Shir Hadash Newsletter, January 5, 2014

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
• Fortune Cookies and Fiddler – A New "Tradition"!
• Book Club
• Permanent Restaurant Fundraisers: The Continental and Butterfield’s

Creative Worship and Ritual

• Shabbat Shira Evening Service, January 10
• Shabbat Yirot Evening Service, January 17

Music Notes

• Youth Choir & Ensembles Informational Meeting, January 12
• Shabbat Shira, January 10
• Purim – To Entertain or To Be Entertained?

Education

• Sunday School Resumes January 5

Teen News

• BBYO Spring Kickoff Dance Party, January 4
• BBYO: “Praying with Lior” January 11
• Junior High MLK Sports Day at the J, January 20
• Midwest Regional Kallah, February 14-16

Adult Ed

• 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
“Coffee House Night at Shir Hadash – Open Mic Style” is coming soon: Saturday, January 25 from 7:00 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 Skora 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.  

Fortune Cookies and Fiddler – a Great New “Tradition!”
Last week Shir Hadash hosted its first “What’s a Jew to do on December 25 ?” dinner-and-a-movie celebration. Over 70 members and guests came out on a snowy evening for “Fortune Cookies and Fiddler on the Roof”, enjoying the classic musical film and sharing a delicious Chinese buffet dinner accompanied with a pot luck dessert.  Everyone had a great time! By the time desserts were served, people were already contemplating what movie to show next year.
Special thanks go out to several people for making this event possible. Lynne Arons came up with the original idea for the event and also prepared the lyric sheets for singing along. Carrie Matt gave the event its name, created the beautiful poster, and made the Power Point song slides. Glenn Graff worked on publicity, arranged for raffle and door prizes, and kept us supplied with popcorn and candy. Melanie Andes coordinated the meal and oversaw other event details. Finally, thanks to the many people who arrived early and stayed late to help with set up and clean up. See you all next year!

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 February meeting; watch future newsletters for date and location info.

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.

Shabbat Shirah
On Friday, January 10 we read parashat Beshallakh, which contains the "Song of the Sea" that the Israelites sang after crossing the Reed Sea. Join us at the special service at 7:30pm with a focus on music and song, including music sung by the Shir Hadash Lahaka adult choir.

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..

Education News

Sunday School Resumes January 5
Hope you all had a safe and fun vacation!  We’re looking forward to seeing all our students return this Sunday, January 5, 2014.

Teen News

BBYO Spring Kickoff Dance Party, January 4
The Great Midwestern Region of BBYO will be hosting the first ever Spring Kickoff Dance at the Deerfield Hyatt on this Saturday, January 4, from 7:00pm-9:30pm. Transportation will be provided from Skokie, Chicago and South Suburbs. There will be door prizes and the chance to enter a raffle to win 50% off Invite Convention! In order to be entered into the raffle you must bring two non-members with you to the dance!
During the dance, each chapter will receive designated colored wrist bands to give out to perspective members. Each of you will be able to “bid” membership to your chapter by giving an 8th grader or prospect your designated wrist band! Each 8th grader and prospect can receive multiple wrist bands, so be social, meet new friends, and recruit for Ra’am! This is an exciting time, so come prepared with your best chapter spirit. For more information, contact Carole Mostow, youth@shir-hadash.org.

BBYO: “Praying With Lior”, January 11
On Saturday, January 11 from 7:00 - 9:00, BBYO presents the film “Praying With Lior” with a discussion to follow. All are welcome!

Junior High MLK Sports Day at the J, January 20Jewish 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 – 16Save 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 from January 7 through February 25. Click here to register.
Sunday Morning Adult EdOur Sunday Morning adult ed classes resume this Sunday, January 5. 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.
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.