Beth Emet will hold a special congregational meeting at 7:00 pm on Thursday, January 8, to confirm Rabbi Brian Immerman as our next Senior Rabbi. This hybrid meeting will take place in the Sanctuary and also via this Zoom link (Meeting ID: 823 2276 4622

Passcode: 574321).

According to our Constitution and Bylaws, the Senior Rabbi is chosen by a simply majority vote of congregants present at a special congregational meeting. Every congregant in good standing who is present at the meeting, either in person or virtually, may vote. We have prepared a reference page about Rabbi Immerman on the Beth Emet website, here.The page includes:

Biography of Rabbi Immerman
Final Recommendation Report of the Search Committee
Link to Rabbi Immerman's Chanukah d'var at Beth Emet, https://bethemet.livecontrol.tv/0a5184cc
Link to Rabbi Immerman's web page, www.brianimmerman.com

The Board is calling every household to invite the congregation to attend this meeting and to answer basic questions about Rabbi Immerman and the search process. In addition, Search Committee Co-Chairs Matt Feldman and Alison Finkel are hosting an open Q&A Zoom session on Tuesday, January 6, 7:00-8:00 pm: Zoom link (Meeting ID: 829 5145 6268

Passcode: 801114)

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I encourage you to participate in this historic vote on Thursday, January 8, at 7:00 pm.

Nisan Chavkin, President

Fight for Democracy Like a Mensch: A New Tikkun Middot Opportunity

Kickoff on Sunday, February 1 | 9:45 am | In person

Rooted in Jewish ethical wisdom (Tikkun Middot/Mussar), this program, Fight for Democracy Like a Mensch (FLM), supports those who feel the heartbreak in our current political environment and want to respond—not with despair, but with grounded action. This program helps us face what’s happening with courage, clarity, and compassion, offering tools to metabolize fear, stay in relationships across differences, and act with integrity amidst rising injustice. Learn more here.

If you are interested in exploring and/or signing up, please contact one of the facilitators, Susan Sloss (susansloss@gmail.com), Bekki Kaplan (bekkikaplan@gmail.com) or Dan Kaplan (dankaplan18@gmail.com), by Monday, January 5.

We look forward to learning and creating change with you!

CELEBRATE SHABBAT

SAVE THE DATE: Shir Shabbat & BEYOND!

Friday, February 6 | 5:15 & BEYOND! Activities | 6:30 pm Service

We'll come together across the generations for a Community Retreat Reunion AND a Dor L'dor Shabbat Celebration that you, the family, and the entire Beth Emet community won't want to miss. More details, including a registration link for dinner, coming soon!

SAVE THE DATE: One Congregation, Many Voices Event Following Soul Spark Shabbat

Friday, March 20 | 6:30 pm Service| 7:30 pm Congregational Dinner | 8:30 pm Program

Certain life stages and life-changing events come with a wealth of established Jewish rituals. Other stages and events do not. Where are the gaps, and how do we create new rituals for those times? What makes a ritual meaningful? What transition are you currently facing that doesn’t have an established Jewish ritual supporting it? During this module in our ongoing annual program, we’ll explore individually and collectively how we can mark life stages and events in ever more meaningful ways. We’ll come together on March 20 for dinner following an abbreviated Soul Spark Service. We’ll explore the contours of life’s chapters and create some new rituals of our own. Registration link to follow.

To kick off this focus, we’re running a monthly THRESHOLDS column here in EmetMail where we’ll feature writing and/or artwork by our members that focuses on rituals–established and invented–that help us mark transitions, widely defined. If you’d like to submit work (essays under 700 words, photography, visual art, a song) to be considered, please email Debbie Siegel-Acevedo. Scroll down for the inaugural entry, as Debbie kicks us off.

SO MANY WAYS TO ENGAGE AT BETH EMET

Save the Date for the Family-Friendly Walk for Warmth

MLK Day, Monday, January 19th from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm | First United Methodist Church

Please join Beth Emet’s Team for Interfaith Action’s 7th Annual Walk for Warmth. Meet at First United Methodist Church, 516 Clark Street on the corner of Church and Hinman. There is a 2 mile walk -or- a ½ mile walk or come to the kick-off program only!

We honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on this day of service. The walk helps raise awareness of homelessness in or community. Your donation supports Interfaith Action’s programs including the overnight shelter. Register here or through the QR code.

Questions? Contact Leslie Shulruff zamaed@comcast.net

Bundled Blessings Social Justice Activity

Wednesday, January 21 | 6:30 to 8:00 pm | First United Methodist Church

Do you like babies? Silly question!

Please join the Social Justice Committee to package diapers for distribution to 21 local agencies working with families in need. Bundled Blessings is a volunteer led effort spearheaded by a team at First United Methodist Church. Each month volunteers from the community sort and package 47,000 diapers that go to 900 children in Evanston and surrounding areas. Diapers aren’t covered by either SNAP or WIC funds and yet there is a growing need among families affected by poverty.

