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Our staff is transitioning back to a primarily work-from-home schedule, due to the revised Illinois Health Dept Covid-19 recommendations. If you need assistance, please email the office at admin@shir-hadash.org., or call 847-498-8218 (messages will be picked up remotely). 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 .
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Creative Worship and Ritual
- Shabbat Evening Service via Zoom Honoring New Members, Friday, November 20, 7:30 p.m.
- Next Week: Shabbat Dinner Blessings via Zoom, Friday November 27, 6:15 p.m.
The Rabbi's Corner -- "In Good Time"
Religious School
- Religious School Meets November 22, 10:15 a.m.
- Thanksgiving Break: No Religious School Youth Classes on November 29
Adult Education
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Programs This Week
- Lunch & Learn with the Rabbi, Thursdays, 1:00 p.m.
Membership News and Events
- Shir Hadash Needs Your Support! Take Advantage of Two New Tax Benefits for Charitable Donations
- Sunday! Shir HaNosh TV, November 22, 3:00 p.m.
- Sunday! Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration, November 22, 7:15 p.m.
- Sunday! Movie Night Discussion: The Tobbaconist, Nov. 22, 8:00 p.m.
- New! Food Kits from Max & Benny's: Order by December 1, Pickup at SH December 4
- Registration Deadline Today! "Unlock the Magic" Event for Grades K-7, December 6, 1:00 p.m.
- Book Club Selection
Social Action
- Deadline Tomorrow! JUF Winter Warmth Drive
- JCFS Holiday Gift Drive for Those in Need
- Shir Hadash Serves Meals to Underserved during Pandemic
Ongoing Fundraisers
- Gift Cards for the Holidays Help Shir Hadash
- iGive, Amazon Smile, and ShopWithScrip
CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
Shabbat Evening Service Honoring New Members via Zoom, Friday November 20, 7:30 p.m. – Shabbat Toldot -- The Birthright: How do we understand Jacob’s behavior in stealing the birthright and first-born blessing from Esau? Is it justifiable? Is it excusable? What do our sages and commentators say? What does it mean for Jewish identity and practice up to the present time? Join us for a Zoom Shabbat experience during which we will honor our newest members to the Shir Hadash family.
Next Week: Shabbat Dinner Blessings via Zoom, Friday, November 27, 6:15 p.m.
THE RABBI’S CORNER
November 20-21, 2020 / 5 Kislev 5781 / Shabbat Toledot
Torah: Genesis 25:19 - 28:9 / Haftarah: Malachi 1:1 - 2:7
“In Good Time”
Dear Friends,
What does the Torah teach us about patience? In this week’s Torah portion, Rebecca was pregnant with twins, who were constantly struggling with each other. The Torah uses the word “vayitrotzetzu” – which means that the twins were moving so much that they seemed to be running within. What was the hurry; what was the rush? Afterall, everything happens in good time.
Judaism teaches us that even in a time of next-day air and Prime delivery, it is OK to wait a bit until plans and dreams are realized. Everything happens in good time.
Zay a mentsch – Be a good person.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Read past editions of The Rabbi's Corner on the Shir Hadash website.
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
Religious School, November 22 -- We will be meeting via Zoom from 10:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m. Please use the links we send you each week. If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Goldberg or Alan Bernover.
No Religious School Youth Classes on November 29 -- Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving break!
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 via Zoom . Contact Fred Andes for details. Call in number is 312 626 6799.
- 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. Lunch and Learn will not be held on Thanksgiving Day.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS AND EVENTS
Shir Hadash Needs Your Support! Take Advantage of Two New Tax Benefits for Charitable Donations – In this challenging year, Shir Hadash appreciates any extra support you can give. The 2020 CARES Act has special provisions to allow certain deductions for charitable giving from personal income tax returns, whether or not the taxpayer usually itemizes deductions. Click Here for more information, and please plan to include Shir Hadash in your year-end giving. Thank you!
Sunday! Shir HaNosh TV, November 22, 3:00 p.m. -- Join us for the next interactive episode of Shir HaNosh TV on Sunday, November 22 at 3 PM. Reba Meshulam will teach us another Sephardi dish: Spinach Keftes (like spinach latkes, pictured above)! Click here to register and see the ingredient list.
Sunday! Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, November 22, 7:15 p.m. -- Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council invites you to participate in an online interfaith celebration of Thanksgiving featuring music, prayers, readings, and shared message on the theme of "Hope: A Call to Action." The service will be livestreamed beginning at 7:15 on YouTube and Facebook. For more information, visit NorthwestSuburbanInterfaith.org .
