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B'ruchim Ha'baim - Welcome

Come experience Temple Har Zion’s vibrant Jewish community serving the Western suburbs and the West side of Chicago. Join our diverse and dynamic community as we imbue our lives with Jewish wisdom, prayer, learning, social action and the celebration of Jewish life together.  No matter where you are in your journey, we welcome individuals, families/interfaith families, and seekers to nourish your spiritual life with us. Explore and celebrate the joys of Jewish life:

  • Explore our site and Zoom-in for a program or service. We are beginning to introduce limited in person seating in the sanctuary on Shabbat mornings, by confirmed reservation. 

  • Have any questions? Please feel free to reach out at 708-366-9000 or email us at office@wsthz.org.

  • Have (virtual) coffee with our Rabbi or Executive Director, or check out the Rabbi's letters and blog.

  • Temple Har Zion is welcoming to interfaith families! Our community is at the forefront of the Conservative movement in this area. Please take a look at our feature in Tablet magazine.

  • Click here to check out our music videos from our Friday night Mizmor L'David Davening Team.

High Holy Days 5782/2021
at Temple Har Zion

Click here to visit our High Holy Days Page for more information.

 

Join Us for the High Holy Days

High Holy Days 2021/5782 are upon us. Temple Har Zion welcomes everyone, member or not, to join our High Holy Days services virtually—on Zoom, Facebook, or YouTube.

We have state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment including two PTZ cameras and a new sound system, and we are including virtual content in our High Holy Day services that will make them even more inspiring for our online participants.

Please register to receive a link to our services on Zoom, and, if you wish, a link to the PDF of the High Holy Days prayerbook: Register here.
An $18 donation per service per person, per service, is suggested.

All are welcome!

Book of Remembrance

Yizkor is a time we remember and honor our departed loved ones. Traditionally we make a donation in their memory, “Ehtain Tzedakah bah-ah-dah...I will donate charity in her or his sake.”

This year we added a new section where members were able to request tributes to specific loved ones. After that section, the names of all the loved ones who have have been memorialized with a plaque at Temple Har Zion are listed. A list of the this year’s new plaque tributes is in the front. If you would like information about dedicating a memorial plaque please let us know (office@wsthz.org).

If you are able to help underwrite the cost of producing the Book of Remembrance, please consider an increased donation. 

 

Shanah Tovah!


We cannot all get together in person again this year, but we can still greet one another through the wonder of modern cell phones or Zoom, with Shanah Tovah videos. Below they are the ones we've received so far. Note: Some of these were received too late to be used in the Rosh Hashanah services, but there are more High Holy Days services to come. And they are here; click below! Thanks to everyone participate!

Shanah Tovah from the Har Zion community!

 

Note: Some of the videos were received too late to be used in the Rosh Hashanah services, but there are more High Holy Days services to come. So keep on submitting them!

All adult High Holy Day services and programs will be in person and also be streamed on YouTube, Facebook, and Zoom. (Exception: Tashlich, which is in-person only).

Visit the Har Zion High Holy Days web page for details, including how you can participate, in person at Har Zion or from home and for links to the recordings of previous services: https://www.wsthz.org/high-holidays-5782.html

Attending in Person:

We anticipate that all members who wish to attend the High Holy Days services in person will be able to. Please fill out this registration form so that we can plan our space. As last year, the bima will be pushed back to the Gottlieb Hall stage to provide safe seating. Masks will be required for everyone, at all times.

There will be assigned seats (that will be the same for the entire High Holy Day season); use this form if you would like to make a detailed request seating for you and your family. (Please, only one person per group should fill out the form, which will allow you to tell us how many individuals are in your group.)

High Holy Days seating registration form: https://www.wsthz.org/form/High-Holy-Days-2021/HHD.html

If you want to attend in person, please fill this form for your family by Wednesday, August 25.

Attending Online:

Everyone, including non-members, are welcome to attend our High Holy Day Services virtually. No password is necessary to attend on Facebook or YouTube. 

Members: There is a special holiday Zoom password; contact the office if you need it or use one the clickable links we send you in member emails to directly join services. (Make sure you have it before the holidays start.)

Attending Camp Shana Tovah for Children from Age 1 to 7th Grade:

Camp Shana Tovah has services and programs for Families with Young Children and for school-aged children up to grade 7.  All Camp Shana Tovah services and programs are being held outdoors and will not be streamed. Registration is required to attend any/all Families with Young Children or Youth Services (links below).

