Creating Beth Emet Community Together


Wednesday, January 4 |11 Tevet 5783

Highlights

For more information, click on the headline of a particular program or info-blurb. Or check out the Beth Emet website.

Dedicating the Temple Menorah Lobby and TJM Courtyard

In 2018 both Temple Menorah and Temple Judea Mizpah combined with Beth Emet. In keeping with the theme of dedication for Chanukah, on Friday, December 23 we came together to dedicate the Temple Menorah Lobby and the TJM Courtyard. Thank you all who braved the cold to celebrate this important milestone together. 

And a special Mazal Tov to Michelle Oxman, winner of this year's latke topping contest! Michelle's Prize: A New Chanukah Sweater!

Another Successful Chanukah Story Featuring Actors from the Fleetwood Jourdain Theater Company

Rev Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend

Martin Luther King Jr. Kabbalat Shabbat Services Featuring Robin Rue Simmons

Friday, January 13 | 6:30 pm | In-Person and Virtual

On Friday, January 13 we will be honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during Kabbalat Shabbat services. We welcome Robin Rue Simmons of First Repair and share the work that Beth Emet is doing on anti-racism and reparations. On this Shabbat, we will also offer Lila Selch a travel blessing, this year's Leo Baeck Scholar, who will be traveling to Israel to attend URJ Heller High School spring semester.

2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Community Worship Service

Sunday, January 15 | 3:00 pm | Virtual and In-Person at Faith Temple Church of God in Christ

This program includes a special presentation to the Reparations Stakeholders Authority of Evanston.

4th Annual Walk for Warmth with Interfaith Action of Evanston

Monday, January 16 | 11:00 am | In-Person at First United Methodist Church

Join Beth Emet’s Team on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a National Day of Service, to raise awareness and funds to support the Emergency Overnight Shelter and the Warming Center. This is a family-friendly event and people of all ages are welcome! Register to walk and/or donate. Registration is free.

The Big PayBack: A Documentary on Reparations

Monday, January 16 | 5:30 pm | In-Person at AMC Theatre Evanston 12

Please join First Repair, this Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day for a special Evanston community screening of The Big Payback with Q&A to follow with Co-Directors Erika Alexander, Whitney Dow, Rabbi London and Pastor Carlis Moody Jr, along with Robin Rue Simmons.

Support This Year's Mitzvah Appeal Campaign

Our Goal is $280,000; No Gift is Too Small or Too Big


Pledge Today & Sign Up for One or Both Events


We are back! Our calendar is full, and we continue to be creative, flexible, and innovative, embracing technology so that everyone can join for prayer, learning, social justice work, and socializing together. We have so much to offer, and we need your support of the Mitzvah Appeal, our primary fundraising effort of voluntary giving, which provides the single greatest source of non-membership revenue necessary to ensure the financial health of our community.


In appreciation of your gift, we will be holding two events:

Next Saturday Night! Have You Signed Up Yet?

State of the World Got Your Goat? Rise Above It! Come Party with Beth Emet

Saturday, January 14 | 7:00 pm |In-Person Only (Downtown Chicago)

Minimum Contribution: $360

Celebrate in person, eat, drink and spend a special evening with new and old friends! Food prepared by the celebrated restaurant Girl and the Goat, catered by BOKA executive Chef Giuseppe Tentori.

D.C. 2023 Spotlight: Brunch with U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky

Sunday, January 29 | 9:45 am |In-Person at Beth Emet and Virtual

Suggested Minimum Pledge: $36 per person

With a change in the House leadership, there will be much to discuss as the 118th U.S. Congress convenes in January. Brunch will be served in-person or grab your favorite breakfast food and cozy up to the Zoom screen.

BE Connected
Weekly Calendar
Full Calendar with Links
Program Registration 

Thursday, January 5


Qigong with Netiva Caftori

10:00 am | Virtual on Zoom

Our very own Netiva Caftori invites us to experience the healing practice of Qigong with her. Qigong is a millennia-old system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for health and spirituality.

Friday, January 6

A Close Look at Torah with Rabbi Andrea London

9:30 am | In-Person and Virtual on Zoom

There are many ways to interpret Torah and its nuances of meaning that are often overlooked. We will continue our learning, reading and interpreting the text of the Book of Deuteronomy line by line. New learners are always welcome.

Competing Narratives of the 1948 War with Dr. Maayan Hilel 

11:00 am | Virtual on Zoom Only

Part 2 of this class will meet on Friday, January 13

We will discuss the major events that led to the outbreak of the war of 1948, its main stages, and the different, even contrasting, narratives Israelis and Palestinians created about it. We will examine the diverse voices of those who participated in or experienced the war to shed new light on this constitutive and complex event.

Kabbalat Shabbat Services Celebrating January Birthday Blessings

6:30 pm | In-Person and Virtual on Zoom

As this is the first Friday of January, we will also be offering a birthday blessing to all our January birthdays! Here’s a list of all those who are celebrating!

Saturday, January 7

Kahal Shabbat Morning Services

9:30 am | In-Person and Virtual

Sunday, January 8

Sunday Morning Minyan

9:00 am |Virtual on Zoom

Monday, January 9


Social Justice Committee Meeting

7:00 pm | Virtual on Zoom

Tuesday, January 10

Current Politics with Dr. David Zarefsky

7:30 pm | In-Person and Virtual

A continuing lecture-discussion class on contemporary public issues of interest to Jews as citizens. Special attention will be given to the policy and political issues facing the Biden administration.

Have you liked us on Facebook and Instagram? Check us Out?!

