June/July 2016

Transcription

June/July 2016

june/july 2016
ChaiLites
Letter from Our President
Throughout the last two years during my
term as President, I have said many times I
have never done anything more consuming
and also more gratifying. This could not
be truer while attending our recent Chai
Choice Gala. The entire night, I had the
feeling of such pride in our synagogue
and our wonderful committee of Noel
Pearlman, Billy Adolph, Laurie DeSimone,
Wynne Baruch, Trudi Krames, Michelle
Colbert, Traci Kogan and our tireless
staff duo of Deb Mattes and Deborah
Greenswag. They all took a vision and
worked hundreds of hours to see this vision
become a reality. Thank you!
From the minute we walked down the Red Carpet into our temple, we knew
this was going to be a special night. The south social hall was beautiful.
Though there was a partition separating part of the sanctuary, I could still see
our beautiful Eternal Light and stained glass with the watchwords of our faith
– the Shema. All the difficult decisions I make and countless hours I spend
helping to lead this wonderful congregation, seemed worth it.
continued on page 4
Now is the time to think about
Religious School, the High Holidays
and becoming a member of our temple
family. Email Cathy at
cschwartz@templechai.org to find out
about new member discounts and the
“refer a friend program.”
Iyyar/Sivan/Tamuz 5776
Worship Schedule
June
Friday, June 3 – Bechukotai
6:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim
7:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship
with sign language interpretation
with Graduating High School Senior
Participation
Saturday, June 4
8:30 a.m. Torah Study
10:30 a.m. Shabbat Minyan with Kaddish in Musick
Family Library
Bar Mitzvah of Andrew Goldberg
5:00 p.m. B’nei Mitzvah of Jacqueline Spencer
and Joshua Spencer
Friday, June 10 – Bamidbar
with Sisterhood Participation
Saturday, June 11
10:30 a.m. Shabbat Minyan with Kaddish
in the Musick Family Library
B’nei Mitzvah of Aiden Heiber and
Geneve Halfman
6:30 p.m. Adult B’nei Mitzvah
Friday, June 17 – Nasso
5:45 p.m. S’mores Young Family Shabbat Worship at
Lake County JCC
6:30 p.m. Adult Kabbalat Shabbat Worship
Saturday, June 18
10:30 a.m. Shabbat Minyan with Kaddish in the
Sanctuary
Friday, June 24 – Beha’alotcha
Saturday, June 25
Sanctuary
July
Friday, July 1 – Shelach
Saturday, July 2
Sanctuary
We inspire Jewish journeys in an inclusive, nurturing community with
a passion for lifelong learning, music, acts of loving kindness and a love of Israel.
continued on page 5
Oh, What a Night!
Close to 250 people
enjoyed an amazing
night of friendship,
food and feeling
good about Temple
Chai. The gala
raised money
to help with our
operating expenses
and we had a
separate auction to
help buy down the
mortgage. We were
successful in both.
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Third Thursdays
The Meaning of the 10 Commandments
On March 17th, over 80 temple members and guests enjoyed the privilege
of discussing with Senior Rabbi Stephen Hart the meaning and relevance
of the 10 Commandments for modern,
thoughtful Reform Jews.
Rabbi Hart began by saying that the
word “commandment” is not used
in the Torah when what we call the
10 Commandments are set forth in
Exodus and Deuteronomy. Rather the
Torah calls them the “10 words” or “10
utterances.” “So, the 10 commandments
may be viewed as commandments
from God or 10 words or 10 guiding
principles,” he said. “The real issue for
us, is, how do these words, principles
or commandments, taken out of their
biblical context apply in our own everyday lives. They may challenge us each
day not only to relate to God and to practice our spirituality, but also and
importantly, to connect with loved ones and to define our lives by integrity.”
Rabbi Hart said that the prophet Micah reduced the 10 words to three
principles: do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Then, Rabbi
Hillel reduced them to one: what is hateful to you, do not do to others.
“Both Micah and Hillel,” said Rabbi Hart focused primarily on our everyday
interactions with others and how those interactions help to identify who we
are.
Rabbi Hart observed that while the 10 words continue to be vital to Judaism,
they are not recited in our daily prayers. He explained that they were
deliberately excluded by our sages, lest Jews would conclude that by merely
observing them, they could lead a life that reflected Jewish values.
One congregant said that calling the 10 commandments the 10 words or
principles diminishes their value. Another member said that she considers
the 10 words to be challenges that she tries to meet every day. Rabbi Hart said
that his thoughts about the 10 words have evolved over the years. “I now look
at them as my spiritual anchor. They are my guide for my life and my actions.
They continually help me to find and to keep my place in today’s all too
complicated world.” Rabbi Hart said that each generation must interpret and
apply the 10 words to match its own needs and concerns. “Judaism’s living
spirit is manifested by ongoing conversations about what those 10 words –
or commandments – and all of Torah mean. Reform Judaism is continually
evolving to ensure its relevance for each new generation.”
“Judaism has always been built on a foundation of hope,” said Rabbi Hart.
“With the 10 Commandments or 10 words or principles as our reliable guide,
we all can help to realize that hope.”
Join us each month for more thought-provoking and entertaining programs.
Submitted by Julian Schreiber
You Asked
We Listened….
Your Third Thursday
Planning Committee
has been very busy
planning interesting,
thought-provoking
and light-hearted
programs for next
year.
Third
Thursdays
Save these dates for 2 Current Events discussions
led by our own Leon Stein on Thursdays, July
21st and August 18th at 1:30 p.m. and 2 movie
discussions with Jay Sorkin September 15th and
22nd beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Temple Chai Funeral Plan
As a benefit of your membership at Temple Chai, we
are pleased to make available to you and your family
a discounted funeral program at three different local
funeral providers, all of whom enjoy a close working
relationship with our congregation.
