Kol Beth El ELUL-KISLEV 5779
SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019
Hartman Torah: Ahdut (Unity) Bringing Together Jews of All Kinds By Rabbi Michael Schwab
INSIDE THIS ISSUE President’s Corner...................... .2 Shabbat & Holiday Schedule..... .3 Notes from Hazzan..................... .4 Informal Education..................... .5 Formal Education........................ .5 Cultural & Learning Center........ .6 Folk Art Paper Cut Exhibit.......... 6 Development .............................. .7 Pre-School.................................... .7 Youth Community....................... .8 Membership................................ .9 Sisterhood.................................... 10 Sisterhood Gift Shop.................. 10 Men’s Club................................... 11 Hazak............................................ 12 Intergenerational Weekend....... 12 High Holiday Schedule............... 13 High Holiday Boot Camp............ 14 Selichot......................................... 15 Festival Service Schedule........... 15 Social Action................................ 16 Todah Rabbah............................. 17
All in the Family........................20 B’nai Mitzvah............................21 Events at a Glance....................22 Laura’s recipe...........................24 North Suburban Synagogue Beth El 1175 N. Sheridan Road Highland Park, IL 60035 (847) 432-8900 www.nssbethel.org
Over that last three-plus years I have been honored to participate in the Rabbinic Leadership Initiative of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Through this wonderful Fellowship, I have had the opportunity to engage in intensive study with over twenty-five fantastic rabbis representing all of the streams of Judaism. I have learned from them, shared ideas with them, and created deep friendships with each, as both colleagues and as people. The scholarship of our teachers has been of the highest level and the environment created by Hartman for meaningful and substantial dialogue, through text study, is unparalleled. At the end of July, I returned from my final summer of the program, having “graduated” (yes, I have a diploma) and I am now a lifelong Fellow of the Institute. While I will surely return for their annual open rabbinic study programs in the future, I wanted to share some of the core lessons of what I learned while participating in this leadership cohort, which I think can apply to everyone. First, the best way for diverse Jews to connect is through studying Torah. Torah study is one of our most important, long-standing and valued activities as Jews. Further, through Torah study one encounters substantial topics about
which one can dialogue and even argue, safely and respectfully. In hevruta (study partnership) the goal is to seek truth, clarification and understanding through dynamic conversation and disagreement. There is no ultimate value placed on either agreement or “winning” the debate. By contrast, in panel conversations I find that one feels pressure to “best” the other panelist who holds the opposing opinion. Thus, through Torah study, incredible sharing can take place between diverse people about meaningful relevant topics without creating an antagonistic dynamic. Second, Hartman has taught me that one key to maintaining unity with our fellow Jews, even the ones we disagree with the most, is to find connection in our understanding that we are all trying to find solutions to the same problems. For example, before the inception of modernity there were not really different movements of Judaism. However, with the onset of the scientific study of religion, the universality of citizenship not based on religion and many other factors, Orthodoxy, Conservative and Reform offered different answers to this new reality, all in the attempt to preserve Judaism and allow it to flourish in this new environment. Starting with a respect for the origin of one’s choices allows the other to continued on page 9
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President’s Corner
Looking Ahead
By Ron Godberg, NSS Beth El President Irwin invited me to some Men’s Club events where I ‘got involved’. So happy I did! I made many of my closest friendships there. It led me on a path that included positions on the Men’s Club Board, Beth El Board, Beth El Executive Committee (including Finance and Ritual) and now President of our wonderful Shul. It also led me on a Jewish Journey that I believe has helped me become a better Jew and a better person.
Hello my friends, My name is Ron Goldberg and I am so excited to serve as President of Beth El. It is an honor and a pleasure - and so far a lot of fun - to work with Rabbi Schwab, the Clergy and Staff, and the Board and Executive Committee on your behalf. As this is my first Bulletin article, I thought I would share a bit about myself and what I hope we’ll accomplish together as a Congregation over the next two years.
Over the next two years the Board and I will work to help Beth El continue on a path to being a dynamic, lifelong, second home for our members. A place that provides real value for you, and that makes being a member worthwhile. A place of joyous, inspirational services that continues the Conservative traditions we love while being modern, welcoming and on the right side of the issues we face today.
I was born and raised in New York (please don’t hold that against me!) and moved to Chicago in 1985. In 1991, Eileen and I and our kids Ari and Rachel, moved to Highland Park and joined Beth El. I remember coming to Shabbat services for the very first time and being welcomed by a wonderful man named Irwin Wygodny (z’l). We became dear friends. Eileen and I sat with Irwin and his family every Shabbat and still sit in the same seats to this day. Well, I guess I’ll be sitting on the Bima for a while, but you can say hi to Eileen who’ll be sitting in that location – Row G, Center aisle.
What follows is a partial list of our goals. We will work hard to • Be meaningful to you and all our constituents, from Young Families to Seniors.
continued on page 9
Summer Fun at Beth El
Summer Camp Family Night
Ramah Dinner 2 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
Beth El Summer Camp
Ramah Dinner
Daily Service
Shabbat Schedule Monday through Friday Mornings, 7:15 am Sunday through Thursday Evenings, 7:30 pm Sunday and Legal Holiday Mornings, 8:45 am Rosh Hodesh and Hol Hamoed Mornings, 7:00 am Clergy: Rabbi Michael Schwab Rabbi Alex Freedman Hazzan Benjamin A. Tisser Rabbi Vernon H. Kurtz, Emeritus
Every Shabbat 8:50 am Shacharit Service 10:30 am Junior Congregation Services for students in 2nd - 6th grade resume on September 14 (Grossinger Brickman). 10:45 am Tot Shabbat Year round services for families with children 1st grade and younger (Room 3).
Please note:
For weekly Torah & Haftorah readings and clergy commentary, please open your weekly Thursday Kol Beth El emails. For classes, meetings and other scheduled events, please refer to our website calendar or call the synagogue office at (847) 432-8900.
September
October
November
Friday, September 6
Friday, October 4
Friday, November 1
5:15 pm K abbalat Shabbat on the Lake Recepton 6:15 pm K abbalat Shabbat on the Lake Service 6:58 pm Candle Lighting
6:09 pm Candle Lighting 6:15 pm Kabbalat Shabbat
5:00 pm Jeans and Jammies 5:27 pm Candle Lighting 6:15 pm K abbalat Shabbat
Saturday, September 7 Parashat Shoftim 8:50 am Shabbat Services 6:45 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:58 pm Shabbat Ends
Friday, September 13 5:15 pm R inat Shabbat Reception 6:15 pm Rinat Shabbat Service 6:46 pm Candle Lighting
Saturday, October 5 Shabbat Shuvah Parashat Vayeilech 8:50 am Shabbat Services 6:00 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:08 pm Shabbat Ends
Saturday, November 2
Friday, October 11
Friday, November 8
5:58 pm Candle Lighting 6:15 pm Kabbalat Shabbat
4:18 pm Candle Lighting 5:15 pm R inat Shabbat Reception 6:00 pm R inat Shabbat Service
Saturday, October 12 Parashat Ha’Azinu 8:50 am Shabbat Services 5:45 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:57 pm Shabbat Ends
Friday, October 18 Hol Hamoed Sukkot 5:47 pm Candle Lighting 6:15 pm Kabbalat Shabbat
Saturday, September 14 Parashat Ki Teitzei 8:50 am Shabbat Services 6:30 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:45 pm Shabbat Ends
Friday, September 20 6:15 pm K abbalat Shabbat 6:34 pm Candle Lighting
Friday, September 27 6:15 pm K abbalat Shabbat 6:22 pm Candle Lighting
Saturday, September 28 Parashat Nitzavim 8:50 am Shabbat Services 6:00 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:20 pm Shabbat Ends
Saturday, November 9
Parashat Lech-Lecha 8:50 am Shabbat Services 4:15 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 5:20 pm Shabbat Ends
Friday, November 15
Saturday, October 19
4:11 pm Candle Lighting 6:15 pm K abbalat Shabbat
Friday, October 25
Parashat Vayera 8:50 am Shabbat Services 10:30 am Teen Nosh & Drash 4:00 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 5:14 pm Shabbat Ends
Hol Hamoed Sukkot 8:50 am Shabbat Services 5:30 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:46 pm Shabbat Ends
5:15 pm Rinat Shabbat Reception 5:36 pm Candle Lighting 6:00 pm Rinat Shabbat
Saturday, November 16
Friday, November 22 4:06 pm Candle Lighting 6:15 pm K abbalat Shabbat
Saturday, September 21 Selichot Parashat Ki Tavo 8:50 am Shabbat Services 6:15 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:33 pm Shabbat Ends 8:00 pm Selichot Program 10:30 pm Selichot Service
Parashat Noach 8:50 am Shabbat Services 5:15 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:27 pm Shabbat Ends
Saturday, November 23
Saturday, October 26 Parashat Bereshit 8:50 am Shabbat Services 5:15 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:36 pm Shabbat Ends
For Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Service times, please turn to page 13. For Sukkot and Simchat Torah Service times, please turn to page 15.
Intergenerational Shabbat Parashat Chayei Sarah 8:50 am Shabbat Services 4:00 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 5:10 pm Shabbat Ends
Friday, November 29 Rosh Hodesh Kislev 7:00 am Morning Minyan 4:02 pm Candle Lighting 6:15 pm K abbalat Shabbat
Saturday, November 30 Parashat Toldot 8:50 am Shabbat Services 4:00 pm Mincha/Ma’ariv 5:07 pm Shabbat Ends
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Notes from Hazzan Tisser
Music
We live in a world of sound. Think for a moment of the volume and variety of sound you are exposed to on a daily basis. Think about the “noise” we are accustomed to tuning out. Maybe even now as you read this bulletin there are noises you aren’t consciously aware of – the air conditioning, cars passing by, the TV in another room, an airplane overhead… And yet, these are part of the soundtrack of our lives.
up to be a Yiddish theatre and off-Broadway actor, a stand-up comedian, and a beloved entertainer, to say nothing of his incredibly heart-filled davening. He married a show girl from the Catskills whose grandfather was a Cantor, and who herself became one of the leading traditional female cantors of our time. They were blessed with two talented daughters, with whom I grew up virtually as siblings – one who is a cantor.
Sound, particularly music, plays such a vital role in our lives. In just a few weeks we will gather for the Selichot service, singing the refrain lishmo’a el ha-rinah v’el ha-tefilah (hear our melody and the prayer). And then we will stand together, ushering in another New Year and bearing our souls before God, all the while singing familiar melodies, and experiencing perhaps some new sounds.
