ChaiLites

DECEMBER 2016 / january 2017

Message From Our Rabbi

There are many wonderful traditions that go along with the celebration of Hanukkah: the eating of the latkes, the spinning of the dreidel, and the recounting of the Maccabee story are just a few. Perhaps the most popular one, however, is the lighting of the menorah. After all, since we are embarking on the “Festival of Lights”, it only makes sense that the hanukkiah (the official name for our Hanukkah menorah) be the highlight of our observance.

Cheshvan / Kislev / Tevet 5777 Worship Schedule

Friday, December 2 - Toldot 5:30 p.m. Tot Shabbat optional dinner 6:00 p.m. Tot Shabbat Worship 6:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 7:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship with Anniversary Blessings and Torah Reading Saturday, December 3 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Musick Family Library B’nei Mitzvah of Dylan Dann and Montgomery Hashemi Friday, December 9 - Vayetze 5:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship with 3rd grade Participation and Torah Reading

We know from the Hanukkah narrative that the hanukkiah is meant to remind us of the great miracle of oil that our ancestors experienced. As the story goes, when the Israelites reclaimed the Holy Temple after its desecration by the Greeks, there was only one cask of pure oil with which to light the sacred menorah. This cask should only have sufficed for one day’s worth of burning, yet it actually lasted eight days. Because of this, our ancient rabbis explained, we observe this festival for eight days.

Saturday, December 10 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Sanctuary Bat Mitzvah of Leah Dunn

These ancient rabbis knew that there should be some kind of ritual that involved light associated with this holiday. However, there was considerable debate as to how this ritual should be set. In particular, the two main groups of Jewish sages, the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel, bitterly disagreed over how the candles were to be set. Shammai’s group thought that the candles should represent the number of days of the festival still to come. Therefore, the School of Shammai urged that on the first night of this holiday, eight lights should be kindled. Then, on each of the next nights, a candle would be taken away. By the end of Hanukkah, only one candle would remain.

Saturday, December 17 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Sanctuary

Hillel’s group, on the other hand, felt that the candles should represent the days as they are fulfilled. So, the School of Hillel urged that on the first night, only one light should be kindled. Then, on each of the next nights, a candle would be added, resulting in eight candles on the last night of this Holiday. In the end, a compromise was reached. It was decided that we would follow Hillel’s system of lighting the Hanukkah candles for now. When the messiah comes, though, the authorities ruled that we will switch over to Shammai’s suggestion.

Friday, December 16 - Vayishlach 5:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship with Birthday Blessings

Friday, December 23 - Vayeshev 5:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship Saturday, December 24 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Sanctuary Friday, December 30 - Miketz 5:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Hanukkah Worship Saturday, December 31 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Sanctuary Friday, January 6 – Vayigash 5:30 p.m. Tot Shabbat optional dinner 6:00 p.m. Tot Shabbat Worship 6:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 7:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship with Anniversary Blessings and Torah Reading

continued on page 3 We inspire Jewish journeys in an inclusive, nurturing community with a passion for lifelong learning, music, acts of loving kindness and a love of Israel.

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News From The Executive Director

In October we celebrated the High Holy Days together and welcomed the year 5777. At the same, I officially began my new role as the Executive Director of Temple Chai, one which I am very honored and blessed to hold in our community. Though it seems like yesterday, I began my career here, nearly 12 years ago. I have held several different positions beginning as the Facility and Event Coordinator, then Director of Operations and lastly the Assistant Executive Director. Working closely with Deb Mattes over the past few years has helped prepare me for my current position. My past history has given me the pleasure and advantage of working with many of you already. My previous work with our clergy, staff and board of directors and in day to day operations of the synagogue has enabled me to hit the ground running. At my Adult B’nei Mitzvah in 2009, I reflected on the course of my spiritual journey and what it meant to me. How could I have known that when I walked through the doors of Temple Chai, it was going to be life changing? I found myself immersed in a community of caring people who shared similar thoughts and beliefs. I began attending study sessions and Shabbat services and grew as a Jewish adult. All this impacted my work life in a very positive way. Temple Chai is truly my spiritual and Jewish home and I hope it remains yours, as well. I look forward to our continued community and work relationships. From births to deaths and all life cycle events in between, the clergy, staff and lay leadership of Temple Chai will be there for you. Thank you to all of you who sent me well wishes and congratulations on my new position. The outpouring of support is overwhelming. Know that my door will always be open to you and I look forward to the many conversations we will have.

