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Due to the Illinois Health Deptartment Covid-19 recommendations, our staff is primarily working from home. If you need assistance, please email the office at admin@shir-hadash.orgor 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 . For more information about our COVID-19 response plan, click here .
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Creative Worship and Ritual
- Tomorrow: Multigenerational Service via Zoom, Friday January 8, 7:00 p.m.
- Next Week: Shabbat Service with SHED Talk, Friday January 15, 7:30 p.m.
The Rabbi's Corner -- "If I Am Not for Myself"
Religious School
- Religious School Youth Classes Resume January 10
Adult Education
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes
- Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Eitan, Thursdays at 1:00 p.m.
Membership News and Events
- Honoring 2020-21 Members of the Haverim Society
- Mussar Study Group, January 14, 7:30 p.m.
- Virtual Travels with David Liebling to Sites of Jewish History: Cairo, January 20, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday Night at the Israeli Movies: Golda, January 23, 7:30 p.m.
- Family Activities Committee Virtual Bingo Party, January 24, 1:00 p.m.
- Shir HaNosh TV Bagel Episode Available for Viewing
Social Justice- New Participants Invited for Multi-Session White Fragility Discussion beginning January 17
- Additional Anti-Racism Learning Opportunities
Social Action
- Three Outstanding Community Helpers from Shir Hadash
Ongoing Fundraisers
- iGive, Amazon Smile, and ShopWithScrip
CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
Tomorrow: Multigenerational Shabbat Service via Zoom, Friday, January 8, 7:00 p.m. -- A Family Friendly service for all school families, seniors, not-yet seniors, and anyone else who would like to come worship with us as a community. Enjoy a Shabbat service with fun music, delightful stories, and Shabbat joy.
Next Week: Shabbat Evening Service with SHED Talk via Zoom, Friday, January 15, 7:30 p.m. -- “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. This month David Edler shares "Grounding Out to Third: A story of how what seemed, at the time, to be a personal failure turned into a remarkable blessing for people I'd never met.”
THE RABBI’S CORNER
January 8-9, 2021 / 25 Tevet 5781 / Shabbat Shemot
Torah - Exodus 1:1-6:1 / Haftarah - Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23
“If I Am Not for Myself”
Dear Friends,
This week begins the second book of the Torah, the book of Exodus or Sh’mot in Hebrew. It is the story of the enslavement of our people in Egypt and our deliverance to freedom. One element in the story is that when the Israelites left Egypt, many non-Israelites accompanied them. They were called the erev rav or “mixed multitude.”
When I think of what the Israelites needed to do to leave Egypt behind and how they inspired others to join them on their quest for freedom, I think of the great Rabbi Hillel’s teaching. “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But, if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” This teaches that life is a balance between advocating for ourselves and for others. When we can find that balance, then we are truly following a fundamental value as Jews, to be a light unto the nations – to lead our people and all those who dwell on earth towards liberation, justice, compassion, fairness, and peace.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Read past editions of The Rabbi's Corner on the Shir Hadash website .
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
Religious School Youth Classes on January 10 -- Welcome back! We are excited to see our students return to our Zoom classes this week. If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Goldberg or Alan Bernover.
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.
Today! Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan, January 7, 1:00 p.m. -- The Rabbi's Thursday Torah discussion group resumes today. Be part of an engaging examination of the week's Torah portion via Zoom.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS AND EVENTS
Honoring 2020-21 Members of the Haverim Society --The Haverim (Friends) Society is comprised of those Shir Hadash members whose 2020-2021 Voluntary Commitment was at least 10% greater than the dues those members paid the year before. It is with great pleasure that we honor these members who were so generous in their financial support of Shir Hadash. We hope that they, and other members, will increase their Voluntary Commitment next year by at least 10% and join the Haverim Society for the 2021-2022 year. Again, thank you to all! Please use this link to the members only portion of our website to learn the names of those members and to honor their generosity.
Mussar Study Group, January 14, 7:30 p.m. -- 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. Mussar provides guidance in identifying your uniquely personal path of spiritual growth and offers practices to help bring about that growth. To join our monthly discussion group, contact Lynn Liebling or Kayla Shonberg.
Virtual Travels with David Liebling to Sites of Jewish History: Cairo, January 20, 7:30 p.m. -- David Liebling's Virtual Travel Series is heading to Cairo, our third stop on the trail of Maimonides. Register here to travel with us!
