Our current policies regarding our Bridge Phase practices, Building and Site Occupancy Limits, and Wellness Criteria have been extended for the month of July. Policy details can be found on the Shir Hadash website. The Board will review the policies at its July 20 Board meeting and any changes will be announced after that. If you need assistance, please email the office at admin@shir-hadash.org or call 847-498-8218. You may additionally reach the Rabbi on his cell 847-525-7746 at any time, and our President Stuart Aizenberg at 847-840-7895.
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT A GLANCE
Creative Worship and Ritual .
- Friday: Shabbat Evening Hybrid Service In Person & Zoom, July 16, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday: Havdalah and Erev Tisha B'Av via Zoom, July 17, 7:30 p.m
- Next Week: Shabbat Evening Service via Zoom, Friday, July 23, 7:30 p.m.
- Please Help! Zoom Hosts Needed for Upcoming Services
The Rabbi's Corner -- "Lessons from the Bitter and the Sweet"
Membership News and Events
- Membership Renewal Now Open!
- Beware of Email Phishing Scams
- Board Meeting, July 20, 7:30 p.m.
- "A Little Havdalah" Pre-K Family Event, July 24, 4:30 p.m.
- Terrarium Building, July 24, 5:30 p.m.
- Stock Up for School Supplies to Donate
- Members Enjoy Wine & Cheese Event
Adult Education
- Sunday Morning Virtual Adult Ed Classes, July 18
-- Hebrew Reading, 9:30 a.m.
-- Torah and Jewish Philosophy, 10:00 a.m.
Ongoing Fundraisers
- Restaurants Support Shir Hadash
- ShopWithScrip, iGive, and Amazon Smile
CREATIVE WORSHIP AND RITUAL
Friday: Shabbat Evening Hybrid Service, In Person and Via Zoom, July 16, 7:30 p.m. Special Topic: “Update on the New Israeli Coalition Government: Is it Working?
Let's celebrate Shabbat together, in person (indoors) and on Zoom! For those joining in-person, please register here (before Friday at 3:00 pm). Remember, pre-registration is required, and attendance is currently limited to 40 people. If you register and later need to cancel, please contact the office at (847) 498-8218 so we can allow others to sign up.
Saturday: Zoom Havdalah and Erev Tisha B’Av: From Sadness to Joy, July 17, 7:30 p.m. Sisu et Yerushalayim – Rejoice O’ Jerusalem! Join us on Zoom for an evening of story, song, reading, and reflection on the eve of Tisha B’Av, as we recall the many destructions, calamities, setbacks, and misfortunes that have shaped so much of Jewish history. Time and time again, our Jewish tradition has taught us to rise up from destruction to renewal, from sadness to joy.
Next Friday: Zoom Shabbat Evening Service, Friday, July 23, 7:30 p.m.
Zoom Hosts Needed: We have an urgent need for volunteers to act as Zoom hosts for upcoming services. We can only continue to provide Zoom access to services if volunteers step up to host! Training on how to host can be provided. If you can help, please contact Fred Andes or Jerry Weiss.
THE RABBI’S CORNER
July 16-17, 2021 / 8 Av 5781
Shabbat Devarim
Shabbat Chazon – Preceding Tisha B’Av
Torah: Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22 / Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1 - 1:27
“Lessons from the Bitter and the Sweet”
Dear Friends,
As we begin the fifth book of the Torah, Deuteronomy or “Devarim” in Hebrew, we find Moses giving a long speech to the Children of Israel. They finally reached the Promised Land and before entering, Moses wanted to prepare them for the future. He began by recalling the forty years of wandering in the desert along with all its successes and failures. Through his speech, Moses taught a fundamental Jewish concept, that we advance in wisdom and maturity from both the positive and the negative. Each and every experience we encounter, whether it is something we treasure or regret, is an opportunity for growth and self-improvement.
This is also the Shabbat before Tisha b’Av, the day on which we commemorate the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. It is both a day of mourning as well as a day through which we marvel at the continued existence of our people. Despite Babylonian and Roman onslaughts as well as countless other attacks on our people through the ages, we are still here – strong and vibrant as ever.
On this Shabbat, mourn our defeats and celebrate our accomplishments. Am Yisrael Chai – the People of Israel Lives!
