If you need assistance, please email the office or call 847-498-8218. You may additionally reach the Rabbi on his cell 847-525-7746 at any time, and our President, Marc Fargotstein at 847-612-6579. For more information about our COVID-19 response plan, click here.
Note: Shir Hadash staff will be off on Monday, March 29, in observance of the 2nd day of Passover.
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Creative Worship and Ritual - Tomorrow: Pausing in the Wilderness Service, Friday, March 26, 7:30 p.m.
- Community Second-Night Seder, Sunday, March 28, 6:00 p.m
- Multigenerational Shabbat Service, Friday, April 2, 7:00 p.m.
- Passover – Shabbat Morning and Yizkor Memorial Service, Saturday, April 3, 10:00 a.m.
- Passover Reflections from Reconstructing Judaism
The Rabbi's Corner -- "Run for your Life"
Religious School - Religious School -- Spring Break, March 28 and April 4
- School Reopening Task Force -- Your Input Needed!
Adult Education- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes, March 28
--Torah and Jewish Philosophy, 10:00 a.m.
-- Hebrew Reading Class, 11:00 a.m. - Thursday Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Eitan, March 25, 1:00 p.m.
- New: "A Mother and Her Daughter-in-Law" Study of the Book of Ruth, Tuesdays beginning April 13, 1:00 p.m.
Membership News and Events
- Board Nominations Due by March 31; Annual Meeting June 6
- Saturday Night at the Israeli Movies Discussion, Saturday April 3, 8:00 p.m.
- Support Shir Hadash with Max & Benny's Boxes: Order by April 6, Pickup April 9
- "Food for Thought" Virtual Event, Tuesday, April 6, 7:00 p.m.
- Apply by April 6: JUF COVID-19 Initiative Academic Scholarships for Academic Year 2021-22
- Save the Date: Book Club, April 15
Social Action- New: Food and Toiletry Drive, Friday, April 9 and Sunday, April 11
Social Justice- Statement of Support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Ongoing Fundraisers
- iGive, Amazon Smile, and ShopWithScrip
CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
Friday: Pausing in the Wilderness Service via Zoom, Friday March 26, 7:30 p.m. -- Join us on Zoom for our community’s special way of welcoming our celebration of Passover! Through story, song, and even dance, we will celebrate our ancestors’ deliverance from Egyptian slavery.
Sunday; Please RSVP! Community Second-Night Seder via Zoom, Sunday, March 28, 6:00 p.m. -- Join the Shir Hadash Community for a second-night seder led by Rabbi Eitan in a unique service that is familiar, lively, and interactive. This year, we will be gathering via Zoom, each at our own seder tables in our own homes, with a computer or other device on the table to link us together. Click here for details to help you plan, and to RSVP!
Next Week: Multigenerational Shabbat Service via Zoom, Friday, April 2, 7:00 p.m. -- Click here for the Zoom link. (Meeting ID 869 2916 5393, Passcode 757767, Dial-in 312 626 6799) A family-friendly Zoom 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, engaging prayer, and a delightful story.
Passover – Shabbat Morning and Yizkor Memorial Service, Saturday, April 3, 10:00 a.m. -- Join Shir Hadash on Zoom for an hour-long Shabbat morning service with Torah reading on the closing of the Passover holiday. Rabbi Weiner-Kaplow will lead a brief Yizkor memorial service as well.
Passover Reflections from Reconstructing Judaism -- Click here for a Passover message from Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D, President of Reconstructing Judaism.
THE RABBI’S CORNER
March 26-27, 2020 / 14 Nisan 5781
Shabbat Tzav/Shabbat HaGadol
Torah: Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36
Haftarah: Malachi 3:4 - 3:24 | Shabbat HaGadol
“Run for Your Life”
Dear Friends,
This is the shabbat before we celebrate Pesach – our festival of freedom. As we await the great event of our liberation there is so much preparation to do. Of course, our ancestors had to pack and get ready to leave their homes for life in the desert. We have to get ready for the seder meal with all its rituals and the telling of the great story. But there is more.
The Haftarah portion for this shabbat comes from the book of Malachi. In the portion, God instructs us through the prophet, saying, “be mindful of and remember the Torah of My servant Moses, whom I charged at Mt. Horeb with laws and rules for all Israel. (Malachi 3:22)
The Exodus has not happened, and we are already being told to follow the Torah and its laws. From this we learn that the leaving Egypt is more than just a jailbreak. It is literally ‘running for our lives,’ and that means creating new lives as free and responsible individuals. Our tradition is telling us that running away from slavery is not enough. We must run towards life itself, which includes the Torah and our Jewish heritage, tradition, and identity. That is the deeper meaning as we raise our glasses and say, ”L’chaim - to Life.”
Chag Pesach same’ach – Have a healthy, happy, and meaningful Passover..
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Read past editions of The Rabbi's Corner on the Shir Hadash website .
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
Religious School on Spring Break, March 28 and April 4 -- There will be no youth Religious School on March 28 and April 4. Enjoy Spring Break, and we look forward to seeing all our students in their virtual classes at 10:15 a.m. on April 11. Questions? Contact Rachel Goldberg or Alan Bernover.
New: School Reopening Task Force -- The Synagogue is looking to create and staff a “School Re-Opening Task Force” to prepare for the 2021-2022 Religious School educational year. This task force will shape policy, create protocols for safe re-entry to our school, and implement best practices and procedures to comply with city, state and national guidelines regarding COVID-19. Professional areas of expertise are essential such as: medical professionals, school administrators and teachers, architects, engineers, safety compliance managers, project managers, and the like. We are hoping to include a wide array of backgrounds in this new task force and welcome school parents' input as well. Please contact Alan Bernover by email or at (773) 865-3136 if you are interested in participating in this new action committee. We plan to form this committee in the coming two weeks.