On October 27th, I am proud to invite you to a Gala Cantors Concert featuring Cantors Herschel and Judy Fox, Cantor Shira Fox, and some special guests, for a night of Jewish and popular music! We are thrilled to be accompanied by the pre-eminent Jewish show pianist, Maestro Elliot Finkel. If you joined us two summers ago for our Night in the Catskills, you’ll surely remember Cantor Fox’s unique and heymish (and slightly off-color) brand of Jewish comedy, and what a true gem he is! It will be in this program that I share with you a very personal part of my past, that inspired me to be the sort of Cantor and Jewish musician I am today.
When I think back over my life as a musician, a singer, a Cantor, and an enjoyer of music, there are certain sounds that stick out as highlights of my personal soundtrack. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to share part of my musical past with you as we enjoyed a Night at the Copa. Growing up, my life was filled with great music – the great singers of the 40s and 50s; the Rolling Stones, the Doors, the Beatles; the “oldies” station…but there was something else; something very special. I grew up in a shul that was blessed to have a Cantor born in Europe at the end of the war and raised in the Yiddish-speaking community of Winnipeg. He grew
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The concert will be at 7:00 pm (we will announce minyan, as well as offer late Maariv after the show), Concert tickets start at $20 adults / $ 36 for reserved seating / $100 for sponsorship with listing in program, free for children 18 and under. I would be so touched to see you and your families there. On behalf of my family, I wish you and yours a most happy and healthy 5780. L’shanah Tovah Tikateivu v’Teichateimu.
Informal Education
Role Modeling at Camp and Beyond By Ali Drumm, Director of Informal Education I feel renewed from my time at Jewish summer camp. In early July, Beth El hosted a Ramah Family Shabbat dinner with lively music, great food, and 90 participants including alumni, current and prospective campers. Then the next week, I was privileged to spend one week at Camp Ramah Darom in Georgia as a guest Jewish studies teacher. My experience of teaching multiple age groups including staff and family camp was incredible, and I learned so much from the living Jewish laboratory that is Camp Ramah. Whether you’re a Ramah family or not, spending time at a Jewish summer camp is important, and bringing that experience home is even more important. At camp, I saw children learning and living their Judaism, with teenage counselors modeling for them in tefillot
Formal Education
(prayer services), in benching birkat hamazon (expressing gratitude after meals), in picking up trash around the camp and recycling or composting in a demonstration of the Jewish value of bal tashchit (not destroying or wasting natural resources.) As a staff member with young children at camp, I was part of a family group with a different eating and living schedule. As the older adult staff members in camp, we could have modeled those same values of Jewish life and behavior. Unfortunately, we did not always provide the best exampleexcusing ourselves that our busy parenting responsibilities overshadowed our modeling opportunities. We often walked by trash in our hurry to get our children somewhere or skipped attending services ourselves because we said, our kids
don’t have that kind of attention span. I knew that parenting young children year-round often had me struggling to figure out how to demonstrate the appropriate way to live while also getting basic life tasks done. And yet, camp really had me wondering about what kind of modeling we are doing. Do our children see us prioritizing not only Shabbat and prayer, but a commitment to kindness or environmentalism ourselves? The Conservative Movement has often had challenges leveled at us for not practicing Judaism the way we teach it. My wish for us all this year is to increase our learning and stretch our Jewish practice to improve our own lives as well as modeling for our children. May the changes we make spread out in concentric circles to our families, this community, and our world.
Bruchim Habaim! Welcome to the New School Year! By Dr. Alicia Gejman, Director of Formal Education After a long summer of planning and construction, the Beth El schools are ready to open their doors in September and welcome the children and their families. Please take a look at our new school office configuration and brand new bathrooms.
The beginning of school brings a mixture of excitement and anxiety. We hope to provide students with meaningful learning experiences to increase their excitement Comfy cozy furniture for the classand lower their rooms. Teachers will be able to create fun and flexible learning environments. anxiety. Parents - you can help your children by telling them that our schools are extensions of the synagogue. Our shared mission
is to help our students become knowledgeable and proud Jews. Judaism embraces a profound set of values and a community in which to practice those values. Our rituals, Jewish lore, and celebrations lead us to appreciate life, find spiritual meaning, and connect with other Jews. Fostering a feeling of belonging starts in infancy and continues to develop throughout life through shared experiences at home, in school, and at the synagogue. Practicing at home what your child learns in school reinforces those experiences and helps create Jewish memories. By sending your children to school you are fulfilling the commandment V’shinantam L’vanecha – “You should teach it to your children.” Conversely, by allowing your child to teach you something, you will reap the benefits of the commandment. Hence, listen carefully
to what your children are learning in school. Be curious, and don’t take “no” for an answer. The rewards will be to discover your child’s perspective and understanding, which may differ from yours. Help convey to your children how lucky they are to be living in a country where they can feel free to express their Jewishness. Act on this truism and make sure to fully participate in school and synagogue life. Our children internalize our values by watching what we do more than what we say. Lastly, help the schools by setting a good example of punctuality and commitment. Getting your child to school on time, every time, conveys to them the importance of Judaism in their lives. Together we can build a strong partnership. I wish you and your families a Shanah Tovah U’metukah!
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Cultural & Learning Center
A Medieval Facebook
By Rachel Kamin, Joseph and Mae Gray Cultural and Learning Center Director The Cairo Genizah is a collection of over 300,000 Jewish manuscript fragments discovered in the genizah or storeroom of the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Old Cairo, Egypt. In addition to Jewish religious texts, the Genizah also includes prescriptions, letters, marriage contracts, magical amulets, shopping lists, recipes, and children’s drawings dating from 870 CE to the 19th century, making it the single most complete archive of a society anywhere in the whole medieval world.
In 1896 two Scottish scholars brought fragments from the Genizah to Rabbi Solomon Schechter at Cambridge. Schechter immediately recognized their importance and planned an expedition to Egypt. With the assistance of the Chief Rabbi of Cairo, he sorted and removed a majority of the Genizah.
The fragments were dispersed among seventy different libraries world-wide. However, thanks to an international effort, these archives have been digitally re-united and are now freely accessible online. The story of this astonishing collection of ancient manuscripts and their remarkable odyssey to the modern world is illuminated in the new documentary, From Cairo to the Cloud. Our member, Daniel Schechter z”l, was the grandson of Solomon Schechter, and through the generous support of his wife Sally and their daughter Jane, Beth El was privileged to host the Chicago area premiere on August 13, co-sponsored by the CLC, Sisterhood, and Hazak. The film includes interviews with experts who chart the discovery and continued scholarship of the documents that could be called a “Medieval Facebook.” If you weren’t one of the 150+ people at the screening, you can check out a copy of the DVD from our Abbell Library.
through fiction with a discussion of the novel The Last Watchman of Old Cairo by Michael Lukas on Saturday, September 7 (after Shabbat Kiddush). Winner of numerous awards including the prestigious Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, it tells the story of a college student who receives a mysterious package that ignites a historical investigation that exposes his family history and its ties to the Ibn Ezra Synagogue in Old Cairo. Readers looking to learn more can also check out Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah by Mark Glickman and Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza by Adina Hoffman and Peter Cole as well as the novel A Guide for the Perplexed by Dara Horn, all available in our Abbell Library.
The Sisterhood Torah Fund Book Club will explore the Cairo Genizah
Folk Art Paper Cut Exhibit in the Rissman Kol Ami Museum By Rachel Kamin, Joseph and Mae Gray Cultural and Learning Center Director A Cut Above: Paper and Spirituality by Leah Sosewitz Artist Leah Sosewitz will exhibit her traditional folk art paper cuts and gilded illuminations inspired by Jewish texts, the Bible, midrash, and poetry, September 6 - November 3, 2019 in the Rissman Kol Ami Collection gallery space. Meet the artist during a wine & cheese reception on Sunday, October 6 at 1pm. RSVP to Marcie Eskin at meskin@nssbethel.org or (847) 926-7903. Leah Sosewitz is a professional artist who has been creating unique Judaica since 1985. Well known 6 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
for her one-of-a-kind custom ketubot, she has also made a name for herself with a line of unique designs which are inspired by the individual portions in the Torah as well as numerous text based pieces which celebrate important Jewish life cycle events such as births, anniversaries and family trees. Leah’s work incorporates papercutting, paint, pencil, gilding with fine metals, bookmaking and embossing. She has illuminated existing manuscripts, such as a Megillat Esther, and her handmade books, The Jacob’s Ladder and Remember, were included in a national traveling exhibition. Leah was a 1998 recipient of an Artists
Fellowship in Ethnic Folk Arts from the Illinois Arts Council.
Membership & Development
Annual Giving Makes a Difference
By Judy Berkeley, Membership & Development Director
Save the Date! Rabbi Schwab’s Installation as our Senior Rabbi and NSS Beth El’s annual fundraising event Sunday evening, May 31, 2020 More information to follow in the coming months. We’d love to have you be a part of our planning committee for this special ceremony and celebration! Please contact Judy Berkeley at (847) 432-0703 or jberkeley@ nssbethel.org to join!
Dear friends, It’s hard to believe that summer is over and that the High Holiday Season will soon be here. The High Holidays offer us all a time for spiritual renewal. It’s a time to reflect and a time to look ahead to the new year. We hope you will find this year’s High Holiday services to be meaningful and joyous. I would like to thank each and every one of you who have already given to our Chesed dues Campaign*, especially to all of our B’Yachad donors.** As you reflect on the year ahead, we hope to also inspire you to give to this year’s Kol Nidre Appeal. In August, you should have received your Kol Nidre Appeal pledge card by mail. We hope it inspires you to make a thoughtful gift with consideration for all the financial needs of the synagogue. We also want to encourage those of you who haven’t given in the past to consider a first-time gift this year. Any amount is appreciated and is put to great use,
Pre-School
supporting all of the wonderful programs and services Beth El provides every day. We continue to provide new programs and services at Beth El. Our hugely popular Rinat Shabbat Friday night services have brought in hundreds of people in recent months. We hope you have had a chance to enjoy this new Shabbat experience and continue to find many other ways to engage at Beth El in the coming year. We also hope you will enjoy all the newly remodeled spaces as a result of our successful Vision 70 Campaign. If you have questions about your Kol Nidre Appeal donation and/or our Chesed and B’Yachad dues programs, please contact our Membership and Development Director, Judy Berkeley. Thank you so much for your consideration. May this be a good year for us all. Kim Ephraim, VP Finance *Participation in our Chesed dues program is any gift over and above your regular dues amount. Gifts of $250 or more are recognized on our annual donor wall. **B’Yachad is our $10,000/year all-encompassing annual dues level/giving society.
