Creating Beth Emet Community Together

Tuesday, September 13 | 17 Elul 5782

How Can You Make a Difference?

Check Out Sunday's Social Justice Fair to Learn More

Sunday, September 18 | 11:00 am | In-Person

Social justice work is at the core of so much of what we do as Reform Jews and as individuals living in the greater community. Check out the Social Justice Fair at Beth Emet’s West Plaza (we promise good weather!) during Beit Sefer. Learn how your own interests intersect with the work of the Social Justice Coalition and get inspired to get more involved. For more information and/or questions, contact Lisa Levine.

Support Evanston's Free Food Fridges

Eliza Edgerton will be selling her jewelry to raise money to adopt the food fridge on Howard St. for one month. There are free food fridges all around Evanston, overseen by different local businesses, and the purpose is to provide food security by providing free ingredients and staples.

The Stolen Beam Series:

A Study of Reparations

Starting Wednesday, October 12 

7:15 pm | In-Person at Beth Emet's Sukkah

Please join us for the kickoff of a lively, discussion-oriented series exploring the timely issue of reparations for African Americans- both broadly and through the lens of Jewish history and teachings. Each class, which will include assigned written materials, audio-visual recordings, and study questions, will be led by members of the Beth Emet Social Justice Coalition's Reparations Group. We will explore the legacy and aftermath of African enslavement, what may be owed, and what Judaism and Jewish history may teach us about the topic. We will also discuss Evanston's widely acclaimed reparations effort. This series will continue on Wednesdays, through November 2. 

Registration deadline: October 1

Thursday, September 15

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.

Tikkun Middot and Elul - Stepping Stones to Inner Growth

7:15 pm | Virtual on Zoom

Facilitated by: Marci Dickman, Kathy Kaberon, Barbara Stock, and Dan Kaplan

The High Holy Days tend to take on a different meaning when we are intentionally reflective on our behavior throughout the year. We invite those who have engaged in Tikkun Middot practice currently or in the past to explore this topic together.

Friday, September 16

Pre-Shabbat Parent-Child Yoga

9:30 am | In-Person

Sign up now for some fun with your little one, taught by Karen Achtman. Co-sponsored by JBaby. This adult/ child class consists of yoga poses, songs, movement, and stories.

Kabbalat Shabbat Services

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

Saturday, September 17

S'lichot

Kahal Shabbat Morning Services

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

S’lichot Film Screening and Conversation: Dying Doesn’t Feel Like What I’m Doing

Saturday, September 17| 9:00 pm - 11:15 pm 

In-Person and Virtual

S’lichot, which takes place on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, provides an entry into the High Holy Days through reflection on the major themes of the season—renewal, repair, and growth. This year, we will begin with a screening of “Dying Doesn’t Feel Like What I’m Doing” followed by a discussion on what we can learn about these themes as we welcome the new year. Learn More

Please note, for those who have already seen this film, we expect to begin the discussion on the film at about 10:15 pm.

S'lichot Havdalah and Service

11:15 - 11:45 pm | In-Person and Virtual

Sunday, September 18

Sunday Morning Minyan

9:00 am | Virtual on Zoom

Beit Sefer

9:30 am | In-Person

Gan Yom Rishon

9:30 am | In-Person

Social Justice Fair – Everything You Want to Know About Getting Involved with Social Justice Work at Beth Emet

11:00 am | In-Person

See above for more details. For more information and/or questions, contact Lisa Levine.

Interfaith Action of Evanston Annual Fundraising Dinner Honoring Beth Emet's Vision Keepers: Matt Feldman and Alison Finkel

5:30 pm | In-Person at the Double Tree in Skokie

Monday, September 19

Inclusion Committee Meeting

5:00 pm | Virtual on Zoom

Join the Beth Emet Inclusion Committee as we examine our current practices and explore ways to create a culture of belonging and inclusivity for Beth Emet members of all abilities. We know that all individuals can contribute to our community.

