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As one who attended Jewish camp as a child for many years, Shabbat was the cr�me de la cr�me - that period of time when all our senses came alive - from the breezes off the lake that enveloped us during t'fillah (worship) to the smell of nature that deepened our spirituality, and the sensed presence of God in our outdoor sanctuary. I miss those Shabbat experiences, but each year when we gather as a community at the Lighthouse Beach Picnic Shelter for Shabbat morning services, I am reminded of how Shabbat can feel, taste, and smell. If you have yet to experience such a service, I invite you to do so this Shabbat morning, August 1, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Led by Rabbi London and Cantor Friedman, the shelter and the space surrounding us are filled with such ruach (spirit), that you too, will feel alive. Details are available below, and plan on staying for our potluck lunch following services.
This week we also bid farewell to Ron Mangas, who has served as Beth Emet's Facility Manager for a number of years. While many know him as one who is friendly and helpful, we were also blessed to have someone who has an in-depth knowledge of the inner-workings of the building. He will be missed, but we are fortunate that Rick Valentin, a
member of our building staff and as someone who has been involved with Beth Emet for years, will be stepping in as Facility Supervisor. Rick has been working at Beth Emetsince 2010, and he will be a wonderful addition in this new capacity.
May the sweetness of summer remain with you for months to come, and I look forward to worshipping with you this coming Shabbat. L'Shalom, Bekki Harris Kaplan
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CONGREGATIONAL EVENTS
Congregational Shabbat Service at Lighthouse Beach Picnic Shelter
Saturday, August 1 at 9:30 a.m.
What a great way to meet Cantor Friedman and celebrate a Shabbat morning at Lighthouse Beach picnic shelter, located just north of the parking lot at 2611 Sheridan Road (just north of the former Evanston Arts Center). Following services, there will be a festive vegetarian potluck lunch. Please bring a side dish, salad, or dessert that will feed 10 people. Beth Emet will supply main dish, beverages, and chairs. Young families are also invited to join in the Shabbat service. Please note there will be no Kahal or Shabbat Morning Minyan service at Beth Emet. (If weather is questionable, please check the homepage of Beth Emet's website.)
Dinner After
Friday, August 7 at Bravo! Cucina Italiana (1701 Maple, Evanston)
Following Kabbalat Shabbat Services, enjoy Shabbat dinner at a nearby restaurant. Dinner After offers a wonderful opportunity to dine with old friends, or to make new friends in the Beth Emet community!
After services, congregants will meet in the Foyer near the elevator before leaving for the restaurant. Dinner payment will be on separate checks at the restaurant. No RSVP needed, just show up!
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EXPERIENCE ELUL
The month of Elul encourages reflection, rejuvenation, and renewal, offering us opportunities to prepare ourselves for the High Holidays.Prepare yourself by attending one (or all!) of our special Elul programming.
Poetry that Opens the Heart of Forgiveness with Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appel and Jane Shapiro
Wednesday, August 19 at 7:30 p.m. co-sponsored by Orot This session will explore contemporary and traditional poems that will prepare us for different levels of t'shuvah (forgiveness) for the New Year. On Rosh HaShanah it is written; on Yom Kippur it is sealed
An Elul Study and Potluck Dinner with Cantor Susan Lewis Friedman and Rabbi Andrea London (at the home of Rabbi London
1424 Washington, Evanston)
Wednesday, August 26 at 7:00 p.m.
Our clergy will lead us in study on the meanings and melodies that bring the Unetaneh Tokef prayer to life and help us prepare for the Days of Awe.
Re-New Your Hebrew
with Bluma Stoller Sunday August 30, at 9:30 a.m. and Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m. This two-session class will review a selection of Hebrew passages from Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur prayers and will highlight key holiday phrases.
Cantor Friedman's High Holiday Hoopla For families with children newborn to age 8 Sunday, August 30 at 10:00 a.m. Meet Cantor Susan Lewis Friedman and get ready for the holidays with a morning full of song, crafts, stories, snacks, and friends!
To register for Elul learning opportunities, please contact [email protected] or call 847-869-4230 ext. 308.
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BETH EMET COMMUNITY
Rena Newman - Bronfman Youth Fellow in Israel
Beth Emet teen (and BESSY co-president) Rena Newman is one of twenty-six outstanding North American teenagers are selected for The Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel. In their five weeks together, the Fellows encounter the land and people of Israel, study Judaism and major issues in contemporary Jewish life, and learn about themselves and each other. Read Rena's thoughtful blog post about the fellows meeting with Rabbi Steve Greenberg, the first openly gay rabbi in Orthodox Judaism.
Mazel Tov!
Aaron Kite and Ethan Harvey (right) celebrate winning the 14U LSFBL championship for their Evanston Travel Baseball team after taking the top seed. Dylan Denlow, Mason Denlow, and Jack Kaplan (left) also played on championship winning teams in the U10 division. Way to go!
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SHABBAT 5775
Kabbalat Shabbat Services every Friday this summer at 6:30 p.m. (5:45 p.m. reception)
This Friday, July 31, Kabbalat Shabbat Services will be led by Rabbi Peter Knobel. He will also deliver the D'var Torah.
Miss a D'var Torah? Catch up by listening or reading text from past services on Beth Emet's website.
Shabbat Reflections
This year we launched a weekly e-mail each Friday sharing a short reflection about Shabbat. Catch up on past reflections or if you are interested in contributing to the project, contact Stacey Robinson.
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FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN
A few spots still available for Full-Day and Part-Day Early Childhood Programs for 2015-16!
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GENERAL COMMUNITY
Thursday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. (at the Evanston Ecology Center 2024 McCormick Blvd, Evanston.) a*zam*ra ("i will sing") combines the trance-inducing sounds of Kirtan and Sufi chants with ancient Hebrew. a*zam*ra band members are Sam Feinsmith, Lizzi Heydemann, Yoni Sarason, Hannah Shefsky, and Steve Yastrow. Their goal is to open a channel to meaning and spiritual connection through music. Suggested donation $20 per person. All proceeds support the important work of RAIN-Uganda, an NGO on the ground in rural east Africa, doing HIV and cervical cancer screening, education and prevention. Learn more. Interfaith Concert on the Lake
Sunday, August 9 at 2:00 p.m. at the Evanston History Center is located at 225 Greenwood St. in Evanston. Interfaith Action of Evanston and Spiritual Playdate have joined forces to create a special family event titled, Interfaith Concert on the Lake. This afternoon event is focused on interfaith harmony, filled with music and poetry set on a beautiful open space overlooking Lake Michigan. The Evanston History Center, also known as the Dawes house, is the perfect setting to spread a blanket or bring your lawn chairs and picnic lunch and enjoy the performers.
Clark University Survey Dr. Johanna Ray Vollhardt, Assistant Professor of Psychology, and Miranda Smerling, undergraduate student, both at Clark University would like to invite you to participate in an online survey on Jewish Americans' thoughts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and on other important political and social issues.
If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to respond to several questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and about several other political and social issues in the world. You will also be asked about your personal background.
The study should take about 15-20 minutes to complete (but times will vary individually). You are free to skip any questions you do not wish to answer and you can drop out of the survey at any time. This survey is anonymous, meaning that answers cannot be traced back to you.
After completing the survey, you will be redirected to a page where you can enter a raffle for one $50 gift card for Amazon.com. If you have questions about this study, you may contact the researchers at [email protected] or [email protected]
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