Learning to Play Well by Playing
By Kory Goldenberg, Paul S. and Sylvia Steinberg Pre-School Director During my first year as the Director the Paul S. & Sylvia Steinberg Pre-School, I have learned a lot about our Pre-School community. Throughout the year, I have had the opportunity to get to know and listen to the needs of our preschoolers and their families. I have heard the same questions arise from several parents: “Is my child ready for Kindergarten?” “How do I help my child feel comfortable in social settings?” “How do I help my child with their anxiety?” We are thrilled to announce that starting in September, we will be offering a new enrichment opportunity for children and their families. The
class is called FRIENDZIES!
success in their everyday play.
Friendzies is a social communication class that will incorporate Jewish values like kindness and empathy to help children build age-appropriate social communication. The class will also focus on sensory regulation, fine and gross motor skills and school readiness through themes that are not only entertaining, but offer real-life teachings.
The parents will meet weekly to discuss the upcoming class and learn how to help their children.
The program uses the Social Thinking ™ model and careful one-on-one observation to adjust to individual children’s needs and growth. It will offer children exciting play themes like carnival, camping, restaurant, ice cream shop, beach day, safari, farm and dinosaurs while at the same time giving them a tool box of strategies to help them find
The class will be taught by Judy Katz, OTR/L Pediatric Occupational Therapist & Julie Kahn, MA CCC-SLP Certified Speech- Language Pathologist 5 Week Session Offered to children in our 3 and 4 year old classes Monday (9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30,10/7) Children meet 12:30 pm-1:30 pm Parents meet 9:15 am-10:00 am Cost: $300 Please feel free to reach out to me at 847.926.7907 to discuss if this might be a good fit for you and your child.
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Youth Community
Face-lift for the BEANS Youth Lounge By Marah Altenberg, Youth Community Director Over the summer we have been working hard to upgrade our youth lounge to make it more colorful and inviting for young students and teens. The updated space will be unveiled at the end of October. We are planning to host a grand opening celebration. With new paint, flooring, rugs, chairs and highboys, our students will feel like they have a brand new space to use for programs and activities. The furniture will be lightweight and easy to move around. The room will include some new cork wall coverings, where flyers, pictures and posters can be displayed. Along that same wall we will also use a decorative mirror for writing dates and notes about upcoming events with dry-erase markers. We are very grateful for a donation given to us by congregant Marlene Kaplan, in memory of her husband, Howard Kaplan. The donation will help us upgrade our entire audio-visual system, which
will include a television, projector, Blu-Ray disc player, Play Station, streaming media player and speakers. All of this new equipment is being installed prior to the reopening of the youth lounge.
building momentum. The boards will also be learning skills to help with marketing and membership. We want to congratulate our new USY Executive Board Members:
Our lounge space will once again host much of the youth programming, including youth group lounge nights and meetings, CafĂŠ Kef, Shalom Club Lunches, Youth Commission meetings and adult education classes.
Executive & Social Action/Tikun Olam VP: Nathan Spellberg
Leadership Training a Key to Success Our two youth boards (USY and Kadima) will be starting out the 2019-2020 year with board bonding and leadership training activities. Both boards will attend team building classes at the Barrington Park District that teach the art of working together, supporting one another, problem-solving and brain storming. Each of these skills is critical for the groups to keep
President: Stephanie Kallish
Religion/Education VP: Ellie Goldsmith Israel Affairs VP: Seth Savine Membership/Kadima VP: Rose Miller Communications VP: Jordan Behn Freshman Representatives: Gabriella Ditkowsky and Vivian Hirschfield We also want to send a big Mazel Tov to our Kadima Board Members: A.J. Caplan, Ronan Ditkowsky, Valerie Faust, Ari Jacobson, Gabe Leon, Max Leon, Lorelai Lindon, David Pickard, Sophie Ripes and Ari Schwab.
USY Upcoming Events BEANS USY Sukkot Schach, Lulav & Etrog Order Form Help support our USYer’s Tzedakah Fund - Tikun Olam - by ordering your Schach, Lulav & Etrog. Orders are due by September 30, 2019. Late orders will not be accepted. Return Check by September 30 to front office:NSS Beth El, 1175 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, IL 60035 attn: Marah Altenberg. Please make checks payable to NSS Beth El.
Sunday, October 13 CAR WASH 8:45 am - 1:00 pm Pick up your Schach, Lulav & Etrog and get your car washed courtesy of our BEANS USY members! _____________________________________________________
College Connection
Phone:_______________________________________________________
Is a Beth El Sisterhood sponsored program to keep our college students connected with our community. We will send out three care packages in the coming year for Rosh Hashanah, Hannukah and Passover. We would love to include your loved ones. Go to https://tinyurl.com/collegeconn to sign up your students today. Deadline for Sign up is Sept. 13 to receive first package. Contact Marah Altenberg at 847-432-2040 with any questions. _____________________________________________________
Email Address:_______________________________________________
Teen Nosh & Drash
_______set(s) of Lulav/Etrog
@ $60.00 per set
_______bunches of Schach @ $22.00 per bunch
Total amount enclosed $_______________
Name:_______________________________________________________
Pick up your order on Sunday, October 13 between 8:45 am and noon. 8 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
10:45 am Saturdays, Sept 14, Oct 12 and Nov 16
Hartman continued from page 1 By Rabbi Michael Schwab listen to those with opposing views instead of looking immediately to refute out of anger or hostility. For example, while a person may object to the separation of men and women in a prayer service, seeing this as an outgrowth of their attempt to pray to God with a certain intentionality as opposed to a disrespect for women will affect how you hear that person.
We don’t have to agree to be able to treat each other with respect, civility and cooperation. Lastly, Hartman demonstrated to me the depth of the talent, wisdom and compassion of the diverse rabbinate that currently exists in North America. Being with so many talented rabbis and teachers inspired a great optimism in me
that whatever the future brings we will have the ability as a people to meet it and flourish. We just have to remember how rich and inspirational our tradition truly is and that if we continue to find ways to stick together as a people we can strengthen each other and the world with Torah.
Looking Ahead continued from page 2 By Ron Goldberg • Be on the right side of inclusivity, including LGBTQ+.
• Maximize enrollment in our Schools and Synagogue.
• Communicate transparently to our Congregants, Staff, Board, and Clergy.
• Budget responsibly.
• Have an engaged Board of Directors. A Board that provides governance for our Shul, and learning and mentorship for our next generation of leaders.
• Utilize sound financial practices to best position us for today and the future. • Update our Employee Handbook to best reflect our vision.
haven’t met, I look forward to meeting you. If we have, I look forward to greeting you. Finally, please know that your input and feedback is always welcome at President@nssbethel.org. Warm regards, Ron Goldberg
Let me close by saying that if we
My Membership Story: Beth El is a Second Home By Stacy Goldsmith, VP Membership
My husband Jeffrey and I moved to Highland Park in 2001 from New York, via Chicago for less than a year, with a 6-month-old baby in tow. We knew no one. We visited Beth El, the only Conservative synagogue in Highland Park, and were given a tour by JoAnne Blumberg and her daughter Peri (who was 8 years old at the time). Jeffrey quickly joined the Men’s Club Golf League, which was the beginning of his involvement with Men’s Club. It only took about five minutes before he was asked to be on the board! From that point, our involvement grew and evolved. We attended Tot Shabbat, and I became the Tot Shabbat coordinator followed by Mini Minyan coordinator. Our kids became active with M & M Club, Shalom Club, Kadima and then
USY, and I served on the Youth Commission, which I chaired for three years until becoming the VP of Membership. Fast forward to today, Beth El is a second to home to our entire family. I have come to realize that NSS Beth El is available for every aspect of your life’s journey. In times of celebration and mourning, when making new friends and sharing occasions with one another, and as a place of support and acceptance. My goal in my new role is to reach out to all members at every age and stage in their lives to make them feel connected and have a sense of belonging, as JoAnne and Peri did for me, and as the Men’s Club did for Jeffrey, and as youth programs did for our kids.
If you are a new member or a lifelong member, if you have ideas on membership engagement programs and activities you’d like to see happen here at Beth El, I’d love to hear from you. Please contact me at (847) 791-4887 or Judy Berkeley, Membership and Development Director, at (847) 432-0703 or jberkeley@nssbethel. org. We look forward to your input.
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Sisterhood
Sisterhood News
By Karen Weiss, Sisterhood President, and Jodi Eisenstadt, Executive VP
Upcoming Programs Sisterhood is actively working on filling its fall calendar with events that will enlighten, engage and enthuse. As our 5780 kick-off event, we invite the entire community to join us on Thursday, September 12, 7:45 pm, when the renowned speaker, Leah Polin, will present unknown Great Jewish Women Who Have Made a Difference. Other autumn programs in the works are a cooking presentation by our own Laura Frankel, a light movement class, led by our member Sue Cohen, as well as Games Nights and Open Mic Night, co-sponsored with Men’s Club. Watch your mail for details!
Rosh Hashanah Fundraising
come everyone’s program suggestions. Please contact me at kbweiss1023@ gmail.com if you’d like to become involved on any level.
Mathilde’s Mentionables As an on-going Tikkun Olam project, Sisterhood collects feminine hygiene products and new and gently used bras for women and growing girls living in local shelters, with the goal of giving them a sense of dignity and self-respect they might otherwise lack. A collection bin is located in the vestibule in the center entrance to the synagogue. To arrange pickup from your home, email Sue Cohen at suecohen585@comcast.net.
If you haven’t already placed your Honey from the Heart order, don’t despair. We’ll be selling honey in our Gift Shop!
Memberhip and Involvement We encourage all of Beth El’s adult women to join Sisterhood. Our varied programs are planned with an attempt to appeal to us all, regardless of age and interests. The tax-deductible $40 annual dues are listed on your synagogue statement and can be paid in whatever way you pay your other shul fees. We wel-
“Leagrams” Becomes “mazelmail”
Sisterhood is excited to re-brand Leagrams as mazelmail. By subscribing, your name will be included in birthday and wedding anniversary greetings sent to over 700 Beth El congregants throughout 5780. We hope that all Beth El women will support Sisterhood by subscribing to mazelmail. The annual subscription fee
(which we’ve reduced from $60 to $36!) is tax deductible. All funds raised are donated to Beth El to support educational programs. To subscribe, send your $36 check (with MAZELMAIL on the memo line), payable to NS Beth El Sisterhood, to Sisterhood mazelmail, 1175 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, IL 60035. Please include a note with our name and birthdate (no year needed) and, if applicable, your husband’s name and wedding anniversary day/month.