Upon the loss of a loved one, please call the temple
office. If during non-business hours, please listen to
the phone prompts to be connected to someone who
can provide immediate support, and start to help
with your arrangements.
Funerals may be held in our sanctuary (calendar
permitting), at the funeral home chapel, or graveside
at the cemetery.
Please visit www.templechai.org/lifecycles/funerals
for detailed plan information, or call our Executive
Director, Deb Mattes at 847-537-1771 x245 for more
information.
PFLAG -- Deerfield Chapter
(Parents, Family, and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays)
Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth
Elohim
1201 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
Phone: 630-415-0622 • Office: 630-297-3658
Email: pflagglenview@pflagillinois.org
Meets second Thursday of each month from
7:15 - 9:00 p.m.
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From the President, cont’d
Worship Schedule, cont’d
The social hall was filled with dozens of silent auction items, many
of which were donated by our own congregants. There were many
live auction items, too, including one from each of our three clergy.
Together the live and silent auction items raised over $27,000.
Whatever product or service you have, consider a donation to our
auction next year.
We asked our congregants to nominate people they felt were
deserving of our different Chai Choice awards. Everyone
nominated by fellow congregants (and many who were not) was
worthy of winning these awards. In the end, we could only have
one winner in each category. Jim Elliot won for volunteer of the
year, Kitty Loewy for the Hineini award, Dan and Susan Hirschberg
for couple of the year, Michelle Perlman for the Dr. Kondritzer
Education Award and Barb and Rich Heinrich won our founders
award. Congratulations again, to all of our nominees and winners.
At every Gala for temple or other non-profit organizations I have
been to, there has always been an “ask.” We need to raise additional
funds to meet our Temple’s many needs. Long-time congregant
Sandy Greenberg spoke about her 41 years as a Temple Chai
member and talked about everything temple has given to her and
her family. She spoke of the many different levels of our traditions
and how we try to be respectful of those here at Temple Chai. We
also asked Michelle Colbert to speak about the more recent three
years she has been a member. She spoke to us about what Temple
Chai means to her husband Michael, and their four-year-old son,
Mason. She told us about her own upbringing and her struggles
with learning Hebrew and how she was so turned off by Judaism.
But after joining our temple, she now knows she will be able to
become an adult Bat Mitzvah. She has gained so much from her
short time at Temple Chai and has become a huge supporter in all
we do. Both Sandy and Michelle spoke from their hearts and told
us how much they support Temple Chai and why we all should too.
The best part of the evening came just after these heartfelt speeches.
Our mortgage is always what makes our budget difficult to balance.
The feeling in the room as so many people were pledging money
was amazing. We raised over $36,000 of additional money to
help pay down the principle of our mortgage. We have begun the
process of modifying our mortgage with MB Bank and this money
will help to lower our monthly mortgage payments.
If you were not able to attend our Gala and would still like to
donate to help pay down our mortgage, please do. The sooner
we can lower and retire the mortgage, the sooner our budgetary
concerns will become less critical.
As summer is beginning and our building gets a little quieter, I
want to say thank you to everyone who puts in the time, effort and
money to help sustain our synagogue. We truly are an amazing
place and with all of our help we will continue to be here for many
generations to come.
B’shalom v’Tikvah,
Laurie
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Friday, July 8 – Korach
Saturday, July 9
10:30 a.m. Shabbat Minyan with Kaddish in the Sanctuary
Friday, July 15 – Chukat
6:30 p.m. “Blue Jean” Kabbalat Shabbat Worship
Saturday, July 16
Friday, July 22 – Balak
Sataurday, July 23
Friday, July 29 – Pinchas
5:45 p.m. Torah Study
Saturday, July 30
Friday, August 5 – Mattot-Massei
Saturday, August 6
Inclusion at Temple Chai
Sensory And Physical Accessibility
Have you or a family member ever had trouble opening a heavy
door, hearing a speaker that wasn’t looking at you, reading the
small font of a book or holding a heavy prayer book? What if this
happened to you or a member of your family each time you came
to our temple?
The Inclusion Committee of Temple Chai was formed in February
2014 to implement a core value of our Mission Statement: “We are
an inclusive, nurturing congregation where individual differences
are accepted,
“The Committee also has advised the clergy, staff
appreciated and
and Board on the participation barriers faced by
accommodated”. One
congregants and their families with all types of
component of that
disabilities and across the age span and how these
mission is to assist
can be accommodated to assure full participation in
temple members,
all aspects of congregational life. This is a sacred
their families and
journey that will take a lot of work by everyone over
guests who have
the next several years.”
limited hearing, vision
or mobility by providing the necessary accommodations for them
to have full access to the building, and to enable them to have full
participation in the programs, classes and services Temple Chai
provides for all of its members and guests.
As a result of the efforts of the Inclusion Committee, and with
significant financial support from our Sisterhood, we now
have new electronic access doors in the front entrance and the
restroom by the Sanctuary. In addition, selected High Holy Day
services and selected Friday Shabbat services now offer sign
language interpretation for individuals who are deaf and need
this accommodation to worship with us. The Committee also has
advised the clergy, staff and Board on the participation barriers
faced by congregants and their families with all types of disabilities
and across the age span and how these can be accommodated to
assure full participation in all aspects of congregational life. This is
a sacred journey that will take a lot of work by everyone over the
next several years.
