Dear Congregants,
As we move into the holiday weekend, I want to remind you that as you gather with your friends around the community to be sure to invite them to attend our OUTDOOR SERVICE next Shabbat, July 10 at Wood Oaks Park. Please let the office know if you are coming and brining a guest so that we can have enough food for everyone. Dinner is free to prospective members and their host families!
Cantor Frost invites the congregation to attend a special concert tomorrow evening titled "Ruach: Music of Chicago's Jewish Soul" on Tuesday, June 30 at 7:30 PM. The concert will feature our own CANTOR EMERITUS CORY WINTER and Cantor David Berger. The concert will be at Temple Sholom of Chicago and will cost $18 for general seating. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. Convenient bus transportation leaving from BJBE at 5:30 PM will be available for $18.00 per person. Please contact Lynne Kleiman to reserve your seats at 847-215-1357 or lynne.kleiman@sbcglobal.net. Estimated return time to BJBE is 10:30PM.
Our SUMMER SHABBAT SERVICE SCHEDULE continues this Friday with Services beginning at 6:30 PM. There will be a light Oneg following Services.
Summer Shabbat Morning Prayer and Torah Study-All in One! On Saturday mornings from 9:00-10:00 AM, we will integrate our traditional Torah study session into a relaxed Shabbat morning service designed to lift your soul into prayer. Led on an alternating basis by our clergy and talented lay leaders, this service is the right prescription for all your Shabbat needs: joyous prayer and challenging Torah learning in a community of friends. So come ready to pray, come ready to learn - and come casual! It's the perfect way to start your summer Shabbat mornings! This week's service will be led by Rabbi Stoller.
BJBE OUTDOOR SHABBAT SERVICES will be held on July 10 and August 7 at Wood Oaks Park in Northbrook. Join us at 6:00 PM for dinner and 6:30 PM for Services. Dinner is free for all Prospective Members and their host BJBE families. Contact Karen Swidler in the BJBE office or at kswidler@bjbe.org and let us know you're coming!
If you know anybody "Temple shopping" the Membership Committee has 2 more PROSPECTIVE MEMBER COFFEES planned for the summer. Please encourage your friends and family to come to one. They are as follows: July 13 will be at the home Jennie & Scott Cohen, and August 4 will be at the home of Elizabeth & Brian Tenner. We have learned that attendance at one of these intimate coffees is our best indicator of future membership! For more information please contact the office or Rachel Fersten at rfersty22@sbcglobal.net or Bonnie Litch at baselitch@aol.com.
WE ARE ENTERING THE FINAL STRETCH UNTIL WE MOVE INTO OUR NEW HOME AT 1201 LAKE COOK ROAD! Be a part of this exciting and historic moment by joining us as we plan a host of events to say goodbye to 901 Milwaukee Avenue and dedicate our new building in Deerfield! The 1201 Events Committee is holding its first meeting on July 14th at 7:30 PM at the home of Shirlee Cohen in Highland Park. It doesn't matter if you have been a member for 20 years or 20 days--we would love to have you be a part of this fun, energetic committee! If you are interested, please contact Marc Swatez in the BJBE office at 847-729-7575 or at mswatez@bjbe.org.
Rehearsals for the HIGH HOLY DAY CHOIR begin on July 21. If you are interested in participating in this spiritually fulfilling opportunity, contact Cantor Frost. Knowledge of music and/or Hebrew is helpful but not required.
Save the Date for the 2009 SISTERHOOD KALLAH. This year's Kallah will take place on Friday, July 24 and Saturday July 25 at the Chicago Marriott N.W. in Hoffman Estates. This year's theme will be "Making A Small Difference" and will be facilitated by Marge Eiseman.
Our Men's Club is hosting an APPRECIATION PICNIC for all the Purim Carnival volunteers, past, present and future. In other words, EVERYONE IS INVITED! Join us on Sunday, August 9 from 4:00-7:00 PM in Maplewood Park in Deerfield. The cost is $5 per person or $10 per family. RSVP is required.