Torah Fund 5780
This year’s Torah Fund theme is Chesed (kindness). Watch your mail for this year’s full listing of Torah Fund classes (including our immensely popular Book Club, facilitated by Rachel Kamin). A recommended minimum annual donation to attend any or all classes is $54. For a minimum donation of $180, you will receive this year’s beautiful pin/pendant. Donations (via checks payable to TORAH FUND) should be mailed to the attention of Sisterhood c/o the synagogue.
Beyond the Glass Doors
By Sulie Holt, Diane Levin, and Pam Schlosberg, Gift Shop Co-chairs We love fall’s hustle, the promise of a new year, and the excitement of new beginnings. But as we unpack the great finds from the New York Gift Show and prepare the shelves for the fast-approaching holidays, it’s hard not to think about the many stories beyond the Gift Shop’s glass doors and beautiful shelves of merchandise. There is so much to be grateful for… Let’s start with you, our Beth El members who continue to support our efforts to be your resource for Judaica and special gifts. We’re also grateful for the anonymous gifts which we received, that included a generous donation of new lighting to brighten our Gift Shop and expert assistance given 10 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
to make sure those installations were perfect. They were! And then there are the women who volunteer. We’re inspired by their gifts of time and their generous spirit.
A Special Todah Rabbah to Karen Kesner Karen is an amazing volunteer who has served the Gift Shop tirelessly for nearly twenty-five years as Treasurer! She always worked behind the scenes, quietly helping us even while she served Beth El as President — no small accomplishment. She gave of her time, professionalism, expertise and experience. As Treasurer, Karen went above and beyond to help us support our efforts for
Beth El. From regularly picking up invoices from the Gift Shop, reviewing each one for accuracy, filing them for future reference, ensuring that vendors were paid, money deposited and records balanced to keeping us up-to-date on all financial transactions, paying year-end taxes and guiding us in determining our annual donation to Sisterhood and Beth El and so much more - she made a tremendous difference. We remain forever grateful to her. We are also grateful to Leslie Fox, who has agreed to be Treasurer going forward, ensuring a seamless transition. We look forward to another year - with gratitude and enthusiasm!
Men’s Club
Men’s Club Corner
By Steve Coven, Men’s Club President
I feel humbled as the newly elected President of the Beth El Men’s Club. I just returned from the International Men’s Club Convention where I realized how special our continually award-winning club is in numbers and programs. We do this through excellence in programming. We volunteer at the Lieberman Center, prepare and deliver lox boxes, and cook latkes for the Religious School. Throughout the year, we have a forum for political candidates, host the World Wide Wrap to teach anybody 13 or older, how to put on Tefillin, hold a blood drive and co-sponsor a Game Night with the Sisterhood. In March, we sponsor the Yom HaShoah Candle program, sending
a Yahrzeit Candle to every Beth El Family and donate proceeds to Holocaust Remembrance. Perhaps best known is our incredibly fun Steak & Scotch which happened in August; again, we had a huge turnout. We’re all still working off the massive steaks and superior single malt scotch. Don’t worry if you missed that because you can still participate in our ever popular Open Mic Night with food, drink and rock’n’roll or the Cave Man Dinner (no forks or knives) – watch for dates and details. As president, I will perpetuate these programs and seek to add new ones. But, as I look to the giants who preceded me and made our club so wonderful, I seek to stand on their shoulders to let the
younger men at Beth El know this is not your father’s club. We grow younger every year and that is where I need your help. I want all the younger men to check out a few events this year! Please reach out to me or any other Men’s Club member for details. In closing, I want to thank all who came before me and I want to continue growing younger. If you care about Beth El, want to participate in fun programs that raise money for the shul, meet a great group of guys and have a lot of fun, then check us out. Sincerely, Steve Coven Scoven613@gmail.com
Beth El Men’s Club 2019 Lox Box Fundraiser Give or Get a Great Hanukah-time Lox Box Delivered from the Men’s Club on Sunday, December 8th. Proceeds benefit NSS Beth El. Option 1: Order a Men’s Club lox box that is filled with breakfast that serves 4-6 people including bagels, cream cheese, lox, tomato, fruit, juice, dessert, and other goodies. Deliveries will take place on Sunday, December 8th. Option 2: O rder a Hunger Lox Box to support the shul and Moat Chitim. When you order a hunger lox box, we do not deliver you a lox box. Instead, we split the donation between the shul and Maot Chitim to help stamp out Hunger! Option 3: Order both a Lox Box and a Hunger Lox Box. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - cut here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - First & Last Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________________________________
Email Address: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Not delivering the Lox Box to the address above? Include the delivery address below: First & Last Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________________________________
Indicate number of each kind of lox box order here: _____ Regular Lox Box _____ Hunger Lox Box (Donation only to the shul and Maot Chitim) Send this form and a check for $33 per box payable to NSS Beth El Men’s Club to: (Early-Bird orders received by Sept. 30, 2018 are only $28.00 per box) Note: Local deliveries are free; if you want to deliver to outside of the Northshore, contact us.
NSS Beth El Men’s Club 1175 Sheridan Road Highland Park, IL 60035 SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL | 11
Hazak
The Many Ways You Can Support Our Community By Jan Channon, Hazak Co-Chair
After several years of leading the Hazak committee, Jackie Melinger and I have come to see a new vision for the work of Hazak. Instead of viewing it as programming for seniors, we would instead like it to be devoted to building intergenerational ties between the older and younger segments of the congregation. We learn from Moshe’s life that as we age we do deal deeply with loss. Whether that is loss of loved ones, loss of our own good health, or simply the loss of our children growing up and leaving our nest. Loss can make us feel weaker as individuals. But a supportive community can help deal with this pain. And this works both ways. Younger people also need the historical knowledge, the wisdom, guidance and support of those who have lived on this earth a bit longer. One of the most exciting things the Hazak committee is doing this year is a special intergenerational Shabbat program. Chaired by Rebecca Weininger, this weekend of intergen-
erational Shabbat activities takes place on Nov 22-23rd and will be a kick off for what we hope will be a year of sharing and caring between the generations of Beth El. This past year, through the leadership of Dina Lisoos and Barbara Hochwert, we launched the Bikkur Cholim program which is focused on visiting those who are ill in the community. Bikkur cholim is a very important mitzvah. One that helps the person who is ill, but also strengthens the person who has come to visit. Rabbi Freedman taught a very helpful Bikkur Cholim class on visiting the sick. But remember, we cannot help you if we don’t know you are ill. Hazak has been working on better ways for us to learn about those in need. All of our clergy are in support of this effort so if you are visited by the clergy in a time of illness, don’t be surprised if they ask you if you would like a visit from a member of the Bikkur Cholim committee.
We have revised the Misheberach program and we now have cards that can be filled out either in the office or online. When you go to the website enter Misheberach under the search bar and the card will pop up. When you fill out the card, you may indicate if you or your loved one would like to be visited by the clergy and if you’d like a visit by a member of the Bikkur Cholim committee. Hazak has developed a Transportation program which coordinates rides to synagogue services, classes, or events for members who need transportation. We request three days advanced notice. Please call Ana Igornov in the office at (847) 926-7900 or email her at aigornov@nssbethel.org. If you have ideas about how to make Beth El a stronger intergenerationalCommunity and want to work with us, please join us on this committee! Call Jan Channon at (847) 945-7422 or Jackie Melinger at (847) 361-9798.
Hazak Intergenerational Weekend
By Rebecca Weininger, Intergenerational Programming Coordinator our youngest families, and all congregants in between! Please join us for Shabbat dinner on Friday night, November 22, to share stories across generations and get to know each other better as members of our Jewish community.
The HAZAK Senior Life and the Cohen Religious School Committees are excited to invite the whole congregation to Beth El’s inaugural Intergenerational Shabbat weekend! From November 22-24, 2019, we will celebrate the richness of our congregation by bringing together the senior members of our community with 12 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
We will play games, sing songs, and celebrate the generations. On Shabbat morning, please join us in the main sanctuary for an intergenerational discussion in lieu of a D’var Torah. Unlock Shabbat (Jr. Congregation) and Tot Shabbat will have similar programming. On Sunday, November 24, please stop by our table during Thanksgiving Mitzvah Day to contribute to the congregation art project by answering a simple question about inclusion. We
are so excited to bring together the spectrum of lives that make up our beautiful congregation There will be ruach, story-telling and the building of bridges between the generations of our community. For more information or to help with this exciting weekend, contact Rebecca Weininger at rmrweininger@ yahoo.com.
Save these dates: November 22 – Attend Intergenerational Shabbat Dinner following Kabbalat Shabbat November 23 – Attend Shabbat morning Intergenerational Shabbat Service November 24 – Participate in Intergenerational activity during Thanksgiving Mitzvah Project
High Holiday Service Schedule 5780 Service Schedule at Beth El Saturday, September 21 - Selichot Evening 6:15 pm…………….Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:33 pm…………….Shabbat Ends 8:00 pm................ Havdalah & Movie: Prisoner of Her Past 9:00 pm................Selichot Reception 9:30 pm................ Conversation with Author, Howard Reich 10:30 pm.............. Changing of Torah Mantles Selichot Prayer Service Sunday, September 29 - Erev Rosh HaShana 6:00 pm……………Mincha 6:18 pm……………Candle Lighting Monday, September 30 – First Day Rosh HaShana 8:15 am………….. Shacharit Service 9:15 am …………..Preschool Family Service 10:15 am ………...Children’s Services 5:15 pm…………...Tashlich led by Teen Minyan 6:00 pm………….. Mincha & Ma’ariv 7:16 pm…………...Candle Lighting
Service Schedule at Highland Park High School Monday, September 30 – First Day Rosh Hashana 8:15 am………….....Shacharit Service 10:15 am.............. Children’s Services 7:16 pm…………….Candle Lighting Tuesday, October 1 – Second Day Rosh Hashana 8:15 am……………..Shacharit Service 7:14 pm……………..Yom Tov Ends Tuesday, October 8 – Kol Nidre/Erev Yom Kippur 5:45 pm……………..Mincha Service 6:00 pm……………..Kol Nidre Services 6:03 pm……….…….Candle Lighting Wednesday, October 9 - Yom Kippur/Yizkor 9:00 am……………..Shacharit Service 10:45 am……………Children’s Services
Tuesday, October 1 – Second Day Rosh Hashana 8:15 am……………Shacharit Service 9:15 am…………...Family Service 10:15 am………….Children’s Services 6:00 pm…………...Mincha/Ma’ariv 7:14 pm……………Yom Tov Ends Tuesday, October 8 – Kol Nidre/Erev Yom Kippur 5:45 pm……………Mincha Service 6:00 pm……………Kol Nidre Services 6:03 pm……….…..Candle Lighting Wednesday, October 9 – Yom Kippur/Yizkor 9:00 am……………Shacharit Service 9:45 am………….. Preschool Family Service 10:45 am………… Children’s Services 4:15 pm…. ……… Mincha Service 5:30 pm……………Neilah Service 6:00 pm…………… Preschool and Family Neilah Service 7:01 pm…………..Yom Kippur Ends
Highland Park Rec Center 1955
Field Family Sanctuary 2019
SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL | 13
y a d i l o High H
Wine and Wisdom: Rosh HaShanah Seder
Forgiving the Unforgiveable
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Saturday, September 14, 12:15 pm post-kiddush Rabbi Michael Schwab
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What do you do when someone does something emotionally hurtful that can’t be fixed? How do you forgive other people for things they did to someone else?
