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High Holiday Appeal
Shir Hadash's 2020 High Holidays services were as beautiful and moving as ever. We appreciate your contribution to our Yom Kippur Appeal. If you have not had the opportunity to participate yet, here's the link to submit your donation. (If you are a Shir Hadash member, please log in before making your contribution.) Please contact our Administrator Karen Burnham, admin@shir-hadash.org if you have any questions. Thank you for your support of Shir Hadash as we start the new year together!
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Our staff has transitioned back to work in the building as much as safely possible. Office hours are Mon, Tues, Thurs 9:30a-4:30p, and Fri 9:30a-3:30p. If you need assistance, please contact the office at 847-498-8218 or email admin@shir-hadash.org. You may additionally reach the Rabbi on his cell 847-525-7746 at any time, and our President Marc Fargotstein, who welcomes your calls on any matter, at 847-612-6579. For more information about our COVID-19 response plan, click here.
Creative Worship and Ritual
- Zoom Simchat Torah Service, Friday October 9, 7:00 p.m.
- Shabbat Evening Service, Friday October 16, 7:30 p.m.
The Rabbi's Corner -- "One More Holiday: Simchat Torah"
Religious School
- School Registration Still Open
- Family Info Session, October 11
- Don't Forget! Pickup School Supply Kits by October 15!
- Religious School Starts October 18
Adult Education
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Programs This Week
- Lunch & Learn with the Rabbi, Thursdays
Membership News and Events
- Tonight! Affy Tapples for Simchat Torah, Pickup October 8
- Tonight! Mussar Study Group, October 8
- Shir HaNosh TV -- Link to "Hummus in your Hut" Episode
- Book Club, October 15
- Virtual Travel to Jewish History Sites with David Liebling, October 21
- Israeli Movie Discussion, The Women's Balcony, October 24
- Cookies, Crafts & Kibbitzing for Grades 5-7, October 25
Social Action and Social Justice
- JCC Social Justice Film Discussion: They Ain't Ready for Me, October 14
- Last Day to Drop Off Luggage for Freedom Dignity Bags, October 8
Support for Members
- Free Groceries for Veterans, October 9
Ongoing Fundraisers
- iGive
- Amazon Smile
- SHOP Shir Hadash
Family & Community Zoom Shabbat Simchat Torah Celebration! Friday October 9, 7:00 p.m. The Jewish festival of Simchat Torah celebrates our love for our Jewish tradition of learning and studying sacred scripture, the Torah. This is a great family holiday celebration! We will read the last few lines of the Torah and then the first few lines, thus finishing and beginning our study anew. And of course, we will dance, and have taffy apples! We’ll have joyous klezmer music played on the Zoom screen, and you can dance to it at home - and make sure to pick up your Affy Tapples from the synagogue on Thursday, October 8 (see below), so you can enjoy them on Zoom with everyone else on Friday night!
Shabbat Evening Service via Zoom, Friday October 16, 7:30 p.m.
October 9-10, 2020 / 22 Tishrei 5781 / Simchat Torah
“One More Holiday – Simchat Torah”
Dear Friends,
The Jewish calendar is very special and is sending us a powerful message. Through our concentration of holidays, we are taught to ‘begin life anew.” On Rosh Hashana we rejoice in life itself and celebrate the creation of the world. On Yom Kippur we atone for our sins and begin again with a clean slate. On Sukkot we give thanks for the abundance of the natural world and begin a new agricultural cycle. On Shemini Atzeret we give thanks for the dew and celebrate the beginning of the rainy season. On Simchat Torah we give thanks for our Jewish tradition of wisdom and learning and begin reading the Torah from the beginning.
Even in these socially distanced COVID-19 times, we still need to celebrate Simchat Torah, even if we cannot gather at our building. So, we will have to celebrate in our homes. We will dance around our living rooms. We will read from the end and beginning of the Torah and then enjoy delicious taffy apples (pick them up on Thursday) and toast to a sweet and prosperous New Year.
