This Week at BJBE - April 6, 2020

This Week at BJBE

April 6, 2020

Passover at BJBE

Let All Who Are Hungry Come and Zoom: BJBE's Community Second Seder

Thursday, April 9, 5:30pm

The BJBE Second Night Seder is ON and your whole clergy team is looking forward to leading a seder together. All are welcome to join us. There is NO COST for this seder. Part of what makes Passover special is sitting around the table with family and friends. Given our physical distance from each other and our need for social nearness, after we finish the formal part of the seder, we will be arranging virtual dinner parties for anyone who is interested. We ask that you please RSVP . Click here to read the Passover email from clergy sent last week.

Passover "Office Hours"

The BJBE "Office" will be closed on Wednesday, April 8 at noon, and all day on Thursday, April 9. We will also be "closed" on Tuesday, April 14 at noon, and all day on Wednesday, April 15.

Counting the Omer with Rabbi Karyn Kedar and Rabbi Lisa Silverstein

This year, Rabbi Karyn Kedar has partnered with Rabbi Lisa Silverstein to offer a unique way in which to practice the counting of the Omer. Rabbi Lisa Silverstein is an artist and teacher who combines deep spirituality, refined musicality, and a holistic approach to emotional and physical well-being. She is the Executive Director of Positive Jewish Living. The counting of the Omer begins this Thursday, April 9. Please check our BJBE Community Facebook page for daily posts. We will not be sending daily emails as we have done in previous years.

Featured News

BJBE Caring Committee | Message from Co-Chairs, Dale Busch and Michael Erdman

Dear BJBE Community,

Since social distancing continues to remain in place for the rest of April, your BJBE Caring Community is not far away, in either thought or deed. Click here for more >>>

A Local Hero: Mark Jacobson Builds Ramp For Rabbi Shapiro

BJBE Member Marc Jacobson responded to a query posted online by Eliot Shapiro, seeking ideas of someone who might be able to help build a ramp for Rabbi Shapiro. Mark Jacobson came right over and took care of it, building a beautiful ramp for Rabbi Shapiro.

Mazel Tov Moments

Mazel tov to our BJBE SYG (Senior Youth Group) Members who have been elected to NFTY-CAR (Chicago-Area Region) Regional Board:

Claire Hershenhouse -- President

Lyla Prass -- Membership Vice President

Noah Shapiro -- Communications Vice President

Mazel tov! We are so proud of you and your leadership!

Virtual Programming

Have You Joined One of Our Virtual Villages?

Virtual Villages launched last week. It's not too late to sign up and take part. Click the button below if you have not yet signed up but want to participate.

Due to Passover, some of the Virtual Villages will not meet this week and/or next week. Please see below for the schedule to see if your Village is convening. We will email out the Zoom link to each group's participants. Please be sure you sign up in advance so that you are able to connect. Contact Anne Robbin with any questions. We look forward to maintaining our connections and building new relationships - from a safe and social distance!

Virtual Villages Sign Up

* Please note: Villages are listed in order of day of the week/time of day.

Dis and Dat Chat with Sandee Holleb

Mondays, 10:00am, next session April 13

A chance to get together and talk about a potpourri of topics of no depth!

MENSches Making Meaning with Rabbi Jason Fenster

Mondays, 8:00pm, begins March 30

Join Rabbi Fenster for conversation about how we are coping with changing roles and changing realities.

Tall Tree Pilates with Tabitha Green

Tuesdays, 10:00am, begins April 7

Tabitha Green teaches functional Pilates for a healthy lifestyle. This is an intro to Pilates, designed for a home setting, with a focus on mobility training.

