Shabbat & Holiday Services

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Worship

Message from Rabbi

We read Jonah as the Haftarah on Yom Kippur afternoon because it tells of the power of repentance. I see in Jonah, and in the commentaries to Jonah, lessons for our lives. Read more here.

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• We need your help- It has been a long tradition that Sisterhood provide the food for all the High Holidays. Read more here.
• High Holiday Food Drive- On Rosh Hashanah morning the High School students will hand out grocery bags and ask that you fill them up with non-perishable items and bring them back Yom Kippur morning. The food drive will be benefiting Christ the King Food Pantry.
• Sukkot- Congregation Etz Chaim will celebrate the beginning of Sukkot with a joyous service, Sunday, September 30th at 7:00 PM. Each child should bring a gaily decorated basket of fruit.  Read more here. Now is the time to place your order for your own Lulav and Etrog. The cost is $55. Please contact the office to order yours. The deadline for ordering is September 14th.
• Simchat Torah- The conclusion and renewal of the annual Torah reading cycle is celebrated on Simchat Torah. Read more here.

The school year is officially underway. We have had our first Hebrew school and religious school days and all of the children have met their new teachers and seem to be happy. Read more here. 

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• Ma'aseem Toveem, Climbing the Tree of Life- This year we are doing our special family enrichment program Ma'aseem Toveem again.  Booklets were sent home with the youngest member of the family grades kindergarten through seventh grade.  Families have the option of doing eighteen (chai) projects during the year.  With each six projects completed the family will receive a beautiful prize.
   
  If your child did not receive a booklet, please let us know and we will make sure your child has one the next time he/she is in the building.
• Shabbat Chaverim- Our program "Shabbat Chaverim" will start up again on Friday morning, September 21st at 10:00 AM. This program is for young children and a parent/guardian. Read more here.
• OSRUI Prospective Camper Visiting Day- If your child wants to join us next summer for the first time, spend the day at camp and get  a taste of all that OSRUI has to offer. Read more here.

• The Gardens at Etz Chaim- With the help of our co-chairs of the Landscaping Committee and all the volunteers our gardens at Etz Chaim look beautiful. Read more here. 
• Team Norm- Friends and family join together to honor Norm Silverstein of Oak Brook at the Les Turner ALS Foundation's 11th annual Walk4Life in Chicago. Read more here.

• Manna- The next Manna is Sunday, October 14th. The Manna Gift Card program provides an easy, no cost way to raise funds for our congregation while receiving 100% value for every dollar you spend. Find out more about Manna or click here for an order form.
• Wanted College Student Addresses- In order to keep our college students connected to the Etz Chaim community, we need both regular mailing addresses and email addresses of freshmen as well as returning college students. Addresses are not saved from school year to school year, so we need addresses even if you sent them in past years. Please send address information to the synagogue office by email.
• Register for Fall Programs at OSRUI- Mah Jongg & Canasta Weekend, Shabbat Shira.

• Indiana University's Jewish Studies is now accepting aplications for scholarships for incoming freshmen for 2013-2014. Read more here.