Chag Same’ach everyone – I wish you a joyous Simchat Torah and a wonderful beginning to a New Year
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Read past editions of The Rabbi's Corner on the Shir Hadash website here.
School Registration is STILL OPEN! To register - Parents need to complete two forms - the Tuition Commitment form and the School Registration form (in addition to your annual Membership Renewal). This registration process is for all grades, K-7 as well as Madrichim, Grades 8-12.
Family Info Session - Sunday, October 11, 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. -- Join our Education Director Rachel Goldberg on Zoom for a Q&A about the upcoming school year. This session is for families already enrolled, as well as families considering whether to enroll this year. While this session is mostly for parents, kids and madrichimot (teens) are welcome to join and ask questions as well.
Pick Up Sunday School Kits by October 15 -- Before the first day of school, we need to get you the personally packed Sunday School Kits that contain supplies and materials your child(ren) will need for all the planned activities throughout the year. To view inventory lists with photos of each class's kits CLICK HERE.
To arrange a contactless pickup at Shir Hadash: Our administrator Karen Burnham is in the building Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Contact Karen (office 847 498 8218, cell phone 847 714 6946) in advance of your arrival and she will place the appropriate kit(s) in the vestibule with your child’s name on it. Ring the doorbell when you arrive and Karen will buzz you into the vestibule to pick up your items.
School will start on Sunday, October 18! We will be meeting via Zoom from 10:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m. Your teachers are excited to see you!
ADULT EDUCATION
Adult Ed Sunday Morning Programs: Adults are welcome to join in the following adult education programs on Sunday mornings:
- 10:00 a.m. -- Torah and Jewish Philosophy Contact Fred Andes for details.
- 11:00 a.m. -- Hebrew Reading via WebEx. Contact Steve Lewin.
Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan, Thursdays -- Join an engaging examination of the week's Torah portion via Zoom. Lunch and Learn meets on Thursdays at 1:00 p.m.
Affy Tapples for Simchat Torah -- Pickup Today -- Celebrate Simchat Torah with delicious Affy Tapples! If you placed an order, please drive to Shir Hadash today, October 8, between 4:30 and 7:30 pm. for a contactless pickup. Our volunteers will be wearing appropriate PPE and are looking forward to seeing you! Please remember to wear a mask during your pickup. We look forward to enjoying them with you virtually during our Zoom Simchat Torah celebration on Friday night!
Tonight! Mussar Study Group, October 8 -- Mussar is a centuries old Jewish body of teachings, a perspective, and a disciplined practice that provides distinctively Jewish answers to the sorts of questions any thinking person asks about life. Our monthly Zoom discussion will be held Thursday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Lynn Liebling.
Shir HaNosh TV: Link to "Hummus in Your Hut" Episode -- This past Sunday on Shir HaNosh TV, Rabbi Eitan proved to us all that he deserves his own cooking show--move over, Bobby Flay! After many years of chummus experimentation, seeking the perfect, smooth, creamy chummus to make a person cry, he finally shared his latest secrets with us all! For all of his tehina details, tricks for gorgeous plating, and spice suggestions, just click here and enter the Zoom passcode 0E%i^2b$ to enjoy a recording of the episode.
Think you might like to do a cooking demo on Shir HaNosh TV? Contact the office at admin@shir-hadash.org.
Book Club's Next Selection: Meeting October 15 -- Book Club's next selection is Farewell to Salonica: City at the Crossroads by Leon Sciaky, a memoir of growing up in Salonica, a diverse city of the Ottoman Empire, on the eve of World War I. Join in our lively conversation on October 15 at 7:30pm. Zoom link will be sent out the week of the meeting. Click here for more information.
Virtual Travels with David Liebling to Sites of Jewish History, October 21 – You’re invited to take a virtual trip exploring Jewish history in a new series that premieres Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30 pm! For our first destination, we're headed to Amsterdam, a flowering city in the 17th century that welcomed Jews fleeing persecution. David Liebling will bring his extensive research and travel experience to lead us on a tour of this fascinating city and its history. Click here to learn more and to RSVP. Zoom link will be sent closer to the event.