The Committee’s current fund raising goal is to raise $14,000 to
support the purchase and installation of an FM “Loop” system in
the Sanctuary and South Social Hall. This would give congregants,
their families and guests who wear hearing aids direct access to
the microphones worn or used by the clergy or other speakers,
enabling them to clearly hear and thus participate in worship and
to benefit from the liturgy, sermons and programs presented.
A Loop system offers benefits to all segments of the congregation.
As Baby Boomers age, we find increasing numbers of our
congregants experiencing hearing loss and using hearing aids,
along with their parents and grandparents. In addition, a segment
of our youth are born with or have life experiences where hearing
loss exists. This type of Loop system has been installed in several
north suburban synagogues and churches, as well as in places like
the Landmark Cinema in Highland Park and the Marriott Theater
in Lincolnshire, allowing people with hearing aids to enjoy the full
sound of movies and plays.
“You And Your Family Are Not Alone”:
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND THE ELIMINATION OF
STIGMA AND SHAME IN THE TEMPLE CHAI COMMUNITY
On Tuesday, May 3rd, the Chai Center and the Inclusion
Committee jointly sponsored an informational, educational
and inspirational program in honor of National Mental Health
Awareness Month. Mental health conditions in the United States
impacted nearly 44 million adults (1 out of five of us) last year
with 30 million adults experiencing Anxiety Disorders and over 15
million people experiencing Depression. We also learned about the
mental health of our teenagers: nearly half of 13-18 year olds have
a diagnosable mental health disorder; nearly one in five teens will
experience Depression before they reach adulthood; and, nearly
one in ten teens have an Anxiety Disorder.
Among the most stressful facts we learned is that a majority of
children and adults do not receive treatment. In many cases, this
is because of the perceived stigma, shame and rejection by family
and friends that continue to be associated with the range of mental
health conditions.
Rabbi Baden opened the program with a very meaningful D’Var
Torah on the Jewish context for mental health conditions. She
was followed by a the personal story of Miriam Ament, a woman
living with Bipolar Disorder, who has founded No Shame on U to
raise awareness about mental illness in the Jewish community and
to reduce the stigma and shame. The other panelists were Debbie
Gross, LCSW, who
“I have never been remotely ashamed
provided helpful
tips for parents
of having been depressed. Never.
on “You are NOT
What’s to be ashamed of? I went into
your label – You
are a person!”; Star
a really tough time and I am quite
Roberts, Facilitator of
proud that I got out of that.”
the “Family Support
~ Author, J. K. Rowland
Program” for the
National Alliance
on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mary Holcomb, State Trainer
for NAMI’s “Family to Family Program”, both of which are free
resources of support to assist families in understanding, personal
empowerment and coping.
Allan I. Bergman, co-chair of the Inclusion Committee, served
as program moderator. He read the following sentence from the
Presidential Proclamation for National Mental Health Awareness
Month: “…we recognize those Americans who live with mental
illness and substance use disorders, and we pledge solidarity with
their families who need our support as well. Let us strive to ensure
people living with mental health conditions know that they are
not alone, that hope exists, and that the possibility of healing and
thriving is real.” For a complete report on this powerful program,
please go to the Inclusion Committee Section on the Temple
Website.
If you’re interested in the work of the Inclusion Committee or
assisting in the new Loop project, or need resources about Mental
Health Awareness, please contact Allan I. Bergman, Co-Chair at
aibergman@comcast.net.
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Meet Our Board Of Trustees
You all should know something about
me from my articles, or when I speak at
meetings or events, but I wanted you to get
to meet the wonderful board that WORKS
HAND IN HAND to represent you.
Feel free to reach out to any of us with
questions or be our guest at one of the
public meetings, open to all. This is another
opportunity for you to learn the ins and
outs of Temple Chai!!
Laurie Azriel-Prager, President
MARC BERMAN
My name is Marc
Berman, and I
currently serve as
Member At Large
on the Temple Chai
Board. I am married
to Barbara Jamison
Berman. We have
two children. Our
son, Andy, is 20 years
old and just completed his first year at the
University of Iowa’s Realizing Educational
And Career Hopes (REACH) Program for
special needs young adults. Andy is high
functioning on the autistic spectrum. Our
daughter, Jamie, is 17 years old, and is a
junior at Stevenson High School, starting to
look at colleges. In my spare time, I enjoy
bicycling, practicing yoga, watching sports
and following politics.
Barb and I have been members of Temple
Chai for 12 years, since Andy was in 3rd
grade. I currently serve on the Inclusion
Committee, which is led admirably by
Allan and Jan Bergman. I had the honor
and pleasure of serving on the Rabbi
Search Committee last year, which led to
the successful selection and hiring of Rabbi
Baden. This experience was personally
incredibly rewarding and meaningful. I
had the privilege to work with a diverse
number of members and leaders, who
always demonstrated respect for each other
and for the process. Laurie Azriel-Prager
and Rich Rosen provided the necessary
leadership to guide the committee through
this challenging process.
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As a family, we joined Temple Chai because
of the inclusive fabric of the congregation. I
grew up in a Conservative synagogue in the
Chicago suburbs, and had every intention
of joining a Conservative congregation
when we moved to Buffalo Grove.
However, nowhere did our family find a
more inviting and responsive environment
than at Temple Chai. Dr. Jeff Kondritzer
(the Education Director at the time) went
out of his way to provide an adaptive
religious school experience for Andy.
Michele Perlman and many others stepped
up, serving as aides to Andy, as he went
through his religious education at Temple
Chai. Rabbi Hart and Cantor Simon
officiated at Andy’s Bar Mitzvah, where
they understood his needs and customized
an emotional and beautiful ceremony.