ADULT EDUCATION
Adult Ed Sunday Morning Programs, March 21: Adults are welcome to join in the following adult education programs on Sundays:: - Torah and Jewish Philosophy, 10:00 a.m, via Zoom. Contact Fred Andes.
- Hebrew Reading, 11:00 a.m. via WebEx -- contact Steve Lewin.
Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan, Thursday, March 25, 1:00 p.m. - Join the Rabbi and other members in an engaging examination of the week's Torah portion via Zoom.
New: "A Mother and Her Daughter-in-Law: Four Movements in Two Women's Lives" Tuesdays beginning April 13, 1:00 p.m. via Zoom -- .Join Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow and Deacon Peery Duderstadt for a series of five Zoom meetings, where we’ll delve into the Book of Ruth. Bring your Bible and discover a beautiful story of a mother and her daughter-in-law thousands of years ago. Sessions begin on Tuesday, April 13 at 1:00 pm and last about an hour. They continue each Tuesday through May 11. They will cover one chapter each week.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS AND EVENTS
 Board Nominations Deadline March 31 - Last Chance! -- As in 2020, the Shir Hadash Annual Meeting will be held via Zoom. Please plan to participate on June 6 at 10:00 a.m. for an informative session as well as elections for new Board members and approval of the annual budget. Your input is needed and greatly appreciated! If you will need an absentee ballot, please contact Karen in the office.
At this time, we are seeking members who are interested in serving in the open Board positions, including:
- President
- Executive Vice President
- Vice-President for Programming
- Four At-Large Board Members for two-year terms
In order to hold any of these offices, the individual must be a member in good standing as described in Article III, Section 4 of the bylaws. If you would like a nomination form or more information about the positions, please contact Fred Andes at 773-354-3100. Completed nomination forms must be received at the office by March 31, 2021.
Saturday Night at the Israeli Movies Discussion: "She's Got It", Saturday, April 3, 8:00 p.m. -- Join us for Saturday Night at the Israeli Movies! This time, we've got a comedy: She's Got It, which centers around three women and a counterfeiting scheme. Watch the movie at your leisure beforehand, and we'll gather virtually for a lively discussion. Click here to learn more, watch the trailer, and RSVP! The film is available online for free on Hoopla which you can access with most local library cards.
Support Shir Hadash and Enjoy from Max and Benny’s! We are excited to offer these Max and Benny's food options as a delicious fundraiser:- Bagel Box $9.99
- Family Lox Platter $36.00
- Bagel Baking Kit $9.99
- Emoji Cookie Kit $9.99
Place your order here by 4:00 pm on Tuesday April 6, for pickup on Friday, April 9 between 1:00 and 3:00 at Shir Hadash. Note: When you're picking up your order, please consider bringing a donation for our Food & Toiletry Drive -- see below for details!. Limited Delivery is available. No substitutions please. Contact Vicky Brice with questions - (224) 423-4797
New: "Food for Thought" Virtual Event, Tuesday, April 6 -- Save the date for an interfaith experience reflecting on hunger in our nation. Presented by the Children of Abraham Coalition and Tri-Faith Initiative. More information to be announced.
Applications Due April 6 -- JUF COVID-19 Initiative Academic Scholarships for Academic Year 2021-22 -- The Jewish United Fund and JVS Career and Employment now offer scholarships for Jewish low-income high school graduates who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic crisis. The funds are intended to make a difference in the ability to gain a post-high school education. Students must demonstrate how this crisis has impacted their ability to afford their education, be Jewish, and have a permanent residence in the Chicago metropolitan area. The funds are limited and not intended to pay full tuition. Eligible students may attend the full spectrum of post-high school institutions, including vocational schools, community colleges and four-year colleges/universities. They may be either full-time or part-time students. Preferences will be given to students attending Illinois institutions. Apply here. The deadline is April 6, 2021 and awards will be made by May 2021. This is a one-time fund generously funded by JUF’s COVID-19 Initiative. For more information contact jvsscholarship@jvschicago.org.
Save the Date! Book Club, April 15 -- Book Club's next book for April 15 will be Concealed by Esther Amini, a memoir of growing up in a Persian-Jewish family in Queens, New York. Click here to learn more!
SOCIAL ACTION
New: Food & Toiletry Drive, April 9 and 11 -- To help food pantries keep up with the demands of those struggling with food insecurity and meeting other basic needs, Shir Hadash will hold a contactless drive-thru food and toiletries drive to benefit the Wheeling Food Pantry and the SNAPGap program at First United Methodist Church of Evanston (where we host a soup kitchen twice a year). There will be two donation opportunities:- Friday, April 9, 1:00-3:00pm when you can also pick up your Max & Benny's order – see above), and
- Sunday, April 11, 2:00-4:00pm.
Click here for a list of food items most needed at the Wheeling Food Pantry. The most-needed toiletries are full-size shampoo, full-size body wash, and disinfectant wipes. You can send a monetary or online in-kind donation if you cannot attend in person. Click here to send toiletries via Amazon, and click here for information how to provide in-kind and monetary donations directly to Wheeling Food Pantry.
Please note our drop-off procedures to protect everyone's safety:- Toiletry donations should be bagged separately from food donations.
- All donations must be placed in the trunk; volunteers will not enter a vehicle.
- All volunteers will be masked. Drivers and passengers should wear masks if your windows are down and/or if the trunk is open to the driver and passenger area.
Email our Social Action Chair, Lisa Burton Radzely, if you have any questions.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders -- We stand with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in calling for an end to violence and an end to hate. Shir Hadash grieves with you, and we stand in solidarity with you. Click here to read Reconstructing Judaism's Statement condemning the Atlanta attack.
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. 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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