February 2012 - Congregation Beth Judea
Transcription
February 2012 - Congregation Beth Judea
RABBI’S REFLECTIONS IN THIS ISSUE February 2012 Purim is one of the most joyous days in the Jewish year. The holiday, which falls on the 14th of Adar (beginning the evening of March 7th this year), celebrates the threat against Persia’s Jews by the evil Haman, his plot to annihilate them, and their salvation by the beautiful Esther, a Jew who becomes queen and reveals her identity just in time to save her people. We read the story from the megillah each year, celebrating our deliverance with song, plays, drinking and general carrying on, but we rarely get a chance to think about some of the values that the holiday and its customs represent. We are usually too busy celebrating. First, we send gifts to one another in commemoration of surviving the threats of old, as well as our continuing survival as a people, by sending mishloakh manot. These gift baskets or boxes include at least one cooked item and, usually, something sweet as a symbol of the sweetness of life. Beth Judea makes it possible for us to fulfill this mitzvah by providing the mishloach manot that we send to one another. Just fill out the form on line or on paper, and indicate whom you would like to receive your gift. This not only fulfills a religious obligation; it also builds connections between us. And you never have to worry about missing someone if you choose to reciprocate with all those who send to you! The boxes will be available for pickup at the shul beginning on the night of the Purim Masquerade, March 3rd. (continued next page) Rabbi’s Reflections …………………………………..…. 1 Mishloach Manot ……………………………………….. 2 PURIM MASQUERADE BALL & EVENTS …………. 3 Notes from the Cantor …………………………………. 4 President’s Message …………………………………... 5 Mission Statement ………………………………………. 5 B’nai Mitzvah Bios ………………………………………. 6 UPDATE FROM THE GOODMAN’S FROM ISRAEL.. 7 Focus on Families ………………………………………. 9 Education ..……………………………………………... 10 Youth …………………………………………………….. 13 Men’s Club ……………………………………………… 15 Keruv …………………………………………………..... 16 Interpretive Minyan ……………………..……………… 16 Social Action & Israel Affairs ………..………………... 17 Sisterhood …………………………………….………… 18 Adult Education ………………………………………… 20 MT Nesters ……………………………………………... 22 College Connections ……………….………………… 23 Community Connections ……………………………… 23 Sisterhood Gift Shop ………………………………….. 23 BJE ……………………………………………………… 24 SHALVA ………………………………………………… 24 Bikur Cholim …………………………………………….. 25 Birthdays and Anniversaries ………………………….. 28 Yahrzeits……………………………………………….… 29 Tributes………………………………………………..… 31 February Calendar ………..…………………………….. 34 Index of Flyers and Advertisers……………….……… 35 BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES Shabbat Prayers February 3, 2012 – 7:30 pm Those who celebrate birthdays and anniversaries during the month of February will be recognized at our service on February 3rd. Our worship will begin at 7:30 pm and will conclude by 8:15 pm. Children of every age are welcome! UPSTAIRS THOUGHTS RABBI’S REFLECTIONS February 2012 Second, like many holidays, Purim is an opportunity to engage in tzedakah, giving matanot l’evyonim, gifts to the poor, in order for them to properly celebrate the holiday. One way to do that is by donating to our Congregational Support Fund, which makes it possible for those who cannot afford to pay full dues to remain members of Beth Judea. By helping them in this way we make it possible for them to maintain their connection to the shul and to Judaism. We should also address the drinking we do on Purim. Drunkenness has always run counter to Jewish sensibilities, yet we use wine to sanctify Shabbat and the holidays as well as small amounts of liquor to celebrate many occasions. The typical restraint with which we approach alcohol puts its abundant use on Purim into stark relief; this is truly an unusual thing, not something to engage in at other times. There may be a connection between the masks we wear on Purim and our permissiveness when it comes to drinking. Wearing a mask or drinking turns us into versions of ourselves that we ordinarily do not reveal. Both practices ritualize behavior that would be otherwise unacceptable, enabling us to celebrate our relief in surviving an existential threat. Mishloach Manot for All Orders Due by Sunday, February 17, 2012 Rabbi Pivo’s article this month talks about the obligation of Jews to give gifts or schlach manot on the holiday of Purim. Gift giving adds to the joy of this wonderful holiday, and elevates the spirit of both the giver of the gift and the recipient of the gift. We’ve made this process simple, easy, inexpensive, and best of all, WE DO ALL THE WORK!! to Download additional information and the Order form. If you need another recipient list, please contact the synagogue office. Purim is a time to be silly, but its silliness should be in service to the larger values of recalling Jewish survival, enabling others to take part in Jewish life and deepening our relationships with one another. I look forward to celebrating Purim at Beth Judea for the first time and hope to see you in shul for megillah reading, the Purim carnival and the Purim Masquerade. Hag Purim Same’akh, Get Flyer Rabbi Jeff Pivo IT’S TIME FOR BETH JUDEA’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT… Sunday, March 4, 2012 11:00 am – 2:00 pm THIS YEAR – OUR PURIM MASQUERADE BALL!!! (see next page for more info) The Word February 2012 Page 2 PURIM MASQUERADE BALL For more information visit www.cbjpurimparty.org The Purim Masquerade and Auction promises to be a memorable event that will go down in Beth Judea history! It is a time for our community to join together and celebrate Beth Judea and to honor this year's Purim King and Queen - Rabbi and Lisa Pivo! Come Honor our Purim King & Queen Rabbi Jeff & Lisa Pivo Saturday Evening March 3, 2012 at Beth Judea - 8:00 - 11:30 pm Special Donor & Sponsor Reception at 7:30 pm You can honor Rabbi Jeff and Lisa Pivo in a few ways... 1. Attend the Purim Masquerade on Saturday Evening March 3, 2012. 2. Purchase an ad for our event program for the following... • Download the Program / Ad Book Contribution Form • Honor Rabbi Jeff and Lisa Pivo • Highlight your business to all of our expected Purim Masquerade attendees • Honor the other professional staff • Send a personalized greeting to one of our congregants, clergy, or staff. 3. Donate Auction Items: Ask anyone and everyone for a gift! • Download a 50/50 Raffle Form • Sports Tickets • Professional Services • Gift Certificates • Airline Tickets • Hotel/Condo Stays • Birthday Parties • Theater Tickets • Other Products and Services $65 per person - $55 per ticket if received by February 6, 2012 Donor: $125 per person Sponsor: $250 per person Please R.S.V.P. by February 15, 2012 This event is for those who are 21 and older Donor tickets include a one line message in the event program. Sponsor tickets include a 1/4 page ad in the event program. Both include an invitation to a special receiptiuon at 7:30 pm with our Honorees. The Word February 2012 Page 4 UPSTAIRS THOUGHTS NOTES FROM THE CANTOR We have seen a steady growth at Beth Judea in the number of members, both adults and children, who have acquired the skill of becoming Ba’alei Kri’ah, Torah readers. It is an incredibly rewarding pursuit, and in addition to our regular Shabbat morning services, the opportunities to practice this skill are ample. We read on major and minor holidays, on Monday mornings, sometimes on Shabbat afternoons as well. I found the letter below, written just weeks ago and posted by a cantorial colleague of mine, particularly moving. I hope you will take a moment to read it: Five years ago, when my parents died and I first started to come to daily minyan to say Kaddish, reading Torah was the farthest thing from my mind. Up to then, I was only a casual attendee at synagogue. As I became more proficient in reading Hebrew, I was encouraged by the ritual director to learn to lead the daily services. Then, after the High Holy Days in 2007, the ritual director gave a Torah reading class. I had been at Shabbat services during the previous year when one of the regular minyan attendees had read Torah for the first time and I thought it was something I would like to do for my parents’ yarhzeits in 2008. The Shema was used to learn the basic tropes and then we were asked to pick a date with significance for us and each person in the class was given a Torah portion for that date. I picked my parents’ wedding anniversary in April, 2007. We each got copies of our portions with and without vowels and trope signs and a tape. Each Monday we would come to class and review the tropes and our portions. I practiced mine along with the tape every evening line by line, first with the pointed text and then without. In December, about three weeks after I had been given the portion, I chanted it in its entirety without the vowels and trope signs. I sat there stunned that I had done it, and I burst into tears. It was one of the most profoundly moving moments of my life. The next day, I chanted the portion for the ritual director, and since it was still going to be four months before I would do the portion on Shabbat, he gave me one to do in February for my mother’s birthday. When I went up on the bimah on that Shabbat to read from the Torah for the first time, I did not know what to expect. I was nervous, but not frightened. I remember the people around the Torah on the bimah. I remember walking up to the Torah. However, when I began reading it was as if no one else existed in that space and time. It was just me and the words on the scroll, and I was so totally absorbed in the reading, that I was actually somewhat disoriented when I finished. I knew then that I had been given a gift beyond value, and I knew I wanted to read from the Torah again. I read on Shabbat several other times that year, and in the fall of 2008, I did read Torah for both of my parents’ yahrzeits. Since I had chosen to continue attending daily minyan after their first yarhzeits, I decided to try to learn some of the weekday readings. At this point I still needed a recording, but toward the end of 2009, something clicked and I realized that I now knew the trope well enough to learn the readings on my own. Since that time, I have read Torah almost every week and I have read in every parsha except Vayeilech, which I hope to do this year. Reading Torah has added a new dimension to my life as a Jew. People are always searching for a spiritual experiences in synagogue. I can think of nothing more spiritual than reading those same words that our people have been reading for almost 2500 years. As Judaism changes and adapts for modern times, Torah is there as a constant. I am grateful that I belong to a synagogue where congregants are encouraged to study and read Torah. Reading Torah is a reachable goal for adults who have never read before or have not read since their bar or bat mitzvah. I had no special skills or knowledge prior to 2007. I had not even seen the inside of a Torah until my 50 th birthday, and was 61 years old when I did my first reading. I was once asked how I learn one or more readings every week. I had no answer. As I said at the beginning, perhaps I was given a gift. If you think you might wish to study Torah reading and become a ba’al or ba’alat kri’ah, please let me know. Perhaps it could change your life as well, whatever your age! It is a profound and sacred undertaking, and I would be delighted to add a class to our adult studies program if enough of you are interested. See you in Shul, Hazzan Roger Weisberg Reminder: It is not too late to sign up for our summer 2012 trip to Jewish Russia, departing on July 4. Professor Stephen Berk, who chairs the Jewish Studies and Holocaust