The long-term continuity of the Jewish
people and our heritage is very important
to me. I am very proud to serve on the
Temple Chai Board.
DEBBIE BRENNER
My husband Stephen
and I have lived in
the Buffalo Grove
area for 24 years and
been members of
Temple Chai for 11,
joining when our
oldest daughter began
3rd grade. Abbie,
now 19, just finished her freshman year at
Illinois State University as an Acting and
Theater Education major. Our daughter
Hayley, 16, is going to be a junior in the
fall at Stevenson High School, and has also
been bitten by the theater bug. People who
know me would say that I am not one to
sit back, and am always involved. Upon
joining Temple Chai, I immediately became
involved on the Education Committee.
I was asked by a friend to join, and this
was the perfect fit for me as I have been
a teacher for 26 years. I also became
involved in the Sisterhood, volunteering
for various committees. As if that’s not
enough, I have been involved over the years
on many District 96 and 125 committees,
as well as a Girl Scout leader, and Park
District Volunteer parent. (I just can’t
say no!) Over the years, my involvement
in leadership and love for Temple has
grown. I lent a hand to many committees
and task forces, held a VP position on the
Sisterhood Board, as well as continuing
my involvement in the education realm.
Currently I am ending my tenure on
the Temple Board where I have served
as Education Chair, Youth & Education
Chair, and Vice President of Youth and
Education. But as the saying goes, as one
door closes, another one opens. I am
excited to begin my new chapter, as CoPresident of the Temple Chai Sisterhood.
Serving my community is a privilege,
and I look forward to continuing to build
relationships as I help to guide temple and
the Women of Temple Chai into the future.
ILENE BROT
My name is Ilene
Brot and I currently
serve as the Education
Chairperson. I am
slated to become the
Vice President of
Education and Youth
for the upcoming
year. I am married
to David Brot, who is a past temple board
member and serves on the OSRUI board.
We have two sons, Joshua and Daniel.
Joshua,18, will be attending the University
of Michigan in the fall, after completing
12 years of education at Temple Chai!
Daniel,15, attends Stevenson High School
and will be in the confirmation class of
5777. The Brot family have been proud
members of Temple Chai for the past 15
years. I have been on the board for the
past two years and I am looking forward
to continuing in this role. As Education
Chair, I am most proud of the work we
have been doing to become an accredited
school by the Association of Reform Jewish
Educators (ARJE). As a committee we
also worked hard to find creative ways
to meet the changing demographics of
our community. Although change can
be challenging, I am looking forward to
seeing the huge benefits that will come to
our community by having one session of
Sunday School. As a teacher at Solomon
Schecter Day School, with a Master’s in
Education degree from Hebrew Union
College, being involved in the Jewish
community has always been a priority in
my life. I am proud to be able to contribute
to our community by being a member of
the Temple Chai Board.
LINDA BRUBAKER
My name is Linda
Brubaker, and I’m one
of the Co-Presidents
of Women of Temple
Chai (formerly
Sisterhood). My
husband Don is a
former President of
Brotherhood. We have
four children and
eight grandchildren. Our three sons Brian,
Kevin and Isaac (and all the grandkids) live
within 20 minutes of us, and our daughter
Elana lives in Madison. Isaac and Elana
became B’nei Mitzvahs and were confirmed
at Temple Chai by Rabbi Hart. Rabbi Hart
married Isaac to his wife Amy and their
daughter Sadie was named at temple, and
Cantor Simon participated in Declan’s bris.
Don and I have been members of Temple
Chai for the past 23 years, and we’ve both
been very active in temple life. Like many
of you, we shopped before joining Temple
Chai. Having been very happy and active at
BJBE before we moved, we wanted to find
a new Jewish home that would meet our
needs, as well as the needs of our children.
After meeting with Rabbi Hart, we knew
we’d found our new home, and we joined
Temple Chai one week after he did.
For me, being Jewish means doing Jewish
– I want to get involved – give back -- find
ways to incorporate what I believe into my
life and what I do for others. (Elana and I
even made a sash for the Holocaust Torah
that says l’dor v’dor.) I’ve been active in
temple life from the start, teaching Sunday
School for several years, and serving on
numerous committees for temple and for
Sisterhood, including Education, Youth,
Social Action, Development, Membership
and the Caring Community. I’ve served
on the Temple Board as Personnel Chair,
Social Action Chair, and Secretary, and
currently represent Sisterhood. One of
our ongoing challenges is finding new
and continuing ways to help people feel
connected to others here at Temple Chai.
MICHELLE COLBERT
My name is Michelle
Colbert and I am
a Member at Large
on the Temple Chai
Board of Trustees,
and in my first year
on the board. My
husband, Michael,
and I joined Temple
Chai three years
ago, after returning to my home town of
Arlington Heights so we could be closer to
my parents. We have a four year old son,
Mason, who loves everything about Temple
Chai.
Shortly after joining the synagogue, I
received a phone call and was asked to
join the Outreach/Interfaith Committee.
That quickly expanded to the Membership
Committee, the Caring Community,
the Chai Center, chairing the Outreach/
Interfaith Committee, sitting on the
Board of Trustees, the Gala Committee,
Sisterhood, volunteering to communicate
with the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Welcoming
Families, and working with Rabbi Baden
and Laura Perpinyal to develop High
Holiday programming for families with
young kids (which will hopefully develop
into yearlong programming). I also will be
joining the Education Committee this fall.
I even plan on returning to Hebrew school
so I can have my Bat Mitzvah, in the next
few years.
