Shir Hadash Newsletter, October 31, 2013

What’s Happening at a Glance 

Membership News and Upcoming Events

• Free Fire Wood – Come and Get It!
• Book Club, December 5
• Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s

Creative Worship and Ritual

•  “A Shabbat Sweet”, Friday, November 1

Volunteer Opportunities

• Soup Kitchen Opportunity, November 10
• Shir Hadash Supports PADS

Music Notes

• Religious School Music
• Lights & Miracles
• Lahaka
• More Hanukkah Music

The Rabbi’s Corner

• “Real Strength and Power”

Education

• Check Out Our Education Director’s Blog
• Shabbat Service Starring Grades Gan – 3: November 15

Teen News

• High School in Israel Information Meeting, November 3
• SHY Lounge, November 7
• BBYO, November 7
• Madrichim, November 10

Adult Ed

• Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Eitan
• Sunday Morning Adult Ed 

Jewish Cultural Events in Chicagoland

• Shir Hadash  Artists on Display, November 1
•  “Old Jews Telling Jokes”
• ”Signs of Life”

Membership and Upcoming Events

Warm Up with Some Free Firewood
There’s a chill in the air, but we’ve got what you need to warm up! Loads of wood from our recent landscape clearing projects have been stacked against the exterior wall of the synagogue. Help yourself to as much as you can carry! Be sure to stop by ASAP – by next week, any leftovers will be carried away. Thanks for helping!

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 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

“A Shabbat Sweet” Service, November 1
Be sure to join us for a very special musical experience for Shabbat on Friday, November 1 at 7:30pm. We will be treated to “A Shabbat Sweet,” a unique service that combines ancient Jewish prayers with original melodies by Chicago musician (and JRC member) Billy Kaplan. Guest musicians and vocalists will join forces with Shir Hadash performers for a night everyone will enjoy. For more information about “A Shabbat Sweet,” visitwww.ashabbatsweet.com.

Mark Your Calendars: 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 

Soup Kitchen Volunteers Needed
On Sunday, November 10th, Shir Hadash will be preparing, cooking and serving over 90 meals to needy individuals at the St Paul's Lutheran Church Soup Kitchen in Evanston.  This event will require volunteers to be available from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.  We need a minimum of 25 volunteers (about 10-12 families). There is no age limit to volunteer, but from past experience, kids should be at least 6 years old to fully participate.  Each family will be responsible for bringing an entrée that will feed 15 to 20 individuals, one gallon of milk, one gallon of orange juice, one large bag frozen mixed vegetables, one large bag of fruit (oranges, bananas, etc.) and dessert. 
If you are interested in helping, please contact Mark Lenhart before November 1st at mjlenhart@comcast.net. More information will be sent to all volunteers approximately one week before the event.  After this, the next opportunity to volunteer for the Soup Kitchen will be February 2014.

Shir Hadash Supports  PADS Shelters for the Homeless
The Shir Hadash Social Action Committee is excited to announce a new partnership with the PADS Shelter Program in Northern Cook County.  PADS provides hospitality, food, and overnight emergency shelter to the homeless between October 1 and April 30, seven days a week (including holidays).  Please visit their website to learn about the vital services PADS provides. 
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. At this point, we are just collecting names of interested people who are willing and able to provide food once or twice a season, depending on the number of volunteers we get.  If you are interested in helping, please contact Mark Lenhart at mjlenhart@comcast.netfor detailed information.  Maureen Rivkin will be coordinating and assigning volunteers as needed.  Thanks in advance for your support of this great organization!

Music Notes – News and Ideas from our Music Director

Religious School Music
I hope your children are enjoying their musical experiences in school this year. Each week, we learn something new, review something old, borrow something else and try to avoid the blues. Also, be on the lookout, after Hanukkah, for news about Kolit, our Youth Choir.
Lights & Miracles
Is your Menurkey (Hannuturkiah?) ready yet? This year's Lights & Miracles service on Friday, November 22, will be a celebration of this once in a lifetime overlap of the first day of Hanukkah with Thanksgiving. Don't be there, be square. Be there, sing a round!
Lahaka
Sing in the shower? To borrow from another religion, why keep your light under a bushel? We're always looking to welcome new members of Lahaka, the Shir Hadash adult choir.  Rehearsals on Wednesdays at 7:30pm at Shir Hadash. If you're interested, contact Adrian at music.director@shir-hadash.org.
More Hanukkah Music
The Jewish a capella group StandFour offers this Hanukkah Mashup. As you may have guessed, I'm a big fan of parody. Try this one: “Hanukkah is Coming toTown.” Here's "S'vivon, Sov, Sov, Sov" like you've never heard it before!
Stayed tuned in the coming weeks for more!

