September 23, 2020 | 5 Tishrei 5781
Quick E-Newsletter Links: Young Family Programs and Noar (youth) News
High Holy Days
Are You Connected for Yom Kippur?
If you have not yet done so, register for Yom Kippur by completing the online registration form to ensure that we have the correct links to send you the service login information. For questions please contact the office.
 
Invite Your Friends and Family! All are Welcome!
All are invited to join Beth Emet for the Yom Kippur this year. Rather than charging, we are asking guests to register and if they are so inclined, make a donation to support the High Holy Days. Pass along the registration link to anyone who you think would be interested or share this promotional video to spread the word! 
Open Ark
In the spirit of open hearts, open arms and open minds, we are also offering time for people to come before an “Open Ark.” As the High Holy Days approach, many people are feeling a sense of loss in not being able to come into the Beth Emet building and Sanctuary to pray. So, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are creating an opportunity for you (with others in your household, if you wish) to come into the Beth Emet Sanctuary for up to 15 minutes to privately offer your prayers before the open Ark. Individuals who wish to do so must sign up in advance, which is on a first come basis. Of course, COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed, including filling out a health form prior to arrival. To reserve your place, please contact Wendy Yablon letting her know the date and time range that you are available.
 
Open Ark Times
Wednesday, September 23, 1:00-6:00 pm
Thursday, September 24, 1:00-3:00 pm
Friday, September 25, 10:00 am-3:00 pm
Support the ARK through the High Holy Day Food Drive
Drop off in the Beth Emet parking lot until October 2
Now more than ever, it is important to support the ARK, a local Jewish agency, which serves more than 4,000 people a year by providing support, shelter, and food through its pantry. Synagogue High Holy Day Food Drives provide the ARK with enough food to last through the winter. Please continue to drop off donation before everything is picked up on October 2. Please email Marla Topp to ensure that someone is there to greet you and place the food in the bins.
 
*Please note all food donations must be certified kosher and have an expiration date at least six months from now (Feb 2021). The ARK does not accept Del Monte or Kirkland canned vegetables.*

FOOD DONATION REQUESTED ITEMS
Canned vegetables
Canned fruit
Canned beans
Vegetarian baked beans
Creamy peanut butter
Jelly or jam
Sugar
Honey
Tuna
Applesauce
Crackers
Cereal
Oatmeal
Boxed dairy or non-dairy milk
Pasta
Rice
Couscous
Tomato sauce
Canola oil
Dish liquid
Laundry detergent
Sponges
Paper towel
Toilet paper
Facial tissue
Bar soap
Liquid hand soap
Diapers sizes 4, 5, 6
Mishkan HaNefesh-Special Deal
If you do not yet have your Machzor (prayer book) for the High Holy Days, the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) is now offering a special discounted Kindle ebooks. Go to the CCAR website, and enter the code MHN2020. 
Playlist to Prepare for Yom Kippur
Looking for some musical inspiration to prepare you for the Yom Kippur? Our Beth Emet Spotify playlist is just the thing for you! An eclectic assortment of songs relating to the themes of the Holy Days, including liner notes to stimulate your thinking.
Adult Study with Rabbi Andrea London and Rabbi Joseph Edelheit
Yom Kippur- Monday, September 28 at 3:30 p.m.
Rabbi Joseph Edelheit will be teaching with Rabbi London during the afternoon on Yom Kippur. Rabbi Joseph Edelheit, Professor Emeritus of Religious and Jewish Studies at St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud, MN), lives in Rio De Janeiro. He was selected by the Divinity School of the University of Chicago as Alumnus of the Year 2021. His most recent book, "What am I missing? Questions about Being Human", was published in February 2020 and focuses on the difficult life lesson that we are all missing something in our lives. We welcome him back to the Chicago area, as he was the Senior Rabbi at Emanuel Congregation from 1984-1992.
Yom Kippur Services for Families with Children
Monday, September 28 at 2:30 p.m.
Finding ways for families to come together with gratitude and in meaningful sacred moments is not always easy. Many of us long for connections and engagement. Beth Emet’s family services provide engaging and energetic opportunities for you. Dress up or down, bring your shofar and your smiles. Be prepared to sing, to reach, to pray and to connect.
  • Families with children kindergarten and younger with Kathy Kaberon, Cantor Cotler and Rabbi London Zoom Link
  • Families with children first through third grade with Marci Dickman, Rabbi Memis-Foler and Beth Reinstein Zoom Link
Share Some Challah and Dinner with Beth Emet Friends on the High Holy Days… Virtually!
Break Fast – Monday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m.
With the magic of Zoom anyone can come together and share a festive dinner and/or break the fast on Yom Kippur. Expand your circle (or square as the case may be) and sign up today to be with friends, new and old, as part of your holiday celebrations. Registering is suggested, but not required.  If you’ve always wanted to be that person who shows up last minute, here’s your chance!  We have a seat for you in one of our “virtual” dining rooms! You can find the Zoom link here or on the service schedule.  For more information, please contact the office.
Congregational Opportunities
Baking a Difference:  Beth Emet Families Bake Honey Cakes for the Holy Days
Saturday, September 26 at 3:30 p.m.
Please join us on Zoom to bake honey cakes on Saturday, September 26 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Families will bake together in small groups in Zoom breakout rooms. Cakes can be baked and shared with your own family and/or with the Beth Emet Soup Kitchen, to be served the following Wednesday.  
Please click here for more information and RSVP Today, September 23.