Saturday Night at the Israeli Movies, January 23, 7:30 p.m. -- This month's movie is the new documentary Golda, featuring never-before-seen materials and archival footage, shown for free from Jan. 15-17 by the Arizona Jewish Historical Society: click here to sign up to watch the movie. Then, join the AJHS's online discussion with the director on Jan. 19, and our own discussion on Jan. 23 - click here to register for our discussion.
Family Activities Committee Virtual Bingo Party, January 24, 1:00 p.m. -- Join Shir Hadash members for this free all-ages event from the Family Activities Committee, hosted by Chana Sulpar. Bring your favorite beverage, see old friends, and share in the laughter and fun. To receive your Bingo card and the Zoom link, register here. RSVP deadline is Thursday, January 21.
Shir HaNosh TV Bagel Episode Available for Viewing -- Shir HaNosh TV with Rabbi Eitan was a great success! Didn't catch the class? Click to watch part 1 (dough preparation) and part 2 (baking technique), and you too can make whole wheat everything bagels like these! Clockwise from upper right: Mira Zweiban's bagels, Abby Edler's bagels, Melanie and Scarlett Andes's bagels after baking, Melanie and Scarlett's before baking, Brad Davidson's sesame and za'atar bagels.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
As MLK Day approaches, many are thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s commitment to racial justice. Here are program recommendations to further your understanding of racial injustice. Whether you are at the beginning of antiracist learning or already have learned a lot about it, everyone has more to learn. Below are three upcoming free virtual programs.
Starts Next Sunday -- Sign Up Now! New Participants Invited for White Fragility Discussion Group, Sundays beginning January 17
- Four-session series for Shir Hadash and Or Shalom members,
- Sunday mornings, 10am-11:30am, on January 17, 24, and 31 and February 7
If you couldn't participate in our multi-session discussions of White Fragility in September, another group will have an opportunity to learn about white privilege in January 2021. This series will ask us to engage in personal reflection about our experiences with racism in the world and will challenge us to grow in new ways as we uncover the toll systemic racism takes on all our lives. The series is free for Shir Hadash and Or Shalom members, and all are invited to attend. This in-depth, four-part Zoom conversation about the book White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism will be facilitated by Or Shalom members. The book can be found at bookstores, your local library, as an ebook, as an audiobook, or you can purchase it from Semicolon , Chicago’s only Black woman-owned bookstore. The program is a continuation of Shir Hadash and Or Shalom's partnership as both congregations continue to learn about anti-racism. Register here . Please contact racial-justice@orshalomlc.com with any questions.
Wednesday: Jewish Racial Justice Literacy 101, January 13, 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. Facilitators will lead an examination of microaggressions that take place every day in our Jewish institutions and hold space for Jews of Color, Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews, and White/Ashkenazi Jews to engage in a dialogue about identity. This event will scratch the surface of a very deep issue, while encouraging people of all experience levels to think about how we join collectively in the movement for equity and inclusion. Register here . Hosted by Repair the World, Atlanta. Spots are limited, so sign up now.
Next Thursday: Jewish Perspectives on Racial Justice, January 14, 5:00-6:30 p.m. Join in an evening of studying and exploring texts by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from a Jewish perspective. Hosted by Repair the World, Detroit. Sign up here .
SOCIAL ACTION
Three Outstanding Community Helpers -- When there is a need, Shir Hadash members step up and fill it -- and these three individuals have stepped up big time and filled a huge need. In April, the Wheeling Director of Human Services, Shari Huizar, told Shir Hadash that they would be delivering meals to seniors who needed assistance during the pandemic but couldn't pick up the food. Ari Cohen, Dan Wellisch, and Mark Lenhart offered to pick up these meals at the Village Hall and deliver them weekly; each delivered to seven households per week. Ari performed this valuable service weekly for eight months, and Dan did it for a few months until his schedule no longer permitted him to continue. Mark not only has been involved the entire time the program has existed, but he has been delivering meals to seven households twice a week! Shir Hadash members are the only ones delivering meals besides Village of Wheeling employees. We are so proud of our committed volunteers who are making a huge difference for individuals in need in our community. Ari, Dan, and Mark are true mensches and wonderful representatives of Shir Hadash. Todah rabah - thank you very much - to all three of you.
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS
Gift Card Purchases 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 or contact Sandi Schleicher .
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.
To view past editions of the Newsletter, please visit our website .
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