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Health & Fitness

Shir Hadash Newsletter, January 16, 2014

What’s Happening at a Glance

Membership News and Upcoming Events
  • Coffee House – Open Mic Night, January 25
  • Blood Drive, February 2
  • Save the Date: Shir Hadash Gala, February 22
  • Support the Gala with Silent Auction Donations
  • Book Club, February 25
  • Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s
Creative Worship and Ritual
  • Shabbat Yitro Evening Service, January 17
Music Notes
  • Celebrate Tu B’Shevat
  • Purim’s Coming – Join Our Spiel!
  • Youth Choir Begins February 2
  • Be Part of Lahaka (Adult Choir)
The Rabbi’s Corner
  • “Finding Unity”
Education
  • Visit the Education Director's Blog
Teen News
  • Junior High MLK Sports Day at the J, January 20
  • BBYO Board Meeting, February 6
  • Midwest Regional Kallah, February 14-16
Adult Education
  • 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
It’s almost time for our inaugural “Coffee House Night at Shir Hadash – Open Mic Style”!!  Join us on Saturday night, January 25, 2014 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm to enjoy a laid back evening 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.  Please contact Margie at MargiePromoPro1@aol.com and put “Coffee House Talent” in the subject line to let us know if you’d like to perform or be part of this exciting event.

Behind the scenes help needed:  Attention Tech Help!  Attention Set-up Crew (roadies)! Attention Bakers!  A successful event depends on YOU!  For more information, please click here.  Please contact Margie to find out more.  

Blood Drive, February 2
LifeSource will be at Shir Hadash on Sunday, February 2nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for a blood donation drive. The recent extreme weather conditions have prompted a significant decline in donations at all of LifeSource’s donor centers, so participation is more important than ever. Each pint of blood donated helps save three lives!
To schedule your appointment with LifeSource go to www.lifesource.org and use sponsor code 528B. Alternatively, you can email Mark Lenhart at mjlenhart@comcast.net, or register on the sign-up sheet in the Shir Hadash lobby during Sunday School hours.  If you have any specific medical questions, please call LifeSource at 877-543-3768 or 800-486-0680. Thank you for participating in this critical effort!

Save the Date: “Living the Chai Life” Shir Hadash Gala and Silent Auction, February 22
Get ready for our 2014 Fundraising Gala “Living the Chai Life!” on February 22 at the Arboretum Club in Buffalo Grove. Join us as we celebrate 18 years as a community! The evening will feature hors d'oeuvres, desserts, a silent auction, raffle and live music by the Not For Profit Band! Tickets are $54/person now, $64/person after February 16. Visit our website  for details and tickets!

Support Our Gala with Silent Auction Donations or Sponsorships
Make our Gala a success by contributing 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.  Don’t have an item to donate or a service to provide? Consider asking your favorite businesses to donate an item. Sponsorship opportunities (which include a number of tickets) are also available.  All proceeds go to Shir Hadash, and every bit helps. Contract Glenn Graff at fundraising@shir-hadash.org for more information.

Book Club, February 25
Our next selection will be Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua. The book is a story of identity, following two Israeli Arabs who are trying to define themselves in modern day Jerusalem. 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 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 Yitro, Friday, January 17, 7:30pm
Come join a special Shabbat service led by our 7th grade class.  The focus will be on Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year of trees.  There will be lots of readings on an environmental theme.  We will read the Ten Commandments from the Torah and add a reading in honor of Martin Luther King Day, too.  Finally, we will offer a blessing to our 8th graders heading to Israel on the Ta’am Yisrael Taste of Israel trip.  There’s a lot to celebrate.  Bring dessert treats to share at the potluck oneg refreshments on the theme of ‘trees’ or that use fruit and nuts from trees.


Music Notes – News and Ideas from our Music Director

Celebrate Tu B'Shevat
Today (Thursday, January 16) is Tu B'shevat. Want to learn more about the “New Year for Trees”? Click here for links to information resources, videos, music, and more about the holiday.

Purim's Coming -- Share Your Inner Thespian/Comedian/Singer/Dancer/Techie/Gleek
Purim starts Saturday night, March 15. Rehearsals will be starting soon for our Purim shpiel. Only a minimal commitment is needed, we promise. 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 writers, 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, music.director@shir-hadash.org, or Rabbi Eitan.

Rehearsals for Youth Choir Start Sunday, Feb. 2 at 8:45am
Does your child like to sing? Encourage them to be part of the Youth Choir (aka Kolit.) We will be meeting to rehearse the first and third Sundays of the month at 8:45am. Singers, drummers, guitarists, pianists, clarinetists, horn players, instrumentalists of all kinds are welcome. For more information contact Mr. D.

Lahaka (Adult Choir)
Our adult choir, Lahaka will be meeting regularly on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month at 7:30pm. If you like to sing and be part of a warm, friendly, fun-loving group come join us.  For more information contact Mr. D.


The Rabbi’s Corner

January 17-18, 2014 / 17 Shevat 5774Shabbat YitroTorah – Exodus 18:1-20:23 / Haftarah - Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-9:6
“Finding Unity”
Dear Friends,
We live in fractured times.  Politicians over-emphasize differences for maximal advantage.  Advertising shouts the attributes of one product over all the rest.  Sports have us cheering for one side and booing the other.  In our schools, towns, and places of work, we feel compelled to declare our allegiance to only one side - our side - because ‘we are better.’  And the rest - well, they just don’t measure up….In this week’s Torah portion, the Children of Israel were encamped at the base of Mount Sinai preparing to receive the Ten Commandments and the Torah.  Yes, our ancestors were divided up into the twelve tribes and yes, the tribes were further divided up into the various roles that each individual played in supporting the group.  Our tradition teaches, however, that standing at Sinai and hearing the revelation of Torah was a moment when the Children of Israel were united across all the lines.  We were one at Sinai….
To read the rest of The Rabbi’s Corner, click here to visit our website.


Education

Visit the Education Director’s BlogEducation Director Emily Ascher’s blog has loads of pictures and news about everything happening at Religious School. Click here to see it all. 


Teen News

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 .

BBYO Board, February 6
Board Members: see you at our next Board meeting, Thursday, February 6 at 7:00pm at Shir Hadash.

Midwest Regional Kallah, February 14 – 16
NOTE: Registration MUST be received by Thursday, January 23!It’s almost time 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
Our Book of Esther discussion group has been going strong! Led by Rabbi Eitan and Our Lady of the Brook’s Deacon Peery Duderstadt, “The Book of Esther: Yours, Mine and Ours” offers an in-depth examination of the story of Esther from both Jewish and Catholic perspectives.
The class is currently on a short hiatus, but will start up again on February 4 and continue on Tuesdays at 9:30 am through the end of February. All classes are at Shir Hadash, and newcomers are welcome. Click here to register. 
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