our most recent Shabbat SHED talk, we have a limited quantity of Welli’s Warriors T-shirts and Felicia’s Fighters hats still available. All T-shirts are size large. The T-shirt and hat together as a set is $10. Please purchase directly from Nancy Kleine Kekst. Cash is preferred. There are about a dozen sets left to purchase, so get them while they’re hot!
Notes from Nancy
1. We have a box of Passover Haggadahs, with drawings by Leonard Baskin, which was donated to the synagogue. If you need some for your home service, contact the office.
2. Lynne Arons and I represented Shir Hadash on Sunday morning at the Northwest Jewish Connectors Volunteer Open House at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center. We helped coordinate a variety of hands-on projects geared towards supporting first responders and disaster relief efforts. This is a great group for us to recruit new members.
ISRAEL AWARENESS
Israeli Film Series at Shir Hadash: A large crowd enjoyed Saturday's screening of “Jellyfish.” Our next Israeli film showing will be after Yom Kippur in the fall. If you have any suggestions, please contact Burton Kopulsky, bkopulsk@chicagobooth.edu.
Did You Know? Facts About Israel - Sports Edition
- Soccer and basketball are the two most popular sports in Israel. Other popular sports include tennis, swimming, and martial arts.
- Israel sent a team to the first Paralympics Games in 1960 in Rome and hosted the games in 1968.
- Israel has competed in the Olympics since 1952 winning a total of nine medals
Volunteers Needed! Deliver Passover Food Boxes, April 14 - Shir Hadash will be joining with Maot Chitim of Greater Chicagoland to help pack and deliver Passover food boxes for needy Jewish families all over the Chicago area. Delivery of food packages will take place on Sunday, April 14, from 9:30 to 11:30am in Wheeling. We will be delivering about 100 food packages, in large boxes weighing approximately 20 lbs. each. We deliver to two large complexes and use a rental truck to transport the boxes. Volunteers, please contact Mark Lenhart, mjlenhart@comcast.net. You will be sent more details about a week before the events.
New! Play Bingo with Seniors, April 28 -- Shir Hadash will join Gidwitz Place assisted living residents to play bingo on Sunday, April 28, 1:00-2:00pm. Ages 5+ welcome. Limited to the first 15 individuals who sign up here. Gidwitz Place is a part of the Weinberg Community for Senior Living- CJE Senior Life. It is located at 1551 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield. Contact our Social Action Chair, Lisa Burton Radzely, socialactionsh@gmail.com if you have any questions.
We stand with the Muslim community, New Zealand, and the world that we will not tolerate hatred and violence against any religion or any group.
JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS
Northwest Synagogues Yom HaShoah Service, May 1, 7:00 p.m. -- Shir Hadash will participate in a commemoration service at Congregation Beth Judea, Route 83 and Hilltop Rd. in Long Grove. Magda Brown, a Holocaust survivor who has made it her mission to share her story with as many as possible, will be the featured speaker.
Jewish National Fund Yom Ha'atzmaut Community Celebration, May 9 -- Celebrate 71 years of Israel’s Independence with a traditional torch lighting ceremony featuring leaders from across the community. Guests include Boaz Konforty, star of the Israeli Netflix series Fauda. The event will be held at North Shore Congregation Israel, 1185 Sheridan Road in Glencoe, with a VIP reception at 6:00pm followed by the general program at 6:45. For more information, call (847) 656-8880.
JUF Dinner Honoring Dr. Stephen Nasatir, May 29 -- JUF invites you to a very special evening celebrating Dr. Steven B. Nasatir to honor his 40-year tenure as President of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Chicago on Wednesday May 29 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. For more details and registration, click here.
Reconstructing Judaism Summer Camps – There is still space (and financial aid!) available for youth interested in Reconstructing Judaism’s summer programs!
- Havaya Arts– a two week program in Southern California where participants are immersed in visual art, dance, theater or music as well as Judaism and self-exploration
- Camp Havaya – a more traditional camp experience based in the Poconos Mountains of Pennsylvania, with two-, three-, or four-week sessions in a lively, welcoming and diverse community
- Havaya Israel -- rising high school juniors encounter varied experiences and viewpoints that help them build personal connections and make up their own minds.
"Anti-Semitism in our Backyard" June 11, 7:00 p.m. -- The Adult Jewish Education Co-op (AJEC) presents a discussion about the current anti-Semitic attitudes in the United States, the recently published anti-Semitic incident report, incidents and trends in the Chicago area, and how to respond. Speaker Michael Rothstein serves as a National Commissioner of the Anti Defamation League and is the former Chair of the ADL Midwest Board of Directors. The presentation will be held at Congregation Or Shalom in Vernon Hills and is open to the public free of charge.
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 - Now Including Flappy’s!--The Continental Restaurant in Buffalo Grove, Butterfield’s Restaurant in Northbrook, and now all three locations of Flappy’s 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 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 SHOP SHOP!--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.
To view past editions of the Newsletter, please visit our website.
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