December/January Worship Schedule 5777 Saturday, January 7 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Sanctuary Friday, January 13 - Vayechi 5:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Saturday, January 14 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Musick Family Library B’nei Mitzvah of Madden Larrea and Sam Larrea 5:00 p.m. Bar Mitzvah of Andrew Schneider Friday, January 20 - Shemot 5:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship with 5th Grade Participation and Anniversary Blessings and a Torah Reading Saturday, January 21 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Sanctuary Friday, January 27 – Va’era 5:45 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Under the Stars Worship Saturday, January 28 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Musick Family Library Bat Mitzvah of Rachel Lieberman Friday, February 3 – Bo 5:30 p.m. Tot Shabbat optional dinner 6:00 p.m. Tot Shabbat Worship 6:45 p.m. Kabbalat Panim 7:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Worship Honoring Jewish Disability Awareness Month Saturday, February 4 8:30 a.m. Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Lay Led Shabbat Worship in the Sanctuary 5:00 p.m. Bar Mitzvah of Ryan Tumpowsky

Temple Chai is a large family and we share a commitment to Judaism and to the growth and strength of our community. It is my hope that we will continue to grow and prosper together. Save the date!!!!

B’Shalom Deb Greenswag, Executive Director

Message From Our Rabbi, cont’d

The reason that we follow Hillel’s way of lighting, according to the tradition, is that the candles are a symbol of holiness. By adding candles each night, we are increasing holiness rather than diminishing it. In our world, this is a very desirable thing. However, when we reach the Messianic Age, holiness will already be complete, so there will be no fear that holiness could be diminished. As we light our Hanukkah candles this year, may we also be open to increasing the sense of holiness in our lives. Each night of this year’s festival, I pray that we may all attain and experience new heights of joy, fulfillment, and peace.

3rd Saturdays (formerly got shabbat?) Saturday, January 21, 2017, 3:30-5:00 p.m. at Temple Chai Free! Appropriate for families with children 7 and under. Learn to juggle with juggler Chris Fascione, crafts, snack, and Havdalah. A Storytelling World Award winner, Chris brings out the kid in everyone, as adults and children alike have fun participating in the show. For more information and to register online, go to http://www. jccchicago.org/shabbat 3rd Saturdays is sponsored by Temple Chai and JCC.

Rabbi Ilana G. Baden 3

Attention B’nei Mitzvah Families If Your Child Will Soon Become A Bar Or Bat Mitzvah

Please don’t forget to submit a photo for the ChaiLites at least three (3) months prior to your ceremony. Drop off, mail or email a clear photo of your child with his/her name and date of their service on the back. If sending a jpg, please put the child’s name and date of the service in the subject line and email it to [email protected]. Also, please submit a two line bio for your child and return the B’nei Mitzvah form so we know how you would like your name(s) listed on the B’nei Mitzvah page and all other publicity. Please contact Charla Silver to schedule your pre B’nei Mitzvah photos 3 months prior to your mitzvah. She can be reached at 847-537-1771 x241 or [email protected].