Podcast Club with Aaron Robbin

Tuesdays at 12:00pm, next session April 7

Similar to a book club, listen to a podcast each week in advance of our meeting and we will discuss it as a group. We will rotate podcasts with a unique episode each week. This week’s topic: https://www.npr.org/2019/04/19/715145723/why-no-one-feels-rich-the-psychology-of-inequality

Quarantini Virtual Happy Hour for Parents with Missy Bell & Anne Robbin

Tuesdays, 7:00pm, next session April 7

Join Missy, Anne, and parents of JLC/Chava Center children for a virtual Happy Hour - we all could use a little break for some adult time!

Rise Up Singing with Cantor Rayna Green

Tuesdays at 8:00pm, next session April 7

Gather around the virtual campfire with Cantor Green. Learn, sing, and share your favorite folk songs with the community. BYOS (Bring your own s’mores)!

Containing the Kiddo Crazies with Susie Wexler

Wednesdays, 8:00 pm, no meeting April 8 due to Passover

Bedtime routines out the window? What’s too much screen time? Put your kids to bed, grab a drink and join Susie Wexler, BJBE Early Childhood Director, as we discuss strategies for keeping our sanity as parents with young children.

Politics & Policy Posse with Sally Sachar

Thursdays, 12:00pm, no meeting April 9 due to Passover, next session April 16

Join Sally for a discussion about policy and politics.

Surviving E-Learning, with Lisa Berghoff

Thursdays, 4:00pm, no meeting April 9 due to Passover, next session April 16

Learn effective strategies for e-learning at home with Lisa Berghoff, Director of Instructional Technology at Highland Park High School.

Family Song Session with Alek Kopulsky

NEW DAY AND TIME >>> Thursdays, 5:00pm, first session April 16

Join Alek Kopulsky, BJBE's Coordinator of Youth Learning and Engagement for a Family Song Session.

Politics & Policy Posse with Sally Sachar

Thursdays, 7:30pm, no meeting April 9 due to Passover, next session April 16

Join Sally for a discussion about policy and politics

Supporting Your Kids Without Their Normal School Supports with Diana Slatopolsky

Thursdays 9:00pm, no meeting April 9 due to Passover, next session April 16

Looking for ways to help your child while they are without their usual school supports? Diana Slatopolsky, BJBE’s Inclusion Specialist, will help parents navigate this stressful situation.

Mindfulness with Margot Andersen

Fridays, 9:00am, next session April 10

Whether this is your first time trying mindfulness and meditation techniques or you are a veteran, please join Margot Andersen as she teaches and guides you through a mindfulness practice. We will start with poetry, reading, or a bit of Torah to ground us before we enter into stillness to find calm within the chaos of our times.

Is there a group you’d like to see offered? Is there a group you’d like to lead? Please email your idea to Anne Robbin . New groups will be added as facilitators become available.

Virtual Villages Sign Up

JLC B'Bayit (JLC at Home) | Missy Bell, RJE, Director of Education

Thank you for a great first day of Virtual JLC – or as I’m now calling it, JLZ (Jewish Learning Zoom). It was so wonderful to see so many faces, to see the return of our classroom communities in a new way, and to hear from your kids again. JLC B’Bayit emails are now going out by grade/B’nai Mitzvah Journey tracks with thoughts and ideas for home.

A reminder about dates during Passover:

There is JLC AfterSchool tomorrow, Tuesday, April 7.
There is no JLC AfterSchool on Wednesday, April 8, Tuesday, April 14, or Wednesday, April 15 due to chag days.
We have added back JLC Sunday on April 12, using the same schedule as yesterday!! Zoom links for Boker Tov and grade level meetings will be sent out later this week.
While Chai School and Confirmation will not be meeting in their classes on Sunday, April 12, we are having a Passover Pop Up Chai School for all Chai School and Confirmation students at 12:30. Make your own Matzah Pizza and join us on Zoom to talk all things Passover! The link will be sent out later this week.

Don’t hesitate to be in touch with any questions or comments, or if you need us to re-send Zoom links, sign up geniuses, etc.

Chag Pesach Sameach! Questions? Contact Missy Bell .

