West Suburban Temple Har Zion: Special Weekly Announcements

Kabbalat Shabbat Services on Friday, February 3rd, will begin at 6:30 pm in the Guralnick Chapel.

Shabbat Services on Saturday, February 4th will begin at 10:00 am in the Goldstine Sanctuary.

The World Wide Wrap will begin at 9:30 am in Gottlieb Hall on Sunday, February 5th with minyan to follow at 10:00 am. See details below.

The Shohet Daily Minyan will meet on Sunday, at 10:00 am, Monday and Thursday mornings at 7:30, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 7:45. Please help make a minyan!

World Wide Wrap - Join the WSTHZ Men's Club for the World Wide Wrap. February 5 in Gottlieb Community Hall. 9:30 AM "Wrap Session", 10:00 AM Minyan. Please bring your talit and tefillin (and if you have an extra set of tefillin that others could borrow, please bring that too.) This is a coordinated worldwide wrap through the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. More info here or at: www.worldwidewrap.org.

The history of Pesach is in the Haggadah-not in the menu! Join Chef Laura Frankel as she demonstrates modern Passover dishes so good you will wish the holiday lasted just a few days longer. Chef Laura utilizes modern approaches to kosher food with local, organic and sustainable ingredients and re-imagines and re-invents classic flavors to create modern kosher cuisine. Join us in Gottlieb Hall from 11am-1pm on Sunday, February 12. Be ready to enjoy a sampling of the dishes prepared! The cost is $8 per person. RSVP to the temple office by February 6. Chef Laura is the Executive Chef of Spertus Kosher Catering Featuring Cuisine by Wolfgang Puck and author of JEWISH COOKING FOR ALL SEASONS and JEWISH SLOW COOKER RECIPES (John Wiley and Sons)

West Suburban Hadassah is continuing our "Jewish Intellectual History" DVD program. This Hadassah-STAR meeting is Thursday February 16 at 1 p.m. in the Guralnick Chapel. We will view a university level 30 minute lecture taught by Professor David Ruderman and followed by an open discussion led by our dynamic Chapter facilitator, Hyma Levin. RSVP to: slevr@aol.com (Lauren L.) or jandson@comcast.net (Jan D.).

Young Family Shabbat Service and Dinner - Friday, February 17th, 5:45 PM-7:15 PM Lots of singing, praying, eating and fun during this service and dinner especially for families with young children. $5 per person up to $20 per family. RSVP by calling the temple office at 708.366.9000 or email Carol Serber at cserber@wsthz.org by February 10th.

The Ten Greatest Jewish-American Films - February 18, 2012, 7:00 pm. This program will cover feature films of the twentieth century that represented Jewish-Americans on the screen and which dealt with issues related to Jewish society and history. We will talk about ways in which these works reflected how Jews were perceived in American society, the ways in which they sought to alter existing stereotypes, the manner in which Jewish issues were presented and the ways in which studios sought to address a general audience beyond the Jewish community. Each film broke new ground and all of these have held up well over the years. We'll have film clips of each. No, we won't tell you now what the ten films are... come and find out!! Patricia Brett Erensteaches film studies at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. She has published six books on film, including The Jew in American Cinema and Issues in Feminist Film Criticism. She was an advisor and contributor to Jewish Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of Jewish American Popular Culture. Brought to you by the Adult Education Committee. There will be a modest admission charge of $7 per per adult. Free admission for those under 18. Refreshments will be served!

Rabbi Capers C. Funnye, Jr. and members of Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation will be our guests on Friday, February 24th. Shabbat services begin at 6:30 pm with Shabbat dinner following services. Call the temple office or email cserber@wsthz.org to RSVP. Adults $20, Kids 5-12 $10 and under 5 are free.

SAVE THE DATES! Kallah 2012 - March 16-18 at Perlstein Resort Center in Lake Delton, Wisconsin. Everyone is welcome - tots to seniors, to this weekend retreat. This will be our 28th annual Kallah!

STAR: Suburban Thursday Afternoon Retirees. All retirees are welcome. The group meets Thursdays from 1:00-3:00 pm, in the Guralnick Chapel. This is a joint endeavor of Oak Park Temple and West Suburban Temple. For more information, contact Sandra Sokol at sandrasokol@sbcglobal.net or Annabel Abraham at Abrahamop@aol.com.