The Mahzor and the Book of Life
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Sunday, September 15, 10:00 am Lecture (via webcast from Israel) Reb Dr. Mimi Feigelson from the Schechter Institutes
Our High Holiday liturgy is replete with examples of a final reckoning and the idea of our own mortality. Reb Mimi Feigelson will present sources and questions intended to expose us to new ways of thinking about one of the most vitally important transitions in our lives – the end of life – and lead us to strengthen our commitment to living.
Wednesday, September 18, 8:00 pm in the home of Mort and Miriam Steinberg Hazzan Ben Tisser Join Hazzan Tisser as he explores the tradition of a Rosh HaShanah Seder with great wine and appetizers and text study. (space is limited to first 20 participants).
Happy Yom Kippur?
Tuesday, September 24, 8:00 pm Rabbi Alex Freedman
4
Yom Kippur is often assumed to be a burden, but the Rabbis of the Talmud envisioned it as a gift. What might be joyous about Yom Kippur? How can we each get closer to achieving that state of mind?
RSVP to Marcie Eskin (meskin@nssbethel.org or 847-926-7903) for these unique presentations in preparation for the High Holy Day season.
Rabbi Michael Schwab 14 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
Reb Dr. Mimi Feigelson
Hazzan Ben Tisser
Rabbi Alex Freedman
Selichot
Soul Searching and Reflection
Saturday, September 21 Exploring the work of writer and critic
Howard Reich
Howard Reich has written for the Chicago Tribune since 1978. He is an Emmy Award recipient and was named Chicago Journalist of the Year by the Chicago Journalists Association. He is the author of six books and the writer-producer of three documentary films.
8:00 pm Havdalah & Movie Prisoner of Her Past
After sixty years, Sonia’s childhood trauma returns as delusion. Her son, Chicago Tribune Jazz critic Howard Reich, pursues her hidden story. Prisoner of Her Past follows Reich as he journeys across the United States and Eastern Europe to uncover why his mother believes that the world is conspiring to kill her. Along the way, he finds a family he never knew he had.
9:30 pm Pre-Selichot Program Conversation with Howard Reich about his new book: The Art of Inventing Hope: Intimate Conversations with Elie Wiesel During the last four years of Wiesel’s life, he and Reich met frequently and spoke often—discussing the subject that linked them: Reich’s father and Wiesel were both liberated from the Buchenwald death camp on April 11, 1945. What started as a Chicago Tribune assignment evolved into a true friendship.
Refreshments will be served and books will be available for sale and signing at 9:00 pm.
10:30 pm Changing of the Torah Mantles and Selichot Service
Festival Service Schedule 5780 Sunday, October 13 – Erev Sukkot 8:45 am…………... Schach Pick Up and USY Car Wash 5:54 pm…………... Candle Lighting 6:00 pm…………... Mincha/Ma’ariv Monday, October 14 –Sukkot 8:50 am…………... Festival Service 10:30 am…………..Junior Congregation 10:45 am…………..Tot Sukkot 12:30 pm…………..Super Sukkah Event 6:00 pm…………... Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:53 pm…………... Candle Lighting Tuesday, October 15 –Sukkot 8:50 am…………... Festival Service 10:30 am…………..Junior Congregation 10:45 am…………..Tot Sukkot 6:00 pm …………...Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:51 pm…………... Yom Tov Ends Sunday, October 20 – Erev Shmini Atzeret 5:45 pm…………... Mincha/Ma’ariv Monday, October 21 – Shmini Atzeret/Yizkor 8:50 am…………... Festival Service with Memorial Plaques Dedication 10:30 am…………..Junior Congregation 10:45 am…………..Tot Shmini Atzeret 5:45 pm…………... Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:00 pm …………...Family Hakafot Service 6:42 pm …………...Candle Lighting 6:45 pm…………... Simchat Torah Community Celebration 8:30 pm…………... Ice Cream Social Tuesday, October 22 – Simchat Torah 8:50 am…………... Festival Service 10:30 am…………..Junior Congregation 10:45 am…………..Tot Simchat Torah 10:00 am…………..Hakafot Service including special honors 5:30 pm…………... Mincha/Ma’ariv 6:41 pm…………... Yom Tov Ends
SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL | 15
Social Action
In the Spirit of Tikkun Olam By members of the Social Action Committee According to Jewish tradition, we each have the responsibility to help repair the world — to engage in Tikkun Olam — and help make the world a better place. Through our Social Action projects throughout the year, we provide innovative opportunities for you to donate time, help those in need, and fulfill the compassionate mandate of Tikkun Olam.
High Holiday Food Drive
items or deliver them for those in need in our community. Go to the Maot Chitim website for locations and to sign-up at www.maotchitim.org.
Annual Thanksgiving Mitzvah Project Sunday, November 24 10:00 am - Noon
Monday, August 26 through Tuesday, September 24
All over the world, Jews fast on Yom Kippur, but everyday some Chicagoland Jews go hungry because they simply do not have the means to purchase enough food. When you fill a grocery bag with food for The ARK, you are directly providing nourishment for our friends and neighbors facing adversity. Bags (with shopping lists printed on them) will be available in the synagogue to fill with kosher food items and toiletries. We ask that you return the filled bags and put them in the ARK POD that will be in the NSSBE parking lot during the dates listed above. The donated items will be delivered to The ARK and then distributed to approximately 1,500 individuals every month.
Maot Chitim
Sunday, September 15 Non-Perishable packing Sunday, September 22 Rosh Hashanah Deliveries Since 1908, the Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago has enabled thousands of Jewish needy people to experience the Rosh Hashanah and Passover holidays in a traditional and dignified manner. Volunteer to help pack food 16 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
Members of ALL ages are invited to join us at Beth El on November 24. Shop and buy items to donate. Come create baskets brimming with the food you bought for families at the Glenwood School whose celebration of Thanksgiving might be limited without our help. We will provide the shopping list, supply the gift wrap, and help you as needed. If you prefer not to shop but love to drive, join the volunteers who will deliver the baskets to Waukegan immediately following the packing event. Watch for registration information on our website and synagogue emails. If you have questions, please email Fran Pine at fpine@comcast.net
Annual Winter Coat Drive
Collection - October 28 through December 1 Coat Sorting - Sunday, December 1 at 10:00 am Check your closets for lightly-used warm coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots. We need outer clothing for all ages and in all sizes, preschool through adult.
Collection bins for the items will be located in our school area and main office area. Your generous donations will be given to the Chicago Chesed Fund in Lincolnwood and other Lake County organizations for distribution to families in critical need. Join us to sort and/or deliver donated items. Whatever time you can give is valued! To volunteer please contact Mira Temkin: 847-433-2109 or miratemkin@gmail.com.
Volunteers are Needed at the Uptown Cafe We are proud to support the JUF Uptown Cafe. This is Chicago’s first kosher anti-hunger program for the needy, where hot meals are provided in a restaurant style setting. Most of all, the Uptown Cafe brings dignity and hope to Jews and non-Jews alike who are hungry. The program is driven by volunteers. Your help is needed and welcomed. We currently have 1 opening on Tuesday, September 24 and 2 openings on Tuesday, October 29. Contact Rocky Rubinoff at rochelle. rubinoff@gmail.com to sign up. The Uptown Cafe is located at 909 W. Wilson Avenue, Chicago. Must be age 12+ to participate.
