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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
With an abundance of caution and to ensure the health and safety of our staff, the Synagogue building is closed due to the pandemic until further notice. For more information about our COVID-19 response plan, please click here.
Our devoted staff will be working from home and messages via phone and email will be responded to within 24 hours. If you need any assistance, you may call Marc Fargotstein at 847-612-6579 or contact Office Administrator Karen Burnham at 847-714-6946. The Rabbi is also available on his cell phone 847-525-7746 at any time.
Please Note: Our regular Tuesday email from the Executive Director is suspended for the time being. Be sure to read your Newsletter on Thursdays to stay up to date to all the Shir Hadash happenings!
Creative Worship and Ritual -- Services Online
- Multigenerational Kabbalat Shabbat Service via Zoom, July 10
- Pajama Havdalah and Storytelling via Zoom, July 11
The Rabbi's Corner -- "Qualities of Leadership"
Religious Education
- Adult Ed Programs Continue Online -- Open to All Members
- No Lunch & Learn with the Rabbi This Week
- Worldwide Synagogue Sing, July
Membership News and Events
- Membership Renewal Forms Now Available Online
- Camp Havaya@Home, July 12-25
- Family Game Night via Zoom, July 18
- Institutional Racism & History of Racism in the US, July 19 and 26
- The Jewish 48'ers Documentary Discussion, July 23
- Shir HaNosh: Making Tadelicoos with Reba Meshulam, August 2
- Book Club New Selection; Meeting August 20
- Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council Statement Against Racism
- Smile! Special Family Photo Session Opportunity
- Camp Havaya@Home
Social Action
- Vernon Township Food Pantry Seeks Non-Perishable and Toiletries
- Support Weekend Food Boxes for School District 21 Families
- You've Cleaned Your Closets -- Now Donate Your Stuff!
- Donate Books for Foster Teens
Support for Members
- CJE Support for Seniors in Need
- Meal Support for Children from KiwiKids
- State Program Assists with Utility Payments and Household Needs
- Fresh Produce Distribution
- Donations Support Members in Need
- Shir Hadash Member Business Directory
Ongoing Fundraisers
- iGive
- Amazon Smile
- SHOP Shir Hadash
Multigenerational Kabbalat Shabbat Service via Zoom, Friday July 10, 7:00 p.m. featuring Board Installation & Farewell to Outgoing Board Members.
Let’s welcome Shabbat together and honor our synagogue’s leaders with an on-line Shabbat service via Zoom. Rabbi Eitan will lead the service from his home with meditations, prayers, readings, story, and song.
Pajama Havdalah via Zoom, Saturday July 11, 7:00 p.m. -- Come in your PJs for a family-friendly havdalah service and storytelling to close Shabbat.
THE RABBI’S CORNER
July 10-11, 2020 / 19 Tammuz 5780 / Shabbat Pinchas
Torah: Numbers 25:10 - 30:1 Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1 - 2:3
“Qualities of Leadership”
Dear Friends,
What qualities should our leaders have? This week’s Torah portion, Pinchas, offers an answer as Moses is preparing to hand off leadership to a new generation. Moses knows that while he will not enter the Promised Land, the Children of Israel will need great leaders to bring them there. Pinchas is the name of a man of hot temper and passion – a zealot – who is honored for rash action that apparently stopped a plague. Moses could have chosen him to lead. Instead, he chose Joshua son of Nun. Why Joshua? Joshua had the qualities of patience and sensitivity. He was practical, realistic, and responsible.
Zay a mentsch – be a good person.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Sunday Morning Adult Ed Programs: Online! All members are welcome to participate. Contact the class facilitator, below, for information.
- 10:00 a.m. -- Torah and Jewish Philosophy Class via ZOOM
- 11:00 a.m. -- Hebrew Reading Class via WebEx - contact Steve Lewin.
No Rabbi's Lunch and Learn in July -- The Rabbi's Lunch and Learn discussions will resume later in the summer; watch for updates.
Worldwide Synagogue Sing, Sunday mornings -- Join in Sundays at 10:00 am Chicago time for the Worldwide Synagogue Sing - a chance for school age kids to connect virtually for meaningful and creative Jewish experience. Perfect for family participation. Click here to sign up and register for this weekly program.
Membership Forms Now Available -- Shir Hadash's 2020-21 Membership Forms are now open. Click this link to renew your membership, become a new member, or register your children for Religious School. If you have any questions, contact Karen Burnham, Office Administrator by email or call 847-498-8218.