departments at Union College in New York and author of numerous books and articles related to Russian Jewry, will be guiding us on this one-week, incredible journey to St. Petersburg and Moscow. For more info, please contact me or download the flyer below: http://www.ayelet.com/CA2012BROCHURES/WeisbergRoger.pdf The Word February 2012 Page 4 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Rabbi Transition Committee: This year we formed a Rabbi Transition Committee in order to acclimate Rabbi Jeff Pivo and his family into Beth Judea and our community. I am pleased to report that this committee has successfully completed its role, and that Rabbi Pivo is fully integrated into our Beth Judea family. I would like to express our gratitude to the Transition Committee for all their time and effort and thank each committee member as follows: Rhonda Wenner, Chairperson and past President Bruce Entman Cindy Lipka Mindy Gold Evan Rumack Gloria Hernandez Merle Rumack Rebecca Karlin Michele Sussman Andy Levitt Sandy Victor If you have not had an opportunity to individually or as a group to meet Rabbi Pivo, please feel free to schedule a meeting directly with the Rabbi. He would be more than happy to meet with you. RICK DRAZNER, PRESIDENT CONGREGATION BETH JUDEA Office: 847-255-0500 Home: 847-537 3388 Cell: 847-208-3345 E-mail: rjdraz@rjdrazner.com MISSION STATEMENT Congregation Beth Judea is an accepting egalitarian synagogue whose mission is to create a warm and inviting home that serves the lifelong spiritual, educational and fellowship needs of our members. Consistent with the principles of the Conservative/Masorti Movement, we embrace our responsibility to serve and support the greater Jewish community, the community at large, and the State of Israel. Click Here to Download A List of All the Award Recipients, New Officers and Directors that were installed at our Annual Dinner on June 24, 2011 Membership Boot Camp: Thank you to all our congregants who attended our Membership Boot Camp. The purpose of this program was to provide each member with an opportunity to learn about every aspect of our synagogue and to get more involved. Many of you responded to the Kol Nidre Spiritual Pledge Cards and committed to get more involved in our Beth Judea family. If you have not honored your pledge yet, please contact us to join a committee of your choice, to join an auxiliary group of the synagogue, help in the kitchen, or attend the daily minyan or Shabbat services more frequently. The more to choose to give or involve yourself in the synagogue, the more you will benefit as a congregant and the more we will benefit as a congregation. Purim Masquerade Ball: The committee is very hard at work at planning an outstanding social program and major fundraiser for the synagogue on March 3, 2012. Save the date! This will be the major event of the year. First, we want you to get involved by committing to attend the Ball. It will be a very casual evening, during which you can come in costume or mask and have a great time, share good food and drink (open bar!), dance to a live band, and share the camaraderie of your follow congregants. There will also be a raffle, silent and live auction, prizes and many surprises. We also encourage you or a business that you frequent to place an ad in the program Ad Book. You can also qualify for a free ad in our next synagogue directory by placing an ad in the Purim Ball Ad Book. Come out and support the King and Queen of the Ball, none other than Rabbi Jeff and Lisa Pivo. The Purim Ball even has its own website: cbjpurimparty.org. Be sure to follow all the updates and excitement of this great program. If you want to get more involved contact Michael Gluck, the chairperson of the event at: 224-436-9258. B’Shalom, Rick Drazner CBJ President The Word February 2012 Page 5 B’nai Mitzvah Bios Brooke Rachel Wenk will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on February 11, 2012. She is a 7th grader at Twin Groves Middle School. Brooke is an avid reader who loves mysteries, romance and fantasy novels. Brooke drew upon her love of reading as the cornerstone for her Mitzvah project. She is extremely proud of helping to organize two successful book drives at her school along with collecting books from friends and family to benefit Bernie's Book Bank. Bernie's Book Bank is an organization that provides books to at risk children in the Chicagoland area. She has been taking jazz, tap, hip hop and ballet classes since the age of 3. She also participates in track & field for Twin Groves Middle School and enjoys hanging out with her friends. Brooke and her Dad have also been active in delivering food with Maot Chitim for the last several years. She has spent three awesome summers at B'nai B'rith Beber Camp in Mukwonago, WI and is looking forward to the upcoming summer. Brooke is the last B'nai Mitzvah of Hazzan Weisberg's inaugural Jr. Yad Squad class. Joining in Brooke's special day are her extremely proud parents, Hillary & Brian, sister, Shaina, Grammie Susan Stouber, and many more family and friends. Brooke would like to thank Hazzan Weisberg for helping prepare her for this wonderful occasion. A special thanks, as well, to Rabbi Pivo. Isaac Lucas will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on February 25, 2012. Isaac and his whole family are looking forward to his Bar Mitzvah. He is usually busy with baseball, basketball and wrestling. This special day comes as a thrill to his parents Mindy and Fred Lucas, his brother Tommie and all his proud grandparents Fran and Paul Bulmash and Pearl and Milt Lucas. Hannah Sally Epstein will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, February 18, 2012. Hannah is a seventh grader at West Oak Middle School in Mundelein. Family and friends are most important to Hannah and she is honored to be surrounded by many on this day. Hannah will be celebrating her Bat Mitzvah with her siblings Sammy and Emma, along with parents Jamie and Dustin. Also proud to be there are grandparents Wes and Renee Brown and Arnold and Linda Epstein, as well as Dorothy Neal and Don Neal. Hannah is honored that so many of her family and friends are able to join her from as far away as Michigan, Indiana, Arizona, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and California. Hannah has always loved softball and currently plays on the 12 U Vernon Hill's Stinger fast pitch softball team. In addition, she loves cheerleading and, just recently, volleyball. Because of her love of sports, Hannah has chosen to support "The Shed" for her mitzvah project. The Shed is a nonprofit agency dedicated to giving low-income children the opportunity to engage in sports and physical activity. Hannah is collecting new and used sports equipment which will be donated to The Shed. Hannah wants to thank all of her Hebrew school teachers and Anna Besser for all of their great instruction over the past five years. She is deeply indebted to her tutor Natalie Gurin for her patience and dedication to her. Hannah also thanks Rabbi Pivo and Hazzan Weisberg for their guidance and assistance in preparing for her Bat Mitzvah. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Beth Judea and the Council of Jewish Elderly are hosting a special lunch on Friday, February 3, 2012. Volunteers are needed to help serve the lunch, which will be held at Temple Chai in Long Grove, from 10:00 a.m. through about 1:30 p.m. The Rabbi will offer a brief D'rash, and the Hazzan will provide entertainment. The Ark is providing mishloach manot baskets for its clients in the North and Northwest suburbs. Please help volunteer to deliver the baskets on Sunday, March 4, 2012. Packages will be picked up from the Ark's Northbrook office at 9:30 a.m., and each volunteer/family will be asked to deliver four to five packages. They synagogue sponsors a family through the Ark by providing groceries on a monthly basis. Volunteers are needed to shop and/or deliver or just to contribute to the cost of the groceries. You may volunteer on a one-time basis or more frequently, whichever works for you. If you are interested in volunteering for any of these projects, please phone Marilyn Green-Rebnord at 847-821-7740 or email to drebnord@comcast.net. The Word February 2012 Page 6 ALIYAH IN YOUR 60’s FROM ARLINGTON HTS, IL TO CAESEREA, ISRAEL (First issue) L TO R: HOWIE GOODMAN, SUZANNE GOODMAN, AND BEVERLY GOODMAN TCHERNOV NEAR EILAT, ISRAEL Howie and Suzanne Goodman were valued members at Beth Judea until they decided to make aliyah in 2009. The Goodmans have agreed to provide us with a blog on their experiences as new olim in Israel. Though we continue to miss the Goodmans, we can all look forward to reading about their adventures in Israel through the blog. We are very excited to share our experiences as new olim in Israel. Since we are in our mid-60’s, our trials, tribulations, and exultations are going to be extremely different from those of younger or older olim. We were both retired when we decided to make aliyah. We thought our first installment would explain how we happened to make aliyah. I am now writing as Howie Goodman. My wife, Suzanne, converted to Judaism at 20 so she didn’t have childhood experiences related to Israel. My first memories of Israel probably go back to the early 1950s. I saw movies about the Halutzim (pioneers clearing swamps, etc) and “Exodus” as well as “Cast a Giant Shadow.” We remembered Israel when we celebrated Tu B’Shevat. My family participated in Israel Bond Drives. The Mideast wars in 1956, 1967, 1973, and the 1980’s were all times to think about Israel. I once won a small scholarship to visit Israel through the Conservative movement but did not go because of my parents’ concerns about my safety in Israel. I had no relatives in Israel. In my childhood, I did not know anyone who had gone to visit Israel. Our daughter was the person who really renewed our interest in moving to Israel. She was 15 in 1989 and went to Israel on a high school trip. When she returned she wanted to move permanently to Israel. In 1991, she went to Hebrew University as a 17-year-old freshman. We visited her that December with other parents of students in the program. Our son also went to Israel with a group from his university. We were hooked. Israel was more than we had expected, and we wanted to experience it more. We travelled to Israel over 10 times between 1991 and 2009. Three times we were part of “Volunteers for Israel” under the Sar El Program (www.sar-el.org). Volunteers live on military bases, wear uniforms, eat on the base, and sleep in barracks. Married volunteers separated and had to live in the barracks with fellow men or women. We did activities that normally would have been done by reservists, which saved the Israeli government money. We paid for our travel and other costs except for the room and board on the bases. In July of 2001, we decided to go to Israel because the program was not getting the normal number of volunteers due to 9/11. (continued on next page) The Word February 2012 Page 7 ALIYAH IN YOUR 60’s (continued from previous page) In 2002 we toured Israel with Jewish War Veterans from all over the world. We even visited Gaza on one of the day tours. In 2007, I lost my job and Suzanne retired early due to coping with breast cancer. Our daughter had made aliyah in 2006. She married an Israeli and was living in Eilat. We went to visit them in the spring of 2008. In the fall our grandson was born. We arrived one day after he was born and stayed for a number of weeks in an apartment. It was then that we decided to start our paperwork for making aliyah through Nefesh B’ Nefesh (www.nbn.org.il). We thought the process would take a number of months and we also needed to sell our Arlington Heights home in a terrible housing market. In April of 2009, I