Todah Rabbah
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTIONS:
Rabbi Kurtz Discretionary Fund In honor of JoAnne Blumberg being named VP of Ritual and her recent birthday - David and Penny Axelrod In honor of Mark Gaines on his retirement - The Lansing Family In honor of Rabbi Kurtz for his extraordinary service - Rachel Kraft and Family In honor of Rabbi Vernon and Bryna Kurtz, wishing them happiness on their retirement Helen Wilens In honor of the marriage of Dr. Eddie Kaplan, son of Gerry Kaplan - Jane Pickus In memory of Allan Levick, beloved father of Honey Bronson - Linda and Warren Robins In memory of Benjamin Schneider, beloved father and grandfather - Charlotte Tayne Avraham In memory of Benjamin Simon Applebaum, beloved son - Stephen and Lily Applebaum In memory of Dorothy Schneider, beloved mother and grandmother - Charlotte Tayne Avraham In memory of Eugene Behrstock, beloved father - Neil and Adrienne Aaronson In memory of Helen Chapman, beloved mother of Dr. Laurie Hochberg - Jon and Andrea Weiss In memory of Irving Block, beloved father Frances Lee Zand and Pendri Shalem In memory of Larry Tayne, beloved husband, father and grandfather - Charlotte Tayne Avraham In memory of Marcia Shirley Melinger, beloved mother of Michael Melinger - Ziggy Wallach In memory of Natalie Levy Boshes, beloved mother - Marvin and Renee Bearak In memory of Nissah Mattenson and with appreciation to Rabbi Kurtz - David and Robin Small and the Mattenson Family In memory of Paul Halpern - Julie Isaacson In memory of Rosalind Gurvey, beloved mother - Alan and Marcia Kaplin In memory of Rose Aaronson, beloved mother Neil and Adrienne Aaronson In memory of Ruth Gross, beloved mother of Frances Shapiro - Robert and Laurie Levin In memory of Sanford Eckerling, beloved husband - Adrienne Eckerling With appreciation to Rabbi Kurtz for his help and guidance at our parents’ dedication Richard and Karen Reisin, Masha and Steven Levin, Shari and Stephen Cohen With appreciation to Rabbi Kurtz, for both joyful and sorrowful family events - Laurie Levin
Rabbi Schwab Discretionary Fund In honor of Hannah Kessler’s marriage to Nicholas Wather and with appreciation to Rabbi Schwab - Steven and Susan Kessler
In honor of Jared Kamin, son of Rachel and Michael Kamin, on becoming a Bar Mitzvah Karen Weiss In honor of Larry Pachter’s installation as a trustee of NSS Beth El - Barry and Gayle Shapiro In honor of Michael and Dr. Anita Katz’s 55th wedding anniversary - Abraham DeLeeuwe and Helene Witt
In memory of David DeLeeuwe and with appreciation to Rabbi Schwab - Abraham DeLeeuwe In memory of David Rozencwajg, beloved father - Michael and Jacqueline Melinger In memory of Diane and Benjamin E. Sherman, beloved mother and father - Leonard Sherman In memory of Edith H. and Sidney Weiss, beloved mother and father - Karen Weiss
In honor of Noam Kupfer becoming a doctor Rhonda and Paul Miller
In memory of Edna and Louis Brandzel, beloved mother and father - Karyn Lutz
In honor of Rabbi David and Judy Weiss’ 50th wedding anniversary - Abraham DeLeeuwe and Helene Witt
In memory of Elias Friedman, beloved father Philip and Phyllis Lapin
In honor of Richard Zelin’s 65th birthday and his years of service to NSS Beth El - Michael Gurtman and Lois Lourie
In memory of Ethel Rose Chudacoff, beloved mother - Donald and Lois Chudacoff In memory of Fay and Louis Dreebin, beloved mother and father - Harold and Reva Dreebin
In honor of Seth Pawlow and Melanie Abramowicz’s wedding - Seth Pawlow
In memory of Gladys Brand, beloved mother Robert and Sharon Abrams
In honor of the baby naming of our granddaughter, Mikaela Ross and with appreciation to Rabbi Schwab - Paul and Eileen Goldstein
In memory of Harry Rubinoff, beloved husband - Karen Rubinoff
In honor of the birth of Gavriel Zechariah, grandson of Sara and Steve Coven - Karen Weiss In honor of the college graduation of Benjamin Fishbaum, son of David Fishbaum and Anne McDonagh - Karen Weiss In honor of the college graduation of Evan Lissoos, son of Dina and Trevor Lissoos - Karen Weiss In honor of the engagement of Susan Finch, daughter of Ruth Lion and David Finch, to Avi Grunfeld - Andrew and Gail Brown In memory of Allan Levick, beloved father of Honey Bronson - Barbara and Jeff Lerch - Earl and Rochelle Rubinoff In memory of Anna Kolender, beloved grandmother - Philip and Sandra Cooper In memory of Barbara Doppelt, beloved mother of Robert Doppelt - David and Julie Baum and Family - Andrew and Gail Brown - Barbara and Stuart Hochwert - Friends and Family of The Doppelt Family In memory of Bernice Cohen and with appreciation to Rabbi Schwab - Benjamin Cohen In memory of Bessie Brooks, beloved mother Gloria Brooks Shapiro In memory of Beverly Eisenstadt, beloved mother of Marcy Freeman - Karen Weiss In memory of Beverly Eisenstadt and with appreciation to Rabbi Schwab- Marcy and Rob Freeman In memory of Cecelia Goldstein, beloved mother of Dr. Wayne Goldstein and beloved grandmother of Marcie Faust - Steven and Marsha Levin - Terri and Michael Lipsitz
In memory of Helen Chapman beloved mother of Dr. Laurie Hochberg - Arthur Chapman -D avid, Dena, Gabriella and Danielle Cooperman - Steven and Linda Feinstein and Family - Wendy and Danny Kahn - Jenna and David Smiley In memory of Lee Mandel, beloved mother Irwin and Sheri Mandel In memory of Lester Levin and with appreciation to Rabbi Schwab - Laurie Levin In memory of Marta Meyer, beloved mother Melvin and Hedy Sered In memory of Mary Lou Ferns, beloved mother Ronald and Eileen Goldberg In memory of Max Faust, beloved father and grandfather - Annette Feller In memory of Melvyn Medansky, beloved father - Keith and Robynn Medansky In memory of Michael Lutz, beloved husband Karyn Lutz In memory of Philip Lasin, beloved father Gerald and Adrienne Lasin In memory of Rabbi Mordecai and Maxine Simon, beloved parents - Avrom Simon In memory of Ruth Gross, beloved mother of Frances Shapiro - Andrew and Gail Brown - Wendy and Danny Kahn - Rochelle and Earl Rubinoff and Family In memory of Stanley Warshauer and with appreciation to Rabbi Schwab - Steven Warshauer, Linda Seacore and Nanci Kahn In memory of Susan Landsman, beloved sister - Lois Moss In memory of Suzanne Wilensky, beloved daughter - Harold and Reva Dreebin
SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL | 17
Todah Rabbah
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTIONS:
In memory of Zoltan Eizikovic, beloved father Marc and Devorah Richards With appreciation for Rabbi Schwab’s Tuesday class - Matthew Pestine and Selena Pestine With appreciation to Rabbi Schwab and NSS Beth El - Michael and Hermine Leiderman With appreciation to Rabbi Schwab for his Talmud class - Nessia Frank
Rabbi Freedman Discretionary Fund In honor of Josh Warshawsky being ordained as a Rabbi - Rhonda and Paul Miller In honor of Lilli and Brandon’s graduation Rhonda and Paul Miller
Ben and Marion Drachler Israel Scholarship Endowment Fund In memory of Marion Drachler, beloved mother - Ferne Avery - A. Michael and Nancy Drachler In memory of Stephen Avery, beloved husband - Ferne Avery
Camp Ramah General Scholarship Endowment Fund In honor of Tali Shapiro’s graduation - Sandy Starkman, Larry Pachter, Avram, Uri and Hollen With appreciation - Rob and Marcy Freeman
In honor of Mel Seidenberg’s birthday - Sandy Starkman and Larry Pachter
Capital Improvement Fund
In memory of David DeLeeuwe, beloved son of Abraham DeLeeuwe - Batya Retsky
In memory of Dorothy Hyman, beloved mother - Joan Holland
In memory of Isaac Feitelberg, beloved father Philip and Doreen Feitelberg
In memory of Louis Holland, beloved father-inlaw - Joan Holland
In memory of Lester Levin and with appreciation to Rabbi Freedman - Laurie and Robert Levin
In memory of Sheila Glassman LePow, beloved sister-in-law - Joan Holland
In memory of Morris Becker, beloved uncle Lawrence Becker In memory of Phyllis and Louis Senescu, beloved mother and father - Stuart and Marlene Senescu In memory of Ruth Gross, beloved mother of Frances Shapiro - Bobbie and Len Tenner In memory of Stanley Warshauer and with appreciation to Rabbi Freedman - Steven Warshauer
Hazzan Tisser Discretionary Fund In honor of Hannah Kessler’s marriage to Nicholas Wather and with appreciation to Hazzan Tisser - Steven and Susan Kessler In memory of Allan Levick and with appreciation to Hazzan Tisser – Honey and Daniel Bronson In memory of Helen Chapman and with appreciation to Hazzan Tisser - Arthur Chapman In memory of Nissah Mattenson and with appreciation to Hazzan Tisser - The Mattenson Family In memory of Raisa Frada Edidin, beloved grandmother - Fern Edidin Roseman
Andrew and Gail Brown Technology Endowment Fund In memory of Robert Biller, beloved father of Richard Biller - Andrew and Gail Brown
Ba’al Korei Fund In honor of the graduation of Althea Pestine Stevens and receiving her PhD - Sandy Starkman and Larry Pachter 18 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
Edward S. Frank Israel Study Memorial Endowment Fund In honor of Nessia Frank on Mother’s Day - Ben, Wendy, Leah, Shoshana and Dalya Frank In memory of Barney Weiss, beloved father Stephen and Carol Weiss
Family Engagement Center Endowment Fund In memory of Bernice Cohen, beloved wife of Benjamin Cohen - Minda and Dean Gerber
Fertig Family College Campus Visits Endowment Fund In memory of Robert Biller, beloved father of Richard Biller - Nancy and Maury Fertig
Gertrude Lederman Family Continuing Education Fund In memory of Mitchell Chukerman, beloved husband of Joan Chukerman and beloved father of Wendy Abrams - Dan and Honey Bronson
Horwitz-Hoffman Youth Lounge Maintenance Endowment Fund In honor of the engagement of Hazzan Ben Tisser to Robyn Sack - Barbara and David Hoffman In memory of David DeLeeuwe, beloved son of Abraham DeLeeuwe - Barbara and David Hoffman
In memory of Perry Snyderman, beloved friend Barbara and David Hoffman
Jack and Mildred Cohen Religious School Fund In memory of Bernice Cohen, beloved wife of Benjamin Cohen - Judy Appelbaum - Hugh and Arlene Block - Gerald and Annette Blumberg - Andrew and Gail Brown - Robyn and Bob Canvasser - Eric and Kim Ephraim - Robin Goldberg - Wendy and Michael Gorge - Doug Hendel and Ellen Lautenberg - Allen and Nancy Hirschfield - Ira Hirschfield and Tom Hansen - Dana Levin - Marcy and Kenneth Levin - Eunice Lieberstein and Family - Joan Loeb - Bruce and Terri Mason - Neil Price - Mary Quinlan - Pam and Richard Schlosberg - Bruce and Kim Scodro - Howard Turner - Richard and Nadine Woldenberg In memory of Beverly Eisenstadt, beloved mother of Marcy Freeman - Howard Turner In memory of David DeLeeuwe, beloved son of Abraham DeLeeuwe - Howard Turner In memory of Gerald Lapins - Howard Turner In memory of Helen Chapman, beloved mother of Dr. Laurie Hochberg - Howard Turner In memory of Herbert Hamilton, beloved brother of Bertram Hamilton - Howard Turner In memory of June Bleiweis, beloved mother and grandmother - Lawrence and Susan Silberman In memory of Nissah Mattenson, beloved mother of Abra Alscher and Robin Small - Howard Turner In memory of Ruth Gross, beloved mother of Frances Shapiro - Howard Turner