Temple Chai Funeral Plan

As a benefit of your membership at Temple Chai, we are pleased to make available to you and your family a discounted funeral program at three different local funeral providers, all of whom enjoy a close working relationship with our congregation. Upon the loss of a loved one, please call the temple office. If during non-business hours, please listen to the phone prompts to be connected to someone who can provide immediate support, and start to help with your arrangements. Funerals may be held in our sanctuary (calendar permitting), at the funeral home chapel, or graveside at the cemetery. Please visit www.templechai.org/lifecycles/funerals for detailed plan information, or call our Assistant Executive Director, Deborah Greenswag at 847-5371771 x222 for more information.

PFLAG -- Deerfield Chapter (Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)

Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim 1201 Lake Cook Road Deerfield, IL 60015 Phone: 630-415-0622 • Office: 630-297-3658 Email: [email protected] Meets second Thursday of each month from 7:15 - 9:00 p.m. 4

Someone You Should Know

Submitted by Julian Schreiber

Stephen Hart before he became Rabbi Hart Steve’s (we’ll call him Steve because he isn’t a rabbi yet) boyhood was spent in Chicago’s South Shore community. “In the 1960’s the South Shore was a tight knit Jewish community,” said Steve. “I played Little League baseball and I played basketball on the 7th and 8th grade teams at Horace Mann Elementary School with mostly Jewish friends. I was not the tallest player. I’ve always loved sports. I saw many Sox games from the upper deck at old Comiskey Park.” Steve began a 7 year camping career at Olin-Sang-Ruby when he was 8. There, he met Rabbi Don Splansky, who taught him how to play tennis. “Tennis was part of my family,” said Steve. “My father and an aunt were avid players.” Steve became a counselor at OSRUI where he met Debbie Freidman who was also a counselor. “My family lived frugally,” said Steve. “My father worked for years in the pension department of Sears Roebuck and my mother worked part time at the neighborhood Sears store. Our clothes and hardware came from Sears. Our family vacations were very modest; Wisconsin Dells was a treat.” Steve was active in AZA, BBYO, and Temple Sinai’s youth group. In 1968, Steve decided to spend the first semester of his junior year in high school in Israel. When the semester ended in December, Steve, now 16, flashed an independent streak and convinced his parents to let him finish the school year in Israel. Then he rejoined his family and had a culture shock. His parents had moved to non-Jewish Deerfield. Uprooted from childhood friends and knowing no one at Deerfield High, Steve did not even have a driver’s license because he had missed drivers ed while in Israel. After graduating from Deerfield High, Steve returned to Israel in 1970 and stayed for 2 months as the youngest member of an archaeological dig team. Then he had decisions to make. “What’s next for me,” he asked himself. Music was an option. He had played the guitar ever since his fingers were strong enough and the ukulele before that. A career in Judaism also was inviting. He began to study music at Roosevelt University and Judaic studies at Spertus. He worked part time for HaMakor’s Judacia store and at synagogues as a song leader and Hebrew teacher. In his 20’s Steve became youth director at North Shore Congregation Israel where he celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at age 25. In 1975, he met Mendy and they married in 1978. With her earnest support, Steve graduated from Spertus and enrolled at the Hebrew Union College. While Steve was in his fourth year of rabbinic studies at HUC, his older daughter, Lani, was born and serious budgeting followed. After writing his thesis, The Role of Jewish Music in American Reform Synagogues, which melded his loves of Judaism and music, Steve graduated from HUC and became Rabbi Stephen Hart and someone you should know.

2016 Year In Review

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Temple Chai & Congregation Beth Am Community Shabbat Service Friday, January 13th 6:30 p.m. at Temple Chai Join us at our annual Shabbat of Prayer and Song remembering Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Together, let us celebrate and honor the legacy of Dr. King and his messages of empowerment, freedom, peace and brotherhood. 6

Adult Learning Mini Mesters Mini Mesters are always the first 3 weeks of the months, on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, depending on the presenter, January through May from noon to 1:00 p.m. unless noted. Please bring your lunch and join us for a great chance for learning and discussion.