Camp Havaya@Home, July 12-25 -- For two weeks, Camp Havaya@Home will offer more than 100 camp-style programs! There will be chances to sing and dance, hear stories, play games, cook food, get moving, be creative, and more. Campers start each day with an aseyfah (gathering), celebrate Shabbat together each week, and have opportunities to learn and play with some of our favorite staff members. And, of course, it wouldn't be summer without an amazing concert from our friends from Nefesh Mountain! Most Havaya@Home programs are geared for kids entering 3rd through 10th grade, but there also will be a program most mornings for younger kids. Unlike camp, all programming will be online -- either on Zoom or Facebook Live. Click here to learn more and to register for a great virtual camp experience.
Family Game Night via Zoom, July 18 -- The Family Activity Committee is getting ready to host our next "Let's Play" event. We will be playing board games virtually on July 18, starting at 7:00 p.m. in an all-ages event. Since our games can be number dependent, we need to know how many people will be playing with us. Registration will open soon -- please register via Shul Cloud for each device you will be using to log in. As always, children younger than 12 will need to be accompanied by an adult. Once you've registered, watch for an email with the evening's menu of events. Please direct all questions to elliott.simon@rocketmail.com.
Institutional Racism & History of Racism in the US: 2-part virtual class on July 19 and 26 -- "There are No Racist Americans; It's Just Racist America." What does Rabbi Amram Abraham mean by this statement? In this two-part class, he will talk about institutional racism and the history of racism in the U.S. The class is designed to help participants understand how racism has evolved from slavery into the structured racism of contemporary America. Participants will explore the evolution of racism in today's business language as well as the pedagogy of our educational system, all of which lead to the acceptance, defense, and overall expectation of racism. The classes will occur 11:15am-12:30pm on July 19 and 26. Zoom link will be distributed as the date approaches.
Registration is appreciated here. This program is free; voluntary contributions are welcomed to cover program costs. If you would like to donate, click here, select Social Action from the dropdown list, and write Antiracism Programs in the payment notes. Email our Social Action Chair, Lisa Burton Radzely, at SocialActionSH@gmail.com if you have any questions.
The Jewish 48'ers Documentary Discussion, July 23 - Jewish freedom fighters, inspired by the social ideals of the American and French Revolutions, took on the Feudal Monarchies in uprisings across Europe in 1848. While these revolts were crushed, many found refuge and purpose in the United States. New research into these immigrants' stories and their involvement in the American Civil War has been made into a one-hour documentary, which you can watch here for free.
Shir Hadash member David Liebling, who frequently lectures on history topics, will lead a Zoom conversation on July 23 at 8:00 p.m. about this fascinating new documentary. Watch the film prior to July 23, and then join the discussion -- Zoom links will be sent out the week of the event.. Questions? Contact Melanie at fmandes@comcast.net.
Shir HaNosh TV: Making Tadelicoos with Reba Meshulam, August 2 -- Introducing Shir HaNosh TV, Shir Hadash's member-led cooking network! Streaming live, we're bringing you a series of exciting cooking classes taught by Shir Hadash members. Come cook with us! For our first class, on Sunday August 2 at 5:00 p.m., Reba Meshulam will be making tadelicoos, Sephardic crispy cookies from the Jews of Turkey. Click here to see the recipe and to register for this free event. Zoom links will be sent the week before.
Shir HaNosh TV: Making Tadelicoos with Reba Meshulam, August 2 -- Introducing Shir HaNosh TV, Shir Hadash's member-led cooking network! Streaming live, we're bringing you a series of exciting cooking classes taught by Shir Hadash members. Come cook with us! For our first class, on Sunday August 2 at 5:00 p.m., Reba Meshulam will be making tadelicoos, Sephardic crispy cookies from the Jews of Turkey. Click here to see the recipe and to register for this free event. Zoom links will be sent the week before.
Book Club: New Selection -- Our next book club Zoom meeting will be on August 20. We will discuss The Weight of Ink, a novel by Rachel Kadish. Set in London of the 1660s and of the early twenty-first century, The Weight of Ink is the interwoven tale of two women of remarkable intellect: Ester Velasquez, an emigrant from Amsterdam who is permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi, just before the plague hits the city; and Helen Watt, an ailing historian with a love of Jewish history. As the novel opens, Helen has been summoned by a former student to view a cache of seventeenth-century Jewish documents. Helen embarks on one last project: to determine the identity of the documents’ scribe, the elusive “Aleph.”