Beth Emet volunteers will meet at First United Methodist Church on January 21 at 6:30 pm for a tour of the facility and an overview of the program. Then we’ll get to work for the next hour. It’s a fun and important mitzvah activity that doesn’t require any money or diapering expertise! Just good will and the ability to count to 10!

Please sign up through this link to volunteer.

Contact Jessie Macdonald if you have any questions. Jess22mac@comcast.net

Host Your Next Event at Beth Emet! 🎉

Looking for a beautiful, welcoming space for your next event? Beth Emet has versatile rooms available for meetings, celebrations, workshops, classes, and more!

Our well-appointed facilities offer:

✨ Comfortable seating and meeting spaces

✨ Flexible room configurations

✨ Convenient location and amenities

✨ Supportive staff to help bring your vision to life

Whether you're planning a small gathering or a larger event, we have space that works for you.

📩 Interested? Contact Pierce at pboydbagby@bethemet.org to inquire about availability and rates.

🌐 Learn more and explore our spaces: https://bethemet.org/about/our-building/facility-rental

Rent space at Beth Emet today!

MORE UPCOMING BETH EMET PROGRAMS

Our Siblings in Suriname: An American Jewish Community beyond Borders

January 11, 2026 @ 10:30 am - 11:45 am - In person and on Zoom

This lecture covers the history of the Jewish community in Suriname, a Caribbean country in South America, and one of the oldest existing Jewish communities in our hemisphere. We’ll discuss its beginnings in slave society and into the twentieth century, when Surinamese Jews, many of whom had both African and European ancestors, built a local revival, and increased their bonds with the Jewish diaspora. Perhaps Suriname is not some obscure locale, but a lens through which we might see what makes the American Jewish experience both expansive and distinct. Eli Rosenblatt is an Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

More info and registration here.

Current Politics with David Zarefsky

January 14, 2026 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm - In person and on Zoom

A congregational favorite, this continuing lecture series is a discussion about contemporary public issues of interest to Jews as citizens. David Zarefsky is the Owen L. Coon Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies at Northwestern University, specializing in argumentation and the analysis and criticism of American political discourse. He is a former president of the National Communication Association, the Rhetoric Society of America, and the Central States Communication Association. In 2012 he received the Lifetime Teaching Excellence Award from the National Communication Association. David is a past president of Beth Emet.

More info and registration here.

The Human Scale, A Story of Love and Conflict in the Middle East

February 1, 10:15 am

Mark your calendars for a special program coming up! On February 1, author Lawrence Wright will join us to discuss his book. Plan ahead so you can read the book before this event!

Members, register here.

Guests, register here.

Jamberry Music at Beth Emet: Winter Session Coming Soon

Tuesdays, January 6 - February 24, 2026 | 9:30 -10:15 am

Join us for joyful, collaborative music-making with Nicole Jaworski and Jamberry Music. In this class, you and your little one will bond with each other and make new friends while we sing, dance, play, pretend, and experiment with instruments. Class is geared to kids 6 months to 2.5 years old, and siblings are welcome to join! Sign up for the winter session.

WEEK IN REVIEW

On Friday, December 19th, Beth Emet’s community came together to celebrate Shabbanukah. The multigenerational event was a wonderful combination of Shabbat and Chanukah, weaving the two celebrations into an evening to remember. Read more--and check out more photos--here.

THRESHOLDS

Rituals–established and invented–help us mark transitions, widely defined. Each month, we'll share work (essays under 700 words, photography, visual art, a song) by a Beth Emet member that explore the marking of a life stage or event in a meaningful way.

If you have work you'd like us to consider, please email Debbie Siegel-Acevedo.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Progressive Chevra Kadisha Basic Tahara Training

Sunday January 11, 2026 | 10:00 am - 11:30 am | Chicago Jewish Funerals Skokie Chapel (8851 Skokie Blvd)

The next Progressive Chevra Kadisha (PCK) Basic Tahara introduction and training will be held on Sunday January 11th, 2026 from 10AM - 11:30AM at Chicago Jewish Funerals Skokie Chape. The PCK in Chicago makes taharah accessible for people of all backgrounds, affiliations, and gender identities. We are currently especially looking for more people to serve on men's tahara teams. The training will explain how we prepare a body for burial in the process called taharah. This beautiful and incredibly humbling and sacred. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Lee Weintraub, Progressive Chevra Kadisha Coordinator for Beth Emet.

OY!

Saturdays through December 27 at 6:00 pm | Annoyance Theater (851 W Belmont Ave, Chicago)

Following up on last year's hit, "OY!" will feature brand-new sketches, songs, and improv from an all-Jewish cast as we explore the customs and cultures that unite Jews worldwide, while also celebrating Jewish joy and traditions. We understand the trying times our Jewish community faces, and we hope this show can provide an opportunity to gather and to celebrate what unites us!

Tickets can be easily purchased at www.theannoyance.com.

Our Community Needs Help. A Lot of Help.

Come Be a Beacon of Light!