I love being a part of the board and a
member of Temple Chai. I love being a
part of this amazing community. I love
worshipping in this synagogue. I love that
spiritual feeling I get every time I walk
through the front (or back) doors. I love
knowing that I am part of something,
something bigger than I. I love that this
synagogue was built with the same love
and passion that I have for Judaism.
I am involved in all these things with
Temple Chai because I am committed
to continuing that love and passion for
Judaism and for Temple Chai today,
tomorrow and always.
LOREN ELLIOT
My name is Loren Elliot, and I currently
serve as the Immediate Past President
on the Temple Chai Board. I am married
to Jim Elliot, who
serves as Secretary
on the Brotherhood
Board. We have two
children. Brooke is
32 years old and is
married and living
in Boston. She has
given us two beautiful
grandchildren, fouryear-old Olivia and one-year-old Jacob.
Our son David is 29, pre-engaged and lives
in Dallas. In our spare time, Jim and I love
to visit our children and grandchildren.
Jim and I have been members of Temple
Chai for 24 years, since Brooke was in third
grade. By my calculation, I have served
on the Temple Board 17 years! I started
as school chair and was instrumental in
changing our Hebrew/Religious School
program from three days a week to two. I
went on to become the VP of Education
and worked closely with our Director of
Education, Dr. Jeff Kondritzer. I spent
one year as Worship VP which brought
the Mishkan T’filah prayer book here.
Next was Executive Vice President for
Maxine Sukenik and then I was proud to
serve as President of Temple Chai for four
years. Throughout the years I have been
involved in temple leadership, the board
has addressed many challenges. Our overriding goal in solving issues is to maintain a
high standard of education for our children
and an enriching Jewish experience for our
membership. I am proud to be a Temple
Chai Board member.
MARC FENTON
My name is Marc Fenton and I currently
serve as Chairman of
the Strategic Planning
Committee. I am
married to Michele
Davis Fenton and
between the two of us
we have five children,
three grandchildren
(all boys ranging in
age from 31/2 years to three months), one
dog, two grand dogs and three grand cats!
All of the kids are local which makes us
extremely happy.
I have been a member of Temple Chai for
six years, while Michele has been a member
please turn the page
7
Meet Our Board Of Trustees, cont’d
for 18. Michele and I went on the Temple
Chai Israel trip in 2013 and since that time,
I have increased my involvement with
the temple and the Board. I serve on the
Israel Committee, the Finance Committee
and, naturally, the Strategic Planning
Committee. Temple was instrumental in
introducing Michele and I to the Simcha
Chavurah, a group of friends who have
become our second family.
Outside of Temple Chai, I am a lawyer
with a mid-size Chicago law firm. I am
also a Trustee for the Vernon Area Public
Library District. As a member of the library
board, I worked with management as they
implemented their strategic plan. I plan to
use this experience and knowledge to help
create a strategic plan for Temple Chai.
We need to be creative and find innovative
strategies to increase our membership
and school enrollment. I look forward to
working with all of you as we continue to
grow our Temple Chai family.
RICK HABER
My name is Rick
Haber, and I am
currently the finance
chair and also serve
on the board. My
wife, Judy, is the past
chairperson of the
Chai Center. We have
two children, Lisa
and Jonathon. Lisa is
married to Yonah Saphir and they live in
Chicago’s Lake View neighborhood and
are the parents of our 1st grandchild Ezra,
who is 2 years old. Jon is married to Rachel
Zaiden and lives in Los Angeles with their
seven months old twin girls, Sasha and
Molly. I expect Judy and I will be travelling
to LA quite a bit. We have been members
of the temple for 21 years and until 2 years
ago, I was not active nor did I serve on any
committees. But at the urging of my wife, I
decided it was about time for me to become
involved in various temple activities. I have
been a CPA for over 40 years and felt my
talent would be best served on the temple’s
finance committee. It is both rewarding and
challenging in addressing the problems in
operating the business side of the temple.
The most challenging and difficult area for
8
the finance committee is the preparation
of the annual budget, which could not
have been done this year without the
long hours and extremely hard work put
in by Deb Mattes, Laurie Azriel-Prager
and the chairpersons of the various other
committees.
DAN HIRSCHBERG
My name is Dan
Hirschberg and I
currently serve as
the Membership
Committee Chair
on the Temple
Chai Board. I am
also a member of
the Development
Committee, serve as
one of the Temple Chai representatives
on the Northwest Suburban Collaborative
and ARZA, and I also serve as Co-Chair
of the Israel Committee. I am married to
Susan, who serves as Co-Chair of the Israel
Committee. We have two children, Mike
who is 30 years old and married to Laura.
They have a daughter, Hailey, who is five
months old. Our daughter, also named
Laura, is 25 and engaged to be married
in June 2016 to David Bradley, son of
congregants and Chavurah friends Janice
and Steve Bradley. In our spare time Susan
and I love to spend time with our family,
volunteer at temple, read, exercise, and
walk our dog.
Susan and I have been Temple Chai
members for 26 years. Prior to becoming
Membership Chair in July 2015, I served
as Chair of the Chai Helpers program.
Working closely with our Director
of Member Services, Cathy Schwartz
and Joshua Wenger, Vice President
of Membership, we have been able to
attract new members to the Membership
Committee. We feel that the current
committee is more representative of the
demographics of Temple Chai. Our goals
as a Committee are to create a warm
welcoming environment for Temple
Members and to attract new members
from those in the local community who are
unaffiliated.
KITTY LOEWY
I’m Kitty Loewy
and I have been a
member since 1984!
