This Week at BJBE - February 19, 2018

This Week at BJBE

February 19 , 2018

A Note From Sally Sachar, Executive Director

As I celebrate my first two weeks at BJBE, I want to thank all of the congregants who have come by to say "hello," who are offering immense help to pull off a great many events and programs, and whose leadership and dedication is central to the incredible community that defines BJBE. Please come by to meet me if you haven't yet. Every week in This Week, we are going to feature an up-coming event or program, and you'll see this week we call attention to the Purim festivities, which will be robust and celebratory. Please join in on these festive and fun events! Thank you for being such a welcoming and warm community. I'm blessed to now be a member of your family.

-Sally

Featured News

Purim is right around the corner! Celebrate with BJBE!

Grab your costumes and join us for the festivities, including our annual Purim Carnival on Sunday, February 25, and our Purim Megillah Reading, Potluck Dinner, and Social Actionroject on Wednesday, February 28. Read below for more information, or visit www.bjbe.org/Purim.

We look forward to celebrating the Bat Mitzvah of Shayna Bilsky at the morning service this Saturday. Mazel tov to Shayna and her family.

We will be including birth announcements and other celebratory milestones in our weekly email. If you have a Mazal Tov Moment to share with us, please call the BJBE office at 847.940.7575!

CELEBRATE PURIM WITH BJBE!

Visit www.bjbe.org/purim for more information on all of our Purim celebrations!

Tomorrow night! HUGS Purim, Tuesday, February 20, 6:30-7:30pm. Learn more here .

Low-Sensory Purim Experience, Sunday, February 25, 9:00-10:00am. Learn more here.

Purim Shpiel, Megillah Reading, & Carnival, Sunday, February 25, 9:30am. Bring an unopened box of pasta to shake as a grogger and then donate it to the food pantry! Register for the carnival here.

Purim Megillah Reading, Potluck Dinner, & Social Action Project, Wednesday, February 28, 5:30-8:30pm. Learn more here.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS & ADULT EDUCATION

Tuesday Symposium: History of the Jewish People, 10:00-11:30am.

February 20 - led by Rabbi Jason Fenster

February 27 - Christianity, led by Rabbi Yehiel Poupko, Judaic Scholar, Jewish United Fund of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

AIPAC Policy Conference 2018, March 4-6. Act now to join thousands of other pro-Israel activists for three of the most important days impacting Israel's future! Washington Convention Center. For more information about Policy Conference, or to register, click here.

Post Carpool Club One Night Only to Benefit the Teen Mission to Kolin & Israel, Sunday, March 11, 4:30pm. We are delighted to virtually welcome Bette, Barbra, Sammy, Tony, and Frank through an entertaining and informative program presented by Hy Speck. Learn more here.

BJBE Sisterhood Women's Seder, Monday, March 19, 5:30-8:00 . Time to mark your calendar and reserve your space at this annual multi-generational celebration! Reserve by March 1 and receive an Early Bird Savings! Learn more here.

Don't Stop 'BJBE'-lievin' at the Gala on Saturday, April 28. Save the Date!

Shabbat Torah Study: Numbers, Saturdays, 11:00am-12:00pm

Talmud Study, Wednesdays, 7:45-9:00am

Canasta/Mahjong, Mondays, 12:00pm, hosted by Sisterhood. All are welcome to join in the fun! To participate, RSVP to Sharon Krivitzky.

Mishkan Shalom, Thursdays, 10:00-11:00am. J oin us each week for Mindfulness and Torah study based on weekly text, poetry and other contemplative readings. We become one another's teachers as we build our own inner "mishkan" or sanctuary. We will learn to practice meditation so we can access how Torah affects our lives. Contact Margot Andersen with any questions.

For more information about the Center for Adult Learning,contact
Andrew Abrams

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Support the Teen Mission to Kolin & Israel

For more information on the trip and ways to donate, visit www.bjbe.org/Kolin

Pizza 'n Pints for a Purpose, February 24, 5:00-8:00pm. Register here.

