Tuesday, April 30 | 25 Nisan 5779
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Greetings!
I had the most lovely Shabbat this past weekend with the eighth graders on our retreat. The theme of the retreat was “utopia,” and it was wonderful to gather in worship with some of our amazing students and to take a pause from our busy lives to reflect on what our ideal society would look like.
Over the past nine months that I’ve been at Beth Emet, it’s been clear to me that Shabbat is extra special here. I am so thankful to work with such creative and innovative leaders who are constantly finding ways to make Shabbat sacred and meaningful for our community. One of the efforts we have taken to ensure that our Shabbat experiences are more accessible to the community is to instate
“First Fridays,” when our Shabbat services will begin at 7:30 p.m. Our First Fridays will start this week! We are hosting Shabbat Dinner starting at 6:15 p.m. prior to services. We are so excited to be able to share this special time with more members of our community.
Another aspect of Shabbat at Beth Emet that I love stems from the way we empower our
youth to take ownership in shaping Jewish ritual for themselves and our community. Each year our BESSY (Beth Emet Synagogue Senior Youth) students lead us in worship, reflection, and study. This year’s BESSY Service is on May 10 at 6:30 p.m. We will be reflecting on the week’s Torah portion, Kedoshim, through the theme of
Ethics and Holiness. Students will be sharing their personal reflections on this year’s theme, and the D'var Torah will be given by seniors Leah Hurwitz and Claudia Levens. The BESSY
Service is an opportunity to culminate the many lessons we have learned together through prayer and partnership, and I look forward to sharing this Shabbat with you.
Best,
Maia Volk
Director of Youth Programs
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Thursday, May 2
5:00 p.m.
A
Window of Beauty - Commemorating Yom HaShoah with Nancy Shaprio-Pikelny
Friday, May 3
Sunday, May 5
10:00 a.m. Social Action Committee Meeting
Monday, May 6
Tuesday, May 7
Friday, May 10
5:45
p.m.
Shabbat Oneg
6:30 p.m
. Kabbalat Shabbat Services led by BESSY
Saturday, May 11
9:00 a.m. Shabbat Schmoozica: For Families with Young Children
Sunday, May 12
11:00 a.m. Office Hours with Karen Isaacson, President, Board of Trustees
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Announcing Beth Emet's New Cantor,
Kyle Cotler
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Beth Emet is delighted to announce that Cantor Kyle Cotler will be Beth Emet’s new cantor as of July 1, 2019. For the past three years, Cantor Cotler has been serving as the cantor of North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, New York. He was ordained as both cantor and rabbi from the Academy for Jewish Religion. He comes from an unbroken line of liturgical singers--his grandfather was a cantor, and his father is a cantor in California.
Learn more.
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Congregational Shabbat Dinner - Inaugurating First Fridays with a Fiesta! (Tacos, tacos, tacos!)
Friday, May 3 at 6:15 p.m. (Kabbalat Shabbat Services
at 7:30 p.m.)
To celebrate the launch of
First Fridays, we're having a fiesta! Enjoy a delicious taco bar with all the fixings!
Dinner is $16 per adult and $10 per child (age 5-12) by Wednesday, May 1, $20 and $14 thereafter.
RSVP by online form
.
Also, there will be a dessert oneg following the service.
Homemade treats are so much sweeter!
Let
Marla know by Thursday, May 2 if you can bring a nut-free dessert.
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Kabbalat Shabbat Services led by BESSY (& BESSY Lock-in)
Friday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m.
(Shabbat Oneg at 5:45 p.m)
Beth Emet's Senior Synagogue Youth (BESSY) host a special Shabbat Service and will present their thoughts on ethics and holiness based on Parshat Kedoshim. After the service, students will be enjoying dinner, desserts, board games, and a sleep over at Beth Emet.
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Shabbat Schmoozica: For Families with Young Children
Saturday, May 11 at 9:00 a.m.
Beth Emet is excited to introduce a new Shabbat morning program for families with children ages 5 and younger. Our very own Beth Reinstein will lead
families in activities involving music, movement, storytelling and play. There will be time for connections, schmoozing and snacks. There is no charge and no need to RSVP – just come and enjoy. For questions contact
Marci
or
Kathy
.
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Avodah to honor Rabbi Andrea London as Partner in Justice 2019
Thursday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Cafe Brauer
(2021 N. Stockton Drive, Chicago)
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A
Window of Beauty
-
Commemorating Yom HaShoah
with Nancy Shaprio-Pikelny for Grades 6, 7, and Adults
Thursday, May 2 at 5:00 p.m.
Gifted teacher and storyteller Nancy Shapiro-Pikelny will present her original and compelling storytelling performance, inspired by the experiences of a young girl, her remarkable teacher, and secret art classes in the Terezin Concentration Camp in Czechoslovakia. Widely acclaimed,
A Window of Beauty is a tale of courage, friendship and the power of artistic expression to sustain hope and light the way in the darkest of times.
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Deborah Lipstadt on Antisemitism
Thursday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m.
at the Francis W. Parker School
(
330 W Webster Ave, Chicago)
The Chicago Humanities Festival has generously donated 50 tickets to their program with Debrorah Lipstadt, the award-winning author of
The Eichmann Trial and Denial: Holocaust History on Trial.
If you would like tickets, please email
sbaum@bethemet.org
by
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1.
Learn more.
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with Rabbi Andrea London and Marci Dickman
Sunday, May 5 at 9:30 a.m.
Together we will explore the technique of
Tikkun Middot—working on our character traits—as a way to help us parent in a more intentional and mindful way so that we might develop the relationships we’d like to have with our children and instill the values we’d like to impart to them.
RSVP.