One Book, One Congregation

Here All Along Discussion with Rabbi London

Sunday, January 15 | 9:45 am | In-Person

This year the Beth Emet community is reading the book, Here All Along by Sarah Hurwitz. Rabbi London will lead a conversation on Chapter 4 of the book, "Mitzvot and the Spirituality of Doing." This is a wonderful opportunity to contemplate questions about Judaism and explore Jewish identity. Babysitting will be provided. Advanced registration requested.

Subsequent discussions led by Rabbi London will take place on Sunday, March 12; Sunday, April 23; and Sunday, May 7. The book is accessible and thought-provoking. Books and audiobooks are still available in the office.


The One Book, One Congregation programs are generously sponsored by the Judith F. Krug Fund, David and Florence Fingeret Fund, Solomon and Lillian Krug Fund, and the JELLO (Jewish Education: Lifelong Learning Opportunities) Funds in the Beth Emet Foundation.

In The BE Family

Mazal Tov to Gabe Rosen

Gabe Rosen has signed to play football with Valparaiso University! Mazal tov to Gabe's parents, Maryl Rosen and Lisa Simone.

See Highlights from the Recent J Street Conference

Three days distilled in 20 minutes! Beth Emet-ers not pictured, Cantor Cotler and Max Yenkin.

We Want to Hear From You!


Whether it's good news to share or you would like to be featured or know someone who should be featured "In The BE Family," let us know or contact Bekki Kaplan

BE Involved

Volunteer Opportunities

See all our current volunteer opportunities

Support Rebecca Weiner's Gemilut Chasadim Project

Hi! I’m Rebecca Weiner, and I am in seventh grade and at Beth Emet, and recently celebrated my Kabbalat Mitzvah. For my mitzvah project, I’ve made a commitment to clean and restock the Evanston food fridges, (community fridges that anyone is free to take from or add to). Starting this January, I will be restocking the fridge with staples weekly, but I am also aiming to be able to do larger restocks about once a month. My goal is to make a positive impact on our local community, especially during January and February when resources are in shorter supply. You can help me by donating to this GoFundMe! 

Congregational Announcements
Purim

Purim Spiel “Auditions”

Want some other outlet other than your shower to belt out a tune? Then come be part of our multi-generational Beth Emet Purim Spiel!! The theme this year is "Romancing The Thrown" (songs from romantic comedy soundtracks)


All singers are welcome. Everyone who wants to participate will get a role in the production! if you're interested in being part of the Purim players, contact Susan ForteAdditional notes for Spielers

Missed a Program? 

When possible, we record our programs for those who were unable to participate. When recordings are available for adult programming, you can find them on the calendar event and on the website.

Additional Congregational Opportunities

Taste of Wise Aging Through the Lens of Tikkun Middot with Sue Nadel and Jane Weintraub

Wednesday, January 11 | 7:30 pm | Virtual on Zoom

Have you been thinking of retiring, is your nest emptying, are you facing age-related challenges and moving from one phase of life to another, are you sandwiched between generations? These and other issues will be addressed in this new Beth Emet offering. Middot are character or soul traits and the study of Tikkun Middot uses curiosity and openness to investigate our internal and external reactions to situations. This one hour session will give you a taste of this program. 


Questions? Contact Marci Dickman

New Tikkun Middot Va’ad (small group) Facilitated by Marci Dickman

Monthly, January- June; Specific days and times to be determined by the participants

The Va’ad focuses on a particular character trait each month, and each session includes meditation, mindfulness practice, study of Jewish and secular texts, and self-reflection. Between sessions, participants work with a chevruta (partner) to explore the internal and external obstacles and opportunities present in each moment in order to access more wholesome choices. The group is open to congregants of all ages and interests.


Interested? Contact Marci Dickman

Murder on a Kibbutz: A Book Discussion led by Lisa Lieberman

Wednesday, January 18 | 7:30 pm | Virtual on Zoom

In a recent Guardian review, Lavie Tidhar called the late Israeli author Batya Gur's Murder on a Kibbutz (1991) one of the top ten books of all time about Israel. The daughter of Polish Holocaust survivors, Gur had a special interest in how kibbutznikim who came from the death camps found solace in the rhythms of communal life. This program is sponsored by the Israel Committee.

Conversations to Nourish Our Souls with Marci Dickman

Thursday, January 19 | 7:15 pm | Virtual on Zoom

Not sure how to connect to the Mystery or the Divine in the world? Perhaps you are seeking an honest conversation about making meaning in life and what really matters. We will use the prayerbook, poetry, prose, and ourselves as our texts, aiming to deepen our connections and discern meaningful paths in our daily lives.

Anonymity and Annihilation with Dr. Barry Wimpfheimer

Friday, January 20 | 11:00 am | In-Person and Virtual on Zoom

David Weiss Halivni z’l (1927-2022) was a revolutionary in two separate intellectual arenas- talmudic analysis and Jewish theology. He is known for innovating the notion that much of the Talmud was produced by a group of unnamed editors whom he called Stammai as well as worked to process personal and communal experiences of the Holocaust in religious terms. Come learn about how Halivni’s Talmudic theory and unique theology might inform one another.

Board of Directors Meeting

Monday, January 23 | 7:00 pm | In-Person and Virtual on Zoom

If you are interested in attending the meeting, please reach out to Geoff Prass for the password-protected Zoom link. This is done for security purposes.

Community News

Did You Know a New Illinois law requires sealed battery smoke alarms started in 2023?

A new law in effect on January 1 requires all Illinois homes to have a smoke alarm with a sealed 10-year battery by Jan. 1, 2023.

Did You Know You Can Order 4 Free Covid Tests Today?

Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. Limit of one order per residential address

Current COVID Protocols: Masks are now recommended, but not required. We ask that whenever you are in the building, we each continue to respect one another’s personal space and comfort levels. 


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