Tuesday, September 20

Jamberry for Young Families

9:45 am | In-Person

Join us for joyful, collaborative music-making with Nicole Jaworski and Jamberry Music! Class is geared to kids 6 months to 2.5 years old and siblings are welcome to join! Jamberry continues on Sept. 20

Wednesday, September 21

Israeli Government and NGOs Assist Marginalized US Communities with Assaf Grumberg

7:30 pm

Across the United States, Israeli NGOs and government agencies are impacting the lives of marginalized communities. Whether it is through disaster relief, post-trauma support, or everyday necessities unavailable to those communities, Israel is changing lives. We will explore some examples and learn what it is that makes these Israeli organizations leaders in their fields.

This program is co-sponsored by the Israel Committee and the Social Justice Committee.

In The BE Family

Committee Spotlight

The Dayenu Circle is Back! 

Starting, September 20 at 7:00 pm

“The one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere.”

-19 year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg of Sweden on Climate Change-

Thinking about a way to become more involved in addressing climate change? With Congress passing the most ambitious federal law yet to combat climate change, now is the ideal time to join forces with Beth Emet’s Dayenu Circle, as momentum builds to sharply lower our carbon footprint.

Launched last November, our Beth Emet Dayenu Circle is part of the umbrella organization of the national Dayenu in Washington, DC. Dayenu is a relatively new group seeking to combat climate change and other environmental concerns based on Jewish values. Since our Circle’s start up last November, we have focused on meeting a number of goals that fall into three broad categories: education and awareness, advocacy, and “greening” our synagogue and homes.

See some of our highlights on the website.

Starting this fall, we will be meeting once a month, with our kick off meeting on September 20, 2022 at 7:00 pm on zoom. Attend this meeting so you can learn more about Dayenu’s efforts and help us shape our goals for the coming year. We welcome more voices and more hands in carrying out our work toward a more promising and healthier future for all of us and generations to come.

Stay tuned about our meetings either on the Beth Emet calendar (typically the 4th Tuesday of the month) or with updates in EmetMail. We will also launch a new blog soon about how you can become more green at home Watch for The Greening Maven’s debut in October.

For more information on Dayenu, contact: Sharon Smaller, 847-651-0955.

High Holy Days

High Holy Day Material Update:

We are so very excited that the High Holy Days are less than three weeks away. If you have not yet registered, there's still time to complete the form. For questions, contact Bekki Kaplan.  

For those who shared that they would like to pick up their name badges at Beth Emet, they are ready!

If you did not designate this, name badges have been mailed to all members in good standing. For questions about the membership commitment, contact Debbie Gilbert. 

Note – For a variety of reasons, the High Holy Day Guide is not yet ready to be picked up or mailed. If you requested to pick up at the building, they will not be available until Friday. You can pick up your Yizkor (Memorial) book on Yom Kippur or it will be emailed, per your request. If you wish to have a copy mailed, please contact the office.

Looking for Shabbat Connections Cooks/Drivers

Would you like to share your delicious cooking with others? Are you better behind the wheel? Every Friday, one volunteer for Shabbat Connections cooks, and another delivers a home-cooked meal to someone in our Beth Emet family who may need support in times of need or transition. Whether you would like to regularly participate or lend a hand once or twice a year, help perform this mitzvah. Contact Kathy Kaberon.  

Annual Membership Commitment for 2022-23

If you have not yet completed the annual membership form, please contact Debbie Gilbert who is happy to assist. For questions regarding membership or if you wish to make payment arrangements, please contact Bekki Kaplan.

If you are not yet a member and would like to be, Bekki can help you with that as well!

Fiddler on the Roof - A Sneak Preview at our Adult Education Programming and an Opportunity at the Lyric Opera House

In November, Dr. Amanda Stein will be presenting a class on Fiddler on the Roof. It so happens that the Lyric Opera is running this show from September 17 to October 7, and a number of our Beth Emet congregants plan to attend the matinee on September 18. Plan with a friend, buy a ticket, and mark your calendar for a presentation and discussion on Thursday evening November 3. Full details here.

Community News

An Evening with IJS President and CEO, Rabbi Josh Feigelson in Conversation with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

Tuesday, September 20 | 7:00 pm | Virtual on Zoom

Hear about Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg's new book, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World, which draws on Jewish sources to show us how forgiveness is much less important than the repair work to which the person who cause the harm is obligated.