Adult Education

Learn the Liturgy with Rabbi Fenster

Wednesdays, 2:00pm, next session April 22

Each week will we explore a different prayer together. Join Rabbi Fenster on Zoom to be part of a conversation about how our tradition offers us opportunities to make meaning out of all of life’s moments. No previous knowledge or experience of prayer or Hebrew required. Learners of all ages are welcome. You don’t even need a prayerbook (we’ll be sharing handouts virtually)! Use this link each week to be a part of the conversation: https://zoom.us/j/8711115843 .

Upcoming Services

*Please note: all services will be held "virtually." Please tune in via Facebook Live or Live stream at the times listed below and watch your email for zoom links later this week.

Shabbat Service

Friday, April 10, 6:00pm | Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/435499939

Kol Shabbat Service

Saturdays, 9:30am | Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/283619758

PJ Havdalah

Saturday, April 11, 5:00pm | Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/147361479

Having difficulty connecting? Contact Anne Robbin.

Morning Minyan | CANCELLED

Community Passover Second Seder: Let All Who Are Hungry, Come and ZOOM

Thursday, April 9, 5:30pm | RSVP

Social Action/Social Justice Network

April Tzedakah Recipient - Families Helping Families Chicagoland

Families Helping Families Chicagoland support families and foster children in need and/or in crisis in Lake and Cook Counties. They accomplish this by holding monthly donation drives, collecting birthday gifts for children living in foster care, holding hands-on events, such as serving meals to local families and wrapping holiday gifts for local children, gift sponsorship for children in foster homes, and hosting birthday parties for children residing at A Safe Place emergency shelters.

PADS Appreciation | Message from Thom Cunningham of First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield

Ruth [Miller], Please let everyone know how much we all appreciate the countless angels you have working for you. They seem to go anonymous for the most part, but their work is nothing short of miraculous. You are truly the leader of the Angels.

Attention Sewers

We have been asked to help provide nurses at a local hospital with home-sewn masks. We are looking for double-fold bias tape and cotton quilting fabric. If you have material to donate or would like to help sew, please contact Lisa Howard .

Schedule Updates

Sensational Simchas

New Date:

Sunday, October 25, 2020

BJBE Gala 2020

New Date:

Sa turday, November 21, 2020

Annual JUF Reception at BJBE - Tuesday, May 5 | Cancelled

With the uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus at this time, JUF has made the difficult decision to cancel all public events from now until the end of May. Unfortunately, this includes the BJBE JUF Event on May 5. Click here to read letter from BJBE Members and Event Chairs Carol Burton and Laura & Tyler Passmore.

Stay Connected:

Use the buttons below to stay connected to your BJBE family and learn about updates and upcoming virtual programming and services. Please make sure your contact information is correct in ShulCloud so you continue to receive notifications from BJBE. Not sure how to use Zoom? Scroll down on this email to view instructions towards the bottom.

BJBE Website

BJBE Facebook Page

Chava Center Facebook Page

BJBE Community Facebook Group

Reminders

Zoom Primer:

You can use Zoom on your phone, tablet, or computer. In BJBE communications, you will see hyperlinks to let you join these virtual events.

When you click on the meet link, it will open Zoom in your browser.
You will be asked to download the application in order for it to function. Please agree to this.
After it has downloaded you will see a pop-up window asking if you would like to join zoom.us. Please say yes again.
The next window that opens is where you can view the service or join a group or meeting.

You can also go to this 53 second YouTube video for a tutorial.

Help BJBE while you shop! AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support BJBE every time you shop, at no cost to you! Once you've selected Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim , every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

Around the Community

Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) announced upcoming webinar event specifically for small businesses and non-profit organizations during the COVID-19 crisis

Schneider will be joined by a representative of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to share information on the additional resources created by the CARES Act, including the Paycheck Protection Program loans, Small Business Debt Relief Program, Employee Retention Tax Credit, Employer Payroll Tax Deferral and Business Counseling. Read the press release here >>>