was responsible for the first Israel Bond Drive at Beth Judea. We had purchases of over $400,000. Finally, in the summer of 2009 our application was approved. We put our home up for sale expecting to sell it in perhaps a year. Our daughter wanted us to come to Israel to help her with Erez, our grandson. So we decided it would be easier to move early than staying in our home with showings and the inconvenience of marketing. We went and stayed in our daughter and son-in-law’s home in Eilat. While we were in Eilat, we received an offer, countered, and wham, our home was sold! We knew our daughter and son-in-law were going to move near Haifa with a new job opportunity. They had a place in Caesarea and had room for us until we decided where to live permanently. The big problem was we only had a few weeks to sort through 20 years of accumulations, close on our home, and load our clothes, books, furniture, and other belongings in a container going to Israel by ship. We also needed to say our goodbyes. To receive our free one-way plane ticket, we ended up staying in a hotel for a number of weeks before making aliyah. We then drove to Philadelphia to say goodbye to our son, daughter-inlaw, and three grandchildren. We had decided to leave our mini-van with our son and daughter-in-law as well as our bicycle rack, bicycles, and accessories. Beat up and exhausted, we arrived at Ben Gurion on December 1, 2009. Someone met us from AACI (Association of Americans and Canadians In Israel). We had requested this since we were not with a Nefesh B’ Nefesh charter flight. We went to an immigration office at the airport, filled out some paperwork, and received some money. We were told what offices we needed to go to in Hadera (the closest large city to Caesarea). We were then asked where we wanted to go and put in a free cab ride to Caesarea. In Hadera, we went to various agencies and received our Israeli ID cards, class assignment for Ulpan to learn Ivrit (Hebrew Aleph), and Israeli travel documents. We then had to open a checking account at a bank so we could receive our one-year stipend for being new olim. When we look back at the process, it was relatively quick given you are an Israeli citizen with all the rights and obligations in a very short time. We can vote in municipal and parliamentary elections, pay 19% VAT (tax) on almost everything, complain about anything and everything concerning Israeli politics and life, and laugh and cry at ceremonies and events. We can be proud to say we are Israeli’s. We always said we would not say anything about decisions made in Israel unless we were citizens. Now we are! We want to share our experiences in such future articles as: how do you obtain a driver’s license? Which passport do you use and when? What if you don’t speak Ivrit? What benefits are you entitled to as new olim? What about the conservative (Masorti) movement in Israel? How much do groceries, cars, etc. cost? What about friends and family left behind? Please contact us at howieg@aol.com or call us on a Vonage line, which is the same as a local USA call 847259-7524. Please remember we are 8 hours ahead of Chicago time. We also invite anyone who will be visiting Israel to come to Caesarea for a personal tour. We’ve already had visits from Ann, Mitch, and Seth Lerman; Kitty and Bruce Hoffman; Tsipi Ladin Gross; Sherry and Dan Weinberger; and Mookie and Sue Sternberg. Hazzan and Audrey Weisberg as well as Sandy and Andy Levitt visited us in January. So let us know if you will be here and we can at least give you some “insider” tips on your trip. Shalom! Howie and Suzanne Goodman The Word February 2012 Page 8 Family Programs Congregation Beth Judea Family Events – February 2012 All events are open to the community and are free of charge (unless otherwise noted). For more details & to RSVP for all programs, contact the synagogue office at 847-634-0777 or visit www.bethjudea.org (click on “Register for an Event”) Feb. 3 5:45 pm – Family Shabbat Pray and Play Join us for Shabbat dinner at 5:45 pm followed by Tot Shabbat services and Parsha playtime at 6:30 pm. The 30-min. family Shabbat service is perfect for families with children 8 and under. We will use our special Tot Shabbat Siddur and follow along with kid-friendly translations and familiar Shabbat songs. Shabbat play will explore the weekly Torah portion through drama and hands-on Shabbat appropriate activities. Cost for dinner: $15 per family; $20 for non-member families Please RSVP by Jan. 31. Feb. 12 10:30 am – 12:00 pm: Gan Shalom Gan Shalom is a monthly pre-Kindergarten program focusing on Jewish holidays, heroes, and mitzvot for children age 5 and under accompanied by an adult. This month’s theme: “Totally Trees!” Cost: $5 per session or $40 for the 9-session series. Each class includes art, stories, music, and snack. Registration is required by Feb. 6. For more info, please contact Anna Besser at 847-634-8380. Feb. 16 Feb. 23 2:00 pm – Challah Chaverim (afternoon session) 6:30 pm – Challah Chaverim (evening session) Join us for challah making, story time with Rabbi Pivo and a Shabbat song session with Cantor Weisberg. Registration is required by Feb. 14. SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, March 4 Shushan Wonderland and Purim Carnival with special Tot Hour Every Shabbat Sat. Morning, 10:30 – 11:30 am, Gan Shabbat Gan Shabbat is a Shabbat service specially designed for children ages nine and under along with their families. After Gan Shabbat, participants are welcomed at the main service and the community Kiddush. For more information about family programming, please contact the synagogue office at 847-634-0777. Congregation Beth Judea, 5304 RFD, Long Grove, IL - 847-634-0777 Click on the Links Below to View the Flyers Friday Sunday Thursday Thursday February 3, 2012 February 12, 2012 February 16, 2012 February 23, 2012 5:45 pm 10:30 am 2:00 pm 6:30 pm Sunday Every Shabbat Morning 10:30 AM February 2012 Flyer Familly Shabbat Dinner/Pray & Play Gan Shalom Challah Chaverim Challah Chaverim SIGN UP FOR FOCUS ON FAMILIES EVENTS ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE Gan Shabbat View Our Gan Shalom Schedule View Our Challah Chaverim Schedule CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR 2011 – 2012 SCHEDULE Check out our full calendar of events here. Like what you see in family programming and want to help keep it going? Please consider volunteering to help with one of our programs this year L’hitraot! See you soon! Mindy Gold mindygold@sbcglobal.net Click Here to Join us on Facebook The Word February 2012 Page 9 EDUCATION Dreaming Big about School Transformation It’s important to dream big, to indulge in what kind of school we’d like to send our kids to, a 21 st Century Jewish Religious School. Recently, I’ve begun to dream. To imagine what kind of school we can become. We’re fortunate that 2 generous donations have come in specifically earmarked for Religious School changes. With this money, the Education Committee and I will be tackling the school environment. The right environment can make or break a Religious School class. The way in which classrooms are laid out can have a major impact on how our students think and interact with the lesson, their peers, the teachers and the overall theme. This spring and summer, we will be redesigning the classrooms – purchasing new furniture (tables, storage, chairs), painting the rooms, and installing white boards. But this just one part of our dream. What does a 21st Century learning community look like? Here are some elements of the dream: • A school is a Pre-Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade community • Classrooms are vibrant and encourage collaboration and group work • Technology savvy lessons are part of the norm • Homework is a family affair; it’s a tool to help reinforce the classroom learning • Teachers get paid for lesson planning and preparation, collaborative meetings, observing colleagues and professional development • Families engaged in life-long learning – from preschool age children to adults • Adults talk to each other kindly, with compassion, listening first to understand • The site is a bright, artistically-rich, student-centered, clean, calm place to be. People smile and are grateful to be a part of it In order to make other changes, we still need your help. Technology, Life-Long Learning, School Connections, Family programs are all areas still needing donations. Yes, I’m a dreamer. But with your help, the dream for Beth Judea’s Religious School can become a reality. Technology: Computer knowledge and application is an integral part of our children’s education. Our students are bombarded with media sources on a daily basis. We are at a crossroads in Jewish Education. If we do not keep up with the trends in secular education, then we will be doing a disservice to our students. We are in need of establishing a completely interactive classroom. The latest forms on engagement and delivery of information are a key component of how we teach in the classrooms. The Word February 2012 Page 10 EDUCATION Life-Long Education: Life-long learning begins years before a child enters Religious School and continues past their B’nai Mitzvah. We need to create programs that foster a family connection to the synagogue from an early age. Programs such as Story Time w/the Clergy, Challah Chaverim, Gan Shalom and Family Holiday celebrations. Through these programs, we get families excited about their Jewish identity and nurture them to view the synagogue as a “second home.” At the other end of the spectrum, we need to offer programs for our teens and adults. Our Adult Education has expanded over the past few years. To continue its growth, to have series with local scholars/professors, to bring in speakers, view Israeli films and have panel conversations would be a wonderful opportunity. The more we can offer our congregation, the more likely our congregants will find a way to continue their personal development. School Connection: The years a child attends Beth Judea Religious School is the optimum time to foster their Jewish identity. Being able to celebrate Shabbat, Sukkot, Purim, Pesach and other holidays together, takes coordination and a curriculum designed to engage each individual child. Integrated programs between the Religious School and Youth Groups will help build community within our synagogue. To provide these opportunities to our students will allow us to put into practice what we teach. • B’Yahad: a monthly joint Religious School and Youth Department program that combines Kadinkers/Kadima grades together to celebrate Shabbat, Havdalah or other Holidays. • Mifgash: One Sunday in the year, each grade meets to hold a unique program for parents and student together that we call Mifgash, which can be translated from the Hebrew as an encounter. Mifgash provides quality time for parents and students to interact Jewishly, through enjoyable hands-on activities and discussion: parent-student and parent-parent. Our goal is to build understanding that Judaism is not merely a set of laws about religious aspects of life, but a way of living and thinking that influences all aspects of life. We celebrate the fact that modern Jewish families are members of numerous communities (school, work, sports, etc.) and we seek to find connections between our Jewish and secular lives. Upcoming School Events: World Wide Wrap Coming up on Sunday, February 5th, Dalet and Heh students and their families are invited to participate in Men’s Club World Wide Wrap at 8:30 am. Dalet students have been working on creating their own Tefillin and will show off their wrapping skills with the rest of Men’s Club this Sunday morning. Please join us for this event! School Calendar: February: Sunday 2/5 Saturday 2/18 Sunday 2/19 Men’s