Shir Hadash Newsletter, October 17, 2013

What’s Happening at a Glance

Membership News and Upcoming Events

• Prospective Member Open House, October 24
• Jewish Western Movie Night: “The Frisco Kid”, October 19
• Book Club
• Dining for Dollars Fundraiser: Buffalo Wild Wings, October 24
• Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s

Creative Worship and Ritual

• Shabbat Evening Service, Friday, October 18
• "A Sweet Shabbat" Music Service, Friday, November 1

Volunteer Opportunities

• Help Host Our Prospective Member Open House
• Soup Kitchen Opportunity, November 10
• Shir Hadash Supports PADS
• Storage Locker Clean-Out,  October 20
• Office Help Needed
• Landscape Fall Clean Up

Music Notes

• Religious School Music for Everyone
• Lights & Miracles – We Need You!
• Join the Lahaka
• New Hanukkah Music Suggestions

The Rabbi’s Corner

• "The Stories We Tell"

Education

• A Note from the Education Director
• 6th Grade Bar/Bat Mitzvah Planning Meeting, October 20

Teen News

• BBYO, October 17 (tonight!!)
• Madrichim, October 20
• High School in Israel Information Meeting, November 3
• SHY Lounge, November 7

Community News

• Panel Discussion: “Forging Jewish Identity and Community”, October 22

Jewish Cultural Events in Chicagoland

• “Old Jews Telling Jokes”
• "Signs of Life"

Membership and Upcoming Events

Prospective Member Open House, October 24
Invite your friends to learn about Shir Hadash at our first Open House. They will have the chance to socialize with members, meet our Rabbi and Education Director, and find out what we’re all about. Join us on October 24 from 7:00 to 8:30 at the synagogue. Want to help plan this special event? Scroll down to “Volunteer Opportunities” to find out how!

Jewish Western Movie Night and Discussion, October 19
Shir Hadash is hosting its first movie night on October 19. Beginning at 7:00pm, we will be showing “The Frisco Kid,” a Western comedy featuring Gene Wilder as Avram Belinski, a Polish rabbi who is traveling to San Francisco, and Harrison Ford as a bank robber who befriends him. Come join the fun and even bring your friends!  After the movie there will be a discussion about the Jewish themes in the movie.  Admission is free.  There will be a suggested donation for facilities overhead.  Popcorn and snacks will be available for purchase. All proceeds will benefit Shir Hadash. Please RSVP at http://sh.shulcloud.com/event/movie-night.html.

Book Club
Our next selection for the Shir Hadash Book Club is The Slave, by Isaac Bashevis Singer. This is the story of Jacob, a scholar sold into slavery in the aftermath of pogroms in Poland in the seventeenth century . He falls in love with a gentile woman and questions his faith. We will meet in early December—watch for details in future newsletters.

Dining for Dollars: Buffalo Wild Wings, October 24
On October 24th (all day) we will be having our October Dining for Dollars at Buffalo Wild Wings at 1018 Willow Road, Northbrook, IL. Bring in our flyer (click here) located here and 15% of your food purchases will benefit Shir Hadash.  And if you buy a Buffalo Wild Wings gift card from SHOP Shir Hadash, we will benefit twice.

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 Evening Service: Friday, October 18 at 7:30
With the Birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah, we are introduced to the power of a Hebrew name.  Names have meaning for the Biblical characters and for us as well. They form a piece of our Jewish identity.  At this service we will explore the significance of our Jewish names and even confer names on some of our children. Rabbi Weiner-Kaplow will present some of the Biblical characters with names of the strangest meanings you could possibly imagine. Don’t miss this rare treat.  During our service we will honor and bless Sandy Simon and Stuart Aizenberg on their upcoming trip to Israel. They will be taking the first packet of prayers slipped into the cracks of our sanctuary's Jerusalem stone wall and delivering them to the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
Lauren Shook will be on hand to lead an exciting Shabbat children's program for preschoolers through 3rd graders.
Please bring treats to share for the potluck oneg refreshments. 