Pirkei Avot: Learning from the Wisdom of our Sages Wednesday, January 4th, 11th and 18th Rabbi Ilana Baden

Pirkei Avot is a treasure trove of our ancient sages’ ethical teachings and counsel. In this course, Rabbi Baden will walk us through a variety of its texts as we explore issues of personal character, human relationships, and the importance of taking action.

Women of Valor and Nasty Women

Tuesday, February 7th, 14th and 21st Laura Perpinyal, Director of Congregational Learning We’ll explore women in Jewish text, explore their narratives and try to discern if they are “women of valor” or “nasty women”. Both titles come with responsibly and power. We will debate how the women and men in our Jewish text use these titles to teach us something about ourselves?

Jewish Messianism

Wednesday, March 1st, 8th and 15th Rabbi Stephen Hart “Who is going to save us?” Join us for an insightful discussion and conversation about what Judaism teaches us about the Messiah and our views of the ‘end of days’.

Judaism and the Wilderness

Wednesday, April 5th, 12th and 19th Scott Goode, Assistant Director of Youth and Engagement New time!! 12:30-1:30 p.m. Judaism in the Wilderness – Much of today’s Judaism is practiced indoors, from the sanctuary serving as the center of our worship space during holidays and life cycle events, to our religious and Hebrew school happing in our class rooms – we are the people of the book. But is there a place for wilderness in Judaism? Is there a necessity for it? Come find out!

Historical Highlights of Jewish Music Tuesdays, May 2nd, 9th and 16th Cantor Scott Simon

From the Temple Mount to the 19th Century we’ll “enjoy a sonic journey across the centuries as we deepen our understanding of culture and heritage and highlight important musical influences from within and outside the Jewish Musical world.”

Third Thursdays

Please RSVP for the entire series or individually, by emailing Shelly at [email protected]. December 15 • 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Kvell or Cringe? Jews in the Movies with Chuck Kuenneth Is it good for the Jews? Jewish movie characterizations in the last 50 years! With speaker Chuck Kuenneth, we will examine, talk about, and view excerpts from movies in the last half century dealing with Jewish characters and themes. Will they make us cringe or kvell? January 19 • 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Book Discussion with Rachel Kamin Available in hardcover and ebook. Called “dazzling” by bestselling author Gary Shteyngart and “playful and profound” by Booklist, it intertwines the stories of two ambitious immigrants. One is a rising Jewish/Russian art specialist at a top New York auction house in the present day. The other is the future Catherine the Great as she maneuvers through the 18th-century Russian court. “The Three Amigos” discussing current events prior to our November Third Thursday Current Event post-election discussion.

1670 Checker Road • Long Grove, IL 60047-5289 • 847-537-1771 • www.templechai.org • [email protected] 7

Our Rosh Hashana Experience A Huge Success Temple Chai hosted its Tot Rosh Hashanah Experience, our first High Holy Day service for families with young children (ages 0-6), on October 3, 2016. The program was well attended with over 50 families joining Temple Chai to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. The experience began with children receiving an apple name tag. The children then participated in holiday themed crafts, explored the holidays at a sensory table, read books with their families on a blanket, sat through a short family service and song session, heard the blowing of the shofar, and enjoyed holiday snacks. I want to thank Alyssa Latala, Sandy Citron, Jennifer Bekin, Alison Stettner, Stefani Wiemann, and Scott Goode for all their creative ideas and for making this event a success. I also want to give a very special thank you to Ben Siegel for being our song leader, Ed Nickow for blowing the shofar for us, and Rabbi Baden for leading the service. Without their help, this amazing program would never have happened. Moving forward, we are looking for parents that are interested in getting involved with family programming. We have upcoming events such as: monthly Tot Shabbat Dinner and Worship, book discussions, and High Holy Days next year (we will be hosting a Tot Rosh Hashanah Experience and a Tot Yom Kippur Experience in 2017). All these events need the help of families to make them successful. Please consider getting involved in our family programming. Parents are able to get involved as much or as little as desired, such as selecting one Tot Shabbat to help with, helping with the 8

book discussion(s), and/or helping with next year’s Tot High Holy Days Experiences. We even need help in planning future family programs that don’t yet exist. Please contact me, Michelle Colbert, at

