What’s Happening at a Glance
Membership News and Upcoming Events- Shir Hadash Prayers Carried to Jerusalem
- Hanukkah Candle Sale During Religious School
- Book Club, December 5
- Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
- Shabbat Evening Service Featuring Grades Gan-3, November 15
- Lights & Miracles, November 22 at OLB
- Shir Hadash Volunteers Host Soup Kitchen
- Winter Clothing Drive
- Flyer Brigade for Lights & Miracles
- Help Plan Our Upcoming Gala: First Meeting, November 17
- PADS Volunteer Organizational Meeting, November 17
- Lights & Miracles: Sing, Sing, Sing
- Hanukkah Cleverness – There’s Still Time!
- Just Another Voice in the Crowd…
- “Change and Growth”
- Shabbat Service Starring Grades Gan – 3: November 15
- JRF Camp Day at Sunday School, November 17
- Education Director’s Blog
- Madrichim
- BBYO, November 21
- Teen-Led Shabbat, December 6
- Midwest Regional Kallah, February 14-16
- Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan
- Sunday Morning Adult Ed Classes
- JUF Fund for Typhoon Disaster Relief
Membership and Upcoming Events
Shir Hadash Prayers Carried to JerusalemStuart Aizenberg and Sandy Simon recently traveled to Israel. They took with them a packet of prayers that our members placed in the cracks between the Jerusalem stone on the wall of our new synagogue's sanctuary. Stuart placed the packet of prayers between the stones of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Our greatest thanks to Stuart and Sandy for beautifully connecting the symbolic wall of our shul to the most sacred place in Judaism.
Hanukkah Candle Sale During Religious SchoolShir Hadash is selling Hanukkah candles and decorations during Sunday School. Whether you prefer fancy beeswax candles or just simple candles, we have quality candles with great pricing. Stop by and fill your candle and decoration needs.
Book Club
Our next selection for the Shir Hadash Book Club is The Slave, by Isaac Bashevis Singer, the Yiddish story of a Jewish scholar sold into slavery in 17th century Poland who falls in love with his gentile master's daughter. We will meet Thursday, December 5 at 7:30pm at the home of Rebecca Rice in Northbrook. Contact Meryl Abensohn at abenkras@aol.com for more information.
Hungry Before or After Religious School (or Anytime)?The Continental Restaurant in Buffalo Grove or Butterfield's 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 Evening Service, Friday, November 15Join us this Friday night at 7:30, for a very special Shabbat service. And how it is special? Well, let's count the ways:
First, on the younger side: the service will be led by the Gan Yeladim, First, Second, and Third graders (Rabbi Eitan too!). The children get to stand on the bima and lead the prayers they are working on in Sunday School. We get to bless our children and sing some songs together.
Second, on the more, well, mature side: we will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Lillian Cohen, mother of our first President, Susan Cohen. And when we say celebrate, we mean it: the Mighty Shir Hadash Klezmorim will be playing, and we'll be getting up to dance!
Come and enjoy - and don't forget to bring something for the oneg!
Lights & Miracles Service, November 22 at OLB
Don’t miss a true Shir Hadash tradition – the annual Lights & Miracles Hanukkah Service. Bring your family and friends to share in our celebration of Hanukkah music and traditions, with a special Thanksgiving twist especially for this unusual year. Latkes and cranberry sauce, anyone?
To accommodate a great turnout, this year’s service will be held at Our Lady of the Brook, 3300 Dundee Road in Northbrook. Come ready to sing, dance, laugh, and be inspired! Our service starts at 7:30pm.
Volunteer Opportunities
Shir Hadash Volunteers Host Soup KitchenOn November 10, Shir Hadash helped feed the underprivileged and homeless as part of the Interfaith Sunday Soup Kitchen, located at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Evanston. We had 13 families and well over 40 volunteers (kids and adults) who helped prepare and serve dinner for over 80 guests. The generous outreach by the Shir Hadash community was overwhelming. Our families prepared a variety of hearty and delicious dishes including meatloaf, chicken casserole, pastas, chili, beef sandwiches, chicken, vegetables, desserts and milk/juice. Guests also received a sack lunch when they left filled with a PB&J sandwich, fruit, snack bar and veggies. Several guests commented that this was the best soup kitchen they had ever been to and could not stop thanking our volunteers for their generous support.