Every Thursday, between 4:00 and 4:30 pm | Corner of Dempster & Ridge

Started by Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, the Beacon brings together people of all faiths and secular backgrounds who feel called to stand with those facing injustice. The Beacon mobilizes its diverse community members to take action. Where there is cruelty, we create visible acts of solidarity and compassion. Where there is fear, we build community and mutual understanding. This powerful movement, which is spreading throughout the country, is held in Evanston weekly, on Thursday evenings, at 4:00 pm. The Beth Emet community, along with members of other local faith communities, stand together, with signs in hand, to stand against the hate, fear, and despair that is so prevalent these days. See you on the corner of Dempster & Ridge.

Upcoming Programs from Our Friends at JCFS

Not Alone: Navigating Family Estrangement with Compassion and Strength (Virtual)

Tuesday, January 20 7:00 pm -8:30 pm

🔗Click here to register

Contact LeahShefsky@jcfs.org for more information.

SibShops (In-Person – Northbrook)

Sundays: Jan 4, Feb 15, March 22, April 19, May 17, June 14 | 1–3:30pm

For siblings (ages 6–16) of children with disabilities and special needs. A relaxed, supportive and recreational space to connect, discuss common issues, and have fun.

🔗 Program Overview

Contact TamaraBesser@JCFS.org or call 773-765-3159 for required pre-registration or for more information.

Social Skills Classes (In-Person, Northbrook)

Led by speech-language pathologists to support social development through play and structured activities.

Wednesdays, 11am-12pm: January 7, 14, 21, 28 and February 4, 11

Wednesdays, 4:15pm-5:15pm: January 7, 14, 21, 28 and February 4, 11

Class Fee: $300/6-week session* (Class fee is waived for participants new to JCFS Chicago)

*Minimum of three participants needed to run the class

🔗Cick here to register.

Contact Ask@JCFS.org or call 855-275-5237 for more information

REMINDERS

Help Needed at the Soup Kitchen

We currently are scheduling volunteers for 2026 for the Rabbi Peter and Elaine Knobel Soup Kitchen at Beth Emet, which serves dinner every Wednesday evening. Kitchen volunteers work a 4:15 - 7:00 p.m. shift, cooking and serving the meal, and volunteers also contribute by purchasing and bringing most of the ingredients used in the meal preparation. Each week, we also need home bakers, who commit to providing 3 dozen adult servings of nut-free desserts, delivered to the synagogue between 3:30 pm - 4:30 p.m. on the assigned date. Please email soupkitchen@bethemet.org for an assignment and more information about available dates. Thank you!

What's a One Congregation, Many Voices Salon Group and How Can I Join One?

This is a time of transition for Beth Emet and for the broader Jewish community. We’ll continue to explore the Thresholds theme throughout the year in small lay-led “salon groups” that meet in facilitators' homes or on Zoom. Learn more about the salon program here. If you’d like to join a group, please contact ManyVoices@bethemet.org.

Sponsor an Oneg Shabbat or Soul Spark Shabbat Service

Whether you’re celebrating an important milestone, remembering the memory of a loved one, honoring a fellow congregant for a job well done, acknowledging a Beit Sefer teacher's big teaching anniversary, or feting a Beth Emet staff member (!), sponsoring an Oneg Shabbat or a Soul Spark Shabbat service is a wonderful way to share the event with the community. An Oneg Shabbat before services is an opportunity to welcome Shabbat with catered or homemade (or store-bought) treats. The Oneg offers time for everyone to come together to chat, meet new friends, and reconnect with those you already know. Once a month, we have a music-filled, contemplative Soul Spark Shabbat service, another opportunity to sponsor and add to the splendor of services. To learn more or choose a date, please reach out to Allan Bogan—we’d love to celebrate with you.

Challah Bakers Needed for January 2026 and Beyond

Beth Emet has embarked on a popular new initiative called A Gift of Challah, initiated by Cantor Young. Each Shabbat, someone signs up to bake challah (or two) in their home. The Klei Kodesh identify member(s) in need of a little extra love--perhaps someone who is celebrating an accomplishment, is ill, or had an especially challenging week. During Kabbalat Shabbat services, the Rabbi and Cantor ask for a volunteer in the Sanctuary to deliver the challah to that congregant. Please find additional information, including a link to the SignUp Genius sheet, here. Please contact the office with any questions.

Share Your Photos – Help Bring Our 75th Anniversary Mural to Life!

Since the kickoff of our 75th Anniversary Mural Project on June 7, the Archive Team has been busy diving into the Beth Emet archives—rediscovering photos, documents, and stories that reflect the heart of our community. At the anniversary celebration, many of you shared meaningful memories about how Beth Emet has touched your lives. Now, we’d love your help once again—this time, to show those stories through photos! Read more from the Mural Committee and Archive Team about what and how to share.

Sermons Available Online

To watch our past sermons, please click here.

To receive announcements for all births, weddings, and deaths, add your name to the mailing list through MyBethEmet (our member portal) on your individual page or contact the office.

Consider a Donation to Beth Emet

It's a great way to honor or remember someone special or to celebrate a wonderful moment in the congregation's life. This is an important way to support our community. If you have questions, email the office.

Donate!