Save the Date “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.

Volunteer Opportunities

Special Thanks
We want to express special appreciation to Suzanne Wexler and Dan Wellisch, our diligent Volunteer Coordinators. Over the past few months – the busiest time in the history of our synagogue – they have been invaluable as they recruited and facilitated volunteers for events large and small. Thank you Suzanne and Dan for all that you to contribute to our community!

Help Host Our Prospective Member Open House
We are looking for a few volunteers to plan and execute our Prospective Member Open House on October 24. The event will be held at the synagogue so we can show off the building. Volunteers will hang “coffee shop” flyers and be there to greet prospective members and tell them why Shir Hadash is a great place to be.
If you would like to be involved in this very important project, please contact volunteer@shir-hadash.org and they will forward your information on to the membership committee.

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.  Our hope is that we can begin to get more involved with PADS and provide them with more food as well as onsite support and volunteer opportunities for our members. 
At this point, we are just collecting names of interested people who would 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.net for detailed information about food donations.  Once we have a list of interested volunteers, Maureen Rivkin will be coordinating and assigning volunteers as needed.  Thanks in advance for your support of this great organization!

Storage Locker Clean-Out
We need some help this Sunday to clean out the synagogue’s storage locker, so that we can stop paying rent at the end of October.

• Time:  11:00am this Sunday, 10/20/2013. 
• Where: Meet at the synagogue on Sunday at the front entrance.  We will then caravan over to the storage facility.
• What To Do: You will start taking stuff out and bringing it back to the synagogue for storage or disposal.  

Vans would be helpful if people have them.  Please email Fred Andes to let him know you will help: fandes@btlaw.com , or call him at 773/354-3100

Office Help Needed
Lillian could still use help in the Shir Hadash office on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays for the next few weeks. If you have time to answer the phones and cover administrative tasks, please contact volunteer@shir-hadash.org to fill some time slots.

Join our Landscape Clean-Up Team!
Last weekend the Landscaping Committee had another successful day eradicating the invasive Buckthorn plant choking out the large trees in the field directly to the east of our synagogue building. Hidden in the weeds we found two lovely Mulberry trees--what a nice surprise! Join us on Sunday as we tackle tree number 3. We meet from 10am-12noon. This is a UGIVE event which means your teenager can earn service hours if he or she attends. Contact Jodi Marvet at jlmarvet@comcast.net for more information.

Music Notes – News and Ideas from our Music Director

Religious School Music – For Everyone to Enjoy
I need and want your input. What are the Jewish songs that meant something to you growing up? I am constantly striving to find a balance between the new and the not so new in the music we use in religious school. Share your favorites with me. Anytime parents and children can enjoy and sing the same songs is a plus in my book!

Light & Miracles - We Still Need You
It's coming sooner than you think! Our "Lights & Miracles" celebration service will be on Friday, November 22. Vocalists, instrumentalists, actors, comedians, dancers, jugglers, and artists of all kinds are invited to come and be a part of this very special evening. If you've a talent to share, contact Adrian at music.director@shir-hadash.org. Our youth will be learning songs in religious school so they can participate at Lights & Miracles, too. Plan to be there and join in the celebration as we give thanks, in the spirit of both Hanukkah and Thanksgiving.

Lahaka
We're always looking to welcome new members of Lahaka, the Shir Hadash adult choir. Come and sing with us! Rehearsals take place on Wednesdays at 7:30pm at Shir Hadash. If you're interested, contact Adrian at music.director@shir-hadash.org.

Hanukkah -- Finding Music
Have you discovered OySongs.com yet? It's one of the best places to find and download Jewish albums from contemporary Jewish songwriters.Click here to access all their Hanukkah albums:    CDBaby.com is another place where many of today's up and coming (and established) Jewish musicians can be found. There's tons of Hanukkah stuff to be found -- click here to check it out.