Club World Wide Wrap No Gimel Shabbat No Religious School Classes March: Sunday 3/4 Purim Carnival – regular dismissal time (12 pm) Tuesday 3/13 Heh Class Picture Friday 3/16 Bet Family Shabbat Dinner Sunday 3/18 Aleph Class Family Program Saturday 3/24 – Saturday 3/31 No Religious School – Spring Break Download Gan Shalom Flyer The Word February 2012 Page 11 EDUCATION MY TRIP TO PARIS BY GABE GORDON I went to Paris with my family over winter break. The trip was great. We did so many different activities and tours. We stayed at a very small hotel on the left bank. It was right on a road that had tons of shops and food places. Everyday I would walk from our hotel to Starbucks to get a drink. The first weekend I read Torah and led services at the conservative synagogue in Paris. Most of the tunes were the same, but there were some differences. I had to read the whole k’riah, not just the triennial reading, so it was very long. I felt very special that I could lead services in a whole different country. My favorite part of Paris was definitely Euro Disney. It was just like Disney World in Florida, but this one was better. I went on rides such as Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, and an Aerosmith rollercoaster. We also got to see a really cool stunt show. This included gun fights, car jumps, and wicked racing. We were at Disney for the entire day, but it quickly ended. I wanted to go back, but we didn’t have time. On our trip I also enjoyed going to Normandy. It was really interesting learning about D-Day there. I like reading about war, so this was just my place. We saw Omaha beach which is the most famous of the 5 landing spots on D-Day. At the beach, we also saw all of the graves where the soldiers were buried, and it was HUGE. I also saw famous landmarks and paintings. These included the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triumph, and the Mona Lisa. There were easily 50 people surrounding the Mona Lisa. It was kind of weird because I thought the painting was big, but it was extremely small. The food was also excellent in France. I had at least one crepe everyday. I had really good salmon and steak. Of course there was also cheese, bread, and nutella at every meal, and I got to drink the wine. My parents thought I had a little too much sometimes, but they’re just being parents. I really didn’t have a lot. Overall I would definitely want to go back to France. There was so much I didn’t see and would like to see again. I hope you have the choice of going to France because it is great. USCJ Annual Concert Supporting CHUSY Region USY & Kadima Sunday, March 11, 2012 – 7:00 pm Click here to download flyer The Word February 2012 Page 12 YOUTH Dear Congregants, This past month I had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles, California for the JYDA (Jewish Youth Directors Association) annual conference. It was such a thrilling experience for me as I networked with other professionals similar to myself and got to hear some amazing speakers. One of the speakers who really resonated with me was Dr. Ron Wolfson. Dr. Wolfson spoke about how we can make our synagogues open and welcoming places. During Dr. Wolfson’s speech I found myself not only drawn in to everything he was saying, but also spinning my wheels about how our Beth Judea family can become more like what he described. He went on to talk about how we live in a day in age where we have to lock doors to synagogues and have security monitors. He stressed the fact that it is especially important now, in a time where we do have to be so secluded, to throw our arms around members and non-members alike and welcome them into our community. Dr. Wolfson spoke about handshakes and hugs when someone new comes into the building. Instead of pointing someone to a prayer book when they walk into the sanctuary, hand them yours with the page open. Instead of shunning those who make waves, welcome them to get involved and act on their ideas. All in all bring the synagogue back to a place of community. Perhaps coffee and doughnuts for parents during Hebrew School time for them to hang out and socialize, or a Saturday evening program with members of our congregation, the fact remains the time is now to bring people back to the synagogue. Make it a second home and create a sense of community where the synagogue is no longer just a place one has to go, or can go, but becomes once again THE place to go. In other news our second Take Stock in Our Youth program is currently underway. Pledge cards should already be in your mailbox, or feel free to click the pdf version on here to make a donation. In addition, I along with the entire BJUSY family would like to send out a special toda raba (thank you) to our very own Beth Judea Sisterhood and Beth Judea Men’s Club for their co-sponsorship of this year’s BJUSY basketball team. It is through their support along with the support of the entire Beth Judea community that our youth program was able to win the prestigious honor of the International Socail Action/ TIkun Olam chapter of the year at the recent International convention. Besides winning awards, the youth community and all those supporting it can help give back to the Sisterhood and Men’s Club by getting involved in their various programs. The Sisterhood currently offers all-occasion cards that they sell and not only are they a great way to send someone a special message, but purchasing them also helps support the youth of the synagogue. Men’s Club offers monthly opportunities to help out at a senior center as well as breakfast opportunities at some Sunday morning minyans. Both opportunities are great ways to get involved and can be rewarding experiences. Overall we have a ton of exciting things going on in our BJUSY family as well as the CBJ family as a whole. Please check out all of our exciting upcoming programs and as always if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact me. B’Shalom Marc Sender Youth Director Congregation Beth Judea 5304 RFD Long Grove, IL 60047 Office: (847)-634-0777 ext. 114 Cell: (847)-334-8639 Email: YouthDirector@bethjudea.org www.bjusy.webs.com Check us out on Facebook and Twitter! Take Stock in Our Youth Click Here to Download Form Please Consider making a donation to the Youth Fund or Rachel Hirshman Fund to help USYers go to regional programs and Israel. The Word February 2012 Page 13 YOUTH The BJUSY Family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Beth Judea Men’s Club and Beth Judea Sisterhood for their co-sponsorship of this year’s BJUSY basketball team! Download a PDF Version of the February Calendar Feb. 12 BJUSY, USY and KADIMA go to Xtreme Trampolines – download flyer Feb. 20 BJUSY Kadinkers President’s Day Off at Rinkside Sports – download flyer The Word February 2012 Page 14 MEN’S CLUB Hi Everyone: Thank you for all your donations made for the Hanukkah candles. We appreciate your support. It’s not too late if you want to mail in a contribution. Thank you for all who helped feed the homeless with Pads. Every year we elect a Men’s Club man of the year. This year he is Jerry Sakol. Jerry is a great guy and a hard worker. But it’s his commitment to helping others that put him in a special category. Congratulations Jerry. The Midwest Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Club’s will be honoring Jerry and others at brunch on February 19, 2012. We will are encouraging those of you who know Jerry to come. Rabbi Pivo and Cantor Weisberg are both coming. On February 3, 2012 as part of the Keruv Program the Synagogue will honor our non-Jewish spouses, parents and grandparents to thank them for all their support. Our next breakfast will be Sunday February 12, 2012. Feel free to drop your kids off at school and join us for coffee, bagels and sweets. We welcome everyone. We volunteer at Lieberman Geriatric Health Care Center by helping the residents get to and participate in services. The upcoming dates are 2/11/12, 3/10/12 and 4/7/12. Please contact Robert Weissman or Jerry Sakol. Fred Rabinowitz 847-398-5488 THERE MUST BE AN 8 WEEK TIME PERIOD BETWEEN DONATIONS. Therefore, you cannot have donated elsewhere after December 25, 2011. Call Fred Rabinowitz to make an appointment at 847-398-5488 or email at Rabino49@aol.com. Download Blood Drive flyer We are starting our Hearing Men’s Voices program on February 15, 2012. The two topics will be “Children Younger than Middle School Age and Non-Dependant Children”. This is a chance to sit down with other men and talk about issues that are affecting our lives. Please see the flyer for further information or contact Mark Travis or Evan Rumack. Our meetings are on the first Wednesday of every month. Guests are invited. Please keep in mind that Life Source, the people who run the Blood Drive, require a photo ID when you fill out your paperwork. Please bring a state ID or driver’s license because they will not allow anyone to give blood or attempt to give blood without proper ID. Also, make sure you have something to eat before you arrive. Refreshments will be provided. Your donated blood is used in many ways, including removing platelets and other by-products for various surgical procedures and other medical treatments. The world wide wrap is set for February 5, 2012. Join us and Jews throughout the world in participating on Teflin. Help will be available. Our annual blood drive has been changed to February 26, 2012. Please plan on donating. The Men’s Club is once again sponsoring a Blood Drive through Life Source on Sunday, February 26, 2012 from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm in the Social Hall. MEN’S CLUB - LIST OF UPCOMING EVENTS 2012 February 5 February 11 February 12 February 15 February 19 February 26 World Wide Wrap Lieberman Home Java Judea Hearing Men’s Voices Man of the Year Brunch Men’s Club Blood Drive Regular monthly meeting is the 1st Wednesday of each month. **LOOK FOR OUR FLIERS FOR DETAILS Download Flyer The Word February 2012 Page 15 KERUV INTERPRETIVE MINYAN Interpretive Library Shabbat Minyan Please Join Us for a Special KERUV Program... KERUV SHABBAT February 3, 2012 To Our Beth Judea Family – As Conservative Jews, we are devoted to Jewish tradition and to engagement with the world beyond the walls of our synagogue. We affirm the values of hospitality and respect for all people, regardless of religion. In addition to being strong supporters of interfaith initiatives in our region, we recognize that many Jewish families include non-Jewish members - spouses, grandparents, in-laws - who support their Jewish family's traditions and synagogue affiliation. Our outreach to those families is called Keruv, and it is an important facet of the work that the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs does. On Friday, February 3, we will honor those non-Jewish spouses, parents and grandparents of our members at a special Keruv service at Beth Judea. We invite all extended members of our interfaith families to join us in thanking them for the commitment they have made in joining our synagogue, to raise Jewish children and for all they do to support Beth Judea. Services begin at 7:30 pm and are approximately one hour. Please join us for the oneg dessert following services. If a non-Jewish member of your family will be joining us that night, please contact the Beth Judea office so that we can properly honor them. I look forward to seeing you that night. Rabbi Jeff Pivo Of course you’d go to services more often but they’re mostly in Hebrew, difficult to follow, and very long. You’d love to spend some part of Shabbat morning in a meaningful service, but you are just not comfortable regularly attending the Congregation’s main service. The easy answer you give to yourself….wait until next week. Suppose there was a service that lasted a little