[email protected]

if you are interested in getting more information about these events and/or if you are interested in helping. I look forward to the wonderful upcoming family programs that Temple Chai is offering and hope to work with you and see you there. Michelle Colbert Nann

Caring Community Remembrance Bag Project

Thank you to the following people who performed a mitzvah on Sunday, September 18, 2016 helping with our Caring Community Remembrance Bag project this year. Participants were: Cindy Kaplan, Lynne & Larry Leonard, Shirley Kreisman, Shirlee Nickow, Ami, Jason & Arielle Pazol, Karen Teitelbaum, Toby Kriss, Marc Shaffer & Lori Bender, Larry Gomberg, Debbie Robins, Marcy Rasky, Reesa & Zach Epstein, Edye & Randy Sylvan. Bags were packed and delivered to our congregants who lost a loved one during this past year. Thank you to all these caring individuals for volunteering to help with this meaningful project! We could not have done this without your help and support. In addition, a big thank you goes out to Home Depot for donating all the plants for the remembrance bags. Dear Cindy Gerlant and staff at Home Depot, Thank you so much for helping us with our Temple Chai Remembrance Bag project. The plants we enclosed are a reminder of “life”. You and the others from Home Depot (Nick Blanas, Garden supervisor; Ed Caban, merchandising assistant store manager; Ashley Pearce, store manager) have made this project possible with your very generous donation of the plants. We thank all of you for your kindness and generosity. Lynne Leonard and the Temple Chai Caring Community With our gratitude and appreciation, Reesa Epstein, Marcy Rasky & Edye Sylvan

The Dynamic and Innovative Israel Education Film Series Returns

Saturday Night at the Movies

December 10, 2016 • 7:30 PM • Temple Chai Part 2: January 22nd • Part 3: February 5th • Part 4: March 19th • SUFI-Sunday’s 9:30 a.m.

A new mini-documentary that follows the personal journey of Mekonen Abebe, a young African/Israeli Jewish soldier, as he returns to Africa to explore his roots, make peace with his past and embrace his future in Israel. mekonen.jerusalemu.org

Get Educated

Get Empowered

The final three innovative sessions fuses the engaging power of film with leading Middle East experts What is a Refugee The Palestinian Story

January 22nd 9:30 a.m.

How Media Bias Impacts You

February 5th 9:30 a.m.

Step up on Campus and Speak up for Israel Great info for high school and college students and their parents

March 19th 9:30 a.m.

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Tov cuyMazel kzn

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Please join us in wishing our B’nei Mitzvah Students and their families a big Mazel Tov

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TEMPLE CHAI REFORM CONGREGATION 1670 RFD LONG GROVE, IL 60047-5289 STEPHEN A. HART, Rabbi Ilana G. Baden, Rabbi SCOTT D. SIMON, Cantor DEBORAH GREENSWAG, Executive Director Laura Siegel Perpinyal, Director of Congregational Learning SCOTT GOODE, Assistant Director of Education, Youth and Engagement CHARLA SILVER, B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator CATHY SCHWARTZ, Director of Member Services Laurie Azriel-Prager, Temple President DEBBIE BRENNER AND LINDA BRUBAKER, Sisterhood Co-Presidents ARNIE BROWN AND DAVE KOGAN, Chai Guys Brotherhood Co-Presidents JEFF KONDRITZER, Director of Education, Emeritus

NON-PROFIT U. S. POSTAGE PAID Buffalo Grv., IL 60089 Permit No. 40

DEADLINE FOR February/March CHAILITES IS January 1

1670 Checker Road • Long Grove, IL 60047-5289 • 847-537-1771 • www.templechai.org • [email protected]