"Saturday Night at the Israeli Movies" Film Discussion, October 24 -- On Oct. 24 from 8-9pm, we're kicking off our new series, Saturday Night at the Israeli Movies! Our first film is The Women's Balcony, a gentle Israeli comedy about women speaking truth to power. Watch the film at your leisure anytime before the event, and then we'll meet virtually for a discussion led by member Burton Kopulsky. Click here to read about the movie, find out how to watch it, and to RSVP for the discussion!
Cookies, Crafts & Kibbitzing for Grades 5-7, October 25 -- Calling all 5-7th graders! Bring your paper, pens, crafting materials and your favorite snack to our Cookies, Crafts, and Kibbitzing on Sunday, October 25 at 1:00 p.m. Learn about a fun craft - Micrography (using a word or sentence only) to create an awesome artwork. We will do a quick overview of this ancient Jewish artform while we snack. Then we will open the floor to share our work, ideas about future activities, or just hang out. Looking forward to seeing you there! Brought to you by the Family Activities Committee (FAC). Register here to get the Zoom link.
SOCIAL ACTION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Virtual Film Discussion: They Ain’t Ready for Me, October 14. JCC Chicago's Social Justice Film Series presents a discussion of the film They Ain't Ready for Me, on October 14 at 7:00 p.m. The documentary shows how Tamar Manasseh, a black rabbinical student, is combating gun violence on the South Side of Chicago through her organization MASK, Mothers/Men Against Senseless Killings. In the film, Tamar addresses the challenges facing both the black and Jewish worlds. The story exists within the context of the larger issues that are playing out in today’s America – increasing racial tensions, rising inequality levels and a growing sense of atomization and alienation. They Ain’t Ready for Me explores the complex identity and motivations of an extraordinary person who is Jewish and black, and how these intersecting identities offer her a road map for addressing one of America’s most urgent crises. Register here to receive a link to view the film at home and a link for the virtual film discussion.
Last Day to Drop Off Luggage for Freedom Dignity Bags for Domestic Violence Survivors, October 8 -- Today is the last chance to help domestic violence victims and survivors by creating dignity bags at home and dropping them off at various suburban locations. Assemble any number of bags - even as little as one - to provide victims and survivors of domestic violence with personal care products. Fill a one-gallon Ziploc bag with one of each of these eight small or travel-size products: soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss. A receptacle labeled “NCJW Gives Back – Dignity Bags” will be available outside the front doors of the following locations:
- 1705 Clavinia Ave., Deerfield
- 1329 Eastwood Ave., Highland Park
- 3803 Oak Ave. Northbrook
- 1111 Golfview Road, Glenview
- 2114 Lincolnwood Dr., Evanston
Click here for more information, and thank you for helping women and children who have experienced domestic violence.
SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS
Free Groceries for Veterans, October 9— Midwest Veterans Closet continues its food distribution program for veterans in need of assistance on Friday, October 9, 12:00 to 1:30 pm at 2323 Green Bay Road, North Chicago. A volunteer wearing protective gear will place a package of groceries in your vehicle. You will not be allowed to exit your car. Food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS
If you are home and shopping online, be sure to consider these donation programs that support Shir Hadash at no extra cost to you!
iGive -- There are 2500 online retailers helping to make donations happen through iGive. Click here to learn more. or contact Sandi Schleicher, sschleicher@onebox.com.
Amazon Smile -- Amazon will automatically donate 0.5% of your purchase to when you sign up at smile.amazon.com. Be sure to select "Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue-Congregation Shir Hadash" in Wheeling as your charity of choice.
Shop with Scrip -- ShopWithScrip gift cards are available for more than 750+ brands and each purchase provides a donation to Shir Hadash. Click here for complete details!
To view past editions of the Newsletter, please visit our website.
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