more than an hour. Suppose that service included in English everything that was said in Hebrew. Suppose further, that at least a half an hour of that time was spent discussing, in laymen’s terms, the Torah portion, the upcoming holiday, or some other topic of relevance. Would you go? Our twice a month Interpretive Minyan in the Library does all that and more. It provides an alternative minyan to let mourners and those observing Yahrzeit, who share the same attitudes about traditional Shabbat morning services as you, to say Kaddish. It gives an opportunity to build a new chavurah (group of friends) with those who share the same feelings about attending services. It provides an opportunity to share experiences and to learn about our rituals, our traditions and our practices. All are invited to join our new dynamic community which meets on the first and third Shabbat of every month. We start at 10:30 and finish well before noon – in time to hear Rabbi Pivo’s comments in the main sanctuary. Our service is designed to build community by providing a passionate, meaningful and spiritual Shabbat morning experience in which participation is encouraged and accessible. Our minyan group is friendly and welcoming to all who choose to join us. We are lay led, and we invite questions and a free flowing discussion. We are co-sponsored by Beth Judea’s Men’s Club and Education Department. Please come if you can. The warmth of our community will cause you to forget the hectic week just finished. The only prerequisite is a desire to participate in services, experience Shabbat and learn a little Torah. It doesn’t matter how well or how fast you read Hebrew. It doesn’t matter how learned you are in Torah. All that matters is that you have the willingness to join us and to be a part of this new and exciting minyan experience. The Word February 2012 Page 16 SISTERHOOD PROGRAMMING MEN’S CLUB NOTE CARDS Men’s Club Note Cards Available Have you ever wondered what to give your hosts when you go for a Shabbat or holiday dinner? Do you have the right note cards for birthday, anniversary or gift checks? Beth Judea Men's Club is proud to announce that all occasion note cards are now available in the Sisterhood Judaica Shop. The note card, pictured above, is a montage of the stained glass windows and art from the Midwest Region Men's Clubs member synagogues. Proceeds from these blank cards will help both Men's Club and Sisterhood in their efforts to support Beth Judea. These cards are a great alternative to wine or candy and can even be presented as packaged. Cards are sold in sets of 10 for $18 at the Gift Shop. SOCIAL ACTION & ISRAEL AFFAIRS Social Action Ark Family Beth Judea supports a family in need through the Ark by supplying them with groceries on a monthly basis. Designated congregants shop, deliver, and/or contribute financially for the month for which they have volunteered. Please contact Marilyn Green-Rebnord at drebnord@comcast.net to help out with this project. The Social Action Committee is always looking for members. We generally meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:45 p.m. (right after minyan). For more information or to confirm a meeting time, please contact Marilyn Green Rebnord at drebnord@comcast.net. The Word February 2012 The ARK is very pleased to announce the opening of The ARK Northwest: A Safe Harbor for the Jews of the Northwest Suburbs. The new office is located in the Dundee Place Corporate Center, 3100 Dundee Rd., Suite 204; Phone (773) 973-0011. This new satellite office, at the northeast corner of Dundee and Landwehr in Northbrook, will provide increased access to The ARK’s vital human services in the northwest suburbs-where the greatest growth in Chicagoland’s Jewish population has occurred in the past 10 years. Hours at the new location are: Monday, 9:00 am – 7:30 pm and Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Page 17 SISTERHOOD SOURCE January was a busy month for Sisterhood at Beth Judea. We had many fun programs, led a Shabbat service, attended training sessions, and read a few books. Upcoming events- Mark your calendars FEBRUARY: February 8 – Education Program February 13 – Z’Havah Night Out – Color Me Mine!! February 25 – Nosh-A-Nite February 29 – Education Program (Purim) March 18 – Wine Tasting with Men’s Club March 21 – Passover Event We had a wonderful turn out for our Challah Baking Program. I think you can still smell the challahs baking in the kitchen! Thank you to Sherry Weinberger for planning the event. She was “up to her elbows in dough” getting it all ready so we could complete our tasty treats in an evening program. Synagogue Members Needed: Volunteers for PADS Sisterhood Shabbat proved to be a special day for all attending. Thank you to Melissa Chudnoff and Natalie Gurin for coordinating the service. Thank you to Heidi Sakol for planning the kiddish following the service. All the participants did a wonderful job! Thank you to Rabbi Pivo, Cantor Weisberg, Lisa Nieman, and Debbie Frager for all their help. Volunteers are needed to help serve food at the south Arlington Heights PADS location on the first Thursday of any month October thru May from 6:15 pm to 8:15 pm. Thank you to Elizabeth Ladin-Gross for facilitating the evening Page Turners in January. Be looking for the flyer with a new title for April. The Afternoon Page Turners had a great discussion, but we would love to have a larger group. Anyone interested- please join one or both book groups. You do not have to come every month. Anyone interested can contact Kitty Hoffman directly at (847) 2592512 or (847) 606-8877 (cell). You can also email her at mskitty.hoffman@gmail.com. If you can’t volunteer to serve food, we also need volunteers that can provide breakfast food supplies on the first Thursday of each month October thru May. The link for the supply list is below. Arrangements can be made fro drop off or pick up of supplies Click Here to Download the Supply List Women’s League sent an international trainer to work with our Sisterhood. We have so many new ideas and plans to implement at Beth Judea. Be looking for flyers, emails, and articles in THE WORD. Come Join Us for the Sisterhood Progressive Nosh A Night! February 25, 2012 Download flyer February has much to offer as well. We have our famous Nosh-aNight—an opportunity for husbands or significant others to join in socializing and food. You travel to three different locations for delicious appetizers and desserts. The charge is only $5 per person. Please see the flyer since the deadline is getting close. The nominating committee is working to fill our Board positions. The executive board positions are held for 2 years while all the directorships are one-year commitments. We are attracting new faces to the meetings and would like to continue expanding our members’ involvement in Sisterhood. If you are interested please contact our parliamentarians Rhonda Cohn and Laurie Rosenbloom. A special thank you to our technology expert, Theresa in the office. You can now click on our free events to reply. Don’t worry we take the old-fashioned phone calls or emails as well. Don’t forget to checkout THE WORD and emails for our flyers and dates of events. There is also a Sisterhood section on the drop down menu when sending a card or making a donation from Beth Judea on the website or calling the office on the phone. Mary Brickman and Debbi Green Sisterhood Co-Presidents The Word February 2012 Need some new ideas for everyday cooking? L’CHAIM, TOO! Can help! Click here to learn more SISTERHOOD FUNDRAISERS 1. 2. 3. All Occasion Cards - click here for flyer L’Chaim Cookbook – click here to get your free recipe Torah Pin – (see below) TORAH FUND What do the Torah Fund, teenagers & Lady Gaga’s wardrobe have in common? They are all misunderstood! Torah Fund is not a fund to support the writing or renovation of Torah Scrolls, but rather a fund to support the education of our rabbis, cantors, teachers, academic scholars & social workers so that Judaism can thrive & grow. The Women’s League of Conservative Judaism Torah Fund’s tagline is “Women ensuring Conservative/Masorti Jewish Education.” The “Torah” in Torah Fund” is striving to obtain the knowledge found in the Torah and to keep future Jewish generations strong by teaching & educating those leaders who are involved with Jews around the world. In other words, your donation will help make possible a strong Jewish future. How can you argue with that?! The theme for 5772 is “Hiddur Mitzvah,” the concept of embellishing a mitzvah through aesthetics. An example might be to use a beautifully hand decorated Challah cover as part of the Shabbat celebration, thus allowing the sacred object & activities to become more precious. Our beautiful Torah Fund pin, (which can also be worn as a necklace) is awarded with a minimum donation of $180, however ANY donation is greatly appreciated! Contact Pam Herstein at 847634-2743 or at Pammy327@aol.com. Page 18 SISTERHOOD NOMINATING COMMITTEE Dear Sisters: We are forming the nominating committee to determine the upcoming slate of Sisterhood officers. Additionally, it is desirable to reach out to women who are not currently active or are Sisterhood board members. Please respond to anything that applies. I am interested in… 1. Serving on the nominating committee myself or providing the name of someone who would be a good committee member. 2. Recommending a particular woman to hold a Sisterhood office or chair a committee. 3. Keeping my current Sisterhood board position of_______________________. 4. Becoming a Sisterhood board member. My area of interest is_______________________. 5. Becoming a Sisterhood board “member-at-large” (3 openings) Please respond to: lauri@laurirosenbloom.com. As I receive many emails on a daily basis, the subject line of all correspondence must read “Sisterhood Nominating Committee.” Please respond by February 2, 2012. Below is the list of Sisterhood board/committee positions. Please include your name, phone and email address. Indicate your top three choices. Two-Year Executive Positions Co-President Executive VP Fundraising VP Membership VP Programming VP Education VP Secretary Treasurer Parliamentarian Directors: All Occasion Cards Annual Fundraiser (co-chairs) Book Club College Care Cards Count Your Blessings Entertainment Books Historian Hospitality Judaica Arts Judaica Shop Manager Judaica Shop Scheduler New Member Liaison Rewards and Recognition Rummage Sale/Committee Sisterhood Shabbat Sisterhood Membership Dinner/Committee Social Action Torah Fund Women’s Seder/Committee Board Member at Large The Word February 2012 Page 19 ADULT EDUCATION Click Here to View Our New 2011-2012 Program Guide. ADULT EDUCATION AT CONGREGATION BETH JUDEA. Congregation Beth Judea offers a variety of meaningful Jewish learning opportunities through classes, lectures and informal sessions on Jewish Law, Torah, prayer and other topics of interest that will intrigue and inspire you. All classes (unless otherwise noted) are held at Congregation Beth Judea. Visit our Adult Ed website page by clicking here. Register for classes online – click here For a listing of adult education classes offered here at CBJ, you can download our Adult Ed brochure by clicking here. “When I pray, I speak to God; When I study, God speaks to me.” -quote by Rabbi Louis Finkelstein Interpretive Minyan in the Library Service Leader: Norm Kurtz You are invited to join the Interpretive Minyan in the Library the first and third Shabbat of every month. Our minyan is designed to build community by providing a passionate, meaningful and spiritual Shabbat morning experience. Our minyan is friendly and welcoming to all who choose to attend. We meet in the synagogue library on the second floor from 10:30 until 11:45. Shabbat shalom, Norm Kurtz WEEKLY CLASSES AT BETH JUDEA: These classes are ongoing. Please join at any time. Wednesdays – 8:00 pm – Sweet Taste of Torah: Torah Study Saturdays – 9:00 am – Shabbat Torah/Haftarah Study Sunday – 8:00 am – Words of My Mouth: Talmud Study The Word February 2012 The Great Debate Society is a delightful evening of thoughtful discussion and personal perspective on a variety of topics with a view to the Jewish values inherent in the theme. Join the Rabbi and others for lively discussions on varied topics of interest to Jews! Meetings are the last Wednesday of the month at 8:00 p.m. from October through May in the Social Hall. Dates Feb. 29 Norm Kurtz Redeeming Hostages..At What Price? This past October the Israeli government agreed to release more that 1,000 prisoners (among whom were known terrorists and murderers) in order to secure the safe return of Israeli staff sergeant Gilad Shalit. Some say this was the right thing to do. Others maintain the price was too high and the resultant risks too great. What is the "Jewish" perspective? What would you do if you were Prime Minister Netanyahu faced with this challenge? Join Norm Kurtz to explore this moral and ethical dilemma. Page 20 ADULT EDUCATION Six Jewish Approaches to God AJEC EDUCATION SERIES Jews and American Politics Rabbi Pivo Mondays Afternoons at 12:30 pm at Beth Judea Examining three pre-modern and three modern Jewish theologies, we will explore the ever changing Jewish relationship with the divine. Sessions include: God in the TORAH, God in the Tamud, Rambam’s God, Buber’s God, Kaplan’s God, Heschel’s God. Dates: Jan. 