 

Upcoming 2021/5782 High Holy Day Schedule

 

Yom Kippur  

Kol Nidre

Wednesday, September 15, 7 PM Service
 

Yom Kippur

Thursday, September 16

8:45 AM Shacharit
9:30 AM Service for Families with Young Children (Registration required; click here.)
10:45 AM Youth Service (Registration required; click here.)
12:15 PM (approximately) Yizkor
4:15 PM Q & A with Rabbi Glick
4:45 PM Mincha & Neilah

 

Sukkot  

The main Sukkot Services use the same in-person procedures and streaming (Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube) as the Saturday Morning Services; not the High Holiday Zoom ID.


Tuesday, September 21

10 AM Main Service – In Person and Virtual (Registration is not required.)
10:30 AM Service for Families with Young Children  (Registration required; click here.)

Wednesday, September 22, 10 AM Service – Virtual only (Registration is not required.)

 

Shemini Atzeret

Tuesday, September 28; 10 AM Service

 

Simchat Torah 

Tuesday, September 28; 6:30 PM Service 

Wednesday, September 29; 10 AM Service 

Ongoing Programs/Learning

 

For more information on these programs, contact Temple Har Zion Director of Education David Schwartz, dschwartz@wsthz.org, or call the temple office at 708.366.9000.

Study with a Buddy:

We all have things that we know and things that we don't know.  Because of that, Temple Har Zion is rolling out a new Jewniversity program - Study with a Buddy!  This gives you the opportunity to grow your skills and/or share what you know with others. 

Visit the Jewish Journeys/Adult Education page and fill out the form to let us know what you could teach or what you'd like to learn. Or both!

Introduction to Judaism:

How Can Judaism Enhance Your Life?

There's still room for you to learn more about Judaism! 
Please join us for our overview of Judaism classes—whether you know a lot or a little, there's always more to learn about how Judaism can enhance your life.

Registration Link: https://www.wsthz.org/form/Introtojudaism5781

Monday Evening Learning:

Come for a thoughtful, insightful discussion of Pirkei Avot–The Ethics of Our Fathers, with other topics mixed in a few times a month (see Jewniversary 2.0 below), with Har Zion Director of Education David Schwartz.

September 13: Kol Nidrei is arguably the best-known set of words that we say on Yom Kippur.  But what are we actually saying?  Join us as we explore this iconic text!

Zoom Meeting ID#: 9245 552 6669 
Usual Har Zion password

Jewniversity 2.0:

Replaces Monday Evening Learning (above) several times a month, often with additional programming other days/times during the month. The topics are relevant to the Jewniversity Topic of the Month. Please see Jewish Journeys for more information.

Zoom Meeting ID#: 9245 552 6669 

See Monday Evening Jewniversity for additional dates.bbalah:

#895 1120 7434
Join Rabbi Glick for this hly class. 

 

And a special celebration!

Join us as we bring a new Sefer Torah into our Community!

Sunday, September 26, at 10:30 AM  

Dear Friends,

I am absolutely delighted to announce that Temple Har Zion—with the incredible generosity of the Geldner family—is acquiring a new Sefer Torah, a Torah scroll that will replace an older unkosher scroll. Bringing a new Torah scroll into a community is one of the most joyous—and rare—events in the life of a synagogue. Torah is life. Bringing in a new Torah is welcoming new life into our sanctuary and congregation.

Please join us on Sunday September 26 at 10:30 AM, during Sukkot Chol Ha’Moed, as we dance and parade around our block with our neighbors and friends, accompanied by music and our new Torah, witness the writing of the final letters in the scroll, and bring it into our ark, followed by a festive brunch in our outdoor tent. This is a once in a generation simcha for our synagogue that should not be missed. Please mark your calendars.

We look forward to celebrating with all of you,

Rabbi Adir Glick
Juli Geldner, President
Michael Zmora and the Hachnasat Sefer Torah Committee

Join our Services:
Online and In Person!


Temple Har Zion observes Shabbat with Friday night and Saturday morning services and has a Daily Minyan on weekdays and Sunday. All of these services are available online, streamed live.

Limited in-person worship at the temple is also offered for Saturday morning services and on selected holidays. The actual requirements and procedures are in flux as Covid pandemic changes; see In Person Attendance on Shabbat Morning for more information on the current requirements/procedure.

Please see the sidebar for times and links to download the Siddur.

Did you miss the Saturday service? There are recordings of Har Zion Saturday and holiday services on YouTube on and Facebook.