My positions have
been varied, from
producing theatrical
productions, to
helping on the dues
task force, to Chai
Center co-chair, to
Sisterhood co-President. As chairwoman
of the Hineini Committee, I help create
opportunities for our congregation to get
involved in serving the community. From
feeding the hungry, to collecting items
for the homeless, to collecting pajamas
for needy kids, I am happy to report that
the spirit of Hineini (making a difference)
is alive and well at Temple Chai. Since
2000, I have been the proud wife of Terry
Steczo and I am also the mom to four
great children, Alyssa Latala, Andy Just,
David Just and Zach Just. I also have 3
amazing grandkids and another on the way.
Temple Chai is my lifeline to the Jewish
community, my spiritual home, and the
place that keeps me centered. I am proud
and honored to be a part of this vibrant
community.
BARRY MORTGE
My name is Barry
Mortge and I am
the Executive Vice
President of Temple
Chai. I am married
to Carol Teplis who
serves on the Temple
Chai Sisterhood
Board and will be a vice-president in
the upcoming term. Daniel is 19 and
attends Purdue University, studying civil
engineering. Adam is 17 and attends
Stevenson High School from which he
graduates in 2017.
We have been members of Temple Chai
for 13 years after being members at several
other area synagogues. I have served on the
board for 7 years, starting out as the Chai
Center representative to the board as one of
its chairs. I also was part of the initial Chai
Center finance committee which helped
raise funds at the beginning of the Chai
Center program.
I have also been the board Secretary and
look forward to a second term as Executive
Vice President under the continued
leadership of Laurie Azriel-Prager. It
is our goal to continue to strengthen
the congregation through membership,
worship and community.
ED NICKOW
I’ve been married to
Shirlee for 38 years.
We recently moved to
Lincolnshire after 30
years in Buffalo Grove
raising our three
daughters Alyssa,
Sarah, and Taryn.
Sarah and her husband Andrew have one
child, our granddaughter Hailee. When
I have time, I enjoy writing haiku and
listening to music. Each summer I spend as
many afternoons and evenings as I can at
Wrigley Field.
We’ve been members of Temple Chai for
about 20 years, and I’ve served on the
Board of Trustees for more than half of
that time as either Chair of Lifelong Jewish
Learning or Worship Vice President.
During my time as Worship Vice
President, we piloted and introduced to the
Congregation the new Reform Movement
Siddur, Mishkan T’filah. I’ve also served on
some of the clergy search committees and
helped to rewrite our By-Laws several years
ago.
Serving on the Board of Trustees
comes from a desire to help support the
synagogue, which I believe is one of the
most important institutions in the Jewish
community. There have sometimes been
difficult decisions to make, and what seems
like the appropriate approach to solving
a problem isn’t always popular. But on
balance, serving the Congregation has been
an extremely rewarding experience.
RICH ORLOV
My name is Rich Orlov, and I have been
a Board Member for 5 years, with the
last 4 as Treasurer, and Executive Board
Member, previously serving as Finance
Chair. My wife Lisa (one of Temple Chai’s
educators) and our
3 children, Amy,
Danny and Scotty,
have been members
of Temple Chai for
14 years. I am a CPA
with an MBA and
worked collaboratively
with the President,
Executive Director, Finance Committee
and other members of the Board, leading
the temple through challenging financial
times, and delivering a balanced budget
to the congregation for the last 5 years.
Outside of Temple Chai and my jobs in
both financial consulting and tutoring,
I enjoy outdoor activities, politics, great
comedy and supporting my children’s
academic and extra-curricular pursuits.
While I originally joined the Board in
order to give my time, energy and skills
back to the temple, I found the community
spirit and cohesiveness of the Board to be
equally inviting and a compelling reason to
be involved.
who will be in 5th grade
in the fall. She attends
Temple Chai’s religious
school and will become
a Bat Mitzvah in the fall
of 2018.
NOEL PEARLMAN
In my free time my family loves to travel
and spend time together and with friends.
I am honored and blessed to be serving our
temple community and look forward to
continuing to make a difference.
Hello, my name is Noel Pearlman and I
am the new Development Chairperson
for the 2016/2017 school year. While this
will be MY first year on the Temple Chai
Board, I have been an active participant
of the Finance Committee, Development
Committee, and
the 2015/2016
Nomination
Committee. Most
recently, I was the CoChair of the Temple
Chai Choice Awards
Gala. I have been
married for over 12
years to my wonderful
wife Alison. Alison and I have two amazing
children, Seth (8) and Sloane (6). When
not volunteering at Temple Chai, Alison
and I are running around with the kids
taking them from activity to activity. I
look forward to starting my journey on the
Temple Chai board and excited to help lead
the synagogue to the next level.
JOEL PLOTSKY
My name is Joel Plotsky and I currently
serve as VP of Worship on the Temple
Chai board. I’m married to Daphne and we
have a daughter, Eden
During my chairmanship
of the Worship
Committee we
implemented a monthly
late start worship service (7:30 p.m.) on the
first Friday each month to accommodate
the busy lives of our congregants, which
has been well received. We recently
replaced our Mishkan T’filah prayer books
with the thinner Shabbat edition. We are
currently rolling out the new URJ High
Holiday prayer book Mishkan Ha’Nefesh
for High Holy Days 5777/2016.
I’m also the worship VP for Chai Guys
Brotherhood where I organize the annual
Brotherhood Shabbat Service and the
Brotherhood Seder.