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb. 6 & 13 Just Desserts – Jewish Style Debbie Frager Tuesday evenings at 8 pm Who doesn’t love desserts? Each week we will focus a different PARVE Jewish dessert to create – ones that don’t taste like Parve! Join us for this fun filled class and learn to make some amazing desserts! Dates: Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb. 7 & 14 Hebrew Literacy II – Classes Begin Feb. 7th Dates: February 8 and 15, 2012 Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am Location: Temple Chai Click Here to Download Flyer Coming Up: Genesis and the Study of Torah Begins February 22 Tax or Spend: Judaism and the Welfare State Rabbi Pivo - Sundays at 11:00 am To what degree is a society responsible for the well-being of its citizens? What should the individual conytribute toward the upkeep of public institutions and the support of strangers? Looking ahead to the 2012 election cycle, this class will examine Jewish sources that inform our thinking on these and related topics. Dates: Jan. 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12 & 26 Jews and the Civil War Marc Herwitz – Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 – 8:00 pm Did you know that Jews fought on both sides of the Civil War? While the Jews were small in number, they played a significant role in politics and battle. Join us for a presentation by Marc Herwitz. EDUCATION SERIES To register for classes or to find out more information about the Adult Education programs, contact Anna Besser at (847) 634-0777 or at abesser@bethjudea.org NEXT SESSIONS: Jan. 12th and Feb. 9th at 8:00 pm The Word February 2012 Page 21 SPECIAL EVENT BETH JUDEA WEBSITE Dear Congregants, Our Congregation Beth Judea’s new website is here. Visit us at www.bethjudea.org. On our website you can now make online donations, register for events, view calendars and schedules and now as you shop you can help support Beth Judea 3 ways: 1. Amazon.com – Just click on the link and you will be taken to the Amazon website. You need to access Amazon through this link so that Beth Judea receives a percentage of your sales. 2. Escrip – Just click on the link on the home page of our website, click on sign up and type in “Congregation Beth Judea” under Group Name. The rest of the on-screen instructions are easy to follow. 3. Purchase gift cards through Beth Judea. On the home page of the website there is a link to download a copy of the gift card order form. Simply print the form, order your cards and send back to the synagogue. We will call you when the gift cards arrive. Download Book Order Form MT NESTERS We’re still here!! We’re getting younger every year!! Where are you? Seriously – this is a great way to meet and hang out with your contemporaries. The MT Nesters is open to the community and our annual dues are still at $20. However, there’s a special deal for Beth Judea members – the dues for your first year membership in MT Nesters is NONE - - ZERO. We meet once a month, usually on Sunday evening, except for February and the summer months. Call Carol at (847) 537-3566 or Sam at (847) 459-0316. (see the bottom of page 5 of this edition of The Word for more information) The Word February 2012 Page 22 COLLEGE CONNECTIONS JUF RIGHT START Koach Outreach Program for College Students JUF Right Start is a gift program that gives a one-time grant of $500 - $1000 per family to offset the cost of tuition to a local Jewish preschool made the first year a child is enrolled. It is not based on need. For more information go to http://www.juf.org/rightstart Koach is the Conservative Movements' outreach program for college students. The Koach website at www.koach.org always has interesting and helpful information. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS For those of you who are about to begin your college experience, Koach has produced a wonderful guide that you should view and refer to in the coming weeks. You will find it at www.koach.org/guide.htm. Helpful Links and Resources JUF JVS JCFS JCC CJE JUF NW Suburban News Jewish United Fund Jewish Vocational Services Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Jewish Child and Family Services Jewish Community Centers Council for Jewish Elderly JUF Northwest Suburban News SISTERHOOD GIFTSHOP Congregation Beth Judea Gift Shop (Where shopping is a mitzvah) The Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Judea's Judaica Shop carries a wide variety of Judaica and gift items such as tallitot, kippot, Seder plates, Chanukah menorahs, candlesticks, kiddush cups, tzedakah boxes, mezzuzah cases, books, toys, games and teacher gifts and nonreligious gift items. They carry Gary Rosenthal, Nambe and a large number of items that are imported directly from Israel. The shop also carries special seasonal items and gift baskets. In addition, they can special order about anything you may want. Stop by when the shop is open: Sundays from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM and by appointment. Karen Nagel is the Gift Shop Manager. The Gift Shop has lots of new merchandise, including great High Holiday and other holiday gift items, as well as Bat/Bat Mitzvah and wedding gift items. Check out their own L'CHAIM TOO! Cookbook, filled with special recipes for all your holiday needs or as a great gift for any occasion. They accept MC, VISA. and Discover. The Word February 2012 Congregation Beth Judea Gift Shop (Where shopping is a mitzvah) 20% OFF ONE SINGLE ITEM OF $25 OR MORE Coupon must be present at time of purchase Exclusions include sale merchandise, special orders, scrolls, consignment items. Nambe Discount Limited to 10% / No Discount on Michael Aram One coupon per family. No other discounts or promotions apply -Expires February 29, 2012 COUPON Page 23 BJE SHALVA The Face of Domestic Abuse is not always easy to recognize. It could be your daughter, your sister, your best friend. Look What’s Happening at the Board of Jewish Education Early Childhood Center! We have been very busy these last several weeks! Our threefour year old classes have just completed their Israel unit. They learned about Israel and the people that live there. They will culminate this unit with a “trip to Israel”. The day of the trip, the children will come with their suitcases in tow, packed with the necessary items for a long plane ride. As they arrive at the El Al ticket counter, they will pick up their passports and their tickets. On the plane, they will see slides of Israel. When they land, their rooms will be transformed. They will visit a shuk (Israeli market) where they will eat falafel, and squeeze their own oranges for fresh orange juice. They will go to Hadassah Hospital as well as Safed, where their original works of art will be on display and available for “purchase”. Some children will visit a Kibbutz where they will milk a cow and pull some vegetables. This is truly a magical experience for the children as well as their parents. The Pre-K classes have also culminated their study of Israel. They were focusing more on the land of Israel. They began by learning how the Jewish people came back to resettle the land of Israel. We have also been studying the water shortage in the Negev. The children will explore hands on different ways to reclaim water and make it viable. In conjunction with this, the children did extensive planting. Each child kept a journal of their bean plant, charting its growth. They took a fieldtrip to the Botanic Gardens where they studied the different greenhouses, especially focusing on the Cactus Greenhouse. The children each sketched a cactus, paying careful attention to the size, shape and color. The children came back and using clay, recreated a cactus they had seen. We looked at various citrus fruits and compared and contrasted them, sorted them in many different ways and counted the seeds in the different fruits. The children and their families celebrated the culmination of this unit of study with a feast of the fruits of Israel. A wonderful time was had by all! We take great pride in our early literacy program as well as our pre-math program. Our cutting edge curriculum prepares the children for a lifetime of learning. The BJE schools leave the children with a strong foundation of learning and social skills as they prepare for kindergarten and beyond. New for the 2012-2013 School Year! We will be offering many different extended day options for the children in our 3-4 year old classes and our pre-k classes. We offer classes for children aged 15 months-5 years of age. We will also be offering early morning hours beginning at 7:30 a.m. For more information about our school or to schedule a tour please call Janet Sear at 847 634-0363 or visit our website at www.bjeecc.org Domestic abuse can happen to anyone at any time. One in four women will experience domestic abuse at some point in her lifetime. 