Jean T. and Morton Bernstein Camp Ramah Endowment Fund In honor of Michael and Dr. Betsy Katz’s 55th wedding anniversary - Morton and Miriam Steinberg In honor of Rabbi David and Judy Weiss’ 50th wedding anniversary - Morton and Miriam Steinberg In memory of Rebecca Benson, beloved daughter of Karen and David Benson - Morton and Miriam Steinberg
Todah Rabbah
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTIONS:
Joseph and Mae Gray Cultural and Learning Center Fund In honor of Arnold Reingold’s 90th birthday Andrew and Gail Brown In honor of Jared Kamin, son of Michael and Rachel Kamin, on becoming a Bar Mitzvah - Stephen and Judy Berkeley - Abby Lasky In honor of Steve and Ronna Nitkeman’s 50th wedding anniversary - John and Denise Mattes In honor of William Lipsman’s 70th birthday Steve Lipsman In memory of Barbara Doppelt, beloved mother of Robert Doppelt – Dr. Gary and Merle Kaufman In memory of Marcia Shirley Melinger, beloved mother of Michael Melinger. May her memory live on forever - Mr. and Mrs. Jim Habel In memory of Ruth Gross, beloved mother of Frances Shapiro - Babette and Mark Daskin
Kopin Family Fund for Children’s T’filot Education Endowment Fund In memory of Helen Chapman, beloved mother of Dr. Laurie Hochberg - Karen and Mitchell Kopin
Maxwell Abbell Library Fund In honor of Jared Kamin, son of Rachel and Michael Kamin, on becoming a Bar Mitzvah Gerry Kaplan In honor of Lena Sosniak’s 18th wedding anniversary - Florence Sosniak In memory of Alex Reingold, beloved father Arnold and Hilda Reingold
Minyan Service Fund In honor of Michael and Hermine Leiderman’s 50th wedding anniversary - Harris and Sharon Goldenberg In honor of Seth Halpern’s graduation from Northwestern University - Robert and Beth Footlik In memory of Arnold Miller, beloved step-father - Avrum and Jill Miller In memory of David DeLeeuwe, beloved son of Abraham DeLeeuwe - Bobbie and Len Tenner In memory of David Kreiter, beloved husband Rhoda Levine In memory of Frances Lieberman, beloved mother - Mark and Laura Lieberman In memory of Hannah Bernbaum, beloved mother-in-law - Harriet Bernbaum In memory of Harry Rubinoff, beloved brother - Earl and Rochelle Rubinoff - Lynn Weitz
In memory of Irving Rubenstein, beloved father - Avrum and Jill Miller In memory of Irwin Wygodny - Avrum and Jill Miller In memory of Lester Fink, beloved brother William and Sharon Gertz
Miriam and Bernard H. Sokol Hebrew High School Fund In honor of Ronnie Jo Sokol’s 70th birthday - Greg and Sherry Leonchik - Lois Long In memory of Helen Chapman, beloved mother of Dr. Laurie Hochberg - Ronnie Jo Sokol
NSS Beth El Special Gifts Fund In honor of Bob and Beth Footlik - Laura Moss and Deborah Jackson In honor of the engagement of our daughter Allison to Max Affrunti - Stephen and Diane Levin In memory of Allan Levick, beloved father of Honey Bronson - Ira and Deborah Rosenberg In memory of Benjamin Zare, beloved father Nancy Shapiro In memory of Bernice Cohen, beloved wife of Benjamin Cohen - Aileen Bayard and Dr. Brent Greenberg - The Rokacz and Lichtenstein Families In memory of Bruce Gordon, beloved brother of Steven Gordon - Harris and Sharon Goldenberg In memory of Cecelia Goldstein, beloved mother of Dr. Wayne Goldstein and beloved grandmother of Marcie Faust - Ira and Deborah Rosenberg In memory of David DeLeeuwe, beloved son of Abraham DeLeeuwe - Frances Peshkin In memory of Frank G. Marshall, beloved fatherin-law - Bertram Hamilton
In memory of Robert Biller, beloved father of Richard Biller - David Rosen and Amy Zisook
Paul S. and Sylvia Steinberg Pre-School Fund In honor of Cori Katz’s graduation from JECELI NSS Beth El Pre-School Staff In honor of Sarah Chupack’s graduation from JECELI - NSS Beth El Pre-School Staff In memory of Alan Rutkoff, beloved father and Zayde - Jared, Jordana, Gabriel and Hazel Greenberg In memory of Alan Rutkoff, beloved husband of Mally Rutkoff and beloved father of Jordana Greenberg and Robert Rutkoff - Kimberly Stewart In memory of Helen Chapman, beloved mother of Dr. Laurie Hochberg - Leslie and Michael Mattenson In memory of Marion Goodman, beloved mother - Paul and Michelle Pessis In memory of Simon Cohen, beloved father Mark and Marla Cohen
Prayer Book Fund In memory of Helen Chapman, beloved mother of Dr. Laurie Hochberg - Bobbie and Len Tenner In memory of Robert Biller, beloved father of Richard Biller - Michael and Judy Smith
Rabbi Irving and Amy Frankel Lecture Endowment Fund In honor of Arnold Reingold’s 90th birthday Betty Rozenfeld With appreciation to Mark Stadler for his kindness and best wishes on his retirement - Betty Rozenfeld
In memory of Fred Hamilton, beloved father Bertram Hamilton In memory of Gerald Lapins - Robert and Tracey Kitt - Bill and Janie Seiden - Lawrence and Donnie Stern
Ritual Refurbishment Endowment Fund
In memory of Helen Chapman, beloved mother of Dr. Laurie Hochberg - Shauna and Daniel Freedman - Ira and Deborah Rosenberg - Michelle Rosenthal and Mirela Vesa
In memory of Morris Blumberg, beloved father Jack and Barbara Blumberg
In memory of Ida Freifeld, beloved mother-inlaw - Marilyn Freifeld In memory of John Wallach, beloved father Barry and Terri Wallach In memory of Lynne Silbermann, beloved sister - Sheldon and Nancy Mann In memory of Nathan Regenstreif, beloved father - Sheldon and Nancy Mann
In honor of Mark Stadler - Adrienne Eckerling In memory of A. James Blumberg, beloved brother - Jack and Barbara Blumberg
In memory of Sam Levenson, beloved brother Jack and Barbara Blumberg In memory of Jacob Blumberg, beloved grandfather - Jack and Barbara Blumberg
Sarah and Henry Stiebel Solomon Schechter Endowment Fund In honor of the 20th wedding anniversary of David Smith and Michelle Wasserman - James and Joanne Smith
SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL | 19
Todah Rabbah
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTIONS:
Social Action Fund In honor of Roberta and Steve Goodman’s 30th wedding anniversary - Honey and Dan Bronson In honor of Ronna and Stephen Nitekman’s 50th wedding anniversary - Patricia Shapiro In memory of Allan Levick, beloved father of Honey Bronson - Michael and Judy Smith
The Philip and Ellen Glass Program for Rabbi’s Discretionary Endowment Fund
Youth Community Fund
In memory of Bernice Cohen, beloved wife of Benjamin Cohen - Philip and Ellen Glass
In memory of Marcia Shirley Melinger, beloved mother of Michael Melinger - Arielle and Victor Levitan
Tzedakah/Pushke Fund In memory of Cecelia Goldstein, beloved mother of Dr. Wayne Goldstein and beloved grandmother of Marcie Faust - Patricia Shapiro In memory of Zelda Margolis, beloved mother Cheryl and Keith Weitzman
Mazel Tov to:
It’s All in the Beth El Family
Hazzan Barbara and Phil Barnett on the occasion of their 38th wedding anniversary Gila Bronner on the engagement of her son, Benjamin to Danielle Voloshin Nancy and Alan Gandelman on the marriage of their son, Eddie, to Stephannie Kia
Welcome to Our New Members: Samuel and Melissa Buzin and their children Dylan and Harper
Lee and Margaret Cohn Michael and Ellyn Feinzimer Jeffrey and Eva Feldman and their children Max and Jessica Stuart and Linda Kupfer
Irvina Warren on the loss of her husband, Dr. Sherwyn Warren
Laurel and Barry Abramowicz Gila Bronner Anne McDonagh and David Fishbaum Marcie and Derek Faust Elise and Ira Frost The Children and Grandchildren of 20 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
Susan and Larry Silberman on the birth of their grandson, Cooper Henry Silberman
Julia and Colman Kraff on the birth of their granddaughter, Delilah Belle Berk
Marcie Faust on the loss of her grandfather, and Dr. Wayne Goldstein on the loss of his father, Edward Goldstein
Kiddush Sponsors:
In memory of Bernice Cohen, beloved wife of Benjamin Cohen - The Robinson Family
Karen and Michael Kesner on the occasion of their 40th wedding anniversary
Sharon Koltin on the loss of her father, Samuel M. Frankel
Tracey Hendler on the loss of her mother, Felicia Pikholz
Youth Community Program Endowment Fund
Maxine and Dr. Robert Greenstein on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary
Condolences to:
Bruce Greenspahn on the loss of his mother, Lorna Greenspahn
In memory of Lester Levin, beloved father of Laurie Levin - Steven and Frances Shapiro
Natalie Millman Seth and Melanie Pawlow Rob Sadow and Jessica Palay Michael and Stephanie Smerling Nicholas and Hannah Warther IN MEMORIAM: Lorna Greenspahn Dr. Sherwyn Warren Bob Weber
Millie Weber on the loss of her husband, and Sandy Weber on the loss of his father, Bob Weber Alexander Wolf on the loss of his father, Charles Kurns
Maxine and Dr. Robert Greenstein
Marcie and Brad Pickard
Hazak Committee
Shayna and Dennis Planker
Janice and Steve Hefter
Alexis Yablon and David Seidman
Mia Levy and Jonathan Holt
Anya and Victor Viner
Karen and Michael Kesner
Rebecca and Noah Weininger
North Suburban Beth El Sisterhood
Jacqueline and David Wolle
North Suburban Synagogue Beth El Men’s Club
Mazel Tov to Our B’nai Mitzvah Students
Bat Mitzvah
Bar Mitzvah Lincoln Seidman,
son of Alexis Yablon and David Seidman Shabbat, September 7
Ricki Viner,
Bat Mitzvah
daughter of Anya and Victor Viner Shabbat, September 14
Bar Mitzvah
Valerie Faust,
daughter of Marcie and Derek Faust Shabbat, September 21
Bat Mitzvah
Max Plankar,
Bat Mitzvah
Ela Weininger,
Dana Holt,
daughter of Mia Levy and Jonathan Holt Shabbat, October 26
Bar Mitzvah David Pickard,
son of Shayna and Dennis Planker
daughter Rebecca and Noah Weininger
son of Marcie and Brad Pickard
Shabbat, November 2
Shabbat, November 16
Shabbat, November 30
Rinat Shabbat
Rinat Shabbat July SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL | 21
September/October/November Events at a Glance Friday, September 6 5:15 pm Reception; 6:15 pm Service Shabbat on the Lake: en Provence
yet generally unknown Jewish women. RSVP to Karen Weiss at kbweiss1023@ gmail.com
Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres très bon prepared with a French Country flair by Chef Laura Frankel. A special children’s program and buffet will be available. Please pre-register your children. A spirited prayer service for all will follow.