MARC SCHWARTZ
My Name is Marc Schwartz, and I am
currently the Board Secretary on the Board
of Trustees. My wife Karen, Co-Sisterhood
President, and our two children, Michael
(23) and Nikki (17) have been members of
Temple Chai for the
past 16 years. Our son
Michael is currently in
medical school at the
American University
Medical School in
St. Maarten and our
daughter Nikki is
graduating Stevenson
High School in June
and will be attending Chapman University
in Orange, California. About 10 years ago,
I was asked to become a member of the
Security Task force. Shortly after agreeing,
I was asked to chair this task force and one
thing lead to another and the next thing I
knew, I was being slated to be the Chair of
Sites and Facilities. This started my Temple
Chai board career. Since those days, I have
please turn the page
9
Meet Our Board Of Trustees, cont’d
served in a number of other positions; VP of Sites and Facilities,
Executive Vice President and most recently as Board Secretary.
In addition to these roles, I have served and serve on numerous
other committees and task forces. It has been an honor to serve as
a trustee and officer throughout the years and I am very happy that
I can give back to this wonderful community; one that we call our
second home.
STEVE SUKENIK
I’m Steve Sukenik, Co-Chair of the Israel Committee and with
my wife Maxine, have been members of the
congregation for 38 years. We raised both of
our sons in Arlington Heights and treasure
every moment that we get to spend with our
two grandsons in Colorado who are huge
Blackhawk fans just like their Zayde. We
now reside in Lincolnshire and enjoy the
wonderful hiking and biking trails throughout
our community. I even attempt to play a little
golf. In today’s environment, there are many
challenges when it comes to preserving “our” synagogue model,
with no easy remedy. I find that Temple Chai’s strong connection
to Israel has a major impact on the Jewish identity of both our
students and adults but nothing has proven more powerful than
the journeys to our Homeland, which I spearhead. I believe that
maintaining a Jewish community is paramount and that is ALL our
responsibility.
MITCH WEINSTEIN
My name is Mitch Weinstein, and I currently serve as the Legal
Counsel for the Temple Chai Board. I am married to Marcy
Weinstein, a former Sunday school teacher
and board member. We have two children.
Brad is 20 years old and is a student at Tulane
University, in New Orleans, where he is
pursuing a double major in public health
and management. Lindsay, our daughter,
is 16, and, if she was on a typical path, she
should be a student at Stevenson High School.
Instead, she currently lives with a host family
in Colorado Springs while training as a
competitive pairs figure skater for Team USA. She is enrolled in an
online high school and is on track to graduate, on time, in 2018.
We have been members of Temple Chai for 15 years or so, since
we moved into Buffalo Grove when Brad started kindergarten. I
have served on the Temple Board for about 10 years, all in the same
role – legal counsel. As legal counsel, I don’t vote on any matters. I
advise the board and executive committee as needed. Over time, I
have advised the board on many issues, drafted and reviewed many
contracts, served on the personnel committee, a rabbinic search
committee, and the task force that re-wrote the by-laws in 20102011. My hope is to never have to say a word at a board meeting,
10
since that means nothing is happening that requires legal advice!
JOSHUA WENGER
My name is Joshua H. Wenger and with my wife Robyn, we have
two kids Ashley (13) and Jamie (10). We have been an extremely
engaged family, in the Temple Chai
community since we joined in 2008. We
started attending TOT Shabbats regularly
and joined a Chavurah immediately. The
girls joined the choir. We started making
temple friends and building bonds. That
is why I have happily accepted many roles
such as Vice President of Membership and
Engagement, Chair of the Temple Chai
Annual 5k Walk, Run & Fun day, and serve
on the Retreat Committee, Development
Committee and Marketing Committee. It is one of the many ways
my family strengthens our ties with the Temple Chai community
and lets us give something back. I have a passion for inspiring
Jewish journeys for my family and others. I am proud to be a
Temple Chai Board member.
Tov
cuyMazel
kzn
Please join us in wishing our B’nei Mitzvah
Students and their families a big Mazel Tov
11
12
13
14
15
Brotherhood Bowling League
The Brotherhood
Bowling League
finished its
2015/2016 season
on May 1st and
what a finish it
was! The defending
champion Pick-APockets were down a bowler due to injury,
but were able to eke out a 16-9 point
victory over the Quiet Ones, winning by
just 15 pins over the 3 game match! The
match came down to the final shot, but the
Quiet Ones came up just 1 strike short and
Pick-A-Pocket prevailed.
Once again, it was a season filled with
fun, excitement, and surprises for all of
the participants. Everyone in the league
had a memorable moment; be it a new
high score, picking up an impossible
spare, or just improving their average.
The high game this year was 290, bowled
by Doug Phillips, and the high series was
786 bowled by Ted Singer. It was a year
that saw several of our lower placed teams
from last year make the playoffs and
almost win the championship. 54 bowlers
of all skill levels participated this year and
enjoyed the fellowship, spirit, and friendly
competition that make our league so
inviting and so special.
The Bowling League is getting ready for
the 2016/2017 season and WE NEED
NEW BOWLERS! The league is a great
way to meet other Brotherhood members,
have fun, and support the Brotherhood.
We bowl on Sunday mornings at the
Brunswick Zone Hawthorn in
Vernon Hills, starting at 9:10 a.m.
and finishing by 11:30 a.m., which
leaves the rest of the day for the
Bears and other activities. The
first week of bowling is August,
21st, and the league will finish
May 7, 2017. The cost is just $20
per week.
The kick off to the 2016/2017
bowling season starts with a
free bagels and lox breakfast on
Sunday, August, 14th at 9:00 a.m.
at the Brunswick Zone Hawthorn
(316 Centre Drive, Vernon Hills,
just west of Hawthorn Shopping
Center) and if you want to bowl,
Please Join Us! You will have
a chance to meet other bowlers
and practice (also free), so bring
your ball. It doesn’t matter if you
are a beginner or an experienced
bowler, you will be placed on a
team and we know that you will
have fun.