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Temple Judea Mizpah (TJM) "Garage" Sale - Come get a little piece of TJM history!
Sunday, May 5 | 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
The former Temple Judea Mizpah is cleaning out the synagogue building in Skokie and will be selling kitchen stuff, office furniture, community room chairs, desk, cabinets, artwork and more. They are also practically giving away all of their library books for only a quarter! Come visit for a great find, to pick up a memento, to furnish an office space, or more!
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Office Hours with Karen Isaacson
Sunday, May 12 | 11:00 a.m. to noon
Karen Isaacson, President of the Board of Trustees at Beth Emet, will be holding "office hours" in our Lobby each month. Please stop to say hello, share your perspective on what's going on, and/or any ideas you may have.
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Tuesday, May 14 | 6:30 p.m. Reception
7:30 p.m. Program at
Beth Emet
Peter Beinart, a prominent columnist for
The Atlantic
and the
Forward will share his thoughts on antisemitism, the changing conversation on Israel in the Jewish community, the results of the Israeli election, and more.
Please RSVP by contacting JStreet.
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Kol Emet Shabbat
Friday, May 17 at 6:30 p.m. (5:45 p.m. Oneg Shabbat)
Choir Director Klaus Georg will be leading a performance of the adult choir of an original composition. Cantor Richard Cohn and Cantorial Soloist Shawna Rosen will also be leading music this evening.
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Engage with us!
Beth Emet is now on Twitter and Instagram. We all have a social media channel preference, so we've expanded our reach so you can keep up to date Let's get connected!
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Shop for Yourself. Earn for Beth Emet
By paying with gift cards through Scrip, a rebate percentage is donated to Beth Emet. From Mariano’s to Home Depot, to Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, purchase a gift card before you go and use your phone app to pay. To do this, go to
Scrip Online
, create an account, select “get started,” “For families” (but it’s really for everyone), and enter Beth Emet’s code (9C27822263639), and off you go. All it takes is 5 minutes to register, and you’re all set to support Beth Emet.
See full list of gift cards available.
For questions, please contact
Marla Topp
at ext. 325. THANK YOU!
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AmazonSmile
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Beth Emet every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at
smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price us. To find us, type in Beth Emet Foundation in the search box.
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Do you love to sing? Let your voice be heard!
Join the Beth Emet choir for Kol Emet Shabbat services on Friday, May 17 with Conductor Klaus Georg, Cantorial Soloist Shawna Rosen, and Cantor Richard Cohn. Singing with the choir is a fun and spiritually satisfying way to participate in communal prayer! Tenors particularly welcome. Rehearsals begin Tuesday, May 2. For more information, please contact
Klaus Georg
.
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October 24 - November 3, 2019
Take an
interfaith, dual narrative (Palestinian and Jewish guide) to Israel and the West Bank. Travel with Rabbi London and Pastors Nabors and Ruen, see ancient and modern sites and gain a deeper understanding of the issues facing the region and its people. You don't want to miss this unique and special trip!
Full itinerary and registration info.
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Beth Emet Early Childhood Program Registration Now Open for 2019-2020 School Year
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with Claire Sufrin
Fridays, May 3 and 10, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Beginning with the biblical story of the Binding of Isaac, we'll consider how the way the story is told affects our understanding of Abraham’s actions. Other discussions will consider examples taken from contemporary authors who use narrative to explore the religious experience and/or theological concerns.
New course just added!
with Eli Rosenblatt, PhD
Tuesday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m.
How have Jews interacted with and responded to the color line? How did Jewish radicals, reformers, rabbis, and laypeople think about racial concepts and racist ideas? While the role that scientific racism has played in the history of European antisemitism is well known, we will explore lesser known moments in which the Jewish and racial culture converged in unexpected and imaginative ways.
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with Rabbi Andrea London
Saturday, May 11 at 3:30 p.m. (at Rabbi London's home)
Once a month at the home of Rabbi London, explore Jewish spiritual practices that combine prayer, meditation, study and discussion.
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Tzedakah Can Collection
Sunday, May 5 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Support the Tzedakah Committee's mission to grant funding towards organizations that support justice, equality, and community. Tzedakah Committee members will be collecting cans in the Lobby during Sunday morning Beit Sefer. Don't have a can or box? The Committee will be distributing boxes too!
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The Evanston Emergency Overnight Shelter Cocktail Reception Fundraiser
May 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Found (1631 Chicago Avenue, Evanston)
Each winter, Interfaith Action of Evanston hosts an overnight shelter for those in need of shelter at different religious organizations around town, including Beth Emet. Help keep the doors open!
More information.
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We thank all those who have recently made generous gifts in honor of, or in memory of, someone special. It's a great way to send a card while supporting Beth Emet. To make a donation check out the online form or you can send a check to the office letting us know who we should notify and for what occasion.
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Beth Emet members and staff participate in the YWCA's annual Stand Against Racism on Ridge Avenue in Evanston.
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Beth Emet Board President Karen Isaacson, U.S. Representative (and congregant) Jan Schakowsky, and Rabbi Andrea London lobbying on Capitol Hill as part of JStreet's Annual National Leadership Summit. They discussed how to combat Antisemitism in the U.S. and deter the annexation of the West Bank.
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Beth Emet's playground is currently under construction - the children will soon be able to create new adventures and memories in this nature-inspired play space.
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Birth
Theodore James Phillips
son of Katie and Jeff Phillips, and grandson of Pam and Jim Gassel
B'nei Mitzvah
son of
Jill Kushner Bishop and Mark Bishop
May 11
Marriage
Haley Klein and Joshua Sloan
Haley is the granddaughter of Mel and Patti Gerbie
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Wendy.
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