The Rabbi’s Corner

November 1-2, 2013 / 29 Heshvan 5774
Torah - Genesis 25:19 - 28:9Haftarah: I Samuel 20:18 - 20:42 | Shabbat Machar Chodesh
“Real Strength & Power”
Dear Friends,Isaac understood the difference between his two sons, Esau and Jacob.  Esau was the bold hunter and man of the field – who quickly and eagerly sold his birthright for Jacob’s lentil soup – because he was hungry.  Jacob was the ordinary shepherd and dweller in camp that saw a way of rising in leadership and status – and was willing to skip a meal if that’s what it took.  In the Torah, Esau symbolizes physical strength and impulsiveness and Jacob, intellectual knowledge and planning.  Esau symbolizes simplicity, while Jacob represents the complex.
Our society prefers the strong man to the smart man….
To read the rest of the Rabbi’s Corner, click here  to visit our website.

Education

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!
Shabbat Starring Gan through Grade 3, November 15
Friday, 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 me know if you are interested in hosting a pre-service 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.

Teen News

High School in Israel Information Meeting for Teens and Parents
On Sunday, November 3rd from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Teen Lounge, AMHSI Representative, Dana Klein will meet with us to talk about their programs for High School students.
Alexander Muss High School in Israel, known as HSI or AMHSI, is the only pluralist, non-denominational, co-educational English language study abroad program in Israel for high school students. AMHSI was founded in 1972 and boasts over 22,000 alumni. They provide teens the opportunity to spend part of the academic school year or summer in Israel during the sophomore, junior or senior year of high school on a fully accredited academic and fun experience, earning high school and college credit. Come hear about the programs offered from the Midwest representative.
SHY Lounge
On Thursday, November 7th from 7-8:30 pm, come hear Shir Hadash senior Claire Marvet talk about the documentary Blood Brother, a powerful film about a young American who dedicates himself to working in an HIV/AIDS hostel for poverty-stricken children in India. Claire is hosting a special showing of the film on November 20th at the AMC Showplace in Vernon Hills, with proceeds benefiting the children of the hostel. Click here for details about the documentary and ticket information.
BBYO
Our next meeting will be next Thursday, November 7 at 6:00. We’ll share a pizza dinner and hold chapter elections.  (Remember, you must be officially registered with BBYO in order to be elected as an officer. Sign up here.) After the meeting, stay for the presentation by Claire Marvet aboutBlood Brother.
Madrichim
Next meeting:  Sunday, November 10th at 8:40 am.

Adult Education

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
Join us on November 3 for “Torah and Philosophy”class at 9:45 with Fred Andes. For more information, contact Fred atfrederic.andes@btlaw.com.

Jewish Cultural Events in Chicagoland

Shir Hadash Artists on Display, Nov. 1
Janie Baskin of Unframed Heart and, in an exclusive product preview, Bonny Davidson of Faerie Castle Marzipan are among 24+ artists featured at The Holiday Hidden Treasures Art Show on Friday, November 1, from noon to 7:00 pm at The Garlands of Barrington, 1000 Garlands Lane, in Barrington. $5 donation benefits Young at Heart Senior Dog and Cat Rescue. For more information, contact Bonny at beedee2@earthlink.net or Janie at janiebaskinart@gmail.com.
"Old Jews Telling Jokes" at the Royal George Theatre
This long-running Off-Broadway show will be playing at the Royal George Theatre from September 24 through January 26. Click here to visit the theatre’s website.   Shir Hadash is going to the show on Sunday, November 17 at 2:00pm; contact Meryl Abensohn, abenkras@aol.com, for details.
“Signs of Life” at the Victory Gardens Theatre
A surprising, moving new musical, “Signs of Life” tells the true story of Terezin, a Czech military town that was transformed into a “model” Jewish ghetto. The captive residents, many of whom were artists and intellectuals, were forced to beautify their environment in an effort by the authorities to hide the true nature of the regime from the Red Cross and the International Community. Highly recommended! “Signs of Life” plays at Victory Gardens through October 27. Click here to visit the theatre’s website for more information.