90% of children are aware of the abuse directed at their mothers. Abuse can take many forms: verbal, emotional, financial, sexual, physical and psychological. SHALVA has helped over 4,000 Jewish women since 1986 and is specifically certified by the State of Illinois to provide domestic violence counseling. We are the oldest independent Jewish domestic violence agency in the United States. SHALVA offers free confidential domestic abuse counseling services to the Chicago Jewish Community. SHALVA’s free, confidential services include: 24 hour crisis-line 773-583-4673 (HOPE) Culturally sensitive individual & group counseling Legal information & court support Financial assistance Rabbinical & community advocacy & training Information and referrals Community prevention & educational programs Page 24 The Word February 2012 WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW . . . . YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE If you are celebrating a life cycle event such as a birth, engagement or wedding, we would like to know about it so that this milestone can be included in The Word. If you are ill or know someone who is sick, we would like to know about it so that a prayer for recovery can be said, so that the clergy can call or visit, and so that the Bikur Cholim committee can be notified and be of assistance. If there is a death in your family, we would like to know about it so that we can offer our support, can share this information with our congregation, and so that we can add your loved one to our Yahrzeit records. We firmly believe that reaching out to others benefits not only the recipient, but the person providing help as well. This is, without a doubt, a win-win situation for all involved. If you are interested in making a difference, please contact one of the committee members below. Rabbi Pivo Wendy Wunsch Evan Rumack Please call the synagogue office with this information. Do not assume that someone else will have notified the synagogue staff. BIKUR CHOLIM Congregation Beth Judea Bikur Cholim Committee Please complete the following form to notify the committee of a person who is ill, hospitalized or in a rehabilitation facility, Name: _______________________________________________________________________________ Location ______________________________________________________________________________ Contact person/phone number: ____________________________________________________________ Your name: ___________________________________________________________________________ □ Please contact this person □ Please ask the clergy to contact this person Please return this card to the office before or after Shabbat. You may also fax the information to (847) 634-8055, call the Rabbi or contact our committee chairs, Wendy Wunsch The Word February 2012 Evan Rumack (847) 253-4130 evanbr1@comcast.net Beth Judea Office (847) 6 34-0777 info@bethjudea.org Page 25 The Word February 2012 Page 26 The Word February 2012 Page 27 BIRTHDAYS We wish a very Happy Birthday to the following members of our Beth Judea Family: February 1 Daniel Kurtz Elisa Nusinow February 14 Stuart Kersky Dean Klassman February 2 Fern Dembo Todd Lichtenstein Tamara Lorber Kenneth Redfern Michael Savitt February 15 Rabbi Howard Lifshitz Helen Peters Beth Pollard Hyman Riebman February 16 February 3 Marlene Greenberg Kenneth Margules Gary Mills Lisa Goldberg Brenda Levin Marc Lewison Charlotte Seltzer February 4 Ellen Lerner Liz Schachter February 18 Barbara Julis February 19 February 5 Arlene Ament Ana Goldman Gregory Kalisky Seymour Stoller Audrey Taxer Scott Finkle Charles Lustig Sherry Weinberger February 20 Irving Lieberman February 21 Lance Pacernick Teri Pulver February 22 Elizabeth Ladin-Gross February 6 Robert Antman Scott Horwitz Arlene Moses February 7 Susan Mandell Carrie Shultz Wendy Weinger February 23 Patricia Feldman Joey Hoffman Miriam Krieberg February 9 Fred Hakimi Alan Palmer February 24 Scott Landau February 25 February 10 Jason Allen Judith Levitan Sheri Lippman Elizabeth Rosin Ellene Lammers Jerrold Lazar February 26 Georgianne Oman Lynda Sachs Andrea Warren February 27 Wendy Frost Glenn Goldstein Steven Leibach Jeffrey Wener February 28 Alyssa Horwitz February 11 Barbara Buhai Selma Emalfarb Gary Friedlander February 12 Joshua Kahn February 13 Natalie Gurin Kendra Rosen ANNIVERSARIES We wish a very Happy Anniversary to the following members of our Beth Judea Family: February 2 Jerome and Marlene Gothelf Allen and Karey Rosenston February 17 Steven and Beth Brooks February 4 David and Debra Simon February 21 Jeffrey and Rhonda Wener February 12 Herman and Faye Hefler February 24 Gary and Sheri Weisbaum February 14 Layne and Ellyn Pollard February 26 Arthur and Carol Schechter February 16 Sandy and Denise Stelzer Allan and Mary Wernick Stuart and Rona Wolf February 27 David and Bonnie Neubauer We encourage you to also contact one another to share in their celebration. NOTE: If your name is missing from the list please contact the synagogue so we can update your information in our files. The Word February 2012 Page 28 February Yahrzeits YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AND ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS February 3 Bruce Abrams Gerald Bernstein Charles Frank Charlotte Herstein Irv Kaufman Ethan Levitan* Louis Peck Shirley Schechtman Ethan Sulkin Julius Abrams Marion Borden Sarah Frankel Rose Howard Estelle Kerstein Louis Margolis Mandel Perl Helen Schwartz* Milton Weiss Anna Berkovitz* Abe Cooper* Samuel Goldman* Robert Isenberg Anette Kessler* Sheila Moskowitz Margaret Pinkus* Dora Stein* Roselin Berman Aubrey Dembo Era Greiman* Ann Karno Lillian Leafstone June Pearlman* Melvin Reback Joseph Stone February 10 Bernice Abraham Diane Brown* Morris Damsky Sidney Freed Hyman Karafin David Rosenfeld* Betty Wasserman Leo Abrams Betty Cohn Mitchell Davis* Lena Grossman Rachel Levin Elizabeth Rosenthal* Clara Weisberg Edward Bohm Gregorio Copelovitz Louis Engel Anna Hershtein Adelyn Nixon Rose Secler Eva Wittenberg Alfred Braun* Steve Croft Sarah Finkelstein Stuart Julis Jacob Rizman* Morris Spiegel February 17 Jack Babbitt* Irwin Dritz Bertha Feldman* Sol Ganellin* Shirley Harris Sylvia Katz* Albert Levin Jackie Max Hyman Polonsky George Sherman* Arthur Westerman* William Bernstein Sam Emalfarb Ceil Feldstein Norman Goldberg Sheldon Hurtig Gary Korn Norman Liebold Jules Mellow Mary Alice Ryan Seymour Shub* Milton Zimmerman Irene Chatow Muriel Epstein* Irving Fenton Edith Gordon Dorothy Hyman Wolf Kovel Howard Jay Lorber* Ann Nemser* Jerome Schneider* Bernard Stouber Robert Cohen* Arthur Fierer Moe Forman* Marvin Harris* Gloria Katz Sam Lemsky Sidney Lorber* David Polakow* Rose Sher Bernard Weisberg February 24 Dorothy Becker* Jack Cohen Lillian Freedman Lena Kagan* Emily Kron Meyer Pagowsky Max Rosenblatt Joseph Shefsky* Bertha Watchman Morris Braverman* Alice Copeland* Corrine Gill Louis Kalisky Leona Levey Jacob Petrynek* Philip Rothstein Rywka Slomowicz Florence Zablen* Becky Cohen Shirlee Davis* Elizabeth Goldenberg Samantha Keeshin* Monte Levitt* David Popilsky* Steven Schmeisser* Jerome Sohn Leslie Zucker* David Cohen Harold Dobrikin* Benjamin Golyer* Rita Kravitz Victor Nahum* Dorothy Rose* Hyman Schwartz* Marshall Sylvan The Word February 2012 Page 29 March Yahrzeits YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AND ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS March 2 Dan Bauer* James Corenman* Emanuel Fagman Sherry Gerber Manny Indes* Ruth Lifshitz* Ann Robinson Vivian Schneider* William Steres* Clara Charlat* Victor Croft David Feldheim* Foster Gould Minnie Kahn David Marder Edith Rockwell Carl Shapiro* Frances Stern Mary Cohen Henry Eisenhammer Frances Friedlander Anna Haberman* Burton Kolman Rose Pollack Marcella Rumack* Diane Shapiro* Jerome Waitz Rose Coll Rose Elisco Evelyn Ginsburg Joseph Hockfield* Sidney Leibowitz June Reback Barbara Sachs* Anne Soll* Ellin Wener* March 9 Robert Block* Marvin Cohn Hanna Fierer Leo Greenberg* Solomon Klein Ann Levin* Ronald Marcus Harry Rosenberg Lucille Weisberg* Betty Blumenthal Lester Copeland* Harold Glassman Harold Gross* Wanda Komisarz Leonard Levitan* Helen Mills Barbara Seider Peter Weisberg Helene Borkan* Russell Davis* Lillian Goldstein* Charles Haberman* Hymen Krieberg Michael Lindenbaum Bessie Mordoh* Ben Silverman* Richard Welch Riva Chiet* Mildred Faldberg Meyer Goldware* Seymour Keeshin* Dan Kwasman Sofia Magill Sylvia Perl* Harvey Stein* March 16 Esther Arnold Nadine Feader Jacob Hammer Leonard Levy* Abraham Lippman Morris Rotman Jill Waitz Louis Bardos* Rhonda Feder Bernard Kurtz* Cecilia Lerner* Minnie Muffson Sheri Schneiderman-Litskin Morris Walcer* Gerald Brownfield Sondra Gartenberg* Steven Landau* Esther Levin* Dora Nechamkin* Michael Spivak* Jeffrey Weisberg* Samuel Cohen* Lillian Gold* Lee Lazar* Ben Levin* Cynthia Rafal* Esther Waddell Mindy Zolno March 23 Celia Abelson* Mac Brown Miriam Ferber June Handler Rhea Klein Irving Ludwig Morris Nathan* Louis Reznick Ruth Schwartz Doris Warman Caesar Wollheim Rose Altman* Celia Cohen Hans Freeman Sam Harris Alexander Kleine Solomon Lustig Leo Nochimson* Ida Rodinger Minnie Shane Howard Weinert Abraham Wortell* Susan Berliner Beatrice Dennis Milton Geller Abe Henning Harry Krulewich Judith Mazur Louis Polakow Carl Rosenthal* Beatrice Silver Beatrice Weisz David Zoller* Harry Bernstein Eve Engel Frances Goodman Beulah Henning Frieda Lieberman* Michael Minnen Esther Pomerantz Max Schwartz* Jean Silver Louis Wener March 30 Gilbert Agrest Faina Brudnoy Carol Dern Ida Freeman Kay Goodman Sylvia Harris Jerry Kaplan* Abe Levin* Lev Podkovik Faye Schwartz Bertha Weinberg* Ronald Wolff Benjamin Berkovitz* Henry Burdeen* Carl Elvove* Lenore Gluskin* Marlene Green Robert Hazan Becky Kekst Edith Levine* Harold Poll Carol Sheiner Sam Weinberg* Peter Brenner* Hillary Chusid Charles Faingold Joyce Goldberg Joseph Greenberg* Bernard Hefler Jack Krivitzky* Jack Neimark Sandra Portnoy Gloria Silver Mary Weisz Sarah Brown Sonia Copelovitz Charles Falk* Jeanette Goldenson Paul Grobman* Lipty Holtzman Rochelle Lerner Abe Orloff Jack Rotman Joseph Steiner Esther Wolf* The Word February 2012 Page 30 TRIBUTES FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THESE FUNDS, PLEASE REFER TO PAGES 70, 71 & 72 OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY Congratulations to: Sherry & Marty Krawitz on the birth of their granddaughter Sophie Emery Pinkus. Prayers have been said for the recovery of: Joel Mosak Lois & Stew Margolis on the marriage of their son Lee to Juliana Cheatheam. Condolences upon the death of: Harriet Ament Mother of Rickey Ament Karen & Phil Nagel on the birth of their grandson Henry Nagel Mermel. Carol & Craig Levin on the birth of their granddaughter Avery Julia Levin. Cheryl Meltzer on her engagement to David Ginsburg. Sarajane & Chuck Orloff on the birth of their grandson Jonah Oliver Bosco. Daniel Brown Brother of Lee Brown Uncle of Lisa Neiman Lynne & Jerry Shkolnik on the birth of their granddaughter Alexa Brynn Kolman Robert Allan Brown Father of Michael Brown Sheri Cooper Daughter of Ronald Cooper Joseph Green RABBI PIVO’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Father of Alan Green Speedy Recovery Wishes: David Pluda Mike & Renee Malter Mother of Luba Brin Arlen Litwin Brother of Burton Litwin In Appreciation of: Rabbi Pivo’s help in the funeral of my father, Joseph Green. Alan & Debra Green Fred Moskowitz Husband of Mari Moskowitz Rabbi Pivo’s hospital visit and prayers for a full recovery for Elsie Halperin. The Halperin Family Tatyana Ioffe Peter Stark Cousin of Albert Stark Cousin of Barry Stark Newton Truger Father of Aileen Simons Father of Susan Heald June Walcer Rabbi Pivo, with deep gratitude for his support and officiating on behalf of our mom, Shirley Stern’s, funeral. Nancy Manewith and Family In Memory of: Paul Sapoznik, beloved husband of Evelyn Sapoznik. Mike &Renee Malter Mother of Chuck Walcer Grandmother of Cheryl Barnett Grandmother of Marcy Kostis Joseph Green, beloved father and grandfather. Marty & Nanci Karlin and Family Lewis Zimmerman Father of Karen Bakst Arline Holman and Hyman Holman Pam Herstein Congratulations to: Josh Andreoli on his marriage to Elizabeth Bakki. Mazel Tov to their parents Cindy Andreoli and Patricia Baaki. Roz & Seth Eisner on the birth of their grandson Bennett Elias Eisner. Harold Mayeroff, loving father of the Spitz family. From your friends in the Lerman household CANTOR WEISBERG’S DISCRETIONARY FUND In Appreciation of: Cantor Weisberg’s hospital visit and prayers for a full recovery for Elsie Halperin. The Halperin Family In Appreciation of: Cantor Weisberg, with deep gratitude for his support and officiating on behalf of our mom, Shirley Stern’s, funeral. Nancy Manewith and Family In Honor of: Ellen and Jeff Gluskin on the engagement of their son Michael to Taryn Brickman. The Pervos Family In Memory of: Arline Holman Hyman Holman Pam Herstein Newton and Donna Truger, our beloved parents. Aileen & Steve Simons Susan & David Heald Julie & David Baum Bernard Kramer, beloved grandfather and father The Pervos Family Lewis