Sunday, September 15 10:00 am Schechter Institutes Learning Event “The Mahzor and the Book of Life”
_________________________________________ Saturday, September 7 12:15 pm Sisterhood Torah Fund Book Club The Sisterhood Torah Fund Book Club will kick off the new season with a discussion of the award-winning novel The Last Watchman of Old Cairo by Michael David Lukas. A minimum donation of $54 to the Torah Fund is requested. Contact Rachel Kamin at rkamin@nssbethel.org or (847)926-7902 for more information.
_________________________________________ Sunday, September 8 8:45 - 9:30 am Cohen Religious School Welcome Back Coffee for Parents Parents are invited to meet in the school lobby for a short orientation regarding events in the coming year. Meet some new friends and learn about great programming for your children.
_________________________________________ Thursday, September 12 7:45 pm Sisterhood Kick Off Event - Great Jewish Women Who Have Made a Difference Leah Polin, director of the Dawn Schuman Institute for Jewish Learning for nearly 25 years, is a well-respected lecturer on a wide array of Jewish topics. We will take a look at the lives and achievements of many remarkable 22 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
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Lecture (via webcast from Israel) by Reb Dr. Mimi Feigelson from the Schechter Institutes. Our High Holiday liturgy is replete with examples of a final reckoning and the idea of our own mortality. Reb Feigelson will present sources and questions intended to expose us to new ways of thinking about one of the most vitally important transitions in our lives – the end of life – and lead us to strengthen our commitment to living. RSVP to Marcie Eskin meskin@nssbethel.org or 847-926-7903.
_________________________________________ Wednesday September 18 8:00 pm Wine and Wisdom: Rosh HaShanah Seder Join Hazzan Tisser as he explores the tradition of a Rosh HaShanah Seder with great wine and appetizers and text study. RSVP to Marcie Eskin meskin@ nssbethel.org or 847-926-7903
_________________________________________ Wednesdays - September 18, October 16 in the Sukkah!, October 30 & November 13 9:30 am Writers Beit Midrash All fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoir, and essay writers (published or not yet published) are welcome for discussions, exercises, camaraderie, and critique. Contact Rachel Kamin at rkamin@ nssbethel.org or (847)926-7902 for more information and to be added to the mailing list.
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Saturday, September 21 8:00 pm Selichot Program Exploring the work of Chicago Tribune writer and critic Howard Reich including the film Prisoner of Her Past, his new book The Art of Inventing Hope, Selichot services, and refreshments. See page 15 for more details.
_________________________________________ Tuesday, September 24 8:00 pm Happy Yom Kippur? with Rabbi Alex Freedman Yom Kippur is often assumed to be a burden, but the Rabbis of the Talmud envisioned it as a gift. What might be joyous about Yom Kippur? How can we each get closer to achieving that state of mind? RSVP to Marcie Eskin meskin@ nssbethel.org or 847-926-7903.
_________________________________________ Sunday, October 6 1:00 pm Museum Reception Artist Leah Sosewitz will speak about her traditional folk art paper cuts and gilded illuminations inspired by Jewish texts, the Bible, midrash, and poetry, on display in the Rissman Kol Ami Collection exhibit space through Nov. 3. RSVP to Marcie Eskin at meskin@nssbethel.org or (847)926-7903.
_________________________________________ Sunday, October 13 8:45 am Car Wash and Schach Pick up Get your car washed between 8:45 am and 12:15 pm by our amazing USY crew. All proceeds go to USY Tikun Olam charities. Pick up for Schach, Lulav and Etrog orders will also be held from 8:45 a.m. until noon. All of these Sukkot items must be pre-ordered. See page 8.
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Monday October 14 12:30 pm Super Sukkah Event Join us for NSSBE’s annual Sukkot celebration. Everyone is welcome! After services, we will enjoy a meal together in our Beth El sukkah and walk to a nearby home for delectable desserts. Kids will enjoy a scavenger hunt. For information please contact Felicia Gross, grossfelicia2@gmail.com or Pam Schlosberg, pgs567@comcast.net.
_________________________________________ Friday, October 25 6:15 pm Service; 7:15 pm Dinner Kabbalat Shabbat and Congregational Dinner Join us after Kabbalat Shabbat for a heimish Shabbat dinner followed by “Memories of Growing Up Yiddish” with Cantor Herschel Fox – Hazzan Tisser’s childhood Cantor! $30 adults / $15 children under 13. RSVP on the synagogue website or call Ana in the office at (847) 926-7900.
_________________________________________ Sunday, October 27 7:00 pm Lights, Cantors, Action Join us for an unforgettable evening of Jewish, Cantorial, Broadway and Yiddish favorites with an entire family of cantors! See page 4 for details.
_________________________________________ Monday, October 28 7:45 pm High Holiday Review Join the Ritual Committee to discuss your High Holiday experience. Give us your feedback and let us know what you liked and how we can improve in the future. All are welcome. Contact JoAnne Blumberg with questions at joanneb1729@gmail.com
_________________________________________ Wednesday, October 30 7:45 pm Painful Hope: What Happens When Israeli Settlers and Local Palestinians Meet? Roots/Shorashim/Judur is a unique
collaboration of local Palestinians and Israelis building a grassroots initiative for understanding, nonviolence and transformation. Roots activists, Shadi Abu Awwad and Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger, will share their personal, interconnected stories and present the groundbreaking and challenging work of their initiative. RSVP to Marcie Eskin at meskin@nssbethel. org or 847-926-7903.
_________________________________________ Friday, November 1 5:00 pm Jeans & Jammies on Noah’s Ark Join us for an animal-filled Shabbat adventure including a free children’s dinner and PJ Library storytime. Bring your favorite stuffed animal! RSVP to Marcie Eskin at meskin@ nssbethel.org or (847) 926-7903.
_________________________________________ Saturday, November 2 12:15 pm Torah Fund Book Club Discuss House of Gold by Natasha Solomons, an epic drama about a supremely wealthy Jewish family tested in many ways by World War I. A Minimum donation of $54 to the Torah Fund is requested. Contact Rachel Kamin at rkamin@nssbethel.org or (847)926-7902 for more information.
_________________________________________ Sunday, November 3 10:00 am Men’s Club Keeper of the Flame Brunch Each year the Men’s Club honors a member who has lived the mission of the Men’s Club. This year’s honoree will be announced soon. Stay tuned for more details.
Friday, November 8 5:15 pm Reception; 6:00 pm Service Rinat Shabbat with USCJ Scholar Naa’ma Levitz Applbaum A seventh-generation Jerusalemite, Rav Na’ama has a wealth of experience in Jewish education, Israel education, and running programs in Israel for North American teens.
_________________________________________ Sunday, November 17 1:00 pm Museum Reception Join the participants from this year’s Artists Beit Midrash for a reception in celebration of the exhibit The Stories We Tell: Narrative in the Torah and Art on display in the Rissman Kol Ami Collection November 8 - January 5.
_________________________________________ Friday, November 22 5:30 pm Service 6:15 pm Dinner Intergenerational Shabbat Dinner Join us for Shabbat dinner to share stories across generations and get to know each other better as members of our Jewish community. We will play games, sing songs, and celebrate the generations. On Shabbat morning, please join us in the main sanctuary for Unlock Shabbat-–an intergenerational discussion in lieu of a d’var torah.
_________________________________________ Sunday, November 24 9:00 am Annual Thanksgiving Mitzvah Day This annual Social Action project requires at least 100 families to create and donate baskets containing Thanksgiving food items that will benefit families at a local school in Waukegan. Shopping list and sign-up will be available in October.
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Non Profit Org. US Postage PAID Highland Park, IL Permit No. 96
1175 Sheridan Road Highland Park, IL 60035 Address service requested
Construction - South Wing
New Playscape
Zell Renovations
Wake up the House with the Aroma of Overnight Brisket
by Chef Laura Frankel
HELLO GORGEOUS is what you will say when you try this all-night brisket. Quick to assemble and completely hands off, this recipe will free up your day, your oven and allow you time to do other holiday prep Serves 8-10 1 WHOLE or 2nd cut brisket about 12 lbs. (Do not even try this with a first cut brisket or you will end up with a stringy dry mess!) Kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper 3 white onions, thinly sliced 6 whole heads garlic, cut in half crosswise 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes with their juices 1 bottle (yes, the whole bottle!) dry red wine, Cabernet sauvignon works well 3 cups chicken or beef broth Several sprigs fresh thyme Several sprigs fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 225F. 1. Place whole brisket, fatty side up in roasting pan (I do NOT recommend foil or aluminum pans). 2. Generously season brisket with salt and pepper. 3. Arrange onions, garlic and tomatoes on brisket. 4. Add wine, broth and herbs. 5. Place a sheet of parchment over brisket and then tightly cover with foil (I do not like aluminum touching my food, or yours!). 6. Braise in oven for 10 hours.
24 | SEPT/OCT/NOV 2019 | KOL BETH EL
7. Remove brisket from oven and allow to cool before handling (the meat will be very soft until it cools a bit). 8. Strain fat from braising liquid and herb stems. Squeeze garlic cloves into juices. Reduce pan juices by simmering in a saucepan to about 3 cups. 9. Slice brisket ACROSS the grain. I adore thick, generous, wobbly slices, but you can slice it thinly if you like. Serve with reduced pan juices.