The SUMMER SHABBAT SERVICE SCHEDULE will continue through August 21.
CHAVURAH UPDATE: Want to feel more connected within the BJBE community? Joining a Chavurah is a fantastic way to meet fellow congregants in smaller and more personal group settings. We are currently creating a variety of new groups - please contact Julie Letwat, Chavurah Program Chair for more information at jletwat@comcast.net.
Do you have OLD WEDDING MOVIES/VIDEOS from BJBE that you'd like to share? We are putting together a virtual scrapbook tentatively called "REMEMBERING 901." Sandee Holleb and her committee are seeking your remembrances of things past in the form of photos, audio recordings, videos, or writings to be included in a compilation that will be presented in DVD format. You might want to share memories of a life cycle event, your participation in a particular activity, watching as your child sang in the junior choir, or remembering when a rabbi's words or a cantor's voice touched your soul. If you have anything or any questions, please contact Sandee at ilearsi@comcast.net or (847) 590-5504.
A reminder that while most of us enjoy the summer weather, it is not without its challenges for others. When homeless people leave the REST shelter (in Uptown) and go into single rooms, the rooms are not air conditioned and are, of course, very hot. Every summer they try to collect window box fans or money to buy them, so that the clients can at least have a breeze. Please contact Terry Sachsel at tandpirate@aol.com for more information or if you are able to donate either a fan or funds to purchase one.
It's time for you to send in your school registration forms. You will find these forms on the BJBE website: http://www.bjbe.org. All you need to do is to scroll down to the bottom of the home page and then click on the School Registration forms. If you would prefer, we will mail you hard copies of the forms. Just call Michelle Tolub at the temple office and she will be glad to help you.
We are working to clean up our financial books for 2008-09. If you have any outstanding balances to BJBE, they are now past due. If there is anything you would like to discuss regarding your bill or your membership, I invite you to contact either Larisa Rozman, our incredible bookkeeper, or me in the BJBE Office. We can both be reached at 847-729-7575. Alternatively, you can contact our new Consideration Chair, Joe Schyman, by emailing him at j_schyman@yahoo.com. Remember, you will be unable to complete your registration for Religious School or to receive High Holy Day tickets until all outstanding balances are resolved. Please know that we value each and every member of our congregation and are happy to speak with you at your convenience. Finally, as always, no one will ever be denied membership or any service at BJBE due to an inability to pay.
JUNE TZEDAKAH: CJE SeniorLife (Formerly known as the Council for Jewish Elderly) is a comprehensive network of housing, healthcare, community services, education and applied research. CJE SeniorLife has enhanced the lives of older adults and their families. Learn more at www.cje.net. Please give generously.
Information about programs from the Jewish Employment Network is available at http://www.bjbe.org/pages/kehilat-shalom. Jewish Child and Family Services have a series of terrific programs as well listed at www.jcfs.org.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: This week at 1201, our Village Center is getting a roof deck, our Sacred Hall interior is being framed, and most offices and classrooms are nearing completion with new drywall and tape. Take a look next time you drive by on the spur (look north as you go through the toll plaza) and you can't miss them. The steel frame for the Village Center and the roof of our Sanctuary has also been erected. For CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS, log onto the BJBE Website at http://www.bjbe.org/story/capital-campaign-photos and follow the listed log in instructions. Once you get to the 'Client Access' page on our contractor's (Krusinski's) web site, click the "View Report" buttons to see the photos uploaded on the indicated dates. New pictures are posted weekly. (I apologize that this link did not work for a few days last week.)
The BJBE JUDAICA SHOP's 20% OFF moving sale continues! That special Bar/Bat Mitzvah young person would love to receive an Israeli made talit. Your Judaica Shop has a varied selection certain to please. For more information call Sharon 564-2998, Julie 299-3528 or Gail 564-2339.
A reminder that the BJBE Office will be closed this Friday, July 3 for the national holiday.
If you have any questions about these or any other Temple programs, please feel free to contact the Temple office at (847) 729-7575.
L'Shalom and Happy 4th!
Marc