This is our 12th year of supporting the Interfaith Sunday Soup Kitchen and the next opportunity to volunteer will be on February 23, 2014. Watch for news about signups in January!
Winter Clothing Drive
Please help us provide comfort and warmth to the homeless and needy in our community during this upcoming cold season by donating gently used items such as blankets, sweaters, winter coats, boots, gloves, hats and other warm clothing. All sizes are needed.
We will be collecting these items until November 24th. Please place all items inside a sturdy plastic or paper bag, and drop them off in the lobby of the Shir Hadash building, 200 W. Dundee Rd. Wheeling. Please look for signs of where to place your items. All donations will be given to the Wheeling Township Social Services Department for distribution. Thank you for your generous support!
Flyer Brigade for Lights and Miracles
Our annual Lights and Miracles service is right around the corner! Help spread the word to our local communities. We are looking for volunteers to hang our Lights and Miracles flyer in nearby coffee shops and restaurants. Each volunteer will be asked to hang 7-12 flyers in a specific region (6 regions total). Flyers, tape and thumb tacks will be provided along with a list of your assigned coffee shops and restaurants. This should take each volunteer about 2 hours.
Volunteers are needed ASAP, so please contact Rachel Schick Siegel, Marketing Committee Chair, and let her know you’re able to help! Call847/724-5720 or email rschicksiegel@comcast.net. Thanks for helping!
Help Plan Our Shir Hadash 2014 Gala - Meeting this Sunday
Do you like planning parties? Do you want to have some fun with your fellow Shir Hadashniks? Can you help find Silent Auction items? Shir Hadash is throwing a gala fundraising evening on February 22, 2014, and we need volunteers to help plan the event. Our gala will be a fun night of music, dancing, hors d'oeuvres and dessert – a great opportunity for members of the Congregation and their friends to relax and enjoy a night out and support our community.
There are a number of different volunteer opportunities, including:
- General event planning and coordination
- Menu selection
- Invitations
- Obtaining silent auction items and sponsorships
- Creating a sponsor event book
- Marketing materials
- "Day-of" assistance – set up, clean up, ticket taking, etc
PADS Volunteer Organizational Meeting, November 17
The Shir Hadash Social Action Committee is excited to announce a new partnership with the PADS Shelter Program in Northern Cook County. We are holding an introductory meeting for volunteers this Sunday, November 17 at 10:00am. Interested volunteers should plan to meet in the Shir Hadash lobby.
PADS provides hospitality, food, and overnight emergency shelter to the homeless between October 1 and April 30, seven days a week (including holidays). Initially, Shir Hadash will be providing some portion of the food needed at the Tuesday PADS Site located at the Kingswood United Methodist Church in Buffalo Grove. Please visit their website to learn about the vital services PADS provides. For more info, contact Mark Lehhart at mjlenhart@comcast.net.
Music Notes – News and Ideas from our Music Director
Lights & MiraclesYou know the old joke about Jewish holidays and food: They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat? Well, our Lights & Miracles service on Friday, November 22 at Our Lady of Brook will certainly fit the mold. However, I'd like to suggest a minor modification: "They tried to kill us, we won, let's sing!" After all, as far back as the crossing of the sea of reeds, we celebrated by singing. (Just a little foreshadowing here for the Shabbat Shirah service in January.) So it only seems fitting to indulge in a little -- no, make that a LOT-- of singing at Lights & Miracles. Bring yourself. Bring your family. Bring your voice. As Reb Nachman of Bratslav said, "Sing! Even if you can't sing, sing!"
Still a Chance to Create Some Hanukkah Cleverness
It's not too late to try your hand at writing some clever verses for "I Have a Little Dreidl" as part of the "Mr. D. Dreidl Song Challenge." (See last week's newsletter for a sampling, or for other examples click here.) Send your efforts to me at music.director@shir-hadash.org, and we might include them at this year's Light's & Miracles Service Deadline for submissions is this Sunday, November 17. (Of course, you never know -- you may find me adding lyrics to the Powerpoint slides during the show itself!)
Just Another Voice in the Choir?