The Rabbi’s Corner

October 18-19, 2013 / 15 Heshvan 5774Shabbat VayeraTorah Portion: Genesis 18:1-22:24 / Haftarah Portion: II Kings 4:1-37
“The Stories We Tell”
Dear Friends,Helping to bring peace and healing to our troubled world often seems an insurmountable task.  Yet, our Jewish tradition teaches us to do what we can, even if we feel that we cannot complete the task.  We must still do our best to make some progress.
This week’s Torah portion offers us a unique way to help make a small difference that may turn out to be a huge one in someone’s life.  It revolves around how we tell stories about others....
To read the rest of the Rabbi’s Corner, click here  to visit our website.

Education

A Note from the Education Director
2nd Graders love studying Hebrew in our "living room"!Our teachers and students are settled into the new year at Shir Hadash.  Under the leadership of Hebrew Specialist Limor Wasserman, the initial Hebrew assessments are complete and students have been placed in their Hebrew groups. Remember, the more the children practice at home, the easier bar/t miztvah preparations will be in sixth and seventh grade. The older children will have about ten minutes of homework a week, but that doesn't mean they can't do more!  There are many websites and Hebrew apps;  the one we recommend is the Behrman House Publishers site. If you have concerns about homework, please feel free to email the teachers.
Parents are always encouraged to join us for services in the morning. The 3rd-7th grades meet in the sanctuary at 9:15 a.m. sharp, with the little ones following at approximately 9:45 a.m.  The Education Committee and I ask that, for the safety of our students, parents and members refrain from entering any areas other than the coffee bar and center circle.  If you need to pick up your child early, please sign in with Gloria the table by the offices.  Thank you for your cooperation.

6th Grade Bar/Bat Mitzvah Planning Meeting, October 20
Parents of 6th graders: here’s your chance to have your questions answered by Rabbi Eitan and our mitzvah maven Ruth Wallk! Come together for a brief and informative meeting with other parents in your child’s class. We will meet this Sunday, October 20, at 11:30 in the Rabbi’s office. Questions? Contact Education Director Emily Ascher, eddirector@shir-hadash.org.

Teen News

BBYO, October 17 – TONIGHT!
We are excited to announce our Shir Hadash BBYO chapter launch event: Thursday, October 17 from 7:00 to 8:30pm. All 8th-12th graders are invited to join us in the Teen Lounge for our very first chapter meeting. BBYO’s pluralistic movement of Jewish teens, alumni, parents, volunteers and philanthropists will serve as the Jewish community’s most valuable platform for delivering to the post-Bar/Bat Mitzvah audience fun, meaningful and affordable experiences that inspire a lasting connection to the Jewish people.
Click here  to register with BBYO online; please select Shir Hadash as your chapter. See you tonight!

Madrichim
Join us for our 1st meeting on Sunday, October 20th at 8:40 a.m. in the teen lounge.  Watch your e-mail for more information and the meeting agenda.

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 herefor details about the documentary and ticket information.

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
Our Sunday adult discussion groups are getting underway! Join us this week at the synagogue 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 Events

Panel Discussion: “Forging Jewish Identity and Community”, October 22
The Center for Jewish Law and Judaic Studies will present its 5th Annual Interdenominational Community Event, a panel discussion entitled “Forging Jewish Identity and Community in the Me Generation: Rabbinic, Institutional, and Parental Responses.” Noted scholars and community leaders will address the question of how to promote Jewish identity and social connection for the millennial generation. The event, including a dessert reception, takes on October 22 from 7:00 to 9:30pm at the the Chicagoland Jewish High School, 1095 Lake Cook Road in Deerfield. For more information, visit the JLJC website. 

Jewish Cultural Events in Chicagoland

"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.  We are trying to organize a group to see the show on Sunday, November 17; if you are interested in joining us, please contact Meryl Abensohn ASAP at abenkras@aol.com.

“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.