Sunday! Movie Night Discussion: The Tobacconist, November 22, 8:00 p.m. -- Mark your calendars for a Movie Night Discussion. We'll be discussing The Tobbaconist, a 2018 German-language film set in Vienna, where a tobacco shop apprentice befriends Sigmund Freud. Set during the escalating political and social times as the Nazi occupation of Vienna begins, each has decisions to make regarding staying in or fleeing from Austria. The film will be available for us to watch from November 19-22 -- Register Here to receive the Zoom link and for movie-watching information!
New! Max and Benny's Food Kits: Order by December 1, Pickup at SH on December 4 – Enjoy fun food kits from Max and Benny’s with your family! Click here to preorder kits for home-baked bagels, decorate-it-yourself cookies, and/or a family lox box, then drive to Shir Hadash for a contactless pickup on Friday, December 4 between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Preorders must be placed by December 1 at 4:00 p.m. When picking up your order, please remember to wear masks and maintain social distancing. We're looking forward to seeing you!
RSVP Due Today! Family Activities Committee presents "Unlock the Magic," December 6, 1:00 pm - Whether reading from a magical tome/ Torah or Talmudic text, your own Yad will help you follow along while you are reading. Hang out with friends and schmooze while making your own yad in this guided crafting event via Zoom! Registration required by noon on 11/19 -- click here to register. Once you register, we will email you to arrange a supplies pickup. .
Book Club Selection for December - Our Book Club will be reading The Physician, a novel by Noah Gordon. Our virtual meeting will be December 17. Click here for details.
SOCIAL ACTION
Every year, Shir Hadash supports projects that help people to stay warm in the winter and children to receive holiday gifts. These efforts will continue this year, but they will look different due to Covid. Please consider supporting the Winter Warmth project and/or the Holiday Gifts project, both of which are being held virtually this year so you can participate from home.
Deadline Tomorrow! Winter Warmth: JUF Chanukah Coat Club -- At this time when many households are struggling financially, help someone stay warm this winter. A gift of $18 will provide a new coat and accessories. If you would like to make a donation in someone's honor, a personalized Chanukah card will be sent announcing your gift. Submit by Friday, November 20 in order to ensure that the Chanukah card is received in time for the holiday. For more information about the JUF Chanukah Coat Club and to make a donation, click here .
JCFS Holiday Gift Drive for Those in Need -- Since the holidays will be particularly difficult for many families this year, please consider sponsoring a child to receive holiday gifts safely during the pandemic. This year, only e-gift cards will be given in order to ensure the safety of staff, volunteers, and clients. Giving still can be a personalized experience; you can select to receive a wish list and then decide the best place to purchase an e-gift card. It's also an option to make a monetary donation and not need to purchase an e-gift card. To become a JCFS Holiday Gift donor and help make a child's wish become reality, click here to sign up . All e-gift cards must be received by December 1. Buy your gift card through Shop Shir Hadash and your purchase will support the synagogue as well -- scroll down to our Ongoing Fundraiser section for details.
Shir Hadash Provides Meals to Underserved -- On November 8, Shir Hadash participated again in helping to feed over 70 needy individuals as part of the Interfaith Soup Kitchen in Evanston. In normal times, Shir Hadash members would prepare and serve homemade meals to guests in the dining room at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Evanston. But due to COVID-19, we had to purchase prepared meals that could easily be distributed from the side door of the church with limited contact to each guest.
Despite all these challenges, the Shir Hadash family stepped up with donations to help offset the cost of these prepared meals. Thanks to your generous gifts, we raised enough money to not only pay for this soup kitchen, but we also raised enough to pay for 70 meals when we serve again on February 21, 2021. Thank you to everyone who donated so that we can continue to feed needy members of our community. For more details on upcoming soup kitchens please contact Mark Lenhart.
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS
Gift Cards for the Holidays Help Shir Hadash - SHOP Shir Hadash allows members to order physical and electronic gift cards from thousands of stores and Shir Hadash receives a portion of every purchase. Purchase can be for gifts or your personal use. Thousands of dollars can be generated for Shir Hadash at no cost to you. Click here for more information. Once registered, electronic and physical cards can be ordered instantly ordered using the RaiseRight app on your phone or through our vendor shopwithscrip.com. Contact Glenn Graff for more information.
When you’re 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.
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.
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