Save the date(s)... upcoming events!

We welcome Har Zion members and all others interested to participation in our virtual programming but all of our events are password protected.
 

  • To join a program from a Temple Har Zion email, please hit the "click to join" link or click on the program flyer; these will automatically enter our password for you. 

  • If you would like to join using the Zoom ID#, Zoom will ask you to enter our password. Do you need the password? Email office@wsthz.org or call 708.366.9000 for help.

  • Unsure how to use Zoom? Click here for a tutorial. 

  • Miss any of our live programming? There are recordings of many on YouTube on and Facebook.

Maimonides Guide of the Perplexed
with Rabbi Glick

Ongoing Thursdays at 10 AM

Zoom ID # 990 415 095

This is a series of classed given by Temple Har Zion's Rabbi Adir Glick exploring the greatest work of Jewish philosophy – Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed.

But is this a work of philosophy? Or of Jewish thought? Or a treatise exploring hidden Biblical metaphysics? Maimonides wrote the Guide indicating that its deepest secrets were hidden within the chapter headings and other clues that he left behind – ha’mevin yavin: he who knows will understand.

Over the next weeks and months, we will study sections of  the Guide together using the University of Chicago's edition that is in two volumes:

Volume 1: https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Perplexed-Vol-1/dp/0226502309

Volume 2: https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Perplexed-Vol-1/dp/0226502309

This program began on July 21, 2021. There are recordings of all previous sessions on Temple Har Zion's YouTube channel: Guide of the Perplexed.

 

 ​​​​​  STAR Seniors & Retirees: 

      Gathering to Learn & Connect    

Thursdays, 1- 3 PM
for virtual meeting info please contact the office

Temple Har Zion, OPT, the Secular Jewish Community & School are partnering with Interfaith Green Network and Clean Up Give Back to help you recycle your single-use plastic bags/film. Collect your bags and bring them to Har Zion.

Thank you for all your plastic!
We are on our fifth(!) 500 lb. challenge!

Please be careful of the plastic you bring...

  • Don't bring in stiff plastic. 
    To test if it's acceptable, try stretching it with your fingers or ripping it - if it rips with a jagged edge it's okay.
  • Plastic must be CLEAN & DRY. 
  • Pull out cash receipts - they have a chemical that cannot be recycled.

    - - - ON HOLD - - -

Guided Jewish Mediation with Rabbi Glick 

Sundays at 9 AM

Zoom ID # 489 884 312

Every Sunday morning, we gather for a fully guided 30 minute meditation by Rabbi Glick based on Kabbalistic techniques. Find stillness, peace, inspiration, and connection for the week ahead. Suitable for beginners and advanced students.

 

Covid Information 

Information and resources are constantly changing, being updated with spaces filling up and opening up continually.

Here are some places to start a search:
Click here to get information about receiving the vaccine in Cook County.

For the City of Chicago Covid and vaccine information https://covidcoach.chicago.gov/

Click here to get information about receiving the vaccine in DuPage County.

Info and Links



Building Hours
Monday - Thursday 8:30 AM - 5 PM
Friday 8:30 AM - 2 PM
To protect our preschool students—who cannot be vaccinated—we have strict protocols for entering the temple building on weekdays. These protocols are changing as the state of the Covid pandemic is changing.

We ask you to call or email the office before you come to the building, just to make sure what the current protocols are (including whether you can come in at all).

Temple Har Zion must continue to enforce extra cautious Covid restrictions in the temple building to protect our preschool children. (For the preschool, we must strictly follow DCFS protocols.)
  
office@wsthz.org
708.366.9000 Phone
708.366.9006 Fax 

Office staff is available by phone and email.
Non-preschool office hours are Mon - Thurs 9 AM - 5 PM (Fri til 2 PM)

In time of need please call the Temple Office. 
After hours, you may reach: 
Rabbi Glick at 310.227.9954  
Cantor Figa at 312.335.1768    
Voice messages may also be left on the Temple voicemail after hours.
 
Social Worker at Har Zion
Har Zion, with Jewish Child and Family Services, offer social services to community members.  
Contact Elizabeth Ury at ElizabethUry@jcfs.org
Elizabeth can be reached by phone at 847.745.5421.

JVS (Jewish Vocational Service) can help you plan a career path, tune you up for that important interview, revamp your resume, and teach you how to network successfully.
For information call JVS Career Moves at 855.463.6587 or visit their website. 

 

Sun, September 19 2021 13 Tishrei 5782