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.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS AND EVENTS
Membership Renewal Now Open -- Membership for our 2021-2022 year is now available. Click Here for the Membership Renewal Forms. We'd love to have all of you renew and to do so promptly. Plus, we'd love to have new members join us. If you run into any problems or have questions renewing online, please contact Karen Burnham at (847) 498-8218. Also contact Karen for a paper form if you prefer that to signing up online.
High Holidays are very early this year. Erev Rosh Hashanah is Monday, September 6. More information will be out about that shortly. We are planning on offering both in-person and Zoom options. The important point now is that your High Holiday "tickets" are included with membership. So, do not delay renewing or joining.
Beware of Email Phishing Scams -- Many Shir Hadash congregants have received questionable email purporting to be from our Rabbi or Board members. This is a “phishing” scheme.
- The Rabbi and Lay Leadership will never request you send money, passwords, private information, buy gift cards, postal money orders, etc.
- No matter how urgent or friendly the email appears, even if it knows your first name or uses other personal information, ignore and delete the messages.
- Shir Hadash emails originate from @SHIR-HADASH.ORG. Many email scammers masquerade using email addresses similar to ours, and others depend on recipients not checking email addresses at all. Take a moment to verify the sender’s full email address before hitting reply or clicking on links in an email. Note: "Rabbi@gmail.com" is not from Shir Hadash!
- Never reply to or click on links inside spam or suspicious emails.
- Never open an attachment within an email from a company or person you don't know or were not expecting.
- Resist the urge to open links or click on videos from someone you don't know or trust.
Phishing, virus malware, and ransomware can have serious consequences. The best and first line of defense of your personal and financial information is to be careful with the email, web, and social site content you open and use. If you have any questions, please contact the Office Administrator at (847) 498-8218.
Tuesday: Shir Hadash Board Meeting, Tuesday, July 20, 7:30 p.m. -- The Board of Directors will meet remotely on Tuesday, July 20. To participate, contact Stuart Aizenberg.
Please RSVP! "A Little Havdalah" Saturday, July 24, 4:30 p.m. -- The Family Activities Committee (FAC) invites your family to join our in-person Pre-K Havdalah event, including crafts, songs, and games. All age groups are welcome to attend this program focused on making Havdalah accessible for our pre-school families. Please bring picnic blankets or chairs as this is an outside event. Also note, masks are required for the entire event. Please RSVP here by noon on Thursday, July 22 so we can prepare enough craft materials for everyone.
Register Today! Terrarium Building, Saturday, July 24, 5:30 p.m. -- All ages are welcome to join us in person for this fun project! On Saturday, July 24, join our Family Activities Committee as we build terrariums! Registration required so that we can get a sense of the supplies needed. We'll be in the Green Space (and move indoors if it rains). Register by July 15 so we can prepare supplies for you!
Stock Up on School Supply Donations -- School supplies are on sale in the stores, so it's a great time to buy some for our August school supply drive. Many students in Wheeling public schools need help acquiring pencils, washable markers, crayons, colored pencils, highlighters, index cards, and wide-rule spiral notebooks. We will collect the supplies in August. Details coming soon! If you have questions, contact our Social Action Chair, Lisa Burton Radzely.
Members Enjoy Wine & Cheese Event -- Many thanks to Mehran Farahmandpour for hosting last weekend's wine and cheese tasting. Shir Hadash members savored samples of excellent wines paired with delicious cheeses, fresh fruit, and desserts. Best of all, we had the opportunity to socialize in person!
ADULT EDUCATION
Virtual Adult Ed Sunday Morning Programs, July 18: Adults are welcome to join in the following adult education programs on most Sundays:
- Hebrew Reading, 9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Steve Lewin.
- Torah and Jewish Philosophy, 10:00 a.m: If you would like to participate, contact Fred Andes.
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS
Restaurants Supporting Shir Hadash -- These restaurants donate a percentage of your bill when you mention Shir Hadash. Please support these generous community businesses:
- Axel's Bistro Cafe, 131 W Dundee Rd, Buffalo Grove (former Flappy's location)
- Butterfield's, 4195 Dundee Road, Northbrook
- The Continental Restaurant, 788 S. Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove
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, at no cost to you. Electronic and physical cards can be ordered instantly ordered using the RaiseRight app on your phone or through our vendor shopwithscrip.com. Click here for more information or contact Glenn Graff for assistance.
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 and select "Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue-Congregation Shir Hadash" in Wheeling as your charity of choice.