Over the years, the Bowling
League has been an enjoyable
activity that has also provided
financial support to the
Brotherhood and this year we
really need bowlers. Join our
league and we guarantee you a
good time. For more information
or to sign up, please call Mike
Horn at 847-259-5680 /
hornmd@comcast.net or Al
Dorfman at 847-634-8904.
We look forward to meeting you
and getting to know you.
16
News from the Northwest
Suburban Interfaith Council
As the school season ends, so do free lunch
programs at our public schools. Please help
support the hungry in our community.
Participate in the “I-walk against hunger”
on Sunday, June 26, 2016 by walking and/
or donating money for our food pantries.
All food and donations remain in our
community. This family 5 k walk goes
from St. Mary Parish to Hope Lutheran
Church and back. At Hope Lutheran there
will be refreshments for the walkers and
entertainment for all ages.
Are you interested in framing houses for
students, homeless persons and CASS
Community Social Service workers? The
IFC is participating in a service trip to
Detroit from July 20-24 to help frame
homes being built under the auspices of
Cass Community Social Services. A bus
will be provided for the volunteers from
our 11 member congregations traveling
between the Northwest Suburbs and Detroit.
Arrangements have been made for housing
at a Comfort Inn in Dearborn.
The goal of this year’s trip is to recruit 60
volunteers. So far, 24 people have registered
as of March 31st. If interested, please go
to the resource page on the website of the
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd,
Mission Trip Signup Information. (http://
lcgoodshepherd.com) The site includes
a registration form, a background check
release form, volunteer information sheet,
link to a trip blog, trip itinerary and a
suggested packing list for volunteers.
Volunteers will be required to undergo a
background check by the Prospect Heights
Police Department.
The estimated cost is $400 per volunteer, with a $50 per person deposit due May 29th, with
checks to be made out to Hope Lutheran Church and mailed directly to Tom Chrysler,
Hope Lutheran Church, 1660 Checker Rd, Long Grove, IL 60047. For more information on
any of our programs, please contact: nwsinterfaith@gmail.com / 224-699-0386 or visit our
website at: http://www.northwestsuburbaninterfaith.org or our council representatives:
Joanne Dicker: joannedicker@comcast.net (Beth Judea)
Rich Rosen: rickrosen18@sbcglobal.net (Temple Chai)
Nancy Cowger Slonim: nslonim@aol.com (Temple Chai)
Joanne Dicker, President
17
18
19
20
21
vesm Tzedakah
Donations to any of the funds listed here, as well as many others, can be
made in honor, appreciation or memory of a person or event. All donations
will be recognized in ChaiLites. For donations of $18 or more, the tribute
will be acknowledged with a letter sent to the honoree or their family. You
can see a description of all available funds and download a Donation Form
from our web site at http://www.templechai.org/donate/. You can mail it
with your donation to Temple Chai.
Many employers will match your donations. For all the information you
need about potentially increasing the value of your donation to Temple
Chai, go to
http://www.templechai.org/donate/matching_gifts/.
Donations to Temple Chai, a 501(c)(3) organization, are tax deductible.
A minimum donation of $18 is required
to send an acknowledgement.
TREE OF LIFE LEAVES
…SUE AND DAN HIRSCHBERG in honor of Eileen and Chuck Kuenneth’s 25th
wedding anniversary.
...SHIRLEE AND ED NICKOW in honor of the birth of Hailee Nicole Braverman.
MEMORIAL PLAQUES
…TOBY AND MITCH KRISS in memory of Harold Kriss.
…IRENE AND MIKE LERNER in memory of Kevin Lerner.
…THE TEMPLE CHAI BOARD in memory of Martin Irwin Sherr.
22
vesm Tzedakah
continued
23
vesm Tzedakah
24
vesm Sisterhood Uniongrams
25
Introducing Special
Interest Chavurahs
The Time is Right to Make New Friends
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN…. discussing books, movies, Judaism or in
activities like knitting, running, walking, crafts, (you fill in the blank)?
Do you find yourself searching for people who have similar interests to yours?
Temple Chai is currently starting to form new Special Interest Chavurahs. These
are groups with mutual interests who will meet and operate just like a generally
focused Chavurah.
If you are interested in having fun and meeting other like-minded people, please
contact Cathy Schwartz at cschwartz@templechai.org for further information.
Note: Please keep in mind that it may take some time to collate the responses.
We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Charlotte Leventhal and Marni Rotblut, Chavurah Co-Chairs
TEMPLE CHAI
REFORM CONGREGATION
1670 RFD
LONG GROVE, IL 60047-5289
STEPHEN A. HART, Rabbi
Ilana G. Baden, Rabbi
SCOTT D. SIMON, Cantor
DEB MATTES, Executive Director
DEBORAH GREENSWAG, Assistant Executive
Director
Laura Siegel Perpinyal, Director of
Congregational Learning
SCOTT GOODE, Assistant Director of Education,
Youth and Engagement
CHARLA SILVER, B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator
CATHY SCHWARTZ, Director of Member Services
Laurie Azriel-Prager, Temple President
Karen Schwartz, Cheryl Stern, and Linda
Brubaker, Sisterhood Co-Presidents
Dave Kogan, Chai Guys Brotherhood President
JEFF KONDRITZER, Director of Education, Emeritus
NON-PROFIT
U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
Buffalo Grv., IL 60089
Permit No. 40
DEADLINE FOR august/september CHAILITES IS july 6
1670 Checker Road • Long Grove, IL 60047-5289 • 847-537-1771 • www.templechai.org • info@templechai.org

June/July 2016

Transcription

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