The art collection displayed in the Village Center is for sale to benefit the 2018 teen trip to Kolin and Israel. If you would like to purchase any of these lithographs, serigraphs or etchings, please contact Sue Schloss or at 224-558-5700 or Susi Goldstein or at 312-371-1224.

Online catalog is available on the Kolin webpage.

Upcoming Youth Group Events

NFTY678 Kallah, February 23-25. All 6-8th graders are invited to participate in this regional youth group event at URJ OSRUI camp in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin! For more information and to register, click here.

For questions or information about youth programs, please contact SYG Advisor Alyssha Glass or JYG/KYG Advisor Marissa Steinhofer.

Visit the SYG Facebook group >>

SERVICES

Friday, February 13, Shabbat Service, 7:30pm.

Shabbat mornings feature our Kol Shabbat Service at 9:30am followed by Torah Study at 11:00am

Wednesday Morning Minyan: Begin your day in a beautiful and powerful way by attending our Wednesday morning Minyan from 6:45am to 7:30am in the intimate space of the Chapel. Experience a prayer service grounded in communal song, thought-provoking liturgy, and deep silence, followed by bagels and coffee. The weekday prayer melodies are available here , although all are welcome to attend regardless of musical or prayerbook knowledge.

Services in both the Sacred Hall and Sanctuary are streamed. To view our live or recorded streams, please click here.

Questions? Email Anne Robbin.

SOCIAL ACTION NETWORK

We are collecting toiletries, hearing aids, glasses, printer cartridges, and batteries, and new kids' hats and gloves. These much-needed items will be donated to Families Helping Families of Chicagoland, and will be distributed to kids in our community. We are NOT collecting used clothing at this time. Thank you for your generous donations.

February Tzedakah

Connections Israel - Operation Purim 2018

Connections Israel was founded in 2001 to bring support to IDF soldiers and Israeli society, since then our organization has brought tens of thousands of support packages from overseas to support Israeli soldiers and society, brought support to IDF servicemen and women from overseas, and directed over a thousand people on educational missions throughout Israel

CARING COMMUNITY

The Caring Community and CJE Senior Life are pleased to offer individual appointments at no charge with Senior Health Insurance Counselor Esther Craven on March 12. Esther has over 25 years of experience at CJE. As a benefits specialist, she offers assistance and advocacy in areas of Medicare, health insurance and resources for retirement. Please email Debbie Heywood or call her in the office at 847.940.7575.

BJBE's Caring Community is a team of volunteers who can act as your extended family when your family needs additional support. Caring Community provides the following services: home delivered meals in times of need, transportation to/from temple or a medical appointment, phone support for people who are ill or lonely, senior education and caregiver support, and a virtual food pantry. Learn more >>

BJBE is certified as a Safer Synagogue by Jewish Community Abuse Resources, Education & Solutions (JCARES). Our leadership has been trained in understanding the impact of abuse across the lifespan and improving access to support for congregants experiencing abusive situations. For more information, please contact the clergy at 847-940-7575.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Never had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah? Join the new, user-friendly Adult Bnai Mitzvah class that is beginning to form. The class meets weekly for approximately a year, culminating with a group Bnai Mitzvah experience. For more information, call the BJBE office at 847.940.7575 or Phyllis Steiner at 847.729.7366.

Help BJBE while you shop! AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support BJBE every time you shop, at no cost to you! Once you've selected Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim, every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

Book BJBE for your upcoming celebration!! Your spiritual home is also a premier venue with beautiful reception space in the Village Center, Sacred Hall and Courtyard. With completion of the Sanctuary, we have new opportunities available for you to celebrate your special events at BJBE. For information and reservations, contact Erica Stone

or by phone at 847-940-7575.

JUDAICA (GIFT) SHOP

New and exciting merchandise in the Judaica Shop.

Looking for a meaningful wedding present? Want to enhance your own wedding? The Judaica Shop has a selection of colored smash glasses whose shards can be put into a mezuzah, picture frame, menorah, or sculpture. Many in stock or we can order for you.

Shop hours are 30 minutes prior to and after Friday Night Services, Sundays 9:30 to 11:30 AM, Wednesdays 4:30 to 6:30 PM (during Religious School) and by special appointment by calling Lynne 847-528-1359.