Office Hours with Karen Isaacson, President
Sunday, September 27 at 10:00 a.m.

Enjoy Beth Emet’s Beautiful Sukkah! 
Monday- Wednesday October 5, 6 or 7 from 3:00-7:00 p.m.
Congregants are invited to come with their family or pod to shake the lulav, smell the etrog and enjoy the sukkah experience. We’ll have a copy of the blessings, and gloves for your safety. Registration required, space is limited, and this will be canceled in case of rain.

Going Virtual has Never Been Easier-Sign Up for Automatic Monthly Payments
Starting in August, all monthly statements are being sent by email, unless requested by snail mail. Beth Emet’s Automatic Debit program allows you to pay monthly without incurring any additional fees. No need to write checks and it saves on postage! All you need to sign up is your bank’s accounting and routing information. Register online today. And, consistent with our mission to be eco-friendly and given the complexities during the times of coronavirus, we are strongly encouraging that members receive monthly statements by email. If you wish to continue to receive statements by mail, please contact
For a list of next week's events and recordings from previous programs, check out the website!
Social Justice
Soup Kitchen 
The Soup Kitchen Is Still Open and Your Help is Needed
 
The Soup Kitchen continues to provide take-away dinners and bagged lunches every Wednesday evening to those in our community who are hungry, and we are currently filling volunteer opportunities for the fall. Please contact us at soupkitchen@bethemet.org for an available date if you are interested in helping with any of these:
 
  1. Come in person to help onsite at Beth Emet, 4:15-5:45 p.m. Be part of a small crew of 4 - 5 adults, wearing masks and gloves, and practicing social distancing during this preparation and clean-up shift. Prepared dinner is purchased from a local restaurant and broken down into individual servings, which are given out at the door; volunteers have no interaction with the guests. 
  2. Help at home by purchasing groceries and making sack lunches, using provided shopping list and instructions (approx. $35 for 20 lunches). Deliver the lunches to Beth Emet 3:30-4:30 p.m. on the scheduled date. 
  3. Help at home by purchasing groceries (less than $20) and making salad, using provided shopping list and instructions. Deliver the salad to Beth Emet 3:30-4:30 p.m. on the scheduled date.
Advocacy
Civic Engagement
This November’s election is the most important many of us have ever faced. Because we value equality, the unity of humankind,, and peace, many of us feel we must act to assure that every vote counts. Beth Emet is participating in the Every Voice, Every Vote campaign of the Religious Action Coalition (RAC). The campaign has three components:
(1) combatting voter suppression (2) making sure all members of our congregation vote; and (3) encouraging young people to vote.

To combat voter suppression in Wisconsin, we are working with WISDOM, an organization that works for racial justice there. Because of the state’s efforts to remove voters from the rolls, we will be calling members of minority groups to help them confirm or restore their registration and vote absentee. Free training is available via Zoom. There will be many sessions available between now and the election. We need whatever time you can spare.
 
We also will be working with Common Ground, RAC’S partner, to send postcards to minority voters in seven other swing states encouraging them to vote. Watch the training video (required). Then, request postcards using RAC’s online form. You will be asked to make an $18 donation to cover the cost of the cards and shipping. The donation is optional.
We can make a difference in Wisconsin and elsewhere. If you need help voting (or know someone who does), would like to help with any part of this effort, or would just like to know more, contact Michelle Oxman at 847-328-0609 or 847-558-9797, or email her.
LifeLong Learning
Noar News
Open Noar News for details on Teen High Holy Day opportunities, including our Yom Kippur Reflection & Hangout.

Adult Education
All the listings from the High Holy Day Guide are now up on our website with more details.Please do register in advance.
 
Preparing for the 2020 Presidential Election: A History of Voting with David Zarefsky
Thursday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m.
We will consider the nature of voting in the United States. Topics to be addressed include: Is there any such thing as a right to vote? How and why has the eligibility to vote expanded over our history, and what role did the 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments to the U.S. Constitution play? How and why have there been corresponding efforts to suppress the vote and what do they tell us? Is encouraging people to vote a partisan or nonpartisan act? Does voter turnout affect the legitimacy of election results? Does one person’s vote really make a difference? What changes, if any, should be made in the system of voting in the United States?
No fee for members; non-member fee $10
To find prior content, search communications@bethemet.org in your mailbox. 
If you do not wish to receive this email, please contact us. If you use the unsubscribe button, you will no longer receive any emails from Beth Emet.