Northwest Suburban Interfaith Conference Statement Against Racism -- The clergy members of the Northwest Suburban Interfaith Conference have issued a Statement Against Racism, which is published on their website.
SOCIAL ACTION
Vernon Township Food Pantry Seeks Support -- The Vernon Township Food Pantry continues to collect non-perishable food and toiletries. Click here for the most-needed items. Place donations in shopping carts located outside the Vernon Township offices, 3050 N. Main St., Buffalo Grove. Monetary donations also accepted; call 847-634-4602.
Help Local Families Struggling with Food Insecurity -- There are local families hit hard by the economic downturn who are struggling to have enough food. Local school district 21 - serving parts of Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Northbrook, and unincorporated Cook County - needs financial assistance with providing weekend family food boxes. If you would like to help feed local families, click here.
Get Unwanted Items Out of Your Home, and Donate to Those Who Would Appreciate Them! Many nonprofits have resumed accepting donations. If you've been cleaning out your closets and garage, consider giving to one of these local organizations so someone in need can enjoy the items. Click here for a list of suggested organizations and items they are currently accepting. Please check their websites for updated information.
Donate Books for Foster Teens - Fill A Heart 4 Kids is installing libraries at foster group homes. Drop off like-new books for middle schoolers and high schoolers at 400 E. Illinois Road in Lake Forest. Fill A Heart 4 Kids is located on the second floor.
SUPPORT FOR MEMBERSMeal Support for Children from KiwiKids -- KiwiKids, a kids wellness initiative from Agudath Israel of Illinois, offers free, kosher breakfast and lunch meals for children 18 and under. There is a once-a-week pickup that contains the equivalent of seven servings of breakfast and lunch for each child. There is no income eligibility to receive these meals. To receive KiwiKids updates and see pickup times and locations, subscribe to the KiwiKids emails by clicking here.
New Program: Assistance with Utility Bills, Rent, Food, and More -- Governor J.B Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) have launched a new program to provide home energy aid and other services during COVID-19. People who are eligible may receive assistance to cover costs of utility bills, rent, temporary shelter, food, and other household needs. To submit a pre-application, visit the Help Illinois Families website.
Fresh Produce for Families! - For those in need, free boxes of fresh produce will be handed out every Thursday through August 27th from 12:30pm – 5:30pm (while supplies last) at London Middle School, 1001 W. Dundee Road in Wheeling. Any area resident is eligible to participate in this program. The box of produce will be placed directly in the trunk of the car. No ID is needed. Participants will simply be asked to provide their name, address and family size. The information provided is kept strictly confidential as this information will be used only by the Food Depository to apply for and allocate funding for programs like this. This program is provided by CCSD21 in partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Donations for Congregants in Need: Shir Hadash has been receiving some anonymous contributions to help congregants who may be in need of food or meal delivery. Should you want to make a donation, email Karen Burnham. If you are in need of food/services, email Rabbi Eitan.
Shir Hadash Member Business Directory – Click here to reach the Shir Hadash Member Business Directory, and please patronize member businesses if you can. If you would like to add your business to the page, there is a link on the right side you can click, or click here. Note: You must be a synagogue member and must be logged into the member portal to submit your listing.
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS
If you are home and shopping online, be sure to consider these resources. You can help support Shir Hadash AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU through these donation programs. We will need funds to help our congregants in need.
Help Shir Hadash Earn Free Donations with iGive --You can help Shir Hadash every time you shop online – the iGive Button makes it simple! iGive is a free and easy way to support the shul. Average shoppers using iGive raise between $30 and $100 a year for their causes. There are 2500 online retailers helping to make donations happen through iGive. Click here to learn more and join iGive. If you have questions, contact Sandi Schleicher, sschleicher@onebox.com.
Amazon Smile Fundraising Option -- Shir Hadash is registered with the Amazon Smile fundraising program. Just go to smile.amazon.com, search for Shir Hadash (be sure to select the one in Wheeling), and from then on 0.5% of your purchases will automatically be donated to Shir Hadash at no cost to you! To double-dip, just pay for your purchases with a ShopWithScrip Amazon gift card! Happy Shopping!
Shop with Scrip! 50,000 organizations use ShopWithScrip gift cards to turn everyday shopping into earnings. Now, Shir Hadash is using gift cards to offset our costs and create more opportunities for families. Shop at 750+ brands with gift cards to earn on gas, groceries, eating out, clothes—the list goes on. It’s easy, it’s rewarding, and it fits right into your busy schedule. Click here for complete details!
To view past editions of the Newsletter, please visit our website.
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