Well, not really, but it got your attention! Like to sing? Come join the Shir Hadash Lahaka, our adult choir. Rehearsals on Wednesdays at 7:30pm at Shir Hadash. Also, after Hanukkah we'll be reforming our Kolit Youth Choir. If you're interested, contact Adrian at music.director@shir-hadash.org.
The Rabbi’s Corner
November 15-16, 2013 - 13 Kislev 5774Shabbat VayishlachTorah Reading: Genesis 32:4 - 36:43 / Haftarah Reading: Obadiah 1:1-21
“Change and Growth”
Dear Friends,
Sometimes I wonder if it is ever possible for us to really change and grow. Despite all the promises of New Year’s Day to do better, we often fall back on old habits and resume our previous ways. And yet, there are times in our lives when breakthroughs occur that launch us to new understandings and awareness that bring significant transformation to our lives. We are never the same.
Judaism understands that human beings are always growing as we analyze the situations we have been in and how we performed. It is part of our nature. When we are disappointed with our actions, our tradition tells us to adjust and do better the next time. …
To read the rest of the Rabbi’s Corner, click here to visit our website.
Education News
Shabbat Starring Gan through Grade 3, November 15Friday, November 15th will be a special Shabbat service led by the Gan Yeladim, First, Second, and Third graders (Rabbi Eitan too!). This service is quite fun and a chance for the children to get used to standing on the bima and leading the prayers they are working on in Sunday school. We also get to bless our children and sing some songs together. Please let Emily know if you are interested in hosting a preservice pizza dinner in our beautiful kitchen -- it's really fun and a great way to start a family tradition. This is a perfect opportunity for bonding with other Shir Hadash families--don't miss out.
A Taste of JRF Summer Camp, November 17
Sunday, November 17th is JRF Camp Day at Shir Hadash Sunday School. Rabbi Isaac Saposnik will run our school in true camp-style fun. We will sing and dance, make snacks, and play games just like the students do at camp in the Pennsylvania mountains each summer. No need to make any changes, other than to note Isaac may have planned some "food art" using not-so-healthy ingredients. If your child has special food needs, please make sure to plan accordingly.
Toys! Toys! Toys!
There will be children who will go without this holiday season. Shir Hadash Sunday School would like to help shrink that number by partnering with the JCC to collect new toys for children less fortunate than our own. Please send new toys appropriate for infants through Kindergarten and we will make sure they get to the JCC for distribution. We will have a box set up in the front of the school for your convenience.
Check Out the Education Blog
Our Education Director Emily Ascher shares school news, photos, and insights in her weekly blog. Click here to see what’s new!
Teen News
Madrichim – Camp Day!Come to Sunday School with lots of energy for JRF Camp Day this Sunday, November 17. Please arrive 15 minutes early to confirm your assignments. Watch your e-mail for more details. Also, see Nat if you would like a part in the Chanukah play to be performed on November 24th.
BBYO, November 21
Our next meeting will be Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m. Join your newly elected BBYO board members in planning upcoming events, including the teen-led Shabbat service on Friday, December 6.
Teen-Led Shabbat, December 6
Shir Hadash teens will be leading the Shabbat service on Friday, December 6 at 7:30pm. Celebrate our new Ra'am BBYO chapter and more at this special Shabbat service.
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 will be available soon—watch for more details in future newsletters.
Adult Education
Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Eitan Weiner-KaplowThursdays, 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 isn’t just for kids! Join us this week 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.
Community News
JUF Fund for Typhoon Disaster ReliefAs estimates of the death toll of Super Typhoon Haiyah reach the thousands, and the scope of devastation begins to emerge, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago has opened a special fund to aid the recovery efforts. “This storm has the potential to be one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory,” Federation President Steven Nasatir said in a press release. “Chicago’s Jewish community always has been among the first to respond to such crises, wherever they occur, and we will provide whatever support we can to those in need now.”
Chicagoans may contribute online at www.juf.org/relief, by calling (312) 444-2869, or by sending a check to the Jewish Federation Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund, Room 3022, 30 S. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60606. All funds collected will be distributed in coordination with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Federations of North America. The Chicago Federation will absorb all administrative costs, ensuring that 100% of the local donations go directly to aid those most grievously affected.
