What’s Happening at a Glance
Membership News and Upcoming Events
- Coffee House – Open Mic Night, January 25
- Save the Date: Shir Hadash Gala, February 22
- Support the Gala with Silent Auction Donations
- Book Club
- Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
- Shabbat Shira Evening Service, January 10
- Shabbat Yirot Evening Service, January 17
- Youth Choir & Ensembles Informational Meeting, January 12
- Purim – To Entertain or To Be Entertained?
- Sunday School Resumes January 12
- BBYO Board Meeting, January 9
- BBYO: “Praying with Lior” January 11
- NEW – Youth Outdoor Adventure Group Info Meeting, January 12
- Junior High MLK Sports Day at the J, January 20
- Midwest Regional Kallah, February 14-16
- The Book of Esther Interfaith Class
- Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes
Membership and Upcoming Events
Coffee House Night – Open Mic Style! January 25
With great excitement, we announce “Coffee House Night at Shir Hadash – Open Mic Style” on Saturday, January 25, 2014 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Enjoy a laid back Saturday night with low lighting, comfortable seating, friendly conversation, a Bake Sale with Coffee/Beverages, and the amazing talent of our friends. EVERYONE is welcome to participate: any age, any talent, member or nonmember, and of course, audience members. Attention Talent! Dancers, Actors, Musicians, Storytellers, Magicians, Group Acts … it’s your time to come forward and hear the applause. If you’d like to perform, please contact Margie at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and put “Coffee House Talent” in the subject line.
Behind the scenes: Attention Bakers! Attention Tech Help! Attention Set-up Crew (roadies)! Interested in participating? Please contact Margie to find out more. A successful event depends on YOU! For more information, please click here.
Save the Date: Shir Hadash Gala and Silent Auction, February 22
We will be having a Fundraising Gala night on February 22 at the Arboretum Club in Buffalo Grove. It will be a night of great live music, plenty of hors d’oeuvres and dessert and a silent auction and raffle. Please mark the event on your calender and even bring some friends. Invitations will be going out in January.
Support Our Gala with Silent Auction Donations or Sponsorships
We need your help with silent auction items or becoming a Gala Sponsor. If you have a quality items to donate, have a business with goods or services, or would be willing to purchase a gift card we could include in the silent auction, please make a tax deductible donation to our silent auction. Sponsorship opportunities (which include a number of tickets) are also available. All proceeds go to Shir Hadash, and every bit helps.
Don’t have an item to donate or a service to provide? Consider asking your favorite businesses to donate an item. Contract Glenn Graff atFundraising@shir-hadash.org for information on how to ask your local businesses to donate or how to arrange your own silent auction donation.
Book Club
Our next selection will be Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua. The book is a mystery that explores the identity of Arabs who are assimilated in Israeli culture. We will discuss this novel at our next meeting, to be held at the home of Melanie Andes on Tuesday, February 25 at 7:30. For more information, please contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com.
Hungry Before or After Religious School (or Anytime)?
The Continental Restaurant in Buffalo Grove or Butterfields Restaurant in Northbrook permanently will donate 5% of your total bill to Shir Hadash! No flyer needed – just mention Shir Hadash when you are paying or fill out the Shir Hadash book behind the desk. A great way to start or end Religious school!
Creative Worship and Ritual
Shabbat Beshallach – Shira, Friday, January 10, 7:30pm
“Splitting the Sea: We are Partners with God in Bringing the World to Perfection”Shabbat Shira, the Shabbat of the Song, is a special service celebrating the crossing of the Sea of Reeds as our ancestors left Egypt en route to the Promised Land. We will chant Miriam’s song of praise from the Torah and hear our actors present a dramatized version of the song. The rest of the service will be filled with exciting music from our Lahaka adult choir. Bring delicious treats on the theme of ‘celebration’ to share during the oneg Shabbat refreshments.
Upcoming: Shabbat Yitro, Friday, January 17, 7:30pm
Be sure to join us for a multifaceted observance of Shabbat on January 17. Our service will be led by 7th graders from our Religious School, and we will have a special send-off for our students leaving on their Ta’am Israel trips. We also will celebrate the environmental values of Tu B’Shevat and the social legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Music Notes – News and Ideas from our Music Director
Youth Choir & Ensembles Informational Meeting, January 12
On Sunday, January 12 at 8:45am, we will hold an informational meeting for parents and students interested in participating in our newly re-organizing youth ensembles - the Kolit youth choir, and student instrumentalists of all kinds who might be interested in playing in a small youth ensemble, or playing along with Kolit. Singers, drummers, guitarists, pianists, clarinetists, horn players, instrumentalists of all kinds are welcome. For more information contact Mr. D at music.director@shir-hadash.org.