Maya Karmely, a representative from the Israeli Consulate will be a guest at Oak Park Temple on Sunday, February 12 at 10:30 am - noon. Ms. Karmely will speak on the various Israeli political parties and how the Knesset operates. WSTHZ members are cordially invited.

Taglit-Birthright Israel registration is approaching! Parents, Hillel Foundation at the University of Illinois wants to ensure that your children get the Israel experience of a lifetime with Taglit-Birthright Israel! For the past decade our organizer Shorashim has been giving our students the best educational experience on our "Chicago Community" buses staffed by Hillel professionals. Official registration begins on Wednesday, February 15th at 9:00 am CDT (pre-registration for past applicants will open on Tuesday February 14th at 11:00 am Central). For information on how to register, visit our website www.illinihillel.org or go to http://www.israelwithisraelis.com. Or, feel welcome to contact Taglit-Birthright's Israeli fellow, Erez Cohen at erez.illinihillel@gmail.com - 217.819.3631.

TribeFest is back! March 25-27, 2011 at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. The Jewish Federations of North America created TribeFest to bring together over 1,500 young Jewish adults (ages 22-45) from across North America. There will be opportunities to network and explore Jewish community involvement. This year, there will be programmatic tracks and topics including Social Justice and Global Responsibility, Culture and the Arts, Israel and The Middle East 2011-12, Innovation, Faith and Spirituality, and Hot Topics. Visit www.TribeFest.org for details and registration.

Limmud Chicago Family - Sunday, February 19th. WSTHZ is a member of the Limmud Chicago Family. This entitles our temple members and staff a 5% discount for Limmud Chicago programming. There will be programming for all ages.Registration is open at www.limmudchicago.org. For more information, contact Andrea Hoffman at andrea.hoffman@limmudchicago.org.

Dominican University's Interfaith Engagement Series: The Jewish Passover Seder. Wednesday, March 21, 5:30p.m.-7:30p.m. Dominican University, Location TBD. Dominican University's Interfaith Cooperation Committee, along with Rabbi Robin Damsky and members of West Suburban Temple Har Zion invite you to an experience of the Jewish Passover Seder at Dominican University on March 21. We hope you'll join us for this special evening of learning and community surrounding this sacred meal. All are welcome. Please RSVP to mpalkert@dom.edu by Monday, March 12 so we can provide our best hospitality. For more information about DU's interfaith initiatives and for updates on the March 21 event, please visit dom.edu/interfaith.

Cantor Figa's Synagogue Skills Class: Everyone is welcome to attend on Sunday mornings, from 9:30 until 10:30 am. The group meets in the Cantor's office on Sundays when Religious School is in session. This is a fun and easy way to become more familiar with Jewish prayers and rituals.

Making Prayer Meaningful: On the second Shabbat of the month, from 9:15 to 10:00 am, Rabbi Robin will lead a class which will explore a component of our prayer service: the Hebrew and English text and Biblical, theological, Talmudic, Hasidic, and halachic sources, as well as modern perspectives, to create understanding and to new meaning for our prayer service. The class will meet next on February 11th.

Rabbi Damsky's My Thursdays with Torah class meets Thursday mornings from 10:00-11:00 in the Guralnick Chapel. Everyone is welcome.

Talmud Class - Tractate Ta'anit: Life in the "Fast" Lane. Join teacher Rahmiel Hayyim Drizin for deep learning of the Talmudic Tractate Ta'anit. No previous Talmud learning or Hebrew skills are required. We intend to use the Artscroll edition of the Talmud for our class learning. Class meets on Wednesday afternoons at 5:30 p.m.

Rashi with Rahmiel - Sunday mornings, after minyan, at 10:00 a.m. Join us as we attempt to plumb the depths of Rashi, and along the way inspire ourselves to further analysis, both of text and of self. No previous learning or Hebrew skills are required. We intend to use the Artscroll edition of Rashi for our class learning. Class meets next on February 5th.

Jewish Federation Academic Scholarships are available for Jewish college and post-graduate students for study in: Medicine, Education, Law, Engineering, Health Care, Arts/Science Jewish Studies, Social Service, Communications and Jewish Communal Service. Application deadline is February 15th. Go to www.jvschicago.org/scholarship or call 312.673.3444.