Pervosky Richard, Gayle, Stefanie and Lonnie Pervos June Walcer, with our deepest sympathy to Chuck Walcer and family. Claudia & Mark Travis RABBI LIFSHITZ’S LEGACY FUND In Memory of: Sam Kanter Herb & Kathleen Kanter Newton and Donna Truger, our beloved parents. Aileen & Steve Simons, Susan & David Heald Julie & David Baum June Walcer The Kovich Family The Word February 2012 Lewis Zimmerman, beloved father and grandfather of the Bakst family. Janet & Myron Reicher Page 31 TRIBUTES PRAYER BOOK FUND SHABBAT/DAILY In Honor of: Jerry Sakol, Beth Judea Men’s Club Man of the Year. Floyd & Bobbie Babbitt In Memory of: Adorea Goodman, mother of Laurie B. Davis. Melissa & Aron Chudnoff Upon the Yahrzeit of: Seymour Klein Bobbie & Floyd Babbitt GENERAL FUND In Honor of: For Hanukkah, in honor of my Aunt Denise and Uncle Orin. Maya Rotman-Zaid Asher Dylan Newman, grandson of Janice and the late Stuart Weiner and son of Justin and Susan Newman. Elliott & Carla Bankendorf Mazel Tov to Sherry and Marty Krawitz on the birth of their granddaughter, Sophie Emery Pinkus. Carol & Harold Rosen KIDDUSH FUND In Honor of: The birth of Sophie Emery Pinkus, daughter of Penny & Glenn Pinkus and granddaughter of Sherry & Marty Krawitz. Debra & Alan Green Carol & Harold Rosen In Memory of: Daniel Brown, beloved brother of Lee Brown and uncle of Lisa Neiman. Arnie & Lee Goldberg SISTERHOOD FUND In Honor of: Mazel Tov to Karen & Phil Nagel on the birth of their grandson Henry Nagel Mermel. Sandy & Andy Levitt In Memory of: June Walcer, mother of Chuck Walcer Linda & Ira Lippman Joseph Green, father of Alan Green Michael & Susan Mangurten Bernard Kramer, beloved father of Randy Kramer. Sheryl & Michael Bauer In Memory of: Bernard Kramer, father of Randy Kramer. Bill & Linda Kramer and Family Upon the Yahrzeit of: Max Halperin The Family of Elsie Halperin Sophie Momet and Joseph Pressburger Barbara Pressburger Darrell Pollack Tammy, Elliott, Jennifer and Garrett Pollack Lewis Zimmerman, father of Karen Bakst Kitty & Bruce Hoffman Linda & Ira Lippman LINDA & ALBERT STARK FUND Marla Feld Adorea Goodman, mother of Laurie B. Davis Elliott & Carla Bankendorf In Honor of: Mazel Tov to Phil & Karen Nagel on the birth of their grandson Henry Nagel Mermel. Irv & Evy Gurin Enrique Ribot, father of Manny Ribot. Steve, Karen & Stu Almeleh In Memory of: Peter Stark, our very dear cousin. Linda & Albert Stark In Memory of: Max Clamage EDUCATION FUND Michael Schwartz, my dearly loved and cherished newphew. Love, Aunt Linda. Linda Stark Suzanne Stark, our cherished neice who is remembered with love and affection. Linda & Albert Stark USY/KADIMA SCHOLARSHIP FUND In Memory of: Newton Truger, beloved father and grandfather. Scott Bauer & Family June Walcer, grandmother of Cheryl & Russ Barnett and Marcy & Jeff Kostis. Joan & Lew Smith Lewis Zimmerman, father of Karen Bakst. Sherry & David Weinberger Harold Mayeroff, beloved father of Linda Spitz. Shirley Fisher Newton Truger, father of Aileen Simons and Susan Heald. Zhanda Long Upon the Yahrzeit of: Philip Meltzer Elliott & Carla Bankendorf The Word February 2012 Page 32 TRIBUTES JERRY BERENSON MEMORIAL FUND JACK RIZMAN MEMORIAL FUND JUDY WALCER MEMORIAL FUND Speedy Recovery Wishes: Marilyn Victor, warmest wishes for a speedy recovery! Marti & Morry Rizman In Honor of: Corey Barnett on his birthday. Chuck Walcer on his birthday Carol Finder ETHAN LEVITAN MEMORIAL FUND In Honor of: Mazel Tov to Floyd Babbitt in honor of his Outstanding Service Award. Marti & Morry Rizman Chuck Walcer’s 70th birthday. Lou & Louise Barnett In Memory of: Robert Weiss Michael & Debbie Chorpash and Family Mazel Tov to Jerry Sakol in honor you’re your Men’s Club Man of the Year Award Marti & Morry Rizman In Memory of: Daniel Brown, brother of Lee Brown - with deepest condolences on the loss of your brother. Sam & Leah Chiprin Upon the Yahrzeit of: Morris Schwartz, beloved father and grandfather. Sue-Ellen, Fred, Michael, Jason and Eric Duboe Mazel Tov to Howard Levy on the wedding of his daughter Risa to Richard Cohen. Marti & Morry Rizman Joseph Green Bess Walcer Ruth Duboe, beloved mother and grandmother. Sue-Ellen, Fred, Michael Jason and Eric Duboe In Memory of: Daniel Brown, beloved brother of Lee Brown and uncle of Lisa Neiman. Susie Rizman & Family Upon the Yahrzeit of: Jerry Berenson and Sarah Singer Stacy Berenson Arlen Litwin, beloved brother and uncle. Susie Rizman and Family June Walcer, beloved mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother of Chuck Walcer and family. Floyd & Bobbie Babbitt Carl & Sara Brommerich Sam & Leah Chiprin Carol & Barry Cohen Arnie & Lee Goldberg Debra & Alan Green Carol Finder Ellen & Marty Kander Rita & Sid Mathias Myron & Janet Reicher Susie Rizman & Family Rhonda & Jeff Wener Dr. Jack Rizman, beloved brother, brother-in-law and uncle of Marti & Morry Rizman and Family. Marti & Morry Rizman June Walcer, in blessed memory of an awesome cousin. Beth Abrams My dear son, Jack’s Yahrzeit. Your mother never forgets you. Pola Rizman Sophie L. Harvis, beloved mother, mother-in-law and grandmother of Marti & Morry Rizman and Family. Marati & Morry Rizman Jack Rizman, beloved husband, father and grandfather. Susie Rizman and Family Sam Rizman, beloved father, fatherin-law and grandfather of Marti & Morry Rizman and Family. Marti & Morry Rizman Edythe Rosen, with our sincere condolences to Carol and Harold Rosen and family in memory of their mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. Marti & Morry Rizman The Word February 2012 Chuck Walcer June Walcer, in loving memory of my dear cousin. Audrey Pyenson Upon the Yahrzeit of: Judy Walcer Chuck Walcer Page 33 FEBRUARY 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday 01 Thursday 02 7:30 pm Minyan 6:00 pm 8:00 pm Men’s Club Mtg 8:00 pm Torah Study 7:30 pm 8:00 pm 8:00 pm Sisterh’d 05 06 8:00 am 8:00 am Talmud Study 6:15 am World Wide 12:30 pm Wrap 7:30 pm 9:00 am Minyan 8:00 pm 9:00 am Religious School 8:00 pm 11:00 am Tax or Spend 12 07 Minyan 4:15 pm Approch To God6:00 pm Minyan 6:15 pm Adult B’Nai 7:00 pm Education Mtg. 7:30 pm 8:00 pm 8:00 pm 8:00 pm 13 14 8:00 am 9:00 am 9:00 am l9:15 am 10:30 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm Talmud Study 6:15 am Minyan 12:30 pm Religious School 7:00 pm Java Judea 7:30 pm Gan Shalom 8:00 pm Tax or Spend 8:00 pm BJUSY Kadima 8:00 pm 8:00 pm Minyan 4:15 pm Approch to God 6:00 pm Z’hava Program 6:15 pm Minyan 7:00 pm Adult B’Nai 7:30 pm Jews and the 8:00 pm Civil War 8:00 pm Ritual Mtg. 8:00 pm Strategic Planning Mtg. 19 BJUSY Ski Trip 20 BJUSY Ski Trip21 8:00 am Talmud Study 6:15 am Minyan 9:00 am Minyan 7:30 pm Minyan 12:00 pm Kadinkers Prog. 8:00 pm Adult B’Nai NOTE: NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL 26 8:00 am 8:00 am 9:00 am 9:00 am 11:00 am Blood Drive Talmud Study Minyan Religious Sch Tax or Spend 4:15 pm 6:00 pm 6:15 pm 7:00 pm 7:30 pm 8:00 pm 27 28 6:15 am Minyan 7:30 pm Minyan 8:00 pm Adult B’Nai 4:15 pm 6:00 pm 6:15 pm 7:00 pm 7:30 pm 8:00 pm Tu B’Shvat 08 Religious Sch.10:00 am BJU 7:30 pm Heh Class 7:30 pm USY Minyan 8:00 pm Just Desserts 8:00 pm Hebrew Lit II Soc. Act. Mtg. 03 15 10 Religious Sch.12:00 pm AJEC Prog. 2:00 pm Challah BJU 7:30 pm Minyan Chaverim Heh Class 8:00 pm Torah Study 7:30 pm Minyan USY 8:00 pm Men’s Club – Sisterh’d PADS Minyan Hearing Men’s Just Desserts Voices Hebrew Lit II 8:00 pm Finance Mtg. Ways & Means Mtg. 23 Religious Sch 7:30 pm Minyan BJU 8:00 pm Torah Study Heh Class USY Minyan Hebrew Lit II 17 11 18 7:30 pm Shabbat Svc 9:00 am Torah Study w/Shirat 9:30 am Shabbat Svcs. 9:30 am Hanna Epstein Bat Mitzvah 9:30 am Lane AufRuf 10:30 am Gan Shabbat 10:30 am Interpret.Svc 24 25 6:30 pm Challah 7:30 pm Shabbat Svc 9:00 am Gimel Shabbat Chaverim 9:00 am Torah Study 7:30 pm Minyan 9:30 am Shabbat Svcs. 8:00 pm Board Mtg. 9:30 am Isaac Lucas Sisterh’d PADS Bar Mitzvah 10:30 amGan Shabbat 7:00 pm Sisterhood Nosh-A-Nite 7:30 pm CBJ Bowling League 29 Religious Sch 7:30 pm BJU 8:00 pm Heh Class USY Minyan Hebrew Lit II 04 Minyan 7:30 pm Shabbat Svc 9:00 am Gimel Shabbat Exec. Mtg. 9:00 am Torah Study Rosh 9:00 am MC-Lieberman Chodesh 9:30 am Shabbat Svcs. Grp. 9:30 am Brooke Wenk PADS Bat Mitzvah 10:30 amGan Shabbat 16 22 Saturday USY Exec. 6:30 pmTot Shabbat 9:00 am Gimel Shabbat Board Mtg. Pray & Play w/Gimel to Minyan (w/Dinner) lead Main Svc Youth Mtg. 7:30 pmShabbat Svcs 9:00 am Torah Study MT Nesters w/Keruv 9:30 am Shabbat Svcs. PADS 10:30 amGan Shabbat 10:30 am Interpretive Svc. 09 AJEC 7:30 pm Minyan 8:00 pm Sisterhood – 8:00 pm Genealogy Prog Torah Study Membership Sisterh’d Mtg. Friday Minyan Great Debate Society: Freedom at What Price (Facilitator: Norm Kurtz) You can now access our calendar with up to date information on our website at www.bethjudea.org INDEX CBJ EVENT NOTICES / FLYERS ADVERTISERS PAGE PAGE Invitations, Etc. 16 Rhyme 4 All Reasons 23 PaNosh Catering 26 Sanders Court Pediatrics 27 Shalom Memorial 33 Purim Megillah Reading & Carnival 2 Purim Masquerade Ball 3 Cantor Weisberg & CBJ Russia Tour 4 CBJ Mission Statement 4 Focus on Families 9 Education 10 Youth 13 Men’s Club 15 CJE Senior Life 23 Keruv 16 Helpful Links and Resources 23 Interpretive Minyan 16 College Connections 23 Social Action & Israel Affairs 17 JUF Right Start 23 Men’s Club Note Cards 17 Sisterhood 18 Adult Education 20 Order Rabbi Lifshitz’s Book 22 Sisterhood Gift Shop Coupon 23 Community Connections 23 BJE 24 SHALVA 24 Bikur Cholim 25 OTHER EVENTS CBJ CALENDAR You can now access our calendar with up to date information on our website at www.bethjudea.org SHIRAT SHABBAT (Song of Shabbat) “Shiru Lashem Shir Hadash – Sing a New Song to the Lord!” (Psalm 96) Featuring musical participants Phil Beatty, Abby Fisher, Bill Levitan, Jordan Sachs, Jerry Sakol and Andy Zarchy, together with Rabbi Pivo, Hazzan Weisberg and others. Current Dates for Erev Shabbat in 2012/5772: January 6 February 17 March 9 May 18 June 15 Join us as we welcome Shabbat with warm and spirited singing! Hazzan Roger Weisberg The Word February 2012 Page 35 CONGREGATION BETH JUDEA 5304 RFD Long Grove, IL 60047 (847) 634-0777 E-Mail: info@bethjudea.org Website: http://www.BethJudea.org Rabbi Jeff Pivo Rabbi Emeritus Howard Lifshitz Cantor Roger J. Weisberg President Rick Drazner Executive Director Lisa Neiman Educational Director Anna Besser Youth Director Marc Sender From The Editors In order for your article to be published in the next issue, we must have it at the synagogue by the 10th of the month! There will be no exceptions. This includes information on disk as well. We need your article as it is important to let the congregation know what your group is doing. Announcements should take the form of articles in The Word rather than separate flyers. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Rabbi, Board of Directors or the editors. Candle Lighting Times Worship Schedule Conducted by Rabbi Jeff Pivo and Cantor Roger J. Weisberg Candle Lighting time is calculated for 18 minutes before sunset and is adjusted for Daylight Savings Time. February 3 February 10 February 17 February 24 Monday Minyan……………………....... 6:15 a.m. Daily Minyan…………………………....7:30 p.m. Friday Night Services…………………...7:30 p.m. Saturday Services………………………. 9:30 a.m. Sunday Services…………………………9:00 a.m. …………………………. ………….….................... …………………………. …………………………. 4:51 5:00 5:09 5:17 p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. . . The Blessing For Lighting The Candles On Shabbat is Bo-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Melech Ha-olam A-sher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-tav Vi-tzi-va-nu Le-had-lik Ner Shel Shabbat. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has hallowed us through His Commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of the holy Sabbath.