On Purim -- To Entertain or To Be Entertained, That is the Question
Purim is coming sooner than you think. It starts Saturday night, March 15, 2014, to be exact. Plans are underway for this year's Purim festivities. If you like to sing, act, write parody, or enjoy making other people laugh, come join our crew of merrymakers for this year's Purim shpiel. We need not only performers, but instrumentalists, and help with costumes, scenery, etc. Sometimes, being part of the Purim shpiel is more fun than watching it! Why not give it a try? If you're interested, contact Adrian Durlester or Rabbi Eitan.
The Rabbi’s Corner
January 10-11, 2014 / 10 Shevat 5774Shabbat BeshalachTorah - Exodus 13:17-17:16 / Haftarah - Judges 4:4-5:31
“Breaking Out in Song”
Dear Friends,
I love watching the old movie musicals, like ‘Stormy Weather’ or ‘Singing in the Rain,’ or a recent one, like ‘Mama Mia’ or a great Bollywood saga. It seems so artificial and forced when a character suddenly bursts into song. Then, everyone in the scene joins in and the dancing soon follows. On one level, I laugh at how contrived it all seems. On another level, I am moved.
A song, a melody can carry a feeling and capture a moment in ways that simple words cannot….
To read the rest of The Rabbi’s Corner, click here to visit our website.
Education News
Sunday School Resumes January 12
After an unexpected week off, we’re excited to resume Religious School this week! Hope you all had a safe and fun vacation. We’re looking forward to seeing all our students at 9:15 on January 12.
Teen News
BBYO Board Meeting
See you on Thursday, January 9 at 5:30pm.
“Praying With Lior”, January 11On Saturday, January 11 from 7:00 - 9:00, BBYO presents the film “Praying With Lior” with a discussion to follow. All are welcome!
NEW -- Shir Hadash Outdoor Adventure Group
Attention 8th - 12th graders & parents: if you love the great oudoors, please plan to attend an information meeting on this Sunday, January 12 immediately following Sunday school (12:45 pm) in the Youth Lounge at the synagogue to learn about our new outdoor program for Shir Hadash Youth. The program is open to all youths who have completed 8th grade and are at least 13 years old but who have not yet turned 21.
There will be a wide variety of events scheduled throughout the year (skiing, camping, hiking, etc) and no prior camping experience is required to attend or participate in any of the events. The big event of the year will be a five day white water rafting trip on the Arkansas River in Colorado in early August.! Come find out more details at our meeting this Sunday.
Junior High MLK Sports Day at the J, January 20
Jewish teens in grades 6-8 are invited to a fun day at the Northbrook JCC on Monday, January 20 from 11:00 to 3:00. $25 gets you Laser Tag, Dodgeball, a pizza lunch and lots more! Sponsored by BYOB Connect, JCC Camp Chi, B’nai B’rith Beber Camp, CBS Kadima, and Shir Hadash. Click here to view the flyer, and click here to register.
Midwest Regional Kallah, February 14 – 16
Save the Date for the Midwest Regional Kallah for 6th-12th graders. Join teens from the Chicago area and Michigan for a weekend of Reconstructionist living. Registration forms are now available; contact Carole Mostow at youth@shir-hadash.org if you would like one emailed to you.
Adult Education
The Book of Esther – An Interfaith Class
We are joining forces with Our Lady of the Brook to offer a unique examination of the Book of Esther from both Jewish and Catholic perspectives. Led by Rabbi Eitan and OLB’s Deacon Peery Duderstadt, “The Book of Esther: Yours, Mine and Ours” will meet at Shir Hadash on Tuesdays at 9:30am on January 14 and February 4, 11, 18, & 25. Click here to register. We had a great turnout last week. Newcomers are most welcome to join upcoming classes.
Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Thursdays, noon-1:00pm in the Shir Hadash Kitchen/CafeJoin Shir Hadash members and friends for a refreshing and contemporary exploration of the weekly Torah portion. Don’t be surprised if archaeology, sociology, contemporary world affairs as well as law, medicine, and business ethics enter the lively conversation as we plumb the deeper meanings of Judaism’s core text. Participants are encouraged to share their views, questions, and opinions. Each month, one of the class sessions will be devoted to the Chai Mitzvah curriculum.
Sunday Morning Adult Ed
Sunday School is back in session for kids and adults as well! We hope you will join us for Torah and Philosophy at 9:45 with Fred Andes, followed by Hebrew Reading at 10:45 with Steve Lewin. For more information, contact Fred Andes, frederic.andes@btlaw.com.