Semester in Israel for undergraduates with an interest in medicine, pre-med and other health/science students, to take a semester at a highly regarded Israeli institution, The Voyage to Medicine in Israel. The Voyage to Medicine is a five-month program (either fall or spring semester) open to English-speaking undergraduate students who express an interest in the field of medicine. The program is a joint venture between Tel Aviv University and Assaf Harofeh Medical Center. The course offers participants the unique opportunity to gain experience in one of Tel Aviv area's finest hospitals and medical institutions, under the tutelage of expert physicians in the field. The medical facilities which comprise Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, an 800-bed academic, medical center, treat a broad spectrum of ethnic origins, cultural backgrounds and socio-economic levels of the Israeli population. For additional information please cut and paste the following link: http://international.tau.ac.il/prospective-students/undergraduate-programs/specialized-programs/a-voyage-to-medicine-in-israel.html

Reverse Hunger: You Can Help. As a follow up to Global Hunger Shabbat on November 5, here is something we can do. Buy fair trade coffee or chocolate. See this link to learn more about fair Jewish business practice, to place your order and to support. AJWS (American Jewish Worlds Service) work to reverse hunger: http://www.equalexchange.coop/ajws

OPRF Food Pantry needs protein. Due to government cutbacks,The OPRF Food Pantry's allotment from the Greater Chicago Food Depository, where they purchase food, has been cut by fifty percent. One consequence is that there is now a serious shortage of protein items to give out to Food Pantry patrons. If you wish to donate food items, please donate: peanut butter, canned salmon, and canned tuna. Donations may be placed in our tzedakah container in the foyer.

THOUGHTS FROM OUR RABBI
Shabbat Parashat B'shallach
All of us Experiencing Freedom Together

A salad with big chunks of carrots, another with olives and tomatoes, dressed with ranch or Italian dressing - or both - served with a slice of bread and spread. Add to that broccoli cooked in cheese sauce and a main dish of tortilla casserole chock full of beef and topped with cheeses. For dessert, ice cream and home baked cookies: chocolate chip and walnut, oatmeal chocolate chip. To drink? Milk, orange juice or water. Doesn't sound like a kosher meal, but for 61 homeless men, women and children, it was delectable, warm and filling, and received with an enormous amount of gratitude.

The first Wednesday of each month, WSTHZ takes responsibility for providing and serving dinner to the homeless individuals in our community that take advantage of PADS, Public Action to Deliver Shelter. During the ten winter months, individuals and families in need can come to one of twelve rotating congregational locations for a hot dinner, a place to sleep and breakfast in the morning.

The first job for us as volunteers was organizing and plating the food. 61 bowls of salad were dished up and atop each we placed a slice of bread with butter spread. The doors were then open and the diners chose a pad on which to sleep for the night. After making their bed they came to the tables for dinner. A moment of silence preceded the meal, followed by a chorus of "Happy Birthday" to one of the women who uses the shelter's services. We then served the salads.

There were a number of volunteers. Two teen brothers: Nash and Joe, from a local church who have been doing this for years, another Christian man, Steve, for whom this was his third Wednesday. But the bulk of the volunteers last night were from West Suburban Temple. I walked in to see Saul Perla, then Robin and Max Manansala, and greeted Hannah Walsh. In the kitchen I was greeted by Wendy Boxer, Susan Schneider - who coordinated our efforts last night - Thank You Susan! - and Hannah Perla. We were joined a bit later by Sidney Manansala. Cindy Barnard dropped off a tasty dessert. What a wonderful experience it was to serve alongside each of these individuals from our congregation, as well as the others in our greater community who have a commitment to helping out at the shelter.

It was easy. It was difficult. Serving was a joy, bringing people food, knowing that our time and meal contributions were ensuring that people wouldn't go hungry. It was powerful to provide a sense of dignity to individuals who are often treated without respect. But stopping to think about the circumstances that these souls deal with each day: thinking about what it means to have no home to go to at night, seeing moms with children and men and women dealing with such hard times, was painful. In fact, it was heartbreaking. It brought tears to our eyes. As I was leaving after the meal was finished, so many people thanked me for being there. I am sure they thanked each of the volunteers the same way. It was that same mixture of pleasure and pain.

There are many initiatives in our nation and around the world working to eradicate homelessness. PADS itself has a number of programs aimed at this goal, including a summer program that has space for 50 men. It engages them in training and skills toward independence and self-sustenance. This program however, can only handle a percentage of those in need, and even then, it has about a 25% success rate. That means that even as we work to combat homelessness, there are still so many people who need a good meal and a bed each night. PADS provides this to a continuously growing number of people who find themselves in need of this support.

I am proud that WSTHZ is a sponsor of this program, a program that Rabbi Mirelman helped to found, and that Carol Fred and Anne Gottlieb have worked work diligently over the years to promote in our congregation's community. On this Shabbat, Parashat B'shallach, the entire Jewish community goes forth through the Sea of Reeds from slavery to freedom. No one is left behind. In this spirit, and with Judaism's obligation to help the poor, the hungry, and the homeless, I invite you to participate in this mitzvah.

On the first Wednesday of each month you can be one of the volunteers who helps these vulnerable people in our community. You can prepare a salad. Or a main course, or even dessert. You can come and serve food, helping the victims of poverty to feel the outreach of a human hand and a kind heart, helping them to regain a sense of dignity. To volunteer at PADS, please contact Anne Gottlieb at agottlieb69@hotmail.com. It is a trip worth taking.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Robin

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PARASHAH COMMENTARY

Torah Reading: Exodus 13:17 - 17:16
Haftarah Reading: Judges 4:4 - 5:31
11 Shevat 5772 - February 4, 2012

Jewish Vocational Service (Tenure Assured)
By: Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson

You can imagine the fear of the former slaves as they fled toward the wilderness, toward the desert of Sinai.

Risking what little they had in Egypt, facing a precarious and dangerous future, these brave men, women, and children were driven by desperation, by a faith in God, and by a passionate rejection of human domination. Determined to meet their destiny with dignity, they packed their belongings and proceeded to flee from Egypt.

Of course, the Egyptians pursued after them. The traditional commentators notice that the Torah uses a peculiar verb form to describe the mobilization of the Egyptians--saying that "the Egyptians marched (singular) after them." According to Rashi, the reason the verb is in the singular form is to tell us that they marched "with one heart, like one man."

The Egyptians were united in their purpose--maintaining the power and supremacy of Egyptian might and wealth. That purpose continues to motivate many of the nations of the world to this day, lending unity and purpose to the pursuit of national interest. What provided unity and purpose to Israel, our hearty ancestors fleeing toward freedom. The Torah records they faced this Egyptian ruthlessness with an approach quite distinct from the Egyptian reliance on military might: "Greatly frightened, the Israelites cried out to the Lord.

Lest you think this recourse to prayer is merely a panic--a spontaneous surrender to terror, Rashi clarifies that "they seized upon the occupation of their ancestors. Regarding Abraham the Torah records: `to the place where he stood [in prayer](Genesis 10:27),' of Isaac, it says: `to pray in the field (Genesis 24:63),' and for Jacob, it says: `he entreated in that place (Genesis 28:11).'"

Rashi understands the news that the Jews cried out to God not as some blind act of terror, but as a return to our essence, our true calling in the world. He points out that each of the three Patriarchs were exceptional precisely in their attention to matters of spirit, piety, and faith. All three ancestors turned to God as their center and their core.

In the inferno of Egyptian slavery, the Jews had forgotten their own true purpose, thinking instead that they were to be a people like any other. But in the drama of their liberation, they rediscovered what it has always meant to be a Jew: a people who can cry out to God, a people whose emotional orientation is toward heaven. Throughout the millennia, Jews survived, not by ignoring the reality of life, not by escaping from the often cruel and disappointing events of everyday, but instead, our ancestors were able to endure and to thrive by tapping into wells of supernal strength, linking themselves to God by elevating their own perspective beyond their own limitations.

Jews learned to measure their lives with a divine yardstick, to seek comfort by living in accordance with God's way.

We, too, have forgotten our true vocation; have grown indifferent to the stunning task handed to us in days of old. To be a Jew, says Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, is to be a messenger.

To be a Jew is to cry out to God.

SHABBAT SHALOM

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Last Updated:
February 02, 2012 10:00 p.m.